flesh in one sense because he hath no body yet he is altogether Flesh in a spiritual sense i. e. sinful and he draws those and leads them after the Flesh who live after it they do follow him though they think not so they know it not Eph 2.2 they who walk according to the course of this world they do walk according to the Prince of the power of the air so v. 3. they fulfill the desires or wills of the flesh therefore they shall dye for Satan is a dead creature and he is reserved to a farther degree of death and misery Satan also is a deadly enemy to men he seeks with all diligence to entice allure and draw us to his condition will he not be killed who follows a subtle enemy that plots his death Shall not he dye who yields himself up to his enemies who christ to have his blood and are implacably bent upon his ruine but thus do they who live after the Flesh they yield themselves up to Satan who as I may say hath sworn and more chan sworn the death of all he can prevail against and they give up themselves into the hand of the Lusts of the Flesh which war against their souls 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly beloved abstain from steshly Lusts which war against your souls how then can he escape death who surrenders himself thereto Lastly Those many threatnings of the God of truth against such who live in sin that he will whet his Sword against them wound their hairy sculp turn them into hell Ps 9.17 the word into is doubled in the Hebrew either to note the certainty thereof as if he had said the wicked shall be turned into yea surely into hell or to signifie the greatness and the endlesseness of their punishment they shall be turned into and into hell over head and eats as we say they shall be cast deep very deep into the bottomless pit they shall still be falling as it were lower and lower or their souls and at last their bodies shall be cast into hell their souls into and their bodies into hell or when their bodies into the grave then their souls into hell and the like they all demonstrate and establish this truth so sure as God is true those threatnings are true So then it is abundantly manifest most undeniable as clear as the Sun as sure as sure can be that if we if any of us all live after the flesh dye we shall perish we shall without remedy Sermon 2. Q. 5. VVHy should such Doctrine be preached to believers A. Not as if they who have true faith shall ever any of them so live after the flesh as at last to dye the second death this is not intended nor implyed either in my Text or any other like Sentence of Scripture for it 's certain nothing is meant or can by right consequence be deduced from one place of Scripture which is contrary to any thing expressed in another but it is expressly asserted that God who hath begun a good work in his people will perform carry it on to the day of Christ Phil. 1.6 he that layes the foundation of true grace in any soul will go forward with his work till he hath laid the top stone and that because he is faithful 1 Cor. 1.8 9. Who shall also confirm you to the end that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ for God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord so 1 Thess last 24 and 2 Thess 3.3 and as God is faithful so it 's sure he is able otherwise he would never have begun his work in us as may be argued from those words of Christ Luke 14.28 29 30. which of you intending to build a Tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he have sufficient to finish it lest haply after he hath said the foundation and is not able to finish it all that behold it begin to mock him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish How much wiser is God than man none shall have cause to mock him therefore he both can and will finish his building the Church and the work of grace in every one of his effectually called ones But why then is it said to Believers If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye A. 1. All Believers are not such in truth all who make a profession have not been under the power of God to their saving Conversion when God sows wheat the Devil sows tares when God makes true Converts the Devil makes Hypocrites Mat. 13.38 39. Hypocrites especially are the Devils Children the tares are the Children of the wicked one all wicked ones are Children of that wicked one chiefly Hypocrites these are as his first born and have most of his likeness There ever were and will be during the state of things such as Judas Symon Magus Demas c. hereafter all such shall be gathered out of Gods Kingdom No Hypocrite shall be in the New Jerusalem but now there are foolish as well as wise Virgins workers of iniquity who hear Christs word and eat and drink in his presence at his Table with respect to this it is needfull there should be such Doctrine Preached now in the Church ye shal dye if c the rather because men know not the hearts of those to whom they Preach Mal. 3. last Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked now there is not a certain Infallible discerning and false unsound hearted ones are frequently very confident of their state that it is good that it is safe As men in a dream while dreaming are very confident of this or that concerning themselves the contrary whereto they find true when they awake hence this truth is to be taught to awaken such if it may be and to shew them their great and sad mistake Secondly Though it shall never be because of Gods faithfulness as also because of Gods election Christ's death c. that true Believers shall so live after the flesh that they shall perish yet the thing is possible in it self and as to themselves Did not Adam in innocency fall and come under the sentence of death so would the best men fall into perdition if left to themselves as Peter had sunk quite down and drowned if left to himself and when he denied Christ so far he had denied him utterly Corruption because natural hath great advantage against grace in us and Satan by all means layes about him to draw it forth so that if we had no keeper no guid or better Pilot than our selves we should live after the Flesh and split dash in pieces on that rock therefore that none may have confidence in themselves but all of us be kept constantly trusting in the living God in Christ the power of God and that we may not be high minded but fear hence the Apostle having given that
ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye The Apostle doth not say they who live after the flesh shall dye But If ye c. he speaks home to their Consciences It is to be minded to whom this is spoken that may be known by observing to whom this Epistle was written Chap. 1.6 7. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints By the way you may take notice of three things 1. The Apostle Paul wrote this Epistle not the Apostle Peter v. 1. though the Pope that great * As a Prophet was called a man of God and Timothy 1 Tim. 6.11 so Antichrist a man of sin 2 Thess 2.3 Or one made up of sin inward part very wickedness Ps 5.9 and his outward part also eyes full of Adultery hands full of blood c. man of sin that Gyant that Monster of iniquity doth pretend himself to be Peters not Paul's Successor yet we read not that Peter did ever so much as write an Epistle to any in Rome and some learned men prove by divers arguments that he never was there but Paul wrote this Epistle to them in Rome and it is expressed Acts last 〈◊〉 that there he dwelt and preached in his own hired house two years besides it is considerable Peter was the Apostle of the Circumcision Paul of the Uncircumcision and so of the Romans Chap. 15.15 16 Nevertheless Brethren I have written the more boldly to you in some sort as putting you in mind because of the Grace that is given to me of God that I should be the Minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles c. Secondly There are divers passages in this Epistle that seem to have been purposely exprest by the guidance of the Holy Ghost with respect to that great Apostacy he foreknew would be and have its chief seat in Rome which is the rather to be noted because some Jesuits make use of certain expressions in it uttered in commendation of the Christians then at Rome to defend their Sect and Party in their present wickedness though the Apostle do as much or more commend others to whom he wrote It is observeable in this Epistle the Apostle disputes largely concerning justification by faith without works whereas they now cry up works in justification and he by way of warning perhaps also of Prophecy tells the Romans Chap. 11. that if they continued nor in the goodness of God which they have not they should be cut off from being a Church of God as the Jews were and Chap. 12.3 I say faith he through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith Now of all men on earth no man doth or even can transgress that rule more than the Pope who boasteth himself to be infallible at least in his Chan and to have power to forgive sins to dispose of Kingdoms to dispence with the Law of God in divers cases and the like Oh how highly doth he think of himself above what he ought to think how far are such thoughts from sobriety would he think of himself according to the measure of his faith must he not think himself among the meanest if not the lowest of those who make any profession of the name of Christ Ag. Ch. 13.1 Let every soul be subject to the higher powers viz. Magistrates Civil Rulers it 's not said let all but every soul yet that great Antichrist would have the highest powers on earth subject to him and he saith they are or ought to be so he exalts himself above all that 's called God 2 Thess 2.4 I shall add only that one place more Chap. last 17.18 Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Who are they that cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle more than they at Rome and their fellow Idolaters enemies of the Cross of Christ who do more manifestly than the generality of that sort of men serve their own belly and who by good words and fair speeches as by other means do more grosslly deceive the hearts of the simple Thirdly observe the Apostle doth not in the dedication or superscription of this Epistle say to the Church which is at Rome as in other Epistles he saith to the Church in such or such a place but he saith in that first Chap. 6.7 v. To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints He doth not so much as make mention of a Church at Rome much Iess doth he speak of it as the Mother and chief Church much less doth he once mention or direct his Epistle to a Pope there No nor doth he give the least hint of Peters being there or to be there which most probably he would had Peter ever been Bishop of Rome as Papists conceit But saith he to all c. called Saints as the Greek hath it not called to be but called Saints or Saints by calling though now they at Rome Canonize persons for Saints after they have been long dead and speak as if there were no Saints on earth being conscious perhaps to themselves that they are far from being such yet at Rome in Paul's time there were called Saints who were beloved of God to these the Apostle directed and sent this Epistle and therefore to these he speaks in my Text. If ye beloved of God called Saints live after the flesh ye shall dye It may seem strange he should speak of dying to such as these but the Spirit of truth who guided the Apostle in his writing is the great teacher and well understands himself and to dislike that which was written by the Spirit is no small evil Nor is it strange that the Apostle should thus write to such considering how he expresseth himself with an If If ye live after c. as it 's no way improper or unfit to say to ungodly men in general if ye repent if ye believe ye shall live ye shall be saved No more hath it any unfitness in it or strangeness of speech to say to believers If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye As there are conditional promises to unbelievers so conditional threatnings to believers and hereby it appears were that Apostle here to Preach as once divers would not like his preaching for there are who love not to hear but cry down such Doctrine The Doctrinal proposition which I am to Discourse upon is this D. That if any whoever they are do or shall live after the flesh they shall dye whatever their priviledges or enjoyments are
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us in our nature for us who walk not after the slesh but after the Spirit and it 's sure we do walk after the Spirit if we mortifie our sins through the Spirit Fourthly the Apostle gives us another Argument in the words next following my Text Rom. 8.14 for saith he As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God for that is for this reason it must be so that if we through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body we shall live because we so doing are led by the Spirit which ever leadeth souls led by it to life as Satan leads souls that walk after him to death and our being led by the Spirit proves that we are the Children of the living God whose Children shall surely live the fountain of life will give life the best all life to his Children and those whom he makes his Children are therefore so made by him that they might live in him to him and with him for ever As Christ faith God is not the God of the dead but of the living so he is not the Father of the dead but of the living only of such to whom he doth and will give life all his Children shall have life from him he will be their life Fifthly Either we shall dye or live there is no middle between death and life but if we through the Spirit put sin to death if we mortifie it then we shall not dye because none dye but it is by sin as by the guilt so by the power of sin sin kills all who perish but if sin be killed in us we shall not be killed or destroyed by it He that slayeth his enemies shall not be slain by them He that mortifieth the diseases that seize on his body shall not by them be mortified in his body It may be said if we could mortifie sin so as never to sin more then no doubt we should live but Alas whatever we do against sin still we sin yea even continually one way or other A. But it shall not be alway so the day will come when you shall sin no more and in the mean time there is a party in you that sinneth not the Spirit sinneth not nor doth the seed of God in you the new man the new creature and if you through the Spirit do seek and are set upon a hearty endeavouring the death of sin then the sin that comes from you is rather to be look'd upon as from corruption remaining than from you because you have a contrary principle and the sin that flows from you is against your will as it is not the Palsey man that shakes his head or hand but the Palsey Rom. 7.16 If then I do that which I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me should any one take your hand and smite another therewith against your will would you not say you did not smite him so your sin whose hearts are in truth bent against it is not accounted to you that it should prejudice you and hinder your attaining life but you shall live as surely as if you were wholly freed from sin and did never sin at all I know that speech of the Apostle may be hath been and is no doubt much abused by such who understand it not or use it to harden themselves to stop the mouth of conscience and of such who justly reprove them as it was wrested and misused by that Antinomian Maid who being ask'd how stolen Cloaths came to be in her Chest answered it was not I but sin that dwelleth in me But if that Scripture be rightly understood and applyed it is of great good use and it doth establish and confirm the present truth Sixthly The Apostle saith if God be for us who can be against us but if we through the Spirit make war to purpose against our sin then God is for us we are on God's side who is on my side who said Jehu whereupon one looking out at a window he bid him throw Jezabel down who was his enemy whereby that man shewed himself to be on Jehu's side so when we heartily seek to throw out and break the neck of that Jezabel sin that is within us which is enmity to God then are we on God's side and God is on our side he is for us if we are for him As he is cursed who helps not the Lord against the mighty so he is blessed that doth go forth against his sin that may be applyed to sin which is spoken of Babylon Ps 137. 2 last O corruption O lust which art to be destroyed happy shall he be who rewardeth thee as thou hast served us happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones who seeks thy utter destruction In a word sin hath not dominion over those who mortifie it through the Spirit therefore they are under grace therefore they shall live through grace they are in the covenant of grace which is a covenant of life therefore they shall have life according to and by the covenant Application Use 1. LEarn hence a reason of that deadness that is upon the Spirits of men of professors too commonly how many have a name to live yet are dead and how many are under great deadness as to all holy duties all ordinances all good works reprobate or much like such who are reprobate to every good work Tit. 1. last speak to them call cry aloud and tell them this that is their duty shew it them by Scripture yet O sadness they have no life no heart to it you had even as good call upon a dead man to eat to drink or hear and do any thing you shall say to him Why what 's the matter with men that they are thus dead their hearts their consciences their wills and affections dead the cause is palpable their sin liveth lust is unmortified Know it whoever of you are under prevailing deadness of spirit to or in that which is good and your duty deadness of heart God-ward there is some lust or other that is lively in you seeing they shall live who do mortifie the deeds of sin And as for those who are dead at heart especially if they are daily so be it as to any good or as to joy peace and comfort let them consider whether it arise not hence the prevalency of some sin in them the death whereof they have not industriously sought through the Spirit Or if any are without the life of happiness by God's countenance shining upon them look well into thy self search and see is there not earthly mindedness worldliness love of the world pride impatience hypocrisie envy or some other iniquity unmortified and which through the Spirit thou seekest not the destruction of Or if any are born down with fear overcome with doubts concerning their living hereafter though this through temptation may be the case
wish and if it may be to seek the death of its object Hence we read 1 Joh. 3.15 Whoso hateth his brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath eternal life abiding in him Fourthly Is it not necessary that we escape condemnation in the day of judgment but this we cannot unless we mortifie the deeds of the body for the Scripture assures us in that day the Lord will render to every one according to his deeds Rom. 2.5 6. Now is the day of salvation now is the accepted time 2 Cor. 6.2 but yet after a little while there will be a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God and then O then even then will the Lord God himself render to every one of us according to our deeds but what are our deeds A. The deeds of the body of sin are our deeds if we mortifie them not for then we allow them as they say the receiver is as bad as the thief so if we entertain and give way to the lustings and out-goings of corrupt nature we make our selves even as bad as it we are as guilty as the old man the body of sin is they are as partners with their corruption who seek not its destruction therefore according to all the deeds of our corruption will the Lord render to us in that day if we mortifie them not but O! Alas what a recompense what wo what sore punishment when God even the most High and Almighty one himself and that in the day of wrath shall render to a poor creature a miserable man according to all the lusts and lustings of sin all the members and motions and works of the body of sin in him Fifthly Is it not necessary that we perform acceptable service to God This will not be cannot be that we serve or worship God so that what we do should be accepted of him unless we mortifie the affections and motions of sin within us for our iniquities if not subdued will defile all we do so that it will be loathsom and abominable to God our lusts if suffered to live in us will either quite draw us off from serving God or they will mortifie all our services they will make them as dead services altogether odious and hateful to the Lord Isa 1.11 12 c. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord c. bring no more vain oblations Incense is an abomination to me the new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity the solemn meeting Your new Moons and your appointted Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to hear them Why because their lusts were unmortified therefore it 's said v. 16. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil And no wonder for if our lusts are let alone and entertained as friends not dealt with as enemies then are not our hearts upright with God we are no better than Hypocrites in all that we do Corruption living and prevailing keeps our hearts from God it fetters imprisoneth and shackles our souls that they cannot follow after God Every lust any one sin not mortified it doth bind a man hand and foot as to any right performance to God so it will be most just for Christ to say to all whose sins are not mortified as he foretells us he will say Take them bind them hand and foot and cast them into outer darkness because they suffered themselves as if Christ should say to be taken and bound hand and foot by their corruptions And would not endeavour by destroying them to set themselves at liberty that they might walk in the light therefore take them you Executioners of my wrath take them and bind them hand and foot and cast them into outer darkness Sixthly Let me add but this is it not necessary that we should have Communion with God fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ but how shall this be sure our sins must first be mortified because the Father is most holy and the Son is most holy should God grant us Communion with himself while any of our corruptions are harboured and not wounded not brought under but have dominion in us he must have fellowship with them even with our sins which is impossible 2 Cor. 6.14 15. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what Communion hath light with darkness and what Concord hath Christ with Belial We are exhorted to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but we have fellowship with the deeds of the body of sin if we comply with them and mortifie them not and we thereby have Communion with Satan It is as sure some have Communion with Satan in this world as it is that some have fellowship with God and who are they who have Communion with Satan but such whose hearts are in league with their sins therefore such can have no fellowship with God nor can it be that God should draw nigh to them in a way of Communion So then I need say no more it abundantly appears it is necessary of exceeding great necessity that we do mortifie the deeds of the body Q. 5. Why is this to be done constantly A. This is a duty and work about which we must be conversant wherein we must be exercised continually all the dayes of our life therefore the Apostle saith if ye mortifie not if ye have mortified noting to us that this is a business we are daily all our life long to be employed in And the reasons hereof are manifest First Because as hath before been said the body of sin continueth in all while their natural visible body liveth in this world the Apostle Paul himself complains and cryeth out because of this body of death of sin which is as death and this body of sin is still bringing forth sowr grapes vile fruit there are new lustings of corruption every day hence we read the flesh lusteth against the spirit that is constantly daily and Jam. 4.5 the spirit that is in us lusteth to envy so it lusteth to worldliness to discontent impatience pride wrath c. Therefore we must constantly keep warring against our sin its motions are still renewed therefore we must still renew our blows our opposition our endeavour for their mortification a if fire break forth and it be beaten in or quench't yet so that it is still burning still flaming and issuing forth again then there is greet need why there should be still endeavours to extinguish it But the bare continuance and constant working of corruption is not all Secondly Satan is still endeavouring to quicken the deeds of the body he is still seeking to stir up this and the other lust in us to ingender hatch or beget new sinful motions in us in our corrupt nature The body of sin is as I may call it
Satan's daughter yet harlot he is still doing all he can to cause new births to make corruption fruitful therefore we should still be mortifying our sins or we give him encouragement we yield to him if one be endeavouring still to burn down your house your city had you not need still to stand ready with water and whenever any flame appears to bestir your selves Thirdly What ever arguments or reasons there are why we should begin and at any time mortifie the deeds of corruption the same arguments the same reasons there are why we should continue and hold on in so doing our lusts are still the same in their own nature at one time as at another God abhors them alwayes alike they are still as contrary to him as full of enmity to our souls the lustings of sin at all times deserve death and have a tendency to bring us unto death so in all other respects we have the same motives to quicken us in the carrying on this holy war Fourthly they who have begun to seek the death of their sins have more reason to go forward even than they had to begin hast thou begun to destroy the viperous brood of lusts in thy soul reason enough thou hadst to begin and wo had been to thee if thou hadst never begun to destroy these Vermin Serpents and much worse but yet thou having begun hast more reason to go on and continue destroying them while thou liv'st For First The more thou hast done the less thou hast to do if thou holdest on or the more thou hast done the more easie will it be for thee to go forward in so doing every work is hardest at first and so is this the longer the Souldier hath been in the war and the more execution he hath done the better may he hold on in his warfare and ordinarily the more is he encouraged the more resolute and couragious is he as also the more able old Souldiers are look'd upon as the best Secondly The longer thou hast been occupied or busied in this work the less while hast thou to sweat in it Rom. 13.11 Knowing the times that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed So the utter destruction of our sin is nearer than when we began to make war upon it so long as thou hast been mortifying thy lusts so much shorter thy life and therefore the life of thy lusts also thy end and therefore their end is so much the nearer and thou art so much the nearer heaven where thou shalt have no more such work to do where thou shalt neither have any sinful lusting nor any sin remaining in thee Thirdly To give over having begun is a hainous crime a greater evil than to have never begun he that never listeth himself or never marcheth forth offends less than he that doth and runs from his Colours or returns before the fight be ended unless his Captain send him back which the Captain of our salvation never doth any but in this spiritual warfare it 's yet much worse for he that desisteth who holds his hand he as it were enters into a new league and makes a new composition with his sin and that after light and conviction for none begin but such who are inlightned and convinced which aggravates greatly their Complyance with their sin He mortifieth his convictions who keeps not on in mortifying his corruptions Yea if thou yieldest thy self after resistance made against thy sin to be carried down the stream thou dost then resist the spirit for that it was that put thee on at first to strike at and attempt the death of thy lusts Fourthly Thou wilt lose all thy former labour and endeavour and worse than lose it Lose it it 's sure thou wilt for thou wilt be overcome by thy sins he that doth his utmost may be and is sometimes captivated as the Apostle saith he was by sin but they who lay down their Arms or stand still will be quite conquered as suppose an Enemy scale the Walls of a City if those within only knock down and kill for a while those who seek to enter and don 't continue to slay while there are more and more still powred in upon them notwithstanding all that have been slain the City will soon be taken mastered and brought under the Enemies power So it is here and if any are quite overcome by their corruptions they will perish by them notwithstanding any former conquest gained against or over them Though thou hast mortified a 100 and a 100 lustings of the flesh though thou hast kept under thy sins never so long if after all thou sittest still they 'l become thy Master and they 'l strangle thy soul they 'l stab thee to thy heart and carry thee to perdition So will all thy former pains and warring be lost be as if it had not been Yea I say it will be worse than lost for thy corruption will grow the more violent as a stream that 's stop'd a while thy lusts will become the more furious as an Enemy that hath been of 't beaten and at length gets the upper hand he is the worse he 's the more cruel And God will punish the more sorely all who don't continue but let fall the war against their lusts If any think this not true but shall bless themselves in what 's past and grow secure slothful careless and take their ease giving their corruption leave even to work as it will and putting themselves under the feet of their flesh let such read and reading tremble those words of the Apostle Peter in his 2 Epistle 2. Chap. 19 and 20 v. while they promise others liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage for if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning the more a deadly disease is medled with if after it be let alone and prevail it will kill the sooner But I pass to the Application Vses Use 1. It is a great mistake if thou O soul thinkest thy condition good who hast not as yet begun this work who hast not as yet struck one stroke in it who hast not to this day given thy lusts one blow but hast suffered them to live quietly and peaceably in thee without any disturbance or opposition Know thou thy condition is not good for thou hast not yet begun to do that which is necessary to be done Or if any one have begun and given over be it through weariness laziness wordliness or carelessness let such know this speaks ill concerning them It may be the time was when thou didst bestir thy self against thy sin but now though thy sin stir mightily in thee thou movest not against