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
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
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
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
of the wicked Psalm 58.10 And how great joy will that bee when as a Christian shall see the revenge upon his sinnes that they that were his enemies are fallen before him it is hard unto flesh and blood to be thus cruell especially against himselfe as to turne his mirth into mourning his howers of recreation into times of devotion to beate downe his body by fasting and to afflict his soule with shame and sorrow This I say is difficult but yet 1 Sam. 6.10 if you would overcome nature you must become in this thing unnaturall as it was said of those two Kine that had their calves taken from them that were appointed to draw the arke of God they went along the high way lowing as they went untill they came to the coasts of Israel a strange thing it was and it may seeme to be unnaturall that they should leave their calves and do thus yet they did it because it was Gods worke so I may say that though this may seeme unnaturall and a kind of cruelty yet we must set upon it because it is Gods worke Ps 137.9 happy is that man that takes these brats of Babilon dashes their heads against the stones for in not pittying of them he pittieth his soule CAP. XV. Shewing the great necessity of contrition which is fourefold 1 A necessity of thâ— precept 2 THe second thing is the necessity of a broken heart In point of mortification there is necessitas precepti of Gods command hee hath commanded us to doe this duty hee hath commanded us to mourne they should weepe as a Virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth and so turne to the Lord Ioel 1.8 where there is the greatest love there should be the greatest sorrow now the first love is the greatest love and therefore the first losse doth require the greatest sorrow 1 Which doth shew unto us that nothing should be more grievous to us than our sins seeing God hath commanded it as a thing necessary to this worke why should wee not do it Againe we are enjoyned shame thence it was in the Law that when they had transgressed the Commandements of the Lord Neh. 9.1 they used to put sackcloth on their loynes Ier. 4â— â—7 and powre ashes on their heads being tokens of shame and sorrow Againe Psal 39.3 we are commanded to before displeased with our sinnes Davids heart was hot within him and the heart of Iosâ—ah was melted at the abominations of those times and the great transgression against Gods Law this is that the Lord doth require Lastly that there should be a holy revenge I suppose that vow of of the Nazarite that he should abstaine from wines and from the huskes of the grapes was chiefly ordained as holy revenge upon occasion of the abuse of the good creature of God Now whatsoever God commandeth us that is necessary but you see that God hath commanded us to labour for a contrite and a bleeding heart therefore it is necessary as the servant of Naaman the Syrian said unto him 2 Kingâ— 5. â—3 If the Prophet had bid thee doe some great thing wouldest thou not have done it how much more then when he saith to thee wash and be cleane so say I if God should command you some great thing for the mortification of your sinnes and the salvation of your soules suppose it were to goe bare-foot to Jerusalem or to bestow all your goods on the poore or give the first borne of your body for the sinne of your soule would you not do it how much rather then Psal 51.17 when hee saith onely this that a broken and a contrite heart shall stand instead of all these 2 There is necessitas medii a necessity of the meanes 2 Of the meanes it is a speciall meanes that this body of sinne may be subdued for as it is with water when it overflowes the ground it drives out moles and wormes and other such creatures 2 Cor. 7.11 as do infest and annoy the ground and eate up the rootes of plants fit to become food for man so it is with true contrition it doth so overflow the heart with godly sorrow as that it drives out these troublesome Inhabitants that doe annoy our spirits and would spoyle those good beginnings of grace in us therefore put wee our selves on the meanes and stand not like the hand that is set up to guide us the way and yet moves not it selfe But if wee know these things blessed are wee if wee doe them if you say that to doe thus is troublesome to flesh and blood I answer it may be so but as we say that sometimes the things that are not the most toothsome are very wholsome and good so howsoever they may be some trouble yet so long as this trouble doth free us from a greater trouble all is well it is better to mourn here wher wee have comfort than to mourn and burn in hell where wee can neither have ease nor remedy Againe our comfort will recompence our trouble for every houre of grief shal be recompenced with thousands of yeares of joy and consolation when a man hath beene ten thousand yeares in heaven and then shall looke backe and consider what a short time of sorrow it was that he endured and withall how many millions of yeares are behind which can never expire I conceive it will not repent him that he hath repented nor grieve him that hee hath mourned In one word this necessity is confirmed by the practice of such as are gone to heaven already as Saint Paul that did struggle with his corruption and beat downe his body Num. 7.27 and Saint Peter and David and the rest 1 Cor. 9. And it is prophesied of the people of God that they should goe weeping to seeke the Lord Ier. 51.4.5 and should aske the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying come let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten Comfort your selves therefore in the use of good meanes for your passage through the valley of Baca Psal 84.6.7 or valley of mourning is to meet the Lord in Sion 3 Of our actions 3 It 's necessary in respect of all our actions that they may be right it is necessary that they should come from such a heart as hateth sinne Psal 66 1â— For if I regard wickednesse in my bea rt the Lord will not heare my prayer now a man is said to regard wickednesse when the parting with it is grievous unto him as it was when Abraham was bidden by Sarah to cast out Ismael Gen. 21. the matter was very grievous unto him because he did regard and love him so it is when we respect and love our sinnes wee will be loath to part with them and then know that what action soever you doe Luk. 16.15 you cannot please God The reason is
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