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
with all thy might those thou now opposest with all thy might what corruptions thou didst follow with greedinesse thou doest as it were with greedinesse resist what thou didst once place thine happinesse in doing now it is thy greatest vnhappinesse that thou art inclined to doe This I say is an estate that should giue thee much comfort Once thou didst serue sinne now thou fightest against sinne once thou wast a willing slaue to it now thou art a resolute souldier against it Thou fallest into sinne verie seldome which thou didst runne into verie vsually Thou fallest into farre lesse euils of that kind wherein thou didst once commit farre more grieuous and now the least degrees of sinne doe more disquiet thee then once the highest did and now thou lettest not so much as the thought of that goe vnconfessed and vnlamented before God the grossest act of which thou wast wont to hide and couer and excuse and not to confesse Take courage to thy selfe therefore and enioy the beginnings of victorie and bee assured of the conclusion Thou art now in killing sinne and thou shalt kill it thou art now busie in the conflict and thou shalt deuide the spoile 6. Now all ye suldiers of Christ Iesus that find in your selues the beginnings of mortification and a firme purpose of soule to continue resisting striuing fighting blesse God that hath giuen you his Spirit of libertie in some measure and apply your selues now with all your might to consummate the worke begun Let not your hands waxe feeble nor your hearts faint Remember the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 16.13 Watch yee stand fast quit you like men be strong He that continueth to fight shall surely ouercome Let no doubt seize vpon you to weaken your hands the Lord your God he fighteth for you beleeue his promises giue credit to his Word and you shall prosper Take comfort in your estate that haue entred into the battaile The young men and the babes in Christ which haue not yet so mightily preuailed in this warre are happie as well though they doe not so fully feele their happinesse as the old beaten souldiers and ancient Captaines to whom a larger measure of successe hath giuen a larger sense of comfort The weakest and feeblest of all Christs souldiers that layes at sinne with as much strength as his weake armes can that beares a spight to it in his soule that resolues neuer to yeeld to it whateuer come of him and that wil neuer make peace with it though hee may take foyles by it nor neuer yeeld vp himselfe into its hands thought hee may bee wounded hee doth mortifie the members that are vpon earth and hee is and let him know himselfe to be happy that comfort may make him more couragious and courage may make him more comfortable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Charitable Teares OR A SERMON SHE WING HOW NEEDFVLL A THING IT IS FOR EVERY GODLY man to lament the common sinnes of our Countrie Preached in Banburie Isaiah 22.12 13 14. In that day did the Lord God of Hostes call to weeping and to mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sackcloth And behold ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine Let vs eate and drinke for tomorrow we shall die And it was reuealed in mine eares by the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquitie shall not be purged from you till yee die saith the Lord God of hosts LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man 1623. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THe reliques of good nature remaining in man since the fall by the worke of a common Grace preseruing them haue taught Heathen men to know and inabled them to practise many worthy duties Among the rest some of them haue abounded in a most affectionate loue to their Countrie the welfare of which they haue preferred before their owne liues and the ruine whereof they haue been carefull to preuent euen with their owne ruine Many worthy sayings haue they writte to this purpose but scarce any more diuine and more deseruing admiration haue I met withall then that one of Tully in his booke of Scipioes Dreame where he brings in a dead father now in Heauen as he supposed encouraging his sonne to doe seruice to his Countrie wherein himselfe had giuen him a most noble and notable example with this most worthy sentence There is a most sure and certaine place in Heauen for euery man that shall procure the weale of his Countrie either by freeing it from perill or increasing the happinesse of it any way To heare a Gentile tell of Heauen as of a thing certaine to heare him tell of certaine places prouided there for those that should doe vertuously to haue the seruice of ones Countrie pressed on his soule with so celestiall an argument sure it proueth that sometimes the light of Nature doth reach further then many which liue in the bosome of the Church do attaine But the purpose for which I thought of this sentence is to let it appeare how great a reckoning reason doth tell euery man that he ought to make of his Countries welfaere how carefull he should be to preserue it from dangers to adorene it with all benefits and to continue and augment the flourishing estate thereof It must needs be an happie paines from which a multitude doe reape commoditie and that one man deserueth very well of all men for whose cares or labours all doe fare the better Now if Nature and Philosophy can giue so good instructions to those that will attend them how much more perfectly should wee bee able both to learne and follow the same lessons It is a great reproch to him that goes by day-light if another trauelling alone with a candle or a torch shall see the way better then himselfe and without doubt that eye is very dim which discerneth lesse by the helpe of the Sun-beames then another may doe by the helpe of a Lampe or Taper O then how iust both blame and shame must be cast vpon vs that are nothing so regardfull of our Countries welfare the most of vs as were some Inhabitants of Heathen Rome and Athens I would to God therefore that I could inflame the soules of those that shall reade these few lines with a farre more feruents zeale to the prosperitie of this our Church and Nation then that they had before If the fire of loue did burne warmer and lighter in our hearts it would not drie up the fountaine of teares to which the booke following perswadeth but would euen melt and dissolue our now-frozen hearts into teares Those that stand in places of eminency may performe many good seruices for their Countrie we shrubs that sit in the shade below can doe nothing worth the naming but earnestly to pray for the barke in which we sayle and to lament the things that we see to threaten a miserable shipwracke thereof He that will iudge of things by appearance and make carnall
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
of much vnquietnes to all parties Youth and Age are so far distant in their constitutions that they wil hardly accord in their conditions and how to make the young folks so wholly resigne themselues vnto the elder as not to be discontented with their proceedings or to make the elder so much to deny themselues as to condescend vnto the wils of the younger or to make both so moderate themselues as to meete in the mid-way without one of which three things there is no maintaining of concord is a matter in the best natures most discreet persons exceeding difficult and in the common sort of people altogether impossible Wherefore as the young Bees do seek vnto thēselues another Hiue so let the young couple another house that they may learne to liue of a little to know what is their owne and how it becomes their owne and to vse their owne to their owne best aduantage that whatsoeuer come they may neuer fall into that vnhappiest of all vnhappinesses of either being tormentors of their Parents or tormented by them And for ones worldly affaires let him trust as little as is possible and then also vpon Gods assurance It is most certaine that the most of those with whom a man shall deale will alwayes bee vngodly and vnrighteous seruing themselues altogether and ready to aduantage themselues by deceite It were an vncharitablenesse to say before trial Such a man wil deceiue me therefore I will not trust him but it is wisdome to thinke before triall This man may deceiue me therefore if I may I will forbeare to trust him if not I will trust him on such termes as he may not be able if he should be willing to beguile me Boldnesse to borrow boldnesse to lend boldnesse to trust and to be trusted which likely come from this originall that men would ouer-faine either to be rich or seeme so haue plunged many families into great misery which else might haue sailed through the World with a constant tenour of prosperitie Let a man therfore bee willing to lay his foundation low to content himselfe with the imployment of his owne portion not delighting to make himselfe a seruant by making himselfe a borrower nor to hazzard himselfe more then hee must needes vpon the doubtfull honesty of such slipperie seruants as most times borrowers prooue to bee But forbearing to giue further counsell I commit the booke following to thy censure praying thee to reade it with iudgement and fauour and to be the same to the writings of another that thou wouldest another should be to thine So with my best wishes to God to make the troubles of thy marriage if thou beest or shalt be married as easie as is possible and the more easie by meanes of that aduice which this Treatise will giue thee if thou wilt vouchsafe to reade and consider it I leaue thee to the guidance of him that giueth his gifts to euery man as seemeth best to himselfe and remaine Banbury Feb. 19. 1622. A wel-willer to the peace of thine heart and house William Whately AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER VNderstand good Reader that in a former Treatise about the duties of the married intitled A Bride bush I did occasionally deliuer two positions One this The sinne of adulterie dissolueth the bond and annihilateth the couenant of Matrimonie Another this The sinne of wilfull desertion doth likewise dissolue the bond of Matrimony Giue me leaue now to aduertise thee of such reasons as haue been obiected vnto me against these two positions Against the first thus Whatsoeuer man and woman may lawfully conuerse together in matrimoniall societie betwixt them the bond of matrimony remaineth vndissolued for vpon this bond the lawfulnesse of that societie depends as vpon the next and immediate cause thereof Now man and wife euen after the sinne of adulterie committed by one or both of them may lawfully conuerse together in matrimoniall societie For who can thinke that Dauid sinned in knowing any other of his wiues after his offence with Bathsheba Or if any man or woman hauing transgressed in this kind so secretly that none doth know of it shall after forsake the sinne and without reuealing it to the yoke-fellow continue to render due beneuolence who can say that such societie is vnlawfull Therefore betwixt man and wife euen after the sinne of adulterie the bond of marriage remaineth vndissolued and therefore the contrary position ought not to be holden Against the second thus He that puts away his wife not for whoredome and marries another is guiltie of wilfull desertion yea and of adultery too For is it not all one to depart from ones wife with a mind of neuer returning and to put away his wife from him with a mind of neuer reaccepting her Now after such putting away of a mans wife and marrying another the bond of matrimony remaineth vndissolued for our Sauiour saith That he which marries a woman so put away Mat. 19.9 commits adultery which could not be vnlesse the bond betwixt her and her former husband remained vndissolued Therefore at least after some desertion yea and adultery too the bond of matrimony remaineth vndissolued and therfore the contrary position must be denied Sweyed by these arguments to which I confesse that I cannot make a satisfying answere I depart from these opinions wishing that I had not written them and that no man by what I haue written would imbolden himselfe in such cases to take at least a doubtfull and an hazzardfull liberty So praying God to giue vs a right vnderstanding in all things I bid thee farewell A Care-cloth OR A TREATISE OF THE CVMBERS AND TROVBLES OF MARRIAGE intended to aduise them that may to shun them that may not well and patiently to beare them 1. Cor. 7.28 If thou marriest thou sinnest not and if a virgin marry she sinneth not but such shall haue trouble in the flesh CHAP. I. The opening of the Text. THe Apostle in this Chapter makes answere to some questions which the Corinths had by Letter propounded vnto him and that specially concerning matter of marriage and he giues his directions first indefinitely to the vnmarried married and all sorts of persons in the former part of the Chapter then specially and particularly to Virgins from the 26. Verse to the 39. to Widowes in the two last Verses To Virgins he addresseth his counsell in this order first in a briefe preface declaring the purport of his words viz. that hee did not giue a precise Commandement as of a thing that bound the conscience strictly but alone aduice and counsell as of a thing most fit and commodious Secondly he propoundeth his counsell in the 26. Verse which comes to this purpose That it is good for a man and woman in regard of the necessitie and distresse to which in this present life they are subiect to forbeare marriage and to continue in Virginitie Lastly he amplifieth and inlargeth this matter more fully explicating himselfe which explication hee
called him to the knowledge of his truth What an ease and comfort to liue alwayes free from those blowes and strokes of our spirituall enemie wherewith some of Gods people are wounded almost to death Doubtles the remembrance of such foyles doth bring so much shame and forrow to the hearts and often blushing and palenesse both successiuely to the cheekes of diuers of Gods people that they now account freedome from such blots a thing of more worth then all the riches and honour in the World and wish with all their soules that they had taken any paines and suffered any miserie outward to haue been deliuered from such inward wretchednesse Why should we not be wise before-hand now and by labour win to our selues the comfort of hauing preuented that which if once we should feele we shall wish but all in vaine that we had laboured night and day to preuent 5. Lastly Good esteeme from man much true credit and good esteeme will follow to the Saints of God from the work of mortification both with the houshold of faith and with strangers also The mortified man affects the hearts of all that behold him with admiration and the lesse he couets the credit of men the more he wins it Who is he that seeing a man able to hold downe anger vniustice reuenge lust when strong occasions do prouoke them to work doth not find his soule cleauing to him at once louing and wondring at him Heathen men that haue for their credit sake so farre dissembled mortification as in something a notable fashion to forbeare euill doing haue been more famous for that in after-times then for all their wealth and victories for it is more truly prayse-worthy to be good then great and therefore an high degree of goodnes will more honour a man in the hearts of men then the highest degree of greatnesse The soule will not stoope to other things though the knee doe crouch but the very soule of the highest person that is will euen bow to the name of a man that is excellent in mortification What made Herod honour Iohn Baptist but this that he saw him so thorowly mortified Euery man is inforced by his conscience to esteeme worthily of one whom he sees doing that which he knowes himselfe should doe but finds hee cannot Now euery mans soule in a manner euery mans is conuinced that he should conquer ambition reuenge couetousnesse lust and his experience telles him how little he is able to performe in this businesse wherefore when he sees another euer conquering that sinne whereto himselfe is a perpetuall vassall and of which hee is euer conquered hee strangeth at him and lookes vpon him as vpon some extraordinarie and miraculous person Indeed sinners are many times so transported with the loue of sinne that as Owles hate the light which they cannot looke vpon so they nourish in themselues euen enmitie against these excellencies which they cannot imitate but then when they are out of their mad and drunken fits when they are themselues when they know what they do and say as in the day of affliction of sicknesse of death they cannot but shew themselues to beare more heartie reuerence and vnfained respect to him whom they haue seene carefull and able to mortifie the deedes of the body then to all the rich and mightie men on earth Brethren you might well saue the cost of hanging your backs with ouer-gorgious attire and making so much adoe to trim vp your bodies the carefull fighting against sin and preuailing against it which will follow fighting would doe you more honestie amongst all your neighbours then all the fine cloathes vnder heauen If thou couldest thrust thy selfe into a garment made all of gold and Diamonds and come garnished also King-like with a Crowne and Scepter the hearts of men would not entertaine thee with so much esteeme as if they see thee as it were god-like in ouercomming the sinnes that ouercome the greatest of the sonnes of men A good name is a precious oyntment and a precious iewell which nothing will get so soone or so surely as goodnesse Wherefore fight against sinne that thou mayest haue honour in the consciences of men and some kind of authoritie and command in them as I may say by vertue of this honour CHAP. IV. Shewing the equitie of the dutie WE haue heard how needfull Thirdly from the equitie of the dutie and profitable mortification is let vs see also how equall it is No neede nor profit should draw vs to that which is vnequall but when equitie is ioyned to profit and necessitie then should the worke be done without further delay Now it is most equall that we kill our sinnes whether we consider God or Christ or our selues or sin it selfe For sinne is Gods enemy First for God Hee is our Soueraigne Lord and King and sinne is his most mortall enemie wherefore it is most equall that wee should fight against it for subiects must oppose the enemies of their Prince with al their power The Scripture tels vs Duet 13.6 7 8 9. that if father or mother or brother or sister or kinswoman or friend should goe about to draw a man from God his hand should be first against them to put them to death Now sinnes of all sorts doe seeke to draw vs from God wherefore our eye must not spare them neither must wee fauour them but wee must bee seuere against them and as it were stone them with stones vntill they bee dead It is a most righteous and equal thing that notorious Rebels and malefactors should bee slaine without pitie and lusts are the grossest of all malefactors which doe most prouoke God and oppose themselues against his honour Therefore if we haue any regard of his honour what should we doe but lay hold vpon them and pursue them to the very death Should we spare or forbeare to kill the foes and aduersaries of the Lord our God were not this to make our selues his enemies also 2. Againe hath not our sin slaine Christ Sinne is a murtherer of Christ and shall not we in an holy reuenge be eager against it to kill it If any man haue slaine our Parent or Brother or Sister or Child we thinke it our dutie to follow after him and persecute against him till we haue brought him to a well-deserued end The next of Kin in the Law was alwayes the auenger of bloud and to him it appertained to hunt after the murtherer to bring vpon his head the innocent bloud that hee had shed If therefore we will shew our selues brethren or sisters of Christ or any thing of Kin vnto him we must euen bee auengers of his bloud vpon sinne for for our sinnes was his bloud shed and these are the things that haue slaine him and for which he made his soule a facrifice A thiefe a traytor a murderer ought in all reason to be executed and euery man will thinke it fit to lend his
helping hand to the dispatching of one that hath so many wayes deserued death Sinne is a thiefe for it robs God of his honour and glorie It is a traytor for it striues to thrust God from his regall authoritie and dominion A murtherer for it slew Christ Iesus our elder brother and seekes to slay our owne soules for these be the lusts that fight against our soules as Peter tels vs. What can bee more equall then that wee striue to destroy vtterly and to roote out and make a cleane riddance of so vile a thing as this 3. And for our selues doth not equitie require that a man should faithfully keepe all good and lawfull promises and couenants Now we haue couenanted with God in our Baptisme We haue vowed to forsake sinne to fight against the deuill and all sinfull lusts In that Sacrament we did bind our selues as by a solemne military oath to bee the souldiers of Iesus Christ and to fight vnder his Banner against the Deuill the World and the Flesh Shall we become foresworne periured persons as it were souldiers forsaking their Colors casting down their weapons and running away from their Captaine God forbid Doe we not often renew in the Lords Supper the Couenant wee made in Baptisme It is certainely one part of the dutie whereto we tie ourselues in that holy Sacrament to seeke the death of sinne in vs that procured the death of Christ for vs. Seeing we haue often reiterated our Couenant of God of fighting against these lusts let vs be ashamed to be found breakers of so many and so iust promises Seeing we haue taken Christs liuerie vpon vs and haue giuen our names to him to be souldiers in his Campe it is most fit and equall that we should be true and valiant souldiers manfully resisting his and our enemies the greatest and principallest of which wee know to bee these members vpon earth Let vs therefore arme our selues to this battell and make no peace with the things with which God will neuer bee at peace and abhorre to shew our selues either perfidious and false or timorous and faint-hearted souldiers 4. Last of all let vs consider what sinne is Sinne is an vnreasonable thing and we shall find it most righteous to subdue and destroy it Sinne is a most vile and absurd thing contrarie to all right and to all true reason alluring vs to it selfe with none but false vaine and counterfeit enticements nothing therefore can bee more equall then that a thing so most vnequall be resisted and striuen against with vtter dislike Sinne doth a man no good at all but much harme and mischiese it is like a disease good for nothing but to vexe and torment him in whom it breedeth It allureth vs with shews of profit pleasure credit ease and the like but it is a meere coozener and deceiuer and euermore beguileth vs in the end and we shall vtterly misse of our hopes if we trust to its offers and follow its allurements It will bring vs losse in stead of profit euen the losse of an heauenly Kingdome It will reward vs with torment in stead of pleasure euen with the torment of eternall fire It will requite vs with shame in stead of credit euen with euerlasting reproach and confusion in stead of ease it will procure anguish for tribulation and anguish shall for euer lye vpon the soule of euerie one that worketh wickednesse vpon the Iew first and also vpon the Gentile Can any thing bee thought more equall then that so egregious a coozener so errand a lyer so false a companion that is made all of lyes guile fraud and imposture should bee euen apprehended and hanged vp out of the way as we vse to speake that it may beguile vs no longer CHAP. V. Shewing the certaintie of good successe in fighting against our lusts BVt let vs hasten to an end Fourthly from the certaintie of good successe and consider in the last place what successe we shall bee sure to meete with in this fight if wee arme our selues with a constant resolution to continue fighting and neuer for any feare or any cause to giue ouer We shall lose nothing by mortifying the flesh First we shall lose nothing at all that is worth hauing A man may enioy all lawfull conents profits and pleasures and whatsoeuer is truly needfull to the comfort and welfare of his body mind and state though he follow Gods direction and mortifie these members that are vpon the earth and nothing shall we get by following feeding and nourishing them but that which for the present is idle vaine needlesse superfluous and might better be spared then had and for the time to come also will prooue mischieuous and banefull A man may see well enough without that eye that Christ bids him pull out and cast from him he may well enough walke and liue and performe all actions of life for his benefit without that foote and hand which our Lord doth bid vs to cut off and fling from vs. If it seeme to bring blindnesse lamenesse and maimednesse it is but a conceited and imaginarie lamenesse blindnes and maimednesse that appeareth so to vs and is not as he that is borne a monster with sixe fingers might very well cut off one and yet still haue a perfect hand and better for vse then that that had such superfluitie of members Adam and Euah might haue filled their bellies in Paradise though they had neuer come neere to the tree of Knowledge of Good and Euill God had prouided them store of fruit to please their eye and taste and feed their bodies though they had vtterly forborne that forbidden fruit So doth the Lord allow to the sonnes of Adam sufficient store and varietie of lawfull and warrantable things to enioy so that wee may haue as much good as our soules can wish though we cast from vs all sinfull lusts and refuse to follow the inclinations of them The inordinate affections of our soule are like the vnnaturall desires of the stomake when it longeth for things that are sowre and naught and vnwholesome as it were for raw flesh vnripe fruite or things farre worse then these There is wholesome and necessary food enough in he world though a man should neuer eate dirt and coles as some haue longed after So wee can bee no losers by healing our selues of these diseases of the mind which carry vs after nothing that is worth the hauing if wee did measure things by a well-ordered iudgement 2. But moreouer God will accept our labor to mortifie sinne we shal be sure to find acceptance with God in this our endeauour of mortification though we come farre short of perfection so long as wee doe heartily and sincerely striue to perfection Hee that fights resolutely against sinne with spirituall weapons shall bee accounted a good souldier though he be wounded in the battell and knocked downe and taken prisoner and the Lord will redeeme and ransome him
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
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
defectiuenesse in the other but both layd together doe make vp the measure of mine hardheartednesse to the full If I could sigh mourne weepe for nothing it were not so much that I did it not for the sinnes of others but when I haue such store of teares for other things now to be so scant of them for that that deserueth the farre greater quantitie what shall I say of my selfe Sure this deserues a degree of sorrow beyond teares and so fall vpon thine owne heart and crush it too pieces with dislike of thy selfe that hast been so extremely isensible in Gods behalfe so ouer-tender in thine owne O that these words of mine might so farre preuaile with my selfe and you brethren that wee may at leastwise acknowledge our selues to bee greatly faultie for not hauing discouered our detestation of sinne our good will to God and Man our religious care of the publike welfare and our owne by taking out the lesson of Dauid and of Ieremy and by following the worthy patterne of holy Ezra and blessed Paul and our most blessed and worthy Sauiour himselfe Doubtlesse it will doe some good to know our sinnes and to confesse against our selues saying I am in truth exceedingly oo blame for my lauish and prodigall casting away such a multitude of teares for nothing and bestowing so very few or none in that case wherein they would haue been as precious seed in a good ground exceeding profitable to my selfe and others I meane in bewailing the sinnes both of my selfe and of the times CHAP. VII Containing the second vse viz. an exhortation and direction to this dutie of mourning for the faults of others Vse 2 BVt now hoping that you doe all both fee and feele Exhortation to mourne this omission of teares to be sinfull I must turne my speech vnto your hearts for another purpose requiring you in Gods name to reforme this fault by turning your laughter into teares and your ioy into sorrow as Saint Iames aduiseth Ignorance of a dutie required though it cannot wholly excuse the neglect of it is yet some mitigation of the fault but when a man is plainely told of a dutie conuinced that it is a dutie reprooued for omitting it and yet is carelesse to performe it now his carelesnesse is notorious and inexcusable Perhaps my Brethren some of you that haue now been taught the needfulnesse of these teares did neuer consider the matter so well before but now that the thing is made plaine vnto you and your soules must needs confesse that you also as well as Dauid ought to be mooued with the faults of others continue not to omit a knowne dutie lest your consciences accuse you of wilfull disobedience Not alone to doe what God forbids me when I know his will to the contrarie is a fruite of wilfulnesse but also to neglect what hee enioynes when his good pleasure is made manifest vnto me Wee haue taken from you the excuse of ignorance wee haue made your hearts to confesse that you ought to haue wept some of Dauids teares wee haue I hope made you sorrowfull for not weeping them now wee pray you let vs make you carefull to shed these teares more plentifully hereafter I know that the same Dauid that here tels of riuers of teares doth also tell of his songs in the night and great reioycing But there is no such opposition or fewd betwixt such songs and such teares that both may not well be done in their seasons The day is long enough for both at least our life is long enough and euerie Christian must find while to mourne for his owne and others faults that he may be comforted he must sometimes make his teares his drinke that he may be fitted for the cup of consolation and put himselfe in ashes that hee may be ready to receiue the garments of gladnesse Wherefore brethren frame your selues to mourning and lamentation lift vp your voyces and weepe and draw forth water and powre it out here before the Lord for an acceptable drinke-offering as once it is reported of the people in the dayes of Samuel A fitter season to mourne wee need not seeke for The Text fits well with the time Oh that our harts would fit with both God hath mourned wil not ye mourne Be not among the generation of men that mourne not when they are wept vnto we come now to tell you that God would haue you weepe He calls for your teares and he lookes for them and let him not looke in vaine Take vp the words of the Prophet and say O that our heads were Fountaines and our eyes Well-springs of teares that wee might weepe day and night for the sinnes of the Daughters of our People Yea let euery man say with him My belly my belly depart from me comfort me not looke away from me for I will weepe bitterly because not of the slaine but of the sinnes of the Daughter of my People for it is a day of wickednesse and abomination and a time of extreme dissolutenesse My bowels my bowels I am pained at the heart I cannot hold my peace mine heart makes a noyse within me for I haue heard the voyce of swearing and cursing sinne vpon sinne iniquitie vpon iniquitie the people is a foolish people they haue not knowne God they are sottish children and will receiue no instruction they are wise to doe eiull but to doe good they haue no knowledge Imitate the good Prophet in these words of his and labour to put on his affections and then proceede more particularly and say Oh the oathes and blasphemies in our Nation O the contempt of Gods Word and Gospell in our Nation O the pride and idlenesse in our Nation O the drunkennesse whoredome and filthinesse in our Nation If Rome or Constantinople abounded with swearing and cursing who could looke for better there If France and Italy were full of whoredomes who could expect other in those corners of Popish darkenesse But England Ah England Gods Signet Gods Iewell which he hath fostered as tenderly and adorned as graciously as euer he did Iudea England the one onely Nation almost that doth openly and solely professe the true Religion of God I say England aboundeth in all these sinnes What shall we say or doe Whither shall we turne our selues And how shall we comfort our selues for this when euen England is full of all wickednesse What Swearing in England Cursing in England Lasciuious dancing dallying and wantonnesse on the Lords day in England Contempt of Gods Word drunkennesse pride idlenesse in England Euen in England where there is so much preaching and so much hearing Where the Gospell hath banished Poperie for so many yeeres Where the Scriptures haue so long time been read and published and where God hath vsed so many meanes for so great space of time to recall vs O breake our hearts within vs and let our eyes drop downe teares to thinke of it But what meane I thus to striue with you for
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
againe and not suffer him to perish or be made a bond-slaue in that captiuitie If we cannot make our corruptions grow so weake as we would yet if wee be still drawing forth the weapons of our Christian warfare and vsing them so well as we can to fight against our lusts wee shall inioy the esteeme and reputation of faithfull subiects and God and our consciences will giue vs this comfortable and honourable title of good souldiers of Christ Iesus And what an encouragement ought this to be that we are certaine our Lord and King will take well our paines in fighting these battels of his so well as wee can though in many things we come too short The will and endeauour in this spirituall combate is taken for the deed he that earnestly desireth and heartily labours to conquer his beloued corruptions is accounted a conquerour euen though as yet hee bee none Hee that resolues he will neuer giue ouer the fight but will vp againe after all foyles and buckle his harnesse to him againe though the law of his members doe sometimes draw him captiue after the law of sinne that is in his members he I say that so resolueth and so reneweth his resolutions and endeauours is reputed by the mercy of God in Christ to haue done that he would haue done and to haue accomplished that that he desired to accomplish Assurance of good acceptance of the weakest endeauours so long as they bee true may make the weake as the Prophet speaketh to say he is strong and forgetting his weakenesse to set vpon the worke as if hee were strong because euen his weakenesse shall be accounted strength if his desires purposes wishes and resolutions bee strong There is nothing that can animate a man more to march after Christ then this consideration 1. Sa. 30.21 25. Dauid had two hundred souldiers that were faint and could not follow the Amalekites that had burnt Ziglag but were faine to stay behind and doe a meaner seruice of attending on the stuffe and carriages Some of those that fought and vanquished the Amalekites would haue had these faint ones to haue been turned off without any part of the bootie But Dauids answere was Who will hearken to you in this And he made it a law in Israel that he which tarried by the stuffe should share of the spoyle of the enemy with him that fought in the battell Our King our Dauid keeps this law If a mans heart be good to follow and kill these Amalekites though his body faint and he be driuen to stay by the stuffe he shal enioy the prey and diuide the spoyle O who would not serue such a Generall with all his might where an vnvoluntary fainting an vnpurposed weakenesse shal not depriue him of the honour or comfort of the victorie 3. Further God will reward our paines taken in mortifying sinne wee shall be rewarded as well as accepted if we fight these battailes with an vpright heart Sinne is like a traytor whose head is set to sale hee that can bring it shall haue a large recompence The Lord hath set a great price vpon the head of our lusts kill them and we shall be greatly comforted here and haue so much more glorie and happinesse in heauen by how much we haue taken more labour and paines here Pay will make any souldiers fight If Christs souldiers will but sticke to it couragiously they shall want no pay of comfort glorie immortalitie and if they fight they shall bee crowned When Caleb fought against Debir he made this Proclamation among his souldiers Iudg. 1.22 To him that smiteth and taketh the Citie will I giue Achsah my daughter to wife and quickly Othniel was incouraged and tooke it Now how much more excellēt are the promises which the Lord hath made to encourage vs in this spirituall battaile saying If you mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit yee shall liue What wife or what portion with a wife is comparable to this blessed and glorious life which God hath promised and will giue to those that take their lusts and smite them Why then should we not animate our selues and doe valiantly to take and kill these spirituall Canaanites and to destroy all the Cities of them If any say This promise is made alone to those that ouercome and how shall we be certaine of victorie The answere is that it is true indeed those alone that ouercome shall obtaine this reward but euery one that will fight resolutely in this battaile shall ouercome And that is the last incouragement in respect of our successe as wee shall lose nothing and be accepted and be rewarded so wee shall preuaile also and get the better of our foes 4. Sinne shall surely be slaine We shall surely ouercome sin if we fight against it and fall downe dead before vs It cannot possibly defend or saue it selfe against the blowes which by the weapons of God are giuen vnto it It hath already receiued its deaths wound from the death of Christ we fight against an enemy that is more then half discomfited and slaine vnto our hands Through God wee shall doe valiantly and hee will tread downe our enemies vnder our feete When Israel fought against the inhabitants of Canaan the Lord fought for them and though their enemies were strong in body and many in number and had Cities fenced and walled vp to heauen yet they prospered whithersoeuer they went and none was able to stand against them This was a figure of our good successe in fighting against the lusts of our flesh They cannot escape our hands if we giue them not leaue to recouer themselues So mightie is the Word of God so strong the Spirit of God so certaine the diuine assistance that wee are sure of an happy victorie if wee cloathe our selues with courage and confidence and persist in the battaile to the end of our liues The Lord that fought for Israel will fight for vs and worke great saluation The land of Canaan was inhabited with Giants and men of huge stature but all these fell before the Host of God our Giant-like sinnes shall bee but meate for our swords and we shall preuaile against them though they be neuer so many and strong Wherefore let vs conclude with the words of Ioshua to the mē of Ephraim Iosh 17.18 Thou shalt driue out the Canaanites though they haue iron Chariots and though they be strong And with the words that the Priests were appointed to vse vnto the people in the day of battaile Heare O Israel Deut. 20.3 you approach this day vnto battaile against your enemies let not your hearts faint feare not and doe not tremble neither be yee terrified because of them for the Lord your God is he that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies and to saue you And thus haue we cleared the poynt and laid before your eyes abundance of good reasons to induce you to this battell Now
that wee may make way for the vses and that you may better practise the dutie wee must giue you some directions about it shewing you three things First the degrees of mortification Secondly the meanes of mortification And lastly the manner of vsing these meanes that wee may speed by them CHAP. VI. Shewing the degrees of Mortification FOr the first of these Two degrees of mortification we will shew both the lowest degree of mortification that without which no man can bee saued and also the highest degree of mortification beyond which a Christian cannot reach in this present life and these two beeing knowne the middle degrees betwixt these will appeare of themselues Know then that the lowest degree of mortification is that which hath attained two things which whosoeuer hath not attained is not at all mortified he that hath attained them is in truth mortified and then must striue forward for greater perfection The first thing is 1. To forbeare the vsuall practice of grosse sinnes to forbeare the ordinary practice of grosse sinnes such as are expressely condemned by the letter of the Word and by the light of nature and such wherein the members of the body are giuen as weapons of vnrighteousnesse No man can say hee is truly mortified till he haue gotten so much power against his corrupt lusts that hee bee not vsually and commonly ouertaken with those palpable deeds of the body swearing cursing lying rayling drunkennesse wantonnesse reuenge deceit and the like to these for those that doe such things Gal. 5.21 Ephes 2.3 shall not inherit the Kingdome of God and the Apostle saith That in time past when we were dead in sinnes wee had our conuersation in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the mind and of the flesh and were by nature Titus 3.3 children of wrath And againe Wee our selues were sometimes foolish disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lusts and pleasures liuing in malice and enuie hatefull and hating one another 1. Pet 4.3 And againe Peter saith The time past of our liues may suffice vs to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles when wee walked in lasciuiousnesse lusts excesse of wine reuellings banquetings and abominable Idolatries And Saint Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 1.6 If we say wee haue fellowship with him as euery mortified man hath and walke in darkenesse as he that liues in the vsuall practice of such things doth we lye and doe not the truth Colos 3.6 For as the Apostle saith For these things sake the wrath of God doth come vpon the children of disobedience It is plaine enough you see that hee which is a worker of wickednesse and doth giue himselfe leaue to goe on in the common practice of these abominable euils is not translated from darkenesse to light he is not made partaker of the vertue of the death of Christ he is not buried with Christ by Baptisme into his death nor made conformable vnto his death so that it is in vaine to flatter our selues with a false opinion of our being good Christians so long as these things do so strongly beare rule in vs hat wee giue our members as seruants vnto them ordinarily for the good man must not walke in the counsell of sinners nor stand in the way of the vngodly 2. But secondly 2. And the allowance of the least sinne a godly man must preuaile yet further against sinne euen so farre as not to allow defend excuse extenuate and carelesly let passe the smallest knowne sinne yea the first risings and motions of sinne but must constantly obserue oppose confesse bewaile and be humbled for them before God Math. 5.8 for no man can be blessed till hee be pure in heart and hee that must ascend into the hill of the Lord and stand in his holy place Psal 24.4 must haue as cleane hands so a pure heart also as Dauid saith Now the heart is not pure so long as any the least sin is winked at allowed maintained couered and made light of Therefore the Apostle saith not alone Rom. 6.12 13. that wee must not giue our members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne but also that we must not obey it no not in the lusts of it Now hee that giues way to euill motions in his heart and makes nothing of them nor lamenteth and resisteth them doth serue sinne in the lusts of it as well as hee that rusheth vpon the grosse and externall acts of euill vsually doth giue his members as instruments of wickednesse It is therefore apparant that grace must so farre change vs and subdue our corrupt disposition as that wee must crucifie the flesh with the very affections and lusts or else we are not planted with Christ into the similitude of his death nor can truly take to our selues the name or inioy the priuiledges of men that doe mortifie the deeds of the body And this is the least degree that will serue to intitle a man to the comfort of one that is truly mortified 3. Now the highest degree that is in this life attainable 2. The highest degree of mortification stands also in two things first in preseruing ones selfe so much and constantly against sinne To be euer kept from any grosse sinne as neuer to commit any grosse or palpable sinne neuer to curse raile sweare lye deceiue reuenge dally or any other like manifest and notorious offence either in word or deed Iam. 3.4 And Saint Iames tels vs That hee which offends not in word is a perfect man This perfection by the helpe of grace a godly man may reach to in this life and O how beautifull and happie a life were it to goe euen thus farre in the subduing of sinne that one should be wholly and altogether free from all blemishfull and reprochfull sinnes But a good man may proceed to somewhat an higher degree of perfection euen to keepe his heart free from any settled liking of any euill motion thereof To be free from any settled liking of an ill motion so that he shall neuer take any stayed or deliberate content in any of the sinfull inclinations dispositions that doe stirre in him I doe not say onely not to giue any consent vnto them or to yeeld his will to them but not to haue his imagination settledly and deliberately pleased and delighted with them but that hee shall presently quench reiect and detest them but to be voyd of all euill motions arising from the flesh or of all sudden passions within or of all sudden delight in them or of all deadnesse or backwardnes to good things by reason of them that is so far as I can learne out of Scripture an higher pitch then that any man can touch it in this present world For surely whilest we liue the law of our members will be working and the flesh will be lusting and euery man shall finde cause to complaine of a body of death euery man shall finde cause