2. To others. It hath an evil influence on them on a twofold account : —
(1.) It hardens them, by begetting in them a persuasion that they are in as good condition as the best professors. Whatever they see in them is so stained for want of this mortification that it is of no
IG MORTIFICATION OF SIN IN BELIEVERS.
value with them. They have a zeal for religion; but it is accom- I^anied with want of forbearance and universal righteousness. They deny prodigality, but with worldliness ; they separate from the world, but live wholly to themselves, taking no care to exercise loving-kind- ness in the earth ; or they talk spiritually, and live vainly ; mention communion with God, and are every way conformed to the world; boasting of forgiveness of siu, and never forgiving others. And with such considerations do poor creatures harden their hearts in their unregeneracy.
(2.) They deceive them, in making them believe that if they can come up to their condition it shall be well with them; and so it grows an easy thing to have the gi'eat temjatation of repute in reli- gion to wrestle withal, when they may go far beyond them as to Avhat appears in them, and yet come short of eternal life. But of these things and all the evils of unmortiiied walkino-, afterward.
CHAPTER III.
The second general principle of the means of mortification proposed to confirma- tion— The Spirit the only author of this work — Vanity of popish mortifica- tion discovered — Many means of it used by them not appointed of God — Those appointed by him abused — The mistakes of others in this business — Tlie Spirit is promised believers for this work, Ezek. xi. 19, xxxvi. 26 — All that we receive from Christ is by the Spirit — How the; Spirit mortifies sin — Gal. v. 19-23 — The several ways of his ojieration to this end i)roposed — How his work and our duty.
The next principle relates to the great sovereign cause of the mor- tification treated of; which, in the words laid for the foundation of this discourse, is said to be the Spirit, — that is, the Holy Ghost, as was evinced.
II. He only is sufficient for this work ; all ways and means tuifhout him are as a thing of nought; and he is the great efficient of it, — he luorks in us as he pleases.
1. In vain do men seek other remedies; they shall not be healed by them. What several ways have been prescribed for this, to have sin mortified, is known. Tlie greatest part of popish religion, of that which looks most like religion in their profession, consists in mis- taken ways and means of mortification. This is the pretence of their rough garments, whereby they deceive. Their vows, orders, fastings, penances, are all built on this ground ; they are all for the mortify- ing of sin. Their prcacliing.s, sermons, and books of devotion, they
SPUEIOUS MORTIFICATION OF SIN. 1 7
look all this way. Hence, those who mterpret the locusts that came out of the bottomless pit, Kev. ix. 3, to be the friars of the Romish church, who are said to torment men, so " that they should seek death and not find it," verse 6, think that tliey did it by their sting- ing sermons, whereby they convinced them of sin, but being not able to discover the remedy for the healing and mortifying of it, they kept them in such perpetual angiiish and terror, and such trouble in their consciences, that they desired to die. This, I say, is the substance and glory of their religion; but what with their labouring to mortify dead creatures, ignorant of the nature and end of the work, — what with the poison they mixed with it, in their persuasion of its merit, yea, supererogation (as they style their unnecessary merit, with a proud, barbarous title), — their glory is their shame : but of them and their mortification more afterward, chap. vii.
That the ways and means to be used for the mortification of sin invented by them are still insisted on and prescribed, for the same end, by some who should have more light and knowledge of the gospel, is known. Such directions to this purpose have of late been given by some, and are greedily catched at by others professing them- selves Protestants, as might have become popish devotionists three or four hundred years ago. Such outside endeavours, such bodily exercises, such self-performances, such merely legal duties, without the least mention of Christ or his Spirit, are varnished over with swelling words of vanity, for the only means and expedients for the mortification of sin, as discover a deep-rooted unacquaintedness with the power of God and mystery of the gospel. The consideration hereof was one motive to the publishing of this plain discourse.
Now, the reasons why the Papists can never, with all their endea- vours, truly mortify any one sin, amongst others, are, —
(1.) Because many of the ways and means they use and insist upon for this end were never appointed of God for that purpose. (Now, there is nothing in religion that hath any efficacy for compass- ing an end, but it hath it from God's appointment of it to that pur- pose.) Such as these are their rough garments, their vows, penances, disciplines, their course of monastical life, and the like ; concerning all which God will say, " Who hath required these things at your hand?" and, "In vain do ye worship me, teaching for doctrines the traditions of men." Of the same nature are sundry self- vexations insisted on by others.