“3. In our ordinary walking with God, and in an ordinary course of his dealing with us, the vigour and comfort of our spiritual lives depend much on our mortification, not only as a…[necessary cause] but as a thing that hath an effectual influence thereinto. For,— (1.) This alone keeps sin from depriving us of the one and the other. Every unmortified sin will certainly do two…
Call to Worship April 14, 2024
“[2.] He doth not so work our mortification in us as not to keep it still an act of our obedience. The Holy Ghost works in us and upon us, as we are fit to be wrought in and upon; that is, so as to preserve our own liberty and free obedience. He works upon our understandings, wills, consciences, and affections, agreeably to their own natures he…
Call to Worship April 7, 2024
“[3.] He brings the cross of Christ into the heart of a sinner by faith, and gives us communion with Christ in his death, and fellowship in his sufferings: of the manner whereof more afterward. Secondly. If this be the work of the Spirit alone, how is it that we are exhorted to it?—seeing the Spirit of God only can do it, let the work be left wholly to…
Call to Worship March 29, 2024
Mortification is the work of the Spirit. “2. It is, then, the work of the Spirit. For,— (1.) He is promised of God to be given unto us to do this work. The taking away of the stony heart,—that is, the stubborn, proud, rebellious, unbelieving heart,—is in general the work of mortification that we treat of. Now this is still promised to be done by the Spirit….
Call to Worship March 24, 2024
“There are two evils which certainly attend every unmortified professor;—the first, in himself; the other, in respect of others:— 1. In himself. Let him pretend what he will, he hath slight thoughts of sin; at least, of sins of daily infirmity. The root of an unmortified course is the digestion of sin without bitterness in the heart. When a man hath confirmed his imagination to such an…
Call to Worship March 17, 2024
“6. It is our duty to be ‘perfecting holiness in the fear of God,’ 2 Cor. 7:1; to be ‘growing in grace’ every day, 1 Pet. 2:2, 2 Pet. 3:18; to be ‘renewing our inward man day by day,’ 2 Cor. 4:16. Now, this cannot be done without the daily mortifying of sin. Sin sets its strength against every act of holiness, and against every degree we…
Call to Worship March 10, 2024
“5. Negligence in this duty casts the soul into a perfect contrary condition to that which the apostle affirms was his, 2 Cor. 4:16, “Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” In these the inward man perisheth, and the outward man is renewed day by day. Sin is as the house of David, and grace as the house of Saul. Exercise and success are the two main cherishers of…
Call to Worship March 3, 2024
“4. This is one main reason why the Spirit and the new nature is given unto us,—that we may have a principle within whereby to oppose sin and lust. ‘The flesh lusteth against the Spirit.’ Well! and what then? Why, ‘The Spirit also lusteth against the flesh,’ Gal. 5:17. There is a propensity in the Spirit, or spiritual new nature, to be acting against the flesh, as…
Call to Worship February 25, 2024
“3. Sin will not only be striving, acting, rebelling, troubling, disquieting, but if let alone, if not continually mortified, it will bring forth great, cursed, scandalous, soul-destroying sins. The apostle tells us what the works and fruits of it are, Gal. 5:19–21, ‘The works of the flesh are manifest, which are, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft; hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness,…
Call to Worship February 18, 2024
“2. Sin doth not only still abide in us, but is still acting, still labouring to bring forth the deeds of the flesh. When sin lets us alone we may let sin alone; but as sin is never less quiet than when it seems to be most quiet, and its waters are for the most part deep when they are still, so ought our contrivances against it to…