A10024:421
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
HOW TO MORTIFY inordinate affection.HOW TO MORTIFIE inordinate affection.
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 first cause of inordinate affection, is, mis-apprehension; 1that is, when we do not apprehend things aright, our affections follow our apprehensions, ⟨p. 228⟩as we see in a sensible appetite, if a thing be beautiful, we are apt to love it, and like of it; but if it be deformed, we are apt to hate it; for as things do represent themselves to the will, so we are apt to conceive of them; the will turns a mans actions this way or that way, notwithstanding the understanding is the pilot that turns the will; so that our apprehension is the first cause of inordinate affections, by this we overvalue things that are evil, and undervalue things that are good. Rectify therefore the apprehension, and heal 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 sensual, arising from fancy, the other rational, arising from judgement: all that we can say for the former affections, is this, men might do much to weaken those affections in them (if they would take pains) by removing the objects, that is, by with-drawing the fuel, and turning the attentions another way; if we cannot subdue any sensual 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 do, is as a pilot, whose ship is in great danger to be cast away by reason of a great tempest, all that he can do, is to look to the 2safety of the ship, that waters come not into it at any place, that it be not overthrown: so these evil affections that are in our rational appetite, are these evil inclinations of the will, that are lent either to riches, pleasure, vain-glory, or the like objects of reason.
The first cause of inordinate affection, is, mis-apprehension; 1that is, when wee doe not apprehend things aright, our affections follow our apprehensions, ⟨p. 228⟩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