The Mortified Christian, Sermon 7
SERMON, VII.
Rom. 8. vers. 13.
—But if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
I Come now to proceed to one Query more touching this doctrine of mortification, and that is this; me thinks I hear a poor perplexed soul say, (that hath heard all the Sermons that I have preached upon this Text) I confesse all that you have said and spoken in reference to this duty of mortification, The doubting Christians request.is but as a looking-glasse to let me see into my own heart, and whereby I discover that my heart is not yet mortified, and that I have a great many lusts and corruptions still unsubdued in me; and therefore I would gladly know, how I might be enabled to mortifie my sins and to keep under, and overcome my corruptions.
This therefore shall be the next Query that I shall handle, namely, to shew you what means and helps you may make use of, in mortifying and keeping under those corruptions that trouble you and prevail over you: and in the prosecuting of this, I shall not only run into particulars, Eight generall helps to mortifie sin.how to mortifie every particular lust; but shall only give you some generall helps and means to keep under sin, be the sin what it will be. I shall name to you 7 or 8 in all.
1. Help 1 The first means you should use is this, Be very carefull to shun and avoid all occasions to that sin, to which thou art most strongly addicted: as when a man lies under a feaverish or aguish distemper, though he may eat some kinde of slender meats, yet the Doctor tels him he must take heed of strong meats: now if he does not abstain from them a while, (which will feed and highten the distemper) he can expect no help or cure: so here, you must shun all these things that may stir up, or give any occasion to your lusts. You must take heed of going upon yee, as well as of stumbling blocks, if you would not fall, you must avoid all occasions of evill, as the Apostle saies in the Epistle of Jude vers. 23. hating the garment spotted of the flesh.
It is a remarkable place to this purpose, that in Numb. 6.3, 4. Numb. 6.3, 4.where the Lord makes a Law that the Nazarites must drink neither wine nor strong drink, and in order to this, the Lord forbids them to eat so much as the kernell or husk of the grape: they were forbidden not only to drink of the juice, but not to eat of the husk of the grape, because that might be an occasion or incitement to taste of the wine of the grape, they were to avoid all occasions of committing that sin: so the people of God should not only have a care of a downright sin, but of all occasions or provocations to any sin.
You know it was Pharaohs instigation to Moses (when he and the children of Israel were going out of Egypt) that he should leave his children and servants behinde him; but when he was resolute, Exod. 10.11.and would have them with him, and Pharaoh bid him goe, but to leave his cattell, his sheep and oxen behinde, Exod. 10.24. But Moses told him there should not a hoof be left behinde: for he knew if they had left any thing behinde, it might have been an allurement, to have made the children of Israel hanker after Egypt again. The way to mortifie a sin is to avoid all occasions that may induce you to the committing of that sin to which you are addicted.
2. Help 2 Another generall means to mortifie sin is this, Withstand a lust or corruption in the very first risings and workings of it in thy heart. If thou givest way to a sin, the more power it will have over thee, and the more difficult it will be to subdue it: therefore crush the Cockatrice in the Egge. It is an easier matter to keep out an enemy, then to thrust him out, when he is once gotten in. You should keep your souls as it were in a garrison, and not give way to sin, but resist it, and oppose it in the first motions of it.
3. Help 3 Another means is this, Bend the greatest strength of thy heart in importunate prayer to God, against that corruption that does most of all trouble thee, as Paul in 2 Cor. 12.8. 2 Cor. 12.8.when he had a thorne in his flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him, for this (it is said) he besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him; Psal. 56.9.in Psal. 56.9. saies David there, When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back. So when we call and cry unto God, it is the way to make our lusts turn back from us. There is never a mortified man, but hath been a praying man: the reall subduing of a lust can never be obtained without prayer, for prayer is the sword of the Spirit, whereby we can only conquer and overcome our corruptions; at that time when you grow most remisse, and carelesse, and formall in prayer, then are you most of all troubled with unmortified lusts and corruptions. Esai. 64.6, 7.Esay 64.6, 7. the Church there complains, we doe all fade as a leaf, our iniquities like winde have taken us away, and there is none that calleth upon thy name; Say they, we are carried headlong by our lusts, as the dust is hurled by the winde: and what is the reason of it; but because there is none that calleth upon thy Name?
It is a rule that a modern Author hath, saies he, either thy sins will make thee leave praying, or thy praying will make thee leave sinning; if thou doest continue still to pray against sin, in time prayer will mortifie and kill thy lusts and corruptions. This is the third means.
4. Help 4 If thou wouldst keep under thy corruptions, then keep in thy memory some speciall sentences of Scripture, which do most expresly and vehemently forbid those sins unto which thou art most strongly inclined: this is an excellent way to fence thy heart against any corruptions. Thus David did in Psal. 119.11. saies he, Psal. 119.11.I have hid thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee, that is, I have hid thy speciall word in my heart, against my beloved and darling sin, that so when I am tempted to commit them, I might consider thy expresse command against that sin.
And thus when our Saviour Christ was tempted by the Devill, he told him, Mat. 4.7.it is written thus and thus, that thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, he convinced him from Scripture of his sin. Now if you had in your thought some expresse places of Scripture against those sins you are most inclined to: this would exceedingly help you in subduing your sins. And therefore look over the whole Bible, and chuse out those places of Scripture, that do most dreadfully threaten that sin, as if you be given to uncleannesse, consider that place, He that goes in to a Harlot, Prov. 2.19. Heb. 13.3. 1 Cor. 6.9. Eccles. 7.28.he shall not take hold of the paths of life; and that whoremongers and adulterers God will judge, and such like places: and so for any other sin you are addicted to; recollect and gather together the most direct Scriptures, that speak against it and condemn it.
5. Help 5 Exercise thy self in and injoyn thy self to solemn fasting, for that particular sin thou art most inclined to: 1 Cor. 9.25.27.in 1 Cor. 9.25, 27. saies the Apostle, He that striveth for the mastery, he is temperate in all things: so fight I, not as one that beateth the air, but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection by temperance; the way to tame an unruly heart is by fasting and prayer, a conscionable use of these duties will be a great means to give corruptions its fatall blow. Fasting and prayer, they are the slaughter-houses of sin.
I may say of sin as Christ said of the Devill, Mat. 17.21.in Mat. 17.21. all kindes of Devils are not alike, saies he, this kinde will not go out but by fasting and prayer: so some sins will not go out of us by ordinary means, but by fasting and prayer.
6. Help 6 If all these means will not prevail for the subduing of thy lusts, then use this help, lay thy self under a solemn covenant unto God, that thou wilt (through the strength of Christ) forbear those sins that do reign and rule in thee, I say, resolve in the strength of Christ, for all your covenants and promises must be made in the strength of Gods Covenant and Promise; there is no man, that makes a vow or promise to God (in the strength of Christ) to subdue his lusts, but he will do it first or last. Deut. 23.21.If thou hast used all other means for the bridling of thy lusts, and they prove ineffectuall: in this case we should binde our selves to God in an oath, that in the strength of Christ we will forsake our sins.
Object. But may some say, Object. if we break this vow as we are no way able to perform it, this will be a double sin.
Answ. Answ. If thou art weak and unable to perform this duty, thou art as insufficient to do any other duty that is required of thee. But,
2. If God does help thee, and carry thee on in this work by his strength, then you may perform it, and a vow is Gods ordinance, Num. 29.39.and if you make a vow in Christs strength, he will assist you in it, to accomplish it.
7. Help 7 When thou goest about this work of mortification, do not bend thy strength against one particular act of sin, but set thy whole strength against the whole body of sinne.
The way to keep a tree from growing, is not to cut off the branches, but to pluck it up by the roots. And so if ever you would mortifie a lust indeed, you must strike at the whole body of sin, and labour to bewail and subdue that, and therefore David in Psal. 51. Psal. 51.when he came to humble his soul before God for the sin of adultery; he does not say, Lord forgive me this sin only, but in the beginning of the Psalm he laments the whole body of sin that was in him, Oh Lord, saies he, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me, &c.
8. Help 8 Wouldst thou mortifie and keep under sin in thy heart? then meditate much upon Christs death and upon thy owne: these are effectuall means to kill and keep under sin.
1. Medita∣tion 1 Meditate upon Christs death, consider thus with thy self, Shall I live in those sins, that the Lord Jesus Christ died to redeem me from? shall I harbour those lusts in my heart, that shed the heart bloud of my dearest Saviour? shall not I kill those sins that killed Christ, and see the bloud of those lusts that spilt the bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ? Such considerations as these will make a man refrain from sin, and subdue and keep it under: the meditating of the death of Christ is a most effectuall means to put us upon the crucifying and killing of our lusts. And then,
2. Medita∣tion 2 Not only the thought of Christs death, but of thy own death too, will stir thee up to mortification: consider thus with thy self, I must not live alwaies here, I must die either sooner or later, and after death comes Judgement, when I must give an account for every thing done in the body, whether it be good or evill: and those sins that are now sweet and delightfull to me, when I come to die, will be as gall and wormwood to me then, and as gravell in my belly; it will certainly be bitternesse in the latter end: which if we did seriously consider of, it would be a great means to keep under sin.
And thus I have briefly run over these 8 particular directions how to mortifie sin: it remains only now, to winde up what hath been said, with a comfortable Ʋse, Use of Consola∣tion. a Use of consolation: it may be there is many a conscientious soul that hears me this day, whose consciences bear them witnesse they have not been enemies to their own souls in this particular, but have laboured to oppose and mortifie their lusts: but do yet finde the workings of corruption to be very strong in their hearts, to such as you are, I have these 5 words to say.
1. Ʋse 1 Take this for thy comfort, that though you use the utmost of your endeavours to mortifie sin, yet you cannot withstand the being of sin in you, but only hinder the reigning of it in thy heart. Sin will be in thy soul (as I told you) like those beasts spoken of in Dan. 7.14. Dan. 7.14.whose dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a little season: so the beeing of sin will not be taken away; though the reigning power of it be taken away, the Apostle in 2 Cor. 4.7. 2 Cor. 4.7.compares our bodies to earthen vessels, and the filth of sin that is in us can never be fully cleansed and washed away, till these vessels be broken in pieces, and our bodies are laid in the dust, till we shake off these bodies of flesh, we shall never shake off our bodies of sin. And therefore this may be a great comfort to you, God doth not expect, that you should root out the beeing of sin, but only keep down the reigning of sin in you.
2. Ʋse 2 Take this for your comfort, that if you do use all conscionable means to bridle your lusts, you may be confident, that sooner or later grace shall get the victory over sin; sin may be a combatant, but it shall never be a conquerour. Mat. 25.3.Grace in Scripture is compared to oyle, and corruptions to water: and as oyle will swim to the top, do what you can, you cannot keep it under the water, so grace will in time get the victory over your corruptions: Mat. 12.20.and Christ will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoaking flax till he hath brought forth Judgement into victory: here by a bruised reed and smoaking flax are meant weak Christians, and Christ will not discourage such, though their graces doe not burn into a flame, yet if they do but smoake he will not quench them, till they have brought forth judgement into victory, that is, till those sparks and small beginnings of grace in them, do burn into a flame, and become victorious over their corruptions; a reed is weak of it self, but a bruised reed is weaker, but yet this shall not be broken, till the work of grace be perfected in thy soul, and become victorious over all the oppositions and temptations of Satan.
3. Remember this for your comfort, Ʋse 3 that if you do conscionably walk in a due improvement of those means, that the Lord hath sanctified for the mortifying of your sins, though notwithstanding all, your sins do yet prevail over, and overcome you; in this case the Lord will hold you guiltlesse. I might urge that place to you which I quoted the last Lords day, concerning the Law of God touching adamsell, in Deut. 22.25, 26, 27. which was, Deut. 22.25, 26, 27.that the Adulterer should be put to death, but saies God, If the damsell were walking in the field, and a man came to her and defiled her, if she strove against him and cryed out, then (saies God) the damsell shall be guiltlesse, but the man shall die the death.
So when the Devill does make a spirituall rape upon thee, if thy soul can bear thee witnesse, that thou didst cry out to God for help; and struggle and strive against the corruption with all thy might and strength to suppresse and keep them under, and yet thou couldst not prevail, but the Devill did overmatch thee; in this case know for thy comfort, that God will account thee guiltlesse.
4. Take this for thy comfort, that God will never damn thee for that sin which in the whole course of thy life thou usest all possible means to subdue and destroy. Thou mayest plead thus with God when you come to die, Oh Lord, wilt thou condemn and throw me into Hell for that sin which I have laboured all my life time to throw out of my heart? I might in this case of resisting corruptions, make use of what Naturalists tell us concerning the Corocodile, which is a serpent of that quality, that if it sees a man afraid of him, and run from him, it then takes courage, and runs after the man, and kils him; but if a man opposeth and fights with the Crocodile, it will then grow faint hearted, and run away, and the man kils him. So here, if thou art faint hearted, and yeeldest to every temptation, and wilt not grapple with those incursions that sin make upon thee, then sin will overcome thee and kill thee; but if thou doest oppose and pursue sin, and bend all thy strength against it, that hadst thou more tears to shed, or more prayers to make, or more strength to put forth, you would imploy them all against sin: if it be so, my soul for thine oh man, thy corruptions shall never be thy ruine: though the Devill does force sinne upon thee, yet if thou usest all possible means to resist it, the Lord will hold thee guiltlesse.
5. Take this for thy comfort, that the disturbing and troubling of thy heart by a sin, does rather argue that sin to be mortified then unmortified; provided that as thy sin stirs in thy heart, so thy resolutions, and supplications against those sins, doe stir in thy heart too: if as sin does fight against thee, thou doest strive against it in thy resolutions and protestations against it. Though it may keep a great deal of stir in thy heart, yet it may rather argue that sin is dying, then living and reigning in thee, and prevailing over thee.
And thus I have done, in the dispatch of the first Doctrine, namely, that the mortification of corruption is a necessary qualification required in all that would attain salvation.