Part 8
reliſh it not: It isone of the great feverities inreligion : It
isnoeaſy thingtobring aman andhis ownheart together. Itisinthis cafe, as intheſtudyof geography ; we are more inquifitive to know, anddelightedwhenwe discover, the rarities offoreign countries, and ſtrange things in the remote parts ofthe world, thanthoſe of ourown native country. I fearthere bemanyprofeffors ofreligionthat can ſpenddayafter day inhearing, and lovetobe diſputing fruitless contro-
verfies, that never ſpentoneday infearching what influence allthoſe fermons theyhave heard have had upon their hearts, orinrightlyftating anddeterminingthatgreat controverfy, in whoſeright and poffeſſion their foulsare, andwhichwaythey
ſhall goas foon asdeath hathdividedthem from thoſe mortal bodies ; yea, I doubt, many finful hours are ſpent inprying into, reporting andcenſuring the failings ofothers, and not onehour faithfully employedinjudging their own hearts beforethe Lord: Oh ! menhad rather be about anyotherwork than this , there is nopleaſurein it tothe fleſh.
Andyet howdifficult ſoever it be to bring our hearts tothe work, it is certainlymuch moredifficultto manage it fuccefs-
fully, and bringthe great queſtionofour fincerity to a clear reſult and iſſue. O how many upright hearts have fat cloſe tothisworkmanyayear, and lifted up many a cry toheaven, andſhedmanyfecret undiſſembledtears aboutit; and yet ſti'l
are inthedark, andtheir minds greatly perplexed, and filled with fear about it! What would they not do ? What would
‡ See before, mySaint Indeed, .
208 Aferious Exhortation to Self-examination.
theynot fuffer?Whatpleaſant enjoymentwouldtheynotglad-
ly part with, to arrive at the defire oftheir fouls, thefullafſurance oftheir fincerity? It was the ſaying ofa pious woman, I have born faidſhe, ſeven children,and they have coſt me as dear as ever children coſt a mother, yet Iwouldbe content to endure allthat forrow over again, to be affured of the loveofGodtomy foul.
Motive 2. Secondly, Andas the work is fullofdifficulty, fo thediſcovery ofyour fincerity will be full of ſweetneſs and joyunſpeakable: Itwillneverrepentyou, thatyouhave pray-
edandmourned, that youhave trembled and feared, thatyou have ſearched andtried :1: Nay, it will never repentyou, that Godhath tried you by thousands of ſharp afflictions and deep
ſufferings, if, after all, your finceritymaybe fully clearedup tothe fatisfaction ofyour souls ; for in the same day your fincerity ſhall be cleared, your title to Chriſt will be made as clear to your fouls as your fincerity is; you may then go to thepromiſes boldly, and take your own Chriſt into the arms ofyour faith, and ſay, " My Belovedis mine, andI am his!" Yea, you may be confident, it ſhall be well with you inthe
judgment of thegreatday, for"Godwillnot caft awaythe "uprightman," Job viii. 20. Ifthe word clearyou now, it cannotcondemn youthen. Owhat an eaſe is itto the ſoul, when the fears anddoubts that hang about it aregone !When a man ſees what he is, and whathehath in Chriſt andthe promiſes, and what he hath to
do; even to ſpendthe time betwixt this and heaven, in admir-
ingthe grace ofGodthat hath delivered him from the ruining
miſtakes and miſcarriages by which ſogreat a part of thepro-
feffing world toalleternity.
Motive 3. Thirdly, The deep concernment ofyour fouls in themattertobe tried, ſhould awaken you to the utmoſt diligenceabout it. Thetrials ofmen fortheir life, athuman bars,
is but a trifle to this : It is your eternalhappineſs that ſtands or fallswith your fincerity.
Itis faid inthe trial ofopinions, that ifaman ſuperſtruct hay or ſtubble upon the foundation, he ſhall ſuffer loſs ; yet hehimſelfmaybe ſaved, 1 Cor. iii. 12. But ifhypocriſybe in
the foundation, thereis no ſuch relief,there is nopoſſibility of falvation in that cafe.
Ah,reader, thou mustbe caſt for ever according to the integrityorhypocrify ofthy heart withGod. Summonin then all
thepowers of thyfoul: bringthythoughts as cloſe as it is poffibletobringthemtothis matter: Iftherebe anyfubject ofcon
Aferious Exhortation to Self-examination. 209 fideration abletodrinkupthefpirits ofaman,hereit is : Never was time put to anhigher improvement; never were thoughts
ſpentuponamore importantbuſineſs, than this is : Happy is themanthat reſcues the years, months, days, yea, the very
momentsofhis life from otheremployments toconfecratethem unto this folemn, awful, and most important buſineſs !
Motive 4. Fourthly, How evidential will it be ofyour fin cerity, when you are willing to come to the trial ofyour own hearts?
Suppoſeyour doubtsandfears ſhould infomedegree remain with you , yet in this you may take ſome comfort, that ifhy-
pocrifybe inyour heart, it is not therebyconſent: You are not loth torife and come to trial, becauſe, like Rachel, you
fitupon your idols: Certainly it is a good fign thy heart is right,when it is filledwith fomuch fear leſt itſhouldbe falſe. You know all the diſciples ſaid, " Maſter, is it I ?" before Judas,whowas the traitor, ſpake aword. " Laſt ofall(faiththe **text) Judas faid, Is it I ?" Our willingness to be tried, is a good fign thatthe defire ofour foul is to be rightwithGod.
Motive 5. Fifthly, Conclude itto be your great advantage tobe thoroughly tried, whatever you be found to be in the trial: Ifyou be found fincere, you are richly rewarded for all yourpains and labour: Neverdidthat man repentofdigging
andtoiling,thatafterallhit upontherichvein that hedigged
for: What is avein ofgoldto a veinoffincerity!
Ifupon fearchyou find the contrary, afalfe,hypocritical, unfoundheart, yet in that very fad diſcovery you meet with
thegreatest advantage that everyou had inyourlives for falvation. This diſcovery is yourgreat advantge: Fornow your vain confidence being over-turned, and your ungrounded
hopes destroyed ; you lie open to the ſtroke of a deep and effectual conviction ofyour fin andmiſery,which istheintroductive mercy to all other mercies toyour fouls; and furely tillyou come tothat, to give up your falſe hopes, and quit your vain pretenſions, there is no hope ofyou. Chrifttold the Pharifees, Matth. xxi. 31. Publicans and harlots enter
intothekingdom ofheaven before you : Publicans were the worſt ſortofmen, and harlotsthe worst fort ofwomen, and yet
they ſtood in a fairer way for heaven than the hypocritical Pharifees, becauſe conviction had easier acceſs to their confei-
ences :Theyhadnot thoſedefences andpleas ofdutyand ſtrictneſs towardoffthe word, that the felf-cozening Pharifees had.
Imayſay ofyour vain and groundleſs hopes, as Chrift, in VOL. VII. Dd
210 Rules to be observed in the Trials ofGrace, another ſenſe, ſaid to the officers that came to ſeize him in the garden, If you seek me, let thesego theirway. So it is here, if you expect Chriſt, and ſalvation byhim, let your vain confi. dences go their way; away with your maſques and vizards, if
ever you expect to ſee Chriſt. O it is your happineſs tohave all theſe things ſtript off, andyour nakedneſs and povertydiſcovered, thatyou may be rich, as the textſpeaks.
Motive 6. Sixthly, Confider how near the day of death and judgment approach you. O theſe are ſearching days wherein
you cannot be hid: Willyour confciences, think you, be put off in a dying day as easily as they are now ? No, no, you know they will not.
I have heard of agood man that conſumed notonlythegreateſt part of the day, but a very confiderable part of the night alfo in prayer, to the great weakening of his body; and being asked by a relation whyhedid ſo, and prayed to favour himfelf, he returnedthis anſwer, O I must die, Imust die ; plainly intimating, that ſo great is the concernment of dying in a clear aſſured condition, that itisrichly worth the expence of all our time and ſtrength to ſecure it.
You know alſo that after death the judgment, Heb. ix. 27. you are haſtening to thejudgment of the greatand terribleGod, Death will putyou intohis balance tobeweighed exactly ; and what gives the foul a louder call to ſearch itſelf with alldiligence, whilſt it ſtands at the door of eternity, and its turn is
not yet come to go before that awful tribunal : O that theſe confiderations might have place upon our hearts !
CHAP. XII .
Containing divers helps for the clearing offincerity, and disco-
very of hypocrify. Y
SECT . I. OU fee of what importancethe duty of self-examination
is, and how many things put aneceſſity and a folemnity upon that work. Now, in the clofe of all, I would offer you fome helps for the due management thereof, that is as far as I cancarry it; the Lord perfuade your hearts to thediligent and faithful application and uſe of them. The general rules to clear fincerity are theſe that follow :
Rule 1. We maynot presently conclude we are in theftate of
Rules to be observed in the Trials ofGrace. 211
hypocrify, because wefindsome workings ofit, and tendencies to 't in ourfpirits : The beſt goldhath ſome droſs and alloy in it.' Hypocrifyis aweed naturally ſpringing in allground, the best
heart is not perfectly clear or free of it: It may be we are
ftumbled, when we feel fome workings or grudgings of this diſeaſe inourſelves, and looking into ſuch ſcriptures as theſe, John i. 47. " Behold an Ifraelite indeed, inwhom there isno " guile:" andPfal. xxxii. 1. " Bleſſed is the man untowhom " the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whoſe ſpirit there is
no guile." «
This I ſaymayſtumbleſome upright foul,notunderſtanding inwhat an allayed and qualified ſenſe thoſe ſcriptures are to be understood : For by afpirit without guile, is not under-
ftood aperfon abſolutely free from all deceitfulness, and falfeneſs ofheart ; this was the fole prerogative ofthe Lord Jeſus, whowas ſeparated from finners, in whoſe mouth was no guile
found: Inwhom the prince ofthis world, in all his trials and attempts uponhim, found nothing: Butwe must understand it of reigning and allowed hypocriſy; there is noſuchguile in anyof the faints : diftinguiſh the preſence from the predomi-
nance ofhypocrify,and the doubt is reſolved.
Rule2. Every trueground ofhumiliationforfin, isnot afufficient groundfordoubting andquestioning our estate andcondi-
tion.
Therebe manymorethings to humble us upon the account ofour infirmity, than there are toſtumble us upon the account ofour integrity: It isthe fin and affliction offomegood fouls tocalltheircondition in queſtion, upon every flip and failing inthe courſeoftheir obedience. This is the waytodebarourſelves from all the peace and comfort of the Chriftian life : Wefindthat Joſeph was once minded to put away Mary his
eſpouſedwife, not knowing that the holy thing which was conceivedinherwasby the holyGhoſt. It is the fin ofhypocrites to takebrafs for gold, and the folly offaints to calltheir. gold braſs: Be as ſevere to yourſelves as you will, always pro-
vided you be juſt: " There is that maketh himſelfrich, and " yethath nothing; and there is that maketh himselfpoor, " and yet hath great riches," Prov. xiii. 7. Hiram called the
cities Solomon gave him, Cabul, Dirty, for they pleaſed him not, I Kingsix. 13. It is but an ill requital, anungrateful return toGod for thebest ofmercies, to undervalue them in our hearts, and be ready upon alloccafions to putthem away as worth nothing Dd2
212 Rules to be observed in the Trials ofGrace. Rule 3. Aftronger propenfion in ournature, andmore fre quent incidence in ourpractice to onefin than another, dothnot presently infer ourhypocrify, and the unfoundness ofourhearts in religion. It istrue,every hypocrite hathſomewayofwickedneſs: Somepeccatum in deliciis, iniquitythat he delights in androlls as aſweet morfel underhis tongue, ſome luftthathe is not willing topart with, nor canendure that the knife of mortification ſhould touch it; and this undoubtedly argues
the infincerityand rottenneſs ofhis heart : And it is true, alfo,that thenature and conftitution ofthe moſt ſanctified man inclines him rather to one fin, than to another, though he allow himselfin none; yea, though he fet himself more watchfully against that ſinthan another, yet he may ſtill havemore trouble and vexation, more temptation and defilement from it,thananyother. As every manhath his proper gift, one after this manner, and another afterthat, as the apostle ſpeaks, 1 Cor. vii. 7. ſo everymanhath his proper fin alſo,one after this manner, and
another after that ? For it is with original fin, as it is with the juice or fap ofthe earth, which though it be the common mat-
ter ofall kinds offruits, yet it is ſpecificated according to the different forts ofplants andfeeds which it nourishes ; in one
itbecomes an apple, in another a cherry, &c. Juſtſo it is in original corruption, which is turnedinto this or that temptati on, or fin, according to this or that conſtitution, or employment it finds us in; in oneit is paſſion, in another luft, ina third covetouſneſs, in a fourth levity, and so on. Now I fay
the frequent affaults ofthis fin, providedwe indulgeit not, but, by ſettingdouble guards, labour to keep ourſelves from our own iniquity, as as Daviddid, Pfalm xviii. 23. will not infer the he hypocrily ofourhearts,
Rule4.Agreater backwardness and indiſpoſedness to onedu ty rather thananother, dath not conchide the heart to be unfound, andfalfe with God, provided we do not inwardly diflike
and disapprove any duty of religion, or except against it inour agreement with Christ, but that it riseth merelyfrom theprefent weakness anddistemper we labour under.
There are ſomeduties in religion, as fuffering for Chrift, bearing ſharp reproofs for fin, &c. that even an upright heart
underapreſent diſtemper, may find a great deal ofbackwardneſs and lothness to ; yet ſtill he conſents to thelaw, thatit is
good, is troubled that he cannot comply more chearfullywith hisduty, anddefûres to ſtand complete in allthe will ofGod: Perfection is his aim,and imperfections are his ſorrows.
Rules tobe observedin theTrials ofGrace. 213 Some Chriſtians have much ado to bring their hearts to fixed, folemn meditation ; their hearts fly off from it, but this is their burden, that it ſhould be ſo with them. True, it is a very dangerous ſign of hypocrify, when a man's zeal runs out inonechannel of obedience only, and he hathnotrefpect toall
God's commandments ; as phyſicians obſerves, the ſweating
of onepart of thebody, whenall the reſt is cold, is ſymptomatical, andargues an ill habit : But whilst the soul heartily approves allthewill of God, and ſincerelydefires tocome up to
it, and mourns for its backwardneſs, anddeadneſs, tothis or thatduty, and this is not fixed, but occaſional, under ſome
preſent indiſpoſition, out of which the foul riſeth by the ſame degrees as fanctification riſeth inhim, and the Lord comes in
with renewed ſtrength upon him ; this, I ſay, may confift, and is very ordinarilyfound tobe the case of upright-hearted ones.
Rule 5. The glances of the eye at felf-ends in duties, whilst felf isnot theweight that moves thewheels, theprincipalendand
defign we drive at, and whilft thaſe glances are corrected, and mournedfor, do notconclude theheart to be unfound, and bype-
critical in religion : For even among the moſtdeeply fanctified, few can keep their eye ſo ſteady and fixed, with pure, and unmixed reſpects, to theglory ofGod, but that there will be (alas! too frequently) ſome bye-ends, infinuating andcreeping
intotheheart.
Theſe, like the fowls, ſeize upon the facrifice, let the foul take what pains itcan todrive them away : It is well that our High-prieſt bears the iniquities of ourholythings for us. Peter
hadtoo much regard to the pleaſing of men, anddid not walk with that uprightness towards the Gentile Chriftians, and the
believing Jews, in the matter of liberty, as became him, Gal.
ii. 13, 14. for which, as Paul faith, he ought tobe blamed, andhedid blame him: But yetfuchafailing as that inthe endof his duty, didnot condemn him. Inpublic performan ees there may be too much vanity, in works of charity too much oftentation; theſe are all workings of hypocrify in us,
and matters of humiliation tous; but whilst they arediſallowed, corrected, and mournedover, are confiftentwithintegrity.
Rule 6. Thedoubts andfears that hang upon, and perplex our spirits about the hypocrisy of ourhearts, do not concludethat thereforewe arewhat we fear ourselves to be. God will not condemneveryone for a hypocrite that ſuſpects, yea, or chargeshimself with hypocrify. Holy David thoughthisheartwas not right withGod, after thatgreat flip of his in the matter of Uriah; and therefore begs ofGod to renewaright ſpirit in
214 Heart-founding Questions. him, Pfal. li. 10, 11, 12. his integrity was indeed wounded, andhe thoughtdeſtroyed by that fall.
Holy Mr. Bradford fo vehementlydoubted the fincerity of his heart, that he ſubſcribed ſome of his letters, as Mr. Fox tells us, John Bradfordthehypocrite ; a very paintedfepulchre: Andyet in ſo ſaying, he utterly misjudged the ſtate and temper of his own foul. W
SECT. II. TELL ELL then, let not the upright be unjust to them-
ſelves, incenfuring theirown hearts; theyare bad enough, but let us notmakethem worse than they are, but
thankfully own, andacknowledge the leaſtdegrees of graceand integrityin them; and poſſiblyour uprightness might be fooner diſcovered to us, if, inadue compoſure of ſpirit, we would
fit down, and attend the true anſwers of our own hearts to fuch queſtions as theſe are.
Quest. 1. Do I make the approbation ofGod, orthe applauſe of men, the very end and main deſign ofmyreligious performances, according to Theff. ii. 4. Col. iii. 23. will the acceptationof myduties with men fatisfyme, whetherGod accept my duties and períon, or not ?
Quest. 2. Is it the reproach and ſhamethatattends fin atprefent, and the danger and miſery that will follow it hereafter, that reſtrains me from the commiſſion of it ? Or is it the fear of God inmy foul, and the hatred I bear to fin as it is fin ? ac
cording to Pfal. xix. 12. and Pfal. cxix. 113.
Quest. 3. Can I truly and heartily rejoice to ſee God's work carriedon in the world, and his glory promoted by other hands,
though I haveno ſhare in the credit and honour of it, as Paul did? Phil. i. 18 .
Quest. 4. Is there nodutyin religion ſofull of difficulty and ſelf-denial, but Idefire to comply with it ? And is all the holy andgoodwill of God acceptable to my foul, though I cannot riſe up with like readiness tothe performance of all duties; according to that pattern ? Pfal. cxix . 6.
Quest. 5. Am I fincerelyrefolvedto follow Chriſtandholiness atall feafons, however the aſpects ofthe times maybeuponreligion ? Or do I carry myself ſo warily and covertly as to ſhun allhazards for religion ; having a fecret referve in my heart to launch out no farther than I may return with ſafety; contrary to the practice and reſolution of upright fouls ? Pfalm cxvi. 3. Pfal. xliv. 18, 19. Rev. xxii. 11.
Rules tobeobserved in the Trials ofGrace. 215
Quest. 6. Do I make no confcience ofcommitting ſecret fins, or neglecting ſecret duties ? Or am I confcientious both in the one andother, according to the rules and patterns of integrity ? Matth. vi. 5, 6. Píal. xix. 12. Afewſuchqueſtions ſolemnlypropounded to ourown hearts, in acalm and ſerious hour, would found them, and diſcover
much of their fincerity towards the Lord.
SECT. III . ND as upright hearts are too apt toapply to themſelves the
threats and miſeries of hypocrites, ſo hypocrites, on the contrary, are as apttocatch hold of the promiſes and privileges pertaining to believers. To detect therefore the foul-damning mistakes of ſuch deceived fouls, O that theſe following rules might be ſtudied, and faithfully applied to their conviction and recovery.
Rule 1. It is not enough to clear a man from hypocrify, that heknows not himself to be an hypocrite. Allhypocrites are not deſigning hypocrites; theydeceive themſelves as well as others : 66 Many will tay tome in thatday, Lord, have wenot prophe- " fied in thyname," &c. Matth. vii. 22. Hell will be a mere furprizal to multitudes of profeſſors : aman may live and die in a blind, ungrounded confidence of his ſafe condition, and not fear his ruin, till he begins to feel it.
Rule 2. Zeal and forwardness in the cause ofGod, andfor the reformation of his worship, will not clear a man from the danger of hypocrify. Jehu was a zealous reformer, andyet but a painted ſepulchre. In the year 1549, reformation grew fo much in reputation, even among the nobles and gentry inGer. many, thatmanyof them cauſed theſe five letters, V. D. M. I. Ae. being the initial letters of theſe words, Verbum Domini
manet in aeternum : i. e The wordofthe Lord abideth for ever, tobe wrought, or embroidered, or ſet in plates, ſome upon their clokes, and others upon the ſleevesof their garments ; tothew to all the world, faith * my author, that forſaking all Popiſh traditions, theywould now cleave to the pure doctrine
and diſcipline of the eternal Word.
And no doubt they would havebeen as goodas their word, if what was embroideredontheirclokes,had beenengraven on their hearts ; but, Come, see my zeal, mars all.
Rule 3. It is nofufficient evidence ofa man'sown integrity, that
* JohnWolfe, Left. Memor. Tom. 2. ad Anno 1549.
216 Heart-founding Questions. hehates hypocrifyinanother : for, as oneproudmanmayhatea nother, and he that is covetoushimself, will be apt tocenfure another for being ſo; lufts maybecontrary toone another, as well asall of them contrarytograce; ſomay anhypocrite loath that inanother, which yet he alloweth in himself : Nay, it is
the policyof ſome todeclaim against the hypocrifyof others, thereby tohidetheirown. Hypocrites are none of the moft modeſt cenfurers of others, Pfal. xxxv. 16. Afalt jeſt ſeaſoned their meat.
Rule 4. Themereperformance ofprivatedutieswillnot cleara manfrom hypocrify. The influenceof education, or fupport of reputation, or the impulſe ofaconvincedconfciencemayinduce aman to it; and yet all this while his heart may not be carried thither with hungryand thirstydefires afterGod : it is not the matter of anyduty that diftinguishes the found and unfound profeſſors; but the motives, deſigns, and endsof the foul in them.
Rule 5. Thevogueand opinionsyouhavegotamong Chriftians, ofyourfincerity, willnot be fufficient to clearyoufrom thedanger of hypocrify. Chriſt tells the angel of Sardis, Rev. iii. r. "Thou hast a name that thou liveſt, andartdead." The fall of Hymeneus andPhiletus,couldneverhave fhakenthe faith ofthe
faintsas itdid,had they nothadgreat credit inthe church, and beenmen of renown for piety among them.
Rule 6. Your respects and love to them thatare thefincere anduprightfervants ofGod, willnot clearyou fromthedanger of being hypocritesyourselves : for thebareloving ofaChriftian is not characteriſticalandevidential ofaman'sownChriftianity, except he love him, qua talis, as he is aChriſtian, or ashe be-
longs to Chrift ; andſo his finceritybecomes the attractive of thy affection. There are athousandby-confiderations, and reſpects, that may kindlea man's love to the faints, befides their integrity. SECT. IV. WELL, then, if thouwouldst indeedſeetheunfoundness of thy own heart, propound ſuch heart-founding queſtions as thefe, tothytelf.
Quest. 1. Do I engage myheart toapproachuntoGod in the courſe of myduties ? Or do I go inthe roundof duties, taking noheed to myheart in them ? If fo, compare this ſymptom of thy hypocrisy with that in 2 Kings x. 3. and that in Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32.
Neceſſary Counſels to all Profeſſors. 217
1 Quest. 2. Am I not ſwayed and moved by felf-intereſt and Carnalreſpects in the ways of religion, the accommodation of
ſomewordly intereſt, orgetting a name and reputation of godlineſs ? If ſo, how apparentlydo the ſame ſymptoms of hypocrify appear upon my soul, which diduponJudas, John xii. 6. and on Jehu, 2Kings ix. 13, 14. Quest. 3. Have I not ſome ſecret referves in my heart, notwithstanding that face and appearance of zeal which I put on ? Certainly if therebe any ſin that I cannot part with, any fuffering for Chriſt which I reſolve against inmy heart; I am none
of his diſciples, my heart is not right withGod, the ſearcher ofhearts himself beingJudge, Luke xiv. 26, 27.
Quest. 4. What conſcience do I make of fecret fins ? Do I mourn for a vain heart, wandering thoughts, ſpiritual deadneſs ? Anddo I confcientioufly abſtain fromthe practice of fecret fins, whenthere is nodanger of diſcovery, no fear of forfeiting my
reputation by it ? Is itGod's eye, or man's, that awes me from commiffion of fin ? Certainly, if I allow myself in fecret fins, Iam not of the number of God's upright people, whoſe ſpirits are of a contrary temper to mine, Pfal. cxix. 113. and Plal. xii. 12.
SECT. V.
IWill shutupallwith fiveor fix concluding counſels, (which the Lord impreſs upontheheartofhim thatwrites, andthoſe that ſhall readthem) to preſerve and antidote the foul against thedangerous infinuation and leavenof hypocrify.
Counſel. 1. Intreat the Lordnightandday, for a renewedand right ſpirit. Allthe helps and directions in theworldwill not antidote andpreſerve you from hypocrify, nothing will be found able tokeepyou right, till fanctification hath firſt ſet youright. Ezek. xxxvi. 27. " Iwill put my Spirit within you ; and cauſe
" you to walk in my ſtatutes." A bowl may keep bya ſtrait line, ſolong as the impreſſed forceof thehandthatdelivered it remains ſtrongupon it; but as thatwears off, ſo its motions fail, and its own biaſs ſways andturns it. A fright of confcience, a pang of warm affection, orthe influence of ſomegreat example, or a good education, may influence anunrenewed foul, and push it on in the wayof religionfor a feaſon ; but the heart ſo influenced, muſt,
andwill return to its own natural courſe again. And I think therewants nothingbut time, or a ſuitable temptation, todifcaverthetrue temper of many aprofeſſor's ſpirit : pray, therefore,
VOL. VII. Ec
218 Neceffary Counſels to all Profeſſors. asthatholyman did, Pfal. cxix. 80. " Let myheart be found
" in thy ſtatutes, that Ibe not ashamed."
Counſel 2. Alwayssuspect and examineyour ends inwhatyou do. Sincerity andhypocrisy liemuch in yourends anddeſigns ; as they are, ſo areyou. The intentionsofthe heart liedeep; amanmaydothe ſame action to an holyend, and his perfon and ſervice be accepted with God; which another doing for a
corrupt end, it maybe reckoned his fin, andboth his perfon and ſervice beabhorredbythe Lord. We find twomenriding
in one chariot, andboth of them concerned inthe fame expedition, Jehu, the fon of Nimſhi, and Jonadab, the fon of Rechab, 2 Kings x. 15, 23. But though the work they engaged in was one, and the fame, yet the different ends they
aimed at, made the fame action anexcellent duty inJonadab, and an act of vile hypocrify in Jehu: Idem quodduo faciunt, non eft idem : Itwas theſaying of agoodfoul, commended for a good action : the work indeed is good, but I fear the ends of it. Selfends are creeping, andinfinuatingthings into thebelt actions.
Counſel 3. Scare yourselves with the daily fears of the fin that is in, and the misery that willfollow hypocrify. Look up. on it as the moſt odious fin in the eyes of God and men : to want holiness, is bad enough, but to diffimulate and pretend
it, when wehave it not, isdouble impiety: tomake religion,
themoſt gloriousthing in the world, amere ſtirrup to preferment, andacovert to wickedness : O how vile a thing is it! Godmade Chriſt a facrifice for fin, andthe hypocrite willmake
him a cloak for fin.
And as tothe punishmentsthat follow it, they are ſuitable to thenature ofthe fin; for as hypocrify isout ofmeaſure finful,
ſo the rewardandpunishment of it will be out of meaſuredreadful. Matth. xxiv. 51. " He shall cut him afunder, and appoint " him his portionwith hypocrites; there fhallbeweeping and
gnaſhing of teeth." Counſel 4. Bedaily at work in the mortification of those lufts that breed bypocrify. It is plain, without much fifting, that pride, vain-glory, felf-love, and awordly heart, are the feeds outof which this curſedplant ſpringsup in the fouls of men. Digbut to the root, and you ſhall certainly find theſe things
there; and till the Lord help you to kill and mortify theſe, hypocrify will ſpring up in all yourduties toGod, and in all your converfes withmen. 1 Counſel 5. Attendthe native voice ofyour own confciences in theday offickness, fearor trouble, andtake special notice ofits
Neceffary Counſels to allProfeffors. 21.9 -checks, or upbraidings, which, like a Aitch in yourfide, will
gird you at fuch times : Commonlyin that lies your greatest danger : Beware of that evilwhich conſcience brands and marks
atſuch times, whether it be your living in the practice of ſome fecret fin, or in the neglects of ſome known duty : Theſe frights of confcience mark out the corruption, wherein your danger mostly lies.
Counſel 6. Let us all that profeſs religionhe uniform andfleadyin the profeſſion and practice of it, without politic referves, andbye-ends. O take heed of this Laodicean neutrality and indifferency which Chrift hates: Be sure yourground be good, and then
be ſure you ſtand your ground. The religion of time-ſervers isbuthypocrify: Theyhave ſluices intheir confciences which theycanopenor ſhut as occafion requires : Every fox will have at least two holes to hisden, that if one be ſtopt, he may e-
ſcapeat theother. The hypocrite poſeth himself ſoevenly in amediocrity, that, as it is faid of Baldwin, Let Anthony win, letAuguſtus win, all is one : So let Chrift win, or let Antichrift win, hehopes to make every wind that canblow ſerviceable towaft him to the port of hisown intereſt.
Thehypocritehath always more of themoonthanofthe ſun; little light, many ſpots, and frequentchanges: It is easier to him to bow to the croſs, than tobear the croſs , to fin, than to fuffer.
Ourown ftorytells us of apoor fimple woman that lived both in the reigns of queen Mary and queen Elizabeth, and would conſtantly lay her prayers both in Latin and English,
that the might be fure topleaſe one fide or other ; and letGod, faid ſhe, take which likes him beſt. What is noted as an act ofridiculous ſimplicity in her, the time-ferving hypocrite accounts apoint of deep policy inhimself.
1 The times under Diocleſian were Pagan; underConſtantine, Chriſtian; under Conftantius, Arian; under Julian, Apoſtate ; and under Jovian, Chriſtian again : And all thiswithin the ſpace of ſeventyyears, the age of one man. O what shifting and huffling was there among the menof that generation ! The changes of weather ſhew the unfoundness of men's bodies, and the changesof times, the unfoundness of their ſouls,
Chriſtian, if everthou wilt manifest and maintain thine integrity, beaman butof one defign, and be fure thatbe anhoneft and good deſign, toſecure heaven, whatever becomes of Ee2
220 Neceffary Counſels to all Profeſſors. earth: Tohold faſt integrity, whatever thou art forced tolet gofor its fake.
Take heed of pious frauds: Certainly itwas the devil that firſt married theſe two words together, for theynever did, nor canagree betwixt themselves, nor was ever ſuch amarriagemade inheaven.
Never ſtudy to model religion, and the exerciſes thereof, in a conſiſtency with, or ſubſerviency to your fleſhly intereſts : If your religion be but a mock religion, your reward ſhall be but amockheaven, that is a real hell. Othevanityand inutilityoftheſeprojects anddeſigns ! Men ſtrive to caſt themselves into fuch modes, and ſtint themſelves to ſuch meaſures of religion, as they think will beſt promote, or ſecure their earthly intereſts : but itoftenfalls out, contrary to their expectation, that their deep policies are ridiculous follies ; theybecome the grief and ſhame of their friends, andthe ſcorn andfong of their enemies. And often it fares with them, as with him that placed himself in the middle of the table, wherehe could neither reach the diſh above him, nor thatbe-
lowhim, Efuriunt medii, &c. and, which is the verybeſt ofit, if earthly intereſt be accommodatedby finful neutrality, and a Laodicean indifferency in religion, yet no good man ſhould
once feel a temptation to embrace it, except he think what is wanting in the fſweetneſs of his fleep, may be fullyrecompen-
fed to himby the ſtatelineſs of his bed, and richer furniture of his chamber ; I mean, that a fuller and higher condition in the world, canmake him amends for the loss of his inward peace,
and the quiet repoſe ofagood conſcience: Theſe bye-ends and
ſelf-intereſts are the little paſſages through which hypocrify creeps inupon the profeſſorsof religion.
"Oletthisbe beyour rejoicing, which was Paul's, " The teſtimony of yourconfcience, thatin all fincerityand godly fim- " plicity, not in fleſhly wisdom, butby the grace of God, you " have hadyour converſations in this world," 2 Cor. i. 12.
Let thatbe your daily prayer and crytoheaven, which was David's, Pfal . xxv. 21. " Let integrity and uprightneſs preſerve " me, for I wait on thee."
Counſel 7. Keep your hearts day and night under theawe of God's all-feeingeye : Remember he beholds all your ways, and
ponders all your thoughts; how covertly foever hypocrifymay becarried for atime, all muſt and will out at last, Luke xii. 3. Secrefy is the maininducement to hypocrisy, but it will fall out with thehypocrite, as itdid withOttocarthe king ofBohemia, whorefuſed todohomage toRodolphus the emperor, tillat laſt
AToken for Mourners. 221 chaſtiſedwith war, he wascontent todohim homage private-
ly in a tent : But the tent was ſocontrived by the emperor's ſervants, that, bydrawing one cord, it was taken all away; and fo Ottocar preſentedon his knees doing homage in view of three armies.
Reader, Awe thy heart with God's eye, know that he will bring every fecret thing intojudgment. Thus did Job, and it preſerved him, Job xxxi. 1, 4. Thus did David, and itpreſervedhim, Pfal. xviii. 21, 22, 23. Thusdothou alſo, and it will preſerve thee blameless, and without guile to the day of Chrift.
A TOKEN
FOR MOURNERS.
OR, The Advice of CHRIST to a diſtreſſed Mother, be-
wailing theDeath of herdearand onlySon: Where-
in the Boundaries of Sorrow are duly fixed, Exceſſes
reſtrained, the common Pleas anſwered, and divers Rules for the ſupport of God's afflicted Ones pre-
fcribed.
The EPISTLE DEDICATOR Y.
To his dearlybeloved brother andfifter, Mr. J. C. andMrs. E. C.
theAuthorwishethgrace, mercy, andpeace. DEAR FRIENDS, THE double tye of nature and grace, beſide themany
endearing paſſages that for ſomany yearshave linked and glewed our affections ſo intimately, cannot but beget a tender
ſympathy inme with you, under all yourtroubles, and make
222 The Epistle Dedicatory... me ſay of every affliction which befals you, Half'smine..Ifind it is with our affections, as with the ſtrings of muſical inſtru ments exactly ſet atthe fame height, if one be touched, the o-
ther trembles, though itbe at ſomediſtance. Our affections are one, and ſo in a great meaſure havebeen our afflictions alſo. You cannot forget that in the years lately paſt, theAlmighty viſited my tabernaclewith the rod, and in one year, cut off from it the root, and the branch, the tender mother, and the only fon. What the effects of thoſe ſtrokes, or rather of my own unmortified paſſions were, I have felt, and you and others have heard. Surely I was as abullock unaccustomed to the yoke. Yea, I may ſay with them, Lam. iii. 19, 20. " Remembering mine affliction and my mifery, the worm. " wood and the gall, my soul hath them tillin remembrance, " and is humbled in me."
Idarenot ſay that ever I felt my heartdiſcontentedly riſing and ſwelling againstGod ; no, I could still justifyhim, when I moſt ſenſibly ſmarted byhishand: If hehadplunged me into a ſea of forrow, yetI could say, inall that ſea of forrow, there
is not a drop of injustice: But it was the over-heating, and over-acting of my fondandunmortified affections and paſſions thatmade ſo ſad impreſſions upon mybody, andcaftme under thoſediſtempers which ſoon embittered allmyremaining com-
forts to me.
Itwas my earnest defire, ſoſoonas I had ſtrength and opportunity for ſogreat a journey, toviſityou, that ſo, if the Lord. hadpleaſed, Imight both refresh, and be refreshed by you, afterallmy fadand diſconſolate days. And you cannot imaginewhatcontent and pleaſure I projectedin that viſit; butit
proved to us, as all other comforts of the ſame kind ordinarily do,more in expectation than in fruition: Forhow foon after our joyful meeting and embraces did the Lord overcaſt anddarken
our day, by ſending death into your tabernacle, to take away thedefireof your eyes with a ſtroke! To crop offthat ſweet
and only bud from which we promiſed ourſelves ſo much comfort. But no more of that, I fear Iam gone too far already. Itis not mydeſign to exasperate your troubles, but to heal them; and for that purpoſe have I ſent you theſe papers, which Ihope may be of uſe both to you and many others in your condition, ſince they are the after-fruits of myown troubles ;
things that I have notcommended to you from another hand, but which Ihave, infome meaſure, provedand taſted in my owntrials.
The Epistle Dedicatory. 223 ButIwill not hold you longer here, Ihave onlyafewthings todefire for, and from you, and I have done.
The things 1defire, are, First, That you will not be too haſty toget off the yoke whichGod hath put uponyour neck. Remember when your
childwas in the womb, neither of you defired it ſhouldbe deliveredthence tillGod's appointed time was fully come; and
nowthatyou travail again with forrow for its death : O defire not to be delivered from your forrows one moment before God'stime for your deliverance be fully come alfo. Let pa-
tience have its perfect work ; that comfort which comes in God'sway and ſeaſon, will ſtick byyou, anddoyou good indeed.
Secondly, I defire, that though you and your afflictionshad afad meeting, yetyou and they may haveacomfortable parting. If they effect that uponyourhearts whichGod fentthem for, I doubt not butyouwillgive them a fair teſtimonywhen theygooff.
If they obtain God's bleſſinguponthem in their operation, furely they will haveyourbleſſing too at their valediction. And what you entertained with fear, you will diſmits with praiſe. How ſweet is it to hear the afflicted foul ſay, whenGod is loof-
inghishands, " Itisgood for me thatIhave been afflicted."
Thirdly, Iheartilywith that theſe ſearching afflictions may make the more fatisfying diſcoveries; that you may now fee moreof the evil of fin, the vanityof the creature, and the ful-
neſs of Chrift, than everyou yet ſaw. Afflictions are ſearchers, and put the foul upon ſearching and trying itsways, Lam. iii.
14. When our fin find us out by affliction, happy are we, if, by the light of affliction, we findout fin. Bleffed is the manwhomGodchaſteneth, and teacheth out of his law, Pfal.
xciv. 12. There are unfeen cauſes, manytimes, of our troubles; you have an advantage now to fift out the feeds, and principle from which they ſpring.
Fourthly, I wish that all the love and delightyou beſtowed on yourlittle one, maynowbe placed, toyour greater advantage,
upon Jeſus Chriſt ; and that the ſtream of your affection tohim maybe ſo much the ſtronger, as there are now fewer channels
for it tobe divided into. IfGod will nothave any part ofyour happiness to lie in children, then let it wholly lie in himself.
If the jealouſy of the Lord hath removed that which drew away too much of your heart from him, and hath ſpoken by this rod, faying, Stand aſide, child, thou art in my way, and filleftmore room in thy parents hearts than belongs tothe
224 The Epistle Dedicatory.
O then deliver up all to him, and ſay, Lord, takethewhole heart entirely, and undividedly, to thyself. Henceforth let therebenoparting, ſharing, or dividing of the affectionsbe-
twixtGod andthe creature, let allthe ſtreams meet, and centre inthee, only.
Fifthly, That you may be ſtrengthened with all might in the inner man; to all patience, that the peace of God may keep your hearts and minds. Labour to bringyour hearts to a meek fubmiffion totherod of your Father. We had fathers of
the flesh, who corrected us, and we gave them reverence; ſhall we not much morebe inſubjection to the Father of ſpirits, and live ? Is it comely for children toconteſt, and ſtrive with their father ? Or is it the way tobe freed from the yoke, by ſtruggling under it ? O that your hearts might be in a like
framewith his that ſaid, Lord, thou shalt beat, and Iwillbear. Itwas agoodobſervation that one made, Animafedendo etquiescendofitfapiens : The foul grows wiſeby fitting ſtill and quiet under the rod. And the apostle calls thoſe excellent fruitswhich the faints gather from their ſanctified afflictions, " The peace-
" able fruits of righteouſneſs," Heb. xii. 11.
Lastly, My heart's defire, and prayer to God for you, is, that you maydie daily toall viſible enjoyments, andbytheſe
frequent converſes withdeath inyour family, you maybeprepared for your own change and diſſolution, when it ſhall
come.
Ofriends ! how many graves haveyou and Iſeen opened for our dear relations ? How oft hath deathcome up intoyourwindows, and ſummoned the delight of your eyes ? It is but a little while, andwe shall go to them; we and they are diftinguiſhedbutby ſhort intervals.
Tranfiverepatres, fimulhinc tranfibimus omnes. Our dear parents are gone, our lovelyand defirable childrenaregone, ourboſom relations, thatwere as our own fouls,
are gone ; and do not all theſe warning-knocks at our doors acquaint us, that we must prepare to follow ſhortly after them?
Othat by theſe things our owndeath might be both more eafy, and familiar to us ; the oftner it viſits us, the betterwe
ſhould be acquainted with it; and the more of our beloved relations it removes before us, the leſs of either ſnare or intanglement remains for us when our turn comes.
My dear friends, my fleſh, and myblood, Ibeſeechyou, for religion's fake, for your own fake, andfor myfake, whofecom
AToken for Mourners. 225
fort is, in greatpart, boundup inyour profperity, and welfare, that you read frequently, ponder ſeriously, and apply believingly theſe ſcripture confolations and directions, which,
inſome hafte, I havegathered for your uſe; and theGod of allconſolationbe with you.
Iam,
Yourmost endeared brother,
JOHN FLAVEL.
A TOKEN
FOR MOURN ERS.
LUKEVii 13. Andwhen theLordsaw her, he hadcompaffion
onher, andfaidto her, Weep not. TO be above the ſtroke ofpaſſion, is acondition equal to
angels: tobe in a ſtate of forrow, without the ſenſe of forrow, is a difpofition beneath beasts : but duly to regulate our forrows, and bound our paffions under the rod, is the wisdom, duty, and excellency of a Chriſtian. He that is without natural affections, is deſervedly ranked amongst the
worst of heathens;andhe that is able rightlyto manage them, deſerves tobe numbered withthe beſt ofChriſtians. Though, whenwe are fanctified we put onthe divine nature, yet, tillwe
are glorified, we putnot offthe infirmities ofour human nature.
Whilst we are withinthe reach of troubles, we cannot be without the danger, nor ought notto be without the fear of
fin; and it is as hardfor us to eſcape ſin, being in adverſity, as becalming in proſperity. VOL . VII. Ff
226 ATokenfor Mourners. Howapt arewe totranſgreſs the bounds, both of reafon and religion, under a sharp affliction, appears, as inmoſt mens experience, ſo in this woman's example, to whoſe exceffive
forrow Chrift puts a ſtop inthe text: " He saw her, and had " compaffion on her, and faid toher, Weep not."
The lamentations andwailings of this diftreffed mother, movedthe tender compaffions of the Lord in beholding them, and ftirred up more pityinhisheartforher, than could be in herheart forherdear, and only fon.
In the words we are to confider, both the condition ofthe woman, andthe counſel ofChrift, with refpect unto it.
First, The condition of this woman, which appears to be very dolorous and diſtreſſed; her groans and tears moved
and melted the very heart of Chrift to hear and behold them: " When he sawher,hehad compaſſion on her."
How fad an hour itwas withherwhen Chriſt met her, ap pearsbywhat isſo diftinctly remarked bythe evangelift, in
ver. 12. where it isfaid, "Now, whentheycame nigh tothe " gate ofthe city, behold, therewas adeadman carried out, " the only fonofhis mother, and thewas awidow, andmuch " peopleofthe citywas with her."
Inthis oneverſe, divers heartpiercing circumstances ofthis affliction are noted.
First, It was the death of afon *. To bury a child, any 'child, muft needs rendthe heart ofa tenderparent; for what
are children but the parent multiplied ? A child is a part of the parent made up in another ſkin: Dutto laya fon in the grave, a fonwho continues the name, and ſupports the fami ly; this was ever accountedavery great affliction.
Secondly, This fonwas not carried fromthe craddle to the coilin, nor stripped out of its ſwathing, to bewrapped in its winding-cloth. Hadhe died inhis infancy,beforehe had engagedaffection, or raiſed expectation, the affliction had not beenſo pungent, andcutting as now itwas death ſmore the foninthe flower, and primeofhis time. He was a man, (faith the evangelift) ver. 12. ayoung man, (as Chrift calls him) ver. 14. he was now arrived + at that agewhichmadehim ca-
Φιλίας μεγίσος δισμος ει τεκνων γονal. i. e. To be parents tochildren, is the firmes tye ofaffection, Graec.Com.
† Hedied in his youth, and was therefore the more to be lamented, becauſe he was cut offin the flower of hisage, unto which hewas conducted from a child, by the great care and labour of his Darents. Dion. Cat, on theplace.
AToken for Mourners. 227 pable ofyielding his mother allthat comfortwhich had been the expectation, and hope ofmanyyears, andthe reward and fruit ofmany cares, and labours : yet then, when the endearmentsweregreatest, andherhopes higheft, even inthe flower ofhis age, he is cutoff.
Thus Bafil bewailed the death ofhis fon : * I once had a ſon, who was ayoung man, myonlyfucceſſor, the folace of • my age, the glory of his kind, the prop of my family, arrived to the endearing age ; thenwashe fnatched away from • meby death, whoſe lovely voice but a littlebefore 1Iheard, •who latelywas a pleaſant ſpectacle tohis parent.' Reader, if this hath been thine own condition, as it hath beenhis that writes it, I need ſay no more toconvincethee that it was a forrowful ſtate indeed, Chrift met this tendermother in.
Thirdly, Andwhich isyetmore, hewas not only a fon, but an only fon : ſo you find, inver. 12. " He was the only fon
" ofhis mother †;" onein whom all herhopes and comforts, ofthat kind, werebound up. For, Omnis in Ascanioftat chari cura parentis, Virgil. All her affections were contracted into this one object. Ifwehave never fo many children, we know not whichofthem to ſpare; ifthey ſtand, like olive-plants,
about our tables, itwould grieve us to fee the least twig amongst them brokendown. But furely the death ofone out ofmany, is much more tolerable than all in one †.
Hence it is notedinſcripture as the greatest of earthly forrows, Jer. vi. 26. " O daughter ofmypeople, gird theewith " fackcloth, andwallow thyselfin aſhes. Make thee mourn- " ingas for anonlyfon, moſt bitter lamentation." Yea, fo deep andpenetrating isthis grief, that the Holy Ghoftborrows ittoexpreſs the deepeſt ſpiritual troubles by it, Zech.
Ff2
* Filius mihi erat, adolefcens, folus vitaefucceſſor, folatium Senectae,gloria generis, flos aequalium,fulcrumdomus, aetatem
gratiofiffimam agebat ; hicraptus periit, qui paulo antejucundam
vocem edebat, et jucundiffimum spectaculum parentis oculis crat.
† Shewouldhaveborne his death more patiently, had he no been anonlyfon; or if the hadhadbut another left behind him
to mitigateher forrow. Ambrofe.
As there is nothingdearer than anonly fon, fo that grief uponthe accountofhisdeath, muſtbe the greatest of all. Carth. on theplace,
228 ATokenfor Mourners. xii. 10. " They ſhall mourn for him, (namely Chriſt, whom " theypierced) as one mourneth for anonly fon."
Fourthly, Andyet, to heighten the affliction, it is ſuperaded, ver. 12. "And she was a widow." So that the ſtaff of her age, on which ſhe leaned, was broken * : ſhe had now none left tocomfort or aſſiſt her, inher helpless, comfortleſs
ſtate ofwidowhood; which is a condition not only voidof comfort, but expoſed to oppreffion, and contempt.
Yea, and beinga widow, the whole burthen layupon her alone; the had notanhusbandto comforther, as Elkanah did Hannah, in 1 Sam. i. 8. "Why weepest thou, andwhy is " thy heartgrieved ? Am not I better totheethanten fons?" ' This would have been a great relief; but her husband was dead, as well as her fon, bothgone, and the onlyfurviving, to lament the loss ofthoſe comforts that once she had. Her calamities came not fingle,but one after another, and this reviving, and aggravating the former. This was her cafe, and condition, when the Lord met her.
Secondly,Let us confiderthe counſel which Chriſt gives her, with reſpect to thisher fad, and forrowful cafe : " Andwhen " the Lordfawher, hehad compaſſion on her, and ſaidunto " her, Weepnot." Relieving and ſupporting words ; where-
inwe shall confider,
1. The occafion. 2. The motive. 3. Thecounſel itſelf. 1. The occafion ofit, and thatwas his feeing ofher. This meeting at the gate ofthe city,how accidental, andoccafional foever it ſeems, yet, without doubt, it was providentially ſuited tothe work intended to be wrought: The eye of his
omniſcience foreſawher, and this meetingwasbyhimdeſigned as an occafion of that famous miracle which he wrought upon theyoungman. Chriſt hath a quickeye todifcern poor, mourning, anddiſconſolate creatures:Andthough hebenow
in heaven, and ſtands out ofour fight, ſo thatweſee him not; yet he fees us, and his eye (which is upon all our troubles)
ſtill affects his heart, and moves his bowels for us.
2. The motive stirring him up to give this relieving, and comfortablecounſeltoher, was his own compaſſion : She nei-
Hewas moſt dear to her on atwofold account, both becauſe hewas heronly fon, andthat he was thecomfort and ſupportofher widowhood. Pifcator on theplace.
AToken for Mourners. 229
ther expected, nordefired it from him ; but fo full oftender pitywas the Lord towards her, that he prevents her with unexpected confolation : Her heart was nothing fo full ofcompaffion for her fon, asChriſt was forher; he bore our infirmities,evennatural, as well as moral ones, inthe days of his
flesh ; andthough hebe now exalted to the highest glory, yet ſtillhe continues as merciful as ever, and as apt tobe touched with theſenſeofour iniferies, Heb. iv. 15.
Lastly, The counſel itſelf, Weep not ; herein fulfillingthe officeofa comforter to them that mourn, whereunto he was anointed, Ifa. xvi. 1, 2, 3. Yetthe words arenot anabſolute prohibition of tears, and forrow; he doth not condemn all mourning as inful, or all expreffions ofgrieffor dead relations, asuncomely; no,Chriſtwould not have his people ſtus pid, andinſenſate ; heonly prohibits the exceffes, and extravagancies ofour forrows for the dead, that it should not be ſuch a mourning for the dead as is found among the heathen, who forrow without meaſure, becauſe without hope, beingignorantofthat grand reliefby the refurrection, which thegoſpel reveals.
The refurrection of her fon from thedead, is the ground upon which Chriſt builds her confolation, and relief; well might he ſay,Weep not, when he intended quickly to remove the cauſe ofher tears, by restoring him again to life.
Now,though there be ſomewhat inthis caſe extraordinary, and peculiar, for few or none that carry theirdead childrento the grave, may expect to receive them again from the dead
immediately, by aſpecial refurrection, as the did: I ſay, this is not tobe expectedby any that now loſe their relations; the occaſion and reaſon of ſuch miraculous, ſpecial refurrections, being removed, by a fufficient and full evidence, and confirmation ofChriſt'sdivine power and Godhead ; yet thoſe that nowbury their relations, ifthey be ſuch as die in Chriſt, have as good and fufficient reaſon to moderate their paffions, as thismournerhad, and doas trulycome withinthe reach and compaſs of this Chriſt's comfortable, and ſupporting counſel, Weepnot, as shedid : Fordobut confider, what offupport or
comfort can aparticular and preſent refurrection from the deadgiveus,more thanthat it is,and as itis,a ſpecimen,hand-
ſel, or pledge of the general refurrection ? It is not the returningofthe foul toits body, to live an animal life again, in this worldof finand forrow, and ſhortly after to undergo the agonies, andpains ofdeath again, thatis in itſelfanyſuchpri-
vilege asmay afford much comfort to the perfon raiſed, or his
230 ATokenfor Mourners. relations: It isno privilege tothe perſon raiſed, for itreturns him from reſt to trouble, from the harbour back again into the ocean. It is matter oftrouble to manydying ſaints, to hear of the likelihood of their returning again,when they are gotfo nigh toheaven.
Itwas once thecaſeofagodly minifter ofthis nation,who wasmuch troubled at his return, and faid, I am like a fheep driven out of the ſtorm almoſt to the fold, and then driven backinto the ſtorm again ; or a weary traveller that is come
hearhis home, andthen muſtgo back to fetch ſomewhat he had forgotten ; or anapprentice,whoſetime isalmoſt expired,
and then muſtbegina new term .
But todie, and then return again from thedead, hath leſs ofprivilege, than to return only from the brinkofthegrave;
for the fickhath not yet felt the agonies and laſt ſtruggles, or pangs of death;but fuch have feltthem once, andmuſt feel
them again ; they muſt die twice, beforethey can behappy once;and, befides,during the little timethey ſpend on earth betwixt,the firſt and ſecond diſſolution, there is a perfect
αμησια, forgetfulness, and inſenſibleneſs, ofallthatwhich they faw, or enjoyed, in their eftate of feparation : It being neceffary, both for them and others, that it ſhouldbe. Forthem ſelves it is neceffary, that theymaybe contentto live, andendure the time of feparation from that bleſſed and ineffable
ſtate, quietly and patiently * ; and for others, that they may live by faith, andnot by ſenſe; and buildupon divine, and nothuman authority and report.
Sothat here you fee, their agonies,andpangs are doubled, and yet their lives not ſweetenedby anyſenſe oftheir happineſs, which returns and remains with them; and therefore it canbe no fuch privilege tothem.
Andfor their relations : Though itbe ſome comfort to receive them again from the dead; yet the confideration that theyare returnedtothem into the ſtormy ſea,topartake ofnew
forrows and troubles, from whichtheywere lately free: And ina short timethey must part with them again, and feel the double forrows ofa parting pull,which others feel but once; furelyfuch a particular refurrection, confidered in itſelf, is no fuchgroundofcomfort as at firſt wemight imagine it tobe.
It remains, then, that the groundof allfolidcomfort and
*Victuroſque diicelant, ut viveredurent. Howlongorshortmen live iskept a mystery, Tomake usboth live well and leſs afraid todie. ;
A Token for Mourners. 231
relief, against the death of our relations, lies inthe general and laft refurrection, and what is ina particular one, is but, as it were, a fpecimen * and evidence ofthe general ; and there the apoftle places our relief, I Thef. iv. 17. that we ſhallfee, and enjoythem again, at the Lord's coming. And furelythis is more than if(with this mother in thetext) we
fhould preſently receive them from the dead, as shedidher fon: And if wejudge not fo, itis becauſeour hearts are carnal, and meafure things ratherbytime andſenſe, than by faithandetenity. Th Thus you see the counſel,with its ground, which, for the moſtpart, is common to other Chriftianmourners with her';
thedifference beingbut inconfiderable, and oflittle advantage.
Here, then, you find many aggravations offorrow meeting together ; a fon, an only fon, is carrying to the grave; yet Chrift commands the penfive mother, not tomourn. 2 Hence we note, Doct. That Christians ought to moderate theirforrowsfor
theirdeadrelations, how many afflicting circumstances,and aggravationsfoever meet together in theirdeath. Itisascommonwithmen,yea, withgood men,to exceed intheir forrows fordead relations †, as itis to exceed intheir loveand delights to livingrelations; andboth ofthe one, and theother, we mayſay, as they ſay ofwaters,It ishardtoconfinethemwithintheir bounds. It is therefore grave advice which the apoftle delivers inthis cafe, 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30.
" But thisI fay,brethren,the time is ſhort; itremaineth that "boththeythathavewives, beas though theyhadnone; and
" theythatweep, as though they wept not ; and thosethat re- "joice, asthoughthey rejoiced not." As ifhe had faid, the
floatingworld is near its port ; Godhath contractedthe fails ofman's life; it is but a point of time we have to live, and ſhortly it will not be apointto chuſe whetherwe had wives or not, children or not. All theſe are time-eaten things, and beforethe expectedfruitoftheſecomfortsbe ripe,we ourſelves maybe rotten. It is therefore an high point of wisdom to lookupon things which ſhortlywillnot be, as if alreadythey werenot, andto behave ourſelves,in the lofs oftheſe carnal
* Therein we haveanoble ſpecimen ofthe future refurrection. Calvin on theplace.
† Whatever we love ardentlywhile wehaveit, we lamentbitterly when we loſe it. Greg mor. + Καιρος συνεςαλέθνος, 1. c. thetimeis contracted.
232 A Token for Mourners. enjoyments, as the natural man hehaves himself intheuseof fpiritualordinances ; he hears as ifheheardnot,andwe ſhould weep as if we wept not; their affections are a little moved,
ſometimesby ſpiritual things, but they never lay them ſoto heart, as tobebroken-hearted for the fintheyhearof, or deeply
affected with theglory revealed. We alſo ought to be ſenſible ofthe ftrokeofGod upon our dear relations; but yet ſtillwe muſt weep, as if we wept not ; this is, we must keep due bounds, and moderation in our forrows, and not tobe too deeply concerned fortheſe dying, ſhort-lived things.
Tothis purpoſe the apostle exhorts,Heb. xii. 5. " My fon, "deſpiſe not the chaftening ofthe Lord, neither faint when " thou art rebuked ofhim." Theſe are two extremes, deſpiſing, and fainting : whenGod is correcting, to ſay, Idonot regard it, let God take all, if he will; ifmy eftate muſt go, let it go , ifmychildren die, let them die: this is to deſpiſe the Lord's chaſtening; andGodcannotbear it, that we should bear it thus lightly.
There is alſoanotherextreme, andthat is fainting: if, when goods are taken away, the heart be taken away, and when
childrendie, then the fpiritofthe parent dies alſo ; this is faintingunderthe rod. Thou lamenteſt, ſaith Seneca, thy deceafedfriend; but I wouldnot have thee grieve beyondwhat is
meet: that thou ſhouldſt notgrieve at all, Idare not require thee; tears may be excused, ifthey do not exceed. Let thine eyes, therefore, be neither wholly dry, nor let them overflow : weepthou mayeſt, but wal thou mustnot.
Happyman, that ſtillkeeps the golden bridle ofmoderation upon his paffions, and affections, and ſtill keeps the poffeffion ofhimself, whatsoever he loſe the poffeffion of.
Now the method in which I propoſe to proceed, ſhallbe,
1. To discoverthe figns. 2. To diffuade from the fin.. 3. To remove the pleas. 4. To propoſe the cure ofimmoderate forrow. First, I shall giveyou the figns ofimmoderate ſorrow, and ſhew youwhen it exceeds its bounds, and becomes ſinful, even a forrowto be forrowed for ; and, for clearness fake, I will firſt allowwhat maybe allowed to the Chriſtian mourner, and then youwillthebetter difcernwherein the exceſs and finfulneſs of yourforrow lies.
And, First, How much ſoever we cenſure, and condemn immoderate forrow; yet the afflicted must be allowed an awa kened, and tendersense of the Lord's afflicting hand upon them.
ATokenfor Mourners. 233 It is no virtue to bear what we do not feel; yea, itis a moſt unbecomingtemper, not to tremblewhen God is ſmit-
ing.The Lord faith to Moſes, in the cafe ofMiriam, Numb. xii. 24. " Ifher father had ſpit inher face, ſhould ſhenot be
" ashamed ſeven days ?" The face is the table, and feat of beauty andhonour; but when it is ſpit upon, it is made the fink ofshame. Hadher own father ſpit upon her face when thehaddifpleaſed him, would the not have gone afide, as one aſhamed by ſuch a rebuke, andnot have ſhewed her face to him again,in ſeven days ? How much more ſhouldthe take it toheart, andbeſenſible ofthis rebuke ofmine, who have filled her facewith leprous ſpots, the ſigns of mydiſpleaſure againſt her? SurelyGodwillbe ashamedofthoſethat are notashamed whenhe rebukes them.
It is notmagnanimity,butſtupidity, tomake lightofGod's corrections ; and for this the afflicted are ſmartly taxed, Jer. v. 3. " I have ſmitten them, but they have not grieved." WhenGod ſmoteJob inhis perſon, children, and estate,he
arofe,and rent his mantle, and putduſt upon hishead, to ſhew hewasnot fenfeleſs, andunaffected, andyet bleſſed the afflictingGod; which,as plainlyfhewed,hewasnot contumacious, andunfubmiflive.
Secondly, We must allow the mourning, afflicted foul, a due, andcomely expreſſion ofhis grief,andforrow, in his complaints,
bothtoGodand men.
It ismuchmorebecoming a Chriſtian, ingenuoufly to open his troubles,than fullenly to ſmother them. There is no fin in complaining toGod, but much wickedneſs incomplain-
ing ofhim. Griefs are eaſed bygroans, and heart-preffures relieved by utterance. This wasDavid's courſe, and conftant way, who was a man of afflictions, Pfalm cxlii. 2, 3. " I " poured outmy complaintbefore him, I ſhewed before him " mytrouble; whenmy ſpiritwas overwhelmed within me, " then thou knoweſt mypath," Towhom ſhould children go, but to their father, to make.. theirmoan ? Whence may they expect relief, and comfort, butfrom him ? The 102d Pfalm is intituled, " APfalm for
" the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, andpoureth outhis " complaint before the Lord."
Andhappy were it, ifevery afflicted foulwouldchuſethis waytoexpreſshis ſorrows. Didwe complain more toGod, hewouldcomplain leſs ofus, andquickly abate the matters of VOL. VII. Gg
234 A Token for Mourners. ourcomplaint. Oyou cannot think how moving, howmeite
ing, how prevailing itiswithGod, whenhis poor, burdened, and afflictedpeople, in a dayofdiſtreſs,anddeſpondency,when deep calleth untodeep, and one wavedrives onanother, then
for the opprefied foul, with humility, filial confidence, and faith, toturn itſelf to the Lord, andthusbetpeakhim :
Father,what ſhall I do ? My foul is greatly boweddown bytrouble; I am full to the brim, myvainhearthath looked *for reliefthisway, andthatway,butnone comes; every door ofcomfort is ſhut up against me: Thou hast multiplied my forrows, and renewed mywitneſſes againft me : Comfort is * removed from my outward,andpeace from my inner man; •ſharp afflictions without, andbitter reflections within. O Lord, I am opprefied, undertake for me. Fathers of the • fleſh pity their diſtreſſed children, when they complain to them; andwilt not thou,O Lord, whoſe compaffions as far exceed creature-compaffions, as the fea exceeds a drop, O my Father! pity me, ſupport me, deliver me. " Ohow acceptable is this toGod! how advantageons tothe Foul!
We mayalfo make our complaint to men. Sodid Job, chap. xix. ver. 21. " Have pity, have pity on me, Oye my " friends, for the hand ofGod hath touched me." And it is amercyifwehave any friends that arewife, faithful, and experienced; they areborn for fuch a time asthis, Prov. xvii. 17 but be they what they will, they cannot pity as God, relieve,
and fuccone as he; and oftentimes we may ſay, with Job, chap. xxi. ver. 4- "As for me,, is my complaint tomen? " And ifitwere,why ſhould not myfpirit be troubled?" q.d. Whatgreat advantage can Iget by theſe complaints ? I may
burden the heart ofmy friend,but how little doth that eaſe my
own? Yet thevery opening of the heart toan experienced, tender Chriſtian, is ſome relief, and the engaging his prayers is more. Thus faryou moan fafely; inall this there is no danger.
Thirdly, The afflictedperfon may (ordinarily) accufe, judge, and condemn himself,for being the cause, andprocurer ofhis own troubles. He may lawfullybe difcontented, and vexed with himfelf for his own folly, when the iniquity ofhis heels com paſſeth himabout. And truly it is butfeldom that any great affliction befals agraciousperſon, but he fawthe needoffuch arod,before he felt it.
Hath God ſmitten thy child, orfriend, and didſtthou not foreſce ſome harp trial coming? Did not thy fond, fecurs
A Token for Mourners. carnal temper, need ſuch a ſcourge, to awaken, quicken, and purge thee ? Or, ifyou did not foreſee it, it is now your duty to fearch, and examine yourſelves. So the church, in heraffliction, refolved, Lam. iii. 40. " Let us ſearch and try our " ways." WhenGod isſmiting, we should be a ſearching : Surely our iniquities will enquire after us, ifwewill notenquire after them : Yea, in thedayof affliction, agracious foul is inquifitive about nothing more than the procuring, and provoking cauſeofhis troubles. Job x. 2. " Shew mewhere- " forethou contendeſt with me ;" q. d. Lord, what ſpecial
corruption is it that this rod is ſent to rebuke? What finful neglect doth it come to humble me for ? O diſcover it now to me, and recover menow from it. And having found the root, andcauſe oftheirtroubles, ingenuous foulswill shame themselves for it, and give glory to God, by anhumble fubmiffion, and vindication ofthe equity
ofhis proceedings. Job vii. 20. " I have finned, what ſhall I " do unto thee, thou preferver of men?" He thinks it no
ſhame freely todiscover unto God,and deeply to abaſehimself -beforehim for this folly.
Irememberachoice notethat * Mr. Brightmanhath,inhis commentaryupon the Canticles.
Holymen, faith he, after their hearts are renewedby repentance, are not ashamed to remember, and confefs their
flips, and ſhameful falls tothe glory ofGod, forthey account that glorywhich ſuch confeffions takefromthem, is not loft, whilft it goes to the glory ofGod. Ifhisglory may rife out ofour ſhame,howwilling ſhouldwebe to take ſuch ſhame to us? Holy David was not ashamed to acknowledge, Pfal.
xxxviii. 5. "Mywounds stink, and are corrupted, because of my foolishness." He is the wifeft man that thus befools Mimselfbefore God.
It is true, God may afflict from prerogative, or for trial; butwe may always fee cauſe enough in ourſelves, and it is fafeſt tocharge it upon ourown folly.
Lastly, The afflicted Christianmay, in an humble, fubmiſſive manner, plead withGod, andbe earnest for the removal ofthe
affliction.
*Nec enim pudet fanctos viros,postquam renovata cordafuerint perrefipifcentiam, lapſusfui &dedecoris ad Deigloriam meminiſſe.
Nihilnobis decedit, quod cedit in illius bonorem. Brightmanin Cant, c. 1. V. 4. P. 11. Gg2
236 AToken for Mourners. When affliction preſſeth usabove ſtrength, when itdiſables us for duty, orwhen it gives advantage to temptation ; then we may fay, with David,"Remove thy ſtroke from me, Iam "confumedby theblow ofthine hand," Pfal. xxxix. 10. E-
ven our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in thedayofhis troubles, poured outhis foul withstrong cries,andmanytears,faying, " Father, " ifthou bewilling, let this cup paſs from me," Luke xxii. 42. Oppreſſednaturedefires eaſe,andevenourrenewed.nature defires freedom from thoſe clogs, and temptations, which hinder us induty, orexpoſe us to ſnares.
Thus farwe may fafely go. But forrow then becomes finful,and exceſſive,when,
First, It caufethus toflight, and deſpiſe allour other mercies, andenjoyments, assmallthings, in comparison ofwhatwe have lost.
It often falls out, that the ſetting ofone comfort,clouds, ⚫and benights allthe reſt. Our tears for our loft enjoyments, fo blind our eyes, that we cannot fee the many other mercies which yet remain: Wetake ſo much noticeofwhat isgone,.
thatwe take little or no notice ofwhat is left. But this is very finful, for it involves initboth ignorance, ingratitude, and great provocation.
It is a fin ſpringing from ignorance. Didweknow thedefertofour fins, we should rather wonder to fee one mercy left, thanthat twenty are cut off. They thatknow they have forefeitedevery mercy, ſhould be thankful that they enjoy any, andpatientwhen they loſe any oftheir comforts.
DidweknowGod, even thatſovereign Lordatwhoſediſpoſe ourcomforts come and go, who can the next moment blaft all that remain, and turnyou into hell afterwards, you would prizethemercies heyet indulges to you, at an higher value.
Did you underſtand the fickle, vanithing, nature of the
creature, what a flower, what a bubble it is; O how thankful would you be, to find ſo many yet leſt in your
poffeffion!
Did you know the case ofthousands, as good, yea, better thanyou, whoſewholeharvestofcomfortinthis world is but a handful, to the gleanings ofthe comforts you ſtill enjoy,whe
in all their lives neverwere owners ofſuch comfortable enjoy- : ments asyou nowoverlook; furelyyou would not act as you
Beſides, what vile ingratitude is in this? What, are all your remaining mercies worth nothing ? You have burieda child, a friend; well, but ftill you have ahusband,a wife,
A Tokenfor Mourners. . 337 other children; or, ifnot,you have comfortable accommodationsfor yourſelves, with health to enjoy them ; or, if not, yet
have you the ordinances ofGod, it may be, an intereſt in Chriftand in the covenant, pardon of fin, and hopes of glory. What,andyetfink at this rate, as if allyour mercies, comforts,
andhopes, even in both worlds, were buried in one grave.
MuſtIchabodbe written uponyour bestmercies, becauſe mor-
tality iswritten upon one ? Fy, fy, what ſhameful ingratitude ishere?
And really, friend,ſuch a carriage as this underthe rod, is no ſmall provocation tothe Lord togo on injudgment, and makea full end ofall that remains, ſo that affliction ſhallnot
rifeup the ſecond time.
What if God, taking noticehow little thou regardest the manyundeſerved favours thou yet poſleſſeſt, ſhould ſay, well, ifthou thinkeſt them notworththe owning, neither do I think themworththe continuing ? Go, death, there is ahusband,a wife, other children yet left, ſmitethem all. Go, ſickneſs, and remove the health of his body yet left ; go, loſſes, and
impoverish his eſtate yet left ; go, reproach, and blaſt his reputation,which is yet ſweet ; what would you think of this ? And yet, ifthoube out of Chrift,you are in danger of a far
fadder ſtroke than any, or all yet mentioned ; what if God ſhould ſay, Prizeſt thou notmy mercy? Haſt thou no value for mygoodneſs, and forbearance towards thee ? Is itnothing that Ihave ſparedthee thus long in thy fins, and rebellions ? Well, then, I will ſtretch out myhanduponthy life, cut off
that threadwhichhath kept thee ſo many years fromdropping intohell.
O think, then, whatyouhave done,by provoking theLord, through your vile ingratitude! It is a dangerous thing toprovokeGod, whenhe is alreadyin away ofjudgment. And if you be his own people,and ſo out ofthe danger ofthis laft and worſt ſtroke ; yet know, youhave better mercies to lofe than any you have yet loft. ShouldGod cloud your fouls with doubts, let loose Satan to buffet you, remove joy and peace from your innerman,how foon would you be convinced that the funeral of your dearest friend is but a trifle to this?
Wellthen,whatever God takes, be ſtill thankful for what he leaves. It was thegreat fin ofIfraelinthe wilderneſs, that thoughGodhad delivered them from their cruel fervitude in Egypt, miraculouſly fedthem inthe deſart, and was leading
them ontoaland flowing withmilk andhoney; yet as foor
• 238 ATokenfor Mourners .
as any wantdidbut begin to pinch them,preſentlyall these
mercieswere forgotten and flighted,Numb. xiv. 12. "Would " to God(faythey) wehaddied in Egypt." And,Numb. xi. 6. " There is nothing at all beſide this manna." Beware of this,O ye mourning and afflicted ones. You feeboth the fin that is in it, and the danger that attends it.
Secondly, And no leſs ſinful areour forrows,When theyfo wholly ingulphour hearts, that weeithermindnot at all, orare littleor nothingsensibleofthe public evils and calamities, which
lieupon the churchandpeople ofGod.
Some Chriſtians have fuch public ſpirits,that the church's troubles ſwallow up their perſonal troubles. Melancthon feemed to take little notice ofthe death ofhis childwhich he dearlyloved,being almoſt overwhelmedwith the miſeries ly-
ingon the church.
And itwas agood evidence ofthegraciouſneſs andpublicneſs ofEli's ſpirit,who ſitting inthe gate, anxioufly waiting for tidings from the army,whenthe tidingscame that Ifrael fled before the Philistines, that his two fons Hophui and Phinehas were dead, and that the ark ofGod was taken,juft at the mention of that word, * The ark of God, beforehe heardout the whole narration, his mind quickly preſaged the
ifſſue, he funkdown and died, 1 Sam. iv, 17. 18, O thatwas the finking, the killingword; hadthe meſſenger ſtopt at the death ofhis two fons, like enough he hadſupported that burden; but the loss of the ark was more to him than ſons of daughters.
But how few fuch public ſpirits appear even among profeffors in this ſelfiſh generation ? Maywe notwith the apostle complain, Phil. ii. 21. "Allfeektheirown,andnotthe things " that are of Chrift:" Fewmen have any greatcares orde ſigns, lying beyond the bounds oftheirownprivate intereſt. Andwhatwe ſay ofcares,is astrue offorrows: Ifa childdie,
we are ready to die too, but public calamities pierce us not.
How few fuffer either their domeſtic comforts tobe ſwallowed up in the church's troubles, or their domeſtic trou bles tobe ſwallowed upbythe church's mercies ! Now when
it is thus with us,whenwe littleregardwhat mercies ormiſeries
* Cumque ille nominaſſet arcam Dei. q. d. nondum integram, fed inchoatam audiens narrationem, mentepraevolanset exitum
praefagiens ruebat. Merecz. inloc.
AToken for Mourners. 239
fieupon others, but are wholly intent upon our own afflictions, this isa finful forrow, andought to be forrowed for.
Thirdly, Our forrows then become finful and exorbitant, When they divert us from, or distract us in, our duties, fo
that our intercourse with heaven isftopt and interrupted by them.
How longcanwe fitalone muſing uponadead creature? Here our thoughts easily flow; but how hard to fix themup. on the living God! when our hearts ſhould be in heaven withour Chrift, they are inthe gravewith ourdead. Maynot
many afflicted foulsjuſtly complain, that their troubleshad takenaway their Chrift from them, (I mean as to ſweet ſenſible communion) andlaid the deadchild in his room ?
Poor creature, ceafe to weep any longer for thydead relation, and weep rather for thydead heart. Is this thy compliancewithGod's deſign in afflicting thee? What, to grow