Quote 4771
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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 and in all conditions, even where there is least suspicion.
Severity to sin is mercy to the soul.
To return when the Spirit makes intercession in thee or helps thee to make intercession with groans which cannot be uttered, let these groans be against sin rather than for divine comforts; groan rather for redemption from sin than from any other misery.
I mentioned the serious consideration of your own death as a mean to help on mortification. It were good for us were we oftener among the tombs and laying ourselves in our graves. The rich man's skull is not gilded there, nor has the delicate person any better color or smell, nor has the proud man any precedency there. Their dust and skulls and dead bones are not distinguished, yet what is the business and labor of most unmortified souls but to adorn or pamper or honor this corruptible, sinful, and burdensome flesh? We never live like Christians till we can trample upon it, and it be under our soul's feet, and till we live as if we were next moment to die, and till we deal with sin as we would do when a-dying.
Of all Christians, none so mortified as those in whom grace is most exercised. Sin is a viper that must be killed or it will kill you forever, and there is no way to kill it but by the exercise of grace.
It is sad to consider how few professors in these days have attained the right way of mortifying sin. They usually go out against their sins in the strength of their own purposes, prayers, and resolutions and scarcely look so high as a crucified Christ. They mind not the exercise of their faith upon Christ, and therefore it is a righteous thing with Christ that after all they should be carried away captive by their sins. Nothing eats out sin like the actings of grace; nothing weakens and wastes the strength of sin like the exercise of grace. O did men believe more in Christ, sin would die more. Did they believe the threatenings more, sin would die more. Did they believe the promises more, sin would die more. Did they believe in reigning with Christ more, sin would die more.
Look upon a rabbit's skin, how well it comes off till it comes to the head, but then what hauling and pulling is there before it stirs! So it is in the mortifying, in the crucifying of sin. A man may easily subdue and mortify such and such sins, but when it comes to the head sin, to the master sin, to the bosom sin, O what tugging and pulling is there, what striving and struggling is there, to get off that sin, to get down that sin!
Use sin, as it will use you. Spare it not, for it will not spare you. It is your murderer and the murderer of the world; use it therefore as a murderer should be used. Kill it before it kills you, and then though it kill your bodies, it shall not be able to kill your souls. And though it bring you to the grave, as it did your head, it shall not be able to keep you there.
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1. Thomas Watson (178)
2. Charles Spurgeon (135)
3. J.C. Ryle (117)
4. John Calvin (107)
5. Thomas Brooks (94)
6. J.I. Packer (93)
7. John Piper (87)
8. John Flavel (83)
9. George Swinnock (83)
10. John Owen (72)
11. A.W. Pink (68)
12. William Gurnall (63)
13. Louis Berkhof (63)
14. Thomas Manton (60)
15. C.S. Lewis (59)
16. B.B. Warfield (59)
17. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (58)
18. R.C. Sproul (55)
19. Heinrich Bullinger (53)
20. Matthew Henry (51)
2. Charles Spurgeon (135)
3. J.C. Ryle (117)
4. John Calvin (107)
5. Thomas Brooks (94)
6. J.I. Packer (93)
7. John Piper (87)
8. John Flavel (83)
9. George Swinnock (83)
10. John Owen (72)
11. A.W. Pink (68)
12. William Gurnall (63)
13. Louis Berkhof (63)
14. Thomas Manton (60)
15. C.S. Lewis (59)
16. B.B. Warfield (59)
17. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (58)
18. R.C. Sproul (55)
19. Heinrich Bullinger (53)
20. Matthew Henry (51)
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