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
Pearles A vertuous man must needs be as worthie as a vertuous woman The holinesse and good conditions of a companion are ten times more auaileable for the comfort of those with whom he must conuerse then the colour of his skin or stuffing of his purse He or she shal liue worse thē poorely that liueth with a rich Nabal Parents destroy not your children by matching them to miserable riches Young men and women destroy not your selues by seeking a good outside but let both parents and children iudge as God iudgeth and follow his counsell that saith Not the rich not the faire but The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour He takes the best course to gaine content in marriage that chuseth not the finest body the sweetest face the greatest state the largest portion but the holiest heart the richest soule the beautifullest spirit and the most vertuous man or woman This is the foundation of welfare in marriage lay this at first thou canst neuer else reare vp a comfortable building Secondly in other things if with the former it may bee an equall yoke-fellow would be taken of due proportion in state birth age education and the like not much vnder not much ouer but fit and correspondent Those matches doe seldome proue but vncomfortable where this rule is not obserued The rich and noble will likely despise or set light by the poorer and meaner so will younger doe the aged and there is nothing but miserie in marriage if the yoke-fellowes neglect one another Dauid was hardly drawne to be a Kings sonne in Law being himselfe a meane man in Israel His wisdome made him not hastie to ouer-preferre himselfe Disproportioned marriages are seldome made but out of sinister and corrupt intentions and such intentions doe neuer almost faile to bring wretchednesse to such as are led by them God himselfe hath set vs the best coppie of marriage that can be he made Euah meete for Adam shee answered him and hee her in age birth and all things hee shall speed best that followes neerest this first president of Matrimonie Wee cannot haue a wiser counsellour then the Author of all wisdome and he is surely deceiued that thinkes to doe better then God Take therefore a yoke-fellow meet for thee for the agreement of the married folk is the best helpe against all troubles and this is the surest way to procure agreement And so you haue heard the first instruction concerning a discreet entrance to preuent trouble The second follows and that is as necessarie euen to expect trouble and prepare for it When God foretels any thing wee should make account of it Future things are knowne to him that disposeth all things wherefore it is folly to flatter ones selfe with hopes contrarie to his predictions Expectation of an enemie is halfe an arming but suddennesse addes terriblenesse vnto a crosse and makes it insupportable Say then to and within thy selfe I find that God doth leade to marriage and I will follow him but he forewarnes me also of what I shall find in marriage and I will beleeue him I know I shall haue more trouble then before I had but by Gods helpe I will beare it with all quietnesse And Lord seeing this world is a world of trouble and all estates are full of briers now that thou hast called me to Matrimonie giue I beseech thee a willing and able mind to brooke well the aduersities of Matrimonie Most folks runne into marriage as boyes into a crowd to fee some sport neuer forethinking how troublesome it is to stand in a throng and when they be almost pressed to death by the presse of people then doe they crie out and would faine get out if they knew which way Oh saith one if I had knowne before that I should haue met with such a deale of sorrow I would neuer haue married Why thou improuident foole How was it that thou knewest not that before This Scripture was not kept from thee was it The Apostle speaketh plainely enough thou mightest haue read or heard it if thou wouldest thy selfe Such shall haue trouble in the flesh Didst thou neuer reade this Scripture or neuer marke it or neuer beleeue it If thou readdest it not it was thy profanenesse if thou markedst it not it was thine heedlesnesse if thou didst not beleeue it it was thine infidelitie euerie way it was thy folly not to know before what God had told thee before that marriage would bee more full of afflictions then single life Now you that are to marrie rush not thus headlongly into Marriage that you may not afterwards make bootelesse complaints against it Feed not your selues with windie hopes this feeding will breed no strength I hope mine husband will proue a very kind man my wife a very dutifull wife I hope I shall not breed and beare with so much paine and griefe as such and such I hope I shall not haue such weakely and sickly children and so forth Fond body Where bee the grounds of thine hopes Vpon what props are they built To hope without ground is to play the merrie foole No it is better as the Prouerbe hath it to feare the worst that the best may saue it selfe and to arme vp thy selfe in this wise Like enough I shall haue as many crosses as such and such But what if I haue I doe not runne rashly vpon them God leades me my Parents guide me I follow sure directors God will also strengthen mee and by his mighty helpe I will goe chearefully vnder these troubles for why should not I be subiect to the decrees statutes of the King of this world If he will send trouble shall I murmur Shall I faint No I will not but sue to him for strength and stay vpon him for helpe and comfort my selfe in him in all these cumbers Thinke of trouble looke for trouble resolue to bee quiet vnder troubles and pray for strength to bee so and then marrie if thou see good then shall thy troubles exercise and encrease thy patience and other graces not corrupt and ouerthrow them as else they will CHAP. XI Containing one vse to the married Vse 3 WE haue finished our speeches to the single folke To the married Now you that are married heare your part of instructions And first be aduised to take the best course that may be of preuenting so many as may bee preuented of the troubles of marriage I know you will all confesse at first hearing that this is good aduice but straite you will aske further counsell and say How shall I doe this I will therefore shew you the way see that you walke in it The first meanes to preuent the troubles of marriage is this to feare God and walke in his waies This is a common helpe to make all estates comfortable for the blessing of God attendeth them that feare him and comfort attends his blessing The man that feareth God hath this promise from God that his wife shall bee
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
the things done nor vpon our owne worth or strength in doing but vpon the Spirit of God and his blessing for successe We must looke vp vnto God for the fruit of all his ordinances and of our labours promising our selues good speed but from God not from our selues In his strength we must be strong performing all the things that hee commandeth in obedience but still acknowledging that without him we can doe nothing The Lords souldiers must make mention of the name of the Lord their God and say Through him we shall doe valiantiy and he will tread downe our enemies vnder our feete Our feete must tread them downe but God must tread them downe with and vnder our feete Therefore the Apostle Ephes 6.10 before he sets downe any part of the Christian Armor begins his directions and makes entrance thus Finally my Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might We must be strong but not in our owne strength we must be powerfull but not in the power of our owne might Rom. 8.11 He that raysed vp Christ from the dead must quicken our mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in vs saith the Apostle This is the most important consideration of all the rest in the point of our spirituall warre to know whence our successe and strength to get successe and all must come that so we may bee full of assurance to preuaile not through the sufficiency that is in vs or the excellencie and prayse-ablenesse of our endeuours but through him that inableth vs. It must bee a power by meere and free Grace created in vs continued in vs renewed in vs by which wee must oppose our selues to these deadly enemies of our saluation Let the Christian bee as full of hope yea assurance as is possible but let him build his hope and assurance without himselfe euen vpon the meere fauour and goodnesse of God that hath promised to fight for vs. The vse of spirituall meanes thus spiritually is the mortifying of the deeds of the body by the Spirit And thus we may say to our selues assuredly as Dauid to that Philistian Champion 1 Sam. 17.45 46 47. I come against thee in the name of the Lord God of Israel and we shal preuaile against you for God will giue you into our hands Thus I haue informed you of the most pertinent things that you ought to know for your better helpe in the worke of mortification the degrees of it the meanes of it and the manner of doing it Now I will make some vse of all and so conclude CHAP. XI Containing the first vse of the point for examination of our selues in regard of the time past how we haue performed this dutie Vse 1 FIrst then To examine our selues whether we haue moritified sinne yea or no. I must make bold to require euery one of you to examine himselfe whether hee hath thus fought against the lusts of his flesh to crucifie them yea or no The Lord hath sounded the Trumpet to battaile and as a Generall hath giuen the signall haue you prepared your selues and been forward to fight like good and valiant souldiers or haue you not When such a point as this concerning our dutie is taught we can neuer apply it with fruit vnto our selues vnlesse wee begin thus to search and inquire into our selues how we haue performed our dutie No sound humiliation no true comfort will arise to the soule from hearing the Word of God vnlesse we consider our owne wayes and rightly informe our selues of our carriage in what sort we haue practised that that God hath enioyned vs. This dutie you see is plainely inioyned many soun reasons doe confirme it many euident texts doe bind our consciences vnto it Gods will is manifest wee should therefore demand of our owne soules Haue I been obedient to these commandements or haue I not Haue I been carefull of doing Gods will or haue I not 2. Many men remaine ignorant of their owne estates and liue in the continual neglect of good duties and yet perceiue not their owne faultinesse because they neuer take paines to look vnto their wayes and to doe that that Dauid saith would clense their wayes euen to take heed vnto them according to the Word of God There be a number which please themselues in a good opinion of themselues and take it for granted that they be good Christians when indeed they are nothing lesse then that for which they doe account themselues and the cause of this mistaking is ignorance and heedlesnesse either they know not what is the dutie of a good Christian or they neuer aske of themselues how they haue discharged that dutie We haue done our best to helpe you against ignorance in this matter and to make you see plainely what you should doe We are now to perswade you to help your selues against carelesnesse by trying your selues at the true touchstone that you may rightly discerne of your owne estates and not bee guilty of negligent omission without knowing it I pray you Brethren what shall it profit your selues to call your selues after the name of Christ if you haue no good assurance that that honourable Name doth of right appertaine vnto you It is easie to clothe ones selfe with the outward habit of true religion and to put on the garments of externall profession of piery but all these must be pulled from vs at last we must be stripped of formes and shew and found to be such as we are indeed and not such as wee haue barely appeared If thou haue carried the name and face of a souldier of Chrit Iesus and yet haue not fought for him according to the militarie oath and Sacrament wherein thou hast tyed thy selfe vnto him he will giue thee no prayse nor no wages for hauing abused his name and his colours and made a faire shew to no purpose 3. Wel then Brethren it is altogether needful as to doe so to know whether wee haue done the part of good souldiers and this wee cannot know aright vnlesse wee doe well consider of our selues The soule of man if farre in loue with it selfe and will soone iustifie it selfe without cause and beguile it selfe with vaine words saying I haue not sinned when he hath sinned and I haue done my dutie when I haue not Saul boasted 1 Sam. 15. that he had gone the way which God had sent him to and done the work which God had set him about and would not be conuinced by the bleating of those Sheepe and lowing of those Oxen that should haue been past bleating and past lowing if hee had done according to his sayings yet hee did but coozen himselfe with a verie false conceite Many a man spareth his lusts and corruptions and they bleate and low in the eares of all men and yet themselues will not heare them so as to bee driuen from a fond conceite of themselues that they bee mortified men indeed We see how easie
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
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