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
of the sinne wee feele bee able to conceive of that we feele not and to say as Paul did Vers 25. God be thanked through Iesus Christ our Lord that though in my flesh I serve the Law of sinne yet in my mind I serve the Law of God Imperfect mortification is when the worke is begun but not finished it is with us in case of mortification as it was when the Israelites came to possesse the land of Canaan God would have them cast out the inhabitants by little and little Dent. 7.22 and not to bee consumed at once So in this case it is not to bee expected that sinne should be consumed at once but by little and little The degrees of mortification are some more temote some more neare For the better clearing hereof observe two particulars whereby you may conceive by what steps and degrees sinne is mortified First some of them are more remote Secondly some of them are naere Remote 1 1. For the more remote degrees of mortification give me leave first to intreat of them as in going downe a paire of staires you must go downe by degrees step by step so in bringing downe the proud heart wee must not thinke it can be done at once but by a kinde of graduall motion wee say in Phylosophy that natura non facil saltum that nature works successively and makes no leapes for it is as true in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 that it doth admit degrees Degree 1 1. The first remote degree is a breaking of league with sinne for naturally there is a league between sinne and our soules And they are like Simeon and Levi brethren in evill sinne is then pleasant unto them and whosoever speakes against it are none of their friends but now when wee see that sinne hath deceived our soule and played the Iudas with us that it hath betraied us into the hands of Sathan and hath procured the wrath of God upon us then we breake our friendship with it and are sorry that we had ever any thing to doe with it Eph. 5.11 have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse but rather reprove them that is we must not have any more to doe with them God charges the people of Israel to take heede that they marry not with the heathen Deut. 7. for they would turne away their sonnes and daughters from serving God So will sinne doe if you make league with it or doe not breake from it and so procure the heavie wrath of God upon you it is the charge which our Saviour gives unto those that went into Babylon Rev. 18.4 2 Cron. 19 2. Come out of Babell my people be not partaker with her of her sinnes that yee receive not of her plagues It was a good speech of the sonne of the Prophet to Iehosaphat shouldest thou helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore in wrath upon you from the Lord So there is nothing a greater enemy unto God nor unto your salvation then sinne is therefore breake your league with it lest you procure the fierce wrath of the Lord of heaven and earth against you Degree 2 2. When men professe themselves open enemies unto sinne that is then when they hate every false way and when no perswasion that lust can make nor proffer that can be propounded will prevaile with them but they stand like a mountaine and will not be perswaded so as those secret insinuations of their owne hearts and those venomous blandishments of Sathan fall from them as the Viper from Pauls hand without any hurt or taking any strong impression upon them where there is the greatest unity and friendship when such fall out there is the greatest enmity and discords thence it is that Solomon saith Prov. 18.19 that a Brother offended is as hard to winne as a strong City and their contentions are like the barres of a Castle so is it with this contention because as their freindship hath beene great so also is the contention stronger therefore some of the Martyrs when they have beene pressed by their friends to renounce their religion with what indignation have they spoken that if every haire of their head were a man William Sparrow pascalis they would burne them all rather then goe from the truth And some have blessed God even that ever they came in prison or that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ all this out of a desire of the enjoyment of Christ and the hatred of sinne Degree 3 3. To cut off all the strength provision that the flesh can make that so we may starve the flesh out of the holds that it hath made for it self Rom. 13.14 So the Apostle put on the Lord Jesus Christ and made no provision for the flesh sure it is when men are carefull for the body and carelesse for the soule when they expend the greatest part of their lives and meanes in the minding of the things that pertaine to the satisfaction of the flesh and in the prosecution of their lusts and pleasures and say unto their soules Luke 12.19 eate drinke and be merry what doe they all this while but foster and nourish that body of death even unto the day of slaughter but on the other side a man doth then make no provision for the flesh when he lives as a Pilgrim and as a stranger and doth abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against the soule When a man makes a covenant with his eyes 1 Pet. 2.11 that he will not look on a woman to lust after her when hee shutteth his eares Job 31.1 and will not heare the voyce of the Charmer charme hee never so wisely when that he lookes to all his wayes and takes heed Psal 39.1 that he offend not in his tongue in one word that keepes his heart with all diligence Pet. 4.23 that howsoever voluptuous and sinfull thoughts may knock at the doore yet they may finde neither entrance nor enterrainment when hee hardens his heart against sinne as much as Dives did that hee would not permit Lazarus the crummes that were under his table but suffered the Begger to dye at his doore So when wee deny our lusts their least requests and will not permit them the least or lowest roome in our hearts 2 King 6.32 when we deale with sinne as Elisha caused his servants that kept the doore saith he hold him fast handle him roughly or presse him at the doore so should we do with sin if hee offer to make intrusion repell him backe with a holy violence 1 Cor. 9.27 I beate downe my body and bring my flesh in subjection that when I have preached to others I my selfe may not be a cast-away CAP. IX Shewing those more neare degrees of mortification 2 NOw I come to those that are more neare degrees of mortification as you see in warre there is many lesser assaults made before
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
our hard hearts that as Moses when he smote with his rod the rock Num. 2â— 1â— the water came abundantly so when God smites our hearts with the rod of his Word it is able to dissolve our hearts into teares and godly sorrow unto repentance not to be repented of 2 The spirit sets home afflictions and troubles to make them vertuall and efficacious to the subduing of our corruptions Zach. 13.9 I will bring a third part through the fire I will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tryed and they shall call upon my name and I will heare them c. When God takes us in hand then all the hurt that wee receive by our afflictions Esa 27.7.9 is the taking away of our sinnes all the fruit of their afflictions was to the end that thereby the iniquity of Jacob might be purged God suffered the bush to burn but yet it was not consumed because the Lord was in the midst of it The Finer is most carefull of his gold when it is in the furnace and so is God for our good in the time of our afflictions as he said periissem nisi periissem I had perished if I had not perished Many good Christian may say that if he had not had crosses and losses in the world hee had lost his soule We read of some of the Martyrs that have blessed God that ever they came to prison for Christ's sake that when they became mans bondmen then were they Christs freemen and could as comfortably feed on browne bread rouse in the straw as on a bed of downe What a marvellous change was wrought in Manasse 2 Chro. 33. from v. 1. to 14. who in his prosperity was most wicked hee fell to the Idolatry of the Heathen used inchantment witchchraft caused Hierusalem to swimme with blood yet in his affliction how did he humble himselfe greatly How mightily was hee then wrought upon how did his heart smite him Whence was this but from the spirit of God that perswaded his heart unto it for if that Gods spirit goe not at long with those afflictions that are on men they are never the better but the worse for them as you see it said of him that said because the evill was from the Lord 2 King 6.33 hee saw no reason to waite any longer and so it was of King Ahaz 2 Cron. 28. that in his extremity he sinned yet more and more therefore the Holy Ghost doth brand him with this infamous note this is that King Ahaz that is hee that afflictions could not mend nor make better And indeed when as it is so that affliction doth men no good it is to be feared that they have rejected the last remedy that God meanes to bestow upon them and God may say to them Why should I smite them any more Isa 1.5 3 The spirit setteth home examples of good men and maketh them meanes to mortifie our sinnes when wee see men weaned from the world upright in their waies charitable to the poore temperate in the use of the creatures holy humble and full of good fruits such a mans life when God pleaseth to set it on doth make other men repent and by seeing their good workes to glorifie God Shew thy selfe in all things a patterne of good workes Mat. 5.16 now a patterne is a rule for others to follow Tit. 2.7 examples teach sooner than precepts and are more easie to the undestanding to learne and also are more speedily taken into practice Longum â—ter por praecepta officaâ— breve per exemplu Sen. A notionall goodnesse is little worth unlesse some demonstration may be given of it in point of practice this wee read of Hezekâ—ah 2 King 18.3 that hee did walke in all the waies of his father David 2 King 22.2 and of Iosiah after him much more are godly mens examples very efficacious in their sufferings and in their deaths when the spirit shall joyne with them Iam. 5.11 as how hath the patience of Iob beene a patterne unto succeeding posterities Iob 1.21 wee want not many examples to prove how the blood of the Martyrs have beene the seede of the Church 2 King 6.22 23. If Elisha did so calme the Syrians by that example of patience and kindnesse so that they came no more to annoy and infest their land how much more may the patience of godly men perswade others to lay aside their cruelty and mortifie their strong corruptions CAP. XIX The manner how the spirit doth mortifie corruption COme wee now to the manner how the spirit doth mortifie corruption 1 The spirit sheweth the way how wee should mortifie the corruptions Esa 30.21 thou shalt heare a voyce behind thee saying this is the way walke in it When ye turne to the left hand or to the right it carries us through were it not for this assistance wee should either stand still goe no further or else turne aside either on the right hand to superstition Esa 50. to walke in the light of our owne sparkes and in the fire that wee have kindled or on the left hand to profanesse and to hardnesse of heart to commit iniquity with unsatiable greedinesse therefore that prayer of Moses should be ours Exo. 33.13 O Lord if I have found grace in thy sight shew me thy way now a man is theÌ„ in Gods way when hee goeth about his worke with carefulnesse Prov. 45.10 15. when a man devotes himself to his worke and takes pleasure in it as it was said of the Kings daughter that shee should forget her owne people and her fathers house which is a hard businesse and this was to be done chearfully and freely so when we do leave our dearest lusts Ioh. 8.44 and cast off the yoke sathan Eph 2.1 who is a father to the children of Belial and a Prince that raigneth over their consciences we must do it cheerfully as it is in the sweet song of Deborah Iudg. 5.2 who praised the Lord for the avenging of Israel when the people willingly offered themselves It is certaine that wee have then cause to blesse the Lord Deut. 20.5 6. when that God makes our heart willing to serve the Lord. It was a rule in the Law that if any man had builded a new house or planted a Vineyard or married a wife that hee should not goe to warre that yeare the reason was because that hee could not do it willingly out of that love and affection he had unto his present expectation of gaine and comfort lest that which hee had left at home might make him lesse willing to adventure his life or at least to turne backe before the battell was ended so any man that goeth to warre against his corruptions let him know this that if there be any thing in the world that his heart stands affected unto which maketh him
workes of mortification then I say are we furnished with this spirit of a sound mind Eccles 7.12 wisedome is a distention and money is a defension but the excellencie of knowledge is that wisedome giveth life to him that hath it much may be done with money but more with wisedome because money can neither slay sinne nor assure us of life but wisedome can doe both wisedome will teach us to make provision for our latter end 2 It is a spirit of holinesse and sanctitie and that is the reason of an opposition that there is unto sin in the soule the spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5.19 and the flesh against the spirit and they are contrary one to another as it is with a fountaine of living water that if any filth be cast into it it will worke it out by the constant running of it so it is with the spirit that when any corrupt motion is cast into the heart it will not leave untill it have purged it out and the reason is because there can be no agreement betwixt these the one doth alwaies seeke to dispossesse and destroy the other and therefore as it is when a woman that hath decked her selfe with beautifull garments she will not come into uncleane places and naftie company so in this case the holy spirit will not indure the heart where he lodgeth should be defiled or that it should be a receptacle for uncleane lusts For if Christ could not indure that his carthly Temple should be a den of theeves much lesse wil he endure that his spirituall Temple should be a cage of every uncleane and noysome lust 3 It is a craving spirit it goeth out day by day and doth crave assistance at Gods hands to helpe us against our corruption Rom. 8.26 it is the spirit that helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us that as Hezekiah said 2 Cor. 20. Lord we know not what to doe our eyes are towards thee what was that made him waite on God but this spirit of grace and supplication so say I what maketh a Christian to lift up strong cryes and prayers unto God when hee is assaulted by the flesh and to waite for strength from heaven is it not the spirit that putteth us upon it and maketh us never to give over till wee find successe from God it is not the making of a prayer that will serve your turnes but the having of the spirit of prayer that is it that will helpe you Hos 12.4 to wrastle with God with your prayers and teares as Iacob did and not to give over like the importunate widdow Luk. 18.34.5 untill you have your requests granted unto you 4 It is a cheerfull spirit that thought the worke be hard and sharpe yet it maketh us passe through it with much alacrity and cheerfulnesse it maketh us while wee are breaking up the fallow grounds of our hearts and while wee are about to crucifie the flesh 1 Cor. 9.10 circumcise the foreskinne of our hearts to be cheerfull and rejoyce because the end of that is joy and consolation for they that plow in hope thresh in hope shall be partakers of their hopes What maketh the marriner to passe through so many hard adventures by sea and land but hope of some great advantage that may be for his advancement or what maketh the Souldier adventure himself into the heat of the battel but hope of a joyfull victory and what maketh a Christian to take such paines with his heart and to make such hot skirmishes against his lusts but in hope of good successe a glorious victory On the other side there is no greater signe of an unmortified heart then when hee is forced unto the worke and drawne unto duty as a Beare to a stake out of slavish feare and apprehensions of wrath as Sathan than saith in Iob that skinne for skinne Iob. 2.4 and all that a man hath will he give for his life a man will doe much in extremity which is not a free but a forced service but now if so he that there be a cheerfull spirit we are carried by it to this duty as freely as Abraham was to the sacrificing of his sonne not reasoning with flesh and blood but out of the feare of God 2 Cor. 7.1.2 the love of holineffe and the hatred of sinne wee are as cheerefull at the death of it as wee delighted sometime at the commission of it CAP. XXIII An exhortation unto the duty of mortification FOr as much as wee are naturally slow unto this worke of mortification both in respect of that love we have unto our lusts and also in respect that Sathan and our deceitfull hearts doe labour by all faire and possible arguments to beate us off from this worke saying as sometimes Peter did unto our Saviour Master spare thy flesh Mat. 16.22 this shall not be to thee such suggestions men have when they are pressed unto duty that they should spare that labour there iâ— no necessity of Therefore it will not be amisse to quicken you up unto this duty by such considerations as these 1 In regard of sinne that if it be not mortified wee doe highly displease Almighty God therefore the Lord is said to haâ—e iniquity as that which is contrary to his Law as that which is cursed of him now that sinne is thuâ— displeasing to him will appeare 1 In regard of those sad Complaints and those patheticall expressions that are used in Scripture against sin and sinners when the sinnes of the old world grew to that height that the whole earth was corrupt before God and that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth Gen. 6.6 it repented the Lord that hee had made man and it grieved him at the heart a deepe expression how much God is displeased with it now when God is said to be grieved it is not in that he is subject to passion but after the manner of men not secundum affectum but effectum as they speake in the Schooles that as men are grieved when they are offended so is God sore displeased with sinne Psal 95.10 11. Forty yeares long was I grieved with this generation then it was that hee sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest that after they had grieved him so long time together his sore displeasure did arise and so they perished in the wildernesse Luk. 19.41 how was our blessed Saviour grieved when hee beheld the City and wept over it saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I have gathered thee as a hen gathereth her chickins c. What can be a greater griefe to a loving father or a tender mother than to see their Children not to harken unto good admonitions and exhortations so is it unto Christ when as wee turne aside to the by-paths of sinne it grieves him much how doth God complaine of his people O my people what have