Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 6 · Verse 16
vers. 16.
Moreouer, when ye fast, looke not sowre as the hypocrites: for they disfigure their faces, that they might seeme vntounto men to fast. Verely I say vntounto you that they hauehave their reward.
Our Sauiour Christ, hauing rectified the abuses in Almes-giuing,Of Fasting. and in praier, doth here come to a third Christian dutie, namely, fasting: wherein as in the former, first he seeks to reforme abuses, and then prescribes the true manner thereof. But before we come to these particularly, I will in generall handle the doctrine of fasting, for the better vnderstanding of this text, and exercise of this dutie. And first we must know, that Christ here speakes not of a ciuill fast, appointed by magistrates in their dominions for ciuill respects; but of a religious fast, respecting the worship of God: which appeares by this, that he ioyneth the doctrine of fasting to the doctrine of praier, which is a speciall part of Gods holy worship.
Now touching a religious fast, I will here handle sixe points. First,Of a religious fast sixe points. what kinde of worke a fast is. The Scripture speakes of two kinde of workes: some commanded of God; others left indifferent. Workes 1commanded, be good works, and parts of Gods seruice, because he commandethWhat kind of worke fasting is. them, as praier, thanksgiuing, Almes-deedes, &c. Workes indifferent, be in themselues neither good nor euill, because they be neither commanded of God, nor forbidden; as to eate, drinke, buie, sell, &c. And to this kind of works must we referte fasting: for it is not simply commanded of God, and so no part of his worship in it selfe, more then eating is. And yet consider fasting in it circumstances; to wit, as a meanes to further and to testifie our humiliation in repentance, and our zeale in praier, and so it is a good worke: for in that vse, and to that ende God commandeth it, and it is a part of his worship. If it be saide, there is no commandement for it in the new Testament: I answer, if we consider itHow fasting is commanded in the new Testament. in the forenamed vse and ende, there is: for the same commandement that inioyneth praier, and humiliation, inioyneth fasting; because it is a meanes to further them both: for eueryevery commandement includeth all necessarie furtherances to the maine dutie. Againe, we hauehave in the new Testament examples of ordinarie fasting, which are without all exception, in our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles, with the occasions thereof set downe whereupon they fasted. Now this is a rule in Diuinitie, thatHow examples are a rule. the ordinarie examples of the godly approoued in Scripture beeing against no generall precept, hauehave the force of a general rule, and are to be followed.
II. Point. How a religious fast is to be performed. In a religious fastIn performing a religious fast 3. things. three things are required. First, Abstinence from meate and drinke for one day, at least til the euening: for abstinence from morning till noone is no fast. When Hester required the Iewes to fast for her, shee forbids1 themaHest. 4. 16. to eate, or drinke, during the fast. And when Dauid fasted and praied for his child begotten in adulterie, he wouldb2. Sam. 12. 16. 17. 20. eate nothing till he had ended his humiliation perceiuing that the child was dead. This is a thing graunted by all Protestants. And the very names of fasting vsed in the old and new Testament, import a totall abstinence for that time: which must be obserued, to discouer the absurditie of Popish fasts, wherein they allow men to drinke oft if they will, and eate also, soTollet. Instr. Sacerd. l. 6. c. 2. it be not flesh: but in fasting, abstinence must be vsed from all meat and drinke so farre as health and strength will suffer. Secondly, Abstinence from all delights of nature, whereby the outward man may be cheered and refreshed, as musicke, sweete smells, soft apparell, recreations, and such like. This Daniel obserued for three weekes of daies; I ate (saith cDan. 10. 3.he) no pleasant bread, neither came flesh or wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint my selfe at all: and the like may we see in many examples of the old Testament. They cast dIob 2. 1….dust and ashes vponupon their heads, in stead of anointing themselues with oyle: and for soft apparell, they put on eNehe. 9. 1.sackcloath next their skin: they f2. Sam. 12. 16. Ioel. 1. 13.waked when they should hauehave slept; and lay vponupon the ground in stead of beds: the gIoel. 2. 16.bridegroome went out of his chamber, and the bride out of her bride-chamber: for mirth there was mourning; and hIoel. 1. 11. 13.howling in stead of singing. Thirdly, a man must humble and afflict his bodie in fasting; and therefore must be sparing in his diet and delights before the day of fasting: for a man may so pamper and full himselfe, that he shal not neede to eate or drinke for one whole day; but such persons fast not: the time of our fast must be a iLev. 16. 29.time of humiliation: men must afflict themselues therein, as kEzr. …. 21.Ezra saith: they must beate downe the bodie, and bring it into subiection, as l1. Cor. 9. 17.Paul did: for though Ahabs fasting was but outward, yet thus he humbled himselfe before the Lord, 1. king. 21. 27. 29. Gods children therefore must see in their religious fasts, that their bodies be humbled with their soules. Here indeede care must be had, that in humbling our bodies we destroy not nature, or so weaken our strength that we difable our selues to serue God in our callings afterward; such afflicting of the bodie the Apostle disaloweth, Coloss. 2. 23.
III. Point. Touching the right ends of a religious fast: which beThe ends of a religious fast. foure especially. I. To be a spurre and prouocation to true humiliation and repentance: for this cause the mIon. 3. 7.Ninevites did not onelyonly fast thēselues; 1but caused their beasts to be without food & water, that by hearing their lowing and bleating for meat, they might more deeply be humbled by the consideration of the desert of their owne sinnes, and so more vnfainedly repent. This stands with good reason: for a mans abasing and pinching of his bodie, shewes him his vnworthinesse of the comforts of Gods creatures by reason of his sinnes; it leades him to see his desert of Gods wrath by reason of his transgressions, and so his heart is more deepely stricken with conscience of his owne sinnes: whereupon he doth more freely confesse them vntounto God, and more carefully turne from them afterward. II. A religious fast serues for an2 outward testimonie and profession of our humiliation and repentance: for by our abstinence from the delights of nature, and the comforts of the creatures, we solemnly professe our vnworthines thereof, and of all Gods blessings: for this the Lord bids, proclaime a fast, when he wouldIo l 1. 1…. hauehave his people to testifie their humiliation. III. It serues to subdue3 the flesh, and the corruption of nature: this end is necessarie, for the soule worketh by the bodie, the inclination of the affections is greatly swaied by the bodily constitution, and the soule is stained with many sinnes, by reason of the distemper of the bodie. But yet this ende is not so generall as the two former: for there bee two sorts of men in Gods Church; some of so weake a constitution of body, that their ordinarie sobrietie and temperance in diet, doth sufficiently subdue the rebellion of their flesh; now these neede not to fast for this end: others there be, whom ordinarie temperance and sobrietie will not serue to tame the rebellion of their flesh, and these are they that must vse religious fasting, for the subduing of the flesh to the spirit, besides their ordinarie moderation in diet. IV. Fasting serues to prepare vsus vntounto praier, and4 to further vsus therein; for first it causeth watchfulnesse, & cuts off drowsinesse, and so makes a man the more liuely and fresh in prayer: wherevpon our Sauiour often ioynes these together, n…ar. 13. 33Watch and pray. Secondly, it makes vsus feele our wants and miseries, and so brings vsus to some conscience of our sinnes; whereupon the heart is more deepely humbled, and so stirred vp more feruently to call for merciemercy: and for this cause the Scripture many times ioynes prayer and fasting together.
IV. Point. The causes or occasions of a religious fast, which mayThe causes of a religious fast. iustly mooue vsus thereunto: and they be seauen. First, when we our selues1 hauehave fallen into any grieuous sinne or sinnes, whereof our conscience accuseth vsus, and whereby we procure the wrath of God against vsus; then to resonne our selues, and to escape the wrath of God, we had neede to giuegive our selues to prayer and fasting: 1. Sam. 7. 6. The Israelites hauing fallen to Idolairie, put away their strange gods, and turne vntounto the Lord with weeping and fasting: and when they kept the feast of Expiation, which was a type of their forgiuenes by the Messias, then they humbled themselues in fasting before the Lord, Leuit. 16. 29. Secondly, when2 some among vsus fall into any grieuous sinne, though wee our selues bee cleare from it, yet then wee must fast, because for the sinnes of others, Gods iudgements may iustly fall vponupon vsus. Hence it was that Paul blames the Corinthians, o1. Cor. 5. ….because they sorrowed not for the sinne of incest committed among them. And in this regard, eueryevery godly person ought to humble himselfe, because of the grieuous sinnes of Atheisme, blasphemie, oppression, &c. which abound among vsus. Thirdly, when the hand of God in any iudgement lies vponupon vsus: so did the pIudg. 20. 16.Israelites,3 when they fell in battell before the Beniamites: and so ought we to doe for many iudgements of God that hauehave laien long vponupon vsus. Fourthly, 4when the hand of God in any fearefull iudgement lies heauie on others, among whom we liue, though we our selues be freo: in this case Dauid oft times humbled himselfe, not onelyonly when his child gotten in adulterie was sicke, 2. Sam. 12. 16. but euen when his enemies were sicke he fasted, Psal. 35. 13. Fiftly, when Gods iudgements are imminent, &5 as it were hang ouer our heads: so did I…hosaphat q2. Chro. 20 1, 3.when his enemies came against his countrie: and in this regard we ought to humble our selues, for the professed enemies of Gods grace, are daiely plotting our6 subuersion. Sixtly, when we stand in need of some needfull blessing of God, especially such as concerne saluation▪ thus rAct. 10. 30.Cornesius besought the Lord in prayer and fasting, when he desired true resolution concerning the Messias; and so ought we to doe, to get assurance of our recō ciliation with God, in the pardon of our sinnes. Seauenthly, for Gods7 blessing and good successe vponupon the ministerie of the Gospel; so did the Church for Paul and Barnabas, when they sent them to preach, Act. 13. 3. and so ought we to doe at this day. These be the iust occasions of fasting mentioned in the word, whereto wee may referre the rest: and when any of these befall particular persons, families, congregations, cities, countries, or kingdomes, then they ought to humble themselues in fasting, before the Lord▪
U. Point. The time of a religious fast: this now is free in regard ofThe time of a religious fast. conscience. Indeede in the old sLeu. 16. 29.testament, they had a set time of fasting, to wit, the tenth day of the seanenth monethmonth: but in the newe testament, there is no set time which bindes the conscience; onelyonly men must fast as iust occasion is offered. If it be said, that diuers reformed Churches hauehave set times of fasting: I answer, those fasts are set for orders sake, and not to binde conscience, and they are ciuill fasts and not religious, for the Church may al…er them at her pleasure. The time of a religious fast, is the time of mourning, which is vncertaine vntounto any Church, and therefore the time thereof cannot be set; which must bee marked, because the church of Rome doth herein erre, in that they bindBellarm de bon. oper. in partic. l. 1. c. 7 mens consciences to their set times of religious fasts. Tollet. instr. Sacerd. l. 6. c. ….
UI. Point. The kinds of a religious fast: and they are two; priuateThe kinds of a religious fast. and publike. A priuate fast, is that which is performed priuately, either by one man alone, for some of the forenamed occasions peculiar to to himselfe, as Cornelius did (Act. 10. 33.) when he desired to know the true Messiss; or by a priuate familie, vponupon peculiar causes mouing them thereto, and so did Hester fast with her maides, Hester, 4. 16. This fast was foretold by Zac. 1…. 12.Zacharie, The land shall bewaile, eueryevery familie apart, the familie of the house of Dauid apart, and their wines apart, &c. A publike fass, is that which is performed publikely, by diuers families assembling, in one or in many congregations: and this publike fast is appointed partly by the Church, & partly by the Magistrate: the Ioel 1. 14.Church must iudge of the time and occasion thereof; and the Ionah. 3. 7. 2. C…ro. 20. 3.Magistrate must authorize and proclaime it. Againe, a religious fast may be distinguished otherwaies, in respect of the time of continuance, and manner of abstinence therin: for sometime a religious fast is onelyonly from one meale for one day, as Iudg. 20. 26. sometime it is from one meale for many daies together, as 1. Sam. 31. 13. they fasted seauen daies together for Saul and Ionathan; abstaining from their dinners, and taking some refreshing in the euening: and so Daniel fasted for three weekes of daies, that is, each day from morning till night, Dan. 10. 3. And sometime it is from all kinde of sustenance for many daies together; so Hester and her maides fasted three daies, Hest. 4. 16. Now the two former may be vsed of vsus as occasion serueth; but this last is very dangerous; for it is not with vsus in this regard, as it was with the Iewes; they liued in hot countries, and so had colde stomacks, by reason whereof they might fast three daies without any great inconuenience: but wee that liue in colder clymates, hauehave hotter stomacks, and so hauehave neede of more and oftener refreshing then they had; neither can we fast so long without endangering life or health: now fasting must bee to humble and afflict the body, but not to destroy it.
Thus much of fasting in generall: now I come to Christs doctrine of fasting here propounded. And first, of his reformation of the abuses thereof then vsed among the Iewes: When ye fast looke not as the hypocrites, &c. Quest. How doth this agree with the commandement of God, Ioel. 1. 13, 14. where hee bids them howle and crie in their fast, which cannot be without a mournfull countenance; and indeede in a true fast rightly celebrated, the sorrow of the heart must needes be testified by some conuenient signes and gesture in the bodie. Ans. Christ doth not here simply condemne a sorrowfull countenance in fasting, when as iust occasion of sorrow therein is offered; for y…. 2. 2Nehemiah looked sad: but onelyonly the hypocrisie of the Pharisies, who when they fasted had a sad countenance, without a sorrowfull heart; for all their heauie lookes, they had no broken spirits: this therefore Christ saith, carrie not a sad and heauie looke, when thou hast no sorrowfull mourning heart; mind not thy outward countenance, in respect of thy heart and conscience. For they disfigure their faces, &c. This also may seeme not blame-worthie, for Gods children hauehave in their fasts diuers waies disfigured their faces, and beene approoued: Ezra yEzra 9. ….pluckt off the haire of his head and of his beard: and zIo…h. 7. ….Ioshuah and the Israelites fell to the ground vponupon their face, and put dust vponupon their heads, which could not but disfigure their faces. Answ. The Pharisies are blamed for disfiguring their faces, in diuers respects, and that iustly; for first, this was the chiefe and onelyonly thing they looked to in their fasts, euen the outward shewe thereof, which God hateth. Againe, the word translated disfigure, foreignsignifieth the very abolishing of their fauour and visage, which is farre more then the auncient Iewes euer vsed to doe; they indeed humbled their bodies, and testified their sorrow, which God approoued: but they sought not to deforme their naturall complexion, they pined not themselues to make their faces pale, that so men might the better take notice of their much fasting, as these Pharisies did: and such were they in Pauls time, who spared not their bodies, Colos. 2. 23. Thus much for the meaning.
The words thus explaned containe two parts; a commandement, & a reason thereof. The commandement forbiddeth …ained mourning in fasting, Looke not as the hypocrites: as if he should say, The hypocritical Scribes and Pharisies when they fast, make an outward shewe of contrition and sorrow, when as indeed their hearts are no whit humbled; but you shall not doe so. The reason of the former prohibition is drawne from the practise of hypocrites, which is set out by the ende and fruite thereof: their practise is to disfigure their faces, therein is all their sorrow: their end is ostentation, that they might be seene vntounto men to fast. And the fruit is answerable, verely I say vntounto you they hauehave their reward: that is, reputation and praise of men. Thus then we see that Christ cō demnes not religious fasting, nor godly sorrow therein, no nor yet the seemely signes of godly sorrow; but onelyonly hypocriticall fasting, when men hauehave mournfull lookes, without humble and contrite hearts.
The Vses. 1. Here obserue the practise of these Scribes and Pharisies in Christs time: they did not only fast often, aLuk 18. 12.as twice a weeke, but they were carefull in obseruing all outward rytes and signes pertaining to a religious fast: yet as in the two former duties of Almes-deeds, & Praier, so in this, the principal thing is wanting; that is, truth & sincerity of heart; for their sowre looks came not frō sorrowful hearts: they were whole and righteous in their own conceit, and so needed not the Phisition. Christ Iesus, nor amendment of life. Now in them we may see a true patterne of the propertie of naturall men in matters of religion,Mans behauiour naturally in matters of religion. they more busie thēselues about the outward worke, then inward truth; they content themselues with outward rytes and ceremonies, and little regard the true worship of the heart. See this in b1. Kin. 21. 27Ahab, who humbled himselfe outwardly in great measure, for feare of punishment, but hee contented himselfe therewith, and neuer came to true humiliation of heart, in sorrow for sinne, for he continued still in his old sinnes: and the Israelites, both in the wildernesse, and in the land of Canaan, when God afflicted them, would humble themselues and seeke his fauour; but yet not in constant sinceritie and truth, for as Dauid cPs. 78. 34, 36▪ 37.saith, They flattered him with their mouth:—for their heart was not vpright with him: they performed the outward ceremonies, and dIsa…, 29. 13so drew neere to God with their lips, but their heart was farre from him. And thus it goeth generally with naturall men: the whole religion of the Papists stands in outward ceremoniall actions, partly Iewish and partly heathenish; and when they hauehave obserued them, they looke no further. And so it fareth with many among vsus, that professe true religion; for the… sorts cor…n religion. ignorant sort (which are very many eueryevery where) content themselues with the outward actions of religion; as comming to Church, hearing1 the word read, and sometime preached, and receiuing the Sacrament, once or twice a yere; and when the worke is done (though without vnderstanding) yet all is well, they thinke God is serued wel enough. Yea2 many that hauehave knowledge, doe yet rest in the outward actions of religion; for doe not some esteeme the conscionable endeauour of morall obedience to be but precisenesse? and so though they beare some shew of religion, yet they reproach the power of it in others. And another3 sort doe onelyonly so farre forth maintaine and professe religion, as it standeth with the good of their outward estate, and their peaceable fruition of wealth, honour, and delights, and so make a policie of religion and pietie. But let all these take heed vntounto their soules, and betime repent, for these practises make them hypocrites in religion, whose end will be damnation; and therefore bring thy heart to God, with thy outward worship, and content not thy selfe with the shew of godlinesse, but get the power of it, and shew it in thy conuersation; and embrace religion for it selfe, and not for the world.
Secondly, is the Pharisies fasting condemned of Christ, because they rested in the outward worke, and did it in ostentation, for the praise ofPopish fasting …s abhominable▪ Reasons. 1. men? then doubtlesse Popish fasting is abhominable, because it aboundeth with more abuses: for I. In their religious fasts, they allow one meale, so it be not flesh; and besides that, drinking of any kind of wines, or drinkes, taking of electuaries, and strong waters, conserues, and suchAquin. 2. 2. …. 147. a…t. 6. 8. Nau…r. c. 2…. n. 13, 14, 15. like, at any time of the day; which is a mock-fast, and nothing else. II. They make distinction of meates necessarie to a fast, and that not2 for ciuill endes, as Magistrates may doe; or for temperance sake, as priuateBellar. de bon. oper. in partic. l. 2. c. 5. & 7. men may doe: but for conscience sake, which is a doctrine of deuils, as the c1. Tim. 4 ….Apostle saith. III. They binde men in conscience to many set daies of fasting, and make the omission thereof a deadly sinne; wherein they take away our Christian libertie: for there was no want3 Tollet. instr. Saccr. l. 6. c. ….of care in our Sauiour Christ, to appoint all good meanes for the mortifying of the flesh, and yet he prescribed no set fasts in the new Testament. IV. They make fasting meritorious, teaching, that a man therby4 Tollet. instr. Saccr. l. 6. c. 2.may satisfie Gods iustice; whereby they doe blasphemously der… gate from the al-sufficiencie of Christs obedience and passion. Now …ith they hauehave thus defaced religious fasting, let vsus learne by Christs command, not to fast as the Papists doe.
Thirdly, Christ saying to his Disciples, when ye fast, takes it for granted,Christ requires fasting on iust occasion. that sometimes they fasted, and so ought to doe: & here he blames the Pharisies, not for fasting simply, but for their hypocrisie therein: whereby wee see, that Christ requires of all the godly, that when iust occasion is offered, they should fast, either publikely, or in priuate. And if Christ blame the Pharisies for their bad manner of fasting, then much more wil he blame them that fast not at all, though neuer so iust occasion be giuen vntounto them; for in this case it is not a thing indifferent, but necessarie, for the want whereof, God doth many times renue and increase his iudgements, as wee may see, I say 22. 12, 13, 14. Wherefore toMoti…es to fasting. mooue our hearts hereunto, let vsus consider these reasons: First, wee1 hauehave here in the worthy president of most holy men in time past, who carefully performed this dutie, when occasion was offered; as Dauid, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, our Sauiour Christ, and his Apostles, especially f2. Cor. 11. 27.Paul, who fasted often: now their examples must bee a cloud of witnesses vntounto vsus, for we come farre short of them in many graces of God, and in obedience, and therefore had more neede to humble our selues. Secondly, wee hauehave among vsus continuall occasions of fasting, both in2 Occasions of fasting.publike, and priuate: as I. Gods iudgements present; for when hauehave we beene free from some one of these, either famine, or pestilence, or1 vnseasonable weather? II. Gods iudgements imminent and hanging2 ouer our heads; for our professed enemies watch for our subuersion, and we are in danger to hauehave the kingdome of heauen taken from vsus, in the power of the Gospel, the comfort of praier, and of the Sacraments, because wee doe not bring forth the fruites thereof. III. We hauehave our owne corrupt natures to subdue, and many sinnes to breake off, with3 particular iudgements vponupon our selues to remooue; for any one whereof4 we hauehave great neede to fast often. IV. Though wee had no such cause in regard of our selues, yet the horrible sinnes that abound in our land, are cause sufficient to bring vsus on our knees. Paul c2. Cor. 12. 2….feared hee should be humbled at Corinth, in bewailing many that had sinned: and shall not the common Atheisme, the contempt of Gods word and iudgements, the blasphemies, oppression, and fearefull securitie of this age cause vsus to waile and mourne? V. We should oft humble our5 selues for the Church of God; and for the continuance of the Gospell in sinceritie among vsus, and to our posteritie: hereby wee shall best expresse zeale for Gods house, which should …te vsus vp, as it is said of dIoh. 2. 17.Christ, and of ePsa. 69 10.Dauid: Gods Ierusalem should be our fPsa. 137. 6.chiefe ioy: and we must testifie it by gPsa. 122. 6.praying for the peace thereof: Christ praied and hLuk. 6. 12. 13.fasted when he chose his Apostles for the planting of his Church: much more therefore must we doe it, for the continuance of it.
Fourthly, Christ here disallowes not onelyonly the affectation of prayse in these Pharisies, but the disfiguring of their faces by a kind of pyning of themselues; whereby he would teach vsus, that a true fast stands not in the afflicting and weakening of the bodie. Now albeit few offend this way at this day, for most are giuen too much to pamper the flesh; yet here may fitly be shewed, what care men ought to hauehave of their bodies.Of care for the bodie. And first of all, a two-fold care must be auoyded; as well an immodera… care to pamper the bodie with meate and drinke, for that makes the heart heauie, and the head drousie, and hereby lust is kindled, and sinne cherished; which the Apostle forbids, Rom. 13. 14. as also too little care, whereby the bodie is pined and pulled downe to ouermuch weaknes, which is one thing here reprooued. The care required, is that moderate regard vntounto the bodie, whereby it is so sustained by meate and drinke, that it may alwaies become the temple of the holy Ghost, and a sit instrument for the soule vntounto workes of righteousnesse, and the worship of God. Now he that would thus order his bodie, must doe two things: First, he must obserue perpetuall temperance in foode and rayment, taking that which may well suffice nature, but not fulfill the lusts thereof. Secondly, if this will not serue to subdue the flesh, but that it will still rebell against the law of the spirit of life, (as in some it will not) then fasting must be vsed, in which the body is to be afflicted, and the soule humbled, for the subduing of the rebellious flesh: but yet herin we must beware, that we destroy not our health, our strength, or our constltution; for thus we neglect our life, which is a sin of murther: wherein (though few) yet some doe offend, who in the meane time liue in the practise of soule and grosse sinnes otherwaies.
Fiftly, here note how farre the Pharisies goe in outward humiliation:Outward exercises more embraced then waightie duties. they are content to afflict their bodies, euen to the disfiguring of their complexion; but yet they will not repent and leaue their sins, no though Ioh. Baptist, & Christ preach repentance vntounto them: wherein behold the propertie of our corrupt nature in Gods seruice, if outward actions and bodily exercises wil serue the turne, we can be content to bestow much cost, to take great paines, and to endure some affliction; but yet still wee desire to liue in our sins. This is euident in Popery, for who are more au…tere to their own bodies, in watchings, wandring, in whipping themselues, fasting? &c. and yet where is more abhominable filthines then among them? & this makes that religion so embraced, because in dispensing with sin, for the performāce of these bodily actions, it fits so well to our corrupt nature. Wherfore let vsus take notice of this our corruptiō, & though we must not neglect the humbling of the body vponupon iust occasion; yet let vsus principally looke to the mortifying of sinne, and the obedience of the heart.