No suffering, nor inflicter of suffering, can reach the peace of

the sufferer without his own consent. This is provision of God's

making; yea, and if through our folly their terror is admitted

to touch us, yet since we are not our own, but are bought with a

price, we are not so at our own dispose, but that God will have

the butting and bounding of their rage, as also a power to uphold

and support our spirits. When I said my foot slipped, thy mercy,

O Lord, help me up. And the reason why, by God's ordinance, the

spirit is not to be touched in suffering, is, because that is it

that is to sustain the infirmity of the sufferer; therefore God

will have the spirit of his servants kept sound, and in good health

(Prov 18:14; Isa 57:16). The room, therefore, and the ground that

the enemy has to play upon, is the body and outward substance

of the people of God, but the spirit is reserved, for the reason

hinted before, and also that it might be capable of maintaining

of communion with God. And how else could they obey that command

that bids them rejoice in tribulation, and glorify God in the

fires? as it is (Rom 12; Isa 24:15).

But, I say, if they have not power to touch, much less to destroy

body and soul for ever. The body is God's, and he gives that to

them to destroy; the spirit is God's, and he keeps that to himself,

to show that he has both power to do with us what he pleases, and

that he will recover our body also out of their hand; for if the

spirit lives, so must the body, when men have done what they can

therewith. This is the argument of our Lord Jesus Christ himself

(Luke 20:37,38). Therefore the faithfulness of God not only is,

but also will be seen, by them that dare trust him, till the next

world, to his glory and their eternal comfort.

We will now conclude with a short word by way of USE. You see how

I have opened the text, and what hath naturally followed thereupon;

from the whole of which may be gathered:--

Use First, That the people of God are a suffering people--a people

subject to trouble for their faith and profession. The reason is,

besides what hath been said already, because the power of truth

is in their hearts, and shows itself in their lives--a thing which

the devil and the world can by no means abide. He that is born

after the flesh persecuteth him that is born after the Spirit (Gal

4:29). For they cannot agree in religion; the godly are so devout

and the other are so profane, that they cannot do. Not but that

God's people, as they are commanded, are willing to let them

alone; but the other they cannot bear that they should serve God

as they have said (Matt 15:14), and hence ariseth persecution.

The world also would have the religion of the godly to be counted

false--a thing that the others can by no means endure, but will

stand by and maintain, yet in all peaceable manner, their own ways

before them, whatever it costs.

The Christian and the carnal professor are like those two harlots

that you read of in the book of Kings, who strove for the living

child, whose it should be, whose contest could not be decided

until it came to the sword of the king (1 Kings 3). O, but when

the sword was drawn, under a show as if the living child must now

be cut in two, then the true mother was known from the false; for

her bowels yearned upon her son (verse 26,27). The world, what

show soever they have for religion, and however they urge it, that

the truth is with them, have no yearning of bowels for it. Let it

be neither mine nor thine, said she, but divide it; but the woman

whose the living child was, had not a heart to say so. Religion

may lie and die in a ditch for all those that are given to their

sins; nor doth their zeal appear, except when they are gripping

of the godly for his faith towards God. Bowels, yearning of bowels

over God's condemned religion, is only found in the souls of those

who own God has made it.

Use Second, Is it so? Are God's people a suffering people? Then this

should inform them that will be religious, to prepare themselves

for what is like to attend them for their religion. To prepare,

I say, not with carnal weapons, but with the graces of the Spirit

of God; that will help them with meekness and patience to endure.

Sit down then, I say, and count up the cost, before for religion

thou engagest too far; lest thou take upon thee to meddle with

that which thou wilt not know what to do with in the end (Prov

25:8; Luke 14:25-30).

Many there be that are faulty here; they have taken upon them to

profess, not considering what they have taken in hand may cost

them. Wherefore, when troubles come indeed, then they start and

cry. This they like not, because they looked not for it; and if

this be the way to heaven, let who will go on in it for them. Thus

they take offence, and leave Christ's cause and people to shift

for themselves in the world (Matt 13:20,21).

Use Third, But let God's people think never the worse of religion,

because of the coarse entertainment it meeteth with in the world.

It is better to choose God and affliction than the world, and sin,

and carnal peace. It is necessary that we should suffer, because

that we have sinned. And if God will have us suffer a little while

here for his Word, instead of suffering for our sins in hell,

let us be content, and count it a mercy with thankfulness. "The

wicked is reserved to the day of destruction: they shall be brought

forth to the day of wrath" (Job 21:30). How kindly, therefore,

doth God deal with us, when he chooses to afflict us but for a

little, that with everlasting kindness he may have mercy upon us

(Isa 54:7,8). And "it is better, if the will of God be so, that

ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing" (1 Peter 3:17).

Use Fourth, Look not, therefore, upon the sufferings of God's people

for their religion, to be tokens of God's great anger. It is, to

be sure, as our heavenly Father orders it, rather a token of his

love; for suffering for the gospel, and for the sincere profession

of it, is indeed a dignity put upon us--a dignity that all men are

not counted worthy of. Count it, therefore, a favour that God has

bestowed upon thee his truth, and graces to enable thee to profess

it, though thou be made to suffer for it (Acts 5:41). Thou mightest

have been a sufferer for thy sins in hell, but thou art not; but

contrariwise art, perhaps, suffering for conscience to God; this

is a dignity. For that thou dost thus by virtue of a heavenly gift,

on the behalf of Christ, for the gospel's sake, and according to

the will of God. This is a dignity that a persecutor shall not be

counted worthy of, until he first convert to Christ (Phil 1:29).

Use Fifth, Take thy affliction with meekness and patience, though

thou endurest grief wrongfully. "For this is thankworthy, if a man

for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully" (1

Peter 2:19). Lay thy hand, then, upon thy mouth, and speak not a

word of ill against him that doth thee wrong; leave thy cause and

thy enemy to God; yea, rather pray that his sin may not be laid to

his charge; wherefore, as I said before, now show thyself a good

man, by loving, pitying, praying for, and by doing good, as thou

art commanded, to them that despitefully use thee (Matt 5:44). I

know thy flesh will be apt to huff, and to be angry, and to wish,

would thou mightest revenge thyself. But this is base, carnal,

sensual, devilish; cast, therefore, such thoughts from thee, as

thoughts that are not fit for a Christian's breast, and betake

thee to those weapons that are not carnal. For the artillery of a

Christian is the Word, faith, and prayer; and in our patience we

must possess our souls (2 Cor 10:5; Luke 21:16-19).

Use Sixth, Be much in the consideration of the all-sufficiency of

thy Father, whose cause thou hast espoused, whose Word thou hast

chosen for thy heritage, and whose paths thou delightest to walk

in. I say, be much in considering how all the world is sustained

by him, and that all life and breath is in his hand, to continue

or diminish as he pleases. Think with thyself also how able he is

to rescue thee from all affliction, or to uphold thee in it with

a quiet mind. Go to him continually, as to a fountain of life that

is open for the supply of the needy. Remember also, if he comes

not at thy call, and comforteth thee not so soon as thou desirest,

it is not of want of love or compassion to thy soul, but to try

thy graces, and to show to the fallen angels that thou wilt serve

God for nought, rather than give out. Also, if it seemeth to thee,

as if God took no care of thee to help thee, but that he hath

rather turned thee over to the ungodly; count this also as a sign

that he delights to see thee hold fast his name, though thou art

laid under the greatest of disadvantages. "If the scourge slay

suddenly, [that is more than it hath done to thee,] he will laugh

at the trial of the innocent" (Job 9:23).

It is a great delight to our God to see his people hold fast

their integrity, and not to deny his name, when under such cloudy

dispensations and discouraging circumstances. And considerations

that thy thus doing is pleasing in his sight through Christ, will

be a support unto thee. God sees thee, though thou canst not now

see him, and he observeth now thy way, though darkness is round

about him; and when he hath tried thee, thou shalt come forth like

gold.

Use Seventh, Take heed of setting of thyself a bound and period

to thy sufferings, unless that period be the grave. Say not to thy

afflicters, Hitherto, and no further, and here shall your proud

waves be stayed. I say, take heed of doing thus, for fear God should

let them go beyond thee. For a man is not prepared to suffer,

further than he thinketh the enemy may be permitted to go. Hence

Christ sets their bounds at the loss of life, and no nearer. So

then, so far as they go beyond thee, so far they will find thee

unprovided, and so not fortified for a reception of their onset

with that Christian gallantry which becomes thee. Observe Paul;

he died daily, he was always delivered unto death, he despaired

of life; and this is the way to be prepared for any calamity. When

a man thinks he has only to prepare for an assault by footmen,

how shall he contend with horses? Or if he looks no further than

to horses, what will he do at the swellings of Jordan (Jer 12:5)?

Wherefore, set thine enemies no bounds: say not, They shall not

pursue me to the death; have the sentence of death in thyself. For

though they may but tick and toy with thee at first, their sword

may reach thy heart-blood at last. The cat at play with the mouse

is sometimes a fit emblem of the way of the wicked with the children

of God. Wherefore, as I said, be always dying; die daily: he that

is not only ready to be bound, but to die, is fit to encounter

any amazement.

Use Eighth, If thine enemies would, or do, put thee under a cloud,

if they wrap thee up in a bear's skin, and then set the dogs

upon thee, marvel not at the matter; this was Joseph's, David's,

Christ's, Stephen's portion, only be thou innocent; say nothing,

do nothing that should render thee faulty; yea, say and do always

that that should render thee a good neighbour, a good Christian,

and a faithful subject. This is the way to help thee to make with

boldness thy appeals to God; this is the way to embolden thy face

against the faces of thine enemies; this is the way to keep thy

conscience quiet and peaceable within thee; and this is the way

to provoke God to appear for thy rescue, or to revenge thy blood

when thou art gone. And do this because it is thy duty--we must

fear God and honour the king--and because this is the way to make

the rock of thy enemies hard: few men have that boldness as to

say, This I do against you, because you profess Christ. When they

persecuted the Lord himself, they said to him, "For a good work

we stone thee not" (John 10:33). Religion that is pure is a hot

thing, and it usually burns the fingers of those that fight against

it; wherefore it is not common for men to oppose religion under its

own naked complexion: wherefore the Jews sought to fasten other

matters upon Christ to kill him for them; though the great spite

they had against him was for his doctrine and miracles. It was for

envy to that that they set themselves against him, and that made

them invent to charge him with rebellion and treason (Matt 27:18;

Luke 23:2).

Use Ninth, Wherefore it becomes all godly men to study to be quiet,

to mind their own business, and as much as in them lies, to be

at peace with all men; to owe no man any thing but love. Pray,

therefore, for all that are in authority; pray for the peace of

the country in which thou dwellest; keep company with holy, and

quiet, and peaceable men. Seek by all good ways the promotion of

godliness, put up injuries, be good to the poor, do good against

evil, be patient towards all men; for "these things are good and

profitable unto men" (Titus 3:8).

Be not inclining to injure men behind their backs, speak evil of

no man, reproach not the governor nor his actions, as he is set

over thee; all his ways are God's, either for thy help or the trial

of thy graces. Wherefore he needs thy prayers, not thy revilings;

thy peaceable deportment, and not a troublesome life. I know that

none of these things can save thee from being devoured by the

mouth of the sons of Belial (1 Kings 21:12,13). Only, what I say

is duty, is profitable, is commendable, is necessary; and that

which will, when the devil has done his worst, render thee lovely

to thy friends, terrible to thine enemies, serviceable in thy

place as a Christian, and will crown the remembrance of thy name,

to them that survive thee, with a blessing; "The memory of the

just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot" (Prov 10:7).

Use Tenth, I will conclude, then, with a word to those professors,

if there be any such, that are of an unquiet and troublesome

spirit. Friends, I may say to you, as our Lord said once to his

disciples, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of." To wish

the destruction of your enemies doth not become you. If ye be born

to, and are called, that you may inherit a blessing, pray be free

of your blessing: "Bless, and curse not." If you believe that the

God whom you serve is supreme governor, and is also wise enough

to manage affairs in the world for his church, pray keep fingers

off, and refrain from doing evil. If the counsel of Gamaliel was

good when given to the enemies of God's people, why not fit to be

given to Christians themselves? Therefore refrain from these men,

and let them alone. If the work that these men do is that which

God will promote and set up for ever, then you cannot disannul

it; if not, God has appointed the time of its fall.

A Christian! and of a troublesome spirit; for-shame, forbear; show,

out of a good conversation, thy works, with meekness of wisdom;

and here let me present thee with three or four things.

1. Consider, That though Cain was a very murderer, yet God forbade

any man's meddling with him, under a penalty of revenging his so

doing upon his own head sevenfold. "And the Lord said unto him,

Therefore, whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on

him sevenfold" (Gen 4:15). But why not meddle with Cain, since he

was a murderer? The reason is, because he persecuted his brother

for righteousness' sake, and so espoused a quarrel against God;

for he that persecutes another for righteousness' sake sets himself

against God, fights against God, and seeks to overthrow him. Now,

such an one the Christian must let alone and stand off from, that

God may have his full blow at him in his time.50 Wherefore he saith

to his saints, and to all that are forward to revenge themselves,

Give place, stand back, let me come, leave such an one to be

handled by me. "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather

give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I

will repay, saith the Lord" (Rom 12:19). Wherefore the Lord set

a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should slay him. You must

not, indeed, you must not avenge yourselves of your enemies. Yea,

though it was lawful once so to do, it is not lawful now. Ye have

heard that it hath been said to them of old time, Thou shalt love

thy neighbour and hate thine enemy; but I say, said our Lord, Love

them, bless them, do good to them, and pray for them that hate

you (Matt 5:43,44).

2. Consider, Revenge is of the flesh,--I mean this our revenge of

ourselves; and it proceeds from anger, wrath, impatience under

the cross, unwillingness to suffer, from too much love to carnal

ease, to estates, to enjoyments, to relations, and the like. It

also flows from a fearful, cowardly spirit; there is nothing of

greatness in it, except it be greatness of untowardness. I know

there may, for all this, be pretences to justice, to righteousness,

to the liberty of the gospel, the suppressing of wickedness, and

the promoting of holiness; but these can be but pretences, or, at

best, but the fruits of a preposterous zeal. For since, as has

been often said in this treatise, the Lord hath forbidden us to do

so, it cannot be imagined that he should yet animate any to such

a thing by the Holy Ghost and the effects of the graces thereof.

Let them, then, if any such be, that are thus minded, be counted

the narrow-spirited, carnal, fleshly, angry, waspish-spirited

professors--the professors that know more of the Jewish than of

the Christian religion, and that love rather to countenance the

motions, passions, and gross motions of and angry mind, that with

meekness to comply with the will of a heavenly Father. Thou art

bid to be like unto him, and also thou art showed wherein (Matt

5:45-48).

There is a man hates God, blasphemes his name, despises his being;

yea, says there is no God. And yet the God that he carrieth it thus

towards doth give him his breakfast, dinner, and supper; clothes

him well, and when night comes, has him to bed, gives him good rest,

blesses his field, his corn, his cattle, his children, and raises

him to high estate. 51 Yea, and this our God doth not only once

or twice, but until these transgressors become old; his patience

is thus extended, years after years, that we might learn of him

to do well.

3. Consider, A professor! and unquiet and troublesome, discontented,

and seeking to be revenged of thy persecutors; where is, or what

kind of grace hast thou got? I dare say, they, even these in which

thou thus actest, are none of the graces of the Spirit. The fruits

of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,

goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no

law; but wrath, strife, seditions, traitors, and inventors of evil

things are reckoned with the worst of sins, and sinners, and are

plainly called the works of the flesh (Rom 1:29-31; 2 Tim 3:3,4;

Gal 5:19-21).

But I say, where is thy love to thine enemy? where is thy joy under

the cross? where is thy peace when thine anger has put thee upon

being unquiet? Where is thy long-suffering? for, as thou actest,

not ought but thy waspishness can be seen. Where, also, is thy

sweet, meek, and gentle spirit? and is goodness seen in thy seeking

the life or the damage of thy enemy? Away, away; thy graces, if thou

hast any, are by these, thy passions, so jostled up into corners,

and so pent for want of room and liberty to show themselves, that,

by the Word of God, thou canst not be known to be of the right

kind, what a noise soever thou makest.

A Christian, when he sees trouble coming upon him, should not fly

in the face of the instrument that brings it, but in the face of

the cause of its coming. Now the cause is thyself, thy base self,

thy sinful self, and thy unworthy carriages towards God under all

the mercy, patience, and long-suffering that God has bestowed upon

thee, and exercised towards thee. Here thou mayest quarrel and be

revenged, and spare not, so thou take vengeance in a right way,

and then thou wilt do so when thou takest it by godly sorrow (2

Cor 7:10,11).

A Christian, then, should bewail his own doings, his own unworthy

doings, by which he has provoked God to bring a cloud upon him,

and to cover him with it in anger. A Christian should say, This

is my wickedness, when a persecutor touches him; yea, he should

say it, and then shut up his mouth, and bear the indignation of the

Lord, because he has sinned against him. "Thy way and thy doings

have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness,

because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart" (Jer

4:18).

4. Consider, What conviction of thy goodness can the actions that

flow from such a spirit give unto observers? None at all; yea,

a spirit of unquietness under sufferings, and that seeketh to be

revenged of those that do, for thy faith and the profession thereof,

persecute thee, is so far off of giving conviction to beholders

that thou art right, that it plainly tells them that thou art

wrong. Even Julian the apostate, when he had cast away whatever

he could of Christ, had this remaining with him--that a Christian

ought to take with patience what affliction fell upon him for his

Master's sake; and would hit them in the teeth with an unbecoming

behavior, that complained or that sought redress of them that had

abused them for their faith and godly profession. What will men

say if you shrink and winch, and take your sufferings unquietly,

but that if you yourselves were uppermost, you would persecute

also? Much more have they ground to say so, when you will fight

lying on your backs. Be quiet, then, and if thine enemy strike

thee on one check, turn to him the other; and if he also revile

and curse thee, down upon thy knees and pray for him. This is the

way to convince thy observers that thou art a godly man. Father,

forgive them, for they know not what they do, was one of those

things that convinced the centurion that Jesus was a righteous

man; for he stood by the cross to watch and see how Jesus carried

it in these his sufferings, as well as to see execution done (Matt

27:54; Luke 23:34-47).

5. Consider, A professor, unquiet and turbulent under sufferings,

and seeking his own revenge, cannot be a victor over what he

should, nor a keeper of God's commandments.

(1.) How can he be a victor over himself that is led up and down by

the nose by his own passions? There is no man a Christian victor

but he that conquers himself, but he that beats down and keeps

under this body, his lusts, his passions, in the first place.

Is he that is led away with divers lusts a victor? Is he that is

a servant to corruption a victor? And if he that is captivated

by his anger, wrath, passion, discontent, prejudice, &c., be not

led away by them, I am under a mistake. So then, to quarrel with

superiors, or with any that are troublesome to thee for thy faith

and thy profession, bespeaks thee over-mastered and captive, rather

than a master and a conqueror.

(2.) The same may be said upon the second head. He keepeth not the

commandments of God; for those teach him other things, as I have

also showed. The great gospel commands terminate in self-denial;

but if self-revenge is self-denial, I am besides the Book. Christ,

in the book of the Revelation, sets him that keeps the commandments

of God a great way off from him that taketh and smiteth with the

sword: "He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the

sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints" (Rev

13:10). That is, in that they forbear to do thus, and quietly

suffer under those that thus take it and afflict the godly with

it. Again, "Here is the patience of the saints, here are they that

keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (14:12). A

patient continuing in well-doing; and if suffering for righteousness

be well-doing, then a patient continuing in that, as in other

things, is the way to keep God's commandments (Rom 2:7).

So that, I say, he keepeth not God's commandments that is angry

with his enemies, and that seeks to be revenged of him that doth

him ill. You know the subject I am upon. "The wrath of man worketh

not the righteousness of God" (James 1:20). Wherefore, professors,

beware, and take heed to your spirits, and see that you let not

out yourselves under your sufferings in such extravagancies of

spirit against your enemies as is no way seemly nor convenient.

6. Consider, Men that are unquiet and discontented, and that seek

revenge upon them that persecute them for their profession, do, by

so doing, also put themselves upon the brink of those ruins that

others are further from. These men are like the fly that cannot

let the candle alone until she hath burned herself in the flame.

Magistrates and men in power have fortified themselves from being

attacked with turbulent and unruly spirits by many and wholesome

laws. And, indeed, should they not do so, one or other, perhaps,

would be quickly tempted to seek to disturb them in the due exercise

of their authority. Now the angry man, he is the fly that must

be tripping and running himself upon the point of these laws; his

angry spirit puts him upon quarrelling with his superiors, and his

quarrelling brings him, by words spoke in heat, within the reach

of the net, and that, with the help of a few more, brings his neck

to the halter. Nor is this, whatever men think, but by the just

judgment of God. "Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power,

resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive

to themselves damnation" (Rom 13:2; Esth 2:21-23). Wherefore, let

the angry man take heed; let the discontented man take heed. He

that has a profession, and has not grace to know, in this matter,

to manage it, is like to bring his profession to shame. Wherefore,

I say, let such take heed; and the graces afore mentioned, and the

due exercise of them, are they and that which can keep us out of

all such dangers.

7. Consider, And what comfort can such a man have who has, by his

discontent and unruly carriages, brought himself, in this manner,

to his end; he has brought himself to shame, his profession to

shame, his friends to shame, and his name to contempt and scorn.

Bad men rejoice at his fall; good men cannot own him, weak men

stumble at him; besides, his cause will not bear him out; his heart

will be clogged with guilt; innocency and boldness will take wings

and fly from him. Though he talketh of religion upon the stage52

or ladder, that will blush to hear its name mentioned by them

that suffer for evil-doing. Wherefore, my brethren, my friends,

my enemies, and all men, what religion, profession, or opinion

soever you hold, fear God, honour the king, and do that duty

to both which is required of you by the Word and law of Christ,

and then, to say no more, you shall not suffer by the power for

evil-doing.

FOOTNOTES:

1 Not equipages to ride, but dainty formalities.--Ed.

2 "A good and harmless conscience"; not as the procuring cause of

confidence in God's tender care of us, but as the strong evidence

of our election and regeneration.--Ed.

3 "Bravery"; magnificence or excellence. "Like a stately ship, with

all her bravery on, and tackle trim, sails filled," &c.--Samson

Agonistes.--Ed.

4 "Bodily pains"; bodily industry or painstaking.--Ed.

5 "Winch"; to wince or kick with impatience. "Shuck"; to shrug up

the shoulders, expressive of dislike or aversion.--Ed.

6 "Much"; in a great degree.

7 "Will they, nill they"; nillan, a Saxon word, meaning "not will"

or contrary to the will--whether with or against their will. "Need

hath no law; will I, or nill I, it must be done."--Damon and

Pathias, 1571.

"If now to man and wife to will and nill The self-same thing, a note

of concord be, I know no couple better can agree."--Ben Johnson.--Ed.

8 How little do persecutors imagine that they are mere tools for

the devil to work with, whether they are harassing Christians by

taking their goods, or are hunting down their liberties or lives.

All works together for good to the Christian, but for unutterable

woe to the persecutor. God give them repentance.--Ed.

9 Wicked men sell themselves to do the devil's work. How degrading

to the dignity of man! Enlisting under a foreign prince to destroy

their own nation, and in so doing to destroy themselves. For an

account of the atrocities and horrors of this war, read the history

of the Waldenses.--Ed.

10 This frequently happened. In Bedford, Nic. Hawkins attended a

meeting, and was fined two pounds; but when the harpies went to

take away his goods, finding that "they had been removed beforehand,

and his house visited with the small pox, the officers declined

entering."--Persecution in Bedford, 1670, p. 6.--Ed.

11 "Dispose"; power, disposal. "All that is mine, I leave at thy

dispose."--Shakespeare.--Ed.

12 In Ireland, whole provinces were desolated, both by Protestants

and Papists, with a ferocity scarcely credible. In England, the

state awfully tormented its pious Christian subjects, to whom

their Lord's words must have been peculiarly consoling: "Fear not

them which kill the body." Did they suffer? How holy were their

enjoyments!--Ed.

13 An awful instance occurred soon after the publication of this

"Advice." John Child, a Baptist minister, one of Bunyan's friends,

to escape persecution, conformed, and became terrified with awful

compunction of conscience. His cries were fearful: "I shall go to

hell"; "I am broken in judgment"; "I am as it were in a flame."

In a fit of desperation he destroyed himself on the 15th October,

1684.--Ed.

14 "What bottom"; what ground or foundation.--Ed.

15 This identical stone is said to be in the chair on which our

monarchs are crowned in Westminster Abbey.--Ed.

16 In so unbounded, eternal and magnificent a mansion, well might

he exclaim, "This is none other but the house of God, and this is

the gate of heaven." Where God meets us with his special presence,

we ought to meet him with the most humble reverence; remembering

his justice and holiness, and our own meanness and vileness.--Ed.

17 The only way of driving sin out of the world is to make known

the Saviour. Reader, can you solve Mr. Bunyan's riddle? When fierce

persecution rages--when the saints are tormented with burning,

hanging, and imprisonment--then, like Stephen, to fix our eyes

upon Jesus, and the gates of heaven open to receive us, submitting

with patience to the will of God. This is the way to drive out

sin.--Ed.

18 How indescribably blessed is the Christian. It is true that he

has to perform his pilgrimage through an enemy's country, beset

with snares, pit-falls, and temptations; but in all his buffetings

and storms of sorrow, his soul is safe; God is a wall of fire

round about it, and the glory in the midst of it. He will guide

us by his counsel, and then receive us to his glory.--Ed.

19 "Looser sort of Christians"; among Christians there are gradations

of character. Some are fixed upon the Saviour, and can say, "For

me to live is Christ." Such decision ensures safety and happiness;

while the looser sort are subject to many sorrows and continual

danger. May we press on towards the mark. "Lord, I believe, help

thou my unbelief."--Ed.

20 This truth ought to be imprinted on every heart. As the absence

of darkness is light, so liberty from the thraldom of sin, and

from the slavery of Satan, essentially induces holiness of life.

Thus holiness and liberty are joined together.--Ed.

21 The whole of this beautiful passage is worthy our careful study

and prayerful obedience. Are we ambitious to govern: be it our

honour to rule our own spirits and tongues. Are we for war? let

it be levied upon our unruly passions. This is laudable ambition.

This is honourable war, producing the peace and happiness of man.

This is real glory to God and man, the very opposite to those

horrors of desolation which gives joy among the devils of hell--the

burning cities, the garments rolled in blood, the shrieks of the

wounded, and the sickening miseries of the widows and orphans of

the slain.--Ed.

22 If this was our conduct, how soon should we get rid of our enemies:

"for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head." Who

would risk such punishment a second time?--Ed.

23 This old proverb is a very striking illustration of the words

of Paul: "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."--Ed.

24 The saint must be "made meet for the inheritance." If he neglects

the means given in the Word, his Father, in mercy, "will chasten

him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of

men" (2 Sam 7:14).--Ed.

25 "But if you give sin entrance at the door, It's sting will in,

and may come out not more." Bunyan's Caution.

26 An equally cruel scene took place in the presence of Stow,

the historian, in the reign of Elizabeth. The bailiff of Romford

coming to London, was asked by the curate of Aldgate the news: he

replied, "Many men be up in Essex," [Qu. not in bed?]. For this

he was hung the next morning in front of Mr. Stow's house. How

grateful ought we to be that such sanguinary laws have fled, with

the dark mists of error and cruelty, before the spreading light

of the gospel.--Ed.

27 They shed their blood for Him who afterwards shed his blood for

them. These were the infantry of the noble army of martyrs. If

these infants were thus baptized with blood, though their own,

into the church triumphant, it could be said that what they got

in heaven abundantly compensated for what they lost on earth.--Henry.

28 Nearly all Protestants agree as to the salvation of infants

dying in their infancy--Toplady and the Calvinists on the ground

of their being in the covenant of grace; others because they had

not personally transgressed; supposing that the sufferings and

death of the body is the penalty of original sin. Holy Scripture

appears to settle this question very satisfactorily, by requiring

childlike docility as a preparation for the Spirit's working. The

language of the Saviour is, "Suffer little children to come unto

me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God" (Luke

18:16). "Such" as die in infancy--"such" adults as, with childlike

simplicity, search the Scriptures, and fly for refuge to the

Saviour. "It is NOT the will of your Father which is in heaven

that one of these little ones should perish" (Matt 18:14). "It

were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck,

and be cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these

little ones" (Luke 17:2).--Ed.

29 "To down with"; to receive, to swallow. "Probably it will hardly

down with any body at first hearing."--Locke.--Ed.

30 "New-fashioned carriages"; not equipages to ride in, but dainty

formalities. "Nor in my carriage a feigned niceness shown."--Dryden.

"Trades in the carriage of a holy saint."--Shakespeare.--Ed.

31 Bunyan, when sent to prison, was thus threatened: "If you do

not go to church, or transport yourself, you must stretch by the

neck for it." This led to those painful reflections: "If I should

make a scrabbling shift to clamber up the ladder, yet I should,

either with quaking or other symptoms of faintings, give occasion

to the enemy to reproach the way of God and his people for their

timorousness."--Grace Abounding, No. 334.--Ed.

32 This is a truly Bunyanish mode of expression--clear, comprehensive,

quaint; but so striking as to make an indelible impression.--Ed.

33 A life of faith and holiness is the Christian's badge and

livery. No particular costume, that may conceal a carnal heart--not

a baptismal profession, that may be made by a hypocrite; but it

is "the hidden man of the heart," evidenced by a "meek and quiet

spirit--in all holy conversations and godliness." This is the

Christian's badge and livery, by which he becomes "a living epistle,

known and read of all men."--Ed.

34 These awful cruelties were practised upon Richard Atkins, in

July, 1581. He went to Rome to reprove the people of idolatry.

In St. Peter's Church, he knocked the chalice out of the priest's

hand, and spilt the wine; he then endeavoured to seize the

host, but was prevented. For these mad pranks he suffered savage

torments.--Fox, edit. 1631, vol. 3, p. 1022.--Ed.

35 Every Christian must be decided in his own conscience as to the

formalities of religion; but he who prefers talking of forms and

ceremonies to communion in the substance, is in a melancholy

state.--Ed.

36 What a severe reproach it is to human nature, to see a lovely

child in rags and shoeless, running the streets, exposed to

the pitiless weather, while a splendid equipage passes, in which

a lady holds up her lapdog at the window to give it an airing!!

Is not this a greater crime than sends many a poor wretch to the

treadmill?--Ed.

37 Revenge naturally rises in the mind of man under a sense of

injury. To return good for evil is one of the effects of the new

birth. But while this is done, it is also our duty to petition

kings and parliaments to remove evils.--Ed.

38 "Forth of doors"; out of doors, public.--Ed.

39 "Now it is Christmas"; instead of keeping one day in the year

to commemorate the nativity of Christ in excessive feasting, every

day must be kept holy, in the recollection both of the birth and

death of the Saviour. All eyes are upon the young convert, watching

for his halting; therefore, let every day be holy.--Ed.

40 A striking expression. If a man's righteousness be killed, it

must be by his own will. He must be the butcher to kill himself.--Ed.

41 It is indeed sad to see professors, for the sake of paltry pelf,

or to escape from persecution, denying the Lord Jesus. It subjects

religion to scorn and contempt, and doubles the sorrows and

sufferings of real Christians. Bunyan expresses himself here in

a most admirable manner.--Ed.

42 Bunyan's familiarity with these illustrious men was obtained

by reading Fox's Acts and Monuments, when in prison.--Ed.

43 "Quail"; to overpower. Well might the abettors of Antichrist

wonder at the Christian's support under the most cruel tortures.

While "looking unto Jesus" and the bright visions of eternal glory,

like Stephen, he can pray of his enemies, and tranquilly fall

asleep while undergoing the most frightful sufferings.--Ed.

44 "A naked man"; unarmed, or defenceless. "Had I but serv'd my

God with half the zeal I serv'd my king, he would not in mine age

Have left me naked to mine enemies." Shakespeare's Wolsey.--Ed.

45 How impossible is it for a natural man to understand this new

creation--a new heart, a new birth. How different is regeneration

to water-baptism. How awful the delusion to be mistaken in this,

the foundation of all hope of a blessed immortality. "Create in

me a clean heart, O God!" How consoling the fact: "Now a creation

none can destroy but a Creator!" and "changes not, therefore we

are not consumed."--Ed.

46 "O happie he who doth possesse

Christ for his fellow-prisoner, who doth gladde

With heavenly sunbeames jails that are most sad."

Written on the prison walls of the Tower of London by William

Prynne.--Ed.

47 "Sore temptations" poor Bunyan found them. When dragged from his

home to prison, he speaks of his poor blind daughter in language

of impassioned solicitude: "Poor child, thought I, what sorrow

art thou like to have for thy portion in this world! Thou must be

beaten, must beg, suffer hunger, cold, nakedness, and a thousand

calamities, though I cannot now endure the wind shall blow upon

thee! Oh! the hardships I thought my blind one might go under

would break my heart to pieces."--"The parting with my wife and

poor children hath oft been to me in this place as the pulling my

flesh from my bones."--Grace Abounding, 327, 328.--Ed.

48 "Thodes"; whirlwinds. This word does not occur in any English

dictionary or glossary. It gave me much trouble, and a walk of

seven miles, to discover its meaning. It is the Saxon for noise,

whirlwind, turbulence. This provincial word was probably derived

from some Saxon tribe that settled in Bedfordshire.--Ed.

49 "To shuck"; to shake violently--from which is the noun, "a

pea-shuck," the shell from which peas have been shaken.--Ed.

50 How correct, but how dismal a picture is here drawn of the

persecutor! God has wise and holy ends in protecting and prolonging

the lives even of very wicked men. "Slay them not, lest my people

forget; scatter them by thy power." Compare Ecclessiastes 8:10.

Pity the persecutor--pray for him; but if he repent not, stand

off; "God will have his full blow at him in his time," and crush

him down into misery and despair.--Ed.

51 Like a multitude of passages in Bunyan's writings, this passage

is exceedingly striking. It illustrates our Lord's words in Matthew

5:44,45: "Love your enemies--that ye may be the children of your

Father which is in heaven."--Ed.

52 "Stage"; upon which many a Nonconformist stood with his head in

the pillory. "Ladder" to the gallows, upon which victims suffered

death by hanging.--Ed.

***

AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNITY

[ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR]

This treatise was first published in 1688, after Bunyan's death,

at the end of the second edition of the Barren Fig Tree, with a

black border round the title. It was continued in the third edition

1692, but was subsequently omitted, although the Barren Fig Tree

was printed for the same publisher. It has been printed in every

edition of Bunyan's Works. Respect for the judgment of others leads

me to allow it a place in the first complete edition, although

I have serious doubts whether it was written by him, for these

reasons:--

1. It appears to have been totally unknown to his personal friends,

Charles Doe and others, who very carefully gathered up, not only

all his published works, but his manuscripts also. An interesting

list of these was given in the 'Struggler,' 1691. Nor is it found

in any publisher's list of Bunyan's Works.

2. The style is not that of Bunyan, nor is it even Bunyanish. It

has none of those striking remarks that render all his treatises

so deeply interesting.

3. The author introduces scraps of Latin references to 'Machiavel,'

to the 'learned Stillingfleet,' and to ancient heathen writers.

The frequent recurrence of the words, 'as a certain learned man

observes,' is very foreign to Bunyan's manner of confirming his

sentiments. 'Thus saith the Lord,' is the seal of his testimony.

4. Misapplication of Scripture (Acts 9:31) as if the 'rest' was from

internal dissensions, when in fact it was from external persecution.

5. The terms 'infallible,' 'excommunication,' and 'reason,' are

used in a way not at all Bunyanish.

6. How would his spirit have been grieved at a sentence which occurs:

'Would a heathen god refuse to answer such prayers in which the

supplicants were not agreed; and shall we think the true God will

answer them?' Do stocks or stones answer prayers?

7. Bunyan's peculiar practice of admitting all the Lord's children

to the Lord's table; all such as he hoped were spiritually baptized,

without reference to water-baptism, is here directly opposed. The

author refers to 1 Corinthians 12:13 on which text he says--'I need

not go about to confute that notion that some of late have had of

this text, viz., that the baptism here spoken of is the baptism of

the Spirit, because you have not owned and declared that notion

as your judgment, but on the contrary.' The fact is, that Bunyan

is one of those here noticed as 'some of late,' and his church did

hold that judgment. His comment on this text is, 'not of water,

for by one SPIRIT are we all baptized into one body.'--Reason of

my Practice. And in his 'Differences about Water-Baptism no Bar

to Communion,' he thus argues upon that text, 'Here is a baptism

mentioned by which they are initiated into one body; now that this

is the baptism of water is utterly against the words of the text;

for by one SPIRIT we are all baptized into one body.'--'It is the

unity of the Spirit, not water, that is intended.' Bunyan was the

great champion for the practice of receiving all to church-communion

whom God had received in Christ, without respect to water-baptism;

and had he changed his sentiments upon a subject which occasioned

him so much hostility, even from his Baptist brethren, it would

have been heralded forth as a triumph.

In 1684, four years prior to his death, he republished these sentiments

in the first edition of 'A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity';

his words are--'Men are wedded to their opinions more than the

law of grace and love will permit. Here is a Presbyter, here an

Independent, a Baptist, so joined each man to his own opinions,

that they cannot have that communion one with another, as by the

testament of the Lord Jesus they are commanded and enjoined.'

Bunyan, there can be no doubt, lived and died in the conviction,

that differences were permitted among Christians to stimulate them

to search the Scriptures, and to exercise the grace of forbearance,

as was the case in the primitive churches, in their disputes about

meats and days, and even as to whether the Gentiles were to be

visited with the gospel.

8. Bunyan is ever pressing the duty of private judgment in all the

affairs of religion; not to be scared with the taunts of 'schism,'

'division-makers,' 'new separatists,' 'wiser than your teachers,'

and similar arrows, drawn from Satan's quiver, which occur in this

exhortation.

Judging from the style--the reference to the laying on of hands--the

Latin quotations, and those from learned men, it appears somewhat

like the pen of D'Anvers, who answered Bunyan upon the question--Whether

water-baptism is a scriptural term of communion? It is, however,

now faithfully reprinted, that our readers may form their own

judgment.

Hackney, New-Year's Day, 1850 GEORGE OFFOR.

An Exhortationto Peace and Unity

'Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of

peace.'--Ephesians 4:3

Beloved, religion is the great bond of human society, and it were

well if itself were kept within the bond of unity; and that it may

so be, let us, according to the text, use our utmost endeavours

'to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.'

These words contain a counsel and a caution: the counsel is, 'That

we endeavour the unity of the Spirit'; the caution is, 'That we do

it in the bond of peace': as if he should say, I would have you

live in unity; but yet I would have you to be careful that you do

not purchase unity with the breach of charity. Let us, therefore,

be cautioned that we do not so press after unity in practice and

opinion, as to break the bond of peace and affection.

In the handling of these words, I shall observe this method:--First,

I shall open the sense of the text. Second, I shall show wherein this

unity and peace consists. Third, I shall show you the fruits and

benefits of it, together with nine inconveniencies and mischiefs

that attend those churches where unity and peace is wanting.

Fourth, and lastly, I shall give you twelve directions and motives

for the obtaining of it.

First, As touching the sense of the text; when we are counselled to

keep the unity of the Spirit, we are not to understand the Spirit

of God as personally so considered; because the Spirit of God, in

that sense, is not capable of being divided; and so there would

be no need for us to endeavour to keep the unity of it.

By the unity of the Spirit, then, we are to understand that unity of

mind which the Spirit of God calls for, and requires Christians to

endeavour after; hence it is that we are exhorted by 'one spirit,

with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel' (Phil

1:27).

But farther, the apostle in these words alludes to the state and

composition of a natural body; and doth thereby inform us that the

mystical body of Christ holds an analogy with the natural body of

a man. As,

1. In the natural body there must be a spirit to animate it; for

'the body without the spirit is dead' (James 2:26). So it is in

the mystical body of Christ; the apostle no sooner tells us of

that one body, but he minds us of that 'one spirit' (Eph 4:4).

2. The body hath 'joints and bands' to unite all the parts; so hath

the mystical body of Christ (Col 2:19). This is that bond of peace

mentioned in the text, as also in Ephesians 4:16, where 'the whole

body' is said to be 'fitly joined together, and compacted by that

which every joint supplieth.'

3. The natural body receives counsel and nourishment from the head;

so doth the mystical body of Christ. He is their counsellor, and

him they must hear; he is their head, and him they must hold:

hence it is that the apostle complaineth (Col 2:19), of some that

did 'not hold the head, from which all the body by joints and

bands hath nourishment.'

4. The natural body cannot well subsist, if either the spirit be

wounded or the joints broken or dislocated; the body cannot bear a

wounded or broken spirit; 'A broken spirit drieth the bones' (Prov

17:22), and 'a wounded spirit who can bear?' (Prov 18:14). And on

the other hand, how often has the disjointing of the body, and the

breakings thereof, occasioned the expiration of the spirit? In like

manner it fares with the mystical body of Christ: how do divided

spirits break the bonds of peace, which are the joints of this

body! And how doth the breakings of the body and church of Christ

wound the spirit of Christians, and oftentimes occasion the spirit

and life of Christianity to languish, if not to expire! How needful

is it, then, that we endeavour 'the unity of the spirit in the

bond of peace?'

Second, I now come to show you wherein this unity and peace consists,

and this I shall demonstrate in five particulars.

1. This unity and peace may consist in the ignorance of many truths,

and in the holding of some errors; or else this duty of peace and

unity could not be practicable by any on this side perfection. But

we must now endeavour the unity of the Spirit, 'till we all come

in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God'

(Eph 4:13). Because now, as the apostle saith, 'we know in part,

and we prophesy in part,' and 'now we see through a glass, darkly'

(1 Cor 13:12). And as this is true in general, so we may find it

true if we descend to particular instances: the disciples seemed

to be ignorant of that great truth which they had often, and in

much plainness, been taught by their Master once and again, viz.,

that his kingdom was not of this world, and that in the world they

should suffer and be persecuted, yet in Acts 1:6 we read, that they

asked of him if he would 'at this time restore again the kingdom

to Israel?' thereby discovering that Christ's kingdom, as they

thought, should consist in his temporal jurisdiction over Israel,

which they expected should now commence and take place amongst

them. Again, our Lord tells them that he had many things to say,

and these were many important truths which they could not now bear

(John 16:12). And that these were important truths appears by the

10th and 11th verses, where he is discoursing of righteousness

and judgment; and then adds, that he had yet many things to say

which they could not bear; and thereupon promises the Comforter

to lead them into ALL TRUTH; which implies that they were yet

ignorant of many truths, and consequently held divers errors; and

yet for all this he prays for, and presses them to their great

duty of peace and unity (John 14:27; 17:21). To this may be added

that of Hebrews 5:11, where the author saith, He had many things

to say of the priestly office of Christ, which, by reason of their

dulness, they were not capable to receive; as also that in Acts

10, where Peter seems to be ignorant of that truth, viz., that the

gospel was to be preached to all nations; and contrary hereunto,

he erred in thinking it unlawful to preach amongst the Gentiles.

I shall add two texts more; one is Acts 19:2, where we read, That

those disciples which had been discipled and baptized by John,

were yet ignorant of the Holy Ghost, and knew not, as the text

tells us, 'whether there be any Holy Ghost,' or no; though John

did teach constantly, that he that should come after him, should

baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire. From hence we may easily and

plainly infer, that Christians may be ignorant of many truths, by

reason of weak and dull capacities, and other such like impediments,

even while those truths are with much plainness delivered to

them. Again, we read (Heb 5:13) of some that were 'unskillful in

the word of righteousness,' who nevertheless are called babes in

Christ, and with whom unity and peace is to be inviolably kept

and maintained.

2. As this unity and peace may consist in the ignorance of many

truths, and in the holding some errors, so it must consist with,

and it cannot consist without, the believing and practising those

things which are necessary to salvation and church communion; and

they are, (1.) Believing that Christ the Son of God died for the

sins of men. (2.) That whoever believeth ought to be baptized.

(3.) The third thing essential to this communion is a holy and a

blameless conversation.

(1.) That believing that the Son of God died for the sins of men

is necessary to salvation, I prove by these texts, which tell us

that he that doth not believe shall be damned (Mark 16:16; John

3:18; 2 Thess 2:12; Rom 10:10).

That it is also necessary to church-communion, appears from Matthew

16:16-18. Peter having confessed that Christ was the Son of the

living God, Christ thereupon assures Peter, that upon this rock,

viz., this profession of faith, or this Christ which Peter had

confessed, he would build his church, and the gates of hell should

not prevail against it. And (1 Cor 3:11), the apostle having told

the Corinthians they were God's building, presently adds, that

they could not be built upon any foundation but upon that which

was laid, which was Jesus Christ. All which proves, that Christian

society is founded upon the profession of Christ; and not only

Scripture, but the laws of right reason, dictate this, that some

rules and orders must be observed for the founding all society,

which must be consented to by all that will be of it. Hence it comes

to pass, that to own Christ as the Lord and head of Christians,

is essential to the founding Christian society.

(2.) The Scriptures have declared that this faith gives the

professors of it a right to baptism, as in the case of the eunuch

(Acts 8), when he demanded why he might not be baptized? Philip

answereth, that if he believed with all his heart, he might; the

eunuch thereupon confessing Christ, was baptized.

Now, that baptism is essential to church-communion, I prove

from 1 Corinthians 12, where we shall find the apostle labouring

to prevent an evil use that might be made of spiritual gifts, as

thereby to be puffed up; and to think that such as wanted them,

were not of the body, or to be esteemed members; he thereupon

resolves, that whoever did confess Christ, and own him for his

head, did it by the Spirit (v 3), though they might not have such

a visible manifestation of it as others had; and therefore they

ought to be owned as members, as appears (v 23). And not only because

they have called him Lord by the Spirit, but because they have,

by the guidance and direction of the same Spirit, been baptized

(v 13): 'For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body,'

&c. I need not go about to confute that notion that some of late

have had of this text, viz., that the baptism here spoken of is

the baptism of the Spirit, because you have not owned and declared

that notion as your judgment; but on the contrary, all of you that

I have ever conversed with, have declared it to be understood of

baptism with water, by the direction of the Spirit. If so, then

it follows, that men and women are declared members of Christ's

body by baptism, and cannot be by Scripture reputed and esteemed

so without it; which farther appears from Romans 6:5, where men,

by baptism, are said to be planted into 'the likeness of his death.'

And (Col 2:12), we are said to be 'buried with him by baptism.'

All which, together with the consent of all Christians, (some few

in these late times excepted,) do prove that baptism is necessary

to the initiating persons into the church of Christ.

(3.) Holiness of life is essential to church-communion, because it

seems to be the reason why Christ founded a church in the world,

viz., that men might thereby be watched over and kept from falling;

and that if any be overtaken with a fault, he that is spiritual

might restore him.

That by this means men and women might be preserved, without

blame, to the coming of Christ; and 'the grace of God teacheth us

to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly and

uprightly in this present evil world' (Titus 2:11,12). 'And let

every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity' (2

Tim 2:19). And James tells us, speaking of the Christian religion,

that 'pure religion, and undefiled, before God--is to visit the

fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself

unspotted from the world' (James 1:27). From all which, together

with many more texts that might be produced, it appears that an

unholy and profane life is inconsistent with Christian religion

and society, and that holiness is essential to salvation and

church-communion; so that these three things--faith, baptism, and

a holy life, as I said before, all churches must agree and unite

in, as those things which, when wanting, will destroy their

being. And let not any think, that when I say believing the Son

of God died for the sins of men is essential to salvation and

church-communion, that I hereby would exclude all other articles

of the Christian creed as not necessary, as the belief of the

resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment, &c.; which, for want

of time, I omit to speak particularly to, and the rather because

I understand this great article, of believing the Son of God died

for the sins of men, is comprehensive of all others, and is that

from whence all other articles may easily be inferred.

And here I would not be mistaken, as though I held there were

nothing else for Christians to practise, when I say this is all

that is requisite to church-communion; for I very well know that

Christ requires many other things of us after we are members of

his body, which, if we knowingly or maliciously refuse, may be the

cause, not only of excommunication, but damnation. But yet these

are such things as relate to the wellbeing, and not to the being,

of churches; as laying on of hands, in the primitive times, upon

believers, by which they did receive the gifts of the Spirit--this,

I say, was for the increase and edifying of the body, and not

that thereby they might become of the body of Christ, for that

they were before. And do not think that I believe laying on of

hands was no apostolical institution, because I say men are not

thereby made members of Christ's body, or because I say that it

is not essential to church-communion. Why should I be thought to

be against a fire in the chimney, because I say it must not be in

the thatch of the house? Consider, then, how pernicious a thing

it is to make every doctrine, though true, the bound of communion;

this is that which destroys unity; and, by this rule, all men must

be perfect before they can be in peace. For do we not see daily,

that as soon as men come to a clearer understanding of the mind

of God, to say the best of what they hold, that presently all men

are excommunicable, if not damnable, that do not agree with them.

Do not some believe and see that to be pride and covetousness,

which others do not, because, it may be, they have more narrowly

and diligently searched into their duty of these things than others

have? What then? must all men that have not so large acquaintance

of their duty herein be excommunicated? Indeed, it were to be

wished that more moderation in apparel and secular concernments

were found among churches; but God forbid, that if they should

come short herein, that we should say, as one lately said, that

he could not communicate with such a people, because they were

proud and superfluous in their apparel.

Let me appeal to such, and demand of them, if there was not a

time, since they believed and were baptized, wherein they did not

believe laying on of hands a duty; and did they not then believe,

and do they not still believe, they were members of the body of

Christ? And was not there a time when you did not so well understand

the nature and extent of pride and covetousness as now you do?

And did you not then believe, and do you not still believe, that

you were true members of Christ, though less perfect? Why, then,

should you not judge of those that differ from you herein, as you

judged of yourselves when you were as they now are? How needful,

then, is it for Christians to distinguish, if ever they would be

at peace and unity, between those truths which are essential to

church-communion, and those that are not!

3. Unity and peace consists in our making one shoulder to practise

and put in execution the things we do know. 'Nevertheless, whereto

we have--attained, let us walk by the same rule, and mind the same

thing' (Phil 3:16). How sad is it to see our zeal consume us, and

our precious time, in things doubtful and disputable, while we are

not concerned nor affected with the practice of those indisputable

things we all agree in! We all know charity to be the great

command, and yet how few agree to practise it! We all know they

that labour in the Word and doctrine are worthy of double honour;

and that God hath ordained, that they which preach the gospel should

live of the gospel; these duties, however others have cavilled

at them, I know you agree in them, and are persuaded of your duty

herein; but where is your zeal to practise? O how well would it

be with churches if they were but half as zealous for the great,

and plain, and indisputable things, and the more chargeable and

costly things of religion, as they are for things doubtful or less

necessary, or for things that are no charge to them, and cost them

nothing but the breath of contention, though that may be too great

a price for the small things they purchase with it.

But further: Do we not all agree, that men that preach the gospel

should do it like workmen that need not be ashamed? and yet how

little is this considered by many preachers, who never consider,

before they speak, of what they say, or whereof they affirm! How

few give themselves to study that they may be approved! How few

meditate, and give themselves to these things, that their profiting

may appear to all!

For the Lord's sake, let us unite to practise those things we know;

and if we would have more talents, let us all agree to improve

those we have.

See the spirit that was among the primitive professors, that knowing

and believing how much it concerned them, in the propagating of

Christianity, to show forth love to one another, that so all might

know them to be Christ's disciples, rather than there should be

any complainings among them, they sold all they had. Oh how zealous

were these to practise, and, with one shoulder, to do that that

was upon their hearts for God! I might further add, how often have

we agreed in our judgment? and hath it not been upon our hearts,

that this and the other thing is good to be done to enlighten the

dark world, and to repair the breaches of churches, and to raise

up those churches that now lie agasping, and among whom the soul

of religion is expiring? But what do we more than talk of them?

Do not most decline these things when they either call for their

purses or their persons to help in this and such like works as

these? Let us then, in what we know, unite, that we may put it in

practice, remembering that, if we know these things, we shall be

happy if we do them.

4. This unity and peace consists in our joining and agreeing to pray

for, and to press after, those truths we do not know. The disciples

in the primitive times were conscious of their imperfections,

and, therefore, they, with one accord, continued in prayer and

supplications. If we were more in the sense of our own ignorances

and imperfections, we should carry it better towards those that

differ from us; then we should abound more in the spirit of meekness

and forbearance, that thereby we might bring others, or be brought

by others, to the knowledge of the truth; this would make us go

to God, and say with Elihu, That which we know not, teach thou us

(Job 34:32). Brethren, did we but all agree that we were erring

in many things, we should soon agree to go to God, and pray for

more wisdom and revelation of his mind and will concerning us.

But here is our misery, that we no sooner receive any thing for

truth, but we presently ascend the chair of infallibility with it,

as though in this we could not err; hence it is we are impatient

of contradiction, and become uncharitable to those that are not

of the same mind; but now a consciousness that we may mistake,

or that if my brother err in one thing I may err in another--this

will unite us in affection, and engage us to press after perfection,

according to that of the apostle, 'Brethren, I count not myself

to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those

things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things

which are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize of the

high calling of God in Christ Jesus,' 'and if in any thing ye

be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you' (Phil

3:13-15). O then, that we could but unite and agree to go to God

for one another, in confidence that he will teach us; and that if

any one of us want wisdom, as who of us does not, we might agree

to ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth no

man. Let us, like those people spoken of in Isaiah 2, say one to

another, Come, let us go to the Lord, for 'he will teach us of

his ways, and we will walk in his paths.'

5. This unity and peace mainly consists in unity of love and affection;

this is the great and indispensable duty of all Christians; by

this they are declared Christ's disciples; and hence it is that

love is called the great commandment, the old commandment, and

the new commandment--that which was commanded in the beginning,

and will remain to the end; yea, and after the end. 'Charity never

faileth: but--whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether

there be knowledge, it shall vanish away' (1 Cor 13:8). 'And now

abideth faith, hope, charity--but the greatest of these is charity'

(v 13). 'Above all these things put on charity, which is the bond

of perfectness' (Col 3:14). Because charity is 'the end of the

commandment' (1 Tim 1:5). Charity is therefore called the royal

law; and though it had a superintendency over other laws, and,

doubtless, is a law to which other laws must give place when they

come in competition with it. 'Above all things, [therefore,] have

fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the

multitude of sins' (1 Peter 4:8). Let us, therefore, live in unity

and peace, and the God of love and peace will be with us.

That you may so do, let me remember you, in the words of a learned

man, that the unity of the church is a unity of love and affection,

and not a bare uniformity of practice and opinion.

Third, Having shown you wherein this unity consists, I now come to

the third general thing propounded, and that is, to show you the

fruits and benefits of unity and peace; together with the mischiefs

and inconveniences that attend those churches where unity and peace

are wanting.

1. Unity and peace is a duty well-pleasing to God, who is styled

the author of peace, and not of confusion, in all the churches.

God's Spirit rejoiceth in the unity of our spirits; but, on the

other hand, where strife and divisions are, there the Spirit of

God is grieved. Hence is it that the apostle no sooner calls upon

the Ephesians not to grieve the Spirit of God, but he presently

subjoins us a remedy against that evil: that they put away bitterness

and evil speaking, 'and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted,

forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven

you' (Eph 4:32).

2. As unity and peace is pleasing to God, and rejoiceth his Spirit,

so it rejoiceth the hearts and spirits of God's people--unity and

peace brings heaven down upon earth among us. Hence it is that

the apostle tells us (Rom 14:17) that 'the kingdom of God is not

meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy

Ghost.' Where unity and peace is, there is heaven upon earth; by

this we taste the first fruits of that blessed estate we shall one

day live in the fruition of, when we shall come 'to the general

assembly and church of the first-born,' whose names are written

in heaven, 'and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of

just men made perfect' (Heb 12:23).

This outward peace of the church, as a learned man observes,

distils into peace of conscience, and turns writings and readings

of controversy into treatises of mortification and devotion.

And the psalmist tells us, that it is not only good, but pleasant

'for brethren to dwell together in unity' (Psa 133), but where

unity and peace is wanting, there are storms and troubles; 'where

envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work' (James

3:16). It is the outward peace of the church that increaseth our

inward joy, and the peace of God's house gives us occasion to eat

our meat with gladness in our houses (Acts 2:46).

3. The unity and peace of the church makes communion of saints

desirable. What is it that embitters church-communion, and makes it

burdensome, but divisions? Have you not heard many complain that

they are weary of church-communion, because of church contention?

but now, where unity and peace is, there Christians long for

communion.

David saith that he was glad when they said unto him, 'Let us go

into the house of the Lord' (Psa 122:1). Why was this, but because,

as the third verse tells us, Jerusalem was a city compact together,

where the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, to give thanks

to his name. And David, speaking of the man that was once his

friend, doth thereby let us know the benefit of peace and unity

(Psa 55:14): 'We,' saith he, 'took sweet counsel together, and

walked unto the house of God in company.' Where unity is strongest,

communion is sweetest and most desirable. You see, then, that peace

and union fill the people of God with desires after communion; but,

on the other hand, hear how David complains (Psa 120:5), 'Woe is

me that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!'

The psalmist here is thought to allude to a sort of men that dwelt

in the deserts of Arabia, that got their livings by contention;

and, therefore, he adds (v 6), that his soul had long dwelt with

them that hated peace: this was that which made him long for

the courts of God, and esteem one day in his house better than

a thousand. This made his soul even faint for the house of God,

because of the peace of it; 'Blessed are they,' saith he, 'that

dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee' (Psa 84:4).

There is a certain note of concord, as appears (Acts 2) where we

read of primitive Christians, meeting with one accord, praising

God.

4. Where unity and peace is, there many mischiefs and inconveniences

are prevented which attend those people where peace and unity

are wanting; and of those many that might be mentioned, I shall

briefly insist upon these nine:--

(1.) Where unity and peace are wanting, there is much precious

time spent to no purpose. How many days are spent, and how many

fruitless journeys made to no profit, where the people are not in

peace! How often have many redeemed time, even in seed-time and

harvest, when they could scarce afford it to go to church, and by

reason of their divisions, come home worse than they went, repenting

they have spent so much precious time to so little benefit! How sad

is it to see men spend their precious time, in which they should

work out their salvation, by labouring, as in the fire, to prove

an uncertain and doubtful proposition, and to trifle away their

time, in which they should make their calling and election sure,

to make sure of an opinion which, when they have done all, they are

not infallibly sure whether it be true or no; because all things

necessary to salvation and church-communion are plainly laid down

in Scripture, in which we may be infallibly sure of the truth of

them; but for other things that we have no plain texts for, but

the truth of them depends upon our interpretations, here we must

be cautioned that we do not spend much time in imposing those

upon others, or venting those among others, unless we can assume

infallibility--otherwise, we spend time upon uncertainty; and whoever

casts their eyes abroad, and doth open their ears to intelligence,

shall both see, and, to their sorrow, hear that many churches spend

most of their time in jangling and contending about those things

which are neither essential to salvation or church-communion,

and that which is worse, about such doubtful questions which they

are never able to give an infallible solution of; but now, where

unity and peace is, there our time is spent in praising God, and

in those great questions--what we should do to be saved? and how

we may be more holy and more humble towards God, and more charitable

and more serviceable to one another?

(2.) Where unity and peace is wanting, there is evil surmising and

evil speaking, to the damage and disgrace, if not to the ruining

of one another (Gal 5:14,15): 'The whole law is fulfilled in one

word, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; but if ye bite

and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of

another.' No sooner the bond of charity is broken, which is as a

wall about Christians, but soon they begin to make havoc and spoil

of one another; then there is raising evil reports, and taking

up evil reports against each other. Hence it is that whispering

and backbiting proceeds, and going from house to house to blazon

the faults and infirmities of others: hence it is that we watch

for the haltings of one another, and do inwardly rejoice at the

miscarriages of others, saying in our hearts, Ah, ah, so we would

have it; but now, where unity and peace is, there is charity; and

where charity is, there we are willing to hide the faults, and

cover the nakedness of our brethren. 'Charity thinketh no evil'

(1 Cor 13:5), and, therefore, it cannot surmise, neither will it

speak evil.

(3.) Where unity and peace is wanting, there can be no great matters

enterprised; we cannot do much for God nor much for one another.

When the devil would hinder the bringing to pass of good in

nations and churches, he divides their councils; and, as one well

observes, he divides their heads, that he may divide their hands;

when Jacob had prophesied of the cruelty of Simeon and Levi, who

were brethren, he threatens them with the consequent of it (Gen

49:7): 'I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.' The

devil is not to learn that maxim he hath taught the Machiavellians

of the world, divide et impera--divide and rule; it is a united

force that is formidable: hence the spouse, in the Canticles,

is said to be 'but one,' 'and the only one of her mother' (Cant

6:9). Hereupon it is said of her (v 10) that she is 'terrible as

an army with banners.' What can a divided army do, or a disordered

army, that have lost their banners, or, for fear or shame, thrown

them away? In like manner, what can Christians do for Christ, and

the enlarging his dominions in the world, in bringing men from

darkness to light, while themselves are divided and disordered?

Peace is, to Christians, as great rivers are to some cities, which,

besides other benefits and commodities, are natural fortifications,

by reason whereof those places are made impregnable; but when, by

the subtilty of an adversary or the folly of the citizens, these

waters come to be divided into little petty rivulets, how soon are

they assailed and taken! Thus it fares with churches; when once

the devil, or their own folly divides them, they will be so far

from resisting of him, that they will be soon subjected by him.

Peace is to churches as walls to cities; nay, unity hath defended

cities that had no walls. It was once demanded of Agesilaus why

Lacedemon had no walls; he answers, pointing back to the city,

that the concord of the citizens was the strength of the city. In

like manner, Christians are strong when united; then they are more

capable to resist temptation, and to succour such as are tempted.

When unity and peace is among the churches, then are they like a

walled town; and when peace is the church's walls, salvation will

be her bulwarks.

Plutarch tells us of one Silurus that had eighty sons, whom he

calls to him as he lay upon his death-bed, and gave them a sheaf

of arrows; thereby to signify, that if they lived in unity they

might do much; but, if they divided, they would come to nothing.

If Christians were all of one piece--if they were all but one

lump, or but one sheaf or bundle, how great are the things they

might do for Christ and his people in the world, whereas, otherwise,

they can do little but dishonour him, and offend his.

It is reported of the leviathan, that his strength is in his scales

(Job 41:15-17): 'His scales are his pride, shut up together, as

with a close seal. One is so near to another, that no air can come

between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together,

that they cannot be sundered.' If the church of God were united

like the scales of leviathan, it would not be every brain-sick

notion, nor angry speculation, that would cause their separation.

Solomon saith, Two are better than one, because if one fail, the

other may raise him; then surely twenty are better than two, and

an hundred are better than twenty, for the same reason--because

they are more capable to help one another. If ever Christians would

do any thing to raise up the fallen tabernacles of Jacob, and to

strengthen the weak, and comfort the feeble, and to fetch back

those that have gone astray, it must be by unity.

We read of the men of Babel (Gen 11:6), 'The Lord said, Behold the

people is one--And now nothing will be restrained from them which

they have imagined to do.'

We learn, by reason, what great things may be done in worldly

achievements where unity is. And shall not reason, assisted with

the motives of religion, teach us that unity among Christians may

enable them to enterprise greater things for Christ? Would not this

make Satan fall from heaven like lightning? For as unity built

literal Babel, it is unity that must pull down mystical Babel.

And, on the other hand, where divisions are, there is confusion;

by this means, a Babel hath been built in every age. It hath

been observed by a learned man, and I wish I could not say truly

observed, that there is most of Babel and confusion among those

that cry out most against it.

Would we have a hand to destroy Babylon, let us have a heart to

unite one among another.

Our English histories tell us, that after Austin the monk had been

some time in England, that he heard of some of the remains of the

British Christians, which he convened to a place, which Cambden, in

his Britannia, calls Austin's Oak. Here they met to consult about

matters of religion; but such was their division, by reason of

Austin's imposing spirit, that our stories tell us that synod was

only famous for this, that they only met, and did nothing. This

is the mischief of divisions, they hinder the doing of much good;

and if Christians that are divided be ever famous for any thing,

it will be that they have often met together, and talked of this

and the other thing, but they did nothing.

(4.) Where unity and peace is wanting, there the weak are wounded,

and the wicked are hardened. Unity may well be compared to precious

oil (Psa 133:2). It is the nature of oil to heal that which is

wounded, and to soften that which is hard. Those men that have

hardened themselves against God and his people, when they shall

behold unity and peace among them, will say, God is in them indeed;

and, on the other hand, are they not ready to say, when they see

you divided, that the devil is in you, that you cannot agree?

(5.) Divisions, and want of peace, keep those out of the church

that would come in; and cause many to go out that are in.

'The divisions of Christians (as a learned man observes) are a

scandal to the Jews, an opprobrium to the Gentiles, and an inlet

to atheism and infidelity.' Insomuch that our controversies about

religion, especially as they have been of late managed, have made

religion itself become a controversy. O, then, how good and pleasant

a thing is it for brethren to dwell together in unity! The peace

and unity that was among the primitive Christians drew others to

them. What hinders the conversion of the Jews, but the divisions

of Christians? Must I be a Christian, says the Jew? What Christian

must I be; of what sect must I be of? The Jews, as one observes,

glossing upon that text in Isaiah 11:6, where it is prophesied,

that the lion and the lamb shall lie down together, and that there

shall be none left to hurt nor destroy in all God's holy mountain;

they interpreting these sayings to signify the concord and peace

that shall be among the people that shall own the Messiah, do

from hence conclude that the Messiah is not yet come, because of

the contentions and divisions that are among those that profess

him; and the apostle saith (1 Cor 14:23), that if an unbeliever

should see their disorders, he would say they were mad; but where

unity and peace is, there the churches are multiplied. We read

(Acts 9;31) that when the churches had rest, they multiplied; and

(Acts 2:46,47) when the church was serving God 'with one accord,'

the Lord added to them 'daily such as should be saved.'

It is unity brings men into the church, and divisions keep them out.

It is reported of an Indian, passing by the house of a Christian,

and hearing them contending, being desired to turn in, he refused,

saying Habamach dwells there--meaning that the devil dwelt there;

but where unity and peace is, there God is; and he that dwells in

love, dwells in God. The apostle tells the Corinthians, that if

they walked orderly, even the unbeliever would hereby be enforced

to come and worship, and say, God was in them indeed; and we read

(Zech 8:23) of a time when ten men shall take hold of a Jew, and

say, 'We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with

you.'

And hence it is that Christ prays (John 17:21) that his disciples

might be one, as the Father and he were one, that the world might

believe the Father sent him. As if he should say, you may preach

me as long as you will, and to little purpose, if you are not at

peace and unity among yourselves. Such was the unity of Christians

in former days, that the intelligent heathen would say of them,

that though they had many bodies, yet they had but one soul. And

we read the same of them (Acts 4:32) that 'the multitude of them

that believed were of one heart and of one soul.'

And as the learned Stillingfleet observes, in his Irenicum,--'The

unity and peace that was then among Christians, made religion amiable

in the judgment of impartial heathens. Christians were then known

by the benignity and sweetness of their dispositions, by the candour

and ingenuity of their spirits, by their mutual love, forbearance,

and condescension to one another: but either this is not the

practice of Christianity,' viz., a duty that Christians are now

bound to observe, 'or else it is not calculated for our meridian,

where the spirits of men are of too high an elevation for it; for

if pride and uncharitableness, if divisions and strifes, if wrath

and envy, if animosities and contentions, were but the marks of

true Christians, Diogenes need never light his lamp at noon to

find out such among us; but if a spirit of meekness, gentleness,

and condescension; if a stooping to the weaknesses and infirmities

of one another; if pursuit after peace, when it flies from us, be

the indispensable duties and characteristical notes of Christians,

it may possibly prove a difficult inquest to find out such among

the crowds of those that shelter themselves under that glorious

name.'

It is the unity and peace of churches that brings others to them,

and makes Christianity amiable. What is prophesied of the church

of the Jews, may in this case be applied to the Gentile church

(Isa 66:12) that when once God extends peace to her like a river,

the Gentiles shall come in like a flowing stream; then, and not

till then, the glory of the Lord shall arise upon his churches,

and his glory shall be seen among them; then shall their hearts

fear and be enlarged, because the abundance of the nations shall

be converted to them.

(6.) As want of unity and peace keeps those out of the church that

would come in, so it hinders the growth of those that are in. Jars

and divisions, wranglings and prejudices, eat out the growth, if

not the life, of religion. These are those waters of Marah that

embitter our spirits, and quench the Spirit of God. Unity and peace

is said to be like the dew of Hermon, and as a dew that descended

upon Zion, where the Lord commanded his blessing (Psa 133:3).

Divisions run religion into briers and thorns, contentions and

parties. Divisions are to churches like wars in countries. Where

war is, the ground lieth waste and untilled; none takes care of

it. It is love that edifieth, but division pulleth down. Divisions

are, as the northeast wind to the fruits, which causeth them to

dwindle away to nothing; but when the storms are over, every thing

begins to grow. When men are divided, they seldom speak the truth

in love; and then, no marvel they grow not up to him in all things,

which is the head.

It is a sad presage of an approaching famine, as one well observes,

not of bread nor water, but of hearing the Word of God; when the

thin ears of corn devour the plump full ones; when the lean kine

devour the fat ones; when our controversies about doubtful things,

and things of less moment, eat up our zeal for the more indisputable

and practical things in religion; which may give us cause to fear

that this will be the character by which our age will be known to

posterity, that it was the age that talked of religion most and

loved it least.

Look upon those churches where peace is, and there you shall

find prosperity. When the churches had rest, they were not only

multiplied, but, walking in the fear of the Lord, and the comforts

of the Holy Ghost, they were edified; it is when the whole body

is knit together, as with joints and bands, that they increase

with the increase of God.

We are at a stand sometimes why there is so little growth among

churches; why men have been so long in learning, and are yet so

far from attaining the knowledge of the truth. Some have given one

reason, and some another; some say pride is the cause, and others

say covetousness is the cause; I wish I could say these were no

causes. But I observe that when God entered his controversy with his

people of old, he mainly insisted upon some one sin, as idolatry,

and shedding innocent blood, &c., as comprehensive of the rest;

not but that they were guilty of other sins, but those that were

the most capital are particularly insisted on; in like manner, whoever

would but take a review of churches that live in contentions and

divisions, may easily find that breach of unity and charity is

their capital sin, and the occasion of all other sins. No marvel,

then, that the Scripture saith the whole law is fulfilled in love;

and if so, then, where love is wanting, it must needs follow the

whole law is broken. It is where love grows cold that sin abounds;

and therefore the want of unity and peace is the cause of that

leanness and barrenness that is among us: it is true in spirituals

as well as temporals, that peace brings plenty.

(7.) Where unity and peace is wanting, our prayers are hindered.

The promise is, that what we shall agree to ask shall be given us

of our heavenly Father. No marvel we pray and pray, and yet are

not answered; it is because we are not agreed what to have.

It is reported that the people in Lacedemonia, coming to make

supplications to their idol-god, some of them asked for rain, and

others of them asked for fair weather; the oracle returns them

this answer, That they should go first and agree among themselves.

Would a heathen god refuse to answer such prayers in which the

supplicants were not agreed; and shall we think the true God will

answer them?

We see, then, that divisions hinder our prayers, and lay a prohibition

on our sacrifice. 'If thou bring thy gift to the altar,' saith

Christ, 'and there remeberest that thy brother hath ought against

thee; leave there thy gift--and go--and first be reconciled to thy

brother, and then come and offer it' (Matt 5:24). So that want of

unity and charity hinders even our particular prayers and devotions.

This hindered the prayers and fastings of the people of old from

finding acceptance (Isa 58:3); the people ask the reason wherefore

they fasted, and God did not see, nor take notice of them. He gives

this reason, because they fasted for strife and debate, and hid

their face from their own flesh. Again (Isa 59), the Lord saith,

His hand was not shortened, that he could not save; nor his

ear heavy, that he could not hear: but their sins had separated

between their God and them. And among those many sins they stood

chargeable with, this was none of the least, viz., that the way

of peace they had not known. You see where peace was wanting,

prayers were hindered, both under the Old and New Testament.

The sacrifice of the people in Isaiah 65, that said, Stand farther

off, I am holier than thou, was as smoke in the nostrils of the

Lord. On the other hand, we read how acceptable those prayers were

that were made 'with one accord' (Acts 4:24, compared with verse

31). They prayed with one accord, and they were all of one heart

and of one soul. And see the benefit of it; 'they were all filled

with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word with boldness': which

was the very thing they prayed for, as appears (v 29). And the

apostle exhorts the husband to dwell with his wife, that their

prayers might not be hindered (1 Peter 3:7). We see, then, want

of unity and peace, either in families or churches, is a hindrance

of prayers.

(8.) It is a dishonour and disparagement to Christ that his family

should be divided. When an army falls into mutiny and division, it

reflects disparagement on him that hath the conduct of it. In like

manner, the divisions of families are a dishonour to the heads and

those that govern them. And if so, then how greatly do we dishonour

our Lord and Governor, who gave his body to be broken, to keep

his church from breaking, who prayed for their peace and unity,

and left peace at his departing from them for a legacy, even a

peace which the world could not bestow upon them.

(9.) Where there is peace and unity, there is a sympathy with each

other; that which is the want of one will be the want of all,--Who

is afflicted, saith the apostle, and I burn not?[1] we should then

remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which

suffer adversity, as being ourselves also of the body (Heb 13:3).

But where the body is broken, or men are not reckoned or esteemed

of the body, no marvel we are so little affected with such as are

afflicted. Where divisions are, that which is the joy of the one

is the grief of another; but where unity, and peace, and charity

abounds, there we shall find Christians in mourning with them that

mourn, and rejoicing with them that rejoice; then they will not

envy the prosperity of others, nor secretly rejoice at the miseries

or miscarriages of any.

Fourth, Last of all, I now come to give you twelve directions and

motives for the obtaining peace and unity.

If ever we would live in peace and unity, we must pray for it. We

are required to seek peace: of whom, then, can we seek it with

expectation to find it, but of him who is a God of peace, and

hath promised to bless his people with peace? It is God that hath

promised to give his people one heart, and one way; yet for all

these things he will be sought unto. O then let us seek peace, and

pray for peace, because God shall prosper them that love it.

The peace of churches is that which the apostle prays for in all

his epistles; in which his desire is, that grace and peace may be

multiplied and increased among them.

1. They that would endeavour the peace of the churches, must be

careful who they commit the care and oversight of the churches to;

as, first, over and besides those qualifications that should be in

all Christians, they that rule the church of God should be men of

counsel and understanding; where there is an ignorant ministry,

there is commonly an ignorant people,--according as it was of old,

Like priest, like people.

How sad is it to see the church of God committed to the care of

such that pretend to be teachers of others, that understand not what

they say, or whereof they affirm. No marvel the peace of churches

is broken, when their watchmen want skill to preserve their unity,

which of all other things is as the church's walls; when they are

divided, no wonder they crumble to atoms, if there is no skilful

physician to heal them. It is sad when there is no balm in Gilead,

and when there is no physician there. Hence it is, that the wounds

of churches become incurable, like the wounds of God's people of

old; either not healed at all, or else slightly healed, and to no

purpose. May it not be said of many churches at this day, as God

said of the church of Israel, that he sought for a man among them

that should stand in the gap, and make up the breach, but he found

none?

Remember what was said of old (Mal 2:7), The priest's lips should

preserve knowledge; and the people 'should seek the law at his

mouth.' But when this is wanting, the people will be stumbling and

departing from God and one another; therefore God complains (Hosea

4:6) that his people were 'destroyed for want of knowledge'; that

is, for want of knowing guides; for if the light that is in them

that teach be darkness, how great is that darkness; and if the

blind lead the blind, no marvel both fall into the ditch.

How many are there that take upon them to teach others, that

had need be taught in the beginning of religion; that instead

of multiplying knowledge, multiply words without knowledge; and

instead of making known God's counsel, darken counsel by words

without knowledge? The apostle speaks of some that did more than

darken counsel, for they wrested the counsel of God (2 Peter

3:16). In Paul's epistles, saith he, are 'some things hard to be

understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as

they do also the other scriptures unto their own destruction.'

Some things in the Scripture are hard to be known, and they are

made harder by such unlearned teachers as utter their own notions

by words without knowledge.

None are more bold and adventurous to take upon them to expound

the dark mysteries and sayings of the prophets and revelations, and

the 9th of the Romans,--which, I believe, contains some of those

many things which, in Paul's epistles, Peter saith were 'hard

to be understood.' I say, none are more forward to dig in these

mines than those that can hardly give a sound reason for the

first principles of religion; and such as are ignorant of many

more weighty things that are easily to be seen in the face and

superficies of the Scripture; nothing will serve these but swimming

in the deeps, when they have not yet learned to wade through the

shallows of the Scriptures. Like the Gnostics of old, who thought

they knew all things, though they knew nothing as they ought to

know. And as those Gnostics did of old, so do such teachers of late

break the unity and peace of churches. How needful, then, is it,

that if we desire the peace of churches, that we choose out men

of knowledge, who may be able to keep them from being shattered

and scattered with every wind of doctrine; and who may be able to

convince and stop the mouths of gainsayers!

2. You must not only choose men of counsel; but if you would design

the unity and peace of the churches, you must choose men of courage

to govern them; for as there must be wisdom to bear with some, so

there must be courage to correct others; as some must be instructed

meekly, so others must be rebuked sharply, that they may be sound

in the faith; there must be wisdom to rebuke some with long-suffering,

and there must be courage to suppress and stop the mouths of others.

The apostle tells Titus of some 'whose mouths must be stopped,'

or else they would 'subvert whole houses' (Titus 1:11). Where

this courage hath been wanting, not only whole houses, but whole

churches have been subverted. And Paul tells the Galatians, that

when he saw some endeavour to bring the churches into bondage,

that he did not give place to them, 'no, not for an hour,' &c.

(Gal 2:5). If this course had been taken by the rulers of churches,

their peace had not been so often invaded by unruly and vain

talkers.

In choosing men to rule, if you would endeavour to keep the unity

of the spirit and the bond of peace thereby, be careful you choose

men of peaceable dispositions. That which hath much annoyed the

peace of churches, hath been the froward and perverse spirits

of the rulers thereof. Solomon therefore adviseth, that 'with a

furious man we should not go, lest we learn his ways, and get a

snare to our souls' (Prov 22:24,25). And with the froward we learn

frowardness. How do some men's words eat like a canker; who instead

of lifting up their voices like a trumpet, to sound a parley for

peace, have rather sounded an alarm to war and contention. If ever

we would live in peace, let us reverence the feet of them that

bring the glad tidings of it.

O how have some men made it their business to preach contentions,

and upon their entertainment of every novel opinion, to preach

separation! How hath God's Word been stretched and torn, to furnish

these men with arguments to tear churches! Have not our ears heard

those texts that saith, 'Come out from among them, and be separate,'

&c.; and, 'Withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly?' I

say, have we not heard these texts, that were written to prevent

disorder, brought to countenance the greatest disorder that ever

was in the church of God, even schism and division? whereas one

of these exhortations was written to the church of Corinth, to

separate themselves from the idol's temple, and the idol's table,

in which many of them lived in the participation of, notwithstanding

their profession of the true God, as appears 2 Corinthians 6:16,

17, compared with 1 Corinthians 8:7, and 1 Corinthians 10:14, 20,

22 recites: and not for some few or more members, who shall make

themselves both judges and parties, to make separation, when and

as often was they please, from the whole congregation and church

of God where they stood related; for by the same rule, and upon

the same ground, may others start some new question among these new

separatists, and become their own judges of the communicableness

of them, and thereupon make another separation from these, till

at last two be not left to walk together. And for that other text

mentioned (2 Thess 3:6) where Paul exhorts the church of Thessalonica

to withdraw themselves from every brother that walks disorderly,

I cannot but wonder that any should bring this to justify their

separation, or withdrawing from the communion of a true, though a

disorderly, church. For,

(1.) Consider that this was not writ for a few members to withdraw

from the church, but for the church to withdraw from disorderly

members.

(2.) Consider that if any offended members, upon pretence of

error, either in doctrine or practice, should by this text become

judges, as well as parties, of the grounds and lawfulness of

their separation, then it will follow, that half a score notorious

heretics, or scandalous livers, when they have walked so as they

foresee the church are ready to deal with them, and withdraw from

them, shall anticipate the church, and pretend somewhat against

them, of which themselves must be judges, and so withdraw from the

church, pretending either heresy or disorder; and so condemn the

church, to prevent the disgrace of being condemned by the church.

How needful, then, is it that men of peaceable dispositions, and

not of froward and factious and dividing spirits, be chosen to

rule the church of God, for fear lest the whole church be leavened

and soured by them.

4. As there must be care used in choosing men to rule the church

of God, so there must be a consideration had that there are many

things darkly laid down in Scripture; this will temper our spirits,

and make us live in peace and unity the more firmly in things in

which we agree; this will help us to bear one another's burden, and

so fulfil the law of Christ, inasmuch as all things necessary to

salvation and church-communion are plainly laid down in Scripture.

And where things are more darkly laid down, we should consider

that God intended hereby to stir up our diligence, that thereby

we might increase our knowledge, and not our divisions; for it may

be said of all discoveries of truth we have made in the Scriptures,

as it is said of the globe of the earth, that though men have

made great searches, and thereupon great discoveries, yet there

is still a terra incognita--an unknown land; so there is in the

Scriptures; for after men have travelled over them, one age after

another, yet still there is, as it were, a terra incognita, an

unknown tract to put us upon farther search and inquiry, and to

keep us from censuring and falling out with those who have not yet

made the same discoveries; that so we may say with the Psalmist,

when we reflect upon our short apprehensions of the mind of God,

that we have seen an end of all perfections, but God's commands are

exceeding broad; and as one observes, speaking of the Scriptures,

that there is a path in them leading to the mind of God, which lieth

a great distance from the thoughts and apprehensions of men. And

on the other hand, in many other places, God sits, as it were, on

the superficies and the face of the letter, where he that runs may

discern him speaking plainly, and no parable at all. How should the

consideration of this induce us to a peaceable deportment towards

those that differ.

5. If we would endeavour peace and unity, we must consider how God

hath tempered the body, that so the comely parts should not separate

from the uncomely, as having no need of them (1 Cor 12:22-25).

There is in Christ's body and house some members and vessels less

honourable (2 Tim 2:20); and therefore we should not, as some

now-a-days do, pour the more abundant disgrace, instead of putting

the more abundant honour, upon them. Did we but consider this,

we should be covering the weakness and hiding the miscarriages of

one another, because we are all members one of another, and the

most useless member in his place is useful.

6. If we would live in peace, let us remember our relations to

God--as children to a father, and to each other as brethren. Will

not the thoughts that we have one Father quiet us, and the thoughts

that we are brethren unite us? It was this that made Abraham

propose terms of peace to Lot (Gen 13): 'Let there be no strife,'

saith he, 'between us, for we are brethren.' And we read of Moses,

in Acts 7:26, using this argument to reconcile those that strove

together, and to set them at one again: 'Sirs,' saith he, 'ye are

brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?' A deep sense of this

relation, that we are brethren, would keep us from dividing.

7. If we would preserve peace, let us mind the gifts, and graces,

and virtues that are in each other; let these be more in our eye

than their failings and imperfections. When the apostle exhorted

the Philippians to peace, as a means hereunto, that so the peace

of God might rule in their hearts, he tells them (4:8), that if

there were any virtue, or any praise, they should think of these

things. While we are always talking and blazoning the faults of

one another, and spreading their infirmities, no marvel we are so

little in peace and charity; for as charity covereth a multitude

of sins, so malice covereth a multitude of virtues, and makes us

deal by one another as the heathen persecutors dealt with Christians,

viz., put them in bears' skins, that they might the more readily

become a prey to those dogs that were designed to devour them.

8. If we would keep unity and peace, let us lay aside provoking

and dividing language, and forgive those that use them. Remember

that old saying, Evil words corrupt good manners. When men think to

carry all afore them, with speaking uncharitably and disgracefully

of their brethren or their opinions, may not such be answered as

Job answered his unfriendly visitants (Job 6:25), 'How forcible

are right words! But what doth your arguing reprove?' How healing

are words fitly spoken! A word in season, how good is it! If we

would seek peace, let us clothe all our treaties for peace with

acceptable words; and where one word may better accommodate than

another, let that be used to express persons or things by, and let

us not, as some do, call the different practices of our brethren

will-worship, and their different opinions doctrines of devils,

and the doctrine of Balaam, who taught fornication, &c., unless

we can plainly, and in expressness of terms, prove it so; such

language as this hath strangely divided our spirits, and hardened

our hearts one towards another.

9. If we would live in peace, let us make the best constructions of

one another's words and actions. Charity judgeth the best, and it

thinks no evil; if words and actions may be construed to a good sense,

let us never put a bad construction upon them. How much hath the

peace of Christians been broken by an uncharitable interpretation

of words and actions? As some lay to the charge of others that

which they never said, so, by straining men's words, others lay

to their charge that they never thought.

10. Be willing to hear and learn, and obey those that God by his

providence hath set over you; this is a great means to preserve

the unity and peace of churches. But when men, yea, and sometimes

women, shall usurp authority, and think themselves wiser than

their teachers, no wonder if these people run into contentions and

parties, when any shall say they are not free to hear those whom

the church thinks fit to speak to them. This is the first step to

schism, and is usually attended, if not timely prevented, with a

sinful separation.

11. If you would keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of

peace, be mindful that the God whom you serve is a God of peace,

and your Saviour is a Prince of peace, and that his ways are ways

of pleasantness, and all his paths are peace; and that Christ was

sent into the world to give light to them that sit in darkness and

in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet in the way of peace.

12. Consider the oneness of spirit that is among the enemies of

religion; though they differ about other things, yet to persecute

religion, and extirpate religion out of the earth, here they will

agree: the devils in the air, and the devils in the earth, all the

devils in hell, and in the world, make one at this turn. Shall the

devil's kingdom be united, and shall Christ's be divided? Shall

the devils make one shoulder to drive on the design of damning

men, and shall not Christians unite to carry on the great design

of saving of them? Shall the Papists agree and unite to carry on

their interest, notwithstanding the multitudes of orders, degrees,

and differences, that are among them, and shall not those that

call themselves reformed churches unite to carry on the common

interest of Christ in the world, notwithstanding some petty and

disputable differences that are among them? Quarrels about religion,

as one observes, were sins not named among the Gentiles. What a

shame is it, then, for Christians to abound in them, especially

considering the nature of the Christian religion, and what large

provisions the author of it hath made to keep the professors of it

in peace; insomuch, as one well observes, it is next to a miracle

that ever any, especially the professors of it, should fall out

about it.

13. Consider and remember that the Judge stands at the door; let

this moderate our spirits, that the Lord is at hand. What a sad

account will they have to make when he comes, that shall be found

to smite their fellow-servants, and to make the way to his kingdom

more narrow than ever he made it? Let me close all in the words of

that great apostle (2 Cor 13:11): 'Finally, brethren, farewell. Be

perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and

the God of love and peace shall be with you.'

POSTSCRIPT.

Reader, I thought good to advertise thee that I have delivered this

to thy hand in the same order and method in which it was preached,

and almost in the same words, without any diminishings or considerable

enlargings, unless it be in the thirteen last particulars, upon

some of which I have made some enlargements, which I could not

then do for want of time; but the substance of every one of them

was then laid down in the same particular order as here thou hast

them: and now I have done, I make no other account, to use the

words of a moderate man upon the like occasion, but it will fall

out with me, as doth commonly with him that parts a fray, both

parties may perhaps drive at me for wishing them no worse than

peace. My ambition of the public tranquility of the church of

God, I hope, will carry me through these hazards. Let both beat

me, so their quarrels may cease; I shall rejoice in those blows

and scars I shall take for the church's safety.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] 'Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn

not?'--Ed.

***

MR. BUNYAN'S LAST SERMON:

Preached August 19TH, 1688

[ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR]

This sermon, although very short, is peculiarly interesting: how it

was preserved we are not told; but it bears strong marks of having

been published from notes taken by one of the hearers. There is

no proof that any memorandum or notes of this sermon was found in

the autograph of the preacher.

In the list of Bunyan's works published by Chas. Doe, at the end of

the 'Heavenly Footman,' March 1690, it stands No. 44. He professes

to give the title-page, word for word, as it was first printed,

It is, 'Mr. John Bunyan's last sermon, at London, preached at Mr.

Gamman's meeting-house, near Whitechapel, August 19th, 1688, upon

John 1:13: showing a resemblance between a natural and a spiritual

birth; and how every man and woman may try themselves, and know

whether they are born again or not.' Published 1689, in about one

sheet in 12mo. From this it appears to have been preached only two

days before his fatal illness, and twelve days before his decease,

which took place August 31st, 1688. The disease which terminated

his invaluable life, was brought on by a journey to Reading on

horseback, undertaken with the benevolent design of reconciling

an offended father to his son. Having accomplished his object, he

rode to London; on his way home, through a heavy rain, the effects

of which appeared soon after this, his last sermon was preached.

He bore, with most exemplary patience and resignation, the fever

which invaded his body; and, at a distance from his wife and

family, in the house of his friend Mr. Strudwick, at Snow Hill,

his pilgrimage was ended, and he fell asleep in perfect peace, to

awake amidst the harmonies and glory of the celestial city.

GEO. OFFOR.

Mr. Bunyan's Last Sermon

'Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor

of the will of man, but of God.'--John 1:13

The words have a dependance on what goes before, and therefore

I must direct you to them for the right understanding of it. You

have it thus: 'He came unto his own, and his own received him not;

but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the

sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were

born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh--but of God.'

In the words before, you have two things. First, Some of his own

rejecting him, when he offered himself to them. Second, Others of

his own receiving him, and making him welcome; those that reject

him, he also passes by; but those that receive him, he gives them

power to become the sons of God.

Now, lest any one should look upon it as good luck or fortune, says

he, they 'were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man, but of God.' They that did not receive

him, they were only born of flesh and blood; but those that receive

him, they have God to their Father; they receive the doctrine of

Christ with a vehement desire.

[TO EXPLAIN THE TEXT.]

FIRST, I will show you what he means by blood. They that believe

are born to it, as an heir is to an inheritance--they are born of

God, not of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God; not of blood,

that is, not by generation, not born to the kingdom of heaven by

the flesh, not because I am the son of a godly man or woman--that

is meant by blood (Acts 17:26); He 'hath made of one blood

all nations.' But when he says here, 'not of blood,' he rejects

all carnal privileges they did boast of: they boasted they were

Abraham's seed; no, no says he, it is not of blood; think not to

say you have Abraham to your father; you must be born of God, if

you go to the kingdom of heaven.

SECOND, 'Nor of the will of the flesh.' What must we understand

by that?

It is taken for those vehement inclinations that are in man, to

all manner of looseness, fulfilling the desires of the flesh: that

must not be understood here; men are not made the children of God

by fulfilling their lustful desires. It must be understood here

in the best sense: there is not only in carnal men a will to be

vile, but there is in them a will to be saved also; a will to go

to heaven also. But this it will not do; it will not privilege

a man in the things of the kingdom of God: natural desires after

the things of another world, they are not an argument to prove a

man shall go to heaven whenever he dies. I am not a free-willer,

I do abhor it; yet there is not the wickedest man but he desires,

some time or other, to be saved; he will read some time or other,

or, it may be, pray, but this will not do: 'It is not of him that

willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.'

There is willing and running, and yet to no purpose (Rom 9:16).

Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, have not

obtained it (v 30). Here, I do not understand, as if the apostle

had denied a virtuous course of life to be the way to heaven;

but that a man without grace, though he have natural gifts, yet

he shall not obtain privilege to go to heaven, and be the son of

God. Though a man without grace may have a will to be saved, yet

he cannot have that will God's way. Nature, it cannot know any

thing but the things of nature--the things of God knows no man

but by the Spirit of God; unless the Spirit of God be in you, it

will leave you on this side the gates of heaven. 'Not of blood, nor

of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.' It

may be, some may have a will, a desire that Ishmael may be saved;

know this, it will not save thy child. If it was our will, I would

have you all go to heaven. How many are there in the world that

pray for their children, and cry for them, and are ready to die

[for them]? and this will not do. God's will is the rule of all;

it is only through Jesus Christ: 'which were born, not of flesh,

nor of the will of man, but of God.'

Now I come to the doctrine.

Men that believe in Jesus Christ, to the effectual receiving

of Jesus Christ, they are born to it. He does not say they shall

be born to it, but they are born to it--born of God unto God and

the things of God, before he receives God to eternal salvation.

'Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'

Now, unless he be born of God, he cannot see it: suppose the kingdom

of God be what it will, he cannot see it before he be begotten

of God. Suppose it be the gospel, he cannot see it before he be

brought into a state of regeneration. Believing is the consequence

of the new birth; 'not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of

God.'

First, I will give you a clear description of it under one similitude

or two. A child, before it be born into the world, is in the dark

dungeon of its mother's womb: so a child of God, before he be born

again, is in the dark dungeon of sin, sees nothing of the kingdom

of God; therefore it is called a new birth: the same soul has love

one way in its carnal condition, another way when it is born again.

Second, As it is compared to a birth, resembling a child in his

mother's womb, so it is compared to a man being raised out of the

grave; and to be born again, is to be raised out of the grave

of sin; 'Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and

Christ shall give thee light.' To be raised from the grave of sin

is to be begotten and born (Rev 1:5); there is a famous instance

of Christ; He is 'the first begotten of the dead'; he is the

first-born from the dead, unto which our regeneration alludeth;

that is, if you be born again by seeking those things that are

above, then there is a similitude betwixt Christ's resurrection

and the new birth; which was born, which was restored out of this

dark world, and translated out of the kingdom of this dark world,

into the kingdom of his dear Son, and made us live a new life--this

is to be born again: and he that is delivered from the mother's

womb, it is the help of the mother; so he that is born of God, it

is by the Spirit of God. I must give you a few consequences of a

new birth.

(1.) First of all, A child, you know, is incident to cry as soon

as it comes into the world; for if there be no noise, they say it

is dead. You that are born of God, and Christians, if you be not

criers, there is no spiritual life in you--if you be born of God,

you are crying ones; as soon as he has raised you out of the dark

dungeon of sin, you cannot but cry to God, What must I do to be

saved? As soon as ever God had touched the jailer, he cries out,

'Men and brethren, what must I do to be saved?' Oh! how many prayerless

professors is there in London that never pray! Coffee-houses will

not let you pray, trades will not let you pray, looking-glasses

will not let you pray; but if you was born of God, you would.

(2.) It is not only natural for a child to cry, but it must crave

the breast; it cannot live without the breast--therefore Peter

makes it the true trial of a new-born babe: the new-born babe

desires the sincere milk of the Word, that he may grow thereby:

if you be born of God, make it manifest by desiring the breast

of God. Do you long for the milk of the promises? A man lives one

way when he is in the world, another way when he is brought unto

Jesus Christ (Isa 66). They shall suck and be satisfied; if you

be born again, there is no satisfaction till you get the milk of

God's Word into your souls (Isa 66:11). To 'suck and be satisfied

with the breasts of her consolation.' Oh! what is a promise to

a carnal man? A whore-house, it may be, is more sweet to him; but

if you be born again, you cannot live without the milk of God's

Word. What is a woman's breast to a horse? But what is it to a

child? there is its comfort night and day, there is its succour

night and day. O how loath are they it should be taken from them:

minding heavenly things, says a carnal man, is but vanity; but to

a child of God, there is his comfort.

(3.) A child that is newly born, if it have not other comforts

to keep it warm than it had in its mother's womb, it dies; it

must have something got for its succour: so Christ had swaddling

clothes prepared for him; so those that are born again, they must

have some promise of Christ to keep them alive; those that are in

a carnal state, they warm themselves with other things; but those

that are born again, they cannot live without some promise of

Christ to keep them alive; as he did to the poor infant in Ezekiel

16:8: I covered thee with embroidered gold: and when women are

with child, what fine things will they prepare for their child!

Oh, but what fine things has Christ prepared to wrap all in that

are born again! Oh what wrappings of gold has Christ prepared for

all that are born again! Women will dress their children, that

every one may see them how fine they are; so he in Ezekiel 16:11:

'I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thine

hands, and a chain on thy neck; and I put a jewel on thy forehead,

and ear-rings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.'

And, says he in verse 13, 'Thou didst prosper into a kingdom.'

This is to set out nothing in the world but the righteousness of

Christ and the graces of the Spirit, without which a new-born babe

cannot live, unless they have the golden righteousness of Christ.

(4.) A child, when it is in its mother's lap, the mother takes great

delight to have that which will be for its comfort; so it is with

God's children, they shall be kept on his knee (Isa 66:11): 'They

shall suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations';

verse 13: 'As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort

you.' There is a similitude in these things that nobody knows of,

but those that are born again.

(5.) There is usually some similitude betwixt the father and the

child. It may be the child looks like its father; so those that

are born again, they have a new similitude--they have the image of

Jesus Christ (Gal 4). Every one that is born of God has something

of the features of heaven upon him. Men love those children that

are likest them most usually; so does God his children, therefore

they are called the children of God; but others do not look like

him, therefore they are called Sodomites. Christ describes children

of the devil by their features--the children of the devil, his

works they will do; all works of unrighteousness, they are the

devil's works: if you are earthly, you have borne the image of

the earthly; if heavenly, you have borne the image of the heavenly.

(6.) When a man has a child, he trains him up to his own liking--they

have learned the custom of their father's house; so are those that

are born of God--they have learned the custom of the true church

of God; there they learn to cry 'My Father' and 'My God'; they

are brought up in God's house, they learn the method and form of

God's house, for regulating their lives in this world.

(7.) Children, it is natural for them to depend upon their father

for what they want; if they want a pair of shoes, they go and

tell him; if they want bread, they go and tell him; so should

the children of God do. Do you want spiritual bread? go tell God

of it. Do you want strength of grace? ask it of God. Do you want

strength against Satan's temptations? go and tell God of it. When

the devil tempts you, run home and tell your heavenly Father--go,

pour out your complaints to God; this is natural to children; if

any wrong them, they go and tell their father; so do those that

are born of God, when they meet with temptations, go and tell God

of them.

[THE APPLICATION.]

The first use is this, To make a strict inquiry whether you be

born of God or not; examine by those things I laid down before,

of a child of nature and a child of grace. Are you brought out

of the dark dungeon of this world into Christ? Have you learned

to cry, 'My Father?' (Jer 3:4). 'And I said, Thou shalt call me,

My Father.' All God's children are criers--cannot you be quiet

without you have a bellyful of the milk of God's Word? cannot you

be satisfied without you have peace with God? Pray you, consider

it, and be serious with yourselves; if you have not these marks,

you will fall short of the kingdom of God--you shall never have

an interest there; 'there' is no intruding. They will say, 'Lord,

Lord, open to us; and he will say, I know you not.' No child of

God, no heavenly inheritance. We sometimes give something to those

that are not our children, but [we do] not [give them] our lands.

O do not flatter yourselves with a portion among the sons, unless

you live like sons. When we see a king's son play with a beggar,

this is unbecoming; so if you be the king's children, live like the

king's children; if you be risen with Christ, set your affections

on things above, and not on things below; when you come together,

talk of what your Father promised you; you should all love your

Father's will, and be content and pleased with the exercises

you meet with in the world. If you are the children of God, live

together lovingly; if the world quarrel with you, it is no matter;

but it is sad if you quarrel together; if this be amongst you, it

is a sign of ill-breeding; it is not according to the rules you

have in the Word of God. Dost thou see a soul that has the image

of God in him? Love him, love him; say, This man and I must go to

heaven one day; serve one another, do good for one another; and

if any wrong you, pray to God to right you, and love the brotherhood.

Lastly, If you be the children of God, learn that lesson--Gird

up the loins of your mind, as obedient children, not fashioning

yourselves according to your former conversation; but be ye holy

in all manner of conversation. Consider that the holy God is

your Father, and let this oblige you to live like the children of

God, that you may look your Father in the face, with comfort,

another day.