Family and Baals Priests 4. But there are some of Gods Saints that fight in this battaile but with a very faint hand pursuing their lusts as Israel did the Philistims 1. Sam. 14.24 when Sauls rash oath had made them almost to starue themselues for hunger as it were with a languishing foote and hand They set against finnes sometimes but not often not continually they doe not count it the maine matter as souldiers doe and let all other things giue place to that they are more eager against the faults of others then against their owne faults though some paines they take this way too They see some corruptions and resist but they are not diligent enough in striuing to find out all their euill inclinations and to set against them I know not how you may better find it then words can expresse it but they fight against many sinnes but by the haules Hence it comes to passe that they doe catch many wounds and breake out diuers times into many such words and deeds that doe both blemish them and vexe them much and yet they cannot take warning but because other things doe diuert them from the studie of mortification they grow slacke and remisse againe Doubtlesse my Brethren he that behaues himselfe coldly in this fight is but a weake Christian whateuer knowledge he haue gotten and whateuer name of forwardnesse he hath attained And sure many that are of great note because they can speake well are yet hereby proued not to be strong men but euen babes in Christ at best for alasse how farre are they from hauing put to death pride passion enuy lust worldinesse and other corruptions yea how much and often doe these sinnes preuaile against them O let vs see our weakenesse in this for not as wee know and can speake so is our goodnesse but as wee can mortifie the members that are vpon the earth It is not brauery of speech that makes a good souldier but the blood of his enemies falling before him 5. Now therefore to both these neglecters of mortification to him that neglects it altogether and to him that neglects it very much let me turne my speech as sharpely as I can but differently according to their different offences To thee that satisfiest thy selfe in keeping sinne a little close or at best a little vnder and to thee that makest a formalitie in Religion thine vtmost mortification and to thee that makest a little flash of heate against those that thou callest the corruptions of the times the highest degree of thy striuing against finne giuing not truce alone but peace to pride vanity earthlines idlenesse bitternesse reuenge and other like sinnes thou art but an errand dissembler I pray thee know it and I pray thee be ashamed of it If thou commest to the Word and it doe not shew thee the foule sinnes of thine heart and make thee striue against them If thou prayest with others or by thy selfe and thy prayers doe not procure light to see and strength to ouercome thine owne inward corruptions beleeue it what-euer thine owne self-selfe-loue or the false opinion of others may tell thee thou art but an hypocrite O now take it to heart and be grieued and ashamed that thou hast all this while liued in shew a Christian indeed a Gentile in shew a child of God indeed a child of the deuill in a shew an heyre of Heauen indeed an heyre of perdition 6. And all you that haue been somewhat carefull of mortification but that somewhat hath been farre too little and therefore you find your lusts yet verie strong within you because your paines hath not been verie earnest and constant to subdue them I pray heare and receiue reproofe What meane you to deale so foolishly for your selues so vnthankefully with God What meane you to liue liues so vncomfortable and distracted so vnheauenly so vnhonourable when you might gaine comfort settlednes honour and a little heauen to your selues by mortification For the most part your sharpnes vnduly against other men sometimes for these things that be faults and sometimes also for those that be not is the chiefe cause of your remaining so much vnmortified because you fight too much abroad therefore you fight too little at home and lose so much at home What meane you to bee many masters What meane you to be teaching euerie bodie more then you selues What meane you to be prying into your Gouernors your neighbors euery body but your selues and by being busie-bodies in other mens matters as it most times fals out to hinder the thrift of your owne soules Fault-finding abroad is one of the greatest enemies to mending of faults at home Now I say what meane you to deale so foolishly for your selues as to keepe so much adoe about that that lesse if at all concernes you and to bee so remisse in your owne bosomes that your owne sinnes bee as strong as other mens and perhaps stronger though you see them not What to bring water to quench another mans house when thine owne doth burn as fast as his And now why dost thou deale so euill with the Lord they God as not to pursue these enemies to death which hee hath giuen thee to pursue Thy chiefe worke is to mortifie thine owne sinnes Hath God promised thee comfort here and glorie hereafter if thou wilt crucifie thine owne lusts Hath hee called thee to be his child inroled thee into his booke giuen thee the earnest of his Spirit and the pay of some present Ioy in hope and all this to hearten thee in cutting off the members vpon earth and wilt thou be still so carelesse in it O now humble thy selfe before the Lord and be greatly sorry Ioel 2.1 2. that thy lusts bee yet so strong within thee God sent a Prophet to Israel to chide them for that they had not destroyed the Canaanites according to his Commandement by the hand of Moses and they finding themselues guiltie lift vp their voyces and wept and the place from thence was called Bochim that is The place of weepers I come in Gods name to reproue thee for that thou hast not with due care rooted out the euill brood the naturall inhabitants as it were of thine owne euill heart now therefore at leastwise bee humbled and mourne for this thy carelesnesse CHAP. XIII Containing the third vse of the point an exhortation to reforme the former negligence hereafter Vse 3 BVt let it not suffice you to be sorrie for your faults a little for the present Exhortation to more diligence make your humiliation so thorow and sound that it may bring forth reformation All you that baue hitherto gone along in your sins without any care at all to mortifie them now bee intreated to buckle on your harnesse and to learne to fight It will not serue the turne for your soules health that you represse your sinnes from breaking out scandalously to the eye of the World It will not serue the
like the fruitfull Vine comfortable aswell as fruitfull His children like the Oliue plants profitable and beneficiall as well as many Godlinesse is good for all things it hath the promises of this life and of that which shall bee and these promises must needs bee fulfilled An holy conuersation of life a well ordred and religious carriage in the whole frame of life this makes life sweet all the comforts of life cōfortable If thou walke in Gods wayes he hath vndertaken to make all you do prosperous Lo a sure way of attaining as much happinesse as this lower world can yeeld For why doth God send troubles but to correct sin and to redresse disorders and to draw men to godlines If they follow godlines of their owne accord by hearkning to the coūsel of his Word fewer afflictions will be needfull and fewer shal be sent for he corrects not willingly but as Parents giue bitter draughts to their children euen for the health profit of their children But secondly the man wife that would liue cheerefully must loue each other tenderly and plentifully Much heartie and holy loue to one another will sweeten all crosses and keepe out the worst and greatest crosses Let the husband loue his wife as Paul enioyneth and let wiues be louers of their husbands as the same Apostle prescribeth charity wil couer al things and hope al things beleeue all things and suffer all things and so wil mend very many things y◠else would surely go amisse Wherefore striue more to store thine heart with loue to thine yoke-fellow then to fill thy coffers with gold and siluer for grace is more auaileable to felicity then wealth and charitie is the King of graces And that you may loue each other in large quantity and after a spirituall manner pray often each with other and each for other that will breed much loue Do much good to the soules of each other and you shall not chuse but be kindly affectioned one to another Thirdly instruct your children and seruants in the feare and knowledge of God labouring to make them Gods children and seruants and then they will proue to you good children and seruants or if they proue otherwise the testimony of your consciences that your diligence hath not been wanting to make them such will comfort you much in their badnesse Dutifulnes and obedience to God wil come attended with dutifulnes and obediēce to you care of pleasing God will breed care of pleasing you a good cōscience towards their chief Gouernor wil beget a good carriage to you their inferior gouernors If pietie dwell in your hearts and houses it will chase the greatest troubles out of dores keep the rest from breeding much vexation And if you seek to plant and water it in your families it will likely grow there or if it should not yet the doing of dutie wil comfort the hart though successe be wanting to endeauour Lastly for your estates let your harts be moderate your hands diligent Labour about the things of the world else an idle person must walke vpon an hedge of thornes Loue not the things of the world else a person greedy of gaine shall trouble his owne house The diligent hand will bring sufficiencie and the moderate heart will bring contentment and then the troubles of a mans estate must needs be made few and easie He that for Gods sake applieth his calling and not for wealths sake shall haue Gods fauour in his calling and either shall not be crossed or shall not be vexed by crosses So haue we shewed you as good directions as we could to keepe afflictious out of doores But no care will altogether shame them You must therefore set your selues in the second place to beare them patiently and not to faint vnder them nor to be distempered by them Neuer vnwish marriage for the cumbers of marriage Had-I-wist is seemely in no mans mouth O that I had neuer married is a most vndecent thought in an husbands hart a fond word in his lips Why should our wils oppose Gods will when he hath made it knowne vnto vs Paul saith before Art thou joyned to a wife seeke not to be loosed A valiant souldier doth neuer repent of the battaile because he meetes with strong enemies he resolues to be conquerour and then the more and stronger his foes the greater his honour So must the husband and wife resolue to conquer the troubles of marriage and vse the buckler of patience against the blowes of aduersitie that they may conquer But here also you will aske how and I must tell you how The meanes to get patience in the cumbers of the wedded estate are chiefely these first to resolue you must and will bee patient secondly to pray that you may bee patient thirdly to consider your comforts as well as your crosses and fourthly to looke vp to God as the Author and Heauen as the end of your troubles A firme purpose of will to doe or suffer any thing doth greatly fortifie the soule Hee that often thinkes I am bound to beare my part of trouble quietly seeing euery man aliue hath his portion in troubles and seeing we haue brought troubles vpon our selues and seeing these troubles are but short and light in comparison of those we haue deserued and therefore I wil euen buckle my shoulders to the burden and not giue way to shrinking this man shall find that an hard loade will lye lighter vpon a resolute heart then an easier burden vpon an irresolute spirit Whatsoeuer a Christian man doth constantly tell himselfe that hee hath great reason to doe shall haue much good by doing and must needs doe or doe worse and therfore inacts this statute in his mind By Gods helpe I will doe it that shall he be able to doe in good measure and God will passe by his failings Doe thus much for the matter of patience inure your minds to thinke much of the reasons that should induce you to it and vpon those reasons to conclude that through the gracious assistance of God you will be patient and you shall be so But resolutions without prayer are presumptuous and God doth vse to chastice presumption by making it find its owne weakenesse Wherefore you must pray much and often as well as resolue Strong resolutions ioyned with strong supplications cannot bee in vaine Lord must thou say by nature I am impatient apt to fume and fret or else to faint and quaile but O let me be strengthened with all might according to thy glorious power vnto all long-suffering and patience with ioyfulnesse Lord strengthen me against all infirme and impotent fallings of heart against all furious and violent risings of spirit and seeing thou hast brought me into marriage inable mee to beare the burdens of marriage The frequent renewing of such acknowledgements of our owne feeblenesse and petitions to be fortified by the might of Gods Spirit will cause that wee shall find the grace of God
againe Some man perhaps vpon occasion of these words may desire to haue this demand satisfied When doth God call a man to Marriage I answere First when he sets him in such a condition that he may marry without wronging any other person that is when hee is now become his owne man not bound by couenant to continue another mans seruant for God neuer crosseth himselfe whom he hath called for a certaine time to bee seruant vnto a Master him he doth not call during that time to breake from that seruice without his Masters liking and to thinke of making himselfe a Master before he haue fulfilled the dutie of a seruant Secondly when God furnisheth a man with some conuenient meanes to maintaine a Wife and Family and not before for God calleth no man to any place vntill hee haue granted him some meanes of discharging the duties of that place and it is one part of an housholders duty to prouide for them of his houshold The Lord sends not souldiers into the field to fight without some weapons nor men to house-keeping without some meanes to keepe house Lastly when a man after diligent labour conuenient watching due abstinence earnest prayers and a carefull shunning of all times places companies exercises that may prouoke ill affections doth yet still find his heart so restlesly possessed with these desires that he cannot with-hold his will at least from often consenting vnto them and so is disabled from seruing God in duties of Religion and his calling with comfort and chearefulnesse to whom God after all these meanes vsed vouchsafeth not the power of containing him he cals to enter into Matrimony But hee that is so tyed in other respects that he cannot marry without wronging another or wants all fit meanes to maintaine a wife or in regard of any other let cannot attaine a wife shall without faile attaine the gift of continency if hee be carefull to vse the forenamed meanes and the like that God hath appointed to subdue lust Indeed if men force themselues to an vnmarried life either by superstitious vowes or incredulous feares or the like the Lord will likely punish their presumption or diffidence by not yeelding his powerfull helpe and so will make them find their owne folly and weakenesse But such is the wisdome of God to proportion his owne actions to his owne ends and cause that all his deeds shall hold agreement each with other and such is his truth and goodnesse to them that faithfully call vpon him that whom himselfe debarreth from Matrimony him he will inable to liue chastly and purely out of matrimony vpon condition of his vpright and carefull endeuours to get this abilitie Wherefore whosoeuer is yet a seruant to another or is wholly destitute of all meanes to prouide for a wife and children or is otherwise so hindred that he cannot haue a wife must say to himselfe thus God hath made me a single man would haue me so to continue as yet I will not be wanting to my selfe in striuing for continency and Gods blessing shall not be wanting to mine endeuours in giuing continency And hee that is at his owne disposing otherwayes and enioyeth conuenient meanes of prouiding for a Family shall for all that doe best to forbeare Matrimony as I suppose if hee perceiue no need of marriage for the preuenting of sinne or other important consideration For albeit in such case the Lord hath left a mans conscience at libertie so that hee sinnes not either by abiding in his present estate or altering it which he likes best yet it may seeme the wisest way to make choice of that part which the Scripture rather of the twaine doth seeme to commend saying 1. Cor. 7.1 It is good for a man not to touch a woman 7. I would that all men were euen as I my selfe 8. I say to the vnmarried and widdows it is good for them if they abide euen as I that is single 27. Art thou loosed from a wife Seeke not a wife 38. He that giueth her in marriage doth well but hee that giueth her not doth better 40. The Widdow is happier if she abide so that is vnmarried after my iudgement and I thinke that I also haue the Spirit of God But yet if God leade any man to marriage let him follow him yet so that hee follow him with prudence and discretion Hee whom God shall will to fight with an enemy must furnish himselfe with fit weapons Dauid gate himself a sling and smooth pibbles out of the valley when he went to encounter Goliah So men must arme and furnish themselues for marriage that they may not dishonour this honourable estate by turning backe from it in their minds and wishes Specially he that will bee married must arme himselfe with patience against the troubles of that kind of life and resoluing that hee shall meete with them must determine that hee will behaue himselfe not alone quietly but euen chearefully though they come apace about him Digest in the serious consideration of thy mind the cause of trouble sinne the vse of trouble the healing of sin the Sender and Moderator of trouble God the end and issue of trouble glorie that thine heart may neither faint nor fret because of trouble yea tho some heauy and more then ordinarie calamitie should betide thee much lesse if thou meete alone with those vsuall matters which like spirtlings in a dirty way will surely come to the lot of euery man in euery Family For to see a man so foolish and absurd that hauing made himselfe the Gouernour of an houshold he can beare no disorder of wife children seruants no disaster in goods cattell dealings without chasing and fuming and stormes and without those pangs of a base and feeble mind vaine wishes of hauing neuer knowne this wife or so forth is a spectacle of that nature as may iustly mooue disdaine as well as pitie in the wise beholder What was he trow you a reasonable man or a bruit creature that rushed so foresightlesly into marriage as neuer to say to himselfe that some of these things must needs befal al that are wedded And if a man do know that such things must needs happen to all that will marrie is it not a strange indiscretion to take on that they haue happened to himselfe who would needs marrie Make reckoning therefore of crosses in thy matrimoniall condition and then bee carefull to preuent them so much as may be For which end let mee commend vnto thy consideration these two things following When thou art married if it may be liue of thy selfe with thy wife in a family of thine owne and not with another in one family as it were betwixt you both And in all thy worldly dealings trust no more then thou must needs nor otherwise then vpō due security The mixing of gouernors in an houshold or subordinating or vniting of two Masters or two Dames vnder one roofe doth fall out most times to be a matter
if I be married to this husband hee may leaue me the mother of some children and nwo great with another and sending his soule to heauen giue me alone his cold corpse to put into the earth How shall I doe to see the breath goe out of that beloued body How shall I endure to see those eyes clozed and all those lims and ioynts now vnder the arrest of death How should I beare the desolate name of a widdow of one that had an husband where the crosse is aggrauated by the goodnesse of him whom I haue lost So must the husband thinke What if either in trauaile or otherwise the Lord do take away my deare wife from my side What if she liue with me but a few dayes and then death come and make an irrecouerable separation How shall I behold those cheekes wan those lips black those hands cold that body breathles and liuelesse and fit for none other habitation but that of wormes the darke graue the Kingdome of corruption the territorie of rottennes How shall I lay that beloued body forsaken of the more beloued soule into the bowels and entrals of the all deuouring sepulchre Indeed brethren so farre as I see now adayes men and women can well enough answer to these questions for they can burie and marrie and all in a moneth an hastinesse deseruing to bee deepely censured But if thou loue thine husband if thouloue thy wife how canst thou brooke this finall separation But we goe forward to shew you the troubles you may meete with in respect of children Sometimes barrennesse doth cloze vp the wombe and suffers not the married persons to become parents Sometimes the fruit of the bodie is granted indeed but blasted with sicknesse and with speedy death Sometimes they liue but a few dayes or a few yeeres and then leaue the parent more sorrie for the lesse then glad at the receiuing of them Sometimes they liue to mans age and out-liue the parents but onely to be their parents tormentors and murderers by their euill and lewd conditions so disquieting their hearts that they would count it an aduantage to haue been barren and doe often wish they had laid them in thier graues before euer they had vsed a tongue to speake Many a child puts his mother to after-throes more terrible then those with which shee brought him into the world at first Many a father is in trauaile of his old child that knew not the labour of his first bringing forth Sometimes they proue stubburne sometimes riotous sometimes vncleane sometimes false and sometimes bring themselues to infamous punishments and vntimely deaths Sometimes they belewd before marriage and vexe the parents with beholding a bastard of their names Sometimes they be wilfull inmarriage and wil make their owne foolish choyce against the knowledge or consent of parents Set them to learning they learne nothing but vanitie set them to labour they labour for nothing but to vndoe themselues running away from their Masters it may be also robbing them and hauing runne themselues out of breath come home ragged and miserable but not penitent ready to doe as bad againe and put their parents to extremitie of care so that they are euen distraced and at their wits ends not knowing what course in the world to take with them because both faire meanes and foule meanes haue been vsed and none will auaile Sometimes againe a child seeming towardly so wins away the parents affection that hee giues him almost his whole estate and is content to be at his finding and then loe the monstrous Viper begrudgeth his parents food and attire is wearie of his old age and counts his weakenesse ouer-cumbrous and sticketh not to shew by words and deeds that hee wisheth his death with all his heart then which I think no crosse in a child can be more stinging Thinke of these things you that are or would be married What if you prooue drie Kyes and beare no fruite How could you brooke a life wanting issue the most desireable fruit of marriage Or What if God giue thee children to looke vpon for a weeke or two or to play with for a yeere or two or to be charged withall for a doozen or a score of yeeres and then send death to fetch them to himselfe againe With what quietnese of mind couldst thoui resigne these gifts into the hand of him that gaue them How couldest thou endure to see the sicknesse of thy sonnes or daughters to see them burne toffe tumble waste consume languish and pine away to heare them grone sigh complaine crie out and roare and scritch and fill thine eares with rufull lamentations How canst thou frame thy selfe to see thy branches as it were withering halfe cut off and ready to fall from the body of thy family What shift couldst thou make to burie two three foure halfe a dozen halfe a score sonnes or daughters some at a day some at a weeke some at a yeere some at a dozen some at twentie or more yeeres old Or if thou scape these petit crosses in thy children how couldst thou brooke a stubburne rebellious son or daughter that will interchange words with thee and snap thee vp short and chide faster then thy selfe that will cast vpon thee a leering horse-like contemptuous eye and will stab thy soule with a lowring pouting scornefull looke with a dogged barking answere yea that will steale thy goods from thee and consume it in ill company whores and drunkennesse that wastes all that thou hast gotten and giuen to him and takes such vntamed courses as doe deeply threaten thine heart and eyes with that worse then deadly spectacle to see him one day preaching vpon a ladder with a rope about his necke because such a life can hardly conclude in a better death How wilt thou suffer this corzie of a wicked riotous vngracious vngratefull Viper in thine house who doth nothing else but striue with abominable words and deeds as it were with poysonfull teeth to gnaw out thy verie heart and deuoure thy bowels and entrals for whom thou canst neither eate or sleepe in quiet nor be at home nor abroad in peace a very Absalom that would kill his father to get his Kingdome With what resolution could you parents vnder-goe the burying of a good child or the liuing of a bad But let it be granted that a mans children shall proue at least indifferent and tolerable there is yet another necessarie member of a family which may make the hear of the family ake exceedingly these are seruants of both sexes men and maides Some seruants be idle and slothfull and will doe little some be hollow and deceitefull and will doe nothing but when the gouernours eye is vpon them some be rude and rebellious and will doe what they lust themselues for all their gouernours speeches some bee false and vntrustie and will purloyne their goods if they can some be carelesse and forgetfull and procure exceeding losse by their negligence some
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
of the soule whereby it is apt to coozen it selfe that makes one thinke I will goe where I shall meete with strong prouocations to sinne but yet I will not sinne Now the consent which was secret and as it were implicite before so soone as occasion and tentation haue stirred corruption growes manifest and open and shewes it selfe and so a man sins when he thought but he thought amisse that he was resolued not to sinne Betwixt a resolution to doe a thing whereby the will doth chuse and a resolution not to doe it whereby the will doth refuse there is a middle kind of action an irresolutenesse a suspence neither chusing nor refusing but betwixt both Now this indifferency of the will is halfe a yea and hee that makes halfe a grant when none importunity doth presse him will make a full and totall grant when hee shall be as vpon such occasions hee shall bee importunately vrged and it is sure that a man neuer doth wittingly put himselfe vpon occasions of euill vntill hee bee at least irresolute whether to doe it or not Wherefore euery Christian man must be wise for his soule and not alone determine to forbeare all things that are sinfull and flatly condemned but if hee haue found by his owne experience that such and such things in themselues indeed lawfull are to his corruption strong prouocations to euill hee must also determine to deny himselfe in these things also In one word this direction is so necessary that all the labour in the world will not subdue sinne if it bee not backed with this part of circumspect walking For if the heart be hollow nothing will make it strong against sinne and euery mans heart is so far hollow as he is willing to play with the occasions of sinne CHAP. VIII Shewing two spirituall meanes of Mortification Prayer and Meditation THese are the naturall meanes of mortification which of themselues wil represse sin and a little abridge it of its liberty of walking abroad but kill it of themselues without the spirituall they cannot These spirituall helpes are foure Prayer Meditation Feare of our selues and Watchfulnesse By Prayer wee get strength from God by Meditation we become Gods instruments to worke strength in our selues by Feare and Watchfulnes we put to vse the strength which we haue gotten Frequent and feruent prayer needfull to mortifie sinne First then if we will kill sinne we must be frequent and feruent in prayer vnto God against sinne and what particular sins wee are most molested with and had most need to beate downe those we must assaile most often and earnestly with our prayers Now when I say prayer I meane prayer and all the parts and additaments of it If a man had neuer sinned he should need onely petitions and thankesgiuings but hauing sinned he needs also confession and lamentation to be ioyned with the former as it were buttresses to the wall of the house to make it stand stronger and a staffe to a weake leg to make one goe the more stedfastly So all these parts of prayer must be vsed 2. We must plainly acknowledge and hartily bemone our selues in Gods bosome for our sinfulnesse and wickednesse of heart and life and with all due aggrauations and condemnings of our selues must lay open before the Lord the corruptions and vices that we find in our selues confessing withal that we are weake and feeble and slaues to sinne and of our selues cannot subdue them and so with the heauiest hearts that we can lament our miserable weaknesse Looke what Iehoshaphat did when he heard of the comming of the Lubims and Ethiopians against him and his people the same must we doe when we see the innumerable troupes of corrupt lusts that do seeke the destruction of our soules 2. Chron. 20.12 We haue no might saith that worthy King against this great company that comes against vs neither know we what to doe but our eyes are vpon thee So must the Christian soule sigh out its complaints before the Lord often O I haue no might to ouercome all these strong lusts and by name such and such that fight against mee daily and I cannot tell what to doe but Lord mine eyes are to thee 3. Then must hee take to him petitions and requests begging helpe from heauen crying earnestly for the Spirit of God to helpe him for by the Spirit alone can wee mortifie the deeds of the body vrging and inforcing vpon the diuine Maiesty all his comfortable promises which he hath written in his Word Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for you are not vnder the law but vnder grace Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Rom. 8.2 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath freed me from the law of sinne and death And specially that excellent branch of the new Couenant Heb. 8.10 11. They shall all know me from the least to the most and I will put my law in their hearts and in their minds will I write them and so suing with the greatest feruency of desire that he can attaine say O Lord performe these promises O let no wickednesse haue dominion ouer me O make me sound in thy precepts O incline mine heart vnto thy testimonies and not to such a sinne When God is thus importuned by the cries and prayers of his seruants hee cannot but stirre vp himselfe and come and helpe them and heare the voyce of their prayers when they cry vnto him When Israel felt the oppression of their outward enemies and cryed vnto the Lord as it is often noted in the booke of Iudges the Lord had pity vpon them and raised them vp a Iudge and a deliuerer shall he not bee much more attentiue to the voyce of their supplications when they cry vnto him against pride vain-glory lust wrath and those spirituall enemies that seeke to oppresse them Certainly the Lord will remember and will vp and helpe and set them at liberty whom sinne and Satan had insnared 4. And to the two former must bee added praises and thankes for the helpe already receiued If one finde that hee hath gotten some power against his sinne that hee hath more ability to oppose the lusts of it that hee is seldomer ouertaken with any breaking forth of it then before that he hath been able to withstand some notable tentations to it in a word that the force of it is in any measure abated hee must returne with the praises of God in his mouth and triumph in God that hath helped him so farre against his spirituall foe The Lord deserueth praise and lookes for praise of his Saints for treading downe those lusts that rise against them and it is a seruice very pleasing vnto him when we offer the facrifice of thankes Yea it doth exceedingly animate our selues to this battell if we take notice that wee haue in some degree preuailed and with the voyce of
ioy and thankesgiuing doe runne before the Lord and giue away all the praise from our selues to him There is nothing can more reioyce the spirit of a Christian then this heauenly ioy will doe The ioy of the Lord is our strength Sorrow Nehem. 8.10 when we haue been foyled is no more auaileable to confirme vs against sinne then holy reioycin when we haue stood fast and resisted It is a more signe of selfe-loue to grieue for that we are weake but a greater signe of true loue to God to reioyce in him when hee makes vs strong Wherefore as a godly man if hee finde himselfe any day to haue yeelded to sinfull desires in any sensible degree must humble himselfe and confesse and cry out against himselfe so if he finde that any day he hath not been foyled but hath been able to represse and destroy euill motions especially if hauing occasion or tentation he haue beene strengthened to resist he must then leade his captiuity captiue and at night sing a new song of praise vnto the Lord and euen ride in triumph ouer his corruptions boasting himselfe in God and setting vp his banner in the name of the most High and with as cheerefull a soule as he can offer vp humble and hearty thankes to his heauenly Father that hath made him to doe valiantly The prayers of Gods seruants thus consessing their sinnes crauing power against them blessing God for the beginnings of helpe are weapons so mighty through God that they will wound the strongest corruption and pierce the soule of any lust and whosoeuer will begin and continue thus to resist and pursue his sinnes shall finde them as the Philistims before Samson to fly and fall downe dead before him 5. Holy meditations to mortisie sinne After Prayer or with it holy Meditations must come in both to quicken as also to backe it and amongst all matter of mditation against particular sinnes we must accustome our selues specially to foure generall meditations that are indifferently and equally forcible against euery sinne Of Gods holy nature First of the most holy and pure nature of God how great wise iust true mercifull he is that hee hath an all-seeing eye and an all-hearing eare in euery place beholding the euill and the good and pondering all the pathes of the sonnes of men that hee hateth sinne with a perfect hatred as being contrary to his most holy will and Commandements that he will punish it with most seuere punishment as being the righteous Iudge of all the world who cannot indure iniquity nor will hold the wicked innocent that he is most gracious and louing to the penitent sinner and will spare him as a father doth his child that hee will keepe all his promises and make good all his threatnings with all faithfulnesse and not suffer one tittle of his Word to fall to the ground In a word that he is euery way most holy and most excellent and will reward all that seeke to him and obey him and auenge himselfe vpon all that stubburnely rebell against him and forsake the wayes of his Commandements to walke after their owne crooked deuices and inuentions 2. Secondly Of Gods terrible threats we must often call to mind the most terrible threatnings of God against sinne in generall and specially against that speciall sin which most molesteth vs. Ho much euill God hath denounced against the committers of it and how much woe and miserie it hath brought vpon others and will bring vpon our selues if we take licence to liue in it Wee must consider sinne in the euill effects of it and so conuince our selues of its vilenesse and mischieuousnesse for God hath from Heauen manifested so much wrath against the workers of iniquitie in general and against each particular lust and sinne that men liue in that if we could presse these things vpon our owne soules and cause our hearts stedfastly to beleeue the same wee could not but hate wickednesse and tremble before the Lord and so abate the power of corruption and euen driue our selues out of the euill courses of sinne Wrath and anger tribulation and anguish Rom. 2.8 9. shall be vpon euery soule of man that worketh wickednesse vpon the Iew first and also vpon the Gentiles For these things sake Ephes 5.6 the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience vpon the wicked God will raine snares and tempest fire and brimstone and storme Psal 11.6 that shall be the portion of their cup. Marke 9.46 Their worme neuer dyeth and their fire neuer goeth out their smoke shall ascend for euermore Deut. 27.26 And cursed is euery man that continueth not in the whole Law to fulfill it So horrible so grieuous so intolerable are those things that God hath menaced in his Word against all the sonnes of Belial and all the workers of vnrighteousnesse that whosoeuer will euen bind these things to the tables of his heart and apply them to himselfe by faith shall stand in awe and not sinne and shal find the Iudgements of God so terrible vnto him as that they will beate downe his corruptions and make him to feare and depart from wickednesse for the end of these things is death 3. Of Gods gracious promises Thirdly we must oftē cal to mind the gracious promises that God hath made to those that leaue sin and the admirable comforts that both here and hereafter the God of truth hath vndertaken to reward them withall that for his sake denie themselues and crucifie their sinfull lusts Then shall wee see how vaine and friuolous the pleasures and profits of sinne are and by tasting the fruit of holinesse should bee well inabled to despise the offers of sin What comparison betwixt the good we get by doing euill and the vnspeakeable Ioy of the holy Ghost and the immortal Ioyes of Heauen What made Moses to set light by the honours and delights of Pharaohs Court but that he considered the rebuke of Christ to be greater riches What made Paul to count al dung that he might win Christ but because hee looked to the farre most excellent waight of glorie Wee must not suffer our selues to be forgetfull of the wonderfull benefits which the Lord will bestow vpon vs if in obedience and loue to him wee can be content to cast away our sinfull lusts He that forsaketh any profit or credit or comfort for Christs sake shall bee rewarded an hundred fold The man that refuseth to walk in the paths of the vngodly shall bee blessed vpon earth his soule shall dwell at ease the Lord will deliuer him out of the hands of his enemies God will be a Sun and shield vnto him and no good thing wil he withhold from them that walke vprightly His heart shall delight it selfe in God and he shall see the shining of the louing countenance of his Father His soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and he shall become like a watered garden
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
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
wisdome his onely Loade-starre in iudging can hardly mistrust so much euill as those that make faith in Gods threatnings a counsellour to their forecast must needs most euidently foresee now ready to come against vs. The huge encrease of vices amongst vs the noysome swarmes of wicked men and wicked deeds doe assure euery one that beleeueth there is a righteous Iudge in Heauen who thence beholdeth all the sonnes of men that hee will not long forbeare to scourge vs soundly for our vnthankfulnesse to him and rebellion against him Lay all things together and I thinke there neither is nor euer was a Nation more beholding to the Diuine Maiestie What peace What plentie What deliuerances What brightnesse of heauenly light haue we enioyed now for the space of more then threescore yceres Againe lay all things together and I think there neither is nor euer was a Nation more wicked and vngratefull and that did worse requite the louing kindnesse of God What profanenes What blasphemy What contempt of God his Word What sinnes of all sorts doe abound and reigne amongst vs We seeme to haue entred into a contention with the Almightie whether he shall be more mercifull or we more sinfull whether he shall be more constant in doing vs good or we more obstineate in sinning against him I doubt not but that the same faults are found in other Nations that are in ours and in places further off from the light perhaps also grosser faults but a people so long and happily enioying the Gospell and so poorely answering the seede that hath been sowne amongst vs I cannot thinke there is any What shall we doe then and what will be the issue of our not bringing forth fruite worthy the paines and cost that God hath bestowed vpon vs We may flatter our selues as it is vsuall for men to doe and promise to our selues as much good as our hearts can wish but it is sure Gods threatnings shall bee fulfilled and publike sinnes shall bring in iudgements after them answerable to themselues in greatnesse and inpublikenesse Mine intention therefore in setting abroad this Sermon is to doe the best good that I can to my poore Country in stirring vp those that are not starke dead in sinnes to set their endeauours on worke for the preuenting of her woes There is no way left for vs to defend our selues against Gods hand but prayers and teares Mans wisdome is folly with God It hurts it selfe often in seeking to helpe it selfe and lyes snared in its owne subtiltie as in a grin Mans power is weakenesse with God and often casts it selfe downe by seeking to establish it self falling with its owne weight No my brethren no Not our wisdome not our power but our prayers and teares I say our prayers and teares these are the best fences against the calamities to which our Country stands exposed These will pacifie God these will make him say as once he did to the Prophet Amos 7.3 6. It shall not be saith the Lord. To the end that I might prouoke some to apply themselues to this so needfull a seruice for their Countrie I haue held vp the example of a most worthy man of God whose example if we would imitate no doubt but we should procure as much prosperitie to our Nation as Israel inioyed in his time Set about it therefore O yee Christian soules You Countrie hath interest into you It callengeth at your hands all the good you can affoord it It iustly claimeth the vtumost impreouement of all your abilities It stands in danger of Gods hand by reason of the sinnes wherewith it is defiled Not your blood which would you denie but your teares are now called for to wash away those staines Heathen men haue fought for their Countrie shall not we sight for it They haue giuen their whole bodies shall not wee giue our teares They haue laid downe their liues shall not wee lay downe our mirth They haue encountred all perils shall not we endure the labour of mourning and lamentation I call vpon you in Ieremies words Lam. 3.18 19. Let your teares runne downe like a Riuer day and night giue your selues no rest let not the apple of your eyes cease Arise crie out in the night in the beginning of the night watches powre out your hearts like water before the face of the Lord lift your hands towards him If miserie come you will surely crie when crying will auaile but little crie before it come with such a crying as may preuent it O deferre not to afford this Iland another sea of teares for its safe-gard and that a better too then this wherewith it stands surrounded The multitude are so metamorphosed into stones that all words are cast away which may be spent in calling them to sorrow But if there be as sure there is in our Nation any small remnant left of those that haue hearts of flesh now let them witnesse their loues to their Countrey in taking vp a bitter lamentation against those crimes that make a clamor in heauen against it Crie aloude I pray you and out-crie the crying sinnes of England God from Heauen hath spoken aloud by diuers corrections He as a Father loth to strike hath giuen vs many a faire warning Let vs not shew our selues to be wanton children that will take no warning that will not beleeue their parents threats that will needs continue their vntowardnes till the rod be held vp ouer them yea till their skin begin to smart with stripes There are many that mourne for crosses penurie drawes teares from the eyes of many We weepe to no purpose in weeping for such things Let our hearts be filled with ruth for the faults that fill this Kingdome Let the Lord see that some are fit to be spared if for their sakes perhaps he may spare all I pray thee Reader be a true friend vnto thy natiue soile Helpe her with thy humble requests and earnest lamentations Intercede to God for her with a beneded knee and a broken heart and moystned eyes Not thy money not thy toyle not thy fighting not thine hazard but thy sorrowes are called for These vouchsafe to thy selfe and to thy Countrie and we shall all be safe All enemies here or elsewhere all Papists at home or abroad cannot hurt vs if our sinnes hurt vs not they shall not hurt vs so long as they bee pursued with cryes and lamentations God is our King sinne is treason against him if many commit it and none bewaile it he must and will auenge it but if we spare not to grieue for sin he will surely spare to punish it Happy griefe blessed teares ioyfull sorrow The heart of fooles is in the house of laughter the heart of wise men in the house of mourning Follow the worthy Prophet into this house imitate him in it doe as he hath done and thy Countrie shall enioy thy teares more then it could doe thy labour thine hazard thy substance But I
must not forestall the following Discourse I hope it will cause the good amongstvs to pitie their Mother and to mourne for her that they themselues may reioyce with her in the fruite of their mourning Now I commit thee to the following leaues and them to thee I would thou wouldest reade them I would thou wouldest consider them I would thou wouldest practise them and so wishing thee a much good sorrow as in other cases thou couldst wish thy selfe ioy I leaue thee to his blessing who will accept thy sorrow and remaine A desirer of thy teares William Whately Feb. 19. 1622. CHARITABLE TEARES c. Psal 119.136 Riuers of water runne downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy Testimonies CHAP. I. Opening the Text and shewing and prouing the doctrine viz. that we ought to lay to heat the sinnes of others THE Prophet of God the Author of this most heauenly Psalem inthis part of it proceedeth in his meditations after this order First he makes way to his petitions by professing his diligent care of Gods Law Vers 129 130 131. Secondly he propounds his petitions for mercy Vers 132. direction 133 deliuerance 134. feeling of Gods fauour 135. Lastly hee concludes his petitions with professing his sorrow for other mens sins in these words And this he puts also for a confirmation of his faith to assure himselfe and as one may say to perswade the Lord that hee should speed inhis suites For it is great reason that God should mercifully guide deliuer and comfort him that doth take so hainously the dishonour done to God by other people Wee haue here then to make the griefe of Dauid set out by the quantitie and cause of it The quantitie is expressed in that hyperbolicall phrase Riuers of waters runne downe mine eyes Whereby is meant that his sorrow was very great and withall comstant in that it did shew it selfe by continuall and abundant streames of teares The cause is in these words Because they keepe not thy Law Not wrongs and persecutions against himselfe but sinne and wickednesse against God did procure his great sorrow or if he wept for the molestations and iniuries offered vnto himselfe yet not so much considered in the nature of iniuries as of sinnes Let me therefore at this time be bold to presse vpon you a most needfull and excellent dutie from the example of this holy man we ought to lay to heart the sins of other men viz. Doct. To lay to heart the sins of other men All the seruants of God should imitate this one seruant of God in the cause course quantitie constancy of his sorrowes and set themselues to mourne heartily earnestly daily for the transgressions of others which their eyes doe see and their eares doe heare It should bee a corroziue to our soules and an anguish to our spirlts to behold and know the dishonour that is done vnto our Maker by the offences of our neighbours Euerie good subiect is troubled to see his fellow subiects prooue Rebels neither can any good and dutifull sonne or daughter behold without sorrow the rudenesse or vndutifulnesse of their brethren or sisters nay a seruant that is louing and obedient to his Master is also sorrie at the heart if his fellow-seruants shew themselues stubburne carelesse and disobedient so should it be with the faithfull subiects dutifull children and obedient seruants of the liuing God their very soules should be filled with anguish and their countenances with sadnesse for the rebellion disobedience wickednes of those amongst whom they liue Not alone our owne offences but those of our brethren also should be as a loade and burden vpon our soules Thus it is reported of Lot 2. Pet. 2.8 that hee vexed his righteous soule from day to day with seeing and hearing their vnlawfull deeds speaking of his behauiour when hee dwelt in Sodom The impurities and vncleannesses of those brutish creatures were euen as a racke vnto his soule and he could not looke vpon their foule and lathsome and yet common and vsuall abominations but that it did euen torture and torment his hart no lesse then a racke would hjaue done his body So when Ezra was informed of the sinne of them Ezra 9.2 3 5 6 c. that had returned out of captiuitie hee sits downe confounded and fasts and weepes and mournes and in the agonie of his soule puls off the haire of his owne beard for griefe and at last breakes foorth into a most lamentable and mournefull confession of that sinne This Prophet also had professed before in the 53. verse of this Psalme saying Horror hath taken hold vpon me because of the wicked which forsake thy Law And Ieremiah professeth to the people that if they would not hearken vnto him to amend their liues according to the Word of God which hee should speake and had spoken then his soule should weepe in secret places for their pride Ier. 13.17 yea his eye should weepe sore and run downe with teares The Apostle Paul likewise hearing of the incestuous Corinths abominable crime and the great conniuency of the Church of Corinth towards him did write a letter vnto them about this matter as himselfe saith 2. Cor. 2.4 out of much affliction and angish of heart and with many teares Lo how bitter to the soule of the holy Apostle the tidings of the Corinthian disorders were He that for scourging stocking imprisonment stoneing and all heau persecutions was scarce euer filled with anguish but rather reioyced in the same and seemed to gather new life by the comming on of new miseries is now exceedingly cast downe and put into bitter weeping and lamentation for the wickednesse committed by one of that Church and by the rest tolerated Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe the best patterne of all holinesse and obedience did looke vpon the Pharises as the Gospell tels vs angerly indeed Mark 3.5 as their peruersenes and wilfulnesse did well deserue but withall mourning for the hardnes of their hearts And it is also obserued of him that comming to Ierusalem he did euen weepe ouer it in great compassion Luk. 19.41 because they had carelestly neglected the day of their visitation You see proofe enough of the point let vs further make it good vnto your soules by cleere and euident reasons to be taken from foure heads First from the graces that ought to be in euery Christian heart which cannot but procure this sorrow Secondly from the nature of sinne which is to be sorrowed for Thirdly from the good effects that will grow from this sorrow And lastly from the euill effects that will follow vpon the want of this sorrow CHAP. II. Containing one reason of the point from the graces which ought to be found in euerie godly man and being found cannot but work this sorrow these are three Loue to God Loue to men Hatred of sinne IT is agreed vpon by all Reasons first from our loue to God that the hearts of Gods
Saints ought to abound in fernent loue to the diuine Maiestie in regard both of those infinite excellencies which are in his holy nature and the innumerable demonstrations thereof as also of those great and many benefits which they themselues doe receiue from him This loue cannot be separated from an earnest desire that he may be honored serued obeyed and in word and deed acknowledged and respected according to his owne worth and greatnesse and the multitude and greatnesse of his mercies Now there is such a naturall sympathy betwixt the affections of mans heart and they are so mutually subordinated each to other in their workings as it is not possible but that loue to any person and desire that he should be well dealt withall must needs rayse vp griefe and sorrow vpon the beholding of the quite contrarie For loue must needs beget hatred and abhorring of those things that tend to thy hurt and dishonour of the partie loued because he that loueth cannot choose but esteeme and account them euill yea and very euill and if that thing bee present with any man which he hateth and reputeth euill it must of necessitie stirre vp in him a measure of sorrow proportionable to his hatred Wherefore this griefe must beare witnesse to the truth of that loue which we say wee beare vnto the liuing God and must iustifie all those protestations which wee are ready to make of hauing abundant good will vnto him For it is in vaine to say we loue if we bring not forth the effects of loue It is but painted and imaginarie fire which yeeldeth forth neither heate nor light so it is but tongue-loue and lip-affection which is good for nothing but to beguile our selues and make vs better conceited of our selues then there is cause that produceth not the true and proper fruites of loue Furthermore wee doe know and confesse Loue to men that our loue to God must alwayes bee ioyned with the loue of our brethren euen of all that are made of the same flesh with our selues I meane our hearts must bee settled in a liking of them and desire of their welfare as of Gods creatures to whom he hath pleased to vnite vs in many bonds For though the Lord doe allow yea and command vs to hate the workers of iniquitie as they well deserue because they commit hate-worthy actions yet this hatred must not be any habituall inclination or motion of the will to their hurt but alone a stirring vp of the affection of dislike against them or not brooking them in regard of the euill which they commit which may well stand and must euer be ioyned with the vertue of Christian charitie whereby out of a liking of them as Gods creatures we are alwayes prompt and ready to wish and seeke their good Now if we do thus loue them must it not needs grieue vs to see that which we know to be harmefull and mischieuous to them Loue cannot choose but breed a fellow-feeling compassion a sympathizing commiseration and sensiblenesse of the losse euill damage miserie of the partie loued Wherefore sinne being as in the next reason we are to shew a most dangerous and hurtful thing to the soules of them that commit it it cannot but call for our sorrow yea much sorrow and many teares whensoeuer we behold it Againe Loathing of sin euery Christian man should haue his heart possessed with a loathing detestation and hatred of sinne that being indeed the first and principal and most immediate obiect of hatred we may call it the chiefe odious thing in regard of which alone it is lawful to hate other things neither is any thing further hatefull then as it doth some way or other participate of sinne misery being alone hatefull so farre as it is an effect and concomitant of sinne from which if it be separated as in the case of suffering for wel-doing it is euen louely and desireable but whatsoeuer doth sauour of sinne in as much as it is sinfull is hatefull also and therefore the Word of God commands vs to be haters of euill And if a man doe neuer so much forbeare sinne out of other considerations of the inconueniences that insue it not out of a loathing of it in as much as it is a contrariety to the will and glory of God the chiefe good for indeed sinne alone is properly contrarie to God as hauing no manner of dependance vpon him nor similitude of him nor any other relation to him but alone as contraries be relatiues and as crimes haue reference to the Iudge that is to punish them I say if in this respect of loathing sinne as sinne wee forbeare it not our forbearance of it is not a thing formally good it is not truly nor sincerely good but alone good inshew a practice of hypocrisie a carcasse or painting of goodnesse It being then a thing so absolutely needfull to hate sinne as that wee cannot say we haue Gods Image vnlesse we resemble him in this for hee hateth sinne with a perfect hatred it is therfore also necessarie that we grieue for sinne for the presence of a thing lothsome and detested cannot be separated from griefe griefe being nothing else but a contraction and paining of the heart at an euill thing present and that must needs bee confessed euill which is accounted hatefull So then we shall falsely affirme that we hate euill if we sorrow not to see it committed There are some things which in nature a man abhorreth and cannot away withall as some cannot endure a Cat some a Mouse some a Frog or the like now when such a loathed thing doth of force and whether he will or no draw neere to any person experience will tell vs how grieuous it is vnto him hee cryes and shreekes and starts and shewes an extremitie of the passion of sorrow and if he cannot flie from it his whole body will weepe as it were in a kind of cold sweat as if the weeping of the eye were too little So if sinne be amongst the number of things that we cannot away withall that we do loath detest and haue in abomination we shall surely testifie our abhorring it by a sadnes heauines deiectednesse contraction contrition troublednesse falling melting and mourning of our spirits when wee cannot choose but see it committed for betwixt grace and sinne there is as true an antypathy as betwixt a mans nature and a toade And therefore so much grace I meane sanctifying Grace as we haue in vs so much sorrow must we needs haue for sinne So haue you the first reason of the point consider the second which wee fetch from the nature of sinne CHAP. III. Containing another reason of the doctrine gathered from the nature of sinne Reas 2 SInne is of all things in the World the most and greatest euill From the nature of sinne which separating the person in whom it ruleth from the Sea and Fountaine of goodnesse We may call it after a sort the
first and chiefe euill by participation with which all that is euill doth become euill as God himselfe is the first and chiefe good by participation with whom all things that are good doe become so For first sinne doth most of al things yea solely and alone crosse thwart contradict dishonours God and so wrong and dishonour and so offend prouoke and anger yea and after a sort grieue trouble and vexe the Lord God of Heauen for God himselfe is not afraid to tell vs that he is grieued with mens wickednesse that he is laden with them as a Cart with Sheaues yea that men doe wearie him with their iniquities yea that it grieued him at his heart that he had made man when hee saw his wickednes It is certaine that the Lords excellencie is such and so infinite that no perturbation cna befall him to the diminishing of his happinesse and blisse let all the sinners in the World both doe and say whateuer wickednesse they can But yet still sinne is a thing of that nature as doth directly tend to the disquieting troubling and hurting of him by casting him out of his throne by wresting his authoritie out of his hands by setting his creature in his roome and preferring the will and pleasure of the creature which is lesse then nothing before his will and pleasure that is more then all things All this the sinner doth as it were proffer and assay to doe though he cannot effect it For sinne is nothing but an opposition of the reasonable creature to the authoritie and commanding will of the Creator And therefore if it were not because the Lord out of his endlesse and vnmatchable power is able to ease content honour nad glorifie himselfe on the sinner by a iust and deserued punishment of the sinne and by causing the way of the wicked to perish as the Psalmist speaketh it would certainly prooue euen a very vexation misery and hurt vnto him So sinne is the foulest thing in all the World offering and attempting to do the greatest mischiefe in the World euen to put the Lord besides his Kingdome and to rob him of his Soueraigne authoritie and power and should not a Child of God be grieued to see such a thing as this committed If we see a man offering to wound cut stab kil a child a friend a neighbour a stranger griefe doth amaze vs we cry out and our heart bleeds with griefe The sinner especially by grosse and presumptuous sinning doth as it were strike at God endeuours to pierce wound and let it bee spoken with reuerence to shew the horrible euil of sinne after a sort to kill him for his Beeing and Soueraigntie must needs both stand and fall together and sinne doth directly set against his Soueraigntie so that if a sinner could haue his will the Lord should bee King of all the earth no longer O hatefull and horrible thing And shall this horrible wrong be offered to the Diuine Maiestie in the sight and hearing of one of his children and subiects and hee not crie out againstit and bee pained at the very soule for it Furthermore sinne is the most banefull and mischieuous thing to the creature that can be imagined both to the persons selfe that doth commit it and also to the place and Nation in which it is committed Hurts the sinner Vpon the committers soule not to name inferiour punishments it bringeth vnauoydably vnlesse griefe and sorrow come betwixt the intolerable torment of Gods infinite and vnconceiueable wrath and indignation causing that so sure as there is a God so sure shall the soule of euery man that aduentureth vpon it be for euer tortured and fried in the fierie and vnquenchable flames of Hell vnlesse repentance that is an heartie sorrow for it and a carefull amendment of it doe preuent to danger Christ hath said it long agoe These shall goe into euerlasting fire and in Hell their worme dyeth not nor their fire goeth out Dauid affirmed as much before in substance saying Vpon the wicked he shall raine snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall bee the portion of their cup. Paul hath confirmed as much saying Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall bee vpon euerie man that doth euill And againe For these things sake the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience Shall we see a man offer to teare out his owne bowels to cast himselfe into the middest of the Sea to leape into an hot fierie furnace and not be hartily sorrowfull at it Now what doth euery sinner but prepare an huge fire by piling on huge heapes of wood wherein his soule and body must afterwards be burnt for euer the anger and iustice of God turning all into a flame that neuer shall be quenched Can any man know beleeue and consider all this euill to follow from sinne and not bewaile bitterly to see his brother rush into it Moreouer Hurts the land where sinne is committed for the whole Land where sinne is committed it is thereby made obnoxious to all the miseries that this world can bring forth Sword Famine Pestilence all these come after to purge away sinne if teares doe not first wash away the staines thereof This is that that sets open the flood-gates of Gods vengeance and causeth it to emptie it selfe vpon a Nation and maketh it to breake in vpon them like the breaches of the Sea which cannot be stopped This causeth the Lord in wrath to turne men ouer to ciuill and open discord whereby they fall a killing each other till the streetes doe swim with gore blood and the earth be hidden and as it were buried with carcasses Hence it commeth that the Sword hath commission to destroy and deuoure that the ancient man is pierced thorow the young child tossed vpon a speare and his braines dashed out against the stones and the virgin first rauished and after hath her guts ript out Warre with all the bloodie mischiefes and insufferable insolencies thereof doe follow vpon sinne till a Citie be turned into a ruinous heape and a populous Countrie changed into a Wildernes and put ouer to Owles and Hedge-hogs and vncleane birds and beasts to inhabite and neuer was there Towne Citie or Country where sinne was boldly and impenitently committed but sooner or later Gods glittering Sword was sheathed in the bowels of it Hence are all the stirs and tumults that al Nations haue groaned vnder This hath made the earth to stagger like a drunken man and the inhabitants thereof to reele vp and downe like men ouercome of wine This is that which casts the World into a very frenzy and puts the sonnes of men vpon the mad humour of quarrelling and killing each other by thousands and tenne thousands at a time This also causeth the Lord to send the destroying Angell against a Countrie and giue him charge to lay about him fiercely smiting and killing as it hath befalne euen in our owne times and
sighes and groanes vnto the Lord for the publike sinnes and whosoeuer bewayleth the generall wickednesse shal also bee deliuered from the generall punishment Therfore if any man desire to be puld as a brand out of the fire and to bee one of the two or three berries in the vtmost boughes that must hang vpon the tree when all the rest are beaten off let him prouide for his owne peace and welfare betime by making his heart to ake and his eyes to weepe for the common abominations And so you see what good this mourning will do in regard of the publike State by proroging the punishment so long as is possible and in regard of his owne selfe that mourneth by keeping him from the infection of sinne making him carefull to seeke the amendment of others and so sauing him from participating in the publike plagues CHAP. V. Containing the fourth reason of the point from the euill that will insue for want of mourning Reas 4 CArrie your thoughts a little further From the ill effects of not mourning The soule will be infected and let them consider of the euils that will necessarily follow from the absence of these teares It is certaine that no man can shun the infection of other mens sins vnlesse hee mourne for them as no mourner is infected so none but mourners can be free from infection Hee that grieues not for a sinne that others commit will easily be induced to commit it himselfe if occasion serue at least hee will soone bee drawne to like it and thinke well enough of it and then the infection hath taken the heart and hath possessed the spirits and vitall parts as it were of his soule and that is enough to kil a man though it should bee kept from breaking forth in outward action Some men by vertue of a good constitution escape the Plague in the hottest and forest of all plagues and that also though they vse few or none antidotes or remedies It is not so with our inward man in regard of sin For of so ill a complexion as it were and so vnsound and healthlesse a constitution are all our soules since the defiling of our nature by the first sinne of Adam that any sinne almost doth easily speedily vnauoydably cleaue vnto the same The driest Touchwood or Tinder that is doth not more readily take fire by any little sparke then our soules will catch a sinne by bad example And sinne it selfe is so strong and vehement in the working of it and withall so deceitefull close and insinuating that it doth almost insensibly conueigh it selfe into our inward bowels euen almost before we are aware so that vnlesse we doe moysten our selues often by the teares of godly sorrow for sin we cannot liue amongst others that do euen glow with the fire of it but wee shall also burne and glow for companie neither is there a man vnder Heauen so sanctified but hee shall become wicked with wicked men if his soule mourne not for their wickednesse Lot would sure haue been vncleane in Sodom if their vncleannesse had not vexed his righteous soule Therefore to preuent a mischiefe otherwise vnpreuentable to our selues namely the being polluted with other mens faults let vs see it a dutie and follow it to wash our selues with teares from that pollution Otherwise A men shall be carelesse of seeking of redresse of euils wee shall also pull another euill vpon our selues euen make our selues slacke carelesse and remisse in the endeuour of reforming the sinnes of our brethren Hardheartednesse in not feeling the burdensomenesse of sin will cause that a man shall sit still and let it take its course and bestow no paines to redresse it for that that one doth not feele to be euill why should hee bestirre himselfe to amend And surely hee feeles it not euill that doth not mourne for it What was the cause that the Corinthians did so carelesly tolerate the incestuous person among them Hath not the Apostle taxed it in one word saying And you haue not rather grieued that such an one might bee taken from amongst you Lo they mourned not for the sinne and therefore they chastized not the sinner in good manner as they ought to haue done for his amendment And so will it euer bee in all places and times In what measure sorrow for sinne is wanting care of amending it will be wanting also little of this if little of that and if none of that none of this wil be seene in mens liues This vnsensiblenesse of sinne is ioyned with too much sensiblenesse of other things it makes one so timorous that he dares not speake against wickednesse for feare of offending such and such it makes a man foolishly pitifull and cruelly compassionate that he cannot find in his heart to hurt the offender euen by due executions of iustice He whose heart and eyes cannot performe their office in grieuing for and lamenting sinne neither will his hand and tongue doe their offices in speaking and striuing against it The same corruptions that make the hart short in griefe and the eyes in teares will also make the tongue short in reproouing and hand in punishing Neither will any man lay a plaister to that sore which he thinkes not worth grieuing for for if it were dangerous why is not he sorry If it be not dangerous what need a plaister And so it will follow that sinne hauing none enemie to resist it none to oppose and fight against it will mightily preuaile as a fire which no man seekes to quench and so get the vpper hand till at last it grow so high crying and insufferable Publike plagues will come that the Iustice of God can no longer forbeare it but he himselfe must take the matter into his owne hand Then follow sore and heauie calamities vpon the Church and Common-wealth and the whole Nation groanes vnder Gods blowes because few or none did groane for the sinnes that prouoked him When many commit euil and none lament it then the wrath of God will surely arise then is sinne gotten to his full ripenesse and then the euils aboue-named sometimes singly sometimes altogether at once are appointed to destroy a Nation All the policie of Gouernours all the valour and courage of souldiers all the wealth of Citizens and the loue and friendship of neighbours shall not keepe a Nation in welfare nor mound it from grieuous and fearefull plagues if once the voice of sadnesse and mourning and of those that crie and weepe for the abominations of it be put to silence Then will God change their wisdome into folly catch them in the snares of their owne craft and if other meanes should faile will make them euen to vndo themselues Then shall power bee turned into weakenesse and courage into cowardice for God will fight from Heauen against them as the Prophet tels the Iewes and if their enemies were but dead carcases yet should they rise and ouercome When all cease mourning
then shall all begin suffering for that is a sure proofe that sin is come to his full growth and that the measure of mans wickednesse is replenished euen to the brim Indeed what is there then remaining that can in any reason be thought able to moue the mercy of God to longer forbearance When none bewayleth or as good as none when none supplicateth when none pleade the causeat the barre of his mercy how can Iustice but raise it selfe vp and smite the abusers of former mercies with so much greater seueritie by how much they haue been longer borne withall And further They shall perish in the common destruction it will come to passe from this letting sinnes slip away by them without sorrow that the children of God if any few graines of Wheate bee found hidden in the huge heape of chaffe shall perish in the common destruction and bee smitten with the rest because they mourned not for the rest but did rather partake of their sinnes by not opposing them for none is in mercy marked for the day of deliuerance but a mourner Though a man be for the generall vpright and godly yet if in that particular hee doe so farre degenerate from the rules of godlinesse that he remaine sorrowlesse for the dishonour done to God by others this vngrieuing disposition hath so deepely ingaged him into the guilt of those sinnes that it will very hardly stand with the truth and wisdome of God to let him goe free but he must cause him for the good of his owne soule by the smart of crosses to grieue for such euils as else he would not grieue for So mischiefe vpon mischiefe breakes in when teares and mourning stand not vp to preuent the same A mans selfe is infected he becomes carelesse of reforming euill God smites the whole societie for the sinnes now committed by all and lamented by none and then hee that mourned not must himselfe also smart for company Shall we not seeke to stop the way against all and each of these euils by intrenching our selues as it were within these Riuers of waters And so Brethren you haue reasons great store to prooue the dutie and perswade vnto it If you loue God whom sinne grieueth if you loue your neighbour whom sinne hurteth and if you hate sinne it selfe which all ought to hate that loue God and their neighbour if you consider how loathsome and grieuous a thing sinne is how offensiue to God yea and iniurious how harmefull also to mankind both to him that dares practise it whose soule it tumbleth to the bottome of hel besides other crosses of all sorts which attend it for the present and also to the Countrie where it is suffered causing the Lord to send out Sword Pestilence Famine and all manner of dolefull miseries against it If you consider that this mourning wil surely cause the Lord to reprieue the whole Countrie and that it will keepe the soule of the mourner free from infection and stir him vp to al due meanes of redressing sin and so saue his own soule at least frō the cōmon calamity when it can now be longer no deferred And lastly if you remember that where this mourning is absent a mans soule will surely be infected he wil grow careles of doing that which he ought to doe for redresse of euill and so sin growing mighty will infallibly and ineuitably procure a common iudgement in which himselfe shal also as a man not signed for deliuerance be taken away among the rest If I say you doe acknowledge and confesse all these things as they are all manifest and doe seriously lay them to heart you cannot chuse but yeeld in your very consciences that you all ought to doe as the Prophet here professeth to the Lord that himselfe was wont to doe euen cause Riuers of waters gush out of your eyes because men keepe not the Law of God CHAP. VI. Containing the first vse of the point a reproofe of them that doe neglect this duty Vse 1 BVt alasse alasse my Brethren Reproofe of those that mourne not for common sinnes how slow and backward haue wee all been to this so plaine and needfull a dutie Ah it is most euident that we deserue most sharpe reprehension for being so scant in teares for that for which this man of God did weepe so abundantly For where is there my brethren alacke where is there to be found one man amongst vs that hath imitated so precious and withall so manifest example Where is his dwelling whose face is couered with these teares and cheekes made wet with this weeping In what corner may we meete with him or her that is able to professe in truth before the Lord and his owne soule O Lord Riuers of water haue run downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy Law O no no we are sold ouer to mirth and iollitie Behold slaying of Oxen and killing of sheepe eating and drinking and calling to hang sorrow as once among the Iewes Behold piping and dancing and minstrelsey behold making out harts fat and iouiall as in a day of slaughter But alas Ah alasse the sinnes of the Land are not laid to to heart by almost any of those that inhabite the Land and for a thousand sinners hardly haue we one weeper As for the common multitude why they would thinke him euen quite out of his wits whose face they should see blubberd with weeping in a corner And why forsooth Because his neighbours be wicked and ill liuing men and keepe not Gods precepts Why would they think and say what is that to him Shall he beare other mens burdens or answere for other mens sinnes Or can hee mend their faults by sighing and weeping for them Why then should hee vexe himselfe for that which will bere neuer a whit the better if hee should vext his heart out at it This would be the censure of the common and ordinary man of such a mourner as the Text speakes of they would count his teares ill spent and himselfe a foole for his labour And as is their iudgement such is and such needs must bee their practice They neuer in all their liues wept one tenth part of a teare for all the sinnes and abominable deeds that euer they heard of or saw committed vnlesse it haue falne out that the same thing haue been an hurt vnto themselues or some other man whose case they haue tendred and so bemoned the person not bewailed the sinne been sorry for it as an injury against man not as a transgression of Gods precepts But this neglect is not found alone with the vulgar sort of men Nay those that haue gotten some good measure of knowledge and of vertue and doe exercise themselues with some due care to keep themselues vnsported of the wicked world euen these also for the most part haue eyes altogether drie and tearelesse in regard of other mens offences Who of those that seeme to know and feare God to delight
in his wayes is carefull to wipe away the staines of his neighbours sinnes with his owne teares Brethren I demand of each of you Can you say affirme and that truly and sincerely in the presence of God that your eyes doe yeeld forth streames of water for the publike sinnes Againe I propound this question to euery of your consciences Art thou able to take vp Dauids words here and with the good leaue of thine owne conscience to affirme as he affirmed Riuers of waters c. Doubtlesse there are but very few if at all there bee any of vs that may affirme thus much of himselfe without a manifest accusation of falsehood in his owne soule If we lament our owne sinnes we thinke it abundantly sufficient though wee lend no teares at all to bewaile our neighbours faults Indeed it must not bee denyed that the greater number of teares and those the most earnest and bitter must be bestowed by euery man in lamenting the sinnes of his owne heart and life but yet seeing God is dishonoured also by the faults of others and the soules of our brethren as well as our owne soules ought to be deare vnto vs neither can it be denied that it is a sinne and a fruit of our not sufficiently hating sinne and louing God and our brethren that we are so exceeding defectiue in sorrowfull teares for their misdeeds and cause enough there is that each of vs should take vp a grieuous complaint against himselfe and say O Lord how vnlike haue I been to thy seruant Dauid No flouds no drops of teares scarce halfe a score teares scarce fiue scarce two scarce one scarce halfe an one doth proceed from mine eyes for the many and hainous transgressions that I doe daily see with mine eyes Where was my loue to thee Lord Where mine hatred of sinne Where my charitie to my brethren O how iustly mightest thou sweepe me away with the Besome of the common destruction and bring thy fearefull plagues vpon all of vs euen my selfe amongst the rest because they sinned and I wept not for their sinnes We are bound brethren euen to be angrie and to fall out with our selues when wee find in our selues a manifest neglect of a plaine dutie so euidently enioyned by God by others so plentifully practised and grounded also vpon so good and vndenyable reasons as this is and therefore now charge thy soule before the Lord with a great sinne of omission in that thou hast forgotten or nor regarded to weepe in secret for the publike sinnes There want not men amongst vs that can eagerly inueigh against the Words naughtinesse and aggrauate the offences of others in words and with a satyricall bitternesse set out the greatnes of their folly Yea there are some that can make matters worse then they be and set a deeper and dirtier colour vpon the sins of others then they ought to doe but among these witty and sharpe reproouers of these vehement and clamorous accusers is there any one trow you that may be called a weeper a mourner a lamenter It is easie to exercise ones wit vpon the sinnes of others by making them ridiculous to mooue the spleene with laughter It is easie to exercise ones stomake vpon the sinnes of others by violent inuectiues to make the offenders odious but it is hard yea hard indeed to exercise ones sorrow vpon the sinnes of others to make our selues carefull of not offending in the like kind and of seeking to stop them also from offending Diuers may say I beheld the transgressors and laughed at them diuers also I beheld the transgressors chafed at them but few alasse how few can vse another sentence of Dauid in this Psalme and say I beheld the transgressors and was grieued because they kept not thy Word Let vs therefore earnestly condemne our selues in our hearts that haue eyes so drie and void of teares when we haue a Land so naught and full of sinne For Brethren how stands the case with vs Can wee iustly excuse our selues and say The cause of our not weeping is the want of cause to weepe for that amongst vs the commandements of God are diligently kept so as there is no iust reason of digging vp Fountaines of teares to bewaile the contrarie Are we able in truth to defend our selues with this Apologie which were the onely due Apologie that would defend vs from blame for not weeping I would to God euen hartily I would that it were so and that it were nothing but our either too much zeale or too much aptnesse to find fault that made vs in this manner to accuse and condemne our selues and you But alasse the contrary is most manifest and vndeniable Sinne aboundeth with vs as much as euer it did I thinke in the streetes of Ierusalem and as it is fore-prophecyed that knowledge should so it is fulfilled that wickednesse doth euen ouerflow like the waues of the Sea Oathes and blasphemies and cursed speakings breaking of the Lords day vnhallowed profanation of Gods hallowed Time contempt of Gods Word and Ordinances and a shamefull turning of Religion into a meere forme fashion disobedience against Gouernours murder whoredome theft fraud vsurie briberie simonie all sinnes almost of all sorts in all estates all places all ages all conditions all sexes doe swarme round about and fill the World like the Frogs of Egypt or the Flyes The face of our Nation is couered ouer with a Leprosie and Tetter of most odious and loathsome wickednesse Who can walke the streetes in a Market or a Faire-day and not heare a thousand oathes and a thousand curses a thousand lyes and a thousand periuries euen wilfull and grosse false swearing euen for a very trifle With vs they despise Father and Mother with vs they oppresse the poore and fatherlesse with vs they defile euery man his neighbours wife and with vs they take vsurie and lend for encrease Amongst vs there is lying swearing whoring stealing killing and in a manner no mercy nor truth nor knowledge nor feare of God in the Land so that it is nothing else but very blindnesse that makes vs not to see if we see not our Countrie to be euen buried almost in a Sea of wickednesse and yet loe wee weepe not nor mourne our dead hearts and drie eyes drop downe no teares for all this O blockish and sencelesse soules of ours O consciences hardened and deaded and little lesse then seared with an hot Yron O that wee could bee greatly discontented with our selues for hauing been so exceeding hard-harted this way and for hauing bestowed so little time and paines in labouring to make our selues softer We haue not onely not wept but not striuen to weepe not alone haue we omitted sorrow but euen the endeauoring after sorrow hath been farre from vs and that of the two is the much more faultie for he that labours to performe a Christian dutie and yet failkes of it for all his labour is a farre lesse
offender then he that doth vtterly forbeare all paines to performe it Now so it is with most of vs I thinke I may say with most of vs wee haue bestowed no paines nor time to digge vp these fountaines of teares we haue not set our thoughts that way nor laboured the matter with our owne hearts to make them grieued and sorrowfull in this behalfe Againe and againe therefore let vs compare our selues with this Prophet and wonder at the difference that he had floods of teares and we haue scarce at all one teare to shed for the breach of Gods Law which is so notoriously broken amongst vs. There is I acknowledge a generation of fault-finding men that make vs farre worse then wee be their sharpe-sighted eyes can see no lawfull Ministry no true Word Church Sacraments nor prayer amongst vs and yet of these captious People and carping Nation that ouerlash so much in accusing there is scarce any that mourneth for the things hee carpeth at for they so spend themselues in false accusing that they haue no leasure to bestow in true bewailing of our sinnes But tho wee may not nor must not acknowledge our selues so bad as they would make vs for a body may liue tho he be sicke and diseased and Iob was a true and liuing man tho couered ouer from head to foote with boyles and Vlcers that his friends knew him not yet neither can wee deny our selues to bee a people very wicked and disordered to whom the Prophets words may fitly bee applied Ah sinfull Nation Ah people laden with wickednesse a corrupt Seede And againe We haue deepely reuolted from the Lord and our sinnes are gone ouer our heads and they reach vp to Heauen And in another sense we may say as he The whole head is sicke the whole heart is heauy from the crowne of the head to the soles of the feete there is little to be seene but wounds and swellings and yet ah yet we lament not those that feare God lament not those that come to Church and loue the Word lament not those that desire otherwise to walke vprightly and conscionably lament not so that it may wel be a question whether most of vs euer read this sentence or heard it read with any consideration and aduisement If the eyes of sinners were only found drie if teares were absent alone from the cheekes of those that work wickednesse it were not much who could expect any thing but stonie hardnesse from stony-hearted men But euen the people of God his owne children that should haue hearts of flesh within them these also haue continued hard in regard of other mens faults and euen forgotten that it is a dutie to make Riuers of waters descend from their eyes because men keep not Gods statutes Now Brethren if this were a fruit of a kind of naturall vnfitnesse to mourne because we were made of a firmer mettle then that sorrow could melt vs we might then lay the blame vpon the body rather then the mind And yet if nature had denied vs teares it hath not denied vs sighs groanes it hath not denied vs the power of sitting in heauines and of making our selues sad and pensiue Though wee could not weepe so plentifully as this Prophet yet we might end our hearts and earne in our bowels and ake within and sigh and grind our very soules to powder which yet alas wee neither doe nor striue to doe As the outward demonstrations of sorrow I meane wet eyes are absent from vs so is also the substance thereof I meane the inward tumbling of the soule vp and downe disquietly the hearts beating it selfe as it were against it selfe and causing it selfe to be pained So then we neither mourne outwardly nor yet inwardly wee neither weepe with our eyes nor grieue with our hearts and what can wee say in our owne defence For certainely brethren it is not the want of aptnesse to weepe that makes vs not to weepe for our eyes are ready enough in other cases and for other matters to yeeld forth euen Riuers of waters Let but an husband or wife or child or friend lye sicke and be ready to die let but fire come and consume some part of our goods let any man but coozen and deceiue vs of some summes of money yea let any friend shew himselfe vnkind and disrespectfull of vs yea let any enemy reproch vs with froward and bitter speeches yea let a Gouernour chide and shent vs as we thinke without our fault or but an equall take vs vp ouer-cuttedly in termes or any almost the least thing befal that wrongs vs in body goods or name O then how we melt like waxe before the fire What flood-gates be our eyes How do teares push themselues forward like a breach of the sea and will not bee stopped Then we cannot speak but we weepe and sob and hardly can speake for weeping O foolish man and vnwise Canst thou haue while and heart to weepe so much for the evuill words spoken against thee for the discourtesies offred vnto thee for the losses and crosses that do befall thee and canst thou not weepe at all for the sinnes committed against God for the thousands and ten thousands of oathes and blasphemies that are darted at his Name for the wofull sacrilege committed against his Church for the ignorance blindnesse hypocrisie profanenes of the multitude and in a word for all the numberlesse abominations that are daily hourely minutely committed amongst vs O heart possessed with selfe-loue and prizing its owne ease and welfare aboue Gods honour and glory and making more account of its self then of its Maker Here now if in any thing we should enlarge our selues in speaking against our selues and in reproouing shaming condemning our selues and this if any thing we should most vehemently presse vpon our selues as an extreme and vnansweerable aggrauation of our hardnesse which by this we know not to be naturall but sinfull Say to thy selfe I came to such a place such a time and found the countenance of my parent brother sister or friend estranged from me and his words and carriages vnlouing towards me It put me in my dumps for a day or two after and made mee water my plants and moysten mine hands and handkerchiefe with teares I went not long after into another place and heard fortie foule oathes and a number of horrible execrations and raylings and one or two drie sighes serued the turne at this wickednesse or scarce so much was done by me to shew my sorrow O Lord O Lord how aboundeth mine heart with ouer-high conceits of my selfe How doe I ouer-value my self and vnder-value thee What to be more troubled at a crosse word or two against my selfe at the denying of some small request at any discourtesie any iniury then at so many oathes lyes curses raylings as I haue heard without trouble I know not whether I should be more ashamed of mine excessiuenes of teares in the one case or my
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
and sensible sorrow that Dauid here speaketh of And hee that accustometh himselfe to that habituall griefe of the will taking displeasure against an euill thing making it selfe auerse from it and wishing that it had neuer been shall in due season bee blessed by God with the spirit of tendernesse which shall most kindly and gently soften his heart and cause his soule to be so mellow and easie to be wrought vpon that he shall euen sweetely and freely powre forth this his Drinke-offering before the Lord and most sweetely water his soule with these Aprill showres of teares which shall make it fertill not alone in he flowres of presently insuing comforts but also in the rich haruest of vertue and godlinesse and the plentifull rewards thereof Wherefore carry this short sentence home in your minds and giue not ouer striuing by times and turnes till you haue made your selues in case to ioyne Dauids request with Dauids reason and to say Lord make thy face to shine vpon thy seruant and teach me thy Statutes Riuers of teares do drop downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy Law CHAP. VIII Containing the third and last vse of comfort to them that haue done or shall begin and continue to doe this seruice Vse 3 ANd lastly if there be any that haue performed Comfort to them that do mourne and continue to performe or shal now begin and proceede to performe this excellent dutie we must also speake peace to their soules and preach vnto them the glad tidings of good things to comfort them withall O it is a great happinesse to tread in the steps of those concerning whom wee are perfectly assured that they are now in Heauen well may we assure our selues that we shall be where they are after our death if wee haue walked in the wayes wherein they walked during their liues Thou knowest Dauid was a child of God a true regenerate man a man after Gods owne heart thou knowest hee had all his sinnes pardoned dyed an happy death now reigneth in Heauen and hath attained eternall saluation It would doe thine heart good to haue an infallible token that thou also art such an one as Dauid that thou hast interest into the same good things which he enioyeth and shalt haue possession of them at last as sure as he hath Then compare thy behauiour and carriage with Dauids when he saw men wickedly to breake the Statutes of God when he saw wickednesse committed in euery place and knew not how to helpe it what did he doe He wept and sighed and lamented and cryed and tooke on very pitifully euen as if some great crosse had befalne himselfe and as if his owne person had receiued harme Canst thou likewise affirme before the Lord that the same cause hath produced in thee the same effects Doth the breach of Gods Law breake thine heart Doth the sinfulnesse of others make thy soule sorrowfull Dost thou sigh and groane and bewaile and mourne for those things which it is not in thy power to redresse Loe then thou art a Dauid a man after Gods heart also a sound and sincere Christian an Israelite within before God a louer of God a louer of thy Brethren an hater of sin and thou also shalt be saued with Dauid and reioyce with the same heauenly Ioy wherewith hee now reioyceth Those that are like the Saints of God in dutie shall be also like them in glorie those that haue followed them in holines shal follow them in happinesse The same Spirit worketh in them the same Christ dwelleth in them and the same Crowne shall be set vpon them Blessed therefore are these mourners for they shall be comforted Whatsoeuer thing Dauid did aske in the former verses and now in this verse doth lay as it were the foundation of his hopes to attaine the same vpon the remembrance of these his teares before God that are we bold in Gods name to promise assuredly to euery one that can speake the same thing of himselfe Dost thou mourne for the sinnes of other men Then will God looke vpon thee and bee mercifull vnto thee as he vseth to doe to them that loue his name for thou also louest his name Doth thine eye drop downe teares because men keepe not Gods Law Then will he order thy steps in his Word neither shall any iniquitie haue dominion ouer thee Doth thy soule lament bitterly the common sinnes Then will he deliuer thee from the oppression of men that thou mayest keepe his precepts Doth thine heart mourne for the publike offences of those with whom thou liuest Then will God make his face to shine vpon thee his seruant and will teach thee his Statutes In a word Striuest thou to performe this seruice of which Dauid maketh profession in this verse Then shalt thou certainely obtaine al those benefits for which he made his humble petition in the former verses Wherfore let these Riuers of teares become streames of comfort wherein thy soule may bathe it selfe with much content Godly sorrow is the mother of sound Ioy these teares are the proper seeds of heauenly comfort whereas carnal ioy doth end in sorrow and that crackling mirth of sinners being extinguished shall leaue them frozen in horror and amazement Wherefore reape you the comfort of the seed you haue sowne and as the seed was precious so let the crop be and as the seed was abundant so let the haruest From this dutie mayest thou infallibly collect that thy charitie was sound and plentifull This dutie will prooue certainly that thine hatred of sinne was heartie and earnest and I suppose it may goe in the reckoning of one of the most infallible notes of Gods child To mourne for the generall calamities of the Church Two sure signes of sanctity when ones selfe is at peace and to mourne for the generall sinnes of the Church though himselfe bee free these are two most happy signes of true holinesse and this latter I thinke to be the surer of the twaine as more sensibly and manifestly testifying true zeale of Gods glory Yea whosoeuer sorrowes heartily for the common sinnes may in some respect take more sure hold of that mourning to confirme his faith and assure himself of his vprightnesse then of his sorrowing for his owne particular faults We haue examples of damned hypocrites that haue been sad and heauy for their owne sinnes in some cases as Ahab Iudas Saul and he rest but we haue neuer any example of any that lamented the publike and common wickednesse of the Church or Nation where he liued and of the persons amongst whom hee conuersed vnlesse accidentally wen the sinnes haue falne out to be iniurious and troublesome to themselues or to their friends but of those which wee are well assured to haue been truly sanctified and now to be eternally glorified Is not Lot in Heauen Is not Dauid in Heauen Is not Ezra in Heauen Ae not Ieremiah Baruch Ebedmelech and the rest of these mourners all in
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