God's soveraignty displayed from Job 9. 12. : Behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? &c., or, A discourse shewing, that God doth, and may take away from his creatures what hee pleaseth, as to the matter what, the place where, the time when, the means and manner how, and the reasons thereof : with an application of the whole, to the distressed citizens of London, whose houses and goods were lately consumed by the fire : an excitation of them to look to the procuring causes of this fiery tryal, the ends that God aims at in it, with directions how to behave themselves under their losses / by William Gearing ...

CHAP. VIII.

HAving discovered those Capital [ II] sins for which we have just cause to think God hath been pouring out his anger against City & Country; let me now in the next place Exhort you to mourn bitterly, for these and for all your sins: It is not enough that you mourn for the loss of a Husband, of a Wife, of a Childe, of your Goods, of your Estate, of your houses; this sorrow is that which the Apostle calls worldly sorrow, 2 Cor. 7. and it is so far from work∣ing comfort in the end, that it worketh death; not only death temporal, but also death eternal: if this sort of men weep

their eyes out, and their hearts out, for these carnal things, yet shall they no more partake of divine joy, than the tormented Glutton doth of heavenly comfort. David's mourning for his son Absolom was carnal, and did no way tend to his true comfort; Joab did just∣ly blame him for his bellowing and howling for the death of Absolom. This mourning may be found in Pha∣roah; such was Esau's mourning for the loss of his Fathers blessing. The Prophet Hosea tells us, that wicked men will howl upon their beds, for corn and wine, for the want or loss of tem∣poral goods, Hos. 7.14. They can la∣ment for these things, but cannot lament for their sins, or lament after God; the loss of God and of Christ, is not such a matter of mourning to them.

Neither is it available, to mourn meerly for the Judgements of God in∣flicted upon us: Oh how did Cain mourn, when the wrath of God was upon him. So did Pharoah under Judgements; and Ahab humbled him∣self greatly; so do the damned mourn to eternity in hell: The wicked mourn, not because they have sinned, but be∣cause they are punished: God no more

regardeth the howling of sinners under Judgement, than we regard the howl∣ings of dogs when they are beaten.

Neither is all sorrow for sin, godly sorrow, yet this is an high degree of mourning. Pharoah lamented his wick∣edness, I have sinned; Judas also la∣mented his grievous sin, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood, Mat. 27.3 and now he mourneth in hell for his sin: and we have some examples of men, who sin and mourn, and then sin afresh, and mourn afresh, crying out, O my pride, O my drunkenness, O my swearing, O my uncleanness! that the beholding their bitter mourning, would make a tender heart to mourn with them; many such there are that mourn on earth for a fit, and mourn in hell for ever. Prov. 5. 11, 12, 13. Death-bed lamentation and mourning for sin, is not alwaies repent∣ing mourning.

Neither are all that mourn under dreadful apprehensions of Gods anger against them, and terrours upon them arising from their sense of sin, and ap∣prehension of Gods wrath, true mourn∣ers; yet this like the former, is an high degree of mourning, yet below holy mourning; such a mourner was Cain;

the load of terrours upon his heart, pres∣sed forth all his tears and complaints. There are such examples still of men, who in their fears of death and judge∣ment, and agonies of conscience, do weep, confess their sins, resolve to for∣sake sin, and yet when they have ease, do sin again, and they are again as pro∣phane, as irreligious as they were before, nay, they become more hardned in sin, and opposite to God and godliness than they were before.

Neither do all who mourn after grace and pardon, truly mourn; yet this is one of the neerest degrees to spiritual mourning that is found in hypocrites. An unregenerate man may feel such a load of guilt upon his conscience, as that he may mourn after grace and par∣don, yet not be comforted: as there is a temporary sorrow for sin, so there is in th••m a temporary desire after ease and deliverance from it.

But all such as mourn in bitterness of spirit under their spiritual wants: Mr. Cartwright gives this as a reason, why in the Beatitudes our Saviour addeth mourning next to poverty of spirit, be∣cause the want of grace and Gods fa∣vour is such a lamentation, that nothing

quieteth them so long as they are with∣out it. And though God by the hand of his bounty, give them all outward things liberally, as health, strength, riches, friends, yet still they mourn over their spiritual wants; these are the true mourners, that complain for the want of spiritual riches. What is this worlds goods, if I have not the grace and favour of God? As Moses said, What is the presence of an Angel, if we have not the presence of God with us? so what is a∣ny thing? what are all things? if I have not Gods favour, I am undone for ever.

Again, such as mourn bitterly for sin, they truly mourn. Lam. 5.16. Wo to us, for we have sinned. Woe is the time that ever I sinned against God; Wo is me that ever I did curse, swear, and blaspheme the holy name of God; wo that ever I was drunk; wo that ever I sinned against the Lord: such a mourning was that of St. Peter, he went forth and wept bitterly: wo is me that ever I did deny my Lord and Master. Such a mourner was Mary Magdalen, who washed the feet of Christ with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head: so David made his bed to

swim, and watered his couch with tears, Psal. 6.6.

Again, such as mourn for sin, not only because it doth terrifie the conscience, but because it doth pollute and defile the soul; who mourn for sin, not only because it is a soul-damning evil, but because it is a God-dishonouring evil, these are true mourners. Thus David mourned, Against thee, against thee have I offended, Psal. 51.4. This was that which troubled his spirit, that he should off••nd a gracious God, a loving Father, and dishonour his holy Maje∣sty, and violate the holy Law of God.

Moreover, such as mourn for sin, and repent for sin, that bewail and for∣sake sin; these men are sorry after a godly manner, 2 Cor. 7.10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, never to be repented of. These holy tears are very acceptable unto God, when our sins are put into the morter of our hearts, and there pounded with the pestel of compunction, and so brought into dust, and moistened with the wa∣ters of our tears, then is there made thereof a sweet smelling Oyntment and sacrifice unto God, as one well noteth.

The Angels in heaven do rejoyce over one sinner that repenteth, Luk. 15. They much rejoyce to follow such a sinner, carrying the tears, of godly compuncti∣on in his eyes, and of godly sorrow in his heart: Which is not unaptly figu∣red, Luk. 22. where the Disciples of Christ went after the man which carri∣ed the vessel of water, and in that house prepared the Passeover of the Lord: so in a spiritual sense; the man carrying this vessel of water, is the penitent sin∣ner, whose heart and eyes are full of tears of godly sorrow, whom the An∣gels following, do enter the house of his soul, and there do prepare an holy banquet for the Lord; for which cause St. Bernard saith, The tears of holy penitents, are the sweet wine of An∣gels; because in them is the savour of life, the taste of Christ, the smack of pardon, the health of the returned, the joy of reconciliation, and the sweetness of conscience. Bonaventure saith, this is one reason why God made Paradise, that our first Parents might hate and de∣test sin the more hainously and eagerly, which had cast them out of so pleasant an habitation: God would therefore that Adam should feel what hee had

lost by his sin, that he might seek to re∣gain another Paradise by repentance, that he who had lost paradise on earth, should more earnestly seek after that heavenly Jerusalem: so my Brethren, you that have been lately driven out of your houses, by that lamentable Con∣flagration; God thereby sheweth you, that he would have you to hate and detest sin the more vehemently, which hath cast you out of your pleasant habi∣tations; God would have you to feel what you have lost by your sins, that ye may seek to regain better Mansions by repentance; that you who have lost your houses on earth, may more ear∣nestly seek after a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Notes

• Cartwr. Harmon. Evangel.
• Savanarol. meditat. in Psal. 51.
• Lachrymae sanctorum, Vinū Ange∣lorū. Bern.
• Bonavent. Meditat.
• 2 Cor. 5.1