This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further further information or permissions.
2. WEariness under the bondage of sinne, both that which is past, and present.
1. The remembrance of his late wofull thraldome under the guilt, and power of sin, doth sometimes sadden his spirit, he cannot think of it without some degree of regret and sorrow. The misery of his former slavery under sinne, is his wormwood, and gall, when he hath it in remembrance, his soul is hum∣bled in him. Yea, although he hath good
hope through grace, that he hath escaped the danger of it, yet that doth not damme or drie up the spring of sorrow in his soul, but rather renders it now spiritual, and kindly. Now he saith in the language of the Prophet, Oh let me never return into the house of this prison again, lest I die there. Trie thy self: It's no sure signe of a good estate, if upon supposal of thy interest in this benefit, thy soule be lifted up to such an height of joy, as drownes all thoughts of thy old sinfull con∣dition, and leaves thee altogether unaffected. If the Apostle had judged this a commend∣able disposition, he would never have exhort∣ed the saints of Ephesus to remember in what a pitifull condition they had formerly been, while they were farre off, and in the flesh, Ephes. 2.11, 12.
2. The sence of that heavie clogg which lies upon him, the bodie of death, with the lusts thereof, which as fetters on his leggs, are continually pinching him, makes him to sigh, and crie out, Oh wretched man, who shall deliver me? and that not onely when he is in the dark about his spiritual estate, but also in the day of his choisest assurance, when he can heartily thank God in the view of his full deliverance to come, Rom. 7.24, 25. I con∣ceive, S. Paul doth there represent the tem∣per of every right Christian (as to this parti∣cular) in his own example. Suppose the armes, leggs, and other parcels of a dead carkass, were chained to the body of a living man, although the trunk of that carkass were
taken quite away, yet, Oh how noisome would it be? It would make a man wearie of himself. Thus it is with the ransomed soul. The bulk of the flesh (as I may call it) is destroyed by the cross of Christ, the life of it is (in a great measure) laid in the dust, when he is set free from the Law, that is, the commanding, over∣ruling, masterfull power of sin; yet still the members of this carkass, the affections and lusts of the flesh, are sprawling and stirring, and working in him; and these are as trou∣blesome to a gracious heart, as the stinking members of a dead body would be to a living body, if they were coupled to it. Consider thy self now, and see, how it is with thee? Art thou (as Rebekah) weary of thy life, because of those daughters of Heth? Canst thou say with all thine heart, Oh that I were altogether freed from them? oh that this vexatious Inmate, with all her unwelcome train, might be once pack'd out of doors, that I might see it no more? When shall it once be? This is a sweet signe, that thou art actually redeemed. But now, Art thou a stranger to this frame? Is the bodie of sin no burthen, nor grief of heart to thee? Canst thou go under it without stooping? Dost thou not rather bless thy self in thy civil carriage before men, or (at the best) in thy religious outside profession, and per∣formances before God, wondering at the pre∣ciseness of some persons, which make so much adoe, in sighing, and lamenting under that pressing bondage of corruption which
thou art not acquainted with, nor knowest what it means. This is a clear evidence, that thou art still a wretched slave, a meer stran∣ger to the grace of Redemption.
3 A sincere consolation, and real en∣deavour to abandon all iniquity, and for ever to relinquish a vain conversation. Hee that hath laid a long time in iron fetters for his misdemeanours, if he be wise for himself, will utterly renounce those courses, which hath brought him into that misery; and he that hath felt the iron curse of the Law pinching his soul, and is set free by the Lord Jesus, the grace of God will effectually teach him to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, Tit. 2.12. When the Lord hath found a ran∣some for an humbled soul, whose life was drawing near to the destroyers, and hath sent his Commission to the Minister of the Go∣spel to deliver him, the poor soul forthwith reflects upon himself, and saith, I have sin∣ned, and perverted that which is right, and it profited me not, that is, I have gotten no∣thing by the trade of sin but woe and sor∣row, therefore I will follow it no longer, Job 33.23.-27. I will not offend, I will do no more, Job 34.31, 32. The Apostle Peter wri∣ting to the dispersed Jews, tells them, that they are redeemed from their vain conversa∣tion which they had received by tradition from their Fathers, 1 Pet. 1.18. They had sundry idle, needless, unprofitable customes, both in Religion, and in common conversa∣tion, which they kept on foot from father to
son, as things of necessity, and helps to ho∣liness, as standing by themselves in the Sy∣nagogue to pray by themselves, Luke 18.11. that they might not be defiled by being near to sinners, washing their hands to their very elbows, lest some uncleanness had crept be∣yond the wrests, before they eat, washing of cups, and tables, and many other things, in a superstitious imitation of their predecessors. From this vain conversation they were re∣deemed by the blood of Christ, and the grace of the Gospel taught them not onely to abandon the lusts of their former igno∣rance, and the apparent breaches of the Law, but also those foolish and unsavoury traditi∣ons. Wilt thou now bring thy state and wayes to this Touchstone? Thou hopest that thou art redeemed, but canst thou shew us these tokens, this resolution and endeavour? Hast thou learned to cast away thy old iniquities? Dost thou feel really a separation betwixt thy soul, and thy formerly beloved sin? If not, thou deceivest thy self.
But observe further, there be sundry by—courses, too usual not onely with the men of the world, but those also that profess Reli∣gion, some clearly sinful, others at least groundless and unprofitable, as communi∣cating onely, or necessarily at Easter, com∣ing to the Sacrament, fasting, as more holy, dropping down to prayer in the Assembly in time of publick worship, idle, and unneces∣sary meeting in the Ale-house to drink shots for good-fellowship, mixt dancing, garish
attire, curious dressings, flaring long haire; these, and the like practices are (at the best) but so many parcels of a vain conversation; and if thy soul have truly tasted the sweet∣ness of this precious benefit, thou canst freely let them fall both out of thine heart and hands, and say unto them, Get you hence. If thou hast no minde to part with them, but holdest them fast, and stretchest thy wit to plead for them, I feare thou hast yet no portion in this benefit.
Iere. 37.20.
Gen. 27.46.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Doing one ill turn for another, Mat. 5 38, ••9. So did they, and so do we.