that he was faithful in his generation, and also ‘walked with God’ (Gen
6:9). That is, they kept touch[7] with him, still keeping up to the
work and duty that every day required; not doing their duty by fits and
by starts, but in a fervent spirit they served the Lord. So again it is
said of Abraham, that his work was to walk before God in a way of faith
and self-denial, which he with diligence performed. And therefore the
Holy Ghost saith, he ‘died in a good old age’ (Gen 25:8); thereby
insinuating that he made both ends meet[8] together, the end of his
work with the end of his days, and so came to his grave, ‘in a full
age, as a shock of corn cometh in in his season’ (Job 5:26). Jacob
also, when he blessed his sons, as he lay upon his death-bed before
them, doth sweetly comfort himself with this, after all his toil and
travel, saying, ‘I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord,’[9] as if he
had said, Lord, I have faithfully walked before thee in the days of my
pilgrimage, through the help and power of thy grace; and now having
nothing to do but to die, I lie waiting for thy coming to gather me up
to thyself and my father: so, when he ‘had made an end of commanding
his sons,’ now his bottom was wound,[10] ‘he gathered up his feet into
the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people’
(Gen 49:18-33). Caleb and Joshua are said to be men of excellent
spirit, because they were faithful in this their work (Num 14:24).
David was eminent this way, and had done his work before his death-day
came: ‘After he had served his own generation by the will of God,’ then
he ‘fell on sleep’ (Acts 13:36). Which in the Old Testament is
signified by three passages, 1. By his losing his heat before his
death, thereby showing his work for God was done, he now only waited to
die. 2. By that passage, ‘these are the last words of David,’ even the
wind up of all the doctrines of that sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Sam
23:1,2). 3. That in the Psalms is very significant, ‘The prayers of
David the son of Jesse are ended’ (Psa 72:20). In the whole, they all
do doubtless speak forth this in the main, that David made great
conscience of walking with God, by labouring to drive his work before
him, that his work and life might meet together: for that indeed is a
good man’s wisdom. Job had great conscience also as to this very thing,
as witness both God’s testimony and his own conscience for him (Job
1:8, 31). Elijah had brought his work to that issue that he had but to
anoint Hazael to be king of Assyria, Jehu to be king of Israel, and
Elisha prophet in his room, and then to be caught up into heaven (1
Kings 19:15,16). What shall I say? I might come to Hezekiah,
Jehoshaphat, Josias; with old Simeon also, whose days were lengthened
chiefly, not because he was behind with God and his conscience as to
his work for God in the world, but to see with his eyes now at last the
Lord’s Christ: a sweet forefitting for death! Zacharias, with Elizabeth
his wife, that good old couple also, how tender and doubtful were they
in this matter, to walk ‘in all the commandments and ordinances of the
Lord,’ in a blessed blameless way! (Luke 1:6, 2:25). Their son also is
not to be left out, who rather than he would be put out of his way, and
hindered from fulfilling his course, would venture the loss of the love
of a king, and the loss of his head for a word (Mark 6:17,18). All
these, with many more, are as so many mighty arguments for the praise
of that I asserted before, to wit, that it is the duty and wisdom of
those that fear God, so to manage their time and work, that he hath
here allotted unto them, that they may not have part of their work to
do when they should be departing this world. I might urge also many
reasons to enforce this truth upon you, as,
[Reasons to enforce this duty.]
First. Otherwise, the great and chief design of God in sending us into
the world, especially in converting us and possessing our souls with
gifts and graces, and many other benefits, that we might here be to the
glory of his grace, is as much as in us lies, frustrate and
disappointed. ‘This people have I formed for myself,’ saith he, ‘they
shall show forth my praise’ (Isa 43:21): and so again, ‘ye have not
chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go
and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain’ (John 15:16).
God never intended, when he covered thy nakedness with the
righteousness of his dear Son, and delivered thee from the condemning
power of sin and the law, that thou shouldst still live as do those who
know not God. ‘This I say therefore,’ saith Paul, ‘and testify in the
Lord; that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles, in the vanity of
their mind’ (Eph 4:17). What, a Christian, and live as does the world?
(John 17:16). A Christian, and spend thy time, thy strength, and parts,
for things that perish in the using? Remember, man, if the grace of God
hath taken hold of thy soul, thou art a man of another world, and
indeed a subject of another and more noble kingdom, the kingdom of God,
which is the kingdom of the gospel, of grace, of faith and
righteousness, and the kingdom of heaven hereafter (Rom 14:16-18). In
these things thou shouldst exercise thyself; not making heavenly things
which God hath bestowed upon thee to stoop to things that are of the
world, but rather here beat down thy body, mortify thy members; hoist
up thy mind to the things that are above, and practically hold forth
before all the world that blessed word of life (1 Cor 9:26,27). This, I
say, is God’s design; this is the tendency, the natural tendency of
every grace of God bestowed upon thee: and herein is our Father
glorified, that we bring forth much fruit (Col 3:1-4; John 15:8).
Second. A second reason why Christians should so manage their time and
the work that God hath appointed them to do for his name in this world,
that they may not have part thereof to do when they should be departing
this world, it is because, if they do not, dying will be a hard work
with them especially if God awakeneth them about their neglect of their
duty (1 Cor 11:30-32). The way of God with his people is to visit their
sins in this life; and the worst time for thee to be visited for them,
is when thy life is smitten down, as it were to the dust of death, even
when all natural infirmities break in like a flood upon thee, sickness,
fainting, pains, wearisomeness, and the like; now I say, to be charged
also with the neglect of duty, when in no capacity to do it; yea,
perhaps so feeble, as scarce able to abide to hear thy dearest friend
in this life speak to thee; will not this make dying hard. Yea, when
thou shalt seem both in thine own eyes, as also in the eyes of others,
to fall short of the kingdom of heaven for this and the other
transgression, will not this make dying hard? (Heb 4:1,2). David found
it hard, when he cried, ‘O spare me’ a little, ‘that I may recover
strength before I go hence, and be no more’ (Psa 39:13). David at this
time was chastened for some iniquity; yea, brought for his folly to the
doors of the shadow of death. But here he could not enter without great
distress of mind; wherefore he cries out for respite and time to do the
will of God, and the work allotted to him. So again, ‘The sorrows of
death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I found
trouble and sorrow: then called I upon the name of the Lord.’ Ay, this
will make thee cry, though thou be as good as David! Wherefore learn by
his sorrow, as he himself also learned, at last, to serve his own
generation by the will of God, before he fell asleep. God can tell how
to pardon thy sins, and yet make them such a bitter thing, and so heavy
a burden to thee, that thou wouldst not, if thou wast but once
distressed with it, come there again for all this world, Ah! it is easy
with him to have this pardon in his bosom, when yet he is breaking all
thy bones, and pouring out thy gall upon the ground; yea, to show
himself then unto thee in so dreadful a majesty, that heaven and earth
shall seem to thee to tremble at his presence! Let then the thoughts of
this prevail with thee, as a reason of great weight to provoke thee to
study to manage thy time and work in wisdom while thou art well.[11]
Third. Another reason, why those that fear God should so manage their
time and work for God in this world, that they may not have part to do
when they should be departing this life, it is, because loitering in
thy work doth, as much as in it lieth, defer and hold back the second
coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. One thing, amongst many,
that letteth[12] the appearing of Christ in the clouds of heaven, is,
that his body, with the several members thereof, are not yet complete
and full; they are not all yet come to the knowledge of the Son of God,
‘to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ’ (Eph 4:8-13);
that is, to the complete making up of his body; for as Peter saith,
‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness, but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance’ (2 Peter 3:9).
And so also to the complete performance of all their duty and work they
have for God in this world. And I say, the faster the work of
conversion, repentance, faith, self-denial, and the rest of the
Christian duties, are performed by the saints in their day, the more
they make way for the coming of the Lord from heaven. Wherefore Peter
saith again, ‘Seeing then that’ we look for such things, ‘what manner
of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
looking for, and hasting unto,’ or, as it is in the margin, ‘hasting
the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall
be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat’ (2 Peter
3:11,12). When the bride hath made herself ready, ‘the marriage of the
Lamb is come’ (Rev 19:7). That is, the Lord will then wait upon the
world no longer, when his saints are fit to receive him. As he said to
Lot when he came to burn down Sodom, ‘Haste thee’ to Zoar, ‘for I
cannot do anything till thou be come thither’ (Gen 19:20-22). So
concerning the great day of judgment to the world, which shall be also
the day of blessedness and rest to the people of God, it cannot come
until the Lamb’s wife hath made herself ready; until all the saints
that belong to glory are ready. And before I go further, what might I
yet say to fasten this reason upon the truly gracious soul? What! wilt
thou yet loiter in the work of thy day? wilt thou still be unwilling to
hasten righteousness? dost thou not know that thou by so doing
deferrest the coming of thy dearest Lord? Besides, that is the day of
his glory, the day when he shall come in the glory of his Father and of
the holy angels; and wilt not thou by thy diligence help it forwards?
Must also the general assembly and church of the first-born wait upon
thee for their full portions of glory? Wilt thou by thus doing
endeavour to keep them wrapt up still in the dust of the earth, there
to dwell with the worm and corruption? The Lord awaken thee, that thou
mayst see thy loitering doth do this, and doth also hinder thy own soul
of the inheritance prepared for thee.[13]
4. Another reason why saints should press hard after a complete
performing their work that God hath allotted unto them is, because, so
far forth as they fall short, in that they impair their own glory. For
as the Lord hath commanded his people to work for him in this world, so
also he of grace hath promised to reward whatever they Christianly do.
For whatsoever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of
the Lord, whether he be bound or free. Yea, he counts it
unrighteousness to forget their work of faith and labour of love, but a
righteous thing to recompense them for it in the day of our Lord Jesus
(Heb 6:10; 2 Thess 1:6,7). This, well considered, is of great force to
prevail with those that are covetous of glory, such as Moses and Paul,
with the rest of that spirit. As the apostle saith also to the saints
at Corinth, ‘Be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the
Lord’ (1 Cor 15:50).
Having thus given you the reasons why God’s people should be diligent
in that work that God hath allotted for them to be doing for him in
this world, I shall, in the next place, give you some directions, as
helps to further you in this work. And they are such as tend to take
away those hindrances that come upon thee, either by discouragement, or
by reason of hardness and benumbedness of spirit; for great hindrances
overtake God’s people from both these impediments.
[Directions, as helps to further in this work.]
First. If thou wouldst be faithful to do that work that God hath
allotted thee to do in this world for his name, labour to live much in
the favour and sense of thy freedom and liberty by Jesus Christ; that
is, keep this, if possible, ever before thee, that thou art a redeemed
one, taken out of this world, and from under the curse of the law, out
of the power of the devil, &c., and placed in a kingdom of grace, and
forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake. This is of absolute use in this
matter; yea, so absolute, that it is impossible for any Christian to do
his word Christianly without some enjoyment of it. For this, in the 1st
of Luke, is made the very ground of all good works, both as to their
nature and our continuance in them; and is also reckoned there an
essential part of that covenant that God made with our fathers; even
‘that he would grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the hands
of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and
righteousness, before him all the days of our life’ (Luke 1:74,75). And
indeed, take this away, and what ground can there be laid for any man
to persevere in good works? None at all. For take away grace and
remission of sins for Christ’s sake, and you leave men nothing to help
them but the terrors of the law and judgment of God, which, at best,
can beget but a servile and slavish spirit in that man in whom it
dwells; which spirit is so far off from being an help to us in our
pursuit of good works, that it makes us we cannot endure that which is
commanded, but, Israel-like, it flieth from God even as from the face
of a serpent (Heb 12:20; Exo 19). As Solomon saith, ‘A servant will not
be corrected by words, for, though he understand, he will not answer’
(Prov 29:19). Get thou then thy soul possessed with the spirit of the
Son, and believe thou art set perfectly free by him from whatsoever
thou by sin hast deserved at the hand of revenging justice. This
doctrine unlooseth thy bands, takes off thy yoke, and lets thee go
upright. This doctrine puts spiritual and heavenly inclinations into
thy soul; and the faith of this truth doth show thee that God hath so
surprised thee, and gone beyond thee, with his blessed and everlasting
love, that thou canst not but reckon thyself his debtor for ever.
‘Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after
the flesh’ (Rom 8:12). That argument of Paul to Philemon is here true
in the highest degree, thou owest to God for his grace to thee, ‘even
thine own self besides’ (Phile 19). This Paul further testifies, both
in the 6th and 7th of the Romans. In the one he saith, we are ‘free
from sin’; in the other he saith, we are ‘dead to the law,’ that our
fruit might be unto holiness: that we might ‘bring forth fruit unto
God’ (Rom 6:22, 7:4). For, as I said, if either thy ungodly lusts, or
the power and force of the law, have dominion over thy spirit, thou art
not in a condition now to be performing thy work to God in this world.
I have heretofore marvelled at the quarrelsome spirit that possessed
the people that Malachi speaketh of, how they found fault with, in a
manner, all things that were commanded them to do; but I have since
observed their ungodly disposition was grounded upon this, their
doubting of the love of God, ‘Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us?’
(Mal 1:2). And, indeed, if people once say to God, by way of doubt,
‘Wherein hast thou loved us?’ no marvel though that people be like
those in Malachi’s time, a discontented, a murmuring, backward people
about everything that is good. Read that whole book of Malachi.
Second. If thou wouldst be faithful to do that work that God hath
allotted thee to do in this world for his name, then labour to see a
beauty and glory in holiness, and in every good work: this tends much
to the engaging of thy heart. ‘O worship the Lord in the beauty of
holiness; fear before him, all the earth’ (Psa 96:9). And for thy help
in this, think much on this in general, that ‘Thus saith the Lord’ is
the wind-up of every command; for, indeed, much of the glory and beauty
of duties doth lie in the glory and excellency of the person that doth
command them; and hence it is that ‘Be it enacted by the King’s most
excellent Majesty’ is in the head of every law, because that law should
therefore be reverenced by, and be made glorious and beautiful to all.
And we see, upon this very account, what power and place the precepts
of kings do take in the hearts of their subjects, every one loving and
reverencing the statute, because there is the name of their king. Will
you rebel against the king? is a word that shakes the world.[14] Well,
then, turn these things about for an argument to the matter in hand,
and let the name of God, seeing he is wiser and better, and of more
glory and beauty than kings, beget in thy heart a beauty in all things
that are commanded thee of God. And, indeed, if thou do not in this act
thus, thou wilt stumble at some of thy duty and work thou hast to do;
for some of the commands of God are, in themselves, so mean and low,
that take away the name of God from them, and thou wilt do as Naaman
the Syrian, despise, instead of obeying. What is there in the Lord’s
supper, in baptism, yea, in preaching the Word, and prayer, were they
not the appointments of God? His name being entailed to them, makes
them every one glorious and beautiful. Wherefore, no marvel if he that
looks upon them without their title-page goeth away in a rage, like
Naaman, preferring others before them. What is Jordan? ‘Are not Abana
and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel;
may I not wash in them and be clean?’ saith he (2 Kings 5:10-12). This
was because he remembered not that the name of God was in the command.
Israel’s trumpets of ram’s horns (Josh 6:2-4), and Isaiah’s walking
naked (Isa 20:3), and Ezekiel’s wars against a tile (Eze 4:1-4), would,
doubtless, have been ignoble acts, but that the name of God was that
which gave them reverence, power, glory, and beauty. Set therefore the
name of God, and ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ against all reasonings,
defamings, and reproaches, that either by the world, or thy own heart,
thou findest to arise against thy duty, and let his name and authority
alone be a sufficient argument with thee, ‘to behold the beauty’ that
he hath put upon all his ways, ‘and to inquire in his temple’ (Psa
27:4).
Third. Wouldst thou be faithful to do that work that God hath appointed
thee to do in this world for his name? then make much of a trembling
heart and conscience; for though the Word be the line and rule whereby
we must order and govern all our actions, yet a trembling heart and
tender conscience is of absolute necessity for our so doing. A hard
heart can do nothing with the word of Jesus Christ. ‘Hear the word of
the Lord, ye that tremble at his word’ (Isa 66:5). ‘Serve the Lord with
fear, and rejoice with trembling’ (Psa 2:11). I spake before against a
servile and slavish frame of spirit, therefore you must not understand
me here as if I meant now to cherish such a one; no, it is a heart that
trembleth for, or at the grace of God; and a conscience made tender by
the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. Such a conscience as is awakened
both by wrath and grace, by the terror and the mercy of God; for it
stands with the spirit of a son to fear before his father; yea, to fear
chastings, though not to fear damnation. Let, therefore, destruction
from God be a terror to thy heart, though not that destruction that
attends them that perish by sin for ever (Job 31:23). Though this I
might add further; it may do thee no harm, but good, to cast an eye
over thy shoulder at those that now lie roaring under the vengeance of
eternal fire; it may put thee in mind of what thou wast once, and of
what thou must yet assuredly be, if grace by Christ preventeth not (Isa
66:24). Keep, then, thy conscience awake with wrath and grace, with
heaven and hell; but let grace and heaven bear sway. Paul made much of
a tender conscience, else he had never done as he did, nor suffered
what we read of. ‘And herein,’ saith he, ‘do I exercise myself, to have
always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men’ (Acts
24:16). But this could not a stony, benumbed, bribed, deluded, or a
muzzled conscience do. Paul was like the nightingale with his breast
against the thorn.[15] That his heart might still keep waking, he would
accustom himself to the meditation of those things that should beget
both love and fear; and would always be very chary, lest he offended
his conscience. ‘Herein do I exercise myself,’ &c. Be diligent, then,
in this matter, if thou wouldst be faithful with God. A tender
conscience, to some people, is like Solomon’s brawling woman, a burthen
to those that have it (Prov 25:24). But let it be to thee like those
that invited David to go up to the house of the Lord (Psa 122:1). Hear
it, and cherish it with pleasure and delight.
Fourth. If thou wouldst be faithful to do that work that God hath
appointed thee to do in this world for his name; then let religion be
the only business to take up thy thoughts and time. ‘Whatsoever thy
hand findeth to do, do it with thy might’ (Eccl 9:10). With all thy
heart, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. Religion, to most
men, is but a by-business, with which they use to fill up spare hours;
or as a stalking-horse, which is used to catch the game.[16] How few
are there in the world that have their conversation ‘only as becometh
the gospel’! (Phil 1:27). A heart sound in God’s statutes, a heart
united to the fear of God, a heart moulded and fashioned by the Word of
God, is a rare thing; rare, because it is hard to be found, and rare
because it is indeed the fruit of an excellent spirit, and a token of
one saved by the Lord (Psa 119:80, 86:11). But this indifferency in
religion, this fashioning ourselves in our language, gesture,
behaviour, and carriage, to the fancies and fopperies of this world, as
it is in itself much unbecoming a people that should bear the name of
their God in their foreheads, so it cannot be but a very great and sore
obstruction to thy faithful walking with God in this world (Rom 6:17).
Gird up, then, thy loins like a man,[17] let God and his Christ, and
his Word, and his people, and cause, be the chief in thy soul; and as
heretofore thou hast afforded this world the most of thy time, and
travel, and study, so now convert all these to the use of religion. ‘As
ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity
unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness
unto holiness’ (Rom 6:19). Holy things must be in every heart where
this is faithfully put in practice.
1. Daily bring thy heart and the Word of God together, that thy heart
may be levelled by it, and also filled with it. The want of performing
this sincerely, is a great cause of that unfaithfulness that is in us
to God. Bring, then, thy heart to the Word daily, to try how thou
believest the Word today, to try how it agrees with the Word today.
This is the way to make clean work daily, to keep thy soul warm and
living daily. ‘Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?’ saith
David. ‘By taking heed thereto according to thy Word’ (Psa 119:9). So
again, ‘Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips, I have
kept me from the paths of the destroyer’ (Psa 17:4). And again, ‘Thy
Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee’ (Psa
119:11). He that delighteth ‘in the law of the Lord, and in his law
doth meditate day and night, he shall be like a tree planted by the
rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf
also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper’ (Psa
1:2,3).
2. A continual remembrance that to every day thou hast thy work
allotted thee; and that sufficient for that day are the evils that
attend thee (Matt 6:34). This remembrance set Paul upon his watch
daily; made him die to himself and this world daily, and provoked him
also daily to wind up the spirit of his mind; transforming himself by
the power of the Word, from that proneness that was in his flesh to
carnal things (1 Cor 15:30-33). This will make thee keep the knife at
thy throat in all places, and business, and company (Prov 23:2).
3. Let thy heart be more affected with what concerns the honour of God,
and the profit and glory of the gospel, than with what are thy
concernments as a man, with all earthly advantages. This will make thee
refuse things that are lawful, if they appear to be inexpedient. Yea,
this will make thee, like the apostles of old, prefer another man’s
peace and edification before thine own profit, and to take more
pleasure in the increase of the power of godliness in any, than in the
increase of thy corn and wine.
4. Reckon with thy own heart every day, before thou lie down to sleep,
and cast up both what thou hast received from God, done for him, and
where thou hast also been wanting. This will beget praise and humility,
and put thee upon redeeming the day that is past; whereby thou wilt be
able, through the continual supplies of grace, in some good measure to
drive thy work before thee, and to shorten it as thy life doth shorten;
and mayst comfortably live in the hope of bringing both ends sweetly
together. But to pass this.