undertooke any speciall office so Christians when they are made by grace Kings and Priests unto God they have this oyle of the spirit powred into their hearts our blessed Saviour confirmes this unto us in that speech to Nichodemus that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Ioh. 3.6 As Adam begot a man in his owne likenesse so the spirit it begetteth us like unto it selfe holy as it is holy heavenly as it is heavenly For the better understanding of the point in hand know that the spirit is to be considered 2. waies either according to its essence or according to his guifts graces now according to its essence and being it is every where it filleth heaven earth as it is excluded out of no place so neither is it included in any but in this sense wee can no more be said to have the spirit than other men and creatures can in whom and by whom wee all live move have our being Act. 17.28 but in the second sense in respect of its guifts and graces so some men are said in speciall to have the spirit as the spirit quickens 2 Cor. 3.6 and conveyeth a principle of life into us whereby wee live the life of grace and that is called spiritus inhabitans that takes up his seate in our heart and spiritus obsignans Iam. 4.5 that sealing spirit whereby the spirit witnesseth with our spirits that wee are the sonnes of God now in this sense we may be said to have the spirit Rom. 8.16 2 That there must by the helpe assistance of the spirit Mortifie the deeds of the body Ez. 36.27 a new bea rt will I give you and I will take away your stony heart c. that is that this mighty power of the spirit is that which will helpe forward to the taking away of this stony heart the Lord is said to wash away the filth of the daughter of Zion and to purge the blood of Jerusalem by the spirit of Judgement Esa 41.4 and the spirit of burning that is this spirit shall be in us and shall enable us to judge our selves and kindle such a fire in us as shall melt away the drosse of our corruption That you may the better understand what assistance it is that the spirit giveth unto us in this worke of mortification give mee leave to lay downe unto you these three things 1 By what meanes the spirit workes or helpeth forward this worke of mortification although I deny not but the spirit may can work where it listeth and when it listeth Ioh. 3.8 either by meanes or above meanes yet our taske is at this time to shew how it worketh by meanes 1 It awakeneth conscience it doth convince us of sinne and discovereth unto us the greatnesse of their number and the foulenesse of their nature thence it is that Christ when hee commeth doth convince the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement of sinne because they believe not on him that howsoever the guilt of the Law lye heavie Ioh. 16.8 9 10. and the weight there of as a penalty greater than a man can tell how to beare yet then to have added hereunto another conviction that is the conderâ—ning sinne of infidelity Ioh. 3.18 this doth much aggravate Mar. 16.16 and make sinne out of measure sinfull therefore it is that our Saviour Christ saith that he that beleeveth not is condemned already as if hee should have sayd if a man were a drunkard or a swearer or a profane person and yet if he can beleeve there is hope of pardon but so long as hee doth not beleeve there is no hope at all for as much as hee is without God and without the Covenant of Grace Eph. 2.12 now the spirit when it commeth convinceth our judgments of this till such time as the spirit hath done this wee are like Ionah fast asleepe in the bottime of the ship the sea rageth the Mariners rowe the waves beate the ship is tossed up and downe yet all this doth but rocke Ionah faster a sleepe Iona 1.6 till the ship-master comes to him and sayes What meanest thou c. thou sleeper arise and call upon thy God c. So it is with us while we are asleepe in our sinnes the heavie wrath of God hangs over our heads yea and the judgements of God are abroad in the world yet wee lye fast asleepe senselesse and secure not dreading any anger but now when this blessed spirit of Christ shall waken us and shew us the danger and aske us what wee meane to continue in this condition then wee beginne to bethinke our selves and to shake off sluggishnesse and to cast about for our owne safety Act. 9.1 2 3 4 5 6. Saul thought himselfe safe enough when hee was a persecutor and that authority that hee had from the High-priest was sufficient to beare him out that while hee did breath out slaughter against Christ Ioh. 16.2 he thought hee had done God good service till Christ caused a light to shine from heaven and a voyce saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee this indeed wakened him and made him shake and tremble and say Who art thou Lord and what wouldest thou have mee to doe by this meanes it was that Paul of a persecutor becometh a preacher had his corruptions and cruell dispositions changed in him that of a fierce lion hee became as meeke as a lambe 2 The spirit of Christ it setteth home the meanes that God useth for our mortification 2 Cor. 10.4 the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God it is God that puts vertue and strength into them now there are severall sorts of weapons that the Holy Ghost useth for this end as 1 The preaching of the Word of God it is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 it is called the two edged sword Heb. 4.12 that which is sharper that it cuts asunder the soule and the spirit the joynts and the maâ—row and discovereth the secret intents of our hearts 2 Cor. 4.7 but what is that that makes this word so powerfull Sure it is the Holy Spirit of God that doth it wee have this Word in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power might be of God and not of us it is not the Ministrie that can make the word virtuall and powerfull nor is it in the letter of the Word but in the spirit therefore when you come to the Word and heare it opened unto you 1 Cor. 3.6 doe not looke at the man who hee is nor the instrument but at the power which is from the spirit Saint Paul may plant Apollos water but it is God that must give the increase when it pleaseth God to accompany his word Ier. 23.29 with the influence of his spirit then is it like fire to purge out our drosse and like the hammer that breakes in sunder
it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps that is we are too weake for any such worke without Gods grace assisting of us and therefore we have good cause to bewaile our misery to lay aside our pride and confesse our poverty and to seeke some other meanes of helpe and redresse at Gods hand 2. To set out Gods power this is his priviledge that hee onely is able to do this work there are three wayes whereby things came to have their being existencie by Generation Art or Creation the two former must have matter to worke upon either in potentia as generation or in actu as Art and where there is not a matter to worke upon they can doe nothing now for as much as this worke of regeneration Eph. 4.24 the new creature is called a creation it is beyond the worke of a creature and onely a priviledge that doth belong to the holy Spirit to create in us qualities of holinesse and thereby to abolish the whole body of sinne thence it is that the Lord saith I create the fruit of the lips to be peace Isa 57.19 and the Prophet complaining in another place to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed it is that mighty and potent arme of the Lord that doth this worke it is by his power and therefore he must have the honour of it As Joab when he was in hope to take Rabbah hee sent messengers to David that he should come and take it 2 Sam. 12.26 because the honor that would have been given him was too great for him how much more should we seeing out hope is in the Lord and our successe chiefely by his power give all the honour to him CAP. XX. Certaine instructions from the doctrine premised FRom this doctrine of mortification we may observe divers necessary instructions both for the information of our judgement and well ordering of our lives as 1. First wee may learne that such a doctrine as doth give liberty to the flesh was never given by the spirit of God for the spirit is given us not onely as a bridle to curbe and keepe in sinne neither a scourge to castigate corrupt nature but chiefely as a sword to kill and destroy the very body of sinne it is the counsell of Saint Paul Gal. 5.13 that we being called to liberty should not use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh that is if we doe not use our liberty with great caution and watchfulnesse wee will make our liberty to be a snare to us the word used by Saint Paul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth occasion it cometh as some think of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to make an assault Acts 14.5 because that if you give but your selves liberty never so little more then is fit the flesh will make an assault upon you as it is said of the Lion that if you come but within his reach when he is caged up hee will not misse but fasten upon you so is it in this case therefore we must beware that we doe labour for temperance and moderation otherwise the flesh will seise upon us and so while we give liberty to the flesh we lose the peace of our conscience and that peace with God unto whom wee have had free accesse and audience in our prayers Therefore know this that the more liberty we give unto the flesh the more we doe deprive our selves of our Christian liberty as the more delight that wee take in the sinfull pleasures of this life the lesser and lower will be our delights and contentments in God Herod did like well of the Baptist and heard him gladly but yet his lust and the delight he tooke in Herodias and her daughter hee did eclipse it at the best and in the end tooke it quite away Psal 32. Psal 77. Nay how was David straitened of that spirituall freedome after such time as he had given liberty to the flesh behold how many teares how many prayers how many sighes and groanes did it cost him before he was restored to his former comfort and consolation againe the more liberty a man takes for the flesh the more hee doth enthrall himselfe as the bird once in the snare the more shee doth struggle the more shee doth entangle her selfe little doe men know what disadvantages they cast themselves into when they take liberty to sin 2 Pet. 2.20.21 there is a heavie doome propounded against them if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and overcome the later end is worse with them then their beginning if any shall say but what benefit have wee then by our Christian liberty Gal. 3.11 I answer much every way wee are freed by Christ from the curse of the Law from the irritation of it whereby it was an occasion to make us sinne more and from the rigour of it whereby we are bound to performe it and live or else in the not doing of it perfectly to die eternally we have a comfortable and free use of the creature Heb. 4.16 and free accesse to the throne of grace in time of need for the receiving of all good things both the benefit of soule and body in all these things wee see we have much liberty granted unto us but no liberty to sinne you will say how may a man doe that that hee may give no liberty to the flesh When a man will not take the full liberty that hee may take all things are lawfull 2 Cor. 6.12 but all things are not expedient it may be lawfull to goe neare the banck of a deepe river but if his foote should slip or that he should tread never so little awry he would fall into very great danger so is it here when men hazard themselves to the utmost bounds of their liberty ten to one but they drop into one sinne or another and so procure unto themselves one misery after another Gen. 34.1.2 Si tu otiose spectes otiose non specteris si tu curiose spectas curiose specteris Ber. Dinah went but out to see the daughters of the land peradventure the thing might bee lawfull enough yet because it was the utmost bounds of liberty she not being cautious lost all the fairest ornament about her before her returne thence is that of our Saviour if they say unto thee behold he is in the desert go not forth behold he is in the secret chamber beleeve it not why it might be lawfull to go and see suppose it might yet because there is a snare laid open in lawfull things wee should take heed we prevent if it may be the occasion 2. If you would not give liberty to the flesh shake off dulnesse in the performance of good duties Mat. 26.41 the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake the flesh is short-paced and too too ready
as the tree is such will be the fruit and if the Bramble rule it will burne up the Cedars of Lebanon Jud. 9.9 nor can we expect liberty for the Law that is in our members will lead us away captive the liberty that is given to the flesh doth but bring the spirit into bondage and what peace can we expect where there is no peace with God If then Christian thou wouldest have justice then doe justice and kill sinne before it kill thee if thou wouldest have liberty then let not sinne raigne for therein doth the great strength of it lye Sampson was easily taken when his lockes were shorne so thou mayest easily subdue sinne when the regiment of it is taken downe if thou wouldest enjoy that peace of God which passeth all understanding then make no provision for the flesh but mortifie it by the helpe of the spirit Rom. 13.13 and thou shalt have peace internall here and eternall hereafter Now for as much as this discourse is to helpe thee therein I doe therefore heartily commend it unto thee I have avoyled prolixity lest I should tyre the Reader and too much brevity lest I should wrong the matter I have the rather fallen on this subject because I find few that have done it and because I have found some such spirits as have laboured to cry it downe as altogether unnecessary after conversion If there be any such into whose hands this Treatise shall fall let me so farre prevaile with them as not prejudge what they doe not meane to reade lest they be numbered among those fooles that speake evill of what they know not To conclude Christian thou hast my labours thou hast my prayers when thou dost approach the throne of grace let me have thine Thomas Wolfall THE DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE OF MORTIFICATION ROM 8.13 But if yee through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live Chap. 1. An Introduction to the Text with the coherence of the foregoing part of the Chapter THe common tidings that hath sounded in our eares frō the Churches abroad for divers yeares together hath been upon the point nothing but warres and rumors of warres of leading into captivity of garments roled in blood insomuch as that country in which was plenty of corne and wine as the garden of Eden is now as a land forsaken or as a desolate wildernesse nay a very Aceldama or field of blood And howsoever wee of this Nation have but heard of this amongst us no leading into captivity no complaining in our streetes Yet the sword of the Lord hath been drown against us and hath slaine thousands ten thousands in our streets James 4.1 Now the general cause both of those lamentable desolations abroad the hand of God at home is chiefly this that we go not to warre with our selves we do not slay those lusts of ours that fight in our members for if ye walke after the flesh yee shall die not onely a death of the body but the second death the soule shall suffer eternall torment But if yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit then yee shall live eternally To make way unto the matter in hand our Apostle layeth downe certaine differences betweene such as walke after the flesh and others that walke after the spirit 1 In respect of the object that they ayme at the one mindes the things of the flesh the other the things that are above such as a man is such is his minde a carnall man and a carnall minde the wisdome that is not from above is earthly sensuall and devillish James 3.15 but that which is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated Vers 17. full of mercy and of good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie 2 They differ in their ends for the end of the one is life the end of the other is death Every man must eate of the fruit of his own way Prov. 1.31 and be filled with his owne devises 3 They differ in their affections so as they that are at enmity with the Law of God Vers 7.8 their fleshly mindes are not subject unto it neither can they be and being they are not they cannot please God Whereas on the other side they that are of the spirit Christ dwels with them and takes up his habitation in their hearts suppes with them and they with him Happy and thrice happy that house which hath him for an inhabitant for this possession of Christ doth imply the dispossession of sinne Vers 10. For if Christ be in you the body is dead but of sinne as Dagon could not stand with the Arke so no more can sin and Christ inhabit together We cannot serve these two Masters Againe as it puts sinne to death so he quickens us Vers 11. that same spirit that raised Christ shall quicken us wherein he shews that the worke of our regeneration is great even as great as that of the resurrection the one being the internall renovation of the soule the other the externall restauration of the body to its reunion with the soule Hence our Apostle drawes an effectuall inference to perswade men to withstand the inticements of the flesh from this that there is no service of due that doth belong to it we are not debters to it that wee should follow it Nay if you walke after the flesh yee shall die but if yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit then yee shall live Behold as Moses said Deut. 30.19 I call Heaven and Earth to record against you this day that I set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that you and your seede may live So I here set before you both these and yet my desire is the same that Moses his was that you would chuse life that your soules might live which undoubtedly you may do if yee follow Saint Pauls direction here If yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit Here you may observe 1 A description of our naturall corruption it is called the deeds or practises of the body 2 Here is our duty what we should doe against it namely to contend against it and to mortifie and slay it 3 The meanes whereby it must be done by the spirit 4 The reward is that promised Yee shall live which is a large promise seeing it containes in it all the happinesse that wee are capable of called a crown of life for the greatnesse and everlasting life for the continuance Chap. 2. Of the meanes how to find out our naturall condition by a threefold inquiry TO begin with the first the description of our naturall corruption viz. It is called the deeds of the body as it is with men that goe to warre the first thing that they doe is to endeavour to find out the enemy so it must be in this spirituall warfare wee must first endeavour to finde out this
Amazia 2 Cro. 25.2 that hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart so in this case the things that they doe are good for the matter but for the manner Mal. 2.3 it is done with such cold and superficiall devotion that God saith hee will spread dung on their face even the dung of their solemne feasts yea Prov. 15.8 Es 66.3 Jer. 6.20 Amos 5.21 best things being abused become the worst and God doth much abhorre them when they are not one in sincerity therefore it is that the prayer of the wicked is abominable and all the splendid and fairest actions he doth are but guilded and painted vices That is the right circumcision Rom. 2. ult which is the circumcision of the heart 2. Propos Eph. 6.13 2. The next proposition is that spirituall weapons will prevaile unto this worke of mortification it is a good exhortation you on the whole armour of God furnish the head with the helmet of hope have your brest garded with the brest-plate of righteousnesse and your loynes girt about with truth in your right hand the sword of the spirit and in your left the shield of faith and your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace and as so many Centinels you must adde hereunto prayer in your spirit watchfulnesse over your owne hearts and perseverance in so doing all your dayes I should be tedious if I should handle these at large and shew you the vigor and vertue of every one of these peeces of spirituall armour I shall therefore speake so much of them as may concerne our present purpose to put a difference between these and all carnall weapons How spirituall and carnall weapons differ They differ in respect of their Author viz. it is called the armour of God these are weaâ—ons that were fashioned in Heaven so as they are heavenly both for the matter and forme 1 Sam. 21.9 that as David said of the sword of Goliah that there was none to it so may I say of these that there is none equall to them for the depressing of high thoughts and the pulling downe and demolishing the strong holds of sinne other weapons are such as are made by the flesh and Sathan together and cannot bee able to cut any sinne for if that the flesh and Sathan should be divided against themselves how should their Kingdome stand if that Sathan doe depart from a man for some small time it is but as a man that leasses his house when he takes a journey but yet retaines his right and property in it still Mat. 12.48 that so at his pleasure he â—â—y returne and then makes 〈◊〉 later end of that man worse then the beginning was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malum â—ritur ex defectualicuius causa sed benum non nist ex causis intâ—gris 2. They differ in respect of their compleatnesse for this armour of God is called the whole armour or compleate armor of God They say in the Schooles that evill may arise from the defect of any one cause but to make an action truely good it must have all the causes entire so it is in this case 2 King 22.34 to have your hearts truely mortified and this spirituall warfare to prosper in your hands you must have this compleate armour Ahab was smitten with an arrow betweene the joynts of his harnesse Now if Ahab was smitten with his compleate harnesse on much more may this cunning enemy smite and wound our soules Judg. 20.16 when wee are not armed with every peece of this spirituall armour Hee is as cunning as those left handed Benjamites that could sling stones at an haires breadth and not misse how did this fiery dart of Sathan stick in Pauls flesh how did his envenomed arrowes waste the spirits of holy Job that had they not been fortified with this armour of proofe they had not been able to have stood on the other side though an unregenerate man may pretend he hath a good hope in God Heb. 11.1 yet wants hee faith as the ground and if he say he hath a good faith yet wants he the sword of the spirit the word of God and so is an ignorant man 1 Cor. 2.12 and knowes not the things of God or if he have the word of God yet wants hee the brest-plate of righteousnesse and the girdle of truth and sincerity there is ever something that is wanting and hence it is that they are not able to stand in the time of tryall but are made such vassals and led captive by him to the dishonour of God and their owne just condemnation therefore the exhortation that the Apostle useth shall be that of mine Finally Brethren Eph. 6.12 put on the whole armour of God that you may bee able to stand in the evill day 3. It is armour for the fore-parts to shew that so long as wee stand to it and fight out our good fight wee are safe enough all shall prosper in our hands but if wee turne our backes on our enemie then is it that wee are wounded and everthrowne Josh 7.8 It was the complaint of Ioshuah O Lord what shall I say when Israel turnes their backe before their enemies But alas what shall wer say when a man that hath this spirituall furniture on him the feare and dread whereof were able to put an ordinary enemy to slight the shield of faith being able to quench his fiery darts and the sword of the spirit able to give him such a strong repulse as that he is not able to stand before it submit your selves therefore to God James 4.7 and resist the Devill and hee will fly from you It is reported of the Crocodile that if so be that you flee from him hee will follow after you and teare you in peeces but if you stand to him and feare him not but contend with him hee will flee from you Beleeve it brethren there is noe way to this to withstand and resist Sathan and the flesh for if you turne your backes on him seeing you have no armour for behinde you will never be able to hold out long but will become a prey unto him and therefore if you bee in a roome at prayer or about any holy duty as reading the Scripture or any devout meditation if there Sathan shall present himselfe when wee are best imployed feare him not neither quit your place for feare of him let him not gaine that advantage of you neither give place to the Devill for greater is hee that is with you then hee that is against you Exod. 17. As it was with the Israelites so long as Moses held up his hands Israel did prevaile An quia fugisti ex acie putas to manus hostium evasisse libentius te consâ—quitur fugientem quam sustineat repugnantem Ber. Ep. but when hee held them downe the Amaleckes did
be allured with their pleasant songs to bee drawne backe unto them againe it is a good evidence that sinne is a dying and declining in him I deny not but time may weare out our appetite unto some sins as an old man that hath beene given in his youth to lust and voluptuousnesse may leave them but yet he liveth still in some other sinne which is equivalent and as dangerous to his soule yea and when his naturall apetite is taken away yeâ— his sinfull appeâ—ite may remaine so that when a man wants strength to sinne yet may he have a minde to sinne and wish that he were young againe that he might sinne Whereas were sinne mortified these sinfull affections would â—ye sooner then our naturall 2. A man is then a dying man when he is a burden to himselfe whereas hee is not able to beare his owne weight when you see a man hardly able to goe on his legges you say that unlesse he doe recover againe he is not like to continue long so say I inregard of sinne then when you see a man that feeles and findes sin to be such a burden as hee is not able to beare but groanes under the burden of it that assuredly then sinne is a dying Rom. 8.23 well may sinne mak us groane and buckle under it when it makes the whole creation groane nay that which is so heavie a burden as the Lord that made heaven and earth and beares them up by his owne power and never complaines of the burden of them Complaines of this behold I am pressed downe under you Amos 2.13 as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves you therefore that feele your sinnes to be no burden but can carry your sinnes away with you as easily as Sampson carried the gates of Gaza upon his shoulders Judg 16.3 it is an argumeÌ„t that you are Sampson-like in your sinâ— sinne doth abide in you in its full strength if some man shall say I hope I shall doe well then for I finde sinne a heavie burden but I would aske him this question then whether doe you finde sinne a burden in regard of it selfe or in regard of some circumstance that doth depend upon it as namely the wrath of God or the shame and disgrace that you may have among men by it if that sinne be the burden then your case is good if not then may you suspect your selves to be unsound as suppose a man that hath a certaine quantity of spunge on his backe which he carrieth lightly away but now this man travelleth all a sore rainy day which doth so fill the spunge with water that his burden that was light before now becomes intolerable so it is in this case it is not the weight of sinne that troubles them they carry it roundly away but now that which troubles them is those showers of wrath from Heaven and that shame and contempt that they receive from men that makes them to cry out as Kain did my punishment iâ— greater then I can beare wher as the penalty that is annexed unto sinne were the sinne removed moved off to a mortified man it would seeme light and little 3. A man may then be said to be a dying man when as his disease prevailes upon him so as he hath lesse power to resist it every day then other so likewise when that sinne decayeth and doth languish away in us and grace doth so prevaile and get the upper hand as that corruption and sinne is not able to stand against it as it hath done the understanding is so farre convinced by the cleare light that shines into it that it is not able to stand nor shift any longer but it is beaten off from all those false reasonings Prox. 3.5 secret turnings and cunning equivocations so as a man dares not any longer rest on it the will is also fairely perswaded and will resist the holy Ghost no longer but yeelds up the hould unto Christ and saith Lord not my will but thy will be done Hence commeth a generall mortification of the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 by affections understand those inordinate affections which beare sway in the hearts of men as immoderate anger griefe also pride unnaturall affections and by lusts all insatiable desires after the things of this life they are now all crucified so as they will yeeld no more blind obedience either to sinne or Sathan so as grace hath drawn the strength of the soule unto it and cutteth off that wherein the great strength of corruption lay It is reported Cyrus finding the City of Babylon impregnable and almost impossible to be taken by land by reason of a great wall that did compasse it on the one side and finding the river Ephrates to hemme it in on the other side caused his souldiers to cut the river into many channels and to divert it another way and so surprized the City and subdued it just thus it is when we shall divert those noble faculties of the soul another way namely from taking part with sin to take part with God it will not then be hard to mortifie and subdue our corruptions if it shall be said then how commeth it to passe then that men after that they be grown Christians that they fall into such sinnes I answer it is not because sinne is stronger but either by reason of their slothfulnesse or spirituall pride or else by violence of something which may befall them while they resting carelesse and secure are supprized and overtaken which howsoever there be neither want of strength nor weaknes of Grace yet for want of watchfulnesse this may befall a good man as it did David and Peter yet let me adde this one thing that is that this in the event turnes to a greater good and for the time to come to make us more carefull to gird our armour about us and more watchfull that we sinne no more the burnt childe as it is in the Proverbe dreads the fire so will a Christian that hath been once scorched by such a temptation CAP. XVIII Shewing the third articular that is the meanes whereby this worke is done and that is by the spirit COme wee now to the third particular and that is the meanes whereby this great worke of mortification is effected and brought to passe for the better understanding of this particular observe these two propositions 1. First that the spirit must be had of us 2. That wee must by the helpe and assistance of the spirit mortifie our sinfull nature 1. For the former that we must have the spirit there is great necessity of this for then wee are in the spirit Rom. 8.9 when the spirit dwelleth in us and if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his God saith that in the time of the Gospell hee would powre upon them Zac. 13.10 the spirit of grace supplication that is as they were annointed with oyle that
in Law moritur causa cum corpore that if the man die the suite falleth so is it here that if wee die to sinne then this suite will fall betweene us and God where there is no wood saith Solomon the fire goeth out Proy 26.20 so where there is no talebearer the strife ceaseth what is this wood but sinne and what maketh so great a cry in the eares of God as sin doth therefore take away sinne and the contention will be at an end 3. The third instruction that we may observe hence is this that it is an hard thing to mortifie our sin it is as hard to finde out a disease as it is to cure it the Philistins did quickly over-come Sampson when they found where his great strength lay it is easie for a man in generall to say that he is a sinner and yet if you should runne over the Commandements and come to particulars he would cleare himselfe as not guilty of any and say as the young man did all these have I done and like the Harlot Mat. 19.20 Prov. 3.20 wipe her mouth and say I have done no wickednesse therefore your care must be to search out wherin the great strength of sinne doth lye and therefore we must labour to take the light of the word to direct us and desire God that he will give us the light of his holy spirit to open our eyes that we may bee able to see and know our owne sinfull hearts and when wee have found it set upon this worke with courage and resolution 1. Againe another thing that makes sinne so hard to be mortified as that marriage that is made betweene sinne and us Rom. 7.4 after the people of Israel had mixed themselves among the Heathen and made marriages with them they were wonderfully hard to be brought to leave them Ezr. 10. so when as a man is married unto his lusts so it is a hard thing for a man to leave them but now for a man to kill his wife this is much more difficult It was a hard matter to flesh and bloud for Abraham to sacrifice his sonne and yet at the commandement of God he did it so must we doe our obedience to God must exceed our love of our sinnes though the matter be difficult yet it must be done as Iephtah when he had made a vow unto God though it turned afterward to his great griefe so to part with his onely daughter yet saith he I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot goe backe so may we though that we finde the matter to be hard that we are about to doe to leave that we love so dearely yet resolve and vow against it and when we have so done then say as he did I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and I cannot goe backe nor can I alter what is gone out of my mouth 3. Another thing that maketh this worke of mortification hard and difficult is the close adherencie that sin hath unto us it winds it selfe so about us as the Ivy doth about the tree till it eate out the heart and sap of it so is it in this case corruption doth cleave unto us so as it is very hard to be freed from it 2 Sam. 2.21 Abner when he fled from Joah was so followed by Hazael that he had no way to be freed from him but by sheathing his speare in his bowels so it is in this case there is no way to be freed from these corruptions but by slaughter of them they will not be driven away with neither faire nor foule speeches you may scare away a dogge with harsh speeches but you cannot doe so with a Lion sinne is of the brood of the old Lion the Devill that will not bee easily driven away nor over-come therefore seeing it is that doth so beset us and doth cleave so hard unto us Heb. 12.1.2 let us shake off every thing that presseth downe and sin that doth disquiet us but how looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith as they that looked on the brazen Serpent were cured of the sting that they had received of the fiery Serpent so it is in this case when we looke up to Christ he it is that can onely stanch this bloody issue that sinne hath made in one word frequent the meanes that God hath appointed for curing of your soules John 17.17 the preaching of the word when you come with faith then there is hope of purging the word hath a cleansing power in it as the poole of Bethesda when it was troubled John 5.4 it had a healing vertue in it Chap. 22.4 so our hearts when they are troubled by the word God heales by it CAP. XXII Our weaknesse appeareth in this that we need the helpe of the spirit THis should teach us to take notice of our owne weakenesse and how without the spirit of Christ wee can doe nothing We beare about an ignorant mind a perverse will violent pasions that have in them an aptitude to all sin and wickednesse that as Adams actuall sinne corrupted his nature so our nature on the other side corrupteth and defileth our actions so as the streame cannot be good because the fountaine is corrupt fall wee may but rise wee cannot wee may plunge our selves deepe into the pit of finne but to recover our selves hoc opus hic labor est this is a worke beyond our strength wee cannot contract uncleannesse upon our selves but when wee have done wee cannot wash it off and though we should use never so many outward meanes to that enâ— yet were it not that the spirit goe along with us though we wash our selves with snow-water Iob 9.31.10.1 our own garmeÌ„t would defile us and make us uncleane Therefore it will be necessary that wee should examine whether we have the spirit of God yea or no which will be able to helpe up and beare us out in this businesse 1 It is the spirit of wisedome that doth enable us How you may know that you have the spirit to lay a sure foundation and to make such battell against the strong holds of sinne as these our lusts and corruptions cannot be able to withstand 2 Tim. 1.7 we have not received the spirit of feare but of power of love and of a sound mind where there is this sound mind there must needes be power and love such is the force of the spirit that it is set out by the rushing of a mighty winde and by the fire a mighty element so as nothing that is combustible can stand before it Now when God shall say awake O North Can. 4.16 and come thou South and blow upon my garden when he shall call the spirit of bondage which is as the North wind to terrifie and amaâ—e us for our sinnes and then shall send his spirit of adoption as the South wind to make us fruitfull in repentance and in the
workes of mortification then I say are we furnished with this spirit of a sound mind Eccles 7.12 wisedome is a distention and money is a defension but the excellencie of knowledge is that wisedome giveth life to him that hath it much may be done with money but more with wisedome because money can neither slay sinne nor assure us of life but wisedome can doe both wisedome will teach us to make provision for our latter end 2 It is a spirit of holinesse and sanctitie and that is the reason of an opposition that there is unto sin in the soule the spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5.19 and the flesh against the spirit and they are contrary one to another as it is with a fountaine of living water that if any filth be cast into it it will worke it out by the constant running of it so it is with the spirit that when any corrupt motion is cast into the heart it will not leave untill it have purged it out and the reason is because there can be no agreement betwixt these the one doth alwaies seeke to dispossesse and destroy the other and therefore as it is when a woman that hath decked her selfe with beautifull garments she will not come into uncleane places and naftie company so in this case the holy spirit will not indure the heart where he lodgeth should be defiled or that it should be a receptacle for uncleane lusts For if Christ could not indure that his carthly Temple should be a den of theeves much lesse wil he endure that his spirituall Temple should be a cage of every uncleane and noysome lust 3 It is a craving spirit it goeth out day by day and doth crave assistance at Gods hands to helpe us against our corruption Rom. 8.26 it is the spirit that helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us that as Hezekiah said 2 Cor. 20. Lord we know not what to doe our eyes are towards thee what was that made him waite on God but this spirit of grace and supplication so say I what maketh a Christian to lift up strong cryes and prayers unto God when hee is assaulted by the flesh and to waite for strength from heaven is it not the spirit that putteth us upon it and maketh us never to give over till wee find successe from God it is not the making of a prayer that will serve your turnes but the having of the spirit of prayer that is it that will helpe you Hos 12.4 to wrastle with God with your prayers and teares as Iacob did and not to give over like the importunate widdow Luk. 18.34.5 untill you have your requests granted unto you 4 It is a cheerfull spirit that thought the worke be hard and sharpe yet it maketh us passe through it with much alacrity and cheerfulnesse it maketh us while wee are breaking up the fallow grounds of our hearts and while wee are about to crucifie the flesh 1 Cor. 9.10 circumcise the foreskinne of our hearts to be cheerfull and rejoyce because the end of that is joy and consolation for they that plow in hope thresh in hope shall be partakers of their hopes What maketh the marriner to passe through so many hard adventures by sea and land but hope of some great advantage that may be for his advancement or what maketh the Souldier adventure himself into the heat of the battel but hope of a joyfull victory and what maketh a Christian to take such paines with his heart and to make such hot skirmishes against his lusts but in hope of good successe a glorious victory On the other side there is no greater signe of an unmortified heart then when hee is forced unto the worke and drawne unto duty as a Beare to a stake out of slavish feare and apprehensions of wrath as Sathan than saith in Iob that skinne for skinne Iob. 2.4 and all that a man hath will he give for his life a man will doe much in extremity which is not a free but a forced service but now if so he that there be a cheerfull spirit we are carried by it to this duty as freely as Abraham was to the sacrificing of his sonne not reasoning with flesh and blood but out of the feare of God 2 Cor. 7.1.2 the love of holineffe and the hatred of sinne wee are as cheerefull at the death of it as wee delighted sometime at the commission of it CAP. XXIII An exhortation unto the duty of mortification FOr as much as wee are naturally slow unto this worke of mortification both in respect of that love we have unto our lusts and also in respect that Sathan and our deceitfull hearts doe labour by all faire and possible arguments to beate us off from this worke saying as sometimes Peter did unto our Saviour Master spare thy flesh Mat. 16.22 this shall not be to thee such suggestions men have when they are pressed unto duty that they should spare that labour there iâ— no necessity of Therefore it will not be amisse to quicken you up unto this duty by such considerations as these 1 In regard of sinne that if it be not mortified wee doe highly displease Almighty God therefore the Lord is said to haâ—e iniquity as that which is contrary to his Law as that which is cursed of him now that sinne is thuâ— displeasing to him will appeare 1 In regard of those sad Complaints and those patheticall expressions that are used in Scripture against sin and sinners when the sinnes of the old world grew to that height that the whole earth was corrupt before God and that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth Gen. 6.6 it repented the Lord that hee had made man and it grieved him at the heart a deepe expression how much God is displeased with it now when God is said to be grieved it is not in that he is subject to passion but after the manner of men not secundum affectum but effectum as they speake in the Schooles that as men are grieved when they are offended so is God sore displeased with sinne Psal 95.10 11. Forty yeares long was I grieved with this generation then it was that hee sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest that after they had grieved him so long time together his sore displeasure did arise and so they perished in the wildernesse Luk. 19.41 how was our blessed Saviour grieved when hee beheld the City and wept over it saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I have gathered thee as a hen gathereth her chickins c. What can be a greater griefe to a loving father or a tender mother than to see their Children not to harken unto good admonitions and exhortations so is it unto Christ when as wee turne aside to the by-paths of sinne it grieves him much how doth God complaine of his people O my people what have