issue of corruption: he was wounded and crucified for sin, and sin was wounded and crucified with him. And thus Christ doth, by a holy kind of revenge, repay his death upon the Old Man, that put him to death. And therefore says the Apostle, Rom. vi. 6. Our Old Man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed: and, in the former verses, he speaks of being baptized into the death of Christ, and of being planted together in the likeness of his death: all which intimates the death of sin, to be inflicted by the death of Christ. Look, as Moses healed the bitterness of the waters of Marah, by casting a tree into them; so, truly, that bitter fountain of corruption, which always sends forth bitter streams, is healed by the tree of the cross. Make it, therefore, your daily exercise, to bring the cross of Christ into your hearts, to nail and fasten your lusts unto it; and you shall quickly find them languish and expire. If you ask what influence the death of Christ hath into the death of sin, I answer, it hath mighty influence, especially these Two ways: As it is the meritorious cause of mortification: and As it is the moving cause thereto. 1. The death and cross of Christ is the Meritorious Cause of mortification. Then was the death of sin procured and purchased. We should always have lived vassals and bond-slaves to our lusts, still subject to them and kept under by them, but that Christ by dying, hath redeemed us from their power, and hath laid in store for us that grace whereby we are enabled to resist and prevail. Believe it, there is not a victory, that you obtain, but it cost blood; not your own indeed, but the precious blood of Jesus Christ. What a privilege hath a Christian in this! He conflicts, and conquers, and triumphs at the expence of another's blood. There is not a temptation which you resist, nor a corruption which you subdue, but the grace, that enables you thereunto, is the purchase of your Saviour's death. By death, he destroyed him, that had the power of death. By faith, therefore, draw continual supplies from the death of Christ: tell him, how rebellious and headstrong thy corruptions are grown, what tumults and uproars they make in thy heart: tell him, it was one end and intent of his death, that they might be destroyed in thee: beg of him relief and strength against them: plead with him, that, since he hath procured the death of sin at so high and dear a rate as his own blood, he would not suffer it to live unmortified in thee. Christ, by his sufferings, hath procured grace sufficient to make us more than conquerors: now it is the skill and art of faith, to derive from this full treasury supplies for mortification. རྟེན་ས 2. The death of Christ hath a mighty influence into our mortifi cation, as it is the Moving Cause unto it.. Certainly, if you do but seriously reflect upon the death of Christ; and consider that all the pains, wrath, and curse which he then underwent, were to free you from your sins; it cannot but embitter your hearts against it: "What! shall I suffer sin in me, which would not suffer Christ to live in the world? Was he crucified for it, and shall not I be crucified unto it?" Oh! say concerning thy corruptions, "It was this and that base lust of mine, which killed my Saviour: it was this and that sin, which squeezed so much gall and wormwood into the bitter cup of his sufferings: I see them stained with his blood: they look guilty of his death: and shall I lodge in my heart the bloody murderers of my Saviour? No; their blood certainly shall go for his." This consideration, had I time to press it upon you, would be of great moment unto the exercise of mortification. Thus I have, at large, handled to you this great and important Duty of Mortification. It is not that, which concerns only some particular Christians: it is not that, which is to be exercised only at some particular and especial seasons: it is not that, which conduceth only to the ornament and flourish of a Christian? No; it is that, which is the very life and power of Christianity, without which, whatsoever profession you glitter in, and dazzle the eyes of the world with, it is but empty and hypocritical. If any of these truths have taken hold upon your consciences, beware how you shift them off, lest, with them, you together shift off eternal life, and judge yourselves unworthy of it. I know it is indeed a hard duty, and I have endeavoured to arm you against that prejudice: but pray tell me, is it not more hard to perish? is it not more hard to lie in hell for ever? though it be pleasing to flesh and blood to live in sin, and to give corruption scope to act unopposed and unresisted; oh! but think, will it be pleasing to flesh and blood to lie for ever scorching in eternal burnings? Never flatter yourselves: you or your sins must die: If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. If, after all that hath been spoken, you will yet indulge your lusts, and yield to temptations, and give yourselves over to the swing of your corruptions; believe it, these sermons will rise up and witness against you at the Last Day, and leave you without excuse. You have been told what the duty is; how necessary; the way and means how you should perform it: and oh, that these things might never be objected against you for your condemnation! Oh, that they might become effectual to promote that great work in you, till that promise be fulfilled to you in the text, If ye mortify, ye shall live: END OF THIRD VOLUME. C. WHITTINGHAM, Printer, |