The Doctrine of Fasting and Prayer, Sermon 8 – Title page 2
SERMON VIII.
August 2. 1626.
IT followeth now that we proceed to …hew you the signes and notes whereby wee may bee able to discerne whether wee have beene yet rightly humbled for our sinnes, whether that sorrow for sinne, that we have felt in our selves be unfeigned yea or no, whether it be that saving sorrow of Gods elect, unto which all these promises of comfort, and mercy that we have heard of doe belong. And surely it is a matter of great use and necessity to have notes given us out of Gods Word to try our humiliation, and sorrow for sinne by.
First, Because as it is certaine, our sinnes are not pardoned unlesse we have truly repented of them, Act. 5. 31. Christ giveth repentance to Israel, and forgivenesse of sinnes: Soe is it as certaine we never truly repented of our sinnes, if wee have not unfeignedly sorrowed and mourned for them, 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation. Wee must be made (though not equall, yet) conformable to Christ in his death and passion; as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 3. 10. or we shall never reigne with him. This is a faithfull saying, (saith the Apostle, 2 Tim. 2. 11. 12.) if wee …ee dead with him, wee shall also live with him, if we suffer with him, wee shall also reigne with him. And this was a cheif part of his passion wherein we must be conformable unto him. When he suffred for our sinnes, Mat. 26. 37. He began to be sorrowfull, and very heavy, insomuch as he could not containe but must needs acquaint his three Disciples with it, verse 38. Then saith he unto them, my soule is exceeding sorrowfull, even unto death. When he suffred for our sinnes hee wept abundantly as the Apostle saith, Heb. 5. 7. He offred up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares. We cannot sorrow and weepe in that measure as he did for our sinnes, but we must sorrow in our measure as he did, we must be made conformable to him in his passion as you have heard, or wee shall never have part in him. We must either mourne as Peter did with a saving sorrow, Mat. 26. 75. or wee shall mourne as Iudas did with a desperate sorrow, Mat. 27. 3, 5. We must either now in this life mourn for our sinn…s (as we have heard all Gods servants have done) or we shall certainly herafter cry for sorrow of heart, (as the Prophet speaketh, Esa. 65. 14.) and houle for vexation of spirit in Hell where shall bee nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, as our Saviour speaketh, Luk. 13. 28. where their worme never dyeth, and the fire never shall be quenched, Mar. 9. 44.
Secondly, Because men are very apt to bee deceived in this point and to thinke they have beene rightly humbled, and have rightly sorrowed for their sinnes when indeed they have not. We read of the hypocrites expostulation with God, Esa. 58. 3. They had afflicted their soules, and God tooke no knowledge of it, & Zach. 7. 3, 5. They had mourned, and wept in their fasts, and the Lord saith of them they had not done it unto him, they had their owne ends in it. Yea it is certaine many hypocrites doe indeed mourne and are exceedingly humbled sometimes. You know the Lord giveth this testimony of Ahab himselfe that he was humbled, 1 Kings 21. 29. And yet as good never a whit as never the better, their sorrow and humiliation is to no purpose at all, because it is not sound, and sincere.
Thirdly, Because many of Gods children that are indeed true mourners are apt to doubt of themselves and to complaine their hearts are so hard, that they cannot mourne for their sinnes, ô if they had soft, and melting hearts that they could sorrow, that they could weep for sinne they were in an happy case, but (alas) they cannot.
Thus Gods Church, and people complaine unto God, Es…. 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou hardned our heart? Seeing therefore it is as you see (in these three respects) a matter of so great necessity to have a sure direction given us out of Gods Word, how to discerne that humiliation of soule and sorrow for sinne, that is sincere and saving from that that is counterfait, I will give you some principall notes of differences betweene them whereby they may be judged of. And these are to bee referred to foure heads.
The first is from the object of our sorrow and humiliation,Signes of true humiliation. the thing the matter that we are grieved, and humbled for.
The second from the measure, and degree of our sorrow.
The third from the cause that breedeth it in us, and fountaine from whence it floweth.
The fourth and last, from the effects and fruits that proceed from it.
For the first, If we desire to know whether we were ever yet rightly humbled, or whether we doe still remaine in the hardnesse and impenitency of our hearts we must examine what it is that hath troubled us and made us to mourne.
First, He that is truly humbled mourneth for the evill of sinne, rather then for the evill of punishment. It is no ill signe to mourne, and to be humbled under the judgements of God. Nay it is our duty to be so, and a passing ill signe it is of an ungratious heart, not to be affected with the judgements of God, not to be troubled when the Lord sheweth himselfe to be angry with us.
The Prophet complaineth of this as of a great sinne, Ier. 5. 3. O Lord thou hast stricken them and they have not grieved. It is said of Gods people, Ezr. 10. 9. that they trembled because of the great raine. And David, and the Elders of Israel humbled themselves greatly for the plague that God sent upon the land, 2 Sam. 24. 17. And so did Iehoshaphat, when God threatned an invasion, 2 Chron. 20. 3. When the state and government of the Kingdome of Israel, in the dayes of Saul, was so broken and out of order, had so many breaches in it that it did even shake and totter as ready to fall, and come to ruine, as the Prophet complaineth, Psal. 60. 2. Gods people were so troubled with the sensible token of Gods displeasure that they were euen astonished with it, thou hast made us to drinke the wine of astonishment, as the Prophet speaketh, verse 3. And certainly this is a dangerous signe, that our people generally are given up of God to a marvellous hardnesse of heart, that the Lord having by all these tokens of his anger cald us to weeping and to mourning, as the Prophet speaketh, Esa. 22. 12. we have beene generally given to asmuch jollity in these times as ever we were, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you, till you dye, saith the Lord God of Hosts, as it followeth there, verse 14. Yet though it be a good thing to be humbled under Gods judgements, this is not enough to prove our humiliation to bee sound and sincere. Many an hypocrite hath gone so farre. Thus farre Ahab went, ô how he was humbled at the hearing of that fearefull judgement that God threatned by the Prophet to bring upon him and his house? 1 King. 21. 29. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe? Thus farre Iehoram his sonne and as bad a man almost as he went; when a grievous famine was upon the land, he greatly humbled himselfe, for though he were a King, he wore sackcloth, not as his upper garment as the manner was to expresse their humiliation outwardly, but secretly next his skin, 2 King. 6. 30. See how farre an hypocrite may goe in humbling himselfe under Gods judgements. But the true repentant though he is humbled for and can mourne for Gods judgements, yet, that is neither the onelyonly nor the chief cause of his sorrow, his sinnes that have provoked God to those judgements trouble him most. I will declare mine iniquitie (saith David Psal. 38. 18.) and be sory for my sinne. And Ezek. 7. 16. They shall be on the mountaines like the d…ves of the valleyes, all of them mourning, every man for … iniquity. Yea even whē Gods judgements do presse and humble him most, yet …he is more troubled for his sinne, then for the affliction that is upon him, as wee shall see in that prayer of David, Psal. 25. 18. Looke upon my affliction, and my paine, and forgive all my sinnes. And so it is said of Gods people in Ezras time when the Lord by a judgement of immoderate raine had testified his displeasure against them, Ezra. 10. 9 They trembled because of this matter (their sinne in marrying Idolaters) and for the great raine. Their sinne was the chief thing they trembled for.
Let us then examine our sorrow by this first note,Applic. alas, many blesse themselves in this that they have beene much given to sorrow and heavinesse.
1. If sorrow be good (saith many a one) I have had enough of that. Yea upon this they ground their hope that they shall escape the wrath to come because they have endured so much sorrow in this life. I have had my punishment in this life, saith he. Alas poore wretch of all thy sorrowes that thou hast endured, I may say as our Saviour doth in another case Mat. 24. 8. All these are but the beginning of sorrows; worldly sorrowes are but the beginning of hellish sorrowes. The Devils also beleeve and tremble, after this sort, as the Apostle speaketh, Iam. 2. 19. They are troubled exceedingly (more then ever thou couldst be) with the apprehension and sense of the punishment, which they undoubtedly b…leeve is prepared for them.
2. Many of you are oft troubled with sadnesse and heavinesse of heart, and can say as Iob 23. 16. God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me. O that thou couldst turne the streame of thy sorrow the right way from sorrowing for thy affliction to sorrowing for thy sinne. One houre spent in sorrowing for thy sin, will yeeld thee more true comfort, then a thousand spent in sorrowing for thy affliction will doe.
3. And we all now assembled to professe our humiliation for the manifold tokens of Gods anger upon his Church, and this land, must examine the truth of our hearts in this, whether we can aswell mourne for the sinnes of the land, as for the judgements of God that are upon it, and are threatned against it. See a notable example of this in Nehemiah, Chap. 1. when he heard of the great affliction, and reproach Gods people were in at Ierusalem, verse 3. How the wals of Ierusalem were broken downe, and the gates thereof burnt with fire, he sat downe and wept, and mourned certaine dayes, and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven, as he saith, verse 4. But what is it, that most humbled and troubled his heart in this his fast? Surely not so much the judgement whereby God had shewed himselfe to be angry with them, as their sinnes whereby they had made him angry, as you shall see verse 6. 7. and surely the sinnes of the land ought to trouble us more then any of the judgements either persent or imminent (though they bee very great and fearefull.)
For 1. they give us cause to feare far heavier then these be, and God hath said of England as hee said once of the Kingdome of Iuda, Ezek. 21. 27. I will overturne, everturne, overturne it, and it shall be no more.
2. If it were not for the sinnes of the land, these judgements would vanish, or doe us no hurt at all, 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of death is sinne. And of one sinne, the sinne of Idolatry (specially being openly committed, and alas, our land standeth guilty of that and of many more) it is said, Exod. 32. 25. Moses saw (though every blind foole could not see it) that the people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked to their shame before their enemies. Alas, the sinnes of the land make us naked to our enemies abroad, and to our treacherous, and bloudy Papists at home; do what we can to defend and arme our selves, till our sinnes be repented of, till they be removed we shall be found to be a naked people. We cannot stand before our enemies, till the accursed thing (till Ach…n) betaken away, Iosh. 7. 13. and alas, we have many Achans amongst us. So many of you therefore as have hearts that can mourne, that can be humbled, mourne for the sinnes of the land, and by the first note approve unto God and to your owne hearts the truth of your humiliation that you professe this day. And so much for the first note.
Secondly, He that is truly humbled mourneth for sinne, not so much in respect to himselfe, of the hurt, and danger that his sinne bringeth upon himselfe, as in respect to God, because he is offended and dishonoured by his sinne. Saving sorrow is therefore called, 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow, foreign sorrow that respecteth God, and is opposed to worldly sorrow that respecteth onelyonly the crosses and miseries that sinne maketh us subject unto.
I graunt, 1. It is not unlawfull to bee troubled for sinne, even out of respect to the punishment, and misery that it will bring upon us. As a man may have respect to this in his feare that keepeth him from committing sinne; so may he also in his sorrow for it, after it is committed. Iob giveth this for a reason why he durst not sinne. For destruction from God (saith he, Iob 31. 23.) was a terrour to me. And so doth Paul. 2 Cor. 5. 11. Knowing therefore the terrours of the Lord, we persuade men.
2. Sound and saving humiliation for sinne useth to begin in this legall compunction and terror, which hath respect onelyonly to the misery that sinne bringeth us to. And not one of an hundred doe ever come to mourne for sinne in respect to God, till they have first learned to mourne for sinne in respect to themselves: this prepareth, maketh way for, and draweth in the other, as the prick of the needle doth the threed. So it is said of those three thousand that were converted by Peter, Act. 2. 37. that they were (first) pricked in their hearts, that is with this legall sorrow and feare. But though this bee a lawfull and good thing to mourne, and be troubled for sinne, even in respect of the misery it maketh us obnoxious unto, yet is not this sufficient to prove our humiliation and sorrow for sinne to be sound and sincere, for many an hypocrite hath gone so farre, they have beene greatly humbled and troubled for their sinnes. O how Pharaoh complained and cried out of his sinne, Exod. 9. 27. He saith to Moses and Aaron, I have sinned, the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked. And so did Iudas, Mat. 27. 3. 4. He repented himselfe, & cryed out, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood. Did not these men mourne for their sinnes thinke you? Yes that they did, but it was not out of any respect to God whom they had offended, but onelyonly out of respect to themselves and the hurt they had done themselves thereby, as appeareth plainly in their stories.
Now the true repentant though he be humbled for his sinne in respect to himselfe, and the danger and hurt that he feareth his sinne will doe him, yet he resteth not there, but he is also humbled for his sinne in respect to God; and chiefly because he hath offended and dishonoured God by his sinne. This was that that troubled David most, Psal. 51. 4. Against thee, thee onelyonly have I sinned. When God had threatned heavy things against him by God he cryeth (not as Pharaoh, Exod. 10. 17. Take away from mee this death only but as) 2. Sam. 24. 10. I beseech thee ô Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant. Yea he was well content to beare that punishment, so his sinne might be pardoned that he might have Gods favour verse 17. Let thy hand I pray thee be against me, and my fathers house. The punishment that his sinne hath brought or is like to bring upon him troubleth the true penitent nothing so much as the offending of God and losse of his favour, Hee lamenteth after the Lord, as it is said, Gods people did, 1 Sam. 7. 2. And as he mourneth for his sinne in respect to God more then to the punishment of his sinne, so doth hee joy and take more comfort in the assurance of the pardon of his sinne, then in deliverance from any judgement whatsoever. This is the thing that David gloried in Psal. 32. 5. Thou forgavest (not the punishment as the old translation reads, but) the iniquity of my sinne.
O let us examine our selves by this second noteApplic. whether we have sorrowed for oursinnes in respect unto God, or to our selves onelyonly. Thy sinnes doe trouble thee because thou knowest they deserve hell and damnation, thou knowest they deserve Gods curse in thy children, in thy estate, in every thing thou takest in hand. Thou dost well in this, but if this be the onelyonly thing, or the chief thing that maketh thy sinne such a burden to thy heart, thou hast not yet repented aright. When those that heard Peter were pricked in their hearts with these legall sorrowes, and asked him what they should doe to come to comfort, he bad them repent, Act. 2. 37. 38. As if he had said, This is a good preparative, but this is not repentance.
This is a chief note of sincerity in every grace, and so in this, when we doe that that God requireth, when we mourne for our sinnes in respect unto God, and not to our selves. Thus God upbraideth the hypocrites, Zac. 7. 5. When yee fasted and mourned, did yee it at all to mee, even to mee? Rom. 14. 6. He that regardeth a day, regardeth it unto the Lord. I will give you therefore three other notes to try this by whether your sorrow for sinne be in respect to the Lord because you have offended, and dishonoured him, or noe.
First, Then your sinnes will trouble you aswell in the days of health, and prosperity as in sicknes, and affliction, else you doe no more then an hypocrite may doe. For it is said of the wicked Israelites, Psal. 78. 34. When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and enquired early after God.
Secondly, Then you will be troubled for one sinne aswell as for another, for every thing you know to be a sinne, for God is offended and dishonoured by one aswell as by another. Whosoever shall keepe the whole Law (saith the Apostle, Iam. 2. 10.) and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. I doe not say we should be troubled so much for one sinne as for another, for God in his Law hath put a difference betweene sinnes; and as some dutyes that God requireth of us, so some sinnes are weightier then others (Mat. 23. 23. Iudgement, Mercy, and Fidelity are called by our Saviour the weightier matters of the Law) and it is made there the note of an hypocrite to be more troubled for small sinnes then for great, Matthew 23. 24. to straine at a gnat, and swallow a camell.
But this is also certaine that he that is troubled for sinne, because it is sinne in resepect unto God because he is offended and dishonoured by it, will be troubled for one sinne aswell as for another. So we shall find David was humbled, not for his adultery and murder onelyonly, but for all his sinnes, Psal. 51. 9. Hide thy face from my sinnes; and blot out all mine iniquities.
The Apostle speaking of the loose performing of spirituall duties, of coming to the sacrament without due preparation saith, we must judge our selves even for that, 1 Cor. 11. 31. And saith that even for this sinne God strucke many with sicknesse and mortality, because they would not judge themselves for such sins God did judge them, 1 Cor. 11. 30. Davids heart smote him even for cutting of the lap of Sauls garment, 1 Sam. 24. 5. When Saul counted the sparing of Agag, and of the fattest of the cattell (specially for sacrifice) but a matter of nothing, Samuel telleth him, disobedience to God is as bad as witchcraft and idolatry, 1 Sam. 15. 23. O therefore know thou art not troubled for any sinne in respect to God, if thy very unprofitablenes, idlenesse, peevishnesse, unconstancy, playing fast and loose with God, do not trouble thee.
Yea the man whose heart is truly humbled for sin is conscious of the sinfull depravation of his nature, and is humbled for that (which is the root) asmuch (if not much more) then for his actuall sinnes which are the fruits of it. All sins that defile a man, come from within from this fountaine, Mar. 7. 23. David was humbled for this, Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me. And so Paul though he had lived a most innocent life even before his calling to Christ, Phil. 3. 6. Yet see how he was troubled even for this, Rom. 7. 14, 24.
Thirdly, If you be humbled for your sinne out of respect to God, because God is offended, and dishonoured by it then will you be able to mourne for the sins of other men, for God is aswel offended and dishonoured by them as by your own. 1. I shewed you before that the man that is truly hūbled for the Iudgments of God upon this land, will mourne more for the sinnes of the land, then for the Iudgements themselves. So must we, 2. bee able to mourne for the sinnes of the places, and townes we dwell in, specially if they be of note for religion. This is prescribed as a duty, 1 Cor. 5. 2. Ye should have mourned, that he that hath done this deed, might be taken away. This is commended by the Holy Gost as a great vertue and grace in Lot, 2 Pet. 2. 8. that in seeing and hearing, hee vexed his righteous soule from day to day, with the unlawfull deeds of the Sodomites. This hath a great promise of speciall protection in the dayes of common calamity. Goe through the midst of the City, through the midst of Ierusalem (saith the Lord to the man clothed in linen with the writers inkhorne by his side, Ezek. 9. 4.) and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 3. For the sins especially of our owne families, for they should trouble us most; Nehemiah in his fast complained chiefly of his owne, and of the sinnes of his fathers house, Neh. 16. And it is said that when God should poure the spirit of grace and of supplications upon his people, they should mourn every family apart, Zac. 12 12. And Iob evē out of the feare that his sons in their feasting might have sinned, offred burnt offrings (which were alwayes accompanied with profession of humiliation) for them, Iob 1. 5.
Certainly he that careth not how much lewdnes there bee in the towne where he liveth,Applic. nor in his owne family, and that is not unfainedly troubled for it nor endeavoureth to reforme it, was never yet rightly humbled for any sinne of his owne.
FINIS.
A SERMON PREACHED IN Ashby-Chappell, Oct. 4. 1629.
BY ARTH. HILDERSAM.
LONDON, Printed by George Miller, for Edward Brewster. 1633.