A Care Cloth, Sermon 1 · Chapter 10
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 muſt oppoſe our corruptions by prayer and meditation, when they begin to ariſe, and vſe all the other meanes againſt ſinne, afore ſinne hauehave gotten too much head,Seaſonably. when corrupt inclinations doe euen begin to ſtirre, and be troubleſome, then muſt wee reſiſt them, then muſt wee flye from the occaſions of increaſing them, then muſt wee reuiue holy feares, and ſtirre vp our ſelues to watchfulneſſe, then muſt wee call foorth holie thoughts, and ſtirre vp holy requeſts; wee muſt not feede on ſuch thoughts, wee-muſt not let them lye quietly in the ſoule, we muſt not giuegive them a little reſt, as it were, a time of truce; for if we doe, they will ſlily ſteale away the delight of our imaginations, and ſo the conſent of our wils, and then ſhall we be faint in reſiſtance, and like enough be foyled. EueryEvery harmefull beaſt is eaſilieſt killed, when it is youngeſt. The Whelpes of a Lion or a Beare, are ſoone and ſafely diſpatched; let them grow longer, they will waxe ſtronger, and cannot be ſlaine without more trouble, and more perill. The firſt motions to ſinne, are like Lyons Whelpes, let them continue a while, they will be as young Lyons, let them hauehave libertie to get out at the tongue, they will prooue ramping and roaring Lyons. Inſtance in fleſhly luſt: When a motion that way firſt ariſeth, oppoſe it by prayer and meditation, it is ſoone quelled, and dyes. Let a man content and pleaſe his fancy in that motion, and nouriſh the deſire, by being ſatisfied in it, and at laſt giuegive way to ſome wanton words, and ſome degrees of dalliance, his prayers will not be auaileable, vnleſſe they be very feruent, and then hee ſhall hardly be able to pray feruently. We muſt bee wiſe therefore, and quench the fire, afore it hauehave taken the beames and rafters, and bee flaming forth out of the roofe of the houſe.
2.Conſtantly. Secondly, we muſt be conſtant in fighting againſt ſinne, euen day by day, and houre by houre without intermiſſion. If we giuegive it truce for a day or two (as it were, a putting of the Canaanites to tribute only) it will recouer ſo much ſtrength, as after, we ſhall far more hardly keepe it vnderunder, yea, it will goe neere to make vsus tributaries. A grieuous ſore muſt bee dreſſed euerie day, and eueryevery day hauehave new tents and plaſters applied to it; if it bee neglected one or two dayes, it will be the worſe for it, perhaps a week or a monethmonth after. We muſt make it our chiefe worke to be warring againſt ſinne; we muſt not onelyonly skirmiſh againſt it occaſionally, but fight againſt it purpoſely. There is no buſines ſo much concernes vsus, as this of mortification; it ſhould bee ſet before our trades, and our ſtudies, and food, and our ſleepe, and all the things of this life: wee muſt follow it, as the Day-labourer doth his labour, day by day; and we muſt giuegive our ſelues no leaue to make a loytering day: yea, wee muſt bee conſtant in holding out to oppoſe ſinne, though we may find but ſmall ſucceſſe at firſt. The Iſraelites fought againſt Beniamin the third day alſo, though they had loſt two battels before. We muſt not ſuffer our little preuailing to diſ-harten vsus, but pray againe, and agine meditate, and ſet the battaile in array againe, for all our loſſes. What ſaith Dauid to Ioab? 2. Sam. 11.25.The ſword deuoureth on both ſides; let not this thing trouble thee, but make the battell more ſtrong againſt the Citie, and ouerthrow it. So muſt wee encourage our ſelues againſt ſinne: Great Captaines hauehave continued the ſiege of a Citie for many yeeres together, though they hauehave loſt many men, & ſpent much money, and ſeemed little to preuaile. We muſt reſolue to continue this ſiege ſo long as wee liue, and to make hot aſſaults vponupon our corruptions daily, though ſometimes we ſeeme to our ſelues but to loſe our labour; and he that holdeth out the combate, ſhall conquer.
3. Thirdly,Orderly. we muſt vſe order in our ſpirituall warfare. It is diſcretion in a Captaine, to begin his conqueſt in the fitteſt place, and to know which enemy to deale againſt firſt. We muſt in the firſt place, and with the chiefe care, oppoſe our chiefe ſinne. In inuading the Country of an enemy, it is wiſdome to begin firſt with the weakeſt; but in inuading ſinne, wee muſt begin with the ſtrongeſt luſt firſt. That corruption to which, in regard of bodily temper, or cuſtome, or place, or ſtate of life, a man is moſt ſubiect to, that he muſt firſt, and moſt reſiſt and weaken: for if the greater ſin be ſuffered, the leſſe will ſhelter themſelues vnderunder it. Take the Generall of the Armie, and the whole hoſt will be diſcomfited: if he ſcape away, he will wage more ſouldiers, and make more worke.2. Sam. 17.2, 14. Achitophel counſelled to kill Dauid, and then ſhould all the people returne in ſafetie. It is good counſell the holy Ghoſt ſaith, that is, commodious. Huſhai's wordes were ſet out with more flouriſhing ſhewes; but Achitophel gaue the ſounder aduice for Abſaloms profit. Lo, the King of our luſts muſt be ſmitten, then ſhall the victorie bee eaſie againſt the reſt. He that ſets not himſelfe againſt his moſt beloued ſinne firſt and moſt, doth but preuaricate (as they terme it) that is, obiect in ieſt againſt other ſinnes, he ſeemes to fight with ſinne, but he is not in good earneſt. Til the Lord did ſmite the firſt-borne, Pharaoh would neuer yeeld to let Iſrael goe. We muſt kill the firſt-borne, elſe ſhall wee neuer pull our necks from vnderunder the yoke of ſpirituall bondage. Know therfore, what is the chiefe corruption of thine heart, whether it be pride, ſullenneſſe, carnall ſorrow, anger, reuenge, luſt, worldlines, deceite, or whatſoeuer elſe. Conſider what ſinne is moſt common in men of thy calling, ranke, age, condition temperature. Conſider what ſinne thou haſt moſt delight in, & moſt profit from, and are in thy carnall inclination, moſt willing to follow, and moſt loth to leaue. Now hauing found this, here begin thy warfare, here continue it with moſt heate and earneſtneſſe, make all expedition, without all delayes, to cut off this member on earth, and vſe all diligence, and all conſtancie, to pull out this eye of the fleſh. What euer conqueſt thou ſeemeſt to get in other matters, Satan will ſoone draw thee captiue againe, if this ſinne remaine vnmortified. An enemy that ouer-runnes a Countrie, and leaues ſome principall Forts vntaken, vndemoliſhed, is as ſoone beaten out, as he got in: ſo hee that on a ſudden begins to turne godly, and ſeemes to make a conqueſt of many diſorders, but leaues the chiefe Fort vnpulled downe, ſhall ſoone loſe more then he hath gooten, and cauſe his latter end to be worſe then his beginning, becauſe hee had not truth in the inwards, nor was taught wiſdome in the ſecret of his heart. Begin therefore at the right end.
4. And laſt of all,Spiritually. vſe all the meanes thou vſeſt againſt ſinne ſpiritually, and in faith, not depending vponupon the things done, nor vponupon our owne worth or ſtrength in doing, but vponupon the Spirit of God, and his bleſſing for ſucceſſe. We muſt looke vp vntounto 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 vnderunder our feete. Our feete muſt tread them downe, but God muſt tread them downe with, and vnderunder 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 vsus, 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 vsus, or the excellencie and prayſe-ableneſſe of our endeuours, but through him that inableth vsus. It muſt bee a power by meere and free Grace, created in vsus, continued in vsus, renewed in vsus, 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 vponupon the meere fauour and goodneſſe of God, that hath promiſed to fight for vsus. 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 giuegive you into our hands. Thus I hauehave 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.