then he could doe To this I answer that the regenerate man is able to doe more then hee could doe in these two particulars First he is able to performe any duty or any thing God commands according to the proportion of grace that he hath received but if the duty or thing exceed the grace that he hath received then hee is to pray for an extraordinary helpe of the spirit but hee could not doe this before neither is it in the power of an unregenerate man to doe it Secondly he is able to resist any temptation or sinne if it be not greater or above the measure of grace that he hath received if it be a temptation of distrust or impatiencie or presumption if it exceed not the measure of grace that he hath received he is able to put it to flight but if it doe exceed then hee is to pray for an extraordinary helpe of the spirit now the unregenerate man hath no power to resist sinne or temptation in this case But you will say againe that there is no such power in the regenerate man for the Apostle saith Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that you cannot doe the things that you would To this I answer It is true that in the most sanctified man thatis there is corruption and this corruption will fight against the spirt and may sometimes hinder good but it is then when it exceeds the measure of grace hee hath received neither is it alway prevailing in this kinde for when it exceeds not the grace the spirit overcomes it neither doth it alwaies continue it may be in the heart but it cannot reigne in the heart it may bee in the heart as a theefe in a house not to have residence and a dwelling place but for a night and bee gone so this lust in the heart of a regenerate man dwells not there that is it doth not alwayes hinder him from good but for a time and then departs but it is not thus with an unregenerate man sinne takes possession and keepes possession of his heart The third consectary or use stands thus seeing the Apostle saith mortifie that is do not only abstain from the outward actions of sinne but from the thought of the heart for Mortification is a slaying of the evill disposition of the heart aswell as the slaying of the actions of the body Mortification is first inward and then outward Hence we gather this point That it is not sufficient for a man to abstaine from the actions of sinne but he must abstaine from sinne in his heart if hee would prove his Mortification to be true 2 Pet. 2. 14. The Apostle saith that their eyes were fullof adulterie Now lust is not in the eye but in the heart but by this he fhewes that it is the fulnesse of sinne in the heart that fills the eyes therefore looke unto the heart for the actions are but the branches but the root is in the heart that is whatsoever evill action is in the hand it hath its first breeding in the heart if therefore you would remove the effect you must first remove the cause Now the cause if it bring forth an evill effect is the greater evill as the cause of good is greater than the effect it produceth even so the sinne of the heart because it is the cause of evill actions is greater than the evill that it produceth Then think not with you selves that if you abstaine from the outward grosse actions of sinne that sinne is mortified in you but goe first unto the Cause and see whether that evill disposition of the heart be mortified whether there bee wrought in you a new disposition to good and a withering of all inordinate affections But you will say unto mee Our Saviour saith that Every man shall be judged by his workes and the Apostle saith that Every man shall receive according to the workes done in the bodie by which it appeares that a man shall not bee judged by the thoughts of his heart but by his actions To this I answer It is true that men shall bee judged by their workes because actions declare either that good that is in the heart or the evill that is in the heart so that he will judge the heart first as the cause and then the actions as the effects Rom. 8. 27. it is said He that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the spirit so it is as true that he knowes the minde of the flesh that is the actions of the unregenerate part Now as the sap is greater in the root than in the branches so the greater sinne is in the heart and therefore it shall receive greater punishment Therefore if the root bee not purged notwithstanding thou abstaine from the outward actions thou hast not as yet mortified sinne because thy heart is impure and seeing God will judge us by our hearts if we have any care of our salvation let us labour to cut off the buds of sinne that spring from the heart The fourth Consectary or Use stands thus seeing the Apostle exhorts the Colossians to morâ—ifie their lusts who had set upon this worke already hence we note this point That no man is so holy or sanctified but he had need still to be exhorted to Mortification For howsoever it be true that in the regenerate sinne hath received a deadly wound yet it is not so killed but there is still sap in the root from whence springs many branches and therefore had need of continuall Mortification because the flesh wil still lust against the spirit and although there is such corruption in them yet are they not under the power of it neither doth it beare rule in them let them therefore that have not set upon this worke of Mortification now beginne to mortifie their lust and let all those that have already begunne continue in this worke Thus much for the uses But you will say unto mee How shall wee attaine this worke of Mortification and therefore here will I lay downe some meanes how a man may come to this worke of Mortification The first meanes is to endevour to get a willing heart to have your sinnes mortified that is a holy dislike and a holy loathing of them with a desire of the contrary grace If men did butsee whatan excellent estate regeneration is it would breed in them a holy desire of Mortification therefore our Saviour saith when his Disciples came to him and complained of the weakenesse of their Faith Matth. 17. If yee have Faith as a graine of Mustard-seed yee shall say unto this mountaine Remove and it shall bee removed By setting forth the excellency of Faith he takes paines to worke in them a desire of it even so if a man once can get a desire but to have his sinne mortified
betweene a man that hath his sinne mortified and one that hath not The first is alway carefull that his sinne come not to action hee is carefull and watchfull over his wayes and heart as well when the Judgement is removed as when he feeles it but the other hinders not sinne longer than the hand of God is upon him remove that and then his care is removed Fifthly sinne may seeme to be removed and mortified when the sap and strength of sinne is dead that is when the strength of Nature is spent As the Lampe goes out when oyle is either not supplyed or taken away and yet the Lampe is still a Lampe for let oyle be supplied and fire put unto it and it will burne so there may be not the action and yet sinne is not mortified in the heart for he is as well affected to sinne as ever hee was onely the sap and strength of nature is gone but if oyle were supplied that is if strength of nature would but returne sinne would be as quick and vigorous as ever it was Sixthly good Education when a man is brought up under good parents or masters he may be so kept under that sinne may seeme to bee mortified but let those be once at their owne ruling then it will appeare that sinne is not mortified in them that is that they have not lost their swinish disposition onely they are kept from fouling of themselves As a Swine so long as she is kept in a faire meadow cannot foule her selfe but if you give her liberty to goe whither shee list shee will presently be wallowing in the mire even so these are ashamed to defile themselves whilest they are under good education but opportunity being offered it will soone appeare sinne is not mortified The Use of this briefly is for Examination unto every one to enter into his owne heart and examâ—ne himselfe by these rules whether his sinne be mortified or no and accordingly to judge of him else The second Question is for the comforting of weake Christians Seeing there is corruption in the heart how shall I know that the lusts and stirrings of the heart proceed from a wounded Corruption or else is the Action of an unmortified lust To this I answer You shall know them by these rules First you shall know whether the lust in the heart be mortified and proceed from a wounded heart or no by the ground of it that is if it proceed from the right root or arise from a deepe humiliation wrought upon the soule either by the Law or by the Judgement of God whereby the Conscience is awakened to see sinne in its ownenature and then a raising up of the soule by the apprehension of the love of God in Christ and out of a love unto God to beginne to mortifie sinne if the heart in this case doe fight against the spirit that is the lust of the heart it is because it hath received the deadly wound but if it bee not our of love unto God that thou mortifiest sinne if thy heart in this case have much rebellion in it whatsoever thou thinkest of thy selfe sinne is not mortified in thee Every thing proceeds from some Cause if the Cause be good the Effect must needs bee good likewise as for instance if the tree be good the fruit must be good but if the tree be evill the fruit cannot be good Let every man therefore examine himselfe upon this ground Secondly you shall know it by the generality of it For Mortification is generall and as death is unto the members of the body so is Mortification unto the members of sinne now you know that the nature of death is tos ize upon all the members of the body it leaves life in none so where true Mortification is it leaves life in no sinne that is it takes away the commanding power of sinne For what is the life of sinne but the power of sinne take away this power and you take away this life Therefore it is not sufficient to mortifie one sin but you must mortifie all sins to which purpose the holy Apostle here bids them Mortifie when he had exhorted them unto the generall of mortification then he subjoynes divers particulars as Fornication Uncleannesse of which hereafter God assisting you shall heare Hence then you learne it will not be sufficient for you to leave your covetousnesse but you must leave your pide you vaine-glory So also when thou hast slaine sinne in thy understanding thou must mortifie it in thy will and affections slay sinne first in thy soule and then slay it in the parts of thy body and so examine your selves whether you finde this worke of Mortification to be generall Thirdly you shall know whether your lust be mortified by this Looke if there be an equality betweene the life of grace and the death of corruption that is if you find grace in measure answerable unto the measure of corruption which is mortified in thee it is a signe thy sinne is mortified for as thereis a dying unto sinne so there will be a quickening unto holinesse seeing the new man will beginne to revive when the old man begins to dye Grace will grow strong when Corruption growes weake and therefore the Apostle saith Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. As if he should say you shall find by this whether the corruption of nature be slaine in you if you stand fast as in the former verse which you cannot doe unlesse grace grow except there be a proportion betwixt the life of grace and the death of corruption Therefore examine your selves by this whether you doe finde that you are quickned in grace to pray or heare which is an excellent signe that sinne is mortified Fourthly you shall know whether your lasts are mortified by the continuance of them For if sinne be mortified and have received her deadly wound it will bee but for the present it will not continue it may well rage and trouble thee for a time but it is onely now and then by fits whereas an unmortified lust ever rageth It is with sinne in this case as it is with a man that hath received his deadly wound from his enemy hee will not presently flye away but will rather runne more violently upon him that hath wounded him yet let him bee never so violent in the middle of the action hee sinkes downe when hee thinkes to doe the most harme then hee is the most unable because hee hath received his deadly wound whereby hee hath lost the strength and power of nature which otherwise might have prevailed so it will bee with sinne and with a mortified lust it may rage in the heart and seeme to beare sway and rule over thee as lord but the power and strength of sinne is mortified and sinkes downe wanting ability to prevaile and why because it hath received its deadly wound
The privatenesse and secrecie thereof 5. The present delight they finde in it p. 157 Of Evill CONCVPISCENCE DOCT. I. EVill Concupiscence is a sinne to bâ—e mortified pag. 187 Reasons thereof are 1. It will bring forth actuall sinnes p. 188 2. It defiles a man by hiding sinne in his heart ibid. 3. It marres all good actions ibid 4. It makes Gods Commandements grievous unto us p. 189 The nature of evill Concupiscence what p. 190 The sinfulnesse of evill Concupiscenee ibid. The operation of evill Concupiscence in conceiving bringing forth sinne 191 Evill Concupiscence Habituall Actuall to be mortified p. 193 All sinne is to be abstayned from because God forbids it p. 195 Acts to Mortification are 1. A serious meditation upon mens courses ibid 2. A suppressing and keeping downe of lust p. 196 3. A rectifying of the iudgement p. 197 VSEI To get free from this sinne p. 198 The wrathof God on the creature works terror in the conscience ibid. Three signes of mortifying this sinne 1. A generall reformation in heart and life p. 200 2. A right iudgement of sin and a true loathing thereof p. 201 3. Actuall abstinence from sinne p. 202 QVEST. Whether man after true Mortification may fall into the same sinne againe ibid. ANSW He may fall into the act but not the love of that sin ibid Meanes to the mortification of this sinne are 1. A labour for an assurance of pardon for our sinnes p. 203 2. Abstinence from all occasion of sinne p. 205 3. A delight in grace and holinesse p. 206 4 â—ervent and hearty prayer p. 207 Of inordinate AFFECTION DOCTRINE 1. ALL Immoderate Affections must be mortified p. 211 What Affections are p. 212 The Appetite double Sensuall Rationall p. 213 Three sorts of Affections Naturall Carnall Spirituall p. 214 Affections when inordinate p. 216 Trials of the inordit acy of Affections are 1. To examine them by the rule the Rules are 1. The obiect must be good p. 217 2. The end right 3. The measure right 4. The order and season sitting 2. To examine them by the effects The effects are 1. The disturbance and hiâ—drance of reason p. 218 2. An indisposition to holy duties p. 219 3. The production of evill actions 4. The drawing us from God p. 230 What it is to mortifie affections inordinate ibid. Keasons why they are to be mortified are 1. They are of greatest efficacie and command in the soule p. 221 2. They make us either good or evill 3. They make way for Satan to take possession of the soule p. 222 4. They are the first movers to evill p. 223 VSE 1. To exhort us to take pains in the mortification of these inordinate affections p. 224 Meanes to mortifie them are 1. Knowledge of the disease p. 225 Two wayes to discerne inordinate lusts 1 By bringing them to the Touch-stone p. 226 2 By considering the stops of them 2. The iudgement of others concerning them p. 227 The causes of inordinate affection are 1. Mis-apprehension p. 227 Remedies against mis-apprehension 1 To get strong reasons out of the Scripture p. 229 2. To get a lively faith p. 230 3. Experience of the naughtinesse of them 4. Example of others 2. Weakenesse and impotency p. 232 Remedy against that is to gather strength 3. Lightnesse of the minde p. 233 Remedy to finde out the right obiect which is God 4. Confusion that riseth in the heart at first rising of them p. 234 Remedy timely prevention p. 235 5. Corruption of nature p. 236 Remedy to get a new nature 7. Oue sinne cause and root of another p. 239 Remedy to pull up the root God the onely agent of Mortification USE 2. To reprove us for sinfull affections Motives to conquer inordinate affections 1. They are the root of all evill p. 240 2. They wound the soule p. 241 3. They breed foolish and hurtfull lusts p. 243 4. They hinder the doing of good actions 5. They bring shame and dishonour p. 244 6. They blinde the reason and judgement p. 245 Of COVETOVSNES Covetousnesse what p. 1. 25 Why it is called Idolatry DOCTR 1. To seeke helpe and comfort from riches or any other creature and not from God alone is vaine and sinfull p. 2 DOCTR 2. That Covetousnesse which is Idolatry is to bee mortified p. 2. 25 Reasons that God onely can be comfort unto us and not the creature are 1. God is All-sufficient p. 5 2. The creature is empty and vaine p. 6 3. We commit the sinne of idolatry in giving that to the creature which is due to God USE 1. To exhort men to abstain froÌ„ lusting after worldlythings p. 7 God can give comfort without riches p. 8 The creature without the Creator is as the huske without the kernell p. 9 Considerations to disswade from trusting in the creature 1. The creature of it selfe hath no power to comfort p. 10 2. The creature reaches not to the inward man p. 11 3. A multitude of creatures must goe to the comfort of one man p. 12 4. The comfort of the creature is but dependant felicity p. 12 Whatsoever men leave their children without Gods blessing is nothing worth p. 13 The deceits whereby men are hindred from mortifying this sinne are 1. They thinke them Gods blessings p. 14 Blessings considered without thankefull reference to God cease to be blessings We receive the creatures as blessings 1. When we depend on God for the disposing continuing and want of them 2. When wee thinke the same things may bee without comfort unto us p. 15 3. When we thinke we may have comfort without them p. 16 2. They apprehend present comfort from the abounding of them p. 17 We may not judge of outward things by sense and feeling but by faith and a rectified reason To helpe our judgement therein Consider 1. They are but vanity of vanities p. 18 2. What other men that have bin afflicted think of theÌ„ 3. What your selves wiljudge of theÌ„ at the day of death 4. What you shall finde them for the time to come Sense of comfort double preceeding from a refreshing of the heart by the Creature an appprehension of Gods fauor in those blessings Ioy in the creature may be a 1. Remisse ioy as if we ioyed not p. 19 2. Loose ioy that may be cast off 3. Dependant ioy eying the fountaine p. 20 3 They reason falsely Riches come not alwayes by labour nor comfort by riches p. 20. For 1. God maketh a disproportion betwixt the man and the blessing p. 21 2. God hinders the effects though the causes eoncurre 3. God denieth successe to the causes p. 22 4 They see these things present and certain other things doubtfull and incertaine Earthly things subiect to change but spirituall things unchangeable Signes to know whether our love to the creature be right or no Consider 1. Whether our affection to the creature drawes our hearts from God p. 24 2. When earthly and spirituall things come in competition which we
all these thou shalt bee more than a Conquerour and have a Crowne of glory in the life to come Secondly the world tels thee that if thou wilt not be earthly minded thou shalt lose thy wealth riches thy honour and thy credit nay thy life also but Faith tels thee that if thou beest earthly minded thou shalt lose thy spirituall life and riches and shalt be poore in the graces of the Spirit thou shalt lose honour and credit with God and his children nay thou shalt lose eternall life Thus Faith overcomes our inordinate affections to the world and makes us heavenly minded The second meanes if you would get heavenly mindednesse is this you must labour for Humilitie this is that which the Apostle Iames exhorts us unto Iam. 4. 8. Clense your hands you sinners and purisie your hearts you double minded and then humble your selves cast your selves downe and the Lord wil raise you up Where we may note that before our hearts hands can be clensed we must be cast downe This we may see in the parable of the Sower Luk. 8. 8. two of the sorts of ground were not fit to receive seed because they were not humbled and therfore the Word had not that effect in them as it had in those that were humbled plowed and had the clods broken It is with an humble soule as it is with an hungry and thirsty man tell him of gold and silver hee cares not for it onely give him meat and drinke for that is the thing he most desires and stands most in need of or like a condemned man tel him of lands and possessions hee regards them nothing at all for nothing will satisfie him but a pardon so it is with a Christian that is humbled and cast downe under the sense of the wrarh of God for sinne tell him of any thing in the world in the most learned and excellentest manner that possibly you can yet nothing will satisfie him but the love and favour of God in Christ hee can rellish nothing but heavenly things nothing will quench his thirst but the imputed righteousnesse of Christ. Thus you see that Humilitie is an excellent meanes unto heavenly mindednesse The third meanes if you would get heavenly mindednesse is this thou must labour to get thy judgement rightly informed especially concerning earthly things The reason wherefore men are so besotted with the world is because they doe not conceive of the things in the world so as indeed they are they thinke better of them then they deserve and looke for that from them which they cannot afford them therefore heare what the Preacher saith of them Salomon saith that they are vanitie and vexation of spirit yea he cals all vanity and in another place he compares them to things that are most variable and most uncertaine as to grasse that withereth to a shadow that is suddenly gone this is the esteeme that the Wiseman had of earthly things And thereby we may see that they are not truly good because they are uncertaine things and promise that which they cannot performe unto us for at the best they are but things wherein as through a crevice we have a small glimpse of the true good yet they themselves are not over-good because they are not the cause whereby the chiefe Good is produced neither are wee able to keepe them for at such or such a time they will bee gone so that they are neither true good nor our good and therefore this should weane us and our hearts from them But let us strive to set our affections on things that are durable good and substantiall good which will not deceive us and will promise us nothing but that which it will performe farre beyond our deserts therefore labour for a right informed judgement The fourth meanes if you would get heavenly mindednesse is this Labour to get a sight into the All-sufficiencie of God Remember what the Lord said unto Abraham I am God All-sufficient walke before me and bee upright God is an All-sufficient God for generall good things of this life are at the best but particular good as health is a particular good against sicknesse wealth and riches a particular good against poverty honour and credit a particular good against disgrace but God is a generall good and the fountaine of all goodnesse other things are but created like cisternes that good they have is put in them therefore the Lord complaines of the people Ier. 2. 13. They have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and have digged to themselves Cisternes that will hold no water that is they have forsaken God the fountaine of all good and have chosen unto themselves the creatures that have no more good than that which comes from God the fountaine As a man that forsakes a fountaine that continually runnes and betakes himselfe to a crack'd Cisterne that hath no water but that which commeth from the fountaine and is also subject to lose his water so when men set their hearts on earthly things they forsake God who is All-sufficient for them and seeke to his Creatures which are insufficient and unable to helpe themselves therefore you ought to thinke of these things to the end you may be heavenly minded The fifth meanes to get heavenly mindednesse is this To Remember from whence thou art fallen Rev. 2. 5. this is for those that have beene heavenly minded and now are earthly minded It is with many Christians as it is with the shadow on the Diall the Sunne passeth and they know not how or as a man going to Sea first hee loseth a sight of the Townes and houses then the sight of the Churches and Steeples and then hee loseth the sight of the mountaines and hils then at last hee seeth nothing but the motion of the Seas so there are many Christians that make a godly shew of profession at first but by degrees they fall away till at length they become nothing they leave the good profession and take up an outward professing of Christianitie and doe all in hypocrisie it is with these men as it is with a man that hath a Consumption in his bodie first he growes weake secondly he loseth his colour thirdly hee loseth his rellish and taste and this is the most dangerous of all so it is in a spirituall Consumption first they are weake and feeble to performe holy duties secondly they lose their colour that is their cheerefulnesse in the performance of holy duties thirdly which is the worst of all they lose their rellish they cannot taste wholsome Doctrine they delightnot in the pure Word and this is dangerous and hard to be recovered A Consumption at first is more easily cured than discerned and at length it is more easily discovered than cured so it is with the spirituall the sicknesse and the weaknesse of the soule may at the first be more easily cured than discerned but when they
because God takes special notice of all thy actions as for dogs and swine as for the actions of unregenerate men he regards them not because his glory is not engaged upon their conversation he expects nothing from them but as for you he takes a particular notice of all your actions speeches and behaviours and therefore you should be marvellous carefull over your hearts Againe looke unto secret sinnes because hee is the searcher of the heart let the feare of God set in order every faculty of your soules to keepe out every sinne every evill thought because hee takes speciall notice of it And that I may the better prevaile with you I will briefly lay downe some Motives to move you to keepe this diligent watch over your hearts The first Motive to move every Christian to continue and grow in heavenly mindednesse is this because by this meanes hee may bee able to doe every good worke 2 Tim. 3. 21. If a man therefore purge himselfe hee shall be a vessell of honour fit for every good worke that is if hee labour to rid his heart of earthly mindednesse he shall have a new life put into him whereby hee shall bee able to performe holy duties in another manner then before Now what is the reason that there is such complaint among Christians that they cannot pray and are so dull and slaggish in the performance of holy duties but because they have not rid their hearts of earthly mindednesse What is the reason that there is so much Preaching and so little practise and so much hearing and so little edifying but because men are earthly minded If they would purge themselves of this earthly mindednesse it is unpossible but that there would bee more spirituall life in them in the performance of spirituall duties Therefore if it were for no other cause but this that you may be inabled unto every good worke and holy dutie and that you may keepe in you your spirituall life feeling and moving labour to keepe thy heart cleane from sinne The second motive to move Christians to grow in heavenly mindednesse is because that by this God is honoured I say it is a glorie to God if thou keepe thy heart cleane Now what man is there that would not willingly glorifie God who stuck not to give Christ for him It is a glorie unto God when the Professors of the Word live a holy life for what is the nature of the Word but to cleanse now when it worketh not this effect in them or at least when it appeares not in them it doth detract from the excellencie of the Word The Apostle layes downe the nature of a true Christian Iam. 1. 21. Pure Religion is this to keepe ones selfe unspotted of the world that is a spotlesse life is that which best beseemes a Christian man that takes upon him the profession of the Gospel and that which brings much glorie unto God is a blamelesse conversation and to this end the Apostle exhorts Let saith he your Conversation be without covetousnesse Heb. 13. 5. as if hee should say an unsatiable desire doth detract from the glorie of God therefore let this move men to be heavenly minded The third Motive to move every Christian to grow in heavenly mindednesse is because hee may prevaile with God in prayer Iam. 5. 16. the Apostle saith that The prayer of a faithfull man availeth much if it bee fervent that is it hath a great force with God for a blessing Now this should bee a marvellous encouragement to keepe the heart cleane in regard of the great necessitie that the Church hath of our prayers and therefore if we would not for ourselves prevaile with God yet in regard of the great need that the Church stands in at this present we should be moved to doe this duty But you will say that wee are but few or that I am but one and how can we be able to prevaile thus with God To this I answer Grant that you be but a few yet a few may doe much good Ezek. 22. 30. speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem I sought saith the Lord for a man to stand in the gappe and there was none Hee speakes there in the singular number if there had beene but one that is but a few they might have prevailed much with God so I say unto you though we be but a few yet if wee keepe our hearts pure wee may doe much with God nay though thou bee but a particular person thou maist prevaile much with God as Moses did for the Children of Israel when a damme is new broken the casting in of a little dirt will hinder the course of water but if it be not holpen in time it will not easily be stopt â—o in time a few may prevent a Judgement nay such a Jâ—dgement as otherwise may destroy a whole land if the heart bee truly sanctified it hath a great force with God Againe a man that would pray if he doe not speake but many times he is forced to send forth sighes and grones unto God this is of great power with God but if hee powre out his heart in voyce it hath a greater force and therefore the Wise-man saith that the words of the righteous are precious that is of great worth with God and therefore let this move men to be heavenly minded HOW TO MORTIFIE FORNICATION Colossians 3. 1. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth Fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is Idolatry HAving handled in generall the Doctrine of Mortification according to the Method of the Apostle I am now come to descend to the considering of particulars as they are laid downe in my Text and would speak of them in the order as they are ranked by the holy Spirit but that the affinity and neerenesse betwixt three of these sinnes namely Fornication Uncleannesse and evill Concupiscence makes me to confound them and promiscuously to mingle them together Let us therefore consider first of the nature of every of these sinnes particularly by themselves and afterward make some use and application to our selves of them altogether The Doctrine that arises in generall from these words is That All Vncleannesse is a thing God would have mortified and quite destroyed out of the hearts that hee would dwell in All filthinesse and uncleannesse is a member of the old man now in such as Christ dwels in the old man is crucified he is dead with Christ now hee that is dead with him is freed from him and againe he that is in the second Adam hath power to mortifie the members of the old man All Gods children must be purified and cleansed from all pollution as the Apostle expressely commands us Ephes. 5. 1. Be ye followers of God as deare children that is be ye like unto God your Father as children resemble their naturall fathers now God is
or exception that the gates of mercy stand open for them Mar. 16. 15. there is our Commission Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel unto every Creature What this is in the next verse it is sayd If a man will beleeve he shall be saved but hee that beleeveth not shall be damned Therefore whatsoever your sinne be let nothing hinder you to come in for if you come in God wil receive you to mercy all the hindrāce then is in our selves Consider these two places of Scripture 1. Cor. 6. 9. Paul speaking to the Corinthians Of the greatest sinne that ever mans nature was capable of such were ye saith he but now ye are washed and are sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God So in the 2. Cor. 12. and last ve The Apostle doth make no question but that they might repent and have forgivenesse you may know how willing God was to forgive great sinners all the matter is if we be willing to apply this pardon to our selves To leave our sinnes in generall to take Christ to be a King aswell as our Saviour To deny our selves and to take up Christs Crosse and then there is no question but we may have this pardon sealed and assured us Certaine it is men will not doe this as to denie themselves and take up Christs Crosse till they bee duly humbled and have repented their sinnes but so it is that men will not prize Christ untill that vengeance fall upon them for their sins would they but doe it they might bee sure of this pardon were their humiliation true and sincere it is sufficient the last of the Revel verse 17. And the spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely First here is Let him that heareth come that is To all whosoever this Gospel is preached unto the promise is generall to all here is also added Let him that is athirst come there is further added Let whosoever will come come that will come and take of the water of life freely seeking God in sinceritie of heart with forsaking of all their sinnes And so much for this meanes of getting pardon for sinne and to come to true mortification by the sanctifying spirit The second meanes to mortification is to abstaine from all beginnings and occasions of sinne as precedent actions and objects of ill It is to have a peremptory abstinence and full deniall not medling with any thing that hath any affinity with sinne If you doe not neglect to resist the beginnings this is the way to come unto the utmost ends of it there be chaines to draw to sinne Iames 1. 14. Every man is tempted when hee is drawne of his owne lust and is inticed then when lust hath conceived it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is consummate bringeth forth death This is to cleare God in the matter of temptation a man is drawne with his owne lust unto it First a man doth gaze on his Sinne and dally with it then hee comes to bee intangled in it so that hee cannot get loose againe even as a fish that is fast to a hooke Thirdly followes the assent unto it when hee is taken in the net And lastly followes the committing of actuall sinne which doeth bring forth Death So first there is the chaine that drawes to sinne Secondly the gazing on it Thus Evah did admire and gaze on the fruite and did thinke that if shee might taste of it shee should come to know good and evill but she was deceived so wee are deluded by sinne First by gazing on it then by being intangled in it afterwards proceedes a will therunto and lastly the committing of the sinne which doth bring foorth death so that death followes sinne When a man hath committed the sinne it causeth the hardening of the heart and so makes him not sensible of the things of the spirit The greater sinnes doe cause the greater hardnings and makes the heart for to become evill and so a man comes to have an unfaithfull heart as an Athiest to thinke that the Scriptures are not true that the promises of God are not true and lastly unfaithfulnesse it causeth a departure from God as in Hebrewes 3. 13. An unbeleeving heart causeth a departure from the living God Take heed there bee not an evill and unbeleeving heart in you for if there bee then there will bee a departing from God therefore wee should not bee led by any thing to gaze upon sinne that wee may not bee intangled in it Therefore let us at the first checke the very beginnings of sinne and resist all occasions A third meanes to overcome this sinne is to bee exercised with the contrary delights as with Grace and Holinesse This is the meanes to mortifie the heart and to emptie it of all kind of lusts and they cannot be emptied out of the heart unlesse better things be put in stead thereof you cannot weaken blackenesse better then by white Therefore the way to change the heart after sinnefull objects and the mortifying of these lufts it is to get delight in better things and to labour to have neerer communion with God to be zealous of Gods cause 1. Cor. 106. Last of all to conclude The meanes for mortifying of this Sinne is you must adde prayer unto all the rest To pray unto God to baptize you with his holy Spirit Let a man be left to himselfe and it is impossible for him to mortifie except God will doe it Therefore wee are to pray unto God to give us his holy Spirit When the Spirit of God doth come into the heart it is as fire and puts another temper upon him then was before It turnes the strings of his heart to another tune and doth make him approve of that which God doth require This is the way to mortifie lust The more a man is carried to the love of one he is many times the more removed from another but the more a man is caried to God the more heis wayned from inordinat lusts being mortified he is the more enclined to God Mal. 3. 2. Who shall stand when he appeares for hee is like a Refiners fire and like to Fullers Sope. Christ shall doe that when he comes that none else is able to doe As in refining and purifying the heart use what meanes you will except you use fire you cannot refine drosse from silver So staines that are in a mans garment wash them as long as you will with Sope they will but seeme the worse but when they are brought to the Fullers hand they are soone rubbed out So let a man be left to his owne Spirit hee will runne into a thousand noy some lusts but when Gods Spirit is cloathed in a mans heart then it doth keepe him from the wayes of
cause to make it inord inate as for example to desire to do businesse in a mans calling is good but if this desire prevaile with him at such time as hee should bestow in prayer and holy duties as when he should come to heare the Word then they are inordinate for season must be kept to therefore when an affection comes if not in season answer it as Christ did The houre is not yet come this is the way to iudge of them by the rule The second way of triall is to know them by their effects and they are foure as the rules are 4. The first effect is if any affection hinder reason so as to trouble the action then it is inordinate for affections ought to be servants to reason if they disturb then they are not right as for example feare is set in the soule to give the watch-word to prevent evills if it shall appale a man so as to let his weapons fall thus it troubles reason Joy was put in the soule to oyle the wheeles and to quicken it more If it do more astonish then quicken if immoderate joy cast a man into ectasy when it should put him on action or if it breake out into immodest reuellings and not into praises thy joy is not good griefe is stirred up to ease the soule of paine now if it hinder a man from enduring that he should endure it becomes inordinate The Israelites in Egypt could not hearken to Moses because of the anguish of their hearts and worldly sorrow causeth death that is it causeth distempers and when it thus drieth up the bones it eateth up the vigor of the soule and makes a man out of frame then it is amisse though Christs griefe exceeded anymans upon the Crosse yet he committed all to God without any distempers The second effect is when they indispose vs to any holy duty as we judge of in distempers of the body if there be no appetite to meat or drinke so affections are inordinate when they indispose vs to pray to doe good or to speake good 1 Pet. 3. 7. the Apostle exhorteth husbands to dwell with their wives as men of knowledge that is in such a manner as you may moderate affections with knowledge that your prayers saith the Apostle be not hindred that is if there be any disorder in your affections one towards another it will hinder your prayers By your affection you may judge and as you may judge of your affection by your duties so of your duties you may judge by this rule how you are disposed to holy duties if there be any interruption or indisposition it is a signe there is some distemper in the affections all things are not straight in the inward man The third effect to discouer the immoderatenesse of affections is when they produce euill actions which ordinarily they doe when they exceede the measure and the manner Anger is an affection set in the soule to stirre up man to remoue impediments and thus you may be angry for sinne and other things too now if it be kept in its owne limits anger is a desire to remove impediments and not a desire to revenge that is the inordinatenesse of it to be angry for sinne because it dishonoureth God is good To be angry for other things redounding on our selves is not evill so our anger extend but so farre as to remoue the impediments not to revenge them as for example if a man takes away ones reputation and brings disgrace upon him now to desire to hurt such a man the affection is amisse because the carriage of other men towards vs must not be our rule towards others but we are to make this use of it to be diligent in keeping off the blow off our selves but not to hurt another man this is inordinate Be angry but sinne not you may be angry so as it bring forth no evill actions or evill effects so a man may be angry with the insensible creatures desiring to remove the impediment and put out of the way that which hinders the actions The last effect is when affections draw vs from God then they are inordinate because they should draw vs neere to him But when they make vs to forget God there is their inordinatenesse for example we are commanded Deut. 12. 18. To reioyce in the good things of God but when wee shall rejoyce in an Epicurean manner and forget God it is amisse for wee should so rejoyce that wee should raise up our soules to love and praise and give thanks to him so also for feare and griefe if wee feare any thing more then God and grieve for any thing more then for sinne for crosses and losses more then for displeasing God these make us forget God and so become inordinate Now followes what it is to mortifie them which wee have formerly spoken of at large in a word it is nothing else but a turning of carnall affections into spirituall and naturall affections to a higher and more noble end that is to eate and to drinke not onely for natures benefit but for God to doe him honour that is the right end for to mortifie is to rectifie and to bring things that are out of compasse to rule to see where they are inordinate and so to turne carnall and naturall affections all into spitituall In the next place wee will see some reasons why they are to be mortified for reasons doe wonderfully perswade and necessity of mortifying once apprehended makes men goe about it Let us but consider of what moment it is to have them mortified what ill if we doe not what good if we doe The first reason is because affections are actions of the greatest efficacie and command in the soule they are exceeding powerfull they are the wheeles or sailes which carrie the soule this way or that way in that regard because they are so effectuall and prevalent therefore it concernes us the more to take care that we rectifie them Time was when affections did obey the will and the will the Spirit of God in the time of Innocency but now that subordination is taken away and that union dissolved and now the affections move the heart as the winde the Sea whether it will or no therefore it stands you upon to keepe them under A metled horse is a delight to the rider if hee be kept under the bridle so the affections if they be good the stronger the better but the Divell hath no better factors thē the affections are if they be ill they are the best opportunities for him to doe mischiefe by The second reason why they are to be mortified is because they are those that make us eyther good or evill men It is not the understanding of truth or falshood that makes us good or evil men that is but one opinion and judgement but as the affections are and as the inclination of the will is so is
divers sorts of affections so there are divers sorts of distempers as the affection of anger hath its distemper and this is more visible when anger is gone it is daily seen and therefore is of no great difficulty to bee discerned there are other kind of affections which doe continue in a man when his heart is habitually carried to an inordinate lust as to pride vaine-glory love of the world no such affection can be wel discerned whil'st that continues in a man take a man that hath a continued affection it is hard for him to discerne it because it doth with its continuance habitually corrupt the Judgement and blind the reason and yet you are to labour to discerne it And that you may two wayes First bring your affections to the rule and touchstone Secondly That you may better know their aberration from the rule consider whether the affection have any stop an affection is like a river if you let it run without any stop or resistance it runs quietly but if you hinder its course it runnes more violently so it is with your affections if you doe not observe to know the stops and lets of them you shall not observe the violence of them so well So then the first way for a man to come to know his affectiōs is to observe them in any extraordinary accident if any losse come to a man in his estate or if he be crost in his sports or hindred of his purpose let him consider how he doth beare it that is try how you carry yourselves towards it this wil be a good meanes to discover our affections when they come to these stops and lets they are best discerned by us Secondly in this case it is good wee make use of others eyes a man sees not that in himselfe which a stander by doth hee is free from the affection which another is bent unto and therefore another can better judge of it as a man that is sicke of a feaver hee cannot judge aright of tasts because hee hath lost the sense of tasting that which is sweet may seeme bitter unto him but he that is in health can judge of tasts as they are therefore it is good to make use of friends and if we have no friends it is wisedome in this case to make use of an enemy that is to observe what inordinatnesse hath beene in them and what hath happened unto them therby and so to judge of our owne And this is the first thing that I wil cōmend unto you to labor to see your affections and to be convinced of them when this is done in the next place we wil come to see the causes of inordinate affections and seeing we are applying medicines as we shall see the causes of inordinate affections so to each of them we shall adde their remedies The first cause of inordinate affection is mis-apprehension that is when wee doe not apprehend things aright our affections follow our apprehensions as we see in a sensible appetite if a thing bee beautifull we are apt to love it and like of it but if it bee deformed wee are apt to hate it for as things doe represent themselves to the will so we are apt to conceive of them the will turnes a mans actions this way or that way notwithstanding the understanding is the pilot that turnes the will so that our apprehension is the first cause of inordinat affections by this we overvalue things that are evill and undervalue things that are good Rectifie therefore the apprehension and heale the disease labour to have the Judgement informed and you shall see things as they are Affections as I said before are of two sorts one sensuall arising from fancy the other rationall arising from judgement all that we can say for the former affections is this men might doe much to weaken those affections in them if they would take paines by removing the objects that is by with-drawing the fewell and turning the attentions another way if we cannot subdue any sensuall affections in us let us be subdued unto it and be as any dead man In case that we are surprised by such vanities yet let us not hasten to action or execution All that in this case a man can doe is as a pilot whose shippe is in great danger to bee cast away by reason of a great tempest all that he can doe is to looke to the safety of the ship that waters come not into it at any place that it be not overthrowne so these evill affections that are in our rationall appetite are these evill inclinations of the will that are lent either to riches pleasure vaine-glory or the like objects of reason Now to rectifie your mis-apprehension of them first get strong reasons for to doe it reade the Scriptures furnish your selfe with spirituall arguments be acquainted with such places as ye may see therby the sinfulnesse of such affections it is great wisedome in a man first to finde out the thing he is inordinately affected to and never to rest till he find the things that are sinfull in him therefore the applying of reason will make us able to doe it and if we can doe so we shall be able to go through the things of this world rightly You are inordinately affected to wealth Apply reason and Scripture here as thus It is a wisemans part to use earthen vessels as silver and silver vessels as earthen the one will serve for use as well as the other so in the things of the world hee that is strong in reason and wise were they represented to him as they are he would use a great estate without setting his heart upon it more then if it were a mean one in the condition of this life he would would so carry himselfe as if he used them not this the Apostle have us to doe to use the world as though we used it not and then we should think the best things of the world to bee of no moment and that we have no cause to rejoyce in them Wee are to use the world with a weaned affection not be inordinately carried with love therupon in worldly things there is a usefulnesse to be looked at but to seeke to finde baites in them and to set our hearts upon them that will hurt us exceedingly if wee looke for excellency in worldly things and touch them too familiarly they wil burne scorch us but if we use them for our necessity and so use them as if we did not wee shall finde great benefit and comfort by them This is the difference betweene earthly and spirituall things you must have knowledge of these and this knowledge must be affective the more love you have the better it is but in earthly things the lesse love we have the better it is for in earthly things if our love exceed our knowledge they are subject to hurt us What is the reason a man takes to heart the
indeed without Gods over-ruling Power we can doe nothing yet wee must use the meanes as we see in the casting of a dye it is not in us to win as we please but yet the playing of the cast is requisite so the mortifying of the affections it is not in us yet we must use the meanes for to doe it let us not give satisfaction to any lust but hinder it to our powers it is a shame for us to have our hearts affected with any sinnefull lusts were wee more carefull of our soules these inordinate affections would bee more broken and kept downe by us Beleeve it strong affections breed strong afflictions and say thou shouldest have riches and contenment in earthly things and yet have inordinate affections this is no helpe for thee it is but an applying of an outward plaister to an inward sore that will doe it no good The third motive is taken from 1 Timothy 6. 9. the Apostle speaketh there of the desire of riches he saith that it breedeth many foolish and hurtfull lusts in that regard wee should mortifie them because they are foolish lusts and foolish because hurtfull when a man hurts himselfe out of some mistake or by his owne heedlessenesse hee is properly said to be a foole It is properly folly when a man hurts himselfe whil'st he seekes to doe himselfe most good wee seeke to doe our selves good when we give satisfaction to every lust but yet we hurt our selves strange affections invite us to sinne and sinne brings to misery and thus they are hurtfull Shun them therefore seeing God hath appointed them to be mortified let us mortifie them whatsoever God hath appointed to be mortified and we will not doe it is as hurtfull for us as Achans wedge was to Achan which is called a cursed thing And so every unmortified lust is a cursed thing Take we heed of it The fourth motive is this because inordinatenesse of affections hinders us in the doing of the good actions wherein our happinesse doth consist they make the faculties of the soule unfit to doe the things they should doe as Iames 1. 20. the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God that is it disableth a man to worke that righteousnesse he should doe and what may be said of wrath may be said of any other affection As of malice 1 Pet. 2. 1. wherefore laying aside all malice c that is while these are in you you cannot heare the Word as ye ought So for inordinate desire of gaine Ezek. 31. the reason why the people heard without profit was because their hearts went after their covetousnesse mortifie these lusts and then you shall goe with ease and safety in the way of godlinesse yea we shall be carried to it as a boate is with winde with all facility and expeditenesse The fift motive is because of the shame and dishonour they doe bring men into men are afraid of shame in other things it were to be wished they were so afraid of shame in this Every inordinate affection is a short drunkennesse and it brings the drunkards shame to a man drunkennes discloseth all and so if there be any corruption in the heart inordinate affection drawes it forth Every man is ashamed of indiscreetnesse in his carriage now what is the cause of indiscreetnesse it is the defect of wisedome either the forgetfulnesse or not heeding of the time place or action we are about and what makes this forgetfulnes It is the drunkennes of passion When the Apostle Iames would shew who was a wise man he saith he will shew out a good conversation in his works there will be meekenes and gentlenesse in his carriage and behaviour but if there be any envy or strife in the hart this shews a man to be but a weak creature whereas on the contrary it is an honour in a man to passe by an infirmity That is a signe of a strong man that is able to overcome himselfe The sixth motive is because they blind the reason and Iudgement which should be the guide of all our actions in the course of this life that which is said of bribery that it blinds men and that the affection to the bribe makes the sinne a great deale more The like may bee said of other sins As long as passion rageth thou canst neither judge of thine owne nor of others faults if thou wouldest judge of another mans fault take away the beame that is in thine owne eye And so if thou wouldst judge of thine owne faults these affections must not blind the mind and the reason for so they will hinder us in discerning good and in doing any thing that is good for when the mind is corrupted the will is corrupted and then instead of walking in the wayes of God wee walke in the pathes of sinne therefore in regard of the safetie and security of our lives and actions wee should mortifie these our affections HOW TO MORTIFIE COVETOVSNESSE COLOSS. 3. 5. And Covetousnesse which is Idolatrie COvetousnesse which is Idolatrie that must bee mortified aswell as the other earthly members Now this Covetousnesse is nothing else but an inordinate and sinfull desire either of getting or keeping wealth or money The inordinate lusting after honours that is called Ambition too much affecting of beauty is called lustfulnesse And Lust is an inordinate affection which when it propoundeth riches for its object it is called Covetousnesse which is Idolatrie Now Idolatrie consisteth in one of these three things First in worshipping the true God in a wrong manner apprehending him as a Creature giving that to himthat agreeth not with him Secondly when as we make the Creature a God by conceiving it under the Notion of a God so did they who worshipped Iove Mars and those Heathens that worshipped the creatures as Gods Thirdly when we attribute that unto it which belongeth unto God as to trust in it to delight in it to put all our trust confidence in it when as we think it can performe that unto us which God onely can Now that Covetousnesse is Idolatrie is meant when as we thinke that riches can do that which God only can doe as that they can doe us good or evill If they are Gods saith God Let them doe good or evill God only doth good and evill therfore he is distinguished from Idols because they cannot do it affections follow opinions practise followes affections Hebr. 11. 6. He that will come to God must beleeue in him None will worship God unlesse they beleeve that God can comfort relieve them in all their distresses So when men have an opinion that riches and wealth wil yeeld them comfort be a strong tower of defence to free them frō inconveniences this makes them to trust in them and this thought is Idolatry There are two points of Doctrine that arise from these words The first is this That to seeke