CASE XV.

ANother Case which greatly needeth Patience, is, when God doth not bless and prosper our endeavours; when Ministers study, and preach and pray, and yet see but small fruit of their la∣bours; few converted, reformed, or strengthened, but all their labour seemeth lost: When Parents take pains with their Children, and they remain still ob∣stinate and wicked: When Magistrates endeavours are frustrated by a contenti∣ous rebellious people: When men la∣bour in their lawful Callings, and all goeth backward, and God seemeth not to bless their labours: In sickness our Physick doth not prosper: When we are falsly accused, our just defence is not be∣lieved: When we endeavour the pub∣lick good, we prosper not; This ma∣keth men fear that God forsaketh them.

These several Cases should be severally Page  212 considered: And the Case of unprospe∣rous Ministers, I confess, is very sad: When a man from his youth is devoted to that holy work, and by many years hard study prepared for it, and is drawn to it by a longing desire to do good, and studyeth for it all his life, and spends time and strength in constant la∣bour, and after all can see small fruit; this lyeth heavy, and tempteth them to doubt whether they were called of God, and whether they are not unfit for the work, or unfaithful in it. Through Gods great mercy it is not my own tryal; I know not that ever I laboured any where in vain; but I have lived near far better men, who have lived to above fourscore years of Age, and have said, that they know not of two Souls converted by them in the Parishes where they lived; some speed better upon such as came from other Parishes, and some on very few at all: And alas to see no bet∣ter fruit of such employment, than barely to have a Benefice to live on, and some reverence from the people, or a few good words, is a poor encourage∣ment,

But 1. The first thing to be done in Page  213 this sad Case, is, to search whether the fault be not in our selves? Whether we choose such subjects to preach on as are most needful and suitable to the Hearers state, and fittest to convince and win them? Whether we study plainness, and familiar words, and a close convincing way of speech? Whether by familiar conversation with them we get their love, and also find out their ignorance, error and sin, their objections and doubts, that we may know what they need; and whether we deal with them private∣ly and personally as well as publickly, for their instruction? Whether our Lives preach to them as well as our Tongues, and shew them that we believe what we speak? and whether we do all in the ex∣pression of unfeigned love, and do them all the good we can for their Bodies, and quarrel not with them for worldly things, but lose our right rather than scandalize them, and harden them against the Truth. If any of this be amiss, it must be amended; if not, then consider,

2. That to labour is our parts, and to prosper it is Gods: Paul and Apollos can but plant and water, but it is God that must give the increase: Christ him∣self Page  214 both preached and wrought mi∣racles in some places, when yet few be∣lieved on him; yea, though the people cryed him up, it was no great number that were throughly converted by all his preaching and works; that being re∣served for the coming down of the Holy Ghost, after his Death and Resurrection. And in some places few were converted by the Apostles, even among the learned Philosophers at Athens, how little was their success?

3. God knoweth his Chosen, and all shall come to Christ that the Father hath given him, and none of them shall be lost: And God loveth Souls and Holi∣ness better than we do: All Souls are his; and Christ knoweth the price of them: And we know that all that God doth is good, and we shall see the rea∣son of it at last.

The Prophets and Apostles had more unthankful requitals, than the meer loss of their labour with the greater part; They were also persecuted, scorned, and killed, by them whose Salvation they desired: Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers killed and persecuted, saith Christ, Mat. 23. see Isa. 53. 1. Page  215 &c. John 12. 37, 38. Acts 17. and 19. 9. and 28. 24. Yea, to some the Word is the savour of Death to Death, and Christ is as a Stone of stumbling, and Mini∣sters as the scorn of the World and the off scouring of all things; and alas, they must be Witnesses against their Hearers to their Condemnation, and must shake off the Dust of their Feet against them.

4. If our success were according to our own desire, it would be beyond what God intendeth for men in the World: We would have every man in this world converted and saved: It is our duty to desire and endeavour it as far as we are able; for it is not Gods Decrees but his Commands which are our Rule. Luke 4. 25. Many Widdows, saith Christ, were in the days of Elisha, but it was not to ma∣ny that he was sent. We may have comfort in our just desires and endea∣vours.

6. God will accept and reward us, according to our faithful work, and not according to our success: A bad man may be used to save other mens Souls, when his own is lost. Isa 49. 5. Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the Eyes of the Lord, and my God shall Page  216 be my strength. It is spoken both of the Prophet and of Christ: It was to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, that Christ saith he was sent; and he is called, a Minister of the Circumcision. And yet Israel was not gathered, when he would have gathered them as a Hen doth her Chickens, Mat. 23. But they were to be utterly ruined for rejecting him. 2 Cor. 2. 14, 15. Now thanks be to God who causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his Knowledge by us in every place: For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish: To the one the savour of Death to Death, and to the other the savour of Life unto Life; and who is sufficient for these things. Faithful labour is never wholly lost.

7. And one Soul is so precious, as is worth more than all the labour of our lives: He is an Hypocrite himself and no faithful Minister of Christ, that had not rather save one Soul though he live in poverty, than have the richest Bishoprick and save none. His Mony shall perish with him, who loveth Mony better than the Soul of the poorest Beggar.

8. There may perhaps be many more Page  217 Souls converted than the Preacher ever heareth of. The work hath often ob∣scure beginnings: You know not what workings may be in the secret hearts of Sinners; and some are bashful, and some have not opportunity to shew themselves. I have visited some aged Women before Death, who were not noted for any zea∣lous profession of Religion, but what they shewed in the Church Assemblies, and I found them of solid understanding and experience; and perceived by their talk that they had been constant in all secret duties, and conscionable in all their course: And when I enquired further, I found that they had Husbands that re∣strained them from the society of godly people, and from all open manifestation of what was in their hearts, save what their Church-worship, and upright living shewed. And this is the Case of some Children and Servants, who are under the restraint of bad Parents and Masters: We must not then con∣clude, that all the Seed is lost, which seemeth buried and appeareth not to us.

9. It is not lost labour which doth but restrain men from being worse: Page  218 The suppression of Vice, and the keep∣ing up a profession of the Truth, is worth all our labour; as also the keep∣ing out Heresies and Errors; and it is worth our labour to feed Christs Sheep, and help to confirm such as are true Christians already, and to increase the grace they have; and to comfort the sad, and resolve the doubting, and edifie the Body of Christ: Surely the work which is to be done in guiding and edi∣fying the Converted, requireth as great skill at least, as that which is required to the converting of Infidels and wicked men; (though the change made on the Learners be not so great in regard of the terminus a quo; for the higher includeth the lower and more) and more Lear∣ning is necessary to teach the higher Form, than to teach the Alphabet: Some are for planting, and some for wa∣tring; some went forth to make Dis∣ciples of the Nations, and baptize them, and some were to guide them when bap∣tized, and teach them to observe all Christs Commands.

10. If your Study and Doctrine edifie and save your selves, it is an unspeakable mercy; you have had the comfort of sweet Page  219 and holy studies, and the pleasant work of opening and pleading saving truth: And if all this study and preaching have but prevailed with your selves, and con∣quered your own sins, and subdued your Souls to the obedience of Christ, how happy are you: Yet all this is not said to make you indifferent as to your suc∣cess: I further therefore advise you: 1. Long for the wining and edifying of Souls; for I have observed, that few prosper this way, but those that earnest∣ly desire it.

2. Pray hard for them to God, and see that you neglect not your own Duty. Study for eminent abilities: Preach plainly, earnestly, reverently; exhort them personally; do them good chari∣tably; hurt none; avoid scandal; live as you teach; shun all unnecessary cross∣ness and singularity; keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace with all true Believers; and patiently leave the issue to God.

3. If you are distasted through per∣judice, and have long laboured without any notable success, advise with your Brethren whether you should not remove, and another be not fitter for that people, Page  220 and you for another, and do according∣ly.

II. As to the second Cause of the frustration of all endeavours for the Souls of Children and Servants, I toucht it before: I confess it is a grie∣vous Case to bring up Children who will be Slaves of Satan, Plagues to the Church, and Fire-brands in Hell; and to speak to them in vain as to Blocks or Mad-men: But good men have lived comfortably that had bad Children: Adam had a Cain, Noah had a Cham, Abraham had an Ismael, Isaack had an Esau, Jacob's Sons greatly sinned; Eli had an Hophni and Phinehas, Samuel's Sons for∣sook their Fathers way; David had an Amnon and an Absalom, Solomon had a Rehoboam, Hezekiah had a Manasseh, Job justly feared his Sons forgetting God in their fulness, and lost them in it: Christ saith the Son shall be against the Father, Mat. 13. 12.

And if you have but one good Child, you owe great thanks to God for that. If a Minister must not deny God his thanks, nor himself his comforts, though most of his Flock prove obstinate and perish; neither must Parents be un∣thankful Page  221 or uncomfortable, if most of their Children should be obstinate and perish, if God permit it, who hath more interest in them than you have; you must submit, and take comfort in your good desires and faithful duty? But O see care∣fully that you neglect not Love, and prudent diligence, and good Example, and that you keep out of Tempting Com∣pany, and keep under suitable means.

III. And it is as near a tryal, when a Husband cannot convert a wicked Wife, nor a Wife a wicked Husband, but one must lie in the bosom of a slave of Satan, and an Enemy of Christ, and no per∣swasion will do such good. The near∣ness maketh the affliction very great, such as few that have not had sad ex∣perience of it can know. It is a very hard thing to love such with a true Con∣jugal Love, who have no true Lovely∣ness of Soul, but hate the holy wayes of Christ: And it is not easie to keep up innocency and Godlyness and peace, un∣der the constant opposition of one so near.

But yet this must be patiently born, when it cannot be remedied. For 1. Usually it is a just Correction for a Page  222 sinful choice, which must be repented of: And its a mercy that your Repentance hath some help.

2. It may be such a constant exercise of your grace, especially patience and pru∣dence, as may render you better and stronger Christians, than those that have less exercise by tryals.

3. The greatness of the Temptations must cause you to double your watchful∣ness and resolutions, against the sins which you will be tempted to, and to per∣form all the duties of our place. As 1. See that no pretence of Love, or plea∣sing, or obedience, draw you to imitate a Husband or a Wife in sin, and to be∣come as bad as they, or to receive any er∣rour from them, or grow cold to holy duties. Some Women that have Papists or other Erroneous Husbands, cannot tell how to Love and please them, with∣out being flattered or drawn into their Errours, strong constant tryals need strong and constant watch and resoluti∣on: For if you are overcome to be as they, its a thousand times worse than all the grief that you have by them.

2. See that their badness destroy not Conjugal affections towards them: Those Page  223 may be loved as Husbands or Wives who cannot be loved as sincere Christians.

3. See that you exceed meer carnal persons in all the duties of your Relati∣ons. If your difference and grief do cast you into sowerness, and an unpleas∣ing discontented conversation, or if you be as peevish and froward as common persons, you wlll be a scandal to those that you should win, and drive them further from Religion and Salvation. You must shew if you are Wives more Love, and Meekness, and Patience, and Obedience than Carnal persons do, as well as more forwardness in Religion. Froward Impatient Wives do harden many ill Husbands in their sin. It hath much pleased me to hear a Husbands say∣ing of a good Wife, [I differ from my Wife in Religion and Church Orders: I go to one Church, and she to another: I think she is too precise and strict; but I think there is not a better Wife, a better Mother, and a better Mistress in the Land.] A good Christian must be good in all Relati∣ons.

4. Continue Prayers and winning en∣deavours while there is hope.

5. And let the sense of anothers sin Page  224 and misery, provoke you to be thankful to God for his grace, and that he hath not left you to the like.

IV. And as to the next Case (when God blasteth our Labours and Estates, and prospereth not our Callings) its an usual tryal: Some are ruined by deceiv∣ers, and breaking Tradsmen, some by losses at Sea; some by Suretiship; some by fire; some by false Servants; some by Prodigal Sons; some by Soldiers; some by unjust Suits at Law; some o∣ver reacht in bargains about Land; and divers other wayes there are by which the Rich have been brought to poverty (to say nothing of Gaming, Luxury and such vice, which belongs not to this present Case) and by which lawful means of living want success.

And here 1. It is your duty to see that there be no guilt of any other un∣pardoned sin which God punisheth this way. Sometime an Estate is blasted by God, because it was unlawfully got by Ancestors: Sometimes the owner is guil∣ty of former defrauding others, and hath made no restitution; Sometimes God thus punisheth some other secret sin, as Fornication, Lying, Flesh-pleasing and Page  225 such like. Search deep, and see that no such guilt be unrepented of, and be as a moth or fire to consume your wealth.

2. Especially search lest your hearts grow secretly into a Worldly disposition, and too great hopes of Riches and pros∣perity, and too great a desire after plen∣ty, and too much pleasure in the pos∣session or the hopes of it: If this be your case, its Gods great mercy to blast all to you, and to break your Idol, and to fire you out of the Garrison that you trust. They that trust in riches, Christ tells you, are as hardly saved as for a Camel (or Gable) to go through the eye of a needle: And its Mens hope, which is called their trust. When you hope for more from Riches than they can give, you are said to trust in them. If ever God save you, he will save you from this Worldly mind and love: And sure pros∣perity is not the likelyest way to that; but rather withering the object of your hopes.

3. However make this use of your crosses, to be more weaned from the World, and more carefully to lay up a Treasure in Heaven, where fire, rust or moth corrupts not, and Thieves, Pirate Page  226 or Soldiers cannot steal, and then your loss, be it never so great, is made your gain.

4. And let your crosses and frustrati∣ons call you to exercise the graces suit∣able to your condition; to renew Re∣pentance, submission to Gods Will, Prayer and dependance for your daily bread, abatement of Pride, not disdain∣ing the lowest employment, nor to be beholden to others: And if you can fol∣low Christ and his Apostles in a holy po∣verty, you shall quickly be above con∣tempt and want. And let it make you ply that Calling and work which will never disappoint you: Believe and hope strongly, pray earnestly, obey diligently, be stedfast, unmoveable always abound∣ing in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as your labour shall not be in vain, tho all your Worldly wealth be blast∣ed.

V. The last Case is the saddest tryal of all, when just endeavours for Church and State, for Societies and Posterity seem all in vain: When hopes of peace and piety and publick good have been high raised, and all soon blasted and turned into shame. But of this I must Page  227 speak anon. I conclude all this Case of Labour frustrate, and hopes cast down, with this necessary warning; Judge of Gods love to you by the great and sure tokens of his Love, and not by uncer∣tain transitory things: If God loved those best that prosper most in honour and wealth, Turks and Tyrants, and the most Luxurious wicked Men, would have the best proof of his Love. If your Souls prosper in increase of faith, and in sweeter or desiring thoughts of Heaven, and in delight in God and ho∣liness, and in victory over all your car∣nal affections, and discontents, and in a more willing obedience to all Gods Laws, and in a word, in a fuller com∣pliance of your Wills to the Will of God, then you are truly prosperous persons, and have the certain tokens of the Love of God; when the prosperity of fools will destroy them, and turn to the in∣crease of their sin, and will but be as fuel to Hell fire, and prepare for end∣less misery.