Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
— Proverbs 4:23
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
— Romans 8:13
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
— Romans 7:5
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
— 1 Corinthians 6:13
Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
— 1 Thessalonians 4:5
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
— Ephesians 4:19
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
— Ephesians 5:5
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
— Romans 8:4-6
How to Mortify Fornication, by John Preston. The following contains an excerpt from Chapter Eleven of his work, “Sins Overthrow.” 1631.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
— Colossians 3:5
The first Use that may be made hereof, is, to exhort all men to be careful to cleanse themselves from this filthiness and uncleanness: and to this end let them never give God rest, but with incessant prayers still call on him, till they find that they are cleansed, that they are out of this gall of bitterness; for as there is nothing that will be so bitter and distasteful, nay terrible unto them, as this being liable to the wrath of God due to them by reason of this sin; so shall they never find anything so sweet and pleasant, nay comfortable unto them, as to be in the favor of God: for all that the creature can do is nothing without God, there is no peace, no comfort, no rest without him; now if a man have not this favor of God, but be without it, though he have never so many other blessings, as wealth, honors and preferments, yet if an arrow come out of God’s quiver, dipped in the venom of his wrath, be it never so slight an affliction, it will wound deadly. See this in Moses, who though the meekest man upon earth, and highly in God’s favor, yet he for his impatiency had his cross in that which he most desired, even in that he should not enter into the land of Canaan. Sin conceiving must needs bring forth sorrow, and though it should fail in all other things, yet here it is true, he that so sows sin shall be sure to reap affliction; this is the daughter, this is the fruit always of such a mother beware therefore how you take pains to serve sin, for he that does so, shall be sure to have for his wages sorrow and afflictions, nay death itself, as the Apostle saith, the wages of sin is death. A sinful man, one that is guilty of this sin or any other, is like a malefactor that hath already suffered the sentence of condemnation to pass upon him, and thereby is liable to punishment whenever it shall please the Judge to send a warrant, he may be called to execution every hour, unless in the meantime he hath sued forth his pardon; even so it is with the sinner, he is subject to the wrath of God, whenever God shall please to send forth his warrant against him, he must be brought to execution, he hath no assurance, no power of resistance till he hath got his pardon. Therefore let every one of us labor to procure our pardons in and by Jesus Christ, that so we may not thus lie open to the wrath of God which will consume us whenever he shall but please to say the word in an instant.
But some man will be ready to say, what needs all this? I am strong and well, in good and perfect health, is it likely the evil day is near me? No surely, I will therefore go on still in my sin; what need I repentance, that am so well in all things?
To this I answer, though thou beest never so well in strength and health of body, yet if God hides himself, if he turns but away his face from thee, thou shalt find the matter changed; where and when he is pleased but to turn himself, he turns with him all things upside down on a sudden. See this in those two hundred and fifty men of the company of Korab, they thought themselves well and safe, else think ye they would have took censers and offered unto the Lord, but see how in an instant, fire came out from God and consumed them. So also Nadab and Abihu, no sooner had they taken strange fire to offer unto the Lord, but straight the judgment light upon them; for it is said, And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord, Lev. 10:2 they were presently consumed even in the places where they stood: in like manner it will be our case if we commit sin, God may, if he be so pleased to deal with us, consume us as soon as ever we have done it, nay in the very manner, it is his mercy that we are spared.
But some man will say again, there have many men escaped unpunished, they have gone free for any thing I could ever see, why may not I escape also as well as they?
To this I answer, God’s decree concerning salvation and damnation must be admired at, not pried into: what though God in his mercy hath saved others, must he also therefore save thee, that wilt not repent, but presumest on his mercies? He calls sometimes those which have been many degrees worse than others, whom he hath passed by, and that to show his power of the Potter over the pot-sheard: but what is this to thee? Look thou to thyself; use the means, come unto him by true repentance, and cleanse thyself from thy filthiness, and thou shalt be sure to find mercy.
The second Use to be made hereof, shall be to persuade everyone, not only to cease from the act of so filthy a sin, but also to mortify these corruptions, which are the source and fountain from whence these all unclean actions come: There may be a restraining of our lusts and corruptions, but it is but for a time, it will break forth again; or perhaps there may be an abhorrency and contrariety of one man’s nature from this sin, but this is not out of any hatred to the sin itself, but a forbearance of the act, because his nature cannot abide it, or for some other by-respect, as credit and reputation amongst men; but this is not to mortify them: for mortification is then true and perfect, when there is a contrary life; that is, when a man that before was unchaste, now if his lusts be mortified, he lives quite contrary to that, and is now wholly chaste and undefiled: now this cannot rightly be said to be in a man where there is but only a restraint of his lusts. As in a tree, it is in vain to cut off the top-boughs, so to kill it; unless the roots be plucked up, it will grow again; therefore men begin at the root to stub up the tree: so it is with sin, lost is the labor that strives to keep it in and restrain it, thinking so to kill it, there is no other way to do it but by Mortification, by rooting it up out of the heart, not suffering it there to have the least room or place; for if it be but restrained, at one time or other it will grow again to full strength. And that this may the better be dispatched, let us examine and try ourselves by these rules and marks.
First, examine yourselves and see whether there be a particular change which doth follow the general one of the whole frame of the heart; whether the heart is wholly changed and turned from all sin, for if it be not, but is changed but by piece-meal, some of it being reserved for the darling sin, then it is not true Mortification; which is always a killing, and bringing under subjection, all lust and concupiscence. Therefore see, first, whether thy heart be thoroughly wounded with sin, whether thou dost grieve for all sin as well as for some particular sin of profit and pleasure. Then secondly, if thou beest thus wounded, see whether thou longest for nothing so much as pardon in Christ: a condemned person desires nothing, delights in nothing but in the news of a pardon; as other things are not at all welcome unto him, a pardon is all that can be comfortable unto him; so thou, if thou beest truly wounded for thy sin, wilt desire and wish for nothing but a pardon; the remission of thy sins in Jesus Christ will more comfort thee than all the world beside. And lastly, if a pardon be granted, see, Is there a love and a delight in Christ? Is he the only joy and comfort of thy soul? Then well is thy case, thou art in a good estate; thou mayest be certain the roots of thy lusts are plucked up, and then the branches must needs die.
Secondly, examine yourselves and see whether out of a loathing and hate of this sin you be able to judge aright of it, to perceive it in its filthy colors, and loathsome pollutions: All the time a man lies in a sin, he will have such a mist cast before his eyes, that he cannot see it perfectly, but dimly, as it were by a small light, which will not lay open all the spots and blemishes thereof. To explain this, I will use this similitude; A man that lives continually in an house where a bad smell is, he perceives not the ill savor, it is all one to him as though it were pure and sweet air; but one that comes in out of the fresh air, he smells it presently, to him it is exceeding offensive: even so it is with sin, an unregenerate man that is used to it, hath long lived in it, and perhaps never knew any other, to him it is natural, he perceives not the filthiness thereof; it is as good to him as the purest action in the world; and why? Because he is accustomed unto it: Now custom, you know, is another nature: but let a regenerate man fall to commit the same sin, why he is troubled, he is perplexed, he cannot be quiet, nor can he find any rest in it, ’tis unusual to him, and therefore he is disturbed at it. And indeed it is a good sign of a righteous soul to be vexed at sin; ye may see it in Lot, of whom it is said, 2 Pet. 2:8. That righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. Try yourselves therefore by this mark, and see whether you can brook sin well enough, or be vexed and disturbed at the committing of it.
Thirdly, examine your selves, and see whether your abstaining and keeping yourselves from the acting of this sin be general and constant, or respecting some places or persons, and but for a short space: this is an effect of the former; for he that hates a thing, hates everything that belongs unto it, and that continually: this is a sure mark and never fails. Ye may see it in other things; a Dove is afraid of any feather that hath been an Hawkes, it brings a great deal of terror unto her, almost as much as if the Hawk herself were there; such a native dread is implanted in the poor Dove, as it detests and abhors the very sight of a feather; so the godly man that hath once conceived a detestation against his lusts, endures not anything that belongs to them, that comes from them. He that hates a Serpent, cannot abide the skin, though it be never so finely speckled; so, true hatred unto sin, cannot endure motion or inclination unto it, though it bring never so fair pretenses and shows, it suffers not the least spark to kindle or increase, as wanton speeches, lascivious looks, &c. A sore that is healed at the bottom, is not easily hurt again, whereas if it be but skinned at top it is never the better, for in a little time it will break forth again, and be worse than ever: A bone broken and well set again, is stronger than it was before: so a man that hath once slipped into this sin, and is got out of it again, shall find his strength to be increased, and himself more enabled to resist that temptation than ever he was.
But some man will say, I read of some of the Saints that have fallen into this sin, and that grievously, why then may not the dear children of God fall again into it?
To this I answer, Indeed it is possible, for we find it in the Scripture of David and Solomon, that they fell; nay more, it hath many times so come to pass that they have fallen grievously, as in them before mentioned, and many others; yet as we read of their falls, so we read of their recovery out of it, they did not continue in it. Here therefore I will set down the means against it: And they shall be,
First, for such as have long lain in this sin, perhaps 20, perhaps 40, or more years; let such, I say, observe these rules following:
First, let them labor to get a humble heart in the sight of this grievous sin, let them be cast down with grief and sorrow for so heinous a sin, that they have offended so good and gracious a God, one that is of so pure eyes that he can endure no unclean thing. It was the practice of the holy Apostle Saint Paul, he was so far humbled, that he confessed himself to be the chiefest of all sinners; and what could he say more? So also the Prodigal, Luk. 15, when he came to see himself, and to look upon his own condition, was so far from being puffed up, that he was content to style himself no better than his father ’s servant: In like manner do thou, think thyself the worst of men, and greatest sinner upon earth, and that God hath been infinitely merciful unto thee, that hath not cut thee off in thy sin, though thou so long continuedst in it unrepentant.
Secondly, labor to bring thy heart to so good a pass, that thou mayest love God exceedingly, who hath forgiven thee so great a sinner. It is said of the woman in the Gospel, to whom much was forgiven, that she loved much: A great deal is forgiven thee, beyond what thy deserts are, do thou therefore so too: Love much, love Christ that hath been a Mediator to procure this thy sin e o be forgiven; love God much, who hath been so merciful as to grant thee pardon and remission of sins for Christ thy Savior’s sake.
Thirdly, take heed lest Satan beguile thee, and bring thee into the same sin again: you know what Saint Peter saith, 2 Pet. 5:8, where he exhorteth the brethren to be sober and vigilant, from no other reason but only this, Because your adversary the devil, as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour: the same shall be my argument of persuasion unto all of you, to beware of the Devil, to look to yourselves, lest he should deceive you, and entice you into the same sin again.
Secondly, for those that are guilty of this sin still, but would fain be rid of the sore burden which lies heavy upon their Consciences; Let them use these helps:
First, labor to get assurance of the pardon and forgiveness of it: No man can be assured of the love of Christ, till he be assured of his love and favor in the free pardoning and remission of his sins: for how can a man have peace and quietness without this, he is still in fear of God’s wrath and vengeance to light upon him, and where there is such a sear and dread, it is not likely there should be any love. And therefore in the first place get thy sins pardoned.
Secondly, labor to have a sense and feeling of thy sin; this is a chief thing to be obtained; for where there is no sense, there cannot be any remorse or sorrow for sin, without which there can be no turning from sin, much less any hatred and detestation of it. Now this sense and feeling is wrought in us by God’s Spirit, and therefore thou must go to God by true and hearty prayer, that he would be pleased to illuminate thee by his Spirit, that so thou mayest see the miserable and wretched condition thou art in by reason of this sin.
Thirdly, lay hold on the Promises, and apply them to thyself, make them thine own; for whatsoever a man’s sins be, if he can come to thirst after pardon, to desire that before other things in a right way, and to a right end, then he may be sure he hath the Promises belonging unto him: If he will take them, they are his own; Christ is his, if he will take him, only he must take him aright, as well to be his Lord, as his Redeemer: his Lord, to govern and rule him by his Laws and Commandments, as well as his Redeemer, to save him by the merit of his death and passion. Christ offers himself to him, Rev. 22:17, saying, Let him that is athirst, come; and whosoever will, let him take the waters of life freely: and what greater love can Christ show, than to set himself out for all to take him, and that freely too? In the days of his flesh, who had more good by him than the Publicans and sinners? Them he called, them he saved: the poor diseased wretches, how ready was he to heal them? Even so he is still, he is every whit as ready to save thee, to heal thee, as he was them, if thou wilt come unto him, and endeavor to lay hold on him. To neglect Christ thus offered unto thee, is to trample underfoot the Son of God, and to count the blond of the Covenant an unholy thing, Heb. 10:29, now what think ye shall be done unto such? Read that place, and you shall find, that a much sorer punishment than death without mercy they are worthy of, and are likely to undergo. You read what was done to those that despised the invitation of the King to his Marriage-feast, Mat. 22:7. When the King heard thereof he was wroth, and sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burnt up their City: In like manner will he deal with thee; if thou despisest the offer of his gracious Promises now made to thee, he will account thee but as a murderer, and will destroy both them and thy City; that is, all that belongs unto thee. Take heed therefore that thou now layest hold on his Promises, and makest them thine own.
Fourthly, use abstinency and fasting, for thereby thou mayst get the mastery over thy sin; give it altogether peremptory denials, suffer it not to delight thee in the least cogitation and tickling conceit: It will be easy to abstain from it, when the denial is peremptory; if we cannot put out a spark, how shall we put out a flame? If we get not the mastery over the first motion to sin, much less shall we be able to overcome it when it is brought to maturity in action: Sin is like the water, give it the least way and we cannot stay it, run it will in despite of us: and as a stream riseth by little and little, one shower increasing it, and another making it somewhat bigger; so sin riseth by degrees. Jam. 1:14,15, it is said, But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death: Where observe three degrees in sin; first, temptation; secondly, conception; and thirdly, perturbation, or bringing forth: So also Heb. 3, it is said of the Israelites, that lust in them brought forth hardness of heart. Beware therefore of the beginnings and occasions of sin, and accustom thyself to use abstinence, thereby to master thy lust.
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