tinuously the processes of the natural life. The spiritual man having
passed from Death unto Life, the natural man must next proceed to pass
from Life unto Death. Having opened the new set of correspondences, he
must deliberately close up the old. Regeneration in short must be
accompanied by Degeneration.

Now it is no surprise to find that this is the process everywhere
described and recommended by the founders of the Christian system. Their
proposal to the natural man, or rather to the natural part of the
spiritual man, with regard to a whole series of inimical relations, is
precisely this. If he cannot really die, he must make an adequate
approach to it by "reckoning himself dead." Seeing that, until the cycle
of his organic life is complete he cannot die physically, he must
meantime die morally, reckoning himself morally dead to that environment
which, by competing for his correspondences, has now become an obstacle
to his spiritual life.

The variety of ways in which the New Testament writers insist upon this
somewhat extraordinary method is sufficiently remarkable. And although
the idea involved is essentially the same throughout, it will clearly
illustrate the nature of the act if we examine separately three
different modes of expression employed in the later Scriptures in this
connection. The methods by which the spiritual man is to withdraw
himself from the old environment--or from that part of it which will
directly hinder the spiritual life--are three in number:--

First, Suicide.
Second, Mortification.
Third, Limitation.

It will be found in practice that these different methods are adapted,
respectively, to meet three different forms of temptation; so that we
possess a sufficient warrant for giving a brief separate treatment to
each.

First, Suicide. Stated in undisguised phraseology, the advice of Paul to
the Christian, with regard to a part of his nature, is to commit
suicide. If the Christian is to "live unto God," he must "die unto sin."
If he does not kill sin, sin will inevitably kill him. Recognizing this,
he must set himself to reduce the number of his correspondences--retaining
and developing those which lead to a fuller life, unconditionally
withdrawing those which in any way tend in an opposite direction. This
stoppage of correspondences is a voluntary act, a crucifixion of the
flesh, a suicide.

Now the least experience of life will make it evident that a large class
of sins