and so shall not fall into mischief as the following words teach but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief he that feareth alwayes is not self confident but watchful and wary circumspect and careful and so he will be kept from those transgressions others fall into therefore he is truely wise Prov. 14.16 A wise man feareth and departeth from evil the Scripture knows and owns no other as a wise man but such a one who fears himself lest he sin and feareth God so as to watch against sin Wherefore fear thou do so as to former iniquities which have prevailed in thee consider how often thou hast offended so and so consider how subject thou art in thy self to transgress consider how watchful Satan is to cause thee to transgress so fear lest as it hath been it be again Yea fear thy self as to those evils which hitherto thou hast seldom or not at all been overtaken with Though thou beest as good a Disciple as Peter thou should'st fear lest some time or other thou deny thy Lord and Master though thou be as Patient as Job thou should'st fear lest under some notable tryal that may come thou shew great impatience though thou art as meek as Moses thou should'st fear left thou be overtaken with unadvisedness and sinful anger though thou art or wert as Righteous as Lot as holy as David thou should'st fear lest thou be captivated by such corruptions as they were though thou wert as strong in faith as Abraham thou would'st have reason to fear the prevailing of unbelief and no doubt one great end why the miscarriages of those and other good men are recorded is to keep all even the best fearful of themselves watchful and careful while they live in this evil world Secondly Store your minds with the principal Scriptures against the several deeds of the flesh Jer. 23.29 is not my word like the fire saith the Lord and like the hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces Yes God's Word is like the fire and like the hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces so thou shalt find it to be to thy corruptions if thou make a right use thereof chiefly should you treasure up in your hearts Scriptures relating to those sins whereto you are more especially inclined either by constitution calling education custom or some temptation Whatever thou readest or hearest against any such deed of the flesh lay it up take it home to thy self and apply it to thine own sin principally labour to retain and oft think of that which at any time thou hast found or findest most to work upon thee for one word worketh most upon one temper another word upon another temper most and that which hath at any time done you good or affected you is more likely to prevail with you and keep you from such a sin for time to come Thirdly Seek to the Lord to help thee not only as to the present but with respect to hereafter and seek earnestly seek as for thy life as thou would'st beg to be kept from Thieves and Robbers and Murderers lying in wait for thee Be sure also to trust in God for his preservation his keeping thee from all evil deeds as thou would'st trust in the Lord to be kept from the arrows of the Pestilence in a very hot time of the sickness or from a great storm in the mid'st of the rocks but let your trust in God be upon the account of his Word such and such promises as he hath made for the keeping his people and the subduing their iniquities As Jehosaphat exhorted the people 2 Chron. 20.20 Jehosaphat stood and said Hear me O Judah and ye Inhabitants of Jerusalem believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his Prophets that is believe in him because of his Word spoken by his Prophets so shall ye prosper thus do ye O Christians so shall ye prosper in this blessed work of mortifying your sins Fourthly When thou seest any one fall into sin bless not thy self as if thou wert in thy self better than he nor despise him nor revile him these things are themselves from the flesh fruits of corruption and they will harden thee and they will provoke the Lord to leave thee to the like or worse Above all take heed that thy heart be never secretly glad of another's falling as sometimes the heart of some is either because they desire their shame whom they see to sin or because they think themselves commended by the fall of others But let us ever remember when we see others sin to bless God God who keeps us from doing the same things and let 's pity those who sin as we pity such who are carried captive by some cruel enemy or such who are besides themselves and therefore hurt and wound themselves Let 's also pray much for those that sin and let 's by the sin of others take occasion to humble our selves for the corruption of our nature as that good man who saw no man so bad but he would say such a one am I as bad by nature And as that father who seeing one fall would say he to day and I to morrow Fifthly Consider well before hand what temptations you are like to meet with for the stirring up any sin in you and do what you may to prevent them As whatever may cause any sickness in your bodies so far as you can and know it you by all means avoid it lo and much more if more can be you should avoid whatever may excite or draw forth any lust in you When a man takes no care of himself but heats and cools eats any thing drinks unseasonably as when he 's very hot throws off his cloaths without any regard to the season or the like will you wonder if he be sick so when a man takes no care of his soul when he goes into and continues in any Company runs himself without heed into any Company upon occasions of sin needlessly doing things which stir up corruption No wonder if he abound in deeds of the body Sixthly When thou goest about any work into any Company use thy self to think what sin thou art most like to be tempted to where Satan is most like to get in or on what he most probably will take hold and fore-arm thy self by some sutable thoughts and serious arguments particularly praying against that sin thou art like to be drawn to or to have stirred up in thee And be sure to be alwayes well employed about some lawful profitable thing either advantagious to thy self or others diligence in good is a good help to mortifie sin Lastly Look upon the greatest friends of thy sin as the worst enemies of thy soul which it's sure they are for Satan is the greatest friend of thy corruption and the worst enemy of thy soul ever also look on the greatest enemies of thy sin as the best friends of thy soul as thou hast reason for God and Christ
Prophets and hewn them with the word of my mouth so the Spirit by Scripture words slayes hacks and hews our sins as Antichrist is consumed by the breath of the Lords mouth so is sin within us which is the worst Antichrist of all and but for which there had been no Antichrist at all Lastly The Spirit mortifieth our sins by producing and begetting fruits in us contrary thereto such as those Gal. 5.22 23. the Apostle in the foregoing verses declares what are the fruits of the Flesh thereupon makes mention of the fruits of the Spirit such as love peace long-suffering goodness faith meekness whereby he teacheth us that the Spirit by causing these good things in us doth expell and destroy the fruits of the Elesh which are contrary thereto and there is one fruit of the spirit not there mentioned but implyed in love which the spirit works whereby the power and life of Sin is greatly abated yea even taken away according to the measurc and strength of it and that 's hatred hatred of all Sin which makes us eager in seeking the utter extirpation of it out of our Souls I might have added The Spirit breaks the force of Satan's temptations who seeks to defend Sin and keeps it upon the throne in us and therefore tempts violently stirs up and doth all he can to kindle it and feed it by pouring in such and such thoughts as by other means but the Spirit opposeth and withstands him to which that may be applyed Isa 59.19 When the enemy shall come in like a floud the Spirit of the Lord shal lift up a Standard against him The Spirit well understands all Satans wiles and what correspondence he hath with Sin in us and the Spirit either driveth him away and makes him flee from us or counterworks him dictating answers to all his temptations and as casting water on the fire which Satan endeavours to blow up in us Sermon 6. I Am now in the second place to shew what we are to do that we may have the help of the Spirit in mortifying the deeds of the body For answer whereto briefly in a few particulars First We must receive the Spirit we can do nothing this way through the Spirit unless it be in us dwelling and abiding in our Souls which it will not be except it be received by us 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the Spirit which is of God So have all we who truly believe and they who have not must receive it or never will they give any of their sins a deadly wound through it If any keep their hearts shur against the Spirit they cannot have the help of it in the work of mortification or any other work to their Salvation As till the Soul come into the Body and dwell in it the Body doth not cannot work act or do any thing by it so till the Spirit come into the Soul and be received to dwell there the Soul doth nothing by it to the subduing it's lusts Secondly They who have received the Spirit must call in or call for it's help and assistance when you find corruption stirring when you go about the killing your sins you must desire and ask the Spirit 's co-working with you O that the Spirit of the Lord may now work with me O that it may now assist me let it now please to help me in destroying this evill affection in mortifying this and that sinfull motion I feel stirring in me You must never attempt any thing without looking for and seeking the Spirit 's assistance Ps 143.10 Thy Spirit is good it 's a good guide lead me into the Land of uprightness by it O Lord be pleased to lead me in the good and upright way in the strait path the way everlasting till I shall come to that place appointed for upright ones and where nothing of hypocrisie is but all uprightness and sincerity only grows So you should pray Lord thy Spirit is holy and mighty it is every way able to help me O let it assist me in mortifying mine iniquities till they shall be all destroyed till I come to that Country where no such poysonous hurtful thing as sin doth grow or live or hath any being Thirdly You must wholly rely on and trust in the Spirit for its direction and powerfull co-operation with you in this work not having any thought as if you could put to death or do any thing for the destruction of any sin of your selves but knowing remembring and acknowledging also your own utter weakness and insufficiency your trust confidence relyance must be altogether on the Spirit As Jehosaphat said We know not what to do but our eyes are to thee which implyes trust and dependance on God so your eyes must be to the Spirit Psal 38.19 Mine enemies are lively and they are strong i. e. they are too strong for me what then V. 15. In thee O Lord do I hope So when our Spiritual enemies are lively and when they are as indeed they alwayes are too strong for us we must hope in the Spirit of God for strength from it Ps 47.3 He shall subdue the People under us and the Nations under our feet we will not think or attempt it in our own strength but as elsewhere it is In the name of the Lord I will destroy them yea in the Lords name will I destroy them I will not trust in my bow nor shall my sword save me c. So we must not think that any means we can use can lay dead any sin but we must still purpose resolve and endeavour the slaying of every sin in the power and strength of the Spirit Fourthly You must lye in the way of the Spirits working as Marriners do lay their Vessell in the way of the wind or the Miller turns his Mill that way the wind blows because the Ship will not sail nor the Mill grind without the wind So you must lay your selves in the way of the Spirits breathing and turn your Souls to that blessed wind that way it bloweth I mean you must attend under Ordinances you must give your selves to religious holy duties to hear to read to meditate on the Word of God to confer with others and joyn in prayer with them as you have opportunity c. John 3.8 The Spirit worketh As the wind bloweth where it listeth not where we list but where it self pleaseth and where is it that the Spirit listeth to work sure it is in the way of it 's own appointments Fifthly We must yeild up our selves to the Spirit to be acted moved and ruled according to it's pleasure as Souldiers follow your Leader observe his Commands yea every beck or wagging of his head or hand and accordingly order themselves so we must well mind all the dictates take notice of all the movings of the Spirit in us and comply therewith Gal. 5.16 This I say then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the
flesh in one sense because he hath no body yet he is altogether Flesh in a spiritual sense i. e. sinful and he draws those and leads them after the Flesh who live after it they do follow him though they think not so they know it not Eph 2.2 they who walk according to the course of this world they do walk according to the Prince of the power of the air so v. 3. they fulfill the desires or wills of the flesh therefore they shall dye for Satan is a dead creature and he is reserved to a farther degree of death and misery Satan also is a deadly enemy to men he seeks with all diligence to entice allure and draw us to his condition will he not be killed who follows a subtle enemy that plots his death Shall not he dye who yields himself up to his enemies who christ to have his blood and are implacably bent upon his ruine but thus do they who live after the Flesh they yield themselves up to Satan who as I may say hath sworn and more chan sworn the death of all he can prevail against and they give up themselves into the hand of the Lusts of the Flesh which war against their souls 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly beloved abstain from steshly Lusts which war against your souls how then can he escape death who surrenders himself thereto Lastly Those many threatnings of the God of truth against such who live in sin that he will whet his Sword against them wound their hairy sculp turn them into hell Ps 9.17 the word into is doubled in the Hebrew either to note the certainty thereof as if he had said the wicked shall be turned into yea surely into hell or to signifie the greatness and the endlesseness of their punishment they shall be turned into and into hell over head and eats as we say they shall be cast deep very deep into the bottomless pit they shall still be falling as it were lower and lower or their souls and at last their bodies shall be cast into hell their souls into and their bodies into hell or when their bodies into the grave then their souls into hell and the like they all demonstrate and establish this truth so sure as God is true those threatnings are true So then it is abundantly manifest most undeniable as clear as the Sun as sure as sure can be that if we if any of us all live after the flesh dye we shall perish we shall without remedy Sermon 2. Q. 5. VVHy should such Doctrine be preached to believers A. Not as if they who have true faith shall ever any of them so live after the flesh as at last to dye the second death this is not intended nor implyed either in my Text or any other like Sentence of Scripture for it 's certain nothing is meant or can by right consequence be deduced from one place of Scripture which is contrary to any thing expressed in another but it is expressly asserted that God who hath begun a good work in his people will perform carry it on to the day of Christ Phil. 1.6 he that layes the foundation of true grace in any soul will go forward with his work till he hath laid the top stone and that because he is faithful 1 Cor. 1.8 9. Who shall also confirm you to the end that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ for God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord so 1 Thess last 24 and 2 Thess 3.3 and as God is faithful so it 's sure he is able otherwise he would never have begun his work in us as may be argued from those words of Christ Luke 14.28 29 30. which of you intending to build a Tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he have sufficient to finish it lest haply after he hath said the foundation and is not able to finish it all that behold it begin to mock him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish How much wiser is God than man none shall have cause to mock him therefore he both can and will finish his building the Church and the work of grace in every one of his effectually called ones But why then is it said to Believers If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye A. 1. All Believers are not such in truth all who make a profession have not been under the power of God to their saving Conversion when God sows wheat the Devil sows tares when God makes true Converts the Devil makes Hypocrites Mat. 13.38 39. Hypocrites especially are the Devils Children the tares are the Children of the wicked one all wicked ones are Children of that wicked one chiefly Hypocrites these are as his first born and have most of his likeness There ever were and will be during the state of things such as Judas Symon Magus Demas c. hereafter all such shall be gathered out of Gods Kingdom No Hypocrite shall be in the New Jerusalem but now there are foolish as well as wise Virgins workers of iniquity who hear Christs word and eat and drink in his presence at his Table with respect to this it is needfull there should be such Doctrine Preached now in the Church ye shal dye if c the rather because men know not the hearts of those to whom they Preach Mal. 3. last Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked now there is not a certain Infallible discerning and false unsound hearted ones are frequently very confident of their state that it is good that it is safe As men in a dream while dreaming are very confident of this or that concerning themselves the contrary whereto they find true when they awake hence this truth is to be taught to awaken such if it may be and to shew them their great and sad mistake Secondly Though it shall never be because of Gods faithfulness as also because of Gods election Christ's death c. that true Believers shall so live after the flesh that they shall perish yet the thing is possible in it self and as to themselves Did not Adam in innocency fall and come under the sentence of death so would the best men fall into perdition if left to themselves as Peter had sunk quite down and drowned if left to himself and when he denied Christ so far he had denied him utterly Corruption because natural hath great advantage against grace in us and Satan by all means layes about him to draw it forth so that if we had no keeper no guid or better Pilot than our selves we should live after the Flesh and split dash in pieces on that rock therefore that none may have confidence in themselves but all of us be kept constantly trusting in the living God in Christ the power of God and that we may not be high minded but fear hence the Apostle having given that
works of the Flesh are manifest they are manifest to Conscience to right reason as declared in Scripture and because they so abound in the world they may easily be known by those who have a mind to know them and he there reckons up about 16 or 17 of them which you shall do well to read again and again and pondering seriously thereby to try your selves The works of the flesh saith he are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresits Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like Though he mention so many yet he adds and such like intimating those named are but some the Flesh is exceeding fruitful it hath a numerous issue a great swarm of brats an abundance of vile fruits Now if there be any one of us any man or woman here who liveth in any one of those works or in any such like thing such a one liveth after the Flesh though thou avoid and after a sort hate drunkenness witchcraft Adultery c. yet if thou livest in some other of those works if in hatred if in variance if in emulations or wrath or strife or heresies or envyings or covetousness or any such other thou even thou dost live after the Flesh and consequently shalt dye unless thou speedily repent therefore the Apostle adds v. 21. of that Chap. of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past you need to be oft told and can hardly be told too often that they who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Thirdly If you live in the doing any work of the Flesh inwardly though not outwardly to the eye of others yet do you live after the Flesh in the eye of God If your affections are still working according to the Flesh and you give way thereto though they break not forth or seldom in open actions to be taken notice of by men If the flesh command this and that affection in you your love and desire your hope and fear your joy and sorrow as if any one live in love of money in heart covetousness though he do not such things as others Neighbours Acquaintance can charge him with if thy heart be set upon the things of the world if thy comfort come in only from them if the stream the main chanel of thy desire run out to them The Apostle calls the things of this life carnal 1 Cor. 9.11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things why calls he these things carnal not only because they are of use to our bodies but perhaps also because they are such things as carnal hearts take up and are satisfied with Or if a man live in pride of heart being as the Apostle saith Col. 2.18 vainly puffed up by his Fleshly mind though with outward voluntary humility Or if the flesh have the rule of a man's thoughts then doth he live after the flesh Rom. 8.5 they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh their minds are kept going still set on work by the flesh as the mill by wind or water Fourthly If in any thing you live contrary to your Consciences then you live according to or after the Flesh Conscience saith you must not act so or so yet you do and will this is your way your course to contradict Conscience It 's true the best in this life sometimes displease their Conscience by some things they do cross to its Councels and Dictates so that they have smiting of Conscience as David had but if this be the practise of any to walk disobediently to their Conscience this is living after the Flesh therefore the wrath of God we read Rom. 1.18 is revealed from Heaven against such who hold the truth in unrighteousness that is who walk contrary to their Conscience what though you please men please your Neighbours Friends Relations if you displease your Consciences this is fleshly and deadly Whatever is contrary to Conscience that as so is of the flesh He that lives after God doth exercise himself to keep a good Conscience in all things as the Apostle Paul saith he did he that doth not so lives after the Corruption of his heart It is a matter of great consequence to be well skil'd in discerning the commands of the Law of sin to know what is of the flesh and what not this may be known by the Law of God and of Conscience there are indeed divers things that are of the flesh which are not against some mens Consciences because their Consciences are bribed blinded seared or not rightly informed but whatever is against Conscience if done as so done is from the flesh Fifthly They live after the Flesh who live in the neglect of those things the Flesh would not have them to do as the Flesh wills some things to be done so it wills other things not to be done every Lord gives negative as well as positive Commands so doth the flesh as God saith thou shalt do this thou shalt not do that so the Flesh enjoyns and prohibits or forbids it moves to and pulls back from the doing divers things Now I say when a man lives in the neglect of those things which are against the wills of the flesh they live after it but what are those things A. Whatever God positively commands that the Flesh commands negatively God saith pray continually the Flesh faith pray nor at all or only now and then God saith worship me fervently the Flesh saith be not fervent in the Duties you perform God saith look well to your souls above all keepings keep thine heart seek the good of your souls above all the world prize esteem them more than all the world for so much is implyed in those words of Christ what is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul the Flesh saith never mind your souls or be least careful about them God saith seek first my Kingdom and the righteousness thereof the Flesh saith seek not those but other things first time enough hereafter for such things God saith be careful to maintain good works the Flesh saith goods are better than good works money is better than charity therefore trouble not your selves about such works wrong not your selves by your charity empty not your purse by your liberality c. which of these two Lords are you wont to hear and obey in these and such like things the blessed Lord God or that cursed Lord the Flesh Though you do no body any wrong though you are neither Drunkards unclean envious malicious nor wrathful yet if you use to forbear doing the things the Flesh bids you not do what are you but servants of the Flesh As it is as true as much obedience to God to avoid what he forbids as it is to do what he enjoyns so is it as truly
and bears sway in us or we do live after the Flesh Thus much for the first use let not these things be spoken in vain make application of them to your selves try your selves by them pray over them rest not till you know what your life is how it is that you do live for this is one Word of God by which we shall be judged hereafter when the great Judge shall come to execute the final dismal Sentence of Death then will it be enquired and published who have lived after the flesh Use 2. Let the second Use be to convince those whose life is after the flesh of their misery art thou such a one and yet dost think thou shalt not dye not dye the second the worst death thou deceivest thy self thou dost contradict my Text belye the Word of the Lord so art thou the more guilty and while senseless of thy miserable state that thy senslessness is a bar to thy repenting How art thou like to turn who walkest in the way of Death and wilt not believe it is such a way or that thou art in it No wonder if all calls are ineffectual though God saith turn ye turn ye why will ye dye yet thou art like the deaf Adder Therefore let me perswade thee who dost live after the flesh to receive this as a truth though uncomfortable yet profitable shouldest thou dye presently a natural death thou wouldest in dying dye dying naturally thou wouldst dye everlastingly and unless thou livest a new life thus will it be whenever death comes It will come double when a visible death shall arrest thy body an invisible death will arrest thy soul even thine for God will stand to his word he will not forget any one word that he hath spoken by any of his Servants Isa 44.26 he confirmeth the word of his Servant and performeth the counsel of his Messengers God never goeth back from any word that he absolutely uttereth as this without any If expressed or intended only this if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye certainly unavoidably It is most undeniable God is able to execute his word he is able as Christ saith to destroy soul and body If a man a beast a small creature a very gnat or a disease can kill thy body how much more can he who made thee kill thee soul and body destroy thee with an everlasting destruction what are we to the Angels that sinned yet the Lord God hath clapt them all though many Legions though mighty spirits though very subtle and cunning he that almighty only wise one hath put them all under everlasting chains of darkness How able then is he to crush us as moths to trample under his feet us poor worms to break us as a Potters Vessel and as God is able to fulfill his threatning so is he resolved to do it his word tells us his setled purpose his eternal will and unalterable Counsel as his threatnings are written in the same book with his promises so have they the same confirmation his oath as well as his bare word and determinate counsel Am. 8.7 The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob surely I 'le never forget any of their works I 'le that is eternally punish impenitent sinners for all their iniquities Solomon saith where the word of a King is there 's power much more where the word of the great King is the Lord of Heaven and Earth there 's power all power to put his Word in execution but behold here 's the Word of God see it read it ye shall Dye Almighty power is tyed to see this word accomplished Bear with me a little I beseech you while I speak in love for good Who what shall can let or hinder thy death If thou livest after the Flesh shall thy riches estate any thing of this world No Riches profit not we read in the day of wrath what 's Gold and Silver what 's all the rubbish of this world when the Lord shall come forth as a consuming fire when the earth shall be burnt up and the works thereof will fallen Angels who now deceive help they could not save themselves they seek to devour but will good Angels they will be evil Angels in respect of the execution of evil to evil men they alwayes hearken to God's voice and obey the word of his Command they Christ saith shall gather the tarts and cast them into unquenchable fire or will Christ himself stay the execution of this word No he 'l see it executed he 'l come in flaming fire taking vengeance on all who know not God 2. Thess 1.8 and obey not the Gospel of his Son though Christ hath dyed for sins he hath said impenitent sinners shall dye in their sins and he puts the question himself to such how can ye escape the damnation of hell Mat. 23.33 I may say Christ himself could not answer it how they who continue living in their sins shall escape because it 's not to be answered there 's no answer can be given to that Quaerie Shall sinners be able to save one another Nay no more than the men of the old world than the men of Sodom did who perish'd all together Shall sinners prayers shall all that they can do or say save them No all will be charged upon them as sin Is 1.15 God declares though they make many Prayers he 'l not hear whereof Christ also gives assurance testifying before hand when they shall hereafter say Lord Lord open to us c. he 'l say depart I know you not Shall the mercy of God save such No for it is holy faithfull mercy therefore cannot save any against his word How sure then is the death of all who live after the flesh Therefore if thou so livest and yet thinkest thou shalt not dye thou art deceived by sin by Satan yea thou art a self deceiver and wilfull in thy deceiving thy self Do ye not know I pray remember this day God said to Adam in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye but he deceived by Satan thought though he did eat he should not dye Now doth not woful experience to this day teach us the truth of Gods Word for hence we were all born in sin hence the grave so filled with the bodies of Adam's posterity hence the world so full of misery as now and as it hath been in all ages hence you women bring forth in sorrow hence we men get our bread with the sweat of our brows hence all our labour all our toyl hence the earth brings forth bryars and thorns hence all afflictions And as sure as that word proved true which God spake to Adam notwithstanding what Satan insinuated to the contrary so sure is this word true if thou O man if thou O woman livest after the flesh thou shalt dye whatever Satan may whisper in thee to the contrary wherefore shut thine ear to all thoughts that contradict this truth and take it into thy
hear or feel or something that you think of whenever lust stirrs there is something which administreth occasion to it or whereby it takes occasion what that is must be noted and being known it must be avoided If it be your looking on any thing you must turn away your eye if it be your hearing any thing you must stop your ear thereto as soon as may be except it be such a thing as you are bound in duty to hear for sin takes occasion sometimes by that which is good even by the Word of God it self as the Apostle faith Rom. 7.11 Sin took occasion in him by the Commandment sin took occasion in those that heard Stephen Preach though he spake in the Holy Ghost to fill them with madness and cause them to stone him Acts 7.54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth Sin took occasion oft in those that heard Christ to work the more enviously and maliciously against him therefore I say when any thing you hear stirrs your corruption turn away your ear unless it be that which you ought to give ear to and if it be any thing you are thinking of that kindles any lust in you by all means divert your thoughts to something else except also it be a thing whereof it is your duty to meditate and then other means is to be used or an other time more fit is to be taken for those thoughts The same may be said of place and company or any thing else which awakens your sin and calls it forth put it away speedily or turn from it take away the fuel that the fire may go out as Christ saith cut off your right hand your right foot pluck out your right eye if it offend you if it cause you to offend if it draw out your corruption divorce your selves be sequestred from it whatever it be how dear or near soever it be to you and as Solomon saith look away from the wine when it 's red in the cup when thou beginnest to be so pleased with it as to have thy appetite too much raised and set on edge by it 3. When corruption any way acts in you then should you call to mind something of the Word of God which is most proper and fit something that the Scripture speaks against it or concerning the evil of it or that which will follow upon it if you give way thereto This hath been and will be found a very notable help in mortifying any present motion of sin a seasonable remembrance of some suitable Scripture hence saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.1 Moreover brethren I would not have you ignorant c. v. 6. these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lasted c. and oft when he speaks against any sin he minds them of some Scripture saying Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have Heb. 13.5.6 for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me and Rom. 12.19 Dearly beloved avenge not your selves rather give place unto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord by which and other like places we are taught this when we feel this or that lust moving in us to call to mind and give our selves seriously to ponder on some Scripture that hath an aptness for the quelling of it Fourthly At all times when any evil affection breaks out or lust bubles up thoughts concerning God are a great help to the subduing thereof if they are with seriousness It may be when Joseph's Mistress tempted him he might at first find some stirring in himself not good but he mortified it by remembring God for first he thought of God e're he said how shall I do this and sin against God God saith of those who are carried away by their lusts they have forgotten him because the living and prevailing of their sin ariseth from their forgetting him Jer. 13.25 This is thy lot the portion of thy measures from me saith the Lord because thou hast forgotten me and trusted in falshood how came they to trust in falshood because they remembered not God and his faithfulness Jer. 18.15 Because my people have forgotten me they have burnt incense to vanity and they have caused them to stumble in their wayes from the ancient paths to walk in paths in a way not cast up to make their Land desolate a perpetual hissing Thoughts concerning Gods Majesty loftiness Almightiness jealousie omnipresence or his filling Heaven and Earth all places with his presence his all seeing eye his holiness and other his properties and attributes are an excellent means to curb a lust and give it a deadly wound to quench the fiery motions of sin as with water Find me a place said one when tempted where God sees not or is not then will I yeild Jam. 5.9 Grudge not one against another brethren lest ye be condemned but how shall we stop our hearts when they begin to grudge against a brother it follows behold the Judge standeth at the door as if he had said remember the holy just Lord is near he seeth he heareth he stands at the door of your heart and looks in for it s alwayes wide open to him and he will judge righteous judgement e're you are aware he 'l be upon you even now already he is at the door Fifthly You should go to God if it may be especially if corruption stir very much then it 's exceeding good speedily to get alone and fall down before the Lord and spread thy heart before him as Hezekiah did Rabshekahs railing letter and lament and say behold Lord see in mercy and pity to me see what a heart I have how it needs thy grace see how my corrupt nature works and so cry out for help as Jehosaphat when the Assyrians surrounded him thinking it had been Ahab's Chariot 2 Chron. 18.31 Jehosaphat cryed out and the Lord helped him and God moved them to depart from him when we cannot get alone and in all ordinary cases it 's good to lift up the heart to God with an inward sigh and groan heart sighs and groans have very much in them to mortifie a stirring lively lust when the soul sighs inwardly O wretched man that I am that sin thus remains thus works in me Lord deliver me Some say every sigh fetcheth a drop of blood from the heart I may say every hearty sigh fetcheth a drop of blood from the heart of sin if it be for sin but we must not only sigh because of the present working of corruption and ask the death of that but also sigh because of the spring whence the evil stream flows and beg the drying up of that the pulling up the root and killing it as
wish and if it may be to seek the death of its object Hence we read 1 Joh. 3.15 Whoso hateth his brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath eternal life abiding in him Fourthly Is it not necessary that we escape condemnation in the day of judgment but this we cannot unless we mortifie the deeds of the body for the Scripture assures us in that day the Lord will render to every one according to his deeds Rom. 2.5 6. Now is the day of salvation now is the accepted time 2 Cor. 6.2 but yet after a little while there will be a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God and then O then even then will the Lord God himself render to every one of us according to our deeds but what are our deeds A. The deeds of the body of sin are our deeds if we mortifie them not for then we allow them as they say the receiver is as bad as the thief so if we entertain and give way to the lustings and out-goings of corrupt nature we make our selves even as bad as it we are as guilty as the old man the body of sin is they are as partners with their corruption who seek not its destruction therefore according to all the deeds of our corruption will the Lord render to us in that day if we mortifie them not but O! Alas what a recompense what wo what sore punishment when God even the most High and Almighty one himself and that in the day of wrath shall render to a poor creature a miserable man according to all the lusts and lustings of sin all the members and motions and works of the body of sin in him Fifthly Is it not necessary that we perform acceptable service to God This will not be cannot be that we serve or worship God so that what we do should be accepted of him unless we mortifie the affections and motions of sin within us for our iniquities if not subdued will defile all we do so that it will be loathsom and abominable to God our lusts if suffered to live in us will either quite draw us off from serving God or they will mortifie all our services they will make them as dead services altogether odious and hateful to the Lord Isa 1.11 12 c. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord c. bring no more vain oblations Incense is an abomination to me the new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity the solemn meeting Your new Moons and your appointted Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to hear them Why because their lusts were unmortified therefore it 's said v. 16. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil And no wonder for if our lusts are let alone and entertained as friends not dealt with as enemies then are not our hearts upright with God we are no better than Hypocrites in all that we do Corruption living and prevailing keeps our hearts from God it fetters imprisoneth and shackles our souls that they cannot follow after God Every lust any one sin not mortified it doth bind a man hand and foot as to any right performance to God so it will be most just for Christ to say to all whose sins are not mortified as he foretells us he will say Take them bind them hand and foot and cast them into outer darkness because they suffered themselves as if Christ should say to be taken and bound hand and foot by their corruptions And would not endeavour by destroying them to set themselves at liberty that they might walk in the light therefore take them you Executioners of my wrath take them and bind them hand and foot and cast them into outer darkness Sixthly Let me add but this is it not necessary that we should have Communion with God fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ but how shall this be sure our sins must first be mortified because the Father is most holy and the Son is most holy should God grant us Communion with himself while any of our corruptions are harboured and not wounded not brought under but have dominion in us he must have fellowship with them even with our sins which is impossible 2 Cor. 6.14 15. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what Communion hath light with darkness and what Concord hath Christ with Belial We are exhorted to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but we have fellowship with the deeds of the body of sin if we comply with them and mortifie them not and we thereby have Communion with Satan It is as sure some have Communion with Satan in this world as it is that some have fellowship with God and who are they who have Communion with Satan but such whose hearts are in league with their sins therefore such can have no fellowship with God nor can it be that God should draw nigh to them in a way of Communion So then I need say no more it abundantly appears it is necessary of exceeding great necessity that we do mortifie the deeds of the body Q. 5. Why is this to be done constantly A. This is a duty and work about which we must be conversant wherein we must be exercised continually all the dayes of our life therefore the Apostle saith if ye mortifie not if ye have mortified noting to us that this is a business we are daily all our life long to be employed in And the reasons hereof are manifest First Because as hath before been said the body of sin continueth in all while their natural visible body liveth in this world the Apostle Paul himself complains and cryeth out because of this body of death of sin which is as death and this body of sin is still bringing forth sowr grapes vile fruit there are new lustings of corruption every day hence we read the flesh lusteth against the spirit that is constantly daily and Jam. 4.5 the spirit that is in us lusteth to envy so it lusteth to worldliness to discontent impatience pride wrath c. Therefore we must constantly keep warring against our sin its motions are still renewed therefore we must still renew our blows our opposition our endeavour for their mortification a if fire break forth and it be beaten in or quench't yet so that it is still burning still flaming and issuing forth again then there is greet need why there should be still endeavours to extinguish it But the bare continuance and constant working of corruption is not all Secondly Satan is still endeavouring to quicken the deeds of the body he is still seeking to stir up this and the other lust in us to ingender hatch or beget new sinful motions in us in our corrupt nature The body of sin is as I may call it
it had been so in comparison of those stirrings of it which he found when the Law came to his conscience verse 9. When the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the commandement which was ordained to life I found to be unto Death to his own death the death of his former hope and comfort not the death of his sin and thus he saith it was with others before converted verse 5. When we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death the motions of sin which were by the Law i. e. which were begotten or drawn forth by the Law through our corruption Therefore they are Gospel Truths especially and no Truths without these that are an efficacious means for the mortifying of sin These are the weapons of our warfare as the Apostle calls them 2 Cor. 10.4 which are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds they are spiritual and so effectual through God to the subduing our carnal affections As the work of mortification is begun so it is carried on but it is begun in regeneration and that 's by the Gospel as we read we are begotten again by that 1 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel Therefore the Gospel and the truths thereof should principally be made use of The curse of the Law should be considered but if a man would get his sin indeed destroyed let him seek a spiritual understanding of and let him be much in meditating on the grace of the Gospel the doctrine of Christ Fourthly By the Spirit is understood the Holy Ghost the third Person in the Trinity thus it 's taken both before my Text ver 9 and 11. as also after my Text ver 14 15 and 16 c. and in this sense we are to take it in the words I am upon if ye through the Spirit through the Holy Ghost i. e. through the Spirit of God do mortifie the deeds of the body Yet this includes the three other acceptations of the word Spirit for whoever do mortifie any sin through the Holy Ghost they are engaged in the work with their whole souls their whole heart is in it and they do destroy the deeds of the flesh by acting and exercising grace and this they do through hearing considering and acting Faith on Gospel Truths as will be shewn afterward Q. 2. Why is this work of mortifying our sins to be done by the Spirit of God A. 1. Because it cannot possibly be done without the Spirit of God Whatever is done against sin without the Spirit gives it no deaths wound it only covers or somewhat curbeth sin but doth not at all destroy it Christ saith John 6.63 It 's the Spirit that giveth life or that quickneth so it 's the Spirit that mortifieth the Spirit quickneth the Soul and the Spirit mortifieth sin in the Soul A dead carkass shall as soon maintain a fight against and kill a powerful enemy as any man slay his sin any one lust without the Spirit of God As it is natural to our visible body to save it self and every member thereof so is it natural to the body of sin and every member of that to save it self and as it is natural to a Father to save his Child so to Satan to do his utmost to defend and preserve fin in us Therefore it cannot be that we should of our selves or by the help of any creature alone mortifie any lust could we without the Spirit of Christ destroy our sin then might we be in a great part our own Saviours He that knows not the necessity of the Spirits special assistance in this work is certainly a great stranger to the mortification of sin that is most true in this case Zech. 4.6 Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts It is too great a work too mighty and too honourable for any one of himself to get the victory over sin which is our strongest and our worst enemy Outward enemies cannot be destroyed without the help of God especially when many and potent much less can spiritual enemies which are the worst and strongest Psal 33.16 17. There is no King saved by the multitude of an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength an horse is a vain thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength So all Means Duties Ordinances Power and Ability of the Creature is vain weak and to no purpose to deliver and save a man from his sin unless the Spirit of the Lord put its hand to the work and by its might effect it Secondly As this cannot be done without the Spirit so may it be done by the Spirit what though our lusts are never so many It 's all one as we read with the Lord to save with many or with few so is it all one with him to destroy many or few what was that great Host of Senacherib which came against Jerusalem one Angel of the Lord destroyed it in one night we read of the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin every sin is exceeding deceitful besides how deceitful is the heart how deceitful is Satan how deceitful is the world which is one great reason why we cannot mortifie our evil affections of our selves we want not only strength but understanding also our Lusts seem dead while in truth they live they make us think we wound them when the blow falls quite beside we seem many times to do all we can against our sins when it s nothing so that sin seems least in us which is greatest and most hurtful Now the spirit of God is a spirit of wisdom therefore through it we may destroy our sin notwithstanding its deceitfulness though we oft are the spirit of God cannot be deceived What though our iniquities are never so mighty the spirit of God is Almighty Ps 74.15 thou driedst up mighty rivers yet dryed and dryed up though rivers though mighty rivers or as the word is rivers of strength what great things did the spirit of God do in the creation when it moved on the face of the waters such like things it can do and doth when it moveth powerfully in our hearts Psal 93.3 The floods have lifted up O Lord the floods have Dfted up their voice the floods lift up their waves what then who can still them can any man No they as the Psalmist speaks make the Marriners at their wits end they know not how to save themselves much less to quell and calm the floods when they do lift up their voice and their waves to the highest I but the Lord the Spirit of our God is able to command them silence as it there follows verse 4. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters yea
too much to acknowledge this cause thereof Secondly Remember to seek not only the spirit 's powerful but also its counselling and directing assistance we greatly need both we are weak therefore need the Spirit 's strength we are unwise and foolish therefore need its counsel As we have not power to do so neither understanding to discern what we should do against our sins what is the best way and course to mortifie them It is not unusual for men to take such a course for the destroying their sin as rather strengthneth than weakneth it Enemies are overcome as oft if not oftner by policy than by main force so our sins are to be conquered by wisdom as well as if not more than by strength Therefore look for the spirit to help you both as a spirit of power and also as a spirit of wisdom Thirdly Beg that the spirit would not only help you against your sins but that it would cause you to make use of and trust in it self for its help that it would shew you more and more your need of it convince you of your own weakness and foolishness that you may have no confidence in your selves but wholly depend on it Fourthly Set your selves against every sin through the spirit it may be you look for and desire the spirit's assistance against some special strong corruption but you must seek its help against all or you 'l hardly have it against any you must not think any sin so small that it needs not to be mortified nor any so weak that you can kill it of your selves it offends the spirit if you so think It 's much what a like evil to think any sin too strong to be subdued by the spirit and to think any so small that it need not or so weak that without the spirit it may be mortified Fifthly Make sure of this that you are in Christ and have received the spirit from him and then stedfastly expect its conduct powerful assistance and counsel for the destruction of your sins Look upon it as your helper and have a raised firm expectation without wavering of its help as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 4.18 the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom so you may and should say the spirit of the Lord shall deliver me from every lust and will preserve me from the dominion of every corruption yea and destroy all my sins it will never leave me nor forsake me till it have brought me off victorious it will help me it will give me a full compleat victory overall mine iniquities But let this your confident expectation be rightly grounded How is that I answer you should confidently expect the spirits full help upon these and such like grounds First As it is the spirit of the Father that which the Father hath promised and given you the promise of the spirit is called the promise of the Father Acts. 1.4 and Christ saith it proceedeth from the Father therefore look for it as so think not it will help you only or so much because you need it or will to be help'd by it or for any other reason with respect to your selves as because the Father willeth it should help you and hath promised and given it for that purpose and so it 's the Father's work to do in you and with you Secondly Expect it's help as the spirit of Christ as that which proceeds from the Son which Christ hath obtained and sent to you from the Father Christ dyed and ascended to interceed that you might have it he shed his blood also that your sins might be destroyed through it he hath sent it into your hearts therefore look for it 's help upon Christ's account and as you belong to Christ as you are in him his members so that what the spirit doth for you it doth for Christ as they who shew kindnesse to any of Christ's members feeding visiting clothing them he saith shew kindnesse to himself so the spirit helping you helps Christ as you are of his mysticall body Thirdly Expect the spirit's help also for it's own sake because you are it's Temple 1 Cor. 6.19 It hath freely come to you it doth dwell in you and it is to abide with you for ever John 14.16 therefore the spirit is concern'd in your welfare it helping you to mortifie your sins honoureth itself destroying your sins he destroyeth his own enemies the enemies of his own habitation his own temple Fourthly Expect it's assistance upon the account of the everlastingnesse and freenesse of the Covenant wherein God hath said he will give us his spirit and cause us to walk in his statutes which is to be understood for all our life long the Covenant gives assurance of the constant assistance of the spirit to the end upon such accounts as these stedfastly look for strongly expect the spirits help so certainly you shall not misse of it you may upon the grounds mentioned say of your sins as David to Goliah 1 Sam. 17.46 47. The Lord will deliver thee into mine hand and I will smite thee and take thine head from thee and all shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword spear for the battell is the Lords he will give you into mine hands Our trust in the spirit is not right if we expect not it's help the greater our expectation is the greater our trust and the greater engagement upon our friend to help us Fifthly If after all you at any time find sin prevailing yet be not out of heart if you are that 's the way to have it prevail again and more but stir up your selves to your duty in your spirituall warfare renew your trust in the spirit be more earnest in calling for it's help As Israel when they fled before the men of Ai they went and humbled themselves fasted and prayed so when you as flee before your sin when beaten by your spiritual enemies go to God be more importunate and urgent for help say with the Psalmist Psal 35.1 2. Plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me fight against them which fight against me take hold of shield buckler and stand up for my help draw out the spear and stop the way against them say unto my soul speak it feelingly to my sense I am thy salvation let them be confounded that seek after my soul c. And as it is in the Prophet Awake O arm of the Lord put on strength c. By no means give way to discouragement for that is unbelief and a dishonour to the spirit as also to your selves what is it but cowardise when a man is worsted and he falls down under discouragement in this he is more conquered than in the other A right souldier will stir up himself when foiled and prepare for a new assault with the more eagernesse That you may not at any time sinck under discouragement because of the prevalency of
enemies will administer joy yea peace shall we have in great trouble joy in the midst of great sorrow for it s not affliction so much as corruption that deprives our heart of comfort peace and joy Nor can any trouble drown our consolation and chearfulness of spirit wholly if our sin be but mortified by the spirit 1 Pet. 1.6 though in heaviness by manifold temptations yet shall our hearts greatly rejoyce As Solomon saith of the worldly man's mirth Prov. 14.13 even in laughter the qeart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness so as to a Godly man's sorrow if he keep constant and diligent in warring against his sin even in his mourning his his heart is joyful and the end of that heaviness is gladness Perhaps God may withdraw and much try such a one and â—o his heart will have great sorrow yet not without a secret mixture of joy and if his comfort seem to be dead it is but as a sleep it will soon awake and no true joy or peace can be while sin is permitted to bear sway in the soul and is not heartily opposed Thirdly We shall live a life of all true spiritual happiness while we are here we shall have God's favour wherein as the Psalmist saith there is life and which is better than life yea for the most part at least we shall or may have the shining of it into us the light of God's countenance ever and anon lifted up upon us we shall have the blessing of God all things will be blest to us many afflictions will graciously be prevented those that come will be sanctified to us so that they shall not hurt us spiritually no more than the fiery furnace did the three Children outwardly our souls thereby shall not be so much as singed as their clothes were not by that devouring fire nothing shall befall us that will be evil to us in it's effect No good thing shall be wanting to us we shall thrive under ordinances we shall hear and live we shall be fed with and feed on the bread of life our duties and our labours shall live we shall experience the truth of those and other like words Psal 1.3 we shall be like a tree planted by the Rivers of water that bringeth forth its fruit in its season our leaf shall not wither and whatsoever we do shall prosper so the blessing of God will attend us and his favour compass us Fourthly When we come to dye a natural death we shall live much better we shall presently live in our souls perfectly and so shall we after a while live in our whole man Joh. 5.29 we shall come out of our graves to the resurrection of life as Christ liveth so shall we live and O how doth he live now there above 2 Cor. 13.4 though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God we also are weak in or with him but we shall live with him if sin dye in us through the spirit of Christ thereby we have great assurance that we shall live with Christ Rom. 6.8 if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him to him that overcometh saith the faithful and true witness Rev. 2.7 will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God which words seem to have respect to that spoken to Adam after he had sinned Gen. 3.22 23. lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and live for ever therefore the Lord God sent him forth out of Paradise now saith Christ though Adam having sin'd and being mortified by sin might not eat of or touch or come near the tree of life that he should live for ever as he hoped or supposed he thereby should yet to him that overcometh his temptations and corruptions will I give to eat I 'le not only permit him to eat but I 'le give him to eat of the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God even the third heavens that best place of all the creation as Paradise was of all the earth and so he shall live for ever far better than Adam in that state could have lived Hear men and brethren thus O thus shall ye live if ye will so fight against your sins as not to let them live in you They said of Paul Acts. 22.22 it 's not fit that he should live so the world may say of us and we considered in our selves have great reason to acknowledge we are not fit to live any life no not here in this present evil world but through grace we shall live a life ten thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand much better a life glorious and everlasting 2 Pet. 1.11 we shall have an entrance administred abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Now for a few arguments to demonstrate and help faith as to this truth that they who so do as is express'd shall so live as is declared First it must be so because otherwise the spirit's work in us should be lost the spirit 's helping and assisting us against our sins should be in vain to what purpose should the spirit of the Lord enable us in this work if we being help'd should not live but dye at last Therefore shall we live for the spirit 's almighty special work cannot be lost our working alone might well be and would be in vain and disowned by God but that which we do through the powerful assistance and effectual workings of the Holy Ghost will surely be owned by the Father for the spirit's sake and his own sake who sent it to strengthen us and Christ's sake also who obtained it for us Secondly The Spirit is the Spirit of life it 's he that quickneth Joh. 6.63 it is the living water the Scripture speaks of and if we mortifie our sins through it it hath quickned us we begin already to live through it and it dwelleth in us therefore we shall live more and more till we come to live the life of perfection and glory Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwel in you he that hath raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you and in the mean time it will be quickning our immortal souls as to that death whereto by sin they are obnoxious or lyable Thirdly Having the Spirit of Christ we are in him we are one with him and this is a sure evidence and infallible testimony that Christ hath dyed for us he hath so taken our sins upon him that he hath taken them away he hath so born them that he hath born them away for ever from us he hath satisfied divine justice as to all our iniquities and fulfilled the law and now appears in the presence of God for us Rom. 8.3 4. God sent Christ that the
of a very gracious soul yet it 's not without ground to advise and perswade such also to try themselves in this matter whether there be no lust they seek not the death of or whether what they do be not through themselves rather than through the Spirit Because this is given as an evidence of life therefore usually the Spirit of God doth bear witness with their Spirits who do through it mortifie their sins that they shall live In the general this is a truth and setting aside some particular special cases it will be found true as to all whatever death or deadness any lye under it is caused by some sin open or secret which they don't use means by the Spirit to destroy And therefore let the second use be Use 2. To perswade you all yet once again to this so great a duty be perswaded one and all particularly you who are under deadnesse to mortifie your sin through the spirit you who have not yet begun O that you would enter upon this combate you who have begun hold on go forward and be more industrious here in in this time of wars and rumours of wars which may as yet increase with other destroying killing judgments let this be your war your daily fight because this is the way to life Is there any one of you but desireth to live in the sense of my Text Can you be content with a short uncertain natural life and not look after that which is far better seeing it may be attained and the way to attain it is laid plain before you Say I pray say in your hearts say before God Would you not Do you not desire to live a life of holinesse a life of spiritual peace comfort and joy a life of happinesse under the warm most refreshing beams of Gods face and favour Would you not Wish you not that you may live for ever with Christ in glory when your natural life shall end Doth not thy heart sometimes at least say O that my Soul may go into life when my body shall dy and that my body may be raised to the resurrection of life Some possibly may think it strange that I propound such queries saying in themselves who is there but would and desireth so to live I answer well is it for those who have a thorow will and desire thereto for they will undoubtedly industrously seek to walk in the way of life they will hearken to this counsel and make it their study and businesse to mortifie their sin through the spirit It was the saying of one as I have read that he would swim through a Sea of Brimstone to get to heaven strong desires causeth strong endeavours and carrieth through great difficulties hunger we say breaketh through stone walls but if thy heart be right that which is required of thee being to be done through the spirit is not of extream difficulty I beseech you what think you hath that man a mind to live in good earnest who will not seek the life of his deadly enemies who unlesse destroyed will surely destroy him Or who will not give himself to the use of good and effectuall means prescribed to him for the removing a disease or healing of a wound which unlesse cured will certainly be his death verily no more have they a thorow sound will or fervent desire to live spiritually happily and eternally who hearing what must be done in order thereunto cast the counsell of God behind their back not giving up themselves to the obedience thereof But wilt thou O Soul be so unwise be not thou whatever any other is so foolish as not to thirst after such life If thou sayest thou dost long for it shew the truth and strength of thy desire by thy diligence in practising daily this exhortation which if thou dost not but shalt neglect and despise instruction then truly thou wilt not can'st not live that 's implyed when it 's said He that doth this shall live he that doth it not shall not live Remember saith Christ Lot's wife So remember other Scripture examples particularly that 1 Kings 20.35 One of the Sons of the Prophets said to his neighbour in the word of the Lord smite me I pray thee and the man refused to smite him then said the Prophet because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord as soon as thou art departed from me a Lyon shall slay thee and it was so as soon as the man was departed from him a Lyon sound him and slew him So it 's said to thee this day in the word of the Lord smite I pray thee kill destroy thy sin if thou refusest then ere long thou knowest not how soon a Lion will slay thee thy lust and Satan that devouring Lion yea the wrath of the Almighty worse than a thousand Lions will slay thee with a slaughter far more terrible and dreadfull than that was wherewith that man was slain thou wilt find and feel the truth of this as he experienced to the losse of his life the truth of the Prophet's word You may also observe in the same Chapter V. 42. The Prophet said to Ahab King of Israel Thus saith the Lord because thou hast let go out of thine hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life So assuredly if thou shalt let thy sin escape which God hath appointed to utter destruction in the ruining whereof thou mayest have the assistance of the spirit then shall thy life go for it's life Must it not needs be so if the not smiting a Prophet when God commanded it cost a man his life against the doing of which he had a seeming fair objection and excuse if the not slaying Benhadad a King when God would have him slain though we read not God had so expresly declared cost Ahab a King his life then how sure the not slaying thy sin which God so oft calls upon thee and presseth thee to mortifie will cost thee thy life Fain would I may it please the Lord to work that this counsell may become rivered and rooted in all our hearts Therefore I shall hint a few moving perswasions First Set forth up and be fighting couragiously and constantly against your corruptions and iniquities by the spirit so shall you have many victories you will oft get the better of them and every victory will be a cordiall a cup of consolation to your hearts much joy will you thereby have now much more hereafter when the fight shall be quite ended Nothing gladdeth more in this world than victory over strong mighty inveterate enemies how did Deborah and Barak rejoyce when they came off victorious with Palms in their hands Jud. 5.1 2. c. Then sang Deborah Barak the son of Abinoam on that day saying praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel c. Then they sang When Ch. 4. last The hand of the children of Israel prospered and prevailed against Jabin
save his sin But when the spirit comes then it makes the soul willing to have its lusts slain Psal 1â—0 2 3. Rule thou in the mid'st of thine enemies thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power willing to what willing to this that Christ should rule in the midst of his enemies in their souls so as to beat them down and destroy them as he pleaseth Naturally men defend their lusts as the Benjamits those filthy persons who ravished the Levit's Concubine but when the spirit comes and deals with the soul as that woman with the men of Abel 2 Sam. 20.22 who by her wisdom perswaded them to cut off the head of Sheba the Son of Bichri who rebelled against David and to cast it out to Joab so then is the soul willing yea it desires and by all means seeks to have the head of every lust cut off it being an enemy to Christ the Son of David Thirdly The spirit doth help our infirmities in prayer by sighs and groans which cannot be uttered as the Apostle saith some verses after my Text it causeth us to sigh because sin is in us and so works in us and to groan to the Lord to be delivered from the bondage of this and that corruption till the spirit comes a man rather sighs when his sin is discovered and reproved he groans when he is stopt in the fulfilling of his lusts but if the spirit once begin to work thorowly then the man sighs to be rid of his sin and groaneth because he is so led captive by it it was by the spirit that the Apostle said O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death None can say so as he did but by the spirit and when any are enabled so to say sighingly and groaningly as he then doth the Lord hear and help as he did the Israelites against the Egyptians Exod. 2.23 24. the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage and they cryed and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage and God heard their groaning and God remembred his Covenant and God looked upon the Children of Israel and God had respect unto them so God hears much more groanings because of spiritual bondage and the cry of souls wrestling against their lusts comes up to him and God looks with an eye of pity on such and hath respect to them and so comes their deliverance by the death of the Egyptians their corruptions through the hand of Christ tipyfied by Moses and their sins not only in the guilt but also in the power of them are destroyed in the red sea by the virtue of the bloud of Christ Fourthly The spirit causeth and enables the soul to hearken and listen to the Word of God when it reads or hears or thinks thereof and it makes a suitable application of truths to the soul according as it knows is best and most proper for it so that a man looks upon and takes this or that word as belonging to him as spoken to him with respect to his sin we are very subject to pass over the truths of God slightly and to put them off as not appertaining or spoken to us but the spirit opens the heart as we read it did Lydia's it causeth the soul to hear and to hear diligently for it self and to apply such and such words to it 's own case and its own corruptions such a threatning belongs to me and will surely be executed upon me if such a sin still live in me and have dominion over me such a promise is to me and will be fulfilled to me if I repent these and these sins crucified Christ he bare them they lay as a heavy weight upon him they joyned with other to squeeze to press out the very heart bloud of Christ and the like thus saith the soul by the spirit when the spirit helps it in mortifying its sins the soul doth Preach to it self argue and plead with it self in order to the slaying leaving and casting away its sins And because we are very apt to forget things especially then when the remembrance of them is most needful when sin is stirring in us therefore the spirit strengthens our memory or helps it by bringing things formerly read and heard to our remembrance seasonably when we most need them when Iust prevails in us Joh. 14.26 the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Fifthly For as much as believing is very necessary to the subduing our sins this is our victory saith the Apostle John even our faith therefore the spirit helps us in overcoming our sins by working in us a spirit of faith by stirring up faith in us and causing us to act faith on the sufferings of Christ by whose stripes as we read we are healed as our bodies are healed by the destroying our diseases so our souls by the mortifying our sins which is by the vertue of Christ's stripes but not without faith acted thereon therefore the spirit helps in this and also in acting faith on the several truths of Scripture to believe what the Scripture speaks concerning our sins themselves and the fruit of them what will follow if they dye not to believe the threatnings and the promises which is a special means to destroy sin especially faith acted on the promises for by the promises we escape the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 and hence that exhortation 2 Cor. 7.1 having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness c. but the promises unless mixt with faith profit not Sixthly the spirit doth in a secret way powerfully by the Word smite and wound our sins as with a sword for the word is the sword of the spirit Eph. 6.17 as a man in fight takes up his sword puts to his strength and layes on upon his enemies therewith so the spirit takes the word or accompanyeth it and puts to its own power smiting our lusts thereby hence we read Heb. 4.12 the word of God is quick and powerful sharper than any two edged sword not that the bare word written or spoken is so in it self alone it hath no life nor power nor edge without the spirit or it can do no execution without it but the spirit makes it effectual Psa 110.4 5. the Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings so the Spirit when it pleaseth strikes through our King-like lusts that have had dominion over us and thus it doth by it's own sword the word the Spirit is to our sins a Spirit of judgment and a Spirit of burning as it 's called Isa 4.4 as a Judg to a malefactor yea and as Executioner too as fire to fuell so is the Spirit in it's working with the Word to our Lusts As it 's said in another sense I have slain them by my