32 The MORT I:3' 'CATION done to the purpofe, all other endeavours are to no purpofe. Whifft the confcience hath any means to alleviate the guilt of fin, the foul will never vigoroufly attempt its mortification. (4.) Being thus affe&edwith thy fin, in the next place, get a coníhnt longing, breathing after deliverance from the power of it. Suffer not thy heart one Moment to be contented with thy prefent frame and condition. Longing defires after any thing, in things natural and civil, are of no value nor confideration, any farther, `but as they incite and Stir up the perfon in whom they are, to a diligent ufe of means, for the bringing about the thing aimed at. In fpi- ritual things it is otherwife. Longing, breathing and panting after deliver- ance, is a grace in its felt, that halt a mighty power to conform the foul in- to the likenefs of the thing longed after. Hence the apoftle defcribing the repentance and godly Sorrow of the Corinthiwu, reckons this as one eminent grace that was then fet on work; vehement defire, a Cor..vii. rr. And in this Cafe ofindwelling fin, and the power of it, what frame cloth he exprefs him- felf to be in, Rom. vii. 24. His heart breaks. out with longings, into a molt paffionate expreffron of defire of deliverance. Now if this be the frame of faints, upon the general confideration of indwelling fin, how is it tobe heightened and increafed, when thereùnto is added the perplexing rage and power or any par_ titular luft and corruption? Affure thy felt, unlefs thou longeli for deliverance, thou Shalt not have it. Get thy heart then into a panting and breathing frame, long, figh, cry out i you know the example of David, I 3h:í11 not need to infrli on it: The fifth Direlfion is, , Fifthly, Confider whether the diftemper with which thou art perplexed, be not rooted in thy nature and cheriflred, fomented, and heightened idom thy tonfti- tution. A pronenefs to fome fins may doubtlefs lie in the natural temper and difpofition of men. In this cafe confider, a. This is not in the leaft an extenuation of the guilt of thy fin. Some with an open profanenefs will afcribe gross enormities to their ternper and difpofition. And whether others may not relieve themfelves from the inciting guilt of their diftempers by the fame car.fideration, I know not. It is from the fall, from the Original depravation of our natures, that the fames of any fin abides in out na- tural temper. David reckons his being firapen in iniquity and conception in fin, (a) as an aggravation of his following fin, not a leffening or extenuation of ft. That thou art peculiarly inclined unto any fulfill diftemper, is but a peculiar breaking out of original loft in thy nature, which Mould peculiarly abate and humble thee. z. That all thou haft to fix upon on this account, in reference to thy walking with God, is that fo great an advantage is given to 9u, as alfo to fatan, by this thy temper and difpofition, that without extraordinary- watchfulrrefs, care and diligence, they will affuredly prevail agaiufì thy foul. Thoufards have been on this account hurried headlong to hell, who otherwife at leafì night have gone at a more gentle, lefs provoking, lets mifchievons rate. 3. For the mortification of any diftemper, fo rooted In the nature of a roan, unto all other ways and means, already named or farther to be Hilted. on, there is one expedient peculiarly forted. This is that of the apoftle, r Cor. ix. 27. / keep under my body, and bring it into fübjettion. The bringing of the very body into fubje&ion, is an ordinance of God tending to the mortification of fin. This gives check unto the natural root of the diftemper, and withers it by tak- ing away its fatnefs of foil. Perhaps, beeaufe the Papift.r, men ignorant of the righteoufnefs of Chrift, thework of his Spirit, andwhole bufinefs in hand, have laid the whole weight and liters of mortification in voluntary fervices and pe- nances, leading to the fubje&iosr of the body, knowing indeed the true rotate neither of fin nor mortification, it may on the other fide be a temptation to force, to negle£} force means of humiliation which by God himfelf are owned and appointed. The bringing of the body into -fubje&ion in the cafe ,,rfifted on, by cutting fhort the natural appetite, by fatting, watching, and the like, is doubtlefs acceptable to God, tó it be done with the entGing limitations. (a)..Pfal. I3, y. That
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=