^^j iyi
THE
PRACTICAL WORKS
REV. RICHARD BAXTER.
r
THE
PRACTICAL WORKS
THE REV. RICHARD BAXTER:
A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR,
AND
A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF HIS WRITINGS,
BY THE
REV. WILLIAM ORME, .
AUTHOR OF " THE LIFE OF JOHN OWEN, D.D.j" *' BIBLIOTHECA BIBLICA," ETC.
VOL. IX.
IN TWENTY-THREE VOLUMES.
LONDON:
JAMES DUNCAN, 37, PATERNOSTER ROW.
MDCCCXXX.
y I . (..' /^
0)'
LOJSDON:
I'lUNTED By MILLS, JOWETT, AND MILLS,
BOLT-COURT, FLEET-STREET.
THE
PRACTICAL WORKS
OP THE
REV. RICHARD BAXTER.
VOLUME IX.
CONTAININO
THE RIGHT MEraOD FOR A SETTLED PEACE OF CONSCIENCE AND
SPIRITUAL COMFORT ; THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST.
vol. IX.
niCHABD EDWARDS, CRANE COURT, FLEET STREET, LONDON.
CONTENTS
OF
THE NINTH VOLUME.
THE RIGHT METHOD
FOR A SETTLED PEACE OF CONSCIENCE AND
SPIRITUAL COMFORT.
PAGE
Epistle Dedicatorv iii
To the Poor in Spirit viii
The Case to be resolved . . . , 19
Direct. 1. Discover the true cause of your trouble ...... 20
The continued necessity of a standing ministry 21
Direct. 3. Discover well how much of your trouble is from
melancholy, or from outward crosses, and apply the remedy
accordingly 22
Direct. 3. Lay first in your understanding sound and deep ap-
prehensions of God's nature 27
The benefits that arise from the apprehensions of God's good-
ness ibid.
Direct. 4. Get deep apprehensions of the gracious nature and
office of the Mediator S3
Direct. 5. Believe and consider the full sufficiency of Christ's
sacrifice and ransom for all 35
Direct. 6. Apprehend the freenesSi fulness and universality of
the law of grace, or conditional grant of pardon and salva-
tion to all men, if they will repent and believe ibid.
Direct. 7. Understand the difference between general grace
and special, and between the possibility, probability, con-
ditional certainty, and absolute certainty of your salvation,
and so between the several degrees of comfort that these
severals may afford ibid.
How much comfort the unconverted may receive from gene-
ral grace •••• 38
Direct. 8. Understand rightly the true nature of saving faith 43
Direct. 9. Next, perform the condition by actual believing 46
Object. I am not able to believe j answered 47
Direction how to get faith 48
How far the prayers of the wicked are acceptable 4a
VOL. IX. b
iv CONTENTS.
PAGE
Direct. 10. Next, review your own believing, and thence ga-
ther assurance 52
The witness of the Spirit, and Spirit of adoption, what they are ? 53
Whether it be a legal departing from Christ, or any sinful
trusting in our own righteousness, to gather peace, comfort
or assurance from signs within us ? 56
Twenty arguments, proving it lawful to gather comfort or as-
surance from God's graces in us 57
Direct. 11. Make use, in trial, of none but infallible signs . . 62
Five certain signs, together comprising the description of a
true Christian 63
Twenty observable explicatory points for the right under-
standing of these signs . 65
Direct. 12. Know, that assurance of justification, or right to
salvation, cannot be gathered from the least degree of
saving grace 80
Proved ft-om the many exceeding difficulties that must be over-
come by all that will have assurance in ordinary ways ; and
from other reasons 81
Direct. 13. The first time of our receiving or acting saving
grace, and so of our justification and adoption, cannot or-
dinarily be known 89
To affirm that saving sincerity of grace lieth but in a gradual
natural difference, is no diminution of the glory of grace , 92
Direct. 14. Know, that assurance is not the lot of the ordinary
sort of true Christians, but only of a few of the strongest,
most active, watchful and obedient : proved 93
The observation of the confessions of the godly in this . . . , 97
Direct. 15. Know, that even many of the stronger and more
obedient, who have assurance of their conversion, are yet
unassured-of their salvation, for want of assurance to per-
severe 101
Direct. 16. There are many grounds to discover a probability
of saving grace, where we cannot yet discern a certainty.
And you must learn, next to the comforts of general grace,
to receive the comforts of the probability of special grace,
before you expect or are ripe for the comforts of assurance 103
Proved that a Christian may live a joyful life without assu-
rance 104
Direct. 17. Improve your own and others experiences to
strengthen your probabilities 107
Direct. 18. Know that God hath not commanded you to be-
lieve that you do believe, nor that you are justified, or shall
be saved (but only conditionally), and therefore your assur-
ance is not a certainty properly of Divine faith 112
It is not unbelief or desperation in Christians which is com-
monly called so 113
Direct. 19. Know that those few that do attain to assurance,
have it not constantly , , 121
Direct. 20. Never expect so much assurance on earth as shall
set you above all possibility of the loss of heaven, and above
all apprehensions of real danger 122
CONTENTS. V
The usefulness of apprehension of danger opened 1^24
Direct. ^1. Be glad of a settled peace, and look not too much
after raptures and strong feelings of comfort : and if you
have such, expect not a constancy of them 130
Direct. 22. Spend more time and care about your duty than
your comforts, and to get, and exercise, and increase grace,
than to discern the certainty of it 132
Direct. 23. Think not that those doubts and troubles which
are caused and continued by wilful disobedience, will ever
be well healed but by the healing of that disobedience, or
that such can be cured by the same means, as obedient
doubting Christians may 139
How far a Christian can or cannot do the good he would . . 141
Three sorts of sins of infirmity, or so called, opened ..... 144
The state of a Christian under gross sin, doubtful 148
Proved, that assurance dependeth much on careful obedience ;
and that when all is done, the most obedient believer will
ordinarily have most and best assurance of his sincerity and
salvation 151
The use of the former Direction 155
The doubtings of most Christians that have the free use of
reason, are fed by some sin 156
The sins which troubled Christians should most search after,
are,
1. Contrary carnal interest, encroaching on Christ's interest. 159
1. In the understanding, enumerated as against each per-
son in the Trinity.
2. In the will and affections.
1. Pride 160
2. Covetousness. 162
3. Voluptuousness 165
These are considered here as against God himself, and so as
against the first commandment
'i. Actual sins against the other commandments. Especially
suspect,
1. Unmercifulness and rigid cerisoriousness of others 166
2. Unpeaceableness in family, neighbourhood, church, &c. 167
Direct. 24. Content not yourself with a cheap religiousness,
and to serve God with that which cost you little or nothing :
and take every call to costly duty or suffering for Christ, as
a prize put into your hand for advancing your comforts . . 172
Remember this ; 1. In preventing sin. 2. In rising from sin,
3. In performance of duty 178
Direct. 25. Study the great art of doing good, and let it be
your every day's contrivance, care and business, how to lay
out all your talents to the greatest advantage 182
Applied to our rulers, and to rich men 186
Direct. 26. Trouble not your soul with needless scruples j nor
make yourself more work than God hath made you, by
feigning that unlawful, which God hath not forbidden ; or .
by placing your religion in will-worship, or overmuch rigour
to your body, &c. 189
Ti CONTENTS.
PAOK
What it is to be righteous overmuch. The question answered.
Whether all virtue be in the middle ? And whether we can
love or serve God too much ? 189
All overdoing in God's work is undoing. The devil is most
zealous in overdoing 192
A sad instance how much the devil hath got by overdoing
1 . In doctrine, against heretics, by adding to the creed, and
forsaking Scripture phrase • • - » • ibid.
2. In discipline 196
3. In government, or church power ibid.
4. In worship • . 197
5. In reformation, especially of late 198
The devil goes beyond Christ in all these, when he once falls
to work.. 202
Direct. 27. When God hath discovered your sincerity to you,
fix it in your memory, that it may be useful for the time to
come ; and leave not your soul open to new apprehensions ;
except in case of notable declinings or gross sinning 205
Proved, that in these excepted cases, even the justified may
question their sincerity and justification ibid.
Direct. 28. Beware of perplexing misinterpretations of,
1. Scriptures 210
2. Providences 211
3. Sermons 214
And be willing that ministers should preach most searchingly
and rousingly for the good of others, without misapplying
it to yourself ibid.
Direct. 29. Distinguish carefully between causes of doubting,
and causes of mere humiliation and amendment : God call-
eth you very often to humiliation, when he calleth you not
to doubting 219
Twenty ordinary doubts resolved :
1. About knowing the time and manner of conversion. . . . 220
2. About humiliation 223
3. Of receiving religion by education 225
4. About deadness, hardheartedness, and not weeping for sin 229
5. About backwardness to duty, and not delighting in it. . 234
6. About doing all put of slavish fear 237
7. Not able to believe 239
8. Strangeness to the witness of the Spirit, joy in the Holy
Ghost, and communion with God ibid.
9. Want of the spirit of prayer 240
10. Unprofitableness through want of gifts 342
1 1 . Greatness of sin and unworthiness 243
A twofold worthiness and righteousness ibid.
12. Want of a deep hatred to sin : fear lest stronger temp-
tation would overthrow us 245
13. Fear of committing the unpardonable sin against the
Holy Ghost 246
14. Lest it be too late and the time of grace be past. Time
of grace past in a double sense 247
CONTENTS. vu
PAGE
15. Sinning since profession, against conscience, on delibe-
ration 249
16. Not overcoming corruptions, and not growing in grace 251
17- Blasphemous and unbelieving thoughts 254
18. Fears of death 257
19. Heavy afflictions 258
20. Not being afflicted ibid.
Direct. 30. Carefully discern whether your doubts are such as
must be cured by the consideration of general or of special
grace. And be sure that when you lose the sight of certain
evidence, that you let not go probabilities : or at the worst
when you are beaten from both, and judge yourself graceless,
yet lose not the comforts of general grace 3dO
Direct. 31. In all pressing necessities, take the advice of your
pastors 265
1 . Keep it not secret 266
2. In what cases to seek advice ibid.
3. To what ends 267
4. Of what sort of ministers, and whom to avoid 268
5. In what manner to open your case. Objections answered
against confessing sin to pastors. Reasons why ministers
have not fully acquainted their people with the great duty
of confessing and opening their case to them 272
Direct. 32. Understand that the height of a Christian life, and
the greatest part of your duty, lieth in a loving delight in
God, and a thankful and cheerful obedience to his will ;
which you must be still endeavouring, and subordinate all
other duties to these 278
Ministers and Christians should keep the Lord's day as a day
of thanksgiving for the work of redemption, and spend more
of it in praises, psalms, hymns, &c. and less in confes-
sing, &c 281
How Christians wrong Christ and religion, and contradict the
main design of grace by their sad, dejected lives 282
Stand not complaining and d9ubting, but cheerfully amend
and obey 283
THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST.
Epistle Dedicatory ccxci
Preface ccxcv
The text opened ; doctrine deduced j and method propounded 342
What is not this crucifying of the world ; by way of caution
to avoid extremes • 344
viii CONTENTS.
PAGE
In what respects the world must be crucified to us : 349
1 . As the creature would be man's felicity, or any part of it 350
2. As it is set in competition with God, or in the least de-
gree of co-ordination with him * ibid.
3. As it standeth at enmity to God and his ways ........ 353
4. As it is the matter of our fleshpleasing and fuel of con-
cupiscence 354
5. As an independent or separated good, without its due
relations to God 355
Ephesians ii. 12, Psal. xxxix. 6". Ixxiii. 20. considered .... 357
The different successes of sanctified and unsanctified studies
and knowledge 360
The creature's aptitude to tempt us is inseparable 361
Wherein the world's crucifixion consisteth as to our acts ?
We must use the world as it used Christ 363
More particularly, 1. To esteem the world as an enemy to
God and us 3*0
How this enmity may be apprehended ibid.
2. A deep habituate apprehension of its worthlessness and
insufficiency f, 372
3. A kind of annihilation of it to ourselves 373
How we must be crucified to it. The difference between this
and natural death 375
1. Our undue estimation of the world must be crucified. . . . 376
2. And our inordinate cogitations, and 3. Affections 378
1. Our love. 2. Desire. 3. Expectations. 4. Our delight ibid.
So in the irascible, 1. Displacency and hatred, &c 382
4. Our inordinate seeking and labour 386
Divers objections and questions answered 387
How the cross of Christ doth crucify the world. And
1. How it is done by the cross as suffered by Christ 389
2. How by the same cross believed in and considered .... 393
3. How by the cross which we suffer in obedience and
conformity to Christ 395
The point proved by experience. . . . t ibid.
Reasons of the absolute necessity of being crucified to the
world, and it to us.
1. From God's interest, which it contradicteth 399
2. From our own interest 402
The Uses. 1. To inform us, 1. That it is the use of the
cross of Christ to crucify the world, proved 406
How his doctrine doth it 407
And his works 411
2. Wherever the cross ofChrist is effectual, the world is crucified 412
Use 2. What it is to be a Christian indeed, and what a dis-
tance such are at from the world • • 414
Trial whether we are dead to the world. Eight signs by
which we may know whether the world or God be our end 416
A closer application for conviction of worldly hypocrites 425
Further applications for conviction of worldlings 435
Convincing evidences produced, especially to the greater sort ibid.
CONTENTS. ix
PAGE H
The articles of aggravation of the worldling's sin 44 1
Further prest for conviction 452
Use of Exhortation to crucify the world, especially to gentlemen 456
Yet more closely urged 460
Twelve questions to evince the folly of worldlings 464
The duty further charged home 473
The living world will be your own tormentor 474
An instance in point of reputation and honour 476
Directions for successful crucifying the world
Direct. 1, Make use of the cross of Christ hereto 483
Direct. 2. Receive not a false picture of the world into
your minds, but think of the creature truly as it is 486
Direct. 3. Crucify the flesh, which is the master idol 488
Direct. 4. Keep your minds intent on the greater things of
everlasting life 491
Direct. 5. Understand the right use and end of the creatures,
and make it your business to employ them accordingly . 492
Direct. 6. Keep sensible of its enmity, and your danger . . 495
Direct. 7. Be much in the house of mourning, and see the
end of all the living 496
Direct. 8. Study to improve afflictions . . • ibid.
Direct. 9. Be very suspicious of prosperity, and fear more
the smiling than the frowning world 497
Direct. 10. Be sure to keep off the means of its livelihood,
and keep it under mortifying means 504
Conclusion of that Use 508
Use to the sanctified, to use the world as a crucified thing
1 . Seek it but as a means to higher things, and not for itself 511
2. Be not too eager for it 513
3. Suffer it not to crucify you with cares and sorrows . . . 515
4. Let it not thrust out God's service, nor be made an excuse
for negligence in religion ibid.
5. Use no unlawful means to get it 518
6. Employ it for the flesh, but improve all for God : un-
charitableness reproved 521
A full answer to the common reproach, that professors of
godliness are the most covetous of all 528
Use of Consolation. The benefits of being crucified to the world 536
THE-SECOND PART.
OF THE CHRISTIAN'S GLORYING.
Doct. True Christians must with abhorrency renounce all car-
nal glorying, and must glory only in the cross of Christ, by
whom the world is crucified to them, and they to the world 552
Particularly, 1. True Christians that are crucified to the
world, and the world to them, by the cross of Christ, may and
must glory therein. How far, and how far not ibid.
Proved by Scripture and fourteen reasons . 553
X CONTENTS.
PACE
Use 1. To confute the Antinomian mistake, that tells
men they must not glory nor fetch their comforts from
any thing in themselves. The case opened. Ten more
reasons to prove the point asserted 557
Use 2. To discover the error of too many Christians, that
can glory in the state of exaltation, but not of cruci-
fixion, or mortification 562
Obs. 2. When believers glory in their own mortification, it
must be as it is the fruit of the cross of Christ, that
so all their glorying may be principally and ultimately
in Christ, and not in themselves. Tw^elve reasons against
glorying in ourselves 566
Use. To condemn self-exalting thoughts, and provoke to
humility 571
Obs. 3. To glory in any thing save the cross of Christ,
and our crucifixion thereby, is a thing that the soul of
a Christian should abhor. What is not here excluded
from our lawful glorying 572
What is excluded. Glory not :
1. Tn dignities and honours 574
2. Nor in riches 575
3. Nor in habitations ibid.
4. Nor in comeliness or strength 576
5. Nor in apparel ibid.
6. Nor in health 577
7. Nor in noble birth ibid.
8. Nor in Friends 578
9. Nor inmeat,drink, dwellings, ease, company, recreation,&c.ibid.
10. Nor in men's good word, though they be learned, godly,&c. 579
11. Nor in learning, parts, &c ibid.
12. Take heed in what respect you glory in spiritual mer-
cies. (1.) In ministers, ordinances, church commu-
nion, &c. (2.) In knowledge. (3.) In good works.
(4.) In experiments of mercy or feelings of comfort.
(5.) In holy graces, whose nature is against carnal
glorying 580—582
THE
RIGHT METHOD
A SETTLED PEACE OF CONSCIENCE
SPIRITUAL COMFORT.
IN THIRTY-TWO DIRECTIONS.
" God is love." 1 John iv. 16*
" Come, for all things are now ready." LuKExrv. 17. Matt.x.\ii.4.
VOL. IX
rr'
.#'
" Come unio me, all ye that labour, and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, lor I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Matt. XI. 28.
" For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Hesh : and
these are contrary the one to the other j so that ye cannot do the thing that ye
would,"
Gal. v. 17.
" Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants
ye are to whom ye obey ; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righte-
ousness ?"
Rom. VI. 16.
" Make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Rom. XIII. 14.
" For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."
Rom. VIII. 13.
" While they promite theiu liberty, they themselves are the servants of corrup-
tion : for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.''
2 Pet. II. 19.
" Thus ye speak, saying. If our transgressions and our sins be ujion us, and we
pine away in them, how should we then live? Say unto them. As I live, saith the
Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn
from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways ; for why will ye die,
O house of Israel ?"
£z£K. XXXIII. 10, 11.
*' Now then, we are ambassadors for Chrbt, as though God did beseech you by
us : we pray you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God."
2 Cor. v. 20.
" Trust in the Lord, and do good, &c. Delight thyself olso in the L'>rd, and he
shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
PsAL. XXXVII. 3, 4.
Sound doctrine makes a sound judgment, a sound heart, a sound conversion, and a
aound con<>cience.
EPISTLE DEDICATORY
To my much valued, beloved, and honoured Friends, Colonel
John Bridges, with Mrs. Margaret Bridges, his
wife, and Mr. Thomas Foley, with Mrs. Anne Foley,
his wife.
Though in publishing our writings, we intend them for the
good of all : yet custom, not without reason, doth teach us,
sometimes to direct them more especially to some. Though
one only had the original interest in these papers, yet do I
now direct them to you all, as not knowing how in this to
separate you. You dwell together in my estimation and af-
fection : one of you a member of the church, which I must
teach, and legally the patron of its maintenance and minis-
ter : the other, a special branch of that family, which I was
first indebted to in this county. You lately joined in pre-
senting to the parliament', the petition of this county for the
Gospel and a faithful ministry. When I only told you of
my intention, of sending some poor scholars to the univer-
sity, you freely and jointly offered your considerable annual
allowance thereto, and that for the continuance of my life,
or their necessities there. I will tell the world of this, whe-
ther you will or no ; not for your applause, but for their
imitation ; and the shame of many of far greater estates,
that will not be drawn to do the like. The season some-
what aggravates the goodness of your works. When satan
hath a design to burn up those nurseries, you are watering
God's plants ; when the greedy mouth of sacrilege is
gaping for their maintenance, you are voluntarily adding for
Uie supply of its defect. Who knows how many souls they
vitay win to Christ (if God shall send them forth into his
IV EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
harvest) whom you have thus assisted ? And what an ad-
dition to your comfort this may be ? When the Gospel is
so undermined, and the ministry so maligned, and their
maintenance so envied, you have, as the mouth of this
county, appeared for them all. What God will yet do with
us, we cannot tell ; but if he will continue his Gospel to us,
you may have the greater comfort in it. If he will remove
it, and forsake a proud, unworthy, false-hearted people, yet
may you have the comfort of your sincere endeavours ; you
(with the rest that sincerely furthered it) may escape the
gnawings of conscience, and the public curse and reproach
which the history of this age may fasten upon them, who
after all their engagements in blood and covenants, would
either in ignorant fury, or malicious subtlety, or base tem-
porizing cowardice, oppugn or undermine the Gospel, or in
perfidious silence look on whilst it is destroyed. But be-
cause it is not the work of a flatterer that 1 am doing, but of a
friend, I must second these commendations with some cau-
tion and counsel, and tell yourselves of your danger and
duty, as I tell others of your exemplary deeds. Truly, the sad
experiences of these times, have much abased my confidence
in man, and caused me to have lower thoughts of the best
than sometime I have had. I confess I look on man, as
such a distempered, slippery and inconstant thing, and of
such a natural mutability of apprehensions and affections,
that as I shall never more call any man on earth my friend,
but with a supposition that he may possibly become mine
enemy ; so I shall never be so confident of any man's fide-
lity to Christ, as not withal to suspect that he may possibly
forsake him. Nor shall I boast of any man's service for the
Gospel, but with a jealousy that he may be drawn to do as
much against it (though God, who knows the heart, and
knows his own decrees, may know his sincerity, and fore-
know his perseverance). Let me therefore remember you,
that had you expended your whole estates, and the blood
of your hearts for Christ and his Gospel, he will not take
himself beholden to you. He oweth you no thanks for your
deepest engagements, highest adventures, greatest cost, or
utmost endeavours. You are sure beforehand that you shall
be no losers by him : your seeming hazards increase your
security : your losses are your gain : your giving is your
rficeiving : your expenses are your revenues : Christ returns
EPISTLK DEDICATORY. V
the largest usury. The more you do and suffer for him, the
more you are beholden to him. I must also remember you,
that you may possibly live to see the day, when it will cost
you dearer to shew yourselves faithful to the Gospel, ordi-
nances and ministers of Christ, than now it doth ; and that
many have shrunk in greater trials, that past through lesser
with resolution and honour. Your defection at the last,
would be the loss of all your works and hopes. " If any
man draw back (Christ saith) his soul shall have no pleasure
in him." Even those that have endured the great fight of
affliction, being reproached and made a gazing stock, and
that having taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods, in
assurance of a better and enduring substance, have yet need
to be warned that they cast not away their confidence, and
draw not back to perdition, and lose not the reward for want
of patience and perseverance ; Heb. x. 22. to the end. That
you may escape this danger and be happy for ever, take this
advice. 1. Look carefully to the sincerity of your hearts,
in the covenant-closure with Christ. See that you take him
with the happiness he hath promised for your all. Take heed
of looking after another felicity ; or cherishing other hopes ;
or esteeming too highly anything below. Be jealous, and
very jealous, lest your hearts should close deceitfully with
Christ, maintaining any secret reserve for your bodily safe-
ty ; either resolving not to follow him, or not resolving to
follow him through the most desolate distressed Condition
that he shall lead you in. Count what it may cost you to
get the crown ; study well his precepts of mortification and
self-denial. There is no true hopes of the glory to come, if
you cannot cast over- board all worldly hopes, when the
storm is such that you must hazard the one. O how many
have thought that Christ was most dear to them, and that
the hopes of heaven were their chiefest hopes, who have left
Christ, though with sorrow, when he bid them let go all?
2. Every day renew your apprehensions of the truth and
worth of the promised felicity, and of the delusory vanity of
all things here below : let not heaven lose with you its at-
tractive force, through your forgetfulness or unbelief. He
is the best Christian that knows best why he is a Christian,
and he will most faithfully seek and suffer, that best knows
for what he doth it. Value not wealth and honour above
that rate, whiph the wisest and best experienced have put
VI EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
upon them, and allow them no more of your affections than
they deserve. A mean wit may easily discover their empti-
ness. Look on all present actions and conditions with a
remembrance of their end. Desire not a share in their pros-
perity, who must pay as dear for it as the loss of their souls.
Be not ambitious of that honour which must end in confu-
sion nor of the favour of those that God will call enemies.
How speedily will they come down, and be levelled with the
dust, and be laid in the chains of darkness, that now seem
so happy to the purblind world, that cannot see the things to
come ? Fear not that man must shortly tremble before that
God whom all must fear. 3. Be more solicitous for the se-
curing of your consciences and salvation, than of your ho-
nours or estates : in every thing that you are put upon, con-
sult first with God and conscience, and not with flesh and
blood. It is your daily and most serious care and watch-
fulness that is requisite to maintain your integrity, and not
a few careless thoughts or purposes, conjunct with a mind-
ing of earthly things. 4. Deal faithfully with every truth
which you receive. Take heed of subjecting it to carnal
interests : if once you have affections that can master your
understandings, you are lost, and know it not. For when
you have a resolution to cast off any duty, you will first be-
lieve it is no duty : and when you must change your j udgment
for carnal advantages, you will make the change seem reason-
able and right : and evil shall be proved good when you have a
mind to follow it. 5. Make Gospel-truths your own, by daily
humble studies, arising to such a soundness of judgment,
that you may not need to take too much upon trust, lest if
your guides should miscarry, you miscarry with them. De-
liver not up yoiir understanding in captivity to any. 6. Yet
do not over-value your own understandings. This pride
hath done that in church and state, which all discerning
men are lamenting. They that know but little, see not what
they want, as well as what they have ; nor that imperfec-
tion in their knowledge, which should humble them, nor
that difficulty in things which should make them diligent
and modest. 7. Apprehend the necessity and usefulness of
Christ's officers, order, and ordinances, for the prosperity
of his church : pastors must guide you, though not seduce
you, or lead you blindfold. But choose (if you may) such
as are judicious and not ignorant, not rash but sober, not
EPISTLli DEDICATORY. Vll
formal, but serious aud spiritual ; not of carnal, but heavenly
conversations : especially avoid them that divide and follow
parties, and seek to draw disciples to themselves, and can
sacrifice the church's unity and peace to their proud hu-
mours or carnal interests. Watch cp,refully that no weak-
nesses of the minister, do draw you to a disesteem of the
ordinances of God ; nor any of the sad miscarriages of pro-
fessors, should cause you to set less by truth or godliness.
Wrong not Christ more, because other men have so wronged
him. Quarrel more with your own unfitness and unworthi-
ness in ordinarices, than with other men's. It is the frame
of your own heart that doth more to help or hinder your
comforts, than the quality of those you join with. To these
few directions, added to the rest in this book, I shall sub-
join my hearty prayers, that you may receive from that Gos-
pel, and ministry which yon have owned, such stability in
the faith, such victory over the flesh and the world, such
apprehensions of the love of God in Christ, such direction
in every strait and duty, that you may live uprightly, and
die peaceably, and reign gloriously. Amen.
Your servant in the faith
and Gospel of Christ,
RICHARD BAXTER.
May 9, 1653.
tr/
TO THE
POOR IN SPIRIT.
My dearly beloved fellow Christians, whose souls are taken
up with the careful thoughts of attaining and maintaining
peace with God, who are vile in your own eyes, and value
the blood and Spirit, and word of your Redeemer, and the
hope of the saints in their approaching blessedness, before
all the pomp and vanities of this world, and resolve to give
up yourselves to his conduct, who is become " the author of
eternal salvation to all them that obey him :" for you do I
publish the following directions, and to you it is that I
direct this preface. The only glorious and infinite God,
who made the worlds, and upholdeth them by his word,
who is attended with millions of his glorious angels, and
praised continually by his heavenly hosts; who pulleth
down the mighty from their seats, and scattereth the proud
in the imaginations of their hearts, and maketh his ene-
mies lick the dust ; to whom the kings and conquerors of
the earth are as the most silly worms, and the whole world
is nothing, and lighter than vanity, which he will shortly
turn into flames before your eyes. This God hath sent
me to you, with that joyful message, which needs no more
but your believing entertainment, to make it sufficient to
raise you from the dust, and banish those terrors and trou-
bles from your hearts, and help you to live like the sons of
God. He commandeth me to tell you, that he takes notice of
your sorrows. He stands by when you see him not, and say,
he hath forsaken you. He minds you with greatest tender-
TO THE POOR IN SPIRIT. IX
ness, when you say, he hath forgotten you. He nunibereth
your sighs. He bottles up your tears. The groans of your
heart do reach his own. He takes it unkindly, that you are
so suspicious of him, and that all that he hath done for you
in the work of redemption, and all the gracious workings of
his Spirit on your souls, and all your own peculiar experi-
ences of his goodness, can raise you to no higher apprehen-
sions of his love ! Shall not love be acknowledged to be
love, when it is grown to a miracle? When it surpasseth
comprehension ! Must the Lord set up love and mercy in
the work of redemption, to be equally admired with his om-
nipotency manifested in the creation ? And call forth the
world to this sweet employment, that in secret and in pub-
lic it might be the business of our lives ? And yet shall it
be so overlooked or questioned, as if you lived without love
and mercy in the world ? Providence doth its part, by heap-
ing up mountains of daily mercies, and these it sets before
your eyes. The Gospel hath eminently done its part by
clear describing them, and fully assuring them, and this is
proclaimed frequently in your ears. And yet is there so
little in your hearts and mouths ? Do you see, and hear,
and feel, and taste mercy and love ? Do you live wholly on
it ? And yet do you still doubt of it ? and think so meanly
of it, and so hardly acknowledge it ? God takes not this
well ; but yet he considereth your frailty, and takes you not
at the worst. He knows that flesh will play its part, and
the remnants of corruption will not be idle. And the ser-
pent will be suggesting false thoughts of God, and will be
still striving most to obscure that part of his glory which is
dearest to him, and especially which is most conjoined with
the happiness of man. He knows also, that sin will breed
sorrows and fears ; and that man's understanding is shal-
low, and all his conceivings of God are exceeding low.
And that we are so far from God as creatures, and so much
further as sinners, and especially as conscious of the abuse
of his grace, that there must needs follow such a strange-
ness as will damp and dull our apprehensions of his love.
And such an abatement of our confidence, as will make us
draw back, and look at God afar off. Seeing therefore that
at this distance no full apprehensions of love can be expect-
ed, it is the pleasure of our Redeemer shortly to return.
X TO THE POOR IN SPIRIT.
with ten thousands of his saints, with the noble army of hii^
martyrs, and the attendance of his angels, and to give you
such a convincing demonstration of his love, as shall leave
no room for one more doubt. Your comforts are now but a
taste, they shall be then a feast. They are now but inter-
mittent, they shall be then continual. How soon now do
your conquered fears return ; and what an inconstancy and
unevenness is there in our peace. But then our peace must
needs be perfect and permanent, when we shall please God,
and enjoy him in perfection to perpetuity. Certainly, Chris-
tians, your comforts should be now more abundant, but that
they are not ripe. It is that, and not this, that is your har-
vest. I have told you in another book, the mistake and
danger of expecting too much here, and the necessity of
looking and longing for that rest, if we will have peace in-
deed ! But, alas, how hard is this lesson learned ! Unbe-
lievers would have happiness, but how fain would they have
it in tlie creature rather than in God ! Believers would ra-
ther have their happiness in God than in the creature, but
how fain would they have it without dying ! And no won-
der, for when sin brought in death, even grace itself cannot
love it, though it may submit to it. But though churlish
death do stand in our way, why look we not at the soul's
admittance into rest, and the body's resurrection that must
shortly follow ? Doubtless that faith by which we are jus-
tified and saved, as it sits down on the word of truth as the
present ground of its confident repose, so doth it thence
look with one eye backward on the cross, and with the other
forward on the crown. And if we well observe the Scrip-
ture descriptions of that faith, we shall find them as fre-
quently magnifying it, and describing it from the latter, as
from the former. As it is the duty and glory of faith ta
look back with thankful acknowledgment to a crucified
Christ, and his payment of our ransom, so is it the duty and
glory of that same justifying faith to look forward with de-
sire and hope to the return of king Jesus, and the glorious
celebration of the marriage of the Lamb, and the sentential
justification, and the glorification of his saints. To believe
these things unfeignedly which we never saw, nor ever spoke
with man that did see, and to hope for them so really as to
let go all present forbidden pleasures, and all worldly hopes
TO THE POOR IN SPIRIT. \l
and seeming happiness, rather than to hazard the loss of
them. This is an eminent part of that faith by which the
just do live, and which the Scripture doth own as justifying
and saving. For it never distinguishes between justifying
faith, as to their nature. It is therefore a great mistake of
some to look only at that one eye of justifying faith which
looks back upon the cross, and a great mistake of them on
the other hand that look only at that eye of it which be-
holds the crown. Both Christ crucified, and Christ inter-
ceding, and Christ returning to justify and glorify, are the
objects even of justifying, saving faith, most strictly so cal-
led. The Scripture oft expresseth the one only, but then it
still implieth the other. The Socinians erroneously there-
fore from Heb. xi. where the examples and eulogies of faith
are set forth, do exclude Christ crucified, or the respect to
his satisfaction, from justifying faith, and place it in a mere
expectation of glory. And others do as ungroundedly affirm,
that is not the justifying act of faith which Heb xi. describ-
eth, because they find not the cross of Christ there mention-
ed. For as believing in Christ's blood comprehendeth the
end, even the expectation of remission and glory merited by
that blood, so the believing of that glory doth always imply
that we believe and expect it as the fruit of Christ's ransom.
It is for health and life that we accept and trust upon our
physician. And it is for justification and salvation thatwc
accept and trust on Christ. The salvation of our souls is
the end of our faith. They that question whether we may
believe and obey for our own salvation, do question whether
we may go to the physician and follow his advice for health
and life. Why then do you that are believers so much for-
get the end of your faith? And that for which it is that
you believe? Believing in Christ for present mercies only,
be they temporal or spiritual, is not the true believing.
They are dangerously mistaken that think the thoughts of
heaven to be so accidental to the nature and work of faith,
is that they tend only to t»ur comfort, and are not necessary
to salvation itself. It is upon your apprehensions and ex-
pectations of that unseen felicity that both your peace and
safety do depend. How contrary therefore is it to the na-
ture of a believer, to forget the place of his rest and conso-
lation ! And to look for so much of these from the crea-
tures, in this our present pilgrimage and prison, as, alas, too
Xll TO THE POOR IN SPIRIT.
commonly we do ! Thus do we kill our comforts, and then
complain for want of them. How should you have any life
or constancy of consolations, that are so seldom, so slight,-
so unbelieving, and so heartless in your thoughts of heaven!
You know what a folly it is to expect any peace, which shall
not come from Christ as the fountain. And you must learn
as well to understand what a folly it is to expect any solid
joys, or stable peace, which is not fetched from heaven, as
from the end. O that Christians were careful to live with
one eye still on Christ crucified, and with the other on Christ
coming in glory! If the everlasting joys were more in your
believing thoughts, spiritual joys would more abound at
present in your hearts. It is no more wonder that you are
comfortless when heaven is forgotten, or doubtingly remem-
bered, than that you are faint when you eat not, or cold
when you stir not, or when you have not fire or clothes.
But when Christians do not only let fall their expecta-
tions of the things unseen, but also heighten their expecta-
tions from the creature, then do they most infallibly prepare
for their fears and troubles, and estrangedness from God,
and with both hands draw calamities on their souls. Who-
ever meets with a distressed, complaining soul, where one or
both of these is not apparent ? Their low expectations from
God hereafter, or their high expectations from the creature
now ? What doth keep us under such trouble and disquiet-
ness, but that we will not expect what God hath promised,
or we will needs expect what he promised not ? And then
we complain when we miss of those expectations which we
foolishly and ungroundedly raised to ourselves. We are
grieved for crosses, for losses, for wrongs from our enemies,
for unkind or unfaithful dealings of our friends, for sickness,
for contempt and disesteem in the world ! But who bid
you look for any better ? Was it prosperity and riches, and
credit, and friends, that God called you to believe for ? or
that you became Christians for ? or that you had an abso-
lute promise of in the word ? If you will make promises to
yourself, and then your own promises deceive you, whom
should you blame for that? Nay, do we not, as it were ne-
cessitate God hereby to embitter all our comforts below, and
to make every creature as a scorpion to us, because we will
needs make them our petty deities? We have less comfort
TO THE POOR IN SPIRIT. XIU
in them than else we might have, because we must needs
have more than we should have. You might have more faith-
fulness from your friends, more reputation in the world, more
sweetness in all your present enjoyments, if you looked for
less. Why is it that you can scarce name a creature near
you, that is not a scourge to you, but because you can scarce
name one that is not your idol, or at least which you do not
expect more from than you ought ? Nay, (which is one of
the saddest considerations of this kind that can be imagined)
God is fain to scourge us most even by the highest profes-
sors of religion, because we have most idolized them, and
had such excessive expectations from them. One would
have thought it next to an impossibility, that such men, and
so many of them, could ever have been drawn to do that
against the church, against that Gospel-ministry and ordi-
nances of God (which once seemed dearer to them than their
lives) which hath since been done, and which yet we fear !
But a believing eye can discern the reason of this sad pro-
vidence in part. Never men were more idolized, and there-
fore no wonder if were never so afflicted by any. Alas,
when will we learn by Scripture and providence so to know
God and the creature, as to look for far more from him, and
less from them ! We have looked for wonders from Scot-
land, and what is come of it? We looked that war should
have even satisfied our desires, and when it had removed all
visible impediments, we thought we should have had such
a glorious reformation as the world never knew ! And now
behold a babel, and a mangled deformation ! What high
expectations had we from an assembly ! What expectations
from a parliament, and where are they now ! O hear the
word of the Lord, ye low-spirited people ! " Cease ye from
man, whose breath is in his nostrils : for wherein is he to be
accounted of;" Isa. ii. 22. " Cursed be the man thattrust-
eth in man, and raaketh flesh his arm, and whose heart de-
parteth from the Lord : for he shall be like the hearth in the
desart, and shall not see when good cometh. Blessed is the
man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters," 8cc. ; Jer.
xvii. 5 — 8. " Surely men of low degree are vanity ; and
men of high degree are a lie. To be laid in the balance they
are altogether lighter than vanity ;" Psal. Ixii. 9. Let me
XIV TO THE POOK IN SPIRIT.
warn you all. Christians, for the time to come, take the crea-
ture as a creature ; remember its frailty ; look for no more
from it than its part. If you have the nearest, dearest,
godly friends, expect to feel the sting of their corruptions,
as well as to taste the sweetness of their grace. And they
must expect the like from you.
If you ask me why I speak so much of these things here?
It is, 1. Because I find that much of the trouble of ordinary
Christians comes from their crosses in the creature, and the
frustration of these their sinful expectations. 2. And because
I have said so little of it in the following directions, they
being intended for the cure of another kind of trouble, there-
fore I have said thus much here of this.
Having premised this advice, I take myself bound to add
one thing more ; that is, an apology for the publication of
this imperfect piece, whether just or insufficient other men
must judge. I confess I am so apprehensive of the luxuri-
ant fertility, or licentiousness of the press of late, as being
a design of the enemy to bury and overwhelm in a crowd
those judicious, pious, excellent writings, that before were
so commonly read by the people, that I think few men should
now print without an apology, much less such as I. Who
hath more lamented this inundation of impertinencies ? or
more accused the ignorance and pride of others, that must
needs disgorge themselves of all their crudities, as if they
were such precious conceptions proceeding from' the Holy
Ghost, that the world might not, without very great injury,
be deprived of ; and it were pity that all men should not be
made partakers of them ? And how come I to go on in the
same fault myself? Truly I have no excuse or argument,
but those of the times, necessity, and providence ; which
how far they may justify me, I must leave to the judge.
Being in company with a troubled, complaining friend, I
perceived that it must be some standing counsel which
might be frequently perused, that must satisfactorily answer
the complaints that I heard, and not a transient speech,
which would quickly slip away. Being therefore obliged as
a pastor, and as a friend, and as a Christian, to tender my
best assistance for relief, I was suddenly, in the moment of
speaking, moved to promise one sheet of paper, which might
be useful to that end. Which promise, when I attempted
TO THE POOR IN St»IRIT. XV
to perform, the one sheet lengthened to thirty, and my one
day's (intended) work was drawn out to a jnst month. I
went on far before I had the least thought to let any eye be-
hold it , except the party for whom I wrote it. But at last I
perceived an impossibility of contracting, and I was presently
possessed with confident apprehensions, that a copy of those
directions might be useful to many other of my poor neigh-
bours and friends that needed them as much. Upon which
apprehension 1 permitted my pen to run more at large, and to
deviate from the case of the party that I wrote for, and to take
in the common case of most troubled, doubting souls. By
that time that I had finished it, I received letters from seve-
ral parts, from leaned and judicious divines, importuning
me to print more, having understood my intentions to desist,
as having done too much already, even at first. I confess I
was not much moved by their importunity, till they second-
ed it with their arguments ; whereof one was, the experience
of the success of former writings, which might assure me it
was not displeasing to God. I had many that urged me,
I had no one but myself to draw me back. I apprehended
that a writing of this nature might be useful to the many
weak, perplexed Christians through the land. Two reasons
did at first come in against it. The first was, that if there
were no more written on this subject than Dr. Sibbs' " Bruis-
ed Reed, and Soul's Conflict," and Mr. Jos. Symonds' " De-
serted Soul's Case and Cure," there need no more. Especi-
ally there being also Dr. Preston's Works, and many of Per-
kins', to this use ; and Mr. Ball, and Mr. Culverwell of
Faith, and divers the like. To this my own judgment
answered, that yet these brief directions might add some-
what that might be useful to the weak, as to the method of
their proceedings, if not to the matter. And my brethren
stopped my mouth by telling me, that others had written be-
fore me of heaven and baptism, and yet my labours were not
lost. Next this, 1 thought the crudity and weakness of the
writing was such, as should prohibit the publication, it be-
ing unfit to thrust upon the world the hasty, undigested
lines, that were written for the use of one person. To this
my thoughts replied, that, 1. For all that it might be useful
to poor women, and country people, who most commonly
prove the troubled spirits, for whose sakes I wrote it. Had
XVl TO THE POOR IN SPIRIT.
I writ for the use of learned men, I would have tried to make
it fitter for their use ; and if I could not, I would have sup-
pressed it. 2. It was my pride that nourished this scruple,
which moved me not to appear so homely to the world, and
therefore I cast it by. One thing more I confess did much
prevail with me to make these papers public, and that is,
the Antinomians common confident obtrusion of their anti-
evangelical doctrines and methods for comforting troubled
souls. They are the most notorious mountebanks in- this art,
the highest pretenders, and most unhappy performers, that
most of the reformed churches ever knew. And none usual-
ly are more ready to receive their doctrines, than such weak
women, or unskilful people, that being r trouble, are like
a sick man in great pain, who is glad to hear what all can
say, and to make trial of every thing by which he hath any
hope of ease. And then there is so much opium in these
mountebanks Nepenthes, or Antidote of rest : so many
principles of carnal security and presumption, which
tend to the present ease of the patient, whatever follow,
that it is no wonder if some well-meaning Christians do
quickly swallow the bait, and proclaim the rare effects of
this medicament, and the admirable skill of this unskilful
sect, to the ensnaring of others, especially that are in the
like distress. Especially when they meet with some divines
of our own, who do deliver to them some master-points of
this systemof mistakes, which are so necessarily concatena-
ted to the rest, that they may easily see, if they have one^
they must have all, unless they will hold contradictions.
As to instance in the doctrine of justification before faith,
or the dissolving the obligation to punishment, which is no-
thing but the remission of sin before faith. So that nothing
remains since Christ's death (as some) or since God's de-
cree (as others) but only to have your pardon manifested, or
to be justified in conscience, or (as some phrase it) to have
that justification which is terminated in conscience. There
is a very judicious man, Mr. Benjamin Woodbridge, of New-
bury, hath written so excellent well against this error, and
in so small room, being but one sermon, that I would advise
all private Christians to get one of them, and peruse it, as
one of the best, easiest, cheapest preservatives against the
contagion of this part of Antinomianism.
TO THE POOR IN SPIRIT. AVIl
' I had not troubled the reader with this apology, had I
thought so well of this writing, as to be a sufficient apology
for itself; or had I not taken it for a heinous crime to speak
idly in print.
For the doctrine here contained, it is of a middle strain,
between (I think) the extremes of some others. I have la-
boured so to Jbuild up peace, as not thereby to fortify pre-
sumption. And perhaps in some points you may see my
meaning more plainly, which through the obscurity of for-
mer writings, I was misunderstood in. As for the manner
of this writing, I must desire them that expect learning or
exactness, to turn away their eyes, and know, that 1 wrote
it not for such as they. I use not to speak any thing but
plain English to that sex, or to that use and end for which
I wrote these lines. I wrote to the utmost verge of my pa-
per, before I thought to make it public, and so had no room
for marginal quotations, (nor time to transcribe that copy,
that I might have room,) nor indeed much mind of them, if
I had both room and time.
As in all the removes of my life I have been still led to
that place or state which was farthest from my own thoughts,
and never designed or contrived by myself; so all the wri-
tings that yet I have published, are such as have been by
some sudden, unexpected occasion extorted from me, while
those that I most affected have been stifled in the concep-
tion ; and those I have most laboured in, must lie buried in
the dust, that I may know it is God that is the disposer of
all. Experience persuadeth me to think, that God, who
hath compelled me hitherto, intendeth to make this hasty
writing a means for the calming of some troubled souls ;
which if he do, I have my end. If I can do nothing to the
church's public peace, either through my own unskilfulness
and unworthiness, or through the prevalency of the ma-
lady ; yet will it be my comfort, to further the peace of the
poorest Christian. (Though to the former also I shall con-
tribute ray best endeavours, and am with this sending to the
press some few sheets to that end, with our " Worcester-
shire Agreement.") The full accomplishment of both ; the
subduing of the prince of darkness, confusion, and conten-
tion ; the destroying of that pride, self-esteem, self-seeking,
and carnal-raindedness, which remaining even in the best,
VOL. JX. c
XVlll TO THE POOR IN SPIRIT.
are the disturbers of all peace ; the fuller discovery of the
sinfulness of unpeaceable principles, dispositions, and prac-
tices ; the nearer closure of all true believers,^ and the has-
tening of the church's everlasting peace ; — these are his
daily prayers, who is
A zealous desirer of the peace of the
church, and of every faithful soul,
RICHARD BAXTER.
May 7, 1653.
THE
RIGHT METHOD
A SETTLED PEACE OF CONSCIENCE
SPIRITUAL COMFORT.
It must be understood, that the case here to be resolved is
not. How an unhumbled, profane sinner, that never was con-
vinced of sin and misery, should be brought to a settled
peace of conscience. Their carnal peace must first be bro-
ken, and they must be so far humbled, as to find the want
and worth of mercy, that Christ and his consolations may
not seem contemptible in their eyes. It is none of my busi-
ness now, to give any advice for the furthering of this con-
viction or humiliation. But the case in hand is, ' How a
sinner may attain to a settled peace of conscience,' and some
competent measure of the joy of the Holy Ghost, who hath
been convinced of sin and misery, and long made a profes-
sion of holiness, but liveth in continual doublings of their
sincerity, and fears of God's wrath, because of an exceeding
deadness of spirit, and a want of that love to God, and de-
light in him, and sweetness in duty, and witness of the Spirit,
and communion with God, and the other like evidences
which are found in the saints.' How far the party is right
or wrong in the discovery of these wants, I now meddle not.
Whether they judge rightly or wrongly, the Directions may
be useful to them. And though I purposely meddle not
with the unhumbled, that feel not the want of Christ and
20 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
mercy, yet most that falls may be useful to all that profess
the Christian faith. For I shall study so to avoid the ex-
tremes in my doctrinal directions, as may conduce to your
escaping the desperate extremes of ungrounded comforts,
and causeless terrors in your own spirit.
Of my directions, the first shall be only general, and the
rest more particular. And in all of them I must entreat you,
1. To observe the order and method, as well as the matter ;
and that you would practise them in the same order as I
place them. 2. And to remember that it is not only com-
fortable words, but it is direction for your own practice,
which here I prescribe you ; and therefore that it is not the
bare reading of them that will cure you; but if you mean
to have the benefit of them, you must bestow more tinre in
practising them, than I have done in penning them ; yea,
you must make it the work of your life. And let not that
startle you, or seem tedious to you, for it will be no more
grievous a work to a well-tempered soul, than eating or
drinking, or sleep, or recreation is to an healthful body ;
and than it is to an honest woman to love and delight in her
husband and her children, which is no grievous task,
i Direction I. ' Get as clear a discovery as you can of the
true cause of your doubts and troubles ; for if you should
mistake in the cause, it would much frustrate the most ex-
cellent means for the cure.'
The very same doubts and complaints, may come from se-
veral causes in several persons, and therefore admit not of the
same way of cure. Sometimes the cause begins in the bo-
dy, and thence proceedeth to the mind; sometimes it begins
in the mind, and thence distempereth the body. Sometimes
in the mind, it is most, or first from worldly crosses, and
thence proceedeth to spiritual things. And of spiritual
matters, sometimes it begins upon scruples or differences in
religion, or points of doctrine ; sometimes and most com-
monly, from the sense of our own infirmities ; sometimes it
is only from ordinary infirmities; sometimes from some ex-
traordinary decays of inward grace ; sometime from the neg-
lect of some weighty duty ; and sometimess from the deep
wounds of some heinous, secret, or scandalous sin ; and
sometimes it is merely from the fresh discovery of that
which before we never did discern ; and sometimes from the
violent assault of extraordinary temptations. Which of
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 21
these is your own case, you must be careful to find out, and
to apply the means for cure accordingly. Even of true
Christians, the same means will not fit all. The difference
of natures, as well as of actual cases, must be considered.
One hath need of that tender handling, which would undo
another ; and he again hath need of that rousing which ano-
ther cannot bear. And therefore understand, that when I
have given you all the directions that I can, I must, in the
end hereof, advise you to take the counsel of a skilful mi-
nister, in applying and making use of them : for it is in this,
as in the case of physic, when we have written the best
books of receipts, or for methodical cures ; yet we must
advise people to take heed how they use them, without the
advice of a learned and faithful physician ; for medicines
must not be only fitted to diseases, but to bodies : that me-
dicine will kill one man, which will cure another of the same
distemper ; such difference there may be in their age,
strength, complexion, and other things. So is it much in
our present case. And therefore as when all the physic
books in the world are written, and all receipts known, yet
will there be still a necessity of physicians : so when all dis-
coveries and directions are made in divinity, there will still
be a necessity of a constant standing ministry. And as ig-
norant women and empirics do kill ofttimes more than they
cure, though they have the best receipts, for want of judg-
ment and experience to use them aright ; so do ignorant
teachers and guides by men's souls, though they can say
the same words as a judicious pastor, and repeat the same
texts of Scripture. Not that I mean, that such can do no
good : yes, much no doubt, if they will humbly, compas-
sionately, and faithfully improve their talents within the
verge of their own calling ; which if they go beyond, ordi-
narily a remarkable judgment followeth their best labours ;
both to the churches, and particular souls that make use of
them. And therefore because-; (if my conjectural prognos-
tics fail not, as I daily pray they may) we are like to be
more tried and plagued in this way, than ever were any of
our forefathers, since Adam's days, till now : and seeing
this is the hour of our temptation, wherein God is purposely
separating the chaff, and discovering to the world the dan-
gers of injudicious, misguided zeal; I shall therefore both
first and last advise you, as ever you would have a settled
22 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
peace of conscience, keep out of the hand of vagrant and
seducing mountebanks, under what names, or titles, or pre-
tences soever they may assault you. Especially suspect all
that bestow as much pains to win you to their party, as to
win you to Christ.
Direct. 11. ' Make as full a discovery as you can, how
much of the trouble of your mind doth arise from your me-
lancholy and bodily distempers, and how much from dis-
contenting afflictions in your worldly estate, or friends, or
name, and according to your discovery make use of the
remedy.'
I put these two causes of trouble here together in the
beginning, because I will presently dismiss them ; and ap-
ply the rest of these directions only to those troubles that
are raised from sins and wants in grace.
1. For melancholy, I have by long experience found it
to have so great and common a hand in the fears and trou-
bles of mind, that I meet not with one of many, that live in
great troubles and fears for any long time together ; but
melancholy is the main seat of them ; though they feel no-
thing in their body, but all in their mind. I would have
such persons make use of some able godly physician, and
he will help them to discern how much of their trouble comes
from melancholy. Where this is the cause, usually the par-
ty is fearful of almost everything; a word, or a sudden,
thought will disquiet them. Sometimes they are sad, and
scarce know why : all comforts are of no continuance with
them ; but as soon as you have done comforting them, and
they be never so well satisfied, yet the trouble returns in a
few days or hours, as soon as the dark and troubled spirits
return to their former force : they are still addicted to mus-
ing and solitariness, and thoughts will run in their minds,
that they cannot lay them by : if it go any thing far, they
are almost always assaulted with temptations to blasphemy,
to doubt whether there be a God, or a Christ, or the Scrip-
tures be true ; or whether there be a heaven or a hell ; and
oft tempted to speak some blasphemous words against God ;
and this with such importunity, that they can hardly for-
bear ; and ofttimes they are tempted to make away them-
selves. When it goes so far, they are next the loss of the
use of reason, if it be not prevented.
Now to those that find that melancholy is the cause of
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 23
their troubles, I would give this advice. 1. Expect not that
rational, spiritual remedies, should suffice for this cure :,for
you may as well expect that a good sermon, or comfortable
words, should cure the falling sickness, or palsy, or a bro-
ken head, as to be a sufficient cure to your melancholy
fears ; for this is as real a bodily disease as the other ; only
because it works on the spirits and fantasy, on which words
of advice do also work, therefore such words, and Scripture
and reason, may somewhat resist it, and may palliate or allay
some of the effects at the present ; but as soon as time hath
worn off the force and effects of these reasons, the distem-
per presently returns.
For the humour hath the advantage; I. Of continual
presence. 2. Of a more necessary, natural, and sensible
way of working. As if a man be in an easy lethargy, you
may awake him so long as you are calling on him aloud;
but as soon as you cease, he is asleep again. Such is the
case of the melancholy in their sorrows ; for it is as natural
for melancholy to cause fears and disquietness of mind, as
for phlegm in a lethargy to cause sleep.
Do not therefore lay the blame on your books, friends,
counsels, instructions (no nor all on your soul) if these trou-
bles be not cured by words : but labour to discern truly how
much of your trouble comes this way, and then fix in your
mind in all your inquiries, reading, and hearing, that it is
the other part of your trouble which is truly rational, and
not this part of it which is from melancholy, that these
means were ordained to remove (though God may also bless
them extraordinarily to do both). Only constant importu-
nate prayer is a fit and special means for the curing of all.
2. When you have truly found out how much of your
disquietness proceeds from melancholy, acquit your soul
from that part of it ; still remember in all your self-exami-
nations, self-judgings, and reflections on your heart, that it
is not directly to be charged with those sorrows that come
from your spleen ; save only remotely, as all other diseases
are the fruits of sin ; as a lethargic dulness is the deserved
fruit of sin ; but he that should charge it immediately on
his soul, should wrong himself, and he that would attempt
the cure, must do it on the body.
3. If you would have these fears and troubles removed,
apply yourself to the proper cure of melancholy. 1. Avoid
24 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
all passion of sorrow, fear, and anger, as much as you can ;
and all occasions, and discontents and grief. 2. Avoid
much solitariness, and be most commonly in some cheerful
company. Not that I would have you do as the foolish
sinners of the world do, to drink away melancholy, and
keep company with sensual, vain, and unprofitable persons,
that will draw you deeper into sin, and so make your wound
greater instead of healing it, and multiply your troubles
when you are forced to look back on your sinful loss of
time. But keep company with the more cheerful sort of
the godly. There is no mirth like the mirth of believers,
which faith doth fetch from the blood of Christ, and from
the promises of the word, and from experiences of mercy,
and from the serious fore-apprehensions of our everlasting
blessedness. Converse with men of strongest faith, that
have this heavenly mirth, and can speak experimentally of
the joy of the Holy Ghost ; and these will be a great help
to the reviving of your spirit, and changing your melancholy
habit, so far as without a physician it may be expected.
Yet sometimes it may not be amiss to confer with some that
are in your own case, that you may see that your condition
is not singular. For melancholy people, in such distresses,
are ready to think, that never any was in the case as they
are in ; or at least, never any that were truly godly. When
you hear people of the most upright lives, and that truly
fear God, to have the same complaints as you have yourself,
it may give you some hopes that it is not so bad as you be-
fore did imagine. However be sure that you avoid solitari-
ness as much as you well can. 3. Also take heed of too
deep, fixed, musing thoughts ; studying and serious medi-
tating be not duties for the deeply melancholy (as I shall
shew more in the following directions) ; you must let those
alone till you are better able to perform them, lest by at-
tempting those duties which you cannot perform, you shall
utterly disable yourself from all : therefore I would advise
you, by all means, to shake and rouse yourself out of such
musings, and suddenly to turn your thoughts away to some-
thing else. 4. To this end, be sure that you avoid idleness
and want of employment ; which as it is a life not pleasing
to God, so is it the opportunity for melancholy thoughts to
be working, and the chiefest season for satan to tempt you.
Never, let the devil find you unemployed, but see that you
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 25
go cheerfully about the wocks of your calling, and follow it
with diligence ; and that time which you redeem for spirit-
ual exercises, let it be most spent in thanksgiving, and
praises, and heavenly conference. -
These things may do much for prevention, and abating
your disease, if it be not gone too far ; but if it be, you were
best have recourse to the physician, and expect God's bles-
sing in the use of means ; and you will find, when your body
is once cured, the disquietness of your mind will vanish
of itself. tuvvo-* i'rl ,&i'.iff:)o1o PiAqnU'^.'^ brn ;ef. >H'';fTt/j
2. The second part of this direction, was, that you take
notice how much of your disquietness may proceed from
outward crosses ; for it is ordinary for these to lie at the
root, and bring the heart into a disquiet and discontent, and
then trouble for sin doth follow after. Alas, how oft have I
seen that verified of the apostle ; 2 Cor. vii. 10. " The sorrow
of the world worketh death." How many, even godly people
have I known, that through crosses in children, or friends,
or losses in their estates, or wrongs from men, or perplexi-
ties, that through some unadvisedness they were cast into,
or the like, have fallen into mortal diseases, or into such a
fixed melancholy, that some of them have gone besides
themselves ; and others have lived in fears and doubting
ever after, by the removal of the disquietness to their con-
sciences ? How sad a thing is it, that we should thus add
to our own afflictions ? And the heavier we judge the bur-
den, the more we lay on ! As if God had not done enough,
or would not sufficiently afflict us. We may more comfort-
ably bear that which God layeth on us, than that which we
immediately lay upon ourselves ! Crosses are not great or
small, according to the bulk of the matter, but according
chiefly to the mind of the sufferer. Or else, how could holy
men "rejoice in tribulation, and be exceeding glad that they
are accounted worthy to suffer for Christ ?" Reproaches,
wrongs, losses, are all without you ; unless you opien them
the door wilfully yourself, they cannot come into the heart.
God hath not put the joy or grief, of your heart in any other
man's power, but in your own. It is you therefore that do
yourselves the greatest mischief. God afflicts your body,
or men wrong you in your state or name (a small hurt if it
go no further) and therefore you will afflict your soul ! But
a sadder thing yet is it to consider of, that men fearing God
2(> DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
should so highly value the things of the world. They who
in their covenants with Christ, are engaged to renounce the
world, the flesh, and the devil : ihey that have taken God
in Christ for their portion, for their all ; and have resigned
themselves and all that they have to Christ's dispose ! Whose
very business in this world, and their Christian life, con-
sisteth so much in resisting the devil, mortifying the flesh,
and overcoming the world ; and it is God's business in his
inward works of grace, and his outward teachings, and sharp
afflictions, and examples of others, to convince them of the
vanity and vexation of the world, and thoroughly to wean
them from it ; and yet that it should be so high in their
estimation, and sit so close to their hearts, that they cannot
bear the loss of it without such discontent, disquiet, and
distraction of mind ; yea, though when all is gone, they
have their God left them, they have their Christ still, whom
they took for their treasure ; they have opportunities for
their souls, they have the sure promise of glory, yea, and a
promise, that " all things shall work together for their good ;"
yea, and for that one thing that is taken from them, they
have yet an hundred outward mercies remaining, that yet
even believers should have so much unbelief! and have
their faith to seek, when they should use it, and live by it !
And that God should seem so small in their eye, as not to
satisfy or quiet them, unless they have the world with him ;
and that the world should still seem so amiable, when God
hath done so much to bring it into contempt ! Truly this
(and more) shews that the work of mortification is very im-
perfect in professors, and that we bend not the force of our
daily strivings and endeavours that way. If Christians did
bestow but as much time and pains in mortifying the flesh,
and getting down the interest of it in the soul, that Christ's
interest may be advanced, as they do about controversies,
external duties, formalities, tasks of devotion, and self-tor-
menting fears, O what excellent Christians should we then
be ! And how happily would most of our disquiet be re-
moved ! Alas, if we are so unfit to part with one outward
comfort now, upon the disposal of our Father's providence,
how should we forsake all for Christ ? O what shall we do
at death, when all must be parted with ! As ever therefore
you would live in true Christian peace, set more by Christ,
and less by the -world, and all things in it ; and hold all that
SPIRITUAL PEACE AM) COMFORT. 27
you possess so loosely, that it may not be grievous to you
when you must leave them.
So much for the troubles that arise from your body and
outward state. All the rest shall be directed for the curing
of those troubles that arise immediately from more spiritual
causes.
Direct. III. * Be sure that you first lay sound apprehen-
sions of God's nature in your understanding, and lay them
deeply.' ,
This is the first article of your creed, and the first part of
" life eternal, to know God !" His substance is quite past
human understanding ; therefore never make any attempt to
reach the knowledge of it, or to have any positive conceiv-
ings of it, for they will be all but idols, or false concep-
tions 5 but his attributes are manifested to our understand-
ings. Well, consider, that even under the terrible law,
when God proclaims to Moses his own name, and therein his
nature, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. the first and greatest part is,
" The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and
abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thou-
sands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. And he
hath sworn, " That he hath no pleasure in the death of a sin-
ner, but rather that he return and live." Think not there-
fore of God's mercifulness, with diminishing, extenuating
thoughts, nor limit it by the bounds of our frail understand-
ings ; For the heavens are not so far above the earth, as
his thoughts and ways are above ours. Still remember
that you must have no low thoughts of God's goodness, but
apprehend it as bearing proportion with his power. As it is
blasphemy to limit his power, so it is to limit his goodness.
The advantages that your soul will get by this right know-
ledge, and estimation of God's goodness, will be these.
1. This will make God appear more amiable in your eyes,
and then you will love him more readily and abundantly.
And love, 1. Is effectually consolatory in the very working ;
so much love, usually so much comfort, (I mean this love of
complacency ; for a love of desire there may be without
comfort). 2. It will breed persuasions of God's love to you
again, and so comfort. 3. It will be__an unquestionable evi-
dence of true grace, and so comfort.
The affections follow the understanding's conceptions.
If you think of God as one that is glad of all advantages
28 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
against you, and delighteth in his creatures misery, it is im-
possible you should love him. The love of yourselves is so
deeply rooted in nature, that we cannot lay it by, nor love
any thing that is absolutely and directly against us. We
conceive of the devil as an absolute enemy to God and man,
and one that seeks our destruction, and therefore we cannot
love him. And the great cause why troubled souls do love
God no more, is because they represent him to themselves
in an ugly, odious shape. To think of God as one that seeks
and delighteth in man's ruin, is to make him as the devil.
And then what wonder if instead of loving him, and delight-
ing in him, you tremble at the thoughts of him, and fly from
him. As I have observed children, when they have seen the '
devil painted on the wall, in an ugly shape, they have part-
ly feared, and partly hated it. If you do so by God in your
fancy, it is not putting the name of God on him when you
have done, that will reconcile your affections to him as long
as you strip him of his divine nature. Remember the Holy
Ghost's description of God, 1 Johniv. 16. " God is love.'*
Write these words deep in your understanding.
2. Hereby you will have this advantage also, that your
thoughts of God will be more sweet and delightful to you.
For as glorious and beautiful sights to your eyes, and melo-
dious sounds to your ears, and sweet smells, tastes, &c. are
all delightful : when things defonned, stinking, &c. are all
loathsome, and we turn away from one with abhorrency, but
for the other, we would often see, taste, &c. and enjoy them.
So is it with the objects of our mind ; God hath given no
command for duty, but what most perfectly agreeth with
the nature of the object. He hath therefore bid us love God
and delight in him above all, because he is above all in
goodness ; even infinitely and inconceivably good ; else we
could not love him above all, nor would he ever command
us so to do. The object is ever as exactly fitted to its part,
as to draw out the love and delight of our hearts, as the pre-
cept is on its part, to oblige us to it. And indeed the na-
ture of things is a precept to duty, and it which we call the
law of nature.
3. Hereupon will follow this further advantage, that your
thoughts will be both more easily drawn toward God, and
more frequent and constant on him ; for delightful objects
draw the heart to them, as the loadstone doth the iron.
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 29
How gladly, and freely, and frequently do you think of
your dearest friends. And if you did firmly conceive of
God, as one that is ten thousand times more gracious, lov-
ing, and amiable than any friend that you have in the world,
it would make you not only to love him above all friends,
but also more freely, delightfully, and unweariedly to think
of him.
4. And then you would hence have this further advan-
tage, that you would have less backwardness to any duty,
and less weariness in duty ; you would find more delight in
prayer, meditation, and speech of God, when once God him-
self were more lovely and delightful in your eyes.
5. All these advantages would produce a further, that is,
the growth of all your graces. For it is impossible, but this
growth of love, and frequent delightful thoughts of God,
and addresses to him, should cause an increase of all the
rest.
6. Hereupon your evidences would be more clear and
discernible. For grace in strength and action would be
easily found ; and would not this resolve all your doubts at
once ?
7. Yea, the very exercise of these several graces would
be comfortable.
8. And hereupon you would have more humble famili-
arity and communion with God ; for love, delight, and fre-
quent addresses, would overcome strangeness and disac-
quaintance, which make us fly from God, as a fish, or bird,
or wild beast, will from the face of a man, and would give
us access with boldness and confidence. And this would
banish sadness and terror, as the sun dispelleth darkness
and cold. , .,
9. At least you would hence have this advantage, that
the fixed apprehension of God's goodness and merciful na-
ture, would cause a fixed apprehension of the probability of
your happiness, as long as you are willing to be happy in
God's way. For reason will tell you, that he who is love
itself, and whose goodness is equal to his almightiness, and
who hath sworn, that he hath no pleasure in the death of a
sinner, but rather that he repent and live, will not destroy a
poor soul that lieth in submission at his feet, and is so far
from resolved rebellion against him, that he grieveth that it
is no better, and can please him no more.
39 DIRECriONS FOU GETTING AND KEEPING
10. However, these right apprehensions of God would
overcome those terrors which are raised only by false ap-
prehensions of him. And doubtless a very great part of
men's causeless troubles, are raised from such misapprehen-
sions of God. For satan knows, that if he can bring you to
think of God as a cruel tyrant and blood-thirsty man-hater,
then he can drive you from him in terror, and turn all your
love and cheerful obedience into hatred and slavish fear. I
say therefore again, do not only get, but also fix deep in
your understanding, the highest thoughts of God's natural
goodness and graciousness that possibly you can raise. For
when they are at the highest, they come short ten thousand-
fold.
Object. * But God's goodness lieth not in mercy to men,
as I have read in great divine's ; he may be perfectly good,
though he should for ever torment the most innocent crea-
tures.'
Ansto^. These are ignorant, presumptuous intrusions into
that which is unsearchable. Where doth Scripture say as
you say ? Judge of God as he revealeth himself, or you will
but delude yourself, and abuse him. All his works repre-
sent him merciful ; for " his mercy is over all his works,'*
and legible in them all. His word saith, " He is good, and
doth good ;" Psal. cxix. 68. cxlv. 9. How himself doth
proclaim his own name (Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.) I told you be-
fore. The most merciful men are his liveliest image ; and
therefore he plants mercy in them in their conversion, as a
principal part of their new nature. And commands of mer-
cifulness are a great part of his law ; and he bids us " Be
merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful ;" Luke vi. 36.
Now if this were none of his natui-e, how could he be the
pattern of our new nature herein ? And if he were not infi-
nitely merciful himself, how could we be required to be mer-
ciful, as he is ? Who dare say, * I am more merciful than
God?'
Object. ' But God is just as well as merciful ; and for all
his merciful nature, he will damn most of the world for ever
in hell.'
Answ. 1. But James saith, " Mercy rejoiceth against
judgment;" James ii. 13. 2. God is necessarily the Go-
vernor of the world (while there is a world), and therefore
must govern it injustice, and so must not suffer his mercy
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 31
to be perpetually abused by wicked, wilful, contemptuous
sinners. But tlien consider two things : 1. That he de-
stroyeth not humble souls that lie at his feet, and are willing
to have mercy on his easy terms, but only the stubborn de-
spisers of his mercy. He damneth none but those that will
not be saved in his way ; that is, that will not accept of
Christ and salvation freely given them. (I speak of those
that hear the Gospel ; for others, their case is more unknown
to us.) And is it any diminution to his infinite mercy, that
he will not save those that will not be entreated to accept of
salvation ? 2. And consider how long he useth to wait on
sinners, and even beseech them to be reconciled to him, be-
fore he destroyeth them ; and that he heapeth multitudes of
mercies on them, even in their rebellion, to draw them to re-
pentance, and so to life. And is it unmercifulness yet if
such men perish ?
Object, ' But if God were so infinite in mercy, as you say,
why doth he not make all these men willing, that so they
may be saved V
Answ. God having created the world, and all things it,
at first, did make them in a certain nature and order, and so
establish them as by a fixed law ; and he thereupon is their
Governor, to govern every thing according to his nature.
Now man's nature was to be principled with an inclination
to his own happiness, and to be led to it by objects in amo-
ral way, and in the choice of means to be a free agent, and
the guider of himself under God. As Governor of the rati-
onal creature, God doth continue that same course of ruling
them by laws, and drawing them by ends and objects as their
natures do require. And in this way he is not wanting to
them ; his laws are now laws of grace, and universal in the
tenor of the free gift and promise, for he hath there given
life in Christ to all that will have it; and the objects pro-
pounded are sufficient in their kind, to work even the most
wonderful effects of men's souls, for they are God himself,
and Christ, and glory. Besides, God giveth men natural
faculties, that they may have the use of reason ; and there
is nothing more unreasonable than to refuse this offered
mercy. He giveth inducing arguments in the written word,
and sermons, and addeth such mercies and afflictions, that
one should think should bow the hardest heart. Besides,
the strivings and motions of his Spirit within, are more than
32 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
we can give an account of. Now is not this as much as be-
longs to God as Governor of the creature according to its
nature? And for the giving of a new nature, and creating
new hearts in men, after all their rebellious rejecting of
grace, this is a certain miracle of mercy, and belongs to God
in another relation (even as the free chooser of his elect)
and not directly as the Governor of the universe. This is
from his special providence, and the former from his gene-
ral. Now special providences are not to be as common as
the general, nor to subvert God's ordinary, established
course of government. If God please to stop Jordan, and
dry up the Red Sea for the passage of the Israelites,
and to cause the sun to stand still for Joshua, must he do
so still for every man in the world, or else be accounted
unmerciful? The sense of this objection is plainly this.
God is not so rich in mercy, except he will new make all
the world, or govern it above its nature. Suppose a king
know his subjects to be so wicked, that tlveyhave every one
a full design to famish or kill themselves, or poison them-
selves with something which is enticing by its sweetness,
the king not only makes a law, strictly charging them all to
forbear to touch that poison, but he sendeth special messen-
gers to entreat them to it, and tell them the danger. If
these men will not hear him, but wilfully poison themselves,
is he therefore unmerciful ? But suppose that he hath
three or four of his sons that are infected with the same
wickedness, and he will not only command and entreat them,
but he will lock them up, or keep the poison from them, or
will feed them by violence with better food, is he unmerciful
unless he will do so by all the rest of his kingdom?
Lastly. If all this will not satisfy you ; consider, 1.
That it is most certain God is love, and infinite in mercy,
and hath no pleasure in the death of sinners. 2. But it is
utterly uncertain to us how God worketh on man's will in-
wardly by his Spirit. 3. Or yet what iutolerable inconve-
nience there may be if God should work in other ways ;
therefore we must not upon such uncertainties deny certain-
ties, nor from some unreasonable scruples about the manner
of God's working grace, deny the blessed nature of God,
which himself hath most evidently proclaimed to the world.
I have said the more of this, because I find satan harp
so much on this string with uaiany troubled souls, especially
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 33
on the advantage of some common doctrines. For false
doctrine still tends to the overthrow of solid peace and com-
fort. Remember therefore before all other thoughts for the
obtaining of peace, to get high thoughts of the gracious and
lovely nature of God.
Direct. IV. Next this, * Be sure that you deeply appre-
hend the gracious nature, disposition, and'office of the Me-
diator, Jesus Christ.'
Though there can no more (be said of the gracious na-
ture of the Son than of the Father's, even that his goodness
is infinite ; yet these two advantages this consideration will
add unto the former. 1 . You will see here goodness and mer-
cy in its condescension, and nearer to you than in the divine
nature alone it was. Our thoughts of God are necessarily
more strange, because of our infinite distance from the God-
head ; and therefore our apprehensions of God's goodness
will be the less working, because less familiar. But in
Christ God is come down into our nature, and so Infinite
goodness and mercy is incarnate. The man Christ Jesus
is able now to save to the utmost all that come to God by
him. We have a merciful High-Priest that is acquainted
with our infirmities. 2. Herein we see the will of God
putting forth itself for our help in the most astonishing way
that could be imagined. Here is more than merely a graci-
ous inclination. It is an office of saving and shewing mer-
cy also that Christ hath undertaken ; even " to seek and to
save that which was lost." To bring home straying souls to
God. To be the great Peace-maker between God and man,
to reconcile God to man, and man to God ; and so to be the
Head and Husband of his people. Certainly the devil
strangely wrongeth poor, troubled souls in this point, that
he can bring them to have such hard, suspicious thoughts of
Christ, and so much to overlook the glory of mercy which
so shineth in the face of the Son of Mercy itself. How can
we more contradict the nature of Christ, and the Gospel de-
scription of him, than to think him a destroying hater of his
creatures, and one that watcheth for our halting, and hath
more mind to hurt us than to help us ? How could he have
manifested more willingness to save, and more tender com-
passion to the souls of men, than he hath fully manifested ?
That the Godhead should condescend to assume our nature
is a thing so wonderful, even to astonishment, that it puts
VOL. IX. D
'M DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
faith to it to apprehend it ; for it is ten thousand times more
condescension than for the greatest king to become a fly or
a toad to save such creatures. And shall we ever have low
and suspicious thoughts of the gracious and merciful nature
of Christ, after so strange and full a discovery of it 1 If
twenty were ready to drown in the sea, and if one that were
able to swim and fetch all out, should cast himself into the
water, and offer them his help, were it not foolish ingrati-
tude for any to say, ' I know not yet whether he be willing
to help me or not ;' and so to have jealous thoughts of his
good will, and so perish in refusing his help ? How tenderly
did Christ deal with all sorts of sinners. He professed that
he " came not into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world through him might be saved." Did he weep over
a rejected, unbelieving people, and was he desirous of their
desolation ? " How oft would he have gathered them as a
hen gathereth her chickens under her wings (mark, that he
would have done this for them that he cast off) and they
would not ?" When his disciples would have had " fire come
down from heaven to consume those that refused him," he
reproves them, and tells them, " They knew not what spi-
rit they were oP' (the common case of them that miscarry,
by suffering their zeal to overrun their Christian wisdom and
meekness). Yea, he prayeth for his crucifiers, and that on
the cross, not forgetting them in the heat of his sufferings.
Thus he doth by the wicked ; but to those that follow him,
his tenderness is unspeakable, as you would have said your-
self, if you had but stood by and seen him washing his dis-
ciples' feet, and wiping them ; or bidding Thomas put his
finger into his side, " and be not faithless, but believing."
Alas ! that the Lord Jesus should come from heaven to earth,
from glory into human flesh, and pass through a life of mi-
sery to a cross, and from the cross to the grave, to manifest
openly to the world the abundance of his love, and the ten-
derness of his heart to sinners ; and that after all this, we
should suspect him of cruelty, or hard-heartedness and un-
willingness to shew mercy ; and that the devil can so far
delude us, as to make us think of the Lamb of God as if he
were a tiger or devourer !
But I will say no more of this, because Dr. Sibbs, in his
" Bruised Reed," hath said so much already. Only remem-
ber, that if you would methodically proceed to the attaining
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 35
of solid comfort, this is the next stone that must be laid.
You must be deeply possessed with apprehensions of the
most gracious nature and office of the Redeemer, and the
exceeding tenderness of his heart to lost sinners.
Direct. V. The next step in right order to comfort is this :
* You must believe and consider the full sufficiency of
Christ's sacrifice and ransom for all.'
The controversies about this you need not be troubled
at. For as almost all confess this sufficiency, so the Scrip-
ture itself, by the plainness and fulness of its expression,
makes it as clear as the light, that Christ died for all. The
fuller proof of this I have given you in public, and shall do
yet more publicly, if God will. If satan would persuade
you either that no ransom or sacrifice was ever given for
you, or that therefore you have no Redeemer to trust in, and
no Saviour to believe in, and no sanctuary to fly to from the
wrath of God, he must first prove you either to be no lost
sinner, or to be a final, impenitent unbeliever ; that is, that
you are dead already ; or else he must delude your under-
standing, to make you think that Christ died not for all ;
and then I confess he hath a sore advantage against your
faith and comfort.
Direct. VI. The next thing in order to be done is this :
* Get clear apprehensions of the freeness, fulness, and uni-
versality of the new covenant or law of grace."
I mean the promise of remission, justification, adoption,
and salvation to all, so they will believe. No man on earth
is excluded in the tenor of this covenant. And therefore
certainly you are not excluded ; and if not excluded, then
you must needs be included. Shew where you are exclud-
ed if you can ! You will say, * But for all this, all men are
not justified and saved.' Answ. True, because they will
not be persuaded to accept the mercy that is freely given
them.
The use that I would have you make of this, I will shew
in the next.
Direct. VII. * You must get the right understanding of the
difference between general grace and special. And between
the possibility, probability, conditional certainty, and abso-
lute certainty of your salvation. And so between the com-
fort on the former ground and on the latter.'
36 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
And here I shall open to you a rich mine of conso-
lation.
Understand, therefore, that as every particular part of
the house is built on the foundation, so is every part of spe-
cial grace built on general grace. Understand also, that all
the four last mentioned particulars do belong to this general
grace. As also, that though no man can have absolute cer-
tainty of salvation, from the consideration of this general
grace alone, yet may it afford abundance of relief to dis-
tressed souls, yea, much true consolation. Lastly, Under-
stand that all that hear the Gospel may take part in this con-
solation, though they have no assurance of their salvation at
all, no nor any special, saving grace.
Now when you understand these things well, this is the
use that I would have you make of them.
1. Do not begin the way to your spiritual peace by in-
quiring after the sincerity of your graces, and trying your-
selves by signs. Do not seek out for assurance of salvation
in the first place, nor do not look and study after the special
comforts which come from certainty of special grace, before
you have learned, 1. To perform the duty. 2. And to re-
ceive the comforts which general grace affordeth. Such
immethodical, disorderly proceedings keepeth thousands
of poor, ignorant Christians in darkness and trouble almost
all their days. Let the first thing you do, be to obey the
voice of the Gospel, which calleth you to accept of Christ
and special mercy. " This is the record, that God hath
given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that
hath the Son hath life." Fix this deep in your mind, that
the nature of the Gospel is first to declare to our understand-
ings the most gracious nature, undertakings, and perform-
ances of Christ for us, which must be believed to be true.
And 2. To offer this Christ with all his special mercy to
every man to whom this Gospel comes, and to entreat them
to accept Christ and life, which is freely given and offered
to them. Remember then you are a lost sinner. For cer-
tain Christ and life in him is given and offered to you. Now
your first work is, presently to accept it, not to make an
unseasonable inquiry, whether Christ be yours. But to
take him that he may be yours. If you were condemned,
and a pardon were freely given you, on condition you would
thankfully take it, and it were offered to you, and you eu-
St»lRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 37
treated to take it, what would you do in this case? Would
you spend your time and thoughts in searching whether
this pardon be already yours ? Or would you not presently
take it that it may be yours ? Or if you were ready to fa*
mish, and food were offered you, would you stand asking
first, * How shall I know that it is mine V Or rather take
and eat it, when you are sure it may be yours if you will.
Let me entreat you therefore, when the devil clamours in
your ears, * Christ and salvation is none of thine,' suppose
that this voice of God in the Gospel were still in your ears,
yea, let it be still in your memory, ' O take Christ, and life
in him, that thou mayst be saved :' still think that you hear
Paul following you with these words : " We are ambassa-
dors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We
pray you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God." Will
you but remember this, when you are on your knees in sor-
row ; and when you would fain have Christ and life, and
you are afraid that God will not give them to you ? I say,
remember then, God stands by beseeching you to accept
the same thing which you are beseeching him to give. God
is the first suitor and solicitor. God prays you to take
Christ, and you pray him to give you Christ. What have
you now to do but to take him? And here understand,
that this taking is no impossible business ; it is no more but
your hearty consenting, as I shall tell you more anon. If
you did but well understand and consider, that believing is
the great duty that God calls you to perform, and promiseth
to save you if you do truly perform it ; and that this believ-
ing is to take, or consent to have the same mercy which you
pray for, and are troubled for fear lest you shall miss of it,
even Christ and life in him ; this would presently draw forth
your consent, and that in so open and express a way, as you
could not but discover it, and have the comfort of it. Re-
member this then. That your first work is to believe, or ac-
cept an offered Saviour.
2. You must learn (as I told you) to receive the comforts
of universal or general grace, before you search after the
comforts of special grace. I here suppose you so far sound
in the doctrine of the Gospel, as neither with some on one
hand, to look so much at special grace, as to deny that ge-
neral grace, which is the ground of it, or presupposed to it.
Nor with others, so far to look at universal mercy, as to de-
38 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
ny special. Satan will tell you, that all your duties have
been done in hypocrisy, and you are unsound at the heart,
and have not a drop of saving grace. You are apt to en-
tertain this, and conclude that all this is true : ' If I had any
grace, I should have more life, and love, and delight in God ;
more tenderness of heart, more growth in grace. I should
not carry about such a rock in my breast ; such a stupid,
dull, insensible soul,* &c.
At the present, let us suppose that all this be true : yet
see what a world of comfort you may gather from universal
or general mercy. I have before opened to you four parts
of it, in the cause of your happiness, and three in the effect,
which may each of them afford much relief to your troubled
soul.
1. Suppose you are yet graceless, is it nothing to you
that it is a God of infinite mercy that you have to do with,
whose compassions are ten thousand times greater than your
dearest friends, or your own husbands ?
Object. ' O but yet he will not save the graceless.'
Answ. True, but he is the more ready to give grace, that
you may be saved. " If any of you (mark, any of you) do
lack wisdom, let him ask it of God, who giveth to all men
liberally (without desert) and upbraideth not (with our un-
worthiness or former faults), and it shall be given him ;'*
James i. 4. " If you that are evil can give good gifts to your
children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give
his Holy Spirit to them that ask it ?" Luke xi. 13. Sup-
pose your life were in the hands of your own husband, or
your children's life in your hands, would it not exceedingly
comfort you or them, to consider whose hands they are in,
though yet you had no further assurance how you should be
used ? It may be you will say, ' But God is no Father to
the graceless.' I answer. He is not their Father in so near
and strict a sense as he is the Father of believers ; but yet
a Father he is, even to the wicked ; and to convince men of
his fatherly mercy to them, he often so stileth himself. He
saith by Moses, Deut. xxxii. 6. to a wicked generation,
whose spot was not the spot of his children, " Do ye thus
requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise ? Is not he
thy Father that bought thee ? Hath he not made thee, and
established thee ?" And the prodigal could call him Father
for his encouragement before he returned to hira ; Luke xv.
SPIRITUAL PEACi: AND COMFORT. 39
16 — 18. For my own part I must needs profess, that my
soul hath more frequent support from the consideration of
God's gracious and merciful nature, than from the promise
itself.
2. Furthermore, Suppose you were graceless at the pre-
sent ; yet is it not an exceeding comfort, that there is one
of such infinite compassions as the Lord Christ, who hath
assumed our nature, and is come down to seek and save that
which was lost ; and is more tender-hearted to poor sinners
than we can possibly conceive ? Yea, who hath made it
his office to heal, and relieve, and restore, and reconcile.
Yea, that hath himself endured such temptations as many of
ours ; " For we have not a High-priest which cannot be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities ; but was in all
points tempted like as we are, without sin. Let us there-
fore (saith the Holy Ghost) come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need;" Heb.iv. 15, 16. "Forasmuch as the chil-
dren were partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself like-
wise took part with them, that he might destroy, through
death, him that had the power of death, that is, the devil ;
and deliver them, who through fear of death, were all their
lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him
the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abra-
ham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made
like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faith-
ful High-Priest in things pertaining to God, to make recon-
ciliation for the sins of the people. For that he himself
hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them
that are tempted ;" Heb. ii. 14 — 18. Have you discounte-
nance from men ? Christ had much more. Doth God seem
to forsake you ? So he did by Christ. Are you fain to lie
on your knees crying for mercy ? Why Christ in the days
of his flesh was fain to offer up " strong cries and tears, to
him that was able to save him. And was heard in that he
feared." It seems that Christ had distressing fears as well
as you, though not sinful fears. Have you horrid tempta-
tions ? Why Christ was tempted to cast himself headlong,
and to worship the devil, for worldly preferment ; yea, the
devil had power to carry his body up and down to the pina-
cle of the temple, and the top of a mountain. If he had
such power of you, would you not think yourself certainly
40 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
his slave? 1 conclude therefore, as it is an exceeding
ground of comfort to all the sick people in a city, to know
that there is a most merciful and skilful physician, that is
easily able to cure them, and hath undertaken to do it free-
ly for all that will take him for their physician ; so is it a
ground of exceeding comfort to the worst of sinners, to all
sinners that are yet alive, and have not blasphemed the Ho-
ly Ghost, to know what a merciful and efficient Saviour
hath undertaken the work of man's redemption.
3. Also, Suppose yet that you are graceless, is it nothing
that a sufficient sacrifice and ransom is given for you ? This
is the very foundation of all solid peace. I think this is a
great comfort, to know that God looks now for no satisfac-
tion at your hand ; and that the number or greatness of your
sins, as such, cannot now be your ruin. For certainly no
man shall perish for want of the payment of his ransom, or
of an expiatory sacrifice for sin, but only for want of a
willing heart to accept him that hath freely ransomed them.
4. Also, Suppose you are graceless, is it nothing that
God hath under his hand and seal made a full and free deed
of gift, to you and all sinners, ofChrist, and with him of par-
don and salvation ! And all this on condition of your ac-
ceptance or consent? I know the despisers ofChrist shall
be miserable for all this. But for you that would fain have
Christ, is it no comfort to know that you shall have him if
you will? And to find this to be the sum of the Gospel?
I know you have often read those free offers. Rev. xxii.l7.
^' Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come and drink," &c. Almost
all that I have hitherto said to you is comprised in that one
text, John iii. 16. " God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life."
And as I have shewed it you in the causes, what com-
fort even general mercy may afford, so let me a little shew
it you in the effects. I mean, not only in that God is now
satisfied ; but as to yourself and every sinner, these three
things are produced hereby.
1. There is now a possibility of salvation to you. And
certainly even that should be a very great comfort. I know
you will meet with some divines, who will tell you that this
is no effect of Christ's death ; and that else Christ should
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 41
die for God, if he procured him a power to save which he
had not before. But this is no better than a reproaching of
our Redeemer. Suppose that a traitor had so abused a
king, that it will neither stand with his own honour, nor jus-
tice, nor laws to pardon him ; if his compassion were so
great, that his own son shall suffer for him, that so the king
might be capable of pardoning him, without any diminution
of his honour or justice ; were it not a vile reproach, if this
traitor should tell the prince that suffered for him, ' It was
for your father that you suffered to procure him a power of
pardoning, it was not for me V It is true, the king could
not pardon him, without satisfaction to his honour and jus-
tice. But this was not through any impotency, butbecausethe
thing was not fit to be done, and so was morally impossible.
For in law We say, dishonest things are impossible. Audit
had been no less to the king if the traitor had not been par-
doned. So it is in our case. And therefore Christ's suffer-
ings could not be more eminently for us, than by enabling
the offended Majesty to forgive us ; and so taking the great-
est impediment out of the way. For when impediments are
once removed, God's nature is so gracious and prone to
mercy, that he would soon pardon us when once it is fit to
be done, and so morally possible in the fullest sense ; only
men's own unwillingness now stands in the way, and makes
it to be not fully fit to be yet done. It is true, in a remote
sense, the pardon of sin was always possible ; but in the
nearest sense it was impossible, till Christ made it possible
by his satisfaction.
2. Nay, though you were yet graceless, you have now
this comfort, that your salvation is probable as well as pos-
sible. You are very fair for it. The terms be not hard in
themselves, on which it is tendered. For Christ's yoke is
easy, and his burden is light, and his commands are not
grievous. " The word is nigh you," even the offer of grace.
You need not say, " Who shall ascend to heaven, or go
down to hell ?" Rom. x. But this will appear in the next.
3. Yea, this exceeding comfort there is, even for them
that are graceless, that their salvation is conditionally cer-
tain, and the condition is but their own willingness. They
may all have Christ and life if they will. Now I desire you
in all your doubts, that you will well consider and improve
this one truth and ground of comfort. Would you, in the
42 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
midst of your groans, and complaints and fears, take it for
a small mercy, to be certain that you shall have Christ if you
will ? When you are praying for Christ in fear and anguish
of spirit, if an angel or voice from heaven should say to you
' It shall be unto thee according to thy will, if thou wilt
have Christ and live in him, thou shalt :' Would this be no
comfort to you ? Would it not revive you and overcome
your fears ?
By this time I hope you see what abundance of comfort
general mercy or grace may afford the soul, before it per-
ceive (yea, or receive) any special grace ; though few of
those that receive not special grace can make use of general,
yet it is propounded to them as well as others.
1. All the terrifying temptations which are grounded on
misrepresentations of God, as if he were a cruel destroyer to
be fled from, are dispelled by the due consideration of his
goodness, and the deep settled apprehensions of his graci-
ous, merciful, lovely nature (which indeed is the first work
of true religion, and the very master radical act of true
grace, and the chief maintainer of spiritual life and motion).
2. All these temptations are yet more effectually dis-
pelled, by considering this merciful divine nature dwelling
in flesh, becoming man, by condescending to the assump-
tion of our human nature ; and so come near us, and as-
suming the office of being the Mediator, the Redeemer, the
Saviour of the world.
3. All your doubts and fears that proceed from your for-
mer sins, whether of youth or of age, of ignorance or of
knowledge, and those which proceed from your legal unwor-
thiness, have all a present remedy in the fulness and suffici-
ency of Christ's satisfaction, even for all the world ; so that
no sin (except the excepted sin) is so great, but it is fully
satisfied for ; and though you are unworthy, yet Christ is
worthy ; and he came into the world to save only the un-
worthy (in the strict and legal sense).
4. All your doubts and fears that arise from an appre-
hension of God's unwillingness to shew you mercy, and to
give you Christ and life in him, arise from the misappre-
hensions of Christ's unwillingness to be yours ; or at least
from the uncertainty of his willingness ; these have all a
sufficient remedy in the general extent, and tenor of the
new covenant. Can you doubt whether God be willing to
SPIRITUAL PliACE AND COMFORT. 43
give you Christ and life, when he had given them already,
even by a deed of gift under his hand, and by a law of
grace? 1 John v. 10 — 12.
Object. ' But yet all are not pardoned, and possessed of
Christ, and so saved.'
Aiisw. I told you, that is because they will not ; so
that (I pray you mark it well) God hath in these four means
before mentioned, given even to the graceless so much
ground of comfort, that nothing, but their unwillingness to
have Christ, is left to be their terror. For though sin be not
actually remitted to them, yet is it conditionally remitted,
viz. If they "will but accept of Christ offered them. Will
you remember this, when your doubts are greatest, and you
conclude, that certainly Christ is not yours, because you
havo no true grace ? Suppose it to be true, yet still know,
that Christ may be yours if you will, and when you will.
This comfort you may have when you can find no evidences
of true grace in yourself. So much for that direction.
Direct. VIII. The next thing that you have to do, for
building up a stable comfort, and settling your conscience
in a solid peace, is this, * Be sure to get and keep a right
understanding of the nature of saving faith.'
As you must have right thoughts of the covenant of
grace (of which before), the want thereof doth puzzle and
confound very many Christians ; so you must be sure to
have right thoughts of the condition of the covenant. For
indeed that grace which causeth you to perform this condi-
tion, is your first special saving grace, which you may take
as a certain evidence of your justification. And this con-
dition is the very link which conjoineth all the general fore-
going grace to all the rest of the following special grace.
The Scripture is so full and plain in assuring pardon and
salvation to all true believers , that if you can be sure you
are a believer, you need not make any doubt of your inte-
rest in Christ, and your salvation. Seeing therefore that all
the question will be. Whether you have true faith ? Whe-
ther you do perform the condition of the new covenant ?
(for all other doubts God hath given you sufficient ground
to resolve, as is said) how much then doth it concern you
to have a right understanding of the nature of this faith ?
Which that you may have, let me tell you briefly what it is.
Man's soul hath two faculties, understanding and will : ac-
44 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
cordingly the objects of man's soul (all beings which it is to
receive) have two modifications; truth and goodness (as
those to be avoided are evil). Accordingly God's word or
Gospel hath two parts ; the revelation of truth, and the offer
and promise of some good. This offered good is principally
and immediately Christ himself to be joined to us by cove-
nant, as our head and husband. The secondary consequen-
tial good, is pardon, justification, reconciliation, adoption,
further sanctification and glorification, which are all offered
with Christ. By this you may see what saving faith is ; it
is first, a believing that the Gospel is true ; and then an ac-
cepting of Christ therein offered to us, with his benefits ; or
a consenting that he be ours, and we be his ; which is no-
thing but a true willingness to have an offered Christ. Re-
member this well, that you may make use of it, when you
are in doubt of the truth of your faith. Thousands of poor
souls have been in the dark, and unable to see themselves
to be believers, merely for want of knowing what saving faith
is. The Papists place almost all in the mere assent of the un-
derstanding. Some of our Reformers made it to be either an
assurance of the pardon of our own sins, or a strong persua-
sion of their pardon, excluding doubting; or (the most mo-
derate) a persuasion of our particular pardon, though mixed
with some doubting. The Antinomians strike in with them,
and say the same. Hence some divines conclude, that jus-
tification and remission go before faith, because the act doth
always suppose its object. For they thought that remission
already past was the object of justifying faith, supposing
faith to he nothing else but a belief that we are pardoned.
Yea, ordinarily, it hath been taught in the writings of our
greatest refuters of the Papists, ' That this belief is pro-
perly a divine faith, or the belief of a divine testimony, as is
the believing of any proposition written in the Scripture (a
foul error, which I have confuted in my Book of Rest, part
iii. chap. vii). Most of late have come nearer the truth,
and affirmed justifying faith to consist in affiance, or recum-
bency, or resting on Christ for salvation. No doubt this is
one act of justifying faith, but not that which a poor trou-
bled soul should first search after and try itself by (except
by affiance, any should mean as Amesius doth, election of
Christ, and then it is the same act which I am asserting,
but very unfitly expressed). For, 1. Affiance is not the
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 45
principal act nor that wherein the very life of justifying
faith doth consist, but only an imperate allowing act, and
an effect of the vital act, (which is consent, or willing, or
accepting Christ offered ;) for it lieth mainly in that which
we call the sensitive part, or the passions of the soul. 2. It is
therefore less constant, and so unfitter to try by. For many
a poor soul that knows itself unfeignedly willing to hav e
Christ, yet feeleth not a resting on him, or trusting in him,
and therefore cries out, ' O I cannot believe ;' and think they
have no faith. For recumbency, affiance, or resting on
Christ, implieth that easing of themselves, or casting off
their fears, or doubts, or cares, which true believers do not
always find. Many a poor soul complains, ' O I carinot rest
on Christ ; I cannot trust him !' who yet would have him
to be their Lord and Saviour, and can easily be convinced
of their willingness. 3. Besides affiance is not the adequate
act of faith, suited to the object in that fulness as it must be
received, but willingness or acceptance is. Christ is rested
on not only for ourselves as our deliverer, but he is accepted
also for himself as our Lord and Master. The full proof of
these I have performed in other writings, and oft in your
hearing in public, and therefore omit them now. Be sure
then to fix this truth deep in your mind, ' That justifying
faith is not an assurance of our justification ; no, nor a per-
suasion or belief that we are justified or pardoned, or that
Christ died more for us than for others. Nor yet is affiance
or resting on Christ the vital principle, certain, constant,
full act; but it is the understanding's belief of the truth
of the Gospel, and the will's acceptance of Christ and
life offered to us therein ; which acceptance is but the
hearty consent or willingness that he be yours, and you his'
This is the faith which must justify and save you.
Object. But, 1. ' May not wicked men be willing to have
Christ? 2. And do not you oft tell us that justifying faith
comprehends love to Christ and thankfulness, and that it
receiveth him as a Lord to be obeyed, as well as a deliverer ?
And that repentance and sincere obedience are parts of the
condition of the new covenant V
Anstv. I will give as brief a touch now on these as may
be, because I have handled them in fitter places.
1. Wicked men are willing to have remission, justifica-
tion, and freedom from hell (for no man can be willing to be
46 DIRECTIONS FOR GKTTING AND KEEPING
unpardoned, or to be damned ;) but they are not willing to
have Christ himself in that nature and office which he must
be accepted ; that is, as an holy head and husband to
save both from the guilt and power, and all defilement and
abode of sin, and to rule them by his law, and guide them
by his Spirit, and to make them happy by bringing them
to God, that being without sin, they may be perfectly
pleasing and amiable in his sight, and enjoy him for
ever. Thus is Christ offered, and thus to be accepted of all
that will be saved ; and thus no wicked man will accept him
(but when he ceaseth to be wicked). 2. To cut all the rest
short in a word, I say. That in this fore- described willing-
ness or acceptance, repentance, love, thankfulness, resolu-
tion to obey, are all contained, or nearly implied, as I have
elsewhere manifested ; so that the heart of saving faith is
this acceptance of Christ, or willingness to have him to jus-
tify, sanctify, guide, and govern you. Find but this wil-
lingness, and you find all the rest, whether you expressly see
them or not. So much for that direction.
Direct, IX. Having thus far proceeded, in discovering
and improving the general grounds of comfort, and then in
discovering the nature of faith, which gives you right to the
special mercies of the covenant following it ; your next work
must be, * To perform this condition by actual believing.'
Your soul stands in extreme need of a Saviour. God of-
fereth you a Saviour in the Gospel. What then have you
next to do but to accept him ? Believe that this offer is ge-
neral, and therefore to you. And that Christ is not set to
sale, nor doth God require you to bring a price in your
hand, but only heartily and thankfully to accept of what he
freely giveth you. This must be done before you fall on
trying your graces to get assurance, for you must have grace
before you can discover it ; and this is the first proper spe-
cial saving grace (as it compriseth that knowledge and as-
sent which necessarily go before it). This is not only
the method for those that yet never believed, but also for
them that have lost the sense of their faith, and so the sight
of their evidence. Believe againy that you may know you
do believe ; or at least may possess an accepted Saviour.
When God in the Gospel bids you take Jesus Christ, and
beseecheth you to be reconciled to him, what will you say
to him ? If your heart answer, ' Lord I am willing, I will ac-
SPIRITUAL 1»KA(E AND COMFORT. 47
cept of Christ and be thankful ;' why then the match is made
between Christ and you, and the marriage-covenant is truly
entered, which none can dissolve. If Christ were not first
willing, he would not be the suitor, and make the motion ;
and if he be willing, and you be willing, what can break the
match? If you will say, * I cannot believe ;' if you under-
stand what you say, either you mean that you cannot be-
lieve the Gospel is true, or else that you cannot be willing
that Christ should be yours. If it be the former, and speak
truly, then you are a flat infidel (yet many temptations to
doubt of the truth of Scripture, a true believer may have,
yea, and actual doubtings ; but his faith prevaileth, and is
victorious over them) ; but if you really doubt whether the
Gospel be true, use God's means for the discovery of its
truth. Read what I have written in the second part of my
Book of Kest. I will undertake now more confidently than
ever I did, to prove the truth of Scripture by plain, full, un-
deniable force of reason. But I suppose this is none of your
case. If therefore when you say, that you cannot believe,
you mean, that you cannot accept an offered Christ, or be
willing to have him ; then I demand, 1. What is your rea-
son ? The will is led by the reason of the understanding.
If you be not willing, there is something that persuades you
to be unwilling. This reason must be from something real,
or else upon a mistake, upon supposal of something that is
not in being. If it be upon mistake, either it is that you be
not convinced of Christ's willingness to be yours ; and if
you thought he did consent, you would consent willingly ;
if this be it, you do truly believe while you think you do
not ; for you do consent (and that is all on your part to make
the match) and Christ doth certainly consent, though you
do not understand it. In this case it concerneth you, to
understand better the extent of the new covenant, and then
you will be past doubt of the willingness of Christ, and see
that wherever the match breaks, it is only for want of con-
sent in men ; for Christ is the first suitor, and hath long ago
in the covenant proclaimed his consent, to be the head and
husband of every sinner, on condition they will but consent
to be his. !>
If your mistake be from any false apprehension of the na-
ture of Christ, as if he were not a sufficient Saviour, or were
an enemy to your comfort, that he would do you more harm
48 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
than good ; if these mistakes are prevalent, then you do not
know Christ, and therefore must presently better study him
in the Gospel, till you have prevailed over such ignorant and
blasphemous conceits (but none of this I suppose is your
case).
If then the reason why you say you cannot believe, be
from any thing that is really in Christ (and not upon mis-
take), then it must be either from some dislike of his saving
work, by which he would pardon you, and save you from
damnation (but that is impossible, for you cannot be willing
to be damned or unpardoned, till you lose your reason) : or
else it is from a dislike of his work of sanctification, by
which he would cleanse your heart and life, by saving you
from your sinful nature and actions ; some grudging against
Christ's holy and undefiled laws and ways will be in the
best, while there is that flesh in them which lusteth against
the Spirit, so that they cannot do the things they would.
But if truly you have such a dislike of a sinless condition,
through the love of any sin or creature, that you cannot be
willing to have Christ to cure you, and cleanse you from
that sin, and make you holy : I say, if this be true, in a pre-
vailing degree, so that if Christ and holiness were offered
you, you would not accept them, then it is certain you have
not true faith. And in this case it is easily to discern, that
your first work lieth not in getting comfort or ease to your
troubled mind ; but in getting better conceits of Christ and
a holy state and life, that so you may be willing of Christ,
as Christ is of you, and so become a true believer. And
here I would not leave you at that loss as some do, as if there
were nothing for you to do for the getting of faith ; for cer-
tainly God hath prescribed you means for that end. " Faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God preach-
ed ;" Rom. X. 17. 1. Therefore see that you wait diligently
on this ordinance of God. Read the Scriptures daily, and
search them to see whether you may not there find that ho-
liness is better than sin. 2. And however some seducers
may tell you, that wicked men ought not to pray, yet be
sure that you lie on your knees before God, and importu-
nately beg that he would open your eyes, and change your
heart, and shew you so far the evil of sin, and the want and
worth of Christ and holiness, that you may be unfeignedly
glad to accept his offer.
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 49
Object. * But the prayers of the wicked are an abomina-
tion to the Lord.'
Atiiw. 1. You must distinguish between wicked men, as
actually wicked, and going on in the prosecution of their
wickedness ; and wicked men, as they have some good in
them, or are doing some good, or are attempting a return to
God. 2. You must distinguish between real prayer and
seeming prayer. 3. You must distinguish between full ac-
ceptance of prayer, when God delighteth in them, and an
acceptance only to some particular end, not imitating the
acceptance of the person with his prayer : and between ac-
ceptance fully promised (as certain) and acceptance but half
promised (as probable). And upon these distinctions I shall
answer your objections in the conclusion,
1. When wicked men pray to God to prosper them in
their wickedness, yea, or to pardon them while they intend
to go on in it, and so to give them an indulgence in sin ; or
when they think with a few prayers for some good, which
they can endure, to put by that holiness which they cannot
endure, and so to make a cloak for their rebellion, these
prayers are all an abomination to the Lord.
2. When men use the words of a prayer, without the de-
sire of the thing asked, this is no prayer, but equivocally
so called, as a carcase is a man ; and therefore no wonder if
God abhor that prayer, which is truly no prayer.
3. God hath not made a full promise, ascertaining any
wicked man, while wicked, that he will hear his prayer; for
all such promises are made to believers.
4. God doth never so hear an unbeliever's prayer, as to
accept his person with his prayer, or to take a complacency
in them. So much for the negative.
Now for the affirmative, I add ; 1. Prayer is a duty which
God enjoined even wicked men (I could prove it by an hun-
dred Scripture texts.)
2. There may be some good desires in unbelievers, whicJi
they may express in prayer, and these God may so far hear
as to grant them, as he did in part to Ahab.
3. An unbeliever may lie under preparing grace, and be
on his way in returning towards God, though yet he be not
come to saving faith ; and in this state he may have many
good desu-es, and such prayers as God will hear.
VOL. IX. E
rA)
DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
4. Though God have not flatly engaged himself to unbe-
lievers, so as to give them a certainty of hearing their pray-
ers, and giving them true grace on the improvement of their
naturals, yet he hath not only appointed them this and other
means to get grace, but also given them half promises, or
strong probabilities of speeding, so much as may be a suffi-
cient encouragement to any such sinner to call on God, and
use his means. For as he appointeth not any vain means to
man, so no man can name that man who did improve his na-
turals to the utmost, and in particular, sought God in prayer,
so far as a natural man may do, who yet missed of grace,
and was rejected (this is the true mean between Pelagian-
ism and Antinomianism in this point).
5. When God calls unbelievers to prayer, he withal calls
them to believe. And when he works their heart to prayer
by that call, he usually withal works them to believe, or at
least towards believing. If he that was unwilling to have
Christ, do pray God to make him willing, it is- a beginning
of willingness already, and the way to get more willingness.
In prayer God useth to give in the thing prayed for, of
this kind.
6. Prayer is the soul's motion God-ward : and to say an
unbeliever should not pray, is to say he should not turn to
God ; who yet saith to the wicked, " Seek the Lord while
he may be found, and call upon while he is near. Let the
wicked forsake his way ;" &.c. Isaiah Iv. 6, 7.
7. Prayer hath two parts ; desire is the soul of it, and
expression is the body. The soul can live separated from
the body, but so cannot the body separated from the soul.
So can desire without expression, but not expression with-
out desire. When our blind Antinomians (the great sub-
verters of the Gospel, more than the law) do rail against mi-
nisters for persuading wicked men to pray, they are against
us for persuading men to desire that they pray for ; prayei
having desire for its soul. And do not those men deserve
to be exterminated the churches and societies of the saints,
who dare say to a wicked unbeliever, ' Desire not faith ?
Desire not to leave thy wickedness ? Desire not grace ? or
Christ? or God? And that will proclaim abroad the world
(as I have oft heard of them with zealous reproaches) that our
ministers are legalists, seducers, ignorant of the mysteries of
the Gospel, because they persuade poor sinners to pray for
SPIRITUAL PKACK AND COMFORT. 51
faith, grace, and Christ ; that is to desire these, and to ex-
press their desires ; which in effect is to persuade them to
repent, believe, and turn to God. Indeed, if these blind se-
ducers had ever heard our ministers persuading vv^icked men
to dissemble and lie to God, and ask faith, grace and Christ
with their tongues, but not desire them in their hearts, then
had they sufficient grounds for their reviling language (but
I have been too long on this). I may therefore boldly con-
clude, that they that find themselves unbelievers, that is, un-
willing to have Christ to deliver them from sin, must use
this second means to get faith, even earnest frequent prayer
for it to God.
3. Let such also see that they avoid wicked seducing
company and occasions of sin ; and be sure that they keep
company with men fearing God, especially joining with them
in their holy duties.
4. Lastly, let such be sure that they use that reason which
God hath given them, to consider frequently, retiredly, se-
riously, of the vanity of all those things that steal away their
hearts from Christ ; and of the excellency of holiness, and
how blessed a state it is to have nothing in us of heart or
life that is displeasing to God, but to be such as he taketh
full delight in ; also of the certainty of the damnation of un-
believers, and the intolerableness of their torments ; and of
the certainty and inconceivable greatness of believers' ever-
lasting happiness. If wicked unbelievers would but do what
they can in daily, serious, deep considering of these things,
and the like, they would have no cause to despair of obtain-
ing faith and sanctification. Believing is a rational act.
God bids you not to believe any thing without reason, nor
to accept or consent to any thing without full reason to
cause you to consent. Think then often and soberly of those
reasons that should move you to consent, and of the vanity
of these that hinder you from consenting, and this is God's
way for you to obtain faith or consent.
Remember then, that when you have understood and im-
proved general grounds of comfort (nay before you can come
to any full improvement of them) your next business is to
believe ; to consent to the match with Christ, and to take
him for your Lord and Saviour. And this duty must be
looked to and performed, before you look after special com-
.02 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
fort. But I said somewhat of this before under the sixth
head, and therefore will say no more now.
Direct. X. When you have gone thus far, your soul is
safe, and you are past your greatest dangers, though yet you
are not past your fears ; your next work therefore for peace
and comfort is this ; * To review and take notice of your
own faith, and thence to gather assurance of the certainty of
your justification, and adoption, and right to glory.'
The sum of this direction lieth in these things :
1. See that you do not content yourself with the fore-
mentioned general comforts, without looking after assurance
and special comforts. The folly of this I have manifested
in the third part of my Book of Rest, about Self-exami-
nation.
2. See that you dream not of finding assurance and spe-
cial comfort from mere general grounds. This is the delu-
sion of many Antinomians, and of most of our profane
people (who I find are commonly of the Antinomian
faith naturally, without teaching). For men to conclude that
they shall certainly be saved, merely because God is mer-
ciful, or Christ is tender-hearted to sinners, and would not
that any should perish, but all should come to repentance ;
or because God delights not in the death of him that dieth,
l?ut rather that he repent and live ; or because Christ died
for them ; or because God hath given Christ and life in the
Gospel to all, on condition of believing ; these are all but
mere delusions. Much comfort, as I have shewed you, may
be gathered from these generals ; but no certainty of salva-
tion, or special comfort can be gathered from them alone.
3. See that you reject the Antinomian doctrine or dot-
age, which would teach you to reject the trial and judging
of your state by signs of grace in yourself, and tell you that
it is only the Spirit that must assure, by witnessing your
adoption ; I will further explain this caution when I have
added the rest.
4. And on the other extreme, do not run to marks unsea-
sonably, but in the order here laid down.
6. Nor trust to unsafe marks.
6. And therefore do not look at too many ; for the true
ones are but few. I do but name these things to you, be-
4Uiuse I have more fully handled them in my Book of Rest,
SPJurrUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 63
whither I must refer you. And so I return to the third
caution.
I have in the forementioned book told you, what the of-
fice of the Spirit is in assuring us, and what the use of marks
are. The Spirit witnesseth first objectively, and so the Spi-
rit and marks are all one. For it is the Spirit dwelling in us
that is the witness or proof that we are God's sons ; for he
that hath not his Spirit is none of his. And the Spirit is
not discerned by us in its essence, but in its workings ; and
therefore to discern these workings, is to discern the Spirit,
and these workings are the marks that we speak of : so that
the Spirit witnesseth our sonship, as a reasonable soul wit-
nesseth that you are a man and not a beast. You find by the
acts of reason, that you have a reasonable soul, and then
you know, that having a reasonable soul, you certainly are a
man. So you find by the works or fruits of the Spirit, that you
have the Spirit (that is, by marks ; and Paul enumerates the
fruits of the Spirit to that end), and then by finding that you
have the Spirit you may certainly know that you are the
child of God. 2. Also, as the reasonable soul is its own dis-
cerner by the help of the body (while it is in it) and so wit-
nesseth our humanity effectively as well as objectively (but
first in order objectively, and next effectively) ; so doth the
Spirit effectively discover itself to the soul, by illuminating
us to discern it, and exciting us to search, and giving us that
spiritual taste and feeling of its workings, and so of its pre-
sence, by which it is best known. But still it witnesseth ob-
jectively, first, and its effective witnessing is but the causing
us to discern its objective witness. Or (to speak more plain-
ly), the Spirit witnesses first and principally, by giving us
those graces and workings which are our marks ; and then,
secondly, by helping us to find and feel those workings or
marks in ourselves ; and then, lastly, by raising comforts
in the soul upon that discovery. Take heed therefore of ex-
pecting any such inward witness of the Spirit, as some ex-
pect, viz. a discovery of your adoption directly, without
first discovering the signs of it within you ; as if by an in-
ward voice he should say to you, ' Thou art a child of God
and thy sins are pardoned.'
This that I described to you, is the true witness of the
Spirit. This mistake is so dangerous, that I had thought to
have made it a peculiar direction by itself, to warn you of
54 DIRECTIONS FOR OliTTlNG AND K.E£P1N'G
it ; and now I have gone so far, I will dispatch it here. Two
dangerous consequents I find do follow this unwarrantable
expectation of the first immediate efficient revelation that
we are adopted.
1. Some poor souls have languished in doublings and
trouble of mind almost all their days, in expectation of such
a kind of witness as the Spirit useth not to give; when in
the mean time they have other sufficient means of comfort,
and knew not how to improve them ; yea, they had the true
witness of the Spirit in his inhabitation and holy workings,
and did not know it ; but run as Samuel did to Eli, not
knowing the voice of God ; and look for the Spirit's tes-
timony when they had it, as the Jews for Elias and the
Messias.
2. Others do more dangerously err, by taking the strong
conceit of their own fantasy for the witness of the Spirit ; as
soon as they do but entertain the opinion that it must be
such a witness of the Spirit, without the use of marks, that
must assure men of their adoption, presently they are con-
fident that they have that witness themselves. It is scarce
likely to be God's Spirit that is so ready upon the mere
change of an opinion. The devil useth to do as much to
cherish presumption, as to destroy true faith and assurance.
It is a shrewd sign that our persuasions of our truth of grace
is a delusion, when we find the devil a friend to it, and help-
ing it on. And it is a probable sign it is a good persuasion,
when we find the devil an enemy to it, and still troubling us
and endeavouring our disquiet.
And here I remember the scruple that troubleth some
about the spirit of bondage, and the spirit of adoption. But
you must understand, that by the spirit of bondage is meant
that spirit, and those operations on the soul which the law
of works did natuially beget in those that were under it;
which was to be partly in bondage, to a task of ceremonious
duties, and partly to the curse and obligation to punishment
for disobedience, without any power to justify. They were
said therefore to be in bondage to the law ; and the law was
said to be a yoke, which neither they nor their fathers were
able to bear : Acts xv.
And by the spirit of adoption is meant, 1, That spirit,
or those qualifications or workings in their souls, which by
the Gospel God giveth only to his sons. 2. And which raise
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 55
in us some childlike afl'ections to God, inclining' um in all
our wants to run to him in prayer, as to a Father, and to
make our moan to him, and open our griefs, and cry for re-
dress, and look to him, and depend on him as a child on the
father. This spirit of adoption you may have, and yet not
be certain of God's special love to you. The knowledge
only of his general goodness and mercy, may be a means to
raise in you true childlike affections. You may know God
to have fatherly inclinations to you, and yet doubt whether
he will use you as a child, for want of assurance of your
own sincerity. And you may hope God is your Father, when
yet you may apprehend him to be a displeased, angry fa-
ther, and so he may be more your terror than your comfort.
Are not you ready in most of your fears, and doubts, and
troubles, to go to God before all other for relief ? And doth
not your heart sigh and groan to him, when you can scarcely
speak ? Doth not your troubled spirit there find its first
vent ? And say, ' Lord kill me not : forsake me not ; my life
is in thy hands ; O soften this hard heart; make this carnal
mind more spiritual I O be not such a stranger to my soul !
Wo to me that I am so ignorant of thee ! so disaffected to
thee ! so backward and disinclined to holy communion with
thee ; Wo to me, that can take no more pleasure in thee !
and am so mindless and disregardful of thee ! O that thou
wouldst stir up in me more lively desires, and workings of
my soul towards thee ! and suffer me not to lie at such a
distance from thee !' Are not such as these the breathings
of your spirit ? Why these are childlike breathings after
God ! This is crying ' Abba, Father.' This is the work of
the spirit of adoption, even when you fear God will cast you
off. You much mistake (and those that tell you so) if you
think that the spirit of adoption lieth only in a persuasion
that you are God's child, or that you may not have the spi-
rit of adoption, without such a persuasion of God's adopt-
ing you. For God may adopt you, and give you that spirit
which he gives only to his children, and possess you with
true filial affections towards him, before ever you know your-
self to be adopted ; much more, though you may have fre-
quent returning doubts of your adoption.
Having thus shewed you how far you may expect the
witness of the Spirit, and how far you may and must make
use of marks and qualifications, or actions of your own, for
56 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
the obtaining of assurance and settled peace, I shall add an
answer to the principal objections of the Antinomiani»
against this.
Object. They say. This is to draw men from Christ to
themselves, and from the Gospel to the law ; to lay their
comforts, and build their peace upon any thing in them-
selves, is to forsake Christ, and make themselves their own
saviours : and those teachers that persuade them to this,
are teachers of the law, and false prophets, who draw men
from Christ to themselves. All our own righteousness is as
a menstruous cloth, and our best works are sin; and there-
fore we may not take up our assurance or comforts from
them. We shall be always at uncertainties, and at a loss,
or inconstant, up and down in our comforts, as long as we
take them from any signs in ourselves : also our own graces
are imperfect, and therefore unfit to be the evidences for
our assurance.
Atisw. Because I am not now purposely confuting the
Antinomians, but only forearming you against their assaults;
I shall not therefore give you half that I should otherwise
say, for the explication of this point, and the confutation of
their errors, but only so much as is necessary to your pre-
servation : which I do, because they pretend to be the only
preachers of free grace, and the only right comforters of
troubled consciences ; and because they have written so
many books to that end, which if they fall into your hands
may seem so specious, as that you may need some preserva-
tive. I suppose you remember what I have taught you so
oft, concerning the difference of the law of works, and the
law of grace, with their different conditions. Upon which
supposition I explicate the point thus. 1. No man may
look at his own graces or duties as his legal righteousness ;
that is, such as for which the law of works will pronounce
him righteous. Nor yet may he take them for part of his
legal righteousness, in conjunction with Christ's righteous-
ness, as the other part ; but here must go wholly out of our-
selves, and deny and disclaim all such righteousness of our
own. We have no works which make the reward to be not
of grace but of debt. We must not once think that our
graces, duties, or sufferings, can make satisfaction to God's
justice for our sin and unrighteousness ; nor yet that they
are any part of that satisfaction. Here we ascribe all to
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 57
Christ, who is the only sacrifice and ransom. 4. Nor must
we think that our duties or graces are properly meritorious ;
this also is to be left as the sole honour of Christ. 5. Yet
that we may and must raise our assurance and comforts from
our own graces and duties, shall appear in these clear rea-
sons following, which shew also the grounds on which we
may do it.
1. Pardon, justification, and adoption, and salvation, are
all given to us in the Gospel only conditionally (if we be-
lieve), and the condition is an act, or rather several acts of
our own. Now till the condition be performed, no man can
have any certainty that the benefit shall be his, nor can he
by any other means (ordinarily) be certain of the benefit,
but by that which ascertains him that he hath performed the
condition. God saith, " He that believeth shall be saved."
No man can know then that he shall be saved, till he first
know that he believeth. Else he should know either con-
trary to that which is written, or more than that which is
written; and justification and adoption should be given
some other way than by the Gospel promise, (for that pro-
mise giveth them only conditionally, and so suspendeth the
actual right, upon the performance of the condition). But
if any can shew any other way, by which God maketh over
pardon and adoption, besides the Gospel promise, let them
do it ; but I will not promise suddenly to believe them, for
it was never yet shewed as I know of. Also, if men must
not look at their own performance of the condition, to prove
their right to the benefit, then either all or none must be-
lieve that they have that right ; for the promise saith, " He
that believeth shall be saved." And this is a promise of
life conditionally to all. If all must believe that they shall
be saved, then most of the world must believe a lie. If the
true believer may not therefore conclude that he shall be
saved, because he performeth the condition of the promise,
then no man may believe it. And for that absolute promise
of the new heart, no man can, or may believe that it is his,
till he have that new heart which it promiseth ; that is, till
it be fulfilled. For there is no mark by which a rnan can
know whether that promise belong to him or no beforehand,
and if all should believe that it belongs to them, most would
find it false.
2. God hath not redeemed us by his Son to be lawless.
58 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
To be without law is to be without government. We are
without the law; that is, of works or of Moses, but not
without law ; Jesus Christ is our ruler, and he hath made us
a law of grace ; an easy yoke, and commands that are not
grievous. This law hath precepts, promises, and threats ;
it must needs be either obeyed or disobeyed ; and so the pe-
nalty must be due or not due ; and the reward due or not
due. He that performs the condition, and so to whom the
reward is due, and not the penalty, is righteous in the sense
of this law. As when we are accused to be sinners against
the law of works, and so to deserve the penalty of that law,
we must confess all, and plead the righteousness of Christ's
satisfaction for our justification. So when we are accused
to be final unbelievers or impenitent, and so not to have per-
formed the conditions of the new covenant, we must be jus-
tified by our own faith and repentance, the performance of
that condition ; and must plead, not guilty. And so far
our own acts are our evangelical righteousness, and that of
such necessity, that without it no man can have part in
Christ's righteousness, nor be saved. I would desire any
man else to tell me, what else he will plead at judgment,
when the accuser chargeth him (or if he do so charge himj
with final unbelief? Will he confess it, and say, ' Christ
hath believed and repented for me V That is as much as to
say, ' Christ was a believer for infidels, that he might save
infidels.' All false. If he will not say thus (and lying will
do no good) then must he plead his own believing and re-
penting, as his righteousness, in opposition to that accusa-
tion. And if it be of such use then, and be called a hun-
dred times in Scripture, " our righteousness," and we righ-
teous for it, then doubtless we may accordingly try by it now,
whether we shall then be able to come off and be justified,
or no ; and so may build our comfort on it.
3. Conscience is a witness and judge within us, and
doth, as under God, accuse and condemn, or excuse and
acquit. Now if conscience must absolve us only so far as
we are innocent, or do well, or are qualified with grace, then
it is impossible but these our qualifications and actions
should be some ground of our comfort. See Acts xxiv. 16.
xxiii.l. Rom. ii. 16,16.
4. Those which are our graces and works, as we are the
subjects and agents, are the graces and works of God, of
SPIRITUAL PEACE AN D COMFOK'i:. 59
Christ, of the Holy Ghost dwelling in us. If therefore wc
may not rejoice in our own works, or graces, then we may
not rejoice in the works or gifts of God, Christ, or the Ho-
ly Ghost. And,
5. Our graces are the spiritual life or health of the soul,
and our holy actions are the vital operations. Now life and
health are necessary ; rejoicing, delighting things of them-
selves ; and vital actions ara necessarily pleasant and de-
lectable.
6. Our graces and holy actions must needs rejoice us in
respect of their objects ; for the object of our love, trust,
hope, meditation, prayer, conference, &c. is God himself,
and the Lord Jesus, and the joys of heaven. And how can
such actions choose but rejoice us !
7. Yea, rejoicing itself, and delighting ourselves ip God
is not only one part of our duty, but that great duty where-
in lieth the height of our Christianity. And how vain a
speech is it to say, that we may not take up our comforts
from our own works, nor rejoice in any thing of our own;
when even rejoicing itself, and delighting, and comforting
ourselves, is one part of our duty ?
8. As God in Christ is the chief object and ground of
our comfort (so that we must rejoice in nothing but God,
and the cross of Christ, in that kind, or in co-ordination
with them) ; so it is the office of every grace and holy work,
and ordinance, and means, to be subservient to Christ, ei-
ther for the attaining of Christ, or applying his merits, or
they are the effects of his merits. Now if we must love and
rejoice in Christ principally, then must we needs love and
rejoice in all those things that stand in a necessary subor-
dination to him, in their places. And therefore to say,
' We must rejoice in Christ only, and therefore not in any
graces or duties of our own,* is as wise, as if a wife should
cast her husband's clothes and meat out of doors and say,
' You charged me to admit none into my chamber but your-
self.' Or as if a physician, having told his patients, ' I will
cure you, if you will trust me only for the cure ;' thereupon
the patients should cast away his medicines, and shut the
doors against his servants and apothecaries, and say, ' We
must trust none but the physician. '
9. All the failings of our duties are pardoned, and they
accepted in Christ ; and therefore we may rejoice in them.
60 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
10. Our duties have a double tendency to our salvation.
I. As the condition to which God hath promised it as the
crown and reward (in a hundred texts of Scripture), and
may we not comfort ourselves in that which God promiseth
heaven to ? 2. As a natural means to our obedience and
further protection (as watchfulness, meditation, &c. tend to
destroy sin), as Paul saith to Timothy, " Take heed to thy-
self, and to thy doctrine, and in so doing, thou shalt both
save thyself, and them that hear thee ;" ITim.iv. 16. and
may we not take comfort in that which tends to save our
own and our brethren's souls ?
11. We shall be judged according to our works; there-
fore we must judge ourselves according to our works ; and
so must judge our state good or bad, according to our
works. For can man judge by a righter way than God
will? At least is it not lawful for man to judge as God
doth?
12. We must judge of others in probability, according
to their external works, even the tree by the fruits ; there-
fore we must judge of ourselves in certainty, according to
our internal and external works together, which we may cer-
tainly know.
13. If we may not rejoice in any of our graces, then we
may not be thankful for them, for thankfulness is accom-
panied with joy ; but we must be thankful.
14. If we may not rejoice in our duties, we may not re-
pent or sorrow for the neglect of them ; and if we may not
rejoice in our graces, we may not lament the want of them
(for these are as the two ends of the balance, that one goes
down when the other goes up ; or as day and night, light
and darkness). But the consequent is intolerable.
15. This would overthrow all religion. For what a man
cannot rejoice in, he cannot love, he cannot esteem, regard,
be careful to obtain, be fearful of losing, &c.
16. God delighteth in our graces and holy duties, and is
well pleased with them ; and therefore it is lawful and need-
ful that we do as God doth ; Jer. ix. 24. Heb. xi. 5. Abel's
sacrifice by faith obtained testimony that he pleased God.
" To do good, and to communicate forget not, for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased ;" Heb. xiii. 16.
17. The saints of God have not only tried themselves by
their graces and duties, and connnanded others to try by
SPIRITUAL PHAGE AND COMFORT. 61
them, but have gloried and rejoiced in their duties and suf-
ferings. " This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our con-
science, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, we have had
our conversation among you ;" 2 Cor. i. 12. " They gloried
that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ;" Acts
V. 41. "I have therefore whereof I may glory in Jesus
Christ, in those things which pertain to God ;" Rom.
XV. 17. " We glory in tribulation," See; chap. v. 3.
" Though I should desire to glory, I should not be a fool.
I glory in mine infirmities ;" 2 Cor. xii. 6. 9. " Let him
that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and know-
eth me;" Jer. ix.24. " I had rather die than any should
make my glorying void ;" 1 Cor. ix. 15. " Let every man
prove his own work, so shall he have rejoicing in himself
alone, and not in another ;" Gal. vi. 4.
18. Scripture nameth many of our own graces and du-
ties, as the certain marks of our justification and right to
glory. Even Christ with his own mouth, gives us many ;
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also;"
Matt. vi. 21. " He that doth evil hateth the light, &c. but
he that doth good cometh to the light, that," &c." John
iii. 10. Matt. v. is full of such ; " Blessed are the poor in
spirit, the pure in heart," &c.
19. We may rejoice in other men's good works and
graces (and do, if we be true Christians), therefore in our
own.
20. We may rejoice in God's outward mercies'; there-
fore much more in inward, and such as accompany salvation.
All these arguments prove, that we may take up our comfort
from our own gracious qualifications and actions (not in
opposition to Christ, but in subordination to him), and most
of them prove that we may fetch our assurance of salvation
from them, as undoubted evidences thereof.
I have said the more in answer to these objections, 1.
Because never any came with fairer pretences of exalting
Christ, and maintaining the honour of his righteousness and
free grace, and of denying ourselves and our ownrighteous-
"ness. 2. And yet few doctrines more dishonour Christ,
and destroy the very substance of religion. Even as if a
man should cry down him that would praise and commend
obedience to the king, and say, ' You must praise nothing
but the king. So do these cry down our looking at, and re-
62 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
joicing in our love to Christ, and our thankfulness to him,
and our obedience, and all under pretence of honouring him.
Nay, they will not have us rejoice in one part of Christ's
salvation (his saving us from the power of sin, and his sanc-
tifying us) under pretence that we dishonour the other part
of his salvation (his j ustifying us). If ever satan transform-
ed himself into an angel of light, and his ministers into mi-
nisters of light, it is in the mistakes of the Antinomians;
and no people in the world (except carnal libertines, whom
this doctrine fits to a hair) are in more danger of them, than
poor, doubting Christians, under trouble of conscience ; es-
pecially if they be not judicious, and skilled in the doctrine
of Christ. For the very pretence of extolling Christ and
free grace, will take much with such ; and any new way will
sometimes seem to give them comfort, upon the very novel-
ty and sudden change.
Having thus proved that you may, and must fetch your
special comfort and assurance from evidences, and that your
first evidence is your faith, I shall open this more fully un-
der the next Direction.
Direct. XI. In the trial of your state, * Be sure that you
make use of infallible signs of sincerity, and take not those
for certain which are not.'
And to that end remember what I said before, that you
must well understand wherein the nature of saving faith, and
so of all saving grace doth consist. And when you under-
stand this, write it down in two or three lines ; and both at
your first trial, and afterward, whenever any doubts do drive
you to a review of your evidence, still have recourse only
to those signs, and try by them. What these signs are, I
have shewed you so fully in the forecited place in my
Book of Rest, that I shall say but little now. Remem-
ber that infallible signs are very few ; and that whatsoever
is made the condition of salvation, that is the most infalli-
ble evidence of our salvation, and therefore the fittest mark
to try by ; and therefore faith in God the Father and the
Redeemer, is the main evidence. But because I have else-
where shewed you, that this faith is comprehensive of love,
gratitude, resolution to obey, and repentance, let me more
particularly open it to help you in the trial. To prove any
grace to be saving, it is necessary tb at you prove that salva-
tion is fully promised to him that hath it. Now if you will
SPIRITUAL PliACK AND COMFOUT. 63
know what it is that hath this promise, I will tell you, 1.
As to the object. 2. The act. 3. The degree or modifica-
tion of the act. For all these three must be inquired after
if you will get assurance. 1. The object is principally God,
and the Redeemer Christ. And secondarily the benefits
given by Christ ; and binder that, the means to attain the
principal benefits, &c. 2. The act hath many names drawn
from respective and moral differences in the object, as
faith, desire, love, choosing, accepting, receiving, consenting,
&.C. But properly all are comprised in one word, ' willing.'
The understanding's high estimation of God, and Christ, and
grace, is a principal part of true saving grace ; but yet it is
difficult, and scarce possible to judge of yourself by it right-
ly, but only as it discovers itself by prevailing with the will.
3. The degree of this act must be such, as ordinarily pre-
vaileth against its contrary ; I mean, both the contrary ob-
ject, and the contrary act to the same object. But because I
doubt school-terms do obscure my meaning to you (though
they are necessary for exactness), I will express the nature
of saving grace in two or three marks as plain as I can.
1 . Are you heartily willing to take God for your portion ?
And had you rather live with him in glory in his favour and
fullest love, with a soul perfectly cleansed from all sin, and
never more to offend him, rejoicing with his saints in his
everlasting praises, than to enjoy the delights of the flesh
on earth, in a way of sin and without the favour of God ?
2: Are you heartily willing to take Jesus Christ as he is
offered in the Gospel ? that is, to be your'only Saviour,
and Lord, to give you pardon by his bloodshed, and to sanc-
tify you by his word and Spirit, and to govern you by his
laws?
(Because this general containeth and implieth several
particulars, I will express them distinctly.)
Here it is supposed that you know this much following
of the nature of his laws. For to be willing to be ruled by
his laws in general, and utterly unwilling when it comes to
particulars, is no true willingness or subjection. 1. You
must know that his laws reach both to heart and outward
actions. 2. That they command a holy, spiritual, heavenly
life: 3. That they command things so cross and unpleasing
to the flesh, that the flesh will be still murmuring and striv-
ing against obedience. Particularly, 1. They coramand
64 DIRECTIONS FOB GETTING AND KEEPING
things quite cross to the inclinations of the flesh ; as to for-
give wrongs, to love enemies, to forbear malice and revenge,
to restrain and mortify lust and passion, to abhor and mor-
tify pride, and be low in our own eyes, and humble and
meek in spirit. 2. They command things that cross the
interest of the flesh and its inclination both together ; I
mean which will deprive it of its enjoyments, and bring it
to some suffering ? As to perform duties even when they
lay us open to disgrace and shame, and reproach in the
world ; and to deny our credit, rather than forsake Christ or
our duty. To obey Christ in doing what he commandeth us,
though it would hazard or certainly lose our wealth, friends,
liberty and life itself; forsaking all rather than to forsake
him ; to give to the poor, and other good uses, and that li-
berally, according to our abilities. To deny the flesh all
forbidden pleasures, and make not provisions to satisfy its
lusts, but to crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts
thereof; and in this combat to hold on to the end, and to
overcome. These are the laws of Christ, which you must
know, before you can determine whether you are indeed un-
feignedly willing to obey them. Put therefore these further
questions to yourself, for the trial of your willingness to be
ruled by Christ according to his laws.
3. Are you heartily willing to live in the performance of
those holy and spiritual duties of heart and life, which God
hath absolutely commanded you? And are you heartily
sorry that you perform them no better? With no more
cheerfulness, delight, success, and constancy?
4. Are you so thoroughly convinced of the worth of
everlasting happiness, and the intolerableness of everlasting
misery, and the truth of both ; and of the sovereignty of
God the Father, and Christ the Redeemer, and your many
engagements to him ; and of the necessity and good of
obeying, and the evil of sinning, that you are truly willing ;
that is, have a settled resolution to cleave to Christ, and
obey him in the dearest, most disgraceful, painful, hazard-
ous, flesh-displeasing duties ; even though it should cost
you the loss of all your worldly enjoyments, and your
life?
5. Doth this willingness or resolution already so far pre-
vail in your heart and life, against all the interest and temp-
tations of the world, the devil, and your flesh, that you do
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. (55
ordinarily practise the most strict and holy, the most self-
denying, costly, and hazardous duties that you know God
requireth of you, and do heartily strive against all known
sin, and overcome all gross sins ; and when you fall under
any prevailing temptation, do rise again by repentance, and
begging pardon of God, through the blood of Christ, do re-
solve to watch and resist more carefully for the time to
come ?
In these five marks is expressed the Gospel-description
of a true Christian.
Having laid down these marks, I must needs add a few
words for the explaining of some things in them, lest you
mistake the meaning, and so lose the benefit of them.
1. Observe that it is your willingness, which is the very
point to be tried. And therefore, 1. Judge not by your bare
knowledge. 2. Judge not by the stirring or passionate
workings of your affections. I pray you forget not this rule
in any of your self-examinings. It is the heart that God
requireth. " My son, give me thy heart;" Prov. xxiii. 26.
If he hath the will, he hath the heart. He may have much
of our knowledge, and not our heart. But when we know
him so thoroughly as to will him unfeignedly, then he hath
our heart. Affectionate working:: of the soul to God
in Christ, are sweet things, and high and noble duties
and such as all Christians should strive for. But they are
not the safest marks to try our states by. 1. Because there
may be a solid, sincere intention and choice in and of the
will, where there is little stirring perceived in the affections.
2. Because the will is the master-commanding faculty of the
rational soul ; and so if it be right, that man is upright and
safe. 3. Because the passions and affections are so mutable
and uncertain. The will can command them but imperfect-
ly ; it cannot perfectly restrain them from vanities ; much
less can it perfectly raise them to that height, as is suitable
to the excellency of our heavenly objects. But the object
itself, with its sensible manner of apprehension, moves them
more than all the command of the will. And so we find by
experience, that a godly man, when with his utmost private
endeavour, he cannot command one stirring pang of divine
'ove or joy in his soul, yet upon the hearing of some moving
sermon, or the sudden receiving of some extraoydinary mer-
VOL. IX. F
6fi DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
cy, or the reading of some quickening book, lie shall fee]
perhaps some stirring of that affection. So when we can-
not weep in private one tear for sin, yet at a stirring ser-
mon, or when we give vent to our sorrows, and ease our
troubled hearts into the bosom of some faithful friend, then
we can find tears. 4. Because passions and affections de-
pend so much on the temperature of the body. To one they
are easy, familiar, and at command ; to another (as honest)
they are difficult and scarce stirred at all. With most wo-
men, and persons of weaker tempers, they are easier than
with men. Some cannot weep at the death of a friend,
though never so dear, no, nor perhaps feel very sensible, in-
ward grief; and yet perhaps would have redeemed his life
at a far dearer rate (had it been possible) than those that
can grieve and weep more abundantly. 5. Because world-
ly things have so great an advantage on our passions and
affections. 1. They are sensible and near us, and our
knowledge of them is clear. But God is not to be seen,
heard, or felt by our senses, he is far from us, though lo-
cally present with us ; we are capable of knowing but little,
very little of him. 2. Earthly things are always before our
eyes, their advantage is continual. 3. Earthly things being
still the objects of our senses, do force our passions, whether
we will or not, though they cannot force our wills. 6. Be-
cause affections and passions rise and fall, and neither are
nor can be in any even and constant frame, and therefore are
unfit to be the constant or certain evidence of our state ;
but the will's resolution, and choice may be more constant.
So that I advise you rather to try yourself by your will, than
by your passionate stirrings of love or longing, of joy or
sorrow.
Object. ' But doth not the Scripture lay as much on love,
as on any grace ? And doth not Christ say. That except we
love him above all, we cannot be his disciples V
Answ. It is all very true. But consider, love hath two
parts ; the one in the will, which is commonly called a fa-
culty of the soul, as rational ; and this is the same thing
that I call willing, accepting, choosing, or consenting.
This complacency is true love to Christ ; and this is the
sure, standing mark. The other is the passionate part,
commonly said to be in the soul, as sensitive ; and this,
though most commonly called love, yet is less certain and
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 67
constant, and so unfitter to try your state by though a great
duty, so far as we can reach it.
2. You must understand and well remember, that it is
not every willingness that will prove your sincerity : for
wicked men may have slight apprehensions of spiritual
things, which may produce some slight desires and wishes
wiiich yet are so feeble and heartless, that every lust and
carnal desire overcomes them ; and it will not so much as
enable them to deny the grossest sin. But it must be the
prevalent part of your will that God must have. I mean
a great share, a deeper and larger room than any thing in
the world ; that is, you must have a higher estimation of
God, and everlasting happiness, and Christ, and a holy life,
than of any thing in the world ; and also your will must be
so disposed hereby,and inclined to God, that if God and
glory, to be obtained through Christ by a holy, self-denying
life, were set before you on the one hand, and the pleasure,
profits, and honours of the world to be enjoyed in a way of
sin, on the other hand, you would resolvedly take the for-
mer, and refuse the latter. Indeed they are thus set before
you, and upon your choice dependeth your salvation or
damnation, though that choice must come from the grace of
God.
3. Yet must you well remember, that this willingness
and choice is still imperfect, and therefore when I mention
a hearty willingness, I mean not a perfect willingness.
There may be, and is in the most gracious souls on earth,
much indisposedness, backwardness, and withdrawing of
heart, which is too great a measure of unwillingness to du-
ty ; especially to those duties which the flesh is most averse
from, and which require most of God and his Spirit to the
right performance of them.
Among all duties, I think the soul is naturally most
backward to these following. 1. To secret prayer, because
it is spiritual, and requires great reverence, and hath no-
thing of external pomp or form to take us up with, and con-
sisteth not much in the exercise of common gifts, but in the
exercise of special grace, and the breathings of the Spirit,
and searchings, pantings, and strivings, of a gracious soul
towards God. (I do not speak of the heartless repeating of
bare words, learned by rote, and either not understood, or
not uttered from the feeling of the soul.) 2. To serious
68 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
meditation also is the soul very backward ; that is, either to
meditate on God, and the promised glory, or any spiritual
subject, to this end that the heart may be thereby quicken-
ed and raised, and graces exercised (though to meditate on
the same subject, only to know or dispute on it, the heart
is nothing near so backward). Or else to meditate on the
state of our own hearts, by way of self-examination, or self-
judging, or self-reprehension, or self-exciting. 3. Also to the
duty of faithful dealing with each other's souls, in secret re-
proof and exhortation, plaiilly (though lovingly) to tell each
other of our sins and danger, to this the heart is usually
very backward ; partly through a sinful bashfulness, partly
for want of more believing, lively apprehensions of our duty,
and our brother's danger, and partly because we are loath
to displease men and lose their favour, it being grown so
common for men to fall out with those (if not hate them)
that deal plainly and faithfully with them. 4. Also to take
a reproof, as well as to give it, the heart is very backward.
Even godly men, through the sad remainders of their sinful-
ness, do too commonly frown, and snarl, and retort our re-
proofs, and study presently how to excuse themselves, and
put it by, or how to charge us with something that may stop
our mouths, and make the reprover seem as bad as them-
selves. Though they dare not tread our reproofs under
feet, and turn again, and all to rent us, yet they oft shew
the remnants of a dogged nature, though when they review
their ways it costs them sorrow. We must sugar and butter
our words, and make them liker to stroking than striking,
liker an approving than a reproving them, liker a flattery
than faithful dealing, and yet when we have all done, they
go down very hardly, and that but halfway, even with ma-
ny godly people when they are under a temptation. 5. The
like may be said of all those duties which do pinch upon
our credit or profit, or tend to disgrace us, or impoverish us
in the world ; as the confessing of a disgraceful fault ; the
free giving to the poor or sacred uses, according to our es-
tates ; the parting with our own right or gain for peace ;
the patient suffering of wrong, and forgiving it heartily, and
loving bitter, abusive enemies, especially the running upon
the stream of men's displeasure, and incurring the danger
of being utterly undone in our worldly state (especially if
men be rich, who do therefore as hardly get to heaven as a
SPIRITUAL PliACE AND COMFORT. 69
camel through a needle's eye). And above all, the laying
down of our lives for Christ. It cannot be expected, that
godly men should perform all these with perfect willingness ;
the flesh will play its part, in pleading its own cause, and
will strive hard to maintain its own interests. O the shifts,
the subtle arguments, or at least the clamorous and impor-
tunate contradictions that all these duties will meet with in
the best, so far as they are renewed, and their graces weak !
So that you may well hence conclude that you are a sinner,
but you may not conclude that you are graceless, because
of a backwardness, and some unwillingness to duty.
Yet your willingness must be greater than your unwil-
lingness, and so Christ must have the prevailing part of
your will ; and from that the denomination is usually taken.
So that Scripture useth to affirm God's people to be willing
even when they fail in the execution. So Paul (Rom. vii.
18.) saith, "To will is present with me, when how to do or
perform he found not;" that is, not to obey so perfectly as
he would do ; not to love God so intensely and fervently ;
not to subdue passions and lusts so thoroughly ; not to
watch our thoughts, and words, and ways so narrowly, and
order them so exactly, as the bent of his will did consent to.
And lest any Arminian should pretend (as they do) that Paul
speaks here in the person of an unregenerate man, as under
the convictions of the law, and not as a man regenerate ; it
is plain in the text that he speaks of himself in the state
which he was then in, and that state was a regenerate state.
He expressly saith, it is thus, and thus with me ; " So then
I myself with my mind do serve the law of God, but with
my flesh the law of sin ;" ver. 25. And to put it out of
doubt, the apostle speaks the like of all Christians, Gal. v.
17. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other,
80 that ye cannot do the things that ye would." This is
the plain exposition of Rom. vii. Here Scripture maketh
the godly willing to do more than they do or can do, but
yet it is not a perfect willingness, but it is the prevailing
inclination and choice of the will, and that gives the name.
4. Observe further, that I add your actual performance
of duty ; because true hearty willingness will shew itself in
actions and endeavours. It is but dissembling, if I should
say I am willing to perform the strictest, holiest duties, and
70 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
yet do not perform them. To say I am willing to pray, and
pray not ; or to give to the poor, and yet give not ; or to
perform the most self-denying costly duties, and yet when
it should come to the practice, I will not be persuaded or
drawn to them. I will not confess a disgraceful sin, nor
further a good cause to my danger, cost or trouble ; nor re-
prove, nor submit to reproof, nor turn from the way of
temptations or the like. Action must discover true willing-
ness. The son that said to his father, " I go. Sir," but went
not to labour in the vineyard, was not accepted or justified.
If therefore you are in doubt whether your willingness be
sincere, inquire into your practice, and performance. God
commandeth you to pray, to instruct your family, to be mer-
ciful to the poor, to forgive those that wrong you, &c. The
flesh and the devil persuade you from these. Do you per-
form them, or do you not ? Though you may do it with
backwardness and dulness, and weakness, yet do you do it?
And desire you could do it better, and lament your misdo-
ing it ? And endeavour to do it better than you have for-
merly done? This shews then that the Spirit prevaileth,
though the flesh do contradict it.
5. Yet here you must carefully distinguish of duties ; for
God hath made some to be secondary parts of the condition
of the covenant, and so of flat necessity for the continu-
ance or our justification, and for the attaining of glorifica-
tion. Such are confessing Christ before men when we are
called to it ; confessing sin, praying, shewing mercy to the
poor, forgiving wrongs, hearing and yielding to God's word,
&c. still supposing that there be opportunity and necessities
for the performance of these. But some duties there are
that God hath not laid so great a stress or necessity on,
though yet the wilful resolved omission in ordinary, of any
known duty, is contrary to the nature of true obedience.
Also, the case may much differ with several persons,
places and seasons,, concerning duty ; that may be a duty
to one man, that is not to another ; and at one place which
is not at another, and at one season, which is not at another.
And that may be a greater duty, and of indispensable ne-
cessity to one, which to another is not so great. It may
stand with true grace, to omit that duty which men know
not to be a duty, or not to be so to them (except where the
duty is such, as is itself of absolute necessity to salvation) ;
SPIRITUAL PEACli: AND COMFORT. 71
but it cannot so stand with grace in those that know it, ordi*
narily to reject it.
6. Also you must understand, that when I say, that
true willingness to be ruled by Christ, will shew itself in
actual obedience ; I do not mean it of every particular indi-
vidual act which is our duty, as if you should judge yourself
graceless for every particular omission of a duty ; no, though
you knew it to be a duty ; and though you considered it to
be a duty. For, 1. There may be a true habituated inclina-
tion and willingness to obey Christ rooted in the heart,
when yet by the force of a temptation, the actual prevalency
of it at that time, in that act, may be hindered and suppres-
sed. 2. And at the same time, you do hold on in a course
of obedience in other duties. 3. And when the temptation
is overcome, and grace hath been roused up against the flesh,
and you soberly recollect your thoughts, you will return to
obedience in that duty also. Yea, how many days, or
weeks, or months, a true Christian may possibly neglect a
known duty, I will not dare to determine, (of which more
anon). Yet such omissions as will not stand with a sincere
resolution and willingness to obey Christ universally (I mean
an habitual willingness) will not consist with the truth of
grace.
7. I know the fourth mark, about forsaking all for Christ,
may seem somewhat unseasonable and harsh to propound for
the quieting of a troubled conscience. But yet, I durst
not omit it, seeing Christ hath not omitted it ; nay, see-
ing he hath so urged it, and laid such a stress on it in the
Scripture as he hath done, I dare not daub, nor be unfaith-
ful, for fear of troubling. Such skinning over the wound
will but prepare for more trouble and a further cure. Christ
thought it meet even to tell young beginners of the worst,
(though it might possibly discourage them, and did turn
some back) that they might not come to him upon mistaken
expectations, and he requireth all that will be Christians,
and be saved, to count their cost beforehand, and reckon
what it will stand them in to be Christ's disciples ; and if
they cannot undergo his terms (that is, to deny thiemselves,
take up their cross, forsake all and follow him) they cannot
be his disciples. And Christ had rather they knew it be-
forehand, than to deceive themselves, or to turn back when
they meet with what they never thought of, and then to
72 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
imagine that Christ had deceived them, and drawn them in,
and done the wrong.
8. When I say in the fourth mark, that you must have a
settled resolution, I mean the same thing as before 1 did by
hearty willingness. But it is meeter here to call it resolu-
tion, because this is the proper name for that act of the
will, which is a determination of itself upon deliberation,
after any wavering, to the doing or submitting to any thing
as commanded. I told you it must be the prevailing act of
the will that must prove you sincere : every cold ineffectual
wish will not serve turn. Christ seeks for your heart on one
side, and the world with its pleasures, profits, and honours
on the other side. The soul, which upon consideration of
both, doth prefer Christ in his choice, and reject the world
(as it is competitor with him) and this not doubtingly and
with reservation for further deliberation or trial, but pre-
sently passeth his consent for better and worse, this is said
to be a resolving. And I know no one word that more fitly
expresseth the nature of that grace which dilFerenceth a true
Christian from all hypocrites, and by which a man may
safely judge of his estate.
9. Yet I here add, that it must be a settled resolution ;
and that to intimate, that it must be an habitual willingness
or resolution. The prevalency of Christ's interest in the
soul must be an habitual prevalency. If a man that is ter-
rified by a rousing sermon, or that lieth in expectation of
present death, should actually resolve to forsake sin, or per-
form duty, without any further change of mind, or habit, or
fixedness of this resolution, it would be of no great value,
and soon extinguished. Though yet I believe that no un-
sanctified man doth ever attain to that full resolution for
Christ, which hath a complacency in Christ accompanying
it, and which may be termed the prevailing part of the will.
Those that seem resolved to day to be for Christ, and to de-
ny the world and the flesh, and the next day are unresolved
again, have cause to suspect that they were never truly re-
solved. Though the will of a godly man may lie under de-
clinings in the degrees of resolution, yet Christ hath always
his habitual resolutions, and usually his actual in a prevalent
degree.
10. I add also the grounds (in the fourth mark) on which
this resolution must be raised. For false grounds in the
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFOUT. 73
understanding will not bear up a true resolution in the will.
And therefore we put the articles of our creed before our
profession of consent and obedience. Sound doctrine and
sound belief of it breeds a sound resolution, and makes a
sound heart and life. If a man resolve to obey Christ, upon
a conceit that Christ will never put him upon any suffering
(else he would not resolve it) and that he will give him such
brutish pleasures when he is dead, as Mahomet hath pro-
mised to his disciples, this resolution were not sound, yet
in many lesser points of doctrine a true Christian may be
unsound, and yet soundly cleave to the foundation. He
may build hay and stubble possibly ; but the foundation
must be held.
11. Observe well (lest you mistake me) that I speak only
of the necessity of your present resolving to forsake all for
Christ, if he call you to it ; but 1 speak not of your absolute
promise or prediction, that eventually you shall not deny or
forsake him. You may be uncertain how you shall be up-
held in a day of trial, and yet you may now be resolved or
fully purposed in your own mind what to do. To say, ' 1 will
not consent, purpose or resolve, unless I were certain to
perform my resolutions, and not to flag or change again ;'
this is but to say, I will be no Christian, unless I were sure
to persevere. 1 will not be married to Christ, lest I should
be drawn to break my covenant with him.
12. Also observe, that when I speak of your resolving
to forsake all for Christ, it is not to cast away your state or
life, but to submit it to his dispose, and to relinquish it only
in case that he command you so.
13. And I do not intend that you should be able thus to
resolve of yourself without the special grace of God ; nor
yet without it to continue those resolutions, much less to
perform them by actual suffering.
Object. ' But I cannot be sure that God will give me grace
to persevere, or at least not to deny him, as Peter did ; and
therefore I should neither promise nor resolve what I can-
not be certain to perform.'
Answ. 1. I suppose you have read the many Scriptures
and arguments which our divines ordinarily use to prove
that the true believers shall not fall quite away. And I
know not how the opposers can answer that text which
themselves use to allege for the contrary; Matt. xiii. 6.21,
74 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
Those that believe for a time, and in the time of persecution
fall away, it is because the seed had not depth of earth, the
word never took rooting in their hearts. Whence it seems
that it may be well inferred, that those shall not fall away
in time of temptation, in whom the word of God hath taken
deep rooting. And that is, in them in whose hearts or wills
Christ hath a stronger interest than the creature, or those
that have a well-grounded, unreserved, habituated or settled
resolution to be for Christ. 2. However, your present re-
solution, and your covenanting with Christ, is no more but
this ; to say, ' I do consent ;' or * This I am resolved to do,
by the help of God's grace.' 3. Else no man should be bap-
tized or become a Christian, because he is uncertain to keep
his covenants : for all that are baptized, do covenant and
vow, " to forsake the world, flesh, devil, " and fight under
Christ's banner to their lives' end. Understand me there-
fore, that you are not to promise to do this by your own
strength, but by the strength of Christ, as knowing that he
hath promised his Spirit and grace for the aid of every true
believer.
14. If your resolution at present be hearty, you ought
not to vex and disquiet your mind, with doubtful tormenting
fears what you should do, if you be put to it to forsake all,
and suffer death for Christ, for he hath promised to lay no
more on us than we can bear, but with the temptation will
make us a way to come forth ; 1 Cor. x. 13. either he will
not bring us into trials beyond our strength ; or else he will
increase our strength according to our trials. He hath bid
us pray, ** Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil :" and he hath promised, that " whatsoever we ask in
the name of Christ according to his will, he will give us."
So that if once you can but truly say, that it is your full re-
solution to forsake all for Christ if he call you to it, and that
on the forementioned grounds, you ought not then to vex
your soul with fears of the issue ; for that is but to distrust
God your Father and your strength. Only you must be
careful to do your duty to the keeping up of your present
resolutions, and to wait obediently on God for the help of
his Spirit, and to beg it earnestly at his hands.
, 15. Much less is it lawful for men to feign and suppose
such calamities to themselves, as God doth never try men
by, and then to ask themselves, ' Can I bear these for Christ'?'
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 75
And so to try themselves on false and dangerous grounds.
Some use to be troubled, lest if they were put to long and
exquisite torments for Christ, they should renounce him.
One saith, ' I cannot endure the torments of hell for Christ;*
another saith, * Could I endure to be roasted, or torn in
pieces so many weeks or days together''' Or * Could I endure
to die so many times over?' These are foolish, sinful ques-
tions, which Christ never desired you to put to yourselves.
He never tries men's faith on this manner. Tormentors can-
not go beyond his will. Nay, it is but very few he tries by
death, and fewer by an extreme tormenting death. All this
therefore proceeds from error.
16. Observe from the fifth mark, that the present preva-
lency of your resolutions now against those temptations
which you encounter with, may well encourage you to ex-
pect that they should prevail hereafter, if God bring you
into greater trials. Can you now follow Christ in a holy
life, though your flesh repine, and would have its liberties
and pleasures ; and though the world deride or threaten
you, or great ones turn against you and threaten your un-
doing ? Can you part with your money to the poor, or to
the promoting of any work of Christ, according to the mea-
sure of estate that God hath allotted you, notwithstanding
all temptations to the contrary ? Some trials you have
now ; if you can go well through these, you have no cause
to disquiet your mind with fears of falling in greater trials.
But he that cannot now deny his greedy appetite in meats
and drink, so far as to forbear excess : nor can deny his cre-
dit with men, nor bear the scorns or frowns of the world,
but be on the stronger side, and decline his duty to avoid
danger, whatever become of conscience or God's favour,
this man is not like to forsake and lay down his life for
Christ and his cause.
Object ' But though I break through lesser trials, I am
not sure to overcome in greater, for the same measure of
grace will not enable a man to forsake all, which will enable
him to forsake a little. Many have gone through smaller
trials, and after forsake Christ in greater. And Christ makes
it the property of temporaries that are not rooted in the
faith, that they fall when tribulation and persecution for the
Gospel ariseth, and therefore it seems they may stand till
76 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
then ; and if trial never come, they may never fall, and yet
be unsound in the mean time.'
Answ. 1. If your trial now be considerable, the truth of
grace may be manifested in it, though it be none of the
greatest, and though in striving against sin you have not
yet resisted unto blood. 2. If you carefully observe your
own heart, you may discern whether the Spirit and your re-
solutions be prevalent, by their daily subduing and morti-
fying the flesh and its lusts. Nay, let me tell you, the vic-
tory of God's Spirit over the flattering, enticing world in
prosperity, is as-great and glorious, if not more, than that
over the frowning, persecuting world in adversity. And
therefore find the one, and you need not fear the other.
Though I confess that hypocrites do not fall so visibly and
shamefully always in prosperity as in adversity ; for they
have more pretences, advantages, and carnal shifts, to hide
the shame of their falls. And for that in the parable in
Matt. xiii. I pray you mark one thing. Christ seems to
speak of every several sort of hearers by a gradation, speak-
ing last of those that go farthest. The first sort are the
common, ignorant, negligent hearers, in whom the word
takes no root at all. The second sort are those that give it
a slight and shallow rooting, but no deep rooting at all ;
these are they that fall away in tribulation. By falling away,
is meant the plain deserting Christ or the substance of his
cause. These men till this falling away, though they pro-
fessed Christ, and heard the word with joy, yet no doubt
did not crucify the flesh and the world, whereby they might
have discovered their unsoundness if they would, before tri-
bulation came. First, by discerning that the word was not
deep rooted : 1. In their judgment and estimation. 2. Or
in their wills and settled resolution. Secondly ; And by
discerning the unmortified lusts of their hearts in the mean
time. But it seems the third sort of hearers, likened to the
thorny ground, went further than these ; for here it is only
said by Luke, viii. 14. " That they bring no fruit to perfec-
tion." However, whether these went farther than the other,
or not, it is certain that these-also had their trial, and fell in
the trial. The deceitfulness of riches overturned these, as
the heat of persecution overturned the other. So that it is
evident that prosperity puts faith to the trial, as well as ad-
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 77
versity. But mark the different manner of their falls and
overthrows. They that are overthrown by adversity, are
said to fall away, that is, to forsake Christ openly ; but they
that fall by prosperity, are not said to fall away ; but only
that the " deceitfulness of riches, and cares of the world,
choke the word, so that it becomes unfruitful ;" that is,
brings no fruit to perfection. For usually these do not
openly forsake Christ, but continue oft an unfruitful and
hypocritical profession ; insomuch that at that very time,
when the word is choked and fruitless, yet the blade of pro-
fession may be as green as ever, and they may be so much
in some duties, and have such golden words, and witty shifts
to plead for every covetous practice, and put so fair a gloss
on all their actions, that they may keep up the credit of be-
ing very eminent Christians. So that if your grace can
carry you well through prosperity, you may be confident of
the truth of it. 3. And then if it be thus proved true and
saving, you have cause to be confident that it will hold out
in adversity also, and cause you to overcome the shake of
tribulation. I think most men are better in adversity than in
prosperity, though I confess no adversity is so shaking, as
that which leaves it in a man's choice to come out of it by
sinning. As for a man in health to be persecuted, and the
persecutor to say, ' If thou wilt turn to my side and way, I
will give thee thy life and preferment with it ;' but sickness
or other sufferings imposed only by God, and which only
God can take off, are nothing so shaking. For as the former
draws us to please men, that they may deliver us, so this
draws even the wicked to think of pleasing God, that he
may deliver them.
17. Observe that when I ask ' whether this resolution do
already prevail,' I do not mean any perfect prevailing; nay,
sin may prevail to draw you to a particular act (and how
many, I will not undertake to tell you) and yet still grace
and the Spirit do conquer in the main. For you will say,
that general and army get the victory who vanquish the
other, and win the field, though yet perhaps a troop or re-
giment may be routed, and many slain.
18. When I speak of your ' overcoming all gross sins,'
as I mean in ordinary, not doubting but it is too possible
for a believer to commit a gross sin ; so I confess that it is
hard to tell just which sins are to be called gross, and which
78 DIRECTIONS FOR CxETTING AND KEEPING
infirmities only ; or (as some speak) which are mortal, and
which not. And therefore this mark hath some difficulties,
as to the right trying of it (of which more anon).
19. Yet I desire that you join them all together in trial,
seeing it is in the whole that the true and full description of
a Christian is contained. The same description of a true
Christian (presupposing his right belief) I have drawn up in
our public church profession, which in this county, the mi-
nisters have agreed on ; in the profession of consent in these
words ; ' I do heartily take this one God for my only God
and chief good ; and this Jesus Christ for my only Lord, Re-
deemer and Saviour ; and this Holy Ghost for my Sancti-
fier ; and the doctrine by him revealed and sealed by his
miracles, and now contained in the Holy Scriptures, do I
take for the law of God, and the rule of my faith and life :
and repenting unfeignedly of my sins, I do resolve through
the grace of God sincerely to obey him, both in holiness to
God, and righteousness to man, and in special love to the
saints, and communion with them, against all the tempta-
tions of the devil, the world, and my own flesh, and this to
the death.' He that sincerely can speak these words, is a
sincere Christian.
20. Lastly, that you may see that those live which I laid
you down are all true marks, do but peruse these texts of
Scripture following. For the first. Psalm xvi. 5. 2. Ixxiii.
24—28. iv. 6, 7. i. 1—3. Josh. xxiv. 16—18. 21—24.
Matt. vi. 19—21. Rom. vii. 24. viii. 17, 18. 23. Heb. xi.
10. 15,16.25 — 27. Psalm xvi. 5 — 8. For the second, see
John i. 10—12. iii. 16. Mark xvi. 16. Acts xvi. 31.
Johnxiv. 21. xvi. 27. Rom. xiv. 9. Luke xvi. 27. James
L 12. Matt. xxii. 37. 1 Cor. xvi. 22. Matt. x. 37. Rev.
xxii. 14. Heb. v. 9. For the third, most of the same will
serve, and Heb. xii. 14. Matt. vii. 24. Psalm i. 2, 3.
Matt. V. 20. Acts X. 35. Rom. vii. 22. For the two last
besides the former, see Heb. xi. 6. Rom. viii. 1 — 14. Gal.
v. 17. 24. vi. 8. 1 Tim., vi. 9. Luke viii. 13. 1 John ii.
15. V. 4, 5. James i. 27. iv. 4. Gal. vi. 14. i. 4. Rom.
xii. 2. Titus ii. 14. Matt. x. 37. Rom. ii. 5— 7. Rev. xiv.
13. Phil. ii. 14. Col. iii. 23, 24. 1 Cor. iii. 8. 14. John
xii. 16. 1 John iii. 22, 23. Gen. xxii. 16. Matt. x. 22.
xxiv. 13. Heb. iii. 6. 14. vi. 11. Rev. ii. 26. 10. xii. 11.
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 79
Matt, xvi.25. x. 39. Mark xvii. 33. Rom. viii. 9. 13. Luke
xiii. 3. 5. Rom. vi. 4—6. 12. 14. 16, 17. 22.
And thus I have given you such marks as you may safely
try yourself by, and cleared the meaning of them to you.
Now let me advise you to this use of them. 1. In your se-
rious self-examination, try only by these, and not by any
uncertain marks. Iknow^ there be promises of life made to
some particular duties and single qualifications in Scrip-
ture, as to humility, meekness, alms-deeds, love to the godly,
&c. ; but it is still both on supposition that they be not sin-
gle in the person, but are accompanied with, and flow from
that faith and love to God before-mentioned ; and also that
they are in a prevailing degree.
2. Whenever any fresh doubtings arise in you upon the
stirrings of corruption, or debility of graces, still have re-
course to these former marks ; and while you find these, let
not any thing cause you to pass wrong judgments on yourself.
Lay these now to your own heart, and tell me, ' Are you not
unfeignedly willing to have Christ on the terms that he is
offered ? Are you not willing to be more holy? And beg
of him to make you so? Would you not be glad if your
soul were more perfectly sanctified, and rid of that body of
sin, though it were to the smart and displeasing of your
flesh ? Are you not willing to wait on God, in the use of
his ordinances, in that poor weak measure as you are able to
perform them ? Durst you, or would you quit your part in
God, heaven, Christ, and forsake the way of holiness, and
do as the profane world doth, though it were to please your
flesh, or save your state or life ? Do you not daily strive
against the flesh and keep it under, and deny its desires ?
Do you not deny the world when it would hinder you from
works of mercy or public good, according to your ability ?
Is it not the grief of your soul when you fall, and your great-
est trouble that you cannot walk more obediently, innocently
and fruitfully ? And do you not after sinning resolve to be
more watchful for the time to come ? Are you not resolved
to stick to Christ and his holy laws and ways, whatever
changes or dangers come, and rather to forsake friends and
all that you have, than to forsake him ? Yet in a godly jea-
lousy and distrust of your own heart, do renounce your own
strength, and resolve to do this only in the strength of Christ,
and therefore daily beg it of him ? Is it not your daily care
80 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
and business to please God and do his will, and avoid sin-
ning in you weak measure V I hope that all this is so, and
your own case ; which, if it be, you have infallible eviden-
ces, and want but the sight and comfort of them, you have
the true grounds for assurance, though you want assurance
itself; your chief danger is over, though your trouble re-
raainr Your soul is at the present in a safe condition,
though not in the sense of it. You are in the state of sal-
vation, though not of consolation. It must be your next
work therefore to study God's mercies, and take notice what
he hath done for your soul. Let not so blessed a guest as
the Holy Ghost dwell in you unobserved. Shall he do such
wonders in you, and for you, and you not know it, or ac-
knowledge it? Shall he new-beget you, and new-make
you, and produce a spiritual and heavenly nature in you, who
of yourself were so carnal and earthly, and will you not ob-
serve it ? Had you any of these holy desires, endeavours,
or resolutions of yourself by nature ? Or have the ungodly
about you any of them ? O that you knew what a work of
wonderful mercy, wisdom and power, the Spirit performeth
in the renewing of a soul ; then sure you would more ob-
serve and admire his love to you herein !
Direct. XII. The next rule for your direction for the
right settling of yonr peace is this. ' You must know, that
assurance of justification, adoption, and right of salva-
tion, cannot be gathered from the smallest degree of saving
grace.'
1. Here I must say something for explaining my mean-
ing to you. 2. And then give you my reasons of this as-
sertion.
1. Understand that I speak of God's ordinary working
by means, not denying but God may, by a voice from hea-
ven, or an angel, or other supernatural revelation, bestow
assurance on whom he pleaseth. But I hope all wise Chris-
tians will take heed of expecting this, or of trusting too
much to seeming revelations, unless they could prove that
God useth to confer assurance in this way ; which I think
they cannot.
2. By the smallest degree of grace, I mean, of faith, love,
obedience, and those saving graces, whose acts are the con-
dition of our salvation, and which in the fore-expressed
marks I laid down to you. Do not therefore so mistake me.
SPIRITUAL PEACE ANU (OMFOKT. «l
as to think that I speak of a small measure of those com-
mon gifts which are separable from true sanctification ;
such as are extensive knowledge, memory, ability of utter-
ance in preaching, repeating, exhorting or praying; an or-
nate, plausible winning deportment before men, such as is
commonly called good breeding or manners; an affected,
humble, compliraental familiarity and condescension, to
creep into men's estimation and affections, and steal their
hearts, &c. Many a one that is strong in saving grace, is
.veak in all these, and other the like.
Now for my reasons.
1. I conceive that it is not possible for any minister
punctually to set down a discernible difference between the
least measure of true saving grace, and the highest degree
of common grace ; and to say, just here it is that they part,
or by this you may discern them. I do but say, 1 think so,
because other men may know far more than I do ; but I will
say it as certain, that I am not able to do it, for my own
part. This much I can tell, that the least degree of grace
that is saving, doth determine the soul for God and Christ,
against the world and flesh, that stand as competitors ;
and so where Christ's interest prevaileth in the least mea-
sure, there is the least measure of saving grace. As when
you are weighing two things in the balance, and at last make
it so near even weight, that one end is turned and no more :
so when you are considering whether to be for Christ, or for
the flesh and the world, and your will is but even a very
little determined to Christ, and preferreth him ; this is the
least measure of saving grace. But then how a poor soul
should discern this prevalent choice and determination
of itself is all the question. For there is nothing more easy
and common than for men to think verily, that they prefer
Christ above the creature, as long as no temptation doth
assault them, nor sensual objects stand up in any consider-
able strength to entice them. Nay, wicked men do truly,
ofttimes, purpose to obey Christ before the flesh, and to
take him for their Lord, merely in the general, when they do
not know or consider the quality of his laws ; that they are
so strict and spiritual, and contrary to the flesh, and hazard-
ous to their worldly hopes and seeming happiness. But when
it comes to particulars, and God saith, * Now deny thysell.
and Ihy friend, and thy goods, and thy life for my sake;'
VOL. IX. G
82 DIRECTIONS FUR GETTING AND KBKFING
alas, it was never his resolution to do it ; nor will he be per-
suaded to it. But he that said to God, who sends him to
labour in his vineyard, " 1 go. Sir," when he comes to find
the unpleasingness of the work, he goes not, nor ever sets
a hand to it. So that it is evident, that it is no true, saving
resolution or willingness, which prevaileth not for actual
obedience. Now here comes in the unresolvable doubt.
What is the least measure of obedience, that will prove a
man truly willing and resolved, or to have truly accepted of
Christ for his Lord ? This obedience lieth in performing
what is commanded, and avoiding what is forbidden. Now
it is too certain, that every true believer is guilty of a fre-
quent neglect of duty, yea, of known duty. We know we
should love God more abundantly, and delight in him, and
meditate more on him, and pray more oft and earnestly than
we do, and instruct our families more diligently, and speak
against sin more boldly, and admonish our neighbours
more faithfully, with many the like. " The good that we
would do, we do not ;" Rom. vii. 19. Nay, the flesh so
striveth against the Spirit, that " we cannot do the good we
would ;" Gal. v. 17. Nay, many a true Christian in time of
temptation, hath been drawn to omit secret prayer, or fami-
ly duties, almost wholly for a certain space of time ; yea,
and perhaps to be so corrupted in his judgment for a time,
as to think he doth well in it, as also in forbearing praising
God by psalms, receiving the sacraments, and communi-
cating with the church, hearing the word publicly, &,c. (for
what duty almost is not denied of late ?) and perhaps may
not only omit relieving the poor for a time, but excuse it.
Now what man can punctually determine just how often a
true Christian may be guilty of any such omission? and just
)iow long he may continue it ? and what the duties be which
he may possibly so omit, and what not?
So also in sins of commission. Alas, what sins did
Noah, Lot, David, Solomon, Asa, Peter, &c. commit !
If we should say as the Papists and Arminians, that
these being mortal sins, do for the time, till repentance re-
store him, cast a true Christian out of God's favour into a
state of damnation ; then what man breatliing is able to
enumerate those mortal sins, and tell us which be so damn-
ing, and which not ? Nay, if he could say, drunkenness is
one, and gluttony another, who can set the punctual stint.
SPIRITUAL PUACE AND COMFORT. 83
and say, * Just so many bits a man must eat before he be a
glutton; or just so much he must drink before he be a
drunkard? or by such a sign the turning point may be cer-
tainly known V We may have signs by which we may
be tried at the bar of man ; but these are none of them tak-
en from that smallest degree, which specifieth and denomi-
nates the sin before God. If we avoid the foresaid opinion
that one such sin doth bring us into the state of damnation,
yet is the difficulty never the less ; for it is certain, that
" he that commits sin is of the devil j" 1 John iii. 8. and
there are spots, which are not the spots of God's children ;
and all true faith will mortify the world to us, and us to it,
(Gal. vi. 14.), and " he that is in Christ hath crucified the
flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof," (chap. v. 24.);
and that " if we live after the flesh we shall die ;" Rom. viii.
13. And " his servants we are to whom we obey, whether
of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness ;"
chap. vi. 16. And " if we delight in iniquity, or regard it,
God will not hear our prayers ;" Psal. Ixvi. 18. And that
" he that nameth the name of Christ must depart from ini-
quity ;" 1 Tim. ii. 19. And that " God will judge all men
according to their works," and bid the workers of iniquity
depart from him ; Matt. vii. 23. Now can any man on earth
tell us just how great, or how often sinning will stand with
true grace, and how much will not ? Who can find those
punctual bounds in the word of God? I conclude, therer
fore, that no minister, or at least, none who is no wiser than
I am, can give a true, discernible difference between the
worst of saints, and the best of the unsanctified, or the
weakest degree of true grace, and the highest of common
grace ; and so to help such weak Christians to true assur-
ance of their salvation.
2. But as this is impossible to be declared by the teach-
ers, so much more is it impossible to be discerned by the
persons themselves, yea, though it could possibly be de-
clared to him ; and that for these reasons.
1 . From the nature of the thing. Small things are hard-
ly discerned. A little is next to none. 2. From the great
darkness of man's understanding, and his unacquaintedness
with himself (both the nature, faculties, and motions of his
soul, naturally considered, and the moral state, disposi-
tions, and motions of it), and is it likely that so blind an
84 DIKECTIONS FOR (IKTTING AND KliKlMNG
eye can discern the smallest thing, and that in so strange
and dark a place? Every purblind man cannot see an
atom, or a pin, especially in the dark. 3. The heart is de-
ceitful above all things, as well as dark ; full of seemings,
counterfeits, and false pretences. And a child in grace is
not able to discover its jugglings, and understand a book,
where almost every word is equivocal or mysterious. 4.
The heart is most confused, as well as dark and deceitful ;
it is like a house, or shop of tools, where all things are
thrown together on a heap, and nothing keeps its own
place. There are such multiplicity of cogitations, fancies,
and passions, and such irregular thronging in of them, and
such a confused reception, and operation of objects and
conceptions, that it is a wonderful difficult thing for the
best Christian to discern clearly the bent and actions, and
so the state of his own soul. For in such a crowd of cogi-
tations and passions, we are like men in a fair or crowd of
people, where a confused noise may be heard, but you cannot
well perceive what any of them say, except either some one
near you that speaks much louder than all tbe rest, or else
except you single out some one from the rest, and go close
to him to confer with him of purpose. Our intellect and
passions are like the lakes of water in the common roads,
where the frequent passage of horses doth so muddy it, that
you can see nothing in it, especially that it is near the bot-
tom ; when in pure untroubled waters you may see a small
hing. In such a confusion and tumult as is usually in
men's souls, for a poor weak Christian to seek for the dis-
covery of his sincerity, is according to the proverb, to seek
for a needle in a bottle of hay. 5. Besides all this, the cor-
rupt heart of man is so exceeding backward to the work of
self-examination, and the use of other means, by which the
soul should be familiarly acquainted with itself, that in a
case of such difficulty it will hardly ever overcome them, if
it were a thing that might be done. In the best, a great
deal of resolvedness, diligence, and unwearied constancy in
searching into the state of the soul, is necessary to the at-
tainment of a settled assurance and peace. How much more
in them that have so small, and almost undiscernible a
measure of grace to discover. 6. Yet further, the concep-
tions, apprehensions, and consequently the sensible motions
of the will, and especially the passions, are all naturally
SPIRITUAL PEACli AND COMFORT. 85
exceeding mutable ; and while the mobile, agile spirits are
any way the instruments, it will be so ; especially where the
impression which is made in the understanding is so small
and weak. Naturally man's mind and will is exceeding
mutable, and turned into a hundred shapes in a few days,
according as objects are presented to us, and the tempera
ture of the body disposeth, helps, or hinders the mind. Let
us hear one man reason the case, and we think he makes all
as clear as the light ; let us hear another solve all his argu-
ments, and dispute for the contrary, and then we see that
our apprehensions were abused. Let us hear him reply
and confute all again, and confirm his cause, and then we
think him in the right again. Nothing more changeable
than the conceivings and mind of man, till he be thorough-
ly resolved and habituated. Now in this case, how shall
those that have but little grace, be able to discern it ? It
will not keep the mind from fluctuating. If they seem re-
solved for obedience to Christ to-day, to-morrow they are
so shaken by some enticing object, and force of the same
temptation, that their resolution is undiscernible ; nay,
actually they prefer sin at that time before obedience. It
is impossible then but the soul should stagger and be at a
loss; for it will judge of itself as it finds itself, and it can-
not discern the habitual prevalency of Christ's interest,
when they feel the actual prevalency of the flesh's interest.
For the act is the only discoverer of the habit. And if Pe-
ter himself should have fallen to the examination of his
heart, whether he preferred Christ before his life, at the
same time when he was denying and forswearing Christ to
save his life, do you think he could have discerned it ?
And yet even then Christ's interest was greatest in him ha-
bitually. If David should have gone to search, whether he
preferred obedience to God, before his fleshly pleasure,
when he was committing adultery ; or before his credit,
when he was plotting the death of Uriah, what discovery
do you think he would have made '? 7. Add to all these,
that as these several distempers, were they but in the same
measure in a weak Christian, as they are in the best or in
most, would yet make the smallest measure of grace undis-
cernible (if we might suppose the smallest grace to be
consistent with such a frame) ; so it is certain, that who-
ever he be that hath the least measure of grace to discover
86 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTI>5G AND KEEPING
in himself, he hath proportionably the least measure of abi-
lities and helps to discover it, and the greatest measure of
all the forementioned hindrances. He that hath but a very
little repentance, faith, love, and obedience sincere, when
he goeth to find it out, be hath in the same measure, a
darker understanding to discern it than others have ; and a
greater strangeness and disacquaintance with himself-; and
more deceitfulness in his heart, and a greater confusion and
hurly-burly in his thoughts and affections, and all more
out of order and to seek. Also be hath a greater back-
wardness to the work of self-examination, and can hardly
get his heart to it, and more hardly to do it thoroughly, and
search to the quick, and most hardly to hold on against all
withdrawing temptations, till he have made a clearer disco-
very. And lastly, his soul is more mutable than stronger
Christians are ; and therefore when cross actings are so
frequent, he cannot discern the smallest prevailing habit-
If (when you are weighing gold) the scales be turned but
with one grain, every little jog, or wind, or unsteadfast
holding, will actually lift up the heavier end ; and its pre-
ponderation is with great wavering and mobility. 8. Yet
further, consider, that those that have least grace, have
most sin, habitual and actual ; and they are so frequent ia
transgressing, that their failings are still in their eye, and
thereby the prevalency of Christ's interest is made more
doubtful and obscure. For when he askethhisownconsciencej
' Do I will or love most the world and my fleshly delights,
or Christ and his ways V Presently conscience remem-
bereth him at such a time, and such a time thou didst
choose thy fleshly pleasures, profits, or credit, and refuse
obedience. And it is so oft, and so foully, that the soul is
utterly at a loss, and cannot discein the habitual prevalent
bent and resolution of the will. 9. Besides, conscience is a
judge in man's soul, and will be accusing and condemning
men so far as they are guilty. Now, they that make work
for the most frequent and terrible accusations of conscience
that will stand with true grace, are unlikely to have assur-
ance. For assurance quiets the soul, and easeth it ; and a
galled conscience works the contrary way. They that keep
open the wound, and daily fret ofl" the skin more, and are
still grating on the galled part, are unlikely to have assur-
ance. 10. Again, these weakest Christians being least in
SPIRITUAL PKACE AND COMFORT. 87
duly, aud most in biniiing (of any in whom sin ruignelli not),
they are consequently most in provoking and displeasing
God. And they that do so shall find that God will shew
them his displeasure, and will displease them again. They
must not look to enjoy assurance, or see the pleased face
of God, till they are more careful to please him, and are
more sparing, and seldom in offending him. As God's uni-
versal justice in governing the world, will make as great a
difference between the sincerely obedient, and disobedient,
as there is between heaven and hell, so God's paternal jus-
tice in governing his family, will make as wide a difference
between the more obedient children, and the less obedient,
as is between his dreadful frowns, and his joyous, reviving
smiles ; or between his smarting rod, or his encouraging
rewards. 11. If God should give assurance and peace to
the sinning and least obedient believers, he should not fit
his providential disposals to their good. It is not that
which their state requires, nor would it tend to their cure
any more than a healing plaister to a sore that is rotten in
the bottom, or a cordial to the removal of a cacochymy, or
the purging out of corrupt, redundant humours. They are
so inclined to the lethargy of security, that they have need
of continual pinching, striking, or loud calling on, to keep
them waking ; (still remember that by this weak Christian,
I mean not every doubting, distressed soul that is weak in
their own apprehension, and little in their own eyes, and
poor in spirit ; but I mean those that have the least mea-
sure of sincere love to Christ, and desire after him, and
tenderness of conscience, and care to please God, and the
greatest measure of security, worldliness, pride, flesh-pleas-
ing, and boldness in sinning, which is consistent with sin-
cerity in the faith. I believe there is no father or mother,
that hath children to govern, but they know by experience,
that there is a necessity of frowns and rods for the more
disobedient ; and that rewards and smiles are no cure for
stubbornness or contempt. 12. Lastly, Do but well consi-
der, what a solecism in government it would be, and what
desperate inconveniences it would have brought into the
world, if God should have set such a punctual land-mark
between his kingdom and the kingdom of satan, as we are
ready to dream of. If God should have said in his word, just
so oft a man may be drunk, or may murder, or commit adul-
88 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
tery, or steal, or forswear himself, and yet be a true Christian
and be saved ! Or just so far a man may go, in neglecting
duty to God and man, and in cherishing his flesh, hiding,
his sin, &c., and yet be a true believer and be saved. This
would, 1. Embolden men in sinning, and make them think,
I may yet venture, fori stand on safe ground. 2. And it would
hinder repentance. Indeed it would be the way to rob God
of his honour, and multiply provocations against him, and
keep his children in disobedience, and hinder their growth
in holiness, and cause a deformity in Christ's body, and a
shame to his religion and sacred name. As for those that
say, assurance never encourageth men in sin, but tends to
destroy it ; I answer, it is true of God's assurance, season-
ably given to those that are fit for it, and used by them ac-
cordingly. But if God should have told all the world, just
how far they may sin, and yet be certain of salvation, this
would have bred assurance in those that were unfit for it ;
and it would have been but the putting of new wine into old
cracked bottles ; or a new piece into an old garment, that
would break them, or make worse the rent. 1 must there-
fore freely tell these objectors (I am sorry that so many of
my old acquaintance now harp so much on this Antinomian
string), that ignorance or error hath so blinded them, that
they have forgotten, or know not, 1. What an imperfect
piece the best is in this life, much more the worst true
Christian. 2. Nor what a subtle devil we have to tempt us.
3. Nor what an active thing corruption is, and what advan-
tage it will take on unseasonable assurance. 4. Nor what
the nature of grace and sanctification is ; and how much of
it lies in a godly jealousy of ourselves, and apprehension of
our danger, and that " the fear of God is the beginning of
wisdom:" see Heb. iv. 1. Nay, 5. They have forgotten
what a man is, and how inseparable from his nature is the
principle of self-preservation, and how necessary the
apprehension of danger, and the fear of evil to himself,
is to the avoiding of that evil, and so to his preservation.
6. Yea, if they knew but what a commonwealth or a family
is, they would know that fear of evil, and desire of self-pre-
servation, is the very motive to associations, and the ground-
work of all laws and government, and a great part of the life
of all obedience.
And thus I have fully proved to you, that the smallest
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 89
measure of grace cannot help men to assurance in God's or-
dinary way.
Perhaps you will say, * What comfort is there in this to
a poor weak Christian?* This is rather the way to put him
quite out of heart and hope. I answer. No such matter.
I shall shew the uses of this observation in the following
Directions. In the mean time I will say but this. The ex-
pectations of unseasonable assurance, and out of God's
way, is a very great cause of keeping many in languishing
and distress, and of causing others to turn Antinomians,
and snatch at comforts which God never gave them, and to
feign and frame an assurance of their own making, or build
upon the delusions of the great deceiver, transforming him-
self into an angel of light.
Direct, XIII. From the last mentioned observation,
there is one plain consectary arising, which I think you
may do well to note by the way, viz. * That according to
God's ordinary way of giving grace, it cannot be expected
that Christians should be able to know the very time of
their first receiving or acting true saving grace, or just when
they were pardoned, justified, adopted, and put into a state
of salvation.'
This must needs be undeniable, (if you grant the former
point. That the least measure of grace yieldeth not assur-
ance of its sincerity, which is proved) ; and withal, if you
grant this plain truth. That it is God's ordinary way, to give
a small measure of grace at the first. This I prove thus :
1. Christ likeneth God's kingdom of grace to a grain of
mustard-seed, which is at the first, the least of all seeds,
but after cometh to a tree ; and to a little leaven, which
leaveneth the whole lump. I will not deny, but this may be
applied to the visible progress of the Gospel, and increase
of the church. But it is plainly applicable also to the king-
dom of Christ within us. 2. The Scripture oft calleth such
young beginners, babes, children, novices, &c. 3. We are
all commanded still to grow in grace ; which implieth, that
we have our smallest measure at the first. 4. Heb. v. 12.
sheweth, that strength of grace should be according to
time and means. 5. Common experience is an invincible
argument for this. Men are at a distance from Christ,
when he first calleth them to come to him ; and many steps
they have toward him befoie they reach to him. We are
90 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
first so far enlightened as to see our sin and misery, and
the meaning and truth of the Gospel, and so roused put of
our security, and made to look about us, and see that we
have souls to save or lose, and that it is no jesting matter
to be a Christian. And so we come to understand the te-
nor of the covenant, and Christ's terms of saving men.
But, alas, how long is it usually after this, before we come
sincerely to yield to his terms, and take him as he is otifer-
ed, and renounce the world, flesh, and the devil, and give
up ourselves to him in a faithful covenant ! We are long
deliberating, before we can get our backward hearts to re-
solve. How then should a man know just when he was
past the highest step of common or preparative grace, and
arrived at the first step of special grace ?
Yet mark, that I here speak only of God's ordinary way
of giving grace ; for I doubt not, but in some God may give
a higher degree of grace at the first day of their conversion,
than some others do attain in many years. And those may
know the time of their true conversion, both because the
effect was so discernible, and because the suddenness makes
the change more sensible and observable.
But this is not the ordinary course. Ordinarily con-
victions lie long on the soul before they come to a true
conversion. Conscience is wounded, and smarting long,
and long grudging against our sinful and negligent courses,
and telling us of the necessity of Christ and a holy life, be-
fore we sincerely obey conscience, and give up ourselves to
Christ. We seldom yield to the first conviction or persua-
sion. The flesh hath usually too long time given it to plead
its own cause, and to say to the soul, ' Wilt thou forsake all
thy pleasure and merry company and courses ? Wilt thou
beggar thyself? or make thyself a scorn or mocking-stock
to the world ? Art thou ever able to hold out in so strict a
course? and to be undone? and to forsake all, and lay
down thy life for Christ ? Is it not better to venture thy-
self in the same way as thou hast gone in, as well as others
do, and as so many of thy forefathers have done before
thee V Under such sinful deliberations as these we usually
continue long before we fully resolve ; and many demurs
and delays we make before we conclude to take Christ on
the terms that he is oft'ered to us. Now I make no doubt
but most or many Christians can remember how and when
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 91
God stirred their consciences, and wakened them from their
security, and made them look about them, and roused them
out of their natural lethargy. Some can tell what sermon
first did it ; others can remember by what degrees and steps
God was doing it long. The ordinary way appointed by God
for the doing of it first, is the instruction of parents. And
(as I have more fully manifested in my Book of Infant
Baptism) if parents would do their duties, they would find
that the word publicly preached was not appointed to be
the first ordinary means of conversion and sanctification ;
but commonly, grace would be received in childhood ; I
speak not of baptismal relative grace, consisting in the par-
don of original sin, nor yet any infusion of habits before
they have the use of reason (because I suppose it is hid
from us, what God doth in that), but I speak of actual con-
version ; and I prove that this should be the first ordinary
way and time of conversion to the children of true Chris-
tians, because it is the first means that God hath appointed
to be used with them ; Deut. vi. 6—8. Eph.„vi. 4. Pa-
rents are commanded to teach their children the law of
God urgently at home, and as they walk abroad, lying
down, and rising up ; and to bring them up in the admoni-
tion and nurture of the Lord, and to " train up a child in
the way he should go and when they are old they will not
depart from it ;" Pro v. xxii. 6. And children are com-
manded to " remember their Creator in the days of their
youth;" Eccles. xii. 1. And if this be God's first great
means, then doubtless he will ordinarily bless his own
means here, as well as in the preaching of the word.
From all this I would have you learn this lesson. That
you ought -not to trouble yourself with fears and doubts, lest
you are not truly regenerate, because you know not the ser-
mon or the very time and manner of your conversion ; but
find that you have grace, and then, though you know not
just the time or manner of your receiving of it, yet you may
nevertheless be assured of salvation by it. Search therefore
what you are, and how your will is disposed and resolved,
and how your life is ordered, rather than to know how you
became such. I know the workings of the Spirit on the
soul may be discerned, because they stir up discernible act-
ings in our own spirits. The soul's convictions, considera-
tions, resolutions and affections, are no iuseutiible thing&»
92 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
But yet the work of grace usually begins in common grace^
and so proceeds by degrees till it come to special saving
grace, even as the work of nature doth, first producing the
matter, and then introducing the form ; first producing the
embryo, before it introduce a rational soul. And as no child
knows the time or manner of its ovi^n formation, vivification
or reception of that soul, so I think few true believers can
say, just such a day, or at such a sermon I became a true
justified, sanctified man. That was the hour of your true
conversion and justification, when you first preferred God
and Christ, and grace before all things in this world, and de-
liberately and seriously resolved to take Christ for your Sa-
viour and Governor, and give up yourself to him to be saved,
taught and governed, and to obey him faithfully to the death
against all temptations, whatsoever you shall lose or suffer by
it. Now I would but ask those very Christians that think they
do know the very sermon that converted them ; Did that
sermon bring you to this resolution ? Or was it not only
some troubling rousing preparation hereto ? I think some
desperate sickness or the like affliction is a very usual means
to bring resolutions to be downright and fixed, with many
souls that long delayed and fluctuated in unresolvedness, and
lay under mere ineffectual convictions.
Object. ' But this runs on your own grounds, that saving
grace and common grace do differ but in degrees.'
Answ. I think most will confess, that as to the acts of
grace, and that is it that we are now inquiring after ; and
that is all the means that we have of discerning the habits.
Yet remember that I still tell you, * That there is a special
moral difference, though grounded but in a gradual natural
difference.' Yea, and that one grain of the Spirit's working,
which turns the will in a prevalent measure for Christ, (to-
gether with the illumination necessary thereto) deserves ail
those eulogies and high titles that are ^iven it in the word ;
so great a change doth it make in the soul ! Well may it be
called ' The new creature :' ' Born of the Spirit :' ' The
workmanship of God :' ' The new life :' Yea, * The image
of God,' and ' The Divine Nature.' (If that text be not
meant of the Divine Nature in Christ which we are relatively
made partakers of in our union with him). When you are
weighing things in the balance, you may add grain after
grain, and it makes no turning or motion at all, till you
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 93
come to the very last grain, and then suddenly that end which
was downward is turned upward. When you stand at a loss
between two highways, not knowing which way to go, as
long as you are deliberate, you stand still : all the reasons
that come into your mind do not stir you ; but the last rea-
son which resolves you, setteth you in motion. So is it in
the change of a sinner's heart and life ; he is not changed
(but preparing towards it) while he is but deliberating, whe-
ther he should choose Christ or the world ? But the last
reason that comes in and determinethhis will to Christ, and
makes him resolve and enter a firm covenant with Christ,
and say, ' I will have Christ for better or worse ;' this ma-
keth the greatest change that ever is made by any work in
this world. For how can there be greater than the turning
of a soul from the creature to the Creator ? So distant are
the terms of this change. After this one turning act Christ
hath that heart, and the main bent and endeavours of the
life, which the world had before. The man hath a new end,
a new rule and guide, and a new master. Before the flesh
and the devil were his masters, and now Christ is his mas-
ter. So that you must not think so meanly of the turning,
determining, resolving act of grace, because it lieth but in a
gradual difference naturally from common grace. If a prince
should offer a condemned beggar to marry her, and to par-
don her, and make her his queen, her deliberation may be
the way to her consent, and one reason after anotlier may
bring her near to consenting. But it is that which tuxns
her will to consent, resolve, covenant and deliver herself to
him, which makes the great change in her state. Yet all
the foregoing work of common grace hath a hand in the
change, though only the turning resolution do effect it : it is
the rest with this that doth it : as when the last grain turns
the scales, the former do concur. I will conclude with Dr.
Preston's words, in his " Golden Sceptre," page 210 : Object.
' It seems then that the knowledge of a carnal man, and of
a regenerate man, do differ but in degrees and not in kind.'
Answ. The want of degrees here alters the kind, as in num-
bers, the addition of a degree alters the species and kind.'
Read forthis also. Dr. Jackson " Of Saving Faith," sect. iii.
chap. iii. pp. 297, 298. and frequently in other places. So
much for that observation.
Direct. XIV. Yet further T would have you to under-
04 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
stand this : 'That as the least measure of saving grace is or-
dinarily undiscernible from the greatest measure of common
grace, (notwithstanding the greatness of the change that it
makes) so a measure somewhat greater is so hardly discern-
ible, that it seldom brings assurance : and therefore it is
only the stronger Christians that attain assurance ordinarily ;
even those who have a great degree of faith and love, and
keep them much in exercise, and are very watchful and care-
ful in obedience : and consequently (most Christians being
of the weaker sort) it is but few that do attain to assurance
of their justification and salvation.'
Here are two or three points which I would have you
distinctly to observe, though I lay them all together for bre-
vity. 1. That it is only a greater measure of grace that will or-
dinarily afford assurance. 2. That therefore it is only the
stronger, and holier, and more obedient sort of Christians that
usually reach to a certainty of salvation. 3. That few Chris-
tians do reach to a strong or high degree of grace. 4. And
therefore it is but few Christians that reach to assurance.
For the two first of these it will evidently appear that
they are true, by reviewing the reasons which I gave of the
last point save one. He that will attain to a certainty of
salvation, must, 1. Have a large measure of grace to be dis-
cerned. 2. He must have that grace much in action, and
lively action ; for it is not mere habits that are discernible.
3. He must have a clear understanding to be acquainted
with the nature of spiritual things ; to know what is a sound
evidence, and how to follow the search, and how to repel
particular temptations. 4. He must have a good acquaint-
ance and familiarity with his own heart, and to that end
must be much at home, and be used sometimes to a diligent
observation of his heart and ways. 5. He must be in a good
measure acquainted with, and a conqueror of contradicting
temptations. 6. He must have some competent cure of the
deceitfulness of the heart, and it must be brought to an open,
plain, ingenuous frame, willing to know the worst of itself.
7. He must have some cure of that ordinary confusion and
tumultuous disorder that is in the thought and affections of
men, and get things into an order in his mind. 8. He
must be a man of diligence, resolution, and imwearied
patience, that will resolvedly set on the work of self-exami-
nation, and painfully watch in it, and constantly follow it
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 95
from time to time till he attain a certainty. 9. He must be
one that is very fearful of sinning, and careful in close obe-
dient walking with God, and much in sincere and spiritual
duty, that he keep not conscience still in accusing and con-
demning him, and God still offended with him, and hi»
wounds fresh bleeding, and his soul still smarting. 10. He
must be a man of much fixedness and constancy of mind»
and not of the ordinary mutability of mankind ; that so he
may not by remitting his zeal and diligence, lose the sight
of his evidences, nor by leaving open his soul to an altera-
tion by every new intruding thought and temptation, let go
his assurance as soon as he attaineth it. All these things in
a good degree are necessary to the attaining of assurance of
salvation.
And then do I need to say any more to the confirmation
of the third point. That few Christians reach this measure
of grace? O that it were not as clear as the light, and as
discernible as the earth under our feet, that most true Chris-
tians are weaklings, and of the lower forms in the school of
Christ? Alas, how ignorant are most of the best, how
little love, or faith, or zeal, or heavenlymindedness, or
delight in God have they ? How unacquainted with a
frequent exercise of these graces ? How unacquainted
with the way of self-examination ? And how backward to
it? And how dull and careless in it? Doing it by the halves
as Laban searched Rachel's tent ? How easily put off with
an excuse ? How little acquainted with their own hearts ?
Or with Satan's temptations and ways of deceiving ? How
much deceitfulness remaineth in their hearts ? How confu-
sed are their minds ? And what distractions and tumults are
there in their thoughts ? How bold are they in sinning ?
And how little tenderness of conscience, and care of obey-
ing have they ? How frequently do they wound conscience,
provoke God, and obscure their evidences? And how mu-
table their apprehensions ? And how soon do they lose that
assurance which they once attained ? And upon every oc-
casion quite lose the sight of their evidences ? Yea, and re-
mit their actual resolutions, and so lose much of the evi-
dence itself? Is not this the common case of godly peo-
ple ? O that we could truly deny it : let their lives be wit-
ness, let the visible neglects, worldliness, pride, impati-
ency of plain reproof, remissness of zeal, dulness and cus-
96 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING ANU KEEPING
tomariness in duty, strangeness to God, unwillingness to
secret prayer and meditation, unacquaintedness with the
Spirit's operations and joys, their unpeaceableness one with
another, and their too frequent blemishing the glory of their
holy profession by the unevenness of their walking, let all
these witness, whether the school of Christ have not most
children in it ; and how few of them ever go to the univer-
sity of riper knowledge: and how few of those are fit to
begin here the works of their priestly office, which they
must live in for ever, in the high and joyful praises of God,
and of the Lamb, who hath redeemed them by his blood, and
made them kings and priests to God, that they may reign
with him for ever. I am content to stand to the judgment
of all humble, self-knowing Christians, whether this be not
true of most of themselves ; and for those that deny it, 1
will stand to the judgment of their godly neighbours, who
perhaps know them better than they know themselves.
And then this being all so, the fourth point is undeniable.
That it is but very few Christians that reach to assurance of
salvation. If any think (as intemperate hot-spirited men
are like enough to charge me) that in all this I countenance
the popish doctrine of doubting and uncertainty, and can-
tradict the common doctrine of the reformed divines that
write against them ; I answer, 1. That I do contradict both
the Papists that deny assurance, and many foreign writers,
who make it far more easy, common, and necessary than it
is (much more than them and the Antinomists, who place
justifying faith in it). But I stand in the midst between
both extremes ; and I think I have the company of most
English divines. 2. I come not to be of this mind merely
by reading books, but mainly by reading my own heart, and
consulting my own experience, and the experience of a very
great number of godly people of all sorts, who have opened
their hearts to me, for almost twenty years time. 3. I would
entreat the gainsayers to study their own hearts better for
some considerable time, and to be more in hearing the case
and complaints of godly people ; and by that time tb.ey may
happily come to be of my mind. 4. See whether all those
divines that have been very practical and successful in the
work of God, and much acquainted with the way of reco-
very of lost souls, be not all of the same judgment as my-
self in this point, (such as T. Hooker, Jo. Rogers, Preston,
SPIHItUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 97
Sibbs, Bolton, Dod, Culverwell, &c.) And whether the most
confident men for the contrary be not those that study books
more than hearts, and spend their days in disputing, and
not in winning souls to God from the world.
Lastly, Let me add to what is said, these two proofs of
this fourth point here asserted.
1. The constant experience of the greatest part of be-
lievers tells us, that certainty of salvation is very rare.
Even of those that live comfortably and in peace of con-
science, yet very few of them do attain to a certainty. For
my part, it is known that God in undeserved mercy hath
given me long the society of a great number of godly peo-
ple, and great interest in them, and privacy with them, and
opportunity to know their minds, and this in many places
(my station by providence having been oft removed), and I
must needs profess, that of all these I have met with few*
yea, very few indeed, that if I seriously and privately asked
them, ' Are you certain that you are a true believer, and so
are justified, and shall be saved,' durst say to me, ' I am
certain of it.' But some in great doubts and fears : most too
secure and neglective of their states without assurance, and
some in so good hopes (to speak in their own language) as
calmeth their spirits, that they can comfortably cast them-
selves on God in Christ. And those few that have gone so
far beyond all the rest, as to say, ' They were certain of
their sincerity and salvation,' were the professors, whose
state I suspected more than any of the rest, as being the
most proud, self-conceited, censorious, passionate, unpeace-
able sort of professors ; and some of them living scanda-
lously, and some fallen since to more scandalous ways than
ever ; and the most of their humble, godly acquaintance
or neighbours suspected them as well as L Or else some
very few of them that said they were certain were honest,
godly people (most women) of small judgment and strong
affections, who depended most on that which is commonly
called, ' The sense or feeling of God's love ;' and were the
lowest at some times as they were the highest at other
times ; and they that were one month certain to be saved,
perhaps the next month were almost ready to say, they
should certainly be damned. So that taking out all these
Rorts of persons, the sober, solid, judicious believers that
could groundedly and ordinarily say, ' 1 am certain that I
VOL. IX. H
9tt DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
sjball be saved/ have been so few, that it is sad to me to con-
sider it. If any other men's experience be contrary, I am
glad of it, so be it they be sober, judicious men, able to ga-
ther experiences ; and so they live not among mere Antino-
mians, and take not the discovery of their mere opinion, for
a discovery of experience. For I have seen in divers pro-
fessors of my long acquaintance, the strange power of opi-
nion and fancy in this thing. I have known those that
have lived many years in doubting of their salvation, and
all that while walked uprightly : and in the late wars, fall-
ing into the company of some Anabaptists, they were by
them persuaded that there was no right way to their com-
fort, but by being re-baptized, and associating themselves
with the re-baptized church, and abstaining from the hear-
ing of the unbaptized parish-priests (as they called them.)
No sooner was this done, but all their former doubtings and
troubles were over, and they were as comfortable as any
others (as themselves affirmed) which no doubt proceeded
from partly the strength of fancy, conceiting it should be
so, and partly from the novelty of their way which delight-
ed them, and partly from the strong opinion they had that
this was the way of salvation, and that the want of this
did keep them in the dark so long ; and partly from Sa-
tan's policy, who troubleth people least, when they are in
a way that pleaseth him ; but when these people had lived
a year or two in this comfortable condition, they fell at last
into the society of some Libertines or Familists, who believe
that the Scriptures are all but a dream, fiction, or allegory;
these presently persuaded them, that they were fools to re-
o-ard baptism or such ordinances, and that they might come
to hear again in our congregations, seeing all things were
lawful, and there was no heaven or hell but within men, and
therefore they should look to their safety and credit in the
world, and take their pleasure. This lesson was quickly
learned, and then they cried down the Anabaptists, and con-
fessed they were deluded, and so being grown loose while
they were Anabaptists, to mend the matter, they grew Epi-
cures when they had been instructed by the Libertines ; and
this was the end of their new-gotten comfort. Others I
have known that have wanted assurance, and falling among
the Autinomians, were told by them that they undid them-
selves by looking after signs and marks of grace, and so
SPIRITUAL PEACK AND COMFORT. 99
laying their comforts upon something in themselves ; where-
as they should look only to Christ for eomfort, and not at
any thing in themselves at all; and for assurance, it is only
the witness of the Spirit without any marks that must give
it them ; and to fetch comfort from their own graces and
obedience, was to make it themselves instead of Christ and
the Holy Ghost, and was a legal way. No sooner was this
doctrine received, but the receivers had comfort at will,
and all was sealed up to them presently by the witness of
the Spirit in their own conceits. Whence this came, judge
you. I told you my judgment before. Sure I am that the
sudden looseness of their lives, answering their ignorant,
loose, ungospel-like doctrine, did certify me that the Spirit
of comfort was not their comforter ; for he is also a Spirit
of holiness, and comforteth men by the means of a Holy
Gospel, which hath precepts and threatenings as well as
promises.
2. And as the experience of the state of believers assur-
eth us that few of them attain to certainty ; so experience
of the imperfection of their understanding shews us, that
few of them are immediately capable of it. For how few
believers be there that understand well what is sound evi-
dence and what not ? Nay, how many learned men have
taught them, that the least unfeigned desire of grace, is the
grace itself, (as some say,) or at least a certain evidence of
it, (as others say). Whereas, alas ! how many have un-
feignedly desired many graces, and yet have desired the
glory and profits of the world so much more, that they have
miscarried and perished'. How many have taught them,
that the least unfeigned love to God or to the brethren, is a
certain mark of saving grace ; whereas many a one hath un-
feignedly loved God and the brethren, who yet have loved
house, land, credit, pleasure, and life so much more, that
God hath been thrust as it were into a corner, and hath had
but the world's leavings. And the poor saints have had but
little compassion or relief from them, nor would be looked
on in times of danger and disgrace. As Austin and the
schoolmen used to say, " Wicked men do, * uti Deo, etfrui
creaturis,* Use God and enjoy the creatures; godly men do
* frui Deo, et uti creaturis,* enjoy God and use the crea-
tures." The meaning is, both regenerate and unregenerate
have some will or love, both to God and to the creature :
100 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
but the wicked do will or love the creature as their chief
good, with their chiefest love, and they only love God as a
means to help them to the creature, with a love subordinate
to their love to the creature : whereas the godly do will or
love God as their chief good, with their chiefest love or
complacency ; and love the creature but as a means to God,
with an inferior love.
If then the nature of sincerity be so little known, then
the assurance of sincerity cannot be very common. More
might be said to prove that certainty of salvation is not
common among true Christians ; but that it is labour in
vain, as to them, seeing experience and their own ready con-
fession doth witness it.
Now what is the use that I would have you make of this ?
Why it is this. If assurance of sincerity and justification
(much more of salvation) be so rare among true Christians,
then you have no cause to think that the want of it proveth
you to be no true Christian. You see then that a man may
be in a state of salvation without it ; and that it is not justi-
fying faith, as some have imagined, nor yet a necessary con-
comitant of that faith. You see that you were mistaken
in thinking that you had not the Spirit of adoption, because
you had no assuring witness within you effectively testify-
ing to you that you are the child of God. All God's chil-
dren have the Spirit of adoption. (For because they are
sons, therefore hath God sent the Spirit of his Son into
their hearts, whereby they cry, * Abba, Father ;' Gal. iv. 6.)
But all God's children have not assurance of their adoption,
therefore the Spirit of adoption doth not always assure those
of their adoption in whom it abideth. It is always a wit-
ness-bearer of their adoption ; but that is only objectively
by his graces and operations in them, as a land-mark is a
witness whose land it is where it standeth ; or as your
sheep-mark witnesseth which be your sheep ; or rather as a
sensible soul witnesseth a living creature, or a rational soul
witnesseth that we are men. But efficiently it doth not al-
ways witness ; as a land-mark or sheep-mark is not always
discerned ; and a brute knows not itself to be a brute ; and
a man is not always actually knowing his own humanity,
nor can know it at all in the womb, in infancy, in distraction,
in an epilepsy, apoplexy, or the like disease, which depriv-
eth hira of the use of reason. Besides, it is no doubt but
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 101
the apostle had some respect to the eminent gift of the Spi-
rit, for tongues, prophecies, miracles, and the like, which
was proper to that age ; though still as including the Spirit
of holiness.
You see then that you need not be always in disquiet
when you want assurance. For else how disquiet a life
should most Christians live ! I shall shew you more anon,
that all a man's comforts depend not so on his assurance, but
that he may live a comfortable life without it. Trouble of
mind may be overcome ; conscience may be quieted ; true
peace obtained ; yea, a man may have that joy in the Holy
Ghost, wherein the kingdom of God is said to consist, with-
out certainty of salvation. (If there be any passages in my
Book of Rest, part iii. pressing to get assurance, which seem
contrary to this, I desire that they may be reduced to this
sense, and no otherwise understood.) This shall be further
opened anon, and other grounds of comfort manifested, be-
sides assurance.
Direct. XV. Yea thus much more I would here inform
you of, * That many holy, watchful and obedient Christians,
are yet uncertain of their salvation, even then when they
are certain of their justification and sanctification ; and that
because they are uncertain of their perseverance and over-
coming ; for a man's certainty of his salvation can be no
stronger than is his certainty of enduring to the end and
overcoming.'
That you may not misunderstand me in this, observe, 1.
That I do not say perseverance is a thing uncertain in it-
self. 2. Nor that it is uncertain to all Christians. 3. But
that it is uncertain to many, even strong and self-knowing
Christians. Divines use to distinguish of the certainty of
the object and of the subject ; and the former is either of
the object of God's knowledge, or of man's. I doubt not
but God knows certainly who shall be saved, which, with his
decree, doth cause that which we call certainty of the object
as to man's understanding ; but men themselves do not al-
ways know it.
If a man have the fullest certainty in the world that he
is God's child, yet if he be uncertain whether he shall so
continue to the end, it is impossible that he should have a
certainty of his salvation ; for it is he only that endureth to
the end that shall be saved.
102 DIRECTIONS FOtt GETTING AND KEEPING
Now that many eminent Christians of great knowledge,
and much zeal and obedience, are uncertain of their perse-
verance, is proved by two infallible arguments. 1. By ex-
perience : if any should be so censorious as to think that
none of all those nations and churches abroad, that deny
the doctrine of certain perseverance of all believers, have any
strong Christians among them, yet we have had the know-
ledge of such at home. 2. Besides, the difficulty of the subject
is a clear argument that a strong Christian may be uncertain
of it. God hath made all those points plain in Scripture,
which must be believed as of necessity to salvation ; but
the certainty of all believers' perseverance, is not a point of
flat necessity to salvation to be believed. Oliierwise it
would be a hard matter to prove, that any considerable
number were ever saved till of late ; or are yet saved, but
in a very few countries. It is a point that the churches ne-
ver did put into their creed, where they summed up those
points that they held necessary to salvation. There are a
great number of texts of Scripture, which seeming to inti-
mate the contrary, do make the point of great difficulty to
many of the wisest ; and those texts that are for it, are not
so express as fully to satisfy them. Besides, that the ex-
amples of these ten years last past have done more to stag-
ger many sober wise Christians in this point, than all the
arguments that ever were used by Papists, Arminians, or
any other, to see what kind of men in some places have fal-
len, and how far, as I am unwilling further to mention.
But I think by this time I have persuaded you, that a
proper certainty of our salvation is not so common a thing
9S some controversial doctors, or some self-conceited pro-
fessors do take it to be ; and therefore that you must not
lay all your comfort on your assurance of salvation. As
for them who are most highly confident both of the doctrine
of the certain perseverance of every believer, merely upon
tradition and prejudice, or else upon weak grounds, which
will not bear them out in their confidence ; and are as con-
fident of their own salvation on as slender grounds, having
never well understood the nature of saving grace, sincerity,
examination, nor assurance ; nor understood the causes of
doubting, which else might have shaken them ; I will not
call their greatest confidence by the name of assurance or
certainty of salvation, though it be accompanied with never
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 103
•o great boastings, or pretences, or expressions of the high-
est joys. And for yourself, I advise you first use those com-
forts which those may have who come short of assurance.
Direct. XVI. The next thing which I would have you
learn is this, ' That there are several grounds of the great
probability of our salvation, besides the general grounds
mentioned in the beginning : and by the knowledge of
these, without any further assurance, a Christian may live
in much peace and comfort, and in delightful, desirous
thoughts of the glory to come. And therefore the next
work which you have to do, is to discover those probabi-
lities of your sincerity and your salvation, and then to re-
ceive the peace and comfort which they may afford you, be-
fore you can expect assurance in itself.'
I shall here open to you the several parts of this propo-
sition and direction distinctly. 1. I told you in the begin-
ning of the four grounds of probability which all may have
in general ; from 1. The nature of God. 2. And of the Me-
diator and his office. 3. And the universal sufficiency of
Christ's satisfaction. 4. And the general tenor of the pro-
mise, and offer of pardon and salvation. Now I add, that
besides all these, there are many grounds of strong proba-
bility, which you may have of your own sincerity, and so of
your particular interest in Christ and salvation, when you
cannot reach to a certainty.
1. Some kind of probability you may gather by compar-
ing yourself with others. Though this way be but delusory
to unregenerate men, whose confidence is plainly contradic-
ted by the Scriptures, yet may it be lawful and useful to an
humble soul that is willing to obey and wait on God : I mean
to consider, that if such as you should perish how few people
would God have in the world ? Consider first in how nar-
row a compass the church was confined before Christ's com-
ing in the flesh ; how carnal and corrupt even that visible
church then was ; and even at this day, the most learned
do compute, that if you divide the world into thirty parts,
nineteen of them are heathenish idolators, six of them are
Mahometans, and only five of them are Christians. And of
these five that are Christians, how great a part are of the
Ethiopian, Greek, and Popish churches ? So ignorant, rude,
and superstitious, and erroneous, that salvation cannot be
imagined to be near so easy or ordinary with them as with
104 DIRECTIONS FORGETTING AND KEEPING
U8 : and of the reformed churches, commonly called Pro-
testants, how small is the number ? And even among these,
what a number are grossly ignorant and profane ? And of
those that profess more knowledge and zeal, how many are
grossly erroneous, schismatical and scandalous ? How ex-
ceeding small a number is left then that are such as you '!
I know this is no assuring argument, but I know withal that
Christ died not in vain, but he will see the fruit of his suf-
ferings to the satisfaction of his soul; and the God of Mer-
cy, who is a lover of mankind, will have a multitude innu-
merable of his saved ones in the earth.
2. But your strongest probabilities are from the consi-
deration of the work of God upon your souls, and the pre-
sent frame and inclination of your soul to God. You may
know that you have workings above nature in you ; and
that they have been kept alive and carried on these many
years against all opposition of the flesh and the world ; it
hath not been a mere flash of conviction which hath been
extinguished by sensuality, and left you in the darkness of
security and profaneness as others are. You dare not give
up your hopes of heaven for all the world. You would not
part with Christ, and say, ' Let him go,' for all the pleasures
of sin, or treasures of the earth. If you had (as you have)
an offer of God, Christ, grace, and glory on one side,
and worldly prosperity in sin on the other side, you would
choose God, and let go the other. You dare not, you would not
give over praying, hearing, reading and Christian company,
and give up yourself to worldly, fleshly pleasures ; yet you are
not assured of salvation, because you find not that delight
and life in duty, and that witness of the Spirit, and that
communion with God, nor that tenderness of heart as you
desire. It is well that you desire them; but though you be
not certain of salvation, do not you see a great likelihood, a
probability in all this ? Is not your heart raised to a hope,
that yet God ^is merciful to you, and means you good?
Doubtless, this you might easily discern.
The second thing that I am to shew you, is, that there
may much spiritual comfort and peace of conscience be en-
joyed, without any certainty of salvation, even upon these
forementioned probabilities. Which I prove thus, I. No
doubt but Adam in innocency, had peace of conscience, and
comfort, and communion with God, and yet he had no as-.
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 105
Burance of salvation ; I mean, either of continuing in para-
dise, or being translated to glory. For if he had, either he
was sure to persevere in innocency, and so to be glorified,
(but that was not true,) or else he must foreknow both that
he should fall and be raised again, and saved by Christ. But
this he knew not at all. 2. Experience tells^us, that the
greatest part of Christians on earth do enjoy that peace and
comfort which they have, without any certainty of their sal-
vation. 3. The nature of the thing telleth us, that a likeli-
hood of so great a mercy as everlasting glory, must needs
be a ground of great comfort. If a poor condemned prisoner
do but hear that there is hopes of a pardon, especially if
very probable, it will glad his heart. Indeed, if an angel
from heaven were brought into this state, it would be sad to
him; but if a devil or condemned sinner have such hope, it
must needs be glad news to them. The devils have it not,
but we have.
3. Let me next, therefore, entreat you to take the com-
fort of your probabilities of grace and salvation. Your horse
or dog know not how you will use them certainly ; yet will
they lovingly follow you, and put their heads to your hand,
and trust you with their lives without fear, and love to be
in your company, because they have found you kind to
them, and have tried that you do them no hurt, but good :
yea, though you do strike them sometimes, yet they find
that they have their food from you, and your favour doth
sustain them. Yea, your little children have no certainty
how you will use them, and yet finding that you have always
used them kindly, and expressed love to them, though you
whip them sometimes, yet are glad of your company, and
desire to be in your lap, and can trust themselves in your
hands, without tormenting themselves with such doubts as
these, * I am uncertain how my mother will use me, whether
she will wound me, or kill me, or turn me out of doors, and
let me perish.' Nature persuades us not to be too distrust-
ful of those that have always befriended us, and especially
whose nature is merciful and compassionate ; nor to be too
suspicious of evil from them that have always done us good.
Every man knows that the good will do good, and the evil
will do you evil ; and accordingly we expect that they
should do to us. Naturally we all fear a toad, a serpent, an
adder, ^ mad dog, a wicked man, a madman, a cruel, blood-
106 DIRECTIONS FORGETTING AND KEEPING
thirsty tyrant, and the devil. But no one fears a dove, a
lamb, a good man, a merciful, compassionate governor, ex-
cept only the rebels or notorious offenders that know he is
bound in justice to destroy or punish them. And none
should fear distrustfully the wrath of a gracious God, but
they who will not submit to his mercy, and will not have
Christ to reign over them, and therefore may know that he
is bound injustice, if they come not in, to destroy them.
But for you that would be obedient and reformed, and are
troubled that you are no better, and beg of God to make you
better, and have no sin, but what you would be glad to be
rid of, may not you, at least, see a strong probability that it
shall go well with you ? O make use therefore of this
probability ; and if you have but hopes that God will do
you good, rejoice in those hopes till you can come to re-
joice in assurance.
And here let me tell you, that probabilities are of divers
degrees, according to their divers grounds. Where men
have but a little probability of their sincerity, and a greater
probability that they are not sincere in the faith, these men
may be somewhat borne up, but it behoves them presently
to search in fear, and to amend that which is the cause of
their fear. Those that have more probability of the sincerity
of their hearts than of the contrary, may well have more
peace than trouble of mind. Those that have yet a higher
degree of probability, may live in more joy, and so accord-
ing to the degree of probability may their comforts still
arise.
And observe also, that it is but the highest degree of
this probability here vyhich we call a certainty : for it is a
moral certainty, and not that which is called a certainty of
divine faith, nor that which is called a certainty of evidence
in the strictest sense, tliough yet evidence there is for it.
But it is the same evidences materially, which are the ground
of probability and of certainty ; only sometimes they differ
gradually Cone having more grace, and another less), and
sometimes not so neither ; for he that hath more grace, may
discern but a probability in it (through some other defect),
no more than he that hath less. But when one man discerns
his graces and sincerity but darkly, he hath but a probability
of salvation manifested by them ; and when another discern-
eth them more clearly, he hath a»tronger probability; and
Sl'lKlTUAL PLACE AND COMFORT. 107
he that discerneth tliem most clearly (if other necessaries
concur) hath that which we call a certainty.
Now I am persuaded that you frequently see a strong
probability of your sincerity; and may not that be a very
great stay and comfort to your soul ? Nay, may it not draw
out your heart in love, delight and thankfulness? Suppose
that your name were written in a piece of paper, and put
among a hundred, or fifty, or but twenty other like paper
into a lottery, and you were certain that you should be the
owner of this whole land, except your name were drawn the
first time, and if it were drawn you should die, would your
joy or your sorrow for this be the greater ? Nay, if it were
but ten to one, or but two to one odds on your side, it would
keep you from drooping and discouragement; and why
should it not do so in the present case ?
Direct. XYll. My next advice to you is this, 'For the
strengthening your apprehensions of the probability of your
salvation, gather up, and improve all your choicest expe-
riences of God's goodwill and mercy to you ; and observe
also the experiments of others in the same kind.'
1. We do God and ourselves a great deal of wrong by for-
getting, neglecting, and not improving our experiences.
How doth God charge it on the Israelites, especially in the
wilderness, that they forgot the works of God, by which he
had so often manifested his power and goodness ! Psalm
Ixxviii. cvii. See cv. cvi. When God had by one miracle
silenced their unbelief, they had forgotten it in the next dis-
tress. It was a sign the disciples' hearts were hardened,
when they forgot the miracles of the loaves, and presently
after were distrustful and afraid ; Mark vi. 52. God doth
not give us his mercies only for the present use, but for the
future; nor only for the body, but for the soul. I would
this truth were well learned by believers. You are in sick-
ness, in troubles, and dangers, and pinching straits, in fears
and anguish of mind : in this case you cry to God for help,
and he doth in such a manner deliver you as silenceth your
distrust, and convinceth you of his love ; at least, of his rea-
diness to do you good. What a wrong is it now to God and
yourself, to forget this presently, and in the next temptation,
to receive no strengthening by the consideration of it?
Doth God so much regard this dirty flesh, that he should do
all this merely for its ease and relief? No, h% doth it to
108 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEHPING
kill your unbelief; and convince you of his special provi-
dence, his care of you, and love to you, and power to help
you, and to breed in you more loving, honourable and thank-
ful thoughts of him. Lose this benefit, and you lose all.
You may thus use one and the same mercy an hundred
times : though it be gone as to the body, it is still fresh in
a believing, thankful, careful soul. You may make as good
use of it at your very death, as the first hour. But O, the
sad forgetfulness, mutability and unbelief of these hearts of
ours ! What a number of these choice experiences do we
all receive ! When we forget one, God giveth another, and
we forget that too. When unbelief doth blasphemously sug-
gest to us. Such a thing may come once or twice by chance.
God addeth one experience to another, till it even shame us
out of our unbelief, as Christ shamed Thomas, and we cry
out, " My Lord and my God." Hath it not been thus oft
with you? Have not mercies come so seasonably, so unex-
pectedly, either by small means, or the means themselves
unexpectedly raised up ; without your designing or efiect-
ing; and plainly in answer to prayers, that they have brought
conviction along with them ; and you have seen the name
of God engraven on them? Sure it is so with us, when
through our sinful negligence we are hardly drawn to open
our eyes, and see what God is doing. Much more might
we have seen, if we had but observed the workings of Provi-
dence for us ; especially they that are in an afflicted state,
and have more sensibly daily use for God, and are awakened
to seek him, and regard his dealings. I know a mercy to
the body is no certain evidence of God's love to the soul.
But yet from such experiences a Christian may have very
ttrong probabilities. When we find God hearing prayers,
it is a hopeful sign that we have some interest in him. We
may say as Manoah's wife said to him, " If the Lord had
meant to destroy us, he would not have received a sacrifice
at our hands, nor have done all this for us ;" Judges xiii. 23.
To have God so near to us in all that we call upon him for,
and so ready to relieve us, as if he could not deny an ear-
nest prayer, and could not endure to stop his ears against
our cries and groans, these are hopeful signs that he mean-
eth us good. I know special grace is the only certain evi-
dence of special love : but yet these kind of experiences are
many tirae|^iuore effectual to refresh a drooping, doubting
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 10.9
soul, than the first evidences: for evidences may be unseen,
and require a great deal of holy skill and diligence to try
them, which few have ; but these experiences are near us,
even in our bodies, and shew themselves ; they make all our
bones say, "Lord, who is like unto thee?" And it is a
great advantage to have the help of sense itself for our con-
solation. I hope you yet remember the choice particular
providences, by which God hath manifested to you his
goodness, even from your youth till now : especially his fre-
quent answering of your prayers ! Methinks these should
do something to the dispelling of those black, distrustful
thoughts of God. I could wish you would write them
down, and oft review them : and when temptations next
come, remember with David, who helped you against the
lion and the bear, and, therefore, fear not the uncircumcised
Philistine.
2. And you may make great use also of the experiences
of others. Is it not a great satisfaction to hear twenty, or
forty, or an hundred Christians, of the most godly lives, to
make the very same complaints as you do yourself? The
very same complaints have I heard from as many. By this
you may see your case is not singular, but the ordinary case
of the tenderest consciences, and of many that walk upright-
ly with God. And also is it not a great help to you, to hear
other Christians tell how they have come into those troubles,
and how they have got out of them? What hurt them?
And what helped them ? And how God dealt with , them,
while they lay under them ? How desirous are diseased
persons to talk with others that have had the same disease ?
And to hear them tell how it took them, and how it held
them, and especially what cured them ? Besides, it will give
you much stronger hopes of cure and recovery to peace of
conscience, when you hear of so many that have been cured
of the same disease. Moreover, is it not a reviving thing,
to hear Christians open the goodness of the Lord ? And
that in particular, as upon experience they have found him
to their own souls ? To hear them tell you of such notable
discoveries of God's special providence and care of his peo-
ple, as may repel all temptations to atheism and unbelief?
To hear them give you their frequent and full experiences
of God's hearing and answering their prayers, and helping
them in their distresses? Though the carnal part of the
no DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
raercy were only theirs, yet by improvement, the spiritual
part may be yours : you may have your faith, and love, and
joy, confirmed by the experiences of David, Job, Paul,
which are past so long ago ; and by the experiences of all
your godly acquaintance, as if they were your own. This is
the benefit of the unity of the church ; the blessings of one
member of the body are blessings to the rest; and if one re-
joice, the rest may rejoice with them, not only for their
sakes, but also for their own. Such as God is to the rest of
his children, such is he and will be to you. He is as ready
to pity you as them, and to hear your complaints and moans
as theirs. And lest we should think that none of them were
so bad as we, he hath left us the examples of his mercies to
worse than ever we were. You never were guilty of witch-
craft, and open idolatry, as Manasses was, and that for a
long time, and drawing the whole nation, and chief part of
the visible church on earth, into idolatry with him. You
never had your hand in the blood of a saint, and even of the
first martyr (Stephen) as Paul had. You never hunted after
the blood of the saints, and persecuted them from city to
city as he did ; and yet God did not only forgive him, but
was found of him when he never sought him, yea, when he
was persecuting him in his members, and kicking against
the pricks ; yea, and made him a chosen vessel to bear about
his name, and as noble an instrument of the propagation of
his Gospel, as if he had never been guilty of any such crimes,
that he might be an encouraging example to the unworthiest
sinners, and in him might appear to the riches of his mercy ;
1 Tim. iii. 13. 16. See also Titus iii. 3 — 7. Is there no
ground of comfort in these examples of the saints ? The
same we may say of the experiences of Gt)d's people still;
and doubtless it were well if experimental Christians did
more fully and frequently open to one another their expe-
riences ; it were the way to make private particular mercies
to be more public and common mercies ; and to give others
a part in our blessings, without any diminution of them to
ourselves. Not that I would have this so openly and rashly
done (by those, who through their disability to express their
minds, do make the works and language of the Spirit seem
ridiculous to carnal ears), as I perceive some in a very for-
mality would have it (as if it must be one of their church
customs, to satisfy the society of the fitness of each member
SPIRITUAL PtACE AND COMFOKT. Ill
before they will receive tliem) : but I would have Christians
that are fit to express their minds, to do it in season and
with wisdom ; especially those to whom God hath given
any more eminent and notable experiments, which may be
of public use. Doubtless, God hath lost very much of the
honour due to his name, and poor Christians much of the
benefit which they might have received, (and may challenge
by the mutiial interest of fellow members) for want of the
public communication of the extraordinary and more notable
experiences of some men. Those that write the lives of the
holiest men when they arp dead, can give you but the out-
side and carcase of their memorials ; the most observable
passages are usually secret, known only to God and their
own souls, which none but themselves are able to communi-
pate. For my own part, I do soberly and seriously profess
to you, that the experiences I have had of God's special
providences, and fatherly care, and specially of his hearing^
prayers, have been so strange, and great, and exceeding
numerous, that they have done very much to the quieting of
my spirit, and the persuading of my soul of God's love to
me, and the silencing and shaming of my unbelieving heart,
and especially for the conquering of all temptations that
lead to atheism or infidelity, to the denying of special provi-
dence, or of the verity of the Gospel, or of the necessity of
holy prayer and worshipping of God. Yea, those passages
that in the bulk of the thing seem to have no great matter
in them, yet have come at such seasons, in such a manner,
in evident answer to prayers, that they have done much to
my confirmation. O happy afflictions and distresses ! Suf-
ferings and danger force us to pray, and force the cold and
customary petitioner to seriousness and importunity. Im-
portunate prayers bring evident returns ; such returns give
us sensible experiences; such experiences raise faith, love
and thankfulness, kill unbelief and atheism, and encourage
the soul in all distresses, to go the same way as when it sped
so well. I often pity the poor seduced infidels of this age,
X that deny Scripture and Christ himself, and doubt of the use-
fulness of prayer and holy worship ; and I wish that they
had but the experiences that I have had. O how much
more might it do than all their studies and disputes ! Truly
I have once or twice had motions in my mind, to have pub-
licly and freely communicated by experiences in a relation
112 DIKECTIONS FOR GKTTING AND KEEPING
of the more observable passages of my life ; but I found that
I was not able to do it to God's praise, as was meet, with-
out a shew of ostentation or vanity, and therefore I forbore.
Direct. XVIII. Next, that you may yet further under-
stand the true nature of assurance, faith, doubting and des-
peration, I would have you observe this, 'That God doth not
command every man, nor properly any man, ordinarily by his
word, to believe that hie sins are forgiven, and himself is
justified, adopted, and shall be saved. But he hath prescri-
bed a way by which they may attain to assurance of these,
in which way it is men's duty to seek it: so that our assur-
ance is not properly that which is called a certainty of be-
lief.'
I have said enough for the proof of this proposition in
the third part of my Book of Rest, Chap. ii. whither I must
refer you. But there is more to be said yet for the applica-
tion of it. But first I must briefly tell you the meaning of
the words. 1. God commandeth us all to believe (wicked
and godly), that our sins are made pardonable by the suffi-
cient satisfaction of Christ for them ; and that God is very
merciful and ready to forgive ; and that he hath condition-
ally forgiven us all in the new covenant, making a deed of
gift of Christ, and pardon, and life in him to all, on condition
they believe in him, and accept what is given. 2. But no
man is commanded to believe that he is actually forgiven.
3. Therefore I say our assurance is not strictly to be called
belief, or a certainty of belief; for it is only our certain be-
lief of those things which we take on the mere credit of the
witnesser or revealer, which we call certainty of faith. In-
deed, we commonly in English use the word ' belief,' to ex-
press any confident, but uncertain, opinion or persuasion ;
and if any will so take it, then I deny not but our assurance
is a belief. But it is commonly taken by divines for an as-
sent to any thing on the credit of the word of the revealer,
and so is distinguishedjboth from the sensible apprehension
of things, and from principles that are known by the mere
light and help of nature ; and from the knowledge of con-
clusions, which by reasoning we gather from those princi-
ples. Though yet one and the same thing may be known,
as revealed in nature, and believed as revealed immediately
or supernaturally ; and so we both know and believe that
there is one only God, who made and preserveth all things;
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 113
4. But our assurance is an act of knowledge, participating
of faith and internal sense or knowledge reflect. For divine
faith saith, " He that believeth is justified, and shall be
saved." Internal sense and knowledge of ourselves saith,
' But I believe.' Reason, or discursive knowledge saith,
* Therefore I am justified and shall be saved.'
Only I must advise you, that you be not troubled when
you meet with that which is contrary to this in any great
divines : for it is only our former divines, whose judgments
were partly hurt by hot disputations with the Papists herein,
and partly not come to that maturity as others since then
have had opportunity to do. And therefore in their expo-
sitions of the creed, and such like passages in the text, they
eagerly insist on it, that when we say, ' We believe the for-
giveness of sin, and life everlasting,' every man is to profess
that he believeth that his own sins are forgiven, and he shall
have life everlasting himself. But our later divines, and espe-
cially the English, and most especially those that deal most
in practicals, do see the mistake, and lay down the same
doctrine which I teach you here ; God bids us not believe as
from him, more than he hath revealed. But only one of the
propositions is revealed by God's testimony, " He that be-
lieveth shall be saved.' But it is no where written that you
do believe, nor that you shall be saved ; nor any thing equi-
valent. And therefore you are not commanded to believe
either of these. How the Spirit revealeth these, I have fully
told you already. In our creed therefore we do profess to
believe remission of sins to be purchased by Christ's death,
and in his power to give, and given in the Gospel to all, on
condition of believing in Christ himself for remission : but
not to believe that our own sins are actually and fully par-
doned.
My end in telling you this again (which I have told you
elsewhere) is this. That you may not think (as I find abun-
dance of poor troubled souls do) that faith (much less justi-
fying faith) is a believing that you have true grace, and shall
be saved ; and so fall a condemning yourself unjustly every
time that you doubt of your own sincerity, and think that so
much as you doubt of this, so much unbelief you have : and
so many poor souls complain that they liave no faith, or but
little, and that they cannot believe, because they believe not
their own faith to be sincere : and when they wholly judge
VOL. IX. 1
114 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
themselves unsaiictified, then they call that desperation,
which they think to be a sin inconsistent with true grace.
These are dangerous errors, all arising from that one error
which the heat of contention did carry some good men to,
that faith is a belief that our sins are forgiven by Christ.
Indeed all men are bound to apply Christ and the promise
to themselves. But that application consisteth in a belief
that this promise is true, as belonging to all, and so to me,
and then in acceptance of Christ and his benefits as an of-
fered gift ; and after this, in trusting on him for the full per-
formance of this promise. Hence therefore you may best
see what unbelief and desperation are, and how far men may
charge themselves with them. When you doubt whether
the promise be true, or when you refuse to accept Christ
and his benefits offered in it, and consequently to trust him
as one that is able and willing to save you, if you do assent
to his truth, and accept him, this is unbelief. But if you do
believe the truth of the Gospel, and are heartily willing to
accept Christ as offered in it, and only doubt whether your
belief and acceptance of him be sincere, and so whether you
shall be saved; this is not unbelief, but ignorance of your
owir sincerity, and its consequents. Nay, and though that
affiance be wanting, which is a part of faith, yet it is but an
hindering of the exercise of it, for want of a necessary con-
comitant condition ; for the grace of affiance is in the ha-
bit, and virtually is there, so that it is not formally distrust
or unbelief any more, than your not trusting God in your
sleep is distrust. If a friend do promise to give you an
hundred pounds, on condition that you thankfully accept it :
if you now do believe him, and do thankfully accept it ; but
yet through some vain scruple.shall think, my thankfulness
is so small, that it is not sincere, and therefore I doubt I
do not perform his condition, and so shall never have the
gift ; in this case now you do believe your friend, and you
do not distrust him properly ; but you distrust yourself,
that you perform not the condition ; and this hindereth the
exercise of that confidence or affiance in your friend which
is habitually and virtually in you. Just so is it in our pre-
sent case.
The same may be said of desperation, which is a priva-
tion of hope ; when we have believed the truth of the Gos-
pel, and accepted Christ offered, we are then bound to hope
SPIRITUAL PLACE AND COMFORT. 115
that God will give us the beiiedts promised : so hope is no-
thing but a desirous expectation of the good so promised
and believed. Now if you begin to distrust whether God
will make good his promise or no, either thinking that it is
not true, or he is not able, or hath changed his mind since
the making of it, and on these grounds you let go your
hopes, this is despair. If because that Christ seems to de-
lay his coming, we should say I have waited in hope till
now, but now I am out of hope that ever Christ will come to
judge the world, and glorify believers, I will expect it no
longer. This is despair. And it hath its several degrees
more or less as unbelief hath, indeed the schoolmen say
that affiance is nothing but strengthened hope. Affiance in
the properest sense is the same in substance as hope ; only
it more expresseth a respect to the promise and promiser,
and indeed is faith and hope expressed in one word. So
that what I said before of distrust is true of despair. If you
do continue to believe the truth of the Gospel, and particu-
larly of Christ's coming and glorifying his saints, and yet
you think he will not glorify you, because you think that
you are not a true believer or saint ; this is not desperation
in the proper sense. For desperation is the privation of
hope, where the formal cause, the heart and life of it, is
wanting. But you have here hope in the habit, and virtu-
ally do hope in Christ ; but the act of it, as to your own par-
ticular salvation is hindered, upon an accidental mistake.
In the forementioned example, if your friend promise to
give you an hundred pounds on condition of your thankful
acceptance, and promiseth to come at such an hour and
bring it you : if now you stay till the hour be almost come,
and then say, ' I am out of hope of his coming now ; he hath
broke his word ;' this is properly a despair in your friend.
But if you only think that you have overstaid the time, and
that it is past, and therefore you shall not have the gift, this
may be called a despair of the event, and a despair in your-
self, but not properly a despair of your friend ; only the act
of hoping in God is hindered, as is said. So it is in our
present case. Men may be said to despair of their salva-
tion, and to despair in themselves, but not to despair in
God, except the formal cause of such despair were there
present ; and except they are drawn to it, by not believing
his truth and faithfulness. The true nature of despair is ex-
116 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
pressed in that of the apostles, Luke xxiv. 21.' " We trust-
ed that that was he that should redeem Israel ;" only it was
but imperfect despair, else it had been damnable. Their
hopes were shaken. And for my part, I am persuaded that
it is only this proper despair in God, which is the damnable
desperation, which is threatened in the Scripture, and not
the former. And that if a poor soul should go out of this
world without any actual hope of his own salvation, merely
because he thinks that he is no true believer, that this soul
may be saved, and prove a true believer for all this. Alas !
the great sin that God threateneth is our distrust of his
faithfulness, and not the doubting of our own sincerity and
distrust of ourselves. We have great reason to be very jea-
lous of our own hearts, as knowing them to be deceitful
above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know
them? But we have no reason to be jealous of God. Where
find you in Scripture that any is condemned for hard
thoughts of themselves, or for not knowing themselves to
have true grace, and for thinking they had none ? It is
true, unbelief in God's promise is that men are condemned
for, even that sin which is an aversion of the soul from God.
But perhaps you will ask, is doubting of our own sincerity
and salvation no sin ? I answer, doubting is either taken in
opposition to believing, or in opposition to knowing, or to
conjecturing.
1. Doubting as it signifieth only a not believing that
our sins are pardoned, and we shall be saved, is no sin,
(still remember that I take believing in the strict, proper
pense of the crediting of a divine testimony or assertion).
For God hath no where commanded us ordinarily to believe
either of these. I say ordinarily (as I did in the proposi-
tion before) because when Christ was on earth he told a
man personally, "Thy sins are forgiven thee;" (whether he
meant only as to the present disease inflicted for them, or
aliso all punishment temporal and eternal, I will not now
discuss) so Nathan from God told David, his sin was for-
given. But these were privileges only to these persons,
and not common to all, God hath no where said, either
that all men's sins are actually forgiven ; or that yours or
niine by name are forgiven : but only that all that believe
are forgiven, which supposeth them to believe before they
are forgiven, and that they may be forgiven, and therefore
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 117
it is not true that they are forgiven before they believe.
And therefore this faith is not a believing that they are for-
given, but a believing on Christ for forgiveness. Else men
must believe an untruth, to make it become true by theif
believing it.
2. But now doubting, as it is opposed to the knowledge
of our remission and justification, in those that are justified
is a sin. For it can be no sin for an unjustified person to
know that he is unjustified. But then I pray you mark
how far it is a sin in the godly, and what manner of sin it is*
1. It is a sin, as it is part of our natural ignorance, and ori-
ginal depravedness of our understandings, or a fruit hereof,
and of our strangeness to our own hearts, and of their deep
deceitfulness, confusion, mutability, or negligence. 2*
And further, as all these are increased by long custom in
sinning, and so the discerning of our states is become more
difficult, it is yet a greater sin. 3. It is a sin as it is the
fruit of any particular sin by which we have obscured our
own graces, and provoked God to hide his face from us.
And so all ignorance of any truth which we ought to know,
is a sin ; so the ignorance of our own regeneration and sin-
cerity is a sin, because we ought to know it. But this is
so far from being the great condemning sin of unbelief
which Christ threateneth in his new law, that it is none of
the greatest or most heinous sort of sins, but the infirmity
in some measure of every Christian,
And let me further acquaint you with this difference be^
tween these doubtings, and your fears and sorrows that fol-
low thereupon. Though the doubtings itself be your sin,
yet I suppose that the fears, and sorrows, and cares that
follow it may be your duty. Yet respectively, and by re-
mote participation, even these also must be acknowledged
sinful ; even as our prayers for that pardon which we have
received and knew it not, may by remote participation be
called sinful ; because if we had not sinned we should not
have been ignorant of our own hearts. And if we had not
been ignorant, we should not have doubted of the least true
grace we have. And if we had not so doubted, we should
not have feared, or sorrowed, or prayed for that remission
in that sense. But yet, though these may be called sinful,
as they come from sin, yet more nearly and in themselves
considered, on supposition of our present estate, they are all
118 DIRECTIONS FOR GI<1TT1NG AND KEEPING
duties, and great duties necessary to our salvation. You
may say to a thief that begs for pardon, ' If thou hadst not
stolen, thou hadst not need to have begged pardon.' Yet
supposing that he hath stolen, it may be his duty to beg par-
don. And so you may say to a poor, fearing soul, that fears
damnation and God's wrath, ' Thou needst not fear if thou
hadst not sinned.' But when he hath once by sin obscured
his evidences, and necessitated doubting, then is fear, and
sorrow, and praying for justification and pardon, his duty,
and indeed not fitly to be called sin, but rather a fruit of
sin in one respect (and so hath some participation in it) but
a fruit of the Spirit, and of Christ's command in another re-
spect, and so a necessary duty. For else we should say,
that it is a sin to repent and believe in Christ, and to love
him as our Redeemer ; for you may say to anysinner, * Thou
needst not to have repented, believed in a Redeemer, &c.
but for thy sin ;' yet I hope none will say, that so doing is
properly a sin, though doing them defectively is. God doth
not will and approve of at, that any soul that can see no
signs of grace and sincerity in itself should yet be as con-
fident, and merry, and careless, as if they were certain that
all were well. God would not have men doubt of his love,
and yet make light of it. This is a contempt of him. Else
what should poor, carnal sinners do that find themselves un-
sanctified. No, nor doth God expect that any man should
judge of himself better than he hath evidence to warrant
such a judgment. But that every man should "prove his
own work, that so he may have rejoicing in himself alone,
and not in another. For he that thinketh he is something
when he is nothing, deceiveth himself;" Gal. vi.3 — 6. And
no man should be a self- deceiver, especially in a case of
such inexpressible consequence. It is therefore a most
desperate doctrine of the Antinomians (as most of theirs
are) that all men ought to believe God's special love to
them, and their own justification. And that they are jus-
tified by believing that they were justified before, and that
no man ought to question his ftiith (saith Saltmarsh, any
more than to question Christ). And that all fears of our
damnation, or not being justified after this believing, are
sin ; and those that persuade to them, are preachers of the
law, (how punctually do the most profane, ungodly people,
hold most points of the Antinomian belief, though they ne-
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. Hi)
ver knew that sect by name ?). God comniandeth no man
to believe more than is true, not immediately to cast away
their doubts and fears, but to overcome them in an orderly
methodical way ; that is, using God's means till their graces
become more discernible, and their understandings more
clear and fit to discern them, that so we may have assurance
of their sincerity, and thereby of our justification, adoption,
and right to glorification. " Let us therefore fear, lest a pro-
mise being left of entering into his rest, any of us should
seem to come short of it;" Heb. iv. 1. "Serve the Lord
with fear, and rejoice before him in trembling ; kiss the Son
lest he be angry, and ye perish ;" Psal. ii. 11. "Work out
your salvation with fear and trembling ;" Phil. ii. 12. Not
only, 1. A reverent fear of God's majesty. 2. And a filial
fear of offending him. 3. And an awful fear of his judg-
ments, when we see them executed on others, and hear
them threatened. 4. And a filial fear of temporal chastise-
ments are lawful and our duty ; but also, 5. A fear of dam-
nation exciting to most careful importunity to escape it;
whenever we have so far obscured our evidences, as to see
no strong probability of our sincerity in the faith, and so of
our salvation. The sum of my speech therefore is this : Do
not think that all your fears of God's wrath are your sins ;
much of them is your great duty. Do you not feel that
God made these fears at your first conversion, the first and
a principal means of your recovery ? To drive you to a se-
rious consideration of your state and ways, and to look after
Christ with more longing and estimation ? And to use the
means with more resolution and diligence? Have not these
fears been chief preservers of your diligence and integrity
ever since? I know love should do more than it doth
with us all. But if we had not daily use for both (love and
fear) God would not, 1 . Have planted them both in our na-
tures. 2. And have renewed them both by regenerating
grace. 3. And have put into his word the objects to move
both, (viz. threatenings as well as promises). That fear of
God which is the beginning of wisdom, includeth the fear
of his threatened wrath. I could say abundance more to
prove this, but that I know as to you it is needless for con-
viction of it; but remember the use of it. Do not put the
name of unbelief upon all your fears of God's displeasure.
Much less should you presently conclude that you havV no
120 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
faith, and that you cannot believe, because of these fears.
You may have much faith in the midst of these fears ; and
God may make them preservers of your faith, by quicken-
ing you up to those means that must maintain it, and by
keeping you from those evils that would be as a worm at the
root of it, and eat out its precious strength and life. Secu-
rity is no friend to faith, but a more deadly enemy than fear
itself.
Object. * Then Cain and Judas sinned not by despairing,
or at least not damnably.'
A71SW. 1. They despaired not only of themselves, and of
the event of their salvation, but also of God ; of his power
or goodness, and promise, and the sufficiency of any satis-
faction of Christ. Their infidelity was the root of their de-
spair. 2. Far it is for me to say or think that you should
despair of the event, or that it is no sin ; yea, or that you
should cherish causeless and excessive jealousies and fears.
Take heed of all fears that drive you from God, or that dis-
tract or weaken your spirit, or disable you from duty, or
drown your love to God, and delight in him, and destroy
your apprehensions of God's loveliness and compassion, and
raise black, and hard, and unworthy thoughts of God in
your mind. Again, I entreat you, avoid and abhor all such
fears. But if you find in you the fears of godly jealousy of
your own heart, and such moderated fears of the wrath of
God, which banish security, presumption, and boldness in
sinning, and are (as Dr. Sibbs calls them) the awe-band of
your soul ; and make you fly to the merits and bosom of
, the Lord Jesus, as the affrighted child to the lap of the mo-
ther, and as the man-slayer under the law to the city of re-
fuge, and as a man pursued by a lion, to his sanctuary or
hold i do not think you have no faith, because you have
these fears, but moderate them by faith and love, and then
thank God for them. Indeed perfect love (which will be in
heaven when all is perfected) will cast out this fear ; and so
it will do sorrow and care, and prayer and means. But see
you lay not these by till perfect love cast them out. See
• Jer. v. 22, 23. Heb. xii. two last verses. " Wherefore we
receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us serve
God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our
God is a consuming fire."
1 am sensible that I am too large on these foregoing
SPIRITUAL PEACE AiND COMFOUT. 1*21
heads ; [ will purposely shorten the rest, lest I weary
you.
Direct. XIX. Further understand, 'That those few who
do attain to assurance, have it not either perfectly or con-
stantly (for the most part) but mixed with imperfection, and
oft clouded and interrupted.'
That the highest assurance on earth is imperfect, I have
shewed you elsewhere. If we be imperfect, and our faith
imperfect, and the knowledge of our own hearts imperfect,
and all our evidences and graces imperfect ; then our as-
surance must needs be imperfect also. To dream of perfec-
tion on earth, is to dream of heaven on earth. And if assu-
rance may be here perfect, why not all our graces ? Even
when all doubtings are overcome, yet is assurance far short
of the highest degree.
Besides, that measure of assurance which godly men
do partake of, hath here its many sad interruptions, in the
most. Upon the prevalency of temptations, and the hidings
of God's face, their souls are oft left in a state of sadness,
that were but lately in the arms of Christ. How fully might
this be proved from the examples of Job, David, Jeremy,
and others in Scripture ? And much more abundantly by
the daily complaints and examples of the best of God's peo-
ple now living among us. As there is no perfect evenness
to be expected in our obedience while we are on earth, so
neither will there be any constant or perfect evenness in our
comforts. He that hath life in one duty, is cold in the next.
And therefore he that hath much joy in one duty, hath lit-
tle in the next. Yea, perhaps duty may but occasion the
renewal of his sorrows ; that the soul who before felt not
its own burden at a sermon, or in prayer, or holy meditation,
which were wont to revive him, now seems to feel his mise-
ries to be multiplied. The time was once with David, when
thoughts of God were sweet to him, and he could say, " In
the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts de-
light my soul." And yet he saw the time also when he re-
membered God and was troubled ; he complained, and his
spirit was overwhelmed. God so held his eyes waking,
that he was troubled and could not speak. He considered
the days of old, and the years of ancient time; he called to
remembrance his song in the night, he communed with his
own heart, and his spirit made diligent search. " Will the
122 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
Lord (saith he) cast oif for ever ? And will he be favour-
able no more ? Is his mercy clean gone for ever ? Doth
his promise fail for evermore ? Hath God forgotten to be
gracious ? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercy ?"
Was not this a low ebb, and a sad case that David was in?
Till at last he saw, this was his infirmity ; Psal. Ixxii. 1 — 10.
Had David no former experiences to remind ? No argu-
ments of comfort to consider of? Yes, but there is at such
a season an incapacity to improve them. There is not only
a want of comfort, but a kind of averseness from it. The
soul bendeth itself to break its own peace, and to put away
comfort far from it. So saith he in ver. 2. " My soul re-
fused to be comforted." In such cases men are witty to ar-
gue themselves into distress ; that it is hard for one that
would comfort them to answer them ; and they are witty in
repelling all the arguments of comfort that you can offer
them ; so that it is hard to fasten any thing on them. They
have a weak wilfulness against their own consolations.
Seeing then that the best have such storms and sad in-
terruptions, do not you wonder or think your case strange
if it be so-with you ? Would you speed better than the best ?
Long for heaven then, where only is joy without sorrow, and
everlasting rest without interruption.
Direct. XX. Let me also give you this warning, ' That
you must never expect so much assurance on earth, as shall
set you above the possibility of the loss of heaven ; or above
all apprehensions of real danger of your miscarrying.'
I conceive this advertisement to be of great necessity.
But I must first tell you the meaning, and then the reasons
of it. Only I am sorry that I know not how to express it
fully, but in school-terms, which are not so familiar to you.
1. That which shall certainly come to pass, we call a thing
future. That which may and can be done we call pos-
sible. All things are not future which are possible. God
can do more than he hath done or will do. He could have
made more worlds, and so more were possible than were fu-
ture. Moreover a thing is said to be possible, in reference
to some power which can accomplish it ; whether it be
God's power, or angel's, or man's. God hath decreed that
none of his elect shall finally or totally fall away and perish;
and tlierefore their so falling and perishing is not future ;
that is, it is a thing that shall never come to pass. But God
^PIHITUAL PliyVCE AND COMFORT. 123
never decreed that it should be utterly impossible, and
therefore it still remaineth possible, though it shall never
come to pass.
Object. ' But it is said, * They shall deceive, if it were
possible, the very elect.'
Answ. A most comfortable place, which many opposers
of election and free grace do in vain seek to obscure. But
let me tell you for the right understanding of it, 1. That as
I said, possible and impossible are relative terras, and have
relation to the power of some agent, as proportioned to the
thing to be done. Now this text speaks only of the power
of false Christs, and false prophets and the devil by them
their power of deceiving is exceeding great, but not great
enough to deceive the elect ; which is true in two respects,
1. Because the elect are guided and fortified by God's Spi-
rit. 2. Because seducers work not efficiently, but finally,
by propounding objects ; or by amoral, improper efficiency
only. All their seducement cannot force or necessitate us
to be deceived by them. But though it be impossible to
them to do it, yet it is possible to God to permit (which
yet he never will), and so possible for ourselves to be our
own deceivers, or to give deceivers strength against us, by
a wilful receiving of their poisoned baits. 3. Besides
Christ spoke not in Aristotle's school, but among the vul-
gar, where words must be used in the common sense, or else
they will not be understood. And the vulgar use to call
that impossible which shall never come to pass.
There is a consequential impossibility of the event, be-
cause it is directly impossible that God should be mutable
or deceived ; even as contingents may be consequentially
and accidentally necessary. But in its own nature, alas our
apostacy is more than possible.
And indeed when we say that it is possible or impoilili-
ble for a man to sin or fall away, there is some degree of
impropriety in the terms, because possible and impossible
are terms properly relating to some power apportioned to a
work ; but sinning and falling away thereby, are the conse-
quents of impotency, and not the effects of power ; except
we speak of the natural act, wherein the sin abideth. But
this must be borne with, for want of a fitter word to
express our meaning by. But I will leave these things
124 DlKliCTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
which are not lit for you, and desire you to leave them and
overpass them, if you understand them not.
2. I here told you also, that you must not look to be
above all apprehension of danger of your miscarrying. The
grounds of this are these : 1. Because as is said, our mis-
carrying remaineth still possible. 2. Because the perfect,
certain knowledge of our election, and that we shall not fall
away, is proper to God only ; we have ourselves but a de-
fective, interrupted assurance of it. 3. The covenant gives
us salvation but on condition of our perseverance, and per-
severance on condition that we quench not the Spirit, which
we shall do if we lose the apprehension of our danger. 4.
Accordingly there is a connexion in our assurance, between
all the several causes of our salvation, and necessaries there-
to ; whereof the apprehension of danger is one. We are
sure we shall be saved, if we be sure to persevere ; else not.
We are sure to persevere, if we be sure faithfully to resist
temptations. We can be no surer of faithful resisting of
temptations, than we are sure to be kept in an apprehen-
sion of our danger.
I still say therefore, that the doctrine of Antinomians is
the most ready way to apostacy and perdition ; and no won-
der if it lead to licentiousness and scandals, which our eyes
have seen to be its genuine fruits ! They cry down the
weakness, unbelief, and folly of poor Christians, that will
apprehend themselves in danger of falling away, and so live
in fear, after they are once justified ; and that if they fall in-
to sin (as whoredom, drunkenness, murder, perjury, de-
stroying the ministry, and expelling the Gospel, &c.), will
presently question or fear their estates and their justifica-
tion. Such like passages I lately read in some printed ser-
mons of one of my ancient acquaintance, who would never
h^e come to that pass that he is at now, if his judgment
and humility had been as great as his zeal. I entreat you
therefore never to expect such an assurance as shall ex-
tinguish all your apprehensions of danger. He that sees
not the danger, is nearest it, and likely to fall into it. Only
he that seeth and apprehendeth it, is likely to avoid it. He
that seeth no danger of falling away, is in greatest danger
of it. I doubt not but that is the cause of the seditions,
scandals, heresies,^ blood-guiltiness, destroyers of the
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 125
churches of Christ, and most horrid apostacies, hypocrisy,
and wickedness, which these late times have been guilty of;
that they apprehended not the danger of ever coming into
such a state, or ever doing such things, but would have
said, ' Am I a dog ?' to him that should have foretold them
what is come to pass. Wonderful ! that men should be so
blinded by false doctrine, as not to know that the appre-
hension of danger is made in the very fabrication of the na-
ture of man, to be the very engine to move his soul in all
ways of self-preservation and salvation ! Yea, it is that
very supposed principle upon which all the government of
the world, and the laws and order of every nation, are
grounded. We could not keep the very brutes from tear-
ing us in pieces, but for their own safety, because they ap-
prehend themselves to be in danger by it. The fear of man
is it that restraineth them. But for this, no man's life would
be in any safety, for every malicious man would be a mur-
derer. He that feareth not the loss of his own life, is mas-
ter of another man's. Do these men think that the appre-
hension of bodily dangers may carry them on through all
undertakings, and be the potent string of most of their ac-
tions, and warrant all those courses that else would be un-
warrantable, so that they dare plead necessity to warrant
those fearful things which by extenuating language (like
Saul's) are called irregularities ! And yet that it is unlaw-
ful or unmeet for a Christian, yea the weakest Christian, to
live in any apprehensions of danger to their souls. Either
danger of sinning, or falling away, or perishing for ever?
No wonder if such do sin, and fall away and perish. Would
these men have fought well by sea or land, if they had ap-
prehended no danger? Would the earth have been so co-
vered with carcasses, and with blood (yea, even of saints) and
the world filled with the doleful calamities that accompanied
and have followed, if there had been no apprehensions of
danger ? Would they take physic when they are sick ?
Would they avoid fire or water, or thieves, but through an
apprehension of danger ? Let them talk what they please, if
ever they escape hell, without a deep apprehension of the
danger of it, it must be in a way not known by Sciipture, or
by nature. Sure 1 am Paul did tame his body, and bring it
into subjection, through an apprehension of this danger, lest
when he had preached to others, himself should be a cast-
126 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTINGAND KEEPING
away or reprobate ? 2Cor. ix. 27. And Christ himself, when
he biddeth us " fear not them that can kill the body," (whom
yet these men think it lawful to fear and fight against) yet
chargeth us with a double charge, to " fear him that is able
to destroy both body and soul in hell : yea, I say unto you,
(saith Christ), fear him ;" Lukexii.5. What can be plainer?
and to his disciples? My detestation of these destructive
Antinomian principles, makes me to run out further against
them than I intended ; though it were easy more abundantly
to manifest their hatefulness. But my reasons are tliese :
1. Because the mountebanks are still thrusting in them-
selves, and impudently proclaiming their own skill, and the
excellency of their remedies for the cure of wounded con-
sciences, and the settling of peace ; when indeed their re-
ceipts are rank poison, gilded with the precious name of
Christ, and free grace. 2. Because I would not have your
doubtings cured by the devil; for he will but cure one di-
sease with another, and a lesser with a far greater. If he
can so cure your fears and doubtings, as to bring you into
carnal security and presumption, he will lose nothing by
the cure, and you will get nothing. If he can turn a poor,
doubting, troubled Christian to be a secure Antinomian, he
hath cured the smart of a cut finger by casting them into a
lethargy, or stupefaction by his opium. To go to Antino-
mian receipts to cure a troubled soul, is as going to a witch
to cure the body. 3. I would have you sensible of God's
goodness to you, in these very troubles that you have so
long laid under. Your blessed physician knew your di-
sease, and the temperature of your soul. Perhaps he saw
that you were in some danger of being carried away with
the honours, profits, or treasures of this world ; and would
have been entangled in either covetousness, pride, voluptu-
ousness, or some such desperate sin. And now by these
constant and extraordinary apprehensions of your danger,
these sins have been much kept under, temptations weak-
ened, and your danger prevented. If you have found no
such inclinations in yourself, yet God might find them.
Had it not been far worse for you to have lain so many years
in pride, sensuality, and forgetfulness of God, and utter ne-
glect of the state of your soul, 4iian to have lain so long as
you have done in the apprehensions of your danger ? O love
and admire your wise Physician ! Little do you know now
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 127
what he hath been doing for you ; nor shall you ever fully
know it in this life ; but hereafter you shall know it, when
your sanctification, and consolation, and his praises shall be
perfected together. 4. If you should for the time to come,
expect or desire that God should set you out of all appre-
hension of danger, you know not what it is that you desire,
it were to desire your own undoing. Only see that you
apprehend not your danger to be greater than it is ; nor so
apprehend it as to increase it, by driving you from Christ,
but as to prevent it by driving you to him. Entertain not
fancies and dreams of danger, instead of right apprehen-
sions. Apprehend your happiness and grounds of hope and
comfort, and safety in Christ, and let these quite exceed
your apprehensions of the danger. Look not on it as a re-
mediless danger, or as greater than the remedy. Do not
conclude that you shall perish in it, and it will swallow you
up. But only let it make you hold fast on Christ, and keep
close to him in obedience. Shall I lay open all the mat-
ter expressed in this section, by a familiar comparison ?
A king having many subjects and sons, which are all
beyond sea, or beyond some river, they must needs be
brought over to him before they can live or reign with him.
The river is frozen over at the sides, till it come almost to
the middle. The foolish children are all playing on the ice,
where a deceiving enemy enticeth them to play on till they
come to the deep, where they drop in one by one and perish.
The eldest son, who is with the father on the" other side, un-
dertaketh to cast himself into the water, and swim to the
further side, and break the ice, and swim back with them
all that will come with him and hold him. The father bids
him, ' Bring all my subjects with you, if they will come and
hold by you ; but be sure you fail not to bring my sons.'
This is resolved on ; the prince casteth himself into the wa-
ter, and swimmeth to the further side. He maketh a way
through the ice, and otfereth all of them his safe carriage, if
they will accept him to be their bearer and helper, and will
trust themselves on him, and hold fast by him till they come
lo the further side. Some refuse his help, and think he
would deceive them, and lead them into the deep, and there
leave them to perish. Some had rather play on the ice, and
will not hearken to him. Some dare not venture through
the streams, or will not endure the coldness of the water.
128 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
Some waveringly agree to him, and hold faiully by his skirt ;
and when they feel the cold water, or are near the deep, or
are weary of holding, they lose him ; either turning back, or
perishing suddenly in the gulf. The children are of the
same mind with the rest; but he is resolved to lose none of
them, and therefore he chargeth them to come with him,
and tells them fully what a welcome they shall have with
their father ; and ceaseth not his importunity till he per-
suade them to consent. Some of them say, * How shall we
ever get over the river? we shall be drowned by the way.'
He tells them, ' I will carry you safe over, so you will but
hold fast by me. Never fear, I warrant you.' They all lay
hold on him, and venture in with him. When they are in
the midst some are afraid, and cry out, ' We shall be drown-
ed.' These he encourageth, and bids them trust him ; hold
fast, and fear not. Others, when they hear these words, that
they need not fear, they grow so bold and utterly secure, as
to lose their hold. To these he speaketh in other language,
and chargeth them to hold fast by him ; for if they lose their
hold, they will fall into the bottom, and if they stick not to
him they will be drowned. Some of them upon this warn-
ing hold fast ; others are so boldly confident of his skill,
and good will, and promise, that they forget or value not his
warning and threatening, but lose their hold. Some through
laziness and weariness do the like. Whereupon he lets
them sink till they are almost drowned, and cry out for help,
" Save us or we perish," and think they are all lost ; and
then he layeth hold of them and fetcheth them up again,
and chideth them for their bold folly, and biddeth them
look better to themselves, and hold faster by him hereafter,
if they love themselves. Some at last, through mere weari-
ness and weakness, before they can reach the bank, cry out,
' O I am tired, I faint, I shall never hold fast till I reach the
shore, I shall be drowned.' These he comforteth, and gives
them cordials, and holdeth them by the hand, and bids
them Despair not. Do your best. Hold fast, and I will
help you. And so he brings them all safe to the haven.
This king is God ; heaven is his habitation ; the sub-
jects are all men ; the sona, who are part of the subjects,
are the elect ; the rest are the non-elect ; the river or sea is
the passage of this life. The further side is all men's natu-
ral, sinful distance and separation from God and happiness ;
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 129
the ice that bears them, is this frail life of pleasures, profitSi
and honours, which delight the flesh ; the depth unfrozen is
hell ; he that enticeth them thither is the devil. The eldest
son that is sent to bring them over, is Jesus Christ ; his
commission and undertaking is, to help all over that refuse
not his help ; and to see that the elect be infallibly reco-
vered and saved. Do I need to go over the other particu-
lars ? I know you see my meaning in them all : especially
that which I aim at is this ; that as Paul had a promise of
the life of all that were with him in the ship, and yet when
some would have gone out, he told them, " Except these
abide in the ship ye cannot be saved," Acts xxvii. 31. (so
that he makes their apprehension of danger in a possibility
of being drowned, to be the means of detaining them in the
ship till they came all safe to land) so Jesus Christ who
will infallibly save all his elect (they being given him by his
Father to be infallibly saved) will do it by causing them to
hold fast by him, through all the troubles, and labours, and
temptations of this tumultuous, tempestuous world, and that
till they come to land ; and the apprehension of their dan-
gers shall be his means to make them hold fast ; yet is not
their safety principally in themselves, but in him : nor is it
their holding fast by him that is the chief cause of theit*
difference from those that perish, but that is his love and
resolution to save them. And therefore when they do let
go their hold, he will not so lose them, but will fetch them
up again ; only he will not bring them through this sea of
danger as you would draw a block through the water ; but
as men that must hold fast, and be commanded and threat-
ened to that end ; and therefore when they lose their hold,
it is the fear of drowning which they felt themselves near,
which shall cause them to hold faster the next time ; and
this must needs be the fear of a possible danger. And for
those that perish, they have none to blame but themselves.
They perish not for want of a Saviour, but because they
would not lay hold on him, and follow him through the
tempests and waves of trial. Nor can they quarrel at him
because he did more for others, and did not as much for
them as long as he offered them so sufficient help, that only
their own wilful refusal was their ruin, and their perdition
was of themselves.
I conclude therefore, that seeing our salvation is laid by
VOL. IX. K
J30 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
God, upon our faithful holding fast to Christ through all
trials and difficulties, and our holy fear is the means of our
holding fast (Christ being still the principal cause of our
safety), therefore never look for such a certainty of salva-
tion, as shall put you above such fears and moderated ap-
prehensions of danger ; for then it is ten to one you will
lose your hold. You read in Scripture very many warnings
to take heed lest we fall, and threatenings to those that do
fall away and draw back. What are all these for, but to ex-
cite in us those moderate fears, and cares, and holy dili-
gence, which may prevent our falling away ? And remem-
ber this, that there can be no such holy fears, and cares, and
diligence, where there is no danger or possibility of falling
away; for there can be no act without its proper object ;
and the object of fear is a possible hurt, at least in the ap-
prehension of him that feareth it. No man can fear the
evil which he knoweth to be impossible.
Direct. XXI. The next advice which I must give you,
ie this, * Be thankful if you can but reach to a settled peace,
and composure of your mind, and lay not too much on the
high raptures and feelings of comfort which some do pos-
sess : and if ever you enjoy such feeling joys, expect not
that they should be either long or often.'
It is the cause of miserable languishing to many a poor
soul, to have such importunate expectations of such pas-
sionate joys, that they think without these they have no
true comfort at all ; no witness of the Spirit, no spirit of
adoption, no joy in the Holy Ghost. Some think that others
have much of this, though they have not, and therefore they
torment themselves because it is not with them as with
others ; when, alas, they little know how it goes with others.
Some taste of such raptures sometimes themselves have had,
and therefore when they are gone, they think they are forsa-
ken, and that all grace, or peace at least is gone with them.
Take heed of these expectations. And to satisfy you, let me
tell you these two or three things : 1 . A settled calm and peace
of soul is a great mercy, and not to be undervalued as no-
thing. 2. The highest raptures and passionate feeling joys,
are usually of most doubtful sincerity. Not that I would
have any suspect the sincerity of them without cause ; but
such passions are not so certain signs of grace, as the set-
tled frame of the understanding and will ; nor can we so
SPIRITUAL PEAGK AND COMFORT. 131
easily know that they are of the Spirit, and they are liable
to more questioning, and have in them a greater possibility
of deceit. Doubtless it is very much that fancy and melan-^
choly, and especially a natural weakness and moveable tem-
per will do in such cases. Mark whether it be not mostly
these three sorts of people that have or pretend to have such
extraordinary rapturesand feelings of joy. 1. Women and
others that are most passionate. 2. Melancholy people. 3.
Men that by erroneous opinions have lost almost all their
understandings in their fancies, and live like men in a con-
tinual dream. Yet I doubt not but solid men have oft high
joys; and more we might all have, if we did our duty. And
f would have no Christian contenthimself withadull quiet-
ness of spirit, but by all means possible to be much in la-
bouring to rejoice in God and raising their souls to heavenly
delights. O what lives do we lose, which we might enjoy !
But my meaning is this : look at these joys and delights as
duties and as mercies, but look not at them as marks of
trial, so as to place more necessity in them than God hath
done, or to think them to be ordinary things. If you do
but feel such a high estimation of Christ and heaven, that
you would not leave him for all the world, take this for your
surest sign. And if you have but so much probability or
hope of your interest in him, that you can think of God as
one that loveth you, and can be thankful to Christ for re-
deeming you, and are more glad in these hopes of your in-
terest in Christ and glory, than if you were owner of all the
world ; take this for a happy mercy, and a high consolation.
Yet I mean not that your joy in Christ will be always so sen-
sible, as for worldly things ; but it will be more rational, so-
lid and deeper at the heart. And that you may know by this,
you would not for all the pleasures, honours or profits in the
world, be in the same case as once you were (supposing that
you were converted since you had the use of reason and me-
mory), or at least as you see the ungodly world still lie in.
3. And let me add this : commonly those that have the
highest passionate joys, have the saddest lives ; for they
have withal, the most passionate fears and sorrows. Mark
it, whether you find not this prove true. And it is partly
from God's will in his dispensations ; partly from their own
necessities, who after their exaltations do usually need a
prick in the flesh, and a minister of satan tin buffet them, lest
132 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
they be exalted above measure ; and partly, and most com-
monly it is from the temperature of their bodies. Weak,
passionate women, of moveable spirits and strong affections ,
when they love, they love violently, and when they rejoice,
especially in such cases, they have most sensible joys, and
when any fears arise, they have most terrible sorrows. I
know it is not so with all of that sex ; but mark the same
people that usually have the highest joys, and see whether
at other times they have not the greatest troubles. This
week they are as at the gates of heaven, and the next as at
j^ the doors of hell : I am sure, with many it is so. Yet it
need not be so, if Christians would but look at these high
joys as duties to be endeavoured, and mercies to be valued ;
but when they will needs judge of their state by them, and
think that God is gone from them or forsaken them, when
they have not such joys, then it leaves them in terror and
amazement. Like men after a flash of lightning, that are
left more sensible of the darkness. For no wise man can
expect that such joys should be a Christian's ordinary state;
or God should so diet us with a continual feast. It would
neither suit with our health, nor the condition of this pil-
grimage. Live therefore on your peace of conscience as
your ordinary diet ; when this is wanting, know that God
appointeth you a fast for your health ; and when you have
a feast of high joys, feed on it and be thankful ; but when
they are taken from you, gape not after them as the disci-
ples did after Christ at his ascension ; but return thankfully
to your ordinary diet of peace. And remember that these
joys, which are now taken from you, may so return again.
However, there is a place preparing for you, where your
s joys shall he full.
Direct. XXII. My next Direction is this, 'Spend more
of your time and care about your duty than about your com-
forts ; and for the exercise and increase of your graces, than
for the discovery of them : and when you have done all that
you can for assurance and comfort, you shall find that it will
^ very much depend on your actual obedience.'
This Direction is of as great importance as any that I
have yet given you; but I shall say but little of it, because
I have spoke of it so fully already in my Book of Rest, Part
iii. Chap. 8 — 11. My reasons for what I here assert are
these: 1. Duty goeth in order of nature and time, before
SPIRITUAL PliACIC AND COMKOJIT. 13.3
comfort, as the precept is before the promise : comfort is
part of the reward, and therefore necessarily supposeth the
duty. 2. Grace makes men both so ingenious and divine, as
to consider God's due as well as their own ; and what they
should do, as well as what they shall have, still remember-
ing that our works cannot merit at God's hands. 3. As we
must have grace before we can know we have it, so ordina-
rily we must have a good measure of grace, before we can
so clearly discern it as to be certain of it. Small things, I
have told you, are next to none, and hardly discernible by
weak eyes. When all ways in the world are tried, it will be
found that there is no way so sure for a doubting soul to be
made certain of the truth of his graces, as to keep them in
action, and get them increased. And it will be found that
there is no one cause of Christians doubting of the truth of
their faith, love, hope, repentance, humility, &c. so great or
80 common as the small degree of these graces. Doth not
the very language of complaining Christians shew this ? One
saith, 'I have no faith ; I cannot believe ; I have no love to
God ; I have no delight in duty.' Another saith, ' I cannot
mourn for sin, my heart was never broken ; I cannot pa-
tiently bear an injury; I have no courage in opposing sin,
&c.' If all these were not in a low and weak degree, men
could not so ordinarily think they had none. A lively,
strong, working faith, love, zeal, courage, &c. would shew
themselves, as do the highest towers, the greatest moun-
tains, the strongest winds, the greatest flames, which will
force an observance by their greatness and effects. 4. Con-
sider also that it is more pleasing to God {o see his people
study him and his will directly, than to spend the first and
chiefest of their studies about the attaining of comforts to
themselves. 5. And it is the nature of grace to tend first
and chiefly toward God ; and but secondarily to be the evi-
dence of our own happiness. We have faith given us prin-
cipally that we might believe, and live by it in daily appli-
cations of Christ: we have repentance, that it might
break us off" from sin, and bring us back to God ; we have
love, that we might love God and our Redeemer, his
saints, and laws, and ways ; we have zeal, that we might
be quickened in all our holy duties ; and we have obe-
dience, to keep us in the_ way of duty. The first thing'
we have to do with these graces, is to use them for those*
]34 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
holy ends which their nature doth express : and then the
discerning of them that we may have assurance* followeth
after this both in time and dignity. 6. And it is a matter
of far greater concernment to ourselves to seek.after the ob-
taining of Christ and grace, than after the certain knowledge
that we have them. You may be saved though you never
get assurance here, but you cannot be saved without Christ
and grace. God hath not made assurance the condition of
your salvation. It tends indeed exceedingly to your com-
fort, and a precious mercy it is ; but your safety lieth not on
it. It is better to go sorrowful and doubting to heaven, than
comfortably to hell. First therefore ask what is the condi-
tion of salvation and the way to it, and then look that you
do your best to perform it, and to go that way, and then try
your performance in its season. 7. Besides, as it is a work
of far greater moment, so also of quicker dispatch, to believe
and love Christ truly, than to get assurance that you do
truly believe and love him. You may believe immediately,^
(by the help of God's grace,) but getting assurance of it
may be the work of a great part of your life. Let me there-
fore entreat this one thing of you, that when you feel the
want of any grace, you would not presently bend all your
thoughts upon the inquiry, whether it be true or no ; but
rather say to yourself, ' I see trying is a great and difficult,
a long and tedious work : I may be this many years about
it, and possibly be unresolved still. If I should conclude
that I have no grace, I may be mistaken ; and so I may if I
think that I have it. I may inquire of friends and ministers
long, and yet be left in doubt ; it is therefore my surest way
to seek presently to obtain it, if 1 have it not, and to in-
crease it if I have it. And I am certain none of that labour
will be lost ; to get more is the way to know I have it.'
But perhaps you will say, * How should I get more grace ?
That is a business of greater difficulty than so.' I answer.
Understand what I told you before, that as the beginning of
grace is in your understanding, so the heart and life of it is
in your will ; and the affections and passionate part are but
the fruits and branches. If therefore your grace be weak,
it is chiefly in an unwillingness to yield to Christ, and his
word and Spirit. Now, how should an unwilling soul be
made willing? Why thus, 1. Pray constantly as you are
able, for a willing mind, and yielding, inclinable heart to
SPIRITUAL IMCACE AND COMFORT. 135
Christ. 2. Hear constantly those preachers that bend their
doctrine to inform your understanding of the great necessity
and excellency of Christ, and grace, and glory ; and to per-
suade the will with the most forcible arguments. A per-
suading, quickening ministry, that helps to excite your
graces, and draw up your heart to Christ, is more useful than
they that spend most of their time to persuade you of
your sincerity, and give you comfort. 3. But especially lay
out your thoughts more in the most serious considerations
of those things which tend to breed and feed those particu-
lar graces which you would have increased. Objects and
moving reasons kept much upon the mind by serious
thoughts, are the great engine appointed both by nature and
by grace, to turn about the soul of man. Thoughts are to
your soul, as taking in the air, and meat and drink to your
body. Objects considered, do turn the soul into their own
nature. Such as are the things that you most think and con-
sider of (I mean in pursuance of them), such will you be
yourself. Consideration, frequent serious consideration, i»
God's great instrument to convert the soul, and to confirm
it ; to get grace, and to keep it, and increase it. If any soul
perish for want of grace, it is ten to one it is mainly for
want of frequent and serious consideration. That the most
of us do languish under such weaknesses, and attain to
small degrees of grace, is for want of sober, frequent consi-
deration. We know not how great things this would do, if
it were but faithfully managed. This then is my advice,
wh^n you feel so great a want of faith and love (for those be
the main graces for trial and use,) that you doubt whether
you have any or none, lay by those doubting thoughts awhile,
and presently go and set yourself to consider of God's truth,
goodness, amiableness, and kindheartedness to miserable,
unworthy sinners : think what he is in himself, and what he
is to you, and what he hath done for you, and what he will
do for you if you do but consent. And then think of the
vanity of all the childish pleasures of this world ; how soon,
and in how sad a case they will leave us ; and what silly,
contemptible things they are, in comparison of the ever-
lasting glory of the saints ! By that time you have warmed
your soul a little with such serious thoughts, you will find
your faith and love revive, and begin to stir and work within
you ; and then you will feel that you have faith and lore.
136 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KKErl'ING
Only remember what I told you before, that the heart and
soul of saving faith and love (supposing a belief that the
Gospel is true,) is all in this one act of willingness and con-
sent to have Christ as he is offered. Therefore if you doubt
of your faith and love, it is your own willingness that you
doubt of, or else you know not what you do. Now me •
thinks, if you took but a sober view of the goodness of God,
and the glory of heaven on one side, and of the silly, empty,
worthless world on the other side ; and then ask your heart
which it will choose ; and say to yourself, * O my soul,
the God of glory offers thee thy choice of dung and vanity
for a little time, or of the unconceivable joys of heaven for
ever: which wilt thou choose?' I say, methinks the an-
swer" of your own soul should presently resolve you, that
you do believe, and that you love God above this present
world! For if you can choose him before the world, then
you are more willing of him than the world : and if he have
more of your will, for certain he hath more of your faith and
love. Use, therefore, instead of doubting of your faith, to
believe till you put it out of doubt. And if yet you doubt,
study God, and Christ, and glory yet better, and keep those
objects by consideration close to your heart, whose nature
is to work the heart to faith and love. For certainly ob-
jects have a mighty power on the soul ; and certainly God,
and Christ, and grace, and glory, are mighty objects; as
able to make a full and deep impression on man's soul, as
any in the world ; and if they work not, it is not through
any imperfection in them, but because they be not well ap-
plied, and by consideration held upon the heart, that they
may work. Perhaps you will say, that meditation is too
hard a work for you, and that your memory is so weak that
you want matter to meditate upon ; or if you do meditate on
these, yet you feel no great motion or alteration on your
heart. To this I answer ; if you want matter, take the help
of some book that will afibrd you matter ; and if you want
life in meditation, peruse the most quickening writings you
can get. If you have not better at hand, read over (and se-
riously consider as you read it,) those passages in the end of
my Book of Rest, which direct you in the exercises of these
graces, and give you some matter for your meditation to
^ork upon : and remember, that if you can increase the re-»
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 1.37
solved choice of your will, you increase your love, though
you feel not those affectionate workings that you desire.
Let me ask you now whether you have indeed taken this
course in your doubtings ? If not, how unwisely have you
done. Doubting is no cure, but actual believing and lov-
ing is a cure. If faith and love were things that you would
fain get, but cannot, then you had cause enough to fear, and
to lie down and rise in trouble of mind from one year to
another. But it is no such matter ; it is so far from being
beyond your reach or power to have these graces, though
you would, that they themselves are nothing else but your
very willingness ; at least your willingness to have Christ,
is both your faith and love. It may be said therefore to be
in the power of your will, which is nothing else but that ac-
tual willingness which you have already. If therefore you
are unwilling to have him, what makes you complain for
want of the sense of his presence, and the assurance of his
love, and the graces of his Spirit, as you frequently do ? It
is strange to me, that people should make so many com-
plaints to God and men, and spend so many sad hours in
fears and trouble, and all for want of that which they would
not have. If you be not willing, be willing now. If you
say you cannot, do as I have before directed you. One
hour's sober, serious thoughts of God and the world, of
Christ and satan, of sin and holiness, of heaven and hell,
and the differences of them, will do very much to make
you willing. Yet mistake me not ; though I say you may
have Christ if you will, and faith and love if you will, and
no man can truly say, * I would be glad to have Christ (as
he is offered) but cannot;' yet this gladness, consent^ or
willingness which I mention, is the effect of the special
work of the Spirit, and was not in your power before yoii
had it ; nor is it yet so in your power as to believe, without
God's further help. But he that hath made you willing,
will not be wanting to maintain your willingness. Though
1 will say to any man. You may have Christ if you will ; yet
I will say to no man, You can be willing of yourself, or
without the special grace of God.
Nay, let me further ask ; Have not you darkened, bu-
ried, or weakened your graces, instead of exercising and in-
creasing them, even then when you comj)lained for want of
138 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
assurance of them ? When you found a want of faith and
love, have not you weakened them more, and so made theni
less discernible ? Have you not fed your unbelief, and dis-
puted for your doubtings, and taken satan's part against
yourself; and (which is far worse) have you never, through
these doubtings, entertained hard thoughts of God, and pre-
sented him to your soul, as unwilling to shew you mercy,
and in an unlovely, dreadful, hideous shape, fitter to affright
you from him, than to draw you to him and likelier to pro-
voke your hatred than your love ? If you have not done
thus, I know too many troubled souls that have. And if
you have, you have taken a very unlikely way to get assur-
ance. If you would have been certain that you loved God
in sincerity, you should have laboured to love him more,
till you had been certain ; and that you might do so, you
should have kept better thoughts of God in your mind.
You will hardly love him while you think of him as evil, or
at least as hurtful to you. Never forget this rule which I
laid you down in the beginning, that. He that will ever love
God, must apprehend him to be good. And the more large
and deep are our apprehensions of his goodness, the more
will be our love. For such as God appears to be to men's
fixed conceivings, such will their affections be to him. For
the fixed, deep conceptions, or apprehensions of the mind,
do lead about the ^ul, and guide the life.
I conclude therefore with this important and importu-
nate request to you, that. Though it be a duty necessary in
its time and place, to examine ourselves concerning our
sincerity, in our several graces and duties to God ; yet be
sure that the first and far greater part of your time, and
pains, and care, and inquiries, be for the getting and in-
creasing of your grace, than for the discerning it ; and to
perform your duty rightly, than to discern your right per-
formance. And when you confer with ministers, or others,
that may teach you, see that you ask ten times at least,
' How should 1 get or increase my faith, my love to Christ,
arid to his people V For once that you ask, ' How shall I
know that I believe or love V Yet so contrary hath been,
and still is, the practice of most Christians among us in this
point, that I have heard it twenty times asked, * How shall
I know that 1 truly love the brethren ?' For once that 1
have heard it demanded, ' How should I bring my heart to
SPIRITUAL riiACli AND t;OMFuRT. VM)
love them better V And the like 1 may say of love to Christ
himself.
I should next have spoke of the second part of the Di-
rection, How much our assurance and comfort will still de-
pend on our actual obedience. But this will fall in in hand-
ling the two or three next following Directions.
Direct. XXIII. My next advice is this, ' Think not those
doubts and troubles of mind, which are caused and con-
tinued by wilful disobedience, will ever be well healed but
by the healing of that disobedience ; or that the same
means must be used, and will suffice to the cure of such
troubles ; which must, be used, and will suffice to cure the
troubles of a tender conscience, and of an obedient Chris-
tian, whose trouble is merely through mistakes of their con-
dition.'
I will begin with the latter part of this Direction. He that
is troubled upon mere mistakes, may be quieted upon the
removal of them. If he understood not the universal extent,
of Christ's satisfaction, or of the covenant or conditional
grant of Christ and life in him ; and if upon this he be trou-
bled, as thinking that he is not included, the convincing
him of his error may suffice to the removal of his trouble.
If he be troubled through his mistaking the nature of true
faith, or true love, or other graces, and so think that he
hath them not, when he hath them, the discovery of his er-
ror may be the quieting of his soul. The soul that is trou-
bled upon such mistakes, must be tenderly dealt with.
Much more they that are disquieted by groundless fears, or
too deep apprehensions of the wrath or justice of God, of
the evil of sin, and of their unworthiness, and for want of
fuller apprehensions of the lovingkindness of God, and the
tender, compassionate nature of Christ. We can scarce
handle such souls too gently. God would have all to be
tenderly dealt with, that are tender of displeasing and dis-
honouring him by sin. God's own language may teach all
ministers what language we should use to such, Isa. Ivii.
15 — 21. " Thus saith the high and lofty One, that inhabit-
eth eternity, whose name is Holy ; I dwell in the high and
holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble
spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the
lieart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend for ever,
neither will I be always wrath. For the spirit should fail
before me, and the souls which I have made, &c. But the
140 DIRECTIONS FOR GKTTING ANH KEEPING
wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose
waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my
God, to the wicked." Much more tender language may
such expect from Christ in the Gospel, where is contained a
fuller revelation of his grace. If Mary, a poor, sinful wo-
man, lie weeping at his feet, and washing them with her
tears, he hath not the heart to spurn her away ; but openly
proclaims the forgiveness of her many sins. As soon as
ever the heart of a sinner is turned from his sins, the heart
of Christ is turned to him. The very sum of all the Gospel
is contained in those precious words, which fully express
this : " Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy la-
den, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and
learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart ; and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light ;" Matt. xi. 28 — 30. When the prodi-
gal (Luke xi. 20.), doth once come home to his father, with
sorrow and shame, confessing his unworthiness, yea, but re-
solved to confess it ; his father preventeth him, and sees
him afar off, and stays not his coming, but runs and meets
him. And when he comes to him, he doth not upbraid him
with his sins, nor say. Thou rebel, why hast thou forsaken
me, and preferred harlots and luxury before me ? Nay, he
doth not so much as frown upon him, but compassionately
falls on his neck and kisseth him. Alas, God knows that a
poor sinner in this humbled, troubled case, hath burden
enough on his back already, and indeed more than he is able
of himself to bear. The sense of his own sinful folly and
misery is burden enough. If God should add to this his
frowns and terrors, and should spurn at a poor sinner that
lies prostrate at his feet, in tears or teirors, who then should
be able to stand before him, or to look him in the face ?
But he will not break the bruised reed ; he will not make
heavier the burden of a sinner. He calls them to come to
him for ease and rest, and not to oppress them, or kill them
with terrors. We have not a king like Rehoboam, that will
multiply our pressures ; but one whose office it is to break
our yokes, and loose our bonds, and set us free. When he
was a preacher himself on earth, you may gather what doc-
trine he preached by his text, which he chos6 at one of his
hrst public sermons ; which, as you may find in Luke iv.
18, 19. was this, " The Spirit of the Lord is upon rae, be-
cause he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to tlie poorj
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 141
he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted ; to preach de-
liverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised ; to preach the
acceptable year of the Lord." O if a poor, bruised, wound-
ed soul, had but heard this sermon from his Saviour's own
mouth, what heart-meltings would it have caused ? What
pangs of love would it have raised in him? You would sure
have believed then that the Lord is gracious, when " all (that
heard him) bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious
words that proceeded out of his mouth ;" Luke iv. 22. I
would desire no more for the comfort of such a soul, than
to see such a sight, and feel such a feeling as the poor pe-
nitent prodigal did, when he found himself in the arms of
his father, and felt the kisses of his mouth, and was sur-
prised so unexpectedly with such a torrent of love. The
soul that hath once seen and felt this, would never sure
have such hard and doubtful thoughts of God, except
through ignorance they knew not whose arms they were
that thus embraced them, or whose voice it was that thus
bespoke them ; or unless the remembrance of it were gone
out of their minds. You s^e then what is God's own lan-
guage to humbled penitents, and what is the method of his
dealings with them ; and such must be the language and
dealing of his ministers : they must not wound when Christ
would heal ; nor make sad the heart that Christ would com-
fort,' and would not have made sad ; Ezek. xiii.22.
But will this means serve turn, or must the same course
be taken to remove the sorrows of the wilfully disobedient?
No : God takes another course himself, and prescribes ano-
ther course to his ministers ; and requires another course from
the sinner himself. But still remember who it is that I
speak of: it is not the ordinary, unavoidable infirmities of
the saints that 1 speak of; such as they cannot be rid of,
though they fain would; such as Paul speaks of, Rom. vii.
19. "The good that I would do, I do not:" and "when I
would do good, evil is present with me." And Gal. v. 17.
" The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, 8cc. so that we can-
not do the things that we would." A true Christian would
love God more perfectly, and delight in him more abundant-
ly, and bring every thought in subjection to his will, and
subdue the very remnants of carnal concupiscence, that
there should be no stirringsof lust or unjust anger, or world-
142 UIllfiCTIONS FOR GETTING A^'D KEEPING
ly desires, or pride within him; and that no vain word might
pass his lips : all this he would do, but he cannot. Striv-
ing against these unavoidable infirmities, is conquering.
But though we cannot keep under every motion of con-
cupiscence, we can forbear the execution. Anger will stir
upon provocations ; but we may restrain it in degree, that it
set us not in a flame, and do not much distemper or discom-
pose our minds. And we can forbid our tongues all raging,
furious, or abusive words in our anger ; all cursing, swearing,
or reproachful speaking. If an envious thought against one
brother do arise incur hearts, because he is preferred before
us, we may hate it ?nd repress it, and chide our hearts for it,
and command our tongues to speak well of him, and no evil.
Some pride and self-esteem will remain and be stirring in
us, do what we can, it is a sin so deeply rooted in our cor-
rupt natures. But yet we can detest it, and resist it, and
meet with abhorrence of our self-conceited thoughts, and
rejoicings in our own reputations and fame, and inward
heart-risings against those that undervalue us, and stand in
the way of our repute ; and we may forbear our boasting
language, and our contestings for our credit, and our ex-
cuses of our sins, and our backbitings and secret defaming
of those that cross us in the way of credit. We may forbear
our quarrels, and estrangements, and dividings from our
brethren, and stiff insisting on our own conceits, and expect-
ing that others should make our judgments their rule, and
say and do as we would have them, and all dance after our
pipe; all which are the effects of inward pride. We cannot,
while we are on earth, be free from all inordinate love of
the world, and the riches and honours of it; but we may so
watch against it and repress it, as that it shall neither be
preferred before God, nor draw us to unlawful ways of gain,
by lying, deceit, and overreaching our brethren ; by steal-
ing, unjust or unmerciful dealings, oppressing the poor, and
insulting over those that are in the way of our thriving,
and crushing them that would hinder our aspiring designs,
and treading them down that will not bow to us, and taking-
revenge of them that have crossed or disparaged us, or cru-
elly exacting all our rights and debts of the poor, and
squeezing the purses of subjects or tenants, or those that we
bargain with, like a sponge, as long as any thing will come
out. Yea, we may so far subdue our love of the world, as
SPIKITUAL PEACJi AND COMIPeiTT. 143
that it shall not hinder us from being merciful to the poor,
compassionate to our servants and labourers, and bountiful
to our power in doing good works ; nor yet shut out God's
service from our families and closets ; nor rob him of our
frequent, affectionate thoughts, especially on the Lord's day.
So for sensuality, or the pleasing of our flesh more immedi-
ately ; we shall never on earth be wholly freed from inordi-
nate motions, and temptations, and fleshly desires, and ur-
gent inclinations and solicitations to forbidden things. But
yet we may restrain our appetite by reason, so far that it
brings us not to gluttony and drunkenness, and a studying
for our bellies, and pampering of our flesh, or a taking care
for it, and making provision to satisfy its lusts ; Rom.xiii.
14. We may forbear the obeying it, in excess of apparel,
in indecent, scandalous, or time-wasting recreations, in un-
cleanness, or unchaste speeches or behaviour, or the reading
of amorous books and sonnets, or feeding our eyes or
thoughts on filthy or enticing objects, or otherwise wilfully
blowing the fire of lust. So also for the performance of du-
ty. We shall never in this life be able to bear or read so
diligently, and understandingly, or affectionately, as we
would do ; nor to remember or profit by what we hear, as
we desire. But yet we can bring ourselves to the congre-
gation, and not prefer our ease, or business, or any vain
thing before God's word and worship, or loathe or despise it,
because of some weakness in the speaker. And we may in
a great measure restrain our thoughts from wandering, and
force ourselves to attend ; and labour when we come home
to recal it to mind. We cannot call on God so fervently,
believingly, or delightfully, as we would ; but yet we may
do it as sincerely as we can, and do it constantly. We
cannot instruct our children and servants, and reprove or
exhort our neighbours, with that boldness, or love, and com-
passion, and discretion, and meet expressions, as we would ;
but yet we may do it faithfully and frequently as we are
able.
So that you may see in all this, what sin it is that Paul
speaks of, Rom. vii. when he saith. When he would do good,
evil is present with him ; and that he is led captive to the
law of sin, and serves the law of sin with his flesh. And
Gal.iv. 17. when he saith, "We cannot do the things that
we would," he speaks not of wilful sinning or gross sin, but
144 DIRECTIONS FOR OF-TTING AM) KEEPING
of unavoidable infirmities ; whereby also we are too often
drawn into a committing of many sins which we might
avoid (for so the best do).
And because you may often read and hear of sins of in-
firmity, as distinguished from other sins, let me here give
you notice, that this w^ord may be taken in several senses,
and that there are three several sorts of infirmity in the godly.
1 . There are those sins which a man cannot avoid though
he would ; which are in the gentlest sense called sins of in-
firmity. Here note, 1. That Adam had none such. 2. And
that the reason of them is, because, 1. Our reason which
should direct, and our wills themselves which should com-
mand, are both imperfect. 2. And our faculties that should
be commanded and directed, are by sin grown impotent and
obstinate, and have contracted a rebelling, disobedient dis-
position. 3. And that degree of grace, which the best at-
, tain to in this life, is not such as wholly to overcome either
the imperfection of the guiding and commanding faculty, or
the rebellion of the obeying faculties : otherwise if our own
wills were perfect, and the rebellion of the inferior faculties
cured, no man could then say, ' The good that I would, I do
not, and the evil that I would not, that I do.' For the will
would so fully command, that all would obey, and itself
being perfect, all would be perfect. And therefore in hea-
ven it is and will be so.
I know philosophers conclude, that all acts of the infe-
rior faculties are but acts commanded by the will ; it should
be so I confess. It is the office of the will to command, and
the understanding to direct, and the rest to obey. But in
our state of sinful imperfection, the soul is so distempered
and corrupted, that the will cannot fully rule those faculties
that it should rule ; so that it may be said, ' I would forbear
sin, but cannot.' For, 1. The understanding is become a
dark, imperfect director. 2. The will is become an imper-
fect receiver of the understanding's directions ; yea, an op-
poser, as being tainted with the neighbourhood of a distem-
pered sense. 3. When the will is rectified by grace, it is
but in part; and therefore when Paul, or any holy man
saith, * I would do good,' and * I would not do evil,' they
mean it not of a perfect willingness, but of a sincere ; to wit,
that this is the main bent of their will, and the resolved pre-
valent act of it is for good. 4. When the will doth com-
SPIRITUAL PEA«'E AND COMti-ORT. H.'i
tnand, yet the commanded faculties do refuse to obey,
through an unfitness of impotency and corruption. 1. The
will hath but an imperfect command of the understanding.
(I mean as to the exercise of the act, in which respect it
commandeth it, and not as to the specification of the act.)
A man may truly and strongly desire to know more, and
apprehend things more clearly, and yet cannot. 2. The
will hath but an imperfect command of the fancy or thoughts ;
so that a man may truly say, * I would think more frequently^
more intensely, and more orderly of good, and less of vanity,
and yet I cannot.' For objects and passions may force the
fancy and cogitations in some degree. 3. The will hath but
an imperfect command of the passions ; so that a man may
truly say, ' I would not be troubled, or afraid, or grieved, or
disquieted, or angry, but 1 cannot choose, and I would
mourn more for sin, and be more afraid of sinning, and of
God's displeasure, and more zealous for God, and more de-
lighted in him, and joy more in holy things, but I cannot.'
For these passions lie so open to the assault of objects,
(having the senses for their inlet, and the moveable spirits
for their seat or instruments) that even when the will com-
mands them one way, an object may force them in part
against the will's command, as we find sensibly in cases of
fear, and sorrow or anger, which we can force a man to whe-
ther he will or no. And if there be no contradicting object,
yet cannot the will excite these passions to what height it
shall command ; for their motion depends as much (and
more) on the lively manner of representing the object, and
the working nature and weight of the object represented,
and upon the heat and mobility of the spirits, and tempera-
ture of the body, as upon the command of the will. 4. Much
less can the will command out all vicious habits, and sen-
sual or corrupt inclinations ; and therefore a true Christian
may well say in respect of these, that he would be more
holy, heavenly, and disposed to good, and less to evil, but
he cannot. 5. As for complacency and displacency, liking
or disliking, love and hatred, so far as they are passions, I
have spoke of them before : but so far as they are the imme-
diate acts of the will (willing and nilling) they are not pro-
perly said to be commanded by it, but elicited, or acted by
it ; (wherein, how far it hath power is a most noble ques-
VOL. IX. L
146 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
tioQ» but unfit for this place or your capacity.) And thus
you see that there are many acts of the soul, beside habits,
which the will cannot now perfectly command, and so a
Christian cannot be what he would be, nor do the things
that he would. And these are the first sort of sins of infir-
mity.
If you say, 'Sure these can be no sins, because we are
not willing; of them, and there is no more sin than there is
will in it;' I answer, 1. We were in Adam willing of that
sin which caused them. 2. We are in some degree inclin-
ing in our wills to sin, though God have that prevalent part
and determination, which in comparative cases doth denom-
inate them. 3. The understanding and will may be most
heinously guilty where they do not consent, in that they do
not more strongly dissent, and more potently and rulingly
command all the subject faculties ; and so a negation of the
will's act, or of such a degree of it as is necessary to the re-
giment of the sensual part, is a deep guilt and great offence ;
and it may be said, that there is will in this sin. It is mo-
rally or reputatively voluntary, though not naturally ; be-
cause the will doth not its ofiice when it should : as a man
is guilty of voluntary murder of his own child, that stands
by and seeth his servant kill him, and doth not do his best
to hinder him. I would this were better understood by
some divines ; for I think that the commonest guilt of the
reason and will in our actual sins, is by omission of the ex-
ercise of their authority to hinder it ; and that most sins are
more brutish, as to the true efficient cause, than many ima-
gine ; and yet they are human or moral acts too, and the
soul nevertheless guilty ; because the commanding faculties
performed not their office, and so are the moral or imputative
causes, and so the great culpable causes of the fact. But
I am drawn nearer to philosophy and points beyond your
reach than I intended ; a fault that I must be still resisting
in all my writings, being upon every occurring difficulty
carried to forget my subject, and the capacity of the mean-
est to whom I write : but what you understand not, pass
over, and go to the next.
The second kind of sins of infirmity, are. The smaller
sort of sins, which we may forbear if we will ; that is. If we
be actually, though not perfectly, yet prevalently willing ;
or if our will be determined to forbear them ; or if the chief
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 147
part of the will actually be fof such forbearance. The first
sort are called sins of infirmity in an absolute sense. These
last, I call sins of infirmity in both an absolute and com-
parative sense : that is, both as they proceed from our in-
ward corruption, which through the weakness of the soul
having but little grace, is not fully restrained, and also as it
is compared with gross sins : and so we may call idle words,
and rash expressions in our haste, and such like, sins of in-
firmity, in comparison of murder, perjury, or the like gross
sins, which we commonly call crimes or wickedness, when
the former we use to call but faults. These infirmities are
they which the Papists (and some learned divines of our
own, as Rob. Baronius in his excellent tractate " Depeccat.
Mortali et Veniali,") do call venial sins ; some of them in a
fair and honest sense, viz. Because they are such sins as a.
true Christian may live and die in, though not unrepented
or unresisted, yet not subdued so far as to forsake or cease
from the practice of them, and yet they are pardoned. But
other Papists call them venial sins in a wicked sense, as if
they needed no pardon, and deserved not eternal punish-
ment. (And why should they call them venial if they need
not pardon?) A justified man liveth in the daily practice
of some vain thoughts, or the frequent commission of some
other sins, which by his utmost diligence he might restrain;
but he liveth not in the frequent practice of adultery, drun-
kenness, falsewitnessing, slandering, hating his brother, 8cc.
Yet observe, that though the forementioned lesser sins
are called infirmities, in regard of the matter of them, yet
they may be so committed in regard of the end and manner
of them, as may make them crimes or gross sins. As for
example, if one should use idle words wilfully, resolvedly,
without restraint, reluctance or tenderness of conscience,
this were gross sinning ; or the nearer it comes to this, and
the more wilfulness, or neglect, or evil ends there is in the
smallest forbidden action, the worse it is, and the grosser.
And observe (of which more anon) that the true bounds or
difference between gross sins, and those lesser faults, which
we call infirmities, cannot be given ; (I think by any man, I
am sure not by me,) either as to the act itself, to say, j ust what
acts are gross sins, and what not ; or else as to the manner
of committing them; as to say, just how much of the will
rowBt go to make a gross sin; or just how far a man may
148 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
proceed in the degree of evil intents ; or how far in the fre-
quency of sinning, before it must be called a gross sin.
3. The third sort of sins, which may be called sins of in-
firmity, are these last mentioned gross sins themselves, so
far as they are found in the regenerate : these are gross sins
put in opposition to the former sort of infirmities ; but our
divines use to call them all sins of infirmity, in opposition to
the sins of unbelievers, who are utterly unholy. And they
call them sins of infirmity, 1. Because the person that com-
mitteth them is not dead in sins, as the unregenerate are, but
only^diseased, wounded and infirm. 2. Because that they
are not committed with so full consent of will, as those of
the unregenerate are ; but only after much striving, or at
least contrary to habitual resolutions, though not against
actual.
Here we are in very great diflBculties, and full of contro-
versies : some say, that these gross sins do extinguish true
grace, and are inconsistent with it : and that David and
Peter were out of the state of grace till they did again re-
pent. Others say, that they were in the state of grace, and
not at all so liable to condemnation, but that if they had
died in the act, they had been saved, because " there is no
condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus ;" and that
therefore all the sins of believers are alike sins of infirmity,
pardoned on the same terms : and therefore as a rash word
may be pardoned without a particular repentance, so possi-
bly may these gross sins. To others this seems dangerous
and contrary to Scripture, and therefore they would fain
find out a way between both ; but how to do it clearly and
satisfactorily is not easy (at least to me, who have been long
upon it, but am yet much in the dark in it). I think it is
plain that such persons are not totally unsanctified by their
sin ; I believe that Christ's interest is habitually more in
their wills than is the intefest of the flesh or world, at that
very time when they are sinning, and so Christ's interest is
least as to their actual willing ; and so sin prevaileth for that
time against the act of their faith and love, but not wholly
against the prevalent part of the habit. And therefore when
the shaking wind of that stormy temptation is over, the soul
will return to Christ by repentance, love and renewed
obedience. But then to know what state he is relatively in
this while, as to his justification, and reconciliation, and
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFOUT. 149
right to glory, is the point of exceeding difficulty . Whether
as we distinguish of habitual faith, and love, and obedience,
which he hath not lost ; and actual, which he hath lost ; so
we must make some answerable distinction of justification
(habitual and actual it cannot be) into virtual justification
which he hath not lost, and actual justification which he
hath lost : or into plenary justification (which he hath not)
and imperfect justification, wanting a further act to make it
plenary (which may remain). But still it will be more difli-
cult to shew punctually what this imperfect or virtual justi-
fication is : and most difficult to shew, whether with the
loss of actual plenary justification, and the loss of a plenary
right to heaven, a man's salvation may consist; that is,
whether if he should die in that condition, he should be
saved or condemned? Or if it be said, that he shall cer-
tainly repent, 1. Yet such a supposition may be put, while
he yet repenteth not ; for the inquiry into his state, how far
there is any intercession of his justification, pardon, adop-
tion or right to salvation? 2. And whether it can fully be
proved that it is impossible (or that which never was or shall
be) for a regenerate man to die in the very act of a gross sin
(as self-murder or the like) ? For my part I think God hath .
purposely left us here in the dark, that we may not be too
bold in sinning, but may know that- whether the gross sins
of believers be such as destroy their justification and the
right to glory, prevalently or not, yet certainly they leave
them in the dark, as to any certainty of their justification or
salvation.
And then more dark is it and impossible to discover,
how far a man may go in these grosser sins, and yet have
the prevalent habits of grace. As to the former question
about the intercession of justification, I am somewhat in-
clinable to think, that the habit of faith hath more to do in
our justification than I have formerly thought, and may as
properly be said to be the condition as the act : and that as
long as a man is (in a prevalent degree) habitually a be-
liever, he is not only imperfectly and virtually justified, but
so far actually justified, that he should be saved, though he
were cut off before he actually repent : and that he being
already habitually penitent, having a hatred of all sin as
sin, should be saved if mere want of opportunity do prevent
the act : and that only those sins do bring a man into a
160 DIRECTIONS FOR GKTTING AND KEEPING
state of condemnation, prove him in such, which consist
not with the habitual preeminence of Christ's interest in our
souls, above the interest of the flesh and world ; and that
David's and Peter's were such as did consist with the pre-
eminence of Christ's interest in the habit. But withal, that
such gross sins must needs be observable, and so the soul
that is guilty doth ordinarily know its guilt, yea, and think
of it: and that it is inconsistent with this habitual repen-
tance, not to repent actually as soon as time is afforded,
and the violence of passion so far allayed, as that the soul
may recollect itself, and reason have its free use : and that
he that hath this leisure and opportunity for the free use of
reason, and yet doth not repent, it is a sign that the interest
of the flesh is habitually as well as actually stronger than
Christ's interest in him. I say, in this doubtful case, I am
most inclining to judge thus : but as I would have no man
take this as my resolved judgment, much less a Certain
truth, and least of all, to venture on sin and impenitency
ever the more for such a doubtful opinion, which doth not
conclude him to be certainly unjustified ; so I am utterly
ignorant both how long sensual passions may possibly rage,
and keep the soul from sober consideration ; or how far they
may interpose in the very time of consideration, and frus-
trate it, and prevail against it, and so keep the sinner from
actual repenting, or at least, from a full ingenuous acknow-
ledgment and bewailing of the sin, which is necessary to
full repentance ; and how long repentance may be so far
stifled, as to remain only in some inward grudgings of con-
science, and trouble of mind, hindered from breaking out
into free confession (which seemeth to have been David's
case long). Nay, it is impossible to know just how long a
man may live in the very practice of such gross sin, before
Christ's habitual interest above the flesh be either over-
thrown, or proved not to be there ; and how oft a man that
hath true grace may commit such sins : these things are un-
discernible, besides that none can punctually define a gross
sin, so as to exclude every degree of infirmities, and include
every degree of such gross sin.
Perhaps you will marvel why I run so far in this point :
it is both to give you as much light as I can, what sins they
be which be to be called infirmiticjs, and so what sins tliey
be that do forbid that gentle, comforting way of cure, when
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. ' ' 151
the soul is troubled for them, which must be used vrith
those that are troubled more than needs, or upon mistakes ;
and also to convince you of this weighty truth. That our
comfort, yea, and assurance, hath a great dependance on
our actual obedience : yea, so great, that the least obedient
sort of sincere Christians cannot by ordinary means have
any assurance : and the most obedient (if other necessaries
concur) will have the most assurance : and for the middle
sort, their assurance will rise or fall, ordinarily with their
obedience, so that there is no way to comfort such offending
Christians, but by reducing them to fuller obedience by
faith and repentance, that so the evidences of their justifica-
tion may be clear, and the great impediments of their assur-
ance and comfort be removed.
This I will yet make clearer to you by its reasons, and
then tell you how to apply it to yourself.
1. No man can be sure of his salvation or justification,
but he that is sure of his true faith and love. And no man
can be sure of his true faith and love, but he that is sure of
the sincerity of his obedience. For true faith doth ever
take God for our great Sovereign, and Christ for our Lord
Redeemer, and containeth a covenant-delivery of a man's
self to God and the Redeemer, to be ruled by him, as a sub-
ject, child, servant and spouse. This is not done sincerely
and savingly, unless there be an actual and habitual resolu-
tion to obey God and the Redeemer, before all. creatures,
and against all temptations that would draw us from him.
Td obey Christ a little and the flesh more, is no true
obedience : if the flesh can do more with us to draw us to
sift, than faith and obedience do to keep us from sin, ordi-
narily, this is no true faith or obedience. If Christ have
not the sovereignty in the soul, and his interest be not the
most predominant and potent, we are no true believers.
Now it is plain, that the interest of the world and flesh doth
actually prevail, when a man is actually committing a known
sin, and omitting a known duty ; and then it is certain that
habits are known but by the acts. And therefore it must
needs be that the soul that most sinneth, must needs be
most in doubt whether the interest of Christ or the flesh be
predominant, and so whether his obedience be true or no ;
and so whether he did sincerely take Christ for his Sove-
reign : and that is, whether he be a true believer ; for wheh
16'i DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
a man is inquiring into the state of his soul. Whether he do
subject himself to Christ as his only Sovereign; and whe-
ther the authority and love of Christ will do more with him,
than the temptations of the world, flesh and devil : he hath
no way to be resolved T)ut by feeling the pulse of his own
will. And if he say, * I am willing to obey Christ before the
flesh,' and yet do actually live in an obedience to the flesh
before Christ, he is deceived in his own will ; for this is no
saving willingness. A wicked man may have some will to
obey Christ principally ; but having more will to the con-
trary, viz. to please the flesh before Christ, therefore he is
wicked still ; so that you see in our self-examination, the
business is for the most part finally resolved into our sincere
actual obedience. For thus we proceed : we first find. He
that believeth and loveth Christ sincerely, shall be saved.
Then we proceed. He that believeth sincerely taketh Christ
for his Sovereign. Then, He that truly taketh Christ for
his Sovereign, doth truly resolve to obey him and his laws,
before the world, flesh or devil. Then, He that truly resolv-
eth thus to obey Christ before all, doth sincerely perform
his resolution, and doth so obey him. For that is no true
resolution ordinarily, that never comes to performance. And
here we are cast unavoidably to try whether we do perform
our resolutions by actual obedience, before we can sit down
with settled peace ; much more before we get assurance.
j>row those that are diligent and careful in obeying, and
haye greatest conquest over their corruptions, and do most
seldom yield to temptations, but do most notably and fre-
quently conquer them, these have the clearest discovery of
the performance of their resolutions by obedience, and
consequently the fullest assurance : but they that are often-
est overcome by temptations, and yield most to sin, and
live most disobediently, must needs be furthest from assur-
ance of the sincerity of their obedience, and consequently
of their salvation.
2. God himself hath plainly made our actual obedience,
Rot only a sign of a true faith, but a secondary part of the
condition of our salvation, as promised in the new covenant.
And therefore it is as impossible to be saved without it, as
without faith, supposing that the person have opportunity
to obey, in wiiich case only it is made necessary, as a con-
dition. This 1 will but cite several Sciiptui^s to prove, and
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFOKT. 153
leave you to peruse them if you be unsatisfied ; Rom. viii.
1 — 14. They that are in Christ Jesus, are they that walk
uot after the flesh, but after the Spirit. " If ye live after
the flesh ye shall die, but if ye by the Spirit do mortify the
deeds of the body ye shall live." " Blessed are they that
do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree
of life, and may enter in by the gate into the city ;" Rev.
xxii. 14. " He is become the author of eternal salvation to
all them that obey him ;" Heb. v. 9. " Take my yoke up-
on you, for it is easy, and my burden, for it is light. Learn
of me to be meek and lowly, &c. and ye shall find rest," &c. ;
Matt. xi. 28— 30. Johnxvi.27. Lukexiii.24. Phil. ii. 12-
Rom. ii. 7. 10. John xv. 12. 17. xii.21. Matt. v. 44. Luke
vi.27.35. Prov. viii. 17.21. Matt. x. 37. 1 Tim. vi. 18,19.
2 Tim. ii. 5. 12. Matt.xxv.41,42. James ii. 21— 24.26. i.
22. ii.6. Prov. i. 23. xxviii. 13. Luke xiii. 3.5. Matt.
xii.37- xi. 25,26. vi. 12. 14, 15. 1 John i.9. Acts viii.
22. iii. 19. xxii. 16. Luke vi. 37. 1 Pet. iv. 18. i. 2. 22.
Rom.vi. 16. ; with abundance mote the like. Now when a
poor sinner that hath oft fallen into drunkenness, rail-
ing, strife, envying, &.c. shall read that these are the works
of the flesh, and that for these things' sake the wrath of God
Cometh on the children of disobedience ; and that every
man shall be judged according to his works, and according
to what he hath done in the flesh ; and that they that do
such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God ; it can-
not be but that his assurance of salvation must needs have
so great a dependance on his obedience, as that these sins
will diminish it. When he reads Rom. vi. 16., " His ser-^
vants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death,
or of obedience unto righteousness," he must needs think,
how such a time, and such a time, he obeyed sin ; and the
oftener and the more wilfully he did it, the more doubtful
will his case be ; especially if he be yet in a sinful course,
which he might avoid, whether of gross sin, or any wilful
sin, it cannot be but this will obscure the evidence of his
obedience. Men cannot judge beyond evidence ; and he
that hath not the evidence of his true obedience, hath not
the evidence of the sincerity of his faith.
3. Moreover, assurance and comfort are God's gifts, and
without his gracious aid we cannot attain them. But God
will not give such gifts to his children, while they stand out
154 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
in disobedience, but when they carefully please him. Pa-
ternal justice requires this.
4. And it would do them abundance of hurt, and God
much dishonour, if he should either tell them just how oft,
or how far they may gin, and yet be saved ; or yet should
keep up their peace and comforts, as well in their greatest
disobedience, as in theirtenderest careful walking^ with him.
But these things I spoke of before, and formerly elsewhere.
You see then, that though some obedient, tender Chris-
tians may yet on several occasions be deprived of assurance ;
yet ordinarily no other but they have assurance ; and that
assurance and comfort will rise and fall with obedience.
And for all the Antinomian objections against this, as if
it were a leading men to their own righteousness from Christ,
I refer you to the twenty arguments which I before laid you
down, to prove that we may and must fetch our assurance
and comfort from our own works and graces ; and so from
our own evangelical righteousness, which is subordinate to
Christ's righteousness, (which he speaks of. Matt. xxv. last,
and in forty places more) though we must have no thoughts
of a legal righteousness (according to the law of works or
ceremonies) in ourselves. They may as well say, that a wo-
man doth forsake her husband, because she comforteth her-
self in this, that she hath not forsaken him, or been false
and unchaste, thence gathering that he will not give her a
bill of divorce. Or that a servant forsakes his master, or a
subject his prince, or a parent is forsaken by his child ; be-
cause they comfort themselves in their obedience and loy-
alty, gathering thence that they are not flat rebels, and shall
not be used as rebels. Or that any that enter covenant with
superiors do forsake them, because they comfort themselves
in their keeping covenant, as a sign that the covenant shall
be kept with them: all these are as wise collections, as to
gather, that a man forsakes Christ and his righteousness,
and setteth up his own instead of it, because he looks at his
not forsaking, refusing and vilifying of Christ, his love and
faithful obedience to Christ, as comfortable signs that Christ
will not forsake and reject him. Do these men think that
a rebel may have the love of his prince, and as much com-
fort from him as a loyal subject ? Or a whorish woman have
as much love and comfort from her husband, as a faithful
wife? Or a stubborn, rebellious son or servant have as
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFOKT. 155
much love and comfort from their father or mother us the
dutiful ? If there be so near a relation as hitherto we have
supposed, between a sovereign and subjection to him, and a
husband and marriage-faithfulness to him, and a master and
service to him, and a father and loving obedience to him, it
is strange that men should suppose such a strange opposi-
tion, as these men do. Certainly God doth not so, when he
saith, " If I be a father, where is mine honour ? and if I be
a master where is my fear?" Mal.i.6. And Isaiah i. 3, 4,
" Hear O heavens, and give ear, O earth ; for the Lord hath
spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they
have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and
the ass his master's crib, but Israel doth not know, my peo-
ple doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden
with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrup-
ters, they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the
Holy One of Israel to anger, they are gone away backward."
And Jer. iii. 19. "Thou shalt call me. My father, and shalt
not depart away from me." And 2 Tim. ii. 19. " The Lord
knoweth who are his. And, let him that nametli the name
of Christ depart from iniquity." And Psalm Ixvi. 18. " If
I delight in iniquity, or regard it, God will not hear my
prayers," saith David himself. Doubtless Paul did not for-
sake Christ's righteousness by confidence in his own, when
he saith, "This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our con-
science, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had
our conversation among you ;" 2 Cor. i. 12. with many the
like which I before mentioned. Nor doth the Lord Jesus at
the day of judgment turn men oft' from his righteousness,
when he saith, " Well done, good and faithful servant, be-
cause thou hast been faithful in a very little, I will make
thee ruler over much;" Lukexix. 17. Matt. xxv. 23. and
calls them thereupon righteous, saying, *' And the righteous
shall go into life everlasting ;" Matt. xxv. last.
It remains now that I further acquaint you what use you
should make of this observation, concerning the dependance
of assurance upon actual obedience. And 1. I advise you,
if your soul remain in doubts and troubles, and you cannot
enjoy God in any way of peace and comfort, nor see any
clear evidence of the sincerity of your faith, take a serious
view of your obedience, and faithfully survey your heart and
life, and your daily carriage to God in both. See whether
^ 156 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
there be nothing that provokes God to an unusual jealousy;
if there be, it is only the increase of some carnal interest in
your heart, or else the wilful or negligent falling into some
actual sin, of commission or of omission. In the making of
this search, you have need to be exceeding cautious ; for if
I have any acquaintance with the mystery of this business,
your peace or trouble, comfort or discomfort, will mainly
depend on this. And your care must lie in this point, that
you diligently avoid these two extremes : first. That you do
not deal negligently and unfaithfully with your own soul, at
that labour which you must needs be at before you can know
it. Secondly, That you do not either condemn yourself
when your conscience doth acquit you ; or vex your soul
with needless scruples, or make unavoidable or ordinary in-
firmities to seem such wilful heinous sins, as should quite
break your settled peace. O how narrow is the path be-
tween these two mistaken roads, and how hard a thing, and
how rare is it to find it and to keep in it ! For yourself,
and all tender-conscienced Christians, that are heartily wil-
ling to be ruled by Christ, I would persuade you equally to
beware of both these; because some souls are as inclinable
to the latter extreme as to the former (during their troubles).
But for the most Christians in the world, I would have them
first and principally avoid the former, and that with far
greater diligence than the latter. For, 1. Naturally all men's
hearts are far more prone to deal too remissly, yea, unfaith-
fully with themselves, in searching after their sins, than too
scrupulously and tenderly. The best men have so much
pride and carnal self-love, that it will strongly incline them
to excuse, or mince, or hide their sins, and to think far
lighter and more favourably of it than they should do, be-
cause it is theirs. How was the case altered with Judah
towards Thamar, when he once saw it was his own act !
How was David's zeal for justice allayed, as soon as he
heard, " Thou art the man !" This is the most common
cause why God is fain to hold our eyes on our transgressions
by force, because we are so loath to do it more voluntarily ;
and why he openeth our sin in such crimson and scarlet co-
lours to us ; because we are so apt either to look on thera as
nothing, or to shut our eyes and overlook them: and why
God doth hold us so long on the rack, because we would
still ease ourselves by ingenious excuses and extenuations :
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT, 15?
and why God doth break the skin so oft, and keep open
our wounds ; because we are still healing them by such car-
nal shifts. This proud, sin-excusing 'distemper needs no
other proof or discovery, than our great tenderness and
backwardness in submitting to reproofs : how long do we
excuse sin, and defend our pretended innocency, as long as
we can find a word to say for it. Doth not daily experience
of this sad distemper, even in most of the godly, discovei'
fully to us, that most men (yea naturally all) are far more
prone to overlook their sins, and deal faithlessly and negli-
gently in the trial ; than to be too tender, and to charge
themselves too deep.
Besides, if a Christian be heartily willing to deal impar-
tially, and search to the quick, yet the heart is lamentably
deceitful, that he shall overlook much evil in it, when he
hath done his best. And the devil will be far more indus-
trious to provoke and help you to hide, excuse, and exte-
nuate sin, than to open it, and see it as it is. His endea-
vour to drive poor souls into terrors, is usually but when he
can no longer keep them in presumption. When he can
hide their sin no longer, nor make it seem small, to keep
them in impenitency, then he will make it seem unpardona-
ble and remediless if he can ; but usually not before. So
that you see the frame of most men's spirits doth require
them, to be rather over-jealous in searching after their sins,
than over-careless and confident of themselves.
2. Besides this, I had rather of the two that Christians
would suspect and search too much than too little, because
there is a hundred times more danger in seeing sin less than
it is, or overlooking it, than in seeing it greater than it is,
and being over-fearful. The latter mistake may bring us
into sorrow, and make our lives uncomfortable to us (and
therefore should be avoided) ; but usually it doth not en-
danger our happiness ; but is often made a great occasion of
our good. But the former mistake may hazard our everlast-
ing salvation, and so bring us to remediless trouble.
3. Yea, lest you should say, ' This is sad language to
comfort a distressed, wounded soul,' let me add this one
reason more. So far as I can learn by reading the Scrip-
tures, and by long experience of very many souls under
troubles of conscience. It is most commonly some notable
cherished corruption, that breedeth and feedeth the sad, un-
158 DIRECTIONS FOR OKTTING AND KEEPING
comfortable estate of most professors, except those who by-
melancholy or very great ignorance, are so weak in their in-
tellectuals, as that they are incapable of making any true
discovery of their condition, and of passing a right judg-
ment upon themselves thereupon.
Lest I should make sad any soul that God would not
have sad, let me desire you to observe, 1. That I say but of
most professors, not all ; for I doubt not but God may hide
his face for some time from some of the holiest and wisest of
believers, for several and great reasons. 2. Do but well
observe most of the humble, obedient Christians, that you
know to lie under any long and sad distress of mind, and
you will find that they are generally of one of the two fore-
mentioned sorts : either so ignorant as not to know well
what faith is, or what the conditions of the covenant are, or
what is the extent of the promise, or the full sufficiency of
Christ's satisfaction for all sinners, or what are the eviden-
ces by which they may try themselves : or else they are me-
lancholy persons, whose fancy is still molested with these
perturbing vapours, and their understandings so clouded
and distempered, that reason is not free. And so common
is this latter, that in my observation of all the Christians
that have lived in any long and deep distress of mind, six,
if not ten for one, have been deeply melancholy ; except
those that feed their troubles by disobedience. So that be-
sides these ignorant and melancholy persons, and disorderly,
declining Christians, the number of wounded spirits I think
is very small, in comparison of the rest. Indeed it is usual
for many at, or shortly after, their first change, to be under
trouble and deep fears; but that is but while the sense of
former sin is fresh upon their hearts. The sudden discovery
of so deep a guilt, and so great a danger, which a man did
never know before, must needs amaze and affright the soul :
and if that fear remain long, where right means are either
not known, or not used for the cure, it is no wonder ; and
sometimes it will be long, if the rightest means be used.
But for those that have been long in the profession of holi-
ness, and yet lie, or fall again under troubles of soul (except
those before excepted), I would have them make a diligent
search, whether God do not observe either some fleshly in-
terest encroach upon his right, or some actual sin to be che-
rished in their hearts or conversations.
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 159
And Here let me tell you, when you are making this
search, what particulars they be which I would have you to
be most jealous of. 1. The former sort, which I call con-
trary carnal interest, encroaching on Christ's right, are they
that you must look after with far more diligence than your
actual sins. (I.) Because they are the far greatest and
most dangerous of all sins, and the root of all the rest : for
as God is the end and chief good of every saint, so these sins
do stand up against him, as our end and chief good, and
carry away the soul by that act which we call simply willing,
or complacency, and so these interests are men's idols, and
resist God's very sovereignty and perfect goodness ; that
is, they are against God himself as our God. Whereas
those which I now call actual sins, as distinct from these,
are but the violation of particular precepts, and against
God's means and laws directly, and but remotely, or indi-
rectly against his Godhead : and they have but that act of
our will, which we call election, consent or use, which is
prc^r to means, and not to the end. (2.) Because, as
these sins are the most damnable, so they lie deepest at the
heart, and are not so easily discovered. It is ordinary with
many, to have a covetous, worldly, ambitious heart, even
damnably such, that yet have wit to carry it fairly without ;
yea, and seem truly religious to themselves and others.
(3.) Because these sins are the most common : for though
they reign only in hypocrites and other unsanctified ones,
yet they dwell too much in all men on earth.
If you now ask me what these sins are, I answer. They
are as denominated from the point or term from which men
turn, all comprised in this one, unwillingness of God,* or the
turning of the heart from God, or not loving God. But as
we denominate them from the term or object to which they
run, they are all comprised in this one, carnal self-love, or
turning to, and preferring our carnal self before God : and as
it inclineth to action, all, or moat of it, is comprehended in
this one word, * Flesh pleasing.' But because there are a
trinity of sins in this unity, we must consider them dis-
tinctly. Three great objects there are, about which this sin
of fleshpleasing is exercised: 1. Credit or honour. 2.
Profit or riches. 3. Sensual pleasure, more strictly so
called, consisting in the more immediate pleasing of the
senses ; whereas the two first do more remotely please them,
160 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
by laying in provision to that end ; otherwise all three are in
the general but fleshpleasing. The three great sins there-
fore that do most directly fight against God himself in his
sovereignty, are, 1. Pride or ambition. 2. Worldliness, or
love of riches. 3. Sensuality, voluptuousness, or inordi-
nate love of pleasures. There are in the understanding in-
deed other sins, as directly against God as these, and more
radical; as, 1. Atheism, denying a God. 2. Polytheism,
denying our God to be the alone God, and joining others
with him. 3. Idolatry,'owning false Gods. 4. Infidelity,
denying Jesus Christ our Lord Redeemer. 5. Owning false
Saviours and prophets, in his stead, or before him, as do the
Mahometans. 6. Joining other Redeemers and Saviours
with him, as if he were not the alone Christ. 7. Denying
the Holy Ghost, and denying credit to his holy and miracu-,
lous testimony to the Christian faith, and blasphemously
ascribing all to the devil ; which is the sin against the Holy
Ghost. 8. Owning and believing in devils, or lying spirits
instead of the Holy Ghost ; as the Montanists, Mahome-
tans, Ranters, Familists do. 9. Owning and adjoining de-
vils, or lying spirits, in co-ordination or equality with the
Holy Ghost, and believing equally his doctrine and theirs ;
as if he were not sole and sufficient in his work. All these
ai*e sins directly against God himself, and if prevalent, most
certainly damning ; three against the Father, three against
the Son, and three against the Holy Ghost. But these be
not they that I need now to warn you of. These are preva-
lent only in pagans, infidels, and blasphemers. Your trou-
bles and complaints shew that these are not predominant in
you. It is therefore the three forementioned sins of the
heart or will, that I would have you carefully to look after
in your troubles, to see whether none of them get ground
and strength in you.
1. Inquire carefully into your humility. It is not for
nothing that Christ hath said so much of the excellency and
necessity of this grace ; when he bids us learn of him to be
meek and lowly ; when he blesseth the meek and poor in
spirit : when he setteth a little child in the midst of them,
and telleth them, except they become as that child, they
could not enter into the kingdom of heaven : when he
stoopeth to wash and wipe his disciples' feet, requiring them
to do so by one another. How oft doth the Holv Ghost
SPIUITUAL i'KACli ANU COMl-ORT. IGl
press this upon us ? Commanding us, to submit ourselves
to one another, and not to mind high things ; but to con-
descend to men of low estate; Rom.xii. 16. and not to be
wise in our own esteem, but in honour prefer others before
ourselves; Rom. xii. 10. How oft hath God professed to
resist and take down the proud, and to give grace to the
humble, and dwell with them ? Search carefully, therefore,
lest this sin get ground upon you. For though it may not
be so predominant and raging as to damn you, yet may it
cause God to afflict you, and hide his face from you, and
humble you by the sense of his displeasure, and the con-
cealment of his love. And though one would think that
doubting, troubled souls should be always the most humble
and freest from pride, yet sad experience hath certified me,
that much pride may dwell with great doubtings and dis-
tress of mind. Even some of the same souls that cry out of
their own unworthiness, and fear lest they shall be fire-
brands of hell, yet cannot endure a close reproof, especially
for any disgraceful sin, nor bear a disparaging word, nor
love those, nor speak well of them, who do not value
them, nor endure to be crossed or contradicted in word or
deed, but must have all go their way, and follow their judg-
ment, and say as they say, and dance after their pipe, and
their hearts rise against those that will not do it ; much
more against those that speak or do any thing to the dimi-
nishing of their reputation : they cannot endure to be low,
and passed by, and overlooked, when others are preferred
before them, or to be slighted and disrespected, or their
words, or parts, or works, or judgments to be contemned or
disparaged. Nay, some are scarce able to live in the same
house, or church, or town, in love and peace, with any but
those that will humour and please them, and speak them
fair, and give them smooth and stroking language, and for-
bear crossing, reproving, and disparaging them. Every one
of these singly is an evident mark and fruit of pride ; how
much more all jointly. I seriously profess it amazeth me to
consider, how heinously most professors are guilty of this
sin ! even" when they know it to be the devil's own sin, and
the great abomination hated of God, and read and hear so
much against it as they do, and confess it so oft in their
prayers to God, and yet not only inwardly cherish it, but in
words, actions, gestures, apparel, express it and passionately
VOL. IX. M
162 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
defend these discoveries of it. The confusions and dis-
tractions in church and state are nothing else but the pro-
per fruits of it ; so are the contentions among Christians,
and the unpeaceabieness in families ; " for only from pride
cometh contention," saith Solomon ; Prov. xiii. 10. For
my part, when I consider the great measure of pride, self-
eonceitedness, self-esteem, that is in the greatest part of
Christians that ever I was acquainted with, (we of the mi-
nistry not excepted,) I wonder that God doth not afflict us
more, and bring us down by foul means, that will not be
brought down by fair. For my own part, I have had as
great means to help me against this sin, as most men living
ever had ; first, in many years' trouble of mind, and then in
near twenty years' languishing, and bodily pains, having
been almost twenty times at the grave's mouth, and living
near it continually ; and lastly, and above all, I have had as
full a sight of it in others, even in the generality of profes-
sors, and in the doleful state of the church and state, and
heinous, detestable abominations of this age, which one
would think should have fully cured it. And yet if I hear
but either an applauding word from any of fame on one side,
or a disparaging word on the other side, I am fain to watch
my heart as narrowly as I would do the thatch of my house
when fire is put to it, and presently to throw on it the water
of detestation, resolution, and recourse to God. And though
the acts through God's great mercy be thus restrained, yet
the constancy of these inclinations assures me, that there is
still a strong and deep root. I beseech you therefore, if you
would ever have settled peace and comfort, be watchful
against this sin of pride, and be sure to keep it down, and
get it mortified at the very heart.
2. The next sin that I would have you be specially jea-
lous of, is covetousness, or love of the profits or riches of
the world. This is not the sin of the rich only, but also of
the poor : and more heinous is it in them, to love the world
inordinately, that have so little of it, than in rich men, that
have more to tempt them, though dangerous in both. Nor
doth it lie only in coveting that which is another's, or in
seeking to get by unlawful means ; but also in overvaluing
and overloving the wealth of the world, though lawfully
gotten. He that loveth the world, (that is, above Christ
and holiness,) the love of the Father is not in him, (that is.
SPIRITUAL PKACe AND COMFORT. 103
savingly and sincerely) ; 1 Johnii. 15. He that loveth house
or lands better than Christ, cannot be his disciple. I be-
seech you therefore when God hides his face, search dili-
gently, and search again and again, lest the world should
encroach on Christ's interest in your heart. If it should be
so, can you wonder if Christ seem to withdraw, when you
begin to set so light by him, as to value dung and earth in
any comparison with himself? May he not well say to you,
' If you set so much by the world, take it, and see what it
will do for you? If you can spare me better than your
wealth, you shall be without me.' Must not the Lord Jesus
needs take it exceedingly unkind, that after all his love
and bloodshed, and pains with your heart, and seals of his
kindness, and discoveries of his amiableness, and the trea-
sures of his kingdom, you should now so much forget and
slight him, to set up the world in any comparison with him?
And to give such loving entertainment to his enemy ? And
look so kindly on a competitor? Is his glory worth no
more than so ? And hath he deserved no better at your
hands? Again, therefore, do I beseech you to be afraid,
lest you should be guilty of this sin. Examine whether the
thoughts of the world grow not sweeter to you, and the
thoughts of God and glory more unwelcome and unpleasing ;
whether you have not an eagerness after a fuller estate, and
too keen an edge upon your desires after riches, or at least
after a fuller portion and provision for your children : or af-
ter better accommodations and contentments in house,
goods, or other worldly things ? Do not worldly hopes
delight you too much ? And much more your worldly pos-
sessions ? Are you not too busily contriving how to be
richer, forgetting God's words, 1 Tim. vi.8,9. 17. Doth not
the world eat out the life of your duties, that when you
should be serious with God, you have left your heart behind
you, and drowned your affections in things below ? Doth
not your soul stick so fast in this mud and clay, that you
can scarce stir it Godward in prayer or heavenly meditation?
Do not you cut short duties in your family and in secret, if
not frequently omit them, that so you may be again at your
worldly business? Or do you not customarily hurry them
over, because the world will not allow you leisure to be se-
rious, and so you have no time to deal in good earnest with
Christ or your soul ? Do not your very speeches of Christ
104 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEKPING
and heaven grow few and strange, because the world must
first be served? When you see your brother have need, do
you not shut up the bowels of your compassions from him?
Doth not the love of the world make you hard to your ser-
vants, hard to those you buy and sell with ? And doth it
not encroach much on the Lord's own day ? Look after
this earthly vice in all these discoveries, search for your
enemy in each of these corners. And if you find that this
is indeed your case, you need not much wonder if Christ
and you be stranger than heretofore. If this earth get be-
tween your heart and the sun of life, no wonder if all your
comforts are in an eclipse, seeing your light is but as the
moon's, a borrowed light. And you must be the more care-
ful in searching after this sin, both because it is certain
that all men have too much of it, and because it is of so
dangerous a nature, that should it prevail it would destroy ;
for covetousness is idolatry, and among all the heinous sins
that the godly have fallen into, look into the Scripture, and
tell me how many of them you find charged with cove-
tousness. And also, because it is a blinding, befooling sin,
not only drawing old men, and those that have no children,
and rich men, that have no need to pursue these things as
madly as others, but also hiding itself from their eyes, that
most that are guilty of it will not know it : though, alas ! if
they were but willing, it were very easy to know it. But
the power of the sin doth so set to work their wits to find
excuses and fair names and titles for to cloke it, that many
delude others by it, and more delude themselves, but none
can delude God. The case of some professors of godliness
that I have known, is very lamentable on this point, who
being generally noted for a dangerous measure of worldli-
jiess, by most that know them, could yet never be brought
to acknowledge it in themselves. Nay, by the excellency
of their outward duties and discourse, and the strength of
their wits, (alas ! ill employed,) and by their great ability of
speech, to put a fair gloss on the foulest of their actions,
they have gone on so smoothly and plausibly in their world-
liness, that though most accused them of it behind their
backs, yet no man knew how to fasten any thing on them.
By which means they were hindered from repentance and
recovery.
In this sad case, though it be God's course very often to
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 165
let hypocrites and other enemies go on and prosper, because
they have their portion in this life, and the reckoning is to
come ; yet I have oft observed, that for God's own people,
or those thai he means to make his people by their recovery,
God useth to cross them in their worldly desires and de-
signs. Perhaps he may let them thrive awhile, and congra-
tulate the prosperity of their flesh, but at last he breaks in
suddenly on their wealth, and scatters it abroad, or add-
eth some cross to it, that embitters all to them, and then
asketh them, * Where is now your idol V And then they
begin to see their folly. If you do dote on any thing below,
to the neglecting of God, he will make a rod for you of that
very thing you dote upon, and by it will he scourge you
home to himself.
3. The third great heart-sin which I would have you jea-
lous of, is sensuality or voluptuousness, or pleasing the
senses inordinately. The two former are in this the more
mortal sins, in that they carry more of the understanding
and will with them, and make reason itself to be serviceable
to them in their workings ; whereas sensuality is more in
the flesh and passion, and hath ofttimes less assistance of
reason or consent of the will. Yet is the will tainted with
sensual inclinations, and both reason and will are at the
best guilty of connivance, and not exercising their autho-
rity over the sensual part. But in this sensuality is the
more dangerous vice, in that it hath so strong and insepa-
rable a seat as our sensual appetite ; and in that it acteth
so violently and ragingly as it doth ; so that itbeareth down
a weak opposition of reason and will, and carrieth us on
blindfold, and transformeth us into brutes. I will not here
put the question concerning the gross acting of this sin (of
that anon), but I would have you very jealous of a sensual
disposition. When a man cannot deny his appetite what
it would have ; or at least, covetousness can do more in res-
training it than conscience ; when a man cannot make a co-
venant with his eyes, but must gaze on every alluring ob-
ject; when the flesh draws to forbidden pleasures, in meats,
drinks, apparel, recreations, lasciviousness, and all the con-
siderations of reason cannot restrain it ; this is a sad case,
and God may well give over such to sadness of heart. If
we walk so pleasingly to the flesh, God will walk more dig-
pleasingly to us.
IfA) DIRliCTlOJN.S FOR GETTING AND KliEFlNG
And as you should be jealous of these great heart trans-
gressions, so should you be of particular, actual sins. Ex-
amine whether the jealous eye of God see not something
thatmuch offendeth hira, and causeth your heaviness. I will
not enlarge so far as to mind you of the particular sins that
you should look after, seeing it must be all, and your obe-
dience must be universal. Only one I will give you a hint
of. I have observed God sometimes shew himself most dis-
pleased and angry to those Christians, who have the least
tenderness and compassion towards the infirmities of others.
He that hath made the forgiving others a necessary condi-
tion of God's forgiving us, will surely withdraw the sense of
our forgiveness, when we withdraw our forgiveness and com-
passion to men. He that casts the unmerciful servant into
hell, who takes his fellow servant by the throat, will threaten
us, and frown upon us, if we come but near it. " Blessed
are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. He shall
have judgment without mercy that sheweth no mercy ; ''
James ii. 13. Study well, Rom. xiv. xv. Gal. vi. ; which
the proud, censorious, self-esteeming professors of this age
have studied so little, and will not understand. When we
deal sourly and churlishly with our weak brethren, and in-
stead of winning an offender by love, we will vilify him.
and disdain him, and say, ' How can such a man have any
grace V And will think and speak hardly of those that do
but cherish any hopes that he may be gracious, or speak of
him with tenderness and compassion ; no wonder if God
force the consciences of such persons to deal as churlishly
and sourly with them, and to clamour against them, and say,
' How canst thou have any true grace, who hast such sins
as these?* When our Lord himself dealt away so tenderly
with sinners, that it gave occasion to the slanderous Phari-
sees to say, he was "a friend of Publicans and sinners ;"
(and so he was, even their greatest friend) And his com-
mand to us is, " We then that are strong ought to bear the
infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves: let
every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edifica-
tion : for even Christ pleased not himself;" Rom. xv. 1 — 3.
And Gal. vi. 1,2. " Brethren, if a man be overtaken with a
fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit
of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."
SPIRITUAL PEACK AND COMl'ORT. 167
When people can bear with almost no infirmity iu a neigh-
bour, in a servant, or in their nearest friends, but will make
the worst of every fault, no wonder if God make such feel
their dealings with others, by his dealings with them. Had
such that love to their poorest brethren, which thinketh no
evil, and speaketh not evil, which " sufFereth long and is
kind, envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, be-
haveth not itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all
things, endureth all things ;" 1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5. 7. Had we
more of this love, which covereth a multitude of infirmities,
God would cover our infirmities the more, and tell us of
them, and trouble us for them the less.
To this sin I may add another, which is scarcely another,
but partly the same with this, and partly its immediate ef-
fect ; and that is, unpeaceableness and unquietness with
those about us ; this commonly occasioneth God to make
us as unpeaceable and unquiet in ourselves. When people
are so froward, and peevish, and troublesome, that few can
live in peace with them, either in family or neighbourhood,
except those that have little to do with them, or those that
can humour them in all things, and have an extraordinary
skill in smooth speaking, flattering or man-pleasing, so tha,t
neighbours, servants, children, and sometimes their own
yoke-fellows, must be gone from them, and may not abide
near them, as a man gets out of the way from a wild beast or
a mad dog, or avoideth the flames of a raging fire ; is it any
wonder if God give these people as little peace in their own
spirits, as they give to others ? When people are so hard to
be pleased, that nobody about them or near them can tell
how to fit their humours ; neighbours cannot please them,
servants cannot please them, husband or wife cannot please
each other ; every word is spoke amiss, and every thing
done amiss to them ; what wonder if God seem hard to be
pleased, and as frequently offended with them ? Especially
if their unpeaceableness trouble the church, and in their tur-
bulencyand self-conceitedness, they break the peace thereof.
Thus I have told you what sins you must look after when
you find your peace broken, and your conscience disquiet-
ed ; search carefully lest some iniquity lie at the root. Some
I know will think that it is an unseasonable discourse to a
troubled conscience, to mind them so much of their sins.
168 DIRECTION!* FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
which they are apt to look at too much already. But to
such I answer, either those sins are mortified and forsaken,
or not. If they be, then these are not the persons that 1
speak of, whose trouble is fed by continued sin. But I
shall speak more to them anon. If not, then it seems for
all their trouble of conscience, sin is not sufficiently laid to
heart yet.
'The chiefest thing therefore that I intend in all this dis-
course, is this following advice to those that upon search
do find themselves guilty in any of these cases. As ever
you would have peace of conscience, set yourselves pre-
sently against your sins. And do not either mistakingly
cry out of one sore, when it is another that is your malady ;
nor yet spend your days in fears and disquietness of mind,
and fruitless complainings, and in the mean time continue
in wilful sinning. But resist sin more, and torment your
minds less ; and break off your sin and your terrors toge-
ther.
In these words I tell you what must be done for your
cure ; and I warn you of two sore mistakes of many sad
Christians hereabout. The cure lieth in breaking off sin,
to the utmost of your power. This is the'; Achan that
disquieteth all. It is God's great mercy that he disquieteth
you in sinning, and gives you not over to so deep a slumber
and peace in sin, as might hinder your repentance and re-
formation. The dangerous mistakes here are these two.
I. Some do as the lapwing, cry loudest when they are
furthest from the nest, and complain of an aching tooth,
when the disease is in the head or heart. They cry out * O
I have such wandering thoughts in prayer, and such a bad
memory, and so hard a heart, that I cannot weep for sin, or
such doubts and fears, and so little sense of the love of God,
that I doubt I have no true grace.' When they should ra-
ther say, ' I have so proud a heart, that God is fain by these
sad means to humble me. I am so high in mine own eyes,
so wise in my own conceit, and so tender of my own esteem
and credit, that God is fain to make me base in my own
eyes, and to abhor myself. I am so worldly and in love
with earth, that it draws away my thoughts from God, dulls
my love, and spoils all my duties. I am so sensual, that I
venture sooner to displease my God than my flesh ; I have
so little compassion on the infirmities of my neighbours and
SPIIUTUAL PEACE AfJD COMPORT. 169
servants, and other brethren, and deal so censoriously, chur-
lishly, and unmercifully with them, that God is fain to hide
his mercy from me, and speak to me as in anger, and vex
me as in sore displeasure. I am so froward, peevish, quar-
relsome, unpeaceable, and hard to be pleased, that it is no
wonder if I have no peace with God, or in my own consci-
ence ; and if I have so little quietness who love and seek it
no more.' Many have more reason, I say, to turn their
complaints into this tune.
2. Another most common, unhappy miscarriage of sad
Christians lieth here. That they will rather continue com-
plaining and self-tormenting, than give over sinning, so far
as they might give it over if they would. I beseech you in
the name of God, to know and consider what it is that God
requireth of you. He doth not desire your vexation but re-
formation. No further doth he desire the trouble of your
mind, than as it tendeth to the avoiding of that sin which
is the cause of it. God would have you less in your fears
and troubles, and more in your obedience. Obey more, and
disquiet your mind less. Will you take this counsel pre*
sently, and see whether it will not do you more good than all
the complaints and doubtings of your whole life have done.
Set yourself with all your might against your pride, world-
liness, and sensuality, your unpeaceableness and want of
love and tenderness to your brethren ; and whatever other
sin your conscience is acquainted with. I pray you tell
me, if you had gravel in your shoe, in your travel, would it
not be more wisdom, to sit down and take off your shoe,
and cast it out, than to stand still, or go complaining, and
tell every one you meet of your soreness? If you have a
thorn in your foot, will you go on halting and lamenting ?
or will you pull it out? Truly sin is the thorn in your con-
science ; and those that would not have such troubled con-
sciences told of their sins for fear of increasing their distress,
are unskilful comforters, and will continue the trouble while
the thorn is in. As ever you would have peace then, resolve
against sin to the utmost of your power. Never excuse it,
or cherish it, or favour it more. Confess it freely. Thank
those that reprove you for it. Desire those about you to
watch over you, and to tell you of it, yek, to tell you of all
suspicious signs that they see of it, though it be not evident.
And if you do not see so much pride, worldliness, unpeace-
170 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KliEPING
ableness, or other sins in yourself, as your friends think
they see in you, yet let their judgment make you jealous of
your heart, seeing self-love doth oft so blind us that we can-
not see that evil in ourselves which others see in us ; nay,
which all the town may take notice of. And be sure to en-
gage your friends that they shall not smooth over your
faults, or mince them, and tell you of them in extenuating
language, which may hinder conviction and repentance,
much less silence them, for fear of displeasing you; but
that they will deal freely and faithfully with you. And see
that you distaste them not, and discountenance not their
plain dealing, lest you discourage them, and deprive your
soul of so great a benefit. Think best of those as your
greatest friends, who are least friends to your sin, and do
most for your recovery from it. If you say, * Alas, I am not
able to mortify my sins. It is nor in my power,' I answer,
1. I speak not of a perfect conquest; nor of a freedom from
every passion or infirmity. 2. Take heed of pretending dis-
ability when it is unwillingness. If you were heartily wil-
ling, you would be able to do much, and God would
strengthen you. Cannot you resist pride, worldliness, and
sensuality, if you be willing? Cannot you forbear most of
the actual sins you commit, and perform the duties that you
omit, if you be willing ? (though not so wel} as you would
perform them.) Yea, let me say thus much, lest I endanger
you by sparing you. Many a miserable hypocrite doth live
in trouble of mind and complaining, and after all perish for
their wilful disobedience. Did not the rich young man go
far before he would break off with Christ? And when he
did leave him, he went away sorrowful. And what was the
cause of his sorrow ? Why, the matter was, that he could
not be saved witliout selling all, and giving it to the poor,
when he had great possessions. It was not that he could
not be rid of his sin, but that he could not have Christ and
heaven without forsaking the world. This is the case of
unsanctified persons that are enlightened to see the need of
Christ, but are not weaned from worldly profits, honours and
pleasures ; they are perhaps troubled in mind (and I cannot
blame them), but it is not that they cannot leave sinning,
but that they cannot have heaven without leaving their de-
lights and contentments on earth. Sin as sin they would
willingly leave ; for no man can love evil as evil. But their
SPIRITUAL PLiACt AND COMFORT. 171
fleshly profits, honours, and pleasures they will not leave,
and there is the stop ; and this is the cause of their sorrows
and fears. For their own judgment cries out against them,
" He that loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in
him. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die. God resisteth
the proud." This is the voice of their informed understand-
ings. And conscience seconds it, and saith, " Thou art the
man." But the flesh cries louder than both these, * Wilt
thou leave thy pleasures ? Wilt thou undo thyself? Wilt
thou be made a scorn or laughing-stock to all?' Or rather
it strongly draws and provoketh, when it hath nothing to
say. No wonder if this poor sinner be here in a strait, and
live in distress of mind. But as long as the flesh holds so
fast, that all this conviction and trouble will not cause it to
lose its hold, the poor soul is still in the bonds of iniquity.
The case of such an hypocrite, or half Christian, is like the
case of the poor Papist, that having glutted himself with
flesh in the Lent, was in this strait, that either he must vo-
mit it up, and so disclose his fault, and undergo penance ;
or else he must be sick of his surfeit, and hazard his life.
But he resolveth rather to venture on the danger, than to
bear the penance. Or their case is like that of a proud wo-
man, that hath got on a strait garment, or pinching shoe,
and because she will not be out of the fashion, she will ra-
ther choose to bear the pain, though she halt or suffer at
every step. Or like the more impudent sort of them, who
will endure the cold, and perhaps hazard their lives, by the
nakedness of their necks, and breasts, and arms, rather than
they will control their shameless pride. What cure now
should a wise man wish to such people as these ? Surely,
that the shoe might pinch a little harder, till the pain might
force them to cast it off". And that they might catch some
cold that would pay them for their folly (so it would but
spare their lives), till it should force them to be ashamed of
their pride, and cover their nakedness. Even so when dis-
obedient hypocrites do complain that they are afraid they
have no grace, and afraid God doth not pardon them, and
will not save them, I should tell them, if I knew them, that
I am afraid so too ; and that it is not without cause, and de-
sire, that their fears were such as might affright them from
their disobedience, and force them to cast away their wilful
sinning. I have said the more on this point, because I know
172 DIRECTIONS FORGETTING AND KEEPING
if this advice do but help you to mortify your sin, the best
and greatest work is done, whether you get assurance and
comfort or no ; and withal, that it is the most probable
means to this assurance and comfort.
I should next have warned you of the other extreme,
viz. needless scruples ; but I mean to make that a peculiar
Direction by itself, when I have first added a little more of
this great means of peace — a sound obedience.
Direct. XXIV. My next advice for the obtaining of a
settled peace of comfort, is this, * Take heed that you con-
tent not yourself with a cheap course of religion, and such a
serving of God, as costeth you little or nothing. But in
vour abstaining from sin, in your rising out of sin, and in
your discharge of duty, incline most to that way which is
most self-denying, and displeasing to the flesh, (so you be
sure it be a lawful way). And when you are called out to
any work which will stand you in extraordinary labour and
cost, you must be so far from shrinking and drawing your
neck out of the yoke, that you must look upon it as a spe-
cial price that is put into your hand, and singular advantage
and opportunity for the increase of your comforts.'
This rule is like the rest of the Christian doctrine, which
is not thoroughly understood by any way but experience.
Libertines and sensual professors that never tried it, did ne-
ver well understand it. I could find in my heart to be large in
explaining and applying it, but that I have been so large
beyond my first intentions in the former Directions, that I
will cut off the rest as short as I well can.
Let none be so wickedly injurious to me, as to say, I
speak or think of any merit, properly so called, in any the
most costly work of man. Fasten not that on me, which 1
both disclaim, and desire the reader to take heed of. But I
must tell you these two things.
1. That a cheap religion is a far more uncertain evidence
of sincerity, than a dear. It will not discover so well to
a man's soul, whether he prefer Christ before the world, and
whether he take him and his benefits for his portion and
treasure.
2. That a cheap religion is not usually accompanied with
any notable degree of comforts, although the person be a
sincere-hearted Christian.
Every hypocrite can submit to a religion that will cost
SPIRITUAL PEACF. AND COMFORT. 173
him little ; much more, which will get reputation with men
of greatest wisdom and piety ; yea, he may stick to it, so it
will not undo him in the world. If a man have knowledge,
and gifts of utterance, and strength of body, it is no costly
matter to speak many good words, or to be earnest in oppos-
ing the sins of others, and to preach zealously and frequent-
ly, (much more if he have double honour by it, reverent
obedience, and maintenance, as ministers of the Gospel have,
or ought to have). It is hard to discern sincerity in such a
course of piety and duty. Woe to those persecutors that
shall put us to the trial how far we can go in suffering for
Christ; but it should be a matter of rejoicing to us, when
we are put upon it. To be patient in tribulation is not
enough ; but to rejoice in it is also the duty of a saint. Let
those that think this draweth men to rejoice too much in
themselves, but hear what the Lord Jesus himself saith, and
his Spirit in his apostles : " Blessed are they which are per-
secuted for righteousness' sake ; for their's is the kingdom of
heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and
persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely
for my name's sake : rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great
is your reward in heaven ;" Matt. v. 10 — 12. " My brethren,
count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (not
inward temptations of the devil and our lust, but trials by
persecution) ; knowing that the trying of your faith work-
eth patience. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation;
for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which
the Lord hath promised to them that love him ;" James i.
2,3. 12. See Luke vi. 23. 1 Pet. iv. 13. Acts v. 41. 2
Cor. vi. 10. vii. 4. Col. i. 11. Heb. x. 34. 2 Cor. xiii. 9.
xii. 15. O how gloriously doth a tried faith shine, to the
comfort of the believer, and the admiration of the beholders !
How easily may a Christian try himself at sucha time, when
God is trying him ! One hour's experience, when we have
found that our faith can endure the furnace, and that we caii
hazard or let go all for Christ, will more effectually resolve
all our doubtings of our sincerity, than many a month's trial
by mere questioning of our own deceitful hearts.
Object. ' But, you may say, what if God call me not to
suffering or hazards ? Must I cast myself upon it without a
call? Or must I be therefore without comfort ?'
Ahsw. No ; you shall not need to cast yourself upon suf-
174 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
fering, nor yet to be without cbmfort for want of it. 1 know
no man but may serve God at dearer rates to the flesh that
most of us do, without stepping out of the way of his duty.
Nay, he must do it, except he will avoid his duty. Never
had the church yet such times of prosperity, but that faithful
duty would hazard men, and cause their trouble in the flesh.
Can you not, nay, ought you not, to put yourself to greater
labour for men's souls ? If you should but go day after day
among the poor, ignorant people where you live, and instruct
them in the knowledge of God,and bear with all their weakness
and rudeness, and continue thus with patience, this might
cost you some labour, and perhaps contempt from many of
the unthankful. And yet you should not do more than your
duty, if you have opportunity for it, as most have, or may
have, if they will. If you should further hire them to learn
catechisms ; if you should extend your liberality to the ut-
most, for relief of the poor, this would cost you somewhat.
If you carry on every just cause with resolution, though ne-
v^r so many great friends would draw you to betray it ; this
may cost you the loss of those friends. If you would but
deal plainly with the ungodly, and against all sin, as far as
you have opportunity, especially if it be the sins of rulers
and gentlemen of name and power in the world, it may cost
you somewhat. Nay, though you were ambassadors of
Christ, whose office is to deal plainly, and not to please
men in evil, upon pain of Christ's displeasure ; you may
perhaps turn your great friends to be your great enemies.
Go to such a lord, or such a knight, or such a gentleman,
and tell him freely, that God looketh for another manner of
spending his time, than in hunting and hawking, and sport-
ing, and feasting, and that this precious time must be dear-
ly reckoned for. Tell him that God looks he should be the
most eminent in holiness, and in a heavenly life, and give an
example thereof to all that are below him, as God hath made
him more eminent in worldly dignity and possessions.
Tell him, that where much is given, much is required ; and
that a low profession, and dull approbation of that which is
good, will serve no man, much less such a man. Tell him,
that his riches must be expended to feed and clothe the
poor, and promote good uses, and not merely for himself
and family, or else he will make but a sad account. And
that he must freely engage his reputation, estate, and life.
SP1KHUAL i»ea(;e and comfort. 175
and all for Christ and his Gospel, when he calls you to it ;
yea, and forsake all for him, if Christ put him to it, or else
he can be no disciple of Christ. And then what good will
his honours and riches do him, when his soul shall be call-
ed for ? Try this course with great men, yea with great
men that seem religious, and that no further than faithful-
ness and compassion to men's souls doth bind you, and do
it with all the wisdom you can, that is not carnal ; and then
tell me what it doth cost you. Let those ministers that are
near them, plainly and roundly tell both the parliament-men
and commanders of the army, of their unquestionable trans-
gressions, and that according to their nature (and woe to
them if they do not), and then let them tell me what it
doth cost them. Alas, sirs, how great a number of profes-
sors are base, daubing, self-seeking hypocrites, that cull
out the safe, the cheap, the easy part of duty, and leave all
the rest ! And so ordinarily is this done, that we have
made us a new Christianity by it ; and the religion of
Christ's own making, the self-denying course prescribed by
our Master, is almost unknown ; and he that should prac-
tise it would be taken for a madman, or some self-conceited
cynic, or some saucy, if not seditious fellow. It is not,
therefore, because Christ hath not prescribed us a more self-
denying, hazardous, laborious way, that men so commonly
take up in the cheapest religion ; but it is through our false-
heartedness to Christ, and the strength of sensual, carnal
interests in us, which make us put false interpretations on
the plainest precepts of Christ, which charge any unpleas-
ing duty on us, and familistically turn them into allegories,
or at least we will not yield to obey him. And truly, I
think that our shifting off Christ in this unworthy manner,
and even altering that very frame and nature of Christian
religion (by turning that into a flesh-pleasing religion, which
is more against the flesh than all the religions else in the
world) and dealing so reservedly, superficially and unfaith-
fully in all his work, is a great cause why Christ doth now
appear no more openly for men, and pour out no larger a
measure of his Spirit in gifts and consolations. When men
appeared ordinarily in the most open manner for Christ, in
greatest dangers and sufferings, then Christ appeared more
openly and eminently for them, (yet is none more for meek-
170 DIRECTIONS FOR GKTTING AND KEEPING
Tiess, humility and love, and against unmerciful or dividing
zeal, than Christ).
2. And as you see that a cheap religiousness doth not so
discover sincerity ; so secondly, it is not accompanied with
that special blessing of God. As God hath engaged him-
self in his word, that they shall not lose their reward that
give but a cup of water in his name, so he hath more fully
engaged himself to those that are most deeply engaged for
him ; even that they that forsake all for him, shall have ma-
nifold recompence in this life, and in the world to come
eternal life. Let the experience of all the world of Chris-
tians be produced, and all will attest the same truth. That
it is God's usual course to give men larger comforts in dear-
er duties, than in cheap : nay, seldom doth he give large
comforts in cheap duties, and seldom doth he deny them in
dearer ; so be it they are not made dear by our own sin and
foolish indiscretion, but by his command, and our faithful-
ness in obeying him. Who knows not that the consolation
of martyrs is usually above other men's, who hath read of
their sufferings and strange sustentations ? Christian, do
but try this by thy own experiences, and tell me, when thou
hast most resolutely followed Christ in a good cause ; when
thou hast stood against the faces of the greatest for God ;
when thou hast cast thy life, thy family and 'estate upon
Christ, and run thyself into the most apparent hazards for
his sake ; hast thou not come off with more inward peace
and comfort, than the cheaper part of thy religion hath af-
forded thee ? When thou hast stood to the truth and Gos-
pel, and hast done good through the greatest opposition,
and lost thy greatest and dearest friends, because thou
wouldst not forsake Christ and his service, or deal falsely
in some cause that he hath trusted thee in ; hast thou not
come off with the blessing of peace of conscience ? Nay,
when thou hast denied thy most importunate appetite, and
most crossed thy lusts, and most humbled and abased thy-
self for God, and denied thy credit, and taken shame to thy-
self in a free confessing of thy faults, or patiently put up
with the greates abuses, or humbled and tamed thy flesh by
necessary abstinence, or any way most displeased it, by
crossing its interest, by bountiful giving, laborious duty,
dangers or sufferings, for the sake of the Lord Jesus, his
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 177
truth and people ; hath it not been far better with thee in
thy peace and comforts than before ? I know some will be
ready to say, that may be from carnal pride in our own do-
ing or suffering. I answer, it may be so ; and therefore let
all watch against that. But I am certain that this is God's
ordinary dealing with his people, and therefore we may or-
dinarily expect it. It is for their encouragement in faithful
duty; and I may truly say, for their reward, when himself
calls that a reward which he gives for a cup of water. Lay
well to heart that example of Abraham, for which he is so
often extolled in the Scripture, viz. His readiness to sacri-
fice his only son. This was a dear obedience; " And, saith
God, because (mark, because) thou hast done this thing, in
blessing I will bless thee," &c. David would not offer to
God that which cost him nothing ; 2 Sam. xxiv. 24. 1 Chron.
xxi. 24. God will have the best of your hearts, the best of
your labours, the best of your estates, the best of all, or he
will not accept it. Abel's sacrifice was of the best, and it
was accepted : and God saith to Cairi, "If thou doest well,
shalt not thou be accepted ?"
Seeing this is so, let me advise you. Take it not for a
calamity, but for a precious advantage, when God calls thee
to a hazardous costly service, which is like to cost thee much
of thy estate, to cost thee the loss of thy chiefest friends,
the loss of thy credit, the indignation of gre^t ones, or the
most painful diligence and trouble of body : shift it not off,
but take this opportunity thankfully, lest thou never have
such another for the clearing of thy sincerity, and the ob-
taining of more than ordinary consolations from God : thou
hast now a prize in thy hand for spiritual riches, if thou
hast but a heart to improve it. I know all this is a paradox
to the unbelieving world ; but here is the very excellency
of the Christian religion, and the glory of faith. It looks
for its greatest spoils, and richest prizes from its conquests
of fleshly interests : it is not only able to do it, but it ex-
pecteth its advancement and consolations by this way. It
is engaged in a war with the world and flesh ; and in this
war it plays not the vapouring fencer, that seems to do much,
but never strikes home, as hypocrites and carnal, worldly
professors do : but he says it home, and spares not, as one
that knows, that the flesh's ruin must be his rising, and the
VOL. IX. N
178 DIRECTIONS FOR aETTlNG ANO KKEPING
flesh's thriving would be his ruin. In these things the true
Christion alone is in good sadness, and all the rest of the
worid but in jest. The Lord pity poor deluded souls ! You
may see by this one thing, how rare a thing true Christian-
ity is among the multitude that take themselves for Chris-
tians ; and how certain, therefore, it is that few shall be saved.
Even this one point of true mortification and self-denial,
is a stranger amongst the most of professors. O how sad a
testimony of it are the actions of these late times, wherein
so much hath been done for self, and safety, and carnal in-
terests, and so little for Christ ! yea, and that after the
deepest engagements of mercies and vows that ever lay on a
people in the world. Insomuch, that through the just
judgment of God, they are now given up to doubt, whether
it be the duty of rulers to do any thing as rulers for Christ,
or no ; or whether they should not let Christ alone to do it
himself. Well, this which is such a mystery to the unrege-
nerate world, is a thing that every genuine Christian is ac-
quainted with ; for " they that are Christ's have crucified the
flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof;" and the world
is dead to them, and they to the world ; Gal. v. 21.
Take this counsel therefore in all the several cases men-
tioned in the Direction.
1. In your preventing sin, and maintaining your inno-
cency, if you cannot do it without denying your credit, and
exposing yourself to disgrace ; or without the loss of friends,
or a breach in your estate, do it nevertheless : yea, if it
would cost you your utter ruin in the world, thank God
that put such an opportunity into your hand for extraordi-
nary consolations. For ordinarily the martyrs' comforts ex-
ceed other men's, as much as their burden of duty and suf-
fering doth. Cyprian is fain to write for the comfort of
some Christians in his times, that at death were troubled
that they missed of their hopes of martyrdom. So also if
you cannot mortify any lust without much pinching the
flesh, do it cheerfully ; for the dearer the victory costeth
you, the sweeter will be the issue and review.
2. The same counsel I give you also in your rising from
sin. It is the sad condition of those that yield to a tempta-
tion, and once put their foot within the doors of satan, that
they ensnare themselves so, that they must undergo thrice
as great difficulties to draw back, as they needed to have
SPIRITUAL PKACE AND COMFORT. 77^
done beforehand for prevention and forbearance. Sin un-
happily engageth the sinner to go on ; and one sin doth
make another seem necessary. O how hard a thing is it for
him that hath wronged another by stealing, deceit, overreach-
ing in bargaining or the like, to confess his fault, and ask him
forgiveness, and to the utmost of his ability to make resti-
tution ! What abundance of difficulties will be in the way !
It will likely cost him the loss of his credit, besides the
breach in his estate, and perhaps lay him open to the rage
of him that he hath wronged. Rather he will be drawn to
cover his sin with a lie, or at least by excuses. And so it
is in many other sins. Now in any of these cases, when
men indulge the flesh, and cannot find in their hearts to
take that loss or shame to themselves, which a thorough
repentance doth require, they do but feed the troubles of
their soul, and hide their wounds and sores, and not ease
them. Usually such persons go on in a galled, unpeaceable
condition, and reach not to solid comfort. (I speak only of
those to whom such confession or restitution is a duty.)
And I cannot wonder at it : for they have great cause to
question the truth of that repentance, and consequently the
soundness of that heart, which will not bring them to a self-
denying duty, nor to God*s way of rising from their sin. It
seems at present the interest of the flesh is actually predo-
minant, when no reason or conviction will persuade them to
contradict it As ever you would have sound comfort then
in such a case as this, spare not the flesh. When you have
sinned, you must rise again or perish. If you gannot rise
without fasting, without free confessing, without the utter
shaming of ourselves, without restitution, never stick at it.
This is your hour of trial : O yield not in the conflict. The
dearer the victory costeth you, the greater will be your
peace. Try it ; and if you find it not so, I am mistaken.
Yet if you have sinned so that the opening of it may more
discredit the Gospel, than your confession will honour it,
and yet your conscience is unquiet, and urgeth you to con-
fess, in such a case be first well informed, and proceed
warily and upon deliberation ; and first open the case to
some faithful minister or able Christian in secret, that you
may have good advice.
3. The same counsel also would I give you in the per-
formance of your duty. A magistrate is convinced he must
180 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
punish sinners, and put down alehouses, and be true to
every just cause ; but then he must steel his face against all
men's reproaches, and the solicitations of all friends. A
minister is convinced that he must teach from house to
house, as well as publicly, if he be able ; and that he must
deal plainly with sinners according to their conditions ; yea,
and require the church to avoid communion with them, if
they be obstinate in evil after other sufficient means ; but
then he shall lose the love of his people, and be accounted
proud, precise, rigid, lordly, and perhaps lose his mainte-
nance. Obey God now ; and the dearer it costeth you, the
more peace and protection, and the larger blessing may you
expect from God : for you do, as it were, oblige God the
more to stick to you ; as you will take yourself obliged to
own, and bear out, and reward those that hazard estate, and
credit, and life for you. And if you cannot obey God in
such a trial, it is a sad sign of a falsehearted hypocrite, ex-
cept your fall be only in a temptation, from which you rise
with renewed repentance and resolutions, which will con-
quer for the time to come. As Peter, who being left to
himself for an example of human frailty, and that Christ
might have no friend to stick by him when he suffered for
our sin, yet presently wept bitterly, and afterwards spent
his strength and time in preaching Christ, and laid down
his life in martyrdom for him.
So perhaps many a poor servant, or hard labourer, hath
scarce any time, except the Lord's day, to pray or read. Let
such pinch the flesh a little the more (so they do not over-
throw their health) and either work the harder, or fare the
harder, or be clothed the more meanly, or especially break
a little of their sleep, that they may find some time for these
duties ; and try whether the peace and comfort will not re-
compense it. Never any man was a loser for God. So pri-
vate Christians cannot conscionably discharge the great
plain duty of reproof and exhortation, joy ingly, yet plainly
telling their friends and neighbours of their sins, and dan-
ger, and duty, but they will turn friends into foes, and pos-
sibly set all the town on their heads. But is it a duty, or is
it not ? If it be, then trust God with the issue, and do your
work, and see whether he will suffer you to be losers.
- For my part I think, that if Christians took God's word
before them, and spared the flesh less, and trusted them-
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 181
selves and all to Christ alone, and did not baulk all the
troublesome and costly part of religion, and that which most
crosseth the interest of the flesh, it would be more ordinary
with them to be filled with the joys of the Holy Ghost, and
walk in that peace of conscience which is a continual feast;
and to have such full and frequent views both of the since-
rity of their evidencing graces, and of God's reconciled face,
as would banish their doubts and fears, and be a greater
help to their certainty of salvation, than much other labour
doth prove. If you flinch not the fiery furnace, you shall
have the company of the Son of God in it. If you flinch
not the prison and stocks, you may be able to sing as Paul
and Silas did. If you refuse not to be stoned with Stephen,
you may perhaps see heaven opened as he did. If you think
these comforts so dear bought, that you will rather venture
without them ; let me tell you, you may take your course,
but the end will convince you to the very heart, of the folly
of your choice. Never then complain for want of comfort ;
remember you might have had it, and would not. And let
me give you this with you ; You will shortly find, though
worldly pleasures, riches and honours, were some slight
salves to your molested conscience here, yet there will no
cure nor ease for it be found hereafter. Your merry hours
will then all be gone, and your worldly delights forsake you
in distress; but these solid comforts which you judged too
dear, would have ended in the everlasting joys of glory.
When men do flinch God and his truth in straits, and juggle
with their consciences, and will take out all the honourable,
easy, cheap part of the work of Christ, and make a religion
of that by itself, leaving out all the disgraceful, difficult,
chargeable, self-denying part ; and hereupon call themselves
Christians, and make a great show in the world with this
kind of religiousness, and take themselves injured if men
question their honesty and uprightness in the faith ; these
men are notorious self-deceivers, mere hypocrites ; and in
plain truth, this is the very true description by which dam-
nable hypocrites are known from sound Christians. The
Lord open men's eyes to see it in time while it may be cured !
Yea, and the nearer any true Christian doth come to this
sin, the more doth he disoblige God, and quench the spirit
of comfort, and darken his own evidences, and destroy his
peace of conscience, and create unavoidable troubles to hi*
182" DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
spirit, and estrangedness betwixt the Lord Jesus and his
own soul. Avoid this, therefore, if ever you will have peace.
Direct. XXV. My next advice shall be somewhat near
of kin to the former. If you would learn the most expedi-
tious way to peace and settled comfort, ' Study well the art
of doing good ; and let it be your every day's contrivance,
care and business, how you may lay out all that God hath
trusted you with, to the greatest pleasing of God, and to
your most comfortable account.'
Still remember (lest any Antinomian should tell you that
this savours of Popery, and trusting for peace to our own
works ;)
1. That you must not think of giving any of Christ's
honour or office to your best works. You must not dream
that they can do any thing to the satisfaction of God's jus-
tice for your sins ; nor that they have any proper merit in
them, so as for their worth to oblige God to reward you ;
nor that you must bring them as a price to purchase Christ
and heaven ; nor that you have any righteousness or worthi-
ness in yourself and works, which the law of works will so
denominate or own. But only you must give obedience its
due under Christ; and so you honour Christ himself, when
those that detract from obedience to him, do dishonour him;
and you must have an evangelical worthiness and righteous-
ness (so called, many and many times over in the Gospel)
which partly consisteth in the sincerity of your obedience
and good works ; as the condition of continuing your state
of justification, and right to eternal life.
2. Remember I have given you many arguments before,
to prove that you may take comfort from your good works
and gracious actions.
3. If any further objections should be made against this,
read considerately and believingly. Matt. xxv. v, vii.
throughout, or the former only ; and I doubt not but you
will be fully resolved. But to the work.
Those men that study no other obedience than only to
do no (positive) harm, are so far from true comfort, that they
have yet no true Christianity ; I mean such as will be sav-
ing to them. Doing good is a high part of a Christian's
obedience, and must be the chief part of his life. The hea-
then could tell him that asked him, how men might be like
to God J the one way ^\HS, To do good to all. That is be-
SPIUITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. IS."?
yoiid our power, being proper to God the universal good,
whose mercy is over all his works. But our goodness must
be communicative, if we will be like God, and it must be
extended and.diffused as far as we can. The apostles charge
is plain, and we must obey it if we will have any peace ;
" While you have time, do good to all men, but especially
to them of the household of faith ;" Gal. vi. 10. " Cease to
do evil, learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the op-
pressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come
now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your
sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though
they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool ;" Isa. i. 16,
17. "To do good, and to communicate, forget not; for
with such sacrificea- God is well pleased ;" Heb. xiii. 16.
"Charge them that be rich in this world, that they be not
highmjjided, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living
God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy : that they do
good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute,
willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a
good foundation against the time to come, that they may
lay hold on eternal life ;" 1 Tim. vi. 17 — 19. See Luke vi.
33—35. Markxiv.7. Matt. v. 44. IPet. iii. 11. James
iv. 17. Psalm xxxiv. 14. xxxvii.27. xxxvi.3. xxxvii.3.
" Trust in the Lord, and do good." " If thou doest well, shalt
thou not be accepted ? But if thou doest not well, sin lieth
at the door;" Gen. iv. 7. " Cornelius, thy prayers and thine
alms are come up for a memorial before God. In every na-
tion he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is ac-
cepted of him ;" Acts x. 3, 4. 34, 35. " Know you not that
to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants
ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of
obedience unto righteousness ? Yield yourselves unto God
as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God;" Rom. vi. 13. 16.
Matt. V. 16. Acts ix. 36. Eph. ii. 10. " We are created
in Christ Jesus to good works, which God hath ordained
that we should walk in them." 1 Tim. ii. 10. v. 10. 25.
2 Tim. iii. 17. Tit. ii. 7. iii. 8. 14. ii. 14. "He redeem-
ed us from all iniquity, that he might purify to himself a
peculiar people zealous of good works." 1 Pet. ii. 12.
Heb. x. 24. " Let us consider one another, to provoke unto
184 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
love, and to good works." What a multitude of such pas-
sages may you tind in Scripture.
You see then how great apart of your calling and reli-
gion consisteth in doing good. Now it is not enough to
make this your care now and then, or do good when it falls
in your way ; but you must study it, or it will not be done
well. You must study which are good works, and which
are they that you are called to ; and which are the
best works, and to be preferred, that you choose not
a less instead of a greater. God looks to be served
with the best. You must study for opportunities of doing
good, and of the means of succeeding and accomplish-
ing it ; and for the removing of impediments ; and for
the overcoming of dissuasives, and tvithdrawing tempta-
tions. You must know what talents God hath entrusted
you with, and those you must study to do good with :
whether it be time, or interest in men, or opportunity,
or riches, or credit, or authority, or gifts of mind, or of
body : if you have not one, you have another, and some
have all.
This therefore is the thing that I would persuade you to :
take yourself for God's steward 5 remember the time when
it will be said to you, " Give account of thy stewardship ;
thou shalt be no longer steward." Let it be your every
day's contrivance, how to lay out your gifts, time, strength,
riches or interest, to your Master's use. Think which way
you may do most, first to promote the Gospel and the pub-
lic good of the church ; and then, which way you may help
towai'ds the saving of particular men's souls ; and then,
which way you may better the commonwealth, and how you
may do good to men's bodies, beginning with your own and
those of your family, but extending your help as much fur-
ther as you are able. Ask yourself every morning, * Which
way may I this day most further my Master's business, and
the good of men?' Ask yourself every night, ' What good
have I done to-day ?' And labour as much as may be, to
be instruments of some great and standing good, and of some
public and universal good, that you may look behind you at
the year's end, and at your lives' end, and see the good that
you have done. A piece of bread is soon eaten, and a
|>enny or a shilling is soon spent; but if you could win a
SPIRITUAL i»EACE AND COMFORT. 1B5
soul to God from sin, that would be a visible, everlasting
good. If you could be instruments of setting up a godly
minister in a congregation that want, the everlasting good
of many souls might, in part, be ascribed to you. If you
could help to heal and unite a divided church, you might ,
more rejoice to look back on the fruits of your labour, than
any physician might rejoice to see his poor patient reco-
vered to health. I have told rich men in another book,
what opportunities they have to do good, if they had hearts.
How easy were it with them to refresh men's bodies, and to
do very much for the saving souls ; to relieve the poor ; to
set their children to trades ; to ease the oppressed. How
easy to maintain two or three poor scholars at the Univer-
sities, for the service of the church. But I hear but a few
that do ever the more in it, except three or four of my
friends in these parts. Let me further tell you, God doth
not leave it to them as an indifferent thing ; Matt. xxv. They
must feed Christ in the poor, or else starve in hell them-
selves : they must clothe naked Christ in the poor, or be
laid naked in his fiery indignation for ever. How much
more diligently then must they help men's souls, and the
church of Christ, as the need is greater, and the work bet-
ter ! Oh the blinding power of riches ! Oh the easiness of
man's heart to be deluded ! Do rich men never think to lie
rotting in the dust? Do they never think that they must be
accountable for all their riches, and for all their time, and
power, and interests ? Do they not know that it will com-
fort them at death and judgment, to hear in their reckon-
ing. Item, so much given to such and such poor ; so much
to promote the Gospel ; so much to maintain poor scholars,
while they study to prepare themselves for the ministry ? &c.
Than to hear. So much in such a feast ; to entertain such
gallants ; to please such noble friends ; so much at dice, at
cards, at horse-races, at cock-fights ; so much in excess of
apparel ; and the rest to leave my posterity in the like
pomp? Do they not know that it will comfort them more
to hear then of their time spent in reading Scripture, secret
and open prayer, instructing and examining their children
and servants ; going to their poor neighbours' houses to see
what they want, and to persuade them to godliness ; and in
being examples of eminent holiness to all ; and in suppres-
sing vice, and dping justice, than to hear of so much time
186 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
spent in vain recreations, visits, luxuries, and idleness ? O
deep unbelief and hardness of heart, that makes gentlemen
that they tremble not to think of this reckoning ! Well,
let me tell both them and all men, that if they knew but
either their indispensable duty of doing good, that lieth on
them, or how necessary and sure a way (in subordination to
Christ) this act of doing good is for the soul's peace and
consolation, they would study it better, and practise it more
faithfully than now they do : they would then be glad of an
opportunity to do good, for their own gain, as well as for
God's honour, and for the love of good itself. They would
know, that lending to the Lord is the only thriving usury ;
and that no part of all their time, riches, interest in men,
power, or honours, will be then comfortable to them, but
that which was laid out for God ; and they will one day find,
that God will not take up with the scraps of their time and
riches, which their flesh can spare; but he will be first
served, even before all comers, and that with the best, or he
will take them for no servants of his. This is true, and you
will find it so, whether you will now believe it or no.
And because it is possible these lines may fall into the
hands of some of the rulers of this commonwealth, let me
here mind them of two weighty things :
1. What opportunities of doing very great good hath
been long in their hands, and how great an account of it
they have to make. It hath been long in their power to
have done much to the reconciling of our differences, and
healing our divisions, by setting divines a work of different
judgments, to find out a temperament for accommodation.
It hath long been in their power to have done much towards
the supply of all the dark congregations in England and
Wales, with competently able, sound and faithful teachers.
We have many congregations that do contain three thou-
sand, five thousand, or ten thousand souls, that have but
one or two ministers that cannot possibly do the tenth part
of the ministerial work of private oversight, and so poor
souls must be neglected, let ministers be never so able or
painful. We have divers godly, private Christians, of so
much understanding, as to be capable of helping us, as offi-
cers in our churches ; but they are all so poor, that they
are notable to spare one hour in a day or two from their 4a-
bour, much less to give up themselves to the work. How
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 187
many a congregation is in the same case ? Nothing ahnost
is wanting to us, to have set our congregations in the order
of Christ, and done this great work of reformation which
there is so much talking of, so much as want of maintenance
for a compentent number of ministers or elders to attend the
work. I am sure, in great congregations this is the case,
and a sore that no other means will remedy. Was it never
in the power of our rulers to have helped us here ? Was no-
thing sold for other uses, that was once devoted and dedi-
cated to God, and might have helped us in this our misera-
ble distress ? Were our churches able to maintain their
own officers, our case were more tolerable ; but when a con-
gregation that wants six, or seven, or ten, is not able to
maintain one it is hard.
2. The second thing that I would mind our rulers of, is,
what mortal enemies those men are to their souls, that would
persuade them that they must not, as rulers, do good to the
souls of men, and to the church as such ; nor further the
reformation, nor propagate the Gospel, nor establish Christ's
order in the churches of their country, any otherwise than
by a common maintaining the peace and liberties of all.
What doctrine could more desperately undo you, if enter-
tained? If you be once persuaded that it belongs not to
you to do good, and the greatest good, to which all your
successes have made way, then all the comfort, the blessing
and reward is lost ; and consequently all the glorious pre-
parative successes, as to you, are lost. If once you take
yourselves to have nothing to do as rulers for Christ, you
cannot promise yourselves that Christ will have any thing
to do for you, as rulers, in a way of mercy. This, Mr. Owen
hath lately told you in his sermon, October 13, " The God
of heaven forbid, that ever all the devils in hell, the Jesuits
at Rome, or the seduced souls in England, should be able to
persuade the rulers of this land, who are so deeply bound to
God by vows, mercies, professions, and high expenses of
treasure and blood, to reform his church, and propagate his
Gospel ; that now after all this, it belongeth not to them,
but they must, as rulers, be no more for Christ than for Ma-
homet. But if ever it shoul^l prove the sad case of England
to have such rulers, (which I strongly hope will never be,)
if my prognostics fail not, this will be their fate : the Lord
Jesus will forsake them, as they have forsaken him, and the
188 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
prayers of his saints will be fully turned against them ; and
his elect shall cry to him night and day, till he avenge them
speedily, by making these his enemies to lick the dust, and
dashing them in pieces like a potter's vessel, because they
vk^ould not that he should reign over them : and then they
shall know whether Christ be not King of kings, and Lord
of lords.
Perhaps you may think I digress from the matter in
hand ; but as long as I speak but for my Lord Christ, and
for doing good, I cannot think that I am quite out of my
way. But to return nearer to those for whose sakes I chiefly
write, this is that sum of my advice ; Study with all the un-
derstanding you have, how to do as much good, while you
have time, as possibly you can, and you shall find that
(without any Popish or Pharisaical self-confidence) to be
the most excellent art for obtaining spiritual peace, and a
large measure of comfort from Christ.
To that end use seriously and daily to bethink yourself,
what way of expending your time and wealth, and all your
talents, will be most comfortable for you to hear of, and re-
view at judgment. And take that as the way most comfort-
able now. Only consult not with flesh and blood ; make
not your flesh of your counsel in this work, but take it for
your enemy ; expect its violent, unwearied opposition ; but
regard not any of its clamours or repinings. But know, as
I said before, that your most true, spiritual comforts are a
prize that must be won, upon the conquest of the flesh. I
will only add to this, the words of the blessed Dri Sibbs (a
man that was no enemy to free-grace, nor unjust patron of
man's works), in his preface to his " Soul's Conflict :"
*' Christ is first a King of righteousness, and then of peace.
The righteousness that works by his Spirit brings a peace of
sanctification ; whereby though we are not freed from sin,
yet we are enabled to combat with it, and to get the victory
over it. Some degree of comfort follows every good action,
as heat accompanies fire, and as beams and influences issue
from the sun. Which is so true, that very heathens upon
the discharge of a good conscience, have found comfort and
peace answerable ; this is a reward before our reward."
Again, '• In watchfulness and diligence we sooner meet with
comfort, than in idle complaining." Again, pp. 44, 45. " An
unemployed life is a burden to itself. God is a pure Act j
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 189
always working ; always doing. And the nearer our soul
comes to God, the more it is in action, and the freer from
disquiet. Men experimentally feel that comfort in doing
that which belongs unto them, which before they longed for
aiid went without." And in his preface to the " Bruised
Reed :" " There is no more comfort to be expected from
Christ than there is care to please him. Otherwise, to make
him an abettor of a lawless and a loose life, is to transform
him into a fancy ; nay, into the likeness of him, whose works
he came to destroy ; which is the most detestable idolatry
of all. One way whereby the Spirit of Christ prevaileth in
his, is to preserve them from such thoughts : yet we see
people will frame a divinity to themselves, pleasing to the
flesh, suitable to their own ends ; which being vain in the
substance, will prove likewise vain in the fruit, and a build-
ing upon the sands." So far Dr. Sibbs. It seems there
were libertines and Antinomians then, and will be as long as
there are any carnal, unsanctified professors.
Direct. XXVI. Having led you thus far towards a settled
peace, my next Direction shall contain a necessary caution,
lest you run as far into the contrary extreme, viz. ' Take
heed that you neither trouble your own soul with needless
scruples, about matters of doctrine, of duty, or of sin, or
about your own condition. Nor yet that you do not make
yourself more work than God hath made you, by feigning
things unlawful, which God hath not forbidden ; or by plac-
ing your religion in will-worship, or in an over curious in-
sisting on circumstantials, or an over rigorous dealing with
your body.'
This is but the exposition of Solomon, "Be not over
wise, and be not righteous overmuch;" Eccles. vii. 16. A
man cannot serve God too much, formally and strictly con-
sidering his service ; much less love him too much. But
we may do too much materially intending thereby to serve
God, which though it be not true righteousness, yet being
intended for righteousness, and done as a service of God, or
obedience to him, is here called overmuch righteousness.
I know it is stark madness in the profane, secure world, to
think that the doing of no more than God hath commanded
us, is doing too much, or more than needs ; as if God had
bid us do more than needs, or had made such laws as few of
the foolish rulers on earth would make. This is plainly to
190 DIRECTIONS FOB (iETTlNCT AND KEEt»ING
blaspheme the Most High, by denying his wisdom and his
goodness, and his just government of the world ; and to blas-
pheme his holy laws, as if they were too strict, precise, and
made us more to do than needs ; and to reproach his sweet
and holy ways, as if they were grievous, intolerable, and un-
necessary. Much more is their madness, in charging the
godly with being too pure, and too precise, and making too
great a stir for heaven, and that merely for their godliness
and obedience ; when, alas, the best do fall so far short of
what God's word, and the necessity of their own souls do
require, that their consciences do more grievously accuse
them of negligence, than the barking world doth of being
too precise and diligent. And yet more mad are the world,
to lay out so much time, and care, and labour, for earthly
vanities, and to provide for their contemptible bodies for a
little while ; and in the mean time to think, that heaven and
their everlasting happiness there, and the escaping of ever-
lasting damnation in hell, are matters not worth so much
$do, but may be had with a few cold wishes, and that it is
but folly to do so much for it as the godly do. That no la-
bour should be thought too much for the world, the flesh,
and the devil, and every little is enough for God. And that
these wretched souls are so blinded by their own lusts, and
Ro bewitched by the devil into an utter ignorance of their
own hearts, that they verily think, and will stand in it, that
for all this they love God above all, and love heavenly things
better than earthly, and therefore shall be saved.
But yet extremes there are in the service of God, which
all wise Christians must labour to avoid. It is a very great
question among divines. Whether the common rule in ethics,
that virtue is ever in the middle between two extremes, be
sound, as to Christian virtues; Amesius saith no. The
case is not very hard, I think, to be resolved, if you will
but use these three distinctions: 1. Between the acts of
the mere rational faculties, understanding and will, called
elicit acts, and the acts of the inferior faculties of soul and
body, called imperate acts. 2. Between the acts that are
about the end immediately, and those that are about the
means. 3. Between the intention of an act, and the objec-
tive extension, and comparison of object with object. And
so I say, 1. The end (that is, God and salvation) cannot be
too fully known, or too much loved, with a pure, rational
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 191
love of complacency, nor too much sought by the acts of the
soul, as purely rational : for the end being loved and sought
for itself, and being of infinite goodness, must be loved and
sought without measure or limitation, it being impossible
here to exceed. Prop. 2. The means, while they are not
misapprehended, but taken as means, and materially well
understood, cannot be too clearly discerned, nor too rightly
chosen, nor too resolutely prosecuted. Prop. 3. It is too
possible to misapprehend the means, and to place them in-
stead of the end, and so to overlove them. Prop. 4. The
nature of all the means consisteth in a middle or mean be
tween two extremes, materially ; both which extremes are
sin : so that it is possible to overdo about all the means, as
to the matter of them, and the extent of our acts. Though
we cannot love God too much, yet it is possible to preach,
hear, pray, read, meditate, confer of good too much : for one
duty may shut out another, and a greater may be neglected
by our overdoing in a lesser ; which was the Pharisees' sin
in sabbath resting. Prop. 5. If we be never so right in the
extension of our acts, yet we may go too far in the intention
of the imperate acts or passions of the soul, and that both
on the means and end ; though the pure acts of knowing or
willing cannot be too great towards God and salvation, yet
the passions and acts commonly called sensitive may. A
man may think on God not only too much, (as to exclude
other necessary thoughts,) but too intensely, and love and
desire too passionately : for there is a degree of thinking or
meditating, and of passionate love and desire, which the
brain cannot bear, but it will cause madness, and quite
overthrow the use of reason, by overstretching the organs,
or by the extreme turbulency of the agitated spirits. Yet I
never knew the man, nor ever shall do, I think, that was
ever guilty of one of these excesses ; that is, of loving or de-
siring God so passionately, as to distract him. But I have
often known weak-headed people, (that be not able to order
their thoughts,) and many melancholy people, guilty of the
other; that is, of thinking too much, and too seriously and
intensely on good and holy things, whereby they have over-
thrown their reason, and been distracted. And here I would
give all such weak-headed, melancholy persons this warn-
ing, that whereas in my Book of Rest, I so much press a
constant course of heavenly meditation, 1 do intend it only
192 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
for sound heads, and not for the melancholy, that have weak
heads, and are unable to bear it. That may be their sin,
which to others is a very great duty ; while they think to do
that which they cannot do, they will but disable themselves
for that which they can do. I would therefore advise those
melancholy persons whose minds are so troubled, and heads
weakened, that they are in danger of overthrowing their un-
derstandings, (which usually begins in multitudes of scru-
ples, and restlessness of mind, and continual fears, and
blasphemous temptations, where it begins with these, dis-
traction is at hand, if not prevented,) that they forbear me-
ditation, as being no duty to them, though it be to others ;
and instead of it be the more in those duties which they are
fit for, especially conference with judicious Christians, and
cheerful and thankful acknowledgment of God's mercies.
And thus have I shewed you how far we may possibly ex-
ceed in God's service. Let me now a little apply it.
It hath ever been the devil's policy to begin in persuad-
ing men to worldliness, fleshpleasing, security, and presump-
tion, and utter neglect of God and their souls, or at least
preferring their bodies and worldly things, and by this means
he destroyeth the world. But where this will not take, but
God awaketh men effectually, and casteth out the sleepy
devil, usually he fills men's heads with needless scruples,
and next setteth them on a religion not commanded, and
would make poor souls believe they do nothing, if they do
not more than God hath commanded them. When the de-
vil hath no other way left to destroy religion and godliness,
he will pretend to be religious and godly himself, and then
he is always over-religious and over-godly in his materials.
All overdoing in God's work is undoing ; and whoever you
meet with that would overdo, suspect him to be either a sub-
tle, destroying enemy, or one deluded by the destroyer. O
what a tragedy could I here shew you of the devil's acting !
And what a mystery in the hellish art of deceiving could I
open to you ! And shall I keep the devil's counsel ? No :
O that God would open the eyes of his poor desolate
churches at last to see it!
The Lord Jesus in wisdom and tender mercy, establish-
eth a law of grace, and rule of life, pure and perfect, but sim-
ple and plain ; laying the condition of man's salvation more
in the honesty, of the believing heart, than in the strength of
SPIRITUAL PEACH AND COMFORT. 193
wit, and subtlety of a knowing head. He comprised the
truths which were of necessity to salvation in a narrow
room : so that the Christian faith was a matter of ^reat
plainness and simplicity. As long as Christians were such
and held to this, the Gospel rode in triumph through the
world, and an omnipotency of the Spirit accompanied it,
bearing down all before it. Princes and sceptres stooped ;
subtle philosophy was nonplust; and all useful sciences
came down, and acknowledged themselves servants, and
took their places, and were well contented to attend the
pleasure of Christ. As Mr. Herbert saith in his " Church
Militant;"—
Religion thence fled into Greece, where arts
Gave her the highest place in all men's hearts:
Learning was proposed ; philosophy was set ;
Sophisters taken in a fisher's net.
Plato and Aristotle were at a loss,
And wheeled about again to spell Christ's cross.
Prayers chas'd syllogisms into their den.
And ' ergo' was transformed into Amen.
The serpent envying this happiness of the church, hath
no way to undo us, but by drawing us from our Christian
simplicity. By the occasion of heretics' quarrel and errors,
the serpent steps in, and will needs be a spirit of zeal in the
church ; and he will so overdo against heretics, that he per-
suades them they must enlarge their creed,and add this clause
against one, and that against another, and all was but for
the perfecting and preserving of the Christian faith. And
so he brings it to be a matter of so much wit to be a Chris-
tian, (as Erasmus complains,) that ordinary heads were not
able to reach it. He had got them with a religious, zealous
cruelty to their own and others' souls, to lay all their salva-
tion, and the peace of the church, upon some unsearchable
mysteries about the Trinity, which God either never reveal-
ed, or never clearly revealed, or never laid so great a stress
upon : yet he persuades them that there was Scripture-proof
enough for these ; only the Scripture spoke it but in the
premises, or in darker terms, and they must but gather into
their creed the consequences, and put it into plainer expres-
sions, which heretics might not so easily corrupt, pervert, or
evade. Was not this reverent zeal ? And was not the devil
VOL. IX. O
194 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
seemingly now a Christian of the most judicious and for-
ward sort? But what got he at this one game? 1. He ne-
cessitated implicit faith even in fundamentals, when he had
got points beyond a vulgar reach among fundamentals. 2.
He necessitated some living judge for the determining of
fundamentals ' quoad nos,' though not ' in se' (the soul of
Popish wickedness), that is, what it is in sense that the peo-
ple must take for fundamentals. 3. He got a standing ver-
dict against the perfection and sufficiency of Scripture, (and
consequently against Christ, his Spirit, his apostles, and the
Christian faith ;) that it will not afford us so much as a
creed or system of fundamentals, or points absolutely ne-
cessary to salvation and brotherly communion, in fit or tole-
rable phrases ; but we must mend the language at least.
4. He opened a gap for human additions, at which he might
afterwards bring in more at his pleasure. 5. He framed an
engine for an infallible division, and to tear in pieces the
church, casting out all as heretics that could not subscribe
to his additions, and necessitating separation by all dissen-
ters, to the world's end, till the devil's engine be overthrown.
6. And hereby he lays a ground upon the divisions of Chris-
tians, to bring men into doubt of all religion, as not knowing
which is the right. 7. And he lays the ground of certain
heart-burnings, and mutual hatred, contentions, revilings,
and enmity. Is not here enough got at one cast? Doth
there need any more to the establishing of the Romish and
hellish darkness ? Did not this one act found the seat of
Rome ? Did not the* devil get more in his gown in a day
than he could get by his sword in three hundred years?
And yet the Holy Ghost gave them full warning of this be-
forehand; " For I am jealous over you with a godly jea-
lousy ; for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may
present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest
by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve, through his
subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the sim-
plicity that is in Christ ;" 2 Cor. xi. 2, 3. " Him that is
weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputa-
tions ;" Rom. xiv. 1. "The law of the Lord is perfect;"
Psal. xix. " All Scripture is given by inspiration from God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works;" 2 Tim.
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFOUT. 195
iii. 16, 17. " To the law and to the testimony : if they speak
not according to these, it is because there is no truth in
them;" Isa. viii.20. With many the like.
This plot the serpent hath found so successful, that he
hath followed it on to this day. He hath made it the great
engine to get Rome on his side, and to make them the
great dividers of Christ's church. He made the pope and
the council of Trent believe, that when they had owned the
ancient creed of the church, they must put in as many and
more additional articles of their own, and anathematize all
gainsayers ; and these additions must be the peculiar mark
of their church as Romish 4 and then all that are not of that
church, that is, that own not those superadded points, are
not of the true church of Christ, if they must be judges.
Yea, among ourselves hath the devil used successfully this
plot ! What confession of the purest church hath not some
more than is in Scripture ? The most modest must mend
the phrase and speak plainer, and somewhat of their own in
it, not excepting our own most reformed confession. iu -if
Yea, and where modesty restrains men from putting all
such inventions and explications in their creed, the devil
persuades men, that they being the judgments of godly, re-
verend divines (no doubt to be reverenced, valued j and
heard), it is almost as much as if it were in the creed, and
therefore whoever dissenteth must be noted with a black
coal, and you must disgrace him, and avoid communion with
him as an heretic. Hence lately is your union, commu-
nion, and the church's peace, laid upon certain unsearch-
able mysteries about predestination, the order and object*
of God's decrees, the manner of the Spirit's most secret ope-
rations on the soul, the nature of the will's essential liberty,
and its power of self-determining the Divine concourse, de-
termination or predestination of man's, and all other crea-
ture's actions, &c. That he is scarcely to be accounted a
fit member for our fraternal communion that differs from us
herein. Had it not been for this one plot, the Christian
faith had been kept pure ; religion had been one; the church
had been one ; and the hearts of Christians had been more
one than they are. Had not the devil turned orthodox, he
had not made so many true Christians heretics, as Epipha-
nius and Austin have enrolled in the black list. Had not
the enemy of truth and peace got into the chair, and made
196 DIKLCTIONS FOR GETTING AND KliUPlNG
80 pathetic an oration as to inflame the minds of the lover s
of truth to be over zealous for it, and to do too much, we
might have had truth and peace to this day. Yea, still, if
he see any man of experience and moderation stand up to
reduce men to the ancient simplicity, he presently seems the
most zealous for Christ, and tells the inexperienced leaders
of the flocks, that it is in favour of some heresy that such a
man speaks ; he is plotting a carnal syncretism, and at-
tempting the reconcilement of Christ and Belial ; he is taint-
ed with Popery, or Socinianism, or Arminianism,.or Calvin-
ism, or whatsoever may make him odious with those he
speaks to. O what the devil hath got by over-doing !
And as this is true in doctrines, so is it in worship and
discipline, and pastoral authority, and government. When
the serpent could not get the world to despise the poor fish-
ermen that published the Gospel (the devil being judged,
and the world convinced by the power of the Holy Ghost,
the Agent, Advocate, and Vicar of Christ on earth), he will
then be the most forward to honour and promote them.
And if he cannot make Constantine a persecutor of them, he
will persuade him to raise them in worldly glory to the stars,
and make them lords of Rome, and possess them with
princely dignities and revenues. And he hath got as much
by over-honouring them, as ever he did by persecuting and
despising them. And now in England, when this plot is
descried, and we had taken down that superfluous honour,
as antichristian, what doth the devil but set in again on the
other side? And none is so zealous a reformer as he. He
cries down all as antichristian, which he desireth should
fall. Their tithes and maintenance are antichristian and
oppressive (O pious, merciful devil), down withjthem ! These
church-lands were given by Papists to Popish uses, to
maintain bishops, and deans, and chapters, down with them.
These college-lands, these cathedrals, nay, these church-
houses, or temples (for so I will call them, whether the devil
will or no), all come from idolaters, and are abused to ido-
latry, down with them. Nay, think you but he hath taken
the boldness to cry out, these priests, these ministers, are
all antichristian, seducers, needless, enviers of the spirit of
prophesy, and of the gifts of their brethren, monopolizers of
preaching, down with them too ! So that though he yet
have pot what he would have, the old serpent hath done
SPIRITUAL PEACIl AND COMFORT. 197
more as a reformer by overdoing, than lie did in many a
year as a deformer or hinderer of reformation. Yet if he do
but see that there is a Sovereign Power that can do him a
mischief, he is ready to tell them, they must be merciful, and
not deal cruelly with sinners ! Nay, it belongs not to them
to reform, or to judge who are heretics and who not, or to
restrain false doctrine, or church-disturbers. Christ is suf-
ficient for this himself. How oft hath the devil preached
thus, to tie the hands of those that might wound him.
Would you see any further how he hath played this suc-
cessful game of overdoing ? Why, he hath done as much
by it in worship and discipline, as almost in any thing.
When he cannot have discipline neglected, he is an over-
zealous spirit in the breasts of the clergy ; and he persuades
them to appoint men penance, and pilgrimages, and to put
the necks of princes under their feet. But if this tyranny
must be abated, he cries down all discipline, and tells them
it is all but tyranny and human inventions ; and this con-
fessing sin to ministers for relief of conscience, and this open
confessing in -the congregation for a due manifestation of
repentance, and satisfaction to the church, that they may
hold communion with them, it is all but Popery and priestly
domineering.
And in matter of worship, worst of all. When he could
not persuade the world to persecute Christ, and to refuse
him and his worship, the serpent will be the most zealous"^
worshipper, and saith, as Herod, and with the same mind,
" Come and tell me, that I may worship him." He per-
suades men to do and overdo. He sets them on laying out
their revenues in sumptuous fabrics, in fighting to be mas-
ters of the holy land and sepulchre of Christ; on going pil-
grimages ; worshipping saints, angels, shrines, relics, ador-
ing the very bread of the sacrament as God, excessive fast-
ings, choice of meats, numbered prayers on beads, repeti-
tions of words, so may Ave Maries, Pater Nosters, the name
Jesus so oft repeated in a breath, so many holidays to saints,
canonical hours, even at midnight to pray, and that in Latin
for greater reverence, crossings, holy garments, variety of
prescribed gestures, kneeling and worshipping before images,
sacrificing Christ again to his Father in the mass ; forswear-
ing marriage ; living retiredly, as separate from the world ;
multitudes of new, prescribed rules and orders of life ; vow-
198 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
ing poverty ; begging without need ; creeping to the cross,
holy water, and holy bread, carrying palms, kneeling at
altars, bearing candles, ashes ; in baptism, crossing, conjur-
ing out the devil, salting, spittle, oil ; taking pardons, indul-
gencies, and dispensations of the pope ; praying for the
dead, perambulations, serving God to merit heaven, or to
ease souls in purgatory; doing works of supererogation,
with multitudes the like. All these hath the devil added to^
God's worship, so zealous a worshipper of Christ is he, when
he takes that way. Read Mr. Herbert's " Church Militant
of Rome," pp. 188 — 190. I could trace this deceiver yet fur-
ther, and tell you wherein, when he could not hinder refor-
mation in Luther's days, he would needs overdo in reform-
ing ! But O how sad an example of it have we before our
eyes in England ! Never people on earth more hot upon re-
forming ! Never any deeper engaged for it ! The devil
could not hinder it by fire and sword 5 when he sees that,
he will needs turn reformer, as I said before, and he gets the
word, and cries down antichrist, and cries up reformation,
till he hath done what we see ! He hath made a Babel of
our work, by confounding our languages ; for though he
will be for reformation too, yet his name is Legion, he is an
enemy to the one God, one Mediator and Head, one faith,
and one baptism, one heart, and one lip, and one way, uni-
ty is the chief butt that he shoots at. Is baptism to be re-
formed ? Christ is so moderate a Reformer, that he only
bids, Down with the symbolical, mystical rite of man's vain
addition. But the serpent is a more zealous reformer. He
saith. Out with express covenanting ; out with children ;
they are a corruption of the ordinance. , And to others he
says. Out with baptism itself. We might follow him thus
through other ordinances. Indeed he so overdoes in his re-
forming, that he would not leave us a Gospel, a ministry,
a magistracy to be for Christ, no, nor a Christ ; (though yet
he would seem to own a God, and the light of nature). All
these with him are antichristian.
By this time I hope you see that this way of overdoing
hath another author than many zealous people do imagine ;
and that it is the devil's common, successful trade ; so that
his agents in state-assemblies are taught his policy, ' When
you have no other way of undoing, let it be by overdoing.'
And the same way he takes with the souls of particular per-
SPIRITUAL PBACE AND COMFORT. 199
sons. If he see them troubled for sin, and he cannot keep
them from the knowledge of Christ and free grace, he puts
the name of free grace and Gospel-preaching upon Antino-
mian and libertine errors which subvert the very Gospel and
free grace itself. If he see men convinced of this, and that
it is neither common nor religious libertinism and sensuali-
ty that will bring men to heaven, then he will labour to make
Papists of them, and to set them on a task of external for-
malities, or macerating their bodies with hurtful fastings,
watchings, and cold, as if self-murder were the highest pitch
of religion, and God had pleasure to see his people torment
themselves ! I confess it is very few that ever I knew to have
erred far in austere usage of their bodies. But some I have,
and especially poor, melancholy Christians, that are more
easily drawn to deal rigorously with their flesh than others
be. And such writings as lately have been published by
some English Popish formalists, I have known draw men
into this snare. I would have all such remember, 1. That
God is a Spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and in
truth ; and such worshippers doth he seek. 2. That God
will have mercy and not sacrifice ; and that the vitals of re-
ligion are in a consumption, when the heat of zeal is drawn
too much to the outside ; and that placing most in exter-
nals, is the great character of hypocrisy, and is that phari-
saical religion to which the doctrine and practice of the
Lord Jesus was most opposite, as any that will read the Gos-
pel may soon see. 3. That God hath made our bodies to
be his servants, and instruments of righteousness (Rom vi.
13.), and helpful and serviceable to our souls in welldoing.
And therefore it is disobedience, it is injustice, it is cruelty
to disable them, and causelessly to vex and torment them,
much more to destroy them. You may see by sick men, by
melancholy men, by madmen and children, how unfit that
soul is to know, or love, or serve God, that hath not a fit
body to work in and by. The serpent knows this well
enough. If he can but get you by excessive fastings, watch-
ings, labours, studies, or other austerities, especially sad-
ness and perplexities of mind, to have a sick body, a crazed
brain, or a short life, you will be able to do him but little
hurt, and God but little service, besides the pleasure that
he takes in your own vexation. Nay, he will hope to make
a further advantage of your weakness, and to keep many a
200 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
soul in the snares of sensuality, by telling them of your mi-
series, and saying to them, ' Dost thou not see in such a man
or woman, what it is to be so holy and precise ? They will
all run mad at last. If once thou grow so strict, and deny
thyself thy pleasures, and take this precise course, thou wilt
but make thy life a misery, and never have a merry day
again.' Such examples as yours the devil will make use of
that he may terrify poor souls from godliness, and represent
the word and ways of Christ to them in an odious, and un-
pkasing, and discouraging shape. Doubtless that God
who himself is so merciful to your body, as well as to your
soul, would have you to be so too. He that provided so
plentifully for its refreshment, would not have you refuse
his provision. He that saith the righteous man is merciful
to his beast, no doubt would not have him to be unmerciful
to his own body. You are commanded to love your neigh-
bours but as yourself ; and therefore by cruelty and unmer-
ciful dealing with your own body, you will go about to jus-
tify the like dealing with others. You durst not deny to
feed, to clothe, to comfort and refresh the poor, lest Christ
should say, " You did it not to me." And how should you
dare to deny the same to yourself? How will you answer
God for the neglect of all that service which you should have
done him, and might, if you had not disabled your bodies
and mind ? He requireth that you delight yourself in him.
And how can you do that when you habituate both mind
and body to a sad, dejected, mournful garb? The service
that God requires, is " To serve him with cheerfulness in
the abundance that we possess ;" Deut. xxviii. 47. If you
think that I here contradict what I said in the former Direc-
tions, for pinching the flesh, and denying its desires, you are
mistaken. I only shew you the danger of the contrary ex-
treme. God's way lieth between both. Tlie truth is (if you
would be resolved how far you may please or displease the
flesh) the flesh being ordained to be our servant and God's
servant, must be used as a servant. You will give your ser-
vant food, and raiment, and wholesome lodging, and good
usage, or else you are unjust, and he will be unfit to do your
work. But so far as he would master you, or disobey you,
you will correct him, or keep him under. You will feed
your horse, or else he will not carry you ; but if he grow
unruly, you must tame him. It is a delusory formality of
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 201
Papists, to tie all the countries to one time and measure of
fasting, as Lent, Fridays, &c. When men's states are so
various that many (though not quite sick) have more need
of a restoring diet ; and those that need fasting, need it not
all at once, not in one measure, but at the time, and in the
measure, as the taming of their flesh requireth it. As if a
physician should proclaim that all his patients should take
physic such forty days every year, w^hether their disease be
plethoric or consuming, from fulness or from abstinence,
and whether the disease take him at that time of the year,
or another. And remember that you must not iinder pre-
tences of saving the body, disable it to serve God. You
will not lay any such correction on your child or servant as
shall disable them from their work, but such as shall excite
them to it. And understand that all your afflicting your
body must be either preventive, as keeping the fire from the
thatch, or medicinal and corrective, and not strictly vindic-
tive ; for that belongs to your Judge. Though in a subor-
dination to the other ends, the smart or suffering for its
fault, is one end, and so it is truly penal or vindictive, as all
chastisement is. And so Paul saith, " Behold what re-
venge," &c. 2 Cor. vii. 11. but not as mere judicial revenge
is. Remember therefore, though you must so far tame your
body as to bring it into subjection, that you perish not by
pampering ; yet not so far as to bring it to weakness, and
sickness, and unfitness for its duty. Nor yet must you dare
to conceit that you please God, or satisfy him for your sin,
by such a wronging and hurting your own body. Such
Popish religiousness shews, that men have very low and
carnal conceits of God. Was it not a base wickedness in
them that offered their children in sacrifice, to think that
God would be pleased with such cruelty ? Yea, were it not
to have directed us to Christ, he would not a have accepted
of the blood of bulls and goats ; it is not sacrifice that he
desires. He never was bloodthirsty, nor took any pleasure
in the creature's suffering. How can you think then that he
will take pleasure in your consuming and destroying your
own bodies? It is as unreasonable as to imagine, that he
delights to have men cut their own throats, or hang them-
selves ; for pining and consuming oneself is self-murder as
well as that. Yet I know no man should draw back from a
painful or hazardous work, when God calls him to it, for
202 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
fear of destroying the flesh ; but do not make work or suf-
fering for yourselves. God will lay as much affliction on
you as you need, and be thankful if he will enable you to
bear that ; but you have no need to add more. If yourselves
make the suffering, how can you with any encouragement,
beg strength of God to bear it? And if you have not
strength, what will you do ? Nay, how can you pray for
deliverance from God's afflictings, when you make more of
your own? And thus I have shewed you the danger of
overdoing, and what hindrance it is to a settled peace, both
of church (state) and soul ; though perhaps it may not con-
demn a particular soul so certainly (in most parts of it) as
doing too little will.
5. The next part of my Direction (first expressed) is.
That you avoid causeless scruples, about doctrines, duties^
sins, or your own state.
These are also engines of the enemy, to batter the peace,
and comfort of your soul ; he knows that it is cheerful obe-
dience, with a confidence of Christ's merits and mercies
that God accepteth ; and therefore if he cannot hinder a
poor soul from setting upon duty, he will hinder him if he
can, by these scruples, from a cheerful and prosperous pro-
gress. First, If he can, he will take in scruples about the
truth of his religion, and shewing him the many opinions
that are in the world, he will labour to bring the poor Chris-
tian to a loss. Or else he will assault him by the men of
some particular sect, to draw him to that party, and so by
corrupting his judgment, to break his peace ; or at least
to trouble his head, and divert his thoughts from God, by
tedious disputes. The Papists will tell him, that they are
the only true Catholic church (as if they had got a mono-
poly or patent for religion, and had confined Christ to
themselves) who are such notorious abusers of him. And
as if all the churches of Greece, Ethiopia, and the rest of
the world, were unchurched by Christ, to humour Master
Pope, though they be far more in number, and many of them
sounder in doctrine than the Romanists are. Those of other
parties will do the like, each one to draw him to their own
way. And the devil would make him believe that there are
jis many religions as there be odd opinions, when alas, the
Christian religion is one, and but one, consisting, for the
doctrinals, in those fundamentals contained in our creed.
SPIUITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 203
And men's lesser erroneous opinions are but the scabs that
adhere to their religion. Only the church of Rome is a very
leper, whose infectious disease doth compel us to avoid her
company. (As for any sort of men that deny the funda-
mentals, I will not call them by the name of Christians.)
So also in duties of worship, satan will be casting in scru-
ples. If they should hear the word, he will cause them to
be scrupling the calling of the minister, or something in his
doctrine to discourage them. If they should dedicate their
children to Christ in the baptismal covenant, he will be
raising scruples about the lawfulness of baptizing infants.
When they should solace their souls at the Lord's supper,
or other communion of the church, he will be raising scru-
ples about the fitness of every one that they are to join with,
and whether it be lawful to join with such an ignorant man,
or such a wicked man ; or whether it be a true church, or
rightly gathered, or governed, or the minister a true minis-
ter, and twenty the like. When they should join with the
church in singing of God's praises, he will move one to scru-
ple singing David's psalms ; another to scruple singing
among the ungodly ; another singing psalms that agree not
to every man's condition ; another, because our translation
is bad, or our metre defective, and we might have better.
When men should spend the Lord's day in God's spiritual
worship, he causeth one to scruple, whether the Lord's day
be of divine institution. Another he drives into the other
extreme, to scruple almost every thing that is not worship.
Whether they may provide their meat on that day (when yet
it is a solemn day of thanksgiving, and they scruple not
much more on other thanksgiving-days) or whether they
may so much as move a stick out of the way. Others he
moves to trouble themselves with scruples, as what hour the
day begins and ends, and the like. Whereas, if they, 1.
Understood that worldly rest is commanded but as a help to
spiritual worship. 2. And that they must employ as much
of that day in God's work as they do of other days in their
callings, and rest in the night as at other times, and that
God looks to time for the work's sake, and not at the work
for the time's sake ; this would cast out most of their scru-
ples. The like course satan takes with Christians in read-
ing, praying in secret, or in their families, teaching their
families, reproving sinners, teaching the ignorant, medi-
tation, and all other duties, too long to mention the
204 DIRECTIONS Ft)R GETTING AND KEEPING
particular scruples which he thrusts into men's heads^ much
more to resolve them, which would require a large volume
alone.
Now I would entreat all such Christians to consider, how
little they please God, and how much they please satan, and
how much they break their own peace, and the peace of the
churches. If you send a man on a journey, would you like
him better that would stand questioning and scrupling every
step he goes, whether he set the right foot before ? Or
whether he should go in the foot-path or in the road ? Or
him that would cheerfully go on, not thinking which foot
goeth forward ; and rather step a little beside the path, and
in again, than to stand scrupling when he should be going ?
If you send reapers into your harvest, which would you like
better, him that would stand scrupling how many straws he
should cut down at once, and at what height; and with
fears of cutting them too high or too low, too many at once,
or too few, should do you but little work ? Or him that
would do his work cheerfully, as well as he can ? Would
you not be angry at such childish, unprofitable diligence or
curiosity, as is a hindrance to your work ? And is it not
so with our Master ? There was but one of those parties in
the right that Paul spoke to ; Rom. xiv. xv. And yet he
not only persuades them to bear with one another, and not
to judge one another, but to receive the weak in faith, and
not to doubtful disputations ; but he bids them, " Let every
man be fully persuaded in his own mind." How ? Can he
that erreth be fully persuaded in his error ? Yes, he may
go on boldly and confidently, not troubling himself with
demurs in his duty, as long as he took the safer side in his
doubt. Not that this should encourage any to venture on
sin, or to neglect a due inquiry after God's mind. But I
speak against tormenting scruples, which do no work, but
hinder from it, and stay us from our duty.
The same I say against scruples about your sins ; satan
will make you believe that every thing is a sin, that he may
disquiet you, if he cannot get you to believe that nothing
almost is sin, that he may destroy you. You shall not put
a bit in your mouth, but he will move a scruple, whether it
were not too good, or too much. You shall not clothe your-
self, but he will move you to scruple the lawfulness of it.
You shall not come into any company, but he will afterward
vex you about every word you spoke, lest you sinned.
SPIRITUAL lMiA( li AND COMFORT. 205
The like I may say also about your condition, but more
of that anon.
Direct. XXVII. ' When God hath once shewed you a
certainty, or but a strong probability of your sincerity and
his especial love, labour to fix this so deep in your appre-
hension and memory, that it may serve for the time to
come, and not only for the present. And leave not your
soul too open to changes, upon every new apprehension,
nor to question all that is past upon every jealousy ; except
when some notable declining to the world, and the flesh, or
a committing of gross sins, or a wilfulness or carelessness in
other sins that you may avoid, do give you just cause of
questioning your sincerity, and bringing your soul again to
the bar, and your estate to a more exact review.'
Some Antinomian writers and preachers you shall meet
with, who will persuade you, whatsoever sins you fall into,
never more to question your justification or salvation. I
have said enough before to prove their doctrine detestable.
Their reason is, because God changeth not as we change,
and justification is never lost. To which I answer, 1. God
hated us while we were workers of iniquity ; Psal. xi. 5.
V. 5. And was angry with us when we were children of
wrath ; Ephes. iii. 1 — 3. And afterward he laid by that
hatred and wrath; and all this without change. If we can-
not reach to apprehend how God's unchangeableness can
stand with the fullest and most frequent expressions of him
in Scripture, must we therefore deny what those expressions
do contain ? As Austin saith, ' Shall we deny that which is
plain, because we cannot reach that which is obscure and
difficult?' 2. But if these men had well studied the Scrip-
tures, they might have known that the same man that was
yesterday hated as an enemy, may to-day be reconciled and
loved as a son, and that without any change in God; even
as it falls out within the reach of our knowledge : for God
ruleth the world by his laws ; they are his moral instru-
ments; by them he condemneth; by them he justifieth, so
far as he is said in this life, before the judgment day, to do
it, (unless there be any other secret act of justification with
him, which man is not able now to understand). The change
is therefore in our relations, and in the moral actions of the
laws. When we are unbelievers, and impenitent^ we are re-
lated to God as enemies, rebels, unjustified and unpar-
206 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
doned ; being such as God's law conderaneth and pronouno-
eth enemies, and the law of grace doth not yet justify or
pardon; and so God is, as it were, in some sense obliged,
according to that law which we are under, to deal with us
as enemies, by destroying us ; and this is God's hating,
wrath, &c. When we repent, return, and believe, our rela-
tion is changed ; the same law that did condemn us, is re-
laxed and disabled, and the law of grace doth now acquit
us; it pardoneth us, it justifieth us, and God by it : and so
God is reconciled to us, when we are such as according to
his own law of grace he is, as it were, obliged to forgive and
to do good to, and to use us as sons : is not all this apparently
without any change in God ? Cannot he make a law that
shall change its moral action according to the change of the
actions or inclinations of sinners ? And this without any
change in God? And so, if it should so be that a justified
man should fall from God, from Christ, from sincere faith
or obedience, the law would condemn him again, and the
law of grace would justify him no more (in that state), and
all this without any change in God. 3. If this Antinomian
argument would prove any thing, it would prove justifica-
tion before, and so without, Christ's satisfaction, because
there is no change in God. 4. The very point. That no jus-
tified man shall ever fall from Christ, is not so cle^r and
fully revealed in Scripture, and past all doubt from the as-
sault of objections, as that a poor soul in such a relapsed
estate should venture his everlasting salvation wholly on
this, supposing that he were certain that he was once sin-
cere. For my own part, I am persuaded that no rooted be-
liever, that is habitually and groundedly resolved for Christ,
and hath crucified the flesh and the world, (as all have that
are thoroughly Christ's,) do ever fall quite away from him
afterwards. But I dare not lay my salvation on this. And
if I were no surer of my salvation, than I am of the truth of
this my judgment, to speak freely, my soul would be in a
very sad condition. 5. But suppose it as certain and plain
as any word in the Gospel, (that a justified man is never
quite unjustified ;) yet as every new sin brings a new obli-
gation' to punishment, (or else they could not be pardoned,
as needing no pardon, so must every sin have its particular
pardon, and consequently the sinner a particular justifica-
tion from the guilt of that sin,) besides his first general par-
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 207
don (and justification) : for to pardon sin before it is com-
mitted, is to pardon sin that is no sin, which is a contra-
diction, and impossibility. Now, though for daily, un-
avoidable infirmities, there be a pardon of course, upon the
title of our habitual faith and repentance ; yet whether in
case of gross sin, or more notable defection, this will prove
a sufficient title to particular pardon, without the addition
of actual repentance ; and what case the sinner is in till that
actual repentance and faith, as I told you before, are so
difficult questions (it being ordered by God's great wisdom
that they should be so,) that it beseems no wise man to ven-
ture his salvation on his own opinion in these. Nay, it is
certain, that if gross sinners having opportunity and know-
ledge of their sins, repent not, they shall perish. And
therefore I think, a justified man hath great reason upon
such falls, to examine his particular repentance, (as well as
his former state,) and not to promise himself, or presume
upon a pardon without it. 6. And besides all this, though
both the continuance of faith, and non-intercision of justi-
fication be never so certain, yet when a man's obedience is
so far overthrown, his former evidences and persuasions of
his justification will be uncertain to him. Though he have
no reason to think that God is changeable, or justification
will be lost, yet he hath reason enough to question whether
ever he were a true believer, and so were ever justified. For
faith worketh by love ; and they that love Christ will keep
his commandments. Libertines and carnal men may talk
their pleasure; but when satan maintains not their peace,
sin will break it : and Dr. Sibbs's words will be found true,
•* Soul's Conflict," pp. 41, 42. " Though the main pillar of
our comfort be the free forgiveness of our sins, yet if there
be a neglect of growing in holiness, the soul will never be
soundly quiet, because it will be prone to question the truth
of justification ; and it is as proper for sin to raise doubts
and fears in the conscience, as for rotten flesh and wood to
breed worms : where there is not a pure conscience, there is
not a pacified conscience," &c. Read the rest.
Thus much I have been fain to premise, lest my words
for consolation should occasion security and desolation.
But now let me desire you to peruse the Direction, and
practise it. If when God hath given you assurance, or
strong probabilities of your sincerity, you will make use of
208 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
it but only for that present time, you will never then have a
settled peace in your soul : besides, the great wrong you do
to God, by necessitating him to be so often renewing such
discoveries, and repeating the same words to you so often
over. If your child offend you, would you have him when
he is pardoned, no longer to believe it, than you are telling
it him ? Should he be still asking you over and over every
day, * Father, am I forgiven, or no V Should not one answer
serve his turn ? Will you not believe that your money is
in your purse or chest any longer than you are looking on
it? Or that your corn is growing on your land, or your cat-
tle in your grounds, any longer than you are looking on
them ? By this course a rich man should have no more con-
tent than a beggar, longer than he is looking on his money,
or goods, or lands ; and when he is looking on one, he should
again lose the comfort of all the rest. What hath God
given you a memory for, but to lay up former apprehen-
sions, and discoveries, and experiences, and make use of
them on all meet occasions afterwards ? Let me therefore
persuade you to this great and necessary work. When God
hath once resolved your doubts, and shewed you the truth
of your faith, love or obedience, write it down, if you can,
in your book, (as I have advised you in my Treatise of
Rest,) ' Such a day, upon serious perusal of my heart, I
found it thus and thus with myself.' Or at least, write it
deep in your memory ; and do not suffer any fancies, or
fears, or light surmises to cause you to question this again,
as long as you fall not from the obedience or faith which
you then discovered. Alas ! man's apprehension is a most
mutable thing ! If you leave your soul open to every new
apprehension, you will never be settled : you may think two
contrary things of yourself in an hour. You have not al-
ways the same opportunity for right discerning, nor the
•same clearness of apprehension, nor the same outward
means to help you, nor the same inward assistance of the
Holy Ghost. When you have these, therefore, make use of
them, and fix your wavering soul, and take your question
and doubt as resolved, and do not tempt God, by calling
him to new answers again and again, as if he had given you
no answer before. You will never want some occasion of
jealousy and fears as long as you have corruption in your
heart, and sin in your life, and a tempter to be troubling
SPIRITUAL PEACK AND COMFORT. 20^
you ; but if you will suffer any such wind to shake your
peace and comforts, you will be always shaking and fluc-
tuating, as a wave of the sea. And you must labour to ap^
prehend not only the uncomfortableness, but the sinfulness
also of this course. For though the questioning your own
sincerity on every small occasion, be not near so great a sin
as the questioning of God's merciful nature, or the truth of
his promise, or his readiness to shew mercy to the penitent
soul, or the freeness and fulness of the covenant of grace ;
yet even this is no contemptible sin. For, 1. You are do-
ing satan's work, in denying God's graces, and accusing
yourself falsely, and so pleasing the devil in disquieting
yourself. 2. You slander God's Spirit as well as your own
soul, in saying, he hath not renewed and sanctified you,
when he hath. 3. This will necessitate you to further un*
thankfulness, for who can be thankful for a mercy, that
thinks he never received it ? 4. This will shut your mouth
against all those praises of God, and that heavenly, joyful
commemoration of his great, unspeakable love to your soul,
which should be the blessed work of your life. 5. This will
much abate your love to God, and your sense of the love of
Christ in dying for you, and all the rest of your graces, while
you are still questioning your interest in God's love. 6. It
will lay such a discouragement on your soul, as will both
destroy the sweetness of all duties to you (which is a great
evil), and thereby make you backward to them, and heart-
less in them : you will have no mind of praying, medita-
tion, or other duties, because all will seem dark to you, and
you will think that every thing makes against you. 7. You
rob all about you of that cheerful, encouraging example and
persuasion which they should have from you, and by which
you might win many souls to God. And contrarily you are
a discouragement and hindrance to them. I could mention
many more sinful aggravations of your denying God's graces
in you on every small occasion, which methinks should make
you be very tender of it, if not to avoid unnecessary trouble
to yourself, yet at least to avoid sin against God.
And what I have said of evidences and assurance, I
would have you understand also of your experiences. You
must not make use only at the present of your experiences,
but lay them up for the time to come. Nor must you tempt
God so far as to expect new experiences upon every new
VOL. IX. P
210 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
scruple or doubt of yours, as the Israelites expected new
miracles in the wilderness, still forgetting the old. If a
scholar should in his studies forget all that he hath read and
learned, and all the resolutions of his doubts which in study
he hath attained, and leave his understanding still as an un-
written paper, as a receptive of every mutation and new ap-
prehension, and contrary conceit, as if he had never studied
the point before, he will make but a poor proficiency, and
have but a fluctuated, unsettled brain. A scholar should
make all the studies of his life to compose one entire image
of truth in his soul, as a painter makes every line he draws
to compose one entire picture of a man ; and as a weaver
makes every thread to compose one web ; so should you
make all former examinations, discoveries, evidences, and
experiences, compose one full discovery of your condition,
that so you may have a settled peace of soul : and see that
you tie both ends together, and neither look on your present
troubled state without your former, lest you be unthankful,
and unjustly discouraged ; nor on your former state without
observance of your present frame of heart and life, lest you
deceive yourself, or grow secure. O that you could well
observe this Direction ! How much would it help you to
escape extremes, and conduce to the settling of a well-
grounded peace, and at once to the well ordering of your
whole conversation !
Direct. XXVIII. * Be very careful that you create not
perplexities and terrors to your own soul, by rash misinter-
pretations of any passages either of Scripture, of God's pro-
vidence, or of the sermons or private speeches of ministers :
but resolve with patience, yea, with gladness, to suffer
preachers to deal with their congregations in the most
searching, serious and awakening mannei^ lest your weak-
ness should be a wrong to the whole assembly, and possibly
the undoing of many a sensual, drowsy or obstinate soul,
who will not be convinced and awakened by a comforting
way of preaching, or by any smoother or gentler means.*
Here are three dangerous enemies to your peace, which
(for brevity) I warn you of together.
1. Rash misinterpretations and misapplications of Scrip-
ture. Some weak-headed, troubled Christians can scarce
read a chapter, or hear one read, but they will find some-
thing which they think doth condemn them. If they read
SPIRITUAL HKACE AND COMFORT. 211
of God's wrath and judgment, they think it is meant against
them. If they read, " Our God is a consuming firfr," they
think presently it is themselves that must be the fuel ;
whereas justice and mercy have each their proper ob-
jects ; the burning fire will not waste the gold, nor is water
the fuel of it ; but combustible matter it will presently con-
sume. A humble soul that lies prostrate at Christ's feet,
confessing its unworthiness, and bewailing its sinfulness,
this is not the object of revenging justice ; such a soul
bringing Christ's mercies, and pleading them with God, is
so far from being the fuel of this consuming fire, that he
bringeth that water which will undoubtedly quench it. Yet
this Scripture expression of our God, may subdue carnal
security even in the best, but not dismay them or discou-
rage them in their hopes. Another reads in Psalm 1. " I
will set thy sins in order before thee ;" and he thinks, cer-
tainly God will deal thus by him, not considering that God
chargeth only their sins upon them that charge them not by
true repentance on themselves, and accept not of Christ who
hath discharged them by his blood. It is the excusers,
and mincers, and defenders of sin, that love not those that
reprove them, and that will not avoid them, or the occasions
of them, that would not be reformed, and will not be per-
suaded, in whose souls iniquity hath dominion, and that de-
light in it, it is these on whom God chargeth their sin : " For
this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men love darkness rather than light ; and come not to
the light, lest their deeds should be reproved;" Johniii.
20, 21. But for the soul that trembleth at God's word, and
comes home to God with shame and sorrow, resolving to
return no more to wickedness, God is so far from charging
his sins upon him, that he never mentioneth them, as I told
you, is evident in the case of the prodigal. He makes not
a poor sinner's burden more heavy by hitting him in the
teeth with his sins, but makes it the office of his Son to
ease him by disburdening him.
Many more texts might be named (and perhaps it would
not be lost labour) which troubled souls do misunderstand
and misapply ; but it would make this writing tedious,
which is already swelled so far beyond my first intention.
2. The second enemy of your peace here mentioned, is.
Misunderstanding and misapplying passages of providence.
212 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AM) KEEPING
Nothing more common with troubled souls, than upon every
new cross and affliction that befals them, presently to think,
God takes them for hypocrites ; and to question their sin-
cerity ! As if David and Job had not left them a full warn-
ing against this temptation. Do you lose your goods ? So
did Job. Do you lose your children ? So did Job ; and
that in no very comfortable way. Do you lose your health ?
So did Job. What if your godly friends should come about
you in this case, and bend all their wits and speeches to
persuade you that you are but a hypocrite, as Job's friends
did by him, would not this put you harder to it? Yet could
Job resolve, " I will not let go mine integrity till I die." I
know God's chastisements are all paternal punishments ;
and that Christians should search and try their hearts and
ways at such times ; but not conclude that they are grace-
less ever the more for being afflicted, seeing God chasteneth
every son whom he receiveth ; Heb. xii. 6, 7. And in
searching after sin itself in your afflictions, be sure that you
make the word, and not your sufferings, the rule to discover
how far you haye sinned ; and let afflictions only quicken
you to try by the word. How many a soul have I known
that by misinterpreting providences, have in a blind jea-
lousy, been turned quite from truth and duty, supposing it
had been error and sin ; and all because of their afflictions.
As a foolish man in his sickness accuseth the last meat that
he eat before he fell sick, though it might be the whole-
somest that ever he eat, and the disease may have many
causes which he is ignorant of. One man being sick, a busy
seducing Papist comes to him (for it is their use to take
such opportunities) and tells him, ' It is God's hand upon
you for forsaking or straying from the Roman Catholic
Church, and God hath sent this affliction to bring you
home. All your ancestors lived and died in this church,
and so must you if ever you will be saved.' The poor, jea-
lous, affrighted sinner hearing this, and through his igno-
rance being unable to answer him, thinks it is even true,
and presently turns Papist. In the same manner do most
other sects. How many have the Antinomians and Ana-
baptists thus seduced ! Finding a poor silly woman (for it
is most common with them) to be under sad doubts and dis-
tress of soul, one tells her, * It is God's hand on you to con-
vince you of error, and to bring you to submit to the ordi-
SPIRITUAL PEACi: AND COMFORT. 213
nance of baptism :' and upon this many have been rebap-
tized, and put their foot into the-snare which I have yet seen
few escape and draw back from. Another comes and tells
the troubled soul, * It is legal preaching, and looking at
something in yourself for peace and comfort, which hath
brought you to this distress : as long as you follow these
legal preachers, and read their books, and look at any thing
in yourself, and seek assurance from marks within you, it
will never be better with you. These preachers understand
not the nature of free grace, nor ever tasted it themselves,
and therefore they cannot preach it, but despise it. You
must know that grace is so free that the covenant hath no
condition : you must believe, and not look after the marks.
And believing is but to be persuaded that God is reconciled
to you, and hath forgiven you ; for you are justified before
you were born, if you are one of the elect, and can but be-
lieve it. It is not any thing of your own, by which you can
be justified; nor is it any sin of yours that can unjustify.
It is the witness of the Spirit only persuading you of your
justification and adoption, that can give you assurance ;
and fetching it from any thing in yourself, is but a resting
on your own righteousness, and forsaking Christ.' When
the Antinomian hath but sung this igaorant charm to a
poor soul as ignorant as himself, and prepared by terrors to
entertain the impression, presently it (oft) takes, and the
sinner without a wonder of mercy is undone. This doc-
trine, which subverteth the very scope of the Gospel, being
entertained, subverteth his faith and obedience ; and usually
the libertinism of his opinion is seen in his liberty of con-
science, and licentious practices ; and his trouble of mind
is cured, as a burning fever by opium, which gives him such
a sleep, that he never awaketh till he be in another world.
Yet these errors are so gross, and so fully against the ex-
press texts of Scripture, that if ministers would condescend-
ingly, lovingly and familiarly deal with them and do their
duty, I should hope many well-meaning souls might be re-
covered. Thus you see the danger of rash interpreting,
and so misinterpreting providences. As such interpreta-
tions of prosperity and success delude not only the Mahome-
tan world, and the profane world, but many that seemed
godly, so many such interpretations of adversity and crosses
do y especially if the seducer be but kind and liberal to re^.
214 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
lieve them in their adversity, he may do with many poor
souls almost what he please.
3. The third enemy to your peace here mentioned, is.
Misinterpreting or misapplying the passages of preachers in
their sermons, writings or private speeches. A minister
cannot deal thoroughly or seriously with any sort of sinners,
but some fearful, troubled souls apply all to themselves. I
must entreat you to avoid this fault, or else you will turn
God's ordinances and the daily food of your souls, into bit-
terness and wormwood, and all through your mistakes. I
think there are few ministers so preach, but you might per-
ceive whom they mean, and they so difference as to tell you
who they speak to. I confess it is a better sign of an honest
heart and self-judging conscience, to say, ' He speaks now
to me, this is my case ;' than to say, * He speaks now to
such or such a one, this is their case.' For it is the property
of hypocrites to have their eye most abroad, and in every
duty to be minding most the fe^ults of others : and you may
much discern such in their prayer.s, in that they will fill their
confessions most with other men's sins, and you may feel
them all the while in the bosom of their neighbours, when
you may even feel a sincere man speaking his own heart,
and most opening his own bosom to God. But though
self-applying and self-searching be far the better sign, yet
must not any wise Christian do it mistakingly : for that
may breed abundance of very sad effects. For besides the
aforesaid embittering of God's ordinances to you, and so
discouraging you from them, do but consider what a grief
and a snare you may prove to your minister. A grief it
must needs be to him who knows he should not make sad
the soul of the innocent, to think that he cannot avoid it,
without avoiding his duty. When God hath put two several
messages in our mouths ; " Say to the righteous, it shall be
well with him ;" and " Say to the wicked, it shall be ill with
him ;" Isaiah iii. 10, 11. " He that believeth shall be saved ;
he that believeth not shall be damned ;" and we speak both ;
will you take that as spoken to you, which is spoken to the
unbeliever and the wicked ? Alas, how is it possible then
for us to forbear troubling you ? If you will put your head
tinder every stroke that we give against sin and sinners,
how can we help it if you smart? What a sad case are we
in, by such misapplications! We have but two messages
SPIRITUAL PEACH AND COMFORT. 215
to deliver, and both are usually lost by misapplications.
The wicked saith, ' I am the righteous, and therefore it shall
go well with me.' The righteous saith, ' I am the wicked,
and therefore it shall go ill with me.' The unbeliever saith,
' I am a believer, and therefore am justified.' The believer
saith, * I am an unbeliever, and • therefore am condemned.'
Nay, it is not only the loss of our preaching, but we oft do
them much harm; for they are hardened that should be
humbled ; and they are wounded more that should be heal-
ed. A minister now must needs tell them who he means by
the believer, and who by the unbeliever; who by the righ-
teous, and who by the wicked : and yet when he hath done
it as accurately, and as cautelously as he can, misapplying
souls will wrong themselves by it. So that because people
cannot see the distinguishing line, it therefore comes to
pass that few are comforted but when ministers preach no-
thing else but comfort; and few humbled, but where minis-
ters bend almost all their endeavours that way, that people
can feel almost nothing else from him. But for him that
equally would divide to each their portion, each one snatch-
eth up the part of another, and he oft misseth of profiting
either ; and yet this is the course that we must take.
And what a snare is this to us, as well as a grief! What
if we should be so moved with compassion of your troubles,
as to fit almost all our doctrine and application to you, what
a fearful guilt should we draw upon our own souls !
Nay, what a snare may you thus prove to the greater
part of the congregation ! Alas, we have seldom past
one, or two, or three troubled consciences in an auditory,
(and perhaps some of their troubles be the fruit of such wil-
fur sinning, that they have more need of greater, yet) should
we now neglect all the rest of these poor souls, to preach
only to you ? O how many an ignorant hardhearted sinner
comes before God every day ! Shall we let such go away
as they came, without ever a blow to awaken them and stir
their hearts, when, alas, all that ever we can do is too little !
When we preach you into tears and trembling, we preach
them asleep ! Could we speak swords, it would scarce make
them feel, when you through misapplication have gone
home with anguish and fears. How few of all these have
been pricked at the heart, and said, " What shall we do to
be saved ?" Have you no pity now on such stupid souls as
216 DIRECTIONS FORGETTING AND KEEPING
these ? I fear this one distemper of yours, that you cannot
bear this rousing preaching, doth betray another and greater
sin; look to it, I beseech you, for I think I have spied out
the cause of your trouble ; are you not yourself too great a
stranger to poor stupid sinners ? and come not among them?
or pity them not as you should? And do not your duty for
the saving of their souls ; but think it belongs not to you
but to others? Do you use to deal with servants and
neighbours about you, and tell them of sin and misery, and
the remedy, and seek to draw their hearts to Christ, and
bring them to duty ? 1 doubt you do little in this ; (and
that is sad unmercifulness ;) for if you did, truly you could
not choose but find such miserable ignorance, such sense-
lessness and blockishness, such hating reproof and unwil-
lingness to be reformed, such love of this world, and slavery
to the flesh, and so little favour of Christ, grace, heaven,
and the things of the Spirit, and especially such an unteach-
ableness, untractableness (as thorns and briars) and so great
a difficulty moving them an inch from what they are, that
you would have been willing ever after to have ministers
preach more rousingly than they do, and you would be glad
for their sakes, when you heard that which might awake
them and prick them to the heart. Yea, if you had tried
how hard a work it is to bring worldly, formal hypocrites
to see their hypocrisy, or to come over to Christ from the
creature, and to be in good earnest in the business of tlieir
salvation, you would be glad to have preachers search them
to the quick, and ransack their hearts, and help them against
their affected and obstinate self-delusions.
Besides, you should consider that their case is far dif-
ferent from yours ; your disease is pain and trouble, they
are stark dead ; you have God's favour and doubt of it,
they are his enemies and never suspect it : you want com-
fort, and they want pardon and life : if your disease should
never here be cured, it is but going more sadly to heaven,
but if they be not recovered by regeneration, they must lie
for ever in hell. And should we not then pity them more than
you ; and study more for them ; and preach more for them ;
and rather forget you in a sermon than them ? Should you
not wish us so to do ? Should we more regard the comfort-
ing of one, than the saving of a hundred ? Nay more, we
phpuld not only neglect them, but dangerously hurt them^
SPIRITUAL PKACE AND COMFORT. 217
if we should preach too much to the case of troubled souls;
for you are not so apt to misapply passages of terror, and
to take their portion, as they are apt to apply to themselves
such passages for comfort, and take your portion to them-
selves.
I know some will say, that it is preaching Christ, and
setting forth God's love, that will win them best, and ter-
rors do but make unwilling, hypocritical professors. This
makes me remember how I have heard some preachers of
the times, blame their brethren for not preaching Christ to
their people, when they preached the danger of rejecting
Christ, disobeying him, and resisting his Spirit. Do these
men think that it is no preaching Christ (when we have first
many years told men the fulness of his satisfaction, the free-
ness and general extent of his covenant or promise, and the
riches of his grace, and the incomprehensibleness of his
glory, and the truth of all) to tell them afterwards the dan-
ger of refusing, neglecting and disobeying him ; and of liv-
ing after the flesh, and preferring the world before him ; and
serving mammon, and falling off in persecution, and avoid-
ing the cross, and yielding in temptation, and quenching
the Spirit, and declining from their first love, and not im-
proving their talents, and not forgiving and loving their
brethren, yea, and enemies ? &,c. Is none of this Gospel ?
nor preaching Christ? Yea, is not repentance itself (ex-
cept despairing repentance) proper to the Gospel, seeing
the law excludeth it, and all manner of hope ? Blame me
not, reader, if I be zealous against these men, that not only
know not what preaching Christ is, but in their ignorance
reproach their brethren for not preaching Christ, and withal
condemn Christ himself and all his apostles. Do they think
that Christ himself knew not what it was to preach Christ?
Or that he set us a pattern too low for our imitation ? I de-
sire them soberly to read Matt. v. vi. vii;x. xxv. Rom.viii.
iv. from the first verse to the fourteenth. Rom. ii. Heb. ii.
iv. V. X. and then tell me whether we preach as Christ and
his apostles did. But to the objection ; I answer first. We
do set forth God's love, and the fulness of Christ, and the
sufficiency of his death and satisfaction for all, and the
freeness and extent of his ofter and promise of mercy, and
his readiness to welcome returning sinners : this we do
218 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
first (mixing with this the discovery of their natural misery
by sin, which must be first known) and next we shew them
the danger of rejecting Christ and his office. 2. When we
find men settled under the preaching of free grace, in a base
contempt or sleepy neglect of it, preferring the world and
their carnal pleasures and ease, before all the glory of hea-
ven, and riches of Christ and grace, is it not time for us to
say, " How shall ye escape, if ye neglects© great salvation ?"
Heb, ii. 3. " And of how much sorer punishment shall he
be thought worthy, that treads under foot the blood of the
covenant?" Heb. x. 26. When men grow careless and un-i
believing, must we not say, "^ake heed lest a promise be-
ing left, of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to
come short of it ?" Heb. iv. 1. 3. Hath not Christ led us,
commanded us, and taught us this way ? " Except ye repent,
ye shall all perish," was his doctrine ; Luke xiii. 3. 6.
" Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every crea-
ture :" (what is that Gospel ?) " He that believeth shall be
saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned ;" Mark
xvi. 16. " Those mine enemies that would not I should
reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me ;"
Luke xix. 27. Doth any of the apostles speak more of hell-
fire, and the worm that never dieth, and the fire that never
is quenched, than Christ himself doth ? And do not his
apostles go the same way ; even Paul, the great preacher
of faith? (2 Thess. i. 7—9. ii. 12, &c.) What more common?
Alas, what work should we make, if we should stroke and
smooth all men with Antinomian language ? It were the
way to please all the sensual, profane multitude, but it is
none of Christ's way to save their souls. I am ready to
think that these men would have Christ preached as the
Papist would have him prayed to ; to say, ' Jesu, Jesu, Je-
su,' nine times together, and this oft over, is their praying
to him; and to have Christ's name oft in the preacher's
mouth, some men think is the right preaching Christ.
Let me now desire you hereafter, to be glad to hear mi-
nisters awaken the profane and dead-hearted hearers, and
search all to the quick, and misapply nothing to yourself;
but if you think any passage doth nearly concern you, open
your mind to the minister privately, when he may satisfy you
more fully, and that without doing hurt to others : and con-
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFOU'J". 2U)
eider what a strait ministers are in, that have, so many of so
different conditions, inclinations, and conversations to
preach to.
Direct, XXIX. * Be sure you forget not to distinguish be-
tween causes of doubting of your sincerity, and causes of
mere humiliation, repentance, and amendment; and do not
raise doubtings and fears, where God calleth you but to hu-
miliation, amendment, and fresh recourse to Christ.'
This rule is of so great moment to your peace, that you
will have daily use for it, and can never maintain any true,
settled peace without the practice of it. What more com-
mon than for poor Christians to pour out a multitude of
complaints of their weaknesses, and wants, and miscarria-
ges ; and never consider all the while that there may be
cause of sorrow in these, when yet there is no cause of
doubting of their sincerity. I have shewed before, that in
gross falls and great backslidings, doubtings will arise, and
sometimes our fears and jealousies may not be without
cause ; but it is not ordinary infirmities, nor every sin which
might have been avoided, that is just cause of doubting;
nay, your very humiliation must no further be endeavoured
than it tends to your recovery, and to the honouring of
mercy : for it is possible that you may exceed in the mea-
sure of your griefs. You must therefore first be resolved,
wherein the truth of saving grace doth consist, and then in
all your failings and weaknesses first known, whether they
contradict sincerity in itself, and are such as may give just
cause to question your sincerity : if they be not (as the or-
dinary infirmities of believers are not), then you may and
must be humbled for them, but you may not doubt of your
salvation for them. I told you before by what marks you
may discern your sincerity ; that is, wherein the nature of
saving faith and holiness doth consist; keep that in your
eye, and as long as you find that sure and clear, let nothing
make you doubt of your right to Christ and glory. But,
alas ! how people do contradict the will of God in this !
When you have sinned, God would have you bewail your
folly and unkiiifl dealing, and fly to mercy through Christ,
and this you will not do ; but he would not have you tor-
ment yourselves with fears of damnation, and questioning his
love, and yet this you will do. You may discern by this,
that humiliation and Teformation are sure of God, ruan's
220 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
heart is so backward to it; and that vexations, doubts and
fears in true Christians that should be comfortable, are not
of God, man's nature is so prone to them (though the un-
godly that should fear and doubt, are as backward to it).
I think it will not be unseasonable here to lay down the
particular doubts that usually trouble sincere believers, and
see how far they may be just, and how far unjust and cause-
less ; and most of them shall be from my own former expe-
rience ; and such as I have been most troubled with my-
self, and the rest such as are incident to true Christians, and
too nsual with them.
Doubt \. ' I have often heard and read in the best divines,
that grace is not born with us, and therefore satan hath al-
ways possession before Christ, and keeps that possession in
peace, till Christ come and bind him and cast him out ; and
that this is so great a work that it cannot choose but be ob-
served, and for ever remembered by the soul where it is
wrought J yea, the several steps and passages of it may be
all observed : first casting down, and then lifting up ; first
wounding and killing, and then healing and reviving. But
I have not observed the distinct parts and passages of this
change in me, nay, I know of no such sudden observable
change at all : I cannot remember that ever I was first killed,
and then revived : nor do I know by what minister, nor at
what sermon, or other means that work which is upon me
was wrought : no, nor what day, or month, or year it was
begun. 1 have slided insensibly into a profession of reli-
gion, I know not how ; and therefore I fear that I am not
sincere, and the work of true regeneration was never yet
wrought upon my soul.'
Answ. I will lay down the full answer to this, in these
propositions. 1. It is true that grace is not natural to us,
or conveyed by generation. 2. Yet it is as true that grace
is given to our children as well as to us. That it may be so,
and is so with some, all will grant who believe that infants
may be, and are saved : and that it is so with the infants of
believers, I have fully proved in my Book of Baptism ; but
mark what grace I mean. The grace of remission of original
sin, the children of all true believers have at least a high
probability of, if not a full certainty ; their parent accept-
ing it for himself and them, and dedicating them to Christ,
and engaging them in his covenant, so that he takes thenv
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 221
for his people, and they take him for their Lord and Sa-
viour. And for the grace of inward renewing of their na-
tures or disposition, it is a secret to us, utterly unknown
whether God use to do it in infants or no. 3. God's first
ordained way for the working of inward holiness is by pa-
rents' education of their children, and not by the public mi-
nistry of the word ; of which more anon. 4. All godly pa-
rents do acquaint their children with the doctrine of Christ
in their infancy, as soon as they are capable of receiving it,
and do afterwards inculcate it on them more and more. 5.
These instructions of parents are usually seconded by the
workings of the Spirit, according to the capacity of the
child, opening their understandings to receive it, and making
an impression thereby upon the heart. 6. When these in-
structions and the inward workings of the Spirit are just past
the preparatory part, and above the highest step of common
grace, and have attained to special saving grace, is ordinarily
undiscernible : and therefore, as I have shewed already, in
God's usual way of working grace, men cannot know the
just day or time when they began to be in the state of grace.
And though men that have long lived in profaneness, and
are changed suddenly, may conjecture near at the time ; yet
those that God hath been working on early in their youth^
yea, or afterwards by slow degrees, cannot know the time of
their first receiving the Spirit. 8. The memories of all men
are so slippery, and one thought so suddenly thrust out by
another, that many a thousand souls forget those particular
workings which they have truly felt. 9. The memories of
children are far weaker than of others ; and therefore it is
less probable that all the Spirit's workings should by them
be remembered. 10. And the motions of grace are so va*^
rious, sometimes stirring one affection, and sometimes an-
other, sometimes beginning with smaller motions, and then
moving more strongly and sensibly, that it is usual for later
motions which are more deeply affecting, to make us over-
look all the former, or take them for nothing. 11. God
dealeth very variously with his chosen in their conversion,
as to the accidentals and circumstantials of the work. Some
he calleth not home till they have run a long race in the way
of rebellion, in open drunkenness, swearing, wbrldliness and
derision of holiness : these he usually humbleth more deep-
ly, and they can better observe the several steps of the
222 DIUECTIONS FOR GETTING 'a NO REEFING
Spirit in the work ; (and yet not always neither). Others
he so restraineth ia their youth, that though they have not
saving grace, yet they are not guilty of any gross sins, but
have a liking to the people and ways of God : and yet he
doth not savingly convert them till long after. It is much
harder for these to discern the time or manner of their con-
version ; yet usually some conjectures they may make : and
usually their humiliation is not so deep. Others, as is said,
have the saving workings of the Spirit in their very child-
hood, and these can least of all discern the certain time or
order. The ordinary way of God's dealing with those that
are children of godly parents, and have good education, is,
by giving them some liking of godly persons and ways, some
conscience of sin, some repentance and recourse by prayer to
God in Christ for mercy ; yet youthful lusts and folly, and
ill company, do usually much stifle it, till at last, by some
affliction, or sermon, or book, or good company, God setteth
home the work, and maketh them more resolute and victo-
rious Christians. These persons now can remember that
they had convictions, and stirring consciences when they
were young, and the other forementioned works, perhaps
they can remember some more notable rousings and awak-
enings long after, and perhaps they have had many such
tits and steps, and the work hath stood at this pass for a
long time, even many years together. But at which of all
these changes it was that the soul began to be savingly sin-
cere, I think is next to an impossibility to discern. Ac-
cording to that experience which I have had of the state of
Christians, I am forced to judge the most of the children of
the godly that ever are renewed, are renewed in their child-
hood, or much towards it then done, and that among forty
Christians there is not one that can certainly name the
month in which his soul first began to be sincere ; and
among a thousand Christians, I think not one can name the
hour. The sermon which awakened them, they may name,
but not the hour when they first arrived at a saving sin-
cerity.
My advice therefore to all Christians, is this : Find
Christ by his Spirit dwelling in your hearts, and then never
trouble yourselves, though you know not the time or man-
ner of his entrance. Do you value Christ above the world,
and resolve to choose him before the world, and perform
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFOUT. 223
these resolutions? Then, need you not doubt hut the Spi-
rit of Jesus is victorious in you.
Doubt 2. ' But I have oft read and heard, that a man
cannot come to Christ till he feel the heavy burden of sin.
It is the weary and heavy-laden that Christ calleth to him.
He bindeth up only the brokenhearted ; he is a Physician
only to those that feel themselves sick ; he brings men to
heaven by the gates of hell. They must be able to say, I
am in a lost condition, and in a state of damnation, and if I
should die this hour I must perish for ever, before Christ
will deliver them. God will throw away the blood of his
Son on those that feel not their absolute necessity of it, and
that they are undone without it. But it was never thus with
rae to this day.'
Answ. 1. You must distinguish "carefully between re-
pentance as it is in the mind and will, and as it shews itself
in the passion of sorrow. All that have saving interest in
Christ, have their judgments and wills so far changed, that
they know they are sinners, and that there is no way to the
obtaining of pardon and salvation but by Christ, and the
free mercy of God in him ; and thereupon they are convinc-
ed that if they remain without the grace of Christ, they are
undone for ever. Whereupon they understanding that
Christ and mercy is offered to them in the Gospel, do
heartily and thankfully accept the offer, and would not be
without Christ, or change their hopes of his grace for all the
world, and do resolve to wait upon him for the further dis-
covery of his mercy, and the workings of his Spirit, in a
constant and conscionable use of his means, and to be ruled
by him, to their power. Is it not thus with you ? If it be,
here is the life and substance of repentance, which consist-
eth in this change of the mind and heart, and you have no
cause to doubt of the truth of it, for want of more deep and
passionate humiliation. 2. I have told you before, how un-
certain and inconstant the passionate effects of grace are,
and how unfit to judge by, and given you several reasons of
it. Yet I doubt not but some work upon the affections
there is, as well as on the will and understanding ; but with
so great diversity of manner and degrees, that it is not safe
judging by it only or chiefly. Is there no degree of sorrow
or trouble that hath touched your heart for your sin or mi-
sery ? If your affections were no whit stirred, you would
•224 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING ANb KEEPING
hardly be moved to action, to use means, or avoid iniquity,
much less would you so oft complain as you do. 3. If God
prevented those heinous sins in the time of your unregene-
racy, which those usually are guilty of who are called to so
deep a degree of sorrow, you should rather be thankful that
your wound was not deeper, than troubled that the cure
cost you no dearer. Look well whether the cure be wrought
in the change of your heart and life from the world to God
by Christ, and then you need not be troubled that it was
wrought so easily. 4. Were you not acquainted with the
evil of sin, and danger and misery of sinners, in your very
childhood, and also of the necessity of a Saviour, and that
Christ died to save all sinners that will believe and repent ?
And hath not this fastened on your heart, and been working
in you by degrees ever since? If it be so, then you cannot
expect that you should have such deep terrors as those that
never hear of sin and Christ till the news come upon them
suddenly in the ripeness of their sin. There is a great deal
of difference betwixt the conversion of a Jew, or any other
infidel, who is brought on the sudden to know the doctrine
of sin, misery and salvation, by Christ ; and the conversion
of a professor of the Christian religion, who hath known
this doctrine in some sort from his childhood, and who
hath a sound religion, though he be not sound in his religion,
and so needs not a conversion to a sound faith, but only to a
soundness in the faith. The suddenness of the news must
needs make those violent commotions and changes in the
one, which cannot ordinarily be expected in the other, who
is acquainted so early with the truth, and by such degrees.
5. But suppose you heard nothing of sin and misery, and a
Redeemer in your childhood, or at least understood it not
(which yet is unlikely), yet let me ask you this : Did not
that preacher, or that book, or whatever other means God
used for your conversion, reveal to you misery and mercy
both together ? Did not you hear and believe that Christ
died for sin, as soon as you understood your sin and misery?
Sure I am that the Scripture reveals both together ; and so
doth every sound preacher, and every sound writer (not-
withstanding that the slanderous Antinomians do shame-
fully proclaim that we preach not Christ, but the law).
This being so, you must easily apprehend that it must needs
abate very much of the terror, which would else have been
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 223
unavoidable. If you had read or heard that you were a sin-
ner, and the child of hell, and. of God's wrath, and that there
was no remedy, (which is such a preaching of the law, as we
must not use to any in the world, nor any since the first
promise to Adam, must receive); yea, or if you had heard
nothing of a Saviour for a year, or a day, or an hour after
you had heard that you were an heir of hell, and for the re-
medy had been but concealed from you, though not denied
(which ordinarily must not be done), then you might in all
likelihood have found some more terrors of soul that hour.
But when you heard that your sin was pardonable, as soon
as you heard that you were a sinner, and heard that your
misery had a sufficient remedy provided, if you would ac-
cept it, or at least that it was not remediless, and this as
soon as you heard of that misery, what wonder is it if this
exceedingly abate your fears and troubles ! Suppose two
men go to visit two several neighbours that have the plague,
and one of them saith * It is the plague that is on you ; you
are but a dead man.' The other saith to the other sick per-
son, * It is the plague that you have ; but here is our phy-
sician at the next door that hath a receipt that will cure it
as infallibly and as easily as if it were but the prick of a pin,
he hath cured thousands, and never failed one that took his
receipt, but if you will not send to him, and trust him, and
take his receipt, there is no hopes of you.' Tell me now
whether the first of these sick persons be not like to be
more troubled than the other? And whether it will not re-
move almost all the fears and troubles of the latter, to hear
of a certain remedy as soon as he heareth of the disease ?
Though some trouble he must needs have to think that he
hath a disease in itself so desperate or loathsome. Nay, let
me tell you, so the cure be but well done, the less terrors
and despairing fear you were put upon, the more credit is it
to your physician and his apothecary, Christ and the
preacher, or instrument, that did the work ; and therefore
you should rather praise your physician, than question the
cure.
Doubt 3. ' But it is common with all the world to con-
sent to the religion that they are bred up in, and somewhat
affected with it, and to make conscience of obeying the pre-
cepts of it. So do the Jews, in theirs ; the Mahometans in
VOL. IX. Q '
22ti DUtECTlONS FOR GETTING ANl^ KEEPING
theirs. And I fear it is no other work on my soul but the
mere force of education, that maketh me religious, and that
I had never that great renewing work of the Spirit upon my
soul ; and so that all my religion is but mere opinion, or
notions in my brain.'
Aiisw. 1. All the religions in the world, besides the
Christian religion, have either much error and wickedness
mixed with some truth of God, or they contain some lesser
parcel of that truth alone (as the Jews) ; only the Christian
religion hath that whole truth which is saving. Now so
much of God's truth as there is in any of these religions, so
much it may work good effects upon their souls ; as the
knowledge of the Godhead, and that God is holy, good, just,
merciful, and that he sheweth them much undeserved mercy
in his daily providences, &c. But mark these two things,
1. That all persons of false religions do more easily and
greedily embrace the false part of their religion than the
true ; and that they are zealous for, and practise with all
their might, because their natural corruption doth befriend
it, and is as combustible fuel for the fire of hell to catch in ;
but that truth of God which is mixed with their error, if it
be practical, they fight against it, and abhor it while they
hold it, because it crosseth their lusts, insomuch that it is
usually but some few of the more convinced and civil that
God in providence maketh the main instruments of continu-
ing those truths of his in that part of the wicked world. For
we find that even among Pagans, the profaner and more
sensual sort did deride the better sort, as our profane
Christians do the godly whom they called Puritans. 2.
Note, That the truth of God which in these false religions
is still acknowledged, is so small a part, and so oppressed
by errors, that it is not sufficient to their salvation (that is,
to give them any sound hope), nor is it sufficient to make
such clear, and deep, and powerful impressions in their
minds, as may make them holy or truly heavenly, or may
overcome in them the interest of the world and the flesh.
This being so, you may see great reason why a Turk or
a heathen may be zealous for his religion without God's
Spirit, or any true sanctification, when yet you cannot be so
truly zealous for yours without it. Indeed the speculative
part of our religion, separated from the practical, or from the
hard and self-denying part of the practical, many a wicked
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 227
man may be zealous for ; as to maintain the Godhead, or that
God is merciful, &c. Or to maintain against the Jews that
Jesus is the Christ ; or against the Turks, that he is the only
redeemer and teacher of the church ; or against the Papists,
that all the Christians in the world are Christ's church as
well as the Romans; and against the Socinians and Arians
that Christ is God, &c. But this is but a small part of our
religion ; nor doth this, or any heathenish zeal, sanctify the
heart, or truly mortify the flesh, or overcome the world.
They may contemn life, and cast it away for their pride and
vain-glory ; but not for the hopes of a holy and blessed life
with God. This is but the prevalency of one corruption
against another, or rather of vice against nature. There is
a common grace of God that goeth along with common
truths, and according to the measure of their obedience to
the truth, such was the change it wrought; which was done
by common truths, and common grace together, but not by
their false mixtures at all. But God bath annexed his spe-
cial grace only to the special truths of the Gospel or Chris-
tian religion. If therefore God do by common grace, work
a great change on a heathen, by the means of common
truths, and do by his special g'race work a greater and sper
cial change on you, by the means of the special truths qf
the Gospel, have you any reason hereupon to suspect your
condition? Qr should you not rather both admire that
providence and common grace which is manifested without
the church, and humbly, rejoicingly, and thankfully em.-
brace that special saving grace, which is manifested to your-
self above them ? M, '
2. And for that which you speak of education, you have
as much cause to doubt of your conversion, because it was
wrought by public preaching, as because it was wrought by
education. For, 1. Both are by the Gospel: for it is the
Gospel that your parents taught you, as well as which the
preacher teacheth you. 2. I have shewed you, that if pa-
rents did not shamefully neglect their duties, the word pub-
licly preached would not be the ordinary instrument of re-
generation to the children of true Christians, but would
only build them up, and direct them in the faith, and in
obedience. The proof is v^ry plain : If we should speak
nothing of the interest of our infants in the covenant prace,
upon the conditional force of their parents' faith, nor of their
228 DIRECTION* FOR GETTING AND KliEPING
baptism ; yet, Deut. vi. Ephes. vi. and oft in the Proverbs,
you may find, that it is God's strict command, that parents
should teach God's word to their children, and bring them
up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; yea, with a
prediction or half promise, that if we " train up a child in
the way he should go, when he is old he shall not depart
from it ;" Prov. xxii. 6. Now it is certain that God will
usually bless that which he appointeth to be the usual
means, if it be rightly used. For he hath appointed no
means to be used in vain.
I hope therefore by this time you see, that instead of be-
ing troubled, that the work was done on your soul by the
means of education : 1. You had more reason to be trou-
bled if it had been done first by the public preaching of the
word ; for it should grieve you at the heart to think, 1 . That
you lived in an unregenerate state so long, and spent your
childhood in vanity and sin, and thought not seriously on
God and your salvation, for so many years together. 2.
And that you or your parent's sin should provoke God so
long to withdraw his Spirit and deny you his grace. 3.
You may see also what inconceivable thanks you owe to
God, who made education the means of your early change.
1. In that he prevented so many and grievous sins which
else you would have been guilty of. (And you may read in
David's and Manasseh's case, that even pardoned sins have
ofttimes very sad effects left behind them.) 2. That you
have enjoyed God's Spirit and love so much longer than
else you would have done. 3. That iniquity took not so
deep rooting in you, as by custom it would have done. 4.
That the devil cannot glory of that service which you did
him, as else he might ; and that the church is not so much
the worse, as else it might have been by the mischief you
would have done ; and that you need not all your days look
back with so much trouble, as else you must, upon the ef-
fects of your ill doing; nor with Paul, to think of one Ste-
phen ; yea, many saints, in whose blood you first embrued
your hands ; and to cry out, ' I was born out of due time.
I am not worthy to be called a Christian, because I perse-
cuted the church of God. I was mad against them, and per-
secuted them into several cities. I was sometimes foolish,
disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures.' Would you
rather that God had permitted you to do this ? 5. And
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 229
methinks it should be a comfort to you, that your own fa-
ther was tha instrument of your spiritual good ; that he that
was the means of your generation, was the means of your
regeneration, both because it will be a double comfort to
your parents, and because it will endear and engage you to
them in a double bond. For my part, I know not what God
did secretly in my heart, before I had the use of memory and
reason ; but the first good that ever I felt on my soul, was
from the counsels and teachings of my own father in my
childhood ; and I take it now for a double mercy, being more
glad that he was the instrument to do me good, than if it
had been the best preacher in the world. How foul an
oversight is it then, that you should be troubled at one of
the choicest mercies of your life, yea, that your life was ca-
pable of, and for which you owe to God such abundant
thanks !
Doubt 4. ' But my great fear is, that the life of grace
is not yet within me, because 1 am so void of spiritual sense
and feeling. Methinks I am in spiritual things as dead as a
block, and my heart as hard as a rock, or the nether mill-
stone. Grace is a principle of new life, and life is a princi-
ple of sense and motion ; it causeth vigour and activity.
Such should I have in duty, if I had the life of grace. But
I feel.the great curse of a dead heart within me. God seems
to withdraw his quickening Spirit, and to forsake me ; and
to give me up to the hardness of my heart. If I were in
covenant with him, I should feel the blessing of the cove-
nant within me ; the hard heart would be taken out of my
body, and a heart of flesh, a soft heart would be given to me.
But I cannot weep one tear for my sins. 1 can think on the
blood of Christ, and of my bloody sins that caused it, and
all will not wring one tear from mine eyes ; and therefore,
I fear, that my soul is yet destitute of the life of grace.'
Answ. 1. A soft heart consisteth in two things. 1. That
the will be persuadable, tractable, and yielding to God, and
pliable to his will. 2. That the affections or passions be
somewhat moved herewithal about spiritual things. Some
degree more or less of the latter, doth concur with the for-
mer ; but I have told you, that it is the former, wherein the
heart and life of grace doth lie, and that the latter is very
various, and uncertain to try by. Many do much overlook
the Scripture meaning of the word hardheartedness. Mark
230 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
it up and down concerning the Israelites, who are so oft
charged by Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other pro-
phets, to be hardhearted, or to harden their hearts, or stiffen
their necks ; and you will find that the most usual meaning
of the Holy Ghost is this. They were an intractable, diso-
bedient, obstinate people ; or as the Greek word in the New
Testament signifieth, which we often translate unbelieving,
they were an unpersuadable people ; no saying would serve
them. They set light by God's commands, promises, and
severest threatenings, and judgments themselves ; nothing
would move them to forsake their sins, and obey the voice
of God. You shall find that hardness of heart is seldom put
for want of tears, or a melting, weeping disposition ; and
never at all for the want of such tears, where the will is tract-
able and obedient. I pray you examine yourself then ac-
cording to this rule. God offereth his love in Christ, and
Christ with all his benefits to you. Are you willing to ac-
cept them ? He commandeth you to worship him, and use
his ordinances, and love his people, and others, and to for-
sake your known iniquities, so far that they may not have
dominion over you. Are you willing to this ? He com-
mandeth you to take him for your God, and Christ for your
Redeemer, and stick to him for better and worse, and never
forsake him. Are you willing to do this ? If you have a
stiff, rebellious heart, and will not accept of Christ and
grace, and will rather let go Christ than the world, and will
not be persuaded from your known iniquities, but are loath
to leave them, and love not to be reformed, and will not set
upon those duties as you a*;e able, which God requireth, and
you are fully convinced of, then are you hardhearted in the
Scripture sense. But if you are glad to have Christ with
all your heart, upon the terms that he is offered to you in
the Gospel, and you do walk daily in the way of duty as
you can, and are willing to pray, and willing to hear and
wait on God in his ordinances, and willing to have all God's
graces formed within you, and willing to let go your most
profitable and sweetest sins, and it is your daily desires,
O that I could seek God, and do his will more faithfully,
zealously, and pleasingly than I do ! O that I were rid of
this body of sin! These carnal, corrupt, and worldly incli-
nations, and that I were as holy as the best of God's saints
QU earth 1 And if when it comes to practice, whether you
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFOKT. 231
should obey or no, though some unwillingness to duty, and
willingness to sin be in you, you are offended at it, and the
greater bent of your will is for God, and it is but the lesser
which is towards sin, and therefore the world and flesh do
not lead you captive, and you live not wilfully in avoid-
able sins, nor at all in gross sin. I say, if it be thus with
you, then you have the blessing of a soft heart, a heart of
flesh, a new heart ; for it is a willing, obedient, tractable
heart, opposed to obstinacy in sin, which Scripture calleth
a soft heart. And then for the passionate part, which con-
sisteth in lively feelings of sin, misery, mercy, &c. and in
weeping for sin I shall say but this : 1. Many an unsancti-
fied person hath very much of it, which yet are desperately
hardhearted sinners. It dependeth far more on the temper
of the body, than of the grace in the soul. Women usually
can weep easily (and yet not all), and children, and old
men. Some complexions incline to it, and others not.
Many can weep at a passion-sermon, or any moving duty,
and yet will not be persuaded to obedience ; these are hard-
hearted sinners for all their tears. 2. Many a tender, god-
ly person cannot weep for sin, partly through the temper of
their minds, which are more judicious and solid, and less
passionate ; but mostly from the temper of their bodies,
which dispose them not that way. 3. Deepest sorrows
seldom cause tears, but deep thoughts of heart ; as greatest
joys seldom cause laughter, but inward pleasure. I will tell
you how you shall know whose heart is truly sorrowful for
sin, and tender ; he that would be at the greatest cost or
pains to be rid of sin, or that he had not sinned. You can-
not weep for sin, but you would give all that you have to be
rid of sin ; you could wish when you dishonoured God by
sin, that you had spent that time in suffering rather ; and if
it were to do again on the same terms and inducements, you
would not do it ; nay, you would live a beggar contentedly,
so you might fully please God, and never sin against him,
and are content to pinch your flesh, and deny your worldly
interest for the time to come, rather than wilfully disobey.
This is a truly tender heart. On the other side, another can
weep to think of his sin ; and yet if you should ask him.
What wouldst thou give, or what wouldst thou suffer, so thou
hadst not sinned, or that thou mightest sin no more ? Alas,
very little. For the next time that he is put to it, he will
"lo'l DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
father venture on the sin, than venture on a little loss, or
danger, or disgrace in the world, or deny his craving flesh
its pleasures. This is a hardhearted sinner. The more you
would part with to be rid of sin, or the greatest cost you
would be at for that end, the more repentance have you, and
true tenderness of heart. Alas, if men should go to heaven
according to their weeping, what abundance of children and
women would be there for one man ! I will speak truly my
own case. This doubt lay heavy many a year on my own soul,
when yet I would have given all that 1 had to be rid of sin,
but I could not weep a tear for it. Nor could I weep for the
death of my dearest friends, when yet I would have bought
their lives, had it been God's will, at a dearer rate than ma-
ny that could weep for them ten times as much. And now
since my nature is decayed, and my body languished in con-
suming weakness, and my head more moistened, and my
veins filled with phlegmatic, watery blood, now 1 can weep ;
and 1 find never the more tenderheartedness in myself than
before. And yet to this day so much remains of my old dis-
position, that I could wring all the money out of my purse,
easier than one tear out of my eyes, to save a friend, or res-
cue them from evil : when I see divers that can weep for
a dead friend, that would have been at no great cost to save
their lives. 5. Besides, as Dr. Sibbs saith, " There is oft
sorrow for sin in us, when it doth not appear ; it wanteth
but some quickening word to set it a foot. It is the nature
of grief to break out into tears most, when sorrow hath some
vent, either when we use some expostulating, aggravating
terras with ourselves, or when we are opening our hearts and
case to a friend ; then sorrow will often shew itself that did
not before. 6. Yet do I not deny, but that our want of
tears, and tender affections, and heartmeltings, are our sins.
For my part, I see exceeding cause to bewail it greatly in
myself, that my soul is not raised to a higher pitch of ten-
der sensibility of all spiritual things than it is. I doubt not
but it should be the matter of our daily confession and com-
plaint to God, that our hearts are so dull and little'afTected
■with his sacred truths, and our own sins. But this is the
scope of all my speech. Why do not you distinguish between
matter of sorrow, and matter of doubting? No question
but you should lamenl your dulness and stupidity, and use
all Gpd's means for the quickening of your affections, and
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 233
to get the most lively frame of soul; but must it cause you
to doubt of your sincerity, when you cannot obtain this?
Then will you never have a settled peace or assurance for
many days together, for aught I know. I would ask you
but this. Whether you are willing or unwilling of all that
hardness, insensibleness, and dulness which you complain
of? If you are willing of it, what makes you complain of
it ? If you are unwilling, is seems your will is so far sound ;
and it is the will that is the seat of the life of grace which
we must try by. And was not Paul's Case the same with
yours, when he saith, " The good which I would do, I do
not ; and when I would do good, evil is present with me ;"
Rom. vii. 19. I know Paul speaks not of gross sins, but or-
dinary infirmities. And I have told you before, that the
liveliness and sensibility of the passions or affections, is a
thing that the will, though sanctified, cannot fully command
or excite atjts pleasure. A sanctified man cannot grieve or
weep for sin when he will, or so much as he will. He can-
not love, joy, be zealous, &c. when he will. He maybe tru-
ly willing, and not able. And is not this your case ? And
doth not Paul make it the case of all Christians ? " The
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the
flesh, and these are contrary one to the other, so that we
cannot do the things that we would ;" Gal. v. 17. Take my
counsel therefore in this, if you love not self-deceiving and
disquietness. Search whether you can say unfeignedly, * I
would with all my heart have Christ and his quickening and
sanctifying Spirit, and his softening grace, to bring my hard
heart to tenderness, and my dull and blockish soul to a live-
ly frame ! O that I could attain it V And if you can truly
Bay thus. Bless God that hath given you saving sincerity ;
and then Iptall the rest of your dulness, and deadness, and
hardheartedness be matter of daily sorrow to you, and spare
not, so it be in moderation, but let it be no matter of doubt-
ing. Confess it, complain of it, pray against it, and strive
against it ; but do not deny God's grace in you for it.
And here let me mind you of one thing. That it is a very
ill distemper of spirit, when a man can mourn for nothing,
but what causeth him to doubt of his salvation. It is a great
corruption, if when- your doubts are resolved, and you are
persuaded of your salvation, if then you cease all your hu-
»[iiliation and sorrow for your sin j for you must sorrow that
234 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
you have in you such a body of death, and that which is so
displeasing to God, and are able to please and enjoy him no
more, though you were never so certain of the pardon of sin,
and of salvation.
7. Lastly, Let me ask you one question more; What is
the reason that you are so troubled for want of tears for
your sin ? Take heed lest there lie some corruption in this
trouble that you do not discern. If it be only because your
deadness and dulness is your sin, and you would fain have
your soul in that frame, in which it may be fittest to please
God and enjoy him ; then 1 commend and encourage you
in your trouble. But take heed lest you should have any
conceit of a meritoriousness in your tears ; for that would
be a more dangerous sin than your want of tears. And if it
be for want of a sign of grace, and because a dry eye is a
sign of an unregenerate soul, I have told you, it is not so,
except where it only seconds an impenitent heatt, and comes
from, or accompanieth an unrenewed will, and a prevailing
unwillingness to turn to God by Christ. Shew me, if you
can, where the Scripture saith. He that cannot weep for sin,
shall not be saved, or hath no true grace. Is not your com-
plaint in this the very same that the most eminent Christians
have used in all times ? That most blessed, holy man, Mr.
Bradford, who sacrificed his life in the flames against Romish
abominations, was wont to subscribe his spiritual letters
(indited by the breath of the Spirit of God) thus : 'The most
miserable, hardhearted sinner, John Bradford.'
Doubt 5. ' O but I am not willing to good, and therefore
1 fear that even my will itself is yet unchanged : I have such
a backwardness and undisposedness to duty, especially se-
cret prayer, meditation, and self-examination, and reproving
and exhorting sinners, that I am fain to force myself to it
against my will. It is no delight that I find in these duties
that brings me to them, but only I use violence with myself,
and am fain to pull myself down on my knees, because I
know it is a duty, and I cannot be saved without it ; but I
am no sooner on my knees, but I have a motion to rise, or
be short, and am weary of it, and find no great miss of duty
when I do omit it.'
Answ. This shews that your soul is sick, when your meat
goes 80 much against your stomach that you are fain to
force it down : and sickness may well cause you to com-
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 235
plain to God and man. But what is this to deadness ! The
dead cannot force down their meat, nor digest it at all. It
seems by this, that you are sanctified but in a low degree,
and your corruption remains in some strength ; and let that
be your sori'ow, and the overcoming of it be your greatest
care and business : but should you therefore say that you
are unsanctified? It seems that you have still the flesh
lusting against the Spirit, that you cannot do the good you
would. When you would pray with delight and unwearied-
ness, the flesh draws back, and the devil is hindering you.
And is it not so in too great a measure with the best on
earth ? Remember what Christ said to his own apostles,
when they should have done him one of their last services,
as to the attendance of his body on earth, and should have
comforted him in his agony, they are all asleep. Again and
again he comes to them, and findeth them asleep : Christ is
praying and sweating blood, and they are still sleeping,
though he warned them to watch and pray, that they enter
not into temptation. But what doth God say to them for
it? Why, he useth this same distinction between humilia-
tion for sin, and doubting of sincerity and salvation, and he
helps them to the former, and helps them against the latter.
** Could ye not watch with me one hour ?" saith he. There
he convinceth them of the sin, that they may be humbled
for it. " The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak,"
saith he. There he utterly resisteth their doubtings, or pre-
venteth them ; shewing them wherein sincere grace con-
sisteth, even in the spirit's willingness ; and telling them
that they had that grace ; and then telling them whence
came their sin, even from the weakness of the flesh.
2. I have shewed you that as every man's will is but
partly sanctified (as to the degree of holiness) and so far as
it is imperfect, it will be unwilling; so that there is some-
thing in the duties of secret prayer, meditation and reproof,
which makes most men more backward to them than other
duties. The last doth so cross our fleshly interests ; and
the two former are so spiritual, and require so pure and spi-
ritual a soul, and set a man so immediately before the living
God, as if we were speaking to him face to face, and have
nothing of external pomp to draw us, that it is no wonder,
if while there is flesh tvithin us, we are backward to them !
Especially while we are so unacquainted \fith God, and
236 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
while strangeness and consciousness of sin doth make us
draw back: besides that, the devil will more busily hinder
us here than anywhere.
3. The question, therefore, is not. Whether you. have an
unwillingness and backwardness to good : for so have all.
Nor yet. Whether you have any cold ineffectual wishes : for
so have the ungodly. But, Whether your willingness be
not more than your unwillingness : and in that, 1. It must
not be in every single act of duty ; for a godly man may be
actually more unwilling to a duty at this particular time,
than willing, and thereupon may omit it : but it must be
about your habitual willingness, manifested in ordinary, ac-
tual willingness. 2. You must not exclude any of those
motives which God hath given you to make you willing to
duty. He hath commanded it, and his authority should
move you. He hath threatened you, and therefore fear
should move you; or else he would never have threatened.
He hath made promises of reward, and therefore the hope
of that should move you. And therefore you may perceive
here, what a dangerous mistake it is to think that we have
no grace, except our willingness to duty be without God's
motives, from a mere love to the duty itself, or to its effect.
Nay, it is a dangerous Antinomian mistake to imagine, that
it is our duty to be willing to good, without these motives
of God ; I say. To take it so much as for our duty, to ex-
clude God's motives, though we should not judge of our
grace by it. For it is but an accusation of Christ (and his
law) who hath ordained these motives of punishment and
reward, to be his instruments to move the soul to duty.
Let me therefore put the right question to you. Whether all
God's motives laid together and considered, the ordinary
prevailing part of your will, be not rather for duty than
against it ? This you will know by your practice. For if
the prevailing part be against duty, you will not do it ; if it
be for duty, you will ordinarily perform it, though you can-
not do it so well as you would. And then you may see that
your backwardness and remaining unwillingness must still
be matter of humiliation and resistance to you, but not mat-
ter of doubting. Nay, thank God that enableth you to pull
down yourself on your knees when you are unwilling; for
what is that but the prevailing of your willingness against
your unwillingness ? Should your unwillingness once pre-
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMfORT. 237
vail, you would turn your back upon the most acknowledged
duties.
Doubt 6. * But I am afraid that it is only slavish fear of
hell, and not the love of God, that causeth me to obey ; and
if it were not for this fear, I doubt whether I should not
quite give over all. And perfect love casteth out fear.'
Answ. I have answered this already. Love will not be
perfect in this life. In the life to come it will cast out all
fear of damnation ; and all fear that drives the soul from
God, and all fear of men, (which is meant in Rev. xxi.8.
where the fearful and unbelievers are condemned ; that is,
those that fear men more than God). And that 1 Johniv.
17, 18. speaketh of a tormenting fear, which is it that I am
persuading you from, and consisteth in terrors of soul, up-
on an apprehension that God will condemn you. But it
speaketh not of a filial fear, nor of a fear lest we should by
forsaking God, or by yielding to temptation, lose the crown
of life, and so perish ; as long as this is not a tormenting
fear, but a cautelous, preserving, preventing fear. Besides
the text plainly saith, " It is that we may have boldness in
the day of judgment, that love casteth out this fear;" and
at that day of judgment, love will have more fully overcome
it. It is a great mistake to think that filial fear is only the
fear of temporal chastisement, and that all fear of hell is
slavish. Even filial fear is a fear of hell ; but with this
difference. A son (if he know himself to be a son) hath
such a persuasion of his father's love to him, that he knows
he will not cast him off, except he should be so vile as to
renounce his father ; which he is moderately fearful or care-
ful, lest by temptation he should be drawn to do, but not
distrustfully fearful, as knowing the helps and mercies of
his father. But a slavish fear, is, when a man having no
apprehensions of God's love, or willingness to shew him
mercy, doth look that God should deal with him as a slave,
and destroy him whenever he doth amiss. It is this slavish
tormenting fear which 1 spend all this writing against. But
yet a great deal, even of this slavish fear, may be in those
sons, that know not themselves to be sons.
But suppose you were out of all fear of damnation ; do
not belie your own heart, and tell me. Had you not rather be
holy than unholy ; pleasing to God than displeasing ? And
would not the hope of salvation draw you from sin to duty.
^Mi DIRECTIONS FORGETTING AND KEEPING
without the fear of damnation in hell? But you will say,
* That is still mercenary, and as bad as slavish fears.' I an-
swer, * Not so, this hope of salvation is the hope of enjoying
God, and living in perfect pleasingness to him, and pleasure
in him in glory ; and the desire of this is a desire of love :
it is love to God that makes you desire him, and hope to en-
joy him.
Lastly, I say again take heed of separating what God
hath joined. If God, by putting in your nature the several
passions of hope, fear, love, &c. and by putting a holiness
into these passions, by sanctifying grace, and by putting
both promises and dreadful threatenings into his word : I
say, if God by all these means hath given you several mo-
tives to obedience, take heed of separating them. Do not
once ask your heart such a question, * Whether it would
obey if there were no threatening, and so no fear V Nor on
the other side, do notlet fear do all, without love. Doubt-
less, the more love constraineth to duty, the better it is ; and
you should endeavour with all your might that you might
feel more of the force of love in your duties : but do you not
mark how you cherish that corruption that you complain of?
Your doubts and tormenting fears are the things thatJove
should cast out. Why then do you entertain them ? If you
say, ' I cannot help it :' why then do you cherish them, and
own them, and plead and dispute for them? and say you do
well to doubt, and you have cause ? Will this ever cast out
tormenting fears? Do you not know that the way to cast
them out, is, not to maintain them by distrustful thoughts or
words ; but to see their sinfulness, and abhor them, and to
get more high thoughts of the lovingkindness of God, and
the tender mercies of the Redeemer, and the unspeakable
love that he hath manifested in his sufferings for you, and
so the love of God may be more advanced and powerful in
your soul, and may be able to cast out your tormenting
fears. Why do you not do this instead of doubting ? If
tormenting fears and doubtings be a sin, why do you not
make conscience of them, and bewail it that you have been
so guilty of them? Will you therefore doubt because you
have slavish fears? Why that is to doubt because you
doubt ; and to fear because you fear ; and so to sin still be-
cause you have sinned. Consider well of the folly of this
course.
SPIRITUAL PKACE AND COMFORT. 239
Doubt 7. * But I am not able to believe; and without
faith there is no pleasing God, nor hope of salvation ; I fear
unbelief will be my ruin.'
Answ. 1. I have answered this doubt fully before. It is
grounded on a mistake of the nature of true faith. You
think that faith is the believing that you are in God's favour,
and that you are justified ; but properly this is no faith at
all, but only assurance, which is sometimes a fruit of faith,;
and sometimes never in this life obtained by a believer.
Faith consisteth of two parts. 1. Assent to the truth of
the Word. 2. Acceptance of Christ as he is offered, which
immediately produceth a trusting on Christ for salvation,
and consent to be governed by him, and resolution to obey
him ; which in the fullest sense are also acts of faith. Now
do not you believe the truth of the Gospel ? And do you
not accept of Christ as he is offered therein ? If you are
truly willing to have Christ as he is offered, I dare say you
are a true believer. If you be not willing, for shame never
complain. Men use rather to speak against those that they
are unwilling of, than complain of their absence, and that
they cannot enjoy them.
fir 2. However, seeing you complain of unbelief, in the name
off God do not cherish it, and plead for it, and by your own
cogitations fetch in daily matter to feed it ; but do more in
detestation of it, as well as complain.
Doubt 8. ' But I am a stranger to the witness of the Spi-
rit, and the joy of the Holy Ghost, and communion with
God, and therefore how can I be a true believer V
Answ. 1. Feeding your doubts and perplexities, and ar-
guing for them, is not a means to get the testimony and joy
of the Spirit,'but rather studying with all saints to know
the love of God which passeth knowledge, to comprehend
the height, and breadth, and length, and depth of his love ;
and seeking to understand the things that are given you of
God. Acknowledge God's general love to mankind, both
in his gracious nature, and common providences, and re-
demption by Christ, and deny not his special mercies to
yourself, but dwell in the study of the riches of grace, and
that is the way to come to the joy of the Holy Ghost. 2. I
have told you before what the witness of the Spirit is, and
what is the ordinary mistake herein. If you have the graces
and holy operations of the Spirit, you have the witness of
i240 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
the Spirit, whether you know it or not. 3. If by your own
doublings you have deprived yourself of the joy of the Holy
Ghost, bewail it, and do so no more ; but do not therefore
say you have not the Holy Ghost. For the Holy Ghost often
works regeneration and holiness before he works any sensi-
ble joys. 4. You have some hope of salvation by Christ left
in you : you are not yet in utter despair ; and is it no com-
fort to you to think that you have yet any hope ? And are
not quite past all remedy ? It may be your sorrows may so
cloud it that you take no notice of it; but I know you can-
not have the least hope without some answerable comfort.
And may not that comfort be truly the joy of the Holy
Ghost? 5. And for communion with God let me ask you ;
Have you no recourse to him by prayer in your straits ? Do
you not wait at his mouth for the law and direction of your
life ? Have you received no holy desires, or other graces
from him ? Nay, are you sure that you are not a member of
Christ, who is one with him '.' How can you then say, that
you have no communion with him? Can there be commu-
nication of prayer and obedience from you ; yea, your own-
self delivered up to Christ ; and a communication of any life
of grace from God, by Christ and the Spirit? And all this
without communion? It cannot be. Many a soul hath
most near communion with Christ that knows it not.
Doubt 9. ' I have not the spirit of prayer : when I should
pour out my soul to God, I have neither bold access, nor
matter of prayer, nor words.'
Answ. Do you know what the spirit of prayer is ? It
containeth, 1. Desires of the soul after the things we want,
especially Christ and his graces. 2. An addressing our-
selves to God with these desires, that we may have help and
relief from him. Have not you both these ? Do you not
desire Christ and grace, justification and sanctification? Do '
you not look to God as him who alone is able to supply
your wants, and bids you ask that you may receive ? Do
you utterly despair of help, and so seek to none ? Or do
you make your addresses by prayer to any but God ? But
perhaps you look at words and matter to dilate upon, that
you may be able to hold out in a long speech to God, and
you think that it is the effect of the spirit of prayer. But
where do you find that in God's word ? I confess that in
many, and most, the Spirit which helpeth to desires, doth
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 241
alsahelp to some kind of expressions ; because if a man be
of able natural parts, and have a tongue to express his own
mind, the promoting of holy desires will help men to ex-
pressions. For a full soul is hardly hindered from venting
itself: and experience teacheth us, that the Spirit's inflam-
ing the heart with holy affections, doth very much furnish
both the invention and expression. But this is but acci-
dental and uncertain ; for those that are either men of un-
ready tongues, or that are so ill bred among the rude vulgar,
that they want fit expressions of their own minds, or that
are of over-bashful dispositions, or especially that are of
small knowledge, and of little and short acquaintance with
those that should teach them to pray by their examjile, or that
have been but of short standing in the school of Christ, such
a man may have the spirit of prayer many a year, and never
be able, in full expressions of his own, to make known his
wants to God ; no, nor in good and tolerable sense and lan-
guage, before others to speak to God, from his own inven-
tion. A man may know all those articles of the faith that
are of flat necessity to salvation, and yet not be able to find
matter or words for the opening of his heart to God at
length. I would advise such to frequent the company of
those that can teach and help them in prayer, and neglect
not to use the smallest parts they have, especially in secret,
between God and their own souls, where they need not, so
much as in public, to be regardful of expressions ; and in
the mean time to learn a prayer from some book, that may
most fitly express their necessities ; or to use the book itself
in prayer, if they distrust their memories, not resolving to
stick here, and make it a means of indulging their laziness
and negligence, much less to reproach and deride those that
express their desires to God from the present sense of their
own wants (as some wickedly do deride such) ; but to use
this lawful help till they are able to do better without it than
with it, and then to lay it by, and not before. The Holy
Ghost is said, (Rom. viii. 16.) to help our infirmities in
prayer; but how? 1. By teaching us what to pray for;
not always what matter or words to enlarge ourselves by ;
but what necessary graces to pray for. 2. By giving us
sighs and groans inexpressible, which is far from giving co-
pious expressions ; for groans and sighs be not words, and
if they be groans that we cannot express, it would rather
VOL. IX. 11
242 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KtiEPING
seem to intimate a want of expression, than a constant
abounding therein, where the Spirit doth assist ; though in-
deed the meaning is, that the groans are so deep, that they
are past the expression of our words : all our speech cannot
express that deep sense that is in our hearts. For the un-
derstanding hath the advantage of the affections herein ; all
the thoughts of the mind may be expressed to others, but
the feelings and fervent passions of the soul can be but very
defectively expressed.
Lastly, All have not the spirit of prayer in like measure;
nor all that have it in a great measure at one time, can find
it so at pleasure. Desires rise and fall, and these earnest
groans be not in every prayer where the Holy Ghost doth
assist. I believe there is never a prayer that ever a be-
liever did put up to God for things lawful and useful, but it
was put up by the help of the Spirit. For the weakest
prayer hath some degree of good desire in it, and addresses
to God with an endeavour to express them ; and these can
come from none but only from the Spirit. Mere words
without desires, are no more prayer, than a suit of apparel
hanged on a stake, is a man. You may have the spirit of
prayer, and yet have it in a very weak degree.
Yet still I would encourage you to bewail your defect
herein as your sin, and seek earnestly the supply of your
wants ; but what is that to the questioning or denying your
sincerity, or right to salvation?
Doubt 10. * I have no gifts to make me useful to myself
or others. When I should profit by the word I cannot re-
member it : when I should reprove a sinner, or instruct the
ignorant, I have not words : if I were called to give an ac-
count of my faith, I have not words to express that which is
in my mind : and what grace can here be then ?'
Answ. This needs no long answer. Lament and amend
those sins by which you have been disabled. But know,
that these gifts depend more on nature, art, industry and
common grace, than upon special saving grace. Many a
bad man is excellent in all these, and many a one that is
truly godly is defective. Where hath God laid our salva-
tion upon the strength of our memories, the readiness of our
tongues, or measure of the like gifts ? That were almost as
if he should have made a law, that all shall be saved that
have sound complexions, and healthful and youthful bodies ;
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 243
and all be damned that are sickly, aged, weak, children, and
most women.
Doubt 11. *0 but I have been a grievous sinner, before
I came home, and have fallen foully since, and I am utterly
unworthy of mercy ! Will the Lord ever save such an
unworthy wretch as I ? Will he ever give his mercy and the
blood of his Son, to one that hath so abused it?'
Amw. 1. The question is not, with God, what you have
been, but what you are ? God takes men as they then are,
and not as they were. 2. It is a dangerous thing to object
the greatness of your guilt against God's mercy and Christ's
merits. Do you think Christ's satisfaction is not sufficient?
Or that he died for small sins and not for great ? Do you
not know that he hath made satisfaction for all, and will
pardon all, and hath given out the pardon of all in his co-
venant, and that to all men, on condition they will accept
Christ to pardon, and heal them in his own way ? Hath
God made it his great design in the work of man's redemp-
tion, to make his love and mercy as honourable and won-
derful, as he did his power in the work of creation? And
will you after all this, oppose the greatness of your sins
against the greatness of this mercy and satisfaction ? Why,
you may as well think yourself to be such a one, that God
could not or did not make you, as to think your sins so
great, that Christ could not or did not satisfy for them, or
will not pardon them, if you repent and believe in him. 3.
And for worthiness, I pray you observe ; there is a two-fold
worthiness and righteousness. There is a legal worthiness
and righteousness, which consisteth in a perfect obedience,
which is the performance of the conditions of the law of
pure nature and works. This no man hath but Christ ; and
if you look after this righteousness or worthiness in your-
self, then do you depart from Christ, and make him to have
died and satisfied in vain : you are a Jew and not a Chris-
tian, and are one of those that Paul so much disputeth
against, that would be justified by the law. Nay, you must
not so much as once imagine that all your own works can
be any part of this legal righteousness or worthiness to you.
Only Christ's satisfaction and merit is instead of this our
legal righteousness and worthiness. God never gave Christ
and mercy to any but the unworthy in this sense. If you
know not yourself to be unworthy and unrighteous in the
244 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
sense of the law of works, you cannot know what Christ's
righteousness is. Did Christ come to save any but sinners,
and such as were lost? What need you a Saviour, if you
were not condemned ? And how come you to be condemned,
if you were not unrighteous and unworthy ? But then, 2.
There is an evangelical personal worthiness and righteous-
ness, which is the condition on which God bestows Christ's
righteousness upon us ; and this all have that will be saved
by Christ. But what is that? Why, it hath two parts : 1.
The condition and worthiness required to your union with
Christ, and pardon of all your sins past, and your adoption
and justification ; it is no moie but your hearty and thank-
ful acceptance of the gift that is freely given you of God by
his covenant grant ; that is, Christ and life in him ; 1 John
v. 10 — 12. There is no worthiness required in you before
faith, as a condition on which God will give you faith ; but
only certain means you are appointed to use for the obtain-
ing it : and faith itself is but the acceptance of a free gift.
God requireth you not to bring any other worthiness or
price in your hands, but that you consent unfeignedly to
have Christ as he is offered, and to the ends and uses that
he is offered ; that is, as one that hath satisfied for you by
his blood and merits, to put away your sins, and as one that
must illuminate and teach you, sanctify, and guide, and go-
vern you by his word and Spirit ; and as King and Judge
will fully and finally justify you at the day of judgment, and
give you the crown of glory. Christ on his part, 1. Hath
merited your pardon by his satisfaction, and not properly by
his sanctifying you. 2. And sanctifieth you by his Spirit,
and ruleth you by his laws, and not directly by his blood-
shed. 3. And he will justify you at judgment as King and
Judge, and not as Satisfier or Sanctifier. But the condition
on your part, of obtaining interest in Christ and his benefits,
is that one faith which accepteth him in all these respects
(both as King, Priest and Teacher) and to all these ends
conjunctly. But then, 2. The condition and worthiness re-
quired to the continuation and consummation of your par-
don, justification, and right to glory, is both the continuance
of your faith, and your sincere obedience, even your keeping
the baptismal covenant that you made with. Christ by your
parents, and the covenant which you in your own person
made with him in your first true believing. These indeed
SPIRITUAL PEACK AND COMFORT. 245
are called Worthiness and Righteousness frequently in the
Gospel. But it is no worthiness consisting in any such
works, Avhich make the reward to be of debt, and not of
grace (of which Paul speaks) but only in faith, and such
Gospel-works as James speaks of, which make the reward
to be wholly of grace and not debt.
Now if you say you are unworthy in this evangelical
sense, then you must mean (if you know what you say,)
that you are an infidel or unbeliever, or an impenitent, ob-
stinate rebel, that would not have Christ to reign over him;
for the Gospel calleth none unworthy, (as non- performers
of its conditions,) but only these. But I hope you dare not
charge yourself with such infidelity and wilful rebellion.
Doubt 12. * Though God hath kept me from gross sins,
yet I find such a searedness of conscience, and so little
averseness from sin in my mind, that I fear I should commit
it if I lay under temptations ; and also that I should not
hold out in trial if I were called to suffer death, or any grie-
vous calamity. And that obedience which endureth merely
for want of a temptation, is no true obedience.'
Answ. 1. I have fully answered this before. If you can
overcome the temptations of prosperity, you have no cause
to doubt distrustfully, whether you shall overcome the temp-
tation of adversity. And if God give you grace to avoid
temptations to sin, and flee occasions as much as you can,
and to overcome them where you cannot avoid them ; you
have little reason to distrust his preservation of you, and
your stedfastness thereby, if you should be cast upon
greater temptations. Indeed if you feel not such a belief of
the evil and danger of sinning, as to possess you with some
sensible hatred of it, you have need to look to your hear^
for the strengthening of that belief and hatred ; and fear
your heart with a godly, preserving jealousy, but not with
tormenting, disquieting doubts. Whatever your passionate
hatred be, if you have a settled, well-grounded resolution,
to walk in obedience to the death, you may confidently and
comfortably trust him for your preservation, who gave you
those resolutions.
2. And the last sentence of this doubt had need of great
caution, before you conclude it a certain truth. It is true
that the obedience, which by an ordinary temptation, such
as men may expect, would be overthrown, is not well ground-
246 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
ed and rooted before it is overthrown. But it is a great doubt
whether there be not degrees of temptation possible, which
would overcome the resolution and grace of the most holy, hav-
ing such assistance as the Spirit usually giveth believers in
temptation? and whether some temptations which overcome
not a strong Christian, would not overcome a weak one,
who yet hath true grace? I conclude nothing of these
doubts. But I would not have you trouble yourself upon
confident conclusions, on so doubtful grounds. This 1 am
certain of, 1. That the strongest Christian should take heed
of temptation, and not trust to the strength of his graces,
nor presume on God's preservation, while he wilfully cast-
eth himself in the mouth of dangers ; nor to be encouraged
hereunto upon any persuasion of an impossibility of his fall-
ing away. O the falls, the fearful falls that I have known
(alas, how often !) the most eminent men for godliness that
ever I knew, to be guilty of, by casting themselves upon
temptations. I confess I will never be confident of that
man's perseverance, were he the best that I know on earth,
who casteth himself upon violent temptations, especially the
temptations of sensuality, prosperity, and seducement. 2.
I know God hath taught us daily to watch and pray, that
we enter not into temptation, and to pray, " Lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil." (I never under-
stood the necessity of that petition feelingly, till I saw the
examples of these seven or eight years last past.) This be-
ing so, you must look that your perseverance should be by
being preserved from temptation ; and must rather examine,
whether you have that grace which will enable you to avoid
temptations, than whether you have grace enough to over-
come them, if you rush into them. But if God unavoidably
cast you upon them, keep up your watch and prayer, and
you have no cause to trouble yourself with distrustful
fears.
Doubt 13. ' I am afraid, lest I have committed the un-
pardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, and then there is no
hope of my salvation.'
Answ. It seems you know not what the sin against the
Holy Ghost is. It is this. When a man is convinced that
Christ and his disciples did really work those glorious mira-
cles which are recorded in the Gospel, and yet will not be-
lieve that Christ is the Son of God, and his doctrine true.
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 247
though sealed with all those miracles, and other holy and
wonderful works of the Spirit, but do blasphemously main-
tain that they were done .by the power of the devil. This is
the sin against the Holy Ghost. And dare you say that you
are guilty of this ? If you be, then you do not believe that
Christ is the Son of God, and the Messiah, and his Gospel
true. And then you will sure oppose him, and maintain
that he was a deceiver, and that the devil was the author of
all the miraculous and gracious workings of his Spirit.
Then you will never fear his displeasure, nor call him se-
riously either Lord or Saviour ! nor tender him any service,
any more than you do to Mahomet. None but infidels do
commit the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost ; nor but few
of them. Unbelief is eminently called " sin" in the Gospel ;
and that " unbelief" which is maintained by blaspheming
the glorious works of the Holy Ghost, which Christ and his
disciples through many years time did perform for a testi-
mony to his truth, that is called singularly, " The sin against
the Holy Ghost !" You may meet with other descriptions
of this sin, which may occasion your terror; but I am fully
persuaded that this is the plain truth.
Doubt 14. ' But I greatly fear lest the time of grace be
past, and lest I have out-sat the day of mercy, and now mer-
cy hath wholly forsaken me. For I have oft heard minis-
ters tell me from the word, " Now is the accepted time, now
is the day of your visitation ; to-day, while it is called to-
day, harden not your hearts, lest God swear in his wrath,
that they shall not enter into his rest." But I have stood
out long after, I have resisted and quenched the Spirit, and
now it is I fear departed from me.'
Ansiv. Here is sufficient matter for humiliation, but the
doubting ariseth merely from ignorance. The day of grace
may in two respects be said to be over : The first (and most
properly so called) is. When God will not accept of a sinner,
though he should repent and return. This is never in this
life for certain. And he that imagineth any such thing as
that it is too late, while his soul is in his body, to repent
and accept of Christ and mercy, is merely ignorant of the
tenor and sense of the Gospel ! For the new law of grace
doth limit no time on earth for God's accepting of a return-
ing sinner. True faith and repentance do as surely save at
the last hour of the day, as at the first. God hath said.
248 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
that whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish, but have
everlasting life. He hath no where excepted late believeF&
orrepenters. Shew any such exception if you can.
2. The second sense in which it may be said that the
day of grace is over, is this : When a man hath so long re-
sisted the Spirit, that God hath given him over to the wilful,
obstinate refusals of mercy, and of Christ's government, re-
solving that he will never give him the prevailing grace of
his Spirit. Where note, 1 . That this same man might still have
grace as soon as any other, if he were but willing to accept
Christ, and grace in him. 2. That no man can know of him-
self or any other, that God hath thus finally forsaken him ;
for God hath given us no sign to know it by (at least who
sin not against the Holy Ghost). God hath not told us his
secret intents concerning such. 3. Yet some men have far
greater cause to fear it than others ; especially those men,
who under the most searching, 'lively sermons, do continue
secure and wilful in known wickedness ; either hating god-
liness and godly persons, and all that do reprove them, or
at least being stupified, that they feel no more than a post,
the force of God's terrors, or the sweetness of his promises;
but make a jest of sinning, and think the life of godliness a
needless thing. Especially if they grow old in this course,
I confess such have great cause to fear, lest they are quite
forsaken of God ; for very few such are ever recovered. 4.
And therefore it may well be said to all men, " To day if
you will hear his voice harden not your hearts," &,c. And
" This is the acceptable time ; this is the day of salvation ;"
both as this life is called, " The day of salvation ;" and be>-
cause no man is certain to live another day, that he may re-
pent ; nor yet to have grace to repent if he live. 5. But
what is all this to you that do repent ? Can you have cause
to fear that your day of grace is over, that have received
grace ? Why, that is as foolish a thing, as if a man should
come to the market and buy corn, and when he hath done,
go home lamenting that the market was past before he came.
Or as a man should come and hear a sermon, and when be
hath done, lament that the sermon was done before he came.
If your day of grace be past, tell me (and do not wrong God),
Where had you the grace of repentance ? How came you
by that grace of holy desires? Who made you willing to
have Christ for your Lord and Saviour? So that you had
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 249
rather have him, and God's favour, and a holy heart and life,
than all the glory of the world ? How came you to desire that
you were such a one as God would have you to be ? And to
desire that all your sins were dead, and might never live in
you more ? And that you were able to love God, and de-
light in him, and please him even in perfection ? And that
you are so troubled that you cannot do jt ? Are these signs
that your day of grace is over? Doth God's Spirit breathe
out grtfans after Christ and grace within you ? And yet is
the day of grace over ? Nay, what if you had no grace ?
Do you not hear God daily offering you Christ and grace ?
Doth he not entreat and beseech you to be reconciled unto
him ? (2 Cor. v. 19, 20.) And would he not compel you to
come in ? (Matt, xxii.) Do you not feel some unquietness
in your sinful condition ? And some motions and strivings
at your heart to get out of it? Certainly (though you
should be one that hath yet no grace to salvation), yet
these continued offers of grace, and strivings of the Spirit of
Christ with your heart, do shew that God hath not quite for-
saken you, and that your day of grace and visitation is not
past.
Doubt 15. * But I have sinned since my profession, and
that even against my knowledge and conscience. I have
had temptations to sin, and I have considered of the evil
and danger, and yet in the most sober deliberations, I have
resolved to sin. And how can such a one have any true
grace, or be saved V
Ansio. 1. If you had not true grace, God is still offering
it, and ready to work it.
2. Where do you find in Scripture, that none who have
true grace do sin knowingly or deliberately. Perhaps you
will say in Heb. x. 24. " If we sin wilfully, after the know-
ledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin,
but a fearful looking for of judgment, and fire, which shall
devour the adversaries." Answ. But you must know, that
it is not every wilful sin which is there mentioned ; but, as
even now I told you, unbelief is peculiarly called sin in the
New Testament. And the true meaning of the text is. If we
utterly renounce Christ by infidelity, as not being the true
Messiah, after we have known his truth, then, &.c. Indeed
none sin more against knowledge than the godly when they
250 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
do sin ; for they know more, for the most part, than others
do. And passion and sensuality (the remnant of it which
yet remaineth) will be working strongly in your very deli-
berations against sin, and either perverting the judgment to
doubt whether it be a sin, or whether there be any such dan-
ger in it ; or whether it be not a very little sin ; or else
blinding it, that it cannot see the arguments against the sin
in their full vigour. Or at least, prepossessing the heart
and delight, and so hindering our reasons against sin from
going down to the heart, and working on the will, and so
from commanding the actions of the body. This may befal
a godly man. And moreover, God may withdraw his grace
as he did from Peter and David in their sin. And then our
considerations will work but faintly, and sensuality and
sinful passion will work effectually. It is scarce possible,
I think, that such a man as David could be so long about
so horrid a sin, and after contrive the murder of Uriah, and
all this without deliberation, or any reasonings in himself to
the contrary.
3. The truth is, though this be no good cause for any
repenting sinner to doubt of salvation, yet it is a very griev-
ous aggravation of sin, to commit it against knowledge and
conscience, and upon consideration. And therefore I ad-
vise all that love their peace or salvation, to take heed of
it. For as they will find that no sin doth more deeply
wound the conscience, and plunge the sinner into fearful
perplexities ; which ofttimes hangs on him very long, so the
oftener such sin is committed, the less evidence will such
a one have of the sincerity of their faith and obedience ; and
therefore, in the name of God, beware. And let the troubled
soul make this the matter of his moderate humiliation, and
spare not. Bewail it before God. Take shame to yourself,
and freely confess it, when you are called to it before men.
Favour it not, and deal not gently with it, if you would have
peace ; but give glory to God, by taking the just dishonour
to yourselves. Tender dealing is an ill sign, and hath sad
effects. But yet for every sin against knowledge, to doubt
of the truth of grace, is not right, much less to doubt of the
pardon of that sin when we truly repent of it. Are you un-
feignedly sorry for your sins against conscience, and re-
solve against them for the future, through the help of God's
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 251
grace ? If so, then that sin is pardoned now, through the
blood of Christ believed in, whether you had then grace or
not.
Doubt 16. * But I have such corruptions in my nature,
that I cannot overcome. I have such a passionate nature,
and such a vanity of mind, and such worldly desires, that
though I pray and strive against them daily, yet do they
prevail. And it is not striving without overcoming that
will prove the truth of grace in any. Besides, I do not
grow in grace as all God's people do.'
Answ. 1. Do you think sin is not overcome as long as it
dwelleth in us, and daily troubleth us, and is working in us ?
Paul saith, " The evil that I would not do, that I do ;" and,
" We cannot do the things that we would." And yet Paul
was not overcome with these sins, nor had they dominion
over him. You must consider of these sins as in the habit,
or in the act. In the habit as they are in the passions they
will be still strong ; but as they are in the will they are weak
and overcome. Had you not rather you were void of these
passions than ,iot, and that you might restrain them in the
act ? Are you not weary of them, and daily pray and strive
against them? If so, it seems they have not your will. 2.
And for the actual passion (as I may call it) itself, you must
distinguish between, 1. Those which the will hath full pow-
er of, and which it hath but partial power over. 2. And be-
tween the several degrees of the passion. 3. And between
the inward passion and the outward expressions.
Some degree of anger and of lust will oft stir in the heart,
whether we will or not. But I hope you restrain it in the
degree ; and much more from breaking out into practices of
lust, or cursed speeches, or railings, backbitings, slander-
ings, or revenge. For these your will, if sanctified, hath
power to command. Even the acts of our corruptions, as
well as the habits, will stick by us in this life ; but if it be
in gross sins, or avoidable infirmities carelessly or wilfully
continued, I can tell you a better way to assurance and
comfort than your complaints are. Instead of being afraid
lest you cannot have your sin and Christ together, do but
more heartily oppose that sin, and deal roundly and con-
scionably against it, till you have overcome it, and then you
may ease yourself of your complaints and troubles. If you
say, • O but it is not so easily done. I cannot ovecorae it.
252 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
I have prayed and strove against it long.' I answer. But
are you heartily willing to be rid of it ? If you will, it will
be no impossible matter to be rid of the outward expres-
sions, and the high degree of the passion, though not of
every degree. Try this course awhile, and then judge. 1.
Plainly confess your guiltiness. 2. Never more excuse it,
or plead for it, to any that blameth you. 3. Desire those
that live and deal with you, to tell you roundly of it as soon
as they discern it, and engage yourself to them to take it
well, as a friendly action which yourself requested of them.
4. When you feel the passion begin to stir, enter into seri-
ous consideration of the sinfulness, or go and tell some friend
of your frail inclination, and presently beg their help against
it. If it be godly persons that you are angry with, instead
of giving them ill words, presently as soon as you feel the
fire kindle, say to them, * I have a very passionate nature,
which already is kindled, I pray you reprehend me for it,
and help me against it, and pray to God for my deliverance.'
Also go to God yourself, and complain to him of it, and beg
his help. Lastly, be sure that you make not light of it, and
see that you avoid the occasions as much as you can. If
you are indeed willing to be rid of the sin, then do not call
these directions too hard. But shew your willingness in
ready practising them. And thus you may see that it is
better to make your corruptions the matter of your humilia-
tion and reformation, than of your torment.
And for the other part of the doubt that you grow not
in grace, I answer: 1. The promises of growth are condi-
tional, or else signify what God will usually do for his peo-
ple : but it is certain that they be not absolute to all be-
lievers. For it is certain that all true Christians do not al-
ways grow ; nay, that many do too oft decline, and lose
their first fervour of love, and fall into sin, and live more
carelessly. Yea, it is certain that a true believer may die in
such decays,, or in a far lower state than formerly he hath
been in. If I thought this needed proof, I could easily
prove it ; but he that openeth his eyes may soon see enough
proof in England. 2. Many Christians do much mistake
themselves about the very nature of true grace ; and then
no wonder if they think that they thrive when they do not,
and that they thrive not when they do. They think that
more of the life and truth of grace doth lie in passionate
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 25,3
feelings of sin, grace, duty, &c. In sensible zeal, grief, joy,
&c. And do not know that the chief part lieth in the un-
derstanding's estimation, and the will's firm choice and re-
solution. And then they think they decline in grace, be-
cause they cannot weep, or joy so sensibly as before. Let
me assure you of this as truth : 1. Young people have usu-
ally more vigour of affections than old ; because they have
more vigour of body, and hot blood, and agile, active spi-
rits ; when the freezing, decayed bodies and spirits of old
men must needs make an abatement of their fervour in all
duties. 2. The like may be said of most that are weak and
sickly in comparison of the strong and healthful. 3. All things
affect men most deeply when they are new, and time wear-
eth off the vigour of that affection. The first hearing of
such a fight, or such a victory, or such a great man, or
friend dead, doth much affect us ; but so it doth not still.
When you first receive any benefit, it more delighteth you
than long after. So married people, or any other in the
first change of their condition, are more affected with it than
afterward. And indeed man's nature cannot hold up in a
constant elevation of affections. Children are more taken
with' every thing that they see and hear than old men, be-
cause all is new to them, and all seems old to the other. 4.
I have told you before that some natures are more fiery, pas-
sionate, and fervent than others are ; and in such a little
grace will cause a great deal of earnestness, zeal and pas-
sion. But let me tell you, that you may grow in these, and
not grow in the body of your graces. Doubtless satan him-
self may do so much to kindle your zeal, if he do but see it
void of sound knowledge, as he did in James and John when
they would have called for fire from heaven, but they knew
not what spirrt they were of. For the doleful case of
Christ's churches in this age hath put quite beyond dispute
that none do the devil's works more effectually, nor oppose
the kingdom of Christ more desperately, than they that have
the hottest zeal with the weakest judgments. And as fire is
most excellent and necessary in the chimney, but in the
thatch it is worse than the vilest dung ; so is zeal most ex-
cellent when guided by sound judgment ; but more destruc-
tive than profane sensuality when it is let loose and mis-
guided.
On the other side, you may decay much in feeling and fer-
254 DIRPCTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
vour of affections, and yet grow in grace, if you do but
grow in the understanding and the will. And indeed this is
the common growth which Christians have in their age.
Examine therefore whether you have this or no. Do you
not understand the things of the Spirit better than you for-
merly did ? Do you not value God, Christ, glory, and grace
at higher rates than formerly ? Are you not more fully re-
solved to stick to Christ to the death than formerly you
have been ? I do not think but it would be a harder work
for satan to draw you from Christ to the flesh than hereto-
fore. When the tree hath done growing in visible great-
ness, it groweth in rootedness. The fruit grows first in bulk
and quantity, and then in mellow sweetness. Are not you
less censorious, and more peaceable than heretofore ? I
tell you that is a more noble growth than a great deal of
austere and bitter, youthful, censorious, dividing zeal of
many will prove. Mark most aged, experienced Christians,
that walk uprightly, and you will find that they quite out-
strip the younger. 1. In experience, knowledge, prudence,
and soundness of judgment. 2. In well-settled resolutions
for Christ, his truth, and cause. 3. In a love of peace, es-
pecially in the church, and a hatred of dissentions, perverse
contendings and divisions. If you can shew this growth,
say not that you do not grow.
3. But suppose you do not grow, should you therefore
deny the sincerity of your grace ? I would not persuade
any soul that they grow, when they do not. But if you do
not, be humbled for it, and endeavour it for the future.
Make it your desire and daily business, and spare not still.
Lie not complaining, but rouse up your soul, and see what
is amiss, and set upon neglected duties, and remove those
corruptions that hinder your growth. Converse with grow-
ing Christians, and under quickening means ; endeavour
the good of other men's souls as well as your own ; and then
you will find that growth, which will silence this doubt, and
do much more for you than that.
Doubt 17. *I am troubled with such blasphemous
thoughts and temptations to unbelief, even against God, and
Christ, and Scripture, and the life to come, that I doubt I
have no faith.'
Amw. To be tempted is no sign of gracelessness, but to
yield to the temptation ; not every yielding neither, but to
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 255
be overcome of the temptation. Most melancholy people,
especially that have any knowledge in religion, are frequent-
ly haunted with blasphemous temptations. I have oft won-
dered that the devil should have such a power and advant-
age in the predominancy of that distemper. Scarce one per-
son of ten, whoever was with me in deep melancholy, either
for the cure of body or mind, but hath been haunted with
these blasphemous thoughts ; and that so impetuously and
violently set on and followed, that it might appear to be
from the devil ; yea, even many that never seemed godly, or
to mind any such thing before. I confess it hath been a
strenghthening to my own faith, to see the devil such an
enemy to the Christian faith ; yea, to the Godhead itself.
But perhaps you will say, * It is not mere temptation
from satan that I complain of ; but it takes too much with
my sinful heart. I am ready to doubt ofttimes whether
there be a God, or whether his providence determine of the
things here below ; or whether Scripture be true, or the soul
immortal,' &c.
Answ. This is a very great sin, and you ought to bewail
and abhor it, and, in the name of God, make not light of it,
but look to it betime. But yet let me tell you, that some
degree of this blasphemy and infidelity may remain with the
truest saving faith. The best may say, " Lord, I believe,
help thou mine unbelief." But I will tell you my judgment.
When your unbelief is such as to be a sign of a graceless
soul in the state of damnation : if your doubtings of the
truth of Scripture and the life to come, be so great that you
will not let go the pleasures and profits of sin, and part with
all, if God call you to it, in hope of that glory promised, and
to escape the judgment threatened, because you look upon
the things of the life to come but as uncertain things ; then
is your belief no saving belief; but your unbelief is preva-
lent. But if for all your staggerings, you see so much pro-
bability of the truth of Scripture and the life to come, that
you are resolved to venture (and part with, if called to it)
all worldly hopes and happiness for the hope of that pro-
mised glory, and to make it the chiefest business of your
life to attain it, and do deny yourself the pleasures of sin for
that end ; this is a true saving faith, as is evident by its vic-
tory ; notwithstanding all the infidelity. Atheism, and blas-
phemy that is mixed with it.
"ifiQ DIRECTIONS FOR GliTTING AND KEEPING
But again, let me advise you to take heed of this heinous
sin, and bewail and detest the very least degree of it. It is
dangerous when the devil strikes at the very root, and heart,
and foundation of all your religion. There is more sinful-
ness and danger in this than in many other sins. And
therefore let it never be motioned to your soul without ab-
horrence. Two ways the devil hath to move it. The one is
by his immediate inward suggestions ; these are bad enough.
The other is by his accursed instruments ; and this is a far
more dangerous way ; whether it be by books, or by the
words of men. And yet if it be by notorious, wicked men,
or fools, the temptation is the less ; but when it is by men
of cunning wit, and smooth tongues, and hypocritical lives
(for far be that wickedness from me, as to call them godly,
or wise, or honest), then it is the greatest snare that the de-
vil hath to lay. O just and dreadful God ! Did I think one
day that those that I was then praying with, and rejoicing
with, and that went up with me to the house of God in fami-
liarity, would this day be blasphemers of thy sacred name,
and deny the Lord that bought them, and deride thy holy
word as a fable, and give up themselves to the present plea-
sures of sin, because they believe not thy promised glory?
O righteous and merciful God, that hast preserved the hum-
ble from this condemnation, and hast permitted only the
proud and sensual professors to fall into it, and hast given
them over to hellish conversations according to the nature
of their hellish opinions, that they might be rather a terror
to others than a snare ? I call their doctrine and practice
hellish, from its original, because it comes from the father
of lies, but not that there is any such opinion or practice in
hell. He that tempts others to deny the godhead, the
Christian faith, the Scripture, the life to come, doth no whit
doubt of any one of them himself, but believes and trem-
bles. O fearful blindness of the professors of religion, that
will hear, if not receive these blasphemies from the mouth
of an apostate professor, which they would abhor if it came
immediately from the devil himself. With what sad com-
plaints and trembling do poor sinners cry out (and not with-
out cause), ' O I am haunted with such blasphemous temp-
tations, that I am afraid lest God should suddenly de-
stroy me, that ever such thoughts should come into my
heart.' But if an instrument of the devil come and plead
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 25"?
gainst the Scripture or the life to come, or Christ himself/
they will hear him with less detestation. The devil knows
that familiarity will cause us to take that from a man, which
we would abhor from the devil himself immediately. I in-
tend not to give you now a particular preservation against
each of these temptations. Only let me tell you, that this
is the direct way to infidelity, apostacy, and the sin against
the Holy Ghost ; and if by any seducers the devil do over-
come you herein^ you are lost for ever, and there will be no
more sacrifice for your sin, but a fearful expectation of
judgment, and that fire which shall devour the adversaries
of Christ.
Doubt 18. * I have so great fear of death, and un-
willingness to be with God, that 1 am afraid I have no graces
for if I had Paul's spirit, I should be able to say with him^
•* I desire to depatt and to be with Christ," whereas now^
no news would be to me more unwelcome.'
Answ. There is a loathness to die that comes from d. dej
sire to do God more service ; and another that comes from
an apprehension of unreadiness, when we would fain have
more assurance of salvation first} or would be fitter to meet
our Lord. Blame not a man to be somewhat backward,
that knows it must go with him for ever in heaven or hell,
according as he is found at death. But these two be not
so much a loathness to die, as a loathness to die now at this
time. 3. There is also in all men living, good and bad, a
natural abhorrence and fear of death. God hath put this
into men's nature (even in innocency) to be his great means
of governing the world. No man would live in order, or be
kept in obedience, but for this. He that cares not for his
own life, is master of another's. Grace doth not root out
this abhorrence of death, no more than it unmanneth us ;
only it restrains it from excess, and so far overcometh the
violence of the passion, by the apprehensions of a better life
beyond death, that a believer may the more quietly and wil j
lingly submit to it. Paul himself desireth not death, but
the life which foUoweth it. " He desireth to depart and be
with Christ ;" that is, he had rather be in heaven than on
earth, and therefore he is contented to submit to the penal
sharp passage. God doth not command you to desire death
itself, nor forbid you fearing it as an evil to nature, and
VOL. IX. s
258 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
a punishment of sin. Only he requireth you to desire the
blessedness to be enjoyed after death, and that so earnestly
as may make death itself the easier to you. Thank God, if
the fear of death be somewhat abated in you, though it be
not sweetened. Men may pretend what they please, but
nature will abhor death as long as it is nature, and as long
as man is man ; else temporal death had been no punish-
ment to Adam, if his innocent nature had not abhorred it as
it was an evil to it. Tell me but this. If death did not stand
in your way to heaven, but that you could travel to heaven,
as easily as to London, would not you rather go thither and
be with Christ, than stay in sin and vanity here on earth, so
be it you were certain to be with Christ? If you can say
yea to this, then it is apparent that your loathness to die is
either from the uncertainty of your salvation, or from the
natural averseness to a dissolution, or both ; and not from
an unwillingness to be with Christ, or a preferring the vani-
ties of this world before the blessedness of that to come.
Lastly, It may be God may lay that affliction on you, or
use some other necessary means with you yet, before you
vdie, that may make you more willing than now you are.
Doubt 19. * God layeth upon me such heavy afflictions,
that I cannot believe he loves me. He writeth bitter things
against me, and taketh me for his enemy. I am afflicted in
my health, in my name, in my children, and nearest friends,
and in my estate, I live in continual poverty, or pinching
distress of one kind or other ; yea, my very soul is filled
with his terrors, and night and day is his hand heavy upon
me.'
Answ. I have said enough to this before, nor do I think
it needful to say any more, when the Holy Ghost hath said
so much ; but only to desire you to read what he hath writ-
ten in Heb. xii. and Job throughout; and Psal.xxxvii.lxxiii.
and divers others. The next doubt is contrary.
Doubt 20. ' I read in Scripture, that through many tri-
bulations we must enter into heaven, and that all that will
live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution ; and that
he that taketh not up his cross, and so followeth Christ,
cannot be his disciple. And that if we are not corrected,
we are bastards, and not sons. But I never had any afflic
tion from God, but have lived in constant prosperity to this
day. Christ saith, " Woe to you when all men speak well
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 25.9
of you." But all men, for aught I know, speak well of me;
and therefore I doubt of my sincerity.'
Answ. I would not have mentioned this doubt, but that
I was so foolish as to be troubled with it myself; and per-
haps some others may be as foolish as I ; though I think
but few in these times. Our great friends have done so
much to resolve them more elFectually than words could
liave done. 1. Some of those texts speak only of man's
duty of bearing persecution and tribulation, when God lays
it on us, rather than of the event, that it shall certainly
come. 2. Yet I think it ordinarily certain, and to be ex-
pected as to the event. Doubtless tribulation is God's com-
mon road to heaven. Every ignorant person is so well
aware of this, that they delude themselves in their sufferings,
saying, that God hath given them their punishment in this
life, and therefore they hope he will not punish them in ano-
ther. If any soul be so silly as to fear and doubt for
want of affliction ; if none else will do the cure, let them
follow my counsel, and I dare warrant them for this, and I
will advise them to nothing but what is honest, yea, and ne-
cessary, and what I have tried effectually upon myself; and
I can assure you it cured me, and I can give it a * Probatum
est.' And first, see that you be faithful in your duty to all
sinners within your reach ; be they great or small, gentlemen
or beggars, do your duty in reproving them meekly and lov-
ingly, yet plainly and seriously, telling them of the danger
of God's everlasting wrath ; and when you find them obsti-
nate, tell the church-officers of them, that they may do
their duty ; and if yet they are unreformed, they may be ex-
cluded from the church's communion, and all Christian fa-
miliarity. Try this course awhile, and if you meet with no
afflictions, and get no more fists about your ears than your
own, nor more tongues against you than formerly, tell me I
am mistaken. Men basely baulk and shun almost all the
displeasing, ungrateful work of Christianity of purpose, lest
they should have sufferings in the flesh, and then they
doubt of their sincerity for want of sufferings. My second
advice is. Do but stay awhile in patience (but prepare your
patience for a sharper encounter), and do not tie God to
your time. He hath not told you when your afflictions
shall come. If he deal easier with you than with others,
and give you longer time to prepare for them, be not you
260 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KKEPING
offended at that, and do not quarrel with your mercies. It
is about seventeen years since I was troubled with this
doubt, thinking I was no son, because I was not aflflicted ;
and I think I have had few days without pain for this six-
teen years since together, nor but few hours, if any one,
for this six or seven years And thus my scruple is re-
moved.
And if yet any be troubled with this doubt, if the
church's and common trouble be any trouble to them, shall
I be bold to tell them my thoughts ? (only understand that
I pretend not to prophesy, but to conjecture at effects by the
position of their moral causes.) I think that the righteous
King of saints is even now, for our over-admiring rash zeal,
and sharp, high profession, making for England so heavy an
affliction, and a sharp scourge, to be inflicted by seduced,
proud, self-conceited professors, as neither we nor our fa-
thers did ever yet bear. Except it should prove the merci-
ful intent of our Father, only to suffer them to ripen for
their own destruction, to be a standing monument for the
effectual warning of all after-ages of the church, whither
^Dride and heady zeal may bring professors of holiness.
And when they are full ripe, to do by them as at Munster,
and in New England, that they may go no further, but their
folly may be known to all: Amen. I have told you of my
thoughts of this long ago, in my Book of Baptism.
AH these doubts I have here answered, that you may see
how necessary it is, that in all your troubles you be sure to
distinguish between matter of doubting and matter of humi-
liation. Alas, what soul is so holy on the earth, but must
daily say, " Forgive us our trespasses ?" and cry out with
Paul, " O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me
from this body of death ?" But at the same time we may
thank God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. If every sin
should make us doubt, we should do nothing but doubt. I
know you may easily tell a long and a sad story of your
sins ; how you are troubled with this and that, and many a
distemper, and weak and wanting in every grace and duty,
and have committed many sins. But doth it follow that
therefore you have no true grace ? Learn therefore to be
humbled for every sin, but not to doubt of your sincerity
and salvation for every sin.
Direct. XXX. ' Whatsoever new doublings do arise in
SPIRITUAL PKACE AND COMFORT. 2(51
your soul, see that you carefully discern whether they are
such as must be resolved from the consideration of general
grace, or of special grace. And especially be sure of this,
that when you want or lose your certainty of sincerity and
salvation, you have presently recourse to the probability of
it, and lose not the comforts of that. Or if you should lose
the sight of a probability of special grace, yet see that you
have recourse at the utmost to general grace, and never let
go the comforts of that at the worst.'
This rule is of unspeakable necessity and use for your
peace and comfort. Here are three several degrees of the
grounds of comfort. It is exceeding weakness for a man
that is beaten from one of these holds, therefore to let
go the other two. And because he cannot have the high-
est degree, therefore to conclude that he hath none at all.
I beseech you in all your doubtings and complainings,
still remember the two rules here laid down. 1. All doubts
arise not from the same cause, and therefore must not have
the same cure. Let the first thing which you do upon every
doubt, be this : To consider, whether it come from the un-
believing or low apprehensions of the general grounds of com-
fort, or from the want of evidence of special grace. For that
which is a fit remedy for one of these, will do little for the
cure of the other. 2. If your doubting be only. Whether
you be sincere in believing, loving, hoping, repenting, and
obeying, then it will not answer this doubt, though you dis-
cern never so much of God's merciful nature, or Christ's gra-
cious office, or the universal sufficiency of his death, and sa-
tisfaction, or the freeness and extent of the promise of par-
don. For I profess considerately, that I do not know in all
the body of popery concerning merits, justification, human
satisfactions, assurance, or any other point about grace, for
which we unchurch them, that they err half so dangerously
as Saltmarsh, and such Antinomians, do in this point, when
they say. That Christ hath repented and believed for us ;
meaning it of that faith and repentance which he hath made
the conditions of our salvation. And that we must no more
question our own faith, than we must question Christ the
object of it. It will be no saving plea at the day of judg-
ment to say. Though I repented not, and believed not, yet
Christ died for me, or God is merciful, or Christ repented
and believed for me, or God made me a free promise and
262 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
gift of salvation, if I would repent and believe. What com-
fort would such an answer give them ? And therefore
doubtless it will not serve now to quiet any knowing Chris-
tian against those doubts that arise from the want of par-
ticular evidence of special grace, though in their own place,
the general grounds of comfort are of absolute necessity
thereto.
2. On the other side. If your doubts arise from any de-
fect in your apprehensions of general grace, it is not your
looking after marks in yourself that is the way to resolve
them. I told you in the beginning, that the general grounds
of comfort lie in four particulars (that square foundation
which will bear up all the faith of the saints). First, God's
merciful and inconceivable good and gracious nature, and
his love to mankind. Secondly, The gracious nature of the
Mediator God and Man, with his most gracious, undertak-
ing office of saving and reconciling. Thirdly, The suffici-
ency of Christ's death and satisfaction for all the world, to
save them if they will accept him and his grace. I put it in
terms beyond dispute, because I would not build up be-
liever's comforts on points which godly divines do contra-
dict (as little as may be.) Yet I am past all doubt myself,
that Christ did actually make satisfaction to God's justice
for ALL, and that no manperisheth for want of an expiatory
sacrifice, but for want of faith to believe and apply it, or for
want of repentance and yielding to recovering grace. The
fourth is. The universal grant of pardon, and right to salva-
tion, on condition of faith and repentance. If your doubt
arise from the ignorance or overlooking of any of these, to
these must you have recourse for your cure.
Where note. That all those doubts which come from the
greatness of your sin, as such, that you think will not there-
fore be forgiven, or that come from the sense of unworthiness
(in a legal sense), or want of merit in yourself^ and all your
doubts, whether God be willing to accept and forgive you,
though you should repent and believe : or, whether any sa-
crifice was offered by Christ for your sins ; I say, all these
come from your ignorance or unbelief of some or all of the
four general grounds here mentioned ; and from them must
be cured.
Note also in a special manner. That there is a great dif-
ference between these four general grounds, and your parti-
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORTi 263
cular evidences in point of certainty. For these four cor-
ner-stones are fast founded beyond all possibility of remov-
al, so that they are alvv^ays of as undoubted certainty as that
the heaven is over your head ; and they are immutable still
the same. These you are commanded strictly to believe
with a divine faith, as being the clearly revealed truths of
God ; and if you should not believe them, yet they remain
firm and true, and your unbelief should not make void the
universal promise and grace of God. But your own evi-
dences of special grace are not so certain, so clear, or so
immutable ; nor are you bound to believe them, but to
search after them that you may know them. You are not
bound by any word of God strictly to believe that you do
believe, or repent, but to try and discern it. This then is
the first part of this Direction, That you always discover
whether your troubles arise from low unbelieving, or ignor-
rant thoughts of God's mercifulness, Christ's gracious na-
ture and office, general satisfaction, or the universal pro-
mise. Or, whether they arise from want of evidence of sin-
cerity in yourself. And accordingly in your thoughts apply
the remedy. ''
The second part of the Direction is, that you hold fast
probabilities of special grace, when you lose your cer-
tainty, and that you hold fast your general grounds, when
you lose both your former. Never forget this in any of
your doubts.
You say, your faith and obedience have such breaches
and sad defects in them, that you cannot be certain that
they are sincere. Suppose it be so : Do you see no great
likelihood or hopes yet that they are sincere ? If you do
(as I think many Christians easily may, that yet receive not
a proportionable comfort) remember that this is no small
mercy, but matter of great consolation.
But suppose the worst, that you see no grace in your-
self, yet you cannot be sure you have none ; for it may be
there, and you not see it. Yea, suppose the worst, that you
were sure that you had no true grace at all, yet remember
that you have still abundant cause of comfort in God's ge-
neral grace. Do you think you must needs despair, or give
up all hope and comfort, or conclude yourself irrecoverably
lost, because you are graceless ? Why, be it known to you^
there is that ground of consolation in general grace, that
264 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
may make the hearts of the very wicked to leap for joy. Do
I need to prove that to you ? You know that the Gospel is
called, " Glad tidings of salvation," and the preachers of it
are to tell those to whom they preach it, " Behold, we bring
you tidings of great joy, and glad tidings to all people."
And you know before the Gospel comes to men they are
miserable. If then it be glad tidings, and tidings of great
joy to all the unconverted where it comes, why should it
not be so to you? And where is your great joy ? If you
be graceless, is it nothing to know that God is exceeding mer-
ciful, " slow to anger, ready to forgive, pardoning iniquities,
transgression, and sin," loving mankind ? Is it nothing to
know that the Lord hath brought infinite mercy and good-
ness down into human flesh ? And hath taken on him the
most blessed office of reconciling, and is become the Lamb
of God? Is it nothing to you, that all your sins have a suffi-
cient sacrifice paid for them, so that you are certain not to
perish for want of a ransom ? Is it nothing to you that God
hath made such an universal grant of pardon and salvation
to all that will believe ? And that you are not on the terms
of the mere law of works, to be judged for not obeying in
perfection? Suppose you are never so certainly graceless,
is it not a ground of unspeakable comfort, that you may be
certain that nothing can condemn you, but a flat refusal or
imwillingness to have Christ and his salvation? This is a
certain truth, which may comfort a man as yet unsanctified,
that sin merely as sin shall not condemn him, nor any thing
in the world, but the final, obstinate refusal of the remedy,
which thereby leaveth all other sin unpardoned.
Now I would ask you this question in your greatest fears
that you are out of Christ : Are you willing to have Christ
to pardon, sanctify, guide, and save you, or not? If you
are, then you are a true believer, and did not know it. If
you are not, if you will but wait on God's word in hearing,
and reading, and consider frequently and seriously of the
necessity and excellency of Christ and glory, and the evil of
sin, and the vanity of the world, and will but beg earnestly
of God to make you willing, you shall find that God hath
not appointed you this means in vain, and that this way wiH
be more profitable to you than all your complainings. See
therefore when you are at the very lowest, that you forsake
liot the comforts of general grace.
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. ' ' 265
And indeed those that deny any general grace or re-
demption, do leave poor Christians in a very lamentable con-
dition. For, alas ! assurance of special grace (yea, or a
high probability) is not so common a thing as mere dispu-
ters against doubting have imagined. And when a poor
Christian is beaten from his assurance (which few have), he
hath nothing but probabilities ; and when he hath no confi-
dent, probable persuasion of special grace, where is he then?
And what hath he left to support his soul? I will not so
far now meddle with that controversy, as to open further
how this opinion tends to leave most Christians in despera-
tion, for all the pretences it hath found. And I had done
more, but that general redemption or satisfaction, is com-
monly taught in the maintaining of the general sufficiency
of it, though. men understand not how they contradict them^
selves. ii iftOi"^ «oi' . ■(!fn'-irt v/o'f'i
But perhaps you will say, 'This is cold comfort; fori
may as well argue thus, Christ will damn sinners ; I am a
sinner, therefore he will damn me ; as to argue thus, Christ
will save sinners ; I am a sinner, therefore he will save me.'
I answer. There is no shew of soundness in either of these
arguments. It is not a certainty that Christ will save you,
that can be gathered from general grace alone ; that must be
had from assurance of special grace superadded to the gene-
ral. But a conditional certainty you may have from gene-
ral grace only, and thus you may soundly and infallibly ar-
gue, * God hath made a grant to every sinful man, of pardon
and salvation through Christ's sacrifice, if they will but re-
pent and believe in Christ ; but I am a sinful man, therefore
God hath made this grant of pardon and salvation to me.'
Direct. XXXI. * If God do bless you with an able, faith-
ful, prudent, judicious pastor, take him for your guide under
Christ in the way to salvation ; and open to him your case,
and desire his advice in all your extraordinary, pressing ne-
cessities, where you have found the advice of other godly
friends to be insufficient j and this not once or twice only,
but as often as such pressing necessities shall return. ()r
if your own pastor be more defective for such a work, make
use of some other minister of Christ, who is more meet.' j
Here I have these several things to open to you. 1 . That
it is your duty to seek this Direction from the guides of the
ehurch. 2. When and in what gases you should do this.
266 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
3. To what end, and how far. 4. What ministers they be
that you should choose thereto. 5. In what manner you
must open your case, that you may receive satisfaction.
1. The first hath two parts, (1.) That you must open
your case. (2.) And that to your pastor. 1. The devil hath
great advantage while you keep his counsel ; two are better
than one ; for if one of them fall, he hath another to help
him. It is dangerous, resisting such an enemy alone. An
uniting of forces oft procureth victory. God giveth others
knowledge, prudence, and other gifts for our good ; that so
every member of the body may have need of another, and
each be useful to the other. An independency of Christian
upon Christian, is most unchristian ; much more of people
on their guides. It ceaseth to be a member, which is se-
parated from the body ; and to make no use of the body or
fellow members, is next to separation from them. Some-
times bashfulness is the cause, sometimes self-confidence
(a far worse cause) ; but whatever is the cause of Christians
smothering their doubts, the effects are oft sad. The disease
is oft gone so far, that the cure is very difficult, before some
bashful, or proud, or tender patients will open their disease.
The very opening of a man's grief to a faithful friend, doth
oft ease the heart of itself. 2. And that this should be
done to your pastor, I will shew you further anon.
2. But you must understand well when this is your duty.
1. Not in every small infirmity, which accompanies Chris-
tians in their daily most watchful conversation. Nor yet in
every lesser doubt, which may be otherways resolved. It is
a folly and a wrong to physicians to run to them for every
cut finger or prick with a pin. Every neighbour can help
you in this. 2. Nor except it be a weighty case indeed, go
not first to a minister. But first study the case yourself, and
seek God's direction : if that will not serve, open your case
to your nearest bosom friend that is godly and judicious.
And in these two cases always go to your pastor. 2. In case
more private means can do you no good, then God calls you
to seek further. If a cut finger so fester that ordinary means
will not cure it, you must go to the physician. 3. If the
case be weighty and dangerous ; for then none but the more
prudent advice is to be trusted. If you be struck with a
dangerous disease, I would not have you delay so long, nor
wrong yourself so much, as to stay while you tamper \Vith
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 267
every woman's medicine, but go presently to the physician.
So if you either fall into any grievous sin, or any terrible
pangs of conscience, or any great straits and difficulties
about matters of doctrine or practice, go presently to your
pastor for advice. The devil, and pride, and bashfulness,
will do their utmost to hinder you ; but see that they pre-
vail not.
3. Next consider to what end you must do this. Not,
1. Either to expect that a minister can of himself create
peace in you ; or that all your doubts should vanish as soon
as ever you have opened your mind. Only the great Peace-
maker, the Prince of peace, can create peace in you : as-
cribe not to any the office of the Holy Ghost, to be your ef-
fectual comforter. To expect more from man than belongs
to man, is the way to receive nothing from him, but to cause
God to blast to you the best endeavours. 2. Nor must you
resolve to take all merely from the word of your pastor, as
if he were infallible : nor absolutely to judge of yourself as
he judgeth. For he may be too rigorous, or more commonly
too charitable in his opinion of you : there may be much of
your disposition and conversation unknown to him, which
may hinder his right judging. But, 1. You must use your
pastor as the ordained instrument and messenger of the Lord
Jesus and his Spirit, appointed to speak a word in season to
the weary, and to shew to man his righteousness, and to
strengthen the weak hands and feeble knees ; yea, and more,
to bind aiyi loose on earth, as Christ doth bind and loose in
heaven. As Christ and his Spirit do only save in the prin-
cipal place, and yet ministers save souls in subordination to
them as his instruments ; Acts xxvi. 17, 18. 1 Tim. iv. 15,
16. James v. 20. So Christ and the Spirit are, as princi-
pal causes, the only comforters ; but his ministers are com-
forters under him. 2. And that which you must expect
from them are these two things. 1. You must expect those
fuller discoveries of God's will than you are able to make
yourself, by which you may have assurance of your duty to
God, and of the sense of Scripture, which expresseth how
God will deal with you : that so a clearer discovery of God's
mind may resolve your doubts. 2. In the mean time, till
you can come to a full resolution, you may and must some-
what stay yourself on the very j udgment of your pastor : not
as infallible, but as a discovery of the probability of your
268 DIRKCTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
good or bad estate ; and so of your duty also. Though you
will not renounce your own understanding, and believe any
man when you know he is deceived, or would deceive you,
yet you will so far suspect your own reason, and value an-
other's, as to have a special regard to every man's judgment
in his own profession. If the physician tell you that your
disease is not dangerous, or the lawyer that your cause is
good, it will more comfort you than if another man should
say as much. It may much stay your heart till you can
reach to clear evidences and assurance, to have a pastor that
is well acquainted with you, and isfaithfuland judicious, to
tell you that he verily thinks that you are in a safe condi-
tion. 3. But the chief use of his advice is, not so much to
tell you what he thinks of you, as to give you Directions
how you may judge of yourself, and come out of your trou-
ble : besides the benefit of his prayers to God for you.
4. Next let me tell you what men you must choose to
open your mind to : and they must be, 1. Men of judgment
and knowledge, and not the ignorant, be they never so ho-
nest : else they may deceive you, not knowing what they
do j either for want of understanding the Scripture, and the
nature of grace and sin ; or for want of skill to deal with
both weak consciences, and deep, deceitful hearts. 2. They
must be truly fearing God, and of experience in this great
work. For a troubled soul is seldom well resolved and com-
forted merely out of a book, but from the book and expe-
rience both together. Carnal or formal men will but make
a jest at the doubts of a troubled Christian ; or at least will
give you such formal remedies as will prove no cure : either
they will persuade you, as the Antinomians do, that you
should trust God with your soul, and never question your
faith : or that you do ill to trouble yourself about such
things : or they will direct you only to the comforts of gene-
ral grace, and tell you only that God is merciful, and Christ
died for sinners ; which are the necessary foundations of our
peace ; but will not answer particular doubts of our own
sincerity, and of our interest in Christ : or else they will
make you believe that holiness of heart and life (which
is the thing you look after) is it that troubleth you, and
breeds all your scruples. Or else with the Papists, they
will send you to your merits for comfort ; or to some vin-
<^ictive penance in fastings, pilgrimages, or the like j or ta
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 269
some saint departed, or angel, or to the pardons or indul-
gences of the pope ; or to a certain formal, carnal devotion,
to make God amends. 3. They must be men of downright
faithfulness, that will deal plainly and freely, though not
cruelly ; and not like those tender surgeons that will leave
the cure undone for fear of hurting : meddle not with men-
pleasers and daubers, that will presently speak comfort to
you as confidently as if they had known you twenty years,
when perhaps they know little of your heart or case. Deal
not with such as resolve to humour you. 4. They must be
men of fidelity, and well tried to be such, that you must trus^t
them with those secrets which you are called to reveal. 6.
They must be men of great staidness and wisdom, that they
may neither rashly pass their judgment, nor set you upon
unsound, unwarrantable, or dangerous courses. 6. It is
suspicious if they be men that are so impudent as to draw
out your secrets, and screw themselves deeper into your
privatest thoughts and ways than is meet : yet a compas-
sionate minister, when he seeth that poor Christians do en-
danger themselves by keeping secret their troubles, or else
that they hazard themselves by hiding the greatest of their
sins, like Achan, Saul, or Ananias and Sapphira, and so play
the hypocrites ; in these cases he may and must urge them
to deal openly. 7. Above all be sure that those that you
seek advice of, be sound in the faith, and free from the two
desperate plagues of notorious false doctrine, and sepa-
rating, dividing inclinations, that do but hunt about to make
disciples to themselves. There are two of the former sort,
and three of the latter, that I would charge you to take heed
of (and yet all is but four.) 1 . Among those that err from
the faith, (next to pagans, Jews, and infidels, whether Ran-
ters, Seekers, or Socinians, which I think few sober, godly
men are so much in danger of, because of their extreme vile-
ness,) I would especially have you avoid the Antinomians,
being the greatest pretenders to the right comforting afflict-
ed consciences in the world ; but upon my certain know-
ledge I dare say, they are notorious subverters of the very
nature of the Gospel, and that free grace which they so
much talk of, and the great dishonourers of the Lord Jesus,
whom they seem so highly to extol. They are those moun-
tebanks and quacksalvers that delude the world by vain os-
tentation, and kill more than they will cure. 2. Next to
270 DIRECTIONS FORGETTING AND KEEPING
them, take heed of Papists, who will go to Rome, to saints,
to angels, to merits, to the most carnal, delusory means for
comfort, when they should go to Scripture and to heaven
for it.
And then take heed that you fall not into the hands of
separating dividers of Christ's church. The most notorious
and dangerous of them are of these three sorts. 1. The last
mentioned, the Papists : they are the most notorious schis-
matics and separatists that ever God's church did know
on earth. For my part, I think their schism is more dange-
rous and wicked than the rest of their false doctrine. The
unmerciful, proud, self-seeking wretches, would, like the
Donatists, make us believe that God hath no true church
on earth but they ; and that all the Christians in Ethiopia,
Asia, Germany, Hungary, France, England, Scotland, Ire-
land, Belgia, and the rest of the world, that acknowledge
not their pope of Rome to be head of all the churches in
the world, are none of Christ's churches, nor ever were.
Thus do they separate from all the churches on earth, and
confine all religion and salvation to themselves, who so no-
toriously depart from Christ's way of salvation. Indeed
the extreme diligence that they use in visiting the sick, and
soliciting all men to their church and way, is plainly to get
themselves followers ; and they are everywhere more indus-
trious to enlarge the pope's kingdom than Christ's. So far
are they from studying the unity of the Catholic church,
which they so much talk of, that they will admit none to be
of that church, nor to be saved, but their own party, as if
indeed the pope had the keys of heaven. Indeed they are
the most impudent sectaries and schismatics on earth. 2.
The next to them are the Anabaptists, whose doctrine is not
in itself so dangerous as their schism, and gathering disciples
so zealously to themselves. And so strange a -curse of God
hath followed them hitherto, as may deter any sober Chris-
tian fiom rash adventuring on their way. Even now when
they are higher in the world than ever they were on earth,
yet do the judicious see God's heavy judgment upon them,
in their congregations and conversation. 3. Lastly, Med-
dle not with those commonly called Separatists, for they
will make a prey of you for the increase of their party. I
do not mean that you should separate from these two last,
as they do from us, and have nothing to do with them, nor
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 271
acknowledge them Christians : but seek not their advice,
and make them not of your counsel. You will do as one
that goes to a physician that hath the plague, to be cured of
a cut finger, if you go for your comfort to any of these se-
ducers. But if you have a pastor that is sound in the main
doctrines of religion, and is studious of the unity and peace
of the church, such a man you may use, though in many
things mistaken ; for he will not seek to make a prey of
you by drawing you to his party ; let him be Lutheran, Cal-
vinist, Arminian, Episcopal, Independent, or Presbyterian,
so he be sound in the main, and free from division. Thus 1
have shewn you the qualifications of these men, that you
must seek advice of.
2. Let me next add this ; Let them be rather pastors
than private men, if it may be ; and rather your own pastors
than others, if they are fit. For the first consider, 1. It is
their office to be guides of Christ's disciples under him, and
to be spiritual physicians for the curing of souls. And ex-
perience telleth us (and sadly of late) what a curse followeth
those that stt^p beyond the bounds of their calling by invad-
ing this office, and that God blesseth means to them that
keep within his order ; 1 Thess. v. 12, 13. Heb. xiii. 7. 17.
Not but that private men may help you in this, as a private
neighbour may give you a medicine to cure your disease?
but you will not so soon trust them in any weighty case as
you will the physician. 2. Besides, ministers have made
it the study of their lives, and therefore are liker to under
stand it than others. As for those that think long study no
more conducible to the knowledge of the Scriptures, than if
men studied not at all, they may as well renounce reason,
and dispute for preeminency of beasts above men, as re-
nounce study, which is but the use of reason. But it ap-
pears how considerately these men speak themselves, and
whence it comes, and how much credit a sober Christian
should give them! Let them read Psalm i. 2, 3. Heb. v.
11—14. 1 Tim. iv. 13—16. and 2 Tim. ii. 15. and then let
them return to their wits. Paul commands Timothy, though
he was from his youth acquainted with the Scriptures,
** Meditate upon these things ; give thyself wholly to them,
that thy profiting may appear to all." How much need
have we to do so now? 3. Also ministers are usually most
experienced in this work ; and wisdom requires you no more
272 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
to trust your soul, than you would do your body, with art
unexperienced man.
2. And if it may be (he being fit) let it be rather your own
pastor than another : 1. Because it belongeth to his peculiar
place and charge, to direct the souls of his own congrega-
tion. 2. Because he is likelier to know you, and to fit his
advice to your estate, as having better opportunity than
others to be acquainted with your conversation.
5. Next consider, in what manner you must open your
grief, if you would have cure. 1. Do it as truly as you can*
Make the matter neither better nor worse than it is. Espe-
cially take heed of dealing like Ananias, pretending to open
all (as he did to give all) when you do but open some com-
mon infirmities, and hide all the most disgraceful distempers
of your heart, and sins of your life. The vomit of confes-
sion must work to the bottom, and fetch up that hidden sin,
which is it that continueth your calamity. Read Mr. T.
Hooker in his " Soul's Preparation," concerning this con-
fession, who shews you the danger of not going to the bot-
tom.
2. You must not go to a minister to be cured merely by
good words, as wizards do by charms ; and so think that all
is well when he hath spoken comfortably to you. But you
must go for directions in your own practice, that so the cure
may be done by leisure when you come home. Truly most
even of the godly that I have known, do go to a minister for
comfort, as silly people go to a physician for physic. If the
physician could stroke them whole, or give them a penny-
worth of some pleasant stuff that would cure all in an hour,
then they would praise him. But alas, the cure will not be
done, 1. Without cost. 2. Nor without time and patience.
3. Nor without taking down unpleasing medicines ; and so
they let all alone. So you come to a minister for advice and
comfort, and you look that his words should comfort you
before he leaves you, or at least, some short, small direction
to take home with you. But he tells you, if you will be
cured you must more resolve against that disquieting cor-
ruption and passion ; you must more meekly submit to re-
proof ; you must walk more watchfully and conscionably
with God and men ; and then you must not give ear to the
tempter, with many the like. He gives you, as I have done
here, a bill of thirty several Directions, and tells you, you
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 273
must practise all these. O this seems a tedious course, you
are never the nearer comfort for hearing these ; it must be
by long and diligent practising them. Is it not a foolish
patient that will come home from the physician, and say, * I
have heard all that he said, but I am never the better?' So
you say, 'I have heard all that the minister said, and I have
never the more comfort.' But have you done all that he bid
you, and taken all the medicines that he gave you ? Alas,
the cur6 is most to be done by yourself (under Christ) when
you come home. The minister is but the physician to direct
you what course to take for the cure. And then as silly
people run from one physician to another, hearing what all
can say, and desirous to know what every man thinks of
them, but thoroughly follow the advice of none, but perhaps
take one medicine from one man, and one from another, and
let most even of those lie by them in the box, and so perish
more certainly than if they never meddled with any at all ;
so do most troubled souls hear what one man saith, and
what another saith, and seldom thoroughly follow the advice
of any : but when one man's words do not cure them, they
say, ' This is not the man that God hath appointed to cure
me.' And so another, and that is not the man : when they
should rather say, 'This is not the way,' than, 'This is not
the man.' This lazy complaining is not it that will do the
work, but faithful practising the Directions given you.
But I know some will say, That it is near to Popish auricu-
lar confession, which I here persuade Christians to, and it
is to bring Christians under the tyranny of the priests again,
and make them acquainted with all men's secrets, and mas-
ters of their consciences.
Amw. 1. To the last I say to the railing devil of this
age, no more but " The Lord rebuke thee." If any minister
have wicked ends, let the God of heaven convert him, or
root him out of his church, and cast him among the weeds
and briars. But is it not the known voice of sensuality and
hell, to cast reproaches upon the way and ordinances of
God ? Who knoweth not that it is the very office of the
ministry, to be teachers and guides to men in matters of
salvation, and overseers of them ? and that they watch for
their souls, as those that must give an account, and the
people, therefore, bound to obey them? Heb. xiii. 7. 17.
Should not the shepherd know his sheep, and their stray-
VOL. IX. T
274 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
ings and diseases ; how else shall he cure them? Should
not the physician hear the patient open all his disease, yea,
atudy to discover to the utmost every thing- he knows ; and
all little enough to the cure ? A disease unknown is unlike
lobe cured; and a disease well known is half cured. Mr.
Thomas Hooker saith truly, it is with many people as with
some over-modest patients, who having a disease in some
secret place, they will not for shame reveal it to the physi-
cian till it be past cure, and then they must lose their lives
by their modesty : so do many by their secret and more dis-
graceful sins. Not that every man is bound to open all his
sins to his pastor ; but those that cannot well be otherwise
cured, he must ; either if the sense of the guilt cannot be
removed, and true assurance of pardon obtained : or else,
if power against the sin be not otherwise obtained, but that
it still prevaileth ; in both these cases we must go to those
that God hath made our directors and guides. I am confi-
dent many a thousand souls do long strive against anger,
lust, flesh-pleasing, worldliness, and trouble of conscience
to little purpose, who if they would but have taken God's
way, and sought for help, and opened all their case to their
minister, they might have been delivered in a good measure
long ago. 2. And for Popish confession, I detest it. We
would not persuade men that there is a necessity of confes-
sing every sin to a minister, before it can be pardoned.
Nor do we do it in a perplexed formality only at one time of
the year ; nor in order to Popish pardons or satisfactions ;
but we would have men go for physic to their souls, as they
do for their bodies, when they feel they have need. And
let me advise all Christian congregations to practise this ex-
cellent duty more. See that you knock oftener at your pas-
tor's door, and ask his advice in all your pressing necessi-
ties ; do not let him sit quietly in his study for you ; make
him know by experience, that the tenth part of a minister's
labour is not in the pulpit. If your sins are strong, and you
have wounded conscience deep, go for his advice for a safe
cure ; many a man's sore festers to damnation for want of
this ; and poor, ignorant and scandalous sinners have more
need to do this than troubled consciences. I am con-
fident, if the people of my congregation did but do their
duty for the good of their own souls in private, seeking ad-
vice of their ministers, and opening their cases to them.
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 275
they would find work for ten ministers at least ; and yet
those two that they have, have more work than they are able
to do already. Especially ministers in small country con-
gregations, might do abundance of good this way ; and
their people are much to blame that they come not oftener
to them for advice; this were the way to make Christians
indeed. The devil knows this, and therefore so envies it,
that he never did more against a design in the world ; he
hath got the maintenance alienated that should have main-
tained them, that so they may have but one minister in a
congregation, and then among the greater congregations
this work is impossible for want of instruments ; yea, he is
about getting down the very churches and settled ministry,
if God will suffer him. He setteth his instruments to rail at
priests and discipline, and to call Christ's yoke tyranny ;
because while the garden is hedged in, he is fain, with envy,
to look over the hedge. What if a man (like those of our
times) should come to a town that hath an epidemical pleu-
risy or fever, and say, * Do not run like fools to these physi-
cians, they do but cheat you, and rob your purses, and seek
themselves, and seek to be lords of your lives.' It is possi-
ble some do so ; but if by these persuasions the silly people
should lose their lives, how well had their new preacher be-
friended them ? Such friends will those prove at last to your
souls, that dissuade you from obeying the guidance and dis-
cipline of your overseers, and dare call the ordinances of the
Lord of glory tyrannical, and reproach those that Christ hath
set over them. England will not have Christ by his ofl&cers
rule over them, and the several congregations will not obey
him. But he will make them know, before many years are
past, that they refused their own mercy, and knew not the
things that belong to their peace, and that he will be master
at last in spite of their malice, and the proudest of his foes.
If they get by this bargain of refusing Christ's government,
and despising his ministers, and making the peace, unity,
and prosperity of his church, and the souls of men, a prey
to their proud misguided fancies and passions, then let them
boast of the bargain when they have tried it. Only I would
entreat one thing of them, not to judge too confidently till
they have seen the end.
And for all you tender-conscienced Christians, whom by
the ministry the Lord hath begotten or confirmed to himself".
276 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
^s-^ver you will shew yourselves thankful for so great a
mercy, as ever you will hold that you have got, or grow to
more perfection, and attain that blessed life to which Christ
hath ^iven you his ministers to conduct you ; see that you
stick close to a judicious, godly, faithful ministry, and make
use of them while you have them. Have you strong lusts,
or deep wounds in conscience, or a heavy burden of doubt-
ings or distress? Seek their advice. God will have his
own ordinance and officers have the chief instrumental hand
in your cure. The same means ofttimes in another hand
shall not do it. Yet I would have you make use of all able
private Christians' help also.
I will tell you the reason why our ministers have not
urged this so much upon you, nor so plainly acquainted their
congregations with the necessity of opening your case to
your minister, and seeking his advice.
• 1. Some in opposition to Popery have gone too far on
the other extreme ; perhaps sinning as deeply in neglect, as
the Papists do in formal excess. It is a good sign that an
opinion is true, when it is near to error. For truth is the
very next step to error. The small thread of truth runs
between the close adjoining extremes of error.
2. Some ministers knowing the exceeding greatness of
the burden, are loath to put themselves upon it. This one
work, of giving advice to all that ought to come and open
their case to us, if our people did but what they ought to
do for their own safety, would itself, in great congregations,
be more than preaching every day in the week. What then
is all the rest of the work ? And how can one man, yea, or
five, do this to five thousand souls ? And then when it lieth
undone, the malicious reproachers rail at the ministers, and
accuse the people of unfitness to be church-members ; which
howsoever there may be some cause of, yet not so much as
they suggest ; and that unfitness would best be cured by
the diligence of more labourers, which they think to cure,
by removing the few that do remain.
3. Also some ministers seeing that they have more work
than they can do already, think themselves incapable of
more, and therefore that it is vain to put their people on it,
to seek more.
4. Some ministers are over-modest, and think it to be
unfit to desire people to open their secrets to them ; in con-
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 277
fe.ssing their sins and corrupt inclinations, and opening
their wants ; and indeed any ingenuous man will be back-
ward to pry into the secrets of others. But when God hath
made it our office, under Christ, to be physicians to the
souls of our people, it is but bloody cruelty to connive at
their pride and carnal bashfulness, or hypocritical covering
of their sins, and to let them die of their disease rather than
we will urge them to disclose it.
5. Some ministers are loath to tell people of their duty
in this, lest it should confirm the world in their malicious
conceit, that we should be masters of men's consciences,
and would lord it over them. This is as much folly and
cruelty, as if the master and pilot of the ship should let the
mariners govern the ship by the major vote, and run all on
shelves, and drown themselves and him, and all for fear of
being thought lordly and tyrannical, in taking the govern-
ment of the ship upon himself, and telling the mariners that
it is their duty to obey him.
6. Most godly ministers do tell people in general, of the
necessity of such a dependance on their teachers, as learners
in the school of Christ should have on them that are ushers
under him the chief master ; and they do gladly give advice
to those that do seek to them : but they do not so particu-
larly and plainly acquaint people with their duty, in open-
ing to them the particular sores of their souls.
It is also the policy of the devil, to make people believe
that their ministers are too stout, and will not stoop to a
compassionate hearing of their case ; especially if ministers
carry themselves strangely, at too great a distance from
their people. I would earnestly entreat all ministers there-
fore to be as familiar, and as much with their people as they
can. Papists and other seducers, will insinuate themselves
into their familiarity, if we be strange. If you teach them
not in their houses, these will creep into their houses, and
lead them captive. I persuade others of my brethren to that
which myself am disabled from performing ; being by con-
stant weakness (besides unavoidable business) confined to
my chamber. But those that can perform it, will find this a,
most necessary and profitable work. And let not poor peo-
ple believe the devil, who tells them that ministers are so
proud, only to discourage them from seeking their advice.
Go try them once before you believe it^
278 DIRECTIONS FOK GETTING AND KEEPING
Lastly, Remember this, that it is not enough that you
once opened yom* case to your pastor, but do it as often as
necessity urgeth you to call for his advice ; though not on
every light occasion. Live in such a depeudance on the ad-
vice and guidance of your pastor (under Christ) for your
soul, as you do on the advice of the physician for your bo-
dy. Read Mai. ii. 7. And let ministers read 6. 8, 9.
Direct. XXXIL ' As ever you would live in peace and
comfort, and well-pleasing unto God, be sure that you un-
derstand and deeply consider wherein the height of a Chris-
tian life, and the greatest part of our duty doth consist ; to
wit, * In a loving delight in God, and a thankful and cheer-
ful obedience to his will; and then make this your constant
aim, and be still aspiring after it, and let all other affections
and endeavours be subservient unto this.'
This one rule well practised, would do wonders on the
souls of poor Christians, in dispelling all their fears and
troubles, and helping not only to a settled peace, but to live
in the most comfortable state that can be expected upon
earth. Write therefore these two or three words deep in
your understandings and memory ; that the life which God
is best pleased with, and we should be always endeavouring,
is, A loving delight in God through Christ ; and a thankful
and cheerful obedience to him. I do not say, that godly
sorrows, and fears, and jealousies are no duties ; but these
are the great duties, to which the rest should all subserve.
Misapprehending the state of duty, and the very* nature
of a Christian life, must needs make sad distempers in
men's hearts and conversations. Many Christians look
upon brokenheartedness, and much grieving, and weeping
for sin, as if it were the great thing that God delighteth in,
and requireth of them ; and therefore they bend their endea-
vours this way ; and are still striving with their hearts to
break them more, and wringing their consciences to squeeze
out some tears ; and they think no sermon, no prayer, no
meditation, speeds so well with them, as that which can
help them to grieve or weep. 1 am far from persuading
men against humiliation and godly sorrow, and tenderness
of heart. But yet I must tell you, that this is a sore error
that you lay so much upon it, and so much overlook that
great and noble work and state to which it tendeth. Do
you think that God hath any pleasure in your sorrows as
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 279
-such ? Doth it do him good to see you dejected, afflicted,
and tormented ? Alas, it is only as your sorrows do kill
your sins, and mortify your fleshly lusts, and prepare for
your peace and joys, that God regards them. Because God
doth speak comfortably to troubled, drooping spirits, and
tells them that he delighteth in the contrite, and loveth the
humble, and bindeth up the brokenhearted ; therefore men
misunderstanding him, do think they should do nothing,
but be still breaking their own hearts. Whereas God speaks
it but partly to shew his hatred to the proud, and partly to
shew his tender compassions to the humbled, that they might
not be overwhelmed or despair. But, O Christians, under-
stand and consider, that all your sorrows are but prepara-
tives to your joys ; and that it is a higher and sweeter work
that God calls you to, and would have you spend your time
and strength in. 1. The first part of it is love. A work
that is wages to itself. He that knows what it is to live in
the love of God, doth know that Christianity is no torment-
ing and discontented life. 2. The next part is, " Delight in
God, and in the hopes and forethoughts of everlasting glo-
ry." Psal. xxvii. 4. " Delight thyself in the Lord, and he
shall give thee the desires of thy heart." This is it that you
should be bending your studies and endeavours for, that
your soul might be able to delight itself in God. 3. The
third part is thankfulness and praise. Though I say not as
some, that we should be moved by no fears or desires of the
reward (that is, of God), but act only from thankfulness (as
though we had all that we expect already) yet let me desire
you to take special notice of this truth ; that thankfulness
must be the main principle of all Gospel-obedience. And
this is not only true of the regenerate after faith, but even
the wicked themselves, who are called to repent and believe,
are called to do it in a.glad and thankful sense of the mer-
cy offered them in Christ. All the world being fallen under
God's wrath and deserved condemnation, and the Lord Je-
sus having become a sacrifice and ransom for all, and so
brought all from that legal necessity of perishing which they
were under, the Gospel which brings them the news of this,
is glad tidings of great joy to them ; and the very justifying
act which they are called to, is, thankfully to accept Christ
as one that hath already satisfied for their sins, and will save
them, if they accept him, and will follow his saving counsel.
280 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
and use his saving means ; and the saving work which they
must proceed in, is, thankfully to obey that Redeemer whom
they believe in. So that as general redemption is the very
foundation of the new world and its government, so thank-
fulness for this redemption is the very life of justifying faith
and Gospel obedience. And therefore the denial of this
universal redemption (as to the price and satisfaction) doth
both disable wicked men (if they receive it) from coming to
Christ by true justifying faith (which is, the thankful accept-
ance of Christ as he is offered with his benefits) : and this
thankfulness must be for what he hath done in dying for
us ; as well as for what he will do in pardoning and saving
us, and it doth disable all true believers from Gospel, grate-
ful obedience, whenever they lose the sight of their eviden-
ces of special grace (which, alas, how ordinary is it with
them !) For when they cannot have special grace in their
eye to be thankful for, according to this doctrine they must
have none ; because they can be no surer that Christ died
for them, than they are that themselves are sincere believ-
ers and truly sanctified. And when thankfulness for Christ's
death and redemption ceaseth. Gospel obedience ceaseth,
and legal and slavish terrors do take place. Though the
same cannot be said of thankfulness for special renewing,
pardoning grace.
4. The fourth part of the Christian life is cheerful obe-
dience. God loveth a cheerful giver, and so he doth in
every part of obedience, " Because thou servedst not the
Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for
the abundance of all things, thou shalt serve thy enemies in
hunger and thirst," &c. Deut. xxviii. 47.
Will you now lay all this together, and make it for the
time to come your business, and try whether it will not be
the truest way to comfortj and make your life a blessed life ?
Will you make it your end in hearing, reading, praying, and
meditation, to raise your soul to delight in God ? Will you
strive as much to work it to this delight as ever you did to
work it to sorrow ? Certainly you have more reason ; and
certainly there is more matter of delight in the face and love
of God, than in all the things in the world besides. Consi-
der but the Scripture commands, and then lay to heart your
duty. Phil. iv. 4. " Rejoice in the Lord always, and again,
I say, rejoice." Chap. iii. 1. Zech. x. 7. Joel ii. 23. Isa.
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. *281
Ixi. 16. Psal. xxxiii. 1. "Rejoice in the Lord O ye righ-
teous, for praise is comely for the upright." Psal. xcvii. 12.
1 Thess. V. 16. " Rejoice evermore." 1 Pet. i. 6.8. Rom.
V. ii. John iv. 36. Psal. v. 11. xxxiii. 21. xxxv. 9. Ixvi.
6. Ixviii. 3, 4. Ixxi. 23. Ixxxix. 16. cv. 3. cxlix. 2. xliii. 4.
xxvii. 6. John xvi. 24. Rom. xv. 13. xiv. 17. " The king-
dom of God is in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy
Ghost." Gal. V. 22. Psal. xxxii. 11. "Be glad in the
Lord, and rejoice O ye righteous, and shout for joy all ye
that are upright in heart." Psal.cxxxiii. 9. 16. v. 11. xxxv.
27. Heb. iii. 18. With a hundred more the like. Have
you made conscience of this great duty according to its
excellency and these pressing commands of God ? Have
you made conscience of the duties of praise, thanksgiving,
and cheerful obedience, as much as for grieving for sin ?
Perhaps you will say, ' I cannot do it for want of assurance.
If I knew that I were one of the righteous, and upright in
heart, then I could be glad, and shout for joy." Answ. 1.
I have before shewed you how you may know that ; when
you discover it in yourself, see that you make more con-
science of this duty. 2. You have had hopes and probabili-
ties of your sincerity. Did you endeavour to answer those
probabilities in your joys? 3. If you would but labour to
get this delight in God, it would help you to assurance ; for
it would be one of your clearest evidences.
O how the subtle enemy disadvantageth the Gospel, by
the misapprehensions and dejected spirits of believers ! It
is the very design of the ever blessed God, to glorify love
and mercy as highly in the work of redemption, as ever he
glorified omnipotency in the work of creation. And he
hath purposely unhinged the Sabbath which was appointed
to commemorate that work of power in creation, to the first
day of the week. That it might be spent as a weekly day
of thanksgiving and praise for the now more glorious work
of redemption, that love might not only be equally admired
with power, but even go before it. So that he hath laid the
foundation of the kingdom of grace in love and mercy ; and
in love and mercy hath he framed the whole structure of the
edifice ; and love and mercy are written in legible indelible
characters upon every piece. And the whole frame of his
work and temple-service, hath he so composed, that all
might be the resounding echos of love, and the praise and
282 DIRECTIONS FOR Gf'.TTlNG AND KEEPING
glorious commemoration of love and mercy might be the
great business of our solemn assemblies. And the new
creation within us, and without us, is so ordered, that love,
thankfulness, and delight, might be both the way and the
end. And the serpent who most opposeth God where he
seeketh most glory, especially the glory of his grace, doth
labour so successfully to obscure this glory, that he hath
brought multitudes of poor Christians to have poor, low
thoughts of the riches of his grace. And to set every sin of
theirs against it, which should but advance it ; and even to
question the very foundation of the whole building, whether
Christ hath redeemed the world by his sacrifice. Yea, he
puts such a vail over the glory of the Gospel, that men can
hardly be brought to receive it as glad tidings, till they first
have assurance of their own sanctification ! And the very
nature of God's kingdom is so unknown, that some men
think it to be unrighteousness, and libertinism, and others
to be pensive dejections, and tormenting scruples and fears ;
and but few know it to be righteousness and peace, andjoy
in the Holy Ghost. And the very business of a Christian's
life and God's service, is rather taken to be scrupling, quar-
relling, and vexing ourselves and the church of God, than
to be love and gratitude, and a delighting our souls in God,
and cheerfully obeying him. And thus when Christianity
seems a thraldom and torment ; and the service of the world,
the flesh, and the devil, seems the only freedom, and quiet,
and delight, no wonder if the devil have more unfeigned
servants than Christ ; and if men tremble at the name of
holiness, and fly away from religion as a mischief. What
can be more contrary to its nature, and to God's design in
forming it, than for the professors to live such dejected and
dolorous lives ? God calls men from vexation and vanity,
to high delights and peace. And men come to God as from
peace and pleasure to vexation. All our preaching will do
little to win souls from sensuality to holiness, while they
look, upon the sad lives of the professors of holiness ; as it
will more deter a sick man from meddling with a physician,
to see all that he hath had in hand to lie languishing in
continual pains to their death, than all his words and pro-
mises will encourage them. O what blessed lives might
God's people live, if they understood the love of God in the
mystery of man's redemption, and did addict themselves to
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. *283
the consideration and improvement of it, anddidbelieviugly
eye the promised glory, and hereupon did make it the busi-
ness of their lives to delight their souls in him that hath
loved them ! And what a wonderful success might we ex-
pect to our preaching, if the holy delights and cheerful
obedience of the saints did preach, as clearly to the eyes of
the world, as we preach loudly to their ears.
But flesh will be flesh yet awhile ! And unbelief will be
unbelief ! We are all to blame ! The Lord forgive our
overlooking his lovingkindness ; and our dishonouring the
glorious Gospel of his Son ; and our seconding satan, in his
contradicting of that design which hath contrived God's
glory in so sweet a way.
And now. Christian reader, let me entreat thee in the
name and fear of God, hereafter better to understand and
practise thy duty. Thy heart is better a thousand times in
godly sorrow than in carnal mirth, and by such sorrow it is
often made better ; Eccles. vii. 2 — 4. But never take it to
be right till it be delighting itself in God. When you kneel
down in prayer, labour so to conceive of God, and bespeak
him that he may be your delight ; so do in hearing and
reading ; so do in all your meditations of God ; so do in
your feasting on the flesh and blood of Christ at his sup-
per. Especially improve the happy opportunity of the
Lord's day, wherein you may wholly devote yourselves to
this work. And 1 advise ministers and all Christ's redeem-
ed ones, that they spend more of those days in praise and
thanksgiving, especially in commemoration of the whole
work of redemption (and not of Christ's resurrection alone)
or else they will not answer the institution of the Lord.
And that they keep it as the most solemn day of thanksgiv-
ing, and be more brief on that day in their confessions and
lamentations, and larger at other times ! O that the con-
gregations of Christ through the world were so well inform-
ed and animated, that the main business of their solemn as-
semblies on that day might be to sound forth the high
praises of their Redeemer; and to begin here the praises of
God and the Lamb, which they must perfect in heaven for
ever ! How sweet a foretaste of heaven would be then in
these solemnities ! And truly, let me tell you, my brethren
of the ministry, you should by private teaching and week-
day sermons, so further the knowledge of your people, that
284 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
you might no< ».ced to spend so much of the Lord's day in
sermons as the most godly use to do ; but might bestow a
greater part of it in psalms and solemn praises to our Re-
deemer. And I could wish that the ministers of England,
to that end, would unanimously agree on some one transla-
tion of the English Psalms in metre, better than that in
common use, and if it may be, better than any yet extant
(not neglecting the poetical sweetness under pretence of
exact translating), or at least to agree on the best now ex-
tant ; (the London ministers may do well to lead the way)
lest that blessed part of God's solemn worship should be
blemished for want either of reformation or uniformity.
And in my weak judgment, if hymns and psalms of praise
were new invented, as fit for the state of the Gospel church
and worship (to laud the Redeemer come in the flesh, as ex-
pressly as the work of grace is now express) as ^David's
Psalms were fitted to the former state and infancy of the
church, and more obscure revelations of the Mediator and his
grace, it would be no sinful, human invention or addition ;
nor any more want of warrant, than our inventing the form
and words of every sermon that we preach, and every prayer
that we may make, or any catechism or confession of faith.
Nay, it may seem of so great usefulness, as to be next to a
necessity. (Still provided that we force not any to the use
of them that through ignorance may scruple it.) And if
there be any convenient parcels of the ancient church that
are fitted to this use, they should deservedly be preferred.
I do not think I digress all this while from the scope of my
discourse. For doubtless if God's usual solemn worship on
the Lord's days were more fitted and directed to a pleasant,
delightful, praising way, it would do very much to frame
the spirits of Christians to joyfulness, and thankfulness, and
delight in God ; than which there is no greater cure for
their doubtful, pensive, self-tormenting frame. O try this.
Christians, at the request of one that is moved by God to
importune you to it ! God doth pity you in your sorrows !
But he delighteth in you when you delight in him. See
Isai. Iviii. 14. compared with Zeph. iii. 17. And if
sin interpose and hinder your delights, believe it, a
cheerful dmendment and obedience is that which will please
God better than your self-tormenting fears. Do not you
like that servant better that will go cheerfully about your
SPIillTUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 2B5
work, and do it as well as he can, accounting it a recreation,
and will endeavour to mend where he hath done amiss, than
him that will at every step fall a crying, "01 am so weak,
I can do nothing as I should.' A humble sense of failings
you will like ; but not that your servant should sit still and
complain when he should be working ; nor that all your
service should be performed with weeping, disquietness and
lamentations ; you had rather have your servant humbly and
modestly cheerful, and not always dejected, for fear of dis-
pleasing you. O how many poor souls are overseen in this !
You might easily perceive it even by the devil's opposition
and temptations. He will further you in your self-vexa-
tions (when he cannot keep you in security and presump-
tion), but in amending, he will hinder you with all his
might. How oft have I known poor, passionate creatures,
that would vex and rage in anger, and break out in unseem-
ly language, to the disquieting of all about them ; and others
that would drop into other the like sins, and when they have
.done lament it, and condemn themselves ; and yet would
not set upon a resolute and cheerful reformation ! Nay, if
you do but reprove them for any sin, they will sooner say,
* If 1 be so bad, God will condemn me for an hypocrite,' and
so lie down in disquietness and distress ; than they will say,
' I see my sin, and I resolve to resist it, and I pray you
warn me of it, and help me to watch against it. So that
they would bring us to this pass, that either we must let
them alone with their sins, for fear of tormenting them, or
else we must cause them to lie down in terrors. Alas, poor
mistaken souls ! It is neither of these that God calls for !
Will you do any thing save what you should do ? Must
you needs be esteemed either innocent, or hypocrites, or
such as shall be damned ? The thing that God would
have is this ; That you would be glad that you see your
fault, and thank him that sheweth it you, and resolvedly do
your best to amend it, and this in faith and cheerful confi-
dence in Christ, flying to his Spirit for help and victory.
Will you please the devil so far, and so far contradict the
gracious way of Christ, as that you will needs either sit still
or despair ? Is there not a middle between these two ? To
wit, cheerful amendment ? Remember that it is not your
vexation or despair, but your obedience and peace that God
286 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING
desireth. That life is most pleasing to him, which is most
safe and sweet to you.
If you say still, you cannot delight in God, I say again.
Do but acknowledge it the great work that God requireth
of you, and make it your daily aim, and care, and business,
and then you will more easily and certainly attain it. But
while you know not your work, or so far mistake it, as to
think it consisteth more in sorrows and fears ; and never en-
deavour, in yoUr duties or meditations, to raise your soul to
a delight in God, but rather to cast down yourself with still
poring on your miseries, no wonder then if you be a stranger
to this life of holy delight.
By this time I find myself come up to the subject of my
book of the " Saints' Rest ;" wherein having said so much
to direct and excite you, for the attainment of these spiri-
tual and heavenly delights, I will refer you to it, for your
help in that work; and add no more here, but to desire you,
through the course of your life, to remember. That the true
love of God in Christ, and delight in him, and thankful,
cheerful obedience to him, is the great work of a Christian,
which God is best pleased with, and which the blessed an-
gels and saints shall be exercised in for ever.
And O thou the blessed God of love, the Father of mer-
cy, the Prince of peace, the Spirit of consolation, compose
the disquieted spirits of thy people, and the tumultuous,
disjointed state of thy churches; and pardon our rashness,
contentions, and blood-guiltiness, and give us not up to the
state of the wicked, who are like the raging sea, and to
whom there is no peace ! Lay thy command on our winds
and waves, before thy shipwrecked vessel perish ; and re-
buke that evil spirit whose name is Legion, which hath pos-
sessed so great a part of thine inheritance. Send forth the
spirit of judgment and meekness into thy churches, and save
us from our pride and ignorance with their effects ; and bring
our feet into the way of peace, which hitherto we have not
known. O close all thy people speedily in loving consulta-
tions, and earnest inquiries after peace. Let them return
from their corruptions, contentions, and divisions, and joint-
ly seek thee, asking the way to Zion with their faces thi-
therward ; saying, Come let us join ourselves to the Lord in
a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. Blast all
SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 287
opposing policies and powers. Say to these dead and dry
bones. Live. And out of these ruins do thou yet erect a
city of righteousness, where thy people may dwell together
in peaceable habitations ; and in the midst thereof a tem-
ple to thy holiness : let the materials of it be verity and
purity : let the Redeemer be its foundation : let love and
peace cement it into unity : let thy laver and covenant be
the doors ; and holiness to the Lord be engraven thereon ;
that buyers and sellers may be cast out, and the common
and unclean may know their place ; and let no desolating
abomination be there set up. But let thy people all in one
name, in one faith, with one mind, and one soul, attend to
thine instructions, and wait for thy laws, and submit unto
thine order, and rejoice in thy salvation ; that the troubled
spirits may be there exhilarated, the dark enlightened, and
ail may offer thee the sacrifice of praise, (without disaffec-
tions, discords, or divisions ;) that so thy people may be thy
delight, and thou mayest be the chiefest delight of thy peo-
ple ; and they may please thee through him that hath per-
fectly pleased thee. Or if our expectation of this happiness
on earth be too high, yet give us so much as may enlighten
our eyes, and heal those corruptions which estrange us from
thee, and may propagate thy truth, increase thy church, and
honour thy holiness, and may quicken our desires, and
strengthen us in our way, and be a foretaste to us of the ever-
lasting rest.
END OF THE RIGHT METHOD FOR A SEITLED PEACE OF
' CONSCIENCE.
THE
CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
CROSS OF CHRIST.
WITH A PREFACE TO THE NOBLES, GENTLEMEN, AND ALL THE
RICH. DIRECTING THEM HOW THEY MAY BE RICHER.
" Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world : if any mnn love the
world, the Jove ol'the Father is not in him."
1 JpHxii. 1.5.
VOL. IX.
THE
EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
TO MY WORTHY FRIEND,
THOMAS FOLEY, Esq.
Sir,
Upon a double account I have thought it meet to direct
this Treatise first to you. First, Because the first embryo
of it was an Assize Sermon preached at your desire, when
you were high sheriff of this county, which drew me to add
more, till it swelled to this, which some of my brethren have
persuaded to venture into the open world. Secondly, Be-
cause God hath given you a heart to be exemplary in prac-
tising the doctrine here delivered : and I think I shall teach
men the more successfully, when I can shew them a living
lesson for their imitation. I never knew that you refused a
work of charity that was motioned to you ; but oft have
you offered me that for the church's service, which I was
not ready to accept and improve. I would not do you the
displeasure as to mention this, but that forward charity is
grown so rare in many places, that some may grow shortly
to think that we preach to them of a chimera, a non-exis-
tent thing, if we do not tell them where it is to bp seen : es-
pecially now infidelity is grown up to that strength, that
seeing is taken by 4jiany for the only true informer of their
reason, and believing ^r an unreasonable thing. And I take
myself to owe much th^^nkfulness to God, when I see him
choose a faithful steward for any of his gifts. It is a sign
he meaneth good by it to his church.
Some rich men sacrifice all they have to their bellies,
which are their gods, even to an epicurean momentary de-
light, and cast all into the filthy sink of their sensuality ;
these are worse than infidels, defrauding their posterity ;
and swine alive, but worse than swine when they are dead,
CCXCll EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
Some rich men are provident, but it is only for their pos-
terity. The ravenous brutes are greedy for their young.
Some will begin to be bountiful at death, and give that to
God which they can keep no longer, as if he would be thus
bribed to receive their souls, and forgive their worldly hearts
and lives. Some will give in their lifetime ; but it is but
part of their sinful gains ; like the thief that would pay
tithes of all that he had stolen. Some give a part of their
more lawful increase, but it is against their will ; it being-
forced from them by law, for church and poor ; and there-
fore properly it is no gift. Some will give freely, but it is
on some corrupt design, to strengthen a party, or a carnal
interest, or make their way to some preferment. Some give,
but only to those of their own opinion, and not to a disciple
in the name of a disciple. Some give in contention, as the
troublers of the church of Corinth preached, to add afflic-
tions to our bonds ; as many of the Papists, that think by
their works of charity, they are warranted uncharitably to
. slander almost all besides themselves : as if we were all ene-
mies to good works, or Solifidians, that took them for in-
different things, or made them not our business. Yea, the
best work that the Jesuits ever did, even the preaching of
the Gospel to the heathens, they would not endure us to
join with them in, where they could hinder us, unless we
would do it in their Papal way. Some will do good, to stop
the cries of a guilty conscience, for some secret odious sin
which they live in. Some will be liberal with the hypocrite
for applause. And some will give with a pharisaical con-
ceit of merit (even * ex condigno,' from the proportion of their
work to the reward, as the greatest Popish doctors teach).
Some through mere fears of being damned, will be liberal,
especially out of their superfluities ; choosing rather to for-
sake their money than their sin. Some do pretend the high-
est ends, and that it is Christ himself to whom they do de-
vote it ; but they will part with no more than the flesh can
spare : and that they may yet seem to be true Christians,
they will not believe that any thing is a duty, which requir-
eth much self-denial, and standeth not with their prosperity
in the world. And some will give much out of a mere na-
tural kindness of disposition, or upon mere natural motives ;
though not as to Christ, nor from the love of God, nor from
that spirit of Christian special love, by which the members
EPISTLE DEDICATORY. dCXClU
of Christ have their communion. What excellent precepts
of clemency and beneficence hath Seneca? Yea, what
abundance of self-denial doth he seem to join with them?
And yet so strange was this highest naturalist, to the truest
charity or self-denial, that it is self that is his principle, end,
and all. For a man to be sufficient for himself, and happy
in himself, without troubling God by prayer, or needing
man, was the sum of his religion. Pride was their master-
virtue, which with us is the greatest vice. And for all his
seeming contempt of riches and pleasures, yet Seneca
keeps up in such a height of riches and greatness, as that he
was like to have been emperor. And sometimes to be
drunken he commends, to drive away cares and raise the
mind ; pleading the example of Solon and Agesilaus ; con-
fessing that drunkenness was objected even to Cato, their
highest pattern of virtue ; affirming, that the objectors may
sooner make the crime honest, than Cato dishonest.
Among all this seeming charity and self-denial, that prov-
eth not a sanctified heart, how excellent (but too rare) is the
true self-denial and charity of the Christian ; who hath quit
all pretence of title to himself, or any thing that he hath,
and hath consecrated himself and all to God ; resolving to
employ himself and it entirely for him ; studying only to be
well informed, which way it is that God would have him
lay it out. And among these saints themselves, how rare
is that excellent man, that is covetous and laborious for God,
and for the church, and for his brethren ; and that doth as
providently get and keep, and as painfully labour, (how rich
soever he be) and as much pinch his flesh (in prudent mo-
deration) that he may have the more to give and to do good
with, and make the best of his master's stock, as other men
do in making provision for the flesh, and laying up for their
posterity.
Sir, as far as you have proceeded in this Christian art,
you are yet in the world among the snares and limetwigs of
the devil, in a station that makes salvation difficult ; and
therefore have need of daily watchfulness, and to proceed
and persevere in an enmity to the world, and a believing
crucifixion of it, if you will be saved from it, and restore it
to its proper use, and captivate it, that captivateth so many.
As some help hereunto, I crave your perusal of this Treatise.
And that it may do you good, and the many blessings pro,-
CCXciv EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
mised to the charitable may rest upon you, and on your
yokefellow, (that hath learned this crucifying of the world)
and upon your posterity, shall be the prayers of
Your Fellow-soldier against the Flesh and World,
RICHARD BAXTER.
February 20, 1657.
THE
PREFACE,
TO THE NOBILITY AND GENTRY, AND ALL THAT HAVE
THE RICHES OF THIS WORLD.
Honourable, Worshipful, &c.
Having written here of a subject that nearly concerneth
you, I have thought it my duty to give you a place, and ac-
cording to your dignity the first place in the application of
it. Of which I shall first tender you my reasons, and then
set before you the matter of this address.
1 . You are among us the most eminent and honoured
persons, and therefore not to be neglected and passed by :
you are first, and therefore should first be served. You
hold yourselves most worthy of any temporal honour that is
to be had ; and therefore I shall honour you so much more,
as to judge you fit to be first spoken to by the ministers of
Christ, in a case that doth much concern you. As you have,
and would have the precedency in worldly matters, here also
you shall have the precedency. It is pity that you should
be first in hell, that are first in a Christian state on earth ;
or that you should be least in the kingdom of heaven, that
are greatest in that which is esteemed in the world. 2. You
are pillars in the commonwealth, and the stakes that bear
up the rest of the hedge. Your influence is great in lower
bodies. You sin not to yourselves only ; nor are you gra-
cious only to yourselves. The spots in the moon are seen
by more, and its eclipses felt by more, than the blemishes
or changes of many of us inferior wights. You are our first
figures, that stand for more in matters of public concern-
ment, than all that follow. You are the copies that the rest
write after, and they are more prone to copy out your vices
than your graces. You are the first sheets in the press.
CGXCvi Plltl-ACE.
You are tlie stewards of God, who are entrusted with his
talents for the use of many. You are the noble members of
the body politic, whose health or sickness is communicated
to the rest : if you be ungodly, the whole body languisheth;
if you live and prosper, it will go the better with us all : for
your wisdom, and holiness, and justice will be operative;
and your station alloweth you great advantage to work up-
on many, and to emulate a kind of universal causality. In-
terest is the world's bias, and all power hath respect to use.
You that have possession of the treasure that is so common-
ly and highly esteemed, may do much to lead the sensual
world by it, which way you please. Be it better or be it
worse, they will follow him that bears the purse. If money
can do wonders, you may do wonders. As money can per-
suade the blind to part with God and life everlasting, and
to renounce religion and reason itself, so no doubt but it
might do something, were it faithfully used, though not di-
rectly to sanctify the heart, yet somewhat to incline it to the
means by which it may be sanctified. You that have power
to help or hurt, to make it summer or winter to your sub-
jects, and to promote or cross the interest of the flesh, are
hereby become a kind of gods in the eyes of them that mind
this interest, (as in higher respects you are unto believers).
Especially seeing they want that eye of faith, by which they
should know the Sovereign Majesty, who at his pleasure
doth dispose both of you and them ; these purblind sinners
can reach no further, but are contented to be ruled by you,
as terrestrial deities : they see you, but they see not God ;
they know you, and perceive the effects of your favour and
displeasure ; but being dead to God, and savouring only
fleshly things, they scarce observe his smiles or frowns.
They see that which is visible to the eye, which they have
the use of; but the objects of faith are to them as nothing,
because they have no eye to see them. And seeing you
have such public interest and influence, it is our duty first
to look after your souls, and to see that you receive the
heavenly impress. 3. To which I may add, that no men
have usually more need of advice and help than you ; for
your temptations are the strongest. The world killeth by
its flatteries ; it is not the having it, but the loving it, that
undoes men : and he is much more likely to overlove it,
that hath what he would have, and liveth in plentiful provi-
PREFACE. CCXCVll
sions for his flesh, than he that hath nothing from it but
trouble and vexation. It is not poverty, and prisons, and
sickness, that are the flattering panders of the world, but
prosperity and content to the flesh. Though I know that
many of the poor do most of all overvalue the world, because
they never tried so much of its vanity, but standing at a dis-
tance from prosperity, do think it a greater felicity than it
is ; for those are most in love with the world, that least know
it ; as those that least know him, are least in love with God
and eternal glory. But yet it is pleasing, and not displeas-
ing, flattering rather than buflfeting, that is the means of de-
ceiving silly souls, and stealing their hearts from God to
the world : your mountains lie open to stronger winds than
our valleys do : and gulfs and greater streams are not so
fordable as our more shallow waters. He never studied God
and heaven, nor his own heart, that knoweth not that it is
a very difficult thing, to have a heavenly mind in earthly
prosperity, and to live in the desires of another world, while
we feel all seems to go well with us in this. How liard to
be weaned from the world, till we suffer in it ; yea, till we
are plunged into an utter despair of ever receiving here the
satisfaction of our desires ! 4. And truly we have too much
sad experience of the sensuality and ungodliness of most of
the rich, to suffer us to think that you have least need of
our admonitions : which leadeth me up to the matter of my
address, which is first to complain of you to yourselves, and
then to admonish you, and lastly to direct you.
1. I know I speak to those (for the most part) that pro-
fess to believe a life to come ; but O that you had the ho-
nesty to live as you do profess ! You durst not put it into
your creed, that you believe that earth is more desirable than
heaven, and that it is better seek first after carnal prosperity
and delight, than for the kingdom of God, and the righ-
teousness thereof. You would be ashamed to say that it is
the wisest course first to make provision for the flesh, and
to put off" God and your salvation with the leavings of the
world. And do you think it is not as bad and as dangerous
to do so, as to say so? Would it bring you to your jour-
ney's end, to be of the opinion that you should be up and
going, as long as you sit still? Right opinions in religion
are so unlikely to save a man that crosseth them in his prac-
tice, that such shall be beaten with many stripes. I had ra-
CCXCVlll PREFACE.
ther be in the case of many a popish friar, that renounceth
the world, though in a way that hath many errors, than in
the case of many an orthodox gentleman that is drowned in
the cares and pleasures of this life : yea, I think it will be
easier for a Socrates, a Plato, in the day of judgment, than
for such. Christianity is a practical religion ; it is a devoted
seeking for another life, by the improvement and contempt
of this. Put not that into your life, that you are ashamed
to put into your profession or belief. If you do as infidels,
you will be as miserable as if you believed but as infidels.
And practising awhile against your conscience, may cause
God to forsake your judgment also, and give you over to be-
lieve as you live, because you would not live as you believed.
And I fear that this is the case of some of you : nay, I have
, too much reason to know it, that some of our gentry, even
persons of note and honour among us, have forsaken Christ,
and are turned infidels ; and by the love of this world, have
carnally adhered to it so long, till they are so far forsaken
of God, as to think that there is no other life for them here-
after. God hath an eye on these wretches ; and men have
an eye on some of them. I shall now leave them in their
slippery station, till a fitter opportunity. Some we have of
our nobility and gentry that are learned, studious and pious,
and an honour and blessing to this unworthy land ; or else
it were not like to be so well with us as it is. But O how
numerous are the sensual and profane ! which provoked that
heavenly poet, of noble extract (Mr. G. Herbert, " Church
Porch,") to say,
" O England, full of sin, but most of sloth.
Spit out thy phlegm, and fill thy breast with glory :
Thy gentry bleats, as if thy native cloth
Transfus'd a sheepishness into thy story :
Not that they all are so ; but that the most
Are gone to grass, and in the pasture lost."
Gentlemen, I have no mind to dishonour you ; but com-
passion on your souls, and on the nation, commands me to
complain, in order to reform you : and yet if you sinned and
perished alone, we were the less inexcusable if we let you
alone. What abundance of you are fitter to swill in a but-
tery, or gorge yourselves at a feast, or ride over poor men's
PREFACE. CCXCiX
corn in hawking and hunting, than to govern the common-
wealth, and by judgment and example to lead the people in
the ways of life ! What abundance of you waste your pre-
cious hours in feasting, and sports, and idleness, and com-
plimenting, and things impertinent to your great business
in the world, as if you had no greater things to mind ! Had
you been by another commanded to a dung-cart, or like a
carrier to follow pack-horses (in honester and more ho-
nourable life than yours), you would think yourselves en-
slaved and dishonoured : and yet when God hath set before
you an eternal glory, you debase your own souls by wilful
drenching them in the pleasures, and cares, and vanities of
the world, and have no mind of that high and noble work,
which God appointed you. So that when many poor men
are ennobled by a heavenly disposition, and a heavenly con-
versation, you enslave yourselves to that which they tread
under feet, and refuse the only noble life : that which they
account as loss, and dross, and dung, that they may win
Christ, and be found in him, (Phil. iii. 7, 8.) that do you
delight in, and live upon as your treasure. When once you
know whether God or your money be better, whether hea-
ven or earth, whether eternity or time be better, you will then
know which is the noblest life.
Nay, what abundance are there among you, that make a
very trade of sensuality, and turn your sumptuous houses
into sties, and your gorgeous apparel into handsome trap-
pings, if the appurtenances may receive their names from
the possessors ; that never knew what it was to spend one
day or hour of your lives, in a diligent search of your hearts
and ways, and heart-breaking lamentation of your sin and
misery, and in serious thoughts of the life to come ; but go
on from feast to feast, and company to company, and from
one pleasure to another, as if you must never hear of this
again ; and as if you were so drunken and besotted with the
world, that you had forgotten that you are men, or that you
have A God to please, and a soul to save or lose for ever.
Nay, how many of you hate a faithful preacher and a holy
life, and make them the ordinary matter of your scorn ; and
cheat your souls with a few ceremonies and formalities, as if
by such a carnal righteousness you could make all whole,
when you have lived to the flesh, and loathed the spiritual
worship of God that is a Spirit, and the heavenly lives of
CCC PREFACE.
his sanctified ones, and consequently the law that com-
mandeth such a life, and the God that is the maker of" that
law. 1 call not your civil controversies your malignity ; but
it is the proper title of your enmity to holiness : and is it not
enough that man in honour will be without understanding,
and make himself like the beasts that perish, (Psal. xlix. 20.)
but you must also take up the serpentine nature, and hissing
and stinging must be the requital that you return to Christ
for all your honours ? Think, if you have yet a thinking fa-
culty, whether this be kindly, or honestly, or wisely done,
and what it is like to be to yourselves in the end. Your
riches and honours do now hide a great deal of your shame ;
but will it not appear when these rags are torn from your
backs, and your souls are left in naked guilt ? Saith Chry-
sostom, * If it were possible to do justice on the rich as com-
monly as on the poor, we should have all the prisons filled
with them ; but riches with their other evils have also this
evil, that they save men from the punishment of their evil.'
(O but how long will they do so ?) This was plain dealing
of a holy father ; and is it not such as is as needful now as
then ? Is it not greatness more than innocency that saves
abundance of you from shame and punishment ?
Nay, many of you think, that because you are rich, it is
lawful for you to be idle, and lawful voluptuously to give up
yourselves to pleasures and recreations, and you think that
you may do with your own as you list : as if it had been given
you to gratify the flesh. The words that converted Austin,
never sunk yet into your hearts ; Rom. xiii. 13, 14. " Let
us walk honestly as in the day ; not in rioting and drun-
kenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife
and envying ; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make
no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." You
never felt the meaning of those words, Rom. viii. 13. " If
ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if by the Spirit ye
mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live."
But to turn my Complaint into an Admonition, I beseech
you, consider what you are, and what you do. 1. How un-
like are you to Jesus Christ your pattern, that denied him-
self all the honours, and riches, and carnal delights of the
world. Read over his life, and read your own, and judge
whether any man on earth be more unlike to Christ, than a
PREFACE. CCCl
voluptuous, worldly gentleman ? Especially if malignity be
added to his sensuality.
2. How unlike are you to the holy laws of Christ? Are
his precepts of mortification and self-denial imprinted in
your hearts, and predominant in your lives ? Is a beast any
more \mlike a man, than your hearts and lives are unlike
Christ's laws?
3. How unlike are you to the ancient Christians, that
forsook all and followed Christ, and lived in a community
of charity ? And how unlike to every gracious soul, that
is dead to the world, and hath mortified his members upon
earth, and hath his conversation in another world ? Are
you not such as Paul wept over; Phil. iii. 18. "Whose
God is their belly, who glory in their shame, and who mind
earthly things, and that are enemies to the cross of Christ?"
though perhaps you are no enemies to his name. Believe
it. Gentlemen, whatever your thoughts of yourselves may
be, you will find that no religion will save you, that stoop-
eth to the world, and is but an underling to your fleshly
interest.
4. How unlike are you to your professions and your cove-
nant with God? And to your confessions and prayers to
him? Did you not renounce the flesh, the world and the devil
in your baptism? Do you not still profess that heaven is
best, and God is to be preferred, and yet will you not do it,
but let your own professions condemn you? Do you not or-
dinarily confess that the world is vain, and yet will you
shew yourselves such dissemblers, as to love and seek it
more than God ? As if there were no more power in the spi-
rit of Christianity, than in the opinion of Zeno the philoso-
pher, who having oft said that poverty and riches were nei-
ther good nor bad, but things indifferent, was yet dismayed
when he heard that his farms were seized on by the enemies,
the prince having sent one with the report to try him ; tell-
ing him when he had done, ' That now riches and poverty
were not things indifferent.' How oft have you prayed to
be saved from temptation ? And yet will you still dote
upon your snares and fetters ; and shew yourselves such
hypocrites as to love the temptations which you pray against?
5. You are guilty of a double injury to God ; in that you
are obliged to him as his created subjects, and yet more
obliged by your riches and honours, which he hath triven
CCCll PREFACll.
you for your Master's use ; " To whom men give much, from
them will they expect the more;'* Luke xii. 48. For a ser-
vant that hath double wages, to abuse you ; for a friend that
hath received double kindness, to prove false to you ; for a
commander in the army to betray his general, is sure an ag-
gravation of the crime. Must God advance you highest, and
will you thrust him lowest in your heart? Must he feed
you with the best, and clothe you with the best, and will
you put hira off with the worst ? Have you ten times, or
a hundred times more wealth from him, than many an ho-
nest, heavenly believer ? and yet will you love and serve
him less ?
6. Is it not pity and shame, that you should thus turn
mercies themselves into sin, and draw your bane from that
which might have been a blessing? Will ye be the worse
because God is so good to you? Must he give you health
and time for his service, and give you such plentiful provi-
sion and assistance, and will you be worse in health than
others are in sickness, and worse in plenty than others are
in want? Is not this the way to dry up the streams of
mercy, when the more you have the worse you are ?
7. You exceedingly wrong the church and common-
wealth : for it is for the public good that you are advanced ;
and you should be a blessing to the land. And will you
cast away that time and wealth upon the flesh, which you
have received for such noble ends ? Rob not the church
and commonwealth of what you owe it, by engrossing it to
yourselves, or consuming it on your lusts.
8. Great men have a great account to make : you shall
shortly hear, " Give account of thy stewardship, for thou
shalt be no longer steward." If God have entrusted you
with a thousand pound a year, it is not the same reckoning
that must serve your turn, as would serve his turn that had
but a hundred. Your improvement must be somewhat an-
swerable to your receivings. Do you need to be told, how
sad a reckoning will it then be, to say, ' Lord, I employed
most of it in maintaining the pomp and pleasure of myself
and family, even that pomp of the world, and those sinful
lusts of the flesh, which in my baptism I forswore ; and the
rest I left to my children, to maintain them in the same
pomp and pleasure, except a few scraps of my revenues,
which I gave to the church or poor V
PREFACE. CCClll
9. Your wealth and greatness do afford you great oppor-
tunities to do good, and to further the salvation of your-
selves and others ; and worldliness and sensuality will cob
you of these opportunities. O how many good works might
you have done, to the honour of your Lord, and the benefit
of others and yourselves, if you had made the best of your
interest and estates. The loss of the reward will shortly ap-
pear to you a greater loss, than that which you now account
the loss of your estates.
10. Your worldliness and sensuality is a sin against your
own experience and the experience of all the world. You
have long tried the world, and what hath it done for you,
that you should so overvalue it? You know that it is
the common vote of all that ever tried it, sooner or later,
that it is vanity and vexation. And have you not the wit
or grace to learn from so plain a teacher as experience,
yea, your own experience, yea, and all the world's experi-
ence?
11. You sin also against your very reason itself, and
against your certain knowledge. You know most certainly
that the world will serve you but a little while. You know
the day is hard at hand when it will turn you off; and you
shall say, ' I have now had all that the world can do for me,*
Naked you came into it, and naked you must go out of it.
' Hand uUas portabis opes Acherontis ad undas.' And then
you shall more sensibly know what you now so overvalued,
and what you preferred before God and your salvation, than
now I am able to make you know. O what low thoughts
will every one of you have of all your pomp and pleasure,
your vain-glory and all your fleshly accommodations, when
you perceive that they are gone, and leave your souls to the
justice of that God, whom for the love of them you wilfully
neglected. If poor men of mean and low education, were
so sottish as not to know these things, methinks it should
not be so with you, that are bred to more understanding
than they.
12. Lastly, you sin against the most plain and terrible
passages of Scripture, seconded with dreadful judgments of
God, inflicted either upon yourselves, or at least on others
of your rank before your eyes. You have read or heard the
words of Christ, (Luke ix. 25.) "For what is a man advan-
taged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, and be
CCCIV PREPACK.
cast away ?" And chap. xii. 33, 34. " Sell all that you have
and give alms. Provide yourselves bags which wax not
old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no
thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where
your treasure is there will your hearts be also." You have
heard there the terrible parable of the rich man, (ver. 16 —
29.) which endeth with " Thou fool, this night thy soul shall
be required of thee, and then whose shall' those things be
which thou hast provided?" with this general application,
" So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich
towards God." And you have heard that more dreadful pa-
rable (chap, xvi.), of the rich man that was " clothed in pur-
ple and fared sumptuously," and what was his endless end.
You have heard the difficulty of the salvation of the
rich,' (chap, xviii. 24, 25.) "How hardly shall they that
have riches enter into the kingdom of God." Because they
are so hardly kept from loving them inordinately, and trust-
ing in them. You have heard how fully Christ is resolved
thafe no man can be his disciple that forsaketh not all that
he hath for him ;" chap. xiv. 23. 26, 27. And if you go ne-
ver so far in your obedience, and yet lack this one thing, to
part with all (in affection, and resolution, and practice, when
he requireth it), and follow Christ in sufferings and wants,
in hope of a treasure in heaven, it is certain that Christ and
you must part; Luke xviii. 22. You have heard the terri-
ble passages in James v. 1, 2, &c. and abundance such in
the word of God. And yet are you not afraid of worldliness
or sensuality ? You have seen in England the riches of
abundance quickly scattered, that were long in gathering ;
and God knows how many lost their souls, to build that
which a few years' wars pulled down. And yet when you
have but a little breathing time, you are at it again as ea-
gerly as ever ; as men that knew no greater good, and are
acquainted with no better and more gainful an employ-
ment.
Gentlemen, Do you know indeed, what it is that you
make so great a stir for ? which you value at so high a rate?
which you hold so fast? which you enjoy so delightfully?
You do not know. I dare say by your using of it, that you
do not know it. Or else you would soon have other thoughts
of it, and use it in another manner. Come nearer, and see
it through ; and look into the inside. Consult not with
PR LI ACE. CCCT
blind and partial sense ; but put on awhile the spectacles
of faith ; go into the sanctuary and see the end. Nay, rea-
son itself may tell you much of it. When you must part
with it, you will wish it hanged loose from you, and had not
been so glued to you, as to tear your hearts. You feel not
what the devil's limetwigs have done, till you are about to
take wing, either by a heavenly contemplation, or by death ;
and then you will find yourselves entangled. The world is
like to bad physicians, ' quorum successus sol intuetur, er-
rores autem tellus operit.' The earth beareth yet all the
good it doth you, but hell hath hidden from you the mis-
chief that it hath done to millions of your ancestors : and
therefore though this their way was their folly, yet do their
posterity approve their sayings ; Psal. xix. 13. ' Die mihi,'
saith Bernard, ' ubi sunt amatores mundi, qui ante pauca
tempora nobiscum fuerunt ? Nihil ex eis remansit, nisi ci-
neres et vermes. Attende diligenter, qui sunt et fuerunt,
sicut tu, comederunt et biberunt, riserunt, duxerunt in bo-
nis dies suos, et in puncto ad inferna descenderunt. Hie
caro eorum vermibus, illic anima eorum flammis deputatur,
donee rursus infelici collegio colligati sempiternis ignibus
involvantur.' Who would so value that which he must eter-
nally complain of, and not only say, ' It hath done me no
good,' but also say, ' It hath deceived me and undone me?'
I would not thank you to make me the owner of all your
lands and honours to-day, and take it from me all to-mor-
row. What the better now are your grandfathers and great
grandfathers for living in those houses, and possessing
those lands, and honours, and pleasures, that you possess ?
Unless they used them spiritually and holily for God, and
heaven, and the common good, they are now in hell for their
sensuality upon earth, and are reaping as they have sown
(Gal. vi. 7, 8.), and paying dear for all their pleasures.
Their bones and dust do give you no notice of any rem-
nants of their honours or delights ; and if you saw their
souls, you would be further satisfied. It may be there
stands a gilded monument over their rottenness and dust ;
and it may be they have left an honourable name with those
that follow them in their deceit, (and so might the torment-
ed rich man with his brethren (Luke xvi.), who were follow-
ing him towards that place of torment). A just judgment of
VOL. IX. X
CCCVl PREFACE.
God it is, to give up men that choose deceit, to be thus be-
fooled. That they should not only despise the durable
riches, and choose a dream of honour, wealth, and pleasure
here ; but also, that their end may answer their beginning,
they should also take up with a picture of honour and feli-
city when they are dead. That their deceived posterity may
see a gilded image bearing an honourable mention of their
names, and hear them named with applause, and so may be
allured the more boldly to go after them. And so a sha-
dow of wisdom and virtue, hath a shadow of surviving ho-
nour for its reward ; which alas, neither soul nor body is the
better for. You see that all, your wealth and honour will
not preserve your honourable corpse from loathsome putre-
faction. How much less must it keep your guilty souls, from
the place that you have here been purchasing by your mam-
mon?
* Sic metit Orcus
Grandia cum parvis, non exorabilis auro V
If this be your wealth, and honour, and delight, the
Lord deliver me from such a felicity
' Hffic alii capiant ; liceat mihi paupere cultu
Securo, charo numine posse frui.'
For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath
gained (or scraped together, as the Hebrew may be turned)
when God shall take (or pull) away his soul?" Job xxvii. 8.
" The triumphing (or praise) of the wicked is short (or but
at hand), and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment ;"
Job XX. 5.
Yea, one would think that the very troubles and smart
that in this life accompanieth your wealth and honour, in
the getting and keeping, and the gripes of conscience, that
the forethoughts of the parting hour, and your heavy reck-
oning, must needs mix with all your pleasure and vainglo-
ry, unless you have laid asleep your wits ; besides your ex-
perience of the emptiness and deceit of all that you have
overvalued. I say, one would think that this much should
somewhat allay your thirst, and calm your minds, and make
you think of a better treasure. Sure I am that God would
do ten thousandfold more for you, and be better to you ;
and yet because of some fleshly arguments, you are turned
away from him. He cannot be thus loved and delighted in,
PREFACE. CCCVI1
and sought, and yet he ofFereth more for you than the world
doth. Saith Augustine, ' Ecce mundus turbat, et amatur ;
quid si tranquillus esset? formoso quomodo haereres, qui
sic amplecteris foedum. Flores ejus quomodo colligeres,
qui spinis non revocas manura?' And it is just that they
should have abed of thorns, that wilfully make choice of it.
Seneca thus justifieth God, that though he give men such
perplexities and vexations, it is ' nullis nisi optantibus,'
only to them that will needs have it so, and are choosers of
their own destruction. Choosers, do I say ? Yea, and
will compass sea and land for it. Stretch conscience for it
till it tear, or can stretch no further. Oppress and defraud
for it, some of them. Break vows and covenants for it.
Sell God and heaven for it. Scrambling with such dis-
tracted violence for the smoky honours, the nominal
wealth, the intoxicating pleasures of a few hasty days, that
they care not what they part with for them, nor who they
bear down that standeth in their way.
' Quid non mortalia pectora cogis,
Auri sacra fames V
And is Christ worth no more than to be sold with Judas for
so base a price ? Is our heavenly birthright a thing so base, or
the promise of our immortal crown so uncertain, as to be parted
with on Esau's terms ? Is God and endless glory worth no
more than this comes to ? * Propter nummos Deum contem-
nere,' saith Jerome. To despise and cast off God for a thing
so base, is the basest kind of despising him. The idolaters
that vilified him by making images of him, were asked, " To
whom will you liken me, saith the Holy One ;" Isa. xl. 18.25.
And these sensual and covetous idolaters must be asked.
Whom will you match with God, or set up against him, or
prefer before him ? What will you choose, if you choose
not him ? What shall be your portion instead of heaven ?
Doth it excuse you that the world hath so lovely an aspect ?
Yes, if God be not more amiable than it, and if his face and
favour be not more desirable. Doth it excuse you that the
baits of the world are pleasant, and that it offered you fair?
Yes, if God had not outbid it, and offered you ten thousand
times more. Doth it excuse you that the world is near and
certain, and heaven uncertain or out of sight? Yes, if you
-CCCVlll PREFACE.
are beasts that have no reason to know what will be, but
only sense to feel what is ; or if God have not given you an
infallible promise, befriended by reason, sealed by multi-
tudes of uncontrolled miracles, and transcribed on his ser-
vant's hearts ; and if the greatness of the glory promised
were not sufficient to do more at a distance with a man of
faith and reason, than childish trifles near at hand ; as the
sun at a distance giveth us more light than a glowworm that
is hard by. Yea, and if the world, which you think so cer-
tain, were not certainly transitory and vain ; so that he that
gets it, is certain shortly to be no gainer : and he that los-
eth it, to be no loser. You look on a poor, praying self-
denying believer : but you look not before you, on a saint
that shall reign with Christ, " and judge the world, when he
cometh to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them
that believe ;" 2 Thess. i. 10. You see them " sow their
seed in tears," but you see it not springing up, nor do you
foresee the joyful harvest. You see them following Christ
through tribulations, bearing his cross, and despising the
shame ; but you see them not yet set down with him on
their thrones. The fight you see, but the triumph you see
not. You see them tossed at sea, but you know not how
sure a pilot they have ; nor do you see the riches of their
freight. You see sickness or persecution unpinning their
corruptible rags, and death undressing them, but you see
not the clothes which they are putting on. You see them
laid asleep by death ; but you see not their awaking ; nor
the rising of their sun, when " the righteous shall have domi-
nion in the morning." The man that is dead to the world
you see; but you see not the life that is hid with Christ in
God, nor their appearing with him in glory, when Christ
who is their life appears. Your unbelieving souls imagine
there will be no May or harvest, because it is now winter
with us. You think the rose and beauteous flowers which
are promised us in that spring, are but delusions, because
you know not the virtue of that life that is in the root, nor
the powerful influence of that Sun of the believers. You
see the dead body, but you see not the soul alive with
Christ, retired into its root. You see the candle put out,
and know not whither the flame is gone, and think not how
small a touch of the yet living soul will light it again.
And so on the other side, you look on the swaggering
rUEFACIi. CCCIX
gallant, but you look not on the ulcerous soul : You hear
them laughing and j esti ng in their j oviality, but you hear them
not yet groaning in their pains : You see them clambering
into the seat of honour, but see them not cast into the grave :
You see them run and ride in pomp and pleasure, following
the delights of the flesh, attended by their followers that
honour and applaud them ; but you see them not yet gasp-
ing under the pangs of death, nor laid in the dust as still as
stones : You see their beauty and glittering attire, but you
see not the pale and ghastly face that death will give them,
nor the skulls that are stripped of all those ornaments : You
smell their perfumes, but you smell not their putrefaction :
You see their lands and spacious houses and sumptuous
furniture ; but you see not how narrow a room will serve
them in the grave, nor how little there they differ from the
most contemptible of men. Nay more, you see them with
Ahab going forth to battle, and leaving the prophets with
their bread and water of affliction ; but you see them not
yet returning with the mortal blow : You see them in their
honours and abundance, but you see them not on Christ's left
hand in judgment : You see them clothed richly, and far-
ing deliciously every day ; but you see them not in hell
torments, wishing in vain for a drop of water to abate their
flames : You hear them honoured, and hear their words of
pride and ostentation ; but you hear them not yet crying
out of their folly, and bewailing their loss of present time,
and lamenting in vain the unhappy choice that now they
make. Sirs, believe it, future things are as sure as present.
These things are no fables because they are not visible yet.
You see not God, and yet he is the principal intelligible ob-
ject. You see not your own intellectual souls, and yet you
know you have them, by the intellection of other things.
You see not your own eyesight, and yet you know that an
eyesight you have, by the seeing of other things. If there
were not an invisible God, there would have been no visible
creatures. Visibles are more vile, and are for invisibles
that are more noble. Our visible bodies, are for our invisi-
ble souls. This visible life is the womb of our everlasting
life that is invisible : we are hatched by the Spirit in this
shell, till we are ready to pass forth into that glorious light
that here we see not. I beseech you, gentlemen, awake, and
be not so lamentably deceived, as to think that your ho-
cccx puefac:e.
nourable, pleasant dreams are the only realities. O no ! it is
the last awakening hour that will shew you the now incon-
ceivable realities. You are now but as in jest in your pomp
and pleasure 5 but you shall then be in good sadness in
your pains and loss, if sanctifying grace do not prevent it,
by putting you out of your jesting vein, and making you in
good sadness to be men of real faith and holiness, and lay
about you for the real joys. Believe it, sirs, the life of
Christianity is not a bare opinion. It is a living by faith
upon a life invisible : and so serious resolving a belief of the
truth of the everlasting blessedness (as purchased and given
by Jesus Christ to persevering saints) as effectually turneth
the affections and endeavours of the man to the loving, and
seeking it above all this world. It is one thing to take God
and heaven for your portion, as believers do ; and another
thing to be desirous of it as a reserve, when you can keep
the world no longer. It is one thing to submit to heaven,
as a lesser evil than hell ; and another thing to desire it as
a greater good than earth. It is one thing to lay up your
treasures and hopes in heaven, and to seek it first ; and ano-
ther thing to be contented with it in your necessity, and to
seek the world before it, and give God that the flesh can
spare. Thus differeth the religion of serious Christians, and
of carnal, worldly hypoorites. But I shall break off my Ad-
monition, and end with some Advice.
Direct. 1. 'Look upon this world, and all things in it,
with the foreseeing eye of faith and reason, and value it but
as it deserves :' And then you will neither be eager after it,
nor too much delighted in it, nor puffed up by it, nor will it
so prevalently entice you to venture or neglect eternal
things. Did you know and well consider but what an emp-
ty, fading thing it is, you could never be satisfied with so
poor a portion, nor quiet your souls till you had assurance
or sound hopes of better things. Nor would you take such
pleasure in childish trifles ; nor debase yourselves, to be so
inordinately employed about such low and sordid matters,
while God and your eternal happiness are laid by. You
take not yourselves for the basest of men, much less for
brutes or idiots. O then do not make yourselves the basest,
and do not unman yourselves, and brutify your immortal
souls. A heathen could say, ' Nemo alius est Deo dignus,
nisi qui opes conterapsit.' If you would be rich, choose that
PREFACE. CCCXl
which will make you rich indeed. Make sure of his favour
that is the absolute Lord of all, and then you can want no-
thing, whatever you may be without. And if yet you thirst
for worldly riches, or inordinately love them, and tenaci-
ously keep them from your Master's use, remember that this
discovereth your disease ; and therefore should mind you
ratl^er to cure it than to feed it. It is not money, nor any
thing in this world, that will cure such an empty, depraved
soul. As Seneca saith, * If a sick man be carried about,
whether in a bed of gold, or a bed of wood, his disease is
carried with him.' It is not a golden bed that will cure a
diseased man. Nor is it all the gold or honour in the world
that will help such a deluded soul, as thinks this world will
make him happy. Get but the cure of your carnal minds,
and a little will serve you. For it is your sinful fancy that
would have much, and not your nature that needs much.
Saith Seneca, * Si ad naturam vives, nunquam eris pauper ;
si ad opinionem, nunquam eris dives. Exiguum natura de-
siderat ; opinio immensum.' He is not the poor man that
hath but little, but he that would have more. Nor is he
the rich man that hath much, but he that is content with
what he hath. If you pray but for your daily bread, be not
such hypocrites as by the bent of your desires to cross your
prayers. The nearest way to riches, saith the moralist, is
the contempt of riches ; and saith the Christian, to be rich
in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promis-
ed all that love him ; James ii. 5. The greatest riches are
got (proportionably) on the easiest terms. Loving the
world will not procure it ; but loving God will procure the
everlasting fruition of his love. Millions love the world
that miss of it; but no man misseth of God that loveth him
above the world. Buy not these gawds then at a dearer
rate than you may have the kingdom. If you have not
enough, make sure of heaven, and that will be enough for
you. And get a cure for your diseased minds, which is ea-
sier and more profitable than to fulfil them. " No man
(saith Seneca) can have all the world ; but he may have a
mind that can contemn all the world." No man can have
all that he will ; but he may be content to be without it.
The disease is within you, and there must be the cure.
Direct. 2. * Be sure to fix with a serious faith upon the
invisible glory as your portion ; and then look at all things
CCCXU PKEtACK.
in this world, as good or bad, as they respect your end ;
and judge of them as they help or hinder you in the main.'
Nothing but a truly heavenly mind is the saving cure of an
earthly mind. No man will rightly let go earth, till he have
the powerful light that hath shewed him the greater good,
and given him a taste of the world to come. Had you not
been strangers to God and heaven (in heart, whatever you
were in tongue and fancy), you could never have fallen in
love with earth. None are so much disposed to travel into
other countries, as they that are fallen out with their own.
Remember that you have not one penny or pennyworth in
the world, but what you had from God, and must be ac-
countable to God for ; and must employ with an eye upon
his will, and your salvation. I do not call you to cast away
your riches, but to see that you use all that ever you have,
as will be most comfortable to you in your last review. I
know, as Seneca saith, ' He is a wise man that can make
use of earthen vessels, as if they were all silver ; and he is
wise too, that can make use of silver vessels, as if they were
but earth.' ' Infirmi est animi pati non posse divitias :*
but it is one thing to bear riches, and use them for God,
and another thing to enjoy them with delight. I neither
take the monastics to be the only or the highest in perfec-
tion ; nor yet do I condemn necessitated retirements. For
I know it is hard to most to converse with God in tumults,
and to hear the still voice of his Spirit, in the murmuring
noise of a crowd. I know that the commons are usually
more barren and fruitless than inclosures ; and that the
fruit-tree that groweth by the highway side, shall have many
a stone and cudgel thrown at it, which those that are in
your orchard escape. But still look to your end, and se-
cure the main. Dream not that you have any full propriety.
Remember that you are God's stewards ; set therefore your
Master's name^ and not your own, upon every pennyworth
you possess : let " Holiness to the Lord" be written upon
all. Possess nothing but what is devoted to him, to be used
as he would have you. Put him not off with scraps and
leavings, that gave you all. So much as you save from him,
you lose, and worse than lose; and so much as you lose for
him, and surrender to him, and improve for him, you save,
and more than save. For " godliness with contentment is
great gain." And he that is " faithful in a little, shall be
PRtFACK. CCCXIU
made ruler over much." It is thus that all things are sanc-
tified with the saints.
Direct. 3. * Think not that your riches are given you to
fulfil the least inordinate desire of the flesh ; or that you
may take ever the more sensual ease or pleasure, if you had
all the world :' but remember that better wages obligeth you
to more work : and therefore rise as early, and labour as
hard in your own employment, (the more for the common
good the better,) yea, and deny your flesh as much as if you
had but food and raiment. If you have much, give the
more, and use the more, but enjoy never the more ; and let
not your sensual desires find ever the more provision. A
rich man that is wise, and a faithful steward, may live in as
much self-denial, and labour as hard, and humble his flesh
as much, as he that hath but his daily bread. God sent you
not in provision for his enemy. All that is made the food
of sin, or that doth not help you up to God, is employed con-
trary to the end that you received it for.
Direct. 4. ' Be sure that you deal with the world as a de-
ceiver :' be very suspicious of all your riches, and honours,
and delights. Feed not on these luscious summer-fruits too
boldly, or without fear. Remember how many millions the
world hath deceived before lyou. None come to hell but
those that are cheated thither by the flesh and the world.
With what exceeding vigilancy then have you need to deal
with such a dangerous deceiver ; when all your happiness,
and all your hopes, are at the stake? and if you be deceived,
you are undone. Its force is nothing so perilous as its
fraud.
' Ubi vincere aperte
Non datur, insidias armaque, tecta parat.'
They that have to do with such a cheater, in a case of such
everlasting consequence, should be suspicious of every
thing, and trust the world as little as is possible, when, * Qui
cavet ne decipiatur, vix cavet, cum etiam cavet.'
' Et cum cavisse ratus est, sfep^ is cautor captus est,' (ut
Plant.)
As Bucholcer was wont to say when his friends extolled
him, * terreri se etiam laudationibus illis, ut fulminibus ;* so
should you possess your honours and riches in the world.
CCCXIV PREFACE.
And as the same Bucholcer said to Hubner, when he went
to be a courtier ; * Fidem diabolorum tibi commendo : cre-
dere et contremiscere : viz. promissionibus aulicis cre-
dere, sed caute, sed timide :' so should you be affected to
the world. Trust and tremble : or rather trust it not at all.
Nay, have you not been deceived by it already ? And will
you be more foolish than the silly fish, that will scarcely
take the hook that he was once pricked by ; or than the
silly fowls that will be afraid of the net that once they have
escaped from, and of the kite that once hath had them in her
claws? ' Tranquillas etiam naufragus horret aquas.' Nay,
at the present, if you take any heed of your souls, you may
easily perceive what a clog the world is : we are commonly
better when we have least of it, or are leaving it, than when
we have it at our will. A man may see the utmost visible
part of the earth, and the horizon at once : but if he look
on the earth that is near him, he cannot see the heavens at
that time, much less the zenith. Our own riches, our pre-
sent riches, our nearest and dearest temporal good, is the
greatest averter of the mind from heaven. We are common-
ly like Antigonus's sick soldier, that fought well because he
looked to die ; but grew a coward as soon as he was cured.
So that most of us have need of the counsel which the bishop
of Colen gave the emperor Sigismund that asked him,
" What he should do to be happy ?" " Live," saith he, " as
you promised to do, when you were last sick of the stone
and gout." Even the most notorious sinners seem saints
when they see the world is leaving them. And doth not
common reason tell us, that that which will so move us then,
should prevail with us as much as before, when we are cer-
tain all our lifetime that this parting time will come ? In-
deed the creature, as it is annexed unto God, and subservient
to him, may have an answerable trust and love : the small-
est twig that is fast to the tree, may help you out of the
water, if you lay hold of it ; but if it be broken from the
tree, it will deceive you, though you hold it never so fast.
O therefore look for surer footing : a handful of water will
not save you from being drowned. Build on the Rock of
Ages^ that never faileth them that trust him ; though yet
the blind unbelieving world be more distrustful of him, than
of that which they have tried is not to be trusted. A wise
man should know him to be trusty, that he trusteth in a case
PREFACE. CCCXV
that concerneth his salvation. And true believeFS, and none
but they, may say with Paul, " I know in whom I have
trusted ;" 1 Tim. i. 12.
Direct. 5. * Let it be your daily care to keep clear ac-
counts between God and you, of your receivings and dis-
bursements.' It is time to bewail the expence of that, if it
be but a groat, that you cannot give a comfortable account
of. Whenever you have several ways before you for the
laying out of your money or your time, let the question be
seriously put to your heart. Which of these ways shall I
wish at death and judgment that I had expended it in?
And let that be chosen as the way.
Direct. 6. * Be sure to watch those thieves that would rob
you of your Master's talents, that should be employed for
his use.' And will you give me leave to be plain with you
in instancing in a few of them.
1. How many ungodly gentlemen do waste that in a
thing they call great housekeeping, (that is, the inordinate
provisions for the flesh, and a freedom for men to play the
gluttons or drunkards in their houses,) which might have
been expended to their greater honour and commodity ! *
2. How many be there that spend that in unnecessary
feasting of their friends, that might have been far more ad-
vantageously improved ! ^
3. How many be there that spend more in the excess of
one or two or three suits of apparel, than would have suffi-
ced to the relief of a distressed family for a twelvemonth's
space !
4. How many be there that lay out more in needless
buildings, walks, and gardens, than would save the lives of
a hundred or a thousand of the poor that perish by hunger,
(or by diseases bred by want!) They will not spare from
their own superfluities, to supply the necessities of their bre-
thren. Is this loving their neighbours as themselves, and
doing as they would be done by ? '^
5. How many be there that spend more needlessly on
horses, dogs, or hawks, and cast away more at one game at
dice, or at a cock-fight, or a horse-race, than would keep
a poor scholar at the university ! (But I hope the parlia-
ment hath cured this.)
6. But the principal and least lamented abuse of riches,
is children's excessive portions; for children are as a sur-
CCCXVl PREFACE.
viving self. Men think themselves but half dead, while
their children live : and therefore as self is that idol of the
wicked, to whom all the creatures of God are sacrificed, so
they employ all one way or other for themselves as long as
they live, and then leave it when they die, to themselves in
their posterity. When they have, like unfaithful stewards,
detained God's due from him as long as they live, they leave
it to their children to detain it after them. Mistake me
not; I persuade you not to be unnatural. Your children
must be provided for, if you be not worse than infidels. But
I tell you by what rules I should proceed, were it my case.
(1.) If I had never such ungodly children, I should provide
for them, if I could, their daily bread, and leave them enough
for food and raiment, unless they were such as ought not
to live, or be maintained. (2.) If I had better children,
that were likely to use what they had for God, I should leave
them all that could be spared from more necessary uses,
that their lives might be more free from care, and they might
be serviceable to God with their wealth, when I am dead.
And the more confident I were that they would be faith-
ful stewards of it, the more I should commit to their trust.
(3.) I should not take it to be my duty to level my posterity
with the poorer sort, unless some special call of God, or ex-
traordinary public exigence did require it. So much for
the affirmative, what I should do for them. But for the
negative, what I should not do for them. (1.) I should
think that in a case of some extraordinary necessities to the
church or commonwealth, I were bound to alienate all from
my posterity, at least, except their food and raiment. (2.)
I should still in the general conclude that all must be for
God, as he is the owner of me and all ; and therefore I should
inquire which way it is his will that I should dispose of it.
And where my conscience tells me he would have me use it,
I should do it, though to the denial of myself or posterity.
(3.) I should always prefer the public good of church or
commonwealth, before the personal wealth of my posterity,
and therefore should provide for them in a subserviency to
the greater good, and not prefer their wealth before it. (4.)
I should think myself bound to expend all that I had, in that
way as might most promote the principal interest of my
Lord, unless in cases where he had tied me by any special
obligation to a more private expenditure of it. (5.) 1 should
PREFACE. CCCXVll
judge that the ordinary necessities of the church and poor
are so great, as should command me very much to abate of
full provisions for my posterity. And for the proportion, I
should labour to discern, whether the times were such, and
my posterity such, as that the stock of my estate would be
more serviceable to God in their hands, or otherwise laid
out. For the times and quality of children may make a
great alteration in the case. (6.) Had I an only son that
was notoriously ungodly, I would leave him no more than
food and raiment, if I had ten thousand pounds a year, but
would give it to God for the works in which I might promote
his interest. My reasons are many, which I have touched
upon in another discourse. As, 1. Such as forfeit their
very daily bread, should not have any more than their daily
bread. But such notorious wicked ones forfeit their daily
bread. " He that will not labour," saith Paul, " let him not
eat," 2 Thess. iii. much more in such greater cases. 2. Ac-
cording to God's ancient law, Deut. xxi. they forfeit their
lives, and the parents there were to cause them to be put to
death, that were obstinately unreformed. And is the case
so altered think you now, as that you are bound to make
such children rich, that parents then were bound to
put to death? 3. I am not bound to give unnecessary
provisions to an enemy of God, to misemploy them, and
strengthen him to do mischief, and be more able to oppress
God's servants, or oppose his truth, or serve the devil.
I forbear to mention the proportion of men's estates that
I think they are ordinarily bound to alienate, but shall leave
you to prudence and the general rules, lest I seem to you to
go beyond my line. But in general I must say that it is a
selfish and an heinous error, to think that men should lay
up all that they can gather for their posterity, and all to
leave them rich and honourable, and put off God, and all
charitable uses, with the crumbs that fall from their tables,
or with some inconsiderable driblets. If the rich man in
Luke xviii. might have followed Christ on such terms as
these, he would hardly have gone sorrowfully from him.
1. By this men shew that they prefer their children be-
fore God. 2. And that they prefer them before the church,
and Gospel, and the commonwealth : when an heroic hea-
then would have confessed that his estate and children, and
his life were not too good to be sacrificed to his country, as
CCCXVlll PREFACE.
the case of the Decii and many other Romans, that gave
their lives for their country witnesseth. 3. These men pre-
fer the worldly riches of their children before the souls of
men : when they have so many calls to employ their wealth
to the furthering of men's salvation, and put by all, that
tlieir children may be rich. 4. They prefer their children's
riches before their own everlasting good : or else they would
not deny themselves the reward of a holy improvement of
their talents, and cast themselves upon the terrible sentence
that is past upon unprofitable servants, and all to leave their
children wealthy. 5. They prefer the bodily prosperity of
their children before their spiritual ; or else they would not
be so eager to leave them that riches, which Christ hath
told them is such a snare and hindrance to men's salvation.
6. They would teach all the world the easy art of never do-
ing good in life or in death. For if all must follow their
principles, then the parents must keep almost all for their chil-
dren, and the children must do the like by their children,
and so it must run on to all generations, that their posterity
may be kept as rich as their predecessors. 7. How unlike
is this to the ancient saints ; and how unlike to the general
precepts of self-denial, and doing good to all while we have
time, &c. which Christ hath left us in the Gospel. Enable
your children to be serviceable in the church and common-
wealth, as far as you may; but prefer them not before the
church or commonwealth. Wrong not God, nor your own
souls, nor the souls or bodies of other men, to procure your
children to be rich. It will not ease your pains in hell, to
think that you have left your children rich on earth. It is
few of the great and noble that are called. They will have
an easier way to heaven in a mean estate. Their nurse's
milk contented them when first they lived in the world ; and
will nothing but lands, and lordships, and superlative mat-
ters now content them, when they have a shorter time to use
it? Poor men can sing as merrily as the rich, and sleep as
quietly, and live as comfortably, and die as easily : ' canta-
bit vacuus,' they are free from abundance of your cares
and fears. The philosopher that had received a great gift
of gold from a prince, sent it back to him the next morning
and told him that he loved no such gifts as would not let
him take his sleep, (for thinking what to do with it).
Direct. 7. Lastly, 'Study the art of doing good, and
PREFACE. CCCXIX
r
making yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteous-
ness, that when you go hence you may be received into the
everlasting habitations.' Remember how much of your re-
ligion doth consist in the devoting of yourselves and all to
God, and improving his stock, and being rich in good
works, ready to distribute and communicate ; 1 Tim. vi. 18.
And how much will be laid upon this at judgment; Matt.
XXV. God doth not call upon you for your charity, as if he
would be beholden to you, or needed any thing that you can
give him ; but because he will thus difference his hearty
followers from complimenting hypocrites. The poor you
shall have always with you ; and the church shall always
want your help, and Christ will be still distressed in his
members, to try the reality of men's professions, whether
they love him above all, or else dissemble with him, and
whether they have any thing that they think too good for
him. It is a certain mark of a hypocrite, to have any thing
in this world so dear to you, that you cannot spare it for
Christ.
Remember then that it is your own concernment ; if you
would be ever the better for all your wealth, nay, if you would
not be undone by it, study how you may be most service-
able to God with it. Cicero could say, * that to be rich is
not to possess much, but to use much.' And Seneca could
rebuke them that so study to increase their wealth, that they
forget to use it. If really you be Christians, heaven is your
portion and your end : and if so, you can love nothing else,
nor use any thing else, rationally, but as a means to attain
that end. See, therefore, in all your expenses, how you at-
tain or promote your end. Alas, men are so busily building
in their way, that they shew us that they take not themselves
for travellers ; they are so familiar with the world, that they
shew us they are not strangers, but at home. They make
their garments so fine, and lay such mountains on their
backs, that we see they mean not to be serious runners in
the Christian race. The thorny cares that choke Christ's
seed, do shew that they are barren, and nigh to burning. If
you gather riches for yourselves (Luke xii. 21.), you are
standing pits : if you are rich to God, you will be running
springs, or cisterns. There is a blessed art of sending all
your riches to heaven before you, if you could learn it, and
were willing to be happy at those rates. It is not for your
CCCXX PREFACE
riches that God will either condemn or save you ; but for the
abusing or improving them. Though Lazarus was a beggar,
yet Abraham had been rich whose bosom he was in. ' Rich
men must know (saith Ambrose,) that the fault is not in
riches, but in them that know not how to use them.' ' Nam
divitise ut impedimenta sunt improbis, ita bonis sunt adju-
menta virtutum.' O that you could but be sensible of the
difference, betwixt them that can say at last, ' We have
used our stock for the service of our Lord : we studied his
will and interest, and accordingly employed all that we had
in the world ;' and them that must say, * We gave now and
then an alms to the poor ; but for the substance of our es-
tates, we spent it carnally for our flesh, to bear up our pomp
and greatness in the world, and then we left it to our chil-
dren to do the like when we were dead V There is as wide
a difference between the end of these two ways, as there is
betwixt heaven and hell ; and surely the way is connected
to the end. Think not either that you can serve God and
mammon, or that you may live to the world, and die to God.
When one was asked whether he had rather be Croesus or
Socrates, he answered, that he had rather be Croesus while
he lived, and Socrates when he came to die ; but dream not
you of such a choice. " Be not deceived ; God is not
mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap :
if you sow to the flesh, of the flesh you shall reap corrup-
tion ; but if you sow to the Spirit, of the Spirit you shall
reap everlasting life ;" Gal. vi. 7, 8.
And this much more let me add, that if you intend your
wealth for God, you must not think of evil getting it; for
God will not accept a sacrifice that is got by falsehood, ra-
pine or injustice. Nay, if you intended it indeed for God,
you would not dare to procure it by sin. For God needeth
not fraud, perfidiousness or injustice to promote his service.
' Pietas sua federa servat. As Austin saith, * Ream linguam
uon facit, nisi rea mens:' So I say here. Your mind is first
guilty of denying God, whatever you pretend, when you
dare thus by your deeds deny him.
Yea, let me add, that so far should you be from yielding
to any temptation to be covetous, for God, for your family,
or any good end that may be offered you, that you should
make an advantage of such temptations, to watch the world
and your deceitful hearts the more narrowly hereafter. And
PREFACE. CCCXXi
if in all temptations to worldliness, you could turn them to
a gain and duty, and overshoot the tempter in his bow, it
were a point of singular zeal and prudence. When he would
put any covetous motion into your mind, or work it into
your hands, give then more liberally, or do more good than
you did before. Let this be all that the deceitful flesh and
world shall get by you. ' Fallite fallentes. — Et in laqueos,
quos posuere, cadant.'
I know that flesh and blood will stand in your way with
abundance of dissuasives, and make you believe that this so
plain and great a duty, is no duty. In the verbal part of
godliness, it would allow God but little ; but in the more
costly, practical part, much less. Sometimes it will tell you
that men are so naught, that they deserve not your charity ;
but Christ deserveth it ; give it therefore to him. Some-
times it will tell you of men's unthankfulness ; but ' satis
€st dedisse ;' you have done your duty ; God accepteth it :
other men's thankfulness is not your reward. You are more
unthankful yourselves to God. You are called to imitate
him that causeth his sun to shine, and his rain to fall on the
just and on the unjust, and that daily bestoweth his mer-
cies on the unthankful. Sometimes it will tell you of the
uncertainty of reaching the end of your charity : that if you
maintain scholars to learning, they may prove ungodly : if
you leave any considerable gift to pious uses, sacrilegious
and rapacious hands may alienate it. But you are sure of
succeeding in your ultimate end, which is the pleasing of
God, and your own salvation. It is not loss to you, if it be
to others. Cast your bread upon the waters ; if you cannot
trust God, you cannot obey him. Do your part, and leave
his part to himself. It is your part to give, and it is God's
part to succeed it for the attainment of the end. He that is
worst is most like to fail. And whether think you is better,
God or you ? and which should be more suspected ? He is
unworthy the name of a servant of God, that will run no ha-
zard for him. Venture your charity in a way of duty, or
pretend not to be charitable. Will you not sow your mas-
ter's corn, till you are certain of a plenteous increase ? And
do you think that he will take this for a good account ? This
is the foolish excuse that Christ hath told you shall have a
VOL. IX. X
CCCXXU PllEFACE.
terrible sentence : you will hide God's talent, for fear of
losing it; but woe to such unprofitable servants.
Sometimes the flesh will tell you that you may want
yourselves, or your posterity at least ; and that you were
best gather till your stock arise to so much, or so much, and
then God shall have some. A fair bargain ! Just like un-
godly men by their repentance and conversion ; they will
sin till they are old, and then they will turn. But few turn
that delay with such resolutions. If God hath not right to
all, he hath right to none. If he hath right to all, will you
give him none but your leavings ? A swine will let another
eat when his belly is full. What if you are never richer,,
will you never do good therefore with what you have ?
^ V And for the impoverishing of yourself, if you fear being
1^. loser by God, you may keep your riches as long as you
can, and try how you can save yourself and them. A man's life
consisteth not in the abundance that he possesseth. Dp
not imagine that you need more than you do. If monastics
think it their perfection to be wilfully poor, and Seneca
thought it the Cynic's wisdom, ' quod effecitnequid sibi eri-
pi posset;' you may much more rejoice in such an estate, if
God bring you to it by and for welldoing. You live in dan-
gerous times : wars and thieves may soon level your estates ;
can there be greater wisdom than to send it all to heaven,
and lay it up with God, and put it into the surest hands, and
put it to the only usury ? ' Aut ego fallor, aut regnum est,
inter avaros, circumscriptores, latrones, plagiaries, unum
esse, cui noceri non possit.' Cannot a man live, think you,
without wealth and honour'/ * Siquis de talium faelicitate
dubitat, potest idem dubitare, et de deorum immortalium
statu, an parum beate degant, quod illis non praedia, nee
horti sint,' &c: Sen. As it is the honour of God, the first
Mover, ' omnia movere ipse non motus ;' so it is the honour
of the greatest benefactors, ' omnia dare nihil habentes :' he
that hath it to give, hath it more transcendently, than he
that hath it but to use. He tliat hath most, hath most care,
and trouble, and envy, and danger, and the greatest reckon-
ing. Neither poverty nor riches, was the wise man's wish,
but convenient food. ' Optimus pecuniae modus est, qui
nee in paupertatem cadit, nee procul a paupertate discedit.'
Sen. ' No man doth dissemble, lie, oppress, defraud, for
PREFACE. CCCXXlll
love of poverty; but thousands do it for love of liches.'
' Neminem vidi tyrannidem gerere propter paupertatem, plu-
rimus vero propter divitias/ saith the Cynic, * citante Stob.'
Poverty is one of the cheapest medicines for the mind, and
riches a dear deceit. A philosopher calls poverty a self-
taught virtue, and riches a vice to be acquired with great
labour and diligence. Poverty is a natural philosophy ; an
effectual doctrine of temperance ; and riches a nursery of
pride, voluptuousness, and every vice. And Paul comes
near it, and speaketh more cautelously, yet home enough,
that '* the love of money is the root of all evil ;" 1 Tim. vi.
10. and therefore is itself a transcendent evil.
Sweet healthful temperance is cheap, and may be main-
tained without any great revenues : it is killing luxury, ex-
cess, and pride that are so dear, and require so much for
their maintenance. Our journey is not of such small mo-
ment, nor our way so far, nor our day so long, nor our
strength and patience so great, as to encourage us to load
ourselves with things unnecessary. Christian living is daily
fighting ; and we use not to fight with our riches on our
backs, but for them. He that swimmeth with the greatest
load is most likely to sink. Men fancy that evil in a low
estate, which else they would not feel ; and when they have
picked a causeless quarrel with it, and undeservedly fallen
out with it, they speak abusively of it, and of God himself
for casting it upon them. Men love riches so well, because
they love sin so well. Did poverty accommodate men's
vices, and feed and satisfy their sinful lusts as well as riches,
it would be loved as well. And if riches did starve up luxury
and voluptuousness as much as poverty, they would be as
much abhorred. Few men speak highly of honours, or
riches, or pleasures at the last ; nor hardly of a low or suf-
fering state. And the last judgment is commonly the
wisest.
Let not therefore the fear of poverty deter you from
good works. Yea, rather give speedily, and do good while
you have it, before all be gone, and you be disabled. Saith
Nazianzen, (Orat. de Amor. Pauper.) * Deo gratitudinis
ergo aliquid tribue, quod ex eorum numero sis, qui de aliis
bene mereri possunt, non qui aliorum beneficentia opus ha-
beant : quod in alienas manus non oculos conjectos habeas,
sed alii in tuas. Da operam, ut non solum opibus, sed
CCCXXIV PREFACE.
etiam pietate, uon solum auro, sed etiam virtute sis iocuples.
Gura ut proximo tuo id circo praestantior sis, quia benignior.
Fac calamitoso sis Deus, Dei misericordiam imitando. Ni-
hil enim tam divinum homo habet, quam de aliis bene me-
reri/ If you have no pity on others, have some on your souls.
Give not all your lands and wealth to your flesh and your pos-
terity: give some ofit to your soul8,by giving it to God. Shall
your bodies have it, and your souls have none, or but a little ?
' Hoc solum quod in opibus bonum est, lucreraur ; nempe ut
animas nostras in eleemosynis acquiramus, facultates nostra
pauperibus impertiaraus, ut ccelestibus ditemur. Animae
quoque partem da ; non carni duntaxat : Deo quoque par-
tem da, non mundo tantum : ex ventre aliquid subtrahe, et
spiritui consecra : ex igne aliquid eripe, ac procul, a depas-
cente flamma reconde ; a tyranno eripe, ae Domino com-
mitte. — Da exiguum ei a quo multa habes : da etiam omnia
ei, qui omnia donavit: nunquam Dei nmnificentiam vinces,
etiamsi omnia tua bona projicias, etiamsi te etiam ipsum
bonis tuis adjungas. Nam hoc quoque ipsum accipere est,
nempe Deo donare ;' saith Gregory Nazianzen, ubi sup.
Of any kind of covetousness, there is none more plausi-
bly pretended against works of charity, than that of some
ministers, that can spare no money, because their libraries
are yet unfurnished with many books w hich they would
fain have. Yet here we must see that greater works be not
for this omitted. Saith Seneca (de Tranquil.) * Studiorum quo-
que quae liberalissima impensaest, tamdiu rationemhabebo,
quamdiu modum. Quo mihi innumerabiles libros et biblio-
thecas, quorum Dominus vix tota vita sua indices perlegit?
Onerat discentem turba, non instruit : mulloque satius est
paucis te authoribus tradere, quam errare per multos. — Stu-
diosa hsec luxuria ; imo ne studiosa quidem, quoniam non
in studium, sed in spectaculum. — Paretur librorum quan-
tum satis sit ; nihil in apparatum — Vitiosum est, ubique
quod nimium est.'
Yea more, let me tell you all, and beseech you to consi-
der it. It is your duty even to pinch your flesh, and spare
it from your back and belly, that you may have wherewithal
to do good. It is no thanks to you to relieve others out
of that which you need not yourselves ; and to give God
that which your flesh can spare. Such liberality may stand
with little suffering or self-denial, and therefore will be but
PREFACE. CCCXXr
a poor proof of your grace. Had I ten thousand pounds a
year. I should think it my duty for ail that, to pinch my
flesh, that I might spare as much of it as is possible for God.
David would not offer that to Cod which cost him nothing,
2 Sam. xxiv. 24. If you fare the harder, and go the plainer
in your attire, and deny yourselves that which is for any
needless pomp or ostentation, or splendour in the world,
that you may have so much the more to do good with, you
deal then like good husbands for God and your souls, and
faithful stewards. Why should a covetous miser pinch his
flesh more to gather riches for himself and his posterity,
than you should do to gather it for God, and to expend it
on the church and poor? Be as frugal as they, but not to
the same end ; so you use it for God and your poor brethren,
an honest parsimony and gathering is a duty ; and such a
holy covetousness is so far from condemnable, that it is the
truest charity, which God and all wise men will applaud.
I do not mean only to deny your flesh in gross excesses, but
to pinch it by a just frugality and abstinence. And yet you
shall not say that I am drawing you to extremes. I would
not have you so far pinch your flesh as to disable it for du-
ty, but to deny it whatsoever doth not some way help it for
duty, that we may not feed our own unnecessary delights,
though with a seeming decorum and moderation, while so
many about us are pinched with the want of necessaries,
and so many public, excellent works are calling for our help.
The flesh is to be tamed, and humbled, and brought in sub-
jection, and scanted when greater things require it. but not
to be destroyed and made unserviceable. * Infldo huic
corpori quomodo conjunctus sim, baud equidem scio ; quo-
que pacto simul et imago Dei sim, et cum coeno voluter ;
quod et cum pulchra valetudine est, bello me lacessit, et
cum bello premitur, mcErore me afficit : quod, et ut conser-
vum amo ; et ut inimicum odi atque aversor : quod, et ut
vinculum fugio, et ut conseres vereor. Si debilitare illud et
conficere studeo, jam non habeo quo socio et opitulatore
ad res praeclarissimas utar ; nimirum baud ignorans quam
ob causam procreatus sim, quodque me per actiones ad de-
um ascendere oporteat. Sin contra ut cum socio etadjutore
mitius agam, nulla jam ratio occurrit, qua rebellantis impe-
tum fuo-iam, atque a Deo non excidam, compedibus degra-
vatus, vel in terram detrahentibus, vpI in ea detinenttbus.
CCCXXVl PREFACE.
Hostis est blandus et placidus : invidiosus amicus. O mi-
ram conjunctionem et alienationem ! Quod metuo amplec-
tor, quod amo pertimesco. Antequam bellum gesserim in
gratiam redeo. Antequam pace fruar, ab eo dissideo.* Greg.
Naz. ubi sup. And for delight, at least learn of an heathen
how to esteem of it. Sen. de vita beata. 'Tu voluptatem
complecteris, ego compesco : tu voluptate fueris, ego utor :
tu illam summum bonum putas, ego nee bonum : tu om-
nia voluptdtis causS, facis, ego nihil.'
What remains now, gentlemen, but that you be up and
doing, and look about you where you may have the best
bargain to lay out your money on, for God and for your
souls? Stay not till the market is over, till thieves have
robbed you, till God in judgment have impoverished you ;
till mere necessity do constrain you to part with that which
you cannot keep ; or till the souls or bodies that need your
help are removed from your sight. Seek after an object for
your alms, as diligently as beggars seek the alms, you have
more cause ; for you get more by giving, than they do by
receiving. If you believe not this, you believe not Christ ;
and so are infidels.
The sum of my advice is, That as men that are drawing
near to their account, and love Christ in his members, and
believe the promise of reward, you would devote yourselves
and your estates to Christ, and study to do good, and make
it your daily trade and business, as men that are " zealous of
good works, and created to walk in them," (Tit. ii. 14. Eph. ii.
10.) and not as dropping a little upon the by. Say not that you
have not wealth, or interest, or opportunity. The rich have full
opportunities: the poor have their two mites or their cup of cold
water to give to a disciple. And he that hath neither, may have
a will to give thousands a year. And this is our comfort that
have but little, that " if there be first a willing mind, it is ac-
cepted according to that a man hath, and not according to
that he hath not ;" 2 Cor. viii. 12. But where " there is a
readiness to will, there will also be a performance out of that
which you have," if you be sincere ; ver. 11. Et uunquam
usque eo interclusa sunt omnia, ut nulli actioni honestae lo-
cus sit. Nunquam inutilis est opera civis boni. Auditu
enim, visu, vultu, nutu, obstinatione tacita, incessuque ipso
prodest. Ut salutaria quaedam citra gustum tactumque
odore proficiuut j ita virtus utilitatem etiamex longinquo et
PREFACE. CCrXXVII
ktens fundit : sive spargitur, et se utitwrsuo jure ; sive pre-
carios habet excessus, cogiturque, vela contrahere ; sive
otiosa rautaque est, et angusto circumscripta ; sive adaper-
ta : in quocunque habitu est, prodest. Seneca de Tranq. (I
give you not these passages of strangers to Christ, as if his
doctrine needed any such patches ; but as imagining that the
temper of those I speak to, may need such a double testi-
mony, and to see the book of nature as well as of grace :
and to let you understand, how inexcusable a professed
Christian is, that is worse than an infidel.)
I have been long, and yet I would I had done. I have
taught you, and yet I fear lest you have not learned. I have
told you what you knew before (unless it be because you
will not know it) and yet have more need to hear it, than a
thousand things that you never knew. I have set you an
easy lesson hard to be learned. Were but your senses ra-
tional, or were your will but disengaged and morally free,
the work were done, and that would be learnt in an hour,
that the church and commonwealth might rejoice in till the
sun shall be no more. O had we but such princes, nobles,
and gentlemen as were thus zealous and studious of good
works, and wholly devoted and dedicated unto God, what a
resemblance should we have of heaven on earth. How then
would our princes and nobles be both loved and honoured,
when their addictedness to God did make them so divine?
How honourable then would our parliament be, and how
cheerfully should we flock together for their election. How
dear would our judges and country magistrates be to all
that have any thing of piety or humanity in them. " Kings
then would reign in righteousness, and princes rule in judg-
ment; and a man would be as a hiding place from the wind,
and a covert from the tempest ; as rivers of water in a dry
place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. And
the eyes of them that see should not be dim, and the ears of
them that hear should hearken ; the heart also of the rash
should understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stam-
merers should be ready to speak elegantly ;" Isa. xxxii.
1 — 6. What help then should ministers have in their work,
and the souls of all the people for their happiness ! And
what a shaking would satan's kingdom feel. Then neither
seducers should have this pretence, nor the seduced this
temptation as now they have, to call their various models q£
CCCXXVm PREFACE.
repubKcs by such splendid names, and to think Christ reigns
when they reign ; or that it is the only government, to have
all to be governors, or to have the greatest liberty to be had.
No forms will reform us, and heal our maladies, till we are
healed and reformed within. Lead will not be gold, what
form soever you mould it into. And though some ways may
be more effectual to restrain the evil, and improve the good,
that is among them, yet still the wicked will do wickedly.
The swordfish and the thresher would be the tormenters of
Leviathan, and God himself would be impatient of his ty-
ranny. And his brother would mend the matter, who by
giving the power to the vast tumultuous ocean itself, may
find that his republic is not only inconsistent with a clergy,
(a high commendation) but may possibly be as injurious to
his moral honesty, as any other sort of tyranny ; and might
have learned of his chiefest master, Seneca, (de Tranquil.
Anim.) that the free city of Athens could less endure So-
crates than the tyrants, and did put him to death, whom
they had tolerated. * Nunquid potes invenire urbem mise-
riorum quam Atheniensium fuit cum illam triginta tyranni
divellerent? Mille trecentos cives, optimum quemque occi-
derant. Socrates tamen in medio erat. Et imitari volenti-
bus, magnum circumferebat exemplar, cum inter triginta do-
minos liber incederet. Hunc tamen Athenae ipse in car-
cere occiderunt. Et qui tuto insultaverat agmini tyranno-
rum, ejus libertatem libera civitas non tulit.'
Gentlemen, for the Lord's sake, for your souls' sake, for
the church's and the Gospel's sake, for your country's sake,
and the spiritual and corporal good of thousands, awake
now from your sloth and selfishness, from your ambition,
voluptuousness and sordid worldliness, and give up your-
selves and all that you have to God by Christ, and to the
common good, and make the best of all your faculties and
interest, for the high and noble ends of Christians : and
convince all self-conceited founders or troublers of the
commonwealth, that you have hit the way of a true reforma-
tion, without any alteration of the form, by correcting your-
selves, the principal materials. And let them see by your
seeking the weal of all, that your form is as truly a common-
weal as theirs, and that they absurdly appropriate the title
to their own. If you deny us this, on you shall be the
blame and shame, and not on our want of a popular form.
PREFACE. CCCXXIX
But because I have gone so fat with you by persuasion,
(though yet 1 doubt whether indeed you will be persuaded)
I shall not leave you till I have added the last part of my
task, which is to set some Rules and Matter for good works
before you, that if you are but willing, you may set your
money to the happiest usury, and that upon the best secu-
rity.
1. (For general rules) Aim at no lower an ultimate end
in your charity, than the pleasing of God ; and move from
no lower a first moral principle, than the love of God within
you. Seek not self, while you seem to deny it. Give and
do good to Christ in his servants.
2. Consider therefore of men's relations to Christ, and
understand where his interest lieth in the world. Avoid
both their extremes, that would have you do good to none
but saints, and that would have you do it to all alike. As
God hath a special love to his children, and yet doth good
to all, his mercy being over all his works ; and as he is the
Saviour of all men, but especially of them that believe ; so
must you love all men as men, and saints as saints 5 and do
good to all men, but especially to them of the household of
faith; Gal. vi. 10. The new command of special love, must
not be thought to abrogate the old commandment of com-
mon love, even of loving our neighbours as ourselves. You
must do good to a disciple in the name of a disciple ; and to
a prophet in the name of a prophet, (Matt, x.42.) and yet
take the wounded man for your neighbour, that you see lie
in your way ; Luke x. 30, I know the serpentine seed had
rather you would kick against the pricks, and tread down
Christ's interest, than there to lay out your greatest charity.
But it is God that you have to reckon with, who judgeth
not as they. The philosopher being asked. Why all men
were more ready to give to the halt and blind, than to phi-
losophers, answered. That they thought they might come to
be halt and blind themselves, but were never like to be phi-
losophers : so I may say of many that would be content that
you feed the common poor with bread, but the disciples of
Christ with stones. They think they may be poor them-
selves, but they are never like to be Christ's disciples : nay,
some of them (such as Clem. Writer in his mock * Fides Di-
vina') will persuade you that it is a sottish thing to conceive
that any have Christ's Spirit now, that work not miracles,
CCCXXX PREFACE.
and that he hath no church, ministry or saints, that is, that
Christianity is not the right religion, unless it had present
miracles to warrant it. And then you might be excused ra-
ther for your uncharitableness to it, than for your charity.
But wisdom is justified of all her children : and the mouths
of her enemies shall be quickly stopped ; and they shall
then know that Christ is Lord and Judge, without either
faith or further miracles.
3. When you have two good works before you, prefer
the greater, and choose not the less.
4. ' Caeteris paribus,' let works of spiritual and everlast-
ing concernment, be preferred to those that are merely tem-
poral.
5. And let works for the public good, of church or com-
monwealth, be preferred before private works.
6. Let God have all in one way or other, even that which
yourselves and families receive ; take it but as your daily
bread to support you in his service. Do not limit God, or
tie him to any part. Take heed of reserving any thing from
him, or of halving with him, as Ananias and Sapphira. He
deserveth and he expecteth all. That which he hath not,
you have not, but satan hath it. You lose it, if you return
it not to him.
And now in the conclusion, I shall presume (though I
may incur a censure for it) to give you a catalogue of some
of those good works which are seasonable in our days, by
which you may make your reckoning comfortable. And
do not think that God is beholden to you for it, if you per-
form them all ; but take it as the happiest bargain that you
can make ; and thankfully take the opportunity while it is
offered you, remembering that there is no such security or
advantage to be made of your money in any way, as for God ;
and that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Say not
another day but that you had a price in your hands ; if you
have not a heart, you must suffer with the unfaithful.
PREFACE. CCCXXXl
A Catalogue of seasonable Good Works, presetited to them that
are sanctified to God, and dare trust him with their Riches,
expecting the everlasting Riches which he hath promised, and
are zealous of Good Works, and take it for a precious mercy
that they may he exercised therein.
1. Inquire what persons, burdened with children, or
sickness, or on any such occasion labour under necessities,
and relieve them as you are able and find them fit. And
still make advantage of it for the benefit of their souls, in-
structing, admonishing and exhorting them, as they have
need. If you give them any annual gift of clothes, bread
or money, engage them to learn some catechism withal, and
to go to the minister and give him an account of it. Some
I know that set up a monthly lecture to be fitted to the
poor, and give sixpence or twelvepence to a certain number
of poor that hear it.
2. As far as law will enable you, bind all your tenants
in their leases to learn a catechism, and read the Scripture,
and be once a year at least accountable to the minister of
their profiting. If you cannot do this, at least use your in-
terest in every tenant you have, to do it, and to seek God
and worship him in their families (in which let your own
families be eminently exemplary). It is very much that land-
lords might do for God if they had hearts. Discountenance
the ungodly: encourage the good; give them back some little,
when they pay their rent, to hire them to some duty. And
think not too much to go to their houses for such ends.
3. Buy some plain and rousing books, that tend to con-
version, and are fittest for their condition, and give them to
the families that most need them, getting them to promise
you to read them twice over at least, and then to give their
teachers an account of the effect, and receive instructions
from them for their further profit. Many have this way re-
ceived much good. Or you may buy the books, and trust
the ministers to distribute them, and engage the receivers to
read them, or hear them read.
4. Take the children of the poor, and set them appren-
tices to some honest trade, and be sure you choose them
godly masters, that may take care of their souls as well as
eCCXXXll PREFACE.
of their bodies. Or if you are able, settle a perpetual allow-
ance for this use, entrusting the minister with the choice of
a godly master for them, and whom you see meet, with the
choice of boys.
5. In very great congregations that have but one minis-
ter, nor are able and willing to maintain another, it is a very
good work to settle some maintenance for an assistant, with-
out whom the flock must needs be much neglected. Impro-
priations may be bought in to that use.
6. To settle schools in the more rude parts of the coun-
try, where they use not to teach their children to read, or in
market-towns where people are numerous, is a very good
work.
7. It is one of the best works I know within the reach
of a mean man's purse, to maintain scholars (in sizer's places)
at about £10 per annum charge, till they are capable either
of the ministry, or of some other station in order to it, where
they can maintain themselves. As also to maintain some of
the choicest parts for some special studies. There is an in-
tent of some to propound this work in a method fit for the
whole nation to concur in. Till that be done, any rich man
that is willing to do good, may entrust some able, godly mi-
nisters with the choice of the fittest youths (which is the
greatest matter) and may allow them necessary maintenance.
How many souls may be saved by the ministry of one of
these ! And how can money be better husbanded?
8. It will be a very good work also, conjunctly to en-
courage manufactures or other trades, and piety too, if in
cities and corporations, some yearly rents being given on
these terms ; that several of the honestest tradesmen, may
have £5 or £10 a piece yearly of this rent, lent them freely
for four or five years to trade with, putting in security to
repay it : and so the stock will increase, and more land may
be bought by it after certain years, to go on to the same
use : (only let the trustees have power to remit all, or part,
where there is an extraordinary unexpected failing.) And
that the fittest men may still receive it, some godly trustees
may be chosen who may choose their successors ; the mi-
nister being one, as likest to choose the fittest subjects of
this beneficence. If honest men be kept up, they will better
relieve the poor, than if it were left to their own hands.
9. It would be a blessed work for our rulers, and some
PREFACE. CCCXXXlll
rich men, to erect a college (at Salop, 1 think the only fit
place, for many reasons) for the education of scholars for the
use of Wales ; a country, whose present misery, and ancient
honour, and readiness to receive the Gospel, and zealous
profession of what they know, should encourage all good
men to help them. Too few will send their sons to our pre-
sent Universities, and too few of those that come thither are
willing to return. But if this may not be done, the next
way will be to add some charitable help for them in Oxford,
obliging them to return to the service of their country.
10. Were I to speak to princes, or men so rich and po-
tent as to be able to do so good a work, I would provoke
them to do as much as the Jesuits have done, in seeking
the conversion of some of the vast nations of infidels, that
are possessed of so great a part of the world ; viz. To erect
a college for those whom the Spirit of God shall animate for
so great a work, and to procure one or two of the natives
out of the countries whose conversion you design, to teach
the students in this college their language (which it is like
might be effected). And when they have learned the tongues,
to devote themselves to the work ; where by the countenance
of ambassadors, merchants, plantations or any other means,
they may procure access and liberty of speech. Doubtless
God would stir up some among us, to venture on the labour
and apparent danger, for so great a work. If we be not
better principled, disposed and resolved to do or suffer in
so good a cause, than the Jesuits are, we are much to blame.
And where we can but have opportunity, we are like to do
much more good than they. 1. Because they are so impor-
tunate everywhere for the interest of the pope, that the
people presently smell it to be but a selfish secular desio-n.
2. Because when they have taken them from their heathen-
ish idolatry, and taken down their images, they set up the
divine worship of the host, and the cross, and the religious
worship of the Virgin Mary, and the saints, with prayers to
them in the stead : with ^uch abundance of ceremonious
additions, that the people think it is as good to be where
they are ; as if it were but the taking down one Daimon or
Divus, to set up another in a kind of emulation, and they think
that every country should continue the worship of their an-
cient patrons or Daimons. Whereas, if we went among them
with the plain and pure Gospel, not sophisticated by these
CCCXXXIV PREPACK.
superstitions, with a simple intention of their spiritual good,
without any designs of advantage to ourselves, it is like we
might do much more, and might expect a greater blessing
from God ; as Mr. Elliot, and his helpers find of their bles-
sed labours in New England, where, if the languages, and
remote habitations (or rather no habitations, but dispersions)
of the inhabitants did not deny them opportunity of speech,
much more might be effected. And though the Mahometans
are more cruel than the heathens against any that openly
speak against their superstition and deceit, yet God would
persuade some, it is like, to think it worth the loss of their
lives to make some prudent attempt in some of those vast
Tartarian or Indian countries, where Christianity hath had
least access and audience. As difficult works as these
are, the Christian princes and people are exceedingly to
blame, that they have done no more in attempting them, and
have not tiirned their private quarrels, into a common agree-
ment for the good of the poor uncalled world.
I have told you of divers ways in which you may secure
your wealth from loss, and make an everlasting advantage
of it. Those that have power and not a will, shall lose the
reward, and have the condemnation of unfaithful stewards.
Those that have power and an envious, evil will, that desir-
eth not the church's good, shall moreover have the punish-
ment of malignant enemies. Those that have neither power
nor will, or are both impotent and malignant, shall be judged
according to what they would have done, if they had been
able. Those that have an unfeigned will, but not power,
shall be accounted as if they had done the works ; for God
accepteth the will for the deed. All these good works are
yours, poor Christians, that never did them, if certainly you
would have done them, notwithstanding the difficulty, cost
and suffering, if you had been able. But it is the godly
rich, that are both able and willing, and actually perform
them, that will profit both themselves and others, that both
their own and other's souls may have the comfort of it. I
shall lay some of the words of God himself before your eyes,
and heartily pray for the sake of your own souls, and the
public good, that you may excel Papists as far in works of
charity, as you do in the soundness of doctrine, discipline
and worship.
PREFACE. CCCXXXV
Gentlemen, excuse the necessary freedom of speech, and
accept the seasonable, honourable, gainful motion, pro-
pounded to you from the word of God, by
Your faithful monitor,
RICHARD BAXTER.
Tebruary 20, 1667.
Sophronius, Bishop of Jerusalem (Prat. spir. c. 195, referente
Baronio ad an. 411.) delivereth this history followiiig to pos-
terity, as a most certain thing :
"That Leontius Apamiensis, a most faithful, religious
man that had lived many years at Gyrene, assured them that
Synesius (who of a philosopher became a bishop) found at
Gyrene, one Evagrius a philosopher, who had been his old
acquaintance, fellow-student and intimate friend, but an
obstinate heathen : and Synesius was earnest with him to
become a Christian, but all in vain ; yet did still follow him
with those arguments that might satisfy him of the Christian
verity ; and at last the philosopher told him, that to him it
seemed but a mere fable and deceit that the Christian reli-
gion teacheth men, that this world shall have an end, and
that all men shall rise again in these bodies, and their flesh
be made immortal and incorruptible, and that they shall so
live for ever, and receive the reward of all that they have
done in the body ; and that he that hath pity on the poor,
lendeth to the Lord, and he that gives to the poor and needy
shall have treasure in heaven, and shall receive an hundred-
fold from Christ, together with eternal life : these things he
derided. Synesius by many arguments assured him that all
these things were certainly true : and at last the philosopher
and his children were baptized. Awhile after, he comes to
Synesius, and brings him three hundred pounds of gold for
the poor, and bid him take it, and give him a bill under his
hand that Christ should repay it him in another world. Sy-
nesius took the money for the poor, and gave him under his
hand such a bill as he desired. Not long after, the philo-
CCCXXXVl PREFA< E.
«opher being near to death, commanded his sons that when
they buried him, they should put Synesius's bill in his hand
in the grave, which they did : and the third day after, the phi-
losopher seemed to appear to Synesius in the night, and said
to him, t Come to my sepulchre, where I lie, and take thy
bill, for I have received the debt and am satisfied ; which
for thy assurance 1 have subscribed with my own hand.'
The bishop knew not that the bill was buried with him, but
sent to his sons who told him all ; and taking them and the
chief men of the city, he went to the grave, and found the
paper in the hands of the corpse, thus subscribed, * Ego
Evagrius philosophus, tibi Sanctissimo Domino Synesio
episcopo salutem ; accepi debitum in his Uteris manu tua
conscriptum, satisfactumque mihi est; et nullum contra te
habeo jus propter aurum quod dedi tibi, et per te Christo
Deo et Salvatori nostro ;' that is, * I Evagrius the philoso-
pher, to thee most holy sir, bishop Synesius, greeting : I
have received the debt which in this paper is written with
thy hands, and I am satisfied; and I have no law (or action)
against thee for the gold which I gave to thee, and by thee
to Christ our God and Saviour.' They that saw the thing,
admired and glorified God that gave such wonderful evi-
dence of his promises to his servants : and, saith Leontius,
this bill subscribed thus by the philosopher, is kept at
Cyrene most carefully in the church to this day, to be seen
of such as do desire it."
Though we have a sure word of promise, sufficient for us
to build our hopes on, yet I thought it not wholly unprofit-
able, to cite this one history from so credible antiquity, that
the works of God may be had in remembrance. Though if
any be causelessly incredulous, there are surer arguments
that we have ready at hand to convince him by.
" Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy ;**
Matt.v 7.
Read Matt. vi. 19. to the end of the chapter.
"Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall en-
ter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven ;" Matt. vii. 21.
" Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth
PREFACE. eecxxxvii
them, I will liken him to a wise man that built his house up-
on a rock," &c. Matt.vii.24.
" Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in hea-
ven ;" Matt. V. 16.
" I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye
ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of
the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than
to receive ;" Acts xx. 35.
" Give to him that asketh thee, and of him that would
borrow of thee, turn thou not away ; Matt. v. 42.
" All these have I kept from my youth up — yet lackest
thou one thing : sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come,
follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrow-
ful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was
very sorrowful, he said. How hardly shall they that have
riches enter into the kingdom of God!" Lukexviii.21 — 24.
Read and consider Lukexii. 15 — 49. And Luke xvi. 19,
to the end.
" So likewise whosoever he be of you, that forsaketh not
all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple;" Lukexiv.23.
26—28.
" We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to
good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should
walk in them ;" Eph.ii. 10.
" What profiteth it, my brethren, if a man say he hath
faith, and have not works ? Can faith save him?" James ii. 14,
" Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zea-
lous of good works;" Tit. ii. 14.
" Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be
not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in
the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy ;
that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready
to distribute, willing to communicate ; laying up in store
for themselves a good foundation against the time to come,
that they may lay hold on eternal life ;" 1 Tim. vi. 17 — 19.
*' But to do good and to communicate, forget not ; for
with such sacrifices God is well pleased ;" Heb. xiii, 16.
"I say unto you, make you friends of the mammon of
VOL. IX. z
CCCXXXVUl PREFACE.
unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you in-
to everlasting habitations. If ye have not been faithful in
the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the
true riches ? Ye cannot serve God and mammon ;" Luke
xvi.9.13.
" Blessed is he that considereth the poor ; the Lord will
deliver him in the time of trouble ;" &c. Psal. xli. 1,2, &c.
Read Deut.xv. 7—9., &c. 2 Cor. ix. 1, 9., &c. Dan. iv.
27. Lev. xxiii. 22. Prov. xxii.9.
" He that giveth to the poor shall not lack ; but he that
hideth his eyes shall have many a curse ;" Prov. xxviii. 27.
Read Isaiah Iviii. throughout.
" Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father
is this. To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,
and to keep himself unspotted of the world;" James i. 27.
" Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your mise-
ries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted,
and your garments are motheaten : your gold and silver is
cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you,
and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped trea-
sure together for the last days — Ye have lived in pleasure on
earth, and been wanton ; ye have nourished your hearts as
in a day of slaughter — " James v. 1 — 3. 5.
" We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren : but
whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have
need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him,
how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children,
let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in
truth;" IJohniii. 16— 18.
" Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto
him that teacheth in all his goods (or good things). Be not
deceived ; God is not mocked : for whatsoever a man sow-
eth that shall he also reap — Let us not be weary in well-
doing ; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As
we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men;
especially to them who are of the household of faith ;" Gai.
vi. 6, 7.9, 10.
" Let him labour, working with his hands the thing
which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth ;"
Eph. iv. xxviii.
" He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet,
shall receive a prophet's reward : and he that receiveth a
PREFACE. OCCXXXIX
righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive
a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink
unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the
name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise
lose his reward ;" Matt. x. 41, 42.
Read 1 Cor. ix. 4—16.
"Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it
unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it
unto me — Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not
to one of the least of these, ye did it not unto me ;** Matt.
XXV. 40. 45.
** But when thou doest alms, le tnot thy left hand know
what thy right hand doeth ; that thine alms may be in secret;
and thy Father which seeth in secret, himself shall reward
thee openly ;" Matt. vi. 3, 4.
" But this I say, brethren, the time is short : it remain-
eth that both they that have wives be as though they had
none — and they that buy as though they possessed not ; and
they that use this world, as not abusing it j for the fashion
of this world passeth away ;" 1 Cor. vii. 29 — 31.
TUB
CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
CROSS OF CHRIST.
GALATIANS vi. 14.
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the
world.
Ever since mankind had a being upon earth, the malicioua
apostate spirits have been their enemies. If it was the will
of our Creator that we should be militaries in our innocency,
and keep our standing, and attain our confirmation and glory
by a victory, or else come short of it if we lost the day ; no
wonder that our lapsed condition must be militant, and that
by conquest we must obtain the crown. But there is a
great deal of difference between these combats. In our
first state we were the sole combatants against the enemy
ourselves, and we fought in that sufficient strength of our
own which was then given us, and by our wilful yielding
we were overcome. But since our fall we fight under the
banner of another, who having first conquered for us, will
afterwards conquer in us and by us. All the great transac-
tions and bustles of the world, which our fathers have re-
ported to us, which have filled all the histories of ages, and
which our eyes have seen, or our ears have heard of, are no-
thing but the various actions or successes of this great war ;
and all the persons in the world are the soldiers in these
two armies, whereof the Lord of life, and the prince of dark-
ness are the generals : the whole inhabited world is the
field. The great onset of the enemy was made upon the
person of our Lord himself; and as often as he was assault-
ed or did assault, so oft did he overcome. In the wilder-
34*i THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
ness he had that first appointed conflict with satan himself,
hand to hand. Through his whole life after, he was as-
saulted hy the inferior sort of enemies. And a leader in
his own army, even Peter himself, is once seduced to be-
come a satan, (Matt, xvi.22.) and a traitor Judas is the
means of his apprehension, and then the blinded Jews and
rulers of his crucifixion, and there had he the last and great-
est conflict ; in which when he seemed conquered he did
overcome, and so his personal war was finished. When the
Captain of our salvation was thus made perfect through
sufferings, (Heb. ii. 10.) that he might bring many sons to
glory, his next work was to form his army ; which he did,
by giving first commission to his ofl&cers, and appointing
them to gather the common soldiers, and to fill his bands.
No sooner did they set themselves upon the work, but satan
sendeth forth his bands against them : persecutors assault
them openly : and heretics are traitors in their own societies,
and make mutinies among the soldiers of Christ, and do
them more mischief by perfidiousness, than the rest could
do by open hostility. The first sort of them took advantage,
1. By the reputation of Moses' law, and the zeal of the
blinded Jews for its defence. And, 2. From the dangers,
sufferings and fleshly tenderness of many professors of the
Christian faith, which made them too ready to listen to any
doctrine that promised them peace and safety in the world :
and as they were themselves a carnal generation, that looked
after worldly glory and felicity, and could not bear persecu-
tion for Christ, and so were enemies to his cross, while they
profess themselves to be his disciples, so would they have
persuaded the churches to be of the same mind, and to take
the same course as they ; that so they might not be noted
for carnal and cowardly professors themselves, while they
brought others to believe the justness of their way 5 but ra-
ther might have matter of glorying in their followers, instead
of being either sufferers with the true Christians, or rejected
by them whose profession they had undertaken.
These were the persons that Paul had here to deal with,
against whom having opposed many arguments tlirough the
epistle, in the words of my text he opposeth his own resolu-
tion, " God forbid that I should glory," &c.
The words contain Paul's renouncing the carnal disposi-
tion and practice of the false apostles, and his professed re-
BY THE CROSS OF CHllIST. ;>43
solution of the contrary. Where you have, 1. The terms of
detestation and renunciation, " God forbid/' or, " be it far
from me." 2. The thing detested and renounced, viz. To
glory in any thing save the cross of Christ. His own posi-
tive profession containeth, 1. His resolution to glory in the
cross of Christ. 2. The effects of the cross of Christ upon
his soul ; which being contrary to the disposition, and doc-
trine, and endeavour of the false teachers, is added as a rea*-
son of his abhorring their ways, and as the ground or prin-
ciple of his contrary course : " Hereby the world is crucified
to him, and he to the world."
The difficulties in the words being not great, I shall take
leave to be briefer in their explication. The verb Kavynadai,
signifieth not only external boasting, but first internal con-
fidence and acquiescence. By " the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ," we are to understand both his cross as suf-
fered by him, and as considered by us, and as imitated by
us, or the cross we suffer in conformity to him : for, I see
no reason to take it in a more restrained sense. i
By " the world," is meant, the whole inferior creation,
or all that is objected to our sense, oris the bait or provision
for the flesh, or by the tempter is put in competition with
God : both the things and the men the world.
To have " the world crucified to him," doth signify, 1.
That it is killed, and so disabled from doing him any deadly
harm, or from being able to steal away his affections, as it
doth theirs that are unsanctified. 2. That he esteemeth it
but as a dead and contemptible thing. So that this phrase,
expresseth both its disabling, and his positive contempt of it
The other phrase, that Paul was " crucified to the world,*'
doth signify on the other side, 1. That his estimation and
affections were as dead to it ; that is, he had no more esteem
of it, or love to it, nor did he further mind or regard it, (so
far as he was sanctified) than a dead man would do. 2. It
signifieth that he was also contemned by worldly men, and
looked on as his crucified Lord was, whom he preached.
This is said to be done " by Christ," or " by his cross ;"
for the relative may relate to either antecedent. But I should
rather refer it to the latter, though in sense the difference
is small ; because the one is implied in the other.
The further explication of the nature of this crucifixion,
and the influence that Ohrist and his cross have thereunto.
344 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
and how they are the causes of it, must be further spoke to,
in the handling of the doctrines, which are as follow :
Doct. I. The carnal glorying of worldly professors, is a
thing detested and renounced by the saints.
Doct» II. A crucified Christ, or Christ and his cross, is
the glorying of the saints.
Doct. III. The world is crucified to the saints, and they
to the world.
Doct. IV. It is by a crucified Christ, or by Christ and
his cross, that this is done.
But because our limited time will not allow us to handle
each of these distinctly, I shall reduce them all to one gene-
ral Doctrine, which is the sense of the text.
Doct. The world is crucified to the saints, and the saints
are crucified to the world, by the cross of Christ ; and there-
fore in it alone must they glory, abhorring the glory of car-
nal men.
The method which I shall observe, as fittest for your
edification in handling this doctrine, is this :
I. I shall more fully shew you negatively what it is not,
and affirmatively what it is, to have the world crucified to
us, and to be crucified to the world.
II. I shall shew you how this is wrought by the cross of
Christ.
III. I shall give you the reasons, which prove that so it
is.
IV. 1 shall give you the reasons why it must be so.
V. I shall make application of this first part of the Doc-
trine. And then handle the latter part as time shall permit.
I. There are few doctrines of faith, or ways of holiness,
but have their extremes, which men will reel into from side
to side, when few will consist in the sacred mean. The pur-
l)lind world cannot cut by so small a thread, as the word of
God directeth them to do, and as all must do, that will be
conducted into truth. We have much ado to take men off
these vanities ; but yet when many of them are convinced,
and see that the world must be cast aside, they mistake the
nature of holy mortification, and embrace instead of it some
superstitious and cynical conceits ; in which they are as
fjast bemired almost as they were before.
I. I shall therefore first tell you what is not the crucifix-
ion which we are to treat of.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 345
1. It is not to think that the world is indeed nothing ; and
that in a proper sense our life is but a dream : nor yet scep-
tically to take the being and modes of all things as uncertain.
Nor to imagine that sense is so far fallible, that a man of
sound sense and understanding, may not be sure of the ob-
jects conveniently presented to his sense. There still re-
maineth one argument which the sceptics were never able
to confute, but will make them at any time to yield the
cause ; even to scourge them, as fools, till they are sure to
feel it. But we have few of these to deal with ; the scepti-
cism of our times being restrained to those things which
more closely concern the matter of salvation.
2. Nor is it any part of the meaning of this text, that we
should entertain a low and base esteem of the world, or any
thing therein, as in its natural state considered, it is the
work of God. For though man be eminently created in his
image, yet all his works are like him in their measure, and
therefore have all an excellency to be admired. It cannot
be that Infinite Wisdom can make any thing which shall
not have some impressions and demonstrations thereof. Nor
can Goodness make any thing but what is good. And never
did the Almighty make any thing that is absolutely con-
temptible ; nor any thing so mean, which can be done by
any other without him; so far inimitable is he in the smal-
lest of his works. Nor did he ever make any thing in vain ;
but those things which seem small and useless to us, have
an unsearchable excellency and usefulness which we know
not of. If the unskilful have the modesty to believe that
the smallest string in an instrument of music, and the smal-
lest pin in a watch, have their use, though he know not of
it, we have great reason to think as modestly of the frame of
all the works of God. And those things that in themselves
considered are small, yet respectively and virtually may be
very great. The heart may do more to the preservation of
life, than a part much bigger ; and the eye may see more
than all the rest of the body besides. And the order, loca-
tion and respects of several parts, doth give them such an
admirable usefulness and excellency, which none can know
that seeth not the whole frame.
Yea, our own selves, souls or bodies, considered as the
workmanship of God, must not be thought or spoke con-
temptibly of. For no by all that we say against the w ork.
346 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
we do but reproach and dishonour the workman. In all our
self-accusations and condemnations, we must take heed of
accusing or condemning our Creator. Our naturals there-
fore must be honoured, while our corrupt morals are vilified.
We must disgrace nothing that is of God, but only that
which may be truly called our own ; nor in the accusation
of our own, must we by reflections and consequences accuse
that which is God's, as if the fault in the original were his.
By giving us our natural freewill, which is a self-determin-
ing power, he made us capable of having somewhat in mo-
rality which we may too justly call our own ; and our loss
and want of moral freedom, (which is but our right disposi-
tions and inclinations) were not to be charged ultimately on
ourselves, if the foresaid natural freedom did not make us
capable of such a culpability. It is a strange way that some
men have devised, of magnifying the Creator by vilifying
his works : and it is a strange conceit that all the praise
that is given to the creature is taken from God : they would
not do so by man : the praise of a house is taken to be no
dishonour to the carpenter ; nor the commendation of a
watch a dishonour to the watchmaker. God did not disho-
nour himself, when he said, his works in the begmning were
all good : he would never have been a Creator, if all the
good which he made and communicated had been to his
dishonour : when there was nothing but himself in being,
there was nothing but himself to be commended ; but doubt-
less, God intended his glory by his works ; and all that is
in them proceeding from himself, the praise of them re-
doundeth to himself. In a word, we must be very careful of
God's interest in his creatures, and take heed of any such
contempt or vilifying of them, which may reflect upon him-
self.
3. The crucifying of the world to us, doth not consist in
our looking upon it as a useless thing, or laying it aside as
to all spiritual improvement. No ; so far is this from being
any part of our duty, that it is none of the least of our sins ;
the creature was the first book that ever God did make for
us, in which we might read his blessed perfections : and the
perverting it to another use, with the neglect of this, was
man's first sin. As it was the great work of the Redeemer,
to bring us back to God that made us, and restore us to his
favour, so also to restore us to a capacity of serving him.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 347
even in that employment which he appointed to us in our
innocency ; which was to see God in the face of his crea-
tures, and there to love and honour him. and by them to
serve him. Though this be not our highest felicity, yet it is
the way thereto ; till we come to see face to faee, we must
be glad to see the face of God in the glass of his works.
But of this we have more to say anon in the application.
Our crucifying of or to the world, requireth not any se-
cession from the world, nor a withdrawing ourselves from
the society of men, nor the casting away the property or
possession of the necessaries which we possess. It is an
easier thing to throw away our master's talents, than faith-
fully to improve them. The Papists glory in the holiness
of their church, because they have many among them that
have vowed never to marry, and have no property in lands
or houses, and have separated themselves into a monastical
society : a high commendation to their church, when men
must be sainted with them, if they will do no mischief,
though they make themselves useless to the rest of the
world. The servant that hid his talent in a napkin, was
condemned by Christ as wicked and slothful ; and shall he
be commended by us for extraordinarily devout? Will you
reward that servant that will lock up himself in his chamber,
or hide his head in a hole, when he should be busy at your
work? Or will you reward that soldier that will withdraw
from the army into a corner, when he should be fighting ?
The world swarms on every side with multitudes of igno-
rant and impenitent sinners, whose miserable condition
crieth loud for some relief, to all that are any way able to
relieve them. And these religious monks make haste from
among them, and leave them to themselves to sink or swim,
and they think this cruelty to be the top of piety. Unwor-
thy is that man to live on the earth, thatliveth only to himself,
and communicateth not the gifts of God to others. And
yet do these idle, unprofitable drones esteem their course
the life of perfection. When we must charge through the
thickest of our enemies, and bear all the unthankful re-
quitals of the world, and undergo their scorns and persecu"
tions, these wary soldiers can look to their skin, and get out
of the reach of such encounters; and when they have done,
imagine that they have got the victory. To live to ourselves,
were it never so spiritually, is far unlike the life of a Chris*-
348 THE CRUClFYfNG OF THE WOULD
tian : a good man is a common good, and compassionate to
the miserable, and desirous to bring others to the participa-
tion of his felicity. To withdraw from the world to do God
service, is to get out of the vineyard or shop, that we may
do our master's work.
If you have riches, it is not casting them away that shall
excuse you, instead of a holy improving them for God. If
you have possessions, it is not a renouncing of property
that shall excuse you from the prudent and charitable use
of them. The same I say also of relations, of offices in the
church and commonwealth. God calleth you not to re-
nounce them : to crucify the world is not to disclaim all the
relations, possessions or honours of the world. These are
not yours but God's ; and as he put them into your hand,
and commanded you faithfully to use them as his stewards,
so you must do it ; and not think it a good account of your
stewardship, to tell God that you threw away the talents
that he trusted you with, because they were temptations to
you, or because he was austere. I should have no great
need to speak of this, were there not such a multitude of
deluded souls that have lately received the Popish dotages
herein. It is one thing to creep into a monk's cell, or an
anchorite's cave, or a hermit's wilderness, or Diogenes' tub ;
and another thing truly to be crucified to the world ; and in
the midst of the creatures to live above them unto God ; as
we are anon to shew.
5. To be crucified to the world, is not to forbear our
lawful trades and labours in the world. He that bids us eat
our bread in the sweat of our brows, and would not have him
eatthat will not labour, (Gen. iii. 19. 2 Thess. iii. 6. 10. 12.)
did never call men to be begging friars, nor licentious pro-
digals, nor idle gentlemen, nor lazy, unprofitable burdens of
the earth. All idleness that is wilful, is sinful ; but that
which is cloaked with the pretence of religion is a double sin.
When some servants grow lazy, they will pretend piety for
it, and accuse their masters of worldliness for setting them
to work. And some that have families will neglect their
duty for them, and all upon pretence of a contempt of the
world. But he that bid us " use the world as not abusing
it," (lCor.vii.31.)did never mean to forbid us the use of it.
While such hypocrites will needs be more than Christians,
they become in Paul's judgment worse than infidels ^ 1 Tim.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 349
V. 8. They should not labour with a desire to be rich, yet
must they " labour to give to him that needeth ;" Idleness
is not mortification.
6. To be crucified to the world, or the world to us, con-
taineth not an unthankful undervaluing of our mercies. It
will not warrant us to say, health, and riches, and honours
are contemptible ; and therefore I owe God but little thanks
for them ; nor will it excuse any ungrateful insensibility of
our deliverances.
7. To crucify the world, is not to take away the lives of
the men of the world, nor actually to use them as they used
Christ. Though the magistrates must bring a false pro-
phet to capital punishment that sought to turn the people
from God, yet every one might not do so : nor is that any
part of the sense of this text ; nor was it thus that Paul did
crucify the world.
8. Much less may it encourage any poor, melancholy,
tempted souls to be weary of their lives, and to seek to make
away with themselves. This horrid sin is far from the duty
here required. To be crucified to the world is not to rid
ourselves out of the world; nor to do that to ourselves,
which were so heinous a sin if we did it to another, as not
here to be more lightly punished than with death.
And thus I have shewed you negatively, what it is not
to have the world crucified to us ; which I do both to pre-
vent extremes, and to prevent your unjust censures of the
doctrine which I must next deliver, that you may see that I
am not leading you into extremes, but insisting on a plain
and needful truth.
11. I am next affirmatively to shew what this crucifixion
is. And first of the former branch : What it is to have the
world to be crucified to us. Where we shall speak of the
object, and then of the acts.
Quest. I. * In what respects is it that the world must be
crucified to us?'
Answ. In general. 1. In those respects in which men
fell to the world from God. The state of man's apostacy is
an adhesion to the creature, and a departure from God ; and
the state of his recovery must be a departing from the crea-
ture, and an adhering unto God. 2. In those respects in
which Christ himself hath opposed and overcome the world,
in those must his people oppose and overcome it.
350 THE CRUCIFYING OP THE WORLD
More particularly ; though it be but one and the same
thing which they all import, yet I think it may the better
insinuate into your understandings, if 1 present it to you in
these various notions.
1. As the creature would be man's felicity, or any part
of his true felicity, so it is to be hated, resisted, and cruci-
fied. If the world would know its own place, it might be
esteemed and used in its place ; but if it will needs pretend
to be what it is not, and will promise to do what it cannot,
and so would not only be used but enjoyed, we must take it
for a deceiver, and rise up against it with the greatest de-
testation. For else it will be the certain damnation of our
souls. For he that hath a wrong end, is wrong in all the
means ; and doth much worse than lose his labour in every
step of his way. It is the greatest and most pernicious er-
ror in the world, to mistake in our very end, and about our
chiefest good. When once the world would seem to be
your home, and promiseth you content and satisfaction, and
is indeed the condition that you would have ; so that you
do not heartily and desirously look any further, but would
with all your heart take this for your portion, if you knew
but how to keep it when you have it, and begin to say. It
is good to be here,' and with that stigmatized fool, * Soul
take thy rest,' then hath the world perniciously deceived
you, and if you be not effectually recovered, will be your
everlasting ruin. Whatever it be that presenteth itself to
you (of this world) as your felicity, is to be hated, opposed,
and crucified.
Yea, if it would but share in this office and honour, and
would seem lo be some part of your happiness, thus also
must it die to you, or your souls must die. You can have
but one ultimate principal end and happiness. If you take
the world for it, you can expect no more. The covetous-
ness of such is said to be idolatry, (Col, iii. 5.) and " their
bellies to be their God," (Phil. iii. 18, 19.) and " their gain
to be their godliness," (1 Tim. vi. 5.) and " their portion is
in this life," (Psal. xvii. 14.) and so they are called men of
the world. Here they " lay up a treasure to themselves,"
and therefore here is their hearts, (Matt. vi. 19—21.) and
'• verily they have their reward ;" yer. 5.
2. As the creature is set in competition with God, or in
the least degree of co-ordination with God, so it is to be
BY THE CHOSS OF CHRIST. 351
hated, rejected, and crucified. It is God's prerogative to
have sovereign interest in the soul. To be esteemed and
loved as our chiefest good, and to be depended on as the
principal cause of our wellbeing. The heart he made for
himself, and the heart he will have ; or else whoever hath it
shall have it to its woe. He will be its rest, or it shall ne-
ver have rest ; and he will be its happiness, or it shall be
miserable everlastingly. If now the presumptuous world will
play the traitor, and seek to dispossess the sovereign of
your souls, it is time to use it as a traitor should be used.
If it will needs usurp the place of God, down with that idol
and deal with it as it deserves. O with what indignation
and scorn may the Lord of glory look down upon the dirty,
worthless creature, when he seeth it in his throne ! What !
an earthen God ! an airy God ! Is gold, and honour, and
fleshly pleasures, fit matter to become your God? And
with what indignation and scorn should a gracious soul
once hear the motion of entertaining such a God! It
should be odious to us once to hear a comparison between
the living God and the world ! as if it would be to us what
he would be, or could procure our safety and felicity in his
stead. As the Jews would not endure to hear of Christ
being their King, but cried out, " Away with him, crucify
him, we have no king but Csesar." So must we think and
speak of the world when it would be our king. Away with
it, crucify it, we have no king but God in Christ. And as
the rebellious world saith of Christ (Luke xix. 27.), " We
will not have this man to rule over us," so must we say of
the flesh and the world, we will not have them to rule over
us. As the churlish Israelite asked Moses (the prophet like
Christ) so must we do the flesh and world ; " Who made
thee a ruler over us ?" We may value a very dunghill for
the manuring of our land ; but if any man will say, * This
dunghill is the sun, which giveth light to the world ; the as-
sertion would rather cause derision than belief. Or if you
would persuade a man to put it in his bosom or his bed, he
would cast it away with abhorrence and disdain, who would
not have refused it if you had laid it in his field. The
poorest beggar may be regarded in his place ; but if he will
proclaim himself king, you will either laugh at him as a
fool, or abhor him as a traitor. Subjects do owe much ho-
nour and obedience to their princes ; but if Caligula will
352 THE CRUCIFYING OP THE WORLD
need« be Jupiter, or if they must hear as the pope, ' Dominus
Deus noster Papa', or if they will usurp God's prerogatives,
and undertake his proper work, or will set themselves
against his truth and interest, and grow jealous of his power
on which they must depend, and of his Gospel and spiritual
administrations and discipline, lest it should eclipse their
glory, or cross their wills, this is the ready way to make
them become base, and lay both them and their glory in the
dust. The Jews ought to reverence Herod their king, but
if once they begin to say, ' It is the voice of a God, and not
of a man,' no wonder if he be smitten by the hand of Divine
vengeance, and he that would be a god, become the food of
worms ; and God shews them what a god they had magni-
fied, that cannot keep the lice or worms from eating him
alive. God useth to pour contempt upon princes, when
they will not know and submit to the everlasting king. He
taketh himself as engaged to break down all that would
usurp his honour, and tumble down the idols of the world ;
therefore hath he always so abhorred the two grand abomi-
nations, pride and idolatry, above other sins. For he will
not give his glory to another. He will not with patience
hear it spoken of an idol, ' These are thy gods, O Israel,
that brought thee out of Egypt.' The first commandment is
not merely a precept for some particular act of obedience,
as are the rest; but it is the fundamental law of God, es-
tablishing the very relations of sovereign and subject. And
as this is the first and great command, and that which vir-
tually containeth all, " Thou shalt have no other gods be-
fore me," or " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart." So he that breaketh this, is guilty of all.
When the parent of the world would needs become as God,
he made himself the slave of the devil.
You see then, I hope, sufficient reason why the world
must be abhorred and crucified, when it is made an idol,
and would become our God ; and why this crucifixion of it
is of absolute, indispensable necessity to salvation. If it
had kept its place and distance, and would have been only
a stream from the infinite Power, and Wisdom, and Good-
ness, and a messenger to bring us the report of his excellen-
cies, and a book in which we might read his name, and a
glass in which we might see his face, then might we have es-
teemed and niaonified it. But when the devil and the flesh
BY THK GROSS OF CHRIST. * '^5;^
will make it their bait to draw away our hearts from God,
and to steal that love, desire, and care, which is due him, and
begin to tell us of rest, or; satisfaction, or felicity here, it is
time to cry out. Crucify it, crucify it. Wh«n it would in-
sinuate itself into our bosom, and get next our hearts, and
have our most delightful and frequent thoughts, and become
so dear to us, that we cannot be without it ; when it is the
very thing that our minds are bent upon, and that lifts us
up when we have it, and casts us down when we want it :
and thus disposeth of our affections and endeavours, it is
time to lay such an idol in the dust, and to cast out such a
traitor with the greatest detestation. As we ourselves shall
be exalted if we humble ourselves, and brought low if we
exalt ourselves : so must we cast down the world, when it
would exalt itself in our esteem ; and the right exaltation of
it is by the lowest subjecting of it unto God. For whoever
hath to deal with Infinite power, must think of no other
way of exaltation.
3. The world must be abhorred, and crucified by us, as
it standeth at enmity to God and his holy ways. It is be-
come, through man's corruption, the great seducer, and an
impediment to our entertainment of heavenly doctrine, and
a means of keeping the soul from God. Yea, it is become
the interest of the flesh, and is set in fullest opposition to
our spiritual interest. In what degree soever the world
would turn your hearts from God, or stop your ears against
his word, or take you off from the duty which he prescrib-
eth you, in that measure you must seek to crucify it to your-
selves. If father or mother would draw us away from Christ,
though as parents they must be honoured still, yet as ene-
mies to Christ they must be contemned. When your ho-
nours would hinder you from honouring God, and your cre-
dit doth contend against your conscience, and your worldly
business contradicteth your heavenly business, and your
gain is pleaded against your obedience ; it is time then, to
use the world as an enemy, and to vilify those honours and
businesses, and commodities. A tender conscience that is
acquainted with a course of universal obedience, will take
notice when these worldly interpositions and avocations
would interrupt his course : and a soul acquainted with a
holy dependance upon God and communion with him, can
VOL. IX. ' - A A - „,E.
«i54 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
feel when these enticing and deluding things would inter-
rupt his communion, and turn his eye from the face of God :
and therefore he can feel by the • advantage of his holy ex-
perience, when the world becomes his enemy, and calleth
him to the conflict.
4. The world is to be crucified, as it is the matter of our
flesh-pleasing ; or the food of our carnal affections, and the
fuel of our concupiscence. The grand idol that is exalted
against the Lord, is carnal-self. This is the God of all the
unregenerate. This hath their hearts, their care, their la-
bours. The pleasings of this flesh is the end of the unsanc-
tified, and therefore the summary capital sin, which virtu-
ally containeth all the rest. Even as the pleasing of God is
the end of every saint, and therefore the summary capital
duty, which virtually containeth all other duties. The
world is an idol subservient to the flesh, as being the mat-
ter of its delight, and the means by which its end is attain-
ed ; as in the contrary state, the Mediator is subservient to
the Father, as being the matter of his delight in whom he is
well-pleased, and the means by whom he obtaineth his ends,
in making his people also wellpleasing in his eyes. The
devil also is an idol of the ungodly ; but that is in a sub-
serviency to the world and to the flesh, as by the bait of
worldly things he pleaseth the flesh ; as in the contrary
state the Holy Ghost is in office subordinate to the Son and
to the Father, in that he bringeth us to Christ, by whom we
must have access to the Father. In the carnal trinity then
you may see, that as the flesh is the principal and ultimate
end, and hath the first place, so the world is the nearest
means to that end, and hath the second place : and as there
is no coming to the Father or pleasing him but by the Son,
so there is no way of pleasing the flesh but by the world.
So that by this you may perceive in what relation we stand
to the sensual, seducing world, and on what grounds, and
how far it is necessary that we crucify it. The fixed deter-
mination of our sovereign is, that if " we live after the flesh
we shall die, but if by the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the
body, we shall live ;" Rom. viii. 13. To live after the flesh,
is by loving the world, and enjoying it as our felicity ; and
to mortify the deeds of it by the Spirit, is by withdrawing
this fuel and food that doth maintain them^^^and by crucify-
ing and killing the world as to such ends. t)iir work is to
BY THK CROfcS OF CHRIST. 356
" put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for
the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof;" Rom. xiii. 14. It is the
world that is this provision for the fulfilling of our fleshly
lusts. So far therefore as the flesh must be mortified, the
tvorld also must be mortified.
5. Moreover the world must be crucified to us, as far as
it is presented to us as an independent, or separated good,
without its due relations unto God. It is God only who is
the absolute, necessary, independent Being ; and all crea-
tures are but secondary, contingent, dependent beings,
(whether univocally or equivocally, or analogically so call-
ed, with God, let the schools debate). To look on the crea-
ture as a separated or simple being or good, is to look upon
it as God. And here came in the first idolatry of the world.
When Adam had all his felicity in God, and,hadthe creature
only as a stream and means, and when all his affections
should have been centred in God, and he should not have
viewed one line in the volume of nature, without the joint
observance of the centre where it was terminated ; contra-
rily he withdraws his eye from God, and fixeth it on the
creature, as a separated good ; and desiring to know good
in this separated sense, he made it an evil to him, and knew
it to his sorrow. And so forsaking the true and All-suffi-
cient Good, he turned to a good which indeed, as conceived
of by him, was no good, and knew it by a knowledge, which
as to the truth of it, was not knowing, but erring. And in
this course which our first progenitors have led us into, the
carnal world proceedeth to this day. The creature is near
them, but God is far off". A little they know of the crea-
ture, but they are utter strangers to God. And therefore
think on the creature as independent, separated good. And
you must carefully note, that the dependence of the creature
on God, is not to be fully manifest by the dependence of
any creature upon another. The line is locally distant from
the centre ; and the streams are locally distant from the
spring, though they are contiguous, and have the depen-
dency of an effect. But God is not local, and so not local-
ly distant from us. The nearest similitude is that of the
body's dependence on the soul (which yet doth fall exceed-
ing short). In God both we and every creature do live,
and move, and have our being. As no man of reason will
talk to a corpse, nor dwell and converse with any man mere-
^5^ THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
ly as corporeal, without respect to the soul that doth ani-
mate him, nor will he fall in love with a corpse ; so no man
that is spiritually wise (so far as he is so) will once look
upon any creature, much less converse with it, or fall in love
with it, barely as a creature, conceiving it as a thing that is
separated from God, or not positively conceiving of God as
animating it, and as being its Alpha and Omega, its Begin-
ing and End, its principal efficient, and ultimate, final
cause, at least. For this were to imagine the carcase of a
creature, and to conceive of it as such a thing as is not in
being. For out of the God of nature the creature is no-
thing, nor can do any thing ; for there is no such thing ;
even as out of Christ the Lord of spiritual life and grace,
the new creature is nothing, and we can do nothing: for
there is no such new creature.
You have here the very difference between a carnal and a
spiritual life. The carnal man doth see only the carcase of
the world, and is blind to God, and seeth not him, when he
seeth that which is animated by him. But the spiritual man
seeth God in and by the creature, and the creature is no-
thing to hini but in God. As an illiterate man doth look
upon a book, and seeth only the letters, and taketh plea-
sure in their shape and order, and falls a playing with it as
children do ; but he seeth not, nor understands the sense ;
and therefore if it contained the most noble mysteries of the
greatest promises, even such as his life did depend upon, he
loveth it not in any such respect ; nor doth he for that de-
light in it : but let a learned man have the perusing of the
same book, and though he may commend the clearness of
the character, yet it is the sense that he principally observeth
and the sense that he loveth, and the sense that he delighteth
in ; and therefore as the sense is incomparably more excellent
than the character simply considered, so it is a higher and
more excellent kind of knowledge and delight which he hath
in the book, than that which the illiterate hath. And indeed
it is an imaginary annihilation of the book, and of every cha-
racter of it, formally considered, toconceiveof it as separated
from the sense ; for the very essence of it, is to be a sign of
that sense ; and therefore as the illiterate cannot see the sense
of words and letters, the wood for trees, so the literate can
aee no such thing as words without sense, nor would regard
the materials but for this signifying use.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRlsr. 357
I have expressed the similitude ia more words than I us6
in such cases, because it much illustrateth our present mat-
ter. It was never the mind of God to make the great body
of this world to stand as a separated thing, or to be an idol.
He made all this for himself. The whole creation is one
entire volume, and the sense of every line is God. His name
is legible on every creature, and he that seeth not God in all
understandeth not the sense of the creation. As it is eternal
life to know God, so this God is the life of the creature
which we know, and the knowing of him in it is the life of
all our knowledge. The illiterate world doth gaze upon the
creatures, and fall in love with the outside and materials,
and play with it, but understandeth not a creature. By se-
parating it in their apprehensions from God, the sense, they
do annihilate the world to themselves, as to its principal use
and signification.
There are two texts of Scripture, among many others, of
which I have often thought, as notable descriptions of a
carnal man's life ; the one as to the privative part, and the
other as to the positive. One is Ephes. ii. 12. which calleth
them " Atheists, or without God in the world." They see
and know somewhat of the world, but God they neither see
nor know. They converse with the world, but not with
God. All their affections are let out upon the world, but
God hath none of them. All their business is about the
world ; but they live as if they had nothing to do with God.
As a scholar, if his master should stand in a corner of the
school to watch what he will do, will behave himself while
he seeth him not, as if he were not there ; he will play with
his fellows and talk to them, as if there were no master in
the school : so do the ungodly live in the world, as if there
were no God in the world ; they think, and speak, and deal
with the world, as if there were nothing but the world for
them to converse with. As for God, they know him not,
but carry themselves as if they had nothing to do with him ;
and ask in their hearts, as Pharaoh once did, " Who is the
Lord that I should serve him ?" And perhaps this made
David say, " the fool hath said in his heart there is no God ;"
Psal. xiv. 1. Though he speak it not positively, yet there is
a privative atheism, which is interpretatively to say, There
is no God. For he seeth him not, nor taketh any great no-
tice of him; but liveth as without him in the world. Not
358 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE M'ORLD
without him efficiently considered ; for so nothing can sub-
sist without him, but without him objectively considered.
" For God is not in all his thoughts;" (Psal. x.4,5.) and his
judgments are far above, out of his sight. God looketh
down upon the children of men, to see if there be any that
will understand and seek alter God ; but they are gone aside,
and are become filthy, and observe not him that observe th
them ;" Psal. xivr2,3. This is the case of poor worldlings,
from the highest prince to the lowest beggar. A great deal
of business they have in the world, some in seeking what
they want, and others in holding and enjoying what they
have ; but they all live as without God in the world. " Now
consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces,
and there be none to deliver you ;" Psal. 1. 22. " For the
wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that
forget God ;" ix. 17.
The other text that describeth the life of a mere natural
man, is Psal. xxxix. 6. to which you may join Psal. Ixxiii.
20. The former saith, " Surely every man walketh in a vain
show ; surely they are disquieted, or make a tumult and stir
in vain." Though the brevity of life itself may be something
here intended, yet that seemeth not to be all ; but also the
vanity of it, as it is a worldly life, and employed merely
about transitory creatures. For even on earth our spiritual
life of grace, and communion with God in Christ by the Spi-
rit, is not vain. The word which we translate a * vain show,'
signifieth the image, or shadow, or appearance, or figure of a
thing : a thing that is nothing, or not the thing it seems to
be, but the show of it ; or as the prophet himself expound-
eth it, a dream. Men do but seem to live, that live only on
and to the creature ; they do but seem to be rich, and have
no other riches ; and seem to have pleasure that have no
higher pleasures ; and seem to be honourable, that have but
the honour that comes from man. A great stir they make in
the world, to little purpose. They thrust themselves into
tumults, and quarrel, and fight, and some are conquered,
and others conquerors, and some lament, and others rejoice;
some walk dejectedly, and others domineer ; all is but a
vain show, or thing of naught. It is but like children's
games, where all is done in jest, and wise men account it
not worthy their observance. It is but like the acting of a
comedy, where great persons and actions are personated and
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 359
counterfeited ; and a pompous stir there is for a while, to
please the foolish spectators, that themselves may be pleas-
ed by their applause, and then they come down, and the
sport is ended, and they are as they were. The life of a
worldling is but like a puppet-play, where there is great do-
ings to little purpose. Or like the busy gadding of the la-
borious ants, to gather together a little sticks and straw,
which the spurn of a man's foot will soon disperse. Thus
do all worldly, sensual men walk in a vain show. By sepa-
rating the creature from God, they make it nothing ; and
then they study it, and dispute of it, and seek, and run, and
labour for it, when they have in a sort annihilated it. I
speak still of their objective separation * in esse cognito et
volito :' for a real separation is impossible, but as a real an-
nihilation may be so called. When they have separated the
characters of the great book of nature from God, who is their
sense, and made nothing of it, as to the form of a book, then
do they fall a playing with it, who could not endure to learn
on it. But when their Master comes to take an account of
their learning, the play will be at an end, and the sorrow
begins : and then they must remember and feel that their
book was given them to another use.
And this seems to be the sense of that oth6r text ; " As
a dream when one awaketh, so, O Lord, when thou awakest,
(or in awaking) thou shalt despise their image ;" Psal. Ixxiit.
20. Though our translators apply it to God's awaking, that
is, to judgment, yet many learned interpreters rather apply
the word * in awaking ' to the sinner's awaking at judgment,
out of the aforesaid dream of a sensual life. They do but
labour, and care, and gather as in a dream ; they fight, and
conquer, and possess but as in a dream. They dream that
they are rich, and honourable, and happy, and how proudly
do they carry it out in this dream. One dreameth that he
is a great man, and he is lifted up ; another dreameth that
he is poor and undone, and he .is troubled ; but when God
awaketh the dreaming world, he will show them the vanity
and despicableness of this image or shew that here they
walked in. They shall see that, as in a game at chess, though
one was imaginarily a king, and another a queen, yet it wa§
but imaginary; and when the tedious game is ended, they
have laboured hard to do nothing, and are all alike; so will
it be with them. The meaning is not only that God himself
360 THE CRUCIFYINO OP THE WORLD
* will despise this their show or imaginary employments and
enjoyments ; but that he will make them appear despicable
to themselves and all the world.
Truly brethren, all that we have to do with the world in
a separated sense, as without God, is such a game, a dream,
a show. When scholars are thus studying their physics or
metaphysics, or any thing of the creature, as separated from
God, yea, or as not studying God in that creature, they are
but playing the children and fools : they are like a printer
that cannot read, (if there were such a man,) that studieth
how to shape his letters, when he knoweth not what a letter
meaneth. When they are disputing in the schools about
God's works, in this separated sort, as without God, they
are busily playing the idiots, and taking the name of God in
vain, and making a learned stir about nothing.
And here, I pray you, mark the different successes of a
sensual, and of a sanctified study and knowledge. The first
sinner, by seeking to know and enjoy the creature in a se-
parated sort, did lose God who was his all, and made the
creature his all ; and thereby, as to its signification and prin-
cipal use, did to himself annihilate it. And in this path do
all his posterity walk, till faith recover them ; and this is
their vain show, and their living without God in the world.
But when faith hath opened a man's eyes, and shewed him
God in every creature, who was hid from him before, then is
the creature, who was before his all, annihilated to him in
that separated sense, and God becomes his all again : and
this annihilation of the creature, is indeed its restoration
objectively to its primitive nature and use ; and it was not
indeed known or respected as a creature till now. So that
sensual men, by making the creature an imaginary god, or
chiefest good, or all, do make it indeed objectively become
nothing ; and so their all, their god, their felicity is nothing ;
and so all their life is a nothing. When as the faithful, by
crucifying or annihilating the creature, as it would appear a
felicity to us, or any good, as separated from God, do re-
store it to its true objective being and use, by returning to
God, who is truly all, and in whom the creature is a derived
imperfect something, and out of whom it is indeed a nothing.
I will further illustrate it by one other similitude. God
gave the ceremonial law by Moses to the Israelites, to be an
obscure Gospel, and to lead them unto Christ. The sacri-
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 361
fices, and other typical ceremonies were the letters of the
law, and Christ was the sense. The true believers thus un-
derstood and used them ; but the carnal Jews looked only
on the letter, and lost the sense : and thus separating the
bare letter from the sense, that is, the legal works from
Christ, they thought to be justified by those works, and by
the law, in that separated sense. But the apostle Paul doth
plead against this error, and tells them that Christ is the end
of the law to all believers, and that he is the fulfilling of it ;
and that through him it is fulfilled in those that walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit ; and that by the deeds of
the law, in this separated sense, no flesh can be justified ;
and that the letter, separated from the sense of it, killeth ;
but Christ, by his Spirit, who is the sense of it, giveth life.
If these Jews had taken and used the law as God intended
it, and had taken the sense and spirit with the letter, and had
understood that Christ was the very life, and end, and all of
the law, Paul would never have cried down the law, nor jus-
tification by it, in this sense ; that had been to cry down
justification by Christ. But it was justification by the let-
ter, or the law as separated from Christ, who was the mean-
ing of it. So is it in our present case. The creature is the
letter, and God the sense ; and carnal men do understand
only the letter of the creature, and fall in love with it : and
thu&God crieth down the world, and vilifieth, and speaketh
contemptuously of the world : when as if it had not been for
the separation, he would never have cried it down, nor spok-
en a hard word of it. As the law had never been so hardly
spoken of, if the misunderstanding Jew had not separated
it from Christ. So the world had never been so often called
vanity, and a lie, and nothing, and a dream, and that which
is not bread, and that which profiteth not, a shadow, a de-
ceiver, with abundance of the like contemptuous terms, if
carnal sinners had not in their minds and affections sepa-
rated it from God.
J And thus I have shewed you in what respects the world
must be crucified.
And let me add in the conclusion, as most necessary for
your observation, that there is in the world an inseparable
aptitude to tempt us dangerously to the aforesaid abuse ;
and therefore when we have done all that we can in crucify-
ing and sublimating it, we must never imagine that we can
362 THE CRUCIFYING OF ^I'HE WOULD
make it so wholesome or harmless a thing, as that we may
feed upon it without great caution and suspicion, or ever re-
turn to friendship with it again, till fire have refined it, and
grace hath perfectly refined us» And yet this is not long of
the creature without us, but of us and the tempter. The
world is in itself good, as being the work of God ; and it
cannot be the proper, efficient, culpable cause of our sin :
for it hath no sin in itself. (I mean the world, as distinct
from the men of the world) ; and therefore cannot be the
direct cause of sin. But yet there is that in it, which is apt
to be the matter of our temptation ; and so apt, as that all
that perish do perish by the world. As there is no salvation
but by the whole Trinity conjunct, who have each person
his several office for our recovery ; so there is no damnation
but by the whole infernal trinity, the flesh, the world and
the devil : even to innocent Adam the world must be the
bait, and satan found somewhat in it, that made it apt for
such an office, though nothing but what was very good.
But now that the flesh is become the predominant part and
power in us, as it is in all till the Spirit overcome it, the case
ia much worse, and the world is incomparably a more dan-
gerous enemy than to Adam it could be. For though still
the creature be good in itself, yet we are so bad, that the
better the creature is, the worse it becomes to us : for we
are naturally propense to it in its separated capacity, and all
men till regeneration are fond of it as their felicity, and hug
it as their dearest good, and sacrifice to it as their idol. So
that an enemy it is, and an enemy it will be when we have
done our best, as long as we are on earth. For while we
have a flesh that would fain be pleased by that which God
forbiddeth, and there is a devil to ofler us the bait, and tempt
us to this flesh-pleasing, the world, which is the bait, will
still be the matter and occasion of our danger. The consi-
deration of this may cut the throat of licentious principles,
and hence we may answer the most of their vain, pretended
reasons, who, under the cloke of Christian liberty, would
again indulge the flesh, and be reconciled to the world. But
certainly it will never lay by its enmity till we lay by our
ftesh ; and therefore there are no thoughts to be entertained
of closing with it any more ; but we must be killing it, and
dying to it to the last.
Having thus shewed you in what respect the world must
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 363
be crucified, and so resolved the question as to the object,
I am next to resolve it as to the act, and shew you wherein
the crucifying it doth consist.
The apostle foUoweth on the allegory, which he took oc-
casion of from the mention of the cross of Christ. From
thence therefore we must also fetch the proper sense. As
the world did use Christ, or would have used him, so we
must use the world. Not actually murder the sons of death,
as they did murder the Lord of life ; but what Christ was
on the cross in their eye, that must the world be esteemed
in our eyes.
To take it in order. 1. The predictions of the prophets
before Christ's coming, were not regarded by the unbeliev-
ing Jews, but the prophets themselves persecuted.
So those that would persuade us of the felicity of any
worldly enjoyments, and by extolling sensual pleasures, or
profits, or honours, would draw our hearts to them, should
be despised and esteemed as deceivers by us. No man is.
more serviceable to the devil for our destruction, than they
that applaud any sensual vanity, and would make us believe
what great matters are to be expected from the world, and
so would be the panders of it to entice to its unchaste em-
bracements. Remember this, when any would persuade
you what a fine thing it is to be rich and great, and some-
body in the world ; what a merry life it is to drink, and sport
away your time : these are the prophets and apostles of the
devil and the world, and let them be regarded by you ac-
cordingly.
2. As soon as Christ was born into the world, his best
place of entertainment was a common inn ; and there he
could have room but in a stable and in a manger ; the world
would allow him no better accommodation ; and this was the
welcome that it first afforded him.
Here you have two notable Directions for your usage of
the world. 1 . Begin to renounce it betimes, as it did Christ,
As the world rejected Christ an infant, so we in our infancy
must reject the world. This is to be solemnly performed in
baptism ; where, as we are engaged to the saving Trinity, and
baptized into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
so must we solemnly renounce the damning trinity, even the
flesh, the world and the devil : for so the church hath ever
done, and the nature of the thing doth manifestly require it ;
.164 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
for the ' motus ' must have its ' terminus a quo,' as well as
*ad quern.' It is a sad thing that so many well-meaning
men should deny our infant capacity of this engagement ;
but much more sad that they should do it with such church-
dividing zeal, as if the kingdom of God lay in the exclusion
of the seed of believers out of it. If it be true that all our
infant seed are excluded from the church, I am sure it is so
sad a truth, that methinks men should not so eagerly lay
hold of it, before they have better evidence to evince it. It
was once a mercy for infants to be in covenant with God,
and members of his church ; and I do not think that it is
now a mercy to be out, or that the kingdom of the devil is
the more desirable state ; (and all men are in one of these).
Sure I am, they were once members of the church by God's
appointment, and they- that say they are cast out, must prove
it, and better than any that yet have attempted it, if they
would have judicious, considerate, impartial men believe
them. Whoever cast them out, sure Christ would not, that
did so much enlarge the church and better its state, and ma-
nifest more abundant mercy, and chide his disciples that
kept such from him, and proclaimed that his kingdom was
of such. I am not easily persuaded that the Head and King
of the church hath actually gathered a society of a false con-
stitution so long, and that he that is so tender of his church,
and hath bought it so dearly, and ruled it so faithfully, had
never a true constituted, visible church, till about two hun-
dred years ago, among a few such as I have no mind to des-
cribe, and that we must now have a new and true church-
frame to begin, when the world is almost at an end : and
that this glory, reserved for our last days, consisteth in
casting out our infant seed, and leaving them in the visible
kingdom of the devil, till they come to age. I am more out
of doubt than ever I was, that God would have our infants
renounce the world, and be dedicated unto him, as the
world did renounce Christ an infant. If an infant Christ
must be the Head of the church, I know not why an infant
sinner may not be a member of it : and as the world without
reason, through malice, rejected our infant Head ; so God
will find both reason and love to receive and entertain his
infant members. And as long as we have God's express ap-
probation in his word, for parents' entering their children
into his covenant, and have the examples of all nations by
BY THli CROSS OF CHRIST. 866
the law of nature, allowing parents to enter their children
into covenants which are apparently for their good, and to
put their names into their leases with their own, we shall not
think our infants incapable of covenanting with God, nor of
making this early abrenunciation of the world.
2. From hence also you may learn what room it is that
the world should be allowed by you, even the stable and the
manger, as it allowed Christ. This is a point of most ne-
cessary consideration. The soul of man hatH its several fa-
culties : as vegetative, it hath its natural parts, and spirits,
and powers, and a natural appetite after the creature. This
is, the stable and the manger, where the creature, as a good,
may be entertained : it hath also a sensitive, its power of
sensation, and sensitive appetite. This also may entertain
the creature ; but not for itself, nor by its own conduct ;
but under the guidance of reason to a higher end. But the
high and noble faculty of reason, and the rational appetite,
may not allow it the least entertainment in its separated ca-
pacity, as we are now discoursing of it. It belongeth not
to the natural or sensitive powers to see and love God in the
creature ; and therefore it cannot be required of them ; and
therefore they may receive their objects, (moderate by rea-
son,) upon lower terms. But it is the office of reason, as to
moderate the senses, so to behold God in all the objects of
sense : and no otherwise should it have to do with sensual
objects, of which more anon.
3. It was not long that Christ had been in the world be-
fore Herod sought his life, and caused him to fly into Egypt.
And as soon as we are capable of assaulting the world, we
must actually fall upon it, and seek the extirpation of all its
interest from our hearts, where Christ sets up his throne.
It was for fear of losing his crown, that Herod sought
the death of Christ. It must be for fear lest Christ should
be dethroned in our hearts, and lose his regal interest, and
lest we should lose the crown of glory, that we must endea-
vour the crucifying of the world.
When angels and wise men did worship Christ, yet He-
rod did seek his death, and the more seek it, because of
their acclamations, as being brought into jealousies of him
by the titles which they gave him. So when the princes and
great ones of the earth do extol the world, and magnify its,
36f) THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
glory, we must be raised hereby into the greater suspicion
of it, and the more resolvedly set against it.
As Herod did put to death even the innocent children,
lest Christ should escape, that so he might make sure work
for his crown ; so must we subdue our sensual desires, by
denying them sometimes even in lawful things, lest we
should be carried to that which is unlawful before we are
aware ; and we must avoid the very occasions and ap-
pearances of evil, and restrain ourselves in the liberty that
we might take, and not go as near the brink of danger as we
dare : for it concerneth us to make sure work where the
reign of Christ and our own salvation is so much concerned,
as in our victory over the world it is.
4. The whole life of Christ on earth was one continued
conflict with the world. They believed not on him even
when they saw his miracles. They hated him even while he
did them good. They afforded him not a settled habitation.
So, in the height of its glory, the world must not be trusted
by us. Though it afford us sustenance for our outward man,
yet must we hate it ; and we must allow it no settled en-
tertainment in our hearts.
Christ was in the world, and the world was made by him,
and yet it knew him not ; John i. 10. We converse in the
world, and our outward man must live by it, as in it we re-
ceived our life, and yet we must not know it in its separated
capacity : the world could not hate them that were of the
world ; but Christ it hated, because he was not of it ; John
vii. 7. XV. 18, 19. xvii. 14. So must we hate the world,
because it is not of that nature, nor for that interest as the
new creature is, though worldlings that are of it cannot
hate it.
The nearer Christ was to the end of his life, the more
cruelly and maliciously did the world use him. And the
nearer we are to our parting with the world, the more must
we contemn and hate it.
5. The world did arraign and condemn Christ as a ma-
lefactor : they charged him to be a deceiver, and one that
did his mighty works by the power of Beelzebub. So must
we justly charge the world to be a deceiver, and work its
strange, stupendous delusions by the power of satan the
great deceiver, and as a malefactor must we attach, arraign
and condemn it. They came out against Christ with swords
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 367
and staves ; Matt. xxvi. 55. We must come out against the
world as that great thief that would rob God of his honour
and interest, Christ of his kingdom, and us of our salva-
tion, and, by the sword of the Spirit, must disarm and
conquer it.
The world judged Christ to be a blasphemer, and guilty
of death, because he said that he was the Son of God, and
should sit at his right hand. We must condemn the world
of blasphemous usurpation, that would needs become our
God, and usurp the divine prerogatives and honours.
They spit upon Christ in token of hatred and contempt.
And we must as it were spit at the pleasures, and profits,
and honours of the world, and manifest our defiance, and
hatred, and contempt of them.
They buffeted Christ in manifestation of their malicious
enmity. And the world and our flesh must not escape our
hands ; though our war be but defensive, yet must we offend
that we may defend. " So fight I, (saith Paul, 1 Cor. ix
26, 27.) not as one that beateth the air, (that maketh a show
of enmity when there is none, as children in sport, or fencers
that have no intent to kill,) but I keep under my body, and
bring it into subjection ; lest that by any means when I
have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
virwinaZ,(x) fis to orw^a Kai BovXaytoyw. The first verb sigui-
fieth to buffet and beat black and blue, as we say, ' Et validis
ictibus subjicere reluctantem,' as Beza speaks, and the se-
cond verb signifieth to bring into servitude, or into the state
of a servant, which is indeed the very work that we have to
do with the flesh and the world.
They reproached Christ when they had smote him, and
tauntingly bid him " prophesy who smote him." And the
world and all the idols of it deserve no better of us, when
they will usurp the place of God ; and we may well scorn
such a god, as Elias did Baal, and as God useth to do by the
idols of the heathen. Fine gods indeed, that can neither
save themselves nor us.
The world did strip Christ, and put on him a robe and a
crown of thorns, and a reed into his hand, and again spit
upon him and mocked him. And this contempt in our ap-
prehensions must we cast upon the arrogant world ; we must
strip it of its vain show, and give it the honour of a reed for
levity, and of thorns for unprofitableness and vexation ; for
3(J8 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
as thorns it vexeth when it promiseth felicity, and as thorns
it choketh that word of truth, and as a reed it is shaken with
every wind.
No backwardness of the judge, and no intercession of
his wife, could rescue Christ from the malice of the Jews ;
but the more is said for him, the more they cry, " Crucify
him." And as resolvedly must we persecute the world.
No intercession of our flesh, or backwardness of carnal rea-
son, must take us off; but we must be content with nothing
but its crucifying.
When Pilate drew back, they knocked all dead with this
malicious voice, Johnxix. 12. "If thou let this mango,
thou art not Caesar's friend : whosoever maketh himself a
king, speaketh against Caesar." So must we quicken and
provoke our reason by arguments drawn from our fidelity to
Christ, and say, ' If we favour this world, we are not the
friends of Christ; for whatsoever would make itself our
king, and our felicity, and would steal away our hearts, is
not Christ's friend.'
When Pilate saith, " Shall I crucify your king ?" they
cry out, " we have no king but Caesar." And when the
flesh or carnal reason saith, " W^ill you cast away your com-
forts, your peace, your happiness, your lives V we must say,
* We have no comfort but Christ, no peace but Christ, no
happiness, no life but what is in Christ.'
The world crucified Christ between two thieves. And
we must crucify the world between two thieves ; viz. the
flesh on the one hand, and the devil on the other, which
would both have robbed God and us ; though through the
power of a crucified Christ, the one of these, even the flesh,
may be so refined as to be admitted into paradise.
The world writ over the head of Christ as the cause of his
death, " King of the Jews." And we must write this over
the crucified world, ' This is it that would have been our
king, and god, and happiness : so let all thine enemies pe-
rish, O Lord.' We must pierce the very sides of it, and let
out its heart-blood. We must nail its hands and feet, the
very instruments or means by which it executed its deceits.
We must give it the gall and vinegar of penitent tears, and
threatened judgments. The world thus "despised and re-
jected Christ, making him a man of sorrows and acquainted
with our griefs j they hid their faces and esteemed him not.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 360
He had no form or comeliness in their eyes, and when they
saw him, there was no beauty that they should desire him ;"
Isa. liii. 2,3. So must we despise and reject the world, and
hide our faces from it, and not esteem it, disdaining even to
look upon its pomp and vanity, and to observe its gaudy al-
luring dre^s, or once to regard its enticing charms. We
must think it all into a loathsome vanity, till there appear to
us no form or comeliness in it, nor any beauty that we should
desire it, and wonder what they can see in it that so far
dote upon it, as to part with Christ and salvation to enjoy it.
The world did even triumph over a crucified Christ, and
shake their heads at him, and say, " He saved others, but
himself he cannot save." And we must triumph through '
Christ over the crucified world, and say. This is it that pro-
mised such great matters to its deceived followers ; that
men esteemed before God and glory ; and now, as it cannot
save them from the dust, or the wrath of God, so neither
can it save itself from this contempt that Christ doth cast
upon it. Cast down this idol out of your hearts, and say.
If he be a god let him help himself.
Lastly, The world when they had crucified Christ did
bury him, and roll a stone on his sepulchre, and seal it up,
and watch it with soldiers to secure him from rising again,
if they could. And we must even bury the crucified world,
and be buried to the world, and lay upon it those weighty
considerations and resolutions, and seal thereto with sacra-
mental obligations, and follow all this with persevering
watchfulness, that may never permit it to revive and rise
again.
And thus must we learn from the cross of Christ, haw
the world is to be crucified ; as it used Christ, we must use
it. For it is the whole course of Christ's humiliation that
is meant here by his cross, the rest being denominated from
the most eminent part ; and therefore from the whole must
we fetch our pattern and instructions, by the direction of
the allegory in my text.
But it will not be unprofitable if we more particularly
and orderly acquaint you with those acts, which the crucify-
ing of the world to ourselves doth comprehend ; overpassing
those by which Christ did it for us on the cross, till anon in
the due place.
VOL. IX. B B
«370 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
1. The first act is. To esteem the world as an enemy to
God and us, and so as a malefactor that deserveth to be cru-
cified. And this must not be only by a speculative con-
ception, but by a true, confirmed, practical judgment, which
will set all the powers of the soul on work. It is the want
of this that makes the world to live and reign in the hearts
of so many, yea, even of thousands that think they have mor-
tified it. A speculative book-knowledge that will only
make a man talk, is taken instead of a practical knowledge.
Almost every man will say, the world is a great enemy to
God and us ; but did they soundly and heartily esteem it
to be such, they would use it as such. Never tell me that
that man takes the world for his deadly enemy, who useth it
as his dearest friend ; enmity, and deadly enmity, will be
seen. Here is no room to plead the command of loving our
enemies ; at least, no man can think that he must love it
with a love of friendship, and therefore with no love but
what is consistent with the hatred of a deadly enemy. This
serious, deep apprehension of enmity is the very spring and
poise of all our opposition. We cannot heartily fight with
our friend, or seek his death. There must be some anger
and falling out before we will make the first assault : and a
settled enmity before we will make a deadly war of it. This
apprehension of enmity consisteth in an apprehension of
the hurtfulness of the world to us, and of the opposition it
maketh against God and our salvation, and of the danger that
we are in continually by reason of this opposition. So far
as men conceive of the world as good for them, so far they
take it for their friend, and love it. For no man can choose
but love that which he seriously conceiveth to be good for
him. This complacency is clean contrary to the Christian
hostility. But when we conceive of it as that which we
stand in continual danger of being everlastingly undone by,
this will turn our hearts against it. It undoes men that
they have not these apprehensions of the world, and that
deeply fixed and habituated in their minds. For it is the
apprehension or judgment of things that carrieth about the
whole man, and setteth awork all the other faculties.
Quest. ' But what should we do to be habitually appre-
hensive that the world is our enemy?'
Answ. 1. You must be sure that you lay up your trea-
sure in heaven : that you are so convinced by faith of the
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 371
glory to come, and of the true felicity that consisteth in the
fruition of God, as that you take it for your portion, and
make it your very end. And when once you have laid up
your hopes in heaven, and see that there or nowhere you
must be happy, this will presently teach you to judge of all
things else, as they either help or hinder the attainment of
that end. For it is the nature of the end to put a due esti-
mate upon all things else : and it is the property of the chief
good, to denominate all other things either good or evil, and
that in a greater or lesser measure, according as they res-
pect that chiefest good. For there can be no goodness in
any thing else, but the goodness of a means ; and the means
is so far good, as it is apt and useful for the attainment of
the end. If once therefore you unfeignedly take God and
glory for your end and felicity, you will presently fall upon
inquiry and observation, what it is that the world will do to
help or hinder that felicity.
2. And then you need but one thing more to the disco-
very of the enmity ; and that is, the constant experience of
your souls. A real living Christian doth live for God, and is
upon the motion to his eternal home ; there is his heart, and
that way his affections daily work : when he findeth his soul
down, he windeth it up again, and straineth the spring of
faith and love. And therefore his life and business being
for heaven, he cannot but be sensible of the rubs that are in
his way, and take notice of those things that would stop him
in this course. Whereupon he must needs find by constant
experience that the world is that great impediment, and so
must be apprehensive of the enmity of the world. For as
he that loveth God and waiteth for the sight of his face in
glory, must needs take all that to be against him, and naught
for him, that would keep him from God, and deprive him of
that beatifical vision ; so he that knoweth what it is to love
God, must needs know by constant, sad experience, that
the world is the great withdrawer or hinderer of that love.
When he sets himself in any holy employment to mount his
soul into a more heavenly frame, and to get a little nearer
God, he feeleth himself too much entangled with inferior
objects ; these are the weight that presseth down, and the wa-
ter that quencheth the sacred flames ; and were it not for
these, O how much higher might our souls attain, and how
much freer might we be for God? For it is a thing most
372 THE CRUCIFYING OF THJv WORLD
certain by our constant experience, that the more of the
world is upon our hearts, the less there is of God; and the
more of God, the less of the world. So that these two means
alone, — the sincere intending of God and glory as our end,
and daily observation of our own hearts, will easily convince
us that the world is our great enemy. And when we tho-
roughly apprehend it to be our enemy, we have begun to
crucify it.
3. The next act by which the world is crucified, is, a
deep, habituated apprehension of its unworthiness and in-
sufficiency. As the opposing world must be taken for an
enemy, so the promising, alluring world must be taken, as
it is, for an empty thing. The life and reign of the world
in the unsanctified, lieth first in their too high estimation of
it. They think of it as good, and good to them, and as a
matter of some considerable worth ; and though they will
say with their tongues that heaven is better, yet all things
considered, they take the world to be more suitable to them,
and therefore they desire it more. For heaven is out of
sight, and beyond their apprehension and affection, and as
they imagine, it is not so certain as the things which they
see, and feel, and possess. And therefore they resolve to
grasp as much of the creature as they can, and take that
which they can get in hand, and then if there be a heaven,
they hope they may have their part in it, as well as others.
But saving illumination doth put men into another mind.
It makes them see, that the invisible things are of greater
certainty than the visible, and that a promise without pos-
session, is better security than possession without a pro-
mise ; and that for the worth and goodness between eternal
things and temporal, there can be no comparison. If the
world would have been content to have kept its place, and
to have borrowed all its honour and esteem from God and
glory, as the end for which it must be used and regarded, it
might then have had the honour of being serviceable to our
salvation, and to our Master's work. But seeing it will
needs be a competitor with heaven, it thereby disrobeth it-
self of its glory, and becometh a vile, contemptible thing :
and so must it be esteemed by all the friends of God. A
sound believer looks on the world, as the world looked on
Christ when he hanged on the cross, not only as a malefactor
' hut as a contemptible thing. And as the world esteemeth
BY THE CKOSS OF CHRIST. 373
the saints themselves to be hypocrites, deceivers, fools,
weak, despised, a spectacle to the world, yea, as the filth of
the world, and the oftscouring of all things ; so must the
believer esteem the world, as seeming to be what it is not, as
a weak and insufficient thing, as the wepiKaOdpfiaTa koi
7ravT(t)v TTEpixpriina, iCor.iv. 11 — 13, the very filth of the
streets that is swept away, or cast upon the dunghill ; or as
a thing devoted to death for the averting of an imminent
judgment. Paul's judgment is in a prevalent degree the
judgment of every gracious soul ; "What things were gain
to me, those I counted loss for Christ : yea, doubtless, and
I count all things but loss for the excellency of the know-
ledge of Christ Jesus my Lord ; for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I
may win Christ;" Phil.iii.7, 8. Were the world but thus
conceived of by a practical judgment, it were half crucified
already. If men did verily think that the world is their loss,
they would love it less, and less greedily seek after it, than
now most do. Gehazi would not have ru'n after Naaman
for his money, if he had thought it had been his loss. Achan
would not have hidden the forbidden gold, as a treasure, if
he had thought it had been his loss. Who would be at so
much care and pains for their loss, as worldlings and sen-
sualists are for their delights? And if the judgment did
once esteem the world as dung, they would not be so greedy
for it, nor put it into their bosoms. Who would fall in love
with dung, or dote upon filth or dog's-meat? As the judg-
ment doth esteem it, the affections will be towards it. And
they that know not of a better condition, will value this as
the best, though common reason will call it vanity. But
they that by faith have found out the true felicity, have low
and contemptuous thoughts of the world. O what a carcase
what a shadow is it in their eyes ! What a poor, low thing
is it which the sons of men do tire themselves in seeking
after! What a dunghill do they wallow in, as if it were a
bed of roses! What deformities do they dote upon, as if
they were the most real beauties ! A toad abhorreth not the
company of a toad ; but shall not a man abhor it ? But we
shall have occasion of saying more to this in the applica-
tion.
3. The third act by which we crucify the world, is a kind
of annihilation of it to ourselves; in our conceptions taking
374 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
it as a very nothing, so far as it would be something separa-
ted from God, or co-ordinate with him. How oft doth the
Scripture call it vanity, a dream, a vain show, a shadow, yea,
nothing, yea, and less than nothing before God, and lighter
than vanity itself; Isai. xl. 17. Psal. Ixii. 9. Jobvi.21.
The princes of the earth, who are something in the eyes of
themselves and others, appear as nothing when God lets out
his wrath upon thein ; Isai. xxxiv. 12. Even as the straw
when the fire hath consumed it, or the fairest buildings when
it hath turned them to ashes. For though the world be re-
ally something, yet, 1. In regard of the eflPects which itpro-
miseth to seduced worldlings, it may be called nothing.
For that which can do nothing for us in our extremity,
which hath no power, to relieve or satisfy us, which leaveth
the soul empty, and deceiveth them that trust it, may well
be called nothing in effect : * In genere boni/ that which
can do us no good, is nothing to us. Let a needy soul be-
take himself to the world for comfort under the burden of
sin, for quiet and true peace to a wounded conscience, and
you will find it can do nothing. Seek to it for grace or
strength against corruptions and temptations, and you will
find it can do nothing. Cry to it for succour in the depth
of your affliction, and at the hour of death, and try whether
it will present you acceptable unto God, and bring your de-
parted souls with boldness to his presence, and you will find
that it can do nothing ! Whatever it promiseth, and what-
ever it seemeth to deluded sinners, when you look for any
real good from it, you will find it can do nothing : and
therefore you may well take it as a mere nothing to you.
2. And 'in esse objectivo' we may make nothing of it, by
excluding it from any room in our souls, as to those acts
that do not belong to it. 3. And as a separated being, in-
dependent as to God, so it is indeed nothing, for there is
no such thing : much less as it is a separated good or felicity
to man. Annihilate then the world to yourselves. When
it would appear to you to be what it is not, and would pro-
mise you to do what it cannot, let it be as nothing to you.
Conceive of it as of a shadow, or a thing that seemeth to
be and is not. Could you once make nothing of it, it would
have no power over you, nor any unhappy effects upon you.
You would not dote upon a known nothing, nor change your
(^od and glory for nothing. As .Tob saith of the wicked.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST.'i » 375
" He openeth his eyes, and he is not ;" Jobxxvii. 19. so we
may say of the world : when we open our eyes, we shall see
that it is not : that which before seemed nothing to us, will
appear to be all things; and the world, that seemed all
things, will be nothing.
The sum of all that hath been said is this : The oppos-
ing world must be apprehended as an enemy to God and us,
and so far hated. The glozing world appearing as our feli-
city, or a competitor with God, must be conceived of as
worthless, and contemned : and the world as it would appear
as a separated good, being any thing to us, or having any
thing for us, out of God, must be annihilated in our concep-
tions, and taken as nothing.
We are next briefly to shew you, how it is that we are
crucified to the world ; having shewed you how the world
is crucified to us. And in general the meaning is, that we
af-e as dead or crucified men to it, in regard of those fore-
mentioned unjust respects, in which the tempter would pre-
sent it to us. So that * crucified' here is put for the absence
of that action and worldly disposition, which carnal men are
guilty of. So that it is a moral, and not a natural death,
that is here mentioned ; and observably diifereth from a na-
tural in these respects.
1 . A natural death destroyeth the very powers or faculties
of acting. But a moral death only destroyeth the disposi-
tion and action itself, but not any natural power.
2.' A natural death is involuntary ; and in itself is nei-
ther a virtue nor a vice ; neither morally good or evil. But
a moral death is principally in the will itself, and nothing is
more voluntary, and so it is the principal virtue or vice. To
be dead in sin and to God, is the sum of all evil. And to
be dead to sin and the world, in Christ, is the sum of moral
good.
3. Natural death hath no degree of life remaining (sav-
ing of the separated soul). But moral death may consist
with much of the contrary life. For it is denominated from
the predominant habits of the soul ; which may stand with
much of the contrary habit, though subdued. We cannot
therefore gather that Paul was absolutely free from all sin,
because he was dead to it, or crucified to the world. For
this is a moral death consisting in a conquest of the enemy;
who may be said to be dead, because he is overcome ; and
376 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
consisting in the prevalent habits of thesout, which yet may
have too much of the remnants of their contraries.
More particularly, 1. Ifw^e are crucified to the world,
our undue estimation of the world is crucified. We have
no idolizing, overvaluing regard to it, (in that measure as
we are dead to it). As the world do not regard the works
of the Lord,(Psal. xxviii. 5. Jer. v. 12.) so the saints do not
regard the things of the world. The life of faith so elevate
their spirits, that they are mounted up above the creature,
and look not upon the world ; or look upon it as a despi-
cable thing. They are above that which is the delight and
employment of others ; and that which the sensual call fe-
licity, they still call vanity. And as a man's stomach
abhorreth that which a dog or swine will greedily devour,
so the soul of a believer doth despise and abhor the delights
of the ungodly. As pride makes the rich look contemp-
tuously and disregardfully upon the poor, so the holy
elevation of believing souls, doth make them look contemp-
tuously and disregardfully upon all the glory of the world.
As faith doth bring them up to God, and make him their
object and their all, so doth it make them somewhat like
him, and minded as he is minded. And as God "regardeth
not persons, (Deut. x. 17.) nor accepteth the persons of
princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor, (Job
xxxiv. 19.) but is pleased more in the least of his image on
the humble, faithful soul, than with all the glittering glory of
the world ; so is it in their measure with his people. Where
they see nothing of God, they feel no substance ; but so far
as God appeareth to them in any creature, or action, or any
means or benefit which they possess, so far they perceive
some substance in it. As " the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit, nor can know them, because they
are spiritually discerned," (1 Cor. ii. 14.) so the spiritual
man hath shut up his senses to the world, and lost his per-
ception of them, because they are carnally so discerned.
The carnal man hath his senses quick in discerning and fa-
vouring the things of the flesh, but to the things of the Spi-
rit he is dead and senseless. And contrarily the spiritual
man is dead and senseless to the things of the flesh, and
hath no savour in those things that are other men's delights;
Rom. viii. 5, 6. 10. He tasteth no more sweetness in their
pleasures than in a chip. He wonders what they can see or
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 377
taste in the things of the world, that they so run after it.
To be rich or poor, do but little differ in his eyes. To be
high or low is all one to him, considering these things as
accommodations to the flesh ; though still he valueth any
condition according to the respect it hath to God, and so
that is the best condition to him that best accommodateth
and advantageth him for God's service. He taketh the
flesh's interest to be none of his interest ; and therefore that
which only concerneth the flesh, concerneth not him. And
therefore he looketh in this regard upon a high estate or
low, as nothing to him. Let God dispose of him as he
please, that is God's work and not his. He hath " learned
in whatever state he is, therewith to be content. He knows
how to be abased, and he knows how to abound ; every
where, and in all things he is instructed, both to be full and
to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need ;" Phil. iv.
11, 12. If you applaud and honour him, he takes it but as
if you breathed on him ; at the best it is but a sweeter kind
of breath. And if you vilify, and reproach, and unjustly
condemn him, he takes it for no great hurt. For " with him
it is a very small thing to be judged of man, and at man's
bar; for he that judgeth him is the Lord;" 1 Cor. iv.3, 4.
Nay, what if I said that if you imprison him, threaten him,
torment him, yea, put him to death, he doth not much regard
it, nor make any great matter of it, so far as he is crucified
to the world. How joyfully could Paul and Silas sing in
the stocks, when their bodies were sore with scourging ?
Actsxvi. What a rapture of joyful praises did the apostles
break forth into, when they were threatened by the priests
and elders? chap. iv. 21. 24. I will add but two more in-
stances, Dan. iii. The three Jews that were threatened with
a furnace of fire, are accused for not regarding the king, ver.
12. and their own answer is, " We are not careful to answer
thee in this matter. If it be so, the God whom we serve is
able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace, and he
will deliver us out of thy hand, O king. But if not, be it
known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy Gods ;"
ver. 16, 17. And sure they that " would not accept of deli-
verance when they were tortured," Heb. xi. 35. did set little
by it in comparison of that better resurrection which they
hoped for. As Christ said of satan, " The prince of this
world hath nothing in me ;" John xiv. 30. so in our mea-
378 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
sure, so far as we are dead with Christ, the world hath no-
thing in us : no interest, no carnal life to work upon, and
therefore is unable to do any thing with us. Our undue
estimation of the world is crucified. This is the first
part.
2. If we are crucified to the world, our inordinate cogi-
tations of the world are crucified. We must not give it that
room in our fancies or power over them, as they have with
other men. We should not indeed allow the creature one
thought either for itself, and terminated finally in itself, nor
as separated from God. Much less should we have so
frequent and so pleasant or passionate thoughts of it as
most have. But of this more in the application.
3. To be crucified to the world, is to have affections dead
about worldly things. That which is vile in our estimation,
will be ineffectual in our affections. I shall briefly instance
in some particulars.
(1.) Our love to the world is crucified, if we be crucified
to the world. As this is the great affection which God
claimej:h for himself, and which he maketh the seat of his
most excellent grace ; so is it that which he is most jea-
lous of, and will least allow the creature to partake of; and
the misemployment of it is the greatest sin, as the right em-
ployment of it is the greatest duty. " Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world ;" 1 John ii. 15.
This is a plain and flat Command. If the world be not ap-
prehended by the understanding to be our good, it will not
be embraced by the will, nor be loved. Perhaps you will
say, * Though it be not our chief good, yet it is good, and
therefore may be loved, though not chiefly loved.' To
which I answer, that in the senses before disclaimed, it is
none of our good at all. It hath no goodness to us in it,
but the good of a means, which is respective to the end ;
and therefore we must have no love to it but that which is
due to the means. God therefore being our end, we must
love the world only for his sake, as it cometh from him, and
leadeth to him. The least love to the world for itself, is
idolatrous. As you may not allow another woman the least
conjugal affections, though you allow your wife more, with-
out some guilt of unchastity, so you may not in the least
measure love the creature for itself, without some guilt of
spiritual unchastity. If God must be loved with all the heart.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. ' 379
and soul, and strength, then there is none left for any co-
partner whatsoever. When we love any thing but as a
means, it is more properly the end that we love in that very
act (and therefore some philosophical divines affirm that no-
thing but the ultimate end is properly loved), so that the
love which we give the world in a due subordination to
God, is not so properly a love to the world as to God, and
therefore ittaketh not from God the least part of that which
is due to him. But if we love it in the least measure for it-
self, or with any co-ordinate love, so much as we allow it, id
robbed from God. '>iH .-(ija aw .aqou. iui .m>u
(2.) Hence followeth (when odriovfe'td the't^'ortd i^ drti-
cified) that our desires after it is crucified also. Before we
thirsted after pleasures, or honours, or riches, but now this
thirst is abated ; for when we obey the call of Christ (Isa.
Iv. 1.), and have freely drunk of the living waters, we thirst
our former thirst no more (according to the measure in which
we partake of him), but his Spirit will be a well of water in
us; springing up to everlasting life ; John iv. 13, 14. The
distempered appetite of a carnal man is so eager after
worldly things, that his heart is set upon them, which is
called his " minding the things of the fliesh ;" Rom. viii. 5;
But the mortified Christian as such, hath no mind of them.
His appetite to them is dead and gone. He cares not for
them. Now he perceiveth that they are not good for him,
his heart is turned against them.
(3.) When we are crucified to the World, our expecta-
tions of good from the world are crucified. Before we look-
ed for much from it ; we thought if we had this pleasure, or
that honour ; if we had such lands, buildings, friends, or pro-
vision, then we were well, or at least much better than now
we are ! O how good did we think that these were for us !
And therefore we still lived in hope of more. But when we
are crucified to the world, we give up these hopes. We see
then that we are deceived. We did but hope for nourish-
ment from a stone. The breasts are dry which we thought
would have refreshed and satisfied us. When we see that
the world is an empty thing, a cask, a picture, a dream, a
shadow, we turn away from it, and look no more after it, but
look for content in something else. As a child that seeth a
painted apple may be eager of it till he try that it is savour-
less, and then he careth for it no more. Or if a beautiful
380 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
crab deceive him, when he hath set his teeth in it, he cast-
eth it away ; so when a Christian findeth the folly of his
former expectations, and tasteth the vexations of the crea-
ture which he was so greedy of, and withal is acquainted by
a lively faith, where he may be better, away go all his ex-
pectations from the world ; and he promiseth himself no
more content or satisfaction in it. This is a notable part of
mortification. As it is the hopes of some good, that
sets men to work in all endeavours ; so take down their
hopes, and all the wheels of the soul stand still. If it were
not for hope, we say, the heart would break. And there-
fore when all our hopes from the world are dead, the very
heart of the old man is broken, and all his worldly motions
cease. Then he saith, * It is as good to sit still, as labour
for nothing. I despair of ever having contentment in the
creature. I see it will not pacify any conscience : it will
not save me from the wrath to come : it will do nothing for
me that is worthy of my regard, and therefore let it go : I
will follow it no further : it shall have my heart no more.'
Before he had many a promising, "delightful thought of the
creatures, which he could not reach. He thought with him-
self, * If I were but thus placed and settled once ; if I had
but this or that which I want ; if I were but here or there
where I would be ; if I had but the favour of such or such an
one, how happy were I ; how well should I be. I would
then be content and seek no more.' But when faith hath
mortified us to the world, 'we see that all these were foolisli
dreams : we knew not what it was that we hoped for ; and
then we give up all such hopes for ever. Such pleasing
thoughts of any worldly thing while you want it, or of any
place or condition. which you are absent from, and such pro-
mises and hopes from any worldly state, or person, or thing,
doth manifest that so far you are alive to the world, and is
a folly of the same nature with theirs that idolize the world,
when they do enjoy it. For one man to say, ' If I had this
or that, I were well,' and for another that hath it, to say,
* Now I am well, soul take thy rest,' do both shew the same
estimation, and idolatrous love to the world in their hearts ;
though one of them have the thing which he loves, and the
other hath it not. And to be so pleased with the very fancy
and conceits of those worldly things which they never had,
seems worse than to be pleased with it when they have it.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 381
I pray you lay this well to heart that 1 say to you. De-
spair, utter despair of ever being contented or well in the
world, or made happy by the world, in whole or in part, is
the very life of Christian mortification. It is the nature of
a carnal heart, to keep up his worldly hopes as long as pos-
sibly he can. If you beat him out from one thing he runs
to another ; and if he despair of that, he looks after a third,
and thus he will wander from creature to creature, till grace
convert him, or judgment condemn him. If he find that
one friend faileth him, he hopes another will prove more
faithful ; and if that prove a broken reed, he will rest upon
a third. If he have been crossed in his hopes of worldly
contentment once, or twice, or ten times, or a hundred
times, yet he is in hope that some other way may hit, and
some more comfort he may find at last. But when God
hath opened a man's eyes to see that the whole world is va-
nity and vexation, and that if he had it all, it would do him
no good at all ; and that it is a mere deceitful, empty thing;
and when a man is brought to a full and final desperation of
ever finding in the world the good that he expected ; then,
and not till then, is he crucified to the world ; and then he
can let it go, and care not : and then he will betake himself
in good earnest to look after that which will not deceive
him.
When a worldling is in utmost poverty or in prison, he
may part with all his worldly contentment at the present :
but this is not to be crucified to the world. For still he
keeps up his former estimation of it, and love to it, and
some hope perhaps that yet it may be better with him. Yet,
if he should despair of ever being happy in the world, if
this proceed not from his disesteem of it, and the change of
his affections, but merely because he would have the world,
but sees he cannot, this is far from the nature of true morti-
fication.
(4.) If we are crucified to the world, our delight in it is
crucified. It seeraeth not to us a matter of such worth, as
to be fit for our delight. Children are glad of toys, which
a wise man hath no pleasure in. To have too sweet con-
tentful thoughts in the creature, and to apprehend it as
our good, and to be rejoiced in it, is a sign that so far we
are not crucified to it. It is not able to glad a mortified
heart, so far as it is mortified ; though the love of God that
»382 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
is manifested by it, may make him glad. And this is it that
Paul disclaimeth in my text, " God forbid that I should
glory, save in the cross of Christ." If he were the lord of
all the honours or wealth of the world, he would not glory
in them. If he had all the pleasures that the flesh can de-
sire, he would not glory in them. If he had the common
applause of all men, and every one spoke well of him ; if he
had all things about him suited to a carnal heart's content,
yet would he not glory in it. No more than a grave and
learned man would glory that he had found a counter or a
pin. " Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the
mighty man glory in his might ; let not the rich man glory
in his riches ; but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that
he understandeth and knoweth me, that 1 am the Lord that
exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness on
the earth ; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord ;"
Jer. ix. 23. " The nations shall bless themselves in him,
and in him shall they glory;" chap. iv. 2. " Thou shall
rejoice in the Lord, and glory in the holy One of Israel;"
Isa. xli. 16. "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be
justified, and shall glory ;" chap. xlv. 25. The world is too
low to be the joy of a believer. His higher hopes do cloud
and disgrace such things.
And as these forementioned passions in the concupisci-
ble, so also their contraries in the irascible, must be cruci-
fied : e. g. (1.) A man that is dead to the world, will not
hate or be much displeased with those that hinder him from
the riches, or honours, or pleasures of the world. He makes
no great matter of it, and taketh it for no great hurt or loss.
And therefore rather than study revenge, he can patiently
bear it, when they have taken away his coat, if they take
away his cloak also. He doth not swell with malice against
them that stand in the way of his advancement, or hinder
his rising or riches in the world. He will not envy the pre-
cedency of others, or seek the disgrace or ruin of them that
keep him low. No more than a wise man will hate or
seek to be revenged of him that would hinder him from
climbing up to the top of a steeple, or that will take a stone
or a bush of thorns out of his way.
(2.) A man that is crucified to the world, will not avoid
or fly from any duty, though the performance of it cross his
worldly commodity, or hazard all bis worldly interest. He
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 385
l^eth not reason enough in worldly losses, to draw him to
the committing of sin to avoid them. An unmortified man
will be swayed by his worldly interest. That must be no
duty to him, which casteth him upon sufferings ; and that
is no good to him which would deprive him of his sensual
good ; and that shall be no sin to him, which seemeth to be
a matter of necessity, for the securing of his hopes and hap-
piness in the world. Whatever is a man's end, he puts a
must upon the obtaining it, and upon all the means without
which it will not be attained. I must have God and glory,
saith the believer, whatever I want : and therefore I must
have Christ, 1 must have faith, and love, and obedience,
whatever I do.' And so saith the sensualist; ' My life, and
credit, and safety in the world must be secured, whatever I
miss of. And therefore I must avoid all that would hazard
or lose them. And I must do that which will preserve them
whatever I do.' The worldling thinketh there is a necessity
of his being sensually happy ; or at least of preserving his
life and hopes on earth. But the mortified Christian seeth
no necessity of living, much less of any of the sensual pro-
visions, which to others seem such considerable things.
And hence it is that the same argument from necessity,
draweth one man to sin, and keepeth another most effectu-
ally from sin. He that hath carnal ends, doth plead a ne-
cessity of the sinful means, by which he may attain them.
And he that hath the end of a true believer, doth plead a
necessity of avoiding the same sins, which the other thought
he must needs commit. For heavenly ends are as much
crossed by them as earthly ends are promoted by them. We
find a rich man in Luke xviii. 23, that had a great mind to
have been a Christian. And if he had lived in our days,
when the door is set a little wider open than Christ did set
it, there are some that would not have denied him baptism,
but would have let him in. But when he heareth that the
world must be renounced, and Christ tells him of selling all
and looking for a reward in another world, " he goes away
sorrowful, for he was very rich." The man would have had
pardon and salvation, but he must needs be rich, or at least
keep something. And they that are so set upon it, that
they must and " will be rich, do fall into a temptation and
a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which
drown men in destruction and perdition ;" 1 Tim. vi. 9.
384 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
And "he that makes haste to be rich, shall not be inno-
cent;" Prov. xxviii. 20. But the crucified world is a dead
and ineffectual thing. It cannot draw a man from Christ or
duty. It cannot draw a man into any known sin (so far as
he is crucified). It is as Samson, when his hair was cut :
its power is gone. Thousands whose hearts were changed
by grace, could sell all, and lay the price at the apostles'
feet, and could forsake all, and take up their cross and fol-
low a crucified Christ to the death, and could rejoice in
tribulation, and glory that they were counted worthy to suf-
fer : though he that was unmortified do go away sorrowful.
Worldly interest doth command the religion and life of the
unmortified man, because it is the predominant interest in
his heart. But it is contrary with the mortified believer.
His spiritual interest being predominant, doth rule him as to
all the matters of this world.
(3.) If you are crucified to the world, your care for world-
ly things is crucified. It is not in vain that Christ expressly
commandeth his disciples, " Take no thought for your life,
what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your
body, what you shall put on ;" Matt. vi. 25. 31. And Phil,
iv. 6. " Be careful for nothing." And 1 Pet. v. 7. " Casting
all your care on him, for he careth for you." I know this
is a hard saying to flesh and blood, and therefore they study
evasions by perverting the plain text, and would null and
evacuate the express commands of Christ, by squaring them
to that carnal interest and reason which they are purposely
given to destroy. But you will say, ' Must we indeed give
over caring?' I answer, 1. You must be in care about your
own duty, both in matters of the first and second table, and
how to manage your worldly affairs most innocently and spi-
ritually, and to attain the ends propounded in them by God.
But this is none of the care that is now in question ; 1 Cor.
vii. 32. There is a necessary " caring for the things that
belong to the Lord, how to please the Lord," and that even
in your worldly business. But 2. You may not care for the
creature for itself, nor for the mere pleasing of the flesh.
As it may not be loved for itself, so neither may it be cared
for, for itself. And 3. When you have used your utmost
care or forecast to do your own duty, you may not be anxi-
ous or careful about the issue which is God's part to deter-
mine of. As God himself appeareth in prosperity or adver-
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. HQS
sity, you may and must have regard unto the issue. But for
the thing itself you must not, when you have done your
own duty, be any further careful about it. God knoweth
best what is good for you, and how much of the creature you
are fit to manage, and what condition of body is most suit-
able to the condition of your soul. And therefore to him
must the whole business be committed. When you have
committed your seed to the ground, and done your duty
about it, you must have no further care at all, which inti-
raateth fears, anxiety, or distrust : though as care is largely
taken for regard, you may care and pray for the blessing of
God on it, and for your daily bread.
(4.) So far as you are crucified to the world, your world-
ly sorrows also will be crucified. If you miss of it, you will
not be grieved for that miss. For the displeasure of God
which an affliction may manifest, you ought to be grieved ;
but not for the mere loss of the creature for itself. As God
in the creature must be loved and delighted in, and not the
creature for itself; so it is God's displeasure manifested in
the creature that must be our grief. If a man's flesh be
dead, you may cut it off, and he never feeleth you : you may
cut it, or prick it, and he will not smart. And if you be
dead to the world, you will not feel it as others do, when
worldly things are taken from you. You will make no great
matter of it.
Object. ' But grace doth not make men stocks or stupid,
and therefore how can we choose but feel V ' ,
Answ. There is a feeling that is merely natural, and not
subject to the command of reason and will ; and there is a
feeling which is under reason, and is voluntary. The latter
only is that I speak of, which grace commandeth. The
most gracious man may feel heat and cold, pain and weari-
ness, hunger and thirst, as much as the worst. But the
passions of his soul, so far as they are under the command
of reason and will, do not feel them as evils to the soul, (so
far as he is sanctified). Still observe that I speak of world-
ly things, as separated from God, in whom only they are
good, and in respect to him only the absence of them is evil
to the soul. And there is somewhat of the passions that
bodily sense can force, perhaps in an innocent Adam. But
I speak only of that passion which reason should command.
VOL. IX. c c
386 THE CRUCIFYING OP THE WORLD
And so, it is not enough tltat our care and grief for worldly
things be less than that for the things of God : though that
much may prove our sincerity (of which more anon), yet
that is not all that is our duty. But we should have no
care or rational voluntary grief for any creature, but only as
it is a means to God, and standeth in a due subordination to
him : and so we may have both.
4. Having shewed you what affections are crucified to
the world, in the last place I add, that our inordinate labour
for it, must be crucified. Christ is as plain and peremptory
in this, as in the former, not only commanding us to " seek
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," (Matt. vi.
33.) but also, " Not to labour for the meat that perisheth,
but for the meat that endureth to everlasting life, which the
Son will give us," (John vi. 27.) which is not only to be un-
derstood that our labour for earth should be less than our
labour for heaven, and so comparatively none at all ; but
further, that we must have no love or desire to the crea-
ture for itself, but ultimately for God ; so we should not at
all seek or labour for the creature for itself, but ultimately
for God ; and therefore seek and labour for it no further
than it is necessary to the pleasing of God, or to our fruition
of him. This is the true and plain meaning of such
texts.
A man that is truly dead to the world, doth labour for
God and not for the world (according to the measure of his
mortification) in all that he doth. If he be ploughing, or
sowing, or reaping, or threshing, if he be working at his
trade in his shop, it is God that he is seeking and la-
bouring for. He doth not stop or take up in the creature.
He seeks it still but as a means to God. But an unsancti-
fied man doth never truly seek God for himself at all, no not
in his worship, much less in his trade and calling in the
world. For God is not his ultimate end; and therefore he
cannot love him or seek him for himself. It is flesh-pleas-
ing or carnal felicity that is his end, and therefore he seek-
eth God for the flesh. When he prayeth to him, when he
loveth him, it is but as he is a means to this his carnal feli-
city, and not as he is himself his chiefest good. Thus you
may see what it is to be crucified to the world, and wherein
true mortification doth consist.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 387
A few objections are here to be answered, that we quay
the more profitably proceed.
Object. 1. ' A man may have hunger and thirst in his very
sleep, when he cannot refer the creature to God.'
Answ. 1. We speak only of human, that is, moral acts,
and such desires as are under the command of the will. 2.
A man may habitually refer things to God, when he doth
not actually.
Object. 2. How can a man seek God in ploughing, or
working in his shop, when these actions are so heteroge-
neous V
Answ. God made no creature, nor appointed any em-
ployment for man, which may not fitly be a means to him"
self. As all came from God, so all have something of God
upon them ; and all tend to him from whom they came.
There are some means that stand nearer the end, and some
are further from it ; and yet the most remote are truly means.
A man that is but cutting down a tree, or hewing stones out
of the quarry, doth as much intend them for the building of
his house, as he that is erecting the frame, or placing them
in the building. We cannot attain the end without the most
remote means, as well as the nearest.
Object, ' We are taught to pray for our daily bread ;
therefore we may desire it, and labour for it.'
Answ. No doubt of it. But we are taught to pray for it,
but as a means to the hallowing of God's name, the coming
of his kingdom, and the doing of his will ; and therefore
only as a means must we desire it, and labour for it ; and
that for these, and no lower ultimate ends. And therefore
the words are such as express only things necessary,
" Our daily bread;" that we may perceive it is but as a
means to God that we desire it. If our being be not main-
tained, we are not capable of wellbeing, nor of serving God.
And if the means of our being be not continued, our being
will not be continued in God's appointed ordinary way.
And therefore we pray for the means of our sustentation,
that we may be kept in a capacity of the ends of our
being.
Object. ' But a man cannot be always thinking on God,
and therefore not always intending him as our end, and
therefore cannot do all for him.*
Answ. \. Tf sin disable us, that is no excuse. 2. A man
388 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
may habitually intend an end, which he doth not actually
think of. Yea, he may have an actual intention, which yet
he doth not observe, because of other more sensible thoughts
that are upon his mind. And yet his foresaid intentions
may be still effectual to cause him to use the means as
means.
For example ; a man that hath a journey to go, is not al-
ways thinking of the end of it, by an actual observed inten-
tion in every step of his way ; but perhaps may be much of
the way taken up with thoughts and discourse of other
things, and yet he doth truly intend his journey's end, in
every step of his way, and use every step as a means to that
end. And so is it with a true Christian in the work of God,
and the way to heaven.
Object. * But may we not use the creatures for delight, as
well as for necessity? and is it not so commonly re-
solved?'
Answ. The word necessity is taken either strictly for
that which we cannot be without ; and so there is no doubt
of it. Or largely, for that which is useful to the end. And
for delights, some of them are necessary, that is, useful
means to our ultimate end ; and these must not be opposed
to things necessary ; but may be used because necessary.
As any thing which truly tendeth to recreate, revive, or
cheer the spirits for the service of our Master. But no
other delight is lawful. To esteem our fleshly delight for
itself, and the creature for that delight, and so to use it, is
mere sensuality, and the great sin which sanctification
cureth in the soul. If delight itself be desired truly but
as a means to God, then the creature, the more remote
means, may be used for that delight, as its next end j but
not else.
Object. ' But what man living is such as you here de-
scribe ? Is there any that are thus crucified to the world,
as to have no separated esteem of it, or thoughts or care of
it ; or love, or desire, or the rest of these affections V
Answ. It is one thing to inquire what we are, and another
what we ought to be, and should be if we were perfect.
We ought to be such as I have mentioned, but we are not
such in perfection yet; but only in sincerity. And how
that sincerity may be known, I have elsewhere explained.
In a word. In a perfect soul there is no interest but God's.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 389
In a sincere soul God's interest is the highest and greatest.
In a perfect man God hath the whole heart ; and in an up-
right man he is nearer to the heart than any thing else. In
a perfect man there is a perfect subjection to God ; and in
an upright man there is none hath dominion but God ; he i^
the highest, and his rule prevaileth in the main, though some
things that rebel are not perfectly subdued.
Object. ' But I find that the most of my passions are
stirred more sensibly about earthly, than heavenly things.
How then can I say that I am crucified to the world V
Answ. In point of duty all that passion that is to be
commanded by reason, should be mortified, as is abovesaid.
But when you go to the trial of your states, in the point of
sincerity, it is hard trying by the passions ; and you must
rather do it by your estimation and your will, as I have
discovered more fully in a Treatise of Peace of Con-
science.
II. Having shewed you what it is to have the world cru-
cified to us, and to be crucified to the world, I am next to
shew you how this is done by the cross of Christ. And
here I must distinctly shew,
I. What the cross, as suffered by Christ himself, hath
done to the crucifying of the world to us.
II. What the same cross, as believed on and considered
by us, doth towards it.
III. And what the cross of Christ which we ourselves
bear in conformity to his sufferings, doth towards it. Of
all which briefly.
I. It is not only his crucifixion, but the whole humilia-
tion of Christ, which is in this and other Scriptures called
his cross ; the whole being denominated, from the most emi-
nent part, as was touched before. And there are five nota-
ble blows that the world hath received by thje suffered cross
of Christ.
1. One is, that Christ himself, in his own person, hath
perfectly crucified and conquered the world, so that we have
a victorious head, and the world is now a conquered thing.
It assaulted him from his birth to his death, and still he
overcame. It assaulted him by fair means and by foul, by
frowns and smiles, by alluring baits and persecuting storms,
and still it was overcome. The threatenings and persecu-
tions could never draw him to the committing of a sin. The
300 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
enticing offers of it could never bring him to an inordinate
esteem of it, nor abate the least of his love to God. In his
great combat in the wilderness he was assaulted both ways.
Hunger could not make him tempt God, or distrust. The
kingdoms and glory of the world were despised by him,
when they were the matter of his temptation. He would
not have so much as a settled habitation, nor any worldly
pomp or splendour, that so he might shew that he contemn-
ed it by his actions. If he had set by it, he could soon have
mended his condition. When the people would have made
him a king, he passed away from them ; for he would not be
a king of the people's making, nor have any power or digni-
ty which they could give. He came not to receive honour
of men, but to give salvation to men. When Peter would
have persuaded him to favour himself, as savouring the
things of man, and not of God, Christ calleth him satan,
and bids him get behind him. If he will do the work of sa-
tan, he shall have the name of satan, and the same words of
rebuke that satan had. Even in their hour, and the power
of darkness (Luke xxii. 53.), they could do nothing that
might make the least breach in his perfection. And when
they boasted of their power to crucify him or release him,
(John xix. 10), they could not boast of their power to draw
him to the smallest sin. Yea, upon the cross did he consum-
mate his conquest of the world, when it seemed to have con-
quered him ; and he crucified the world, when it was cruci-
fying him ; and he gave it then the deadly wound. And
there did he openly make a show of the principalities and
powers which he had spoiled, and there did he triumph over
them, while they mistakingly triumphed over him; Col.
m 14, 15.
-•If you say. What is all this to us ? I answer. When the
world is once conquered, the heart of it is broken. And
when your Head hath overcome it, there is a great prepara-
tion made for our victory. Else would he not have said to
his disciples, " In the world ye shall have tribulation, but
be of good cheer, I have overcome the world ;" John xvi.
33. For as the consequence is good, " Because I live, ye
shall live also," (chap. xiv. 19.) so it would hold. Because
I have overcome the world, ye shall overcome it also. Yea,
as it is said of his works, " Greater works than these shall
ye do," (ver. 12.) so is it said of our conquest, " In all these
BY THE CKOSS OF CHRIST. 391
things we are supervictors, or more than conquerors through
him that hath loved us ;" Rom. viii. 37.
2. Another wound that the world hath received by the
cross of Christ by him suffered, is this. By it, satisfaction
is made to God for the sin that the world had enticed man
to commit, and so ' quoad pretium,' the victory which the
world had formerly obtained over us is nulled, and its cap-
tives rescued, and we are cured of the deadly wounds which
it had given us. For " he healeth all our diseases," (Psal.
ciii. 3.) and his stripes are the remedy by which we are heal-
ed ; Isa. liii. 5. So that it is a vanquishing of the world,
when Christ doth thus nullify its former victories. For thus
he began to " lead captivity itself captive, which at his re-
surrection and ascension he did more fully accomplish ;
Psal. Ixviii. 18. Eph. iv. 8.
3. Another most mortal wound which the world receiv-
ed by the cross of Christ, was this. By his cross did Christ
purchase that glorious kingdom, which being revealed and
propounded to the sons of men, doth abundantly disgrace
the world as a competitor. If there had been no greater
good revealed to us, or the revelation had been obscure and
insufl&cient, or no assurance of it given us, then might the
world have easily prevailed. For he that hath no hopes of
greater, will take up with this. And he that looketh not for
another life, will make as much of the present as he cam.
When the will of a man is the fort that is contended for, the
assault must be made by allurement, and not by force. The
competition therefore is between good and good ; and that
which appeareth the greatest good to us, will carry it, and
have admittance. If God had not set a greater good against
the world, it would have been every man's wisdom and duty
to have been worldlings. But when he revealeth to us ano-
ther world of infinite value, yea, when he ofFereth us the fru-
ition of himself, this turneth the scales with the wise men in
a moment, and shameth all competitors whatsoever. Now
it is the cross of Christ that opened the kingdom of heaven
to all true believers, which sin had before shut up against
all mankind. This mars the markets of the world : it is
nothing worth to them that have tasted of the blessed-
ness of this kingdom. Were it not for this, the temp-
tations of the world and flesh might prevail. What
should we say to them? or how should we repulse them?
.392 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
Reason would say. It is better to have a small and
unsatisfactory good than none. But now we have enough
to say against any such temptation. One argument from
the everlasting kingdom is sufficient (where grace causeth a
right apprehension of it) to confound all the temptations, by
which the enemies of our happiness can assault us. What !
shall we prefer a mole-hill before a kingdom ? a shadow
before the substance ? an hour before eternity ? nothing be-
fore all things ? vanity and vexation before felicity ? The
world is now silenced ; it hath nothing to say, which may
take with right reason. It must now creep in at the back-
door of sense, and bribe our brutish part to befriend it, and
to entertain it first, and so to betray our reason, and lead it
into the inner rooms. The cross of Christ hath set up such
a sun as quite darkeneth the light of worldly glory. Who
will now play so low a game, that hath an immortal crown
propounded to him ? Though earth were something, if
there were no better to be bad, yet it is nothing when hea-
ven stands by. This therefore is the deadly blow by which
the world is crucified by the cross of aur Lord Jesusi
Christ.
4. Another mortal wound that the cross of Christ hath
given it, is this. The cross hath purchased for us that Spi-
rit of power, and all those ordinances and helps of grace, by
which we ourselves in our own persons may actually cor>-
quer and crucify the world, as Christ did before us. His
cross is the meritorious cause of his following grace. And
as he hath there procured our justification, so also our sanc^
tification, by which the world is renounced by us and con-
temned. There shall a virtue flow from the cross of Christ,
that shall give strength to all his, chosen ones, to go on and
conquer, and tread the world, and all its glory under their
feet, and by the leaves of this tree, which seemeth dead to a
carnal eye, the nations shrill be healed. And thus by it the
world is crucified.
5. Lastly, by the cross of Christ, a pattern is given us
for our imitation, by which we may learn how to contemn
and so crucify the world. " If when ye do well and suffer
for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For
even hereunto were ye called : because Christ also suffered
for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps ;
who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth ; who
BY THE CROSS OV CHRIST. 393
when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suffered,
he threatened not ; but committed himself to him thatjudg-
eth righteously ;" 1 Pet. ii. 20—23. " Let this mind be in
you that was in Christ Jesus — that made himself of no repu-
tation, and took upon him the form of a servant — and hum-
bled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death
of the cross;" Phil, ii.5 — 7. "Let us therefore lay aside
every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and
let us run with patience the race that is set before us ; look-
ing to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for
the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God ;" Heb.
xii. 1,2. This leads us to the next.
11. Having shewed you how the cross, as suffered by
Christ, doth crucify the world ; we are next to shew you,
how that same cross, as believed in and considered, doth
crucify it to us.
They that look only to the merit of the cross, and over-
look the objective use of it to the soul, do deceive them-
selves, and deprive themselves of the full efficacy of it ; and
deal like a foolish patient, that thinketh to be cured by
commending the medicine, or by believing that it hath vir-
tue to cure his disease, when in the mean time he lets it lie
by him in the box, and never takethit, or applieth it to him-
self. The believing meditation of the cross of Christ, doth
give the world these deadly wounds :
1. It bringeth us under the actual promise of the Spirit.
For though there be a work of the Spirit, which causeth us
to believie^before our actual faith in nature, yet the further
gift of the Spirit for mortification, is promised upon condi-
tion of our faith. And upon the performance of that condi-
tion, we have a right to the thing promised. It is by faith
that we fetch strength from Christ, for the conquest of this
and all other enemies. If we could believe, these moun-
tains would be cast into the sea ; and all things are possible
to us, if we could believe ; Mark ix. 23.
2. The believing meditation of the cross of Christ, doth
make us apprehensive of the vanity and enmity of the world,
and so doth kill our esteem of it, and affection to it. For
when we consider how little Christ did set by it, and how he
made it his work professedly to contemn it, this will tell us
how to think of it ourselves. For doubtless the judgment
394 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
of Christ was true. He was able to discern between good
and evil : if it had been valuable, he would have valued it.
He would not have contemned it, if it had not been con-
temptible. He could have had better usage in the world, if
he had desired it, and thought it meet. But he would shew
us by his example as well as by his doctrine, how to judge of
it, and what to expect from it. If you saw the wisest man
iu the world tread a thing under feet in the dirt, or throw it
away, you would think it were a thing of no great worth.
When you are tempted to set too much by your credit,
and to sin against God for the esteem of men, remember
that Christ " made himself of no reputation;" Phil, ii. 7.
And can your reputation be less than none ? How did he
value his honour with men, that gave his cheeks to be smit-
ten, his face to be spit upon, his head to be crowned with
thorns, and his body to be arrayed contemptuously like a
fool, and at last to be hanged as a contemned thing among
malefactors on the cross ; to be reviled by those that pass-
ed by, and by him that suffered with him? Learn here of
him that all must learn of, how far to set by your honour in
the world.
Are you tempted to set by the riches and full provision
or possessions of the world ? Remember how Christ set by
them ; when he might have had all things, and refused to
have a place whereon to lay his head. When " he was rich,
yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his po-
verty might be rich;" 2Cor. viii.9. And the best of his
servants have followed him in this course, to whom he would
have given more of the world, if he had seen it best forthem.
For when they had dishonour, they had honour with it and
by it ; when they had evil report, they had also good ; when
they were poor, they made many rich ; and " having nothing,
possessed all things ;" 2 Cor. vi. 8. 10.
When your flesh would have its pleasure, remember him
that pleased not his flesh ; but submitted it to hunger, and
thirst, and weariness, to fasting, and watching, and praying
whole nights ; and at last to scourgings, and buffeting, and
crucifying. When your appetites must needs be pleased in
meats and drinks, remember him that had gall and vinegar
given him to drink. When your bodies would be set out
with such apparel as may make you seem most comely in
the eyes of others, remember him that wore a seamless coat.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 395
and was hanged naked on the cross for your sakes. When
you are tender of every little hurt or suiSering of your flesh,
though in a way of duty, remember him that gave his hands
and feet to be nailed, and his side to be pierced to death for
you. When you are ashamed to be reviled for. welldoing,
remember him that " despised the shame ;" Heb. xii. 2.
And thus as the sight of the brazen serpent did cure them
that were stung in the wilderness, so the believing views of
a crucified Christ, may get out the poison of worldly delu-
sions from your souls.
3. The believing thoughts of the cross of Christ will
make us apprehensive also of our duty, in contemning the
world in conformity to Christ. For though we are not
bound to be crucified as Christ was, unless God specially
put us upon it ; nor bound to live without house or home in
voluntary, chosen poverty, as Christ did (because there were
some special reasons for his sufferings, that are not for ours),
yet are we all bound to mortify the flesh, and contemn the
world in imitation of him, and to submit to what suffering-
God shall impose on us. And in the example of Christ's
cross, this duty must be observed.
III. The next thing to be declared is. How the cross
which we ourselves do suffer in obedience and conformity
to Christ, and for his sake doth crucify the world to us
and us to the world. That the bearing of this cross is ne-
cessary to all that will be Christ's disciples ; yea, the daily
bearing of it is plain 5 Luke ix. 2.3. xiv. 27. Matt. x. 38.
Two ways doth this tend to the crucifying of us to the
world.
1. It doth more sensibly convince us of the vanity and
enmity of the world, than any mere doctrine or distant ex-
amples and observations could have done. I confess we
see so much of the world's deceit of others, that might sa-
tisfy a reasonable man that it is in vain. But the flesh doth
draw us into a participation of its brutishness ; and reason
will not see the light. But the cross doth convince even
the flesh itself, the grand deceiver. When the malice of
wicked men lets fly at us, and the world do spit in our faces,
as they did in Christ's ; when we are made a common by-
word and derision, and become as the filth of the world to
them, and the offscouring of all things; when we have fears
within and troubles without ; and the sorrows of death lay
396 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
hold upon us, and enemies compass us roundabout; Ohow
effectually will this convince us that the world is vain, and
worse than vain ! Who will look for happiness from a
known enemy and tormentor. When we have Job's messen-
gers of sad tidings, and troubles are multiplied ; when pain
and anguish seize upon our bodies, and grief hath taken
up its dwelling in our very flesh and bones, who then will
admire or dote upon the world ? Who will not then cry out
against it, as vanity and vexation ? When friends abuse one
another, they will fall out for the time, though they turn not
enemies. And even the wicked, when they suffer in the
world, will speak hardly of it, though the friendship of it
still dwell in their sensual dispositions. How much more
will the enmity be increased in the saints, when the world
doth use them as its enemies, and spit out the bitterest of
their malice against them ? If we have any thoughts of re-
conciliation with the world, God useth to suffer it to buf-
fet and abuse us, that strokes and smart may maintain the
enemy, if nothing else will serve to do it.
Believe it, Christians, God doth not permit your suffer-
ings in vain. He seeth how apt you are to dote upon the
world, and how dangerous it will prove to you, if you be not
delivered from the snares of this deceiver: and therefore he
had rather that the world should make you smart awhile,
than undo you for ever ; and that it should buffet you, than
befool you out of your felicity. The blows which the
world giveth you, do light upon itself: as it crucified itself
in crucifying Christ, so doth it in crucifying his people. It
killeth itself by your calamities: and if it deprive you of
your lives, you will then begin to live : but the death which
it bringeth on itself, is such as hath no resurrection. If it
kill you, you shall live again, yea, live by that death : but
thereby it will so kill itself, as never to live again in you.
The cross is a happy teacher of many excellent truths ; but
of nothing more eflfectually, than of the contemptibleness of
the world. If it turn our breath into groans, we shall groan
against it, and groan to be delivered, " desiring to be clothed
upon with our house which is from heaven j" 2 Cor. v. 2.
We shall cry to heaven against this task-master, and our
cries will come before God, and procure our deliverance.
The world gets nothing by its hard usage of the saints : it
BY THE CROSS OP CHRIST. 397
tnaketh a cross for the cracifying of itself, and turnetli their
hearts more effectually against it.
2. And as it thus declareth itself contemptible, and cru-
cifieth itself to us, so doth it exercise us in patience, and
awaken us to deeper considerations of its own vanity, and
drive us to look after better things : it forceth us also to
seek out to God, and to see that all our dependance is on
him, and draweth forth our holy desires and other graces ;
and thus it doth crucify us also to the world. It makes us
go into the sanctuary, and consider of the end ; how the
wicked are set in slippery places, and that at last it will go
well with the just. It teacheth us to consider, that while
" the Lord is our portion, we have ground enough of hope,
for he is good to them* that wait for him, to the soul that
seeketh him : it is good that a man should both hope and
quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord : it is good for a
man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone,
and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him : he
putteth his mouth in the dust ; if so be there may be hope :
he giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him ; he is filled
full with reproach : for the Lord will not cast off for ever ;
but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, ac-
cording to the multitude of his mercies ;" Lam. iii. 24 — 33.
" And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also ; know-
ing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience expe-
rience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed ;"
Rom. V. 3 — 5. " For if we suffer with Christ, we shall also
be glorified together : and the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall
be revealed in us." And " we ourselves do groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our
body ;" Rom. viii. 17, 18. 23. When Paul suffered for Christ
the loss of all things, he accounted them dung that he might
win Christ; that he might know the power of his resurrec-
tion, and the fellowship of his sufferings, and be made con-
formable to his death; Phil. iii. 8. 10. He rejoiced in his
sufferings, and filled up that which is behind of the afl3ic-
tions of Christ in his flesh, for his body's sake, which is the
church ; Col.i. 24. And thus was he crucified with Christ
and yet lived ; yet not he, but Christ lived in him ; and the
life which he lived in the flesh, he lived by faith in the Son
of God, who loved him and gave himself for him ; Gal. ii.20.
.398 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
III. Having thus shewed you how the cross of Christ
doth crucify the world to us, aud us to the world, I am next
to give you the proofs of the point, that thus it is with true
believers. But because the text itself is so plain, and it is
so fully proved on the by in what is said already, and I have
been somewhat long on the explication, I shall refer the
I'est of the Scriptui'e proofs to the application, where we
shall have further occasion to produce it ; and I shall now
only add the argument from experience. To the saints
themselves I need not prove it ; for they feel it in their own
hearts : in their several measures they feel in themselves a
low esteem of all things in this world, and a high esteem of
God in Christ. They would count it a happy exchange to
become more poor and afflicted in the world, and to have
more of Christ and his Spirit, and of the hopes of a better
world ; to have more of God's favour, though more of man's
displeasure. It is God that they secretly long for and
groan after from day to day; it is God that they must have,
or nothing will content them. They can spare you all
things else, if they might have him.
And for those that never felt such a thing in themselves,
they may yet perceive that it is in others.
I. You see that there are a people that seek more dili-
gently after heaven than earth, that are hearing the word of
God, which instructeth them in the matters of salvation,
and are praying for the things of eternal life, when you are
labouring for the world. You see that there are a people
that seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and labour most for the food that perisheth not, and are
about the one thing necessary, which sheweth that they
have chosen the better part.
II. And you see that there is a people that can let go the
things of the world when God calls for them ; that can be
liberal according to their power to any pious or charitable
uses ; that will rather suffer in body or estate, even the loss
of all, than they will wilfully sin against God, and hazard
his favour.
You have read or heard of multitudes that have suffered
martyrdom for Christ, undergoing many kind of torments,
and death itself, because they would not sin against him.
All these examples, together with the frequent aflirmations
of the Scriptures, may assure you that thus it is with true
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 399
Christians. The world is crucified to them, and they to the
world.
IV. I am next to give you the reasons of the necessity
of this crucifixion, the most of which also, for brevity sake,
1 shall reserve to the application, and at present lay down
these two or three briefly.
1. The world is every man's carnal idol, and God cannot
endure idolatry ; to see his creature set up in his stead, and
rob him of his esteem and interest, and be loved, honoured
and served before him ; and to see such contemptible things
be taken as Gods, while God himself stands by neglected,
he will not, he cannot endure this. Either grace shall take
down the idol, or judgment and hell shall plague the idola-
ter ; for he hath resolved that he will not give his glory to
another; Isai.xlii.8. xlviii.ll. All sin is hateful to God,
and none but the cleansed perfect soul shall stand before
him in the presence of his glory ; nor any in whom iniquity
hath dominion, shall stand accepted in the presence of his
grace : but yet no particular sin is so hateful to him as
idolatry is. For this is not only a trespassing against his
laws, but a disclaiming or rejecting his very Sovereignty it-
self. To give a prince irreverent language, and to break his
laws, is punishable ; but to pull him out of his throne, and
set up a scullion in it, and give him the honour and obedience
of a king, this is another kind of matter, and much more in-
tolerable. The first commandment is not like the rest,
which require only obedience to particular laws in a parti-
cular action ; but it establisheth the very relations of sove-
reign and subject, and requires a constant acknowledgment
of these relations, and makes it high treason against the God
of heaven in any that shall violate that command. Every
crime is not treason : it is one thing to miscarry in a parti-
cular case, and another thing to have other gods before and
besides the Lord, the only God. Now this is the sin of
every worldling : he hath taken down God from the throne
in his soul, and set up the flesh and the world in his
stead ; these he valueth, and magnifieth, and delighteth in ;
these have his very heart, while God that made it and re-
deemed him, is set light by. And do you think that this is
a sin to be endured? It is a more horrid thing to wish that
God were not God, than to wish that heaven and earth were
destroyed or turned again to nothing. He that would kill a
400 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
man deserveth death; what then deserveth he that would
destroy all the world ? that would pull the sun out of the
firmament, or set all the world on fire, if it were in his
power ? - Yet is not all this so bad as to wish that God
should lose his Godhead : and what less doth that man do
that would have his prerogative given to the creature, and
so would have the creature to be God ? If God be not the
chief good, he is not God. And if he be not chiefly to be
esteemed and loved, he is not the chief good. What then
doth that man do, but deny God to be God, that denieth
him his highest esteem and love ? And certainly he that
giveth it to any creature, denieth it to God ; for there can
be but one chief, and but one God. They take him down
therefore as much as in them lieth, that set up another. So
also, if God be not the Sovereign ruler of all, he is not God.
And therefore can be but one sovereign. What less then
do they do, that deny him his sovereignty, than deny him to
be God ? And he that maketh the flesh or world his sove-
reign, denieth God to be his sovereign ; because there can
be but one ; especially seeing also that their commands are
contrary. I beseech you therefore, sirs, be not so unwise
as to think that this mortification or crucifying of the world
is only the perfection, or higher pitch of some believers,
and not the common state of all. Do not imagine that
yourselves, or any other can be true Christians without it.
You may as well think that that man should be saved that
is a flat atheist, and denieth God, and renounceth him, as
that a worldling should be saved: and he that is not dead
to the world is a worldling. If any one piece of refor-
mation be essential to a true Christian, it is this. It is as
possible for a Turk, or an infidel to be saved, as one that is
not dead to the world ; yea, the case of these is more des-
perate, if more can be ; for they have not the like means of
information (ordinarily) as our worldly professors have.
What can any persecutor or idolater do more, than set
against God, and set up his enemies ? And so doth every
worldlins:. while he denieth God his esteem and chiefest
love, and giveth it to the pleasures and profits of this life.
I beseech you be not so weak as to dream, that God is no-
thing but a bare name or title, or that you deny not God, if
you refuse not to call him God ; or that none are atheists
that speak God fair, and give him. all his titles ; or that
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 401
none are impious that give him good words. It is the thing
and not the bare words, the description of God (such as we
are capable of) and not bare names, that we must inquire
of. If you will call your prince by all his royal titles, but
will set another in the throne, and give him the rule over
you, and obey him alone, which of these is it that you take
indeed for your prince ? " If I be a Father (saith God),
where is mine honour? If I be a Master, where is my
fear?" Mai. i. 16. Many " profess that they know God,
that in works deny him, being abominable and disobedient ;"
Tit. i. 16. God is not taken indeed for your God, if he be
not taken for your chief good and happiness, and have not
the chief of your desire and lov6 ; and if he be not taken
for your absolute Sovereign, and have not the subjection
and obedience of your souls. You may easily see then,
that it is not meet, it is not possible, that an unmortified per-
son, or a worldling can be saved. For if they shall be saved
that would have God to be no God, then no man should be
damned ; for there cannot be a worse man than these. Nay,
if he be not God, how should he save them, or how should
he make them happy, if he be not their chiefest good ?
If God should cease to be God, the world and all things
would cease to be. For if the first cause cease, the effects
must all cease. And if the ultimate end cease, the means,
and all use of means must cease. And as the cessation of
God, as the first Efficient, would destroy all natural being,
so the cessation of God, as the ultimate end, would destroy
all moral good whatsoever. Other sins destroy some part
or branch of moral good ; but the sin of idolatry, the viola-
tion of the first commandment, the taking to ourselves some
,other god, this doth at once subvert all goodness, and de-
stroy the very being of morality itself.
Sirs, I am afraid many, yea, most among us, have not
well considered the nature of worldlymindedness, or the
greatness of the sin of valuing and loving the creature be-
fore God. If they did, it would not be a sin of so good re-
pute among us, but would have contracted more odiimi be-
fore this time than it hath done. There are many sins fay
smaller than this, that men are ashamed for, and that men
are hanged for. But we must not j udge by outward appear-
ances, nor make the judgment of the sinner himself to be
the rule by which to discern the greatness or smallness of
VOL. IX, D D
402 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
the sin. A worldling, a fleshlyminded man.^n unmortified
man, that is not dead to the world ; all these are terms that
are proper to men in a state of damnation mider the curse
and wrath of God, and are equipollent terms, with " a child
of the devil." O how the devil hath deluded multitudes,
by making them think that this mortification is some higher
pitch of grace than ordinary, but not essential to the life of
grace itself; and therefore that a man may be saved with-
out it : when they may as well think to be saved, if they
defy the God of heaven, if they despise the Lord that bought
them, and if they renounce salvation itself, for indeed so
they do. It must needs be that God must look first and
chiefly to his own interest, in all his works, even in the col-
lation of his freest grace. And therefore he will be glorified
in all his saints, and no man shall have salvation dividedly
from his honour. He doth not bring men to heaven to hate
and contemn him, but to love and praise him ; and he will
fit them for that work, before they come thither, and make
them love and praise him initially on earth, before they
come to do it in heaven. And therefore he will make them
contemn all those things that stand in competition with
him, and hate all that stands against him.
• II. I have shewed you the necessity of crucifying the
wo^rld, as from God's interest, which the world doth con-
tradict; I shall next shew it you from your own interest.
And in these conjunct considerations it will appear, 1.
The world is not your happiness. 2. The world is oc-
casionally, through the corruption of our nature, a great
enemy to your happiness. 3. God only is your happiness.
4. God is not fully to be enjoyed in this world. 5. It is by
knowing, loving, and delighting in him as God that he is to
be enjoyed to make us happy. 6. As therefore it is im-
possible to have two ultimate ends, two chief goods, and
to enjoy them both ; so it is impossible, that God and the
world should both have our chiefest estimation and affec-
tion. All this set together, doth demonstrate the necessity
of being crucified to the world, unless we will renounce our
own felicity.
1. For the first proposition. That the world is not your
happiness ; I think all your tongues will readily confess it,
I would your hearts would do so too. Do you think that
God doth envy you your happiness, or that he would take
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 403
the world from you, because he esteemeth it too good for
you 1 No, it is because he pitieth your self-deceit, when he
seeth you take that for your happiness that is not ; and be-
cause he hath far better things to bestow. If the world were
as good for you as you take it to be, and had that in it to
satisfy you, as you may imagine it to have, you might keep
it, and much good might it do you ; for God would not go
•about to take it from you. He that made you to be happy,
doth not grudge you that which should procure it. Doubt-
less if he did not see that it is vanity, and that you have made
a wrong choice, and do mistake your mark, he would never
trouble you in a worldly course, nor call you off. But it is
because he seeth your folly and deceit, and wisheth you
much better. Woe to you that ever you were born, if you
have no better happiness than the world can afford you. Is
it not necessary then that you discern your erro", and be
brought into your right way, and spend not your time and
pains for nothing ? If God should let you alone to catch at
this shadow, and please yourselves with worldly toys, till
the time of grace were passed ; and then let you see that you
were befooled, when it is too late ; you would then be left
to a fruitless repentance, and to the sense of that unhappi-
ness which you chose to yourselves.
2. And that the world is an enemy to your happiness,
may appear two ways. First, in that it deceitfully pretend-
eth to be your happiness, when it is not; and so would turn
away your hearts from that which is. Secondly, in that by
allurements or discouragements, it is always hindering you
in the way to life, and is a snare to you continually in all
that you do. And is it not necessary to your salvation that
you be delivered from the enemies of your salvation? and
freed from such perilous snares? Can you conquer while
you are conquered? And if the world be not crucified to
you, it doth conquer you : for its victory is upon your will
and affections : and if it conquer you, it will condemn you.
To be servants to the world, is to be servants to sin : and
" the servants of sin are free from righteousness," Rom. vi. 20.
and free from Christ, and free from salvation. A miserable
freedom !
3. The following propositions I shall speak of together.
That God only is our happiness and chief good, I need not
prove to any that indeed believeth him to be God. That
404 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
salvation consisteth in the fruition of this happiness, is past
doubt. And as sure is it that God is not fully enjoyed in
this world ; much less in the creature, when it is loved for
itself, and not esteemed as a means to him. All that believe
a life after this, do surely believe that there is our felicity.
And lastly, that the soul doth enjoy its own felicity, by know-
ing, and loving, and delighting in its object, is also past
doubt. So that you may see that a worldly state of mind is
in itself inconsistent with a state of salvation. To be saved
is to have the blessed vision of God, and to love him and de-
light in him perfectly to everlasting. And can you do this,
when you love and delight in the world above him, or in op-
position to him ? Would you have God to save you, and
yet not to take off your aflfections from the world to himself?
That were to save you, and not to save you ; to feed you by
that which is not food ; to comfort you by that which can-
not comfort. If a worldling would be saved, and not be mor-
tified, either he speaks he knows not what, but plain non-
sense or contradictions, or else he meaneth one of these two
things : either that he would have a heaven of worldly riches,
or honours, or fleshly pleasures (there is no such to be
had) ; or else, that he would have the world as long as he
can, and have heaven when he can keep the world no longer,
and so would have the world crucified to him, when there is
no such world, or when he is taken from it. But as, 1. No
man can truly desire future grace and holiness, that doth
not desire it at the present, this being rather an unwilling
submission to it, as a tolerable evil, than a true desire of it,
as a certain good. So 2. God hath determined that this
life only shall be the way, and that the end : here only must
we use the means ; and there must we partake of the suc-
cess of our endeavours. You may better expect that God
should give you a crop at harvest, who refused to plough and
sow your land ; or that your children should be men, before
they are born ; than that he should be your happiness in
the life to come, if you finally reject him in this life, and
choose to yourselves a secular happiness. Such as you now
make choice of, such and no other shall you have. Heaven
and earth were set before you. You knew that earthly
happiness was short ; if yet you would choose it, think not
to haye heaven too ; for if you do, you will prove deceived at
the last.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 405
The Uses.
V. Beloved hearers, I suppose you will give me leave to
take it for granted, that you are all the rational creatures of
God, made subject to him, and capable of enjoying him, and
such as must be happy or miserable for ever ; as also that
you are all unwilling to be miserable, and willing to be
happy ; and that this life is the time for the use of those
means on which your everlasting life dependeth ; and that
judgment will turn the scales at last, as grace or sin shall
turn them now. I hope also that I may suppose that you
are agreed that Christianity is the only way to happiness,
and consequently that you are all professed Christians. And
one would think that where men are so far satisfied of the
end, and of the way, we might conceive great hopes of their
sincerity and salvation. But when we see that men's lives
do nullify their professions, and that while they look towards
God, they row towards the world ; and while they hope for
heaven, their daily travel is towards hell ; and while they
plead for Christ, they work against him ; our hopes of them
are turned to necessary lamentation. But how comes this
to pass that reasonable men, yea men reputed wise and
learned, yea many that seem religious to others and to them-
selves, should be so shamefully overseen, in a matter that so
concerneth their everlasting state ? As far as I am able to
discover, the causes of this calamity are these two.
I. One part of the professed Christians of the world, un-
derstand not what Christianity is, and so profess but the
empty name, when indeed the thing itself which is in their
conception, and which they mean in that profession, is no-
thing like to true Christianity.
II. The other part of miscarrying professors, though they
do conceive of the Christian religion as it is, yet not with
an apprehension intensively answerable to the thing they
apprehend ; though their conceptions of the Christian veri-
ties have a moral truth in them, it being not false but true
which they conceive ; yet there is no firmness and solidity
in the act, and so they do not effectually apprehend them.
Nothing more easy, more common and more dangerous, than
to make a religion either of names and words, which he that
useth doth not understand ; or of mere speculations and su-
406 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
perficial conceits, which never became practical, habituate
and predominant j nor were the serious, effectual apprehen-
sions of the man. A right object, and a sincere and serious
act, do essentially constitute the Christian's faith. If either
be wanting, it is not that faith, whatever it may pretend to
be. Nothing but the Gospel objects will suffice to a man's
salvation, were it never so firmly apprehended. And nothing
but a firm and serious belief of those objects, will make them
effectual, or saving to the believer. Were we able to cure
the two forementioned defects, and to help you all to these
two requisites, we should make no question but you would
all be saved. We cannot expect that men should let go
their sensual delights, till they hear of somewhat better to
be had for them, and till they firmly and heartily give credit
to the report.
And because the matter before us in my text is fitted to
both these needful works, and containeth those very truths
which must rectify you in both these points, I shall draw
them forth, and distinctly apply them hereunto.
Use I. And in the first place you are here informed that
the cross of Christ, is the crucifier of the world. Which
containeth in it these two parts, which make up the point :
1. That this is the use of the cross, and one great end of the
doctrine of Christianity, to crucify the world to us, and us
to the world. 2. That where the cross of Christ and his
doctrine are effectual, this work is always actually done : in
all true Christians the world is thus crucified.
O that these truths were as plainly or truly transcribed
upon your hearts, as they are plainly and truly contained in
my text !
1. For the first. That this is the end of Christ crucified,
and of his doctrine, I shall briefly shew, 1. The necessity of
this information. And 2. The certain truth of it.
1. Both the commonness and the dangerousness of err-
ing in this point, do shew the necessity of this information.
It is not only the contemners of religion, but also too many
that go among us for very godly men, that know not where
their happiness lieth, nor what the Christian religion is.
Almost all the apprehensions which they have of happiness;
are sensual ; as if it were but a freedom from sensible punish-
ments, and the possession of some delights of which they
have merely sensual conceits. And so they think of Christ
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 407
as one that came to free them from such punishments, and
help them to such a happiness as this. And as for the true
knowledge and fruition of God, in love and heavenly delights,
they look upon these either as insignificant names or terms,
or as certain appurtenances and fruits of religion, which we
ought to have, but may possibly be without, though we be
true believers. A confidence that Christ hath freed them
from torments, and made them righteous by imputation of
his obedience unto them, they take to be all that is essen-
tial to their Christianity. And the rest they call by the
name of good works : which, if it be not with them a term
of as low importance as the name of ' Works ' alone, or
'Works of the law,' is taken to be in Paul's Epistles, yet at
least they take it for that which doth not constitute their
religion. So that true sanctification is either not under-
stood, or taken to be of less necessity than it is. A man
that makes a great deal of talk and stir about religion, and
is zealous for his opinions and pious compliments, goes
current with many for a true believer, though the interest of
his flesh and of the world be as near and dear to him in this
way of religiousness, as other men's is to them in a way of
more open, professed sensuality.
And is it possible for a man to be a Christian indeed,
that so far mistaketh the very nature and ends of Chris-
tianity itself? It is not possible. By what is said already,
and will be by and by, it is evident that this is a damning
error, for any man to feign a Christianity to himself that ex-
cludeth mortification, or is separable from it, in a capable
subject. When men look at a predominant fleshly interest,
or worldly mind, as they do at some particular sin, consis-
tent with true faith : I say, this is an error about the very
essence of Christianity, and which hazards their salvation.
2. And that it is the end of the cross of Christ, and his
doctrine, to crucify the world to us, and to sanctify us to
God, I have already manifested in part, and shall now fur-
ther manifest.
1. It is the end of Christ, and his cross and doctrine, to
recover God's interest in the souls of men : but it is by mor-
tification, as a part of true sanctification, that God's inte-
rest in men's souls is recovered. Therefore, &c. As God
could have no lower ultimate end than himself in our crea-
tion, so neither in our redemption. Christ himself as Me-
408 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
diator, is but a means to God who is our end ; he is the way
to the Father, " and no man cometh to the Father but by
him ;" John xiv. 6. He is the Truth that revealeth the Fa-
ther ; and the Sun of the world, " which enlighteneth every
man that cometh into the world ;" John i. 9. revealing to
us both the end and means ; that as there is no light in the
earth, but what is communicated by the sun, which en-
lighteneth some by the moon at midnight, and some by its
direct approaching light, at the break of day, before they
see the sun itself, and others by its glorious rays when it is
risen, and visible to them, and hath also in itself an objective
sufficiency to enlighten those that shut their eyes, or want
eyesight by which they should receive it : even so is Christ
the Sun of the redeemed world, which actually affordeth all
that light to all which they do possess ; even some (to all
that have the use of reason) which hath a tendency to reco-
very ; and he hath an objective sufficiency to the saving il-
lumination of those that through their own fault are never
so illuminated. The pure Godhead is the beatifical light to
be enjoyed for felicity. The Mediator is the mediate light,
to shew us the way to God. And in these two consisteth
life eternal ; to know God the beginning and end, who him-
self hath no beginning or end ; and to know Jesus Christ
whom he hath sent, to recall us to himself; John xvii. 3.
Whether he that is now to us ' Mediator acquisitionis,' will
also hereafter be ' Mediator fruitionis,' and whether the glo-
rified do only see the Godhead in the glass of the glorified
body of Christ, and of the most glorious effects which then
they shall partake of, or also shall immediately behold it in
itself, and see God's essence, face to face, I shall not pre-
sume to determine, while Scripture seems so silent, and
learned conjectures are so much at odds. But as he is the
redeeming, restoring Mediator, it is that we speak all this
while of Christ : and so his office is to recover God's in-
terest in the souls of men.
Now his interest lieth in our estimation, and our love ;
and these the world hath dispossessed him of. It is there-
fore the work of Christ to pull down this idol, and set up
God in the throne of the soul. And therefore though faith
be the principal mediant using grace ; yet love is the most
principal, final, enjoying grace; and more excellent than
BY THE CROSS OF CHKIST. 409
faith> as the end, or that act which is next the end, is more
excellent than the means. ^ -oi
2. It is the end of Christ, his cross and doctrine, to heal
us, and to save us ; to heal us of our sin, and to save us from
it, and its destroying fruits. Biit by sanctification, and so
by mortification, doth Christ thus heal and save us. If
health be worth nothing, the physician and all his physic is
worth nothing. The health of the soul objectively is God,
and formally is its holiness, or perfect disposedness, and de-
votedness to God ; of which anon. These therefore doth
Christ come to restore : and therefore he comes to call us off
the creature, and bring our affections back to God.
~ 3. It is the end of Christ, his cross and doctrine, to con-
quer satan and destroy his works, and with him the rest of
the enemies of God, and of our salvation ; but the world is
one of these enemies, and the means by which the devil doth
prevail 5 therefore it is Christ's end to overcome the world,
and cast it out of the hearts of men 5 Luke xi. 22. John
xvi. 33. 1 John iii. 5. 8. " He was manifested to this end,
to take away our sins, and destroy the works of the devil ;"
and therefore he causeth his followers to overcome him ;
1 John ii. 13, 14. And herewithal observe, that it is essen-
tial to the relation, to respect the end ; to the physician,
that he be for the health of the patient ; and to Christ the
Redeemer, that he be the Saviour of his people from their
sins, and the restorer of their souls to the love of God : so
that Christ is denied and made no Christ, where mortifica-
tion and sanctification are denied ; he is not believed in as
Christ, where he is not believed in for these ends. And
therefore he that cometh not with this intent to Christ, that
he may restore the image of God upon him, and bring him
off from the creature unto God, that he may live to him,
doth not come to Christ as Christ, and is not indeed a true
Christian.
The doctrine of Christ doth lead us from the world, in
these several parts of it, and by these steps, (how the cross
doth it, I shewed before). 1. It declareth to us what God
is, and what man is ; and so that God is our absolute Owner
and Governor ; and that he is the only primitive, simple, ne
cessary being ; and that man was made by him, and there-
fore for him, and disposed to him. 2. It declareth to us
that the state of our integrity consisted in the closure of the
440 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
soul with God. 3. It sheweth us that our felicity consist-
eth in his love, and in the fruition of him by a mutual com-
placency. 4. It sheweth us that our first sin was by turn-
ing from him to carnal self and the world. 5. And that this
is our lost estate, wherein both sin and misery are conjunct,
to adhere to self and creatures, and to depart from God. 6.
It sheweth us what Christ hath done and suffered, to recon-
cile God to us, and open us a way of admission into his pre-
sence, and how far God is reconciled to us ; and thus re-
vealeth him in the face of a Mediator as amiable to our
souls, that so we might be capable of loving him, and clos-
ing with him again. For if he had remained in his wrath, he
would have been the object of our hatred, or mere terror at
least, and not of our love. And no man can love him that
is not presented to him, and apprehended by him as lovely,
that is, as good. For it is impossible that there should be
an act without its proper object. Nothing but appearing
good is loved. If a lost, condemned sinner have no hope
given him of God's reconciliation, or his willingness to re-
ceive him to mercy, it is ('ex parte objecti') an impossible
thing that the mind of that sinner should be reconciled to
God. And therefore the Gospel publisheth God's reconci-
liation to sinners, (viz. his universal, conditional reconcilia-
tion,) before it beseech them to be reconciled to God ; 2 Cor.
v. 19, 20. And before they believe we cannot give any one
man the least assurance that God is any more reconciled to
him, than to others that are unconverted, or that he is any
more willing to receive him, than others.
This therefore is the great observable means whereby
Christ by his Gospel recovereth the heart of a sinner unto
God, even by turning the frowning countenance of God, by
which he deterred the guilty into a more lovely face, as be-
ing reconcilable, and conditionally reconciled to the world
through Christ, and so become to all the ^sinful sons of
Adam a fit object to attract their love, and draw off their
hearts from the deceiving world, to which they were revolt-
ed ; and as being actually reconciled to all true believers,
and thereby become a yet more powerful attractive of their
love. 7. It doth also more fully reveal the face of God, the
object of our love, and the transcendent glory that in him
we shall enjoy. 8. And it disgraceth the creatures which
have diverted our affections, that we may be taken off our
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 411
false estimation of them. 9. It earnestly persuadeth and
soliciteth us to obey ; and calls on us to turn from the world
to God. 10. It backeth these persuasions with terrible
threatenings, if we do not forsake the creature and return.
11. It prescribeth to us the standing ordinances and means
by which this work may be further carried on. 12. And
lastly, it directeth us to the right use of the creatures, in-
stead of that carnal enjoying of them that would undo us.
By all these means, (which time doth permit me but briefly
to mention) the Gospel of Christ doth tend to crucify the
world to us, and to recover our hearts to the chiefest good.
And besides all this which the cross and the doctrine of
Christ do to this end, that you may yet more fully perceive
how much it is the end of Christ's very office, and tlie exe-
cution thereof, let me add these two things : I. That it is
the end of Christ's providential dispensations. 2. And the
work which he sendeth the Holy Ghost to perform upon the
souls of his elect.
1. As the mercies of God are purposely given us to lead
up our hearts to him that gave them ; so when we carnally
abuse them, and adhere unto the creature, it is the special
use of affliction to take us off. If the rod have a voice, it
speaks this as plain as any thing whatsoever ; and if it re-
prehend us for any sin, it is for our overvaluing and adher-
ing to the creature. The wounds that Christ giveth us, are
not to kill us, but to separate us from the world, that hath
separated us from God.
2. And that this is the very office or undertaken work of
the Holy Ghost, is past all controversy : his work is to
sanctify us ; and that is by taking us off the creature, to
bring us to be heartily devoted unto God. Sanctification is
nothing else but our separation from the creature to God, in
resolution, affection, profession and action. So that in what
measure soever a man hath the Spirit, in that measure is he
sanctified ; and in what measure he is sanctified, in that
same measure is he crucified to the world : for that is the
one half of his sanctification, or it is his sanctification from
the * terminus a quo ;' as many texts of Scripture do ma-
nifest.
By this time I hope it is plain to you, that mortification
is of the very being of Christianity, and not any separable
412 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
adjunct of it, and that if you profess not to be dead to the
world, you do not so much as profess yourselves Christians.
1 . And as you see that the Christian doctrine teacheth
this : So 2. It is thence clear without any more ado, that
wherever the cross and doctrine of Christ are effectual, the
world is crucified to that man, and he to the world. There
are some great duties which a man may possibly be saved,
though he omit in some cases ; but this is none such. It is
a wonder to see the security of worldlings, how easily they
bear up a confidence of their sincerity, under this sin which
is as inconsistent with sincerity as infidelity itself is ! If
they see a man live in common drunkenness, or adultery, or
swearing, they take him for a profane and miserable wretch ;
and good reason for it: when in the mean time they pass no
such sentence on themselves, who may deserve it as much
as the worst of these. It is one notable cheat among the
Papists, that occasions the ruin of many a soul, that they
make a religious, mortified life to be a work of supereroga-
tion, and those that profess it, (and some of their own inven-
tions with it, which turn it into sin) they cloister up from
the rest of the world, and these they call religious people,
and some few even of these, that are either more devout or
superstitious than the rest, they call saints. So rare a thing
is the appearance of religiousness and sanctity among them,
that it must be enclosed in societies, not only separated
from the world, as the church is, but separated as it were
out of the church itself. And yet the common people are
kept in hope of salvation in their way. By which means
they are commonly brought to imagine that it is not abso-
lutely necessary to salvation to be a religious man, or a saint,
or one that doth really renounce and crucify the world ; but
that these things belong to certain orders of monks and friars,
and that it is enough for other men to honour these devout
and mortified saints, and to crave their prayers, and do some
lower and easier things. And indeed their vows of chastity,
and separation, and unprofitableness, and other inventions
of their own, they may well conceive unnecessary to others,
being noxious to themselves. But they will one day find
that none but religious men and saints shall be saved, and
that every true member of Christ is dead to the world, and
not only monks, or votaries, or such like. And a conceit
BY THE CROSS OF CHKIS-E. 413
too like to this of the Papists, is in the minds ofmany of our
auditors. They think, indeed, that those are the best men
that are resolved contemners of all the riches, and honours,
and pleasures of the world ; but they think of them as the
Papists do of their votaries, as people of a higher pitch of
sanctity than the rest, but think not that it is essential to
sanctity, and to true Christianity itself. They confess they
should be all contemners of the world ; but, God forbid,
say they, that none but such should be saved ! But, 1 tell
you, God hath forbidden already by his laws, and God will
forbid hereafter by his sentence and execution, that any
other but such should be saved. Do you think in good sad-
ness that any man can be saved that is not truly dead to the
world, and doth not despise it in comparison of God, and
the great things of everlasting life ? Let me satisfy you of
the contrary here once for all, and I pray you see that your
flesh provoke you not to mutter forth such unreasonable
self-delusions any more. " Love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world. If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him ;'* 1 John ii. 15. What
can be spoken more plainly, or to a worldlyminded man
more terribly. " For whosoever is born of God, overcora-
eth the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the
world, even our faith ;" chap. v. 4. " Know ye not that the
friendship of the world, is the enmity with God? Whoever
therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of
God ;" James iv. 4. Will not all this serve to convince you
of this truth? "For they that are after the flesh do mind
the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit, the
things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death,
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the
carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can be. For if ye live after
the flesh ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mor-
tify the deeds of the body, ye shall live ;" Rom. viii. 5^ — -7.
13. " That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that
which is born of the Spirit is Spirit; Johniii. 6. '♦Walk
in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other;"
Gal. v. 16, 17. vi. 8. " He that soweth to his flesh, shall of
the flesh reap corruption ; but he that soweth to the Spirit,
414 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Col. iii. 1—3. " If
ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your
affections on things above, and not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also
appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members
which are upon the earth." Matt. vi. 19—21. 24. " Lay
not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal ;
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break
through nor steal : for where your treasure is there will your
heart be also. No man can serve two masters ; for either
he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold
to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon." chap. x. 38, 39. " He that taketh not his cross
and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that find-
eth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my
sake shall find it." chap. xvi. 24. " If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and
follow me." Luke xiv. 26, 27. " If any man come to me,
and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children,
and brethren and sisters, yea and his own life also, he can-
not be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross
and come after me, cannot be my disciple." ver.33. " Who-
soever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he
cannot be my disciple." Heb. xi. 13 — 15. and to the end.
But I will cite no more. Here is enough to convince you,
or condemn you. If any thing at all be plain in Scripture,
this is plain, that every true Christian is dead to the world,
and looks on the world as a crucified thing ; and that God
and the life of glory which he hath promised, have the rul-
ing and chiefest interest in their souls. Believe it, sirs, this
is not a work of supererrogation, nor such as only tendeth
to the perfecting of a Christian, but such as is of the es-
sence of Christianity, and without which there is not the
least hope of salvation.
Use II. By all that hath been said, you may perceive
what it is to be a Christian indeed, and that true Christia-
nity doth set men at a further distance from the world, than
carnal, self-deceiving professors do imagine. You see that
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 415
God and the world are enemies ; not God and the world as
his creature, but as his competitor for your hearts, and as
the seducer of your understandings, and the opposer of his
interest, and the fuel and food of a fleshly mind, and that
which would pretend to a being or goodness separated from
God, or to be desirable for itself, having laid by the relation
of a means to God. To be a friend to the world in any of
these respects, is to be an enemy to God. And God will not
save his enemies, while enemies. An enmity to God is an
enmity to our salvation : for our salvation is in him alone.
If then you have but awakened consciences, if the true love
of yourselves be stirring in you, and if you have but the free
use of common reason, I dare say you do by this time per-
ceive, that it closely concerneth you presently to look about
you, and to try whether you are crucified to the world or
not. Seeing my present business is, for the securing of
your everlasting peace, and the healing of your souls of that
which would deprive you of it, let me entreat you all in the
fear of God to give me your assistance, and to go along with
me in the work ; for what can a preacher do for you, if you
will do nothing for yourselves? How can we convert, or
heal, or save you, without you ? I do foresee your appear-
ance before the Lord ; a jealous God ; that will not endure
that any creature should be sweeter and more amiable to
you than himself. I do foresee the condemnation that all
such must undergo, and the remediless/ certain misery that
they are near. I know there is no way that the wit of man
or angels can devise, to prevent the damnation of such a
soul, but "by crucifying the flesh and world by the cross of*
Christ, and dethroning these idols, and submitting sincerely
to God for their happiness. This cannot be done while you
are strangers to yourselves, and will not look into your own
hearts, and see what abominable work is there, that you
may be moved to return with shame and sorrow for that
which hath been formerly your glory and your joy. O do
not keep out the light of conviction, that you may keep up
your idols in the dark : your sin is nevertheless, because you
wilfully keep it out of sight : and your danger is neverthe-
less for being unknown. If you will sin in darkness, you
shall suffer in darkness : as you have a fire of fleshly and
worldly lusts within you, which abhors the light of saving
truth, so God hath a fire of perpetual torment for you.
416 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
which is as far from the consolatory light of his counte-
nance. As the fire of concupiscence is dark, so is the tor-
menting fire dark. If you hate the converting light, because
your deeds are evil, and will not by this light be made ma-
nifest to yourselves (John iii. 18 — 21.), this will be your
condemnation, and by this will you deprive yourselves of
the glorifying light. If you love darkness, who can you
blame but yourselves, if you be cast into outer darkness?
and if you hate light, you cannot reasonably expect to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light ; Col.
i. 13.
What say you then, beloved hearers, are you willing to
know your hearts, or not? Whether you are dead to the
world, and the world to you? Methinks you should be
willing ; when you see the question is as great, as whether
you are Christians indeed or not ; and as great, as whether
you are in a state of salvation or not. Methinks you that
naturally love knowledge, and would be at some pains to
know all that is about you in the world, should not be un-
willing to know yourselves, and specially, so great a matter
by yourselves, as whether you are the heirs of salvation or
damnation ; for in the issue it is no less. Especially when
your disease is such as must be cured by the light, if ever
it be cured. You cannot lament your worldliness and sen-
suality, you cannot lament your disaffectedness to God, and
intolerable neglects of him, till you find them out. You
cannot betake you to Christ for the pardon of this sin, till
you have discovered it. A sin unseen will never humble
you and break your hearts, nor fit them for Christ to bind
them up. If you see not that the world is yet alive in you,
you will not apply the cross, for the crucifying of it, nor
have recourse to a crucified Christ for that end. Moreover,
it is the nature of all sin, and worldly vanities to seem
best in the dark, and basest in the light. As God and hea-
venly things seem best in the greatest light, and worst in
the darkness. None do set light by God, and grace, and
glory, but those that know them not. And none do set
much by worldly, fleshly things, but those that know them
not. As illumination brings in God into the soul, so doth
it help to cast out satan and the world. When men's eyes
are opened, and they are turned from darkness to light, they
are presently turned " from the power of satan unto God ;"
BY THE CUOSS OF CHRIST. 417
Acts xxvi. 18. These infernal worldly spirits cannot endure
the light : they walk not by day, but haunt them whom they
captivate, in the night of ignorance ; and if we do but come
in upon them with light, they are gone. It is the same de-
vil that is called " the prince of this world, and the ruler of
the darkness of this world," (Eph.vi. 12.) and this power is
" a power of darkness," (Luke xxii. 53.) and therefore as light
immediately expelleth darkness ; so if you will admit the
light of Christ, it will deliver you from the power of dark-
ness (Col. i. 13.), and cause you " to cast off the works of
darkness," (Rom. xiii. 12.) ; that is, your worldly, fleshly
works.
For my part, I have not access to your hearts, unless
grace persuade you to open me the door. I cannot promise
to illuminate you, and go with you into the inmost rooms ;
but I shall stand at the door and hold you the candle, by
which you may see yourselves what is within, if yoii will
but consent and take the pains of a thorough inquiry. I do
therefore earnestly entreat you, to set up a judicature in
yourselves, and by the word which you have heard to try
your states, and let conscience be judge, and do it speedily,
faithfully, and effectually. By this means you may pre-
vent a sharper trial. If you are afraid of conscience, how
much more should you be afraid of God ? Will not his
judgment, think you, be more dreadful than your own?
What madness is it to leave all to that terrible judgment,
rather than to judge yourselves for the preventing of it?
Believe it, you shall be condemned by yourselves or by God;
yea, both by yourselves and by God, unless your self-con-
demnation be seconded by an effectual execution of the
sin which you condemn. Willing or unwilling, you must
to the bar either of conscience or of God, or both. Come
on then, beloved hearers ; rouse up your sleepy souls, and
remember that your salvation is the thing in question ; and
therefore put it not to a wilful hazard, and leave not loose a
matter of such consequence : but if you are men of common
reason, if you do not hate yourselves, and have not a re-
solved plot to damn yourselves, take time while you may
have it, and accept the light and help that is offered you,
and speedily and strictly examine your own hearts, whether
they are crucified and dead to the world, or not. Is it so,
VOL. IX. E E
418 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
or is it not sirs ? Cannot you tell ? If you know but what
this mortification is, and know but your own hearts, no
doubt but you may tell. And if you are ignorant of either
of these, it is because you are shamefully negligent, and
have not much regarded the things which you should
know.
For those that are willing to be acquainted with their
state, I shall, besides the foregoing discoveries, here give
you a few more signs, by which you may discern whether
you are crucified to the world. And I beseech you do what
you can in the trial, as we go, and make up the rest at the
next opportunity, when you come home, and follow it on
till you come to a resolution.
It is not a perfect work of mortification, that I shall
now inquire after ; for that no man on earth hath obtained ; '
nor is it any high degree, which only the stronger and bet-
ter sort of true Christians do attain ; for if I convince you
that you want either of these, you will not much be hum-
bled by the conviction. But it is the very least and lowest
measure that is consistent with sincerity, and which is in all
that are heirs of heaven. This is it that I shall now disco-
ver to you.
1. If you are sincerely crucified to the world, it is not
carnal self that is your end, but your ultimate end is God
and glory. Can you but tell me what is the main design of
your life? Whether it be for earth or for heaven? Know
this, and you may resolve the case. A worldling may speak
contemptuously of the world, and speak most honourably of
God and the life to come. But speculative knowledge and
practical are frequently contradictory in the same man.
Still it is this world that hath his chief intentions, and is
the end of his designs and life ; and the world to come is
regarded but as a reserve, because of their unavoidable se-
paration from this world. The main end of every upright
Christian, is to please and enjoy God ; and the main end of
all the rest of the world, is how to please their carnal minds
in the enjoyment of some earthly things. If you could but
discern which of these is your chiefest end, you might dis-
cern whether it be Christ or the world that liveth in you.
For Christ liveth in you, when he is your end, and the world
liveth in you when it is your end.
But because some are such strangers to themselves, that
BY THii: CROSS OF CHRIST. 419
they do not know their own ends, the rest of the signs shall
be for the discovery of the former, that you may discern
whether the world or God be your ultimate end.
1. That which is your principal end, is most highly es-
teemed by your practical judgment. Not only by the spe-
culative, but by that which moveth and disposeth of the man.
Is God or the world, heaven or earth, thus most highly es-
teemed by you ? Let your practice shew it.
2. It is your principal end, that hath the principal inter-
est in you. That can do most with you, and prevail most in
a contest. Can God or the world do more with you'?
Which of them doth prevail, when an opposition doth arise ?
I speak not of God in his efficiency ; for so 1 know he can
do what he lists ; and will do it, whether you will or no ; and
will not ask your consent to do it. But it is God as your
end, that I now speak of; as he worketh morally by your
own consent, and upon your wills. Honours, and profits,
and pleasures are before you, and these would draw you to
something that he forbids. And God and glory are pro-
[jounded to you to take you off, and turn your hearts ano-
ther way ; which of these can do more with you ? which is
it that can nullify the persuasions of the other ?
3. It is your principal end, that hath the principal ruling
and disposal of your whole life. You do purposely contrive
the main part of your life in order to it. If you are indeed
Christians, and God be your end, the main drift of your life
is a contrived means for the obtaining of that end ; that is,
to please God, and to enjoy him in everlasting glory. If
you were such as you should be, you should have no
other end at all, nor should you ever do one work, or receive
or use one creature, or speak one word, or behold one ob-
ject, but as a means to God, intending the pleasing and en-
joying him in all ; as a traveller should not go one step of
his journey, but in order to his end. But while we are im-
perfect in our love, and other graces, this will not be. But
yet the main bent and drift of our lives must needs be for
God and the life to come ; and thus it is with every true be-
liever ; and you are none, if it be not thus with you. I say
it again, lest you should slightly pass it over, though you
inay through infirmity sometimes step out of the way, yet if
God be your end and happiness, that is, if he be your
God, and you be Christians, the main scope, and bent, and
402 THE CRUCIFYING DF THE WORLD
dritf of your lives is for to please God and enjoy him in
glory. But if the main scope and drift of your life, be for
the flesh and the world, and God and religion come in but
upon the by, you are then no better than unsanctified world-
lings. Though you may do much in religion, and be zea-
lous about it, and seem the most devout and most resolved
professors in all the country where you live ; yet if all
this be but in subordination to the flesh and the world,
or if co-ordinate it have the smaller interest in your
hearts, and when you have done or suffered most for Christ,
you will do and suffer more for the flesh and the world, you
are carnal wretches, and- no Christians. O that you would
let conscience' do its office, and judge you as we go along
according to evidence ! It is not by one or two actions that
you can judge of your estate, but by the main scope, and
bent, and drift of your life. What is your very heart set
upon ? What is your care, and your chief contrivances ?
Are they for heaven or earth ? Speak out, and take the
comfort of your sincerity if you are Christians! and if you
are not, know it while there is remedy, and do not wilfully
deceive yourselves. Have you been so far illuminated by
the word and Spirit, as to see the amiableness of the Lord
by faith, and have you so Arm a belief of the everlasting glo-
ry, where we shall see his face immediately or more nearly,
and praise him among his angels for ever? I say, have you
so firm a belief of this, that you are unfeignedly resolved
upon it as your happiness, that you take it for your portion,
and there have laid up your hopes ? Can you truly say,
that God hath more of your heart than all the world, and
heaven is dearer to your thoughts than earth ? Can you
say, that whatever you are tempted to on the by, that the
main care, design, and bent of your life is for God and the
glory to come : and that this is your daily work and business ?
If so, you are Christians indeed: you have crucified the
world by the cross of Christ. The world is dead and down,
where God reigneth and is exalted, and nowhere else. But
if all this be clean contrary with you ; and if the flesh and
the world have the prevalent interest, and these cut out your
work, and form your thoughts, and choose your employ-
ments ; if these choose the calling that you live upon, and
the manner of managing it, and your very religion ; or set
limits to it ; if it be these that rule your tongue and hands.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 421
and they can make a cause seem good or bad to you, and
that seemeth best which most conduceth to your fleshly,
worldly interests; and that seemeth worst which destroyeth
it or is against it; if God be loved and worshipped but as a
necessary means to your carnal happiness ; or if he have but
the second place in your hearts, and the leavings of the flesh
and world (be they never so much), and if your religion and
endeavours for salvation, for pleasing God, and for the invi-
sible glory, but on the by ; and the flesh and the world hath
the main scope, and bent, and drift of your life ; flatter not
yourselves then : most certainly you are but carnal wretches
and drudges of the world, and slaves to him that is stiled by
Christ, the prince of this world. Methinks, sirs, you might
be able by this time to be somewhat acquainted with your
own condition, and either to condemn yourselves as world-
lings and carnal men, or to see Christ by his Spirit and in-
terest reigning in your souls, and give him the glory, and
take to yourselves the joy of your sanctification. Can you
tell me but what it is that you would have, if you had your
wish ? and what it is that is predominant in your hearts ?
What ! know you not your own minds, and thoughts,
and desires ? Can you tell me what it is that is your
very business in the world ? even the great business
that you live for, and that you study, and care, and labour
for ? and what is the design that you are daily carrying on ?
Know but this, and the question is resolved. If you see any
man at work, and ask him what he is doing, and why he
doth it, it is likely he is not so sottish but he can tell. If
you meet a man upon the way, and askhim whither he is go-
ing, it is like he will not be so foolish, but he can tell you.
He that hath no end, hath no way, and therefore is never in
his way, nor out of it ; nor will he care which way he goes,
so he be going ; and a circular motion is as good to him as
a progressive. You are doing somewhat all ; you are going
somewhither every day : whither is it ? and what is it for ?
Is it for heaven or earth ? The texts which I before cited to
you, fully give you the ground of the trial and judgment
that I am urging you upon. " Where your treasure is, there
will your hearts be also;" Matt. vi. 21. "Seek first the
kingdom of God, and its righteousness, and all these things
shall be added to you;" chap. vi. 33. "Whom have I in
heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire
422 THE CKUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
besides thee ;" Psal. lxxiii.25. " If any man come to me
and hate not all, even his own life, he cannot be my disci-
ple ;" Lukexiv.26. So ver. 33. "He that forsaketh not
all that he hath :" — But let us proceed a little further in the
trial.
4. As that which is a man's end (if satisfactory) will con-
tent him when he can attain it, so without it nothing will con-
tent him. No man will be content without that which is the
principal end of his life, though he may without some infe-
rior end. If God be your end, nothing else will content
you. If you had all the honours and prosperity of the world,
and this secured to you, it would not content you. These
are not the things that you live for, or that the predominant
inclinations of your souls are suited to, and therefore it is
not these that will please you, and serve your turn. But if
the world be your end, you could be content with it if you
could get it. Let who will take the world to come : if the
carnal wretch were but sure of this, he would think himself
a happy man, and could spare the other. He would not
change his worldly happiness for the hopes of that which he
never saw, nor doth not firmly and heartily believe.
5. It is a man's end that puts the estimate upon all things
else. All other things are counted good or evil, so far as
they help to it, or hinder it. If heaven be your end, you will
account of all things as they respect that end. Those will
be the best companions to you, and that the best calling
and condition in life, the best speech, the best actions, the
best way of disposing what you have, which you think will
most promote your heavenly end. Suffering will be better
in your eye than prosperity, if it do but help you best to
heaven. To give your money will seem better to you than
to keep it, to lose it than to gain it, when it apparently con-
duceth more to the pleasing of God and your salvation.
That will be the best ministry and means that tendeth most
to this : and so you will estimate all things else ; for it is
most evident that it is the end that prizeth the means,
according as they are suited to the attainment of that
end.
But if fleshpleasing and worldly prosperity be your end,
that will seem the best calling to you, and that the best
employment and course of life, which tends most to advance
and please your flesh : that will be the best company to them
^ BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 423
and those their most beloved friends, tliat further this pros-
perity : that will seem the best way of disposing of what
they have, as to the main, whatever they may do on the by.
Their practical judgment esteemeth this most eligible.
6. It is only a man's end, and the inseparable necessary
means thereto, that he can by no means spare. Other
things he can spare, and be without, but not without this.
If God be your end, your heart is so upon him that you can-
not be without him : you can be without honour, or riches,
or life itself, but not without God. But if the world be
your end, then it is clean contrary ; and that is the thing
that you cannot be without. Hence it is that men plead
necessity of that which is their end, and the necessary
means. One thing seems necessary to the Christian : he
must have God in and by Christ. I must use his means
(saith he), I must avoid the contrary. How shall I
do this evil, and sin against God V But the carnal man's
necessity is on the other alfle : * I must raise my family if I
can ; at least I must keep my estate : I must not be undone :
I must preserve my name, my life.
7. A man will hazard or part with any thing to secure or
attain his principal end. Nothing can be too good, or too
dear to purchase it : nothing can stand in competition with
it. If God and glory be your end, away goes all that is in-
consistent with it. You will part with a right hand or eye,
as thinking it better to have heaven with one, than hell with
both. You can part with house, and land, and country, be-
cause you seek for a city " that hath foundations, whose
builder and maker is God ;" Heb. xi. 9, 10. You can live as
strangers and pilgrims on earth, and mind not ta return to
the world which you have renounced, " because j'^ou desire
a better, even an heavenly country;" ver. 11 — 16. You will
rather " choose to suffer afflictions with the people of God,
than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season, esteeming the
very reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of
the world, because you have respect to the recompence of the
reward;" ver. 24 — 26. The fear of man, even of the princes
of the earth will not prevail against your hope, " because you
see him that is invisible ;" ver. 27. You can endure " to be
made a gazing-stock, by reproaches and afflictions, and be-
come the companions of them that are so used." You can-
not only part with your substance when God calls for it.
424 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
but even "take joyfully the spoiling of your goods, as
knowing that you have a better and more enduring sub-
stance in heaven ;" chap, x.33,34. You " will reckon that
the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be com-
pared with the glory which shall be revealed in us ;" Rom.
viii. 18. In a word, you can " deny yourselves, forsake all,
and follow Christ in expectation of a treasure in heaven ;"
Lukexviii. 22. Never tell me that heaven is your end, if
there be any thing which you cannot part with to obtain it-
For that which is dearest to you is your end. Why else is it
that labour and sufferings, yea and the apparent hazard of
their salvation, seems not to a worldling too dear a price for
the purchasing of their present prosperity, but because they
have laid up a treasure upon' earth, and earthly things are
their chiefestend.
8. Lastly, that is your ultimate end, which you think in
your practical judgment you can never love or labour for
too much. I know there is scarr.e a worldling to be found,
which will not give it you under his hand as his settled judg-
ment, that it is God and glory that cannot be loved too
much, and he will confess that he loveth the world too
much. But yet he doth it while he confesseth it; and he
denieth his chiefest love to God, while he acknowledgeth it
due to him. And therefore it is not his practical, effectual
judgment that is for it, but only he hath an ineffectual notion
or opinion of it. But it is otherwise with the iinsanctified.
Philosophers and divines use to say, that virtue is in the
middle, between two extremes ; but that is only to be inter-
preted of the subservient virtues, which are exercised about
the means ; but the chiefest good and ultimate end is such
as cannot be loved too much. The measure here is, as Aus-
tin speaks, that it be without measure. It is our all that is
due to that which we esteem and take for our all. God is our
all objectively for fruition ; and the all of our affections and
endeavours should be his. With all our heart, with all our
soul and might, is the due measure of our love to him. We
can never seek our end too diligently, nor buy it too dearly,
nor do too much for it, in God's way. And as the believer
thinks he can never have too much of God, nor do too much
for him ; so the lives of worldlings tell us, that even while
they speak disgracefully of the world, they think they can
never have too much of it, nor would they think they could
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 425
ever do too much for it, were it not that overdoing for one
part of their worldly interest, doth deprive them of another
part.
I have now told you how you may discern whether it be
God or the world that liveth in your hearts, and whether you
are dead to God or to the world. What remaineth but that
you take it home, and apply it yet closer than I can do, and
try what God it is that you adore ; and what felicity it is
that you esteem and intend, and consequently what you are,
and what will become of you if you persevere. 1 beseech
you make this your serious work, and take some time for it
purposely when you come home, to do it more effectually
than now on the sudden hearing may be expected. What
say you ? will you take yourselves apart some time, and
purposely search your hearts to the very quick, till you have
found whether the world be crucified to you by the cross of
Christ, and the hopes of glory ? If you did but know the
use of the discovery, lam confident you would not need so
much entreating.
Truly brethren, it is one of the mysteries of sin and self-
deceit, that such a multitude of people, yea, seemingly reli-
gious, can think so well of themselves as they do, and bear
it out with such audacious confidence, as if they were the
real servants of Christ, when it is apparent even to the eyes
of others, that they are not crucified to the world but live
to it, and serve it day by day. How anxiously are they con-
triving for it, while their care to please God is so exceeding
slender, that it takes up but little of their time and thoughts.
How sweet are their thoughts of a plentiful estate ! To
have the world at will, houses, and lands, and full provi-
sions for themselves and theirs, that they may be clothed
with the best, and fare of the best, and sit with the highest,
and be honoured and reverenced of all, how fine a life doth
this seem to them ! If they have but a fair opportunity to
rise, how little tender are they of the lawfulness of the
means, at least where they are not so wicked as to dishonour
them ! They can believe that to be the truth which be-
friendeth their worldly interest ; and that to be false and er-
roneous which is against it. The world chooseth many of
their opinions for them, and much of their religion, and tell-
eth them what party they should side with, and what not.
It telleth them how far they shall tolerate other men's sin.
426 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
and how far not ; how far they shall make profession of
their faith, and how far they shall conceal it from the know-
ledge of the world ; and so as Paul saith, they account
" gain to be godliness," (1 Tim. vi. 5.) not only esteeming
it better than downright godliness, but measuring out their
godliness by their gain ; making that to seem religious
which ^fitteth their carnal ends, and easily believing that
which is for their worldly interest. How weak and
silly reasons will persuade them that the point is true, the
cause is good, the means is lawful, which serveth their turns
for worldly ends ! And the clearest, unquestionable evi-
dences are nothing to them, that are brought for the con-
trary. So potent a persuader is worldly interest, that any
thing will serve where it takes part, and nothing prevail that
it doth contradict. A powerful disputant, that most com-
monly hath the best, whatever side it takes, and the cause
goes for it, be it right or wrong. Either they will not read
such long and tedious discourses as are against them, or
they find some passage presently to quarrel with, that is too
displeasing, and makes them cast away the rest. Or if they
read the whole, or hear you to the last, it is with a resisting
spirit all the while. Before they know v^^hat you will say,
they have confuted you. For they have resolved to believe
that your reasons are insufficient, and their cause is good.
They read and hear not only with a prejudice answerable to
the reasons that formerly resolved them, but with an oppos-
ing enmity and fixedness of will. Had we only their under-
standings to dispute with, it were the less ; but our main
dispute is with will and passion, which have no ears, nor
eyes, nor brains, though sense enough. Their deceiving
baits first catch the sensual part, and so come to bribe the in-
tellect and the will ; and their strongest root is still in the
brutish part where it began, which will hear no reason.
When Paul was told of the truth of that doctrine which he
before had persecuted, and must himself be persecuted if he
should entertain it, he sticks not at that, but immediately
consulteth not with flesh and blood, but falls to work ; Gal.
i. 16. But these men will scarce do any thing but flesh and
blood must be consulted with. The word was David's
counsellor ; and the world is theirs. The first question is,
la it for my honour or dishonour, my profit or disprofit, my
pleasure or my trouble ? and as it relisheth with their flesh,
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. *• 427
SO is it esteemed of and concluded. And which is more,
their carnal interest so blinds their eyes, that they see not
ofttimes their most palpable delusions. When their actions
are such as unprejudiced standers by do blush at, and the
wisest and most faithful of their friends lament, and the
shame of them is open to the view of the world, yet flesh
doth so befool them, that they see not their nakedness, but
glory in their shame. Commodity cannot blush. The ap-
plause of flatterers justifieth their crimes against the accu-
sations of God and all good men. Have these men cruci-
fied the world indeed ?
A Christian looketh so much to his rule, as well as his
end, that he dare not say of heaven itself, that every means
is lawful which seemeth to conduce to it. But these men
think that any thing is lawful that brings them gain, or
makes them great.
And as for the improvement of their talents for God,
What is to be seen ? What self-seeking and unprofitable
servants are they ? They will confess that they have all
from God, and that all is due to him again ; but it is but a
self-condemning confession. How many charitable and
pious uses do call aloud for much of their estates ! but how
little of it is so expended ! Now and then two-pence or a
groat to the poor is a great matter with them, and the weal-
thy can come off with the quantity of the widow's mite.
Let God call, and ministers call, and the poor call and cry
for it, all cannot extort their idol out of their purses So
fast do they hold their money, that scarce any thing but
thieves, or soldiers, or death can wring it out of their hands.
But so loose do they hold spiritual good, which they seem
to mind, that if a seducer cannot easily entice them from it,
or a derision shame them from it, yet at least a good bargain
for the world can hire them from it, and the frowns of men in
power, or the change of the times can affright them from it.
Long will it be before they will go from house to house
through the y^arish, and see what poor want clothing, what
children want means to set them to trades, and what families
want Bibles and other books that may promote their salva-
tion, and go as far as they are able in procuring them, and
set their friends to work where their own ability is too short.
O the dis[n'oportion that there is between the verbal service
and the more costly service of wordly, hypocritical profes-
428 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
sors ! How far do their formal duties exceed their charita-
ble communications and distributions ! Most commonly
the world doth cut short even these their religious actions.
They can scarce find time to be constant in worshipping-
God in their families, or in secret ; in instructing and ex-
horting their children and servants ; there is some business
to be done, or some gain to be got ; or while they seem^to
be deepest in their devotions, their thoughts run after their
covetousness, and it is one God- that hath their tongues,
and another that hath their hearts. So that they pray as if
they prayed not, and hear as if they heard not, and pos-
sess God's ordinances as not possessing them, and use
them merely as abusing them, as apprehending no great
benefit to come by them, but the fruitof them were nothing
but mere conceits, or all God's ordinances were but (as the
Scottish sacrilegiouslordcalled their Book of Discipline) de-
vout imaginations. But yet for all the shortness of their de-
votions, their real devotions and works of charity are much
more short. And for pious contributions and communica-
tions, some of them scarce know what they mean. They
will sooner learn to scorn such duties, and plead against them
as no duties, than conscientiously to perform them. They
say they are sanctified, and the people of God ; and if they
were so indeed, they would be devoted to him without re-
serve : and if themselves were devoted or sanctified to him,
all that they have must needs b^ so too. But it is a holy
name that they have received, and not a consecrated heart
or purse. I doubt it will be long before the piety of this
age will give as much to holy uses, as the seeming piety of
it hath taken from them. And if there be more piety in tak-
ing from holy uses, than in giving to them, we may next be
taught that it is a more pious work to destroy preachers
than to preach, and to destroy praying than to pray, and to
curse God than to praise him. I have oft wondered that so
many that we take for godly persons do so overlook the
many and exceeding urgent precepts to liberal distributions
for God and his service, which Scripture doth contain ; and
how they can think to be saved without obeying these com-
mands, any more than without obeying the commands for
hearing, praying, or any other religious duty. Do they not
read these passages as well as others, in their Bibles ? How
comes it to pass that conscience then stirs not, when tliey
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 429
neglect such important duties ? They read that the Chris-
tians of the primitive times sold all, and delivered the mo-
ney to the apostles : to manifest practically the nature and
power of the Christian religion, which consisteth in re-
nouncing all for Christ, and devoting ourselves and all that
we have to God, upon his promise of a treasure in the hea-
vens. They read that it was an appointed duty in the
churches, to lay by in the church's stock every Lord's day
for the relief of needy Christians, according as God had pros-
pered them the week before ; 1 Cor. xvi. 1 — 3. They read
that Christ so regardeth this duty, that the sentence at
jndgment is described by him, as passing upon this account.
And yet for all this, flesh and blood will be wiser than to
trust God, and to obey so chargeable a command. They
will venture on damnation to save their money ; and let go
heaven for fear of losing by it. And that they may be wise
indeed, they can justify all, and labour to bring their duty
into scorn. ' We are not capable,' say they, ' of giving to
God ; because that all is his already.' Self- condemning
wretch! Is all his? Why then hath he not all ! Give then
to God the things that are his own. It is not a proper do-
nation that we call you to. You cannot give him a pro-
priety who hath it already ; nor alienate it from yourselves,
who never had it, in respect to God ; but yet you may give
it to him by tradition ; you may deliver him his own in the
way that he requires it, and lay out your Master's stock for
his service ! And if he will so far honour your fidelity, as
to call this a giving or a lending to him, methinks this should
encourage you to liberality, but I see not how it can excuse
your denying him his own.
Object. ' But it is to satisfy the covetousness of the
priests, that we are called on to give to God, as if they were
God, or God had that which they have.'
Answ. Adding reproach to covetousness, will prove one
day but a sad excuse for sin. If this age understood the
fifth commandment, and the heinousness of ingratitude to
God and man for the greatest mercies, and how it is that
Christ teacheth and ruleth, and how he is obeyed or despised
in the world, they would tremble to think of the scorn and
contempt of a faithful ministry, " The eye that mocketh at
his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of
430 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat
it ;" Prov^xxx. 17. " Whoso curseth his father or mother,
his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness ;" Prov. xx.
20. "And he shall die the death;" Exod.xx. 17. And
for your objection ; the priests of the Lord under the law
were not God ; the apostles and Gospel ministers were not
God ; nor any that serve upon the altar, who yet must live
upon the altar ; the poor themselves be not God, and yet you
shall understand one day, that " inasmuch as you did it not
to one of these, you did it not to Christ:" and in despising
them, you despised him; Matt. xxv. Luke x. 16. The va-
nity of your fond pretence was sufficiently told you by
Christ himself. Matt. xxv. 46. where he tells you how he
will answer your companions that shall use it, " Inasmuch
as you did it not to one of these, you did it not to me."
And yet will you say, " Lord, when did we see thee hungry,
naked," &c. when you have your answer beforehand.
Worldly wretches ! you would not part with your wealth,
if you could help it, to Christ himself, if he should come
and ask it of you. For you read in his word, that it is he
that asketh it, and commandeth it from you now. But if
you will not believe that it is Christ that requireth it, till he
is come himself in person to demand it ; and if you are such
faithful stewards, that you will part with none of your Mas-
ter's stock, till he ask you for it face to face, for fear of mis-
employing it ; be patient awhile, and he will come and seek
his own with advantage, but to the eternal woe of unprofita-
ble servants. You can spare God the tithe of your words,
in formal duties, when the devil and the world have had the
rest ; but not so much as the old legal proportion of your
estates, much less the evangelical all. What makes you
drop prayers so much thicker than alms or distributions ?
Do you think that God doth not as strictly require the one
as the other? If speaking were not cheaper to you than
giving, your prayers and religious talk would be so seldom
and so shorty as that it would be as your distributions are,
next to none. If words cost money, your tongues would be
as strait as your purses are, and the world should scarce
hear whether you were of any religion or none. Do these
men glory only in the cross of Christ, and is the world by it
crucified to them, and they to the world ? We have their
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 431
answer in their actions, what need we any more ? They are
dead in and by the world, but not to the world. They are
its slaves, though they are called the servants of Christ.
Honorable, worshipful, and all wellbeloved, it is a
weighty employment that occasioneth your meeting here
to-day *. The estates and lives of men are in your hands.
But it is another kind of judgment which you are all hast-
ing towards: when judges and justices, the accusers and
accused, must all appear upon equal terms, for the final de-
cision of a far greater cause. The case that is then and
there to be determined, is not whether you shall have lands
or no lands, life or no life; (in our natural sense;) but whe-
ther you shall have heaven or hell, salvation or damnation,
an endless life of glory with God, and the Redeemer, and
the angels of heaven, or an endless life of torment with de-
vils and ungodly men. As sure as you now sit on those
seats, you shall shortly all appear before the Judge of all the
world, and there receive an irreversible sentence to an un-
changeable state of happiness or misery. This is the great
business that should presently call up your most serious
thoughts, and set all the powers of your souls on work for
the most effectual preparation ; that if you are men, you
may quit yourselves like men, for the preventing of that
dreadful doom which unprepared souls must there expect.
The greatest of your secular affairs are but dreams and toys
to this : were you at every assize to determine causes of no
lower value than the crowns and kingdoms of the raonarchs
of the earth, it were but as children's games to this. If any
man of you believe not this, he is worse than the devil that
tempteth him to unbelief: and let him know that unbelief
is no prevention, nor will put off the day, or hinder his ap-
pearance ; but ascertain his condemnation at that appear-
ance. And if you all do believe this, you will sure be con-
tent that I speak to you of it as one that also do believe it.
Faith is the evidence of things not seen : by it we may fore-
see the judgment set, the v<^orld appearing, and yourselves
there waiting for your final doom. And because we clearly
find beforehand, who then shall die, and who shall live, I
shall desire of you that you would presently improve the
discovery. Some think we cannot know in this life what
* This was preached at an assize at Worcester, before thejudges, and therefore
liere are these passages suited to that oc-casion.
432 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
will become of us in the next : but God hath not bid us try
in vain, nor in vain delivered us so many signs by which it
may be known, nor is the difference between the saved and
the damned so small as to be undiscernible. Our own rea-
son may tell us that the righteous God would not send some
to glory with angels, and others to endless misery with de-
vils, and make such difference between men hereafter, if there
were not a considerable difference here. He that knows the
law and the fact, may know before your assizes what will
become of every prisoner, if the proceedings be all just, as
in our case they will certainly be. Christ will judge ac-
cording to his laws : know therefore whom the law con-
demneth or justifieth, and you may know whom Christ will
/ condemn or justify. And seeing all this is so, doth it not
concern us all to make a speedy trial of ourselves in prepa-
ration to this final trial ? I shall for your own sakes there-
fore, take the boldness, as the officer of Christ, to summon
you to appear before yourselves, and keep an assize this day
in your own souls, and answer at the bar of conscience to
what shall be charged upon you. Fear not the trial ; for it
is not conclusive, final, nor a peremptory, irreversible sen-
tence that must now pass. Yet slight it not ; for it is a ne-
cessary preparative to that which is final and irreversible.
Consequentially it may prove a justifying accusation, an
absolving condemnation, and if you proceed to execution, a
saving, quickening death, which I am now persuading you
to undergo. The whole world is divided into two sorts of
men : one that love God above all, and live for him ; and
the other that love the flesh and world above all, and
live to them. One that lay up a treasure in earth, and have
their heart there ; the other that lay up a treasure in heaven,
and have their heart there. One that seek first the king-
dom of God and his righteousness ; another that seek first
the things of this life. One that mind and savour the things
of the flesh and of man ; the other that mind and savour
most the things of the "Spirit and of God. One that ac-
count all things dung and dross that they may win Christ ;
another that make light of Christ in comparison of their bu-
siness, and riches, and pleasures in the world. One that
live by sight and sense upon present things ; another that
live by faith upon things invisible. One that have their
conversation in heaven, and live as strangers upon earth ;
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 433
another that mind earthly things, and are strangers to hea-
ven. One that have in resolution forsaken all for Christ,
and the hopes of a treasure in heaven ; another that resolve
to keep somewhat here, though they venture and forsake the
heavenly reward, and will go away sorrowful that they can-
not have both. One that being born of the flesh is but
flesh; the other that being born of the Spirit is spirit. One
that live as without God in the world ; the other that live as
without the seducing world in God, and in and by the sub-
servient world to God. One that have ordinances and
means of grace, as if they had none ; the other that have
houses, lands, wives, as if they had none. One that believe
as if they believed not, and love God as if they loved him
not, and pray as if they prayed not, as if the fruit of these
were but a shadow ; the other that weep as if they wept not,
(for worldly things,) and rejoice as if they rejoiced not.
One that have Christ as not possessing him, and use him
and his name, as but abusing them ; the other that buy as if
they possessed not, and use the world as not abusing it.
One that draw near to God with their lips, when their hearts
are far from him ; the other that corporally converse with
the world, when their hearts are far from it. One that serve
God, who is a Spirit, with carnal service, and not in spirit
and truth ; the other that use the world itself spiritually,
and not in a carnal, worldly manner. In a word, one sort
are children of this world ; the other are the children of the
world to come, and heirs of the heavenly kingdom. One
sort have their portion in this life ; and the other have God
for their portion. One sort have their good things in this
lifetime, and their reward here; the other have their evil
things in this life, and live in hope of the everlasting
reward.
I suppose you know that all this is from the word of
God, and therefore [ need not cite the texts which do con-
tain it ! But lest any doubt, I will lay them all together,
that you may peruse them at leisure. Matt, xxii.37. x.37.
vi. 12—21. 33. John vi. 27. Isa. Iv. 1—3. Rom. viii.
5—7.13. Phil. iii. 9— 11. Matt. xxii. 5. 2 Cor. iv. 18.
Heb. xi. 1. throughout. Phil. iii. 19—21. Psalm cxix. 19.
Heb. xi. 13. Lukexiv. 33. xviii.22. John iii. 6. Ephes.
ii. 12. 1 Cor. x. 31. Psalm xvi. 8. Ezek. xxxiii. 31,32.
VOL. IX. F F
434 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
1 Gor. vii. 29—31. John ii. 23, 24. Psalm Ixxviii. 35—73.
John XV. 2. i.9— 11. Matt. xv. 8. Psalm Ixxiii. 23— 25.
1 Thess. V. 17, 18. Matt. xv. 9. John iv. 22, 23. 1 Cor.
x. 31. Luke X. 8. xx. 34. Rom. viii. 16, 17. Psalm xvii.
14. xvi.5. Ixxiii. 26. Lukexvi.25. Matt. vi. 5. v. 12.
Luke xviii. 22. In these texts is plainly contained all that
I have here said to you.
Well then, beloved hearers, seeing you that sit here pre-
sent are all of one of these two sorts, let conscience speak,
which is it that you are of? These are the two sorts that
shall stand on the right and left hand of Christ in judg-
ment. They that gave Christ his own with advantage, and
lived to him, and studiously devoted their ^riches and other
talents to his use, as men that unfeignedly made God their
end, these are they that are set on the right hand, and
judged as blessed to the kingdom which they so esteemed.
And those that hid their talents, by keeping or expending
them to their private use, denying them to Christ, and living
to themselves, these are they that are set on the left hand,
and adjudged to the everlasting fire, with the devils whom
they served. It is a desperate mistake of self-deceiving
men, to think that a state of holiness consisteth only in ex-
ternal worship, or that a state of wickedness consisteth only
in some gross sins. I tell you from the word of God, the
difference is greater, and lieth deeper than so. If you would
know whether you are Christians indeed, and shall be saved,
the first great question is. What is your end ? What
take you for your portion ? And what is it that hath the
prevalent stream of your desires and endeavours? As it is
not every step that we set out of the way to heaven, that
will prove us ungodly ; so it is not any religiousness what-
soever that standeth in a subserviency to the world, that
will prove you godly. Would you know then what you
' are ? And whether you are in the way to heaven or hell ?
And what God will judge of you, if you so continue ? Why
then deal faithfully with yourselves, and answer this ques-
tion without deceit ! What is it that hath your hearts, your
very hearts ? What is it that is the matter of your dearest
love ? And what is the matter of your chiefest care ? What
is it that is the very bent and scope of your life ? Is it for
this world, or the world to come ? What do you daily la-
bour and live for ? Is it for God, or your carnal selves?
• BY THE CROSS OF'CHRIST. , 435
What interest is it that is predominant in you? Know but
that and know all.
And now I shall apply myself to those of you that are
guilty; in whose souls the worldly interest is predominant,
and in whom the world is not crucified by the cross of
Christ, but rather Christ again crucified by the world. I
have no mind to dishonour you, or exasperate you ; but if
faithfulness to Christ and you will do both, there is no re-
medy. 1 do here prefer an indictment against you in the
court of your consciences, and before this congregation :
the articles I shall distinctly read. And first, I require you,
study not a defence ; excuse not, extenuate not your
crimes ; but confess your sin freely, and condemn yourselves
impartially, and return to God, and forsake them speedily,
or you shall do worse. Self-condemnation may be saving
and preventive ; and the death of sin thereupon may be the
life of your souls : but if this be neglected, and you hold on
awhile till the great assize, you shall have another kind of
charge than this, even such an one as shall appal that face
that now can merrily smile at the accusation ; and such an
one as shall bring down the stoutest of your spirits, and
make the hardest heart to feel, and the most stubborn of you
all to stoop and tremble. O how easy is it to hear your sin
and danger from such a worm as I ! or to hear your state
discovered, and yourselves condemned, by a minister of
Christ in a pulpit! But how dreadful will it be to hear all
this from the Lord of glory ! and that when the case is past
remedy, which now might have been remedied if you would,
and if your obstinate hearts had not resisted.
The general charge that I put in against you is. That you
are carnal flesh-pleasers, and have loved and lived to the
world which you should have crucified, and have not lived
as devoted unto God, nor hath he been your end, or his in-
terest predominant in your hearts and lives.
I speak only to the guilty ; and for evidence of the fact,
I need none but your consciences, seeing it is only to your
consciences that I accuse you, which are acquainted, or
should be, with the whole. But lest conscience itself should
be bribed and corrupted, I shall, besides all that is before
said, produce a little evidence more.
1. If indeed the world be crucified to you, what meaneth
your eager pursuit after it? Are not your thoughts con-
436 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
triving for it, and your wit and interest all improved for it?
Are not those taken for your chief friends, that further your
advancement or worldly ends? and those for your chief
enemies that hinder it most? Is it not in your mind in the
night when you awake, and in the day, when you are alone ?
Do you not rise earlier for your worldly business, than for
prayer, or any holy exercise ? Ask your family, whether
you do not oftener call them up to work than to pray ? and
whether you drive them not on harder to your own service
than to God's ? and wiiether you examine them not more
strictly about your business, than about the matters that
their salvation doth depend upon ? and whether you be not
more deeply offended with them for crossing your commo-
dity, than for sinning against God ? Ask your neighbours
whether you talk not with them many hours of worldly va-
nities, for one hour's serious discourse about the life to
come? What a stir do poor men make to be rich, or to live
in some content to the flesh, and what a stir do rich men
make to be richer, or to keep that they have ; and yet have
they the face to pretend that they are crucified to the
world.
2. If you are dead to the world, how comes it to pass
that it hath so powerful an influence upon your judgment?
and that you change your minds as your carnal interest doth
change ? and can set your sails to any wind that is like to
drive you to the harbour (as you call it, but indeed upon
the sands) of your worldly ends ? What would you not give
in troublesome times, to know certainly which will be the
prevalent side, that you might resolve to what side to take
yourselves ; and perhaps what religion to be of, or to seem
so to be ? Among all the books that are written, if there
were but one that taught the art of growing rich, or a di-
rectory for obtaining dignities and honours in the world,
how eagerly would you buy it, and how diligently would
you read it ? more diligently than you read the Bible, or
any book of that nature. If preachers did teach you the
way of prosperity and advancement, and could tell you how
to be all great and honourable in this world, O how early
would you come to the congregation ! how attentively would
you hear ! how retentively would you remember ! and ;how
faithfully would you practise ! Then how beautiful would
the feet be of them that bring you the tidings* of such good
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 437
things? What honourable persons should ministers be!
and how well worthy of your tithes, and more ! Then you
would not swell against their doctrine or application ; nor
cavil at them instead of understanding them, nor scorn them
as men of a useless office, nor take them for your enemies,
nor refuse to come to them and ask their advice. Wretch-
ed hypocrites ! It is our office to help them to the everlast-
ing kingdom ; and the more diligent we are in this, the
more they hate us. If we send for them to instruct them
personally, or catechize them, or help them in the matters of
salvation, they scorn to come, and ask us by what authority
we send for them. But if we could teach them all to be
princes, or lords, or gentlemen, yea, or but to get a few shil-
lings more than they have, none would draw back. None of
them would ask us, * By what authority do you send for us?'
Had we but money enough to feed them all, O what good
men should we be ! and how many friends should we have !
and how easily might we persuade them ! If one man had
all the money in the land, and could secure it, and the dis-
posal of it, from violence, what might not that man do ? and
who is it that would not be on his side, except those few
that have crucified the world ? The multitude would even
follow that man that hath money, -as a horse will follow him
that hath provender ; and yet they will hypocritically pre-
tend to be crucified to the world. But if indeed they are
so, how comes it to pass that conscience is so often stretch-
ed and wracked, to make it own a gainful cause ! and that
many that have seemed godly, can break over all bounds of
law and charity, friendship and religion, to attain the digni-
ties or riches which they so desire ! and will tread down the
nearest friend, and Christ himself, as much as in them lieth,
if he stand in the way of their affected exaltation. Yea,
soul and all shall be ventured in this game. Rise they
must, and rise they will, if they can procure it. Whatever
become of heaven, they must have earth. Seeing it is their
god, their end, ' per fas aut nefas,' it must be had. As the
commonwealth's man saith, ' Salus populi suprema Lex
esto ;' and the Christian saith, ' The pleasing of God is the
supreme law ;' so the worldling's maxim is, that the ' Inter-
est of the flesh is the supreme law.' And are these men
crucified to the world ?
3. If the world were a crucified thing in your eyes, you
438 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
would not so much overvalue the rich, and vilify or neglect
the poor as you do. A humble, godly man that walks the
streets in a threadbare coat, may pass by you without the
least respect ; but if a shining gallant be in the place, how
observantly do you behave yourselves ! If a poor man,
though never so wise and pious, have any business with you,
how cold his entertainment ! how strange is your deport-
ment towards him! and how slightly do you shake him off!
But if they be rich and honourable in the world, you are
their servants, and no respect is too much for them, nor no
entei'tainment too good. Wisdom and piety clothed in rags
may pass by you unobserved ; when a silken sot is bowed
to like an idol. As reverently as you now speak of Peter
and Paul, and Christ himself, now you hear them magnified,
and see not their outward appearances as they did that con-
versed with them on earth, I make no doubt but if you had
lived in those days, and seen them of so low a presence, and
walk up and down in so mean a garb, attended or regarded
by few but thg poor, you would have set as light by them as
others, and looked at them as poor contemptible fellows ;
if not as the filth and the ofFscouring of all things ; and if
you had not laid hands on them as too saucy reprovers of
you, at least you would have given them one of Julian's jeers,
or Hobbs's scorns. It was this worldly spirit that caused
the Jews to Tdc such obstinate unbelievers, and to persecute
Christ and his servants. Men reverence not the face of the
poor. And this is it that continueth them in their unbelief
to this very day. We have many of their own writings
and disputations against Christ published by themselves ;
and we find this the very sum of all their reasonings : " Shew
us a Messiah that fetcheth us from captivity, that gathereth
' the whole nation of the Jews to Judea, and restoreth them
to their ancient possessions and dignities, with much more,
and makes the nations stoop to them and serve them, and
sets up again the temple and the law, and we will believe in
him as the true Messiah ; but in no other will we believe."
For though they cannot deny but the prophesied time of
the Messiah's coming is past, yet taking it for granted that
this only is his true description, they say they must look
more at the description than the time ; and to solve the pro-
phecies, they do believe that the Messiah did come about
Christ's incarnation, but is somewhere hid with Enoch and
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 439
Elias, and will appear when the Jews do mend their lives,
and are worthy of him. Thus a worldly, carnal mind that
blindly admireth worldly things, and savoureth not the
things of the Spirit, nor discerneth the excellency of the
heavenly riches, doth make them to be open infidels, and
makes the Turks adore their Mahomet, and makes the no-
minal bastard Christian to set so light by the true riches
of the Gospel, and only to honour the name of Christ; for
they cannot receive the things of God, because they are spi-
ritually discerned ; 1 Cor. ii. 14. Were not you worldlings
you would discern more matter for your admiration, rever-
ence, and love in the poorest heavenlyminded man, than ip.
the greatest prince on earth that is ungodly. But you have
the faith of Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of
persons. For if there come into your assembly a man with
a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor
man in vile raiment, you have respect to him that weareth
the gay clothing, and say to him, * Sit thou here in a good
place ;' and say to the poor. Stand thou there ;' despising
the poor, and committing sin by respect of persons, as if
you believed not that God had chosen the poor of this
world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he
hath promised to them that love him ; James ii. 1 — 10.
Object. ' But must we not honour the gifts of God ?
Riches are his gifts.'
Atisw. Yes, according to their nature and use. Riches
are a gift which he giveth even to his enemies, and to those
that must perish for ever ; and few that have them come to
heaven. But holiness is a gift which he giveth to none but
his beloved, and is the beginning of eternal lifp. Which
then should be most honoured ?
Object. ' But would you draw man to despise dignities
and authority V
Answ. Authority is one thing, and worldly riches is ano-
ther. We reverence authority more than you do. We look
on it as a beam from God, as participating of somewhat that
is divine. I look on a magistrate as God's officer, and one
that deriveth his authority from him, and I no more acknow-
ledge power which is not efficiently from God as the
supreme Rector of the universe, than I acknowledge
any natural being, which is not efficiently from God
as the Author of nature and the first Being. I look at a
magistrate as ultimately for God, as a man authorized to do
440 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
his work, and none but what is ultimately his. So that as his
office is so human, as to be also participatively divine, and
he is so a human creature, as to be by participation divine,
so the reverence and obedience which I owe to a magistrate
is by participation divine ; and therefore though I judge not
peremptorily that those ancients were in the right that made
the fifth commandment to be the last of the first table, yet I
doubt not but our moderns are less likely to be in the right,
that confine it only to the second table. And as I think it
standeth so between the two as in several respects to be-
long to each, so I rather think that it more principally be-
Jl^ngeth to the first. You see then the difference between a
true Christian's honouring of magistrates and yours. You
honour them but for your worldly ends ; and because they
are able to do you good or hurt. But we honour them as
God's officers, speaking and acting for him and from hi)n by
his commission, and we obey their power as participatively
divine; but as they can do us good or hurt, we less regard
them; And this honour and obedience we owe them, not
for their wealth, but their authority ; and if the meanest
man have this authority, he shall be honoured and obeyed
by us, as well as the richest.
4. If the world be crucified to you, how comes it to pass
that you are so tenderly sensible of every loss or dishonour
that doth befal you ? If you are wronged in your estate,
what a matter do you make of it? If a man should deprive
you but of a few pounds, you can hardly put it up, but you
must go to law for it, or you must seek revenge ; or if you
pass it by, you think you have done some great meritorious
act. If one slander you, or dishonour you, how sensible are
you of it ! How it sticks upon your stomachs, as if you had
lost your treasure ! Death is not sensible. If you were
dead to the world, and the world to you, these things would
all seem smaller in your eyes ; and you would have more
ado to remember them, than now you have to forget them.
You could not be so sensible of a loss or an injury, if you
were not too much alive to the world. And if you be poor,
what an impatient, complaining life do you live ! as if you
wanted your treasure or your God ; and if you grow rich or
gain, how glad are you ! Were you dead to the world, and
the world to you, you would be more indifferent to these
matters, and poverty and riches would not seem so much to
differ as now they do ; but godliness with contentment.
BY THE CROSvS OF CHRIST. 441
which is profitable to all things, would seem to you the great
gain ; 1 Tim. iv. 8. vi. 6.
Object. ' But may not a man go to law to recover his own,
or to right his own reputation, if he be slandered V
Answ. Distinguish carefully in all your wrongs, between
God's interest in them and your own. Your own you must
forgive, but God's you cannot. If he have intrusted you
with talents for his service, and any would fraudulently or
violently deprive you of them, you must look after them as
your Master's stock. If a wound in you name or state dis-
able you from doing God service, you must use all lawful
means to heal it, that you may be in a capacity of serving
him again ; and if your children, or others, have remotely a
right in what you are defrauded of, you may look after their
right. And you must not remit the crime, as oft as you re-
mit the injury; for that God hath imposed penalty upon;
and the rule is good, that the punishment of the notoriously
vicious is a due to the commonwealth, because of the neces-
sity of it to its good. In a word therefore, if you would do
these things, you might yourselves resolve when it is lawful
to go to law, or seek your right, and when not. 1. If you
can well distinguish between God's interest and your own.
2. And be sure you forgive all your own injuries. 3. And
that you watch your hearts narrowly, lest they pretend God's
cause, and intend your own. 4. And be able by the consi-
deration of circumstances, to discern in probability, whe-
ther God's interest will be more promoted by going to law,
or passing it by.
But alas, how rare a course is this ! Of all the suits
that are before you at this assize, I fear there are few that
are commenced unfeignedly for the interest of God. If the
Lord himself should ask both plaintiff and defendant. Do
you follow this suit for me, or for yourselves ? What an-
swer think you they must make, if they speak the truth ?
But of this anon.
Having thus given in my general charge against the car-
nal worldling, and some evidence of his guilt ; I shall now
give you the quality and aggravations of your crime in se-
veral articles, as followeth :
1. You are guilty of idolatry, which is high treason
against the God of heaven. That which hath your highest
estimation, an^d dearest affection, and chiefest service, is
442 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
your god. But this the world hath ; therefore it is your
god. That which hath the most of your hearts is your god.
But it is the world that hath most of your hearts. You
know that the main drift of your life is for the world. And
that which hath the main bent of your life, hath your heart.
If reason be no evidence, you cannot refuse Scripture :
" Mortify therefore your members upon earth," (Col. iii. 5.) ;
and one is, " Covetousness, which is idolatry. For this ye
know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covet-
ousness man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and of God ;" Eph. v. 5. The case is
plain in Scripture and in the effects. The world hath that
love that God should have, that care, and trust, and service
which belongs to God ; and therefore it is your god. I do
therefore here on the behalf of God, indite every worldly,
carnal sinner of you at the bar of your own conscience, as a
traitor against the Lord that made you, and against the Son
of God that did redeem you ! And what greater sin can
man be guilty of? (besides the blaspheming of the Holy
Ghost.) He that would have another god, would have the
Lord to be ungodded^^ and to lose his sovereign power and
goodness! And is such a man fit to live in his sight?
Why wretched traitor ! if he be not thy God, thou canst not
expect to live by him, or be sustained, preserved, and pro-
vided for by him. Thou canst not live an hour without
him ! and yet wilt thou cast him off? Wouldst thou pluck
up thy own foundation? and cut off the bough on which
thou standest ? Would thou fire the house thou dwellest
in ? and sink the ship that keepeth thyself and all that thou
hast from sinking ! Relations are mutual. If he shall be
no God to thee, be it known to thee, thou shalt be none of
his people ! If he shall be no Father to thee, thou shalt be
none of his child. And, wretched soul, what wilt thou do
without him ? It is he that keeps thy soul in thy body
while thou art serving his enemy. Thou wouldst be in hell
within this hour if his mercy did not keep thee out. And is
this thy requital of him ? He hath but one trinity of enemies,
the flesh, the world, and the devil ; and wilt thou turn to
these, and forsake him by whom thou livest ? Why, I tell
thee, the Lord must be thy God, or thou must have no God
indeed. The world is like the heathen's idols ; that hath
eyes, but cannot see thy wants ; ears, but cannot hear thy
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 443
cries ; hands, but cannot help thee in thy distress. All thy
riches, dignities, and- pleasures are silly things to make a
god of. They may have the room of God in thy heart ; and
in that sense be thy god; but indeed they are no more God
than a mawkin is a man ; nor more able to help and save
thee. Wouldst thou then have a God or no God? If thou
wouldst have no God, thou wouldst have no helper, no go-
vernor, no preserver, nor no happiness. And dost thou
think that thou art sufficient for thyself? What ! canst
thou live a day without God ? Canst thou save thyself
from danger without him ? Canst thou relieve or shift for
thyself at death without him? Barest thou tell him so to
his face, and stand to it? But if thou wouldst have a god,
what god wouldst thou have ? Wouldst not thou have a
god that can preserve, and help, and save thee ? The world
cannot do it, man ! I shall tell thee more of this anon, that
the world cannot do it. If thou trust to it, it will deceive
thee. But if thou say then, 'The Lord shall be thy God,"
away then with all thy idols. God will have no partner,
much less a superior, that is exalted above himself in thy
soul. As Joshua said to the Israelites, so I say to you,
" Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and
in truth, and put away the world (which hath been your
god), and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil to you to
serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve ;
but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord ;" Josh.
xxiv. 14. And if you say as they, " God forbid that we
should forsake the Lord to serve other gods," I answer you
as he, " Away then with the world, and all other idols ;"
or else, " ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy and a
jealous God, and will not forgive such transgressions and
sins ; but if ye will forsake the Lord and serve the world,
he will turn against you and consume you;" ver. 19, 20.
God will not stoop to be an underling in your hearts. He
should have all, and will at last have all or none. But in
the mean time he will have the best or none. I do witness
here to every soul of you in his name, that if he have not
the sovereignty, and be not nearer and dearer to your hearts
than all the honours, and riches, and pleasuresof the world,
he is not, he will not be, he cannot be your God. And if he
be not thy God, thou wilt be godless, as thou art ungodly ;
444 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
thou wilt be without his help, as he was without thy
heart.
Well, this is the first article of my charge against every
one of you that hath not crucified the world, you are ido-
lators and traitors against the God of heaven. And he that
would have no God, deserves to be no man, and worse ;
and shall either by repentance wish with groans that he had
never been a worldling and a neglecter of God, or else in
hell with groans shall wish that he had never been a man.
As the first commandment is the fundamental law, and in-
forraeth all the obligations of the particular precepts fol-
lowing ; so idolatry which is against that commandment,
is the fundamental crime, and is the life of all the rest. He
that would overthrow the godhead, would overthrow all the
world.
2. The next article of my charge is this : You are guilty
of most perfidious covenant-breaking with God. Did you
not in your baptism, solemnly by your parents, renounce
the world, the flesh, and the devil, and promise to fight
against them to the end of your life under the banner of
Christ ? And have you performed that vow ? No ; you
have turned treacherously to the enemy that you renounced,
and fought for the world and the flesh, against the word and
the Spirit of Christ. And if you renounce your baptismal
covenant, you renounce in effect the benefits of that cove-
nant. And if God deal with you as perfidious covenant-
breakers, thank yourselves.
3. Moreover, you are guilty of debasing your human na-
ture, and so of wronging God that made it, and is the Owner
of it. God made you not as brutes, that are capable of no
higher things than to eat, and drink, and play, and die,
and there is an end of them. But he made you capable of
an everlasting life of glory with himself. And as he suiteth
all his works to their uses and ends, so did he suit the na-
ture of man to his immortal state. As we were made by
God, we were fitted and disposed to everlasting things.
And you have turned your hearts to the vanities of the world,
and set your mind on them as your happiness, as if you had
no greater things to mind. Objects do either ennoble or
debase the faculties according as they are. That is the vil-
est creature which is made for the vilest uses and ends, or
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 445
employs himself in such. And that is the most excellent
creature which is exercised about the most excellent object.
God made you for no less than his everlasting praises, be-
fore his face, among his angels ; and you have so far de-
based your own nature, as to root like swine, in earth and
dung, and to live like brutes that have not an immortal
state to mind. How will you answer this dishonour done to
the workmanship of Grod ? that you should blot out his
image, and employ your souls against his laws, and live as
moles and worms in the earth. He put you on earth but as
travellers towards heaven ; and you have taken up your
home in the way, and forgotten your end and resting-
place.
4. The next part of your guilt is, that you have pervert-
ed the use of all the creatures, and turned the works and
mercies of God against himself. He gave them all to you,
to lead you to himself, and to furnish you for his service.
He made this world to be a glass in which you might see
the Maker, and a book in which you might read his name
and will. And will you overlook him, and forget the end
and use of all ? What shame and pity is it that men should
Jive in the world, and not know the use of it ! That they
should see such a beauteous frame, and not understand its
principal signification! That they should daily converse
with so many creatures, which all proclaim the name of God,
and with one accord declare his praise, and yet that this
language should be so little understood ! Like an illiterate
man in a library, that seeth many thousand books, and
knows not a word that is in any of them. Or like an igno-
rant man in an apothecary's shop, that seeth the drugs, but
knoweth not what they are good for, nor how to use any of
them, if he had the greatest need. The poorest courage,
and smallest pittance of these earthly things might be a
greater blessing to you, if you could understand their use
and meaning, than all the world be to him that understands
it not. Your possessions in themselves, if you have not
God in them, are but the very corpse or carcase of a bles-
sing ! The life of them is wanting ! And without the life
they will but trouble you. For you have the burden with-
out the use. Your horse will carry you, while he hath life
and health ; but take away his life once, and you must carry
him if you will have him any further. Verily, it is no wisev
446 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
a trick to make a stir in the world, and seek the profits and
pleasures of it without God, than it is to ride a dead horse,
where you may spur long enough before you are one mile
further on your way. While your friend is living, you may
delightfully converse with him ; but when he is dead, you
will have little pleasure in his company ; the corpse of a
learned man will actually teach you no more than a block.
Were it the wife of your bosom, who through prudence and
beauty were never so lovely to you, when her carcase is left
without a soul, you will hasten to bury it out of your sight,
and would be loath so much as to keep it in your house,
much less in your bed and bosom as heretofore. He that
knoweth not that God is the life and soul of our blessings,
doth neither know what God is, nor what a blessing is.
They are but the empty casks and shells, and not the bles-
sings themselves without him. You have the burden, and
not the benefit. You must carry them, but they can do
nothing to the supporting of you. It is the absence of God,
that denominateth them vanity and vexation ; and it is he
only that can make them strengthening and consolatory.
That must have some life in it, that must be * pabulum vitae,'
and must sustain our lives. Souls cannot feed upon mere
terrene, corporeal things, any more than the body upon
mere spirituals. As we have both a soul and a body to be
sustained, so have we a sustenance suitable to them both ;
even the creature animated by God, or God in and by the
creature.
How great then is your sin, that destroy your blessings
by depriving them of their life, and that in a sort destroy the
world as to yourselves, by separating it from its soul ! and
so most heinously injure God, and rob yourselves of the
comfort of all, and turn your blessings into burdens, and
your helps into hindrances and snares to your souls. Have
you lived so long in the school of the world, yea, and of the
church too, where you have not only the library of nature,
but supernatural revelations to teach you to understand it,
and yet do you not know a word or letter? You do but lose
and abuse the creatures of God, if you see him not in them ;
and if you be not in the use of them led up to himself. " The
heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shew-
eth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and
night unto night sheweth knowledge : there is no speech or
BY THE CKOSS OF CHRIST. 447
language where tfe^eir voice is not h^ard ; their line, is gone
out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the
world," (Psal. xix. 1 — 3.); and yet poor carnal wretches
will not understand them. " All the works of God do praise
him ; for he is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his
works," (Psal.cxlv. 10. 17.); and yet the wicked will not
understand. O how many talents must the ungodly be ac-
countable for, as having neglected them, and perverted them
from the prescribed use ! Every creature that you see is a
teacher of divine things to you ; and you shall answer for
your not learning by them. Every creature is an herald sent
from heaven to proclaim the will of your Maker, and your
duty ; and you gaze upon the messenger, and note his garb ,
and hear his voice, and never understand or regard his mes-
sage. I would you did but consider what you lose by this
your folly ! and what life and sweetness there is in creatures
which the heavenly believer draweth forth, and you have no
taste of ; and till the Spirit of sanctification have fitted you
to such a work, you are never like effectually to taste it.
For it is not every fly that can suck honey from the sweetest
flower, though the bee can do it from that which we call a
stinking weed. An ignorant countryman hath a meadow
that aboundeth with a variety of herbs ; he can make no
other use of them than to feed his cattle with them ; or if
he walk into his garden, he can only smell the sweetness of
a flower; but a skilful physician that knows their use, can
thence fetch a medicine that may be a means to save his
life. But the believing soul can yet go further, and there
find that which may further his salvation. If you have a
lease of your lands, or a pardon for your life, that is written
in an excellent character ; there is a great deal of difference
between another man's delight in viewing the character, and
yours in considering of the security you have by it for es-
tate or life. But the difference is much greater in our pre-
sent case, between those that have only the superficial
sweetness and beauty of the creature, to the pleasing of the
flesh, and those that have God in it, to the spiritual refresh-
ing of their souls. Believe it, sirs, it is not a small sin to
pervert the whole creature (that is within our reach) to a
use so contrary to that which it was appointed to, as foolish
worldlings do ; not only to lose that use and benefit of the
creatures which we might have, but to turn all into poison
448 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
and death to ourselves ! Not only to rob God of that love,
and honour, and service which they should procure him, but
also to turn all this upon themselves ; I tell you this will
prove no venial sin.
5. And your guilt herein is further aggravated, in that
you do hereby, as much as in you lieth, frustrate the works
of creation and redemption. For God made all things for
himself, and you use nothing for him. The Redeemer hath
reprieved and restored the creature for its primitive use,
that God might yet have the glory of his works, and yet you
will not give it him ; but when you pretend to know God,
you glorify him not as God, but become vain in your imagi-
nation, your foolish hearts being darkened as Paul tells them,
Rom. i. 21. And what doth that man deserve that would,
as to the use, destroy all the world, and frustrate all God's
works both of creation and redemption?
6. Herein also you are guilty of enmity against God.
For this is the greatest wrong that an enemy can do him, to
rob him of the glory of his goodness and power, and to pre-
fer his creatures, as if they were more amiable than himself.
You cannot dethrone him from his glory ; but you may pos-
sibly deny him the preeminence in your hearts. You may
deny him the kingdom within you ; but you cannot dispos-
sess him of his eternal power or kingdom without you. The
worst enemy that God hath, can do him no harm ; but this
is no thanks to you ; he will not be beholden to you for it.
You may as truly shew your enmity by wronging, as by
hurting. And what greater injury can you offer to the Al-
mighty, than to set up the silly creature in his stead, and
give it that love and service which is his due ?
7. Moreover you are guilty of wilful self-murder ; you
choak yourselves with that which should be your food; you
turn your daily blessings to your bane, by dropping your
poison into the cup of mercies, which bountiful Providence
putteth into your hands. There is not a surer way in the
world to undo you, than by turning to the creature, and for-
saking God. You cry for more of the world, and you are
unsatisfied till you have it ; and when you have it, you do
but destroy your souls with it, by giving it your hearts,
which must be given only unto God. What a stir do men
make for temptation and destruction. What cost and pains
are men at to purchase them an idol, and to make provision
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 449
for the flesh, to satisfy its desires, when they confess it to
be the greatest enemy of their souls. Like a man that would
give all that he hath for a coal of fire to put into the thatch ;
even such is your desires after the world, and the use you
make of it.
What abundance of precious time and labour do you
lose, which might and should be better spent! Doth not
this world take up the most of your care, and strength, and
time? You are about it early and late ; it is the first and
last, and almost always in your thoughts. It findeth you so
much to do, that you have scarce any time so much as to
mind the God that made you^ or to seek to escape the ever-
lasting misery which is near at hand. It hath taken up so
much of your hearts, that when God should have them in
any holy duty, or service for his church, you are heartless.
When you shall see your accounts cast up to your hands
(as shortly you shall see it, though you will not now be per-
suaded to do it yourselves), and when you shall there see,
how many thoughts the world had, in comparison of God ;
and how many hours were laid out upon the world, when
God's service was cast by for want of time ; and how near
the creature was to your heart, while God as a stranger stood
at the door; and in a word, how the world was your daily
business, while the matters of God stepped in but now and
then upon the by ; you will then confess that you laboured
in vain, and that your life and labour should have been bet-
ter employed. Hath God given you but a short, uncertain
life, and laid your everlasting life upon it ; and will you cast
all away upon these transitory delights ? How short a time
have we for so great a work ! and shall the world have all ?
O that you did but know to how much greater advantage
you might have spent this time and labour in seeking God
and an endless glory ! One thing is needful ; make sure of
that ; and waste not the rest of your days in vanity. W^hat
wise man would spend so precious a thing as time is, upon
that which he knows will leave him in repentings that
ever it was so spent ? The world doth rob poor sinners of
their time ; but when they see it is gone, and they would
fain have a little of that time again, to make preparation
for their everlasting state, it is not all the world then that
can bring them back one hour of it again. Certainly such
VOL. IX. G G
450 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
a loss of time and labour is no small aggravation of a world-
ling's sin.
9. You are also guilty of the high contempt of the king-
dom of glory, while you prefer these transitory things be-
fore it. Your hearts and lives speak that which you are
ashamed to speak with your tongues. You are ashamed to
say that earth is better for you than heaven, or that your
sin is better for you than the favour of God ; but your lives
speak it out. If you think not your present condition bet-
ter for you than heaven, why do you choose and prefer it?
and why do you more carefully and laboriously seek the
things of earth, than the heavenly glory? If your child
would sell his inheritance for a cup of ale, you would think
he set light by it. And if he would part with father and
mother for the company of a beggar or a thief, you would
say he had no great love to you. And if you will venture
your part in heaven for the pleasures of sin, and will part
with God for the matters of this world, would you have him
think that you set much by his kingdom or his love ? O
the unreasonableness of sin ! the madness of worldly, fleshly
men ! Is it indeed more desirable to prosper in their shops,
their fields, and their pleasures for a few days or years, than
everlastingly to live in the presence of the Lord ? Shall
Christ purchase a kingdom at the price of his blood ; and
offer it us freely, and shall we prefer the life of a brute be-
fore it ? Shall God offer to advance so mean a creature to
a heavenly station among his angels ; and shall we choose
rather to wallow in the dung of our transgressions ? Take
heed, lest as you are guilty of Esau's folly, you also meet
with Esau's misery ! and the time should come, that you
shall find no place for repentance, that is, for recovery by
repentance, though you seek it with tears. Contempt of
kindness is a provoking thing, for it is the height of ingra-
titude. And especially when it is the greatest kindness that
is contemned. As it will be the everlasting employment of
the saints, to enjoy that felicity, and to admire and praise
that infinite love which caused them to enjoy it, so will it
be the everlasting misery of the damned, to be deprived of
that felicity, and to think of their folly in the unthankful -
contempt of it ; and of the excellency of that kingdom
which thus they did contemn. God sets before you earth
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 451
and heaven. If you choose earth expect no more. And
hereafter remember that you had your choice.
10. To make short of the rest of the aggravation of your
sin, and sum it up in a word : Your love of the world is the
sum of all iniquity. It virtually or actually containeth in it
the breach of every command in the decalogue. The first
commandment, which is the foundation of the law, and espe
cially of the first table, is broken by it, while you make it
your idol, and give it the esteem, and love, and service that
is due to God. The second, third, and fourth command-
ments it disposeth you to break. While your hearts and
ends are carnal and worldly, the manner of your service will
be so, and you will suit your religion to the will of men, and
your carnal interest, and not to the will and word of God.
The name and holy nature of God is habitually contemned
by you, while you set more by your worldly matters than by
him. His holy days you ordinarily violate, and his ordi-
nances you do hypocritically abuse, while your hearts are
upon your covetousness or sensual delights ; and are far
from him while you draw near him with your lips. World-
liness will make you even break the bonds of natural obli-
gations, and be unthankful to your own parents, disobedi-
ent to your superiors, unfaithful to your equals, and immer-
ciful to your inferiors. There is no trusting a worldling, he
will sell his friend for money. He careth not to wrong your
life, your chastity, estate, and name, for his lustful, ambi-
tious, and covetous desires. For he directly breaketh the
tenth commandment, which is the sum of the second table,
requiring us to regard the welfare of our neighbour, and not
to maintain a private, selfish interest against it. So true is
that of Paul, 1 Tim.vi. 10., "The love of money is the root
of all evil." As adhering to God is the sum of all duty and
spiritual goodness, so adhering to the creature instead of
God, is the sum of all wickedness and disobedience.
And seeing all this is so, I require you here in the name
of God, to cast out this wickedness, and cherish it no longer.
Bring forth that traitor that hath dethroned God in your
hearts, and exalted itself, and let it die the death. It sub-
verteth commonwealths, and all societies; it causeth perju-
ry, perfidiousness, and sedition ; it raiseth wars, and sets the
world together by the ears ; it overturneth all right order,
and strikes at the heart of morality itself, and would make
452 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
every man a wolf or tiger to his brother. It is a murderer
of your own souls ; and the cause of cruelty both to the
souls and bodies of others. It i^ a liar that promiseth what
it cannot perform. It is a cheater that would deceive you
of your everlasting happiness; and entice you into hell, by
pretences of furthering your profits and contents. It caus-
eth parents to neglect the souls of their children, and chil-
dren to wish the death of their parents, or be weary of them,
or disregard them ; and causeth lawsuits and contentions
between brother and brother, and neighbour and neighbour;
and fills the heart with rancour and malice ; and turneth fa-
milies and kingdoms into confusion. It maketh people
hate their teachers, and too many ministers to neglect their
flocks. It adulterously seeketh to vitiate the spouse of
Christ, and take up the heart which was reserved for him-
self. It robbeth him of his honour, of our affections, and
obedience; and sacrilegiously defaceth the temple of the
Holy Ghost. It will not allow God one free thought, nor
full affection of your heart, nor one hour entirely improved
for his honour.
This is the world : and thus it is used by sensual men.
Judge now whether it deserve not to die the death, and to
be cast out of your souls ; and whether we have not reason
to say, "Crucify it, crucify it?" Ask me no more what
evil it hath done ! You see it is such an enemy to the God
of heaven, that if you cherish it, and let it live in your hearts,
you are not friends to Christ or your salvation. Away with
it then without any more ado ; and use it as the world did
use your Lord ; and as it nailed him on the cross, so go to
his cross for a nail. to fasten it, and for strength to crucify
it, that you may be victors and super-victors through him
that loved you, and overcame the world for you. Choose
not to be slaves, when you may be freemen and triumphers.
Take warning by all that have gone before you. Serve not
a master that casteth off all his servants in distress, and
leaveth them all in fruitless complaints of its unprofitable-
ness ! Think not to speed well where never man sped well
before you ; nor to find content where none have found it.
If all the world's followers complain of it at the parting, take
warning by them, and foresee the end. Find out one man
that ever was made happy by the world (in a true and dura-
ble happiness), before you venture your own hopes and hap*
BY THE CnOSS OF CHRIST. 45;^
piness in such hands. Put not yourselves and all that you
have in such a leaking vessel that never yet brought man
safe to shore. Will neither the experience of your own
lives, nor the experience of all the world before you, deli-
vered in the history of so-many thousand years, be a suffi-
cient warning to you to avoid the snare ? What will you.
take then for a sufficient warning ? Were not reason cap-
tivated, one would think that a walk into a churchyard
might satisfy you. The sight of a grave or a dead body
should kill and disgrace the world in your eyes. Do you
see where you must lie, and what that flesh which you so
regard must be turned to, and what is the most that can be
expected from the world, and in how poor and despicable a
case it will then leave you ? and yet will you dote upon it,
and neglect and lose the life everlasting for it ? Will you
be wilfully seduced by the vain-glory and ostentation of
blinded worldlings, when you are certain beforehand that
they will not be long of the mind themselves, that now they
are? Name me one man if you can, that rejoiceth in his
worldly prosperity now, and speaketh well of it, who re-
joiced in it, and spoke well of it two hundred years ago !
It is a child indeed that would have a house builded by
every fine flower that he seeth in his way, and forgetteth his
home, his friends, and his inheritance ! when it is two ta one
but the flower will be withered before his house be finished,
and the pleasure will not answer the trouble and cost. In-
deed, if the world were a better place, than that which we
are going to, I could not then blame any to desire to keep
it as long as they can. And yet if it were so, the certainty
of our removal should make us less regard it, and look more
to the place where we must evermore remain. Much more
when our home doth exceed this world in worth, as much
as in continuance. It is folly enough to set a man's heart
upon the fairest inn that is in his way ; but to prefer a
swine-sty before a palace where his father dwells, and his
inheritance doth lie, is somewhat worse than mere folly ;
and it is meet that such be used according to their choice..
It is meet indeed that we be patient in our wilderness, and
murmur not at God for the sufferings that it casteth us upon.
But to love it better than the promised land, and to think
or speak hardly of our happiness itself, and those that would
lead us to it, this is unreasonable. The Israelites were never
454 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOKLD
SO foolish as to build cities in the wilderness, as desiring to
make them their fixed habitations ; but contented themselves
with moveable tents. What a curse were it if God should
put you off with earth, and give you no other treasure and
felicity, but what it can afford? You might well then look
on your inheritance as Hiram did on his twenty cities in Ga-
lilee (1 Kings ix. 11, 12.), and disliking it, call it the Land of
Cabul. It is the description of miserable wicked men to
have their portion in this life ; Psal. xvii. 14. Suppose you
had the most that you can expect in the world ; would you
be contented with this as your portion ? What is it that
you ^ would have, and which you make such a stir for ?
Would you have larger possessions, more delightful dwell-
ings, repute with men, the satisfying of your lusts ? &c.
Dare you take all this for your portion, if you had it ? Dare
you quit your hopes of the life to come for such a portion?
You dare not say so, nor do it expressly, though you do it
impliedly and in effect. O do not that which is so horrid,
that your own hearts dare not own without trembling and
astonishment !
I pray you tell me ; do you think that a sufficient por-
tion which the devil himself would give you, if he could, or
is willing you should have ? He is content that you enjoy
your lusts and pleasures ; he is willing to let you have the
honours and fulness of the world, while you are on earth.
He knows that he can this way best deal witli your consci-
ences, and please you in his service, and quiet you awhile,
till he hath you where he would have you. He that told
Christ of all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of
them, would doubtless have given him them, if it had been
in his power, to have obtained his desire. Though you
think it too dear to part with your wealth or pleasures for
heaven, and to be at the labour of a holy life to obtain it ;
the devil would not think it too dear to give you all Eng-
land, nor all the world, if it were in his power, that thereby
he might keep you out of heaven ; and he is willing night
and day, to go about such kind of work, that may but attain
his ends in devouring you. If he were able, he would make
you all kings, so that he could but keep you thereby from
the heavenly kingdom. Alas, he that tempteth you to set
light by heaven, and prefer this world before it, doth better
know himself to his sorrow, the worth of that everlasting
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 455
glory which he would deprive you of, and the vanity of that
which he thrusteth into your hands. As our merchants
that trade with the silly Indians, when they have persuaded
them to take glass, and pieces of broken iron, and brass,
and knives, for gold or merchandize of great value, they do
but laugh at their folly when they have deceived them, and
say, ' What silly fools be these to make such an exchange :'
For the merchants know the worth of things, which the In-
dians do not. And so is it between the deceiver of souls,
and the souls that he deceiveth. When he hath got you to
exchange the love of God and the crown of glory, for a lit-
tle earthly dung and lust ; he knows that he hath made
fools of you, and undone you by it for ever.
Do you not think yourselves, that it is abominable mad-
ness in those witches that make a covenant with the devil,
and sell their souls to him for ever, on condition they may
have their wills for a time ? I know you will say it is abo-
minable folly. Ancl yet most in the world do in effect the
very same. God hath assured them that they must forsake
him or the world, and that they must not love the world if
they would have his love ; nor look for a portion in this life
if they will have any part in the inheritance of the saints :
he offers them their choice, to take the pleasures of earth or
heaven ; and satan prevaileth with them to make choice of
earth, though they are told by God himself, that they lose
their salvation by it.
And here you may see what advantage satan gets, by
playing his game in the dark, and doing his work by other
hands, and keeping out of sight himself, and deceiving men
by plausible pretences. Should he but appear himself in
his own likeness, and offer poor worldlings to make such a
match with them, how much would the most of you tremble
at it, and abhor it. And yet now he doth the same thing in
the dark, you greedily embrace it. If you should but see or
hear him, desiring you to put your hands to such a covenant
as this is, * I do consent to part with the love of God, and
all my hopes of salvation, so I may have my pleasures, and
wealth, and honour till I die." Sure if you be not besides
yourselves, you would not, you durst not put your hands to
it. Why then will you now put both hand and heart to it ;
when he plays his game underboard, and implicitly by his
temptations doth draw you to the same consent ? What do
456 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
the most of the world but prefer earth befoi% heaven,
through the course of their lives ? They prefer it in their
thoughts, and words, and deeds. ' It hath their sweetest and
freest thoughts, and words, and their greatest care, and di-
ligence, and delight. And what then do these men do, but
sell their salvation for the vanities of the world ? Believe it,
sirs, if you understood the word of God, and understood Sa-
tan's temptations, and understood your own doings, you
would see that you do no less than thus make sale of your
precious souls. And it is not your false hopes, that for all
this you shall be saved, when you can keep the world no
longer, that will undo the bargain. If the law of the land
do punish murder and theft with death, he thatenticeth you
to commit the crime, doth entice you to cast away your life ;
and it will not save you to say, ' I had hoped that I might
have played the thief or murderer, and yet be saved.'
O sirs, if you knew but half as well what you sell and
cast away, as the devil doth that tempts you to it, sure you
durst never make such a match, nor pass away such an in-
heritance, for a little earthly smoke and dust.
Use of Exhortation.
Men, fathers, and brethren, hearken to the word of ex-
hortation which I have to deliver to you from the Lord. I
know that this world is near you, and the world to come is
out of sight. I know the flesh which imprisoneth those
souls, is so much inclined to these sensual things, that it
will be pleased with nothing else ; but yet 1 am to tell you
from the word of the Lord, that this world must be forsaken
before it forsake you, and that you must vilify and set light
by it, and your heart and hopes must be turned quite ano-
ther way, and you must live as men of another world, or you
will undo yourselves, and be lost for ever. If you have
thought that you might serve God and mammon, and hea-
ven and earth might both be your end and portion, and
God and the world might both have your hearts, I must ac-
quaint you that you are dangerously mistaken. Unless
you have two hearts, one for (lod, and one for the world;
and two souls, one to save, and one to lose. But I doubt
when one soul is condemned, you will not find another to
be saved. I must plainly tell you, that the case of multi-
tudes, not only of the sottish vulgar, but of persons of ho-
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 457
nour, and worshipful gentlemen, is so palpably miserable in
the eyes of impartial, discerning men, that we are obliged to
lament it. We hear you speak as contemptibly of the world
in an affected discourse, as any others ; but we see you fol-
low it with unwearied eagerness ; you dote upon it ; you
contrive and project how you may enjoy it ; you think you
have got some great matter when you have obtained it ; a
filthy stir you make in the world, some of you, to the dis-
quiet of all about you, that you may be richer or greater
than you are. It takes up your heart, your time, your
strength ; and visibly it is the very work you live for, and
the great game that you play, and the main trade that you
drive on ; and all your religious affairs come in but on the
by, and God is put off with the leavings of the world ; and
if you are low in the world, or miss of your desires, and suf-
fer in the flesh, you whine and repine, as if you had lost
your God and your treasure. If you will deceive yourselves
by denying this, that bettereth not your case. Neither God,
nor any wise man that seeth your worldly lives, and how
much you set by worldly things, and how little good you
do with your wealth, and how much the flesh and your pos-
terity have as devoted unto them, and how little God hath
devoted unto him ; I say, no wise man that seeth this will
believe that you are mortified, heavenly men. I do here
proclaim to you this day, from the word of the Lord, that
" this your way is your folly" (Psal. xlix. 13. Luke xii.20.),
and that you are at present in a damnable condition, that you
are the "enemies of God, whoever of you are the friends to the
world," and that if "you love the world, the love of the Fa-
ther is not in you" (IJohn ii. 15.), and that you must, in
affection and resolution, forsake all that you have in the
world, and look for a portion in the world to come, or you
are not Christians indeed, nor can be saved ; Luke xiv. 33.
It would grieve the heart of a believing man, to see how
desperately many civil, ingenuous gentlemen, and others,
delude and destroy themselves insensibly. You will I hope
all cry shame'upon a common swearer, drunkard, or whore-
monger : you will hang a thief, murderer, or a traitor. But
you seem not sensible of the misery of your own condition,
that are perhaps in a more dangerous case than these. I
beseech you consider ! Is not that the most sinful and dan-
gerous state, where God hath least of the heart, and the
458 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
creature hath most? What know you, if you know not
this ? Why it is apparent, that there is less love to the
world, in many a one of the forementioned wretches, than
in many civil gentlemen, that live in good reputation in their
country, and little suspect so much mischief by themselves.
That is the most wicked man, that hath in his heart the
strongest interest which is opposite unto God ; and all that
is not subordinate, is opposite. Sin hath not so deep and
strong an interest in some murderers, that kill a man in a
passion ; in some swearers that get nothing by it, but swear
in a passion ; or in some thieves that steal in necessity, as
it hath in many that seem sober and religious. I say again,
the greater creature-interest, the more sinful is the estate.
Alas, sirs, the abstaining from some of these crimes, and
living like civil, religious men, if the world be not crucified
to you, and you to it, doth but hide your sin and misery, and
hinder your shame and repentance, but not prevent your
damnation. Nay, the very interest of the flesh itself, may
make you forbear disgraceful sins ; and so finally that may
be your greater vice, which you so much glory in, and which
is materially your duty. All the privilege of your condi-
tion is, that you shall serve the devil in more golden fetters,
than the poorer and contemned sort of sinners, and that you
may be the children of wrath with less suspicion ; and that
you may go to hell with more credit than the rest; and by
your self-deceit, you may keep off the knowledge of your
misery, and the disquiet of soul that would follow there-
upon, till death make you wiser when it is too late. And
is this a benefit to rejoice in ? Indeed you have your good
things in this life ; you may be clothed in the best, and
fare deliciously, and when you are in hell torments, where
you would be glad of a drop of water, your kindred on earth
may nevertheless honour your name, and little suspect or
believe your misery. And this in the privilege you have
above more disgraced offenders. You leave a better esteem
of you on earth, when your souls are in hell ; but alas, if a
pope should saint you, and his followers pray to you and
worship you, as it is possible they may do, this will not ease
your torments. 1 confess I am sensible that this kind of dis-
course is not very like to please you ; but it is not my errand
to please, butto profit. For my part, I bear you as much
respect, as you are magistrates, or otherwise qualified for
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 459
the common good, as others do. But 1 must deal plainly
with you, in hope of your recovery, or at least of the dis-
charge of my soul. I confess to you I look upon a worldly
prince, or judge, or justice, or gentleman, or freeholder, yea
or minister, as men, as wicked before God, and in as damna-
ble and dangerous a case to their own souls, as the thieves
that you burn in the hand and hang. I am far from exten-
uating their sin and misery ; but I am shewing you your
own. Your sin may be as deep rooted, and the interest of
the world may be more predominant in you than in them.
Your lands, and houses, and hopeful posterity, and the
other provisions that you have made for your flesh, may have
more of your hearts, than the world hath of the heart of a
poor prisoner that never had so much to idolize. Believe
it, gentlemen, Christ was not in jest, when he so often and
earnestly warneth men of your quality of everlasting peril :
even more than ever he did adulterers or thieves. It is not
for nothing that he tells us how " the cares of the world, and
the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, that it becometh
unfruitful ;" Luke viii. 14. Matt. xvi. 22. "The Pharisees that
were covetous derided Christ when others did believe ;" Luke
xvi. 14. They cannot be true believers that " receive ho-
nour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh
from God only" (John v. 44.) ; that is, who prefer the for-
mer. It is not for nothing that Christ assureth you, that
" it is as hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of
God, as for a camel to go through a needle's eye." Which,
though it be possible, doth plainly shew some extraordinary
difficulty ; Matt. xix. 23, 24. Such used to go away sor-
rowful, when they hear of " forsaking all, because they are
rich ;" Luke xviii. 23. " Hath not God chosen the poor of
this world rich in faith, to be heirs of the kingdom, which he
hath promised to them that love him ?" James ii. 5. And
the Holy Ghost saith not without a cause, that " not many
wise men after the flesh ; not many mighty, not many noble
are called ;" 1 Cor. i. 26. " But God hath chosen the weak
things of the world, to confound the things that are mighty;
and base things of the world, and things that are despised,
hath God chosen, and things that are not, to bring to naught
things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence ;"
ver. 27 — 29. It is the common case of prospering world-
lings, to play the fool after all God's warnings, and in their
460 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLt5
hearts to say, "Soul, take thy rest;*' when they know not
but "that night their souls may be called for ;" Luke xii.
20. O that you would be pleased but considerately to read
over those two parables, or histories, chap. xii. 16. xvi. 19.
which you have so often read or heard inconsiderately. I
beseech you think not we wrong such men, if we rank them
with the most notorious sinners. The apostle reckoneth them
with the most heinous sinners that should arise in the last
days (2 Tim. iii. 2. 4.) ; " Covetous, and lovers of their own
selves, and lovers of pleasures more than God," and bids us
" turn away from such." And he reckoneth them among
such as the church must excommunicate, and with whom a
Christian may not eat ; 1 Cor. v. 10, 11. And with the no-
torious wicked men that " shall not enter into the kingdom
of God ;" chap. vi. 10; Eph. v. 5. It is a sin "not to be
once named among the saints ;" ver. 3. In a word, if you
are worldly or covetous, you are certainly wicked, and ab-
horred by God, how highly soever you may be esteemed of
men. " The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and
blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth ;" Psal. x.
3. If yet you think I use you unmannerly in speaking so
hardly of you, hear the Holy Ghost a little further: " Goto
now, ye rich men, weep and howl for the miseries that shall
come upon you Your riches are corrupted, and your gar-
ments motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered ; and the
rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your
flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for
the last days;" James v. 1 — 3. And mentioning their oppres-
sion, he addeth, " Ye have lived in pleasure on earth, and
been wanton. Ye have nourished your hearts as in a day
of ^slaughter." In a word, if Christ called Peter himself a
satan, when he would have had him favour himself, and
avoid suffering, because " he savoured not the things of
God, but of men ;" Matt. xvi. 22. You may see that we
call you not so bad as you are.
I shall now take the freedom to come a little nearer to
you, and close with you upon the main of my business.
Poor worldling, I come not hither to beat the air, nor to
waste an hour in empty words ; but it is work that I come
upon. An unpleasing work to flesh and blood ; even to
take away your profits, and pleasures, and honours from you!
To take away the • world from you, and all that you have
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 461
therein ! Not out of your hands, but out of your hearts !
Not against your wills (for that is impossible), nor by irre-
sistible force (I would I could do that), but by procuring
your own consent, and persuading you to cast them away
yourselves. I cannot expect the consent of your flesh, and
therefore I will not treat with it ; but if yet you have any
free use of your reason in matters of this nature, look back
upon the reasons that I have before laid down, and tell me
whether you see not sufficient cause to forsake this world,
and betake yourselves to another course of life, and look
another way for your felicity ? This then is the upshot of
all that I have been saying to you, and this is the message
that I have to you from God ; to require you presently to
renounce this world, and unfeignedly to despise it, and pro-
claim war against it, and to come over to him that is your
rightful Lord, and will be your true and durable rest. What
say you ? Will you be divorced from the world and the
flesh this day ? and take up with a naked Christ alone, and
the hopes of a heavenly felicity which he hath promised ?
Will you bring forth that traitor that hath had your hearts
and lives so long, and let him die the death ? Shall the
world this day be crucified to you, and you to it? I am to
let you know, that this is the thing that God expecteth, and
nothing less will serve the turn, nor will any worldly kind
of religiousness bring you to salvation. This world and
flesh are enemies to God,* and you have been guilty of high
treason against his Majesty by harbouring them, and serv-
ing them so long. And I am moreover to let you know that
God will have them down one time or other ; either by his
grace or by his judgment ! Had you rather that death and
hell should make the separation, than that saving grace
should do it ? Will you still hide it as sugar under your
tongue ? Will you obstinately cleave to it, when you know
its vanity, and the mischief that such contempt of God will
bring? If you do so, God will embitter it to you in the
end ! And he will make it gall in your mouths, and tor-
ment to your hearts, and you shall spit it out, and be forced
to confess, that it is no better than you were told. I do
charge you therefore in the name of the Lord, that you re-
nounce this world without delay, and presently and effec-
tually crucify it to yourselves. You once did it by your
parents in baptism, and you have proved false to that pro-
402 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
fession. Now do it by yourselves, and stand to what you
do. If it had not been af part of Christianity, you had not
been called to do it then. And therefore you may under-
stand, that it is but to be Christians indeed that I persuade
you. A Christian worldling is as mere a fiction as a Chris-
tian infidel. Enter now into your own hearts with a re-
forming zeal. It should be the temple of the Holy Ghost.
Down then with every idol that is there erected. Whip out
the buyers and sellers, and overthrow the money-tables, and
suffer it not to be made a den of thieves. Down with your
Dianas ! Though the world worship her ; God and his
sanctified ones despise her. What the ungodly say of your
Zion, we say of your Babel, Down with it, raze it, even to
the foundation. It is a thing to be destroyed. Happy is
he that dasheth the brats of worldly concupiscence against
the stones ; Psal. cxxxvii. 7 — 9. Mortify your members
that are on earth. Crucify this your pretended king.
Away with the world out of your hearts, it is not fit that it
should there live.
Honourable, worshipful, and all well beloved ; I beseech
you hear me not as if I speak but words of course to you,
or read you but a formal lecture. I mean as I speak, and
I profess to the faces of you all, that either the world and
flesh, or you shall die. Kill it, or it will kill you ; and Christ
will destroy both it and you. Think not any more of a
fleshly, earthlyminded man, that hath his affections on this
world, as a tolerable sinner of the smallest size. I tell you,
the devil may as soon be saved, as a man that liveth and
dieth a sensualist. I mean not only the notorious misers,
or the infamous drunkards, gamesters or idle gallants ; but
all men, even the most civil or seemingly religious, in whose
hearts a worldly, fleshly interest is predominant ; if you are
such, your honours and riches will not keep you from being
firebrands of hell. Down therefore with the world, and set
up God alone in your soulis.
I cannot but understand, that I am like to be an unwel-
come messenger to you, that come of such an ungrateful er-
rand. If I came as the Levellers or Quakers, to cry down
your pride and worldliness, with such mixtures of distrac-
tion as might make you laugh at me as a self-conceited, fan-
tastical person, perhaps it wovild trouble you less to hear
me : for you look upon them as liistrionical actors. Quakers
BY THK CROSS OF CHRIST. 463
do but jest with you, or harden you by their vanity ; but we
are in good sadness, and God himself is in good sadness with
you. We must have your worldly interest out of the very
hearts of you ; Christ will have your heart-blood for it, if he
shall not have it.
And here you may see, that it is no wonder if the se-
rious, faithful ministers of Christ, be men detested by most
of the world, even of professed Christians themselves. For,
alas r what an errand is it that God doth send us on ! If 1
should take the crown from the prince's head, and tread it
in the dirt, what must I expect ? If I came to take away
your honours, or your estates, your houses, lands or money,
what must I expect? Do you not prosecute and hang
thieves, for robbing you of some of these ? Why, though I
do less in some respects, it is more that 1 am sent to do in
other respects. Though we take not the prince's crown from
his head, we must take it from his heart. Though we take
not the money out of your purses, nor your goods out of
your houses, nor your houses out of your possessions, we
must attempt to take them out of your hearts. No wonder
then if we be hated of all such ; for at the heart it is that the
world is sweetest to you ; there it is nearest and dearest to
you ; and there is your carnal interest most deeply rooted .
To be let blood in the very heart, will be more grievous to
you than in the hand. And yet so it must be, that the heart-
blood of worldly interest may be let out in the crucifying of
it, as the world did let out the heart-blood of Christ. What
are all your suits at this assize about, but against one man
that robbed you of your money ; against another that took
your cattle ; against another that would deprive you of your
estate ; and against another that hath wounded your honour
and reputation ; and another that somehow provoked you to
revenge, by contradicting your will. What wonder then if
you should all turn your spleen against me, that would take,
not one of these, but all, and that from you all, and that
from your very hearts ! The flesh would be all, and have
all ; or else it were not the chiefest idol : no marvel then if
it storm, when we would take all from it.
And yet let me tell you, to abate your indignation, that
though we talk of casting down your temple, we add withal,
that it shall be built again in three days : and the casting of
it down will tend to its greater glory. The world will be
464 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
raorie honourable and useful to you when it is crucified, and
the flesh when it is subjected, than now they be ; but of that
more anon.
Object, ' O but/ saith the carnal heart, ' have my honours
and dignities cost me so dear; have I been so long in getting
my riches, and shall I now part with all for your speeches ?
And do you think I am such a fool as to be worded out of
them? Soft and fair; I came not by them so easily, nor
will I so easily part with them, nor with the content and
comfort that my heart hath in them.'
Answ. Because that worldlings think themselves so wise,
and put such a face of confidence on their dotage, I shall
yet draw nearer you, and reason the case a little further with
you, and to that end I shall propound these following ques-
tions, desiring your serious answer.
Quest. 1. Because you presume to call it folly, to part
with all at Christ's command, tell me, whether is God or you
the wiser, and whose judgment is most fit to determine
which is the wisest way ? Who are like to be the fools in-
deed ? those that you call so, or that God calleth so ? Sure
you should easily be resolved of this ; for if you be wiser
than God, then you are gods, and God is no longer God.
For he that is wisest and best, is God. And, methinks, as
bad and as mad as you are, you should not be so mad yet as
to say or think that you are gods, or that you are wiser than
God. Well then, hold but there, and then let us consider,
whether God and you be both of a mind about the matters
of the world ; Psal. xlix. 13. When he hath described the
life of a prosperous worldling, he saith, " This their way is
their folly : yet do their posterity approve their sayings."
And in Luke xii. 20. we find Christ's censure on such a one
as you, that said within himself, " Soul, thou hast much
goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink
and be merry :" to whom God saith, " Thou fool, this night
thy soul shall be required of thee : then whose shall those
things be which thou hast provided?" And that you may
learn to make a due application of this, and not think it is
nothing to you, Christ addeth, " So is he that layeth up
treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God." Where
you may note the exact description of a graceless worldling,
such as throughout this discourse we mean : he is one that
layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God,
BY THK CROSS OV CHRIST. 465
as all the sanctified are. The difference lieth in the matter
and end, or use of riches. The worldling layeth up earthly
treasure, the sanctified man layeth up a treasure in heaven
with God. The worldling is rich for himself, and all that
he parteth with for God's service or the poor, is but the
leavings of the flesh, and that which it can spare when its
own desires are satisfied, (for so much an epicure may part
with to good uses) ; but the sanctified doth employ his
riches for God, as being rich to him, and not to his carnal
self.
You see by this time, who they be that are the fools
in God's account. And that though " the children of this
world are v^riser in their generation than the children of
light" (Luke xvi. 8.) ; yet " the wisdom of the world is
foolishness with God, and the foolishness of God is wiser
than men ;" 1 Cor. iii. 19. i. 20. 25.
And you know that it is Christ that requireth you to for-
sake all that you have for him ; and dare you say that Christ
commandeth you to be fools? Is not that the wisest way
which he requireth ?
Object. ' But Christ would not have us cast away that
which he giveth us, but only rather to forsake it, than to
forsake him : and that I would do.'
Answ. But if you forsake it not first in affection and re-
solution, you will never forsake it actually, when he calls you
to it; though you may be confident you should, while
you look not to be put to it. In your hearts all must be
now forsaken, though you may keep some in your hands
until God require it. 2. And even in prosperity you must
devote your wealth to God, and use it more for him than
for yourselves, if you will prove yourselves to be his ser-
vants.
Quest. 2. * My second question to you is this ; You that
are so loath to part with the world, and be crucified to it, tell
me, what hath it done for you ? that you should be so fond
of it, and that it should seem worthy of such estimation and
affection ? Hath it not put you to more care and sorrow
than it is worth ? It never gave you solid peace ! It never
made you acceptable to God ! You are not a jot better
when you are rich, than when you are poor, unless grace do
that for you that riches cannot ; nay, and grace must do it
not only without, but against your riches. All that the
VOL. IX. H H
460 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
world can do for you, is but to satisfy your sensual appetite,
and by the superfluity to please a covetous mind. And is
this matter of so great worth ? A beast may have his sen-
sual appetite as well as you : and if man be better than a
beast, do you think he is not capable of a better and higher
delight than beasts ? Will you call yourselves men and
Christians, and yet take up with the pleasures of a brute,
and there place your happiness? If a drunkard have a hun-
dred barrels of ale or wine more than he can drink, this doth
not so much as please his appetite, but only his fancy : so
if you have never so much riches more than your flesh itself
hath use for, this only pleaseth a covetous fancy. All that
you enjoy is but so much as may satisfy the lusts of your
flesh. And I pray you tell me, whether you do not your-
selves believe, that a sober, temperate, heavenly Christian
doth live as comfortable a life as you ? And, whether they
have not more peace in their minds without your sinful, sen-
sual delights, than you have with them? Indeed it is but
the distemper of your minds that makes that so pleasant to
you, which another that is well in his wits would be weary
of; as the swine takes pleasure to tumble in the mire, which
a wise man would not do. Do you not sin against your own
experience ? Have you not found that the world is an un-
satisfactory thing, and cannot help you in a day of trouble ?
And yet will you stick to it ?
Quest. 3. * My next question is, What hath the world
done for any other, that should persuade you to set so much
by it as you do ? Did it ever save a soul ; or heal a soul ;
or make a man truly happy at the last ? Look back in any
credible records, to the beginning of the world, and down
to this day, and tell me where is the man that is made hap-
py by the world ? And consider what it hath done for them
all ! He that had most of it, and made the best of it for the
pleasing of his flesh, had but a short taste of sensual plea-
sures, which quickly left him worse than before ; like cold
drink to a man in a fit of the ague. And will you so far lay
by your reason, as to go against the experience of all the
world? Do they all cry out against it as vanity, and yet
will you take no warning ? Can you think to find that by it
that no man ever found before you ? What art have you to
extract such comforts from the creature, that never man
could do till now ? It is the shame of them that spent so
BY THE GROSS OF CHRIST. 467
much cost, and time, and labour, in seeking that seed of
gold which they call the philosopher's stone, because never
any that sought it could find it, but have all lost their la-
bour. So is it your far greater shame to run a hazard so
much greater, for that which never man from the beginning
of the world could find, till now. Solomon went as far as
any in the pleasing of his flesh with the fulness of the world,
and in the conclusion he passes this sentence on it, that "All
is vanity and vexation of spirit."
Quest. 4. My next question to you is, * What is it that
you do seriously expect from the world for the time to come
that should persuade you to stick so close to it as you do V
Some great matter sure you do think it will do for you ; or
else you would never so esteem it. I pray you tell me what
it is? Do you think verily, that it will make you truly
happy ? Do you expect that it should bring you to heaven ?
1 suppose you do not. What then will it do for you ? It
will neither prevent a sickness, nor remove it : it cannot take
away a toothache, nor a fit of the gout or stone : it will not
save you from the jaws of death, nor keep your bodies from
rotting in the grave, nor bribe the worms or corruption from
devouring them. When your physician tells you that your
disease is incurable, and you see that there is no way but
one with you, and you must be gone, there is no remedy ;
if then you cry to the world, it cannot help you : friends can-
not save you, riches and honours, houses and lands cannot
preserve you ; death will obey his will that sendeth it, and
you must away. O who would love that, and love it at so
dear a rate, which cannot help you in the time of your ne-
cessity ? Who would serve such a master, such an idol god,
as cannot relieve you in the day of your distress ? When
conscience is awakened, and begins to stir, and gripe you,
and the wrath of God doth look you in the face, will your
honours ease you ? Will your friends deliver you, and give
you a solid, lasting peace ? You know they will not. You
cannot with all the wealth in the world procure the pardon
of the smallest sin. You may get the pope's pardon for
money, but not God's. You must go to j udgment, and if you
be worldlings, must be damned for ever for all your wealth.
Were you lords of all the world, it would not save your
souls from hell : no, nor procure you a drop of water to cool
your tongues. What is it then that you expect by this
468 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
world ? Sure you would never so much love it, and make
such a stir for it, if you looked for nothing from it? Why,
is it that your flesh may have some satisfaction in the mean
time ? And is that all ? Yea, that is even all. I shall then
proceed to the next question.
Quest. 5. * How long can you say that you shall keep the
riches and honours which you possess V Can you say that
they shall be yours this time twelvemonth ? or to-morrow ?
I know you cannot. You know not when you arise in the
morning, whether ever you shall lie down again alive. Nor
when you lie down at night, whether you shall rise alive.
And is a state of such uncertain tenure so valuable ? You
glory in your honours, and pleasures, and possessions, and
for aught you know, within this week, or hour, they may be
none of yours. However, you are certain to be deprived of
them ere long. It is a dull understanding indeed, that can-
not foresee the day when he must be stript of all, and take
his final farewell of the world ! You know as sure as you
shall live, that you must die, and your corpse be laid in the
common dust : and whose then shall all your pleasures be ?
When God calls you away, there is no resisting : or if he
call for any of your earthly comforts, there is no withholding.
Then keep them if you can. The bones and dust of your
forefathers will not say, * This house and land is mine !' Nor
do they retain any impress of their former earthly pleasure
and felicity. Alexander could not know his father Philip's
bones by the sight of them, nor find any print of the crown
upon his skull. If you open the grave and coffin of your
grandfathers, you shall find there no great sign of riches or
of honour, or any delights. And should you not look on
that which will be, even as if it were already ? I cannot but
take that which certainly will be, in a manner as if it were
in being ; and that which certainly will not be, as if it were
not : for interposing time is such a nothing as makes the
difference next to none. What if you might be the emperor
of the world to day, and must be as you are again to-mor-
row, were it desirable, or worthy to be regarded ? It dis-
graceth the greatest felicity on earth, to say, that ' It will
have an end ; the time is near when it will not be ;' as it ex-
tenuateth the labours and sufferings of a believer into a kind
of nothing, to say that ' they will shortly be at an end.*
-That which will be nothing, is next to nothing.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 469
Quest. 6. My next question to you is this, ' How do you
think you shall value the world, when it is parting from you?
Or at the furthest, when you are newly parted from it ?' If
a man come to you on your deathbed, when you see that
there is no hope of life, and ask your opinion then of the
world, will you magnify it as now you do ? When your spi-
rits are languishing, and your heart fainting, and your body
even possessed with pain, if then one should ask you, ' Are
the wealth and honours of the world such excellent things
as once you deemed them ? Do you now think it folly to re-
nounce and forsake them all for Christ?' What would you
then say ? I beseech you tell me, what think you that you
shall then say ? Do you think you shall then extol the
world, and count them fools that will be persuaded to for-
sake it ? Or rather will you not wish yourselves, ' O that I
had forsaken it, before it did forsake me !' Will you not cry
out, ' Oh vain world ! deceitful world !' and wish you had
more regarded the durable riches ? I think you will.
Quest. 7. * What is it that dying men do commonly think
and say of the world V If you can observe what all others
say of it, you may partly conjecture what mind you shall be
of yourselves. You have sometimes, sure, been about dying
men; (if you have not, you were best draw near them here-
after; for " the house of mourning is better than the house
of mirth.") Do you not hear them all cry out of the world
as a worthless thing? Do you not see how little good it
can do them ? And will no warning serve you ? Surely the
judgment of one of these men (much more of many) is more
to be valued, than of many that are in health and prosperity,
that overvalue the world. You are but in the chace, and
know not what it is which you do pursue ; but they have
overtaken it, and find it but a feather. You are but in the
trying of it, but they have tried it already, and have found
how little or nothing it can do. You are entangled in the
-midst of its deceits ; but they begin to see it barefaced.
Your senses are more violent in withdrawing you, and per-
verting your judgments ; but so are not theirs who are lan-
guishing unto death. If you come to one of them, that know
they must die within a few days, and tell them that such a
lordship is fallen to them, or such honour is bestowed on
them, or such a friend hath given them great possessions ;
how will they regard it ? Will they not say, ' Alas, what is
470 THK CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
this to me, that am presently to leave the world, and appear
before the eternal Judge I' If you then come to them, and
offer them such baits as were wont to catch the glutton, or
drunkard, or fornicator, do you think they will regard them?
Would they not rather cry shame against him that would
then entice them to any such thing ? Why then should
you so value that now, which all the world will vilify at
the last.
Quest. 8. You that now say, you are not such fools as to
be talked out of your estates, or honours, or delights, and
that wilfully stick to them against all that we can say, 1 pray
you tell me, ' Whether you will stand to this at the bar of
God V Will you then own these resolutions and sayings,
or will you not ? Dare you look the Lord Jesus in the face,
and tell him, ' I did well to set more by the world than by
thee, and the glory which thou didst promise ! I did well to
take my pleasure for a time, and to venture my salvation 1'
You dare not stand to this at judgment ; I know you dare
not : and will you now insist on that which you dare not
stand to? And be of that mind which then you must con-
demn yourselves ? Do you think that this is a reasonable
course to be ventured on in so great a matter ?
Quest. 9. My next question is this, * Do you ever mean to
repent of your fleshly and worldlymindedness or not ?' If you
do not, it seems you are far from a recovery. Many a one
perisheth with bare, ineffectual purposes of repenting; but
those that have not so much as such a purpose, are graceless
indeed. But if you do purpose to repent, I would further
ask you. Do you think that is a right mind, or a wise course
which must be repented of? If it be right and wise, what
need you to repent of it ? If it be not wise and right, why
will you now retain it, yea and wilfully maintain it, ag-ainst
the persuasions of God and man ? Doth not this proclaim
that you are wilful sinners ? And that you' know you sin,
and yet will do it, even against your own knowledge and
conscience ? That you know the world to be a deceitful
vanity, and yet for all that you will stick to it as long as you
can, with the neglect of God, and true felicity ? And can
you expect mercy and salvation, that wilfully and knowingly
do set yourselves against it, and reject it ?
Quest. 10. My next question which I desire you to an-
swer is this, * Do you in good sadness take the world for
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 471
your enemy, or for a hindrance to you in the way to heaven V
If you do not, why did you in your baptism renounce it, and
promise to fight against it? And why have you professed
since to stand to that covenant ? And how then can you
believe the word of God, which so often telleth you, what a
hindrance riches and honours are to men's salvation ? But
if indeed you believe that the world is your enemy and hin-
drance, why then will you love it, and be impatient if you
want it, and take such pleasure in it, and desire to have
more of it ? Do you love to have your salvation hindered
or hazarded ? and will you love and long for that which is
an enemy to it? I think the way to heaven is hard enough
to the best : they need not make it harder than it is, and be
at so much labour all their lives to make themselves more
enemies, and more work, and to block up the way, while
they pretend to walk in it. O the hypocrisy of a carnal
heart ! How notoriously do men's lives contradict their
tongues ! When they will call the world their enemy, and
vow to fight against it to the death, and at the same time
will labour for it, and greedily desire it, as if they could
never have enough ! That they will make so much of it, as
to neglect God himself, and their salvation for it, and make
it the greatest care and business of their lives to get and
keep it, and all the while profess that they take it for their
enemy ! This is dissembling beyond all bounds of shame.
Remember this when you are impatient of your low estate ;
or contriving further accommodation to your flesh, or hunt-
ing after a full estate. Are these the signs of enmity to the
world ? Do you hate your salvation, that you so love the
hinderers of it ? Either live as you profess, or profess as
you live.
Quest. 11. Yet further I demand, * Whether indeed you
do intend to renounce your Christianity, and all your hopes
of heaven, or not V If you do, you know whom to blame
when you are deprived of it ; and I could wish you would
first find out some better way, or something that may be of
valuable consideration, to repair your loss. But if you say,
you have no such intent, I further ask. Why then do you do
it ? and do it after so much warning ? Do you disclaim your
Christianity in the open light, and yet say that you intend
no such thing ? You cannot do it against your will. And
thaf it is in effect a renouncing or denying your Christianity,
473 THE CRUCIFYING OV THE WOULD
yea, and your salvation, is plain ; for your Christianity con-
taineth a renouncing of the world; and therefore it is part
of our baptismal covenant. If then you return to the world
which you renounced, you forsake your Christianity. Had
you rather forsake the world, or Christ ? One of them you
must forsake ; for he hath told you that " except you for-
sake all that you have, you cannot be his disciples ;" (Luke
xiv.) and that you cannot serve God and mammon. Had
you rather renounce the world, or your salvation? One of
them you must let go ; for God hath said, that " the love of
the world is enmity against God ;" and that, " if any man
love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." If
therefore you will still say, you hope you may keep both ;
what do you less than give God the lie ? If you will still
adhere to the world, and yet say that you do not renounce
your Christianity or salvation, you may as well say, that
though you join in arms with open rebels, yet you do not
forsake your loyalty to your prince ! Or, though you live
in adultery, yet you do not forsake your conjugal fidelity
and chastity ; and that you do not cast away your life,
though you take poison, when you know it to be such, or
though you commit those crimes which must be punished
with death. I beseech you consider well, why you forsake
Christ, and why you will destroy yourselves, before you do
it past remedy.
Quest. 12. My last question which I desire your answer
to is this ; ' Do you indeed think that God is not better
than the world, and that heaven is not more desirable than
earth, and an endless glory than a transitory shadow V Or
is there any comparison to be made between them ? Have
you considered what a sad exchange you make ? O un-
thankful souls ! hath not God done more for you than ever
the world did? He made you, and so did not the world!
He redeemed you, when none else could do it ! He pre^
serveth you, and provideth for you, and all that you have is
from his bounty. He can give health to your bodies, peace
to your consciences, salvation to your souls, when the world
cannot do it. If the world be better than God in prosperity,
what makes you call upon God in adversity? When any
torment seize th on your bodies, or death draws near and
looks you in the face, then you do not cry, ' O riches, help
us ! O pleasures or honours, have mercy upon us !' But,
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 473
' O God, have mercy upon us and help us.' Can none else
help you in your distress, and yet will you prefer the crea-
ture in your prosperity ? Ah poor deluded souls ! that fol-
low the world, which will cast you off in your greatest
need, and neglect Him that would be faithful to you for
ever ! The time is coming when you shall cry out, ' The
world hath deceived me ! I have laboured for naught !'
But if you had been as true to God as you were to it, he
would never have deceived you. He would have received
your departed souls, and made you like angels, and raised
your bodies to glory at the last, and perpetuated that glory.
Will your riches, or pleasures, or honours do thi&? He
would have rescued you from the devouring flames which
your inordinate love of the world will bring you to. O mi-
serable change ! to change God for the world ; it is to
change a crown of glory for a crown of thorns ; the love of
our only friend, for the smiles of deceitful enemies ; life for
death, and heaven for hell ! O what thoughts will arise in
your hearts, when you are past the deceit, and under the
sad effects of it, and shall review your folly in another
world ! It will fill your consciences with everlasting horror,
and make you your own accusers and tormenters, to think
what you lost, and what you had for it ; to think that you
sold God and your souls, and everlasting hopes for a thing
of naught ; more foolishly than Esau sold his birthright for
a mess of pottage. If the sun, and moon, and stars were
yours, would you exchange them for a lump of clay ? Well,
sinners ! if God and glory seem no more worth to you, than
to be slighted for a little fleshly pleasures, you cannot mar-
vel if you have no part in them.
If reason and Scripture evidence would serve turn, I dare
say you would by this time be convinced of the necessity of
being crucified to the world, and the world to you. But
sensuality is unreasonable, and no saying will serve with it :
like a child that will not let go his apple for a piece of gold.
But yet I shall not cease my exhortation, till I have tried
you a little further ; and if you will not yield to forsake the
world, you shall keep it to your greater cost, as you keep it
against the clearer light that would convince you of your
duty.
1. As you love God, or would be thought to love him,
love not the world : for so far as you love it, you love not
474 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
him ; 1 John ii. 15. As ever you would be found the friends
of God, see that you be enemies, and not friends to the
world. For the friendship of the world is enmity to him ;
James iv. 4. You are used to boast that you love God above
all ; if you do so you will not love the world above him :
and then you will not labour and care more for it, than for
him : your love will be seen in the bent of your lives : that
which you love best, you will seek most, and be most care-
ful and diligent to obtain. As they that love money are
most careful to get it ; so they that love heaven will be more
careful to make sure of that. As they that love their drink
and lust will be much in the alehouse, and among those that
are the baits and fuel of their lust ; so they that love the
fruition of God will be much in seeking him and inquiring
after him, and much among those that are acquainted with
such love, and can further them any way in the accomplish-
ment of their desires. If you love God then, let it be seen in
the holy endeavours of your lives, and set your affections on
things above, and not on the things that are on earth : for
that which you most look after, we must think that you
most love. Can you for shame commit adultery with the
world, and live with it in your bosoms, and yet say that you
love God?
2. As you love your present peace and comfort, see that
you love not, but crucify the world. It doth but delude you
first, and disquiet you afterwards ; like wind in your bowels,
which can tear and torment, but cannot nourish you. And
if God do love you with a special love, he will be sure to
wean you from the world, though to your sorrow. If you
do provoke him to lay wormwood on the breasts, and to
hedge up your forbidden way with thorns, when you find the
smart and bitterness you may thank yourselves. It is the
remnant of our folly and cur backsliding nature, that is still
looking back to the world which we have forsaken, that is
the cause of those successive afflictions which we undergo.
Did you love the creature less, it would vex you less ; but
if you will needs set your minds upon tlrem, and be pleasing
your worldly, sensual desires, God will turn loose those very
creatures upon you, and make them his scourges for the re-
covery of your wits, and the reducing of your misled, revolt-
ing souls. Are you taken up with the hopes of a more plen-
tiful estate ; and think you are got into a thriving way ?
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 475
How soon can God blast and break your expectations t By
the death of your cattle, the decay of trading, the false-
dealing of those you trust, the breaking and impoverishing
of them, by contentious neighbours vexing you with law-
suits ; by corrupted witnesses, or lawyers that will sell you
for a little gain ; by ill servants, by unthrifty children ; by
thieves, or soldiers, or the raging flames ; by restraining the
dew of heaven, and causing your land to deny its increase,
and make you complain that you have laboured in vain.
How many ways hath he in a day or an hour to scatter all
the heap of wealth that you have been gathering, and to shew
you that by sad experience, which you might have known
before at easier rates ! At the least, if he meddle not with
any thing that you have, yet how quickly can he lay his
hand upon yourselves, and lay you in sickness, to groan un-
der your pain and sin together : and then what comfort will
you have in the world? When head-aches, and back- aches,
and nothing can ease you ? when pain and languishing make
you weary of day and night, and weary of every place, and
weary of your best diet, your finest clothes, your merriest
companions ? Where then is the sweetness and beauty of the
world ? Then if you look on house, or goods, or lands, how
little pleasure find you in any of them ? Especially when
you know that your departure is at hand, and you must stay
here no longer, but presently must away. Oh then what a
carcase will all the glory of the world appear ! and how sen-
sibly then will you read, or hear, or think of these things,
that now in your prosperity are very little moved by the
hearing of them !
Is it your children that you set your hearts upon, in in-
ordinate love or care ? Why, alas ! how quickly can God
call them from you by death ! and then you will follow them
to the churchyard, and lay them in the grave with so much
the sadder heart, by how much the more inordinately you
loved them. And perhaps God may leave them to be grace-
less and unnatural, and make that child, by rebellion or un-
kindness, to be the breaking of your heart, whom you most
excessively affected. If it be a wife that you overlove, you
know not but they may fall into that peevishness and for-
wardness, that jealousy or unkindness, that perverseness of
tongue, or other distempers, that may make your lives a very
burden to you ! Do you look after the favour of great
476 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
ones ? Perhaps you shall feel their injustice and cruelties ;
and God will be so merciful to you, as to cure you by the
means of their frowns, who would else have been infatuated
and poisoned by their favours. Is it popular applause that
you so much regard ? and doth it tickle you to hear of your
own commendations ? Take heed lest you provoke God to
give you such a bitter corrective for your pride, as may
make you as vile in the eyes of men, as you desired to be
honourable. He can quickly give you such a prick in the
flesh, or suffer such a messenger of satan to buffet you, as
shall humble you to your sorrow. Perhaps he may let you
fall into some disgraceful sin, which the world may ring of
to your reproach : or, if you be never so innocent, the
tongues of men may make you guilty. If you be as chaste
as any man, it is easy for a slanderous tongue to make you
incontinent, and to lay some odious blot upon your name,
which shall never be wiped off, until the Judge of the world
shall justify you. If you give to the poor and other chari-
table uses as far as you are able, it is not hard for slander-
ous tongues to make you seem uncharitable and covetous.
If you be never so temperate in meat and drink, apparel and
recreations, it is easy for a slanderer to make you seem a
proud, or luxurious, scandalous man. The weathercock is
not more inconstant, nor the waves more impetuous than
the giddy, raging vulgar are. And will you repose your-
selves in the thoughts of such? They that applaud you in
prosperity, and when you fit their turns, will despise you in
adversity, and rage against you, as if you were unworthy to
live, when once you cross their opinions and desires. If you
are so puffed up that you love the praise of men, perhaps
God may make you run the gantlet through town and
country, and suffer every venomous tongue to speak swords
to your heart, and have a lash at your reputation, until you
have learned to stand to God's approbation, and to account
it a small thing to be judged of man.
Yea, if it be reputation with godly men that you dote
upon, it is possible that the tongues even of godly men may
become your scourge. Sometimes their ears lie open to the
slanders that worse men have raised, and they think it no
great sin to report the reproaches which they have heard
from others ; and sometimes, through temptations, and the
remnant of their corruptions, they are ready to be the prin-
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 477
cipal authors themselves. If you differ from them in any
opinion in which they expect reputation themselves, or if
you contradict them, or stand in the way of their sinful de-
signs and ends, or any way diminish their honour with men,
you may possibly find that you had but a slippery standing
in their esteem. Even godly men in passion may offer you
as base indignities as others, and may tread down your de-
sired reputation the more successfully, by how much their
credit is stronger than other men's, to carry on their reports.
For, if one that is esteemed godly do accuse you, the most
will think they are obliged to believe it, and to say, * Such
or such a godly person spoke it,' doth seem to many enough
to warrant the spreading of the falsest reports, to your
disgrace.
Or if it be your honour in the eyes of ministers, and
learned men, that you inordinately regard, perhaps you may
find from some of them, that their learning doth but make
them the more skilful in abusing you, and the keener instru-
ments to prick you to the heart, and to cut in pieces that
reputation which you overvalued. You shall be reproach-
ed more learnedly by them than by others, and slandered a
great deal more cunningly, and so with more success. They
may perhaps differ from you in some points of judgment ;
and so may think that they do God service by proclaiming
you to be erroneous, or heretical ; and their own errors may
persuade them that it is their duty to defame you, and ac-
cuse you of the guilt, which is indeed their own ; like a man
that hath a stinking breath, and thinks it not his own, but
his companion's, and therefore runs out of his company, and
tells him he cannot abide his breath.
It is possible also that their interests and yours may
clash, and they may be tempted to tread your reputation in
the dirt, as a necessary means for the maintaining of their
own ; especially if in a faction they find you of a party
which they are engaged against, whatever you are your-
selves, you must bear the reproaches of your party ; and it
will be crime enough to be one of that side which they ab-
hor. And it J.S likely they will not want engines to execute
their wrathful zeal. Perhaps they will have some nick-name
of reproach for you, and join you with this or that heresy,
which they perceive to be odious with those they speak to ;
and so they will do more by reproachful names and titles.
478 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
than they could do by plain argument, or any ingenious
course. At least it is likely they will not be wanting in the
bitterest censures behind your back : and the hearers will
think, be it never so false, that sure there is some truth in it,
or else such a learned, well-esteemed man would never have
reported it. So that if satan can get but one tongue or pen
of a learned man in credit to slander you, it is ten to one
but he will get many hundred ears and hearts to drink in
the venom, and either to believe it, or entertain uncharita-
ble suspicions of you ; and as many tongues to divulge the
report (though with pretended compassion and charity) to
taint the minds of others with the same infection. It may
be those very learned men whom you admire, and whose es-
teem you are sinfully ambitious of, may be given over to set
themselves against you, with the most malicious, shameless
calumnies, and lay to your charge the things that never en-
tered into your thoughts, and the things that you never did
nor spoke ; for a better man than you was so served, Psal.
XXXV. 11, 12. " They laid to my charge the things which I
knew not, they rewarded me evil for good, to the spoiling
of my soul." Thus did " false witnesses rise up against
him, even such for whom he had humbled his soul, and
mourned in their affliction, and behaved himself to them as
his brethren and friends;" yet, saithhe, ver. 15, 16. " In my
adversity they rejoiced and gathered themselves together,
yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me,
and I knew it not, they did tear me, and ceased not ; with
hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with
their teeth."
Object. ' But is it possible that godly men can be guilty
of such things as these?'
Answ. Through the remnant of their corruptions, and
the power of temptations, even learned, godly men may be
made the powerful instruments of satan, to shatter and de-
stroy your reputation for ever (on earth), and make even
countries and kingdoms to believe that of you, from genera-
tion to generation, which never entered into your soul ; and
by their means, if you were persons of so much note, you
might be recorded in history to posterity, as guilty of the
crimes of which you were most innocent, yea, much more
innocent than the reporters themselves. So that it will be
the work of Christ, at the day of judgment, to clear the
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 479
names of many an innocent one, that hath gone under the
repute of a heretic,^ proud, malicious man, an adulterer, a
deceiver, and a mere unconscionable and ungodly person,
even from age to age, and that among the godly themselves
by receiving the slander at first from some one that had the
advantage to procure a belief of it ; it is like it was a seem-
ing godly man that had been David's " familiar friend, in
whom he trusted, and which did eat of his bread ;" Psal.
xli. 6, 7.9. Yet was he used in this kind by such. And he
saith, " It was not an enemy that reproached me ; then I
could have borne it ; neither was it he that hated me, that
did magnify himself against me ; then I would have hid my-
self from him ; but it was thou, a man, mine equal, my
guide, and mine acquaintance ; we took sweet counsel to-
gether, and walked to the house of God in company."
Object. ' But (perhaps you may think) I will walk so
carefully and innocently that no man shall have any matter
of such reproach.'
Answ. 1. There is none of the imperfect saints on earth
that can be free from giving all occasions of reproach. 2.
And were you perfectly innocent, it would not free you. -
Nay, your innocence itself may be the occasion of those re-
ports that proclaim you wicked. For it is not that which
really is a fault, but that which they think so, that is the
matter of such men's accusations. The apostles of Christ
that walked in such eminent holiness and self-denial, and
consumed themselves for the good of others, could not es-
cape the tongues of slanderers, but were accounted as the
very scum and ofFscouring of all things, and as a by-word,
and even a gazing-stock to angels and men. And the bless-
ed Son of God, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and se-
parated from sinners, was yet reputed one of the greatest
sinners, and crucified as such. And he that could chal-
lenge them, " which of you convinceth me of sin," was com-
monly defamed of what he was innocent of. If .John came
fasting, they say ' he hath a devil.' If Christ eat and drink
temperately with sirmers, that he might take opportunity to
feed their souls, they say, " Behold a man gluttonous and a
wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners;" Matt.
xi. 18, 19. They that saw him eat and drink with sinners,
had so fair a pretence to raise their reproach, that they
might the more easy procure belief, though it was perfect in-
480 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
nocence in itself which they reproached. The best men on
earth have ever had experience, that there is no caution that
can defend from a slanderous tong-ue. As Erasmus, once
calumniated, saith, ' Fatalis est morbus calumniandi omnia.
Et clausis oculis carpunt, quod nee vident, nee intelligunt :
tanta est morbi vis : atque interim sibi videntur ecclesise
columnaj, quam nihil aliud quam traducant suam solidita-
tem, pari malitia conjunctam;" &c. Leg. Eras. Epist. ad
Alphons. Valet, de annuli sui sigillo. How oft was good
Melancthon fain to complain, that there is no defence
against a quarrelsome, slanderous tongue ; and the too much
sense of it did almost break his heart.
Object. ' But at least I can say as the philosopher : If
they will reproach me and speak evil of me, I will so live
that nobody shall believe them.'
An%w. Wherever there be men to make the report, there
will likely be enough to believe it. And if they that know
you will not believe it, yet that it is but a few to the most
of them abroad that hear of you, and know you not.
You may see then by this time, if reputation with men
be the thing you overvalue, what a vain, uncertain thing
it is ; and how easily God can make your sorrow arise, even
from thence where you expected your vain applause.
And you will find by experience, if you do not prevent
it, that while you overvalue this or any earthly thing, you
are in the road to these afflictions. It is God's ordinary
dealing with his children, and frequently with others, to pu-
nish them by their idols, and to make them sickest of that
which they have most greedily surfeited of. Could you
but crucify the world, and use it for God, it would have no
power thus to vex and crucify your mind. It is you that
sharpen it, and arm it against yourselves, and give it all the
strength it hath, by your overvaluing and overloving it. It
is like a spaniel, that will love those best that beat him ;
but if you cocker it, it will fly in your faces.
Object. 'But I may fall under all these afflictions whe-
ther I love the world or not.'
Answ. 1. But your perverse affections do provoke God
to multiply such afflictions. Had you: not rather bear a
smaller measure, and taste a cup that hath less of the gall?
2. And if you were but crucified to the world, the same
afflictions would be as nothing to your mind, which now
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 481
seem so grievous to you, and cast you into such vexations
and discontents. If it did as much to your flesh, it could
not reach the heart ; and if all be sound and well within,
it is no great matter how it is without. The very same kind
of afflictions, whether it be poverty, sickness, slanders, or
other wrongs, are as nothing to a man that is dead to the
world, which seem intolerable to unmortified men. For the
lieartand soul of the unmortitied are the seat and subject of
them ; when the mortified Christian hath a garrison within,
and bolts the door, and keeps them from his heart. What
great trouble will it be to any man to part with that which
he doth not care for ? especially while he keepeth that
which hath his heart. It is no great trouble to a worldling
to want the love of God, or communion with him, nor to be
without the life of grace, nor to lie under the burden of the
greatest sins, and to be the slave of the devil ; because he
is dead in sin, and dead to God, and the things of the Spirit,
and therefore he perceiveth not the excellency of them, but
is well content to live without them. And if spiritual death
can make men so contented, without the great invaluable
treasure, and can make men set light by God and glory ;
what wonder if they that are dead to the world do set as
light by such inconsiderable vanities ? And if the dead in
sin can bear so easily the greatest misery that man on earth
is ordinarily capable of, as the slavery of the devil, the guilt
of sin, the curse of the law, the danger of damnation, &c.
what wonder then if they that are crucified to the world can
bear a little poverty, or sickness, or reproach ? which is to
the other, but as the prick of a pin, or the scratch of a
thorn, to a deadly poison, or a stab at the very heart.
3. But yet this is not all. Your inordinate love of any
thing in the world, will not only embitter your lives, but it
will be the horror of your souls at death and judgment.
And therefore as ever you would leave the world in peace,
and as ever you would appear before the Lord your Judge
with comfort, and as ever you desire that the creatures
should not be your tormentors, take heed that you do not
overlove them now, but see that they be crucified to you.
You cannot possibly be sensible now, what a pang of hor-
ror it will cast you into at the last, when you shall see the
world leaving you, and see what it was that you ventured
VOL. IX. 1 1
482 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
your souls and their everlasting welfare for. O with what
grief and tearing of heart do earthlyminded persons part
with the world ! When you are dying, that one thing that
had your heart, will more torment your hearts to remember
it, than all things else will do. Nothing is such a terror to
the thoughts of a dying, covetous man, as his money, and
lands, and worldly wealth. Nothing so vexeth the ambiti-
ous, as to think on that shadow of honour which he did pur-
sue. Nothing doth so torment the filthy fornicator, as the
remembrance of that person with whom he committed the
beastly sin. All other persons or things in the world will
not then be so bitter to you, as those that stole your hearts
from God. But at judgment and in hell, the remembrance
of them will be a thousandfold more bitter. And who
would now prepare such misery for themselves, and glut
themselves with that which they can no better digest or
bear? What wise man would not rather be without the
drunkard's cups, than be fain to spew it up again, and part
with it with so much sickness and disgrace ? And why
should you desire to be drunk with the profits or pleasures
of the world, when you know beforehand, with how much
shame and trouble of conscience you mu,st cast it up again
at last ?
4. But yet this is not the worst ; but if you will needs
live to the world, you must take it for your portion, and
look not for any more. And therefore as ever you would
not be deprived of your hopes of eternal life, and be put off
with the earthly portion of the wicked, see that the world
be crucified to you, and you to the world. How poor a por-
tion is it that worldlings do possess ! Even like Nebuchad-
nezzar, that had his portion with the beasts ; Dan. iv. 15.
How soon will all their portion be spent ! and then they
will feed with swine, yea, and be denied these very husks.
For " they are set in slippery places, and are brought to de-
solation in a moment ;" Psal. Ixxiii. 18 — 20. O how much
better a portion might you have had, if you had not refused
or neglected it when you had your choice ! Methinks in
your greatest pleasures and abundance, it should astonish
your souls to think, * This is my portion, I shall have no
more.' When you are past this life, and entering into eter-
nity, then where is your portion ? Alas, saith conscience, I
have had it already ! I cannot spend it and have it too !
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 483
You know what you have now; but what shall you have
hereafter to all eternity? Your portion is almost spent al-
ready, and what will you do then ? O then, to think that
the eternal glory of the saints might have been yours, it was
offered as freely to you as them, but you have lost it by
preferring the world before it, and that after a thousand
convictions of your folly. O what a cutting thought will
this be ! Luke xvi. 25. To remember that you chose your
" good things in this life," will be a sad remembrance when
all is gone. " The Lord is the portion of his saints' inherit-
ance" (Psal. xvi. 5.), " even their portion for ever" (Psal.
Ixxiii. 26.), " their portion in the land of the living," (Psal.
cxlii.5.) ; and this was it that encouraged them to labour,
patience, and hope ; Psal. cxix. 52. Lam. iii. 24 — 26. But
for the worldling, " The heaven shall reveal his iniquity, and
the earth shall rise up against him, the increase of his house
shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of
wrath. This is the portion of a wicked man from God,
and the heritage appointed to him by God ; " Job xx.
37—39.
If you can be content with such a portion, make much
of the world, and take your fleshly pleasures while you
may. But if you hope for the everlasting portion of be-
lievers, away with the world, and crucify it without any
more ado, and set your hearts on the portion you hope
for.
Having said as much as is suitable to the other parts of
this discourse, to persuade you to be willing to crucify the
world, I shall next give some directions to those that are
persuaded, and tell you by what means the work may be
done. And I beseech .you mark them, and resolve to prac-
tise them.
Direct. 1. Observe and practise the direction intimated
in the text. ' It is the cross of Christ that must crucify the
world to you.' It is thither therefore that you must repair
for help. An infidel may fetch such weapons from reason
and experience as shall wound the world, and diminish his
esteem of it, and make it less delightful to him ; but it is
only the cross of Christ that can furnish us with those wea-
pons that must pierce it to the very heart. Or if the unbe-
liever were deprived of all earthly delight, and brought into
despair of ever receiving more comfort from the world (as it
484 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
is with many of them in some extremity, and with all at
death), yet he himself is not crucified to the world. Though
his delight in it be gone, yet his love to it is not gone'.
Though he be out of hope of ever having content in it, yet
his desires after it are the same. If he call it vanity and
vexation, as the believer doth, it is because it denieth him
his desires. Not because he takes it heartily for an enemy,
but for an unkind lover, that dealeth hardly with him that
hath given it his heart. If he look upon it as dead, and un-
able to help him, yet doth he behold it as the carcase of a
friend, with grief and lamentation. It is his greatest trou-
ble that the world cannot give that which he would have.
And therefore he is trying what it will do for them as long
as he hath any hope. As the poor infants in Ireland lay
sucking at the breasts of the corpse of their mothers, when
the Irish papists had slain them, so will these poor world-
lings still hang upon the world, even when they find that it
cannot help them ; and when it will scarce afford them a
miserable life ; but with much labour and suffering they
hardly get a little food and clothing. So that their affections
are still alive to the world, even when to their sorrow they
look on the world as dead or almost dead to them.
But the cross of Christ will teach you to crucify the
world in another manner. As Christ did voluntarily con-
temn it, and shew that he set so little by it, that he could
be content to be the most despicable object upon earth, in
the eyes of men, so will he teach you also voluntarily to
contemn it ; and set up yourselves as the butt, which all the
arrows of malice and despite shall be shot at. So that
though you have naturally a desire of the preservation of
your live$, and from that may say, " Father, if it be thy will,
let this cup pass from me," yet shall you have a far greater
desire of pleasing, enjoying, and glorifying God, which shall
cause you from a comparative judgment to say, " Yet not as
I will, but as thou wilt." Much more shall you be enabled
to despise the unnecessary matters of the world, and to mor-
tify your inordinate and distempered affections. The cross
of Christ will shew you reason (though such as the worldly
wise call foolishness), even such reason as none but a teacher
come from God could have revealed, for the leading up your
affections from the world ; and it will point you to the higher
things that do deserve them. This cross is the truest ladder
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 485
by which you may ascend from earth to heaven. When in
this wilderness, and as without the gate, you are lifted up
with Christ on the cross of worldly desertion and reproach,
you are then in the highest road to glory, and if you faint
not, shall be lifted up with him into the throne. "For if
you suffer with him, ye shall also reign with him ;" Rom.
viii. 17. " And to him that overcometh he will grant to sit
with him in his throne, even as he also overcame, and is set
down with his Father in his throne ;" Rev. iii. 21.
And as the cross of Christ is teaching, so also is it
strengthening. As the touch of his garment staid the
poor woman's issue of blood, so will a touch of the cross by
faith even dry up the stream of your inordinate affections,
that have run out after the world so long. When a world-
ling mourneth over the dead world, as having lost his chief-
est friend, the cross of Christ will cause you to rejoice over
it as a conquered enemy, and to insult over the carcase of
its vainglory and delights. For it is one thing to have an
angry God by providence to kill the world to us, and
another thing to have a gracious Father by his Spirit to cru-
cify us to the world, and the world to us, by the changing
of our estimation and affections.
Set therefore a crucified Christ continually before the
eye of your souls. See what he suffered for your adhering
to the creature ; and what it cost you to loose you from it,
and bring up your souls again to God. Can you still wait
upon the world, and entangle your affections in its painted
allurements, when you consider that this is the very sin that
killed your Saviour, and which the blood of his heart was
shed to cure? Look up to that cross, and see the fruits of
worldly love. If yoa see a man that hath surfeited on un-
wholesome fruits, lie groaning, and gasping, and trembling
in pain, and at last must die for it, you will take heed of
such a surfeit yourselves. It was we that took a surfeit of
the creature, and the Lord that saw there was no other re-
medy to save our lives, did by a miracle of mercy and wis-
dom derive upon himself the pain and trouble, and groaned,
and sweat, and bled, and died for our recovery. And will
you feed and surfeit again upon the creature ?
Look up to that cross of Christ, and see the enmity of
the world unto your Head. And will you take it for your
friend ? See how it used him : and will you expect that
486 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
it should deal contrarily with you? Did it hang him up
among malefactors : and will it set you on a throne, or dan-
dle you in its lap ? Did it pierce his side : and will it heal
your wounds ? Did it reach him gall and vinegar : and will
it reach you milk and honey ? If it do, yet trust it not ; for
the milk is but to prepare you for that sleep, in which it
may destroy you without resistance ; for you must next ex-
pect the hammer and the nail, as Jael used Sisera ; Judges
iv.19.21.
There is not so clear a glass in all the world, in which
you may see the world in its just complexion and proportion
as the cross of Christ. There you may see what it is worth,
and how to be esteemed, by the estimate of one that never
was deceived by it, but had a perfect knowledge of its use
and value. When you have so long beheld that cross by
faith, as that you can be contented to be hanged between
heaven and earth, and become the most forlorn and despica-
ble creature in the eyes of men, and to be stripped of all the
comforts of life, and life itself, for the sake of Christ, and
for the invisible kingdom, which by his cross was purchased
for you; then are you thoroughly crucified to the world,
and the world to you by the cross of Christ.
Direct. 2. ' Be sure that you receive not a false picture
of the world into your minds ; or if you have received such
an one, see that you blot it out ; and think of the creature
truly as it is.' The most are deceived and undone by mis-
apprehensions. As if a man should dote on an ugly harlot
because of a painted face, or because he seeth a beautiful
picture, which is falsely pretended to be hers. The world
in itself is vanity and insufficiency : as opposite to God, it
is poison and enmity to us. But most men conceive of it
as if it were the very seat of their felicity, and so are ena-
moured of they know not what. If men did not entertain
false apprehensions of God, and his holy ways, as being
against them, or hurtful to them, or needless and uncomfort-
able, they could not be so much against them as they are :
and so if they did not entertain false apprehensions of the
creature and the ways of sin, they could not be so much for
them, nor embrace them with so much delight. For they
draw in their fancies some odious picture of the blessed God
and his ways, and therefore they are averse to them. And
so they draw in their fancies some alluring picture of the
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 487
world, and make it seem to be what it is not ; and therefore
they admire it. So that the right way to rectify your affec-
tions, is first to rectify your conceptions. I would not have
you think worse of the world than it deserves, but only per-
suade you to judge of it as it is. Do not dream of a palace
in the air, and then be enamoured of the matter of your
dreams. You think the world is some excellent thing, and
will do some great matters for you, and that they are happy
men that abound with its riches, and honours, and delights.
I beseech you, sirs, return to your wits. I told you before,
that those that have tried the world think otherwise of it.
They that have seen the utmost that it can do, do shake the
head at it, as the blind unbelievers did at Christ, when they
saw him hanging on the cross. Why then should you be of
so differing a mind ? Come nearer, and consider what is it
that you admire : is it not the great deceiver of the nations ?
The bait of the devil, by which he angles for souls ? If you
should fall in love with a post that were drest in the finest
clothes, it were a disgrace to your understandings. And
what course should we take to quiet and rectify the mind of
such a lover ? but even to undress the post, and take off all
the bravery, and shew it you naked ; and when you see it is
but a post, methinks you will not be fond of it any more.
Do so then by the world, which you more foolishly admire.
It is clothed with riches, and honours, and delights ; it is
adorned by its followers ; there is such running after it and
courting it, that you think, sure all this ado is not for no-
thing. But take off all these befooling gauds, and strip it
of these ornaments, and then see how you like it. But per-
haps you will say. How should I do that? Why, 1 . Consi-
der frequently of how little moment these things are to you.
You have matters of everlasting life or death, salvation or
damnation, to look after ; and what are riches or vain plea-
sures to these ? These are not the things that must denomi-
nate you happy or unhappy. You do not stand or fall by
them. They are but by-matters, that are promised you as
an overplus, so far as shall be fit : but your life or death
consisteth not in them. Should a man that must be for
ever in heaven or hell, and hath but a little time to deter-
mine which it must be, should such a man spend that little
time about riches and pleasure ? Can you have while at
the door of eternity, to hunt after the delights of the flesh.
488 THL CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
and study after the prosperity of this world ? Why do not
dying men do so then? Why do they not bargain, and de-
ceive, and contrive for their lusts and worldly accommoda-
tions ? No, they have then no list to them, then they have
other things to think of. And why not now as well as then ?
O remember how little matter it is, whether you go poor or
rich to the grave. This is not your concernment: and
therefore let it not take you up, unless you will wilfully neg-
lect yourselves.
2. And then forget not the brevity of your worldly pos-
sessions. Remember whenever they are presented to you in
their beauty, that all this will be but for a little while. The
veriest beggar in the town, that is not a fool, had rather be
as they are, than to have a house full of gold till to-morrow,
and then to be stripped of it all again. Remember the
pleasures of sin are but for a season : by that time the feast
is done, you are as hungry as before : by that time you have
done laughing, the matter of your mirth is turned into sor-
row, and the jest is cold, and the game is at an end. The
hour is almost come already, wherein you shall say of all
your pleasure, it is past and gone. And will you trouble
yourselves, and ruin your poor souls, for such a fleeting,
transitory thing ? Will you be at so much cost and labour
to build a house, that before you have finished it, will be
spurned down by death in a moment ?
O that you would but still think of the world as it is,
and take off the gloss, and wash away the painting which
deceiveth you, and look on it naked, as shortly you shall
do ; and then it could not have that power to bewitch you,
as now it hath : but you would see that your interest lieth
not in it, and that you have greater matters that call for
your regard : and this is the way to crucify you to the
world.
Direct. 3. * The crucifying of the world doth very much
depend upon the crucifying of the flesh.' For I have told
you before, that the flesh is the master idol, and the world is
but its provision, and the devil's bait. And therefore it is
the life of carnality that is the life of the world in you.
When men have an appetite that must needs be satisfied,
and must have the meat and drink which it desires, and it is
as much to them to deny their appetites, as if it were some
great and weighty business : these beasts are far from cru~
BY THE CUOSS OF CHRIST. 489
cifying the world. For they must needs look after provi-
sion for these appetites. He that must have the sweetest
morsels, and the pleasantest drink, must needs look after
provision to maintain it. And he that hath a proud, cor-
rupted mind, that must needs be clothed with the best, and
placed with the highest, and keep company with the great-
est, or the idlest and merriest companions, this man doth
think that he must needs have provision to maintain all this.
No man doth admire the world, but he that judgeth by his
fleshly interest, and is a slave to his sensuality. Set reason
in the throne ; let faith illuminate and advance it ; subdue
your inordinate sensual desires ; and then the world will
wither of itself. The servants will hide their heads, or com-
ply, if the master be once conquered. Nay, you may then
press the world upon a better service. Remember that your
sensual appetite was made in order to the preservation of
your natures, and to be ruled by reason ; if therefore it would
become the predominant faculty, and would take up with
its own delights as your end, and would rebel against its
guide and master, it is time then to use it as a rebel should
be used, and with Paul to buffet it and bring it into sub-
jection. And if you can do this, the work is done. It is a
childish, if not a brutish thing, and below a man, to be cap-
tivated unto sense. It is the content of the higher faculties,
that are the pleasures of a man : the pleasing the throat is
common to us with the swine. It is the basest spirit, that
makes the greatest matter of sensual things ; and so must
be drowned in unprofitable cares, what he shall eat or drink,
or wherewith he shall be clothed. What matter is it to a
wise man, whether his meat be sweet or bitter, or whether
his drink be strong or small, or whether his clothes be fine
or homely ; or whether he be honoured, or derided, or past
by ; save only as these things may have relation to greater
things; and as the body must be kept in a serviceable
plight ; and we must value that capacity most, in which we
may best do our Master's work. Keep under the flesh, and
you will easily overcome the world : otherwise you strive
against the stream. While you have unmortified, raging
appetites, and corrupted fancies, and sensual minds, you
are biassed to the world ; and if the rub of a sermon or sick-
ness may turn you out of your way a while, the bias will pre-
vail, and you will quickly be on it again. If you dam up
490 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
the stream of these unmortified affections, they will rage the
more : and if you stop them for a while by good company,
or some restraint, yet they will shortly break over all, and
be more violent than before. All your striving by way of
mere restraint, are to little purpose, till the flesh itself be
subdued. It is but as if you should strive with a greedy
dog for his bone, and with an hungry lion to bereave him of
his prey : be sure they will not easily part with it. It is
the case of many deluded people, that have some knowledge
of Scripture, enough to convince them, and tip their tongues,
and strive to restrain them from their sensual ways, but not
enough to mortify the flesh and change their souls. O
what a combat is there in their lives ! The flesh will have
its prey, and pleased it must be. Their conscience tells
them, it will cost thee dear. Their flesh like a hungry dog
is ready to seize upon that which it desires ; and conscience
doth as it were stand over it with a staff*, and saith, Meddle
with it if thou dare. And sometimes the poor sinner is res-
trained ; and sometimes again he ventureth upon the prey,
and he that had condemned himself for his sin, doth turn
to his former vomit, and once more he must have his whore,
or his cups ; and then conscience takes him by the throat
and terrifieth him, and makes him forbear a little while
again. And thus the poor sinner is tost up and down, and
satan leads him captive at his will ; and because he findeth
a combat within him, he thinks it is the combat betw^een the
flesh and the sanctifying Spirit ; when alas, it is no more
but the combat between the flesh and an enlightened con-
science, assisted with the motions of common grace, which
because they resist and trample underfoot, their condemna-
tion will be the greater. Would you then have the boiling
of your corruptions abated? Put out the fire that causeth
them to boil, or else you trouble yourself in vain. Mortify
the flesh once, and get it under, and scorn to be a slave to
a sensual appetite, but let it be all one to you to displease
it as to please it, and leave such trifles as pleasant meats,
and drinks, and dwellings, and fine clothes, to children and
fools that have no greater things to mind ; and use the flesh
as a servant to the soul, supplying it with necessaries, but
correcting it if it do but crave superfluities. Do this, and
you will easily crucify the world. For the world is only the
flesh. For saith John, " All that is in the world is the lust
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 491
of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life, which are
not of the Father, but of the world. And the world passeth
away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever ;" 1 John ii. 16. Remember that he that
saith in my text that he is crucified to the world, doth say
also. Gal. v. 24. that " They that are Christ's have crucified
the flesh, with the affections and lusts." This is to kill the
world at the root (for it is rooted in the fleshly interest),
when otherwise you will but lop off" the branches, and they
will quickly grow again.
Direct. 4. ' Be sure to keep your minds intent upon the
greater matters of everlasting life, and all your affections
employed thereupon.' Diversion must be your cure : es-
pecially to so powerful and transcendent an object. Be
once acquainted with heaven by a life of faith, and it will
so powerfully draw you to itself, that you will be ready
to forget earth, and take it as a kind of nothing. Get
up to God, and fix the eye of your soul on him ; and his
glory will darken all the world, and rescue you from the
misleadings of that false tire that did delude you. Come
near him daily, and taste how good he is ; and the sweet-
ness of his love will make you marvel at them that think
the world so sweet ; and marvel at yourselves that you
were ever of such a mind. You cannot think that the
world will be cast out of your love, but by the appear-
ance of somewhat better than itself. You" must go to hea-
ven therefore for a writ of ejectment. You must fetch a
beauty, a pleasure from above, that shall abuse it, and
silence it, and shame its competition. What is earth and
all things in it, to him that hath had a believing, lively
thought of heaven ! Nothing below this will serve the
turn. You may think long enough of the troubles of the
world, and long enough confess its vanity before you can
crucify it, if you see not where you may have something
that is better. The poorest life will seem better than none ;
and a little in hand will be preferred before uncertain
hopes. Till faith have opened heaven to you, as being the
evidence of the things invisible, and have shewed you that
they are not shadows but substances, which the promise re-
vealeth, and believers dj3 expect, you will be still holding
fast that little which you have ; and you will say with your
hearts as some do with their tongues, * I know what I have
492 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
in this world, but I know not what I shall have in another.'
But the knowledge of God will soon make you of another
mind. Let in God into the soul, and he will fill it with him-
self, and leave no room for earth and flesh. Learn what it
is to walk with him, and to have a conversation in heaven,
and it will cure you of your earthlymindedness ; Phil. iii.
18, 19. There is no consistence between earth and heaven.
All men are either earthly or heavenlyminded. None there-
fore but the truly heavenly believer hath crucified the
world. But because I have said more of this elsewhere, I
now forbear.
Direct. 5. ' Understand well the right use and end of
creatures, and make it your business accordingly to im-
prove them.' I have told you before that they are for God,
and glasses wherein we may see his face, and books in
which we may read his name and will. Look after God in
them; and neyer come to a creature, without either an
actual, or at least an habitual intending of God as the end
thereof. Judge that creature unprofitable wherein you re-
ceive not somewhat of God, or do not somewhat for him by
it. Take not up with lower thoughts and uses of it. It is
one of the commonest and greatest sins, (and, I doubt,
with most professors of religion) to use the creature for
themselves, and to overlook God in his works and in their
mercies, and so to profane them and turn them into sin. Do
you understand what is meant by this, that " to the pure all
things are pure ;" and that " all things are sanctified to us ?"
All should be holy to holy men. To be holy is to be sepa-
rated unto God from common, base, inferior uses. If you
yourselves are separate to God, all creatures will be sancti-
fied to you ; they will be the messengers of God, the revealers
of his will, and his remembrancers to your souls : and you
will use them accordingly (in that measure as you are sanc-
tified). As we call the temple and utensils of God's wor-
ship holy, because they are devoted to God for his special
service ; so may we call our meat, and drink, and land, and
houses, our corn, and grass, and every plant and flower holy
(in their places), when the sanctified soul doth read his
Maker's name upon them, and admire, and fear, and love him
in them, and study how to use them for himself. You will
confess that he is a profaner of holy things indeed, that can
read over the Scriptures and never observe the name of God
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 403
in it, or else regard it as a common word, and use that book
but as a common book. Though I do not equal the crea-
tures with the Scriptures, in clearness or fulness of disco-
vering the will of God, yet seeing that it also is one of his
books, (and that more legible and glorious than some unob-
servant wretches do believe), I would entreat all that fear
God to lay this more to heart ; and to consider for the time
to come, whether it be not profaneness, even flat profane-
ness, to use God's works as common and unclean, and to
overlook him, who is the life, and sense, and glory of them ?
And whether it be not a sin that we are all too guilty of, to
take up with selfish, carnal uses, of almost all the works of
God, when we should still use them all to higher ends ? I
fear this great unholiness in our using of the world and all
therein, is little bewailed in comparison of what it ought to
be. Some Christians are apt enough to hearken to their
privileges and titles of honour given them by the Lord ; but
they consider not all these are for God, and therefore oblige
us to answerable duty. Study well those highest titles that
are given you in 1 Pet. ii. 5. 9. '* You are built up a spiritual
house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices ac-
ceptable to God by Jesus Christ." And what is a spiritual
house for, but the habitation of the Lord, and the perfor-
mance of his service ? And surely these holy priests must
fetch their sacrifice from all the creatures that are fit for sa-
crifice. And verse 9. " Ye are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should
shew forth the praise of him that hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light." And must not a people
so holy, and peculiar, adore and hallow the Lord in his
works? Though you be not called to minister at his altar,
you are called to see him, and sanctify him in his creatures,
and in all that you have to do with. God's works are part
of his name, and therefore see that you take not his name in
vain. You are brought nearer him than the rest of the
world ; and therefore remember that he will be sanctified of
all that draw near him. You have learned in point of re-
ceiving to rise with Peter, kill and eat ; and not to call that
common which God hath cleansed : see that you learn it also
in point of duty, and in regard of the use of the creatures
which you receive ; and take them not as common things,
for common, fleshly uses only, as common men do ; but re-
494 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
member that tl)ey are cleansed, and that you profanely de-
vour them, further than God is intended in them.
By this time you may perceive that the crucifying of the
world is your truest exaltation and improvement, and that it
is so far from being your loss, as that it will prove your
greatest gain. I would commend it to you all that desire to
live a life of holiness, that you would make it your daily care
and study to sanctify your very trades and worldly labours,
and all the mercies and matters of your lives. For it is not
a bare contempt of the world that will serve. If you should
sleep out your days, and never think of the world, or if as
melancholy men you should be weary of your lives, because
of the vexatious miseries of the world, all this is little to
Christian mortification. But if you can see and taste the
goodness, and greatness, and wisdom of God, in every thing
you have or do, this is the using the world aright.
Quest. ' But how should a man get his soul to that frame
to carry on his calling in order to God, and to see him, and
intend him in all that we have or do V
Answ. To dispatch it in a word, thus, 1. Be sure that God
be habitually your end in the main. For if you take him
not for your portion, and intend him not habitually in the
drift of your lives, you cannot rightly intend him in particu-
lars. 2. Make it your every day's prayer to God, before
you go about the labours of your calling, that he would give
you hearts to seek him in all, and would watch over you, and
save you from ensnaring temptations, and remember you of
himself, and give him somewhat of himself by his creatures,
and sanctify them all to you. 3. Keep up a godly jealousy
of your hearts, lest they should abuse the creature, and seek
it and use it more for your carnal selves tlian for God. If
God be jealous, it is time for you to be jealous of yourselves.
Especially when the sin is the most common, and radical
and destroying sin. 4. Before you go about your callings,
bethink yourselves how you may improve them for God.
Find out his interest, and study how to promote it ; and how
to improve all that he gives to that end. And renew your
particular intentions of God, in the midst of your work. 5.
When you receive or use any creature, consider it both as a
mercy and as an obligation unto duty ; and as you will not
run over the Bible by bare reading, without considering what
is the meaning, but will endeavour to take the sense as you
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 495
go ; so do in your callings and about all the creatures ; think
with yourselves, ' Here is now a lesson in my hands, if I can
but learn it. Here is somewhat that may shew me, both
God himself and my duty, if I could but skilfully open it,
and understand it.' And so bethink yourselves, what it is
thq,t God would teach you, or command you by that crea-
ture : and especially, to what use he requireth you to put
it. And remember, that if you should think of God all the
day long, and yet not intend him, and refer your labours and
your riches to his service, and give them up to his use, this
is not sanctifymg God in the creature, but hypocritical
abusing of him. For it is not all thinking of God that will
serve the turn. 6. As you use to take account of your ser-
vants, how they do your work, so I would advise you every
night, or as often as you can, to take an account of your-
selves, as you are the servants of the God of heaven, and ask
your consciences, ' What have I done this day for God ;
and how have 1 observed and sanctified him in his work?'
So much for the fifth Direction.
Direct. 6. * Remember always that the world is the enemy
of your salvation, and that if you be damned, it is like to be
through its enticement ;' and therefore labour to be always
sensible that you go in continual danger of it. And this
will inake you use it as an enemy, and walk in a constant
fear lest it should overreach you. And see also that you
endeavour as clearly as you can, to find out wherein its en-
mity doth consist ; and then you will perceive that it is es-
pecially in seeming more lovely than it is, as it is the fuel of
concupiscence, and the provision of the flesh. And when
you understand this, you will perceive, that your danger
lieth in overloving it, and that it killeth by its embrace-
ments : and this will direct you which way to bend the
course of your opposition, and what you must do to be saved
from its snares. To call the world an enemy is easy and
common ; but so far as your very hearts apprehend it as an
enemy, so far you are out of danger of it ; an easy enemy
that is conquered by understanding that it is an enemy ; and
the way of its conquest is, by enticing men to take it for a
friend.
And also remember, how great a part of your Christian
life consisteth in keeping up the combat with this enemy.
496 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
and how certainly and miserably you will perish if you be
overcome.
Direct. 7. * To be much in the house of mourning, and
see the end of all the living, will help us towards the cruci-
fying of the world.' Go among the sick, and hear what they
say of the world. Stand by the dying, and see what it will
do for them ; and think now, whether God or the world be
better. Look on the corpses of your deceased friends, and
think now whether the soul be ever the better for all the
riches and pleasures of the world. Take notice of the graves
and bones of the dead, and think what a worthless thing is
the world, and all the glory and delights that it affords,
which will so turn us off, and leave our bodies in such a
plight as that. Take notice of the frailties and diseases of
your own flesh, that tell you how shortly it must lie down in
the dust : and then compare this world and that to come,
where your abode will be everlasting. It is a shame for a
wise man to live as a stranger to so great a change, and to
look so much after a world that he is leaving, and so little
after the world that he shall abide in.
Direct. %. 'It will much avail to the crucifying of the
world to you, that you study the improvement of all your
afflictions.' Do not repine at them, and think them a greater
evil than they are ; but believe that they are a special ad-
vantage to your soul, for the mortifying of your inordinate
affections to the world ; and if you have but the wisdom and
hearts to make use of thera, they may do you more good than
all the prosperity of your lives hath done. If you fall into
poverty, or fall under slanders or reproach from men ; if your
friends prove false to you ; if those that you have done good
to prove unthankful ; if the wickedness and frowardness of
men do make you even weary of the world ; remember now
what an advantage you have for mortification. When you
have experience itself to disgrace the creature to you, and
your very flesh doth seem to be convinced ; now see that
you observe the teachings of this providence, and come off
from the world, when you see it is so little worth ; and set
as light by it as it doth by you. Bethink you now that God
doth this to lead you to himself; and thankfully accept his
call, and close with him as your portion, and be content with
him alone, and let them take the world that can get no bet-
ter. You see that adversity will make even a worldling
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 497
»peak hardly of the world, as, men will do of theip friends
when they fall out with them. How much more should it
help the gracious soul to a fuller sense of its vanity and no-
thingness, and of the necessity and excellency of more cer-
tain things. It is a great sin and folly in us, that we strive
more to have afflictions removed than sanctified, and so we
lose the gain that we might have got. Though affliction
alone will do little good, yet grace doth make such use of
affliction, that thousands in heaven will have cause to bless
God for them, that before they were afflicted went astray,
and were deceived by the flatteries of the world as well as
others. Abundance that have been convinced of the vanity
of the world, have lingered long before they would foFsake
it, until affliction hath roused their sleepy souls, and by a
louder voice hath called them away.
Direct. 9. * Be very suspicious of a prosperous state, and
be more afraid of the world when it smiles, than when it
frowns.' Some are much perplexed for fear lest they should
not stand in adversity, that too little fear being ensnared by
prosperity. They are afraid what they shall do in a time of
trial, and do not consider that prosperity is the great trial.
Adversity doth but shew that love of the world which was in
men's hearts in time of prosperity. When men forsake
Christ for fear of suflering, and because they will not for-
sake the world, they do but shew the effects of that disease,
which they had catched long before. When the world
pleased them, they fell so deep in love with it, that now they
will venture their souls to keep it. It is prosperity that
breeds the disease, though adversity shew it. Love not the
world, and you will easily part with it, and so will easily
suffer for Christ ; and prosperity is liker to entice your love
to it than adversity. This is a great reason why worldly
prosperity and true holiness do so seldom go together;
and so few of the great ones of the world are saved. O
how hard is it to have the world at will, and not to be
ensnared by it, and overlove it? How hard is it
heartily and practically to contemn a prosperous condi-
tion ! How hard to have serious, lively thoughts of the
great things of eternity, and serious preparations for death
and judgment, when we have health, and wealth, and all the
accommodations which our flesh doth desire ! Satan knows
this well enough ; and therefore he is willing that his ser-
VOL. IX. K K
49B THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
vants shall have prosperity. He knows that it is not the
way to get him servants, to beat them and use them hardly,
but to please them by flatteries, and fulfil their lusts, that
they may be enticed to imagine his service to be the best.
It is the custom of harlots to set out themselves to the
best, and to adorn themselves for the tempting of their
lovers ; and not to go in a homely dress, which no one
will be taken with. No wonder then if Satan, the pander of
the world, do adorn it with the best clothes, and present it
to you in the most enticing garb he can. " If the lips of
this harlot did not drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth
were not smoother than oil," she could not lead such multi-
tudes to " her end, which is bitter as wormwood, and sharp
as a two-edged sword ; her feet go down to death, her steps
take hold of hell, lest men should ponder the path of life ;"
Prov. v. 3 — 6. And it is no wonder that God to save his
people from this delusion, doth dress the world to them in a
coarser attire ; and when he seeth them in danger to be ena-
moured of it, as well as others, if he present it to them in the
rags of poverty, and in the scabs of its corruption, confu-
sion, and deformity, that they may see the difference between
it and their home.
It is strange to see how highly prosperity is regarded by
the most ! how earnestly they desire it, pray for it, or con-
trive it ! and how much they are troubled when they fall
into adversity ; when yet they know, or say they know that
the love of the world is the bane of the soul, and that it kill-
eth them by deceiving them. Can you keep your affections
as loose from the world, when you have houses and lands,
and all things at your will, as you could if it were other-
wise? Remember I beseech you that the poison of the
world is covered by its sweetness, and that it killeth none
but those that love it. Be suspicious therefore that there
is danger where you find delight. If your estate be such as
is pleasing to your flesh, believe it is not likely to be safe
to your souls. If therefore your health, your wealth, your
honours, be such as your flesh would have them ; if your
houses, your accommodations, your things be suited to
your carnal desires, believe it your souls are in no small
hazard ; and therefore look about you as you love your sal-
vation, and fear the snare. The great enemy of your souls
hath not baited his hook with so curious and costly a bait
for nothing. The cautious fish that is afraid to swallow.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 499
yea, or to taste, or to come near, until he knows what is un-
der it, doth save his life, when that which boldly ventures,
and fearlessly devoureth the bait, is destroyed. It is not
for nothing that Solomon chargeth the man *' that is given
to his appetite, to put a knife to his throat at a feast, and
not to be desirous of the dainties which are deceitful ;"
Prov. xxiii. 1 — 3. " A prudent man foreseeth the evil,"
even when it is covered with the most pleasant bait, and
" so he hideth himself/ and escapeth, when the " simple
passeth on and is punished ;" Prov. xxii. 3. It is part of
the description of the sensual apostates, in Jude 12. that in
" their feasts they feed themselves without fear." And it is
as dangerous a thing to clothe yourselves without fear, to
seek after wealth and honours, without fear, to possess
your houses and lands without fear, to see any thing that is
carnally pleasing to you, or hear your own praises without
fear ; when other men must needs have things to their
will, do you study your duty, and let the will of God be
your will ; ^nd if he give you a plentiful estate without
seeking it, or give you reputation and the praise of men
without your affecting it, receive them not without fear;
think with yourselves, * What a snare is here now for my
soul !' Though it be good in itself, and as it comes from
God, yet what an advantage hath the deceiver here against
me ! How easily may such a carnal heart as mine be en-
ticed to the inordinate love of these, and to be more remiss
about higher and greater things, and to be forgetful or in-
sensible about the matters of my endless state I How ma-
ny men of worldly wisdom, yea, how many that seemed re-
ligious, have been thus deceived and perished before me !
Yea, this is the common road to hell ! And is it not time
for me then to look about me V The old Christians were
so jealous of the world, and afraid of being mortally poi-
soned by its delights, that they sold what they had, and
gave to the poor, and voluntarily thrust themselves into po-
verty, as thinking it better to go poor to heaven, than to say
in hell that once they had riches. I commend not any ex-
treme to you, for indeed I have ever thought that it is grea-
ter self-denial to devote and use our riches for God, than at
once to cast them away or shut our hands of them ; and that
he is a better steward that improveth his master's stock,
tlian he that rids his hands of it, out of an injurious fear of
^00 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
his master's austerity. But yet I must say that the other
extreme is more common and more dangerous. And they
that out of excess of fear, betook themselves to poverty and
to wildernesses, were in a far better case than many that
seem now to be zealous professors, and yet are looking after
the pleasures, and riches, and glory of the world ! 1 have
many a time wondered at some eminent professors, that are
as constant and seraphical in the outside of duty, even to ad-
miration, as almost any I know, and yet as closely and bu-
sily grasping at the world, and labouring to be rich, as if
they were the most wretched worldlings on earth. I have
oft wondered how they can quiet their consciences, and how
they make shift so constantly to delude such knowing souls.
The country sees them drowned in earth, and the generality
of their godly friends lament them, as mere hypocritical
earth-worms ; and yet because they can carry it on smoothly
and not be noted for any palpable oppression or deceit,
they wipe their lips, they bless themselves, and with graci-
ous words would cloak their covetousness, as if men did
but uncharitably censure them, because they cannot prove
them to be such deceivers ; when yet the very bent and
course of their lives proclaimeth them worldlings to almost
all men but themselves, who by the just, but heavy judg-
ment of God, are given over to that blindness, as not to see
that damnable sin in themselves, that the enemies of reli-
gion see with scorn, and their most impartial friends do see
with lamentation ; but seeing it, are not able to remedy ;
for worldliness is the most common badge of a hypocrite;
and where there is a false heart at the bottom, and but a
hypocritical faith, and a hypocritical love to God and the
life to come, there will be no effectual resistance of the
world ; but all exhortations upon so great disadvantage with
such souls, that usually they are lost, and leave them as
they find them. If any covetous, scraping earth-worm,
whether he be gentleman, tradesman, or husbandman, do
feel his conscience at the reading of this begin to stir, I be-
seech him (if there be any hope of such hypocrites) to hear-
ken to it in time, and regard a little more the warningsof his
friends, and not to be so stiffly confident of his innocency ;
nor yet to think himself free from heinous, gross, and scan-
dalous sin, as long as he is a covetous worldling! If co-
vetousness be idolatry, and the sin of those with whom we
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIiiT. SQI
may not so much as eat, and if the covetous shall not enter
into the kingdom of heaven, and be such as the Holy Ghost
doth join with thieves and the vilest sinners; who then but
an infidel can think it is not a scandalous sin, and such as
will be the damnation of all that be not thoroughly cured of
it? See Ephes. v. 5--7. 1 Cor. v. 10, 11. Psal. x. 3.
2 Tim. iii. 2. 2 Pet. ii. 14. Luke xvi. 14. Mark vii. 22.
Jer. viii. 10. vi. 13. David prayeth God to " incline his
heart to his testimonies, and not to covetousness ;" Psal.
cxix. 36. And now men think they may be inclined to
both, and that they have found out the terms of reconciling
heaven with earth and hell. I marvel these men will not
see their own faces, when the prophets and Christ himself
do hold them so clear a glass ! "They come unto thee as
the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people,
and they hear thy words, but they will not do them ; for
with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart gocth
after their covetousness;" Ezek. xxxiii. 31. " He that re-
ceived seed among the thorns, is he that heareth the word,
and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches
choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful ;" Matt. xiii.
22. I know the men that I am now speaking of have many
excellent gifts, and in other respects do seem the most for-
ward for godliness in the country ; but the more is the pity,
that men of such parts should be rottenhearted hypocrites,
and damned for worldliness, after so much pains in duties ;
for a heathen may as soon be saved as a worldling. When
they have prayed, and preached, and cried down profane-
ness, let them hear what the Lord saith to them (Luke xviii.
22 — 24.), and there see again their faces in that glass. " Yet
lackest thou one thing," even such a one as none can be
saved without, even a love to God and heaven above earth.
" Sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me ;
and when he heard this he was very sorrowful, for he was
very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was sorrowful, he
said. How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the
kingdom of God !"
Set not then so high a value on a full estate. " Let
your conversation be without covetousness, and be content
with such things as ye have ;" and trust yourselves on the
security of his promise, who hath said, " I will never leave
502 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
thee nor forsake thee;" Heb. xiii.5. It is not for nothing
that Christ himself hath given you so many and so terrible
warnings to take heed of this sin. As Luke xii. 15. " Take
heed and beware of covetousness ; for a man's life consist-
eth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth."
As if he should say, while you think you are securing your
wellbeing, you do not secure your being itself. When you
have done all to provide for the delights of your life, you are
never the surer of life itself. Read the following passages
in the text, and let them warn you or condemn you. If
such admonitions as these will not take, from the mouth of
him whom you call your Lord, and from whom you profess
to expect your judgment, what have we then further to say
to you, or how should our warnings expect entertainment
with you ? Yet I shall do that which is my duty, and leave
the success to God. I do therefore again in the name of
God, advise and warn you to take heed of having too plea-
sant thoughts on a prosperous state. Long not after ful-
ness and plenty in the world. Be not too eager for accora-
modntions to your flesh. A coffin of two yards long will
shortly hold it, and be room enough for it. And will no-
thing but well-built houses, adorned rooms, the neatest
clothings and plentiful possessions serve you now ? How
sad a mark is this of a soul that never had a saving taste of
the everlasting riches ! Away foolish children, and stand
not building houses with sticks and sand ! Home with you
to God, and remember where you must dwell for ever.
When you have feathered your nests, and made them as you
would have them, you must leave them before you are well
settled and warm in them. And if it comfort you to think
that you leave them to your children, remember that you
leave them the fruit of your sins, and bequeath to them the
snares that undid your souls that so they may become the
heirs of your wickedness, and be deceived and destroyed by
the world, as you have been. This is your great care for
them ; and this is your kindness to them. I have told you once
already from God, that " this your way is your folly, though
your posterity be like to approve your sayings," because
you do so much to make them of your mind ; Psal. xlix. 13.
For though " your inward thoughts be that your house shall
continue," and you hope to leave a name behind you, yet
" man being in honour abideth not, but is like the beasts
BY TMK CROSS OF CHRIST. ' 503
that perish. When he dieth he shall carry nothing away,
his glory shall not descend after him; though while he lived
he blessed his soul, and men praise them that (thus) do well
to themselves ; yet shall they go to the generation of their
fathers, and shall never see light. Man that is in honour,
and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish ;" ver.
11, 12. 17 — 20. Though " the ungodly prosper in the world
and increase in riches," yet he that" goeth(believingly)'into
the sanctuary, may see their end. Surely they are set in
slippery places, and cast down unto destruction. How are
they brought to desolation as in a moment, and consumed
with terrors ?" Psal. Ixxiii. 12, 17—19. " And in that very
day do all his thoughts perish ;" Psal. cxlvi. 4. " Then shall
they eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their
own devices ; for the turning away of the simple shall slay
them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them ;" Prov.
i.31,32.
See then that you be not eager for prosperity ; and if
God cast it on you, use it with fear. And if ever you feel
the creature begin to grow too sweet and delightful to you,
then spit it out as the poison of the soul, and presently take
a mortifying antidote before you are past remedy. As you
feel the working of poison by its burning or griping, or
other effects agreeable to its nature, by which it seeketh the
extinguishing of life ; so you may feel when the world is
poison to your souls, by its creeping into your affections,
and insinuating into your hearts with present delight, or fu-
ture hopes ; by seeming more lovely and more necessary
than it is. As soon as ever you feel it thus creep into your
hearts, it is time to rise up against it with holy fear, and to
cast it out, if you love your souls.
And that which I would advise you at present, when the
world hath got too deep into your hearts before you are
aware, is this : Do something extraordinary in such a ne-
cessity, for its crucifixion and your recovery. Though a
careful diet may serve to preserve health while you have it ;
yet if you have lost it, and sickness be upon you, you must
have recourse to physic for your cure. If honour, or pre-
ferment, or house, or land, or friends, or gain, or recreations
begin to seem too sweet and dear to you, and your hearts
begin to hug them with delight, or make out after them with
keen desires, you must now have recourse to extraordinary
504 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
helps; and in particular, try these following: 1. With-
draw yourselves to some more frequent and serious medita-
tion of the brevity and vanity of the world, than you have
been used to : steep your thoughts longer in mortifying
considerations, until the bent of your hearts begin to change.
2. Be ofter with God in secret and public prayer, and give
up a larger portion of your time to holy things than ordina-
rily you have done ; that acquaintance with heaven may
wean your mind from earth ; and the love of God may drown
your worldly love. When you have taken any extraordi-
nary cold, you will get nearer the fire than ordinary, and be
longer at it, and drive it out by heating things. And when
the world hath insinuated into your affections, and chilled
and cooled them to God and heaven, it is time to draw
nearer God than before, and to be longer with him ; and to
strive harder in every duty than you did, until spiritual life
do work more vigorously, and expel that earthly distemper
which had possessed you. 3. And at such a season let
prayer be furthered by fasting and extraordinary humilia-
tion ; which may help down the flesh which causeth you so
much to overvalue the world. Even an Ahab found some
ease by a common humiliation, when he had taken a mortal
surfeit of Naboth's vineyard and his blood. Much more
may a true Christian find much help by special humiliation,
when he hath surfeited on any creature whatsoever. 4.
And I think it would be a very good course at such a time
as that, to be at some more cost for God than you were be-
fore. When you feel your love to the world increase, give
somewhat extraordinary then to the poor, or to pious uses,
according to your ability. Yea, what if it were so far as
might a little pinch yourselves ! This were a real opposi-
tion to the world, and you might turn a very temptation to
a gain, and get much good by occasion of a sin. It might
do much to dishearten and repel the tempter, when he seeth
that you overshoot him in his own bow, and make such use
as this of his temptations, as to do the more good, and use
your wealth the more for God, and deny yourselves more
than you did before. If you would but faithfully practise
these few directions, you would find it the surest way of
recovery when you begin to be infected with this earthly
disease.
Direct. 10. The last direction that I shall give you for
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 505
the crucifying of the world, is this, Be sure to keep off the
means of its livelihood, and keep it still under the mortify-
ing means. Lay siege to it, and stop up all the passages,
by which the world's provision would come in ; and keep
it still under the strokes of enmity, and the influence of
that which is contrary to it. Some particulars I will but
briefly mention.
1. Keep a constant guard upon your senses; fortius
way the world creeps into your hearts. It is by gazing on
alluring objects, or hearing or tasting, or the like, that the
flames of concupiscence are kindled in the heart. By gaz-
ing upon beauty or comeliness of person, the heart of the
wanton is infected with lust, and so incited to the damna-
able practices of uncleanness. The sight of the cup doth
set an edge on the desires of the drunkard ; and the sight of
enticing meats doth awaken and enrage the appetite of the
gluttons : and by the presence of the bait their disease is
set to work, as worms in the body are by some kind of food.
Clemens Alexandr. saith of these men, that their disease is
called Xaifiapy'ia, that is, ' a madness about the throat.' And
yagToifiapyia, that is, a ' madness in the belly.' And saith of
them that are given to fulness or fineness of diet, for the
pleasing of their bellies, that they are ruled by a belly-devil,
which, saith he, is the worst and most pernicious of all
devils. CI. Alex. Psedag. 1. 2. c. (The whole book is worth
the reading by such.) Lay siege then to this bellj^-devil,
and starve him out. It is by the sight of gaudy fashions,
and curious apparel, that the minds of vain, effeminate per-
sons are provoked to desire the like. And the sight of
pomp and honours doth kindle the fire of ambition ; and
the sight of buildings, money, and lands, doth help to pro-
voke the desire of the covetous. See therefore that you al-
ways keep a watch upon your eyes. Let them not run up
and down like a masterless dog, nor roll as the eyes of the
lascivious, that are hunting after their prey of lust. If you
have cause to pray as David, Psal. cxix. 37., " Turn away
mine eyes from beholding vanity,'* you must practise ac-
cording to your prayers, and endeavour yourselves to turn
them away. Have not the best of us as much reason as Job
to "make a covenant with our eyes?" Jobxxxi. 1. What
wonder if the garrison surrender not where the besieged have
free passage and continual supplies ? And what wonder if
506 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
the house be robbed, where the doors stand always open,
and all is common to every passenger ? Be sure then to
keep a constant guard upon your eyes, your appetite, and
every sense, or else the world will not be crucified. Let
not your eyes move but by the conduct of your reason. At
least, let it not fix upon any object, until reason give it
leave. Taste not a bit of meat or a cup of drink, until you
have advised with right informed reason, and be able to jus-
tify what you do. Take an account of all that entereth at
the door of any of your senses. For he that must give an
account to the living God, had need to keep account him-
self.
2. Keep also a constant guard upon your thoughts as
well as upon your senses. As the thoughts will tell you
what is in your hearts, so they will let in whatsoever brib-
eth them to consent. The fancies of men are the garden of
the devil, where he soweth and watereth the plants of im-
piety. Yea, they are a principal room in which he doth in-
habit. It is certain that the devil hath more ready access
to the fancy than to the heart ; and that it is his shop in
which he forgeth most vices, and doth a very great part of
his work. An unclean spirit possesseth the fancies of the
unclean, so that their thoughts are running upon lustful ob-
jects. And they are guilty of the filthiest cogitations with-
in, when they seem to be of the most chaste behaviour with-
out ; and do frequently commit fornication in the heart,
when fear or shame doth restrain the outward practice, and
cover their iniquity. The malicious person is possessed by
a spirit of maliciousness that dwelleth in his fancy, and sets
him on contrivances of cruelty and revenge, and fiUeth his
mind with thoughts of hatred and disdain. The same spirit
reigneth in the fancies of the proud, and setteth them upon
contrivances for the advancing of their names, and causeth
them to thirst after the reputation of the world, and filleth
them with the troubled, malicious thoughts of Haman, when
they miss of their expectations. The earthly spirit possesseth
the fancies of the covetous, and setteth them on contriv-
ances for increase of their estates. Do you not feel by sad
experience, how many of satan's assaults are made upon
your cogitations, and how much of his interest lieth there,
and how much of his work is there done? As ever you
would be crucified to the world then, set a watch upon your
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 507
thoughts, and keep a daily and hourly account of them, and
see that they be always under the government of faith and
reason. Your thoughts should be kept chaste as the en-
trance into your hearts, and not be as common harlots en-
tertaining every comer. If you feel your thoughts stepping
out upon lust or malice, look after them betime, and call
them in, and check them sharply, and lay a charge on them
hereafter to be more pure. If you find that they are run-
ning with Gehazi after the prize, and are making out after
the provisions for the flesh, recall them and correct them,
and bewail this evil before the Lord, and let your watch be
stricter for the time to come. Believe it, your hearts will be
such as are your thoughts. The flies that lie upon sores, or
dung, or carrion, and the worms that are bred in them, will
be of the nature of that corruption themselves. If you
would have your hearts clean, and humble, and heavenly,
let your thoughts be clean, and humble, and heavenly. If
you will let your thoughts run on the objects of lust, you
will be lustful : and if you will think of the enticements of
pride^, you will be proud : and if you will let out your
thoughts on the profits of the world, no wonder if it steal
away your hearts. Saith the Lord to the covetous and un-
merciful, Deut. XV. 7 — 9., " If there be among you a poor
man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates, thou
shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy poor
brother ; but thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him, and
shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which
he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought in thy
wicked heart, saying. The seventh year, the year of release
is at hand, and thy eye be evil against thy poor brother,
and thou givest him naught, and he cry unto the Lord
against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely
give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved, when thou
givest to him ; because that for this thing the Lord thy God
shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest
thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the
land ; therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open
thy hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy
needy in the land." Besides the main drift of the text,
mark how we are commanded to beware that a thought of
unmercifulness enter not into our hearts. And when Christ
doth so vehemently dissuade his followers from this damn-
508 THB CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
ing sin, he doth it by setting a law upon their thoughts :
"Why take ye thought;" &c. Matt. vi. 25.27,28, 31. 34.
" Take no thought," Luke xii. 22. 26. " If the unrighteous
man forsake not his thoughts," he will not forsake the " evil
of his way ;'- Isa. Iv. 7. As you love your souls then, look
to your thoughts, and keep them under the government of
the Lord. Would you be free from a vain and sensual
mind ? " How long then shall your vain thoughts lodge
within you V Jer. iv. 4.
3. And see also that you make not worldlyrainded men
your companions. While they savour nothing but earth
and flesh, they will have no savoury discourse of any thing
else ; and their discourse is like to be infectious to your
minds. As a stews is not the best place to preserve you
from uncleanness ; nor an alehouse the best place to pre-
serve you from drunkenness ; so the company of worldlings
is not the best place to preserve you from worldliness ;
where you shall see or hear little but earthly things, and
heavenly matters can find no room. It is not the safest
place to fight against the devil in the midst of his own ar-
my, but in the army of Christ.
On the other side, be sure that you keep under mortify-
ing means. Attend to the lively preaching of the word,
which will disgrace the world to you, and be still drawing
your hearts another way. Be much with God in secret
prayer, and be much above in heavenly meditation ; and
dwell upon those thoughts which lay the world naked to
you, and shew it you in its own complexion. If death and
judgment be seriously in your minds, it will waken you
from these fleshly dreams, and prick the bladder of your
airy minds, and let out that wind which puffed you up, and
kept out the things of God and glory. Converse also as
much as you can with the most heavenly people, whose dis-
course, and prayers, and daily examples will help to draw
up your minds to God, and to affect them with things that
more nearly concern you, than all the profits, or pleasures of
the world.
I have now told you how you should crucify the world,
and be crucified to it ; but which of you will be so happy as
to practise these Directions I cannot tell. I have brought
YOU the armour and weapons by which this mortal enemy
must be conquered : but it is not in my power to give you
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 509
courageous hearts to use them. I can certainly tell you
what a safe and comfortable life you might live, if you had
but this enemy under your feet ; and what an easy and hap-
py death you might die, if you were first dead to the world :
but to make you so happy is not in my power. I can fore-
see the certain damnation of all unconverted sensualists and
worldlings, and how sad a farewell they must shortly take of
all their felicity ; but to prevent it is not in my power. For
I cannot make you willing to prevent it. It is a greater
work than bare information that is here to be done. If it
were but to give the world a few contemptuous words, and
to call it vanity and a worthless thing, I should make no
doubt of prevailing with the most ; but to kill it in your
hearts is a harder work ; and with some kind of men it pros-
pers most when it is most hardly spoken of. It is easy to
tell a man why and how he should lay down his life for
Christ if he be called to it ; but there is more to be done
before it will be practised. Until a heavenly light possess
your minds, and shew you the better things to come, and
assure you of more to be had in Christ, than the world can
afford you, I cannot look you should lose your hold, nor
that a hundred sermons should make you willing to seek the
death of that which hath your heart. Sense is tenacious
and unreasonable ; when you have knocked it off a hundred
times, yet still it will be sense, and will be eager after its
delights again. Some will be still thinking that mortifica-
tion and heavenlymindedness is so rare a thing, that God
will be more merciful than to condemn all that are without
them ; and some will be inconsiderate and senseless, when
the clearest reason is set before them ; and will venture their
salvation rather than become dead to all their worldly lusts
and hopes. So that with sorrow I must say, that now I have
said all, and delivered my message, I fear the most will still
be the same, and reject the counsel of God to their perdi-
tion. For this is a grace that accompanieth salvation, and
therefore will be the portion only of the heirs of salvation.
Though our heart's desire, and prayer, and endeavour must
be that the professed Israelites may be saved ; yet we must
take up our comfort shorter, that the elect shall obtain it,
though the rest are hardened. For it is God's will, and not
ours that must be done. If Christ be satisfied in the salva-
tion of his little flock, as seeing in them the travail of his
♦510 THE CRUCIFYIXG OF THE WORLD
soul; even so must we ; and though as Samuel did over
Saul, so we may mourn over the rest that God hath for-
saken, yet that sorrow must know its reason and its measure.
For my part, I must needs say to you, that though it may
seem a high extraordinary thing to some of you, for a man
to be crucified to the world, I have no more hope of the sal-
vation of many of you, except it shall be thus with you, than
I have of the salvation of Cain or Judas. And as great and
wonderful a work as this is, if ever God mean to save your
souls, it will be done on you. I shall therefore according
to my duty, beseech you to review and practise the direc-
tions which are given you, and to use the world as the heirs
of heaven, that have laid up their hope and treasure there.
But if you will not hear and take warning, it is because the
Lord will destroy you, and because you are not the sheep of
Christ ; 2 Chron. xxv. 16. 1 Sam. ii. 25. John x. 26, 27.
Use last.
I have been all this while persuading and directing you
to be crucified to the world, and the world to you. I
doubt not but God hath done this work already upon the
souls of many of you, even upon all that truly believe in a
crucified Christ. To such therefore I shall next address my
speech ; and in general, this is my earnest request to you,
That you would use the world as a crucified thing, and as
men that are crucified to it should do. I will not lengthen
this discourse in using many motives to you. One would
think that which way ever you look, you should have forci-
ble motives before your eyes. If you look downward on
earth, you may see enough to wean you from it; and if see-
ing will not serve, your most wise and gracious Father will
make you feel, and put the case beyond dispute. If you
look upwards, you may perceive a better and more endur-
ing substance, and an inheritance so much the more glori-
ous and enduring, as should suffice to take your minds from
earth. If you look within you, what footsteps of the Spi-
rit may you there trace, what graces in act and habit may
you find, which are all at mortal enmity with the world !
You may read there a law engraven upon your hearts which
condemneth the world to subjection and contempt; and
many an obligation you may there find, wherein you are
deeply bound against it. For I hope you have not can-
B\ THii CUIOKS OF CHRIST. 511
celled them all, and forgot all the promises which you made
to God. All your professions, and all your blessed privi-
leges and hopes do engage you to another world, and to the
hearty renouncing and forsaking of this. You say you are
crucified and risen with Christ. If you be, then seek the
things that are above ; set your affections on the things that
are above, and not on the things that are on earth. For you are
dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ
who is your life shall appear, then shall you also appear
with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which
are on earth, fornication, uncleanness, idordinate affection,
evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry ; for
which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children
of disobedience ; Col. iii. 1 — 7. It doth not beseem the
members of a crucified Christ to be earthlyminded ; nor the
members of a glorified Christ to set their minds on things
so low. It ill beseems the heirs of an incorruptible crown
of glory to make too great a matter of these trifles. It is
the enemies of the cross of Christ, and not those that are
crucified with him, whose God " is their belly, and who glo-
ry in their shame, and who mind earthly things ;" but the
saint's conversation must be in heaven, from whence it is
that he expecteth his Saviour to change his vile, earthly bo-
dy, and make it like to his glorious body ; Phil. iii. 17 — 21.
If indeed you have laid up your treasure in heaven, where
rust and moth corrupt not, and where thieves do not break
through and steal, let it then appear by the effects. For
where your treasure is, there will your heart be ; and where
your heart is, that way the labours of your lives will tend.
1 shall reduce my exhortation to some particulars.
1. If you are crucified to the world, be sure that you
seek it not, nor any thing in it, for its own sake ; but only
as a means to higher things. The sincerity of your hearts
doth lie much in this, and the life of your souls depends
much upon it. Labour in your lawful callings and spare
not, so you exclude not your spiritual work : it is not your
labour that we find fault with: but if the creature be the
end of any labour, you may better sit still, and spare your
pains, or rather speedily change your intentions. If you
overtake the hastiest traveller in his journey, and ask him,
why he takes all that pains ; he will not say it is for love of
the way that he travelleth in, but for love of the place to
512 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
which he is going, or the persons or things which he there
expects : so must it be with you, if you are the heirs of hea-
ven. I blame you not to be glad of a fair way, and to love
it rather than a foul one : but it is not for the love of the
way that you must travel. He that runs in a race, doth
not bestow all that pains for the love of the path which he
runs in, but for love of the prize which he expecteth at the
end. And he that plougheth and soweth, doth it more for the
love of the crop which he hopeth for, than for the love of
his labour. He that saileth through the dangerous seas,
performeth not his voyage for love of the sea, or of his ship,
but for love of the merchandize and gain which he seeketh.
The carrier that goeth weekly to London with your wares,
doth not take all that pains for love of the carriage, or of
the way, but of the gain which he deserveth. So must it be
with you, in all your worldly business. When you seek for
credit, or pleasure, or maintenance in the world, it must not
be finally for the love of these, but for the end which they
are given for, and which your hearts and lives and all must
be devoted to. Your hearts will as soon deceive you in this
as in any thing, if you do not watch them with jealousy and
diligence. How quickly will the heart begin to love the
creature for itself, that seemed once to love it but for God ?
Look in what measure you love your wealth, your houses,
your recreations, your friends, for themselves, and because
they accommodate the flesh ; so far you wrong God, and
abuse them to idolatry.
And if your love do begin in greater purity, if yon be
not watchful it will quickly degenerate to a carnal love.
Many a scholar that at first desired learning to fit him for
the service of God, and his church, doth by suffering car-
nality to insinuate and prevail, lose much of the purity of his
first affections, and in time grow more cold and regardless
of his first ends, and loveth common learning merely for it-
self, and for the delight of knowing, or (which is worse) to
get him a name among men.
It is common with them that need recreation for their
health, when they set upon it, as they think, but to fit them
for their duty, to fall in love with it afterwards, to the per-
verting of their hearts, the wounding of their consciences,
the wasting of their time, and the neglect of that work of
God for which it should be used.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 513
We should take our meat, and drink, and clothes, but to
strengthen and fit us for the service of our Master: but how
quickly do we turn them to the gratifying of our flesh, and
to the service of another master?
It is too frequent for young persons of different sexes to
love each other at first as Christians only, with a chaste and
necessary love ; but when they have been tempted awhile
to an imprudent familiarity, their love doth degenerate, and
that which was spiritual becometh carnal, and the serpent
deceiveth them to the corrupting of their minds, and it is
well if it proceed not to actual wickedness, and the undoing
of each other.
Many a poor man thinks with himself. If I were but out
of debt, or could but live so as to serve the Lord without dis-
tractions, and had such and such necessities supplied, I
would not desire any more, or care any further for the world.'
But if their desires be granted them, they find themselves
entangled, and their hearts deceived, and they thirst more
after fulness, than before they did after necessaries. And
many a one thinks, I care not for riches or honours, but only
to do good with, and if I had them I would so use them.
But when they have their desires, the case is altered : the
flesh then hath need of it, and can spare for God as little as
other men, because it loves it better than before, and pre-
tendeth to have more use for it than formerly it had.
Watch therefore over your deceitful hearts, and be sure
to keep up the love of God, and actually intend him in
all that you have or do ; and be not withdrawn to carnal
affections.
2. If you are crucified to the world, be not too eager for
it. As God hath promised it you but as an appendix to
your felicity, and as an overplus to the great blessings of the
covenant, so must you desire it but as such. And as God
hath promised it you but with certain limitations, so far as
he shall see it good for you, and agreeable to his greater
end ; so you must desire it with such limitations. I observe
many to have so much reason as to put up their prayers for
outward blessings with these limitations, and will not for
shame express themselves in absolute, peremptory language ;
when yet there is apparent cause to fear, that they limit not
their desires as they do their words, nor do they submit so
yoi,. IX. L L
514 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
freely to the disposal of God in their hearts, as they seem to
do in their expressions : and so make their words modest
whilst their desires are inordinate: their language to be
chaste, while their hearts are committing adultery with the
world ; their expressions are pious, while their affections are
idolatrous ; and so their prayers are made monstrous, while
the soul of them is so disagreeable to the body. Be
ashamed and afraid to desire that which you are ashamed
and afraid to ask. You dare not say to God in your prayers
' Lord, I must needs have a fuller estate ! I would fain be
rich and be somebody in the world : I cannot live content-
edly in poverty : food and raiment will not serve turn, unless
I fare deliciously, and be clothed neatly, and be set by in the
world, and unless I may leave prosperity to my children
when I am dead and gone.' If you dare hot say thus, do not
dare to desire or think thus. Mr. Robert Bolton, that
holy, learned divine, doth use among the heinous, damning
sins, to reckon this, ' a desire to be rich.' And if we hear-
ken to the Scripture, we shall find it is not without good
cause : Prov. xxiii. 4. the command is, " Labour not to be
rich." And Prov. xxviii. 20. " He that maketh haste to be
rich, shall not be innocent." The Syriac renders the word
" malignant," and the Arabic, " the wicked," which we here
translate " he that hasteth to be rich." And they must
needs be the same men when the apostle saith, " The love of
money is the root of all evil ;" 1 Tim. vi. 10. Therefore
saith Paul, " They that will be rich, fall into temptation and
a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown
men in destruction and perdition;" ITim. vi.9. By this
word, " they that will," or " are willing to be rich," is meant,
they whose wills are set upon it, and are in love with it, and
fain would be rich. Is it fitter for God or you to determine
how many talents you shall be entrusted with ? Do you
long to have more duty, and danger, and a double account?
It is true, you may desire the success of your labours ; but
not for the love of riches, nor with an unmannerly, peremp-
tory desire. It is true also, that you must be thankful for
prosperity if God give it you : but as it must be with an
holy jealousy, so it is as true that you must be thankful
also for adversity, when God sends it ; though not for itself,
yet for the good that it may conduce to : and therefore saith
BY THB CROSS OF CHRIST. 515
James i. 9, 10. " Let the brother of low degree rejoice in
that he is exalted, but the rich in that he is made low."
And Job could say, " The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh
away, blessed be the name of the Lord;" Job i. 21.
3. If you are crucified to the world, then let it not have
power to crucify you, by putting you upon inordinate cares
or sorrows. Will you vex your brains with contriving for
the world, and weary your mind with tearing cares, and
walk in sorrow because you have not your desires ? and yet
say that you are crucified to the world ? Are the dead so
solicitous? or is a carcase to be so much valued? Your
passions and endeavours will proclaim your excessive esti-
mation of the world, when you have never so long in words
professed your contempt of it. Alas ! how many that seem
to know better, do almost distract their minde with cares,
and entangle themselves in a life of so much misery, as a
wise man would not like for all the world ! If they want
any thing, what trouble are their minds in till their wants
are supplied ! If they be afflicted with losses, or wrongs, or
contempt, they are troubled as if they had lost some great or
necessary thing. A crucified world could not make such a
stir in your minds ; but doubtless it is so far alive as it thus
affecteth you. The Lord Jesus hath himself made so full
and moving a sermon to his disciples, against the cares of
the world. Matt. vi. Luke xii. that it is a double sin to
Christians to be still so careful and earthlyminded ; and I
know not what to hope for from that man that will not be
moved with such words as these from the Lord himself.
And yet how many professors have I known that have tor-
mented themselves with cares and sorrows, yea, and cast
their bodies into diseases by it, and many of them have died
of it, and some it hath brought besides their wits : so ob-
servable is that of the apostle, 2 Cor. vii. 10. " The sorrow
of the world worketh death," even temporal and eternal,
unless we be delivei'ed by undeserved grace. Bear all con-
ditions then with an equal mind, and let your passions shew
that you are crucified to the world.
4 If you are crucified to the world, then let it not thrust
out the service of God, and be made an excuse for a negli-
gence in religion. How rare are holy meditations in the
minds of many that think themselves religious ? And it is
worldly thoughts that thrust them out, and worldly busi-
516 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
nesses that are the common excuse. How formal are many
in the instructing of their families ! How seldom and how
coldly do they exhort their children or servants to make
ready for death, and make sure of their salvation ! How
coldly and cursorily are family prayers and other duties
slubbered over ! And all is because they have other things
to mind. The world will give them leave to do no more.
The decay of zeal and diligence in family duties is the com-
mon symptom, and cause too, of the destruction of know-
ledge and godliness in the land. And all is because the
world is master, and must be served before God. The bu-
siness of the world doth seem to them the principal busi-
ness, and must first be done ; and all thoughts and talk of
heaven must stand by, till the world will give them leave to
enter. Men cannot have time to call upon God and instruct
their families, because they have their worldly works to do.
Go into the families of most noblemen, knights, or gentlemen
in England, and see there whether God or the world be most
regarded and looked after. Perhaps they may civilly yield
an ear while a chaplain makes a short prayer among them :
but if you look after heavenlymindedness, and seriousness
in religion, and zeal against sin, and diligence to help to
save the souls that are under their charge, how little shall
you find ? Do they earnestly persuade their servants to
study holy things? And do they examine them about their
everlasting state, and call them to account of what they
learn from the public ministry ? Do they shew a vehement
hatred for sin, and go before their families in a heavenly
conversation? Alas! how thin are such families as these!
No, no ; they are so taken up with entertaining their friends,
and pampering their flesh, and in compliments, and in world-
ly affairs, that they have little time for heavenly work. And
if they do for fashion sake get a godly young man to be their
chaplain, he is so wearied with the sensual courses of some,
and the scorns of others, and the vanity, and worldliness,
and negligence of the rest, that his life is a burden to him,
and he can no more enjoy himself in such families, than in
a fair, or popular tumult. On the other side, poor men are
in so much want, that they think themselves sufficiently ex-
ci(sed for the neglecting of almost all the means of their
salvation. They think necessity lieth upon them, and there-
fore that God will not require it of them, to understand the
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST, 517
Scriptures, nor to labour after eternal things. Christ teileth
them that " One thing is needful," and would have them
choose the better part, which shall not be taken from them.
But they believe not Christ ; but hearken to their flesh, and
it teileth them that it is another thing that is needful, and
persuadeth them to choose the worser part, which will short-
ly be taken from them. Christ biddeth them, " Labour not
for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth to
everlasting life;" John vi. 27. But ' venter non habet
aures ;' the flesh understandeth not such exhortations : a
greedy appetite is the reason that it judgeth by. A hungry
belly is not filled nor quieted with arguments. They must
have their present wants supplied, let what will become of
their immortal souls. And thus the rich have so much to
look after, that they cannot have while to be diligent for
their souls ; and the poor have so much to seek after, that
they cannot have while ; aild so the world abuseth them that
have it, and that want it : as if two men that had forfeited
their lives, were travelling to London for a pardon ; and the
one goeth so fair a way, that he forgets his business and
sitteth down picking flowers in the way ; and the other
meets with so foul a way, that he thinks he is excused, be-
cause he must take heed of being wet or dirtied.
O sirs, if the world be crucified to you, how can it have
such power over you, as to cause you to neglect your great-
est Lord and your immortal souls? If indeed you are dead
to it, and alive to Christ, let it be seen in your families, and
be seen in all your duties and conversation. Let the great-
est persons that enter into your families, attend the worship
of him that is greater, or let them not be attended. Neg-
lect them that will neglect the service of God. Remember
that the fourth commandment requireth you to see that the
sabbath be sanctified, even by the stranger that is within
your gates, as well as by yourselves and the servants that
are in your houses. If you have carnal gentlemen at your
table, or are at theirs, do not be yourselves so carnal as to
be ashamed of holy discourse in their presence, or to sup-
press any speech that may tend to edification, and to the
honour of your Lord. Let them all know that you have
greater matters to do, than to attend and honour them, and
that you have a Master that must be pleased whoever be
displeased.
518 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
Take heed also that the world do not cause you to neg-
lect the opportunities which are before you for your own
advantage. Miss not a sermon which may be profitable to
you without necessity. Miss not the help of private in-
structions and conference, and other edifying sacred duties,
without necessity. Omit not any of your secret addresses
to God, without necessity. And take nothing for a neces-
sity, but that which is at that time a greater duty than that
which you do omit. I know that works of necessity and
mercy may be done even on the Lord's day, and acts of
worship maybe delayed on such occasions: for God will
then have mercy and not sacrifice. But mercy on our own
and others' souls, in seeking their relief, must not be neg-
lected for lower things.
And look not only to the matter, but the manner of your
duties, that worldliness do not destroy the life and vigour of
them. Turn out all thoughts of earthly things when you
approach the Lord in holy worship. Provoke not his jea-
lousy by presenting before him a distracted mind, or lifeless
carcase. O what sleepy, frozen duties do many professors
offer to the Lord, even from week to week, because their
hearts are so distracted by the world, that they are to seek
when God should have them !
5. If you are crucified to the world, take heed that you
use no unlawful means for the procurement of worldly things -
Stretch not your consciences for the compassing of such
ends. Lay still before you the rule of equity ; do as you
would be done by. Put your brother with whom you deal
in your own case, and yourselves in his ; and so drive on
your bargains in that mind. If you did thus, you would not
sell too dear, nor buy too cheap ; you would not make so
many words to get his goods for less than the worth, nor to
sell your own for more than the worth. Nay, you would not
take more than the worth, if by ignorance or necessity your
brother should offer it you ; nor give less than the worth,
though through ignorance or necessity he would take it.
The love of money hath so blinded many, that in selling
they think it to be no sin to take as much for a commodity
as they can get ; and in buying they think it not sin to
get the commodity as cheap as they can have it; never
once asking their own hearts. How would I desire to
be dealt with myself, if it were my own case? Nay, covet-
BY THt CROSS OF CHRIST. 519
ousness is the common cause that raaketh most of the
world cry out against covetousness. When men are like
ravenous, greedy beasts, that grudge at every bit that goes
besides their own mouths, they will reproach all that cross
their covetous desires. If they cannot by words persuade
a tradesman to sell his ware at such rates as he cannot live
by, they will defame him as a covetous, griping man ; and
all because he fitteth not their covetous desires : and all
that will escape their censure of being covetous, must shut
up their shops ere long, to the defrauding of their creditors.
If a physician that hath been a means to save their lives, do
demand but half his due, it being the calling which he liveth
on, they will defame him as covetous, because he contra-
dicteth their covetous desires, and would have any thing
from them which is so near to their hearts. Let a minister
but demand his own, which was never theirs, but is his by
the law of the land, and they will reproach him, like Quakers,
as a covetous hireling ; and if he will not suffer every world-
ly miser to rob him, they will defame him, as if he were sick
of their disease. So far are they from the primitive prac-
tice of selling all, and laying down at the feet of the apos-
tles, that they would steal from the church those tenths
which neither they nor their fathers before them had any
propriety in, any more than in the lands of any of their
neighbours, as in the case of impropriators they are forced
to confess. Let a man give all that he hath to the poor,
and he shall be defamed as covetous, because he will not
give more than all. For if he give to nineteen, and have
not wherewith to satisfy the twentieth, he that hath nothing
or less than he expected, is as much unsatisfied, and as for-
ward to speak evil of him, as if he had given to none at all.
And usually so unreasonable are these covetous expecta-
tions, that you may sooner displease ten of them, than sa-
tisfy one.
Whence also comes the thievery, the lying for the sake
of commodity, the overwitting and overreaching of each
other, but from this sin ? Whence is it that most ale-sellers
and vintners will make a trade of poisoning souls, and will
nourish that odious vice, which is the ruin of men's bodies,
the impoverishing of their families, the dishonour of God,
and the shame and danger of the towns and commonwealths
in which they are committed, but only for the love of a sor-
520 THK CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
did gain ? And were it not more for fear of men than God
the most of them by far would make the Lord's day their
chief market-day ; for they care not to rob even God him-
self, for this unprofitable gain. And it is well if butchers,
and many other tradesmen would not do the like, if the laws
of the land, and the severity of magistrates did not restrain
them. This is the love they have to God and eternal glory.
Thus you may see whether they are dead to the world, or
rather to Christ. Gehazi thought himself wiser than his
master, when he went after Naaman for his prize : and Achan
thought himself wiser than all Israel when he hid the gold :
and Saul thought it wisdom to spare Agag, and the best
things from destruction. But the leprosy taught one, and
the stones taught another, and God's rejection taught the
third, to know that by experience which they would not
learn by the warnings of the Lord. The like may be said of
contentious lawsuits, the common effects of covetousness
and revenge ; and so of all other unlawful gain.
If indeed you are dead to the world, do not so much as
tell a lie to get all the riches of the world. Remember also
the commands of God, "Thou shalt not defraud thy neigh-
bour, neither rob him ; the wages of him that is hired shall
not abide with thee all night :" Levit. xix. 13. And " That
no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter,
because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also
have forewarned you and testified ;" 1 Thess. iv. 6. And
" Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because
ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take
wrong ? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be de-
frauded ? Nay, you do wrong, and defraud, and that your
brethren : know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inhe-
rit the kingdom of God?" 1 Cor. vi. 7 — 9. These lessons
would be better learned, if covetousness did not stop men's
ears : but it is a befooling, stupifying vice : it makes men
lose themselves for gain. For as Austin saith, ' Avarus an-
tequam lucretur, seipsum perdit ; et antequam aliquid ca-
piat, capitur.' And all this for the pleasing of their fancy,
that they may have more than they need. For, ' Avarus est
csecus ; credendo enim dives est, non videndo. Amas pecu-
niam O caece, quam nunquam videbis, caecus possides, caecus
jBoriturus es, &c.' Idem. And when they pretend necessity, it
is but the voice of covetousness : for saith the same Austin,
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 521
* Non est in carendo difl&cultas, nisi cum fuerit in possidendo
cupiditas.' Et alibi, ' Pauperiorem se judicat abundans ;
quiasibi deesse arbitratur, quicquid abaliispossidetur : toto
mundo eget, cujus non capit mundus cupiditatem.'
6. If you are crucified to the world, let us see it by your
improving all for God, and not employing it to the pleasing
of your flesh.
Use all that you have as men that must be accountable
for them. Remember that you receive them from your mas-
ter for his use. Resolve therefore so to expend and employ
them, as may most further his service. Look about you,
and see what good is to be done, and then consider, how far
you are furnished and enabled to do it ; and accordingly lay
out the talents which you are entrusted with. Seek after
such work; and do not stay till it be brought to your hand.
If you love Christ indeed, methinks you should not stay for
an invitation to do him service, nor should you need that
men come begging to you to awaken your charity, when
you know before that it is a charitable and necessary work
that is before you.
Two sorts of persons I would especially direct this advice
to : First, To the rich and powerful in the world. Secondly,
To all that are professors of religion.
For the first sort, let them consider, that their riches are
snares to them, and will prove a certain means of their dam-
nation if they devote them not to God. Tithes, and obla-
tions, and first fruits were devoted to God under the law ;
but all is expressly devoted to him under the Gospel : which
was expressed by the primitive Christians selling all, and
laying down at the apostles' feet : for as immortality is
brought to light more abundantly in the Gospel ; so also is
the means of obtaining it, and the duty which we owe to him
that giveth it. And as grace and truth came by Jesus Christ,
and the greatest mercies are revealed by the Gospel ; so the
greatest holiness comes by Christ, and the greatest obliga-
tions are laid on us in the Gospel ; especially to selfdenial,
and a hearty devoting ourselves and all we have to God. I
beseech you observe the distinction which Christ useth,
(Luke xii. 21.) between laying up riches to yourselves, and
being rich to God, and how dreadful the application is. If
almost all your riches be expended on yourselves and yours,
or laid up in store as for provision for your flesh, it is plain
522 THK CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
then that you " lay up riches for yourselves," and so are
concluded by the sentence of Christ among the miserable
fools that are there described. But if you are rich to God,
you will study to improve your riches for God, and often be-
think yourselves which way they may be employed to his
greatest service. He that cannot spare liis wealth for the
service of his Redeemer, and the good of his brother, and
the furthering of his own salvation, is very far from being
crucified to the world.
2. And it is not only the great ones that have need of
this advice, but all in their places that are entrusted with
God's mercies. Think not yourselves excused from the
works of charity, because you have but one talent : for one
talent must be proportionably improved as well as ten, or
else you will be condemned as unprofitable servants. Peo-
ple of the lower rank do commonly think that God requireth
nothing of them, but to receive what others give them, and
to labour for themselves ; and when they have reviled suffi-
ciently at rich men for worldliness, they often shew them-
selves as worldly, by denying their mites, and by unmerci-
fulness to those that are poorer than themselves, as the richer
do by denying their larger proportions.
The scarcity and defectiveness of charitable works with
all sorts of men, from the highest to the lowest, even those
that seem more forward in verbal devotions, do shew us too
evidently how common hypocrisy is, and how few are en-
tirely devoted to God, and what a bewitching and blinding
thing the world is. They that think a man utterly ungodly
that doth not in the length and life of his duties go much
beyond the common sort of men, do never judge themselves
ungodly for not exceeding them in works of charity. In acts
of piety and worship, they (justly) think, that they should
not only set apart one day in seven to be wholly employed
herein, but also a considerable part of every day in the week,
besides their holy meditations which they mix with their
common works. But how few are they that will allow God
such a proportion of their estates, as besides their daily
works of charity upon ordinary occasions, to devote also a
seventh part entirely to his service ! Though all cannot do
this, yet many shall see when their eyes are opened, that
they should have done more. For aught I see, the charita-
ble works of the richest, and of too many professors of the
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIS r. 523
greatest piety, are too like the pious actions of the ungodly ;
even seldom, and by the halves, and lifeless, and to little pur-
pose. As the ungodly will drop, morning' and night, a for-
mal, seeming, heartless prayer, upon the by, while their
minds are another way ; and if you urge them to any higher
and costlier devotion, instead of obeying they will cavil
against it, and put it off with vain excuses, and say, * God
doth not require this of us, because we are not learned, and
because we have our necessary labours to look after.' Even
BO many rich men, and seemingly religious, will drop now
and then a penny or an alms to the poor, and give upon the
by some inconsiderable pittance, which costeth them but
little, and doth no great good ; but if you urge them to any
greater works, you will have excuses enough, and reason-
ings against their duty, but little of performance. Then they
have families to provide for, and their estates are but small,
and God doth not require this at their hands. I wonder
when God will speak so plain, for abounding in good works,
as that hypocrites and worldlings will be able to understand
him. This voluntary deafness is not remedied by speaking
loud ; nor will the common eye-salve cure him that is wil-
fully blind : he is always an unprofitable scholar that hateth
his book. If God had spoken but the hundredth part as
much in favour of their worldliness and tenacity, as he hath
done against it, they could soon have heard, and easily un-
derstood it. If Paul do but tell some covetous persons, that
cast their poor widows on the church for maintenance, that
were of their near kindred, that " they are worse than infi-
dels, if they will not provide for their own families, or kin-
dred;" (1 Tim. V. 8.) these worldlings can find an excuse
for their tenacity from such a text as this, which was meant
to rebuke it : and when they have driven on a trade of
worldliness, and scraped for themselves and children all
their lives, and never done any considerable works of cha-
rity, they can quiet their consciences by the misapplication
and abuse of such a text. They that have money to feed
their pride, and revenge, and lusts, have little for God, in
any good work : they will sooner spend sixpence in an ale-
house than give a groat to the poor. They that have
ten, or twenty, or a hundred pounds to spend in a lawsuit
for revenge or covetousness, have not half so much to
'give to charitable uses. They will see all supposed conve-
524 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
niences provided for themselves, before they will supply the
necessities of others. And what thanks is it to them to
shew their poor brethren the charity of a swine, that will
leave that to others which he cannot eat himself. And yet
there are multitudes that will not use this bestial charity,
because their own flesh and posterity are an insatiable gulf,
that swallow up all. And what they cannot use, they will
lay up for provision, lest their lust should be extinguished
for want of fuel ; and when their flesh hath had its fill, they
may leave the rest behind them, that their children may live
in golden fetters, and be gulled of their salvation, and en-
ticed from God as well as they. Is not that man's belly his
god, that will bestow a more costly sacrifice on his belly
than he will do on God ? If God command, and his minis-
ters request, they are most frequently denied. If Christ re-
quire it, and his members need, and perhaps crave it, they
are denied ; but if the back and the belly crave, they are sel-
dom denied. God saith, " To do good and to communicate
forget not ; for with such sacrifices I am well pleased ;"
Heb.xiii. 16. And he cannot be heard, nor will they please
him at such rates. The flesh saith, " To pamper and pro-
vide for me forget not ; for with such sacrifices I am well
pleased ;* and it is quickly heard, and no cost or labour
seems too deai\ We may see where men's hopes and hearts
are, by their adventures. Surely you take that for the
chiefest pearl, which you are willing to give the most for!
When you can lay out so little upon heaven, and so much
upon your flesh, it appears which it is that indeed you most
esteem. A pack of belly-gods there be in the world, that
will spend more in one year in excess upon themselves, even
in gluttony and drunkenness, than they will give in two
years to the relief of them that need. Yea, some that would
be loath to give in a twelvemonth so much to the poor, as
they will spend at one feast in the entertainment of their
like ; or so much as they will venture on one horse-race, or
one game at dice, or cards, or bowls. But these are not
they that I have now to deal with ; and therefore I shall
speak to them in the preface more fully. It is those that
confess they have all from God, and that have verbally de-
voted all to him again, and profess themselves entirely his
servants, that I have now in hand. And with such, one
would think a few words might serve, to persuade them to
CY THK CROSS OF CHRIST. 525
lay down all at his feet, and to give to God the things that
are God's. I do not urge you to pine your flesh, nor starve
your children, nor to deal unmercifully with either. But
consider impartially in the fear of God, whether you make
an equal distribution ; and when you have cast up what your
flesh hath by the year, and what is laid up for the like uses
for the future for yourselves and yours, and then what God
hath in pious and charitable works, bethink yourselves whe-
ther you deal wisely or honestly with him ; and whether
this which you allow, be all that he this way requireth or
expecteth.
But I suppose some ungodly, malicious hearts will make
an ill use of all that I say, and will think with themselves,
'This toucheth the professors of religion. They are as co-
vetous as any, and under pretence of long prayers do devour
widow's houses ; after all their preaching and praying, there
are none that are more cruel and close-handed, or ready to
overreach and deceive than they ; nor any that are more
greedy for the things of the world*'
In answer to this objection, I shall first say somewhat to
the professors of religion, and then shall speak to the ob-
jectors themselves.
1. You that profess the fear of God, take notice I be-
seech you of this accusation, and though it may shew you
cause to pity malicious slanderers, yet let it provoke you to
search your hearts and lives, and see that you give not cause
for this reproach. As for those worldly, time-serving hy-
pocrites, which in all places creep in among the saints, and
do but serve themselves of Christ, let them know that God
will one day require an account at their hands, of all these
scandals which they have caused in the church, and the
ruin of poor ungodly souls that are dashed in pieces, and
cast themselves into hell, by stumbling at this stone which
their worldly practices have laid before them. If you would
needs be worldlings, you were better have kept in the world
among worldlings, than to have crept into the church of
Christ, and brought thither your scandalous, worldly lives,
to the dishonour of that religion which condemneth your
practices and you. Did not Christ warn you to count your
costs, and never to dream of being his disciples, unless you
could forsake all and follow him under the cross, in expec-
tation of a promised treasure in heaven ? Is there any thing
526 I'HE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
that Christ did more peremptorily require of you, than to
renounce the world and deny yourselves, if you would be
his disciples ? And yet will you come without the wedding-
garment, and brino; your base and earthly minds among bis
servants, and cause his truth, and his house and followers,
to bear the reproach of your worldly baseness? I tell you,
it is like to cost you dear, that you have cast this dishonour
on the name of God, and caused the damnation of the im-
pious reproachers. The wrong you have done to God and
men, you shall certainly pay for in everlasting misery, unless
a thorough repentance do prevent it. (And I fear it is but
a few of these worldly hypocrites that ever truly do repent.)
" But woe to them by whom offence cometh. It were good
for that man that he had never been born.'*
2. And as for you that truly fear God, I beseech you let
the slanders of wicked men awake you to a holy jealousy of
yourselves. You see what their eye is upon. Take heed
then how you walk ; you hear what it is that ofFendeth them.
As far as is possible avoid all occasions of such offence.
Take heed in your bagaining, buying, or selling, how you
carry yourselves towards them, and what you say. If all
the actions of your lives were right save one, they will re-
proach you for that one. If you speak but one rash or un-
handsome word, they will forget all the rest, and remember
that one, and traduce you, as if all were like that one. See
therefore that you walk and speak by line and rule. And
remember, that it is not an ordinary measure of charity and
good works that is expected from you, (according to your
abilities) by God and man. " If you love those that love you,
what reward have you ? Do not even the publicans the
same ? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do you
more than others ? Do not even the publicans so ?" " But
(saith Christ) I say unto you, love your enemies. Bless
them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you ; and
pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in hea-
ven. For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the
good; and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust;"
Matt. v. 44 — 47. " Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven ;" chap. vi. 15. Your actions and words
are observed and scanned more than any other men's. For
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 527
malice is quick-sighted, and of a strong memory. And you
" are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill
cannot be hid;" chap. v. 14. Take heed therefore that you
be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke,
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among ^vhom
ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of
life. This will not only stop the mouth of the enemies, but it
will also rejoice jrour teachers in the day of Christ? that
they have not run or laboured in vain. Yea, if they were
offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, they
would rejoice with you all ; Phil. ii. 15 — 17. And for your-
selves also it is necessary that you excel others in good
works. " For except your righteousness exceed the righte-
ousness even of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not en-
ter into the kingdom of heaven ;" Matt. v. 20. Remember
that you live among the blind. And if you stumble and
fall, you know not how many will fall upon you ; and if you
break your shins, they that fall upon you may break their
necks ; and if you rise again you are not sure that they will
rise. " Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pil-
grims in this world, abstain from fleshly lusts which war
against the soul ; having your conversation honest among
the gentiles (the unbelievers and profane), that whereas they
speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good
works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visita-
tion; 1 Pet. ii. 11, 12. For so is the will of God, that with
welldoing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish
men ; 1 Pet. ii. 15. Finally brethren, be ye all of one mind,
having compassion one of another ; love as brethren, be
pitiful, be courteous ; not rendering evil for evil, or railing
for railing ; but contrariwise blessing, knowing that ye are
thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing ;" chap,
iii. 8,9. And so walk, that if any obey not the word, they
may yet be won by your exemplary conversation; ver. 1.
As you hear more than others, so do more than others, that
it may appear you build upon a rock; Matt, vii.24. 25.
And as the book of God is much in your hands and mouth,
so remember that " whoso looketh into the perfect law of li-
berty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in
his deed. For pure religion, and undefiled before God and
the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their
528 THK CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
affliction, and to keep yourselves unspotted from the world;"
Jatoesi. 25. 17.
2. Having said this much to the godly by way of cau-
tion ; I shall now make answer to the objectors themselves.
You that say. There are none so cruel and so covetous as
these that profess themselves so religious ; if you have any
moderation left, will you soberly answer me these questions
following?
Quest. 1. ' Is it the hearts or the outward actions of these
professors that you perceive this covetousness by ?' If it
be the heart, you are slanderers, and self-idolizers. For the
heart is open to none but God ; and will you make your-
selves gods, and that when you are playing the part of
the devil ? This hath been the trick of satan's instruments
in all ages. When they are not able to say of the godly,
that they are swearers, or drunkards, or adulterers, or steal-
ers, or liars, or slanderers, as they themselves are, they pre-
sently go to their hearts, which are out of sight, and say.
They are covetous, and proud, and the like. For there they
know that none but God is able to justify them. But com-
mon reason might also have taught them, that none but
God is there able to accuse them. For how know you
men's hearts but by their professions, or by their lives ?
But if you say it is the life you judge by, I demand
what is it in the lives of such men that proves their covet-
ousness? If it be oppressing, deceiving, injustice, or un-
mercifulness, I would demand of you in the second place ?
Quest. 2. 'Is it all or some of them that you thus ac-
cuse ?' If you know some few to be such, what is that to
the rest? But this hath been always the trick of the ma-
lignant. If they see one professor fall, or prove a hypo-
crite, they cry out, * They are all alike. If you could but
see their hearts, they are all such.' Chrysostom and others
of the fathers tell us, that this was the use in their days, and
no wonder if it be so still. What if there be one Cain in
Adam's family ? It follows not that Abel or Seth were like
him. What if there were one Ham in Noah's ark? will it
follow that they were all alike, or that his family was no
better than the rest of the world which was drowned?
What if there was an Absalom in David's family ? What
if there was one Judas among the disciples of Christ?
Will you say therefore that all the rest were such, or that
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 529
Christ's disciples were as bad as others, or his family no
better than the rest of the world ? But I would further ask
you:
Quest. 3. ' Is it the course of their lives that you judge
by ? or is it some one particular action V He that is not
blind may see, that the course and drift of their lives is less
earthly, and more heavenly than other men's. And God
judgeth of a man by the scope of his life, and not by one
single action ; and so must we. The very bent and drift of
your lives is worldly. If a man come into your family, what
shall he see but worldliness ? If one fall into your compa-
ny, what shall he hear from you but about this ? If one ob-
serve what you do from year to year, he may see that you
lay out yourselves for the world. You cannot refrain upon
the Lord's own day, but you are minding it, and talking of
it. You savour not any other discourse. The very talk,
and labour that is laid out about another world is trouble-
some to you, and it is this that makes you dislike the godly.
You cannot say so of the course of their lives. If once any
of them have fallen by temptation into a miscarriage, will
you judge of all their lives by that? Do they not lament
and bewail it as long as they live after, and avoid it more
carefully for the time to come ? What if Noah were once
drunk in his life, v^^ill you judge of his whole life by it, or
say that he is as bad as the rest of the world ? What if Lot
e given over to a temptation? What if Abraham did once
tell a lie, or equivocate, and Isaac do the like in a fear ?
What if Moses did once provoke God ? What if David did
once commit a heinous sin? Or Peter did deny his Mas-
ter in his fear ? Will you either judge of all other godly
people by them? or will you judge of the course of their
lives by one action, which they bewail and lament as long as
they live ? And can you see no difference between a world-
ly action and a worldly life?
Quest. 4. I would further know of you, ' Whether you
have gone to them in love, and admonished them of their
sin, when you judged them to be guilty, and heard them
speak for themselves V If not, either you are incompetent
judges, or else you draw the guilt upon yourselves, and
make the sin your own, as the express commands of God
will tell you, in Lev.xix. 17. Matt, xviii. 15. If you have
VOL. IX. MM
530 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
admonished them and they repent not, why do you not tell
the pastors of the church, that they may admonish them,
and seek their reformation ? This is Christ's order. But
you will not, you dare not do this ; lest for want of proof,
you be proved slanderers, and the shame of your accusations
fall upon yourselves. You think that you may whisper be-
hind men's backs, or accuse them in general, Avithout naming
any particular fact, and not be proved liars. But this will
not hold long.
Quest. 5. Moreover I would know of you, when you ac-
cuse men for not being more bountiful in your eyes, ' Do
you know of all their works of charity ? Are you acquaint-
ed with their bestowings?' Sure you are not. For God
hath commanded them. Matt. vi. 1 — 4, "Take heed that ye
do not your alms before men, to be seen of them ; otherwise
ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. There-
fore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet
before thee, as the hypocrites do, 8cc. But when thou doest
alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth ;
that thy alms may be in secret : and thy Father which seeth
thee in secret, himself shall reward thee openly." This
command they make conscience of; and how then can you
be meet j udges of their alms ?
Quest. 6. Also I would know, ' Are you certainly ac-
quainted with their particular estates ? and do you know
how able they are to give?' If you do not, you are no com-
petent judges. How oft have I known men reproached for
unmercifulness, and for not being more liberal, when they
were not able to maintain their families, or to pay every man
his own? And yet they that knew not this, did backbite
them as covetous.
Quest. 7. Furthermore I would know, ' Are you sure it is
not satan within you that prompteth you to these accusa-
tions?' Hear my evidence and judge. He is called in
Scripture " the accuser of the brethren," (Rev. xii. 10.) ; and
he is described to be a lying, malicious spirit. If therefore
it be a lying, malignant, malicious spirit, then certainly it is
the spirit of satan.
And we have cause to believe that it is a lying spirit
by these evidences following.
1. We find the word of God assuring us that the godly
overcome the world, and are such as have laid up their trea-
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 531
sure in heaven. And by the rest of their lives, \ve find the
characters of the godly to agree more with them/ than with
the negligent multitude.
2. We know that their religion condemneth worldliness,
and they hear, and read, and speak against it.
3. They only under God do know their own hearts ;
and they profess themselves contemners of the world, and
heirs of a better world. And we find them at least as true
of their words in other things, as any other men ; and there-
fore having not forfeited their credit, we are bound to be-
lieve them.
4. Especially when we know that you that accuse them,
are unacquainted with their hearts.
5. And when we read in the Scripture and church histo-
ry, that the malignant enemies of Christ and his church have
in all ages used the same reproaches against his people from
mere prejudice, and the words of others, and the malice of
their hearts.
6. And we ourselves do live among them as well as you,
and as near them as you. And we see not by them any
such thing for which you accuse them. As far as we can
judge, it is you that are the worldlings, and their conversa-
tion is in heaven ; Phil. iii. 20, 21. Excepting some hypo-
crites that creep in among them, as they ever have done, and
will do, into the church, till Christ at judgment shut them
out. Moreover we see in the course of their lives, that
their speeches are more heavenly than yours, and less of the
world. They can spare time from the world to worship
God in their families, and instruct those that are under their
charge, which you cannot do. We see they take pains for
another world through the course of their lives, which you
will not do.
8. To conclude, we see by daily experience, that where
you give a penny to any good use, we have many from them.
I have often wondered at the impudence of blind, malignant
persons in this place. I must needs myself bear witness
that in divers collections for charitable uses, we have had
from those that profess religion, ten shillings, and twenty
shillings a man, when we have had from men that are com-
monly supposed richer, a shilling, or sixpence, or a groat,
or not a penny. And I can witness that among them there
532 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
are frequent collections for persons in distress at home and
abroad, when we never mention them to the rest of the peo-
ple, as knowing them so worldly that it is in vain ; and we
should get a scorn from them sooner than a groat, when the
persons whom they reproach as covetous, will give many
shillings ; and that frequently time after time. And for col-
lections at fasts and sacraments, all men may see the differ-
ence. I would not have mentioned any of these matters,
but that the impudency of calumniators doth in a sort con-
strain me. For when of my, own knowledge we have had
this many years more pounds from some of them, than we
could have pence from others, for the relief of the poor in
voluntary contributions, yet do I frequently hear these
worldlings cry out of the covetousness of the professors ;
as if they had brazed their foreheads, as well as wilfully shut
their eyes.
Quest. 8. But yet I would further be informed of you ;
*To what end is it that you make this objection?" Is it
hot with a desire to have a life of holy diligence despised m
the world, or thought evil of, or judged needless ? Ask
your own hearts, and deal sincerely. And if it be so, is not
this the very work of the devil, which he hath been doing
in all ages against the church, and by which he enticeth souls
to hell ?
Quest. 9. And I would desire you to tell me, if covetous-
ness be among them, ' Whether you are able to charge it
upon their religion or profession V Do they not witness
against it as much as any people in the world ? Doth not
the Bible which they read cry it down, and threaten damna-
tion to it t Do not the books which they read do so too ?
Do not the sermons which they hear and repeat, cry it
down? Did you ever hear us preach for covetousness?
Say so if you can or dare. There is not a greater enemy to
covetousness and all other vices in the world, than Christ,
and the Gospel, andr eligion which these men profess. If
then there should be covetous ones among them, what is
this to religion, which teacheth them to abhor it ? Will
you blame the best physician and remedies that men are
sick, when there is no cure but those remedies? Will you
blame clothing or fire that men are cold ? or eating and
drinking, because men do consume by some disease ? I tell
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 533
you all men naturally are worldlings ; and no man can be
cured of that deadly disease but only those that are cured
by the religion which these men profess.
Quest. 10. And I pray you tell me, * Do you think that
the works in which they differ from you are good or bad V
Is it good or bad to hear sermons, and repeat them for the
help of memory ; to pray and praise God together, and to
live in the communion of saints, which in your creed you
profess to believe ? If you have the face to say. This is
evil or needless, you must accuse God himself that hath so
often commanded it. If it be evil, it is long of God that so
urgently requireth it, and not of them. But if you dare not
say so, but confess it is good, why then do you not imitate
them? What! will you forbear good, because others do
evil? Will you sin against God in one kind, if they do so
in another? We desire you not to join with them in evil.
If they deceive, or lie, or oppress, do not you do so. But
will you therefore refuse your duty to God, and therefore
destroy your own souls ? It is to God and not to them that
your duty is necessary. It is God that commandeth it. and
God you owe it to. And will you abuse God and rob him,
because you have hard conceits of men ? Will you abuse
him, because you think they do ? And who is it that will
have the loss of this but yourselves ? The Lord hath wit-
nessed that without holiness none shall see God ; .Heb. xii.
14. And will you neglect a holy life, and shut yourselves
out of heaven, and damn your own souls, because you think
professors are bad ! A wise course indeed ! Starve your-
selves because professors wear clothes, and famish your-
selves because they use to eat! This is a wiser trick of the
two, than to neglect or refuse a holy, diligent life, because
they use it.
Quest. 11. And if worldliness be so great a sin, I would
fain know of you, ' Whether in reason you can think that
their course or yours is the way to overcome it.' Dare you
say that sitting in an alehouse, or talking of the world, even
on the Lord's day, is a better course to overcome the world,
than hearing and reading the directions of the word of God,
and praying to God for assistance against the sins that they
are guilty of? T see them take pains to learn those instruc-
tions that should cure them of worldliness, and are glad to
fasten them in their memory ; and I hear them warn each
5.34 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
other to avoid it ; atid begging of God that he would de-
stroy all the remnants of it in their souls ; and I see others
follow the world, and live a careless life, and use none of
these means. Which of these shall I think in reason doth
take the course to conquer the world ?
Quest. 12. Moreover, if these men are as bad as you
make them, then sure they are none of the people of God,
but a pack of hypocrites ; then they are not saints indeed.
And then the thing that I would know of you is, ' Which be
the saints of God if these be not ; and where shall we find
them V I hope you know that God hath his saints on
earth, yea that none but saints shall be saved. For it is ex-
press in Scripture over and over ; Heb. xii. 14. And in
many other places. As I said, the communion of the saints
is an article of your creed. Tell us then where they are, if
these be not they. Will you go to the Quakers, or to the
Papists, Monks, and Nuns for them ? or whither will you go ?
Or will you say, that such as you are the saints, that re-
proach holiness, and refuse to live a holy life? Is idle,,
worldly discourse a better sign for a saint, than keeping
holy the Lord's day, and labouring for salvation ? Is igno-
rance of the Scripture, or neglecting it, a greater sign of a
saint, than meditating in it day and night? Read the first
Psalm, yea, all the Scripture, and then judge.
Quest. 13. ' Do you think if any of them miscarry, it is
because they are too much religious ; or rather because they
are too little?' Surely it is the latter. For, as I said, their
religion severely condemneth covetousness ; and therefore
if they were more religious, they would be less covetous.
And he that is most godly, is least worldly. And ordinari-
ly he that is most ungodly, is most worldly.
Quest. 14. ' Is it not then evident, that other men's sins
should move you to be the more religious and careful of
yourselves, and not the less V If you see them stumble, you
should look the better to your feet, and not cast yourselves
headlong from the rock that you should be built upon.
You should think with yourselves, if such men are so
faulty for all the pains they take, how much more pains
must I take to escape such faults ? If they that run so hard
shall many of them miss of the prize by coming short, it is a
mad conceit of you to think to Avin it by sitting still, or do-
ing less than they that lost it.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 535
Quest. 15. Lastly, I would advise you to consider'
* Whether God, that justifieth his servants, will suffer you to
condemn them ?' And how you can answer the challenge,
Rom. viii. 32, 33. And when Christ has shed his blood to
absolve them, whether it is likely that he will take it well at
them that vilify them ? Be it known to the faces of all their
enemies, that "The Lord taketh pleasure in his people ; he
will beautify the meek with salvation ;" Psal. cxlix. 4.
" The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him ; in those
that hope in his mercy;" Psal. cxlvii. 11. "He is nigh to
all them that call upon him ; to them that call upon him in
truth ;" Psal. cxlv. 18. " The Lord preserveth all them that
love him ; but all the wicked will he destroy. He suffered
no man to do them wrong ; yea, he reproved kings for their
sakes : saying. Touch not mine anointed, and do my pro-
phets no harm ;" Psal. cv. 14, 15. " He that toucheth them
toucheth the apple of his eye ;" Zech. ii. 8. For all their
infirmities, it is dangerous vilifying a people so dear to the
God of heaven. They shall shortly hear that joyful voice,
" Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of
our God, and the power of his Christ : for the accuser of our
brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God
day and night ;" Rev. xii. 10. And they that joined with
the accuser in his work, shall be joined with him in the re-
ward ; Matt. xxv. 41. 45. The very coming of the Lord to
judgment, will be " to be glorified in his saints, and to be
admired in all them that believe ;" 2 Thess. i. 10. And
what then will be the doom of those that vilified them whom
Christ will be glorified and admired in, you may read and
tremble, in ver. 6 — 9.
But again, I charge you that fear God, that you learn by
the accusations of malicious men ; and take heed as you
love God, yourselves or others, of giving them ground of
such reports. And though I know that the wicked are ab-
surd and unreasonable, (2 Thess. iii. 2.) and that you will
never be able to stop the mouths of all such men, till grace
or judgment stop them; yet see that you walk circum-
spectly in the evil days, and give no offence to the Jews or
Gentiles, or the church of God. If you are Christians in-
deed, you cannot take the riches or honours of the world to
be matters of so much worth or weight, as to be preferred
before the honour of your Lord, and the good of souls. It
536 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOKLU
will grieve you more to hear the reproaches of the ungodly,
against the ways and servants of God, than all your wealth
will do you good. Doth it not go to your heart to hear
poor blinded sinners on all occasions reproaching your holy
profession, and 'saying, * There are none more proud, and co-
vetous, and unmerciful, than these professors of so much
strictness and holiness.' Though for the general, it be a
malignant, satanical slander ; yet take heed, as you love the
honour of God, and of his holy truth and ways, and the souls
of men, that you give not occasion of such reproach.
Use: For Consolation and further Persuasion.
Having said this much to you for the crucifying of the
world, and the using it as a crucified thing ; 1 shall here
briefly enumerate some of the great benefits which follow to
yourselves where this is done. And this I shall do in order
to these two ends conjunctly. 1. That those to whom the
world is crucified may lay to heart the greatness of the
mercy, and be thankful to God that hath done so much for
them. There is the greater need of encouragement and com-
fort to the soul, in our crucifixion to the world, because it
is a state of so much suffering to the body, and a work that
requireth so much selfdenial and patience. Who will be
persuaded to cast all overboard, and forsake all the pleasures
and profits of this world, but he that knows of somewhat to
be got by it that will make him a gainer and saver in the
end ? No man will incur so great a loss, and cast himself
upon a life of troubles, without some considerable benefit to
encourage him. And in the conflict the heart will be ready
to fail, if we have not a cordial at hand for its refreshment.
As Christ himself must have an angel in his agony to com-
fort him, and when consolation is withdrawn by God, doth
feel himself as one forsaken ; so all his members in their
crucifixion, have need of these reviving messengers of God,
that seeing the ends and benefits of their sufferings, they
may be able to resign their natural wills in a full submission
to the will of God, and so to persevere and conquer in their
sufferings. They have need of a believing consideration of
the benefits, that they may be daily and hourly furnished
against temptations, and may bear those losses and abuses
from men, even to laying down of life, and all things in this
world which flesh and blood are so exceedingly against. He
BY THE CKOSS OF CHRIST. 537
that believeth the faithfulness of the promiser, will " hold
fast the profession of his faith without wavering ;" Heb. x. 23.
And he that believeth the recorapence of reward will not
cast away his confidence ; Heb. x. 35. He that knoweth in
himself that he hath in heaven a better and more enduring
substance, will endure the greatest fight of afflictions, be-
coming a gazingstock by reproaches and afflictions, and be-
coming a companion of them that are so used ; and will
take joyfully the spoiling of his worldly goods ; Heb. x.
32 — 34. He that can " look to Jesus the author and finisher
of his faith," and with him "to the joy that is set before
him, will endure the cross, and despise the shame, and run
with patience the race that is set before him ;" Heb. xii. 1, 2.
He that by faith foreseeth the peaceable fruits of righteous-
ness, will bear the chastisement which for the present seem-
eth not joyous, but grievous ; Heb. xii. 11. All thecloud of
witnesses and army of martyrs (Heb. xi.) do testify this to
lis ; that it is faith's beholding the benefits and promised
blessings, that must enable us to contemn the world, and
suiFer the loss of all for Christ. Having therefore need of
patience, that after we have done the will of God, we may
receive the promise, we have need also of these encouraging
helps which must support our patience, that in this patience
we may possess our souls, when impatient men, to save the
world, do lose their souls ; Heb. x. 36. Luke xxi. 19.
Matt. xvi. 25, 26. These considerations are necessary to us
in so hard an undertaking, " lest we be wearied and faint in
our minds;" Heb. xii. 3. Though we may manfully bear
some few assaults, yet when we feel the vinegar and gall,
and the cruelty of the world even piercing not only our hands
and our feet, but our very heart, and see them shrink from
us that were most obliged to adhere to us, we shall then
judge ourselves forsaken of God, if we have not the lively
sense of these benefits. As the very thought of forsaking
all doth strike a carnal heart with sorrow, and the work doth
overmatch all the power of flesh and blood, (Luke xviii.
22 — 24. 27 — 29.) so also the believer hath need to keep his
faith waking and in exercise, that he " may lift up the hands
that else will hang down, and the knees that else will be
feeble, and may make straight paths for his feet that the
lame may not be turned out of the way, butmay be healed ;"
Heb. xii. 11 — 14. For if we hear Job's messengers, and
538 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
have not Job's faith and patience, we shall not be able hear-
tily to say, " The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away,
and blessed be the name of the Lord ;" Job i. 21.
2. My second end in the mentioning these benefits is,
that if yet all that is said before have not persuaded you to
be crucified to the world, at least you may be persuaded by
the consideration of the benefits, and of the happy condi-
tions of those that are thus mortified ; even when they seem
in the eyes of unbelievers to be most miserable. To these
two ends I shall mention the benefits.
Benefit 1. 'Your crucifixion to the world by the cross of
Christ will be one of the clearest and surest evidences of
your sincerity ;' and so may afford you abundant help for
the conquering of your doubts, and the ascertaining your
salvation. When on the contrary, an unmortified, worldly
mind, is the certain and common mark of a miserable hypo-
crite. 1 know a melancholy man may be so weary of the
world, as to be impatient of his life ; but to prefer the Lord
and everlasting life before it, in our practical estimation, and
resolution, and endeavours, is the very point of saving sin-
cerity, and the specifical nature of true sanctification : and
all other marks must be reduced unto this. There is no man
so spiritual and heavenly, but while he is here hath a mix-
ture of earthliness and carnality ; and many a thousand that
are earthly and carnal, have some esteem for God and
glory, and some purposes for them, and some endeavours
after them ; but it is that which is predominant that giveth
the denomination. According to that, it is, that we must
be called either spiritual and heavenly, or carnal and earthly
men.
More particularly, L If you look to the understanding,
this crucifixion to the world is a very great part of the wis-
dom of the soul. For wherein doth wisdom more consist,
than in judging of things as indeed they are, and especially
in matters of greatest moment ? He therefore that is cruci-
fied to the world, must needs be wise ; and whatever his
knowledge or reputation may be, he that wants this must
needs be a fool. Is that a wise man that knoweth the times
and seasons, and how to do this and that in the world, and
knoweth not how to escape damnation, nor where his safety
and happiness must be sought ? And is not he a wiser man
that can see the snares that are laid for his souJ, and so es-
BY THE CRObS OF CHRIST. 539
cape the burning lake ; than he that will sell his Saviour and
his soul for a little pleasure to his flesh for a moment? I
make no doubt, but the weakest man or woman that practi-
cally knows the vanity of this world, and the desirable ex-
cellency of God and glory, is a thousandfold wiser than the
most famous princes or learned men that want this know-
ledge. I will never take that man for a fool, that can hit the
way to heaven ; nor that for a wise man, that cannot hit it.
It is the greatest matters that try men's wisdom, though
childish wit may appear in trifles.
2. To be crucified to the world is the certain effect of a
living, effectual faith. The dead faith that James speaketh
of, may move you to so much compassion as to say to the
poor, " Go in peace ; be warmed and filled ;" James ii. 16.
But it will not so far loose you from the world, as to per-
suade you to part with it to supply his wants : at least you
will never be persuaded to part with all and follow Christ,
till the belief of a treasure in heaven do persuade you to it ;
Luke xviii. 21, 22. Can you say from your hearts, ' Let all
go, rather than the love of God.' And in a case of trial, do
you certainly find that there is nothing so dear to you, which
you cannot part with for God and the hopes of everlasting
life ? This is a sign of an effectual faith ; for neither nature
nor common grace did ever bring a soul so high.
3. It is also a certain evidence of unfeigned love. For
wherein is love so clearly manifested, as in the highest ad-
ventures for the person whom we love, and in the costliest
expressions of our love when we are called to it? Then it
will appear that you love God indeed, when there is nothing
else that you prefer before him, and nothing but what you
lay down at his feet ; when the greatest professors that love
the world, do shew that the love of the Father is not in
them, (1 John ii. 15.) so far as it is loved.
4. To be crucified to the world and alive to God, is the
very honesty, and chastity, and justice of the soul. This is
your fidelity to God, in keeping the holy covenant that you
have made with him in Christ. This is your keeping your-
selves unspotted from the world, and undefiled by it ; when
the friends of it live in its adulterous embracements ; James
iv. 4. Thus do you give the Lord his own, even both the
creature and your hearts ; when worldlings do unjustly rob
him of both. This is the great command and request of God
540 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
" My son give me thy heart;" Prov. xxiii. 26. Give hini
but this, and he will take it as if you gave him all ; for indeed
the rest will follow this. But if you give the world your
hearts, God will take all the rest as nothing.
Benefit 2. The second benefit is this: If you are truly
crucified to the world, * Your minds will be free for God and
his service ;' when the minds of worldlings are like impri-
soned, hampered things. What a toilsome thing it is for a
man to travel in fetters, or to run a race with a burden on his
back? But knock off his fetters, and how easily will he go ;
and take off his burden, and how lightly will he run ! Do
you not feel yourselves that the world is the clog of your
souls ? And this is it that hindereth you in duty, and keep-
eth you from the attainment of a heavenly conversation ?
When you should cheerfully go to God in secret, or in your
families, the world is ready to pull you back : either it call-
eth you away by putting some other business into your
hands ; or else it dulleth and diverteth your affections, so
that you have no heart to duty, or no life in it ; or else it
creepeth into your thoughts in duty, and taketh them off
from the work in hand, and makes you do that which you
seem not to be doing : and if you shake off these thoughts,
and drive them out of your way, they are presently again be-
fore you, and meet you at the next turn. But in that mea-
sure as you have crucified the veorld, you are freed from these
disturbances. The apostle Peter describeth the miserable
estate of apostates, (2 Pet. ii. 20.) to be like a bird or beast
that had escaped out of the snare that he was taken in, and
after is taken in the same again ; having escaped the pollu-
tion of the world, &c. TraXiv E/xTrXaKfvrec jjTTwvrat, * they are
again entangled therein :' as a beast in a snare, that cannot
escape or help himself; so (2 Tim. ii. 4.) it is said, no man
that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life,
JSac ffTpaTEwojUfvoc efnrXkeTai &c. So that you see that the
world is a snare that entangleth men's souls, and holdeth
them as in captivity. The table of the wicked becometh a
snare to them, and so do all the bodily mercies which they
possess.
But the mortified Christian may look back on all these
dangers, and say, " Blessed be the Lord that hath not given
us as a prey to their teeth : our soul is escaped as a bird out
of the snare of the fowlers : the snare is broken, and we are
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 541
escaped ;" Psal. cxxiv. 6, 7. Oh ! with what ease and free-
dom of mind may you converse with God in holy ordinan-
ces, when you are once disentangled from this snare ! Now
that which formerly drew off your hearts, and clogged your
affections, is crucified and dead : that enemy that kept your
souls from God, and was still casting baits or troubles in
your way, is dead. As the apostle saith of sin, " He that is
dead is freed from sin ;" (Rom. vi. 7.) so I may say of the
world ; he that is dead to the world, in that measure as he
is dead to it, is freed from the world. " Let us therefore
lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset
us ; and then we may run with patience the race that is set
before us ;" Heb. xii. 1.
This makes a poor Christian sometimes to live in more
content and comfort in the depth of adversity, than he did
before in the midst of his prosperity ; because, though his
flesh hath lost, his soul hath gained ; though he want the
fleshly accommodations which he had, yet the world is now
more dead to him than before ; and so his mind is freer for
God, and consequently more with him. How blessed a life
is it to converse with God with little disturbances and in-
terruptions ! A runner in a race is willing to be rid of his
very clothes that should cover him and keep him warm, be-
cause they are a burden and hindrance to him in his race ;
but the lookers on would be loath to be so stript. Take
away prosperity from an unmortified man, and you take
away the comfort of his life ; when if the same things be
taken from the mortified believer, he loseth but his burden.
How readily will that man obey that is dead to the world,
when he is commanded to do good, to relieve the poor ac-
cording to his power, to suffer wrongs, to let go his right,
to forgive and requite evil with good, to forsake all and fol-
low Christ ! When to another man these duties are a kind
of impossibilities ; and you may as well persuade a lion to
become a lamb, or a beast to die willingly by the hand of
the butcher, as persuade an unmortified worldling to these
things. They think when they hear them. These are hard
sayings, who can bear them? Or at least, they are duties
for a Peter or a Paul, and not for such as we. There is a
very great part of Christian obedience, that will be easy to
you when you are dead to the world, which no man else is
able to endure, nor will be persuaded to submit to.
542 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
Bet^t 3. Another benefit of this crucifixion is this :
' The tempter is hereby disarmed, and he is disabled from
doing- that against you, which with others he can do.' The
living world is the life of temptations. As a bear, for all his
strength and fierceness, may be led up and down by the
nose, when by a ring the cord is fastened to his flesh ; so
the tempter leadeth men captive at his will, by fastening to-
gether the world and their flesh. He finds it no hard mat-
ter to entice a sensual, worldly mind, to almost any thing
that is evil. Bid him lie or steal, and if it be not for shame,
or fear of men, he will do it. Bid him neglect God and his
worship, and he will do it. Bid him hate those that hinder
his commodity, or speak evil of them that cross his desires,
or seek revenge of those that he thinks do wrong him herein ;
and how quickly will he do it? The devil may do almost
what he list with those that ai'e not crucified to the world.
They will follow him up and down the world, from sin to
sin, if he have but a golden bait to entice them. But when
the world is crucified to you, what hath he to entice you
with? The cord is broken by which he was wont to bind
and lead you. Can you entice a wise man by pins and
counters, as you may do a child ? If he would draw you
from God, he hath nothing to do it with ; for the world, by
which he should do it, is now dead. If he would entice you
to pride, or ambition, or covetousness, or to sinful means
for worldly ends, he hath nothing to do it with ; because
the world is dead. The devil hath nothing but a little mo-
ney, or sensual pleasures, or honours, to hire you with to
betray and cast away your souls ; and what cares a mortified
man for these ? Will he part with Christ and heaven for
money, who looks on money as other men do on chips or
stones? It is the frame of men's hearts that is the strength
of a temptation. To a man that is in love with money,
O what a strong temptation is it, to see an opportunity of
getting it by sin ! But what will this move him, that look-
eth on it as on the dirt of the streets. To a proud man that
is tender of his reputation in the world, what a troublesome
temptation is it to be reproached, or slighted, or slandered ?
and what a dangerous temptation is it to him to be applaud-
ed ! But what are these to him that takes the approbation
and applauses of the world, but as a blast of wind ? as Christ
saith of himself, John xiv. 30. " The prince of this world
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 540
cometh, and hath nothing in me." That is. He cometh to
make his last and strongest assault; but he shall find no
carnal, sinful matter in me to work upon : and he cometh
by his instruments to persecute me to the death ; but he
shall find no guilt in rae, which might make it a glory to
him, or a dishonour to me. So in their measure the morti-
fied members of Christ may say. When satan cometh by
temptations, the world is dead by which he would tempt
them, and he shall find little of that earthly matter in them,
to work upon, and to entertain his seed. And therefore
when he afterward cometh by persecution, will find the less
of that guilt which would be the oil to enlarge and feed
these flames. Your innocency and safety lieth much in this
mortification.
Benefit 4. Another benefit that followeth our crucifixion
of the world, is this : ' It will prevent abundance of need-
less, unprofitable cost and labour, that other men are at.*
You will not be drawn to run and toil for a thing of naught.
When other men are riding, and going, and caring, and lar
bouring for a little smoke, or a flying shadow, you will sit,
as it were, over them, and discern, and pity, and lament
their folly. To see one man rejoice that hath got his prize ;
and another lament because he cannot get it ; and a third
in the eager pursuit of it; as if it were for their lives ; while
they live as if they had forgotten the eternal life which is at
hand ; will cause you to lift up your soul to his praises, that
hath saved you from this dotage. The world worketh on
the sensual part first, and thereby corrupteth, and as it were
brutifieth our very reason ; and the whole course of worldly
designs and affairs, even from the glorious actions of kings
and commanders, to the daily business of the ploughman
and the beggar, are all but the actions of frantic men, or
. madmen . I say, so far as the affairs of the world are ma-
naged by this sensual, unmortified principle, a sanctified be-
liever can look upon them all as on the running or tumult
of children or idiots, or on a game at chess, where wit is
laid out to little purpose. Mortification will help you to
turn your thoughts, and cares, and labours into a more pro-
fitable course ; so that when the end comes, you will have
somewhat to shew that you have gained ; when others must
complain that they have lost their labour, and worse than
lost it. What abundance of precious time do other men
544 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
lose, in dreamino; pursuits of an empty, deceiving, transitory
world, when God hath taken off the poise from you, of such
unprofitable motion, and taught you better to employ your
time. Many a hundred hours which others cast away upon
worldly thoughts, or discourse, or practices, are redeem-
ed by the wise for their everlasting benefit.
Benefit 5. Moreover, this mortification ' VV^ill help you to
prevent a great deal of sharp repentance, which must tell
unmortified worldlings of their folly.' When they have run
themselves out of breath, and abused Christ, and neglected
grace, and either lost or hazarded their souls, they must sit
down in the end and befool themselves for losing their
time and lives for nothing. When God hath given a man
b.ut a short life, and laid his everlasting life upon it, and put
such works into his hand as call for his utmost wisdom and
diligence, what a sad perplexing thought must it be, to con-
sider that all or most of this time hath been cast away upon
worldly vanities ! If a man shall run away from his own
father, and serve a master that at last will turn him off with
nothing but shame and blows, will he not wish that he had
never seen his face? Such a master all worldlings and sen-
sualists do serve. And he that got most by the world among
them, shall wish at last that he had never served it; when
the mortified Christian that slighted the world, and laid out
his care and labour for a better, may so far escape the bit-
terness of such repentings, and be glad that he hath chosen
the better part. That is not the best that is sweetest in the
eating, when afterwards it must be vomited up with pain,
because it cannot be digested. The spare diet of mortified
men, will prevent such afterpains and troubles.
Benefit 6. Moreover, where the world is crucified, A
great deal of self-tormenting care and trouble of mind will be
prevented. You will not live such a perplexed, miserable
life as worldlings do. Even in your outward troubles you
will have less inward trouble of soul, than they have in their
abundance. They are like a man that is hanged up in
chains alive, that gnaws upon his own flesh awhile, and then
must famish. What else do worldlings but tear and devour
themselves with cares and sorrows, and scourge themselves
with vexatious thoughts and troubles? If others did the
hundredth part as much to them, against their wills,' as
they wilfully do against themselves, they would account
BY THE CKOSS OF CHRIST. 545
them the crudest persons in the world. Paul saith of men
that are in love with money, that "while they covet after it,
they do (not only) err from the faith," but also mvrovg vtpi-
eVapav, " they pierced themselves through and through,"
and stabbed their own hearts " with many sorrows." A
worldly mind, and a melancholy are some kin. The daily
work of both is self- vexation, and they are wilfully set upon
the stabbing and destroying themselves. But it is not thus
with the believer, so far as he is mortified. Will he vex
himself for nothing ? Will he be troubled for the loss of
that which he disregardeth ? The dead world hath not
power thus to disquiet his mind, and to toss it up and down
in trouble. When it hath power on his body, it cannot reach
his soul. As the soul of a dead man feeleth no pain, when
the corpse is cut in pieces, or rotteth in the grave ; so in
a lower measure, the soul of a believer being in a sort as it
were separated from the body by faith, and gone before to
the heavenly inheritance, is freed from the sense of the cala-
mities of the flesh. So far as we are dead, we are insensible
of sufferings.
Benefit 7. Another benefit that followeth upon the for-
mer is this. We shall be far better able to suffer for Christ,
because that sufferings will be much more easy to us, when
once we are truly crucified to the world. What is it that
makes men so tender of suffering, and startle at the noise of
it, and therefore conform themselves to the times they live
in, and venture their souls to save their flesh? but only their
overvaluing fleshly things, and not knowing the worth
and weight of things everlasting. They have no soul within
them but what is become carnal, by abase subjection to the
flesh ; and therefore they savour nothing but the things of
the flesh. All life desireth a suitable food for its sustenta-
tion. A carnal life within, hath a carnal appetite, and is
most sensible of the miss of carnal commodities ; but a spi-
ritual life hath a spiritual appetite. And as carnal minds
can easily let go spiritual things ; so a spiritual mind, so far
as it is such, can easily let go carnal things, when God re-
quireth it. When you are dead to the world, you will easily
part with it ; for all things below will seem but small mat-
ters to you, in comparison of the things which they are put
in competition with. If you are scorned, or accounted the
VOL. IX. N N
546 THK CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
offscouring of the town, you can bear it; because with you
it is a very small matter to be judged of man ; 1 Cor. iv. 3.
If you must endure abuses or persecutions for Christ, you
can bear it ; because you reckon that the sufferings of this
life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall
be revealed ; Rom. viii. 18. You can let go your gain, and
account it loss for Christ ; yea, and account all things loss
for the knowledge of him ; and suffer the loss of all things
for him, accounting them but as dung, that you may win
him ; Phil. iii. 7, 8. If you knew that bonds and afflictions
did abide you, yet none of these things would move you,
so that you may finish your course with joy ; Acts xx. 23,.
24. So far as you are dead to the world, and alive to God,
it will be thus with you ; when they that are alive to the
world are so far from being able to die for God, that every
cross doth seem a death to them. I have many a time heard
such lamentable complaints from people that are fallen into
poverty, or disgrace, or some other worldly suffering, that
hath given me more cause to lament the misery of their souls
than of their bodies. When they take on as if they were
quite undone, and had lost their God and hope of heaven,
doth it not too plainly shew, that they made the world their
God and their heaven ?
Benefit 8. Moreover if indeed you are crucified to the
world, your hearts will be still open to the motions of the
Spirit, and the motions of further grace ; and so you will
have abundant advantage, both for the exercise and increase-
of the graces whrch you have received. The earthlyminded
have their hearts locked up against all that can be said of
them ; never can the Spirit or his ministers make a motion
to them for their good, but some worldly interest or other
doth contradict it, and rise up against it. But what have
you to stop your ears when the world is dead? The word
then will have free access into your hearts. When the
Scripture comes, your thoughts are ready, your affections
are at hand ; and all are in a posture to entertain him and
attend him : and so the work goes on and prospers. But
when he comes to the worldly mind, the thoughts are all
from home, the affections are abroad and out of the way,
and there is nothing for his entertainment, but all in a pos-
ture to resist him and gainsay him. O what work would
the preaching of the Gospel make in the world, if there were
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 547
not a worldly principle within to strive against it! But we
speak against men's idols, against their jewels and their
treasures, and therefore against their hearts and natures.
And then no wonder if we leave them in the jaws of satan,
where we found them, till irresistible merciful violence shall
rescue them. But so far as you are mortified, the enemy
is dead ; contradictions are all silenced ; opposition is
ceased ; the Spirit findeth that within, that will befriend its
motions, and, own its cause; the soul lieth before the word,
and gladly hears the voice of Christ : and thus the work
goes smoothly on.
Benefit 9. Moreover when once you are crucified to the
world, you are capable of the true spiritual use of it, which
it was made for. Then you may see God in it ; and then
you may savour the blood of Christ in it ; then you may
perceive a great deal of love in it ; and that which before
was venomous, and did endanger your souls, will now be-
come a help to you, and may be safely handled when the
sting is thus taken out. Before it was the road to hell ; and
now there is some taste of heaven in it. The stones and
earth are useful for you to tread upon, though they are unfit
for you to feed on, or too hard to rest upon. So though
the world be unfit to rest or feed your souls, it may be a
convenient way for you to travel in. It is unmeet to be
loved, but it is meet to be used, when you have learned so
to use it, as not abusing it. When self is thoroughly down
and denied, and God is exalted, and your souls brought over
so clearly to him, that you are nothing but in him, and would
have nothing but in and with him, and do nothing but for
'him ; then you shall be able to see that glory and amiable-
ness in the creature, that now you cannot see ; for you shall
see the Creator himself in the creature.
Benefit 10. When once you are truly crucified to the
world, you will have the honour and the comfort of a hea-
venly life. Your thoughts will be daily steeped in the ce-
lestial delights, when other men's are steeped in gall and
vinegar. You will be above with God, when your carnal
neighbours converse only with the world. Your thoughts
will be higher than their thoughts, and your ways than
their ways, as the heaven, where your converse is, is higher
than the earth. When you take flight from earth in holy
devotions, they may look at you, and wonder at you, but
548 THE CRUCIFYING OF THP: WORLD
cannot follow you ; for whither you go, they cannot come,
till they are such as you. You leave them grovelling here
on earth, and feeding on the dust, and striving like children,
or rather like swine or dogs, about their meat ; when you
are above in the Spirit, on the wings of faith and love, be-
holding that face that perfecteth all that perfectly behold it ;
and tasting that joy, which fully reconcileth all that fully
do enjoy it; which we must here contend for, but none do
there contend about it. What a noble employment have
you, in comparison of the highest servants of the world ?
How sweet are your delights in comparison of the epicures !
O happy souls that can see so much of your eternal happi-
ness, and reach so near it ! Were I but more in your con-
dition, I would not envy princes their glory, nor any sen-
sualists and worldlings their contents, nor desire to be their
partner. I could spare them their troublesome dignities
and their burdensome riches, and the unwholesome plea-
sures which they so often surfeit on, and the wind of popular
applause which so swelleth them. Yea, what could I not
spare them, if I might be more with you ? O happy poverty,
sickness, or imprisonment, or whatever is called misery by
the world, if it be nearer heaven than a sensual life ! and if
it will but advantage my soul for those contemplations which
are the employment of mortified, heavenly men ! Yea, if it
do but remove the impediments of so sweet a life ! I know
(by some little, too little experience, I know) that one hour's
time of that blessed life, will easily pay for all the cost ;
and one believing view of God will easily blast the beauty of
th6 world, and shame all those thoughts as the issue of my
dotage, that ever gave it a lovely name, or turned mine eye
upon it with desire, or caused me once with complacency to
behold it, or ever brought it nearer my heart. O sirs, what
a noble life may you live ! and how much more excellent
work might you be employed in, if the world were but dead
to yon, and the stream of your souls were turned upon God !
Had you but one draught of the heavenly consolations, you
would thirst no more for the pleasures of the world. Yea,
did you but taste of it, as Jonathan the honey from the end
of his rod, (I Sara. xiv. 27.) your eyes would be enlightened,
and your hearts revived, and your hands would be strength-
ened in your spiritual warfare, that your enemies would
quickly perceive it, in your more resolute, prevailing oppo-
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 549
sition of their assaults. And experience will tell you, that
you will no further reach this heavenly life than you are cru-
cified to earth and flesh. God useth to shew himself to the
celestial inhabitants, and not to the terrestrial ; and there-
fore you will see no more of God than you get above and
converse in heaven. And if faith had not this elevating
power, and could not see further than sense can do, we might
talk long enough of God before we had any saving know-
ledge of him, or relish of his goodness. And doubtless, if
we must get by faith into heaven, if we will have the reviving
sight of God, then we must needs away from earth ; for our
hearts cannot at once converse in both. Believe it, sirs,
God useth to give his heavenly cordials upon an empty sto-
mach, and not to drown them in the mud and dirt of sen-
suality. When you are most empty of creature delights and
love, you are most capable of God. And fasting from the
world, doth best prepare you for this heavenly feast. Let
abstinence and temperance be imposed upon your senses ;
but command a total fast to your affections ; and try then
whether your souls be not fitter to ascend, and whether God
will not reveal himself more clearly than before. It may
seem a paradox that the vallies should be nearer heaven
than the hills, but doubtless Stephen saw more of it than the
highpriest; and Lazarus had a fairer prospect thither, from
among the dogs at the rich man's gate, than the master of
the house had at his plentiful table. And who would not
rather have Lazarus's sore with a foresight of heaven, than
the rich man's fulness without it ; yea, with the fears of after
misery? A heavenly life is proper to the mortified.
Benefit 11. Moreover, those that are crucified to the
world, are most fruitful unto others, and blessings to all
within their reach. They can part with any thing to do
good with. They are rich to God and their brethren, if they
be rich, and not to themselves. If a mortified man have
hundreds or thousands by the year, he hath no more of it
for himself than if he had a meaner estate. He takes but
necessary food and raiment ; he shunneth intemperance and
excess. Nay, he often pincheth his body, if needful, that
he may tame it, and bring it into subjection to the Spirit ;
and the rest he lays out for the service of God, so far as he
is acquainted with his will. Yea, his necessary food and
raiment which he receiveth himself, is ultimately not for
550 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WOULD
himself, but for God. Even that he may be sustained by
his daily bread for his daily duty, and fitted to please his
Master that maintaineth him. If they have much, they
give plenteously. If they have but little, they are faithful
in that little. And if they have not silver and gold, they
will give such as they have, where God requireth it.
But the unmortified worldling is like some spreading
trees, that by drawing all the nutriment to themselves, and
by dropping on the rest, will let no other prosper under
them. They draw as much as they can to themselves. For
themselves is their care and daily labour; Psal. xlix. 18.
They all mind their own things ; but not the things of
Christ or their brethren. Getting, and having, and keeping
is their business ; and as swine, are seldom profitable until
they die.
Benefit 12. The last benefit that I shall mention is this :
If you are now dead to the world, and the world to you, your
natural death will be the less grievous to you, when it comes.
It will be little or no trouble to you to leave your houses, or
lands, or goods ; to leave your eating, and drinking, and re-
creations ; or to leave your employments and company in
the world ; for you are dead to all that is worldly before.
Surely so far as the heart is upon God, and taken off these
transitory things, it can be no grief to us to leave them and
go to God ! It is only the remnants of the unmortified flesh,
together with the natural evil of death, thatmaketh death to
seem grievous to believers ; but so far as they are believers,
and dead to the world, the case is otherwise. Death is not
near so dreadful to them as it is to others ; except as the
quality of some disease, or some extraordinary desertion,
may change the case. Or as some desperate wicked ones
may be insensible of their misery. How bitter is the sight
of approaching death, to them that lay up their treasure on
earth, and place their happiness in the prosperity of the
flesh ? To such a fool as Christ describeth, Luke xii. that
saith to himself, " Soul take thy ease, eat, drink, and be
merry, thou hast enough laid up for many years." How sad
must the tidings of death needs be to him that set his heart
on earth, and spent his days in providing for the flesh,
and never laid up a treasure in heaven, nor made him
friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, nor gave dili-
gence in the time of his life to make his calling and election
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 551
sure! To a worldly man, that sets not his heart and hopes
above, the face of death is unspeakably dreadful. But if we
could kill the world before us, and be dead to it now, and
alive to God, and with Paul, die daily, it would be a power-
ful means to abate the terrors, and a certain way to take out
the sting, that death might be a sanctified passages into life.
So much of the benefits of mortification.
And now what remains, but that you that are mortified
believers, receive your consolation, and consider what the
Lord hath done for your souls, and give him the praise of so
great a mercy. Believe it, it is a thousandfold better to be
crucified to the world, than to be advanced to prosperity in
it ; and to have a heart that is above the world, than to be
made the possessor of the world.
And for you that yet are strangers to this mercy, O that
the Lord would open your hearts to consider where you are,
and what you are doing, and whither you are going, and how
the world will use you, and how you are like to come off at
last, before you go any further, that you may not make so
mad a bargain, as to gain the world and lose your souls. O
that you did but thoroughly believe, that it is the only wise
and gainful choice to deny your carnal selves, and forsake
all and follow Christ, in hope of the heavenly treasure which
he hath promised. And let me tell you again, as the way
to this. That though melancholy may make you weary of
the world, and stoical precepts may restrain your lusts ; yet
it is only the power of the Holy Ghost, the cross of Christ,
the belief of the promise, the love of God, and the hopes of
the everlasting invisible glory, that will effectually and sav-
ingly crucify you to the world, and the world to you. It is
a lesson that never was well taught by any other master but
Christ, and you must learn it from him, by his words, mi-
nisters, and Spirit in his school, or you will never learn or
practise it aright.
552 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
THE SECOND PART;
OF THE CHRISTIAN'S GLORYING.
Having thus dispatched the first part of my subject,
concerning a Christian's Crucifixion to the World, by Christ
and his Cross, I come to the second part, concerning the
Glorying of a Christian. The Judaizing teachers did glory
carnally, even in a carnal worship, and carnal privileges,
and in the carnal effects of their doctrine on their prose-
lytes ; but Paul, that had more to glory in than they, doth
disclaim and renounce all such glorying as theirs, and own-
eth, and professeth a contrary glorying, even in the cross of
Christ and his mortification. The observation to be han-
dled is, that
'True Christians must with abhorrency renounce all Car-
nal Glorying, and must glory only in the Cross of Christ, by
whom the world is crucified to them, and they unto the
world.'
In handling this, I shall briefly shew you,
I. What is included, or what we may glory in.
II. What is excluded, or what we may not glory in.
For the former, here are two things expressed in the text,
in which a Christian may and must glory.
I. The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
II. Our crucifixion to the world hereby. So that the
positive part of the doctrine containeth these two branches,
which I shall handle distinctly, before I speak to the nega-
tive part.
1. True Christians that are crucified to the world and
the world to them, by the cross of Christ, may and must
glory therein.
2. Yet so, as that their glorying must be principally in
Christ, and their own mortification must be gloried in but
as the fruit of his cross.
For the first part, it must be understood with these ne-
cessary limitations.
1. As Glorying, signifieth a self-ascribing and proud con-
ceit of our own mortification, and is contrary to Christian
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 553
self-denial and humility, and glorying in God, so we mus
take heed of it and abhor it.
2. As Glorying signifieth any outward expression of this
inward pride, either by words or deeds, we must also avoid
it with abhorrence.
3. So must we also do by all unseasonable, offensive os-
tentation, which may seem to others to savour of pride,
though indeed it proceed from a better cause.
4. But as Glorying signifieth the apprehension of the
good of the thing, and our benefit by it, and the due affec-
tions of content and joy, and exultation of mind that follow
thereupon, thus must a Christian glory in his mortification
by the cross of Christ. We commonly call this act a bles-
sing of ourselves in the apprehension of our case. As the
carnal, ungodly world do bless themselves in their possess-
ing worldly things, so may a Christian bless himself that
he is crucified to them. That is, he may rejoice in it as a
great blessing of God, that tendeth to further blessedness.
5. And when we are called to it, we may express to
others our glorying herein. But so as that we give the glo-
ry to God, and not to our own corrupted wills.
6. And when we are called hereto, we must do it very
cautiously, as Paul doth, 1 Cor. iv. 4., " I know nothing
by myself, yet am I not hereby justified." Signifying that
we do it with holy intentions for the good of the hearers, and
the honour of God, as he doth, ver. 1,2. 6. 8. to the end.
And 2 Cor. ii. 5, 6, 8cc. 1 Cor. ix. throughout. 2 Cor. iii.
1,2, &.C. And we must so do it as to confess it is like to
folly, it being the custom of proud fools to be boasters of
themselves. And so Paul when he is called to mention his
privileges, calls it his folly in this sense, 2 Cor. xi. 1. 17.
19. 23. lest others should be encouraged to sinful boasting
by his example, if he did not brand it by the way with the
note of folly ; though it was materially so in him (being
the matter that folly is by others expressed in), but formally
in the proud.
2. Having told you how we may glory in our own mor-
tification, I shall next give you the proof of the point, that
we may so do.
And first it is proved by the example of Paul himself,
both here in my text, and in many other places. 2 Cor. v.
11 — 13. xi. throughout, xii. throughout, ver. 5, 6. "Of
such an one will I glory ; yet of myself I will not glory, but
554 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
in mine infirmities." That is, not in any thing that seem-
eth to advance me in the eyes of the world, lest it should
seem a carnal glorying, or men should be drawn thereby to
overvalue me ; but in such things as men rather pity or vili-
fy for, even my worldly meanness, and contemptibleness,
and sufferings for Christ, though before God these are ho-
nourable, and therefore I will not glory in them openly, but
secretly as I may do in all other graces. So it followeth :
" For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool ;
for I will say the truth. But now I forbear, lest any man
should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or
that he heareth of me." And so ver. 9—11. " Most gladly
therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the pow-
er of Christ may rest upon me" (that is, that my glorying
may magnify that power of Christ that is manifest in sus-
taining me, and not myself) ; " therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ's sake ; for when I am weak (that is,
in the flesh, and the eye of the world), then I am strong
(that is, in the Spirit and the work of Christ). I am become
a fool (that is, like a fool) in glorying : ye have compelled
me : for I ought to have been commended of you ; for in
nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be
nothing." Yea, 1 Cor. ix. 15. he saith, he " had rather die,
than any should make his glorying void," concerning his
self-denial for the advantage of the Gospel.
2. I also prove it thus. We may and must glory in the
blessed effects of the blood of Christ ; or else we shall not
give him his honour. But our own mortification is one of
the blessed effects of the blood or cross of Christ; therefore
we may and must glory in it.
3. We may and must glory in the certain tokens of the love
of God. But our mortification is one of the certain tokens
of the love of God ; therefore we may and must glory in it.
4. We may and must glory in Christ dwelling in us ; and
the effects of his indwelling. For if we may glory in Christ
crucified, then also in Christ as our head, to whom we are
united, and from whom we receive continual influence and
communication of graces ; but our own mortification is the
certain fruit of Christ dwelling in us ; therefore we may glo-
ry in it.
5. We may glory in the image of God upon our souls.
For as it is our glory, so it is the liveliest representation of
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 555
God himself. But our mortification is part of God's image
upon us ; therefore we may glory in it.
G. We may glory that we are the temples of the Holy
Ghost, and that the Spirit of Christ is in us, and we may
glory in his fruits and works. But our mortification is a
principal fruit of the Spirit, which sheweth that he dwelleth
in us ; therefore we may glory in it.
7. There is no doubt but Christians may glory in the
cessation of their sin against God, and that as to the domi-
nion of sin, they do not dishonour him by breaking his
laws, abusing his Son, his Spirit, and his mercies, as for-
merly they did. But all this is contained in our mortifi-
cation ; therefore we may glory in it.
8. No doubt but we may glory in the honour of God,
when his wisdom, and goodness, and power are demonstra-
ted, to the confusion of his foes, and the encouragement of
his people ; but this is done in the mortification of his
saints ; in them he conquereth, and in him that loveth them
they are supervictors ; Rom. viii. 37. If we must glorify
the workman, as such, then must we also glorify the work.
If Moses and all Israel must sing such a song of praise to
God for overthrowing Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea,
much more must we sing his praise that conquereth satan
and all our corruptions. And the work itself must be mag-
nified in order to the conqueror's praise. If Deborah must
sing God's praises for the conquests of weak men, much
more must we for the conquest of the world by faith, and for
subduing the powers of darkness to us. There is more of
God's love and power seen in the spiritual victories of a
poor mortified Christian, that is taken no notice of, or de-
spised in the world, than in the bodily conquests of the fa-
mous princes in the world, who most of them perish ever-
lastingly after all, because they are conquered by the world
and their own flesh.
Though it be the design of the devil, and the slanderous
world, to obscure or vilify the work of grace on the souls of
the sanctified, yet must it be the care of believers to coun-
terwork them, and maintain and manifest the lustre of that
grace, to the glory of the author. He that magnifieth the
cure doth honour the physician ; but he that slighteth or
disregardeth it, doth dishonour him. To debase the work
of creation is a reproach to the Creator ; yea, to overlook it
and not admire and magnify it, is an injury to him; to vili-
556 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
fy the work of the Redeemer is horrible infidelity and in-
gratitude ; and to slight it, and not to magnify it is damna-
ble. And must it not be so then to vilify or not to magnify
the works of the Sanctifier? Why should it not be our duty
to magnify the work of sanctification, as well as the work
of creation and redemption ? Especially when it is the end
which the others do tend to, and that without which we are
incapable of sincere magnifying either creation or redemp-
tion.
9. It is certain we may glory in the healing of our dis-
eases, and recovery of our depraved, miserable souls. He
that must be sensible of his sin, must needs be sensible of
the mercy of the deliverer. It cannot be that we should be
obliged to mourn for sin, and yet may not glory in our de-
liverance from it. Nature itself constraineth us to lament
the known unhappiness of our souls, as well as the wounds
and calamities of our bodies. And therefore the same na-
ture must needs teach us to rejoice and glory in our spiri-
tual recovery.
10. If we may glory in our remission or justification,
then by proportion or parity of reason, we may also glory in
our mortification. For both are ours by gift, and neither
are deserved by us. But it is past doubt that we may glory
in our pardon or justification; therefore we may also glory
in our mortification.
11. Undoubtedly we may glory in the ruin of the ene-
mies of Christ and us. How can a soldier be obliged to
fight, and not to glory in the victory or good success? But
our mortification is the ruin of Christ's enemies and ours ;
therefore we may glory in it.
12. V^e may glory iti that which tendeth apparently to
the good of our brethren, yea, to the common good of
church and commonwealth. For he that is bound to love
his brother, and the commonwealth, is bound to rejoice and
glory in their benefits. But certainly the mortification of
every individual member doth tend to the good of each part
and of the whole. O how profitably should we converse to-
gether, if it were not for this sin ! How peaceable, and edi-
fying, and comfortable would our conversation be to all
about us? We should not then tempt them to sin by our ex-
ample, nor disturb the peace of families or neighbours, by
the distempers of our souls and lives ; nor draw God's judg-
ments on the places where we live ; no wonder if all about
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 557
them be the worse for one unmortified man ; and if the ship
be in sudden danger, till Jonah be cast overboard ; or if Is-
rael be dismayed for Achan's sin. And all that are about
them may fare the better for a mortified believer. In this
respect therefore we must glory in our mortification.
13. It is certainly lawful to glory in that which is the
earnest of our heavenly everlasting glory, or a note or evi-
dence of our title to it. For it cannot be, that felicity can
be desired as felicity, which is with our highest aftections
and endeavours, but we must needs glory in that which as-
sureth us that we shall attain it. But our mortification is a
certain sign of our title to it, and an earnest of it ; and there-
fore we may justly glory in our mortification.
14. Lastly, it is undoubtedly meet that we glory in that
which is pleasing to God our Father. For the pleasing of
him is our ultimate end ; and the doing of his will is the
whole work of our lives. And therefore if we may not glo-
ry in that, we may glory in nothing at all. Even Christ's
own sacrifice, and merits, and holy life, are therefore to be
extolled, because they were fully pleasing unto God ; and
the full commendation which the Father giveth him was,
" This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ;"
Matt. iii. 17. Now it is certain that God is pleased also with
the mortified souls and lives of his people, and that through
Christ they are amiable and acceptable to him ; 1 Cor.
vii.32. IThess.iv.l. 2Tim.ii.4. Heb.xiii.16. They
walk with God by faith, have this testimony, as Enoch had,
" that they please God ;" Heb.xi.5. " Beloved, if our heart
condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God, and
whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in
his sight ;" 1 John iii. 21, 22. To this end is all our wis-
dom and knowledge, that we may walk worthy of the Lord,
in all wellpleasing, being fruitful in every good work ; Col.
i. 9, 10. He is not a Christian that rejoiceth not in that
"which is pleasing to the Lord. " The righteous Lord loveth
righteousness ;" Psal. xi. 7. " And he loveth a cheerful
giver ;" 2 Cor. ix. 7. And shall we not glory in that which
is beloved of God? You see then the truth of the point i^
most evident.
Use 1. The first Use that we shall make of this part of the
observation (before we proceed to the explication of the other
parts) is, To inform us of the mistake and injurious dealing
568 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
of some misguided ones, commonly called Antinomians,
who tell us that we must look at nothing in ourselves, nor
fetch comfort from it, and earnestly exclaim against the
preachers of the Gospel for teaching men to look at any
thing in themselves, and to take comfort from the evidence
of their graces, and tell us that we must look to Christ
alone; and call all those legal preachers or professors that
be not of their mind in this. But you may see by what is
said before, that they speak against the clearest, fullest evi-
dence; and that the whole stream of Scripture beareth
down their opinion. And therefore it is sad, that when they
go against the light of the sun, they should be so confident
as to accuse their brethren of darkness, and so rash as to
censure them as legalists and ignorant of the righteousness
of Christ.
Let us a little distinguish, and all the mists of their ac-
cusations will vanish, and the case will be clear. 1. We
must distinguish between carnal self which we are called in
Scripture to deny, and self as it signifieth our personal be-
ing. And this we are commanded in Scripture to love and
cherish. For we must love our neighbours but as ourselves,
and a man must cherish and love his wife but as his own
body, and love her but as himself, for no man ever yet hat-
ed his own flesh ; Eph. v. 28, 29. 33. And self in the third
sense, as taken for renewed self, that certainly none is
bound to hate.
Now in the first sense it is true that we must look at
nothing in ourselves for comfort ; that is, at nothing in our
carnal selves. But of self in the other two senses, we must
further inquire.
2. We must distinguish between that which is both in
ourselves, and of ourselves originally, and that which is in
ourselves, but not of ourselves, but of God by Christ ; or
only of ourselves in subordination to Christ. The former
sort we have small reason to glory in, for it is our sin and
shame. But the latter we may glory in ; for the glory re-
doundeth to the author.
3. We must distinguish between looking at something in
ourselves with a mistaking eye, as judging it meritorious, or
to be more our own than it is ; and looking at it with a right
judgment, and saying of it no more than what is true. In
the latter sense we may look at it and glory in it, but not in
the former.
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. ' 559
4, And we must distinguish between a glorying that is
terminated ultimately in ourselves, or is accompanied with
any undue ascribing to ourselves ; this is no doubt unlaw-
ful : and a glorying which tendeth to God and is terminated
in him, and giveth no honour to any creature but what God
giveth them, and what is in a due appointed order to God's
honour. And this glorying is a duty, and by all Christians
to be carefully performed.
If any that peruse these lines be tainted with this weak
mistake, let them consider, besides what is said before :
1. Is it just or pious that Christ should lose the honour
of his mercies, merely because he hath bestowed them on
us ? Doth that make them no mercies ? Or rather make
them the greater mercies ? Shall his grace be vilified, be-
cause he makes thy soul the subject of it ? Why then it
seems you would have thanked him more to have kept his
mercy to himself.
2. Is Christ ever the less Christ, because he dwells in
the hearts of believers? Ephes. iii. 17. And will you pre-
tend to honour Christ without you, and deny his honour
within you, even because he is within you ? Yea, and will
pretend that it is for the honour of Christ thus to dishonour
him? And tell men that they deny or overlook it, because
they admire him within them, as well as without them. If
Paul say, " I have laboured more abundantly than they all,"
and add when he hath done, " Yet not I, but the grace of
God which was with me ; and by the grace of God I am
what I am, and his grace which was bestowed on me was not
in vain ;" 1 Cor. xv. 10. Will you tell him that he exalteth
himself against grace ? No ; but he exalteth grace in him-r
self. Paul travailed in birth of the Galatians until Christ
was formed in them ; Gal. iv. 19. And must not he and
they observe and honour Christ in them after all this tra-
vail ? If we glory that we " are crucified with Christ, and
that we live," we always add or understand, " yet not we,
but Christ liveth in us, and the life which we now live in the
flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God. who loved us,
and gave himself for us ;" Gal. ii. 20. And is it a dishonour
to Christ, to acknowledge him in us, and to say that we live
by him?
3. Was it not the very end of Christ's death, to save
his people from their sins ? (Matt. i. 21.) and to bring them
" from darkness to light, and from the power of satan unto
560 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE AVOR LD
God ?" Acts xxvi. 18. And did he not " give himself for us,
that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and sanctify to
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works?" Tit. ii. 14.
Did he not therefore " die for all, that they which live, should
not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died
for them, and rose again?" 2 Cor. v. 15. "When he as-
cended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts
unto men :" to what end ? " For the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ, until we all come in the unity of the faith, and the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, that hence-
forth we be no more children," &c. " Christ loved the
church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it,
and cleanse it by the washing of water, by the word, that he
might present it to himself a glorious church, not having
spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be
holy and without blemish." Abundance of such passages
in Scripture do assure us that the holiness of the saints was
the end that Christ intended in his death. If therefore you
teach men that they must not look at the end, in effect you
teach them that they must not look at the means. If they
must not rejoice in the fruits of Christ's death, they must
not rejoice in his death itself; for in itself considered, his
death was not matter of joy, but of sorrow ; but it is for the
sake of the effects that we must rejoice in it. It is a disho-
nour to the sufferings and merits of Christ, to obscure or
make light of the ends and effects of them. And they that
will glorify the blood of Christ, must glorify its effects on
the souls of men. Who is it honoureth the physician ? he
that magnifieth the cure, or he that vilifieth it, or makes no-
thing of it, as was aforesaid ?
4. Doubtless we must observe and glory in that which
all the world must observe and glorify God for ; and that
which will be the matter of our Redeemer's honour at the
last day ; yea, the magnifying himself therein is the end of
his coming. But such is the holiness of the saints. They
that "see their good works, must glorify our Father which
is in heaven ;" Matt. v. 16. " And Christ shall come to be
glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe,
even because they believed the Gospel ;" 2 Thess. i. 10.
Read also ver. 11, 12.
5. The holiness of the saints is called4heir participation
BY THE CttOSS OF CHRIST. , 561
of the divine nature ; (as 2 Pet. i. 4. is commonly expound-
ed, and it seems more agreeable to that which foUoweth,
than to expound it of a relative participation of the Divine
nature in Christ without us.) This is given to them that
" escape the corruption that is in the world through lust;"
2 Pet. i. 4. And will you overlook the Divine nature and
refuse to honour it, and this on pretence that it is a wrong to
Christ? Take heed lest by your doctrine you make Christ
an enemy to God and holiness, who came into the world to
do his Father's will, and to recover sinners by sanctification
from the world to God.
6. It is the great sin of the devil and wicked men, to
wrong and dishonour Christ in his saints ; and when he him-
self is out of their reach, they persecute him in his mem-
bers ; and those that love not and relieve not these, shall be
judged as not loving and relieving Christ. It is certainly
our duty then to do contrary to them, and to love and ad-
mire God's graces in the saints, and to observe and honour
Christ within them.
7. What comfortable use can we make of the promises,
if we must not look at those evidences in ourselves that prove
our interest in them ? God hath promised, that " if we con-
fess with the mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in the heart
that God raised him from the dead, we shall be saved ;"
Rom. X. " And that he that believeth shall not perish, but
have everlasting life ;" John iii. 16. If you say with the
Papists, that no man can tell whether he be a true believer or
not, then you make the promise vain ; for what good will it do
any man to knovi^ that heaven is promised to believers, if it
cannot be known whether we are believers or not ? But if
you confess that it may be known, why should we so des-
pise the comfort of the promise, as not to search after and
observe the qualification which must evidence that it is
ours ? Will you apply this promise to all, or to some, or to
none ? If to none, then it is made in vain : if to all, you
will deceive the most. I mean if you absolutely promise
them the benefit : for it is not all that are believers, nor all
that shall have everlasting life. You dare not absolutely tell
all men in the world, that they shall not perish. It must
needs therefore be the proper benefit of some ; and how will
you know, but by the text, who those are ? There is no way
of applying it, that the text or common reason will allow of,
VOL. IX. o o
562 THE CRVCIFYING OF TffE WORLD
but by discerning that we are believers, to conclude there-
upon that we shall not perish. If you say that all are bound
to believe that they shall not perish, I answer, then most
should be bound to believe a falsehood, which cannot be.
They are only bound to believe the truth of the Gospel, and
accept of Christ as offered therein, and then discerning this
faith in themselves, to conclude that they shall be gloritied.
8. Should we not observe the lower mercies that we
possess, it were great unthankfulness ; much more to over-
look the special mercies that accompany salvation. We
must bless God for the very health and strength of body
that is within us ; for our understandings and memories ;
how much more for the graces that are within us?
9. Our mortification is part of our salvation ; and our
holiness is a beginning of our happiness ; and when we
come to heaven we shall be perfected herein. If, therefore,
we may not take comfort in this, we may not take comfort
in heaven itself, which is the perfection of it.
10. Lastly, consider, that sanctification is that mercy
that makes us capable of glorifying God for the rest of his
mercies, and receiving the comfort of them. An unsancti-
fied man cannot give any honour sincerely to Christ. And
may we not observe and glory in that mercy that enableth
us to give God the glory of all mercies ? Can it be a wrong
to Christ, to rejoice in that, without which we can do no-
thing to wrong him ? And to take comfort in that, without
which we are incapable of true comfort?
By this time I hope it is evident to you, that it is an in-
jurious dealing against Christ and his saints, for any to re-
proach them for glorying in God's graces, even that they are
crucified to the world, and the world to them.
Use 2. From hence also many disconsolate Christians
may see their error, who cannot glory in a mortified state.
They can see matter of comfort in a state of exaltation, when
they perceive themselves prosper in all that they undertake,
and find a present answer of their prayers, and enjoy the sense
of the love of God ; but to be crucified to the world, and the
world to them, doth seem to them but an uncomfortable
state, and they cannot see the greatness of the mercy. It is
easy to perceive the excellency of those mercies that parti-
cipate of the ultimate end, and are known by proper fruition,
and have nothing in them but pure sweetness and delight ;
and therefore a state of joy declareth itself; but as for those
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 563
mercies that have the nature of a means, whose excjellence
is in order to their end, and those that have some wholesome
bitterness mixed, because they are less grateful to sense, and
valued only by faith, therefore we are too prone to overlook
their worth, and to neglect the comforts which the conside-
ration of them might afford us, and so to deny God the
thanks that are his due. Every sensual man can rejoice in
the having and enjoying of outward prosperity ; and every
Christian can rejoice in the fruition of God, whether in fore-
taste here, or in fulness hereafter; but to rejoice in the ab-
sence of worldly prosperity, in that we are dead to it, and
have learned to set light by it ; and to rejoice in the absence
of God, in that we have hearts that are set upon him, and
cannot be satisfied without him, and are desiring after him,
and in progress towards him, and hope ere long that we
shall be with him ; this is the joy that must be expected by
believers here on earth.
Though an enjoying foretaste may now and then afford
them a feast, yet it is this believing, desiring, seeking joy
that must be their ordinary sustentation ; and if in this
world they have no other, they have cause to be abundantly
thankful for this.
To rejoice in the fruition of God, (especially when it is
full) is the part of the glorified saints in heaven. To rejoice
in the creature, as accommodating their flesh, is the joy of
the carnal, unsanctified here on earth, (a remnant of which
is in the imperfect saints). To rejoice in mere outward or-
dinances, and the false conceits of special grace, is the joy
of hypocrites and common professors. To be without joy,
is the part of some of the ungodly under the terrors of their
consciences, and of true Christians that know not their own
sincerity, or are under some great desertions of God. To be
out of all hope and possibility of joy, is the part of the devil
and damned men. But to rejoice in the true mortification
of the flesh, and in the holy contempt of worldly things, and
in the desires and hopes of the glory to come, this is the
part of the saints on the earth, and the present joy that
Cometh by believing. And this kind of joy is most suitable
to our present condition ; as fruition is suitable to our hea-
venly end. The comforts of travellers are not of the same
kind with those of a man that is at home. He that is at
home would have his wealth about him ; but you would not
carry your houses with you in your journey, nor would you
564 THE CliUCIFYJNG OF THE WORLD
divide your cattle with you, or carry all your goods and
riches with you. A traveller would have as fair a way as he
can get, and as good a guide, and necessaries for his jour-
ney, and no more, but all the rest he would have at home,
that he may find it when he comes thither. It is his benefit
in the way to want no more, and to have no more ; for the
more he needeth, and hath, the more he must be burdened
and troubled. Mark the descriptions of our present bles-
sedness that you find in the Scriptures, and you may see
that they consist in our present mortification to things below,
and desires and hopes of things to come, rather than in a
state of enjoyment here, whether it be of the world or of
God. Thoug-h still the reason of our blessedness in a mor-
tified estate, is the tendency that it hath to a glorified estate ;
because it is the way to that ; " Blessed are the poor in spi-
rit ;" Matt. V. 3. It is not, ' Blessed are the worldly rich ;'
nor, ' Blessed are the glorified only.* But the reason is,
"For theirs is the kingdom of heaven ;" that is, in title, but
not in possession, ver. 2. " Blessed are they that mourn :''
and why are mourners blessed ? " For they shall be com-
forted." " Woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received
your consolation. Woe unto you that are full, for you shall
hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now, for you shall mourn
and weep. Woe unto you when all men speak well of you,"
&c. that is, woe to you that place your comfort and felicity
in riches, and fulness, and mirth, and the applause of men :
yea, though you possess the things you desire, yet woe to
you, because you shall miss of the true and durable felicity.
Thus also run all the rest of the blessings in Matt. v. " Bles-
sed are the meek. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst
after righteousness. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are
the pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed
are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake. Bles-
sed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you,
and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my
sake :" that is, when you are so firm in the faith, and so far
in love with me, and the heavenly reward, that you can bear
all these revilings, and slanders, and persecutions, you are
blessed, even when the troubles are upon you. So that you
see here, that our present blessedness consisteth in mortifi-
cation to present things, and hope of future : and from the
future the reason of our present blessedness is fetched.
*' They that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 5^5
filled : The merciful shall obtain mercy : The pure in heait
shall see God : The peacemakers shall be called the children
of God : The persecuted shall have the kingdom of heaven."
Indeed to the meek it is promised in present, that " they
shall inherit the earth;" as Psal. xxxvii. 11. had before
said ; that is, it shall afford them accommodations for a tra-
veller, which is all that is desirable in it, or can be expected
from it ; for " godliness hath the promise of this life, and of
that to come ;" 1 Tim. iv. 8. Yea, moreover there is a spe-
cial promise to the meek, above those godly persons that
are most wanting herein : for their passage through this
world to heaven shall ordinarily be more peaceable and quiet
to them than other mens : they do not so molest their own
minds, and vex themselves ; nor make themselves troubles,
nor provoke others against them as the passionate do ; and
commonly they are either loved, or pitied, or more easily
dealt with by all.
So that you may see throughout the Gospel, that our
present blessedness is in mortification and hope, as the way
to our future blessedness, which consistethin fruition. And
therefore it is a very great error in believers, when they over-
look the blessedness of a mortified state, and can see little
in any thing but sensible fruition and rejoicings. When
you are low in afflictions and grieved for your corruptions,
and fill the ears of God and men with your complaints,
though you have not then the joyful sense of God, yet me-
thinks you might easily perceive your mortification. And
will that afford you no refreshment ? Do you not feel that
you are crucified to the world, and your desires after it are
languid and lifeless? Can you not truly say that the world
is crucified to you, and that you look on it but as a carcase ;
as ah empty, lifeless, and unsatisfactory thing? Would
you not gladly part with it for more of Christ ? Could you
not let go credit, and wealth, and friends, so that the king-
dom of God might be more advanced within you, and you
might live more in the Spirit by a life of faith ? Could you
not be content to be poor in the world, so that you might
but be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God
hath promised to them that love him ? Why do you not
then consider what a blessed condition you are in, and that
your mortification is a blessed mercy that leadeth to salva-
tion, and as sure a token of the love of God as your most
sensible joys ? Did you ever mark and conscionably prac"
i6(J THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
tise that command of Christ, Matt. v. 12. to the persecuted,
reviled, slandered believers, " Rejoice and be exceeding
glad (mark v^^hat a frame your Saviour would have you live
in), for great is your reward in heaven ; for so persecuted
they the prophets which were before you." So when you
are poor and afflicted, and have hearts that set light by
earthly things, in comparison of God and glory, you have
cause to rejoice and be exceeding glad, though you live un-
der sufferings ; for thus it hath been with the true believers
that have gone before you.
2. I come now to the second branch of the observation ;
which is, that. When believers glory in their own mortifica-
tion, it must be as it is the fruit of the cross of Christ, that
so all their glorying may be principally and ultimately in
Christ, and not in themselves.
They must take heed of ascribing the honour to them-
selves, or of resting in themselves, but all their observation
of the graces that are in them must be in pure respect to
him that is the fountain and the end, that we may thank-
fully acknowledge our receivings, and admire the eternal
love which did bestow them, and the compassions and me-
rits of our crucified Redeemer, and the powerful operations
of his Spirit in our souls, and so may be carried out to love
and duty, in the sense of our receivings, and may live to
the praises of him that hath called us out of darkness into
his marvellous light.
And that you may see how great reason there is for this,
and so may be kept from glorying in yourselves, I shall open
the cause to you as it lieth both on Christ's part and on
ours. What he is to us, and what we are to ourselves.
Consider 1. It was Christ and not we that wrought our
deliverance, by the wonderful work of our redemption.
Long enough might we have lain in prison before we could
have paid the utmost farthing, and long might we have
borne the wrath which we deserved, before we could have
done anything to merit or any way procure our deliverance.
Had we wept out our eyes, and prayed our hearts out, and
never committed sin again, this would not have made satis-
faction to God for the sin that was past. Long enough
might we have lain in our blood, if this compassionate
Redeemer had not taken us up, and undertaken the cure.
Had he turned us oft" to any creature, we had been left help-
less. Had we looked oii the right hand for some to deliver
BY THK CROSS OF CHRIST. 567
US, or on the left, we should have found none. " Besides
him there is no Saviour ;" Isaiah xliii. 11. Acts iv. 12.
And moreover, the way he hath taken is wonderful.
There are unsearchable wonders of love, and wonders of
justice, wonders of wisdom, and wonders of power. It is
the admiration of angels ; the study of all saints, to know
the height, and breadth, and length, and depth ; and when
they have done all, they find that the love of Christ surpass-
eth knowledge. As all other knowledge of arts, creatures,
and languages is nothing in comparison of the knowledge of a
crucified Christ, so our knowledge is too narrow to compre-
hend the greatness, and too dull to reach to the bottom of the
mystery of this design of the heavenly love; Eph. iii. 17 — 19.
When Christ hath posed men and angels with wonders in
our redemption, and when we have done nothing in it our-
selves, it is easy to perceive in whom we should glory.
2. Consider also that it is Christ that God hath advanced
to this glory, and it is the magnifying of him that is de-
signed by God, and not of such as you. It is true, that he
intendeth to glorify us with Christ, and that in some parti-
cipation of his glory. But that is not by ascribing merit,
and power, and wisdom to us, nor by praising us for that
which indeed we have not ; but it is by communicating
some of the Spirit of Christ unto us, and letting us see the
glory of our head. Though we may see the brightness of
the sun, and have the comfort of its rays, yet that doth not
make us suns ourselves. So though we shall be where
Christ is, and behold his glory (John xvii. 24.), and exercise
ourselves in his eternal praise, yet all this is but a derived
dignity, communicated to us by the aspect of our Lord ; and
therefore it will not be our work to praise ourselves, but
him ; Rev. v. 9. " Him hath God advanced to be a Prince
and a Saviour" (Acts v. 31.), "and made him head over all
things to the church" (Eph. i. 22.), and "delivered all things
into his hand" (1 Johnxiii.), and " given him all power in
heaven and earth" (Matt, xxviii. 18.), and *' a name above
every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow"
(Phil. ii. 9 — 10.), and " to this end he died, rose, and re-
vived, that he might be Lord of the dead and of the living ;"
Ilom.xiv.9. So that the exalting of the Redeemer is a
more principal end in the work of redemption than our ex-
altation, and in our's we are passive, receiving the dignity
568 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
which from him is communicated to us ; but Christ with bis
Father is the Fountain and End of his own glory.
3. Consider also, your debasement in condemnation and
humiliation is the designed way to the glory of your Re-
deemer, and in it your own glory. This is his honour, that
when the law had condemned you, he absolved you by his
ransom ; and when you were dead in trespasses and sins, he
quickened you through the riches of mercy and the great
love wherewith he loved you; Eph. ii.4, 5. You must be
sick before he can have the honour of curing you. He will
lay you at the feet of God in shame, crying out, " Father, I
have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more
worthy to be called thy son, make me one of thy hired ser-
vants." You shall call yourselves " foolish, disobedient,
even mad, and the greatest of sinners ;" Titus iii. 3. Acts
xxvi. 11. 1 Tim. i. 15. If therefore you begin to glory in
yourselves, you contradict the glory of Christ, and conse-
quently hinder the glory you should receive from him. You
have but the benefit of receiving his alms, and therefore
must stand in the posture of beggars, but it is he and not
you that must have the honour of giving it. You must be
nothing, that he may be All, or else you will be nothing in-
deed. You must not live, but Christ in you, or else you
will not live indeed ; Gal. ii. 20. You must be found " in
him, not having your own righteousness, which is of the
law, or works, but the righteousness which is of Christ by
faith," or else you will lose yourselves, and your righteous-
ness ; Phil. iii. 9. And thus the just being dead in them-
selves, must live by faith, but if any be lifted up, his soul is
not upright in him ; Hab. ii. 4. Christianity therefore
teaches you to glory in Christ, and not in yourselves.
4. Consider, it is Christ and not you, that revived your
souls when you were dead in sin, and crucified jou to the
world, to which you were alive. You might have rotted and
stunk in the grave of sin, if he had not called you out. You
saw the spectacles of mortality before your eyes, and you
could say, ' The world is vain' before ; but yet lived in your
hearts, until power came from Christ to kill it. Words were
but wind ; you would never have let go your bone of present
worldly pleasure, if Christ had not taken it out of your jaws
by shewing you the hopes of greater things. Long might
you have heard sermons, and yet have been carnal still, if
BY THE GROSS OF CHRIST. 669
his Spirit had not entered into your hearts. Seeing then it
is he that hath done the cure, so far as it is done, it is in
him that you must glory, and not in yourselves.
6. Consider, if yet he should deal with you according to
your deservings, the remnant of your sin would bring you
to damnation. If yet he did not hide your nakedness, and
by his intercession procure you a daily pardon, you would
every day be your own destroyers ; nay, you would not be
an hour longer out of hell. If he did not bring you before
his Father, you could have no access to him in any of your
addresses. Your sacrifices would be cast back into your
faces as dung, if the merit of his sacrifice made them not
accepted. So that by this you may see in whom you must
still glory.
6. Now you have a little grace, you cannot keep it of
yourselves. Now you are made alive, you cannot keep your-
selves alive. If you be not preserved by him that did revive
you, and kept by his mighty power to salvation, and if he be
not the finisher of your faith, who was the author of it ?
How speedily, how certainly would you prove apostates,
and undo all that hath been so long a doing? If then you
stand not on your own legs, but are carried in his arms, you
may see in whom it is you should glory.
7. Nay more, if you were left to yourselves, but to resist
one temptation, it would bear you down. You now think ,
of many sins with a holy scorn; but the mostfilthy of those
sins would become your pleasure, if you were forsaken by
Christ. You now look on whoredom, and gluttony, and
drunkenness, and ambition, as dirt and dung ; but if Christ
should forsake you, this dung would you feed upon, and as
dogs you would eat up the most filthy vomit that ever you
did disgorge yourselves of, and as swine you would choose
that mire for your bed, and rest in it until hell awakened
you. By this then you may perceive in whom you should
glory.
8. Moreover, without Christ you cannot make use of the
grace that he hath given you. The life and comfort of your
grace is in the exercise. To draw forth your faith, and love,
and joy into an exercise, is the way to increase them, and to
shew you experimentally their nature, truth, and worth, and
to attain their ends. And without Christ, you will never
do this. You may lie as if you were dead, and dry, and wi-
thered, if he do but withdraw his quickening influences; for
570 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
without him you can do nothing. Judge then by this in
whom you should glory.
9. Yea, further, as you cannot do these of yourselves, so
neither can you go to Christ yourselves, for strength to do
them. You will not so much as move a hand, or lift up
your voice to cry for help. For the nature of sin is to make
the sinner willing of it, and unwilling to be delivered from it.
You would rather God would let you alone, and thus you
would continue.
10. Yea more, without Christ you would not so much as
understand and be sensible of all this misery and disability
in yourselves. You will think yourselves well when you
are next the worst, and give no one thanks that would pity
or help you. So that lay all this together, and judge in
whom it is that you should glory.
11. And indeed, the very nature of all your graces, if
you have any, will lead you from a glorying in yourselves
to a glorying in Christ. Repentance will lay you low and
make you vile in your own eyes, and loathe yourselves for
all your abominations; Ezek. xxxvi. 31. Self-denial is a
great part of the new creature. Faith leads you out of
yourselves to Christ. Love will carry you quite above
yourselves to God. And so it is with other graces. To
live in Christ, and upon Christ, and to Christ, is the state
of all his living members. So far then as you are new crea-
tures, this law is written in your hearts, and I have the less
need to teach you this lesson, and persuade you to the prac-
tice of it, because you are really taught of God, to glory in
Christ and not in yourselves.
12. To conclude, even nature and common reason may
teach you that you have little cause to glory in yourselves :
for it may wisely tell you that you have nothing of yourselves,
and therefore nothing that is originally your own. Who
knows not that we have our being, and all the means of our
wellbeing, and every thing that is worth the having, from
God alone ? As nothing could not make itself to be some-
thing, so neither can that dependent something uphold it-
self, or carry on itself unto its end. "What hast thou
which thou hast not received ? And if thou hast received
it, why shouldst thou glory as if thou hadst not received it ?"
1 Cor. iv. 7. To such poor, empty, unworthy worms as we
are, one would think it should be an easy thing to know
that we have nothing but what we have of God ; for whence
BY J HE CROSS OF CHRIST. 571
should we have it ? " In him we live, and move, and have
our being ; and of him, and by him, and for him, are all
things, and therefore to him must be the praise for ever ;"
Rom. xi. 36. Not therefore to ourselves, but unto him
must we give the glory; Psal. cxv. 1. Though nature
cannot lead us to Christ, it may tell us that we are creatures,
and have nothing but from the bountiful hand of our Crea-
tor. It is therefore against this nature and reason to glory
in ourselves.
Use. See then that you abhor all self-advancing thoughts.
And receive no doctrine that gives the glory of Christ unto
yourselves. They are miserable that are made irreligious
by their pride. But they are more miserable, because more
incurable, that make themselves a religion by their pride ;
and frame to themselves both doctrines and devotions,
whose tendency and use is to keep alive this devilish sin.
You do not believe well, nor repent well, nor pray well, nor
do any Christian duty well, if you be not more humble in
and after it, than you were before. It is a sad case for a
man to preach himself and pray himself into hell, and to
strengthen the bonds of sin and satan by his devotions.
And yet proud devotions are as ready a way to this as you
can devise. If you read, or confer, or preach, or pray, with
a mind that is lifted up, and glorieth in itself, you do but
serve the devil, with the name of God and his holy ordi-
nances. And therefore we have seen by sad experience, in
a multitude of sects, and horrible delusions of late in this
land, that none run to such dreadful outrages in sin, nor go
so far against the Lord, as proud, self-conceited professors
do. As you love your souls, take heed of being conceited
of your own understanding or worth, and of being proud of
your supposed holiness or abilities. What fearful ends have
we seen of such ! If indeed thou art a Christian, thou must
become as a little child, and learn of Christ to be meek and
lowly, and be a servant to all. And lay thyself still at the
feet of Christ, as sensible that all the sin is thine, but the
good is his, from whom thou didst receive it. Thou canst
destroy thyself, but in him is thy help. Thou hast the skill
and ability to set thy house on fire, but it is he that must
quench it or repair it. Thou art wise to do evil, but thou
hast no knowledge to do good, but what he giveth thee.
Thou hast the art of stabbing thyself, but not of curing thy-
self. He must do that for thee, or else it must be undone.
572 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
You can snarl, and ravel the state of your own souls, but it is
he that must untie the knots which thy folly and careless-
ness have tied. Thou canst with Jonas raise the storm and
cast thyself overboard ; but it is he that must provide the
whale to receive thee, and bring thee to the land. Remem-
ber therefore that though thou be a vessel of mercy, it is the
fountain that filleth thee, and not thyself. Thou canst scarce
more dishonour thy qualifications, and actions, and conse-
quently thyself, than to say they are thine own, and origi-
nally from thyself. For sure all that is thine, and from
thee, will be like thee ; and therefore must be weak and bad
as thou art. Whenever therefore thou gloriest in thy graces,
do it but as the iDeggar glorieth in his alms, that ascribes
all to the giver; or as the patient glorieth in his cure, that
ascribeth all to God and the physician ; or as a condemned
rebel doth glory in a pardon, which he ascribeth to the mer-
cy of his prince. I durst not have told you as I did before,
of the duty of glorying in your crucifixion to the world,
without adding this caution, to tell you whither all must be
referred, and how little you are beholden for it to yourselves.
Meet every thought of self-exalting with abhorrence, and
give it no other entertainment in your souls than you would
give the devil himself, who is the father of it. For casting
down Christ, will prove the casting down of yourselves, and
he that exalteth himself shall be abased.
3. I come now to the third and last branch of the obser-
vation; viz. that To glory in any thing save the cross of Christ
and our crucifixion thereby, is a thing that the soul of a
Christian should abhor.
Here I shall shew you what it is that is not excluded
from our glorying in these words. And then what it is that
is excluded ; and conclude with some application.
1. It is none of the apostle's meaning in these words,
that we may not glory in God the Father. For his love to
the world was the cause of their redemption. And his plea-
sure and glory is the end of redemption ; and was intended
by Christ, and must be intended by us. As Justin Martyr
saith, he would not have believed in Christ himself, if he
had led them to any but the true God, so I may say, Christ
had not done the work of Christ, if he had intended any end
but God, and had not brought up all to God.
2. When it is said that we must glory only in the cross
of Christ, the meaning is not that we must not also glory in
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 573
his incarnation, and holy life, and resurrection, and inter-
cession, and every part of his mediatorship ; for the cross
is not here put as contradistinct from these ; but all these
are implied in his cross, as having their share as well as it,
in the work of our salvation.
3. Nor is it the meaning of the apostle, to forbid us to
glory in the promise that Christ has made us, and in the
glad tidings of the Gospel. For this brings the blessed
news to our ears ; this is the joyful sound ; the voice of
love ; the charter of our inheritance ; and therefore sweet
to all the sons of life.
4. Nor is it any of the apostle's sense, that we may not
glory in the Spirit of Christ, as magnifying him for the work
of illumination and sanctification. As it was a high sin in
Ananias and Sapphira, to lie to the Holy Ghost ; and as it
is the unpardonable sin to blaspheme the Holy Ghost ; so
it must needs be a great duty to honour and magnify the
Holy Ghost. And therefore it should make us tremble to
hear some profane men abuse the Holy Ghost in deriding
his works, saying. These are the holy brethren ; these are
the saints ; these have the Spirit.
5. Nor yet are we forbidden to glory in the effects of the
cross of Christ upon us ; for these you find are included in
the text, even our crucifixion to the world thereby. And
the other effects of it, even our justification, adoption, and
the rest may be gloried in, as well as this that is here named,
as the apostle doth Rom.viii.SO — 33. to the end, yet still
referring all to God in Christ.
6. Nor are we forbidden to glory in the helps of our salva-
tion, the ordinances of God, and the means of grace, so we give
no more to them than their due, and look at them but as the ap-
pointed means of God, that can do nothing but by him.
7. No, nor is it unlawful so far to glory in our teachers,
as God hath sent them and qualified them for our good, and
as they are the messengers of God, and instruments of the
Spirit. So did Cornelius glory in Peter; Actsx. And
when the apostles brought the Gospel to Samaria, there
" was great joy in that city ;" chap. viii. 8. And the apos-
tle commandeth the churches " to know them that are over
them in the Lord, and submit themselves, and esteem them
highly in love for their work's sake ;" 1 Thess. v. 12.
8. Nay, we may glory even in honour, and riches, and
other outward things, as they are the effects of the love of
574 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
God, and the blood of Christ ; and as they reveal God to
us, or furnish us for his service, and the relief of his people,
and any way further the ends of our holy faith. In a word,
we may glory in any thing that is good, as it stands in its
due subordination to Christ, ascribing to it no more than
belongs to it in the relation, and not separating it in our
thoughts or affections from Christ, but carrying all the glo-
ry ultimately to God, and making the creature but the
means thereto. And thus may we not only praise the phy-
sician, but the medicine, the apothecary, the handsome ad-
ministration, the glass that it is brought in, the silver spoon
in which we take it ; and all this without any wrong to the
physician, or danger of displeasing him, if we respect every
thing but as it stands in its own place. So much to shew
you what is not excluded.
II. But what is it then that we may not glory in? As I
told you in the beginning, not in ourselves, or any creature,
as opposite to Christ, or separate from him, orany way pre-
tending to be what it is not, or do what it cannot. But let
us enter into some particulars.
1. Have you dignities, and honours, and high places in
the world ? Do others bow to you, and have you power to
crush them or exalt them at your pleasure ? Glory not in
it as any part of your felicity. A horse is stronger than a
man. The great Mogul, and the Turkish emperor, and ma-
ny another infidel prince, is a thousandfold beyond the
greatest of you, in power and earthly dignity ; and yet what
are they but miserable wretches I Your power will not con-
quer death, nor keep off sickness, nor keep the stoutest of
your carcases from corruption. When a man shall see you
gasping for breath, and yielding yourselves prisoners to ir-
resistible death, and closing those eyes that look so haugh-
tily, then who can discern the glory of your greatness?
Who then will fear you, or honour, or regard you, further
than your deserts, or their interests lead them ? Your flat-
terers will then forsake you, and seek them a new master.
When they are winding your carcase, and laying it up for
rottenness in the dust, what signs of your power will then
appear? Will your corpse have any reverend aspect?
How many have been spurned when they were dead, that
were bowed to while they were alive ? There are many in
hell, and there will be for ever, that were greater men than
you on earth. The higher you climb, the lower you have to
BY THE CKOSS OF CHRIST. 575
fall. If the breath of a thousand applaud you now, perhaps
a million may reproach you when you are dead. However,
it is not the applause of men that will carry you to heaven,
or abate the least of your pain in hell. Glory not then in
worldly honours or greatness. But rather rejoice that you
have enough without all this, in God. How well, thinks the
Christian, can I spare all these tedious, troublesome em-
ployments, these compliments, these applauses, this sump-
tuous provision and retinue, and all this stir that they make
in the world ! How easily can I spare their titles and obei-
sances ! When I look up at them as on the pinacle of a
steeple, I bless myself that I am below them on safer ground.
I have more leisure to converse with God in solitude, than
they have in a crowd. Rejoice that you neither need nor
desire such a state, but find Christ enough for you in a
lower condition, and nothing without him enough in the
highest. That you are above these empty childish honours,
when those that possess them may be enslaved under them.
That you have the dignity of a son of God, a member of
Christ, and a heir of heaven, and have a heart that can con-
tentedly let other men take the dignities of the earth. It is
more to have the world, and the kingdoms and glory of it
under your feet, by the spiritual advancement of your souls,
than to be the monarch of the world.
2. Have you abundance of earthly riches, and provision
for your flesh, so that you want nothmg, but have the world
at will? Glory not in it, as the least part of your felicity.
This will not keep your souls in your bodies, nor take away
their guilt, nor open to you the gates of heaven. You may
want a drop of water in hell, for all your riches on earth.
If you escape that danger, no thanks to your riches. If
ever you get to heaven, you must be beholden to Christ to
save you from your riches. And when all is done, you will
have a harder journey, and a greater load to burden you than
others, and will be saved with very much ado. Glory not
then in these ; but rather glory that you have a taste of
higher and sweeter things, which, take off your minds, and
make you look on these as chips. To have a heart that
cares not for wealth or honours, but can rejoice in poverty,
and daily reproaches, is a thousand times greater mercy
than to have all the wealth and honour of the world.
3. Have you convenient habitations for buildings, and
rooms, and walks, and lands, and neighbourhood ? Glory
676 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
not in them as any of your felicity. They are baits to entice
your hearts from God. But rather rejoice that you have a
building not made with hands eternal in the heavens, and
that you can be contented till you come thither with any
thing in the way, and make shift with inconveniencies for a
little while. Heaven wants no furniture, nor hath any in-
cumbrances nor inconveniencies. If a winding sheet and
coffin be room enough when we are dead, we can endure
sure to be somewhat straitened while we are alive, seeing
we are dead to the world while we live in it. O what is the
most sumptuous palace to the meanest room in our Father's
house ? The green and flourishing earth in summer, cover-
ed with the more glorious spangled firmament, is a goodly
structure ; but far short of that which the poorest saint shall
have with God.
4. Have you comeliness of body? Have you beauty or
strength ? Glory not in it. It is but warm, well-coloured
earth. The smallpox or other sickness can quickly turn your
beauty to deformity. If age do not wrinkle it, death will
dissolve it. The comeliest and strongest body will shortly
be as homely and loathsome a thing as the dirt in the
streets, and as the carrion in a ditch. The stoutest youth
and the neatest dame must come to this ; there is no remedy.
And is such a body a thing to be gloried in? No : but
glory rather in your assurance of a resurrection ; when your
mortal bodies shall put on immortality, and your corrupti-
ble incorruption, and death shall be swallowed up in vic-
tory; and when you shall shine as stars in the firmament of
your Father, and be subject to heat and cold, hunger, thirst,
and weariness no more : and that in the mean time you can
tame this flesh, and use it as a servant, and instead of caring
for its inordinate provision, can lay out your^care for a more
during substance.
5. Have you comely apparel for the adorning of your
bodies? Glory not in it. This is so childish that it is be-
low a man, and therefore so sinful as to be unbeseeming a
Christian. The emptiest person may have the best attire.
It is not the outside that shews your worth. The philoso-
pher asks the question. Why women are more addicted to
look after neat attire? and he answereth, Because nature
is conscious of their want of inward worth, it seeks to make
it up with somewhat that is borrowed. It may make a man
BY THE CROSS OP CHRIST. 577
suspect that somewhat is amiss within, when there needs all
this ado without. They are not always the best horses that
have the neatest trappings. A fool may be as bravely drest
as a wise man : and few but fools and children do admire
you, or think you ever the better; but many a one will envy
you, and many take you to be the worse. A graceless soul will
be but sorrily covered with neat attire. And whatever you
hang without, we all know that there is dung and filth within.
Paul's shop hath comelier ornaments than these. " Let
women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shame-
facedness and sobriety ; not with broidered hair, or gold, or
pearls, or costly array ; but, which becometh women pro-
fessing godliness, with good works ; learning in silence
with all subjection;" 1 Tim. ii. 9. Glory in the whole rai-
ment of the saints, even the righteousness of Christ, lest
when you go naked out of the world as you came naked in,
your souls should be found naked before a holy, jealous God.
6. Have you health of body, and feel no sickness?
Glory not in it. It will last you but a while. Your oil will
be spent ere long, and your candle will go out: you must
know what pains and death are as well as others. A little
cold, or heat, or a thousand accidents may quickly change
the case with you. Many that were young and lusty go to
their graves, when some that were more likely to have gone
before them are left behind : but first or last we must all
away. Rather glory in a healthful frame of soul, that Christ
hath cured you of your worldliness and pride, of your self-
seeking, and passion, and fleshly lusts : for this will be a
more durable health than the other.
7. Have you nobility of birth ? Are you descended of
worshipful or honourable ancestors ? Glory not in it. We
are all made of one common earth. There is as good blood
in the veins of a beggar as of a lord. This is but a remnant
of your ancestor's honour. Perhaps the favour of some
great men might bestow it on them at first without desert ;
or it might be the consequent of a little riches, though ill
got. However the merit descendeth not to you ; and there-
fore it is little honour that comes that way. That is your
chief honour which is most your own, and least borrowed
from others. The deserving son of a beggar is more truly
honourable than the undeserving son of a lord. Glory rather
that you are born again, not of the flesh, but of the Spirit;
VOL. IX. p p
578 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible ; the word of
God that endureth for ever. Your first birth, how noble
soever, makes you but children of wrath, and slaves of satan.
But your new birth is the truly honourable birth, which
makes you partakers of the Divine nature, the sons of God,
the heirs of heaven, and co-heirs with the Lord Jesus.
1 Pet. i. 23. John iii. 6. i. 12. Rom. viii. 17.
8. Have you friends that love you, and are able to coun-
tenance you, and are daily tender of you, and helpful to
you ? Bless God for them ; but glory not in man : for
" Cursed is he that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his
arm, and withdraweth his heart from the Lord ;" Jer. xvii.
5. " Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for
wherein is he to be accounted of?" Isa. ii. 22. Your best
friends are uncertain, and quickly lost, and may turn so un-
kind as to break your hearts. Or if their minds prove con-
stant7 their lives are uncertain ; and the dearer they were to
you, with the greater grief will you lay them in the grave.
Or if you fall yourselves into sickness, they will prove but
silly comforts to you : they can but look on you, and be
sorry for you ; but that will not ease your pain, nor succour
you. O how much more cause have you to glory in such a
friend as Christ, that will save you from sin, and wrath, and
hell ! In such a friend as God Almighty, that can rebuke
your diseases by a word, or make them tend to the cure of
your souls; and that will stick to you when others leave
you ; with whom you must dwell in heaven for ever !
9. Have you the pleasantest meats or drinks that your
appetite desires ? the easiest lodgings ? the easiest lives ?
the pleasantest recreations or companions ? Glory not in
them. These are the most desperate bait of the devil, and
the common ruin of the world. To take your fill, and please
your flesh, and fit your lives to its desires, is the very way
to hell, and the property of the slaves of satan. Your sweet-
meat will have sour sauce. " If you live after the flesh,
you shall die ; but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of
the body, you shall live ;" Rom. viii. 13. You know what
became of him, Luke xvi. that " was clothed in purple and
fine linen, and fared deliciously every day." It is a heavy
case to have your portion and all your good things in this
life. Rejoice rather that you have conquered the desires of
your flesh, and have brought it into subjection; that you
are masters of your appetites, and can eat and drink to the
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 579
glory of God, and that you can deny your ease, and endure -
hardness as a soldier of Christ ; that you have more plea-
sant recreations in the ways of life, and sweeter comforts
than the flesh can have any : and that you have delights
that are more durable, and meat to eat that others know not
of. Rejoice that you have conquered the flesh your great-
est enemy, and so have escaped the greatest danger. " For
there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus,
that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit ;" Rom.
viii. 1.
10. Have you the love of your neighbours, and do all
men speak well of you? Glory not in it as any of your fe-
licity ; for it will be woe to many that are as well spoken
of as you. The world is not so wise nor so good, that a man
should much rejoice in its good word.
Are they learned men that extol you? Yet do not glory
in it. They may boast you into pride and hell, but they
cannot add one cubit to the stature of your worth. They
see not the state of your soul ; and therefore you may be mi-
serable when they have said their best.
Are they godly men that admire you and speak well of
you ? Yet glory not in it as any certain evidence of your
felicity* They speak as they think, and may easily be de-
ceived. They are not your judges. As their hard thoughts
cannot condemn you, so their good thoughts or words can-
not justify you with God. O glory rather in God's appro-
bation, who knows the heart ; to whose judgment it is that
you stand or fall, who judgeth not by outward appearance,
but in righteousness. If he say, " Well done good and
faithful servant," his words will be life to you ; but a thou-
sand others may say so, and do you no good at all, but hurt.
11. Are you famous for learning? and have you great
parts in knowledge and utterance ? Glory not in it as any
of your felicity, or evidence thereof. There are more learn-
ed men than you in hell. The greatest knowledge of com-
mon things hath much sorrow, and sheweth you so much of
your ignorance, and what is yet beyond your reach, that it
disquiets you the more. Much more may you glory that
you know Christ crucified, and that you know your interest
in the love of God, and can love him whom you know, with-
out which all your knowledge would make you as sounding
brass, or a tinkling cymbal. Of all these together, I may
say, " Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Let not the wise man
580 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD
glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his
might, let not the rich man glory in his riches ; but let him
that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and know-
eth me, that I am the Lord, which exerciseth loving kind-
ness, judgment, and righteousness ;" Jer. ix. 23, 24.
12. Have you spiritual mercies as well as corporal?
Take heed in what respect you glory in them. For example,
(1.) Have you abundant and excellent means of grace?
Have you ministers, and holy ordinances, and Christian
communion in the purest order? Glory in them as God's
mercies and helps to higher things : but not as your felicity,
or a certain evidence of it. For many are first in these res-
pects, that will be last in respect of life eternal. The great-
est fall is from the highest mercies : and many that had the
chiefest place in the church, will have the sorest place in hell.
(2.) Have you much understanding in the doctrine of the
Gospel? and are you eminent teachers of it to others? Glo-
ry in it as an opportunity of serving the Lord, and doing and
getting good ; but not as a certain evidence of a good es-
tate. For many shall say, " Lord, have we not preached in
thy name?" whom Christ will not own, because they were
" workers of iniquity ;" Matt. vii. 22. And " he that know-
eth his Master's will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with
many stripes ;" Luke xii. 47. But if your love and obe-
dience be answerable to your knowledge, glory rather in that.
(3.) Have you done many works of mercy to others?
Have you given all you have to the poor ? Have you con-
verted many souls? Are you public mercies to the place
where you live ? Give God the glory of so great a mercy.
But take heed of giving the glory to yourselves. And take
not the outward works alone, so much as for certain evi-
dences of your happiness.
(4.) Have you extraordinary experiences of mercy, and
extraordinary feelings of comfort in yourselves ? Rejoice in
them as God's mercy ; and give him the glory. But re-
member that these are no certain evidences[of your safe con-
dition. Many have been wonderfully saved from death,
that will not be saved from hell. And many large comforts
have ended in eternal sorrows.
(5.) Have you a living faith, and a soul abounding in the
love of God, and emptied of self in Christian humility, and
exercised in holy walkings, and conflicts for Christ, and
looking with hope to the joy that is set before you ? What
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 581
then shall I say to you ? Glory in this blessed work of
grace ; this image of Christ ; this heavenly nature and con-
versation; and this foretaste and earnest of everlasting life.
But sure I need not bid you give not your very graces the
glory due to Christ. For this were to prohibit you a con-
tradiction. It is the nature of them all to carry you to
Christ, and to cause you to deny yourselves. You cannot
exercise these graces, but you must do it. Do I need to de-
sire you that you make not your own faith the matter of that
righteousness which must answer the law, when faith itself
is a receiving of another for our righteousness ? Or need I
advise you that you trust not in your love and evangelical
obedience, as a satisfaction to God's justice, or the matter
of that righteousness which must answer the law ; when
that love and obedience is nothing else but a love to him
and an obedience of him that hath satisfied for us, and is be-
come our righteousness? Do I need to persuade the hum-
ble so far as they are humble, not to be proud of their own
graces or works ? or the self-denying not to glory in them-
selves ? The nature of the new creature, and the anointing
that is in you, doth effectually teach you all these things ;
and you have already learned them. Yet because you are
sanctified but in part, you have still need of warning ; and
therefore I require you, that you objectively abuse not these
graces of Christ (for actively you cannot ; seeing grace is
that, as Austin defineth it, * qua nemo male unitur'). Should
you think you merit by denying merit ? or should you think
you have something to glory in with God, because you have
denied yourselves and your own worthiness ? or should you
trust in those acts as the matter of your justification against
that law, whose nature is to distrust in all that is your own,
and thus to trust in Christ alone ; you would be guilty of
the most sacrilegious robbing of Christ, and of an impious
abuse of the most precious graces, contrary to their nature
and ends : and of the most absurd and senseless abuse of
your very reason, by palpable contradiction.
To conclude, I now beseech you all, take heed of your
glorying, internally and externally. Let the blinded world-
ling glory that he hath the world; but do you glory that
you need it not, and can be without it, and are heirs of abet-
ter world. Let sensual wretches glory in the pleasing of the
flesh ; but do you glory that you are able to deny it its de-
sires, and to please your Lord. Let the deluded, ambitious
582 THE CRUCIFYING OF THE WORLD, ETC.
ones glory in their honours ; but learn you to pity them in
the height of their prosperity, and glory in the durable pre-
rogatives of the saints. Let natural men glory in their
health and natural life ; but glory you in a readiness to die,
and be with Christ, and in the believing expectations of the
life everlasting. Let hypocrites glory in their evading of
sufferings ; but do you glory in tribulations and infirmities,
and that you are accounted worthy to suffer for Christ. Let
Pharisees glory in their superstitions, and ceremonies, and
self-righteousness ; but glory you in gospel-simplicity, and
in the righteousness of Christ. " Surely shall one say. In
the Lord have I righteousness and strength ; even to him
shall men come," &c. " In the Lord shall all the seed of
Israel be justified and shall glory ;" Isa. xlv. 24, 25. " The
nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they
glory ;" Jer. iv. 2. Let the pomp and fulness of a flattering
world be the glory of the worldling ; but let the despised
humility and hopes of true believers, in the lowest ebb of
worldly accommodations, be our greater glory. For " God
hath chosen the foolish thing-s of the world to confound the
wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the
things that are mighty ; and base things of the world, and
things that are despised, hath God chosen ; and things that
are not, to bring to naught things that are, that no flesh
should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteous-
ness, and sanctification, and redemption ; that according as
it is written. He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord ;"
ICor. i.27 — 31. And believe this; as carnal glorying is
childish, against our own reason and daily experience, and
will shortly make all that used it ashamed ; so the spiritual
glorying of the mortified believer, is also rational and man-
ly, and will never make him ashamed, but end in the perfect
endless glory. Fix then your resolutions with this morti-
fied apostle : " God forbid that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is cruci-
fied to me, and I unto the world."
END OF THE NINTH VOLUME.
R. EDWARDS, CHANE COURT, FLEET S.TREBT, LONDOW.
BINDING Cr' 7. NOV f 0)967
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