“I say, then, mortification is not the present business of unregenerate men. God calls them not to it as yet; conversion is their work,—the conversion of the whole soul,—not the mortification of this or that particular lust. You would laugh at a man that you should see setting up a great fabric, and never take any care for a foundation; especially if you should see him so foolish as that, having a thousand experiences that what he built one day fell down another, he would yet continue in the same course. So it is with convinced persons; though they plainly…
Sunday Morning Calls to Worship
Order of Worship July 14, 2024
“I have proved that it is the Spirit alone that can mortify sin; he is promised to do it, and all other means without him are empty and vain. How shall he, then, mortify sin that hath not the Spirit? A man may easier see without eyes, speak without a tongue, than truly mortify one sin without the Spirit. Now, how is he attained? It is the Spirit of Christ: and as the apostle says, ‘If we have not the Spirit of Christ, we are none of his,’ Rom. 8:9; so, if we are Christ’s, have an interest in him, we have…
Call to Worship July 7, 2024
“II. The ways and means whereby a soul may proceed to the mortification of any particular lust and sin, which Satan takes advantage by to disquiet and weaken him, come next under consideration. Now, there are some general considerations to be premised, concerning some principles and foundations of this work, without which no man in the world, be he never so much raised by convictions, and resolved for the mortification of any sin, can attain thereunto. General rules and principles, without which no sin will be ever mortified, are these:— 1. Unless a man be a believer,—that is, one that is truly ingrafted unto Christ,—he can…
Call to Worship June 30, 2024
“Now, whilst the soul is in this condition, whilst it is thus dealing, it is certainly uppermost; sin is under the sword and dying. (3.) In success. Frequent success against any lust is another part and evidence of mortification. By success I understand not a mere disappointment of sin, that it be not brought forth nor accomplished, but a victory over it, and pursuit of it to a complete conquest. For instance, when the heart finds sin at any time at work, seducing, forming imaginations to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, it instantly apprehends sin,…
Call to Worship June 23, 2024
“(2.) In constant fighting and contending against sin. To be able always to be laying load on sin is no small degree of mortification. When sin is strong and vigorous, the soul is scarce able to make any head against it; it sighs, and groans, and mourns, and is troubled, as David speaks of himself, but seldom has sin in the pursuit. David complains that his sin had ‘taken fast hold upon him, that he could not look up,’ Ps. 40:12. How little, then, was he able to fight against it! Now, sundry things are required unto and comprised in this fighting against sin:—…
Call to Worship June 16, 2024
“I say, then, that the first thing in mortification is the weakening of this habit, that it shall not impel and tumultuate as formerly; that it shall not entice and draw aside; that it shall not disquiet and perplex the killing of its life, vigour, promptness, and readiness to be stirring. This is called ‘crucifying the flesh with the lusts thereof,’ Gal. 5:24; that is, taking away its blood and spirits that give it strength and power,—the wasting of the body of death ‘day by day,’ 2 Cor. 4:16. As a man nailed to the cross; he first struggles, and…
Call to Worship June 9, 2024
“I shall desire to give one caution or rule by the way, and it is this: Though every lust doth in its own nature equally, universally, incline and impel to sin, yet this must be granted with these two limitations:— [1.] One lust, or a lust in one man, may receive many accidental improvements, heightenings, and strengthenings, which may give it life, power, and vigour, exceedingly above what another lust hath, or the same lust (that is, of the same kind and nature) in another man. When a lust falls in with the natural constitutions and temper, with a suitable…
Call to Worship June 2, 2024
“What it is to mortify a sin in general, which will make farther way for particular directions, is nextly to be considered. 2. The mortification of a lust consists in three things:— (1.) An habitual weakening of it. Every lust is a depraved habit or disposition, continually inclining the heart to evil. Thence is that description of him who hath no lust truly mortified, Gen. 6:5, ‘Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil continually.’ He is always under the power of a strong bent and inclination to sin. And the reason why a natural man is not always…
Call to Worship May 26, 2024
“(5.) Occasional conquests of sin do not amount to a mortifying of it. There are two occasions or seasons wherein a man who is contending with any sin may seem to himself to have mortified it:— [1.] When it hath had some sad eruption, to the disturbance of his peace, terror of his conscience, dread of scandal, and evident provocation of God. This awakens and stirs up all that is in the man, and amazes him, fills him with abhorrency of sin, and himself for it; sends him to God, makes him cry out as for life, to abhor his lust as hell,…
Call to Worship May 19, 2024
“(2.) I think I need not say it is not the dissimulation of a sin. When a man on some outward respects forsakes the practice of any sin, men perhaps may look on him as a changed man. God knows that to his former iniquity he hath added cursed hypocrisy, and is got in a safer path to hell than he was in before. He hath got another heart than he had, that is more cunning; not a new heart, that is more holy. (3.) The mortification of sin consists not in the improvement of a quiet, sedate nature. Some men have an advantage…