The Power of Godliness, Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. The ſecond means to a godly life, is, to diſcover and mortifie our Maſter corruption, or ſin.
THe next great help to attain the perfection of holineſs, is, to take ſpecial care for the ſubduing of our maſter ſin, that is the Goliah, which if it bee ſlain, the whole Army, and the Philistines will fly; therefore there are three things I shall do in this.
1. To shew you the difference between a Maſter ſin, and a reigning ſin, that you may not fight againſt Jehoſaphat, inſtead of Ahab, who, though hee were ſlaine; the battel would continue; but if Ahab bee ſlain, a retreat is founded. Thirdly, ſet down rules and means how to conquer it.
Differences.
1. A Maſter ſin onelyonly rules over our ſins, but not our graces: The weakeſt grace will conquer it, but any other corruption, bee it never ſo ſtrong, is ſubdued by it, but a reigning ſin hath none above it, no, not grace it ſelf; nay, indeed there can bee no grace in that ſoul, where ſin reignes; and as the Prince of Devils hath a certain government and rule over the reſt of the evil ſpirits; but God rules over all, and bindes the ſtrong man, and ſpoils his goods: So though our Maſter ſin hath a kinde of dominion over other ſins, and is not in ſubjection to them, yet all are brought into ſubjection to the Spirit of God, and the grace of God that is in his Saints.
Secondly, when ſin reignes, wee give our bodies weapons of unrighteouſneſs unto ſin, our head plots, and our tongue pleads for ſin, ſuch an one cannot endure to hear ſin reproved, or ſpoken againſt; but if ones ſin be only a maſter ſin, and not a reigning ſin, though it may bee found to ſteal away the ſpear and cruſe while wee ſleep; or through violence, ſometimes wee acting by our own ſtrength, and not Gods, wreſt our ſword out of our hands, if wee do not bring in our armes, nor lay them down, wee do not become Souldiers of ſin, wee may become captives, Rom. 7.23. and Rom. 6. Thirdly, Reigning ſin has its Throne and Imperial City in the heart of his Kingdome, but forreiners make their incurſions and inrodes into the Land, but ſcarce have any certain abode, or at leaſt not in the heart of the Kingdome: So a Maſter ſin in the Regenerate, has its Imperial Throne in the heart, and in the inward man, ſo that its dominion is over the minde, and the affections, they love the ſins that they commit; but a Maſter ſin in the Regenerate only, prevails ſometimes over, and makes incurſions and inrodes in the outward man, and makes him commit ſin, but can never make him love ſin, but with his minde hee delights in, and ſerves the Law of God.
4. If ſin reign, wee have no good thoughts of the Word, wee neither ſee the Holineſs of its commands, nor the juſtneſs of its puniſhments, nor the goodneſs, nor the excellencies of the reward; wee ſhall account its holineſs, preciſeneſs, its puniſhments cruelty, and its reward, vanity: St. Paul was of another temper, Rom. 7.12.
5. The difference betwixt whoredome and rapes, ſo is the difference betwixt the Maſter ſin, and the reigning ſin; hee that raviſheth hath his will upon the poor afflicted woman, but cannot get her conſent, but a harlot ſells her ſelf to work wickedneſs; Paul was ſold under ſin by Adam, for the forbidden fruit, but Ahab ſells himſelf to it.
6. If ſin reign, all Sermons that throw down ſin, and ſpoil its dominions, are counted Treaſon: It is treaſon to ſpeak againſt a reigning ſin, and powerful Preachers are uſed by ſuch perſons as Traytors, or enemies; but in the Regenerate, though there bee a Maſter ſin, all powerful, ſearching Sermons, are accounted Friends, and ſin is accounted the Rebell.
7. If ſin reignes, whatſoever ſins are ſubdued by it, are reſtrained, but not mortified; for ſin doth not mortifie ſin, but only impriſons it, and confines it, inſomuch, that when wee refrain from one ſin, out of a greater love, we have to another, wee are not innocent of the ſin wee commit not; nay, ſometime the ground upon which wee abſtain from a ſin, hath ſo much evil in it, that it makes one more guilty, upon abſtaining upon that ground, than if wee ſhould have committed the ſin wee abſtained from; but grace mortifies ſin.
Means to finde out a maſter ſin.
1. From our enemies; for an enemy is like an Eagle, ſharp-ſighted, to cry out, and open-mouth'd, to tell of our faults.
There are two things that keep our friends from telling us them.
1. Unwillingneſs to diſpleaſe, makes our falſe friends unwilling to tell us our faults, but our enemies care not; nay, rather ſtudy to diſpleaſe us.
2. Love makes our true friends unable to diſcern our faults, for love covers a multitude of ſins, ſelf-love makes one not to ſee his own failings, and a friend being alter idem, his love doth not onelyonly cover and conceal from others his friends ſins and failings, but from himſelf alſo. This was the way by which Monacha came to know that ſhee was ſometimes guilty of intemperance, which one of her companions falling out with her, told her of, upon which ſhee left it: Hee is in a good condition, that ſees more evil in himſelf, than his enemies can. It was a good anſwer for a Phyloſopher to give, when one told him of ſuch and ſuch things one ſpoke of him to his diſgrace: Ah, ſayes hee, it ſeemes hee does not know mee, for if hee had, hee would have ſpoken far worſe. And indeed wee have great cauſe to love our enemies, for many great advantages wee receive from them; more comfort wee may receive from our friends, but more profit, it may bee, from our enemies.
1. Wee have thereby an advantage to do higher acts of Religion; for thine enemies do thee injuries, and thou mayeſt forgive them, and love them, thy friends do thee courteſies, and thou mayeſt requite them; and it is an higher act of Religion to forgive an injury …an to requite a benefit; and ſo th… …ſt a richer jewel from the heads of th… …oads.
2. Thy enemies make thee live more circumſpect and wary, it will teach thee how to watch over thy ſelf; one ſhall hardly bee wiſe, before one hath lived amongſt enemies.
3. Thine enemies will tell thee thoſe faults thou would'ſt never finde out thy ſelf, nor thy friends for thee, they look upon thy faults with a multiplying glaſs, which not only does magnifie and aggravate thy ſins, that thy ſelf or others ſee, but diſcovers thoſe that none elſe perceives; as a Multiplying-glaſs, does not only make a grain of wheat which wee ſee without it, bigger than a large beam, but diſcovers a Down upon each grain, which without that glaſs wee perceive not.
2. The ſecond thing to diſcover our Maſter ſin, is, by the company wee keep; for ſocii aut inveniunt, aut facient ſimilem; One had two daughters, Julia and Livia, and at a publike meeting hee obſerv'd who courted them, and hee found that grave Senatours did court the one, and light Gallants the other, whereby hee plainly …d, that the one was more ſtayed, …e other more looſe.
3. The third rule to know thy Maſter ſin, is, by conſidering what vice thou moſt hateſt, the contrary vice to that, is the vice to which thou art moſt inclin'd, as if thou hateſt prodigality moſt, it is likely thou art given to covetouſneſſe; if thou abhorreſt idols, take heed thou doſt not commit ſacriledge.
4 The fourth rule is, to conſider what ſins thou art free from, and then conſider what ſin it is that wil lnot ſtand and agree with thoſe ſins thou art free from, and thou wilt finde that to bee thy Maſter ſin: As for example, Doeſt thou not revenge? Art thou not guilty of gluttony, drunkenneſs, whoredome? but art guilty of ſwearing, extortion, &c. then it is very probable, that covetouſneſs is thy reigning ſin, for covetouſneſſe will free one from all chargeable ſins: So if thou wilt know whether pride bee thy Maſter ſin, conſider what ſins pride frees one from, and that frees one generally from all ſcandalous ſins, and rather from thoſe that the world moſt ſpeaks againſt, than thoſe that are of greateſt guilt in themſelves, it will rather free thee from drunkenneſs and whoredome, than from blaſphemy, for ſin may free one from ſin, as well as grace; but herein lies the differences:
Firſt, When grace frees one from ſin, it frees from all ſin, it cleanſes one from all filthineſs, both of fleſh and ſpirit; but when ſin frees one from ſin whilſt it frees one from one ſin, it inclines one to another; as covetouſneſs, though it may free one from drunkenneſs and prodigality, yet it inclines one to extortion, and oppreſſion.
Secondly, When fin frees one from ſin, it frees one not at all times; as pride will not free one from any ſin, if one can but keep it ſecret, nor covetouſneſs from revenge, gluttony, or drunkenneſs, when one may have them of free coſt; but grace frees one from ſecret ſins.
Thirdly, ſin may free one from the outward act of ſin, but not from the inward affection to ſin; covetouſneſs may keep us from the outward act of revenge, when 'tis chargeable, but not from the inward love and deſire of it.
The fifth rule to know our Maſter ſin, is, to conſider what ſins you are moſt ſubject to; as ſuppoſe to revenge, cenſuring of others, anger, envy, then you are to conſider from what root theſe ſpring, for that is not alwayes thy Maſter ſin, which doth moſt appear, but rather the root whence that doth ſpring: So that if thou art very paſſionate, paſſion is not properly thy Maſter ſin, but pride, from whence that ſprings, for from pride comes contention; therefore it is good to know from what root ſprings thoſe ſeveral ſins wee are guilty of; from pride comes (as before wee have ſaid) anger, revenge, envy, ambition, cenſuring others; thou wilt bee more ready to forgive a debt, than an injury, and more ready to bear a loſs, than an ill word; from covetouſneſs proceed inlarged deſires of earthly things, continual cares and fears, diſcontent with ones condition, neglect of the works of charity, &c. from voluptuouſneſs comes idleneſs, adultery, gluttony, drunkenneſs, &c. for the works of the fleſh are ſo manifeſt, that they need not, and ſo filthy, that they ſhould not bee nam'd amongſt Chriſtians.
The ſixth rule is, to conſider what places of Scripture that concern practicals, do moſt affect, and moſt afflict thee, what places they are that thou haſt moſt ado to expound, ſo as to quiet thy conſcience; and then mark what ſin thoſe places ſpeak againſt, or condemn, or what duty they commend, and by that you may diſcover what ſin it is that lies in your boſome, what Treatiſes they are that you like not to read, that are practical, or what Sermons they are that ſtartle you; and as before, conſider what ſins they are thoſe Sermons reprove.
7. Conſider what ſin it is that thou alwayes ſpeakeſt againſt, with limitations, cautions, and diſtinctions; but againſt the contrary ſin thou doſt ſpeak without limitations, but abſolutely with freedome, both of ſpeech and ſpirit: As when a covetous man ſpeaks againſt covetouſneſſe, hee ſpeaks as David did to his Army, when they went out againſt Abſolon, Deal kindly with the young man Abſolo…, ſaid David; as if hee had ſaid, 'tis true, hee lay with my Concubines, but hee is a young man; and as hee, ſo they do endeavour to take off the bitterneſs of our ſpirits againſt the ſin they ſeem to ſpeak againſt; but when a covetous man ſpeaks againſt prodigality, then vox non faucibus haeret: But hee ſpeaks with that freedom, and with that earneſtneſs, that it is evident, that hee accounts it an enemy that hee deals withal.
8. Another rule is this, when thou alwayes ſpeak'ſt againſt ſuch a ſin, when its contrary, is ſpoken againſt, but not e contra. As for example, when one ſpeaks againſt covetouſneſs, a covetous man will alwayes ſpeak againſt prodigality: I but, ſaith hee, hee is worſe than an Infidel that provides not for his family; and will tell you of the example of the Piſmires, and many other places of Scripture, againſt thoſe that are prodigal in expending, or not diligent in getting riches; but if hee ſpeak againſt prodigality, you ſhall not have him ſpeak a word againſt covetouſneſs; there's altum ſilentium. Concerning
The ninth rule to know thy Maſter ſins, what they are, Are thine afflictions painful, or ſhameful, or ſuch as take away thy profit, as poverty; generally God does ſtrike us in the maſter vein: Thoſe that belong unto him, if pride bee their maſter ſin, hee ſends them an affliction that brings ſhame upon them, if covetouſneſſe, hee ſends loſſes, if voluptuouſneſs, ſuch afflictions as are painful. Now in wicked men hee does clean contrary, generally gives them their hearts deſire; ſo that if they bee proud and ambitious, hee lets them have honours, and the praiſe of men, if they love riches, they are generally rich, for God generally gives them their portion in this world; as it was ſaid to the rich man; Son, remember thou receivedſt thy good things in this life. Though this rule holds not alwayes, neither the rules formerly nameed, if one takes them ſinglely they will not bee ſufficiently diſcovered; but when many of theſe meet together, they give very great light, for the underſtanding and finding out of our Maſter ſin. There are other rules alſo from our age, our callings, or from the places and times wherein wee live; but I haſten to the cures of this our Maſter ſin.
The firſt cure is, to read the Scripture, and gather together all thoſe places that ſpeak any thing concerning that ſin, or the contrary grace, or concerning the acts of either of them; as if Pride were the ſin thou would'ſt eſpecially cure, write down all thoſe places that ſpeak either of pride, or of humility, or of the acts of either as of cenſuring, of a high look, or a ſcornful eye, or of anger, &c. So ſhalt thou ſee what the judgement of the Spirit of God is of that ſin, and ſo thou ſhalt know its ſinfulneſſe, and the judgements of God againſt that ſin; and ſo thou ſhalt know its miſchiefs; thou ſhalt finde alſo the promiſes that God makes to the contrary grace, and the acts thereof; thou ſhalt alſo finde ſeveral cures and remedies ſet down by the Spirit of God, which are alwayes the ſafeſt and beſt. For though many times humane reaſon judgeth others to bee more effectual, yet hee that will be wiſer than God, ſhall finde himſelf a fool.
2. Improve Ordinances and duties againſt thy ſin; as when thou goeſt to receive the Lords Supper, let one end and aim of thy receiving of it, bee to mortifie that ſin: For though the Lords Supper bee a ſpiritual medicine and antidote againſt all ſin, yet it works eſpecially upon that, for the remedy whereof it is eſpecially taken: Bee ſure in all thy ſolemn and ejaculatory prayers, eſpecially to pray againſt this ſin, let it have no quiet poſſeſſion. Read alſo thoſe Treatiſes, eſpecially that write againſt the ſin, or of the contrary grace.
3. Improve thine acquaintance againſt this ſin; if thy ſin bee anger, acquaint thy ſelf with meek perſons; for as hee that keeps company with angry perſons, will learn their wayes: So if thy ſin bec pride, bee acquainted with thoſe that are humble, and bee often in their company; three great advantages come by it.
1. It will hinder thee from many acts of that ſin; for even as prophane perſons do very much abſtain from all ſin, when they are in the company of Saints; ſo wilt thou alſo bee aſhamed to commitacts of pride, in the company of one that is eminent for humility.
2. Such an one will bee more able to diſcern, even the moſt minute and ſmalleſt acts of pride in thee; and if it bee thy Chriſtian friend, for, for that end I would have thee chuſe him, hee will reprove thee, not only for groſs acts of pride, but for the appearances thereof: As he that's acquainted with a Critick in Latin, ſhould not only bee admoniſhed of him of incongruous Latin, but alſo of un-elegant.
3. The conſtant examples of humility, and ſo of other graces, will, as it were, transform thee into that image.
The fourth remedy is, to reſiſt the beginnings of ſin, and that advice is threefold.
1. There is principium reſpectu affectus, & per modum cauſae.
2. Reſpectu gradus.
3. Reſpectu conſuetudinis,
1. Therefore the firſt advice is cure the cauſe of your ſin, if you will cure your ſin; as hee that would cure heat in the face, the way is, not by application of outward medicines only, but cure the cauſe of it, the indiſpoſition of the liver from whence the blood comes to bee vitiated; ſo to cure anger, the beſt way is, by curing the cauſe and root from whence it ſprings, pride; for generally, if not alwayes, it comes from pride, the irregularity of anger, I mean, for to cut off the branches only, keeps the tree from bearing fruit for a while, but pull it up by the root, and it is cured for ever: So I would have you finde out the root, and cauſe of the ſin you finde your ſelf addicted to, if it have a root, and apply your remedies to the root.
2. Principium reſpectu graduum. Then the advice is, before the ſin gets ſtrength, and comes to an height, to its Paroxiſme; for every thing is weak, and eaſily overcome at the beginning, which afterward grows invincible: As when one firſt begins to bee angry, one may eaſily refrain, but after it becomes outragious, and will neither follow, nor hear any counſel, nay, advice in the height of fury, is as Phyſick in the Paroxiſm of a diſcaſe, dangerous.
The third advice is, in principio, reſpectu conſuetudinis, before thy ſin grows cuſtomary; for when once thou art accuſtomed to do evil, then the Blackmoor may as ſoon change his skin, and the Leopard his ſpots, as thou thy ſin, ſaith the Prophet. So then there are three wayes, in reſpect of the beginnings of ſin, to conquer it.
1. In reſpect of the root and ſpring from whence it ariſeth, and then, as hath been ſaid, your main application muſt bee to the root, not to the branches; for many times that which ſeems to bee the Maſter ſin, is not, but is rather like Joſeph, who acted all, but hee did it by the authority of Pharaoh, who though hee appeared not, yet Joſeph could do nothing, but by commiſſion and power derived from him: So Anger, that makes the great noiſe, and ſeems to bee the Maſter ſin in thoſe that are paſſionate; but the ſpring of it is pride, which though it appears not yet by its power and influence, anger does what it does; therefore thou art to ſeeke out the root of that which ſeems to bee the Maſter ſin: And there are three grand ſins, from which generally all others do proceed, Pride, Covetouſneſſe, Voluptuouſneſſe, though indeed all theſe come from one, which is ſelf-love; therefore do but learn that ſingular leſſon which Chriſt gives, and thou ſhalt deſtroy both root and branch of ſin, viz. He that will bee my Diſciple, let him deny himſelf, ſaith Chriſt: Self is the great enemy that every man has.
2. As for the beginning of ſin, in reſpect of his degree, watchfulneſs is the ſingular remedy: For if we have a continual watch over our words and actions, nay, even our thoughts, wee ſhall ſee ſin in its beginnings; nay, even in its firſt motions, and occaſions, and temptations; and ſo wee may either prevent, or at leaſt take it, before it comes to its Paroxiſme: And the beginnings of ſin, as of all other things, are weak, and eaſily ſubdued.
3. And as for the preventing of ſin, that it comes not to bee cuſtomary, the remedy for that is, frequent examination; for by often examining our ſelves, wee ſhall diſcover our ſins, as ſoon almoſt as wee commit them, and ſo they will bee kept from being habitual and cuſtomary; therefore let the examination of thy ſelf be at leaſt Diurnal, ſo that no ſin can be above a day old, before thou perceiveſt it; and ſo if thou canſt not ſtrangle it in its birth, thou mayeſt in its cradle. I ſuppoſe one need not bee a Giant to encounter with a Lion, as ſoon as it is whelpt, or to pull up an Oke, when the Acorn firſt ſprouts forth.
5. The fifth advice is, concerning temptations; and three advices there are concerning temptations.
1. Concerning the foreſeeing of temptations, it is good in every action, to conſider what temptations wee are like to bee encountred withal in that action; as when you go to hear the Word, conſider what temptations are incident to that. And ſo in all holy duties. Ordinances, and worldly imployments: For if a temptation takes us unawares, a weak temptation will prevail more, than a ſtrong foreſeen.
2. The ſecond advice concerning temptations, is, to prepare and provide for them; as one adviſes, that if you know you are to ſpeak with a paſſionate man, you are not only to foreſee, that you are likely to provoke him, and hee you to paſſion, but you are to provide remedies againſt both, either by preparing mollifying words, or taking with you ſome perſon, whoſe preſence may awe, or ſuch like.
3. But you are to avoid all the temptations that you can, ſo that you do not neglect a duty, to avoid a temptation; for it is preſumption to run into unneceſſary temptations, and it is ſpiritual cowardiſe to neglect our juſt imployments, becauſe a Lion is in the ſtreet: And as I have elſewhere ſaid, when one has once found ones ſelf overcome with ſuch a temptation frequently, then it is a ſin to go into that temptation, though one bee not overcome by it.
And it is a great fault in parents, when they diſpoſe of their children, not to conſider what callings have the moſt temptations accompanying them; and they ſhould conſider of what callings there are few that are religious in, and utterly avoid diſpoſing of their children to ſuch a calling; for if the calling bee not in it ſelf unlawful, yet it ſhewes the temptations that accompany it, are ſo many, that it is almoſt impoſſible to avoid and overcome them.
6. The next adivce is, concerning thy ſpeech: As often as occaſion is given, ſpeak againſt the vice thou would'ſt overcome, and three advantages you ſhall receive from it.
1. By often ſpeaking againſt it, thy heart will bee brought into ſome meaſure of hatred of it; for as by evil communication, good manners are corrupted, ſo by good communication, thy heart will bee inclined to the beſt things.
2. It will keep thee from many a temptation; for when thou ſhalt bee known to ſpeak againſt ſuch a ſin, people will more hardly entice thee to commit it, or commit it themſelves in thy preſence: As it is reported of one, that ſhee was ſo great an enemy to cenſuring, and ſpeaking ill of others, that it came to a Proverb, that if ſuch an one was preſent, they were ſure that they were not ſtandered at that time.
3. It does ſtrongly ingage thee, not to commit that ſin which thou ſo frequently condemneſt;
7. Another advice is, to divert thy thoughts and ſpeech to ſome other thing; and this advice takes place in luſts, cenſuring or ſpeaking ill of others, and blaſphemous thoughts; for the Apoſtle bids us not ſo much to reſiſt, as to fly fleſhly luſts: Other ſins wee are to reſiſt, theſe to fly from; for a chaſte Matron rather avoids the room, when a lewd man ſolicites her to uncleanneſs, than ſtands long to diſpute the queſtion. So Joſeph flies from his Miſtreſs: And ſo alſo in blaſphemous thoughts, they are to bee abhor'd, not to bee diſputed withal, they are not to bee thought over again, for the benefit in abhorring of it, will hardly recompence the horror that ſuch thoughts bring with them.
8. The next advice is, concerning vowes and reſolutions, concerning which, ſince in that which I have already publiſhed, concerning vowes, in my Treatiſe of my Meditations, I have given rules, I refer to them.