CHAP. VI.

The Mortification of Sin in particular described. The several Parts and Degrees thereof. 1. The habitual weakning of its Root and Principle. The Power of Lust to tempt. Differences of that Power to Persons and Times. 2. Constant Fighting against Sin. The Parts thereof considered. 3. Success against it. The summe of this Discourse.

WHat it is to mortifie a Sin in General, which will make farther way for particular Directions, is nextly to be considered.

The Mortification of a Lust consists in three things.

1. An habitual weakening of it. Every Lust is a depraved habit or Disposition, continually inclining the Heart to evil: Thence is that description of him who hath no Lust truely mortified: Gen. 6.5. Every Imagination of the thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually. He is alwayes under the power of a strong bent and Inclination to sin. And the reason why a natural man is not alwayes, perpetually, in the pursuit of some one lust night and day, is, because he hath many to serve, every one crying to be satisfied; Thence he is carried on with great variety, but still in general he lyes towards the satisfaction of self.

We will suppose then the lust or distemper whose Mortification is inquired after, to be in its self a strong, deeply rooted, habitual Inclination and bent of Will and Affections unto some Actual sin, as to the Matter of it, (though not under that formal Consideration,) alwayes stirring up Imaginations, Thoughts and Contrivances about the Object of it. Hence men are said to have their Hearts set upon Evil, Rom. 13.14. the bent of their Spirits lyes towards it, to make provision for the flesh. And a sinfull depraved habit (as in many other things, so in this) differs from all natural or moral habits whatever; for whereas they incline

the Soul gently and suitably to it self, sinfull Habits impell with Violence and Impetuousness: whence Lusts are said to fight or wage warre against the Soul, 1 Pet. 2.11. to rebell, or rise up in Warre with that Conduct and Opposition which is usual therein; Rom. 7.23. to lead captive, or effectually captivating upon success in battell: All works of great violence and impetuousness.

I might manifest fully from that description we have of it, Rom. 7. How it will darken the Mind, extinguish Convictions, dethrone Reason, interrupt the Power and Influence of any Considerations that may be brought to hamper it, and break through all into a flame. But this is not my present business. Now the first thing in Mortification is the weakening of this Habit of Sin or Lust, that it shall not with that violence, earnestness, frequency, rise up, conceive, tumultuate, provoke, entice, disquiet, as naturally it is apt to doe, Jam. 1.14, 15.

I shall desire to give one Caution or Rule by the way; and it is this. Though every Lust doth in its own Nature, equally, universally incline and impell to Sin, yet this mu[gap]t be granted with these two Limitations:

1. One lust, or a lust in one man, may receive

many accidental Improvements, heightnings, and strengthnings, which may give it life, power and vigour, exceedingly above what another Lust hath, or the same lust, that is of the same Kind and Nature in another man. When a Lust falls in with the natural Constitution and Temper, with a suitable course of Life, with Occasions; or when Sathan hath got a fit handle to it to manage it, as he hath a thousand wayes so to doe, that Lust growes violent and impetuous above others, or more than the same lust in another man; Then the steams of it darken the Mind, so that though a man knowes the same things as formerly, yet they have no power, nor influence on the Will, but corrupt Affections and Passions are set by it at liberty.

But especially, Lust gets strength by Temptation; when a suitable Temptation falls in wi[gap]h a Lust, it gives it a new life, vigour, power, violence and rage which it seemed not before to have, or to be capable of. Instances to this purpose might be multiplyed; but it is the design of some part of another Treatise to evince th[gap]s Observation.

2. Some lusts are far more sensible and discernable in their violent Actings than others. Paul puts a difference between Uncleanness and all other sins. 1 Cor. 6.18. Flee fornication, every sin that a man doth, is whithout the

body, but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. Hence the Motions of that sin are more sensible, more discernable than of others; when perhaps, the love of the World, or the like, is in a Person no less habitually predominant than that, yet it makes not so great a combustion in the whole man.

And on this account some men may goe in their own thoughts and in the eyes of the World, for mortified men; who yet have in them no less predominancy of Lust, than those who cry out with Astonishment upon the account of its perplexing Tumultuatings. Yea than those who have by the Power of it, been hurried into scandalous sins; only their lusts are in and about things which raise not such a tumult in the Soul, about which they are exercised with a calmer Frame of Spirit; the very Fabrick of Nature being not so nearly concerned in them, as in some other.

I say then, that the first thing in Mortification is the weakening of this Habit, that it shall not impell and tumultuate as formerly, that it shall not intice and draw aside, that it shall not disquiet and perplex; the killing of its life, vigour, promptness and readiness to be stirring. This is called crucifying the flesh with the lusts thereof, Gal. 5.24. that is, taking away its Blood and Spirits that give it

strength and power. The wasting of the body of Death day by day, 2 Cor. 4.16.

As a Man nayled to the Cross; he first struggles and strives and cryes out with great strength and might; but as his Blood and Spirits waste, his strivings are faint and seldom, his Cryes low and hoarse, scarce to be heard. When a man first sets on a Lust or distemper, to deal with it, it struggles with great violence to break loose; it cryes with Earnestness and Impatiency to be satisfied and relieved; but when by Mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out, it moves seldome and familiarly, cryes sparingly, and is scarce heard in the heart; It may have sometimes a dying pang, that makes an Appearance of great vigour and strength, but it is quickly over, especially if it be kept from considerable success. This the Apostle describes as in the whole Chapter, so especially vers. 6. of chap. 6. Rom.

Sin, saith he, is crucified; it is fastned to the Cross; to what End? that the body of Death may be destroyed; the Power of Sin weakened, and abolished by little and little; that henceforth we should not serve sin, that is, that sin might not incline, impell us with such Efficacy, as to make us servants to it, as it hath done heretofore. And this is spoken not only with respect to carnal and sensual Affections, or Desires of worldly things; not only

in respect of the Lu[gap]t of the Flesh, the Lust of the Ey[gap]s, and the pride of Life, but also as to the flesh, that is in the mind and will, in that Opposition unto God, which is in us by Nature. Of what Nature soever the troubling Distemper be, by what wayes soever it make it self out, either by impelling to Evil, or hindering from that which is good, the Rule is the same. And unless this be done effectually, all after-contention will not compass the End aimed at. A man may beat down the bitter Fruit from an evil Tree, untill he is weary; whilest the Root abides in strength and vigour, the beating down of the present Fruit will not hinder it from bringing forth more; this is the Folly of some men; they set themselves with all earnestness and diligence against the appearing eruption of lust, but leaving the Principle and Root untouched, perhaps unsearched out, they make but little or no progress in this work of Mortification.

2. In constant fighting and contending against sin. To be able alwayes to be laying load on Sin, is no small degree of Mortification. When Sin is strong and vigorous, the Soul is scarce able to make any head against it. It sighs, and groans, and mourns, and is troubled, as David speaks of himself, but seldom has Sin in the pursuit; David complains that his Sin had taken fast hold

upon him, that he could look up, Psal. 40.12. How little then was he able to fight against it. Now sundry things are required unto, and comprized in this fighting against Sin.

1. To know that a man hath such an Enemy to deal withall; to take notice of it, to consider it as an Enemy indeed, and one that is to be destroyed by all means possible, is required hereunto. As I said before, the contest is vigorous and hazardous; it is about the things of Eternity. When therefore man have sleight and transient thoughts of their lusts, it is no great sign that they are mortified, or that they are in a way for their Mortification. This is, every man's knowing the plague of his own heart, 1 King. 8.38. Without which no other work can be done; it is to be feared that very many have little knowledge of the main Enemy, that they carry about them in their bosoms. This makes them ready to justifie themselves, and to be impatient of reproof or admonition, not knowing that they are in any danger, 2 Chron. 16.10.

2. To labour to be acquainted with the Wayes, W[gap]les, Methods, Advantages and Occasions of its success is the beginning of this warfare. So do men deal with Enemies. They enquire out their counsels and designs, ponder their Ends, consider how and by what

means they have formerly prevailed, that they may be prevented; In this consists the greatest skill in conduct. Take this away, and all waging of Warre (wherein is the greatest improvement of Humane Wisdom and Industry) would be brutish. So do they deal with Lust, who mortifie it indeed; not onely when it is actually vexing, inticing, and seducing, but in their Retirements they consider, This is our Enemy, this is his way and Progress, these are his Advantages, thus hath he prevailed, and thus he will do, if not prevented: So David, My sin is ever before me, Psal. 51.2. And indeed one of the choisest and most eminent parts of practically spiritual wisdom, consists in finding out the subtilties, policies, and depths of any indwelling Sin; to consider and know wherein its greatest strength lies; what Advantage it uses to make of Occasions, Opportunities, Temptations; what are its Pleas, Pretences, Reasonings; what its Stratagems, Colours, Excuses; to set the wisdom of the Spirit against the Craft of the old Man, to trace this Serpent in all its turnings and windings; to be able to say at its most secret, and (to a common Frame of Heart) imperceptible actings, This is your old way and course, I know what you aim at; and so to be alwayes in readiness, is a good part of our warfare.

3. To load it daily with all the things which shall after be mentioned, that are grievous, killing and destructive to it, is the height of this contest; such an one never thinks his lust dead because it is Quiet, but labours still to give it new wounds, new blowes every day. So the Apostle, Col. 3.5.

Now whilest the Soul is in this Condition, whilest it is thus dealing, it is certainly uppermost, Sin is under the Sword and dying.

3. In success; frequent success against any lust, is another part and Evidence of Mortification; By success, I understand not a meer disappointment of Sin, that it be not brought forth, nor accomplished; but a victory over it, and pursuit of it to a compleat Conquest: For instance, when the Heart finds Sin at any time at work, seducing, forming Imaginations to make provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof, it instantly apprehends Sin, and brings it to the Law of God, and love of Christ; condemns it, followes it with execution to the uttermost.

Now I say, when a man comes to this state and Condition, that lust is weakened in the root and principle, that its motions and actions are fewer and weaker than formerly, so thay they are not able to hinder his duty, nor interrupt his peace, when he can in a quiet sedate frame of Spirit, find out, and fight against Sin, and

have success against it, then Sin is mortified in some considerable measure, and notwithstanding all its Opposition, a man may have peace with God all his dayes.

Unto these Heads then do I referre the Mortification aymed at; that is, of any one perplexing Distemper, whereby the General pravity and Corruption of our Nature attempts to exert and put forth it self.

1. First, the weakening of its indwelling disposition, whereby it inclines, intices, impells to evil, rebells, opposes, fights against God, by the implanting habitual residence, and cherishing of a principle of Grace, that stands in direct opposition to it, and is destructive of it, is the Foundation of it. So by the implanting and growth of humility is pride weakened, passion by patience, uncleanness by purity of Mind and Conscience, love of this world by heavenly-mindedness, which are Graces of the Spirit, or the same habitual Grace variously acting it self by the Holy Ghost, according to the variety or diversity of the Objects about which it is exercised; as the other are several Lusts, or the same natural Corruption variously acting its self according to the various Advantages and Occasions that it meets withall.

2. The promptness, alacrity, vigour of the Spirit, or New Man in contending with,

cheerfull fighting against the Lust spoken of, by all the Wayes, and with all the Means that are appointed thereunto, constantly using the succours provided against its motions and actings, is a second thing hereunto required.

3. Success unto several degrees attends these two. Now this, if the distemper hath not an inconquerable Advantage from its natural situation, may possibly be to such an universal Conquest, as the Soul may never more sensibly feel its Opposition, and shall however assuredly arise to an allowance of Peace to the Conscience, according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace.