Counsels for the Converted
Counsel I. That you put hard to it to get that by these hazardous opportunitiesthat may quit all your cost. What pity is it that you shall adventure much, and yet gain but little! How dismal would it be, if you should at last suffer deeply for conscientious attendance upon God in such seasons; and, when you come into prison, or into banishment, find that you had not got that by them that would bear you out I
Counsel II. That you value no meixy barely as it serves in content to your Jlesh, but as it stands in order to eternity and may serve the furthering your Make/s glory. God hath preserved your liberties, and has restored mine. But what of all this? Unless we improve our liberties for eternity, what are we better than those that are in prison, if this be all the advantage we have, a little more content to the flesh? The cypher, put to the figure, is of great signification; but, set by itself, it signifies nothing at all. These creature-comforts, separated from their respect to God and eternity are of no value; but, in order to these ends, they signify much. We have ease and fulness, when many others are in pain and poverty; and we have much the start of them, if we be wdse to improve our health, in laying in apace against a sick day, and preparing apace for eternity, and serve the Lord with more diligence, and cheerfulness, and gladness of heart, in the abundance of all things. But, if this be all we have by it, that our bodies do lie a little softer, and our palates are gratified with a little more delight, what profit have we by our health and estates? If they that are sick or poor, do love the Lord as well, and serve the Lord as much as we, they have the advantage of us; and better it were for us to be poor and sick, as they are.
Counsel in. Rest not 17i probabilities f 07’ heaveJi but labour for certainties. Beloved, certainty may be had, else the counsel of God to make our calling and election sure is in vain; else the experience of the saints were but delusion, who tell us they know they are passed from death to life; else the power of self-reflection were to no purpose, and the spirit which is in man would not know the things of the man. Now, if a certainty must be had, will you not put in for it, and turn every stone that you may get it? Sirs, now, if ever, you have need to push hard to get assurance. We are at miserable uncertainties for all outward enjoyments; we know not how soon we may be called to part with them all. Christians, what do you mean? Will you be content to have nothing sure? Will you not settle your everlasting condition, now you are so unsettled as to your outward condition? What will you do in the day of visitation, when extremity comes in upon you, if you have no assurance that God will receive you. It would make one’s heart tremble to think of being upon such a fearful temptation as to part with all for Christ, and not to be sure of him neither. O man, what an advantage will the tempter now have upon thee, when he shall suggest, “Wilt thou be such a fool as to let go all at once? Thou seest heaven is not sure, Christ is not sure? therefore keep the world, whilst thou hast it, and hold what thou hast sure.” Beloved, what a fearful sUghting of God, and contempt of heaven, and glory, and all the promises, doth this argue, that you can be content to be at uncertainties, whether they be yours or not! How many of you are there that do not know whether you be going to heaven OT to hell! And what desperate carelessness doth this argue, to go on from week to week in such a case! Some hopes you have that you shall do well; but put me not off with hopes. Never be satisfied till you are able to say, not only I hope I shall be saved, but I know I am passed from death to life; I know that, when the earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved, I have a building not made with hands,” &c.
Counsel IV. Be not satisfied mth the yossession qf grace, hut reach after the growth. Do not think all is done when you have obtained the evidence of grace, but endeavour hard towards the increase. That person who doth not desire and design perfection, never came up to sincerity. He that desires grace truly, desires it not barely as a bridge to heaven, and so to seek no more, than will just bear his charges thither; but he desires it for its own sake, and therefore desires the height of it. That person that desires grace only for heaven’s sake, and inquires what is the lowest measure of grace that any may have come to heaven (by which he meaneth but to be saved from misery) upon this design, that, if’ he could but come to that pitch, he would desire no more; that ,person is rotten at the heart. Christians, the Lord doth expect of you that you should not be babes and dwarfs; he looks, now especially, that you should make some progress. What do you more than heretofore? Let me commend you to Paul’s study, Phil. iii. 12, &c. It argues a base and unworthy spirit, to content ourselves with little things in religion.
Counsel V. Labour that holiness maij become your nature and religion your business. Then you are come to somewhat indeed in religion, when the work of God is become your natural and beloved employment, your meat and drink, your work and wages: when your tongue and hearts naturally run on God, as others on and of the world. Much of that mav be attained by constant care and prayer. Brethren, let God’s work be done by you, not by-the-bye, but as your greatest business. Seek first the kingdom of God; and so, whatsoever you do, you may be able to give that account of yourselves that our Saviour did when they inquired of him, That you are about your Father’s business.
Counsel VL Corifine not religion to your knees to carry on an even progress of holiness through your x<ohole course. Brethren, it is the disgrace of religion that Christians are so unlike themselves, unless it be when they are in holy duties. This wounds religion to the quick, when it shall be said of professors. These men indeed will pray like angels, but, for aught we can see, they are as peevish and touchy as any other men, and they are as hard hi their dealings, and make as little conscience of their words as others do. Beloved, do not think religion lies only, or chiefly, in praying, hearing, or reading; lor you must be throughout religious. Sirs, bring forth your religion out of your closets into your ordinary course; let there not be a life of holiness on the outside, but let holiness be woven into the whole of your conversations. Plerein consists the excellency and difficulty of religion; when you have the baits of intemperance before you, then to hold the reins hard, and deny your flesh; when you have provocation before you, then to bite in your passions, and bridle the unruly member; when you have dealings with others, then to proceed by that golden rule of equity and charity, to do unto others, as (your consciences tell you) you would have them to do, in the like case, to you; when you are called upon by your several relations, then to behave yourselves with that tenderness and love, with that reverence and obedience, with that courtesy, condescension, and kindness, that become you in your various capacities. In this, I say, lies the excellence of reliffion.
Counsel VII. Ever walk with your end in your eye. It is true, according to the usual similitude, the traveller thinks not of his journey’s end every step, nor needs he; yet there is no traveller but thinks of it at his setting out. Brethren, there is nothing hinders but that, with prayer and v>’atchfulness, you might come to this, in every solemn action, to mind God as your chief end. Impose this on yourselves as your daily rule to walk by, never to lie down but with these thoughts: “Well, I will make use of my bed as an ordinance of God, for my natural refreshment, that a servant of his may be fitted for his work.” Never to rise up but with these thoughts: “I will set forth this day in the name of the Lord, and make it my business this day throughout to please him.” Never to set about our callings but in the entrance think thus, “I will set about my employment in obedience to God, because it is his will I should walk with him in my place and station.” Never to sit down at your tables, but thinking, “I will now eat and drink, not merely to feed my body, but to cherish a servant of Christ Jesus, that he may have strength for his service.” Charge this upon yourselves, and examine in the evening how you have minded it, and check yourselves wherein you come short: once learn this, and you are come to something, and shall have the undoubted evidence of your sincerity, and shall know the experience of that blessed mystery of walking with God.
Counsel VIII. Be and do more than ordinary in your families and closets now, in the defects of more public ordinances,
1. In your closets. See that your consciences be able to bear you witness, that, under God’s extraor- I dinary providences, you do more than ever: in an- ’ swer thereto, it may be you prayed twice in the day; therefore why should you not, at such a time as this is, make one visit more than ordinary to heaven, daily to represent before God the calamities of his church? Thus be sure of, that somewhat more than heretofore must now be done; else God will look upon himself as intolerably slighted, and upon his church as most unnaturally neglected, if we do not now be more earnest. Be more than ever in self-exammation; God expects that, when he is trying us, we should be much in the trial of ourselves. And here let me put it to your consciences; How are your rules for daily examination looked after? Do you try yourselves by them from day to day? Ah, wretched negligence! What! have you given your approbation, and passed your promise, and yet even in such a day as this so much forget your duty? God expects it of you, that, now you see him angry, you should, with more zealous fear, and tender circumspection, and holy watchfulness and self-denial, walk before him; else you will greatly increase his indignation, when he sees that you slight his anger.
2. In your families. Christians, now the Lord calls aloud upon you to set your houses in order. O see what is amiss in them, and strive to cast out that which may be a provocation! Three things I advise you, with reference to your families:
1st, That you set up the solemn exercise of catechising weekly among them. Methinks I would not question but that, in every godly family, there is a care of the catechism; but when governors do only impose it in general upon their famiKes, and occasionally take an account, I find but little progress is made; and therefore I beseech you to make it a solemn standing, and constant exercise, and to expect of your children and servants, as due an account weekly, of what they have learned of the principles of religion, as of any business of your own. O, the incredible benefit that would speedily come of this, if I could but persuade and prevail with my hearers in so small a request as this!
2d, That you be often inquiring into their spiritual states. Follow them close, and let them have no quiet till you see they seriously mind and seek spiritual things. Put them upon secret prayer. Provide helps for them till they are able to go without them. Show them often the necessity of regeneration and conversion, and the nature thereof. Put them in mind of their fearful misery and unregcnerate state. Beloved, it is too sadly evident, that as the ordinances are now somewhere managed, there is little conversion-work like to be done. O you governors of families! do but your duty in your several places, and I doubt not but many souls will soon be born to Christ, even in such a day as this.
3d, Call them to an account for their proficiency by every opportunity. If there be but a sermon or a chapter read, let them give some account of it: tlms our Saviour, when the disciples (his family) were in private, was asking them whether they did understand and profit by what they heard in public.
Counsel IX. Be not discouraged by the present difficulties of religion, but rather rejoice in the opportunity to show your love and loyalty to your Lord. Do not think God hath dealt hardly with you, now your religion is like to cost you something, and presently think of shrinking and drawing back to preserve your safety. If you love the Lord Jesus, you should rejoice and be exceeding glad in the opportunity to show it. Brethren, what hath your religion cost you hitherto?” Then, for shame, suffer not your shrinking and withdrawing to tell the world you have not love enough for Christ to engage you to run any hazard for him. Do you indeed love the Lord? O then now rejoice and be exceeding glad; for never had you such an opportunity in all your lives to show your love as now, for never were you called to venture so for him and his service as now you are. Now resolve that, if religion will make you vile, you will yet be more vile, and let your zeal and resolution for God be increased and heightened by the opportunity.