hereafter He that hath begun the worke of mortification so farre as I told you before in speaking of the first degree of it that now those sinnes which once raigned in him are put downe from their regencie and those corruptions that once have was a slaue vnto are now deposed from their throne as it were and doe cease to command in his members as once they did hath much cause to reioyce in the saluation of GOD although hee find these lusts still striuing and labouring to recouer their ancient soueraigntie 2. It is certaine that the Spirit of GOD doth rule in him in whom sinne hath ceased to rule Euerie man is vnder the command of the flesh or of the Spirit euerie man is subiect to the Lord ruling in him by Grace or to the Deuill ruling in him by lust Satan is a verie strong man and our owne lusts are his weapons none can bind this man and cast him out but the Spirit of strength of which Saint Iohn saith Stronger is he that is in vs 1. Iohn 4.4 then hee that is in the world Wherefore if any man that was once vnder the yoke of wrath lust reuenge couetousnesse or any other vile affection doe find now that by feruent prayers to God by the power of the Word in holy meditations applied to him and by vertue of the death of Christ and other like spirituall meanes by him vsed the Lord hath pleased to pull this yoke from off his necke so as now in stead of taking delight in the euill motions of sinne hee is grieued in his soule when such thoughts doe stirre in his soule and ceaseth not to crie to Heauen till he find them beaten backe againe and doth not now yeeld vp himselfe to follow these things with greedinesse but is vsually able to forbeare the palpable practice of sinne and if hee be ouertaken in any grosse manner hee is greatly humbled and abased and recouers himselfe with speedie confession and lamentation and renewing of his resolutions If any man I say doe find the case to stand thus with him hee hath in some measure fought and preuailed and now blessed bee hee of the Lord let him looke vpon the dead bodies of his lusts with much comfort and let him triumph in God that hath conquered for him and let him encourage himselfe still to continue fighting that still his soule may increase in strength as the House of Dauid is said to haue done and his sinnes may grow weaker and weaker as it was said of the House of Saul 3. My Brethren this warre whereinto you are entred must last for terme of life The flesh and Spirit can neuer bee reconciled there is no thinking of any peace but that which will bee worse then dishonourable euen damnable and a sure warre is much rather to be chosen then an vnsure peace much more then a peace which will be surely mischieuous Now by how much the warre will prooue of longer continuance by so much had you need to put on more strength that you may endure and a great part of your strength must grow from your comforts in your good beginnings Wherfore now let euerie true mortified man according to the riddle that Samson once propounded to his companions fetch sweetnesse out of the strong and meate out of the eater let them find an Honie-combe in the carcasse of the Lyon which they haue slaine and goe eating let them I meane take great consolation in the sight of their happie proceedings in this heauenly worke 4. There bee some Worthies of Israel that haue lifted vp their speares against many hundreds as it were and left them all dead in the place the hearts of such doe nto much need to bee wished to take comfort The content they find in perceiuing the strength of sinne so much abated in them is vnspeakeable Dauid was no more full of ioy when hee saw Goliah come tumbling to the ground then are their soules when they looke vpon this slaughter that God hath inabled them to make among their lusts No man is able to set forth in words the ioy that growes to a man who is hard set to by a cruell enemie of whom hee lookes for nothing but death vnlesse hee preuent it by giuing death when hee sees him fall downe wounded and gasping for breath O with what a countenance and cheere did Iael runne to meete Barak and to bring him to the sight of dead Sisera Surely the content of a spirituall man in his spirituall victories when now his sinnes are euen breathing their last as I may so speake is no whit lesse yea it is much more solid then that of such a conquerour Those that haue happily passed the brunt of this battaile and haue their enemies in the flight rather then the conflict are and haue cause to bee the chearefullest of all men they bee like souldiers pursuing their foes with that ioyfull shoute of victorie victorie in their mouthes and they enioy the comfort of their former labour with much thankefulnesse 5. But there are other some that haue not yet attained so much strength nor gotten so much ground against their foes They are now as it were in the verie hottest of the skirmish the bullets flie about their eares as I may so speake and their corruptions are violent within them and doe often with great strength hale them and draw them captiue to the law of sinne which is in their members They do sometimes get the better and beate back euill desires and find themselues mightily resolued to sinne no more at other times euill desires doe mightily afflict them and they are well-neere readie to faint and fall scarce able to retaine their purpose of goodnesse scarcely able to hold out in their resolution of not sinning yea it may bee contrarie to their resolutions pulled by the flesh to do the euill that they hate but then feeling themselues wounded they smart and bleed and struggle with their foe and get vp againe and againe betake themselues to their weapons of prayer and meditation which were almost wrested out of their hands for a time and come crying and mourning before the Throne of Grace begging pardon begging helpe and so againe confirme their Faith and renew their repentance and make vp the breaches of their new obedience These poore Saints like souldiers whose enemies doe yet hold their owne and make strong resistance are often full of feare and care and doubt their hearts often droope and they mistrust sometimes lest they shall bee vanquished rather then ouercome Let mee therefore apply my speech to he encouragement of those that need encouragement I say vnto thee whosoeuer that art in this case that thy case is good and happy and that thou hast much cause of reioycing in God notwithstanding all the trouble and cumber that thou findest with thy sinnes It is a blessed thing and a great and vnspeakeable fauour of God that to what lusts thou didst once do seruice
A Care-cloth OR A TREATISE OF THE CVMBERS AND TROVBLES OF MARRIAGE INTENDED TO ADVISE THEM THAT MAY TO shun them that may not well and patiently to beare them By WILLIAM WHATELY Preacher of the Word of God in Banbury in Oxfordshire 1. Cor. 7.39 40. The Wife is bound by the Law as long as her Husband liueth but if her Husband be dead she is at liberty to be married to whom she will only in the Lord. But she is happier if she so abide after my iudgement and I thinke also that I haue the Spirit of God LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man 1624. TO THE COVRTEOVS READER GOod Reader Most grauely doth our Communion Booke admonish such as come to be married that they ought to enter into this estate not rashly lightly vnaduisedly to satisfie their carnall lusts and appetites like bruit beasts that haue no vnderstanding but discreetly aduisedly soberly and in the feare of God Needful it is that this counsel be sounded often in the eares of the vnmarried and not alone in that instant whē they are now about to consummate marriage For want of heeding this counsel how common is it and withall how mischieuous For men to offend in an ouer-sudden and ouer-hastie vndertaking of Marriage without the due meditation of two special things namely what be the duties of Marriage and what the difficulties it is as impossible to be well prepared for that estate as to flye without wings to goe without legs or to see without an eye yet scarce one man or woman of a number will put themselues to the paines of informing themselues beforehand of either of these two things Thus hauing blindly and headlongly cast themselues into marriage either not at all or with no firme and settled knowledge knowing what belongs vnto it what seruices they are called to performe what burdens to sustaine in it it followes as needs it must that with much hazzard to their owne soules and much vnquietnesse to themselues families and neighbours they proue vtterly carelesse of their duties and extremely impatient vnder their crosses Hence it comes to passe that marriage prooueth to many iust as the stocks vnto the drunkard into which when his head was warme with Wine or Ale hee put his foot laughingly and with merriment but a little after hauing slept out his Wine and cooled his head with a nap hee longs as much to get it out againe Hence it is that diuers houses are none other but euen very Fencing-Schooles wherein the two sexes seeme to haue met together for nothing but to play their prizes and to trie masteries Hence it is that many husbands and wiues doe fare almost alwayes as Iob fared when the Deuill had smitten his body with boyles and vlcers cursing their Wedding-day as much as he did his Birth-day and thirsting after diuorce as much as euer hee did after death Hence it is that many wedded people brooke their wedlocke in none other fashion then a dog doth his Chaine at which he neuer ceaseth snarling and gnawing that he may break it asunder and set himselfe at libertie Hence it is that the little child is no more wearie of his fine new guilded book now a little ouer-worne sullyed yea that the prisoner is no more weary of his gyues nor the Gally-slaue of his oares then many an husband of his wife and shee of him within an yeere or two and sometimes within a moneth or two after their wedding In a word from this fountaine such a streame of bitter waters doe issue as make the liues of a number in marriage like the soiourning of Israel in Marah where almost nothing could be heard but murmuring and complaining To redresse or preuent if it might be at least some of these many mischiefes I haue been bold as once Moses did cast a piece of wood into the waters of Marah to sweeten them so to publish already to the World some few directions about the duties of the married and doe now aduenture againe to put forth some other aduertisements about the troubles of Marriage Neither let it seeme superfluous to giue men tidings of troubles before they come seeing they are alwayes so much the better borne by how much they are more expected Men are indeed desirous to please thēselues rather with the sweet thoughts of comfort then to imbitter their minds with fore-fearefull conceits of miserie Also to a mind fully bent vpon a course disswasions proue tedious and hee that foretelleth inconueniences may seeme to disswade But let it be obserued withall that likely none doe meete with more crosses in marriage or beare their crosses more vntowardly then those that most dreame of finding it a very Paradise For they strange aboue measure at the cumbers they neuer fore-thought of and are put out of all patience by being so farre disappointed as to find thick mire and dirt there where they would tell themselues of nothing but faire and pleasant way And indeed none shew themselues lesse resolute in vnder-going miserie then those that make themselues most resolute to rush vpon it The same vices that breed stiffenesse in ones course will breed impatiency vnder the crosses that he meetes with in his course Wilfulnesse and frowardnesse grow like two euill branches out of one roote of folly But warinesse of mind in foreseeing and forefearing euill brings quietnesse of mind in bearing and sustaining euill and the expectation of miserie makes it at least seeme lighter because the mind is somewhat acquainted with it by contemplation When Israel would needs haue a King to rule ouer them as other Nations the Lord commandeth Samuel to testifie vnto them what should bee the manner of their King and so hee tels them what heauy burdens their much-desired Monarch should lade them withall No doubt it is as needfull for marrying persons to know what burdens their wedded condition is like to bring vpon them Wherefore I will make bold to foretel those that will enter into Marriage that they must make account in changing their estate to change for the lesse easefull and will aduise him that will follow mine aduice if not let him follow his owne mind and say ten yeres after whether was the better counsell To goe vnto Matrimonie with feare of the worst and to know before-hand that there grow Briers and Thornes in this way wheron he must needs tread that will trauaile in it Yet is not this written by me to make any man forbeare marriage whom God calleth vnto it nor to make men hazard themselues to wickednesse for feare of the cumbers of Matrimony but alone to make those willing to want marriage that may want it without sinne or hazard of sinne and to make men careful not to marry before God cals them to it and withall being called to fit themselues for it lest if they marry sooner or with lesse warines they discredit Marriage after a while as most do that are married by wishing themselues single
againe Some man perhaps vpon occasion of these words may desire to haue this demand satisfied When doth God call a man to Marriage I answere First when he sets him in such a condition that he may marry without wronging any other person that is when hee is now become his owne man not bound by couenant to continue another mans seruant for God neuer crosseth himselfe whom he hath called for a certaine time to bee seruant vnto a Master him he doth not call during that time to breake from that seruice without his Masters liking and to thinke of making himselfe a Master before he haue fulfilled the dutie of a seruant Secondly when God furnisheth a man with some conuenient meanes to maintaine a Wife and Family and not before for God calleth no man to any place vntill hee haue granted him some meanes of discharging the duties of that place and it is one part of an housholders duty to prouide for them of his houshold The Lord sends not souldiers into the field to fight without some weapons nor men to house-keeping without some meanes to keepe house Lastly when a man after diligent labour conuenient watching due abstinence earnest prayers and a carefull shunning of all times places companies exercises that may prouoke ill affections doth yet still find his heart so restlesly possessed with these desires that he cannot with-hold his will at least from often consenting vnto them and so is disabled from seruing God in duties of Religion and his calling with comfort and chearefulnesse to whom God after all these meanes vsed vouchsafeth not the power of containing him he cals to enter into Matrimony But hee that is so tyed in other respects that he cannot marry without wronging another or wants all fit meanes to maintaine a wife or in regard of any other let cannot attaine a wife shall without faile attaine the gift of continency if hee be carefull to vse the forenamed meanes and the like that God hath appointed to subdue lust Indeed if men force themselues to an vnmarried life either by superstitious vowes or incredulous feares or the like the Lord will likely punish their presumption or diffidence by not yeelding his powerfull helpe and so will make them find their owne folly and weakenesse But such is the wisdome of God to proportion his owne actions to his owne ends and cause that all his deeds shall hold agreement each with other and such is his truth and goodnesse to them that faithfully call vpon him that whom himselfe debarreth from Matrimony him he will inable to liue chastly and purely out of matrimony vpon condition of his vpright and carefull endeuours to get this abilitie Wherefore whosoeuer is yet a seruant to another or is wholly destitute of all meanes to prouide for a wife and children or is otherwise so hindred that he cannot haue a wife must say to himselfe thus God hath made me a single man would haue me so to continue as yet I will not be wanting to my selfe in striuing for continency and Gods blessing shall not be wanting to mine endeuours in giuing continency And hee that is at his owne disposing otherwayes and enioyeth conuenient meanes of prouiding for a Family shall for all that doe best to forbeare Matrimony as I suppose if hee perceiue no need of marriage for the preuenting of sinne or other important consideration For albeit in such case the Lord hath left a mans conscience at libertie so that hee sinnes not either by abiding in his present estate or altering it which he likes best yet it may seeme the wisest way to make choice of that part which the Scripture rather of the twaine doth seeme to commend saying 1. Cor. 7.1 It is good for a man not to touch a woman 7. I would that all men were euen as I my selfe 8. I say to the vnmarried and widdows it is good for them if they abide euen as I that is single 27. Art thou loosed from a wife Seeke not a wife 38. He that giueth her in marriage doth well but hee that giueth her not doth better 40. The Widdow is happier if she abide so that is vnmarried after my iudgement and I thinke that I also haue the Spirit of God But yet if God leade any man to marriage let him follow him yet so that hee follow him with prudence and discretion Hee whom God shall will to fight with an enemy must furnish himselfe with fit weapons Dauid gate himself a sling and smooth pibbles out of the valley when he went to encounter Goliah So men must arme and furnish themselues for marriage that they may not dishonour this honourable estate by turning backe from it in their minds and wishes Specially he that will bee married must arme himselfe with patience against the troubles of that kind of life and resoluing that hee shall meete with them must determine that hee will behaue himselfe not alone quietly but euen chearefully though they come apace about him Digest in the serious consideration of thy mind the cause of trouble sinne the vse of trouble the healing of sin the Sender and Moderator of trouble God the end and issue of trouble glorie that thine heart may neither faint nor fret because of trouble yea tho some heauy and more then ordinarie calamitie should betide thee much lesse if thou meete alone with those vsuall matters which like spirtlings in a dirty way will surely come to the lot of euery man in euery Family For to see a man so foolish and absurd that hauing made himselfe the Gouernour of an houshold he can beare no disorder of wife children seruants no disaster in goods cattell dealings without chasing and fuming and stormes and without those pangs of a base and feeble mind vaine wishes of hauing neuer knowne this wife or so forth is a spectacle of that nature as may iustly mooue disdaine as well as pitie in the wise beholder What was he trow you a reasonable man or a bruit creature that rushed so foresightlesly into marriage as neuer to say to himselfe that some of these things must needs befal al that are wedded And if a man do know that such things must needs happen to all that will marrie is it not a strange indiscretion to take on that they haue happened to himselfe who would needs marrie Make reckoning therefore of crosses in thy matrimoniall condition and then bee carefull to preuent them so much as may be For which end let mee commend vnto thy consideration these two things following When thou art married if it may be liue of thy selfe with thy wife in a family of thine owne and not with another in one family as it were betwixt you both And in all thy worldly dealings trust no more then thou must needs nor otherwise then vpō due security The mixing of gouernors in an houshold or subordinating or vniting of two Masters or two Dames vnder one roofe doth fall out most times to be a matter
God forgiuing his sinnes may enioy his libertie and the comfort of the creature And that is sanctified by thanksgiuing for which the vser taking notice of Gods goodnesse and wisdome and other excellencies doth returne the tribute of prayse vnto him ascribing all honour and greatnesse to him as to the fountaine of all comfort Now seeing he that is married hath not sinned in marrying let him sanctifie this lawfull ordinance vnto himselfe that hee may bee sure to find the blessing of God vpon it and vpon himselfe A man may truly say He that eateth sinneth not yet if any man eate profanely not considering that God hath vouchsafed him the freedome of partaking in his benefits not praying God for his blessing nor returning prayse vnto him for his goodnesse he shall sinne in so eating The like must needs bee said of marriage which being a lawfull ordinance is much abused if it bee not vsed as all lawfull things should in an holy manner for sinlesse things vnsanctified doe become sinnes And this is the rather to be pressed vpon mens consciences because the neglect of it is very dangerous causing matrimony to be ineffectual for its proper ends for want of Gods blessing which how can we haue if wee doe not craue it A profane and licentious taking of good things at Gods hand doth as much offend him as wee are offended at the rude and vnmannerly behauiour of our seruants when they come to receiue a good turne or gift from our hands whereby wee are caused so to giue them the thing as that wee doe also sharpely rebuke them for their vndecent carriage Things are not truly comfortable to the soule neither doe they afford that spirituall fruit to a mans heart which else they would when his heart is so carnall that he regardeth not to vse them spiritually If marriage be loosely vsed it will dispose a man to more loosenesse and inflame those passions which it should quench it will breed a sacietie and dislike of each other in the married and make their affections to straggle so as they would rather accept of strangers then themselues If marriage bee holily vsed it will indeare the yoke-fellowes each to other it will keepe their desires in order and cause that they shall be well satisfied each in other as in Gods gifts Neither can there bee any one truer reason rendred of the little good affection that passeth betwixt many husbands and wiues and of the little comfort they take each in other then because they abuse Gods ordinance and why should he blesse it Let it therefore bee obserued by all those that would keepe a good conscience in all things and doe desire to approue themselues honourers and fearers of God in their verie soules that as wel marriage as food must be made lawfull and profitable to them by the Word and Prayer And let it be also further vrged vpon the conscience of the married that which nature it selfe will teach them that seeing the Lord is pleased to allow them marriage they should obediently accept of his allowance and not imbolden themselues for their filthy lusts sake to take forbidden pleasures If God hauing planted in man that naturall inclination which hee hath planted for the increase of the world should haue debarred him matrimonie it had been doubtlesse an vniust rigor in God and would haue much extenuate mans offences in that kind but when he hath giuen an husband and a wife each to other and commanded them to leaue all others and cleaue vnto themselues now what excuse haue they to alleage for their sinne Therefore let all married persons resolue to liue chastly else shall the lawfulnesse of matrimonie extremely aggrauate the sinfulnesse of their impuritie for why shouldst not thou O man be satisfied with thine owne wife and thou O woman with thine owne husband By taking Gods gift in marriage thou neither rebellest against him nor woundest thy conscience nor defilest another nor pollutest thy selfe nor breakest thy couenant nor wrongest thy family nor transgressest the Lawes of men nor dishonestest thy name nor procurest any other euill But in imbracing a stranger thou bringest infamie one thy name a curse vpon thy posteritie a sinne vpon thy soule and wronges at once God the Church the Commonweale thy yoke-fellow thy selfe and many others moe Ah why should a foolish and vnreasonable fancy so farre transport a man that hath vnderstanding as when the Lord affords him an honest lawfull blamelesse harmelesse content he should neglect that and preferre before it a reprochful dishonest wicked and banefull pleasure As if a man seeing two cups of wine and know the one to bee wholesome and vnmixed should let that stand still and drinke of another which himselfe did know to be poysoned alone because the cup perhaps that contained the poyson were finelier wrought on the out-side Or as if a man hauing sufficient store of money in his owne thest would not make vse of that to buy necessaries but goe and rob for it by the high-way side that he might spend another mans money The adulterer is a needlesse thiefe to whom it is no reason that any fauour should be shewed He may be compared to the man that hauing stoe of Deere in his owne Parke would yet needs steale a Buck out of his neighbours ground because hee was so follish as to glorie in his shame and to bragge that hee durst steale one What pitie could a man shew to such an one if either he should miscarry in his stealing or bee seuerely punished for his stealing So the adulterer that hauing a lawfull wife at home shall giue his vnlawfull lusts scope to range abroad to the wines or daughters of other men is worthie all sharpenesse of punishment as a man that hath hearkened to the oration of foolish folly which perswades her guests saying Stolne waters are sweete and hidden bread is pleasant But farre farre be it from any Christian man or woman to poison and destroy themselues with such pleasant bread or sweete waters The pleasures of filthinesse are like the bread of deceite which giueth a delightful rellish in the mouth but is nothing else but verie grauell in the belly Thou hast solemnely promised before God the Angels and the Church that forsaking all other thou wilt keepe thee onely to thine owne yoke-fellow Seeing God hath allowed thee this comfort wallow not sinfully in forbidden pleasures And for the lawfulnesse of marriage so much I come now to speake of its troublesomnesse which few will beleeue till they find and few can beare when they haue found CHAP. VIII Containing the third point Doct. 3 HEare then what the Apostle foretelleth to you that wil marrie Such shal haue trouble in the flesh First in their whole outward estate Whosoeuer marries must looke for more trouble and aduersitie then in single estate Marke all and bee perswaded for it Paul were not deceiued you shall all find it true The married estate is more encumbred
againe and not suffer him to perish or be made a bond-slaue in that captiuitie If we cannot make our corruptions grow so weake as we would yet if wee be still drawing forth the weapons of our Christian warfare and vsing them so well as we can to fight against our lusts wee shall inioy the esteeme and reputation of faithfull subiects and God and our consciences will giue vs this comfortable and honourable title of good souldiers of Christ Iesus And what an encouragement ought this to be that we are certaine our Lord and King will take well our paines in fighting these battels of his so well as wee can though in many things we come too short The will and endeauour in this spirituall combate is taken for the deed he that earnestly desireth and heartily labours to conquer his beloued corruptions is accounted a conquerour euen though as yet hee bee none Hee that resolues he will neuer giue ouer the fight but will vp againe after all foyles and buckle his harnesse to him againe though the law of his members doe sometimes draw him captiue after the law of sinne that is in his members he I say that so resolueth and so reneweth his resolutions and endeauours is reputed by the mercy of God in Christ to haue done that he would haue done and to haue accomplished that that he desired to accomplish Assurance of good acceptance of the weakest endeauours so long as they bee true may make the weake as the Prophet speaketh to say he is strong and forgetting his weakenesse to set vpon the worke as if hee were strong because euen his weakenesse shall be accounted strength if his desires purposes wishes and resolutions bee strong There is nothing that can animate a man more to march after Christ then this consideration 1. Sa. 30.21 25. Dauid had two hundred souldiers that were faint and could not follow the Amalekites that had burnt Ziglag but were faine to stay behind and doe a meaner seruice of attending on the stuffe and carriages Some of those that fought and vanquished the Amalekites would haue had these faint ones to haue been turned off without any part of the bootie But Dauids answere was Who will hearken to you in this And he made it a law in Israel that he which tarried by the stuffe should share of the spoyle of the enemy with him that fought in the battell Our King our Dauid keeps this law If a mans heart be good to follow and kill these Amalekites though his body faint and he be driuen to stay by the stuffe he shal enioy the prey and diuide the spoyle O who would not serue such a Generall with all his might where an vnvoluntary fainting an vnpurposed weakenesse shal not depriue him of the honour or comfort of the victorie 3. Further God will reward our paines taken in mortifying sinne wee shall be rewarded as well as accepted if we fight these battailes with an vpright heart Sinne is like a traytor whose head is set to sale hee that can bring it shall haue a large recompence The Lord hath set a great price vpon the head of our lusts kill them and we shall be greatly comforted here and haue so much more glorie and happinesse in heauen by how much we haue taken more labour and paines here Pay will make any souldiers fight If Christs souldiers will but sticke to it couragiously they shall want no pay of comfort glorie immortalitie and if they fight they shall bee crowned When Caleb fought against Debir he made this Proclamation among his souldiers Iudg. 1.22 To him that smiteth and taketh the Citie will I giue Achsah my daughter to wife and quickly Othniel was incouraged and tooke it Now how much more excellēt are the promises which the Lord hath made to encourage vs in this spirituall battaile saying If you mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit yee shall liue What wife or what portion with a wife is comparable to this blessed and glorious life which God hath promised and will giue to those that take their lusts and smite them Why then should we not animate our selues and doe valiantly to take and kill these spirituall Canaanites and to destroy all the Cities of them If any say This promise is made alone to those that ouercome and how shall we be certaine of victorie The answere is that it is true indeed those alone that ouercome shall obtaine this reward but euery one that will fight resolutely in this battaile shall ouercome And that is the last incouragement in respect of our successe as wee shall lose nothing and be accepted and be rewarded so wee shall preuaile also and get the better of our foes 4. Sinne shall surely be slaine We shall surely ouercome sin if we fight against it and fall downe dead before vs It cannot possibly defend or saue it selfe against the blowes which by the weapons of God are giuen vnto it It hath already receiued its deaths wound from the death of Christ we fight against an enemy that is more then half discomfited and slaine vnto our hands Through God wee shall doe valiantly and hee will tread downe our enemies vnder our feete When Israel fought against the inhabitants of Canaan the Lord fought for them and though their enemies were strong in body and many in number and had Cities fenced and walled vp to heauen yet they prospered whithersoeuer they went and none was able to stand against them This was a figure of our good successe in fighting against the lusts of our flesh They cannot escape our hands if we giue them not leaue to recouer themselues So mightie is the Word of God so strong the Spirit of God so certaine the diuine assistance that wee are sure of an happy victorie if wee cloathe our selues with courage and confidence and persist in the battaile to the end of our liues The Lord that fought for Israel will fight for vs and worke great saluation The land of Canaan was inhabited with Giants and men of huge stature but all these fell before the Host of God our Giant-like sinnes shall bee but meate for our swords and we shall preuaile against them though they be neuer so many and strong Wherefore let vs conclude with the words of Ioshua to the mē of Ephraim Iosh 17.18 Thou shalt driue out the Canaanites though they haue iron Chariots and though they be strong And with the words that the Priests were appointed to vse vnto the people in the day of battaile Heare O Israel Deut. 20.3 you approach this day vnto battaile against your enemies let not your hearts faint feare not and doe not tremble neither be yee terrified because of them for the Lord your God is he that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies and to saue you And thus haue we cleared the poynt and laid before your eyes abundance of good reasons to induce you to this battell Now
of the soule whereby it is apt to coozen it selfe that makes one thinke I will goe where I shall meete with strong prouocations to sinne but yet I will not sinne Now the consent which was secret and as it were implicite before so soone as occasion and tentation haue stirred corruption growes manifest and open and shewes it selfe and so a man sins when he thought but he thought amisse that he was resolued not to sinne Betwixt a resolution to doe a thing whereby the will doth chuse and a resolution not to doe it whereby the will doth refuse there is a middle kind of action an irresolutenesse a suspence neither chusing nor refusing but betwixt both Now this indifferency of the will is halfe a yea and hee that makes halfe a grant when none importunity doth presse him will make a full and totall grant when hee shall be as vpon such occasions hee shall bee importunately vrged and it is sure that a man neuer doth wittingly put himselfe vpon occasions of euill vntill hee bee at least irresolute whether to doe it or not Wherefore euery Christian man must be wise for his soule and not alone determine to forbeare all things that are sinfull and flatly condemned but if hee haue found by his owne experience that such and such things in themselues indeed lawfull are to his corruption strong prouocations to euill hee must also determine to deny himselfe in these things also In one word this direction is so necessary that all the labour in the world will not subdue sinne if it bee not backed with this part of circumspect walking For if the heart be hollow nothing will make it strong against sinne and euery mans heart is so far hollow as he is willing to play with the occasions of sinne CHAP. VIII Shewing two spirituall meanes of Mortification Prayer and Meditation THese are the naturall meanes of mortification which of themselues wil represse sin and a little abridge it of its liberty of walking abroad but kill it of themselues without the spirituall they cannot These spirituall helpes are foure Prayer Meditation Feare of our selues and Watchfulnesse By Prayer wee get strength from God by Meditation we become Gods instruments to worke strength in our selues by Feare and Watchfulnes we put to vse the strength which we haue gotten Frequent and feruent prayer needfull to mortifie sinne First then if we will kill sinne we must be frequent and feruent in prayer vnto God against sinne and what particular sins wee are most molested with and had most need to beate downe those we must assaile most often and earnestly with our prayers Now when I say prayer I meane prayer and all the parts and additaments of it If a man had neuer sinned he should need onely petitions and thankesgiuings but hauing sinned he needs also confession and lamentation to be ioyned with the former as it were buttresses to the wall of the house to make it stand stronger and a staffe to a weake leg to make one goe the more stedfastly So all these parts of prayer must be vsed 2. We must plainly acknowledge and hartily bemone our selues in Gods bosome for our sinfulnesse and wickednesse of heart and life and with all due aggrauations and condemnings of our selues must lay open before the Lord the corruptions and vices that we find in our selues confessing withal that we are weake and feeble and slaues to sinne and of our selues cannot subdue them and so with the heauiest hearts that we can lament our miserable weaknesse Looke what Iehoshaphat did when he heard of the comming of the Lubims and Ethiopians against him and his people the same must we doe when we see the innumerable troupes of corrupt lusts that do seeke the destruction of our soules 2. Chron. 20.12 We haue no might saith that worthy King against this great company that comes against vs neither know we what to doe but our eyes are vpon thee So must the Christian soule sigh out its complaints before the Lord often O I haue no might to ouercome all these strong lusts and by name such and such that fight against mee daily and I cannot tell what to doe but Lord mine eyes are to thee 3. Then must hee take to him petitions and requests begging helpe from heauen crying earnestly for the Spirit of God to helpe him for by the Spirit alone can wee mortifie the deeds of the body vrging and inforcing vpon the diuine Maiesty all his comfortable promises which he hath written in his Word Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for you are not vnder the law but vnder grace Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Rom. 8.2 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath freed me from the law of sinne and death And specially that excellent branch of the new Couenant Heb. 8.10 11. They shall all know me from the least to the most and I will put my law in their hearts and in their minds will I write them and so suing with the greatest feruency of desire that he can attaine say O Lord performe these promises O let no wickednesse haue dominion ouer me O make me sound in thy precepts O incline mine heart vnto thy testimonies and not to such a sinne When God is thus importuned by the cries and prayers of his seruants hee cannot but stirre vp himselfe and come and helpe them and heare the voyce of their prayers when they cry vnto him When Israel felt the oppression of their outward enemies and cryed vnto the Lord as it is often noted in the booke of Iudges the Lord had pity vpon them and raised them vp a Iudge and a deliuerer shall he not bee much more attentiue to the voyce of their supplications when they cry vnto him against pride vain-glory lust wrath and those spirituall enemies that seeke to oppresse them Certainly the Lord will remember and will vp and helpe and set them at liberty whom sinne and Satan had insnared 4. And to the two former must bee added praises and thankes for the helpe already receiued If one finde that hee hath gotten some power against his sinne that hee hath more ability to oppose the lusts of it that hee is seldomer ouertaken with any breaking forth of it then before that he hath been able to withstand some notable tentations to it in a word that the force of it is in any measure abated hee must returne with the praises of God in his mouth and triumph in God that hath helped him so farre against his spirituall foe The Lord deserueth praise and lookes for praise of his Saints for treading downe those lusts that rise against them and it is a seruice very pleasing vnto him when we offer the facrifice of thankes Yea it doth exceedingly animate our selues to this battell if we take notice that wee haue in some degree preuailed and with the voyce of
must oppose our corruptions by prayer and meditation when they begin to arise and vse all the other meanes against sinne afore sinne haue gotten too much head Seasonably when corrupt inclinations doe euen begin to stirre and be troublesome then must wee resist them then must wee flye from the occasions of increasing them then must wee reuiue holy feares and stirre vp our selues to watchfulnesse then must wee call foorth holie thoughts and stirre vp holy requests wee must not feede on such thoughts wee-must not let them lye quietly in the soule we must not giue them a little rest as it were a time of truce for if we doe they will slily steale away the delight of our imaginations and so the consent of our wils and then shall we be faint in resistance and like enough be foyled Euery harmefull beast is easiliest killed when it is youngest The Whelpes of a Lion or a Beare are soone and safely dispatched let them grow longer they will waxe stronger and cannot be slaine without more trouble and more perill The first motions to sinne are like Lyons Whelpes let them continue a while they will be as young Lyons let them haue libertie to get out at the tongue they will prooue ramping and roaring Lyons Instance in fleshly lust When a motion that way first ariseth oppose it by prayer and meditation it is soone quelled and dyes Let a man content and please his fancy in that motion and nourish the desire by being satisfied in it and at last giue way to some wanton words and some degrees of dalliance his prayers will not be auaileable vnlesse they be very feruent and then hee shall hardly be able to pray feruently We must bee wise therefore and quench the fire afore it haue taken the beames and rafters and bee flaming forth out of the roofe of the house 2. Constantly Secondly we must be constant in fighting against sinne euen day by day and houre by houre without intermission If we giue it truce for a day or two as it were a putting of the Canaanites to tribute only it will recouer so much strength as after we shall far more hardly keepe it vnder yea it will goe neere to make vs tributaries A grieuous sore must bee dressed euerie day and euery day haue new tents and plasters applied to it if it bee neglected one or two dayes it will be the worse for it perhaps a week or a moneth after We must make it our chiefe worke to be warring against sinne we must not onely skirmish against it occasionally but fight against it purposely There is no busines so much concernes vs as this of mortification it should bee set before our trades and our studies and food and our sleepe and all the things of this life wee must follow it as the Day-labourer doth his labour day by day and we must giue our selues no leaue to make a loytering day yea wee must bee constant in holding out to oppose sinne though we may find but small successe at first The Israelites fought against Beniamin the third day also though they had lost two battels before We must not suffer our little preuailing to dis-harten vs but pray againe and agine meditate and set the battaile in array againe for all our losses What saith Dauid to Ioab 2. Sam. 11.25 The sword deuoureth on both sides let not this thing trouble thee but make the battell more strong against the Citie and ouerthrow it So must wee encourage our selues against sinne Great Captaines haue continued the siege of a Citie for many yeeres together though they haue lost many men spent much money and seemed little to preuaile We must resolue to continue this siege so long as wee liue and to make hot assaults vpon our corruptions daily though sometimes we seeme to our selues but to lose our labour and he that holdeth out the combate shall conquer 3. Thirdly Orderly we must vse order in our spirituall warfare It is discretion in a Captaine to begin his conquest in the fittest place and to know which enemy to deale against first We must in the first place and with the chiefe care oppose our chiefe sinne In inuading the Country of an enemy it is wisdome to begin first with the weakest but in inuading sinne wee must begin with the strongest lust first That corruption to which in regard of bodily temper or custome or place or state of life a man is most subiect to that he must first and most resist and weaken for if the greater sin be suffered the lesse will shelter themselues vnder it Take the Generall of the Armie and the whole host will be discomfited if he scape away he will wage more souldiers and make more worke 2. Sam. 17.2 14. Achitophel counselled to kill Dauid and then should all the people returne in safetie It is good counsell the holy Ghost saith that is commodious Hushai's wordes were set out with more flourishing shewes but Achitophel gaue the sounder aduice for Absaloms profit Lo the King of our lusts must be smitten then shall the victorie bee easie against the rest He that sets not himselfe against his most beloued sinne first and most doth but preuaricate as they terme it that is obiect in iest against other sinnes he seemes to fight with sinne but he is not in good earnest Til the Lord did smite the first-borne Pharaoh would neuer yeeld to let Israel goe We must kill the first-borne else shall wee neuer pull our necks from vnder the yoke of spirituall bondage Know therfore what is the chiefe corruption of thine heart whether it be pride sullennesse carnall sorrow anger reuenge lust worldlines deceite or whatsoeuer else Consider what sinne is most common in men of thy calling ranke age condition temperature Consider what sinne thou hast most delight in most profit from and are in thy carnall inclination most willing to follow and most loth to leaue Now hauing found this here begin thy warfare here continue it with most heate and earnestnesse make all expedition without all delayes to cut off this member on earth and vse all diligence and all constancie to pull out this eye of the flesh What euer conquest thou seemest to get in other matters Satan will soone draw thee captiue againe if this sinne remaine vnmortified An enemy that ouer-runnes a Countrie and leaues some principall Forts vntaken vndemolished is as soone beaten out as he got in so hee that on a sudden begins to turne godly and seemes to make a conquest of many disorders but leaues the chiefe Fort vnpulled downe shall soone lose more then he hath gooten and cause his latter end to be worse then his beginning because hee had not truth in the inwards nor was taught wisdome in the secret of his heart Begin therefore at the right end 4. And last of all Spiritually vse all the meanes thou vsest against sinne spiritually and in faith not depending vpon
turne that you cast out such faults from your liues as would scarce be tolerated in Heathens you must fight against all sinnes inward sinnes secret lusts hidden corruptions and those that most men count nothing you must fight against the sinnes that are most deare to you and that you haue loued best and followed most and that Nature makes you most vnwilling and vnable to resist you must fight against the sinnes of your owne age and your owne constitution and your owne estate and your owne condition 2. Now I pray you set to the workes learne of God to know your right enemies and to fight against them Bee not afraid because wee talke of fighting the fight shall be without danger for in this case the onely perill is not to fight In other battailes he that runs away doth often scape better then he that stands to it but in this battaile whosoeuer flyes dyes and hee alone escapeth with life that fights it out to the last It is a noble quarrell to fight for life and libertie against a meere vsurper that hath no manner of title and yet would make you slaues Sin hath none interest to you the Deuill is not your Creator that hee should make himselfe your your Prince and your God These lusts against which we exhort you to fight they are the deuils armies or garrisons by which he holds you downe vnder his most vniust and tyrannical gouernment O rebell rebell against the deuill kill his Garrisons set your selues at libertie Fight against worldlinesse enuie malice pride hypocrisie wantonnesse wrath fight against them resolue that thou wilt neuer bee made a drudge by them as thou hast been that they shall not haue the command of thine heart and thy tongue and thine hand as they haue had but that now through the Grace of God thou wilt cast away all these things How thou shouldest fight I haue shewed thee before remember those directions and vse them and bee happie O that any reasonable man much more any Christian should be so base-minded and of such a seruile disposition as to bee content to make himselfe a slaue to any wicked passion to any sinfull lust to any filthie vice to any of the deputies of the Deuill that rule for him and vnder him What say you men and brethren will you now set in to fight in good earnest against all your sinnes If you will the Lord be with you the Lord assist you the Lord beate downe your foes before you and we blesse you in his Name in whose Name we haue exhorted you If you will not then hardly liue and die in thraldome for euer for without this fight there can be no libertie 3. But now to those that haue been slacke and carelesse in this dutie let mee sound an alarme Numb 10.9 as the Priests with the siluer Trumpets in the Law to reuiue their spirits and put new hart into them that they may with more zeale and better courage addresse themselues to this most honourable warre Now my Brethren giue more diligence to the mortifying of your earthly members and let nothing daunt you or withdraw you from this battaile Remember the words that Ioab spake to Abishai his brother 2. Sam. 10.12 and make vse of them for this purpose Let vs play the men for our People and the Cities of our God and let the Lord doe that this is good in his sight It is not for your Countrey and for your Countrey-men that you fight but for your owne immortall soules that you must play the men and here the battaile is not yours but Gods and the successe is not doubtfull but most certaine Nothing can afford thee more comfort then a constant resolution in this fight nay without such resolution nothing can afford thee true comfort By this thou shalt shew and know thy selfe to bee a true Christian and procure to thy selfe an eternall Crowne of glorie Remember the equitie of the cause the necessitie of the warre the fruit that shall redound from it and the certaine assistance acceptance and reward that God himselfe will afford thee from Heauen That prosperitie that thou hast already met with in this warre hath done thee more good then all the world besides can doe Wouldst thou for a World be in the same seruitude which once thou wast before thou tookest in hand the mortifying of these earthly members More diligence shall bring thee a fuller victorie and a fuller victorie shall bring thee larger consolation 4. All that hot breath which men do spend rather in blasting the names then healing the faults of their Brethren when they are bitter and tart in iudging and condemning them will be no whit at all beneficiall to themselues nay neither themselues nor others are the better for this warring Turne your edge another way and enter freshly into the fight against your owne sinnes and let other men alone Indeed in this warre as in the naturall euery one must bee ready to lend aide by seasonable admonitions vnto his fellow-souldiers also but the maine worke is no make good each his owne standing and to repell the enemies which himselfe is most assailed by What words shall I vse to perswade you to this dutie Your Captaine is Christ Iesus your fellow-souldiers are all the Saints on earth and the Saints in Heauen haue all giuen you an honourable example of fortitude and constancie and your enemies be base Rebels and vile Run-awayes March on then valiantly and vnder such a Captaine with such fellow-souldiers agaist such aduersaries be ready to spend your vtmost endeauours You haue but three enemies that seeke to keepe you out of Heauen and the other two may doe you some trouble but hurt they can doe you none at all if you keep the flesh downe and put to death these members vpon earth All the wicked men on earth and all the wicked Feinds in Hell cannot make vs guiltie of one euil word or one euil thought further then the corrupt flesh within doth take their part and ioyne with their temptations and sollicitaion These be the traytors that betray vs vnto Satan and the World O therefore vse them as traytors pursue them apprehend them execute them And so much for those that in trying themselues shall bee found either wholly or in great part carelesse of this worke CHAP. XIV Containing a consolation and encouragement to those that haue been and are painefull in the dutie of Mortification Vse 4 THere are also some Comfort and incouragement to all truly mortified men I make no question which haue done the office of valiant men and can looke vpon the carcasses of sinnes as Samson did once of the dead Philistims This worke I know well hath prooued painefull to them It is a tedious businesse to fight against the things that corrupt nature loueth so well But as any dutie that God requireth doth stand vs in more labour so shall it affoord vs more comfort here and more blisse
with all thy might those thou now opposest with all thy might what corruptions thou didst follow with greedinesse thou doest as it were with greedinesse resist what thou didst once place thine happinesse in doing now it is thy greatest vnhappinesse that thou art inclined to doe This I say is an estate that should giue thee much comfort Once thou didst serue sinne now thou fightest against sinne once thou wast a willing slaue to it now thou art a resolute souldier against it Thou fallest into sinne verie seldome which thou didst runne into verie vsually Thou fallest into farre lesse euils of that kind wherein thou didst once commit farre more grieuous and now the least degrees of sinne doe more disquiet thee then once the highest did and now thou lettest not so much as the thought of that goe vnconfessed and vnlamented before God the grossest act of which thou wast wont to hide and couer and excuse and not to confesse Take courage to thy selfe therefore and enioy the beginnings of victorie and bee assured of the conclusion Thou art now in killing sinne and thou shalt kill it thou art now busie in the conflict and thou shalt deuide the spoile 6. Now all ye suldiers of Christ Iesus that find in your selues the beginnings of mortification and a firme purpose of soule to continue resisting striuing fighting blesse God that hath giuen you his Spirit of libertie in some measure and apply your selues now with all your might to consummate the worke begun Let not your hands waxe feeble nor your hearts faint Remember the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 16.13 Watch yee stand fast quit you like men be strong He that continueth to fight shall surely ouercome Let no doubt seize vpon you to weaken your hands the Lord your God he fighteth for you beleeue his promises giue credit to his Word and you shall prosper Take comfort in your estate that haue entred into the battaile The young men and the babes in Christ which haue not yet so mightily preuailed in this warre are happie as well though they doe not so fully feele their happinesse as the old beaten souldiers and ancient Captaines to whom a larger measure of successe hath giuen a larger sense of comfort The weakest and feeblest of all Christs souldiers that layes at sinne with as much strength as his weake armes can that beares a spight to it in his soule that resolues neuer to yeeld to it whateuer come of him and that wil neuer make peace with it though hee may take foyles by it nor neuer yeeld vp himselfe into its hands thought hee may bee wounded hee doth mortifie the members that are vpon earth and hee is and let him know himselfe to be happy that comfort may make him more couragious and courage may make him more comfortable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Charitable Teares OR A SERMON SHE WING HOW NEEDFVLL A THING IT IS FOR EVERY GODLY man to lament the common sinnes of our Countrie Preached in Banburie Isaiah 22.12 13 14. In that day did the Lord God of Hostes call to weeping and to mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sackcloth And behold ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine Let vs eate and drinke for tomorrow we shall die And it was reuealed in mine eares by the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquitie shall not be purged from you till yee die saith the Lord God of hosts LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man 1623. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THe reliques of good nature remaining in man since the fall by the worke of a common Grace preseruing them haue taught Heathen men to know and inabled them to practise many worthy duties Among the rest some of them haue abounded in a most affectionate loue to their Countrie the welfare of which they haue preferred before their owne liues and the ruine whereof they haue been carefull to preuent euen with their owne ruine Many worthy sayings haue they writte to this purpose but scarce any more diuine and more deseruing admiration haue I met withall then that one of Tully in his booke of Scipioes Dreame where he brings in a dead father now in Heauen as he supposed encouraging his sonne to doe seruice to his Countrie wherein himselfe had giuen him a most noble and notable example with this most worthy sentence There is a most sure and certaine place in Heauen for euery man that shall procure the weale of his Countrie either by freeing it from perill or increasing the happinesse of it any way To heare a Gentile tell of Heauen as of a thing certaine to heare him tell of certaine places prouided there for those that should doe vertuously to haue the seruice of ones Countrie pressed on his soule with so celestiall an argument sure it proueth that sometimes the light of Nature doth reach further then many which liue in the bosome of the Church do attaine But the purpose for which I thought of this sentence is to let it appeare how great a reckoning reason doth tell euery man that he ought to make of his Countries welfaere how carefull he should be to preserue it from dangers to adorene it with all benefits and to continue and augment the flourishing estate thereof It must needs be an happie paines from which a multitude doe reape commoditie and that one man deserueth very well of all men for whose cares or labours all doe fare the better Now if Nature and Philosophy can giue so good instructions to those that will attend them how much more perfectly should wee bee able both to learne and follow the same lessons It is a great reproch to him that goes by day-light if another trauelling alone with a candle or a torch shall see the way better then himselfe and without doubt that eye is very dim which discerneth lesse by the helpe of the Sun-beames then another may doe by the helpe of a Lampe or Taper O then how iust both blame and shame must be cast vpon vs that are nothing so regardfull of our Countries welfare the most of vs as were some Inhabitants of Heathen Rome and Athens I would to God therefore that I could inflame the soules of those that shall reade these few lines with a farre more feruents zeale to the prosperitie of this our Church and Nation then that they had before If the fire of loue did burne warmer and lighter in our hearts it would not drie up the fountaine of teares to which the booke following perswadeth but would euen melt and dissolue our now-frozen hearts into teares Those that stand in places of eminency may performe many good seruices for their Countrie we shrubs that sit in the shade below can doe nothing worth the naming but earnestly to pray for the barke in which we sayle and to lament the things that we see to threaten a miserable shipwracke thereof He that will iudge of things by appearance and make carnall
must not forestall the following Discourse I hope it will cause the good amongstvs to pitie their Mother and to mourne for her that they themselues may reioyce with her in the fruite of their mourning Now I commit thee to the following leaues and them to thee I would thou wouldest reade them I would thou wouldest consider them I would thou wouldest practise them and so wishing thee a much good sorrow as in other cases thou couldst wish thy selfe ioy I leaue thee to his blessing who will accept thy sorrow and remaine A desirer of thy teares William Whately Feb. 19. 1622. CHARITABLE TEARES c. Psal 119.136 Riuers of water runne downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy Testimonies CHAP. I. Opening the Text and shewing and prouing the doctrine viz. that we ought to lay to heat the sinnes of others THE Prophet of God the Author of this most heauenly Psalem inthis part of it proceedeth in his meditations after this order First he makes way to his petitions by professing his diligent care of Gods Law Vers 129 130 131. Secondly he propounds his petitions for mercy Vers 132. direction 133 deliuerance 134. feeling of Gods fauour 135. Lastly hee concludes his petitions with professing his sorrow for other mens sins in these words And this he puts also for a confirmation of his faith to assure himselfe and as one may say to perswade the Lord that hee should speed inhis suites For it is great reason that God should mercifully guide deliuer and comfort him that doth take so hainously the dishonour done to God by other people Wee haue here then to make the griefe of Dauid set out by the quantitie and cause of it The quantitie is expressed in that hyperbolicall phrase Riuers of waters runne downe mine eyes Whereby is meant that his sorrow was very great and withall comstant in that it did shew it selfe by continuall and abundant streames of teares The cause is in these words Because they keepe not thy Law Not wrongs and persecutions against himselfe but sinne and wickednesse against God did procure his great sorrow or if he wept for the molestations and iniuries offered vnto himselfe yet not so much considered in the nature of iniuries as of sinnes Let me therefore at this time be bold to presse vpon you a most needfull and excellent dutie from the example of this holy man we ought to lay to heart the sins of other men viz. Doct. To lay to heart the sins of other men All the seruants of God should imitate this one seruant of God in the cause course quantitie constancy of his sorrowes and set themselues to mourne heartily earnestly daily for the transgressions of others which their eyes doe see and their eares doe heare It should bee a corroziue to our soules and an anguish to our spirlts to behold and know the dishonour that is done vnto our Maker by the offences of our neighbours Euerie good subiect is troubled to see his fellow subiects prooue Rebels neither can any good and dutifull sonne or daughter behold without sorrow the rudenesse or vndutifulnesse of their brethren or sisters nay a seruant that is louing and obedient to his Master is also sorrie at the heart if his fellow-seruants shew themselues stubburne carelesse and disobedient so should it be with the faithfull subiects dutifull children and obedient seruants of the liuing God their very soules should be filled with anguish and their countenances with sadnesse for the rebellion disobedience wickednes of those amongst whom they liue Not alone our owne offences but those of our brethren also should be as a loade and burden vpon our soules Thus it is reported of Lot 2. Pet. 2.8 that hee vexed his righteous soule from day to day with seeing and hearing their vnlawfull deeds speaking of his behauiour when hee dwelt in Sodom The impurities and vncleannesses of those brutish creatures were euen as a racke vnto his soule and he could not looke vpon their foule and lathsome and yet common and vsuall abominations but that it did euen torture and torment his hart no lesse then a racke would hjaue done his body So when Ezra was informed of the sinne of them Ezra 9.2 3 5 6 c. that had returned out of captiuitie hee sits downe confounded and fasts and weepes and mournes and in the agonie of his soule puls off the haire of his owne beard for griefe and at last breakes foorth into a most lamentable and mournefull confession of that sinne This Prophet also had professed before in the 53. verse of this Psalme saying Horror hath taken hold vpon me because of the wicked which forsake thy Law And Ieremiah professeth to the people that if they would not hearken vnto him to amend their liues according to the Word of God which hee should speake and had spoken then his soule should weepe in secret places for their pride Ier. 13.17 yea his eye should weepe sore and run downe with teares The Apostle Paul likewise hearing of the incestuous Corinths abominable crime and the great conniuency of the Church of Corinth towards him did write a letter vnto them about this matter as himselfe saith 2. Cor. 2.4 out of much affliction and angish of heart and with many teares Lo how bitter to the soule of the holy Apostle the tidings of the Corinthian disorders were He that for scourging stocking imprisonment stoneing and all heau persecutions was scarce euer filled with anguish but rather reioyced in the same and seemed to gather new life by the comming on of new miseries is now exceedingly cast downe and put into bitter weeping and lamentation for the wickednesse committed by one of that Church and by the rest tolerated Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe the best patterne of all holinesse and obedience did looke vpon the Pharises as the Gospell tels vs angerly indeed Mark 3.5 as their peruersenes and wilfulnesse did well deserue but withall mourning for the hardnes of their hearts And it is also obserued of him that comming to Ierusalem he did euen weepe ouer it in great compassion Luk. 19.41 because they had carelestly neglected the day of their visitation You see proofe enough of the point let vs further make it good vnto your soules by cleere and euident reasons to be taken from foure heads First from the graces that ought to be in euery Christian heart which cannot but procure this sorrow Secondly from the nature of sinne which is to be sorrowed for Thirdly from the good effects that will grow from this sorrow And lastly from the euill effects that will follow vpon the want of this sorrow CHAP. II. Containing one reason of the point from the graces which ought to be found in euerie godly man and being found cannot but work this sorrow these are three Loue to God Loue to men Hatred of sinne IT is agreed vpon by all Reasons first from our loue to God that the hearts of Gods
offender then he that doth vtterly forbeare all paines to performe it Now so it is with most of vs I thinke I may say with most of vs wee haue bestowed no paines nor time to digge vp these fountaines of teares we haue not set our thoughts that way nor laboured the matter with our owne hearts to make them grieued and sorrowfull in this behalfe Againe and againe therefore let vs compare our selues with this Prophet and wonder at the difference that he had floods of teares and we haue scarce at all one teare to shed for the breach of Gods Law which is so notoriously broken amongst vs. There is I acknowledge a generation of fault-finding men that make vs farre worse then wee be their sharpe-sighted eyes can see no lawfull Ministry no true Word Church Sacraments nor prayer amongst vs and yet of these captious People and carping Nation that ouerlash so much in accusing there is scarce any that mourneth for the things hee carpeth at for they so spend themselues in false accusing that they haue no leasure to bestow in true bewailing of our sinnes But tho wee may not nor must not acknowledge our selues so bad as they would make vs for a body may liue tho he be sicke and diseased and Iob was a true and liuing man tho couered ouer from head to foote with boyles and Vlcers that his friends knew him not yet neither can wee deny our selues to bee a people very wicked and disordered to whom the Prophets words may fitly bee applied Ah sinfull Nation Ah people laden with wickednesse a corrupt Seede And againe We haue deepely reuolted from the Lord and our sinnes are gone ouer our heads and they reach vp to Heauen And in another sense we may say as he The whole head is sicke the whole heart is heauy from the crowne of the head to the soles of the feete there is little to be seene but wounds and swellings and yet ah yet we lament not those that feare God lament not those that come to Church and loue the Word lament not those that desire otherwise to walke vprightly and conscionably lament not so that it may wel be a question whether most of vs euer read this sentence or heard it read with any consideration and aduisement If the eyes of sinners were only found drie if teares were absent alone from the cheekes of those that work wickednesse it were not much who could expect any thing but stonie hardnesse from stony-hearted men But euen the people of God his owne children that should haue hearts of flesh within them these also haue continued hard in regard of other mens faults and euen forgotten that it is a dutie to make Riuers of waters descend from their eyes because men keep not Gods statutes Now Brethren if this were a fruit of a kind of naturall vnfitnesse to mourne because we were made of a firmer mettle then that sorrow could melt vs we might then lay the blame vpon the body rather then the mind And yet if nature had denied vs teares it hath not denied vs sighs groanes it hath not denied vs the power of sitting in heauines and of making our selues sad and pensiue Though wee could not weepe so plentifully as this Prophet yet we might end our hearts and earne in our bowels and ake within and sigh and grind our very soules to powder which yet alas wee neither doe nor striue to doe As the outward demonstrations of sorrow I meane wet eyes are absent from vs so is also the substance thereof I meane the inward tumbling of the soule vp and downe disquietly the hearts beating it selfe as it were against it selfe and causing it selfe to be pained So then we neither mourne outwardly nor yet inwardly wee neither weepe with our eyes nor grieue with our hearts and what can wee say in our owne defence For certainely brethren it is not the want of aptnesse to weepe that makes vs not to weepe for our eyes are ready enough in other cases and for other matters to yeeld forth euen Riuers of waters Let but an husband or wife or child or friend lye sicke and be ready to die let but fire come and consume some part of our goods let any man but coozen and deceiue vs of some summes of money yea let any friend shew himselfe vnkind and disrespectfull of vs yea let any enemy reproch vs with froward and bitter speeches yea let a Gouernour chide and shent vs as we thinke without our fault or but an equall take vs vp ouer-cuttedly in termes or any almost the least thing befal that wrongs vs in body goods or name O then how we melt like waxe before the fire What flood-gates be our eyes How do teares push themselues forward like a breach of the sea and will not bee stopped Then we cannot speak but we weepe and sob and hardly can speake for weeping O foolish man and vnwise Canst thou haue while and heart to weepe so much for the evuill words spoken against thee for the discourtesies offred vnto thee for the losses and crosses that do befall thee and canst thou not weepe at all for the sinnes committed against God for the thousands and ten thousands of oathes and blasphemies that are darted at his Name for the wofull sacrilege committed against his Church for the ignorance blindnesse hypocrisie profanenes of the multitude and in a word for all the numberlesse abominations that are daily hourely minutely committed amongst vs O heart possessed with selfe-loue and prizing its owne ease and welfare aboue Gods honour and glory and making more account of its self then of its Maker Here now if in any thing we should enlarge our selues in speaking against our selues and in reproouing shaming condemning our selues and this if any thing we should most vehemently presse vpon our selues as an extreme and vnansweerable aggrauation of our hardnesse which by this we know not to be naturall but sinfull Say to thy selfe I came to such a place such a time and found the countenance of my parent brother sister or friend estranged from me and his words and carriages vnlouing towards me It put me in my dumps for a day or two after and made mee water my plants and moysten mine hands and handkerchiefe with teares I went not long after into another place and heard fortie foule oathes and a number of horrible execrations and raylings and one or two drie sighes serued the turne at this wickednesse or scarce so much was done by me to shew my sorrow O Lord O Lord how aboundeth mine heart with ouer-high conceits of my selfe How doe I ouer-value my self and vnder-value thee What to be more troubled at a crosse word or two against my selfe at the denying of some small request at any discourtesie any iniury then at so many oathes lyes curses raylings as I haue heard without trouble I know not whether I should be more ashamed of mine excessiuenes of teares in the one case or my