White Salt, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
HE that knoweth not how to pray, let him go to Sea, as it is ſaid: The Mariners with Jonah, when they were in a ſtorm, cryed every one to his God, if any could help them. But we need not go to Sea for need of prayers, we have ſo much neceſſity of them on the land. We have rocks, and ſands, and tumults, and waves, and Freebooters, and ſtorms without being at Sea. But we had need go to Sea to have water enough to mourn.
Next to prayers therefore we ſpeak for tears; for indeed we ſhould ſpeak to God in prayer for tears. Nay we ſhould not ſpeak for them without them, that it might be ſeen what we ſpeak for; unleſs we ſhould have ſo many tears, as for them we could not ſpeak.
Tears with prayers do excellently; they make our prayers more fluent, and our voice more liquid, and more acceptable to heaven. The very Heathen gave his good word of mourning men, that they are good men.
God gave us tears only for ſin, ſaith the Father homiletically, St. Chryſoſtom: yet we may alſo with them lament the ſad conditions of others.
Surely that which we ſhould mainly ſpend theſe ſuperfluities upon, is the ſuperfluity of naughtineſs (which is not to be underſtood diſtinctively of ſome ſins, but affirmatively of all:) but yet we may weep for the evil of puniſhment upon others. Otherwiſe we are not ſo good as Hoggs, which will bemoan the cryes of their fellows.
Even Chriſt wept paſſionately over Jeruſalem upon this conſideration. He that was to ſhed bloud for them, began firſt in tears. He turned afterward this water into wine for them: but he alſo did weep, as for their ſins, ſo for their miſeries.
David did mourn for the ſins of others, not excluſively to their ſufferings, had they been in them, Pſal. 119.136. And Jeremy did mourn for the ſufferings of the Jews, not excluſively to their ſins, Jer. 9.1.
And therefore we uſe the liberty, or not the liberty, but the duty of bewailing the ſtain of our people, which have been cut off by the civil and cruel ſword. Take which ſide we will; we are on an Iſthmus, betwixt two Seas of lamentations. I hope no good body will interdict us water of ſorrow for thoſe who fell on either ſide, as we take ſide very improperly: for the right cauſe hath no ſides: but ſides are declenſions from the right way. Sides have been in ſome mens way much; but they are out of the High way. Thoſe who were by ſome falſe Prophets miſled by plauſible pretences unto an offence, have more cauſe to be ſorrowed for; as having the advantage of piety; that good intentions without malice ſhould be abuſed without a cauſe. And thoſe that fell in a good cauſe deſerve double affectionateneſs of mourning, becauſe they fell and the cauſe with them into diſgrace for want of proſperity.
It is very ſtrange to prove the cauſe after the victory; and not to know what we fight for, untill we have done. And it will undo all the Diptycks to make virtue always fortunate. Yet nothing is more deplorable then afflicted virtue, unleſs it be triumphing wickedneſs; which draws God into danger (in the opinion of the World) either of appoving evil, or not approving good.
We underſtand nothing of heaven or earth, if we think we cannot have a bleſſing derived to us from God, unleſs it be lapped up in a temporal ſucceſs. But that the world ſhould think ſo, and thoſe who would be accounted Gods eldeſt children, this is, if any other, a lamentation.
Shall we conclude the way we go is good, becauſe we finde a bagge of gold in it? And ſhall we conclude that the way is naught, becauſe we finde a croſs in it? This indeed was the caſe betwixt Job and his friends, they would perſwade him that he was wicked, becauſe he was forſaken, as they thought, of God. Becauſe he was perſecuted of the Devil and his friends, therefore alſo he muſt be perſecuted of God too. Alas! they underſtood not, nor Job neither well, (which was the negative cauſe of his trouble) that there is a ſort of afflictions, which belong to trial, and are as the ſufferings of martyrdom, neither puniſhments, nor yet alſo properly chaſtiſements: Had they been chaſtiſements, the perſon morally had been ſafe: but ſince they were trials, the perſon was more glorious, to have the honour of the combate laid upon him.
To ſay no more to this point; as for them who meaſure the cauſe and their goodneſs by the event, how tickliſh a ground do they ſtand upon? If they ſtand, they tremble: if they fall, they periſh by their own argument. Some have been already aſhamed of this argument: and if things ſucceed not always to others, what will they think? and what ſhall we do then for them? Will they give us leave then to mourn? The proſperity of the wicked is ſad to envy: but indeed it is more ſad to virtue; becauſe he hath it by ſin, and a curſe, which will ſoon make it a miſerable bargain.
If they could tie God to them, as the Heathens did their gods, they might be more confident: or if they could draw him down, and he not draw them up; they might raiſe up their crests: but he knoweth their day is coming. And when the mighty Lord will, he draws them up to him in faith and obedience, and heavenlineſs; that they may look for ſigns of Gods favour from his right hand in ſpiritual things, not from his left hand in temporals.
But I have hitherto kept no order in grief. We have ſo many objects which call for ſorrow, and ſo importunately, that we are confounded in perplexities, and know not whereupon to begin our first fruits of tears.
And yet (O bleſſed Saviour) the firſt fruits do belong of due to thee, who haſt redeemed the world by more then tears, even bloud. Thou who cameſt into the world to expiate our ſins with the price of thy bloud, mayſt juſtly require that they ſhould coſt us tears alſo, leaſt they ſhould not ſeem to go out, as they came in too much, by our eyes. Thou that badeſt the daughters of Jerulem to weep not for thee, but for themſelves and their children, Luk. 23.28. didſt therein ſhew rather thy ingenuity then their duty. As, if thou ſhouldſt bid us ſit at thy Table, in receiving the Communion, (which yet thou haſt not done) it would be rusticity in us not to interpret thy courteſie by our reverence of thy Divinity?
We have read of one that came laughing into the world, but was not happy in it. Yet if there were any born without tears; ſurely there was none born again without tears.
And we have reaſon to weep, becauſe Chriſt was born for us who deſerved to dye. We ſhould dye before we ſin, although we ſinned in our firſt Parents before we were born; and he lived that he might dye, that we might live and not dye eternally. He had a better life before he was born: and ſhould he live ſuch a life for us? And if you ſay, that we have reaſon to rejoyce that he was born for us: that is true too. And yet we have cauſe of ſorrow, that upon our occaſion he thus humbled himſelf to be man for man. We may weep for joy, and his ſorrow.
And can we tell how to avoid a lamentation for his bitter paſſion and death with ſuch pain and ſhame? Shall the Sun be darkned; and we not in mourning? Shall the rocks be rent, and not our garments? Shall the graves be opened; and our hearts ſhut? Shall the Earth ſhake; and we not moved? the vail of the Templerent; and we remain undiſturbed?
O Chriſtian! he ſhed bloud; thou ſheddeſt tears: Compare now bloud and tears, Chriſt and thee. And what diſproportion! And yet how much greater diſproportion, if thou doſt not ſhed tears! What have we to do here now in this valley of tears but to weep? Open the floud-gates; and let them pour out. That ſowre Apple which was eaten by us in Paradiſe may make our eyes water, that we are fooliſhly fallen into ſuch a neceſſity, that the Son of God muſt mediate a peace with his life and death.
But why ſhould we mourn for our ſins, ſince they are pardoned, Yes; Oh more. Weep for thy ſins becauſe they are committed: but weep for them more, becauſe they are pardoned. This love, this mercy, is an argument which enters into the ſoul; and makes it go, as it were, through fire and water; inflames it and melts it into ingenuous ſorrow, which is more abundant for ſuch a pardon after ſuch provocations. Nothing is, in effect, ſo coactive, as love; nor formally leſs, becauſe it makes us ſo willing. The love of Chriſt conſtraineth us, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks. I am aſhamed to be ſo often pardoned, as he he ſaid to a gratious Prince, whom he had been diſloyal often to; as if in abhorrence of his iniquities he would have a puniſhment, as being more able to bear it, then the weight of the courteſie, clemency.
O my Saviour, ſince thou haſt been pleaſed to wiſh my ſoul in thy bloud, let me alſo waſh it in my tears; not to make it whiter, but becauſe it hath been ſo foul: not to adde to thy righteouſneſs (for what can be added to that which is infinite by me who am nothing?) but to do juſtice upon my ſelf for all my ſins, which have put thee to all this trouble for me.
But how ſoon ſhall we want water for the bewailing of one ſin? How little ſhall we then have for all, and ſo great as a Chriſtian makes them, had they no other aggravation. O my God, it is eaſier for thee to pardon my ſins, then for me to number them: and therefore how ſhall I be able to ſprinkle the remembrance of all my ſins with a little water of repentance? And ſince my ſins are in number, as the hairs of my head; how will there be drops enough of my eyes, that I may have but a drop for every ſin? And ſince they are in number as the ſands by the Sea; ſhould not I have a Sea of this ſalt-water for my ſins?
O make my ſorrow more, that I may have more joy; for now, in this condition of ſinners, there is left us no joy but after ſorrow, or out of it. Let me never be dry, leſt I burn; ſpecially let this humour more abound, when we have for it the good ſeaſons of the Church to move them; or when we have too much opportunity of our own bad practices, to deſerve them. But let me on one day of the year not be without good ſtore of this affliction. And what day can that be but on the Paſsion day? Let me think upon Christ then, and if I think upon him then (as can I but think upon him?) let me think upon him paſſionately, leſt I be not a Chriſtian any day of the year, becauſe not then.
Bleſſed Saviour, who didſt bid thy ſervant St. Peter to come to thee upon the water, help me to come to thee upon this water of repentance: and ſtretch out thy hand leſt I ſink; yea alſo ſince my tears are not clean, but have earth and filth in them, and therefore they need tears, and thoſe tears other tears, and ſo to infinity; therefore do thou waſh even my tears alſo in the pure fountain of thy moſt pretious bloud; leſt I go into ſuch ſorrow as ſhould be, becauſe my ſorrow is not ſuch as it ſhould be. And for as much as I have no tears to ſpare for the world; let me and my enemies have no more ſorrow then in a virtue. And if they have none; let me have the more, until I may be like them without a fault.
We have not yet therefore done our wet work. We are not yet over the water: for Jeruſalem, our Jeruſalem is in the ſuds. After we have lamented our ſpiritual condition, that we are no better, we have great occaſion to lament the publick, that it is ſo bad; undone with wars; rent in pieces with ſchiſms; overgrown with hereſies; groaning under its burthen of error and ſin; and trembling under the decay of its foundations.
The chief Butler of Pharaoh forgat his ingagement and Ioſoph: but we ſhould not forget the afflictions of Joſeph: we ſhould, as we may ſpeak, broach a new veſſel of tears for him. Nehemiah the Kings Cupbearer had more affection to Ieruſalem, and gave the King a good account of his ſad countenance in the 2. chap. 2, 3. verſes. He, good man, was as ready to fill Gods bottles with tears, as the Kings cup with wine; that God might powre out a bleſſing upon Jeruſalem. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, Pſal. 81.10. Indeed we are like narrow mouthed veſſels; we can take in but as by drops: and we can let out alſo but by drops: if we could open our eyes, and fill up the meaſure of tears; or rather had we no meaſure; we ſhould have more of Gods mercies.
See if there were ever ſorrow like unto this in the land of our nativity: we are an Iſland without; but within we ſhould be as it were all Sea in ſorrow for the moſt deſperate breaches which ever Satan imagined, and man made. We had a Kingdom as great as thoſe who had more compaſs. In thoſe things which are not great by bulk, the goodneſs is the greatneſs, as his rule is: And this Nation was great by ſome kindes of goodneſs, not by quantity. Had it been but of indifferent credit and name, it had not been envyed: had it not been envyed, it had miſſed theſe calamities. When Excellency goes before, Envy is like to go behinde to trip up the heels. Sin hath deſerved it: but envy, and covetouſneſs of our own hath done it, undone it.
If ever laughter was madneſs, as the wiſe man ſaith, then certainly now, when we ſeem all to have lost our reaſon.
After the body of the Nation had lost ſo much bloud, then to take off the Head, what is it? when ever ſo done? by whom? Can it be ſaid to be done by two, whereof one would be next to Chriſt, the other to Jeſus? One would have it to be done, according to their principle; the other, in form of juſtice, according to their hypocriſie. Where lived he who wiſhed all had but one neck, that he might be but once cruel? And when but then did all lie under one head? Head of the Church, and of the Common-wealth could not ſtand together. The head is taken from our Maſter; ſo then our Maſter is taken from our head; and as he ſaid, We are rather without a Maſter, then in liberty; unleſs to weep; if even this. Was not the puniſhment ours? for we were beheaded? And what is left in the body, but a few equivocal ſpirits? The breath of our noſthrils is taken away, and how then do we live?
It is neceſſary, ſaid he, to put unity before all multitude: but we have preferred a multitude; and when many are put before one, what do they ſtand for: Surely we are in a vertiginous diſpoſition; and our feet are where our head was; and we think we are in England, when we are out of the Kingdom. Beelzebub hath now found out, being the Prince of flies, ſuch flies, as the Roman Eagle will catch. And he hath found out a way to gratifie the Italian with ſuch ſervants as will make their own liveries with home-made cloth. I would the ſervant of ſervants had that foot in the grave which was wont to be kiſſed: but I am afraid he hath ſet that foot on our ground. Indeed we ſeem to drive him out, as ſome do drive out beaſts out of the corn, when they drive them more in, and they cry him down, as thoſe who mingle with the Hue, that they may not be diſcovered.
But this object ſeems to exceed our faculty; and we cannot almoſt think of it without ſinking by the weight of it into ſorrow without a bottom, and without hope. For thoſe that are dead, we ſorrow not without hope, in obedience to the precept, 1 Theſ. 4.13. for they ſhall have a glorious Reſurrection: but for them who are living, we ſorrow without hope; for there is little hope of a reſurrection from this condition, unleſs we hope in him that quickeneth the dead, and maketh thoſe things which are not as though they were.
We have in our ſelves the ſentence of death, as the Apoſtle there, in another ſenſe. In our ſelves what have we to make us think that we are not condemned to uttter ruine, when we think of all our enemies, and all our ſins, which are yet whole in us? What is there to be broken ſo ſoon as our hearts? And what is there which is not broken, but our hearts? What vengeance may that Nation look for, which by unamendment, yea greater iniquities requireth more puniſhment? or if it be ſpared, without contrition, even that may be the greateſt puniſhment. Nolo hanc miſericordiam Domine, ſaid the devout man; Lord, let me have none of that mercy. And therefore all the comfort is, that we are yet puniſhed, that all the doſe of the purge is not yet taken.
There is no doubt but we are weary of our puniſhments: but we ſhould be more weary of our ſins; and until we be more weary of our ſins, it is a favour not to be eaſed of our ſtrokes and burthen of adverſities. We ſhould have been weary of our ſins before the rod came: but I would we were weary of them now. If any of our ſins be not now committed, are they yet mortified? It may be ſome of them do not come abroad in the exerciſe: but they keep cloſe at home in the mind. And that which locks them in, is ſecurity.
We are like men in ſleep upon the top of a maſt, when the windes blow, and the waves roar, and the Ship reels on this ſide, and on that ſide, and the Pilot thrown over, and yet every one ſcuffling for the goods; and every one will handle the rudder. And yet we are fools and enemies, if we do not like this condition. How much do we ſuffer, becauſe we will not be deceived!
Have we not cauſe to mourn for theſe things? have we not cauſe to mourn that we cannot mourn, as we ſhould? have we not cauſe to mourn that we cannot mourn, that we cannot mourn; and ſo make our mournings infiinte?
What can we think of in the land, which will keep us from bleeding to death in tears, had we ſo ſerious apprehenſions of things as their nature and circumſtances do require? Or if we had not matter enough within our own Territories for grief, we might enlarge our ſelves, and expatiate into the whole world. For every Christian is Oecumenical; and hath a care of the whole world; and if he be right, he doth grieve, that the world hath ſo much work of repentance to do, and yet hath ſo little time: and that there are ſo many contrefait Christians, who, if they mend not, muſt go ſoon from the white Devil to the black. And what is there yet more deſerving to be waſhed with this briny water then this, that when ſins and errors do ſo much every where abound, yet that thoſe who think themſelves to be the Favorites of Heaven, ſhould vaunt that theſe are glorious times, becauſe they have their humours and the intereſs?
What? ſhall the Heathen State-Hiſtorian ſay, that nothing is to be expected to be proſperous which is not ingenuous; and ſhall we do any thing for our advantage; and if we attain it, make uſe of this argument? but mark the iſſue. Will it not be bitterneſs in the end? That and thou cannot proſper together.
Do we not look to have our Maſter Chriſt to rend off our liveries, and to ſcourge us for al our enormities? Bleſſed Saviour, is not this abuſing of thee by our ſins more grievous to thee then thy ſuffering upon the Croſs? for that paſſion was for our redemption; but this doth more abuſe thy patience. That was done by ſouldiers; Theſe things therefore the ſouldiers did, as it is ſaid: but this is done by thoſe who are of thy houſhold, in Profeſſion, Chriſtians. If theſe be real Chriſtians, who are not? Let us either have other names, or lives. And let us not ſay, We ſhall have peace though we walk after the ſtubbornneſs of our own hearts: if we do, the wrath of the Lord ſhall ſmoak againſt that man; he will not be merciful to him: but, all the curſes of the book ſhall light upon him, and God ſhall put out his name from under heaven, Deut. 29.20.
How many have been cut off from the earth and from under heaven; and for what? Need we any mourning women to move dolour, when we have ſo many widows, that cannot be hired from it? Is not this doleful, that as in a miſt we have killed one another, to pleaſe our adverſaries, and yet ſhall not have the courteſie to be laſt deſtroyed, but firſt? We have found them horſes; and they have found riders, who have ridden us, and ſpurred us, and blouded us on both ſides. Even like to the Horſe in the Poets Apologue, which, when the Stagge was too hard for him with the horns, deſired a Man to take his back and drive the Stagge out of the paſture; and when that was done; the man would not leave his back: ſo we have deſired others to eaſe us of oppreſſion, as we conceived; and when that was done, we are yet ridden; and have ſuch upon our backs as will not let us groane.
Mary wept, becauſe they had taken away her Lord, and ſhe knew not where they had layed him, St. Joh. 20.13. And may not we be ſorry that they have taken away Religion, and we know not where they will lay it? Is it not doleful that Religion ſhould go on one ſide, and on the other ſide; and that he who ſhould endevour to ſet it right, ſhould be reckoned an enemy on both ſides? Or can we without heavineſs conſider, that ſince betwixt no religion and that which is irregular there ſhould be ſo little, and yet none ſhould paſs for religious people, but thoſe who are irregular? Is it not worth a tear to ſee that no reformation will pleaſe the people, but that which takes away the ſubject thereof; and that this muſt be done hand over head? Will our eyes be dry, when we have a minde to obſerve how many wiſe men we have had in our Nation, and yet we ſhould be ſuch fools as not to ſee when we are well, nor yet neither when we are ill? So true is that of Tertullian in his Apology. Caecitatis duae ſpecies facilè concurrunt: two ſorts of blindeneſs do eaſily concur; that thoſe who doe not ſee that which is, ſeem yet to ſee what is not: and alſo when men ſeem to ſee what is not, they do not ſee what is. Before they would ſee nothing right, but all amiſs; and therefore they will not ſee now, or will not acknowledge what is amiſs.
I am weary of this ſad work, and yet we have need of a freſh ſupply of lamentations for the perplexities of weaker Chriſtians, who are pulled out of the way on this hand and on that, and do not know where to ſet a ſure foot in actions of the Church, or actions Civil. For the Maſters of each faction are very careful to perſwade the people, that each way is that which the people ſhould have Gods bleſſing in. And whereas the Heathen Poets feigned ſeveral gods to be favourable to ſeveral Nations: we have the boldneſs to make the one true God to be favourable to divers ways. As the Apoſtle ſaid, Is Chriſt divided? is God divided? Both ſorts ſtand for the Kingdom of Chriſt; and enemies to one another upon that account; becauſe they put Chriſt his mark upon their commodities.
To ſay no more in this kinde; The Church of England hath nouriſhed them up unto ſo much piety, as that now they are too good for their Mother. It hath bred them: and now they caſt her off; and are ready to give teſtimonies of their own, if the Church of Rome needed them, that there is no ſuch thing now as the Church of England. What ſport do our adverſaries make of this, that they have ordered our hands to ſacrifice to their Moloch? And that they have beguiled us to make us guilty of their errours and their evil practices, that we may no more ſpeak againſt them, leſt we ſpeak againſt our ſelves? So they have made us their fools, to laugh at us: and yet (which is the greateſt folly) we muſt laugh too; or elſe we are looked upon as thoſe who are diſaffected; ill affected. O tyranny over the mindes of men! which, he that likes it, doth very well deſerve. And when liberty, which is promiſed, cometh, his fault and his puniſhment ſhould be together, to be a ſervant of corruption. And if he be of the Clergy, he ſhould be ſerved right, if he were degraded, for his degradation of it.