shovell and another a mattocke and others should carry instruments for the ploughing and tillage of the ground you would either suppose that the enemy were weake and contemptible or else account them but as fooles or madde men that would undertake such a businesse being so ill furnished for it In like manner may we account them as foolish and unwise that undertake a spirituall warfare with carnall weapons more especially against so potent an enemy but that you may the better understand the meaning of the Apostle observe first that carnall weapons will not serve your turne Secondly that spirituall weapons will prevaile afore the former Proposi ∣ tion 1 1 It is not the maceration and mangling of the body that will do this such as the Priests of Baal of old 1 King 18.28 that out of their blind devotion did lance themselves till the blood gushed out Damones delectantur in sacrificiis de sanguine hominum qui est nobilissima creatura ad imaginē Dei facta ideo in talibus solent dare responsa not unlike to these were the Pharisees that did disguise their faces Matth. 6.16 and those Fratres flagellantes among the Papists that have farre more blind devotion than true discretion who thinke by this means Lyra in locum not onely to mortifie their flesh Res ista fidem facit a Romanis superis institutum esse acceptum quod illi super talia ludicra celebrantes nudi per urbem incedebant a◠lavati flagellis obvios cadebant Pol. Vir. 7. lib. cap. 6. but also to merit salvation notwithstanding it was but an old custome taken from the ancient Heathens neither by going on pilgrimage and wearing sacke-cloth on our loynes or a profession of wilfull poverty all these are but like so many outward medicines wich will be unable to cure an inward disease this is but as it were to apply a plaster to the head when your griefe lyeth at the heart Bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable unto all things and suppose that there were some vertue in some of these things to take down and tame the flesh yet can we not suppose that they should have any efficacie on the soule being they are no spirituall weapons neither doth the Lord require them at our hands 2 It is not a restraint from sinne that will serve our turnes such a restraint may arise from good education and living in good families or out of the goodnesse of naturall temper which is not so prone to rush into vice as others are or for the better accomplishment of a mans owne ends of profit or credit now all this keepes but a man from the outward acts of sinne yet he may be as bad or worse within every day than others as wee see some men that are forbidden to worke at their trades outwardly yet will they worke harde at them within still so it is in this case that though it be so that hee may not without some disadvantage suffer sinne to breake out yet doth he worke within and follow the trade of sinne there If that a Poole do engender snakes and venomous creatures when it runnes and the water issueth from it much more will it produce the like effects when it is dammed up and stands In like manner if sinne be but restrained and no more lust breedes as fruitfully and workes as hard within as ever it did 2 Againe when sinne breakes out it is the more violent after a restraint as you see it was with Absalon and Achitophel for all their faire pretences that they made before of equity and piety yet when they brake out how foule was their sinne as it is with such as are cast into prison for the stealing of some small trifles after they have continued there sometime among the rest they grow so skillfull that they come out tenne times worse than they went in In like manner a man that hath nothing but this restraint when he doth breake out is farre worse than hee was before but true grace now doth not onely restraine from sinne Ioh. 7.17 but doth purge it out so sinne is not bridled but broken to peeces and not a restraint but a reall chang from sin to God Act. 5.4 3 It is not enough to have good desires and good purposes of mortification unlesse they be put in practise you know that muskets and swords and pikes and other warlike instruments will not serve our turnes if wee let them hang up in a roome unlesse wee make use of them in the day of battell so no nor will our good desires unlesse they be improved Some they have good purposes and desires but they are but slothfull desires Balaam desires to die the death of the righteous but he doth not put his endeavour to it many have good wishes and faire pretences and make large promises of better obedience and that is all they may well be said to beare the sluggards motto which is this hee sits in his chaire with his feet by the fire and his hands in his pockets saying Vtinam hoc esset laborare O that this were to labour so it is with many that if good words and good wishes would do it they would be as good Christians as the best but now whē it comes to any difficulty here they stay 2 They are but childish desires such as are very earnest after God and very strongly bent against lust but it is for a little while till some bait be laid in the way and then they fall to sinne againe as a child doth sometimes you shall heare it complaine and cry for the brest but give it but a key or a ball and it is quiet againe so when men seeme to have some more than ordinary desire to this worke if that a key of some profit or a ball of some pleasure be cast in their way they are straight taken off from this worke and all afresh to their lusts and to their sinnes againe farre are these from right purposes and sound resolutions which are begunne upon good deliberation Luk. 14.31 Like that King going to warre thinketh whether hee can be able with tenne thousand to meete him that commeth against him with twenty thousand and it is continued with undaunted resolutions Heb. 12.4 strugling and striving against sinne and ends with unspeakeable comfort unto the soule that we contend for an incorruptible crowne that abides for us in the heavens 1 Cor. 25. 4 It is not enough to have a forme of godlinesse to have some appearance of this conflict suppose wee a man that is gotten into a way of piety and useth those waies and means that are appointed for that end that sinne may be mortified suppose it be hearing the word prayer and fasting abstinence from grosse sinnes and the society of those that are righteous and good men so the meanes are good but he spoyles them in the managing of them as it was said of
as the tree is such will be the fruit and if the Bramble rule it will burne up the Cedars of Lebanon Jud. 9.9 nor can we expect liberty for the Law that is in our members will lead us away captive the liberty that is given to the flesh doth but bring the spirit into bondage and what peace can we expect where there is no peace with God If then Christian thou wouldest have justice then doe justice and kill sinne before it kill thee if thou wouldest have liberty then let not sinne raigne for therein doth the great strength of it lye Sampson was easily taken when his lockes were shorne so thou mayest easily subdue sinne when the regiment of it is taken downe if thou wouldest enjoy that peace of God which passeth all understanding then make no provision for the flesh but mortifie it by the helpe of the spirit Rom. 13.13 and thou shalt have peace internall here and eternall hereafter Now for as much as this discourse is to helpe thee therein I doe therefore heartily commend it unto thee I have avoyled prolixity lest I should tyre the Reader and too much brevity lest I should wrong the matter I have the rather fallen on this subject because I find few that have done it and because I have found some such spirits as have laboured to cry it downe as altogether unnecessary after conversion If there be any such into whose hands this Treatise shall fall let me so farre prevaile with them as not prejudge what they doe not meane to reade lest they be numbered among those fooles that speake evill of what they know not To conclude Christian thou hast my labours thou hast my prayers when thou dost approach the throne of grace let me have thine Thomas Wolfall THE DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE OF MORTIFICATION ROM 8.13 But if yee through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live Chap. 1. An Introduction to the Text with the coherence of the foregoing part of the Chapter THe common tidings that hath sounded in our eares frō the Churches abroad for divers yeares together hath been upon the point nothing but warres and rumors of warres of leading into captivity of garments roled in blood insomuch as that country in which was plenty of corne and wine as the garden of Eden is now as a land forsaken or as a desolate wildernesse nay a very Aceldama or field of blood And howsoever wee of this Nation have but heard of this amongst us no leading into captivity no complaining in our streetes Yet the sword of the Lord hath been drown against us and hath slaine thousands ten thousands in our streets James 4.1 Now the general cause both of those lamentable desolations abroad the hand of God at home is chiefly this that we go not to warre with our selves we do not slay those lusts of ours that fight in our members for if ye walke after the flesh yee shall die not onely a death of the body but the second death the soule shall suffer eternall torment But if yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit then yee shall live eternally To make way unto the matter in hand our Apostle layeth downe certaine differences betweene such as walke after the flesh and others that walke after the spirit 1 In respect of the object that they ayme at the one mindes the things of the flesh the other the things that are above such as a man is such is his minde a carnall man and a carnall minde the wisdome that is not from above is earthly sensuall and devillish James 3.15 but that which is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated Vers 17. full of mercy and of good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie 2 They differ in their ends for the end of the one is life the end of the other is death Every man must eate of the fruit of his own way Prov. 1.31 and be filled with his owne devises 3 They differ in their affections so as they that are at enmity with the Law of God Vers 7.8 their fleshly mindes are not subject unto it neither can they be and being they are not they cannot please God Whereas on the other side they that are of the spirit Christ dwels with them and takes up his habitation in their hearts suppes with them and they with him Happy and thrice happy that house which hath him for an inhabitant for this possession of Christ doth imply the dispossession of sinne Vers 10. For if Christ be in you the body is dead but of sinne as Dagon could not stand with the Arke so no more can sin and Christ inhabit together We cannot serve these two Masters Againe as it puts sinne to death so he quickens us Vers 11. that same spirit that raised Christ shall quicken us wherein he shews that the worke of our regeneration is great even as great as that of the resurrection the one being the internall renovation of the soule the other the externall restauration of the body to its reunion with the soule Hence our Apostle drawes an effectuall inference to perswade men to withstand the inticements of the flesh from this that there is no service of due that doth belong to it we are not debters to it that wee should follow it Nay if you walke after the flesh yee shall die but if yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit then yee shall live Behold as Moses said Deut. 30.19 I call Heaven and Earth to record against you this day that I set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that you and your seede may live So I here set before you both these and yet my desire is the same that Moses his was that you would chuse life that your soules might live which undoubtedly you may do if yee follow Saint Pauls direction here If yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit Here you may observe 1 A description of our naturall corruption it is called the deeds or practises of the body 2 Here is our duty what we should doe against it namely to contend against it and to mortifie and slay it 3 The meanes whereby it must be done by the spirit 4 The reward is that promised Yee shall live which is a large promise seeing it containes in it all the happinesse that wee are capable of called a crown of life for the greatnesse and everlasting life for the continuance Chap. 2. Of the meanes how to find out our naturall condition by a threefold inquiry TO begin with the first the description of our naturall corruption viz. It is called the deeds of the body as it is with men that goe to warre the first thing that they doe is to endeavour to find out the enemy so it must be in this spirituall warfare wee must first endeavour to finde out this
body of sin For the more distinct handling of the point consider that mortification may be distinguished as something that is externall and without us Mortification is externall or else as something that is internall and is done within us as it is externall so it is said to be a legall mortification when as a man is dead in law as a melefact or is said then to be a dead man when hee is condemned so sinne is then said to be dead when it is forgiven Rom. 8.3 and God is said to send his sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that is that sinne should be as certainly put to death as it was certaine that Christ had taken our nature on him a great comfort it is to a distressed soule that doth cast it selfe upon the Lord Jesus Christ though at first it doe not apprehend the power of sinne mortified yet apprehending our plentious redemption purchased by Christ hee concludes that sinne shall certainly die because Christ hath already condemned it and as David sayd 1 Sam. 20.3 when Ionathan did perswade him to the contrary As the Lord liveth and as thy soule liveth there is but a step betweene mee and death so whatsoever conceit the soolish heart of man may have that his lusts are so strong as there is not possibility of subduing them yet for as much as the matter is now in the hand of Christ who hath past sentence on them it is certaine that there is but a step betweene them and death Internall Initiall 2. Internall mortification is either initiall or renewed initiall mortification it is that first worke of sanctification whereby the force and vigor of sinne is broken and the body of sinne hath received such a deadly wound as maketh it incurable though a man in this case may goe as the woman did from one Physitian to another to have the issue of blood stayed yet will it bleed still there is no Balme from no Physitian there Jer. 3.22 now this initiall mortification is either generall or speciall Initiall Generall Luke 15.8 1. Generall when there is a generall blow given to every sinne when wee doe as the woman when shee had lost her money did sweepe the house not onely some but every roome of it the whole house thus shall wee bee sure not to leave any sinne without the marke of death upon it wash your hands yee sinners James 4.8 and purifie your hearts yee double minded that is that man that is truely mortified is such as is all over mortified that is there is no actuall sin that stickes to his hands nor any inward corruption that he doth allow of in his heart The Pharisees were strict in the tradition of the washing their hands but negligent of purging out the hypocrisie of their hearts So likewise the curse that is annexed unto sin and doth follow it as sure as the day doth the night so sure will wrath follow sinne Had we not need then to bee very much grieved for them Matthew 15.2 and to mourne in secret untill they be slaine in us Though Jobs afflictions were many and great Job 1.14 yet there is this remarkable that there was one in every of these trials that escaped to come and tell him so is it in this case with many that though there may seeme to be a great mortification of sinne yet behold one or other doth make an escape and comes and tels us that all is not mortified such a man is wise and liberall but yet hee is proud such a one is humble and courteous but yet hee is covetous a third is devout and religious and yet full of disordered passions so that though men seeke to colour over their sinnes with never so many faire pretences yet if it be not so indeed somthing will escape as shee said to Peter Matth. 26.73 you are sure one of his Disciples for thy speech bewrayeth thee so something will discover them at one time or another either pride or their covetousnesse or their passions like a dead Fly spoyles the whole box of precious oyntment 2. There is a speciall mortification of speciall sinnes 2. Speciall that although for sinnes of ignorance a generall mortification will serve the turne and is acceptable to God yet because that there is much deceit lieth in generals wee must descend to particulars as David saith I know mine iniquity Psal 51.3 and my sinne in ever before me is it not I that have sinned 1. Cron. 21.17 Againe all sinne is not of equall proportion but some are weaker and some stronger like the sonnes of Zerviah and they are not unlike to that kinde of evill spirit that is not cast out but by prayer and fasting much adoe there is to subdue them there is some bosome sinne that is so sweet and pleasant as it is compared to our right hand in respect of the profit of it and to our right eye in respect of the tendernesse of it now against this we must contend for as long as such a speciall corruption lives in us like as Pharoahs thinne blasted eares of corne it devoureth the fat ones so will that sinne eate up all your spiritual comforts or as Saul said concerning David as long as the sonne of Jesse lives the Kingdome shall not be established to you meaning Jonathan so I say as long as you do not contend against your speciall sins the Kingdom of heaven will never be established unto you therefore labour to finde them out one by one and having found them pursue after them as the revenger of blood till you have slaine them that you have may come to carry tidings of the fall of the rest 2. Renewed in case 2. The next is renewed mortification Daily incursions fruits of sinne that is in case that we renew our sinnes we must renew this worke also and this is either in regard of those daily infirmities that are the fruits of this body of sinne that is in us or else in case of a relapse or falling fowly into some great sinne which doth waste the conscience and therefore when wee have given unto sinne some deadly blow wee must not then thinke that the worke is done for it is with us as it is when a Ship springs a leake though they pumpe up the water yet will it fill againe so is it with us there is such a corrupt fountaine as will still bee troubling of us the same reason that may move us to say give us this day our daily bread may also prevaile with us to say forgive us this day our daily sinnes it should bee our care every day to consider our wayes and to examine our hearts and not suffer our temples to take their rest nor the eyes in our heads untill such time as wee have caused our daily sinnes to sleepe the long sleepe of death beleeve it if we
that when Sathans malice was made manifest to the ful yet so as Iob looks hither in conclusion saith God gives and God takes whereas if he had looked lower hee might have said God hath given and the Devill hath taken but the humble spirit desires not to bee troubled with what the Devill or man can doe unto him because he knowes that they are but instruments and rods in Gods hand to correct his children withall therefore he falleth downe before God and kisseth his rod and cals upon his name and then the Lord harkens and heares and puts his teares into his bottle and in his good time will heale his soule In one word as it is said of the Philosophers stone that what metall soever it toucheth it turnes it into gold so is it with this sorrow that what crosse or disaster soever it doth meete withall it makes it an occasion to worke in him godly sorrow to repentance never to be repented of 3. It mends all it make up all breaches Esa 1.16.18 wash you make you cleane take away the evill of your doing which is done by this worke of mortification and mourning for sinne and then saith God let us reason together and then though your sinnes were as red as crimson I will make them as white as wooll herein is the excellencie of godly sorrow if you have losses in your estate or crosses by your children or injuries by evill men you may fit downe and sorrow till you can weepe no more but now halfe of this were it godly sorrow though your sinnes be as blacke as hell yet God will make them as white as snow if a man bee old the skill of all the Physitians cannot make him young againe but a man that is truely humbled for sinne the Lord Christ redeemes his life from death Verus penitens simper est in labore dolere delet de prateritis laborat pro futuris cavendis Ber. and renewes his youth like the Eagles that as they report of the Eagle that when shee growes old and cannot eate for the length of her bill with much adoe shee gets it broken and then fals to her meate as if she were young againe so it is in this case when wee have cast away all our abominations and our doings that were not good though with much adoe then shall we renew our lives as the Eagle and be made fit to sit among Christs guests at the marriage feast when he makes us a feast of fat things Isa 25.6 and wine when the lees are well refined 3. The third thing in this sorrow is how long it should continue to this we answer that as we sinne daily so wee must sorrow daily and because all sinne is not of one magnitude or proportion therefore it doth admit of degrees but if we speake of initiall mortification which is the thing chiefely in hand the first work that is begunne in the soule then I say 1. Wee must mourne till the generall frame of sinne be dissolved till the regiments of sinne be taken downe Judg. 14.17 Sampsons wise did never cease weeping untill shee knew his riddle so should wee never cease till we know-that our sinnes are dissolved and purged out Alasse what comfort can a man receive so long as hee remaines a slave to his hust 2 Sam. 12 20. and is under the Prince of darkenesse but now sinne is slaine in us and dead in us then we doe as David did when his child was dead hee then at oft from the earth and waâ—nt and anoâ—hed himâ—â—lfe and changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and then came into his own house and are bread when we find that this child that wee have begotten by our sinne is dead we should doe the like then cheare up your hearts and worship God that hath given you victory against it It was comfortable neves that was brought by the Angel unto Ioseph Mat. 2.20 Returne into the land Israel for they are dead that sought the young childs life so say 〈◊〉 it will be a great stay to our soules to heare that the body of death is dead within us that sought how to destroy our soules 2. We must mourne till he that hath wounded us shall come and heale us Hos 6.1 come say they let us returne to the Lord for he hath borne us and he will heal us he hath smitten us and 〈…〉 It 〈◊〉 an easie matter to wound but not so easie to cure and heale again it is the prerogative in this case that belongeth chiefely to God the flesh can vex us and Sathan can teare and trouble us and wound us but none of these can cure us againe but now God can as well heale as wound here is one thing further to be observed that the Prophet doth not say that sinne or Sathan hath wounded us and God will heale us but he hath wounded us and he will heale us and bind us up for a man may have these wounds by sinne and Sathan and yet no true ourâ— the cure that these Physitians can give us are of no value is either to cast a man into a deepe or rather a dead sleepe of security and harnesse of heart or to suffer him to fall into despaire and haâ—â—â— his owns and by an untimely death as Iudas and Iuliâ—â— did but where God once by his spirit smites the heart with true remorse for sinne then he is moved by the same shirit to seeke unto God for the cure of that wound as it was with Elisha 1 King 19 19. that after the Prophet Elia had put his mantle upon him he presently comes after him so whereas the Lord shall be pleased to works in us a true sight of our misery he never doth it without some hope of mercy that when we seele our burden we might likewise come unto him for case and comfort Psal 103.13 these are those comfortable speeches that as a father pittieth his owne children Mat. 12.20 so the Lord pittith them that feare him and that promise hee will not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoaking Flax c. and that exhortation Mat. 11.28 come unto me all yee that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you CAP. XIV Shewes thee other properties of Contrition viz. shame indignation and revenge THe next thing in contrition 2 Of shame is to be ashamed of our sinnes and to loath them for the more the heart is broken for sinne the more it is ashamed for it Job 42.6 as when Job saw himselfe in his colours then hee did abhorre himselfe in dust and ashes Ezeck 36.31 and the Prophet shewes that there should come a time when the Lord would smite the hearts of men that they should remember their owne evill way and their doings that were not good and should loath themselves in their owne sight for their iniquities and for