Sins Overthrow, Part 4
HOVV TO MORTIFIE EVILL CONCVPISCENCE.
COLOS. 3. 5.
Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanenesse, inordinate affection, evill concupiscence, &c.
NOw I should proceede to some application of this point, but because there is a third particular which hath much affinity with the two former, namely, fornication, and uncleanenesse, I will first speake of that which is here in my Text, evill concupiscence.
By concupiscence men doe understand a degree of this lust of uncleanenesse, and it is an evill inclination in the power of the Soule.
The Doctrine is, this evill concupiscence is one of Doctrine.the Sinnes which are likewise to be mortified; Wee had neede give a reason for it, because men will hardly be perswaded to thinke it a Sinne, thus it was with the Heathen, they thought there was no Sinne in it.
The first reason is, If Concupiscence doe cleave unto Reason 1.a man, that is, evill inclinations which the soule by sinne is bent unto, then actuall sinne wil follow, which is the fruit of this concupiscence: It is as a sparke of fire, which being let alone, will grow greater and greater, and like a leven, though little at the first, yet doth it leven the whole lumpe, so that it doth produce the works of the flesh, and therefore it is to be mortified.
The second reason is, although a man doe not fall into actuall sinne presently, after there is concupiscence Reason 2.in the heart, yet being unmortified, it hideth the sinne in a man, and so defiles him, and makes him proane to an evill disposition, and also to be abominable before God: Therefore mortifie concupiscence before it come to have vigour and strength in thee.
A man is said to be an evill man, when hee is distracted from Good to Evill, now evill concupiscence makes a man to be so.
There are evill inclinations in a good man, and yet it is by way of Antithesis, it is not his complexion and constitution to have them. Now an evill man hath concupiscence, and the same is his complexion, and constitution so to be: Therefore if evill concupiscence be not mortified, it makes a man to be bad, and in this regard wee ought to cleanse our selves from the pollution of this sinne.
The third reason is, Evill concupiscence being in a man, it doth marre all his good actions. To mingle Reason 3.water with wine, it makes the wine the worse; To mingle drosse with silver, it makes the silver the more impure; So evill concupiscence being in the Soule of a man, it doth staine and blemish his good actions; when the string of an Instrument is out of tune; then the Musick doth jarre. A man that hath strong concupiscence in him, he will desire to come to the execution of the works of them, and so it will hauehave an influence to the effect, and will staine and blemish any good worke hee goes about; so that evill concupiscence making a man to be evill, it doth blemish and staine all the good actions that man goes about, in that hee doth performe them either with vaineglory or selfe respect.
The fourth reason why evill concupiscence should Reason 4.be mortified, is, because that otherwise the commandements of God will be grievous unto us, 1. Iohn 5. 3. For this is the love of God, that wee keepe his commaundements, and his commaundements are not grieuous. The commaundements of God are not onelyonly to be kept of us, but so to be kept, that they may be delightfull unto us, Psalm. 103. 1. Blesse the Lord O my soule, and all that is within me blesse his holy name: when concupiscence doth lye in the soule of a man, in its full vigour and strength unmortified, it doth draw in him a reluctance from good duties, as when a man doth will one thing that is good, and an evill inclination doth set upon him, then the commaundements of God will be grievous unto him, even as a man will be unwilling to carrie a burthen long.
Now I proceede to shew you three things observable Three things ob…erue to be in Conc… piscen…e.in this word concupiscence:
First, what the nature of it is.
Secondly, the sinfulnesse of it.
Thirdly, the operation or workes of it.
First, for the better understanding what it is, know that in the soule of man there is a facility, Secondly, there is an inclination, which doth adhere to the facultie, and thirdly there are actuall desires which flow from that inclination, by way of Similitude, the Simile.better to conceive. First in the mouth there is a pallate, secondly, the desired humour, and thirdly the tast; So in thesoule of man, First, there is the naturall affection, secondly, there is an inclination which is the tuneablenesse, or untuneablenesse of it, and thirdly, there is the desire, or actuall works of it.
By concupiscence is meant, the evill inclination, What's meant by concupiscence.and the fruits of the evill inclination, and by it the habituall concupiscence, from whence the actuall desires of evill will follow. Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies, that yee should obey it in the lust thereof. First there is a sinne, secondly, the lust of that sinne, and thirdly the obedience, that is consent to the sinne. There is a concupiscence that is naturall, and another that is morall. As there is a concupiscence that is bad, so is there another that is good, and a third that is neither good nor evill. There was in Christ a desire to live, though it were Gods will he should die, yet obeying, hee did not sinne. On fast dayes we are commanded so to doe, yet the desire to tast corporall food on such a day is not sinne.
Secondly, it doeth proceed from sinne, and one 2sinne doth beget another, Iames 1. 15. Concupiscence doth bring foorth sinne, Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies (that is) Let not concupiscence: but to understand what the sinfulnesse of it is, know that sinne in speciall, is the transgression of the morall Law, any facultie that is capable of a fault, it is sinne, that is the defect of it; Man shall bee subject to reason, and reason should cause him to submit himselfe unto the will of God. The morall law is a rule A double Lavvof action, not of habit. There is a double law, a law of action, and a law which we call that law, which God did stampe on the very Creature. Take an Epistle, or a learned writing that is made by art, there may be Logicke, Rhetoricke, and grammer rules brought in to confirme it; So in the law, there is a stampe & a rule, and every observation from it, is an errour in it. If a man did al that is in him, usedhis best endevor to subdue his evil concupiscences, & yetcannot, yet it is not sufficient for him, every man hath, or ought to have strength in him, to rule his affections.
If a master command his servant to goe and doe such athing, if the seruant goe and make himselfe Simile,drunke, and then goeth about it, and cannot bring it to passe, although hee doe his good will for to do it, he is not to be excused, because he did loose his abilitie through his owne default; So we, God at the first did make us able for to subdue our lusts, but wee in Adam having lost the ability of our first estates, and yet may recover strength againe, to subdue our lusts in Christ the second Adam, if wee doe it not, the fault is in our selves.
Now we proceed unto the third particular, to 3 What is the operation of evill concupiscence.shew unto you what is the operation, and working of this evill concupiscence.
It is an inordinate inclination, which doth cleave unto the faculties of the soule, and doth indispose a man to that which is good, and caries him on to that which is evill, and so long as it abides in the soule, it makes him fruitfull to doe evill, and barren to doe good, so that evill actions the fruites of evill inclinations doe arise from it, even as water from the sountaine, and sparkes from the fire.
Concupiscence doth conceive and bring forth sinne.
There is a different worke of Concupiscence in man that is evill, and a regenerate man; In an evill man it hath dominion over him, so that all his actions and desires are sinnefull: In a good and holy man, there is concupiscence also, but it doth worke in him by way of rebellion, he beholdes it as a disease, and as an enemie unto him, and doth labour to mortifie it, he is enlightened by grace to see it as a disease, and therefore doth labour to cure it, more and more. An evill man thinkes it the best way for his happinesse, and that his chiefest good, doth consist in giving satisfaction to his concupiscences, and therefore doth labour to satisfie them, and not to cure them.
True it is Gods children, David, Peter, Solomon, & other holy men, have had concupiscences in them but yet were not domineered over by them; So long as a man doth strive against evill concupiscences, against the motions and stirrings of them, and that his owne conscience can beare him witnesse, he doeth resist them in sincerity of heart, they shall never beare sway over him: Take the best actions of a wicked man, the utmost end of them are to himselfe, and if the utmost end be bad, all hee doth must needes be bad, as for example. Th'end that a husbandman Simile.doeth ayme at in tilling of the ground and sowing of his seed corne, is to have a good harvest, and if his harvest prove bad, then all his labour is lost, though the beginnings of a thing be good, yet if the utmost end of that thing be naught, all is bad; So that th'end of all things in morall actions, doeth make the thing either good or bad: Every wicked man doth seeke himselfe in all his actions, hee doth worshippe himselfe in the utmost ende of all his thoughts, so that all his actions, lusts, and desires, are evill continually.
Now I proceed to shew you how it is the Apostle What is to bee mortified.Paul would have you to mortifie, here some thing is presented, and to shew you plainely what it is, it doth consist in these two particulars.
First, the habituall concupiscence, and secondly, the inordinate lusts and desires that doe arise from it, one wee call habituall, and the other actuall. Now the Apostle would have the habituall concupiscence in nature weakened, and secondly, he would have the actes of the lust to be suppressed. Now that it is the Apostles meaning, that he would have them mortified and that which is to be mortified is sin, marke that place I did cite before, Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies. In these wordes are three things observable, First, there is a sinne, secondly, a lust to the sin, and thirdly obedience to the sin, thatis a wil to execute the desire of this lust. When the Apostle saith, he would have thēmortified, he would have the heart to be clensed from the habitual custom of evil concupiscence, and secondly he would hauehave them so subdued, as not to obey them. That you may know the Apostles meaning, and not to lay a straighter charge upon you, then the holy Ghost doth aymeat he would have all these three to be mortified, the lust, the consent to the lust, and the act of ill. Consider the nature of the things that are to bee mortified; If you take the evill inclination, and compare it with the strength of the mind, in committing of any sin, they are all of the same nature, they differ but in degree, a lesser evill in the thought, before consent unto it is of the same nature as a greater, as it is in murther: Hee that is angry with his brother unadvisedly, committeth a degree of murther; So he that slandereth his brother by taking away of his good name, committeth a degree of murther, and is a sinne of the same nature, as if hee tooke away the life of his brother. So as in taking away the comfort of a mans life, it is a degree of murther, in as much as that man would take away the life of his brother if hee might; So in lust, if a man desire to commit adultery with a woman, and cannot come to the execution of his will therein, to the committing of the actuall sinne, yet the adultery of the thoughts and affections, are degrees unto this sinne, and are of the same nature, as if he had committed the sin it selfe. The Commandements say, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours Exod. 23. 17.wife, that is, in no degree at all to hurt her, or to wrong her. If all be of one nature, and differ in degree, then all are to be mortified. The same nature Note.is in one drop of water that is in a whole Sea, and the same nature in a sparke, as there is in a great fire; If there be a right enmity betweene sinne and us, wee will abstaine from all Sinne; a man doth hate the very colours of his enemie, as Toades and Creatures that are poysonfull: If a man doe 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, Quest.why men doe abstaine from murther and Idolatry? The answere is, because God did forbid it; and Ans.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, Acts of Mortification.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 Meditation and laying to heart, is the means to mortification.and taking to heart, which is the first means I prescribe for mortification.
We are said, secondly, to mortifie, when we suppresse 2and 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 3judgement, 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 Vse.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 a…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 Reason.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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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, 3. Signes of mortification.when the heart is generally set aright, is changed and renewed to good, and from thence 1 Is a generall reformation in heart and lifedoeth 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 2 Signe of true mortification is a right iudgment of sin & true loathing it.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 Simile.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 onelyonly 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 3 And last signe of mortification, is actuall abstinence from sinne.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 onelyonly 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 Quest.into the same sinne againe or no?
For answere hereunto I say, a man may fall againe Ans.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 merciemercy 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 1 Meanes to labour for theassurance …of pardon for one sinnes.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, 2 Meanes is abstinence from all occasion 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 3. Meanes, Grace, Holinesse.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 4 Meanes is prayer.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 onelyonly 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.