A10024:198
Sins overthrow
Sins overthrow: or, A godly and learned treatise of mortification Wherein is excellently handled; first, the general doctrine of mortification: and then particularly, how to mortify fornication. Uncleanness. Evil concupiscence. Inordinate affection. and, covetousness. All being the substance of several sermons upon Colos. III. V. Mortify therefore your members, &c. Delivered by that late faithful preacher, and worthy instrument of Gods glory John Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, master of Emanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns-Inn.Sins overthrow: or, A godly and learned treatise of mortification Wherein is excellently handled; first, the generall doctrine of mortification: and then particularly, how to mortifie fornication. Vncleannes. Evill concupiscence. Inordinate affection. and, covetousnes. All being the substance of severall sermons upon Colos. III. V. Mortifie therefore your members, &c. Delivered by that late faithfull preacher, and worthy instrument of Gods glory Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes-Inne.
London: printed by I. Beale and Augustine Mathewes for Andrew Crooke, 1633
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The third Motive, to move all men to leave their earthly mindedness, is, because if a man or woman be 1earthly minded, they cannot be saved: and who is there amongst us that would not willingly be saved? All men do desire salvation, and yet there are but few that in truth do desire it, because their practice of life is not answerable to such a desire; for the Apostle saith, He that hath this hope, purgeth himself; that is, he will take spiritual Physic, the grace of the Spirit, which will throughly purge out this earthly mindedness, or ⟨p. 87⟩at leastwise keep it under, that it shall not be able to bear dominion in his heart. Now I say there is a necessity laid upon every man to be heavenly minded; for so our Saviour saith, Mat. 6. 24. No man can serve 2two masters, he cannot serve God and Mammon; that is, he cannot serve God with one part of his soul, and 3the world with another, you cannot be earthly minded, and heavenly minded; God will have all the soul or none, God will admit of no Co-partnership, he will not be a sharer with the world of that which is his right. Again, 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 keep 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 bear 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 think they may retain their earthly mindedness, and yet serve God too; but it is unpossible to join 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 sin: now every earthly minded man, is a faithless man; it keeps Faith out of the soul, whether it be love of riches; or honour, or pleasure, though it be but a depending on the approbation of such or such a man, it will keep Faith out of the soul; so saith our Saviour,