The Body of Death Anatomized, Application
APPLICATION.
USE. I.
We may hence ſee what Glorious Power is put forth in the Converſion of a Sinner. The Doctrine before us gives a clear demonſtration of the Almighty Grace of God exerted in the Work of Regeneration. When a Man is truly Converted, he bitterly bewailes Indwelling Sin, he cryes out of it as an intolerable burden, and Groans in Spirit for a full deliverance from it. How wonderful is the Change wrought in ſuch an Heart! Man naturally Loves his Luſts with a Boundleſs Love; they are the very delight of his Soul, the Elements in which he loves to move; they are dearer to him than GOD Himſelf: he Idolizes them and puts them in the Place of GOD, Phil. 3.19. Yea, he exalts them Above GOD in his affections, 2 Tim. 3.4. Lovers of Pleaſures more than Lovers of God: The very Life and all of a Sinner is bound up in his Luſts; he is never more at eaſe, nor in the enjoyment of greater Satisfaction, than when he is fulfilling the deſires of the fleſh. But now, when he is Converted, his Love to Luſt, like Amnons to Tamar, is turned into the greateſt Hatred: He ſayes to his beloved Luſts, Ariſe, be gone; and he calls upon God to put them out from him and to bolt the door of his Heart after them. O Strange Alteration! How comes it about that all on a ſudden the Inclination, bent, frame and whole poſture of the Soul is thus turned another way? Surely, 'tis God that does this; an Almighty Hand muſt needs effect it. None has ſuch power over the Heart, but that God in whoſe hands the Hearts of all Men are, and who turns them which way ſoever it pleaſeth him. 'Tis the Almighty GOD that diſſolves the Cloſe Union, which there is between the Soul and Sin.
USE. II.
We hence learn that thoſe are Not Godly Perſons who do not make Indwelling Sin the matter of their Lamentation. There is the higheſt reaſon to bewail it, and all that are truly Godly do greatly bewail it; Such therefore as bewail it not, are not Godly. The not Mourning over Indwelling Sin, is a ſure ſign of an Unregenerate man; he is a perfect Stranger to Grace, who is a Stranger to Grief and Sorrow for inherent Corruption. And if ſo, then ſeveral Perſons may from hence be convinced of their being in a State of Unregeneracy.
As,
1. Thoſe who Bleſs themſelves in the Goodneſs of their Natures. Tho' the Word of God declares that the Heart of Fallen man, is Deceitful above all things and Deſperately wicked, Jer. 17.9. Yet there are ſome who will not believe or own any ſuch thing concerning themſelves: for ought they can diſcern their Hearts are as Good as they need be; they find them to be well-inclined, well-diſpoſed, well-meaning; they do not perceive that there are ſwarms of Luſts and Vile Affections in them: they wonder to hear Perſons crying out of the vileneſs of their hearts; they ſee no cauſe of ſuch complaints concerning themſelves. As for ſuch Perſons as theſe, there is no Spiritual Light in them, their eyes are cloſed to this day, and through the Darkneſs that is upon their Minds, they ſee not thoſe monſtrous Corruptions that are in them, Rev. 3.17, 18. 'Tis poſſible ſuch Perſons may lead Lives that are Civil, Orderly and Blameleſs as to men, [Phil. 3.6.] yet all this while they are far from being in Sanctified Eſtate. No man was ever Converted, who was not Convinced of the Sinfulneſs and Wretchedneſs of his Nature. He never was Holy, that has not ſeen himſelf to be Exceeding Vile. He never was in a State of Salvation, that has not been ſenſible of his being in a Loſt and Sinful State by Nature.
2. Thoſe who make the Sin of their Nature an Excuſe for their Actual Sins. Tho' there be nothing that can Excuſe Sin, yet Sinners ſeek to Find Excuſes: And one thing which they are ready to uſe as an Excuſe, is the Inclination of Nature to Sin: Tis Natural, ſay they, to Sin. All mens hearts are Inclined to Evil. Nature will have its courſe. Such as theſe never did unfeignedly Mourn for the Corruption of their Nature▪ if they had, they would ſee this to be an Aggravation of their Sin, and in no ſort an Extenuation of it. They would ſee Adultery, Theft, Revenge, &c. to be ſo much the worſe, becauſe they proceed from an Adulterers, Thieviſh, Revengful heart. Were Indwelling Sin the matter of their Lamentation, they would not plead it for the Juſtifying themſelves in acts of Iniquity.
3. Thoſe who Cheriſh and Indulge any Luſt. If there be any Particular Corruption whereof Perſons are tender, and wherein they do inwardly and cuſtomarily delight, ſuch Perſons are not afflicted in Soul for the Pollution of their Hearts. Tho' Perſons Reſtrain their Luſts and ſuffer them not to break out, yet if they allow them to act and work in their Souls, they are Lovers of their Luſts, and not Mourners for them. Thus if Perſons allow themſelves in a courſe of Unclean, Covetous, Revengful Thoughts, they do not bewail Indwelling Sin: Were it Really Lamented, men would engage in the Univerſal Mortification of it. They would not Cheriſh any Member of that vile Body of Sin, but would labour to keep under and ſubdue the whole Body.
USE. III. Of Exhortation.
Let all be Exhorted not to reſt till Indwelling Sin become the Matter of their Sorrowful Lamentation. Be not ſatisfyed till you find your ſelves Perſons of a Sorrowful Spirit on the account of Sin in you. If your Hearts are to this day Unaffected with the Corruption of your Natures, reſolve no longer to abide in ſuch a frame. To ſtrengthen you in ſuch reſolutions, I ſhall here lay before you the abſolute neceſſity of Sorrowing on the account of the Body of Sin that is in you.
1. If you have not a Sorrowful ſenſe of Corruption you will not earneſtly Deſire Grace. There will be ho hungrings and thirſtings after Holineſs, where there is not a ſenſible perception of Defilement: how ſhould a man long to be Sanctifyed that is unaffected with his Filthineſs? 'Tis ſenſe of Sin which works deſires of Grace. The reaſon why Nicodemus could not underſtand the doctrine of Regeneration, was becauſe he did not underſtand the doctrine of Original Sin: he did not ſee that that which is born of the Fleſh is Fleſh: he did not ſee that he was born of Parents whoſe Natures were Corrupt, and from whom he had derived a Sinful Corrupt Nature; and hence he did not ſee a neceſſity of having his Nature Renewed by the Spirit of Grace, and conſequently did not deſire nor ſeek after Regenerating Grace. A man will never labour to get out of a State of Nature, who does not ſee and bewail the Sinfulneſs of that Eſtate. If therefore it be neceſſary that you ſhould be Regenerated, 'tis neceſſary that you be touched with a feeling of Corruption. And what is more neceſſary than Regenerating Grace? Our Lord does moſt expreſsly and ſolemnly declare, that Without this a man can never enter into the Kingdom of God, Joh. 3.3, 5. None ſhall partake in Glory hereafter, that do not partake in Grace here. Except a man paſs from Spiritual Death to Spiritual Life, he cannot paſs from Earth to Heaven at the laſt.
2. If you have not a Sorrowful ſenſe of Corruption, you will not ſee the abſolute need you ſtand in of Chriſt. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt will never be Precious until the Heart become Loathſome to itſelf. Thoſe only that ſee themſelves in a Loſt Eſtate will ſeek for a Saviour: Such as think themſelves Whole, will not go to the Phyſician. None will go to Chriſt but ſuch as are Weary & heavy Laden with the burden of Indwelling Sin. The Soul will never cry out to Chriſt for a Cure, till it be pained with the Diſeaſe that is upon it. Chriſt then cannot be a Saviour to us unleſs we are deeply ſenſible of our Sinfulneſs: And what will become of us if we have not an Intereſt in that Saviour? We Periſh Eternally if our Souls be not committed into His Saving Hands.
3. If you have not a Sorrowful ſenſe of your Corruptions, you will never be Willing to part with them. No Sinner will deſire to Putt off the Old man with his Luſts, until it be a thing grievous and hateful to him. Unlamented Luſts will be Retained Luſts. Men muſt Groan under this Spiritual burden, before they will ſtrive to Caſt it off: The heart never thinks of Parting with its Luſts until they Become Bitter to it: It is therefore impoſſible for Men to be Separated from their Luſts till they Sorrow for them. And if Luſts be not parted with, what will the End be? We are told what the Event will be, Matth. ….19, 30. We ſhall be caſt into Hell. Either we muſt part with our Luſts, or part with God, Chriſt and Heaven, and periſh Eternally in the place of Devils. Theſe things do then ſhow the neceſſity of Sorrowing for Indwelling Sin.
If it be now asked, What muſt we do to attain ſuch a Sorrow? Attend theſe Directions.
Direction, I.
Labour for a clear and full Conviction of the Exceeding Sinfulneſs of Indwelling Sin. It is indeed Exceeding Sinful, Rom. 7.13. Sinful above Hyperbole, as the Original ſuggeſts: And if you are once thorowly Convinced hereof, you will ſoon bemoan your ſelves on the account of it; and until your have ſuch a Sight of it, you will never duely Lament it. Now in order hereto two things muſt be done.
1. Compare your Natures with the Holy Law of God. The Law is a Glaſs wherein you may ſee the true Face of Sin upon your Souls. We are to remember that our Natures ought to be conformed to the Law of God in every point: We ſhould be as Holy and Sinleſs as that Law requires. Our Hearts ought exactly to anſwer that Strict Rule: Now compare your ſelves therewith, and you will ſee your Sinfulneſs. — You ought according to the Law of God to be Alwayes inclined to Good, and Never inclined to Evil: to Hate Sin without the Leaſt Love to it: to Believe in God without the leaſt Diſtruſt: to be Humble without the leaſt Pride: to be Meek without the leaſt Paſſion: to be Sober and Temperate without the leaſt Exceſs: to be Pure and Chaſte without the leaſt Unclean Motion: to Love your Neighbour without bearing him the Leaſt ill Will: to diſcharge all Duties without the Leaſt Defect. Such a One you ought to be according to the Holy Commandment of God: but Conſider whether you are ſo. Oh! how far do you come ſhort of being ſuch a One? Will you not, if you take this courſe, ſoon cry out, Unclean! Unclean! Behold, I am Vile!
2. Beg of God to give you a Spiritual Diſcovery of the Sinfulneſs of Indwelling Sin. By comparing your ſelves with the Law of God, you may attain to ſuch rational Convictions of your Sinfulneſs, as may force from you a Confeſſion of your Vileneſs; but you will never ſo ſee your defilement as to loathe your ſelves for it, unleſs God Open you Eyes: 'Tis He muſt let light into our Souls to ſee aright, the hideous monſtrouſneſs of thoſe Luſts, that lodge in the Secrets of our Hearts. Beg therefore of God to ſhow you that which you ſee not. Go to Jeſus Chriſt for Eyes Salve to anoint you, that you may ſee your ſelves Wretched, and Miſerable, and Poor, and Blind, and Naked, Rev. 3.17, …8.
Direction, II.
Pray to God for a Spirit of Mourning. 'Tis God only who can give a Soft, Tender Heart, which ſhall be ſuitably ſenſible of its own Hardneſs, Ezek. 36.26. I will take away the Stony Heart out of your Fleſh, and I will give unto you an Heart of Fleſh. Pray then earneſtly unto the Lord to pour out upon you the Spirit of Grace, that you may ſee and bewail your Spiritual Pollution. Give God no reſt till He has made you a Loathing in your own eyes, and Opened a Fountain of Tears in you for your Sin.
USE. IV. Of Conſolation.
To ſuch as Lament Indwelling Sin, and Travail with Deſires of Deliverance from it. Some there are whoſe Sighings and Groanings on this account are Not bid from God: He Hears them bemoaning themſelves, as Ephraim did, for the obſtinacy of their Hearts: He ſees them uſing all holy Endeavours to Subdue Sin, and exceeding Thankful for any degrees of Deliverance from it, and longing for further Deliverance therefrom. Unto ſuch as theſe, Two Words of Comfort may be ſpoken.
1. Your Burdened Souls ſhall never more be brought under Subjection to Indwelling Sin. Sin will ſtrive to regain its Ancient Dominion over you, and to reduce you to former Subjection, but this ſhall never be effected. Ail its Attempts this way ſhall prove Unſucceſsful. You may ſometimes in an Hour of Temptation fear, that Corruption will recover its maſtery over you; but be not afraid: Keep up a Fear of Watchfulneſs, but don't give way to a Fear of Diſpondency: The Almighty and moſt Faithful God has given His Word for it, That Sin ſhall not have Dominion over you, Rom. 6.14. Tho' it may purſue you, as Pharaoh did Iſrael, yet it ſhall never carry you back into Bondage. The Lord that has Begun to Deliver, will Go on to Deliver; He will moſt aſſuredly keep you By His Mighty Power thro' Faith unto Salvation.
2. Your Wearied Souls ſhall ſhortly be At Reſt from Indwelling Sin. It will not be long before your deſires of Deliverance ſhall be fully Satisfyed. That which you Long for ſhall be granted unto you, and that very Quickly. Heaven, tho' it be Afar off as to local diſtance, yet 'tis Near in point of Time. A few days more and you go to that Place, where Nothing that Defileth Entereth in. Hold out a little longer in Striving againſt Sin, and you ſhall never more have any Conflict or Combate with it. Your Warfare ſhall ſpeedily be Accompliſhed, and then ſhall you experimentally Know that which your fain would Know, but never yet Did Know, Namely, What it is to Serve GOD without Sin, and that to all ETERNITY.
FINIS
End of the text · Nehemiah Walter, The Body of Death Anatomized (1707)