324 MoRTIFWCATI diligence, watchfulness, and earnest contention of spirit, which the nature of it doth require. Sect. 14.And moreover, there is no less fatal mis- take, where we make the object of this duty to be only some particular lusts, or the fruits of them in actual sins, as was before observed. This is the way with many. They will make head against some sins, which, on one account or other, they find themselves most con- cerned in; but, if they will observe- their course, they will find with how little success they do it. For the most part, sin gets ground upon them, and they conti- nually groan under the power of its victories. And the reason is, because they mistake their business. Con- tests against particular sins, are only to comply with light andconvictions. Mortification, with a design for holiness, respects the body of sin, the root, and all its branches: the first will miscarry, and the latter will be successful. And herein consists the difference between that mortification which men are put upon by convic- tions from the law, which always proves fruitless, and that wherein we are acted by the spirit of the gospel: the first respects only particular sins, as the guilt of them reflects upon conscience; the latter, the whole in- terest of sin, as opposed to the renovation of the image of God in us. - Sect. 15.Thirdly, That which remains further to be demonstrated is, that the Holy Spirit is the author of this work in us, só that although it is our duty, it is his grace and strength whereby it is performed; as also the manner how it is wrought by him, which is princi- pally intended. For the first, we have the truth ofit asserted, Rom. viii. 13. Ifye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the,ftesh. It is we that are to mortify the deeds of the flesh; it is our duty, but of ourselves we cannot do it; it must be done in or by the Spirit. Whether we take the Spirit here, for the person of the Holy Ghost, as the context seems to require, or take it for the gracious principle of spiritual life in the renovation of our nature, not the Spirit himself, but that which is born ofthe Spi- rit, it is all one as to our purpose; the work is taken from our own natural power or ability, and resolved in- to the grace of the Spirit. Sect. 16. And that we go no further for the proof of our assertion, it may suffice to observe, that thecon- firmation óf it is the principledesignof the apostle, from ON OF SIN, thesecond verse Of that chapter unto the end of the 13th. That the power and reign of sin, its interest and peeve- lency in the minds of believers, are weakened, impair- ed, and finally destroyed (so as that all the pernicious consequences of it shall be avoided,) by the Holy Ghost; and that these things could no otherwise be effected, he both affirms and proves at large. In the'foregoing chap- ter, from the 7th verse unto the end, he declares the nature, properties, and efficacy of indwelling sin, as the remainders of it do still abide in believers. And where- as a twofold conclusion might be made from the descrip- tion he gives of the power and actings of this sin, or á double question arise, unto the great disconsolation of believers, he doth, in this chapter remove them both, . manifesting that there was no cause for such conclusions or exceptions, from any thing by him delivered. The first of these is, that if such, if this be the power and prevalency of indwelling sin, ifit so obstruct as in our doing that which is good, and impetuously incline unto evil, what will become of us in the end, how shall we answer for all the sin and guilt which we have contrac- ed-thereby? We must, we shall therefore perish under the guilt of it. And the second conclusion which is apt to arise from the same consideration is, that, seeing the power and prevalency of sin is so great, and that we in ourselves are no way able to make resistance unto it, much less to overcome it, it cannot be, but that at length it will absolutely prevail against us, and bring us under its dominion, unto our everlasting ruin. Both these conclusions the apostle obviates in this chapter, or removes them, if laid as objections against what he had delivered. And this he Both: Sect. 17. (1.) By a tacit concession, that they will. both of them be found true towards all who live and die under the law, without an interest in Jesus Christ. For, affirming that there is no condemnation to than that are in Christ Jesus, he grants, that those who are not so cannot avoid it. Such is the guilt of this sin, and such are the fruits of it in all in whomsoever it abides, that it makes them obnoxious unto condemnation. But, (2.) There is a deliverance from this condemnation, and from all liableness thereunto, byfree justification in the blood ofChrist, ver. 1. For those who have an in-. terest in hint, and aremade partakers thereof, although sin may grievethem, trouble and perplex them, and, by its deceit and violence, cause them to contract much
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