SINS OVERTHROW OR A GODLY AND LEARNED TREATISE OF Mortification Wherein is excellently handled First the generall Doctrine of MORTIFICATION And then particularly how to Mortifie FORNICATION VNCLEANNES Evill CONCVPISCENCE Inordinate AFFECTION and COVETOVSNES All being the substance of severall Sermons upon COIOS III. V. Mortifie therefore your members c. Delivered by that late faithfull Preacher and worthy instrument of Gods glory IOHN PRESTON Dr in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne LONDON Printed by I. Beale for Andrew Crooke at the blacke Beare in Pauls Churchyard 1633. The Contents First In the Treatise of Mortification DOCRINE I. THe height of glory which we expect by Christ should cause every man to mortifie sinne page 3 DOCT. II. The frame of our hearts ought ta suit with those conditions that we receive by our union with Christ. p. 4 Explication Mortification is a turning of the heart from sinne to grace ibid. Mortification called a turning of the heart because the heart by nature is backward and averse from God pag. 5 Sinne seemingly mortified 1. When the occasion is removed p 7 2. When it is not violent and raging but quiet ibid. 3. When it is but removed from one sinne to another ibid. 4. When the Conscience is affrighted with the judgements of God p. 8 5. When the strength of nature is spent ibid. 6. Being restrained from sinne by good education p. 9 USE I. To examine by these rules sinnes Mortification ibid. Mortified lusts knowne 1. By a deepe humiliation of the soule p. 10 2. By the generality of it ibid. 3. By the measure of grace answering the measure of corruption p. 11 4. By the continuance of them p. 12 Motives to Mortification 1. There is no pleasure in sinne p. 13 Pleasure in sinne is no true solid pleasure but a sick pleasure p. 14. 2. The satisfying of lust is an endlesse worke ibid. 3. The great danger of sinne p. 15 4. The deceit of sinne p. 16 Sinne deceives foure wayes 1. By blinding the understanding ibid. 2. By making large promises p. 17 3. By promising departure at our pleasure ibid. 4. By making a shew of friendship ibid. 5. The rebellion it occasions in us against God p. 18 6. The slavery it brings us unto Satan ibid. USE II. To instruct us that in every regenerate man there is a free-will to doe good p. 19 The power of a Regenerate man consists 1. In performing any duty God commands according to the proportion of grace he hath received p. 20 2. Inresisting any temptation according to the same measure of grace p. 21 OBJECT In the Regenerate the flesh lusteth against the spirit c. ibid. ANSW Corruption reignes not though it may take possession in the heart of a Regenerate man it exceeds not the measure of grace ibid USE III. To exhort us to abstaine from the sinne of the heart as well as sinne in the outward actions p. 22 OBJECT Men shall be judged by their workes not by the thoughts of their hearts ibid. ANSW God will judge the thoughts of the heart as the cause the actions or workes as the effects p. 23 USE IV. To teach us that no man is so holy but he needs mortification ibid. The meanes how to come by Mortification are I. Outward 1. Moderation in lawfull things p. 28 The danger of excesse in lawfull things ibid. 2. Vowes and Promises p. 29 The lawfulnesse of Vowes and how they are to be esteemed of ibid. 3. The avoyding of all occasion to sinne p. 30 OBJECT Professors being strong in faith need not avoyd occasions of sinne p. 31 ANSW Opinion of strength in faith is a weaknesse in men for the more feare the more strength besides habituall grace is but a creature and therefore not to be relyed on ibid. 4. The lawfull exercise of Fasting and Prayer ibid. II. Inward 1. To get a willing heart p. 24 2. To take paynes about it p. 25 Two errors about Mortification 1. That all sinnes have a like proportion of labour to mortifie them p. 26 2. That mortification is not a continued worke p 27 The fruitlesse pains of Papists in afflicting their bodies c. ibid. 3. The assistance of the Spirit p 32 Meanes to obtaine the Spirit are 1. To know the Spirit p. 33 2. Not to resist grieve or quench him ibid. What it is to resist grieve quench the Spirit p. 34 35 3. To use prayer p. 35 4. To walke in the Spirit p. 36 5. To get a lively faith p. 37 Iustifying faith onely purifieth the heart p. 38 The holy Ghost not essentially but by a divine power dwelleth in the heart ibid. That Mortification goeth before Iustifying Faith is an error p. 39 6. To get spirituall Ioy. ibid. 7. To get an humblenesse of minde p. 41 DOCTR III. That all earthly members are to be mortified p. 42 Members are sinful exorbitant affections of the soule p. 43. for these reasons because 1. They fill up the heart ibid. 2. They proceed from the unregenerate part p. 44 3. They are weapons of unrighteousnesse ibid. 4. They are deare unto the heart as any member to the body ibid. Inordinate lust meant by earthly members p. 45 What it is to be earthly minded ibid. By the power of nature a man may conceive of spihituall things and yet be earthly minded 1. Not spiritually ibid. 2. Not from an heart illightned by the Spirit p. 46 3. By the knowledge of his understanding ibid. A man may come to know spirituall things and not be renewed 1. By seeing a vertue in heavenly things excelling all all other things ibid. 2. By being of a noble spirit ibid. 3. By seeing holinesse in the children of God p. 47 4. By seeing the attributes of God ibid. 5. By feeling the sweetnesse of the promises ibid. 6. By beleeving the resurrection to life ibid. The order of the faculties of the soule p. 48 Whether Nature can attaine unto true knowledge ibid. A naturall man may know spirituall in their substance not as a rule of his life p. 49 Heavenly mindednesse is the worke of a new life in a man ibid. Heavenly mindednesse admits increase in knowledge p. 52 The Vnderstanding the seat of heavenly mindednesse p. 53 An enlightned understanding communicates its to the rest of the faculties 1. By taking away the lets unto good p. 54 2. By withstanding the motions of inordinate passions ibid. 3. By laying open the vilenesse of inordinate affections ibid. 4. By ruling and guiding them p. 55 VSE I. To reprove such as favour earthly mindednesse or inordinate affections ibid. Reasons against earthly mindednesse are I. In respect of men 1. It takes away the excellency of the creature p. 56 2. It wounds the soule p. 57 II. In respect of God It sets up spirituall Idolatry in the heart p. 58 III. In respect of Professors It is unbeseeming them and makes them like Swine
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
so likewise for all other in the like kinde and accordingly judge of your selves whether you be heavenly minded or no. The second signe whereby you may know whether you be heavenly minded or no is by the esteeme that you have of heavenly things whether you esteeme them as a part of your selves every facultie or habit hath an object if thou be a carnal man then these earthly things are that which delights thy soule but if thou be heavenly minded then spirituall things are the delight of thy soule Now touch a man that is not regenerate in these outward things and you touch his life for hee accounts his life as them for they are part of himselfe but it is otherwise with the spirituall man he accounts not of these earthly things 2 Cor. 4. 5. the Apostle saith Wee preach not our selves that is we account not of the approbation of men nor any outward thing as a part of our selves therefore if wee want these we doe not much care Hereby then examine your selves what are the things you most delight in What are they earthly things how to bee rich or honourable Doth this take away all your time and employ all the faculties of your soules that you can have no time to thinke upon God or at least if you doe yet it is very remissely and overly with no zeale or affection Then certainly as yet thou art not heavenly minded But if thou bee enlightned by the Spirit it will be farre otherwise with thee these earthly things will have but the second roome in thy heart all thy care principally will bee how to get grace justification remission of sinnes and reconciliation Now if it bee thus with thee it is an excellent signe that thou art heavenly minded when thou canst say with Paul Rom. 7. 17. It is not I but sinne in mee that is the lustings and rebellions which are in my heart after these earthly things have not the first place in my heart It is not I that is it is the unregenerate part which I account not as part of my selfe if I say it be thus with thee it â—s a signe that thou art heavenly minded for if thou hast obtained this heavenly mingednesse thou wilâ— be disposâ—d like a Traveller who will ever be enquiring the way home and whether all at home bee well if hee can meet with any that can thus certifie him and hee hâ—are that they are all well at home then he will 〈◊〉 more cheerefully undergoe any difficultie that 〈…〉 meet with all in the way will undergoe 〈…〉 hunger and cold in like manner it is 〈…〉 heavenly â—â—iâ—ded man he will ever be asking the way home for indeed heaven is our proper home and whether all be well at home that is if God and Christ and the Spirit and the Saints be at amity with him and in himselfe he will be inquiring if he find faith and repentance and peace of Conscience if he feeles that for matter of Justification and remission of sins he be well he respects not the world hee cares not much what hee meets withall whether reproach and shame penury or want so he find no inlacke of spirituall grace all is well with him Therefore examine your selves whether you be heavenly minded or no by the esteeme that you have of earthly members The third signe whereby you may examine your selves whether you be earthly minded or no is by your spirituall taste whether you rellish heavenly or earthly things best and therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 85. they that are of the flesh doe savour the things of the flesh but they that are of the spirit the things of the spirit that is if the heart be regenerate it will taste a sweetenesse in nothing but in heavenly things or at least nothing will be so sweet unto him and on the contrary they that are earthly minded they can find no sweetnesse in heavenly things Now as I said before every faculty or habit hath an object in which it is delighted whether it bee unto good or unto evill so that if the heart bee regenerate then it will finde sweetnesse in nothing but spirituall things but if it be unregenerate then it can finde no sweetnesse in heavenly things neither can it wish them so well as earthly things Therefore examine what you delight in what delight you have of the hearing of the pure word whether you rellish it then best when it comes in the plaine evidence of the Spirit or when it is mixt with eloquence and wit which if you doe it is a signe of earthly mindednesse It is said 2 Pet. 2. 1. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that is the man that is truly regenerate and renewed hoe doth best rellish the word when it is alone without any mixture and therfore he calls it the sincere milke that is the pure word as if he should say It is pure of it selfe but if there be any thing added unto it or mixed with it it detracts from the excellency of it for indeed the word is the purest thing in the world all Arts and Sciences and knowledge of Philosophy are good for morrall duties but they are corrupt unclean in comparison of the Word and the reason is because these are the works of men now there is no worke of man but it is subject to corruption but the word of God remaines pure therefore examine your selves how you stand affected with the pure word But some will say unto me that eloquence and wit is an ornament unto the word it lets forth the excellency of the word the more therefore if it be such an ornament unto the word then it out to be used otherwaies the excellency of the word will not appeare To this I answer that humane wit and eloquence is so farre from setting forth the excellency of the word as it obscures the excellency of it I say there is no Art Science Tongue Knowledgeor eloquence in the world that hath such excellency in them as the word hath whether you respect the Author God or the Inditer the holy Spirit or the matter of it Christ and his righteousnesse Againe the stile the Spirit uses in setting downe the phrases of the Scripture shewes plainly that it is excellent of it selfe now if any thing bee added unto a thing that is excellent either the thing must bee as excellent or else it detracts from the excellencie of it but there is no man but will confesse that the Word is the most excellent thing in the world therefore it must follow that Eloquence addes not to the excellency of the Word But you will say unto mee May wee not use Eloquence and Science in the Preaching of the Word To this I answer That it is an unseasonable thing I say a thing not seemely that the Word be mixt with humane Eloquence for the pure Word should bee purely delivered and the
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
pure and holy therefore must ye bee so also and then it followes vers 3. But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you as becommeth Saints that is let all such filthinesse be so farre from you as never any mention be made of it amongst you if it should by chance enter into your thoughts be sure to kill it there let it not come no farther never to the naming of it As it becommeth Saints that is holy ones Gods children and peculiar people it were unbecomming and a great shame to them to be uncleane to be unlike God their Father who is holy In like manner hee exhorts us to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. that is Let us purifie our harts from the corruption of lust and concupiscence which is therein striving to make perfect our holinesse in the feare of the Lord and so more fully also in 1 Thes. 4. 3 4 5. he sets downe the particular uncleannesses should be abstained from and mentions two of the very same spoken of in my Text namely Fornication and lust of concupiscence the words are for they are worthy your marking This is the will of God even your sanctification that you should abstaine from fornication that every one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification and honour not in the lust of concupiscence c. and therfore we ought to mâ—rtifie and destroy all the filthinesse that is in our hearts if wee would bee accounted Gods children and have his Spirit to dwell in vs. But that for the generall we come to particulars and will speake of the first sinne that is named in the Text Fornication whence the poynt of Doctrine is this That Fornication is one of the sins that are here to be mortified Fornication is a sinne betweene two single persons and in that it differs from Adultery and although it be not altogether so haynous as Adultery because by it the Covenant of God is not violated as by the other spoken of Prov. 2. 17. neither finde wee the punishment absolutely to bee death yet it is a grievous sinne and to bee feared in that it subjects those men that are guilty of it to the curse of God and damnation for the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6. 9. No fornicator shall enter into the kingdome of heaven It deprives a man of happinesse banishes him out of Gods kingdome into the dominion of the Devill and territories of hell never to bee exempted from the intolerable torments of Gods eternal vengeance But to lay open the haynousnesse of this sinne wee will consider these foure things First the sinfulnesse Secondly the punishment Thirdly the danger Fourthly the deceitfulnesse of it First the sinfulnesse of this sinne of Fornication appeares first in great contrariety that it hath with Gods Spirit more than all other sinnes Betwixt Gods Spirit and every sinne there is a certaine contrariety and repugnancy as in nature we know there is betwixt heat and cold now in all contraries an intense degree is more repugnant than a remisse as an intense heat is more contrary than an heat in a lesse degree so it is with Gods Spirit and this sinne they are contrary in an intense degree and therefore most repugnant unto for the Spirit delights in holinesse and this sinne in nothing but filthinesse that is pure and undefiled but this hath a great deformity in it and therefore consequently must needs bee odious in his eyes Besides this is contrary to our calling as the Apostle saith 1 Thes. 4. 7. For God hath not called us unto uncleannesse but unto holinesse Againe it causes a great elongation from God it makes a strangenesse betwixt God and us all sinne is an aversion from God it turnes a man quite away from him but this sinne more than any other it is more delighted in wee have a greater delight in the acting of this sinne than in any other and therefore it is a most grievous sinne Furthermore the greatnesse of this sinne appeares in that it is commonly a punishment of other sinnes according to that of the Apostle Rom. 1. 21. and 24. compared together where he saith Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their imaginations c. wherefore God also gave them up to uncleannesse through the lusts of their owne hearts to dishonor their owne bodies betweene themselves To the same purpose is that of the Preacher Eccles. 7. 26. where speaking of the entising woman whose heart is snares and nets c. hee saith Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her but the sinner shall be taken by her that is whosoever committeth sinne shall in this be punished that hee shall be intrapped and ensnared by the subtle enticements of the dishonest woman So also Prov. 22. 14. The mouth of strangewomen is a deepe pit he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein Now all sinne of this kind and consequently sinners are abhorred of the Lord and therfore hee will punish them in letting them tumble into this deepe pit of strange women here and hereafter without repentance into the bottomlesse pit of everlasting destruction As long as the Lord lookes for any fruit of any man hee keepes him from this pit but such as notwithstanding all his watering pruning and dressing will bring forth no fruit with those the Lord is angry they shall fall into it Now as in a ladder or any thing that hath steps to ascend and descend by that stayer unto which another leads must needs be higher than the rest so in sinne that sinne unto which other lead as to a punishment must needs bee greater and of an higher nature than the other and therefore this sinne is a most grievous sinne Besides the haynousnesse of this sinne appeares because it layes wast the Conscience more than other sinne it quite breakes the peace thereof nay it smothers and quenches grace The Schoolemen call other sinnes habitudinem sensus a dulling of the senses but this an extinction of grace other sinnes blunt grace and take off the edge but this doth as it were quite extinguish it It makes a gap in the heart so that good cattell good thoughts and the motions of the Spirit may runne out and evill cattell noysome lusts and corrupt cogitations may enter in to possesse and dwell there and therefore it is a grievous sinne Lastly the greatnesse of this sinne appeares because it delights the body more than any other sinne doth and therefore the Apostle in 1 Cor. 6. draweth most of his arguments to disswade the Corinthians from the sinne of Fornication from the glory and honour of our bodies as that the bodie is not for fornication but for the Lord vers 13. And that our bodies are members of
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.
betweene a man that hath his sinne mortified and one that hath not The first is alway carefull that his sinne come not to action hee is carefull and watchfull over his wayes and heart as well when the Judgement is removed as when he feeles it but the other hinders not sinne longer than the hand of God is upon him remove that and then his care is removed Fifthly sinne may seeme to be removed and mortified when the sap and strength of sinne is dead that is when the strength of Nature is spent As the Lampe goes out when oyle is either not supplyed or taken away and yet the Lampe is still a Lampe for let oyle be supplied and fire put unto it and it will burne so there may be not the action and yet sinne is not mortified in the heart for he is as well affected to sinne as ever hee was onely the sap and strength of nature is gone but if oyle were supplied that is if strength of nature would but returne sinne would be as quick and vigorous as ever it was Sixthly good Education when a man is brought up under good parents or masters he may be so kept under that sinne may seeme to bee mortified but let those be once at their owne ruling then it will appeare that sinne is not mortified in them that is that they have not lost their swinish disposition onely they are kept from fouling of themselves As a Swine so long as she is kept in a faire meadow cannot foule her selfe but if you give her liberty to goe whither shee list shee will presently be wallowing in the mire even so these are ashamed to defile themselves whilest they are under good education but opportunity being offered it will soone appeare sinne is not mortified The Use of this briefly is for Examination unto every one to enter into his owne heart and examâ—ne himselfe by these rules whether his sinne be mortified or no and accordingly to judge of him else The second Question is for the comforting of weake Christians Seeing there is corruption in the heart how shall I know that the lusts and stirrings of the heart proceed from a wounded Corruption or else is the Action of an unmortified lust To this I answer You shall know them by these rules First you shall know whether the lust in the heart be mortified and proceed from a wounded heart or no by the ground of it that is if it proceed from the right root or arise from a deepe humiliation wrought upon the soule either by the Law or by the Judgement of God whereby the Conscience is awakened to see sinne in its ownenature and then a raising up of the soule by the apprehension of the love of God in Christ and out of a love unto God to beginne to mortifie sinne if the heart in this case doe fight against the spirit that is the lust of the heart it is because it hath received the deadly wound but if it bee not our of love unto God that thou mortifiest sinne if thy heart in this case have much rebellion in it whatsoever thou thinkest of thy selfe sinne is not mortified in thee Every thing proceeds from some Cause if the Cause be good the Effect must needs bee good likewise as for instance if the tree be good the fruit must be good but if the tree be evill the fruit cannot be good Let every man therefore examine himselfe upon this ground Secondly you shall know it by the generality of it For Mortification is generall and as death is unto the members of the body so is Mortification unto the members of sinne now you know that the nature of death is tos ize upon all the members of the body it leaves life in none so where true Mortification is it leaves life in no sinne that is it takes away the commanding power of sinne For what is the life of sinne but the power of sinne take away this power and you take away this life Therefore it is not sufficient to mortifie one sin but you must mortifie all sins to which purpose the holy Apostle here bids them Mortifie when he had exhorted them unto the generall of mortification then he subjoynes divers particulars as Fornication Uncleannesse of which hereafter God assisting you shall heare Hence then you learne it will not be sufficient for you to leave your covetousnesse but you must leave your pide you vaine-glory So also when thou hast slaine sinne in thy understanding thou must mortifie it in thy will and affections slay sinne first in thy soule and then slay it in the parts of thy body and so examine your selves whether you finde this worke of Mortification to be generall Thirdly you shall know whether your lust be mortified by this Looke if there be an equality betweene the life of grace and the death of corruption that is if you find grace in measure answerable unto the measure of corruption which is mortified in thee it is a signe thy sinne is mortified for as thereis a dying unto sinne so there will be a quickening unto holinesse seeing the new man will beginne to revive when the old man begins to dye Grace will grow strong when Corruption growes weake and therefore the Apostle saith Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. As if he should say you shall find by this whether the corruption of nature be slaine in you if you stand fast as in the former verse which you cannot doe unlesse grace grow except there be a proportion betwixt the life of grace and the death of corruption Therefore examine your selves by this whether you doe finde that you are quickned in grace to pray or heare which is an excellent signe that sinne is mortified Fourthly you shall know whether your lasts are mortified by the continuance of them For if sinne be mortified and have received her deadly wound it will bee but for the present it will not continue it may well rage and trouble thee for a time but it is onely now and then by fits whereas an unmortified lust ever rageth It is with sinne in this case as it is with a man that hath received his deadly wound from his enemy hee will not presently flye away but will rather runne more violently upon him that hath wounded him yet let him bee never so violent in the middle of the action hee sinkes downe when hee thinkes to doe the most harme then hee is the most unable because hee hath received his deadly wound whereby hee hath lost the strength and power of nature which otherwise might have prevailed so it will bee with sinne and with a mortified lust it may rage in the heart and seeme to beare sway and rule over thee as lord but the power and strength of sinne is mortified and sinkes downe wanting ability to prevaile and why because it hath received its deadly wound
dost thou trouble me that is wherefore art thou so restlesse with mee that thou wilt have no deniall till I grant thee thy desire so then if you will prevayle with God by prayer you may obtaine the Spirit The fourth meanes if you would have your sinnes mortified is To walke in the Spirit that is you must doe the actions of the new man and therefore the Apostle saith Galat. 5. 16. Walke in the Spirit Now here by the Spirit is not meant the holy Ghost but the regenerate part of man that is the new man whose actions are the duties of holinesse as Prayer hearing the Word receiving the Sacraments workes of Charity either to the Church in generall or to any particular member of it and there must not onely bee a bare performing of them for so an hypocrite may doe but there must bee a delight in them thatis it must rejoyce the soule when any opportunity is offered whereby any holy duty may bee performed But on the contrary when wee grow remisse in prayer or in any other duty the devill takes an occasion by this to force us to some sinne hereupon wee presently yeeld because wee want strength of grace which by the neglect of that duty wee are weake in Wee know some physicke is for restoring as well as for weakening thereby to preserve the ftrength of the body now this walking in the actions of the new man is to preserve the strength of the soule it preserves spirituall life in a man it enables him to fight against Corruption and lusts for what is that which weakens the soule but the actions of the old man Therefore if you would mortifie your lusts you must walke in the Spirit The fifth meanes if you would mortifie your lusts is this you must get Faith so saith the Apostle Acts 15. 9. Faith purifieth the heart that is it slayeth the corruption of the heart it mortifies every inordinate desire of the heart it purgeth out the filthinesse of our nature it makes it a new heart in quality that is it makes it fit to receive grace and who would not have a heart thus fitted to good Againe It is said Ephes. 3. 17. that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith as if hee should say Faith will purge the heart for where Faith is Christ is and Christ will not dwell in a rotten heart that is impure and not in some measure sanctified by the Spirit But you will say there are divers kindes of Faith What Faith is this then that thus purifieth the heart By Faith in this place is meant a Justifying Faith Faith that applyeth Christ and his righteousnesse in particular unto a mans selfe for his justification and hereupon he is raysed up to holinesse and enabled out of love unto Christ to mortifie sinne Now the order of this grace in a regenerate man is wonderfull for first the Spirit which is the holy Ghost comes and enlightens the mind then it works Faith and then Faith drawes downe Christ and when once Christ comes he takes possession of it never resting till he hath rid the heart of the evill disposition of nature with a loathing of it then the regenerate man hereupon out of love unto Christ and hatred unto sinne begins to mortifie his corruptions But you will say How can the Spirit of Christ which is the holy Ghost dwell in the heart seeing he is in heaven To this I answer that the Spirit dwells in the heart as the Sunne in a house now we know that the proper place of the Sunne is in the Firmament yet wee say the Sunne is in the house not that wee meane that the body of the Sunne is there but the beames of the Sunne are there in the house so wee say that the proper place of the holy Ghost is in heaven and when we say hee is in the heart of a regenerate man we doe not meane essentially but by a divine power and nature that is by sending his Spirit into the heart not onely to worke grace in the heart but to dwell therein Now when the Spirit hath taken possession of the heart it drawes and expells away all the darkenesse of the minde and makes it to looke and to see Christ in a more excellent manner than before assuring him of perfect Justification and remission of his sinnes And here the error of many is met withall in the matter of Mortification they will have Mortification first wrought and then they will lay hold upon Christ for remission of sinnes Oh say they if I could but finde this sinne or that sinne mortified then I would lay hold upon Christ then I would beleeve for alas how can I looke for remission of sinnes how dare I lay hold or how can I lay hold upon Christ when I finde that my corruptions have such hold on mee But these are deceived for this is contrary to the worke of the Spirit for first Faith assureth of pardon and then followes Mortification that is when a man is once assured of pardon of sinne then hee beginnes to mortifie and to slay his corruption for Mortification is a fruit of Faith and therefore the Apostle saith Phil. 3. 10. That I may feele the power of his death and the vertue of his resurrection Now what is meant by this but the two parts of repentance Mortification and Vivification The Apostle beleeved before and now he would have his faith appeare in the grace of Mortification that he might sensibly feele it And therefore if you would have your sinnes mortified you must by Faith draw Christ into your hearts The sixth meanes if you would have your sinnes mortified is to get spirituall Joy But this may seeme a strange thing to mortifie corruption by a man or a woman would rather thinke that this were a meanes to encrease sinne but it is not so for spirituall Joy is a speciall meanes to mortifiesin if we doe but consider the nature of Mortification for as I sayd before what is Mortification but a turning of the heart a working in it a new disposition Now wee know when the heart is not regenerate it is full of sorrow and joy in this estate encreaseth sinne But when the heart is turned from sinne to grace that is heavenly disposed there is a pleasant object represented unto the eye of the soule as Christ Justification Remission of sinnes and Reconciliation and hence ariseth a spirituall Joy in the soule which rejoycing is a Mortification of sinne for when a man or woman sees such excellencies in Christ as before hee so rejoyceth in them that hee loatheth whatsoever is contrary to them As a man that hath gotten a faire Inheritance which formerly was content with a small Cottage but now the right that hee hath to the other makes him despise that so it is with a regenerate man this spirituall Joy makes him basely to esteeme
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
senses and affect that which the minde affects and thus the will and affections hanging upon the minde it is unpossible that the will of a man should will and affect any other thing then that which the minde is affected with But here some Questions may be moved the first Question is this But is there such light in the understanding as you say then it seemes that a naturall man mâ—y by the light of nature come unto true knowledge To this I answer that a naturall man may come for substance as farre as a spirituall man but not in a right manner the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 5. They that are of the flesh doe savour the things of the flesh and 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit where the Apostle saith he doth not know them at all for he wants a sanctified knowledge of them hee knowes them but not by that knowledge which is wrought by the Spirit alwaies accompanied with sanctification he knowes them for substance but not in the right manner as to be a rule to his life A carnall man may speake of spirituall things but not religiously that is with an inward feeling of that in his heart which he speakes of so also a carnall man may have light but it is but a darke light hee may have light in the understanding but it is not transcendent unto the rest of the faculties to transforme and enlighten them and therefore though he have light yet stil he remains in darkenesse The second thing to bee considered is this What it is to be heavenly minded A man is said to be heavenly minded when there is a new life put into him whereby he is able both to see and to speake of spirituall matters in a more excellent manner then ever he was And therefore the Apostle saith Ephes. 4. 23. and be renewed in the spirit of your mindes that is get a new kinde of life and light in your soule for when Christ enters into the heart of any man or woman hee puts another kinde of life into them than that which hee had by nature the Spirit workes grace in the heart and grace makes a light in the soule it makes another kinde of light then before for before there was but a naturall light a sight of Christ and salvation but with a naturall eye but now there is a spirituall light in his soule whereby he is able to see Christ in another manner and therefore it is called the light of the mind the boring of the eares and the opening of the eyes that is there is a change and alteration wrought in him wherby he can perceive spirituall things his eares are opened to heare the mysteries of salvation with a minde renewed to yeeld obedience unto them making them the rule of his life and his eyes are opened to see the excellencies that are in Christ as remission of sinnes justification and reconciliation in a more excellent manner then before hee is as it were in a new world wherehee sees all things in another mannerthen before Now I doe not say that hee sees new things but old things in a new manner hee saw Justification Remission of sinnes and Reconciliation before but now hee sees these and Christ in a more excellent manner there is as it were a new window opened unto him whereby hee sees Christ in a more plaine and excellent manner and hereupon hee is assured in the way of Confirmation of the remission of sinnes hee had a generall trust in Christ before and he saw a glimpse of him but now hee enjoyes the full sight of him that is such a sight as brings true comfort unto the soule As a man that travels into a farre Countrey sees at last those things which before he saw in a Map he saw them before but in a darâ—e manner but now he hath a more exact and distinct knowledge of them even so it is with a regenerate man hee saw Christ and the privileges that are in Christ before but darkely as it were in a Map onely by a common Illumination but now hee sees them by the speciall Illumination of the Spirit through grace And therefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 9. The eye hath not seene nor the eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceâ—ve of those things that God hath prepared for them that love him Howsoever this place of Scripture bee generally expounded and understood of the Joyes of heaven yet in my opinion it is much mistaken for by this place is meant those spirituall objects that are showne unto a man when the Spirit beginnes first to enlighten him the eye hath not seene that is which it hath not seene in a right manner he never saw them in such a manner as now they are showne unto him he now sees heavenly things in another manner he sees Justification in another manner then before hec sees remission of sinnes in another manner than before so likewise hee sees sinne in another hew than before for now he sees remission of sinnes follow them as a medicine to heale them Againe hee sees Justification and Remission of sinnes in another hew he sees them in an higher manner then before he sees them now as sutable to himselfe and necessary to salvation before he saw them as good but now he sees them as most excellent As it is with a man that is well so it is with a man that is not regenerated now tell a man that is well of Balsome and Cordials what restoratives they are and what good they will doe to the body yet hee will not listen unto them because he is well and needs them not but tell them unto a man that is sicke and diseased he will give a diligenteare unto them because they are sutable for his disease so it is with a spirituall man before he be regenerate he listens not he regards not spirituall things when hee heares of Justification and Remission of sinnes hee sleightly passeth them over because he feeleth himselfe in health and findes no want of them for what should a man take and apply a plaister to a whole place that hath no need of such a thing but when hee is once renewed and mortified then hee findes these sutable to his disposition and this is to bee heavenly minded A naturall man or womâ—n may talke of grace of Justification and Remission of sinnes but they cannot say that these are mine or that I stand in need of them for so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit that is he may talke of deepe points of Divinity but not by the feeling of the Spirit he may see God and Christ but not in a right manner But you may say unto mee If a man heavenly minded may see thus farre then when hee comes once unto this estate hee needs not
thinke they doe nothing in the getting of them but what they deserve and that they are worthy their labour and paynes To this I answer Let men looke unto this that they be not deceived in them and compare them with the Scriptures for if you judge of things as the Scripture doth it will appeare that the reason is false but if you doe not although they bee vanity yet they will deceive you whatsoever you esteeme of them for the truth is that there is nothing in them but vexation of spirit you shall finde great inticements and much evill in them besides they will fill your hands full of much evill and bloud that is they will give thee no true Joy for what joy hath the murtherer of his murther Now the reason wherefore they cannot give true Joy is because they are under the faculty of joy As the eye is weary quickly with looking on a small print but let the print bee sutable unto it then it will delight in it so it is with the facultie of joy if there were no wearinesse brought to it by them then men would not be weary in the acquiring of them but wee see there is such an awkwardnesse in the mindes of men for the getting of them that it weares the minde but satisfies it not Ier. 9. 23. saith the Prophet Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches that is hee hath no cause to glory in any outward thing because it is the Lord that sheweth judgement and can dissolve any creature to nothing but if he will glory let him glory that hee knowes God for the true knowledge of God bringeth true Comfort and Joy But it is not so with the creatures for there is no creature can bring good or doe good or evill without God I say no creature can bring comfort unto a creature without God for God if hee is the sustainer of all creatures so likewise he is the Author of all But if wee come to spirituall comfort God doth not communicate it unto any creature no creature hath part of it The creature nourisheth us not simply as it is a creature but it becomes nourishable by reason of that which is put unto it as the fire brings light and heat heat is the matter of the fire light is but a thing or quality that depends upon it so the matter of every comfort is God and of all things in the world though the instruments that doe convey this comfort bee a creature therefore you may have the huske when you want the kernell that is you may have these outward things and yet want the sweetnesse of them And this is when God turnes away his face from a man in the creatures then the comfort in the creature is gone and therefore David prayed Turne not thy face away from thy servant that is take not away my comfort All mens comforts stand in Gods face let a man bee never so rich let him have wife and children lands and possessions give him what outward things you will and what joy and comfort is in them if Gods face be turned away Ahab is rich enough and Haman hath a wife and children and yet what comfort and joy had they in them It is not the creature that can yeeld true comfort but it is the All-sufficiencie that is in God and from him derived unto them As for example Take a man that is in despaire tel him of the world make large promises unto him in this kinde none of all these will comfort him they are so farre from ministring comfort that they adde unto his sorrow especially if his griâ—fe be for a matter of sinne but tell him of God and his sufficiencie of Christ and of Justification and Remission of sinnes then hee will beginne to have some joy in God And as the presence of God is now most comfortable so in hell the knowledge of God and his presence shall bee their greatest torments Therefore let my advice be unto you that which the Prophet DAvid gives in the like case Psalm 62. 23. Trust not in oppression and if riches increase set not your hearts upon them that is set them not so upon them as to place your happinesse in them The Use then may serve for the just reproofe of all earthly minded men and for exhortation unto all to leave their earthly mindednesse Let us all therefore labour to deprive our selves of all inordinate desire of them especially it concernes those that abound in them to keepe a strong watch about their hearts lest this viper lay hold upon them for as it is a hard thing to keepe a cup that is full without spilling so it will be a hard worke for those that have their Closets full of earthly things not to have their hearts taken up with them and therefore our Saviour saith It is a hard thing for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God What is the reason of this because it is hard to have abundance of outward things and not to put trust in them and what is said of riches may bee said of any other outward thing whatsoever whether it be pleasure or honour for these all worke the heart of a waxie disposition to evill so as it will take any impression it will be ready to receive into the soule any sinne or imbrace any object and carry the impression of it unto action Now what should move us to morifie these earthly members The first motive is because if wee doe not moritifie them the Divell will ensnare us by these earthly members though we seeme not to be within his power As a dogge that hath broken away from his keeper yet going with his chaine he will the more easily bee taken so these earthly members are as a chaine whereby the devill layes hold on us therefore if you would not be taken by Satan then mortifie these earthly members The second Motive to move us to mortifie these earthly members is because one earthly member or the reigning of one sinne in us tyes us fast from God and biâ—des us fast to the devill now what matters it whether a man bee tyed with one chaine or twenty chaines if he be tyed fast so what matters it whether he be yed with one sinne or many sinnes if one keeps him from God For as one grace truly wrought by the Spirit makes a man righteous so one raging sinne makes a man unrighteous Men thinke that they may retaine some sinne and yet be righteous but I say if thy heart be set upon any earthly thing if it be but an immoderate care for these earthly things or if it bee but feare of such or such a man which may seeme to be but a small thing that tyes thee from God I say if you looke unto such a man if a matter of
and who can search it who is able to know whether the heart be renewed or no by the speeches To this I answer I say not that a man may at all times and in all places judge of it aright but I say that a man may certainly know himselfe whether hee be renewed or no which is the thing we seek to prove in this place that a man may know from what root they spring whether of weaknesse by rebellion or naturally through unmortified lusts I say not but sometimes a child of God a regenerated man may have foul speeches in his mouth yet his heart be good towards God he may have rotten talke but it is but for a time it will not continue and it will cause much sorrow of heart if hee have grace when his conscience touches him for it 2 Tim. 2. 20 21. In a great mans house there are vessels of honour and vessels of dishonor if a man therfore purge himselfe he shal be a vessell of honor and yet have corruption in him there may corrupt communication come out of his mouth and yet he keep his goodnes as a vessel of gold may be foule within and yet cease not to be gold a vessell of honor neither lose it excellency so a regenerate man may have in the abundance of his heart some chaffe aswell as wheat some corruption aswel as grace and yet be a vessel of gold that is heavenly minded for the Apostle saith If anyman therfore purge himselfe he shall be a vessell of honor notwithstanding his corruption in his heart it appeare in his speech yet if he purge himselfe if he labor to mortifie them if he labor to rid his heart of theÌ„ he shal be a vessel of honor But you will say It may be that wee shall have not alwaies occasions to try men by their speeches how then shall we know whether their hearts be renewed To this I answer Iâ— is true that it may so fal out that we cannot try men by their speeches yet silence will declare in part what is in the heart let a regenerate man besilent and his silence will shew that hee hath a renewed heart if he be reproached or slandred his patience in suffering showes the uprightnes of his hart but if he speake it hath a greater force and will more manifestly appeare so on the contrary the rottennesse that is in the heart wil appeare in impatiency of spirit Thirdly you may know whether your hearts be renewed by your actions this also our Savior makes another signe of a renewed heart Mat. 7. 20. By their works you shall know them that is by their actions Now every thing is knowne by his actions therfore examine your selves what are your actions are they the actions of the regenerate part or of the ueregenerate part are they holy actions or are they uncleane actions By this you may know whether you be heavenly minded or no. Now this must necessarily follow the other two for if the heart be renewed then there will be heavenly affections in it towards God and spirituall things and if heavenly affections then there will bee heavenly speeches for these flow from heavenly affections and if there bee these two then there must needs bee holy actions therefore our Saviour saith Luk. 6. 45. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good fruit that is if the heart have in it a treasure of heavenly affections and speeches it cannot bee but it will send forth good actions in the life The fift and last signe whereby you may examine your selves whether you be heavenly minded or no is by examining your selves how you stand affected towards him that seekes to take these earthly members from you how you stand affected with him that reproves you for your earthly mindednesse This is a signe that Paul gives of an unsound heart 2 Tim. 4. 3. The time will come that they will not endure wholesome doctrine that is they will not endure the Word of reproofe but will be ready to revile them that shall reprove them and therefore hee addes that they shall heape to themselves Teachers they shall affect those that shall speake so as they would have them Now this is a signe of earthly mindednesse when they are offended with him that shall reprove them for their sinne for if men reckon these members as a part of themselves then you cannot touch them but you must touch their lives for these are a part of their life and if you seeke to take these away you seeke to take away their lives â—ow what man will bee contented to part with his life It is a principle in Nature that God hath implanted in every creature to love their lives but if you account them not as a part of your selves but as your enemies then you wil account him as a spiritualfriend that shall helpe you to slay them for who is there that will not love him that shall helpe him to slay his enemie Therefore if the heart be heavenly disposed he reckons them as his enemies but if he be not renewed hee accounts them as a part of himselfe therefore examine your selves by this whether you be heavenly minded or no. The Use of this that hath beene spoken is for exhortation unto all those that are heavenly minded Let mee now exhort such to persevere in heavenly mindednesse let them labour to grow every day more heavenly minded then other Rev. 22. 11. Let them that be holy be holy still that is let them bee more holy let them labour to grow in heavenly mindednesse let them labour to keepe their hearts pure from this earthly mindednesse because it will soile their soules for all sinne is of a soiling nature if it enter into the heart it will leave a spot behinde it now wee know that if a man have a rich garment which he sets much by hee will be marvellous carefull to keepe all kinde of grease and spots out of it so it should bee a Christians duty to labour to keepe all soile out of his soule because it is a precious garment and the residing place of the Spirit we know that if a man have one spot in his garment it makes him out of love with it and then cares not how many lights upon it so it is with sinne if thou suffer thy heart to bee spotted but with one sinne it will worke carelesnesse in thee so that hereafter thou wilt not much care what sin thou commit nor how thy soule is soiled therefore it behoves you to keepe your hearts from every sinne and to make conscience of little sinnes And so much the rather because the glory of God is engaged on your conversation if thou shalt soile thy selfe with any sinne that hath taken upon thee the profession of the Gospell God will be dishonoured and the Gospell will bee scandaled Againe keep thy heart
because God takes special notice of all thy actions as for dogs and swine as for the actions of unregenerate men he regards them not because his glory is not engaged upon their conversation he expects nothing from them but as for you he takes a particular notice of all your actions speeches and behaviours and therefore you should be marvellous carefull over your hearts Againe looke unto secret sinnes because hee is the searcher of the heart let the feare of God set in order every faculty of your soules to keepe out every sinne every evill thought because hee takes speciall notice of it And that I may the better prevaile with you I will briefly lay downe some Motives to move you to keepe this diligent watch over your hearts The first Motive to move every Christian to continue and grow in heavenly mindednesse is this because by this meanes hee may bee able to doe every good worke 2 Tim. 3. 21. If a man therefore purge himselfe hee shall be a vessell of honour fit for every good worke that is if hee labour to rid his heart of earthly mindednesse he shall have a new life put into him whereby hee shall bee able to performe holy duties in another manner then before Now what is the reason that there is such complaint among Christians that they cannot pray and are so dull and slaggish in the performance of holy duties but because they have not rid their hearts of earthly mindednesse What is the reason that there is so much Preaching and so little practise and so much hearing and so little edifying but because men are earthly minded If they would purge themselves of this earthly mindednesse it is unpossible but that there would bee more spirituall life in them in the performance of spirituall duties Therefore if it were for no other cause but this that you may be inabled unto every good worke and holy dutie and that you may keepe in you your spirituall life feeling and moving labour to keepe thy heart cleane from sinne The second motive to move Christians to grow in heavenly mindednesse is because that by this God is honoured I say it is a glorie to God if thou keepe thy heart cleane Now what man is there that would not willingly glorifie God who stuck not to give Christ for him It is a glorie unto God when the Professors of the Word live a holy life for what is the nature of the Word but to cleanse now when it worketh not this effect in them or at least when it appeares not in them it doth detract from the excellencie of the Word The Apostle layes downe the nature of a true Christian Iam. 1. 21. Pure Religion is this to keepe ones selfe unspotted of the world that is a spotlesse life is that which best beseemes a Christian man that takes upon him the profession of the Gospel and that which brings much glorie unto God is a blamelesse conversation and to this end the Apostle exhorts Let saith he your Conversation be without covetousnesse Heb. 13. 5. as if hee should say an unsatiable desire doth detract from the glorie of God therefore let this move men to be heavenly minded The third Motive to move every Christian to grow in heavenly mindednesse is because hee may prevaile with God in prayer Iam. 5. 16. the Apostle saith that The prayer of a faithfull man availeth much if it bee fervent that is it hath a great force with God for a blessing Now this should bee a marvellous encouragement to keepe the heart cleane in regard of the great necessitie that the Church hath of our prayers and therefore if we would not for ourselves prevaile with God yet in regard of the great need that the Church stands in at this present we should be moved to doe this duty But you will say that wee are but few or that I am but one and how can we be able to prevaile thus with God To this I answer Grant that you be but a few yet a few may doe much good Ezek. 22. 30. speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem I sought saith the Lord for a man to stand in the gappe and there was none Hee speakes there in the singular number if there had beene but one that is but a few they might have prevailed much with God so I say unto you though we be but a few yet if wee keepe our hearts pure wee may doe much with God nay though thou bee but a particular person thou maist prevaile much with God as Moses did for the Children of Israel when a damme is new broken the casting in of a little dirt will hinder the course of water but if it be not holpen in time it will not easily be stopt â—o in time a few may prevent a Judgement nay such a Jâ—dgement as otherwise may destroy a whole land if the heart bee truly sanctified it hath a great force with God Againe a man that would pray if he doe not speake but many times he is forced to send forth sighes and grones unto God this is of great power with God but if hee powre out his heart in voyce it hath a greater force and therefore the Wise-man saith that the words of the righteous are precious that is of great worth with God and therefore let this move men to be heavenly minded HOW TO MORTIFIE FORNICATION Colossians 3. 1. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth Fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is Idolatry HAving handled in generall the Doctrine of Mortification according to the Method of the Apostle I am now come to descend to the considering of particulars as they are laid downe in my Text and would speak of them in the order as they are ranked by the holy Spirit but that the affinity and neerenesse betwixt three of these sinnes namely Fornication Uncleannesse and evill Concupiscence makes me to confound them and promiscuously to mingle them together Let us therefore consider first of the nature of every of these sinnes particularly by themselves and afterward make some use and application to our selves of them altogether The Doctrine that arises in generall from these words is That All Vncleannesse is a thing God would have mortified and quite destroyed out of the hearts that hee would dwell in All filthinesse and uncleannesse is a member of the old man now in such as Christ dwels in the old man is crucified he is dead with Christ now hee that is dead with him is freed from him and againe he that is in the second Adam hath power to mortifie the members of the old man All Gods children must be purified and cleansed from all pollution as the Apostle expressely commands us Ephes. 5. 1. Be ye followers of God as deare children that is be ye like unto God your Father as children resemble their naturall fathers now God is
shall see it in its proper filthinesse and native uglinesse No man that is guilty of it can discern its depravity for the very conscience is defiled by it now the Conscience is as it were the very glasse of the soule and if the glasse be defiled how can we see the spots in the soule and if these bee not to be discovered then nothing is left whereby to judge aright of it and therefore we must needs be deceived in the perceiving the filthinesse and haynousnesse thereof Let us therfore betake our selves to the Scripture which will shew it truly in its proper colors then if we use the meanes God wil assuredly send his Spirit to enlighten us When Iudas had but a glimpfe of this light opened unto him how great thinke yee seemed that sinne to him which before he durst commit boldly for thirty peeces of silver yet now it drives him to desperation and present hanging himselfe Wee must pray therefore for the Spirit to enlighten us that so wee may see the filthinesse of this sinne and be no more deceived by it as if it were either but a small sinne or hardly any at all as many men thinke and our carnall reason would perswade us unto The fifth and last Deceit whereby our cunning adversary the Devill labours to beguile us withall is Hope of secrecie Men commit this in private no spectators no secretaries shall be intrusted therewith the innermost closets and most retired roomes are the places destinated for this worke and the time commonly is the most obscure and blackest season the night and indeed not unfitly for it is a deed of darknesse yet let all such as be guilty hereof let them lay to heart these following considerations Consider first though they be never so private and secret in it yet God sees it they cannot shut out his eyes though they may the light of the Sunne hee knowes it and then it shall be revealed that which is said of Almes Mat. 6. 4. may very truly bee said of this Thy Father which seeth in secret himselfe shall reward thee openly so God that seeth thy secret Adultery or Fornication he will reward it he will punish it openly See iâ— for examâ—le in Davids adultery with Bathsheba 2 Sam. 12. 10 11 12. there the Lord saith Because thou hast despised mee and hast taken the wife of Vriah the Hittite to be thy wife Behold I will raise up evill against thee out of thine owne house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy neighbour and hee shall lye with thy wives in the sight of this Sunne for thou d ddest it secretly but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne See the Justice of God in punishing because David did it secretly and used all manner of meanes to conceale it as making Vriah drunke and then sending him to his wife to lye with her that so it might bee hidden yet God with-held him from her and so brought it about that David had no way to cover his sinne therefore also because David laboured to keepe it close and secret from all men hee will make his punishment publike and manifest to all Israell Againe God saith Because thou hast despised me c. whence observe in this secret committing of sin a man doth despise God in a more especiall manner for hee feares more the sight of men than the sight of God in that hee labours to conceale and hide it from the eyes of men but cares not though God looke on as if hee either would say nothing or regarded not at all his sinne But God hath said Them that honour mee I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed that is they shall be despised Consider secondly the divers and manifold wayes God hath to reveale it though men bee never so close and secret and useall possible meanes to hide their sinne as faire outward civility a seeming to hate such 2 filthy notorious wickednesse or any thing else an hypocriticall heart can invent yet God hath suâ—dry wayes to detect their filthinesse and lay open their hypocrisie As first by sensible things when there is no person neere to see it yet the vâ—ry birds and beasts have revealed it secondly hee gives them up to a reprobate sense and then in the end though they have long lyen in it unseene and ansuspected at last they become shâ—melesiâ— and so lye open to every mans discovery thirdly he can make any man living to reveale his owne sinne as we see in Iudas though all the time he was working his wickednesse hee had carried the businesse close enough yet in the conclusion when hee had brought the businesse to passe and in all probability it being now finished should never bee concealed even then he must confesse it he must tell it every body in like manner it will be our case though wee keep our filthinesse never so private yet God can make us in the end on our death-beds confesse it though all our life before we have hidden it Consider thirdly whosoever commits this filthy sinne of Fornication makes himselfe a vile and a base person what ever he was before though never so glorious yet now he is but as a Starre fâ—llen to the earth as it is in the Revelation If a man bee godly come what will come there is nothing can make him base nothing can obscure him though hell it selfe should labour to cast a darkenesse about him yet it shall bee but as a foyle about a Jewell or a cloâ—d about the Sunne make him shine brighter and brighter Wee know a Torch light in a darke night will shiâ—e brighter than if it were at noone-day even so a godly man whatever happens unto him whatever night of affiâ—ctions crosses or other disasters come upon him yet hee will be the more illustrious the moreclearer will hee shine in the midst thereof and the more crosses happen unto him the more will his glory appeare but on the other side let a man be ungodly whatever outward glory or pompe he may have yet he is but a base and vile person and so hee shall ever be esteemed of even at the last doe all the world what they can See this in Paul who before he was converted whilest he was a persecutor was counted a pestilent fellow but now after conversion when he became godly he was highly esteemed as a chosen vessell of the Lord So on the contrary the Scribes and Pharises were the onely men who but they among the Jewes yet now how odious is their names they stinke in all mens nostrils Therefore let us have a care how wee suffer our selves to lye in sinne lest we become in like manner hated of every man and on the other side let us get our selves to be godly and then our names shall be as precious oyntment that sends forth a sweet savour into every
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
forceably there resist them with greater strength keepe the banke good repaire it by new renewals of thy graces in thee make new covenants against it There is no man with one thousand would meet his enemy with two thousand so doe thou get as much strength to resist as thy lusts have power to attempt thee Seventhly Turne your delights to God and heavenly things whereas you have long beene given to earthly mindednesse now beginne to set your minde on heavenly things There is no true Mortification that is onely privative it must be also positive a man cannot leave his earthly mindednesse but he must presently be heavenly minded To make this plaine by a comparison A man cannot empty a vessell of water but ayre presently will come in its place so a man can no sooner be cleansed from corruption but grace will immediately enter and take possession of his heart as Salomon saith Prov. 2. 10 11. Wisdome entreth into thine heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soule Descretion shall preserve thee understanding shall keepe thee c. Lastly the last and greatest help will be to labor by prayer God would have thee know that it is his gift pray therefore that Christ would baptize thee with the Holy Ghost and with fire that the Holy Ghost may like fire heat the faculties of the soule to inflame our love to God for as our love to God is stronger so our love to holy things will be more earnest and consequently our hate to unholy things more strong and perfect the heart thus inflamed is turned quite another way it doth so mollifie the heart more and more making it capable of a deeper impression from the love of God Hence it is that the Spirit is compared to wine because as wine heateth us within and maketh us more vigorous and lively so doth the Spirit heat us with the love of God and make us more apt to good workes Now as when a man comes nigh to any towne he goes further from another so when the Spirit carries us nigh to God it carries us further from our lusts Christ by the Prophet is said Mal. 3. 2. to be like a refiners fire and like Fullers sope Now as there is no way to refine silver but by fire and no way to purge and get out a staine but by sope so there is no way to cleanse ones selfe from lusts to mortifie them but by the Spirit take ye therefore the Apostles counsell Act. 4. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receiue the gift of the Holy Ghost let us wait for it and we shall be sure to have it and when we once have got it we shall finde as evident a change as the Apostles did when the Holy Ghost in the forme of cloven tongues came upon them as ye may read in the same chapter And therefore also when we finde weakenesse in our hearts let us know that wee have not beene so fully baptized with the Holy Ghost as we may be according to that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath not given us the Spirit of feare but of power c. when the Spirit is powerfull â— us it will inflame us with the love of God it keeps men in sobriety Therefore art thou weake art thou cold in holy performances labour to bee baptised with the Holy Ghost more fully Iohn was compassed about with the Spirit as with a garment Rev. 1. 10. So should we be for without this we are but naked God kept Abimeleech from sin so he will keepe us if we have his Spirit And David was bound in the bond of the Spirit now the Spirit is like a bond for two causes first every bond must be without us and so is Gods Spirit it is his and not ours within us secondly every bond keeps the thing that is bound in and so doth Gods Spirit it restraines us it keeps us in when as otherwise wee would runne into all excesse of riot And therefore let us pray heartily and labour earnestly to be baptized with the Holy Ghost HOW TO MORTIFIE UNCLEANNES COLOSSIANS 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth Fornication Vncleannesse Inordinate affection evill Concupiscence and Covetousnesse which is Idolatry HAving handled the Doctrine of Mortification in generall as also come to some particulars namely that of Fornication it now remaineth that in the next place following the method and order of the Apostle I come to the next particular sinne named in the Text Vncleannesse And because these two sinnes doe in many things coincidere and differ not greatly in any thing that I can set downe as meanes to prevent them for what hath beene said of the one may serve for the other therefore I shall be the briefer in this and may pâ—rchance make use of some of the things spoken formerly in the discovering of the haynousnesse of Fornication The Doctrine then that we shall at this time insist on is That Vncleannesse is one of the sinnes that are here to be mortified This sinne of Uncleannesse most Interpreters make to be the sinne of Onan Gen. 38. 9. and the haynousnesse thereof appeares in that God was so displeased with him for it that he slew him presently Besides the grievousnesse thereof is is manifest in that throughout the whole booke of God wee finde not any name appropriated unto it as if God could not give name bad enough or would not vouchsafe it any because men should not know it at all But now particularly I will lay open the vilenesse of it by these foure arguments First the haynousnesse of it appeares because that it makes a man that is guilty of it a man of death you may see it in the example of Onan Gen. 38. 9. before mentioned God cut him off presently hardly gave any space for repentance Where sudden judgement lights upon a man it is a fearefull thing and argues the greatnesse of Gods displeasure against that sinne now where Gods wrath is so exceedingly inflam'd against a sinne we must needs conclude that sinne to bee very sinfull and of an high nature Secondly it is an unnaturall sinne All sinne is so much the more haynous as it is opposite to the nature of a man Wee read but of three sinnes against nature whereof this is one namely bestiality Sodomy and this and therefore it must needs be of an high ranke and consequently a most notorious vilde sinne Thirdly the manner of it aggravates it exceedingly all things done against ones selfe are the more hainous as selfe-murther is of an higher nature than murther of another and the reason is because all creatures by nature seeke the preservation of themselves in like manner selfe-uncleannesse is a great aggravation unto it Fourthly and lastly that sinne which is made the punishment of another is ever
the greater sinne now God hath made this sinne to be the punishment of all other sinnes for after a man hath long continued in other sinnes at last God gives him up to this sinne as to a punishment of the former and therefore questionlesse it is a great and an haynous sinne Now since you have seene the haynousnesse of this sinne in the next place I will shew you the manifold deceits of Satan whereby men are provoked to the commission of this filthy sinne First Men doe goe on in the committing of this sinne because they doe hope to repent afterwards For answer of this I say that man who hath a will to sinne doth harden himselfe more and more by sinne and this sinne of Uncleannesse being a great sinne it doth harden the heart the more and doth the more indispose a man towards God A man by common reason would thinke that great sinnes doe make the heart to be more sensible but indeed it doth not so for it takes away the sense Great sinnes are a meanes to harden the heart so that it cannot repent Prov. 2. 19. None that goe unto her returne againe neither doe they take hold of the paths of life which is meant of repentance for God doth not give repentance to this sinne because it is a sinne so evident against the light of Nature as Ezech. 24. 16. Sonne of man behold I take from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroake yet neither shalt thou mourne nor weepe neither shall thy tcares runne downe that is if man will refuse the time of repentance which God doth offer unto him when he would repent then God doth deny him It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but of God God will have mercie upon whom hee will have mercie Rom. 9. 16. Now to shew what Repentance is Repentance is a change of the heart whereby a man is become a new creature having an inward affection to that which is good and a loathing and detestation of that which is bad To shew that Repentance is the change of the heart see how the Prophet Hosea Chapt. 7. 14. doth reprove the Israelites for their howling on their beds because their Repentance was not from their hearts they did howle much as it were for their sinnes but yet their Repentance was not from the heart and therfore nothing availeable to them True Repentance doth turne the disposition of the heart of a man another way then it went before Another meanes that Satan useth to delude the hearts of men and cause them to be set upon evill is because they doe not see the punishment due for sinne to be presently executed upon sinners For Answer of this In that God doth spare to punish sinne no man hath cause to joy in it God is mercifull and doth heare many times a long while with men not to punish them for sinne to see if they will returne unto him and repent But as long as man doth continue in any sinne without repentance so long doth hee abuse Gods patience every day and howre Rom. 2. 4. Thinkest thou this O man and despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to Repentance Vers. 5. But after the hardnesse and impenitencie of heart treasurest up wrath unto thy selfe against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Another Deceit that Satan useth to provoke men unto this sinne is to judge of uncleannesse by common opinion that is to weigh this sinne in a false ballance and to looke upon it in a false glasse and not to carry it to the ballance of the Sanctuary of the Lord and therefore many times they esteeme great sinnes to be little sinnes and little sinnes to be none at all when men doe thus mistake sinne they judge of it otherwise than it is As when bad company are together they doeall allow and approve of sinne and so evill words doe corrupt good manners and in their opinions doe make sinne to be no sinne at all not considering that place Titus 2. 14. That Christ gave himselfe for us to redeeme us from all iniquitie and to purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes When a man hath committed sinne his Conscience is defiled and so can no more judge of sinne aright than one that would discerne of colours in a foule and soyled glasse but when the Conscience is cleare it sees things as they are and so is able to judge of sinne by that rule by which our selves shall be judged at the last day There is a sanctifying Spirit which if wee had we should judge of sinne aright and the rule whereby we are to try sinne is the written Word of God Fourthly Satan useth to provoke men to this sinne when they can commit it in secret then will they bee bold to doeit But consider God sees in secret and he will reward them openly Mat. 6. 4. Give thine almes in secret and thy father that is in secret will reward thee openly Now wee may judge by the rule of contrarieties that if God doe see Almes that are done in private and will reward them openly may not we thinke that he will doe the like of sinne For so hee did by David hee spared not him though he were his owne servant 2 Sam. 12. Thou didst this sinne secretly but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne And thus they goe on boldly in this sinne thinking they shall escape well enough if they can doe it secretly and not bee seene of men but they in this despising of God make God to despise them Consider oh man the many wayes God hath to reveale sinne that is committed in secret Eccles. 10. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the rich no not in thy bed-chamber for a bird of the ayre shall carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall tell the matter Sinne that hath beene committed in secret shall bee discovered by wayes that a man thought unpossible Evill men are as a glasse that is sodered together as soone as the sother is melted the glasse doth fall in peeces So they that are companions in evill may for a time be true the one to the other but yet the Lord will one way or other discover their iniquities so that they shall fall in peeces like a broken potsharde yea perhaps the Sinner himselfe shall confesse his sinne as Iudas did The last Deceit which Satan doth use to provoke men unto this sinne is with the present delight which they have unto it To this I answer as Christ in Mat. 5. 27. Thou shalt not commit adulterie for whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart If thy right eye offend thee plucke it out
abstaine in sincerity from sinne hee will abstaine from all sinne The reason why men abstaine from any sinne is either for love of themselves or of God if for love of thy selfe thou doest abstaine from sinne thou wert as good commit all as some If for love of God thou wilt abstaine from all sinnes from little sinnes as well as great sinnes Here may a question be asked why men doe abstaine from murther and Idolatry The answere is because God did forbid it and doth not God forbid also Thou shalt not lust God that doth forbid the one doth forbid the other and for thy further consideration know the holy Spirit of God doth hate every Sinne it doth abandon and hate that heart where these thoughts of lust are nourished Now the heart is the habitation and residence of the holy Ghost wherfore all Sinnes are to be mortified that the holy Ghost may come and dwell there The acts of mortification are chiefely these the Apostle would have us take paines with our hearts men might doe much good unto themselves would they but take paines to consider and ponder their their wayes but when men are carried away with the desire of riches vaine-glory and other inconsiderations no mervaile if it be thus with them If they would but sit alone meditate and reflect their mindes upon what they should doe it would be a great meanes to make them to alter their courses The Apostle when he would have them mortifie these lusts hee would have them consider the meanes how to suppresse them there be strong reasons in the word of God for them Let them search the grounds they have for the committing of those lusts and it will be an effectuall meanes for the mortifying of them If mens judgements were rectified to see their follies they would change their courses and turne the bent of their affections another way I should deliver many things unto you in this kinde concerning mortification to let it be your care that it may worke upon your inward affections that you may make it profitable unto your owne Soules and that you doe let it not passe from you without doing you good The word of God which you heare is not lost it shall certainly doe you hurt if not good it shall harden if it doe not soften It is an ill signe if a tree doe not bud in the spring but to see it without leaves in the Winter is no wonder at all So for any to heare the word of God powerfully preached and not to have good wrought on them by it they have great cause to feare their estates It is this meditating and taking to heart which is the first means I prescribe for mortification We are said secondly to mortifie when we suppresse and keepe downe those lusts if wee keepe them backe from their courses that they doe not bring forth the fruite of Sinne All actions when any Sinne is executed they tend to evill corruptions If wee abstaine from the action of Sinne then it doth kill the very inclination Take any Sinne that a man is naturally enclined unto whether it be the Sinne of uncleanenesse the desire of Riches or whatsoever Custome doth make his lusts to be stronger and so doth adde to the Sinne One light doth shew a thing to be so but more lights doe make it appeare more cleare so there is an addition in Sinne as well as in grace the more they act in Sinne the more they encrease Now when men complaine they know not what to doe they cannot be without their lusts Let them thanke themselves for it in suffering themselves by custome to practise them but by keeping downe the act of Sinne the lusts will evaporate away in time though thy lust be strong and violent at the first yet if thou wilt let it alone from the execution of it it will consume and weare away at the last Therefore keepe downe thy lusts and suppresse them Thirdly to weane these lusts inordinate affections and concupiscences the rectifying of the judgement and applying of right meanes doth mortifie the higher reason Now for to mortifie the lower reason is to turne away the bent of affection on another object If grace be quicke and lively in a man it turnes away the minde from Sinne and the way to weane these lusts is to keepe the minde fixed and bent on better things as temperance chastity and sobriety for all intemperance doth breed lust and then the devill doth take occasion and advantage to worke upon a man but sobrietie and temperance is a great meanes to keepe backe these evill affections Now I proceede to make use of what hath beene formerly delivered concerning these three Sinnes fornication uncleanenesse and evill concupiscence You may remember what hath beene said concerning the greatnesse of the Sinne of uncleanenesse It will follow then if it be so great a Sinne wee should use meanes to be freed from it Those that are guilty of it let them give themselves no rest their eye lids no slumber nor God no rest till they be delivered from the band of this iniquity 1. Sam. 2. 25. Remember what Elie said to his sonnes If one man sinne against another the Iudge shall judge him but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall entreate for him When God doth take in hand to afflict the Creature then it is intollerable man shall finde it to be aâ—terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD. Take an arrowe or a bullet and let it be shot into the body of man it may wound deepely and yet be cured againe but let the head of that arrowe be poysoned or the bullet envenomed then the wound proves deadly and incurable There may be in the body of man many great gashes and deepe wounds and yet be cured but if affliction lyes on the Creature from the wrath of God he is not able to beare it it doth cause him to tremble and his conscience to be terrified within him as wee see by men that are in despaire Now the reason of it is God when he sinites the Creature in his wrath he doth wound the Spirit and as it were doth breake it in sunder as God doth breake the Spirit so he doth sustaine the Spirit but when he doth withdraw himselfe from the creature then the strong holds of the Spirit are gone This is to shew you what a terrible thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God This as it doth belong to all so specially to those that have received the Sacrament this day or before that they make conscience of this Sinne if they doe not they receive it unworthily and he that is guilty of this is guilty of the body and blood of Christ Hee discernes not the Lords body neither doth hee prize it as hee should nor esteeme of the excellencie of it as hee ought Hee discernes not with what reverence hee should come
to the Lords Table therefore saith the Apostle Hee is guilty of the body and blood of Christ that is hee is guilty of the same Sinne that those were that did crucifie and mocke Christ Iesus The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a speciall meanes and chiefe ordinance of God for the attainement of his blessings if it be rightly received and so it is the greatest judgement that can befall a man if it bee not rightly received for Christ is chiefely represented therein The blood of Christ is the most precious thing in the world when men shall account this holy blood of the new Testament to be but an unholy thing and to trample it vnderfoote God will not beare with this Now when a man doth come to the Sacraments in a negligent manner in not preparing himselfe worthily to come hee is guiltie of the blood of Christ For ye are not onely to be carefull to prepare your selves before the receiving of the Sacrament but also of your walking afterwards Therefore consider you that have received the Sacrament or intend to do it that you doe clense your selves from this pollution of heart and spirit and that you doe put on the wedding garment that is required of all worthy receivers Let your hearts be changed and your affections and actions be free from all kind of evill and your hearts be turned to God else you cannot bee worthy receivers and so much shall suffice for this use that seeing this sinne is so great every man should endevour to free himselfe from it Secondly seeing the Apostle doth not onely exhort us to abstaine from it but also mortifie kill and subdue it If there were nothing but a meere abstinence from ill then it is not properly a mortification for then the impurest adulterer should sometimes bee chast after his impure manner of committing it and therefore the cessation of it is no true mortifying of it and that you may know mortification aright I will give you three signes First you shall know it by this if there went a generall reformation both in heart and life before when the heart is generally set aright is changed and renewed to good and from thence doeth arise a dying to these lusts then it is a good signe but if otherwise there bee no particulars changed in thee then it is but a cessation not a mortification but when the whole frame of the heart is altered yea even from the very roote when the old man in the body of sinne is wounded even to the heart that is when a man hath hath beene soundly humbled for his sinne and afterwards hath his heart affected to Christ and is come to love God and hath his mind changed then he may truely reckon it mortification Secondly you may know true mortification by this by having a right judgement of sinne and a true loathing and detestation of it It is hard for a man while hee hath any sinne in him to judge rightly of it for then a man is given to an injudicious minde while hee doeth continue in it As when a man is in prison if hee have continued there long though the sent bee bad yet hee cannot discerne it but let this man be brought to fresh ayre and bee carryed to that prison againe then hee will smell the noysomenesse of it So when a man is in sinne hee cannot truely judge of it but when he is escaped from it then he can rightly and truly detest and judge of it when a mans soule is righteous there is a contrariety betweene him and uncleannesse a righteous soule doeth detest sin both in himselfe and others as Lots soule was vexed with the abhomination of the Sodomites Consider how you are affected with the sinne of others Rom. 1. verse 32. They were not onely worthy of death who did commit sinne themselves but also they that had pleasure in others when a man can truely detest sinne in others as Lot did and doeth truely loath it in himselfe then it is a true signe of true mortification The last thing to know mortification by is an actuall abstinence from every sinne it is one thing to dislike a sinne and another thing to bee wearie of it and to hate the sinnefullnesse of it If mortification bee true he will hate all kind of uncleannesse with an inveterate hatred bee it of what degree it will Sheepe doe hate all kind of Wolves if a man doe truly mortifie c. his hatred to sinne will bee generall not onely in abstinence from grosse sinnes as murther adultery and fornication but also from all other sinnes For when a man forsakes sinne out of hatred his rancor is of iudgement more then of passion and so likewise his hatred will be constant Men may bee angry with their sinnes sometimes and fall out with them at other times and yet be friends againe but if they doe truely hate sinne their abstinence from sinne will be constant when a man becomes a new creature there will arise a contrarietie to sinne in his nature so that if a man doe hate sin he is truely said to mortifie Here may a question be asked Whether after true mortification a man may fall into the same sinne againe or no For answere hereunto I say a man may fall againe into the act of sin and uncleannesse after mortification for the gates of Gods mercy stand open to men after their greatest relapses But yet he doth never fall into the love of sinne and of purpose for to sinne Though he doe fall into the act hee doth not returne to allow of it and to wallow in the mire for it is impossible to do so after grace yet we cannot shut up the gates of Gods mercie to those that have often relapsed so that a mans conscience is witnesse unto him that he is not remisse in the meanes hee should use though hee fall into the act of sinne unawares yet he doth it not with set purpose Now you may judge whether you be mortified yea or no. The meanes to mortification are these The first meanes to mortifie is to labour for the assurance of pardon of thy sinnes Sinne is never mortified but by the sanctifying Spirit there may bee a restrained spirit in us to keepe us from the act of fin but it can never bee mortified but by the sanctifying spirit of God pardon for sin is had by the assurance of faith in Christ and the way to get this for givenes is to be truely humbled for our sinnes acknowledging our own misery and our owne wants and to lay hold upon the mercies of Christ Iesus and to bee lifted up by the promises of the Gospel Consider whatsoever your sinnes be whether against the light of nature or against knowledge Let a mans relapses be never so great and agravated with never so many circumstances Neverthelesse if a man will come in our commission is to propound unto them without all condition
or exception that the gates of mercy stand open for them Mar. 16. 15. there is our Commission Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel unto every Creature What this is in the next verse it is sayd If a man will beleeve he shall be saved but hee that beleeveth not shall be damned Therefore whatsoever your sinne be let nothing hinder you to come in for if you come in God wil receive you to mercy all the hindrāce then is in our selves Consider these two places of Scripture 1. Cor. 6. 9. Paul speaking to the Corinthians Of the greatest sinne that ever mans nature was capable of such were ye saith he but now ye are washed and are sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God So in the 2. Cor. 12. and last ve The Apostle doth make no question but that they might repent and have forgivenesse you may know how willing God was to forgive great sinners all the matter is if we be willing to apply this pardon to our selves To leave our sinnes in generall to take Christ to be a King aswell as our Saviour To deny our selves and to take up Christs Crosse and then there is no question but we may have this pardon sealed and assured us Certaine it is men will not doe this as to denie themselves and take up Christs Crosse till they bee duly humbled and have repented their sinnes but so it is that men will not prize Christ untill that vengeance fall upon them for their sins would they but doe it they might bee sure of this pardon were their humiliation true and sincere it is sufficient the last of the Revel verse 17. And the spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely First here is Let him that heareth come that is To all whosoever this Gospel is preached unto the promise is generall to all here is also added Let him that is athirst come there is further added Let whosoever will come come that will come and take of the water of life freely seeking God in sinceritie of heart with forsaking of all their sinnes And so much for this meanes of getting pardon for sinne and to come to true mortification by the sanctifying spirit The second meanes to mortification is to abstaine from all beginnings and occasions of sinne as precedent actions and objects of ill It is to have a peremptory abstinence and full deniall not medling with any thing that hath any affinity with sinne If you doe not neglect to resist the beginnings this is the way to come unto the utmost ends of it there be chaines to draw to sinne Iames 1. 14. Every man is tempted when hee is drawne of his owne lust and is inticed then when lust hath conceived it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is consummate bringeth forth death This is to cleare God in the matter of temptation a man is drawne with his owne lust unto it First a man doth gaze on his Sinne and dally with it then hee comes to bee intangled in it so that hee cannot get loose againe even as a fish that is fast to a hooke Thirdly followes the assent unto it when hee is taken in the net And lastly followes the committing of actuall sinne which doeth bring forth Death So first there is the chaine that drawes to sinne Secondly the gazing on it Thus Evah did admire and gaze on the fruite and did thinke that if shee might taste of it shee should come to know good and evill but she was deceived so wee are deluded by sinne First by gazing on it then by being intangled in it afterwards proceedes a will therunto and lastly the committing of the sinne which doth bring foorth death so that death followes sinne When a man hath committed the sinne it causeth the hardening of the heart and so makes him not sensible of the things of the spirit The greater sinnes doe cause the greater hardnings and makes the heart for to become evill and so a man comes to have an unfaithfull heart as an Athiest to thinke that the Scriptures are not true that the promises of God are not true and lastly unfaithfulnesse it causeth a departure from God as in Hebrewes 3. 13. An unbeleeving heart causeth a departure from the living God Take heed there bee not an evill and unbeleeving heart in you for if there bee then there will bee a departing from God therefore wee should not bee led by any thing to gaze upon sinne that wee may not bee intangled in it Therefore let us at the first checke the very beginnings of sinne and resist all occasions A third meanes to overcome this sinne is to bee exercised with the contrary delights as with Grace and Holinesse This is the meanes to mortifie the heart and to emptie it of all kind of lusts and they cannot be emptied out of the heart unlesse better things be put in stead thereof you cannot weaken blackenesse better then by white Therefore the way to change the heart after sinnefull objects and the mortifying of these lufts it is to get delight in better things and to labour to have neerer communion with God to be zealous of Gods cause 1. Cor. 106. Last of all to conclude The meanes for mortifying of this Sinne is you must adde prayer unto all the rest To pray unto God to baptize you with his holy Spirit Let a man be left to himselfe and it is impossible for him to mortifie except God will doe it Therefore wee are to pray unto God to give us his holy Spirit When the Spirit of God doth come into the heart it is as fire and puts another temper upon him then was before It turnes the strings of his heart to another tune and doth make him approve of that which God doth require This is the way to mortifie lust The more a man is carried to the love of one he is many times the more removed from another but the more a man is caried to God the more heis wayned from inordinat lusts being mortified he is the more enclined to God Mal. 3. 2. Who shall stand when he appeares for hee is like a Refiners fire and like to Fullers Sope. Christ shall doe that when he comes that none else is able to doe As in refining and purifying the heart use what meanes you will except you use fire you cannot refine drosse from silver So staines that are in a mans garment wash them as long as you will with Sope they will but seeme the worse but when they are brought to the Fullers hand they are soone rubbed out So let a man be left to his owne Spirit hee will runne into a thousand noy some lusts but when Gods Spirit is cloathed in a mans heart then it doth keepe him from the wayes of
sinne Revel 1. 10. It is said of Iohn That he was ravished in the Spirit as a man locked in armour When the Spirit of God doth possesse the Soule and compasseth it about it keepes it from the wayes of iniquity and causeth an aptnesse to good 1. Tim. 17. For God hath not given us the Spirit of feare but of power of love and of a good and sound minde And the reason why men doe neglect it is because they know not the way to get it They know not the power and efficacie of the Spirit and that is the reason there is so little effect in this businesse Let a man bee left to his owne Spirit and Gods Spirit removed from him hee will lust after all evills Take example of Eliah and Iohn Baptist It is said of Iohn that hee came in the spirit of Eliah which did excell in him Take Eliah and extract that Spirit from him which he had from God and hee would be but as other men Take the deare Saints of God and take but this Spirit from them how would it be with them Even as it was with David when God did but as it were hide himselfe a little while from him into what dangerous Sinnes did hee fall Therefore pray to God that hee would give you his Spirit and that will bee a meanes to mortifie these lusts within you It is the Spirit that doth make difference betweene Man and Man and for the getting of it pray to God earnestly and hee cannot denie you I will name but one place more unto you Acts 2. 38. 39. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of Sinnes and you shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost for the promise is unto you and your children and unto all that are a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call So that the men which were converted at Peters Sermon did aske What shall wee doe to be saved Hee said Repent and beleeve and yee shall receive the holy Ghost And further addeth The promise is made to you and to your children and you shall be partakers of it Not that the promise of the holy Ghost did belong onely to those that were then present but to all that have beene borne since and are to be borne both of Iew and Gentile to as many as shall call upon the name of the Lord. Therefore doe you now as the Apostles did then when Christ told them hee would send them the Comforter they spent the time in prayers untill they had it So doe you pray earnestly and be instant with God for it and then certainely God cannot denie it you and when you have the Spirit then you will mortifie those lusts and all other Sinnes whatsoever when you have this Spirit of Sobrietie of Temperance of Love of weekenesse of gentlenesse of long suffering The Lord graunt you understanding in what hath beene spoken And so much for this time FINIS HOW TO MORTIFIE inordinate affection COLO 1. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is Idolatry SOme of those earthly members which the Apostle would have us to mortifie we have already handled we are now come to speake of the inordinate affections The greeke word is translated by a double word sometimes passion sometimes affection but it is alone so as the point is cleere That All immoderate affections must be mortified A doctrine that may well bee handled at large it beeing generall and universall an vnlimited word that reacheth unto all particular affections a doctrine that concernes every man Men for the most part when they come into the open view of the world have a certaine composed habit but inwardly are full of inordinate affections It is a Doctrine therefore that searcheth the inward parts the mindes and hearts of men a Doctrine of continuall use for though men presse outward actions yet affections remaine unruled Besides all this a Doctrine of no small difficulty For as there is nothing easier than to wish and desire so there is nothing harder than to order these desires aright For the better handling of the point observe these three things First what Affections are Secondly when they are inordinate Thirdly why they are to be mortified In the first place I must tell you what affections are by affections you must vnderstand all affections and passions whatsoeuer for the better understanding whereof you must know that there are three things in the soule first the faculties which are to the soule as the members to the body Secondly the inclinations of those faculties Thirdly the habits acquired from those inclinations for example the appetite or will is a faculty of the soule and this taken in it selfe is neither good nor evill morally Againe there are the inclinations of that will and these are goodor evill according as the objects that they apprehend are good or evill and lastly the habit is when the soule doth accustome it selfe one way or other the habit is good when the soule is accustomed to good objects in a good manner and the habit is evill when the will accustometh it selfe to evill objects or to good objects in an evill manner It is with the passions as it is with the senses First we have the sense of hearing before we heare and of seeing before we see Then from often hearing or seeing of the same object proceedes an inclination more to one object than to another From that inclination a habit in the sense to turne it selfe with most easinesse and delight upon that object Thus a corrupt habit is bred with us when the mind or wil turnes it selfe often to this or that evill object and so gets agility and nimblene in doing as often doing brings dexteritie to the hands so if the will or appetite have gotten a haunt either to vertues or vices it contracts a habit to it selfe Now to shew you what an affection is we define it thus An affection is an inclination or motion of the Appetite upon the apprehension of good or evill I call it an inclination or motion for it is the bent of the will to this or that thing as for example when we outwardly love feare or desire that is a motion and for the Inclination wee are to know that in man there is a double Appetite the first is sensuall which apprehends things conveied to the senses as to the eye and eare and so is affected to loue feare or grieve this I call the sensuall appetite because it is of objects apprehended by fantasie Secondly there is a rational appetite the object of that is that which the understanding apprehends and from hence proceed affections to riches honor preferment c. the will beeingconversant about it Remember this distinction because of the matter that followerh namely That the appetite is double sensuall
death of his friend or the like accident for a while he grieves exceedingly but within a moneth or short time after his grief is past and then he sees that the death of his friend is no such thing as he took it for and thought it to be had he then seene that which now he doth he would not have grieved so much The second way to rectifie misapprehension is by faith for by faith we are to beleeve the vanity of these earthly things we are to beleeve the power of God who is able to blow upon them and to cause them to wither so that faith is a great cause to rectifie the apprehension as well as reason Paul counted the best things of the world but drosse and dung and Moses cared not for the pleasures of Egypt it was their faith that caused them to doe so they did beleeve the true priviledge they had in Christ this doth raise up the heart and cause us more and more to see the things that are earthly how slippery and flitting they are The third way to rectifie mis-apprehension is experience wee are not so much as to touch us of that thing we have found to be true by experience let a souldier be told of dangerous effects in the warres perswade him what you will and tell him how terrible it is he will not beleeve till by experience he hath felt the smart of it so when a man is entred upon the doing of any difficult thing which he hath beene accustomed to doe the experience hee hath of often being in such dangers and having felt no harme that doth rectifie his affections Experience is a speciall meanes to tame them let a beast be brought to a mans hand that is fearefull at the first but by experience and daily using of it so you tame the beast so our affections are unruly things like untamed beasts but when experience hath discovered them it is a good meanes to rectifie them therefore it is profitable for us to call to minde things that are past If we would but call to minde how such a thing wee joyed in and yet it staid not with us our joy would not be so inordinate in other things If wee would remember how such a crosse we survived our griefe would not be so inordinate in future events The fourth way to rectifie mis apprehension is by the example of others that is to see how others have beene affected with the inordinate affections that we have beene in our selves and examples do râ—nne more into the senses than rules doe therefore thinke of examples to stirre up affections eyther to crosse them or subdue them Wee see by the reading of histories as of the valiant acts of some of the worthies as of Iulius Caesar and others some by reading of the great exployts that they themselves had done have beene stirred up as much as in them lyed to doe the like so that examples of others are very effectuall in this kinde If a man would consider Paul how hee carried himselfe in the things of this life and how David Abraham and Moses were affected to these outward things what they had and what they might have had their examples and such as we have heard of to be holy and righteous men or such as we now know to be such is a great helpe to rectifie the affections and to set the Judgement straight The second cause of inordinate affection is weaknesse and impotency which doth sticke in a man ever since the fall of Adam makes him subject to passion and therefore yee see the weaker sexe as they are weaker in understanding so they are stronger in passion let a man be weake he is so much the more strong in passions and as his streÌ„gth is more so hath he more strength to resist them The way to remedy this is to gather strength the more strength we have the more able we are to resist temptations and as a man is weake so hee is the more subject unto them as when hee is young but strength over-masters them Affections are in a man as humors are in a body when the body is in health it keepes in these humors that it doth not feele them but when a man is sicke then these humours stirre up and trouble a man So when the soule is in health these ill humors of the soule inordinate affections are kept in by maine strength but let the soule grow weake and the passions get strength Now the meanes to get strength against passions is to get a greater measure of the Spirit the more spirit the more strength Ephes. 3. 16. Pray that you may be strengthened by the Spirit of the inward man the more flesh we have in us the more weaknesse wee have the spirit that is in us doth lust after envy pride and the world Now how shall wee helpe it but by the Spirit that is without us that is by the Spirit of God let a man be in such a temper that the Spirit of God may rule and possesse his heart while he is in this temper his ordinate affections will not stirre but when the Spirit is away then there is a hundred waies to cause them to be unruly that which seasons a man is prudence wisedome and grace the more a man hath of these the more able he is to subdue them The third cause of inordinate affections is the lightnesse of the minde when it hath not a right object to pitch it selfe upon which when that wants the affection being left to uncertainties they must needs fall upon wrong objects when a man in his course wanteth an object for his aime the waies of his error are a thousad so when a man doth misse the right object in affection they have a thousand waies to draw to inordinatenesse men run up and downe with their affections upon uncertainty and they never cast how to shun them afterward till the end of their daies be runne out Now to remedy this our way is to finde out the right obiect whereon the affections should be pitched and this object is God that is the affections must all looke towards God and have them fixt upon him you are never able to subdue your affections and to keepe them under till you pitch them upon God whilest our affections are loose they are unsteddy and unconstant every man till his heart be set upon God his affections are wandring up and downe but when a man hath God to set his affections on and they are once setled in him then he seekes another kind of excellency and frames his life after another fashion he sets his affections upon other excellencies As when a man hath a palace for to build if his minde be to have it done with excellent worke-manship then he will take none but principall stones hewne and squared fit for his purpose to build withall but if a man be to