which makes them believe that sin is conquered when it is not touched By that time they are cold they must to the battail again and the Lust which they thought to be slain appears to have had no wound And if the Case be so sad with them who do labour and strive and yet enter not into the Kingdom what is their Condition who despise all this Who are perpetually under the Power and Dominion of Sin and love to have it so and are troubled at nothing but that they cannot make sufficient provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof CHAP. IV. The last Principle of the usefulness of Mortification The Vigour and Comfort of our spiritual Life depend on our Mortification In what sence Not absolutely and necessarily Psal. 88. Heman ' s Condition Not as on the next and immediate Cause As a Means by removing of the Contrary The desperate Effects of unmortified Lust it weakens the Soul Psal. 38.3 8. sundry wayes and darkens it All Graces improved by the Mortification of Sin The best Evidence of Sincerity THE last Principle I shall insist on omitting 1. The Necessity of Mortification unto Life And 2. The Certainty of Life upon Mortification is That the Life Vigour and Comfort of our spiritual Life depends much on our Mortification of Sin Strength and Comfort and Power and Peace in our walking with God are the things of our desires Were any of us asked seriously What it is that troubles us we must referre it to one of these heads either we want strengâ—h or power vigour and life in our Obedience in our walking with God or we want peace comfort and consolation therein Whatever it is that may befall a Believer that doth not belong to one of these two heads doth not deserve to be mentioned in the dayes of our Complaints Now all these do much depend on a constant Course of Mortification concerning which observe 1. I doe not say they proceed from it as though they were necessarily tyed to it A man may be carried on in a constant course of Mortification all his dayes and yet perhaps never enjoy good day of Peace and Consolation So it was with Heman Psal. 88. His life was a life of perpetual Mortification and walking with God yet terrours and wounds were his portion all his dayes But God singled out Heman a choice Friend to make him an Example to them that afterwards should be in distress Canst thou complain if it be no otherwise with thee than it was with Heman that eminent servant of God And this shall be his prayse to the end of the World God makes it his Prerogative to speak Peace and Consolation Isa. 57.18 19. I will do that work sayes God I will comfort him v. 18. But how by an immediate work of the new Creation I Create it sayes God The use of means for the obtaining of peace is ours the bestowing of it is God's Prerogative 2. In the wayes instituted by God for to give us Life Vigour Courage and Consolation Mortification is not one of the immediate Causes of it They are the Priviledges of our Adoption made known to our Souls that give us immediately these things The Spirit bearing witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God giving us a new Name and a white Stone Adoption and Justification that is as to the sence and knowledge of them are the immediate Causes in the hand of the Spirit of these things But this I say 3. In our ordinary walking with God and in an ordinary Course of his dealing with us the vigour and comfort of our spiritual Lives depends much on our Mortification not onely as a Causa sine qua non but as a thing that hath an effectual influence thereinto For First This alone keeps Sin from depriving us of the one and the other Every unmortified sin will certainly do two things 1. It will weaken the Soul and deprive it of its vigour 2. It will darken the Soul and deprive it of its Comfort and Peace 1. It weakens the Soul and deprives it of its Strength when David had for a while harboured an unmortified Lust in his heart it broke all his Bonâ—s and left him no spiritual strength hence he complained that he was sick weak wounded faint there is saith he no soundness in me Psal. 38.3 I am feeble and sore broken vers 8. Yea I cannot so much as look up Psal. 40.12 An unmortified Lust will drink up the Spirit and all the vigour of the Soul and weaken it for all Duties For 1. It untunes and unframes the Heart it self by entangling its Affections It diverts the heart from that spiritual Frame that is required for vigorous Communion with God It layes hold on the Affections rendring its Object beloved and desirable so expelling the love of the Father 1 Joh. 2.1 Chap. 3.17 So that the Soul cannot say uprightly and truely to God Thou art my portion having something else that it loves Fear Desire Hope which are the choice Affections of the Soul that should be full of God will be one way or other entangled with it 2. It fills the Thoughts with Contrivances about it Thoughts are the great Purveyors of the Soul to bring in provision to satisfie its Affections and if Sin remain unmortified in the Heart they must ever and anon be making provision for the flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof They must glaze adorn and dress the Objects of the Flesh and bring them home to give satisfaction And this they are able to do in the service of a defiled Imagination beyond all expression 3. It breaks out and actually hinders Duty The ambitious man must be studying and the worldling must be working or contriving and the sensual vain person providing himself for vanity when they should be engaged in the Worship of God Were this my present business to set forth the Breaches Ruine Weakness Desolations that one unâ—â—câ—tified Lust will bring upon a Soul this Discourse must be extended much beyond my Intendment 2 As Sin weakens so it darkens the Soul It is a cloud a thick cloud that spreads it self over the Face of the Soul and intercepts all the beams of Gods Love and Favour It takes away all sense of the Priviledge of our Adoption and if the Soul begins to gather up Thoughts of Consolation Sin quickly scatters them Of which afterwards Now in this regard doth the vigour and power of our spiritual life depend on our Mortification It is the onely Means of the Removal of that which will allow us neither the one nor the other Men that are sick and wounded under the power of Lust make many Applications for Help they cry to God when the Perplexity of their Thoughts overwhelms them even to God do they cry but are not delivered in vain do they use many Remedies they shall not be healed So Hos. 5.13 Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound and attempted sundry remedies nothing will
doe untill they come v. 15. to acknowledge their Offence Men may see their Sickness and Wounds but yet if they make not due Applications their Cure will not be effected Secondly Mortification prunes all the Graces of God and makes room for them in our hearts to grow The Life and Vigour of our spiritual Lives consists in the vigour and flourishing of the Plants of Grace in our Hearts Now as you may see in a Garden let there be a precious herb planted and let the Ground be untilled and weeds grow about it perhaps it will live still but be a poor withering unusefull thing you must look and search for it and sometimes can scarce find it and when you do you can scarce know it whether it be the Plant you look for or no and suppose it be you can make no use of it at all when let another of the same kind be set in ground naturally as barren and bad as the other but let it be well weeded and every thing that iâ— noxious and hurtfull removed from it it flourishes and thrives you may see it at first look into the Garden and have it for your use when you please So it is with the Graces of the Spirit that are planted in our hearts That is true they are still they abide in a heart where there is some Neglâ—ct of Mortification but they are ready to dye Revel 3.2 they are withering and decaying The heart is like the Sluggards Field so over-grown with weeds that you can scarce see the good Corn. Such a man may search for Faith Love and Zeal and scarce be able to find any and if he do discover that these Graces are there yet alive and sincere yet they are so weak so clogged with Lusts that they are of very little use they remain indeed â—ut are ready to dye But now let the Heart be cleansed by Mortification the Weeds of Lust constantly and daily rooted up as they spring daily Nature being their proper soyl let Room be made for Grace to thrive and flourish how will every Grace act its part and be ready for every use and purpose Thirdly As to our Peace as there is nothing that hath any Evidence of Sincerity without it so I know nothing that hath such an Evidence of Sincerity in it which is no small Foundation of our Peace Mortication is the Souls vigorous Oppâ—sition to self wherein Sincerity is most evident CHAP. V. The principal Intendment of the whole Discourse proposed The first main Case of Canscience stated What it is to Mortifie any Sin negatively considered Not the utter Destruction of it in this Life Not the Dissimulation of it Not the Improvement of any Natural Principle Not the Diversion of it Not an Occasional Conquest Occasional Conquests of Sin what and when Vpon the Eruption of Sin in time of Danger or Trouble THese things being premised I come to my principal Intention of handling some Questions or practical Cases that present themselves in this business of Mortification of Sin in Believers The first which is the Head of all the rest and whereunto they are reduced may be considered as lying under the ensuing Proposal Suppose a man to be a true Believer and yet finds in himself a powerfull Indwelling Sin leading him captive to the Law of it consuming his Heart with trouble perplexing his Thoughts weakening his Soul as to Duties of Communion with God disquiâ—ting him as to Peace and perhaps deâ—iling his Conscience and exposing him to Hardening through the deceitfulness of Sin what shall he doe what Course shall he take and insist on for the Mortification of this Sin Lust Distemper or Corruption to such a Degree as that though it be not utterly destroyed yet in his Contest with it he may be enabled to keep up Power Strength and Peace in Communion with God In answer to this important Enquiry I shall do these things 1. Shew what it is to mortifie any Sin and that both Negatively and Positively that we be not mistaken in the Foundation 2. Give general Directions for such things as without which it will be utterly impossible for any one to get any Sin truely and spiritually Mortified 3. Draw out the Particulars whereby this is to be done in the whole carrying on this Consideration that it is not of the Doctrine of Mortification in general but only in reference to the particular Case before proposed that I am treating 1. To Mortifie a Sin is not utterly to kill root it out and destroy it that it should have no more hold at all nor residence in our hearts It is true this is that which is aymed at but this is not in this Life to be accomplished There is no man that truely sets himself to mortifie any Siâ— but he ayms at intends desires its utter destruction that it should leave neither Root nor Fruit in the Heart or Life He would so kill it that it should never move or stirre any more crye or call seduce or tempt to Eternity It s not being is the thing aymed at Now though doubtless there may by the Spirit and Grace of Christ a wonderfull success and Eminency of victory against any sin be attained so that a man may have almost constant triumph over it yet an utter killing and destruction of it that it should not be is not in this Life to be expected This Paul assures us of Phil. 3.12 Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect He was a choise Saint a pattern for Believers who in Faith and Love and all the Fruits of the Spirit had not his Fellow in the world and on that account ascribes perfection to himself in comparison of others vers 15. Yet he had not attained he was not perfect but was following after still a vile body he had and we have that must be changed by the great power of Christ at last v. 21. This we would have but God sees it best for us that we should be compleat in nothing in our selves that in all things we might be compleat in Christ which is best for us Col. 2.10 2. I think I need not say it is not the dissimulation of a Sin when a man on some outward respects forsakes the Practice of any sin men perhaps may look on him as a changed man God knows that to his former iniquity he hath added cursed hypocrisie and is got in a safer path to Hell than he was in before He hath got another Heart than he had that is more cunning not a new Heart that is more holy 3. The Mortification of Sin consists not in the Improvement of a quiet sedate Nature Some men have an Advantage by their natural Constitution so far as that they are not exposed to such violence of unruly passions and tumultuous Affections as many others are Let now these men cultivate and improve their Natural Frame and Temper by Discipline Consideration and Prudence and they may seem to themselves
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
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
will grow a light thing to thee thou wilt pass by it as a thing of nought This it will grow to and what will be the End of such a Condition Can a sadder thing befall thee Is it not enough to make any heart to tremble to think of being brought into that Estate wherein he should have slight thoughts of Sin slight thoughts of Grace of Mercy of the Blood of Christ of the Law Heaven and Hell come all in at the same season Take heed this is that thy Lust is working towards the hardening of the Heart searing of Conscience blinding of the Mind stupifying of the Affections and deceiving of the whole Soul 2. The danger of some great temporal Correction which the Scripture calls Vengeance Judgement and Punishment Psal. 89.30 31 32 33 Though God should not utterly cast thee off for this Abomination that lyes in thy Heart yet he will visit with the Rod though he pardon and forgive he will take vengeance of thy Inventions O remember David and all his troubles look on him flying into the Wilderness and consider the hand of God upon him Is it nothing to thee that God should kill thy Child in anger ruine thy Estate in anger break thy Bones in anger suffer thee to be a Scandal and Reproach in anger kill thee destroy thee make thee lye down in darkness in anger Is it nothing that he should punish ruine and undoe others for thy sake Let me not be mistaken I do not mean that God doth send all these things alwayes on his in Anger God forbid But this I say That when he doth so deal with thee and thy Conscience bears witness with him what thy Provocations have been thou wilt find his dealings full of bitterness to thy Soul If thou fearest not these things I fear thou art under hardness 3. Loss of Peace and Strength all a mans dayes To have peace with God to have strength to walk before God is the summe of the great Promises of the Covenant of Grace In these things is the Life of our Souls Without them in some comfortable measure to Live is to Dye What good will our Lives do us if we see not the face of God sometimes in peace If we have not some strength to walk with him Now both these will an unmortified Lust certainly deprive the Souls of men of This case is so evident in David as that nothing can be more clear How often doth he complain that his bones were broken his Soul disquieted his wounds grievous on this account Take other Instances Isa. 57.18 For the Iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth and hid my self What peace I pray is there to a Soul while God hides himself Or strength whilest he smites Hos. 5.15 I will goe and return to my place untill they acknowledge their Offence and seek my face I will leave them hide my Face and what will become of their peace and strength If ever then thou hast enjoyed peace with God if ever his Terrours have made thee afraid if ever thou hast had strength to walk with him or ever hast mourned in thy Prayer and been troubled because of thy weakness think of this danger that hangs over thy head It is perhaps but a little while and thou shalt see the Face of God in Peace no more Perhaps by to morrow thou shalt not be able to pray read hear or perform any Duties with the least chearfulness Life or Vigour and possibly thou mayst never see a quiet hour whilest thou livest That thou mayst carry about thee broken bones full of pain and terrour all the dayes of thy Life yea perhaps God will shoot his Arrowes at thee and fill thee with Anguish and disquietness with Fears and Perplexities make thee a Terror and an Astonishment to thy self and others shew thee Hell and Wrath every moment frighten and scare thee with sad Apprehensions of his Hatred so that thy sore shall run in the Night season and thy Soul shall refuse Comfort so that thou shalt wish Death rather than Life yea thy Soul may choose strangling Consider this a little though God should not utterly destroy thee yet he might cast thee into this condition wherein thou shalt have quick and living Apprehensions of thy Destruction Wont thy Heart to thoughts hereof Let it know what is like to be the Issue of its State leave not this Consideration untill thou hast made thy Soul to tremble within thee 4. There is the Danger of eternal Destruction For the due Management of this Consideration observe I. That there is such a connexion between a Continuance in Sin and eternal Destruction that though God do's resolve to deliver some from a Continuance in Sin that they may not be destroyed yet he will deliver none from Destruction that continue in sin So that whilest any one lyes under an Abiding power of sin the Threats of Destruction and everlasting Seperation from God are to be held out to him So Heb. 3.12 to which adde Heb. 10.38 This is the Rule of Gods proceeding If any man depart from him draw back through Unbelief Gods Soul hath no pleasure in him that is his Indignation shall pursue him to Destruction so evidently Gal. 6.8 II. That he who is so intangled as above described under the Power of any Corruption can have at that present no clear prevailing Evidence of his Interest in the Covenant by the Efficacy whereof he may be delivered from Fear of Destruction So that Destruction from the Lord may justly be a Terrour to him And he may he ought to look upon it as that which will be the End of his Course and wayes There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 True but who shall have the comfort of this Assertion Who may assume it to himself They that walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh. But you will say Is not this to perswade men to unbelief I answer No there is a twofold Judgement that a man may make of himself 1. Of his Person and 2. Of his Wayes It is the judgment of his Wayes not his Person that I speak of Let a man get the best Evidence for his Person that he can yet to judge that an evil Way will end in Destruction is his Duty not to do it is Atheism I do not say that in such a Condition a man ought to throw away the Evidences of his personal Interest in Christ but I say he cannot keep them There is a two-fold condemnation of a mans self First In respect of Desert when the Soul concludes that it Deserves to be cast out of the presence of God and this is so far from a business of Vnbelief that it is an Effect of Faith Secondly With respect to the Issue and Event when the Soul concludes it shall be Damned I do not say this is the Duty of any one nor do I call them to it But this I say that the End of the
and others very mortified men when perhaps their Hearts are a standing Sink of all Abominations some man is never so much troubled all his Life perhaps with anger and passion nor doth trouble others as another is almost every day and yet the latter have done more to the Mortification of the sin than the former Let not such persons trye their Mortification by such things as their natural Tâ—â—â—â—â— gives no Life or Vigour to let them bring themselves to self-denyal unbelief envy or some such spiritual sin and they will have a better view of themselves 4. A sin is not Mortified when it is onely diverted Simon Magus for a season left his Sorceries but his Covetousness and Ambition that set him on work remained still and would have been acting another way therefore Peter tells him I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness notwithstanding the Profession thou hast made notwithstanding thy Relinquishment of thy Sorceries thy lust is as powerfull as ever in thee the same lust onely the streams of it are diverted it now exerts and puts forth it self another way but it is the old gaâ—l of Bitterness still A man may be sensible of a lust set himself againâ—t the eruptions of it take care that it shall not break forth as it hath done but in the mean time suffer the same corrupted habit to vent it self some other way As he who heals and skins a running Sore thinks himself cured but in the mean time his Flesh festereth by the Corruption of the same humour and breaks out in another place And this diversion with the Alterations that attend it often befalls men on Accounts wholly foreign unto Grace change of the Course of Life that a man was in of Relations Interests Designs may effect it yea the very Alterations in mens Constitutions occasioned by a natural Progress in the Course of their Lives may produce such Changes as these men in Age do not usually persist in the pursuit of youthfull lusts although they have never mortified any one of them And the same is the Case of bartering of Lusts and leaving to serve one that a man may serve another He that changes pride for worldliness sensuality for Pharisaisme vanity in Himself to the contempt of Others let him not think that he hath Mortified the sin that he sâ—ems to have left He hath changed his Master but is a Servant still 5. Occasional Conquests of Sin do not amount to a Mortifying of it There are two Occasions or Seasons wherein a man who is contending with any sin may seem to himself to have mortified it 1. When it hath had some sad Eruption to the disturbance of his Peace terrour of his Conscience dread of Scandal and evident provocation of God This awakens and stirres up all that is in the man and amazes him fills him with abhorrency of sin and himself for it sends him to God makes him cry out as for Life to abhorre his Lust as Hell and to set himself against it The whole man spiritual and natural being now awaked Sin shrinks in its head appears not but lyes as dead before him As when one that hath drawn nigh to an Army in the Night and hath killed a principal person instantly the guards awake men are roused up and strict Enquiry is made after the Enemy who in the mean time untill the noyse and tumult be over hides himself or lyes like one that is dead yet with firm Resolution to do the like mischief again upon the like Opportunity Upon the sin among the Corinthians see how they muster up themselves for the surprizal and Destruction of it 2 Epist. chap. 7. vers 11. So it is in a person when a breach hath been made upon his Conscience Quiet perhaps Credit by his Lust in some Eruption of Actual sin Carefulness Indignation Desire Fear Revenge are all set on work about it and against it and Lust is quiet for a season being run down before them but when the hurry is over and the Inquest past the Thief appears again alive and is as busie as ever at his work 2. In a time of some Judgement Calamity or pressing Affliction the Heart is then taken up with Thoughts and Contrivances of slying from the present troubles fears and dangers This as a convinced person concludes is to be done only by relinquishment of Sin which gains peace with God It is the Anger of God in every Affliction that galls a Convinced person To be quit of this men resolve at such times against their sins Sin shall never more have any place in them they will never again give up themselves to the service of it Accordingly Sin is quiet stirres not seems to be Mortified not indeed that it hath received any one wound but meerly because the Soul hath possess'd its Faculties whereby it should exert it self with thoughts inconsistent with the motions thereof which when they are laid aside Sin returns again to its former Life and Vigour So they Psal. 78.32 unto 38. Are a full Instance and Description of this Frame of spirit whereof I speak For all this they sinned still and believed not for his wonderous works Therefore their dayes did he consume in vanity and their years in trouble When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And they remembred that God was their rock and the high God their Redeemer Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant I no way doubt but that when they sought and returned and enquired early after God they did it with full purpose of heart as to the relinquishment of their sins It is expressed in the word returned To turn or return to the Lord is by a Relinquishment of sin This they did early with earnestness and diligence but yet their sin was unmortified for all this v. 36 37. and this is the state of many humiliations in the dayes of Affliction and a great Deceit in the Hearts of Believers themselves lies oftentimes herein These and many other wayes there are whereby poor Souls deceive themselves and suppose they have mortified their Lusts when they live and are Mighty and on every Occasion break forth to their disturbance and disquietness CHAP. VI. The Mortification of Sin in particular described The several Parts and Degrees thereof 1. The habitual weakning of its Root and Principle The Power of Lust to tempt Differences of that Power to Persons and Times 2. Constant Fighting against Sin The Parts thereof considered 3. Success against it The summe of this Discourse WHat it is to mortifie a Sin in General which will make farther way for particular Directions is nextly to be considered The Mortification of a Lust consists in three things 1. An habitual weakening of it Every Lust is a depraved habit or Disposition continually inclining the Heart to
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
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
scarres and moles and warts that he also is beautifull If you will have Evidences of your being Believers it must be from those things that constitute men Believers He that hath these things in himself may safely conclude If I am a Believer I am a most miserable one But that any man is so He must look for other Evidences if he will have Peace CHAP. X. The Second particular Direction Get a clear Sense of 1 The Guilt of the Sin perplexing Considerations for Help therein proposed 2 The Danger manifold 1. Hardening 2. Temporal Correction 3. Loss of Peace and Strength 4. Eternal Destruction Rules for this Management of the Consideration 3 The Evil of it 1. In Grieving the Spirit 2. Wounding the New Creature THE Second Direction is this Get a clear and abiding Sense upon thy Mind and Conscience of the 1 Guilt 2 Danger 3 Evil of that Sin wherewith thou art perplexed 1 Of the Guilt of it It is one of the Dâ—ceits of a prevailing Lust to extenuate its own Guilt Is it not a little one When I go and bow my self in the House of Rimmon God be mercifull to me in This thing Though this be bad yet it is not so bad as such and such an Evil others of the People of God have had such a Frame yea what dreadful Actual sins have some of them fallen into Innumerable wayes there are whereby Sin diverts the Mind from a right and due Apprehension of its Guilt It s noysom Exhalations darken the Mind that it cannot make a right Judgment of things Perplexing Reasonings extenuating Promises tumultuating Desires treacherous Purposes of â—â—linquishment hopes of Mercy all have a share in disturbing the Mind in its Consideration of the Guilt of a prevailing Lust. The Prophet tells us that Lust will do thus wholly when it comes to the height Hos. 4.11 Whoredom and Wine and new Wine take away the heart The Heart i.e. the understanding as it is often used in the Scripture And as they accomplish this work to the height in unregenerate Persons so in part in regeâ—â—rate also Solomon tells you of him who was enticed by the lewd Woman that he was among the simple ones he was a young man voyd of understanding Prov. 7.7 And wherein did his folly appear Why sayes he in the 23d vers He knew not that it was for his Life He considered not the Guilt of the Evil that he was involved in And the Lord rendring a Reason why his dealings with Ephraim took no better Effect gives this Account Ephraim is like a silly Dove without heart Hos. 7.11 had no understanding of his own miserable Condition Had it been possible that David should have lain so long in the Guilt of that abominable Sin but that he had innumerable corrupt Reasonings hindering him from taking a clear View of its Ugliness and Guilt in thc Glass of the Law This made the Prophet that was sent for his awaking in his dealings with him to shut up all subterfuges and Pretences by his Parable that so he might fall fully under a sense of the Guilt of it This is the proper issue of Lust in the heart it darkens the Mind that it shall not judge aright of its Guilt And many other Wayes it hath for its own Extenuation that I shall not now insist on Let this then be the first care of him that would mortifie Sin to fix a right Judgement of its Guilt in his Mind To which end take these Considerations to thy assistance 1. Though the Power of Sin be weakened by inherent Grace in them that have it that Sin shall not have dominion over them as it hath over others yet the Guilt of Sin that doth yet abide and remain is aggravated and heightned by it Rom. 6.1 2. What shall we say then shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound God forbid how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein How shall we that are dead the Emphasis is on the word We. How shall we do it who as he afterwards describes it have received Grace from Christ to the contrary We doubtless are more evil than any if we do it I shall not insist on the special Aggravations of the Sins of such Persons how they sin against more Love Mercy Grace Assistance Relief Means and Deliverances than others But let this Consideration abide in thy Mind There is inconceivably more Evil and Guilt in the Evil of thy Heart that doth remain than there would be in so much Sin if thou hadst no Grace at all Observe 2. That as God sees abundance of beauty and Excellency in the desires of the Hearts of his Servants more than in any the most glorious works of other men yea more than in most of their own outward Performances which have a greater mixture of Sin than the desires and Pantings of Grace in the Heart have So God sees a great deal of Evil in the working of Lust in their Hearts yea and more than in the open notorious Acts of wicked men or in many outward Sins whereinto the Saints may fall seeing against them there is more Opposition made and more Humiliation generally followes them Thus Christ dealing with his decaying Children goes to the root with them layes aside their profession Rev. 3.15 I know thee thou art quite another thing than thou professest and this makes thee abominable So then let these things and the like Considerations lead thee to a clear sense of the Guilt of thy indwelling Lust that there may be no room in thy Heart for extenuating or excusing thoughts whereby Sin insensibly will get strength and prevail 2 Consider the danger of it which is manifold 1. Of being hardened by its Deceitfulness This the Apostle sorely charges on the Hebrews ch 3. v. 12 13. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Take heed saith he use all means consider your Temptations watch diligently there is a Treachery a deceit in Sin that tends to the hardening of your Hearts from the Fear of God The hardening here mentioned is to the utmost utter Obduration Sin tends to it and every Distemper and Lust will make at least some progress towards it Thou that wast tender and did'st use to melt under the Word under Afflictions wilt grow as some have profanely spoken Sermon-proof and Sickness-proof Thou that did'st tremble at the presence of God thoughts of Death and Appearance before him when thou hadst more Assurance of his Love than now thou hast shalt have a Stoutness upon thy Spirit not to be moved by these things Thy Soul and thy sin shall be spoken of and spoken to and thou shalt not be at all concerned But shalt be able to pass over Duties Praying Hearing Reading and thy Heart not in the least affected Sin
way wherein a man is ought by him to be concluded to be death that he may be provok'd to fly from it And this is another Consideration that ought to dwell upon such a Soul if it desire to be freed from the intanglement of its Lusts. 3 Consider the Evils of it I mean its present Evils Danger respects what is to come Evil what is present Some of the many Evils that attend an unmortified Lust may be mentioned 1. It grieves the Holy and Blessed Spirit which is given to Believers to dwell in them and abide with them So the Apostle Ephes. 4.25 26 27 28 29. dehorting them from many Lusts and Sins gives this as the great Motive of it vers 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit whereby you are sealed to the day of Redemption Grieve not that Spirit of God saith he whereby you receive so many and so great Benefits of which he instances in one signal and comprehensive one Sealing to the day of Redemption He is grieved by it as a tender and loving Friend is grieved at the unkindness of his Friend of whom he hath well deserved so is it with this tender and loving Spirit who hath chosen our Hearts for an Habitation to dwell in and there to do for us all that our Souls desire He is grieved by our harbouring his Enemies and those whom he is to destroy in our Hearts with him He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve Us Lam. 3.33 and shall we daily grieve Him Thus is he said sometimes to be vexed sometimes grieved at his heart to express the greatest sense of our provocation Now if there be any thing of gracious Ingenuity left in the Soul if it be not utterly hardened by the Deceitfulness of Sin this Consideration will certainly affect it Consider Who and What thou art who the Spirit is that is grieved what he hath done for thee what he comes to thy Soul about what he hath already done in thee and be ashamed Among those who walk with God there is no groater Motive and Incentive unto universal Holiness and the preserving of their Hearts and Spirits in all Purity and Cleanness than this That the blessed Spirit who hath undertaken to dwell in them as Temples of God and to preserve them meet for him who so dwells in them is continually considering what they give Entertainment in their Hearts unto and rejoyceth when his Temple is kept undefiled that was an high Aggravation of the Sin of Zimri that he brought his Adulteress into the Congregation in the sight of Moses and the rest who were weeping for the Sins of the people Numb 25.6 and is it not an high Aggravation of the countenancing a Lust or suffering it to abide in the Heart when it is as it must be if we are Believers entertained under the peculiar Eye and View of the Holy Ghost taking care to preserve his Tabernacle pure and holy 2. The Lord Jesus is wounded afresh by it His new Creature in the heart is wounded His Love is foil'd his adversary gratified As a total relinquishment of him by the Deceitfulness of Sin is the crucifying him afresh and the putting of him to open shame so every harbouring of Sin that he came to destroy wounds and grieves him 3. It will take away a mans usefulness in his Generation His Works his Endeavours his Labours seldom receive Blessing from God If he be a Preacher God commonly blows upon his Ministry that he shall labour in the Fire and not be honoured with any success or doing any work for God and the like may be spoken of other Conditions The world is at this day full of poor withering Professors how few are there that walk in any Beauty or Glory how barren how useless are they for the most part â— Amongst the many Reasons that may be assigned of this sad Estate it may justly be feared that this is none of the least effectual many men harbour Spirit-devouring Lusts in their bosomes that lye as Worms at the Root of their Obedience and corrode and weaken it day by day All Graces all the Wayes and Means whereby any Graces may be exercised and improved are prejudiced by this Means and as to any success God blasts such mens undertakings This then is my second Direction and it regards the Opposition that is to be made to Lust in respect of its habitual residence in the Soul keep alive upon thy Heart these or the like Considerations of its Guilt Danger and Evil be much in the meditation of these things cause thy Heart to dwell and abide upon them Ingage thy Thoughts into these Considerations let them not go off nor wander from them untill they begin to have a powerfull Influence upon thy Soul untill they make it to tremble CHAP. XI The Third Direction proposed Load the Conscience with the Guilt of the perplexing Distemper The Wayes and Means whereby that may be done The Fourth Direction Vehement desire for Deliverance The Fifth Some Distempers rooted deeply in mens Natural Tempers Considerations of such Distempers Wayes of dealing with them The Sixth Direction Occasions and Advantages of Sin to be prevented The Seventh Direction The first actings of Sin vigorously to be opposed THIS is my Third Direction Load thy Conscience with the Guilt of it Not onely consider that it hath a Guilt but load thy Conscience with the Guilt of its actual Eruptions and Disturbances For the right improvement of this Rule I shall give some particular Directions First Take Gods Meâ—hod in it and begin with Generals aâ—â— so descend to particulars 1 Charge thy Conscience with that Guilt which appears in it from the Rectitude and Holiness of the Law Bring the holy Law of God into thy Conscience lay thy corruption to it pray that thou mayest be affected with it Consider the holiness spirituality fiery severity inwardness absoluteness of the Law And see how thou canst stand before it Be much I say in affecting thy Conscience with the Terrour of the Lord in the Law and how righteous it is that every one of thy Transgressions should receive a recompence of Reward Perhaps thy Conscience will invent shifts and Evasions to keep off the Power of this Consideration as that the condemning power of the Law doth not belong to thee thou art set free from it and the like and so though thou be not conformable to it yet thou needest not to be so much troubled at it But 1. Tell thy Conscience that it cannot manage any evidence to the purpose that thou art free from the condemning Power of Sin whilest thy unmortified Lust lyes in thy Heart so that perhaps the Law may make good its Plea against thee for a full Dominion and then thou art a lost Creature Wherefore it is best to ponder to the utmost what it hath to say Assuredly he 〈◊〉 pleads in the most secret Reserve of his Heart that he is freed from the condemning poâ—eâ— of the Law thereby secretly to