The Silent Soul, Part 6
Now becauſe there is even in good men ſometimes too great an aptneſſe and proneneſſe to ſin, and ſhift themſelves out of afflictions, when they ſhould rather bee mute and ſilent under them: Give mee leave to lay down theſe ſix conſiderations to prevent it.
Friſt, Conſider, that there is infinitelyJames 3. 5,—11. more evil in the leaſt ſin, than there is in the greateſt miſeries and afflictions that can poſſibly come upon you; yea there is more evil in the leaſt ſin, than there is in all the troubles that ever came upon the world, yea than there is in all the miſeries and tormentsProv. 8. 36 1 Joh. 3. 4 chap. 1. 7. Rev. 21. 8. of hell: the leaſt ſin is an offence to the great God, it is a wrong to the immortal ſoul, it is a breach of a righteous Law; itIf you conſider ſin ſtrictly, there cannot be any little ſin, no more than there can bee a little god, a little hell, or a little damnation, yet comparatively ſome ſins may bee ſaid to bee little. cannot bee waſh'd away, but by the blood of Jeſus; it can ſhut the ſoul out of Heaven, and ſhut the ſoul up a cloſe priſoner in Hell for ever, and ever: The leaſt ſin is rather to bee avoided, and prevented, than the greateſt ſufferings; if this Cockatrice bee not cruſhed in the Egg, it will ſoon become a Serpent; the very thought of ſin, if not thought on, will break out into action, action into cuſtome, cuſtome into habit, and then both body and ſoul are loſt irrecoverably, to all eternity. The leaſt ſin is very dangerous; Caeſar was ſtabbed with bodkins, Herod was eaten up of Lice, Pope Adrian was choaked with a Gnat. A Mouſe is but little, yet killeth an Elephant, if hee gets up into his Trunck; a Scorpion is little, yet able to ſting a Lion to death; though the Leopard bee great, yet hee is poiſoned with a head of Garlick: the leaſt ſpark may conſume the greateſt houſe; and the leaſt leak ſink the greateſt ſhip: a whole arm hath been impoſtumated with the prick of a little finger; A little Poſtern opened, may betray the greateſt City; A dram of poiſon diffuſeth it ſelf to all parts, till it ſtrangle the vital ſpirits, and turn out the ſoul from the body; if the Serpent can but wriggle in his tail, by an evil thought, hee will ſoon make a ſurpriſal of the ſoul, as you ſee in that great inſtance of Adam and Eve. The trees of the forreſt (ſaith one in a Parable) held a ſolemn Parliament, wherein they conſulted of the innumerable wrongs which the Axc had done them, therefore made an Act, that no tree ſhould hereafter lend the Axe an helve, on pain of being cut down; The Axe travels up and down the forreſt, begs wood of the Cedar, Oak, Aſh, Elm, even of the Poplar, not one would lend him a chip: At laſt hee deſired ſo much as would ſerve him to cut down the briers and buſhes, alledging, that ſuch ſhrubs as they did but ſuck away the juice of the ground, and hinder the growth, and obſcure the glory of the fair and goodly trees; hereupon they were all content to afford him ſo much; hee pretends a thorow reformation, but behold a ſad deformation; for when hee had got his Helve, down went both Cedar, Oak, Aſh, Elm, and all that ſtood in his way. Such are the ſubtil reaches of ſin, it will promiſe to remove the Briers and Buſhes of afflictions and troubles, that hinder the ſoul of that juice, ſweetneſſe, comfort, delight and content that otherwiſe it might enjoy. Oh do but now yeeld a little to it, and inſtead of removing your troubles, it will cut down your peace, your hopes, your comforts, yea it will cut down your precious ſouls. What is the breathing of a vein, to the being let blood in the throat, or a ſcratch on the hand, to a ſtab at the heart? no more are the greateſt afflictions to the leaſt ſins, and therefore Chriſtians never uſe ſinful ſhifts to ſhift your ſelves out of troubles, but rather bee mute and ſilent under them, till the Lord ſhall work out your deliverance from them. But,
Secondly, Conſider, it is an impoſſible thing for any to ſin themſelves out of their troubles. Abraham, Job, and Jonah attempts it, but could not effect it: the devils have experienced this near this ſixJer. 2. 36, 37. ch. 17. 5, 6, 11. thouſand years, they had not been now in chains, could they but have ſinned themſelves out of their chains; could the damned ſinJude 6. themſelves out of everlaſting burnings,Iſa. 33. 14 there would have been none now a roaring in that devouring unquenchable fire: Hell would have no inhabitants, could they but ſin themſelves out of it. Ah Chriſtians! devils and damned ſpirits ſhall as ſoon ſin themſelves out of Hell, as you ſhall bee able to ſin your ſelves out of your afflictions: Chriſtians! you ſhall as ſoon ſtop the Sun from running her courſe, contract the Sea in a Nut ſhell, compaſſe the earth with a ſpan, and raiſe the dead at your pleaſure, as ever you ſhall be able to ſin your ſelves out of your ſufferings▪ and therefore it is better to bee ſilent and quiet under them, than to attempt that which is impoſſible to accompliſh; this ſecond conſideration will receive further confirmation by the next particular.
Thirdly, As it is an impoſſible thing, ſo it is a very prejudical, a very dangerous thing, to attempt to ſin your ſelves out of your troubles; for by attempting to ſin your ſelves out of one trouble, you will ſin your ſelves into many troubles, as Jonah and Jacob did:1 Sam. 2…. 5,—ult. and by labouring to ſin your ſelves out of leſſe troubles, you will ſin your ſelves into greater troubles, as Saul did; and by endeavouring to ſin your ſelves from under outward troubles, you will ſin your ſelves under inward troubles and diſtreſſes, which are the ſoreſt and ſaddeſt of all troubles; thus did Spira, Jerom of Prague, Bilney and others. Some there have been, who by labouring to ſin themſelves out of their preſent ſufferings, have ſinned themſelves under ſuch horrours and terrours of conſcience, that they could neither eat, nor drink, nor ſleep, but have been ready to lay violent hands upon themſelves.
And Cyprian in his Sermon de lapſ…s, ſpeaks of divers, who forſaking the Faith to avoid ſufferings, were given over to bee poſſeſſed of evil ſpirits, and died fearfully. Oh man! thou doſt not know what deadly ſin, what de…dly temptation, what deadly judgement, what deadly ſtroak thou mayeſt fall under, who attempts to ſin thy ſelf out of troubles: what is it to take Venice, and to bee hanged at the gates thereof? It is better to bee ſilent and mute under thy afflictions, than by uſing ſinful ſhifts, to ſin thy ſelf under greater afflictions.
Fourthly, Conſider, it is a very ignoble and unworthy thing, to go to ſin your ſelves out of your troubles and ſtraights; it argues a poor, a low, a weak, a daſterdly, and an effeminate ſpirit, to uſe baſe ſhifts, to ſhuffle your ſelves out of your troubles. Men of noble, couragious and magnanimous ſpirits, will diſdain and ſcorn it. As you may ſee in the three children,Dan. 3. 8,—ult. ch. 6. Heb. 10. 34 Lactantius ſpeaks of many ſuch brave ſpirits. Daniel, and thoſe worthies, in that 11th of the Hebrews, of whom this world was not worthy. Jerom writes of a brave woman, who being upon the rack, bad her perſecutors do their worſt, for ſhee was reſolved to die, rather than lie. And the Prince of Conde being taken priſoner by Charles the ninth King of France, and put to his choice, whether hee would go to Maſſe, or bee put to death, or ſuffer perpetual impriſonment; his noble anſwer was, that by Gods help hee would never chuſe the firſt, and for either of the latter hee left to the Kings pleaſure, and Gods providence.
A ſoul truly noble, will ſooner part with all, than the peace of aI might produce a cloud of witneſſes from among the Primitive Chriſtians, wh… have been noble and gallant this way. good conſcience: Thus bleſied Hooper deſired to bee rather diſcharged of his Biſhoprick, than yeeld to certain ceremonies.
I have read of Marcus Arethuſus, an eminent ſervant of the Lords in Goſpel work, who in the time of Conſtantine, had been the cauſe of overthrowing an Idol Temple; but Julian comming to bee Emperour, commanded the people of that place to build it up again; all were ready ſo to do; OnelyOnly hee refuſed it, whereupon his own people, to whom hee had preached, fell upon him, ſtript off all his cloaths, then abuſed his naked body, and gave it up to children and ſchool-boies to be lanched with their pen-knives; but when all this would not do, they cauſed him to bee ſet in the Sun, having his naked body annointed all over with honey, that ſo hee might bee bitten and ſtung to death by Flies and Waſps; and all this cruelty they exerciſed upon him, becauſe hee would not do any thing towards the rebuilding of that Idol Temple; nay, they came ſo far, that if hee would but give one half-penny towards the charge, they would releaſe him, but hee refuſed it with a noble Chriſtian diſdain; though the advancing of an half-penny might have ſaved his life; and in ſo doing hee did but live up to that noble principle (that moſt commend, but few practiſe) viz. that Chriſtians muſt chuſe rather to ſuffer the worſt of torments, than to commit the leaſt of ſins, whereby God ſhould bee diſhonoured, his Name blaſphemed, Religion reproached, Profeſſion ſcorned, weak Saints diſcouraged, and mens conſciences wounded, and their ſouls endangered. Now tell mee Chriſtians, is it not better to bee ſilent and mute under your ſoreſt trials and troubles, than to labour to ſin and ſhi…t your ſelves out of them, and ſo proclaim to all the world, that you are perſons of very low, poor, and ignoble ſpirits? ButJer. 17. 5, 6, 11. Ezek. 7. 13, 14 1 Sam. 28. 5, 6, 7, &c. 1 King. 21. 18, 19. compared with chap. 22. 38
Fifthly, Conſider, ſinful ſhifts and means God hath alwaies curſt and blaſted; Achans golden wedge was but a wedge to cleave him, and his garment a ſhroud to ſhroud him▪ Ahab purchaſes a Vineyard with the blood of the owner, but preſently it was watered with his own blood, according to the word of the Lord. Gehazi muſt needs have a talent of ſilver, and two changes of rayment, and that with a lye, I ſay with a lye; well, hee hath them, and hee hath with them a Leproſie that cleaved to him and his ſeed for ever, 2 King. 5. 22,—ult. With thoſe very hands that Judas took money to betray his Maſter, with thoſe very hands hee fitted a halter to hang himſelf. The rich and wretched glutton fared delicately, and went bravely every day, but the next news you hear of him, is of his being in hell, crying out for a drop, who when hee was on earth, would not give a crum. The Coal that the Eagle carried from the Altar to her neſt, ſet all on fire.
Craſſus did not long enjoy the fruit of his Coverouſneſs, for the Parthians taking of him, poured melted gold down his throat.
Dionyſius did not long enjoy the fruit of his Sacriledge, and tyranny, for hee was glad to change his Scepter into a Feruler, and turn School-maſter for his maintenance. Ah Chriſtians! Chriſtians, is it not far better to ſit quiet and ſilent under your afflictions, than to uſe ſuch ſinful ſhifts and means which God will certainly blaſt and curſe? But
Sixthly and laſtly, Conſider this, that your very attempting to ſin, and ſhift your ſelves out of troubles and afflictions, will coſt you dear; it will coſt you many prayers, many tears, many ſighs,A man may buy any thing too dear, but Chriſt, Grace, his own Soul, and the Goſpel. many groans, many gripes, many terrours, and many horrours. Peter by attempting to ſin himſelf out of trouble, ſins himſelf into a Sea of ſorrows, Matth. 26. ult. Hee went forth and wept bitterly.
Clement obſerves, That every night when hee heard the Cock crow, hee would fall upon his knees and weep bitterly, others ſay, that his face was furrowed with continual tears. Were Abraham, David, Jacob and Jonah now alive, they would tell you, that they have found this to bee a truth in their own experience. Ah Chriſtians! it is far better to bee quiet and ſilent under your ſufferings, than to pay ſo dear for attempting to ſin, and ſhift your ſelves out of your ſufferings. A man will not buy gold too dear, and why then ſhould hee buy himſelf out of troubles at too dear a rate?
But now I ſhall come to that uſe that I intend to ſtand moſt upon, and that is an uſe of Exhortation: Seeing it is the great duty and concernment of Chriſtians, to bee mute and ſilent under the greateſt afflictions, the ſaddeſt providences, and ſharpeſt trials that they meet with in this world: Oh that I could prevail with you Chriſtians! to minde this great duty, and to live up, and live out this neceſſary truth, which that I may, give mee leave to propound ſome Conſiderations, to ingage your ſouls to bee mute and ſilent under your greateſt troubles, and your ſoreſt trials. To that purpoſe