heart as that which all who are disobedient will feel at last to be most true I might here desire you to think or ask you what you do think in your souls whether in your consciences you think not this word being true there be not a multitude of poor creatures high and low rich and poor who are woefully deceived Doth it not appear there are great swarms and droves of men and women many and many in all places who live evidently after the flesh yet who almost but thinks he shall escape death though he live as he doth How sad is this O sadness lamentation that so great a number of our father Adam's Children are so deceived not taking warning by his being deceived and Alas alas that such a number of people must dye eternally dye even all that multitude who live after the flesh Did you hear of a 1000 or a 100 to be executed on the Scaffold to be broken upon the wheel would not your bowels earn should you not be much troubled and shall not this move you and cause you to weep and pray much to hear from the word of truth that all those many and many who live after the flesh shall dye the second death be tormented in that lake which burns with fire and brimstone for ever and ever Ah how great our unbelief how little our love to those made of one blood with us how rocky our hearts O our want of bowels that this affects us no more But Use 3. Hear me O precious immortal soul every one who lives after the flesh give ear turn O turn repent O repent I beseech thee for thine own good for thy greatest good Live a new life that thou mayest not dye Be not angry with the Word of God be not angry with him that speaks it but be angry with thy sinful life God saith Ezek. 38.18 It shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the Land of Israel saith the Lord God that my fury shall come up in my face so when any lust stirs in thee and warreth against thy soul O let thy fury come up in thy face deal with it as with thy worst enemy be entreated so to love thy self as to turn over a new leaf to write after a new Copy Turn thy face from the flesh turn thy back upon it Should I tel you that if you live after such a custom such an old new fashion or the like ye shall dye by the hand of man would you not be perswaded to leave that custom that fashion and thank me for my pains in perswading you can you think dying by the hand of man worse than dying by the hand of God is not the hand of the Almighty heavier than the hand of man have you not heard have you not read what the Apostle saith It 's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God even of him in whom ye live and move and do you not believe he saith true that it is so indeed Truely friend if thou art one who livest after the flesh it is a wonder thou art not actually dead under the second death already in the paws Jaws of everlasting death that that is not now at this day feeding upon thee but God hath spared thee hitherto why why thinkest thou is it Is' t not that thou mayest repent Yes the long suffering of God saith the Scripture is salvation and so thou thouldest account 2. Pet. 3.15 account that the long suffering of our God is salvation even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the Wisdom given unto him hath written unto you Rom. 2.4 or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance Is not this mercy O great mercy that yet that after so long a time God waits for thy turning and thou hast once again a fair warning How woefully guilty wi lt thou be of thine own death if being thus warned thou shalt turn a deaf ear How inexcusable wilt thou be whatever thou shalt plead for thy self It will be answered thou wert plainly told what would be the end of thy fleshly life thou thoughtest thou shouldst not dye but thy thought contradicted that word of truth which was Preached to thee Doth not this word sound terribly in thine ears thou shalt dye dye in thy soul dye in thy whole man dye a death of the greatest of unspeakable misery dye eternally why then let it awaken thee to repentance how canst thou sleep in thy sin how canst thou rest and be quiet with such a terrible word sounding in thine ears will not dying it self be far more dreadful than to hear of it is or can be I shall not now stand to use more words if any soul will not hear the blood of such a one will be upon his own head and let me mind thee my friend that the longer thou livest in thy sin before death comes to thee the more sore grievous and tormenting will it be when it comes I wonder what impenitent sinners think of that word Rom. 2.5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds wilt thou believe it and turn from the wayes of the flesh If not thou must experience it and shalt find it to be as true as he is true whose word it is It may be some one may think Is there hope yet hope for me after all my sinning for so long a time A. There is a certain hope hast thou a mind a heart to turn in good earnest lift up thy head fear not doubt not Turn heartily God is ready to receive thee and he will receive thee graciously for so he hath promised 2 Cor. 6.17 Come out from among them come away in thy heart and life from all that live after the flesh touch not the unclean thing Let thy repentance be thorow and sound what then if I so turn who will receive me God answers I will receive thee I will that is receive thee graciously I will receive thee to my mercy into the bosome of my grace as the Prodâ—gals father received him therefore it follows and I will be a Father to you saith the Lord God Almighty yea and ye shall be my Sons and my Daughters I 'le receive you as a most tender father his Children when they are in great streights and and dangers consider the Lord's promise think how a Father doth catch his dear Child when falling into the water or fire or when his Child runs to him from one that would kill him so even so and with much more readiness and tenderness will the Lord God receive you if ye run to him in Christ from your sins he 'l speedily receive you into the arms of his mercy with all his
another mans servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth so may it be said of another mans service I have sometime thought why did not all the Apostles write something for publick common use or why have we not somewhat of the writing of them all who since like them yet what volumes have been written and preserved and brought down to us through the severall ages since their time No doubt more things were written by the Pen-men of Scripture than we have more Epistles by the Apostles than are come to us some of which it 's very like we would have judg'd mere usefull and should have preferred before some that we have Luke 1.1 For as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us V. 3. It seemed good to me also though many yea because many had written be wrote too and that about the same things Had printing been found out in Christ's time or the Apostles dayes how much more of their sayings doings and writings might we have had But God's providence over-ruleth all things in infinite wisdome not to be fathomed by the short line of our reason or understanding How unsearchable are his wayes To say the truth as these Sermons were preached upon the desire of a Friend so are they published upon the serious request of severall backt with some remarkable passages of providence and by grave advice otherwise I had not any mind or thought in my mind to let them passe the Press than which even nothing farther from my thoughts when I preach't them As they were delivered in my constant course of preaching so neer as well could be come they here to you in a homely dresse Eccl. 11.6 In the morning fow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good So may it be said read one and read another Book for thou knowest not whether shall advantage thee either this or that or whether they shall be both alike gainfull or succesfull They say it 's an ill wind that blows no one any good I am not without hope those things printed may do some good as I have ground to believe when preached they did If they become beneficiall to any I shall account that alone a great reward and he that shall say contemptuously pâ—sh they had better never seen the light doth he not sâ—y withall better that good some may gain thereby had not been done but when the least good is done to the least Christ will not say so for he saith Verily he that gives a Cup of cold water to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward so doth he love Disciples Christians it is his saying Feed my Lambs as well as feed my Sheep and he wiâ—l have him that hath but one talent to improve it That place hath many times given me great encouragement in my hard work 1 Cor. 1.26 27. c. For ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty nor many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to consound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence We read Luke 24.11 Their words seemed to them as idle tales because they believed them not Pray O therefore pray much for Faith lest these words of truth be but to you as idle tales and therewith mix all the truths of God The way to experience promâ—ses and the goodnesse of Scripture counsels is to believe them but he that believeth not shall feel in due time the certainty of all Scripture threatnings If every idle word spoken must be given an account of then sure every good and usefull word heard or read must be accounted for Hos 2.8 9. She did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oyl c. therefore will I return and take away my Corn and my Wine and will recover my Wool and my Flax c. Doth the Lord regard what use men put his Corn Wine Wool and Flax to and doth he not observe how men entertain and deal with his Words The good Lord deliver thee from that wosull yet prevailing frame of Spirit to be serious about trifles and triflng about serious things He in whom are all the Treasures of Wisdom make you wise to Salvation your own your everlasting Salvation from the worst death to the best life cause you to know savingly in this your day the things that concern your peace lest the night the dismal night come wherein they will wholly and for ever be hid from thine eyes Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life the fountain of light and life give you proportionably O that at least it might be so much to value life spiritual and eternal In a word my Pen already having run too far and beyond my purpose If thou art a careless sighty one O that thou wouldst sit down and ponder till thou feelest those words come home with power to thy heart Prov. 1.24.25 c. art thou one that mournest because of the prevalency of sin in thee remember the Spirit is a Spirit of love and power therefore ready and able to enable thee heartily seeking it to tread upon the nâ—ck of all thy sins as they did upon the necks of those Kings Josh 10 24. and to lead thee in the way everlasting till thou attainest to the full possession of that never ending Life of Glory If in reading thou findest thy heart stirred up to pray then lift up a request for him who is Thy hearty Soul-Friend S. M. Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye c. AS Moses told the people he had set life and death before them Deut. 30.19 upon the account whereof he there calls heaven and earth to record against them so are these two great things Death and Life set before us in the Scripture throughout especially in some places among which my Text is one what is the great question that all do or should put and labour to get answered Is it not this which of those two things shall we have shall we have Death or shall we have life to which grand enquiry the Apostle here from the Lord gives a short but full answer in two conditional propositions The first hath the force of a Divine threatning and is a plain Character of those who shall dye The other carrieth in it a sure promise from God and gives a certain note of such who shall live I begin with the first If
flesh willeth and his doing thereof be a real trouble a heart grief to him if the flesh its commands be grievous as the overflowings of the gall very bitter as the workings of a sick Stomach if a man's heart be afflected and humbled if it mourn and sigh when he is led away at any time by any fleshly motion then doth he not live after the flesh but rather dyeth after it or is dead to it for it is as death to him that he sins Eccles 7.26 Fourthly Living after the flesh takes in constantness continualness doing the will of the flesh continually as while life lasteth a man liveth daily hourly though not alwayes alike and he be not still busied about the same things but sometimes he 's more lively sometimes lest now he eats then he sleeps sometimes follows his calling or talks or walks Thus a man who liveth after the flesh he is even continually fulfilling one Lust or other thereof one way or other either more or less openly vigorously actively still he acts according to the dictates or movings of sin within him according as the flesh commands and moves which is somtimes more sometimes less strongly absolutely peremptorily and forcibly so he obeys that is ever commanding somthing as there is opportunity occasion temptation and the man who liveth after it is even ever doing inwardly if not outwardly something in obedience to its command When you say of a man he liveth after a high rate he liveth prodigally you do not mean that only now and then he makes an extraordinary meal or is at some extraordinary expense but that in his ordinary course he 's extravagant expensive above his estate ability and quality so to live after the flesh is not now and then in some extraordinary case to follow the flesh but for a man to act according to it in ordinary Fifthly Living after the flesh includes continuance and perseverance as every man liveth till he dyeth so that man who lives after the flesh and shall dye he doth live after it till he dye for if any man hath followed his lust though very much as before express'd willingly freely and wilfully affectionately and continually for a long time yet he at length truely ceasing while here so to live if he heartily turn and alter his course notwithstanding all that 's past he shall not dye in the sense of my text Ezek. 18.21.22 In a word if you spend your life as the fresh moves you to spend it if you order your conversation while you live after the inclinations of that corruption that is in you then ye shall dye I desire that this may be well understood what living after the flesh is for on your right understanding thereof depends you profiting by this truth two things are necessary thaâ— this Doctrine may become effectual and do us good the one is that we beleive in our hearts that if wâ— thus live the end thereof will be our death thâ— other is that we be enlightned rightly to perceive and judge what living after the flesh meaneth therefore I purpose to lay this open more particularly when I come to the use of examination Q. 3. How shall they dye who do live after thâ— flesh A. I suppose none of you need to be told a meer natural death is nothere intended seeing it 's appointed once to all men to dye that death whatever their life be But a spiritual dying is understood that respects the soul and whole man in a spiritual sense Sometimes to dye in Scripture is used for being near death lyable to or in danger of dying so the Apostle saith I dye daily we are killed all the day long thus it 's true ye shall dye ye will be in great danger of dying yea though ye live after the flesh only in some degree you 'l deserve death you 'l be deservedly liable thereto whenever you do but begin to step after the flesh into the hands of death even the worst death will ye fall unless infinite mercy prevent But my Text speaks of more than a bare lyableness or danger as in the following words if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live more is meant than barely a hope of life so by ye shall dye more is intended than danger of death ye shall dye actually certainly unavoidably but how A. First Ye shall dye in this world as to the loss of Gods special gracious presence God is our life so far as God leaves us and departs from us so much death but if we live after the flesh God will depart his soul will depart from us Jer. 6.8 He 'l leave us as he left Saul who thereupon dyed before he dyed because God was gone his life was gone so God will go from us he 'l draw in the beams of his favour he 'l hide himself he 'l take his good spirit from us And thereupon Secondly You 'l dye as to all Spiritual good that you have or seem to have you will by degrees lose your light your convictions gracious motions I and your very profession it self or the liveliness of it and that good that may have been in your conversation it will be with you at best as with the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 if you retain a name to live yet will you he dead dead as 1. Tim. 5.9 she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth you 'l be twice dead as it 's said elsewhere some are dead dead by nature dead in sin and dead as to the loss of that conviction that light that affection that holiness they made a shew off Thirdly Ye shall dye as to inward peace comfort joy as Nabal's heart dyed within him it lost that comfort mirth it had before and through grief became as dead so your heart will dye you 'l either have no peace no joy or none that 's worth the having none but such as you had better be without such as is rather the death than the life of the soul Rom. 7.9 Sin revived and I dyed and the Commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death he intends he lost his former considence hope peace and joy so shall ye dye Fourthly Ye shall dye ye shall lose the blessing of God in all you are all ye have and all ye do whatever any have without Gods blessing they are dead in the possession of it whatever they do they are dead in doing it it is a dead enjoyment a dead work that is not blessed of God life is but a death if it be not blessed every comfort of life is as without life it 's not a living comfort if not blessed to us but living after the flesh removes the blessing far from us and brings a curse upon us as it 's said I 'le curse thee in thy basket in thy store in all thou settest thy hand to and I will curse thy blessings there is it not a manifest yet
flesh in one sense because he hath no body yet he is altogether Flesh in a spiritual sense i. e. sinful and he draws those and leads them after the Flesh who live after it they do follow him though they think not so they know it not Eph 2.2 they who walk according to the course of this world they do walk according to the Prince of the power of the air so v. 3. they fulfill the desires or wills of the flesh therefore they shall dye for Satan is a dead creature and he is reserved to a farther degree of death and misery Satan also is a deadly enemy to men he seeks with all diligence to entice allure and draw us to his condition will he not be killed who follows a subtle enemy that plots his death Shall not he dye who yields himself up to his enemies who christ to have his blood and are implacably bent upon his ruine but thus do they who live after the Flesh they yield themselves up to Satan who as I may say hath sworn and more chan sworn the death of all he can prevail against and they give up themselves into the hand of the Lusts of the Flesh which war against their souls 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly beloved abstain from steshly Lusts which war against your souls how then can he escape death who surrenders himself thereto Lastly Those many threatnings of the God of truth against such who live in sin that he will whet his Sword against them wound their hairy sculp turn them into hell Ps 9.17 the word into is doubled in the Hebrew either to note the certainty thereof as if he had said the wicked shall be turned into yea surely into hell or to signifie the greatness and the endlesseness of their punishment they shall be turned into and into hell over head and eats as we say they shall be cast deep very deep into the bottomless pit they shall still be falling as it were lower and lower or their souls and at last their bodies shall be cast into hell their souls into and their bodies into hell or when their bodies into the grave then their souls into hell and the like they all demonstrate and establish this truth so sure as God is true those threatnings are true So then it is abundantly manifest most undeniable as clear as the Sun as sure as sure can be that if we if any of us all live after the flesh dye we shall perish we shall without remedy Sermon 2. Q. 5. VVHy should such Doctrine be preached to believers A. Not as if they who have true faith shall ever any of them so live after the flesh as at last to dye the second death this is not intended nor implyed either in my Text or any other like Sentence of Scripture for it 's certain nothing is meant or can by right consequence be deduced from one place of Scripture which is contrary to any thing expressed in another but it is expressly asserted that God who hath begun a good work in his people will perform carry it on to the day of Christ Phil. 1.6 he that layes the foundation of true grace in any soul will go forward with his work till he hath laid the top stone and that because he is faithful 1 Cor. 1.8 9. Who shall also confirm you to the end that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ for God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord so 1 Thess last 24 and 2 Thess 3.3 and as God is faithful so it 's sure he is able otherwise he would never have begun his work in us as may be argued from those words of Christ Luke 14.28 29 30. which of you intending to build a Tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he have sufficient to finish it lest haply after he hath said the foundation and is not able to finish it all that behold it begin to mock him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish How much wiser is God than man none shall have cause to mock him therefore he both can and will finish his building the Church and the work of grace in every one of his effectually called ones But why then is it said to Believers If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye A. 1. All Believers are not such in truth all who make a profession have not been under the power of God to their saving Conversion when God sows wheat the Devil sows tares when God makes true Converts the Devil makes Hypocrites Mat. 13.38 39. Hypocrites especially are the Devils Children the tares are the Children of the wicked one all wicked ones are Children of that wicked one chiefly Hypocrites these are as his first born and have most of his likeness There ever were and will be during the state of things such as Judas Symon Magus Demas c. hereafter all such shall be gathered out of Gods Kingdom No Hypocrite shall be in the New Jerusalem but now there are foolish as well as wise Virgins workers of iniquity who hear Christs word and eat and drink in his presence at his Table with respect to this it is needfull there should be such Doctrine Preached now in the Church ye shal dye if c the rather because men know not the hearts of those to whom they Preach Mal. 3. last Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked now there is not a certain Infallible discerning and false unsound hearted ones are frequently very confident of their state that it is good that it is safe As men in a dream while dreaming are very confident of this or that concerning themselves the contrary whereto they find true when they awake hence this truth is to be taught to awaken such if it may be and to shew them their great and sad mistake Secondly Though it shall never be because of Gods faithfulness as also because of Gods election Christ's death c. that true Believers shall so live after the flesh that they shall perish yet the thing is possible in it self and as to themselves Did not Adam in innocency fall and come under the sentence of death so would the best men fall into perdition if left to themselves as Peter had sunk quite down and drowned if left to himself and when he denied Christ so far he had denied him utterly Corruption because natural hath great advantage against grace in us and Satan by all means layes about him to draw it forth so that if we had no keeper no guid or better Pilot than our selves we should live after the Flesh and split dash in pieces on that rock therefore that none may have confidence in themselves but all of us be kept constantly trusting in the living God in Christ the power of God and that we may not be high minded but fear hence the Apostle having given that
exhortation Rom. 11.20 be not high minded but fear he adds v. 21 22. if God spared not the natural broaches take heed lest he spare not thee behold therefore the goodness and severity of God on them that fell severity but towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou also shalt be cut off As a Mother leading her little Child it goes towards the fire or water and though she hold it fast sure that it shall not fall in yet to make it careful she saith take heed if you fall into the fire you 'l be burn't if into the water you 'l be drowned so that we may not be secure and careless and self confident we have divers such If 's in Scripture spoken to Gods Children Thirdly True Believers may have and too oft have through compliance with the Flesh great falls though they live not after the Flesh they act much according to it therefore to cause them to maintain a continual sight against the Flesh and to keep at the farthest distance from it and to quicken them to repentance when they have turned aside therefore are they to be put in mind what an enemy the Flesh is even such that if they do live after it they shall dye eternally and so far as they act according to it they do dye spiritually For such reasons as these the Apostle speaks that Heb. 10.26 If we sin wilfully he faith not you but we if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgment c. that is even for us if we so sin It may be objected is this a sit and proper argument to work upon true Believers to keep them from the wayes of the flesh or to bring them to repentance when they are seduced thereby should not such rather have other things Preached to them A. Other things should be Preached and that chiefly as the death of Christ love and grace of God c. but this also ye shall dye if c. all considerations are needful in this world to keep us awake God thought it a proper and fit argument to lay before Adam when he had no Flesh no corruption in him in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye why then is it not a proper and fit argument to be propounded to those who have much sin remaining in them though they being in Christ are not under that Covenant under which Adam was and cannot fall as he did yet is this argument rather more suitable to them than to Adam even the argument of death in this respect because they have much Flesh in them which both in it self deserves death and enclines them or moves them to walk in the wayes thereof sweet arguments may more take with the renewed part but this may more curb remaining Corruption and work upon the heart when in a fearless careless frame and if the soul be in never so good a frame to hear that they who live after the Flesh shall dye may stir it up to thankfulness that through and in Christ it is secure and the more thankful the more obedient shall we be to God If any say that grace most works upon them I answer the more any are drawn by Grace the less do they need to be driven by this truth yet even this truth minds us of and sets forth to us the grace of God in that but for it we had all lived after the flesh and there is love in this very truth that the Lord is thus pleased to warn us It may again be said but is this right to avoid or turn from the wayes of the Flash because they bring to death A. We are bound to believe all the word of God and it 's the nature of true faith to Believe all believing all things saith the Apostle that are written in the Law and the Prophets Acts 24.14 therefore all Scripture truth is to be Preached and whatever we do in faith from true faith is as so well done and acceptable to God as Noah's building an Ark because through faith he was moved with fear c. besides death implyes separation from God and this is very good it is love to God to avoid sin that by it we may not be separated from him Application Use 1. Whether do you or any of you live after the Flesh It is as great a question as whether you shall dye Be the more inquisitive each one as to himself because multitudes are strangely mistaken some seem as if they did live after the flesh yet really before God they do not 2 Cor 10.2 I beseech you that I may not be bold with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh the Apostles themselves seemed to some so to walk yet were they far from so walking On the other hand there are and that many more who make a shew as if they did not live after the flesh yet in truth after it do they live Thus men also mistake concerning themselves thinking that of themselves which is contrary to truth It 's like if the question were put in the general to any of you whether think you not there are some here present who live after the Flesh you would every one say if you should speak your thoughts yes some here do so live or I fear there are some whose life is such but let every one be ask'd as to his own particular probably he would say I do not or I hope I do not live after the Flesh I beseech you Brethren deceive not your selves for if you do thus live whether you think so or no of your selves you will find this true that ye shall dye I would be helpful to you in this enquiry for which purpose I shall briefly offer divers things to your serious thoughts to be made use of in self examination I say self examination for you know it 's not that God requires of you nor that which concerns you or not so much to try others as each one himself and her self 1. Whoever hath not had a great change in his heart a mighty turn he doth live after the Flesh however he may seem to live for all by nature are dead in their sins and the uncircumcision of their Flesh Col. 2.13 all naturally are born of Flesh and are Flesh having no good thing in them and if the tree be bad the fruit cannot but be bad also if any are dead in the Uncircumcision of their flesh it 's certain they live after it Secondly To live in the doing of any of the works of the Flesh though it be but in some one or two of them is to live after the Flesh Q. What are the works of the Flesh A. They are very many and they are all or most of them very manifest as the Apostle tells us Gal. 5.19 The
heart and soul will he embrace you and hold you fast and keep you till he hath brought you to heaven observe well how that good promise is shut up thus saith the Lord Almighty He who is as able to save as to destroy he that is almighty to pardon thy many sins he who is almighty to subdue thy mighty Corruptions and to deliver thee from the most mighty temptations he saith he will receive thee and that as Almighty so as to shew himself Almighty for thy salvation If thou desirest yet another Scripture to encourage thee read and ponder that word full of sweetness Jer. 31.18 19 20. and be assured Jesus Christ hath dyed that thou mightst not see death not tast the worst death or feel the curse of death if thou turn'st from the flesh to God in him Use 4. Let me press you all to take great heed that you never at all live after the flesh never take one step after it Beware my Brethren beware of that flesh that is within you of that corruption that is in you because it is so dangerous to live after it it is a deadly thing it is a subtle deceitful thing alluring ensnaring and powerfully moving let us all be very watchful against it consider a few words First so far as you give way to the flesh you 'l hinder your assurance what assurance considering this truth can I or you have unless our Conscience acquit us and bear witness in us that we live not after the flesh but you Christians know the worth of assurance say is it not a sad thing to have your assurance though but in some degree weakened clouded is it not very ill to have your evidences blotted to have any ground or so much as seeming cause to doubt concerning your state and to fear that you are among them that shall dye They who know not what it is to dye spiritually everlastingly may be in a state of death and make nothing of it but you who understand what this dying meaneth cannot live comfortably without good assurance that you shall not dye O let there be nothing of the reprobates mark found upon you Secondly So far as you yield to the flesh so far you feed you nourish it but would you feed a deadly disease If you feed your Corruption you starve your souls every degree of living all acting after the flesh all complying therewith strengtheneth it and weakneth your souls do not you O do not strengthen your enemy against your selves Thirdly so much as you are led by the flesh and let it have its will you honour it you commend you praise it as if it were a good thing a good Teacher a good Master but will you honour such a shameful thing will you commend will you praise that God so much condemns and abhorreth you honouring it dishonour your selves commending it you shame your selves Fourthly To fulfill the desires of the flesh is to speak as if you were Debtors to it as is intimated in the verse before my Text where we read thus Therefore brethren we are Debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh No how can we be Debtors to it for it 's a poor thing it 's not worth any thing we never had or could have good by it therefore we cannot be Debtors to it except it should be by Gods Command or by compact and agreement or promise but Gods command runs contrary and as for agreement we have covenanted with God and promised oft to have nothing to do with the flesh therefore we are no way Debtors to it unless it shall be said we owe it hatred and all that we can do for it's destruction so indeed we are Debtors to the flesh we owe it all possible hatred and the utmost of our endeavour's for the utter extirpation and ruining of it whereas if we let the flesh have its will then we act as if we owed it service and were indebted to it by the bond of love But this is sure you believers are exceedingly by all bonds and obligations engaged in love thankfulness obedience to the Father and Son and holy Spirit who have made you preserved you redeemed called and chosen you So far as you serve the flesh you rob God you do as pay money where you owe none and refuse or neglect to pay what you greatly stand indebted for Besides you believers have a principle of grace in you to that you are Debtors for it hath done you great good by the new man created in you your condition is altered of Children of Satan you are become Children of God by it you are fitted for fellowship with God by it you have had much peace comfort and God commands you to live after it and have you not promised so to do therefore spend not the money of your time strength service in acting according to the Flesh to which you owe nothing but pay your Debts to the new man that seed of grace that is in you quench alwayes the motions of the Flesh but blow up nourish cherish all holy motions grieve the flesh as much as ever you can but please the spirit to the utmost To live after the flesh is to countenance the old and discountenance the new man to give way at all to the flesh it is to favour to smile upon your corruption and frown upon the seed of God in you Yea it is to resist the spirit for that draws you from the flesh a contrary way to that wherein the flesh would lead you Ag. To comply with the flesh speaks no or little love to Jesus Christ for the flesh it was the corruption of man that murdered him and it is against the death of Christ for the Gospel tells us Christ dyed that we should not live after the Flesh but to him that dyed for us I shall not hold you longer on this only do you make good use of the Apostles argument though you are sure that you are in Christ yet make use of this word if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but remember to use it lawfully 1 Tim. 1.8 We know that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully so is this truth good very good if it be used lawfully not to hinder but to help to a right grounded assurance not to terrifie but to awaken your spirits not to overses but to ballast them to poize them and this word is to be made use of seasonably There is a great deal of Christian wisdom in the seasonable making use of truths sometimes your souls may be in a desponding fainting sinking frame full of discouragement and fear then call to mind promises gracious invitations the comfortable words of Scripture but too oft your spirits are in a light vain temper inclining to carnal confidence presumption fearlesseness and carelessness they begin to be somewhat bold and ventrous upon evil then is a fit season to meditate on this truth and to think what do I
are the greatest enemies of all to thy sin and they are the best friends of all to thy soul therefore the more any one is a friend to thy sin the worse enemy he is to thy soul and the more any one is an enemy to thy sin the better friend he is to thy soul do thou so account be so perswaded this will help to the mortifying thy sin for it will keep thine ear open to reproof and make way for the sinking of wholsom words into thine heart whereas if thou thinkest he that hates thy sin hates thee which is too ordinary and he that flatters and humors thee in thy evil affections and so is a friend to them loves thee this will keep thy sin alive and nourish it greatly for it will cause thee to give ear to those things that will feed thy corruption Much more might have been said and more may be spoken afterward let thus much suffice at present Sermon 4. Q. 4. WHy is it a necessary duty to mortifie the deeds of the body A. It is most manifest that this is a necessary duty that there is an Absolute necessity lying upon us all and upon me and thee every one of you not only because it is commanded but it is necessary in it self and for our own good It is necessary that we may escape death for if we do not mortifie the deeds of the flesh we shall live after the flesh and so dye at last They say a Crocodile and a man seldom meet but one of them dyeth for it if the man kill not the Crocodile the Crocodile will kill the man This is true of every deed of the body of sin either a man must kill it or he will be killed by it kill or be killed is most true as to all sin The words I am upon teach this is necessary to life and that must be if it be necessary to the escaping death But to evince this by some particulars First Is it not necessary that a deadly disease be mortified you know it is it will mortifie if it be not mortified but sin is the disease of the soul and it 's deadly as the Apostle James saith when it 's finished it brings forth death and as the Apostle Paul saith it brings forth fruit unto death No disease whatever more deadly to the body than every unmortified deed of the flesh is to the soul a bodily disease hurts not the soul but an unmortified lust hurts soul and body with the greatest hurt is it not necessary then to be mortified or is it not necessary that a mettal enemy that 's near a man be slain if possible there being no other way to avoid death by his hands but to lay him dead at ones feet much more is it necessary to destroy our sins there being no other way to escape death by them or no way effectual without this and no enemy hurtful as our lusts unsubdued are It is indeed only sin unmortified that can do us any hurt real or abiding hurt the world could not mischief us Satan could not prejudice us were all our lusts laid dead as they should be therefore well said one of the Martyrs in a letter to his Wife be alwayes an enemy to the world and to the Devil but especially to your own flesh your own corruption But we lye open to the malice of all enemies if any sin be suffered to live in us a lust unmortified is as an open door to let Satan into our souls it gives him hold of us it is as dry tinder whereby we may presently be set on fire or as a Barrel of Gun-powder as I may say within us whereby he may come and blow us up If we mortifie our sins then do we mortifie the world and Satan in their power over us but if we do not then will the world be our Master and Satan will be Lord over us Secondly Is it not necessary that we love God and Christ and his Commandments and our own souls and one another but we love none of these unless we mortifie the deeds of the body we love not God because he hates those Deeds he is dishonored by them offended and provoked and his Spirit is grieved and quenched thereby Jam. 4.4 the friendship of the world is enmity to God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God so as to every deed of the flesh the friendship thereof is enmity to God whosoever therefore is a friend thereof is an enemy of God Nor do we love Christ because the deeds of the body put him to death and are quite contrary to the deeds which he did If ye love me saith Christ keep my Commandments and if we keep his Commandments we must needs break the Commandments of sin and so mortifie the deeds of the body Nor do we love the Commandments of God and Christ because all sinful deeds are directly opposite thereto and this is one of the Lords Commandments that we mortifie our sins yea every Commandment implyes this in that we can keep no Command truely heartily unless our lusts are mortified Nor do we love our own souls because all the deeds of the body war against it and are destructive to it to let sin live quietly in us is too plainly to hate our souls for it is to give entertainment to the enemy the worst enemy of them Prov. 29.24 he that is partner with a Thief hateth his own soul he heareth cursing and bewrayeth it not so doth he hate his own soul who hath this and that lust stirring in him and destroyeth it not Nor do we love or can we love one another in truth for true love only groweth in a pure heart hence it 's said 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently but no heart purity except the corruptions of the heart be slain Jam. 4.1 from whence come wars and fightings among you he meaneth quarrels strifes and contentions which are caused by want of love come they not saith he even of your lusts that war in your members Yes thence it 's sure they come there would be no wars nor fightings of any kind but for the lusts that are in men and whence is it that mens lusts do cause any such things but because they are not mortified Thirdly Let me ask is it not necessary that we hate our corruptions either we must hate them or we shall love them but we do not hate them in good earnest with a right hatred except we seek the mortification of them no hatred of sin is true and right which is not deadly which doth not carry us forth in endeavours to trample it dead under our feet to crucifie it and let out it's heart blood As when Cain hated his brother he kill'd him all heart hatred inclines a man to
with themselves but they carried their lusts away with them as Ahitophel and Judas some have macerated themselves almost starved themselves yet the body of sin and the deeds thereof have been fat and flourishing they have put themselves to much suffering and yet their lusts have lived still and some are much mortified in their outward man by great afflictions by old age yet their sinful affections have had no wound thereby though perhaps through the weakness of their bodies some of them have not so much appeared as they were wont Yet in some cases keeping under the body is a helpful means to the subduing of lust so be it it be not in a superstitious way hence that 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast away Secondly The Apostle speaks not of mortifying your temptations to sin though these are to be avoided a man may not have those temptations â—â—ich he had his temptations may be as mortified 〈◊〉 â—emoved and yet his corruptions be the same as 〈◊〉 is the same in a storm and in a calm when 〈◊〉 â—nd is still that is still but the nature of the sea is not changed so a mans corruption may not work as it did though it be the same that it was because he is not tempted as he was Thirdly The Apostle speaks not of hiding covering and cloaking the deeds of the flesh so that they should not appear to men this may be a mans sins may be hid and yet be as and more lively in him than when they did shew themselves Absalom hid his malice against his brother Amnon but it lived and increased in him all the while the Scribes and Pharisees covered their malice against Christ when they came to him and gave him good words but never more malicious than at that very time so Judas cloaked his covetousness the truth is this hiding and cloaking sin is a great deed of the flesh it is Hypocrisie a Hypocrite through his shews and pretenses may seem to others yea and to himself for many Hypocrites deceive themselves to have his lusts in a great degree destroyed and yet they have as much and more life than ever Fourthly The Apostle saith not if ye restrain hold or stop the working of sin this may also be corruption may be a while restrained through afflictions conviction common workings and yet be far from any degree of death as Saul's envy was restrained and stop'd insomuch that he ceased his pursuing David yet his heart was full of envy still Fifthly The Apostle speaks not of changing the deeds of the body one for another as Prodigality for covetousness open prophaness for formality or the like this oft is a man steps out of one dirty path into another he leaves one way of death and walks in another but so that he is never the nearer life because though his sin be changed it 's not mortified These things might have been enlarged but I have only hinted them yet are they worthy of great consideration it 's not said if ye mortifie your selves nor if ye mortifie your temptations or they be mortified nor if ye cover and cloak your sins nor if ye restrain and stop your lusts in their workings nor if you change your corruptions one for another but if you mortifie your iniquities if you kill and truely destroy the deeds of the body of sin it is this and nothing less than this the actual real slaying our lustings and lusts that is necessarily required to life See then that you mistake nor search examine prove your selves concerning this is it so that ye do actually truly kill slay your sins take away their very life are you really bent in your hearts to this work and intent upon this business Q. How shall we know that A. 1. If so you make use of all means you know or hear of in seeking the mortification of the deeds of the flesh If men seek to kill any hurtful creature to destroy an enemy they not only do something but every thing they know or are told may conduce thereto till their design be accomplish'd If one means do not do they use another and another till there be no more that they can do So you use all means to destroy the deeds of sin in you there is no one thing you know or are told that is a good lawful means for the ruining the lustings of the flesh but you give your selves to the practise thereof yea you are inquisitive still what is yet to be done as that young man said to Christ What lack I yet so you say what is more to be done for the slaying my sin And you have a readiness to embrace any direction that from Scripture or good and warrantable experience you may be acquainted with Yea it is no small joy and delight to you to hear how you may overcome your iniquities if you hear any thing you before have not known or taken notice of it is to you as if you heard some means to cure a sore and deadly disease Secondly You endeavour to mortifie inward secret sins as really as cordially as outward open sins those which are known only to God as well and as much as those which are manifest in the sight of men And you do follow every sin to its natural seat to your heart and there seek to destroy it as men that follow their enemies to their doors and seek to ruine them there where they dwell or are entrench'd so you follow your corruptions and do your utmost to destroy them not only in their appearances abroad but within where they dwell and lodge Thirdly You search after your sins not being content your selves to mortifie those you know but you enquire and look without and within and round about whether there be not some that you know not as one who in war searcheth after his enemies to find out those that hide themselves in the hedges behind the bushes among the trees or in any secret place It 's said of ungodly men they make a diligent search after the sins of those they bare ill will to Ps 64.6 they search out iniquities they accomplish a diligent search So a gracious soul who hates his sins with a perfect deadly hatred he searcheth out his own iniquities he accomplisheth not only begins but goes through stitch with a diligent search divers sins lye secret so deep and stick so close they are not easily to be perceived therefore one whose heart is truly stirred in holy zeal against his sins he searcheth narrowly diligently as that woman Christ speaks of for her lost groat that he may come to the knowledge of them in order to their mortification Fourthly If you are engaged with your whole soul in this work then you do get ground upon the deeds of the flesh they are really weakned and impaired as the house of
wish yea do desire that nothing of them or of any one of them might remain The holy spirit is an enemy to one sin as well as to another and to every degree of sin and all the outgoings or workings thereof therefore he that goeth forth against sin by the spirit he warreth against all sin one as well as another A sign Saul was not carried forth by the spirit against the Amalekits as to the frame of his spirit because he spared some he should have slain so a sign a man seeks not the death of his sin through the spirit if he spare any lust evil affection or motion And if the spirit act you then you lay out your selves will and labour to mortifie every sin in all it 's outbreaking which way soever it vents it self and moves For instance pride that works many wayes and shews it self by a mans habit gate looks thoughts c. Now if you only mind to destroy your pride as issuing forth or working one or two of these wayes and not all you have reason to doubt whether you are acted by the spirit in what you do against your pride So for covetousness that lust hath many streams and wayes of working as making hast to be rich not giving to good and charitable uses buying under and selling above the Market or due price not allowing a mans self or his Relations what is fitting thirsting after gain discontent because a man hath or gets no more of the world c. Now if you only seek to destroy your covetousness as moving and acting some and not all these wayes that speaks what you do against some is not of the spirit Or if you will and strive to mortifie any sin only in part in some degree that 's a bad token but this is a good sign when you are set against every sin in every motion in all the wayes of its working and less than its heart blood its utter ruine will not cannot content you Thirdly You use none but such means as the spirit hath prescribed for the slaying any lust you will not meddle with unlawful superstitious means nor any other but such as the Word of God directs to as praying reading hearing meditating good Company and such like for the spirit of God works not by unlawful means if any do war spiritually by the spirit they war lawfully whereby it appears that Papists and other superstitious persons who seem very strict are not led out against their sins by the spirit because they leave the right path and take strange courses which God hath not commanded Yea which he hath forbidden such a means is that when any mew themselves up in a Cell or lay aside their Calling avoid the Society of Relations and others with whom they ought to accompany c. I may add to this you chiefly use those means wherein the spirit principally delights as looking to the promises the sufferings the holy example of Christ c. It appears by the Apostles arguing Rom. 6.1 2 3 4 c. to what he especially lookt and we ought to look for the destroying our sin even the death the crucifixion of Christ which also may be gathered from Gal. 6.14 God forbid I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom or whereby by which Cross I am Crucified to the world and the world to me If you mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit then this work is in a good degree facilitated and made easie to you though exceeding difficult in it self and grievous to the flesh It 's easie for one very weak to do a great work if he have a strong able helper it 's easie for a young beginner to make good Letters and write well if his hand be guided by a skilful Master So for a soul to beat down its lusts when it hath the powerful assistance of the Almighty most wise spirit And hence they who have the spirit helping them fight against their sins with delight it being a good work and they having good help what they do is not burthensom wearisom and irksom as it is to others therefore they are not apt to be discouraged and give over as others are Neh. 4.8 9. They conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God and set watch against them day and night Nehemiah was not disheartned because he was acted and assisted by the Spirit in the work whereto he was called Thus when a man is set on work against sin by the Spirit Only that none mistake let two things be here remembred First The Spirit of God seldom or never doth assist any in this life in their combating with sin as it can it puts not forth all its ability to the utmost in helping any here if it did farewel all sin presently but because it 's the will of God we should still be kept in exercise in this world and fight it through all the way to heaven therefore the Spirit of God helps those who have its help only in some degree so far as it pleaseth Secondly The Spirit strengthens some more others less and the same persons sometimes more sometimes less sometimes the Spirit almost quite leaves those who have it and are acted by it as to their sense they are even altogether left to themselves either because they have grieved the Spirit or for their tryal and to cause them to know more their own weakness and pray more earnestly for the Spirits help Hence it may be that they who have the Spirit and have gone far in the war against their sin by it may find the work so hard as to begin for a time to sink under it As Moses though in governing the people of Israel he was mightily enabled by the Spirit yet once we read Deut. 1.9 he complained of the burden of his work and said he was not able to bear it But it is not ordinarily or usually thus for the most part they who have the Spirit with them go forward couragiously and delightfully and thus is it still so far as the Spirit doth lead and carry them in what they do Fifthly If you mortifie your sins by the Spirit then as really as you endeavour the death of any sin you do labour to exercise that grace that 's contrary thereto every lust hath a grace opposite to it he that mortifies his lust by the Spirit doth also quicken his grace that stands in opposition to it for the Spirit is as great a friend to grace as it is an enemy to sin and by stirring up grace in us as was formerly said the Spirit doth help us in beating down our sin if then the Spirit help you to mortifie envie and malice it doth put you on to exercise charity kindness and mercy If it assist you against coverousness it doth enable you to exercise contentedness and thus as to other things
of a very gracious soul yet it 's not without ground to advise and perswade such also to try themselves in this matter whether there be no lust they seek not the death of or whether what they do be not through themselves rather than through the Spirit Because this is given as an evidence of life therefore usually the Spirit of God doth bear witness with their Spirits who do through it mortifie their sins that they shall live In the general this is a truth and setting aside some particular special cases it will be found true as to all whatever death or deadness any lye under it is caused by some sin open or secret which they don't use means by the Spirit to destroy And therefore let the second use be Use 2. To perswade you all yet once again to this so great a duty be perswaded one and all particularly you who are under deadnesse to mortifie your sin through the spirit you who have not yet begun O that you would enter upon this combate you who have begun hold on go forward and be more industrious here in in this time of wars and rumours of wars which may as yet increase with other destroying killing judgments let this be your war your daily fight because this is the way to life Is there any one of you but desireth to live in the sense of my Text Can you be content with a short uncertain natural life and not look after that which is far better seeing it may be attained and the way to attain it is laid plain before you Say I pray say in your hearts say before God Would you not Do you not desire to live a life of holinesse a life of spiritual peace comfort and joy a life of happinesse under the warm most refreshing beams of Gods face and favour Would you not Wish you not that you may live for ever with Christ in glory when your natural life shall end Doth not thy heart sometimes at least say O that my Soul may go into life when my body shall dy and that my body may be raised to the resurrection of life Some possibly may think it strange that I propound such queries saying in themselves who is there but would and desireth so to live I answer well is it for those who have a thorow will and desire thereto for they will undoubtedly industrously seek to walk in the way of life they will hearken to this counsel and make it their study and businesse to mortifie their sin through the spirit It was the saying of one as I have read that he would swim through a Sea of Brimstone to get to heaven strong desires causeth strong endeavours and carrieth through great difficulties hunger we say breaketh through stone walls but if thy heart be right that which is required of thee being to be done through the spirit is not of extream difficulty I beseech you what think you hath that man a mind to live in good earnest who will not seek the life of his deadly enemies who unlesse destroyed will surely destroy him Or who will not give himself to the use of good and effectuall means prescribed to him for the removing a disease or healing of a wound which unlesse cured will certainly be his death verily no more have they a thorow sound will or fervent desire to live spiritually happily and eternally who hearing what must be done in order thereunto cast the counsell of God behind their back not giving up themselves to the obedience thereof But wilt thou O Soul be so unwise be not thou whatever any other is so foolish as not to thirst after such life If thou sayest thou dost long for it shew the truth and strength of thy desire by thy diligence in practising daily this exhortation which if thou dost not but shalt neglect and despise instruction then truly thou wilt not can'st not live that 's implyed when it 's said He that doth this shall live he that doth it not shall not live Remember saith Christ Lot's wife So remember other Scripture examples particularly that 1 Kings 20.35 One of the Sons of the Prophets said to his neighbour in the word of the Lord smite me I pray thee and the man refused to smite him then said the Prophet because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord as soon as thou art departed from me a Lyon shall slay thee and it was so as soon as the man was departed from him a Lyon sound him and slew him So it 's said to thee this day in the word of the Lord smite I pray thee kill destroy thy sin if thou refusest then ere long thou knowest not how soon a Lion will slay thee thy lust and Satan that devouring Lion yea the wrath of the Almighty worse than a thousand Lions will slay thee with a slaughter far more terrible and dreadfull than that was wherewith that man was slain thou wilt find and feel the truth of this as he experienced to the losse of his life the truth of the Prophet's word You may also observe in the same Chapter V. 42. The Prophet said to Ahab King of Israel Thus saith the Lord because thou hast let go out of thine hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life So assuredly if thou shalt let thy sin escape which God hath appointed to utter destruction in the ruining whereof thou mayest have the assistance of the spirit then shall thy life go for it's life Must it not needs be so if the not smiting a Prophet when God commanded it cost a man his life against the doing of which he had a seeming fair objection and excuse if the not slaying Benhadad a King when God would have him slain though we read not God had so expresly declared cost Ahab a King his life then how sure the not slaying thy sin which God so oft calls upon thee and presseth thee to mortifie will cost thee thy life Fain would I may it please the Lord to work that this counsell may become rivered and rooted in all our hearts Therefore I shall hint a few moving perswasions First Set forth up and be fighting couragiously and constantly against your corruptions and iniquities by the spirit so shall you have many victories you will oft get the better of them and every victory will be a cordiall a cup of consolation to your hearts much joy will you thereby have now much more hereafter when the fight shall be quite ended Nothing gladdeth more in this world than victory over strong mighty inveterate enemies how did Deborah and Barak rejoyce when they came off victorious with Palms in their hands Jud. 5.1 2. c. Then sang Deborah Barak the son of Abinoam on that day saying praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel c. Then they sang When Ch. 4. last The hand of the children of Israel prospered and prevailed against Jabin
the King of Canaan untill they had destroyed Jabin King of Canaan i. e. as if it had been said that great that potent destroying King Jabin therefore his name is so repeated Therefore that thou mayest sing now and much more hereafter and sing for ever stir up thy self take hold of the Lord march out against every sin in his name and strength for so shalt thou prevail be not discouraged Read and consider weigh that well Jud. 6.12 13. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said unto him the Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour Gideon replyed Oh my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all this befaln us c. V. 14 15 16. And the Lord looked upon him and said go in this thy might and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites have not I sent thee and he said oh my Lord wherewith shall I save Israel Behold my family is poor in Manasseth a poor Tribe and I am the least in my Fathers house and the Lord said unto him surely I will be with thee and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man Secondly If God intend to save us he will take some severe course or other with us for the destroying our sin if we will not be perswaded by fair means by his word to seek it's destruction whence was it that the incestuous Corinthan was delivered up to Satan and thereupon had so much sorrow that he was ready to be swallowed up thereby it vvas for the destruction of his sin the ruining vvhereof he neglected the Psalmist saith fools because of their transgression are afflicted because they countenance their sin and are too tender tovvards it vvhich is their folly therefore God makes them smart Hence Davids bones vvere broken because he did not mortifie the lustfull motions that vvere in him but gave vvay thereto Remember vvhat Christ saith Rev. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent Thirdly What is the end aim and tendency of every deed of the body of sin every sinfull motion It is your death Abstain saith the Apostle Peter from fleshly lusts which war against your souls Why do they vvar but to kill your souls and so far as Satan hath a hand in stirring up your lusts he directly aims at your utter ruin therefore seek the death of your lusts Is it not better for sin to dy than for your souls to dy No man can be so irrationall as to think and say plainly that it 's vvorse for him to slay his sin than it vvill be to be slain by it This is even the farthest step from vvisdom for any to please his flesh and Satan his vvorst enemies to his ovvn eternall undoing Fourthly While any sin is in you unmortified you cannot be so usefull to others you 'l not have a heart no◠〈◊〉 capacity or fitnesse to do that good you might in your generation that you say or do vvill not be so advantagious to others yea sin being unmortified you vvill thereby do much hurt by stumbling them hardning them causing them to blaspheme as David by his sin opened the mouths of the enemies of the Lord in blaspheming And hovv sad is this for a man that ought still to do good to do much hurt for a man to be an instrument of Satan as every one is vvho doth hurt to others souls it may be by some one corruption in you not subdued but prevailing you may be in a great degree a means through your ill example or otherwise of the damnation of some of your Relations Acquaintance or such with whom you have to do certainly a man that understands himself had rather lye rotting in the grave than live to do mischief especially so great hurt Fifthly there cannot be the least shew or shadow of reason why we should spare any sin Good reason there may be for a man to spare outward enemies and to do those good who hate him This may be an honour to a man Theodosius the Emperour is highly commended for that when he was moved to execute one who reviled him he said that were it in his power he had rather raise his dead enemies than put to death his living Or there may be hope that a mans enemies will grow better in time if spared or they living may be of some use one way or other or some friends may interceed for them c. But if you let go your sin this is the greatest disgrace shame and dishonour that can be to you it 's impossible sin should grow better but the longer you let it live unmortified it will still grow worse as to you Sin it self cannot be of any good use There is no one who will be pleased by your sparing sin unless you shall take Satan for your friend or some one in whom he ruleth Nor is there or can there be any other reason why you should forbear or defer to seek the death of every sin Again Consider the smallest sin not mortified is far worse than the greatest grossest sin that hath never so oft broke forth if it be at length brought under for the least deed of the body of sin let alone is mortal to you it will kill you but the greatest being mortified will be no bar to or at all prejudice your salvation for if ye mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live how great heinous mighty prevailing and provoking soever those deeds have been Therefore be fully resolved through the spirit to endeavour the death of every of your sins seeing sin hath already done us so much hurt by wounding by defiling 〈◊〉 souls by separating between God and us and causing many wayes much sorrow to us it is but just revenge to seek its death it 's said indeed avenge not your selves but you know that is not spoken as to our sins the Israelites were to destroy the Amalekits and Midianites when God commanded them and that utterly because of the hurt they had done to Israel and the Apostle makes holy revenge one sign of true repentance 2 Cor. 7.11 How do wicked men mortifie the deeds of the Spirit its motions and convictions how much have we all been guilty thereof O that for time to come we may wholly addict our selves to the mortifying of the deeds of the body of sin Remember be you faithful in this combate for a while and yet after a little time it will be perfectly dead and buried as I may say and that never to have any resurrection our visible body shall rise again not the body of sin nor any member thereof when once quite destroyed I shall here add three or four directions besides those formerly mentioned First Look upon and account this to be one end of all Gods providences towards you to stir you up to this duty hence your afflictions which you perhaps speak of as so many so great they are to take away your
sin hence your mercies which when fewest and least are more and greater than your afflictions they also are to excite you against your sins for the goodness of God leadeth to repentance and if you thus account and reckon it will be a good help to awaken you thereto 2 Pet. 3.15 account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation account so thus think and judge in your selves but why should we so account because this will be a means to put us upon our duty as may appear by the 14 v. upon which he brings in that exhortation be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless then comes in that as a help thereunto and account that the long-suffering of God is salvation do so and thereby you will be quickned to be diligent that you may be found of him in peace so you should account of all God's providences they are salvation in order to the salvation of your souls and consequently to the destruction of your sins Secondly Think not a little pains enough for the mortifying any sin though all our pains be nothing without the spirit yet the spirit will have us not only to do but to do with all our might There must be violence used against our sin which Christ teacheth when he saith cut off thy right hand right foot and pluck out thy right eye that offends thee touching it a little smiting it is not enough it must be cut off and pluck'd out all that we do should be done with all our might much more this If we did strive more the Spirit would help us more But Thirdly Let nothing quiet thee unless thy conscience tells thee thou art hearty and zealous in this work and dost get some ground upon thy sin it 's cross to Scripture for a man under the power of sin he not bearing up and wrestling sincerely and stoutly against it to bless himself in or quiet himself by any thing and this hardens the heart nourisheth sin strengthneth and increaseth it when a man upon any account speaks peace to his soul while he lives in sin hence that terrible word Deut. 29.20 God saith his anger and his jealousie shall smoke against that man who giving way to sin blesseth himself and all the curses shall lye upon him c. if a man flatter himself that he shall do well because he hath had such comforts doth perform such duties God is merciful Christ hath dyed c. though he live after the flesh in this or that evil deed or motion thereof then will that man's sin prevail more and more and it 's not like to be mortified or that he should seek the mortification thereof Fourthly Beware of all lessening and extenuating thoughts of your sin to beget such thoughts in us is Satan's way to defend our sin and deaden our hearts to the seeking the death thereof as that we cannot help it which is no extenuation but an aggravation of sin when it ariseth from the strength of sin in our hearts 2 Pet. 2.14 it 's express'd to aggravate or shew the greatness of their sin they cannot cease to sin or that our sin is not so great as some others I am not said the Pharisee like this Publican or I have such a temptation the woman said Adam thou gavest me she gave me and I did eat or any other excuse while a man's mind is so exercised and busied to make his sin appear as little as possibly he can it roots and grows in him he 'l not strike hard at it if he think it small he 'l give it a weak blow if he think it weak no great stroke if he imagine it not to be great as if a man be to kill a little creature a flye suppose he 'l put forth but little strength for that he thinks enough Labour therefore to see your sin as it is in its greatness heinousness and utmost sinfulness so far as may be and for that purpose view your sin in the glass of the word see how it 's set â—â—â—th there in the word of truth applying all that 's spoken against such and such a sin to your sin that sin in you consider how it is in God's eye how he looks upon it as also how it will appear to you when you come to dye or stand in judgment and loâ—k round it weigh the aggravating circumstances of it the love the goodness of God to you your knowledge means of sanctification and checks of conscience your profession your hope your prayers with other such things Use 3. All you who do mortifie your sin in truth through the Spirit be assured this day you shall live for you to believe is as really your duty as it is for you to do any thing against your sin and the more you believe it the more will you do against sin a man may conceit he shall live and therefore let his sin live but he that hath a true faith grounded on the Word of God particularly my Text that he shall live he 'l become thereby more industrious in warring against sin for faith is a purifying grace Believe then live you shall spiritually while you live naturally if at present you have not you shall have peace and joy God's favour is towards you and you shall have a sense of it if now you are without it and eternal life is yours you are heirs of it Dye you may a natural but not a cursed death not the second death as she said who going cheerfully to Prison and hearing one say to her you have not yet tasted death true answered she nor ever shall I for Christ saith Joh. 8.51 if a man keep my saying he shall not see death so you who keep this saying shall not see death but you shall see life and enjoy it for ever you are written among the living in Jerusalem Isa 4.3 or as it 's otherwise read you are written unto life your names are in the book of life see by faith there is a book of life where the names of all that shall live are fairly indelibly recorded and among others there even there stands thy name your mortifying your sin through the Spirit is a sure evidence to you hereof therefore by it mortifie your doubts and let your assurance be raised and let it give life to your hearts even the life of comfort This promise ye shall live contains in it more than tongue can express it is comprehensive of all you desire or can reasonably wish for Let not thy soul refuse to be comforted by it it matters not much what now is think thou of what shall be Now thou mayest be as dead as to thy name estate health this or that good but doubt not thou shalt live so live that there shall not any shadow of death remain in thee upon or to thee You may say this is a good word to them who can rightly apply it and me thinks I could