“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,…
Sunday Morning Calls to Worship
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…
Call to Worship May 12, 2024
“These things being premised, I come to my principal intention, of handling some questions or practical cases that present themselves in this business of mortification of sin in believers. The first, which is the head of all the rest, and whereunto they are reduced, may be considered as lying under the ensuing proposal:— Suppose a man to be a true believer, and yet finds in himself a powerful indwelling sin, leading him captive to the law of it, consuming his heart with trouble, perplexing his thoughts, weakening his soul as to duties of communion with God, disquieting him as to…
Call to Worship May 5, 2024
“[2.] As sin weakens, so it darkens the soul. It is a cloud, a thick cloud, that spreads itself over the face of the soul, and intercepts all the beams of God’s love and favour. It takes away all sense of the privilege of our adoption; and if the soul begins to gather up thoughts of consolation, sin quickly scatters them: of which afterward. Now, in this regard doth the vigour and power of our spiritual life depend on our mortification: It is the only means of the removal of that which will allow us neither the one nor the…
Call to Worship April 28, 2024
“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 things:—[1.] It will weaken the soul, and deprive it of its vigour. [2.] It will darken the soul, and deprive it of its comfort and peace. [1.] It weakens the soul, and deprives it of its strength. When David…