The Doctrine and Practice of Mortification, Chapter 8
CAP. VIII. Containing the ſecond diſtinction
Inartifitial Imperfect. Perfect.MOrtification is either perfect or imperfect, perfect mortification is that when there is a totall aboliſhing of all ſinne, ſo as there is nothing that doth remaine. As God is ſaid to wipe Ieruſalem as a man wipeth a diſh, and turneth it up-ſide downe. So when as ſinne ſhall bee ſo wiped out, as there is none of the venome of ſinne tthat doth remain or ſticke to us,2 King 21 13. but all is wiped off and utterly extinguiſhed; but this cannot bee expected in this life, not that God cannot, but that in his wiſedome hee ſeeth it not fit:1 Cor. 13.9 we know in part, and we prophecie in part, but wee muſt not looke either for an abſolute perfection of holineſſe, nor for a perfect freedome from ſinne, untill wee put off theſe Tabernacles, which when they ſhall bee reſtored again at the reſurrection, then ſhall wee bee as the Angels of God without either ſtaine or remainder of ſinne, this ſhall be done hereafter, but not now, for theſe reaſons.
1 Reaſons why none perfect.1. For the manifeſtation of the power of God, that though wee have corruption within, and fighting without, the great enemy, that caſts his fiery darts at us, yet the Grace of God is ſufficient for us, and his ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſſe,2 Cor 12.9 Haec praeſentis vitoe tuoe perfectio ut te imperfectum agnoſeas. this is our greateſt perfection to ſee our imperfections, that ſo wee might glorifie God the more. It was as great a power of God, to keepe Lot in his integrity in that ſinke of ſinne, that City of Sodome, as it was to free him from that ſhower of Brimſtone that fell upon it; ſo is it as great a power to keepe his grace in the midſt of ſuch corruption as to have free us from it, by his abſolute power at the firſt, or to keepe a ſparke in the midſt of the Sea.
2. To put a difference betweene viatores and comprehenſores, betweene ſuch as are in their journey to the new Ieruſalem that is above, and thoſe that are Citizens there already: No man hath the Garland before the victory, nor the reward before the race be run; we muſt not looke for a Heaven here and another hereafter,Hic conten demus ut alibicoronemur wee contend here, that we may receive a crowne hereafter; we are not to expect that which is not promiſed: Nay hee hath told us that his Kingdome is not of this world.
Reaſon 3 3. To make us prize Heaven the more, where wee know, wee ſhall bee free from ſinne, and deſire to be diſſolved the more, that ſo wee might be ſeparated from this enemy that diſturbes our peace, this enemy is hee that makes us, (like thoſe Hebrewes) to hang up our Harps, and to weepe by thoſe bankes of Babell, when we remember mount Sion which is above, it was Chriſts uſuall journey from Bethany to Ieruſalem, from the houſe of mourning, to the viſion of peace: ſo muſt we mourne here, that we may rejoyce hereafter.
Reaſon 4 4. To let us ſee the fulneſſe of Adams ſinne, for if that we ſhould have ſinne removed as ſoone as we are borrne, wee ſhould never be ſenſible of the greatneſſe of that offence; nor of the weight, and burden of originall corruption, for if you would reaſon but thus with your ſelves; if the weight of ſinne be ſo intolerable, and the burden ſo heavie to a man regenerate; that he cries out, woe is me, for I am a man of polluted lips,Eſ. 6.5. and dwell amongſt men of polluted lips; if hee complaine, O wretched man that I am, Rom. 7.24.who ſhall deliver mee from this body of death: if we our ſelves groane under the burden of ſinne that is upon us, what would the weight of it be if God ſhould lay it on in the full meaſure, then would wee cry out as Kain, that our puniſhment would be greater then wee can beare; as they, by finding out the length of the Gians foote, found out the length of his whole body; ſo may wee by the weight of the ſinne wee feele, bee able to conceive of that we feele not; and to ſay as Paul did,Verſ. 25. God be thanked through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, that though in my fleſh I ſerve the Law of ſinne, yet in my mind I ſerve the Law of God.
Imperfect mortification is when the worke is begun but not finiſhed, it is with us in caſe of mortification, as it was when the Iſraelites came to poſſeſſe the land of Canaan, God would have them caſt out the inhabitants by little and little,Dent. 7.22 and not to bee conſumed at once; So in this caſe it is not to bee expected that ſinne ſhould be conſumed at once, but by little and little.
The degrees of mortification are ſome more temote, ſome more neare.For the better clearing hereof, obſerve two particulars, whereby you may conceive by what ſteps and degrees ſinne is mortified. Firſt, ſome of them are more remote. Secondly, ſome of them are naere.
Remote 1 1. For the more remote degrees of mortification, give me leave firſt to intreat of them, as in going downe a paire of ſtaires you muſt go downe by degrees, ſtep by ſtep, ſo in bringing downe the proud heart, wee muſt not thinke it can be done at once, but by a kinde of graduall motion: wee ſay in Phyloſophy that natura non facil ſaltum, that nature works ſucceſſively, and makes no leapes; for it is as true in grace,2 Pet. 3.18. that it doth admit degrees.
Degree. 1 1. The firſt remote degree is a breaking of league with ſinne, for naturally, there is a league between ſinne and our ſoules. And they are like Simeon and Levi, brethren in evill: ſinne is then pleaſant unto them, and whoſoever ſpeakes againſt it are none of their friends; but now when wee ſee that ſinne hath deceived our ſoule, and played the Iudas with us, that it hath betraied us into the hands of Sathan, and hath procured the wrath of God upon us; then we breake our friendſhip with it, and are ſorry that we had ever any thing to doe with it,Eph. 5.11 have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull workes of darkneſſe, but rather reprove them; that is, we muſt not have any more to doe with them. God charges the people of Iſrael to take heede that they marry not with the heathen,Deut. 7. for they would turne away their ſonnes and daughters from ſerving God: So will ſinne doe if you make league with it, or doe not breake from it, and ſo procure the heavie wrath of God upon you; it is the charge which our Saviour gives unto thoſe that went into Babylon. Rev. 18.4 2 Cron. 19 2.Come out of Babell my people, be not partaker with her of her ſinnes, that yee receive not of her plagues. It was a good ſpeech of the ſonne of the Prophet to Iehoſaphat, ſhouldeſt thou helpe the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord, therefore in wrath upon you from the Lord: So there is nothing a greater enemy unto God, nor unto your ſalvation, then ſinne is, therefore breake your league with it leſt you procure the fierce wrath of the Lord of heaven and earth againſt you.
Degree. 2 2. When men profeſſe themſelves open enemies unto ſinne; that is, then when they hate every falſe way, and when no perſwaſion that luſt can make nor proffer that can be propounded, will prevaile with them; but they ſtand like a mountaine and will not be perſwaded; ſo as thoſe ſecret inſinuations of their owne hearts, and thoſe venomous blandiſhments of Sathan fall from them, as the Viper from Pauls hand, without any hurt or taking any ſtrong impreſſion upon them; where there is the greateſt unity and friendſhip, when ſuch fall out, there is the greateſt enmity and diſcords; thence it is that Solomon ſaith,Prov. 18.19. that a Brother offended is as hard to winne as a ſtrong City, and their contentions are like the barres of a Caſtle; ſo is it with this contention, becauſe as their freindſhip hath beene great, ſo alſo is the contention ſtronger: therefore ſome of the Martyrs when they have beene preſſed by their friends, to renounce their religion, with what indignation have they ſpoken, that if every haire of their head were a man,William Sparrow paſcalis. they would burne them all rather then goe from the truth. And ſome have bleſſed God even that ever they came in priſon, or that they were counted worthy to ſuffer for Chriſt all this, out of a deſire of the enjoyment of Chriſt, and the hatred of ſinne.
Degree. 3 3. To cut off all the ſtrength & proviſion that the fleſh can make, that ſo we may ſtarve the fleſh out of the holds that it hath made for it ſelf;Rom. 13.14. So the Apoſtle put on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and made no proviſion, for the fleſh; ſure it is when men are carefull for the body, and careleſſe for the ſoule, when they expend the greateſt part of their lives and meanes in the minding of the things that pertaine to the ſatisfaction of the fleſh, and in the proſecution of their luſts and pleaſures, and ſay unto their ſoules,Luke 12.19. eate, drinke, and be merry; what doe they all this while but foſter and nouriſh that body of death, even unto the day of ſlaughter; but on the other ſide, a man doth then make no proviſion for the fleſh, when he lives as a Pilgrim, and as a ſtranger, and doth abſtaine from fleſhly luſts, that fight againſt the ſoule. When a man makes a covenant with his eyes,1 Pet. 2.11 that he will not look on a woman to luſt after her, when hee ſhutteth his eares,Job. 31.1 and will not heare the voyce of the Charmer, charme hee never ſo wiſely, when that he lookes to all his wayes and takes heed,Pſal. 39.1. that he offend not in his tongue; in one word, that keepes his heart with all diligence,Pet. 4.23. that howſoever voluptuous and ſinfull thoughts may knock at the doore, yet they may finde neither entrance nor enterrainment, when hee hardens his heart againſt ſinne as much as Dives did, that hee would not permit Lazarus the crummes that were under his table, but ſuffered the Begger to dye at his doore: So when wee deny our luſts their leaſt requeſts, and will not permit them the leaſt or loweſt roome in our hearts,2 King. 6.32. when we deale with ſinne, as Eliſha cauſed his ſervants that kept the doore, ſaith he, hold him faſt, & handle him roughly, or preſſe him at the doore; ſo ſhould we do with ſin, if hee offer to make intruſion, repell him backe with a holy violence.1 Cor. 9.27. I beate downe my body, and bring my fleſh in ſubjection, that when I have preached to others, I my ſelfe may not be a caſt-away.