Chapter 2. The Necessity of Mortification

The principal assertion concerning the necessity of mortification proposed to confirmation. Mortification the duty of the best believers (Colossians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 9:27). Indwelling sin always abides: no perfection in this life (Philippians 3:12; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 2 Peter 3:18; Galatians 5:17; etc.). The activity of abiding sin in believers (Romans 7:23; James 4:5; Hebrews 12:1). Its fruitfulness and tendency. Every lust aims at the height in its kind. The Spirit and new nature given to contend against indwelling sin (Galatians 5:17; 2 Peter 1:4, 5; Romans 7:23). The fearful issue of the neglect of mortification (Revelation 3:2; Hebrews 3:13). The first general principle of the whole discourse hence confirmed. Want of this duty lamented.

Having laid this foundation, a brief confirmation of the forementioned principal deductions will lead me to what I chiefly intend. The first is:

That the choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.

So the Apostle (Colossians 3:5): Mortify therefore your members, which are upon the earth. Whom speaks he to? Such as were risen with Christ (verse 1), such as were dead with him (verse 3), such as whose life Christ was, and who should appear with him in glory (verse 4). Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work, be always at it while you live, cease not a day from this work; be killing sin, or it will be killing you; your being dead with Christ virtually, your being quickened with him, will not excuse you from this work. And our Savior tells us, how his Father deals with every branch in him that bears fruit, every true and living branch; He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit (John 15:2). He prunes it, and that not for a day or two, but while it is a branch in this world. And the Apostle tells you what was his practice (1 Corinthians 9:27): I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. I do it daily, it is the work of my life, I omit it not; this is my business. And if this were the work and business of Paul, who was so incomparably exalted in grace, light, revelations, enjoyments, privileges, consolations, above the ordinary measure of believers; where may we possibly find an exemption from this work and duty while we are in this world? Some brief account of the reasons hereof may be given.

1. Indwelling sin always abides, while we are in this world, therefore it is always to be mortified. The vain, foolish, and ignorant disputes of men, about perfect keeping of the commands of God, of perfection in this life, of being wholly and perfectly dead to sin, I will not now deal with. It is more than probable, that the men of those abominations, never knew what belonged to the keeping of any one of God's commands; and are so much below perfection of degrees, that they never attained to a perfection of parts in obedience, or universal obedience in sincerity. And therefore many in our days who have talked of perfection, have been wiser, and have affirmed it to consist in knowing no difference between good and evil. Not that they are perfect in the things we call good, but that all is alike to them; and the height of wickedness is their perfection. Others who have found out a new way to it, by denying original indwelling sin, and tempering the spirituality of the law of God, unto men's carnal hearts; as they have sufficiently discovered themselves to be ignorant of the life of Christ, and the power of it in believers, so they have invented a new righteousness, that the Gospel knows not of, being vainly puffed up by their fleshly minds. For us, who dare not be wise above what is written, nor boast by other men's lives of what God has not done for us, we say, that indwelling sin lives in us in some measure and degree while we are in this world. We dare not speak as though we had already attained, or were already perfect (Philippians 3:12); our inward man is to be renewed day by day, while here we live (2 Corinthians 4:16); and according to the renovations of the new, are the breaches and decays of the old. While we are here, we know but in part (1 Corinthians 13:12), having a remaining darkness to be gradually removed, by our growth in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). And the flesh lusts against the Spirit, so that we cannot do the things that we would (Galatians 5:17), and are therefore defective in our obedience as well as in our light (1 John 1:8). We have a body of death (Romans 7:24), from whence we are not delivered, but by the death of our bodies (Philippians 3:21). Now it being our duty to mortify, to be killing of sin; while it is in us, we must be at work. He that is appointed to kill an enemy, if he leaves striking, before the other ceases living, does but half his work (Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 12:1; 2 Corinthians 7:1).

2. Sin does not only still abide in us, but is still acting, still laboring 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 be; vigorous at all times, in all conditions, even where there is least suspicion. Sin does not only abide in us, but the law of the members is still rebelling against the law of the mind (Romans 7:23), and the Spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy (James 4:5). It is always in continual work, the flesh lusts against the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). Lust is still tempting and conceiving sin (James 1:14). In every moral action, it is always either inclining to evil, or hindering from that which is good, or unframing the spirit from communion with God. It inclines to evil; the evil that I would not, that I do, says the Apostle (Romans 7:19) — why? because in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. And it hinders from good; the good that I would do, that I do not (verse 19), upon the same account, either I do it not; or not as I should; all my holy things being defiled by this sin. The flesh lusts against the Spirit, that you cannot do the things that you would (Galatians 5:17), and it unframes our spirit; and thence is called the sin that so easily besets us (Hebrews 12:1), on which account are those grievous complaints that the Apostle makes of it (Romans 7). So that sin is always acting, always conceiving, always seducing and tempting. Who can say that he had ever anything to do with God, or for God, that indwelling sin had not a hand in the corrupting of what he did? And this trade will it drive more or less all our days; if then sin will always be acting, if we be not always mortifying, we are lost creatures. He that stands still, and suffers his enemies to double blows upon him without resistance, will undoubtedly be conquered in the issue: if sin be subtle, watchful, strong, and always at work in the business of killing our souls, and we be slothful, negligent, foolish, in proceeding to the ruin thereof, can we expect a comfortable outcome? There is not a day but sin soils, or is soiled; prevails, or is prevailed on; and it will be so while we live in this world. I shall discharge him from this duty, who can bring sin to a composition, to a cessation of arms in this warfare; if it will spare him any one day, in any one duty, (provided he be a person that is acquainted with the spirituality of obedience, and the subtlety of sin) let him say to his soul, as to this duty, Soul, take your rest. The saints whose souls breathe after deliverance from its perplexing rebellion, know there is no safety against it, but in a constant warfare.

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 (Galatians 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, revellings, and such like. You know what it did in David, and sundry others. Sin aims always at the utmost: every time it rises up to tempt or entice, might it have its own course, it would go out to the utmost sin in that kind. Every unclean thought or glance would be adultery, if it could; every covetous desire would be oppression; every thought of unbelief would be atheism, might it grow to its head. Men may come to that, that sin may not be heard speaking a scandalous word in their hearts; that is, provoking to any great sin with scandal in its mouth; but every rise of lust, might it have its course, would come to the height of villainy. It is like the grave, that is never satisfied. And herein lies no small share of the deceitfulness of sin, by which it prevails to the hardening of men, and so to their ruin (Hebrews 3:13). It is modest as it were in its first motions and proposals; but having once got footing in the heart by them, it constantly makes good its ground, and presses on to some further degrees in the same kind. This new acting and pressing forward, makes the soul take little notice of what an entrance to a falling off from God is already made; it thinks all is indifferently well, if there be no further progress; and so far as the soul is made insensible of any sin, that is, as to such a sense as the Gospel requires, so far it is hardened. But sin is still pressing forward; and that because it has no bounds but utter relinquishment of God, and opposition to him; that it proceeds towards its height by degrees, making good the ground it has got by hardness, is not from its nature, but its deceitfulness. Now nothing can prevent this, but mortification. That withers the root and strikes at the head of sin every hour, so that whatever it aims at, it is crossed in. There is not the best saint in the world, but if he should give over this duty would fall into as many cursed sins as ever any did of his kind.

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 lusts against the Spirit: well, and what then? Why, the Spirit also lusts against the flesh (Galatians 5:17). There is a propensity in the Spirit, or spiritual new nature, to be acting against the flesh, as well as in the flesh to be acting against the Spirit. So (2 Peter 1:4, 5): it is our participation of the divine nature, that gives us an escape from the pollutions that are in the world through lust; and (Romans 7:23) there is a law of the mind, as well as a law of the members. Now this is: (1) the most unjust and unreasonable thing in the world; when two combatants are engaged, to bind one, and to keep him from doing his utmost, and to leave the other at liberty to wound him at his pleasure. And, (2) the most foolish thing in the world, to bind him who fights for our eternal condition, and to let him alone who seeks and violently attempts our everlasting ruin. The contest is for our lives and souls. Not to be daily employing the Spirit and new nature, for the mortifying of sin, is to neglect that excellent aid, which God has given us against our greatest enemy. If we neglect to make use of what we have received, God may justly hold his hand from giving us more. His graces as well as his gifts are bestowed on us to use, exercise, and trade with. Not to be daily mortifying sin, is to sin against the goodness, kindness, wisdom, grace, and love of God, who has furnished us with a principle of doing it.

5. Negligence in this duty casts the soul into a perfect contrary condition to that, which the Apostle affirms was his (2 Corinthians 4:16): Though our outward man perish, our inward man is renewed day by day. In the negligent, the inward man perishes, 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 nourishers of grace in the heart; when it is suffered to lie still, it withers and decays; the things of it are ready to die (Revelation 3:2), and sin gets ground towards the hardening of the heart (Hebrews 3:13). This is that which I intend; by the omission of this duty, grace withers, lust flourishes, and the frame of the heart grows worse and worse: and the Lord knows what desperate and fearful issues it has had with many. Where sin through the neglect of mortification gets a considerable victory, it breaks the bones of the soul (Psalm 31:10; Psalm 51:8), and makes a man weak, sick, and ready to die (Psalm 38:3-5), so that he cannot look up (Psalm 40:12; Isaiah 33:24). And when poor creatures will take blow after blow, wound after wound, foil after foil, and never rouse up themselves to a vigorous opposition, can they expect anything but to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; and that their souls should bleed to death (2 John 8)? Indeed it is a sad thing to consider the fearful issues of this neglect, which lie under our eyes every day. Do we not see those whom we knew humble, melting, broken-hearted Christians, tender and fearful to offend, zealous for God, and all his ways, his sabbaths, and ordinances, grown, through a neglect of watching unto this duty, earthly, carnal, cold, wrathful, complying with the men of the world, and things of the world, to the scandal of religion, and the fearful temptation of them that know them? The truth is, what between placing mortification in a rigid stubborn frame of spirit, which is for the most part earthly, legal, censorious, partial, consistent with wrath, envy, malice, pride, on the one hand, and pretenses of liberty, grace, and I know not what on the other, true evangelical mortification is almost lost among us, of which more afterwards.

6. It is our duty to be perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord (2 Corinthians 7:1), to be growing in grace every day (1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18), to be renewing our inward man day by day (2 Corinthians 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 grow to. Let not that man think he makes any progress in holiness, who walks not over the bellies of his lusts; he who does not kill sin in his way, takes no steps towards his journey's end. He who finds not opposition from it, and who sets not himself in every particular to its mortification, is at peace with it, not dying to it.

This then is the first general principle of our ensuing discourse: notwithstanding the meritorious mortification (if I may so speak) of all and every sin in the cross of Christ; notwithstanding the real foundation of universal mortification laid in our first conversion, by conviction of sin, humiliation for sin, and the implantation of a new principle, opposite to it, and destructive of it; yet sin does so remain, so act, and work, in the best of believers, while they live in this world, that the constant daily mortification of it is all their days incumbent on them. Before I proceed to the consideration of the next principle, I cannot but by the way complain of many professors of these days; who instead of bringing forth such great and evident fruits of mortification, as are expected, scarce bear any leaves of it. There is indeed a broad light fallen upon the men of this generation; and together therewith many spiritual gifts communicated; which with some other considerations have wonderfully enlarged the bounds of professors and profession; both they and it are exceedingly multiplied and increased. Hence there is a noise of religion and religious duties in every corner; preaching in abundance; and that not in an empty, light, trivial and vain manner, as formerly, but to a good proportion of a spiritual gift; so that if you will measure the number of believers by light, gifts and profession, the Church may have cause to say, Who has borne me all these? But now if you will take the measure of them by this great discriminating grace of Christians, perhaps you will find their number not so multiplied. Where almost is that professor, who owes his conversion to these days of light, and so talks and professes at such a rate of spirituality, as few in former days were in any measure acquainted with, (I will not judge them, but perhaps boasting what the Lord has done in them) that does not give evidence of a miserably unmortified heart? If vain spending of time, idleness, unprofitableness in men's places, envy, strife, variance, emulations, wrath, pride, worldliness, selfishness (1 Corinthians 1) be badges of Christians, we have them on us and among us in abundance. And if it be so with them who have much light, and which we hope is saving; what shall we say of some who would be accounted religious, and yet despise Gospel light, and for the duty we have in hand, know no more of it, but what consists in men's denying themselves sometimes in outward enjoyments, which is one of the outermost branches of it, which yet they will seldom practice! The good Lord send out a spirit of mortification to cure our distempers, or we are in a sad condition.

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 has 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 has confirmed his imagination to such an apprehension of grace and mercy, as to be able without bitterness to swallow and digest daily sins, that man is at the very brink of turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, and being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Neither is there a greater evidence of a false and rotten heart in the world, than to drive such a trade. To use the blood of Christ, which is given to cleanse us (1 John 1:7; Titus 2:14), the exaltation of Christ, which is to give us repentance (Acts 5:31), the doctrine of grace, which teaches us to deny all ungodliness (Titus 2:11, 12), to countenance sin, is a rebellion, that in the issue will break the bones. At this door have gone out from us, most of the professors that have apostatized in the days wherein we live, for a while they were most of them under convictions; these kept them unto duties, and brought them to profession. So they escaped the pollutions that are in the world, through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 2:20). But having got an acquaintance with the doctrine of the Gospel, and being weary of duty, for which they had no principle, they began to countenance themselves in manifold neglects, from the doctrine of grace. Now when once this evil had laid hold of them, they speedily tumbled into perdition.

2. To others, it has an evil influence on them, on a twofold account.

1. It hardens them, by begetting in them a persuasion that they are in as good condition as the best professors. Whatever they see in them, is so stained for want of this mortification, that it is of no value with them: they have zeal for religion, but it is accompanied with want of forbearance, and universal righteousness. They deny prodigality, but with worldliness: they separate from the world, but live wholly to themselves, taking no care to exercise loving kindness in the earth: or they talk spiritually, and live vainly: mention communion with God, and are every way conformed to the world; boasting of forgiveness of sin, and never forgiving others: and with such considerations do poor creatures harden their hearts in their unregenerate state.

2. They deceive them in making them believe, that if they can come up to their condition, it shall be well with them; and so it grows an easy thing, to have the great temptation of repute in religion to wrestle with: when they may go far beyond them, as to what appears in them, and yet come short of eternal life; but of these things, and all the evils of unmortified walking, afterwards.

The entire discourse is grounded in Romans 8:13. The apostle's words are explained. There is a certain connection between true mortification and salvation. Mortification is the work of believers. The Spirit is its principal efficient cause. What the apostle means by 'the body' is examined. What he means by 'the deeds of the body' is considered. The sense in which life is promised to this duty is clarified.

To give order and clarity to what I have to offer on the work of mortification in believers, I will lay its foundation in the apostle's words in Romans 8:13: 'If you by the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live.' My aim throughout is to draw out the rich evangelical truth and mystery contained in that verse.

After summarizing his doctrine of justification by faith and the blessed condition of those who receive it by grace (Romans 8:1-3), the apostle moves on to apply it to the holiness and comfort of believers.

Among his arguments and motivations for holiness, the verse in question presents one argument drawn from the opposite outcomes of holiness and sin. He states: 'If you live after the flesh, you shall die.' Since explaining what it means to live after the flesh and what it means to die is not my present aim, I will address those only as they connect with the meaning of the latter part of the verse.

In the words selected as the foundation of this discourse, there are several elements:

1. A duty prescribed: mortify the deeds of the body.

2. The persons to whom it is prescribed are identified: 'You, if you mortify.'

3. A promise is attached to that duty: 'You shall live.'

4. The cause or means of performing this duty is identified as the Spirit: 'If you through the Spirit.'

5. The conditional nature of the whole statement, containing duty, means, and promise: 'If you,' etc.

The first thing we encounter in the words as they stand in the full statement is the conditional word — 'but if.' Conditional statements of this kind can point to two things.

1. The uncertainty of the promised outcome for the people addressed — where the condition is absolutely necessary for the result, and itself depends on no fixed cause known to those addressed. For example, we say, 'If we live, we will do such a thing.' This cannot be what the conditional means here. Of the persons addressed, it is already said in verse 1 of the same chapter that there is no condemnation for them.

2. The certainty of the connection between the things being discussed. It is like saying to a sick man, 'If you take this medicine, you will recover.' What we mean is simply that there is a certain connection between the medicine and health. That is how the conditional is used here. The conditional word signals the certain connection between mortifying the deeds of the body and living.

Now, connections between things take various forms — cause and effect, means and end, and so on. The connection between mortification and life is not one of cause and effect in a strict sense, because eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). It is rather a connection of means and end: God has appointed this means for attaining the end He has freely promised. Means, though necessary, are properly subordinate to an end that comes by free promise. A gift and a cause that earns it are mutually exclusive. The intent of this conditional statement, then, is that there is a certain, unfailing connection between true mortification and eternal life: if you use this means, you will obtain that end; if you do mortify, you shall live. This is the main motivation and driving force of the duty prescribed.

2. The next element is the persons to whom this duty is prescribed, expressed in the word 'you' — 'if you mortify'; that is, you believers, you to whom there is no condemnation (verse 1), you who are not in the flesh but in the Spirit (verse 5), who are quickened by the Spirit of Christ (verses 10-11). This duty is prescribed to you. Pressing this duty directly on anyone else reflects the widespread superstition and self-righteousness that permeates the world — the great project of devout people who are ignorant of the Gospel (Romans 10:3-4; John 15:5). This description of the persons addressed, together with the prescription of the duty, forms the main foundation of the discussion that follows, as it is expressed in this thesis.

The choicest believers — those who are certainly freed from the condemning power of sin — ought still to make the mortification of sin's indwelling power the work of all their days.

3. The principal efficient cause of this duty is the Spirit: 'if by the Spirit.' This Spirit is the Spirit mentioned in verse 11 — the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God who dwells in us (verse 9), who gives us life (verse 11), the Holy Spirit (verse 14), the Spirit of adoption (verse 15), the Spirit who intercedes for us (verse 26). All other means of mortification are empty; all aids leave us helpless; it must be done by the Spirit. As the apostle shows (Romans 9:30-32), people may attempt this work by other principles, through means and resources drawn from other sources — as they always have done and continue to do — but this is the Spirit's work. He alone can accomplish it, and no other power can bring it about. Mortification pursued through self-reliance, carried on by self-invented methods, toward the goal of self-righteousness, is the soul and substance of every false religion in the world. This is a second principle of the discussion that follows.

4. Next, we must examine the duty itself: 'mortify the deeds of the body.'

Three questions arise here: 1. What is meant by 'the body'? 2. What is meant by 'the deeds of the body'? 3. What is meant by 'mortifying' them?

1. 'The body' at the end of the verse is the same as 'the flesh' at the beginning: 'If you live after the flesh, you shall die, but if you mortify the deeds of the body' — that is, of the flesh. The apostle has spoken throughout of this same thing under the name of 'the flesh,' as is clear from the sustained contrast between the Spirit and the flesh both before and after this verse. So 'the body' here refers to the corruption and depravity of our natures, of which the physical body is in large part the seat and instrument — our bodily members being made servants to unrighteousness through that corruption (Romans 6:19). It refers to indwelling sin, the corrupted flesh, or lust. Many reasons could be given for this use of 'the body' as a figure of speech, which I will not dwell on now. Here 'the body' is the same as 'the old man' and 'the body of sin' (Romans 6:6), or it may represent the whole person viewed as corrupted, as the seat of lusts and disordered desires.

2. 'The deeds of the body' — the word primarily denotes outward actions, the works of the flesh as they are called in Galatians 5:19, where they are said to be evident and are listed. Though only the outward deeds are mentioned here, the inward and immediate causes are chiefly in view — the axe must be laid to the root of the tree. The deeds of the flesh must be mortified in their causes, at the springs from which they flow. The apostle calls them 'deeds' because that is what every lust aims at: even if lust only conceives and miscarries, it still intends to bring forth a fully developed sin.

Having dealt with indwelling lust and sin in both chapter seven and the beginning of chapter eight — tracing it as the source and driving force behind all sinful actions — the apostle here names its destruction through the effects it produces. In the same way, the wisdom of the flesh, or the passions and desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:24), from which its deeds and fruits arise, are included. In this same sense, 'the body' is used in verse 10: 'The body is dead because of sin.'

3. 'To mortify' — literally, to put to death. It is a figurative expression drawn from the killing of a living thing. To kill a man or any other living creature is to take away the source of all his strength, energy, and power, so that he can no longer act, function, or exert himself in any way. The same is true here. Indwelling sin is compared to a living person — called 'the old man' — with his faculties and characteristics: his wisdom, cunning, craftiness, and strength. This, says the apostle, must be killed, put to death, mortified — that is, its power, life, energy, and strength to produce its effects must be taken away by the Spirit. It has already been fully mortified and slain in terms of merit and by way of example through the cross of Christ. On that basis, the old man is said to be crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6), and we ourselves to have died with Him (verse 8). This work was begun in a real and initial way in regeneration (Romans 6:3-5), when a principle contrary to sin — and destructive of it (Galatians 5:17) — was planted in our hearts. But the full work must be carried forward by degrees throughout all our days. More on this will follow in the course of this discussion.

The apostle's intent in prescribing this duty is this: the mortification of indwelling sin remaining in our mortal bodies — so that it may not have the life and power to produce the works or deeds of the flesh — is the ongoing, daily duty of believers.

5. The promise attached to this duty is life: 'you shall live.' The life promised is the opposite of the death threatened in the first part of the verse: 'if you live after the flesh, you shall die' — which the same apostle elsewhere expresses as reaping corruption from the flesh (Galatians 6:8), or destruction from God. The word may refer not only to eternal life but also to the spiritual life we have in Christ here and now — not as to its essence and existence, which believers already enjoy, but as to its joy, comfort, and vitality. As the apostle says in another context, 'Now I live, if you stand fast' (1 Thessalonians 3:8). Now my life will be good to me; I will have joy and comfort with my life. You shall live — leading a good, vigorous, joyful, spiritual life in this world, and obtaining eternal life hereafter.

In addition to what was said earlier about the connection between mortification and eternal life as means and end, I will add only a second motivation for the duty prescribed:

The vigor, power, and comfort of our spiritual life depend on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh.