The Mortifying of Your Darling Sins

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!