Mr. Cotton. “Though I have little hope, when I consider the uncircumcision of mine own lips, that you will hearken to my voice, who have not hearkened to the body of the whole church of Christ with you, and the testimony and judgment of so many elders and brethren of other churches: yet I trust my labour will be accepted of the Lord; and who can tell but that he may bless it to you also, if, by his help, I endeavour to show you the sandiness of those grounds, out of which you have banished yourself from the fellowship of all the churches in these countries?”
Will-worship varnished over with the glittering show of humility. Spiritual pride may swell, out of the sense of a man’s humility. Humility most unseasonable in setting up will-worship, or persecuting others.
Answer. First, I acknowledge it a holy character of a heavenly spirit, to make ingenuous true acknowledgment of an uncircumcised lip: yet that discerning spirit, which God graciously vouchsafeth to them that tremble at his word, shall not only find, that not only the will-worships of men may be painted and varnished over with the glittering show of humility, Col. ii., but also God’s dearest servants, eminent for humility and meekness, may yet be troubled with a swelling of spiritual pride out of the very sense of their humility. It pleased God to give Paul himself preventing physic against this distemper, in the midst of God’s gracious revelation to him. And what an humble argument doth David use, when himself, advised by Nathan, went about an evil work out of a holy intention, to wit, a work of will-worship, in building the temple unbidden? Behold, I dwell in a house of Cedar, but the ark of God in a tent, 2 Sam. vii. 2. Humility is never in season to set up superstition, or to persecute God’s children.
CHAP. II.
Secondly, I observe his charge against me for not hearkening to a twofold voice of Christ: first, of the whole church of Christ with me.[232]
Public sins the cause of public calamities; must be faithfully discovered by spiritual watchmen.
Unto which I answer, according to my conscience and persuasion, I was then charged by office with the feeding of that flock: and when in the apprehension of some public evils, the whole country professed to humble itself and seek God, I endeavoured, as a faithful watchman on the walls, to sound the trumpet and give the alarm: and upon a fast day, in faithfulness and uprightness, as then and still I am persuaded, I discovered eleven public sins, for which I believed (and do) it pleased God to inflict, and further to threaten public calamities. Most of which eleven (in not all) that church then seemed to assent unto: until afterward in my troubles the greater part of that church was swayed and bowed, whether for fear of persecution or otherwise, to say and practise what, to my knowledge, with sighs and groans, many of them mourned under.
Col. iv. [16.] Faithfulness to God and man (though for present censured) will give rejoicing in day of death and judgment.
I know the church of Colosse must say to Archippus, Take heed to thy ministry, &c., which he may negligently and proudly refuse to hearken to; but let my case be considered, and the word of the Lord examined, and the difference of my case will shine forth, and my faithfulness and uprightness to God and the souls of that people will witness for me, when my soul comes to Hezekiah’s case on his death-bed, and in that great day approaching.