against the outworks only. But I need not insist much longer on this particular: the greater light, yea I may say the greater atheism and profaneness of our days, will discharge me from that trouble. Yea, professors themselves, by neglecting that moderation, which they should use towards the outward man, in diet, in attire, or in any other enjoyment; do omit, if not a part of, if not a means to mortification, yet certainly that sign and character, which should evidence them to all the world, to be mortified persons. The truth is, men now live, as if it nothing at all concerned their souls what their bodies do. Whatsoever these men pretend, yet it must needs be very difficult to believe that there can be humility and mortification in the one, where there is not sobriety and decency in the other.

I will not undertake to prescribe how far a true mortification must, in particular, reach the outward man; yet, in the general, take these Two rules.

(1) All that indulgence, which indisposeth to holy and spiritual duties, or hinders us from them or in them, must, by the exercise of mortification, be taken off and removed.

There must be rigour and severity used, even towards the body, if formerly we found the want thereof made us unfit for or remiss, in the duties of religion. It is fittest for your own Christian prudence, to descend unto particulars; and to examine what it is, that indisposeth you, either in hearing, or in praying, or in any other means of communion with God. Whatever it be, whether it proceed from infirmity or custom and habitude, if it be an occasion to hinder the life and spiritualness of our duties, mortification must be here set on work, though not without violence and regret unto the outward man. What saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. ix. 27? I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: that is, he made it useful and serviceable to his soul. Where mortification is neglected, even the body, that underling and servile part of man, grows wild and unruly; rebelling against the soul, and hurrying it whither itself will.

(2) All that provision, which indulgence towards the outward man lays in for the flesh to fulfil it in the lusts thereof, must be cut off by the careful exercise of mortification.

Do you find, that the pampering of the outward man, is the strengthening of the Old Man? that outward ease, plenty, or any other conveniences, are but instruments for lust to work with, or objects for it to work upon? it is high time for mortification to be exercised; even about those things, which are

lawful, when once lust turns them into food and nourishment for itself. I leave it to your own experience, to frame instances, and accordingly to proceed in mortification for the future.

These two general rules being supposed, (which it were to be wished professors were more careful in observing), whatsoever other severity men execute upon themselves, may be called cruelty and will-worship, but cannot be reckoned for true mortification.

That is the Second thing.

3. The not-breaking-forth of corruption into a scandalous life and conversation, is no evidence of true mortification.

Many men's lusts are like secret imposthumes, that breed within the breast; which are never known, till they prove their deaths. It is not necessary, that unmortified sin should be like a running sore, offensive and noisome to others: it may rankle and fester within, till it become incurable and mortal. Lust hath a large and ample dominion inwards, in the heart: there are thoughts, contrivances, desires, affections, and motions; all which may be altogether unmortified, when yet the life and conversation may be so innocent and blameless, as not to be justly chargeable with the guilt of any one notorious sin. What can we judge of such an one, but that he is a very mortified Christian? yea, but God, who knoweth the heart, yea and possibly his conscience, sees abundance of pride, uncleanness, worldliness, unbelief, contempt of God and his ways, reigning and raging within, in all that strength and power which they have gotten to themselves by so long a continuance, without the least check from mortification.

Now it may be attributed to a Threefold cause, why a lust, that is unmortified, doth not always break forth into gross and scandalous sins.

(1) To that quiet, reserved temper and disposition, that some men are of.

Their very nature is such, that they will do nothing violently and outrageously; and, therefore, they will not sin so. Some men are rude sinners, and boisterously wicked: others are of a more calm and retired spirit; and yet, possibly, as far from being mortified as the other. Take a true Christian, who hath often sweat and toiled in the mortifying of some particular prevailing lust and corruption to which his temper inclined him, as suppose passionateness or the like, and compare him to one of a smooth, sedate, and even temper, though altogether unac

quainted with the great work of mortification; and how unlovely shall the passion of the mortified Christian appear, in comparison with the sedateness of the unmortified sinner! such is the great advantage which a man's natural inclination gives, either to the acting or suppressing of sin. And, therefore, take this rule, by the way, in examining thy mortification: Never reflect upon that seeming prevalency thou hast over those lusts, which are not strengthened and advantaged by the bent and tendency of thy natural inclination; for this will prove a very deceitful mark rather look what success thou gainest over the sin of thy nature, be it what it will; or against those sins, which no natural temper can ever counterfeit the mortification of, such as unbelief, hardness of heart, impenitency, and such-like spiritual sins, which are common to all men of what temper and disposition soever otherwise, to conclude that corruption is mortified and subdued, because thou breakest not forth into such sins to which perhaps thy natural inclination is not sò strongly bent, is but a false and deceitful evidence.

(2) The not-breaking-out of unmortified corruption, may often be imputed to the absence of temptations, opportunities, and occasions of sinning, and such-like outward advantages; which, were they present, would certainly draw it forth into act.

Either the Devil is wanting to men's corruptions, in fitting them with suitable temptations; or else God's providence, in fitting them with a convenient opportunity: one or both of which, is the true reason why we see no more wickedness committed in the world (though it doth now too fearfully abound) and not the weakening or abating of the power and rage of it by mortification. When the Prophet told Hazael what cruelties he should act upon the Jews; what, saith he, Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? While he was in his private estate, he could not think his nature had been so cruel but, when he was advanced to the kingdom of Syria, and had subdued the Israelites; then, the temptations of a conqueror assault him, and he shews that cruelty which before lay lurking and dormant. And so it was with Peter, in denying his Lord and Master. Now look inward a little: you pretend, perhaps, to be mortified persons; and why?" Oh! not any one sin, besides common failings, hath broken from me so long time." Hath there not? Tell me; were not temptations wanting, to provoke and draw out thy corruptions? were not opportunities wanting, to let out thy corruptions? If they were, this

thy not sinning proceeds not from a mortified heart, but from a negligent devil, or a gracious God. That man gets a good opinion of himself at too easy a rate, who thinks himself mortified for not sinning when he is not tempted.

(3) It may be imputed to a powerful restraint, laid upon the eruptions of lust.

This hinders them from breaking out into act; but, yet, this doth not mortify nor weaken them. I do not now speak of that almighty restraint, that God, in his ordinary providence, lays upon the lusts of men; by which, indeed, he mortifies them, even as he mortified Jeroboam's hand, which he stretched out against the Prophet, by taking the power of sinning from them: but of that restraint, which men themselves lay upon their lusts, who yet are altogether ignorant of and unexperienced in the spiritualness of this duty of mortification. Men may lay a check and curb upon their lusts: that whereas formerly they let themselves loose unto all manner of profaneness and impiety; they máy now relinquish that excess of riot, and bind their corruptions within a narrower pale and compass, and thereby appear both to themselves and others to be much mortified and changed Christians.

This Restraint may proceed from a Twofold cause.

[1] From gross Hypocrisy and deep Dissimulation, for secular ends and advantages, with which the extravagancy of wickedness possibly would not consist.

And, truly, we may justly fear, that much of that seeming mortification, which is among professors, stands only upon this bottom. Certainly, that sinful liberty, which they allow themselves where it is not prejudicial to their worldly interests, is a very sad ground to suspect all other restraints that they impose upon themselves, to be from no higher a principle, than compliance with the genius and current of the times. Such men's cursed hypocrisy shall, in hell, bear the punishment of all those sins, that itself hindered from being committed: that is all the reward it shall have.

[2] This restraint may, likewise, proceed from the strength of Convictions, and the terrors of a Natural Conscience.

Wicked men, many times, dare not commit those sins, which yet notwithstanding their hearts and affections are bent upon : should they, conscience would hurl firebrands in their faces, and haunt them with fearful threatenings and outcries. And some there are, who, without question, do stand in as much dread of

an enraged conscience, as they do of hell itself. This keeps men in some awe and order, that they dare not commit sin, with so much impudence and greediness, as otherwise they would do; but, yet, this amounts not to a true mortification: this all proceeds from the power of conscience, forcibly reigning in corrupt nature; not from the power of grace, changing that nature. As it is with wild beasts kept up in a grate, they cannot ravin after their prey; but, still, their natures are ravenous : so it is with conscience: it many times coops up men, that they cannot ravin after their lusts, as were they free from such a restraint they would ; but, still, their natures continue unsanctified, their sins unmortified, and their affections, desires, and delights eager after them, though they dare not commit them; yea and, possibly, (which is the usual effect of a forcible restraint) by so much the more violent, by how much the more debarred from them.

This is the Third thing.

4. The relinquishment and forsaking of a sin, is not an evidence of a true mortification.

I do not here mean only such a temporary forsaking of sin as theirs was in 2 Pet. ii. 20, who, having escaped the pollutions of the world, through lust, were again entangled: certain it is, that these men's corruptions were but for a time dissembled, and never mortified. But I take it for a perpetual relinquishment and an utter divorce, so that the soul never again returns to the commission of it, or at least not with any proportionable frequency and delight. Yet this forsaking of sin, may be without the mortification of it.

Take this, in Two cases.

(1) When men do change and barter their sins, then there is a forsaking of sin, but no mortifying of it.

Multitudes of lusts lie crowded together in the soul, and each of these must have its alternate reign; and, therefore, when one hath for a while swayed and been the master-lust, it gives place to another, and that to another, till the sinner hath run through the bead-roll of them. And, therefore, the Apostle, Tit. iii. 3. speaks of serving divers lusts and pleasures: divers, in their turns and successions. This deceives many: they find an old tyrannical lust, that hath kept them under long and laborious thraldom, begin to grow weak and feeble, and hereupon they conclude it is mortified in them; but, alas! they do not observe some other lust reigning in its stead: it doth but