A Care Cloth, Sermon 1 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Containing the ſecond vſe of the point for humiliation of them, that hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave no care at all to kill ſinne, but rather ſtriue to ſaue it from death. There are others that hauehave 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 eueryevery 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 Family, and Baals Prieſts.
4. But there are ſome of Gods Saints that fight in this battaile, but with a very faint hand, purſuing their luſts, as Iſrael did the Philiſtims,1. Sam. 14.24. when Sauls raſh oath had made them almoſt to ſtarue themſelues for hunger, as it were, with a languiſhing foote and hand. They ſet againſt finnes, ſometimes, but not often, not continually; they doe not count it the maine matter, as ſouldiers doe, and let all other things giuegive place to that: they are more eager againſt the faults of others, then againſt their owne faults, though ſome paines they take this way too. They ſee ſome corruptions, and reſiſt; but they are not diligent enough, in ſtriuing to find out all their euill inclinations, and to ſet againſt them. I know not how you may better find it, then words can expreſſe it, but they fight againſt many ſinnes, but by the haules. Hence it comes to paſſe, that they doe catch many wounds, and breake out diuers times, into many ſuch words and deeds, that doe both blemiſh them, and vexe them much, and yet they cannot take warning, but becauſe other things doe diuert them from the ſtudie of mortification, they grow ſlacke and remiſſe againe. Doubtleſſe, my Brethren, he that behaues himſelfe coldly in this fight, is but a weake Chriſtian, whateuer knowledge he hauehave gotten, and whateuer name of forwardneſſe he hath attained. And ſure, many that are of great note, becauſe they can ſpeake well, are yet hereby proued not to be ſtrong men, but euen babes in Chriſt at beſt: for alaſſe, how farre are they from hauing put to death pride, paſſion, enuy, luſt, worldineſſe, and other corruptions; yea, how much and often doe theſe ſinnes preuaile againſt them? O, let vsus ſee our weakeneſſe in this: for not as wee know and can ſpeake, ſo is our goodneſſe, but as wee can mortifie the members that are vponupon the earth. It is not brauery of ſpeech that makes a good ſouldier, but the blood of his enemies falling before him.
5. Now therefore to both theſe neglecters of mortification, to him that neglects, it altogether, and to him that neglects it very much, let me turne my ſpeech as ſharpely as I can, but differently according to their different offences. To thee that ſatisfieſt thy ſelfe, in keeping ſinne a little cloſe, or at beſt, a little vnderunder, and to thee, that makeſt a formalitie in Religion thine vtmoſt mortification, and to thee that makeſt a little flaſh of heate againſt thoſe, that thou calleſt the corruptions of the times, the higheſt degree of thy ſtriuing againſt finne, giuing not truce alone, but peace, to pride, vanity, earthlines, idleneſſe, bitterneſſe, reuenge, and other like ſinnes; thou art but an errand diſſembler, I pray thee know it, and I pray thee be aſhamed of it. If thou commeſt to the Word, and it doe not ſhew thee the foule ſinnes of thine heart, and make thee ſtriue againſt them; If thou prayeſt with others, or by thy ſelfe, and thy prayers doe not procure light to ſee, and ſtrength to ouercome thine owne inward corruptions; beleeue it, what-euer thine owne ſelfe-louelove, or the falſe opinion of others may tell thee, thou art but an hypocrite. O, now take it to heart, and be grieued and aſhamed, that thou haſt all this while liued in ſhew a Chriſtian, indeed a Gentile; in ſhew a child of God, indeed a child of the deuill; in a ſhew an heyre of Heauen, indeed an heyre of perdition.
6. And all you that hauehave been ſomewhat carefull of mortification, but that ſomewhat hath been farre too little, and therefore you find your luſts yet verie ſtrong within you, becauſe your paines hath not been verie earneſt and conſtant to ſubdue them, I pray heare, and receiue reproofe. What meane you to deale ſo fooliſhly for your ſelues, ſo vnthankefully with God? What meane you to liue liues ſo vncomfortable and diſtracted, ſo vnheauenly, ſo vnhonourable, when you might gaine comfort, ſettlednes, honour, and a little heauen to your ſelues by mortification? For the moſt part, your ſharpnes vnduly againſt other men (ſometimes for theſe things that be faults, and ſometimes alſo for thoſe that be not) is the chiefe cauſe of your remaining ſo much vnmortified, becauſe you fight too much abroad, therefore you fight too little at home, and loſe ſo much at home. What, meane you to bee many maſters? What meane you to be teaching euerie bodie, more then you ſelues? What meane you to be prying into your Gouernors, & your neighbors, & eueryevery body but your ſelues? and by being buſie-bodies in other mens matters (as it moſt times fals out) to hinder the thrift of your owne ſoules? Fault-finding abroad is one of the greateſt enemies to mending of faults at home. Now, I ſay, what meane you to deale ſo fooliſhly for your ſelues, as to keepe ſo much adoe about that, that leſſe (if at all) concernes you; and to bee ſo remiſſe in your owne boſomes, that your owne ſinnes bee as ſtrong as other mens, and perhaps, ſtronger, though you ſee them not? What, to bring water to quench another mans houſe, when thine owne doth burn as faſt as his? And now why doſt thou deale ſo euill with the Lord they God, as not to purſue theſe enemies to death, which hee hath giuen thee to purſue? Thy chiefe worke is, to mortifie thine owne ſinnes. Hath God promiſed thee comfort here, and glorie hereafter, if thou wilt crucifie thine owne luſts? Hath hee called thee to be his child, inroled thee into his booke, giuen thee the earneſt of his Spirit, and the pay of ſome preſent Ioy in hope, and all this to hearten thee, in cutting off the members vponupon earth, and wilt thou be ſtill ſo careleſſe in it? O, now humble thy ſelfe before the Lord, and be greatly ſorry,Ioel 2.1, 2. that thy luſts bee yet ſo ſtrong within thee. God ſent a Prophet to Iſrael to chide them, for that they had not deſtroyed the Canaanites, according to his Commandement, by the hand of Moſes, and they finding themſelues guiltie, lift vp their voyces, and wept, and the place from thence was called Bochim, that is, The place of weepers. I come in Gods name to reproue thee, for that thou haſt not with due care rooted out the euill brood, the naturall inhabitants, as it were, of thine owne euill heart; now therefore at leaſtwiſe bee humbled, and mourne for this thy careleſneſſe.