Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

After this manner mortify sin, and above all thy darling only one, which thy Heart hath been tender of, and could wish that it were no sin; spare it not, but cause it to dye, as a sure Pledge that all other sins shall do so. Believe it, This is [Greek or Hebrew] the path of life, or of those two lines of Holiness and Comfort. If ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live, saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.13; an eternal life in Heaven, and a comfortable one in the way thither. Who knows, but that whilst thou art mortifying thy sin, God may come and speak to thee, much as he did to Abraham when he was offering up his Isaac; Now I know that thou repentest indeed, and believest indeed, seeing thou hast not withheld thy Sin, thy Darling Sin from the work of Mortification: Surely, blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee; Thy Comforts shall be as the Stars, and as the Sand. When thou hast been a-slaying thy Lusts, Jesus ⟨p. 441⟩Christ will meet thee (as Melchizedek did Abraham, when he came from the slaughter of the Kings), Bringing forth Bread and Wine, Supportations and Divine Consolations to thy Soul. Melchizedek's Bread and Wine were to Abraham Pawns of Canaan, the Land of Promise; and Christs Supports and Comforts shall be to thee Earnests of Heaven. See what pure strains of Grace flow in the precious Promises made to the Overcomer; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna; and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he which receiveth it, Rev. 2.17. O what things are here! Comforts fall about the Overcomer, and are preserved in his heart; as the Manna fell about the Camp, and was preserved in the Golden Pot. Pardon is the white stone, and Adoption the new name; and all these, though secret to others, are well known to himself. But you'll say, These are promised to the Overcomer; and who can say, that he is such? Is not the Canaanite still in the land? Are there not relics of Corruption in the best? Doth not the flesh still lust against the spirit, and the body of Death send out its stench and rottenness? And who may call himself an Overcomer? I answer, The Canaanite is in the land; but subdued: Relics of Sin are in thee; but they do gravitare, press and lye heavy, as a thing out of its proper place, and force thee to groan and cry out, O wretched man!