A treatise of repentance and of fasting especially of the Lent-fast : in III parts.

CHAP. III. Concerning outward Acts of Sorrow.

WHAT the outward Acts of Sorrow are, which the sense of their guilt extorts from true Peni∣tents, we may learn from the Prophet

Joel; if we read seriously the 12. and 13. Verses of the second Chapter: Where God calls upon them to turn unto him, with all their heart; and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, &c. The main thing here required, was to turn from their evil ways sincerely, and without any reserve: But an observant Reader cannot but take notice, that this was also to be performed, with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. Their hearts were to be rent in the first place, and not their garments (as it there follows) for otherways there was no hope they would turn unto the Lord: But their garments were to be rent also (it being a part of mourn∣ing) as the effect, and the declarati∣on of the renting of the heart; and as a token they meant not to continue any longer in their sins, but to part with them, and be intirely separated from them.

But to prevent all fancies which may possibly start up in any mans mind, that the duty I am about to re∣commend to them, is proper only to the Old Testament Spirit and

times (as some have been taught to speak) I shall desire the Reader only to study two other Verses in the E∣pistle of S. James: Which compre∣hend, I think, all that belongs to this matter. They are ver. 9, 10. of the iv. Chapter; Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

He had exhorted them in the fore∣going words, Ver. 8. to draw nigh to God, in a deep sense that they were great sinners, to acknowledge their guilt, to deprecate his displeasure, and to resolve to be better men; both by cleansing their hands, and by puri∣fying their hearts: And that with all sincerity and singleness of Spirit; be∣ing no longer double-minded, (some∣times resolving to do well, and then revolting to their beloved sins again) but thoroughly and intirely returning to him in New Obedience. And then, just as the Prophet Joel requi∣red the Israelites to turn unto the Lord with all their heart; and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

So the Apostle requires the Christians to whom he writes, to draw nigh to God after the same manner; with upright hearts, and with no less, but rather greater tokens of their inward trouble that they had offended him. For he bids them not only be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: But to refrain from all mirth and joy, and to be in heaviness: Without which humilia∣tions it was not fit for great sinners to present themselves before an offended Majesty, or to hope for mercy from Him.

Which words if we examine by the phrases of the Old Testament, which are our best guides for the interpre∣ting of the New; we shall find there is not one of them, but signifies some outward expression of great grief and sorrow: Which was used by devout people, in token of hearty Repen∣tance.

When they kept their great Fast, injoyned by the Law on the day of Expiation, it was called a day of af∣flicting their Souls, xvi. Lev. 29, 31. lviii. Isa. 5. which explains the first word in S. James, and shows it to be

the very same with that in Joel, turn unto him with Fasting.

And if we search farther, wherein this afflicting themselves consisted, we shall find an Explication of the rest that follow. For it did not consist barely in abstinence from food; but in putting on also the habit of mourn∣ers (sackcloth and ashes) and in the action of renting the garments, in be∣wailing and lamenting their conditi∣tion: which are the next phrases in S. James, mourn and weep.

And if we still proceed further in our enquiry, we shall find that on such days of afflicting themselves they also abstained from all sorts of pleasure; they would not so much as wash their faces, much less annoint their heads; no, nor look up, but hanged down their heads, in confusion of face. Mu∣sick and Songs were perfect strangers to them; nor would they take any rest; but they punished their bodies with watchings, and lying on the bare ground: To testifie their sorrow and grief for what evil they had done, or for the evils they felt or feared. And accordingly here it fol∣lows

in the Apostle, in perfect con∣formity to those customs, let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness, or into hanging down of the head, with shame and grief.

And if we go on to search into the ground of all this, it will further illu∣strate the thing in hand. For it is vi∣sible, that upon occasion of any sor∣rowful accidents, they were wont in those Eastern Countries, to express their sense of it, by putting on sack-cloth, lying on the ground, strowing ashes on their heads, and such like things. Which is notorious, more especially, in case of the loss of their Friends, and near Relations. Thus Jacob bewailed the supposed death of his Son Joseph, xxxvii. Gen. 34, 35. And thus Rispah the Concubine of Saul lamented her Children, whom the Gibeonites hanged on a Gibbet, 2 Sam. xxi. 10. and thus Job, when he heard of the calamity befaln his Fa∣mily, rent his mantle, shaved his head, fell down upon the ground, and remain∣ed in silence, without speaking a word for seven days, i. Job 20. and thus his

Friends also, hearing of all this evil, and beholding, when they came to vi∣sit him, in what a lamentable condi∣tion he lay himself, lift up their voice and wept, and rent every man his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads, and sat down with him upon the ground in silence, ii. Job 12, 13. Nor are there wanting numerous examples (which I shall omit) of the very same customs among other Nations, as well as among the Jews and these Arabi∣ans.

No wonder then if pious men, who were touched with a sense of their sin, and of the Divine displeasure: used the very same signs and testimony of their grief, which were customary in other cases, of far less consequence. For what greater mischief can befall us, than the loss of Gods favour? or rather, what calamity is equal, or nearly approaching to it? And there∣fore there is more reason to bewail our offences against him (which put us out of his favour) most heavily, and with the most doleful tokens of our sorrow for them; than there is to bewail the loss of the dearest Friend

we have in this World, or the grea∣test misfortune, as we term it, that can possibly befal us.

And accordingly we read that when holy Job humbled himself be∣fore God, for his too peremptory vindication of his own innocence, he doth it in the same manner, that he had bewailed his Afflictions, saying, I abhor my self, and repent in dust and ashes, xlii. 6. And the Prophets of∣ten call upon the Israelites, to put on sackcloth, and to bewail themselves in ashes; when they would have them mourn for their sins, and (as it is in 1 Sam. vii. 2.) lament after the Lord: that is, seek the recovery of his fa∣vour by an hearty Repentance.

For they did not think it fit, for grievous offenders to look up to him, whose authority they had affronted, without Tears in their Eyes; and a sad and sorrowful countenance; in the most mournful posture and habit; and the bitterest expressions of their grief and inward anguish: As know∣ing that they deserved to be unprofi∣tably bewailing their sins in a more dismal place, where there is Nothing,

but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

Why? will some say; doth God delight to hear our shrieks and groans? or would you have us be our own Tormentors? Is it reasonable a man should be cruel to his own flesh; and make it his business, to put him∣self to pain? There is Nothing from which humane Nature more abhors, than sorrow and grief; and Nothing is more Friendly to it, than Pleasure and Joy.

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Every thing that saddens and afflicts us, is a real Disease and Sickness: To which we cannot but be averse, and by all means study to avoid.

Unto which I answer, as Solon did to one who told him when he wept for his Son, that he troubled himself, but profited Nothing by it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: That's the very reason, said he, why I cannot but weep. So when men say, that Nature is hurt by Sorrow, the reply may justly be; that's one of the

things which should make you sorrow∣ful: To see how you have spoiled the Beauty and Goodliness of Hu∣mane Nature; how you have sullied it by your sins, and darkned the brightness and chearfulness of it; by Eclipsing the light of Gods counte∣nance, which we were made to enjoy and to rejoyce therein; and causing this World to become Nothing but a Scene of Misery, a place of mourning and lamentation; either for our sins, or for our sufferings.

It is a sad fight indeed to behold a Creature made for great Happiness, to be now so altered, that in all the Creation there is not one so full of complaints as Man: But it will be a sadder, if his first complaint be not of the cause of all this, which is our Sins. These, if they be not sorrow∣fully bewailed, are the most grievous and lamentable of all things else; in the account of those who rightly weigh them.

But besides this, we must consider; that this is the way to make men leave their sins; and so be restored to true Joy and Gladness. If they can take

pleasure in evil courses, as well as in good, they will never be at the trouble of an exchange: Nor scarce think of it, till they be mourning there, where Tears will never cease to flow, and drown them in Eternal Sorrows.

Nay, more than this, to think of our sins without due sorrow and grief for them, is in truth to repeat them. So far are they from leaving them, who are not grieved for them; that whensoever they call them to mind without such grief, it is in effect a∣gain to commit them. Their minds are pleased with them; and there they do that over again, which was done before in outward actions. Up∣on this score therefore we are to be afflicted for them; and if we be, Mourning and Tears and sad Lamen∣tations will not be wanting, propor∣tionable to the Affliction which they give our Spirits. According to that saying of Philemon,

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Grief, like a Tree, hath Tears for its Fruit. Which spring out of Sor∣row, as a natural expression thereof: And are a means, as I shall show more hereafter, to remove the cause. And what greater cause, as I have said, is there for our grief and heaviness, and all their mournful attendants, than this; that we have offended him by our sins, who is able to punish them in endless Sorrows? When lesser things produce sometime a flood of Tears; we cannot but conclude, without any other reason for it, that they are justly expected, in a very great measure, here.