Thomas Manton · 62 of 67
England’s Spiritual Languishing; with the Causes and Cure. · Part 3
2. What are the causes of the languishing and decay of godliness? I answer:—
[1.] That great division and dissentiency that is among God’s own people. When the language was divided, the building ceased; when religion is controverted, it loseth its awe and force. It is observable that, Acts iv. 32, 33, when the people were of one heart and of one mind, ‘then with great power gave the apostles witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ,’ Mark that, with power; the word came with command and authority upon the hearts of men. The world easily stumbleth at this rock of offence; the assent is more loose and doubtful when things are committed to the uncertainty of disputes, and so doth not commandingly check vicious inclinations. When the ways of flesh and blood are backed with wit and parts, and made to seem a valuable opinion, men are hardly gained.
Besides, godly men themselves, while they engage with too much heat and zeal in their particular opinions, grow cool in piety and practical duties, the strength of their spirits being diverted and carried out so disproportionably to the lesser matters. God placed the flaming sword about paradise, and the gospel calleth for violence in the matters of the kingdom, Mat. xi. 12. But we usually mistake our object, and misplace our zeal upon such matters as have more of interest in them than godliness, and are rather busied in disputing much, than doing much.
[2.] The embasing and emasculating the of preaching. Hunger seeketh food, but lust dainties and quails. When preachers provide for men’s lusts rather than their consciences, religion is embased and loseth power. A ministry that stayeth in the paint of words will beget but painted . When we come in the demonstration of the Spirit, we come in power, 1 Cor. ii. 6, ἐν ἀποδείξει, with plain and solid ; this is the sin, this the curse and misery. When the thread of the gospel is so fine spun, it will not clothe a naked soul; notion eateth out all saving knowledge. The apostle speaks of a ψευδώνυμος γνῶσις, 1 Tim. vi. 20, ‘Oppositions of science falsely so called,’ by which they thought to better the gospel, but did indeed debase it. Such niceties enervate godliness, make it weak and less in power. We must take heed then of debasing this ordinance to an effeminate delicacy. It should still be masculine and generous, full of spirit and power from on high. I would not be mistaken, as if I did plead for a lazy carelessness in managing the word. I know that God concurreth with man’s diligence; and if we would not have the people loathe the word, we should painfully provide it for them. Every scribe that is instructed for the kingdom of God, that is, that would do service in the church of God, must ‘bring forth out of his treasuries things both new and old,’ Mat. xiii. 52, that is, although not new truths, yet κοινά καίνως, old truths in a new way, otherwise represented to the imagination or fancy, to take off that tedium or natural satiety that is in us, that we may not loathe them as coleworts twice sod, but that truths may still have a fresh look upon the conscience and affections. This may be done, but we must take heed of ungrounded niceties, subtle notions, that beget only speculation, and do not stir up to practice.
[3.] An undue preaching of the gospel. Poison conveyed in so sweet a wine maketh the cup the more deadly. By this means religion itself is made to be of sin’s side, and the grace of God pliable to conclusions; and indeed, when the truths of God, that should convince of sin, are debauched to so vile a purpose as to countenance sin, men can the better overcome remorse of conscience, and do sin with the less regret, out of a presumption that the gospel is of their side, Jude, ver. 3, ‘They turn the grace of our God into wantonness;’ they debauch the grace of God, that is, the doctrine of grace, make that yield countenance to their lusts; and so men father their bastards upon the Spirit, and sin cum privilegio, by a license from heaven. When those that should have been prophets cried, Peace, peace! see what Jeremiah saith, chap. iv. 10, ‘Ah! Lord God, surely thou hast greatly deceived this people,’ in saying they shall have peace. It was done in God’s name by the false prophets, and they were as secure as if God himself had said so. We would willingly have the gospel over-gospelled, and hear in the ear of liberty; therefore I am persuaded there is no one thing hath hindered the power of godliness, care of duty, humbling of souls, so much as this undue preaching of the gospel.
[4.] Public liberty and connivance, that maketh sin more common, and so less odious. Outward restraints keep men that are evil from discovering of it: and though it be the privilege of divine precepts to convert the soul, Ps. xix. 7, yet the commands and authority of men may much hinder the diffusion and dissemination of sin and error. It is good to observe the several guards that God hath put upon a man to keep him from sin, so prone are we to it. There are inward guards Spirit, word, and conscience; there are outward guards—the ministry, the church, and the magistrate—all which are as in his stead to be an awe to sinners; more especially it is said of the magistrate that he is ‘the minister of God, to be a terror to evil-doers.’ Rom. xiii. 3, 4. Now, when their sword is sheathed up, and nothing is settled, wicked men lose all awe and restraint, and do what is ‘right in their own eyes,’ Judges xxi. 25, as it is said there they did when there was no king of Israel; that is, no exercise of government to restrain public disorders, for as yet their government was not monarchical; then all goeth to wreck, groweth impudent, and religion is borne down. Solomon saith, Prov. xx. 8, ‘A king that sitteth upon the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes;’ that is, when magistrates employ and draw out their power, they scatter evil as the sun scattereth mists.
[5.] Another cause may be want of catechising, by which means truths would be more revived, and kept fresh and savoury in the thoughts, and so have the more awe upon us. Martyrology and catechising were two of the most successful engines against Popery. Truths work most when we discern that cognation and kin, by which they touch and respect one another; indistinct knowledge doth but dispose to error or looseness. Sermon hints, a hint here, and a hint there, doth not so much good, for men of weaker conceits cannot so easily discern how one truth is inferred from another, and what analogy and proportion there is between them, and so are easily overcome by more subtle and stronger wits; or else, not discerning that fair compliance that is between practical and comfortable truths, grow loose. Certainly religion would be more propagated if this exercise were revived. We are debtors to wise and unwise, Rom. i. 14; and Christ, that bade Peter feed πρόβατα, his sheep, bade him also feed ἀρνία, his lambs, John xxi. 15, 16. For want of this pattern of sound words, and these condescensions to weak ones by this exercise, many mischiefs have abounded amongst us, to the great damage of religion and godliness.
These are part of the causes; others might be mentioned, but I shall forbear. You will say then, What remedy? Therefore I shall proceed to the next thing, which is to show you:—
Thirdly, What we should do to ‘strengthen the things that are ready to die,’ or to repair decayed godliness. Give me leave to speak a word:—
First, To all in general, as we are Christians. Several things are necessary. Let me point at a few.
1. Oh! that we would all join together, quasi manu factâ—it is Tertullian’s word—in a holy conspiracy to besiege heaven by prayers, until more spirit and life be poured out, and in greater abundance. God hath said that he ‘will pour out his Spirit upon all flesh,’’ Acts ii. 15. Oh! beg it for England; go to him that hath the seven Spirits, to look upon another dead Sardis. God must offer violence to us we can offer violence to the kingdom. It is the mighty Spirit, that must revive us in our languishings. That which carrieth the soul to God, must come from God. Waters can arise no higher than their spring. Religion is like the pure vestal flame, which, if it went out, was to be kindled only by a sunbeam. Oh! then let us go and wait before God for those seven Spirits, those mighty and quickening operations. The Spirit came upon Christ in the appearance of a clove, to show his ; but upon the apostles in cloven tongues of fire, to show the might and force that is in his operations.
2. Let us study how we may more honour and adorn religion by a godly and peaceable walking before God and men. Every Christian should be the gospel’s ornament, as a hypocrite is the gospel’s disgrace: Titus ii. 10, ‘Adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.’ Let the world know there is more in religion than pretence and policy. While hypocrites and such as seek themselves betray the honour of religion, do you advance it; let them see there are true stars as well glaring meteors. Your lives should make God glorious: 1 Peter ii. 9, hold forth the praises, τὰς ἀρετὰς, of him that hath called you; let them read God in you of a truth, and be not distinguished so much by a party and profession as by . Tertullian saith of the ancient Christians, Non aliunde noscibiles quam de emendatione vitiorum—their distinction was their innocency. When divers libertines had dishonoured religion, and walked unworthily in their relations, Peter pressed the true Christians to good conscience and more honest walking, 1 Peter ii. 12, and iii. 16; indeed, both those chapters are to this purpose. This will be a real confutation, and then God will give you praise in the land of your shame, Zeph. iii. 19. Hair cut will grow again if the roots remain; and though the razor of censure hath brought baldness and reproach upon the head of religion, yet its good name will grow and flourish again, and they will be ashamed that falsely accuse your godly . O brethren! at such times we should walk with more care. It is a smart question that, Neh. v. 9, ‘Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the our adversaries?’ When your lives are thus sleek and innocent, this dirt will not stick.
3. Stir up yourselves, and provoke one another to more forwardness in dead times. We should strive who should be first, and exceed in godliness. You know that noted place, Heb. x. 24, ‘Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and good works.’ This is ἀγαθὴ ἔρις, an holy contention, when we contend who shall be most forward in the matters of God. We often provoke one another to carnal strife, to excess in . Oh! when do we sharpen and whet each other’s graces? The sons of the coal, how do they enkindle one another, and strengthen each other’s hands in wickedness. See how the idolaters are described: Isa. xli. 6, 7, ‘They helped every one his neighbour; every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer, him that smiteth on the anvil,’ &c. The prophet speaketh of the time when the gospel was sent to the isles, ver. 1; that is, to the European countries, which are usually expressed by isles in Isaiah. Now, as soon as they listened to this doctrine, down went the pictures and images, but there being some hope offered of their re-erection, they came and strengthened one another’s hands: ‘Be of good courage.’ They hoped to bring up their craft and way again with pomp and triumph. Oh! when they strengthen one another, will not you? Nazianzen was wont to call the enemies of the church κοινοὺς διαλλακτὰς, the common reconcilers, because when they unite and support one another against the church, it doth but invite the people of God to a more close union, and free communion with one another. This would be an excellent way to prevent the decays of love and piety.
4. Delight in and wait upon the powerful ministry of the word: ‘The prophets prophesy lies, and the people love to have it so,’ Jer. v. 31. A vain people do but encourage a vain ministry. Do not delight, then, in a glozing dispensation, it will be successless. Frothy speculations, moral strains, do no good; the people begin to grow weary of savoury and sound knowledge: the testimony of the witnesses was a torment to the dwellers on the earth, Rev. xi. 10; powerful preaching is their burden. The lazy world would fain lie upon the bed of ease, draw the curtains and rest, and therefore light is trouble some; men begin to thirst and pant for the old unsavoury moral strains, which remain in wary generals, and do not irritate. The Lord may give you your desire; but remember that is a carnal itch that must be clawed, and the times will be sad when men cannot endure sound doctrine, 2 Tim. iv. 3.
I have done with my address to the people.
Secondly, I shall speak a word to the ministry. I am the worst of a thousand to direct others, only I shall take the liberty, in all humility, to suggest my thoughts. Much may be done by you to the repairing of decayed godliness.
1. Christ must still be preached. That is the main truth that keepeth in the life of Christianity. The more evangelical dispensations are, the more powerful; our beloved must still be kept as a bundle of myrrh next our hearts, Cant. i. 13, still fresh and fragrant in the thoughts; all the comfort and support of a Christian dependeth upon that; this is the very spirit and flower of any ministry; and therefore it is said, Rev. xix. 10, ‘The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’ It is not only the beauty, but the life of any dispensation. I know many think this needless, for, as I said before, the indistinct and undue preaching of Christ is the cause of all the looseness and vanity into which religion is degenerated. Ay! but I add here, that this dispensation is still needful. The foolish world is apt to fly into extremes; some are all for doctrines of Christ, others will hear nothing of him, because these sweet truths have been so much misapplied. Popery got up by this pretence; they would not open that gap of free grace to the people. Paul would preach the of Christ though many did abuse it: Rom. iii. 8, ‘Some slanderously report that we say, Let us do evil that good may come thereof; whose damnation is just.’ The meaning is, some gave out that Paul taught that they might sin freely, that God might have the more glory in pardoning; which is expressed there by doing evil that good may come of it. Now, saith the apostle, their damnation is just, that is, if they undo themselves with such a vile conceit, they may thank themselves; they never learned it from me. If poison be sucked out of the flower, thank the spider; and if precious liquor be soured, it is because of the uncleanness of the vessel. Musculus in one of his books had said, that no places were so profane and irreligious as those where the gospel had been preached, or words to that effect. And Contzen, a Jesuit, crieth out upon this, hi sunt evangelici doctores—see the fruit of Protestantism and gospel-preaching. Many are of his spirit, malign and slander a gospel dispensation. Alas! we are not in the place of God, to prevent misapprehensions; it is our duty to keep this truth fresh in the thoughts, to offer it as a bundle of myrrh to the spouse’s bosom.
2. Humbling doctrines must be duly pressed. John the Baptist levelled mountains, and in his days much violence was offered to the kingdom, Mat. xi. 12; and indeed, still John must go before Jesus, like the day-star before the sun. Moses led the people in the wilderness, before Joshua led them into the land of Canaan. We must awaken first by a sense of wrath, or else they will not care for a sight of mercy. The people did not desire a till they heard the thundering, Exod. xx. 18, 19; and it is God’s usual method to suffer us to be dead to one law, ere we are alive to another, Gal. ii. 19; first to make us understand the severe obligation that is upon us by the of works, ere we are brought into a better hope by Jesus Christ. God is never truly exalted in the soul till man be humbled; Dagon must fall and be broken if the ark be set up. The Lord diggeth deep when he meaneth to raise the building high, and when he will bring off the soul to Christ powerfully, he bringeth them out of themselves by godly sorrow. This is the drift and scope of the whole scriptures, and therefore I use the less of argument in this matter.
3. Among other parts of godliness, it seemeth to be most necessary now to press the duties of relations. I say, to press Christians to carry themselves holily in their civil relations. No way provideth for the discharge of the duties of relations so much as Christianity or religion; and none have failed in them so much as religious persons of late, so that a great deal of dishonour hath come to God, and a great deal of prejudice to religion, by our unworthy walking in our civil relations. The gospel or law of Christ requireth that these civil respects which we owe to men should be discharged as in and to the Lord, and that we should turn duties of the second table into duties of the first; that is, perform civil respects upon a religious ground, so that it hath been the glory and honour of religion heretofore to yield the best children, the best subjects, the best kings, the best husbands and wives in the world. Therefore Augustine maketh a challenge to all the world, dent exercitum talem qualem doctrina Cliristi milites esse jussit,—let all the world, saith he, yield such children, such subjects, such soldiers, such servants, such an army, such provincials, judges, kings; such faithful ones, when they have been intrusted with the public monies. But alas! the case is quite otherwise. Of late, none worse than they, none more apt to dishonour God in relations, to disturb civil peace, to resist magistracy upon every dissatisfaction, and to make every discontent the ground of commotion and disobedience. Therefore to teach men to improve their relations for the glory of God and good of religion must needs be seasonable, that, if it be possible, we may repair that incomparable loss which religion hath sustained this way.
4. Learn that holy art of compounding peace with purity, that neither may lose its due respect, that we may neither hazard religion by silence nor eager contention. Holiness and peace are daughters of the same Spirit, and may be . You find them often coupled in scripture: James iii. 17, ‘The wisdom that is from above is first pure, and then peaceable.’ Purity must have the precedence in. your endeavours, but peaceableness must not altogether be shut out. So Mark ix. 30. ‘Have salt in yourselves and peace one with another.’ Salt and peace; be savoury, but not too tart and austere. I will not direct my brethren, I do only suggest it.
Thirdly, One word now to the magistrate, and I have done. Oh! consider, this matter appertaineth to you, ‘to strengthen things that are ready to die,’ to repair decayed godliness; this challengeth a chief care; yea, the first place in your debates, as in the commandments spiritual duties have the precedency of moral. In the name of Christ, then, let me you:—
1. To be holy and godly in your own persons. Oh! how sad will it be for your souls in the day of the Lord, if you should be employed in the reformation of others, and not be reformed yourselves; that you should be like Noah’s shipwrights, that frame an ark for others, and perish in the waters yourselves; or like the Jews, that directed the wise men to Bethlehem, but went not themselves thither to worship Christ. Oh! consider, you are the first sheets of the kingdom; others are printed after your copy. If the first sheet be well set, a thousand more are stamped with ease. See then that the power of religion prevail over your own souls, that, after you have done good to others, you may not be cast away. How can men think that you are sincere in establishing of religion, if it hath made no impression on your own hearts? Scandalous ministers and wicked magistrates do but pull down with one hand what they set up with the other.
2. If you would repair religion, and promote godliness, give encouragement to a godly ministry. You see, when Christ writeth to the church to repair godliness, he directeth it to the angel. Oh! let there be an angel in every church. Christ’s strength lieth in his mouth, Isa. xlix. 2; that is the sword by which he overcometh the world. It is the weapon he useth against Antichrist, the spirit of his mouth, 2 Thes. ii. 11. As Gideon overcame the Midianites by lamps and pitchers, so doth Christ by lamps and pitchers; and therefore the apostle calleth it light, or treasure, in an earthen vessel. Oh! then maintain the lamps, that they may be a means in the hand of God of maintaining godliness in the kingdom. Let there be, as I said, an angel in every church, a light in every socket, a star in every orb. If you look abroad you will find many continued through favour and mediation of friends, qui nihil habent in vita angelicum, aut in doctrina evangelicum, that have nothing angelical in their life, or evangelical in their doctrine.
3. Heartily establish a holy government in the church. Order and discipline is the fence of religion, and a church well-governed is ‘terrible as an army with banners,’ Cant. vi. 4; that is, full of beauty and strength. Armies ordered are comely and in a capacity to fight. The present decays are by confusion. It is said, Ps. lxviii. 35, ‘Thou art terrible out of thy holy places.’ In the order and beauty of the church, God is most terrible. When worship is pure and regular, it impresseth a dread and a reverence upon men.
4. Countenance godly persons. They are a kingdom’s best security, Zech. xii. 5;’ And the governors of Judah shall say in their hearts, The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts, their God.’ Mark, you should call them your strength; they engage a blessing. When Lot was in Sodom, Sodom was in lot. This is one of your chief duties, to see that godliness live peaceably. We are bound to pray for you upon this ground: ‘Pray for them that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty,’ 1 Tim. ii. 4. Oh! look to it, then, that religion may have a quiet abode, or else you will not.
5. Honour and sweeten religion by some release of the people’s burdens. Belly arguments do work much upon them: Jer. xliv. 17, ‘We will burn incense to the queen of heaven, for then we had plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.’ They measure religion by their outward concernments, and judge of ways by their burdens and troubles. The oppression of some Protestant princes in Germany was a scandal to the Reformation. Nothing stirreth up vulgar hatred and introduceth violent changes so much as this. The people are like the reed of Egypt; if we lean too hard, they do not support, but pierce; and oppression is like an iron in the fire, it will burn their fingers that hold it. I confess this is somewhat out of my way, therefore I was the more loath to speak in it; but it being for religion’s sake, I hope you will pardon a humble motion.
I shall but hint two motives to set on all, and conclude.
1. Is that in the 3d verse of this chapter: ‘Lest I come as a thief.’ Oh! consider Christ may steal upon you. When he taketh off his restraint from a people, and they break out into tumults, it is a shrewd sign. You know what faction was ruined by tumults; it is an unhappy presage.
2. The next is taken from the 4th verse: ‘Thou hast a few names that have not defiled their garments.’ God taketh notice of those few names that are zealous for him in dead times, that mind the advancement of piety whilst others debase it; they ‘shall walk with me in white.’ Either God will provide an ark of safety for you for the present, or give you heaven, which shall make amends for all.
