'Mk NATURE AND CAUBES OP IT, 331 of this duty? But we have nothing to do with such per- sons, but to leave them to please themselves, whilst they may, with these fond and impious imaginations. They will come either in this world, (which we hope and pray for) in their repentance, to know their folly, or in ano- ther. I say, these complaints of sin, poured out before the Lord, these cryings out of deceit and violence, are acceptable to God, and prevalent with him to give out aid and assistance. He owns believers as his children, and hath thebowels and compassionof a Father towards them; sin he knows to be their greatest enemy, and which fights directly against their souls. Will he then despise their complaints, and their bemoaning of them- selves before him? will he not avenge them of that ene- my, and that speedily? See Jer. xxxi. 18, 1e, 20. Men who think they have no other enemies, none to com- plain of but suchas oppose them, or obstruct them, or oppress them in their secular interests, advantages, and concerns, are strangers unto these things. Believ- ers look on sin as their greatest adversary, and know that they suffer more from it than from all the world. Suffer them therefore tomake their complaints of it unto himwho pities them, who will relieve them, and avenge them. Sect. 31. -2. Prayer is directlypetitions to this pur- pose; it consistsof petitions unto God, for supplies of grace to conflict and cónquer sin withal. I need not prove this; no man prays as he ought; no man joins in prayer with another who prays ashe ought, but these pe- titions are a part of his prayer. Especially will they be so, attd ought they so to be, when the mind is peculiar- ly engaged in the design of destroying sin. And these petitions or requests are, as far as they are gracious and effectual, wrought in us by the Holy Ghost, who there- in maketh intercessionfor usaccording to thewill of God. And hereby doth he carry on this work of the mortifi- cation of sin, for his work it is. He makes us to put up prevalent requests unto God, for such continual sup- plies of grace, whereby it may be constantly kept under, and at length destroyed. And this is the first way whereby this duty hath an influence unto mortification, namely, morally, and by way of impetration. Sect. 32. (Secondly,) This duty bath a real efficien- cy unto the same end. It Both itself'(when rightly per- formed, and duly attended unto) mightily prevail unto the weakening and destruction of sin. For in and by 40 fervent prayer, especially when it is designed unto this end, the habit, frame, and inclinations of the soul unto universal holiness, with a detestation of all sin, are in- creased, cherished, and strengthened. The soul of a believer is never raised unto a higher intention of spirit in the pursuit of love unto, and delight in holiness, nor is more conformed unto it, or cast into the mouldof it, than it is in prayer. And frequency in this duty, is a principal means to fix and consolidate the mind in the form and likeness of it: and hence do believers oft-times continue in, and come off front prayer above all impres- sions from sin, as to inclinations and compliances. Would such a frame always continue, how happy were we. But abiding in the duty is the best way of reach- ing out after it. I say, therefore, that this duty is really efficient of the mortification of sin, because therein all the graces whereby it is opposed and Weakened, are ex- cited, exercised, and improved unto that end; as also the detestation and abhorrency of sin is increased in us. And where this is not so, there are some secret flaws in the prayers of men, which it will be their wisdom to find out, and heal. Sect. 33.Fourthly, The Holy Spirit carrieth on this work, by applying in an especial manner the death of Christ unto us for that end. And this is another thing, which, because the world understandeth not, it doth despise. But yet, in whomsoever the death of Christ is not the death of sin, he shall die in his sins. To evi- dence this truth, we may observe, (1.) In general, that the death of Christ hath an especial influence into the mortification of sin, without which it will not be morti- fied. This is plainly enough testified unto in the scrip- ture. By his cross, that is, his death on the cross, We are crucified unto the world, Gal. vi. 14. Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be de- strayed, Rom. vi. 6. that is, sin is mortified in us by virtue of the death of Christ. (2.) In the death of Christ, with respect unto sin, there may be considered, 1. His oblation of himself. And, 2. The application thereof unto us. By thefirst it is, that oursins are expiated as unto their guilt; but from the latter it is, that they are actually subdued so,to their powers; for it is by an in- terest in, and a.participation of the benefits of his death, which we call the application of it unto us. Hereon are we said to be buried with him, and to rise with him, whereof our baptism is a pledge, Rom.-vi. 3, 4. not in 31
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=