[b]The mortifying of your darling sins[/b]

(Thomas Brooks, "Heaven on Earth" 1667)

Most professing Christians have not the right art of
mortifying sin. All their attempts are to hide a lust,
not to quench it.

A great motive to provoke you to the mortifying of
your darling sins, is solemnly to consider, that the
conquest and effectual mortifying of one bosom sin,
will yield a Christian more glorious joy, comfort, and
peace--than ever he has found in the gratifying and
committing of all other sins.

The pleasure and sweetness which follows victory over
sin, is a thousand times beyond that seeming sweetness
which is in the gratifying of sin. The joy which attends
the subduing of sin--is a noble joy, a pure joy, a special
joy, an increasing joy, and a lasting joy. But that joy
which attends the committing of sin--is an ignoble joy,
a corrupt joy, a decreasing joy, a dying joy.

The truth is--if there were the least real joy in sin, there
could be no hell-torments, where men shall most totally
sin, and be most totally tormented with their sin.

Ah! Christians, be restless, until, in the spirit and power
of Jesus, you have brought under control, that sin which
sticks so close unto you!

Remember this, nothing below the conquest of bosom
sins can make a jubilee in the heart. It is not a man's
whining and complaining over sin--but his mortifying
of sin, which will make his life a paradise of pleasure!

If, notwithstanding all that has been said, you are still
resolved to dally with sin, then you must resolve to live
as a stranger to God; you must expect sad trials without,
and sore troubles within; this shall be your just wages
for playing with sin! If you like the wages, then dally
with sin still; if otherwise, then sacrifice your Isaac!

Ah! souls, of all unpardoned sins, your bosom sins will
be presented by God, conscience, and Satan at last
--as the most filthy and ugly, as the most terrible and
dreadful. Your bosom sins at last will appear to be those
monsters, those fiends of hell--which have most provoked
God against you, which have shut up Christ's affections of
love and compassion from you, which have armed conscience
against you, which have barred the gates of glory against you,
which have prepared the hottest place in hell for you, and
which have given Satan the greatest advantage eternally
to triumph over you!

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

I believe the doctrine of mortification is the most neglected, most misunderstood, most despised and misconstrued topic in all of Christianity. Some call it legalism, others claim that sin and everything connected to sin as a whole has been totally destroyed at Calvary and subsequent attepts at mortifying sin is useless and deceptive. To these people, all that's left for us to do is glide effortlessly into heaven on magic carpets of their chosen denomination (that is, if you're on the right carpet)!

I really believe mortification needs to be taught in depth from the pulpit, needs to be expounded and elucidated as to what [i]true[/i] mortification is, how it is wrought - and most importantly, what it is [i]not.[/i] It's one thing to have a theological understanding of mortification; it is another thing altogether to [i]mortify[/i]. When we fail in our efforts of mortification, we sabotage our entire Christian walk, irrespective of how theologically-savvy we are.

Lord, open our eyes to the beauty and power and the utmost necessity of mortification! We desire to be a generation of spiritual sin-morticians, low in humility and high in purity. Oh God, give us a deep hatred for the little things, the little foxes, the shadows of our heart that conspire against the ministerial reign of the Holy Spirit in our flesh temples. Lord God, that we would be fierce executioners of [i]any thought or impulse[/i] that might exalt itself against the excellency of Jesus Christ in the deep inward places that only You can see.

Saints, if we are to be victorious and share with Christ in the high, glorious places, we must also run the sword through sin and be victorious on this fleshy battlefield. Are you a mortifying soldier of the cross?

Brother Paul

_________________
Paul Frederick West