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
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
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 portion of Gods children the most holiest and dearest of Gods Saints many times are subject unto this alteration and yet be deare precious in the sight of God As we see in David and Peter But there is great difference betwixt the slacknesse of the Saints and the wicked backsliding the godly they may slacke but it is but for a time he is cold and remisse in the dutiâ—s of holinesse but it lasts not it vanisheth away on the other side the wickedlye continue in Apostacy unto the end in these it is naturall but unto the other it is but the instigation of the devill working by some lust upon one of the faculties Now slacknesse or coldnesse of Gods children may seeme to proceed from a threefold cause First from that hollow haâ—tednesse that is in the children of God which like a hollow wall fals when it is shaken because it was not firm so their hearts being not firmly established in grace nor rooted in the knowledg of Christ when afflictions or reproches come it shakes down that hold which they seemed to have of Christ. Secondly the next cause may proceed from the evill example of men which by their insinuation may draw their affections away and carry them from that love that they had towards God therefore take heed to the insinuation of wickedmen they will first labour to know the desire of your heart and then they will fit themselves accordingly to deceive you and besides the devill workes effectually by them Thirdly the last cause may proceed from this that he is removed from under a powerfull ministery which formerly he lived under unto a carelesse shepheard or at least an unprofitable one hereupon he may grow remisse and cold in the duties of Religion but neverthelesse although this ariseth from men yet the cause is in themselves for what is the reason that they fal but because they find spirituall things dead in them and an in-lacke of grace Therfore I beseech you take heed of falling away for if a man should runne in the wayes of holinesse and catch heat that is bee enlightned and then sit downe in a consumption of grace or fall sicke of the love of the world surely it is a fearefull sinne therefore let this teach every man to take heed to his standing First for those that doe stand let them take heed that nothing take away their hold whether it be profit pleasure or delight these the divell will use as instruments to beguile you but take heed that you bee not deceived by them Secondly for those that have fallen unto earthly mindednesse let them learne with Philadelphia to repent and to doe their first workes that is let them labour to get out of this condition Thirdly for those that have not yet tasted of the sweetnesse of Christ let them here learne to be ashamed of themselves because they have neglected so great salvation and those that have had the meanes of grace a long time preacht unto them in the evidence of the Spirit and yet have not beene renewed that is have not left their swinish disposition may here be ashamed But it is a hard matter to perswade the world of the truth of this point the Ministers may speake and perswade but it is God that must change the heart and make the man willing to have his corruptions mortified We speake but to two sorts of people young men and old First young men when they are perswaded to forsake the world they reply It stands not with their youth to set upon this worke they are not able or at least not willing to leave their pleasure Secondly old men when they are perswaded to forsake the world reply also and say They have been instructed have made choyce of this and therefore arenow unwilling to repent of their earthly mindednesse lest they should be reputed remisse and weake in their judgements therfore now they will not change their estates which they have lived so long in But howsoever it is hard for a man to draw men out of their swinish condition yet it is an easier worke if God will be the instructer if hee doe put his Spirit into the heart it will easily expell the workes of the divell those strong holds that Satan hath in the heart Now the reasons that make men minde earthly things to sticke so fast unto them are these First because earthly things are present To this may bee rereplyed It is true earthly things are not at all to come for that which we have is present those things of the world which wee enjoy and have in possession are present as riches honour and the like yet there are other things that are present which are of a higher nature which we ought to set our hearts upon if we will be lead by presents for Joy in the holy Ghost is present and Justification is present and Regeneration is present Remission of sinnes is present Reconciliation is present and you will say that these are farre better than the things of this world But say that these were not present but to come yet we account it a part of wisdome to part with a thing present that is of smal account for hope of a better afterwards who is there that will not part with a smal thing present upon condition of enjoying of a greater afterwards the world and the things of the world are nothing in comparison of grace and salvation therefore what if thou forsake all these things upon condition you shall get eternall life for them hereafter For this is the difference betweene reason and sense Nature is carried away by sense it delights in that which it feeles now sense is present but reason goes according to judgement and rests upon hope therefore let the children of God use their spirituall reason in the forbearing of present worldly delights in hope of enjoying of better things and take heed of sense bee not led away by it for it is usually a great meanes to draw our heart and affections from grace to earthly things Luk. 15. 23. the rich glutton when hee was in torment had this answer from abraham Sonne remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy pleasure that is thou hadst it then when it was not a time for pleasure thou wast led away by sense and now thou must be punished The Apostle Iam. 5. 5. pronounceth a woe upon rich men because you received your consolation here that is youhave received plesure in a wroÌ„g place for the earth is no place for true pleasure therefore you have received your consolation you can expect no other pleasure herafter for you have sought true content where it is not therfore woe unto you A man that minds earthly things is like a man that hath a great graspe which cannot hold any thing more except he let fall that which he hath earthly minded men they
thinke they doe nothing in the getting of them but what they deserve and that they are worthy their labour and paynes To this I answer Let men looke unto this that they be not deceived in them and compare them with the Scriptures for if you judge of things as the Scripture doth it will appeare that the reason is false but if you doe not although they bee vanity yet they will deceive you whatsoever you esteeme of them for the truth is that there is nothing in them but vexation of spirit you shall finde great inticements and much evill in them besides they will fill your hands full of much evill and bloud that is they will give thee no true Joy for what joy hath the murtherer of his murther Now the reason wherefore they cannot give true Joy is because they are under the faculty of joy As the eye is weary quickly with looking on a small print but let the print bee sutable unto it then it will delight in it so it is with the facultie of joy if there were no wearinesse brought to it by them then men would not be weary in the acquiring of them but wee see there is such an awkwardnesse in the mindes of men for the getting of them that it weares the minde but satisfies it not Ier. 9. 23. saith the Prophet Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches that is hee hath no cause to glory in any outward thing because it is the Lord that sheweth judgement and can dissolve any creature to nothing but if he will glory let him glory that hee knowes God for the true knowledge of God bringeth true Comfort and Joy But it is not so with the creatures for there is no creature can bring good or doe good or evill without God I say no creature can bring comfort unto a creature without God for God if hee is the sustainer of all creatures so likewise he is the Author of all But if wee come to spirituall comfort God doth not communicate it unto any creature no creature hath part of it The creature nourisheth us not simply as it is a creature but it becomes nourishable by reason of that which is put unto it as the fire brings light and heat heat is the matter of the fire light is but a thing or quality that depends upon it so the matter of every comfort is God and of all things in the world though the instruments that doe convey this comfort bee a creature therefore you may have the huske when you want the kernell that is you may have these outward things and yet want the sweetnesse of them And this is when God turnes away his face from a man in the creatures then the comfort in the creature is gone and therefore David prayed Turne not thy face away from thy servant that is take not away my comfort All mens comforts stand in Gods face let a man bee never so rich let him have wife and children lands and possessions give him what outward things you will and what joy and comfort is in them if Gods face be turned away Ahab is rich enough and Haman hath a wife and children and yet what comfort and joy had they in them It is not the creature that can yeeld true comfort but it is the All-sufficiencie that is in God and from him derived unto them As for example Take a man that is in despaire tel him of the world make large promises unto him in this kinde none of all these will comfort him they are so farre from ministring comfort that they adde unto his sorrow especially if his griâ—fe be for a matter of sinne but tell him of God and his sufficiencie of Christ and of Justification and Remission of sinnes then hee will beginne to have some joy in God And as the presence of God is now most comfortable so in hell the knowledge of God and his presence shall bee their greatest torments Therefore let my advice be unto you that which the Prophet DAvid gives in the like case Psalm 62. 23. Trust not in oppression and if riches increase set not your hearts upon them that is set them not so upon them as to place your happinesse in them The Use then may serve for the just reproofe of all earthly minded men and for exhortation unto all to leave their earthly mindednesse Let us all therefore labour to deprive our selves of all inordinate desire of them especially it concernes those that abound in them to keepe a strong watch about their hearts lest this viper lay hold upon them for as it is a hard thing to keepe a cup that is full without spilling so it will be a hard worke for those that have their Closets full of earthly things not to have their hearts taken up with them and therefore our Saviour saith It is a hard thing for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God What is the reason of this because it is hard to have abundance of outward things and not to put trust in them and what is said of riches may bee said of any other outward thing whatsoever whether it be pleasure or honour for these all worke the heart of a waxie disposition to evill so as it will take any impression it will be ready to receive into the soule any sinne or imbrace any object and carry the impression of it unto action Now what should move us to morifie these earthly members The first motive is because if wee doe not moritifie them the Divell will ensnare us by these earthly members though we seeme not to be within his power As a dogge that hath broken away from his keeper yet going with his chaine he will the more easily bee taken so these earthly members are as a chaine whereby the devill layes hold on us therefore if you would not be taken by Satan then mortifie these earthly members The second Motive to move us to mortifie these earthly members is because one earthly member or the reigning of one sinne in us tyes us fast from God and biâ—des us fast to the devill now what matters it whether a man bee tyed with one chaine or twenty chaines if he be tyed fast so what matters it whether he be yed with one sinne or many sinnes if one keeps him from God For as one grace truly wrought by the Spirit makes a man righteous so one raging sinne makes a man unrighteous Men thinke that they may retaine some sinne and yet be righteous but I say if thy heart be set upon any earthly thing if it be but an immoderate care for these earthly things or if it bee but feare of such or such a man which may seeme to be but a small thing that tyes thee from God I say if you looke unto such a man if a matter of
Christ vers 15. The Temples of the holy Ghost vers 19. Are bought with a price vers 20. and then concludes Therefore glorifie God in your bodies and so in another place it is said We ought to possesse our vessels in honour Now there can be no greater meanes to dishonour the vessels of our bodies than to pollute them by this filthy sinne of Fornication Secondly the haynousnesse of this sinne will be the better seene if we consider the fearefull punishment of it which because men are more afraid of the evill of punishment than of the evill of sinne is therefore set downe to be the greater according to the greatnesse of the sinne it selfe as may appeare by these two reasons First God himselfe takes the punishment hereof into his owne hand for so saith the Apostle Heb. 13 4. Whâ—remongers and Aulderers God will iudge that God himselfe will bee the judge of all men for the godly indeed it shall be best because he is righteous and will render to them a Crowne but for the wicked It is a fearefullthing to fall into the hands of the living God Againe God reserves such filthy persons for an heavy judgement according to that of Peter 2 Pet. 2 9 10. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the uniust unto the day of iudgment to be punished but chiefly them that walke in the lust of uncleannesse And this is manifest in that fearefull and grievous iudgment hee brought upon the children of Israel in the wildernesse when as there fell in one day three and twenty thousand for the committing of this sinne 1 Cor. 10. 8 So God punished Ruben for his sinne in that hereby he lost his Excellency Ge. 49. 4. and by losing this he lost three things which belonged to his birth-right as hee was the eldest first the Kingdome which was given to Iudah Secondly the Priest-hood which Levi had Thirdly the double portion which his father bestowed on Ioseph Further Sichem and Ammon also for their filthinesse in this kinde were taken away suddenly And how was David punished though the deare childe of God the sword shall never depart from thy house c. See also what grievous iudgments the Lord threatens to them that shall commit this sin Prov. 5. 8 9 10 11. Remove thy way farre from her meaning the strange woman or harlot and come not nigh the doore of her house Lest thou give thine honor unto others and thy yeeres unto the cruell Left strangers be filled with thy wealth and thy labours be in the house of a stranger and thou mourne at the last when thy flesh and thy body is consumed c. So againe Prov. 6. 33. Who so committeth adultery destroyeth his owne soule and Pro. 5. 5. Her feet goe downe to death her steps take hold on hel as who should say there is no escaping death but by shunning her if not death temporal yet surely death eternall nay if this will not fright you there is no escaping betweene hell and her Besides as in that which is good the more a man delights the more comfort it will bring him according to that in Pro. 3. 4. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee so shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and Man so on the contrary those sinnes wherein ae man most delights bring greatest punishment unto him as you may see in the punishment of Babylon Revel 8. 7 where it is said How much she hath glorified her selfe and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Thus then yee see the grievousnesse of the punishment proves the sinne it selfe to be more haynous and fearfull Thirdly the haâ—nousnesse of this sinne will appeare if we consider the danger therof and difficulty to get out when we are once fallen into it The Wise-man sâ—â—h Prov. 23. 27. A wâ—oâ—e is a deepe ditch and a strange woman is a narrow piâ— Now as it is almost impossible for a man in a deep dâ—tch or a narrow pit to get out without some helpe from another so is it altogether impossible for one that is fallen into this sinne of Fornication to free himselfe from it without the speciall assistance of Gods grace helping him thereto and therefore it is said Prov 2. 19. None that goe unto her returne againe neither take they hold of the paths of life therefore also is Eccels 7. 26. her heart said to he snares and nets in respect of the entanglements wherewith shee intrappeth her followers and her hands to bee as bands in respect of the difficulty to get loosed from This sinne besoâ—ted Salomon the wisest among men Neverthelesseeven him did outlandish women cause to sinne Nehe. 13. 26. So also did it bewitch Sampson the strongest amongst men one that was consecrated and set apart as holy unto God even hee was overcome hereby as wee may reade Iudg. 16. Wee know by experience as a man that is tumbling from the top of an hill there is no staying for him till hee come unto the bottome so hee that hath once ventured upon this deepe pit and beginnes to slide into it there is no staying of him till hee bee utterly lost in the bottome thereof or as a man in a quick-sand the more hee stirres the faster hee stickes in and sinkes deeper so it is with him that is once overtaken with this filthy sinne the more hee stirres in it the faster hee stickes and harder will it bee for him to get out Therefore wee conclude this sinne is a most fearefull sinne and hard to be overcome or left off if once accustomed to the delight thereof Fourthly the haynousnesse of this sinne will be discovered if wee consider the deceitfulnesse of it it doth so bewitch us that we will hardly be perswaded that it is a sinne now if wee will not beleeve itto bee a sinne much lesse will wee bee brought to leave the sweetnesse of it to forsake the pleasure wee finde in it Besides the Devill that old Serpent hee comes and tells it is either no sinne at all or else but a small sinne and may be easily left wee may turne from it when wee please and so he dandles us till we grow to such an height as wee become insensible and hardned in it Here therefore I will lay downe the deceits that Satan useth to beguile us in this sinne which being detected we may the easilier shunne and avoyd this detestable and bewitching uncleannesse The first deceit wherewith Satan useth to beguile us is Hope of repentance wee thinke wee can repent when wee list that that is in our owne power for God will upon any of our prayers bee heard of us heaven gate will bee open at first knocke and therefore I'lecommit this sinne to day and to morrow betake my selfe to my prayers and all shall be well But beware of this lest you
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
build a mud wall any rubbish and trash will serve the turne to make it up So when our affections are on high matters such as God and Christ they looke upon things that are noble and not upon the rubbish and trash of the world wee will choose the principallest stones for our spirituall building but if otherwise we strive to finde contentment in the creatures we care not how wee come by them that is any rubbish will serve the turne to get riches withall and honour and preferment in the world but if ever you will set your affections straight pitch them upon God The fourth cause of inordinate affections is that confusion that riseth in the heart at the first rising of them and they are the vapours and mists that blinde the reason and make a man unable to resist them because the putting out of the eye of reason must needs trouble a man exceedingly even as a moate in a mans eye troubles him that he cannot see as he should doe And therefore these mists that are cast upon the eye of reason doe make a man unable to resist them In such a case the way to helpe them is this to make up the bankes when the river is at the lowest ebbe that is to make up the bankes of our affections before the tide of inordinate affections do come in we are not at first able to rule these inordinate affections but yet if the banks be made up afore-hand we may mortifie them A man is to consider before how he is able to be affected and for this let him looke into the former waies and see how he hath beene affected and how he is apt to be affected againe and when he is in such circumstances let him take a good resolution never to returne to such inordinate affections as he did afore When a man is sicke of an Ague to give him physicke when hee is in a sore fit is not the fittest way it is not then in season but it were best to be done in his good daies before his fit so we are to make up the banke of our affections before the tide of inordinate affections doe come to have a strong resolution we will not be led by such an affection as before And if this prevaile not then we are to suspend the execution of our passions that is to doe nothing for a time If a man finde any passion in himselfe let him abstaine for that time if it be possible from the doing of that which it moves him unto because that he is then most subject to doe amisse You see a barrell of Beere if it be stirred at the bottome draw it presently and it will runne muddy but if you let it rest a while and then draw it it will runne cleare so a man in his passion his reason is muddy and his actions will not come off cleare therefore it is good to suspend the execution howsoever For the suspending of the action in time of passion is very profitable though a man thinke for the present whilest the passion is upon him that he doth not erre yet because then we are most subject to erre suspend for a while Passion is a hindrance to the faculty as jogging is to the arme when it is a shooting or unto the hand when it is a writing therefore when a man doth find that passion is on him let him do nothing A drunken mans wisest courseis to go home and do nothing that night unlesse the good work of repentance our passion is a kind of drunkennes the one is almost as subject to mis-take an error as the other The fifth cause of inordinate affections is the corruption of Nature which is in every man since the fall of Adam Will you know the reason why Beares and Wolves and Lyons carry themselves so cruelly It is because their nature is to doe so Wil you know why a sinful man is subject to affect things inordinately the reason is because he hath a bad nature it is naturall to him to doe it and as ready to him as sparkles of fire to fly upwards We see some men are apt to be taken with such a disease that is bred and borne with them they cannot escape it Now the remedy to remove the evilnesse of nature is to get new natures that is to get another nature a holy regenerate disposition untill then men shall neuer be able to doe it many labour to mortifie their affections but yet cannot because they are busie about the particulars and never regard the generall they can never make the branch good except they make the tree good therefore the way to mortifie is to get a new nature Consider whether your nature be renued whether that be cast into a new mould if it be this is the way to mortifie inordinate affection this is the way for the generall So also it should be our care for any particular affection that wee finde our selves most prone to by nature labour to thwart nature in that particular Are you given to wrath by nature endeavour to be humbler and meeker then other men Is your nature more inclined to desire of gain Labour to be established with a more free spirit and this will be a meanes to mortifie you otherwise you shall never waine your hearts from earthly things till you have a taste of such spirituall things that is you shall never win your hearts from joyes except you have joy and delight in Christ you shall never overcome the griefe of losses and crosses except you turne your affections to see the loathsomnesse of sinne Contraries in nature do expell one another cold is expelled with heate darknesse with light so you must expell carnall affections with spirituall The 6 ht cause of inordinate affections is carelesnesse and remisnesse that is want of spirituall watchfulnes over the heart when men rather give occasion unto the affections to be inordinate than prevent the occasions of it For the cure of this take heed not of sinne onely but of the occasions of sinne for a man to hate sinne and not to hate the occasions of it is to deceive himselfe that is all one as for a man to walke upon Ice that is afraid of falling Iron will move if the loadstone be neer so the affections will stirre up if there be any alluring sinfull object And therefore if sinne knock at the doore of your hearts you must not let it in presently but aske his errand plead the cause with it and consider the hindrances and inconveniences that come by it For a man to say I will give over my lusts and yet will keepe such company as hee did before and use his old haunts he doth but deceive himselfe Prov. 22 19. Make no freindship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not goe Prov. 23. 30 Benot amongst wine-bibbers that is if thou hast used this company and
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