صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

selves, by so presumptuous and blind a condemnation of the best and greatest part of the Church of Christ, which is dearest to him, as purchased by his blood. If either the Protestants, or the Greeks, or the Armenians, Georgians, Syrians, Ægyptians, or Æthiopian Churches, be in as bad and dangerous a case, as these usurping censurers tell the world they are, what then will become of the tyrannous, superstitious, polluted, blood-thirsty Church of Rome?

What is it but self-ignorance that perverteth the unsettled among us, and sends them over to the Roman tents? No man could rationally become a Papist, if he knew himself. Let me prove this to you in these four instances.

1. If he had but the knowledge of his natural senses, he could not take them to be all deceived, (and the senses of all others as well as his) about their proper object; and believe the priests, that bread is no bread, or wine no wine, when all men's senses testify the contrary.

2. Some of them turn Papists because they see some differences among other. Christians, and hear them call one another by names of contumely and reproach; and therefore they think that such can be no true Churches of Christ: but if they knew themselves, they would be acquainted with more culpable errors in themselves, than those for which many others are reproached; and see how irrational a thing it is to change their religion upon the scolding words or slanders of another; or, which is worse, upon their own uncharitable censures.

3. Some turn to the Papists, as apprehending their ceremonious kind of religion to be an easier way to heaven than ours but if they knew themselves, they would know that it is a more solid and spiritual sort of food that their nature doth require, and a more searching physic that must cure their diseases; and that shells and chaff will not feed, but choke and starve their souls.

4. All that turn Papists, must believe that they were unjustified and out of the catholic church before, and consequently void of the love of God and special grace: for they receive it as one of the Romish articles, that out of their church there is no salvation. But if these persons were indeed before ungodly, if they knew themselves, they would find that there is a greater matter necessary, than believing

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

in the Pope, and turning to that faction; even to turn to God by faith in Christ, without which no opinions or profession can save them. But if they had the love of God before, then they were justified, and in the church before; and therefore Protestants are of the true church, and it is not confined to the Roman subjects: so that if they knew this, they could not turn Papists without a palpable contradiction. The Papists' fugitives tell us, we are no true ministers, nor our ministry effectual and blessed of God. What need we more than imitate Paul, when his ministry was accused, and call them to the knowledge of themselves, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith? Prove yourselves: know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" If they were ungodly, and void of the love of God, while they were under our ministry, no wonder if they turn Papists. For it is just with God, that those that "receive not the love of the truth that they may be saved, be given over to strong delusions to believe a lie.' (2 Thess. ii. 10, 11.) But if they received themselves the love of God in our churches by our ministry, they shall be our witnesses against themselves.

[ocr errors]

And it is others as well as Papists that would be kept from church divisions, if they did but know themselves. Church governors would be afraid of laying things unnecessary, as stumbling-blocks before the weak, and of laying the unity and peace of the church upon them; and casting out of the vineyard of the Lord, and out of their communion, all such as are not in such unnecessary or little things, of their opinion or way. The words of the great Apostle of the Gentiles, (Rom. xiv. 15,) so plainly and fully deciding this matter, would not have stood so long in the Bible, as, 'non-dicta,' or utterly insignificant, in the eyes of many rulers of the churches, if they had known themselves, as having need of their brethren's charity and forbearance. "Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations: For one believeth that he may eat all things, another that is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not, (much less destroy him, or excommunicate him,) and let not him which eateth not, judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth; yea he

shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth every day alike: let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." (Ver. 13.) "Let us not therefore judge one another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." (Ver. 17.)" For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Ver. 18.) "For he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men." (Chap. xv. 1.) “We then that are strong, ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." (Ver. 7.) "Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God." Self-acquaintance would help men to understand these precepts; and be patient with the weak, when we ourselves have so much weakness, and not to vex or reject our brethren for little or unnecessary things, lest Christ reject or grieve us that have greater faults.

Self-acquaintance also would do much to heal the dividing humour of the people; and instead of separating from all that are not of their mind, they would think themselves more unworthy of the communion of the church, than the church of their's.

Self-acquaintance makes men tender and compassionate, and cureth a censorious, contemptuous mind. It also silenceth passionate, contentious disputes, and makes men suspicious of their own understandings, and therefore forbiddeth them intemperately to condemn dissenters. It also teacheth men to submit to the faithful directions and conduct of their pastors; and not to vilify, forsake and disobey them, as if they were above them in understanding, and fitter to be guides themselves; so that in all these respects, it is ignorance of themselves that makes men troublers of the church, and the knowledge of themselves would much remedy it.

14. And it is ignorance of themselves also, that makes men troublers of the state. A man that doth not know himself, is unfit for all society: if he be a ruler he will forget the common good, and instead of clemency and justice, will violently exercise an imperious will. If he be a subject, he will be censuring the actions of his rulers, when distance and dis-acquaintance makes him an incompetent judge. He

will think himself fitter to rule than they, and whatever they do, he imagineth that he could do it better. And hence comes suspicions and murmurings against them, and Corah's censures, "Ye take too much upon you: are not all the people holy?" Were men acquainted with themselves, their weaknesses, their concernments, and their duties, they would rather inquire whether they obey well, than whether their superiors rule well; and would think the lowest place to be most suitable to them; and would quiet themselves in the discharge of their own duty, "making supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty; for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour." (1 Tim. ii. 1-3.) It would quiet all the seditions and tumults of the world, if men were well acquainted with themselves.

[ocr errors]

I confess, seditions seem to rise from a too great knowledge and regard of ourselves, and of our own commodity. Aliquid commune tuum facere, est seditionis et discordiæ principium: to appropriate common benefits to ourselves, is the spring of discord and sedition. But here, as in other things, self-seeking cometh from self-ignorance, and tendeth to self-deceit and disappointment. The end of contendings answer not the promises that selfishness and passion make men in the beginnings.

And then,

Si æterna semper odia mortales agant
Ne cæptus unquam cedat ex animis furor.
Sed arma fælix teneat, infælix pereat.
Nihil relinquent bella.

-En quo discordia cives

SENECA

Perduxit miseros, en queis consevimus agros.

15. Self-acquaintance would end abundance of controversies, and very much help men to discern the truth. In the controversy of freewill or human power; to know ourselves as we are men, would be to know that we have the natural power and freedom consisting in the self-determining faculty and principle. To know ourselves as sinful, would certify us how much we want of the moral power which consisteth in right inclinations, and the moral liberty, from vi

cious dispositions and habits. Would time permit, I might shew it in the instances of original corruption, of the nature of grace, of merit, the cause of sin, and many other controversies, how much error is promoted by the ignorance of ourselves. 16. Self-acquaintance maketh men both just and merciful. One cannot be so much as a good neighbour without it, nor yet a faithful friend. It will teach you to put up injuries, and to forgive; as remembering that you are likely to be injurious to others, and certainly are daily so to God; and that it is no great fault that is done against such poor, unworthy persons as ourselves (if it had no higher a respect than to us). It is such only that "with all lowliness, and meekness, and long-suffering, forbear one another in love," (Ephes. iv. 2,) and "recompense to no man evil for evil," and "be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (Ver. 21.) He that is drawn to passion and revenge, is overcome when he seems to overcome by that revenge. It teacheth us to forgive, to know that much is forgiven us by Christ, or at least, what need we have of such forgiveness. (Ephes. iv. 31, 32.) "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and ananger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." O that this lesson were well learned!

17. Self-acquaintance will teach us the right estimate of all our mercies: when we know how unworthy we are of the least, and what it is we principally need, it will teach us thankfulness for all; and teach us which of our mercies to prefer. Men know not themselves and their own necessities, and therefore they slight their chief mercies, accounting them. burdens, and are unthankful for the rest.

18. Self-acquaintance is necessary to the solid peace and comfort of the soul. Security and stupidity may quiet the ungodly for a while, and self-flattery may deceive the hypocrite into a dream of heaven; but he that will have a durable joy, must find some matter of joy within him, as the effects and evidence of the love of God, and the prognostics of his endless love. To know what Christ hath suffered, and done, and merited, and promised, is to know the general and principal ground of our rejoicing: but something is wanting to make it peace and joy to us, till we find the fruits of his Spirit within us, without which no man can be his,

« السابقةمتابعة »