Mary Magdalenes Tears Wiped Off, Objection 29 – Prayer
OBJECTION. XXIX.
But God hath manifeſted his Diſpleaſure againſt me in many accidents of life.
SOLUTION.
35. IT may be Gods not giving you Children is principally intended by you in this objection: the Key of the wombe being (as the Hebrewes were wont to ſay) in the Hands of God, there being indeed a more immediate coucurrence of the Divine Majeſtie required to the fruit thereof then to the production of other things in the ordinary courſe of Providence. I have known this prevaile very farr with ſome of your ſex, heightning their perplexityes from that of St. Paul to Timothy, 1. Ep. 2.15. from whence they conclude, that if a Woman continue barren in a ſtate of Marriage, there is no hopes of her ſalvation; that depending ſo neceſſarily upon the former condition of Child-bearing, to this we anſwer by theſe degrees.
1. It is no mark of Gods irreverſible anger againſt us that many Croſſe accidents befall us in this life; ſeeing they are generally acknowledged, to be not only matter of advantage to our Souls, bettering us by ſuch chaſtments? but they ought to be apprehended as Signatures, or Marks of our adoption; St. Paul having illegitimated all ſuch as are not own'd by God for ſons by theſe fatherly Corrections of them Heb. 12.8. very farr are they too from being diſtinctive prognoſticks, of thoſe everlaſting diſtributions, at the day of judgment, in the opinion of King Solomon; who tells you that, no man knoweth either Love or Hatred by all that is before them. Eccle. 9.1.
2. Where God hath given Children, and by ſome evill accidents taken them away, there may more juſtly be ſuppoſed a manifeſtation of Gods heavy diſpleaſure, then where he gives no Children at all: yet that hath been the caſe of many (holy Men and Women, as appears in the example of Job. and David, whoſe Hiſtories are furniſht with moſt remarkable paſſages to this purpoſe, their lives being chequered (as one may ſay) with various contingencies of good and evill.
3. Be it granted that barrenneſs, amongſt the Jewes was reputed a curſe, and that God threatneth it as a judgment upon them to have miſcarrying wombs, and dry breaſts. yet ought it not to have that Character with us Chriſtians, who are not engaged to obedience by promiſes of temporall, but of Spirituall and eternall bleſſings: things of that concernment even in thoſe dayes, (clouded with ſhadowing and carnall ordinances,) that God himſelf propoſes them to the obedient Eunuches, as a full (indeed ſuperabundant) ſatisfaction for their Sterility, Iſ. 56.5. the truth is, there ought not to be (neither is there without our own fault) any barrenneſs in Chriſtians of either ſex, the forming of Christ in their Souls (intimated by the Apoſtle, Gal. 4.19.) being a miſticall birth in all the Sons and Daughters of God; and not without ſome reflection on this, did the Church appoint the Magnificat, of that bleſed Virgin, to be publikely ſung in her Liturgie; it being hoped that every member thereof, would conſider, that they were bound to bring forth this fruit unto God.
4. Laſtly, for that of the Apoſtle to Timothy, the ſenſe is ſo obvious, and that falſe interpretation ſo remote from the wiſdome, goodneſs, and truth of God; that it is ſtrange the Fancies even of women (who 'tis confeſt are very forcible) ſhould be able by any chimiſtry of imagination, to extract ſuch a diſproportionall meaning from that text. For St. Paul. having fixt that ſex, in their due place of ſubordination in the Church; that he might give them ſome reaſons to be content with that portion, mentions the order of their Creation, the woman being not only formed after Adam, as that ſignifies order of time, but of Nature alſo, (the Man being as one may ſpeak the firſt running of the metall) and her being firſt in the tranſgrſſion, (a token of weakneſſe and frailty) as the Grounds upon which he builds a concluſion, or canon for the order; not ſo likely to ſtand faſt, upon the bare authority even of the Apoſtle himſelf without being cemented and crankt with very good and undeniable reaſons. but yet, not to leave them under the diſhonour of being firſt in that fatall Crime, (Ringleaders in Rebellion ſeldome taſting, of that mercy which is ſhewed to their followers) and likewiſe to keep them from being chruſt out of that place, by the anger and inſolence of the other ſex, the Apoſtle tells them that by the fruit of their Womb they made amends for the miſeries and miſchiefs of their fault; the Remedy comming by them (namely the incarnation of Christ) as well as the diſeaſe, of the efficacy whereof they were likewiſe to have their part if they ſhould continue to perfor me the conditions of that mercifull Covenant; the Apoſtle very ſeaſonably minding them, of conſtancy in their profeſſions, and Practiſe: of which the firſt of that ſex, ſhewed no good example, in her hearkning to the ſuggeſtions of the Serpent in Paradiſe.
More (perhaps) might be ſayd to this purpoſe, but the apprehenſions I have of your abilities and art of diſcerning, beyond the common capacity of your ſex, having already check't me, for falling into this ſolemne, and foreſeen Digreſſion.
Thus, Madam, have I given you my thoughts, in theſe generall, and conjecturall applications hopeing that they may poſſibly light on the whole, or ſome part of the cauſe of your trouble. I have offered them to you, not ſo much in acknowledgment of thoſe favours, I have heretofore received from your ſelf, and your dear Husband (ſince with God) (though my obligation, thereby could not be diſcharged, by a farr greater attempt to recompence them) as for the tender reſpect I have to your afflicted ſtate. That this ſhould do a perfect cure (though I know God doth (manie times) great things by ſmall meanes,) I have no grounded hopes to believe: not only becauſe of the defects, and impotence of my endeavours, but for that difeaſes of this kinde, are influenced upon by the diſtempers, or complexion of the Patient, and have a ſecret and maligne aſpect upon them from many circumſtances, not gueſſable (I preſume) by perſons more Acute, then I can deſerve to be thought.
I know Divines ſhould not undertake to cure, like Empericks, by Gueſſes, and at randome; and therefore, madam I have not obſcurely intimated, my deſire unto you in this Paper to make a very ſeaſonable and home addreſs to ſome one of a Thouſand, Job. 33.23. A skilfull Phiſician of Souls; that you may not be thought, to ſubordinate the care of your better, and eternall part, to that Cabinet of beautifull earth, wherein God hath lock't up that rich Jewell for ſome few years: I am confident Madam, it is not only the beſt, but the only Counſell you can follow, with aſſurance (by Gods bleſſing) of cureing theſe wonnds in your Spirit: no if I have but cleanſed and Wip't, or done the leaſt other good office, of helping forward their cure; as I ought (and you) to give all the Prayſe thereof to God, ſo ſhall it be eſteemed a plentifull Reward, for this little Labour of Madam,
Your affectionate Servant in Chriſt Jeſus.
A PRAYER.
OAllmighty God, the Creator and Preſerver of Humane Spirits, the ſearcher of all Hearts, who knoweſt, and tryeſt all our wayes, and underſtandeſt our thoughts afarr off: from thy love and bounty it is, and not from our deſert, that we have any meaſure of grace, whereby we may know, and obey thy Will, any impreſſion of Godly ſorrow, when we have broaken thy lawes, any deſire to reſolution and performance of what is pleaſing in thy ſight, after we have erred and ſtrayed from the pathes of thy commandments: mercifully I beſeech thee to behold all ſuch as are grieved, oppreſt, and perplexed in Spirit, through the guilt of ſin, weakneſſe of Grace, frailty of Nature, or the devices of our grand enemie, and accuſer. Eſpecially be mindfull of thy Servant B. B. who hath aeſired the prayers of me thy moſt unworthy Servant, and grievous finner. O Lord, to thee are known all the cauſes, and accaſions of her trouble and confuſion of Spirit; the diſtractions and terrors of her ſoul, are not hid from thine Eyes: O thou that haſt the Balm of Gilead, the Soul-healing Oyle of mercy, and pardon of ſin, pour the ſame I moſt humbly beſeech into her wounded Spirit, bind up this bruiſed Reed, kindle this Smoaking Flax, preſerve her from the Snares of Satan, free her from the deluſions and errors of a deceitfull imagination, and vouch chaſe to her ſuch a meaſure of Spirituall Conſolution, that her ſoul may be comforted and ſtrengthned thereby; to the finiſhing of her courſe with joy, through a finall Victorie over all her Enemies, by the goodneſs and power of Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour, Amen.
FINIS.
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A Commentary on the 5 Books of Moſes or Pentateuch by J. Trap. 40
Remains of Mr. Geo. Herbert. late Orator of the univerſity of Cambridge.
Reliquiae Wottonianae, A Collection of the incomparable pieces of that great Maſter of Language and Art. Sr. Henry Wotton Kt. Provoſt of Eton. &c. 120
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Dr. Waltons Introduction to the Oriental Languages. in 120
Dr. Steward Sermon at Paris of Hezekiah's Reformation. 120
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The Rationale on the Book of Com. Prayer, by Mr. Sparrow. 120
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End of the text · John Martin, Mary Magdalenes Tears Wiped Off (1659)