752 The Great Duty . 1. Seco'fldiy , There is a r-.·iortification of Sin in refpect of its reigning Power. What t"' muj f•ith the Apofllc, Rom. 6 . 1 1, 1 2. in 'V. 1 1. fa ith he, reckon yqur filves to be dead to jitt: J ~~~:u- \Vha~ theli? \.Vhy upon this he founds an Exhortation in ver. 12. La not fin R.. ;~n:·n~ theujore reign in your M orri!!l- Bodies. No':" this Reign of Sin confifts not in the 1-'ow,·•. mulc!tudc, greatnefs, or preva lency of Sms, for all thefe are confiftent with a flare of Grace, and may be in a Child of God , in whom Sin doth not nor cannot Reign j but in t he in-be.ing of Sin without Grace, whether it aB:s more or lefs vi.. olently, yea, whether tt aCts at all or no, yet if the habit of Sin polfefs the Sou l without any principle of Grace implanted tha t is contrary to it, that Man may be faid to be frill under the Dominion of Sin. Now t hen t his Mortifica tion of Sin as to its rcign~ng Power, is.complcated in tl:e firft ad .of Converfion and Rege· ne~·<~.r ion; ~o r HI t\~at ve1_-y tnfl:am th:t any ISBorn aga1n, he hath ~ Principle of Sp1ntual Life pm I D to l11m; the habit of fupernatural Grace, wh ich ln!teth aga iJtl1: the Fiefh, weakens the whole Body of Sin, croifeth and contradicts every corrnpt motion, fo that though he cannot do wha t he would, yet he would not do ·what he doth; and this breaks the Tyranny of Sin, and mortifies it as to its reigning Power. 3. Tnirdly•, There is a Mortification of S.in in regard of its captivating and indwel· Sin mull ling Power. And this is thH which the Text chiefly aims at. hr. .""'~rift- Con upti01 wherefoever it is doth not ufe to lie dormant but where it cannot ~~P~,;v:r.s rei_gn ther.e it will moleft: Stir, and ftruggle? and fight it will, and it may be pre· ,;,!!. P.J. vat I to a VJCtory, even over thofe over whom It Ihail never prevail unto Condemnawer . t ion. This now calls for a con!tant work of Mortification; every day and hour there are corrupt propenfions to be reined in, finful thoughts to be ftrugled againft finful motiom to be fupprefs'd; and it is not the mere habit and principle of Grace' without a vigorous and continued exercife of it in a way of Mortificatio•n; that in~ deed r,ave Sin its death's wound in our Regeneration, but frill we mufi: follow i t doubl(ug fi:roak upon ftroak, while it hath any Life and Motion in it. \Ve do not conten.t our fc lves that we crulh the Head of a Serpent; no, but while it frirs and writhes.it felf we fr ill lay on. So Ihould we dO with Luft; 'tis not enough that the Head of it is crufh'd, that its firft wound in our Converfion is incurable; but frill as long as it !tirs and ffiQVCs within us, we mufr be continually fi:riking at it by continued a as of Mortification; nor ffiuft all fufficc till Death comes in to our part, and by one Blow deftroys it. In thcfe three fenfes Sin may be faid to be mortified : Jn its Condemning Power ; ar.d fo it was at once mort ified for all the Elect by Chrift hanging on theCrofs: And this Mortification is particularly applied t_o them when they believe. In its reign.. ing Power; and fo it is mortified in the firlt momer,t of Regeneration, by the implantation of an at.live Principle of Grace and Holinefs, which di.lfolves its Government, and frees the Soul from its Dominion. And la!tly, in its Caprivadng Power, as it rebels and makes an infurredion againft the Sovereignty of Grace; and fo it is mortified by weakning its forces , hi nd ring its inroads, refifting its aiiauits, beating down irs firft r ifi t1gs and motions, and all this by con!tant, careful and fincere Endeavours, even all our days. l might now eafi ly demonftratc in -feveral particulars how abfolutely ncceffary it is, even for the befi: and hi Ehdt Chriftians, to keep up the conftant exerdfe of Mortification. Take only fame few. I. Fi rft , l n an unmortificd courfe you fruftrate the very end of your Graces. Hath An unmor~ God implanted in you a noble, act ive and div ine Pri nciple, t hat wil l certainly in rifie~Cou rfe the end prove viCtorious if it be employed? And will you wh ile Lufts and TcmpfruJ rrm{ tations are overrunning you r Souls, and making a prey of you, will you, I fay ~:a~~~ 0 check it , and keep i r. under a reftraint? G!·ace hat~ in it a natural antipathy and repugnancy againft Sm, and would where It hath Its free fcope naturally and ne· ccflJ.rily deftroy it. Galat. 5· 17· the Apofrle tells us the Fiefh lufteth againft the Spirit: And what , doth the Spirit fit down tame and quiet under fuch an affront and oppofition? No , fait h he, rh~ Spirit alfo lufleth ~tgairift the Fiefh. It doth no fconer fee a Corruption begin to heave and ftir in the Hca.n, but it would be prefcmly upon it, it would beat it down and keep ic under, did 'not your deceitful Hearts betray it, or did they but concur with it. Now confider, ' · Ftrft , Is not thts a foul ptece of tngratttude and dtfingenULty againfr God, the., God of all Grace? He fee ing thy weakoefs and lmpotency to deal wtth ~hofe m<ghty
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