A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics
TekstDirect. XIX. Expect not that your assurance should be perfect in this life; for till all grace be perfect, that cannot be perfect. Unjust expectations disappointed are the cause of much disquietment.
Direct. XX. Distinguish between the knowledge of your justification, and the comfort of it. Many a one may see and be convinced that he is sincere, and yet have little comfort in it, through a sad or distempered state of mind or body, and unpreparedness for joy; or through some expectations of enthusiastic comforts.
Direct. XXI. Exercise grace whenever you would see it: idle habits are not perceived. Believe and repent till you feel that you do believe and repent, and love God till you feel that you love him.
Direct. XXII. Labour to increase your grace if you would be sure of it. For a little grace is hardly perceived; when strong and great degrees do easily manifest themselves.
Direct. XXIII. Record what sure discoveries you have made of your estate upon the best inquiry, that it may stand you in stead at a time of further need; for though it will not warrant you to search no more, it will be very useful to you in your after-doubtings.
Direct. XXIV. What you can do at one time, follow on again and again till you have finished. A business of that consequence is not to be laid down through weariness or discouragement. Happy is he that in all his life hath got assurance of life everlasting.
Direct. XXV. Let all your discoveries lead you up to further duty. If you find any cause of doubt, let it quicken you to diligence in removing it. If you find sincerity, turn it into joyful thanks to your Regenerator; and stop not in the bare discovery of your present state, as if you had no more to do.
Direct. XXVI. Conclude not worse of the effects of a discovery of your bad condition, than there is cause. Remember that if you should find that you are unjustified, it followeth not that you must continue so: you search not after your disease or misery as uncurable, but as one that hath a sufficient remedy at hand, even brought to your doors, and cometh a begging for your acceptance, and is freely offered and urged on you; and therefore if you find that you are unregenerate, thank God that hath showed you your case; for if you had not seen it, you had perished in it: and presently give up yourselves to God in Jesus Christ, and then you may boldly judge better of yourselves: it is not for despair, but for recovery, that you are called to try and judge. Nay, if you do but find it too hard a question for you, whether you have all this while been sincere or not, turn from it, and resolvedly give up yourselves to God by Christ, and place your hopes in the life to come, and turn from this deceitful world and flesh, and then the case will be plain for the time to come. If you doubt of your former repentance, repent now, and put it out of doubt from this time forward,
Direct. XXVII. When you cannot at the present reach assurance, undervalue not a true probability or hope of your sincerity: and still adhere to universal grace, which is the foundation of your special grace and comfort. I mean, 1. The infinite goodness of God, and his mercifulness to man. 2. The sufficiency of Jesus Christ our Mediator. 3. The universal gift of pardon and salvation, which is conditionally made to all men, in the gospel. Remember that the gospel is glad tidings even to those that are unconverted. Rejoice in this universal mercy which is offered you, and that you are not as the devils, shut up in despair; and much more rejoice if you have any probability that you are truly penitent and justified by faith: let this support you till you can see more.
Direct. XXVIII. Spend much more time in doing your duty, than in trying your estate. Be not so much in asking, How shall I know that I shall be saved? as in asking, What shall I do to be saved? Study the duty of this day of your visitation, and set yourselves to it with all your might. Seek first the things that are above, and mortify your fleshly lusts; give up yourselves to a holy, heavenly life, and do all the good that you are able in the world: seek after God as revealed in and by our Redeemer: and in thus doing, 1. Grace will become more notable and discernible. 2. Conscience will be less accusing and condemning, and will easilier believe the reconciledness of God. 3. You may be sure that such labour shall never be lost; and in well-doing you may trust your souls with God. 4. Thus those that are not able in an argumentative way to try their state to any full satisfaction, may get that comfort by feeling and experience, which others get by ratiocination. For the very exercise of love to God and man, and of a heavenly mind and holy life, hath a sensible pleasure in itself, and delighteth the person who is so employed: as if a man were to take the comfort of his learning or wisdom, one way is by the discerning his learning and wisdom, and thence inferring his own felicity; but another way is by exercising that learning and wisdom which he hath, in reading and meditating on some excellent books, and making discoveries of some mysterious excellencies in arts and sciences, which delight him more by the very acting, than a bare conclusion of his own learning in the general would do. What delight had the inventors of the sea-chart and magnetic attraction, and of printing, and of guns, in their inventions! What pleasure had Galileo in his telescopes, in finding out the inequalities and shady parts of the moon, the Medicean planets, the adjuncts of Saturn, the changes of Venus, the stars of the via lactea, &c.! Even so a serious, holy person, hath more sensible pleasures in the right exercise of faith, and love, and holiness, in prayer, and meditation, and converse with God, and with the heavenly hosts, than the bare discerning of sincerity can afford. Therefore though it be a great, important duty to examine ourselves, and judge ourselves before God judge us, and keep close aquaintance with our own hearts and affairs, yet is it the addition of the daily practice of a heavenly life, which must be our chiefest business and delight. And he that is faithful in them both, shall know by experience the excellences of christianity and holiness, and in his way on earth, have both a prospect of heaven, and a foretaste of the everlasting rest and pleasures.
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION
FIRST, WHAT SHALL BEFALL THE CHURCHES ON EARTH, TILL THEIR CONCORD, BY THE RESTITUTION OF THEIR PRIMITIVE PURITY, SIMPLICITY, AND CHARITY: SECONDLY, HOW THAT RESTITUTION IS LIKELY TO BE MADE, (IF EVER,) AND WHAT SHALL BEFALL THEM THENCEFORTH UNTO THE END, IN THAT GOLDEN AGE OF LOVE
WRITTEN BY RICHARD BAXTER; WHEN BY THE KING'S COMMISSION, WE (IN VAIN) TREATED FOR CONCORD, 1661.AND NOW PUBLISHED, NOT TO INSTRUCT THE PROUD THAT SCORN TO LEARN; NOR TO MAKE THEM WISE,WHO WILL NOT BE MADE WISE: BUT TO INSTRUCT THE SONS OF LOVE AND PEACE, IN THEIR DUTIES AND EXPECTATIONS.TO TELL POSTERITY, THAT THE THINGS WHICH BEFALL THEM WERE FORETOLD; AND THAT THE EVIL MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED, AND BLESSED PEACE ON EARTH ATTAINED,IF MEN HAD BEEN BUT WILLING; AND HAD NOT SHUT THEIR EYES AND HARDENED THEIR HEARTSAGAINST THE BEAMS OF LIGHT AND LOVE
TO THE READER
Reader,
It is many years since this Prognostication was written (1661, except the thirteen last lines); but it was cast by, lest it should offend the guilty. But the author now thinketh, that the monitory usefulness may overweigh the inconveniences of men's displeasure; at least, to posterity, if not for the present age; of which he is taking his farewell. His suppositions are such as cannot be denied: viz.
1. Eccles. i. 9, "The thing that hath been, is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun."
2. The same causes, with the same circumstances, will have the same effects on recipients, equally disposed.
3. Operari sequitur esse: as natures are, so they act; except where overpowered.
4. The appetite, sensitive and rational, is the principle of motion; and what any love they will desire and seek.
5. Therefore, interest will turn the affairs of the world; and he that can best understand all interests, will be the best moral prognosticator; so far men are causes of the events.
6. The pleasing of God, and the happiness of their own and others' souls, being the interest of true believers; and temporal life, pleasure, and prosperity, being the seeming and esteemed interest of unbelievers' cross interests, will carry them contrary ways.
7. Contraries, when near and militant, will be troublesome to each other, and seek each other's destruction or debilitation.
8. The senses and experience of all men, in all ages, are to be believed about their proper objects.
9. Men of activity, power, and great numbers, will have advantage for observance and success, above those that are modest, obscure, and few.
10. Yet men will still be men; and the rational nature will yield some friendly aspect towards the truth.
11. Those that are ignorant, and misled by passion, and carried down the stream, by men of malignity or faction, may come to themselves, when affliction, experience, and considerateness have had time to work; and may repent, and undo somewhat that they have done.
12. As sense will be sense, when faith hath done its best; so faith will be faith, when flesh or sense hath done its worst.
13. Men that fix on a heavenly, everlasting interest, will not be temporizers, and changed by the worldly men's wills or cruelties.
14. When all men have tired themselves with their contrivances and stirs, moderation and peace must be the quiet state.
15. When all worldly wisdom hath done its utmost, and men's endeavours are winged with the greatest expectations, God will be God, and blast what he nilleth; and will overrule all things, to the accomplishment of his most blessed will. Amen.
On these suppositions it is, that the following Prognostications are founded; which I must admonish the reader, not to mistake for historical narratives: but I exhort him to know what hath been, and what is, if he would know what will be; and to make sure of everlasting rest with Christ, when he must leave a sinful, restless world.
A MORAL PROGNOSTICATION OF WHAT MUST BE EXPECTED IN THE CHURCHES OF CHRISTENDOM, TILL THEGOLDEN AGE RETURNS, OR TILL THE TIME OF TRUE REFORMATION AND UNITY
1. Mankind will be born in a state of infancy and nescience, that is, without actual knowledge.
2. Yea, with a nature that hath the innate dispositions to sloth, and to diverting pleasures and business; and more than so, to an averseness from those principles which are needful to sanctification and heavenly wisdom. The carnal mind will have an enmity against God, and will not mind the things of the Spirit, nor be subject to God's law, Rom. viii. 5-8.
3. Sound learning, or wisdom, in things of so high a nature as are the matters of salvation, will not be attained without hard study, earnest prayer, and humble submission to instructions; and all this a long time patiently endured, or rather willingly and delightfully performed.
4. And if the seeds of wisdom be not born with us, in a capacious disposition of understanding; but contrarily a natural unapprehensiveness blocks up the way; even time and labour will never (without a miracle) bring any to any great eminency of understanding.
5. And they that have both capacity, and an industrious disposition, must have also sound, and able, and diligent teachers; or at least escape the hands of seducers, and of partial, factious guides.
6. There are few born with good natural capacities, much less with a special dispositive acuteness; and few that will be at the pains and patience, which the getting of wisdom doth require; and few that will have the happiness of sound and diligent teachers; but fewest of all that will have a concurrence of all these three.
7. Therefore there will be but few very wise men in the world; ignorance will he common, wisdom will be rare.
8. Therefore error or false opinions will be common. For unless men never think of the things of which they are ignorant, or judge nothing of them one way or other, they are sure to err, so far as they judge in ignorance. But when things of greatest moment are represented as true or false, to be believed or rejected, the most ignorant mind is naturally inclined to pass its judgment or opinion of them one way or other; and to apprehend them according to the light he standeth in, and to think of them as he is disposed. So that ignorance and error will concur.
9. He that erreth, doth think that he is in the right, and erreth not: for to err, and to know that he erreth in judgment, is a contradiction, and impossible. (However in words and deeds a man may err, and know that he erreth.)
10. He that knoweth not, and that erreth, perceiveth not that evidence of truth which should make him receive it, and which maketh other men receive it; and therefore knoweth not that indeed another is in the right, or seeth any more than he.
11. Especially when every man is a stranger to another's mind and soul, as to any immediate inspection; and therefore knoweth not another's knowledge, nor the convincing reasons of his judgment.
12. As no man is moved against his own errors, by the reasons which he knoweth not; so pride, self-love, and partiality thence arising, incline all men naturally to be overvaluers of their own understandings, and so over-confident of all their own conceptions, and over-stiff in defending all their errors. As pride and selfishness are the firstborn of Satan, and the root of all positive evil in man's soul; so a man is more naturally proud of that which is the honour of a man, which is his understanding and goodness, than of that which is common to a beast, as strength, beauty, ornaments, &c. Therefore pride of understanding and goodness oft live, when sordid apparel telleth you that childish pride of ornaments is dead. And this pride maketh it very difficult, to the most ignorant and erroneous, to know their ignorance and error, or so much as to suspect their own understandings.
13. He that seeth but few things, seeth not much to make him doubt, and seeth not the difficulties which should check his confidence and stiffness in his way.
14. He that seeth many things, and that clearly knoweth much; especially, if he see them in their order, and respects to one another, and leaveth out no one substantial part which is needful to open the signification of the rest.
15. He that seeth many things disorderly and confusedly, and not in due method, and leaveth out some substantial parts, and hath not a digested knowledge, doth know much, and err much, and may make a bustle in the world of ignorants, as if he were an excellent, learned man; but hath little of the inward delight, or of the power and benefits of knowledge.
16. He that seeth many things but darkly, confusedly, and not in the true place and method, cannot reconcile truths among themselves; but is like a boy with a pair of tarrying irons, or like one that hath his clock or watch all in pieces, and knoweth not how to set them together. And therefore is inclined to be a sceptic.
17. This sort of sceptics differ much from humble christians; and have oft as high thoughts of their understandings as any others: for they lay the cause upon the difficulties in the objects, rather than on themselves: unless when they incline to brutishness or Sadducism, and take man's understanding to be incapable of true knowledge, and so lay the blame on human nature as such, that is, on the Creator.
18. Few hope so much as to see the difficulty of things, and make them doubt, or sceptical. But far fewer know, so much as to resolve their doubts and difficulties: therefore, though (as Bishop Jewel saith of faithful pastors) I say not that there will be few cardinals, few bishops, few doctors, few deans, few Jesuits, few friars, (there will be enow of these,) yet there will be few wise, judicious divines and pastors, even in the best and happiest countries.
19. Seeing he that knoweth not, or that erreth, knoweth not that another knoweth, or is in the right, when he is in the wrong; therefore he knoweth not whose judgment to honour and submit to, if he should suspect or be driven from his own: and therefore is not so happy, as to be able to choose the fittest teacher for himself.
20. In this darkness therefore he either carnally casteth himself on the highest and most honoured in the world, where he hath the most advantages for worldly ends; or he followeth the fame of the time and country where he is, or he falleth in with the major vote of that party, whatsoever it be, which his understanding doth most esteem and honour; or else with some person that hath most advantage on him.
21. If any of these happen to be in the right, he will be also in the right materially, and may seem an orthodox, peaceable, and praiseworthy man; but where they are in the wrong, he is contented with the reputation of being in the right, and of the good opinion of those whom he concurreth with; who flatter and applaud each other in the dark.
22. When wise men are but few, they can be but in few places; and therefore will be absent from most of the people, high or low, that need instruction. Besides, that their studiousness inclineth them, like Jerome, to be more retired than others, that know less.
23. This confidence in an erring mind, is not only the case of the teachers, as well as of the flocks; but is usually more fortified in them than in others: for they think that the honour of learning and wisdom is due to their place, and calling, and name, and standing in the universities; how empty soever they be themselves. And they take it for a double dishonour (as it is) for a teacher to be accounted ignorant; and an injury to their work and office, and to the people's souls, that must by their honour be prepared to profit by them; and therefore they smart more impatiently under any detection of their ignorance, than the common people do.
24. It is not mere honesty and godliness, that will suffice to save ministers or people from this ignorance, injudiciousness, and error; there having ever been among the very godly ministers, a few judicious men, that are fit to investigate a difficult truth, or to defend it against a subtle adversary, or to see the system of theological verities in their proper method, harmony, and beauty.
25. Morality hath innumerable difficulties, as well as school divinity; because that moral good and evil are ordinarily such by preponderating accidents (actions as actions, being neither; but only of physical consideration). And the work of a true casuist is to compare so many accidents, and to discern in the comparison which preponderateth, that it requireth both an acute and a large, capacious, farseeing wit, to make a man a true resolver of cases of conscience. And consequently to be a judicious pastor, that shall not lead the people into errors.
26. As few teachers have natural capacity for exactness, and a willingness and patience for long, laborious studies; so many by their pastoral oversight of souls, and many by the wants of their families, (especially in times of persecution, when all their public maintenance is gone, and they must live, with their families, on the charity of people, perhaps poor and persecuted as well as they,) are hindered from those studies, which else they would undergo.
27. It is few that grow to much exactness of judgment without much writing (for themselves or others); for study which is to be exactly ordered and expressed by the pen, is usually (at last) the exactest study: as the Lord Bacon saith, "Much reading maketh a man full; much conference maketh a man ready; and much writing maketh a man exact." There are few Cameros, men of clear judgment, and abhorring to write. And there are few divines comparatively that have opportunity to write much.
28. They that err in divinity, do think their falsehoods to be God's truth; and so will honour that which he hates, with the pretence of his authority and name.
29. Therefore they will call up their own and other men's zeal, to defend those falsehoods as for God, and think that in so doing they do God service.
30. And the interest of their own place, and honour, and ends, will secretly insinuate when they discern it not, and will increase their zeal against opposers.
31. Therefore, seeing they are usually many, and wise men but few, they will expect that number should give the precedency to their opinions, and will call those proud, or heretical, that gainsay them, and labour to defame them, as self-conceited, opinionative men.
32. Therefore too many godly ministers will be great opposers of many of those truths of God, which they know not, and which they err about, and will help on the service of Satan in the world; and will be the authors of factions and contentions in the churches; whilst too many are "proud, knowing nothing," (in those matters when they think they are most orthodox,) "but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railing, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, (in this,) and destitute of the truth," 1 Tim. vi. 4, 5.
33. And if many good men will erroneously stand up against that truth which any man wiser than themselves maketh known, the worldly and malicious, that have a manifold enmity against it, will be ready to strengthen them by their concurrence, and to join in the opposition.
34. Not they that are wisest at a distance, but they that are nearest the people, and are always with them, are most likely to prevail to make disciples of them, and bring them to their mind: so great an advantage it is, to talk daily and confidently to ignorant souls, when there is none to talk against them, and to make their folly known.
35. Especially if the same men can get interest in their esteem as well as nearness, and make themselves esteemed the best or wisest men.
36. Therefore Jesuitical, worldly clergymen, will always get about great men, and insinuate into nobles, and will still defame them that are wise and good, that they may seem odious, and themselves seem excellent, and so may carry it by deceitful shows.
37. And they will do their best, to procure all wise and good men, that are against their interest, to be banished from the palaces of princes and nobles, where they are; lest their presence should confute their slanderers, and they should be as "burning and shining lights," that carry their witness with them where they come: and also to bring them under public stigmatizing censures and sufferings; that their names may be infamous and odious in the world.
38. And heretical pastors will play a lower game, and creep into the houses of silly people, prepared by ignorance and soul-disturbers to receive their heresies.
39. Between these two sorts of naughty pastors, (the worldly and the heretical,) and also the multitude of weak, erroneous, honest teachers, the soundest and worthiest will be so few, that far most of the people (high and low) are like to live under the influences and advantages of erring men; and, therefore, themselves to be an erring people.
40. In that measure that men are carnal, their own carnal interest will rule them. And both the worldly and heretical clergy, are ruled by carnal interests, though not the same materially. And the more honest, erring ministers, are swayed by their interests too much; insomuch, that on this account, it was no overvaluing of Timothy, or wrong to the other pastors, that it should plainly be said by Paul, "For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's," Phil. ii. 20, 21. "Of your ownselves shall men arise, and speak perverse things, to draw away disciples after them," Acts xx. 30. Besides the grievous wolves which would not spare the flocks.
41. The interest then of the worldly clergy, will consist in pleasing the great ones of the world; for lordships, and worldly wealth, and honour, and to be made the rulers of their brethren, and to have their wills: and the interest of heretics will be to have many to be of their own opinion to admire them: and the interest of upright ministers will be to please God, and propagate the gospel, increase the church, and save men's souls; yet so that they have a subordinate interest, for food and raiment, and families, and necessary reputation, which they are too apt to overvalue.
42. Therefore, it will be the great trade of the worldly clergy, to please and flatter the rulers of the world, and by all artificial insinuations, and by their friends, to work themselves into their favour, and by scorns and calumnies to work out all other that are against their interest.
43. And it will be the trade of heretics, to insinuate into the more ductile people, especially as ministers of truth and righteousness, that have somewhat more excellent in knowledge or holiness, than the faithful ministers of Christ.
44. And it will be the work of faithful ministers, to save men's souls. But with such various degrees of self-denial or selfishness, as they have various degrees of wisdom and holiness.
45. Many great and piously disposed princes, like Constantine, will think that to honour and advance the clergy, into worldly power and wealth, is to honour God and the christian religion; and great munificence is fit for their own greatness.
46. And because such honour and wealth cannot possibly be bestowed on all, it must make a great disparity, and set some as lords over the rest.
47. And the unavoidable weakness, passions, and divisions of the clergy, will make rulers think, that there is a necessity; that besides the civil government, there should, be some of their own office, to rule the rest, and to keep them in order, obedience, and peace.
48. Ambition and covetousness will abuse this munificence of princes: and whilst that any church preferments are so great (beyond the degree of a mere encouraging subsistence) as to be a strong bait to tempt the desires of a proud and worldly mind, the most proud and worldly that are within the reach of hope, will be the seekers, by themselves, and by their friends.
49. Mortified, humble, heavenly men, will either never seek them, or with no great eagerness; their appetite being less, and their restraints much greater.
50. Therefore they that have the keenest appetites to church grandeur and preferments, and are the eager seekers, are most likely to find.
51. Therefore the lovers of wealth and honour, are more likely still to be the lords among the clergy; except in such marvellous happy times, when wise and pious princes call the more worthy that seek it not, and reject these thirsty seekers.
52. The greatest lovers of worldly wealth and honour, are the worst men, 1 John ii. 15; James iv. 4, &c.
53. Therefore, except in such times as aforesaid, the worst men will be still the rich and powerful in the clergy, for the most part, or at least, the worldly that are very bad.
54. These carnal minds are enmity to God, and cannot be subject to his law. And the friendship of the world is enmity to God. And the honour and wealth of these worldly men, will be taken by them for their interest; and they will set themselves to defend it, against all that would endanger it.
55. The doctrine and practice of humility, mortification, contempt of the world, forsaking all, taking up the cross, &c. is so much of the christian religion, that however the worldly clergy may formally preach it, their minds and interests are at enmity to it.
56. Such men will make church canons according to their interests and minds.
57. And they will judge of ministers and people according to their interest and mind; who is sound, and who is erroneous; who is honest, and who is bad; who is worthy of favour, and who is worthy of all the reproaches that can be devised against him.
58. The humble, mortified ministers and people, that are seriously the servants of a crucified Christ, and place their hopes and portion in another world, have a holy disposition, contrary to this worldly, carnal mind; and their manner of preaching will be of a different relish, and the tenor of their lives of a contrary course.
59. The generality of the best people in the christian churches will perceive the difference between the worldly and the heavenly manner of preaching and of living, and will love and honour the latter far above the former; because their new nature suiteth with things spiritual, and fitteth them to relish them.
60. The worst of vicious and worldly men will disrelish the spiritual manner of preaching and living, and will join with the worldly clergy against it.
61. The worldly clergy being hypocrites, as to christianity and godliness, (like Judas that loved the bag better than Christ,) they will make themselves a religion, consisting of the mere corpse and dead image of the true religion; of set words, and actions, and formalities, and orders, which in themselves are (many, at least, if not all) good; but the life they will not endure.
62. This image of true religion, or corpse of godliness, they will dress up with many additional flowers out of their own gardens, some tolerable, and some corrupting: that so they may have something which both their own consciences and the world may take to be honourable religion; lest known ungodliness should terrify conscience within, and shame them in the world without.
63. This image of religion, so dressed up, will suit their carnal auditors and people too, to the same ends; and therefore will become their uniting interest.
64. That which is but a weed among these flowers, the more heavenly ministers and people will dislike, and much more dislike the loathsome face of death (or lifelessness) in their religion.
65. These differences of mind and practice, will engage both parties in some kind of opposition to each other. The worldly clergy, or hypocrites, will have heart-risings against the ministers and people that think meanly of them, and will take it for their interest to bring them down: for enmity is hardly restrained from exercise. And Cain will be wroth that Abel's sacrifice is better accepted than his own.