Believers Mortification of Sin, Tract (4 of 4)

Believers Mortification of Sin · Tract (4 of 4)

p. 1483. When the Spirit moves thy heart againſt Sin, and excites hatred, diſtaſte and indignation againſt ſin, and ſtirs up thy anger againſt it, blow upon the Coal. Some let not the Sun go down upon their anger at it, ſuch are not true to the Spirit of God; his Controverſie with ſin is like that with Amaleck, for ever. When the Spirit is luſting againſt the fleſh, and the fleſh againſt the Spirit, joyn thou with the Spirit: Now thou haſt an advantage againſt ſin, which if thou improve, may tend more to the death of ſin, than many months or years p. 149of thy ſingle endeavours, or fruitleſs formal Complaints. Purſue the advantage thou haſt, and preſs hard upon ſin; If the new Nature in thee cannot bear ſin, and when its weak, and the Spirit comes into its aſſiſtance, how glad ſhould thou be, and how welcom ſhould this aid be, when the Spirit diſcovers ſin, excites the heart and affections too againſt it? If you will now awake your ſelf as the Pſalmiſt, when his heart is fixed, and when he has awaked his tongue and his harp, Pſalm 57.7, 8, I my ſelf alſo will awake; You may cut the ſinews of your predominant ſin: but if you ſhrink back, and comply no further with the Spirit than your carnal eaſe or intereſt will admit, you cannot but look for the withdrawing of the Spirit, and the prevalency of ſome evil Spirit. And ſuppoſe you only reſiſted the Spirit in ſome things, you cannot but think it righteous, that he ſhould not afford you his aſſiſtance in other things: but leave you to your own luſts, and to the ſwing of your own hearts.

When the Spirit then does animate thee againſt any ſin, hath bended thy heart, and raiſed or corroborated holy reſolutions againſt it: maintain them (for the heart is naturally like a miſcarrying womb); pray as 1 Chron. 29.18, and fall inſtantly on the mortifying of that ſin. Holy endeavours ſtrengthen holy purpoſes: and if theſe be vigorous and ſtrong, thou mayeſt now get over the difficulties that uſed to hinder the mortification of that ſin, and may do ſo hereafter: that is, may hinder hereafter, if through delays, or neglect of preſent endeavours, you let not your purpoſes cool or ſlacken; whereas probably, p. 150if this difficulty be overcome, thy Conqueſt of ſin may ever after go better on: But do not think, that when you are aided by the Spirit, you ſhall meet with no difficulties, or that becauſe of ſins vigorous oppoſition, you are not influenced or aided by the Spirit. There is no War without trouble, and difficulty, and danger; the Spirit does not altogether remove difficulties: the luſting of the Spirit does not extinguiſh the luſting of the fleſh; yea, the Spirit may be ſtirring the heart, even when the fleſh is prevailing: the groans of a holy Soul, even when overcome by ſin, are from the Spirit; but it's the Spirit's work to help over theſe difficulties which were otherwiſe inſuperable; and this he will do, if there be no failing on our part. But ah! the Spirit's aid meets with ſuch oppoſition and reluctancy from the Soul in ſo far as it is unrenewed, that neither ſpiritual purpoſes nor endeavours can be mantain'd and kept up without ſtriving and earneſt contending on our part: and this muſt be done, maugre our eaſe, humour, and the mighty oppoſition of the body of death. He that would not be worſted by ſin, muſt foreign. Luke 13.24, Strive as in an Army: there's no ſtriving with other things that will put the Soul in an Agony, ſet aſide Sin: there's no difficulty beſides this in the way to Heaven; ſee Heb. 12.4. The power of ſin will put any ſenſible Soul in an agony, as well as the guilt of it; Paul ſeems acquainted with it, Rom. 7.24: and no doubt he had much of the Spirit, even when he thus cryed out. Do not then expect ſuch aſſiſtance from the Spirit, as will kill thy Corruption at one ſtroke: the truer thou p. 151art to thy help, the more thou ſhall have; and the more the Spirit does, the more thou muſt do.

4. When the Spirit (who is a ſpirit of ſupplication) does ſtrongly influence thy heart in Prayer, improve it unto the mortification of ſin, for the neceſſity and uſefulneſs of Prayer in reference to Mortification, I have ſpoke to already, and now urge the improvement of the Spirit's aſſiſtance in Prayer, as one of thoſe ways whereby through the Spirit we are to mortifie ſin. And in order to this, whatſoever meaſure of the Spirit's aid and aſſiſtance thou haſt, let thy Prayers be chiefly levelled againſt ſin: and that not only nor moſtly againſt the guilt of ſin, but eſpecially againſt the power of ſin. Nature may raiſe the deſires of freedom from guilt high, which may be miſtaken for the influence of the Spirit It is true, that Natural ſelf-love may alſo draw out ſtrong deſires of freedom from the power of ſin, as their paſſions and corrupt contradictory luſts and affections do moleſt and trouble them: but eſpecially as they know them to be inconſiſtent with any well-grounded hope of Heaven; as for unregenerate mens uſual formal Petitions for deliverance from temptations, and from the power of their ſins, there is ordinarily not ſo much as moral ſincerity in them (even when that may be in their Prayers for Pardon) they really would not that God ſhould hear them, and are ſometimes afraid he ſhould; ſo that what Auguſtine confeſſeth of himſelf before his Converſion, is indeed a Common Caſe.

But to return, When the Spirit makes interceſſion in thee, helps thee to make interceſſion p. 152with groans which cannot be uttered: Let theſe groans be againſt ſin, rather than for Divine Comforts. Groan rather for Redemption from ſin, than from any other miſery: do you foreign with the Spirit, as the Apoſtle beſeeches the Romans, for the love of the Spirit, to do with him, Rom. 15.13; we render it, Strive together: the Spirit makes interceſſion with groans, as if he were in an Agony; O for the love of the Spirit, ſtrive together with him, &c. And when the Spirit gives greater enlargement, and mightily draws out the heart in Prayer; know, that then the Lord is ſaying to the Soul, as it were, What is thy Requeſt? Thou haſt now got the King's Ear, then let thy Requeſt be the death of thy ſins: and amongſt all thy ſins, eſpecially, that he would give thee the head of thy greateſt luſt that has moſt diſhonoured God, and done the moſt miſchief, that has often left thee wounded and groaning. Now thou haſt an opportunity to be rid of it, and avenged on it, purſue thy advantage, and return not from the purſuit till thou haſt divided the ſpoil: thou may now get more ground of ſin, than by many years praying againſt it in thine own ſpirit; when your prayer is foreign, as the word is James 5.16: that is, full of the holy Ghoſt, or Prayer, wherein the holy Spirit puts forth his Power and Energy, and ſets the whole Soul on work; foreign, ſignifies, one poſſeſſed with, and acted by a ſpirit. If it do not inſtantly kill ſin, and deliver thee from ſuch a Corruption, yet it avails much to the death of it: and if continued in, thy ſin ſhall not ſo far prevail, as to mar thy acceptance with God; or Communion p. 153with him, or darken thy evidence for Heaven.

5. If you would by the Spirit mortifie ſin, comply with the Breathings and influences of the Spirit in Ordinances, in the Word & Sacraments: This were the way (ſays one) to make Ordinances, and the times alſo glorious; the Apoſtle uſeth the dwelling of Chriſt, and of the Word in us, promiſcuouſly; men grieve the Spirit when they deſpiſe the Word, or any helps that God hath given them, Iſa. 7.13: they are the means whereby the Spirit diſcovers ſin, purges it away, or kills it, Pſalm 119.9, and 107.20. John 15.3, and 17.17. Heb. 4.12: Render them not powerleſs to your Souls, by letting the Impreſſions that the Spirit has made by them, wear out: Has the Lord by his Word and Spirit diſcovered ſin to you? fix your thoughts upon it, and pry more and more into the ſinfulneſs of it. Muſe upon it till your heart be hot within you: and till your heart be fired with anger, indignation and zeal againſt it; and when the Word makes your heart burn within you, blow upon the Coal that it die not out again; you muſt foreign, the Spirit ſometimes wounds the Soul for ſin, and makes ſome word like an Arrow, pierce the heart: but Sinners pluck it out again, and lick their wound whole again, and thus ſin is whole again; ſin puts the Soul between the ſtroke and it: whereas, when the Spirit by the Word ſmites, we ſhould expoſe ſin to it, and be content to have it not only diſcovered, but beaten and left dead upon the place; be content to find the Word as a two-edged ſword; and love thoſe beſt, in whoſe mouth p. 154is the ſharpeſt ſword; and hold up thy ſins to its ſtrokes when they are found out; Be content that the Word be as a Corroſive-plaiſter to thee, and keep it cloſe upon the ſore place.

O how many have their judgments enlightned by the Spirit in Ordinances: but they impriſon Light, impriſon Truths, and ſuffer not the power of them to reach their hearts and affections. True, ſome find alſo the heart ſhaken and troubled for ſin, and reſolutions raiſed againſt it, yet it is not mortified, all miſcarryes: and why? Truly, becauſe in ſome theſe have no root; and for others that are truly godly, they yet take not pains enough with their own heart, to maintain what the Spirit by the Word has wrought in them: they labour not to drive the Nail to the head, and to keep the Bow in bent. Slothfulneſs is a ſlighting of the Spirit, and provokes him to withdraw; and when the Sun is gone, light and heat is quickly gone. When the Spirit does by any Ordinance animate you againſt ſin, and fix it upon your heart to ſeek the death of any ſin, give it no reprieval for an hour: give not Satan time to tempt thee, nor ſin time to prepare ſome charm to entice thee again: let not theſe things that uſe to choak the Word, deface and obliterate ſpiritual Impreſſions; if when the Spirit by the Word has heated your affections, you immerſe your ſelf in your buſineſs, this like froſty Air will ſoon cool you; if you do unwarily meddle with it, it will quickly take off your edg; and they are the moſt dangerous colds that come after great heats: hence many not only abate their zeal againſt ſin, but ſin is advantaged by this means; the heart p. 155like the earth which in Winter is thawed by the Sun at Noon, freezes the harder the next Night. 6. Obſerve, and comply with the Spirits motions and methods when under affliction, which is a ſpecial ſeaſon of the Spirits teaching and working: afflictions uſe to be the Seal to Gods Inſtruction, Job 33.16. Seals give weight and authority to Writings; the Spirit now ſets Inſtructions home. Therefore conſider what ſin thou haſt moſt need to mortifie, and what the Lord does eſpecially aim at in afflicting thee: and in order to this, obſerve what his Spirit did charge moſt upon thee before affliction came; and mark how the Lord follows affliction: the Spirit uſes to bear in ſome ſin more eſpecially, and to make a mans Conſcience deal impartially with him; hear what that ſays eſpecially after Prayer; and when the Spirit by afflictions does humble thee, and cauſe heavineſs in thee, 1 Pet. 1.5, let not ſin raiſe up it ſelf; for thou canſt never riſe again, but upon its ruins; and when the ſpirits work tends to the ſtirring up of Grace, in all thy acting of Grace, have an eye upon the ſin that has moſt indangered thee, and comply with the ſpirit, eſpecially when thou art moved to the acting of that Grace that is moſt contrary to thy ſtrongeſt Corruption. It's a token of a ſanctified affliction, when thy ſin is diſcovered in its ſinfulneſs: when there is fixed purpoſes of heart raiſed againſt it, and when there is ſome notable acting of the Grace that is moſt oppoſite to it excited.

And now when the lot is fallen upon it, do not ſpare it, do not think to roll it to ſhore, and ſave p. 156it alive, do with it as the Jews did with Paul, Act. 21.28, They laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Iſrael help, This is the man that teacheth the people againſt the law, and hath polluted this holy place. Labour to fix your thoughts, and purpoſes, and affections you now have; and afterwards be often asking thy ſoul, what is become of them? and deal with ſin as then you wiſhed you had never done.

I ſhall in the next place anſwer ſome Objections againſt what has been delivered. And, 1. May be ſome ſee nothing in themſelves that need to be mortified; they can ſay as the Phariſee, Luk. 18.11, yea, can bleſs God that they are free not only from ſuch groſs things as the Phariſee mentions, but even from ſuch abominable thoughts and motions of heart, and from ſuch horrid temptations and ſuggeſtions as ſome complain of.

Anſw. 1. Was it any better with the Phariſee for his fooliſh opinion of himſelf? but would thou ſee thy ſelf as in a glaſs? See Rev. 3.17. Look thou be not like a ſtanding Pool, that has more mud and dirt at the bottom, than the raging Sea; and indeed ſin is never more ſtirring than when it ſeems aſleep, or moves ſmoothly: thou art not yet come the young mans length, Mark 10. who may be has outdone thee in every thing, yet ſaw there was ſomething lacking; and indeed beſides faith in Chriſt, there was mortification to the world wanting. 2. How came thou by this freedom from ſin, and ſo much inward quiet? thou muſt be in League with Hell; ſure I am, the holieſt Chriſtians make ſad complaints p. 157of ſin within, and temptations without, and ſeldom want ſome excerciſe; but it ſeems you let ſin live, and ſin lets you live. 3. It's a token that ſin has never been irritated, much leſs ſlain; we know thou art not pure by nature, more than others; nor can education purge out ſin, though it may qualifie it; and we know that it cannot be mortified with much ado, ſuch an intereſt has it got in the ſoul. But here it is, the Commandment has never come in its ſpirituality and power to thee; till then Paul troubled himſelf as little with ſin as thou doſt: ſin prevails in the heart, yet is not grievous, becauſe there's nothing in thee that is contrary to it, to oppoſe it. It's but a ſhort way that a natural Conſcience goes; it charges no man with Original corruption, nor with the firſt motions of ſin, that the body of ſin breaths out every moment, and which the ſmalleſt temptation will excite. And in many, reaſon, and conſcience, and affection, and all is in bondage to ſin; and there is nothing to preſent its proceedings, but there's a thorough ſatisfaction with its ſervitude. Sin is in thee, as in its proper place, and therefore feels not heavy. 4. Thou mayeſt eaſily miſtake, when thou compares thy ſelf with others, whoſe Corruptions ſome ſharp tryals, or ſtrong temptations, has brought forth; there may be much more ſin at bottom in thee. 5. Know that ſuch as Satan has poſſeſſion of, he does not ſo much trouble them, he cares not how peaceably they come to hell; he laſhes few till they begin to turn out of his road; he cares not how neat a way they come to hell, nor how ſwept, and clean the houſe be, p. 158and how well garniſhed. There may be acceſs and room for the more evil ſpirits. And truly I think, that Satan may be as careful to keep temptations from ſome, leſt they ſhould be diſcovered to themſelves and to others, as he is to multiply temptations to others; here's the miſery of many: God bindeth them, and Satan bindeth them, and they cry not: God blinds men, and Satan blinds men, and they feel not, diſcern it not, and will not believe it, Joh. 9.39, 40. He hardens them, and they know not how; the ſtone in the heart grows as inſenſibly, as the ſtone in the bladder.

2. Some Carnal hearts may object the pain that is in mortifying a ſin that's dear and uſeful; and that to mortifie ſin, is to mortifie mirth. This has been formerly obviated. In ſhort, you muſt know, 1. That this is not the proper time nor place for mirth, Joh. 16.20, Ye ſhall weep and lament, but the world ſhall rejoyce; and when we rejoyce, our mirth muſt not be a-kin to theirs. We read but once, that Jeſus rejoyced in ſpirit, and that was not with the joy of this world, Luk. 10.21. He was a man of ſorrows, and it becomes not his Diſciples to be men of mirth. I ſpeak this the rather, becauſe that under pretence of removing an occaſion of offence, and ſtumbling of ſome at the way of God, many drown themſelves in Carnal mirth. No man comes leaping and laughing to heaven; then, and not till then ſhall all tears be wip't away; were there none, there needed no wiping; as long as ſin is not throughly purged away, ſorrow muſt not fly away. 2. There is indeed pain and trouble in mortifying ſin, as there is in cutting p. 159off a living member of the body, and as there is in the rending of the ſoul from the body; for ſin cleaves as cloſe to the ſoul and to the body, as the ſoul and body doth to one another. Yet, 3. This pain is only, or at leaſt more eſpecially at ſome times; as when a man firſt ſets about the mortification of ſin: But when ſin has once begun to fall before him, he is heartned, and his work goes more eaſily on, and difficulties fly away. 4. It is the being of ſin, and the ſtrength of ſin that breeds trouble, and grief, and pain to the godly man: not ſo much the mortifying of ſin, for that relieves him. 5. As we formerly told you, there's a great deal of more pain in ſerving and ſatisfying any luſt, than in mortifying it, Job 20.22. Pſal. 78.29, 30. Would you ſet about the mortification of ſin, and make tryal, you ſhould find it ſo: The reaſon why men think not their luſts burdenſome, is their love to them; and their being habituated to them, diſingages the affections to them, and they torment a man; that which makes them ſweet, is the vicious conſtitution of their ſouls and bodies; when a man is recovered of his diſeaſe, they are like gall and wormwood to him; that which leſſens their trouble and pain in ſerving of them, is their imputing it to the ſcantneſs of proviſion for them; whereas when they have multiplied and diverſified the objects of them, they are ne're the nearer ſatisfaction in them. 6. Man is born to affliction, as the ſparks flie upward; and if the godly man find pain and trouble in mortifying ſin, he has reſt in the evil day to compenſate that. If ſin be mortified, it's eaſie to bear a croſs; if p. 160ſin be dead, it's eaſie for a man to die. Whereas others are uneaſie under afflictions, and on a death bed, unmortified ſin makes a man feeling of affliction; the trouble and pain of it is more than the pleaſure of ſin, and more than the pain of mortification; and how much more does the pain and ſorrow of hell exceed theſe? Will you chuſe to pine away in pain, rather than let a gangrene Limb be cut off, or a broken Limb be ſet again? Will you lye a million of years in torment, ere you indure a moments pain? the odds is not ſo great, as between time and Eternity. 7. Where there is a principle of true Grace, it's greater pain to the new man to ſin, then to mortifie ſin. 8. It is no pain or trouble to a man, in ſo far as he is renewed, to oppoſe and mortifie ſin; he does it with delight, and the more effectually he do it, the more is his peace and joy. 9. If at any time ſin prevails, the heart is drawn forth into acts of godly ſorrow, and indeed the godly man chuſes that before the worlds mirth, and therefore cheriſhes it; whereas the trouble and anguiſh others have, is a kin to that of hell, which makes them ſhun it, and fly from it. Yea, 10. The very trouble which the mortification of ſin breeds to the old man, is a pleaſure to the new; then one riſes upon the ruins of the other: and when he conſiders what aſſurance of a final conqueſt he has, he is heartned, he knows that the death of ſin is his life, that if he through the ſpirit mortifie ſin, he ſhall live; he can bear to have a right hand cut off, when his life is at the ſtake; and if he feel pain, and trouble, and complain of it, as Rom. 7.24, he checks himſelf p. 161next word, and turns his moan into a Song, Act. 25. & 8.1.

3. Some object the impoſſibility of mortifying ſuch and ſuch Corruptions; ſome will acknowledg a ſelf-denyed and mortified life to be the beſt life; but ſay you, No body knows my temptations, and circumſtances; there's ſuch a woful proneneſs in my nature to ſuch and ſuch things, that I know not how to withſtand it, though I have prayed, and reſolved, and hoped againſt it.

Anſw. It's true, thou art utterly impotent, and by thy own endeavours thou cannot mortifie any ſin; but art thou a Chriſtian, and haſt no faith? or in Chriſt, and haſt thou not the ſpirit of Chriſt: Haſt thou Chriſt in thee, and the Spirit of the living God in thee, and yet no ſtrength, or cannot mortifie a beloved luſt by it? But does not this excuſe them that want the Spirit, and his ſpecial aſſiſtance? Anſw. No, 1. Becauſe ſome ſuch, at leaſt, think they can reſiſt and overcome many ſins, and yet do not; why do they put off Repentance and Mortification, with expreſs purpoſes ſome other time to repent, and mortifie ſin? and why do they, when under outward trouble, or inward terrors, cry out, O that I had known this. 2. They will not ſo much as try whether they can mortifie ſin or not. 3. The natural man does not only freely and willingly, but chearfully fulfil the luſts of the fleſh, without regard to, or ſenſe of his Impotency to do otherwiſe, or any neceſſity he is under, ſaving what he lays upon himſelf: they could not do it more freely, ſuppoſing there were no power p. 162above them determining even… … could not do it more chearfully no… … ſuppoſing it were the true happineſs: …, though deceitful, will tell us ſo, viz. … is not from any compulſion to ſin, nor … ability to do the contrary, that we ſin; … a willingneſs and ſatisfaction in ſo doing: and thus they do willingly conſent to the want of the Spirits aſſiſtance, that's neceſſary to the mortification of ſin. And, 4. They are even willing that there be inſuperable difficulties in their way, that they cannot mortifie ſins; they are ſo in love with their luſts, that they are content to have their ear bored, and to be ſervants to them for ever; they love to have it ſo, Jer. 5.31. and are grieved when their crazy bodies cannot ſerve their ſinful, Ambitious, Covetous, Vindictive ſouls; yea, it may be they are glad that they have this pretence of impotency to plead for themſelves; and it being ſo univerſal, they think their plea will be the more relievant.

But, 5. That which may ſtop every mouth is this, You do not what you may do, for the mortification of ſin; ſure I am, If you cannot get the better of a vain, proud, light heart, you may yet reſtrain your tongue, and rectifie your garbs. But O, when poor Miniſters cannot prevail with you, for Chriſts ſake, to cut off the ſuperfluities of your own, or others hair, and to forſake ſinful and fooliſh faſhions, which any may do with much eaſe: how ſhall we prevail with you to cut off a right hand, to abandon what is as dear to you as your life, and what cleaves cloſer to you than a girdle p. 163does to the loyns of a man, or the ſoul does to the body?

In a word, how much might you have done to the mortification of ſuch or ſuch a luſt, that you have neglected? ſo that this pretence of Impotency, is but a froward Objection of the fleſh: for (as an excellent man ſaith) the Spirit is ever before-hand with us, preventing us with ſome knowledg, and ſome ability, which if we joyn with, the Spirit is ready to increaſe, and carry us further. If the Lord concur to thoſe works to which he does not previouſly move the heart; how much more to thoſe works which he excites, and is the firſt mover? The holy Lord follows the worſt of men, a great way; but they will have none of him; ſo that the Queſtion, Whether God will condemn the man that did his utmoſt, ought to be out of doors, for no man out of Chriſt, ever did all that he could by common aſſiſtance of the Spirit.

But is not the godly man heartily willing to be rid of ſin, when yet he cannot? Anſw. As the unrenewed will is Chriſts greateſt enemy, and Satans greateſt ſtrength; ſo indeed, much of the ſtrength of Grace lies in the renewed will, and in the new man. It's Chriſts greateſt friend, and ſins greateſt enemy, Rom. 7.17, 23, The heart may be willing, when the fleſh is weak. And when there is ſome defect and ſhort-coming in the executive powers of the ſoul, our diligence in duty and actual oppoſition to ſin, ſeldom or never anſwer the deſires of a willing mind, or of an inlarged heart. Yet, 1. Know, that there is ſome willingneſs; were the will perfectly ſet againſt ſin, p. 164a man ſhould be perfectly holy. Paul, Rom. 7, ſpeaks only of his renewed will, or his will in ſo far as renewed; for its certain his will was in part for evil, elſe he could not have done it; true, there was force as it were on the renewed will (therefore he pleads Not guilty in ſome fenſe); but this was by the unrenewed will, in part, though more eſpecially by the inferior ſoul. 2. The believer, if he quench not the Spirit, yet is often grieving him, and ſo provokes him to ſuſpend his aſſiſtance. And I judg we may ſay, This the holy Spirit rarely or never does, but after ſome unkind uſage. 3. None of them are deſtitute of all aſſiſtance againſt ſin; and they are culpable in ſo far as they improve not theſe, and in as far as they do not conſcientiouſly ſhun all provocations to ſin, and uſe all Gods appointed means and methods, with which the ſpirit uſes to concur, and whereby he conveys ſupplies of grace and ſtrength to the ſoul.

If any ask how this neceſſary aſſiſtance of the Spirit may be obtained? I Anſw. 1. Negatively, Do not reſiſt the Spirit. 2. Quench not the Spirit. 3. Grieve not the Spirit. 2. Poſitively, 1. You muſt be convinced of your utter impotency to mortifie any ſin. 2. You muſt highly prize the Spirit's aſſiſtance, and thirſt and hunger for it, as a child for bread to nouriſh him. 3. You muſt pray for the Spirit, Luk. 1.13, Your heavenly Father will give the Spirit, &c. See how the Diſciples were buſied, Act. 1.14, Prayer brings down the Spirit, and the more of this Spirit, the more prayer. Or the Lord will have ſuch as have none of the Spirit, yet to ſeek him by prayer, p. 165Ezek. 36.27. compared with v. 37. Indeed there is no promiſe that God will give his ſanctifying Spirit, to every unrenewed man that asks him: that of Luk. 11.13, concerns only children, and a further meaſure of the Spirit. But if thou haſt any thing of the Spirit, the way to get more is by believing-prayer. I ſay, by believing-prayer: compare Act. 1.4. with 8.14. See alſo Iſa. 40.30, 31. though thou find not much of this, yet believe the promiſe, and wait. O it's not known what advantage there is in believing promiſes! Joh. 11.20. There is ſome preſent ſtrength that accompanies this, and more that certainly follows it. 4. Improve what meaſure of the Spirit you have, were it but on the account of that general promiſe, Matt. 25.21. and Prov. 1.23, Turn ye at my reproof; and behold, I'le pour out my ſpirit upon you: be content that the Spirit ſhould not only dwell in you, but influence and act you. Walk after the ſpirit, that what Paul ſays of Chriſt, you may ſay of the Spirit, Gal. 2.20. and of Grace, 1 Cor. 15.10. Think it no bondage, but true liberty, to be led by the Spirit; happy they, who are ever in ſuch a frame as are fit for the Spirit to operate upon. Indeed it requires careful attention to obſerve, and much humility and ſelfdenyal to walk by the Spirit. O let not convictions cool, nor holy motions die; turn every motion againſt ſin into a purpoſe, and every purpoſe into endeavours againſt ſin. Attend diligently on Ordinances, Act. 10.44, While Peter yet ſpake theſe words, the Holy-Ghoſt fell on all them that heard the word. But mark what's ſaid, ver. 33, Now therefore we are all here preſent before God, p. 166to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Thou muſt ſee thy ſelf as in the preſence of God; and get a heart ready to receive his Inſtructions or Commands.

Finally, If thou haſt loſt that aid of the ſpirit that thou waſt wont to have, ſearch how thou came to loſe it; If there be not ſome ſecret luſt that thou waſt willing to ſpare: this may not only undo thy comforts, but univerſally marr the Spirits operations. May be there is ſome old reckonings which were never diſtinctly counted for, nor ſcored off, which the Spirit has brought to your remembrance, and yet you will needs bury them. But ordinarily its ſomething in thy preſent frame or way, and may be it's ſomething that you think but little of (often the cauſe of Gods Controverſie with a land, or with a particular perſon, is that which we would little ſuſpect); may be a fretful, unbelieving, or injurious thought; take heed to the firſt motion of ſin; for ſin has no bound (ſays one), but what the Spirit puts to it, whom therefore we ſhould not oppoſe, but kindly intreat; therefore look to thy thoughts, and to thy words: (ſee the Gonnexion, Eph. 4.29, 50.) eſpecially in carnal company, whoſe converſe mightily cheriſhes theſe ſins in us which we ſhould mortifie; and by complying with, or gratifying their ſpirits, we often wound our own, and grieve Gods Spirit; and thus give ſin ſome reprieval. We cannot converſe with ſuch, but they will either afflict us, or defile us; look diligently then into thy carriage, and remember when and where the Spirit began to withdraw his uſual aids: and when you have found out p. 167the cauſe, 1. You muſt by renewed acts of rerepentance, and faith, be reconciled to God through Jeſus Chriſt: for the beſtowing of the Spirit is an eminent fruit of the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, and of the favour of God, and is not given to dwell in the ſoul, and habitually to aſſiſt, till one be firſt reconciled to God; and expect no new gift of the Spirit, till thou haſt made up thy peace again with God through Chriſt. 2. Beware of that way, in the beginning of which thou found the Spirit begin to leave thee: if thou think that this requires great circumſpection and heedfulneſs, it being a matter of ſuch infinite advantage to thy ſoul, thou needs not think ſtrange that it ſhould; eſpecially conſidering how careful thou art to keep ſome friend here, and what diligent endeavours thou uſes to provide or ſecure a little of this worlds goods, that will not go far with thee; and wherein thou haſt not ſuch aſſurance of ſucceſs: for thou mayeſt riſe early, &c. and eat the bread of ſorrow all the day.

In the laſt place, Let us ſpeak a little to ſome few caſes: And I begin with that touched upon in the third Objection, viz. the caſe of ſuch as complain of the ſtrength of their corruptions. If their mortification of ſin be ſo neceſſary to ſalvation; alas! what ſhall I think of my ſelf, who am ſo much under the power of this or that corruption?

Anſw. There are ſeveral degrees of the power and prevalency of ſin. 1. The higheſt degree of it is, when men voluntarily yield themſelves as ſervants to it, Rom. 6.16, Know ye not that to whom ye yield your ſelves ſervants to obey, his ſervants p. 168ye are to whom ye obey, whether of ſin unto death, &c. when men are agents in reſigning themſelves up to ſin; as ſervants tender their ſervice to their maſter, they do not explicitely intend to be captives, but it neceſſarily follows, and they are willing ſufferers or patients under it: the word uſed for Chriſts giving himſelf for us, Eph. 5.25. and committing himſelf to God as judg, 1 Pet. 2.23. is uſed of ſome mens giving themſelves over to Laſciviouſneſs, to work uncleanneſs with greedineſs, or in abundance, foreign, Eph. 4.19. this is the caſe of unrewed man, whoſe heart and will is for ſin, and who do manifeſt an utter want of mortification: from this degree of ſin the Apoſtle acquits the Romans, ver. 17.18. 2. There is a lower degree of it, 2 Pet. 2.19, Of whom a man is overcome, of the ſame is he brought into bondage. This being overcome, imports ſome oppoſition, yet not what is ſufficient. 3. Another degree of the power of ſin we find, Rom. 7.23, I ſee another law in my members, warring againſt the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of ſin, which is in my members. Where we ſee the law of ſin is not in the mind or will, but in the members; that is, the carnal affections. Grace has beat ſin out of the higher powers of the ſoul, and it has fortified it ſelf as it were, in the affections, and in the nether part of the ſoul. And obſerve, that here the Captivity is not a leading to outward acts of ſin, but a bowing down the power of the mind, and a weakning of the actings of Grace in the mind and will, and impeding the lively effects of Grace in the heart.

p. 169Now judg which of theſe is your caſe: the firſt cannot be the caſe of any godly man: ſuch as are under it, mortifie not ſin, but the Convictions of Conſcience, and the common motions of the Spirit; and herein they are often ſucceſsful: whereas a Believer accuſes himſelf, and joyns actively with the Spirit, to convince of ſin, and to mortifie it, Pſalm 51.1, 21. Dan. 9.5, 6. Convictions come on them, and they tremble and ſeek to be rid of them. For the third caſe, it's common to the holieſt among Believers, to ſuch as are moſt exerciſed, and moſt ſucceſsful in Mortification. It is the ſecond caſe then that is doubtful, there is ſome oppoſition made to ſin (ſo that this caſe differs from the firſt) but without ſucceſs: yet are they ſervants to ſin (and ſo this caſe differs from the third): the Mind is not only bowed down, oppreſſed and captivated, but a man is carried to the outward actings of ſin, and the fulfilling the luſts of the fleſh, or the deſires of the body of ſin. Now this is the caſe that many poor ſouls complain of: And 1. What ought we to judg of it? How may a poor Soul be helped out of it? will appear in what we ſhall ſpeak to this Caſe.

For the firſt of theſe: I Anſwer, That in ſome caſes a poor Creature may make uſe of Pauls encouragements, even when the body of death prevails much more than it did with Paul, Rom. 7: and does not only inwardly luſt againſt the Spirit, but the power of it breaketh forth in words, or deeds, as when thou doſt not make way for theſe, nor open a paſſage for them: but ſets thy ſelf to oppoſe firſt the riſing of them in the p. 170heart, and then the out-breaking of them, as Paul did. If thy heart ſtrive and gain-ſay, and not only does not regard iniquity, but oppoſes it and proteſts againſt it; And when it's leading thee captive, thou would even then be glad to be reſcued from it, and can bleſs the Lord as David did Abigail, when thou art kept back from ſin; his heart relented: whereas Saul commands to kill the Lords Prieſts; his ſervants refuſe; but there's no back-going, nor heart-ſmiting in Saul; he finds no fault with himſelf; and ſometimes ſuch as he are glad of provocations, and temptations to ſin. Judas offers himſelf to betray Chriſt, and the High-prieſts are glad: but where there is any thing of true Mortification, the heart is afraid of a temptation, and trembles at the thoughts of it, though perhaps it may be carried away with it; but the renewed Will never conſents; hence the Believer has little pleaſure in ſin, in the acting of it; but when he is ſinning, he is ſighing, and ſuffering, and much more does he ſigh and ſuffer, when after ſinning he is come to himſelf: he feels what Paul felt when he cryed out, Rom. 7.24: and is led to prize and make uſe of Chriſt as he was, ver. 25, to ſee the need of his blood to make an Atonement, and alſo take away the blot of ſin; when ſin is prevailing, Grace is often ſaying, O that it were otherwiſe! O captive that I am! this ſate forer to Paul than all the croſſes he ever met with; all his ſufferings never occaſioned ſuch a Complaint; and if Faith in Chriſt be not kept up, this is enough to ſink the Soul into deſpair.

If any ſay, That this does not anſwer the caſe, p. 171becauſe ſuch as never mortified one ſin, may yet make oppoſition to many ſins: as that place, 2 Pet. 2.19, imports; where it's clear, that ſuch as may ſome way oppoſe ſin, may yet be ſo far overcome, as to periſh in it. I Anſwer: That indeed every oppoſition will not prove that there is the leaſt degree of Mortification. The common principles of Nature may ingage a man againſt ſome ſins; Morality and Education may further this; the common operations of the Spirit may heighten this oppoſition, and alſo extend it to more ſins. The Queſtion then is, How ſhall I know whether my oppoſition to ſin, be from a common or ſaving-work of the Spirit? And indeed, the knowledg of the difference is of great and univerſal uſe; for upon the one hand, natural men finding ſome conflict in themſelves, apprehend there is ſome grace in the oppoſing ſin: There's none (ſay they) but have Corruption in them, and hereupon pleaſe themſelves, if they find any thing in themſelves, like oppoſition to it. On the other hand, the Believer is in doubt, whether his oppoſition to ſin be ſuch as Paul ſpeak of, and his doubt is encreaſed when he perceives his Conſcience upon natural grounds and common reaſons oppoſing ſin; not conſidering that the Spirit in mortifying ſin, may make uſe of common ſenſe and reaſon, as well as gracious or ſupernatural Conſiderations: for the ſupernatural oppoſition to ſin, does not deſtroy the natural; as Reaſons averſion to what is contrary to Nature, does not deſtroy the Averſion in our ſenſes to it.

I anſwer then to the Queſtion, That the common p. 172operations of the Spirit, does not change the inward principles, and motives, and ends that men in Nature act from, and by. 1. Then, the difference appears in this, that the inward oppoſition that Natural men make to ſin, proceeds from ſome common, low, ſelfiſh principle. Nature or Education may have imprinted ſome faint Notions of the ill of ſin: but there is no antipathy nor contrariety of Nature to ſin, as in the godly man, who hates ſin as God hates it. One wicked man may hate and oppoſe another: but there's no rooted contrariety in their Nature, as there's between a wicked man and a godly, Pro. 29.27; it's in ſound only, one ſin ſtriving againſt another; refined ſins oppoſe groſs ſins, or the ſame luſt ſeeking itſelf divers ways: as Herod was ſorrowful, becauſe he was in a ſtrait; and whatever he did, was a diſhonour.

2. The Natural man, his motives be alſo mean and mercenary: It is not love to Holineſs, nor a deſire to pleaſe God; it is not the contrariety of ſuch or ſuch a ſin to the holineſs of God, or to the holy Law of God, or the injuriouſneſs of ſin to the love of God, or Chriſt, or the inconſiſtency of it with Communion with the Father, Son and Spirit, that ſets him on work againſt ſin: Were there no ſtrange puniſhments here to the workers of Iniquity, and no Hell hereafter, the Natural man would inlarge himſelf in many things: It would be a Jubilee to him, to hear there were no Hell; ſome ſins are againſt a mans intereſt and honour, and no wonder there be much oppoſition to them. Herod beheads John Baptiſt with reluctancy; but whence p. 173came it? not becauſe it was againſt the honour of God: but partly, becauſe to murther an Innocent man, was a torment to his Conſcience. A natural Conſcience never oppoſes ſin, in favour of the ſpiritual Law of God; for the carnal mind is enmity in the Abſtract. I grant, that takes in the Will: yet it ſhews that there's no true friendſhip to God, even in the Mind or Conſcience; ſo that nothing the Conſcience ſays, or does, is purely for God; and its arguments and motives are always Carnal, Carnal fears or hopes; or if the object of fear or hope be ſpiritual, yet they are apprehended, and ſo influenced in a Carnal way.

3. As the unrenewed Man oppoſes no ſin, out of hatred to it as ſin, ſo it's only againſt ſome ſins that his oppoſition is levelled: more eſpecially groſs and ſcandalous ſins, that are infamous or contrary to Moral honeſty, or contrary to his natural diſpoſition. A Natural Conſcience will tremble at Murther conſummated, but not at every degree of it: not at ſecret inward ſins, nor at the firſt motions of ſin; not at Lucritive ſins, and ſuch as a prophane age has made an honour, in the vulgar eſteem; eſpecially not at unbelief. It's true, a Natural man may be ſenſible of the ſin of his thoughts, and of inward diſorders, by ſome common illumination of the Spirit, and may be troubled at them, as they diſturb his quiet, or lead to ſomething which he abhors. But 1. It is not with every degree of every ſin; if he be convinced and troubled at Unbelief as it excludes him from Heaven, yet it's not at every degree of unbelief: Nor 2. Is it for the ſinfulneſs p. 174of theſe motions, but the importunity and tendency of them; and as they evidence him to be yet in nature, and ſo without hope, he looks on them as the diſeaſe of his Nature, and not his ſin. 3. If he be diſpleaſed with the acts and ſtirrings of ſin, yet not with the root of them; If he can reſtrain the acts, he could let the body of ſin dwell contentedly in him. But it's far otherwiſe with the godly; for as ſin oppoſes every gracious act, ſo Grace oppoſes every known ſin: yea, and does ſecretly (though not ſo ſenſibly) reſiſt every ſin, whether known to us to be ſuch, or not; Grace in the heart feels that to be ſin, and contrary to its nature, which knowledg in the head does not diſcern to be ſin (the Law written in the Heart, goes farther than what's in the Head): as eating of what one has antipathy againſt, will cauſe trouble, though the man knows not of it; but more, if he does.

4. As the Natural man is not uniform in oppoſing all ſins, ſo he is not even as to all times, he ſeldom or never purſues ſin, but when God or his Conſcience are purſuing him; and he is never ſo eager in his oppoſition to ſin, but he will admit of a treaty with it, and is eaſily induced to grant a ceſſation of Arms: he is content to hear what can be offered, to reconcile ſuch a thing to the Law of God, and for ſhewing the conſiſtency of it with peace of Conſcience here, and with the hope of glory, at leaſt with his intereſt and honour in this World; the new man is deaf to any motion of a parley, and ſtands out to the laſt, and fights upon his knees, and is ſometimes overcome, but never treats nor yields: the Natural p. 175man oppoſes ſin as a flowing Tide does a Veſſel going down a River: but ſtraightway the Tide turns, and helps the Veſſel. But the Conflict in the renewed man, is like that between fire and water: there's no yielding nor ceſſation of Arms till the one be overcome; nay, not then. True, the Believer often intermits vigorous oppoſition to ſin, and may loſe more ground in an hour, than he can regain in many days: yet Grace never gives over entring its diſſent and proteſtations, nor intermits all oppoſition to ſin, even when its worſted.

5. The unrenewed man never ſtrives lawfully againſt ſin; he goes forth againſt it in his own ſtrength, not in the name and ſtrength of the Lord, 1 Sam. 17.45, 46: He ſeeks not to engage the Spirits aſſiſtance: he conſiders, or knows little the ſtrength of ſpiritual Adverſaries: and hence is eaſily overcome.

6. In Natural men, the conflict is between the Conſcience and the depraved Will, or corrupt Paſſions, which is like a foreign War: but in the renewed, it's like an Inteſtine War (as one calls it), the renewed Conſcience againſt the unrenewed; the renewed Will and Affections againſt the unrenewed. There's a Will, and a Will-not, in a Believer: hence the Notion of a double perſon, Rom. 7.15, 19, 20: there's no ſuch diviſion in others, they may do what Conſcience approves not, but cannot ſay, that they would not; the godly hate the evil they do, and love the good, they do not; whereas the Natural man does hate the good (the ſpirituality of it) he does, and loves the evil which he does not; and may be, p. 176dare not do. In Natural men, there's ſome ſparks of light in the Conſcience, but there's no ſanctified light in it; the Will and Affections are totally corrupted, ſo that there's nothing in them as a principle to ſet them againſt themſelves: but in the renewed man, there's fleſh and ſpirit in every faculty (ſo that the fight is more cloſe): and in every gracious, and in every ſinful work, they both put forth themſelves: and as the fleſh weakens the acts of the Spirit, ſo the oppoſition the Spirit makes, weakens the acts of ſin in the Believer (for diviſion weakens): and ſo a Believer never ſins with all his heart, as other men do; the renewed part never gives over all reſiſtance. And it's upon this account, 1. That the ſins of Believers are not ſo great as the ſins of others. It's true, Gods electing Love, Redemption, and Regeneration, lay ſpecial Bonds upon the Believer which highly heightens ſin, and adds many degrees of guiltineſs to it: But if we look to the principle of ſin, and whence it immediately proceeds, the unregenerate mans ſin is greateſt, for it is with all his heart, there's not a bit of the man that be-friends Chriſt; there's nothing in ſuch of you that holds with him. As for what oppoſition the Conſcience makes, it is not with your will, if there be any made at all; it's grievous, but no pleaſure to you: ſo that you ſeek out ſhifts and means, either to ſtifle it, or bribe it, or bring it over to be for that which the will and affections are for. Some think the Believers ſins are more heinous, becauſe againſt more Light: indeed, this were a good Argument, if the Mind were the only principle of our actions, p. 177and not the will, or elective faculty. But let none abuſe this: for truly ſin is ſo dreadful in both, that it's not eaſie to tell in whom its worſe. Hence, 2. We ſee the reaſon why the Believer hath not ſo much pleaſure in Sin as others have, having two parties in him: whatever pleaſes the one, diſpleaſes the other; the natural man having but one, is more pleas'd at heart with ſinful objects: the oppoſition the Conſcience makes, hinders not: but that he deliberately chuſe, and delightfully act it, and obſtinately perſiſt in it. The Believer is ſometimes taſting of the forbidden fruit, but Grace marreth the reſult of it: and the more he finds he is pleaſed with it, the worſe he is pleaſed with himſelf.

7. The Natural mans oppoſition does not any way break the power of Sin, nor does continue till the man get up again; if he fall, he lies ſtill: whereas the Spirit in the Believer, ceaſes not to ſtrive till he be got to his feet again: Sin was painful to him in the going down, but its more bitter in his belly, and he reſteth not till he hath vomited it up again: the Conſcience will ceaſe to ſtrive, but grace never; yea, the godly man often riſes by his falling; he grows more humble, and watchful, and dependent: the grief which ſin breeds, conſumes the Sin that bred it. Whereas the natural man, when he overcomes, he is overcome; he grows proud and conceited; the ſeeming mortification of one Sin, does vivifie, or give life and ſtrength to another.

8. The Natural mans oppoſition tends only to reſtrain or keep in Sin, not to mortifie it: if Sin will be quiet and peaceable, he can let it live; p. 178the Believer ſeeks the death of it, the extirpation and abolition of it. If you ask, how we ſhall know when a Sin is mortified, and when reſtrained only? or what's the difference between reſtraining and mortifying a Corruption? Anſwer 1. When any Corruption is mortified, one is thereby advantaged againſt all other Corruptions: for the killing of one member, or any branch of Original Sin, does weaken the whole; whereas the reſtraining of any Sin does not weaken the body of ſin: for when it's only reſtrained, what the body of ſin loſes one way, it gains another way. Try then, Art thou univerſally advantaged againſt every Sin? 2. Is thy mind, will, and affections, dead to that Sin? mortifying ſin is a metaphorical expreſſion; and this death that it implies, is not only nor principally the ceaſing of the acts of Sin, but eſpecially a deadneſs in the Soul as to Sin: 1. In the Mind and Judgment, Sin has loſt the mans good opinion of it. 2. In the will and affections, he cannot think nor hear of it without abhorrency; where Sin is only reſtrained, a man can yet with pleaſure roll it in his Mind, the inclination to it is not broken; many a man likes and loves the Sin which he does not; the mortified man hates the evil which he does. 3. Thou mayſt know by what went before, and by what follows: 1. Did thou come eaſily by this power over Sin? It's true, there is often difficulty in reſtraining Sin: but what, means did thou uſe to compaſs this, and overcome the difficulty? Was it by Prayer and Faſting, and after much wreſtling with God, and by the blood of the Lamb, that thou overcame? p. 179Or, was it by other means, or by the meer force of an obſtinate reſolution thou took up? 2. After the mortification of any Sin, there's a new Song ordinarily put in the mans mouth: and the Soul is not only ſome way eaſed, but is filled with Joy. There is ſome Joy that flows natively from the mortification of Sin, and there's more that follows by way of reward: as for a Natural man, if he have any Joy upon reſtraining the acts of Sin, it is but a ſpark of his own kindling: or it reſults meerly from the nature of the thing; the travel and labour the man is at in ſuppreſſing Sin, does more than counter-balance that, and is but the ſcant fruit of the teſtimony of his natural Conſcience; it will not bear him out to challenge Death and the Grave, it heartens not a man againſt them: ſome ſuch may die ſecurely, but never one, I think died triumphantly. Mens deluſions may ſuſpend the horror of Hell from them for a while, when a-dying; but it's ſome true Faith, true Holineſs, true Mortification, that fills the Soul with joy unſpeakable. 5. Sins that are only reſtrained, do ordinarily break forth again, and that with more force than before: as waters bound up, that do fortifie themſelves, and then carry all down before them: but a Sin that is mortified, as it rarely recovers; ſo if it do, yet it is ſo broke, that it is but half an act.

But here may come in two other Caſes: 1. What is to be thought of the caſe of ſuch as relapſe into Sin? 2. What's to be thought of the caſe of ſuch, as after ſome ſerious Eſſays to mortifie, feel their Corruptions more lively than before?

p. 180For the firſt, That a godly man may commit an act of that Sin, which is in ſome meaſure mortified, is paſt all doubt, elſe it were impoſſible he could ſin at all; for the firſt ſanctifying ſaving work of the Spirit does ſtrike at the root of every Sin: and ſo begins the mortification of every Sin; but this doth not nullifie or wholly extinguiſh Sin. No Believer is abſolutely ſecured from any particular act of Sin, pro hic & nunc, except from the great Tranſgreſſion.

2. When one is in the ſtate of Grace: as after their particular Repentance for ſome particular Sin he is fallen into; ſo after ſpecial endeavour, yea, and ſucceſs too, in mortifying that Sin, he is not abſolutely ſecured from every act of it for the future: for though a mans Pardon (as it imports a freedom from eternal Condemnation) be perfect, yet neither is Repentance nor Mortification perfect. Now to clear this, Let us conſider, 1. The gracious encouragements God hath given to ſuch, Jer. 3.1. Iſa. 55.7, compare with ver. 3. His Covenant does not ſecure againſt every Relapſe, but it ſecures the multiplication of pardon, Jer. 3.14, 19, 23. Hoſ. 14.4; Back-ſliding ſuppoſes ſome former recovery: Mark there the ground of what's promiſed, I'le love them freely; the falling into ſuch Relapſes is the higheſt provocation to God, and a Sin againſt moſt love; and Recovery from ſuch, is the notable effect, and Signal diſcovery of the greatneſs and freeneſs of Gods Love. Conſiſider, 2. That the mortification of ſuch a particular Sin, gives a man a greater advantage againſt that Sin, and puts at ſome greater diſtance than p. 181from other Sins; yet this advantage againſt this, and diſtance from it, is only gradually, more than againſt or from other Sins, and ſo makes the return of it not ſo probable or eaſie (and if it return, do aggravate it), but not impoſſible, more than the return of any other Sin; eſpecially, when we conſider, that that Sin, which by the firſt ſanctifying work of the Spirit was in a ſpecial manner oppoſed and mortified, may yet recover. And 3. The advantage that the moſt holy man has over the moſt mortified Corruption, is of the ſame kind: but for degrees, much below the advantage that Adam in Innocency had over every Sin, and ſo is not able to ſecure it ſelf; the ſtrongeſt Grace cannot preſerve it ſelf from the moſt mortified Corruption. Hence the Believer muſt watch and pray, and depend for aſſtance againſt it, elſe he ſhould more eaſily fall into it, than Adam did into ſin. It's true, there are Promiſes aſcertaining the Believers preſervation from the dominion of Sin, and his final Conqueſt over Sin: (whereas Adam in Innocency had no promiſe of the like nature) but there is no word (I know of) in the Bible, that aſcertains the Believers preſervation from every act of that Corruption, which through the Spirit he has particularly mortified.

4. There wants not Examples of the Saints relapſing into Sins: as Sampſon, Judg. 16.1, 4; Abrahams twice denying his Wife; the Diſciples twice contending for Supremacy; Jehoſhaphats inſtance is remarkable, 2 Chron. 18.1, 2, 31, 32, & 19.2: yet ch. 20. v. 35, he Relapſes. Not to inſtance ſeveral things related of Peter. Theſe p. 182Examples, though they do not anſwer in every circumſtance to the caſe propoſed: yet by plain conſequence they confirm our Poſition. For if a Believer may act contrarily to that grace which is ſtrongeſt in him, and may be overtaken with that Sin, or an act of that Corruption which is weakeſt, and that over and over again (as was Abraham and Peter): then there is no degree of Mortification that ſecures him from repeating an act of that luſt that is mortified. If any ſay, that though Mortification do it not, yet true Repentance does it? I anſwer, If true Repentance does it, it's either from the nature of Repentance, or ſome ſpecial promiſe of Grace made to the Penitent: Not the former: For 1. The nature of Mortification ſhould rather ſecure from it. 2. If true Repentance at firſt Converſion do it not, why ſhould it do ſo afterward? Not the 2d: Let that Promiſe be produced: what ever Promiſe (that I know of) can be produced, will plead as much againſt a Believers falling into any Sin, which at his firſt Converſion he did truly repent of.

But to prevent Abuſes of what's ſaid; Let me admoniſh you, 1. That there are ſome Sins, which Paul calls dead works, Heb. 6.1; Peter calls them mens old ſins, viz. which they had lived in before Converſion, Epheſ. 2.1, 9: and the pollution of the world, 2 Pet. 2.19; in theſe the whole World wallowed before Chriſt's Coming. A Relapſe into theſe he ſpeaks of as dangerous, Epheſ. 2.2, 19, 20, 21. Much debate there was about this of old: and many utterly refuſed to re-admit ſuch into their Communion, as in times of Perſecution p. 183did comply with Idolaters, and returned to Idolatry; which was the chief of theſe old Sins that Peter mentions, 1 Ep. 4.3. And I doubt not, but in the debate that aroſe thereupon, there were extreams on both hands: thoſe that fell upon the one hand, were many, and by their multitude helped to carry the deciſion of the Queſtion in their favour: and the promiſcuous re-admiſſion of ſuch, tended to the Corruption of the Church ever after; yet on the other hand, I dare not deny, but a godly man may be intangled again in ſome act of theſe old ſins, through the force of ſome great or ſudden temptation. Yet I muſt add, that it is a rare caſe; the fixed bounds how far, and how often, God doth not determinately ſet in his Word; I think the Lord does not ordinarily ſuffer his people to fall again and again into thoſe groſs acts of Sin: though we cannot ſay, but they may be overtaken with Paſſion, Pride, inordinate love to the World, which though no leſs ſinful in their own nature, yet in their inward actings are not ſo ſcandalous, nor ſuch occaſions to others to blaſpheme. Nor can we deny but that there may be, and will be ſome luſtings towards the groſs actings of theſe old ſins: But the acting over of them, I think rare. A man may fall into ſome other heinous ſin of another nature with more eaſe: for mortification of a particular luſt does in an eſpecial manner advantage a man againſt the return of that; though it weaken the whole man of ſin, yet it weakens that particular luſt in ſpecial. Hence there is often a change of the godly mans greateſt Corruption, and he gets ſome ſpecial advantage p. 184againſt that which ſometime did moſt prevail, and another luſt comes in its room, which ſhews the ſtrength of the body of ſin: yet diſproves not the truth of the mortification of the former prevailing luſt.

For the 2d Caſe mentioned, viz. of thoſe who after ſome ſerious endeavours to mortifie Sin, find their Corruptions more lively than formerly. In anſwer to this Caſe: 1. If Corruptions break forth more than formerly, it's the ſame with the former Caſe: and thy ſafeſt courſe is not to ſtand diſputing thy ſtate before that, but to ſtudy acquaintance with the depths of Sin in thee, and in the humble broken-hearted ſenſe thereof, to fly unto Jeſus Chriſt for pardon and for grace to ſanctifie thy Soul, and to mortifie Sin. If they be only more ſtirring inwardly than before, and ſo ſeem more ſtrong; it is a Caſe commonly incident to ſuch of the people of God, as before their regeneration were careful to walk blameleſly, and were morally educated, and ſuch as were formal in Religion. And 1. This may proceed from the malice of Satan, who when his intereſt in the Soul, was not brangled, made no great noiſe; Now as the Dog is put to the Door, he howls to be in again; ſo he blows the Trumpet to an inſurrection and inteſtine war in the Soul, and if it were poſſible would have poſſeſſion again, or have the Soul back into bondage again; and this the holy Lord ſuffers, to manifeſt the ſtrength of his Grace, and that he may, having brought forth the ſtrength of indwelling ſin, have occaſion with more obſervation to diſcomfit them. As ſometimes Rulers, in policy let ſome diſcontented party break p. 185out, on purpoſe to ruine them more effectually.

2. It may be, thy inward Corruption is not ſtronger than it was, but ſpiritual light and gracious tenderneſs may be growing; the Spirit now may be opening up the depths of thy Corruption. And this the Lord uſually does by degrees, as he dealt with Ezekiel in a like caſe, Chap. 8.6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15. (where mark, that they had put a wall between God and them), he is ſhewed greater and greater Abominations; ſo the ſecret Chambers of Sin are opened up, and thou ſees that which makes thee tremble, and abhor thy ſelf more than ever: for the firſt ſaving-Conviction does not convince to the utmoſt; the firſt ſaving-light ſhines not into every Corner (or at leaſt not ſo brightly, that the man can dive into all the myſtery of Sin within) but leaves room for after-diſcoveries: ſuch Complaints as Pauls, Rom. 7.24, are rather the fruit of growing-diſcoveries of Sin, and growing Mortification, than of the growing power of Sin; Bleſs the Lord for ſuch diſcoveries, for they are neceſſary to the mortification of Sin.

3. It may be, thou waſt going about to eſtabliſh thine own righteouſneſs; and the Lord ſees it meet to fright away ſuch thoughts, by ſuffering Satan to rake up the Dunghil of thy Corruptions: when thou art aiming at ſuch a meaſure of holineſs, and freedom from Sin, in the ſtrength of thy own endeavours, and with a ſecret neglect of the imputed Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; and when thou will not make uſe of that, till thou haſt overcome ſuch a Corruption, and will not maintain thy Juſtification without ſuch a meaſure p. 186of Sanctification, and Mortification; I think not ſtrange, if God ſhould let open the ſluce of thy Corruption, to conſtrain thee to hold by the righteouſneſs of Chriſt for Juſtification, and alſo on his Spirit for the mortifying of thy Corruptions, and to live by faith in Chriſt, both for Righteouſneſs, and Sanctification or Holineſs; and to ſeek neither of theſe, nor any part of them any other way: for it may be, if thou be not proud of thy Righteouſneſs (to thy own ſenſe) yet thou may think too much of thy own ſtrength (indeed the one is rarely or never really ſeparated from the other: for whereſoever a man thinks he has one of theſe, he ſeeks the other alſo. Hence, there are none erroneous in the point of Free-will and Grace, but they err alſo in the doctrine of Juſtification, & e contra, Iſa. 45.24,) and lay too much ſtreſs on the ſtrength, at leaſt of the ſincerity of thy purpoſes and endeavours againſt Sin. Theſe can no more ſecure thee againſt Sin, than a ſingle thred can hold a Ship at Anchor in a ſtorm; the Lord will teach thee the neceſſity of this Method in the Text, by the Spirit to mortifie Sin.

And this leads us to an Anſwer to that great Queſtion; How it comes that the godly are ſo ſtrangely intangled in ſin, after ſo many Promiſes to God, and purpoſes againſt Sin? They decree the death of Sin, but it is not eſtabliſhed: Here the matter lies; they take not in the Spirit's aſſiſtance, in their promiſes and purpoſes, nor in their endeavours, to anſwer their promiſes: there's ſome tang of ſelf-ſufficiency, that marrs all ſuch vain brags as Peters are, Cords that are p. 187eaſily broken: and his opinion of ſelf-ability diſcovered it ſelf by his ſuppoſition, Though all men ſhould deny thee; He might well have ſaid, Lord, I would deny thee, though all men ſhould: But he ſpeaks, as if there were ſome peculiar Ability in him to reſiſt Temptations, and his purpoſe was like Sampſon's green withs: ſuch ſuppoſitions are hazardous and ſuſpicious, though uſeful, if managed with humility. It's a great myſterie (ſays one) to purpoſe ſo, as yet to believe we can do nothing: and alſo to believe, that Chriſts ſtrength is as effectual for mortifying ſuch a luſt, as if it were our own. And I add, 3. To endeavour as induſtriouſly, as if we could do all alone: and indeed, it's through ignorance or neglect in all theſe that our purpoſes miſcarry; Pride hinders the firſt, Unbelief the ſecond, and Sloth the third. There are other reaſons alſo: therefore let me ask you, 2dly, Do you think that Purpoſes or Promiſes, yea, or Vows, can break the inclination to ſin, of themſelves? or break the curſed union that's between the heart and Sin? They are ordinarily the effects of ſtrong Convictions, which do alway diſingage the heart and affections to ſin: and when theſe are not looſed from Sin, no bonds will be ſtrong enough.

I have formerly ſhewn you, that Convictions may make a man purpoſe; yea, and pray alſo againſt Sin, when the heart and affections may ſecretly diſſent and deſire that God ſhould not hear; and if the affections ſeem at any time to conſpire with an enlightned Judgment againſt Sin, yet they are exceeding mutable and unfixed: p. 188and when they are low, or rather byaſsed the other way, no wonder our purpoſes be ineffectual. 3. They ſometimes miſcarry by reaſon of ſome ſiniſtrous ends: may be you are aſhamed of your paſſions, or you are affraid your corruptions ſhould make ſome eruption, to your diſgrace and infamy; or you intend to bottom your hopes upon the grave of ſuch a luſt; or you deſign freedom from ſuch an impetuous luſt, rather for your own eaſe and quiet, than out of love to holineſs, or hatred to ſin. And ſome reſolve and engage againſt ſin, only to ſhift, and for the time put by a preſent challenge for what is done, without any more of it; or to be an excuſe for letting a good frame of ſpirit go, or at leaſt to eaſe the mind, as if ingaging were performing.

But it may be ſome have ſuch experience of the treachery of their hearts, that having purpoſed ſo often, and yet failed, they think it in vain for them to take up new reſolutions; yea, having broken their promiſes that they made, to abſtain from ſuch a ſin, they think it better to promiſe no more, and come under no more engagements againſt ſin. Anſw. 1. It is not Arbitrary to us to bind our ſelves againſt ſin: we are obliged to fortifie our ſelves againſt it, as ſtrongly as we can, and to fortifie our reſolutions, by promiſes to, and Covenants with God, againſt ſin. And ſure ſuch as do not ſo, are more eaſily prevailed againſt, and are ſooner intangled: If many Cords bind you not, the one of a ſimple reſolution will not; but may be two or three will, when one will not. If you purpoſe to mortifie p. 189ſin, be ſincere: why will you not corroborate it? but here appears the treachery of our hearts; we will certainly ſin, think we. And ſince it muſt be, we indeavour that it be as little trouble to us as may be, that our ſin may want thoſe aggravations which make it biting and ſtinging to our Conſciences.

Finally, I doubt the Lord letteth the man fall that will not engage, becauſe his refuſal ſaith as much, as he truſted not God for his aſſiſtance to perform or keep his engagements.

But is not ſin after ſpecial engagements againſt it, more heinous than if there had been none? Anſw. 1. He is more acceſſary to his own ſin, in not uſing all Gods ways for preventing it; and he ſins more unexcuſably in omitting that which was in his power to do; as on the other hand, the man that performs his engagements to God, is more acceptable to him than he that ſimply forbears ſin, inaſmuch as it manifeſts a greater abhorrence of ſin, and manifeſts a regard to a double Command, viz. of abſtinence from ſuch a ſin, and of keeping our promiſe or vow to God; the ſimple forbearance of ſin is a compliance with a ſingle Command, and doth not manifeſt ſo much of the mans averſion to ſin.

If any ask then, how ſhall we purpoſe and ingage againſt ſin, ſo as we may be diſintangled of it, and effectually get it mortified? Anſw. 1. Be ſure you be ſincere in them. 2. Be ſure your affections concur with your judgment, elſe they will intangle you yet. 3. See that you be alſo deliberate, and that your reſolutions and engagements againſt ſuch a luſt be not only from the p. 190preſent heat of affections. 4. Strive to keep ſuch a frame as you had when you engaged that awe of God, and that hatred of ſin you then had; and be often thinking on your engagements, humbling your ſelves for the leaſt breaches of them, 5. Take in the Spirit's aſſiſtance in your purpoſes and endeavours. 6. If one engagement bind not ſtrongly enough, we muſt renew and multiply them. If one knot hold not (ſays one) we muſt caſt more, that we may never want ſome bond over our head. And whereas our breaches aggravate our ſin, we muſt bring the aggravations, together with the reſt of our ſins, to Jeſus Chriſt, for pardon, and maintain our peace (ſays he) rather by repeated acts of Faith and Repentance, and by often waſhing our ſelves from the filth of theſe ſins, than by pleading no breach at all; and ſee that you ſuffer not the guilt of the ſmalleſt breach to lye for any while unrepented of, leſt it make way for more and greater breaches. Thus you ſee how a poor creature may keep up his hope of eternal life, and aſſurance of intereſt in God, when he is under convictions of many breaches with God, and great ſhort-coming in mortification.

I add another Conſideration to this: know that our engagements againſt ſin, do not tye us to be altogether without ſin: (though the holy law of God doth) ſuch purpoſes and engagements were fooliſh and impoſſible; but they oblige us honeſtly and ſincerely to wreſtle with, and oppoſe ſin: we cannot oblige our ſelves to overcome it, but to uſe the means which are in our power againſt it; and to leave nothing uneſſayed, that p. 191we think to help will mortifie it. And therefore a believer may plead, he has not broke his engagements, notwithſtanding many infirmities, and many ſtirrings of a Corruption; yea, even when there is ſome viſible out-breaking of it, ſeeing we do not, nor cannot abſolutely oblige our ſelves as to the event: he may even in this caſe ſay, (in an Evangelick ſenſe) that he has not broken with God, Pſal. 44.17. his Conſcience bearing him witneſs, that he dealt not falſly with him. And that he bound himſelf to nothing, but what he intended to perform, and what he had actually endeavoured in ſome meaſure to perform; and when he is overcome by ſin, he yields not, conſents not, approves not, delights not in it; But diſſents, proteſts, and crys out, as a chaſt woman when forced, and is made more watchful, and more fearful to be overtaken again, every time he gets up; and knowing the treachery of his heart, dreads it: as one recovering from a dangerous diſeaſe dreads the return of it, when he had rather dye than return again to it: when his heart bleeds for the abuſe of Gods Grace. In this caſe thou mayeſt maintain thy peace, and there's ground of hope, that Grace ſhall in the end be victorious over thee. I ſpeak to ſuch as are ready to diſpond (if others will needs abuſe it, upon their peril be it) Shall I ſin and break with God, and repent and engage a-new? and again break, and again engage? ſhall I defile my ſelf, and waſh? and again defile and waſh? If this be not to caſt my ſelf out of Covenant with God, and abuſe his grace, what is it? can this conſiſt with begun-mortification? p. 192But knoweſt thou not, that every ſin againſt God, yea againſt thy Covenant with God, does not diſſolve the Covenant? Jer. 3.1, 4, 12, 13, 14, 19, 23. See 1 Joh. 2.1, 2. It anſwers thy caſe fully: his mercy is not narrower than ours, which ſhould extend beyond ſeventy-ſeven times; he heals backſlidings more than ſo many times.

The laſt Caſe I ſhall ſpeak to, is that of ſuch as are in doubt about their condition, becauſe they find not mortification growing, but the ſtrength of ſin is much the ſame it was long ago. Anſw. Some are ſinfully curious in enquiring after the meaſure of their progreſs in holineſs and mortification, that they may glory in it; but for a man to ſearch out his own glory, is not glory, Prov. 25.27. And ſometimes to prevent this, the Lord hides the advantages they have over ſin, from ſome of his people; he draws a vail over their graces and attainments, and diſcovers the ſtrength of their ſin, that he may neceſſitate them to make more uſe of Chriſt, both for righteouſneſs and ſanctification. And indeed, according to the uſual chance of war, there are ſo many turns and viciſſitudes in the ſucceſs that ſin and grace have againſt each other, that one can hardly judg of the meaſure of his mortification: for he that is victorious one day, yea, one hour, is led captive the next.

I did formerly give ſome diſcoveries of ſhortcomings in mortification: Now if thou would know thy progreſs in it, 1. How ſtands thy heart affected to the things of the world, that feed ſin within? are they lower in thy eſteem? p. 193the weak Diſciples were contending for precedency the night their Maſter was taken from their head; yet after, we find even the Apoſtle born out of time, counting that and all things loſs, &c. Phil. 3.7. Knoweſt thou better how to part with them? canſt thou diſtinguiſh between complaining of God, and complaining to him for want of them? Angry Jonas evidenced little mortification. 2. How carry you in reference to others, or to the ſociety you are in? Flattery, Contention, or Envy, (the ordinary diſeaſes of unmortified ſouls) bewray want of mortification, or great ſhort-coming in it. 3. How carry you in reference to temptations, eſpecially when they come in time of duties? does the heart riſe, recoyl? is it frighted at them? or is it eaſily ſet on fire, at leaſt brought to treating-terms. 4. How carrieſt thou in reference to reproofs? a mortified man will bear well with them, whether they be well managed or not. Aſa bewrayed much want of mortification; it argues ſtrong corruption when a reproof wakens it, and occaſions more ſin.

But take ſome marks of further proficiency in mortification, 1. Haſt thou a fixed reſolution to ſeek thy hearts eaſe, reſt, and ſatisfaction in God alone, and that in the heavieſt and moſt calamitous time? Heb. 3.18. Is thy expectation purely from him? and if thou haſt a competence, or may be, abundance of the good things of this world, yet are all thy ſprings in him? and when thou wanteſt, canſt thou take Gods bill of exchange, and believe that all will be anſwered either here, or in the land where holineſs and glory dwell? p. 1942. Doſt thou put thy mouth in the duſt, when under Gods rod? doſt thou adore the wiſdom of God, in chuſing ſuch a rod for thee? does private afflictions melt thee, or break thee? Impatience argues a great degree of Impenitency, and unmortifiedneſs. If the livelineſs of ſin be thy grief, thou wilt be content that he ſhould rid thee of it, and make thee partaker of his holineſs, any way he will; canſt thou ſubmit to deſertions, I mean, ſo as to keep up thy love to God, and thy purpoſe to call on him night and day, and in the morning to prevent him with thy prayer? Pſal. 88. & 22.1, 2. Can you wait the Lords time? can you after the greateſt earneſtneſs in prayer, make a reference to his good pleaſure? does the caſe of the Church of God afflict thee more than thy private caſe? or canſt thou not ſit down quiet with thy perſonal accommodations, when thy conſcience tells thee that thou art acceſſary to the common calamities of others, as David? 3. Canſt thou retrench thy ſelf in what God allows thee, when the uſing of thy liberty is like to be a ſtumbling to the weak? 1 Cor. 8. Rom. 15. 4. Are ſpiritual pollutions as loathſome to thee, as bodily ſins? or rather, is thy greateſt care to keep thy heart pure. O, but thoſe who cannot overcome the bordering-Towns or Caſtles of a Land, are ſar from overcoming the whole Land.

I ſhall ſhut up all with ſome uſes that we ſhould make of theſe remainders of ſin in us; which by our utmoſt diligence we cannot fully mortifie. 1. When thou obſerves the ſtrength, even of the broken forces of ſin, which thou would p. 195earneſtly expel, and yet art not able; thou muſt needs ſee cauſe to aſcribe the begun deſtruction of ſin, and conqueſt over it, not to thy own ability or free-will, but to the grace of God; and indeed, if every man have ſufficient power to caſt down ſin from its dominion, and to give it a deadly wound, it is ſtrange that no man ſhould have power totally to deſtroy it, or to kill it out-right: for he that may do the greater, may do the leſs. The Hypotheſis of effectual grace, does eaſily ſolve the doubt, and refers the reaſon that ſin is not deſtroyed wholly in every believer, to the good pleaſure of God: but the Hypotheſis of freewill and ſufficient-grace will never do it. 2. Let the feeling of the reliques of ſin, further ſelf-denial, and humility, and hide pride from thine eyes, 2 Cor. 12.7. Let them provoke the lively exerciſed, and train thee up in prayer. ver 8, For this I beſought the Lord, &c. and in dependance, ver. 9, My grace is ſufficient for thee, &c. Admire the freeneſs of his grace, and the greatneſs of his power in carrying a poor weak Creature to heaven, which is more wonderful than the carrying of a ſmall burning Candle through the tempeſtuous and bluſtering air. 3. See the uglineſs and the treachery of the old man, and the miſery that Chriſt came to deliver from. If you credit not what the word ſays of it, ſee it in your ſelves: ſee the enmity that is in your nature to God. If you ſee not evil enough in one luſt, look on more: had you only ſeen this at your firſt Converſion, you might have forgot the ſin and miiſery the Lord has delivered you from. 4. Let this provoke compaſſion to ſuch as are in bondage to ſin; p. 196and meekneſs to ſuch as through weakneſs fall and are intangled with ſin, Gal. 6.1. Tit. 3.2.5. Let this confirm you alſo in the doctrine of Juſtification by free-grace: all natural men go about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs; and in the renewed man there's often ſome Inclination to it, and ſome neglect of Chriſts righteouſneſs (this inclination may riſe when other luſts are almoſt buried. It troubled Mr. Knox when he was near to die, yet was quickly overcome) even when we have moſt need of it: And hence our confidence grows, as inherent righteouſneſs grows. O, what then would we have done, were there no ſin in us, nothing to neceſſitate us to flie to Chriſts righteouſneſs; if as it is, there's ſome inclination, either to ſet up our own alone, or in conjunction with Chriſt's! The Lord will have his people looking both on their Juſtification and ſanctification every day, as new gifts; and that ſong to be daily in our mouths, Pſal. 103.1, 3. Laſtly, Be longing for the coming of Chriſt, and for thy full redemption; welcome him for this final deliverance from ſin: Let this commend heaven to you, and make it heaven indeed.