Mary Magdalenes Tears Wiped Off, Title page – Table of contents
MARY MAGDALEN'S Tears wipt off. OR The VOICE of PEACE TO AN UNQUIET CONSCIENCE.
WRITTEN By Way of Letter TO A PERSON of QUALITY.
AND Publiſhed for the Comfort of all thoſe, who Mourn in Zion.
LONDON Printed by J. C. for T. Garthwait, at the Little North-door of S. Pauls. 1659.
Reader,
THe Publiſher of this Treatiſe, having in his eye no fear of thy diſlike, nor regard of thy applauſe; hath no other ſollicitation, for thy peruſal thereof, then the opinion he hath, that it may be ſerviceable, to the good of thy Soul. He thinks he ſhall be guilty of a very charitable miſtake, if thou findeſt an errour in his conjecture; and thou more obliged to offer, then he to ask thy pardon for it. To preſcribe preventive or recuperative medicines, in a great Plague-time, is no piece of impertinent officiouſneſs, but a prudent diſcharge of duty to the Publick. If thou be ſo whole, as not to need a Phyſitian; thou haſt had good luck, having lived in ſo licentious an age, and amongſt children that are Corrupters. Give God the glory of his Grace, and deſpiſe not the good wiſhes of thy Brethren.
A Short TABLE of the principall Contents in this Book.
OF the Secret and Revealed will in God. &c. page 12
Of the Day of Grace being ſpent. page 14
Of Sins of Ignorance and Wilfulneſs. page 19
Of Preſumptuous Sins. page 20
Of Sins after Baptiſme. page 22
Of want of Sorrow for Sin. page 26
Of Gods accepting Mens Perſons. page 29
Of Perſonall Aſſurance. page 36
Of Sacerdotall Abſolution, and Gods Ratification thereof. page 38
Of Eſau ſeeking the Bleſſing, &c. page 50
The Example of the Iſraelites that provoked God Ten times in the Wilderneſs. page 52
Of Aſſurance of Salvation. page 54
Of the Witneſs and Teſtimony of the Spirit. page 56
The Combat between the Fleſh, and the Spirit. page 63
Of the Motions to Sin in Regenerate perſons. page 68
Of perfect and unſinning Obedience. page 73
Of the Meaſure of well doing in Holy and Vertuous Actions, as in Prayer, Alms, Faſting. page 75
S. Math. 19.12. He that is able to Receive it, &c. whether an Advice, &c, page 86
Of Loving the Lord with all our Soul, &c. and not doing every thing we have ability to do. page 89
Of Doing Holy and Vertuous Actions in the want of Charity. page 92
Of making a mans ſelf the end of his Actions. page 59
Againſt the Fear of Death. page 98
Of the Falling away from Grace. page 103
Of Converſion. page 105
Of Relapſes into Sin, and Injection of Blaſphemous thoughts. page 107
Of Want of Children. page 112
MARY MAGDALEN'S Tears wip't off, OR The VOICE of PEACE To an Unquiet Conſcience.
MADAM,
I Thank you for your Charity to me, in calling me to my Prayers, and ſhall by Gods Grace, endeavour to requite it, by a counter-change of Charity, in praying for you, as you have deſired me. I cannot ſay, that I am ſorrie that you ſtand in need of being prayed for: we all do ſo, and they moſt of all, and the more for that, who think they need not other mens prayers: But Madam, as I cannot but admire your Humility in this pious requeſt, (whoſe gracious Heart, like the Treaſurie of the Temple, accepts of Mites as well as Talents) ſo, I am not a little aſhamed of mine own indigence, and emptineſs, and (which is worſt of all) of my own unworthineſs. I ſpeak it in good earneſt Madam; and being by your call for my prayers become very ſenſible of my unfitneſs, at leaſt for the Interceſſional part of that duty; I can aſſure my ſelf, that as I truſt you will not be the worſe; ſo ſhall I be much the better, for my praying for you.
But Madam, for my prayers only, I preſume you did not ſend me that Summons: I cannot then but eſteem my ſelf obliged, to render a duty to you, of the ſame importance; but more immediately tending to the production of that effect, which you have deſired me to pray for; and which (perhaps) if more timely, and individually applyed, the Diſeaſe had not been ſo inveterate, and raging as it is; nor you ſo diſtruſtful of the vertue and efficacie of Remedies as you are.
By ſome ſcattered expreſſions of my Friend, that delivered your meſſage to me, I very confidently ſuſpect your languiſhing under the waſting torment of a wounded Spirit: but How long, by what cauſe, or upon what occaſion; I have no hint, upon which I may reaſonably ground a Preſumption. So innocent hath been that Act of your Life, of which I have been a Spectator; ſo rational, cloſe, and undiſtracted your diſcourſe; that I dare confidently affirm, no Indications of this ſecret Maladie did ever preſent themſelves to the moſt acute obſerver of your Converſation with us. My thoughts concerning ſuch a State in general, I have judged it my duty to deliver; but how pertinent, or conducent to the removal of the particular cauſe of your trouble, I am not able to divine; for the reaſons before mentioned.
1. The Soul of man comes out of the hands of her Creator, like a rich and curious Watch; carrying in her ſelf, as the Cauſes of her own motion; ſo no diſorder, till ſhe fall under unskilful, or unruly fingers. Her firſt immerſion into the Bodie, renders her not only lyable to the guilt of Original ſin, but to the future turbulencies, and exceſſes of thoſe faculties common to us and Beaſts: which, becauſe in them govern'd only by an uncontroulable inſtinct of nature, are wholly ſinleſs, and have in them no other tendency, but the preſervation of that creature in which they work: but with man it is much otherwiſe; whoſe appetites are ſubjected to a rational choice, under the penalty exacted by a Law, wholly commenſurate with reaſon, and the noble dictates of a Soul, emancipated from the Suggeſtions, and deluſions of fleſh and blood.
2. Hence is it that ſhe receives in us no wounds, but by our own hands: her Peace is never broken, but by Errours in our Election; and that moſt times but radically neither; the true reſentment of our guilt and danger, being ſubſequent to a reflexive act of the Soul; from whence proceed thoſe Smiting Thoughts, able to wear out, or rend an heart of Adamant.
The ſource or ſpring whereof uſually are the conſideration either 1. of what we have been; or of 2. what we are; or of 3. what we ſhall or may be hereafter; the guilt of ſin acted, the prevalency of ſinful diſpoſitions in our nature, and of enormous habits in our perſons; the fear of Relapſes, and horrour of future puniſhments, are that which ſet mens ſouls upon Tenter hooks: and few there be, who have been guilty of any groſs ſin, whoſe Prepentance (if true) hath not given them ſome taſte of this bitter Cup, apportionate to the courſe of their unregenerate life.
3. What we have been] is of the ſame latitude in our Regeneration, from whence we are to compute our Spiritual life; as in our Creation, from whence we derive our Natural being. 1 Cor. 15.22. Epheſ. 2.1. Rom. 11.32, Gal. 3.22.As from Adam all lived, ſo in Adam all dyed: all dead in Sins and treſpaſſes: God hath concluded all under ſin, that he might have mercy upon all. Only the Difference is in the circumſtances, ſome greater, ſome leſſer ſinners then others: ſome longer, others leſſe while dead in ſins and Treſpaſſes: but the danger, without repentance, is the ſame to the ſinner; the Cure the ſame to the Phyſician. To him the ſame thing, to raiſe Jairus daughter to life, yet ſcarcely cold Mar. 5.22. as to bring Lazarus's ſtinking carcaſe out of his grave, John 11.43. Both ſupernatural works, and a ſupernatural Worker required to both: yet both effected without any Intenſion of the power by which it was done, becauſe inſinitely able to work.
4. But as ſome of thoſe blinde men, whom our Saviour reſtored to ſight, ſaw at the very firſt as perfectly, as ever after: but others when their eyes were firſt opened, ſaw men as Trees walking, Mark 8.24. ſo are not the ſame apprehenſions of their ſpiritual eſtate to all Penitents; though equally reſtored to Grace, and favour with God, and Federally juſtified from the guilt of paſt Sins. The Cauſes hereof are various, ariſing partly from the Complexion, and natural or acquaſite temper of the Perſons themſelves; partly from ſome errors in ſuch, who applyed to them the outward means, and miniſtration of their Repentance; partly from ſome outward accidents of life; and partly from the Suggeſtions, and Deluſions of Satan, with ſuch like.
Some perſons are naturally more apt to impreſſions of Sadneſs, Fear, and Diſtruſt, then are others. Penetrating and quick reſentments of danger, once certainly incurr'd, render ſome weak ſpirits diſtruſtful of their ſafety a long time after, be it never ſo ſure and viſible: like men ſtartled out of Melancholick and frightful dreams, who although awake, cannot preſently be perſwaded, that they are free from peril. The very apprehenſion of the danger, his churliſhneſs and folly had caſt him into, made Nabals heart dic within him. 1 Sam. 25.37.
It cannot be denyed by the ſtrongeſt Chriſtian, that the guilt of ſin once truly apprehended, with all the conſequents of horrour it draws after it, is able to ſink a very clear and ſerene ſoul, into an Alyſſe of black, and ſad thoughts: from which nothing is able to buoy, and raiſe it up; but the light of Gods countenance, ſhining upon, and influencing that ſpirit, by forcible aſſiſtances of Grace. But yet moſt evident it is, that the mourning of ſome Chriſtians is like that of Rachel, they will not be comforted: yea ſo predominant in them, ſometimes, is that torpid and penſive humour; that it converts comforts themſelves, into matter of diſcomfort: the goodneſs, patience, and long-ſuffering of Almighty God, together with his unfeigned offers of mercy, and pardon to all that truly turn unto him, (thoſe high and excellent Cordials for ſoul-ſick Chriſtians) being by the prejudices of a miſguided Imagination, corrupted into moſt bitter jealouſies, either againſt God or themſelves.
Sometimes their ſpiritual troubles ſpring from the paſſions or unskilfulneſs of the Miniſtry, under which ſuch perſons live: who either wanting the ſagacity, dexterity, (or which is moſt to be feared) the Charity of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 19.20, 22. to become all things to all men; eſpecially in that moſt Chriſtian and wholſome branch of it, the being weak with them who are weak, in the Flock of Chriſt; thunder out the threatnings of the Goſpel, promiſcuouſly in the ears of all; making their hearts ſad, whom God hath not made ſad, Ezek. 13.22. and ſo vexing them whom God hath wounded, Pſal. 69.27. inſtead of calling, encouraging and comforting ſinners under Repentance (that ſmall and ſtill voice) terrifying them with the Menaces of the Law, (that loud and furious winde) and caſting upon men ſtrong ſuſpitions of their having elapſed the time of mercy; ſeeming to antedate the great and terrible day of th… Lord, by taking the ſentence of condemnation out of his mouth. Not conſidering, that the Miniſters of the Goſpel have their Commiſſions dated from Sion, and not from Sinai; and that the method, and language of S Paul in the Pulpit, is not only more ſuitable to that Meſſage of Peace, but moſt imitable by us; becauſe it proved ſo ſucceſsful, in the buſineſs of Reconciling men to God.
I know that a Son of Thunder may have much ſaid on his behalf, from theſe evil and deaf times in which we live: to lift up the voice like a trumpet, and to ſhew the people their tranſgreſſions, and the houſe of Jacob their ſins, Iſai. 8.1 is a dutie, ſtrongly and indiſpenſably lying on a Miniſter of the Goſpel at all times, much more in ſuch an age as this we live in; wherein ſo many thouſands of Chriſtians hold the truth of God in unrighteouſneſs, Rom. 1 18. and turn his Grace into wantonneſs, Jud. 4. juſtifying not only Samaria, but Sodom and her Siſters; by outballancing her, and them, in all manner of carnal, and ſpiritual pollutions: but that we ſpeak is moſtly againſt the undue care of ſome Preachers of the Goſpel, not ſufficiently heeding and diſcriminating ſuch, who mourn in Zion, Eze. 9.4. upon whoſe foreheads Ezekiels mark hath paſt, and againſt whom the ſeverities of thoſe Comminations ought not to be uſed.
Sometimes this Trouble of minde, (if it doth not wholly ſpring, yet) receiveth much ſtrength and nouriſhment, from ſome Accidents of life. Every unuſual circumſtance in providential diſpenſations, in the apprehentions of ſuch men, carries with it the Shape and Terror of Divine Revenge: and all loving corrections, of a moſt wiſe and merciful Father, are reckoned upon, as the ſad Preſages of everlaſting Torments. Nothing but the angry frowns of a terrible Judge, flameing Torches, Fire and Brimſtone, are the Sceanes and Phantaſms of ſuch clowded brains: yea, ſo ſullen and diſtruſtful, is the Repentance of ſuch men, that they ſuſpect every bleſſing, and good thing, that God beſtows upon them in this world, as ſo many golden Balls caſt out before them, to betray them in their Race. They eat, drink, ſleep, converſe with ſuch anxiety of Spirit, that they thereby become intollerable to themſelves and others. Again,
Satan moſt times hath a deep hand in theſe troubles; who being unchangeably malitious toward mankinde, inceſſantly diſturbs the Peace of ſuch Chriſtians whom he cannot ruine. Yet ſo ſecret and cloſe are his Devices, that many prudent Chriſtians are not able (as indeed it is very difficult) to diſcern, betwixt his injections, and the motions of their own Appetites. By which error Satan exceedingly troubles their quiet, and ſets them into perpetual quarrels againſt themſelves, whereby he thinks it not impoſſible, at laſt to ingulph them in Deſpair.
To this may be added, that ſome Falſe Principles have in them a very immediate tendency to beget trouble in mens mindes, who are of inſtable judgments, but yet of a good and ingenuous diſpoſition: thoſe eſpecially concerning the Irreſiſtibility of ſaving Grace, the neceſſity of ones believing himſelf to be Juſtified, unconditionate Election to Salvation, with ſome others, whoſe falſity is plainly demonſtrated, by many excellent Treatiſes of learned, judicious, and pious Divines.
Neither is it a conſideration impertinent to the matter in hand, that there is a difference worthy our obſervation, betwixt Sin in the Memory, and in the Conſcience of a ſinner; the not perception whereof, may cauſe great trouble, and diſquiet in mens mindes. For as the Conſcience and the Memory are not really one and the ſame thing; ſo neither is ſin to be accounted of the ſame concernment to the ſinner, when it is only repreſented by the Memory, and when charged upon him by his Conſcience. Uſually, proportionable to the meaſure of our Faith and Repentance is our Peace of Conſcience; by theſe are the Marks and Characters of our guilt purged away by degrees: but the tranſient Act of ſin committed, is ever recollected by the Memory, apportionately to the natural vigour of the faculty in every man. And from hence it is, that in the fourfold diſtinction of Conſcience, there is one ſort which is ſaid to be good, but not quiet: which (for my own part) I conceive to be an effect, produced betwixt the memorative and imaginative faculties; rather then a true, and diſtinct ſtate of Conſcience in a Chriſtian; it being, to my underſtanding, equally poſſible for the Imagination, to act and perſonate Conſcience (in ſome men) as well in the punitive and vindicative, as in the affirmative and interpretative power of Law. Where the Imagination (as conſcience) may make Law to govern mens actions, as in ſome it confeſſedly doth: it is not diſproportionable to ſteaſon to believe, that Imagination may likewiſe perplex, and puniſh thoſe men, for the breach of ſuch Laws, as likewiſe Conſcience doth.
5. But let the Cauſes and Occaſions of theſe Diſtempers be what they will; be it the Conſcience, or imaginative Faculty, or Memory, or all, or any other thing, that procures, or promotes this trouble; uſually, theſe are the effects thereof, in ſad reiterated Objections.