A Care Cloth, Sermon 1 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Shewing two ſpirituall meanes of Mortification: Prayer, and Meditation.
THeſe are the naturall meanes of mortification, which of themſelues wil repreſſe ſin, and a little abridge it of its liberty of walking abroad; but kill it, of themſelues, without the ſpirituall, they cannot. Theſe ſpirituall helpes are foure: Prayer, Meditation, Feare of our ſelues, and Watchfulneſſe. By Prayer, wee get ſtrength from God; by Meditation, we become Gods inſtruments, to worke ſtrength in our ſelues; by Feare and Watchfulnes, we put to vſe the ſtrength which we hauehave gotten.Frequent and feruent prayer needfull to mortifie ſinne. Firſt then, if we will kill ſinne, we muſt be frequent and feruent in prayer vntounto God againſt ſinne; and what particular ſins wee are moſt moleſted with, and had moſt need to beate downe, thoſe we muſt aſſaile moſt often and earneſtly with our prayers. Now when I ſay prayer, I meane prayer, and all the parts and additaments of it. If a man had neuer ſinned, he ſhould need onelyonly petitions and thankeſgiuings; but hauing ſinned, he needs alſo confeſſion and lamentation, to be ioyned with the former, as it were buttreſſes to the wall of the houſe, to make it ſtand ſtronger, and a ſtaffe to a weake leg, to make one goe the more ſtedfaſtly. So all theſe parts of prayer muſt be vſed.
2. We muſt plainly acknowledge, and hartily bemone our ſelues in Gods boſome, for our ſinfulneſſe, and wickedneſſe of heart and life, and with all due aggrauations, and condemnings of our ſelues, muſt lay open before the Lord, the corruptions and vices that we find in our ſelues, confeſſing withal, that we are weake and feeble, and ſlaues to ſinne, and of our ſelues cannot ſubdue them, and ſo, with the heauieſt hearts that we can, lament our miſerable weakneſſe. Looke what Iehoſhaphat did, when he heard of the comming of the Lubims and Ethiopians againſt him and his people; the ſame muſt we doe, when we ſee the innumerable troupes of corrupt luſts, that do ſeeke the deſtruction of our ſoules:2. Chron. 20.12 We hauehave no might (ſaith that worthy King) againſt this great company that comes againſt vsus; neither know we what to doe, but our eyes are vponupon thee. So muſt the Chriſtian ſoule ſigh out its complaints before the Lord, often, O I hauehave no might to ouercome all theſe ſtrong luſts, (and by name ſuch and ſuch) that fight againſt mee daily, and I cannot tell what to doe, but, Lord, mine eyes are to thee.
3. Then muſt hee take to him petitions and requeſts, begging helpe from heauen, crying earneſtly for the Spirit of God to helpe him, (for by the Spirit alone can wee mortifie the deeds of the body) vrging and inforcing vponupon the diuine Maieſty, all his comfortable promiſes which he hath written in his Word:Rom. 6.14. (Sinne ſhall not hauehave dominion ouer you, for you are not vnderunder the law, but vnderunder grace. Ier. 32.40.I will put my feare in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me. Rom. 8.2.The law of the Spirit of life in Chriſt, hath freed me from the law of ſinne and death. And ſpecially, that excellent branch of the new Couenant,Heb. 8.10, 11. They ſhall all know me, from the leaſt to the moſt, and I will put my law in their hearts, and in their minds will I write them,) and ſo, ſuing with the greateſt feruency of deſire that he can attaine, ſay, O Lord, performe theſe promiſes: O let no wickedneſſe hauehave dominion ouer me: O make me ſound in thy precepts: O incline mine heart vntounto thy teſtimonies, and not to ſuch a ſinne. When God is thus importuned by the cries and prayers of his ſeruants, hee cannot but ſtirre vp himſelfe, and come and helpe them, and heare the voyce of their prayers when they cry vntounto him. When Iſrael felt the oppreſſion of their outward enemies, and cryed vntounto the Lord, (as it is often noted in the booke of Iudges) the Lord had pity vponupon them, and raiſed them vp a Iudge and a deliuerer: ſhall he not bee much more attentiue to the voyce of their ſupplications, when they cry vntounto him, againſt pride, vainglory, luſt, wrath, and thoſe ſpirituall enemies that ſeeke to oppreſſe them? Certainly the Lord will remember, and will vp, and helpe, and ſet them at liberty, whom ſinne and Satan had inſnared.
4. And to the two former muſt bee added, praiſes and thankes for the helpe already receiued. If one finde that hee hath gotten ſome power againſt his ſinne, that hee hath more ability to oppoſe the luſts of it, that hee is ſeldomer ouertaken with any breaking forth of it then before, that he hath been able to withſtand ſome notable tentations to it: in a word, that the force of it, is in any meaſure abated; hee muſt returne with the praiſes of God in his mouth, and triumph in God, that hath helped him ſo farre againſt his ſpirituall foe. The Lord deſerueth praiſe, and lookes for praiſe of his Saints, for treading downe thoſe luſts that riſe againſt them: and it is a ſeruice very pleaſing vntounto him, when we offer the facrifice of thankes. Yea, it doth exceedingly animate our ſelues to this battell, if we take notice that wee hauehave in ſome degree preuailed, and with the voyce of ioy and thankeſgiuing doe runne before the Lord, and giuegive away all the praiſe from our ſelues to him. There is nothing can more reioyce the ſpirit of a Chriſtian, then this heauenly ioy will doe. The ioy of the Lord is our ſtrength. Sorrow,Nehem. 8.10. when we hauehave been foyled, is no more auaileable to confirme vsus againſt ſinne, then holy reioycin, when we hauehave ſtood faſt and reſiſted. It is a more ſigne of ſelfe-louelove, to grieue for that we are weake, but a greater ſigne of true louelove to God, to reioyce in him when hee makes vsus ſtrong. Wherefore, as a godly man, if hee finde himſelfe any day to hauehave yeelded to ſinfull deſires in any ſenſible degree, muſt humble himſelfe, and confeſſe and cry out againſt himſelfe: ſo if he finde that any day he hath not been foyled, but hath been able to repreſſe and deſtroy euill motions, eſpecially if hauing occaſion or tentation, he hauehave beene ſtrengthened to reſiſt, he muſt then leade his captiuity captiue, and at night ſing a new ſong of praiſe vntounto the Lord, and euen ride in triumph ouer his corruptions, boaſting himſelfe in God, and ſetting vp his banner in the name of the moſt High, and with as cheerefull a ſoule as he can, offer vp humble and hearty thankes to his heauenly Father, that hath made him to doe valiantly. The prayers of Gods ſeruants, thus conſeſſing their ſinnes, crauing power againſt them, bleſſing God for the beginnings of helpe, are weapons ſo mighty through God, that they will wound the ſtrongeſt corruption, and pierce the ſoule of any luſt: and whoſoeuer will begin and continue, thus to reſiſt and purſue his ſinnes, ſhall finde them (as the Philiſtims before Samſon) to fly, and fall downe dead before him.
5.Holy meditations to mortiſie ſinne. After Prayer, or with it, holy Meditations muſt come in, both to quicken, as alſo to backe it: and amongſt all matter of mditation, againſt particular ſinnes, we muſt accuſtome our ſelues ſpecially to foure generall meditations, that are indifferently and equally forcible againſt eueryevery ſinne.Of Gods holy nature. Firſt, of the moſt holy and pure nature of God, how great, wiſe, iuſt, true, mercifull he is, that hee hath an all-ſeeing eye, and an all-hearing eare, in eueryevery place beholding the euill and the good, and pondering all the pathes of the ſonnes of men, that hee hateth ſinne with a perfect hatred, as being contrary to his moſt holy will and Commandements: that he will puniſh it with moſt ſeuere puniſhment, as being the righteous Iudge of all the world, who cannot indure iniquity, nor will hold the wicked innocent: that he is moſt gracious and louing to the penitent ſinner, and will ſpare him as a father doth his child: that hee will keepe all his promiſes, and make good all his threatnings, with all faithfulneſſe, and not ſuffer one tittle of his Word to fall to the ground. In a word, that he is eueryevery way moſt holy, and moſt excellent, and will reward all that ſeeke to him, and obey him; and auenge himſelfe vponupon all that ſtubburnely rebell againſt him, and forſake the wayes of his Commandements, to walke after their owne crooked deuices and inuentions.
2. Secondly,Of Gods terrible threats. we muſt often call to mind the moſt terrible threatnings of God againſt ſinne in generall, and ſpecially, againſt that ſpeciall ſin, which moſt moleſteth vsus. Ho much euill God hath denounced againſt the committers of it; and how much woe and miſerie it hath brought vponupon others, and will bring vponupon our ſelues, if we take licence to liue in it. Wee muſt conſider ſinne in the euill effects of it, and ſo conuince our ſelues of its vileneſſe, and miſchieuouſneſſe: for God hath from Heauen manifeſted ſo much wrath againſt the workers of iniquitie in general, and againſt each particular luſt and ſinne that men liue in, that if we could preſſe theſe things vponupon our owne ſoules, and cauſe our hearts ſtedfaſtly to beleeue the ſame; wee could not but hate wickedneſſe, and tremble before the Lord, and ſo abate the power of corruption, and euen driue our ſelues out of the euill courſes of ſinne. Wrath and anger, tribulation and anguiſh,Rom. 2.8, 9. ſhall be vponupon eueryevery ſoule of man that worketh wickedneſſe, vponupon the Iew firſt, and alſo vponupon the Gentiles. For theſe things ſake,Epheſ. 5.6. the wrath of God commeth vponupon the children of diſobedience: vponupon the wicked God will raine ſnares and tempeſt, fire and brimſtone, and ſtorme,Pſal. 11.6. that ſhall be the portion of their cup.Marke 9.46. Their worme neuer dyeth, and their fire neuer goeth out, their ſmoke ſhall aſcend for euermore:Deut. 27.26. And curſed is eueryevery man, that continueth not in the whole Law to fulfill it. So horrible, ſo grieuous, ſo intolerable are thoſe things, that God hath menaced in his Word againſt all the ſonnes of Belial, and all the workers of vnrighteouſneſſe, that whoſoeuer will euen bind theſe things to the tables of his heart, and apply them to himſelfe by faith, ſhall ſtand in awe, and not ſinne, and ſhal find the Iudgements of God ſo terrible vntounto him, as that they will beate downe his corruptions, and make him to feare and depart from wickedneſſe: for the end of theſe things is death.
3.Of Gods gracious promiſes. Thirdly, we muſt oftē cal to mind the gracious promiſes that God hath made to thoſe that leaue ſin, and the admirable comforts, that both here and hereafter, the God of truth hath vndertaken to reward them withall, that for his ſake denie themſelues, and crucifie their ſinfull luſts. Then ſhall wee ſee, how vaine and friuolous the pleaſures and profits of ſinne are, and by taſting the fruit of holineſſe, ſhould bee well inabled, to deſpiſe the offers of ſin. What compariſon betwixt the good we get by doing euill, and the vnſpeakeable Ioy of the holy Ghoſt, and the immortal Ioyes of Heauen? What made Moſes to ſet light by the honours and delights of Pharaohs Court; but that he conſidered the rebuke of Chriſt to be greater riches? What made Paul to count al dung, that he might win Chriſt; but becauſe hee looked to the farre moſt excellent waight of glorie? Wee muſt not ſuffer our ſelues to be forgetfull of the wonderfull benefits, which the Lord will beſtow vponupon vsus, if in obedience and louelove to him, wee can be content to caſt away our ſinfull luſts. He that forſaketh any profit, or credit, or comfort, for Chriſts ſake, ſhall bee rewarded an hundred fold. The man that refuſeth to walk in the paths of the vngodly, ſhall bee bleſſed vponupon earth, his ſoule ſhall dwell at eaſe, the Lord will deliuer him out of the hands of his enemies, God will be a Sun and ſhield vntounto him, and no good thing wil he withhold from them that walke vprightly. His heart ſhall delight it ſelfe in God, and he ſhall ſee the ſhining of the louing countenance of his Father. His ſoule ſhall be ſatisfied, as with marrow and fatneſſe, and he ſhall become like a watered garden. If man forſake him, the Lord will ſtand for him; and though parents caſt him off, yet God will gather him vp: the Lord will couer his head in the day of battell, the Lord will feed him in the time of famine, the Lord will turne his bed in the time of his ſickneſſe, hee ſhall ſee the face of God in righteouſneſſe, and when hee awaketh, ſhall bee ſatisfied with his Image. O how excellent is the louing kindneſſe of God to them that waite vponupon him! they ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſſe of his houſe, and he will make them to drinke of the Riuers of his pleaſure: he ſhall delight himſelfe in the Lord, and God will giuegive him the deſires of his heart. Let vsus often renew theſe meditations in our ſelues, and ſay with Dauid; O how great is thy goodneſſe which thou haſt laid vp for them that feare thee, which thou haſt wrought for them that feare thee, before the ſonnes of men! Surely the ſight of this goodneſſe of God, will make the labour of mortification ſeeme eaſie. If thoſe that trie maſteries, be continent in all things, for a mortal Crowne, what ſhould wee bee for an immortall? If the hope of bootie will make a ſouldler hazard his heart-blood, what ſhould we doe in this battell, where the fauour of God, and the Kingdome of Heauen are aſcertained to him that fights and conquers? If the man that is in ſome degree mortified, did often contemplate the felicitie that God hath prouided for him, both preſent and to come, hee would not, he could not faint. Theſe meditations would ſo diſgrace the pleaſures of ſinne, and ſo commend vntounto him the reward of pietie, that hee would euen ſcorne to ſerue ſo baſe a thing as ſinne, which giues no wages, but chaffe and dirt; when hee might be intertained in the ſcruice of Chriſt, who (beſides his being ſo infinitely excellent) giues the ioy of his ſaluation to his ſouldiers for their ſtipend. Put your ſelues in mind often, O ye ſeruants of God, of the conſolations of the Word and Spirit, of the Ioy vnſpeakeable and glorious, of the Peace that paſſeth all vnderſtanding, and of the hidden treaſures, which neither eye hath ſeene, nor eare hath heard, nor mans heart conceiued, but God hath prouided for you, by his Grace, and reuealed to you by his Spirit, and will reach vntounto you with his hand. If you will reiect the pleaſures of ſinne which are but for a ſeaſon, and endure the paines of fighting the good fight of fiath: you cannot faint in this battell, if you lend your thoughts to theſe encouragements, you cannot but account all your labour eaſie, if you conſider the reward and end of your labour.
4. Laſt of all, we muſt much and often ponder vponupon the death of Chriſt: who he was,Of Chriſts ſufferings. what he ſuffered, why, and for whom, with the matter, cauſe, effect, and end of his ſufferings, that ſo we may worke in our ſelues a louelove and feare of God, a baſe eſteeme of our ſelues, with an holy ſorrow and indignation againſt ſinne. The death of Chriſt, muſt be the death of our ſinne, and vponupon his Croſſe muſt we crucifie theſe luſts of our fleſh, that they may waxe faint and feeble, and bee quite and cleane aboliſhed in vsus. Here wee ſhal ſee the exceeding hatefulneſſe, and miſchieuouſneſſe of ſinne; here we ſhall ſee how odious it is to God, and how harmefull to our ſelues. Here we ſhall fee the infinite louelove of God vntounto vsus, and his moſt gracious readineſſe to forgiue and helpe vsus. This thought will be moſt auaileable, to ouerthrow the power of all vngodlines in vsus. The Sonne of God, the King of Heauen and earth, was abaſed and humbled, and ſmitten, and wounded for our tranſgreſſions. They lay heauy vponupon his ſoule, they preſſed him downe to the duſt of death: he died for vsus, that hee might redeeme vsus to himſelfe, and make vsus a peculiar people, zealous of good workes. O ſhall wee not abhorre and deteſt that, which was ſo vnſpeakeably grieuous to our Sauiour? Shall we not ſhew our louelove to him, in caſting from vsus thoſe things, that cauſed him to be a man of forrowes, and to hauehave experience of infirmities? How bitter and tedious was ſinne vntounto him, and ſhall it be delightfull vntounto vsus! How did it make him ſigh, and crie, and groane, and bleed, and ſhall we take pleaſure in it? Shall we not ſhew our ſelues thankefull to him, that was ſo pitifull to vsus, that hee had rather himſelfe indure the curſe, then that wee ſhould bee ouer-whelmed with it? Let vsus often looke to him whom wee hauehave pierced; often conſider of his torment and agony, and often renew in our ſelues, the remembrance of his curſed and reprochful death, and weane our hearts from the louelove of vnrighteouſneſſe, and make vsus conformable vntounto his death. We cannot bee hold to doe euill, if wee conſider well, how much euill he ſuffered for our euill doings. Now theſe thoughts (if wee accuſtome our ſelues vntounto them, and doe many times ſequeſter our ſelues from all worldly cogitations, to enlarge our hearts in them) will be as a ſword in the throat of our luſts, and preuaile mightily to wound them to the death, and as it were, to let out the heart-blood of them.