and tribulations in our spiritual warfare we must enter there It is much indeed for a Christian to die a victor after warre though not a triumpher that must come after death and the trophies and rewards of our victory shall then be fully given to us when our feet shall stand within the gates of the new Ierusalem and when we shall receive these two glorious and everlasting badges of our victory a crown set upon our head having this written upon it It endureth for ever A motto which could never be engraven upon any Crown here below and a Palm put in our hands and then indeed shall we sing as those that divide the spoil when we have led captivity captive and fitten down upon a Throne which is established for ever And we conceive much divine reflection and holy contemplation upon that precious recompence of reward and that high and unconceivable pitch of dignity unto which belivers and overcomers are to be advanced would make us with much cheerfulness and alacrity undergo this spiritual warfare And yet all our triumphing is not suspended till our war be ended believe me there is more real joy in the victory and vanquishing of one lust yea more divine satisfaction in a serious pursute and contending with them though with very small successe to our apprehension than in the actuall enjoyment and fruition of all thy lusts Thou may hide sin under thy tongue and have it pleasant to thy taste yet at last it shall be as the gall of asps and the poison of dragons O! put on so much holy generosity and spiritual ambition that though Satan should offer unto thee all the Kingdoms of the world that thou may fall down and worship him thou mayest cry forth in holy zeal and indignation Get the hehind me Sathan O! that deceitfull oratory and malitious guile wherewith he ensnareth immortal souls and brings them into subjection O! but the depths of Satan are subtile and great And he is a man of understanding that can draw them out and not be ignorant of his devices and except we be helped by the candle of the Lord that discovereth the inward parts of the belly to know these mysterious subtilties of him whose name is A deceiver they will remain still riddles and mysteries to us But since we are compassed about with this body of death and there is a law in our members rebelling against the law of our minde we should be much in groaning for the day of our redemption when the lawfull captive may be delivered and the prey taken from the mighty and that blessed decree may come forth O prisoners of hope go forth and shew your selves We are afraid that the Christians of this generation have proclaimed a cessation of armes and have concluded a treaty of peace with their lusts and a league not only offensive but shall I adde this even defensive not only that we shall offend our lusts but shall defend them and if once we have sealed this treaty and agreement with our Idols what can they require more at our hands We conceive we may sadly allude unto that word that there is not one amongst fourty thousand in Israel with whom there is a spear and sheild seen in contending in this holy warfare O! can such a delusion as this overtake you that ye can be an overcomer without fighting is your strength greater then those that have gone before you that you think you can accomplish this war in one day and pursue your enemies till ye overtake and consume them O! when shall that day be when we shall be groaning forth dayly this mournfull dittay O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death In the words we conceive first there is a sweet and pleasant emphasis in that word me speaking so much that if infinite power and grace were capable of any limitation and there could be any bounds fixed to it Paul did conceive he was the bounds and limits of infinite power and grace if there were an impossibility for grace to save any sinner it should be impossible for grace to have saved him who was the chiefest of sinners and lesse then the least of all Saints And if each Christian did look upon himself as the greatest debter to the Justice of God his debt to the infinite grace of God should appear more singular Secondly we may perceive that a Christians happinesse doth consist in a sweet exchange of dominion and governments Once sin doth reign in his mortal body and he is under the dominion of his lusts but then grace doth step in and exauctorats and dethrones the former King and doth reign in the temple of our heart This is clear Rom. 5. last and that is a remarkable word which is there that grace may reign the word in the original doth signifie so much that grace may play the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this fulnesse of graces dominion is that the Apostle would be at here And certainly there is no repentance of this exchange of Masters There is much noise and rumour of complaints amongst people in these dayes of the exchange of governments from one species of government to another we shall leave these debates unto men who desire to exercise their spirits about them but sure we are of this that those who are given up to this change shall have it passe as most legitimat and lawfull by the divine approbation both of angels and of the souls of just men now made perfect Thirdly the way that Paul taketh here to propose his complaint under the strong prevalency of the body of death by way of question who shall deliver me doth not import any hesitation about his perswasion of certainty that he at last should sing a song of triumph over his lusts but only that it would be among the richest and the most singular monuments and trophies of the victorie of Christ to save him Paul did no doubt conceive that amongst all the royall monuments of Christs conquest that should be as it were hanged about the walls of that higher and glorious palace Paul should be put in the highest place as having least merit to bring him there if there could be any merit at all and most love and grace Now to come more particulary to the words after Paul hath most divinely set forth that woful opposition and contradiction that was betwixt the unrenewed part and the renewed and what strong dominion sin had over him he doth in these words breath out a sweet desire to be delivered not only from his actual corruption but from his original guilt which here he calleth the body of this death not only because corruption is a thing which may be easily discerned and known to us it being so to speak a thing which may fall under the object of our sight being no spirit but a body but also because of these great multitudes of corruptions that flow from that root
of original sin it having so many different members and parts which are so diversified and so compleat that they may make up a body which body if it be intertained shall certainly bring and occasion death So when he is under the strong convictions of his guilt and hath had a compleat discovery of himself you may see his exercise holden forth in these words O wretched man the word in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth one that is wearied with troublesome and continual combats with little apparent successe and this doth certainly import that he was a man much and continually taken up in wrestling against his corruptions and endeavouring to bring them unto subjection unto the obedience of Christ Iesus And ye may see likewayes in these words the way that Paul took to overcome his lusts he was much in the exercise of prayer for the words that we have read are indeed a short and pathetick prayer I conceive that word which is recorded in Isa. 38. 14. O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me is a sweet paraphrase upon these words Fourthly You may see his great and principal suit to have been deliverance from this body of death this captive exile was hastning to be delivered and looking out at the windowes of his Prison-house waiting till the Jaylor should come and open the doors and take his chains and fetters from off his feet We confesse these shall not be fully taken off till we shal be passing thorow the door of our everlasting rest and then that woful and sad complaint shall take his everlasting adiew and farewell for if we may speak so the burial place of sin is before the door of our eternal rest it then ceaseth to be when we begin more eminently to have a beeing But may we not be ashamed and blush that we are not more in uttering those inexpressible sighs and groans of the spirit under the conviction of our sinfulnesse since this holy man who had no doubt attained unto a great length in mortification who had plucked out many right eyes and cut off many right hands and oft times returned victor after war was so much in groaning under his corruption O! but we have inverted strangely the way to heaven I conceive practical Antinomianisme is an Epidemick error in these dayes Many think that it is below a regenerat man to mourn and to sit down and lament over the body of death we know not what it is to make our bed to swim with tears and to be bedewing the way to Zion when our faces are thither ward ye conceive that it is a lesson to be practised and learned by those in a lower classe and those who are learning so to speak the Rudiments of Christianity and not to be exercised by those who are now advanced unto the high classe of Christianity that being as it were in our apprehension a degrading of your selves from that pitch of perfection unto which in your imagination you have attained but believe me it is a work not below the eldest Christian nor above the youngest believer and the more one be old in reality in Religion this work will alwayes be new in their practice I shall only give you that divine counsel of a holy man who desired Christians to set about the mortification of their lusts as though they had never been taken up in that duty before each day to set about to mortifie not as a proficient but as a beginner who hath never made any progresse in that blessed work Now in speaking upon Pauls exercise which is here holden forth that he was continually exercised in wrestling against those corruptions and that body of death that was in him we need not stand long to prove that it is the duty of a Christian to be so exercised and taken up there is somewhat of that implyed in that word Act. 24. 16. And it is more clearly pressed Col. 3 5. Eph. 6. 13. and 1 Cor. 5. 7. And no doubt if a Christian did reflect more upon the nature of sin and consider that by it difformity with God is increased and precious conformity with him lost and did we take up sin in its wofull effects that it worketh death and involveth us under the curse of a living God we would be more constant in this spiritual warfare O! but Christians thorow want of the apprehension of these are much disinabled to stand fast to that liherty wherewith Christ hath made them free and oft-times entangled themselves again with the yoke of bondage So that I conceive if God were coming to give a name to the Christians of this generation he might call us Isfachar because we do now croutch down under two burdens and are become servants unto tribute and even those that are more refined and tender in their walk in those dayes he might call them Reuben because they are unstable as water which marreth their excellency But that which first we shall speak to is how the wrestlings of a natural man against the body of death and those corruptions that are within him may be distinguished from the wrestlings of one that is really godly And first we conceive that it is without debate and controversie that a man altogether unregenerate by natures light may be put on to mortifie if so we may speak and contradict those sins which are most sensual and grosse natures light including an antipathy and detestation of those things within it self though we confesse thorow the depravement of our nature those sins which fall under the sphere of natures mortification are now abridged unto a small sum it being not now refined and clear as it was when man was in the estate of innocence Secondly another sort may from some common qualification oppose some sins as those that are of more heroick and refined spirits will have detestation against covetousnesse and other sins of that nature and so in some sense may endeavour the mortification of these things Thirdly the same may a natural man do by such a conviction of the holy Ghost as is but a common work of the spirit he may be put on to mortifie these sins that are more visible and some what grosse in their nature as is clear from the practice of those who cleanse the outside of the platter and studies to have an outward conformity unto the law of God notwithstanding of that inward and secret antipathy against the strictnesse of his law yea more a natural man who hath some predominant evil may endeavour and will atempt to wrestle against that sin which is in a direct line of opposition against it as one that is given to that vice of covetousnesse he will study to mortifie that vice of prodigality those being two opposit vices Now from all these we may conclude that upon every opposition which we use against our corruptions it is not safe to infer that we are really ingaged in this spiritual warfare it being we think another
two precious staffes of beauty and bands amongst us that he hath not broken the covenant of his peace and ceased to entertain so near a relation betwixt himself and us As likewayes it is a mystery of his love that we are not made eternal monuments of the justice of God and this Motto engraven upon us behold these that made not God their refuge God is glorious in the exercise of all his holy attributes but in none more than in the exercise of his patience and long-suffering toward us and in a manner he darkeneth the glory of his justice and casteth a vail over his spotlesse holinesse that the exercise of the attribute of patience and long-suffering may be rendered more conspicuous I only pose you with this question is not mortification a mystery unto your practice Can such a delusion as this overtake you that ye shall reign with Christ though your lusts reign with you as long as ye are here It is certain ye know that mortification is that precious exercise in which ye ought to be taken up and I conceive that there is only this difference betwixt sinning against Light and that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost that the sinning against Light is a sinning against the common work of the spirit upon your understanding but the sin against the Holy Ghost is a sin against the common work of the spirit upon the affections and no doubt there is a near bordering betwixt these two it is the first step to it by which ye go up and ascend unto the acting of this sin It is a faithful saying saith the Apostle Paul that if we die with Christ we shall also reign with him and we may likewayes say It is a faithful saying that if we be not with Christ and be not conformed unto him in his suffering we cannot be conformed unto him in the power of his resurrection ye are all willing to take Christ as a Iustifier and as a Saviour but unwilling to take him as a Sanctifier and as a Prince but know this that the gifts of this spotlesse Lamb are so sweetly linked together that they were like his own coat that was upon his body which was without seam that could not be divided and so except the whole gifts of Iesus Christ fall unto us by divine lot we can have no part nor portion therein This Mortification is the compend of Christianity and certainly a Christian reading these words he may stand amazed and be ashamed at his own stupidity that interest in Christ should be connected with such a degree of Mortification though we conceive there be many who take to themselves the name of Christians that never knew what it was to exercise themselves in Mortification I shall only before I speak to that which mainly we intend to speak to press this grace of Mortification upon you by these things First This may enforce this duty of Mortification of lusts because it is impossible for one to satisfie their lusts let them accomplish never so diligent a search to find satisfaction to them therefore ye would be undeceived and convinced of that delusion ye conceive that if your lusts had their desire they would be satisfied but that is most clearly held forth to be false Psal. 78. 29 30. where it is said of their lusts they got their hearts desire and the word that is subjoyned yet were they not estranged from their lusts Let a covetous man suppose this with himself that upon the having of so many thousands in the world his lust of covetousnesse would be satisfied but Iob doth refute this chap. 20. 22. saying in the fulnesse of his sufficiency he shall be in straits It is easier to mortifie your lusts then to satisfie them And this secondly we would say that though ye hide sin under your tongue and though it be sweet unto you yet know that the day is approaching when it shall be in your bowels as the gall of Alpes and as the poyson of Dragons know this for a certainty that the momentany pleasures of sin which they afford unto you are not worthy to be compared with that eternal weight of unsupportable misery that shall be inflicted upon you O! but it is a terrible sight to behold a living God entring eternally in the lists with a poor sinfull sinner to have omnipotency and justice fighting against the dust of his feet There is this lastly which we would say not exercising your selves constantly in this precious work of Mortification doth interrupt much precious fellowship that you might have with Christ ye that are tasting of the sweetnesse of sin cannot taste of the sweetnesse of heaven this is clear Rom. 8. 13. where mortifiers have that promise that they shall live And I shall only say this by the way we conceive it to be a question that is difficult to determine whether it be more for the advantage of one that is under any predominant lust to have the objects upon which it seeds withdrawn or to have them furnished to feed upon as for instance if one be under the woful predominant of pride it is a question whether the want of occasion to exercise and feed that lust be better or to have it proud Achitophel when he wanted the objects upon which pride doth feed he will go and strangle himself and when we have them furnished unto us what secret Idolatry what desperat Atheism do we commit in the secret temples of our heart and in the chambers of our Imagry Mortifie more or ye shall pray lesse Now that which we intend mainly to speak to is that second thing which we poposed concerning Mortification from these words and it was the extent of Mortification that they did not only crucifie their predominant lusts which are here called affections because they are Idols and these are linked together by that passion of love but likewayes they ought to mortifie the first motions and stirrings of corruption and all occasions to it which are here called lusts but moreover one that is a spiritual mortifier must mortifie original sin which is here called the flesh as oft-times it hath that name in Scripture an exercise which is unknown to many if not unto all we think original sin but a Zoar and it is hard indeed to be convinced of the sinfulness of original sin and to take it up in its native collours Now in speaking upon the work of Mortification of original sin we shall not insist long upon this that it is the duty of a Christian to be exercised in the crucifying of this sin it is clear from Coll. 3. 5. where we are commanded to mortifie our members and it is clear from the practice of Paul Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death there is a strong Emphasis in the word me as if Paul would have said if infinit grace can have bounds then no doubt sinful Paul is the bounds
fixed to it We shall for more clear speaking to this first speak a little unto this what is original sin and we conceive that it stands in these original sin is the imputation of that transgression of Adam unto us for he being a common and representative person we fell in his falling and did stand in his standing but likewayes original sin doth comprehend this want of original righteousnesse man not being created after that noble pattern and divine Idea the Image of God man now carrieth but the image of God in his wisdom and in his omnipotency but while he was in his primitive estate he did carry an impression of the holinesse of God as likewayes original sin doth comprehend this a proneness to the committing of all evil as also an ineptitude and unfitnesse for the doing of any good and this is that which we are all by nature The first part of original sin is clear from Rom. 5. 12. and 14. verses And the rest may be gathered from many places of Scripture but is comprehended in that one word Eph. 2. 1. We were dead in sins and trespasses one can no more move in the acting of any spiritual good than if he were one altogether without life We shall secondly speak a little to those advantages that a Christian may have by being convinced of original sin Iâ— is most certain that a Christian is lesse convinced of original corruption than he is of any actual transgression almost that doth befal him and as we were speaking the reason of it doth proceed partly from this that a Christian taketh not up the sinfulness of original sin though it be a sin having more in it than is in twenty yea an hundred actual transgressions or else it proceedeth from this that Christians are not convinced what influence original sin hath upon all the outward actings of iniquity it is that fruitful womb that doth alwayes bear twins and is never barren it is that root that doth dayly bring forth wormwood and gall or else it doth proceed from this that we think that original sin is not our own and that we are not so guilty as if indeed we had eaten this cursed Apple But as to the advantages of being convinced of original corruption we conceive that there is this first advantage That it is impossible for any to have high thoughts of Iesus Christs love and of the offer of mercy except he be convinced of original sin Would ye know the reason why Christ hath so small an esteem among you it is because of this ye are not convinced of your original corruption this is somewhat pointed at Rom. 5 6 7 8. verses where the Apostle heighteneth the love of Christ in dying for us he pitches upon this to commend it our original corruption that we were sinners and without strength O! what a mystery is the condescending grace of Christ unto a sinner believing original corruption it is as it were the foundation upon which all our esteem doth arise and spring there is somewhat of this likewayes pointed at Rom. 7. 24 compared with vers 25. where Paul beginning to commend free grace his song doth arise to the highest key because he hath been convinced of this body of death that dwelleth within him I would only say this if you would learn this divine lesson of putting a high accompt upon Christ study original corruption much There is this second advantage that a Christian hath from the conviction of it and it is this it doth exceedingly commend the omnipotency of his grace in mortifying corruption when ye are convinced of this sin when was it that Paul had the highest accompt of the omnipotency of the grace of Christ was it not when he was forced to cry forth O! wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death And this is certainly pointed at Eph. 2. 1. where the quickening vertue of grace is commended from this the object upon which it is exercised ye that were dead in in sins and trespasses There is this third advantage that floweth from conviction of original sin and it is this It is a compendious way to keep the Christian under the exercise of humility under the highest attainments of Mortification or under the highest attainments of communion and fellowship with God Would ye know the reason why we are so easily puffed up under some small successe or some small familiarity with Christ It is want of reflect thoughts upon original corruption that is within us Therefore I would prescribe this to Christians under their highest advancement by grace to sit down and seriously reflect upon that which they are by nature that their father is an Amorite and their Mother an Hittite and the rock from whence they are hewn may preach humility to them this is clear Rom. 7. 24. where Paul under the conviction of original sin calleth himself a wretched man and is clear also from the 9. vers of that Chapter where when once original sin is discovered he died in his own apprehensions if we were in the apprehension of this more the wind of the wildernesse would not bind us up in her wings till our substance were dissolved There is a fourth advantage a Christian hath from the conviction of original corruption and it is this it keepeth the Christian under the deepest impression of the sinfulnesse of sin I confesse that is one of the greatest mysteries of Christianity to have our soul constantly under the impression of the sinfulness of sin which we conceive is impossible to be attained without solid conviction of original corruption this is somewhat hinted at Rom. 7. 13. when Paul once by the Commandment having original sin discovered sin became unto him exceeding sinful and the reason why original sin discovered hath such influence upon this is because ordinarily we conceive that the actings of sin do not proceed from our selves but from that deceiver of the brethren which Iames doth abundantly refute for when a man is tempted he is entised by his lusts There is this fifth advantage that a Christian hath by being convinced of original sin It is an excellent way to keep the Christian under a most watchful and fearing frame such language would not been heard out of a Hazaels mouth Am I a dog to commit this if he had been convinced of original sin but because he was a stranger to this his presumption led him above that which was indeed within him therefore when one is convinced of their proneness to act iniquity of their want of that conformity with God they remember to stand upon their watch-tower lest they be ensnared this is most clearly pointed at I Cor. 9. last where Paul is put to this exercise I bear down my body and bring it into subjection and the reason is subjoyned because he was possessed with a holy jealousie of himself and entertained a divine suspicion which was consistent with the acting of hope I know
requisit peece of armour that after we have done all we may stand not only because watchfulnesse is that which discovereth unto a Christian his weaknesse and inability for a Christian to be convinced of this it is his strength as is clear from 2 Cor. 12. 10. When I am weak then am I strong this is a paradox to nature but no mystery to grace but also because watchfulnesse is a most effectual mean to discover to a Christian the subtilty and profound deceitfulnesse of his adversaries which maketh him to be much in watching over his own heart watchfulnesse likewayes is that grace which discovereth unto a Christian the formal and remisse actings of grace in this precious combat when faith beginneth to die and hope beginneth to languish and love and zeal beginneth to wax cold then watchfulnesse giveth warning to prayer that it may go to seek strength for those that were languishing As likewayes watchfulnesse is requisit because it discovereth unto a Christian the first motions of his adversaries and when first he beginneth to stir which no doubt is a great advantage And more watchfulnesse discovereth unto a Christian that advantage which he hath over his lusts which doth exceedingly encourage him to go on in this spiritual warfare There is this thirdly which is requisit that a Christian would be much in the meditation upon the sufferings death and love of Iesus Christ. I know not to a tender Christian a more effectual mean to Mortifie his affections and lusts then this this is clear that it is so not only from 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. where Paul saith The love of Christ did constrain him because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead that we should henceforth no more live to our self And Peter presseth this 1 Pet. 1. 18. compared with ver 20. Be ye holy as he is holy and he subjoineth the reason of it for ye are bought with a price even with the incorruptible blood of Iesus Christ and 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. he presseth the doctrine of Mortification from this that Christ was crucified in the flesh and it is clear from Psal. 26. 3. where the great argument which perswaded David to pursue after sincerity was this for the love of God is alwayes before my eyes And is not this a sweet portraicture alwayes to contemplat and behold to look upon love untill ye be changed into that same Image from glory to glory And certainly Christs death and love must have a most effectual influence upon this Can one read these words he swat drops of blood and that word If it be possible let this cup depart from me Can you read these words and not be provoked to hate sin with a perfect hatred Can ye love that which crucified Christ and brought him so low If such a supposition had been possible that all that were sinners had been standing round about the crosse in the day that Christ was hanged up betwixt heaven and earth in the day that his precious body was dropping down drops of blood might not ye have said O! what a thing must that be which we call sin that hath brought him so low And may not the reflect thoughts upon the love of Christ provoke you to this that if Christ hath so far condescended unto you ought not ye to please him and give obedience to his Commandments Who would dispute the commands of such a One And it is certain that if we would meditate on these things till we wondered and wonder till we loved no doubt it should perswade you to be endeavouring Mortification of your lusts Christs death hath not only a moral influence of which we have spoken but it hath a physical influence also upon the mortification of sin for we are bought saith the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 1. 20 with a price from our vain conversation Christ hath crucified the damning power of sin and hath purchased this gift the Spirit of Sanctification to crucifie the dominion of sin There is this fourthly which is requisite that a Christian under debates with lusts be much in the exercise of the grace of faith It is a most insensible and unknown help to our apprehension we think faith is a help when all things are desperat And therefore we judge prayer a more suitable help to sense and apprehension therefore a Christian under the prevailing of his corruptions will be more in the imployment of the grace of prayer than in the imployment of the grace of faith though we may say this to the advantage of the grace of faith that it hath a most effectual and most divine influence for the crucifying of lusts if so we may speak faith is that that cometh nearest himself for faith as it is spoken of it hath a kind of Omnipotency as it is said all things are possible for those that believe Now this is clear not only from 1 Ioh. 5. 5. This is our victory whereby we overcome the world even our faith and it is clear from Eph. 6. 16. Above all things take ye the shield of faith by which you may quench the fiery darts of the Devil And certainly had we so much faith as a grain of mustard seed we might say to every mountain that is in our way be removed and hurled unto the midst of the sea and it should obey us We shall clear the influence of faith in the mortifying of corruption not only in this that the grace of faith discovereth unto a Christian that super-eminent and precious excellency of Jesus Christ at the appearance of which the glory and luster of our Idols do disappear We think our Idols are like stars that in the night do appear and seem beautiful creatures but when once that Sun even the Sun of righteousnesse doth arise then their glory is not seen neither can they be beheld Saw you never such a sight of him that constrained you to cry forth what have I to do any more with Idols If such a supposition were possible that any idol should get entrance above it should get no entertainment there for they are upheld by an infinit strength that cannot fail As likewayes the influence of faith may be cleared in this that it is that grace that doth lay hold upon the promises by which and thorow which strength from the head is conveyed unto the combatant As for example when a believer is wrestling with his lusts faith layeth hold upon the promise of help and by it layeth hold on Iesus Christ who is the Promiser As likewayes the influence of Faith may be cleared in this Faith is that grace which discovereth to a Christian that crown and recompense of reward one sight and view of which maketh love and zâ—al take fire and maketh them to tread upon the high places of the earth that when the Archers shoot at them and do grievously wound them yet their bow doth abide in its strength There is this mean likewayes by which
March 2. 1671. IT is Ordered by the Lords of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council that none shall Re-print or Import this Book of Mr. Andrew Gray on Mortification and Contentment nor any other of his Sermons without the Licence of the Printers hereof The Spiritual WARFARE OR Some SERMONS concerning the nature of Mortification right exercise and spiritual advantages thereof Whereunto are added other two Sermons concerning the mystery of Contentment Being the substance of ten Sermons never heretofore printed By Mr. Andrew Gray late Minister of the Gospel at Glasgow Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members c. Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be without covetousness c. EDINBVRGH Printed by George Swinton Iames Glen and Thomas Brown ANNO DOM. 1672. Unto the sincere Sin-mortifying and Soul-contentment-seeking-Christian Dear and loving Friend AS the name of the precious Author who now enjoyeth what he then aspired to when he preached these following Sermons will no doubt ingratiat them to thee so we are perswaded that the divine Subjects here treated upon when perused by thee whose serious design is to study and aspire to what is here pressed may not only prove effectual to increase thy esteem of the worthy Author and thy respects to his Works but also may highly advance thy soul in thy begun work of mortification of sin of dying to the world and of having the world crucified to thee that so thou may possess thy soul in patience and sit down as a contented one in every state whatsoever good or bad letting patience have its perfect work O! how timely hath the Lord begun with the blessed Author to make him not only acquainted in his own experience as a Scholar with the hardest lessons of Christianity but also to make him a practical Preacher of the spiritual and successful method of learning these so intricat lessons and of the advantages of studying or disadvantages by the neglect of the study of them This we dare say that in perusing of them thou shalt find him a workman who if he were alive needed not to be ashamed nor affraid of thy censure if thou be a real student in these spiritual duties thy self For these two or three things as eminent perfections in a youth are most remarkable in him First that from the speculations and metaphysical contemplations of Schools he was immediatly as it were rapt not only into the contemplation but also soul experiencing and powerful preaching of the most mysterious points of Christian profession and practice Secondly that in the handling of these mysteries he was free of all youthly vanity and affectation of humane literature though he had more then common abilities therein and having renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in crafinesse nor handling the word of God deceitfully he preached the Word of God not as the word of man but as the Word of God commending himself to every mans conscience in the sight of God Thirdly that he was gifted of God with such plainnesse of speech and with such an open door of utterance in delivering these mysteries that he did out stripe and over-reach many of those who entered into the Lords Vineyard long before him the Lord verifying that in him which is 2 Cor. 3. 17. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty All which singularities and eminencies of a spiritual Preacher to have been his special mercy from the Lord to fit him to be eminently a burning and shining light for the space of about two years in our Western climate is manifest from what of his Works have already come forth to the view of the world and doth now further appear by these excellent and divine Sermons upon these two most necessary but little studied and lesse practised points of Christian Doctrine viz. Mortification of lusts and Spiritual Contentment never heretofore Printed Wherein the zealous servant of God endeavoureth to awaken this secure generation unto the study of these so excellent and necessary duties by laying before us the necessity of these duties and the advantages attending the study of them and the prejudices and disadvantages accompanying the neglecters of the saids duties As also to encourage and strengthen in the way all such as have begun the spiritual conflict against sin and are aiming at perfection in the study of spiritual contentment He not only presseth the duties but also pointeth out the right means whereby a Christian may be helped to attain at last victory over his lusts and to sit down contentedly with Jonah under the shadow of his Gourd Jon. 3. 6. And be satisfied with Elijah to hide himself by the brook Cherith and to drink of the brook and to have the ravens to feed him there I King 17. 3 4. And to say with David in an universal resignation of himself to the will of God 2 Sam. 15. 26. Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him And withall thou shalt find intermixed soul-reviving and comforting resolutions of the most pressing soul-exercises accompanying such as seriously set about these so much soul-concerning duties of sins mortification and spiritual contentment under every lot That thou may read with that same affection that the holy Author preached and reap the same blessing which was with much prayer wrestled for by him to his hearers wherein he was not unheard is the earnest prayer of his soul to God who is Thy servant in the Gospel of our dearest Lord and Savior A. S. THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE SERMON I. Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death WHen the sword of the justice of God was coming down upon us then our blessed Lord Iesus in the infinite depth of his unsearchable love and compassion to self-destroying sinners cryed forth with a loud voice that justice might hold the hand And as that ram sacrificed for Isaac so was he willingly content to be caught in a thicket and to become a spotlesse and everlasting sacrifice for sinners He was content to be bruised that so we might passe free and his Fathers hand might be turned upon the little ones But notwithstanding he hath died for our sins and risen for our righteousness yet hath he given to all his followers a spiritual warfare to accomplish so that they should be continually taken up in contending against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places or as the words are rendered by some we conceive more appositely in heavenly things And certainly there is no discharge in this war neither any interruption while we are on this side of Eternity We confesse God might easily have served an Inhibition on all our spiritual enemies that they should no more oppose themselves against a believer after Justification but He in the depth of his unsearchable wisdome and we may say likewise infinit love towards his own hath so contrived their way to heaven that thorow many afflictions
man that I am c. You have also the intensive nature of mortification that a Christian should be content with nothing but the death of his lusts which is held forth in that word crucifie O! to bind our self with a holy oath and vow not to dwell in much contentment till we have gotten the life of our predominant lust we must not give our idols quarter upon the most plausible and fairest termes of subjection otherwayes if ye do I shall not say that word which the Prophet spake to Ahab that your life shall go for his but sure I am that confederacy shall be broken and likely not without many sorrows to your spirits There is lastly the certainty of this victory held forth in that word they have crucified it is here in the preterite time as it were already accomplished and brought to passe and no doubt this may make us to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory that once we shall have a triumphant song put in our mouth Now before we shall speak unto any of these we shall speak to some few things as previous to be known We shall not dwell long in pointing out the nature of Mortification we conceive it thus It is a divine quality of the immortal soul derived from the efficacy and vertue of Christs death whereby the strength of sin is impared and its dominion taken away so that we should not totally nor with full consent yield our self unto that iron-yoke of our iniquity Neither shall we stand long to prove that it is your duty to be much in the practice of this duty It is clear not only from Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth but also from 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. and 2 Cor. 7. 1. it ought to be our great design and aim to bring all those things in subjection which stand in opposition to Iesus Christ and it is the noble prerogative of those young men 1 Ioh. 2. 13 14. that they have overcome that wicked one and hath in some measure trodden Sathan under their feet But we shall speak a little unto this first whether or not a Christian can fall again to the committing of that sin which once they have mortified and repented for and withall hath received an act of pardon We conceive indeed so far as we know there can be no explicit proof given of such a case in Scripture that ever any of those that were heirs of the grace of life did fall into that sin which they had once mortified and repented for but however we are confident to averre that it is not inconsistent with a gracious estate which we conceive is clear not only from his names but from his promises and from his commands doth not that name that he is a healer of our back-slidings and the repairer of our breaches and that name he will multiply to pardon speak out that a Saints relapsing into a mortified sin doth not put him without hope Is. 55. 7. Hos. 14. 4 but that he may have confidence that he shall not die but live and declare the wondrous works of the Lord though God may speak that word to him which Absalom spake to Hushai Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend and withall do not his promises speak this Ier. 3. 22. I will heal your back-slidings and do not his commands speak it Ier. 3. 1. 12. 14. 22. how often is back-sliding Israel exhorted to return and he who imposed that commandement upon us to forgive our brother untill seventy and seven times if he return and repent will not his bowels be moved within him towards a back-sliding heifer But withall to provoke you to beware of that sin to sin after repentance and mortification we shall propose these things First such a sin doth creat and beget much hardnesse and stupidity of heart so that our own back-slidings do reprove us and become not only our sin but our punishment and when God hath spoken peace to us should we again turn to folly Secondly there is this to disswade you that such Apostacy as this makes a Christian to losse the sense and comfortable assurance of their Interest so that sometimes they will be even razing as it were the foundations O! but backsliders in heart are filled with the fruit of their own way and are made to walk in darknesse and to have no light it is much for a Christian to keep fast his hands when after this manner he hath lost his feet Fourthly such an one doth ordinarily give much reins and much liberty to his corruptions that is indeed their year of Jubilee and release as is clear from Ier. 5 6. where these two are joyned and may not the nature and aggravating circumstances of that sin make you to eschew it is it not a sinning against light is it not a sinning against God after he hath appeared unto you twise So that this may be the manner of your bemoaning your self If it had been an enemy that had thus done O Lord thou mightest have born it but that it should be one whom thou didst condescend to make thy familiar and to take sweet counsel together with that hath lift up his heel against thee this no doubt is an iniquity of deep dye and we shall only say this that it is imprinted upon the effigie of godly Iudah Gen. 38. 26. that after his first fall with Tamar he knew her again no more And no doubt it were your advantage to obey that counsel let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Now that which secondly we would speak to is to propose something to you by which you may know your growth in Mortification since there are many that delude themselves in this supposing that their lusts are really mortified when they are but sleeping and that they are really cast out when they only go out for a season those are they that are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed from their iniquity And before we shall speak any thing to this we would have you considering these things First that there may be a growth of leafes where there is not much growth of fruit a plentifull measure of profession and yet much barrennesse in practice there are some whose leaf doth not wither though their fruit doth much decay who have many specious appearances and yet cannot say that the root of the matter is with them and with all we would say that there may be some real growth to the fruit when there is not much growth to the root so that though we spread forth our branches yet we do not cast forth our root as Lebanon we grow sometimes more in prayer and knowledge and joy of the Holy Ghost then in mortification and humility though there be a promise for both their growthes Hos. 14. 5. 6. Now there is this secondly that we would have you knowing that there is a divine necessity for Christians to grow somewhat in
Christian these three divine ends by carving out to them such a lot first that he may be kept in a constant correspondence with the Throne of grace he in a manner wounds us in our leg that we may not wander much abroad from his Throne and certainly Christians may be convinced of this that if they had their will in Mortifying they would not be much in corresponding which may be demonstrat unto you thus because that which provoketh one to converse with God is rather a principle of necessity than a principle of love a Christian will go six times to prayer yea many times from a principle of necessity before he go twise from a principle of love and delight Secondly That the Christians faith may be put to trials and exercised whether or not we will believe and rest upon him notwithstanding that we see not Mortification growing within us we confesse our little advancement in Mortification is the foundation of misbelief and certainly to his own God hath this design even the trial of their grace whether or not they will believe and hope against hope Thirdly The Lord doth it because he knoweth that a Christian can better improve his little advancement in Mortification than he can improve his great success believe me it is certain that in a Christians advancement in grace it is more difficulty to bear it than to bear his little advancement and progresse in grace and the great reason and occasion of it is because ordinarily pride and arrogancy do blossom and spring off this precious root of grace for what doth decrease to a Christian of the lust of the eye and of the flesh seems to accrease to the pride of life for as the one seemeth to go down the other doth ascend and go up And to you who never knew what this exercise of Prayer and Mortification meant are there not many here who never knew what it was to have any change in their life We would only propose this unto you did ye never know what it was to be under the impression of the sinfulnesse of sin or did you ever know what it was to water your coutch with tears under the impression of it like that word Psal. 32. 3. where David saith When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long That word roaring speaks forth not only this that sometimes a Christian doth rather mourn as a beast than complain as a man roaring being the voice of a beast but likewayes speaks forth this that sometimes Christians are under such an exercise that the open field is a more fit place for them then the secret retirements of their most quiet chambers David was forced to roar as a beast when the bones which are the pillars of his house were waxing old and mouldering within him certainly the day is coming when ye who never knew what it was to crucifie a lust Christ shall crucifie you upon that crosse of everlasting pain when he shall treade you in the win-presse of the indignation of the most High when he shall make the arrowes of his indignation sharp upon you ye who will not quite sin sin shall once be your eternal companion and when Christ hath been inviting you so often to quite such lusts and ye return so often an negative answer to him this will be the sentence which shall 〈◊〉 past upon you Be it unto you even as you will they are joyned to Idols let them alone and certainly when Christ ceaseth to be a reprover that man is in a sad and desperat estate O! that ye might once fight this good fight of faith your scent doth remain with many of you are there not many here who never knew what it was to spend an hour in secret wrestling and debating with their lusts The strong man keeps the house and so all is at peace with them there is no going out nor coming in at the gates of their city but peace is as it were exactors of that house and those bear sway within it O! cursed be that peace which shall end in everlasting warre with God Would ye know the exercise and case of those who are in everlasting chains We can represent it under nothing so fit as this it is infinit justice and infinit omnipotency wresting and crushing finit and sinfull man sometimes the pestil of divine wrath coming down upon one part of his body and at another time upon another they are now living an endlesse life of death and are spending their dayes in a dying life they shall be eternally dying and yet never able to die Are there not some of you who are so joyned to your Idols that if Dives shonld come from hell and preach this text to you Crucifie your lusts ye would stop your ears at that precious exhortation Ye may hide sin under your tongue but be preswaded that at last it shall be in your belly as the poison of Asps and as the venome of Dragons And we would leave this advice and counsel upon Christians who have begun this precious warfare stand fast to the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled again into that yoke of bondage Sin is a yoke that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear and we desire you to meditate upon this advice Study to be as much in mortification and in the exercise of this duty as if ye were to obtain salvation by works but withall study to be as much denied unto those things and to have as low an esteem of your selves as if ye were bound to do nothing or had done nothing at all study to work as one that is a legalist indeed and one who desires to maintain good works but study self-denial as one that hath fied for refuge unto that blessed hope that is set before you Christ is standing at the end of the walk of a Mortifying Christian with a crown in his right hand and he desireth us to persevere unto the end that we may obtain that immortal crown one day with precious Christ shall be an infinite recompense of all our toil and the more exercise of mortification you are put to heaven will be more sweet and delightsome unto you SERMON IV. Gal. 5. 24. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts SUch is that universal stupidity and hardnesse of heart that hath overtaken the professors of this generation that if Christ should come from heaven and read over unto us the compleat rol of our iniquities and show unto us these records in which all our wanderings are written the most part of us would not be much affected not much in the exercise of sorrow No doubt it is easier for a camel to passe thorow the eye of a needle than for stupid Christians such as we are to enter into the Kingdom of God It is one of the mysteries of his overcoming grace that he hath not broken these
2. 9 10. there is a promise saith he that all things shall be put under our feet but we see not that promise accomplished saith he I see one thing accomplished which is a pledge of it I see Iesus Christ for the suffering of death crowned with glory and with Majesty Christ is in heaven and he must be there and that word John 16. last Be of good cheer saith he for I have overcome the world which is a pledge and certain token that ye shall once overcome There is this likewayes which points forth their certainty of overcoming that that same power which was exercised in bringing Christ from death and in making him to overcome principalities and powers is communicate to believers to make them overcome as it is clear from Eph. 1. 19 20. where it is said That power that wrought mightily in Christ to raise him from the dead doth also work in those that believe O! Christians heirs of the grace of life believe this that Omnipotency is ingaged on your behalf and have you not learned that first point of the Creed that there is nothing-impossible to God and so when you are constrained sometimes to cry out Who shall stand before the children of Anak Content your selves with this that there is nothing too hard for him And there is this lastly which points it out that divine and invisible knot of union that is betwixt Christ and his members Is Christ above the members must follow for ye know though Christ be the fulness of the Saints yet the Saints are the fulness of Christ there is a sweet mutual fulfilling and accomplishing each one of another know ye not that word that where I am there they may be also I think of all the words that Christ ever spoke to the Father that word was the most imperious and commanding-like word which he hath Joh. 17. 24. I will saith he that those that thou hast given me be where I am It was not his prayer which came that length he willed it and would not be contradicted And certainly there is nothing that may comfort you in the our of trial so much as this Christ is upon his way to relieve you and ye are upon your way of overcoming And I shall only say that word which ought to be your practice 1 Joh. 5. 18. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not and that wicked one toucheth him not That ordinary expression which you have you should not rub cloths with him not touch him And to those that are walking in the broad paths of sin I shall only speak that to you which is Joh. 21. 22. His eyes shall see his destruction and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty Your eyes and your taste shall be satisfied and that word which is vers 30. he shall be preserved to the day of destruction or as the word in the original he shall be reserved to the day of wrath as it were there shall be a combination of wrath and justice that shall seise upon you Now to him who is upon his way who shall come and will not carry and whose reward is with him we desire to give praise SERMON VIII Gal. 6. 14. By whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world CHristianity doth consist in a blessed exchange of affections a soul dying in its affections and respects to all things that are here below and living and advancing in its desires toward him who is that blessed and universal good It ought to be that arch-plot and great design that Christians ought to promove to attain to that original unity which once was in mans affections towards God O! what blessedness did Adam enjoy while he did stand in that estate wherein he was created he having a blessed harmony of all his affections toward God and likewayes there being a most divine correspondence and blessed familiarity betwixt heaven and earth betwixt him who fitteth on the Throne and the foot-stool but that was most eminently verified that man being in honour did not abide O! what anxious and perplexing thoughts had poor Adam no doubt some hours after his fall when he did reflect upon that which was once his condition and did compare it with that which was now his lot might not he take up that lamentation over himself Man in his best estate is altogether vanity And likewayes he might have that proverb taken up of himself How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer son of the morning Now man by lossing that blessed unity that was in his affections hath contracted a woful and infinit diversity in his affections towards these things that are here below so that those affections which did once sweetly run in one channel toward God are now divided and separated in many channels toward those things that are below him And there is nothing beneath the Son that leadeth captive so many of our desires as the World therefore it were your advantage to be crucified to the world and to have the world crucified to you that you may discover that endlesse vanity and unspeakable vexation of spirit that is in all things that are here The world is a perfect compend and compleat epitom of all misery God himself is that compend of all blessednesse so that there is nothing that we can take up under this but it is most eminently in him It is a duty which is much undervalued in these dayes Christians to be promoving in that blessed work of having themselves crucified to the world and having the world crucified to them O! how suitable is it for those who are heirs and expectants of that blessed hope and everlasting enjoyment of being with God who is the Judge of all flesh and with Jesus Christ who is the Mediator of the New Covenant and with the innumerable company of holy Angels and to be made heirs and co-heirs with Jesus Christ. Is it not below you to be much taken up in your vain and anxiouspursuits afterthose things that are here below The objects of the desires of your immortal spirits ought to be more high than things below and ought to be more divine than things humane your affections ought to be ascending as pillaes of smoak and ye should be breathing after that blessed day when there shall be a confinement of all your affections on him We have at some occasions spoken unto you of the grace of humility and of the grace of love the one teaching us to undervalue our self the other teaching us to value God And had you been much taken up in the spiritual and living exercise of those there should not have been much difficulty to perswade you at this time We shall not insist long in telling what Mortification is It is a constant and blessed endeavour of the Christian to remove out of his way all those impediments that do interrupt the exercise of love As likewayes it is that which entertaineth a constant and perpetual antipathy and