say You professe your selves to be risen with Christ that is that you are in a more excellent estate than you were in by nature and you expect a perfection of glory then it must needs follow That the frame of your hearts must suit with your conditions that is you must bee such as you professe your selves to be and this cannot be except you mortifie sinne all inordinate affections all worldly lusts all immoderate care for earthly things thinke not to get grace salvation and eternall life except first you slay your corruptions and lusts for Mortification is a turning of the heart from evill to good from sinne to grace or it is a working a new disposition in the heart turning it quite contrary Or else it may bee said to bee the slaying of that evill disposition of nature in us Now wee must know that howsoever Mortification is a deadly wound given unto sinne whereby it is disabled to beare any rule or commanding power in the heart of a regenerate man yet we say Mortification is not perfect that is it doth not so slay sinne that we have no sinne at all in us or that wee cease to sinne for in the most regenerate and holiest man that lives there is still the sap of sinne in his heart A tree may have withered branches by reason of some deadly wound given unto the root and yet there may remaine some sap in the root which will in time bring forth other branches so it is with a regenerate man there may a deadly wound be given unto sinne which may cause inordinate affections to wither and yet notwithstanding some sap of sinne may remaine which had need still to be mortified lest otherwise it bring forth other branches Mortification is not for a day only but it must be a continuall worke when thou hast slayne sinne to day thou must slay it tomorrow for sinne is of a quickning nature it will revive if it be not deadly wounded and there is seed in every sinne which is of a spreading nature and will fructifie much therefore when thou hast given a deadly wound unto some speciall corruption rest not there but then set upon the lesser mortifie the branches of that corruption and so much the rather because it will bee an easie worke to overcome the Common souldiers and to put them to flight when the Generall is slaine Wee call Mortification a turning of the heart the heart by nature is backward from God that is it minds and affects nothing but that which is contrary to God it is wholly disposed to earthly things now Mortification alters and changes the heart turning it from earthly to heavenly things even as a river that is stopt in its usuall course is now turned another way so Mortification stops the passage of sinne in the soule turning the faculties the streame of the soule another way the soule was earthly disposed the mind the will and affections were wholly carried after earthly things but now there is a new disposition wrought in the soule the minde and affections are wholly set upon earthly things before he was for the world how hee might satisfie his lusts but now his heart is for grace justification remission of sinnes and reconciliation Here then seeing Mortification is a slaying of sinne and that many doe deceive themselves in the matter of Mortification who thinke that sinne is mortified when it is not and contrariwise others thinke they have not mortified sinne that is they have not given a deadly wound unto sinne because they still feele rebellious lusts intheir hearts therefore for the better explaining of this point of Mortification I will propound two Questions the first shall be for the discovering of hypocrites and the second shall be for the comforting of weake Christians The first Question is Whether sinne may not seeme to bee mortified when it is not mortified but onely asleepe To this I answer That sinne may seeme to be mortified when it is not and that in these particulars First sinne may seeme to be mortified when the occasion is removed As the covetous man may not bee so covetous after the world as he was because he hath not so good an opportunity and thereupon hee may grow remisse and yet this sinne of Covetousnesse is not mortified for let there be occasion or an opportunity offered and you shall finde this sinne as quicke and as lively in him as ever it was before and so for Drunkennesse or any other vice in this kinde when the occasion is removed the sinne may be removed and yet not mortified Secondly sinne may be mortified seemingly when it is not violent but quiet that is when an unruly affection troubles them not they thinke that now that sinne is mortified but they are deceived for it is with sinne as with a disease A man that is sicke of a feaver so long as he is asleepe he feeles no paine because sleepe takes away the sense of it but when he is awake then presenâ—ly hee feeles his paine afresh Even so when sinne doth awake them out of sleepe then they shall finde it was not mortified but they onely asleepe Sampson Iudg. 16. so long as he was asleepe in his sin thought all was well and that his strength was not gone but when hee awakes out of sleepe his sinne awakes and then with much sorrow hee findes that his sinne was not mortified especially when he fell into his enemies hands Thirdly sinne may seeme to bee mortified when it is but removed from one sinne unto another when it is removed from a lesse to a greater or from a greater to a lesse As for example A man may not be so covetous as hee was and thinke with himselfe that this his sinne is mortified when as indeed it is not mortified but onely removed unto another for now it may be hee is growne ambitious and seekes after honour and therefore it stands not now with his reputation and credit to bee covetous hereupon hee may grow bountifull and neverthelesse his sinne of covetousnesse be unmortified And so for drunkennesse and such as desire pleasure their mindes and delights may be changed and the sinne of the soule be not yet mortified Sinne is to the soule as diseases are to the body now we know that diseases of the body usually remove from one place to another or at the least grow from a lesse to a greater so it is with sinne in the soule it will remove from one faculty to another Fourthly sinne may seeme to be mortified when the conscience is affrighted with the Judgements of God either present upon him or threatned against him now by the power of restraining grace a man may be kept from sinne that is hee may so bridle his affections that he may keepe sinne from the action he may forsake drunkennesse covetousnesse pride and the like and yet his sinne be not mortified for here is the difference
divers sorts of affections so there are divers sorts of distempers as the affection of anger hath its distemper and this is more visible when anger is gone it is daily seen and therefore is of no great difficulty to bee discerned there are other kind of affections which doe continue in a man when his heart is habitually carried to an inordinate lust as to pride vaine-glory love of the world no such affection can be wel discerned whil'st that continues in a man take a man that hath a continued affection it is hard for him to discerne it because it doth with its continuance habitually corrupt the Judgement and blind the reason and yet you are to labour to discerne it And that you may two wayes First bring your affections to the rule and touchstone Secondly That you may better know their aberration from the rule consider whether the affection have any stop an affection is like a river if you let it run without any stop or resistance it runs quietly but if you hinder its course it runnes more violently so it is with your affections if you doe not observe to know the stops and lets of them you shall not observe the violence of them so well So then the first way for a man to come to know his affectiōs is to observe them in any extraordinary accident if any losse come to a man in his estate or if he be crost in his sports or hindred of his purpose let him consider how he doth beare it that is try how you carry yourselves towards it this wil be a good meanes to discover our affections when they come to these stops and lets they are best discerned by us Secondly in this case it is good wee make use of others eyes a man sees not that in himselfe which a stander by doth hee is free from the affection which another is bent unto and therefore another can better judge of it as a man that is sicke of a feaver hee cannot judge aright of tasts because hee hath lost the sense of tasting that which is sweet may seeme bitter unto him but he that is in health can judge of tasts as they are therefore it is good to make use of friends and if we have no friends it is wisedome in this case to make use of an enemy that is to observe what inordinatnesse hath beene in them and what hath happened unto them therby and so to judge of our owne And this is the first thing that I wil cōmend unto you to labor to see your affections and to be convinced of them when this is done in the next place we wil come to see the causes of inordinate affections and seeing we are applying medicines as we shall see the causes of inordinate affections so to each of them we shall adde their remedies The first cause of inordinate affection is mis-apprehension that is when wee doe not apprehend things aright our affections follow our apprehensions as we see in a sensible appetite if a thing bee beautifull we are apt to love it and like of it but if it bee deformed wee are apt to hate it for as things doe represent themselves to the will so we are apt to conceive of them the will turnes a mans actions this way or that way notwithstanding the understanding is the pilot that turnes the will so that our apprehension is the first cause of inordinat affections by this we overvalue things that are evill and undervalue things that are good Rectifie therefore the apprehension and heale the disease labour to have the Judgement informed and you shall see things as they are Affections as I said before are of two sorts one sensuall arising from fancy the other rationall arising from judgement all that we can say for the former affections is this men might doe much to weaken those affections in them if they would take paines by removing the objects that is by with-drawing the fewell and turning the attentions another way if we cannot subdue any sensuall affections in us let us be subdued unto it and be as any dead man In case that we are surprised by such vanities yet let us not hasten to action or execution All that in this case a man can doe is as a pilot whose shippe is in great danger to bee cast away by reason of a great tempest all that he can doe is to looke to the safety of the ship that waters come not into it at any place that it be not overthrowne so these evill affections that are in our rationall appetite are these evill inclinations of the will that are lent either to riches pleasure vaine-glory or the like objects of reason Now to rectifie your mis-apprehension of them first get strong reasons for to doe it reade the Scriptures furnish your selfe with spirituall arguments be acquainted with such places as ye may see therby the sinfulnesse of such affections it is great wisedome in a man first to finde out the thing he is inordinately affected to and never to rest till he find the things that are sinfull in him therefore the applying of reason will make us able to doe it and if we can doe so we shall be able to go through the things of this world rightly You are inordinately affected to wealth Apply reason and Scripture here as thus It is a wisemans part to use earthen vessels as silver and silver vessels as earthen the one will serve for use as well as the other so in the things of the world hee that is strong in reason and wise were they represented to him as they are he would use a great estate without setting his heart upon it more then if it were a mean one in the condition of this life he would would so carry himselfe as if he used them not this the Apostle have us to doe to use the world as though we used it not and then we should think the best things of the world to bee of no moment and that we have no cause to rejoyce in them Wee are to use the world with a weaned affection not be inordinately carried with love therupon in worldly things there is a usefulnesse to be looked at but to seeke to finde baites in them and to set our hearts upon them that will hurt us exceedingly if wee looke for excellency in worldly things and touch them too familiarly they wil burne scorch us but if we use them for our necessity and so use them as if we did not wee shall finde great benefit and comfort by them This is the difference betweene earthly and spirituall things you must have knowledge of these and this knowledge must be affective the more love you have the better it is but in earthly things the lesse love we have the better it is for in earthly things if our love exceed our knowledge they are subject to hurt us What is the reason a man takes to heart the
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
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
the portion of Gods children the most holiest and dearest of Gods Saints many times are subject unto this alteration and yet be deare precious in the sight of God As we see in David and Peter But there is great difference betwixt the slacknesse of the Saints and the wicked backsliding the godly they may slacke but it is but for a time he is cold and remisse in the dutiâ—s of holinesse but it lasts not it vanisheth away on the other side the wickedlye continue in Apostacy unto the end in these it is naturall but unto the other it is but the instigation of the devill working by some lust upon one of the faculties Now slacknesse or coldnesse of Gods children may seeme to proceed from a threefold cause First from that hollow haâ—tednesse that is in the children of God which like a hollow wall fals when it is shaken because it was not firm so their hearts being not firmly established in grace nor rooted in the knowledg of Christ when afflictions or reproches come it shakes down that hold which they seemed to have of Christ. Secondly the next cause may proceed from the evill example of men which by their insinuation may draw their affections away and carry them from that love that they had towards God therefore take heed to the insinuation of wickedmen they will first labour to know the desire of your heart and then they will fit themselves accordingly to deceive you and besides the devill workes effectually by them Thirdly the last cause may proceed from this that he is removed from under a powerfull ministery which formerly he lived under unto a carelesse shepheard or at least an unprofitable one hereupon he may grow remisse and cold in the duties of Religion but neverthelesse although this ariseth from men yet the cause is in themselves for what is the reason that they fal but because they find spirituall things dead in them and an in-lacke of grace Therfore I beseech you take heed of falling away for if a man should runne in the wayes of holinesse and catch heat that is bee enlightned and then sit downe in a consumption of grace or fall sicke of the love of the world surely it is a fearefull sinne therefore let this teach every man to take heed to his standing First for those that doe stand let them take heed that nothing take away their hold whether it be profit pleasure or delight these the divell will use as instruments to beguile you but take heed that you bee not deceived by them Secondly for those that have fallen unto earthly mindednesse let them learne with Philadelphia to repent and to doe their first workes that is let them labour to get out of this condition Thirdly for those that have not yet tasted of the sweetnesse of Christ let them here learne to be ashamed of themselves because they have neglected so great salvation and those that have had the meanes of grace a long time preacht unto them in the evidence of the Spirit and yet have not beene renewed that is have not left their swinish disposition may here be ashamed But it is a hard matter to perswade the world of the truth of this point the Ministers may speake and perswade but it is God that must change the heart and make the man willing to have his corruptions mortified We speake but to two sorts of people young men and old First young men when they are perswaded to forsake the world they reply It stands not with their youth to set upon this worke they are not able or at least not willing to leave their pleasure Secondly old men when they are perswaded to forsake the world reply also and say They have been instructed have made choyce of this and therefore arenow unwilling to repent of their earthly mindednesse lest they should be reputed remisse and weake in their judgements therfore now they will not change their estates which they have lived so long in But howsoever it is hard for a man to draw men out of their swinish condition yet it is an easier worke if God will be the instructer if hee doe put his Spirit into the heart it will easily expell the workes of the divell those strong holds that Satan hath in the heart Now the reasons that make men minde earthly things to sticke so fast unto them are these First because earthly things are present To this may bee rereplyed It is true earthly things are not at all to come for that which we have is present those things of the world which wee enjoy and have in possession are present as riches honour and the like yet there are other things that are present which are of a higher nature which we ought to set our hearts upon if we will be lead by presents for Joy in the holy Ghost is present and Justification is present and Regeneration is present Remission of sinnes is present Reconciliation is present and you will say that these are farre better than the things of this world But say that these were not present but to come yet we account it a part of wisdome to part with a thing present that is of smal account for hope of a better afterwards who is there that will not part with a smal thing present upon condition of enjoying of a greater afterwards the world and the things of the world are nothing in comparison of grace and salvation therefore what if thou forsake all these things upon condition you shall get eternall life for them hereafter For this is the difference betweene reason and sense Nature is carried away by sense it delights in that which it feeles now sense is present but reason goes according to judgement and rests upon hope therefore let the children of God use their spirituall reason in the forbearing of present worldly delights in hope of enjoying of better things and take heed of sense bee not led away by it for it is usually a great meanes to draw our heart and affections from grace to earthly things Luk. 15. 23. the rich glutton when hee was in torment had this answer from abraham Sonne remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy pleasure that is thou hadst it then when it was not a time for pleasure thou wast led away by sense and now thou must be punished The Apostle Iam. 5. 5. pronounceth a woe upon rich men because you received your consolation here that is youhave received plesure in a wroÌ„g place for the earth is no place for true pleasure therefore you have received your consolation you can expect no other pleasure herafter for you have sought true content where it is not therfore woe unto you A man that minds earthly things is like a man that hath a great graspe which cannot hold any thing more except he let fall that which he hath earthly minded men they
Conscience come before thee and thou dare not doe justice for feare of him but will in this case rather breake with God it is a signe that there is no true grace in thee thou art as yet earthly minded but if thou bee heavenly minded thou wilt set thy resolution thus This thing I know to be just and right it is a matter of Conscience though all the men in the world should be angry with me yet I will doe it And therefore our Saviour saith Except hee deny himselfe he cannot be my Disciple Luk. 9. 23. that is if hee cast off all selfe-love of these outward things so as he will not set his heart immoderately upon them But it is now farre otherwise with men they will doe as other men doe like the Planets they will turne euery way and therefore it is impossible but Satan should catch these men because they love to play with his bait deceive not thy selfe if thou forsake some and doe not forsake all thou art as yet not heavenly minded For a man may not be altogether covetous and yet not renewed hee may not gripe so fast after the world as another and yet not bee depending upon God such an one is but an earthly minded man so a man may be religious a while and hee may deny himselfe either some sinne or else the company of wicked men and yet when he comes but unto this that hee must deny himselfe in all his pleasures here he stands at a stay Gods grace and salvation and he parts hee will not buy it at so deare a rate as to lose his pleasure in these outward things But you will say unto me How shall we doe to get this loathing of earthly things Therefore for the better helping of you unto this worke we will now come downeto consider some meanes by which you may obtaine it First if you would get a loathing of earthly things the first meanes is to get a sound Humiliation For what is the reason men doe so minde earthly things and why they doe not place heavenly things before but because they have not felt the bitternesse of sinne Now the true ground of Humiliation is the hating of sinne out of love unto God but men turne it another way they make another ground of Humiliation For first it may bee they are humble because the feare of judgement that is present or one that is likely to ensue but not for sinne as it is displeasing to God their heart it may bee is broken but it is not made better Secondly it may be they are humbled because of some generall losse of outward things or of some generall judgement that is befallen the land or it may be a particular losse of credit or the like but not for any particular sinne Thirdly it may be there was a deeper ground the persons of some men that were rich but now are fallen and therefore because their hopes depended upon this man and now being unable to helpe them they are dejected But this is a false Humiliation for true Humiliation consisteth in an abstaining from sinne because it is displeasing unto God and a raising up of the heart by Faithin Christ to beleeve the promises both of Justification and Remission of sinnes and then from hence flowes a loathing of sinne Secondly if you would get a loathing of earthly things you must remember the royaltie of the spirituall things what the excellencie of them is they farre suâ—passe all the things in the world Grace hath the greatest power in it it is able to quench fire to stop the mouthes of Lions Heb. 11. 34. Now if men did but beleeve that there were such a power in Grace they would never bee brought to minde earthly things therefore labour to ground your selves in the true knowledge of God get good arguments in your selves of the preciousnesse of heavenly things for if a man be not thus grounded but shall see greater arguments to the contrary hee will presently beginne to suspect that spirituall things are not the best Now when a Christian is thus grounded hee is able to discerne things of a contrary nature therefore bring them unto the triall and the more you try spirituall things by a sanctified judgement the more excellent they will appeare but if they be not spirituall things the more you looke upon them the baser they seeme to be Thirdly if you would get a loathing of earthly things then labour to keepe a constant and diligent watch over your hearts for when a man sets his heart and mind upon earthly things they will worke carelesnesse and remisnesse of better things it so possesseth his heart with feare that hee altogether neglecteth spirituall things it will make thee carelesse in prayer and other holy duties Take heede therefore of filling thy heart with earthly things for it will take away the rellish of spirituall things and if once the sweetnesse of them be gone thou wilt make small account of them Take heed of too much pleasure for then you will neglect prayer in private and take heed of abundance of riches for they haue a drawing power in them And here what Christ spake unto the Church of Smyrna Rev. 3. 8 9. I know thou art rich c. may be said unto you I know you are rich by the great labour ye take after the riches men take much paines forthe getting and keeping of earthly things then how much more should they labour to get and keepe spirituall things labour to keepe your hearts in tune labour to keepe a rellish of spirituall things in your hearts and expell whatsoever is contrary unto it Take heed of immoderate love of riches pleasure or honour take heed that you incroach not upon the Sabbath set that apart for the inriching of your soules I speake not this because I would have you carelesse in your places and callings but I would have you cast off all unnecessary occasions and businesses which you draw upon your selves by reason whereof ye neglect better things It now remaines that I give you some meanes to get heavenly mindednesse The first meanes if you would get heavenly mindednesse is this you must labour to get Faith for the more Faith thou hast the more thou art in heaven Faith overcomes the world which sets upon us two wayes first by promising things that are good secondly by threatning that which is evill Now Faith overcomes both these For First the world tels thee that if thou wilt be earthly minded thou shalt get respect and credit thou shalt get an Inheritance thou shalt be a King but Faith tels thee that if thou wilt be heavenly minded thou shalt get credit and respect with God and his Angels and an Inheritance undefiled immortall which fadeth not away thou shalt be as a King and a Prince here in this life over the world the divell and thine owne corruptions over
all these thou shalt bee more than a Conquerour and have a Crowne of glory in the life to come Secondly the world tels thee that if thou wilt not be earthly minded thou shalt lose thy wealth riches thy honour and thy credit nay thy life also but Faith tels thee that if thou beest earthly minded thou shalt lose thy spirituall life and riches and shalt be poore in the graces of the Spirit thou shalt lose honour and credit with God and his children nay thou shalt lose eternall life Thus Faith overcomes our inordinate affections to the world and makes us heavenly minded The second meanes if you would get heavenly mindednesse is this you must labour for Humilitie this is that which the Apostle Iames exhorts us unto Iam. 4. 8. Clense your hands you sinners and purisie your hearts you double minded and then humble your selves cast your selves downe and the Lord wil raise you up Where we may note that before our hearts hands can be clensed we must be cast downe This we may see in the parable of the Sower Luk. 8. 8. two of the sorts of ground were not fit to receive seed because they were not humbled and therfore the Word had not that effect in them as it had in those that were humbled plowed and had the clods broken It is with an humble soule as it is with an hungry and thirsty man tell him of gold and silver hee cares not for it onely give him meat and drinke for that is the thing he most desires and stands most in need of or like a condemned man tel him of lands and possessions hee regards them nothing at all for nothing will satisfie him but a pardon so it is with a Christian that is humbled and cast downe under the sense of the wrarh of God for sinne tell him of any thing in the world in the most learned and excellentest manner that possibly you can yet nothing will satisfie him but the love and favour of God in Christ hee can rellish nothing but heavenly things nothing will quench his thirst but the imputed righteousnesse of Christ. Thus you see that Humilitie is an excellent meanes unto heavenly mindednesse The third meanes if you would get heavenly mindednesse is this thou must labour to get thy judgement rightly informed especially concerning earthly things The reason wherefore men are so besotted with the world is because they doe not conceive of the things in the world so as indeed they are they thinke better of them then they deserve and looke for that from them which they cannot afford them therefore heare what the Preacher saith of them Salomon saith that they are vanitie and vexation of spirit yea he cals all vanity and in another place he compares them to things that are most variable and most uncertaine as to grasse that withereth to a shadow that is suddenly gone this is the esteeme that the Wiseman had of earthly things And thereby we may see that they are not truly good because they are uncertaine things and promise that which they cannot performe unto us for at the best they are but things wherein as through a crevice we have a small glimpse of the true good yet they themselves are not over-good because they are not the cause whereby the chiefe Good is produced neither are wee able to keepe them for at such or such a time they will bee gone so that they are neither true good nor our good and therefore this should weane us and our hearts from them But let us strive to set our affections on things that are durable good and substantiall good which will not deceive us and will promise us nothing but that which it will performe farre beyond our deserts therefore labour for a right informed judgement The fourth meanes if you would get heavenly mindednesse is this Labour to get a sight into the All-sufficiencie of God Remember what the Lord said unto Abraham I am God All-sufficient walke before me and bee upright God is an All-sufficient God for generall good things of this life are at the best but particular good as health is a particular good against sicknesse wealth and riches a particular good against poverty honour and credit a particular good against disgrace but God is a generall good and the fountaine of all goodnesse other things are but created like cisternes that good they have is put in them therefore the Lord complaines of the people Ier. 2. 13. They have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and have digged to themselves Cisternes that will hold no water that is they have forsaken God the fountaine of all good and have chosen unto themselves the creatures that have no more good than that which comes from God the fountaine As a man that forsakes a fountaine that continually runnes and betakes himselfe to a crack'd Cisterne that hath no water but that which commeth from the fountaine and is also subject to lose his water so when men set their hearts on earthly things they forsake God who is All-sufficient for them and seeke to his Creatures which are insufficient and unable to helpe themselves therefore you ought to thinke of these things to the end you may be heavenly minded The fifth meanes to get heavenly mindednesse is this To Remember from whence thou art fallen Rev. 2. 5. this is for those that have beene heavenly minded and now are earthly minded It is with many Christians as it is with the shadow on the Diall the Sunne passeth and they know not how or as a man going to Sea first hee loseth a sight of the Townes and houses then the sight of the Churches and Steeples and then hee loseth the sight of the mountaines and hils then at last hee seeth nothing but the motion of the Seas so there are many Christians that make a godly shew of profession at first but by degrees they fall away till at length they become nothing they leave the good profession and take up an outward professing of Christianitie and doe all in hypocrisie it is with these men as it is with a man that hath a Consumption in his bodie first he growes weake secondly he loseth his colour thirdly hee loseth his rellish and taste and this is the most dangerous of all so it is in a spirituall Consumption first they are weake and feeble to performe holy duties secondly they lose their colour that is their cheerefulnesse in the performance of holy duties thirdly which is the worst of all they lose their rellish they cannot taste wholsome Doctrine they delightnot in the pure Word and this is dangerous and hard to be recovered A Consumption at first is more easily cured than discerned and at length it is more easily discovered than cured so it is with the spirituall the sicknesse and the weaknesse of the soule may at the first be more easily cured than discerned but when they
world nor their affections to be drawne away and therefore the Apostle saith that he chastiseth every sonne whom he doth receive that is if a man or a woman doe belong unto God they shall be sure of sorrow and affliction and these are sent unto them to weane them from the things of this world to purge out of their hearts that sweetnesse that they are ready to conceive in these outward things by reason of that corruption that is in them Secondly if they be wicked men and doe not belong unto God yet there shall be no sweetnesse in them for if he be not regenerate outward things are not sanctified where theyare not sanctified unto a man or a woman no sweetnes can be expected from them And the reason is because they have not peace of conscience which proceeds from grace Now howsoever worldly men may seeme to the world to have true content and to be filled with joy yet the truth is it is a sick joy for their consciences are ever accusing of them and they are in a continual feare that they shall lose one another therefore the Lord will be sure to afflict them Psa. 55. 19. the Lord will heare and afflict these because they have no changes therfore they feare not God therfore dost thou see a wicked man prosper in the world and is not subject to such crosses losses as other men are it is a foule signe that that man doth not belong unto God but is one whom God hath appointed unto damnation For this is the nature of earthly mindednes it casts out of the heart the feare of God in an unregenerate man now where Gods feare is not Gods grace wil not help that man But this is not usual for the Lord most commonly meets with them here either by afflicting of judgements upon them or else with sudden death but if hee doe not meet with them here it is because their judgements may be the greater that when they have heapt up the measure of their sinne then God wil heap up the measure of their punishment and the measure of his wrath to presse them downe unto hell Now what if God deferre the execution of Judgement it is not because there is any slacknesse in God as if he did not regard them but the Apostle saith that t is his Patience 1 Pet. 3. 20. hee takes notice of it hee puts it upon record hee remembers it well enough but he is a patient God that is he waits for their conversion Now patience is an attribute of God and every attribute of God is God himselfe for there is nothing that is in God but it is God Patience I say is one of the Attributes by which God hath made himselfe knowne unto us now when men abuse this Attribute of God hardning themselves from his feare hee will certainly meet with them what and if God doe deferre long it is not because hee shall escape unpunished for saith God When I begin I will make an end that is I will strike but once they shall have no more time for repentance they shall not abuse my patience any more This is a fearefull Judgement of God when God doth proceed by prosperitie to destroy them and it was the judgement the Lord threatned against the two sonnes of Ely Hophni and Phineas 1 Sam. 3. 22. Thus you see there is no sweetnesse in outward things for a man to set his heart upon them The third Motive to move all men to leave their earthly mindednesse is because if a man or woman be earthly minded they cannot be saved and who is there amongst us that would not willingly be saved All men doe desire salvation and yet there are but few that in truth doe desire it because their practice of life is not answerable to such a desire for the Apostle saith He that hath this hope purgeth himselfe that is hee will take spirituall Physicke the grace of the Spirit which will throughly purge out this earthly mindednesse or at leastwise keepe it under that it shall not bee able to beare dominion in his heart Now I say there is a necessitie laid upon every man to be heavenly minded for so our Saviour saith Mat. 6. 24. No man can serve two masters he cannot serve God and Mammon that is hee cannot serve God with one part of his soule and the world with another you cannot be earthly minded and heavenly minded God will have all the soule or none God will admit of no Co-partnership hee will not be a sharer with the world of that which is his right Againe two contraries in nature cannot stand together now there is nothing so contrary as God and the world and therefore the Apostle saith If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him that is if he set the world in the first place he cannot keepe the love of God God and his grace will depart from that man It is a thing contrary to nature to serve two masters men cannot beare it for there can be but part serving and surely it is not so contrary to a man as it is contrary unto God therefore it is the folly of men that thinke they may retaine their earthly mindednesse and yet serve God too but it is unpossible to joyne these two in any action and yet be acceptable to God Faith is that which is the ornament of every action Whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne now every earthly minded man is a faithlesse man it keepes Faith out of the soule whether it bee love of riches or honour or pleasure though it bee but a depending on the approbation of such or such a man it will keepe Faith out of the soule so saith our Saviour Ioh. 5. 44. How can ye beleeve seeing ye seeke honour one of another and not the honour that commeth of God The cause that they wanted Faith was because they preferred the approbation of mâ—n and sought that before the gifts and graces of God for it is unpossible you should beleeve so long as you retaine any affection of vaine-glory Luk. 9. 23. our Saviour gives two markes of a true Christian the one is to deny himselfe and the other is to take up the Crosse therefore it is not onely required that a man deny himselfe the pleasures and profits of the world and all inordinate affections but he must also take up the crosse he must be willing to suffer for Christ reproach disdaine and shame for there is as great a necessity laid upon him to suffer as to deny himselfe and thinke thinke not your selves heavenly mindâ—d except you finde in you a heart willing to suffer for Christ. The fourth motive to move all men to forsake earthly mindednesse is because it is the better part and every man would have the best part but it is a hard matter to perswade men that that is the best part for
carnally by a bare understanding but spiritually by the worke of the Spirit and therefore sâ—ith Paul 2 Cor. 5. 16. Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have knowne Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know wee him no more that is wee knew him before in a carnall manner as he is man or as he was a man amongst us but now we know him in another manner as he is our Saviour and our Redeemer Christ my Saviour and my Reconciliation to the Father Now it is not a bare knowledge that I speake of such a knowledge as is attained unto by Learning and Art for so a man may have knowledge and yet not be heavenly minded but that knowledge I speake of is a knowledge that is wrought by the Spirit when it hath changed the heart then hee is able to judge both of Persoâ—s and Things 〈◊〉 for Persons hee is able to judge of the perâ—â—â—s of men and accordingly to make a difference betweene men if hee see a poore man that is a sound Christian though hee bee contemned in the eyes of the world yet if it appeare to him that he hath grace in his heart or if hee make an outward profession of love to God hee doth highly esteeme of him because of grace on the contrary if hee see a great man though in great honour and esteeme with men yet he respects him not if he want grace Therefore examine your selves whether you are able to distinguish of persons in this kinde Secondly for things he is able to judge of things whether they be spirituall or earthly he is able now to know what is truth and to embrace it and what is error and to refuse it hee hath now a Touch-stone in himselfe that is hee hath the Spirit of discerning whereby he makes tryall of graces and layes hold on those which will endure the touch those hee will receive as spirituall the other which will not he casts out as counterfeit therefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 9. The eye hath not seene nor the eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him that is hee was not able to judge of things in that manner as now hee can Therefore examine your selves whether there bee a new life put into you whereby you are able to judge of persons and things in another manner than you did before But you will say unto mee How shall I know that my heart is renewed by the Spirit and that there is a new life put into me To this I answer that you shall know whether your heart is renewed by the Spirit by these three things first by thy affections secondly by thy speeches and thirdly by thy actions First I say thou shalt know it by thy affections for by these thou maist know whether thou be heavenly minded or no and that thou maist not doubt of it our Saviour gives the same marke of a renewed heart Mat. 6. 21. Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also you may know that where your heart is there is your treasure what your heart is set upon there your affections are for the proper seat of love is the heart Now if the heart be renewed and regenerated by the spirit there will be a love of spirituall things and this love will be get heavenly affections A man may certainly know what estate he is in whether hee be regenerate or no by his affections how he is affected what love hee beares unto heavenly things for there is life in affections and as a man that lives knowes that hee lives so a man that hath spirituall love in his heart towards God cannot but certainly know it except it be in time of temptation and then it may be he may not find that love of God in his heart but this sense of the want of the love of God is but for a time it continues not therfore the holy Ghost when hee would describe a heavenly minded man hee describes him by his affections as the best marke to try him by as Abraham would command his servants to serue God and Nehemiah feared God and David Psal. 112. 1. delighted greatly in the commandements of God now wherfore did they obey God and feare God and delight in the Commandements of God but because of that inward love they beare unto him We know every man can tell whether he loves such a man or such a thing or whether hee hates such a man or such a thing by the affection hee beares to them in like manner a man may know whether hee be heavenly or earthly minded by the affections he carries towards the things he affects therefore examine your selves what are the things that you love most that you thinke upon most that you take care of most that you take most care to get and to keepe are they earthly or heavenly things those things you doe love best and your affections are most set upon that your thoughts are most troubled withall if they be earthly you may iustly feare your estates for the affections flow from love and therefore if you did not love them you would not set your hearts and affections upon them Secondly you shall know whether your hearts be renewed by your Speeches now this may seeme but a slender signe of a renewed heart because it is hard to iudge aright by outward appearances to know the sincerity of the hart by the speeches yet seeing Christ makes it a signe of a renewed heart I may the more safely follow him our Saviour saith Mat. 12. 34. that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh that is there is abundance in the heart either of good or evill Now if the heart be full of heavenly mindednesse if I say this abundance that is in the heart be grace then it will appeare in the speeches for the speeches doe naturally flow from the affections that are in the heart but if the abundance that is in the heart be evill then the heart cannot but send out foule speeches and rotten communication and therfore our Saviour saith A good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit nor an evill tree good fruit it is unpossible that a heart which doth abound and is full of earthly mindednesse but it will breake forth and appeare by his speeches the filthinesse that is in his heart if it have not vent it will burst as wee know a new vessell that hath wine put into it must have a vent or else it will burst and by the vent you may know what wine it is so the speeches are the vent of the heart and by them you may see what is in the heart if grace be there the speech s will favour of it as a Caske will taste of that which is in it But you will say The heart is of a great depth
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
build a mud wall any rubbish and trash will serve the turne to make it up So when our affections are on high matters such as God and Christ they looke upon things that are noble and not upon the rubbish and trash of the world wee will choose the principallest stones for our spirituall building but if otherwise we strive to finde contentment in the creatures we care not how wee come by them that is any rubbish will serve the turne to get riches withall and honour and preferment in the world but if ever you will set your affections straight pitch them upon God The fourth cause of inordinate affections is that confusion that riseth in the heart at the first rising of them and they are the vapours and mists that blinde the reason and make a man unable to resist them because the putting out of the eye of reason must needs trouble a man exceedingly even as a moate in a mans eye troubles him that he cannot see as he should doe And therefore these mists that are cast upon the eye of reason doe make a man unable to resist them In such a case the way to helpe them is this to make up the bankes when the river is at the lowest ebbe that is to make up the bankes of our affections before the tide of inordinate affections do come in we are not at first able to rule these inordinate affections but yet if the banks be made up afore-hand we may mortifie them A man is to consider before how he is able to be affected and for this let him looke into the former waies and see how he hath beene affected and how he is apt to be affected againe and when he is in such circumstances let him take a good resolution never to returne to such inordinate affections as he did afore When a man is sicke of an Ague to give him physicke when hee is in a sore fit is not the fittest way it is not then in season but it were best to be done in his good daies before his fit so we are to make up the banke of our affections before the tide of inordinate affections doe come to have a strong resolution we will not be led by such an affection as before And if this prevaile not then we are to suspend the execution of our passions that is to doe nothing for a time If a man finde any passion in himselfe let him abstaine for that time if it be possible from the doing of that which it moves him unto because that he is then most subject to doe amisse You see a barrell of Beere if it be stirred at the bottome draw it presently and it will runne muddy but if you let it rest a while and then draw it it will runne cleare so a man in his passion his reason is muddy and his actions will not come off cleare therefore it is good to suspend the execution howsoever For the suspending of the action in time of passion is very profitable though a man thinke for the present whilest the passion is upon him that he doth not erre yet because then we are most subject to erre suspend for a while Passion is a hindrance to the faculty as jogging is to the arme when it is a shooting or unto the hand when it is a writing therefore when a man doth find that passion is on him let him do nothing A drunken mans wisest courseis to go home and do nothing that night unlesse the good work of repentance our passion is a kind of drunkennes the one is almost as subject to mis-take an error as the other The fifth cause of inordinate affections is the corruption of Nature which is in every man since the fall of Adam Will you know the reason why Beares and Wolves and Lyons carry themselves so cruelly It is because their nature is to doe so Wil you know why a sinful man is subject to affect things inordinately the reason is because he hath a bad nature it is naturall to him to doe it and as ready to him as sparkles of fire to fly upwards We see some men are apt to be taken with such a disease that is bred and borne with them they cannot escape it Now the remedy to remove the evilnesse of nature is to get new natures that is to get another nature a holy regenerate disposition untill then men shall neuer be able to doe it many labour to mortifie their affections but yet cannot because they are busie about the particulars and never regard the generall they can never make the branch good except they make the tree good therefore the way to mortifie is to get a new nature Consider whether your nature be renued whether that be cast into a new mould if it be this is the way to mortifie inordinate affection this is the way for the generall So also it should be our care for any particular affection that wee finde our selves most prone to by nature labour to thwart nature in that particular Are you given to wrath by nature endeavour to be humbler and meeker then other men Is your nature more inclined to desire of gain Labour to be established with a more free spirit and this will be a meanes to mortifie you otherwise you shall never waine your hearts from earthly things till you have a taste of such spirituall things that is you shall never win your hearts from joyes except you have joy and delight in Christ you shall never overcome the griefe of losses and crosses except you turne your affections to see the loathsomnesse of sinne Contraries in nature do expell one another cold is expelled with heate darknesse with light so you must expell carnall affections with spirituall The 6 ht cause of inordinate affections is carelesnesse and remisnesse that is want of spirituall watchfulnes over the heart when men rather give occasion unto the affections to be inordinate than prevent the occasions of it For the cure of this take heed not of sinne onely but of the occasions of sinne for a man to hate sinne and not to hate the occasions of it is to deceive himselfe that is all one as for a man to walke upon Ice that is afraid of falling Iron will move if the loadstone be neer so the affections will stirre up if there be any alluring sinfull object And therefore if sinne knock at the doore of your hearts you must not let it in presently but aske his errand plead the cause with it and consider the hindrances and inconveniences that come by it For a man to say I will give over my lusts and yet will keepe such company as hee did before and use his old haunts he doth but deceive himselfe Prov. 22 19. Make no freindship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not goe Prov. 23. 30 Benot amongst wine-bibbers that is if thou hast used this company and