Now to make application.
I. For the reproof of those that cannot abide to hear of mortification. The unwillingness and impatience of this doctrine may arise from several causes.
1. From sottish atheism and unbelief. They despise all sober spiritual counsel, they make no conscience of yielding obedience to God. fSolomon tells us, Prov. xix. IG, ' He that keepeth the com- mandments keepeth his own soul ; but he that despiseth his way shall die.' There are the different issues of a strict obedience, and a slight vain conversation. And mark the opposition of the two tempers — he that keeps Hue commandments, and lie that despisetli his own ways ; that is, takes no heed to liis life and actions, to order them according to the will of God ; he cares not whether he please or dis- please, whether he honour or dishonour God, but leaves the boat to the stream, lives as his brutish lusts incline him, come of it what will come. He despiseth his own ways, and so runs into vanity, luxury, riot, fraud, injustice, and all manner of licentiousness. Now, no man thus despiseth his own ways but he despiseth other things which should be very sacred and of gjeat regard and esteem with him. He despiseth God, and the word of God, and his own soul : Prov. xiv. 2, ' He that walketh in his uprightness, fears God ; but he that is ])erverse in his ways despiseth him.' He that makes conscience of his duty hath a high esteem of God, he looks on his authority as supreme, his powers as infinite, his knowledge of all things exact, his truth in promises and threatenings as unquestionable, his holiness as immaculate, his justice as impartial, and his goodness exercised to us in sundry benefits as ricli and every way glorious. Therefore he dare not but please God ; he hath such a deep reverence for him, that he is always saying within himself. What will the holy and all-seeing God have done { Or, ' How can I do this wickedness and sin against God?' But now the careless and slight i)erson that takes no care to govern his actions according to the will of God, hath contemi)tuou8 and slight thoughts of God, as if he were a senseless idol that took no notice of human affairs, that sees not, or would not punish the breaches of
Mark IX. 49.] the fiftu sermon. 231
his laws. They also despise the word of God : Prov. xiii. 13, ' He tliat dcspiseth the word shall be destroyed ; but he that fears the coramandment shall be rewarded.' There are some gracious hearts that stand in awe of the word, and thou<,di their minds be never so much set upon a thing, yet if a commandment stand in the way, it is more than if an angel with a drawn sword stood in the way to keep them back ; they dare not break through God's hedge. But now a carnal, careless, and unbelieving wretch sets at nought all the precepts, promises, and threatenings of God, and can break with him for a trifle, for a little vain delight and profit. Nay, further, he despiseth his own soul : Prov. xv. 32, ' He that refuseth instruction, despiseth his his own soul.' He only cares for the body, but neglects his soul, scarce ever considers whether he has a soul to save or a soul to lose, as if he counted all fabulous which is spoken of God and immortality, of the day of judgment, or of heaven and hell. Now it is in vain to speak to- these to renounce and mortify their pleasing lusts till their atheism and carelessness be cured. And their case is the more desperate because the disease doth not lie in their minds, but in their hearts, and comes not so much from opinion as inclination. A settled opinion must be vanquished by reason, but a brutish inclination must be weakened by almighty grace.
2. It may come from libertinism. And these harden their hearts in sinning by a mistaking the gospel.
[1.] Some vainly imagine as if God by Jesus Christ were made more reconcilable to sin, that it needs not so much to be stood upon, nor need we to be so exact, to keep such ado to mortify and subdue the inclinations that lead to it. They altogether run to the comforts of the gospel and neglect the duties thereof. Christ died for sinners, therefore we need not to be troubled about it. Some actually speak out these things as if all the mortification required were but to quell the sense of sin in the conscience, not to destroy the power of sin in their hearts, and if they can but believe strongly they are pardoned, all is well. If this were true, then in the hardest heart would be the best fliith, for they have the least trouble about sin, and least conscience of sin. This is to cry up the merit of Christ, to exclude the Avork and discipline of this spirit,^ yea to set the merit of his death against the end of it, and so to set Christ against Christ. He bore our sins : ' He bore our sins in his body upon the tree, that we might be dead to sin, and alive to righteousness,' to promote this mortification that we speak of.