A Care Cloth, Sermon 1 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Containing the firſt vſe of the point, for examination of our ſelues in regard of the time paſt, how we hauehave performed this dutie.
Vſe 1 FIrſt then, To examine our ſelues whether we hauehave moritified ſinne, yea or no.I muſt make bold to require eueryevery 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; hauehave you prepared your ſelues, and been forward to fight like good and valiant ſouldiers, or hauehave you not? When ſuch a point as this, concerning our dutie, is taught, we can neuer apply it with fruit vntounto our ſelues, vnleſſe wee begin thus to ſearch and inquire into our ſelues, how we hauehave 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 hauehave practiſed that, that God hath enioyned vsus. This dutie, you ſee, is plainely inioyned, many ſoun reaſons doe confirme it, many euident texts doe bind our conſciences vntounto it. Gods will is manifeſt, wee ſhould therefore demand of our owne ſoules, HaueHave I been obedient to theſe commandements, or hauehave I not? HaueHave I been carefull of doing Gods will, or hauehave 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 vntounto their wayes, and to doe that, that Dauid ſaith, would clenſe their wayes, euen to take heed vntounto 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 hauehave diſcharged that dutie. We hauehave 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 hauehave no good aſſurance, that that honourable Name doth of right appertaine vntounto 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 vsus at laſt, we muſt be ſtripped of formes and ſhew, and found to be ſuch as we are indeed, and not ſuch as wee hauehave barely appeared. If thou hauehave carried the name and face of a ſouldier of Chrit Ieſus, and yet hauehave not fought for him according to the militarie oath and Sacrament, wherein thou haſt tyed thy ſelfe vntounto him, he will giuegive 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 hauehave 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 louelove with it ſelfe, and will ſoone iuſtifie it ſelfe without cauſe, and beguile it ſelfe with vaine words, ſaying, I hauehave not ſinned, when he hath ſinned; and, I hauehave done my dutie, when I hauehave 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 hauehave 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 eueryevery 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 hauehave 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 vaineglorie, 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 vponupon 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 vponupon the ground before thee? Brethren, conſider whether you hauehave 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, hauehave loſt their liues by thine hands? A man may, if hee will, know whether he hauehave killed his ſins, yea or not. It is not ſo ouer-hard to find, whether ſinne hauehave receiued its deaths wound, by our skilfull and valiant vſing of the ſpirituall weapons, wherewith Chriſt hath furniſhed vsus; or whether it yet doe walke healthily, liuely, and at libertie within vsus. 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.