BOOK 6. THE DEATH.
CHAPTER 3.
6.3.4. Of Hoping in Jesus in that Respect.
Of Hoping in Jesus in that Respect.
Let us hope in Jesus, carrying on the great work of our salvation in his sufferings and death. By this hope, I intend only that which the apostle calls "full assurance of hope," Heb. vi. 11. The main question is, Whether have I any part in Christ's sufferings? They are of excellent use, and of great value to believers; but what am I the better for them, if I have no part in them? Or if I say, I hope well. Oh! but what grounds of that hope? It is not every hope that is a well-grounded hope, full assurance of hope, in an high pitch of hope; and every Christian should strive and endeavour after it: now that we may do it, and that we may discern it, that our hope is not base, but right born, that the grounds of our hope in Christ's death are not false, but of the right stamp; I shall lay down these signs: --
1. If Christ's death be mine, then is Christ's life mine. And conversely, if Christ's life be mine, then is Christ's death mine. Christ's active and passive obedience cannot be severed; Christ is not divided: we must not seek one part of our righteousness in his birth, another in his habitual holiness, another in the integrity of his life, another in his obedience of death. They that endeavour to separate Christ's active and passive obedience, they do exceedingly derogate from Christ, and make him but half a Saviour: was not Christ our surety? Heb. vii, 22. and thereupon was he not bound to fulfil all righteousness for us? (i.e.) As to suffer in our stead, so to obey in our stead. Oh! take heed of opposing or separating Christ's death and Christ's life; either we have all Christ, or we have no part in Christ; now, if these two be concomitants, well may the one be as the sign of the other: search then, and try, O my soul, hast thou any share in Christ's life? Canst thou make out Christ's active obedience unto thy own soul? If herein thou art at a stand, peruse those characters laid down in the life of Christ; the many glorious effects flowing out of Christ's life unto a believer's soul we have discovered before.
2. If Christ's death be mine, then is that great end of his death accomplished in me, viz. "By the sacrifice of himself, he hath put away sin," even my sin, Heb. ix. 26. -- And, "in him I have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins," Eph. i. 7. As on this account he suffered, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, Dan. ix. 24. so, if his death be mine, I may assuredly say, "My sins are pardoned, and my iniquities are done away." Come then and try by this sign, canst thou assure thyself that thy sins are forgiven thee? Hast thou heard the whispers of God's Spirit, "Son, or daughter, be of good comfort, thy sins are remitted?" There is no question then but thou art redeemed by his blood, thou hast part in his sufferings. Indeed this very character may seem obscure, assurance of pardon is the "hidden manna, the white stone, which no man knoweth, saving he that receives it, and feels it;" and yet, if thou diligently observest the Spirit's actings even this may be known, remission of sin, and repentance for sin, are twins of a birth; these two God in scripture hath joined together, "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins," 1 John i. 9. -- And "repent and pray, if the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee," Acts viii. 22. And "Christ is a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins," Acts v. 31. -- And "thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer," Luke xxiv. 46, 47. That "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name." In this way David assured himself, Psal. xxxii. 5. "I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, Selah." It is no more than but to ask thine own soul, What are thy repentings kindled together? Hast thou seriously and sincerely repented thee of sin as sin? Hast thou turned from all sin unto God with constancy and delight? Surely this is peculiar and proper to the child of God by virtue of Christ's death.
3. If Christ's death be mine, then am I ingrafted into the likeness of Christ's death, then am I made conformable to Christ in his death; "That I may know him, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death," Phil. iii. 10. The same that was done to Christ in a natural way, is done and performed in the believer in a spiritual way, (i.e.) as Christ died, so the believer dies; as Christ died for sin, so the believer dies to sin; "In that he died, he died unto sin, -- likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin," Rom. vi. 10, 11. Observe here the analogy, and proportion, and resemblance betwixt Christ and us; both die unto sin, Christ by way of expiation, suffering and satisfying for the sins of others, we, by way of mortification, killing, and slaying, and crucifying our own sins. I look upon this sign as the very touchstone of a Christian, and therefore I shall insist upon it.
Two questions I suppose needful to resolve the grounds of our hope, concerning our interest in the death of Christ. (a). Whether indeed, and in truth, our sins are mortified? (b). Whether we increase, or grow in our mortification?
(a). For the first, whether indeed, and in truth our sins are mortified? It is a skill worth our learning, because of the many deceits that are within us; sin may seem to be mortified when the occasion is removed; or sin may seem to be mortified when it is not violent but quiet; or sin may seem to be mortified when it is but removed from one sin unto another; or sin may seem to be mortified when the sap and strength of sin is dead, as the lamp goes out when either the oil is not supplied or taken away. Now, that in this scrutiny we may search to the bottom, and know the truth and certainty of our mortification, it will appear by these rules:
(i). True mortification springs from a root of faith. Every thing in the world proceeds from some cause or other; and if the cause be good the effect must needs be good, but if the cause be evil, the effect must needs be evil; "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, and an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit," Matt. vii. 18. In this case, therefore let us examine the cause, if we can make out this truth that we believe in Christ, that we roll ourselves on the Lord Jesus Christ for life and for salvation; and that now we begin to feel in us the decay of sin, we may conclude from the cause or rise, that this decay of sin is true mortification; surely it hath received the deadly wound: it is a blessed effect, arising from a good and right, and genuine cause.
(ii). True mortification is general; not only one sin, but all sins are mortified in a true believer. As death is unto the members of the body, so is mortification unto the members of sin; now death seizeth upon every member, it leaves not life in any one member of the body, so neither doth mortification leave life in any one member of sin; my meaning is, it takes away the commanding power of sin in every member: "mortify your members which are upon the earth," (saith the apostle) your members, not one member; and then he instanceth, "fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affections, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry," Col. iii. 5. Christians that have their interest in Christ's death, must not only leave pride, but lust; not only uncleanness, but covetousness: sin must not only be slain in the understanding, but in the will and affections: mortification is general.
You will say this is an hard saying. Doth any man, any believer, leave all sin? Yes, in respect of ruling power, he leaves all sin, all gross sins, and all other sins; only with this difference, all gross sins in practice and actions, and all frailties and infirmities in allowance and affection. It is good to observe the degrees of mortification. The first is, to forbear the practice of gross and scandalous sins, in word and deed, "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man," James iii. 2. And this perfection, by the help of grace, a godly man may reach to in this life. The second is, to deny consent and will to all frailties and infirmities, "the evil which I would not, that do I," Rom. vii. 19. I may do evil, and yet I would not do evil, there is a denial of it in the will. The third is, to be free from any settled liking of any evil motion, not only to deny consent and will, but also to deny the very thought or imagination, settledly and deliberately to delight in sin; I know, to be void of all evil motions arising from the flesh, or of all sudden passions within, or of all sudden delights in sin, or of all deadness and backwardness to good things by reason of sin, it is an higher pitch than any man can touch in this present world; for whiles we live, the law of members will be working, and we shall find cause enough to complain of a body of death; only, if when these motions first arise, we presently endeavour to quench them, to reject them, to detest them, and to cast them away from us, therein is true mortification; and thus far we must look to it, to leave all sin.
(iii). True mortification is not without its present combats, though at last it conquer, many a time corruption may break out, and lust may be strong and violent; but this violent lust is only for the present, whereas a lust unmortified ever reigneth. It is with sin in a believer, as it is with a man that has received his deadly wound from his enemy; he will not presently fly away, but rather he will run more violently upon him that hath wounded him; yet, be he never so violent, in the middle of his action he sinks down, because he hath received his deadly wound! so it is with a believer's sin, and with a mortified lust, it may rage in the heart, and seem to bear sway for a time, but the power and strength of sin is mortified, it sinks down, and wants ability to prevail: by this sign we may know whether the corruptions and stirrings of our hearts, proceed from a mortified or from an unmortified lust; a lust though mortified, may rage for a time, but it cannot rule; it may strive but it cannot totally prevail; it may be in the heart, as a thief in the house, not to reside or dwell, but to lodge for a night and be gone: and (that which is ever to be observed) after its swing and breaking out, the heart that lodged it, abhors itself in dust and ashes, cries mightily unto God for mercy and pardon, repairs the breach with stronger resolution, and more invincible watchfulness against future assaults: but a lust unmortified possesseth itself, and rules and reigns in the heart and soul: it abides there, and will not go away: I shall not deny but there may be a cessation of its actings for a time; but that is not any want or good-will, as they say, but only of matters, means, opportunity, enticement, company, provocation, or the like; and after such cessation, or forbearance, the heart usually entertains it again with more greediness; it lies and delights in it as much as ever; it hardens itself most obstinately in it, as if it were impossible to leave it, or to live without it, with any kind of comfort.
(iv). True mortification is a painful work. The very word imports no less; to kill a man or to mortify a member, will not be without pain; hence it is called a crucifying of the flesh, and a cutting off the right hand, a plucking out the right eye, "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh," Gal. v. 24. "If thy hand offend thee, cut it off, and if thy eye offend thee, pluck it out," Matt. v. 29 , 30. In this respect, this death unto sin carries with it a likeness to the death of Christ; it is attended with agonies and sold conflicts, both before and after our conversion.
- Before conversion, before the first wound be given it; why then, ordinarily there is some compunction of spirit, some pricking of heart, what a case do we find the Jews in, when after Peter's sermon, they were pricked at their hearts? Acts ii. 37. And what an agony do we find the jailor in, when he came trembling in, and falling down at the apostles feet, and crying out, "Sirs, what shall I do to be saved?" Acts xvi. 37. With such agonies as these, is the beginning of mortification usually attended; I do not say they are alike in all, whether for degree or continuance; but in ordinary, true and sound conversion is not without some of these soul-conflicts.
- After conversion, after the first round there are some agonies still; for though a believer be delivered of sin, in respect of the guilt and reigning power, yet he hath still some remainder of sinful corruption, left within him, which draw many a groan, and many a sigh from his trembling heart. "We also which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies," Rom. viii. 23. Such are the groans of mortified saints, saints dying unto sin, like the groans of dying men, whose souls being weary of their bodies, do earnestly desire a dissolution: and thus Paul groaned, when he said, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death," Rom. vii. 24.
Oh! What a touchstone is this? How will this discover true mortification from that which is counterfeit? Some may think they are dead unto sin, when indeed and in truth, they are not dead but asleep unto sin: and it appears by this, because there were no pangs in their death: you know there is a difference between death and sleep, there are pangs in the one, but not in the other. O my soul examine, what pangs were there in thy death unto sin? What agonies, what soul-conflicts hast thou felt? What compunction of heart, what affliction of spirit hast thou endured for sin? What trouble hast thou had to find, "such a law in thy members rebelling against the law in thy mind, and bringing thee into captivity unto the law of sin" Rom. vii. 23. Why surely thou art not so mortified as to be free wholly from the power of sin; it may be it doth not rule in thee as a prince, yet certainly it tyrannizeth over thee; it oft-times carries thee contrary to the bent of thy regenerate mind, to the omitting of what thou wouldst do, and to the committing of what thou wouldst not do: and is not this an affliction of spirit? Doth not this cause frequent conflict in thy spirit? If not thou mayest well suspect that sin is not dead but asleep; or, if it be dead to thee, yet thou art not dead to it, I confess, death pangs are not all alike in all, some have a more gentle, and others a more painful death; so it is in this spiritual death unto sin: and that herein there may be no mistake, I shall propound this question. What is the least measure of these pangs, these soul agonies and conflicts that are necessarily required to true mortification? I answer, --
- There must be a sense of sin, and of God's wrath due unto sin; such a sense we find in Jesus Christ, he was very sensible of the weight and burden of those sins, and of that wrath of God that lay upon him, which made him cry out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Thus souls in the act of mortification, sometimes cry it out, O my sins, and O God's wrath.
- There must be sorrow for sin. Such an affection we find also in Jesus Christ, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death," (perilupos,) he was beset and surrounded with sorrows; so every mortified sinner at some time or other, he feels an inward sorrow and grief, even that godly sorrow which the apostle speaks of, "a sorrow according to God," (i.e.) coming from God, well pleasing to God, and bringing to God back again.
- There must be a desire of being freed and delivered from sin: such a desire we find also in Jesus Christ, "I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how am I straitened until it be accomplished?" Luke xii. 50. A regenerate soul earnestly desires to be freed, not only from the guilt, but also from the power of sin, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me?" etc.
- There must be answerable endeavours in effectual striving against sin, "Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin," Heb. xii. 4. How did our saviour wrestle in the garden, "offering up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears?" Heb. v. 4. So will a regenerate soul wrestle with God, about the death of sin, praying, watching, going out in the strength of God, and engaging in a continual war, a deadly feud against it; and these are the least of those soul-conflicts, wherewith this mortification or death unto sin is attended.
Now try we the truth of our mortification by these signs; doth it spring from a right root of faith? Is it general and universal in respect of all sins? Is it accompanied with combats? Doth the flesh lust against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh? And in this combat, Doth the spirit at last prevail and triumph over the flesh? Do we find it a painful work both before and after conversion? Why, then may I say with the apostle, "Now I know Christ, and the fellowship of his sufferings; now, by the grace of Christ, I am made conformable unto his death." As he died for sin, so I die to sin; and here is the ground of my hope, that Christ's death is mine.
(b). For the second, Whether we increase and grow in our mortification; This question is as needful as the former, or to satisfy our soul's interest in the death of Christ. As true grace is growing grace, so true mortification is that which grows. Now that we may be resolved in this point also, the growth of our mortification will appear by these following signs.
(i). Growing mortification hath its chiefest conflicts with spiritual lusts. At first, we mortify grosser evils, such as oaths, drunkenness, uncleanness, worldly mindedness, or the like; but when we grow in this blessed duty, we then set ourselves against spiritual wickedness, as pride, presumption, self, carnal confidence in a man's own graces, or the like. This method the apostle sets down, "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit," 2 Cor.Vii. 1. First from all filthiness of the flesh or body, and then from all filthiness of the spirit or soul; as the children of Israel, in their entrance into the land of promise; first, they set upon the frontiers and skirts of the land, and then they sought it out, and prevailed in the heart of the country; so Christians in their mortification, they first set upon worldly lusts, gross evils, outward sins; and when they have encountered them at the frontiers, they then conflict with such corruptions, as lie more inwardly in the very heart, spiritual wickedness that are within. Now, if this be our case, here is one sign of our growth.
(ii). Growing mortification is more even, constant, lasting; durable, when there is in the heart a sudden flowing and reflowing, it comes from those vast seas of corruptions that are within us: many souls have their ague fits, sometimes hot and sometimes cold; it may be now they are in a very good frame, and within an hour or two a mighty tide comes in, and they are borne down by sin and corruption; in this case mortification is very weak; but on the contrary, if we find our standing more firm and sure, if in the main we walk evenly, and keep closely to the Lord, it carries with it an evidence, that our mortification grows.
(iii). Growing mortification feels lust more weak, and the spirit more strong in its ordinary actings. If we would know the truth of growth, let us look to our usual fits of sinning, for then a man's strength or weakness is discerned most; as a man's weakness to good is discerned most when he comes to act it, "to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not," Rom. vii. 18. So a man's weakness to sin is best discerned when he comes to act it; mark then the ordinary fits (as we call them) of sinnings; sometimes God is pleased to appoint some more frequent assaults, as if he would on purpose suffer the law in the members to war and to muster up all their forces, that so we might the rather know what is in our hearts: at such a time, if we find that resistance against sin grows stronger, that sin cannot advance and carry on his army so as formerly, that sin is encountered at first, or met withal at the frontiers, and there overthrown; this is a good sign, that now our mortification grows; as, suppose it to be a lust of fancy, it cannot boil up to such gross fancies as it was wont; or, suppose it to be a lust of pride, it boils not up to such a spirit of pride as formerly; instead of bringing forth fruit, it now brings forth blossoms: or, instead of bringing forth blossoms, it now brings forth nothing but leaves; why, this is a sure sign that this lust is withering more and more, when the inordinate thirst is not so great in the time of the fit, when the inward lusts pitch upon lower acts than they had wont; when the waters abate, and fall short and lessing, and overflow less ground, we may conclude certainly that mortification grows.
(iv). Growing mortification hath more ability to abstain from the very occasions and beginnings of lust: thus, Job, (whom we look on as a man much mortified) "made a covenant with his eyes, that he would not think upon a maid," Job xxxi. 1. And no question as he made a covenant so he kept his covenant: Oh! When a man cannot endure to come where such a one is that he loves not, when he cannot endure the sight of him, or anything that puts him in mind of him, not so much as to parley or speak with him, this is a sign of a strong hatred; and so when a man hates the very garment spotted with the flesh, here is a good sign; I know this height is not easy to attain to, and therefore some, in imitation of Job and David, have bound themselves with vows and promises, as much as might be, to abstain from the appearance of evil, to crush the cockatrice' egg before the serpent should creep out of it, to avoid sin in its first rise; but, alas! how have they broken their vows from time to time? For all this I dare not speak against vows, provided, that;
- They be of things lawful.
- That we esteem them not as duties of absolute necessity. And,
- That we bind not ourselves perpetually, lest our vows should become burdens unto us, but only for some short time, and so renew them as occasion requires: in this way, our vows might much help us in our mortification; and if once, through the help of vows, or prayer, or "looking unto Jesus," or going to the cross of Jesus Christ, or by any other means we feel ourselves more able to resist sin, to hate sin, in its first rise, first motions, first onset, we may assuredly hope, that now our mortification grows.
O my soul, try now the growth of thy mortification by these signs; hast thou overcome grosser sins, and is now thy chiefest conflict with spiritual wickedness? Is thy standing and walking with God more close and even, and constant, than sometimes it hath been? Is thy lusts more weak, and thy grace more strong in ordinary actings? I say in ordinary actings for the estimate of thy growth must not be taken for a turn or two, but by a constant course; hast thou now more ability to quench the flame of sin in every spark, to dash Babylon's brats against the stones, even whiles they are little; to abstain from sin in its first motion or beginning? Why, then is the promise accomplished, "He will subdue our iniquities," Micah vii. 19 . Surely thou art a growing Christian, thou hast fellowship with Christ in his sufferings, thy ground is solid, firm and stable, thy hope hath a rock foundation, and thou mayest build upon it, that Christ's death, and blood, and sufferings are thine, even thine, "He loved thee, and gave himself for thee."