A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

1. The top and highest degree of this Denial, to deny Worldly Lusts, is to keep them from rising, and prevent the very workings of Lust or Pride. The Scripture doth press us not only to abstain from the Sin, but the Lust, 1 Pet. 2.11. Abstain from fleshly Lusts, which war against the Soul. Many keep themselves free from the Acts of Sin, when their Hearts boil with Lusts, and carnal Desires, and Thoughts of Envy, and proud Imaginations; therefore we must deaden the very Root, prevent the breaking out of the Lust, Gal. 5.24. They that are Christ's, have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts. We are to mortify the inward Affections, that if it be possible we may not so much as have a Temptation or Lust stirring; ⟨p. 47⟩As Luther said, He had not a Temptation to Covetousness. Prevention is the Life of Policy, and better than Deliverance. He deserves great Praise that freeth a City from the Enemies, when they have beleaguered it; but he deserveth greater, that so fortifieth a Place, that the Enemies dare not assault it. It is somewhat to keep off Lusts, but it is more to keep them down, so to deaden the Affections, and exercise our selves unto Godliness, that it cannot have room to work. She is chaste that doth check an unclean Solicitation; but she is more worthy of Praise, whose grave Carriage hindereth all Assaults: so should we be constantly mortified, and exercise our selves to Godliness, and deaden the Root of Sin, that the Devil may despair of entrance, and be discouraged from making his Approaches. It is a step to Victory to hope to prevail. Possunt, quia posse videntur: Resistance is good, but yet utter Abstinence is a Duty, and falls under a Gospel-Precept; as much as we can we should prevent the rising of any carnal Thought, or disobedient Desire.

1. The top and highest degree of this Denial, to deny Worldly Lusts, is to keep them from rising, and prevent the very workings of Lust or Pride. The Scripture doth press us not only to abstain from the Sin, but the Lust, 1 Pet. 2.11. Abstain from fleshly Lusts, which war against the Soul. Many keep themselves free from the Acts of Sin, when their Hearts boil with Lusts, and carnal Desires, and Thoughts of Envy, and proud Imaginations; therefore we must deaden the very Root, prevent the breaking out of the Lust,