as the tree is such will be the fruit and if the Bramble rule it will burne up the Cedars of Lebanon Jud. 9.9 nor can we expect liberty for the Law that is in our members will lead us away captive the liberty that is given to the flesh doth but bring the spirit into bondage and what peace can we expect where there is no peace with God If then Christian thou wouldest have justice then doe justice and kill sinne before it kill thee if thou wouldest have liberty then let not sinne raigne for therein doth the great strength of it lye Sampson was easily taken when his lockes were shorne so thou mayest easily subdue sinne when the regiment of it is taken downe if thou wouldest enjoy that peace of God which passeth all understanding then make no provision for the flesh but mortifie it by the helpe of the spirit Rom. 13.13 and thou shalt have peace internall here and eternall hereafter Now for as much as this discourse is to helpe thee therein I doe therefore heartily commend it unto thee I have avoyled prolixity lest I should tyre the Reader and too much brevity lest I should wrong the matter I have the rather fallen on this subject because I find few that have done it and because I have found some such spirits as have laboured to cry it downe as altogether unnecessary after conversion If there be any such into whose hands this Treatise shall fall let me so farre prevaile with them as not prejudge what they doe not meane to reade lest they be numbered among those fooles that speake evill of what they know not To conclude Christian thou hast my labours thou hast my prayers when thou dost approach the throne of grace let me have thine Thomas Wolfall THE DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE OF MORTIFICATION ROM 8.13 But if yee through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live Chap. 1. An Introduction to the Text with the coherence of the foregoing part of the Chapter THe common tidings that hath sounded in our eares frō the Churches abroad for divers yeares together hath been upon the point nothing but warres and rumors of warres of leading into captivity of garments roled in blood insomuch as that country in which was plenty of corne and wine as the garden of Eden is now as a land forsaken or as a desolate wildernesse nay a very Aceldama or field of blood And howsoever wee of this Nation have but heard of this amongst us no leading into captivity no complaining in our streetes Yet the sword of the Lord hath been drown against us and hath slaine thousands ten thousands in our streets James 4.1 Now the general cause both of those lamentable desolations abroad the hand of God at home is chiefly this that we go not to warre with our selves we do not slay those lusts of ours that fight in our members for if ye walke after the flesh yee shall die not onely a death of the body but the second death the soule shall suffer eternall torment But if yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit then yee shall live eternally To make way unto the matter in hand our Apostle layeth downe certaine differences betweene such as walke after the flesh and others that walke after the spirit 1 In respect of the object that they ayme at the one mindes the things of the flesh the other the things that are above such as a man is such is his minde a carnall man and a carnall minde the wisdome that is not from above is earthly sensuall and devillish James 3.15 but that which is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated Vers 17. full of mercy and of good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie 2 They differ in their ends for the end of the one is life the end of the other is death Every man must eate of the fruit of his own way Prov. 1.31 and be filled with his owne devises 3 They differ in their affections so as they that are at enmity with the Law of God Vers 7.8 their fleshly mindes are not subject unto it neither can they be and being they are not they cannot please God Whereas on the other side they that are of the spirit Christ dwels with them and takes up his habitation in their hearts suppes with them and they with him Happy and thrice happy that house which hath him for an inhabitant for this possession of Christ doth imply the dispossession of sinne Vers 10. For if Christ be in you the body is dead but of sinne as Dagon could not stand with the Arke so no more can sin and Christ inhabit together We cannot serve these two Masters Againe as it puts sinne to death so he quickens us Vers 11. that same spirit that raised Christ shall quicken us wherein he shews that the worke of our regeneration is great even as great as that of the resurrection the one being the internall renovation of the soule the other the externall restauration of the body to its reunion with the soule Hence our Apostle drawes an effectuall inference to perswade men to withstand the inticements of the flesh from this that there is no service of due that doth belong to it we are not debters to it that wee should follow it Nay if you walke after the flesh yee shall die but if yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit then yee shall live Behold as Moses said Deut. 30.19 I call Heaven and Earth to record against you this day that I set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that you and your seede may live So I here set before you both these and yet my desire is the same that Moses his was that you would chuse life that your soules might live which undoubtedly you may do if yee follow Saint Pauls direction here If yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit Here you may observe 1 A description of our naturall corruption it is called the deeds or practises of the body 2 Here is our duty what we should doe against it namely to contend against it and to mortifie and slay it 3 The meanes whereby it must be done by the spirit 4 The reward is that promised Yee shall live which is a large promise seeing it containes in it all the happinesse that wee are capable of called a crown of life for the greatnesse and everlasting life for the continuance Chap. 2. Of the meanes how to find out our naturall condition by a threefold inquiry TO begin with the first the description of our naturall corruption viz. It is called the deeds of the body as it is with men that goe to warre the first thing that they doe is to endeavour to find out the enemy so it must be in this spirituall warfare wee must first endeavour to finde out this
over they are no such men so is it in this case all this combate is but a meere shew 2 In a true combate there are some scarres some thing that stickes to him after the battell and some booty is carried away as a testimony of his valour so a Christian that hath got some ground against his enemy hee hath got some strength against his lusts as it was said of the house of David and Saul that Davids house did increase and Sauls decrease so is it here grace it gaines something at every combate now after the combate is over the melancholy person is as he was there is no alteration if hee was prophane before so hee is still or if hee was civill before he is civill still 3 They differ in their cure a distempered body is cured with physicke good ayre and temperate diet but who is hee that can cure a sicke and distempered soule not all the Physitians in the world Nay let mee speake a bold word not all the Angels in heaven are able by all their wisdome to helpe a wounded spirit it must be no lesse than the blood of the Lamb of God that takes away sin and heales a sicke distressed destempered soule 2 Againe the seate of this warre is sometimes among the passions Num. 13.32 so as one standeth in opposition to another Nay as the spyes that went to view the land of Canaan said unto Moses that the land they went to search was a land that did eate up the inhabitants of it so it is with our lusts one lust is so predominant that it eates up another as you have an example in Herod who being ambitious did favour Iohn Mark 6. Euseb lib. 8. cap. 17. because hee look't at the applause of the people for all held Iohn as a Prophet yet such was his lust to Herodias Libido potias quam iracundia tenebat imperium paulo post dicit author quod Christiana continentia neque morte neque pecunia expugnari potest that for her sake hee cast him into prison and afterwards cut off his head So it is sayd of Maxontius that as hee was cruell so was he incontinent and sometime his lust of incontinencie prevailed against that of cruelty as instance is given in a Christian Virgin whom hee had attempted to have defiled in which case sayth my Author that his incontinencie got the victory of his fury but now this warre is not a warre amongst them but against them all as they that are Christs doe crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 and the truth is that when as a man doth suffer his lust to rule is as if a man should suffer his feete to guide his head or the handmaid to rule over the mistresse so is it in this case for our passion should be guided by reason and reason rectified by the spirit and then things would goe in a right order therefore our Apostle doth shew that the flesh lusts against the spirit not that the flesh lusts against the flesh for though the lusts of the flesh may be at discord one with another it is but like that which was betweene Pilate and Herod which albeit there was some contention betweene them Luk. 23.12 yet they both joyned together against Christ so that howsoever it be that one lust may in some cases overthrow another yet they will all conspire against Christ CAP. XI Showing certaine other differences that are betweene them in this relactancie of the flesh against the spirit 3 In the time 3 THirdly they differ in the time of their combate the naturall combate oft-times comes as soone as reason can make a difference betweene good and bad and it is that which may be in a very heathen Ro. 2.15 for the Gentiles that had no law to goe by besides that which was written in their hearts yet by that were a law to themselves their consciences either excusing on accusing of them now conscience according to that light that it hath is alway at hand to contend against the workes of sinne and that fleshly appetite that is in us howbeit conscience may trouble us yet it is commonly for greater sinnes and not for lesser as Pharaoh for his great cruelty confesseth I have sinned and so we read did Nero and others but now for lesser them they easily passe over Saint Paul cryes out of the body of sinne that was within him and David of the cutting off Sauls garment his heart smote him for that but in this case the naturall conscience hath little to say because it knowes little therefore Saint Paul saith Rom. 7.7 I had not knowne lust except the Law had said thou shalt not lust that is his naturall conscience did not discover it unto him but it was given him by a higher and a clearer light Our Saviour Christ sheweth that while the strong man keepes the house all that a man possesseth is in peace but when a stronger than hee commeth then hee begins the combate so long as a man is in the state of nature the prince of the aire rules in his heart and hath quiet possession for although there may be a contention as hath beene shewed among the passions and lusts yet so as there is no hinderance to Sathan by that at all for the lesser footing hee hath in one lust the stronger hee is in another as it is among a company of gamesters looke what one loseth another winnes and suppose that they should be all losers yet the house where they game would be a gainer so is it here that as long as there is no other strife but amongst themselves men are still as bad or worse than they were and Sathan that keepes the house gaineâ— by them Againe suppose wee some strange man should come into this gaming house and should take away their money and burne the dice and cause the house to be pulled downe and bind the strong man and lay him in prison would not this breed hot blood and occasion strife So it is in this case for when the spirit comes then it comes with such might as beares downe all before it and overthroweth the strong holds of Sathan and every high thought that doth exalt it selfe against God by what as hath beene said you may easily see how this naturall combate differs from the spirituall in regard of the time 4 In the end 4 They differ in their ends that they have in their combate there are three ends for which a man doth undertake warre namely peace honour and terrour first this warre is undertaken for peace sake both peace of conscience and peace with God now howsoever a wicked man may seeme to humble himselfe for his sinne and to make up his peace with God yet it is but like those truces that are made in the warres for some short time for some private reasons knowne to themselves so is it in this case 1
it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps that is we are too weake for any such worke without Gods grace assisting of us and therefore we have good cause to bewaile our misery to lay aside our pride and confesse our poverty and to seeke some other meanes of helpe and redresse at Gods hand 2. To set out Gods power this is his priviledge that hee onely is able to do this work there are three wayes whereby things came to have their being existencie by Generation Art or Creation the two former must have matter to worke upon either in potentia as generation or in actu as Art and where there is not a matter to worke upon they can doe nothing now for as much as this worke of regeneration Eph. 4.24 the new creature is called a creation it is beyond the worke of a creature and onely a priviledge that doth belong to the holy Spirit to create in us qualities of holinesse and thereby to abolish the whole body of sinne thence it is that the Lord saith I create the fruit of the lips to be peace Isa 57.19 and the Prophet complaining in another place to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed it is that mighty and potent arme of the Lord that doth this worke it is by his power and therefore he must have the honour of it As Joab when he was in hope to take Rabbah hee sent messengers to David that he should come and take it 2 Sam. 12.26 because the honor that would have been given him was too great for him how much more should we seeing out hope is in the Lord and our successe chiefely by his power give all the honour to him CAP. XX. Certaine instructions from the doctrine premised FRom this doctrine of mortification we may observe divers necessary instructions both for the information of our judgement and well ordering of our lives as 1. First wee may learne that such a doctrine as doth give liberty to the flesh was never given by the spirit of God for the spirit is given us not onely as a bridle to curbe and keepe in sinne neither a scourge to castigate corrupt nature but chiefely as a sword to kill and destroy the very body of sinne it is the counsell of Saint Paul Gal. 5.13 that we being called to liberty should not use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh that is if we doe not use our liberty with great caution and watchfulnesse wee will make our liberty to be a snare to us the word used by Saint Paul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth occasion it cometh as some think of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to make an assault Acts 14.5 because that if you give but your selves liberty never so little more then is fit the flesh will make an assault upon you as it is said of the Lion that if you come but within his reach when he is caged up hee will not misse but fasten upon you so is it in this case therefore we must beware that we doe labour for temperance and moderation otherwise the flesh will seise upon us and so while we give liberty to the flesh we lose the peace of our conscience and that peace with God unto whom wee have had free accesse and audience in our prayers Therefore know this that the more liberty we give unto the flesh the more we doe deprive our selves of our Christian liberty as the more delight that wee take in the sinfull pleasures of this life the lesser and lower will be our delights and contentments in God Herod did like well of the Baptist and heard him gladly but yet his lust and the delight he tooke in Herodias and her daughter hee did eclipse it at the best and in the end tooke it quite away Psal 32. Psal 77. Nay how was David straitened of that spirituall freedome after such time as he had given liberty to the flesh behold how many teares how many prayers how many sighes and groanes did it cost him before he was restored to his former comfort and consolation againe the more liberty a man takes for the flesh the more hee doth enthrall himselfe as the bird once in the snare the more shee doth struggle the more shee doth entangle her selfe little doe men know what disadvantages they cast themselves into when they take liberty to sin 2 Pet. 2.20.21 there is a heavie doome propounded against them if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and overcome the later end is worse with them then their beginning if any shall say but what benefit have wee then by our Christian liberty Gal. 3.11 I answer much every way wee are freed by Christ from the curse of the Law from the irritation of it whereby it was an occasion to make us sinne more and from the rigour of it whereby we are bound to performe it and live or else in the not doing of it perfectly to die eternally we have a comfortable and free use of the creature Heb. 4.16 and free accesse to the throne of grace in time of need for the receiving of all good things both the benefit of soule and body in all these things wee see we have much liberty granted unto us but no liberty to sinne you will say how may a man doe that that hee may give no liberty to the flesh When a man will not take the full liberty that hee may take all things are lawfull 2 Cor. 6.12 but all things are not expedient it may be lawfull to goe neare the banck of a deepe river but if his foote should slip or that he should tread never so little awry he would fall into very great danger so is it here when men hazard themselves to the utmost bounds of their liberty ten to one but they drop into one sinne or another and so procure unto themselves one misery after another Gen. 34.1.2 Si tu otiose spectes otiose non specteris si tu curiose spectas curiose specteris Ber. Dinah went but out to see the daughters of the land peradventure the thing might bee lawfull enough yet because it was the utmost bounds of liberty she not being cautious lost all the fairest ornament about her before her returne thence is that of our Saviour if they say unto thee behold he is in the desert go not forth behold he is in the secret chamber beleeve it not why it might be lawfull to go and see suppose it might yet because there is a snare laid open in lawfull things wee should take heed we prevent if it may be the occasion 2. If you would not give liberty to the flesh shake off dulnesse in the performance of good duties Mat. 26.41 the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake the flesh is short-paced and too too ready
workes of mortification then I say are we furnished with this spirit of a sound mind Eccles 7.12 wisedome is a distention and money is a defension but the excellencie of knowledge is that wisedome giveth life to him that hath it much may be done with money but more with wisedome because money can neither slay sinne nor assure us of life but wisedome can doe both wisedome will teach us to make provision for our latter end 2 It is a spirit of holinesse and sanctitie and that is the reason of an opposition that there is unto sin in the soule the spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5.19 and the flesh against the spirit and they are contrary one to another as it is with a fountaine of living water that if any filth be cast into it it will worke it out by the constant running of it so it is with the spirit that when any corrupt motion is cast into the heart it will not leave untill it have purged it out and the reason is because there can be no agreement betwixt these the one doth alwaies seeke to dispossesse and destroy the other and therefore as it is when a woman that hath decked her selfe with beautifull garments she will not come into uncleane places and naftie company so in this case the holy spirit will not indure the heart where he lodgeth should be defiled or that it should be a receptacle for uncleane lusts For if Christ could not indure that his carthly Temple should be a den of theeves much lesse wil he endure that his spirituall Temple should be a cage of every uncleane and noysome lust 3 It is a craving spirit it goeth out day by day and doth crave assistance at Gods hands to helpe us against our corruption Rom. 8.26 it is the spirit that helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us that as Hezekiah said 2 Cor. 20. Lord we know not what to doe our eyes are towards thee what was that made him waite on God but this spirit of grace and supplication so say I what maketh a Christian to lift up strong cryes and prayers unto God when hee is assaulted by the flesh and to waite for strength from heaven is it not the spirit that putteth us upon it and maketh us never to give over till wee find successe from God it is not the making of a prayer that will serve your turnes but the having of the spirit of prayer that is it that will helpe you Hos 12.4 to wrastle with God with your prayers and teares as Iacob did and not to give over like the importunate widdow Luk. 18.34.5 untill you have your requests granted unto you 4 It is a cheerfull spirit that thought the worke be hard and sharpe yet it maketh us passe through it with much alacrity and cheerfulnesse it maketh us while wee are breaking up the fallow grounds of our hearts and while wee are about to crucifie the flesh 1 Cor. 9.10 circumcise the foreskinne of our hearts to be cheerfull and rejoyce because the end of that is joy and consolation for they that plow in hope thresh in hope shall be partakers of their hopes What maketh the marriner to passe through so many hard adventures by sea and land but hope of some great advantage that may be for his advancement or what maketh the Souldier adventure himself into the heat of the battel but hope of a joyfull victory and what maketh a Christian to take such paines with his heart and to make such hot skirmishes against his lusts but in hope of good successe a glorious victory On the other side there is no greater signe of an unmortified heart then when hee is forced unto the worke and drawne unto duty as a Beare to a stake out of slavish feare and apprehensions of wrath as Sathan than saith in Iob that skinne for skinne Iob. 2.4 and all that a man hath will he give for his life a man will doe much in extremity which is not a free but a forced service but now if so he that there be a cheerfull spirit we are carried by it to this duty as freely as Abraham was to the sacrificing of his sonne not reasoning with flesh and blood but out of the feare of God 2 Cor. 7.1.2 the love of holineffe and the hatred of sinne wee are as cheerefull at the death of it as wee delighted sometime at the commission of it CAP. XXIII An exhortation unto the duty of mortification FOr as much as wee are naturally slow unto this worke of mortification both in respect of that love we have unto our lusts and also in respect that Sathan and our deceitfull hearts doe labour by all faire and possible arguments to beate us off from this worke saying as sometimes Peter did unto our Saviour Master spare thy flesh Mat. 16.22 this shall not be to thee such suggestions men have when they are pressed unto duty that they should spare that labour there iâ— no necessity of Therefore it will not be amisse to quicken you up unto this duty by such considerations as these 1 In regard of sinne that if it be not mortified wee doe highly displease Almighty God therefore the Lord is said to haâ—e iniquity as that which is contrary to his Law as that which is cursed of him now that sinne is thuâ— displeasing to him will appeare 1 In regard of those sad Complaints and those patheticall expressions that are used in Scripture against sin and sinners when the sinnes of the old world grew to that height that the whole earth was corrupt before God and that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth Gen. 6.6 it repented the Lord that hee had made man and it grieved him at the heart a deepe expression how much God is displeased with it now when God is said to be grieved it is not in that he is subject to passion but after the manner of men not secundum affectum but effectum as they speake in the Schooles that as men are grieved when they are offended so is God sore displeased with sinne Psal 95.10 11. Forty yeares long was I grieved with this generation then it was that hee sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest that after they had grieved him so long time together his sore displeasure did arise and so they perished in the wildernesse Luk. 19.41 how was our blessed Saviour grieved when hee beheld the City and wept over it saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I have gathered thee as a hen gathereth her chickins c. What can be a greater griefe to a loving father or a tender mother than to see their Children not to harken unto good admonitions and exhortations so is it unto Christ when as wee turne aside to the by-paths of sinne it grieves him much how doth God complaine of his people O my people what have
greatest losse that can be for if every grasse pile in our fields were a precious pearle and every stone in the streete were a diamond and every eare of corne in our fields were so many shining chrysolites yet were they not all worth the soule but now if a man should not endeavour to kill sinne sinne will kill him Suppose wee the most fearfull and dastardly man that may be yet if he had this proposition made if thou dost not kill mee I will kill thee I should suppose that this would make him fight I tell you brethren that if you doe not slay sinne it will slay you and if you mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the spirit you shall live but if you live after the flesh you shall dye CAP. XXIV Containing a briefe explication of the last words of the yee shall live by way of motive I Have onely one motive to adde to perswade you to mortifie sinne and that is the words of my text if yee doe this you shall live life as you have heard is a large word and doth signifie not onely the life naturall but that of grace and glory now here I take it for the life of glory as standing in opposition to the death that is set over in the former part of the verse which is that eternall punishment in hell which shall be certainly inflicted on unmortified men that live after the flesh and this life that is set in opposition thereunto is that life that certainly may be obtained by such as doe mortifie the flesh and endeavour to destroy that body of sinne now this happinesse that is here spoken of if I had the tongue of men and Angels yet could I not sufficiently set it out yet to give you a taste of what is revealed that you may guesse at what is not revealed but beleeved and waited for some thing the Scripture saith of it 1 There shall be a perfect victory over all your enemies over sinne that hath beene so turbulent over death that hath beene so fearfull and over hell that is so dreadfull so as now wee may boast 1 Cor. 15.55 as he that putteth off the harnesse and triumphs because that his warfare is accomplished and our sinnes are pardoned Esa 40.2 here the Church triumphant doth change their swords into Scepters their corslets into Crownes and their garments rouled in blood into long white robes to follow the Lambe whithersoever he goeth now we may sing with the Saints the song of Moses Haleluiah unto him that dwelleth in the highest and to him that sitteth on the throne for evermore 2 There shall be a resting from all our labours from all our workes either of body or of mind so farre as they did consist in our seeking for the preservation of our present beeing or from the attainment of our future well-being here it is laid upon us to eate bread in the sweat of our faces and to indure heat and cold hunger Gen. 3 19 and nakednesse but there shall be an end of all these poore Lazarus shall rest in the bosome of rich Abraham and all the blessed Saints shall sit downe with Abraham Mat. 8.12 and Isaack and Iacob in the Kingdome of God here there is our worke of faith and labour of love our hope waiting for the accomplishments of the promises and our teares of godly sorrow unto repentance arising from a bleeding and broken heart but there our faith shall be turned into vision Hebr. 4.9 our love and hope into fruition and then all teares shall be wiped from our eyes doubtlesse such a rest there is for the people of God 3 There shall be the vision of God that is wee shall be brought into the presence of God and shall see God in Christ the beames of the Deity shall be so resplendent from Christ his humanity as that wee shall see him as wee are seene there fore our Saviour prayeth that where hee is John 3.2 John 17.24 there they may bee also that they may behold his glory a glimps of this there was in the transfiguration when Peter said it is Good for us to be here and in that of Saint Paul when hee saw things unutterable 1. We shall see with greater inlargements of knowledge No Eagles eye shall be so strong that can looke on the Sun as ours then that can looke upon him at whose presence the sight of many sins would vanish into darknesse If Adam in the state of nature could understand so much of God as to give names unto the creatures sure in the state of glory there will bee a great augmentation of that fight so that he that was an unlearned man shall know that at once that many agreat Doctor have been many yeere bearing their heads about 2. Againe in respect of the sight this sight must be glorious the light of the Sunne is no more to be compered unto it then the light of the Candle is in the light of it no nor as one observeth well it is tanquam unus maximus Sol all the whole heaven it is as it were nothing but all glorious Sun 4. Lastly wee shall enjoy the fruition of God Rabeus quod originatur in visione perficitur in fruitione that which is begun in the vision of God shall be perfected in the fruition of God Dives saw Abraham a farre off and Lazerus in his bosome but what was this to Dives it was no ease to him but as we shall see him so wee shall enjoy him hee will love us with an everlasting love and we shall live with him for ever Psal 36.8.9 nay wee shall be abundantly satisfied with the fulnesse of his house and he shall make us drinke of the rivers of pleasure for at his right hand is fulnesse of joy and pleasure for evermore Psal 16. vit If a man had a certaine measure of joy in heaven were it not full it would not content the minde of a man and if he had fulnesse were it not perpetuall it would not give content but now seeing this joy is both perfect and perpetuall there will bee full content in it To conclude all blessed and happy are all those that have mortified this body of sinne out of an hatred and holy indignation against it they are carefull to sinne no more for they shall live a life of grace here and life of glory hereafter FINIS Errata PAge 4 line 26 for but of sin read because of sin pag. 13 l. 20 for from him r. from himselfe l. 21 for him r. them pag. 14 l. 7 for in r. into l. 11 for lastly how r. lastly see how for how he r. how this enemy l. 14 for and this r. this pag. 16 l. 12 for to meete r. doe meete p. 19. l. 6 for and there r. and thence p. 20 r. 6 for some little r. to some little sin l. 7 blot out that p. 21 l. last for it is said r. it is said of fame p. 22 l. 25 for continuance it r. continuance in it p. 73 l. 16 for are neare r. are more neare p. 74 l. 4 for it is r. so it is p. 83 l. 25 for this rule r. these rules and l. 26 for ground and r. ground of and l. last blot out so p. 110 l. 2 for no r. neither p. 113 l. 14 put out one p. 128 l. 4 for it r. and p. 149 l. 21 for sin r. sence p. 154 l. 18 for he r. we p. 193. l. 1 for articular r. particular p. 208 l. 3 for go r. and go p. 210 l. 16 for then r. that p. 223 l. 2. blot out he p. 225. l. last blot out all
body of sin For the more distinct handling of the point consider that mortification may be distinguished as something that is externall and without us Mortification is externall or else as something that is internall and is done within us as it is externall so it is said to be a legall mortification when as a man is dead in law as a melefact or is said then to be a dead man when hee is condemned so sinne is then said to be dead when it is forgiven Rom. 8.3 and God is said to send his sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that is that sinne should be as certainly put to death as it was certaine that Christ had taken our nature on him a great comfort it is to a distressed soule that doth cast it selfe upon the Lord Jesus Christ though at first it doe not apprehend the power of sinne mortified yet apprehending our plentious redemption purchased by Christ hee concludes that sinne shall certainly die because Christ hath already condemned it and as David sayd 1 Sam. 20.3 when Ionathan did perswade him to the contrary As the Lord liveth and as thy soule liveth there is but a step betweene mee and death so whatsoever conceit the soolish heart of man may have that his lusts are so strong as there is not possibility of subduing them yet for as much as the matter is now in the hand of Christ who hath past sentence on them it is certaine that there is but a step betweene them and death Internall Initiall 2. Internall mortification is either initiall or renewed initiall mortification it is that first worke of sanctification whereby the force and vigor of sinne is broken and the body of sinne hath received such a deadly wound as maketh it incurable though a man in this case may goe as the woman did from one Physitian to another to have the issue of blood stayed yet will it bleed still there is no Balme from no Physitian there Jer. 3.22 now this initiall mortification is either generall or speciall Initiall Generall Luke 15.8 1. Generall when there is a generall blow given to every sinne when wee doe as the woman when shee had lost her money did sweepe the house not onely some but every roome of it the whole house thus shall wee bee sure not to leave any sinne without the marke of death upon it wash your hands yee sinners James 4.8 and purifie your hearts yee double minded that is that man that is truely mortified is such as is all over mortified that is there is no actuall sin that stickes to his hands nor any inward corruption that he doth allow of in his heart The Pharisees were strict in the tradition of the washing their hands but negligent of purging out the hypocrisie of their hearts So likewise the curse that is annexed unto sin and doth follow it as sure as the day doth the night so sure will wrath follow sinne Had we not need then to bee very much grieved for them Matthew 15.2 and to mourne in secret untill they be slaine in us Though Jobs afflictions were many and great Job 1.14 yet there is this remarkable that there was one in every of these trials that escaped to come and tell him so is it in this case with many that though there may seeme to be a great mortification of sinne yet behold one or other doth make an escape and comes and tels us that all is not mortified such a man is wise and liberall but yet hee is proud such a one is humble and courteous but yet hee is covetous a third is devout and religious and yet full of disordered passions so that though men seeke to colour over their sinnes with never so many faire pretences yet if it be not so indeed somthing will escape as shee said to Peter Matth. 26.73 you are sure one of his Disciples for thy speech bewrayeth thee so something will discover them at one time or another either pride or their covetousnesse or their passions like a dead Fly spoyles the whole box of precious oyntment 2. There is a speciall mortification of speciall sinnes 2. Speciall that although for sinnes of ignorance a generall mortification will serve the turne and is acceptable to God yet because that there is much deceit lieth in generals wee must descend to particulars as David saith I know mine iniquity Psal 51.3 and my sinne in ever before me is it not I that have sinned 1. Cron. 21.17 Againe all sinne is not of equall proportion but some are weaker and some stronger like the sonnes of Zerviah and they are not unlike to that kinde of evill spirit that is not cast out but by prayer and fasting much adoe there is to subdue them there is some bosome sinne that is so sweet and pleasant as it is compared to our right hand in respect of the profit of it and to our right eye in respect of the tendernesse of it now against this we must contend for as long as such a speciall corruption lives in us like as Pharoahs thinne blasted eares of corne it devoureth the fat ones so will that sinne eate up all your spiritual comforts or as Saul said concerning David as long as the sonne of Jesse lives the Kingdome shall not be established to you meaning Jonathan so I say as long as you do not contend against your speciall sins the Kingdom of heaven will never be established unto you therefore labour to finde them out one by one and having found them pursue after them as the revenger of blood till you have slaine them that you have may come to carry tidings of the fall of the rest 2. Renewed in case 2. The next is renewed mortification Daily incursions fruits of sinne that is in case that we renew our sinnes we must renew this worke also and this is either in regard of those daily infirmities that are the fruits of this body of sinne that is in us or else in case of a relapse or falling fowly into some great sinne which doth waste the conscience and therefore when wee have given unto sinne some deadly blow wee must not then thinke that the worke is done for it is with us as it is when a Ship springs a leake though they pumpe up the water yet will it fill againe so is it with us there is such a corrupt fountaine as will still bee troubling of us the same reason that may move us to say give us this day our daily bread may also prevaile with us to say forgive us this day our daily sinnes it should bee our care every day to consider our wayes and to examine our hearts and not suffer our temples to take their rest nor the eyes in our heads untill such time as wee have caused our daily sinnes to sleepe the long sleepe of death beleeve it if we
they winne the maine battell so is it in this spirirituall contestation and contention between the law of the members and the law of the minde 1 Degree Heb. 12 4. Gal 5.17 Venit avaritia vendicat in me sibi sedem jactantiacupit dominari mihi Superbia vult mihi esse Rex luxuria dicit ego regnabo ambitto de tractio invidia iracundia certant in me ipso de me ipso cujus ego potissimum effe videor Ego quantum valeo resiste renitor quantum suvor dominum meum Iesum reclamo paule post dico non habeo regem nisidominum Iesum veni demine disperge illos vertute tua regnabis in me quia tu es ipse Rex meus Ber. him 4. betweene true grace and corrupt nature 1. First is in that strong relâ—ctancie that the spirit maketh against the flesh so as there is very hard strugling who shall winne the victory gravis lucta saith Saint Bevnard non contra hostes sed contra hospites a grievous warre it is and the greater that it is not against enemies but guests howbeit they are in deed secret enemies The flesh musters up all her forces and sets them in battell aray which as they are many in number so are they strong and resolute every one ambitious of a crown but now the soule it flyeth unto Christ as a prisoner of hope oppressed by the enemy unto his strong hold Zach. 9.12 That as the Jewes would have no King but Caesar so a Christian will have none to raigne over him but Christ this reluctancie is the greater in me quia tu es ipse Rex mous Bet. him 4. because that the object of their contention is exceeding weighty it is as much as a mans soule is worth it is the losing or winning of a Kingdome it is not pro finibus not for the bounds but pro haereditate for the inheritance and therefore it is that neither side will yeeld to the other Sathan will not yeeld up his right because they once belongd to him nor Christ will not lose his right because hee bought them with a price hence it is that the Kingdome of Heaven is said to suffer violence Matth. 11.12 and the violent take it by force there is nothing to be gotten without contention That you may not bee mistaken in this businesse of so great consequence give me leave to lay downe some rules to know whether your warre bee a right warre yea or no for when our Luke 13.24 Saviour doth exhort us to strive to enter in at the straite gate he tels us that many shall secke to enter and shall not be able shewing that all striving will not serve your turnes not every one that saith Matth. 7.21 Lord Lord shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven thence it is that Saint Iames tels us that we may aske and not receive because we aske amisse and this was the reason why such as shall at the end of the world come and say Lord Math. 7.22 Lord wee have prophecied in thy name and in thy name wee have cast out Devils and in thy name wee have done many wonderfull workes why such I say should bee rejected because all this was not done in sincerity and in a right manner therefore for the clearing of it take this rule 1. They differ in ground and so the quarrell for howsoever that the I quarrell may be occasioned from the same generall ground in respect of the use of it How the naturall spirituall combate differs namely sinne 1 In the ground yet in speciall the one lookes at sinne as it is sinne the other at sinne as it brings punishment after it the one could hee escape the punishment would be glad to enjoy his finne the other is farre more willing to suffer than to sinne an example of the former you have in Cain who made no great matter of his sinne but indeed his punishment was greater than hee could beare and for the latter you have another example of Ioseph who notwithstanding the wanton sollicitations hee had from his Mistresse and withall his owne unmarried condition and being in the strength of his youthfull yeares which is most licentious and voluptuous yet behold hee repells them all with a most chast resolution Gen. 39. How shall I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God He thought not on the punishment that would follow but on the sinne as the maine thing It was a good speech of him that sayd it Anselme that hee had rather be in hell without sinnes than in heaven with them on his conscience and indeed what comfort could a man have in heaven so long as he had a hell in his conscience and on the other side hell would be no hell to him were his conscience faire therefore men should not thinke that all is well because they sind sometimes a troubled or a trembling spirit for the devills beleeve and tremble and yet are their spirits stout enough and stubborne enough against God so Jam 2.19 it may be in men by that conviction that they may have although it may not be accompanied with any sound conversion have you not seene many that when they have beene in some great straite as Balaam betweene the vineyards not knowing which way to turne himselfe either under some sad and heavie crosse or else under some present perill of death poore soules how have they quarrelled with their sinnes and with themselves as though they would never have had any friendship with them more well deliverance comes and health comes behold now the battell is over they shake hands againe with their lusts and are the same men they were but now if there be a principle of grace in you that makes your hearts rise against sinne then to say no more goe on and prosper ye valient men for God is with you 2 They differ in respect of the seat of the combate 2 In the seate the naturall combate is 1 Sometimes nothing but the distemper of the body that is the seat of the conflict a sicke body doth occasion a distempered and sicke minde is it not strange to see what strange effects that distemper of melancholy doth produce what feares and terrours have they felt at sometimes as though they had beene scorched in the flames of hell what joyes and exultations they have made at another time as though they had beene rapt up into the third heaven what conflicts they have supposed they have passed through yet all is nothing but the production of a distempered body deeply affected with melancholy Now this differs from the true combate 1 First they differ as much as the shadow and the substance one from another that combate betweene the flesh and the spirit is really true but that is but imaginary like as you see upon the stage one is a King another is a Judge another a souldier which when the action is
King 21.29 Ahab when hee heard what God had threatned hee rent his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and lay in sackcloth and went softly now here was a truce made betweene God and Ahab but no reconciliation Seest thou not saith God how Ahab humbleth himselfe before mee I will not bring the evill in his daies but in his sonnes dayes will I bring this evill upon his house so that the judgement is not taken away but deferred but now this spirituall warfare doth aime at peace and ends in it there is no affliction that is pleasant for the present but grievous Heb. 12.11 neverthelesse it bringeth forth the peaceable fruite of righteousnesse though this burthen be heavy yet is it the way to ease and as after a toilsome labour comes the quietest rest so after this warre the most settled peace 1 King 19.11 c. as it was in that vision that Eliah saw First came a strong winde that rent the mountaines and brake the rockes in pieces after this an earthquake and after this a fire and after all a still voyce so it is with a Christian that after many tumults and garboiles in the soule between these two enemies the flesh and the spirit comes the still voyce with joy and peace 2 Another end is honour a man that is a good souldier under Christs banner doth endeavour to fight manfully that he may honour his cause and his captaine and good reason the cause is just for it is for the defence of Christs right in our soules and we never had a better Captaine than Christ is Rev. 6.1 who rides on conquering and to conquer who hath led captivity captive and a prince against whom there is no rising but on the other side in that seeming warre that there is to be found in wicked men Mat. 6.16 they chiefly aime at their owne praise as they in their private fasting and workes of mortification disfigured their faces and were of sad countenances and all this is to be seene of men but God knew their hearts to be farre otherwise or at the best the chiefe and that a wicked man hath in any trouble or contention against any sinne it is himselfe either for the preservation of himselfe or for his owne advantage and the reason is because as the man is so are his ends if a man be flesh then his ends cannot but smell of the flesh 3 The last end of this holy warre is terrour and feare a man warres to that end that thee may put the enemy into such a feare that hee will be afraid to offend any more so a man in this spirituall warfare when the heart is once smitten hath true remorse for sinne hee will be afraid to sin againe as you have examples of David and Peter a hundred Bathsheba's would not have allured David to have fallen into that sinne againe the voyce of a silly damsell made Saint Peter to deny his master but after he felt the smart of it and had repented of it hee was not ashamed of his master no not before Princes and Judges of the world on the other side a man that is not sound at the heart though his mind may be at present troubled and tremble in respect of some foule and great sinne that stares him in the face and lyeth heavie upon his conscience yet doth it worke no change in him but after the tempest is over 2 Pet. 2.22 hee turnes with the dogge to his vomit and with the sow to his wallowing in the mire with as fresh Prov 23.34 35. and as free an appetite as ever hee did unto his sinne Solomon compares such a man to one that lyeth on the top of a mast in the midst of the sea and saith they have smitten mee but I felt it not thy have beaten mee but I was not sicke and therefore when I awake I will seeke it againe 5 They differ in their event 5 In the event this warre that is betweene the flesh and the spirit alwaies ends in a victoriour conquest over all the enemies of it as they say of truth Magna est veritas 2 Cor. 12.9 praevalebit so may I say of grace great is the power of it and it will prevaile Paul was not without this buffeting of Satan and behold the grace of God was sufficient for him to enable him to beare out the quarrell against his enemy And further hee saith When I am weake then am I strong it is with a Christian in this case as it was wiâ—h Rebeccah when she had two twinnes strove in her wombe shee comes to the Lord and saith Lord why am J thus the Lord makes this answer two nations are in thy wombe and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger than the other Gen. 25.22.23 and the elder shall serve the yonger so it is in this case here are two nations that strive within us the old and the new man and they are contrary one to another yet this is your comfort the elder shall serve the yonger the new commer shall cast out the old inhabitant Now who would not take that side on which he is sure to conquer Then must you joyne with the spirit against the flesh though you may be foyled yet you shall never be conquered for if God be with us who shall or can stand against us Hee that is with us is greater than hee that is against us it is reported of Cesar and Antony that they were wont often to wrastle together and though Antony was the stronger man yet Cesar alwaies gave him the fall the reason being demanded why it should be so the answer was made because Cesar was guided by a better Genius so if you demand whence it is that such strong and potent lusts do all fall downe before us and none of them able to stand I answer 1 Joh. 4.4 it is because wee have a better Genius greater is hee that is with us than hee that is in the world on the other side all the warre of a wicked man it never brings any thing to passe they are like the children of Ephraim that went out harnished and carried bowes yet turned againe in the day of battell Psal 78.9 what show soever there may be of goodnesse in us yet if it be not in truth it will not hold in the fiery tryall CAP. XII Shewing further the difference of this combate by the weapons of it which is cleared by two propositions 6 THe next thing wherein they differ in this conflict is in their weapons 2 Cor. 10 4. the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall so that looke what difference there is betweene a carnall and a spirituall man so much difference is there betweene a carnall and spirituall weapon if yee should see men goe to warres and instead of warlike munition one should carry a
Amazia 2 Cro. 25.2 that hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart so in this case the things that they doe are good for the matter but for the manner Mal. 2.3 it is done with such cold and superficiall devotion that God saith hee will spread dung on their face even the dung of their solemne feasts yea Prov. 15.8 Es 66.3 Jer. 6.20 Amos 5.21 best things being abused become the worst and God doth much abhorre them when they are not one in sincerity therefore it is that the prayer of the wicked is abominable and all the splendid and fairest actions he doth are but guilded and painted vices That is the right circumcision Rom. 2. ult which is the circumcision of the heart 2. Propos Eph. 6.13 2. The next proposition is that spirituall weapons will prevaile unto this worke of mortification it is a good exhortation you on the whole armour of God furnish the head with the helmet of hope have your brest garded with the brest-plate of righteousnesse and your loynes girt about with truth in your right hand the sword of the spirit and in your left the shield of faith and your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace and as so many Centinels you must adde hereunto prayer in your spirit watchfulnesse over your owne hearts and perseverance in so doing all your dayes I should be tedious if I should handle these at large and shew you the vigor and vertue of every one of these peeces of spirituall armour I shall therefore speake so much of them as may concerne our present purpose to put a difference between these and all carnall weapons How spirituall and carnall weapons differ They differ in respect of their Author viz. it is called the armour of God these are weaâ—ons that were fashioned in Heaven so as they are heavenly both for the matter and forme 1 Sam. 21.9 that as David said of the sword of Goliah that there was none to it so may I say of these that there is none equall to them for the depressing of high thoughts and the pulling downe and demolishing the strong holds of sinne other weapons are such as are made by the flesh and Sathan together and cannot bee able to cut any sinne for if that the flesh and Sathan should be divided against themselves how should their Kingdome stand if that Sathan doe depart from a man for some small time it is but as a man that leasses his house when he takes a journey but yet retaines his right and property in it still Mat. 12.48 that so at his pleasure he â—â—y returne and then makes 〈◊〉 later end of that man worse then the beginning was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malum â—ritur ex defectualicuius causa sed benum non nist ex causis intâ—gris 2. They differ in respect of their compleatnesse for this armour of God is called the whole armour or compleate armor of God They say in the Schooles that evill may arise from the defect of any one cause but to make an action truely good it must have all the causes entire so it is in this case 2 King 22.34 to have your hearts truely mortified and this spirituall warfare to prosper in your hands you must have this compleate armour Ahab was smitten with an arrow betweene the joynts of his harnesse Now if Ahab was smitten with his compleate harnesse on much more may this cunning enemy smite and wound our soules Judg. 20.16 when wee are not armed with every peece of this spirituall armour Hee is as cunning as those left handed Benjamites that could sling stones at an haires breadth and not misse how did this fiery dart of Sathan stick in Pauls flesh how did his envenomed arrowes waste the spirits of holy Job that had they not been fortified with this armour of proofe they had not been able to have stood on the other side though an unregenerate man may pretend he hath a good hope in God Heb. 11.1 yet wants hee faith as the ground and if he say he hath a good faith yet wants he the sword of the spirit the word of God and so is an ignorant man 1 Cor. 2.12 and knowes not the things of God or if he have the word of God yet wants hee the brest-plate of righteousnesse and the girdle of truth and sincerity there is ever something that is wanting and hence it is that they are not able to stand in the time of tryall but are made such vassals and led captive by him to the dishonour of God and their owne just condemnation therefore the exhortation that the Apostle useth shall be that of mine Finally Brethren Eph. 6.12 put on the whole armour of God that you may bee able to stand in the evill day 3. It is armour for the fore-parts to shew that so long as wee stand to it and fight out our good fight wee are safe enough all shall prosper in our hands but if wee turne our backes on our enemie then is it that wee are wounded and everthrowne Josh 7.8 It was the complaint of Ioshuah O Lord what shall I say when Israel turnes their backe before their enemies But alas what shall wer say when a man that hath this spirituall furniture on him the feare and dread whereof were able to put an ordinary enemy to slight the shield of faith being able to quench his fiery darts and the sword of the spirit able to give him such a strong repulse as that he is not able to stand before it submit your selves therefore to God James 4.7 and resist the Devill and hee will fly from you It is reported of the Crocodile that if so be that you flee from him hee will follow after you and teare you in peeces but if you stand to him and feare him not but contend with him hee will flee from you Beleeve it brethren there is noe way to this to withstand and resist Sathan and the flesh for if you turne your backes on him seeing you have no armour for behinde you will never be able to hold out long but will become a prey unto him and therefore if you bee in a roome at prayer or about any holy duty as reading the Scripture or any devout meditation if there Sathan shall present himselfe when wee are best imployed feare him not neither quit your place for feare of him let him not gaine that advantage of you neither give place to the Devill for greater is hee that is with you then hee that is against you Exod. 17. As it was with the Israelites so long as Moses held up his hands Israel did prevaile An quia fugisti ex acie putas to manus hostium evasisse libentius te consâ—quitur fugientem quam sustineat repugnantem Ber. Ep. but when hee held them downe the Amaleckes did
prevaile so while you seeke the Lord and resist Sathan you shall prevaile but if you hang downe your hands and turne your backs against him the Lord will leave you and deliver you up into his hands Therefore be you ever ready to resist Sathan as he is tempting CAP. XIII The second degree of mortification which is more neare is a broken and contrite heart THe second and more near degree of mortification is a bleeding and contrite heart It is called the sacrifice of God or a broken spirit Psal 51.17 a broken and a contrite heart O Lord thou wilt not despise all sacrifices are included in this broken heart Psal 57.16 the highest heavens and the lowest heart are the two houses where the Lord will take up his speciall habitation the Lord saith of the contrite heart â—s 66.2 this is my house here will I dwell to revive the spirit of the humble Here I shall observe two maine things The nature and necessity of contrition 1. The nature of this contrition and brokennesse of heart 2. The necessity of it First consider the nature of contrition and a broken heart for sinne This consists in foure things The nature of it and first godly sorrow 1. A godly sorrow and true remorse for sinne a melting and tender heart 2 Cro. 34.27 which of all hearts is the best that when as we shall heare the word it will affect our hearts as the heart of Josiah was or when we commit any sin our hearts 1 Sam. 24.5 like that of David will smite us speedily or when we see men dishonour God or breake his law Psal 119.136 our eyes doe breake out with rivers of teares Jer. 9.1 or at least desire that our heads were Wels of water and our eyes were fountaines of teares Or when wee want any good thing at the hands of our God that wee finde the good spirit of God helping our infirmities with sighes and groanes such aâ— cannot be expressed Rom. 8.26 crying Abba Father and when wee see our owne deformities and the plague of our owne hearts 1 King 8.38 We doe bemoane our selves as Ephraim did and smite our hands on our hearts and say Lord Jer. 31.18 what have I done woe is me I am a man of polluted lips and dwell amongst men of polluted lips Es 6 5â— and indeed as one hath well observed hee that doth not bewaile his sinnes doth not perceive the wounds that sume hath made in his soule Qui non planges pâ—â—oaâ—a non soutiâ— vulnera nâ—e anims lectâ—â—nem Ber. 1. For the quantity of godly sorrow how greaâ— it must be for the softer the heart is made by sorrow the more fit it is to bee cast into what fashion God would have it 2 Cor. 7.10 11 12 13. as the Furâ—â—â— takes away the drosse from the silver so doth godly sorrow worke strange effects in the soule Now although wee cannot seâ— unto you â—ow deepe 〈◊〉 should bâ—e 〈…〉 â—eithâ—râ—eaâ— wee say as â—â—od doth to the Sea â—ither to shall you goe and no fâ—â—ther 〈…〉 yet may wee set downe some things in generall which will be very necessary for 〈◊〉 to know â—aâ— 10.12 Aâ— first it must be as grâ—ut as worldly sorrow 2 Cor. 35 24 yea as the greatest worldly sorrow therefore it is compared to the bitter lamentation that is for an onâ—ly childe and for a maâ—s first horne and like that healty mourning that there was for Josiah in the valley of Megidoâ— Now look how you have seâ—ne at any time a disconsolate Father bewaile the losse of his sonne 〈◊〉 David did for Absalon in that 〈◊〉 complaint of his O Absolon my sonne my sonne or a distressed Mother mourning like Râ—â—hel for her children because they were not Even such should be our sorrow for our sinnes that our sinnes have so deeply offended God Therefore it is prophesied Ezek. 7,16 that they shall bee on the mountaines like Doves of the vallies every one mourning for his iniquity Now whereas some poore soule may bee troubled at this and say Alas I never found any such affection in the for sinne as I have found for such a losse therefore wee must distinguish betweene dolor sensitivâ—â— dolor aprâ—â—iativus in respect of sense the body passions may be more troubled at an outward losâ—s because the object is more sensible and yet sorrow for sinne may be greater in respect of the price and worth of it shallow waters often make the greatest noyse whereas the deepe waters runne the more still Acts 2.37 so it is here this sensitive sorrow makes more noise and yet this sorrow for sinne goes neerer to the heart Jer. 4.3 and takes deeper impression there sometimes an aking tooth or some outward griefe doth vex and trouble a man more then a burning Feaver on the Consumption of the lungs and yet the later is far more dangerous then the former because the disease seaseth on the more noble parts so it is in this case godly sorrow keeping within the bounds of reason though it may be more secret yet it is more sound and every way as great or greater then the other 2. Consider of sorrow either intensive or extensive either in respect of the present force and intention of it and so worldly sorrow may be greater or else in respect of the constant duration and extent of it and so godly sorrow is greater water that is dammed up in a pond if you set open the water-gate it will runne more for a short time then the spring that feeds and filleth it so may worldly sorrow runne faster for a present gush and yet not comparable to the other in respect of continuance a pregnant example hereof wee have in David how did hee bewaile the immature and untimely death of his sonne Absalon O Absalon my sonne my sonne this was heavie for the present and yet his sinne that he had committed was heavier unto him in respect of continuance and therefore he saith that his sinne was ever before him Psal 51. he doth not say so of the losse of Absalon when Moses had smitten the Rocke the people dranke of the Rocke it followed them It is thought by Divines that this water followed them through the wildernesse till they came where there was plenty of water so if our hearts bee truely smitten with the rod of Gods word this sorrow will continue till we attaine to the vision of peace 2. Our sorrow must bee according to our apprehension and the greater that wee apprehend our sinnes to bee the greater should bee the proportion of our sorrow for them David had greatly sinned Psal 3 2.4 and therefore when he came to the sight of it he did wash his bed and water his couch with teares and his moisture was turned into the drought of Summer and when Peter had greatly offended bee went out and wept
bitterly A great wound must have a large plaister and a strong disease must have a strong potion so forasmuch as sorrow is the meanes to cure sin and acceptable to God above all sacrifices where sinne hath been great the sorrow should bee great also neither are â—â—sser sinnes to be neglected Peccatum quod non paeâ—itentia dilus tipsopâ—ndere in aliud peccatum trahit Greg. â—or there is no sinne so little but if it bee knowne it must bee repented of for if it be not grieved for then it will grow yea and bring Gods judgement on us too did not Eve bring all that misery on her selfe and us by eating of an Apple and was not Lots wise turned into a Pillar of Salt for a look backe unto her City did not Vzzah lose his life by onely touching the Arke of God nimis officiâ—sa seduliâ—as for too much diligence 2 Sam. 6.6 as it were therefore make not any sinne small but bewaile and leave them If it shall be said that there are many sinnes a man cannot know or if they be knowne yet peradventure we doe not conceive of them as we ought for answer hereunto first if that ignorance be not affected ignorance but after a sort invincible because using all good meanes to know it and yet it is not cleere to him in this case bewailing his knowne and unknowne sinnes will suffice and secondly for the other I answer that wee must know that how great soever we can conceive our sinnes to bee so great they are and greater according to thy feare Ps 90.11 so is thy wrath that is what feare you can conceive of Gods displeasure for sinne so it is that if your apprehension would swell higher you would still apprehend sinne to bee fouler and more ugly and odious in the sight of God and therefore measure out your sorrow according to tâ— he hither proportion rather then otherwise If it bee said how may this proportion be found out to this I answer that then there is some proportion when as wee are as deeply affected with sorrow for sinne as wee were raised and taken with the pleasure wee had in sin as it was said of the seven yeeres of plenty that was in the land of Egypt Gen. 41.31 that it should be forgotten by reason of the famine that was at the heeles of it so all the pleasure that a man hath taken in sinne is forgotten in regard of the griefe and sorrow of heart that we feele nay when hee takes as much pleasure now in mortification of sinne and his mourning for sinne as he tooke pleasure in sin it selfe nay he counts it all joy when he fals into troubles as these are because that hee knew after his sowing in teares hee shall reape in joy semper dolet de dolere gandet Ber. whereas his former pleasures would have beene the occasion of his future woe and misery Audacior qui cum uno peccato dermit quam qui cum septem hostibus Aug. therefore that speech was very good of him that said it that he was a more bold man that durst sleepe with one sinne unrepented of then with seven enemies 2. The nature of true sorrow may bee discerned in the qualities and properties of it as 1. Is that that makes men looke about them it makes them to seeke for helpe as those that were pricked in their hearts they said men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved Acts 2.37 as it was with those Lepers that lay at the gate of Samaria 2. King 7.3 How was S. Aug. weakned after his heart was broken for sin how doth hee seeke out for help he goes to Alipius his friend hee goes up downe and cannot bee freed withal his great words against himselfe quibus sententiarums verberibus me flagitavi Yet never was at rest but dryed out quam diu quam diu cras cras quare non modo quare non hac hora sini sturpitudinis mea c. Aug. Lib. 8. when there was famine within and foode without but in the Campe of the enemies these men are now in a sad condition if they stay there or tuâ—â—e into the City they die of the famine if they betake themselves into the Campe of the enemy it may bee they may live it may bee not yet in a case of this nature there is more wisedome to cast themselves upon a way wherein there is most hopes and so they saved their lives by it and are the messengers of good newes to all the City It is just thus with a broken heart and a sorrowfull spirit sometimes If I turne backe to my former condition then I shall but adde sinne unto sin if I stay here and remaine in this condition then shall I certainely perish and therefore though as yet I know not whether God will have mercie on mee and hold out his golden Septer unto such a vile sinner as I am yet will I goe venture my selfe and if I perish I perish beleeve it if you seeke thus you shall finde if you knocke thus it shall bee opened unto you for if there be any hope in a mercilesse enemy Matth. 7. there is more hope in a mercifull God on the other side security is a certain signe of impenitencie and of an unmortified nature 1 Thes 5.3 men are never nearer danger then when they are most secure while they cry peace Jer. 48.11 Luke 17.27.28 and are settled on their lees dreading of no danger then comes it upon them but now that which makes a man mourne for sinne puts him upon use of all good meanes to destroy this enemy and to favour no sinne though it bee never so deare unto us that we may follow the counsell of our Saviour that if our right hand doe offend us wee must cut it off and cast it from us yea and wee must spare nothing that wee may spare our soules Nulli parcas ut soli parcas animae crudelitas illa pietas Heir 2. This sorrow turnes all other sorrow into its owne nature as all the fresh rivers though they runne with forcible and strong currents into the Sea yet when they come there they are immediately turned into Salt so is it in this case all other sorrowes when they fall on a sanctified and a broken heart for sin he can turne them all into this channell and here they all change their qualities suppose hee finde losses in his estate by some bad servant or bad debtor or any casualty by Sea or Land the broken heart is not so much troubled at the losse it selfe nor at the persons that might occasion it as at his sinne which might bee the ground of it and so it was with David when Shimei cursed â—im 2 Sem. 16.10 behold he looked at himselfe and aâ—â— his sin and humbled himselfe before God because he knew that the Lord had sent him so we see it was with Job
that when Sathans malice was made manifest to the ful yet so as Iob looks hither in conclusion saith God gives and God takes whereas if he had looked lower hee might have said God hath given and the Devill hath taken but the humble spirit desires not to bee troubled with what the Devill or man can doe unto him because he knowes that they are but instruments and rods in Gods hand to correct his children withall therefore he falleth downe before God and kisseth his rod and cals upon his name and then the Lord harkens and heares and puts his teares into his bottle and in his good time will heale his soule In one word as it is said of the Philosophers stone that what metall soever it toucheth it turnes it into gold so is it with this sorrow that what crosse or disaster soever it doth meete withall it makes it an occasion to worke in him godly sorrow to repentance never to be repented of 3. It mends all it make up all breaches Esa 1.16.18 wash you make you cleane take away the evill of your doing which is done by this worke of mortification and mourning for sinne and then saith God let us reason together and then though your sinnes were as red as crimson I will make them as white as wooll herein is the excellencie of godly sorrow if you have losses in your estate or crosses by your children or injuries by evill men you may fit downe and sorrow till you can weepe no more but now halfe of this were it godly sorrow though your sinnes be as blacke as hell yet God will make them as white as snow if a man bee old the skill of all the Physitians cannot make him young againe but a man that is truely humbled for sinne the Lord Christ redeemes his life from death Verus penitens simper est in labore dolere delet de prateritis laborat pro futuris cavendis Ber. and renewes his youth like the Eagles that as they report of the Eagle that when shee growes old and cannot eate for the length of her bill with much adoe shee gets it broken and then fals to her meate as if she were young againe so it is in this case when wee have cast away all our abominations and our doings that were not good though with much adoe then shall we renew our lives as the Eagle and be made fit to sit among Christs guests at the marriage feast when he makes us a feast of fat things Isa 25.6 and wine when the lees are well refined 3. The third thing in this sorrow is how long it should continue to this we answer that as we sinne daily so wee must sorrow daily and because all sinne is not of one magnitude or proportion therefore it doth admit of degrees but if we speake of initiall mortification which is the thing chiefely in hand the first work that is begunne in the soule then I say 1. Wee must mourne till the generall frame of sinne be dissolved till the regiments of sinne be taken downe Judg. 14.17 Sampsons wise did never cease weeping untill shee knew his riddle so should wee never cease till we know-that our sinnes are dissolved and purged out Alasse what comfort can a man receive so long as hee remaines a slave to his hust 2 Sam. 12 20. and is under the Prince of darkenesse but now sinne is slaine in us and dead in us then we doe as David did when his child was dead hee then at oft from the earth and waâ—nt and anoâ—hed himâ—â—lfe and changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and then came into his own house and are bread when we find that this child that wee have begotten by our sinne is dead we should doe the like then cheare up your hearts and worship God that hath given you victory against it It was comfortable neves that was brought by the Angel unto Ioseph Mat. 2.20 Returne into the land Israel for they are dead that sought the young childs life so say 〈◊〉 it will be a great stay to our soules to heare that the body of death is dead within us that sought how to destroy our soules 2. We must mourne till he that hath wounded us shall come and heale us Hos 6.1 come say they let us returne to the Lord for he hath borne us and he will heal us he hath smitten us and 〈…〉 It 〈◊〉 an easie matter to wound but not so easie to cure and heale again it is the prerogative in this case that belongeth chiefely to God the flesh can vex us and Sathan can teare and trouble us and wound us but none of these can cure us againe but now God can as well heale as wound here is one thing further to be observed that the Prophet doth not say that sinne or Sathan hath wounded us and God will heale us but he hath wounded us and he will heale us and bind us up for a man may have these wounds by sinne and Sathan and yet no true ourâ— the cure that these Physitians can give us are of no value is either to cast a man into a deepe or rather a dead sleepe of security and harnesse of heart or to suffer him to fall into despaire and haâ—â—â— his owns and by an untimely death as Iudas and Iuliâ—â— did but where God once by his spirit smites the heart with true remorse for sinne then he is moved by the same shirit to seeke unto God for the cure of that wound as it was with Elisha 1 King 19 19. that after the Prophet Elia had put his mantle upon him he presently comes after him so whereas the Lord shall be pleased to works in us a true sight of our misery he never doth it without some hope of mercy that when we seele our burden we might likewise come unto him for case and comfort Psal 103.13 these are those comfortable speeches that as a father pittieth his owne children Mat. 12.20 so the Lord pittith them that feare him and that promise hee will not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoaking Flax c. and that exhortation Mat. 11.28 come unto me all yee that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you CAP. XIV Shewes thee other properties of Contrition viz. shame indignation and revenge THe next thing in contrition 2 Of shame is to be ashamed of our sinnes and to loath them for the more the heart is broken for sinne the more it is ashamed for it Job 42.6 as when Job saw himselfe in his colours then hee did abhorre himselfe in dust and ashes Ezeck 36.31 and the Prophet shewes that there should come a time when the Lord would smite the hearts of men that they should remember their owne evill way and their doings that were not good and should loath themselves in their owne sight for their iniquities and for
because God hee judgeth of a mans actions according to his heart which if that bee unsound then will all the actions bee no better Thence i◠the complaint made by the Prophet Es 33.31 they come unto thee as the people commeth and they sit before thee as my people they heare my words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love but their hearts go after their covetousnesse while men deale thus with God and behave themselves no better in his service they may not unfitly bee compared to the Water-man that while he roweth one way he lookes another wash your hands therefore yee sinners and cleanse your hearts Jam. 4.8 yee double minded men wash your hands by reformation and your hearts by true contrition otherwise you are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 double minded Mat. 12.33 therefore make the tree good and the fruit will be good therefore now if your heart be good so will your actions be for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh the hand worketh the eare hearkneth and the whole man moveth Therefore there must be great need of contrition to the end 4. Of the way that is made for Christ 4. There is a necessity of it in this regard in as much as it makes way for Christ to dwell in our hearts Esa 5.7.15 Luk. 14.15 when our blessed Saviour tels his Disciples whither they should goe and where hee would eate the Passe over you shall finde saith he an upper roome furnished and prepared there make ready for us so it is also in this case into what heart Christ intends to come and to make it his Chamber of presence Eph. 3.17 it must be prepared for him by true humility and contrition of spirit wash you make you cleane c. Esa 1.16.18 and then come saith God and let us reason together till then you are not fit to draw neare unto God When the people of Isreal had committed the great sinne in the making of a Calse the Lord tels them Exod. 3 3. that so long as they kept their ornaments on them it was in vaine to make suite unto him put off therefore saith he your ornaments Eph. 4.22 that I may know what to doe unto you so must we if we expect Christ to come into our hearts put off the old man which is corrupt by deceitfull lusts so long as lust rules and raignes in the heart so long Christ is kept out but now when by true contrition we cast away our transgressions and banish out the old inhabitants then Christ he will enter in and dwell there but first he will cast out buyers and sellers and money changers they shall not neast and rest themselves in his Temple he will cast out and overcome the world and our strong corruption and make us to abhorre and avenge our selves of our sins then he will say this is my house here will I dwell and I will establish it on such a foundation as the gates of hell cannot prevaile against CAP. XVI The third more neere degree of Mortification in the killing of sinne THe last degree of mortification is the slaying of sinne the execution of it whereby wee are said to bee crucified unto the world Gal. 6.14 that is I am not so low and vile in the esteeme of the world Rom. 6.6 but the world is as base and contemptible unto me the same Apostle shewes that the end why Christ was crucified was that the body of sinne might be destroyed What kind of death the death to sin is 1. This destruction and death of sinne is a lingering death a man dieth by degrees as the death of the Crosse was they hung a long while before they died and the more strength the longer so the stronger that sinne is the longer it will be a dying as it is with a man that doth beleager a strong forte and where stout and valiant men are they will suffer much penury and hardship and hardly bee brought to yeeld untill the last man so is it in such a case here is such a strong hold of carnall reasons and corrupt lusts set up within us and be fortified by Sathan and strong and desperate resolutions that it will bee a long time before wee can get the upper hand and the victory over them and when we have gotten the victory yet still they will trouble and disquiet our peace as the Lord would not drive out all those Nations from among the people of Israel Josh 23.13 but they were as thorns in their eyes and scourges in their sides and were not utterly cast out so may I say that these lusts they will be so unto us all that we can doe will be this not to suffer them to raigne and to weaken their strength by degrees 2. It is a painefull death to mortifie and to kill sinne it cannot be done without much paine hence it is called Circumcision Jer. 4.4 circumcise your selves unto the Lord and take away the fore-skinnes of your hearts that this was a sore and painefull thing may appeare in the sorenesse of the men of Sheehem the third day Gen 34.25 and by that speech of Zipporah unto Moses a bloody husband thou art Exod. 4.26 because of the Circumcision and indeed when we consider what prayers what teares what revenge and what wrastling it hath or may cost you you will say that there is need of much faith to defend your selves much skill in Gods word to offend your enemy and much patience that in the midst of this conflict that you may not breake out against God into impatient speeches Pro. 14 10. the heart in this case knows his owne bitternesse no man else can tell it nor is able to expresse it what sightings and feares within and what troubles without as that the poore soule findes such waves and stormes in his conscience that hee is like Noahs Dove knowes not where to rest his foote not where to rest his soule as you may see in the case of Job and Paul and many times strong Christians are not without strong assaults and conflicts the enemy when he is a dying is often the most desperate and sometime good men apt to bee surprized with spirituall pride and to thinke that either he is so good he ought not or so strong hee feareth not to be tempted in such a a case hee hath neede of a temptation that hee may the better know himselfe and seeke out unto Christ as they when they were tossed with the waves say help Master Mat. 8.26 or else we perish 3. Though sinne cannot be utterly subdued yet may it be greatly diminished and the power of it enervated and abated though the Cananites were not utterly subdued yet were they very low brought so sinne may by this worke of mortification be brought very low as it was with the widdow of Zarephta her store
undertooke any speciall office so Christians when they are made by grace Kings and Priests unto God they have this oyle of the spirit powred into their hearts our blessed Saviour confirmes this unto us in that speech to Nichodemus that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Ioh. 3.6 As Adam begot a man in his owne likenesse so the spirit it begetteth us like unto it selfe holy as it is holy heavenly as it is heavenly For the better understanding of the point in hand know that the spirit is to be considered 2. waies either according to its essence or according to his guifts graces now according to its essence and being it is every where it filleth heaven earth as it is excluded out of no place so neither is it included in any but in this sense wee can no more be said to have the spirit than other men and creatures can in whom and by whom wee all live move have our being Act. 17.28 but in the second sense in respect of its guifts and graces so some men are said in speciall to have the spirit as the spirit quickens 2 Cor. 3.6 and conveyeth a principle of life into us whereby wee live the life of grace and that is called spiritus inhabitans that takes up his seate in our heart and spiritus obsignans Iam. 4.5 that sealing spirit whereby the spirit witnesseth with our spirits that wee are the sonnes of God now in this sense we may be said to have the spirit Rom. 8.16 2 That there must by the helpe assistance of the spirit Mortifie the deeds of the body Ez. 36.27 a new bea rt will I give you and I will take away your stony heart c. that is that this mighty power of the spirit is that which will helpe forward to the taking away of this stony heart the Lord is said to wash away the filth of the daughter of Zion and to purge the blood of Jerusalem by the spirit of Judgement Esa 41.4 and the spirit of burning that is this spirit shall be in us and shall enable us to judge our selves and kindle such a fire in us as shall melt away the drosse of our corruption That you may the better understand what assistance it is that the spirit giveth unto us in this worke of mortification give mee leave to lay downe unto you these three things 1 By what meanes the spirit workes or helpeth forward this worke of mortification although I deny not but the spirit may can work where it listeth and when it listeth Ioh. 3.8 either by meanes or above meanes yet our taske is at this time to shew how it worketh by meanes 1 It awakeneth conscience it doth convince us of sinne and discovereth unto us the greatnesse of their number and the foulenesse of their nature thence it is that Christ when hee commeth doth convince the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement of sinne because they believe not on him that howsoever the guilt of the Law lye heavie Ioh. 16.8 9 10. and the weight there of as a penalty greater than a man can tell how to beare yet then to have added hereunto another conviction that is the conderâ—ning sinne of infidelity Ioh. 3.18 this doth much aggravate Mar. 16.16 and make sinne out of measure sinfull therefore it is that our Saviour Christ saith that he that beleeveth not is condemned already as if hee should have sayd if a man were a drunkard or a swearer or a profane person and yet if he can beleeve there is hope of pardon but so long as hee doth not beleeve there is no hope at all for as much as hee is without God and without the Covenant of Grace Eph. 2.12 now the spirit when it commeth convinceth our judgments of this till such time as the spirit hath done this wee are like Ionah fast asleepe in the bottime of the ship the sea rageth the Mariners rowe the waves beate the ship is tossed up and downe yet all this doth but rocke Ionah faster a sleepe Iona 1.6 till the ship-master comes to him and sayes What meanest thou c. thou sleeper arise and call upon thy God c. So it is with us while we are asleepe in our sinnes the heavie wrath of God hangs over our heads yea and the judgements of God are abroad in the world yet wee lye fast asleepe senselesse and secure not dreading any anger but now when this blessed spirit of Christ shall waken us and shew us the danger and aske us what wee meane to continue in this condition then wee beginne to bethinke our selves and to shake off sluggishnesse and to cast about for our owne safety Act. 9.1 2 3 4 5 6. Saul thought himselfe safe enough when hee was a persecutor and that authority that hee had from the High-priest was sufficient to beare him out that while hee did breath out slaughter against Christ Ioh. 16.2 he thought hee had done God good service till Christ caused a light to shine from heaven and a voyce saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee this indeed wakened him and made him shake and tremble and say Who art thou Lord and what wouldest thou have mee to doe by this meanes it was that Paul of a persecutor becometh a preacher had his corruptions and cruell dispositions changed in him that of a fierce lion hee became as meeke as a lambe 2 The spirit of Christ it setteth home the meanes that God useth for our mortification 2 Cor. 10.4 the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God it is God that puts vertue and strength into them now there are severall sorts of weapons that the Holy Ghost useth for this end as 1 The preaching of the Word of God it is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 it is called the two edged sword Heb. 4.12 that which is sharper that it cuts asunder the soule and the spirit the joynts and the maâ—row and discovereth the secret intents of our hearts 2 Cor. 4.7 but what is that that makes this word so powerfull Sure it is the Holy Spirit of God that doth it wee have this Word in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power might be of God and not of us it is not the Ministrie that can make the word virtuall and powerfull nor is it in the letter of the Word but in the spirit therefore when you come to the Word and heare it opened unto you 1 Cor. 3.6 doe not looke at the man who hee is nor the instrument but at the power which is from the spirit Saint Paul may plant Apollos water but it is God that must give the increase when it pleaseth God to accompany his word Ier. 23.29 with the influence of his spirit then is it like fire to purge out our drosse and like the hammer that breakes in sunder
our hard hearts that as Moses when he smote with his rod the rock Num. 2â— 1â— the water came abundantly so when God smites our hearts with the rod of his Word it is able to dissolve our hearts into teares and godly sorrow unto repentance not to be repented of 2 The spirit sets home afflictions and troubles to make them vertuall and efficacious to the subduing of our corruptions Zach. 13.9 I will bring a third part through the fire I will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tryed and they shall call upon my name and I will heare them c. When God takes us in hand then all the hurt that wee receive by our afflictions Esa 27.7.9 is the taking away of our sinnes all the fruit of their afflictions was to the end that thereby the iniquity of Jacob might be purged God suffered the bush to burn but yet it was not consumed because the Lord was in the midst of it The Finer is most carefull of his gold when it is in the furnace and so is God for our good in the time of our afflictions as he said periissem nisi periissem I had perished if I had not perished Many good Christian may say that if he had not had crosses and losses in the world hee had lost his soule We read of some of the Martyrs that have blessed God that ever they came to prison for Christ's sake that when they became mans bondmen then were they Christs freemen and could as comfortably feed on browne bread rouse in the straw as on a bed of downe What a marvellous change was wrought in Manasse 2 Chro. 33. from v. 1. to 14. who in his prosperity was most wicked hee fell to the Idolatry of the Heathen used inchantment witchchraft caused Hierusalem to swimme with blood yet in his affliction how did he humble himselfe greatly How mightily was hee then wrought upon how did his heart smite him Whence was this but from the spirit of God that perswaded his heart unto it for if that Gods spirit goe not at long with those afflictions that are on men they are never the better but the worse for them as you see it said of him that said because the evill was from the Lord 2 King 6.33 hee saw no reason to waite any longer and so it was of King Ahaz 2 Cron. 28. that in his extremity he sinned yet more and more therefore the Holy Ghost doth brand him with this infamous note this is that King Ahaz that is hee that afflictions could not mend nor make better And indeed when as it is so that affliction doth men no good it is to be feared that they have rejected the last remedy that God meanes to bestow upon them and God may say to them Why should I smite them any more Isa 1.5 3 The spirit setteth home examples of good men and maketh them meanes to mortifie our sinnes when wee see men weaned from the world upright in their waies charitable to the poore temperate in the use of the creatures holy humble and full of good fruits such a mans life when God pleaseth to set it on doth make other men repent and by seeing their good workes to glorifie God Shew thy selfe in all things a patterne of good workes Mat. 5.16 now a patterne is a rule for others to follow Tit. 2.7 examples teach sooner than precepts and are more easie to the undestanding to learne and also are more speedily taken into practice Longum â—ter por praecepta officaâ— breve per exemplu Sen. A notionall goodnesse is little worth unlesse some demonstration may be given of it in point of practice this wee read of Hezekâ—ah 2 King 18.3 that hee did walke in all the waies of his father David 2 King 22.2 and of Iosiah after him much more are godly mens examples very efficacious in their sufferings and in their deaths when the spirit shall joyne with them Iam. 5.11 as how hath the patience of Iob beene a patterne unto succeeding posterities Iob 1.21 wee want not many examples to prove how the blood of the Martyrs have beene the seede of the Church 2 King 6.22 23. If Elisha did so calme the Syrians by that example of patience and kindnesse so that they came no more to annoy and infest their land how much more may the patience of godly men perswade others to lay aside their cruelty and mortifie their strong corruptions CAP. XIX The manner how the spirit doth mortifie corruption COme wee now to the manner how the spirit doth mortifie corruption 1 The spirit sheweth the way how wee should mortifie the corruptions Esa 30.21 thou shalt heare a voyce behind thee saying this is the way walke in it When ye turne to the left hand or to the right it carries us through were it not for this assistance wee should either stand still goe no further or else turne aside either on the right hand to superstition Esa 50. to walke in the light of our owne sparkes and in the fire that wee have kindled or on the left hand to profanesse and to hardnesse of heart to commit iniquity with unsatiable greedinesse therefore that prayer of Moses should be ours Exo. 33.13 O Lord if I have found grace in thy sight shew me thy way now a man is theÌ„ in Gods way when hee goeth about his worke with carefulnesse Prov. 45.10 15. when a man devotes himself to his worke and takes pleasure in it as it was said of the Kings daughter that shee should forget her owne people and her fathers house which is a hard businesse and this was to be done chearfully and freely so when we do leave our dearest lusts Ioh. 8.44 and cast off the yoke sathan Eph 2.1 who is a father to the children of Belial and a Prince that raigneth over their consciences we must do it cheerfully as it is in the sweet song of Deborah Iudg. 5.2 who praised the Lord for the avenging of Israel when the people willingly offered themselves It is certaine that wee have then cause to blesse the Lord Deut. 20.5 6. when that God makes our heart willing to serve the Lord. It was a rule in the Law that if any man had builded a new house or planted a Vineyard or married a wife that hee should not goe to warre that yeare the reason was because that hee could not do it willingly out of that love and affection he had unto his present expectation of gaine and comfort lest that which hee had left at home might make him lesse willing to adventure his life or at least to turne backe before the battell was ended so any man that goeth to warre against his corruptions let him know this that if there be any thing in the world that his heart stands affected unto which maketh him
unwilling unto this service be sure of this hee is not fit to be a souldier against so potent an enemy no man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life 2 Tim. 2.4 then hee may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier as if hee should say if you be cumbred and entangled with the world you cannot serve God willingly and by consequent not please him 2 The spirit doth assist us in this way that wee doe the worke strongly when the iron is hard men put to the more strength this worke is hard and difficult therefore you must be strong that you may goe through Therefore is the prayer of the Apostle for the Collossians Col. 1.19 that they might be strengthened with all might unto all patience and long sufferings As it was said of Sampson when he came to the vineyards of Timnath Iudg. 14.5 6. that a young lyon roared against him and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him and he rent the lyon as a man should rend a kid so it is with us we have the old Lyon the devill that seekes to devoure us and were it not that the spirit of Christ should strengthen us with all might and enable us to overcome him 1 Sam. 4.9 wee could not stand before him as the Philistins encouraged one another saying Quit your selves like men that you may not be servants to the Hebrewes So say I to you be strong in the Lord and quit your selves like so many souldiers of the Lords Hosts that you may not serve sinne but fight out your Gods fight that you may be more than Conquerers and against your spirituall enemies 3 The spirit of Christ takes away those impecliments that would hinder this worke and disableth us from the performance of it 1 One great impediment that hindreth this worke it is ignorance when men doe not know those things that concerne their peace Luk. 19.41 for there is no true peace but where there is and hath beene this warre Many a man is like to some simple Country-man if some great and potent man lay claime to some part of his land though his cause be never so just yet he will rather lose his right than goe to Law for it so is it with many that they will rather lose their soule than contend against their corruptions they out of their ignorance thinke them too potent and too strong for them but now when the spirit commeth it shews that he is greater that is with us than he that is in the world and that they are cursed that goe not out to helpe the Lord against the mighty Iudg. 5.23 he doth comfort that as hee did Ioshua Iosh 1.5 that none of his enemies should stand before him nor be able to prevaile against him hee will be with us while wee are with him nay the spirit encourageth our hearts against this enemy 2 Cor. 15.2 as Caleb and Ioshuah did the Israelites Num 14.9 saying feare none of your spirituall enemies for their defence is departed frō them and God is not with them and doubt not but though thou canst not finally consume them yet thou shalt make a happy conquest against them 2 Another impediment is hardnesse of heart it is called an obstinate heart Deut. 2.30 because it doth refuse mercy Esa 6.10 a fat heart because it makes men insensible of their condition Zach. 7.12 a heart as hard as the adamant stone because it maketh men hate to be reformed Now when the spirit commeth it softeneth this hardnesse and takes away this resistancie Ez. 36.26 and gives us hearts that are of a melting temper and maketh the songs of the Temple to be sorrowfull Amos 8.3 and men to be affected with griefe as the sorrow of a travelling woman Hos 13.13 the sorrow of a woman in travell as it is most grievous so it is most comfortable in regard of the issue and event The mother forgetteth her sorrow because that a manchild is borne so this breach that is made into the rockes of our hearts though it be grievous unto us yet is it profitable in the issue for as much as this seed time of teares is seconded with an harvest of joy wee want not examples to make good this point What an obstinate heart had Manasses till the spirit of God brake it What a hard heart had Paul till hee was smitten by the spirit of Christ how was this Lyon then changed into a Lambe This is set forth by the Baptist Every valley shall be filled every mountaine and hill shall be brought low Luk. 3.5 and the crocked shall be made straight and the rough wayes shall he made smooth what is this but every man that is low in his owne eyes shall be raised by the spirit and every one that is high and lofty shall be humbled and such as walke in the crooked path of errour shall be reduced and walke in the straight pathes of truth in sincerity and such as have beene tough and obstinate shall be made plaine and passable by the spirit 3 The next impediment that hindreth a man from mortification is selfe-love I doe not meane that love which is naturall but that which is sinfull for no man ever hated his owne flesh but this is the property of sinfull selfe-love when a man shall love his body above his soule and himselfe more than his God and shall be at more cost and take more paines for the enjoyment of a base lust than to enjoy Christ now when the spirit comes it makes us to renounce all Heb. 10.34 and to follow Christ To suffer the losse of our goods and of our hopes as it was said of Bradford that for that he would not make one scratch with a pen Heb. 11.24.25.26 he lost all his hopes that hee might have had in this world and so did Moses refuse to be called sonne of Pharaohs daughter and to renounce the pleasures of the Court and the treasures of Egypt that hee might not lose the peace of his conscience nor dishonour his God nay it doth so make us our of love with our selves that neither father nor mother nor wife nor children nor our owne lives shall be deare unto us provided wee may but finish our course with joy 3. I come now to the third thing wherein I shall be briese namely the ends why the spirit may be said to assist us in this worke and there are two reasons of it 1. For to shew mans impotencie that we are not able to doe it of our selves a naturall agent cannot doe a spirituall worke who can bring a clean thing out of an uncleane Not one Who knoweth not that we are polluted and defiled with sinne and have disabled our selves of strength and ability to doe it Thence is that of the Prophet Jer. 10.23 I know that the way of man is not in himselfe
to hinder us in the way of the spirit the Asse in the Law was to have his neck broken and not be offered unto God and the reason was because it was a dull creature so it is in this case that the flesh is dull and heavie and if so bee wee bee not stirring and zealous in our way the flesh will draw us backe and keepe us so farre backe in the way to salvation as that we had need to wish that the Sunne and Moone might stand still in their stations as they did in the time of Ioshuah or else it is to be feared we shall come short of our expected journey to the Kingdome of Heaven nay in doing the worke of the Lord negligently instead of a blessing we procure a curse upon our selves Jer. 48.10 every sacrifice in the Law was to be salted with fire Mark 9.49 that is there was to be the salt of wisedome that they did performe duties with discretion so there must bee fire of zeale that the services may be living and vigorous Rom. 12.1 3. If you would not give liberty to the flesh give God his full due the more you give to God the lesse you have to give to the flesh â—ccl 12.1 give unto God the chiefe of your time remember him in the dayes of your youth because that is the most seasonable time to give unto God our first fruits and the beginning of our strength and it is the time of most certainety for it is as the spring and summer of our dayes it is most likely that we shall doe God most service then a man will put a man into his Vine-yard when he may doe him the most worke so if we waite on the Lord in the dayes of our youth it is most likely then wee shall bee set into our worke and such a worke as shall not be without a happie reward Secondly give the Lord the chiefe of your indeavours the end to which you came into this world is not so much to plow up your lands or to digge in the earth or to follow your trades and to cumber your selves with Martha about many things Phil. 2.12 2 Tim. 4.7 1 Cor. 15. but it is to worke out your salvation with feare and trembling and to fight out your good fight never be weary of well doing knowing that in due time you shall reape if you faint not I doe not say that men should neglect their callings for he that provideth not for his family is worse then an infidell but this I say that he that is so carefull for the world that hee doth neglect his soule and the service of his God is little better then an Atheist yet let me tell you that the plough that doth plow your grounds must rather stand then that which ploweth up the fallow grounds of your hearts and you must not spend so much time in your shops as there by to neglect the trade of your soules nor be so busie about your counting-bookes as to forget that great account that you are to make with God for howsoever this may bee good husbandry amongst men yet sure I am it is none of Gods husbandry as that Prophet said unto Ahab 1. Kieg 2.38.39 behold saith he there was in the battell a man committed unto me but on these termes that if I kept him not my life should goe for his c. but while I was busie here and there the man was gone so it is in this case that while a man is busie about this and that thing that a mans dayes are spent and hee drops into hell before he is aware and loseth his soule for the satisfaction of his lusts First labour in the last place to bee alwayes on the growing hand to adde unto your faith vertue to your vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance 2 Pet. 1.5.6 brotherly kindnesse love c. then he concludeth that if these things be in you and abound yee shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull That as the spirituall part doth increase so the flesh and corruptions they doe decrease and go down 2 Sam. 17.16 Though Vriah was a valiant man yet when he was set upon by strong men then he fell and was overcome so it is in this case that though corruption cannot be denied but to be a potent enemy yet when it is set upon by these graces it will fall and bee deprived of the power it hath CAP. XXI Mortification of sinne makes Christians live with comfort and die in peace 2 THis shewes unto us the way to leade a comfortable and a contented life and to die a peaceable and joyfull death it is chiefely when we finde the power of sinne mortified and subdued by us for what is it that will distract the minde and disquiet the conscience more then sinne will this is that one thing that doth separate God from us and us from God Es 59.2 and is the cause whereby we are plunged into so many feares and why our minds hang in suspence and that our hearts are often pierced through with many sorrowes wee would have fewer cares in getting of worldly things lesse feares in heaping them up and bee very little disquieted at their losse were it so that there were not in us a covetous heart Gal. 6.14 were we but crucified unto the world James 4.4 and the world unto us then would we be friends of God and this would follow that we would be at enmity with the world there would be no heart burnings James 4.1 1 Pet. 3.4 nor malicious speeches and cruell deeds were it not from those lusts that warre in our members were there a meeke and a quiet spirit which is much esteemed of God while Acan was in the campe and his sinne not discovered nor found out there was no peace to the campe nor power to prevaile against the enemies but when he was discovered and justly punished then they went on and prospered so likewise while sin is not acknowledged nor a holy revenge taken against it so long there is no peace in the conscience but if that our hearts be once wrought to a holy indignation for our offences then feare not but there is way made for the entrance of that peace of God which passeth all understanding therefore if we would have that peace that is fraternall among brethren or that which is internall in our owne hearts or that which is eternall with God for ever then mortifie our lusts which are the causes at the first to deprive us of our peace and while they live will be fomenters of our discords but were they mortified this enmity that they have wrought could not live As Jonah said cast me out and the storme will cease so say I cast sinne out and there will be an allaying of all these garboiles that are in the world and making up of that breach betweene God and us they have a rule
in Law moritur causa cum corpore that if the man die the suite falleth so is it here that if wee die to sinne then this suite will fall betweene us and God where there is no wood saith Solomon the fire goeth out Proy 26.20 so where there is no talebearer the strife ceaseth what is this wood but sinne and what maketh so great a cry in the eares of God as sin doth therefore take away sinne and the contention will be at an end 3. The third instruction that we may observe hence is this that it is an hard thing to mortifie our sin it is as hard to finde out a disease as it is to cure it the Philistins did quickly over-come Sampson when they found where his great strength lay it is easie for a man in generall to say that he is a sinner and yet if you should runne over the Commandements and come to particulars he would cleare himselfe as not guilty of any and say as the young man did all these have I done and like the Harlot Mat. 19.20 Prov. 3.20 wipe her mouth and say I have done no wickednesse therefore your care must be to search out wherin the great strength of sinne doth lye and therefore we must labour to take the light of the word to direct us and desire God that he will give us the light of his holy spirit to open our eyes that we may bee able to see and know our owne sinfull hearts and when wee have found it set upon this worke with courage and resolution 1. Againe another thing that makes sinne so hard to be mortified as that marriage that is made betweene sinne and us Rom. 7.4 after the people of Israel had mixed themselves among the Heathen and made marriages with them they were wonderfully hard to be brought to leave them Ezr. 10. so when as a man is married unto his lusts so it is a hard thing for a man to leave them but now for a man to kill his wife this is much more difficult It was a hard matter to flesh and bloud for Abraham to sacrifice his sonne and yet at the commandement of God he did it so must we doe our obedience to God must exceed our love of our sinnes though the matter be difficult yet it must be done as Iephtah when he had made a vow unto God though it turned afterward to his great griefe so to part with his onely daughter yet saith he I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot goe backe so may we though that we finde the matter to be hard that we are about to doe to leave that we love so dearely yet resolve and vow against it and when we have so done then say as he did I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and I cannot goe backe nor can I alter what is gone out of my mouth 3. Another thing that maketh this worke of mortification hard and difficult is the close adherencie that sin hath unto us it winds it selfe so about us as the Ivy doth about the tree till it eate out the heart and sap of it so is it in this case corruption doth cleave unto us so as it is very hard to be freed from it 2 Sam. 2.21 Abner when he fled from Joah was so followed by Hazael that he had no way to be freed from him but by sheathing his speare in his bowels so it is in this case there is no way to be freed from these corruptions but by slaughter of them they will not be driven away with neither faire nor foule speeches you may scare away a dogge with harsh speeches but you cannot doe so with a Lion sinne is of the brood of the old Lion the Devill that will not bee easily driven away nor over-come therefore seeing it is that doth so beset us and doth cleave so hard unto us Heb. 12.1.2 let us shake off every thing that presseth downe and sin that doth disquiet us but how looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith as they that looked on the brazen Serpent were cured of the sting that they had received of the fiery Serpent so it is in this case when we looke up to Christ he it is that can onely stanch this bloody issue that sinne hath made in one word frequent the meanes that God hath appointed for curing of your soules John 17.17 the preaching of the word when you come with faith then there is hope of purging the word hath a cleansing power in it as the poole of Bethesda when it was troubled John 5.4 it had a healing vertue in it Chap. 22.4 so our hearts when they are troubled by the word God heales by it CAP. XXII Our weaknesse appeareth in this that we need the helpe of the spirit THis should teach us to take notice of our owne weakenesse and how without the spirit of Christ wee can doe nothing We beare about an ignorant mind a perverse will violent pasions that have in them an aptitude to all sin and wickednesse that as Adams actuall sinne corrupted his nature so our nature on the other side corrupteth and defileth our actions so as the streame cannot be good because the fountaine is corrupt fall wee may but rise wee cannot wee may plunge our selves deepe into the pit of finne but to recover our selves hoc opus hic labor est this is a worke beyond our strength wee cannot contract uncleannesse upon our selves but when wee have done wee cannot wash it off and though we should use never so many outward meanes to that enâ— yet were it not that the spirit goe along with us though we wash our selves with snow-water Iob 9.31.10.1 our own garmeÌ„t would defile us and make us uncleane Therefore it will be necessary that wee should examine whether we have the spirit of God yea or no which will be able to helpe up and beare us out in this businesse 1 It is the spirit of wisedome that doth enable us How you may know that you have the spirit to lay a sure foundation and to make such battell against the strong holds of sinne as these our lusts and corruptions cannot be able to withstand 2 Tim. 1.7 we have not received the spirit of feare but of power of love and of a sound mind where there is this sound mind there must needes be power and love such is the force of the spirit that it is set out by the rushing of a mighty winde and by the fire a mighty element so as nothing that is combustible can stand before it Now when God shall say awake O North Can. 4.16 and come thou South and blow upon my garden when he shall call the spirit of bondage which is as the North wind to terrifie and amaâ—e us for our sinnes and then shall send his spirit of adoption as the South wind to make us fruitfull in repentance and in the
I done unto thee Mich. 6.2 testifie against mee now when we heare God to shew so much discontent in his be wayling of our sinnes it should be a strong motive to make us to be waile our owne sinnes and offences against God 2 Consider that sinne is it that doth separate God from us and us from him thence it is that sometimes God hath left his people Ier. 12.7 I have forsaken mine house I have left mine heritage and delivered the dearly beloved of my soule into the hand of mine enemy It must needs be a great matter that makes a man to leave his house and forsake his heritage either the house stands nâ—eâ—e untoward neighbours or it is in a bad soyle the water is nought the ground barren or else it could not be a man would leave it so here when a man spends his life among notorious and wicked men and shall be like the unfruitfull ground Heb. 6.7.8 that bringeth forth nothing but thornes and bryers then it is to be feared that the Lord will leave him and will pull down the hedge of his providence and cause all the beasts in the field to come and devoure Esa 5.4 now when we see that Christ and sinne will not comply together O labour then to mortifie your corruptious that separate God from us and us from him and hinders good things from you 3. Consider those grievous punishments which have fallen on men by reason of sinnes both on whole Nations and on particular persons see how the foundations of the great deepe from below and the windowes of heaven from above were set open by the sinnes of those times how the clouds contrary to their nature dissolved into a shower of Brimstone and fell on that sinfull City in one word wherefore was Kain smitten with such feares and Herod smitten with wormes was it not for sinne Lastly if God would ever have spared any hee would have spared his owne sonne but Christ undertaking to become sinne for us he must not be spared but must suffer a sorrowfull and a shamefull death for that cause sure then if God have beene ever so severe that he would not spare sinne it should be our care that we should not spare it 2. Consider that if you doe not mortifie your corruptions then you are first under the power and servitude of Sathan he that walketh in sinne is a servant of sinne and while he promiseth liberty to himselfe Ioh. 8.34 he becommeth the servant of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 for of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought in bondage for as it is with a servant hee doth not his owne will but the will of his Master so is it with a man that is in bondage unto sinne and Sathan is servant thereunto as it is with a ship when the Rudder and the Anchors and Masts are broken that it is carried whether the tempest will force it so deplored is a man that is unmortified he is carried whither the flesh and Sathan will have him led captive he is at his will but were the power of sinne mortified we should finde that these temptations would fall from us as the Viper from Pauls hand and would not prevaile against us Suppose a man have a strong house and great fortifications about it yet if there be but a servant within that can unlocke and unbolt the doores there is no safety there so suppose there be never so many good gifts in a man yet if hee have his corrupt nature unmortified be assured of this then that there is one within you that will let in Sathan who will seduce you to sinne 2 If you doe not mortifie sinne Sathan will make your soules his lodging For as a mortifi'd and a sanctifi'd heart is the seat of the Holy Ghost so also an unmortified and an uncleane heart is the seate of Sathan When the spirit of God departed from Saul 1. Sam. 16.14 then an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him so it is in this case that if Christ by his spirit dwell not in you Sathan will take place as it was said of Babylon that shee was the habitation of Devils Rev. 18.2 and the kennell of every foule spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull bird so a man that is not purged from his sinne the strong man keeps the house and all kind of lusts swimme in him now then that these great enemies and these noysome and hurtfull lusts may be destroyed labour to mortifie your corruption then will all these your enemies be driven away by the breath of the spirit of Christ and the brightnesse of his comming 3 In regard of our selves if we doe not mortifie sinne we cannot be but great losers by it Heb. 6.7 untill then the word is unprofitable it falleth upon us till it mortifie corruption as the raine that falleth on the barren ground it bringeth forth nothing but bryars and thornes fit for cursing so all the gaine that you have by the hid treasure of the holy Word of God and this pearle of the Gospell it is but the aggravation of your sinne and a savour of death unto you so that this word that killeth sinne in others doth but ripen them in you and this word that is wholsome nourishment unto others is but a potion of death unto you 2 Untill sinne be mortified you can have no true peace in your consciences Esa 57. ult the wicked saith God have no peace as Iehu answered the King when he said Is it peace Iehu what peace saith he so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iesabell and her witchchrafts are so many so say I what peace can there be as long as lust and the body of sinne doth remaine what peace can there be in the heart of a man As it was said that in the dayes of Shamgar the high wayes were unoccupied and travellers walked through by-wayes Iudg. 5.6 till I Deborah arose c. sountill such time as sinne is purged out there is no peace but warre no walking in those wayes of grace and peace till there be a mortification of sinne as you see it is when that the high wayes are pestered with robbers there is no safety to passe in or out so when the high-wayes of piety are pestered with lust so as the passages are stopped and there will be no security untill such time as that these be cut off but if that you can come to slay and destroy these enemies that doe way lay and fight against the soule I say then you may walke in safety and the truth is were we not enemies unto our selves we need to feare no enemy our greatest and most desperate enemies are those of our owne house even such lusts as have their breath and breeding in our owne hearts 3 The last great losse that wee doe sustaine by want of mortification is the losse of our soules which is the