The great law of consideration: or a discourse, wherein the nature, usefulness, and absolute necessity of consideration, in order to a truly serious and religious life, is laid open: By Anthony Horneck, preacher at the Savoy.

XI. Impediment.

XI. Neglect of consulting with the Mini∣sters of the Gospel about this necessary work. It was Gods command of old, The Priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth, for he is the Mes∣senger of the Lord of Hosts, Mat. 2.7. How mean soever the Age, we live in, thinks of this Function of Men, as if they were need∣less Members of a Commonwealth, yet there was never any Nation so barbarous, bur af∣ter they were Civiliz'd into Societies and Government, judged these Men most useful, and most necessary, for the preservation of their Commonwealth, for Kingdom. And indeed the great eternal God, ever since he hath vouchsafed to plant a Church in the world, hath been pleas'd to make it one great character, and mark of his favor and bounty to Her, to give Her Teachers and Prophets, and Evangelists. And the Com∣mission he hath granted these Men, the Ti∣tles, and the Honours he hath confer'd on them, and Love, and Reverence he hath commanded all Men to express towards them, evidently declare, That they are Am∣bassadors

of the great King of Heaven, which in Christs stead, beseech men to be reconci∣led unto God; and that he that receives the Word, they deliver from the mouth of God, receives him that sent them.

In these Gospel-dayes it's true, there is shed abroad a larger measure of Gods Spirit, than was formerly known under the Jewish Oeconomy, and men under the New Cove∣nant are promis'd to be taught of the Lord. They shall not teach every man his Neighbor, and every man his Brother, saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know me from the least to the greatest, Hebr. 8.11. yet that doth not make this function of men needless, but enforces rather the absolute, and indispensable neces∣sity of their office, and authority. For be∣sides, that this promise doth eminently relate to the Primitive Christians, who were made partakers of the miraculous effusion of the Holy Ghost, and had their knowledge and learning from above, thereby to fit them the better for the propagation of a new Reli∣gion; if we suppose, that the Prophecy must extend to all, that profess themselves Christi∣ans, the meaning of it can be no more, but this, that God will use a more gentle way in converting men under the Gospel, and in that Conversion, or inclining their hearts to his commands, give such lively representati∣ons

of the reasonableness of them, and so convince them of their agreeableness to the Law of nature, or the Law written in their hearts, that they shall not need to be put in mind by their Neighbors of their justice, and equity, and spirituality.

But then this gracious promise doth not exclude, but presupposes still, the means of Conversion, of which the Ministry of the Word, is not the least; and if the Ministry of the Word be intended as a standing Or∣dinance, in order to those kindly operations of Gods Spirit, in the heart of those that shall be converted; and God be perempto∣rily resolv'd by the preaching of the Word to work on the Souls of men, none hath rea∣son to find fault with the contrivance of the Almighty, but rather to admire his wisdom and goodness, that shines through this dispen∣sation; not to mention, that as God under the Gospel obliges men to greater knowledge than formerly, so it's fit, there should be men eminent for knowledge and piety to instruct others, and who like Candles set on a Candle∣stick, may light the rest, and by the Vrim and Thummim, of their doctrine, and purity, lead them, and encourage them to prepare for Heaven. And if notwithstanding the prodigious gifts of the Holy Ghost poured out in the primitive Times upon all flesh,

God thought it necessary to give Apostles, and Teachers, and Pastors, when the illapses of the Spirit could teach men, what their Pa∣stors were to teach them; how much more necessary may we think, must the Ministry be now, when those extraordinary gifts have ceas'd, and the generality of men are sunk into monstrous ignorance, inconsiderateness, and stupidity.

Indeed these are the men, whom God hath plac'd in the Church, to direct others in the way to salvation; these are the men with whom the ignorant are to consult, what they must do to be happy for ever: And as upon a wrong information given by the Teacher, God is resolv'd to require the seduced parties blood at his hand; so no man, that hath a tongue in his head to enquire, can with any justice excuse himself from enquiring of these men what it is, that the Lord his God re∣quires of him. And were this method fol∣low'd in the case before us, and did men se∣riously demand of them, which way to com∣pass an effectual Consideration of their Soul-concerns, here they might be inform'd, and instructed, and undeceiv'd in the errors of their wayes.

The truth is, some are so civil, as to send for us, when the breath is going out of their body, and give us leave to come and teach

them, what they must do to be sav'd, when the Physitian gives them over, and they ready to be summon'd to appear before the great Tribunal; they are contented, we should give them an Epitome of their Du∣ties, when they are past working in Gods Vineyard; and furnish their minds with thoughts of Heaven and Eternity, when their understandings are as weak, as their bodies; and their inward man, as languid, and feeble as their outward. But there needs no great store of Arguments, to convince any ratio∣nal man, That this is meer mocking of God, and his Messengers. It's a sign, they have a pitiful low esteem of another world, who think Heaven worth no more, than a feeble thought, when they can serve the Devil and sin no longer. It's a sign, they look upon eternal glory, as some poor, beggarly happi∣ness, who cannot vouchsafe it a serious look, till their eyes grow dim, and the Sun, and the Moon, and the Light, and the Stars are dark∣ned, Eccl. 12.2.

Would they but send for us, or come to us, while marrow is in their bones, and blood brisk, and lively in their veins, their reason strong, and their understanding in its full vigor and glory, and advise with us about these everlasting things, we would then tell them, what eternal life means, and how no

man can be a man, or be said to act with common prudence, that doth not with all diligence make his Calling, and Election sure, we would then let them see, how many thou∣sands perish for want of thinking of Eterni∣ty. We would let them see, how miserable those mens condition must needs be, who have their portion in this life, who after this life, must look for nothing else, but everlast∣ing chains of darkness. We would prove to them, that these are not things to be laught at, but deserve their most serious contempla∣tions, and that the saving of a Soul is not so light a thing, as they may imagine. We would let them see, that the pious Kings and Prin∣ces, and Philosophers, Confessors and Saints, and Martyrs of old, whose memories we adore, were no Fools, when they kept un∣der their Bodies, and brought them into sub∣jection, lest they should become Castawayes; when they look'd upon all the losses, and troubles, and miseries, that could befall them for Righteousness sake, as things, not worthy to be compared, with the glory, which ere long should be revealed in them, when they did not count their own Lives dear, for the Gospel of Christ, and were ready to pass through the most daring flames to Heaven. We would let them see, that those men had brains, and were men of wisdom, and dis∣cretion,

as well as they, and living so near the time of Christ and his Apostles, could not possibly be ignorant of what was to be done in order to everlasting happiness; and if they had not been very confident of the truth of Christs promises, and known for certain, that without strictness, and contempt of the World, and watching against Tem∣ptations, there was no entring into their Ma∣sters joy, they would never have striven so much to enter in at the strait gate, as they did.

We would let them see, how different mens thoughts are when they come to dye, from those which they have while they enjoy strength and health, and liberty; and that a melancholy thought now and then concern∣ing their sinful life, is not repentance, nor leaving such sins, which would blemish their credit and reputation in the World, doing whatsoever Christ commands them; nor talking now and then of the vanity of the World, using the World, as if they used it not. We would let them see, what the Scri∣pture means, by working out their salvation with fear, and with trembling; and how dreadful that saying is, If the righteous be scarcely saved, where will the wicked, and sin∣ner appear? We would let them see, That the expressions, the Holy Ghost uses concern∣ing

our Travelling to the Land of Promise, imply very great care, and industry, and do plainly intimate, that God will not part with his Heaven to men, that do not think it worth seeking, or being at any trouble about it. We would let them see, that if any thing in the World deserves their pains, and care, Heaven deserves it infinitely more, as it is of infinitely greater consequence, than the most boundless Empires, or Princi∣palities. We would let them see, that God is no respecter of persons; and that, as he hath fitted Religion for all mens capacities, insomuch, that though all cannot be wise, or learned, or great, or rich, yet all may obey him, and keep themselves unspotted from the World, so he will one day summon every man to give an account of his stewardship, and bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing whether it be good, or evil. We would let them see, that what satisfies men now, will not give them any great content, or satisfaction then; and though now some sprinklings of Piety may lull them into good conceits of themselves, and of their worth, yet these like blown Balls, will then be all upon the least touch shatter'd into Atoms.

By such discourses as these, we might by degrees engage them to a serious Considera∣tion of their spiritual Concerns, and warm

them into resolutions, to lay by for some time their Farms, and Oxen, and ruminate on things which carry so much Terror and Ma∣jesty with them. And indeed such things, were they heard without prejudice, they would in some measure confound and startle men in their courses; and if they are not given over to a hard heart, or to a reprobate mind, rouze their spirits into nobler thoughts and contemplations.

But alas! they shun our company, except it be to talk of worldly affairs, or to ask us about some nice Points of Divinity, and are ashamed to make their condition known, and to own themselves ignorant of the path, that leads to glory. They either excuse themselves with this, that their Neighbors, and their Friends, will laugh at them, for making Mi∣nisters their Oracles; or plead, that they know as much as the Man of God can teach them; would God, they did! and that all the Lords People were Prophets. But if they did, is there not some difference be∣tween knowing these sacred Truths, and ha∣ving them set home upon the Conscience? That shall stick in a familiar discourse, which in reading we take no notice of; and a word in private conference, may drop from a holy man, and may be spoke with that zeal and honesty, as shall strike the Soul into a change,

or renovation of mind, which perhaps many years study, or a large stock of knowledge would not have effected: so that if the question be ask'd, Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no Physitian there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people re∣cover'd? We may truly say, We would have healed Israel, but they would not be healed.