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The Doctrine and Practice of Mortification

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The Doctrine and Practice of Mortification THE DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE OF MORTIFICATION Wherein is discovered the matter, manner, and means thereof, that comes by it, Necessary for every Christian to know and practice, that will live comfortably and die peaceably. -By Thomas Wolfall, Master of Arts, and Preacher of the Word of God, London Printed by T.C. for John Sweeting, and are to be sold at his shop in Popeshead alley, at the sign of the angel, the entering out of Cornehill, 1641. Dedication To the Right Honorable John Earl of Bridgematter, Viscount Brackly, Baron Elesmere, Lord President of Wales, and one of his Majesties’ most honorable privy counsel, his noble patron, Right Honorable, Having upon slow deliberation resolved to publish these meditations, being animated thereunto by some of my good friends, who are both able and judicious: my next resolution came more readily to present them unto your honor, not for the worth of the matter, but as willing to discharge my duty and service; for as my first to a pastoral charge was by your honors’ liberal and unspotted bounty: so I here present the first fruits of my labors (of this kind) to your honor, as the testimony of my thankful mind; humbly desiring to shroud [cover] them under your honor’s shadow; which albeit they come in a plain and homely [plain, unadorned] dress, not in wisdom of words to please the curious ear, but by the plain demonstration from the Holy Scripture, to work upon the honest heart, neither was it my intention in penning and publishing of this discourse to satisfy men’s fantasies [vain thoughts] but their consciences: yet notwithstanding, I trust they will be the more acceptable unto your honor. A solider that intends to kill his enemy, does not do it with a flourish or flat blows; but by striking home, even to the fetching of blood. I hope I may be then excused if I take the same course; it is not paper pellets that will beat down strongholds, nor wooden words that will wound to the heart. Wherefore I have endeavored to lay the ax to the root of the tree, and to discover that kind of war and weapons will be needful for the work. Summary of the Argument To which end I shall humbly crave leave that I may give your honor in a few words the sum of the whole. Who is Our Enemy in this Battle? Here is the discovery [showing forth] of the enemy which is latent in us, as a snake in the grass, potent against us, building strongholds against us: lastly, subtle and politick, and so does beset us round, and hinders the entrance of the good motions of the Holy Ghost: the filth of sin and the Holy Ghost will not dwell together in the same habitation.1 1 Analysis of “indwelling sin,” i.e., sin which remains in a believer after conversion, was a topic which Puritans often considered at length. Two Puritan heavyweights, John Owen & Edward Reynolds wrote extensive treatments on the topic of indwelling sin. 1 We are in a War to Kill Sin The combat is set down in those words, mortify [kill] et cetera. For the place of this combat it is the church, when as once we become sons of God, then also do we become soldiers of Christ; and for the time of it, it is in and after regeneration, and not before [we cannot begin sanctified until after we have been born again]. Even though our lives may be long, yet our spiritual life in grace may be but short. The Spirit of Christ will Help Us in the Battle For our assistance we have the Spirit of Christ to arm us with that whole armor of God that we may be able to stand in the evil day; and withal [also] to put courage and animosity [against sin] into us, that we faint not like those Ephriamites that went out and carried bows, yet turned again in the day of battle.2 The Goal: Life The reward is propounded and promised, you shall live: our fight is here, our crown hereafter. We are at War With our Own Indwelling Sin To conclude, therefore, that we may not be deceived, behold the enemy discovered [shown forth] the flesh with the deeds of it. So that we may not pleasantly dream of ease and security, behold a sad [difficult; pain; weary] combat: not against enemies, but homeborn seeming friends.3 So that we may not fear nor faint in our minds: behold the Spirit of Grace helping our infirmities. We will Receive an Eternal Reward And lastly, that no man may think it vain to serve God; behold, the reward: We shall pass from a battle to a banquet, from a combat to a crown; we have the life of grace here, and the life of glory hereafter. Wherefore, seeing that this kind of death is the end of so much misery, and the beginnig 2 “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.” (Psalm 78:9, KJV). 3 John Owen explains that indwelling sin has two primary elements: deceit and desire. Paul notes that indwelling sin consists of strong desires which darken the mind; indwelling sin has its own intentions and strategies (if you will); see: Romans 6:12, 20; 7:11, 17, 21; 8:13; 13:14; Gal. 5:16-17; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19, 22; et cetera. 2 of so great happiness, which is the main drift of this discourse; I hope that your honor’s best leisure4, it may do you some service, though not to inform you of what you know not, yet to mind you of what you know; so that the good work begun in you may come to perfection in God’s best time. Thus prayeth your honors devoted in all service Tho. Wolfall 4 Here, “leisure” does not mean idleness. Rather it refers to the opportunity to do something; time at one’s disposal. The concept of “free time” being used for “idleness” would have been abhorrent to any Puritan. As Thomas Brooks wrote, “Idleness is the time of temptation, and an idle person is the devil's tennis-ball, tossed by him at his pleasure” (The Privy Key of Heaven, “Means, Rules & Directions”). Thomas Watson, A Godly Man’s Picture: “An idle person is the devil's tennis ball, which he bandies up and down with temptation—until at last the ball goes out of play!” 3 Preface To the Christian Reader, grace and peace, How This Book Came to be Written This discourse being delivered in certain sermons to a private congregation in the city of London; the notes whereof falling into the hand of divers [various] of my loving friends; by whose motion I was encouraged to commend them to a more public view. Fighting Sin is Needed in This Wicked World This discourse is not unsuitable for these times, It is also a good means (through God’s blessing) to appease and assuage those inward boilings of envy, hatred and other exorbitant lusts [extremely strong desires; not merely sexual desire] in the hearts of men: Those scandalous and scurrilous speeches that issue of their mouths, and also those fell [cruel] and fierce dissensions that break out in men’s lives; not only to unnecessary suits in law, but also to unjust quarrels and duels; even to the endangerment of the loss of soul and body. All these things are nothing else but the fruit of unmortified lusts [extremely strong desires] James 4:1. These [desires] as they are born and brought up with us, so often like the demons were to the sons of Sceva [Acts 19:14], the desires have become too strong for us. It is dangerous living among lions. Is it not dangerous living among lusts, every one of them seeking fiercely to war against the soul? Sin Causes Bondage There be three things that men do greatly desire, equity, liberty and peace: but so long as sin lives and lust lords it over the soul there is no justice to be expected: Such as the tree is, such will be the fruit. And if the bramble rule, it will burn up the cedars of Lebanon (Judges 9:7-21). Nor can we expect liberty, for the law that is in our members will lead us away captive the liberty that is given to the flesh does but bring the spirit into bondage; and what peace can we expect where is no peace with God? Kill Sin Before it Kills You If then (Christian) you would have justice, then do justice and kill sin before it kills you.5 5 John Owen famously wrote, “Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst 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” (The Mortification of Sin in Believers, chapter 2). It must be noted that Wolfal published his book in 1641, when Owen was 25 years old, and one year prior the date of Owen’s conversion. Owen published his work in 1656. There are numerous points of comparison 4 If you would have liberty, then let not sin reign (Rom. 6:12). For therein does the great strength of it lie. Sampson was easily taken when his locks were shorn (Judges 6:20).
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