prevaile so while you seeke the Lord and resist Sathan you shall prevaile but if you hang downe your hands and turne your backs against him the Lord will leave you and deliver you up into his hands Therefore be you ever ready to resist Sathan as he is tempting CAP. XIII The second degree of mortification which is more neare is a broken and contrite heart THe second and more near degree of mortification is a bleeding and contrite heart It is called the sacrifice of God or a broken spirit Psal 51.17 a broken and a contrite heart O Lord thou wilt not despise all sacrifices are included in this broken heart Psal 57.16 the highest heavens and the lowest heart are the two houses where the Lord will take up his speciall habitation the Lord saith of the contrite heart â—s 66.2 this is my house here will I dwell to revive the spirit of the humble Here I shall observe two maine things The nature and necessity of contrition 1. The nature of this contrition and brokennesse of heart 2. The necessity of it First consider the nature of contrition and a broken heart for sinne This consists in foure things The nature of it and first godly sorrow 1. A godly sorrow and true remorse for sinne a melting and tender heart 2 Cro. 34.27 which of all hearts is the best that when as we shall heare the word it will affect our hearts as the heart of Josiah was or when we commit any sin our hearts 1 Sam. 24.5 like that of David will smite us speedily or when we see men dishonour God or breake his law Psal 119.136 our eyes doe breake out with rivers of teares Jer. 9.1 or at least desire that our heads were Wels of water and our eyes were fountaines of teares Or when wee want any good thing at the hands of our God that wee finde the good spirit of God helping our infirmities with sighes and groanes such aâ— cannot be expressed Rom. 8.26 crying Abba Father and when wee see our owne deformities and the plague of our owne hearts 1 King 8.38 We doe bemoane our selves as Ephraim did and smite our hands on our hearts and say Lord Jer. 31.18 what have I done woe is me I am a man of polluted lips and dwell amongst men of polluted lips Es 6 5â— and indeed as one hath well observed hee that doth not bewaile his sinnes doth not perceive the wounds that sume hath made in his soule Qui non planges pâ—â—oaâ—a non soutiâ— vulnera nâ—e anims lectâ—â—nem Ber. 1. For the quantity of godly sorrow how greaâ— it must be for the softer the heart is made by sorrow the more fit it is to bee cast into what fashion God would have it 2 Cor. 7.10 11 12 13. as the Furâ—â—â— takes away the drosse from the silver so doth godly sorrow worke strange effects in the soule Now although wee cannot seâ— unto you â—ow deepe 〈◊〉 should bâ—e 〈…〉 â—eithâ—râ—eaâ— wee say as â—â—od doth to the Sea â—ither to shall you goe and no fâ—â—ther 〈…〉 yet may wee set downe some things in generall which will be very necessary for 〈◊〉 to know â—aâ— 10.12 Aâ— first it must be as grâ—ut as worldly sorrow 2 Cor. 35 24 yea as the greatest worldly sorrow therefore it is compared to the bitter lamentation that is for an onâ—ly childe and for a maâ—s first horne and like that healty mourning that there was for Josiah in the valley of Megidoâ— Now look how you have seâ—ne at any time a disconsolate Father bewaile the losse of his sonne 〈◊〉 David did for Absalon in that 〈◊〉 complaint of his O Absolon my sonne my sonne or a distressed Mother mourning like Râ—â—hel for her children because they were not Even such should be our sorrow for our sinnes that our sinnes have so deeply offended God Therefore it is prophesied Ezek. 7,16 that they shall bee on the mountaines like Doves of the vallies every one mourning for his iniquity Now whereas some poore soule may bee troubled at this and say Alas I never found any such affection in the for sinne as I have found for such a losse therefore wee must distinguish betweene dolor sensitivâ—â— dolor aprâ—â—iativus in respect of sense the body passions may be more troubled at an outward losâ—s because the object is more sensible and yet sorrow for sinne may be greater in respect of the price and worth of it shallow waters often make the greatest noyse whereas the deepe waters runne the more still Acts 2.37 so it is here this sensitive sorrow makes more noise and yet this sorrow for sinne goes neerer to the heart Jer. 4.3 and takes deeper impression there sometimes an aking tooth or some outward griefe doth vex and trouble a man more then a burning Feaver on the Consumption of the lungs and yet the later is far more dangerous then the former because the disease seaseth on the more noble parts so it is in this case godly sorrow keeping within the bounds of reason though it may be more secret yet it is more sound and every way as great or greater then the other 2. Consider of sorrow either intensive or extensive either in respect of the present force and intention of it and so worldly sorrow may be greater or else in respect of the constant duration and extent of it and so godly sorrow is greater water that is dammed up in a pond if you set open the water-gate it will runne more for a short time then the spring that feeds and filleth it so may worldly sorrow runne faster for a present gush and yet not comparable to the other in respect of continuance a pregnant example hereof wee have in David how did hee bewaile the immature and untimely death of his sonne Absalon O Absalon my sonne my sonne this was heavie for the present and yet his sinne that he had committed was heavier unto him in respect of continuance and therefore he saith that his sinne was ever before him Psal 51. he doth not say so of the losse of Absalon when Moses had smitten the Rocke the people dranke of the Rocke it followed them It is thought by Divines that this water followed them through the wildernesse till they came where there was plenty of water so if our hearts bee truely smitten with the rod of Gods word this sorrow will continue till we attaine to the vision of peace 2. Our sorrow must bee according to our apprehension and the greater that wee apprehend our sinnes to bee the greater should bee the proportion of our sorrow for them David had greatly sinned Psal 3 2.4 and therefore when he came to the sight of it he did wash his bed and water his couch with teares and his moisture was turned into the drought of Summer and when Peter had greatly offended bee went out and wept
bitterly A great wound must have a large plaister and a strong disease must have a strong potion so forasmuch as sorrow is the meanes to cure sin and acceptable to God above all sacrifices where sinne hath been great the sorrow should bee great also neither are â—â—sser sinnes to be neglected Peccatum quod non paeâ—itentia dilus tipsopâ—ndere in aliud peccatum trahit Greg. â—or there is no sinne so little but if it bee knowne it must bee repented of for if it be not grieved for then it will grow yea and bring Gods judgement on us too did not Eve bring all that misery on her selfe and us by eating of an Apple and was not Lots wise turned into a Pillar of Salt for a look backe unto her City did not Vzzah lose his life by onely touching the Arke of God nimis officiâ—sa seduliâ—as for too much diligence 2 Sam. 6.6 as it were therefore make not any sinne small but bewaile and leave them If it shall be said that there are many sinnes a man cannot know or if they be knowne yet peradventure we doe not conceive of them as we ought for answer hereunto first if that ignorance be not affected ignorance but after a sort invincible because using all good meanes to know it and yet it is not cleere to him in this case bewailing his knowne and unknowne sinnes will suffice and secondly for the other I answer that wee must know that how great soever we can conceive our sinnes to bee so great they are and greater according to thy feare Ps 90.11 so is thy wrath that is what feare you can conceive of Gods displeasure for sinne so it is that if your apprehension would swell higher you would still apprehend sinne to bee fouler and more ugly and odious in the sight of God and therefore measure out your sorrow according to tâ— he hither proportion rather then otherwise If it bee said how may this proportion be found out to this I answer that then there is some proportion when as wee are as deeply affected with sorrow for sinne as wee were raised and taken with the pleasure wee had in sin as it was said of the seven yeeres of plenty that was in the land of Egypt Gen. 41.31 that it should be forgotten by reason of the famine that was at the heeles of it so all the pleasure that a man hath taken in sinne is forgotten in regard of the griefe and sorrow of heart that we feele nay when hee takes as much pleasure now in mortification of sinne and his mourning for sinne as he tooke pleasure in sin it selfe nay he counts it all joy when he fals into troubles as these are because that hee knew after his sowing in teares hee shall reape in joy semper dolet de dolere gandet Ber. whereas his former pleasures would have beene the occasion of his future woe and misery Audacior qui cum uno peccato dermit quam qui cum septem hostibus Aug. therefore that speech was very good of him that said it that he was a more bold man that durst sleepe with one sinne unrepented of then with seven enemies 2. The nature of true sorrow may bee discerned in the qualities and properties of it as 1. Is that that makes men looke about them it makes them to seeke for helpe as those that were pricked in their hearts they said men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved Acts 2.37 as it was with those Lepers that lay at the gate of Samaria 2. King 7.3 How was S. Aug. weakned after his heart was broken for sin how doth hee seeke out for help he goes to Alipius his friend hee goes up downe and cannot bee freed withal his great words against himselfe quibus sententiarums verberibus me flagitavi Yet never was at rest but dryed out quam diu quam diu cras cras quare non modo quare non hac hora sini sturpitudinis mea c. Aug. Lib. 8. when there was famine within and foode without but in the Campe of the enemies these men are now in a sad condition if they stay there or tuâ—â—e into the City they die of the famine if they betake themselves into the Campe of the enemy it may bee they may live it may bee not yet in a case of this nature there is more wisedome to cast themselves upon a way wherein there is most hopes and so they saved their lives by it and are the messengers of good newes to all the City It is just thus with a broken heart and a sorrowfull spirit sometimes If I turne backe to my former condition then I shall but adde sinne unto sin if I stay here and remaine in this condition then shall I certainely perish and therefore though as yet I know not whether God will have mercie on mee and hold out his golden Septer unto such a vile sinner as I am yet will I goe venture my selfe and if I perish I perish beleeve it if you seeke thus you shall finde if you knocke thus it shall bee opened unto you for if there be any hope in a mercilesse enemy Matth. 7. there is more hope in a mercifull God on the other side security is a certain signe of impenitencie and of an unmortified nature 1 Thes 5.3 men are never nearer danger then when they are most secure while they cry peace Jer. 48.11 Luke 17.27.28 and are settled on their lees dreading of no danger then comes it upon them but now that which makes a man mourne for sinne puts him upon use of all good meanes to destroy this enemy and to favour no sinne though it bee never so deare unto us that we may follow the counsell of our Saviour that if our right hand doe offend us wee must cut it off and cast it from us yea and wee must spare nothing that wee may spare our soules Nulli parcas ut soli parcas animae crudelitas illa pietas Heir 2. This sorrow turnes all other sorrow into its owne nature as all the fresh rivers though they runne with forcible and strong currents into the Sea yet when they come there they are immediately turned into Salt so is it in this case all other sorrowes when they fall on a sanctified and a broken heart for sin he can turne them all into this channell and here they all change their qualities suppose hee finde losses in his estate by some bad servant or bad debtor or any casualty by Sea or Land the broken heart is not so much troubled at the losse it selfe nor at the persons that might occasion it as at his sinne which might bee the ground of it and so it was with David when Shimei cursed â—im 2 Sem. 16.10 behold he looked at himselfe and aâ—â— his sin and humbled himselfe before God because he knew that the Lord had sent him so we see it was with Job
as the tree is such will be the fruit and if the Bramble rule it will burne up the Cedars of Lebanon Jud. 9.9 nor can we expect liberty for the Law that is in our members will lead us away captive the liberty that is given to the flesh doth but bring the spirit into bondage and what peace can we expect where there is no peace with God If then Christian thou wouldest have justice then doe justice and kill sinne before it kill thee if thou wouldest have liberty then let not sinne raigne for therein doth the great strength of it lye Sampson was easily taken when his lockes were shorne so thou mayest easily subdue sinne when the regiment of it is taken downe if thou wouldest enjoy that peace of God which passeth all understanding then make no provision for the flesh but mortifie it by the helpe of the spirit Rom. 13.13 and thou shalt have peace internall here and eternall hereafter Now for as much as this discourse is to helpe thee therein I doe therefore heartily commend it unto thee I have avoyled prolixity lest I should tyre the Reader and too much brevity lest I should wrong the matter I have the rather fallen on this subject because I find few that have done it and because I have found some such spirits as have laboured to cry it downe as altogether unnecessary after conversion If there be any such into whose hands this Treatise shall fall let me so farre prevaile with them as not prejudge what they doe not meane to reade lest they be numbered among those fooles that speake evill of what they know not To conclude Christian thou hast my labours thou hast my prayers when thou dost approach the throne of grace let me have thine Thomas Wolfall THE DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE OF MORTIFICATION ROM 8.13 But if yee through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live Chap. 1. An Introduction to the Text with the coherence of the foregoing part of the Chapter THe common tidings that hath sounded in our eares frō the Churches abroad for divers yeares together hath been upon the point nothing but warres and rumors of warres of leading into captivity of garments roled in blood insomuch as that country in which was plenty of corne and wine as the garden of Eden is now as a land forsaken or as a desolate wildernesse nay a very Aceldama or field of blood And howsoever wee of this Nation have but heard of this amongst us no leading into captivity no complaining in our streetes Yet the sword of the Lord hath been drown against us and hath slaine thousands ten thousands in our streets James 4.1 Now the general cause both of those lamentable desolations abroad the hand of God at home is chiefly this that we go not to warre with our selves we do not slay those lusts of ours that fight in our members for if ye walke after the flesh yee shall die not onely a death of the body but the second death the soule shall suffer eternall torment But if yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit then yee shall live eternally To make way unto the matter in hand our Apostle layeth downe certaine differences betweene such as walke after the flesh and others that walke after the spirit 1 In respect of the object that they ayme at the one mindes the things of the flesh the other the things that are above such as a man is such is his minde a carnall man and a carnall minde the wisdome that is not from above is earthly sensuall and devillish James 3.15 but that which is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated Vers 17. full of mercy and of good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie 2 They differ in their ends for the end of the one is life the end of the other is death Every man must eate of the fruit of his own way Prov. 1.31 and be filled with his owne devises 3 They differ in their affections so as they that are at enmity with the Law of God Vers 7.8 their fleshly mindes are not subject unto it neither can they be and being they are not they cannot please God Whereas on the other side they that are of the spirit Christ dwels with them and takes up his habitation in their hearts suppes with them and they with him Happy and thrice happy that house which hath him for an inhabitant for this possession of Christ doth imply the dispossession of sinne Vers 10. For if Christ be in you the body is dead but of sinne as Dagon could not stand with the Arke so no more can sin and Christ inhabit together We cannot serve these two Masters Againe as it puts sinne to death so he quickens us Vers 11. that same spirit that raised Christ shall quicken us wherein he shews that the worke of our regeneration is great even as great as that of the resurrection the one being the internall renovation of the soule the other the externall restauration of the body to its reunion with the soule Hence our Apostle drawes an effectuall inference to perswade men to withstand the inticements of the flesh from this that there is no service of due that doth belong to it we are not debters to it that wee should follow it Nay if you walke after the flesh yee shall die but if yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit then yee shall live Behold as Moses said Deut. 30.19 I call Heaven and Earth to record against you this day that I set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that you and your seede may live So I here set before you both these and yet my desire is the same that Moses his was that you would chuse life that your soules might live which undoubtedly you may do if yee follow Saint Pauls direction here If yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit Here you may observe 1 A description of our naturall corruption it is called the deeds or practises of the body 2 Here is our duty what we should doe against it namely to contend against it and to mortifie and slay it 3 The meanes whereby it must be done by the spirit 4 The reward is that promised Yee shall live which is a large promise seeing it containes in it all the happinesse that wee are capable of called a crown of life for the greatnesse and everlasting life for the continuance Chap. 2. Of the meanes how to find out our naturall condition by a threefold inquiry TO begin with the first the description of our naturall corruption viz. It is called the deeds of the body as it is with men that goe to warre the first thing that they doe is to endeavour to find out the enemy so it must be in this spirituall warfare wee must first endeavour to finde out this
our spirituall and mortall enemy who hee is and secondly where he lurkes and thirdly how hee seekes to fortifie himselfe 1 Who this enemy is 1 Who this enemy is it must be hee that contends against the spirit and labours to withstand all the good motions of it which is called all along in the former part of the chapter the flesh and here in this place the body now the body is sometimes taken Physically for the substance of the body consisting of flesh and blood or else morally and in a metaphor for sinne and vice compared to a body and so I conceive it must be taken here for conceive of the body as it is meerly naturall and so it is good and those effects that do issue from it must needes be good again the body in the production of her actions is but the handmaid to the soule and the soule is as the great wheele of the clocke Corpus mortis est cuncta peccata multa enim unum corpus suÌ„t singula quasi membra uno authore inventa Ambros vid. locum Infelix est homo hospitem secum habens peccatum perquod ad illum aditum habet Satanas Gloss that moves all the inferiour wheels by her motion now the denomination in propriety of speech comes froÌ„ the better part therefore it must be taken here for that naturall corruption that doth abide in the body and soule So S. Ambrose on Rom. 7.24 he calls it there that masse of corruption that is inherent in us is all our sinne as it were making up that body of sinne that as a body consisting of many meÌ„bers do but make up one intire body so sin though it spread it self into every part of our bodies to make them members of sin into every faculty of the soule to make them weapons of unrighteousnesse yet still it is but one Take notice Vse 1 how that sin it makes a man a deformed and a vile creature that while he carries about him a body having in it naturall life hee carries another body that hath in it the symptomes of death nay and that will draw the other to the same condition with it selfe nay if one should tell you of a monster that had something in it like a beast something like a serpent nay and something like a devill This monstrous birth of sinne doth containe all that in it if not more are not men like the cruellest beast the Lyon like the most poysonous creature the serpent nay children of Satan Iohn 4.44 O that wee could see our selves as wee are we would be ready to fly from our selves as Moses did from his rod when it became a serpent Exodus 3.4 and to abhorre our selves in dust and ashes 2 Where he lodgeth 2 If you enquire where this enemy is you will hardly beleeve that hee is so neere you nor neere so favoured of you as indeed he is that such a desperate enemy as this is should lodge in your houses feede at your tables and lye in your bosomes is not so strange as true nor more true than lamentable Men in this case are like David who did not sticke to condemne the injustice and cruelty of the man in Nathans parable 2 Sam. 12. that took the Lambe from his poore neighbour when hee had no need having sufficient or rather superfluity of his owne but alas the good man little thought that all this had been done by himselfe even so it is with us when wee heare from the Word that there is such a thing as a body of death a heart that is desperately wicked Rom. 7.24 Jer. 19 9. and a law of the members that leads men captive to sinne it is easily granted by them that so it is but yet will they be loath to yeeld Dolus latet in universalibus or to have such a thought in themselves that they are the men and hence it is that we are like unto sicke men that complaine of their bed when the cause is in their bones and of the sharpnesse of their phisicke when the fault is in themselves so it is with men in case of sinne when it lyes on the consciences of men and makes them restlesse they complaine of the condition as too hard and heavie and of the Word which is the physicke for the soule as too sharpe and bitter when as they looke not into the cause which is this body of death that lyes in our own bosomes and as wee see not our sinnes so neither doe wee see the danger that we are in but as it was with Balaam Numb though the Angell was before him with his drawne sword yet hee saw him not but fals out with the poore Asse as if all the fault had beene in the harmelesse beast whereas had not the Asse stood still Balaam had beene slaine and all this came from his covetous heart which hee would take no notice of So men are ready in case that sinne bee charged on them and even the danger ready to approach yet do not see it but are ready to quarrell with such as labour to keepe them from it but howsoever men labour to put their sinnes one to another as we tosse a Ball and bandy it from one to another and every man from him yet let him know that they goe but herein about a vaine shadow and disquiet themselves in vaine It would bee much better to take Davids counsell Psal 4.4 stand in awe and sinne not commune with your owne bearts in your bed and be still or as some will have it and bleede and that in deed should be our care that when we have found this enemy which is the disturber of our peace wee should enter in our chambers and bewaile our miserie if it were possible even with teares of blood 3. The meanes how lust doth fortifie it self Lastly how hee seekes to fortifie himselfe and to this end observe that the flesh and this corruption is such an enemie as is never out of action thence it is that God complaines My people have chosen two evils they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out Cisternes broken Cisternes that will hold no water So that in this sinne of man there is a turning from God the chiefest good as the fountaine of all their happinesse which is as a living spring that never failes God all-sufficient who gives grace and glory and every good thing Psal 84.11 Ier. 9.27 Now wee first turne our backes on God and not our faces to him and then fall to these empty and broken vessels Cisternes they are but Cisternes that hold no great matter Dulcâ—ores a fonte bibuntur aquae nay broken Cisternes that will not hold any thing at all so as there is neither solidity nor certainty in the comfort that they give not solid and sweete because they are from the Cisterne and smell of the caske Surely man disquieteth himselfe about a
vaine shadow Psal 39.6 were it not a folly or rather a madnesse in a man that should come into an orchard upon the trees whereof did hang much fruit sweet and pleasant yet should leave them and seeke to disquiet himselfe to gather up the shadow The Philosopher cals a man Arbor transversa Luke 10. a tree turned upside downe but by sinne it is that a man is homo transversus a man that 's quite altered and goes downeward like the young man from Jerusalem to Ierico spoliatur vulneratur redivivus relinquitur spoyled of his good wounded and left halfe dead So it is here we in our departure from God to meete this enemy that spoyles us of all those ornaments we had and wee are wounded with the guilt and the staines of sinne and left in such a lamentable condition as did not that good Samaritan come our Lord Jesus Christ and powre in the oyle of his owne grace and the wine of his dearest blood we should perish everlastingly CAP. III. Of activity of lust proved by two particulars THat sinne is thus practicall and full of action will appeare if you confider two things 1. By the fruitfulnes of sinne which doth appeare 1. The fruitfulnesse and the plentifull increase that it doth bring forth 2. And then the power and vivacity that there is in sinne both which will set out that the enemy against whom we doe contend is an active and stirring enemy 1. For the first sinne Jam. 1.15 By its expedition in the production of sinne it brings forth with much speed and celerity Lust when it hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sinne when it is perfected bringeth forth death Even as when you cast a stone into a pond that begets a circle and that begets a greater and so they multiply untill they bee many and that on a sudden So is it in case of sinne one sinne begets another speedily and the reason is because it is the nature of the worst kinde of fruit to spring the fastest you need not plow for weeds nor sowe cockle nor hemlock in the furrowes of your feild they will grow of themselves So is it with the ill weeds of sinne they come up of their owne accord nay though we labour to weed out these corruptions yet will they sprout and grow againe If you aske me why that grace comes on so slowly and sinne with such speed I answer as the Egyptian Midwives did unto Pharaoh when hee asked them why they slew not the male children they answered because they are not as the Egyptian women Exod. 1.19 but lively and are speedily delivered So it is in this case grace at the first is weake compared to a graine of Mustard-seed and fals into a barren soile our corrupt hearts and there it is that it comes up so slowly but sinne that is strong and is in a soyle that it likes and therfore comes up with more celerity 2. In the increase of sinne 2. Sinne is fruitfull in that it increaseth sinne though it be little at the first yet growes apace a man that beginnes with smaller sinnes those make way for greater as it is said of the sinne of Sodome Gen. 18 20. it was very great and the cry was multiplied that is as the sinne increased so the cry came grievous sinnes doe make a great cry Hazael was afraid to heare of that wickednesse which after hee was not ashamed to commit sinne is like that cloud which Eliah saw which was at first no broader then a mans hand yet it spread and spread till it covered the whole heavens So it is when men first beginne to fall to some little doe they know how they shall be carried before that they will return againe Amos 5.1 Israel is called the Virgin Israel but behold afterward her grâ—at transgression and her mighty sinnes made the prudent to keep silence 13.16 and brought such a storme and inundation of wrath upon them that a wailing should bee in all streetes and Vine-yards the day of the Lord should be a day of darknesse c. When we speak of the works of the flesh Gal. 5.19 wee may say as Leah said when Gad was born behold a troope commeth as Adultery Fornication Uncleannes c. seveÌ„teen in number and the reason of this multiplication of sinne is in respect of the multiplicity of objects each of them being a bait to intice us unto sinue and withall the multiplicity of occasions that are as bridges to lead unto evill that wee had need every day to pray Lord lead us not into temptation and the greatest temptation that can befall a man is the temptation of his owne heart for every man is tempted when he is drawne away with his owne concupiscence and is inticed 3. In the constance of it 3. Lastly sinne is fruitfull in respect of the continuance and lastingnesse thereof God complaines of the thoughts and imaginations of mans heart they are evill and onely evill and that continually contray to all other breeders who though they have beene fruitfull yet nature decaies and time makes them barren but now sinne as it is said vires acquirit eundo it gathers strength by its motion So it is here in sin it holds on and goes on and that as Saint Paul speakes of ill men and seducers 2. Tim. 3.13 that they grow worse and worse and as the Prophet complaines How long shall evill thoughts lodge in you Jer. 4.14 hee doth not say that evill thoughts may not be in you but they should not lodge the word is pernoctare to lodge all night that is as if hee should say though you sinne beware you continue not in it though you be angry let not the Sunne goe downe upon your wrath to fall into sinne is as if a man should fall into a deepe pit and to continue in it is as if a man should role a great stone upon it for by falling into sin he fals into the snare of the Devill and by continuance it entangles himselfe more and more as a wilde Bull in a net who the more he rageth the faster hee is entangled Esa 51.20 And thence it is that custome in sinne is as hard to bee left as to wash an Ethiopian white or for a Leopard to change his skinne CAP. IV. Of the power and authority that unmortified lusts doth put forth in us THe second demonstration whereby it may appeare that this enemy against whom we do contend is thus active will appeare from the power and authority that sin hath as they answered Iehu when he bad them fight for their Masters sonnes 2. King 10.4 Two Kings say they stood not before him So may I say of sinne and I would it were not too true that two of the worthiest Kings that ever reigned in the world both for piety and wisdome were foiled by this enemy namely David and Solomon And if they
did not stand before it how carefull should we be that wee be not intangled with it The power of a King Rom. 5.21 It hath the power of a King sinne is said to reigne unto death as it was when the Israelites desired a King Samuel told him what an one he would be and what he would doe He will take saith hee meaning that wicked King Saul your sons for his service 1. Sam. 8.10 and your daughters to bee his handmaids nay the best of your Vine-yards and Olive-yards for his servants c. So it is with sinne when as it reignes it will bring all to his service This Tyrant sinne will take the choysest wits and make them plot for him and will make them wiser in their generation then the children of light Inimicus noster mo do rex modo Tyran nus Sen. Ep. 96. hee will take the choysest of your strength even your young and flourishing dayes and set you into his worke to dresse his Vineyard and to reap his harvest as he did with Absolom Manasses and the prodigall son nay he will take every faculty of your soules and engage them in the common quarrell against Christ Rom. 6.13 and every member of the body and make them weapons of unrighteousnesse to serve sin and indeed the very reason why sin is such a fearfull and dreadfull enemy is because it makes it selfe a King for suppose we sinne to be dethroned and put from his dignity and behold you shall find him like Sampson Judg. 16.19 without his locks as another man but as long as sin reigneth though it be but as the bramble Judg. 9.15 Eadem libido dominatur nec Regum purpuras times nec mendicatium centonem spernit Herr Ep. 9 2 Of the Law Rom. 7.23 yet will it bee strong enough to set fire on the goodliest Cedars of the Forrest as you may see in Iothams parable nay it feares no more to enter in the Palaces of Princes then it doth to assault the beggars Cottage 2. As sinne is a King so he rules by his lawes I finde a Law in my members leading me captive unto sinne this Law it stands in opposition to the law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that it fights against it now a Law is properly nothing but a rule whereby we are to worke so it is with sinne it hath a rule whereby it goes and that whereby they frame and direct all their actions Now because they that have a mind to live in sinne and withall finde that conscience doth condemne that course wherein they walke hereupon they frame unto themselves another Law which may bee as the City of refuge against conscience who like a revenger of blood hunts after the malefactor 1. Lust would abolish Gods law 1. They lay downe this as a principle that the Law of God is too heavie a burthen it is too hard a task-master and therefore as Ieroboam pretended unto the people of Israel that it was too farre for them to goe up to Ierusalem therefore made them calves at Dan and Bethel so carnall reason saith that the Law of God it is too farre a journey full of difficulty and danger it is like Rheoboams yoake that was intolerable Thus the wicked heart of man labours to bring an ill report upon the pure Law of God and hence it is that our Antinomists and Libertines labour to overthrow the Law of God that which Christ came to establish these men endeavour to abolish Rom. 3.31 2 Tim. 3.6 such a generation of men there hath beene as creep into houses and lead away silly women laden with lusts that is by putting them into a forme of Godlinesse telling them that Christ having taken away the guilt and punishment of sinne there is nothing to doe for them no need to make the Law as a Rule or to mortifie their corruptions flat contrary to the Apostle that such as are in Christ do mortifie the flesh Gal. 5.24 with the affections lusts But let such take heed as do indeavour to bring an ill report on this good Law of God that the Lord say not as hee did against those that brought an ill report of the good land Psal 95.11 unto whom he sware in his wrath that they should never enter into his rest 2. Lust frameth a new rule 2. Seeing that this Law will not serve their turnes they frame another of their owne that will be subservient for the accomplishment of their ends they are compared to such as kindle a fire and compasse about the sparkes walk saith God in the light of your fires Esa 50.11 and in the sparkes that you have kindled this shall you have of mine hand you shall lye downe in sorrow to kindle this fire is to hatch and forge some new rule as a light to walke by and to compasse it with sparkes is as it were to blow it up with carnall and fleshly arguments and then to walke in the light of it is to labour to carry and enforce all their actions according unto that rule and hence it is that there are so many sects and so many wayes that men walke in It is because they are not contented with that fire that burnes on Gods Altar the pure light of the word but like Nadab and Abibu they kindle strange fire of their owne but this shall they have at Gods hand their light shall be turned into darknesse and their sparkes into ashes and lastly their joy shall turne into sorrow For as the Arke and Dagon could not stand together so no more will these stand long because they are like building laid on a sandy foundation or as grasse on the house top 3. It colours all with faire pretences 3. That the minde may bee the better perswaded to goe along according to this rule the flesh labours to colour all over and to set a faire glosse on a foule cause and if you marke it there is no sinne so vile but men will finde out some colour and some excuse either to make it no sinne or else to make it veniall and so little that it may lodge in his heart with as much safery as Lot did in Zoar we want not examples of both these For the former you see Saul is charged by Samuel to have transgressed the Commandement of the Lord No saith Saul I have obeyed the Commandement of the Lord but then saith Samuel what meaneth then the bleating of the Sheepe and lowing of the Oxen in mine care So may wee say when men would excuse themselves from sinne and say wee have good hearts to God we may aske them what meanes their swearing and their drinking and their prophane and unchaste speeches Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Some againe will confesse the fact but excuse it either they were ignorant and knew it not whereas our ignorance is a sinne and when wee adde sin
the enemy he comes and sowes tares hee was a lying spirit in the mouthes of all Ahabs Prophets 1 King 2.23 so hee seekes to fanne us as chaffe and to hinder our faith so do all his servants How did Jannes and Jambres resist Moses to his face 2 Tim. 3.8 Acts 13.8.9.10 And did not Elimas seeke to turne the Deputy from the faith whom Paul not unfitly calls the Child of the Devill and enemy of all righteousnesse And for their activenesse in all this they are very industrious As it was said of old of Pharises of Jesuites now that they did compasse sea and land to make one Proselyte Mat. 23.15 and when they had done made him twofold more the child of the devill than themselves and no wonder though they move so fast for they must needes goe apace whom the devill drives Chap. 6. Instructions arising from the former doctrine 1 IF then sinne be so active this sets out whence it is Whence mÌ„e are restlesse in sin that wicked men are so restlesse in sinne so as they are never at quiet unlesse they be doing something or other that makes against God and the good of his people Ps 37.12 David shewes that the wicked plots against the righteous and gnasheth upon him with his teeth and drawes his sword and bends his bow and all to slay such as are upright in heart Ps 78.12 yea hee layeth snares and seekes their hurt and speakes mischievous things and imagines deceit all the day long Esa 57. ul hence it is that they are compared to the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt and indeed as long as this body of sinne is unmortified in us it will be as troublesome to us as Ionah was unto the shippe which was tossed up and downe on the waves till he was cast out for howsoever that sinne may sometime seeme to lye quiet and all in the man may seeme to be at rest yet alas it is neither a true nor long peace but as it is with him that hath an ague upon him albeit when the sit is over he comes to his temper againe and you would thinke that all were well and that his enemy had left him but alas the next day the poore man is disquieted with it againe and possibly more than before so it is in case of sinne that though it may be that such a man that lives in sinne is now quiet and neither doth discover his malice against God and goodnesse without nor at present any appearance of a storme arising in his owne conscience within yet that unmortified body of death that lodges within him will not rest till it bring both feare at home and trouble abroad for this is the policy of Sathan to make the way faire unto us untill he have drawne us into sinne and then labours to pierce us through with many sorrower and so it was with Saul 1 Tim. 6.10 sometimes he was as calme and as well as another man but when the evill spirit came upon him then was hee like a â—ad man so it is with men that live in this case while they are in their cold blood and have no occasion offered they are quiet but if once there come a fit occasion and that be followed with a teÌ„ptation then are they as tinder to the sparke that presently kindles and which begets a great flame Iames 3.5 behold how great a matter this little fire of sinne kindles 2 Whence suddenly wicked 3 This shewes whence it is that men are so suddenly wicked surely it must be from hence because that sinne is so active as it is the activenesse of sinne makes a man impatient of delayes one being demanded why the earth was every where so fruitfull of weedes and yet so much ado to make fragrant and pleasant flowres to grow albeit it were with much cost and paines answered that the earth was the naturall mother to the one and stepmother to the other it is so in this case the earth of our hearts doth bring forth sinne of it selfe and hath the seede in it selfe but for grace alas it is a step-mother unto it all that wee can doe is little enough to bring it to perfection whereas this body of sin is marching on like Iehu the sonne of Nimshi with much rage and malice neither fearing God nor reverencing man when the old world began to corrupt their way Gen. 6.4 they are sayd to have had to their children mighty men and men of renowne or of name and the reason because they were mighty in wickednesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had got themselves a name of infamy the way of sinne is downe hill and can hardly stay it selfe till it come to the bottome little do men know how deepe hee may fall that is a falling into sinne if hee fall not as Eutychus that fell from such a height that he was taken up dead yet may hee fall at Mephiâ—osheth did and receive such hurt by it that he may never claw it off all the dales of his life 3 The rise of hypocrisie Intus Nero foris Cato totus amb guus pars prima Leo postrema Draco media ipsa chymera Hier. ep 5. 3 That a man may be a notorious sinner and yet have a shew and colour of piety so those that were proud heady high minded c. yet they had a forme of godlinesse a rule that they went by in show within as base as Nero without as austere as Cato Such were the Pharisees that sought out wardly to justifie themselves but God knowes your hearts saith our Saviour Luk. 16.15 that is howsoever men could not yet God both can and will Hypocrisie is one of the fairest garments that this body of sinne can be covered withall because that by this meanes the hypocrite is hidden both from others and from himselfe from others by this it hath beene that so many have shewed unto men to have had the voyce of Iacob and the hands were the hands of Esau and have pretended great piety when their intentions have beene barbarous and most prodigiously impious As Jezabel pretends a fast 1 King 21.9 and intends murther and Absolon pretends the performance of a vow 2 Sam. 15.8 yet intends treason nay the worst of treasons against his own father those preachers of Philippi pretend to preach Christ Phil 5.15 but their intentions were malitious but howsoever they thinke by this means to deceive others 2 Tim 3.13 yet in the issue they deceive themselves for while they are a deceiving others they doe indeed deceive themselves and it were better openly to sinne Meliâ—s est aperte peccare quam santitatem simulare Aug than to dissemble sanctity and be you sure whosoever you are that carry a heart and a heart a ballance and a ballance that God will finde you out and shall smite every such
whited wall and as old Ahiah said to the wife of Ieroboam 1 Kings 146. when shee came disguised Come in saith hee thou wife of Ieroboam why fainest thou the selfe to be another I have heavie tydings to tell thee so may I say unto such that I have heavie tidings to tell them that is this Act. 8.23 that they are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity and if there be any fire in that bottomlesse tophet hotter than another it 's prepared for the hypocrits and therefore when God tells men of great punishments that the wicked shall have hee tells them that their punishment shall be with hypocrites that is making them a patterne of greas punishment to others Mat 24.41 Againe this body of sinne it doth so worke and cover it selfe that it makes a man to mistake his owne condition as the young man did when hee said Mat. 19.29 All these have I done from my youth and yet poore soule he knew not the deceitfulnes of his owne heart that he was mistaken had a deceitfull heart that would not submit to the will of Christ and we read of Herod that hee did many things untill it came to the leaving of his Herodias hee was content but there he stucke So it is with men they are so well conceited of their conditions as he that goes a jot beyond them goes too farre and hee that comes not to their pitch is too prophane and that rule which they have taken up is the only rule but to such I will say no more than our Apostle doth Let him that thinketh hee stands take heed lest hee fall and that his foundation be not built on the sand 4 Seeing that this body of sinne is thus active 4 How suspitious we should be of our selves it should make us suspitious of our selves and be very jealous over our selves in all the actions that wee doe seeing that there is one within us that hath a hand in them that is our mortall enemy Prov. 26.25 who albeit hee may speake us faire and make his voyce gracious yet as Solomon saith in another casâ— there are seven abominations in his heart if a man have a servant in his house that hee neither can turne out nor may trust will hee not then be suspitious of him and often call him to account Jer. 17.9 yet behold such is our owne hearts deceitfull above all things and who can know it it hath such turnings and windings that unlesse we watch it narrowly it will deceive us Aske we our hearts this question whither they went then at such a sermon when the word was powerfully opened it will answer as Gehezi did Thy servant went no whither Aske it againe whether it doth beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ for life and eternall salvation it will answer yea hee hath beleeved ever since hee can remember and never doubted in all his life Aske him againe whether hee be in such a condition as hee may goe to the Lords Table hee will answer againe goe in peace Thus like another trecherous Iudas hee will for his owne ends betray his owne Master now I appeale unto your own hearts whether this be so or no whether you have not offered such strange fire unto God and thought that such blind and lame services would serve your turne Have you not cause here to be suspitious of your secret enemy that lurkes in your bosomes that is so ready to deceive it selfe and you When that King of Syria saw that his plots were still discovered that his warre did not prosper against the Kings of Israel 2 King 6.11 Will you not tell mee saith hee which of us is for the King of Israâ—l So it should be with you that when your designes and good purposes are interrupted you should enter into your chambers and commune with your owne hearts and call up all your thoughts together say to them will none of you shew mee which of you are for Saâ—han I find many good motions that are all stifled in the birth a law of the members that doth rebell against the law of the mind and then complaine of this enemy unto him that is able to helpe you and say O wretched man that I am good Lord deliver mee from this body of death CAP. VII Of the second principall thing viz the doctrine of Mortification with certainc distinctions to cleare it NOw the second thing layd downe in the text is the duty that is commended unto us by our Apostle namely that the deedes of the body are to be mortified Joel 2.13 this is no other than that of the Prophet Rent your hearts and not your garments c. now the renting of thier garments was but in the best use of them to put them in minde of the disposition of their hearts and what serious thoughts God would have them be affected withall They did use to rent garments either in case of some great evill of sinne or evill of punishment in case of some great sinne 2 King 18 So Hezekiah rent his clothes at the blasphemy of Rabsheke Hest 4.1 the foule mouthed enemy of God and so in case of some eminent danger so Mordecay rent his garment out of trouble of heart for that great Massacre that was likely to befall the Jewes and may not the like misery sway with us to make us rent our hearts and mortifie the deeds of the body especially when we consider the greatnesse of our sinnes both in respect of their number that they are many and of their nature that they are foule and make us loathsome in the sight of God for their quantity they are as heavie as mountaines of lead Deut. 19.18 and for the quality they are rootes that beare gall and wormwood The like exhortation the Apostle gives Non dicit Apostolus non sit non habitet hoc enim impossibile sed non regnet peccatum c Greg. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof It is true that sinne will remaine in us but it must not raigne over us for if grace raigne in your hearts then sinne must not raigne grace will have no competitor Wee read of Alexander the great that hee was never content till he had conquered all the world so is it with grace it is never at rest till it have conquered this little world this body of sin and put downe every high thought that doth exalt it self against God This exhortation is urged more plainly Mortifie therefore your members that are on the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affections c. as before sinne is compared to a body so here particular sins are compared to so many members of that body that as all the members doe worke together for the preservation of the whole so doth every least conduct and concurre to the preservation and continuation of this
body of sin For the more distinct handling of the point consider that mortification may be distinguished as something that is externall and without us Mortification is externall or else as something that is internall and is done within us as it is externall so it is said to be a legall mortification when as a man is dead in law as a melefact or is said then to be a dead man when hee is condemned so sinne is then said to be dead when it is forgiven Rom. 8.3 and God is said to send his sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that is that sinne should be as certainly put to death as it was certaine that Christ had taken our nature on him a great comfort it is to a distressed soule that doth cast it selfe upon the Lord Jesus Christ though at first it doe not apprehend the power of sinne mortified yet apprehending our plentious redemption purchased by Christ hee concludes that sinne shall certainly die because Christ hath already condemned it and as David sayd 1 Sam. 20.3 when Ionathan did perswade him to the contrary As the Lord liveth and as thy soule liveth there is but a step betweene mee and death so whatsoever conceit the soolish heart of man may have that his lusts are so strong as there is not possibility of subduing them yet for as much as the matter is now in the hand of Christ who hath past sentence on them it is certaine that there is but a step betweene them and death Internall Initiall 2. Internall mortification is either initiall or renewed initiall mortification it is that first worke of sanctification whereby the force and vigor of sinne is broken and the body of sinne hath received such a deadly wound as maketh it incurable though a man in this case may goe as the woman did from one Physitian to another to have the issue of blood stayed yet will it bleed still there is no Balme from no Physitian there Jer. 3.22 now this initiall mortification is either generall or speciall Initiall Generall Luke 15.8 1. Generall when there is a generall blow given to every sinne when wee doe as the woman when shee had lost her money did sweepe the house not onely some but every roome of it the whole house thus shall wee bee sure not to leave any sinne without the marke of death upon it wash your hands yee sinners James 4.8 and purifie your hearts yee double minded that is that man that is truely mortified is such as is all over mortified that is there is no actuall sin that stickes to his hands nor any inward corruption that he doth allow of in his heart The Pharisees were strict in the tradition of the washing their hands but negligent of purging out the hypocrisie of their hearts So likewise the curse that is annexed unto sin and doth follow it as sure as the day doth the night so sure will wrath follow sinne Had we not need then to bee very much grieved for them Matthew 15.2 and to mourne in secret untill they be slaine in us Though Jobs afflictions were many and great Job 1.14 yet there is this remarkable that there was one in every of these trials that escaped to come and tell him so is it in this case with many that though there may seeme to be a great mortification of sinne yet behold one or other doth make an escape and comes and tels us that all is not mortified such a man is wise and liberall but yet hee is proud such a one is humble and courteous but yet hee is covetous a third is devout and religious and yet full of disordered passions so that though men seeke to colour over their sinnes with never so many faire pretences yet if it be not so indeed somthing will escape as shee said to Peter Matth. 26.73 you are sure one of his Disciples for thy speech bewrayeth thee so something will discover them at one time or another either pride or their covetousnesse or their passions like a dead Fly spoyles the whole box of precious oyntment 2. There is a speciall mortification of speciall sinnes 2. Speciall that although for sinnes of ignorance a generall mortification will serve the turne and is acceptable to God yet because that there is much deceit lieth in generals wee must descend to particulars as David saith I know mine iniquity Psal 51.3 and my sinne in ever before me is it not I that have sinned 1. Cron. 21.17 Againe all sinne is not of equall proportion but some are weaker and some stronger like the sonnes of Zerviah and they are not unlike to that kinde of evill spirit that is not cast out but by prayer and fasting much adoe there is to subdue them there is some bosome sinne that is so sweet and pleasant as it is compared to our right hand in respect of the profit of it and to our right eye in respect of the tendernesse of it now against this we must contend for as long as such a speciall corruption lives in us like as Pharoahs thinne blasted eares of corne it devoureth the fat ones so will that sinne eate up all your spiritual comforts or as Saul said concerning David as long as the sonne of Jesse lives the Kingdome shall not be established to you meaning Jonathan so I say as long as you do not contend against your speciall sins the Kingdom of heaven will never be established unto you therefore labour to finde them out one by one and having found them pursue after them as the revenger of blood till you have slaine them that you have may come to carry tidings of the fall of the rest 2. Renewed in case 2. The next is renewed mortification Daily incursions fruits of sinne that is in case that we renew our sinnes we must renew this worke also and this is either in regard of those daily infirmities that are the fruits of this body of sinne that is in us or else in case of a relapse or falling fowly into some great sinne which doth waste the conscience and therefore when wee have given unto sinne some deadly blow wee must not then thinke that the worke is done for it is with us as it is when a Ship springs a leake though they pumpe up the water yet will it fill againe so is it with us there is such a corrupt fountaine as will still bee troubling of us the same reason that may move us to say give us this day our daily bread may also prevaile with us to say forgive us this day our daily sinnes it should bee our care every day to consider our wayes and to examine our hearts and not suffer our temples to take their rest nor the eyes in our heads untill such time as wee have caused our daily sinnes to sleepe the long sleepe of death beleeve it if we
would doe this wee should sleepe more quietly live more peaceably and dye more comfortably this is that same wherein we may rejoyce for by our rejoycing that wee have in Christ 1 Cor. 15.31 we dye daily Now to mortifie sinne every day is more easie because it doth not get that strength that it doth if it be let alone the fire is quenched best when it is but a sparke and a banke of the Sea is easily repaired at the first so is it in case of sinne before this sparke of sinne ever set on fire the whole frame of nature and before this Ocean of lusts have made such a large breach in our conscience as that which would have beene but the worke of a few houres becomes the worke of many moneths 2 In case of a relapse 2. In case of a relapse or of some great sinne thath ath beene the case of divers good men they have fallen out of one sinne into another to the wounding of their owne conscience to the stilling of the good motions of the holy Ghost and to the opening of the mouths of the wicked to blaspheme the holy name of God and that holy profession they had taken in hand now as we see by experience a relapse into a disease is dangerous so a revolt into sinne is very dangerous because a man sins in that case against light and against conscience and gainst the good motion of the Spirit and makes way for the great enemy to returne with a greater strength now by how much the disease is more dangerous by so much is the cure more difficult how beit the matter be hard yet it is not impossible therefore in such a case and to that end you must not deceive your selves you must search out the cause wherefore this evill hath befallen you as it was when Israel turned their backs on their enemies Joshu 7.8 Joshuah sought out the cause and sound that there was one Achan that had troubled the whole campe So should wee never cease before wee have found out the cause And when you have found it say of it as Soul did in another case when as God answered him not 1. Sam. 14 38.39 know and see saith he wherein this sinne hath beene this day for if it be Ionathan my sonne hee shall surely die so say I to you shew no pitie on it for sinne can shew no mercie and therefore good reason that it should have judgement without mercie alas brethren lust is so deare unto some men that they will undoe themselves and their soules to enjoy that as it was said of Iacob Gen. 44.30 that his life was bound up in the life of Benjamin so may I say that mens hearts are so folded up in their lust that you may as well pull out the one as purge out the other CAP. VIII Containing the second distinction Inartifitial Imperfect Perfect MOrtification is either perfect or imperfect perfect mortification is that when there is a totall abolishing of all sinne so as there is nothing that doth remaine As God is said to wipe Ierusalem as a man wipeth a dish and turneth it up-side downe So when as sinne shall bee so wiped out as there is none of the venome of sinne tthat doth remain or sticke to us 2 King 21 13. but all is wiped off and utterly extinguished but this cannot bee expected in this life not that God cannot but that in his wisedome hee seeth it not fit 1 Cor. 13.9 we know in part and we prophecie in part but wee must not looke either for an absolute perfection of holinesse nor for a perfect freedome from sinne untill wee put off these Tabernacles which when they shall bee restored again at the resurrection then shall wee bee as the Angels of God without either staine or remainder of sinne this shall be done hereafter but not now for these reasons 1 Reasons why none perfect 1. For the manifestation of the power of God that though wee have corruption within and fighting without the great enemy that casts his fiery darts at us yet the Grace of God is sufficient for us and his strength is made perfect in weaknesse 2 Cor 12.9 Haec praesentis vitoe tuoe perfectio ut te imperfectum agnoseas this is our greatest perfection to see our imperfections that so wee might glorifie God the more It was as great a power of God to keepe Lot in his integrity in that sinke of sinne that City of Sodome as it was to free him from that shower of Brimstone that fell upon it so is it as great a power to keepe his grace in the midst of such corruption as to have free us from it by his absolute power at the first or to keepe a sparke in the midst of the Sea 2. To put a difference betweene viatores and comprehensores betweene such as are in their journey to the new Ierusalem that is above and those that are Citizens there already No man hath the Garland before the victory nor the reward before the race be run we must not looke for a Heaven here and another hereafter Hic conten demus ut alibicoronemur wee contend here that we may receive a crowne hereafter we are not to expect that which is not promised Nay hee hath told us that his Kingdome is not of this world Reason 3 3. To make us prize Heaven the more where wee know wee shall bee free from sinne and desire to be dissolved the more that so wee might be separated from this enemy that disturbes our peace this enemy is hee that makes us like those Hebrewes to hang up our Harps and to weepe by those bankes of Babell when we remember mount Sion which is above it was Christs usuall journey from Bethany to Ierusalem from the house of mourning to the vision of peace so must we mourne here that we may rejoyce hereafter Reason 4 4. To let us see the fulnesse of Adams sinne for if that we should have sinne removed as soone as we are borrne wee should never be sensible of the greatnesse of that offence nor of the weight and burden of originall corruption for if you would reason but thus with your selves if the weight of sinne be so intolerable and the burden so heavie to a man regenerate that he cries out woe is me for I am a man of polluted lips Es 6.5 and dwell amongst men of polluted lips if hee complaine O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliver mee from this body of death if we our selves groane under the burden of sinne that is upon us what would the weight of it be if God should lay it on in the full measure then would wee cry out as Kain that our punishment would be greater then wee can beare as they by finding out the length of the Gians foote found out the length of his whole body so may wee by the weight
of the sinne wee feele bee able to conceive of that we feele not and to say as Paul did Vers 25. God be thanked through Iesus Christ our Lord that though in my flesh I serve the Law of sinne yet in my mind I serve the Law of God Imperfect mortification is when the worke is begun but not finished it is with us in case of mortification as it was when the Israelites came to possesse the land of Canaan God would have them cast out the inhabitants by little and little Dent. 7.22 and not to bee consumed at once So in this case it is not to bee expected that sinne should be consumed at once but by little and little The degrees of mortification are some more temote some more neare For the better clearing hereof observe two particulars whereby you may conceive by what steps and degrees sinne is mortified First some of them are more remote Secondly some of them are naere Remote 1 1. For the more remote degrees of mortification give me leave first to intreat of them as in going downe a paire of staires you must go downe by degrees step by step so in bringing downe the proud heart wee must not thinke it can be done at once but by a kinde of graduall motion wee say in Phylosophy that natura non facil saltum that nature works successively and makes no leapes for it is as true in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 that it doth admit degrees Degree 1 1. The first remote degree is a breaking of league with sinne for naturally there is a league between sinne and our soules And they are like Simeon and Levi brethren in evill sinne is then pleasant unto them and whosoever speakes against it are none of their friends but now when wee see that sinne hath deceived our soule and played the Iudas with us that it hath betraied us into the hands of Sathan and hath procured the wrath of God upon us then we breake our friendship with it and are sorry that we had ever any thing to doe with it Eph. 5.11 have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse but rather reprove them that is we must not have any more to doe with them God charges the people of Israel to take heede that they marry not with the heathen Deut. 7. for they would turne away their sonnes and daughters from serving God So will sinne doe if you make league with it or doe not breake from it and so procure the heavie wrath of God upon you it is the charge which our Saviour gives unto those that went into Babylon Rev. 18.4 2 Cron. 19 2. Come out of Babell my people be not partaker with her of her sinnes that yee receive not of her plagues It was a good speech of the sonne of the Prophet to Iehosaphat shouldest thou helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore in wrath upon you from the Lord So there is nothing a greater enemy unto God nor unto your salvation then sinne is therefore breake your league with it lest you procure the fierce wrath of the Lord of heaven and earth against you Degree 2 2. When men professe themselves open enemies unto sinne that is then when they hate every false way and when no perswasion that lust can make nor proffer that can be propounded will prevaile with them but they stand like a mountaine and will not be perswaded so as those secret insinuations of their owne hearts and those venomous blandishments of Sathan fall from them as the Viper from Pauls hand without any hurt or taking any strong impression upon them where there is the greatest unity and friendship when such fall out there is the greatest enmity and discords thence it is that Solomon saith Prov. 18.19 that a Brother offended is as hard to winne as a strong City and their contentions are like the barres of a Castle so is it with this contention because as their freindship hath beene great so also is the contention stronger therefore some of the Martyrs when they have beene pressed by their friends to renounce their religion with what indignation have they spoken that if every haire of their head were a man William Sparrow pascalis they would burne them all rather then goe from the truth And some have blessed God even that ever they came in prison or that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ all this out of a desire of the enjoyment of Christ and the hatred of sinne Degree 3 3. To cut off all the strength provision that the flesh can make that so we may starve the flesh out of the holds that it hath made for it self Rom. 13.14 So the Apostle put on the Lord Jesus Christ and made no provision for the flesh sure it is when men are carefull for the body and carelesse for the soule when they expend the greatest part of their lives and meanes in the minding of the things that pertaine to the satisfaction of the flesh and in the prosecution of their lusts and pleasures and say unto their soules Luke 12.19 eate drinke and be merry what doe they all this while but foster and nourish that body of death even unto the day of slaughter but on the other side a man doth then make no provision for the flesh when he lives as a Pilgrim and as a stranger and doth abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against the soule When a man makes a covenant with his eyes 1 Pet. 2.11 that he will not look on a woman to lust after her when hee shutteth his eares Job 31.1 and will not heare the voyce of the Charmer charme hee never so wisely when that he lookes to all his wayes and takes heed Psal 39.1 that he offend not in his tongue in one word that keepes his heart with all diligence Pet. 4.23 that howsoever voluptuous and sinfull thoughts may knock at the doore yet they may finde neither entrance nor enterrainment when hee hardens his heart against sinne as much as Dives did that hee would not permit Lazarus the crummes that were under his table but suffered the Begger to dye at his doore So when wee deny our lusts their least requests and will not permit them the least or lowest roome in our hearts 2 King 6.32 when we deale with sinne as Elisha caused his servants that kept the doore saith he hold him fast handle him roughly or presse him at the doore so should we do with sin if hee offer to make intrusion repell him backe with a holy violence 1 Cor. 9.27 I beate downe my body and bring my flesh in subjection that when I have preached to others I my selfe may not be a cast-away CAP. IX Shewing those more neare degrees of mortification 2 NOw I come to those that are more neare degrees of mortification as you see in warre there is many lesser assaults made before
they winne the maine battell so is it in this spirirituall contestation and contention between the law of the members and the law of the minde 1 Degree Heb. 12 4. Gal 5.17 Venit avaritia vendicat in me sibi sedem jactantiacupit dominari mihi Superbia vult mihi esse Rex luxuria dicit ego regnabo ambitto de tractio invidia iracundia certant in me ipso de me ipso cujus ego potissimum effe videor Ego quantum valeo resiste renitor quantum suvor dominum meum Iesum reclamo paule post dico non habeo regem nisidominum Iesum veni demine disperge illos vertute tua regnabis in me quia tu es ipse Rex meus Ber. him 4. betweene true grace and corrupt nature 1. First is in that strong relâ—ctancie that the spirit maketh against the flesh so as there is very hard strugling who shall winne the victory gravis lucta saith Saint Bevnard non contra hostes sed contra hospites a grievous warre it is and the greater that it is not against enemies but guests howbeit they are in deed secret enemies The flesh musters up all her forces and sets them in battell aray which as they are many in number so are they strong and resolute every one ambitious of a crown but now the soule it flyeth unto Christ as a prisoner of hope oppressed by the enemy unto his strong hold Zach. 9.12 That as the Jewes would have no King but Caesar so a Christian will have none to raigne over him but Christ this reluctancie is the greater in me quia tu es ipse Rex mous Bet. him 4. because that the object of their contention is exceeding weighty it is as much as a mans soule is worth it is the losing or winning of a Kingdome it is not pro finibus not for the bounds but pro haereditate for the inheritance and therefore it is that neither side will yeeld to the other Sathan will not yeeld up his right because they once belongd to him nor Christ will not lose his right because hee bought them with a price hence it is that the Kingdome of Heaven is said to suffer violence Matth. 11.12 and the violent take it by force there is nothing to be gotten without contention That you may not bee mistaken in this businesse of so great consequence give me leave to lay downe some rules to know whether your warre bee a right warre yea or no for when our Luke 13.24 Saviour doth exhort us to strive to enter in at the straite gate he tels us that many shall secke to enter and shall not be able shewing that all striving will not serve your turnes not every one that saith Matth. 7.21 Lord Lord shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven thence it is that Saint Iames tels us that we may aske and not receive because we aske amisse and this was the reason why such as shall at the end of the world come and say Lord Math. 7.22 Lord wee have prophecied in thy name and in thy name wee have cast out Devils and in thy name wee have done many wonderfull workes why such I say should bee rejected because all this was not done in sincerity and in a right manner therefore for the clearing of it take this rule 1. They differ in ground and so the quarrell for howsoever that the I quarrell may be occasioned from the same generall ground in respect of the use of it How the naturall spirituall combate differs namely sinne 1 In the ground yet in speciall the one lookes at sinne as it is sinne the other at sinne as it brings punishment after it the one could hee escape the punishment would be glad to enjoy his finne the other is farre more willing to suffer than to sinne an example of the former you have in Cain who made no great matter of his sinne but indeed his punishment was greater than hee could beare and for the latter you have another example of Ioseph who notwithstanding the wanton sollicitations hee had from his Mistresse and withall his owne unmarried condition and being in the strength of his youthfull yeares which is most licentious and voluptuous yet behold hee repells them all with a most chast resolution Gen. 39. How shall I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God He thought not on the punishment that would follow but on the sinne as the maine thing It was a good speech of him that sayd it Anselme that hee had rather be in hell without sinnes than in heaven with them on his conscience and indeed what comfort could a man have in heaven so long as he had a hell in his conscience and on the other side hell would be no hell to him were his conscience faire therefore men should not thinke that all is well because they sind sometimes a troubled or a trembling spirit for the devills beleeve and tremble and yet are their spirits stout enough and stubborne enough against God so Jam 2.19 it may be in men by that conviction that they may have although it may not be accompanied with any sound conversion have you not seene many that when they have beene in some great straite as Balaam betweene the vineyards not knowing which way to turne himselfe either under some sad and heavie crosse or else under some present perill of death poore soules how have they quarrelled with their sinnes and with themselves as though they would never have had any friendship with them more well deliverance comes and health comes behold now the battell is over they shake hands againe with their lusts and are the same men they were but now if there be a principle of grace in you that makes your hearts rise against sinne then to say no more goe on and prosper ye valient men for God is with you 2 They differ in respect of the seat of the combate 2 In the seate the naturall combate is 1 Sometimes nothing but the distemper of the body that is the seat of the conflict a sicke body doth occasion a distempered and sicke minde is it not strange to see what strange effects that distemper of melancholy doth produce what feares and terrours have they felt at sometimes as though they had beene scorched in the flames of hell what joyes and exultations they have made at another time as though they had beene rapt up into the third heaven what conflicts they have supposed they have passed through yet all is nothing but the production of a distempered body deeply affected with melancholy Now this differs from the true combate 1 First they differ as much as the shadow and the substance one from another that combate betweene the flesh and the spirit is really true but that is but imaginary like as you see upon the stage one is a King another is a Judge another a souldier which when the action is
over they are no such men so is it in this case all this combate is but a meere shew 2 In a true combate there are some scarres some thing that stickes to him after the battell and some booty is carried away as a testimony of his valour so a Christian that hath got some ground against his enemy hee hath got some strength against his lusts as it was said of the house of David and Saul that Davids house did increase and Sauls decrease so is it here grace it gaines something at every combate now after the combate is over the melancholy person is as he was there is no alteration if hee was prophane before so hee is still or if hee was civill before he is civill still 3 They differ in their cure a distempered body is cured with physicke good ayre and temperate diet but who is hee that can cure a sicke and distempered soule not all the Physitians in the world Nay let mee speake a bold word not all the Angels in heaven are able by all their wisdome to helpe a wounded spirit it must be no lesse than the blood of the Lamb of God that takes away sin and heales a sicke distressed destempered soule 2 Againe the seate of this warre is sometimes among the passions Num. 13.32 so as one standeth in opposition to another Nay as the spyes that went to view the land of Canaan said unto Moses that the land they went to search was a land that did eate up the inhabitants of it so it is with our lusts one lust is so predominant that it eates up another as you have an example in Herod who being ambitious did favour Iohn Mark 6. Euseb lib. 8. cap. 17. because hee look't at the applause of the people for all held Iohn as a Prophet yet such was his lust to Herodias Libido potias quam iracundia tenebat imperium paulo post dicit author quod Christiana continentia neque morte neque pecunia expugnari potest that for her sake hee cast him into prison and afterwards cut off his head So it is sayd of Maxontius that as hee was cruell so was he incontinent and sometime his lust of incontinencie prevailed against that of cruelty as instance is given in a Christian Virgin whom hee had attempted to have defiled in which case sayth my Author that his incontinencie got the victory of his fury but now this warre is not a warre amongst them but against them all as they that are Christs doe crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 and the truth is that when as a man doth suffer his lust to rule is as if a man should suffer his feete to guide his head or the handmaid to rule over the mistresse so is it in this case for our passion should be guided by reason and reason rectified by the spirit and then things would goe in a right order therefore our Apostle doth shew that the flesh lusts against the spirit not that the flesh lusts against the flesh for though the lusts of the flesh may be at discord one with another it is but like that which was betweene Pilate and Herod which albeit there was some contention betweene them Luk. 23.12 yet they both joyned together against Christ so that howsoever it be that one lust may in some cases overthrow another yet they will all conspire against Christ CAP. XI Showing certaine other differences that are betweene them in this relactancie of the flesh against the spirit 3 In the time 3 THirdly they differ in the time of their combate the naturall combate oft-times comes as soone as reason can make a difference betweene good and bad and it is that which may be in a very heathen Ro. 2.15 for the Gentiles that had no law to goe by besides that which was written in their hearts yet by that were a law to themselves their consciences either excusing on accusing of them now conscience according to that light that it hath is alway at hand to contend against the workes of sinne and that fleshly appetite that is in us howbeit conscience may trouble us yet it is commonly for greater sinnes and not for lesser as Pharaoh for his great cruelty confesseth I have sinned and so we read did Nero and others but now for lesser them they easily passe over Saint Paul cryes out of the body of sinne that was within him and David of the cutting off Sauls garment his heart smote him for that but in this case the naturall conscience hath little to say because it knowes little therefore Saint Paul saith Rom. 7.7 I had not knowne lust except the Law had said thou shalt not lust that is his naturall conscience did not discover it unto him but it was given him by a higher and a clearer light Our Saviour Christ sheweth that while the strong man keepes the house all that a man possesseth is in peace but when a stronger than hee commeth then hee begins the combate so long as a man is in the state of nature the prince of the aire rules in his heart and hath quiet possession for although there may be a contention as hath beene shewed among the passions and lusts yet so as there is no hinderance to Sathan by that at all for the lesser footing hee hath in one lust the stronger hee is in another as it is among a company of gamesters looke what one loseth another winnes and suppose that they should be all losers yet the house where they game would be a gainer so is it here that as long as there is no other strife but amongst themselves men are still as bad or worse than they were and Sathan that keepes the house gaineâ— by them Againe suppose wee some strange man should come into this gaming house and should take away their money and burne the dice and cause the house to be pulled downe and bind the strong man and lay him in prison would not this breed hot blood and occasion strife So it is in this case for when the spirit comes then it comes with such might as beares downe all before it and overthroweth the strong holds of Sathan and every high thought that doth exalt it selfe against God by what as hath beene said you may easily see how this naturall combate differs from the spirituall in regard of the time 4 In the end 4 They differ in their ends that they have in their combate there are three ends for which a man doth undertake warre namely peace honour and terrour first this warre is undertaken for peace sake both peace of conscience and peace with God now howsoever a wicked man may seeme to humble himselfe for his sinne and to make up his peace with God yet it is but like those truces that are made in the warres for some short time for some private reasons knowne to themselves so is it in this case 1
King 21.29 Ahab when hee heard what God had threatned hee rent his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and lay in sackcloth and went softly now here was a truce made betweene God and Ahab but no reconciliation Seest thou not saith God how Ahab humbleth himselfe before mee I will not bring the evill in his daies but in his sonnes dayes will I bring this evill upon his house so that the judgement is not taken away but deferred but now this spirituall warfare doth aime at peace and ends in it there is no affliction that is pleasant for the present but grievous Heb. 12.11 neverthelesse it bringeth forth the peaceable fruite of righteousnesse though this burthen be heavy yet is it the way to ease and as after a toilsome labour comes the quietest rest so after this warre the most settled peace 1 King 19.11 c. as it was in that vision that Eliah saw First came a strong winde that rent the mountaines and brake the rockes in pieces after this an earthquake and after this a fire and after all a still voyce so it is with a Christian that after many tumults and garboiles in the soule between these two enemies the flesh and the spirit comes the still voyce with joy and peace 2 Another end is honour a man that is a good souldier under Christs banner doth endeavour to fight manfully that he may honour his cause and his captaine and good reason the cause is just for it is for the defence of Christs right in our soules and we never had a better Captaine than Christ is Rev. 6.1 who rides on conquering and to conquer who hath led captivity captive and a prince against whom there is no rising but on the other side in that seeming warre that there is to be found in wicked men Mat. 6.16 they chiefly aime at their owne praise as they in their private fasting and workes of mortification disfigured their faces and were of sad countenances and all this is to be seene of men but God knew their hearts to be farre otherwise or at the best the chiefe and that a wicked man hath in any trouble or contention against any sinne it is himselfe either for the preservation of himselfe or for his owne advantage and the reason is because as the man is so are his ends if a man be flesh then his ends cannot but smell of the flesh 3 The last end of this holy warre is terrour and feare a man warres to that end that thee may put the enemy into such a feare that hee will be afraid to offend any more so a man in this spirituall warfare when the heart is once smitten hath true remorse for sinne hee will be afraid to sin againe as you have examples of David and Peter a hundred Bathsheba's would not have allured David to have fallen into that sinne againe the voyce of a silly damsell made Saint Peter to deny his master but after he felt the smart of it and had repented of it hee was not ashamed of his master no not before Princes and Judges of the world on the other side a man that is not sound at the heart though his mind may be at present troubled and tremble in respect of some foule and great sinne that stares him in the face and lyeth heavie upon his conscience yet doth it worke no change in him but after the tempest is over 2 Pet. 2.22 hee turnes with the dogge to his vomit and with the sow to his wallowing in the mire with as fresh Prov 23.34 35. and as free an appetite as ever hee did unto his sinne Solomon compares such a man to one that lyeth on the top of a mast in the midst of the sea and saith they have smitten mee but I felt it not thy have beaten mee but I was not sicke and therefore when I awake I will seeke it againe 5 They differ in their event 5 In the event this warre that is betweene the flesh and the spirit alwaies ends in a victoriour conquest over all the enemies of it as they say of truth Magna est veritas 2 Cor. 12.9 praevalebit so may I say of grace great is the power of it and it will prevaile Paul was not without this buffeting of Satan and behold the grace of God was sufficient for him to enable him to beare out the quarrell against his enemy And further hee saith When I am weake then am I strong it is with a Christian in this case as it was wiâ—h Rebeccah when she had two twinnes strove in her wombe shee comes to the Lord and saith Lord why am J thus the Lord makes this answer two nations are in thy wombe and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger than the other Gen. 25.22.23 and the elder shall serve the yonger so it is in this case here are two nations that strive within us the old and the new man and they are contrary one to another yet this is your comfort the elder shall serve the yonger the new commer shall cast out the old inhabitant Now who would not take that side on which he is sure to conquer Then must you joyne with the spirit against the flesh though you may be foyled yet you shall never be conquered for if God be with us who shall or can stand against us Hee that is with us is greater than hee that is against us it is reported of Cesar and Antony that they were wont often to wrastle together and though Antony was the stronger man yet Cesar alwaies gave him the fall the reason being demanded why it should be so the answer was made because Cesar was guided by a better Genius so if you demand whence it is that such strong and potent lusts do all fall downe before us and none of them able to stand I answer 1 Joh. 4.4 it is because wee have a better Genius greater is hee that is with us than hee that is in the world on the other side all the warre of a wicked man it never brings any thing to passe they are like the children of Ephraim that went out harnished and carried bowes yet turned againe in the day of battell Psal 78.9 what show soever there may be of goodnesse in us yet if it be not in truth it will not hold in the fiery tryall CAP. XII Shewing further the difference of this combate by the weapons of it which is cleared by two propositions 6 THe next thing wherein they differ in this conflict is in their weapons 2 Cor. 10 4. the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall so that looke what difference there is betweene a carnall and a spirituall man so much difference is there betweene a carnall and spirituall weapon if yee should see men goe to warres and instead of warlike munition one should carry a
that when Sathans malice was made manifest to the ful yet so as Iob looks hither in conclusion saith God gives and God takes whereas if he had looked lower hee might have said God hath given and the Devill hath taken but the humble spirit desires not to bee troubled with what the Devill or man can doe unto him because he knowes that they are but instruments and rods in Gods hand to correct his children withall therefore he falleth downe before God and kisseth his rod and cals upon his name and then the Lord harkens and heares and puts his teares into his bottle and in his good time will heale his soule In one word as it is said of the Philosophers stone that what metall soever it toucheth it turnes it into gold so is it with this sorrow that what crosse or disaster soever it doth meete withall it makes it an occasion to worke in him godly sorrow to repentance never to be repented of 3. It mends all it make up all breaches Esa 1.16.18 wash you make you cleane take away the evill of your doing which is done by this worke of mortification and mourning for sinne and then saith God let us reason together and then though your sinnes were as red as crimson I will make them as white as wooll herein is the excellencie of godly sorrow if you have losses in your estate or crosses by your children or injuries by evill men you may fit downe and sorrow till you can weepe no more but now halfe of this were it godly sorrow though your sinnes be as blacke as hell yet God will make them as white as snow if a man bee old the skill of all the Physitians cannot make him young againe but a man that is truely humbled for sinne the Lord Christ redeemes his life from death Verus penitens simper est in labore dolere delet de prateritis laborat pro futuris cavendis Ber. and renewes his youth like the Eagles that as they report of the Eagle that when shee growes old and cannot eate for the length of her bill with much adoe shee gets it broken and then fals to her meate as if she were young againe so it is in this case when wee have cast away all our abominations and our doings that were not good though with much adoe then shall we renew our lives as the Eagle and be made fit to sit among Christs guests at the marriage feast when he makes us a feast of fat things Isa 25.6 and wine when the lees are well refined 3. The third thing in this sorrow is how long it should continue to this we answer that as we sinne daily so wee must sorrow daily and because all sinne is not of one magnitude or proportion therefore it doth admit of degrees but if we speake of initiall mortification which is the thing chiefely in hand the first work that is begunne in the soule then I say 1. Wee must mourne till the generall frame of sinne be dissolved till the regiments of sinne be taken downe Judg. 14.17 Sampsons wise did never cease weeping untill shee knew his riddle so should wee never cease till we know-that our sinnes are dissolved and purged out Alasse what comfort can a man receive so long as hee remaines a slave to his hust 2 Sam. 12 20. and is under the Prince of darkenesse but now sinne is slaine in us and dead in us then we doe as David did when his child was dead hee then at oft from the earth and waâ—nt and anoâ—hed himâ—â—lfe and changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and then came into his own house and are bread when we find that this child that wee have begotten by our sinne is dead we should doe the like then cheare up your hearts and worship God that hath given you victory against it It was comfortable neves that was brought by the Angel unto Ioseph Mat. 2.20 Returne into the land Israel for they are dead that sought the young childs life so say 〈◊〉 it will be a great stay to our soules to heare that the body of death is dead within us that sought how to destroy our soules 2. We must mourne till he that hath wounded us shall come and heale us Hos 6.1 come say they let us returne to the Lord for he hath borne us and he will heal us he hath smitten us and 〈…〉 It 〈◊〉 an easie matter to wound but not so easie to cure and heale again it is the prerogative in this case that belongeth chiefely to God the flesh can vex us and Sathan can teare and trouble us and wound us but none of these can cure us againe but now God can as well heale as wound here is one thing further to be observed that the Prophet doth not say that sinne or Sathan hath wounded us and God will heale us but he hath wounded us and he will heale us and bind us up for a man may have these wounds by sinne and Sathan and yet no true ourâ— the cure that these Physitians can give us are of no value is either to cast a man into a deepe or rather a dead sleepe of security and harnesse of heart or to suffer him to fall into despaire and haâ—â—â— his owns and by an untimely death as Iudas and Iuliâ—â— did but where God once by his spirit smites the heart with true remorse for sinne then he is moved by the same shirit to seeke unto God for the cure of that wound as it was with Elisha 1 King 19 19. that after the Prophet Elia had put his mantle upon him he presently comes after him so whereas the Lord shall be pleased to works in us a true sight of our misery he never doth it without some hope of mercy that when we seele our burden we might likewise come unto him for case and comfort Psal 103.13 these are those comfortable speeches that as a father pittieth his owne children Mat. 12.20 so the Lord pittith them that feare him and that promise hee will not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoaking Flax c. and that exhortation Mat. 11.28 come unto me all yee that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you CAP. XIV Shewes thee other properties of Contrition viz. shame indignation and revenge THe next thing in contrition 2 Of shame is to be ashamed of our sinnes and to loath them for the more the heart is broken for sinne the more it is ashamed for it Job 42.6 as when Job saw himselfe in his colours then hee did abhorre himselfe in dust and ashes Ezeck 36.31 and the Prophet shewes that there should come a time when the Lord would smite the hearts of men that they should remember their owne evill way and their doings that were not good and should loath themselves in their owne sight for their iniquities and for
all their abominations and hence is that of the Apostle Rom. 6.21 what profit have you in those things whereof yee are now ashamedâ— It is not the having of sinne that bringeth shame but the sense of it for when as wee shall have it cleere to our understanding how bad a companion it is and how much harme it hath done us and how great danger it hath drawne us into it makes us ashamed 1 What will make a man ashamed sooner than the apprehension and sight of his owne nakednesse Gen. 2.25 So soone as Adam saw his nakednesse hee even out of shame went and hid himselfe in the garden among the bushes this was not so much because of the nakednesse of his body for so hee was before but his sinne not for the want of apparell as for the want of righteousnesse that made him ashamed Againe when a man considers that hee is not onely naked but that sinne hath defiled him and made him a most defiled and monstrous creature this makes him the more astonished at Gods great patience that suffereth him to live and to abhorre himselfe as one of the most wretched miserable men under heaven 3 When wee consider the contempt that sinne brings on us that is not onely a burden to us but it makes us oftentimes odious to the sight of men and alwaies contemptible on the sight of God thence it was that the Prophet setting out the vilenesse of our naturall condition sets it out by such an one as no eye pittied Eph. 16. none looked with compassion on him when hee lay polluted in his blood hee was then cast out into the open field to the loathing of his person so is it with every man by nature when hee comes to see into what contempt and disgrace hee hath brought himselfe both with God and man will hee not be ashamed surely if there be any sparke of grace hee will abhorre himselfe in dust and ashes Iob. 42.5 and labour to buy of Christ white rayment that the shame of his nakednesse may not appeare Rev. 3. If any shall say that men may be ashamed of their sinne and yet the heart not broken to which wee answer that there is a large difference betweene them 1 They differ in their objects a man whose heart is truly sensible of that disgrace that lyeth upon him from God this is that makes him ashamed as it was sayd of Miriam when shee was smitten with leprosie and Moses prayed unto the Lord Nu. 12.14 that he would heale her the Lord answered Moses saying if her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed so say I that when God powereth contempt on a man unto whom he hath beene gracious and favourable so as hee casts out his petitions and will not heare nor answer them hee casts him into darknesse and setteth his sinnes in order before him and suffers him to lye in the deepe Esa 6.5 as Ionah among the weedes this makes a gracious man greatly ashamed but now the shame that a wicked man hath it is most of all in respect of men they thinke they shall escape the reproach from God well enough Iob 22.13 were it so they could but escape those disgraces and disparagements that doe fall on them from men they say that heaven is so high that God cannot heare can hee judge through the darke clouds Thence it was Saul desired to be honoured among the people 1 Sam. 13.30 though otherwise hee would have gloried in his shame Ph. 3.19 in one word where the shame of men doth more bridle us from sin than the feare of God it is cleare to me that we preferre our credit above our conscience I read of Paphnutius a learned Theatr. Hist p. 533 and pious Bishop at the Councell of Nice that being allured by a harlot to incontinencie she brings him into a very darke roome hee looking fadly about him said I am afraid that some body seeth never doubt saith shee none but onely God seeth us here but saith hee if God doth see us how dare we doe that in the sight of God that wee dare not doe in the sight of men 2 They differ in their continuance for the longer that a wicked man lives the harder his heart growes and the lesse sinne and shame hath hee of his sinnes Hazael could not thinke that ever he should prove so bad and so bold a sinner as was prophecied of him no man is the worst 2 King 8.13 at first but growes to it by degrees Domitius Nero for the first five yeares of his raigne he was so faire and so favourable as it was called Neronis Quinquennium But after hee broke forth into such foule and bloody sinnes as made him both hatefull to God and man But now on the other side the longer a good man lives the more is his sense and sorrow for his sinnes and the more hee is ashamed of them there ever the burthen of them is the more heavie Iob. 13.26 and the memory is the more grievous unto him yea the sinnes of his youth thou writest bitter things against mee and makest mee to possesse the sinnes of my youth Briefly that I may end this point if you can step over those sinnes now without remorse or shame that before time would have made you ashamed you may well suspect your selves to be let loose to hardnesse of your owne hearts and given over to reprobate sense but if on the contrary you feele a stronger distast of sinne so as it is not committed without griefe nor thought upon without blushing if you be thus ashamed of your sinnes God will not be ashamed of you at the last day 3 They differ in these operations and manner of working for though a wicked man may when he hath sinned and he is under the guilt and punishment of some hainous offence sometime be humbled for it and blush at the remembrance of it yet it workes no change in him it doth not alter him to any purpose it may do peradventure as the Angell unto Balaam for the time turne him aside or stop him a little while Prov. 5.22 Nune prâ—mam adverte spâ—nsae verecundiam est expugnatrix malâ—rum prâ—pugnatrix puritatis innatâ— specialis glâ—ria conscientia fama oustos vitae decus virtutis sedes virtutum primitia naturae laus insignetotius honesti Ber. in Serm. 86. Cant. but not long he goeth on still till hee perish by the wages of iniquity and be taken in the cords of his owne sins On the other side he that is truly bash full for his sins he hath taken such a distaste against them as that neither the flattering baits of the flesh nor the golden showers of the mammon of iniquity can perswade with him to take pleasure in sinne any more yea this holy bashfulnesse is like the flaming sword that kept the gate of Paradise that fallen
man could not make any entry for when we are ashamed of our sinnes it wards the gates of our hearts and keeps us in that we rush not into sinne again for when God smites the conscience and reproves it savingly for its sinnes it makes Iob's reply Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth Iob 40.4.5 once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further 3 Now come wee to the third property of a broken 3 Indignation and bleeding heart that is where there is a hearty 2 Cor. 7.11 and holy indignation against sin The Apostle speaking of godly sorrow Loe saith hee what indignation hath it wrought there is a twofold indignation the former is ira subita a sudden anger that is when men are soone angry and soone pleased as it was with David what a pelting chafe was he in against Nabal what big words doth he breake into while hee is going downe the hill how doth hee upbraid his Churlish behaviour and tels what havocke hee will make amongst them before the next morning yet by by when Abigail meets him with a small guift with a few soft words she turnes away his wrath and all is well agains so is it in this case do you not see many a man that when sinne gauls him O how bitter and boisterous hee is against his lusts But now when as this corrupt heart of ours shall but decke her selfe with some faire and plausible excuse and bring some present in her hand of gaine or pleasure the matter is taken up and the contention is at an end and lust and hee are growne good friends 2 But now there is another indignation that is called ira permanens that doth continue and remaineth with a man so as it is with some men that when they are once out and angry with a man they are never pleased againe This kind is no way good but against sinne and then it is exceeding good we are charged not to let the suune goe downe upon our wrath neither to give place to the devill Eph. 4.26 but in this case wee must suffer the sunne to goe down upon this indignation against this body of sinne or else wee give place to the devill 2 King 13.18 When Elisha bid Joash King of Israel to smite the ground with his arrowes The text saith he smote the ground thrice and stayed which if hee had done five or sixe times hee had utterly consumed his enemies It is so in this case some men will bee angry sometimes with their sinnes it may be twice or thrice in their lives but if they would continue their indignation and smite on they would at last utterly confound their sinnes and subdue them The way to avoid the anger of God is to be angry with our selves for if we judge our selves wee shall not be judged of God at the last and great day this is our comfort that are angry with our lust we can never be angry too much you cannot hate them more than they doe deserve but as the Israelites were never to make pleace with Amalecke so no more must wee with our sinnes 4 Revenge 4 The last property of a broken and a bleeding heart is a holy revenge now a revenge is a dealing in like manner with sinne as it hath dealt with us for as much as lusts are those enemies that warre against our soules we must be couragious to warre against them that thereby we may revenge our selves of our sins and then doe we doe this great worke 1 When wee doe abstaine from the use of those things that are in themselves lawfull 2 Cor. 7.11 when wee have unlawfully abused them as suppose we a man that hath beene an immoderate drinker of wine whereby hee hath not onely abused the creature of God but made himselfe for the time of a reasonable man like unto an unreasonable beast or suppose wee another that hath beene given to immoderate gaming as hunting hawking bouling and hath made these which were for his recreation to become as it were his vocation In such a case as this if it might not tend to the too much losse of his health or danger of his life it were good for a man to abstaine altogether from them at least for some time as a revenge of his former abuse of them Againe if that these or the like immoderate recreations have kept us from the service of God either in the publique assembly or in our private closets it should be our care and endeavour to recompence our slothfulnesse with double diligence A man that would avenge himselfe of his lusts hee must pursue them as the avenger of blood did the man slayer or malefactor that unlesse hee was gotten into the city of refuge hee was surely slaine so must wee doe hunt them out let them not rest in any corner of our hearts for if sinne may but find any little resting place in our soules it will not out and as long as sin rests in us Christ will not rest therefore you must not cease till you have driven it out of your bounds It was a good speech of Sarah Gen. 21.9.10 Cast out saith she the bond woman and her sonne for hee shall not be heire with my sonne so say I to you Esa 2.20 cast away your transgressions for these two Christ and sinne grace and lust will not inhabit together 3 The last thing in revenge is that wee should shew no pitty or compassion on our lusts when a man shall neither spare great nor small sinnes Deut. 33.9 It was the blessing that Moses gave to the Tribe of Levy that he should say to his father and mother I have not seene him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his owne children so it should be here that wee should regard no lust though it might be so deare as a mans Parents or children to him yet should hee have no pitty Saint Hierome gives the reason why we should be so void of pitty Hier. Ep. ad Heliodor Licet parvulus ex collo pendeat nepos licet sparse crine scisiis vestibus ubera quibus te nutriit mater ostondat licet in limine pater jaceat percalcatum perge PatreÌ„ siccis ocults ad vâ—icillum crucis evola solum pâ—etatis genus in hac re est esse crudelem Hier. ibid. Ecce adversarius in pectore tuo qui Christum conatur occidere behold there is an enemy within you that doth endeavour to slay Christ therefore saith hee neither father nor mother nor kinsman should prevaile with us to keepe us in our sinnes but wee should shake off all and follow Christ though it be to the losse of all things else for this kinde of cruelty is the height top of true piety The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance and wash his feete in the blood
of the wicked Psalm 58.10 And how great joy will that bee when as a Christian shall see the revenge upon his sinnes that they that were his enemies are fallen before him it is hard unto flesh and blood to be thus cruell especially against himselfe as to turne his mirth into mourning his howers of recreation into times of devotion to beate downe his body by fasting and to afflict his soule with shame and sorrow This I say is difficult but yet 1 Sam. 6.10 if you would overcome nature you must become in this thing unnaturall as it was said of those two Kine that had their calves taken from them that were appointed to draw the arke of God they went along the high way lowing as they went untill they came to the coasts of Israel a strange thing it was and it may seeme to be unnaturall that they should leave their calves and do thus yet they did it because it was Gods worke so I may say that though this may seeme unnaturall and a kind of cruelty yet we must set upon it because it is Gods worke Ps 137.9 happy is that man that takes these brats of Babilon dashes their heads against the stones for in not pittying of them he pittieth his soule CAP. XV. Shewing the great necessity of contrition which is fourefold 1 A necessity of thâ— precept 2 THe second thing is the necessity of a broken heart In point of mortification there is necessitas precepti of Gods command hee hath commanded us to doe this duty hee hath commanded us to mourne they should weepe as a Virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth and so turne to the Lord Ioel 1.8 where there is the greatest love there should be the greatest sorrow now the first love is the greatest love and therefore the first losse doth require the greatest sorrow 1 Which doth shew unto us that nothing should be more grievous to us than our sins seeing God hath commanded it as a thing necessary to this worke why should wee not do it Againe we are enjoyned shame thence it was in the Law that when they had transgressed the Commandements of the Lord Neh. 9.1 they used to put sackcloth on their loynes Ier. 4â— â—7 and powre ashes on their heads being tokens of shame and sorrow Againe Psal 39.3 we are commanded to before displeased with our sinnes Davids heart was hot within him and the heart of Iosâ—ah was melted at the abominations of those times and the great transgression against Gods Law this is that the Lord doth require Lastly that there should be a holy revenge I suppose that vow of of the Nazarite that he should abstaine from wines and from the huskes of the grapes was chiefly ordained as holy revenge upon occasion of the abuse of the good creature of God Now whatsoever God commandeth us that is necessary but you see that God hath commanded us to labour for a contrite and a bleeding heart therefore it is necessary as the servant of Naaman the Syrian said unto him 2 Kingâ— 5. â—3 If the Prophet had bid thee doe some great thing wouldest thou not have done it how much more then when he saith to thee wash and be cleane so say I if God should command you some great thing for the mortification of your sinnes and the salvation of your soules suppose it were to goe bare-foot to Jerusalem or to bestow all your goods on the poore or give the first borne of your body for the sinne of your soule would you not do it how much rather then Psal 51.17 when hee saith onely this that a broken and a contrite heart shall stand instead of all these 2 There is necessitas medii a necessity of the meanes 2 Of the meanes it is a speciall meanes that this body of sinne may be subdued for as it is with water when it overflowes the ground it drives out moles and wormes and other such creatures 2 Cor. 7.11 as do infest and annoy the ground and eate up the rootes of plants fit to become food for man so it is with true contrition it doth so overflow the heart with godly sorrow as that it drives out these troublesome Inhabitants that doe annoy our spirits and would spoyle those good beginnings of grace in us therefore put wee our selves on the meanes and stand not like the hand that is set up to guide us the way and yet moves not it selfe But if wee know these things blessed are wee if wee doe them if you say that to doe thus is troublesome to flesh and blood I answer it may be so but as we say that sometimes the things that are not the most toothsome are very wholsome and good so howsoever they may be some trouble yet so long as this trouble doth free us from a greater trouble all is well it is better to mourn here wher wee have comfort than to mourn and burn in hell where wee can neither have ease nor remedy Againe our comfort will recompence our trouble for every houre of grief shal be recompenced with thousands of yeares of joy and consolation when a man hath beene ten thousand yeares in heaven and then shall looke backe and consider what a short time of sorrow it was that he endured and withall how many millions of yeares are behind which can never expire I conceive it will not repent him that he hath repented nor grieve him that hee hath mourned In one word this necessity is confirmed by the practice of such as are gone to heaven already as Saint Paul that did struggle with his corruption and beat downe his body Num. 7.27 and Saint Peter and David and the rest 1 Cor. 9. And it is prophesied of the people of God that they should goe weeping to seeke the Lord Ier. 51.4.5 and should aske the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying come let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten Comfort your selves therefore in the use of good meanes for your passage through the valley of Baca Psal 84.6.7 or valley of mourning is to meet the Lord in Sion 3 Of our actions 3 It 's necessary in respect of all our actions that they may be right it is necessary that they should come from such a heart as hateth sinne Psal 66 1â— For if I regard wickednesse in my bea rt the Lord will not heare my prayer now a man is said to regard wickednesse when the parting with it is grievous unto him as it was when Abraham was bidden by Sarah to cast out Ismael Gen. 21. the matter was very grievous unto him because he did regard and love him so it is when we respect and love our sinnes wee will be loath to part with them and then know that what action soever you doe Luk. 16.15 you cannot please God The reason is
was so wasted that shee had no more but a handfull of Meale in a Barrell and a little Oyle in a Cruse which shee was about to dresse for her selfe and her sonne and then to eate it and after dye Now it is a great comfort unto a man when a man can attaine to this 1. That he can keepe his heart that sinne doe not at any time break out into any grosse act Luke 1.6 Gen. 5.24 It is said of Zacharias and Eliz. that they walked in all the Commandements of God without rebuke that is though they were not without their infirmities yet were they without rebuke in respect of any crime or grosse sinne yet here is a large difference betweene such as doe onely restraine and keepe in sinne for some by end and such as these to whom sin is in some measure mortified even as much as there is betweene the beating out of the teeth of a Lion and the changing of his nature thence it is that this worke makes us of Lions to become as meeke as Lambs Is 11.6 so as the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie downe with the Kid and the Calse and the young Lion and the fatling together a little child shall lead them againe though a wicked man may curb and keep in sin yet can he not kill and destroy sinne and the reason is this because he wants speciall and spirituall meanes sinne will not be driven out with great words Is 58 6. nor by spreading sackcloth and ashes under you nor hanging downe your heads like a bull-rush for a day but there must be in us the love of God which will make us to depart from iniquity 2. It is a great comfort when sinne is so over-powerd as it doth not divert us from duty I doe not say distract us in the performance of them for there is no man without them for when wee are the best imployed about our devotions as reading hearing praying or mediration then is the adversary most busie to disquiet our peace and to hinder us in our work Zach. 3.1 when Jâ—hoshuah the high Priest was standing before the Angel of the Lord Neh. 4.18 there Sathan stood at his right hand yet you may have good comfort in this when you goe on in your worke as they that builded up the wall of Ierusalem though they were much distracted and disquieted by their enemies yet did they hold on their worke though it was with their swords by their sides so a good Christian albeit hee hath many distractions yet hee goes on in duty and will not be diverted from it as it was with David when Michal his wife spake against him for his dancing before the Arke of God 2 Sam. 6.20 21 22 23. hee made his reply that if that were vile he would yet be more vile so it is with a mortified man that though there were never so many impediments and stumbling blocks laid in his way of the losse and discredit he shall sustaine yet hee lookes more at the praise of God then of men and knoweth that what is highly pleasing in the sight of men is displeasing in the sight of God Luk 16.15 and therefore takes up Saint Pauls resolution when they besought him that hee would not goe up to Ierusalem Acts 21.12 13. in regard of the present danger that they did foresee howbeit Saint Paul being bound in the Spirit for the worke of the Lord asketh them what they meane to breake his heart seeing hee was ready not onely to bee bound at Ierusalem but to dye there for the name of the Lord Jesus so is it with him that is truely humbled that nothing diverteth him from the duty 3. It is a great comfort unto a Christian Acts 8.39 when hee hath so conquered and over-powered his corruptions and that they take not away his joy and consolation that he hath in Christ neither can Sathan take such advantage by them to dispoyle us of our crowne 2 Cor. 〈…〉 5. thence it is that Saint Paul saith he will glory in his infirmities that though hee might glory in those heavenly visions that he had yet hee would rather glory in them for though in a large sense every sinne is called an infirmity because it disableth a man from the performance of duty but in a strict sence no man can be said to have infirmities unlesse that sinne in some measure be mortified for in an unmortified man sinne is alive and in his full strength and his soule is void of grace but now in a man that is truely mortified there grace receives strength and sinne is wounded and so such a man is the proper subject of infirmities now when the Apostle saith that he doth rejoyce in his infirmities he doth not rejoyce in his infirmities as they are sinnes Matth. 10. but as they are infirmities that is as sinne was deforced and diminished in him and therein he had cause of joy and we also when we finde it so in us if the Disciples rejoyced that the Devils were subdued by them much more may we that the body of sinne is destroyed and that which is worse then the Devill is subdued by us count it all joy when yee fall into divers temptations Jam. 1 2.3 knowing that the tryall of our saith worketh patience and patience makes perfect and intire we are but in this case as gold that is put into the Furnace that comes out more pure and are made by that meanes vessels of honour fit for the use of our great Master our Lord and Saviour Christ CAP. XVII Certaine signes of a dying man 2 I Come now to shew unto you certaine signes of a dying man whereby you may see whether that you be in such a case yea or no it would be in vaine to shew you signes of a dead man for as much as there is no perfection of death of sinne in our soules as there is no perfection of grace so neither is there as we have formerly shewed perfection of mortification 1 Cor. 13. onely as hath beene shewed we are daily a dying but not fully dead 1. A man is said to be a dying man when his stomacke failes when he hath no appetite to his foode when wee have no stomacke to sinne no apetite after it when wee feele no such sweetnesse in it as we have done when we esteeme the profits and pleasures of finne as an empty vessell in one word when all of them are bitter unto us and tastlesse in respect of what they have beene to us before time 2 Sam. 19.35 as old Barzillai said to David can thy servant taste what Teate or what I drinke can I heare any more the voyce of singing men or singing women vers 37. c. Let mee turne backe that I may dye c. Just thus it is when a man feeleâ— his affection off from his sinne that he can neither relish their sweernes nor
be allured with their pleasant songs to bee drawne backe unto them againe it is a good evidence that sinne is a dying and declining in him I deny not but time may weare out our appetite unto some sins as an old man that hath beene given in his youth to lust and voluptuousnesse may leave them but yet he liveth still in some other sinne which is equivalent and as dangerous to his soule yea and when his naturall apetite is taken away yeâ— his sinfull appeâ—ite may remaine so that when a man wants strength to sinne yet may he have a minde to sinne and wish that he were young againe that he might sinne Whereas were sinne mortified these sinfull affections would â—ye sooner then our naturall 2. A man is then a dying man when he is a burden to himselfe whereas hee is not able to beare his owne weight when you see a man hardly able to goe on his legges you say that unlesse he doe recover againe he is not like to continue long so say I inregard of sinne then when you see a man that feeles and findes sin to be such a burden as hee is not able to beare but groanes under the burden of it that assuredly then sinne is a dying Rom. 8.23 well may sinne mak us groane and buckle under it when it makes the whole creation groane nay that which is so heavie a burden as the Lord that made heaven and earth and beares them up by his owne power and never complaines of the burden of them Complaines of this behold I am pressed downe under you Amos 2.13 as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves you therefore that feele your sinnes to be no burden but can carry your sinnes away with you as easily as Sampson carried the gates of Gaza upon his shoulders Judg 16.3 it is an argumeÌ„t that you are Sampson-like in your sinâ— sinne doth abide in you in its full strength if some man shall say I hope I shall doe well then for I finde sinne a heavie burden but I would aske him this question then whether doe you finde sinne a burden in regard of it selfe or in regard of some circumstance that doth depend upon it as namely the wrath of God or the shame and disgrace that you may have among men by it if that sinne be the burden then your case is good if not then may you suspect your selves to be unsound as suppose a man that hath a certaine quantity of spunge on his backe which he carrieth lightly away but now this man travelleth all a sore rainy day which doth so fill the spunge with water that his burden that was light before now becomes intolerable so it is in this case it is not the weight of sinne that troubles them they carry it roundly away but now that which troubles them is those showers of wrath from Heaven and that shame and contempt that they receive from men that makes them to cry out as Kain did my punishment iâ— greater then I can beare wher as the penalty that is annexed unto sinne were the sinne removed moved off to a mortified man it would seeme light and little 3. A man may then be said to be a dying man when as his disease prevailes upon him so as he hath lesse power to resist it every day then other so likewise when that sinne decayeth and doth languish away in us and grace doth so prevaile and get the upper hand as that corruption and sinne is not able to stand against it as it hath done the understanding is so farre convinced by the cleare light that shines into it that it is not able to stand nor shift any longer but it is beaten off from all those false reasonings Prox. 3.5 secret turnings and cunning equivocations so as a man dares not any longer rest on it the will is also fairely perswaded and will resist the holy Ghost no longer but yeelds up the hould unto Christ and saith Lord not my will but thy will be done Hence commeth a generall mortification of the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 by affections understand those inordinate affections which beare sway in the hearts of men as immoderate anger griefe also pride unnaturall affections and by lusts all insatiable desires after the things of this life they are now all crucified so as they will yeeld no more blind obedience either to sinne or Sathan so as grace hath drawn the strength of the soule unto it and cutteth off that wherein the great strength of corruption lay It is reported Cyrus finding the City of Babylon impregnable and almost impossible to be taken by land by reason of a great wall that did compasse it on the one side and finding the river Ephrates to hemme it in on the other side caused his souldiers to cut the river into many channels and to divert it another way and so surprized the City and subdued it just thus it is when we shall divert those noble faculties of the soul another way namely from taking part with sin to take part with God it will not then be hard to mortifie and subdue our corruptions if it shall be said then how commeth it to passe then that men after that they be grown Christians that they fall into such sinnes I answer it is not because sinne is stronger but either by reason of their slothfulnesse or spirituall pride or else by violence of something which may befall them while they resting carelesse and secure are supprized and overtaken which howsoever there be neither want of strength nor weaknes of Grace yet for want of watchfulnesse this may befall a good man as it did David and Peter yet let me adde this one thing that is that this in the event turnes to a greater good and for the time to come to make us more carefull to gird our armour about us and more watchfull that we sinne no more the burnt childe as it is in the Proverbe dreads the fire so will a Christian that hath been once scorched by such a temptation CAP. XVIII Shewing the third articular that is the meanes whereby this worke is done and that is by the spirit COme wee now to the third particular and that is the meanes whereby this great worke of mortification is effected and brought to passe for the better understanding of this particular observe these two propositions 1. First that the spirit must be had of us 2. That wee must by the helpe and assistance of the spirit mortifie our sinfull nature 1. For the former that we must have the spirit there is great necessity of this for then wee are in the spirit Rom. 8.9 when the spirit dwelleth in us and if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his God saith that in the time of the Gospell hee would powre upon them Zac. 13.10 the spirit of grace supplication that is as they were annointed with oyle that
to hinder us in the way of the spirit the Asse in the Law was to have his neck broken and not be offered unto God and the reason was because it was a dull creature so it is in this case that the flesh is dull and heavie and if so bee wee bee not stirring and zealous in our way the flesh will draw us backe and keepe us so farre backe in the way to salvation as that we had need to wish that the Sunne and Moone might stand still in their stations as they did in the time of Ioshuah or else it is to be feared we shall come short of our expected journey to the Kingdome of Heaven nay in doing the worke of the Lord negligently instead of a blessing we procure a curse upon our selves Jer. 48.10 every sacrifice in the Law was to be salted with fire Mark 9.49 that is there was to be the salt of wisedome that they did performe duties with discretion so there must bee fire of zeale that the services may be living and vigorous Rom. 12.1 3. If you would not give liberty to the flesh give God his full due the more you give to God the lesse you have to give to the flesh â—ccl 12.1 give unto God the chiefe of your time remember him in the dayes of your youth because that is the most seasonable time to give unto God our first fruits and the beginning of our strength and it is the time of most certainety for it is as the spring and summer of our dayes it is most likely that we shall doe God most service then a man will put a man into his Vine-yard when he may doe him the most worke so if we waite on the Lord in the dayes of our youth it is most likely then wee shall bee set into our worke and such a worke as shall not be without a happie reward Secondly give the Lord the chiefe of your indeavours the end to which you came into this world is not so much to plow up your lands or to digge in the earth or to follow your trades and to cumber your selves with Martha about many things Phil. 2.12 2 Tim. 4.7 1 Cor. 15. but it is to worke out your salvation with feare and trembling and to fight out your good fight never be weary of well doing knowing that in due time you shall reape if you faint not I doe not say that men should neglect their callings for he that provideth not for his family is worse then an infidell but this I say that he that is so carefull for the world that hee doth neglect his soule and the service of his God is little better then an Atheist yet let me tell you that the plough that doth plow your grounds must rather stand then that which ploweth up the fallow grounds of your hearts and you must not spend so much time in your shops as there by to neglect the trade of your soules nor be so busie about your counting-bookes as to forget that great account that you are to make with God for howsoever this may bee good husbandry amongst men yet sure I am it is none of Gods husbandry as that Prophet said unto Ahab 1. Kieg 2.38.39 behold saith he there was in the battell a man committed unto me but on these termes that if I kept him not my life should goe for his c. but while I was busie here and there the man was gone so it is in this case that while a man is busie about this and that thing that a mans dayes are spent and hee drops into hell before he is aware and loseth his soule for the satisfaction of his lusts First labour in the last place to bee alwayes on the growing hand to adde unto your faith vertue to your vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance 2 Pet. 1.5.6 brotherly kindnesse love c. then he concludeth that if these things be in you and abound yee shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull That as the spirituall part doth increase so the flesh and corruptions they doe decrease and go down 2 Sam. 17.16 Though Vriah was a valiant man yet when he was set upon by strong men then he fell and was overcome so it is in this case that though corruption cannot be denied but to be a potent enemy yet when it is set upon by these graces it will fall and bee deprived of the power it hath CAP. XXI Mortification of sinne makes Christians live with comfort and die in peace 2 THis shewes unto us the way to leade a comfortable and a contented life and to die a peaceable and joyfull death it is chiefely when we finde the power of sinne mortified and subdued by us for what is it that will distract the minde and disquiet the conscience more then sinne will this is that one thing that doth separate God from us and us from God Es 59.2 and is the cause whereby we are plunged into so many feares and why our minds hang in suspence and that our hearts are often pierced through with many sorrowes wee would have fewer cares in getting of worldly things lesse feares in heaping them up and bee very little disquieted at their losse were it so that there were not in us a covetous heart Gal. 6.14 were we but crucified unto the world James 4.4 and the world unto us then would we be friends of God and this would follow that we would be at enmity with the world there would be no heart burnings James 4.1 1 Pet. 3.4 nor malicious speeches and cruell deeds were it not from those lusts that warre in our members were there a meeke and a quiet spirit which is much esteemed of God while Acan was in the campe and his sinne not discovered nor found out there was no peace to the campe nor power to prevaile against the enemies but when he was discovered and justly punished then they went on and prospered so likewise while sin is not acknowledged nor a holy revenge taken against it so long there is no peace in the conscience but if that our hearts be once wrought to a holy indignation for our offences then feare not but there is way made for the entrance of that peace of God which passeth all understanding therefore if we would have that peace that is fraternall among brethren or that which is internall in our owne hearts or that which is eternall with God for ever then mortifie our lusts which are the causes at the first to deprive us of our peace and while they live will be fomenters of our discords but were they mortified this enmity that they have wrought could not live As Jonah said cast me out and the storme will cease so say I cast sinne out and there will be an allaying of all these garboiles that are in the world and making up of that breach betweene God and us they have a rule
in Law moritur causa cum corpore that if the man die the suite falleth so is it here that if wee die to sinne then this suite will fall betweene us and God where there is no wood saith Solomon the fire goeth out Proy 26.20 so where there is no talebearer the strife ceaseth what is this wood but sinne and what maketh so great a cry in the eares of God as sin doth therefore take away sinne and the contention will be at an end 3. The third instruction that we may observe hence is this that it is an hard thing to mortifie our sin it is as hard to finde out a disease as it is to cure it the Philistins did quickly over-come Sampson when they found where his great strength lay it is easie for a man in generall to say that he is a sinner and yet if you should runne over the Commandements and come to particulars he would cleare himselfe as not guilty of any and say as the young man did all these have I done and like the Harlot Mat. 19.20 Prov. 3.20 wipe her mouth and say I have done no wickednesse therefore your care must be to search out wherin the great strength of sinne doth lye and therefore we must labour to take the light of the word to direct us and desire God that he will give us the light of his holy spirit to open our eyes that we may bee able to see and know our owne sinfull hearts and when wee have found it set upon this worke with courage and resolution 1. Againe another thing that makes sinne so hard to be mortified as that marriage that is made betweene sinne and us Rom. 7.4 after the people of Israel had mixed themselves among the Heathen and made marriages with them they were wonderfully hard to be brought to leave them Ezr. 10. so when as a man is married unto his lusts so it is a hard thing for a man to leave them but now for a man to kill his wife this is much more difficult It was a hard matter to flesh and bloud for Abraham to sacrifice his sonne and yet at the commandement of God he did it so must we doe our obedience to God must exceed our love of our sinnes though the matter be difficult yet it must be done as Iephtah when he had made a vow unto God though it turned afterward to his great griefe so to part with his onely daughter yet saith he I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot goe backe so may we though that we finde the matter to be hard that we are about to doe to leave that we love so dearely yet resolve and vow against it and when we have so done then say as he did I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and I cannot goe backe nor can I alter what is gone out of my mouth 3. Another thing that maketh this worke of mortification hard and difficult is the close adherencie that sin hath unto us it winds it selfe so about us as the Ivy doth about the tree till it eate out the heart and sap of it so is it in this case corruption doth cleave unto us so as it is very hard to be freed from it 2 Sam. 2.21 Abner when he fled from Joah was so followed by Hazael that he had no way to be freed from him but by sheathing his speare in his bowels so it is in this case there is no way to be freed from these corruptions but by slaughter of them they will not be driven away with neither faire nor foule speeches you may scare away a dogge with harsh speeches but you cannot doe so with a Lion sinne is of the brood of the old Lion the Devill that will not bee easily driven away nor over-come therefore seeing it is that doth so beset us and doth cleave so hard unto us Heb. 12.1.2 let us shake off every thing that presseth downe and sin that doth disquiet us but how looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith as they that looked on the brazen Serpent were cured of the sting that they had received of the fiery Serpent so it is in this case when we looke up to Christ he it is that can onely stanch this bloody issue that sinne hath made in one word frequent the meanes that God hath appointed for curing of your soules John 17.17 the preaching of the word when you come with faith then there is hope of purging the word hath a cleansing power in it as the poole of Bethesda when it was troubled John 5.4 it had a healing vertue in it Chap. 22.4 so our hearts when they are troubled by the word God heales by it CAP. XXII Our weaknesse appeareth in this that we need the helpe of the spirit THis should teach us to take notice of our owne weakenesse and how without the spirit of Christ wee can doe nothing We beare about an ignorant mind a perverse will violent pasions that have in them an aptitude to all sin and wickednesse that as Adams actuall sinne corrupted his nature so our nature on the other side corrupteth and defileth our actions so as the streame cannot be good because the fountaine is corrupt fall wee may but rise wee cannot wee may plunge our selves deepe into the pit of finne but to recover our selves hoc opus hic labor est this is a worke beyond our strength wee cannot contract uncleannesse upon our selves but when wee have done wee cannot wash it off and though we should use never so many outward meanes to that enâ— yet were it not that the spirit goe along with us though we wash our selves with snow-water Iob 9.31.10.1 our own garmeÌ„t would defile us and make us uncleane Therefore it will be necessary that wee should examine whether we have the spirit of God yea or no which will be able to helpe up and beare us out in this businesse 1 It is the spirit of wisedome that doth enable us How you may know that you have the spirit to lay a sure foundation and to make such battell against the strong holds of sinne as these our lusts and corruptions cannot be able to withstand 2 Tim. 1.7 we have not received the spirit of feare but of power of love and of a sound mind where there is this sound mind there must needes be power and love such is the force of the spirit that it is set out by the rushing of a mighty winde and by the fire a mighty element so as nothing that is combustible can stand before it Now when God shall say awake O North Can. 4.16 and come thou South and blow upon my garden when he shall call the spirit of bondage which is as the North wind to terrifie and amaâ—e us for our sinnes and then shall send his spirit of adoption as the South wind to make us fruitfull in repentance and in the
I done unto thee Mich. 6.2 testifie against mee now when we heare God to shew so much discontent in his be wayling of our sinnes it should be a strong motive to make us to be waile our owne sinnes and offences against God 2 Consider that sinne is it that doth separate God from us and us from him thence it is that sometimes God hath left his people Ier. 12.7 I have forsaken mine house I have left mine heritage and delivered the dearly beloved of my soule into the hand of mine enemy It must needs be a great matter that makes a man to leave his house and forsake his heritage either the house stands nâ—eâ—e untoward neighbours or it is in a bad soyle the water is nought the ground barren or else it could not be a man would leave it so here when a man spends his life among notorious and wicked men and shall be like the unfruitfull ground Heb. 6.7.8 that bringeth forth nothing but thornes and bryers then it is to be feared that the Lord will leave him and will pull down the hedge of his providence and cause all the beasts in the field to come and devoure Esa 5.4 now when we see that Christ and sinne will not comply together O labour then to mortifie your corruptious that separate God from us and us from him and hinders good things from you 3. Consider those grievous punishments which have fallen on men by reason of sinnes both on whole Nations and on particular persons see how the foundations of the great deepe from below and the windowes of heaven from above were set open by the sinnes of those times how the clouds contrary to their nature dissolved into a shower of Brimstone and fell on that sinfull City in one word wherefore was Kain smitten with such feares and Herod smitten with wormes was it not for sinne Lastly if God would ever have spared any hee would have spared his owne sonne but Christ undertaking to become sinne for us he must not be spared but must suffer a sorrowfull and a shamefull death for that cause sure then if God have beene ever so severe that he would not spare sinne it should be our care that we should not spare it 2. Consider that if you doe not mortifie your corruptions then you are first under the power and servitude of Sathan he that walketh in sinne is a servant of sinne and while he promiseth liberty to himselfe Ioh. 8.34 he becommeth the servant of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 for of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought in bondage for as it is with a servant hee doth not his owne will but the will of his Master so is it with a man that is in bondage unto sinne and Sathan is servant thereunto as it is with a ship when the Rudder and the Anchors and Masts are broken that it is carried whether the tempest will force it so deplored is a man that is unmortified he is carried whither the flesh and Sathan will have him led captive he is at his will but were the power of sinne mortified we should finde that these temptations would fall from us as the Viper from Pauls hand and would not prevaile against us Suppose a man have a strong house and great fortifications about it yet if there be but a servant within that can unlocke and unbolt the doores there is no safety there so suppose there be never so many good gifts in a man yet if hee have his corrupt nature unmortified be assured of this then that there is one within you that will let in Sathan who will seduce you to sinne 2 If you doe not mortifie sinne Sathan will make your soules his lodging For as a mortifi'd and a sanctifi'd heart is the seat of the Holy Ghost so also an unmortified and an uncleane heart is the seate of Sathan When the spirit of God departed from Saul 1. Sam. 16.14 then an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him so it is in this case that if Christ by his spirit dwell not in you Sathan will take place as it was said of Babylon that shee was the habitation of Devils Rev. 18.2 and the kennell of every foule spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull bird so a man that is not purged from his sinne the strong man keeps the house and all kind of lusts swimme in him now then that these great enemies and these noysome and hurtfull lusts may be destroyed labour to mortifie your corruption then will all these your enemies be driven away by the breath of the spirit of Christ and the brightnesse of his comming 3 In regard of our selves if we doe not mortifie sinne we cannot be but great losers by it Heb. 6.7 untill then the word is unprofitable it falleth upon us till it mortifie corruption as the raine that falleth on the barren ground it bringeth forth nothing but bryars and thornes fit for cursing so all the gaine that you have by the hid treasure of the holy Word of God and this pearle of the Gospell it is but the aggravation of your sinne and a savour of death unto you so that this word that killeth sinne in others doth but ripen them in you and this word that is wholsome nourishment unto others is but a potion of death unto you 2 Untill sinne be mortified you can have no true peace in your consciences Esa 57. ult the wicked saith God have no peace as Iehu answered the King when he said Is it peace Iehu what peace saith he so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iesabell and her witchchrafts are so many so say I what peace can there be as long as lust and the body of sinne doth remaine what peace can there be in the heart of a man As it was said that in the dayes of Shamgar the high wayes were unoccupied and travellers walked through by-wayes Iudg. 5.6 till I Deborah arose c. sountill such time as sinne is purged out there is no peace but warre no walking in those wayes of grace and peace till there be a mortification of sinne as you see it is when that the high wayes are pestered with robbers there is no safety to passe in or out so when the high-wayes of piety are pestered with lust so as the passages are stopped and there will be no security untill such time as that these be cut off but if that you can come to slay and destroy these enemies that doe way lay and fight against the soule I say then you may walke in safety and the truth is were we not enemies unto our selves we need to feare no enemy our greatest and most desperate enemies are those of our owne house even such lusts as have their breath and breeding in our owne hearts 3 The last great losse that wee doe sustaine by want of mortification is the losse of our soules which is the