The saints everlasting rest, or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory wherein is shewed its excellency and certainty, the misery of those that lose it, the way to attain it, and assurance of it, and how to live in the continual delightful forecasts of it and now published by Richard Baxter ...

SECT. IX.

4. BE sure that your conversation be teaching,* 1.1 as well as your doctrine. Do not contradict and confute your own doctrine by your practice. Be as forward in a Holy and Heaven∣ly life, as you are in pressing on others to it. Let your discourse be as edifying and spiritual, as you teach them that theirs must be; go not to law with your people, nor quarrel with them, if you can possibly avoid it. If they wrong you, forgive them; For evil lan∣guage, give them good; and blessing for their cursing; Let go your right, rather then let go your hopes and advantages for the winning of one soul. Suffer any thing rather then the Gospel and mens souls should suffer. Become all things (lawful) to all men, if by any means you may win some. Let men see that you use not the Ministery only for a trade to live by; But that your very hearts are wholly set upon the welfare of their souls. Whatsoever meekness, humility, condescention, or self-deniall you teach them from the Gospel, O teach it them also by your undissembled lead∣ing example. This is to be Guides, and Pilots, and Governors of

the Church indeed. Be not like the Orators that Diogenes blamed, that studied benè dicere, non benè facere: Nor like the sign at the Inn door, that hangs out in the rain it self, while it shews others where they may have shelter and refreshing; Nor like a fencer that can offend, but not defend, as Cicero said of Caelius, that he was a good right hand-man, but an ill left-hand man. See that you be as well able to defend your selves, when you are tempted by Satan, or accus∣ed by men to be proud, covetous, or negligent, as to tel others what they should be. O how many heavenly doctrines are in some peoples eares, that never were in the preachers heart! Too true is that of Hilary, Sanctiores sunt aures plebis, quam corda sacerdotum. Alas, that ever pride, emulation, hypocrisie, or covetousness should come into a pulpit!* 1.2 They are hateful in the shops and streets, but more hatefull in the Church; but in the Pulpit most of all. What an odi∣ous sight is it, to see pride and ambition stand up to preach humi∣lity! and hypocrisie to preach up sincerity! and an earthly minded man to preach for a heavenly conversation! Do I need to tell you that are Teachers of others, that we have but a little while longer to preach? and but a few breaths more to breath? and then we must come down, and be accountable for our work? Do I need to tell you, that we must dye and be judged as well as our people? or that justice is most severe about the Sanctuary? and judgment begin∣neth at the house of God? and revenge is most implacable about the Altar? and jealousie hottest about the Arke? Have you not learned these lessons from Eli, Corah, Nadah and Abihu, Vzzah, and the Bethshemites, &c. though I had said nothing? Can you forget, that even some of our tribe shall say at judgment, Lord, we have taught in thy Name? who yet must depart, with, I know you not? Do you learn nothing by the afflictions that now lye upon you? You see what hath been done against the Ministery of England: how some have been laid hold on by the hand of justice;* 1.3 and some by the hand of violence and injustice, and how all are lashed and re∣proached by the wanton tongues of ignorant, insolent Secta∣ries; neither Prelaticall, Presbyterian nor meer Independent now spared, it being the very calling it self that now they set against: How they rob the Church of her due maintenance, and make no more of it then Dionisius did of robbing Aesculapius of his gold∣en beard, quia barbatus erat filius, at pater Apollo non ita▪ or then the same Dionisius did of robbing Jupiter Olympius of the

golden Coate that Hieron had given, saying, that a Coate of Gold was too heavy for Summer, and too cold for VVinter, but cloth would be suitable to both; Or then he did of robbing the Images of the vessels of gold which they held in their hands, say∣ing, he did but take what they offered,* 1.4 and held forth to him: Or then the same Dionisius did of robbing the temple of Proserpina,* 1.5 when afterwards his ships had a prosperous winde, Videtis, inquit, quam prospera navigatio a dijs immorta••ibus detur sacrilegis: Ex hoc colligens aut non esse deos, aus illis non esse molesta Sacrilegia. Sirs, doth God lay all this on the Church and Mi∣nistery for nothing? Doth not the world know what an ignorant, lazy, superstitious Ministery had lately possessed most Churches in the land? And how many such are yet remaining? and those that are better, alas, how far from what we should be, either in know∣ledg or practice! And yet how unwilling are they to learn what they know not? Even as unwilling as their people are to learn of them, if not much more. O see your errors by the glass of your Afflictions: And if the words of God will not serve the turn, let the tongues of enemies and Sectaries shew you your transgressi∣ons: Of whom I may say to you, as Erasmus of Luther, Deus de∣dit huic postremae aetati propter morborum multitudinem acrem medi cum: And as the Emperor Charles of the same Luther, Si sacri ficuli frugi essent, nullo indigerent Luthero. Yet let not any Papist catch at this, as if our Ministery were unlearned and vicious in comparison of theirs: the contrary for the common sort is well known: And though the Jesuits of late have been so industrious and learned, yet I could tell them out of Erasmus, of some that proved heriticks must be killed, from Pauls Haereticum hominem devita, i. e. de vita tolle. And of Hen. Stephanus his priest of Artois, that would prove that it belonged to his parishoners to pave the Church, and not to him, from Jeremies Paveant illi, non paveam ego. Or if these seem partial witnesses, I could tell them what Bellar∣mine saith of the ninth Age: Seculo haec nullum extitit indoctius aut infaelicius, quo qui mathematicae aut Philosophiae operam dabat, magus vulgò putabatur: And as * 1.6 Espencae••s saith, ut Graecè rosse suspect∣um fuerit, Haebraicè prope haereticum. I could tell them also what a Clergy was found in Germany and in England at the Reformati∣on, what barbarous ignorance, beastly uncleanness, and murders of the children begotten in whoredome was found among them. I

could tell them who have been turned from their Church by a meer journey to Rome, there seeing the wickedness of their chiefest Clergy; And what Petrar••h, Mantuan, with multitudes more say of it. And (if the most horrid murders were not become vertues with them and did they not think they did God service by killing his servants) I should minde them of all the burnings in England, and of all the unparalleled bloody Massacres in France, and the inquisiti∣on of Spain, which their Clergy yet manage and promote. If any say that I speak this but upon reports, we have seen no such thing: I answer as Pausanias, when he was blamed for dispraising a Physi∣tian that he had never made tryal of, Si periculum fecissem ne∣quaquam viverem: If we had fallen into their hands it had been too late to complain. Quia me vestigia terrent▪ Omnia in adversum spectantia, nulla retrorsum. And some tast of the fruit of their pro∣jects we have lately had in England: by which paw we may suffi∣ciently conjecture of the Lyon. So that as bad as we are, our adversaries have little cause to reproach us.

But yet, brethren, let us impartially judg our selves; for God will shortly Judg us impartially. VVhat is it that hath occasion∣ed so many Novices to invade the Ministery, who being puffed up with pride, are fallen into the snare of the devil, 1 Tim. 3.6. and bring the work of God into contempt, by their ignorance? Hath not the ungodliness & ambition of those that are more learned, by bringing learning it self into contempt; been the cause of all this? Alas, who can be so blinded by his charity, as not to see the truth of this among us? How many of the greatest wits have the most graceless hearts? And relish Cicero, Demosthenes or Aristotle better then David, or Paul, or Christ? And even lothe those holy wayes which customarily they preach for? That have no higher ends in entering upon the Ministery, then gain and preferment? And when the hopes of preferment are taken away, they think it but folly to chuse such a toilsome and ungrateful work. And thus the ball of reproach is tossed between the well meaning ignorants, and the ungodly learned; and between these two, how miserable is the Church▪ The one cryes out of unlearned Schismaticks; The other cryes out of proud, ungodly persecutors, and say, These are your learned men; that study for nothing but a benefice or a Bishoprick, that are as strange to the Mysteries of Regeneration and a holy life, as any others! And O that these reproaches were

not too true of many! God hath lessoned Ministers of late, one would think sufficiently, to beware of ambition, and secular avo∣cations; But it is hard to hear God speak by the tongue of an enemy: or to see and acknowledg his hand where the Instrument doth miscarry. If English Examples have lost their force (as being so neer your eyes that you cannot see them remember the end of Funcius that learned Chronologer, who might have lived longer as a Divine, but died as a Princes Counsellor, and his Distich pro∣nounced at his death, Disce meo exemplo mandato munere fungi, Et fuge ceu pestem 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: and the like fate of Justus Jonas (I.C. Son of that great Divine of the same name) the next year, whose last Verses were like the former Quid juvat innumeros scire at que evolvere casus, si facienda fugis, fi fugienda facis? Study not therefore the way of rising, but the way of righteousness; Honesty will hold out, when Honors will deceive you. If your hearts be once infected with the fermentation of this swelling humour, it will quickly rise up to your brain, and corrupt your intellectuals; and then you will be of that opinion which your Flesh thinks to be good▪ and not that which your judgment thought to be true; and you will fetch your Religion from the Statute Book, and not from the Bible; as the jest went of Agricola (who turned from a Pro∣testant to an Antinomian, and being convinced of that error, turned Papist into the other extream) and Pebugius and Sidonius Authors of the Interim; Chrysma ab eis & oleum pontificium inter alia de∣fenduntur, ut ipsi discederent unctiores, (because they obtained Bishopricks by it.) O what a doleful case is it, to see so many brave wits, and men of profound Learning, to be made as useless and hurtful to the Church of God by their pride and ungodliness, as others are by their pride and Ignorance; were a clear, under∣standing conjoyned with an holy heart and heavenly life, and were they as skilful in Spiritual as Humane Learning, what a glory and blessing would they be to the Churches!

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 9.
• * 1.2

  Luther was wont to advise Preachers to see that these three Dogs did not follow them into the Pulpit, Pride, Coveteous∣ness, or Envy.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 7.
• * 1.4

  Valer. Maxim. li. 1. c. 2.
• * 1.5

  Just. l. 21.
• * 1.6

  As Doctor Hackwel recit∣eth him, with more to the same purpose: As one that would prove, that there were ten worlds, from Christs words, Nonne decem facti sunt mundi? and the other disproved him from the words follow∣ing, Sed ubi sunt novem?