The Doctrine and Practice of Mortification, Chapter 21
CAP. XXI. Mortification of ſinne makes Chriſtians live with comfort and die in peace▪
2 THis ſhewes unto us the way to leade a comfortable and a contented life, and to die a peaceable and joyfull death; it is chiefely when we finde the power of ſinne mortified and ſubdued by us, for what is it that will diſtract the minde, and diſquiet the conſcience more then ſinne will; this is that one thing that doth ſeparate God from us, and us from God;Eſ. 59.2. and is the cauſe whereby we are plunged into ſo many feares, and why our minds hang in ſuſpence, and that our hearts are often pierced through with many ſorrowes, wee would have fewer cares in getting of worldly things; leſſe feares in heaping them up, and bee very little diſquieted at their loſſe; were it ſo, that there were not in us a covetous heart,Gal. 6.14. were we but crucified unto the world,James 4.4. and the world unto us; then would we be friends of God, and this would follow, that we would be at enmity with the world, there would be no heart burnings,James 4.1. 1 Pet. 3.4. nor malicious ſpeeches and cruell deeds; were it not from thoſe luſts that warre in our members, were there a meeke and a quiet ſpirit which is much eſteemed of God; while Acan was in the campe, and his ſinne not diſcovered, nor found out, there was no peace to the campe, nor power to prevaile againſt the enemies; but when he was diſcovered, and juſtly puniſhed; then they went on and proſpered; ſo likewiſe while ſin is not acknowledged, nor a holy revenge taken againſt it; ſo long there is no peace in the conſcience; but if that our hearts be once wrought to a holy indignation for our offences, then feare not but there is way made for the entrance of that peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding; therefore if we would have that peace that is fraternall among brethren, or that which is internall in our owne hearts, or that which is eternall with God for ever, then mortifie our luſts which are the cauſes at the firſt to deprive us of our peace, and while they live will be fomenters of our diſcords; but were they mortified, this enmity that they have wrought could not live: As Jonah ſaid, caſt me out, and the ſtorme will ceaſe, ſo ſay I, caſt ſinne out, and there will be an allaying of all theſe garboiles that are in the world, and making up of that breach betweene God and us, they have a rule in Law moritur cauſa cum corpore; that if the man die the ſuite falleth, ſo is it here, that if wee die to ſinne, then this ſuite will fall betweene us and God; where there is no wood (ſaith Solomon) the fire goeth out;Proy. 26.20. ſo where there is no talebearer, the ſtrife ceaſeth: what is this wood but ſinne, and what maketh ſo great a cry in the eares of God as ſin doth? therefore take away ſinne, and the contention will be at an end.
3. The third inſtruction that we may obſerve hence, is this; that it is an hard thing to mortifie our ſin, it is as hard to finde out a diſeaſe as it is to cure it; the Philiſtins did quickly over-come Sampſon, when they found where his great ſtrength lay; it is eaſie for a man in generall, to ſay that he is a ſinner, and yet if you ſhould runne over the Commandements, and come to particulars, he would cleare himſelfe as not guilty of any, and ſay as the young man did, all theſe have I done; and like the Harlot,Mat. 19.20 Prov. 3.20. wipe her mouth, and ſay I have done no wickedneſſe; therefore your care muſt be to ſearch out wherin the great ſtrength of ſinne doth lye, and therefore we muſt labour to take the light of the word to direct us, and deſire God that he will give us the light of his holy ſpirit to open our eyes, that we may bee able to ſee and know our owne ſinfull hearts; and when wee have found it, ſet upon this worke with courage and reſolution.
1. Againe, another thing that makes ſinne ſo hard to be mortified; as that marriage that is made betweene ſinne and us:Rom. 7.4. after the people of Iſrael had mixed themſelves among the Heathen, and made marriages with them; they were wonderfully hard to be brought to leave them;Ezr. 10. ſo when as a man is married unto his luſts; ſo it is a hard thing for a man to leave them, but now for a man to kill his wife, this is much more difficult. It was a hard matter to fleſh and bloud, for Abraham to ſacrifice his ſonne, and yet at the commandement of God he did it; ſo muſt we doe, our obedience to God muſt exceed our love of our ſinnes; though the matter be difficult, yet it muſt be done; as Iephtah when he had made a vow unto God, though it turned afterward to his great griefe, ſo to part with his onelyonly daughter; yet ſaith he, I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot goe backe, ſo may we, though that we finde the matter to be hard that we are about to doe, to leave that we love ſo dearely, yet reſolve and vow againſt it: and when we have ſo done, then ſay as he did, I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot goe backe, nor can I alter what is gone out of my mouth.
3. Another thing that maketh this worke of mortification; hard and difficult, is the cloſe adherencie that ſin hath unto us, it winds it ſelfe ſo about us, as the Ivy doth about the tree, till it eate out the heart and ſap of it; ſo is it in this caſe, corruption doth cleave unto us ſo, as it is very hard to be freed from it:2 Sam. 2.21 Abner when he fled from Joah, was ſo followed by Hazael, that he had no way to be freed from him, but by ſheathing his ſpeare in his bowels, ſo it is in this caſe, there is no way to be freed from theſe corruptions, but by ſlaughter of them, they will not be driven away with neither faire nor foule ſpeeches; you may ſcare away a dogge with harſh ſpeeches, but you cannot doe ſo with a Lion; ſinne is of the brood of the old Lion the Devill, that will not bee eaſily driven away, nor over-come; therefore ſeeing it is that doth ſo beſet us, and doth cleave ſo hard unto us;Heb. 12.1.2. let us ſhake off every thing that preſſeth downe, and ſin that doth diſquiet us, but how; looking unto Jeſus; the author and finiſher of our faith, as they that looked on the brazen Serpent, were cured of the ſting that they had received of the fiery Serpent; ſo it is in this caſe, when we looke up to Chriſt, he it is that can onelyonly ſtanch this bloody iſſue that ſinne hath made, in one word, frequent the meanes that God hath appointed for curing of your ſoules,John. 17.17. the preaching of the word, when you come with faith, then there is hope of purging, the word hath a cleanſing power in it, as the poole of Betheſda, when it was troubled,John. 5.4. it had a healing vertue in it:Chap. 22.4. ſo our hearts when they are troubled by the word God heales by it.