Rule 3. Keep your consciences under the awe and in the fear of God continually, as ever you hope to be successful in the mortifi- cation of sin. The fear of God is the great preservative from sin, without which all the external rules and helps in the world signify nothing : " By the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil," Prov. xvi. 6. Not only from external and more open evils, which the fear of men, as well as the fear of God, may prevent, but from the most secret and inward evils, which is a special part of mortifi- cation, Lev. xix. 14. It keeps men from those evils which no eye nor ear of man can possibly discover. The fear of the Lord breaks temptations, baited with pleasure, with profit, and with secresy. In a word, if ever you be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, it must be by the fear of God, 2 Cor. vii. 1.
* Rule 4. Study the vanity of the creature, and labour to get true notions of the emptiness and transitoriness thereof, if ever you will attain to the mortification of your affections towards it.
It is the false picture and image of the world, in our fancy, that crucifies us with so many cares, fears, and solicitudes about it : and it is the true picture and image of the world, represented to us in the glass of the word, which greatly helps to crucify our affections to the world. O, if we did but know and believe three things about the world, we should never be so fond of it as we are,
* Readers, if ever you would have a true sight of the emptiness and vanity of the creature, and get a mortified heart to the world, now is the time ; for at this day the providence of God hath withered all the fading flowers of earthly delights, and shewed you the world's hack parts, as it is departing from you.
390 THE METHOD OF GflACE. SEIvM. XXVIII.
viz. the fading, defiling, and destroying nature of it. The best and sweetest enjoyments in the world, are but fading flowers and withered grass, Isa. xiv. 6. James i. 10, 11. yea, it is of a defiling, as well as a fading nature, 1 John v. 19. it lies in wickedness, it spreads universal infection among all mankind, 2 Pet. i. 4. yea, it destroys as well as denies multitudes of souls, drowning men in per- dition, 1 Tim. vi. 9. Millions of souls will wish, to eternity ^ they had never known the riches, pleasures, or honours of it. Were this believed, how would men slacken their pace, and cool them- selves in the violent and eager pursuit of the world ? This greatly tends to promote mortification.
Rule 5. Be careful to cut off all the occasions of sin, and keep at the greatest distance from temptations, if ever you would mortify the deeds of the body. The success and prevalency of sin, mainly de- pend upon the wiles and stratagems it makes use of to ensnare the incautious soul ; therefore the apostle bids us keep off, at the greatest distance. 1 Thes. v. J22. " Abstain from all appearance of evil." Prov. v. 8. " Come not nigh unto the door of her house.'" He that dares venture to the very brink of sin, discovers but little light in his understanding, and less tenderness in his conscience, he neither knows sin nor fears it as he ought to do : And it is usual with God to chastise self-confidence by shameful lapses into sin.
Rule 6. If you will successfully mortify the corruptions of your nature, never engage against them in your own single strength, Eph. vi. 10. When the apostle draws forth Christians into the field, against sin, he bids them " be strong in the Lord, and in " the power of his might." O remember what a mere feather thou art in the gusts of temptation ; call to mind the height of Peter's confidence, " though all men forsake thee, yet will not " I ;" and the depth of his fall, shame and sorrow. A weak Chris- tian, trembling in himself, depending by faith upon God, and graciously assisted by him, shall be able to stand against the shock of temptation, when the bold and confident resolutions of others (like Pendleton in our English story) shall melt away as wax before the flames.
Ride 7. Set in with the mortifying design of God, in the day of thine affliction ; sanctified afflictions are ordered and prescri- bed in heaven for the purging of our corruptions, Isa. xxvii. 9. " By this, therefore, shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and " this is all the fruit to take away his sin.1" It is a fair glass to re- present the evil of sin, and the vanity of the creature, to imbitter the world, and disgust thy affections towards it : Fall in, therefore, with the gracious design of God; follow every affliction with prayer, that God would follow it with his blessing. God kills thy comforts, out of no other design but to kill thy corruptions with
SEEM. XXVI II. THE METHOD OF GEACE. 391
them : wants are ordained to kill wantonness, poverty is appoint- ed to kill pride, reproaches are permitted to pull down ambition : Happy is the man who understands, approves, and heartily sets in with the design of God, in such afflicting providences.
Rule 8. Bend the strength of your duties and endeavours against your proper and special sin ; it is in vain to lop off branches, whilst this root of bitterness remains untouched : This was David's practice, Psal. xviii. 23. " I was also upright before him, and I " kept myself from mine iniquity." We observe, in natural men, that one faculty is more vigorous than another ; we find in nature, that one soil suits with some sorts of seeds rather than another : And every believer may find his nature and constitution inclining him to one sin rather than another. As graces, so corruptions exceed one another, even in the regenerate. The power of special cor- ruption arises from our constitutions, education, company, custom, callings, and such like occasions ; but from whensoever it comes, this is the sin that most endangers us, most easily besets us ; and, according to the progress of mortification in that sin, we may safely estimate the degrees of mortification in other sins ; Strike, therefore, at the life and root of your own iniquity.
Rule 9. Study the nature and great importance of those things which are to be won or lost, according to the success and issue of this conflict. Your life is a race, eternal glory is the prize, grace and corruption are the antagonists, and accordingly as either finally prevails, eternal life is won or lost. 1 Cor. ix. 24. " Know ye " not that they which run a race, run all, but one receiveth " the prize ? So run that ye may obtain." This condition will make mortification appear the most rational and necessary thing to you in the whole world. Shall I lose heaven for indulging the flesh, and humouring a wanton appetite ! God forbid. " I keep " under my body, (saith Paul) and bring it into subjection ; lest " that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself " should be a cast away," 1 Cor. ix. 28.