the other Now he that hath the rational he doth not onely act suitably to that principle but also to both the others he growes and is sensible It is so with men in the things of God some are meer natural and rational men some have a superadded Conviction with Illumination and some are truely regenerate Now he that hath the latter hath also both the former and therefore he acts sometimes upon the Principles of the rational sometimes upon the Principles of the enlightened man His true spiritual life is not the principle of all his motions He acts not alwayes in the strength thereof neither are all his fruits from that Root In this case that I speak of he acts merely upon the Principle of Conviction and Illumination whereby his first naturals are heightened but the Spirit breaths not at all upon all these waters Take an Instance suppose the wound and disquiet of the Soul to be upon the account of Relapses which whatever the evil or Folly be though for the matter of it never so small yet there are no wounds deeper than those that are given the Soul on that account nor disquietments greater In the perturbation of his Mind he finds out that Promise Isa. 55.7 The Lord will have mercy and our God will abundantly pardon He will multiply or adde to pardon He will do it again and again or that in Hos. 14.4 I will heal their back sliding I will love them freely This the man considers and thereupon concludes Peace to himself whether the Spirit of God make the Application or no whether that gives life and power to the letter or no that he regards not He doth not hearken whether God the Lord speak peace He doth not wait upon God who perhaps yet hides his face and sees the poor Creature stealing Peace and running away with it knowing that the time will come when he will deal with him again and call him to a new reckoning Hos. 11.3 when he shall see that it is in vain to goe one step where God doth not take him by the hand I see here indeed sundry other questions upon this arising and interposing themselves I cannot apply my self to them all one I shall a little speak to It may be said then seeing that this seems to be the path that the Holy Spirit leads us in for the healing of our wounds and quieting of our hearts how shall we know when we go alone our selves and when the Spirit also doth accompany us Ans. 1. If any of you are out of the way upon this account God will speedily let you know it for bâ—sideâ— that you have his Promise that the meek he will guide â—n â—udgâ—ment and teach them his way Psal. 25.9 he will not let you alwayes erre He will I say not suffer your nakedness to be covered with Fig-leaves but take them away and all the peace you have in them and will not suffer you to settle on such lees you shall quickly know your wound is not healed That is you shall speedily know whether or no it be thus with you by the event the peace you thus get and obtain will not abide Whilest the Mind is overpowered by its own Convictions there is no hold for disquietments to fix upon Stay a little and all thâ—se reasonings will grow cold and vanish before the face of the first Temptation that arises But 2. This course is commonly taken without waiting which is the Grace and that peculiar acting of Faith which God calls for to be exercised in such a Condition I know God doth sometimes come in upon the Soul instantly in a moment as it were wounding and healing it as I am perswaded it was in the Case of David when he cut off the lap of Sauls Garment But ordinarily in such a case God calls for waiting and labouring attending as the eye of a Servant upon his Master Sayes the Prophet Isaiah ch 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord who hideth his face from Jacob. God will have his Children lye a while at his door when they have run from his House and not instantly rush in upon him unless he take them by the hand and pluck them in when they are so ashamed that they dare not come to him Now self-healers or men that speak peace to themselves do commonly make haste they will not tarry They do not hearken what God speaks Isa. 28.16 but on they will goe to be healed 3. Such a Course though it may quiet the Conscience and the Mind the rational concluding part of the Soul yet it doth not sweeten the Heart with Rest and gracious Contention The Answer it receives is much like that Elisha gave Naaman Go in peace 2 King 5.19 it quieted his Mind but I much question whether it sweetned his Heart or gave him any Joy in Believing other than the natural Joy that was then stirred in him upon his healing Doe not my words doe good saith the Lord Mich. 2.7 When God speaks there is not only truth in his words that may answer the Conviction of our Understanding but also they doe good they bring that which is sweet and good and desireable to the Will and Affections By them the Soul returns unto its Rest Psal. 116.16 4. Which is worst of all it amends not the life it heals not the evil it cures not the distemper When God speaks Peace it guides and keeps the Soul that it turn not again to Folly Psaâ— 85.8 When we speak it our selves the Heart is not taken off the Evil. Nay it is the readyest course in the world to bring a Soul into a trade of Backsliding If upon thy plaistering thy self thou findest thy self rather animated to the battel again than utterly weaned from it it is too palpable that thou hast been at work with thy own Soul but Jesus Christ and his Spirit were not there Yea and often-times Nature having done its work will ere a few dayes are over come for its Reward and having been active in the work of Healing will be ready to reason for a new wounding In Gods speaking peace there comes along so much sweetness and such a Discovery of his Love as is a strong Obligation on the Soul no more to deal perversly 3 We speak Peace to our selves when we do it slightly This the Prophet complains of in some Teachers Jer. 6.14 They have healed the wound of the Daughter of my people slightly And it is so with some persons they make the healing of their wounds a slight work a look a glance of Faith to the Promises does it and so the matter is ended The Apostle tells us that the Word did not profit some because it was not mixed with Faith Heb. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was not well tempered and mingled with Faith It is not a mere look to the word of Mercy in the Promise but it must be mingled with Faith untill it is incorporated into the very Nature of it
OF THE MORTIFICATION of SIN in BELIEVERS The 1. NECESSITY 2. NATURE and 3. MEANS of it With a Resolution of sundry CASES of CONSCIENCE thereunto belonging BY JOHN OWEN D. D. a Servant of JESUS CHRIST in the Work of the Gospel The Third Edition LONDON Printed for Nathanael Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultrey near Cornhill and in Chancery-lane near Fleet-street 1668. Christian Reader I shall in a few words acquaint thee with the Reasons that obtained my consent to the publishing of the ensuing Discourse The consideration of the present State and Condition of the Generality of Professors the visible Evidences of the Frame of their Hearts and Spirits manifesting a great Disability of dealing with the Temptations wherewith from the Peace they have in the World and the Divisions that they have among themselves they are encompassed holds the chief place amongst them This I am assured is of so great importance that if hereby I only occasion others to press more effectually on the Consciences of men the work of considering their Wayes and to give more clear Direction for the compassing of the End proposed I shall well esteem of my Lot in this undertaking This was seconded by an Observation of some mens dangerous Mistakes who of late dayes have taken upon them to give Directions for the Mortification of Sin who being unacquainted with the Mystery of the Gospel and the Efficacy of the Death of Christ have anew imposed the Yoke of a self-wrought-out Mortification on the Necks of their Disciples which neither they nor their Forefathers were ever able to bear A Mortification they cry up and press suitable to that of the Gospel neither in respect of Nature Subject Causes Means nor Effects which constantly produces the deplorable Issues of Superstition self-righteousness and Anxiety of Conscience in them who take up the burthen which is so bound for them What is here proposed in weakness I humbly hope will answer the Spirit and Letter of the Gospel with the Experiences of them who know what it is to walk with God according to the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace So that if not this yet certainly something of this kind is very necessary at this season for the proâ—â—â—â—on and furtherance of this work 〈…〉 Mortification in the Hearts of Believers and their Direction in Paths safe and wherein they may find Rest to their Souls Something I have to adde as to what in particular relates unto my self Having preached on this subject unto some comfortable success through the Grace of him that administred seed to the Sower I was pressed by sundry persons in whose hearts are the Wayes of God thus to publish what I had delivered with such Additions and Alterations as I should judge necessary Vnder the inducement of their Desires I called to remembrance the Debt wherein I have now for some Years stood engaged unto sundry Nâ—ble and worthy Christian Friends as to a Treatise of Communion with God some while since promised to them and thereon apprehended that if I could not hereby compound for the greater Debt yet I might possibly tender them this Discourse of Variance with themselves as Interest for their forbearance of that of Peace and Communion with God Besides I considered that I had been providentially engaged in the publick Debate of sundry Controversies in Religion which might seem to claim something in another kind of more General Vse as a Fruit of Choice not Necessity On these and the like accounts is this short Discourse brought forth to publick view and now presented unto thee I hope I may own in sincerity that my hearts desire unto God and the chief Design of my Life in the station wherein the good Providence of God hath placed me are that Mortification and universal Holiness may be promoted in my own and in the Hearts and Wayes of others to the Glory of God that so the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may be adorned in all things for the compassing of which End if this little Discourse of the publishing whereof this is the summe of the account I shall give may in any thing be usefull to the least of the Saints it will be looked on as a Return of the weak Prayers wherewith it is attended by its unworthy Author J. OWEN CHAP. I. The Foundation of the whole ensuing Discourse laid in Rom. 8.13 The words of the Apostle opened The certain connexion between true Mortification and Salvation Mortification the work of Believers The Spirit the principal efficient Cause of it What meant by the Body in the words of the Apostle What by the Deeds of the Body Life in what sence promised to this Duty THat what I have of Direction to contribute to the carrying on of the work of Mortification in Believers may receive order and perspicuity I shall lay the foundation of it in those words of the Apostle Rom. 8.13 If ye by the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live and reduce the whole to an Improvement of the great Evangelical Truth and Mystery contained in them The Apostle having made a Recapitulation of his Doctrine of Justification by Faith and the blessed Estate and Condition of them who are made by Grace partakers thereof vers 1 2 3. of this Chapter proceeds to improve it to the Holiness and Consolation of Believers Among his Arguments and Motives unto Holiness the Verse mentioned containeth one from the contrary Events and Effects of Holiness and Sin If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye What it is to live after the flesh and what it is to dye that being not my present aym and business I shall no otherwise explain than as they will fall in with the sence of the latter words of the verse as before proposed In the words peculiarly designed for the Foundation of the ensuing Discourse there is 1. A Duty prescribed Mortifie the deeds of the body 2. The Persons are denoted to whom it is prescribed Ye if Ye Mortifie 3. There is in them a Promise annexed to that Duty Ye shall Live 4. The Cause or Means of the Performance of this Duty the Spirit If ye through the Spirit 5. The Conditionality of the whole Proposition wherein Duty Means and Promise are contained If ye c. The first thing occurring in the words as they lye in the entire Proposition is the conditional Note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if Conditionals in such Propositions may denote two things 1. The uncertainty of the Event or thing promised in respect of them to whom the duty is prescribed And this takes place where the condition is absolutely necessary unto the Issue and depends not its self on any determinate Cause known to him to whom 't is prescribed So we say If we live we will do such a thing This cannot be the Intendment of the conditional Expression in this place Of the Persons to whom these words are spoken it is said vers 1. of
the same Chapter there is no condemnation to them 2. The Certainty of the coherence and Connexion that is between the things spoken of As we say to a sick man If you will take such a potion or use such a remedy you will be well The thing we solely intend to express is the certainty of the Connexion that is between the potion or remedy and health And this is the use of it here The certain Connexion that is between the mortifying of the deeds of the Body and living is intimated in this conditional particle Now the connexion and coherence of things being manifold as of Cause and Effect of Way and Means and the End this between Mortification and Life is not of Cause and Effect properly and strictly for Eternal Life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.23 But of Means and End God hath appointed this Means for the attaining that End which he hath freely promised Means though necessary have a fair subordination to an End of free Promise A Gift and a procuring Cause in him to whom it is given are inconsistent The intendment then of this Proposition as conditional is That there is a certain infallible connexion and coherence between true Mortification and Eternal Life if you use this Means you shall obtain that End If you do mortifie you shall live And herein lyes the main motive unto and Enforcement of the Duty prescribed 2. The next thing we meet withall in the words is the persons to whom this Duty is prescribed and that is expressed in the word Ye in the Original included in the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye mortifie that is ye Believers ye to whom there is no Condemnation vers 1. ye that are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit vers 5. who are quickened by the Spirit of Christ vers 10.11 to you is this Duty prescribed The pressing of this Duty immediately on any other is a notable Fruit of that Superstition and self-Righteousness that the world is full of the great work and design of devout men ignorant of the Gospel Rom. 10.3 4. Joh. 15.5 Now this description of the Persons in conjunction with the prescription of the duty is the main Foundation of the ensuing Discourse as it lyes in this Thesis or Proposition The choisest Believers who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin ought yet to make it their business all their dayes to mortifie the indwelling power of sin 3. The principal efficient Cause of the performance of this Duty is the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if by the Spirit The Spirit here is the Spirit mentioned vers 11. the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of God that dwells in us vers 9. that quickens us vers 11. the Holy Ghost vers 14. the Spirit of Adoption vers 15. the Spirit that maketh Intercession for us vers 26. All other wayes of Mortification are vain all helps leave us helpless it must be done by the Spirit Men as the Apostle intimates Rom. 9.30 31 32. may attempt this work on other Principles by Means and Advantages administred on other accounts as they always have done and do but saith he this is the work of the Spirit by him alone is it to be wrought and by no other power is it to be brought about Mortification from a self-strength carried on by wayâ—s of self-invenâ—â—on unto the End of a self-Righteousness is the Soul and substance of all â—alse Religion in the world And this is a second Principle of my ensuing Discourse 4. The Duty it self mortifie the deeds of the Body is nextly to be remarked Three things are here to be enquired into 1. What is meant by the Body 2. What by the deeds of the Body 3. What by Mortifying of them 1. The Body in the close of the verse is the same with the Flesh in the beginning If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye Mortifie the deeds of the body that is of the flesh It is that which the Apostle hath all along discoursed of under the name of the flesh which is evident from the prosecution of the Antithesis between the spirit and the flesh before and after The Body then here is taken for that Corruption and Pravity of our Natures whereof the Body in a great part is the Seat and Instrument The very Members of the Body being made servants unto Unrighteousness thereby Rom. 6.19 It is Indwelling Sin the corrupted Flesh or Lust that is intended Many Reasons might be given of this metonymical expression that I shall not now insist on The body here is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Old man and the body of Sin Rom. 6.6 or it may synechdochically express the whole person considered as corrupted and the seat of Lusts and distempered Affections 2. The deeds of the Body the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which indeed denoteth the outward actions chiefly The works of the Flesh as they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5.19 which are there said to be manifest and are enumerated Now though the outward deeds are here onely expressed yet the inward and next Causes are chiefly intended the Axe is to be laid to the root of the tree The Deeds of the Flesh are to be mortified in their Causes from whence they spring the Apostle calls them Deeds as that which every Lust tends unto Though it do but conceive and prove abortive it ayms to bring forth a perfect Sin Having both in the seventh and the beginning of this Chapter treated of Indwelling Lust and Sin as the Fountain and Principle of all sinfull Actions he here mentions its Destruction under the name of the Effects which it doth produce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.6 the wisdom of the Flesh by a metonymie of the same nature with the former or as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the passions and lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.24 whence the deeds and fruits of it do arise and in this sence is the Body used vers 10. The body is dead because of sin 3. To Mortifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye put to death a Metaphorical Expression taken from the putting of any living thing to death To kill a Man or any other living thing is to take away the principle of all his strength vigour and power so that he cannot act or exert or put forth any proper Actings of his own so it is in this Case Indwelling Sin is compared to a Person a living Person called the old man with his faculties and properties his wisdom craft subtilty strength this sayes the Apostle must be killed put to death Mortified that is have its power life vigour and strength to produce its Effects taken away by the Spirit It is indeed meritoriously and by way of Example utterly mortified and slain by the Cross of
may let Sin alone But as Sin is never less quiet than when it seems to be most quiet and its waters are for the most part deep when they are still so ought our contrivances against it to be vigorous at all times in all conditions even where there is least suspition Sin doth not only abide in us but the Law of the members is still rebelling against the Law of the Mind Rom. 7.23 and the Spirit that dwells in us lusteth to Envy Jam. 4.5 It is alwayes in continual work the flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 Lust is still tempting and conceiving sin Jam. 1.14 In every Moral Action it is alwayes either inclining to evil or hindring from that which is good or disframing the Spirit from Communion with God It inclines to Evil the evil that I would not that I do saith the Apostle Rom. 7.19 whence is that why because in me thingâ— and it hinders from good the good that I would do that I do not vers 19. upon the same account either I do it not or not as I should all my Holy things being defiled by this sin The flesh lusteth against the Spirit that ye cannot do the things that ye would Gal. 5.17 and it unâ—rames our Spirit and thence is called the sin that so easily besets us Heb. 12.1 on which accounâ— are those grievous Complaints that the Apostle makes of it Rom. 7. So that sin is alâ—â—yes acting alwayes conceiving alwayes seducing and tempting Who can say that he had ever any thing to do with God or for God that indwelling Sin had not an hand in the corrupting of what he did And this trade will it drive more or less all our dayes If then sin will alwayes Acting if we be not alwayes Mortifying we are lost Creatures He that stands still and suffers his Enemies to double blowes upon him without resistance will undoubtedly be conquered in the issue If Sin be subtil watchfull strong and alwayes at work in the business of killing our Sâ—uls and we be slothfull negligent foolish in proceeding to the ruine thereof can we expect a comfortable Event There is not a day but sin soils or is soiled prevails or is prevailed on and it will be so whilest we live in this world I shall discharge him from this Duty who can bring sin to a Composition to a cessation of Arms in this Warfare if it will spare him any one day in any one duty provided he be a person that is acquainted with the spirituality of Obedience and the subtilty of sin let him say to his Soul as to this Duty Soul take thy rest The Saints whose Souls breath after deliverance from its perplexing Rebellion know there is no safety against it but in a constant Warfare 3. Sin will not only be striving acting rebelling troubling disquieting but it let alone if not continually mortified it will bring forth great cursed scandalous Soul-destroying sins The Apostle tells us what the works and fruits of it are Gal. 5 19 20 21. The works of the flesh are manifest which are Adultery fornication uncleanness lâ—sciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance â—mulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murthers drunkenness revellings and such like You know what it did in David and sundry others Sin aimâ— alwayes at the utmost every time it rises up to tempt or entice might it have its own course it would go out to the utmost sin in that kind Every unclean Thought or Glance would be Adultery if it could every covetous Desire would be Oppression every thought of Unbelief would be Atheism might it grow to its head Mâ—n may come to that that sin may not be heard speaking a scandalous word in their hearts that is provoking to any great sin with scandal in its mouth but every rise of Lust might it have its course would come to the height of Vâ—llâ—ny It is like the Grave that is never satisfied And herein lies no small share of the deceitfulness of Sin by which it prevails to the hardening of men and so to theâ—r ruine Hâ—b 3.13 It is moâ—eâ—t as it were in its firâ—t motions and Proposals but having oâ—ce got sooting in the heart by them it constantly makes good its ground and presseth on to some farther degrees in the same kind This new acting and pressing forward makes the Soul take little notice of what an entrance to a falling off from God is already made it thinks all is indifferent well if there be no farther progress and so far as the Soul is made insensible of any sin that is as to such a sense as the Gospel requireth so far it is hardned but Sin is still pressing forward and that because it hath no bounds but utter Relinquishment of God and opposition to him that it proceeds towards its height by degrees making good the ground it hath got by Hardness is not from its Nature but its Deceitfulness Now nothing can prevent this but Mortification That withers the Root and strikes at the Head of Sin every Hour that whatever it ayms at it is crossed in There is not the best Saint in the world but if he should give over this Duty would fall into as many cursed sins as ever any did of his kind 4. This is one main reason why the Spirit and the new Nature is given unto us that we may have a Principle within whereby to oppose Sin and Lust The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit Well and what then Why the Spirit aâ—so lusteth against the Flesh Gal. 5.17 There is a propensity in the Spirit or spiritual new Nature to be acting against the Flesh as well as in the Flesh to be acting against the Spirit So 2 Pet. 1.4 5. It is our participation of the Divine Nature that gives us an escape from the pollutions that are in the world through lust and Rom. 7.23 there is a law of the mind as well as a law of the members Now this is 1 The most Unjust and unreasonable thing in the world when two Combatants are engaged to bind one and to keep him up from doing his utmost and to leave the other at liberty to wound him at his pleasure And 2 The Foolishest thing in the world to bind him who fights for our Eternal Condition and to let him alone who seeks and violently attempts our everlasting ruine The Contest is for our lives and souls Not to be daily employing the Spirit and New Nature for the Mortifying of Sin is to neglect that excellent succour which God hath given us against our greatest Enemy If we neglect to make use of what we have received God may justly hold his hand from giving us more His Graces as well as his Gifts are bestowed on us to use exercise and trade with Not to be daily mortifying sin is to sin against the Goodness Kindness Wisdom Grace and Love of God who hath furnished us with a Principle of doing it 5. Negligence in this Duty cast the Soul
Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 2.20 But having got an acquaintance with the Doctrine of the Gospel and being weary of Duty for which they had no Principle they began to countenance themselves in manifold Neglects from the Doctrine of Grace Now when once this evil had laid hold of them they speedily tumbled into perdition 2. To others it hath an evil Influence on them on a twofold account 1. It hardens them by begetting in them a Perswasion that they are in as good Condition as the best Professors Whatever they see in them is so stained for want of this Mortification that it is of no value with them They have Zeal for Religion but it is accompanyed with want of forbearance and universal Righteousness They deny Prodigality but with worldliness They separate from the World but live wholly to Themselves taking no care to exercise loving Kindness in the Earth or they talk Spiritually and live Vainly mention Communion with God and are every way conformed to the World â—â—aâ—ting of Forgiveness of Sin and never Forgiving others And with such Considerations do poor Creatures harden their hearts in their Vnregeneracy 2. They deceive them in making them believe that if they can come up to their Condition it shall be well with them and so it growes an Easie thing to have the great Temptation of Repute in Religion to wrestle withall when they may go far beyond them as to what appears in them and yet come short of Eternal Life but of these things and all the Evils of unmortified walking afterwards CHAP. III. The second general Principle of the Means of Mortification proposed to Confirmation The Spirit the onely Author of this work Vanity of Popish Mortification discovered Many means of it used by them not appointed of God Those appointed by him abused The mistakes of others in this business The Spirit is promised Believers for this work Ezek. 11.19 Chap. 36.26 All that we receive from Christ is by the Spirit How the Spirit Mortifies sin Gal. 5.19 20 21 22 23. The several wayes of his Operations to this end proposed How his Work and our Duty THE next Principle relates to the great Sovereign Cause of the Mortification treated of which in the words layd for the Foundation of this Discourse is said to be the Spirit that is the Holy Ghost as was evinced He only is sufficient for this work All wayes and means without him are as a thing of nought and He is the great Efficient of it He works in us as he pleases 1. In vain do men seek other remedies they shall not be healed by them What several wayes have been prescribed for this to have sin mortified is known The greatest part of Popish Religion of that which looks most like Religion in their Profession consists in mistaken Wayes and Means of Mortification This is the pretence of their rough garments whereby they deceive Their Vows Orders Fastings Penances are all built on this ground they are all for the mortifying of Sin Their Preachings Sermons and Books of Devotion they look all this way Hence those who interpret the Locusts that came out of the bottomless pit Rev. 9.2 To be the Friers of the Romish Church who are said to torment men so that they should seek death and not find it vers 6. think that they did it by their stinging Sermons whereby they convinced them of Sin but being not able to discover the Remedy for the healing and Mortifying of it they kept them in perpetual Anguish and Terrour and such trouble in their Consciences that they desired to dye This I say is the substance and Glory of their Religion but what with their labouring to mortifie dead Creatures ignorant of the Nature and End of the work what with the Poyson they mixt with it in their perswasion of its Merit yea Supererogation as they style their unnecessary merit with a proud barbarous title their glory is their shame but of them and their Mortification more afterwards chap. 8. That the Wayes and Means to be used for the Mortification of sin invented by them are still insisted on and prescribed for the same end by some who should have more light and Knowledge of the Gospel is known Such Directions to this purpose have of late been given by some and are greedily catch'd at by others professing themselves Protestants as might have become Popish Devotionists three or four hundred years ago Such outside Endeavours such bodily Exercises such self-performances such meerly Legal Duties without the least mention of Christ or his Spirit are varnished over with swelling words of vanity for the onely Means and Expedients for the Mortification of sin as discover a deep rooted unacquaintedness with the power of God and Mystery of the Gospel The consideration hereof was one Motive to the publishing of this plain Discourse Now the Reasons why the Papists can never with all their Endeavours truely mortifie any one sin amongst others are 1. Because many of the Wayes and Means they use and insist upon for this End were never appointed of God for that purpose Now there is nothing in Religion that hath any Efficacy for compassing an End but it hath it from Gods Appointment of it to that purpose Such as these are their rough Garments their Vows Penances Disciplines their Course of Monastical Life and the like concerning all which God will say Who hath required these things at your hands and In vain do you worship me teaching for Doctrines the Traditions of men Of the same Nature are sundry self-vexations insisted on by others 2. Because those things that are appointed of God as Means are not used by them in their due Place and Order such as are Praying Fasting Watching Meditation and the like these have their use in the business in hand But whereas they are all to be looked on as streams they look on them as the fountain Whereas they effect and accomplish the End as Means onely subordinate to the Spirit and Faith they look on them to do it by virtue of the work wrought If they fast so much and pray so much and keep their hours and times the work is done As the Apostle sayes of some in another case they are alwayes learning never coming to the knowledge of the Truth so they are alwayes mortifying but never come to any sound Mortification In a a word they have sundry Means to mortifie the Natural man as to the Natural life here we lead none to mortifie Lust or Corruption This is the general mistake of men ignorant of the Gospel about this thing and it lyes at the bottom of very much of that Superstition and Will-worship that hath been brought into the world what horrible self-macerations were practised by some of the ancient Authors of Monastical Devotion what violence did they offer to Nature what extremity of sufferings did they put themselves upon search their wayes and Principles to the bottom and you will find that it had no other
root but this mistake namely that attempting rigid Mortification they fell upon the natural man instead of the corrupt old man upon the body wherein we live instead of the Body of Death Neither will the natural Popery that is in others doe it Men are gall'd with the Guilt of a Sin that hath prevailed over them they instantly promise to themselves and God that they will do so no more they watch over themselves and pray for a season untill this heat waxes cold and the sense of Sin is worn off and so Mortification goes also and Sin returns to its former Dominion Duties are excellent food for an healthy Soul they are no physick for a sick Soul He that turns his meat into his medicine must expect no great operation Spiritually sick men cannot sweat out their distemper with working But this is the way of men that deceive their own Souls as we shall see afterwards That none of these wayes are sufficient is evident from the Nature of the work it self that is to be done it is a work that requires so many concurrent actings in it as no self Endeavour can reach unto and is of that kind that an Almighty Energy is necessary for its accomplishment as shall be afterwards manifested It is then the work of the Spirit For 1. He is Promised of God to be given unto us to do this work the taking away of the stony heart that is the stubborn proud rebellious unbelieving Heart is in general the work of Mortification that we treat of Now this is still promised to be done by the Spirit Ezek. 11.19 Chap. 36.26 I will give my Spirit and take away the stony heart and by the Spirit of God is this work wrought when all Means fail Isa. 57.17 18. 2. We have all our Mortification from the Gift of Christ and all the Gifts of Christ are communicated to us and given us by the Spirit of Christ. Without Christ we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 All communications of Supplyes and Relief in the beginnings increasings actings of any Grace whatever from him are by the Spirit by whom he alone works in and upon Believers From him we have our Mortification He is exalted and made a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance unto us Act. 5.31 and of our Repentance our Mortification is no small Portion How doth he doe it having received the Promise of the Holy Ghost he sends him abroad for that end Act. 2.33 You know the manifold Promises he made of sending the Spirit as Tertullian speaks vicariam navare operam to do the Works that he had to accomplish in us The Resolution of one or two Questions will now lead me nearer to what I principally intend The first is Q. How doth the Spirit mortifie Sin I Answer in general three wayes A. 1. By causing our hearts to abound in Grace and the Fruits that are contrary to the Flesh and the Fruits thereof and Principles of them So the Apostle opposes the Fruits of the Flesh and of the Spirit The Fruits of the Flesh says he are so and so Gal. 5.19 20. but sayes he the Fruits of the Spirit are quite contrary quite of another sort v. 22 23. Yea but what if these are in us and do abound may not the other abound also No sayes he v. 24. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts But how Why v. 25. by living in the Spirit and walking after the Spirit That is by the abounding of these Graces of the Spirit in us and walking according to them For saith the Apostle these are contrary one to another v. 17. so that they cannot both be in the same subject in any intense or high degree This Renewing of us by the Holy Ghost as it is called Tit. 3.5 is one great way of Mortification He causes us to grow thrive flourish and abound in those Graces which are contrary opposite and destructive to all the fruits of the Flesh and to the quiet or thriving of indwelling sin it self 2. By a real physical Efficiency on the Root and Habit of Sin for the weakning destroying and taking it away Hence he is called a Spirit of Judgement and Burning Isa. 4.4 really consuming and destroying our Lusts. He takes away the stony heart by an Almighty Efficiency for as he begins the work as to its kind so he carries it on as to its degrees He is the Fire which burns up the very root of Lust. 3. He brings the cross of Christ into the Heart of a Sinner by Faith and gives us Communion with Christ in his Death and Fellowship in his sufferings of the manner whereof more afterwards Q. If this be the work of the Spirit alone how is it that we are exhorted to it Seeing the Spirit of God only can doe it let the work be left wholly to him A. 1. It is no otherwise the work of the Spirit but as all Graces and good Works which are in us are his He works in us to will and to doe of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.13 He works all our works in us Isa. 26.12 the work of Faith with power 2 Thess. 1.11 Col. 2.12 He causes us to pray and is a Spirit of Supplication Rom. 8.26 Zach. 12.10 and yet we are exhâ—rted and are to be exhorted to all these 2. He doth not so work our Mortification in us as not to keep it still an Act of our Obedience The Holy Ghost works in us and upon us as we are fit to be wrought in and upon that is so as to preserve our own liberty and free Obedience He works upon our Vnderstandings Wills Consciences and Affections agreeably to their own Natures He works in us and with us not against us or without us so that his Assistance is an Encouragement as to the facilitating of the Work and no Occasion of neglect as to the work it self And indeed I might here bewail the endless foolish labour of poor Souls who being convinced of sin and not able to stand against the Power of their Convictions do set themselves by innumerabâ—â— perplexing Wayes and Duties to keep down sin but being strangers to the Spirit of God all in vain They combat without Victory have War without Peace and are in slavery all their dayes They spend their strength for that which is not bread and their labour for that which prositeth not This is the saddest warfare that any poor Creature can be engaged in A Soul under the power of Conviction from the Law is pressed to fight against Sin but hath no strength for the Combat They cannot but fight and they can never conquer they are like men thrust on the Sword of Enemies on purpose to be slain The Law drives them on and Sin beats them back Sometimes they think indeed that they have foyled sin when they have onely raised a dust that they see it not that is they distemper their natural Affections of Fear Sorrow and Anguish
the Mortification of any particular lust and Sin which Satan takes Advantage by to disquiet and weaken him comes next under Consideration Now there are some General Considerations to be premised concerning some Principles and Foundations of this work without which no man in the world be he never so much raised by Convictions and resolved for the Mortification of any Sin can attain thereunto General Rules and Principles without which no Sin will be ever mortified are these 1. Unless a Man be a Believer that is one that is truely ingrafted into Christ he can never mortifie any one Sin I do not say unless he know himself to be so but unless indeed he be so Mortification is the work of Believers Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit c. Ye Believers to whom there is no condemnation vers 1. They alone are exhorted to it Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members that are upon the earth Who should mortifie You who are risen with Christ vers 1. whose Life is hid with Christ in God vers 3. who shall appear with him in Glory vers 4. An unregenerate man may do something like it but the work it self so as it may be acceptable with God he can never perform You know what a Picture of it is drawn in some of the Philosophers Sencca Tuâ—ly Epictetus what affectionate Discourses they have of contempt of the World and Self of regulating and conquering all exorbitant Affections and Passions The Lives of most of them manifested that their Maxims differed as much from true Mortification as the Sun painted on a Sign-post from the Sun in the Firmament They had neither Light nor Heat Their own Lucian sufficiently manifests what they all were There is no Death of Sin without the Death of Christ. You know what Attempts there are made after it by the Papists in their Vows Penances and Satisfactions I dare say of Them I mean as many of them as act upon the Principles of their Church as they call it what Paul sâ—yes of Israel in point of Righteousness Rom. 9.31 32. They have followed after Mortification but they have not Attained to it Wherefore Because they seek it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law The same is the State and Condition of all amongst our selves who in Obedience to their Convictions and awakened Consciences do attempt a Relinquishment of Sin they follow after it but they do not Attain it It is true it is it will be required of every person whatever that hears the Law or Gospel preached that he mortifie Sin It is his Duty but it is not his immediate Duty It is his Duty to do it but to do it in Gods way If you require your Servant to pay so much Money for you in such a place but first to go and take it up in another it is his Duty to pay the Money appointed and you will blame him if he do it not yet it was not his immediate Duty he was first to take it up according to your direction So it is in this Case Sin is to be mortified but something is to be done in the first place to enable us thereunto I have proved that it is the Spirit alone that can mortifie Sin He is promised to doe it and all other means without him are empty and vain How shall he then mortifie Sin that hath not the Spirit A man may easier see without Eyes speak without a Tongue than truely Mortifie one Sin without the Spirit Now how is he attained It is the Spirit of Christ and as the Apostle sayes if we have not the Spirit of Christ we are none of his Rom. 8.9 So if we are Christs have an Interest in him we have the Spirit and so alone have power for Mortification This the Apostle discourses at large Rom. 8. v. 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God It is the Inference and Conclusion he makes of his foregoing Discourse about our Natural state and Condition and the Enmity we have unto God and his Law therein If we are in the flesh if we have not the Spirit we cannot do any thing that should please God But what is our deliverance from this Condition vers 9. But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Ye Believers that have the Spirit of Christ ye are not in the flesh There is no way of Deliverance from the State and Condition of being in the flesh but by the Spirit of Christ And what if this Spirit of Christ be in you why then you are mortified vers 10. the Body is dead because of Sin or unto it Mortification is carryed on the New Man is quickened to Righteousness This the Apostle proves vers 11. from the Vnion we have with Christ by the Spirit which will produce suitable Operations in us to what it wrought in him All attempts then for Mortification of any Lust without an Interest in Christ are vain Many men that are gaâ—led with and for Sin the arrowes of Christ for Conviction by the Preaching of the Word or some Affliction having been made sharp in their hearts do vigorously set themselves against this or that particular Lust wherewith their Consciences have been most disquieted or perplexed But poor Creatures they labour in the Fire and their work consumeth When the Spirit of Christ comes to this work he will be as Refiners Fire and as Fullers Sope and he will purge men as Gold and Silver Mal. 3.3 take away their dross and tin their filth and blood as Isa. 4.3 But men must be Gold and Silver in the bottom or else Refining will do them no good The Prophet gives us the sad issue of wicked mens utmost Attempts for Mortification by what Means soever that God affords them Jer. 6.29 30. The Bellowes are burnt and the Lead is consumed of the fire the Founder melteth in vain Reprobate Silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them And what is the Reason hereof v. 28. they were Brass and Iron when they were put into the Furnace Men may refine Brass and Iron long enough before they will be good Silver I say then Mortification is not the present business of unregenerate men God calls them not to it as yet Conversion is their work The Conversion of the whole Soul not the Mortification of this or that particular Lust. You would laugh at a man that you should see setting up a great Fabrick and never take any care for a Foundation especially if you should see him so foolish as that having a thousand Experiences that what he built one day fell down another he would yet continue in the same course So it is with convinced Persons Though they plainly see that what ground they get against Sin oneâ—day â—day they lose another yet they will go on in the same Road still without enquiring where the destructive flaw in
15.9 or as Peter speaks we purifie our Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 And without it it will not be done What hath been spoken I suppose is sufficient to make good my first general Rule Be sure to get an Interest in Christ if you intend to mortifie any sin without it it will never be done Ob. You will say What then would you have unregenerate men that are convinced of the Evil of sin do Shall they cease striving against sin live dissolutely give their Lusts their swinge and be as bad as the worst of men This were a way to set the whole world into Confusion to bring all things into darkness to set open the flood-gates of lust and lay the Reins upon the Necks of men to rush into all sin with delight and greediness like the horse into the battle Ans. 1. God forbid It is to be looked on as a great issue of the Wisdom Goodness and Love of God that by manifold wayes and means he is pleased to restrain the Sons of men from running forth into that compass of excess and riot which the depravedness of their Nature would carry them out unto with violence By what way soever this is done it is an issue of the care kindness and Goodness of God without which the whole Earth would be an Hell of Sin and Confusion 2. There is a peculiar convincing Power in the Word which God is often-times pleased to put forth to the wounding amazing and in some sort humbling of Sinners though they are never converted And the Word is to be preached though it hath this End yet not with this End Let then the Word be preached and the sins of men rebuked Lust will be restrained and some Oppositions will be made against Sin though that be not the Effect aymed at 3. Though this be the work of the Word and Spirit and it be good in it self yet it is not profitable nor available as to the main End in them in whom it is wrought they are still in the gall of Bitterness and under the power of darkness 4. Let men know it is their Duty but in its proper place I take not men from Mortification but put them upon Conversion He that shall call a man from mending a Hole in the Wall of his House to quench a Fire that is consuming the whole Building is not his Enemy Poor Soul it is not thy Sore-finger but thy Hectick-Feaver that thou art to apply thy self to the Consideration of Thou settest thy self against a particular Sin and doest not consider that thou art nothing but Sin Let me adde this to them who are Preachers of the Word or intend through the good hand of God that Employment It is their Duty to plead with men about their Sins to lay load on particular sins but alwayes remember that it be done with that which is the proper End of Law and Gospel That is that they make use of the Sin they speak against to the discovery of the State and Condition wherein the Sinner is Otherwise happily they may work men to Formality and Hypocrisie but little of the true End of Preaching the Gospel will be brought about It will not avail to beat a man off from his Drunkenness into a sober Formality A skilfull Master of the Assemblies layes his Axe at the Root drives still at the heart To inveigh against particular sins of ignorant unregenerate persons such as the Land is full of is a good Work But yet though it may be done with great efficacy vigour and success if this be all the effect of it that they are set upon the most sedulous Endeavours of mortifying their sins preached down all that is done is but like the beating of an Enemy in an open field and driving him into an impregnable Castle not to be prevailed against Get you at any time a sinner at the advantage on the account of any one sin whatever have you any thing to takâ— hold of him by bring it to his State and Condition drive it up to the head and there deal with him to break men off from particular sins and not to break their Hearts is to deprive our selves of Advantages of dealing with them And herein is the Roman Mortification grievously peccant they drive all sorts of persons to it without the least Consideration whether they have a principle for it or no. Yea they are so far from calling on men to believe that they may be able to mortifie their Lusts that they call men to Mortification instead of Believing The truth is they neither know what it is to believe nor what Mortification it self intends Faith with them is but a general assent to the Doctrine taught in their Church And Mortification the betaking of a man by a Vow to some certain Course of Life wherein he dâ—â—yes himself something of the use of the things of this World not without a considerable Compensation Such men know neither the Scriptures nor the Power of God Their boasting of their Mortification is but their Glorying in their shame Some Casuists among our selves who over-looking the Necessity of Regeneration do avowedly give this for a Direction to all sorts of persons that complain of any Sin or Lust that they should vow against it at least for a season a Moneth or so seem to have a scantling of Light in the Mystery of the Gospel much like that of Nicodemus when he came first to Christ. They bid men vow to abstain from their sin for a season This commonly makes their lust more impetuous Perhaps with great perplexity they keep their word Perhaps not which increases their Guilt and Torment Is their sin at all mortified hereby Do they find a conquest over it Is their Condition changed though they attain a Relinquishment of it Are they not still in the Gall of bitterness Is not this to put men to make Brick if not without straw which is worse without strength What Promise hath any unregenerate man to countenance him in this work What assistance for the performance of it Can sin be killed without an interest in the Death of Christ or Mortified without the Spirit If such Directions should prevail to change mens Lives as seldom they doe yet they never reach to the change of their hearts or Conditions They may make men self-justitiaries or Hypocrites not Christians It grieves me oft-times to see poor Souls that have a Zeal for God and a desire of eternal Welfare kept by such Directors and Directions under an hard burdensome outside Worship and Service of God with many specious Endeavours for Mortification in an utter Ignorance of the Righteousness of Christ and unacquaintedness with his Spirit all their dayes Persons and things of this kind I know too many If ever God shine into their hearts to give them the knowledge of his Glory in the face of his Son Jesus Christ they will see the folly of their present way CHAP.
VIII The Second general Rule proposed Without universal Sincerity for the mortifying of every Lust no Lust will be Mortified Partial Mortification alwayes from a corrupt Principle Perplexity of Temptation from a Lust oft-times a chastening for other Negligences THE Second Principle which to this purpose I shall propose is this Without Sincerity and Diligence in an Vniversality of Obedience there is no Mortification of any one perplexing Lust to be obtained The other was to the Person this to the thing it self I shall a little explain this Position A man finds any Lust to bring him into the Condition formerly described it is powerfull strong tumultuating leads captive vexes disquiets takes away peace He is not able to bear it wherefore he sets himself against it prayes against it groans under it sighs to be delivered but in the mean time perhaps in other Duties in constant Communion with God in Reading Prayer and Meditation in other wayes that are not of the same kind with the Lust wherewith he is troubled he is loose and negligent Let not that man think that ever he shall arrive to the Mortification of the Lust he is perplexed withall This is a Condition that not seldom befalls men in their Pilgrimage The Israelites under a sense of their Sin drew nigh to God with much diligence and earnestness with Fasting and Prayer Isa. 58. many Expressions are made of their Earnestness in the work v. 2. They seek me daily and delight to know my Wayes they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice they delight in approaching unto God But God rejects all their Fast iâ— a Remedy that will not heal them and the Reason given of it v. 5 6 7. is because they were particular in this Duty They attended diligently to that but in others were negligent and careless He that hath a running sore it is the Scripture Expression upon him arising from an ill habit of Body contracted by Intemperance and ill Dyet let him apply himself with what diligence and skill he can to the cure of his sore if he leave the general habit of his body under Distempers his labour and travail will be in vain So will his attempts be that shall endeavour to stop a bloody issue of Sin and filth in his Soul and is not equally carefull of his universal spiritual temperature and Constitution For 1. This kind of Endeavour for Mortification proceeds from a corrupt Principle Ground and Foundation so that it will never proceed to a good Issue The true and acceptable Principles of Mortification shall be afterward insisted on Hatred of Sin as Sin not only as galling or disquieting sence of the Love of Christ in the Cross lyes at the bottome of all true spiritual Mortification Now it is certain that that which I speak of proceeds from self-love Thou settest thy self with all diligence and earnestness to mortifie such a Lust or Sin what is the Reason of it It disquiets thee it hath taken away thy peace it fills thy heart with sorrow and trouble and fear thou hast no rest because of it Yea but Friend thou hast neglected Prayer or Reading thou hast been vain and loâ—se in thy Conversation in other things that have not been of the same nature with that lust wherewith thou art perplexed These are no less sins and evils than those under which thou groanest Jesus Christ bled for Them also Why dost thou not set thy self against them also If thou hatedst sin as Sin every evil way thou wouldst be no less watchfull against every thing that grieves and disquiets the Spirit of God than against that which grieves and disquiets thine own Soul It is evident that thou contendest against sin meerly because of thy own trouble by it Would thy Conscience be quiet under it thou would'st let it alone Did it not disquiet thee it should not be disquieted by thee Now canst thou think that God will set in with such hypocritical Endeavours that ever his Spirit will bear witness to the treachery and Falshood of thy Spirit Dost thou think he will ease thee of that which perplexeth Thee that thou mayst be at liberty to that which no less grieves Him No sayes God here is one if he could be rid of this Lust I should never hear of him more let him wrestle with this or he is lost Let not any man think to do his own work that will not do God's God's work consists in universal Obedience To be freed of the present perplexity is their own only Hence is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.1 Cleanse your selves from all pollution of Flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. If we will do any thing we must do all things So then not onely an intense Opposition to this or that peculiar lust but it is an universal humble Frame and Temper of Heart with watchfulness over every Evil and for the performance of every Duty that is accepted 2. How know'st thou but that God hath suffered the Lust wherewith thou hast been perplexed to get strength in thee and power over thee to chasten thee for thy other Negligences and common Lukewarmness in walking before him at least to awaken thee to the consideration of thy wayes that thou mayst make a through work and change in thy course of walking with him The Rage and predominancy of a particular Lust is commonly the fruit and issue of a careless negligent course in general and that upon a double account 1 As its natural Effect if I may so say Lust as I shewed in general lyes in the Heart of every one even the best whilest he lives and think not that the Scripture speaks in vain that it is subtle cunning crafty that it seduces entices fights â—ebells Whilest a man keeps a diligent Watch over his Heart its Root and Fountain whilest above all keepings he keeps his Heart whence are the issues of Life and Death Lust withers and dyes in it But if through Negligence it makes an Eruption any particular way gets a passage to the Thoughts by the Affections and from them and by them perhaps breaks out into open sin in the Conversation the strength of it bears that way it hath found out and that way mainly it urgeth untill having got a passage it then vexes and disquiets and is not easily to be restrained Thus perhaps a man may be put to wrestle all his dayes in sorrow with that which by a strict universal Watch might easily have been prevented 2 As I said God often-times suffers it to chasten our other Negligences for as with Wicked men he gives them up to one Sin as the Judgement of another a greater for the punishment of a less or one that will hold them more firmly and securely for that which they might have possibly obtained a Deliverance from So even with his own he may he doth leave them sometimes to some vexatious distempers either to prevent or cure some other Evil So was the
the Corinthians reckons this as one eminent Grace that was then set on work vehement Desire 2 Cor. 7.11 And in this case of indwelling Sin and the power of it what Frame doth he express himself to be in Rom. 7.24 His heart breaks out with longings into a most passionate Expression of desire of deliverance Now if this be the frame of Saints upon the general consideration of indwelling Sin how is it to be heightened and increased when thereunto is added the perplexing Rage and Power of any particular Lust and Corruption Assure thy self unless thou longest for Deliverance thou shalt not have it This will make the Heart watchfull for all Opportunities of Advantage against its Enemy and ready to close with any Assistances that are afforded for its Destruction strong Desires are the very Life of that praying alwayes which is enjoyned us in all Conditions and in none is more necessary than in this they set Faith and Hope on work and are the Souls moving after the Lord. Get thy Heart then into a panting and breathing Frame long sigh cry out you know the Example of David I shall not need to insist on it The Fifth Directions is 5 ly Consider whether the Distemper with which thou art perplexed be not rooted in thy Nature and cherished fomented and heightned from thy Constitution A proneness to some Sins may doubtless lye in the Natural Temper and Disposition of men In this Case consider 1. This is not in the least an Extenuation of the Guilt of thy Sin Some with an open Profaneness will ascribe gross Enormities to their Temper and Disposition And whether others may not relieve themselves from the pressing Guilt of their Distempers by the same Consideration I know not It is from the Fâ—ll from the Original depravation of our Natures that the fomes and Nourishment of any Sin abides in our Natural Temper David reckons his being shapen in Iniquity and conception in Sin Psal. 51.5 as an Aggravation of his following Sin not a lessening or extenuation of it That thou art peculiarly inclined unto any sinfull Distemper is but a peculiar breaking out of Original Lust in thy Nature which should peculiarly abase and humble thee 2. That thou hast to fix upon on this account in reference to thy walking with God is that so great an Advantage is given to Sin as also to Satan by this thy Temper and Disposition that without extraordinary Watchfulness Care and Diligence they will assuredly prevail against thy Soul Thousands have been on this account hurryed headlong to Hell who otherwise at least might have gone at a more gentle less provoking less mischievous rate 3. For the Mortification of any Distemper so rooted in the Nature of a Man unto all other Wayes and Means already named or farther to be insisted on there is one expedient peculiarly suited This is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection The bringing of the very Body into subjection is an Ordinance of God tending to the Mortification of Sin This gives check unto the Natural Root of the Distemper and withers it by taking away its fatness of soil Perhaps because the Papists men ignorant of the Righteousness of Christ the Work of his Spirit and whole business in hand have layed the whole weight and stress of Mortification in voluntary Services and Penances leading to the subjection of the Body knowing indeed the true Nature neither of Sin nor Mortification it may on the other side be a Temptation to some to neglect some means of humiliation which by God himself are owned and appointed The bringing of the body into subjection in the case insisted on by cutting short the Natural Appetite by fasting watching and the like is doubtless acceptable to God so it be done with the ensuing limitations 1 That the outward weakening and impairing of the Body be not looked upon as a thing good in it self or that any Mortification doth consist therein which were again to bring us under carnal Ordinances but only as a Means for the End proposed the weakening of any Distemper in its Natural root and seat A man may have leanness of Body and Soul together 2 That the means whereby this is done namely by fasting and watching and the like be not looked on as things that in Themselves and by virtue of their Own Power can produce true Mortification of any Sin for if they would Sin might be mortified without any help of the Spirit in any unregenerate person in the world They are to be looked on onely as wayes whereby the Spirit may and sometimes doth put forth strength for the accomplishing of his own work especially in the Case mentioned Want of a right understanding and due Improvement of these and the like Considerations hath raised a Mortification among the Papists that may be better applyed to Horses and other Beasts of the Field than to Believers This is the summe of what hath been spoken when the distemper complained of seems to be rooted in Natural temper and constitution in applying our Souls to a participation of the Blood and Spirit of Christ an Endeavour is to be used to give check in the way of God to the natural Root of that Distemper Sixthly Consider what Occasions what Advantages thy Distemper hath taken to exert and put forth it self and watch against them all This is one part of that Duty which our blessed Saviour recommends to his Disciples under the name of watching Mark 13.37 I say unto you all Watch which in Luk. 21.34 is Take heed that your hearts be not overcharged Watch against all Eruptions of thy Corruptions I mean that Duty which David professed himself to be exercised unto I have saith he kept my self from mine Iniquity he watched all the wayes and workings of his Iniquity to prevent them to rise up against them This is that which we are called unto under the name of Considering our Wayes Consider what Wayes what Companyes what Opportunities what Studies what Businesses what Conditions have at any time given or do usually give advantages to thy Distempers and set thy self heedfully against them all Men will do this with respect unto their bodily infirmities and distempers The Seasons the Dyet the Ayre that have proved offensive shall be avoyded Are the the things of the Soul of less importance Know that he that dares to dâ—lly with Occasions of Sin will dare to Sin He that will venture upon Temptations unto Wickedness will venture upon Wickedness Hazael thought he should not be so wicked as the Prophet told him he would be To convince him the Prophet tells him no more but Thou shalt be King of Syria If he will venture on Temptations unto Cruelty he will be cruel Tell a man he shall commit such and such Sins he will startle at it If you can convince him that he will venture on such Occasions and Temptations of them he will have little ground left
Faith takes several views of Christ according to the Occasions of Address to him and communion with him that it hath Sometimes it views his Holiness sometimes his power sometimes his love his favour with his Father And when it goes for healing and peace it looks especially on the blood of the Covenant on his Sufferings for by his stripes are we healed and the chastisement of our peace was upon him Isa. 53.5 when we look for Healing his stripes are to be eyed not in the outward story of them which is the course of Popish Devotionists but in the Love Kindness Mystery and design of the Cross. And when we look for peace his Chastisements must be in our eye Now this I say if it be done according to the mind of God and in the strength of that Spirit which is poured out on Believers it will beget a detestation of that sin or sins for which healing and peace is sought So Ezek. 16.60 61. nevertheless I will remember my Covenant with thee in the dayes of thy youth and I will establish unto thee an everlasting Covenant and what then then thou shalt remember thy wayes and be ashamed When God comes home to speak peace in a sure Covenant of it it fills the Soul with shame for all the wayes whereby it hath been alienated from him And one of the things that the Apostle mentions as attending that godly sorrow which is accompanyed with Repentance unto Salvation never to be repented of is revenge yea what revenge 2 Cor. 7.11 They reflected on their miscarriages with Indignation and Revenge for their Folly in them When Job comes up to a through healing he cryes Now I abhorre my self Job 42.6 and untill he did so he had no abiding peace He might perhaps have made up himself with that Doctrine of free Grace which was so excellently preached by Elihu Chap. 33. from v. 14. unto the 29th but he had then but skinned his wounds he must come to self-abhorrency if he come to healing So was it with those in Psal. 78.33 35. in their great trouble and perplexity for and upon the Account of Sin I doubt not but upon the Address they made to God in Christ for that so they did is evident from the titles they gave him they call him their Rock and their Redeemer two words every where pointing out the Lord Christ they spake peace to themselves but was it sound and abiding No it passed away as the early dew God speaks not one word of peace to their Souls But why had they not peace Why because in their Address to God they flattered him But how doth that appear vers 37. Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast They had not a detestation nor relinquishment of that sin in reference whereunto they spake peace to themselves Let a man make what application he will for healing and peace let him do it to the true Physitian let him do it the right way let him quiet his Heart in the Promises of the Covenant yet when Peace is spoken if it be not attended with the detestation and Abhorrency of that Sin which was the wound and caused the Disquietment this is no Peace of Gods creating but of our own purchasing It is but a skinning over the wound whilest the core lyes at the bottom which will putrifie and corrupt and corrode untill it break out again with noysomness vexation and danger Let not poor Souls that walk in such a path as this they are more sensible of the trouble of Sin than of the pollution or uncleanness that attends it they address themselves for mercy yea to the Lord in Christ they address themselves for mercy but yet will keep the sweet Morsel of their Sin under their Tongue let them I say never think to have true and solid peace For instance Thou findest thy Heart running out after the World and it disturbs thee in thy communion with God the Spirit speaks expressely to thee He that loveth the World the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 This puts thee on dealing with God in Christ for the healing of thy Soul the quieting of thy Conscience but yet withall a through detestation of the evil it self abides not upon thee yea perhaps that is liked well enough but onely in respect of the Consequences of it perhaps thou mayst be saved yet as through fire and God will have some work with thee before he hath done but thou wilt have little Peace in this Life thou wilt be sick and fainting all thy dayes Isa. 57.17 This is a Deceit that lyes at the root of the Peace of many Professors and waâ—ts it they deal with all their strength about Mercy and Pardon and seem to have great Communion with God in their so doing they lye before him bewail their Sins and Follies that any one would think yea they think themselves that surely they and their Sins are now parted and so receive in Mercy that satisfies their Hearts for a little season but when a through search comes to be made there hath been some secret reserve for the Folly or Follyes treated about at least there hath not been that through Abhorrency of it which is necessary and their whole peace is quickly discovered to be weak â—nd rotten scarce abiding any longer than the words of begging it are in their mouths 2 When men measure out peace to themselves upon the conclusions that their convictions and Rational Principles will carry them out unto This is a false peace and will not abide I shall a little explain what I mean hereby A man hath got a wound by sin he hath a Conviction of some Sin upon his Conscience he hath not walked uprightly as becometh the Gospel all is not well and right between God and his Soul He considers now what is to be done Light he hath and knows what Path he must take and how his Soul hath been formerly healed Considering that the Promises of God are the outward Means of Application for the healing of his sores and quieting of his Heart he goes to them searches them out finds out some one or more of them whose literal Expressions are directly suited to his condition Sayes he to himself God speaks in this Promise here I will take my self a plaister as long and broad as my wound and so brings the word of the promise to his Condition and sets him down in peace This is another appearance upon the mount the Lord is neer but the Lord is not in it It hath not been the work of the Spirit who alone can convince us of Sin and Righteousness and Judgement but the mere Actings of the intelligent rational Soul As there are three sorts of Lives we say the vegetative the sensitive and the rational or intelligent Some things have onely the vegetative some the sensitive also and that includes the former some have the rational which takes in and supposes both
and then indeed it doth good unto the Soul If thou haâ—â— had a wound upon thy Conscience which was attended with weakness and disquietness which now thou art freed of How cameâ—t thou so I looked to the Promises of pardon and healing and so found Peace Yea but perhaps thou hast made too much haste thou hast done it overly thou hast not fed upon the Promise so as to mix it with Faith to have got all the virtue of it diffused into thy Soul onely thou hast done it slightly thou wilt find thy wound ere it be long breaking out again and thou shalt know that thou art not cured 4 Whoever speaks peace to himself upon any one account and at the same time hath another Evil of no less importance lying upon his Spirit about which he hath had no dealing with God that man cryâ—s Peace when there is none A little to explain my Meaning A man hath neglected a Duty again and again perhaps when in all Righteousness it was due from him his Conscience is perplexed his Soul wounded he hath no quiet in his Bones by reason of his Sin he applyes himself for Healing and finds Peace Yet in the mean time perhaps worldliness or Pride or some other folly where with the Spirit of God is exceedingly grieved may lye in the bosom of that man and they neither disturb him nor he them Let not that man think that any of his Peace is from God Then shall it be well with men when they have an equal respect to all Gods Commandements God will justifie us from our sins but he will not justifie the least sin in us He is a God of purer eyes than to behold Iniquity 5 When men of themselves speak peace to their Consciences it is seldom that God speaks humiliation to their Souls Gods Peace is humbling Peace melting Peace as it was in the case of David Psal. 51.1 Never such deep humiliation as when Nathan brought him the tidings of his Pardon Q. But you will say When may we take the comfort of a Promise as our own in relation to some peculiar wound for the quieting the Heart A. 1. In general when God speaks it be it when it will sooner or later I told you before He may doe it in the very instant of the sin it self and that with such irresistable power that the Soul must needs receive his mind in it Sometimes he will make us wait longer but when he speaks be it sooner or later be it when we are sinning or repenting be the Condition of our Souls what they please if God speak he must be received There is not any thing that in our Communion with him the Lord is more troubled with us for if I may so say than our unbelieving Fears that keep us off from receiving that strong consolation which he is so willing to give to us But you will say We are where we were when God syeaks it we must receive it that is true but how shall we know when he speaks Ans. 1. I would we could all practically come up to this to receive peace when we are convinced that God speaks it and that it is our Duty to receive it But 2. There is if I may so say a secret instinct in Faith whereby it knowes the voice of Christ when He speaks indeed as the babe leaped in the womb when the blessed Virgin came to Elizabeth Faith leaps in the heart when Christ indeed draws nigh to it My sheep sayes Christ know my voyce Joh. 10.14 they know my voice they are used to the sound of it and they know when his lips are opened to them and are full of Grace The spouse was in a sad condition Cant. 5.2 asleep in security but yet as soon as Christ speaks she cryes it is the voice of my beloved that speaks She knew his voice and was so acquainted with communion with him that instantly she discovers him and so will you also if you exercise your selves to acquaintance communion with him you will easily discern between his voice and the voice of a stranger And take this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with you when he doth speak he speaks as never man spake He speaks with power and one way or other will make your hearts burn within you as He did to the Disciples Luk. 22. He doth it by putting in his hand at the hole of the door Cant. 5.4 his spirit into your hearts to seise on you He that hath his sences exercised to discerne good or evil being encreased in judgement and experience by a constant observation of the wayes of Christ's entercourse the manner of the operations of the spirit and the effects it usually produceth is the best judge for himself in this case 2. If the word of the Lord doth good to your souls He speaks it If it humble if it cleanse and be usefull for those ends for which promises are given viz. 1 To endear 2. cleanse 3. To Melt and bind to Obedience 4. To self-emptiness c. But this is not my business Nor shall I farther divert in the pursuit of this Direction without the observation of it Sin will have great Advantages towards the hardening of the Heart CHAP. XIV The general use of the foregoing Directions The great Direction for the accomplishment of the Work aymed at Act Faith on Christ The several Wayes whereby this may be done Consideration of the Fulness in Christ for Relief proposed Great Expectations from Christ Grounds of these Expectations His Mercifulness his Faithfulness Event of such Expectations On the part of Christ On the part of Believers Faith peculiarly to be acted on the Death of Christ Rom. 6.3 4 5 6. The Work of the Spirit in this whole business NOW the Considerations which I have hitherto insisted on are rather of things preparatory to the work aymed at than such as will effect it It is the hearts due preparation for the work it self without which it will not be accomplished that hitherto I have aymed at Directions for the work it self are very few I mean that are peculiar to it And they are these that follow First Set Faith at work on Christ for the killing of thy sin His blood is the great soveraigne remedy for sin-sick souls Live in this and thou wilt dye a Conqueror Yea thou wilt through the good providence of God live to see thy lust dead at thy feet But thou wilt say how shall Faith act its self on Christ for this end and purpose I say sundry wayes 1. By faith fill thy soul with a due consideration of that provision which is layed up in Jesus Christ for this end and purpose that all thy lusts this very lust wherewith thou art entangled may be mortified by Faith ponder on this that though thou art no way able in or by thy self to get the conquest over thy distemper though thou art even weary of contending and art utterly ready to faint Luke 16.17 yet that
there is enough in Jesus Christ to yield thee relief Phil. 4.13 It staid the prodigal when he was ready to faint that yet there was bread enough in his father's house Though he was at a distance from it yet it releived him and staid him that there it was In thy greatest distress and anguish consider that fullness of Grace those Riches those Treasures of strength might and help that are laid up in him for our support Joh. 1.16 Col. 1.19 Let them come into and abide in thy mind Consider that he is exalted and made a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel Act. 5.31 and if to give Repentance to give Mortification without which the other is not nor can be Christ tels us that we obtain purging Grace by abiding in him Joh. 15.3 To act faith upon the fulness that is in Christ for our supply is an eminent way of abiding in Christ for both our insition and aboade is by Faith Rom. 11.19 20. Let then thy soul by faith be exercised with such thoughts and apprehensions as these I am a poor weak Creature unstable as water I cannot excel This corruption is to hard for me and is at the very door of ruining my soul and what to do I know not My soul is become as parched ground and an habitation of Dragons I have made promises and broken them vowes and engagemens have been as a thing of nought many perswasions have I had that I had got the victory and should be delivered but I am deceived so that I plainly see that without some eminent succour and assistance I am lost and shall be prevailed on to an utter relinquishment of God but yet though this be my staâ—e and Condition Yet let the hands that hang down be lifted up and the feeble knees be strengthned behold the Lord Christ that hath all fullness of Grace in his heart all fullness of power in his hand He is able to slay all these his enemies There is sufficient provision in him for my relief and assistance He can take my drooping dying soul and make me more than a Conquerer Why sayest thou O my soul my way is hid from the Lord and my Judgment is passed over from my God Hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends the of the earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his understanding he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fail but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint Isa. 40.49 c. He can make the dry parched ground of my soul to become a poole and my thirsty barren heart as springs of water yea he can make this habitation of Dragons this heart so full of abominable lusts and fiery temptations to be a place for Grass and fruit to himself Isa. 35. So God stayed Paul under his Temptation with the Consideration of the sufficiency of his Grace My Grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 Though he were not immediately so farre made partaker of it as to be freed from his Temptation yet the sufficiency of it in God for that end and purpose was enough to stay his Spirit I say then by faith be much in the Consideration of that supply and the fullness of it that is in Jesus Christ and how he can at any time give thee strength and deliverance Now if hereby thou dost not find success to a conquest yet thou wilt be staid in the Charriot that thou shalt not fly out of the field until the battel be ended Thou wilt be kept from an utter despondency and a lying down under thy unbelief or a turning aside to false means and remedies that in the issue will not relieve thee The efficacy of this Consideration will be found only in the practice 2. Raise up thy heart by faith to an expectation of Relief from Christ Relief in this case from Christ is like the Prophets vision Hab. 2.3 It is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lye though it tarry yet wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry though it may seem somewhat long to thee whilest thou art under thy trouble and perplexity yet it shall surely come in the appointed time of the Lord Jesus which is the best season If then thou canst raise up thy heart to a settled Expectation of relief from Jesus Christ if thine eyes are towards him as the eyes of a servant to the hand of his master Psal. 123.2 when he expects to receive somewhat from him thy soul shall be satisfied Isa. 7.8 he will assuredly deliver thee He will slay the lust and thy latter end shall be peace only look for it at His hand expect when and how He will doe it If you will not believe surely ye shall not be established Q. But thou wilt say what ground have I to build such an Expectation upon so that I may expect not to be deceived A. As thou hast necessity to put thee on this course Joh. 6.68 thou must be relieved and saved this way or none to whom wilt thou goe so there are in the Lord Jesus innumerable things to encourage and engage thee to this Expectation For the necessity of it I have in part discovered it before when I manifested that this is the work of Faith and of Believers only Without me says Christ you can doe nothing Joh. 15.15 speaking with especial relation to the purging of the heart from sin vers 2. Mortification of any sin must be by a supply of Grace Of our selves we cannot doe it Now it hath pleased the Father that in Christ all fullness should dwell Col. 1.19 that of his fulness we might receive Grace for Grace Joh. 1.16 He is the head from whence the new man must have influences of life and strength or it will decay every day If we are strengthned with might in the inner man Col. 1.11 it is by Christs dwelling in our hearts by faith Eph. 3.16 17. That this work is not to be done without the Spirit I have also shewed before Whence then do we expect the Spirit from whom do we look for him Who hath promised him to us having procured him for us Ought not all our expectations to this purpose to be on Christ alone Let this then be fixed upon thy heart that if thou hast not relief from him thou shalt never have any All wayes endeavours contendings that are not animated by this expectation of releif from Christ and him only are to no purpose will do thee no Good yea if they are any thing but supportments of thy heart in this expectation or means appointed by
himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 This was his Aym and Intendment wherein he will not fail in his giving himself for us That we might be freed from the Power of our Sins and purified from all our defiling Lusts was his Design He gave himself for the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Eph. 5.25 26 27. And this by virtue of his death in various and several degrees shall be accomplished Hence our washing purging and cleansing is every where ascribed to his Blood 1 Joh. 1.7 Heb. 1.3 Revelat. 1.5 That being sprinkled on us Purgeâ— our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 This is that we aim at this we are in pursuit of that our Consciences may be purged from dead works that they may be rooted out destroyed and have place in us no more This shall certainly be brought about by the Death of Christ There will virtue go out from thence to this purpose Indeed all Supplies of the Spirit all Communications of Grace and Power are from hence as I have elsewhere shewed Thus the Apostle states it Rom. 6. vers 2. is the Case proposed that we have in hand How shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein Dead to Sin by Profession dead to Sin by Obligation to be so dead to Sin by a Participation of Virtue and Power for the Killing of it dead to Sin by Vnion and Interest in Christ in and by whom it is killed How shall we live therein This he presses by sundry Considerations all taken from the Death of Christ in the ensuing Verses This must not be vers 3. Know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his Death We have in Baptisme an Evidence of our Implantation into Christ we are baptized into him But what of him are we baptized into an Interest in His Death saith he If indeed we are baptized into Christ and beyond Outward Profession we are â—â—ptized into his Death The Explication 〈◊〉 this of our being baptized into the Death of Christ the Apostle gives us vers 4 5. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into Death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in Newness of life Knowing this that our Old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin This is saith he our being baptized into the Death of Christ namely our Conformity thereunto To be dead unto Sin to have our corruptions mortified as he was put to death for Sin so that as he was raised up to Glory we may be raised up to Grace and Newness of Life He tells us whence it is that we have this Baptisme into the Death of Christ vers 6. and this is from the Death of Christ it self Our old Man is crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is crucified with him not in respect of Time but of Causality we are crucified with him meritoriously in that he procured the Spirit for us to mortifie Sin efficiently in that from his Death virtue comes forth for our crucifying in the way of a Representation and Exemplar we shall assuredly be crucified unto Sin as he was for our Sin This is that the Apostle intends Christ by his Death destroying the works of the Devil procuring the Spirit for us hath so killed Sin as to its Reign in Believers that it shall not obtain its End and Dominion 2 Then act Faith on the Death of Christ and that under these two Notions 1. In expectation of Power 2. In endeavours for Conformity For the First the Direction given in general may suffice As to the latter that of the Apostle may give us some Light into our Direction Gal. 3.1 Let Faith look on Christ in the Gospel as he is set forth dying and crucified for us Look on him under the weight of our Sins praying bleeding dying bring him in that Condition into thy heart by Faith apply his blood so shed to thy Corruptions do this daily I might draw out this Consideration to a great length in sundry particulars but I must come to a close I have onely then to adde the Heads of the work of the Spirit in this business of Mortification which is so peculiarly ascribed to him In one word This whole work which I have described as our Duty is effected carried on and accomplished by the Power of the Spirit in all the parts and degrees of it As 1. He alone clearly and fully convinces the Heart of the evil and guilt and danger of the Corruption Lust or Sin to be Mortified Without this Conviction or whilest it is faint that the Heart can wrestle with it or digest it there will be no through-through-work made An unbelieving Heart as in part we have all such will shift with any Consideration untill it be over-powred by clear and evident Convictions Now this is the proper work of the Spirit He convinces of Sin Joh. 16.8 He alone can do it If mens rational Considerations with the preaching of the letter were able to convince them of Sin we should it may be see more Convictions than we doe There comes by the preaching of the Word an Apprehension upon the understandings of men that they are Sinners that such and such things are Sins that themselves are guilty of them But this light is not powerfull nor doth it lay hold on the practical Principles of the Soul so as to conform the Mind and Will unto them to produce Effects suitable to such an Apprehension And therefore it is that wise and knowing men destitute of the Spirit do not think those things to be Sins at all wherein the chief Movings and Actings of Lust do consist It is the Spirit alone that can do that doth this work to the purpose And this is the first thing that the Spirit doth in order to the Mortification of any Lust whatever It convinces the Soul of all the evil of it cuts off all its pleas discovers all its deceits stops all its Evasions answers its Pretences makes the Soul own its Abomination and lye down under the sense of it Unless this be done all that followes is in vain 2. The Spirit alone reveals unto us the Fulness of Christ for our Relief which is the Consideration that stayes the Heart from false Wayes and from despairing Despondency 1 Cor. 2.8 3. The Spirit alone establishes the Heart in expectation of Relief from Christ which is the great sovereign Means of Mortification as hath been discovered 2 Cor. 1.21 4. The Spirit alone
brings the Cross of Christ into our Hearts with its Sin-killing Power for by the Spirit are we baptized into the Death of Christ. 5. The Spirit is the Author and Finisher of our Sanctification gives new Supplies and Influences of Grace for Holiness and Sanctification when the contrary Principle is weakened and abated Ephes. 3.16 17 18. 6. In all the Souls Addresses to God in this Condition it hath Supportment from the Spirit Whence is the power life and vigour of Prayer Whence its Efficacy to prevail with God Is it not from the Spirit He is the Spirit of supplication promised to them who look on him whom they have pierced Zech. 12.10 enabling them to pray with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8.16 This is confessed to be the great Medium or way of Faiths prevailing with God Thus Paul dealt with his Temptation whatever it were I besought God that it might depart from me 2 Cor. 12.8 What is the work of the Spirit in Prayer whence and how it gives us in assistance and makes us to prevail what we are to doe that we may enjoy his Help for that purpose is not my present Intendment to demonstrate FINIS A Catalogue of some Books Printed and Sold by Nat. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry Near Cornhil and in Chancery-lane near Fleet-street EXercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews also Concerning the Messiah wherein the Promises concerning him to be a spiritual Râ—deemer of Mankind are explained and Vindicated c. With an Exposition of and Discourses on the two first Chapters of the said Epistle to the Hebrews By John Owen D. D. in Folio Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews concerning the Priesthood of Christ wherein the Original Causes Nature Prefigurations and Discharge of that Holy Office are Explained and Vindicated The Nature of the Covenant of the Redeemer with the Call of the Lord Christ unto his Office are declared and the Opinions of the Socinians about it are fully Examined and thâ—ir oppâ—â—â—â—ions unto it refuted With a Continuation of the Expâ—â—â—ion on the third fourth and fifth Chapters of the said Epistle to the Hebrews being the Second Voluâ—â— By John Owen D. D. in Folio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or A Discourse concerning tâ—e Hoâ—y â—â—irit Wherein an account is given of his Name â—â—â—â—re â—â—â—â—â—nality Dispensation Operations and Effects His whole Work in the Old and new Creation is explained â—he Doctrine concerning it vindicated from Opposâ—â—â—ions aâ—d Reproaches The Nature also and Necessity of Gospel-Holiness the difference between Grace and Morality or a spiritual Life unto God in Evangelical Obediâ—nce and a course of Moral Vertues are stated and declared By John Owen D. D. in Folio A practical Exposition on the 130 Psalm where in the Nature of the forgiveneâ—â—â—f Sin is declared the Truth and Reality of it aâ—â—erted and the case of a Soul distressed with the guilt of Sin and relieved by a Discovery of Forgiveness with God is at large discoursed By John Owen D. D. in Quarto A Practical Discourse of Gods Sovereignty with other Material points deriving thence Londons Lamentations or a sober serious Discourse concerning the late Fiery Dispensation By Mr. Thomas Brooks late Preacher of the Word at St. Margarets New-Fish street London in Quarto Liberty of Conscience upon its true and proper grounds asserted and vindicated c. To which is added the Second Part viz. Liberty of Conscience the Magistrates Interest By a Protestant a Lover of Truth and the Peace and Prosperity of the Nation in Quarto The Second Edition A Discourse of the Nature Power Deceit and Prevalency of the Remainders of Indwelling-Sin in Believers Together with the ways of its working and means of prevention By John Owen D. D. in Octavo Truth and Innocency Vindicated In a Survey of a Discourse concerning Ecclesiastical Polity and the Authority of the Civil Magistrate over the Consciences of Subjects in matters of Religion By Joh. Owen D.D. in octa Exercitations concerning the Name Original Nature use and continuance of a Sacred day of Rest wherein the Original of the Sabath from the foundation of the World the Morality of the fourth Commandment with the change of the Sabbath-day are enquired into Together with an Assertion of the Divine Institution of the Lords Day By John Owen D.D. in Octavo The Second Impression Evangelical Love Church-Peace and Unity By Jo. Owen D. D. The unreasonableness of Atheism made manifest in a Discourse to a Person of Honour By Sir Charles Wolsely Baronet Third Impression The Reasonableness of Scripture-Belief A Discourse giving some Account of those Rational Grounds upon which the Bible is received as the Word of God Written by Sir Charles Wolsely Baronet The Rehearsal Transpros'd or Animadversions upon a late Book intituled A Preface shewing what grounds there are of fears and jealousies of Popery The first Part By Andrew Marvel Esq. The Rehearsal Transpros'd the second Part. Occasioned by two Letters the first Printed by a nameless Authors intituled A Reproof c. the second a Letter left at a Friends House dated Nov. 3. 1673. subscribed J.G. and concluding with these words If thou darest to Print or Publish any Lye or Libel against Dr. Parker by the Eternal God I will cut thy Throat Answered by Andrew Marvel Theopolis or the City of God New Jerusalem in opposition to the City of the Nations Great Babylon By Henry D'anvers in Octavo A Guide for the Practical Gauger with a Compendium of Decimal Arithmetick shewing briefly the whole Art of Gauging of Brewers Tuns Coppers Backs c. Also the Mash or Oyld-Cask and Sybrant Hantz his Table of Area's of Segments of a Circle the Mensuration of all manner of Superficies By VVilliam Hunt Student in the Mathematicks in Octavo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoc est Domus Mosaicae Clavis five Legis Sepimentum Authore Josepho Cooper Anglo in Octavo A Vindication of some Passages in a discourse concerning Communion with God from the Exceptions of VVilliam Sherlock Rector of St. George Buttelph Lane by John Owen D. D. in Octavo A Brief Instruction in the Worship of God and Discipline of the Churches of the New Testament by way of question and Answer with an Explication and Confirmation of those Answers By John Owen D. D. Anti-Sozzo five Sherlocismus Enervatus In Vindication of some Great Truths Opposed and Opposition to some Great Errors Maintained By Mr. William Sherlock A Brief Declaration and Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity By John Owen D. D. in 12. Eben-Ezer Or a Small Monument of great Mercy appearing in the Miraculous Deliverance of John-Carpenter From the Miserable Slavery of Algiers with the wonderful Means of their escape in a Boat of Canvas the great Distress and utmost Extremities which they endured at Sea for six days and Nights their safe Arrival at Mayork With several Matters of Remarque during their long Captivity and the following Providences of God which brought them safe to England By William Okeley in Octavo The Nature of Apostacie from the Profession of the Gospel and the punishment of Apostates declared from Heb. 6. ver 4 5 6. with an Inquiry into the Causes and Reasons of the Decay of the power of Religion in the World With Remedies and means of prevention in Octavo By John Owen D. D. Mortification of Sin in Believers 1. The Necessiâ—y 2. Nature and 3. Means of it ' With a resolution of sundry Cases of Conscience thereunto belonging By John Owen D. D. in Octavo The Practical D 〈…〉 y of the Papists Discovered to be Destructive of Câ—ristianity and Mens Souls Dutch and English Grammar Dutch and English Dictionary Since the first Eâ—ition of this Treatise that other also is published 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.26 2 Cor. 12.7 Isa. 43.24 2 King 5.18 Gen. 39.9 2 Cor. 5.14 2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 1.11 Cant 4.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 16.8 Psal. 123.2 Psal. 130.6 Luk. 22.32 Isa. 40.28 29 30 31. Joh. 1.16 Mat. 28.18 Rom. 8.38 Mat. 11.28 Isa. 55.1 2 3. Revel 3.18 Communion with Christ chap. 7 8. Phil. 3.10 Col. 3.3 1 Pet. 1.18 1 Cor. 15.31 1 Pet. 1.16 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Col. 1.3
Messenger of Satan let loose on Paul that he might not be lifted up through the abundance of spiritual Revelations Was it not a Correction to Peters vain Confidence that he was left to deny his Master Now if this be the state and Condition of Lust in its prevalency that God often-times suffers it so to prevail at least to admonish us and to humble us perhaps to chasten and correct us for our general loose and careless walking is it possible that the effect should be removed and the cause continued that the particular Lust should be mortified and the general Course be unreformed He then that would really throughly and acceptably mortifie any disquieting Lust let him take care to be equally diligent in All parts of Obedience and know that every Lust every Omission of Duty is burdensome to God though but one is so to Him Whilest there abides a Treachery in the Heart to indulge to any Negligence in not pressing Universally to all Perfection in Obedience the Soul is weak as not giving Faith its whole work and selfish as considering more the Trouble of Sin than the Filth and Guilt of it and lives under a constant provocation of God so that it may not expect any comfortable Issue in any spiritual Duty that it doth undertake much less in this under Consideration which requires another Principle and Frame of Spirit for its Accomplishment CHAP. IX Particular Directions in relation to the foregoing Case proposed First Consider the dangerous Symptoms of any Lust 1. Inveterateness 2. Peace obtained under it the several wayes whereby that is done 3. Frequency of success in its seductions 4. The Soul 's fighting against it with Arguments only taken from the Event 5. It s being attended with Judiciary Hardness 6. It s withstanding particular dealings from God The State of Persons in whom these things are found THE foregoing General Rules being supposed Particular Directions to the Soul for its guidance under the sense of a disquieting lust or distemper being the main thing I aym at come next to be proposed Now of these some are previous and preparatory and in some of them the work it self is contained Of the first sort are these ensuing First Consider what dangerous symptoms thy Lust hath attending or accompanying it Whether it hath any deadly Mark on it or no If it hath extraordinary Remedies are to be used an ordinary course of Mortification will not do it You will say what are these dangerous Marks and symptoms the desperate Attendances of an indwelling Lust that you intend Some of them I shall name 1 Inveterateness if it hath lyen long corrupting in thy Heart if thou hast suffered it to abide in Power and prevalency without attempting vâ—gorously the killing of it and the healing of the wounds thou hast received by it for some long season thy Distemper is dangerous Hast thou permitted Worldliness Ambition Greediness of Study to eat up other Duties the Duties wherein thou oughtest to hold constant Communion with God for some long season Or Vncleanness to defile thy Heart with vain and foolish and wicked Imaginations for many dayes Thy Lust hath a dangerous symptom So was the Case with David Psal. 38.5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness When a Lust hath layen long in the Heart corrupting festering cankering it brings the Soul to a wofull Condition In such a case an ordinary course of humiliation will not do the work Whatever it be it will by this Means insinuate it self more or less into all the Faculties of the Soul and habituate the Affections to its Company and society it growes familiar to the Mind and Conscience that they do not startle at it as a strange thing but are bold with it as that which they are wonted unto yea it will get such advantage by this Means as often-times to exert and put forth it self without having any notice taken of it at all as it seems to have been with Joseph in his swearing by the Life of Pharaoh Unless some extraordinary Course be taken such a person hath no ground in the world to expect that his latter End shall be Peace For first How will he be able to distinguish between the long abode of an unmortified lust and the dominion of Sin which cannot befall a Regenerate person Secondly How can he promise himself that it shall ever be otherwise with him or that his lust will cease tumultuating and seducing when he sees it fixed and abiding and hath done so for many dayes and hath gone through variety of Conditions with him It may be it hath tryed mercyes and afflictions and those possibly so remarkable that the Soul could not avoyd the taking special notice of them it may be it hath weathered out many a thorn and passed under much variety of Gifts in the Administration of the Word and will it prove an easie thing to dislodge an Inmate pleading a title by Prescription Old neglected wounds are often mortal alwayes dangerous Indwelling Distempers grow resty and stubborn by continuance in ease and quiet Lust is such an Inmate as if it can plead Time and some Prescription will not easily be ejected As it never dyes of it self so if it be not daily killed it will alwayes gather strength 2 Secret Pleas of the Heart for the countenancing of it self and keeping up its peace notwithstanding the abiding of a Lust without a vigorous Gospel Attempt for its Mortification is another dangerous symptome of a deadly Distemper in the Heart Now there be several wayes whereby this may be done I shall name some of them As 1. When upon Thoughts perplexing Thoughts about Sin instead of applying himself to the Destruction of it a man searches his Heart to see what Evidences he can find of a good Condition notwithstanding that sin and Lust so that it may go well with him For a man to gather up his Experiences of God to call them to mind to collect them consider trye improve them is an excellent thing a Duty practised by all the Saints commended in the Old Testament and the New This was Davids work when he communed with his own heart and called to remembrance the former loving kindness of the Lord Psal. 77.6 7 8 9. This is the Duty that Paul sets us to practise 2 Cor. 13.5 And as it is in it self excellent so it hath beauty added to it by a proper Season A time of Tryal or Temptation or Disquietness of the Heart about Sin is a picture of Silver to set off this Golden Apple as Solomon speaks But now to do it for this End to satisfie Conscience which cryes and calls for another purpose is a desperate Device of an heart in love with Sin When a mans Conscience shall deal with him when God shall rebuke him for the sinfull distemper of his Heart if he instead of applying himself to get that Sin pardoned in the Blood of Christ and mortified by his Spirit
shall relieve himself by any such other Evidences as he hath or thinks himself to have and so disintangle himself from under the yoke that God was putting on his neck his Condition is very dangerous his Wound hardly curable Thus the Jews under the gallings of their own Consciences and the convincing preaching of our Saviour supported themselves with this that they were Abraham's Children and on that account accepted with God and so countenanced themselves in all abominable wickedness to their utter ruine This is in some degree a Blessing of a mans self and saying that upon one account or other he shall have peace although he addes drunkenness to thirst love of Sin undervaluation of Peace and of all tastes of Love from God are enwrapped in such a Frame Such a one plainly shews that if he can but keep up hope of escaping the wrath to come he can be well content to be Unfruitfull in the world at any Distance from God that is not final separation What is to be expected from such an Heart 2. By applying Grace and Mercy to an unmortified sin or one not sincerely endeavoured to be mortified is this Deceit carried on This is a sign of an Heart greatly entangled with the Love of Sin When a man hath secret thoughts in his Heart not unlike those of Naaman about his worshipping in the House of Rimmon in all other things I will walk with God but in this thing God be mercifull unto me his Condition is sad It is true indeed a Resolution to this purpose to indulge a mans self in any sin on the account of Mercy seems to be and doubtless in any course is altogether inconsistent with Christian Sincerity and is a badge of an Hypocrite and is the turning of the Grace of God into wantonness Jude 4. but yet I doubt not but through the craft of Sathan and their own remaining unbelief the Children of God may themselves sometimes be ensnared with this Deceit of sin or else Paul would never have so cautioned them against it as he doth Rom. 6.1 2. Yea indeed there is nothing more Natural than for fleshly reasonings to grow high and strong upon this account The flesh would fain be indulged unto upon the account of Grace and every word that is spoken of mercy it stands ready to catch at and to pervert it to its own corrupt ayms and purposes To apply Mercy then to a sin not vigorously mortified is to fulfill the End of the flesh upon the Gospel These and many other wayes and wiles a deceitfull Heart will sometimes make use of to countenance it self in its Abominations Now when a man with his sin is in this Condition that there is a secret liking of the sin prevalent in his Heart and though his Will be not wholly set upon it yet he hath an imperfect velleity towards it he would practise it were it not for such and such Considerations and hereupon relieves himself other wayes than by the Mortification and Pardon of it in the Blood of Christ that mans wounds stink and are corrupt and he will without speedy Deliverance be at the door of Death 3 Frequency of success in Sins seduction in obtaining the prevailing Consent of the Will unto it is another dangerous symptome This is that I mean When the sin spoken of gets the Consent of the Will with some delight though it be not actually outwardly perpetrated yet it hath success A man may not be able upon outward Considerations to goe along with Sin to that which James calls the finishing of it Jam. 1.14 15. as to the outward Acts of Sin when yet the will of sinning may be actually obtained Then hath it I say success Now if any lust be able thus far to prevail in the Soul of any man as his Condition may possibly be very bad and himself be unregenerate so it cannot possibly be very good but dangerous And it is all one upon the matter whether this be done by the choice of the Will or by Inadvertency For that Inadvertency it self is in a manner chosen When we are inadvertent and negligent where we are bound to watchfulness and carefulness that inadvertency doth not take off from the voluntariness of what we doe thereupon for although men do not choose and resolve to be negligent and inadvertent yet if they choose the things that will make them so they choose inadvertency it self as a thing may be chosen in its cause And let not men think that the evil of their hearts is in any measure extenuated because they seem for the most part to be surprized into that consent which they seem to give unto it for it is Negligence of their Duty in watching over their Hearts that betrayes them into that surprizal 4 When a man fighteth against his sin onely with Arguments from the Issue or the punishment due unto it this is a sign that sin hath taken great possession of the Will and that in the Heart there is a superfluity of naughtiness Such a man as opposes nothing to the seduction of Sin and Lust in his Heart but fear of shame among men or Hell from God is sufficiently resolved to do the sin if there were no punishment attending it which what it differs from living in the practice of Sin I know not Those who are Christs and are acted in their Obedience upon Gospel Principles have the Death of Christ the Love of God the detestable Nature of Sin the preciousness of Communion with God a deep grounded Abhorrency of sin as Sin to oppose to any seduction of Sin to all the workings strivings fightings of Lust in their Hearts So did Joseph How shall I doe this great evil saith he and sin against the Lord my good and gracious God And Paul The love of Christ constrains us And having received these Promises let us cleanse our selves from all pollutions of flesh and Spirit But now if a man be so under the power of his Lust that he hath nothing but Law to oppose it withall if he cannot fight against it with Gospel weapons but deals with it altogether with Hell and Judgement which are the proper Arms of the Law it is most evident that sin hath possessed it self of his Will and Affections to a very great prevalency and conquest Such a Person hath cast off as to the particular spoken of the Conduct of Renewing Grace and is kept from ruine onely by restraining Grace and so far is he fallen from Grace and returned under the Power of the Law and can it be thought that this is not a great provocation to Christ that men should cast off his easie gentle Yoke and Rule and cast themselves under the Iron yoke of the Law meerly out of indulgence unto their Lusts Try thy self by this also When thou art by Sin driven to make a stand so that thou must either serve it and rush at the command of it into folly like the horse