And concerning this great duty we may consider three things: — (1.) The name of it, whereby it is expressed; (2.) The nature of it, wherein it consists; (3.) The means and way whereby it is effected and wrought.
* See vol. vi. of his works.
540 MORTIFICATION OF SIN, [BOOK IV.
(1.) For the name, it is two ways expressed, and both of them metaphorical ; — [1.] By vsxpouv and "^amTovv, which we render "to mor- tify ourselves." The fii'st is used, Col. iii. 5, vixpcJoffars, which is " mortify," — that is, extinguish and destroy all that force and vigour of corrupted nature which inclines to earthly, carnal things, opposite unto that spiritual, heavenly life and its actings which we have in and from Christ, as was before declared. Nsjcf ow is eneco, morte macto, — " to kill," " to affect with or destroy by death." But yet this word is used by our apostle not absolutely to destroy and to kill, so as that that which is so mortified or killed should no more have any being, but that it should be rendered useless as unto what its strength and vigour would produce. So he expresseth the effects of it in the passive word, Ou xarsvo^ffi ro sauTou ffu/^a ^'5?j vsvsxpujiLsvov, Rom. iv. 19; — " He considered not his own body now dead," " now mortified." The body of Abraham was not then absolutely dead, only the natu- ral force and vigour of it was exceedingly abated. And so he seems to mollify this expression, Heb. xi. 12, 'Ap' hog sysw^d^ffav, tim) ravra vsvsxpctijiLsvou, which we well render, "Of one, and him as good as dead," ravra intimatiDg a respect unto the thing treated of So that nxpoZv, " to mortify," signifies a continued act, in taking away the power and force of any thing until it come to be vivixpufihov, " dead," unto some certain ends or purposes, as we shall see it is in the mortifica- tion of sin. Rom. viii. 13, " If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live," — ^avaroZn, another word to the same purpose. It signifies, as the other doth, " to put to death;" but it is used in the present tense, to denote that it is a work which must be always doing: " If ye do mortify," — that is, " If ye are always and constantly employed in that work." And what the apostle here calls rag Tpd^sig rov ffu/jMrog, " the deeds of the body," he therein expresseth the effect for the cause metonymically ; for he intends r^v adpxa cuv roTg TaOTji^agi xai raTg l<7ridv/J.laig, as he expresseth the same thing. Gal. v. 24, " The flesh with the affections and lusts," whence all the corrupt deeds wherein the body is instrumental do arise.
[2.] The same duty with relation unto the death of Christ, as the meritorious, efiicient, and exemplary cause, is expressed by crucify- ing: Rom. vi. 6, "Our old man is crucified Avith him." Gal. ii. 20, " I am crucified with Christ." Chap. v. 24, " They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Chap. vi. 14, By the Lord Jesus Christ " the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Now, as perhaps there may be something inti- mated herein of the manner of mortification of sin, which is gradu- ally carried on unto its final destruction, as a man dies on the cross, yet that which is principally intended is the relation of this work and duty to the death of Christ, whence we and our sins are said to be
CHAP. VIII.] THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF IT. 541
crucified with him, because we and they are so by virtue of his death. And herein do we " ahvays bear about in the body" rrjv vsxpucfiv, "the dying of the Lord Jesus," 2 Cor. iv. 10, representing the manner of it, and expressing its efficacy.
(2.) Thus is this duty expressed, whose nature, in the next place, we shall more particularly inquire into, and declare in the ensuing observations : —
[1.] Mortification of sin is a duty always incumbent on us in the whole course of our obedience. This the command testifieth, which represents it as an always present duty. When it is no longer a duty to grow in grace, it is so not to mortify sin. No man under heaven can at any time say that he is exempted from this command, nor on any pretence; and he Avho ceaseth from this duty lets go all en- deavours after holiness. And as for those who pretend unto an absolute perfection, they are of all persons living the most impu- dent, nor do they ever in this matter open their mouths but they give themselves the lie; for, —
[2.] This duty being ahvays incumbent on us, argues undeniably the abiding in us of a principle of sin whilst we are in the flesh, which, with its fruits, is that which is to be mortified. This the Scripture calleth the " sin that dwelleth in us," the " evil that is present with us," the " law in our members," " evil concupiscence," " lust," the " flesh," and the like. And thereunto are the properties and actings of folly, deceit, tempting, seducing, rebelling, warring, captiv^ating, ascribed. This is not a place to dispute the truth of this assertion, which cannot, with any reputation of modesty, be denied by any who own the Scripture or pretend to an acquaintance with themselves. But yet, through the craft of Satan, with the j^nde and darkness of the minds of men, it is so fallen out that the want of a true understanding hereof is the occasion of most of those pernicious errors wherewith the church of God is at present pestered, and which practically keep men off from being seriously troubled for their sins, or seeking out for relief by Jesus Christ. Thus, one hath not feared of late openly to profess that he knows of no deceit or evil in his own heart, though a wiser than he hath informed us that " he that ti'usteth in his own heart is a fool," Prov. xxviii. 26.