“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry,” (Colossians 3:5).
Editorial Preface
In this excerpt, taken from his book, Sin’s Overthrow: Or, A Godly and Learned Treatise of Mortification, the Anglican minister John Preston (1587-1628) sought to motivate Christians for the hard work of mortification (Rom 8:13). Acknowledging the difficulty that attends this lifelong work, Preston hoped to encourage Christians by instructing them on the true and hideous nature of sin. There is a clear theme that binds each of his points together: the deceptiveness of sin. With each point he pulls another mask off from the face of sin, revealing an increasingly terrifying image of its true nature. Preston concludes this portion of the work with a sobering warning: “if you would have Christ to be your Lord and Master, if you would be free from the slavery of Satan, then slay your lusts. Otherwise, you cannot be the servants of God.” May these sobering words help motivate us to the duty of mortification.
Introduction
Seeing that mortification is so hard a work, and yet a work that of necessity must be done; and seeing that men can hardly be drawn to mortify their lusts – which they account as a part of themselves, not to be parted with (for nature herself has implanted this principle in them: that every man ought to love himself) – what then should move a man to mortify his lusts? Thus, for the better persuading of men unto this work, we will lay down some motives to move every man to mortify his corruptions.
The First Motive
The first motive to move all men to mortify sin is: there is no pleasure in sin. Sin cannot content the soul for this is the nature of sin: the further a man goes on in sin, the further he goes on in sorrow, for in every degree of sin, there is a degree of sorrow. As on the contrary, unto every degree of grace, there is a degree of joy; I say, the more you get of grace and holiness, of faith and regeneration: the more peace of conscience and spiritual joy you get – for grace as naturally produces joy, as sin does sorrow.
But some will object unto me, “You are deceived, for there is pleasure in sin. We have found pleasure in sin, and what – will you persuade us against our knowledge? Have we not reason to distinguish betwixt things which we know are of a contrary nature? Will you persuade men that honey is not sweet, who have tasted of it? If you should bring a thousand arguments, they will not prevail because we have felt the sweetness of sin, therefore we cannot be persuaded to the contrary.”
To this, I answer: that the pleasure that is in sin (if there be any pleasure) is no true solid pleasure, but a sick pleasure. Such a pleasure as a man that is sick of a fever has – a pleasure to drink, not because he has a love to drink excessively, but because it is pleasing to his disease. Even so, when men find pleasure in sin, it is not because it is true pleasure, but because it suits with their disease; that is, with their sin. Now that this is no true pleasure, appears, because that which gives true contentment to the soul is grace, which ever is accompanied with faith in Christ; and this works peace in the soul which passes all understanding (Phil 4:7), whereas sin makes not peace in the soul. That is, where the faculties of the soul are in a combustion amongst themselves, there can be no pleasure. A man that is sick of a dropsy1 may have pleasure to drink, but his pleasure depends upon his disease. If the disease were removed, the pleasure would cease.
The Second Motive
The second motive is: when men go about to satisfy their lusts, they go about an endless work. Now men in outward things would not set themselves about a work if they did but know that it would be endless; that is, they could never finish it; for everyone loves to go about things of a finite nature which may be accomplished. Similarly, if men did but know the nature of sin, they would not give themselves to satisfy their lusts, because they would go about a work that is endless. For the nature of sin is like the horseleech which the wise man speaks of (Prv 30:15), that the more it is given, the more it craves, but is never satisfied. In the same way, the more you seek to satisfy sin, the more it desires. Like the fire, the more you cast into it, the more it burns; but if you wish to quench it, then detract from it. So, if you would have sin to die, then detract from your pleasure, from your covetousness, from your pride. A man that is sick of a fever, if you would not increase his heat, then keep from cold drink and other things that are contrary to it; but if you do satisfy the disease in these things, you do increase it. So, if you would not go about an endless work, give your lusts a preemptory2 denial. Please not sin; for if you do, you will displease God. Let this therefore move men to mortify their lusts.
The Third Motive
The third motive to move all men to mortify sin is: the great danger it brings a man unto. It makes a man liable unto all the judgments of God. It takes God’s special protection from a man. It fills the heart full of slavish fear. It is like a quagmire which may seem to be firm and solid, but being once in it, the more you strive to get out, the greater danger you are in. Like a bird that is taken with a gin,3 the more she seeks to escape, the faster[efn-note]More tightly or securely.[/efn_note] she is holden by it. So it is with sin. It presents a pleasant appearance,4 it will pretend much good, but take heed of falling into it – for if you be once in it, it will be a hard matter to escape.
The understanding is the porter of the soul. So long as there is spiritual life in the soul, the rest of the faculties do partake of it, and so the whole is preserved. But sin blinds the understanding, and when the understanding is misinformed, it misinforms the will and affections; that is, it breeds a disorder in the soul and among the faculties, then the means of grace become unprofitable. To this effect the Apostle says, they became “blind in their understanding” (Eph 4:18), and then they fell unto noisome5 lusts. Giving themselves unto a customary sinning, they became blind in their understandings; that is, it put out their eyes and it made them blind as beetles – and when a man is blind, he will run upon any danger, because he does not see it. Even so, when sin has put out the eye of the mind, the soul is in marvelous great danger of falling irrecoverably. Therefore, let this move men to mortify sin.
The Fourth Motive
The fourth motive to move all men to mortify sin is: sin will deceive men. Now, there is no man that would be willingly cozened,6 but every man would be plainly dealt with. Therefore, if men did but know this – that if they gave way unto their lusts, they would befool them – surely men would not be so easily led away by them. But men will not believe this. They cannot conceive how there should be such deceit in sin, seeing they are of so near a conjunction, as to be a part of themselves. Therefore, I will show you how sin does cozen them, and that in these particular ways:
First, it makes man a fool, by blinding the understanding; and when he is thus blinded, he is led away to the committing of every sin. Therefore, it is said (I Pet 1:14), “Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance,” that is, before you were enlightened, your lusts had made you fools by taking away your understandings, and putting out the eye of your minds, but now fashion not yourselves in this way. Suffer not sin to blind you again, seeing you now see.
Second, it cozens you by making large promises. If you would be a wanton person, it will promise you much pleasure; if ambitious, much honor; if covetous, much riches. Nay, if you will be secure, careless, and remiss for spiritual things – such as grace, and justification, and remission of sins – it will make you as large an offer as the devil made unto Christ (Mat. 4:4): “All these things will I give to you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Similarly, it may be that he will promise you salvation and life everlasting, but he will deceive you, for it is none of his to bestow; if he gives you anything, it shall be that which he did not promise, and that is, in the end, horror of conscience and destruction.
Third, by promising to depart whenever you want it to. “Oh,” says sin, “just give me entertainment for this once. Be but a little covetous, a little proud or ambitious, and I will depart whenever you want me to.” But give way unto sin in this case, and you will find that it will deceive you; for sin hardens the heart, dulls the senses, and makes dead the conscience, so that now it will not be an easy matter to dispossess sin when it has taken possession of the soul. It is not good to let a thief enter into the house upon such conditions; therefore the Apostle says (Heb 3:23), “Take heed lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin,” that is: sin will promise you this and that, but believe it not. It will deceive you.
Fourth, in the end when we think it should be our friend, it will be our great enemy. For instead of life, it will give us death. It will witness against us that we are worthy of death because we have neglected the means of grace: neglected to hear, to pray, and to confess. And what was the cause of this remissness but sin, and yet it accuses us of what itself was the cause. Now what greater enemy can a man possibly have than he that provokes him to a wicked act, and then after accuses him for it? Therefore, let this move men to mortify their lusts.
The Fifth Motive
The fifth motive to move all men to hate sin is: it makes us rebels against God; and who would be a rebel and traitor against God and Christ, who was the cause of his being? The Apostle says, “being servants unto sin, we become servants of unrighteousness” (Rom 6.19), that is, if we suffer sin to reign in us, then we become servants of unrighteousness, rebels unto God, and enemies unto Christ, who love righteousness. Now he that is a friend unto God, loves that which God loves, and hates that which God hates; but he that is not, loves the contrary, for unrighteousness is contrary to God, and he that loves it, is a rebel against God. Every lust has the seed of rebellion in it, and as it increases, so rebellion increases. Therefore, let this move men to mortify sin.
The Sixth Motive
The sixth motive to move men to mortify sin is: sin will make us slaves to Satan. The Apostle says, “that to whomsoever you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey” (Rom 6:16), that is, if you do not mortify your lusts, you will be slaves to your lusts. They will bear rule over you, and miserable will be your captivity under such a treacherous lord as sin is. Therefore, if you would have Christ to be your Lord and Master, if you would be free from the slavery of Satan, then slay your lusts. Otherwise, you cannot be the servants of God. Let this move men also to mortify sin.
