The Mortified Christian, Sermon 10
SERMON, X.
Rom. 8. vers. 13.
—But if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
I Come now to give you some speciall helps against some speciall corruptions: the last Lords day I gave you some helps in the generall how to mortifie sin, but now I shall give you some particular helps against 3 particular corruptions, namely, How to mortifie uncleanlusts, spirituall pride, and reigning anger or passion. I cannot think of any other corruptions, that do make a more ordinary incursion into the mindes of men, then these three. One of these I was desired in particular to speak to, and I shall speak very briefly to them all, Severall helps to mortifie unclean lusts.I shall begin with the first, and will here lay down to you 5 or 6 Helps how to mortifie and keep under unclean lusts.
1. A speciall help to mortifie unclean lusts, is to live in a continuall and serious mindefulnesse of the All-seeing Eye of God upon thee: indeed this is a universall remedy against all sin: but yet the Scripture applying this help to this sin, I therefore make use of it, Job. 31.1.4.as in Job 31.1.4. saies Job there, I have made a covenant with my eyes, why then should I think upon a maid: and in vers. 4. saies he, Does not the Lord see my wayes and count all my steps? There is nothing will more give a controll to our lusts then the consideration of Gods omnividency, that he sees and takes notice of all our waies.
I have heard a story of a maid that was earnestly solicited by a young man to uncleannesse, and she told him, that if he could bring her in a place where no eye might see them, she would yeeld to his desires; so the young man led her out of one room into another, and at last when he thought they were most secret and retired, he would have had his desire of her: oh but saies she, the Eye of God is upon us still, he sees us, and takes notice of us: and upon this very consideration they continued chast all their lives afterward.
2. Help 2 Lay a speciall fence and safeguard upon thy outward senses: the Apostle speaks of some in 2 Pet. 2.14. 2 Pet. 2.14.That they had eyes full of adultery, and they could not cease from sin; therefore you should set a watch over your eyes, take heed of wanton and lascivious looks, it is a window that lets in a world of lust into the heart. In Lev. 14.9. Lev. 14.9.the Lord made a Law, That the Leper that was to be cleansed, should shave off the hair of his head and of his eye browes: so there is no way so effectuall to root out and cleanse your selves from fleshly lusts, as to set a watch over your eyes that they may not look upon vanity, as Job saies, I have made a covenant with my eyes; you should keep your eyes from wanton glances, if you would controll fleshly lusts: and hence it is that you read that Abimelech in Gen. 20.16. Gen. 20.16.when he surrendred up Sarah Abrahams wife to him, he said to her, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver, behold he is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all them that are with thee, and with all other: to note that a wife should cast her eyes upon none in a lustfull way, but upon her husband, he must be a covering of her eyes unto all that are with her.
3. Ʋse a moderation in meats and drinks: Help 3 there are some kindes of food, and indeed excesse in any kinde of food, do much provoke unto lust: 2 Pet. 2.13.as in 2 Pet. 2.13. saies the Apostle, They have their eyes full of adultery while they feast with you, 2 Cor. 9.26, 27.and this is the reason of Pauls expression in 2 Cor. 9.26, 27. saies he, I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth the air, but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection.
4. Help 4 If you would keep under fleshly lusts, then make conscience of curbing your thoughts when lust first begins to make entrance there; when a man lets contemplating thoughts lodge in his heart with complacency, it is a thousand to one but they break out into act. It is a great provocation to uncleannesse, for a man to cherish in himself speculative wantonnesses, Ezek. 23.19.to behold in his thoughts some lascivious object: as in Ezek. 23.19. She multiplied her whoredomes in calling to remembrance the daies of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt. The restraining and curbing our thoughts, is a great help to keep under this sin, I have made a covenant with my eyes, saies Job: he does not say, why therefore should I look upon a maid, but why therefore should I think upon a maid?
5. Help 5 If thou wouldst mortifie and subdue fleshly lusts, use this help, consider that there is a great deal more reall evill then there is seeming goodnesse in this sin of uncleannesse. When a Harlot would perswade and intice a young man to be unclean with her, she saies, as in Prov. 7.17. Prov. 7.17.I came forth to meet thee, diligently to seek, thy face, and I have found thee: I have deckt my bed with coverings of tapistry, with carved works, with fine linnen of Egypt: I have perfumed my bed with Myrrhe, Aloes and Cinamon: mark here saies an author, how she joyns together two bitter things and one sweet. I have, persumed my bed with Myrrhe, Aloes, and Cinamon, now Cinamon is only sweet, the other two are very bitter things, which notes to us that there is twice as much reall misery and evill, in the sin of uncleannesse, as there is of seeming joy and delight in it; there is Myrrhe and Aloes, two bitter things to one sweet, more reall evill and bitternesse, then seeming goodnesse in it.
6. Help 6 Revolve seriously and frequently the evill concomitances, that do attend and accompany this sin of uncleannesse, as first there is theevery in this sin, Severall aggravations of the sin of uncleanness.thou robbest a body that is not thy own in Joh. 8.4. it is said there, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act: now in the originall it is, she was taken in the very theft, to note that adultery is no better then theft: so in Prov. 9.17, 18. Pro. 9.17, 18.committing adultery with a woman, is called stolen waters, Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant: (this is clearly spoken of a Harlot) it followes, but he knoweth not the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of Hell.
2. This sin brings infamy and reproach upon a man too, Prov. 6.33.in Prov. 6.33. He that committeth adultery, a wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
3. It procures poverty in a mans estate, a man is brought to beggery by it, as in Prov. Pro. 29.3. Pro. 6.26.29.3. He that keepeth company with Harlots spendeth his substance: and in Prov. 6.26. By means of a whorish woman, a man is brought to a morsell of bread.
4. It will consume thy flesh and thy bones, it will corrupt thy bloud and weaken thy whole man, Pro. 5.11.as in Prov. 5.11. Solomon speaking there of a Harlot, saies he, Remove thy foot farre from her, and come not near the door of her house, lest thou mourn at last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed.
5. It makes a man a very magazine of all manner of diseases.
6. It brings stupidity upon the heart, a man that is an unclean man he is a stupid sinner, Hos. 4.14.and void of understanding, in Hos. 4.14. Wine and women they take away the heart of a man. And thus I have done with the helps against this first sin of unclean lusts.
2. But saies another man, alas, I were happy if I had no sin to fear but unclean lusts, but the Lord be mercifull to me, I am troubled with spirituall pride, that I cannot act any grace, or perform any duty, Four severall helps against spirituall pride.but I am lifted up with spirituall pride.
Answ. I shall give you 4 Helps against this sin.
1. Help 1 If you would keep under spirituall pride, consider, that the best of you have a great deal more cause of abasement and humiliation, then you have of pride; the best of you have more of sin then of grace in you: as there are more pebbles then diamonds in the quarry, and more thornes then roses in the field; so there is more sin then grace in any of your hearts: whereof then should you be proud? though you have many good graces in you, yet you have a very bad, polluting and sinfull nature.
2. Help 2 Live in a continuall and serious consideration, that all the gifts and parts thou hast, whereof thou art proud, they were all bestowed on thee as a gift, as a meer act of donation from God: now if all the gifts thou hast were freely given thee of God from his bounty, why then should you be proud of them? Would you think it seemly for a begger to be proud of the cloathes that another man hath given him? just so it is with you, all that you have, they were meer almes, gifts and acts of grace and mercy from God bestowed upon you, as the Apostle saies in 1 Cor. 7. 1 Cor. 7.What hast thou oh man, which thou hast not received? and therefore this should humble us.
3. Help 3 If thou wouldst keep under spiritual pride, consider, that of all things in the world, this is that which will most abate and decay thy gifts: Jam. 4.6.as in Jam. 4.6. The Lord giveth more grace to the humble, but he resisteth the proud. He fights against him as a warriour in battell; he giveth grace to an humble heart, but not to a proud heart; therefore take heed of being lifted up in spirit, and if you are, this should be matter of great humiliation, for you to consider, that pride will stifle and strangle grace in your soule, as the low vallies are fruitfull, when the high mountains are barren; so the most humble Christians are most fruitfull in grace. Moreover, Philosophers give a clear reason of the evill of this sin above others, because other vices do but oppose and fight against their contrary vertues; but now pride that fights against the whole body of vertue and grace: other vices do but oppose their contraries, as fear that opposeth hope, and sorrow that overwhelmes joy, and covetousnesse that contemneth liberality, and the like: but now pride is a vice that sights against every vertue, and every grace.
4. Help 4 A great means to mortifie and keep under pride in thy heart, is a serious consideration of the great disproportion there is between God and thee, and between thy self and others, and between thy self and thy self.
1. To consider the great disproportion there is between God and thee, how infinitely excelling thee; he is like the glorious Sun, thou like a clod of dirt; he the righteous Judge of heaven and earth, thou poor sinfull dust and ashes, &c. And then to consider the great disproportion between thy self and others, it may be others that have had lesse time, and enjoyed lesse means of grace then thou hast done, are yet a great deal better proficients in the Schoole of Christ then thou art, and therefore this should abate and keep under thy pride.
3. Consider the great disproportion between thy self and thy self, thou art proud of the gifts thou hast now, but oh man consider what thou wast in Adam, I am sure thou comest far short of the gifts and abilities, thou hadst in him: and then look upon the disproportion that is between what thou art now, and what thou wert at first conversion, it may be thou wert then a man full of grace, fervent in prayer, full of affection to God and zeal for him, &c. but now your zeal is grown cold, and now you are dead and formall in duties, now you want a great many of those graces which then you did exercise, you are like some people I have read of, that the first year offered gold to their gods, and the next year silver, and the third year nothing at all. So you at first were fruitfull in grace, and then afterwards you began to wither and decay, and now you are worst of all, and yet more proud then ever. Me thinks these considerations should mightily keep under pride in your hearts. And thus I have done with the second sin, the sin of spirituall pride.
I come now to the third sin of reigning anger, commonly called passion.
3. Oh but saies another man, neither of these two sins before mentioned, troubles me so much: but alas, I am a man of a froward and hasty disposition, and much addicted to passion, and therefore I would gladly know how I might mortifie and subdue this sin in me.
Answ. Six helps to bridle and mortifie passion.I shall give you 6 Rules or directions whereby you may bridle your passions when you are provoked, by an injury offered you, or the like.
1. Help 1 Consider that you have given God greater occasion to be angry with you, then ever any man gave you, to be angry with him; should the Lord be strict to mark what thou doest amisse, and requite every injury done to him into thy bosome, thou hadst been long agoe thrown into Hell, and therefore let this allay and keep under thy passion.
2. Help 2 Consider all the injuries that are offered thee to provoke and stirre up thy passion, they come by the meer providence of God, and this was that which did allay Davids passion, when Shimei railed upon him and cursed him, Let him alone, said David, for God hath bidden him do it.
3. Help 3 When there is an occasion of anger offered, labour to delay, and put off the exetion of thy wrath, let there be some preconsiderations before you execute your wrath and passion. Saies Solomon in Prov. 12.16. Prov. 12.16.A fools wrath is presently known, but a prudent man covereth his shame: a fool cannot conceal his wrath, but it breaks out presently; but a wise man will cover his shame: it is a shame to be angry, and therefore a wise man will cover and conceal his passion.
4. Help 4 Another great help to mortifie passion, is this, Depart out of the company of that man that is angry with thee, or would provoke thee to be angry with him. The way to subdue thy passion, is to go out of the company of that man that injured thee: thus you read, (and it is very observable) in 1 Sam. 20.34. 1 Sam. 20.34.that when Saul was angry with Jonathan, it is said, that Jonathan arose and went out from the presence of his father. And so Abraham and Lot, because they would not fall out they departed one from another. So saies, Solomon, in Prov. 22.24. Prov. 22.24.Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not goe, lest thou learn his waies, and get a snare to thy soul: if thou art with a furious man, and he snarles at thee, and thou at him, this is the way to increase your passion.
5. Help 5 If thou wouldst keep under passion, then when any injury, or provocation is offered thee to be angry, labour to put up the occasion or injury in silence, do not utter a multitude of words about it, for in this sense words are winde, and as winde do kindle a fire, so words will kindle wrath, as in Prov. 26.21. Prov. 26.21.As coales are to burning coales and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. A multitude of words will provoke to passion, and therefore when you are angry keep it in, and do not utter word after word, and reproach after reproach, for that is the way to increase your anger.
6. Help 6 To disswade you from passion, consider, that this is a sin that carries many other sins in the womb of it; other sins you may, commit alone, but you cannot be angry but you must commit many other sins with it, Prov. 29.22.as in Prov. 29.22. saies Solomon, A furious man aboundeth in transgressions: sometime pride is mixt with anger, and sometime murder is a consequent of it, as in Gen 49.6. Gen. 49.6.Simeon and Levi in their anger they killed a man: there are abundance of sins wrapt up in the wombe of anger, which if you consider, it may be a great help to suppresse and keep it under.
And thus I have done with the particular helps against those 3 particular sins: which I hope if seriously considered may be of some use and benefit in the mortifying of them.
I have only now a word or two by way of Use, to wind up all that hath been said touching this Doctrine of mortification, and then I shall conclude the Text: And the Use that I shall make, shall be only to give you 3 or 4 plain cautions or directions about this doctrine. As, Use of di∣rection.
1. When you have subdued and mortified one sin, be sure you expect another to rise in the room of it. Beloved, a Christians life is a continuall warfare, he must combate with spirituall wickednesses in high places: the Devill will never let you alone, but if one temptation does not prevail, another shall; and when one lust or corruption is mortified, another will presently rise up in the room of it, therefore you must continually stand upon your guard, that is the first thing by way of counsell.
2. Ʋse 2 Content not your selves with a small beginning of mortification; many men because they have a cessation with their lusts, therefore they think they are mortified, and some are contented with a mutation of their lusts, they have been young adulterers, and now they are old worldlings, and therefore they are satisfied, and some are contented because they play and jest with their lusts, as fencers, they pretend to kill their lusts, but never hurt them.
3. Ʋse 3 Take this caution, when you are about to mortifie sin, be sure that you bend the chiefest of your strength against your bosome sins, thy master sins: where sin does make the greatest ineursions upon thy soul, there do you make the greatest opposition and resistance. Do not do as Saul did with the Amalekites, 1 Sam. 15.9.in 1 Sam. 15.9. He spared Agag their King, and the best of the sheep and oxen, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: so many men they kill their ordinary corruptions, but spare and indulge their great and Master and beloved sinnes.
4. Ʋse 4 Labour that your mortification doe reach as well to inward and secret evils, as to grosse and palpable sins; and that because inward and secret sins are most dangerous, and more hard and difficult to be discerned and discryed in the soul, then greater sins are. Oh my beloved, when there are whole swarmes of inward lusts that you never minde, and take no pains to subdue, and no care to suppresse and keep under, you do not performe half the work of mortification.
And lastly, In mortifying your corruptions, take in Christs strength along with you, for you are not able to do it of your selves, therefore beg his help and assistance in whom you shall be enabled to do all things: If you through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body, you shall live.