the boldness or wifdom duly to adminifter them? It is faid of Alexander, that he bid a philofopher (who had been long with him) to be gone; for, faid he, fo long thou haft been with me, and never reproved me; which muft needs be thy fault; for either thou fawest nothing in me worthy of reproof, which argues thy ignorance; or else thou durft not reprove me, which argues thy unfaithfulness. A wife and faithful reprover is of fingular use to to him that is heartily engaged in the design of mortification; fuch a faithful friend, or fome malicious enemy, must be helpful to us in that work.

Inf. 3. Hence it follows, that manifold and fucceffive afflictions are no more than what is necessary for the best of Chriftians: the mortification of our lufts requires them all, be they never fo many, 1 Pet. i. 5. "If need be, ye are in heavinefs;" it is no more than need, that one lofs fhould follow another, to mortify an earthly heart; for fo intensely are our affections fet upon the world, that it is not one, or two, or many checks of providence, that will fuffice to wean and alienate them. Alas, the earthlinefs of our hearts will take all this, it may be much more than this, to purge them: the wife God fees it but neceffary to permit frequent discoveries of our own weakness, and to let loose the tongues of many enemies upon us, and all little enough to pull down our pride, and the vanity that is in our hearts. Chriftian, how difficult foever it be for thee to bear it; yet the pride of thy heart requires all the fcoffs and jeers, all the calumnies and reproaches, that ever the tongues or pens of thy bitterest enemies, or mistaken friends, have at any time thrown upon thee. Such rank weeds as grow in our hearts, will require hard frofts and very sharp weather to rot them; the ftraying bullock needs a heavy clog, and fo doth a Christian whom God will keep within the bounds and limits of his commandments, Pfal. cxix. 67. Dan. xi. 35.

Inf. 4. If they that be Chrift's have crucified the flesh*, then the number of real Chriftians is very finall. It is true, if all that seem to be meek, humble, and heavenly, might pafs for Chrifstians, the number would be great; but if no more must be accounted Chriftians, than those who crucify the flesh, with its affections and lufts, O, how fmall is the number! For, O, how many be there under the Chriftian name, that pamper and indulge their lufts, that fecretly hate all who faithfully reprove them, and really affect none but fuch as feed their lufts, by praifing and admiring them? How many that make provifion for the flesh to fulfil its lufts, who cannot endure to have their corruptions crof

He who is not crucified with Christ, and who is not a member of Chrift, is not faved by his crofs. Profper.

fed? How many are there that seem very meek and humble, until an occafion be given them to ftir up their paffion, and then you fhall fee in what degree they are mortified: the flint is a cold ftone, till it be ftruck, and then it is all fiery. I know the best of Chriftians are mortified but in part; and ftrong corruptions are oftentimes found in very eminent Chriftians; but they love them not fo well as to purvey for them; to protect, defend, and countenance them; nor dare they fecretly hate fuch as faithfully reprove them; as many thousands that go under the name of Chriftians do. Upon the account of mortification it is faid, Mat. vii. 13. "Narrow is the way, and ftrait is the gate that leadeth unto "life, and few there be that find it."

Inf. 5. If they that be Chrift's have crucified the flesh, i. e. if mortification is their daily work and study; then how falfely are Chriftians charged as troublers of the world, and difturbers of the civil peace and tranquility of the times and places they live in? Juftly may they retort the charge, as Elijah did to Ahab, " It is not I that "trouble Ifrael, but thou and thy father's house:" It is not holy, meek, and humble Chriftians that put the world into confufion; this is done by the profane and atheistical; or by the defigning and hypocritical world, and laid at the door of innocent Chriftians: as all the public calamities which from the immediate hand of God, or by foreign or domestic enemies befel Rome, were conftantly charged upon Christians; and they condemned and punished, for what the righteous hand of God inflicted on the working heads of the enemies of that ftate, without their privity contrived. The apostle James propounds and answers a queftion very pertinent to this difcourfe, James iv. 1. "From whence come wars "and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your "lufts that war in your members ?" O, if men did but study mortification and felf-denial, and live as much at home in the conftant work of their own hearts as fome men do; what tranquillity and peace, what bleffed halcyon-days fhould we quickly fee! It is true, Chriftians are always fighting and quarrelling, but it is with themselves and their own corrupt hearts and affections; they hate no enemy but fin; they thirst for the blood and ruin of none but of that enemy; they are ambitious of no victory, but what is over the corruptions of their own hearts; they carry no grudge except it be against this enemy, fin; and yet thefe are the men who are the most fufpected and charged with disturbing the times they live in; juft as the wolf accufed the lamb, which was below him, for puddling and defiling the ftream. But there will be a day, when God will clear up the innocency and integrity of his mistaken and abufed fervants; and the world fhall fee, it was not preaching and. VOL. II. 3 C

praying, but drinking, fwearing, profanenefs, and enmity unto true godlinefs, which difturbed and broke the tranquillity and quietness of the times: mean time let innocency commit itself unto God, who will protect, and in due time vindicate the fame.

Inf. 6. If they that be Chrift's have crucified the flesh, then whatfoever religion, opinion, or doctrine doth in its own nature counte nance and encourage fin, is not of Chrift. The doctrine of Chrift every where teacheth mortification: the whole ftream of the gofpel runs against fin; the doctrine it teacheth`is holy, pure, and heavenly; it hath no tendency to extol corrupt nature, and feed its pride, by magnifying its freedom and power, or by stamping the merit and dignity of the blood of Chrift upon its works and performances; it never makes the death of Chrift a cloke to cover fin, but an inftrument to deftroy it. And whatsoever doctrine it is which nourishes the pride of nature, to the difparagement of grace, or encourages licentioufnefs and fleshly luft, is not the doctrine of Chrift, but a fpurious offspring begotten by Satan upon the corrupt nature of man.

Inf. 7. If mortification be the great business and character of a Chriftian, Then that condition is moft eligible and defirable by Chriftians, which is leaf of all exposed to temptation, Prov. xxx. 8. « Give me nei"ther poverty nor riches, but feed me with food convenient." That holy judicious man was well aware of the danger lurking in both extremes, and how near they border upon deadly temptations, and approach the very precipice of ruin that stand upon either ground: few Chriftians have an head strong and steady enough to ftand upon the pinnacle of wealth and honour'; nor is it every one that can grapple with poverty and contempt. A mediocrity is the Chriftian's beft external fecurity, and therefore most desirable: and yet how do the corruption, the pride and ignorance of our hearts grafp and covet that condition which only ferves to warm and nourish our lufts, and make the work of mortification much more difficult? It is well for us that our wife Father leaves us not to our own choice, that he frequently dafhes our earthly projects, and difappoints our fond expectations. If children were left to carve for themfelves, how often would they cut their own fingers?

Inf. 8. If mortification be the great bufinefs of a Chriftian, then Chriflian fellowship and fociety duly managed and improved, must needs he of fingular ufe and special advantage to the people of God. For thereby we have the friendly help and affiftance of many other hands, to carry on our great defign, and help us in our moft difficult bufinefs; if corruption be too hard for us, others this way come in to our affistance, Gal. vi. 1. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a "fault, ye which are fpiritual reftore fuch an one in the spirit of

"meeknefs." If temptations prevail, and overbear us that we fall under fin, it is a special mercy to have the reproofs and counfels of our brethren, who will not suffer fin to rest upon us, Lev. xix. 17. Whilft we are fluggish and sleepy, others are vigilant and careful for our fafety: The humility of another reproves and mortifies my pride: The activity and liveliness of another awakens and quickens my deadnefs: The prudence and gravity of another detects and cures my levity and vanity: The heavenliness and fpirituality of another may be exceeding ufeful, both to reprove and heal the earthlinefs and fenfuality of my heart. Two are better than one, but wo unto him that is alone. The devil is well aware of this great advantage, and therefore strikes with special malice against embodied Chriftians, who are as a well difciplined army, whom he therefore more especially endeavours to rout and scatter by perfecutions, that thereby particular Chriftians may be deprived of the fweet advantages of mutual fociety.

Inf. 9. How deeply hath fin fixed its roots in our corrupt nature, that it fhould be the conftant work of a Chriftian's whole life, to mortify and deftroy it? God hath given us many excellent helps, his Spirit within us, variety of ordinances and duties are also appointed as inftruments of mortification: And from the very day of regeneration unto the last moment of diffolution, the Chriftian is daily at work in the ufe of all fanctified means, external and internal, yet can never dig up and deftroy corruption at the root all his life long. The moft eminent Chriftians of longest standing in religion, who have fhed millions of tears for fin, and poured out manythousand prayers for the mortification of it, do, after all, find the remains of their old difeafe, that there is ftill life and ftrength in thofe corruptions which they have given fo many wounds unto in duty. O the depth and ftrength of fin! which nothing can separate from us, but that which feparates our fouls and bodies. And upon that account, the day of a believer's death is better than the day of his birth. Never till then do we put off our armour, fheath our fword, and cry, victory, victory.

Second ufe, for exhortation.

If they who are Chrift's have crucified the flesh, &c. Then as ever we hope to make good our claim to Chrift, let us give all diligence to mortify fin; in vain elfe are all our pretences unto union with him. This is the great work and discriminating character of a believer. And feeing it is the main business of life, and great evidence for heaven, I fhall therefore prefs you to it by the following motives and confiderations.

1 Motive. And firft, methinks the comfort and sweetness refulting from mortification fhould effectually perfuade every believer to more diligence about it. There is a double sweetness in mortifi

cation, one in the nature of the work, as it is a duty, a fweet Chrif tian duty; another as it hath respect to Chrift, and is evidential of our union with him. In the first confideration there is a wonderful fweetnefs in mortification, for doft thou not feel a bleffed calmnefs, cheerinefs, and tranquillity in thy confcience, when thou haft faithfully repelled temptations, fuccessfully refifted and overcome thy corruptions? Doth not God fmile upon thee; confcience encourage and approve thee? Haft thou not an heaven within thee? whilft others feel a kind of hell in the deadly gripes and bitter accufations of their own confciences, are covered with fhame, and filled with horrors. But then confider it also as an evidence of the foul's interest in Chrift, as my text confiders it; and what an heaven upon earth must then be found in mortification! These endeavours of mine to fubdue and mortify my corruptions, plainly fpeak the Spirit of God in me, and my being in Chrift! and O what is this! What heart hath largenefs and ftrength enough to receive and contain the joy and comfort which flow from a cleared intereft in Jefus Christ! Certainly, Chriftians, the tranquillity and comfort of your whole life depend upon it: and what is life without the comfort of life? Rom. viii. 13. "If ye through the Spirit "do mortify the deeds of the body, ye fhall live," i. e. you fhall live a ferene, placid, comfortable life; for it is corruption unmortified which clouds the face of God, and breaks the peace of his people, and confequently imbitters the life of a Chriftian.

2 Motive. As the comfort of your own lives, which is much, fo your inftrumental fitnefs for the fervice of God, which is much more, depends upon the mortification of your fins, 2 Tim. ii. 21. "If a man therefore purge himself from thefe, he thall be a vef"fel unto honour; fanctified and meet for the Master's use, and "prepared unto every good work." Where is the mercy of life but in the usefulness and ferviceablenefs of it unto God? It is not worth while to live fixty or feventy years in the world, to eat and drink, to buy and fell, to laugh and cry, and then go down to the place of filence. So far as any man lives to God an useful, ferviceable life to his praife and honour; fo far only, and no farther, doth he answer the end of his being. But it is the purged, mortified foul which is the veffel of honour, prepared, and meet for the Master's ufe. Let a proud, or an earthly heart be employed in any fervice for God, and you shall find that fuch an heart will both fpoil the work, by managing it for a felf-end as Jehu did; and then devour the praise of it by a proud boaft: Come fee my zeal. When the Lord would employ the prophet Ifaiah in his work and fervice, his iniquity was firft purged; and after that he was employed, Ifa. vi. 6, 7, 8. Sin is the foul's ficknefs, a confumption upon the inner man; and we know that languishing confumptive per