with all thy might those thou now opposest with all thy might what corruptions thou didst follow with greedinesse thou doest as it were with greedinesse resist what thou didst once place thine happinesse in doing now it is thy greatest vnhappinesse that thou art inclined to doe This I say is an estate that should giue thee much comfort Once thou didst serue sinne now thou fightest against sinne once thou wast a willing slaue to it now thou art a resolute souldier against it Thou fallest into sinne verie seldome which thou didst runne into verie vsually Thou fallest into farre lesse euils of that kind wherein thou didst once commit farre more grieuous and now the least degrees of sinne doe more disquiet thee then once the highest did and now thou lettest not so much as the thought of that goe vnconfessed and vnlamented before God the grossest act of which thou wast wont to hide and couer and excuse and not to confesse Take courage to thy selfe therefore and enioy the beginnings of victorie and bee assured of the conclusion Thou art now in killing sinne and thou shalt kill it thou art now busie in the conflict and thou shalt deuide the spoile 6. Now all ye suldiers of Christ Iesus that find in your selues the beginnings of mortification and a firme purpose of soule to continue resisting striuing fighting blesse God that hath giuen you his Spirit of libertie in some measure and apply your selues now with all your might to consummate the worke begun Let not your hands waxe feeble nor your hearts faint Remember the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 16.13 Watch yee stand fast quit you like men be strong He that continueth to fight shall surely ouercome Let no doubt seize vpon you to weaken your hands the Lord your God he fighteth for you beleeue his promises giue credit to his Word and you shall prosper Take comfort in your estate that haue entred into the battaile The young men and the babes in Christ which haue not yet so mightily preuailed in this warre are happie as well though they doe not so fully feele their happinesse as the old beaten souldiers and ancient Captaines to whom a larger measure of successe hath giuen a larger sense of comfort The weakest and feeblest of all Christs souldiers that layes at sinne with as much strength as his weake armes can that beares a spight to it in his soule that resolues neuer to yeeld to it whateuer come of him and that wil neuer make peace with it though hee may take foyles by it nor neuer yeeld vp himselfe into its hands thought hee may bee wounded hee doth mortifie the members that are vpon earth and hee is and let him know himselfe to be happy that comfort may make him more couragious and courage may make him more comfortable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Charitable Teares OR A SERMON SHE WING HOW NEEDFVLL A THING IT IS FOR EVERY GODLY man to lament the common sinnes of our Countrie Preached in Banburie Isaiah 22.12 13 14. In that day did the Lord God of Hostes call to weeping and to mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sackcloth And behold ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine Let vs eate and drinke for tomorrow we shall die And it was reuealed in mine eares by the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquitie shall not be purged from you till yee die saith the Lord God of hosts LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man 1623. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THe reliques of good nature remaining in man since the fall by the worke of a common Grace preseruing them haue taught Heathen men to know and inabled them to practise many worthy duties Among the rest some of them haue abounded in a most affectionate loue to their Countrie the welfare of which they haue preferred before their owne liues and the ruine whereof they haue been carefull to preuent euen with their owne ruine Many worthy sayings haue they writte to this purpose but scarce any more diuine and more deseruing admiration haue I met withall then that one of Tully in his booke of Scipioes Dreame where he brings in a dead father now in Heauen as he supposed encouraging his sonne to doe seruice to his Countrie wherein himselfe had giuen him a most noble and notable example with this most worthy sentence There is a most sure and certaine place in Heauen for euery man that shall procure the weale of his Countrie either by freeing it from perill or increasing the happinesse of it any way To heare a Gentile tell of Heauen as of a thing certaine to heare him tell of certaine places prouided there for those that should doe vertuously to haue the seruice of ones Countrie pressed on his soule with so celestiall an argument sure it proueth that sometimes the light of Nature doth reach further then many which liue in the bosome of the Church do attaine But the purpose for which I thought of this sentence is to let it appeare how great a reckoning reason doth tell euery man that he ought to make of his Countries welfaere how carefull he should be to preserue it from dangers to adorene it with all benefits and to continue and augment the flourishing estate thereof It must needs be an happie paines from which a multitude doe reape commoditie and that one man deserueth very well of all men for whose cares or labours all doe fare the better Now if Nature and Philosophy can giue so good instructions to those that will attend them how much more perfectly should wee bee able both to learne and follow the same lessons It is a great reproch to him that goes by day-light if another trauelling alone with a candle or a torch shall see the way better then himselfe and without doubt that eye is very dim which discerneth lesse by the helpe of the Sun-beames then another may doe by the helpe of a Lampe or Taper O then how iust both blame and shame must be cast vpon vs that are nothing so regardfull of our Countries welfare the most of vs as were some Inhabitants of Heathen Rome and Athens I would to God therefore that I could inflame the soules of those that shall reade these few lines with a farre more feruents zeale to the prosperitie of this our Church and Nation then that they had before If the fire of loue did burne warmer and lighter in our hearts it would not drie up the fountaine of teares to which the booke following perswadeth but would euen melt and dissolue our now-frozen hearts into teares Those that stand in places of eminency may performe many good seruices for their Countrie we shrubs that sit in the shade below can doe nothing worth the naming but earnestly to pray for the barke in which we sayle and to lament the things that we see to threaten a miserable shipwracke thereof He that will iudge of things by appearance and make carnall
ventrous shall be sooner foyled though they be more strong when we feare our selues most wee pray most to God and most trust in him and prayer and confidence will keepe vs in safety Indeed we neuer cast off this warinesse and cautelousnesse till wee bee first beguiled with the deceitfulnesse of sinne and when it hath deceiued vs it will easily doe vs a mischiefe Looke about therefore see how thou standest inuironed with enemies see what an ill nature thou hast within thee what a violent aduersary without thee Thou art like a besieged City full of traitors the wise men in such a City will quickly mistrust and doubt the worst they will euer suspect that mischiefe is plotting against them and by fearing they become carefull to preuent it There is an excessuie feare that infeebles the knees and weakens the hands when a man casts off hope through feare and will not perswade himselfe that hee can be safe by all his indeuours Courage is gone when such feare enters and what souldier can doe any thing when his heart failes But a moderate feare that still causeth a man to cast the worst with in himselfe but alone conditionally vnlesse he be very diligent to preuent it this awakens courage and by telling of the danger before doth call vp the care of the soule to preuent it Feare was placed by God in the soule as a Watchman or Sentinell to discouer neere-approching dangers and if wee wake this Sentinell to keep his standing place and to hold his eyes from sleeping wee shall bee safe from the danger that will ouerwhelme the carelesse Feare of man breeds a snare feare of pouerty feare of death feare of disgrace in the world puts vs further into the danger but feare of sinne feare lest wee should prouoke God wound our consciences and rush vpon such courses in our folly which wee shall haue cause to rue euer after this breedeth safety and by this feare wee shall happily fulfill our saluation 2. Last of all wee must be watchfull Watchfulnesse necessarie to mortification which will surely follow from our being fearefull for feare will hold the eyes open a great while together The more waking eyes in an armie the more safety but if all be asleepe all may be surprized and killed afore they be aware When Saul 1. Sam. 26 7 8 9 10. and all his host were seyzed vpon with sleepe Dauid and Abishai came into the midst of the Campe to the Pauillion of the King and then it was easie with one blow to haue dispatched the King and discomfited the armie Spirituall watchfulnesse is as necessary against spirituall enemies as naturall wakefulnesse against naturall When Samson slept then the wicked flattering harlot Dalilah did rob him of his lockes and of his strength because against his vow of Nazariteship a Razor had passed on his head The Saints of God bee Nazarites sinne cannot put a Razor to their heads till they fal asleepe on its knees till their minde slumber and the eye of the minde winke they can hardly be drawne to taste of forbidden delights or profit but when they are heedlesse and carelesse then is their vow broken and they thinke not of it then their strength becomes weakenesse and then the Spirit is driuen from them O let Samson warne vs and let vs take heede that our mindes be not rocked asleepe in the lap of the world Prou. 4.23 24 25 26 27. This watchfulnesse is an attentiuenesse of minde to all our actions and our wayes a looking to our hearts eyes eares tngues hands feet and whole man A due considering what corruptions wee are troubled with what things hurt vs what doe helpe vs whether we grow stronger or weaker whether corruptions decay or increase and how our foule fareth A looking to the motions that arise within to the words and deeds that come forth A marking what we thinke say do whither we goe to what end vpon what warrant vpon what calling that wee be not found loose and wandring and going wee cannot tell why nor whither our selues The soule is said to bee awaken when the eye of the minde is thus obseruatiue of it selfe and so long as it is thus with vs the least striuing of lusts is noted and resisted and so the greater disorders are preuented but when this obseruation of our selues is absent sinne gets head by little and little and we find our selues in the hands of it all of a sudden and know not how to get out Wherefore to all the parts of Christian armour watchfulnesse must be ioyned for what good can weapons do to a sleeping man and how can a sleeping body fight though hee bee neuer so well armed When we forget that godlinesse is the maine businesse and that our chiefe worke is to keepe our felues vnspotted of the world and walke worthy of the calling whereto wee are called and so suffer our minds to bee drawne away with other things and neuer take care whether the things we doe be good or euill for our soules nor whether they please God or no but let the thoughts and words runne at randome as it were O how soone shall we be drawne into sin and how quickly will the members that are on earth grow big within vs Wherefore as an eye must be had still to mutinous and trecherous subiects and they must bee obserued what meetings they haue to what places they goe and what countenance they beare so must we doe with our sinnes The eye of the minde must bend it selfe to these things and not suffer any lesse needfull matter to diuert it A man in a sleepe is little different from a dead man and a Christian and sanctified soule if it fall asleepe in a carelesse neglecting and reckelesse disregarding of its owne wayes will behaue it selfe for the time but a very little better then one that is dead in sinnes and trespasses Now let your eyes bee alwayes open and bent vpon your owne wayes and then you shall walke like liuing men indeed Thus now haue I shewed you the best meanes I can gather out of Gods Word to make you prosperous in your spirituall battailes Bee moderate in the vse of bodily contents Flie farre from the occasions of sinne Powre forth your hearts often before God in confessions requests and Prayses Busie your minds continually in thinking of Gods holy nature fearefull threats against sinne and gracious promises to the vpright and of the bitter Passion of your blessed Sauiour Be alwaies fearefull of your selues be alwayes watchfull ouer your selues These things doe and your soules shall thriue and your lusts shall die and you shall happily mortifie your members which are on earth if alone you take another direction with you concerning the manner of vsing these helpes CHAP. X. Shewing in what manner we must vse all the helpes to mortification FIrst then We must vse all helpes to mortification in a good manner these things must be done seasonably we
hereafter He that hath begun the worke of mortification so farre as I told you before in speaking of the first degree of it that now those sinnes which once raigned in him are put downe from their regencie and those corruptions that once have was a slaue vnto are now deposed from their throne as it were and doe cease to command in his members as once they did hath much cause to reioyce in the saluation of GOD although hee find these lusts still striuing and labouring to recouer their ancient soueraigntie 2. It is certaine that the Spirit of GOD doth rule in him in whom sinne hath ceased to rule Euerie man is vnder the command of the flesh or of the Spirit euerie man is subiect to the Lord ruling in him by Grace or to the Deuill ruling in him by lust Satan is a verie strong man and our owne lusts are his weapons none can bind this man and cast him out but the Spirit of strength of which Saint Iohn saith Stronger is he that is in vs 1. Iohn 4.4 then hee that is in the world Wherefore if any man that was once vnder the yoke of wrath lust reuenge couetousnesse or any other vile affection doe find now that by feruent prayers to God by the power of the Word in holy meditations applied to him and by vertue of the death of Christ and other like spirituall meanes by him vsed the Lord hath pleased to pull this yoke from off his necke so as now in stead of taking delight in the euill motions of sinne hee is grieued in his soule when such thoughts doe stirre in his soule and ceaseth not to crie to Heauen till he find them beaten backe againe and doth not now yeeld vp himselfe to follow these things with greedinesse but is vsually able to forbeare the palpable practice of sinne and if hee be ouertaken in any grosse manner hee is greatly humbled and abased and recouers himselfe with speedie confession and lamentation and renewing of his resolutions If any man I say doe find the case to stand thus with him hee hath in some measure fought and preuailed and now blessed bee hee of the Lord let him looke vpon the dead bodies of his lusts with much comfort and let him triumph in God that hath conquered for him and let him encourage himselfe still to continue fighting that still his soule may increase in strength as the House of Dauid is said to haue done and his sinnes may grow weaker and weaker as it was said of the House of Saul 3. My Brethren this warre whereinto you are entred must last for terme of life The flesh and Spirit can neuer bee reconciled there is no thinking of any peace but that which will bee worse then dishonourable euen damnable and a sure warre is much rather to be chosen then an vnsure peace much more then a peace which will be surely mischieuous Now by how much the warre will prooue of longer continuance by so much had you need to put on more strength that you may endure and a great part of your strength must grow from your comforts in your good beginnings Wherfore now let euerie true mortified man according to the riddle that Samson once propounded to his companions fetch sweetnesse out of the strong and meate out of the eater let them find an Honie-combe in the carcasse of the Lyon which they haue slaine and goe eating let them I meane take great consolation in the sight of their happie proceedings in this heauenly worke 4. There bee some Worthies of Israel that haue lifted vp their speares against many hundreds as it were and left them all dead in the place the hearts of such doe nto much need to bee wished to take comfort The content they find in perceiuing the strength of sinne so much abated in them is vnspeakeable Dauid was no more full of ioy when hee saw Goliah come tumbling to the ground then are their soules when they looke vpon this slaughter that God hath inabled them to make among their lusts No man is able to set forth in words the ioy that growes to a man who is hard set to by a cruell enemie of whom hee lookes for nothing but death vnlesse hee preuent it by giuing death when hee sees him fall downe wounded and gasping for breath O with what a countenance and cheere did Iael runne to meete Barak and to bring him to the sight of dead Sisera Surely the content of a spirituall man in his spirituall victories when now his sinnes are euen breathing their last as I may so speake is no whit lesse yea it is much more solid then that of such a conquerour Those that haue happily passed the brunt of this battaile and haue their enemies in the flight rather then the conflict are and haue cause to bee the chearefullest of all men they bee like souldiers pursuing their foes with that ioyfull shoute of victorie victorie in their mouthes and they enioy the comfort of their former labour with much thankefulnesse 5. But there are other some that haue not yet attained so much strength nor gotten so much ground against their foes They are now as it were in the verie hottest of the skirmish the bullets flie about their eares as I may so speake and their corruptions are violent within them and doe often with great strength hale them and draw them captiue to the law of sinne which is in their members They do sometimes get the better and beate back euill desires and find themselues mightily resolued to sinne no more at other times euill desires doe mightily afflict them and they are well-neere readie to faint and fall scarce able to retaine their purpose of goodnesse scarcely able to hold out in their resolution of not sinning yea it may bee contrarie to their resolutions pulled by the flesh to do the euill that they hate but then feeling themselues wounded they smart and bleed and struggle with their foe and get vp againe and againe betake themselues to their weapons of prayer and meditation which were almost wrested out of their hands for a time and come crying and mourning before the Throne of Grace begging pardon begging helpe and so againe confirme their Faith and renew their repentance and make vp the breaches of their new obedience These poore Saints like souldiers whose enemies doe yet hold their owne and make strong resistance are often full of feare and care and doubt their hearts often droope and they mistrust sometimes lest they shall bee vanquished rather then ouercome Let mee therefore apply my speech to he encouragement of those that need encouragement I say vnto thee whosoeuer that art in this case that thy case is good and happy and that thou hast much cause of reioycing in God notwithstanding all the trouble and cumber that thou findest with thy sinnes It is a blessed thing and a great and vnspeakeable fauour of God that to what lusts thou didst once do seruice
sighes and groanes vnto the Lord for the publike sinnes and whosoeuer bewayleth the generall wickednesse shal also bee deliuered from the generall punishment Therfore if any man desire to be puld as a brand out of the fire and to bee one of the two or three berries in the vtmost boughes that must hang vpon the tree when all the rest are beaten off let him prouide for his owne peace and welfare betime by making his heart to ake and his eyes to weepe for the common abominations And so you see what good this mourning will do in regard of the publike State by proroging the punishment so long as is possible and in regard of his owne selfe that mourneth by keeping him from the infection of sinne making him carefull to seeke the amendment of others and so sauing him from participating in the publike plagues CHAP. V. Containing the fourth reason of the point from the euill that will insue for want of mourning Reas 4 CArrie your thoughts a little further From the ill effects of not mourning The soule will be infected and let them consider of the euils that will necessarily follow from the absence of these teares It is certaine that no man can shun the infection of other mens sins vnlesse hee mourne for them as no mourner is infected so none but mourners can be free from infection Hee that grieues not for a sinne that others commit will easily be induced to commit it himselfe if occasion serue at least hee will soone bee drawne to like it and thinke well enough of it and then the infection hath taken the heart and hath possessed the spirits and vitall parts as it were of his soule and that is enough to kil a man though it should bee kept from breaking forth in outward action Some men by vertue of a good constitution escape the Plague in the hottest and forest of all plagues and that also though they vse few or none antidotes or remedies It is not so with our inward man in regard of sin For of so ill a complexion as it were and so vnsound and healthlesse a constitution are all our soules since the defiling of our nature by the first sinne of Adam that any sinne almost doth easily speedily vnauoydably cleaue vnto the same The driest Touchwood or Tinder that is doth not more readily take fire by any little sparke then our soules will catch a sinne by bad example And sinne it selfe is so strong and vehement in the working of it and withall so deceitefull close and insinuating that it doth almost insensibly conueigh it selfe into our inward bowels euen almost before we are aware so that vnlesse we doe moysten our selues often by the teares of godly sorrow for sin we cannot liue amongst others that do euen glow with the fire of it but wee shall also burne and glow for companie neither is there a man vnder Heauen so sanctified but hee shall become wicked with wicked men if his soule mourne not for their wickednesse Lot would sure haue been vncleane in Sodom if their vncleannesse had not vexed his righteous soule Therefore to preuent a mischiefe otherwise vnpreuentable to our selues namely the being polluted with other mens faults let vs see it a dutie and follow it to wash our selues with teares from that pollution Otherwise A men shall be carelesse of seeking of redresse of euils wee shall also pull another euill vpon our selues euen make our selues slacke carelesse and remisse in the endeuour of reforming the sinnes of our brethren Hardheartednesse in not feeling the burdensomenesse of sin will cause that a man shall sit still and let it take its course and bestow no paines to redresse it for that that one doth not feele to be euill why should hee bestirre himselfe to amend And surely hee feeles it not euill that doth not mourne for it What was the cause that the Corinthians did so carelesly tolerate the incestuous person among them Hath not the Apostle taxed it in one word saying And you haue not rather grieued that such an one might bee taken from amongst you Lo they mourned not for the sinne and therefore they chastized not the sinner in good manner as they ought to haue done for his amendment And so will it euer bee in all places and times In what measure sorrow for sinne is wanting care of amending it will be wanting also little of this if little of that and if none of that none of this wil be seene in mens liues This vnsensiblenesse of sinne is ioyned with too much sensiblenesse of other things it makes one so timorous that he dares not speake against wickednesse for feare of offending such and such it makes a man foolishly pitifull and cruelly compassionate that he cannot find in his heart to hurt the offender euen by due executions of iustice He whose heart and eyes cannot performe their office in grieuing for and lamenting sinne neither will his hand and tongue doe their offices in speaking and striuing against it The same corruptions that make the hart short in griefe and the eyes in teares will also make the tongue short in reproouing and hand in punishing Neither will any man lay a plaister to that sore which he thinkes not worth grieuing for for if it were dangerous why is not he sorry If it be not dangerous what need a plaister And so it will follow that sinne hauing none enemie to resist it none to oppose and fight against it will mightily preuaile as a fire which no man seekes to quench and so get the vpper hand till at last it grow so high crying and insufferable Publike plagues will come that the Iustice of God can no longer forbeare it but he himselfe must take the matter into his owne hand Then follow sore and heauie calamities vpon the Church and Common-wealth and the whole Nation groanes vnder Gods blowes because few or none did groane for the sinnes that prouoked him When many commit euil and none lament it then the wrath of God will surely arise then is sinne gotten to his full ripenesse and then the euils aboue-named sometimes singly sometimes altogether at once are appointed to destroy a Nation All the policie of Gouernours all the valour and courage of souldiers all the wealth of Citizens and the loue and friendship of neighbours shall not keepe a Nation in welfare nor mound it from grieuous and fearefull plagues if once the voice of sadnesse and mourning and of those that crie and weepe for the abominations of it be put to silence Then will God change their wisdome into folly catch them in the snares of their owne craft and if other meanes should faile will make them euen to vndo themselues Then shall power bee turned into weakenesse and courage into cowardice for God will fight from Heauen against them as the Prophet tels the Iewes and if their enemies were but dead carcases yet should they rise and ouercome When all cease mourning
in his wayes is carefull to wipe away the staines of his neighbours sinnes with his owne teares Brethren I demand of each of you Can you say affirme and that truly and sincerely in the presence of God that your eyes doe yeeld forth streames of water for the publike sinnes Againe I propound this question to euery of your consciences Art thou able to take vp Dauids words here and with the good leaue of thine owne conscience to affirme as he affirmed Riuers of waters c. Doubtlesse there are but very few if at all there bee any of vs that may affirme thus much of himselfe without a manifest accusation of falsehood in his owne soule If we lament our owne sinnes we thinke it abundantly sufficient though wee lend no teares at all to bewaile our neighbours faults Indeed it must not bee denyed that the greater number of teares and those the most earnest and bitter must be bestowed by euery man in lamenting the sinnes of his owne heart and life but yet seeing God is dishonoured also by the faults of others and the soules of our brethren as well as our owne soules ought to be deare vnto vs neither can it be denied that it is a sinne and a fruit of our not sufficiently hating sinne and louing God and our brethren that we are so exceeding defectiue in sorrowfull teares for their misdeeds and cause enough there is that each of vs should take vp a grieuous complaint against himselfe and say O Lord how vnlike haue I been to thy seruant Dauid No flouds no drops of teares scarce halfe a score teares scarce fiue scarce two scarce one scarce halfe an one doth proceed from mine eyes for the many and hainous transgressions that I doe daily see with mine eyes Where was my loue to thee Lord Where mine hatred of sinne Where my charitie to my brethren O how iustly mightest thou sweepe me away with the Besome of the common destruction and bring thy fearefull plagues vpon all of vs euen my selfe amongst the rest because they sinned and I wept not for their sinnes We are bound brethren euen to be angrie and to fall out with our selues when wee find in our selues a manifest neglect of a plaine dutie so euidently enioyned by God by others so plentifully practised and grounded also vpon so good and vndenyable reasons as this is and therefore now charge thy soule before the Lord with a great sinne of omission in that thou hast forgotten or nor regarded to weepe in secret for the publike sinnes There want not men amongst vs that can eagerly inueigh against the Words naughtinesse and aggrauate the offences of others in words and with a satyricall bitternesse set out the greatnes of their folly Yea there are some that can make matters worse then they be and set a deeper and dirtier colour vpon the sins of others then they ought to doe but among these witty and sharpe reproouers of these vehement and clamorous accusers is there any one trow you that may be called a weeper a mourner a lamenter It is easie to exercise ones wit vpon the sinnes of others by making them ridiculous to mooue the spleene with laughter It is easie to exercise ones stomake vpon the sinnes of others by violent inuectiues to make the offenders odious but it is hard yea hard indeed to exercise ones sorrow vpon the sinnes of others to make our selues carefull of not offending in the like kind and of seeking to stop them also from offending Diuers may say I beheld the transgressors and laughed at them diuers also I beheld the transgressors chafed at them but few alasse how few can vse another sentence of Dauid in this Psalme and say I beheld the transgressors and was grieued because they kept not thy Word Let vs therefore earnestly condemne our selues in our hearts that haue eyes so drie and void of teares when we haue a Land so naught and full of sinne For Brethren how stands the case with vs Can wee iustly excuse our selues and say The cause of our not weeping is the want of cause to weepe for that amongst vs the commandements of God are diligently kept so as there is no iust reason of digging vp Fountaines of teares to bewaile the contrarie Are we able in truth to defend our selues with this Apologie which were the onely due Apologie that would defend vs from blame for not weeping I would to God euen hartily I would that it were so and that it were nothing but our either too much zeale or too much aptnesse to find fault that made vs in this manner to accuse and condemne our selues and you But alasse the contrary is most manifest and vndeniable Sinne aboundeth with vs as much as euer it did I thinke in the streetes of Ierusalem and as it is fore-prophecyed that knowledge should so it is fulfilled that wickednesse doth euen ouerflow like the waues of the Sea Oathes and blasphemies and cursed speakings breaking of the Lords day vnhallowed profanation of Gods hallowed Time contempt of Gods Word and Ordinances and a shamefull turning of Religion into a meere forme fashion disobedience against Gouernours murder whoredome theft fraud vsurie briberie simonie all sinnes almost of all sorts in all estates all places all ages all conditions all sexes doe swarme round about and fill the World like the Frogs of Egypt or the Flyes The face of our Nation is couered ouer with a Leprosie and Tetter of most odious and loathsome wickednesse Who can walke the streetes in a Market or a Faire-day and not heare a thousand oathes and a thousand curses a thousand lyes and a thousand periuries euen wilfull and grosse false swearing euen for a very trifle With vs they despise Father and Mother with vs they oppresse the poore and fatherlesse with vs they defile euery man his neighbours wife and with vs they take vsurie and lend for encrease Amongst vs there is lying swearing whoring stealing killing and in a manner no mercy nor truth nor knowledge nor feare of God in the Land so that it is nothing else but very blindnesse that makes vs not to see if we see not our Countrie to be euen buried almost in a Sea of wickednesse and yet loe wee weepe not nor mourne our dead hearts and drie eyes drop downe no teares for all this O blockish and sencelesse soules of ours O consciences hardened and deaded and little lesse then seared with an hot Yron O that wee could bee greatly discontented with our selues for hauing been so exceeding hard-harted this way and for hauing bestowed so little time and paines in labouring to make our selues softer We haue not onely not wept but not striuen to weepe not alone haue we omitted sorrow but euen the endeauoring after sorrow hath been farre from vs and that of the two is the much more faultie for he that labours to performe a Christian dutie and yet failkes of it for all his labour is a farre lesse
teares and to wrest and extort them out of your heads by force To weepe a little at a Sermon is nothing to speak of there is a further matter required of you In secret I say in secret when you bee all alone and may more freely doe it then doe it more abundantly or else to doe it here a little by compulsion of earnest words perswasions is little worth and will doe little good I confesse that in meditating these things with my self I found mine eyes great with teares and mine heart within me swolne with sighes and I hope that the vttering of them may haue also power to fill some of your hearts and of your eyes also But ah there is yet a greater and secreter mourning which I call you to He weepes in truth that weepes without witnesse Trepare to the worke Take thou some time this day or some other day to get alone by thy selfe and presse these things vpō thy self that haue bin so earnestly beaten vpō thee in the preaching of the Word and there bowing the knees of thy soule before God begin with an acknowledgment vnto him that now thou confessest this mourning for the publike sins is a duty which he doth iustly require at thine hands which thou hast sinfully neglected heretofore but now art sorrowfull for that neglect and desirous to performe hereafter and then humbly beseech him to thaw by the sweete and warme beames of his Grace this frozen heart of thine and so to smite this rockie soule that it may yeeld forth as once the naturall Rocke did euen Riuers of water Pray him according to his most free and gracious promise to powre vpon thee the Spirit of Grace and supplication and remouing the heart of stone to put within thee in stead of it an hart of flesh that thou mayst now doe what Dauid did and what thy selfe by his example art called vpon by the Ministrie and art accordingly desirous to doe Hauing thus prepared thy selfe Begin to weepe for thine owne sinnes first then set about the worke it selfe and first begin to weepe for thine owne sinnes for assure thy soule it shall be all in vaine for any man to labour to bewaile the faults of others that doth not in the first place bewaile his owne faults Thinke and say thus then to thy selfe in thy meditations Ah what a vile and wretched sinner am I What a Childhood haue I spent What an Youth What a Middle-age And if thou beest come so farre what an Old-age What thoughts haue I harboured in mine heart What words haue I vttered with my tongue What deeds haue I done with mine hand This tongue of mine hath sworne many a vaine passionate and outragious oath This tongue hath cursed and rayled and spoken profanely It hath spoken wantonly and filthily and told many a lye and false tale This hand hath vsed cruelty reuenge and dalliance This heart hath swolne against Gouernours and boyled away in enuy and malice This heart hath been fearelesse and carelesse of God and hath forgotten him and his Word and euen doubted of his Beeing O wretched tongue wretched hand wretched hart O would that I could mourne for all these abominations of my life O that all the teares which euer I wept in all my life for crosses losses wrongs iniuries vnkindnesses and the like were now all vnwept and gathered together at once in mine eyes that I might powre them forth in godly sorrow before the Lord for my sinnes Be thou humbled and cast downe O my soule and be thou troubled within me wallow thy selfe in the dust and tumble thy self in ashes Thou hast offended against thy Maker and sinned against thy Redeemer the holy Sonne of God! Thou hast wronged thy neighbours and hurt thy selfe and deserued damnation and Ah wretch thou hast shewed thy selfe vngracious and vngratefull against that heauenly carefull and tender-hearted Father that gaue his onely Sonne to death to ransome thee What Father euer so louing What child euer so rebellious Why are you drie O mine eyes And why art thou stony O mine heart Why doth sorrow flie from mee And why are teares departed hence O that I could weepe O that I could weepe O that I could euen be melted and dissolued into kindly teares and with blessed Peter weepe bitterly and with godly Marie wash the feete of my Sauiour with my teares Thus striue and take paines with thy self to make thy soule sad for thine owne sinnes first and hauing softned thy selfe somewhat by such endeuours then begin for thy Countrie also and thinke in this sort Ah Lord if I had sinned alone I alone would weepe mine owne teares But I am a man of polluted lips and life and I dwell amongst a people of polluted lips and life Wee haue all gone astray wee all haue done an abominable deed there is none that doth good no not one This Nation this Christian and baptized Nation wherein thy Gospell of truth hath so long shined brightly is yet still for all that a wicked and a sinfull Nation O that thou wouldst please to helpe me mourne for these common sinnes Is not thy Spirit as able to soften a mans heart now as in former times Proy to God to soften the heart Is not an heart of the posteritie of Abraham naturally as hard as one of another off-spring O thou that gauest Dauid store of teares stirre vp in me also the spirit of griefe for the publike sinnes Consider the grieuous sianes of our Land And now begin to represent vnto thy soule the many monstrous crying sinnes that are daily and with impunitie many committed in our Countrie Loose thy thoughts a while in this great Thicket and wildernes of abominations that hath ouer-growne vs and say What could God doe more for a people then he hath done for vs and he looked for Grapes and behold wilde Grapes and for Figs and behold rotten Figs for iudgement and righteousnes and behold sin wickednes What monstrous ignorance and profanenes and hellish Atheisme doth couer the multitude What monstrous pride and idlenesse and fulnes of bread and abominable vncleannesse doe couer the Gentry How full of oathes and blasphemies are the Court the Citie the Townes the Countrie with vs Great men sweare and meane men sweare Ministers sweare and people sweare men sweare and women sweare boyes sweare and girles sweare almost babes and sucklings sweare and if euery oath were but a drop of water it were enough to make a flood to drowne the whole Land withall The Lords Day is euery where violated and profaned The Word and Sacraments are made a very iest and all Gods seruices are turned into a meere customary piece of worke The children are euery where stubburne and rebellious against their parents Much murder and bloodshed is committed and for enuie and malice the Land aboundeth with them whoredome and filthinesse stinkes in euery corner theft oppression vsurie simony sacriledge where shal a
man stirre but he shall meete with them Lying deceite fraud and guile are become amongst the necessary ornaments of a good chapman and one cannot liue without them now-a-dayes Presumption stoninesse of heart and turning Gods Grace into wantonnes are euery dayes faults O Lord God we are a most wicked and sinfull Nation and people and should not my soule mourne for this O how art thou dishonoured and thy Lawes broken and thy Spirit grieued and should not my soule weepe bitterly for this Consider the grieuous punishments that must come if mourning preuent not And when thou hast thus called to mind the sinnes of the Land represent also to thy selfe the iudgements that must come vpon vs for them and say Lord what shall we do in the end thereof Thy patience will not alwaies last thy grace will not euer striue with vs Iustice will not suffer thee to bind thine hands for euer with the cords of long suffering yea the Lord must needs arise at length in furie and indignation and stirre vp himselfe in wrath to come and comfort himselfe and ease his soule by taking vengeance on such a Nation as this Hee must giue our Cities to the spoyle our houses and Churches to the fire and all our goods to the deuourer He must hisse for his Flie against vs bring vpon vs as he threatned and brought vpon Iudah his foure great Armies to destroy Sword Famine Pestilence and the teeth of euill beasts to deuoure He must lay vs waste and desolate and cause vs to dye of grieuous deaths and cast our carcasses into the open streetes as dung on the face of the earth that there should be none to burie or to lament He must fill vs full of wailing and howling and bitter lamentation Did not Iudah escape that had lesse light and fewer meanes and can England escape that hath the light of the Gospell as much exceeding that of the Law as the Sun-shine doth the Moone-light And now thinke with thy selfe that thou beholdest God sending scarcenesse amongst vs and euery body feeble and languishing Thinke that thou sawest the Pestilence leaping in at our houses and sweeping away whole Families and Townes till there bee no buyer Thinke that thou seest the insolent foe breaking in vpon vs and with drawne Sword filling euery place with feare slaughter death and desolation and then say O the slaine of the Daughter of my People the Waster wasteth without the Sword within Famine and Pestilence for all these things must as assuredly come vpon England as euer they came vpon Ierusalem If enow doe take vp the taske of mourning wee may escape them in our dayes but if we doe not preconceiue them by the power of faith in Gods threats we shall surely feele them in the execution and when the generation of mourners for sinne is gone then will the time of howling for the punishment of sinne be here Thinke it not therfore a needlesse thing to anticipate a crosse and to make it present in imagination before-hand For particular afflictions wee must not drowne our selues in cares before they come but because we know that God hath denounced this vengeance and executed it on others and that his Iustice is the same still therefore we are sure it will come on this Nation also and that speedily if riuers of teares preuent it not Wherfore our best way is in the foresight of it to lament the sinnes that would procure it that so wee may not bee forced to feele it when all lamentations will be bootelesse This was preached vpon a Tuesday in Whitson-weeke Brethren will you spend some houre or two this day this idle day when others pipe and howte and drinke and dally and dance and adde to the heape of sinnes as you know the season beares will you I say thus meditate and pray and mourne and sigh and striue to send forth riuers of teares If you will blessed be those teares they shall doe good to your soules and good to your Countries good to the King and good to the Commons good to the Commonweale and good to the Church and good to the whole Land and all that dwell in it But alack I feare you wil not I feare we loose our labour Businesse businesse sports pastime cōpany some one or other such thing will steale your hearts away I feare for so it is vsually seene out of the Church into your houses and shops you goe some to your workes and some to your sports and neuer so much as thinke of what you haue heard neuer set vpon the practice of what you are exhorted to and so we preach in vaine and you heare in vaine and wee get nothing but our labour for our paines Now for the Lord Iesus sake doe not so this day but couenant with thy selfe that afore thou sleepest thou wilt forcibly breake thorow all occasions and find some one houre to take paines with thine heart and to frame it to some tendernesse of remorse that thou mayst be able once to say with Dauid Riuers of waters haue runne downe mine eyes because they kept not thy Law Say thou shouldest heare of the death of wife husband child friend would it not affect thine hart with some sorrow Let the tidings yea the hearing beholding of so many sinnes committed which doe more dishonor God then any crosse can hurt thee haue some power ouer thy griefes and shew that thine affections are not altogether carnall One or two teares shed for sinne voluntarily in the day of prosperitie out of a ture desire to shew our hatred of it and loue to God and out of a serious consideration of its spiritual filthinesse and hainousnesse is more worth then twenty teares shed in the day of affliction when a man cannot tell whether it bee the sinne or the crosse that procures his teares Now therefore addresse your selues to that vnwelcome taske of mourning to Nature I say vnwelcome but to Grace most welcome and if you cannot at first on-set get floods of teares yet if you can get but two or three teares or a few heartie sighes till another time that you may get more know that it is worth your labour good duties are done likely with much weakenesse and difficultie at first custome and continuance of doing must bring vs to more perfection be not discouraged because thine heart will bee hard and full vnapt to mourne when thou addressest thy selfe first vnto it but know that a good beginning is requisite in all businesses and he shall neuer finish any thing that will sit still and doe nothing because hee finds not all things answerable to his desires at first yea that man that laboureth to set his will vpon a pitch of sadnesse by offering to his mind fit thoughts for that purpose and so makes his soule heauy with the apprehension of that that is euill and naught shall be well accepted with God though he attaine not that melting that dropping that teare-flowing
and sensible sorrow that Dauid here speaketh of And hee that accustometh himselfe to that habituall griefe of the will taking displeasure against an euill thing making it selfe auerse from it and wishing that it had neuer been shall in due season bee blessed by God with the spirit of tendernesse which shall most kindly and gently soften his heart and cause his soule to be so mellow and easie to be wrought vpon that he shall euen sweetely and freely powre forth this his Drinke-offering before the Lord and most sweetely water his soule with these Aprill showres of teares which shall make it fertill not alone in he flowres of presently insuing comforts but also in the rich haruest of vertue and godlinesse and the plentifull rewards thereof Wherefore carry this short sentence home in your minds and giue not ouer striuing by times and turnes till you haue made your selues in case to ioyne Dauids request with Dauids reason and to say Lord make thy face to shine vpon thy seruant and teach me thy Statutes Riuers of teares do drop downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy Law CHAP. VIII Containing the third and last vse of comfort to them that haue done or shall begin and continue to doe this seruice Vse 3 ANd lastly if there be any that haue performed Comfort to them that do mourne and continue to performe or shal now begin and proceede to performe this excellent dutie we must also speake peace to their soules and preach vnto them the glad tidings of good things to comfort them withall O it is a great happinesse to tread in the steps of those concerning whom wee are perfectly assured that they are now in Heauen well may we assure our selues that we shall be where they are after our death if wee haue walked in the wayes wherein they walked during their liues Thou knowest Dauid was a child of God a true regenerate man a man after Gods owne heart thou knowest hee had all his sinnes pardoned dyed an happy death now reigneth in Heauen and hath attained eternall saluation It would doe thine heart good to haue an infallible token that thou also art such an one as Dauid that thou hast interest into the same good things which he enioyeth and shalt haue possession of them at last as sure as he hath Then compare thy behauiour and carriage with Dauids when he saw men wickedly to breake the Statutes of God when he saw wickednesse committed in euery place and knew not how to helpe it what did he doe He wept and sighed and lamented and cryed and tooke on very pitifully euen as if some great crosse had befalne himselfe and as if his owne person had receiued harme Canst thou likewise affirme before the Lord that the same cause hath produced in thee the same effects Doth the breach of Gods Law breake thine heart Doth the sinfulnesse of others make thy soule sorrowfull Dost thou sigh and groane and bewaile and mourne for those things which it is not in thy power to redresse Loe then thou art a Dauid a man after Gods heart also a sound and sincere Christian an Israelite within before God a louer of God a louer of thy Brethren an hater of sin and thou also shalt be saued with Dauid and reioyce with the same heauenly Ioy wherewith hee now reioyceth Those that are like the Saints of God in dutie shall be also like them in glorie those that haue followed them in holines shal follow them in happinesse The same Spirit worketh in them the same Christ dwelleth in them and the same Crowne shall be set vpon them Blessed therefore are these mourners for they shall be comforted Whatsoeuer thing Dauid did aske in the former verses and now in this verse doth lay as it were the foundation of his hopes to attaine the same vpon the remembrance of these his teares before God that are we bold in Gods name to promise assuredly to euery one that can speake the same thing of himselfe Dost thou mourne for the sinnes of other men Then will God looke vpon thee and bee mercifull vnto thee as he vseth to doe to them that loue his name for thou also louest his name Doth thine eye drop downe teares because men keepe not Gods Law Then will he order thy steps in his Word neither shall any iniquitie haue dominion ouer thee Doth thy soule lament bitterly the common sinnes Then will he deliuer thee from the oppression of men that thou mayest keepe his precepts Doth thine heart mourne for the publike offences of those with whom thou liuest Then will God make his face to shine vpon thee his seruant and will teach thee his Statutes In a word Striuest thou to performe this seruice of which Dauid maketh profession in this verse Then shalt thou certainely obtaine al those benefits for which he made his humble petition in the former verses Wherfore let these Riuers of teares become streames of comfort wherein thy soule may bathe it selfe with much content Godly sorrow is the mother of sound Ioy these teares are the proper seeds of heauenly comfort whereas carnal ioy doth end in sorrow and that crackling mirth of sinners being extinguished shall leaue them frozen in horror and amazement Wherefore reape you the comfort of the seed you haue sowne and as the seed was precious so let the crop be and as the seed was abundant so let the haruest From this dutie mayest thou infallibly collect that thy charitie was sound and plentifull This dutie will prooue certainly that thine hatred of sinne was heartie and earnest and I suppose it may goe in the reckoning of one of the most infallible notes of Gods child To mourne for the generall calamities of the Church Two sure signes of sanctity when ones selfe is at peace and to mourne for the generall sinnes of the Church though himselfe bee free these are two most happy signes of true holinesse and this latter I thinke to be the surer of the twaine as more sensibly and manifestly testifying true zeale of Gods glory Yea whosoeuer sorrowes heartily for the common sinnes may in some respect take more sure hold of that mourning to confirme his faith and assure himself of his vprightnesse then of his sorrowing for his owne particular faults We haue examples of damned hypocrites that haue been sad and heauy for their owne sinnes in some cases as Ahab Iudas Saul and he rest but we haue neuer any example of any that lamented the publike and common wickednesse of the Church or Nation where he liued and of the persons amongst whom hee conuersed vnlesse accidentally wen the sinnes haue falne out to be iniurious and troublesome to themselues or to their friends but of those which wee are well assured to haue been truly sanctified and now to be eternally glorified Is not Lot in Heauen Is not Dauid in Heauen Is not Ezra in Heauen Ae not Ieremiah Baruch Ebedmelech and the rest of these mourners all in
God forgiuing his sinnes may enioy his libertie and the comfort of the creature And that is sanctified by thanksgiuing for which the vser taking notice of Gods goodnesse and wisdome and other excellencies doth returne the tribute of prayse vnto him ascribing all honour and greatnesse to him as to the fountaine of all comfort Now seeing he that is married hath not sinned in marrying let him sanctifie this lawfull ordinance vnto himselfe that hee may bee sure to find the blessing of God vpon it and vpon himselfe A man may truly say He that eateth sinneth not yet if any man eate profanely not considering that God hath vouchsafed him the freedome of partaking in his benefits not praying God for his blessing nor returning prayse vnto him for his goodnesse he shall sinne in so eating The like must needs bee said of marriage which being a lawfull ordinance is much abused if it bee not vsed as all lawfull things should in an holy manner for sinlesse things vnsanctified doe become sinnes And this is the rather to be pressed vpon mens consciences because the neglect of it is very dangerous causing matrimony to be ineffectual for its proper ends for want of Gods blessing which how can we haue if wee doe not craue it A profane and licentious taking of good things at Gods hand doth as much offend him as wee are offended at the rude and vnmannerly behauiour of our seruants when they come to receiue a good turne or gift from our hands whereby wee are caused so to giue them the thing as that wee doe also sharpely rebuke them for their vndecent carriage Things are not truly comfortable to the soule neither doe they afford that spirituall fruit to a mans heart which else they would when his heart is so carnall that he regardeth not to vse them spiritually If marriage be loosely vsed it will dispose a man to more loosenesse and inflame those passions which it should quench it will breed a sacietie and dislike of each other in the married and make their affections to straggle so as they would rather accept of strangers then themselues If marriage bee holily vsed it will indeare the yoke-fellowes each to other it will keepe their desires in order and cause that they shall be well satisfied each in other as in Gods gifts Neither can there bee any one truer reason rendred of the little good affection that passeth betwixt many husbands and wiues and of the little comfort they take each in other then because they abuse Gods ordinance and why should he blesse it Let it therefore bee obserued by all those that would keepe a good conscience in all things and doe desire to approue themselues honourers and fearers of God in their verie soules that as wel marriage as food must be made lawfull and profitable to them by the Word and Prayer And let it be also further vrged vpon the conscience of the married that which nature it selfe will teach them that seeing the Lord is pleased to allow them marriage they should obediently accept of his allowance and not imbolden themselues for their filthy lusts sake to take forbidden pleasures If God hauing planted in man that naturall inclination which hee hath planted for the increase of the world should haue debarred him matrimonie it had been doubtlesse an vniust rigor in God and would haue much extenuate mans offences in that kind but when he hath giuen an husband and a wife each to other and commanded them to leaue all others and cleaue vnto themselues now what excuse haue they to alleage for their sinne Therefore let all married persons resolue to liue chastly else shall the lawfulnesse of matrimonie extremely aggrauate the sinfulnesse of their impuritie for why shouldst not thou O man be satisfied with thine owne wife and thou O woman with thine owne husband By taking Gods gift in marriage thou neither rebellest against him nor woundest thy conscience nor defilest another nor pollutest thy selfe nor breakest thy couenant nor wrongest thy family nor transgressest the Lawes of men nor dishonestest thy name nor procurest any other euill But in imbracing a stranger thou bringest infamie one thy name a curse vpon thy posteritie a sinne vpon thy soule and wronges at once God the Church the Commonweale thy yoke-fellow thy selfe and many others moe Ah why should a foolish and vnreasonable fancy so farre transport a man that hath vnderstanding as when the Lord affords him an honest lawfull blamelesse harmelesse content he should neglect that and preferre before it a reprochful dishonest wicked and banefull pleasure As if a man seeing two cups of wine and know the one to bee wholesome and vnmixed should let that stand still and drinke of another which himselfe did know to be poysoned alone because the cup perhaps that contained the poyson were finelier wrought on the out-side Or as if a man hauing sufficient store of money in his owne thest would not make vse of that to buy necessaries but goe and rob for it by the high-way side that he might spend another mans money The adulterer is a needlesse thiefe to whom it is no reason that any fauour should be shewed He may be compared to the man that hauing stoe of Deere in his owne Parke would yet needs steale a Buck out of his neighbours ground because hee was so follish as to glorie in his shame and to bragge that hee durst steale one What pitie could a man shew to such an one if either he should miscarry in his stealing or bee seuerely punished for his stealing So the adulterer that hauing a lawfull wife at home shall giue his vnlawfull lusts scope to range abroad to the wines or daughters of other men is worthie all sharpenesse of punishment as a man that hath hearkened to the oration of foolish folly which perswades her guests saying Stolne waters are sweete and hidden bread is pleasant But farre farre be it from any Christian man or woman to poison and destroy themselues with such pleasant bread or sweete waters The pleasures of filthinesse are like the bread of deceite which giueth a delightful rellish in the mouth but is nothing else but verie grauell in the belly Thou hast solemnely promised before God the Angels and the Church that forsaking all other thou wilt keepe thee onely to thine owne yoke-fellow Seeing God hath allowed thee this comfort wallow not sinfully in forbidden pleasures And for the lawfulnesse of marriage so much I come now to speake of its troublesomnesse which few will beleeue till they find and few can beare when they haue found CHAP. VIII Containing the third point Doct. 3 HEare then what the Apostle foretelleth to you that wil marrie Such shal haue trouble in the flesh First in their whole outward estate Whosoeuer marries must looke for more trouble and aduersitie then in single estate Marke all and bee perswaded for it Paul were not deceiued you shall all find it true The married estate is more encumbred
haue no curst or vnkind husbands or wiues no sicke or stubburne children no slothfull or froward seruants no needs and cares of estate to afflict them And this is the counsell we giue to them that can receiue it But if any for all this find his need and desire such that he must and will marrie good leaue let him haue from vs and good speede from God alone so that he take the following instructions with him which are two CHAP. X. Containing a second vse Vse 2 THe first is that hee enter discreetely and religiously vpon marriage For the vnmarried obseruing such due care therein that he may in his very entrance cut off the roote and stop the fountaine of very many troubles They say the beginning of a businesse being well performed is as good as one halfe thereof and the most important matter in buildings is to lay a good foundation Doubtlesse it is so in this matter of marriage whereinto he that makes a godly and wise entrance shall find his proceeding to bee much more easefull and comfortable then any after-care could make it without this first care Now in setting about marriage wisdome and pietie both command these two principall things first that the younger people sonnes and daughters doe take the counsell and consent of their Parents and Gouernours Secondly that they labour to make a due choyce of their yoke-fellowes For the first Gods blessing is largely and firmely promised vnto those children that doe honour their Parents but his curse must needs follow them by the law of contraries that shall dishonour them If therefore a man in the very Preface as it were to his Marriage shall thrust the blessing of God from him in refusing to honour and shall pull the curse of God vpon him in dishonouring his Parents the chiefe instruments of his beeing vnder God the conduit Pipes by which God hath deriued all the benefits of Nature vnto him and to whom he stands most deepely and vnrequiteably ingaged by the receiuing before-hand of many and great comforts and good turnes how is it possible but that he must create a world of mischiefe to himselfe He goes to marrie without and against Gods liking that goes to marrie without and against the liking of his Parents onely so that his Parents doe not abuse their power ouer him against the will of God For it is abundantly plaine by the Scriptures that God hath committed his power of giuing a daughter to a son or taking a daughter for a sonne vnto the Parents of that sonne or daughter saying to the Parents of Israel Thou shalt giue or not giue thy daughter thou shalt take or not take a daughter to thy sonne Wherefore a childs dutie in this case is not to suffer his or her affections to be wedded vnto any person before the Parent haue shewed his good liking or if any affection to any particular person shall arise in them then to doe as Samson did goe vnto the Parent and request their consent and helpe Yea euen the sonne of Hamar an Heathen had learnt this lesson and caused his father to be his spokes-man to Iacob for Dinah Yea that child that shall find a need of marriage ought not to conceale his need from his Parents no more then frō God whose deputie the Parent is in that behalfe but to craue of God first and then of the Parent to prouide a remedie for his disease Religion and Discretion Nature and Grace doe all concurre in requiring of children this dutie and prescribing this rule vnto them in marrying If crosses come whither must the afflicted person run for comfort but to Parents and friends Which how can he doe if he haue refused their direction in marrying When sorrowes pinch what ease is there but in crauing helpe of God which how can one doe without a sting to his soule if in entring vpon that state he haue neglected the commandements of God So he shuts vp Heauen and Earth against himselfe that wrongs his Father in Heauen and father in Earth by a rash and preposterous rushing into Matrimonie leaues himself no harbor to enter into against a storme arise Be wise therefore and be godly yee children let iudgement rule you and not passion neither giue your affections nor your selues nor follow your passions in bestowing your selues but with the priuitie and good allowance of those from whom you had your selues Not one marriage in an hundred hath thriuen well that was not ordered according to this rule an error such so grosse an error in the beginning of an action and such an important action can hardly or not at all be corrected afterwards But secondly a fit person must bee chosen with whom to couple ones selfe Though all the griefes of marriage come not from the vices and disorders of the yoke-fellowes yet the most grieuous and most bitter of them doe To haue a fit yoke-fellow will preuent many matrimoniall troubles and will make all easier Now in a yoke-fellow the maine matter to be desired is vertue and godlinesse and hee that in chusing vouchsafeth that the first place shall surely bee blessed in his choyce but whosoeuer setteth other and baser things before that doth deale preposterously and foolishly and setting the Cart before the Horse as the Prouerbe hath it can neuer driue comfortably forward in the way that he would goe A vertuous godly person will allow no sinne will hearken to counsell will receiue admonitions and reproofes In a word such an one hath no incorrigible fault all his diseases bee curable But a wicked and vngodly person hath a deafe eare a wilfull heart an incurable soule nothing wil make him mend his faults The curse of God pursues the wicked man how can any thing but cumber and attend such a person into the family Who would therefore admit such a companion though laden with precious Pearles or painted with the fairest painting in the World Beautie is but painting age and sicknesse will weare it away why should any man make that his guide in chusing a wife No souldier would chuse a leaden sword because the scabberd is Veluet and the hilt guilded A faire countenance will no more helpe to the happinesse of a married couple if grace and vertue be away then a fine Haft will make a knife cut well if it bee of euill metall Wherefore follow not the eye the most fickle and fond of al sences in a matter of so great consequence as the choyce of a wife or husband And surely for wealth what is it but luggage If wisdome and vertue bee absent it burdens and doth not comfort Better a man without money then money without a man could the Heathen say Should Christians be lesse iudicious Let not couetousnesse conduct thee into marriage It is a blind vice and will surely leade the man into the pit that will winke and follow it A vertuous woman is aboue Pearles Salomon said so that knew the worth of all
Pearles A vertuous man must needs be as worthie as a vertuous woman The holinesse and good conditions of a companion are ten times more auaileable for the comfort of those with whom he must conuerse then the colour of his skin or stuffing of his purse He or she shal liue worse thē poorely that liueth with a rich Nabal Parents destroy not your children by matching them to miserable riches Young men and women destroy not your selues by seeking a good outside but let both parents and children iudge as God iudgeth and follow his counsell that saith Not the rich not the faire but The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour He takes the best course to gaine content in marriage that chuseth not the finest body the sweetest face the greatest state the largest portion but the holiest heart the richest soule the beautifullest spirit and the most vertuous man or woman This is the foundation of welfare in marriage lay this at first thou canst neuer else reare vp a comfortable building Secondly in other things if with the former it may bee an equall yoke-fellow would be taken of due proportion in state birth age education and the like not much vnder not much ouer but fit and correspondent Those matches doe seldome proue but vncomfortable where this rule is not obserued The rich and noble will likely despise or set light by the poorer and meaner so will younger doe the aged and there is nothing but miserie in marriage if the yoke-fellowes neglect one another Dauid was hardly drawne to be a Kings sonne in Law being himselfe a meane man in Israel His wisdome made him not hastie to ouer-preferre himselfe Disproportioned marriages are seldome made but out of sinister and corrupt intentions and such intentions doe neuer almost faile to bring wretchednesse to such as are led by them God himselfe hath set vs the best coppie of marriage that can be he made Euah meete for Adam shee answered him and hee her in age birth and all things hee shall speed best that followes neerest this first president of Matrimonie Wee cannot haue a wiser counsellour then the Author of all wisdome and he is surely deceiued that thinkes to doe better then God Take therefore a yoke-fellow meet for thee for the agreement of the married folk is the best helpe against all troubles and this is the surest way to procure agreement And so you haue heard the first instruction concerning a discreet entrance to preuent trouble The second follows and that is as necessarie euen to expect trouble and prepare for it When God foretels any thing wee should make account of it Future things are knowne to him that disposeth all things wherefore it is folly to flatter ones selfe with hopes contrarie to his predictions Expectation of an enemie is halfe an arming but suddennesse addes terriblenesse vnto a crosse and makes it insupportable Say then to and within thy selfe I find that God doth leade to marriage and I will follow him but he forewarnes me also of what I shall find in marriage and I will beleeue him I know I shall haue more trouble then before I had but by Gods helpe I will beare it with all quietnesse And Lord seeing this world is a world of trouble and all estates are full of briers now that thou hast called me to Matrimonie giue I beseech thee a willing and able mind to brooke well the aduersities of Matrimonie Most folks runne into marriage as boyes into a crowd to fee some sport neuer forethinking how troublesome it is to stand in a throng and when they be almost pressed to death by the presse of people then doe they crie out and would faine get out if they knew which way Oh saith one if I had knowne before that I should haue met with such a deale of sorrow I would neuer haue married Why thou improuident foole How was it that thou knewest not that before This Scripture was not kept from thee was it The Apostle speaketh plainely enough thou mightest haue read or heard it if thou wouldest thy selfe Such shall haue trouble in the flesh Didst thou neuer reade this Scripture or neuer marke it or neuer beleeue it If thou readdest it not it was thy profanenesse if thou markedst it not it was thine heedlesnesse if thou didst not beleeue it it was thine infidelitie euerie way it was thy folly not to know before what God had told thee before that marriage would bee more full of afflictions then single life Now you that are to marrie rush not thus headlongly into Marriage that you may not afterwards make bootelesse complaints against it Feed not your selues with windie hopes this feeding will breed no strength I hope mine husband will proue a very kind man my wife a very dutifull wife I hope I shall not breed and beare with so much paine and griefe as such and such I hope I shall not haue such weakely and sickly children and so forth Fond body Where bee the grounds of thine hopes Vpon what props are they built To hope without ground is to play the merrie foole No it is better as the Prouerbe hath it to feare the worst that the best may saue it selfe and to arme vp thy selfe in this wise Like enough I shall haue as many crosses as such and such But what if I haue I doe not runne rashly vpon them God leades me my Parents guide me I follow sure directors God will also strengthen mee and by his mighty helpe I will goe chearefully vnder these troubles for why should not I be subiect to the decrees statutes of the King of this world If he will send trouble shall I murmur Shall I faint No I will not but sue to him for strength and stay vpon him for helpe and comfort my selfe in him in all these cumbers Thinke of trouble looke for trouble resolue to bee quiet vnder troubles and pray for strength to bee so and then marrie if thou see good then shall thy troubles exercise and encrease thy patience and other graces not corrupt and ouerthrow them as else they will CHAP. XI Containing one vse to the married Vse 3 WE haue finished our speeches to the single folke To the married Now you that are married heare your part of instructions And first be aduised to take the best course that may be of preuenting so many as may bee preuented of the troubles of marriage I know you will all confesse at first hearing that this is good aduice but straite you will aske further counsell and say How shall I doe this I will therefore shew you the way see that you walke in it The first meanes to preuent the troubles of marriage is this to feare God and walke in his waies This is a common helpe to make all estates comfortable for the blessing of God attendeth them that feare him and comfort attends his blessing The man that feareth God hath this promise from God that his wife shall bee
some inward or outward occasions so neither is there likely terror amazement disquietment in the conscience till the lusts of the soule haue disordered it for want of holding them vnder so that as warre abroad is found to be a present remedie against ciuill dissentions of subiects so warre with sinne is the cause of our tranquillitie with our selues When clouds are dispelled the beames of the Sunne will shine comfortably vpon the earth and then the earth is richly garnished with pleasant and profitable herbes so when sinne is chased away the warme beames of Gods fauour doe sweetely refresh the conscience and the conscience so refreshed doth bring forth the sweet and wholesome flowres of vnspeakable consolatiō The Spirit of God wil tell our spirits and our spirits will tell vs that God is our Friend and Father that he loues vs and delights in vs so long as we be haue our selues to sinne as to an enemy hating loathing and resisting it Thus are we most friends to our selues when wee bee most foes with our corruptions And this fighting with sinne will make vs liue quietly also with our neighbours Hee that is busie in finding out and subduing his home-bred corruptions shall haue little or no leasure to take causelesse vnkindnesses to picke needlesse quarrels and to prouoke others against him by iniurious behauiour so shall hee shun the greatest company of iarres and brawles that vse to set men together by the eares Saint Iames saith Iames 4.1 That warres and fightings amongst men doe come from their lusts which war in their members We may if we will deceiue our selues and attribute things to false causes but the Spirit of God that vnderstandeth all things aright and cannot be deceiued points to lust fighting in the members as the most true proper and immediate cause of contentions stirres betwixt man and man Therefore the more any man doth quell subdue vanquish weaken and beate downe these lusts the more calmely shal he passe thorow the sea of the world and the fewer stormes of discord and enmitie shall hee meete withall When souldiers lye idle and are not imployed in marching against the common foe then they mutinie and fall out with each other so when men set not their griefe and hatred and other affections ou worke to make war vpon sin then they quickly take occasion to grieue at each other to sigh one against another to hate one another and to vexe and gawle each other and trouble themselues most of all But souldiers agree among themselues whilest they lend their powers against a common foe so when we haue strongest and hottest warre with the deuill and sinne then doe we nourish most concord with one another Thus shall the soule enioy vnutterable quietnesse euery way within and without from God and from man and one weekes life led in such comfortable and happie concord and amitie with a mans owne soule and all about him is more worth then the lasting of a whole twelue-moneth torne and rent asunder with the ciuill broyles and commotions of a grudging froward and distempered heart Who would not doe that that will make his soule to dwell at rest 3. Againe the studie of mortification Patience and loy in affliction wil inable a man with inconceiueable patience yea and chearefulnesse to beare any affliction that God shal lay vpon him yea to look death it self in the face though it come clothed in neuer so terrible attire and with neuer so terrible weapons for the sting of death and consequently of all crosses is sinne now pull the sting from out of the Serpents mouth or tayle and then there is little feare or danger in incountring her What was the cause that the Apostle Paul was so exceeding quiet and ioyfull in all his calamities but because he had in great measure subdued and was more and more busie in subduing the corrupt lusts of his body knocking it downe 1. Cor. 9. last and bringing it in subiection as himselfe speaketh Hee that holdeth strong fight against the euils of his owne heart out of that peace with God and his owne soule which we said before that he should enioy hath freedome of Spirit to pray vnto God in his afflictions hee can runne boldly to the Throne of grace as hauing allowed nothing within him that should grieue the Spirit of Grace hee can flie to the towre of Gods name as hauing kept himselfe in the pathes of righteousnesse whic those that do know themselues to haue all good allowance to come thither and when a man can freely powre forth his hart before God in crosses then doth he also comfortably enioy God and then the sharpenes of the crosse is gone The thing that makes crosses intolerably bitter so that the soule cannot endure the bitternesse of them is the admixture of the gawle of Gods displeasure so farre as wee are intire and resolute in fighting against sinne our crosses are pure from this admixture and so they be not to himselfe that beares them howsoeuer they may seeme to the lookers on by the hundreth part so tedious and troublesome as that composition would make them So the mortified man gaines this by his trouble in mortification that the Lord will suffer him to escape many troubles and those that he must for his owne good suffer he shall be able to goe vnder with ten times more quietnesse and gladnesse and contentednesse as an whole shoulder beares the same burden with more ease then a sore or swolne shoulder It is therefore a very profitable labour that wee bestow in mortifying the members on earth that is to say in healing the sores and diseases of our soules 4. Thirdly Certaine freedome from grosse sinnes the man that applies the worke of mortification aright shall attaine certaine freedome from foule grosse and scandalous sinnes A sanctified man may assuredly promise to himselfe vpon his constant and diligent endeauours to abate and hold vnder his sinfull affections and dispositions to bee for his whole life long so kept and sustained by God that hee shall not rush into any lothsome palpable disgracefull soule-wasting wickednesse Wee are neuer ouertaken with those kind of euils but vpon our very palpable carelesnesse of mortifying the deeds of our flesh Whilest we do that that God bidsvs to slay sin he holds it vnder according to his promise and it hath not dominion ouer vs neither doth raigne in our mortall bodies so that we are sure enough that sinne shall not bring forth the fruits of shame and reproach vnto vs vntill we begin to be remisse in following Gods directions to purge out the old leauen And Oh what a benefit is this to escape those blemishes and staines wherewith many of Gods children perhaps also of greater strength then ones selfe doe defile and disgrace themselues What a priuiledge is it to be so supported that neuer in all his life he shall runne into any witting enormous presumptuous crime after God hath
called him to the knowledge of his truth What an ease and comfort to liue alwayes free from those blowes and strokes of our spirituall enemie wherewith some of Gods people are wounded almost to death Doubtles the remembrance of such foyles doth bring so much shame and forrow to the hearts and often blushing and palenesse both successiuely to the cheekes of diuers of Gods people that they now account freedome from such blots a thing of more worth then all the riches and honour in the World and wish with all their soules that they had taken any paines and suffered any miserie outward to haue been deliuered from such inward wretchednesse Why should we not be wise before-hand now and by labour win to our selues the comfort of hauing preuented that which if once we should feele we shall wish but all in vaine that we had laboured night and day to preuent 5. Lastly Good esteeme from man much true credit and good esteeme will follow to the Saints of God from the work of mortification both with the houshold of faith and with strangers also The mortified man affects the hearts of all that behold him with admiration and the lesse he couets the credit of men the more he wins it Who is he that seeing a man able to hold downe anger vniustice reuenge lust when strong occasions do prouoke them to work doth not find his soule cleauing to him at once louing and wondring at him Heathen men that haue for their credit sake so farre dissembled mortification as in something a notable fashion to forbeare euill doing haue been more famous for that in after-times then for all their wealth and victories for it is more truly prayse-worthy to be good then great and therefore an high degree of goodnes will more honour a man in the hearts of men then the highest degree of greatnesse The soule will not stoope to other things though the knee doe crouch but the very soule of the highest person that is will euen bow to the name of a man that is excellent in mortification What made Herod honour Iohn Baptist but this that he saw him so thorowly mortified Euery man is inforced by his conscience to esteeme worthily of one whom he sees doing that which he knowes himselfe should doe but finds hee cannot Now euery mans soule in a manner euery mans is conuinced that he should conquer ambition reuenge couetousnesse lust and his experience telles him how little he is able to performe in this businesse wherefore when he sees another euer conquering that sinne whereto himselfe is a perpetuall vassall and of which hee is euer conquered hee strangeth at him and lookes vpon him as vpon some extraordinarie and miraculous person Indeed sinners are many times so transported with the loue of sinne that as Owles hate the light which they cannot looke vpon so they nourish in themselues euen enmitie against these excellencies which they cannot imitate but then when they are out of their mad and drunken fits when they are themselues when they know what they do and say as in the day of affliction of sicknesse of death they cannot but shew themselues to beare more heartie reuerence and vnfained respect to him whom they haue seene carefull and able to mortifie the deedes of the body then to all the rich and mightie men on earth Brethren you might well saue the cost of hanging your backs with ouer-gorgious attire and making so much adoe to trim vp your bodies the carefull fighting against sin and preuailing against it which will follow fighting would doe you more honestie amongst all your neighbours then all the fine cloathes vnder heauen If thou couldest thrust thy selfe into a garment made all of gold and Diamonds and come garnished also King-like with a Crowne and Scepter the hearts of men would not entertaine thee with so much esteeme as if they see thee as it were god-like in ouercomming the sinnes that ouercome the greatest of the sonnes of men A good name is a precious oyntment and a precious iewell which nothing will get so soone or so surely as goodnesse Wherefore fight against sinne that thou mayest haue honour in the consciences of men and some kind of authoritie and command in them as I may say by vertue of this honour CHAP. IV. Shewing the equitie of the dutie WE haue heard how needfull Thirdly from the equitie of the dutie and profitable mortification is let vs see also how equall it is No neede nor profit should draw vs to that which is vnequall but when equitie is ioyned to profit and necessitie then should the worke be done without further delay Now it is most equall that we kill our sinnes whether we consider God or Christ or our selues or sin it selfe For sinne is Gods enemy First for God Hee is our Soueraigne Lord and King and sinne is his most mortall enemie wherefore it is most equall that wee should fight against it for subiects must oppose the enemies of their Prince with al their power The Scripture tels vs Duet 13.6 7 8 9. that if father or mother or brother or sister or kinswoman or friend should goe about to draw a man from God his hand should be first against them to put them to death Now sinnes of all sorts doe seeke to draw vs from God wherefore our eye must not spare them neither must wee fauour them but wee must bee seuere against them and as it were stone them with stones vntill they bee dead It is a most righteous and equal thing that notorious Rebels and malefactors should bee slaine without pitie and lusts are the grossest of all malefactors which doe most prouoke God and oppose themselues against his honour Therefore if we haue any regard of his honour what should we doe but lay hold vpon them and pursue them to the very death Should we spare or forbeare to kill the foes and aduersaries of the Lord our God were not this to make our selues his enemies also 2. Againe hath not our sin slaine Christ Sinne is a murtherer of Christ and shall not we in an holy reuenge be eager against it to kill it If any man haue slaine our Parent or Brother or Sister or Child we thinke it our dutie to follow after him and persecute against him till we haue brought him to a well-deserued end The next of Kin in the Law was alwayes the auenger of bloud and to him it appertained to hunt after the murtherer to bring vpon his head the innocent bloud that hee had shed If therefore we will shew our selues brethren or sisters of Christ or any thing of Kin vnto him we must euen bee auengers of his bloud vpon sinne for for our sinnes was his bloud shed and these are the things that haue slaine him and for which he made his soule a facrifice A thiefe a traytor a murderer ought in all reason to be executed and euery man will thinke it fit to lend his
of the soule whereby it is apt to coozen it selfe that makes one thinke I will goe where I shall meete with strong prouocations to sinne but yet I will not sinne Now the consent which was secret and as it were implicite before so soone as occasion and tentation haue stirred corruption growes manifest and open and shewes it selfe and so a man sins when he thought but he thought amisse that he was resolued not to sinne Betwixt a resolution to doe a thing whereby the will doth chuse and a resolution not to doe it whereby the will doth refuse there is a middle kind of action an irresolutenesse a suspence neither chusing nor refusing but betwixt both Now this indifferency of the will is halfe a yea and hee that makes halfe a grant when none importunity doth presse him will make a full and totall grant when hee shall be as vpon such occasions hee shall bee importunately vrged and it is sure that a man neuer doth wittingly put himselfe vpon occasions of euill vntill hee bee at least irresolute whether to doe it or not Wherefore euery Christian man must be wise for his soule and not alone determine to forbeare all things that are sinfull and flatly condemned but if hee haue found by his owne experience that such and such things in themselues indeed lawfull are to his corruption strong prouocations to euill hee must also determine to deny himselfe in these things also In one word this direction is so necessary that all the labour in the world will not subdue sinne if it bee not backed with this part of circumspect walking For if the heart be hollow nothing will make it strong against sinne and euery mans heart is so far hollow as he is willing to play with the occasions of sinne CHAP. VIII Shewing two spirituall meanes of Mortification Prayer and Meditation THese are the naturall meanes of mortification which of themselues wil represse sin and a little abridge it of its liberty of walking abroad but kill it of themselues without the spirituall they cannot These spirituall helpes are foure Prayer Meditation Feare of our selues and Watchfulnesse By Prayer wee get strength from God by Meditation we become Gods instruments to worke strength in our selues by Feare and Watchfulnes we put to vse the strength which we haue gotten Frequent and feruent prayer needfull to mortifie sinne First then if we will kill sinne we must be frequent and feruent in prayer vnto God against sinne and what particular sins wee are most molested with and had most need to beate downe those we must assaile most often and earnestly with our prayers Now when I say prayer I meane prayer and all the parts and additaments of it If a man had neuer sinned he should need onely petitions and thankesgiuings but hauing sinned he needs also confession and lamentation to be ioyned with the former as it were buttresses to the wall of the house to make it stand stronger and a staffe to a weake leg to make one goe the more stedfastly So all these parts of prayer must be vsed 2. We must plainly acknowledge and hartily bemone our selues in Gods bosome for our sinfulnesse and wickednesse of heart and life and with all due aggrauations and condemnings of our selues must lay open before the Lord the corruptions and vices that we find in our selues confessing withal that we are weake and feeble and slaues to sinne and of our selues cannot subdue them and so with the heauiest hearts that we can lament our miserable weaknesse Looke what Iehoshaphat did when he heard of the comming of the Lubims and Ethiopians against him and his people the same must we doe when we see the innumerable troupes of corrupt lusts that do seeke the destruction of our soules 2. Chron. 20.12 We haue no might saith that worthy King against this great company that comes against vs neither know we what to doe but our eyes are vpon thee So must the Christian soule sigh out its complaints before the Lord often O I haue no might to ouercome all these strong lusts and by name such and such that fight against mee daily and I cannot tell what to doe but Lord mine eyes are to thee 3. Then must hee take to him petitions and requests begging helpe from heauen crying earnestly for the Spirit of God to helpe him for by the Spirit alone can wee mortifie the deeds of the body vrging and inforcing vpon the diuine Maiesty all his comfortable promises which he hath written in his Word Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for you are not vnder the law but vnder grace Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Rom. 8.2 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath freed me from the law of sinne and death And specially that excellent branch of the new Couenant Heb. 8.10 11. They shall all know me from the least to the most and I will put my law in their hearts and in their minds will I write them and so suing with the greatest feruency of desire that he can attaine say O Lord performe these promises O let no wickednesse haue dominion ouer me O make me sound in thy precepts O incline mine heart vnto thy testimonies and not to such a sinne When God is thus importuned by the cries and prayers of his seruants hee cannot but stirre vp himselfe and come and helpe them and heare the voyce of their prayers when they cry vnto him When Israel felt the oppression of their outward enemies and cryed vnto the Lord as it is often noted in the booke of Iudges the Lord had pity vpon them and raised them vp a Iudge and a deliuerer shall he not bee much more attentiue to the voyce of their supplications when they cry vnto him against pride vain-glory lust wrath and those spirituall enemies that seeke to oppresse them Certainly the Lord will remember and will vp and helpe and set them at liberty whom sinne and Satan had insnared 4. And to the two former must bee added praises and thankes for the helpe already receiued If one finde that hee hath gotten some power against his sinne that hee hath more ability to oppose the lusts of it that hee is seldomer ouertaken with any breaking forth of it then before that he hath been able to withstand some notable tentations to it in a word that the force of it is in any measure abated hee must returne with the praises of God in his mouth and triumph in God that hath helped him so farre against his spirituall foe The Lord deserueth praise and lookes for praise of his Saints for treading downe those lusts that rise against them and it is a seruice very pleasing vnto him when we offer the facrifice of thankes Yea it doth exceedingly animate our selues to this battell if we take notice that wee haue in some degree preuailed and with the voyce of
ioy and thankesgiuing doe runne before the Lord and giue away all the praise from our selues to him There is nothing can more reioyce the spirit of a Christian then this heauenly ioy will doe The ioy of the Lord is our strength Sorrow Nehem. 8.10 when we haue been foyled is no more auaileable to confirme vs against sinne then holy reioycin when we haue stood fast and resisted It is a more signe of selfe-loue to grieue for that we are weake but a greater signe of true loue to God to reioyce in him when hee makes vs strong Wherefore as a godly man if hee finde himselfe any day to haue yeelded to sinfull desires in any sensible degree must humble himselfe and confesse and cry out against himselfe so if he finde that any day he hath not been foyled but hath been able to represse and destroy euill motions especially if hauing occasion or tentation he haue beene strengthened to resist he must then leade his captiuity captiue and at night sing a new song of praise vnto the Lord and euen ride in triumph ouer his corruptions boasting himselfe in God and setting vp his banner in the name of the most High and with as cheerefull a soule as he can offer vp humble and hearty thankes to his heauenly Father that hath made him to doe valiantly The prayers of Gods seruants thus consessing their sinnes crauing power against them blessing God for the beginnings of helpe are weapons so mighty through God that they will wound the strongest corruption and pierce the soule of any lust and whosoeuer will begin and continue thus to resist and pursue his sinnes shall finde them as the Philistims before Samson to fly and fall downe dead before him 5. Holy meditations to mortisie sinne After Prayer or with it holy Meditations must come in both to quicken as also to backe it and amongst all matter of mditation against particular sinnes we must accustome our selues specially to foure generall meditations that are indifferently and equally forcible against euery sinne Of Gods holy nature First of the most holy and pure nature of God how great wise iust true mercifull he is that hee hath an all-seeing eye and an all-hearing eare in euery place beholding the euill and the good and pondering all the pathes of the sonnes of men that hee hateth sinne with a perfect hatred as being contrary to his most holy will and Commandements that he will punish it with most seuere punishment as being the righteous Iudge of all the world who cannot indure iniquity nor will hold the wicked innocent that he is most gracious and louing to the penitent sinner and will spare him as a father doth his child that hee will keepe all his promises and make good all his threatnings with all faithfulnesse and not suffer one tittle of his Word to fall to the ground In a word that he is euery way most holy and most excellent and will reward all that seeke to him and obey him and auenge himselfe vpon all that stubburnely rebell against him and forsake the wayes of his Commandements to walke after their owne crooked deuices and inuentions 2. Secondly Of Gods terrible threats we must often call to mind the most terrible threatnings of God against sinne in generall and specially against that speciall sin which most molesteth vs. Ho much euill God hath denounced against the committers of it and how much woe and miserie it hath brought vpon others and will bring vpon our selues if we take licence to liue in it Wee must consider sinne in the euill effects of it and so conuince our selues of its vilenesse and mischieuousnesse for God hath from Heauen manifested so much wrath against the workers of iniquitie in general and against each particular lust and sinne that men liue in that if we could presse these things vpon our owne soules and cause our hearts stedfastly to beleeue the same wee could not but hate wickednesse and tremble before the Lord and so abate the power of corruption and euen driue our selues out of the euill courses of sinne Wrath and anger tribulation and anguish Rom. 2.8 9. shall be vpon euery soule of man that worketh wickednesse vpon the Iew first and also vpon the Gentiles For these things sake Ephes 5.6 the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience vpon the wicked God will raine snares and tempest fire and brimstone and storme Psal 11.6 that shall be the portion of their cup. Marke 9.46 Their worme neuer dyeth and their fire neuer goeth out their smoke shall ascend for euermore Deut. 27.26 And cursed is euery man that continueth not in the whole Law to fulfill it So horrible so grieuous so intolerable are those things that God hath menaced in his Word against all the sonnes of Belial and all the workers of vnrighteousnesse that whosoeuer will euen bind these things to the tables of his heart and apply them to himselfe by faith shall stand in awe and not sinne and shal find the Iudgements of God so terrible vnto him as that they will beate downe his corruptions and make him to feare and depart from wickednesse for the end of these things is death 3. Of Gods gracious promises Thirdly we must oftē cal to mind the gracious promises that God hath made to those that leaue sin and the admirable comforts that both here and hereafter the God of truth hath vndertaken to reward them withall that for his sake denie themselues and crucifie their sinfull lusts Then shall wee see how vaine and friuolous the pleasures and profits of sinne are and by tasting the fruit of holinesse should bee well inabled to despise the offers of sin What comparison betwixt the good we get by doing euill and the vnspeakeable Ioy of the holy Ghost and the immortal Ioyes of Heauen What made Moses to set light by the honours and delights of Pharaohs Court but that he considered the rebuke of Christ to be greater riches What made Paul to count al dung that he might win Christ but because hee looked to the farre most excellent waight of glorie Wee must not suffer our selues to be forgetfull of the wonderfull benefits which the Lord will bestow vpon vs if in obedience and loue to him wee can be content to cast away our sinfull lusts He that forsaketh any profit or credit or comfort for Christs sake shall bee rewarded an hundred fold The man that refuseth to walk in the paths of the vngodly shall bee blessed vpon earth his soule shall dwell at ease the Lord will deliuer him out of the hands of his enemies God will be a Sun and shield vnto him and no good thing wil he withhold from them that walke vprightly His heart shall delight it selfe in God and he shall see the shining of the louing countenance of his Father His soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and he shall become like a watered garden
the things done nor vpon our owne worth or strength in doing but vpon the Spirit of God and his blessing for successe We must looke vp vnto God for the fruit of all his ordinances and of our labours promising our selues good speed but from God not from our selues In his strength we must be strong performing all the things that hee commandeth in obedience but still acknowledging that without him we can doe nothing The Lords souldiers must make mention of the name of the Lord their God and say Through him we shall doe valiantiy and he will tread downe our enemies vnder our feete Our feete must tread them downe but God must tread them downe with and vnder our feete Therefore the Apostle Ephes 6.10 before he sets downe any part of the Christian Armor begins his directions and makes entrance thus Finally my Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might We must be strong but not in our owne strength we must be powerfull but not in the power of our owne might Rom. 8.11 He that raysed vp Christ from the dead must quicken our mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in vs saith the Apostle This is the most important consideration of all the rest in the point of our spirituall warre to know whence our successe and strength to get successe and all must come that so we may bee full of assurance to preuaile not through the sufficiency that is in vs or the excellencie and prayse-ablenesse of our endeuours but through him that inableth vs. It must bee a power by meere and free Grace created in vs continued in vs renewed in vs by which wee must oppose our selues to these deadly enemies of our saluation Let the Christian bee as full of hope yea assurance as is possible but let him build his hope and assurance without himselfe euen vpon the meere fauour and goodnesse of God that hath promised to fight for vs. The vse of spirituall meanes thus spiritually is the mortifying of the deeds of the body by the Spirit And thus we may say to our selues assuredly as Dauid to that Philistian Champion 1 Sam. 17.45 46 47. I come against thee in the name of the Lord God of Israel and we shal preuaile against you for God will giue you into our hands Thus I haue informed you of the most pertinent things that you ought to know for your better helpe in the worke of mortification the degrees of it the meanes of it and the manner of doing it Now I will make some vse of all and so conclude CHAP. XI Containing the first vse of the point for examination of our selues in regard of the time past how we haue performed this dutie Vse 1 FIrst then To examine our selues whether we haue moritified sinne yea or no. I must make bold to require euery one of you to examine himselfe whether hee hath thus fought against the lusts of his flesh to crucifie them yea or no The Lord hath sounded the Trumpet to battaile and as a Generall hath giuen the signall haue you prepared your selues and been forward to fight like good and valiant souldiers or haue you not When such a point as this concerning our dutie is taught we can neuer apply it with fruit vnto our selues vnlesse wee begin thus to search and inquire into our selues how we haue performed our dutie No sound humiliation no true comfort will arise to the soule from hearing the Word of God vnlesse we consider our owne wayes and rightly informe our selues of our carriage in what sort we haue practised that that God hath enioyned vs. This dutie you see is plainely inioyned many soun reasons doe confirme it many euident texts doe bind our consciences vnto it Gods will is manifest wee should therefore demand of our owne soules Haue I been obedient to these commandements or haue I not Haue I been carefull of doing Gods will or haue I not 2. Many men remaine ignorant of their owne estates and liue in the continual neglect of good duties and yet perceiue not their owne faultinesse because they neuer take paines to look vnto their wayes and to doe that that Dauid saith would clense their wayes euen to take heed vnto them according to the Word of God There be a number which please themselues in a good opinion of themselues and take it for granted that they be good Christians when indeed they are nothing lesse then that for which they doe account themselues and the cause of this mistaking is ignorance and heedlesnesse either they know not what is the dutie of a good Christian or they neuer aske of themselues how they haue discharged that dutie We haue done our best to helpe you against ignorance in this matter and to make you see plainely what you should doe We are now to perswade you to help your selues against carelesnesse by trying your selues at the true touchstone that you may rightly discerne of your owne estates and not bee guilty of negligent omission without knowing it I pray you Brethren what shall it profit your selues to call your selues after the name of Christ if you haue no good assurance that that honourable Name doth of right appertaine vnto you It is easie to clothe ones selfe with the outward habit of true religion and to put on the garments of externall profession of piery but all these must be pulled from vs at last we must be stripped of formes and shew and found to be such as we are indeed and not such as wee haue barely appeared If thou haue carried the name and face of a souldier of Chrit Iesus and yet haue not fought for him according to the militarie oath and Sacrament wherein thou hast tyed thy selfe vnto him he will giue thee no prayse nor no wages for hauing abused his name and his colours and made a faire shew to no purpose 3. Wel then Brethren it is altogether needful as to doe so to know whether wee haue done the part of good souldiers and this wee cannot know aright vnlesse wee doe well consider of our selues The soule of man if farre in loue with it selfe and will soone iustifie it selfe without cause and beguile it selfe with vaine words saying I haue not sinned when he hath sinned and I haue done my dutie when I haue not Saul boasted 1 Sam. 15. that he had gone the way which God had sent him to and done the work which God had set him about and would not be conuinced by the bleating of those Sheepe and lowing of those Oxen that should haue been past bleating and past lowing if hee had done according to his sayings yet hee did but coozen himselfe with a verie false conceite Many a man spareth his lusts and corruptions and they bleate and low in the eares of all men and yet themselues will not heare them so as to bee driuen from a fond conceite of themselues that they bee mortified men indeed We see how easie
it is for a mortall and corrupt man to entertaine a good opinion of himselfe without ground But now let mee bee bold to vse the words of the Apostle in another case let no man deceiue his owne selfe and be not deceiued for God is not mocked How is it then my Brethren Be you mortified men or be you not Know well what this thing is afore you say you are mortified or the contrarie A wanne countenance a look cast downe nicenesse in some externall formes of diuine Seruice a rough censuring of others a busie finding fault with euery man austeritie of carriage and sowre censoriousnesse these are not points of mortification it is the killing of our owne sinnes by the power of the Word of God and Prayer It is to seare our selues and watch ouer our selues with such vigilance till wee haue been able at least to forbeare the practice of grosse faults vsually and the allowance of all it is this I say that is meant by mortification 4. Now let me examine each of your soules in Gods stead What paines hast thou taken and doest thou take against thy secret and most beloued Lusts What Prayers What Meditations What feare What care What watching What abridging of thy selfe What circumspection hast thou vsed to make sinne dye What cost and toyle as it were for without cost and toyle warre can neuer bee maintained hast thou been at in warring against the enemies of God and of thine owne soule Where be thy victories against pride and vaine-glorie against enuie and reuenge against wrath and bitternesse against lust and wantonnesse against worldlinesse and couetousnesse against guile and deceite and the other troope of lusts that doe swarme in the liues of men Shew me some of these sinnes lying dead at thy feete or bleeding and ready to die much mangled and much wounded Where are thy heapes vpon heapes as once Samson said seeing thy weapons are farre sharper then the Iaw-bone of an Asse that hee was driuen to make a weapon of Thou professest to bee a Christian that is to say a fouldier of Iesus Christ our Lord Goe to then if thou wouldest be counted a valiant and a good souldier canst thou say of thy selfe as they sang of Dauid once Saul hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his tenne thousand At least Canst thou bring mee to one Sisera whose head thou hast pierced and made to lye groueling vpon the ground before thee Brethren consider whether you haue done any such spirituall exploit or no and thinke not well of your selues without cause It is not vsing bigge words and making frayes that makes a good souldier but killing the enemies of the Prince What one or more of these mortall foes of God and of thy soule haue lost their liues by thine hands A man may if hee will know whether he haue killed his sins yea or not It is not so ouer-hard to find whether sinne haue receiued its deaths wound by our skilfull and valiant vsing of the spirituall weapons wherewith Christ hath furnished vs or whether it yet doe walke healthily liuely and at libertie within vs. I say this is not so hard a thing to find but that wee may find it if wee will not wittingly beguile our owne selues CHAP. XII Containing the second vse of the point for humiliation of them that haue not performed this dutie at all or not in due measure Vse 1 ANd in the next place The carelesse reproued and humbled so many as haue been negligent in this warfare must suffer themselues to bee reprooued and to bee humbled by reproofe for which purpose you must know that there are two degrees of offending in this matter There are some that haue no care at all to kill sinne but rather striue to saue it from death There are others that haue too little care 2. Among those that goe for good Christians in their owne esteeme there are many that count it enough to keepe themselues from the blame and shame of such crimes as the world condemneth though they neuer warre against the lusts of their heart and the inward corrupt affections of their euill soules and the inordinate motions of their owne minds Alasse this is to take sinne prisoner a little and to keepe it aliue for a ransome this is not to kill it this is far from mortification There are some that content themselues in a few things to walke orderly but for other faults they excuse them and defend them and sooth them and keepe them warme and so fight for sinne and doe not fight against it There bee some that if to ciuill righteousnesse they adde a forme of pietie comming to Church at times appointed receiuing the Sacrament when others doe saying their prayers morning and euening and now and then reading a Chapter in the Bible if I say they doe thus much they count themselues excellent Christians though they neuer did know what it meant to bee in fight against their owne distempered lusts and affections nor euer took any paines in that kind wherein mortification consisteth There are some that if they can outstrip the common sort a little and keepe a course of religious exercises in the families and flocke to heare good Sermons and then bee hot and sharpe against Bishops and Ceremonies and crie out against the faults of the times and blame Magistrates and Ministers and euery mans faults with a great storme of words that then doe count themselues Standerd-Bearers in the Campe of Christians whereas they are not able to shew any sinfull lust and affection mortified in them whereas they neither see nore care to see nor resist the wrath pride enuie bitternes worldlinesse vnmercifulnesse contempt of their brethren and other foule vices wherewith their liues are made to stinke in the nostrils of all that can smell any thing 3. All these my Brethren all these whateuer they may say and dreame of themselues bee vnmortified and voyde of sanctitie And whosoeuer amongst you is such an one we assure him that Christ will neuer acknowledge him for a good seruant nor crowne him as a good souldier Whatsoeuer man he be of what wit and learning soeuer of what tongue and speech soeuer of whatsoeuer forwardnesse in religion otherwise and of whatsoeuer strictnesse in outward matters if the corrupt lusts of his heart lye quiet within him if the foule vices which originall sinne haue planted in him doe liue at peace within his soule and hee neither obserueth nor bewaileth nor subdueth them I dare boldly say that man is but a whited tombe and a painted sepulchre Many men please themselues much because they haue a quarrell to other mens faults but deale blowes as freely that way as thou wilt if thou doe not strike as fiercely at thine owne members thou art no better then Iehu though in thy wrath against others thou shewest as much furie as did Iehu in his marching against Ahab and as much as thou countest it zeale as hee did against Ahabs
must not forestall the following Discourse I hope it will cause the good amongstvs to pitie their Mother and to mourne for her that they themselues may reioyce with her in the fruite of their mourning Now I commit thee to the following leaues and them to thee I would thou wouldest reade them I would thou wouldest consider them I would thou wouldest practise them and so wishing thee a much good sorrow as in other cases thou couldst wish thy selfe ioy I leaue thee to his blessing who will accept thy sorrow and remaine A desirer of thy teares William Whately Feb. 19. 1622. CHARITABLE TEARES c. Psal 119.136 Riuers of water runne downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy Testimonies CHAP. I. Opening the Text and shewing and prouing the doctrine viz. that we ought to lay to heat the sinnes of others THE Prophet of God the Author of this most heauenly Psalem inthis part of it proceedeth in his meditations after this order First he makes way to his petitions by professing his diligent care of Gods Law Vers 129 130 131. Secondly he propounds his petitions for mercy Vers 132. direction 133 deliuerance 134. feeling of Gods fauour 135. Lastly hee concludes his petitions with professing his sorrow for other mens sins in these words And this he puts also for a confirmation of his faith to assure himselfe and as one may say to perswade the Lord that hee should speed inhis suites For it is great reason that God should mercifully guide deliuer and comfort him that doth take so hainously the dishonour done to God by other people Wee haue here then to make the griefe of Dauid set out by the quantitie and cause of it The quantitie is expressed in that hyperbolicall phrase Riuers of waters runne downe mine eyes Whereby is meant that his sorrow was very great and withall comstant in that it did shew it selfe by continuall and abundant streames of teares The cause is in these words Because they keepe not thy Law Not wrongs and persecutions against himselfe but sinne and wickednesse against God did procure his great sorrow or if he wept for the molestations and iniuries offered vnto himselfe yet not so much considered in the nature of iniuries as of sinnes Let me therefore at this time be bold to presse vpon you a most needfull and excellent dutie from the example of this holy man we ought to lay to heart the sins of other men viz. Doct. To lay to heart the sins of other men All the seruants of God should imitate this one seruant of God in the cause course quantitie constancy of his sorrowes and set themselues to mourne heartily earnestly daily for the transgressions of others which their eyes doe see and their eares doe heare It should bee a corroziue to our soules and an anguish to our spirlts to behold and know the dishonour that is done vnto our Maker by the offences of our neighbours Euerie good subiect is troubled to see his fellow subiects prooue Rebels neither can any good and dutifull sonne or daughter behold without sorrow the rudenesse or vndutifulnesse of their brethren or sisters nay a seruant that is louing and obedient to his Master is also sorrie at the heart if his fellow-seruants shew themselues stubburne carelesse and disobedient so should it be with the faithfull subiects dutifull children and obedient seruants of the liuing God their very soules should be filled with anguish and their countenances with sadnesse for the rebellion disobedience wickednes of those amongst whom they liue Not alone our owne offences but those of our brethren also should be as a loade and burden vpon our soules Thus it is reported of Lot 2. Pet. 2.8 that hee vexed his righteous soule from day to day with seeing and hearing their vnlawfull deeds speaking of his behauiour when hee dwelt in Sodom The impurities and vncleannesses of those brutish creatures were euen as a racke vnto his soule and he could not looke vpon their foule and lathsome and yet common and vsuall abominations but that it did euen torture and torment his hart no lesse then a racke would hjaue done his body So when Ezra was informed of the sinne of them Ezra 9.2 3 5 6 c. that had returned out of captiuitie hee sits downe confounded and fasts and weepes and mournes and in the agonie of his soule puls off the haire of his owne beard for griefe and at last breakes foorth into a most lamentable and mournefull confession of that sinne This Prophet also had professed before in the 53. verse of this Psalme saying Horror hath taken hold vpon me because of the wicked which forsake thy Law And Ieremiah professeth to the people that if they would not hearken vnto him to amend their liues according to the Word of God which hee should speake and had spoken then his soule should weepe in secret places for their pride Ier. 13.17 yea his eye should weepe sore and run downe with teares The Apostle Paul likewise hearing of the incestuous Corinths abominable crime and the great conniuency of the Church of Corinth towards him did write a letter vnto them about this matter as himselfe saith 2. Cor. 2.4 out of much affliction and angish of heart and with many teares Lo how bitter to the soule of the holy Apostle the tidings of the Corinthian disorders were He that for scourging stocking imprisonment stoneing and all heau persecutions was scarce euer filled with anguish but rather reioyced in the same and seemed to gather new life by the comming on of new miseries is now exceedingly cast downe and put into bitter weeping and lamentation for the wickednesse committed by one of that Church and by the rest tolerated Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe the best patterne of all holinesse and obedience did looke vpon the Pharises as the Gospell tels vs angerly indeed Mark 3.5 as their peruersenes and wilfulnesse did well deserue but withall mourning for the hardnes of their hearts And it is also obserued of him that comming to Ierusalem he did euen weepe ouer it in great compassion Luk. 19.41 because they had carelestly neglected the day of their visitation You see proofe enough of the point let vs further make it good vnto your soules by cleere and euident reasons to be taken from foure heads First from the graces that ought to be in euery Christian heart which cannot but procure this sorrow Secondly from the nature of sinne which is to be sorrowed for Thirdly from the good effects that will grow from this sorrow And lastly from the euill effects that will follow vpon the want of this sorrow CHAP. II. Containing one reason of the point from the graces which ought to be found in euerie godly man and being found cannot but work this sorrow these are three Loue to God Loue to men Hatred of sinne IT is agreed vpon by all Reasons first from our loue to God that the hearts of Gods
offender then he that doth vtterly forbeare all paines to performe it Now so it is with most of vs I thinke I may say with most of vs wee haue bestowed no paines nor time to digge vp these fountaines of teares we haue not set our thoughts that way nor laboured the matter with our owne hearts to make them grieued and sorrowfull in this behalfe Againe and againe therefore let vs compare our selues with this Prophet and wonder at the difference that he had floods of teares and we haue scarce at all one teare to shed for the breach of Gods Law which is so notoriously broken amongst vs. There is I acknowledge a generation of fault-finding men that make vs farre worse then wee be their sharpe-sighted eyes can see no lawfull Ministry no true Word Church Sacraments nor prayer amongst vs and yet of these captious People and carping Nation that ouerlash so much in accusing there is scarce any that mourneth for the things hee carpeth at for they so spend themselues in false accusing that they haue no leasure to bestow in true bewailing of our sinnes But tho wee may not nor must not acknowledge our selues so bad as they would make vs for a body may liue tho he be sicke and diseased and Iob was a true and liuing man tho couered ouer from head to foote with boyles and Vlcers that his friends knew him not yet neither can wee deny our selues to bee a people very wicked and disordered to whom the Prophets words may fitly bee applied Ah sinfull Nation Ah people laden with wickednesse a corrupt Seede And againe We haue deepely reuolted from the Lord and our sinnes are gone ouer our heads and they reach vp to Heauen And in another sense we may say as he The whole head is sicke the whole heart is heauy from the crowne of the head to the soles of the feete there is little to be seene but wounds and swellings and yet ah yet we lament not those that feare God lament not those that come to Church and loue the Word lament not those that desire otherwise to walke vprightly and conscionably lament not so that it may wel be a question whether most of vs euer read this sentence or heard it read with any consideration and aduisement If the eyes of sinners were only found drie if teares were absent alone from the cheekes of those that work wickednesse it were not much who could expect any thing but stonie hardnesse from stony-hearted men But euen the people of God his owne children that should haue hearts of flesh within them these also haue continued hard in regard of other mens faults and euen forgotten that it is a dutie to make Riuers of waters descend from their eyes because men keep not Gods statutes Now Brethren if this were a fruit of a kind of naturall vnfitnesse to mourne because we were made of a firmer mettle then that sorrow could melt vs we might then lay the blame vpon the body rather then the mind And yet if nature had denied vs teares it hath not denied vs sighs groanes it hath not denied vs the power of sitting in heauines and of making our selues sad and pensiue Though wee could not weepe so plentifully as this Prophet yet we might end our hearts and earne in our bowels and ake within and sigh and grind our very soules to powder which yet alas wee neither doe nor striue to doe As the outward demonstrations of sorrow I meane wet eyes are absent from vs so is also the substance thereof I meane the inward tumbling of the soule vp and downe disquietly the hearts beating it selfe as it were against it selfe and causing it selfe to be pained So then we neither mourne outwardly nor yet inwardly wee neither weepe with our eyes nor grieue with our hearts and what can wee say in our owne defence For certainely brethren it is not the want of aptnesse to weepe that makes vs not to weepe for our eyes are ready enough in other cases and for other matters to yeeld forth euen Riuers of waters Let but an husband or wife or child or friend lye sicke and be ready to die let but fire come and consume some part of our goods let any man but coozen and deceiue vs of some summes of money yea let any friend shew himselfe vnkind and disrespectfull of vs yea let any enemy reproch vs with froward and bitter speeches yea let a Gouernour chide and shent vs as we thinke without our fault or but an equall take vs vp ouer-cuttedly in termes or any almost the least thing befal that wrongs vs in body goods or name O then how we melt like waxe before the fire What flood-gates be our eyes How do teares push themselues forward like a breach of the sea and will not bee stopped Then we cannot speak but we weepe and sob and hardly can speake for weeping O foolish man and vnwise Canst thou haue while and heart to weepe so much for the evuill words spoken against thee for the discourtesies offred vnto thee for the losses and crosses that do befall thee and canst thou not weepe at all for the sinnes committed against God for the thousands and ten thousands of oathes and blasphemies that are darted at his Name for the wofull sacrilege committed against his Church for the ignorance blindnesse hypocrisie profanenes of the multitude and in a word for all the numberlesse abominations that are daily hourely minutely committed amongst vs O heart possessed with selfe-loue and prizing its owne ease and welfare aboue Gods honour and glory and making more account of its self then of its Maker Here now if in any thing we should enlarge our selues in speaking against our selues and in reproouing shaming condemning our selues and this if any thing we should most vehemently presse vpon our selues as an extreme and vnansweerable aggrauation of our hardnesse which by this we know not to be naturall but sinfull Say to thy selfe I came to such a place such a time and found the countenance of my parent brother sister or friend estranged from me and his words and carriages vnlouing towards me It put me in my dumps for a day or two after and made mee water my plants and moysten mine hands and handkerchiefe with teares I went not long after into another place and heard fortie foule oathes and a number of horrible execrations and raylings and one or two drie sighes serued the turne at this wickednesse or scarce so much was done by me to shew my sorrow O Lord O Lord how aboundeth mine heart with ouer-high conceits of my selfe How doe I ouer-value my self and vnder-value thee What to be more troubled at a crosse word or two against my selfe at the denying of some small request at any discourtesie any iniury then at so many oathes lyes curses raylings as I haue heard without trouble I know not whether I should be more ashamed of mine excessiuenes of teares in the one case or my
to say Who can say his heart is free And he shall but deceiue himselfe that saith he hath no sinne CHAP. VII Shewing the naturall meanes of Mortification YOu haue heard how much you must needs do in this matter as also how very much you may doe if you bee not carelesse and slothfull Now let me shew you by what meanes both these degrees must be attained and a godly man must passe forward from the former to the latter The meanes of mortification are of two sorts some naturall some spirituall and both are requisite if wee purpose to kill our lusts the former must make the latter more effectuall and be helpfull to our good successe in them Moderation in things indifferent a meanes of mortifying sin The one is moderation in the vse of naturall delights and contents The other discretion in the shunning of outward occasions of euill though the things in themselues bee not euill 2. For the first hee that is not moderate in things indifferent can neuer preuaile against his lusts to any purpose for at the excesse of these lawfull things doe our naturall corruptions begin to take aduantage and to feed themselues and to gather head He that will hold vnder his lusts therefore and put them to death must bee sparing in meate drinke attire sports and must euen cut himselfe shorter in many of these things then that which he perswadeth himselfe and perhaps also truly that he might lawfully doe euen of purpose to keepe himselfe that hee may not bee brought vnder the power of any thing as the Apostle speaketh We must learne of the Apostle himselfe this meanes for he telleth vs that hee did keepe vnder his body 1. Cor. 6.12 1. Cor. 9. last and bring it in subiection The corruptions of the soule finde great furtherance from the humours of the body as a man doth find from a good and fit toole or instrument we must keep the tooles of sinne dull as I may so speake that sinne it selfe may doe vs lesse harme by its working If the body be still humored and pampered by letting it haue all the ease fine fare gay attire sensuall pleasures and pastimes that it wisheth and that a man can make to appeare lawful and warrantable it will not bee kept in subiection it will not be held in order We are therefore in these thins to call vpon our selues to bee very temperate Be a little more meane in thy garments then thou thinkest it absolutely needfull to be vse a little lesse liberty in games and pastimes then thou conceiuest that in strictnesse of conscience thou oughtest to doe So I say for fare ease sleepe If thou dost not from the vtmost confines of lawfull liberty there is but a small step to the border of vnlawfull delights and soone maist thou be drawn to step that step and when thou hast once transgressed thou shalt finde it hard to come into the right way againe He that goes in a riuer where he knowes that a deepe pit is will not come so close to it as hee may but by keeping himselfe vpon sure ground a good way off will bee sure to saue himselfe from being ouerwhelmed therein It is much more safe in things of this nature to keepe our selues a good deale within compasse then to stand vpon the edge of our liberty as I may so speake By abridging our selues of some thing that we are allowed wee cannot likely receiue any hurt by taking all that is allowed we may soone slip into excesse and well-neere mischiefe our selues and by doing all we may doe so ingage our selues to our affections that they will carry vs away to that wee should not doe Austerenesse is not necessary to mortification moderation is To goe wooll-ward or in haire-cloth is a foolish destroying of the body to go in lesse costly attire then one might is a due keeping vnder of the body To make ones selfe leane and wanne with fasting is to tyrannize ouer ones selfe to fare lesse delicately and eate lesse liberally for the most part then one might is to preuent the aduantages of sinne in the body The hypocrite often doth place all his mortification in being cruel to his body wherfore he keepes no measure this way and because it is a thing much looked after and easily seene it is a fit thing for an hypocrite to beguile both the world and himselfe withall The godly man doth make his abridging of the body a furtherance to the cutting off of his lusts wherefore he is not excessiue in his rigour to his body nor will offer violence to nature but alone deny her that which shee may well spare and scants and mints himselfe in the vse of his liberty not as not knowing it but as knowing how easie it is to abuse it and by abusing to take harme And thus by keeping his body in order hee findes it more easie to keepe the minde in frame also which doth much make vse of and as some thinke follow the temperature of the body And let any man vnder heauen be so wise as to obserue himselfe and he shall finde that vnlesse he deny himselfe some lawfull liberty he shall quickly grow sensuall and sensuality is an enemie to mortification 3. A second naturall meanes of mortification is a careful shunning of the occasions of sin Shunning the occasions of sin necessary to mortification Opportunity of time place company and the like doth greatly incense and prouoke corruption and he that will not for euery man in this matter because it is but naturall can if he will denie himselfe in such things can neuer preuaile against his corruptions He hath not gone yet so farre as nature may goe and how then should he looke to finde the helpe of grace The withdrawing of a mans selfe from these things is a pulling of the fuell from the fire and then it wil surely goe out The aduenturing vpon these things doth blow the coles and administer fuell also and then must sinne of necessity both burne and flame In these occasions the sences haue strong allurements offered vnto them and they be vehement in their workings burying the vnderstanding for a time and captiuating the thoughts to their present pleasing obiects so that a man can thinke of no good thing that may serue to resist bad desires and when the soule is so disarmed how should sinne but preuaile against it He that doth thus hazard himselfe thrusts himselfe out of Gods protection for he walketh not in his owne place therefore he can looke for nothing but ruine Satan assureth himselfe of victorie when hee sees men so carelesse of themselues and so becomes vehement in tempting as hope of successe incourageth euery one to labour and then how soone is a man foyled Indeed the heart hath giuen a secret consent to the desire of euill doing so soone as euer it consents to aduenture vpon the occasions of euill doing and it is but the very guile and dissimulation