(From the writings of GEO. SWINNOCK, Puritan Divine.)
I WISH that I may be both faithful and wise to recover a fallen brother out of his sin and error. Jonathan, a true friend to David, promised to tell him if there were any danger, and accordingly warned him, whereby he saved his life. I profess myself a lover of my Christian companions, but I am false in my profession if I suffer sin to lie upon them; yet I confess it is a difficult work to perform this duty in a right manner. The best plaster may be ineffectual if it be not fitly applied. I can seldom, with Moses, seek to unite quarrelling Christians, but one of them, with the Hebrew, is ready to quarrel with me, and say, “Who made thee a ruler or a judge over us?” Men are seldom more touchy than when their sores are searched; and therefore he that would not have their wounds to bring them into a fever or fury, must handle them with much wariness. I desire that wisdom, courage, and love may be the ingredients of which all my medicines may be compounded—wisdom, that I may observe the quality and temper of the offender, the nature of his offence, and the fittest season and manner of administering the reproof; the quality of the person, if he be my superior, that I may do it with reverence, rather exhorting and beseeching, than plainly rebuking; the temper of the offender, if he be of a fierce nature, that I may so manage my work with meekness, as, when I am endeavouring to heal his distemper, I may not increase it; the nature of the offence, if the sin be small, that I may not make it great by giving stronger medicines than the disease requires; the season of reproofing, that I may not give open rebuke for private offences, but observe my Saviour’s rule, “If thy brother offend thee, tell him his fault between him and thee.” The presence of many may make him take up an unjust defence, who in private would have taken upon him a just shame. The open air makes sores to rankle; the more public rebukes are for magistrates and courts of justice to give. Possibly it may be my suspicion more than any real fault, as in the case of the blessed Virgin and Joseph, and then what wrong should I do him to accuse innocence before a multitude! The manner of delivering it, that I may give him his due praise, as well as his deserved reproof. This will somewhat allay his passion, and make my reproof the more prevalent. The iron, when heated red hot in the fire, is bent and beaten afterwards, without breaking, which way the smith pleaseth. When I have heated him hot with the fire of commendation, I may then beat upon him with reproof in greater hopes of success. I would desire courage also, that I may deal faithfully, and not skin over a wound that hath dead flesh at the bottom. Should I dally, I destroy the patient. If the offender be so bold as to dare God, why should I be so bashful as to fear him? Love, that he may discern my affection to his soul in my detestation of his sin. If he suspect me to bear ill-will in my heart, he will throw my potion in my face: what man will take physic from an enemy? Lord, shouldst thou suffer me to go on in sin, and not call me back, though by a severe admonition, it were a sign thou didst hate me. Thou didst never strike Ephraim worse than when thou didst forbear to strike at all, but saidst, “Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.” Should I not seek to pluck my brother out of the fire of sin into which he is fallen, but suffer him to lie there, I hate him, and am in thine esteem a murderer. Oh, deliver me from such blood-guiltiness, Thou God of my salvation!
Let Thy good Spirit so strengthen and direct me whenever Thou callest me to this duty, that I may do it with zeal to Thine honour, not daring to jest with such an edged tool as sin is, and with love and wisdom, that if by any means I may bring back a wandering sheep to thy fold.
I wish that I may receive as well as do good by all my converses with those that are good. Christians are trees of righteousness, planted in God’s vineyard, and it is my own fault if I gather not some good fruit from them. My God tells me, “The lips of the righteous feed many.” If, then, I rise hungry from the table, it is a sign I am sullen, and will not eat. My Father delights to see his children distributing their spiritual food (as the disciples the loaves and fish to the multitude) amongst their brethren, till they all are filled. He hath acquainted me that it is an argument of wisdom to receive, and folly to refuse counsel: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning” (Prov. ix. 9). The holy apostle, though high in the school of Christ, and in the uppermost form, yet hoped to learn somewhat from those that were far meaner scholars. He writes to the Romans that he hopes to be filled with their company. They that are dwarfs in religion may do service to the tallest, if they be willing to accept it. A rush candle may give me some light, if I do not wilfully shut mine eyes; a brazen bell may call me to prayer as well as one of silver, if I do not stop mine ears. The smallest and meanest creatures were serviceable to the great God against the Egyptians; and shall my proud heart refuse the help of mean Christians against the enemies of my salvation? Did a damsel possessed with a devil bring her master much temporal gain, and may not a poor servant, filled with the Holy Spirit, bring me much spiritual gain? What, or who am I, that none must teach me but those that are eminent in grace and gifts? I am sure I have nothing that good is, but what I have received, and this pride of my heart is too great an evidence that I am but poor in holiness. Those branches that are fullest laden bend most downward. Those trees that abound in clusters of fruit, do not disdain to receive sap from the mean earth which every beast trampleth on. It is no wonder if a soul decline in strength, that refuseth its food because it is not brought by the steward, but by some inferior person of the family. If Satan can keep me in this proud humour, he doth not doubt but to keep me in a starving condition, and to hinder the efficacy of all means for my growth in grace. When this dropsy once seizeth upon my vitals, I may expect a consumption of my whole body. Lord, it were my duty to hear Thy voice, though it were through the mouth of a Balaam; thou hast sometimes conveyed the water of life through these pipes of lead, and sent considerable presents to thy chosen by contemptible messengers. Oh, suffer me not to be wise in mine own eyes, and thereby to turn away mine ears from the words of them that are indued with spiritual wisdom; but cause me to hear counsel, and receive instruction, that I may be wise for my latter end.
I wish that I may be so much my own friend, as to esteem a bitter admonition better than the sweetest flattery, and never quarrel at any for waking me out of my spiritual lethargy. The world indeed is full of them that rage at such as would prevent their ruin, choosing rather to have their wounds fester, though they kill them, than be searched thoroughly to recover them. Their words to their neighbours are like the Jews to the prophets, “Prophecy not unto us right things, prophecy unto us smooth things, prophecy deceits” (Isa. 10). And their works are like theirs too; if a Stephen deal but faithfully with them, and tell them of their faults, they are presently cut to the heart, and gnash at him with their teeth; their bones are so out of order, that the smallest disturbance makes them fret and fume. Like owls, if any offer to lay hold on them, they soon make him feel their claws; rebuke a scorner and he will hate thee. But I have not so learned Christ. Though toads are no sooner touched but they swell, and are ready to spit out their poison in the face of him that handleth them, yet sheep will be felt and shorn, and suffer their sores to be dressed with patience. Though fools hate him that reproveth in the gate; yet, “rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee,” saith God (Prov. ix. 8). Oh, that I might never be so void of love to my fallen brothers, as not to give him a serious reproof, nor so void of love to myself, as not to receive a serious reproof! The nipping frosts, though not so pleasant, are as profitable as the summer sunshine. I deceive myself if I judge no liquor wholesome but what is toothsome. There is no probable way of curing some diseases but by blisters, and cupping-glasses, and painful medicines. Is it not better for me to accept an admonition and amend, than to walk on in a wicked way to my destruction? Will it not be much easier for me to bear a rebuke given in love, and with meekness, from my fellow-creature, than to provoke the jealous God, with eyes full of fury, to take me by the throat, and ask me what I am doing; how I dare thus slight his laws, and contradict his will? Oh, how can my heart endure, or my hands be strong, in the day that he shall deal with me! Well might my God say, “He that hateth reproof is brutish.” Lord, let me never be so much a beast, as to lie snoring in a nasty kennel of filth, and when any come to wake me, fly in their faces; but let me prefer a sharp admonition, before the smoothest deceits. When any praise me for the good in me, cause me to suspect myself; when any reprove me for the evil in me, let me accept it with thanks. Make me able to say, with that sweet singer of Israel, “Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, and it shall be an excellent oil, it shall not break my head.”