kind of fecret fympathy and instinct, we do out of a certain knowledge, and well grounded judgement, fighing and groaning under the burden of fin, which lieth upon us, earnestly defiring a full and finall deliverance, with a fruition of that glorious inheritance which is entailed upon us in and by our Adoption. Such are the groans of mortified Saints, Saints dying unto fin: like the groans of dying men, whose fouls being weary of their bodies, earnestly defire a diffolution. Thus do God's Saints groan within themselves, (or rather, his Spirit within them,) earnestly defiring to be freed from the body of fin: 0 wretched man that I am, (faith the Apoftle,) who shall deliver me from the body of this death! Rom.7.24. Thus doth he crie out, being wearied by continuall conflicts with the remainders of finfull corruption; that body of fin, Rom. 6.6; (as he calleth it, ver.6. of the Chapter foregoing:) This he there calleth the body of death, Corpus mortis, i.e. Corpus mortiferum; because it was as a death to him to be so infested with it, (like a living man tied to a dead) threatning him with spirituall and eternall death; And therefore he earnestly desiteth to be freed from it, accounting himselfe a wretched and unhappy man, so long as he was in any degree so molested by it. Thus doth this death unto fin carry with it a conformity to the death of Jesus Chrift, being as his was, a dolorous and painfull death.

Applic. Which may ferve us yet as ario

Counterfeit,

ther touch-stone to discover a great deal Mortification of counterfeit Mortification by. Many think discovered. they are dead unto sin, who are in truth, no

ン

Examine what

thingleffe. It may be, sin is asleep in them: It may be, it is dead to them; but they are not dead to it. So much appeareth in that there were no pangs in this death. It is a difference betwixt death and fleep; There are pangs in the one, not so in the other. And the like difference there is betwixt a naturall, and a violent death. In the former, when a man dieth according to the course of nature, (the light of life going out like a lamp when the oile is fpent,) there is no great pain. As David speaking of wicked men, who sometimes live in pleafure, and die with ease, he faith, they have no bands in their death, Plal.73.4. But violent Deaths, they have their bands, and their pangs. And fo hath this fpirituall death, this death unto fin: being (as I showed you in the last resemblance,) a violent death, it will not be without fome pangs or other. Sin hath a strong heart, and so there will be pangs in this death.

I beseech you, bring it home to your selves, Agonies we you that suppose your selves to be thus dead have felt for, unto fin: Examine your own hearts; what

or about fin.

pangs were there in this death? what agonies, what foul-conflicts have you at any time felt? what compunction of heart, what affliction of fpirit have you suffered for fin? And that not only for the guilt of it; That may, and often is to be found in a Reprobate: we fee

"

fee it in Judas. When he had betrayed his Lord and Master; what a compunction of spirit did the apprehension of the guilt of that fin work in him?) But for the power of it: This it was that troubled Paul; to find the body of fin so vigorous and active in him: to find fuch a law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law of fin, Rom. 7.23. And this it is that troubles the Christian. Though the guilt of fin be taken away, yet is he not wholly freed from the power of it. Though it do not rule in him as a Prince, yet it tyrannizeth over him, oft-times carrying him, contrary to the bent of his regenerate mind, to the omitting of what he would do, the committing of what he would not. And this to him is an affliction of spirit, causing frequent conflicts within him. Now, have you found, do you find the like symptomes in your selves? Surely, where the foul never felt any of these pangs, these agonies, it may well suspect that sin may be asleep, or (it may be) dead to the man, but the man is not dead to it.

True indeed, (as Ifaid) these pangs are No death unnot alike in all, As in the death of the body, to fin without some have an cυθανασίαν, (as Physicians call some agonies. it) a more gentle and easie death then others: so is it in this fpirituall death, this death unto fin; to fome it is more easie then to others; God according to his various difpensations brings off the work of Regenera

12

tion,

The leaft A

converfion.

tion, and Mortification, in a more easie way to one then to another. Yet is there no death specially a violent death, (and such is this death unto fin,) but it hath some pangs, some agonies.

Quest. But happily here fome may say, gonies in true What are the least of these pangs, these agonies, that may be in this death? What is the least measure of this compunction of spirit, this foul-affliction, that is requisite unto true Mortification?

Ans. To this I answer, (and I shall do it with as much indulgence and tendernesse as may be.) There must be

1. A fense of 1. A sense of fin, and of the wrath of God fin, and wrath. due unto it. Such a sense we find in Jefus Chrift: He was very sensible of the weight and burden of those fins which lay upon him, and of the wrath of God his Father due unto them. This it was that put him into that preternaturall, if not fupernaturall sweat. And fuch a sense in measure there must be in the foul of every Christian before he come to die unto fin. He must first feel sin as a Burden; (Come unto me, ye that are weary and heavy laden; viz. under the weight and burden of fin:) a burden ready to fink him into hell; subjecting him to the wrath and difpleasure of God.

Mar.11.28.

:

2. A forrow for fin.

:

!

2. From this sense of fin kindly working upon the foul, there arifeth an inward forrow for fin. Such an affection we find alfo in our

blessed Saviour before his paffion, My soul,

J

(faith he, speaking to his Apostles) is exceeding heavy, (περίλυπος, undiquaque tristis, beset and Mat.26.38.1 furrounded with forrowes,) even unto death. And fuch an affection in measure there is in every true convert, every mortified finner The apprehenfion of fin worketh in him an inward forrow and griefe, even that godly Sorrow, (as the Apostle calleth it, 2 Cor. 10. 7.) λυπὴν καὶ Θεὸν, a forrow according to God, that is, 1. Coming from God. 2.Well pleasing to God. 3. For offending of God. 4. Bringing the finner unto God. Such a forrow the Apostle there maketh a necessary ingredient to that Repentance which is not to be repented of.

:

and power of it.

1

3. From this forrow for fin, (in the third 3. A defire of place) springeth a ferious and unfeigned defire being freed of being freed, and delivered from it. Such an from the guilt affection also we find in our blessed Saviour. Feeling the burden of the fins of the world lying upon him, he was very defirous to be freed from it. I have a baptisme to be baptized with, (faith he to his Apostles, meaning his passion, his death,) and how am I straitned untill it be accomplished? Luke 12.50. And the like affection shall we find in a regenerate foul, viz. a serious and earnest defire of being freed and delivered from that fin, whereof it is made fo sensible; And that not onely from the guilt and punishment, but also from the power and dominion, tyranny and molestation of it, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the Body of this death?

4. And fourthly, This defire being unfeign- 4. A ftriving ed, against fin

13