carnally by a bare understanding but spiritually by the worke of the Spirit and therefore sâ—ith Paul 2 Cor. 5. 16. Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have knowne Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know wee him no more that is wee knew him before in a carnall manner as he is man or as he was a man amongst us but now we know him in another manner as he is our Saviour and our Redeemer Christ my Saviour and my Reconciliation to the Father Now it is not a bare knowledge that I speake of such a knowledge as is attained unto by Learning and Art for so a man may have knowledge and yet not be heavenly minded but that knowledge I speake of is a knowledge that is wrought by the Spirit when it hath changed the heart then hee is able to judge both of Persoâ—s and Things 〈◊〉 for Persons hee is able to judge of the perâ—â—â—s of men and accordingly to make a difference betweene men if hee see a poore man that is a sound Christian though hee bee contemned in the eyes of the world yet if it appeare to him that he hath grace in his heart or if hee make an outward profession of love to God hee doth highly esteeme of him because of grace on the contrary if hee see a great man though in great honour and esteeme with men yet he respects him not if he want grace Therefore examine your selves whether you are able to distinguish of persons in this kinde Secondly for things he is able to judge of things whether they be spirituall or earthly he is able now to know what is truth and to embrace it and what is error and to refuse it hee hath now a Touch-stone in himselfe that is hee hath the Spirit of discerning whereby he makes tryall of graces and layes hold on those which will endure the touch those hee will receive as spirituall the other which will not he casts out as counterfeit therefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 9. The eye hath not seene nor the eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him that is hee was not able to judge of things in that manner as now hee can Therefore examine your selves whether there bee a new life put into you whereby you are able to judge of persons and things in another manner than you did before But you will say unto mee How shall I know that my heart is renewed by the Spirit and that there is a new life put into me To this I answer that you shall know whether your heart is renewed by the Spirit by these three things first by thy affections secondly by thy speeches and thirdly by thy actions First I say thou shalt know it by thy affections for by these thou maist know whether thou be heavenly minded or no and that thou maist not doubt of it our Saviour gives the same marke of a renewed heart Mat. 6. 21. Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also you may know that where your heart is there is your treasure what your heart is set upon there your affections are for the proper seat of love is the heart Now if the heart be renewed and regenerated by the spirit there will be a love of spirituall things and this love will be get heavenly affections A man may certainly know what estate he is in whether hee be regenerate or no by his affections how he is affected what love hee beares unto heavenly things for there is life in affections and as a man that lives knowes that hee lives so a man that hath spirituall love in his heart towards God cannot but certainly know it except it be in time of temptation and then it may be he may not find that love of God in his heart but this sense of the want of the love of God is but for a time it continues not therfore the holy Ghost when hee would describe a heavenly minded man hee describes him by his affections as the best marke to try him by as Abraham would command his servants to serue God and Nehemiah feared God and David Psal. 112. 1. delighted greatly in the commandements of God now wherfore did they obey God and feare God and delight in the Commandements of God but because of that inward love they beare unto him We know every man can tell whether he loves such a man or such a thing or whether hee hates such a man or such a thing by the affection hee beares to them in like manner a man may know whether hee be heavenly or earthly minded by the affections he carries towards the things he affects therefore examine your selves what are the things that you love most that you thinke upon most that you take care of most that you take most care to get and to keepe are they earthly or heavenly things those things you doe love best and your affections are most set upon that your thoughts are most troubled withall if they be earthly you may iustly feare your estates for the affections flow from love and therefore if you did not love them you would not set your hearts and affections upon them Secondly you shall know whether your hearts be renewed by your Speeches now this may seeme but a slender signe of a renewed heart because it is hard to iudge aright by outward appearances to know the sincerity of the hart by the speeches yet seeing Christ makes it a signe of a renewed heart I may the more safely follow him our Saviour saith Mat. 12. 34. that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh that is there is abundance in the heart either of good or evill Now if the heart be full of heavenly mindednesse if I say this abundance that is in the heart be grace then it will appeare in the speeches for the speeches doe naturally flow from the affections that are in the heart but if the abundance that is in the heart be evill then the heart cannot but send out foule speeches and rotten communication and therfore our Saviour saith A good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit nor an evill tree good fruit it is unpossible that a heart which doth abound and is full of earthly mindednesse but it will breake forth and appeare by his speeches the filthinesse that is in his heart if it have not vent it will burst as wee know a new vessell that hath wine put into it must have a vent or else it will burst and by the vent you may know what wine it is so the speeches are the vent of the heart and by them you may see what is in the heart if grace be there the speech s will favour of it as a Caske will taste of that which is in it But you will say The heart is of a great depth
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
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
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
abstaine in sincerity from sinne hee will abstaine from all sinne The reason why men abstaine from any sinne is either for love of themselves or of God if for love of thy selfe thou doest abstaine from sinne thou wert as good commit all as some If for love of God thou wilt abstaine from all sinnes from little sinnes as well as great sinnes Here may a question be asked why men doe abstaine from murther and Idolatry The answere is because God did forbid it and doth not God forbid also Thou shalt not lust God that doth forbid the one doth forbid the other and for thy further consideration know the holy Spirit of God doth hate every Sinne it doth abandon and hate that heart where these thoughts of lust are nourished Now the heart is the habitation and residence of the holy Ghost wherfore all Sinnes are to be mortified that the holy Ghost may come and dwell there The acts of mortification are chiefely these the Apostle would have us take paines with our hearts men might doe much good unto themselves would they but take paines to consider and ponder their their wayes but when men are carried away with the desire of riches vaine-glory and other inconsiderations no mervaile if it be thus with them If they would but sit alone meditate and reflect their mindes upon what they should doe it would be a great meanes to make them to alter their courses The Apostle when he would have them mortifie these lusts hee would have them consider the meanes how to suppresse them there be strong reasons in the word of God for them Let them search the grounds they have for the committing of those lusts and it will be an effectuall meanes for the mortifying of them If mens judgements were rectified to see their follies they would change their courses and turne the bent of their affections another way I should deliver many things unto you in this kinde concerning mortification to let it be your care that it may worke upon your inward affections that you may make it profitable unto your owne Soules and that you doe let it not passe from you without doing you good The word of God which you heare is not lost it shall certainly doe you hurt if not good it shall harden if it doe not soften It is an ill signe if a tree doe not bud in the spring but to see it without leaves in the Winter is no wonder at all So for any to heare the word of God powerfully preached and not to have good wrought on them by it they have great cause to feare their estates It is this meditating and taking to heart which is the first means I prescribe for mortification We are said secondly to mortifie when we suppresse and keepe downe those lusts if wee keepe them backe from their courses that they doe not bring forth the fruite of Sinne All actions when any Sinne is executed they tend to evill corruptions If wee abstaine from the action of Sinne then it doth kill the very inclination Take any Sinne that a man is naturally enclined unto whether it be the Sinne of uncleanenesse the desire of Riches or whatsoever Custome doth make his lusts to be stronger and so doth adde to the Sinne One light doth shew a thing to be so but more lights doe make it appeare more cleare so there is an addition in Sinne as well as in grace the more they act in Sinne the more they encrease Now when men complaine they know not what to doe they cannot be without their lusts Let them thanke themselves for it in suffering themselves by custome to practise them but by keeping downe the act of Sinne the lusts will evaporate away in time though thy lust be strong and violent at the first yet if thou wilt let it alone from the execution of it it will consume and weare away at the last Therefore keepe downe thy lusts and suppresse them Thirdly to weane these lusts inordinate affections and concupiscences the rectifying of the judgement and applying of right meanes doth mortifie the higher reason Now for to mortifie the lower reason is to turne away the bent of affection on another object If grace be quicke and lively in a man it turnes away the minde from Sinne and the way to weane these lusts is to keepe the minde fixed and bent on better things as temperance chastity and sobriety for all intemperance doth breed lust and then the devill doth take occasion and advantage to worke upon a man but sobrietie and temperance is a great meanes to keepe backe these evill affections Now I proceede to make use of what hath beene formerly delivered concerning these three Sinnes fornication uncleanenesse and evill concupiscence You may remember what hath beene said concerning the greatnesse of the Sinne of uncleanenesse It will follow then if it be so great a Sinne wee should use meanes to be freed from it Those that are guilty of it let them give themselves no rest their eye lids no slumber nor God no rest till they be delivered from the band of this iniquity 1. Sam. 2. 25. Remember what Elie said to his sonnes If one man sinne against another the Iudge shall judge him but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall entreate for him When God doth take in hand to afflict the Creature then it is intollerable man shall finde it to be aâ—terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD. Take an arrowe or a bullet and let it be shot into the body of man it may wound deepely and yet be cured againe but let the head of that arrowe be poysoned or the bullet envenomed then the wound proves deadly and incurable There may be in the body of man many great gashes and deepe wounds and yet be cured but if affliction lyes on the Creature from the wrath of God he is not able to beare it it doth cause him to tremble and his conscience to be terrified within him as wee see by men that are in despaire Now the reason of it is God when he sinites the Creature in his wrath he doth wound the Spirit and as it were doth breake it in sunder as God doth breake the Spirit so he doth sustaine the Spirit but when he doth withdraw himselfe from the creature then the strong holds of the Spirit are gone This is to shew you what a terrible thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God This as it doth belong to all so specially to those that have received the Sacrament this day or before that they make conscience of this Sinne if they doe not they receive it unworthily and he that is guilty of this is guilty of the body and blood of Christ Hee discernes not the Lords body neither doth hee prize it as hee should nor esteeme of the excellencie of it as hee ought Hee discernes not with what reverence hee should come
say You professe your selves to be risen with Christ that is that you are in a more excellent estate than you were in by nature and you expect a perfection of glory then it must needs follow That the frame of your hearts must suit with your conditions that is you must bee such as you professe your selves to be and this cannot be except you mortifie sinne all inordinate affections all worldly lusts all immoderate care for earthly things thinke not to get grace salvation and eternall life except first you slay your corruptions and lusts for Mortification is a turning of the heart from evill to good from sinne to grace or it is a working a new disposition in the heart turning it quite contrary Or else it may bee said to bee the slaying of that evill disposition of nature in us Now wee must know that howsoever Mortification is a deadly wound given unto sinne whereby it is disabled to beare any rule or commanding power in the heart of a regenerate man yet we say Mortification is not perfect that is it doth not so slay sinne that we have no sinne at all in us or that wee cease to sinne for in the most regenerate and holiest man that lives there is still the sap of sinne in his heart A tree may have withered branches by reason of some deadly wound given unto the root and yet there may remaine some sap in the root which will in time bring forth other branches so it is with a regenerate man there may a deadly wound be given unto sinne which may cause inordinate affections to wither and yet notwithstanding some sap of sinne may remaine which had need still to be mortified lest otherwise it bring forth other branches Mortification is not for a day only but it must be a continuall worke when thou hast slayne sinne to day thou must slay it tomorrow for sinne is of a quickning nature it will revive if it be not deadly wounded and there is seed in every sinne which is of a spreading nature and will fructifie much therefore when thou hast given a deadly wound unto some speciall corruption rest not there but then set upon the lesser mortifie the branches of that corruption and so much the rather because it will bee an easie worke to overcome the Common souldiers and to put them to flight when the Generall is slaine Wee call Mortification a turning of the heart the heart by nature is backward from God that is it minds and affects nothing but that which is contrary to God it is wholly disposed to earthly things now Mortification alters and changes the heart turning it from earthly to heavenly things even as a river that is stopt in its usuall course is now turned another way so Mortification stops the passage of sinne in the soule turning the faculties the streame of the soule another way the soule was earthly disposed the mind the will and affections were wholly carried after earthly things but now there is a new disposition wrought in the soule the minde and affections are wholly set upon earthly things before he was for the world how hee might satisfie his lusts but now his heart is for grace justification remission of sinnes and reconciliation Here then seeing Mortification is a slaying of sinne and that many doe deceive themselves in the matter of Mortification who thinke that sinne is mortified when it is not and contrariwise others thinke they have not mortified sinne that is they have not given a deadly wound unto sinne because they still feele rebellious lusts intheir hearts therefore for the better explaining of this point of Mortification I will propound two Questions the first shall be for the discovering of hypocrites and the second shall be for the comforting of weake Christians The first Question is Whether sinne may not seeme to bee mortified when it is not mortified but onely asleepe To this I answer That sinne may seeme to be mortified when it is not and that in these particulars First sinne may seeme to be mortified when the occasion is removed As the covetous man may not bee so covetous after the world as he was because he hath not so good an opportunity and thereupon hee may grow remisse and yet this sinne of Covetousnesse is not mortified for let there be occasion or an opportunity offered and you shall finde this sinne as quicke and as lively in him as ever it was before and so for Drunkennesse or any other vice in this kinde when the occasion is removed the sinne may be removed and yet not mortified Secondly sinne may be mortified seemingly when it is not violent but quiet that is when an unruly affection troubles them not they thinke that now that sinne is mortified but they are deceived for it is with sinne as with a disease A man that is sicke of a feaver so long as he is asleepe he feeles no paine because sleepe takes away the sense of it but when he is awake then presenâ—ly hee feeles his paine afresh Even so when sinne doth awake them out of sleepe then they shall finde it was not mortified but they onely asleepe Sampson Iudg. 16. so long as he was asleepe in his sin thought all was well and that his strength was not gone but when hee awakes out of sleepe his sinne awakes and then with much sorrow hee findes that his sinne was not mortified especially when he fell into his enemies hands Thirdly sinne may seeme to bee mortified when it is but removed from one sinne unto another when it is removed from a lesse to a greater or from a greater to a lesse As for example A man may not be so covetous as hee was and thinke with himselfe that this his sinne is mortified when as indeed it is not mortified but onely removed unto another for now it may be hee is growne ambitious and seekes after honour and therefore it stands not now with his reputation and credit to bee covetous hereupon hee may grow bountifull and neverthelesse his sinne of covetousnesse be unmortified And so for drunkennesse and such as desire pleasure their mindes and delights may be changed and the sinne of the soule be not yet mortified Sinne is to the soule as diseases are to the body now we know that diseases of the body usually remove from one place to another or at the least grow from a lesse to a greater so it is with sinne in the soule it will remove from one faculty to another Fourthly sinne may seeme to be mortified when the conscience is affrighted with the Judgements of God either present upon him or threatned against him now by the power of restraining grace a man may be kept from sinne that is hee may so bridle his affections that he may keepe sinne from the action he may forsake drunkennesse covetousnesse pride and the like and yet his sinne be not mortified for here is the difference
request amongst us The third meanes if you would have your sinnes mortified is To labour to get the assistance of the Spirit for this must of necessity follow or else the other two will nothing availe us for what will it availe us though wee have a willing heart to part with sinne and what though we take paynes in the mortifying of our lusts if the Spirit doe not accompany us all is nothing worth therefore if thou wouldest have this worke effectually done thou must getthe Spirit But this may seeme a strange thing a thing of impossibility to get the Spirit for you will say How is it in our power to get the Spirit How can wee cause the Spirit to come from heaven into our hearts seeing our Saviour saith Iohn 3. 8. that the wind bloweth where it lusteth that is the Spirit worketh where it listeth now if the Spirit bee the agent and worker of every grace then how is it in our power to get him To this I answer howsoever I grant that the Spirit is the agent and worker of every grace yet I say there may bee such meanes used by us whereby wee may obtayne the Spirit and therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 13. If you live after the flesh you shall dye but if you mortifie the deeds of the flesh you shall live which must bee done by the Spirit for the Apostle makes us the Agents and the Spirit the Instrument whereby hee shewes us thus much that it is possible not onely to get the Spirit but also have the worke of the Spirit ascribed unto us Now as there is a meanes to get the Spirit so also there is a meanes to hinder the Spirit so that the Spirit may be won or lost either by the doing or the not doing of thesethreethings First if thou wouldest have the Spirit then thou must know the Spirit that is so to know him as to give him the glory of the worke of every grace for how shall wee give the Spirit the glory of every grace if wee know not the Spirit And therefore our Saviour makes the want of the knowledge of the Spirit the reason that men doe not receive the Spirit Ieh 14. 17. I will send unto you the Comforter whom the world cannot receive because they know him not that is the world knoweth not the preciousnesse of the Spirit therefore they lightly esteeme of him but you know him and the excellency of him therefore you highly esteeme of him The first meanes then to have the Spirit is Labour to know the Spirit that you may give him the glory of every grace Secondly if thou wouldest have the Spirit then take heed that thou neither resist the Spirit nor grieve nor quench it First take heed thou resist not the Spirit now a man is said to resist the Spirit when against the light of nature and grace he resisteth the truth that is when by arguments and reasons and ocular demonstrations layd before him whereby he is convict of the truth of them yet knowing that they are truth he will notwithstanding set downe his resolution that hee will not doe it this is to resist the Spirit Of this resisting of the Spirit we read in Acts 6. 10. compared with Act. 7. 51. it is said of Stephen that they were not able to resist the Wisdome and the Spirit by which he spake that is hee overthrew them by argument and reason and they were convinced in their consciences of the truth and yet for all this it is sayd Acts 7. 51. Yee have alwayes resisted the Spirit as your fathers have done so doe yee that is howsoever yee were convict in your consciences of the truth of this Doctrine which I deliver yet you have set downe your resolution that you will not obey Now this is a grievous sinne for sinnes against God and Christ shall be forgiven they are capable of pardon but the resisting of the Spirit that is sinning against the light of the Spirit is desperate and dangerous Secondly what is meant by grieving of the Spirit Now a man is sayd to grieve the Spirit when he commits anything that makes the Spirit to loath the soule and therefore the Apostle saith Grieve not the Spirit Ephes. 4. 30. that is by foule speeches and rotten communication for the Apostle in the former verse had exhorted them from naughty specches Let saith hee no evill Communication proceed out of your mouthes and then presently adjoynes and grieve not the Spirit for if you give your selves to corrupt Communication and rotten speeches you will grieve the Spirit it will bee a meanes of the Spirits departure the Spirit is a cleane Spirit and he loves a cleane habitation a heart that hath purged itselfe of these corruptions Therefore when you heare a man that hath rotten speeches in his mouth say that man grieves the Spirit for there is nothing so odious and contrary to men as these are to the Spirit and therefore if you would keepe the Spirit then let your words be gracious powdred with salt that is with the grace of the Spirit proceeding from a sanctified heart and as speeches so all evill actions in like manner grieve the heart Thirdly what is meant by quenching of the Spirit A man is said to quench the Spirit when there is a carelesnesse in theusing of the meanes of grace whereby the Spirit is increased that is when men grow carelesse and remisse in the duties of Religion either in hearing reading praying or meditating Againe when a man doth not cherish every good motioÌ„ of the Spirit in his heart either to pray or to heare c. but lets them lye without practice this is a quenching of the Spirit therefore the Apostle saith 2 Thes. 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit that is by a neglect of the meanes Thirdly if you would get the Spirit you must use prayer for prayer is a speciall meanes to get the Spirit and it is the same meanes that Christ usâ—d when hee would have the holy Ghost for his Disciples hee prayed for him as you may see Ioh. 14. 14. I will pray the Father and hee will send the Comforter unto you that is the holy Ghost for hee can comfort indeed and hee is the true Comforter and indeed there is no true Comfort but what the Spirit brings into the heart Now that the Spirit may bee obtayned by prayer is proved Luk. 11. 13. where our Saviour makes it playne by way of opposition to earthly parents For saith hee if your earthlie parents can give good things unto their children then how much more will your heavenly Father give the holy Ghost unto them that aske him Therefore if thou wouldest draw the holy Ghost into thy heart then pray for him prayer is a prevayling thing with God it is restlesse and pleasing unto God it will have no deniall and to this purpose saith God to Moses Wherefore
dost thou trouble me that is wherefore art thou so restlesse with mee that thou wilt have no deniall till I grant thee thy desire so then if you will prevayle with God by prayer you may obtaine the Spirit The fourth meanes if you would have your sinnes mortified is To walke in the Spirit that is you must doe the actions of the new man and therefore the Apostle saith Galat. 5. 16. Walke in the Spirit Now here by the Spirit is not meant the holy Ghost but the regenerate part of man that is the new man whose actions are the duties of holinesse as Prayer hearing the Word receiving the Sacraments workes of Charity either to the Church in generall or to any particular member of it and there must not onely bee a bare performing of them for so an hypocrite may doe but there must bee a delight in them thatis it must rejoyce the soule when any opportunity is offered whereby any holy duty may bee performed But on the contrary when wee grow remisse in prayer or in any other duty the devill takes an occasion by this to force us to some sinne hereupon wee presently yeeld because wee want strength of grace which by the neglect of that duty wee are weake in Wee know some physicke is for restoring as well as for weakening thereby to preserve the ftrength of the body now this walking in the actions of the new man is to preserve the strength of the soule it preserves spirituall life in a man it enables him to fight against Corruption and lusts for what is that which weakens the soule but the actions of the old man Therefore if you would mortifie your lusts you must walke in the Spirit The fifth meanes if you would mortifie your lusts is this you must get Faith so saith the Apostle Acts 15. 9. Faith purifieth the heart that is it slayeth the corruption of the heart it mortifies every inordinate desire of the heart it purgeth out the filthinesse of our nature it makes it a new heart in quality that is it makes it fit to receive grace and who would not have a heart thus fitted to good Againe It is said Ephes. 3. 17. that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith as if hee should say Faith will purge the heart for where Faith is Christ is and Christ will not dwell in a rotten heart that is impure and not in some measure sanctified by the Spirit But you will say there are divers kindes of Faith What Faith is this then that thus purifieth the heart By Faith in this place is meant a Justifying Faith Faith that applyeth Christ and his righteousnesse in particular unto a mans selfe for his justification and hereupon he is raysed up to holinesse and enabled out of love unto Christ to mortifie sinne Now the order of this grace in a regenerate man is wonderfull for first the Spirit which is the holy Ghost comes and enlightens the mind then it works Faith and then Faith drawes downe Christ and when once Christ comes he takes possession of it never resting till he hath rid the heart of the evill disposition of nature with a loathing of it then the regenerate man hereupon out of love unto Christ and hatred unto sinne begins to mortifie his corruptions But you will say How can the Spirit of Christ which is the holy Ghost dwell in the heart seeing he is in heaven To this I answer that the Spirit dwells in the heart as the Sunne in a house now we know that the proper place of the Sunne is in the Firmament yet wee say the Sunne is in the house not that wee meane that the body of the Sunne is there but the beames of the Sunne are there in the house so wee say that the proper place of the holy Ghost is in heaven and when we say hee is in the heart of a regenerate man we doe not meane essentially but by a divine power and nature that is by sending his Spirit into the heart not onely to worke grace in the heart but to dwell therein Now when the Spirit hath taken possession of the heart it drawes and expells away all the darkenesse of the minde and makes it to looke and to see Christ in a more excellent manner than before assuring him of perfect Justification and remission of his sinnes And here the error of many is met withall in the matter of Mortification they will have Mortification first wrought and then they will lay hold upon Christ for remission of sinnes Oh say they if I could but finde this sinne or that sinne mortified then I would lay hold upon Christ then I would beleeve for alas how can I looke for remission of sinnes how dare I lay hold or how can I lay hold upon Christ when I finde that my corruptions have such hold on mee But these are deceived for this is contrary to the worke of the Spirit for first Faith assureth of pardon and then followes Mortification that is when a man is once assured of pardon of sinne then hee beginnes to mortifie and to slay his corruption for Mortification is a fruit of Faith and therefore the Apostle saith Phil. 3. 10. That I may feele the power of his death and the vertue of his resurrection Now what is meant by this but the two parts of repentance Mortification and Vivification The Apostle beleeved before and now he would have his faith appeare in the grace of Mortification that he might sensibly feele it And therefore if you would have your sinnes mortified you must by Faith draw Christ into your hearts The sixth meanes if you would have your sinnes mortified is to get spirituall Joy But this may seeme a strange thing to mortifie corruption by a man or a woman would rather thinke that this were a meanes to encrease sinne but it is not so for spirituall Joy is a speciall meanes to mortifiesin if we doe but consider the nature of Mortification for as I sayd before what is Mortification but a turning of the heart a working in it a new disposition Now wee know when the heart is not regenerate it is full of sorrow and joy in this estate encreaseth sinne But when the heart is turned from sinne to grace that is heavenly disposed there is a pleasant object represented unto the eye of the soule as Christ Justification Remission of sinnes and Reconciliation and hence ariseth a spirituall Joy in the soule which rejoycing is a Mortification of sinne for when a man or woman sees such excellencies in Christ as before hee so rejoyceth in them that hee loatheth whatsoever is contrary to them As a man that hath gotten a faire Inheritance which formerly was content with a small Cottage but now the right that hee hath to the other makes him despise that so it is with a regenerate man this spirituall Joy makes him basely to esteeme
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
and who can search it who is able to know whether the heart be renewed or no by the speeches To this I answer I say not that a man may at all times and in all places judge of it aright but I say that a man may certainly know himselfe whether hee be renewed or no which is the thing we seek to prove in this place that a man may know from what root they spring whether of weaknesse by rebellion or naturally through unmortified lusts I say not but sometimes a child of God a regenerated man may have foul speeches in his mouth yet his heart be good towards God he may have rotten talke but it is but for a time it will not continue and it will cause much sorrow of heart if hee have grace when his conscience touches him for it 2 Tim. 2. 20 21. In a great mans house there are vessels of honour and vessels of dishonor if a man therfore purge himselfe he shal be a vessell of honor and yet have corruption in him there may corrupt communication come out of his mouth and yet he keep his goodnes as a vessel of gold may be foule within and yet cease not to be gold a vessell of honor neither lose it excellency so a regenerate man may have in the abundance of his heart some chaffe aswell as wheat some corruption aswel as grace and yet be a vessel of gold that is heavenly minded for the Apostle saith If anyman therfore purge himselfe he shall be a vessell of honor notwithstanding his corruption in his heart it appeare in his speech yet if he purge himselfe if he labor to mortifie them if he labor to rid his heart of theÌ„ he shal be a vessel of honor But you will say It may be that wee shall have not alwaies occasions to try men by their speeches how then shall we know whether their hearts be renewed To this I answer Iâ— is true that it may so fal out that we cannot try men by their speeches yet silence will declare in part what is in the heart let a regenerate man besilent and his silence will shew that hee hath a renewed heart if he be reproached or slandred his patience in suffering showes the uprightnes of his hart but if he speake it hath a greater force and will more manifestly appeare so on the contrary the rottennesse that is in the heart wil appeare in impatiency of spirit Thirdly you may know whether your hearts be renewed by your actions this also our Savior makes another signe of a renewed heart Mat. 7. 20. By their works you shall know them that is by their actions Now every thing is knowne by his actions therfore examine your selves what are your actions are they the actions of the regenerate part or of the ueregenerate part are they holy actions or are they uncleane actions By this you may know whether you be heavenly minded or no. Now this must necessarily follow the other two for if the heart be renewed then there will be heavenly affections in it towards God and spirituall things and if heavenly affections then there will bee heavenly speeches for these flow from heavenly affections and if there bee these two then there must needs bee holy actions therefore our Saviour saith Luk. 6. 45. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good fruit that is if the heart have in it a treasure of heavenly affections and speeches it cannot bee but it will send forth good actions in the life The fift and last signe whereby you may examine your selves whether you be heavenly minded or no is by examining your selves how you stand affected towards him that seekes to take these earthly members from you how you stand affected with him that reproves you for your earthly mindednesse This is a signe that Paul gives of an unsound heart 2 Tim. 4. 3. The time will come that they will not endure wholesome doctrine that is they will not endure the Word of reproofe but will be ready to revile them that shall reprove them and therefore hee addes that they shall heape to themselves Teachers they shall affect those that shall speake so as they would have them Now this is a signe of earthly mindednesse when they are offended with him that shall reprove them for their sinne for if men reckon these members as a part of themselves then you cannot touch them but you must touch their lives for these are a part of their life and if you seeke to take these away you seeke to take away their lives â—ow what man will bee contented to part with his life It is a principle in Nature that God hath implanted in every creature to love their lives but if you account them not as a part of your selves but as your enemies then you wil account him as a spiritualfriend that shall helpe you to slay them for who is there that will not love him that shall helpe him to slay his enemie Therefore if the heart be heavenly disposed he reckons them as his enemies but if he be not renewed hee accounts them as a part of himselfe therefore examine your selves by this whether you be heavenly minded or no. The Use of this that hath beene spoken is for exhortation unto all those that are heavenly minded Let mee now exhort such to persevere in heavenly mindednesse let them labour to grow every day more heavenly minded then other Rev. 22. 11. Let them that be holy be holy still that is let them bee more holy let them labour to grow in heavenly mindednesse let them labour to keepe their hearts pure from this earthly mindednesse because it will soile their soules for all sinne is of a soiling nature if it enter into the heart it will leave a spot behinde it now wee know that if a man have a rich garment which he sets much by hee will be marvellous carefull to keepe all kinde of grease and spots out of it so it should bee a Christians duty to labour to keepe all soile out of his soule because it is a precious garment and the residing place of the Spirit we know that if a man have one spot in his garment it makes him out of love with it and then cares not how many lights upon it so it is with sinne if thou suffer thy heart to bee spotted but with one sinne it will worke carelesnesse in thee so that hereafter thou wilt not much care what sin thou commit nor how thy soule is soiled therefore it behoves you to keepe your hearts from every sinne and to make conscience of little sinnes And so much the rather because the glory of God is engaged on your conversation if thou shalt soile thy selfe with any sinne that hath taken upon thee the profession of the Gospell God will be dishonoured and the Gospell will bee scandaled Againe keep thy heart
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
pure and holy therefore must ye bee so also and then it followes vers 3. But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you as becommeth Saints that is let all such filthinesse be so farre from you as never any mention be made of it amongst you if it should by chance enter into your thoughts be sure to kill it there let it not come no farther never to the naming of it As it becommeth Saints that is holy ones Gods children and peculiar people it were unbecomming and a great shame to them to be uncleane to be unlike God their Father who is holy In like manner hee exhorts us to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. that is Let us purifie our harts from the corruption of lust and concupiscence which is therein striving to make perfect our holinesse in the feare of the Lord and so more fully also in 1 Thes. 4. 3 4 5. he sets downe the particular uncleannesses should be abstained from and mentions two of the very same spoken of in my Text namely Fornication and lust of concupiscence the words are for they are worthy your marking This is the will of God even your sanctification that you should abstaine from fornication that every one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification and honour not in the lust of concupiscence c. and therfore we ought to mâ—rtifie and destroy all the filthinesse that is in our hearts if wee would bee accounted Gods children and have his Spirit to dwell in vs. But that for the generall we come to particulars and will speake of the first sinne that is named in the Text Fornication whence the poynt of Doctrine is this That Fornication is one of the sins that are here to be mortified Fornication is a sinne betweene two single persons and in that it differs from Adultery and although it be not altogether so haynous as Adultery because by it the Covenant of God is not violated as by the other spoken of Prov. 2. 17. neither finde wee the punishment absolutely to bee death yet it is a grievous sinne and to bee feared in that it subjects those men that are guilty of it to the curse of God and damnation for the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6. 9. No fornicator shall enter into the kingdome of heaven It deprives a man of happinesse banishes him out of Gods kingdome into the dominion of the Devill and territories of hell never to bee exempted from the intolerable torments of Gods eternal vengeance But to lay open the haynousnesse of this sinne wee will consider these foure things First the sinfulnesse Secondly the punishment Thirdly the danger Fourthly the deceitfulnesse of it First the sinfulnesse of this sinne of Fornication appeares first in great contrariety that it hath with Gods Spirit more than all other sinnes Betwixt Gods Spirit and every sinne there is a certaine contrariety and repugnancy as in nature we know there is betwixt heat and cold now in all contraries an intense degree is more repugnant than a remisse as an intense heat is more contrary than an heat in a lesse degree so it is with Gods Spirit and this sinne they are contrary in an intense degree and therefore most repugnant unto for the Spirit delights in holinesse and this sinne in nothing but filthinesse that is pure and undefiled but this hath a great deformity in it and therefore consequently must needs bee odious in his eyes Besides this is contrary to our calling as the Apostle saith 1 Thes. 4. 7. For God hath not called us unto uncleannesse but unto holinesse Againe it causes a great elongation from God it makes a strangenesse betwixt God and us all sinne is an aversion from God it turnes a man quite away from him but this sinne more than any other it is more delighted in wee have a greater delight in the acting of this sinne than in any other and therefore it is a most grievous sinne Furthermore the greatnesse of this sinne appeares in that it is commonly a punishment of other sinnes according to that of the Apostle Rom. 1. 21. and 24. compared together where he saith Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their imaginations c. wherefore God also gave them up to uncleannesse through the lusts of their owne hearts to dishonor their owne bodies betweene themselves To the same purpose is that of the Preacher Eccles. 7. 26. where speaking of the entising woman whose heart is snares and nets c. hee saith Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her but the sinner shall be taken by her that is whosoever committeth sinne shall in this be punished that hee shall be intrapped and ensnared by the subtle enticements of the dishonest woman So also Prov. 22. 14. The mouth of strangewomen is a deepe pit he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein Now all sinne of this kind and consequently sinners are abhorred of the Lord and therfore hee will punish them in letting them tumble into this deepe pit of strange women here and hereafter without repentance into the bottomlesse pit of everlasting destruction As long as the Lord lookes for any fruit of any man hee keepes him from this pit but such as notwithstanding all his watering pruning and dressing will bring forth no fruit with those the Lord is angry they shall fall into it Now as in a ladder or any thing that hath steps to ascend and descend by that stayer unto which another leads must needs be higher than the rest so in sinne that sinne unto which other lead as to a punishment must needs bee greater and of an higher nature than the other and therefore this sinne is a most grievous sinne Besides the haynousnesse of this sinne appeares because it layes wast the Conscience more than other sinne it quite breakes the peace thereof nay it smothers and quenches grace The Schoolemen call other sinnes habitudinem sensus a dulling of the senses but this an extinction of grace other sinnes blunt grace and take off the edge but this doth as it were quite extinguish it It makes a gap in the heart so that good cattell good thoughts and the motions of the Spirit may runne out and evill cattell noysome lusts and corrupt cogitations may enter in to possesse and dwell there and therefore it is a grievous sinne Lastly the greatnesse of this sinne appeares because it delights the body more than any other sinne doth and therefore the Apostle in 1 Cor. 6. draweth most of his arguments to disswade the Corinthians from the sinne of Fornication from the glory and honour of our bodies as that the bodie is not for fornication but for the Lord vers 13. And that our bodies are members of
be deceived God will not be mocked if you will sinne to day perhaps you shall not live to repent till to morrow or suppose thou dost live yet he that is unfit to day will be more unfit to morrow God cannot endure a man that will fall into the same sinne againe and againe for he stiles it Deut. 29. 19. adding drunkennesse to thirst thatis never leave drinking till wee bee athirst againe that which should extinguish and abate our thirst is made the meanes to increase and enflame it Now what punishment followes such as doe so you read in the next verse and 't is a fearefull punishment The Lord will not spare him and then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven who is there among you that would not bee terrified at this sentence Surely his heart is of Adamant nothing can pierce it if this doth not 't is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Beware then of doing thus goe not on in sinne upon hope to repent at your pleasure lest before you thinke it time for your pleasureto doe it in the hand of the Lord be stretched out upon thee and his jealousie smoke against thee or one of if not all his curses light upon thee A man would take it ill if his neighbour should wrong him to day and as soone as he had done aske pardon and yet wrong him againe the next day in the same kinde and then aske pardon againe and so the third and fourth and forward even so it is with God we fall into this sinne to day and perhaps at night begge pardon of him yet to morrow commit the same sinne over againe as if wee had asked leave to sinne the frâ—er take heed of this doe not blesse thy selfe in thy heart saying I shall have peace or I shall repent when I list for feare lest God presently blot out thy name from under heaven Againe Hope of after-repentance doth lead many men on to the commission of this sinne they hope they may repent before death it is a great while till this come therefore time enough to doethis in But this God hath threatned you heard even now in the place above-mentioned I pray consider of it Balaam his desire was but to dye the death of the righteous therefore hee perished among Gods enemies he desired it and whilest hee remained onely desiring without any labour to live the life of the righteous God justly punished him with an utter overthrow as hee did with those Esay 28. 15 who said Wee have made a covenant with death and with hell are wee at agreement when the overflowing scourge shall passe through it shall not come unto us These men thought all sure nothing could come to hurt them they are as well as any man for they had an agreement with hell and death neither should the scourge meddle with them but these were but their owne thoughts they reckoned without their host as we use to say for see what God saith to them vers 18. Your Covenant with death shall bee dis anulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand when the overflowing scourge shall passe through then yee shall be trodden downe by it They might contrive but hee would dispose though they did thinke all well and hope for peace and quietnesse yet hee would disanull their covenant and breakc off their agreement so that the overflowing scourge that is sudden destruction should take hold of them and utterly confound them Ammon going to his brother Absalom's feast little thought to have beene so soone cut off Sichem preparing himselfe for a wife never thought of a funerall neither is it likely that Korah and his company thought their tent-dores should be their graves I warrant you they hop'd for repentance yet this sudden destruction tookeaway all possibility of repenting from them Godthreatneth such Ezek. 24. 13. Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee And indeed wee cannot repent unlesse God sends his Spirit into our hearts and hee will not send his Spirit into such an heart as hath filthinesse in it Will any man put liquor into a glasse where Toads and Spiders are much lesse will Gods Spirit come into an heart that is uncleane Besides such a man as is not purged from his uncleannesse of himselfe is most indisposed to repentance hee is without feeling as it is Ephes. 4. 19. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to worke all uncleannesse with greedinesse Now such a man as hath no sense of his misery that cannot feele his wretcâ—ed condition but is insensible of his corruption hee can never repent for as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 2. 14. Hee cannot cease from sinne and where there is not leaving off and forsaking to sin there can never be any true repentance Lastly God refuseth such a man hee will not endure to heare him if hee should begge repentance at his hands and the reason is because hee cannot beg it in sincerity for true repentance argues a turning from and loathing of all sinne and therefore such a purpose as men use to have in the time of extremity while the crosse is on them that they will forsake sinne that they will not doe such and such a thing this I say will not serve the turne it is not sufficient though they should mourne and seeme to repent yet God will not accept it for the very beasts may doe as much as it is said Therefore shall the land mourne and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of heaven c. Hos. 4. 3. The second deceit wherewithall Satan useth to deceive men is Present impunitie he labours to perswade us because wee are not presently punished therefore God sees it not or will not punish it at all and therefore will goe on in our sinne and delight to wallow still in our pollutions according to that of the Preacher Eccles. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe evill Against this deceit of Satan to prevent it lest wee should bee overtaken thereby letus remember these following considerations Consider first that though execution bee not presently done yet punishments are every where threatned and Gods threatning is as good as payment his Word is sure and one tittle of it shall not fall to the ground unfulfilled and when God beginnes to punish he will make an end as it is said 1 Sam. 3. 12. In that day I will performe against Eli all things which I have spoken
the greater sinne now God hath made this sinne to be the punishment of all other sinnes for after a man hath long continued in other sinnes at last God gives him up to this sinne as to a punishment of the former and therefore questionlesse it is a great and an haynous sinne Now since you have seene the haynousnesse of this sinne in the next place I will shew you the manifold deceits of Satan whereby men are provoked to the commission of this filthy sinne First Men doe goe on in the committing of this sinne because they doe hope to repent afterwards For answer of this I say that man who hath a will to sinne doth harden himselfe more and more by sinne and this sinne of Uncleannesse being a great sinne it doth harden the heart the more and doth the more indispose a man towards God A man by common reason would thinke that great sinnes doe make the heart to be more sensible but indeed it doth not so for it takes away the sense Great sinnes are a meanes to harden the heart so that it cannot repent Prov. 2. 19. None that goe unto her returne againe neither doe they take hold of the paths of life which is meant of repentance for God doth not give repentance to this sinne because it is a sinne so evident against the light of Nature as Ezech. 24. 16. Sonne of man behold I take from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroake yet neither shalt thou mourne nor weepe neither shall thy tcares runne downe that is if man will refuse the time of repentance which God doth offer unto him when he would repent then God doth deny him It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but of God God will have mercie upon whom hee will have mercie Rom. 9. 16. Now to shew what Repentance is Repentance is a change of the heart whereby a man is become a new creature having an inward affection to that which is good and a loathing and detestation of that which is bad To shew that Repentance is the change of the heart see how the Prophet Hosea Chapt. 7. 14. doth reprove the Israelites for their howling on their beds because their Repentance was not from their hearts they did howle much as it were for their sinnes but yet their Repentance was not from the heart and therfore nothing availeable to them True Repentance doth turne the disposition of the heart of a man another way then it went before Another meanes that Satan useth to delude the hearts of men and cause them to be set upon evill is because they doe not see the punishment due for sinne to be presently executed upon sinners For Answer of this In that God doth spare to punish sinne no man hath cause to joy in it God is mercifull and doth heare many times a long while with men not to punish them for sinne to see if they will returne unto him and repent But as long as man doth continue in any sinne without repentance so long doth hee abuse Gods patience every day and howre Rom. 2. 4. Thinkest thou this O man and despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to Repentance Vers. 5. But after the hardnesse and impenitencie of heart treasurest up wrath unto thy selfe against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Another Deceit that Satan useth to provoke men unto this sinne is to judge of uncleannesse by common opinion that is to weigh this sinne in a false ballance and to looke upon it in a false glasse and not to carry it to the ballance of the Sanctuary of the Lord and therefore many times they esteeme great sinnes to be little sinnes and little sinnes to be none at all when men doe thus mistake sinne they judge of it otherwise than it is As when bad company are together they doeall allow and approve of sinne and so evill words doe corrupt good manners and in their opinions doe make sinne to be no sinne at all not considering that place Titus 2. 14. That Christ gave himselfe for us to redeeme us from all iniquitie and to purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes When a man hath committed sinne his Conscience is defiled and so can no more judge of sinne aright than one that would discerne of colours in a foule and soyled glasse but when the Conscience is cleare it sees things as they are and so is able to judge of sinne by that rule by which our selves shall be judged at the last day There is a sanctifying Spirit which if wee had we should judge of sinne aright and the rule whereby we are to try sinne is the written Word of God Fourthly Satan useth to provoke men to this sinne when they can commit it in secret then will they bee bold to doeit But consider God sees in secret and he will reward them openly Mat. 6. 4. Give thine almes in secret and thy father that is in secret will reward thee openly Now wee may judge by the rule of contrarieties that if God doe see Almes that are done in private and will reward them openly may not we thinke that he will doe the like of sinne For so hee did by David hee spared not him though he were his owne servant 2 Sam. 12. Thou didst this sinne secretly but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne And thus they goe on boldly in this sinne thinking they shall escape well enough if they can doe it secretly and not bee seene of men but they in this despising of God make God to despise them Consider oh man the many wayes God hath to reveale sinne that is committed in secret Eccles. 10. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the rich no not in thy bed-chamber for a bird of the ayre shall carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall tell the matter Sinne that hath beene committed in secret shall bee discovered by wayes that a man thought unpossible Evill men are as a glasse that is sodered together as soone as the sother is melted the glasse doth fall in peeces So they that are companions in evill may for a time be true the one to the other but yet the Lord will one way or other discover their iniquities so that they shall fall in peeces like a broken potsharde yea perhaps the Sinner himselfe shall confesse his sinne as Iudas did The last Deceit which Satan doth use to provoke men unto this sinne is with the present delight which they have unto it To this I answer as Christ in Mat. 5. 27. Thou shalt not commit adulterie for whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart If thy right eye offend thee plucke it out
and cast it from thee for it is profitable that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell fire Therefore I say it were better for thee to leave thy delight than to have thy soule damned in hell for ever by leaving thy sinne thou dost not leave thy delight for then thou hast a new heart new desires and affections to delight in better things so that the forsaking of sinne is but a change of delight and those sinnes which have the greater delight in them shall have the greater torment as doth appeare out of Revel 18. 7. concerning Babylon The more pleasure she had the more should her torments and sorrowes be Thus have I dispatched in briefe this sinne of uncleannesse insisting and inlarging onely some two or three of the Deceits whereby the devill doth beguile the sonnes of men and lead them captive to the commission of this slavish and abominable sinne for motives and helpes against it I referre you to those I produced in the handling of Fornication FINIS HOVV TO MORTIFIE EVILL CONCVPISCENCE COLOS. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanenesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence c. NOw I should proceede to some application of this point but because there is a third particular which hath much affinity with the two former namely fornication and uncleanenesse I will first speake of that which is here in my Text evill concupiscence By concupiscence men doe understand a degree of this lust of uncleanenesse and it is an evill inclination in the power of the Soule The Doctrine is this evill concupiscence is one of the Sinnes which are likewise to be mortified Wee had neede give a reason for it because men will hardly be perswaded to thinke it a Sinne thus it was with the Heathen they thought there was no Sinne in it The first reason is If Concupiscence doe cleave unto a man that is evill inclinations which the soule by sinne is bent unto then actuall sinne wil follow which is the fruit of this concupiscence It is as a sparke of fire which being let alone will grow greater and greater and like a leven though little at the first yet doth it leven the whole lumpe so that it doth produce the works of the flesh and therefore it is to be mortified The second reason is although a man doe not fall into actuall sinne presently after there is concupiscence in the heart yet being unmortified it hideth the sinne in a man and so defiles him and makes him proane to an evill disposition and also to be abominable before God Therefore mortifie concupiscence before it come to have vigour and strength in thee A man is said to be an evill man when hee is distracted from Good to Evill now evill concupiscence makes a man to be so There are evill inclinations in a good man and yet it is by way of Antithesis it is not his complexion and constitution to have them Now an evill man hath concupiscence and the same is his complexion and constitution so to be Therefore if evill concupiscence be not mortified it makes a man to be bad and in this regard wee ought to cleanse our selves from the pollution of this sinne The third reason is Evill concupiscence being in a man it doth marre all his good actions To mingle water with wine it makes the wine the worse To mingle drosse with silver it makes the silver the more impure So evill concupiscence being in the Soule of a man it doth staine and blemish his good actions when the string of an Instrument is out of tune then the Musick doth jarre A man that hath strong concupiscence in him he will desire to come to the execution of the works of them and so it will haue an influence to the effect and will staine and blemish any good worke hee goes about so that evill concupiscence making a man to be evill it doth blemish and staine all the good actions that man goes about in that hee doth performe them either with vaine-glory or selfe respect The fourth reason why evill concupiscence should be mortified is because that otherwise the commandements of God will be grievous unto us 1. Iohn 5. 3. For this is the love of God that wee keepe his commaundements and his commaundements are not grieuous The commaundements of God are not onely to be kept of us but so to be kept that they may be delightfull unto us Psalm 103. 1. Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name when concupiscence doth lye in the soule of a man in its full vigour and strength unmortified it doth draw in him a reluctance from good duties as when a man doth will one thing that is good and an evill inclination doth set upon him then the commaundements of God will be grievous unto him even as a man will be unwilling to carrie a burthen long Now I proceede to shew you three things observable in this word concupiscence First what the nature of it is Secondly the sinfulnesse of it Thirdly the operation or workes of it First for the better understanding what it is know that in the soule of man there is a facility Secondly there is an inclination which doth adhere to the facultie and thirdly there are actuall desires which flow from that inclination by way of Similitude the better to conceive First in the mouth there is a pallate secondly the desired humour and thirdly the tast So in thesoule of man First there is the naturall affection secondly there is an inclination which is the tuneablenesse or untuneablenesse of it and thirdly there is the desire or actuall works of it By concupiscence is meant the evill inclination and the fruits of the evill inclination and by it the habituall concupiscence from whence the actuall desires of evill will follow Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that yee should obey it in the lust thereof First there is a sinne secondly the lust of that sinne and thirdly the obedience that is consent to the sinne There is a concupiscence that is naturall and another that is morall As there is a concupiscence that is bad so is there another that is good and a third that is neither good nor evill There was in Christ a desire to live though it were Gods will he should die yet obeying hee did not sinne On fast dayes we are commanded so to doe yet the desire to tast corporall food on such a day is not sinne Secondly it doeth proceed from sinne and one sinne doth beget another Iames 1. 15. Concupiscence doth bring foorth sinne Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that is Let not concupiscence but to understand what the sinfulnesse of it is know that sinne in speciall is the transgression of the morall Law any facultie that is capable
of a fault it is sinne that is the defect of it Man shall bee subject to reason and reason should cause him to submit himselfe unto the will of God The morall law is a rule of action not of habit There is a double law a law of action and a law which we call that law which God did stampe on the very Creature Take an Epistle or a learned writing that is made by art there may be Logicke Rhetoricke and grammer rules brought in to confirme it So in the law there is a stampe a rule and every observation from it is an errour in it If a man did al that is in him usedhis best endevor to subdue his evil concupiscences yetcannot yet it is not sufficient for him every man hath or ought to have strength in him to rule his affections If a master command his servant to goe and doe such athing if the seruant goe and make himselfe drunke and then goeth about it and cannot bring it to passe although hee doe his good will for to do it he is not to be excused because he did loose his abilitie through his owne default So we God at the first did make us able for to subdue our lusts but wee in Adam having lost the ability of our first estates and yet may recover strength againe to subdue our lusts in Christ the second Adam if wee doe it not the fault is in our selves Now we proceed unto the third particular to shew unto you what is the operation and working of this evill concupiscence It is an inordinate inclination which doth cleave unto the faculties of the soule and doth indispose a man to that which is good and caries him on to that which is evill and so long as it abides in the soule it makes him fruitfull to doe evill and barren to doe good so that evill actions the fruites of evill inclinations doe arise from it even as water from the sountaine and sparkes from the fire Concupiscence doth conceive and bring forth sinne There is a different worke of Concupiscence in man that is evill and a regenerate man In an evill man it hath dominion over him so that all his actions and desires are sinnefull In a good and holy man there is concupiscence also but it doth worke in him by way of rebellion he beholdes it as a disease and as an enemie unto him and doth labour to mortifie it he is enlightened by grace to see it as a disease and therefore doth labour to cure it more and more An evill man thinkes it the best way for his happinesse and that his chiefest good doth consist in giving satisfaction to his concupiscences and therefore doth labour to satisfie them and not to cure them True it is Gods children David Peter Solomon other holy men have had concupiscences in them but yet were not domineered over by them So long as a man doth strive against evill concupiscences against the motions and stirrings of them and that his owne conscience can beare him witnesse he doeth resist them in sincerity of heart they shall never beare sway over him Take the best actions of a wicked man the utmost end of them are to himselfe and if the utmost end be bad all hee doth must needes be bad as for example Th' end that a husbandman doeth ayme at in tilling of the ground and sowing of his seed corne is to have a good harvest and if his harvest prove bad then all his labour is lost though the beginnings of a thing be good yet if the utmost end of that thing be naught all is bad So that th' end of all things in morall actions doeth make the thing either good or bad Every wicked man doth seeke himselfe in all his actions hee doth worshippe himselfe in the utmost ende of all his thoughts so that all his actions lusts and desires are evill continually Now I proceed to shew you how it is the Apostle Paul would have you to mortifie here some thing is presented and to shew you plainely what it is it doth consist in these two particulars First the habituall concupiscence and secondly the inordinate lusts and desires that doe arise from it one wee call habituall and the other actuall Now the Apostle would have the habituall concupiscence in nature weakened and secondly he would have the actes of the lust to be suppressed Now that it is the Apostles meaning that he would have them mortified and that which is to be mortified is sin marke that place I did cite before Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies In these wordes are three things observable First there is a sinne secondly a lust to the sin and thirdly obedience to the sin thatis a wil to execute the desire of this lust When the Apostle saith he would have thēmortified he would have the heart to be clensed from the habitual custom of evil concupiscence and secondly he would haue them so subdued as not to obey them That you may know the Apostles meaning and not to lay a straighter charge upon you then the holy Ghost doth aymeat he would have all these three to be mortified the lust the consent to the lust and the act of ill Consider the nature of the things that are to bee mortified If you take the evill inclination and compare it with the strength of the mind in committing of any sin they are all of the same nature they differ but in degree a lesser evill in the thought before consent unto it is of the same nature as a greater as it is in murther Hee that is angry with his brother unadvisedly committeth a degree of murther So he that slandereth his brother by taking away of his good name committeth a degree of murther and is a sinne of the same nature as if hee tooke away the life of his brother So as in taking away the comfort of a mans life it is a degree of murther in as much as that man would take away the life of his brother if hee might So in lust if a man desire to commit adultery with a woman and cannot come to the execution of his will therein to the committing of the actuall sinne yet the adultery of the thoughts and affections are degrees unto this sinne and are of the same nature as if he had committed the sin it selfe The Commandements say Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife that is in no degree at all to hurt her or to wrong her If all be of one nature and differ in degree then all are to be mortified The same nature is in one drop of water that is in a whole Sea and the same nature in a sparke as there is in a great fire If there be a right enmity betweene sinne and us wee will abstaine from all Sinne a man doth hate the very colours of his enemie as Toades and Creatures that are poysonfull If a man doe
to the Lords Table therefore saith the Apostle Hee is guilty of the body and blood of Christ that is hee is guilty of the same Sinne that those were that did crucifie and mocke Christ Iesus The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a speciall meanes and chiefe ordinance of God for the attainement of his blessings if it be rightly received and so it is the greatest judgement that can befall a man if it bee not rightly received for Christ is chiefely represented therein The blood of Christ is the most precious thing in the world when men shall account this holy blood of the new Testament to be but an unholy thing and to trample it vnderfoote God will not beare with this Now when a man doth come to the Sacraments in a negligent manner in not preparing himselfe worthily to come hee is guiltie of the blood of Christ For ye are not onely to be carefull to prepare your selves before the receiving of the Sacrament but also of your walking afterwards Therefore consider you that have received the Sacrament or intend to do it that you doe clense your selves from this pollution of heart and spirit and that you doe put on the wedding garment that is required of all worthy receivers Let your hearts be changed and your affections and actions be free from all kind of evill and your hearts be turned to God else you cannot bee worthy receivers and so much shall suffice for this use that seeing this sinne is so great every man should endevour to free himselfe from it Secondly seeing the Apostle doth not onely exhort us to abstaine from it but also mortifie kill and subdue it If there were nothing but a meere abstinence from ill then it is not properly a mortification for then the impurest adulterer should sometimes bee chast after his impure manner of committing it and therefore the cessation of it is no true mortifying of it and that you may know mortification aright I will give you three signes First you shall know it by this if there went a generall reformation both in heart and life before when the heart is generally set aright is changed and renewed to good and from thence doeth arise a dying to these lusts then it is a good signe but if otherwise there bee no particulars changed in thee then it is but a cessation not a mortification but when the whole frame of the heart is altered yea even from the very roote when the old man in the body of sinne is wounded even to the heart that is when a man hath hath beene soundly humbled for his sinne and afterwards hath his heart affected to Christ and is come to love God and hath his mind changed then he may truely reckon it mortification Secondly you may know true mortification by this by having a right judgement of sinne and a true loathing and detestation of it It is hard for a man while hee hath any sinne in him to judge rightly of it for then a man is given to an injudicious minde while hee doeth continue in it As when a man is in prison if hee have continued there long though the sent bee bad yet hee cannot discerne it but let this man be brought to fresh ayre and bee carryed to that prison againe then hee will smell the noysomenesse of it So when a man is in sinne hee cannot truely judge of it but when he is escaped from it then he can rightly and truly detest and judge of it when a mans soule is righteous there is a contrariety betweene him and uncleannesse a righteous soule doeth detest sin both in himselfe and others as Lots soule was vexed with the abhomination of the Sodomites Consider how you are affected with the sinne of others Rom. 1. verse 32. They were not onely worthy of death who did commit sinne themselves but also they that had pleasure in others when a man can truely detest sinne in others as Lot did and doeth truely loath it in himselfe then it is a true signe of true mortification The last thing to know mortification by is an actuall abstinence from every sinne it is one thing to dislike a sinne and another thing to bee wearie of it and to hate the sinnefullnesse of it If mortification bee true he will hate all kind of uncleannesse with an inveterate hatred bee it of what degree it will Sheepe doe hate all kind of Wolves if a man doe truly mortifie c. his hatred to sinne will bee generall not onely in abstinence from grosse sinnes as murther adultery and fornication but also from all other sinnes For when a man forsakes sinne out of hatred his rancor is of iudgement more then of passion and so likewise his hatred will be constant Men may bee angry with their sinnes sometimes and fall out with them at other times and yet be friends againe but if they doe truely hate sinne their abstinence from sinne will be constant when a man becomes a new creature there will arise a contrarietie to sinne in his nature so that if a man doe hate sin he is truely said to mortifie Here may a question be asked Whether after true mortification a man may fall into the same sinne againe or no For answere hereunto I say a man may fall againe into the act of sin and uncleannesse after mortification for the gates of Gods mercy stand open to men after their greatest relapses But yet he doth never fall into the love of sinne and of purpose for to sinne Though he doe fall into the act hee doth not returne to allow of it and to wallow in the mire for it is impossible to do so after grace yet we cannot shut up the gates of Gods mercie to those that have often relapsed so that a mans conscience is witnesse unto him that he is not remisse in the meanes hee should use though hee fall into the act of sinne unawares yet he doth it not with set purpose Now you may judge whether you be mortified yea or no. The meanes to mortification are these The first meanes to mortifie is to labour for the assurance of pardon of thy sinnes Sinne is never mortified but by the sanctifying Spirit there may bee a restrained spirit in us to keepe us from the act of fin but it can never bee mortified but by the sanctifying spirit of God pardon for sin is had by the assurance of faith in Christ and the way to get this for givenes is to be truely humbled for our sinnes acknowledging our own misery and our owne wants and to lay hold upon the mercies of Christ Iesus and to bee lifted up by the promises of the Gospel Consider whatsoever your sinnes be whether against the light of nature or against knowledge Let a mans relapses be never so great and agravated with never so many circumstances Neverthelesse if a man will come in our commission is to propound unto them without all condition
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
wee cannot finish that course which God hath prescribed unto us Now there is a three-fold necessity First there is a necessity of expedience as if a man hath a journey to goe T is true hee may goe on foote yet hee may desire an horse to ride because it will be more expedient for him so you may desire with a remisse desire so much as is expedient for your vocation and calling Secondly there is a necessity in respect of your condition and place as men in higher ranke and calling neede more then men of an inferiour degree to maintaine their place and dignity so they may desire to have more then they so as they desire no more then will bee sufficient to maintaine them in that ranke and degree wherein they are placed Thirdly there is a necessity of refreshment and you may desire as much as is needfull for your necessary refreshment as much as hospitality requires so that you doe not goe beyond it And in these three respects you may desire God to give you as much as shall be expedient for you because it is no more then nature requires Now besides this desire of things necessary there is a desire of superfluity and excesse this desire proceedes not from nature but from lust because that wee defire such wealth and to raise our estates that we may bestowe it on our lusts The end of this desire is onely to satisfie our lusts and pleasure that like the rich glutton Luke 16. Wee might be well clad and fare deliciously every day Many mens lives are nothing but playing and eating and eating and playing and are led alwayes in this circle To desire wealth to this or any other superfluous end is very sinfull and it must needs be so for these reasons First because mans life stands not in abundance of excesse Therefore in Luke 12. 13. 14. 15. When as a certaine man spake to Christ to speake to his brother to divide the inheritance with him He said unto him Man who made me a Iudge or a divider over you and then bad the company beware of Covetousnesse because that a mans life consisteth not in the aboundance of the things that he possesseth That is though you have never so much wealth yet yee shall not live the longer for it Your life consists not in it no more doth youâ— comfort for they will but please the sight of your eyes they will not make you more happy then you are Seeke not therefore superfluity for your life consists not in aboundance Hee is but a foole that thinkes that these things will make him happy that these will make him rich all that are not rich in God are poore and if they thinke themselves happy and rich in these things they are but fooles Secondly the desire of superfluity is sinfull because it proceedes from an evill roote but this desire proceedes from an evill roote and a bitter that is from lust It comes not from Gods Spirit which bids every man to be contented with food and rayment nor yet from nature which seekes not superfluities therefore proceeding from lust it must needs be sinfull Thirdly what you may not pray for that you may not desire nor seeke afâ—er But wee may not pray for superfluities Pro. 30. 8. Give me neither povertie nor riches feede mee with foode convenient for mee not wiâ—h superfluities c. And in the Lords prayer wee are taught not to pray for superfluities Give us this day our dayly bread that is as much as is necessary for us and no more therefore wee may not desire it The seeking of more then is necessary doth hinder us as a show that is too bigge is as unfit to trauaile as well as one that is too little Fourthly it is dangerous for it doth choake the word and drowne men in perdition Therefore it is Agurs prayer Pro. 30. 8. 9. Give mee neither povertie nor Riches feede mee with food convenient for mee least I bee full and denie thee and say who is the Lord. Fulnesse and excesse is alwayes dangerous Full tables doe cause surfets full cups make a strong braine giddie The strongest Saints have beene shaken with prosperitie and excesse as David Ezcchias Salomon they sinned by reason of excesse in outward things It is dangerous to be rich Therefore it is Davids counsaile Psal 62. 10. Ifriches increase set not your hearts upon them A rich man cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven it is easier for a Cammell to goe through the eye of a needle then for him to enter into heaven For if a man be Rich it is a thousand to one but that hee trusteth in his riches and it is impossible that he who trusteth in his riches shall enter into heaven Lastly to desire superfluitie must needes bee sinnefull because that wee have an expresse command to the contrary 1. Tim. 8. If wee have foode and raiment let us therewith bee content this is the bounds which God hath set us wee must not goe beyond it If that it were lawfull for any man to have and to desire aboundance then it were lawfull for Kings yet God hath set limits to them Deut. 17. 17 Hee shall not multiply horses nor wives to himselfe that his heart turne not away neither shall hee greatly multiplie to himselfe silver and gold that his heart bee not lifted up above his brethren God hath set us downe limits and bounds how farre we shall goe therefore to passe beyond them is sinnefull but wee passe beyond them when we desire superfluities therefore the desire of superfluitie is sinfull But may not a man use his calling to increase his Wealth I answere that th' end of mens callings are not to gather riches if men make this their end it is a wrong end but th' end of our calling is to serve God and men the ground hereof is this Every man is a member of the common Wealth every man hath some gifts or other which may not lye idle every man hath some Talents and must use them to his masters advantage and how can that be except ye doe good to men Every one is a servant to Christ and must doe Gods work no man is free every one is Christs servant and must be diligent to serve Christ and to doe good to men Hee that hath an office must bee diligent and attend it every man must attend his calling and be diligent in it If riches come in by your callings that is the wages not th' end of our callings for that lookes onely to God we must not make gaine th' end of our callings There are many that make gaine their godlinesse and th' end of their callings Some preach only for gaine others use other callings onely for gaine but if any man will makegaine th' end of his calling though he may conceale and hide his end from men yet let him bee sure that hee shall answere God the
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 CONCVPISCENCE Inordinate AFFECTION and COVETOVSNES All being the substance of severall Sermons upon COIOS 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 LONDON Printed by I. Beale for Andrew Crooke at the blacke Beare in Pauls Churchyard 1633. The Contents First In the Treatise of Mortification DOCRINE I. THe height of glory which we expect by Christ should cause every man to mortifie sinne page 3 DOCT. II. The frame of our hearts ought ta suit with those conditions that we receive by our union with Christ. p. 4 Explication Mortification is a turning of the heart from sinne to grace ibid. Mortification called a turning of the heart because the heart by nature is backward and averse from God pag. 5 Sinne seemingly mortified 1. When the occasion is removed p 7 2. When it is not violent and raging but quiet ibid. 3. When it is but removed from one sinne to another ibid. 4. When the Conscience is affrighted with the judgements of God p. 8 5. When the strength of nature is spent ibid. 6. Being restrained from sinne by good education p. 9 USE I. To examine by these rules sinnes Mortification ibid. Mortified lusts knowne 1. By a deepe humiliation of the soule p. 10 2. By the generality of it ibid. 3. By the measure of grace answering the measure of corruption p. 11 4. By the continuance of them p. 12 Motives to Mortification 1. There is no pleasure in sinne p. 13 Pleasure in sinne is no true solid pleasure but a sick pleasure p. 14. 2. The satisfying of lust is an endlesse worke ibid. 3. The great danger of sinne p. 15 4. The deceit of sinne p. 16 Sinne deceives foure wayes 1. By blinding the understanding ibid. 2. By making large promises p. 17 3. By promising departure at our pleasure ibid. 4. By making a shew of friendship ibid. 5. The rebellion it occasions in us against God p. 18 6. The slavery it brings us unto Satan ibid. USE II. To instruct us that in every regenerate man there is a free-will to doe good p. 19 The power of a Regenerate man consists 1. In performing any duty God commands according to the proportion of grace he hath received p. 20 2. Inresisting any temptation according to the same measure of grace p. 21 OBJECT In the Regenerate the flesh lusteth against the spirit c. ibid. ANSW Corruption reignes not though it may take possession in the heart of a Regenerate man it exceeds not the measure of grace ibid USE III. To exhort us to abstaine from the sinne of the heart as well as sinne in the outward actions p. 22 OBJECT Men shall be judged by their workes not by the thoughts of their hearts ibid. ANSW God will judge the thoughts of the heart as the cause the actions or workes as the effects p. 23 USE IV. To teach us that no man is so holy but he needs mortification ibid. The meanes how to come by Mortification are I. Outward 1. Moderation in lawfull things p. 28 The danger of excesse in lawfull things ibid. 2. Vowes and Promises p. 29 The lawfulnesse of Vowes and how they are to be esteemed of ibid. 3. The avoyding of all occasion to sinne p. 30 OBJECT Professors being strong in faith need not avoyd occasions of sinne p. 31 ANSW Opinion of strength in faith is a weaknesse in men for the more feare the more strength besides habituall grace is but a creature and therefore not to be relyed on ibid. 4. The lawfull exercise of Fasting and Prayer ibid. II. Inward 1. To get a willing heart p. 24 2. To take paynes about it p. 25 Two errors about Mortification 1. That all sinnes have a like proportion of labour to mortifie them p. 26 2. That mortification is not a continued worke p 27 The fruitlesse pains of Papists in afflicting their bodies c. ibid. 3. The assistance of the Spirit p 32 Meanes to obtaine the Spirit are 1. To know the Spirit p. 33 2. Not to resist grieve or quench him ibid. What it is to resist grieve quench the Spirit p. 34 35 3. To use prayer p. 35 4. To walke in the Spirit p. 36 5. To get a lively faith p. 37 Iustifying faith onely purifieth the heart p. 38 The holy Ghost not essentially but by a divine power dwelleth in the heart ibid. That Mortification goeth before Iustifying Faith is an error p. 39 6. To get spirituall Ioy. ibid. 7. To get an humblenesse of minde p. 41 DOCTR III. That all earthly members are to be mortified p. 42 Members are sinful exorbitant affections of the soule p. 43. for these reasons because 1. They fill up the heart ibid. 2. They proceed from the unregenerate part p. 44 3. They are weapons of unrighteousnesse ibid. 4. They are deare unto the heart as any member to the body ibid. Inordinate lust meant by earthly members p. 45 What it is to be earthly minded ibid. By the power of nature a man may conceive of spihituall things and yet be earthly minded 1. Not spiritually ibid. 2. Not from an heart illightned by the Spirit p. 46 3. By the knowledge of his understanding ibid. A man may come to know spirituall things and not be renewed 1. By seeing a vertue in heavenly things excelling all all other things ibid. 2. By being of a noble spirit ibid. 3. By seeing holinesse in the children of God p. 47 4. By seeing the attributes of God ibid. 5. By feeling the sweetnesse of the promises ibid. 6. By beleeving the resurrection to life ibid. The order of the faculties of the soule p. 48 Whether Nature can attaine unto true knowledge ibid. A naturall man may know spirituall in their substance not as a rule of his life p. 49 Heavenly mindednesse is the worke of a new life in a man ibid. Heavenly mindednesse admits increase in knowledge p. 52 The Vnderstanding the seat of heavenly mindednesse p. 53 An enlightned understanding communicates its to the rest of the faculties 1. By taking away the lets unto good p. 54 2. By withstanding the motions of inordinate passions ibid. 3. By laying open the vilenesse of inordinate affections ibid. 4. By ruling and guiding them p. 55 VSE I. To reprove such as favour earthly mindednesse or inordinate affections ibid. Reasons against earthly mindednesse are I. In respect of men 1. It takes away the excellency of the creature p. 56 2. It wounds the soule p. 57 II. In respect of God It sets up spirituall Idolatry in the heart p. 58 III. In respect of Professors It is unbeseeming them and makes them like Swine
p. 59 Great difference betweene the back-fliding of the Saints and of the wicked p. 60 Back-sliding in the Saints is caused 1. By hollow hartednesse 2. By evill example of men 3. By remouall from under a powerful ministery p. 61 A threefold caveat to the Saints p. 62 Divers Obiections of earthly mindednesse answered OBIECT 1. Earthly things are present ANSW Heavenly things present as ioy in the holy Ghost c. are to be preferred before earthly things p. 63 Difference betweene nature and sense p. 64 OBIECT 2. Earthly things are sensibly felt ANSW Men are deceived for the greater the faculty the greater the sense p. 65 A threefold difference betweene the superlour and inferiour faculties ibid. OBIECT 3. Earthly things make us to be well thought of ANSW A good opinion must not be regarded in any thing that shal occasion sinne p. 66 A remedy against opinion is a sound knowledge in the word of God p. 67 OBIECT 4. Earthly things seeme of great worth vnto us ANSW They will not doe so if compared to spirituall things p. 69 All mens comforts stand in Gods face p. 70 VSE II. To exhort men to leave their earthly mindednesse p. 71 Motives to mortifie our earthly members 1. The devill ensnares us by them ibid. 2. They binde us fast from God to the devill p. 72 Meanes to obtaine the loathing of earthly things 1. Sound humiliation p. 73 Three false grounds thereof ibid. 2. The royalty of spirituall things p. 74 3. A constant and diligent watch over the heart p. 75 Meanes to get heavenly mindednesse 1. Faith p. 76 A twofold snare of the world ibid. 2. Humility p. 77 3. A iudgement rightly informed p. 78 4. A sight into the All-sufficiency of God p. 79 5. A remembrance from whence we are fallen ibid. A comparison betweene a spirirituall and a bodily Consumption p. 80 Motives to heavenly mindednesse 1. Heavenly things the best obiect p. 81 2. No sweetnesse in earthly things p. 83 for two reasons 1 Because they are mutable ibid 2 Because they either belong to persons that are 1. Good belonging to God and therefore cannot content them because they draw their affections from God p. 84 2. Wicked unto whom they are not sanctified p. 85 3. No salvation by earthly things p. 86 God will have all the soule or none p. 87 Christs two markes of a Christian p. 88 4. Heavenly things are the better part proved ib. 1 By Scripture ibid. A fourefold difference betweene earthly and heavenly things ibid 2. By Reason p. 91 5. All things are at Gods disposing p. 92 Markes to know whether wee have lost our earthly mindednesse 1. By the moderation of our care and delight in earthly things p. 94 Signes of the excesse of our delight in them are 1. Our immoderate desire of getting keeping them ib 2. Our excesse in our pleasures and recreations p. 95 Recreation when lawfull p. 96 2. By the esteeme we have of heavenly things ibid. 3. By our Spirituall taste whether we rellish heavenly or earthly things best as the Word Preached p. 98 Eloquence no ornament to the Word preached p 99 The Word should not be mixed with it p. 100 How Learning and Arts are necessary to the Preaching of the Word p. 101 Ministers should not endevour to please the people with Eloquence p. 102 4. By our judgement of heavenly things p. 103 Spiritual knowledge wrought by the spirit able to judge of 1. Persons p. 104 2. Things p. 105 Spirituall renovation is discovered 1 By the Affections p. 106 2 By the Speeches p. 107 3 By the Actions p. 109 5. By our brooking the word of reproofe 110 Use. To exhort spirituall minded men to grow more and more therein p. 111 The least sinnes to be avoyded ibid Secret sinnes are to be looked into p. 112 Motives to grow in heauenly mindednesse are 1. Hereby we are able to doe every good worke ibid. 2. Hereby God is honoured p. 113 3. Hereby we may prevaile with God in prayer p. 114 A few faithfull prayers may doe much good ibid. Of FORNICATION DOCTRINE 1. ALL Vncleannesse is a thing God would have mortified and quite destroyed out of the hearts that hee would dwell in pag. 116 DOCTR 2. Fornication is a sinne that must be mortified p. 118 The haynousnesse of this sin of Fornication appeares I. In the sinfulnesse of it For 1. It is contrary to Gods Spirit p. 119 2. It makes a strangenesse betwixt God and us ibid 3. It is a punishment of other sinnes p. 120 4. It layes waste the Conscience p. 121 5. It delights the body more than any other sin ibid II. In the punishment of it For 1. God himselfe â—â—kes the punishment of it into his owne hand p. 122 2 God reserves filthy persons for an heavy judgement ibid. III. In the danger of it p. 123 IV. In the deceitfulnesse of it p. 125 The deceits of the divel whereby he enticeth us to this sin are 1. Hope of Repentance ibid. With considerations against that deceit p. 126 127 2. Present impunity p. 129 Considerations against it p. 130 3 Present sweetnesse in sinne p. 131 Considerations against it p. 132 4. The falsenesse of common opinion and carnall reason p. 133 5. Hope of secrecie p. 134 Considerations against it p. 135 USE 1. To exhort all men to cleansethemselves from this filthinesse p. 137 USE 2. To perswade all men to mortifie the inward corruption aswell as to abstaine from the outward action p. 140 Tryals whether this lust be mortified 1. An Vniversall change p. 141 2. An hate an loathing to this sinne p. 142 3. A constant keeping our selves from the acting of this sinne p. 143 Meanes against Fornication 1. For such as have beene addicted to this sin Let them 1. Get an humble heart p. 144 2. Lâ—boâ—r to bring their hearts to love God who hath forgâ—ven so great a sinne p. 145 3. Reware lest Satan beguile them 2. For those that still live in this sinne Let them 1 Labour to get assurance of pardon 2 Endevour to have a sense and feeling of their sinne p. 146 3 Lay hold on the Promises and apply them 4 Vse absâ—â—nence and fasting p. 147 5. Resolve against it p. 148 6. Proportion the remedy to the disease p. 149 7. Turne their delights to God and heavenly things 8. Accustome themselves to frequent prayer p. 150 Of VNCLEANNES DOCTR 1. VNcleannesse is one of the siunes that are here to beâ— mortisied p. 153 The haynousnesse of the sin of uncleannesse appears 1. Because it makes the sinner herein a man of death 2. Because it is a sinne against Nature 3. Because it is against ones selfe as selfe-murder 4. Because God makes it a punishment of other sinnes p. 154 The deceits of Satan to draw men into this sin are 1. Hope of after-repentance What repentance is p. 155 2. The deferring of punishment 3. The comâ—on opinion of this sinne p. 156 4.