The best means to mortify sin - Thomas Brooks

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"Therefore, put to death whatever in you is worldly:
sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and
greed, which is idolatry." Colossians 3:5

While a darling sin lives and keeps the throne in the heart,
grace and holiness will be kept exceeding weak and low. But
when your darling sin is dethroned and slain by the power
and the sword of the Spirit—grace and holiness will quickly
grow stronger and stronger, and rise higher and higher.

When a man has eaten poison, nothing will make him thrive,
until he has vomited up the poison. Beloved sins—they are
the poison of the soul, and until these are vomited up, and
cast out by sound repentance, and the exercise of faith in the
blood of Christ, the soul will never thrive in grace and holiness!

If ever you would attain to higher degrees of holiness,
then fall with all your might, upon subduing and crucifying
your most raging corruptions, and your most daring lusts!

Oh do not think that your golden and your silver idols will
lay down their weapons, and yield the battle, and lie at your
feet, and let you trample them to death—without striking a
blow! Oh remember that besetting-sins will do all they can
to keep their ground, and therefore you must arise with all
your strength against them, and crush them to powder,
and burn them to ashes!

Oh deal with your most enraged lusts, as the Philistines
dealt with Samson—pluck out their eyes, and force them
to grind in the mill of mortification, until their strength is
utterly consumed and wasted.

I have read of five men, who being asked what was
the best means to mortify sin, gave these answers.

Said the first, "The best means to mortify sin,
is to meditate on death."

Said the second, "The best means to mortify sin,
is to meditate on the judgment-day."

Said the third, "The best means to mortify sin,
is to meditate on the joys of heaven."

Said the fourth, "The best means to mortify sin,
is to meditate on the torments of hell."

Said the fifth, "The best means to mortify sin, is to
meditate on the death and sufferings of Christ."

Doubtless the last man hit the nail on the head!

The daily sight of a bleeding, groaning, dying
Savior—is the only thing which will subdue and
mortify darling sins!

O friends! Never leave looking up to a crucified Christ,
until virtue flows from Him to the crucifying of those
special besetting sins which do most obstruct and
hinder the growth and increase of holiness.

(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!