The Mortified Christian, Title page – Index
THE MORTIFIED CHRISTIAN Shewing The Nature, Signes, Necessity and Difficulty of True MORTIFICATION.
Resolving divers Cases about secret and bosome Sins.
WITH A Discovery of SINCERITY: AND SPECIALL HELPS against mens Speciall Corruptions.
By that faithfull Minister of Christ Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE, Late Minister of Lawrence Jury, London.
LONDON, Printed for Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold at the Marigold in S. Pauls-Church-yard, 1654.
Mr: Christopher LOVE, Late Minister of the Gospell.
To the Reader.
CHRISTIAN READER,
THe Author of these Treatises is sufficiently known and approved, his works do praise him in the gates. He was indeed a workman that needed not be ashamed: He was not a blazing comet, to shew his own parts, but a genuine star to lead men to Christ. It is the unhappinesse of our age, that men desire rather to have their ears tickled, then their hearts affected; and it is the sin of many jingling Preachers, that they minde rather the humoring of their hearers fancies, then the saving of their soules, little considering that of Seneca, Aeger non quaeritmedicum eloquentem sed sanantem, sick men are not betbered by Physitians suger'd words, but by their skilfull hands. Such an one was not the reverend Author of these Sermons; we that had the happinesse to be better acquainted with him, can truly say that he did not preach himself, but Jesus Christ his Lord, and himselfe the Churches servant for Jesus sake.
Here are presented to thee old Doctrines which will not gratifie that itch of novelty which is now become epidemicall. Here are common Doctrines which will not humour that affected singularity of which most men are sick. Here are plain Doctrines that will not comply with the curious palates of this wanton age. How ever do thou remember that counsell of the Prophet, Enquire for the good old paths, so shalt thou finde rest for thy soule; It may be thou hast wander'd through all the points of the Compasse, and hast perceived in thy self nothing but disquietnesse and unsettlement: It will therefore be thy wisdome to returne to the right point, to come to thy first husband, for then it was better with thee then now. Here thou wilt find if not placentia, yet sanantia, if thy palat be not pleased, thy heart may be bettered, if thou dost not wilfully hinder it.
The first part concernes Mortification, in which the Authours judgement is the more to be valued, because his heart was a Commentary upon his Text, and his owne experience was a seal to his Doctrine.
The second part is concerning Sincerity, a thing never more in mens mouths, and yet we have just cause to fear, never further from their hearts. If thou hast sincerity, here is a glasse wherein thou mayest see thy face with comfort; if thou wantest it, here is a glasse also wherein thou mayest see the beauty of it, and be enamored with it.
The third Treatise relates to that great duty of Thankfulnesse and sin of Ʋnthankfulnesse: Here is a Booke wherein thou mayest read thy engagements to be thankeful, and thy doom if thou art not thankefull.
Lastly, here are two short exercises concerning hearing the Word of God, which were delivered at the Morning Exercise, and so calculated to the shortnesse of the time allotted for that work.
We have only this to add, that these Sermons are not irregular births, but have been either Collected out of, or Compared with his own Notes, and taken from his own mouth by the pen of a ready Writer. Our desire is that thou wouldest candidly accept of them, diligently read, and conscientiously practise those great duties that are here pressed. This, as it will tend to the comfort of thy own soul at that great day of account, so will it exceedingly refresh and incourage
Thy servants in the work of the Gospell,
Edm. Calamy,
Simeon Ashe,
Jer. Whitaker,
Will. Taylor,
Matt. Poole.
THE CONTENTS.
Take notice that where there is nothing but the page p. set down in the text, you are to look into the Treatise of Mortification: the rest of the Treatises are distinguished by by these marks, I. for Israelites; U. for Unthankfulnesse: D. Directions for profitable hearing.
A
AFflictions oft heal divisions, U. 61.
Anger, helpes against it, 154.
C
COmforts to mortified persons against corruptions, p. 31,—41. & p. 113,—119.
E
EXamples are not to be our rule, U. 80.
F
TO live after the Flesh, p. 2.
G
WHat it is to be without Guile, I. 6.
H
HEaring; the manner of it to be looked after, D. 101. and why 101,—105.
How it is to be heard, D. 104,—109.
Hypocrisy odious, I. 43,—47.
Markes of it, I. 48,—55.
I
IGnorance may be in the godly, and how far, I. p. 9.
M
MErcies; God remembers what mercies he gives you, U. 56.
Mortification what it is, 43. the necessity of it, 44. the discovery of it, 46,—52. helpes in it, 106,—113.
Non-mortification, how known, 12,—17.
Cautions and directions in reference to mortification, p. 21,—31. also 157.
Mistakes about mortification, p. 52. good men mistake as if they wanted it, their mistakes corrected, 52,—74.
Bad men mistake themselves to be mortifyed, these mistakes removed, 74,—101.
Mortification is carried on by Gods strength, 110.
N
NAthaniel was an Apostle, I. p. 2, 3.
P
SPirituall Pride, helps against it, 151.
R
WHether a godly man may often Relapse into the same sin after mortification, 133.
Cautions against Relapses, 136.
S
DArling sin, Symptomes of it, 137,—143.
Motives to subdue it, 143, 144.
Sin may be restrained and not mortifyd, p. 122.
The differences between restraint and mortification, 122,—129.
Sincerity, marks of it, I. 14,—29. also 56. the excellency of it, ibid. 29,—41.
Singularity, an humorous one. U. 81.
T
THankfulnesse, motives to it, U. 92,—97.
Threatnings to be pressed on beleevers, p. 7.
U
UNcleannesse how to be mortifyed, 145,—150.
Vnthankfull persons God takes notice of U. 66.
Vnthankfulnesse; the evill of it, U. 67,—70. marks of it, 72. it is a common sin, 70. also 90, &c.