This, therefore, is the first luay whereby the Spirit of God morti- fieth sin in us; and in a compliance with it, under his conduct, do we regularly carry on this work and duty, — that is, we mortify sin by cherishing the principle of holiness and sanctification in our souls, labouring to increase and strengthen it by growing in grace, and by a constancy and frequency in acting of it in all duties, on all occa- sions, abounding in the fruits of it. Growing, thriving, and improv- ing in universal holiness, is the great way of the mortification of sin. The more vigorous the principle of holiness is in us, the more weiik, infirm, and dying will be that of sin. The more frequent and lively are the actings of grace, the feebler and seldomer will be the actings of sin. The more we abound in the " fruits of the Spirit," the less sh?Jl we be concerned in the " works of the flesh." And we do but deceive ourselves if we think sin will be mortified on any other terms. Men when they are galled in their consciences and dis- quieted in their minds with any sin or temptation thereunto, wherein their lusts or corruptions are either influenced by Satan, or en- tangled by 'objects, occasions, and opportunities, do set themselves ofttimes in good earnest to oppose and subdue it, by all the ways
CHAR VIII.] THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF IT. 553
and means they can think upon. But all they do is in vain ; and so they find it at last, unto their cost and sorrow. The reason is, be- cause they neglect this course, without which never any one sin was truly mortified in the world, nor ever will so be. The course I intend is that of labouring universally to improve a principle of holiness, not in this or that way, but in all instances of holy obedience. This is that which will ruin sin, and without it nothing else will contribute any thing thereunto. Bring a man unto the law, urge him with the purity of its doctrines, the authority of its commands, the severity of its threatenings, the dreadful consequences of its transgression; suppose him convinced hereby of the evil and danger of sin, of the necessity of its mortification and destruction, will he be able hereon to discharge this duty, so as that sin may die and his soul may live ? The apostle assures us of the contrary, Rom. vii. 7-9. The whole effect of the application of the law in its power unto indwelling sin is but to irritate, provoke, and increase its guilt. And what other probable way besides this unto this end can any one fix upon?
(2dly.) The Holy Ghost carrieth on this work in us as a grace, and enableth us unto it as our duti/, by those actual supiilies and assistances of grace which he continually communicates unto us; for the same divine operations, the same supplies of grace, which are necessary unto the positive acts and duties of holiness, are necessary also unto this end, that sin in the actual motions and lustings of it may be mortified. So the apostle issues his long account of the con- flict between sin and the soul of a believer, and his complaint there- on, with that good word, " I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord," Rom. vii. 25, — namely, who supplies me with gracious assist- ance against the power of sin. Temptation is successful only by sin, James i. 14. And it was with respect unto an especial tempta- tion that the Lord Christ gives that answer unto the apostle, "My grace is sufficient for thee," 2 Cor. xii. 9. It is the actual supply of the Spirit of Christ that doth enable us to withstand our tempta- tions and subdue our corruptions. This is the liriyjt^riyia rou ni/su- /jMTog, Phil. i. 19, — an "additional supply," as occasion requireth, beyond our constant daily provision; or %ap/s sig roxaipov jSo'/jhiav, Heb. iv. 16, — grace given in to help seasonably, upon our cry made for it. Of the nature of these supplies we have discoursed before. I shall now only observe, that in the life of faith and dependence on Christ, the expectation and derivation of these supplies of grace and spiritual strength is one principal part of our duty. These things are not empty notions, as some imagine. If Christ be a head of in- fluence unto us as Avell as of rule, as the head natural is to the body; if he be our life, if our hfe be in him, and we have nothing but what we do receive from him; if he give unto us supplies of his
654 MORTIFICATION OF SIN, [BOOK IV.
Spirit and increases of grace; and if it be our duty by faith to look for all these things from him, and that be the means of receiving them, — which things are all expressly and frequently affirmed in the Scripture ; — then is this expectation and derivation of spiritual strength continually from him the way we are to take for the actual mortification of sin. And, therefore, if we would be found in a suc- cessful discharge of this duty, it is required of us, — [1st.] That we endeavour diligently, in the whole course of our lives, after these con- tinual supplies of g7'ace, — that is, that we wait for them in all those ways and means whereby they are communicated ; for although the Lord Christ giveth them out freely and boimtifully, yet our dili- gence in duty will give the measure of receiving them. If we are negligent in prayer, meditation, reading, hearing of the word, and other ordinances of divine worship, we have no ground to expect any great supplies to this end. And, [2dli/.] That we live and abound in the actual exercise of all those graces which are most directly opposite unto those peculiar lusts or corruptions that we are most exercised withal or obnoxious unto; for sin and grace do try their interest and prevalency in particular instances. If, therefore, any are more than ordinarily subject unto the power of any corruption, — as passion, inordinate affections, love of the world, distrust of Clod, — unless they be constant in the exercise of those graces which are diametrically opposed unto them, they will continually suffer under the power of sin.