of Love and this kills the love of sin which is the life of it But this the Spirit does more especially by exciting Acts of Faith which do in a peculiar way destroy sin Acts 15.9 We can never advance holiness nor ruine sin by meer multiplying of Duties Indeed we are said to be purified by obeying the truth through the Spirit 1 Pet. 18.2 But the Apostle means thereby believing as appears from ver 21 which is called the obedience of faith Rom. 1.2 Hence the unbelieving and the defiled are the same Tit. 1.15 But unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Now Faith does expel sin not only as it is a part of the Image of God renewed in us for such the habit of Faith is though indeed in its actings it answers not to any divine Perfection at least as it imports trust confidence and dependance on another and a part of our inherent holiness Nor only as it excites and brings into exercise other graces that tend to the mortification of sin in us But 1. And especially as it is the Mean whereby the Spirit unites us to Christ and which receives and applies the bloud of Christ whereby we are cleansed from sin it 's called a cleaving to the Lord Deut. 4.4 Acts 11.23 which infers a separation from sin and if the woman by a touch of Christ did fetch Vertue from him for drying up her issue of Bloud how much more shall the Soul derive Virtue from him to heal its plague by a constant cleaving and sticking to him by Faith it keeps the Soul near the Fountain that washes away sin it lays sin close under the stroke of him who came to destroy sin and to save from it 2. The Spirit does by drawing forth the exercise of Faith let into the Soul the efficacy of those means that are subordinated to the blood of Christ and have their efficacy from it for the taking away of sin As 1. There is the Word hereby we are made clean John 15.3 and sanctified John 17.17 and healed Psal 107.20 It is the sword of the Spirit Ephes 6.17 whereby the Spirit wounds and kills sin It 's quick and discerning in finding out of sin Heb. 4.12 and powerful for preventing sin and rescuing from it The Spirit brings the Word seasonably to our remembrance and also puts life in it The Spirit brings the Command with Authority upon the Soul when the Commands and Prohibitions of the Word come in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit they come with power 1 Cor. 2.4 When the Commandment comes as to Paul Rom. 7. sense of sin may live but sin is really wounded he that is the father of sin could not withstand Christs Word for it was with power Luke 4.32 None despise the Word but such as never felt this Power 2. The Spirit puts an edg on the Threatnings they are Corrosives to sin when the Spirit fastens such a Word as this If ye live after the flesh ye shall die it 's as a Nail driven into the Temples of sin Better that sin die than I die says the Soul 3. The Spirit makes the promises of the Word effectual to work out sin 2 Cor. 7.1 Who would not zealously oppofe sin and throw it away that he may be interested in such precious promises or who that knows his interest in these promises would not study the greatest possible freedom from sin who that knows that God is his God and Father and will dwell and walk with him 2 Cor. 6.16 17. will beg or borrow from Satan or the World or think to better his Condition by the honours profits or pleasures of sin Who that knows that he is the temple of God will prophane himself with Idols and who that knows he is the member of Christ will make himself the member of a harlot and who that has the hope of eternal life would not purifie himself 1 John 3.3 Now it 's by exciting Faith that the Spirit makes either the Commands or Threatnings or Promises of the word available to the furtherance of Mortification 3. The Spirit renders these Ordinances we call Sacraments effectual for the mortification of sin 1. For Baptism It 's not only the sign of our dedication to Father Son and Spirit but it 's a sign of our fellowship with Christ in his death Rom. 6.3 Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death ver 4 therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death ver 6 Knowing that our old man is crucified with him c. ver 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin ver 11 Reckon c. Now it 's the baptism of the Spirit that effecteth this John 1.33 Acts 1.4 and this John calls Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3.11 probably alluding to the live coal which the Seraphim took from the Altar and wherewith he touched the Prophets lips saying Lo thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin is purged Isa 6.6 7. Now it 's by Faith that the efficacy of this Ordinance is taken in sometimes at the time of the Administration of it sometimes afterward what Faith Infants have I shall not debate I see not why some sort of actual Faith may not be admitted in them and why a supernatural instinct may not carry them forth to Christ as well as a natural instinct prompts them to seek the Mothers breast John Baptist leaping in his Mothers womb at the salutation of Mary c. does seem to confirm this Luke 1.41 which did not proceed meerly from the Mothers joy as appears from her words being filled with the holy Ghost in ver 44. For lo as soon the Babe leaped in my womb for joy and though there may be something extraordinary in it yet it plainly says that Infants are capable of some spiritual Acts as well as of natural so 2. For the Lords Supper The bread we break and the cup of blessing is it not the communion of the body and blood of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 therein we have fellowship with him in his sufferings and all our Communion with Christ is through the Spirit 2 Cor. 13.14 Hence now there is required in such as partake of this a more especial separation from sin for we cannot drink of the cup of the Lord c. that may be said of other Sins as well as Idolatry 1 Cor. 10.21 And the abuse of this Ordinance we see in a special manner punished 1 Cor. 11.30 Sometimes Satan goes down with a Sop and it feeds sin but when Christ is indeed received by Faith the evil Spirit goes out and there comes in a new recruit of power to expel sin 4. The Spirit sanctifies Providences and renders them of use to the mortification of sin as for instance The observation of Gods severity upon others more especially our own afflictions they are Gods Furnace
least think they can resist and overcome many sins and yet do not why do they put off Repentance and Mortification with express purposes some other time to repent and mortifie sin and why do they when under outward trouble or inward terrors cry out O that I had known this 2. They will not so much as try whether they can mortifie sin or not 3. The natural man does not only freely and willingly but chearfully fulfil the lusts of the flesh without regard to or sense of his Impotency to do otherwise or any necessity he is under saving what he lays upon himself they could not do it more freely supposing there were no power above them determining evenâ—◠〈…〉 could not do it more chearfully no◠〈…〉 supposing it were the true happiness 〈…〉 though deceitful will tell us so viz. 〈…〉 is not from any compulsion to sin nor 〈…〉 ability to do the contrary that we sin 〈…〉 a willingness and satisfaction in so doing and thus they do willingly consent to the want of the Spirits assistance that 's necessary to the mortification of sin And 4. They are even willing that there be insuperable difficulties in their way that they cannot mortifie sins they are so in love with their lusts that they are content to have their ear bored and to be servants to them for ever they love to have it so Jer. 5.31 and are grieved when their crazy bodies cannot serve their sinful Ambitious Covetous Vindictive souls yea it may be they are glad that they have this pretence of impotency to plead for themselves and it being so universal they think their plea will be the more relievant But 5. That which may stop every mouth is this You do not what you may do for the mortification of sin sure I am If you cannot get the better of a vain proud light heart you may yet restrain your tongue and rectifie your garbs But O when poor Ministers cannot prevail with you for Christs sake to cut off the superfluities of your own or others hair and to forsake sinful and foolish fashions which any may do with much ease how shall we prevail with you to cut off a right hand to abandon what is as dear to you as your life and what cleaves closer to you than a girdle does to the loyns of a man or the soul does to the body In a word how much might you have done to the mortification of such or such a lust that you have neglected so that this pretence of Impotency is but a froward Objection of the flesh for as an excellent man saith the Spirit is ever before-hand with us preventing us with some knowledg and some ability which if we joyn with the Spirit is ready to increase and carry us further If the Lord concur to those works to which he does not previously move the heart how much more to those works which he excites and is the first mover The holy Lord follows the worst of men a great way but they will have none of him so that the Question Whether God will condemn the man that did his utmost ought to be out of doors for no man out of Christ ever did all that he could by common assistance of the Spirit But is not the godly man heartily willing to be rid of sin when yet he cannot Answ As the unrenewed will is Christs greatest enemy and Satans greatest strength so indeed much of the strength of Grace lies in the renewed will and in the new man It 's Christs greatest friend and sins greatest enemy Rom. 7.17 23 The heart may be willing when the flesh is weak And when there is some defect and short-coming in the executive powers of the soul our diligence in duty and actual opposition to sin seldom or never answer the desires of a willing mind or of an inlarged heart Yet 1. Know that there is some willingness were the will perfectly set against sin a man should be perfectly holy Paul Rom. 7 speaks only of his renewed will or his will in so far as renewed for its certain his will was in part for evil else he could not have done it true there was force as it were on the renewed will therefore he pleads Not guilty in some fense but this was by the unrenewed will in part though more especially by the inferior soul 2. The believer if he quench not the Spirit yet is often grieving him and so provokes him to suspend his assistance And I judg we may say This the holy Spirit rarely or never does but after some unkind usage 3. None of them are destitute of all assistance against sin and they are culpable in so far as they improve not these and in as far as they do not conscientiously shun all provocations to sin and use all Gods appointed means and methods with which the spirit uses to concur and whereby he conveys supplies of grace and strength to the soul If any ask how this necessary assistance of the Spirit may be obtained I Answ 1. Negatively Do not resist the Spirit 2. Quench not the Spirit 3. Grieve not the Spirit 2. Positively 1. You must be convinced of your utter impotency to mortifie any sin 2. You must highly prize the Spirit 's assistance and thirst and hunger for it as a child for bread to nourish him 3. You must pray for the Spirit Luk. 1.13 Your heavenly Father will give the Spirit c. See how the Disciples were busied Act. 1.14 Prayer brings down the Spirit and the more of this Spirit the more prayer Or the Lord will have such as have none of the Spirit yet to seek him by prayer Ezek. 36.27 compared with v. 37. Indeed there is no promise that God will give his sanctifying Spirit to every unrenewed man that asks him that of Luk. 11.13 concerns only children and a further measure of the Spirit But if thou hast any thing of the Spirit the way to get more is by believing-prayer I say by believing-prayer compare Act. 1.4 with 8.14 See also Isa 40.30 31. though thou find not much of this yet believe the promise and wait O it 's not known what advantage there is in believing promises Joh. 11.20 There is some present strength that accompanies this and more that certainly follows it 4. Improve what measure of the Spirit you have were it but on the account of that general promise Matt. 25.21 and Prov. 1.23 Turn ye at my reproof and behold I 'le pour out my spirit upon you be content that the Spirit should not only dwell in you but influence and act you Walk after the spirit that what Paul says of Christ you may say of the Spirit Gal. 2.20 and of Grace 1 Cor. 15.10 Think it no bondage but true liberty to be led by the Spirit happy they who are ever in such a frame as are fit for the Spirit to operate upon Indeed it requires careful attention to observe and much humility and self-denyal to
Col. 3.9 Lye not one to another seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds these are the same with the deeds of the Body 3. By the Spirit is here understood first and mainly the Holy Ghost by whose immediate Efficiency this work is effected yet 2. May be taken in also the graces of the Spirit by the acting of which this work is carried on Now from the words I shall take occasion to speak to these particulars in short 1. What Mortification is 2. What 's the Object and extent of it 3. The necessity of it 4. What is the work of the Spirit in it 5. I shall apply the whole For the first It 's necessary in the first place to shew you some bastard-kinds of Mortification whereby ye may know what it is not The first is A Philosophick mortification to such things as are seen by the light of Nature to be empty and unsatisfactory for Reason may go far here hence some of the old Philosophers seemed to contemn Riches and to be above trouble for outward changes as Diogenes c. Yet they were either but Dissemblers as Seneca who writes against Avarice and tells us That Nature was satisfied with water for Drink and with a house of Turf yet he was a Covetous man So was Cicero an aspiring man for as much as he writes against Pride not by the Spirit and the Cross of Christ but from meer moral Considerations as that of the old Pagans revived again by some who call themselves Christians who taught men to moderate their inordinate desires and passions by the precepts and habits of moral Virtue This especially flourished among the old Family of Philosophers called Stoicks who pretended to be without all passions which said they were not incident to wise men If they met with any extraordinary mischance they thought a wise man might step out at any door he would into their imaginary heaven and happiness Hence Cato who was the Worlds-Wonder for his Wisdom stabbed himself and his Servants finding him bound up his wound which when they were gone he teared open again yet not expiring soon enough he was forced to use some other violence to himself So Seneca and others Now this way of Mortification all who deny the necessity of special Grace as Pelagians Arminians Quakers must needs fall into for whatever different names they give to any word principle or power yet if common to every man it 's still but Nature which is capable of improvement and indeed how far common Reason may be improved to the regulating of a mans passions is plain from the manifold instances of old and late Moralists to the shame of many called Christians Yet plain it is that they did but keep under their lusts and not mortifie them and that by their depressing one lust they did but exalt another as those who died for their Countrey and forfook all for meer love of Learning But what avails it says one to be dead to a bit of Clay and alive to Vain-glory which is indeed the life of Sin and of the Old-Man Pride especially did grow upon the ruines of other lusts so that their seeming Self-denial and Motification was really but Self-magnifying Yea to that height of Pride did some of them grow up that Lucretius and Seneca endeavoured by Argument to exalt their virtuous men above their gods in as much as these were necessarily good But men were such voluntarily and by choice and whoever now they be who would lessen â—â—â—â—tural pravity and misery and who oppose the imputed Righteousness of Christ and Justification by Faith whatever their seeming mortification and moral endowments be they must needs fall into the same Condemnation for ignorance of these grand Truths was the root that the Pagan Arrogance grew upon as for that inward Tranquility that followed the moderation of their passions it was but a Lye 2. A second Bastard-way of Mortification is that of the Papists it stands in some outward severities as lying on the Earth whipping themselves going bare-footed with Ropes about their waists begging living in Cells Hermitages Vows of Poverty and single life They suppose says Luther That when they enter their Cells that they are crucified to the World when indeed they are crucified to Christ and Christ to them Pride and Self-righteousness being thereby quickned We may as well sacrifice our lives as shed a drop of blood in such a way as Baals Priests did which had the same ground and bottom that Popish-whippings and Penances have But what Pride Epicurism and monstrous lusts have been and are cherished under these pretences I need not tell you We grant That to keep the body in subjection is a part and a means of further mortification But this is not to be done by rigour and cruelty But by the sparing-use of outward Comforts and refusing to gratifie the inordinate desires of the flesh Some such severities as going naked c. some Quakers have also espoused but this is not through the Spirit to mortifie c. These means of mens devising do but cherish Self-righteousness and Pride Satan is not so easie as to be beaten or buffeted out were he to preach he would preach such Doctrine as this and prescribe such Methods witness some Pagans who in these have out-gone Papists A 3d false way of Mortification is that of the Antinomians who place it in the want or suppressing of all challenges of inward sense and trouble for sin these they cry down as Legal and the ground of this is another no less Error viz. That what is sin in others is none in them suppose even gross outward wickedness But our Lord came to redeem Sinners not sin He justifies our persons not our sins this were the way to vivifie sin and to mortify holiness Sure David knew not then what mortification meant Psal 51.3 But I will not rake into the ashes of this I hope buried Error The 4th false way of Mortification is that which lies in refraining from ourward impieties whereas the first motions of sin if not consented to are pleaded not to be sin Thus Papists and Quakers for these last have espoused this among other Popish Errours and if they fall not into gross impieties they blasphemously father them upon the holy Spirit But are not the first motions the deeds of the body do they not flow from some evil principle or habit in the Soul if they do they are to be mortified if you say we mortifie them when we consent not to them I answer Mortification imports more even the extirpation and as much as may be the supression of them for their very being in the Soul is irksome to the godly man the new creature cannot bear them Rom. 7.24 25 and were it not for Christ we should be condemned for them Chap. 8.1 They foolishly tell us that these motions are from Satan James tells us they are from a mans own lust Chap. 1.14 Our Lord says They
2.1 compare with ver 3.4 4. When a man makes provision for his lusts when he plows wickedness and sows iniquity and is at a great deal of pains to satisfie and gratifie his lusts The Christian is not at half the toil in mortifying lusts that others are in satisfying them if the one be hard work the other is impossible so that the poor Creature is tormented between the restless and impatient cravings of his lusts and the weakness and scantness of the means he has to satisfie them 5. When a man sins under a small temptation or none at all some are like Powder and Flax set on fire by a spark yea some draw on temptations and then out-go them Isa 5.18 they are not drag'd by a temptation but draw and pull and pain themselves to sin they meet the temptation mid-way and are glad of it as the Jews were when Judas offered to betray his Master unto them Mark 4.10 11.6 When one is got above Convictions of sin and above shame Prov. 30.20 the adulterous Woman saith she hath done no wickedness Jer. 8.6 and 6.15 Were they ashamed c Jer. 3.3 Thou hadst a whores forehead or 2. When one sins after frequent convictions of the folly and hazard of sin Isa 57.10 Thou wast wearied in the greatness of thy way yet saidest thou not there is no hope when a man will adventure to wade through wrath to satisfie lusts and overtake his Idols when Divine Commands and threatnings which to the godly man are more than Angels with drawn-Swords are no lets nor banks to sin when the Omnisciency and Holiness and Justice and Power of God even when actually represented to the man yet does not restrain him from sin It 's said of some that they did evil in the sight of the Lord 1 Kings 21.20 3. When one hates Convictions and endeavours to hold them out or to kill them 4. When one is under Rebukes for sin yea may be under terrors for sin yet goes on as Isa 57.17 Isa 22.13 14. Jer. 2.25 Thou saidst there is no hope c. Ezek. 33.10 These things shew forth the absolute power of sin in the Soul But now in the second place there are some things that are evidences of great short-coming in Mortification yea even in the Regenerate 1. When a man is under continual indisposition to Duties and wants a readiness of Soul to them and is much distracted or diverted in them When sin is mortified and Idols thrust to the door a man will be at more leisure to pray and meditate without disturbance and the spirit will be more composed a mortified man has more power over his spirit he is not like a City without walls but for the unmortified he has many to please this Idol must have a look and this must have a word and he cannot serve God without distraction nor with all his Soul nor with delight nor does he thrive by his Duties for his Idols consume and eat up the profit of them think on this you who complain of distractons in Duties Indeed sometimes the heart is carried away by more trivial Impertinencies but ordinarily it 's our Idols that come in so freely and unseasonably and may be these more trivial diversions have some respect to them at least they proceed from want of a deep sense of the Majesty of God upon the heart which also evidences some notable defect in Mortification for as much as we die to sin we are alive to God Finally When a man wants freedom and confidence in his Approaches to God a Child that 's often faulting cares not for the Fathers presence sin makes a shyness to God less or more it does secretly estrange the heart from him When the North-wind of the Spirit has killed sin then the Spouse is inviting Christ Song 4.16 then the Soul is saying O when shall I appear before thee But when a temptation to gratifie carnal ease prevails then the Soul cares not for his Company it has no eyes nor hands nor legs Song 5.2 3 4. 2. An habitual unwillingness to die shews the power of some sin there may be some unwillingness at certain seasons proceeding from some other cause but ordinarily this is it a mortified man is like a ripe Apple that comes away with the touch of a hand or as a loose tooth that comes out with a gentle pluck Moreover the more a man exercises himself in Mortification he is the more afflicted with the remainders of sin and the more successful he is in mortifying sin the more feeling he is of every motion of sin hence he is often crying out I am oppressed underdertake for me or with Paul Rom. 7.24 This Captive-exile doth lawfully hasten to be delivered this Prisoner is looking out at his Windows till Christ come and knock off his Irons and this makes him groan earnestly for his full freedom from sin and he cares not how fast the outward man decay if the inner-man be renewed and if sin decay as fast it 's easie to die when sin is first dead but if there be any lust lively the guilt of it makes a man dread Eternity and the Judgment to come and the strength and liveliness of it makes him dread death when the Soul is strongly united to any Idol Death is like the rending of one member from another But a mortified Soul does leave the body as chearfully as a man throws off an old torn ragged suit of Apparel 2 Cor. 5.1 He is much in longing for and in rejoycing in the hopes of Heaven and Heaven is Heaven to him rather for it's freedom from sin than for it's freedom from troubles that now annoy whereas an unmortified man has cold thoughts and faint desires of Heaven why do ye not lift up your heads it's either from unbelief or some prevailing lust were you fighting for your life the news and assurance of Victory would anticipate the Triumph for the man is no further carried out after the true happiness than he is taken off the false Hence one that is wholly under the power of sin cares no more for the true perfection of the Soul than a beast cares to be a man yea and the regenerate man that 's under any prevailing-lust can hardly keep up his assurance at least he has no actual aptitude and meetness for Heaven and no wonder he long not much for it but see what a Song that is in 2 Tim. 4.7 8 I have fought the good fight of Faith c. 3. When the Soul is in a continual restlesness and vexatious anxiety when there are many inward perturbations and disorders in the Soul may be sin has not the throne yet is it breeding great tumults and making many and great insurrections against grace in the Soul the guilt of them fills the Soul with fear their opposition and contrariety to grace makes them painful to the Soul in so far as it is sanctified and then there is that Torment which is
they cry Crucifie him and spit in his face The mortified man is peremptorily about nothing here he trembles at such a word as give me children ere then I die nay Children or no Children Riches or no Riches that 's well or when one loves rejoyces weeps as if not c. 2. The heart goes slowly and faintly out after Creatures if any thing work upon the mortified man it affects him not much Acts 20.24 Peter will not have the Saints burning quick strange to them 1 Pet. 4.12 Psalm 131.2 as a weaned Child Grace makes the heart move leisurely to all things beneath God A mortified man is as a Sea that hath no winds that ebbs not and flows not Psalm 62.2 He only is my Rock I shall not be greatly moved The mortified man sings and is not light and weeps and is not sad is zealous in Gods cause and yet composed in spirit he is not so eager on any thing but he can quit it for God Ah! few can act but they over-act There 's often in young Converts too great and fervent out-goings of the Soul even after spiritual created Comsorts this is some way childish Mortification is a gracious well-composed grave temper of Soul as for God the man weeps as if he weeped c. the Soul goes forth in its full strength 3. The actings of the mortified man in reference to the Creatures are in some sense no actings rejoycing c. is as no rejoycing things here are but shadows and pictures of being God only is therefore our affections should be but affections Psalm 35.12 They speak mischievous things ver 13 But I as a deaf man heard not Psalm 39.9 I was dumb c. Eccl. 2.8 he cannot find in his heart to sing and dance at shadows Grace longs at nothing it shouts admires wonders at nothing it weeps also at nothing The mortified man he is dead he is crucified with Christ pleasant sights and sounds work not upon him Now for you in whom sin lives and reigns we have but heavy tidings to tell you The Text layes a heavy burthen upon you if it was the Gospel that Paul preached this Gospel condemns you you are dead while alive your right-eye that you will not pluck out and your right-hand that you will not cut off shall be the chief seat of your pain there shall the fire begin and never cease burning and these shall be as fewel to burn the whole body Out of these shall the worm that never dies grow And for you Christians that are slack and negligent and not strenuous and successful in this work of Mortification you mar your own mercies it 's this that renders you uncapable of Divine Comforts and it 's this that multiplies your sorrows you may be first in profession in knowledg and gifts in doing of works of holiness and righteousness and first and chief in sufferings for the Gospel and yet be last in Gods reckoning and least in the Kingdom of heaven above thou mayst with much difficulty get through the Needles-eye and through the strait-gate but thou losest thy hundredfold here and for any thing thou knowest puts everlasting life to a venture you mar and blur this great evidence for Heaven in the Text you cannot read your name in the Promise If sin be not your death yet it blackens lames cripples and wounds you and keeps you weak and your Soul always a bleeding any unmortified sin marrs your freedom with God it 's like a weight upon the Soul that thou cannot run thy Race Heb. 12.1 2. Or it 's like a thorn in the foot it 's like a Wound in the working-hand it leaves a print upon every Duty any unmortified lust brings on deadness and formality and Duties are rather Ornaments than meat and drink to the man Or upon the bearing shoulder It is hence that some real Christians bear afflictions with more trouble and impatience than some others afflictions wound our Idols and these are as pieces of our selves they are like Davids forked arrows stuck into our right-hand or right-eye we have a quick sense of these God would have us pluck out the eye and let all go or cut off the arm and we should not feel the arrow but we pluck at the arrow and tear our flesh What is it but our loathness to let our Idols go that makes affliction bitter It 's not poverty or want of Estates Trading Relations that in themselves afflict for we see many contentedly want these but it 's our unmortified corruptions our inordinate love and desire of these this in less or more is common to some godly with others 2. The holy Lord doth by afflictions often bring forth mens secret unmortified lusts and writes them on their foreheads Ezek. 16.36 37. Sometimes by the kind of their afflictions sometimes by their carriage under it But 3. There is besides this in the Believer a quicker sense and apprehension of Gods anger than in others and this makes afflictions sit the sorer to them Hence comes such Complaints as Lam. 3.1 This by-standers do not consider but observing their trouble think it comes from the same cause that the trouble of others proceeds from Ah! it s our short-comings in Mortification that makes men confound us with others that darkens our difference from the World in every state of life we are in If under wants we are perplexed and thoughtful as others if we abound we are vain and frothy and proud and supercilious as others This is the bane of many Professors for this the Name of God is spoke ill of for this the imputed Righteousness of Christ is reproached for this the Spirit in his in-dwelling and workings is reproached by the Rabsheka's of the time for this Free-grace and Gospel-faith are reviled did we not put this sword in our Enemies hand they should have no Weapon wherewith to fight against Truth or us this may indeed wound us though it wound not Truth Reproach hath broken my heart saith David it would not have done so had he not given occasion for it Our works does not justifie our Faith the fruits of the Spirit are not manifest as the fruits of the flesh are our deeds are not so different from others as our principles and profession are different from theirs Yet something I must say for the encouragement of such as are sensible of their defects and short-comings in Mortification 1. I must offer you Pauls Relief Rom. 7.25 for however successful he was yet the encouragement is such as may serve every Soul that does heartily fight the Battels of the Lord though not so successively the poor Believer is often crying out as Elisha's servant Master What shall we do But were our eyes open we should see more for us than against us the Father the Son and the Spirit are engaged too through this blessed Work ye have right to the same aid if ye will but use it that Christ had in his contest with and
dost not make way for these nor open a passage for them but sets thy self to oppose first the rising of them in the heart and then the out-breaking of them as Paul did If thy heart strive and gain-say and not only does not regard iniquity but opposes it and protests against it And when it 's leading thee captive thou would even then be glad to be rescued from it and can bless the Lord as David did Abigail when thou art kept back from sin his heart relented whereas Saul commands to kill the Lords Priests his servants refuse but there 's no back-going nor heart-smiting in Saul he finds no fault with himself and sometimes such as he are glad of provocations and temptations to sin Judas offers himself to betray Christ and the High-priests are glad but where there is any thing of true Mortification the heart is afraid of a temptation and trembles at the thoughts of it though perhaps it may be carried away with it but the renewed Will never consents hence the Believer has little pleasure in sin in the acting of it but when he is sinning he is sighing and suffering and much more does he sigh and suffer when after sinning he is come to himself he feels what Paul felt when he cryed out Rom. 7.24 and is led to prize and make use of Christ as he was ver 25 to see the need of his blood to make an Atonement and also take away the blot of sin when sin is prevailing Grace is often saying O that it were otherwise O captive that I am this sate forer to Paul than all the crosses he ever met with all his sufferings never occasioned such a Complaint and if Faith in Christ be not kept up this is enough to sink the Soul into despair If any say That this does not answer the case because such as never mortified one sin may yet make opposition to many sins as that place 2 Pet. 2.19 imports where it 's clear that such as may some way oppose sin may yet be so far overcome as to perish in it I Answer That indeed every opposition will not prove that there is the least degree of Mortification The common principles of Nature may ingage a man against some sins Morality and Education may further this the common operations of the Spirit may heighten this opposition and also extend it to more sins The Question then is How shall I know whether my opposition to sin be from a common or saving-work of the Spirit And indeed the knowledg of the difference is of great and universal use for upon the one hand natural men finding some conflict in themselves apprehend there is some grace in the opposing sin There 's none say they but have Corruption in them and hereupon please themselves if they find any thing in themselves like opposition to it On the other hand the Believer is in doubt whether his opposition to sin be such as Paul speak of and his doubt is encreased when he perceives his Conscience upon natural grounds and common reasons opposing sin not considering that the Spirit in mortifying sin may make use of common sense and reason as well as gracious or supernatural Considerations for the supernatural opposition to sin does not destroy the natural as Reasons aversion to what is contrary to Nature does not destroy the Aversion in our senses to it I answer then to the Question That the common operations of the Spirit does not change the inward principles and motives and ends that men in Nature act from and by 1. Then the difference appears in this that the inward opposition that Natural men make to sin proceeds from some common low selfish principle Nature or Education may have imprinted some faint Notions of the ill of sin but there is no antipathy nor contrariety of Nature to sin as in the godly man who hates sin as God hates it One wicked man may hate and oppose another but there 's no rooted contrariety in their Nature as there 's between a wicked man and a godly Pro. 29.27 it 's in sound only one sin striving against another refined sins oppose gross sins or the same lust seeking itself divers ways as Herod was sorrowful because he was in a strait and whatever he did was a dishonour 2. The Natural man his motives be also mean and mercenary It is not love to Holiness nor a desire to please God it is not the contrariety of such or such a sin to the holiness of God or to the holy Law of God or the injuriousness of sin to the love of God or Christ or the inconsistency of it with Communion with the Father Son and Spirit that sets him on work against sin Were there no strange punishments here to the workers of Iniquity and no Hell hereafter the Natural man would inlarge himself in many things It would be a Jubilee to him to hear there were no Hell some sins are against a mans interest and honour and no wonder there be much opposition to them Herod beheads John Baptist with reluctancy but whence came it not because it was against the honour of God but partly because to murther an Innocent man was a torment to his Conscience A natural Conscience never opposes sin in favour of the spiritual Law of God for the carnal mind is enmity in the Abstract I grant that takes in the Will yet it shews that there 's no true friendship to God even in the Mind or Conscience so that nothing the Conscience says or does is purely for God and its arguments and motives are always Carnal Carnal fears or hopes or if the object of fear or hope be spiritual yet they are apprehended and so influenced in a Carnal way 3. As the unrenewed Man opposes no sin out of hatred to it as sin so it 's only against some sins that his opposition is levelled more especially gross and scandalous sins that are infamous or contrary to Moral honesty or contrary to his natural disposition A Natural Conscience will tremble at Murther consummated but not at every degree of it not at secret inward sins nor at the first motions of sin not at Lucritive sins and such as a prophane age has made an honour in the vulgar esteem especially not at unbelief It 's true a Natural man may be sensible of the sin of his thoughts and of inward disorders by some common illumination of the Spirit and may be troubled at them as they disturb his quiet or lead to something which he abhors But 1. It is not with every degree of every sin if he be convinced and troubled at Unbelief as it excludes him from Heaven yet it 's not at every degree of unbelief Nor 2. Is it for the sinfulness of these motions but the importunity and tendency of them and as they evidence him to be yet in nature and so without hope he looks on them as the disease of his Nature and not his sin 3. If