J SIN in BELIEVERS. 9 do nothing, Job. xv. q. all communications of fupplies and-relief in the beginnings, in- creafings, a&ings ofany grace whatever from him, are by the fpirit, by whom he alone works in, and upon believers. From him we have our mortification: He is ekdhed and made aprince, and afaviour, to give repentance unto us, Aft.. V. 3 i. and of our repentance our mortification is no (mall portion. How Both he der it ? Having received the promifeof the Holy Ghoft, he fends him abroad for that end, Aíó. ii. 33. you know the manifold promifes he made of fending the fpirit, as %ertullian (peaks, Vicariam navare operam, to do the worksthat hehad to accomplifh in us. The refolution ofone or two queflions, will now lead me nearer to what I prin- cipally intend. How doth the Spirit mortify fin? I anfwer, in general three ways. [t.] By caufing our hearts to abound in grace and the fruits that are contrary to the flefh, and the fruits thereof, and principles of them. So the apoftle opposes the fruits of the flefh, and of the fpirit : the fruits of the Seth, fays he, are fo and fo, Gal. v. 19, ae. but, fays he, the fruits of the fpirit are quite contrary, quite of ano- ther fort, v. as, 23. yea, but what if thefe are in us, and do abound, may not the other abound alfo ? No, fays he, v. 24. They that are ChM's, havecrucified theflefh with the affeElions and 1lis s but how ? why, v. ny. By living in the fpirit, and walking after the fpirit : that is, by the abounding of thefe graces of the fpirit in us, and and walking according to them. For, faith the apoftle, thefe are contrary go to ano- ther, v. 17. fo that they cannot both be in the fame fubje&, in anyRntenfe or high degree. This renewing of us by the Holy Ghofl, as it is called, tit. iii. y. is one great way of mortification he causes us to grow, thrive, flourifh, and abound in thofe graces which are contrary, oppofite,and deflru&ive to all the fruits of thgiOefh, and to the quiet, or thriving of indwelling fin itfeif [a.] By a real, phyfical efficiency on the root and habit of fin, for the weakening, deftroying, and taking itaway. Hence he is called a fpirit of judgment and burning, Ifa. iv. 4. really confmning and deltroying our Infs. He takes away the 4ony heart by an almighty efficiency; for as he begins thework as to itskind, fo he carries it on as to its degrees: He is the fire which burns up the very root of lust. [3.] He brings the croisof Christ into the heart of a finner by faith, and gives us communion withChrist in his death, and fellowlhip in his fufferings ; ofthe manner .whereof more afterwards. If this be the work of the fpirit alone, how is it that we are exhorted to it? Seeing the Spirit of God only can do it, fee the work beleft wholly to him. [t J It is no otherwife the work of the fpirit, but as all graces and good works; which are in us, are his : he works in us to will and to do of his own f ood plea- .fure, Poil. ii. 13. He works all our works in no, Ifa. xxvi. io. the work of aith with power, a Theft. i. os. Col. ii. is. He causes us to pray, and is a fpiritof fupplica- tion; Rom. viii. 26. Zech. xii. to. and yet we are exhorted, and are to be exhorted to all thefe. [a.] He doth not fo work our mortification in us, as not to keep it Rill an a& of our obedience. The Holy Ghost works in us, and upon us, as we are fit tobe .wrought in, and upon; that is, fo as to preferve our own liberty, and free obedi- ence. Heworks uponour understandings, wills consciences, and affe&ions, agree- ably to their ownnatures ; he works in us, and with us, nor again( us, or without us ; fo that his affiftance is an encourgement, as to the facilitating of the work, and and no occafion of negle&, as to the work it felf And indeed I might here bewail the endless, foolish labour of poor fouls, who being convinced of fin, and not able to fand against the power of their convi&ions, do let themselves by innumerable perplexing ways and duties to keep down fin, butbeing firangers to the fpirit of God, allin vain. They combate without vi&ory, have war without peace, and are infia- very all their days. They fpend their strength for that which is not bread, -and their labour for that which profteth not. And if the cafe be fo fad with them who do labour and Ilrive, and yet enter not into the Kingdom; what is their condition who defpife all this? who are perpetu- ally under the power anddominion of fin, and love to have it fo and are troubled at nothing, but that they cannot make fufficient provifion for the flesh, to fulfil the lulls thereof. D CHAP.
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