of the soule whereby it is apt to coozen it selfe that makes one thinke I will goe where I shall meete with strong prouocations to sinne but yet I will not sinne Now the consent which was secret and as it were implicite before so soone as occasion and tentation haue stirred corruption growes manifest and open and shewes it selfe and so a man sins when he thought but he thought amisse that he was resolued not to sinne Betwixt a resolution to doe a thing whereby the will doth chuse and a resolution not to doe it whereby the will doth refuse there is a middle kind of action an irresolutenesse a suspence neither chusing nor refusing but betwixt both Now this indifferency of the will is halfe a yea and hee that makes halfe a grant when none importunity doth presse him will make a full and totall grant when hee shall be as vpon such occasions hee shall bee importunately vrged and it is sure that a man neuer doth wittingly put himselfe vpon occasions of euill vntill hee bee at least irresolute whether to doe it or not Wherefore euery Christian man must be wise for his soule and not alone determine to forbeare all things that are sinfull and flatly condemned but if hee haue found by his owne experience that such and such things in themselues indeed lawfull are to his corruption strong prouocations to euill hee must also determine to deny himselfe in these things also In one word this direction is so necessary that all the labour in the world will not subdue sinne if it bee not backed with this part of circumspect walking For if the heart be hollow nothing will make it strong against sinne and euery mans heart is so far hollow as he is willing to play with the occasions of sinne CHAP. VIII Shewing two spirituall meanes of Mortification Prayer and Meditation THese are the naturall meanes of mortification which of themselues wil represse sin and a little abridge it of its liberty of walking abroad but kill it of themselues without the spirituall they cannot These spirituall helpes are foure Prayer Meditation Feare of our selues and Watchfulnesse By Prayer wee get strength from God by Meditation we become Gods instruments to worke strength in our selues by Feare and Watchfulnes we put to vse the strength which we haue gotten Frequent and feruent prayer needfull to mortifie sinne First then if we will kill sinne we must be frequent and feruent in prayer vnto God against sinne and what particular sins wee are most molested with and had most need to beate downe those we must assaile most often and earnestly with our prayers Now when I say prayer I meane prayer and all the parts and additaments of it If a man had neuer sinned he should need onely petitions and thankesgiuings but hauing sinned he needs also confession and lamentation to be ioyned with the former as it were buttresses to the wall of the house to make it stand stronger and a staffe to a weake leg to make one goe the more stedfastly So all these parts of prayer must be vsed 2. We must plainly acknowledge and hartily bemone our selues in Gods bosome for our sinfulnesse and wickednesse of heart and life and with all due aggrauations and condemnings of our selues must lay open before the Lord the corruptions and vices that we find in our selues confessing withal that we are weake and feeble and slaues to sinne and of our selues cannot subdue them and so with the heauiest hearts that we can lament our miserable weaknesse Looke what Iehoshaphat did when he heard of the comming of the Lubims and Ethiopians against him and his people the same must we doe when we see the innumerable troupes of corrupt lusts that do seeke the destruction of our soules 2. Chron. 20.12 We haue no might saith that worthy King against this great company that comes against vs neither know we what to doe but our eyes are vpon thee So must the Christian soule sigh out its complaints before the Lord often O I haue no might to ouercome all these strong lusts and by name such and such that fight against mee daily and I cannot tell what to doe but Lord mine eyes are to thee 3. Then must hee take to him petitions and requests begging helpe from heauen crying earnestly for the Spirit of God to helpe him for by the Spirit alone can wee mortifie the deeds of the body vrging and inforcing vpon the diuine Maiesty all his comfortable promises which he hath written in his Word Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for you are not vnder the law but vnder grace Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Rom. 8.2 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath freed me from the law of sinne and death And specially that excellent branch of the new Couenant Heb. 8.10 11. They shall all know me from the least to the most and I will put my law in their hearts and in their minds will I write them and so suing with the greatest feruency of desire that he can attaine say O Lord performe these promises O let no wickednesse haue dominion ouer me O make me sound in thy precepts O incline mine heart vnto thy testimonies and not to such a sinne When God is thus importuned by the cries and prayers of his seruants hee cannot but stirre vp himselfe and come and helpe them and heare the voyce of their prayers when they cry vnto him When Israel felt the oppression of their outward enemies and cryed vnto the Lord as it is often noted in the booke of Iudges the Lord had pity vpon them and raised them vp a Iudge and a deliuerer shall he not bee much more attentiue to the voyce of their supplications when they cry vnto him against pride vain-glory lust wrath and those spirituall enemies that seeke to oppresse them Certainly the Lord will remember and will vp and helpe and set them at liberty whom sinne and Satan had insnared 4. And to the two former must bee added praises and thankes for the helpe already receiued If one finde that hee hath gotten some power against his sinne that hee hath more ability to oppose the lusts of it that hee is seldomer ouertaken with any breaking forth of it then before that he hath been able to withstand some notable tentations to it in a word that the force of it is in any measure abated hee must returne with the praises of God in his mouth and triumph in God that hath helped him so farre against his spirituall foe The Lord deserueth praise and lookes for praise of his Saints for treading downe those lusts that rise against them and it is a seruice very pleasing vnto him when we offer the facrifice of thankes Yea it doth exceedingly animate our selues to this battell if we take notice that wee haue in some degree preuailed and with the voyce of
man stirre but he shall meete with them Lying deceite fraud and guile are become amongst the necessary ornaments of a good chapman and one cannot liue without them now-a-dayes Presumption stoninesse of heart and turning Gods Grace into wantonnes are euery dayes faults O Lord God we are a most wicked and sinfull Nation and people and should not my soule mourne for this O how art thou dishonoured and thy Lawes broken and thy Spirit grieued and should not my soule weepe bitterly for this Consider the grieuous punishments that must come if mourning preuent not And when thou hast thus called to mind the sinnes of the Land represent also to thy selfe the iudgements that must come vpon vs for them and say Lord what shall we do in the end thereof Thy patience will not alwaies last thy grace will not euer striue with vs Iustice will not suffer thee to bind thine hands for euer with the cords of long suffering yea the Lord must needs arise at length in furie and indignation and stirre vp himselfe in wrath to come and comfort himselfe and ease his soule by taking vengeance on such a Nation as this Hee must giue our Cities to the spoyle our houses and Churches to the fire and all our goods to the deuourer He must hisse for his Flie against vs bring vpon vs as he threatned and brought vpon Iudah his foure great Armies to destroy Sword Famine Pestilence and the teeth of euill beasts to deuoure He must lay vs waste and desolate and cause vs to dye of grieuous deaths and cast our carcasses into the open streetes as dung on the face of the earth that there should be none to burie or to lament He must fill vs full of wailing and howling and bitter lamentation Did not Iudah escape that had lesse light and fewer meanes and can England escape that hath the light of the Gospell as much exceeding that of the Law as the Sun-shine doth the Moone-light And now thinke with thy selfe that thou beholdest God sending scarcenesse amongst vs and euery body feeble and languishing Thinke that thou sawest the Pestilence leaping in at our houses and sweeping away whole Families and Townes till there bee no buyer Thinke that thou seest the insolent foe breaking in vpon vs and with drawne Sword filling euery place with feare slaughter death and desolation and then say O the slaine of the Daughter of my People the Waster wasteth without the Sword within Famine and Pestilence for all these things must as assuredly come vpon England as euer they came vpon Ierusalem If enow doe take vp the taske of mourning wee may escape them in our dayes but if we doe not preconceiue them by the power of faith in Gods threats we shall surely feele them in the execution and when the generation of mourners for sinne is gone then will the time of howling for the punishment of sinne be here Thinke it not therfore a needlesse thing to anticipate a crosse and to make it present in imagination before-hand For particular afflictions wee must not drowne our selues in cares before they come but because we know that God hath denounced this vengeance and executed it on others and that his Iustice is the same still therefore we are sure it will come on this Nation also and that speedily if riuers of teares preuent it not Wherfore our best way is in the foresight of it to lament the sinnes that would procure it that so wee may not bee forced to feele it when all lamentations will be bootelesse This was preached vpon a Tuesday in Whitson-weeke Brethren will you spend some houre or two this day this idle day when others pipe and howte and drinke and dally and dance and adde to the heape of sinnes as you know the season beares will you I say thus meditate and pray and mourne and sigh and striue to send forth riuers of teares If you will blessed be those teares they shall doe good to your soules and good to your Countries good to the King and good to the Commons good to the Commonweale and good to the Church and good to the whole Land and all that dwell in it But alack I feare you wil not I feare we loose our labour Businesse businesse sports pastime cōpany some one or other such thing will steale your hearts away I feare for so it is vsually seene out of the Church into your houses and shops you goe some to your workes and some to your sports and neuer so much as thinke of what you haue heard neuer set vpon the practice of what you are exhorted to and so we preach in vaine and you heare in vaine and wee get nothing but our labour for our paines Now for the Lord Iesus sake doe not so this day but couenant with thy selfe that afore thou sleepest thou wilt forcibly breake thorow all occasions and find some one houre to take paines with thine heart and to frame it to some tendernesse of remorse that thou mayst be able once to say with Dauid Riuers of waters haue runne downe mine eyes because they kept not thy Law Say thou shouldest heare of the death of wife husband child friend would it not affect thine hart with some sorrow Let the tidings yea the hearing beholding of so many sinnes committed which doe more dishonor God then any crosse can hurt thee haue some power ouer thy griefes and shew that thine affections are not altogether carnall One or two teares shed for sinne voluntarily in the day of prosperitie out of a ture desire to shew our hatred of it and loue to God and out of a serious consideration of its spiritual filthinesse and hainousnesse is more worth then twenty teares shed in the day of affliction when a man cannot tell whether it bee the sinne or the crosse that procures his teares Now therefore addresse your selues to that vnwelcome taske of mourning to Nature I say vnwelcome but to Grace most welcome and if you cannot at first on-set get floods of teares yet if you can get but two or three teares or a few heartie sighes till another time that you may get more know that it is worth your labour good duties are done likely with much weakenesse and difficultie at first custome and continuance of doing must bring vs to more perfection be not discouraged because thine heart will bee hard and full vnapt to mourne when thou addressest thy selfe first vnto it but know that a good beginning is requisite in all businesses and he shall neuer finish any thing that will sit still and doe nothing because hee finds not all things answerable to his desires at first yea that man that laboureth to set his will vpon a pitch of sadnesse by offering to his mind fit thoughts for that purpose and so makes his soule heauy with the apprehension of that that is euill and naught shall be well accepted with God though he attaine not that melting that dropping that teare-flowing
A Care-cloth OR A TREATISE OF THE CVMBERS AND TROVBLES OF MARRIAGE INTENDED TO ADVISE THEM THAT MAY TO shun them that may not well and patiently to beare them By WILLIAM WHATELY Preacher of the Word of God in Banbury in Oxfordshire 1. Cor. 7.39 40. The Wife is bound by the Law as long as her Husband liueth but if her Husband be dead she is at liberty to be married to whom she will only in the Lord. But she is happier if she so abide after my iudgement and I thinke also that I haue the Spirit of God LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man 1624. TO THE COVRTEOVS READER GOod Reader Most grauely doth our Communion Booke admonish such as come to be married that they ought to enter into this estate not rashly lightly vnaduisedly to satisfie their carnall lusts and appetites like bruit beasts that haue no vnderstanding but discreetly aduisedly soberly and in the feare of God Needful it is that this counsel be sounded often in the eares of the vnmarried and not alone in that instant whē they are now about to consummate marriage For want of heeding this counsel how common is it and withall how mischieuous For men to offend in an ouer-sudden and ouer-hastie vndertaking of Marriage without the due meditation of two special things namely what be the duties of Marriage and what the difficulties it is as impossible to be well prepared for that estate as to flye without wings to goe without legs or to see without an eye yet scarce one man or woman of a number will put themselues to the paines of informing themselues beforehand of either of these two things Thus hauing blindly and headlongly cast themselues into marriage either not at all or with no firme and settled knowledge knowing what belongs vnto it what seruices they are called to performe what burdens to sustaine in it it followes as needs it must that with much hazzard to their owne soules and much vnquietnesse to themselues families and neighbours they proue vtterly carelesse of their duties and extremely impatient vnder their crosses Hence it comes to passe that marriage prooueth to many iust as the stocks vnto the drunkard into which when his head was warme with Wine or Ale hee put his foot laughingly and with merriment but a little after hauing slept out his Wine and cooled his head with a nap hee longs as much to get it out againe Hence it is that diuers houses are none other but euen very Fencing-Schooles wherein the two sexes seeme to haue met together for nothing but to play their prizes and to trie masteries Hence it is that many husbands and wiues doe fare almost alwayes as Iob fared when the Deuill had smitten his body with boyles and vlcers cursing their Wedding-day as much as he did his Birth-day and thirsting after diuorce as much as euer hee did after death Hence it is that many wedded people brooke their wedlocke in none other fashion then a dog doth his Chaine at which he neuer ceaseth snarling and gnawing that he may break it asunder and set himselfe at libertie Hence it is that the little child is no more wearie of his fine new guilded book now a little ouer-worne sullyed yea that the prisoner is no more weary of his gyues nor the Gally-slaue of his oares then many an husband of his wife and shee of him within an yeere or two and sometimes within a moneth or two after their wedding In a word from this fountaine such a streame of bitter waters doe issue as make the liues of a number in marriage like the soiourning of Israel in Marah where almost nothing could be heard but murmuring and complaining To redresse or preuent if it might be at least some of these many mischiefes I haue been bold as once Moses did cast a piece of wood into the waters of Marah to sweeten them so to publish already to the World some few directions about the duties of the married and doe now aduenture againe to put forth some other aduertisements about the troubles of Marriage Neither let it seeme superfluous to giue men tidings of troubles before they come seeing they are alwayes so much the better borne by how much they are more expected Men are indeed desirous to please thēselues rather with the sweet thoughts of comfort then to imbitter their minds with fore-fearefull conceits of miserie Also to a mind fully bent vpon a course disswasions proue tedious and hee that foretelleth inconueniences may seeme to disswade But let it be obserued withall that likely none doe meete with more crosses in marriage or beare their crosses more vntowardly then those that most dreame of finding it a very Paradise For they strange aboue measure at the cumbers they neuer fore-thought of and are put out of all patience by being so farre disappointed as to find thick mire and dirt there where they would tell themselues of nothing but faire and pleasant way And indeed none shew themselues lesse resolute in vnder-going miserie then those that make themselues most resolute to rush vpon it The same vices that breed stiffenesse in ones course will breed impatiency vnder the crosses that he meetes with in his course Wilfulnesse and frowardnesse grow like two euill branches out of one roote of folly But warinesse of mind in foreseeing and forefearing euill brings quietnesse of mind in bearing and sustaining euill and the expectation of miserie makes it at least seeme lighter because the mind is somewhat acquainted with it by contemplation When Israel would needs haue a King to rule ouer them as other Nations the Lord commandeth Samuel to testifie vnto them what should bee the manner of their King and so hee tels them what heauy burdens their much-desired Monarch should lade them withall No doubt it is as needfull for marrying persons to know what burdens their wedded condition is like to bring vpon them Wherefore I will make bold to foretel those that will enter into Marriage that they must make account in changing their estate to change for the lesse easefull and will aduise him that will follow mine aduice if not let him follow his owne mind and say ten yeres after whether was the better counsell To goe vnto Matrimonie with feare of the worst and to know before-hand that there grow Briers and Thornes in this way wheron he must needs tread that will trauaile in it Yet is not this written by me to make any man forbeare marriage whom God calleth vnto it nor to make men hazard themselues to wickednesse for feare of the cumbers of Matrimony but alone to make those willing to want marriage that may want it without sinne or hazard of sinne and to make men careful not to marry before God cals them to it and withall being called to fit themselues for it lest if they marry sooner or with lesse warines they discredit Marriage after a while as most do that are married by wishing themselues single
but rather the seeming contrary an eating in haste with staues in their hands So Neh. 5.13 when that holy man pronounced the curse against exactors in the making of a solemne couenant that they should cease their extortion he shooke his lap and said So let God shake him that doth not performe this couenant out of his house and labour No manner of precept for this signe and solemnitie in pronouncing a curse yet doubtles it was lawfull So Nehem. 11.27 Hee ordained a solemne dedication of the wall of Ierusalem and performed it with solemne Processiō of two troopes of the holy Musicians with their Instruments going one troope one way the other another and meeting both in the Temple Surely no such thing was appointed in the Law yet no man blamed this as a sinne So Dauid in remoouing the Arke vsed diuers solemnities for himselfe followed clothed in a linnen Ephod all the Musician attended also clothed in linnen Ephods and when the Liuites that bare the Arke had gone sixe paces he offered Oxen and Fatlings euen seuen Bullocks and seuen Lambs as appeareth comparing 2. Sam. 13. with 1. Corinth 15.27 the Law required no such number or order of offering no such garments either for him or them It is manifest then that if humane inuentions of these kinds bee not made parts of worship by any false doctrine or false opinion about them and neither bee such as for multitude or other consideration doe darken and obscure the seruice of God rather then adde any solemnity or celebritie to it they are not to be accounted vnlawfull Thirdly things in themselues lawfull but abused to superstition or Idolatry are not by the such abuse of them made vnlawfull to bee vsed of those that know the truth and are free from such abusiue conceite of them either in ciuill life or in the solemnities of Diuine Seruice For example Churches built and dedicate to Idols may lawfully be conuerted to the seruice of the true God and there is no necessitie of pulling them down and building other in their roomes Lying along on beds and feasting in that manner was greatly abused of the Romanes in their publike Idolatrie called Lectisternia yet the Iewes did keepe that gesture in their Passeouer and our Sauiour cōformed thereto yea though then many of the Romanes liued among them and they were vnder the gouernement of the Romanes Meate offered to Idols might be eaten at any feast saue in the Idols Temple yea at their Loue-feasts which were accustomed to be made when they met to receiue the Lords Supper for now to the pure Tit. 1.15 all things are pure and now it is lawful to become all things to all men yea to him that is without Law 1. Cor. 9.21 22 to bee made as without Law which could not bee if his abusing of a lawfull thing to superstition made it vnlawfull for me to conforme with him in that thing For indeed the strict and precise commandement whereby God did inioyne the Iewes to shun the customes of the Gentiles euen in things otherwise lawfull because by them abused was proper to the times of the Law as being part of that partition wall which Christ hath broken downe that hee might make of both one Fourthly scandals offences inconuenient effects and consequents doe not proue any thing to be vnlawfull but alone inexpedient and cannot conclude that such and such a thing may not lawfully be done but alone may not in such a place at such a time before such a person bee conueniently done and so not the thing is vnlawfull but the doer sinneth in doing a lawfull thing vnexpediently Eating meate offered to Idols would scandalize some weake ones yet the Apostle neuer condemnes it as a sin to eate meate offered to Idols yea he allowes to eate whatsoeuer is set before a man but he saith To him that eateth with offence to him it is sinne Rom. 14.20 Therefore consideration of such scandals cannot beare a man out in not doing what the Magistrate commandeth Scandall should cause me to forbeare alone in things left to mine owne wil and choyce but in things commanded by a Gouernor I must not so farre heede scandals as not to submit my selfe for this at least appearance of disobedience is worse then any scandall A scandall is properly the abuse of Christian libertie through vndiscreete and vncharitable doing of a thing in it selfe lawfull without regard of my neighbours hurt that may come thence Now when I am commanded by authoritie of Gouernours to doe a thing lawfull then doe I not either vndiscreetly or vncharitably vse my libertie but according to the bond of conscience laid vpon me by God wherefore to be offended at my so doing is an vndiscreete and vncharitable part of him that is offended Fifthly things that haue a generall allowance by Gods Word without restraint or limitation may lawfully and warrantably bee applied by mens appointment to any particular time place and action that they shall see fit so to apply them For example To sing a Psalme is sufficiently warranted in Scripture therefore it is lawfull to ordaine that a Psalme shall be vsually sung before or after Sermon neither can any man find fault with such order as if it were will-worship So to pray is warrantable by the Word therefore to make an order that Ministers shal make a praier before or after their Sermons or both is not sinfull nor cannot bee blamed as a matter of voluntarie Religion though in all the writings of the Prophets and Apostles we neuer reade to my remembrance that either Christ himselfe or any Prophet or Apostle did so So to adore Christ by bowing of the knee vnto him is lawfull and hath generall warrant out of the Word of God as all yeeld for to me shall euery knee bow is a thing that God hath sworne therefore it cannot but follow that to bow the knee to him in the act of receiuing the Sacrament is also lawfull for generals not limited by God doe giue our consciences warrant to their vttermost generalitie so farre as they may not dash against some other Commandement These directions Brethren I am bold to propound vnto you as vndoubted truths so farre as my iudgement reacheth and O that God would please to settle you in your iust freedome of conscience the enioying whereof would be no lesse comfortable profitable vnto your soules then the walking at large without hauing chaines vpon your legs is delightfull and beneficiall to your bodies And Lord now guide all our minds in such sort by thy good Spirit that we may know what chearefull liberty thou dost vouchsafe vs and may not sinne against thy soueraigntie by false-imprisoning our consciences without thy warrant CHAP. IV. Containing the second doctrine Doct. 2 BVt Igoe forward to note what the Apostle principally teacheth and that is plaine enough in expresse words Marriage is a lawfull ordinance for all sorts no vnmarried man shall sinne by marrying
some inward or outward occasions so neither is there likely terror amazement disquietment in the conscience till the lusts of the soule haue disordered it for want of holding them vnder so that as warre abroad is found to be a present remedie against ciuill dissentions of subiects so warre with sinne is the cause of our tranquillitie with our selues When clouds are dispelled the beames of the Sunne will shine comfortably vpon the earth and then the earth is richly garnished with pleasant and profitable herbes so when sinne is chased away the warme beames of Gods fauour doe sweetely refresh the conscience and the conscience so refreshed doth bring forth the sweet and wholesome flowres of vnspeakable consolatiō The Spirit of God wil tell our spirits and our spirits will tell vs that God is our Friend and Father that he loues vs and delights in vs so long as we be haue our selues to sinne as to an enemy hating loathing and resisting it Thus are we most friends to our selues when wee bee most foes with our corruptions And this fighting with sinne will make vs liue quietly also with our neighbours Hee that is busie in finding out and subduing his home-bred corruptions shall haue little or no leasure to take causelesse vnkindnesses to picke needlesse quarrels and to prouoke others against him by iniurious behauiour so shall hee shun the greatest company of iarres and brawles that vse to set men together by the eares Saint Iames saith Iames 4.1 That warres and fightings amongst men doe come from their lusts which war in their members We may if we will deceiue our selues and attribute things to false causes but the Spirit of God that vnderstandeth all things aright and cannot be deceiued points to lust fighting in the members as the most true proper and immediate cause of contentions stirres betwixt man and man Therefore the more any man doth quell subdue vanquish weaken and beate downe these lusts the more calmely shal he passe thorow the sea of the world and the fewer stormes of discord and enmitie shall hee meete withall When souldiers lye idle and are not imployed in marching against the common foe then they mutinie and fall out with each other so when men set not their griefe and hatred and other affections ou worke to make war vpon sin then they quickly take occasion to grieue at each other to sigh one against another to hate one another and to vexe and gawle each other and trouble themselues most of all But souldiers agree among themselues whilest they lend their powers against a common foe so when we haue strongest and hottest warre with the deuill and sinne then doe we nourish most concord with one another Thus shall the soule enioy vnutterable quietnesse euery way within and without from God and from man and one weekes life led in such comfortable and happie concord and amitie with a mans owne soule and all about him is more worth then the lasting of a whole twelue-moneth torne and rent asunder with the ciuill broyles and commotions of a grudging froward and distempered heart Who would not doe that that will make his soule to dwell at rest 3. Againe the studie of mortification Patience and loy in affliction wil inable a man with inconceiueable patience yea and chearefulnesse to beare any affliction that God shal lay vpon him yea to look death it self in the face though it come clothed in neuer so terrible attire and with neuer so terrible weapons for the sting of death and consequently of all crosses is sinne now pull the sting from out of the Serpents mouth or tayle and then there is little feare or danger in incountring her What was the cause that the Apostle Paul was so exceeding quiet and ioyfull in all his calamities but because he had in great measure subdued and was more and more busie in subduing the corrupt lusts of his body knocking it downe 1. Cor. 9. last and bringing it in subiection as himselfe speaketh Hee that holdeth strong fight against the euils of his owne heart out of that peace with God and his owne soule which we said before that he should enioy hath freedome of Spirit to pray vnto God in his afflictions hee can runne boldly to the Throne of grace as hauing allowed nothing within him that should grieue the Spirit of Grace hee can flie to the towre of Gods name as hauing kept himselfe in the pathes of righteousnesse whic those that do know themselues to haue all good allowance to come thither and when a man can freely powre forth his hart before God in crosses then doth he also comfortably enioy God and then the sharpenes of the crosse is gone The thing that makes crosses intolerably bitter so that the soule cannot endure the bitternesse of them is the admixture of the gawle of Gods displeasure so farre as wee are intire and resolute in fighting against sinne our crosses are pure from this admixture and so they be not to himselfe that beares them howsoeuer they may seeme to the lookers on by the hundreth part so tedious and troublesome as that composition would make them So the mortified man gaines this by his trouble in mortification that the Lord will suffer him to escape many troubles and those that he must for his owne good suffer he shall be able to goe vnder with ten times more quietnesse and gladnesse and contentednesse as an whole shoulder beares the same burden with more ease then a sore or swolne shoulder It is therefore a very profitable labour that wee bestow in mortifying the members on earth that is to say in healing the sores and diseases of our soules 4. Thirdly Certaine freedome from grosse sinnes the man that applies the worke of mortification aright shall attaine certaine freedome from foule grosse and scandalous sinnes A sanctified man may assuredly promise to himselfe vpon his constant and diligent endeauours to abate and hold vnder his sinfull affections and dispositions to bee for his whole life long so kept and sustained by God that hee shall not rush into any lothsome palpable disgracefull soule-wasting wickednesse Wee are neuer ouertaken with those kind of euils but vpon our very palpable carelesnesse of mortifying the deeds of our flesh Whilest we do that that God bidsvs to slay sin he holds it vnder according to his promise and it hath not dominion ouer vs neither doth raigne in our mortall bodies so that we are sure enough that sinne shall not bring forth the fruits of shame and reproach vnto vs vntill we begin to be remisse in following Gods directions to purge out the old leauen And Oh what a benefit is this to escape those blemishes and staines wherewith many of Gods children perhaps also of greater strength then ones selfe doe defile and disgrace themselues What a priuiledge is it to be so supported that neuer in all his life he shall runne into any witting enormous presumptuous crime after God hath
ioy and thankesgiuing doe runne before the Lord and giue away all the praise from our selues to him There is nothing can more reioyce the spirit of a Christian then this heauenly ioy will doe The ioy of the Lord is our strength Sorrow Nehem. 8.10 when we haue been foyled is no more auaileable to confirme vs against sinne then holy reioycin when we haue stood fast and resisted It is a more signe of selfe-loue to grieue for that we are weake but a greater signe of true loue to God to reioyce in him when hee makes vs strong Wherefore as a godly man if hee finde himselfe any day to haue yeelded to sinfull desires in any sensible degree must humble himselfe and confesse and cry out against himselfe so if he finde that any day he hath not been foyled but hath been able to represse and destroy euill motions especially if hauing occasion or tentation he haue beene strengthened to resist he must then leade his captiuity captiue and at night sing a new song of praise vnto the Lord and euen ride in triumph ouer his corruptions boasting himselfe in God and setting vp his banner in the name of the most High and with as cheerefull a soule as he can offer vp humble and hearty thankes to his heauenly Father that hath made him to doe valiantly The prayers of Gods seruants thus consessing their sinnes crauing power against them blessing God for the beginnings of helpe are weapons so mighty through God that they will wound the strongest corruption and pierce the soule of any lust and whosoeuer will begin and continue thus to resist and pursue his sinnes shall finde them as the Philistims before Samson to fly and fall downe dead before him 5. Holy meditations to mortisie sinne After Prayer or with it holy Meditations must come in both to quicken as also to backe it and amongst all matter of mditation against particular sinnes we must accustome our selues specially to foure generall meditations that are indifferently and equally forcible against euery sinne Of Gods holy nature First of the most holy and pure nature of God how great wise iust true mercifull he is that hee hath an all-seeing eye and an all-hearing eare in euery place beholding the euill and the good and pondering all the pathes of the sonnes of men that hee hateth sinne with a perfect hatred as being contrary to his most holy will and Commandements that he will punish it with most seuere punishment as being the righteous Iudge of all the world who cannot indure iniquity nor will hold the wicked innocent that he is most gracious and louing to the penitent sinner and will spare him as a father doth his child that hee will keepe all his promises and make good all his threatnings with all faithfulnesse and not suffer one tittle of his Word to fall to the ground In a word that he is euery way most holy and most excellent and will reward all that seeke to him and obey him and auenge himselfe vpon all that stubburnely rebell against him and forsake the wayes of his Commandements to walke after their owne crooked deuices and inuentions 2. Secondly Of Gods terrible threats we must often call to mind the most terrible threatnings of God against sinne in generall and specially against that speciall sin which most molesteth vs. Ho much euill God hath denounced against the committers of it and how much woe and miserie it hath brought vpon others and will bring vpon our selues if we take licence to liue in it Wee must consider sinne in the euill effects of it and so conuince our selues of its vilenesse and mischieuousnesse for God hath from Heauen manifested so much wrath against the workers of iniquitie in general and against each particular lust and sinne that men liue in that if we could presse these things vpon our owne soules and cause our hearts stedfastly to beleeue the same wee could not but hate wickednesse and tremble before the Lord and so abate the power of corruption and euen driue our selues out of the euill courses of sinne Wrath and anger tribulation and anguish Rom. 2.8 9. shall be vpon euery soule of man that worketh wickednesse vpon the Iew first and also vpon the Gentiles For these things sake Ephes 5.6 the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience vpon the wicked God will raine snares and tempest fire and brimstone and storme Psal 11.6 that shall be the portion of their cup. Marke 9.46 Their worme neuer dyeth and their fire neuer goeth out their smoke shall ascend for euermore Deut. 27.26 And cursed is euery man that continueth not in the whole Law to fulfill it So horrible so grieuous so intolerable are those things that God hath menaced in his Word against all the sonnes of Belial and all the workers of vnrighteousnesse that whosoeuer will euen bind these things to the tables of his heart and apply them to himselfe by faith shall stand in awe and not sinne and shal find the Iudgements of God so terrible vnto him as that they will beate downe his corruptions and make him to feare and depart from wickednesse for the end of these things is death 3. Of Gods gracious promises Thirdly we must oftē cal to mind the gracious promises that God hath made to those that leaue sin and the admirable comforts that both here and hereafter the God of truth hath vndertaken to reward them withall that for his sake denie themselues and crucifie their sinfull lusts Then shall wee see how vaine and friuolous the pleasures and profits of sinne are and by tasting the fruit of holinesse should bee well inabled to despise the offers of sin What comparison betwixt the good we get by doing euill and the vnspeakeable Ioy of the holy Ghost and the immortal Ioyes of Heauen What made Moses to set light by the honours and delights of Pharaohs Court but that he considered the rebuke of Christ to be greater riches What made Paul to count al dung that he might win Christ but because hee looked to the farre most excellent waight of glorie Wee must not suffer our selues to be forgetfull of the wonderfull benefits which the Lord will bestow vpon vs if in obedience and loue to him wee can be content to cast away our sinfull lusts He that forsaketh any profit or credit or comfort for Christs sake shall bee rewarded an hundred fold The man that refuseth to walk in the paths of the vngodly shall bee blessed vpon earth his soule shall dwell at ease the Lord will deliuer him out of the hands of his enemies God will be a Sun and shield vnto him and no good thing wil he withhold from them that walke vprightly His heart shall delight it selfe in God and he shall see the shining of the louing countenance of his Father His soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and he shall become like a watered garden
If man forsake him the Lord will stand for him and though parents cast him off yet God will gather him vp the Lord will couer his head in the day of battell the Lord will feed him in the time of famine the Lord will turne his bed in the time of his sicknesse hee shall see the face of God in righteousnesse and when hee awaketh shall bee satisfied with his Image O how excellent is the louing kindnesse of God to them that waite vpon him they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of his house and he will make them to drinke of the Riuers of his pleasure he shall delight himselfe in the Lord and God will giue him the desires of his heart Let vs often renew these meditations in our selues and say with Dauid O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee which thou hast wrought for them that feare thee before the sonnes of men Surely the sight of this goodnesse of God will make the labour of mortification seeme easie If those that trie masteries be continent in all things for a mortal Crowne what should wee bee for an immortall If the hope of bootie will make a souldler hazard his heart-blood what should we doe in this battell where the fauour of God and the Kingdome of Heauen are ascertained to him that fights and conquers If the man that is in some degree mortified did often contemplate the felicitie that God hath prouided for him both present and to come hee would not he could not faint These meditations would so disgrace the pleasures of sinne and so commend vnto him the reward of pietie that hee would euen scorne to serue so base a thing as sinne which giues no wages but chaffe and dirt when hee might be intertained in the scruice of Christ who besides his being so infinitely excellent giues the ioy of his saluation to his souldiers for their stipend Put your selues in mind often O ye seruants of God of the consolations of the Word and Spirit of the Ioy vnspeakeable and glorious of the Peace that passeth all vnderstanding and of the hidden treasures which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor mans heart conceiued but God hath prouided for you by his Grace and reuealed to you by his Spirit and will reach vnto you with his hand If you will reiect the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season and endure the paines of fighting the good fight of fiath you cannot faint in this battell if you lend your thoughts to these encouragements you cannot but account all your labour easie if you consider the reward and end of your labour 4. Last of all we must much and often ponder vpon the death of Christ who he was Of Christs sufferings what he suffered why and for whom with the matter cause effect and end of his sufferings that so we may worke in our selues a loue and feare of God a base esteeme of our selues with an holy sorrow and indignation against sinne The death of Christ must be the death of our sinne and vpon his Crosse must we crucifie these lusts of our flesh that they may waxe faint and feeble and bee quite and cleane abolished in vs. Here wee shal see the exceeding hatefulnesse and mischieuousnesse of sinne here we shall see how odious it is to God and how harmefull to our selues Here we shall fee the infinite loue of God vnto vs and his most gracious readinesse to forgiue and helpe vs. This thought will be most auaileable to ouerthrow the power of all vngodlines in vs. The Sonne of God the King of Heauen and earth was abased and humbled and smitten and wounded for our transgressions They lay heauy vpon his soule they pressed him downe to the dust of death he died for vs that hee might redeeme vs to himselfe and make vs a peculiar people zealous of good workes O shall wee not abhorre and detest that which was so vnspeakeably grieuous to our Sauiour Shall we not shew our loue to him in casting from vs those things that caused him to be a man of forrowes and to haue experience of infirmities How bitter and tedious was sinne vnto him and shall it be delightfull vnto vs How did it make him sigh and crie and groane and bleed and shall we take pleasure in it Shall we not shew our selues thankefull to him that was so pitifull to vs that hee had rather himselfe indure the curse then that wee should bee ouer-whelmed with it Let vs often looke to him whom wee haue pierced often consider of his torment and agony and often renew in our selues the remembrance of his cursed and reprochful death and weane our hearts from the loue of vnrighteousnesse and make vs conformable vnto his death We cannot bee hold to doe euill if wee consider well how much euill he suffered for our euill doings Now these thoughts if wee accustome our selues vnto them and doe many times sequester our selues from all worldly cogitations to enlarge our hearts in them will be as a sword in the throat of our lusts and preuaile mightily to wound them to the death and as it were to let out the heart-blood of them CHAP. IX Shewing two more spirituall meanes of Mortificetion Feare and Watchfulnesse NOw to these holy meditations and prayers let vs adde also an holy feare misdoubting of our selues Feare of our selues a meanes to mortisie sin suspecting our owne weakenesse and euen trembling to thinke that we may bee grossely ouertaken Blessed is hee that feareth alwayes for this feare will bee the cause of safety to him Whiles a soulier feareth his enemie he keepes his harnesse vpon him and wil not disarme himselfe so long as he mistrusteth the approch of an enemie But security makes a man lay his weapons aside and giue himselfe to pleasure ease and sleepe and then if an enemie assault him he is soone slaine or put to flight he that is afraid of falling into some deadly sicknesse will easily bee perswaded to looke to his diet and to take some necessary physicke Say therefore in thy selfe O if I grow carelesse sinne will quickly grow strong in my weakenesse and quickly raise vp it selfe against me and doe my soule more mischiefe then tongue can expresse how haue many of Gods Saints beene foyled that were farre and farre better then my selfe shall not their misery bee my warning If such Worthies were ouerthrowne and wounded what will become of me If I grow foolishly bold and make too faire promises to my selfe feare lest one shall fall will keepe him vpright euen in a very slippery way but soone are his feet caught from him that looketh about and neuer suspecteth a fall A moderate doubting of our own strength will quicken vs to prayer and meditation This vertuous ielousie and suspition of our weaknes will make vs shunne the occasions of sinne and so preserue vs in safety when others that are more
turne that you cast out such faults from your liues as would scarce be tolerated in Heathens you must fight against all sinnes inward sinnes secret lusts hidden corruptions and those that most men count nothing you must fight against the sinnes that are most deare to you and that you haue loued best and followed most and that Nature makes you most vnwilling and vnable to resist you must fight against the sinnes of your owne age and your owne constitution and your owne estate and your owne condition 2. Now I pray you set to the workes learne of God to know your right enemies and to fight against them Bee not afraid because wee talke of fighting the fight shall be without danger for in this case the onely perill is not to fight In other battailes he that runs away doth often scape better then he that stands to it but in this battaile whosoeuer flyes dyes and hee alone escapeth with life that fights it out to the last It is a noble quarrell to fight for life and libertie against a meere vsurper that hath no manner of title and yet would make you slaues Sin hath none interest to you the Deuill is not your Creator that hee should make himselfe your your Prince and your God These lusts against which we exhort you to fight they are the deuils armies or garrisons by which he holds you downe vnder his most vniust and tyrannical gouernment O rebell rebell against the deuill kill his Garrisons set your selues at libertie Fight against worldlinesse enuie malice pride hypocrisie wantonnesse wrath fight against them resolue that thou wilt neuer bee made a drudge by them as thou hast been that they shall not haue the command of thine heart and thy tongue and thine hand as they haue had but that now through the Grace of God thou wilt cast away all these things How thou shouldest fight I haue shewed thee before remember those directions and vse them and bee happie O that any reasonable man much more any Christian should be so base-minded and of such a seruile disposition as to bee content to make himselfe a slaue to any wicked passion to any sinfull lust to any filthie vice to any of the deputies of the Deuill that rule for him and vnder him What say you men and brethren will you now set in to fight in good earnest against all your sinnes If you will the Lord be with you the Lord assist you the Lord beate downe your foes before you and we blesse you in his Name in whose Name we haue exhorted you If you will not then hardly liue and die in thraldome for euer for without this fight there can be no libertie 3. But now to those that haue been slacke and carelesse in this dutie let mee sound an alarme Numb 10.9 as the Priests with the siluer Trumpets in the Law to reuiue their spirits and put new hart into them that they may with more zeale and better courage addresse themselues to this most honourable warre Now my Brethren giue more diligence to the mortifying of your earthly members and let nothing daunt you or withdraw you from this battaile Remember the words that Ioab spake to Abishai his brother 2. Sam. 10.12 and make vse of them for this purpose Let vs play the men for our People and the Cities of our God and let the Lord doe that this is good in his sight It is not for your Countrey and for your Countrey-men that you fight but for your owne immortall soules that you must play the men and here the battaile is not yours but Gods and the successe is not doubtfull but most certaine Nothing can afford thee more comfort then a constant resolution in this fight nay without such resolution nothing can afford thee true comfort By this thou shalt shew and know thy selfe to bee a true Christian and procure to thy selfe an eternall Crowne of glorie Remember the equitie of the cause the necessitie of the warre the fruit that shall redound from it and the certaine assistance acceptance and reward that God himselfe will afford thee from Heauen That prosperitie that thou hast already met with in this warre hath done thee more good then all the world besides can doe Wouldst thou for a World be in the same seruitude which once thou wast before thou tookest in hand the mortifying of these earthly members More diligence shall bring thee a fuller victorie and a fuller victorie shall bring thee larger consolation 4. All that hot breath which men do spend rather in blasting the names then healing the faults of their Brethren when they are bitter and tart in iudging and condemning them will be no whit at all beneficiall to themselues nay neither themselues nor others are the better for this warring Turne your edge another way and enter freshly into the fight against your owne sinnes and let other men alone Indeed in this warre as in the naturall euery one must bee ready to lend aide by seasonable admonitions vnto his fellow-souldiers also but the maine worke is no make good each his owne standing and to repell the enemies which himselfe is most assailed by What words shall I vse to perswade you to this dutie Your Captaine is Christ Iesus your fellow-souldiers are all the Saints on earth and the Saints in Heauen haue all giuen you an honourable example of fortitude and constancie and your enemies be base Rebels and vile Run-awayes March on then valiantly and vnder such a Captaine with such fellow-souldiers agaist such aduersaries be ready to spend your vtmost endeauours You haue but three enemies that seeke to keepe you out of Heauen and the other two may doe you some trouble but hurt they can doe you none at all if you keep the flesh downe and put to death these members vpon earth All the wicked men on earth and all the wicked Feinds in Hell cannot make vs guiltie of one euil word or one euil thought further then the corrupt flesh within doth take their part and ioyne with their temptations and sollicitaion These be the traytors that betray vs vnto Satan and the World O therefore vse them as traytors pursue them apprehend them execute them And so much for those that in trying themselues shall bee found either wholly or in great part carelesse of this worke CHAP. XIV Containing a consolation and encouragement to those that haue been and are painefull in the dutie of Mortification Vse 4 THere are also some Comfort and incouragement to all truly mortified men I make no question which haue done the office of valiant men and can looke vpon the carcasses of sinnes as Samson did once of the dead Philistims This worke I know well hath prooued painefull to them It is a tedious businesse to fight against the things that corrupt nature loueth so well But as any dutie that God requireth doth stand vs in more labour so shall it affoord vs more comfort here and more blisse
hereafter He that hath begun the worke of mortification so farre as I told you before in speaking of the first degree of it that now those sinnes which once raigned in him are put downe from their regencie and those corruptions that once have was a slaue vnto are now deposed from their throne as it were and doe cease to command in his members as once they did hath much cause to reioyce in the saluation of GOD although hee find these lusts still striuing and labouring to recouer their ancient soueraigntie 2. It is certaine that the Spirit of GOD doth rule in him in whom sinne hath ceased to rule Euerie man is vnder the command of the flesh or of the Spirit euerie man is subiect to the Lord ruling in him by Grace or to the Deuill ruling in him by lust Satan is a verie strong man and our owne lusts are his weapons none can bind this man and cast him out but the Spirit of strength of which Saint Iohn saith Stronger is he that is in vs 1. Iohn 4.4 then hee that is in the world Wherefore if any man that was once vnder the yoke of wrath lust reuenge couetousnesse or any other vile affection doe find now that by feruent prayers to God by the power of the Word in holy meditations applied to him and by vertue of the death of Christ and other like spirituall meanes by him vsed the Lord hath pleased to pull this yoke from off his necke so as now in stead of taking delight in the euill motions of sinne hee is grieued in his soule when such thoughts doe stirre in his soule and ceaseth not to crie to Heauen till he find them beaten backe againe and doth not now yeeld vp himselfe to follow these things with greedinesse but is vsually able to forbeare the palpable practice of sinne and if hee be ouertaken in any grosse manner hee is greatly humbled and abased and recouers himselfe with speedie confession and lamentation and renewing of his resolutions If any man I say doe find the case to stand thus with him hee hath in some measure fought and preuailed and now blessed bee hee of the Lord let him looke vpon the dead bodies of his lusts with much comfort and let him triumph in God that hath conquered for him and let him encourage himselfe still to continue fighting that still his soule may increase in strength as the House of Dauid is said to haue done and his sinnes may grow weaker and weaker as it was said of the House of Saul 3. My Brethren this warre whereinto you are entred must last for terme of life The flesh and Spirit can neuer bee reconciled there is no thinking of any peace but that which will bee worse then dishonourable euen damnable and a sure warre is much rather to be chosen then an vnsure peace much more then a peace which will be surely mischieuous Now by how much the warre will prooue of longer continuance by so much had you need to put on more strength that you may endure and a great part of your strength must grow from your comforts in your good beginnings Wherfore now let euerie true mortified man according to the riddle that Samson once propounded to his companions fetch sweetnesse out of the strong and meate out of the eater let them find an Honie-combe in the carcasse of the Lyon which they haue slaine and goe eating let them I meane take great consolation in the sight of their happie proceedings in this heauenly worke 4. There bee some Worthies of Israel that haue lifted vp their speares against many hundreds as it were and left them all dead in the place the hearts of such doe nto much need to bee wished to take comfort The content they find in perceiuing the strength of sinne so much abated in them is vnspeakeable Dauid was no more full of ioy when hee saw Goliah come tumbling to the ground then are their soules when they looke vpon this slaughter that God hath inabled them to make among their lusts No man is able to set forth in words the ioy that growes to a man who is hard set to by a cruell enemie of whom hee lookes for nothing but death vnlesse hee preuent it by giuing death when hee sees him fall downe wounded and gasping for breath O with what a countenance and cheere did Iael runne to meete Barak and to bring him to the sight of dead Sisera Surely the content of a spirituall man in his spirituall victories when now his sinnes are euen breathing their last as I may so speake is no whit lesse yea it is much more solid then that of such a conquerour Those that haue happily passed the brunt of this battaile and haue their enemies in the flight rather then the conflict are and haue cause to bee the chearefullest of all men they bee like souldiers pursuing their foes with that ioyfull shoute of victorie victorie in their mouthes and they enioy the comfort of their former labour with much thankefulnesse 5. But there are other some that haue not yet attained so much strength nor gotten so much ground against their foes They are now as it were in the verie hottest of the skirmish the bullets flie about their eares as I may so speake and their corruptions are violent within them and doe often with great strength hale them and draw them captiue to the law of sinne which is in their members They do sometimes get the better and beate back euill desires and find themselues mightily resolued to sinne no more at other times euill desires doe mightily afflict them and they are well-neere readie to faint and fall scarce able to retaine their purpose of goodnesse scarcely able to hold out in their resolution of not sinning yea it may bee contrarie to their resolutions pulled by the flesh to do the euill that they hate but then feeling themselues wounded they smart and bleed and struggle with their foe and get vp againe and againe betake themselues to their weapons of prayer and meditation which were almost wrested out of their hands for a time and come crying and mourning before the Throne of Grace begging pardon begging helpe and so againe confirme their Faith and renew their repentance and make vp the breaches of their new obedience These poore Saints like souldiers whose enemies doe yet hold their owne and make strong resistance are often full of feare and care and doubt their hearts often droope and they mistrust sometimes lest they shall bee vanquished rather then ouercome Let mee therefore apply my speech to he encouragement of those that need encouragement I say vnto thee whosoeuer that art in this case that thy case is good and happy and that thou hast much cause of reioycing in God notwithstanding all the trouble and cumber that thou findest with thy sinnes It is a blessed thing and a great and vnspeakeable fauour of God that to what lusts thou didst once do seruice
Saints ought to abound in fernent loue to the diuine Maiestie in regard both of those infinite excellencies which are in his holy nature and the innumerable demonstrations thereof as also of those great and many benefits which they themselues doe receiue from him This loue cannot be separated from an earnest desire that he may be honored serued obeyed and in word and deed acknowledged and respected according to his owne worth and greatnesse and the multitude and greatnesse of his mercies Now there is such a naturall sympathy betwixt the affections of mans heart and they are so mutually subordinated each to other in their workings as it is not possible but that loue to any person and desire that he should be well dealt withall must needs rayse vp griefe and sorrow vpon the beholding of the quite contrarie For loue must needs beget hatred and abhorring of those things that tend to thy hurt and dishonour of the partie loued because he that loueth cannot choose but esteeme and account them euill yea and very euill and if that thing bee present with any man which he hateth and reputeth euill it must of necessitie stirre vp in him a measure of sorrow proportionable to his hatred Wherefore this griefe must beare witnesse to the truth of that loue which we say wee beare vnto the liuing God and must iustifie all those protestations which wee are ready to make of hauing abundant good will vnto him For it is in vaine to say we loue if we bring not forth the effects of loue It is but painted and imaginarie fire which yeeldeth forth neither heate nor light so it is but tongue-loue and lip-affection which is good for nothing but to beguile our selues and make vs better conceited of our selues then there is cause that produceth not the true and proper fruites of loue Furthermore wee doe know and confesse Loue to men that our loue to God must alwayes bee ioyned with the loue of our brethren euen of all that are made of the same flesh with our selues I meane our hearts must bee settled in a liking of them and desire of their welfare as of Gods creatures to whom he hath pleased to vnite vs in many bonds For though the Lord doe allow yea and command vs to hate the workers of iniquitie as they well deserue because they commit hate-worthy actions yet this hatred must not be any habituall inclination or motion of the will to their hurt but alone a stirring vp of the affection of dislike against them or not brooking them in regard of the euill which they commit which may well stand and must euer be ioyned with the vertue of Christian charitie whereby out of a liking of them as Gods creatures we are alwayes prompt and ready to wish and seeke their good Now if we do thus loue them must it not needs grieue vs to see that which we know to be harmefull and mischieuous to them Loue cannot choose but breed a fellow-feeling compassion a sympathizing commiseration and sensiblenesse of the losse euill damage miserie of the partie loued Wherefore sinne being as in the next reason we are to shew a most dangerous and hurtful thing to the soules of them that commit it it cannot but call for our sorrow yea much sorrow and many teares whensoeuer we behold it Againe Loathing of sin euery Christian man should haue his heart possessed with a loathing detestation and hatred of sinne that being indeed the first and principal and most immediate obiect of hatred we may call it the chiefe odious thing in regard of which alone it is lawful to hate other things neither is any thing further hatefull then as it doth some way or other participate of sinne misery being alone hatefull so farre as it is an effect and concomitant of sinne from which if it be separated as in the case of suffering for wel-doing it is euen louely and desireable but whatsoeuer doth sauour of sinne in as much as it is sinfull is hatefull also and therefore the Word of God commands vs to be haters of euill And if a man doe neuer so much forbeare sinne out of other considerations of the inconueniences that insue it not out of a loathing of it in as much as it is a contrariety to the will and glory of God the chiefe good for indeed sinne alone is properly contrarie to God as hauing no manner of dependance vpon him nor similitude of him nor any other relation to him but alone as contraries be relatiues and as crimes haue reference to the Iudge that is to punish them I say if in this respect of loathing sinne as sinne wee forbeare it not our forbearance of it is not a thing formally good it is not truly nor sincerely good but alone good inshew a practice of hypocrisie a carcasse or painting of goodnesse It being then a thing so absolutely needfull to hate sinne as that wee cannot say we haue Gods Image vnlesse we resemble him in this for hee hateth sinne with a perfect hatred it is therfore also necessarie that we grieue for sinne for the presence of a thing lothsome and detested cannot be separated from griefe griefe being nothing else but a contraction and paining of the heart at an euill thing present and that must needs bee confessed euill which is accounted hatefull So then we shall falsely affirme that we hate euill if we sorrow not to see it committed There are some things which in nature a man abhorreth and cannot away withall as some cannot endure a Cat some a Mouse some a Frog or the like now when such a loathed thing doth of force and whether he will or no draw neere to any person experience will tell vs how grieuous it is vnto him hee cryes and shreekes and starts and shewes an extremitie of the passion of sorrow and if he cannot flie from it his whole body will weepe as it were in a kind of cold sweat as if the weeping of the eye were too little So if sinne be amongst the number of things that we cannot away withall that we do loath detest and haue in abomination we shall surely testifie our abhorring it by a sadnes heauines deiectednesse contraction contrition troublednesse falling melting and mourning of our spirits when wee cannot choose but see it committed for betwixt grace and sinne there is as true an antypathy as betwixt a mans nature and a toade And therefore so much grace I meane sanctifying Grace as we haue in vs so much sorrow must we needs haue for sinne So haue you the first reason of the point consider the second which wee fetch from the nature of sinne CHAP. III. Containing another reason of the doctrine gathered from the nature of sinne Reas 2 SInne is of all things in the World the most and greatest euill From the nature of sinne which separating the person in whom it ruleth from the Sea and Fountaine of goodnesse We may call it after a sort the
it cannot seize vpon his soule to poyson it as else the nature of it is to doe so long as he continues to weepe and groane for it In common plagues there is great enquiring after preseruatiues One commends Rue another Wormewood a third Holy-thistle some this some that as their iudgement leades them But beloued the worst of all diseases the most catching the most contagious the most apt to lay hold vpon all that come within the breath of them that are ouer-runne with it is sinne The plague it selfe and the most desperate of all plagues is nothing so apt to leape from man to man and house to house as sinne is The scabs among sheepe the murraine among cattel doe not more speedily ouerrunne the whole flocke and Herd then wickednesse will doe an whole house towne and Countrie Onely there is one most notable preseruatiue which euery man carries about with him which he need not take paines to seeke elsewhere but in himselfe nor be at cost to buy of any but himselfe and that is sorrow griefe teares the same that the Psalmist here speakes of And whosoeuer he be that can take but a reasonable draught of his owne teares morning and euening or but twice or thrice a weeke yea or seldomer for the sinnes of the men with whom hee liueth shall neuer be infected with them nor drawne by imitation to like and practise them for the soule will neuer agree to doe that it selfe which it is pained in it selfe to see another doe Will you not now make for your selues and take this soueraigne medicine against this pestilent sicknesse Oathes lying cursing bribery simony coozenage oppression vsurie idlenesse voluptuousnesse pride reuenge and filthinesse shall neuer catch you by the example of other men if you mourne for them and behold them committed of others with griefe and anguish of spirit Will you not therefore stirre vp your sorrowes and saue your selues from the perill of an euill generation Especially seeing this sorrow will doe yet more good by making them Makes one carefull to redresse sinne in whom it is carefull of seeking the reformation of others so farre as lyes in them and their duty and power extendeth As godly sorrow for a mans owne sinnes will bring forth repentance not to bee repented of and cause him to amend his owne euill wayes so godly sorrow for other mens sinnes will also make him seeke to draw them to repentance and amendment This will cause him to contend and contest against sinne and sinners and with all his might according to his place and calling to oppose and resist both it and them If hee be a Minister this sorrow will set open his mouth to crie out against it and cause him to lift vp his voyce like a Trumpet to pronounce defiance and sound war against it on Gods behalfe If he be a Magistrate it will arme his heart with courage and constancie and all due seueritie so that hee shall vnsheath the Sword of authoritie and lift vp his arme and smite the wicked doers soundly with an heart vertuously hardned against the vices of foolish pitie and of fearefull cowardice If hee bee but a priuate person it will make him admonish reproue complaine and sollicite Magistrate and Minister and all he can to procure a redresse Sorrow is a thing so much against the good liking of Nature and a burden of which euery one that stands vnder it is so truly and earnestly desirous to bee eased that it will stirre vp his care to shake off the burden and remoue away that that doth procure his sorrow So shall a godly man not alone saue himselfe from sinne but bee made an instrument also so farre as is possible for him if it may be to saue others from sinne he shall preserue himselfe from the contagion and be inabled if the disease bee not past cure to heale them that are diseased Thus when Paul had heard with bitter griefe the disorders of Corinth he could not be well till hee had sent a letter vnto them and dispatched Titus thither also to see things better ordered And when Ezra had fasted and wept for the sin of Israel how carefull was he with the helpe of the Princes to redresse that abuse And from this good effect Saues one from the common punishment will follow another no lesse desireable as a fruite of this namely that the mourner shall saue himselfe from partaking in the common punishment if it must needs come Lots righteous soule was vexed as you heard with the impure conuersation of the Sodomites wherefore the Lord sent his Angell and deliuered him from those flames of brimstone that consumed the Sodomites And the Apostle concludeth hence that God knows how to deliuer his and so it must needs hold chiefely in the like case the Lord will rather euen miraculously deliuer those of his people that set themselues against the sinnes of the times with bitter lamentation then that they shall not bee safe euen then when others are smitten Ieremiah wept for the pride of the people and did not the Lord performe his promise and make the enemy to intreate him well in the euill day Baruch and Ebedmelech also were among the few mourners for Ierusalem and had they not their liues giuen them for a prey whither euer they went though the Sword of the enemie raged in the house and in the streetes Yea doe wee not reade that excellent vision of the Prophet Ezekiel how that before the Citie was giuen vp to destruction Ezek. 9.1 2. c. he saw the Lords Angell appointed to goe forth with a pen and inkhorne by his side and passing thorow Ierusalem to set a plaine marke vpon the fore-heads of all those that had lamented and mourned for the sinnes of the Citie and that no plague was permitted to breake forth vpon the rest till these were marked to escape Loe how those that sigh and crie for the abominations committed in a Citie shal surely escape the miseries that must come vpon that Citie Teares are able to procure safetie to a man euen in a generall and common ouerthrow where wealth friends wit strength and all other helpes will faile him for either the Lord will graciously and in mercy take them away from the euill to come and gather them to their fathers that they may not see the misery which is to ouerwhelme the people or else he will hide them vnder the shaddow of his wings and by his Fatherly prouidence for them take some order that they may goe safe in the common desolation Behold hold a way of safe-guarding your selues in the hardest times and of procuring that blessing to your selues which vngodly men doe falsely promise to themselues from the vanitie and lyes vnder which the Prophet saith they think to lye hid namely that when a scourge doth ouerflow it shall not come neere you and that is nothing else but to doe as our Prophet hath done before send vp
teares and to wrest and extort them out of your heads by force To weepe a little at a Sermon is nothing to speak of there is a further matter required of you In secret I say in secret when you bee all alone and may more freely doe it then doe it more abundantly or else to doe it here a little by compulsion of earnest words perswasions is little worth and will doe little good I confesse that in meditating these things with my self I found mine eyes great with teares and mine heart within me swolne with sighes and I hope that the vttering of them may haue also power to fill some of your hearts and of your eyes also But ah there is yet a greater and secreter mourning which I call you to He weepes in truth that weepes without witnesse Trepare to the worke Take thou some time this day or some other day to get alone by thy selfe and presse these things vpō thy self that haue bin so earnestly beaten vpō thee in the preaching of the Word and there bowing the knees of thy soule before God begin with an acknowledgment vnto him that now thou confessest this mourning for the publike sins is a duty which he doth iustly require at thine hands which thou hast sinfully neglected heretofore but now art sorrowfull for that neglect and desirous to performe hereafter and then humbly beseech him to thaw by the sweete and warme beames of his Grace this frozen heart of thine and so to smite this rockie soule that it may yeeld forth as once the naturall Rocke did euen Riuers of water Pray him according to his most free and gracious promise to powre vpon thee the Spirit of Grace and supplication and remouing the heart of stone to put within thee in stead of it an hart of flesh that thou mayst now doe what Dauid did and what thy selfe by his example art called vpon by the Ministrie and art accordingly desirous to doe Hauing thus prepared thy selfe Begin to weepe for thine owne sinnes first then set about the worke it selfe and first begin to weepe for thine owne sinnes for assure thy soule it shall be all in vaine for any man to labour to bewaile the faults of others that doth not in the first place bewaile his owne faults Thinke and say thus then to thy selfe in thy meditations Ah what a vile and wretched sinner am I What a Childhood haue I spent What an Youth What a Middle-age And if thou beest come so farre what an Old-age What thoughts haue I harboured in mine heart What words haue I vttered with my tongue What deeds haue I done with mine hand This tongue of mine hath sworne many a vaine passionate and outragious oath This tongue hath cursed and rayled and spoken profanely It hath spoken wantonly and filthily and told many a lye and false tale This hand hath vsed cruelty reuenge and dalliance This heart hath swolne against Gouernours and boyled away in enuy and malice This heart hath been fearelesse and carelesse of God and hath forgotten him and his Word and euen doubted of his Beeing O wretched tongue wretched hand wretched hart O would that I could mourne for all these abominations of my life O that all the teares which euer I wept in all my life for crosses losses wrongs iniuries vnkindnesses and the like were now all vnwept and gathered together at once in mine eyes that I might powre them forth in godly sorrow before the Lord for my sinnes Be thou humbled and cast downe O my soule and be thou troubled within me wallow thy selfe in the dust and tumble thy self in ashes Thou hast offended against thy Maker and sinned against thy Redeemer the holy Sonne of God! Thou hast wronged thy neighbours and hurt thy selfe and deserued damnation and Ah wretch thou hast shewed thy selfe vngracious and vngratefull against that heauenly carefull and tender-hearted Father that gaue his onely Sonne to death to ransome thee What Father euer so louing What child euer so rebellious Why are you drie O mine eyes And why art thou stony O mine heart Why doth sorrow flie from mee And why are teares departed hence O that I could weepe O that I could weepe O that I could euen be melted and dissolued into kindly teares and with blessed Peter weepe bitterly and with godly Marie wash the feete of my Sauiour with my teares Thus striue and take paines with thy self to make thy soule sad for thine owne sinnes first and hauing softned thy selfe somewhat by such endeuours then begin for thy Countrie also and thinke in this sort Ah Lord if I had sinned alone I alone would weepe mine owne teares But I am a man of polluted lips and life and I dwell amongst a people of polluted lips and life Wee haue all gone astray wee all haue done an abominable deed there is none that doth good no not one This Nation this Christian and baptized Nation wherein thy Gospell of truth hath so long shined brightly is yet still for all that a wicked and a sinfull Nation O that thou wouldst please to helpe me mourne for these common sinnes Is not thy Spirit as able to soften a mans heart now as in former times Proy to God to soften the heart Is not an heart of the posteritie of Abraham naturally as hard as one of another off-spring O thou that gauest Dauid store of teares stirre vp in me also the spirit of griefe for the publike sinnes Consider the grieuous sianes of our Land And now begin to represent vnto thy soule the many monstrous crying sinnes that are daily and with impunitie many committed in our Countrie Loose thy thoughts a while in this great Thicket and wildernes of abominations that hath ouer-growne vs and say What could God doe more for a people then he hath done for vs and he looked for Grapes and behold wilde Grapes and for Figs and behold rotten Figs for iudgement and righteousnes and behold sin wickednes What monstrous ignorance and profanenes and hellish Atheisme doth couer the multitude What monstrous pride and idlenesse and fulnes of bread and abominable vncleannesse doe couer the Gentry How full of oathes and blasphemies are the Court the Citie the Townes the Countrie with vs Great men sweare and meane men sweare Ministers sweare and people sweare men sweare and women sweare boyes sweare and girles sweare almost babes and sucklings sweare and if euery oath were but a drop of water it were enough to make a flood to drowne the whole Land withall The Lords Day is euery where violated and profaned The Word and Sacraments are made a very iest and all Gods seruices are turned into a meere customary piece of worke The children are euery where stubburne and rebellious against their parents Much murder and bloodshed is committed and for enuie and malice the Land aboundeth with them whoredome and filthinesse stinkes in euery corner theft oppression vsurie simony sacriledge where shal a
eternall glory in Heauen Name me a man that is noted to haue bewailed the sinnes of others and I will bring you a ground out of Scripture without doubt or question that he is saued so can it not bee said of those that haue mourned for their owne sinnes For in truth the fiercenesse of an euill conscience terrifying the soule with the feare of hell fire may stirre vp such griefe and make an vnsanctified man complaine bitterly that hee hath sinned in such or such a thing as Iudas in betraying innocent blood That naturall affectioÌ„ which we beare vnto our selues may also make vs sorrowfull fort that which we cannot but see will bee harmefull to our selues euen where no grace at all doth dwell But to sorrow for publike offences and for the sinnes of those that are no way neere vnto vs but as the common bands of Humanitie and Christianitie haue vnited them there can bee no motiue at all imagined except the true hatred of sinne and the true loue of God and man which no man can haue but from the Spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ dwelling in him Desperation and horror without Grace may procure teares for ones owne faults nothing but holinesse can procure them for others A man may lament his owne sinnes and not hate them hee cannot lament the common sinnes but out of an hatred of them Wherefore let the people of God make much of these teares and preserue them as it were some hot and comfortable licour for their vse against the day of temptation that when the weake faith shall bee assaulted with manifold obiections it may haue this token of truth to alleage for it selfe against which there can bee none exception and let the people of God endeuour to be frequent in this exercise o mourning for the common sinnes that they may abound in comfort afterwards and be filled with ioy in stead of sorrow for alwaies holy sorrow ends in ioy Wee may not make our selues so carelesse of our spirituall estate as to lose a good dutie but must put al the Graces that God hath giuen vs and the effects of them to the best vse improouing them all to the encrease of our faith in God and our spirituall reioycing in the assurance of his loue It will make vs constant in good duties if wee shall find them to doe vs much good Let these sorrowes be much profitable and comfortable vnto them O Christian soule as indeed they ought and out of these weeping promises gather these gladsome conclusions I am sure I am Gods child I am sure I am a member of the same body that Dauid was a member of I am sure I partake of that Spirit that dwelt in him I am sure that sinne shall not mortally infect me that I shall not bee drowned in the publike Iudgements that God will either spare the Land for the sake of my selfe and other like mourners or at least that himselfe will make prouision for my welfare in the common woes I shall laugh when others are punished for sin because I wept when they committed sinne God will bee my shelter and refuge in the time of trouble and hee will not giue me ouer to the destroyer for often haue I caused and often doe I purpose hereafter to cause that streames of teares shall descend from mine eyes because the sonnes of men doe tread his Statutes vnder-foot I haue not onely wept for mine owne sinnes which feare of shame in the World or damnation in Hell hath made many a dissembler doe I haue not alone wept for the faults of my children and neere friends which also carnall affection hath made many a carnall man to do in some cases I haue not only wept for the faults of others that were harmefull to my selfe and my friends as selfe-loue wil make any man to doe but I haue wept for the generall sinnes of the whole Land for the sinnes of the high and low for the sinnes of strangers that knew mee not and enemies that loue mee not for the sinnes of any of Adams sonnes that I knew to haue sinned because they kept not Gods Precepts Blessed be the Lord that hath made maine heart in such a measure soft and tender I am in his Couenant seeing he hath created an heart of flesh within my body and I am sure that none but a fleshy hart will make the eyes to shed teares for the violation of Gods testimonies by other men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Errata Page 5. line 20. for fretting reade fettering p. 17. l. 13. f. 1. Corinth r. 1. Chron. p. 23. l. 30. f. be r. because p. 28. l. 5. f. disorder r. disorders ead f. doth r. doe p. 38. l. 22. f. know r. knowing p. 40. l. 1. f. First r. that is p. 51. l. 2. f. lesse r. losse p. 52. l. 15. f. kyes r. trees p. 55. l. 6. f. breake r. brooke p. 56. l. 3. f. common of those r. common Of those l. 8. f. desires Very r. desires very p. 68. l. 18. f. God alone r. God alone p. 70. l. 16. f. Hamar r. Hamor p. 72. l. 9. f. cumber and attend r. cumber attend p. 78. l. 2. f. thou r. you p. 80. l. 5. f. shame r. shun p. 112. l. 19. f. lend r. bend p. 119. l. 22. f. persecute r. prosecute p. 121. l. 2. f. of God r. with God p. 134. l. 13. f. them The one r. them The naturall meanes are two the one p. 164. l. 28. f. selues r. soules p. 170. l. 19. f. haue r. hath p. 176. l. 4. f. workes r. worke p. 204. l. 15 f. thy r the. p. 229. l. 3. f. longer no r. no longer p. â—44 l. 6. f. him r. himselfe p. 251. l. 17. f. vs and euery r. making all faces blacke all knees weake and euery body l. 19. f. houses r. windowes l. 20. f. buyer r. buryer p. 252. l. 24. f. soules r. selues l. 25. f. countries r. Countrie