The Doctrine and Practice of Mortification, Chapter 22
CAP. XXII. Our weakneſſe appeareth in this, that we need the helpe of the ſpirit,
THis ſhould teach us to take notice of our owne weakeneſſe, and how without the ſpirit of Chriſt wee can doe nothing. We beare about an ignorant mind, a perverſe will, violent paſions that have in them an aptitude to all ſin, and wickedneſſe, that as Adams actuall ſinne corrupted his nature; ſo our nature on the other ſide, corrupteth, and defileth our actions, ſo as the ſtreame cannot be good, becauſe the fountaine is corrupt: fall wee may, but riſe wee cannot, wee may plunge our ſelves deepe into the pit of finne, but to recover our ſelves, hoc opus, hic labor eſt: this is a worke beyond our ſtrength; wee cannot contract uncleanneſſe upon our ſelves, but when wee have done wee cannot waſh it off; and though we ſhould uſe never ſo many outward meanes to that en…, yet were it not that the ſpirit goe along with us: though we waſh our ſelves with ſnowwater,Iob 9.31.10.1. our own garmēt would defile us, and make us uncleane.
Therefore it will be neceſſary that wee ſhould examine whether we have the ſpirit of God, yea or no, which will be able to helpe up, and beare us out in this buſineſſe.
1 It is the ſpirit of wiſedome that doth enable us,How you may know that you have the ſpirit. to lay a ſure foundation, and to make ſuch battell againſt the ſtrong holds of ſinne, as theſe our luſts and corruptions cannot be able to withſtand;2 Tim. 1.7. we have not received the ſpirit of feare, but of power, of love, and of a ſound mind, where there is this ſound mind, there muſt needes be power, and love, ſuch is the force of the ſpirit, that it is ſet out, by the ruſhing of a mighty winde, and by the fire, a mighty element, ſo as nothing that is combuſtible can ſtand before it.
Now when God ſhall ſay, awake O North, Can. 4.16.and come thou South, and blow upon my garden, when he ſhall call the ſpirit of bondage, which is as the North wind; to terrifie, and ama…e us, for our ſinnes; and then ſhall ſend his ſpirit of adoption, as the South wind to make us fruitfull, in repentance, and in the workes of mortification; then I ſay are we furniſhed with this ſpirit of a ſound mind,Eccleſ. 7.12 wiſedome is a diſtention, and money is a defenſion, but the excellencie of knowledge is, that wiſedome giveth life to him that hath it; much may be done with money, but more with wiſedome, becauſe money can neither ſlay ſinne, nor aſſure us of life, but wiſedome can doe both, wiſedome will teach us to make proviſion for our latter end.
2 It is a ſpirit of holineſſe, and ſanctitie, and that is the reaſon of an oppoſition, that there is unto ſin in the ſoule, the ſpirit luſteth againſt the fleſh,Gal. 5.19. and the fleſh againſt the ſpirit, and they are contrary one to another: as it is with a fountaine of living water, that if any filth be caſt into it, it will worke it out, by the conſtant running of it, ſo it is with the ſpirit, that when any corrupt motion, is caſt into the heart, it will not leave untill it have purged it out; and the reaſon is, becauſe there can be no agreement betwixt theſe, the one doth alwaies ſeeke to diſpoſſeſſe, and deſtroy the other, and therefore as it is when a woman that hath decked her ſelfe; with beautifull garments, ſhe will not come into uncleane places, and naftie company: ſo in this caſe; the holy ſpirit will not indure the heart, where he lodgeth ſhould be defiled, or that it ſhould be a receptacle for uncleane luſts. For if Chriſt could not indure that his carthly Temple ſhould be a den of theeves, much leſſe wil he endure that his ſpirituall Temple ſhould be a cage of every uncleane and noyſome luſt.
3 It is a craving ſpirit, it goeth out day by day, and doth crave aſſiſtance at Gods hands to helpe us againſt our corruption,Rom. 8.26. it is the ſpirit that helpeth our infirmities, and maketh interceſſion for us; that as Hezekiah ſaid,2 Cor. 20. Lord we know not what to doe, our eyes are towards thee; what was that made him waite on God, but this ſpirit of grace and ſupplication: ſo ſay I, what maketh a Chriſtian to lift up ſtrong cryes and prayers unto God, when hee is aſſaulted by the fleſh, and to waite for ſtrength from heaven; is it not the ſpirit, that putteth us upon it, and maketh us never to give over till wee find ſucceſſe from God; it is not the making of a prayer, that will ſerve your turnes, but the having of the ſpirit of prayer, that is it that will helpe you,Hoſ. 12.4. to wraſtle with God with your prayers, and teares, as Iacob did, and not to give over like the importunate widdow,Luk. 18.34.5. untill you have your requeſts granted unto you.
4 It is a cheerfull ſpirit that thought the worke be hard, and ſharpe, yet it maketh us paſſe through it with much alacrity; and cheerfulneſſe; it maketh us, while wee are breaking up the fallow grounds of our hearts, and while wee are about to crucifie the fleſh,1 Cor. 9.10 & circumciſe the foreskinne of our hearts, to be cheerfull and rejoyce becauſe the end of that is joy and conſolation, for they that plow in hope & threſh in hope ſhall be partakers of their hopes. What maketh the marriner to paſſe through ſo many hard adventures, by ſea and land, but hope of ſome great advantage that may be for his advancement: or what maketh the Souldier adventure himſelf, into the heat of the battel, but hope of a joyfull victory, and what maketh a Chriſtian to take ſuch paines with his heart, and to make ſuch hot skirmiſhes againſt his luſts, but in hope of good ſucceſſe, & a glorious victory? On the other ſide, there is no greater ſigne of an unmortified heart, then when hee is forced unto the worke, and drawne unto duty, as a Beare to a ſtake, out of ſlaviſh feare, and apprehenſions of wrath: as Sathan than ſaith in Iob; that skinne for skinne, Iob. 2.4.and all that a man hath will he give for his life: a man will doe much in extremity, which is not a free, but a forced ſervice, but now if ſo he that there be a cheerfull ſpirit we are carried by it, to this duty, as freely as Abraham was to the ſacrificing of his ſonne, not reaſoning with fleſh and blood, but out of the feare of God,2 Cor. 7.1.2 the love of holineffe, and the hatred of ſinne: wee are as cheerefull at the death of it, as wee delighted ſometime at the commiſſion of it.