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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	inordinate_a	remedy_n	simile_n	1,942	5	16.6639	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10024	Sins overthrow: or, A godly and learned treatise of mortification Wherein is excellently handled; first, the generall doctrine of mortification: and then particularly, how to mortifie fornication. Vncleannes. Evill concupiscence. Inordinate affection. and, covetousnes. All being the substance of severall sermons upon Colos. III. V. Mortifie therefore your members, &c. Delivered by that late faithfull preacher, and worthy instrument of Gods glory Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes-Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Three godly and learned treatises. Selections. aut	1633 (1633)	STC 20275; ESTC S115103	166,961	286

What meant by initsing words 1 Cor. 10. 4. Obiect 3. Answ. 3. How learning and eloquèce is to be used in preaching the Word Simile imile ●●iect 4. Ministers should not please their people with eloquence Simile Marke 4. 2 Cor. 5. 16. What knowledge is wrought by the Spirit 1 Persons 2 Things Obiect Answ. To know whether the heart be renewed by the spirit 1 By his Affections Psal. 112. 1. 2. By his Speeches Mat. 12. 34. Simile Obiect Answer 2 Tim. 2. 20 21 opened Obiect 2. Answ. 2. 3 By his Actions Marke 5. 2 Tim. 4. 3. Vse Rev. 22. 11. Simile The least sins to be avoided Secret sins to be looked into Motives to keepe watch over our harts 1 1 Tim. 3. 21. 2 Iam. 1. 21. Hebr. 13. 5. 3 Iam 5. 16. Obiect Answ. Ezek. 22. 30. Doctr. Ephes. 5. 1. 1 Th. 4. 3 4 5. Doct. 2. Fornication what a grievous sinne Pro. 2. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 9. 1 The sinfulnes of fornication 1 1 Thes. 4. 7. 2 Rom. 1. 21. 24. Eccles. 7. 26. Prov. 22. 14. 5 The punishment of fornication Heb. 13. 4. Pet. 2. 9 10. Pro. 5. 8 9 10 11. Prev 6. 33. 55. Pro. 3. 4. Rev. 18. 7. 3 The danger off●rnication Prov. 23. 27. Prov 2. 19. Eccles. 7. 26. Neh. 13. 26. Simili 4 The deceitfulnesse of fornication Deceit of the Devill discovered Deceit 1. Hope of repentance Deut. 29. 19. Esay 28. 15. Ezek. 24. 13. Ephes. 4. 19. Deceit 2. Present impunity Eccles. 8. 11. ● 1 Sam. 3. 12. 2 Rom. 9. 22. 3 Rom. 2. 4 5 6. Rev. 2. 21 22. Deceit 3. Present sweetnesse in sinne ● Obiect Answ. 2 Mat. 18. 8. 3 Deceit 4. The falscesse of common opinion and carnall reason Deceit 5. Hope of secrecie 1 Mat 6. 4. 2 Sam. 12 10 11 12. 1 Sam. 2. 30. 2 ● Simile Use 1. Simile Obiect Answer Numb 16. 16 Obiect Answ. Vse 2. Simile Trial whether this lust be mortified ● Simile 2 Simile 2 Pet. 2. 8. 3 Simile Obiect Answ. Meanes against Fornication First for such as have beene given to this sinne Meanes 1. Meanes 2. Meanes 3. 2 Pet. 5. 2. 2 For such as are guilty of this sinne Helpe 1. Helpe 2. Helpe 3. Revel 12. 17. Heb. 10 29. Matth. 22. 7. Helpe 4. Simile Iam. 1. 14. 15. Helpe 5. Obiect Answ. Helpe 6. Simile Helpe 7. Simile Frov. 2. 10. 11 Helpe 8. Simile Mal. 3. 2. Act. 4. 38. Doctr. The haynousnesse of the sinne of uncleannesse 1. 2 3 4 The deceits of Satan to draw men on to the acting of this sinne 1 Prov. 2. 19. What Repentance is Hos. 7. 14. The second deceit of Satan Rom. 2. 4. The third deceit of Satan 1 Cor. 15. 33. Titus 2. 4. The fourth deceit of Satan Matth. 6. 4. 2 Sam 12. 12. Eccles. 10. 20. The fift deceit of Satan Doctrine Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Three things ob●erue to be in Conc●piscen●e Simile What 's meant by concupiscence 2 A double Lavv Simile 3 What is the operation of evill concupiscence Simile What is to bee mortified Exod. 23. 17. Note Quest. Ans. Acts of Mortification Meditation and laying to heart is the means to mortification 2 3 Vse Reason 3. Signes of mortification 1 Is a generall reformation in heart and life 2 Signe of true mortification is a right iudgment of sin true loathing it Simile 3 And last signe of mortification is actuall abstinence from sinne Quest. Ans. 1 Meanes to labour for theassurance ●of pardon for one sinnes 2 Meanes is abstinence from all occasion of sinne 3. Meanes Grace Holinesse 4 Meanes is prayer Doct. What affections are Three things nith● Soule What an affection is A double Appetite Three sorts of affections 2. Affections when inordinate The first cria of the inordinate affections is to examine them by the Rule Rule 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Rule 4. The second triall is by the effects Effect 1. Effect 2. 1 Pet. 3. 7. Effect 3. Ephes. 4. 20. Effect 4. What it is to mortifie affections 3 Why they are to be mortified Reason 1. Simil. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Ephes. 4. 20. 1 Sam. 18 10. 1 Pet. 5. 8 Reas. 4. Simile Vse Simile Meanes to mortifie inordinate affections Meanes 1. Two wayes how to discerne a continued inordinate lust 1. 2. Simile Causes and remedies of inordinate affections Cause 1. Simil. Remedy 1. Remedy 2. Remedy 3. Remedy 4. Cause 2. Remedy Simile Ephes 3. 16. Cause 3. Remedy The right object of our affection God Simil● Cause 4. Simile Remedy Simile Simile Simil. Cause 5. Remedy Cause 6. Remedy Simili Prov. 22. 19. 23. 20. Cause 1. Psal. 33. 13 14. ●●e Motives to conquer and master inordinate affecti Motive 1. Simile Simile Motive 2. Prov. 18. 14. Simile Simile Motive 3. 1 Tim. 6. 9. Iudg. 6. 14. Motive 4. Iam. 1. 20. 1 Pet. 2. 1 Ezek 31. Motive 5. Iames 3. 13. Motive 6. Esay 41. 23. Heb. 11. 6. Doct. 1 2 Luke 12. 19. Psal. 307. 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason Ob Ans. Ob Ans. 2 3 4. Deceipt 1. Quest. Ans. 1 2 3 2 Deceipt Ans. 2 3 4 1 2 O● Ans. 1 2 3 3 ●eipt Ans. 2 Gen. 22. ●● 3 4 Deceipt Ob. Ans. Signes 1 2 Signe 3 Signe 4 Figure Doct. 2 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 Ob. Ans. 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 Ob. Ans. 1 2 3 1 Reason Reason 3 4 5 Quaest. Ans. Quest. Ans. Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3. Signe 1. Signe 2. Signe 3. Quest. Ans. Circum 1. Circum 2. Circum 3. Circum 4. 1 2 3 4 Vse Meanes 1. Meanes 2. Meanes 3.

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

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 b●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 ●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 hi●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 frō 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 thē 3. What your selves wiljudge of thē 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

usest it stil thou fleest not occasions of sin and therfore we must watch over our soules the heart is deceitful above al things take heed to the beginning of your affections and looke to the beginning of inordinate lusts when you see it rising if you perceive but a glimpse of it quench and resist it else it will cost you a great deale of more paines afterwards the affections by little and little giving way to them will soone get strength if you let them alone you set your hearts and minds on fire A man that is full of anger or any passion knowes not how to help himselfe so dangerous is it to give way to affections that they carry a man unawares to inordinatenesse the best way therefore is to quench it at first if you cannot quench it when it is a sparke how will you doe when it is a flame As you are to look to the beginning so take heed of making false truces with them for inordinate affections doe more hurt by ambushes and secret invasions then by open warre therefore looke to them on every side lest they rob you of grace before you are aware The seventh cause of inordinate affections is the root whereon they grow labor to see the root and remove it if one affection doe distemper the mind it drawes on another distemper and you cannot lessen that latter inordinatenesse unlesse you weaken the former which was the roote of it As for example Anger growes upon pride you shal never lessen or cure that affection of anger except you weaken pride Now pride causeth anger and contention Ionah was angry whence came it but from his pride when a man through pride knowes not himselfe he forgets God And this man that forgets God will bee violent in his griefe in his complaints in his feares in his desires and will never be healed till he be humbled and brought to a base estimation of himselfe Lastly I would have you to know that God is the onely Agent in this worke of mortification and therefore have dependance upon God for it is Gods Spirit that must cause a man to mortifie man is not able of himselfe except God perswade him Psal. 33. 13 14. Except the Lord speake once and twice to us we will not regard it Paul was troubled with a strong affection what doth he he goes to God and prayes to him to take away that strong mist and so must we doe pray to God in Faith doe but beleeve and we shall have our requests granted continue in prayer and hold out without wearinesse and bee your affections what they will bee yea never so strong such as you thought would never be mortified yet you shall overcome them The last use that is drawne from hence is this if inordinate affections are to bee mortified then is any excesse in any desire sinfull and for which wee ought sharply to reprove our selves many grieve for some or other temporall things this is moderate when they can yet joy in other things so we qualifie our griefes with joyes and our joyes with griefes we are not inordinate but we are to take heed of excesse in them for that makes them sinful as our over-grieving at losses and crosses our over-loving of earthly things too much delight in sports These are turned into sinne to us affections are set in the heart for the safegard of the soule a foole indeed for want of skill may hurt himselfe with them but he that is skilfull knowes how to use them without prejudice to himselfe and if they bee thus well used they are very serviceable to the soule but if they be once strong headed that is get the bridle betweene their teeth so as they will not bee ruled then they prove hurtfull unto us Marke what the Wiseman saith of the lust of uncleannesse and it is true of all such lusts the strong man is slaine by them therefore fight against the lusts of uncleane and inordinate affections And that you may doe it and bee willing to part with them marke these motives following The first motive I take out of 1 Tim. 6. 10. The Apostle speaking of covetousnesse cals it the roote of all evill c. and what may be said of this may be said of any other sinne very truely this is one motive inordinate affections promise profit and contentment and yet will pierce you through with many sorrowes that is it taketh away the health and tranquillity of the soule even as the worme doth eate the same tree that doth breed it And looke as the inward heat of an ague is worse than the outward heat so these inward ulcers of the soule and affections doe trouble us and pierce us more than any outward grievance whatsover that can assault the body let a man have houses in the City goodly gardens orchards lands and all contentments on every side yet his inordinate affections doe not suffer him to enjoy any one of these nay not to enjoy himselfe hee cannot converse talke or meditate with himselfe it makes a man to be wearisome to himselfe it hinders a man altogether from doing that which is good one disease of the body is enough to take away all comforts outwardly that a man hath and one inordinate affection of the soule takes away all pleasure and contentment within let a man bee sicke neither rich cloathes nor a faire chamber can comfort him so let a man have but one inordinate passion all other things are nothing to him he takes no pleasure in them The second motive is taken from that of Salomon A mans spirit will beare his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare that is this doth make a man unable to beare any thing else for example a strong love set upon the things of this life wounds the soule and so makes it unable to beare the least losse of any of them it deads the heart within a man So immoderate griefe addes affliction to affliction Immoderate feares are worse than the thing feared whereas otherwise afflictions are nothing grievous if they be rightly used Paul was in prison and so were Ioseph's Brethren yet you see the difference the one full of Joy the other full of griefe and sorrow because they had sinned their consciences were not whole they could not beare their burthen therefore looke to your affections that you may passe through the changes of this life with more comfort if you cannot bring your minde to the doing of this then bring those things to your mind labor to mortifie them and that is the best way to bring your mindes to the things my meaning is if you cannot bring your minde to love worldly pleasure and contentments lesse mortifie them to your mind that is looke not at them as pleasures or contentments if you must love them let them seeme lesse lovely to you dye to them in affection or else let them dye to you in apprehension True

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