evil Thence is that description of him who hath no Lust truely mortified Gen. 6.5 Every Imagination of the thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually He is alwayes under the power of a strong bent and Inclination to sin And the reason why a natural man is not alwayes perpetually in the pursuit of some one lust night and day is because he hath many to serve every one crying to be satisfied Thence he is carried on with great variety but still in general he lyes towards the satisfaction of self We will suppose then the lust or distemper whose Mortification is inquired after to be in its self a strong deeply rooted habitual Inclination and bent of Will and Affections unto some Actual sin as to the Matter of it though not under that formal Consideration alwayes stirring up Imaginations Thoughts and Contrivances about the Object of it Hence men are said to have their Hearts set upon Evil Rom. 13.14 the bent of their Spirits lyes towards it to make provision for the flesh And a sinfull depraved habit as in many other things so in this differs from all natural or moral habits whatever for whereas they incline the Soul gently and suitably to it self sinfull Habits impell with Violence and Impetuousness whence Lusts are said to fight or wage warre against the Soul 1 Pet. 2.11 to rebell or rise up in Warre with that Conduct and Opposition which is usual therein Rom. 7.23 to lead captive or effectually captivating upon success in battell All works of great violence and impetuousness I might manifest fully from that description we have of it Rom. 7. How it will darken the Mind extinguish Convictions dethrone Reason interrupt the Power and Influence of any Considerations that may be brought to hamper it and break through all into a flame But this is not my present business Now the first thing in Mortification is the weakening of this Habit of Sin or Lust that it shall not with that violence earnestness frequency rise up conceive tumultuate provoke entice disquiet as naturally it is apt to doe Jam. 1.14 15. I shall desire to give one Caution or Rule by the way and it is this Though every Lust doth in its own Nature equally universally incline and impell to Sin yet this muâ—t be granted with these two Limitations 1. One lust or a lust in one man may receive many accidental Improvements heightnings and strengthnings which may give it life power and vigour exceedingly above what another Lust hath or the same lust that is of the same Kind and Nature in another man When a Lust falls in with the natural Constitution and Temper with a suitable course of Life with Occasions or when Sathan hath got a fit handle to it to manage it as he hath a thousand wayes so to doe that Lust growes violent and impetuous above others or more than the same lust in another man Then the steams of it darken the Mind so that though a man knowes the same things as formerly yet they have no power nor influence on the Will but corrupt Affections and Passions are set by it at liberty But especially Lust gets strength by Temptation when a suitable Temptation falls in wiâ—h a Lust it gives it a new life vigour power violence and rage which it seemed not before to have or to be capable of Instances to this purpose might be multiplyed but it is the design of some part of another Treatise to evince thâ—s Observation 2. Some lusts are far more sensible and discernable in their violent Actings than others Paul puts a difference between Uncleanness and all other sins 1 Cor. 6.18 Flee fornication every sin that a man doth is whithout the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body Hence the Motions of that sin are more sensible more discernable than of others when perhaps the love of the World or the like is in a Person no less habitually predominant than that yet it makes not so great a combustion in the whole man And on this account some men may goe in their own thoughts and in the eyes of the World for mortified men who yet have in them no less predominancy of Lust than those who cry out with Astonishment upon the account of its perplexing Tumultuatings Yea than those who have by the Power of it been hurried into scandalous sins only their lusts are in and about things which raise not such a tumult in the Soul about which they are exercised with a calmer Frame of Spirit the very Fabrick of Nature being not so nearly concerned in them as in some other I say then that the first thing in Mortification is the weakening of this Habit that it shall not impell and tumultuate as formerly that it shall not intice and draw aside that it shall not disquiet and perplex the killing of its life vigour promptness and readiness to be stirring This is called crucifying the flesh with the lusts thereof Gal. 5.24 that is taking away its Blood and Spirits that give it strength and power The wasting of the body of Death day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 As a Man nayled to the Cross he first struggles and strives and cryes out with great strength and might but as his Blood and Spirits waste his strivings are faint and seldom his Cryes low and hoarse scarce to be heard When a man first sets on a Lust or distemper to deal with it it struggles with great violence to break loose it cryes with Earnestness and Impatiency to be satisfied and relieved but when by Mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out it moves seldome and familiarly cryes sparingly and is scarce heard in the heart It may have sometimes a dying pang that makes an Appearance of great vigour and strength but it is quickly over especially if it be kept from considerable success This the Apostle describes as in the whole Chapter so especially vers 6. of chap. 6. Rom. Sin saith he is crucified it is fastned to the Cross to what End that the body of Death may be destroyed the Power of Sin weakened and abolished by little and little that henceforth we should not serve sin that is that sin might not incline impell us with such Efficacy as to make us servants to it as it hath done heretofore And this is spoken not only with respect to carnal and sensual Affections or Desires of worldly things not only in respect of the Luâ—t of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyâ—s and the pride of Life but also as to the flesh that is in the mind and will in that Opposition unto God which is in us by Nature Of what Nature soever the troubling Distemper be by what wayes soever it make it self out either by impelling to Evil or hindering from that which is good the Rule is the same And unless this be done effectually all after-contention will not compass the End aimed at A man may beat down the bitter Fruit
into the battel or make head against it to suppress it what doest thou say to thy Soul what doest thou expostulate with thy self is this all Hell will be the end of this course Vengeance will meet with me and find me out it is time for thee to look about thee evil lyes at the door Pauls main Argument to evince that sin shall not have dominion over Believers is that they are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 If thy contendings against Sin be all on legal Accounts from legal Principles and motives what assurance canst thou attain unto that sin shall not have dominion over thee which will be thy ruine Yea know that this Reserve will not long hold out if thy Lust hath driven thee from stronger Gospel Forts it will speedily prevail against this also do not suppose that such Considerations will deliver thee when thou hast voluntarily given up to thine Enemy those Helps and Means of Preservation which have a thousand times their Strength Rest assuredly in this that unless thou recover thy self with speed from this Condition the thing that thou fearest will come upon thee what Gospel Principles do not legal Motives cannot doe 5 When it is probable that there is or may be somewhat of judiciary hardness or at least chastening Punishment in thy Lust as disquieting This is another dangerous symptome That God doth sometimes leave even those of his own under the perplexing power at least of some Lust or Sin to correct them for former sins Negligence and Folly I no way doubt Hence was that complaint of the Church Why hast thou hardened us from the fear of thy Name Isa. 63.17 That this is his way of dealing with unregenerate men no man questions But how shall a man know whether there be any thing of Gods chastening hand in his being left to the disquietment of his distemper Answ. Examine thy Heart and Wayes What was the state and Condition of thy Soul before thou fellest into the Intanglements of that sin which now thou so complainest of Hadst thou been negligent in Duties hadst thou lived inordinately to thy self is there the guilt of any great sin lying upon thee unrepented of A new Sin may be permitted as well as a new Affliction sent to bring an Old sin to remembrance Hast thou received any eminent Mercy Protection Deliverance which thou diddest not improve in a due Manner nor wast thankfull for or hast been exercised with any Affliction without labouring for the appointed End of it or hast thou been wanting to the Opportunities of glorifying God in thy Generation which in his good Providence he had graciously afforded unto thee or hast thou conformed thy self unto the World and the men of it through the abounding of Temptations in the dayes wherein thou livest If thou findest this to have been thy State awake call upon God thou art fast asleep in a storm of Anger round about thee 6 When thy Lust hath already withstood particular dealings from God against it This Condition is described Isa. 57.17 For the Iniquity of his Coveteousness I was wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart God had dealt with them about their prevailing Lust and that several wayes by Affliction and Desertion But they held out against all This is a sad Condition which nothing but meer soveraign Grace as God expresses it in the next verse can relieve a man in and which no man ought to promise himself or bear himself upon God oftentimes in his providential Dispensations meets with a man and speaks particularly to the Evil of his Heart as he did to Joseph's Brethren in their selling of him into Egypt This makes the man reflect on his sin and judge himself in particular for it God makes it to be the voice of the Danger Affliction Trouble Sickness that he is in or under Sometimes in Reading of the Word God makes a man stay on something that cuts him to the Heart and shakes him as to his present Condition More frequently in the Hearing of the Word preached his great Ordinance for Conviction Conversion and Edification doth he meet with men God often hews men by the Sword of his Word in that Ordinance strikes directly on their bosome beloved Lust startles the Sinner makes him engage into the Mortification and Relinquishment of the Evil of his Heart Now if his Lust have taken such hold on him as to enforce him to break these bonds of the Lord and to cast these cords from him If it overcomes these Convictions and gets again into its old posture if it can cure the wounds it so receives that Soul is in a sad Condition Unspeakable are the Evils which attend such a Frame of Heart Every particular Warning to a man in such an Estate is an inestimable Mercy how then doth he despise God in them who holds out against them and what infinite Patience is this in God that he doth not cast off such an one and swear in his wrath that he shall never enter into his Rest. These and many other Evidences are there of a Lust that is dangerous if not mortal As our Saviour said of the evil Spirit This kind goes not out but by Fasting and Prayer So say I of Lusts of this kind an ordinary Course of Mortification will not doe it extraordinary wayes must be fixed on This is the First particular Direction Consider whether the Lust or Sin you are contending with hath any of these dangerous symptoms attending of it Before I proceed I must give one Caution by the way lest any be deceived by what hath been spoken Whereas I say the things and evils above mentioned may befall true Believers let not any that finds the same things in himself thence or from thence conclude that he is a true Believer These are the Evils that Believers may fall into and be ensnared withall not the things that Constitute a Believer A man may as well conclude that he is a Believer because he is an Adulterer because David that was so fell into Adultery as conclude it from the signs foregoing which are the evils of Sin and Sathan in the Hearts of Believers The seventh of the Romans contains the Description of a Regenerate man He that shall consider what is spoken of his dark side of his unregenerate part of the indwelling Power and Violence of Sin remaining in him and because he finds the like in himself conclude that he is a regenerate man will be deceived in his Reckoning It is all one as if you should argue A wise man may be sick and wounded yea do some things foolishly Therefore every one who is sick and wounded and does things foolishly is a wise man Or as if a silly deformed Creature hearing one speaking of a beautifull Person should say that he had a mark or a Scarre that much disfigured him should conclude that because he hath himself
into a perfect contrary Condition to that which the Apostle affirms was his 2 Cor. 4.16 Though our outward man perish our inward man is renewed day by day In these the Inward man perisheth and the Outward man is renewed day by day Sin is as the house of David and Grace as the house of Saul Exercise and success are the two main cherishers of Grace in the heart When it is suffered to lye still it withers and decayes the things of it are ready to dye Rev. 3.2 and Sin gets ground towards the hardening of the heart Heb. 3.13 This is that which I intend by the Omission of this duty Grace withers Lust flourisheth and the Frame of the Heart growes worse and worse and the Lord knows what desperate and fearful issues it hath had with many Where Sin through the Neglect of Mortification gets a considerable Victory it breaks the bones of the Soul Psal. 31.10 Psal. 51.8 and makes a man weak sick and ready to dye Psal. 38.3 4 5. that he cannot look up Psal. 40.12 Isa. 33.24 and when poor Creatures will take blow after blow wound after wound foil after foil and never rouse up themselves to a vigorous Opposition can they expect any thing but to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and that their Souls should bleed to death 2 Joh. 8 Indeed it is a sad thing to consider the fearfull issues of this Neglect which lye under our eyes every day See we not those whom we knew humble melting broken-hearted Christians tender and fearfull to offend zealous for God and all his wayes his Sabbaths and Ordinances grown through a neglect of watching unto this Duty earthly carnal cold wrathfull complying with the men of the world and things of the World to the Scandal of Religion and the fearfull Temptation of them that know them The truth is what between placing mortification in a rigid stubborn Frame of Spirit which is for the most part earthly legal censorious partial consistent with Wrath Envy Malice Pride on the one hand and pretences of Liberty Grace and I know not what on the other true Evangelical Mortification is almost lost amongst us of which afterwards 6. It is our Duty to be Perfecting Holiness in the fear of the Lord 2 Cor. 7.1 To be growing in Grace every day 1 Pet. 2.2 2 Pet. 3.18 To be renewing our inward man day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 Now this cannot be done without the daily Mortifying of sin Sin sets its strength against every Act of Holiness and against every degree we grow to Let not that man think he makes any Progress in Holiness who walks not over the bellies of his Lusts He who doth not kill Sin in his way takes no steps towards his Journeyes End He who finds not opposition from it and who sets not himself in every particular to its Mortification is at peace with it not dying to it This then is the first General Principle of our ensuing Discourse Notwithâ—tanding the meritorious Mortification if I may so speak of all and every Sin in the Cross of Christ notwithstanding the real Foundation of universal Mortification laid in our first Conversion by Conviction of Sin humiliation for sin and the Implantation of a new Principle opposite to it and destructive of it yet Sin doth so remain so act and work in the best of Believers whilest they live in this world that the constant daily Mortification of it is all their dayes incumbent on them Before I proceed to the Consideration of the next Principle I cannot but by the way complain of many Professors of these days who instead of bringing forth such great and evident Fruits of Mortification as are expected scarce bear any Leaves of it There is indeed a broad Light fallen upon the men of this Generation and together therewith many spiritual Gifts communicated which with some other Considerations have wonderfully enlarged the bounds of Professors and Profession both they and it are exceedingly multiplyed and increased Hence there is a noise of Religion and Religious Duties in every corner preaching in abundance and that not in an empty light trivial and vain manner as formerly but to a good proportion of a spiritual Gift so that if you will measure the number of Believers by Light Gâ—fts and profession the Church may have cause to say Who hath born me all these But now if you will take the measure of them by this great discriminating Grace of Christians perhaps you will find their number not so multiplyed Where almost is that Professor who owes his Conversion to these dayes of Light and so talks and professes at such a rate of Spirituality as few in former dayes were in any measure acquainted with I will not judge them but perhaps boasting what the Lord hath done in them that doth not give evidence of a miserably unmortified heart if vain spending of Time idleness unprofitableness in mens places envy strife variance emulations wrath pride worldliness selfishness 1 Cor. 1. be Badges of Christians we have them on us and amongst us in abundance And if it be so with them who have much Light and which we hope is saving what shall we say of some who would be accounted religious and yet despise Gospel Light and for the Duty we have in hand know no more of it but what consists in mens Denying themselves sometimes times in outward Enjoyments which is one of the outmost Branches of it which yet they will seldom practise The good Lord send out a spirit of Mortification to cure our Distempers or we are in a sad Condition There are two Evils which certainly attend every unmortified Professor The first in himself the other in respect of others 1. In himself let him pretend what he will he hath slight thoughts of Sin at least of sins of daily infirmity The Root of an unmortified Course is the digestion of Sin without bitterness in the heart When a man hath confirmed his Imagination to such an Apprehension of Grace and Mercy as to be able without bitterness to swallow and digest daily sins that man is at the very brink of turning the Grace of God into lasciviousness and being hardened by the deceitfulness of Sin Neither is there a greater Evidence of a false and rotten heart in the world than to drive such a Trade To use the blood of Christ which is given to cleanse us 1 Joh. 1.7 Tit. 2.14 The exaltation of Christ which is to give us Repentance Act. 5.31 the Doctrine of Grace which teaches us to deny all ungodliness Tit. 2.11 12. to countenance Sin is a Rebellion that in the issue will break the bones At this door have gone out from us most of the professors that have Apostatized in the dayes wherein we live for a while they were most of them under Convictions these kept them unto Duties and brought them to Profession So they escaped the pollutions that are in the world through the knowledge of our Lord