Sermons Volume 2, Romans 8 · Sermon 18
SERMON XVIII.
ROM. VIII.13.
— If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
WE come now to the second Clause, wherein we have Two Things.
1. The condition to be performed.
2. The blessedness promised. In the Condition we have,
1. The parties interessed.
2. The duty required.
1. The Parties interessed, are justified believers, who are not in the flesh, nor after the flesh: Yet Two Persons are mentioned, the Principal Author, and the Subordinate Agent; We are the Principal Parties in the Obligation, but in the Operation the Spirit is the Principal; the Particle (through) is usually the Note of an Instrument, yet the Spirit is not our Instrument, but we are his; he first worketh by us as Objects, then by us as Instruments; and therefore tho the duty falleth upon us, and we are said to do it by the Spirit; yet it must be thus understood; W are the principal parties as to Obligation of duty; but as to Operation and Influence of Grace, the Spirit is the principal.
2. In the duty there is the Act, (mortifie); the Object, (the deeds of the body).
1. The act, mortifie. I shall open it more fully by and by, only note for the present, First, Sin is alive in some degree in the justified; Otherwise what need it to be mortified? The Exhortation were superfluous if sin were wholly dead.
2. It noteth a continued Act: We must not rest in a Mortification already wrought in us; He saith not, If ye have mortified, but if ye do mortifie; this must be our daily practice, not done now and then, or by fits; if we always sincerely labour to mortifie the deeds of the body, we are in the way of life.
3. It sheweth that this work must not be attended slightly, or by the by, but carried on to such a degree, as corruption may be weakned, or lye a dying, or be upon the declining hand; the success and event is considerable as well as the endeavour; where the event dependeth upon outward and forreign causes, a man hath comfort in doing his duty, whatever the success be; but here where the event falleth within the compass of our duty its self, there it must be regarded; we must so oppose sin, that in some sort we may kill it or extinguish it; not only scratch the face of it, but seek to root it out, at least that must be our aim.
4. Mortifying noteth some pain or trouble; For nothing that hath life, will be put to death without some strugling; and the flesh cannot be subdued without some trouble to our selves, or violence offered to our carnal Affections; only let me tell you, if it be painful to mortifie sin, you make it more painful, by dealing negligently in the business, and drawing out your vexation to a greater lenght; the longer you suffer this Canaanite to live with you, the more will it prove as a Thorn or Goad in your sides; here, if ever it is true, our affection procureth our affliction; sin dyeth when our love to it dyeth; your trouble endeth, your delight in it ceaseth, as you can bring your souls to a resolution to quit these things, Quam suave mihi subito factum est, carere suavitatibus iniquorum, No delight so sincere as the contempt of vain delights.
3. The Object, the deeds of the body; that is, our sins, so called, 1. Because sin is compared to a body, Rom. 7.24. Who shall deliver me from this body of death? and Col. 2. 11. In putting off the body of the sins of the flesh. There is besides the natural body, a body of corruption, which doth wholly compass about the soul; there is the head of wicked desires, the hands and feet of wicked executions; the eye of sinful lusts, the tongue of vain and evil words; therefore 'tis said, Col. 3.5. Mortifie your members which are upon earth. Not of the natural body, but of the mass of corruption; particular sinful lusts are as members of this body. 2. Sins are called the deeds of the body, because they are executed by the body. Rom. 6.22. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies, that ye should fulfil the lusts thereof; and Rom. 6.19. As ye have yielded up your members servants uncleanness, and to iniquity, unto iniquity. All the members of the body are employed as instruments to serve our sin; now affections are manifested in actions; therefore by the deeds of the body, he meaneth not outward acts only, but lusts also: Well then, fight we must, but not with our own shadows, sin is gotten within us, by the soul it hath taken possession of the body: The gates of the senses are always open to let in such Objects and Temptations, as take part with the flesh; and the flesh is ready to accomplish whatever the corrupt heart doth suggest and require.
4. The life that is promised to them that mortifie sin, ye shall live, a spiritual life of Grace here, and an eternal life of Glory hereafter; Heaven is worth the having, and therefore the reward should sweeten the duty. From this Clause the Points are Three.
1. That justified Persons are bound to mortifie sin.
2. That in the mortifying of sin, we and the spirit concur. The Spirit will not without us, and we cannot without the spirit.
3. That eternal life is promised to them, who seriously improve the assistance of the Holy Ghost for the mortifying of sin.
1. Doct. That justified Persons should mortifie sin. 'Tis their Duty so to do.
1. What is mortification that lieth upon us? 1. Negatively, What it is not; we must distinguish between the mock mortification, and the counterfeit resemblances of this duty, and the duty its self.
1. There is a Pagan Mortification. I call it so, because such a thing was among the Heathens, which is nothing else but a suppressing such sins as nature discovereth, upon such reasons and arguments as nature suggesteth, Rom. 2.14. The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law: Namely, as they abstained from gross sins, and performed outward acts of duty; this was a kind of resemblance of mortification, and but a resemblance; we read of this in story; Socrates his Answer to the Physiognomist, foreign, when his Scholars enraged at his Character foreign. So of Palaemon coming in a drunken fit to scoff at Xenocrates his Lecture, with his head crowned with a Garland of Rosebuds, was by his grave and moral discourse reduced from his riot and licentiousness, which was a kind of moral conversion; but this we fault, because 'tis but an half turn from sins of the Second Table, or lower Hemisphere of Duty, and because these sins were rather suppressed and hidden, rather than mortified and subdued; Sapientia eorum abscondit vitia, non abscindit. Lact. As Haman refrained himself, when his heart boiled with rankor and malice, Esther 5.10. Their Wisdom tended to hide sin, rather than to mortifie it; and besides, this kind of conversion was not a recovery of the soul from the flesh, and the world, to God; but only an acquiring a fitness to live more plausibly, and with less scandal among men.
2. There is a popish and superstitious mortification; which standeth in a meer neglect of the body, and some outward abstinences and austerities, and such observances as are prescribed by men without any warrant from God, as in abstaining from marriage, and some sort of meats or apparel, as unlawful, yea from the necessary functions of humane life; the Apostle telleth us that these things have foreign 2 Col. 23. A shew of wisdom, have a specious shew, and are highly cryed up by the carnal world, but have no real worth to commend us to God, as being not commanded by God, nor warranted by the best example of the most holy and mortified men: Suppose abstinence from marriage; Enoch (Gen. 5.22.) walked with God, and begat sons and daughters. And we have more instances of true piety in married folks, than in monkery, and claustral devotions Jesus Christ sanctified a free life, using all sorts of diet and company, not abstaining from feasts themselves, Matth. 11.19. The Son of man came eating and drinking. So when the vow of voluntary poverty is recommended by the Papists as an estate of perfection: Certainly beggery, which is threatned as a punishment, is not to be wished or desired, much less to be chosen or wilfully incurred; least of all to be made the matter of a vow. Surely 'tis greater self-denial intirely to devote and faithfully to use our riches for God, than to cast them away, and rid our hands of them; as he is a better Steward that improveth his masters stock, than he that casts of… the employment, and lazily refuseth to meddle with it. So for Penance and self-disciplines; they look more like the rites of Baals Priests, who gasned and lanced themselves to commend them to their Idol, than the practises of Christs Votaries, and believing penitents, who hath indeed commanded us to mortifie our lusts, but not to mangle our bodies; to retrench the food and fuel of the flesh when need requireth, but not to bind our selves to a course of rigorous observances, which gratifie the flesh in one way, as much as it seems to contradict it in another; namely, as they breed in us pride and presumption of merit above other Christians; in short, these external rigors, tho they are greatly admired in the world, who are wholly governed by sensual desires, yet they are not acceptable to God, as having more in them of ridiculous Pageantry, and Theatrical stage-holiness, rather than serious devotion.
3. There is the mortification of the hypocrite; which is an outward forbearing evil, tho they do not inwardly hate it, which proceedeth from divers causes.
1. Because they have no inclination to some sins; or rather, a greater inclination to other sins, which intercept the nourishment by which these sins should be fed; tho we are all gone astray from God, yet every one hath his way; Isa. 53.6. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; so Eccles. 7.29. God made man upright, but he hath found out many inventions. As the Channel is cut, corrupt nature in us findeth a vent and issue; some are sensual, but not greedy of worldly gain; shall we therefore call them mortified? Some that are greedy of gain, are not proud and aspiring, nor given to carnal pleasures; do you think therefore sin is dead in them? No, their corruption breaketh out another way, more suitable to their temper and constitution, or custom and course of life; in some, nature is more sullen and rigid; in others more facile, and obvious to the gros…er temptations.
2. Sometimes 'tis because we make one lust give way to another; For certain Weeds destroy one another; as wild beasts also prey upon one another; so when men abstain from pomp and pleasure, because of the cost, their covetousness starveth their riot; so on the contrary, when men check their sensual inclination by their sparing humor; but mostly it is seen in those that run into extreams, and bend the crooked stick too far the other way, as the Lunatick in the Gospel fell sometimes into the water, and sometimes into the fire, Matth. 17.5. Or as our Ancestors to drive out the Picts or wild Brittans, called in the Saxons, a worse enemy; or as if there were no better Physick for a dead Palsey, than a burning feavour; sins take the throne by turns; as the voluptuous in Youth prove the most worldly and covetous in Age; but this is not to quit sin, but to exchange it.
3. Sometimes because men have not strength and opportunity to act sin; They may seem weaned and mortified when they are but spent and tired out with executing their lusts; and 'tis not hatred of sin, but indisposition of nature to fulfil it, Job 23.20. His soul a…horreth dainty food. No thanks to the glutton, but to his disease; Old Age is described by days that have no pleasure in them, Eccles. 12.1. 'Tis not the weakness of sin, but nature in them; their lusts leave them, rather than they leave their lusts; sin goeth out rather than is put out, rather dyeth to us than we to it.
4. It may come to pass through outward respects, of carnal fear and shame; a debauched creature that walloweth in all filthy lusts, is an abhorring to all that wear the heart of a man; therefore credit may keep some from running into excess of riot, for lewdness is odious and disgraceful; their iniquities are found hateful, as the Psalmist saith; mere shame and men-pleasing, may restrain many within the compass of their duty. Joash was good, all the days of Jehoiada: but afterwards hearkned to the lewd Princes, 2 Chron. 24.17. In such cases there is no true hatred of sin, no true gracious principle set up against it; this abstinence is but for a while: take away the restraint, and they soon return to their own bent and biass: and besides, this keepeth them but from a few sins.
5. Restraining grace: God may restrain and bridle men by the power of his word on their consciences, when yet their Hearts are not renewed; or by common Instincts of natural modesty, and ingenuity, or by the power of his Providence: as God witheld Abimelech, Gen. 20.6. Though the sin be not subdued, yet the act and exercise may be suspended: Balaam had a mind to curse Israel, but God suffered him not, though he strove by all means to pleasure Balaac.
6. Terrors of conscience; a man that is under them, non proponit peccare; a renewed man, proponit non peccare; the one hath for the time no actual will or purpose to sin; the other a purpose not to sin; no will to sin, yet have a great deal of sin in the will. Thus negatively I have shewed you what is not Mortification.
2. Positively, What it is. Here again we must distinguish.
1. Mortification is twofold, Passive and Active; Passive, whereby we are mortified; and Active, whereby we mortifie our selves; the one is Gods work, the other our own.
1. Mortification passive, whereby God mortifieth sin in us; which he doth either at conversion, when a principle of grace contrary to sin, and destructive of it, is planted in our hearts, Ezek. 11.19. I will put a new spirit into them: and I will take away the heart of stone, and I will give them an heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes. So Ezek. 36.26. I will put a new spirit into them. In the work of Regeneration God doth give a deadly wound to sin, the reign of it is broken, that it cannot with such strength bring forth the deeds of the body.
2. By the continual and renewed influence of his grace. He doth more and more weaken the power of sin. Mich. 7.19. He will have compassion on us, and subdue our iniquities. 'Tis Gods work: Alas! without this, if we be left to our selves, the more we resist sin, the more it is irritated and encreased in us.
3. God doth it by his word, which is the great instrument which he useth to convey the power of his grace. John 17.17. There we see the evil of sin, and the danger of it; are stirred up to resolve, cry, and pray against it, and are told of the great remedy, which is Christs death.
4. He mortifieth us by his Providence, as he taketh away the fuel and provision of our lusts, and awakeneth us to a more earnest conflict with sin. Out of love to our souls he crosseth our humours, John 15.2. Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. The Vine-dresser cutteth and pareth off the luxuriant and superfluous branches, Isa. 27.9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged: and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin. Now all this is passive Mortification, necessary to be observed by us, that we may submit to Gods work, and improve the impressions of his Word, Spirit, and Providence.
2. Active Mortification is the constant endeavour of a renewed soul to subdue sin, dwelling in us, that we may be more at liberty to serve, please, and glorifie God. 'Tis a constant endeavour: for in a leaking ship there is a continual use of the Pump. Sin is a continual burden and clog to the new nature, and 'tis every days business to get rid of it: we groan under it, Rom. 7.24. and we must strive as well as groan; the spirit or new nature lusteth against the flesh, Gal. 5.17. not only by a disliking thought which may check actual motions of the flesh, but also by a constant use of all holy means, that we may get the mastery of it: they are bound to dye unto sin, therefore will not let it reign, Rom 6.11, 12. and the end of mortification is vivification, or liberty towards God, which the soul aspireth after more and more; for we grow dead to sin, that we may be alive to righteousness. In short, this work must be continued till we have gotten some power against our corruptions, and it be weakened, tho not subdued totally.
2. There is a general and particular Mortification. The general Mortification is, The putting off the whole body of the sins of the flesh, Col. 2.11. The particular Mortification is when we subdue or weaken this or that particular lust, Psal. 18.23. I was also upright before him, and kept my self from mine iniquity. Now the rule is, That the general Mortification must go before the particular, otherwise all that we do is but stopping an hole in a ruinous fabrick that is ready to drop down upon our heads; or to make much ado about a cut finger, when we have a mortal disease upon us. Besides, particular Mortification dependeth on the general; for till we be renewed by God, how can we mortifie sin? Col. 3.8. Put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, out of your mouths, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds. Seeing you have put off all corruption, allow your selves to live in no one sin: Alas, to set against a particular sin, before we set upon the whole body of sin, 'tis but to put a new patch upon a torn garment, and so make the rent the worse; or to cut off a branch or two, while the root or trunk remaineth in full life and vigor, and so sprouteth the more for cutting: First look after the general work, that sin be stabbed at the heart, and then the particular branches and limbs of it dye by degrees.
3. There is a double way of mortification, Privative and Positive: The one standeth in the cutting off the fuel and provisions of the flesh, or those things by which sinful and corrupt nature is kept alive; the other lieth in resistance and active endeavours against it; as fire is put out, either by withdrawing wood, or combustible matter, or pouring on water; or an enemy is destroyed by starving or battel, as Antigonus answered to a Captain that kept a Garison in a City subject to Rebellions and Mutinyings, That he should not only fasten the clog, but starve the dog; meaning thereby, that he should strengthen the garison, and weaken the City. Both these ways must Christians go to work in the business of mortification. The one by shunning the occasions of sin, and cutting off the provisions which feed the distemper in our Souls, Rom. 13.14. Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. When men entertain themselves with all sensual delights, as if their business were to hearten the enemy, to keep the flesh alive after they have undertaken its death in Baptism. The other is using the means which tend to the subduing of it; such as prayer, 2 Cor. 12.8. For this thing I sought the Lord thrice. Hearing the word, John 15.3. Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken to you. And such like: as on the one side we must not provide oyl to feed the flame; so on the other, there must be striving, praying, exercising our selves unto Godliness, that grace may be strengthened in war against sin.
4. There is a daylie and ordinary course of mortification; and a solemn extraordinary setting about this work in special seasons. The daily course is needful, because sin is at continual work in our Hearts; and as soon as a Christian neglects his Soul, the effects do soon appear. In this sense, a Christian must die daylie, that is, to his sins and corruptions; he must still watch, and strive, and get some advantage against them by every prayer he maketh to God, every act of receiving the Lords Supper, or hearing the word; it is his constant task; but there are certain seasons when he must solemnly set about this works; as,
1. When God maketh sin bitter by afflictions; and we are threshed, that our husk may fly of. Affliction is a special time of dealing against sin, Jer. 2.19. We must not hinder the working of Gods physick, but further it rather, exercise our selves under the rod, Heb. 12.11 It yeildeth the peacable fruit of righteousness, to them that are exercised thereby. Use it to Gods ends and purposes; the smartness of the rod should make sin more heteful to us.
2. When you have some serious stirrings upon hearing the word, or some new powerful consideration is given you to quicken your hatred against sin; when a truth is born in with great light power, and evidence, upon the heart; there is a Providence that goeth with Sermons; many gracious opportunities are lost by our negligence; certainly when the Waters are stirred, it is good getting into the Pool, see Jam. 1.23. If a man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass, &c. If so, there is a season lost: there is some duty pressed, some sin discovered, some want laid open, mortification is much promoted by observing and improving these seasons, 1 Pet. 1.22. seeing ye have purified your souls, in obeying the truth, through the spirit; and Psa. 119.104. Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way. By attending on the word, we get new degrees of light, and hatred against sin: sometimes God weakneth this lust, sometimes that, according as he is pleased to direct it to your consciences.
3. After some notable fall, or sin against God. See the coar of the destemper pulled out; to get a pardon is not enough, but mortification must be looked after; the longer sin defileth the Heart, the deeper it is rooted: therefore speedily recover your selves; at such a time a green Wound is more easily cured, than an old rankled Sore: and David complaineth his wounds did stink through his foolishness, Psa. 38.5. The longer these Wounds be neglected, the worse: if a Member is sprained, or out of joynt, if you delay to set it, it never groweth strong, or straight: Peter did not lie in the sin, but went out immediately and wept bitterly, Matth. 26.75. The longer corruption is spared, it acquireth the more strength, secureth its interest more firmly, and is more deeply rooted in the Soul, and bringeth a custom on the body also.
2. Why justifyed persons must mortifie the deeds of the body.
1. With respect to Christ.
2. With respect to sin.
3. With respect to grace received.
1. With respect to Christ; and there, 1. What he did, and is to us. 2. Our relation to him.
1. What he did, and is to us: For what end he suffered for us, and for what end he is offered to us. He suffered for us, to take away sin; or to purchase grace whereby sin may be mortified: he paid the price to provoked justice, 1 Pet. 2.24. He bore our sins in his body upon the tree, that we being dead unto sin, should live to righteousness. Naturally we are dead to Righteousness, and alive to sin; but Christ intention in dying for sinners, was to remedy this, that sin might die, and grace live: and therefore our old man is said to be Crucified with Christ, Rom. 6.6. Then the Price was paid, and grace purchased. He came not only to free us from punishment, but cut also the power of sin. The guilt of sin is contrary to our happiness; the power of sin, to Gods Glory.
2. The end for which he is offered to us, God propoundeth Christ not only as a foundation of Comfort, but as a Fountain of grace and Holiness, 1 Cor. 1.30. Who of God is made to us, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; to be our Sanctification, as well as our Righteousness; where he is the one, he is the other; one principal blessing is to turn us from our sins, Acts 3.36. and that is mortification, or weakning the power, and love of sin in our hearts; now that we may receive him as God offereth him, and not rend and divide him by a broken and imperfect Faith; as we look for Comfort in Christ in the sense of our justification and pardon; so an experience of his power in mortifying sin, otherwise we have but half of Christ.
2. Our relation to him, both by external profession, and Real implantation; both bind us to mortifie sin.
1. External profession obligeth us to die unto sin; 'twas a part of our baptismal vow, and we quite nullifie and frustrate the intent of that Ordinance, unless we Mortifie the deeds of the body. The Flesh was renounced in our answer to Gods Covenant-Questions, 1 Pet. 3.21. Baptism is called the answer of a good conscience towards God. 'Tis an Answer to the Lords offers propounded in the Gospel, when we were first consecrated to this warfare, and that dedication must never be forgotten, 2 Pet. 1.19. And hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. To neglect, is to forget; as to distribute and communicate, forget not; that is, neglect not. So here, hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins; while they please the flesh, they neglect their Baptismal vow, and so make that Ordinance of none effect to them: we are said, Col. 2.13. To put of the body of the sins of the flesh. That is, in vow and obligation, being buried with him in baptism. Now if we do not stand to our vow, our solemn admission into Christs family was in vain.
2. By real implantation; surely they that are united to Christ, cannot live in the servitude and slavery of sin; for by this union with him, they are assimulated, and conformed to him, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ; and 'twas not his priviledg alone, but all the justifyed, Gal. 5.24. And they that are Christs, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof. This conformity is called by the Apostle, a being planted into the likeness of his death, Rom. 6.5. Christ was crucified in his human nature, and we in our corrupt nature. We crucified him by our sins, and we are crucified with him by his spirit: Christ dyed for sin, and a Christian unto sin.
2. With respect to sin, which remaineth in us after we are justified. Here are three considerations demonstrating why we should mortify sin.
1. That sin still abideth in us after we are taken into the justifyed estate: while we dwell in flesh, this woful and sad companion dwelleth with us; we cannot get rid of this cursed inmate, till the house its self be pulled down: we die struggling with it; and when one of our feet is within the borders of eternity, yet it departeth not: as hair groweth after shaving as long as the roots remain, so is corruption sprouting; therefore must be always mortifying: always cleansing, 2 Cor. 7.1. Having these promises, let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. Always purifying, 1 John 3.3. He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure: Always laying aside the weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us; Heb. 12.1. Since sin is not nullified, it therefore must be mortified; the war must last as long as the enemy liveth, and hath any strength and force.
2. It still worketh in us, is very active and restless, not as other things, which as they grow in age, grow more quiet and tame, James 4.5. The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy. The flesh is not a sleepy habit, but a working stirring principle, Rom. 7.8. Sin wrought in me all manner of concupiscence: That is, sinning nature; 'tis always inclining us to evil, hindring that which is good: 1. Inclining us to that which is evil: It doth not only make us flexible and yielding to temptations, but doth urge us, and impel us thereunto, Rom. 7.23. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind. We think and speak too gentle of sin, when we think it a tame thing that worketh not till it be irritated by the suggestions of Satan: No, 'tis like a living fountain that poureth out its waters, tho no body come to drink of them; 'tis irritated by the law of God many times, and the motions of the spirit; these corrupt humors within us, are in a continual fermentation, Gen. 6.5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Temptations only make them more violent. 2. Hindring us from that which is good; either it draweth away the heart from duty, or distracteth the heart in duty; it draweth away the heart from duty, Rom. 7.21. I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. It abateth the edg of our affections, discourageth us by many unbelieving carnal thoughts, and so the heart is drawn away from God, that sin may the more domineer; or distracting our minds in duty, Ezek. 33.31. Their hearts go after their coveteousness; filling our minds with thoughts of the world, vain pleasures; revenge turneth our duties into sins.
3. The sad consequence of letting sin alone. When sin is not mortified, it groweth outragious, and never ceaseth acting till it hath exposed us to shame before God, Men, and Angels; or hardneth us in a carnal, careless course: Lusts let alone end in gross sins, and gross sins in a casting off all Religion: Love of pleasures let alone, will end in drunkenness and uncleanness; Envy, in murther and violence: Judas allowed his Covetousness, that brought him to betray his Master; Gehazi first blasted with Covetousness, then with asking a Bribe to Gods dishonour, then with Leprosie, so became a shame and burden to himself: Annanias and Sapphira taken off by a sudden Judgment. The Devil loveth by lust to draw us into sin, and by sin to shame; and by shame to horror and despair; sin is no tame thing: But do the people of God run into such notable excesses and disorders? Yes, when they let sin alone, and discontinue the exercise of mortification; witness David, that run into lust and blood; and Peter into curses and execrations; Solomon into sensuality and idolatry; old sins long laid asleep may awaken again, and hurry us strangely into mischief and inconvenience.
3. In regard of grace received.
1. The grace of justification. Relyance upon the Righteousness of Christ for Justification doth not shut out the work of Mortification, but conduceth much towards it; it doth not exclude it, for the justified must be mortified; it pleadeth for it; Grace teacheth us to deny ungodliness, Tit. 2.11. That sin may be mortified and put to death for Christs sake; Christ was crucified and put to death for our sakes: God doth not require it in point of Soveraignty, but pleadeth with us upon terms of Grace: Grace hath denied us nothing, it hath given us Christ and all things with him, and shall we stick at our lusts? Grace thought nothing too good for us, not the Blood of Christ, nor the Favour of God, not the Joys of Heaven, and shall we count anything too dear to part with for Graces sake? Mortification is an unpleasing task, but Grace commands and calls for it, and that with such powerful Oratory as cannot be withstood.
2. In regard of the Grace of Sanctification: To exercise it, preserve it, and increase it.
1. That we may exercise it to that end for which it was given to us: It was given to us to avoid sin, 1 John 3.9. Whosoever is born of God dtoh not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God; and 1 John 5.18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not. There is a seed and principle within us to curb and restrain sin too, and keep us from falling into the power of the Devil, or being brought back into our old bondage; this other principle was set up in us on purpose as to excite unto what is good, so also to abate the power of sin; as the way to destroy weeds is to plant the ground with good seed; and 'tis given us as a bridle actually to restrain the exorbitances, and hold it in, when it flyeth out; now this grace of God will be in vain, unless it be used to such a purpose; and one of Gods most precious gifts would lie idle; therefore we should act it, or walk in the spirit that we may not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.
2. Preserve it in power and vigour: For the life of grace dependeth very much upon the dying of sin, as health and strength in the body cometh on as the disease abateth, 1 Pet. 2.24. That we being dead unto sin, might be alive unto righteousness: But as the life of sin increaseth, Grace languisheth and withereth, and is ready to die, Rev. 3.2. The flesh and the spirit are contrary, and always are incroaching upon one another; and there is this advantage on the flesh's side, that it is a native, not a foreigner, homebred plants which the soil-yieldeth naturally without any tillage; as Nettles will sooner preserve themselves, and get ground upon better plants, because the earth bringeth them forth of its own accord; or as water heated, the cold is natural to it, and will prevail against the heat, unless it be driven out by a constant fire; whether the prevalency of sin doth weaken Grace effective or meritorie, by its malignant influence, or as deserving such a punishment from God, I will not now dispute; but weaken it, it doth, that is clear by experience; for tho Grace be planted in us by God, 'tis not settled in such an indivisible point, as that it cannot be more or less; there is a remission of degrees, Matth. 24.12. The love of many shall wax cold. Faith may grow sick and weak; there are soul-distempers as well as bodily; and then a man is altogether unfit for action, and performeth duties in a very heartless and uncomfortable fashion; therefore still we must be mortifying sin.
3. That we may increase it. Grace is not only Donum, a Gift to be preserved; but Talentum, a Talent to be improved and increased upon our hands, that we may be the more fit to glorifie God; that appeareth by the many excitations in Scripture to growth, 2 Pet. 3.18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 'Tis not enough to maintain that measure of Grace which we have already received, but we must get more; always look after the growth of it in our selves; and indeed the one cannot be done without the other; there is no possibility to keep what we have, unless it be improved; he that roweth against the stream, had need ply the Oar; and he that goeth up a sandy hill, must never stand still; and 'tis our own fault if it doth not grow; God loveth to multiply and increase his gifts, Grace be multiplied, 2 Pet. 2.2. There is more to be had, and more will be given, unless our sins obstruct the effusion of it; if we get it not, we may blame our selves, for God doth nothing to hinder the increase; and indeed when Grace is in any life and vigor, it will be growing, Prov. 4.18. The way of the just is as a shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The morning light increaseth; a wicked man groweth worse and worse; he sinneth away the light of his conscience, rejecteth the light of the word, till he stumbleth into utter darkness: 'Tis like the coming on of the night, the other like the coming on of the day: Now mortification of sin is the great means of growing in Grace, removet & quod prohibit; it maketh room for grace in the soul; as it taketh away that which letteth, that it may diffuse its influence more plentifully: In Heaven we are perfect, because there is no sin, opposite principles are wholly gone; so here, the more you weaken sin, the more is Grace introduced with power and success, 1 Pet. 2.1, 2. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisie, and envy, and evil-speaking, as new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby; there is no way of growth, till evil frames of spirit be laid aside.
1. USE is to enforce this duty upon all those that are called unto, or look for any hopes by Jesus Christ to mortifie the deeds of the body: Oh! Do not think you are past mortification, because you are in a state of Grace; there is need of it still; yea, it concerneth you more than others.
1. There is still need of it, if you consider the aboundance of sin of all kinds that yet remaineth with us; And the marvellous activity of it in our souls, and the cursed influence of it, or the mischief that will accrue to us, if it be let alone: Let me a little press you by all these Considerations.
1. The abundance of sin of all kinds that remaineth with the regenerate, or those that are called to grace. I shall evidence that by some Scriptures, 1 Pet. 2.1. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and evil speaking; to whom is this spoken? The word wherefore biddeth us look back; when we look back, we find 'twas spoken to those that were called, effectually called, and born again, yea those that had made some progress in mortification, that had purifyed their hearts to the obedience of the truth, 1 Pet. 1.22. Who would think that the seeds of so much evil should lurk in their Hearts? but alas 'tis so! they are in pa…t envious, malicious, hypocritical to the last; and unless they shall keep mortifying, these sins will get the mastery of them, and bewray themselves to their loss, and prejudice, and Gods dishonour. See another place, Col. 3.5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetosness which is idolatry. You would think all this were spoken to loose and ungoverned men, that have not the least Tincture and shew of religion; no, 'tis spoken of those whose life was hidden with God in Christ, men acquainted with spiritual things, and brought under the power of the life of Christ; we foolishly imagine that such should only be told of the remainders of unbelief, or spiritual pride, or such like evils as are very remote from publick infamy and scandal: but the Spirit of God is wiser than we, and knoweth our Hearts, and the secret workings of them, better than we do our selves, and it's better these sins should be laid open in the warnings of the word, and discovered to us, rather than in us, by the prevalency of a temptation; an over spiritual Preaching, hath not refined but destroyed religion; God thought it fit it should be said to them that are taken into the Communion of the life of Christ, mortify; what? your spiritual pride? no; but Fornication, Uncleanness, Inordinate affection; the root of the foulest sins is in our nature, and if we do not keep a severe hand over them, will sprout out in our practice; so Gal. 5.19, 20. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, varience, emulation, wrath, strife, sedition, heresie. The Apostle thought good to warn professing Christians, who had given up themselves to the leading of the spirit, of the works of the flesh; he giveth a black catalogue of them, and he concludeth all, of which I told you before, as I have also told you in times past, that they that do such things shall not nherit the Kingdom of God. The Apostles that were divinely inspired, and full of the the Wisdom of God, did not soar aloft in airy speculative strains, or refined spiritual notions, but thought meet to condescend to these particulars, not only when they spake to Gentiles, but Churches, and professing Christians, to give warning against Fornication, and Drunkenness, and other such gross sins, and that not once, but often; for they knew the nature of man, and that nice speculations are too fine to do the work of the Gospel: all that have corruption in them, had need stand upon their guard to prevent sins of the blackest hew, and foulest note among men. I'le give but one Instance more and that is of our Saviour Christ, who thought meet to warn his own Disciples, who surely were good men, Luke 21.34. Take heed lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawars. This is a lesson for Christs own disciples; a man would think it more proper for haunters of Taverns, and Boon companions, whose souls are sunk and lost in luxury and excess; but Christ Jesus thought this caution needful for those that were taken into his own company, and bosome friends: let not all this be interpreted as any excuse to them that swallow the greatest sins without fear, live in them without sense, and commit them without remorse; cautions should not be turned into excuses, there is some inclination in our nature to these things: but these are not the practices of Gods people, 'tis spoken that they may not at any time be so.
2. As there is abundance of sin, so it's active and stirring even after some progress in mortification: 'tis inticing, vexing the new nature, urging to evil, opposing that which is good; 'tis warring, working, always present with us, that the best Christians grow weary of themselves, Rom. 7.24. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Was Paul an underling in grace? Is not sin the same in all hearts? Have not we as much need to keep humble and watchful, and make use of Christs mercy and power, as he had? Is sin grown more tame and quiet? Or are we more fool-hardy and secure? Surely we need to mortifie corruption as much as others; and whatever degree of grace we have attained unto, this must be our daylie task and exercise: if sin be stirring, we must be stirring against it; and when the enemy is active and warring against the Soul, it is a folly for us to hold our hands: especially since corruption is ever ready to renew the assault there, to return after it hath been foiled, and by several ways and kinds vendeth its self; when one branch of it is cut off, and one way of it stopped up, it breaketh out in another; one sin hath several ways of manifesting its self. Worldliness, take it off from greedy getting, it sheweth its self in sparing, or withholding more than is meet; the folly of that sin is seen in its delight and carnal complacency: Soul take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years: He had enough, now takes his fill of pleasure; so pride, if kept from vain conceit of our selves, bewrays its self by detracting from others; so envy, or vain ostentation, as some venomous humour in the body, heal up one soar, and it breaketh out in another place, there is all malice, all guile, &c. All sorts of it.
3. The pestilent and mischievous influence of sin, if it be let alone: Sins prove mortal, if they be not mortifyed. Either sin must die, or the sinner. There is an evil in sin, and the evil after sin: the evil in sin is the foreign or the violation of Gods righteous law; the evil after sin is the just punishment of it, eternal death, and damnation. Now those that are not sensible of the evil in sin, shall feel the evil that cometh after sin; all Gods dispensations towards his people are to save the person, and destroy the sin, 1 Cor. 11.32. But when we are judged, we are chastned of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. God took vengeance on the sin, to spare the sinner; but the unmortified spareth the sin, and his life goeth for it; the sin liveth, and he dyeth, as the Apostle Paul speaketh of himself, when the power of the word came first upon him, Rom. 7.9. Sin revived, and I dyed. Sin exasperated, and he felt nothing but sin and Condemnation. Oh! Consider with your selves, 'tis better sin should be condemned, than that you should be condemned; sin should die, than that you should die; his life shall go for its life, in the Prophets Parable, 1 Kings 20.39.
Ay, But what is this to the justifyed person? there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ?
I Answer, You must take in all; because they are supposed to live not after the flesh but after the spirit; but if it can be suppos'd that ye can live after the flesh, then ye die, as in the Text; that is, ye justified persons. Poena potest dupliciter timeri ut est in constitutione Dei, vel ut malum nostrum, as Bernard. Eternal death may be considered as an evil which God hath appointed to be the fruit of sin, or as an evil that will certainly befal us; a justified person, one that is not so putatively only, but really so; not in his own conceit only, but in deed and in truth, may fear it; in the first sense there is such a Connection between continuance in sin, and eternal destruction, that he ought to reflect upon it, so as to represent to his Soul the danger of yeilding tamely to his sins; and to fear it, so as to eschew it. For this is nothing but to make an Holy use of threatnings, and to see the merit of our doings; but as to the event, so not to allow perplexing doubts, but to quicken us to break off our sins, and to look up to God in Christ for pardon.
Now to direct you,
1. Strike at the root of all sin: they that are Christs, have crucifyed the flesh, with the affections, and lusts thereof, Gal. 5.24. The Prophet to cure the brackishness of the waters, did cast salt into the Spring, 2 Kings 2.21. We must begin with the heart, and then go on unto the life; if the root of bitterness be not deadned, it will easily sprout forth, and trouble us; as inbred corruption is weakned, so actual sins flowing thence are weakned also. The root of corruption is carnal self-love, for it is at the bottom of other sins; because men love themselves, and their flesh as themselves, more than God. Now this is weakned by the prevalency of the opposite principle, the love of God; and the more we strengthen the love of God, the more is original sin weakned, and we get again into a good constitution and state of soul. Carnal men are self-lovers, and self-pleasers; but spiritual men love God, and please God, and seek to honour God: love is the great principle that draweth us off from self to God; such as mans love, nature, and inclination is, such will the drift of his life be: now men will not be frightned from self-love, it must be another more powerful love which draweth them from it, as one nail driveth out another. Now what can be more powerful than the love of God, which is as strong as death, and will never be quenched nor bribed? Cant. 8.7. This overcometh our self-love, and then time, strength, care, and all is devoted to God: yea life its self, Rev. 12.11. They loved not their lives to the death. Self-love is deeply rooted in us, especially love of life, so that it must be something very strong and powerful, which must overcome it; for what is nearer and dearer to us than our selves? now the great means to overcome it, is Christs love: when the soul is possessed with this, that nothing deserveth its love so much as Christ, the natural inclination is altered. This is done by sound belief, and deep Consideration as the means, 1 John 4.19. We love him because he loved us first, 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judg, that if one dyed for all, then were all dead: and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which dyed for them, and rose again: By the Spirit as the Author of Grace, Rom. 5.5. Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us. Then the soul knoweth no happiness but to enjoy his love and favour, and so it prevaileth over their natural inclination, they live not to themselves but to God; not according to the wills of the flesh, but the Will of God.
2. Consider the several ways how this root sprouteth forth: Two are mentioned by the Apostle in the fore-cited place, Gal. 5.24. With the affections and lusts, foreign, passions; foreign, affections: The first word noteth vexing passions, the next desirable lusts: There are two dispositions in the soul of man, of aversation and prosecution; by the one we eschew evil, by the other we pursue good: Corruption hath invaded both, and therefore Grace is necessary to rectifie and govern both, 2 Cor. 6.7. By the armour of righteousness both on the right hand, and on the left. 1. We must crucifie our passions which have to do with evils vexatious to the flesh, and we must subdue our lusts or affections which have to do with those good things which are pleasing to the flesh; there are vexing evils in which the mind suffereth a kind of affliction; but 'tis a disorder arising from self-love, and therefore it must be mortified; as envy which corrodeth and fretteth the heart of him that is surprized by it; but yet self love is the cause of it, for we are troubled that any water should pass by our Mill, or that others should enjoy any honour, or esteem, or trade, or profit which we covet for our selves; so anger at any thing done by man which is displeasing to us, and if given way to, is a short fury and madness, and hindreth a clear discovering of what is right and equal, Jam. 1.20. So worldly sorrow at any thing done by God displeasing to the flesh, 2 Cor. 7. Worldly sorrow works death. So inordinate fear, which betrayeth the succors which reason and grace offereth to fortifie us upon any sudden incursion of evil; The fear of man bringeth a snare, Prov. 29.25. So worldly cares which divert us from God, and dependance on his Providence, Phil. 4.6, 7. Yea, set up an anti-providence in our own hearts: The like may be said of malice and revenge, all which bring a torture with them; and if allowed or indulged, would soon destroy our love to God or men; as if God withholdeth from us any good that we desire, or sendeth that which we desire not, but crosseth our humor, as sickness, want, reproach, or disrespect, or whatever the heart is carried to eschew; or if men enjoy any thing more than we would have them, or do any thing contrary to the conveniency of our flesh, we storm and fret, justifie our passions, think we do well to be angry; tho these are a sort of sins, which are a punishment to themselves, and do destroy not only our duty, but our peace; and disquiet and torment and soul that harbors them, yea, will soon destroy that love we owe to God or man, therefore they must be mortified.
2. Not only our passions but our affections must be mortified; Or more pleasant lusts to which we are carried by a sweeter inclination of nature; such as are stirred up by carnal baits and pleasures, as to instance in sins of the more sordid and brutish part of mankind; motions to Intemperance, Luxury, Uncleanness, and brutish Satisfactions; or to instance in the more refined part of the world, to worldly Greatness, Honour, and vain delights, to be distinguished from others by Estate, Rank, and outward Dignity; as every man is apt to be carried away by some inordinate lust or other; now whatever the distemper be, it must be purged out of the heart, if we would have Christ have any interest there: And here we must not only restrain the act, but mortifie the habits, for otherwise we cannot be safe, for every temptation falleth in with some or other of these sins, and giveth a new life to it; unless the lusts are weakned, the conversation cannot be Christian, 1 Pet. 2.4. Abstain from fleshly lusts; having your conversations honest; and Jam. 4.1. From whence come wars and fighting? Come they not hence, even from your lusts that war in your members? All their strifes and contentions come from their carnal hearts, or sensual inclinations, which first rebelled against the upper part of the soul, or the dictates of Grace and Reason, and then broke out into outragious or misbecoming practises: And our Saviour telleth us, that Murthers, Thefts, Adulteries, come first out of the heart, Matth. 15.19. From the polluted fountain of the heart, floweth all the pollution of the life: And if the act should be restrained, yet unless the heart be cleansed, all is loathsome to God, Matth. 23.27. Therefore kill the lusts in your heart, and ye shall more easily curb the sins of the outward man, that they may not break out to Gods dishonour. Many think to fashion the life, but neglect the heart, and if they keep from scandal, yet they do not advance the Authority and Power of Grace in the Heart, but self-love securely beareth rule in the soul. Many die by inward bleeding as well as by outward wounds; therefore unless our irrascible or concupiscible faculty be bridled and made pliable to the conduct of the heavenly mind, we shall do nothing in Christianity to any good effect.
3. As to actual temptations, when they stir indwelling sin, complain of the violence to God, Rom. 7.24. Oh wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death? Bemoan your selves to him, who alone can help you, and is ready to do so; when you are afraid of doing any thing contrary to your duty, and an humble sense of your impotency is not only a good preparative to receive his graces, but also to defy and rebuke the temptation, Matth. 4.10. Get thee behind me Satan; and Gen. 39.9. How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God? These are best smothered in the birth.
4. Take heed of those sins which the people of God are most in danger of. 'Tis hard to say what they are; for all sins when they are near, and importune the flesh, by the easie and profitable practice of them without danger, or discovery, may tempt an unwary heart. Therefore we must have always our eyes in our head, and stand upon our guard; the secure are next to a fall: there is no cessation of arms in this warfare, nor treaty and conclusion of peace to be made with our lusts; Sin is a bosome-friend, but yet the sorest enemy; and if we be not resolute, and vigilant, our appetites, and senses or passions may betray us; and if you be not daylie deadning worldly inclinations, self-esteem and conceit, you cannot stand out against the smallest temptation; But they are most in danger of those sins, which the temperature of body, and constitution do incline them unto; tho we must watch against all sins, for all are hateful to God, and contrary to his law, and incident to us; yet we are inclined to one sin more than to another: there is something that is our privy sore, and may be called the plague of our own hearts, 1 Kings 8.38. Now this must be watched and striven against; and here the victory is never cheap, nor easie. Many a groan, many a prayer, many a serious thought, many an hearty endeavour it will cost us; these master lusts they never go alone (like great diseases that have petty ones attending them) must be chiefly attended by us, and we must not discontinue the work, till we have gotten some power against them, and they be considerably weakned. Be it lust, or passion, or sloath and dulness, or worldliness, or pride, we must Pray, and Pray again, as Paul Prayed thrice; grace must watch over it, and keep it under, and abate it by contrary actions, that we may the better govern this inclination, and reduce it to reason.
5. Take heed of an unmortified frame of spirit; there are certain dispositions of heart which argue much unmortifiedness, and do loudly call for this remedy and cure, even the grace of the spirit whereby we may be healed; as first, impotency of mind, whereby temptations to sin are very catching, and do easily make impression upon us. The heart like tinder soon taketh fire from every spark: certainly there is great life in our lusts, when a little occasion awakeneth them. As it is said of the young fool in the Proverbs, he goeth after her suddenly, Pro. 7.22. That is, as soon as inticed. Upon the least provocation we grow passionate, the temptation findeth some prepared matter to work upon, as straw is more easily kindled than wood. Now this calleth upon us to weaken the inclination.
2. When the temptation is small; a little adversity puts us out of all courage and patience, Pro. 24.10. If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. If we be so touchy that we cannot bear the common accidents of the world, how shall we bear the most grievous persecutions, which we are to endure for Christs sake? For the other sort of corruptions, for handfuls of Barley, or a piece of Bread, will that man transgress. So selling the righteous for a pair of shooes. Selling the Birthright for one morsel of Meat. She is a common prostitute that will take any hire. A little thing makes a stone run down hill. Certainly the heart must be looked after; the bias and inclination of it to God and Heaven, more fixed.
3. When lusts are touchy, storm at a reproof: If the word break in upon the heart with any evidence, carnal men cannot endure it, 1 Kings 22.8. He doth not propechy good concerning me, but evil; 'tis a bad crisis, and state of soul, when men would be soothed in their lusts, cannot endure close and searching truths: but either affect general discourses, that they may creep away in the crowd without being attacked; or loose garish strains that please the fancy, but do not reach the heart: or must be honyed and oyled with grace; scarce can endure the Doctrine of Mortification; none need it so much as they; or love flattery more than reproof; 'tis a sign sin and they are agreed, and they would sleep securely: Not only did an Herod put John in Prison, but an As… put the Prophet in the stocks, 2 Chron. 16.10.
4. In case of great spiritual deadness: The heart hath too freely conversed with sin, and so groweth less apt for God, Psal. 119.37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me in thy ways; and Heb. 9.14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God? Our vivification is according to the degree of our mortification, and therefore great deadness argueth the prevalency of some carnal distemper.
5. Live much in doing good: The intermitting of the exercise of our love to God, maketh concupiscence, or the carnal love, to gather strength; and when men are not taken up with doing good, they are at leasure for temptations to entice them to evil; our lusts have power indeed to disturb in holy duties, but 'tis when we are remiss and careless; and usually 'tis the idle and negligent who are surprized by sin, as David walking on the Terras, 2 Sam. 11.2. Diabolus quem non inven… occupatum, &c. I will close all with these two remarks,
1. That 'tis more sweet and pleasant to mortifie your lusts, than to gratifie them: Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant; but the dead are there, Prov, 9.17. so Job 20.12, 13, 14. Tho wickedness be sweet in his mouth, tho he hide it under his tongue, though he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it still within his mouth, yet his meat in his bowels, it is the gall of asps within him. Sin is but a poisoned Morsel; Mortification is not pleasant in its self, yet in its fruits and effects 'tis rewarded with joy, and more occasions of thanksgivings we shall have, Rom. 7.24, 25. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2. If you enter not into a war with sin, you enter into a war with God; shall sin be your enemy, or God? the Eternal Living God? Ezek. 23.14. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it.