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
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
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.
Indeed the most honest man and the most sanctified that is may have lust in his heart and this lust may many times for the present be violent yet though it rage it cannot rule it may strive but it cannot prevaile therefore you may try your selves by this whether the corruptions and stirrings of your hearts proceed from a mortified lust or no. Now seeing Mortification is so hard a worke and yet a worke that of necessity must bee done Men also be so hardly drawne to mortifie their lusts which they account as a part of themselves not to bee parted withall for Nature her selfe hath implanted this principle in them Every man ought to love himselfe what then should move any man to mortifie his lusts therefore for the better perswading of men unto this work we will lay downe some motives to move every man to mortifie his corruptions The first Motive to move all men to mortifie sinne is Because there is no pleasure in sinne Sinne cannot content the soule for this is the nature of sinne the further a man goes on in sinne the further he goes on in sorrow for in every degree of sinne there is a degree of sorrow As on the contrary unto every degree of Grace there is a degree of Joy I say the more thou gettest of grace and holinesse of Faith and Regeneration the more peace of Conscience and spirituall Joy thou gettest for Grace as naturally produceth Joy as sinne sorrow Now if men did but consider this that is if they had any spirituall understanding to know that degrees of sinne did bring degrees of sorrow they would not so runne unto sinne as they doe But they will object unto mee You are deceived for there is pleasure in sinne wee have found pleasure in sinne and what will you perswade us against our knowledge Have wee not reason to distinguish betwixt things which wee know are of a contrary nature Will you perswade men that honie is not sweet who have tasted of it If you should bring a thousand arguments they will not prevaile even so we have felt sweetnesse in sinne therefore we cannot be perswaded to the contrarie To this I answer That the pleasure that is in sinne if there bee any pleasure is no true solid pleasure but a sicke pleasure such a pleasure as a man that is sicke of a Feaver hath a pleasure to drinke not because he hath a love to drinke excessively but because it is pleasing to his disease even so when men finde pleasure in sinne it is not because it is true pleasure but because it suits with their disease that is with their sinne Now that this is no true pleasure appeares because that which gives true content unto the soule is Grace which ever is accompanied with Faith in Christ and this works that peace in the soule which passeth all understanding Phil. 4. 7. whereas sinne makes not peace but warre in the soule and where there is warre in the soule that is where the faculties of the soule are in a combustion amongst themselves there can be no pleasure A man that is sicke of a dropsie may have pleasure to drinke but his pleasure depends upon his disease if the disease were removed the pleasure would cease The second Motive is Because when men goe about to satisfie their lusts they goe about an endlesse worke Now men in outward things would not set themselves about a work if they did but know before that it would be endlesse that is that they could never finish it for every one loves to goe about things of a finite nature which may be accomplished even so if men did but know the nature of sinne they would not give themselves to satisfie thsir lusts because they goe about a worke that is endlesse for the nature of sinne is like the Horseleech which the Wise-man speakes of Prov. 30 15. that the more it is given the more it craves but is never satisfied so the more you seeke to satisfie sinne the more it desires like the fire the more you cast into it the more it burnes but if you will quench it then detract from it so if thou wouldest have sinne to dye then detract from thy plasure from thy covetousnesse from thy pride A man that is sicke of a Feaver if you would not increase his heat then keepe him from cold drinke and other things that are contrary to it but if you doe satisfie the disease in these things you doe increase it so if you would not goe about an endlesse worke give your lusts a peremptory deniall please not sinne for if you doe you will displease God let this therefore move men to mortifie their lusts The third motive to move al men to mortifie sinne is because of the great danger it brings a man unto it makes a man lyable unto all the Judgements of God it takes Gods speciall protection from a man it fills the heart full of slavish feare it is like a quagmire which may seeme to be firme and solid but being once in it the more you strive to get out the greater danger you are in Like a bird that is taken with a gin the more shee seekes to escape the faster shee is holden by it so it is with sinne it carryeth a faire shew it will pretend much good but take heed of falling into it for if you be once in it it will be a hard matter to escape The Understanding is the Porter of the soule so long as there is spirituall life in the soule the rest of the faculties doe partaâ—e of it and so the whole is preserved now sinne blinds the understanding and when the understanding is mis-informed it mis-informes the will and affections that is it breeds a disorder in the soule and when once there is a disorder in the soule and among the faculties then the meanes of grace becomes unprofitable To this effect the Apostle saith They became blinde in their understanding and then they fell unto noysome lusts giving themselves unto a customary sinning they became blinde in their understandings that is it put out their eyes it made them blinde as beetles and when a man is blinde he will runne upon any dauger because he sees it not even so when sinne hath put out the eye of the minde the soule is in marvellous great danger of falling irrecoverably therefore let this move men to mortifie sinne The fourth Motive to move all men to mortifie sinne is Because sinne will deceive men Now there is no man that would willingly be couzened every man would be plainly dealt withall therefore if men did but know this that if they gave way unto their lusts they would befoole them surely men would not bee so easily led away by them But men will not beleeve this they cannot conceive how there should bee such deceit in sinne seeing they are of so neere a conjunction as to be a part
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
of sinne and his naturall estate and therefore saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 31. I protest that by the rejoycing I have in Christ Iesus I dye daily that is that spirituall Joy which hee had in Christ of Justification and Remission of sins and that sight of glory which he saw by Faith mortified sinne in him made him basely to esteeme of his corruptions Wee see by example a man that is wrought upon by the Law or the Judgements of God may for a time leave some sinne and rejoyce in good as Herod heard Iohn gladly and yet this his joy doth not mortifie sinne because it is not wrought by the Spirit upon an apprehension of the love of God that is it doth not proceed from the right root for spirituall joy that mortifies sin ariseth from an assurance of remission of sins but this ariseth from some other sinister respect or else for feare of hell Now that spirituall joy mortifies sinne the Wise-man proves Prov. 2. 10. compared with the 16. verse When Wisdome entreth into thy heart and Knowledge is pleasant to thy soule c it shall keep thee from the strange woman When Wisdome entreth into thy heart that is when the Spirit enlightens thy mind to see grace and knowledge is pleasant unto thee when thou doest rejoyce in the knowledge of Christ and graces of the Spirit then it shall keepe thee from the strange woman that is from inordinate affections which otherwise would bring thee to destruction Thus you see that spirituall joy is an excellent meanes to Mortification The seventh meanes if you would have your sinnes mortified is Humblenesse of minde this is an excellent meanes to Mortification for when the heart is proud it will not yeeld that is it is unfit for grace for there is nothing so contrary unto the nature of the Spirit as a proud heart and therefore the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 5. 5. God resisteth the proud but he gives grace to the humble Hee resisteth the proud that is hee doth stand in opposition against him as one most contrary unto him he rejecteth his prayers and his actions because they proceed from a proud heart but he gives grace unto the humble that is the humble heart is fit to receive grace therefore hee shall have every grace necessary to salvation as Faith Repentance Mortification Peace of Conscience and Remission of sinnes Now this humblenesse of minde is a base esteeming of a mans selfe in an acknowledgement of his unworthinesse to receive any grace with an high esteeme of Gods love which indeed may seeme to be contrary to spirituall joy but it is not so for the more humble any man or woman is the more spirituall joy they have it is increased by humility it is decreased by pride the humble heart is alwayes the joyfullest heart for the more grace the more humblenesse and themore humility the more spirituall joy for where there is a want of grace there must needs bee a want of spirituall joy Now dejection and humility are of a contrary nature a man may bee cast downe and yet not bee humble humblenesse of minde is more inward than outward but the other may bee outward but not inward thereforeif you would have your sinnes mortified get an humble heart forit is said Psalm 34. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart a broken heart is an humble heart and Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart and a new spirit will I give you that is when I have throughly humbled you and cleansed you from your rebelliousnesse against mee then I will doe this and this for you well then labour for humblenesse of mind if you would have your sinnes mortified Thus much of the word Mortifie Wee now come to a third poynt and that is what are those things that are to bee mortified and these the Apostle calls in generall earthly members Hence we note That all earthlie members are to be mortified For the better explaining of this poynt wee will first speake of the generall and then of the particulars but first of all because the words are hard wee will shew you by way of explanation first what is meant by members and secondly what is meant by earthlie members For the first What is meant by Members By members is meant sinne or any foule affection of the heart when the heart is set upon a wrong object or else upon a good object yet exceeding either in the manner or the measure makes it a sinne as first when a mans heart is set upon a base object as the satisfying of his eyes according to the lust of his heart or set upon his pleasure inordinately to the satisfying of his lusts now these are base objects Againe there are other objects which in themselves are good and may bee used as care of the world and the things of the world a man may lawfully care for the things of this life that hath a charge or a man may use his pleasure for recreation or may seeke after his profit thereby to provide for his family but if the care for the world and the things of this world exceed either in the manner or the measure that is if they be gotten unlawfully and if the heart lust after them if they breed a disorder in the soule and a neglect of grace then they become sinne Now they are called members for these reasons The first reason is because these base affections fill up the heart that is they make the heart fit for all manner of sinne even as the members of the body make the body fit for action now wee know that the body is not perfect if the members bee not perfect so when the heart is not filled with these members it may be fit for sinne but not for every sinne but this filling of it makes it fit for all sinne and therefore the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1. 3. According to his divine power he hath given us all things that is by his divine nature we all come to the knowledge of the Faith now that which is contrary to the Spirit and the knowledge of him is made up by these base affections even as the body is made up and complete by its members Secondly they are called members because these base affections doe the actions of the unregenerate part even as the members of the body doe the actions of the body for they receive into the heart all manner of sinne and thence they send base affections into all the rest of the faculties Thirdly they are called members because they are weapons of unrighteousness for so the Apostle cals them even as the actions of the new man are called the weapons of righteousnesse that is the care for the actions of the new man Now we know that it is the property of one member to fight for the good of another as wee see one member will suffer it selfe to bee
have their hearts full of earthly things and pleasure and therefore it is not possible that they should gripe Christ grace except they let fall that gâ—ipe that they have already of earthly things Therefore this is a false reason that men doe object The second objection is because earthly things are sensibly felt and in things that are sensibly felt there is sweetnesse but as for other things they are onely conceived by the imagination as grace and other spirituall things To this I answer men in this are exeedingly deceived for if the lesser faculty be sensible then much more the greater faculties and if the inferiour part of the soule hath a sensible taste then certainly the superiour part of the soule is the more sensible part for the greater faculties have the greater sense and as they are larger so they grow deeper To explaine this take a man that hath an afflicted conscience as the conscience is the greatest faculty so it hath the greatest sense in it for what it apprehends it is presently sensible of whether it be joy or sorrow Now in the matter of sense betweene the superiour and inferiour faculties the Schoolemen make a threefold difference First say they that sense which the understanding or mind hath is permanent it lasts for ever because the things themselves are permanent it feeles Grace Justification Remission of sinnes it feeles God and Christ and the Spirit but the sense of the other faculties vanisheth and passeth away As a man that hath for the present tasted a Sermon well and another hath tasted a good worke or a good turne done which in time are forgotten the remembrance of them lasts not for ever Secondly these naturall senses are but for the present that which you now taste is present that which you tasted before is gone this is the nature of these faculties but it is not thus with the understanding Thirdly these senses lessen through defect and wearinesse a man will bee weary with eating of honey though it be pleasant unto the sense a man is weary with meat and with sleepe with rest and with pleasure when as these are delights and very pleasant in the fruition but over much of any of these makes them a burthen but the spirituall senses are not so for they are endlesse Justification Remission of sinnes and Reconciliation are without end therefore labour to finde the sweetnesse that is in God rest not till thou get the Spirit which brings grace into the heart and doe but talke with those that have tasted of this sweetnesse that have first tasted of earthly things and now have tasted of spirituall and they will tell you of the excellency of the one above the other Heb. 11. 14 c. They declare plainly that they seeke a Citie not in this world for then they might returne but a heavenly place The third Objection is because of the opinion and speech of men concerning these earthly things and this hath a great force Esa. 6. 5. Woe is me for I am a man of uncleane lippes and dwell in the middest of a people of uncleane lippes that is I shall have a base opinion of this people if I shall prophesie unto them So Mat. 24. 11. Many false prophets shall arise and deceive many that is men shall be taken in a trap to doe evill by the false opinion and speech of the multitude for men that fall into errours are alwayes drawne by fancy To this I answer first you shall finde them but mouth-friends and therefore when they perswade men by speech and opinion it is because they would deceive and therefore I beseech you take heed of them It is a dangerous thing when the devill will plow with our Heifer that is when hee will use our fancy and appetite as an instrument to draw us to sinne You see the danger that Adam fell into when Eve was made the instrument by being led by fancy and opinion the devill shewes her the excellency of the Apple and by his perswasion shee is drawne to taste of it So I read of a Martyr who when hee came to suffer his friends perswaded him to turne he answered thus You speake it out of love but there is one within who is mine enemy that perswades you thus to speake In like manner say you that the opinion and speech of men is good but there is an enemy within that useth deceit We have a proverbe It is good telling of money after ones father so it is good trying the speeches of the dearest friends lest there be deceit in them Secondly to this I answer to bee sure not to be deceived by the false opinion of men it is to get sound knowledge in the Word and from it to gather a peremptory conclusion that wee will not be drawne no further than we are warranted by that Now a man must looke that hee stand upon his owne bottome and not wholly on another mans judgement A man that sets himselfe upon a good ground will stand fast when others shake and fall now this ground is the word of God and when wee have this ground to resolve with Ioshua that whatsoever others doe I and my house will serve the Lord and peremptorily to take up the resolution of Peter Though all the world should for sake Christ yet we will not I say a peremptory will to doe good is good though wee have not power to effect it but wee must looke that it be upon a good ground for wee must know that the way to heaven is not a broad footway where many footsteps appeare as a path-way is to a great City but it is a narrow way therfore we must throng hard besides there are not many going that way therefore we must not give eare unto the opinioÌ„ speeches of the multitude You know a man of understanding if a child come unto him and speake of his rattles and bables he will not answer him because they are too base things for him to talke about and if hee doe speake unto him it is because the childe wants understanding to conceive of other things so it is with carnall men as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 2. 12. They speake evill of those things they know not because they want spirituall knowledge They are like a Countrey-man that comes and seeing one draw a Geometricall line beginnes to wonder what it meanes marvelling that hee will spend his time in drawing of such a line though hee knowes well the use of it that drawes it and to this purpose the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 4. 4. They marvell that wee runne not with them unto the same excesse of riot that is they cannot see the reason why wee should not bee as prophane as they The fourth reason wherefore men will not set upon these corruptions is because of a false opinion and overvaluing of them and therefore they
beginne to lose their colour and taste it is more easily discerned then cured This is a marvellous dangerous case and therefore to prevent this sicknesse of the soule let men remember from whence they are fallen I can compare such Christians to nothing so fit as unto the Image of Nebuchadnezar which hee saw in a vision the head was of gold the brest shoulders and armes of silver the thighes and legges were of brasse and Iron and the feet were of clay so many Christians at the first for their zeale knowledge tendernesse of conscience are as pure gold afterwards they grow more cold and remisse in the performance of holy duties than before as also not so carefull in the keeping of a good conscience and this is worse than the first even as silver is worse than gold againe they come to a degree worse than that like brasse and Iron dead and cold to every thing that is good then at last they come to clay that is to be earthly minded minding onely the things of the earth and therefore if thou wouldest get heavenly mindednesse and keepe off this spirituall Consumption of thy soule remember from whence thou art fallen Having already shewed you the difference betweene earthly and heavenly mindednesse and also shewed you the meanes whereby you may get out of earthly mindednesse it now remaines that we lay downe some motives to move you to this worke The first Motive to move all men from earthly mindednesse is because heavenly things are a better object the desire doth not dye but change the affections and desires are but changed from earthly things to heavenly things now every desire hath a conjunction with the things that they affect if it bee but an earthly desire it hath a conjunction with an earthly object so if it bee an heavenly desire it hath a conjunction with an heavenly object Now if men did but know or at least would be perswaded of this it would bee an excellent meanes to perswade men to leave earthly mindednesse for what is the reason that men will not professe Religion but because they say then wee must bee crucified unto the world and the world must bee crucified unto us that is they must leave al their pleasure and delights It is true thou must be crucified unto the world thou must leave inordinate care of earthly things all distrusting care which is a companion of earthly mindednesse in unregenerate men now what losse will it bee unto thee if thou have heavenly affections for earthly Will not a man willingly part with drosse for gold A man that is recovered of a dropsie what if a necessitie be laid upon him to abstaine from excesse in drinking would hee not rather willingly leave his desire than have his disease to returne So what if thy affections be changed from earthly to heavenly things so as thou dost feele the burthen of immoderate cares cast off thee what though a necessitie bee laid upon thee not to entangle thy selfe with the things of this world is it not forthy soules health to keepe it from a Consumption If men would be perswaded of the benefit that comes by this heavenly mindednesse and that it were but a change of the desire not to their losse but their great advantage surely they would not bee so backeward from getting of heavenly mindednesse therefore labour to perswade thy heart of the truth of this grace for this doth not so tye a man from the world that hee must not have any thing to doe with it but it orders a man in the world it keepes him from all inordinate cares of the world and all inordinate desires of earthly things it sets all the faculties of the soule in order and it sets the body in order now if men did but know the benefit of this change they would bee more easily perswaded to leave earthly mindednesse The second Motive to move all men to leave earthly mindednesse is because there is no sweetnesse in these earthly members there is an insufficiencie in them they cannot give any true content to the heart of a man and that they cannot doe it this is cleare by two particulars First this ariseth from the mutabilitie of the things Secondly it ariseth from the disposition of the persons First I say they can give no true content unto the heart of a man or woman because they are mutable and subject to change now you know that all earthly things are mutable they have a time of being and a time of not being let the heart of a man or woman be set upon any of these earthly things and the losse of it will bring greater sorrow of heart by how much more he hath set his heart upon them if immoderately then the sorrow is the greater if moderately the sorrow is the lesse but if he set his whole heart upon any thing whether it bee his riches or his honour or his pleasure the losse thereof will cause much sorrow of heart now it is onely grace that gives true content unto a Christian spirituall things they change not they are constant immutable and permanent as Justification Remission of sinnes and Reconciliation these are not subject unto any change they cannot be lost for when the heart is set upon heavenly things the comfort cannot bee removed because the cause of that comfort continues Now comfort in Christ is the true content of the soule and therefore where Christ is by his grace in the heart there is content Secondly I say they can giue no true content unto a man or woman if wee consider the condition and the disposition of the persons and that two wayes first if we consider them as good men and so belong to God or secondly if we consider them as bad men and so not belonging unto God we shall see that outward things cannot yeeld any true content unto either First if they be good men and so belong unto God yet there cannot be such sweetnesse in them as to give true content unto the soule For many times they are a cause or at least a meanes to draw afflictions from God upon a man for God is a jealous God that is a God hating spirituall Idolatrie Now when the heart of a man or woman is immoderately set upon when I say his heart runs a whoring from God after earthly things whether it bee after riches honour or pleasure the Lord will bee sure to meet with him and whip him home for it As we see in David and Ely if David will set his heart upon Absalom the Lord will bee sure to meet with his Absalom above all the rest if Ely will not correct his sonnes but let them dishonour the worship service of God God wil correct them himselfe And this ariseth from the nature of God for God hath a fatherly care over his children and therefore will not suffer them to soile themselves with the things of the
concerning his house when I beginne I will also make an end If he strike once he need not to strike any more his blowes are sure when hee strikes hee never misses his arrowes kill at first shooting Consider secondly that either a sudden judgement shall overtake them and so confound them in an instant or if it be delayed then the feare it should light upon them quite takes away the sweetnesse of the sinne they commit and so makes the sinne it selfe a vexation and puâ—ishment to them or else lastly if God suffers them to runne on in sinne securely and without all feare or remorse he beares wiâ—h them but that he may make his power knowne and eminent by bringing a greater judgement on them at the last as the Apostle saith Rom. 9. 22. What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne endured wâ—th much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction There is a time that the wicked must bee fitting and be a preparing for their destruction which once come let them bee sure afterward God will manifest his power will compensate his much long-suffering with the greatnesse of the judgement hee brings on them Now it is a fearefull thing and a dangerous case when God suffers a man thus to grow and thrive in his sinne that so his judgement may be the greater Consider thirdly that such goe on in their sin which hope to escape because they are not presently punished they abuse the patience and long-suffering of God Now the manifestation of Gods Attributes is his Name and who so abuse them take his Name in vaine and you know God will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Let such then as thus abuse the patience of God thinke not that they shall escape the judgement of God but remember to take into consideration that place of the Apostle Rom. 2. 4 5 6. where it is said Despisest thou O man the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render unto every man according to his deeds Hee shall assuredly pay for every day and houre that hee shall continue in his sinne God takes account of every minute and will when he beginnes to render vengeance repay it to the utmost farthing every moment addes one drop unto the vials of his wrath and when that is full it shall be powred out upon them See this in the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. 21 22. I gave her space to repent of her fornication and shee repented not Behold I will cast her into a bed and them that commit Adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their deâ—ds Because shee did not repent while shee had time therefore shee shall have great tribulation Let us consider then the fearefulnesse of despising Gods patiencâ— and long-suffering and not thinke ourselves in a good coâ—dition because wee goe unpuâ—ishâ—d but rathâ—r let his long-suffering and goodnesse lead us to repentance while he gives us space to repent in The third Deceit whereby Satan beguiles men is present sweetnesse in sinne the delight wee take in the acting of this sinne there is a kind of bewitching pleasure in it that steales away our hearts from holinesse and purity to defile them with filthinesse and uncleannesse for if wee give never so little way to the pleasure and sweetnesse thereof it will bring us presently to the acting of it But for answer unto this and to prevent being besotted with this delight and sweetnesse in sinne take notice of these ensuing considerations First hee that denies himselfe in this sweetnesse and delight shall not lose thereby he shall be nothing prejudiced thereby but shall find a greater sweetnesse and of a farre more excellent kinde a sweetnesse in the remission of his sinnes and reconciliation unto Iesus Christ a sweetnesse in the being freed and eased in the burthen of his sinnes and corruptions But some man here will be ready to say It is not so easie a thing to restraine ones lusts it is a matter of great difficulty and consequence and of more paines and troâ—ble than you speâ—â—e of why then doe you bid us deny our selves in this sweetnesse of sinne To this I aâ—swer Indeed it is true it is hard at first to be overcome and broughâ— in subjection yet in an hâ—art that is truly humbled it may bâ— mortified and if it once come to that then it will bee easie to moderate it and bring it undâ—r our command Secondly consider what Christ saith Mat. 8. 18 It is better for thee to enter into life halt and maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to bee cast into everlasting fire and indeed how much better were it for us if wee would cut off this right hand or right eye of delight and pleasure in sinne and cast it from us that so wee might goe to heaven than having pleasure here in this life for a season to bee cast into everlasting fire to have our part and portion with the Devill and his angels which we shall be sure to have if wee forsake not this filtâ—y sinne of lust and uncleannesse for the Apostle saith it often and that peremptorily without exception in many of his Epistles that No Adulterer Whoremonger Formcator or uncleane person c. shall enter into the kingdome of Ged Thirdly consider the more sweetnesse and delight we take in this sinne the greater anguish and torment we shall finde in the renewing of our hearts and the more difficult it will be for us to leave it besides it is a dangerous thing to take our sweetnesse fully for then perhaps we may be so besotted therewith as we shall hardly rellish any thing else especially the contrary vertue which will seeme â—ery biâ—ter and distastefull unto us And therefore let us be perswâ—ded not to adhere too much to the sweeâ—nesse and delight that we finde present in the acting of this sin lest we become so bewitched with it as we never beable to forsake it The fourth Deceit which Satan useth to beguile men withall is The falsnesse of the common opinion of most men and cunning delusion of our carnall reason unto which it seemes either no sinne at all or else so little as it neâ—d not any great adoe be made about it Most men think this sin of fornication but a trick of youth whose blood heated with intemperance must have somthing to allay its lust on Now these two bee incompetent Judges both common opinion and carnall reason they are altogether unfit to judge of the notoriousnesse of this sin but let us bring it to the ballance of the Sanctuary and then we shall see the just weight of it we
but by peece-meale some of it being reserved for the darling sinne then it is not true Mortification which is alwayes a killing and bringing under subjection all lust and concâ—piscence Therfore see first whether thy heart be throughly wounded with sinne whether thou dost grieve for all sinne as well as for some particâ—lar sinne of profit and pleasure Then secondly if thou beest thus wounded see whether thou longest for nothing so much as pardon in Christ a condemned person desires nothing delights in nothing but in the newes of a pardon as other things are not at all welcome unto him a pardon is all that can be comfortable unto him so thou if thou beest truly wounded for thy sinne wilt desire and wish for nothing but a pardon the remission of thy sinnes in Jesus Christ will more comfort thee than all the world beside And lastly if a pardon be granted see Is there a love and a delight in Christ Is he the only joy and comfort of thy soule then well is thy case thou art in a good estate thou maist bee certaine the roots of thy lusts are plucked up and then the branches must needs dye Secondly examine your selves and see whether out of a loathing and hate of this sinne you be able to judge aright of it to perceive it in its filthy colours and loathsome pollutions All the time a man lyes in a sinne hee will have such a mist cast before his eyes that hee cannot see it perfectly but dimly as it were by a small light which will not lay open all the spots and blemishes thereof To explaine this I will use this similitude A man that lives continually in an house where a bad smell is he perceives not the ill savour it is all one to him as though it were pure and sweet ayre but one that comes in out of the fresh ayre he smels it presently to him it is exceeding offensive even so it is with sinne an unregenerate man that is used to it hath long lived in it and perhaps never knew any other to him it is naturall he perceives not the filthinesse thereof it is as good to him as the purest action in the world and why because hee is accustomed unto it Now custome you know is another nature but let a regenerate man fall to commit the same sinne why he is troubled he is perplexed he cannot be quiet nor can he finde any rest in it 't is unusuall to him and therefore he is disturbed at it And indeed it is a good sign of a righteous soule to be vexed at sinne ye may see it in Lot of whom it is said 2 Pet. 2. 8. That rightious man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds Try your selves therefore by this marke and see whether you can brooke sinne well enough or be vexed and disturbed at the comâ—itting of â—t Thirdly examine your sâ—lves and see whether your abstaining and keeping your selves from the acting of this sinne be generall and constant or respecting some places or persons and but for a short space this is an effect of the former for hee that hates a thing hates every thing that belongs unto it and that continually this is a sure marke and never failes Yee may see it in other things a Dove is afraid of any feather that hath beene an Hawkes it brings a great deale of terror unto her almost as much as if the Hawke her selfe were there such a native dread is implanted in the poore Dove as it detests and abhorres the very sight of a feather so the godly man that hath once conceived a detestation against his lusts endures not any thing that belongs to them that comes from them He that hates a Serpent cannot abide the skin though it be never so finely speckled so true hatred unto sinne cannot endure motion or inclination unto it though it bring never so faire pretences and shewes it suffers not the least sparke to kindle or increase as wanton speeches lascivious lookes c. A sore that is healed at the bottome is not easily hurt again wheras if it be but skinned at top it is never the better for in a little time it will breake forth againe and be worse than ever A bone broken and well set againe is stronger than it was before so a man that hath once slipped into this sinne and is got out of it againe shall finde his strength to bee encreased and himselfe more enabled to resist that temptation than ever he was But some man will say I read of some of the Saints that have fallen into this sinne and that grievously why then may not the deare children of God fall againe into it To this I answer Indeed it is possible for we find it in the Scripture of David and Salomon that they fell nay more it hath many times so come to passe that they have fallen grievously as in them before mentioned and many others yet as wee read of their falls so we read of their recovery out of it they did not continue in it Here therefore I will set downe the meanes against it And they shall be First for such as have long lyen in this sinne perhaps 20 perhaps 40 or more yeares let such I say observe these rules following First let them labour to get an humble heart in the sight of this grievous sinne let them bee cast downe with griefe and sorrow for so haynous a sinne that they have offended so good and gracious a God one that is of so pure eyes that he can endure no uncleane thing It was the practice of the holy Apostle Saint Paul he was so farre humbled that hee confessed himselfe to be the chiefest of all sinners and what could he say more So also the Prodigall Luk. 15. when hee came to see himselfe and to looke upon his owne condition was so farre from being puffed up that hee was content to stile himselfe no better than his fathers servant In like manner doethou thinke thy selfe the worst of men and greatest sinner upon earth and that God hath beene infinitly merciful unto thee that hath not cut thee off in thy sinne though thou so long continuedst in it unrepentant Secondly labour to bring thy heart to so good a passe that thou maist love God exceedingly who hath forgiven thee so great a sinner It is sayd of the woman in the Gospell to whom much was forgiven that shee loved much A great deale is forgiven thee beyond what thy deserts are doe thou therefore so too Love much love Christ that hath beene a Mediatour to procure this thy sinne e o be forgiven love God much who hath beene so mercifull as to grant thee pardon and remission of sinnes for Christ thy Saviours sake Thirdly take heed lest Satan beguile thee and bring thee into the â—ame sinne againe you know
what Saint Peter saith 2 Pet. 5. 8. where he exhorteth the brethren to be sober and vâ—gilant from no other reason but only this Because your adversary the devill as a a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom hee may devoure the same shall be my argument of perswasion unto all of you to beware of the Divell to looke to your selves lest hee should deceive you and entice you into the same sinne againe Secondly for those that are guilty of this sinne still but would faine be rid of the sore burthen which lyes heavy upon their Consciences Let them use these helpes First labour to get assurance of the pardon and forgivenesse of it No man can be assured of the love of Christ till he be assured of his love and favour in the free pardoning and remission of his sinnes for how can a man have peace and quietnesse without this hee is still in feare of Gods wrath and vengeance to light upon him and where there is such a seare and dread it is not likely there should bee any love And therefore in rhe first place get thy sinnes pardoned Secondly labour to have a sense and feeling of thy sinne this is a chiefe thing to be obtained for where there is no sense there cannot be any remorse or sorrow for sinne without which there can be no turning from sinne much lesse any hatred and detestation of it Now this sense and feeling is wrought in us by Gods Spirit and therefore thou must goe to God by true and hearty prayer that hee would bee pleased to illuminate thee by his Spirit that so thou maist see the miserable and wretched condition thou art in by reason of this sinne Thirdly lay hold on the Promises and apply them to thy selfe make them thine owne for whatsoever a mans sinnes bee if hee can come to thirst after pardon to desire that before other things in a right way and to a right end then hee may be sure he hath the Promises belonging unto him If he will take them they are his owne Christ is his if he will take him onely he must take him aright as well to be his Lord as his Redeemer his Lord to governe and rule him by his Lawes and Commandements as well as his Redeemer to save him by the merit of his death and passion Christ offers himselfe to him Revel 22 17. saying Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the waters of life freely and what greater love can Christ shew than to set himselfe out for all to take him and that freely too In the dayes of his flesh who had more good by him than the Publicans and sinners them he called them he saved the poore diseased wretches how ready was hee to heale them even so he is still hee is every whit as ready to save thee to heale thee as he was them if thou wilt come unto him and endevour to lay hold on him To neglect Christ thus offered unto thee is to trample under foot the Sonne of God and to count the blond of the Covenant an unholy thing Heb. 10. 29. now what thinke ye shall be done unto such read that place and you shall finde that a much sorer punishment than death without mercy they are worthy of and are likely to undergoe You read what was done to those that despised the invitation of the King to his Marriage-feast Matth. 22. 7. When the King beard thereof hee was wroth and sent forth his armies and destroyed those murtherers and burnt up their City In like manner will hee deale with thee if thou despisest the offer of his gracious Promises now made to thee hee will account thee but as a murtherer and will destroy both theâ— and thy City that is all that belongs unto thee Take heed therefore that thou now layest hold on his Promises and makest them thine owne Fourthly Use abstinencie and fasting for thereby thou mayst get the mastery over thy sinne give it altogether peremptory denials suffer it not to delight thee in the least cogitation and tickling conceit It will be easie to abstaine feom it when the deniall is peremptory if we cannot put out a sparke how shall we put out a flame If wee get not the mastery over the first motion to sinne much lesse shall wee be able to overcome it when it is brought to maturity in action Sinne is like the water give it the least way and we cannot stay it runne it will in despight of us and as a streame riseth by little and little one showre encreasing it and another making it somewhat bigger so sinne riseth by degrees Iam. 1. 14 15. it is said But every man is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Where observe three degrees in sinne first temptation secondly conception and thirdly perturbation or bringing forth So also Hebr. 3. it is said of the Israelites that lust in them brought forth hardnesse of heart Beware therefore of the beginnings and occasions of sinne and accustome thy selfe to use abstinence thereby to master thy lust Fifthly Another helpe may be to resolve against it to make Vowes and Covenants with out selves not to fall into any occasion that might bee an allurement unto it Let us binde our selves from things indifferent at first and then afterward from the unlawfull temptations And that wee may doe it the more easily let us make our vowes for a certaine time at first but for a little while afterward for a longer season and then at last when we have more strength for ever But some man will here be ready to object and say I finde my selfe exceeding weake and unable to keepe such Vowes and Covenants What shall I doe then who shall be in danger every day to breake them and so be guilty of a double sinne To this I answer If our frailty herein were a sufficient argument then would there bee no Vowes at all What though thou beest weake and fraile and so subject to breake thy promises in this kinde yet remember that they are Gods Ordinances and hee will put to his helping hand to enable thee hee will blesse and prosper what ever thou dost vow or promise this way as an Ordinance that hee hath commanded Againe as thou seest thy selfe more weake and subject to infringe those vowes so bee sure to use the greater care and diligence to keepe them be so much the more vigilant to avoyd all occasions that might tempt thee to breake them Sixthly Another helpe may be to proportion the remedie to the disease as thy lusts are greater so use greater abstinence make stronger vowes against them As in a place where the tide beats strongly there the banke must bee stronger so where the current and tide of thy lusts runne more
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
indeed without Gods over-ruling Power we can doe nothing yet wee must use the meanes as we see in the casting of a dye it is not in us to win as we please but yet the playing of the cast is requisite so the mortifying of the affections it is not in us yet we must use the meanes for to doe it let us not give satisfaction to any lust but hinder it to our powers it is a shame for us to have our hearts affected with any sinnefull lusts were wee more carefull of our soules these inordinate affections would bee more broken and kept downe by us Beleeve it strong affections breed strong afflictions and say thou shouldest have riches and contenment in earthly things and yet have inordinate affections this is no helpe for thee it is but an applying of an outward plaister to an inward sore that will doe it no good The third motive is taken from 1 Timothy 6. 9. the Apostle speaketh there of the desire of riches he saith that it breedeth many foolish and hurtfull lusts in that regard wee should mortifie them because they are foolish lusts and foolish because hurtfull when a man hurts himselfe out of some mistake or by his owne heedlessenesse hee is properly said to be a foole It is properly folly when a man hurts himselfe whil'st he seekes to doe himselfe most good wee seeke to doe our selves good when we give satisfaction to every lust but yet we hurt our selves strange affections invite us to sinne and sinne brings to misery and thus they are hurtfull Shun them therefore seeing God hath appointed them to be mortified let us mortifie them whatsoever God hath appointed to be mortified and we will not doe it is as hurtfull for us as Achans wedge was to Achan which is called a cursed thing And so every unmortified lust is a cursed thing Take we heed of it The fourth motive is this because inordinatenesse of affections hinders us in the doing of the good actions wherein our happinesse doth consist they make the faculties of the soule unfit to doe the things they should doe as Iames 1. 20. the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God that is it disableth a man to worke that righteousnesse he should doe and what may be said of wrath may be said of any other affection As of malice 1 Pet. 2. 1. wherefore laying aside all malice c that is while these are in you you cannot heare the Word as ye ought So for inordinate desire of gaine Ezek. 31. the reason why the people heard without profit was because their hearts went after their covetousnesse mortifie these lusts and then you shall goe with ease and safety in the way of godlinesse yea we shall be carried to it as a boate is with winde with all facility and expeditenesse The fift motive is because of the shame and dishonour they doe bring men into men are afraid of shame in other things it were to be wished they were so afraid of shame in this Every inordinate affection is a short drunkennesse and it brings the drunkards shame to a man drunkennes discloseth all and so if there be any corruption in the heart inordinate affection drawes it forth Every man is ashamed of indiscreetnesse in his carriage now what is the cause of indiscreetnesse it is the defect of wisedome either the forgetfulnesse or not heeding of the time place or action we are about and what makes this forgetfulnes It is the drunkennes of passion When the Apostle Iames would shew who was a wise man he saith he will shew out a good conversation in his works there will be meekenes and gentlenesse in his carriage and behaviour but if there be any envy or strife in the hart this shews a man to be but a weak creature whereas on the contrary it is an honour in a man to passe by an infirmity That is a signe of a strong man that is able to overcome himselfe The sixth motive is because they blind the reason and Iudgement which should be the guide of all our actions in the course of this life that which is said of bribery that it blinds men and that the affection to the bribe makes the sinne a great deale more The like may bee said of other sins As long as passion rageth thou canst neither judge of thine owne nor of others faults if thou wouldest judge of another mans fault take away the beame that is in thine owne eye And so if thou wouldst judge of thine owne faults these affections must not blind the mind and the reason for so they will hinder us in discerning good and in doing any thing that is good for when the mind is corrupted the will is corrupted and then instead of walking in the wayes of God wee walke in the pathes of sinne therefore in regard of the safetie and security of our lives and actions wee should mortifie these our affections HOW TO MORTIFIE COVETOVSNESSE COLOSS. 3. 5. And Covetousnesse which is Idolatrie COvetousnesse which is Idolatrie that must bee mortified aswell as the other earthly members Now this Covetousnesse is nothing else but an inordinate and sinfull desire either of getting or keeping wealth or money The inordinate lusting after honours that is called Ambition too much affecting of beauty is called lustfulnesse And Lust is an inordinate affection which when it propoundeth riches for its object it is called Covetousnesse which is Idolatrie Now Idolatrie consisteth in one of these three things First in worshipping the true God in a wrong manner apprehending him as a Creature giving that to himthat agreeth not with him Secondly when as we make the Creature a God by conceiving it under the Notion of a God so did they who worshipped Iove Mars and those Heathens that worshipped the creatures as Gods Thirdly when we attribute that unto it which belongeth unto God as to trust in it to delight in it to put all our trust confidence in it when as we think it can performe that unto us which God onely can Now that Covetousnesse is Idolatrie is meant when as we thinke that riches can do that which God only can doe as that they can doe us good or evill If they are Gods saith God Let them doe good or evill God only doth good and evill therfore he is distinguished from Idols because they cannot do it affections follow opinions practise followes affections Hebr. 11. 6. He that will come to God must beleeue in him None will worship God unlesse they beleeve that God can comfort relieve them in all their distresses So when men have an opinion that riches and wealth wil yeeld them comfort be a strong tower of defence to free them frō inconveniences this makes them to trust in them and this thought is Idolatry There are two points of Doctrine that arise from these words The first is this That to seeke
God will If you thinke so in good earnest then yee rejoyce in them as blessings A mā that is releeved when he is in danger lookes more to the will then to the hand of him that helps him We looke more to the good will of our friends then to their gifts So wee should looke more on Gods will and pleasure thē to the benefit she bestowes upon us The consideration of these things as blessings must raise up your thoughts to heavenly things to consider that whatsoever is done on earth is first acted in heaven The Sunne is first eclipsed there and then here So that your estates are first eclipsed there before that they are here looke therefore on God and on these as meerely depending on Gods will and then you enjoy them onely as blessings Secondly you looke on them as blessings if you looke upon them so as to know that you may have them in aboundance without any comfort Instruments have nothing of themselves whatsoever they have is put into them A man may have friends and all other outward things his mountaine may seeme to be strong yet without Gods blessing on them hee may want comfort in them When as you thinke thus that you may have those things without comfort it is a signe that your eye is on God that you looke on them onely as the Vehiculars or conduct pipes to convay comfort The ayre yeelds light as an instrument though it have no light of it 's owne the water may heate but not of it selfe but by that heate which is infused into it by the fire so if a man drink a Potion in Beere the Beere of it selfe doth not work but the Potion worketh by the Beere So it is with all outward blessings they of themselves can yeeld you no comfort at all but if they would yeeld you any it is by reason of that comfort which God puts into them Thirdly you doe then enjoy them as blessings if you thinke you may have comfort without them The ebbing and flowing of outward things doth not augment your comfort or diminish it Those that have not any outward blessings may have more gladnesse and comforts in their hearts then those whose corne and wine are encreased Psal. 4. 7. Those who have but a small Cottage and a bed in it are many times more happy more healthy and sleepe more quietly then these rich men whose wealth will not suffer him to sleepe Eccle. 5. 12. Many there are that seeme to want all outward blessings and comforts yet are full of inward comforts and delights Many there are who like Paul the Apostles seeme to have nothing and yet possesse all things As it is all one with God to helpe with fewe or with many so hee can comfort with fewe friends and externall blessings as well as with many yea hee can make a little which the righteous have more comfortable then all the revenewes of the ungodly be they never so great That which hath beene said of blessings the like also may be said of crosses you may greeve for them if you take them as crosses but withall take heede that yee account not those things crosses which indeede are no crosses want was no crosse to Paul nor yet imprisonment for in the one he abounded in the other hee sung it is advantage unto us sometimes to have outward blessings taken from us It is advantage for us to have blood taken away in a plurisie It is good sometimes to loppe trees that so they may bring foorth more fruite so it is good for us many times to haue crosses for to humble us and to bring us neere unto God yet we may sorrow for the losse of those things and take it as a crosse If you can say this from your hearts that yee are not afflicted because yee are made poore because your Wealth is taken from you but because it is Gods pleasure to take it away from you either for the abuse of it or else to punish you for some other sinne So that if you bee cast into some sicknesse you may not grieve for it as a crosse merelie as it is a Sicknesse but as you conceive the hand of God in it laying it on you as a punishment foryour Sin The second Let and Deceit is the present sence and feeling which wee have of the comfort that comes from aboundance of outward things therefore whatsoever is said to the contrarie is but speculations fantasies Men are guided by sense which cannot be deceived We finde and feele comfort in those things by experience we see a Realtie in these things and therefore whatsoever you say to the contrarie is but in vaine and to no purpose To this I answere that you must not judge of things according to Sense for Sense was never made a judge of God to judge of these things butjudge of them according to faith and rectified reason which judgeth of all things that are to come that are past and present altogether and so can best judge of these things as they are Now for to helpe your judgement in these things First consider what the Scripture doth say of them what it doth say of pleasures friends and Riches the Scripture presents things as they are and that tells you that they are but vanity of vanities all is but vanitie Secondly consider the judgements of others concerning them who have bin on the stage of afflictions and have abounded in good works whilest they lived but are now gone Thirdlie consider what you will judge of them at the day of death then men are awaked and see these things as they are indeede and then they bemoane themselves that they have spent so much time in seeking after those things that will not profit them and spent so little time in looking after salvation Iudge not of them as you finde them for the present but likewise as you shall find them for the time to come judge of al together Now for Sense you must understand its double First there is a Sense and feeling of the comfort of the Creature as a man that is benummed with cold is refreshed with fire or a man that is faint and feeble in heart is refreshed with Wine Secondly there is a super-eminent comfort proceeding from an apprehension of Gods favour towards us in giving these blessings to us There may bee an inward distemper which may make our ioyes to be hollow and counterfeit There may be sadnesse of heart when there is outward ioy because there is an inward and Supereminent Sense which affects the heart another way therfore Eccl. 2. 2. It is called made Ioy because we mind it not It is the Ioy of Ioyes and life of comfort that is from within that proceeds from the inward man As the soule is strong in health so it findes-more comfort both in externall and Supereminent comfort Graces are to the soule as health is to the
searcher of the heart for it On the other side if a man by diligence in his calling have riches following him he may take them as a blessing of God bestowed on him and as a reward for his calling The diligent hand maketh rich God will so reward it not that we must eye riches and make them our end God makes a man rich and man makes himselfe rich God makes us rich by being diligent in our callings and using them to hâ—s glory and mans good he doth cast riches on us man makes himselfe rich when hee makes riches th' end of his calling and doth not expect them as a reward that comes from God I expresse it by Iacob Iacob he sâ—rved Laban faithfully and God blessed him so that he did grow rich hee went not out of his compasse and Sphere he tooke the wages that was given and because that Gods end was to make him rich God enriched him by his wages as a reward of his service The more diligent a man is in his calling the more sincere upright the more doth God blesse him and increase his riches God makes men rich when hee gives them riches without sorrowes and troubles when as they come in with ease and without expectation and disquiet Man makes himselfe rich when as there is great troble in getting keeping enjoying them when as he useth his calling to get riches or when as he useth unlawful meanes The method God useth to enrich men is this He first bids them Seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and then all these things shall be administred unto them as wages We must looke to our duty and let God alone to provide and pay us our wages He that takes a servant bids him only looke to his duty and let him alone to provide him meat drinke and wages we are seruants God is our Master let us looke to our duty and leave the wages to him But whether may not a man take care to get wealth is not a man to care for his estate to increase it and to settle it I answere he may lawfully take care of it observing the right Rules in doing it which are these First he muâ—t not go out of his compasse but walke within his owne pale he must not step out of his own calling into other mens and in his owne calling hee must not trouble himselfe with so much businesse as that he cannot attend or that may hinder him in his private service unto God If he doe fill himselfe with too much businesse in his owne calling or step into others callings this is sinnefull and inordinate If a man in his owne calling fill himselfe with so much businesse that he cannot attend the things of salvation that he is so much tired with them that hee hath no leasure or spare time to search his owne heart and to doe the particular duties necessary to salvation he then failes in this and sinnes in his calling Secondly his end must not be amisse he must not ayme at riches Abraham was poore and so was Iacob yet God made them rich and mighty they were diligent in their callings and God brought in wealth God calles not a man to trust in himselfe to make riches his ayme and end to seeke excesse superfluity and aboundance to live deliciously to satisfie our lusts and pleasures our ayme must bee Gods glory and the publique good and then God will cast riches upon us as our wages Thirdly let it be a right care and not an inordinate care there is an inordinate care which checks the word you may know whether your care be such an immoderate care or no by these three signes First if you be troubled in the businesse you goe about consisting either in desire feare or griefe when as we either desire such a blessing exceedingly or feare that we shall not have it or greeve much for the losse of it Secondly when wee feare we shall not bring our enterprise to passe or attaine to that which we desire When wee are troubled at it if it be not accomplished and greeve when wee foresee any thing that may prevent it care being aright sets head and hand on worke but when the affections are just right there is no tumult or turbulencie in them When is a man covetous I answer that then a man is a covetous man when as he hath desires arising in him which are contrary on the former rules and hee resists them not or else resists them so weakely and feebly that hee gets no ground of them Hee sees no reason why he should resist them and therefore gives way unto them A man is not a covetous man nor an ambitious man which hath covetous and ambitious thoughts for these the holiest men have but hee that hath such thoughts and strives not at all against them or else strives but weakely he is a covetous and ambitious man A godly man may have these thoughts and desires but hee strives strongly against them gets ground of them and gives them a deathes wound but the covetous man hee yeelds unto them the godly man he gets the victory over them Now this covetousnesse is evill in it selfe for first of all it is Idolatry and spirituall Adultery and then it is an evill and bitter roote having many stalkes on it he that doth doe any thing to hold correspondencie with it he that doth belong unto it to him it is the root of all evill Luke 16. It keepes men from salvation It chokes the good seedes sowen in mens hearts Secondly it must be mortified for the vanity of the object is not worth the seeking therefore in the 16 Luke 9. It is set downe in a comparison with the true treasure and expressed in these foure circumstances First it is called the Mammon of unrighteousnesse and wicked riches because it makes men wicked opposed to spirituall blessings which are the best Secondly it is least because it doth least good it preserves us not from evill it doth the Soule no good Thirdly it is but false Treasure it hath but the shadowe of the true it shines as if it were true but yet it is but false and counterfet Lastly it is not our owne it is another mans riches are the goods of others not our own Luk. 16. 12. and 10. 41. 42. There are foure attributes given to riches First they are many things and require much labour Martha was troubled about many things Secondly they are unnecessary one thing is necessary Thirdly They will be taken from us Fourthly they are not the best and therefore our desire after them should be mortified From hence bee yee exhorted to mortifie this earthly member covetousnesse which is Idolatry a sinne unto which all men are subject young men though they want experience of riches are notwithstanding subject to this vice but olde men are most subject unto
it though they have least cause and reason for it Professours of religion are subject to it many times it growes up with the Corne chokes it therefore use effectuall meanes to roote it out of your hearts First of all pray to GOD not to encline your hearts to covetousnesse it is impossible for man but easie for God to doe it Secondly be humbled for Sinne wee are so covetous and desirous for money because we were never humbled for Sinne so much as we should be and this is the reason why many would rather let Christ goe then their wealth and riches Thirdly use them to better purpose then heretofore yee have done make friends with them and finde some better thing to set your hearts upon Except you have a better Treasure you will not vilifie and depart with these Labour therefore for true Godlinesse with content which is great gaines 1. Timoth. 6. 6. which heales this malady and takes away the false pretences of gathering having and affecting great riches FINIS Doctrine 1. Simile Doct. 2. Mortification what it is Simile Mortification why a turning of the heart Quest. 1. Answer When sinne seemes to be mortified and is not 1 2 Simile 3 4 5 Simile 6 Simile Use. Quest. 2. Answ. How o know when â—â—st is mortified 1 â— 3 Simile Five Motives to Mortification 1 Motive Obiect Azâ—â—rer Simile â—â— Motive 3 Motive Simile 4 Motive How sinne couzens 1 1 Pet. 1. 14. â— Mat. 4. 4 5 Heb. 3. 13. Motive Rom. 6. 19. Motive Rom. 6. 16. Vse 1. Vse 2. 2 Tim. 1. 16. Simile Obiect 1. Answ. 1. 1 The power of a regenerate man 2 Obiect 2. Gal. 5. 17. Answ. 2. Use 3. It is not enough to abstaine from sin in the action but it must be in the heart Obiect Answer Vse 4. No man so holy but needs Mortification Meanes how to come to mortification Meanes to get a willing heart August 2 Meanes to take paines about it Simile Errors of men about mortification 1 Simile 2 Simile Simile The fruitlesâ— paine of the Papists in thâ— point The outward meanes which further Mortification First Moderation in lawfull things Exces in lawfull things is dangerous The second outward meanes vowes and promises Vowes when lawfull How to bâ— estâ—emed of and made 1 2 3 The third outward meanes Avoyding occasion to sin Obiect Answ. The fourth outward meanes Fasting and Prayer 3 Meanes The assistance of the spirit Obiect Answ. How the Spirit may bee won or lost 1 2 How the Spirit is resisted Acts 6. 10. 7. 51. How the Spirit is grieved How the Spirit is quenched 1. 2. 2 Thes. 5. 19. 3 Luk. 11. 13. 4 Meanes To walke in the Spirit Gal. 5 16. Simile 5 Meanes Faith Acts 15. 9. Ephes. 3. 17. Obiect 1. Answ. 1. The order of Faith in the regenerate Obiect 2. Answ. 2. How Christ dwels in the heart Simile Error about mortification confuted 6 Meanes Spirituall Ioy. Simile Pro. 2. 10. 7 Meanes Humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. Humblenesse of minde what it is Ezek. 36. 16 Doctr. 1 What is here meant by members Why called members Reas. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 13. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Matth. 5. 29. 2 What is ment by earthly members What it is to be earthly minded 2 3 How a man may come to know spirituall things and yet not be renewed 1 2 3 4 Dan. 4. 34. 5 Mar. 6. 20. 6. The order of the faculties of the soule Quâ—st 1. Answ. 1. How a naturall man may know spirituall things Rom. 8. 5. 1 Cor. 2. 14. What it is to be heavenly minded Ephes. 4. 23. Simile 1 Cor. 2. 9. opened Simile Quest. 2. Answ. 2. Quest. 3. Answ. 3. Simile How the understanding enlightned may doe good to the rest of the faculties 1 2 Simile 3 4 Vse 1. 1 Nothing more hurtfull to man then earthly mindednesse When men are said to lose their excellencie Simile Reas. 1. Simile Sinne onely makes a man lose his excellency Reason 2. 1 Tim. 6. 10. Simile 2 Nothing so hateful to God as earthly-mindednesse Iam. 4. 4. 3 Nothinglesse beseemeth a professor then earthly-mindednesse Simile Heb. 6. 6. Difference betwixt the backsliding of the Saints and the wicked A threefold cause of the backsliding of the godly Cause 1. Cause 2. Cause 3. 1 A caveat to those that stand 2 Those that have fallen Revel 3. 3 Those that have not yet tasted of the sweetnesse of Christ. 1 Yong men 2 Old men Obiections of earthly mindednesse answeted Obiect 1. Difference betweene nature and sense Luk. 15. 23. Iam. 5. 5. Simile 〈◊〉 2. A threefold difference in the matter of sense between the superiour and inferiour faculties 1 2 3 Heb. 11. 14. Obiect 2. Esay 6. 5. Mat. 24. 11. â— The Martyâ— speech 2 A good grouÌ„d required for doing of good Simile 2 Pet. 2. 12. Simile 1 Pet. 4. 4. Obiect 4. Simile Ier. 9. 23. Simile All mens comforts stand in Gods face Simile Psal 62. 23. Vse 2. Why it is hard for a rich man to be sared Motives to mortifie our earthly members 1 Simile One reigning sinne makes a man unrighteous Luk. 9. 23. Obiect Answer Meanes to obtaine the loathing of earthly things 1 Humiliation False grounds of it 1 2 3 Wherein true Humiliation stands 2 The royaltie of spirituall things Heb. 11. 34. A constant and diligent watch ouer the heart Rev. 3. 8 9. Meanes to get heauenly-mindednesse I Faith A twofold snare of the world 2 Humility Iam. 4. 8. Simile 3 A iudgement rightly informed concerning earthly things Eccles. 1. 14. 4 A sight into the All-sufficiency of God Gen. 17. 1. Ier. 2. 13. 5 A remembrance from whence we are fallen Rev. 2. 5. Simile Simile A spirituall consumption compared to a bodily Such are fitly compared to Nebâ—chadnezarsâ—mage â—mage Dan. 2. 32. Motives to heavenly things 1 Heauenly things a better obiect 2 Nosweetnessâ— in earthly things 1 Because they are mutable 2 Because of our condition 1 Whether good 2 Wicked Psal. 55. 19. The nature of earthly mindedness 1 Pet. 3. 20. 1 Sam. 5. 12. 3 No salvâ—tion 〈◊〉 them Mat. 6. 24. God wil have all the soule or none Luk. 9. 23. Christs two markes of a true Christian 4 It is the best part to do so Proved by 1 Authority Luk. 10. 41 42 opened A foure-fold difference betweene earthly and heavenly things Gen. 3. 17. 2 3 4 Luk. 16. 8 c. oâ—ened Phillip 3. 8 9. 2 Reasons 1 2. 3 5 All things are at Gods disposing Psal. 31. 16. Psal. 6. 8. Simile Markes to know whether we have lost our earthlylymindednes Marke 1. 1 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. 2 Pet 2 12. 2 Recreation when lawfull Marke 2. 2 Cor. 4. 5. Rom. 7. 17. Marke 3. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Obiect 1. Eloquence no ornament to the word Answ. 1. The â—superexcellency of the word Obiect 2. Answ. 2. The Word should not be mixt with eloquence 2 Cor. 4. 5. opened 1 Cor. 1. 17. opened