death and resurrection study them set thine eye upon them till thy Heart take in the Impression of them by much Spiritual and affectionate looking on them beholding the Glory of thy Lord Christ then be transformed unto it 2 Cor. 3. It is not only a moral Patern or Copy but an effectual Cause of thy sanctification having real influence into thy Soul dead with him and again alive with him Oh Happiness and Dignity unspeakable to have this Life known and cleared to your Souls If it were how would it make you live above the World and all the vain hopes and fears of this wretched Life and the fears of Death it self yea it would make it most lovely to them that is the most affrightful Visage to the World It is the Apostles Maxime that the carnal mind is enmity against God as it is universally true of every carnal mind so of all the motions and thoughts of it even where it seems to agree with God yet it s still contrary if it acknowledge and conform to his Ordinances yet even in so doing it s in direct opposite terms to him particularly in this that which he esteems most in them the carnal mind makes least account of He chiefly eyes and values the inside the Natural Man dwells and rests in the shell and superfice of them God according to his Spiritual Nature looks most on the more Spiritual part of his worship and Worshippers The carnal mind 's in this just like it selfe altogether for the sensible external part and cannot look beyond it Therefore the Apostle here having taken occasion to speak of Baptism by terms of Paralel and resemblance with the Flood is express in correcting this mistake It is not says he in putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience Were it possible to perswade you I would recommend one thing to you learn to look on the Ordinances of God suitably to their Natures spiritually and enquire after the spiritual effect and working of them upon your Consciences We would willingly have all Religion reduced to outwards this is ouâ— natural choice and would pay all in this coyn as cheaper and easier by far and would compound for the Spiritual part rather to add and give more external perâ—ormance and ceremony Hence the natural complacency of Popery which is all for this service of the flesh and body-services and to those prescribed of God all deal so liberally with him in that kind as to add more and frame new Devices and Rites what you will in this kind Sprinklings and Washingâ— and Anointings and Incense but whither all this is it not a gross mistake of God to think him thus pleased or is it not a direct afront knowing that he is not pleased with these but desires another thing to thrust that upon him that he cares not for and refuse him what he calls for that single humble heart worship and walking with him that purity of Spirit and Conscience that he only prizes and no outward-service but for these as they tend to this end and do attain it Give me says he nothing if you give not this Oh! saith the carnal Mind any thing but this thou shalt have as many washings and offerings as thou wilt thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl yea rather then fail let the Fruit of my Body go for the Sin of my Soul Thus we will the outward use of Word and Sacraments do it then all shall be well baptised we are and shall I hear much and communicate ofâ—en if I can reach it shall I â—e exact in poâ—nt of Family Worship shall I pray in secret all this I do or at least I now promise Ay but when all that is done there is yet one thing may be wanting and if it be so all that amounts to nothing is thy Conscience purged and made good by all these or art thou sâ—â—king and aiming at this by the use of all means then certainly thou shalt â—ind life in them But does thy heart still remain uncleansed from the old ways not purified from the Pollutions of the World do thy beloved sins still lodge with thee and keep possession of thy heart then art thou still a stranger to Christ and an enemy to God the word and seals of Life are dead to thee and thou still dead in the use of them all Know you not that many have made shipwrack upon the very rock of Salvation that many which were baptised as well as you and as constant attendants on all the Worship and Ordinances of God as you yet remained without Christ and died in their sins and are now past recovery Oh! that you would be warned there are still multitudes running headlong that same course tending to destruction through the midst of all the means of Salvation the saddest way of all to it through Word and Sacraments and all heavenly Ordinances to be walking hellwards Christians and yet no Christians baptised and yet unbaptised as the Prophet takes in the prophane multitude of God's own People with the Nations Jer. 9. 26. Egypt and Iudah and Edom all these Nations are uncircumcised and the worst came last and all the House of Israel are uncircumcised in the Heart Thus thus the most of us unbaptised in the heart and as this is the way of personal destruction so it is that as the Prophet there declares that brings upon the Church so many publick Judgments and as the Apostle tells that for the abuse of the Lord's Table many were sick and many slept Certainly our abuse of the holy things of God and want of their proper Spiritual Fruits are amongst the prime sins of this Land 〈◊〉 which so many 〈◊〉 have fallen in the Fields by the Sword and in the Streets by Pestilence and more likely yet to fall if we thus continue to provoke the Lord to his Face for it is the most avowed direct affront to prophane his holy things and thus we do while we answer not their proper end and are not inwardly sanctify'd by them we have no other Word nor other Sacraments to recommend to you than these that you have used so long to no purpose only we would call you from the dead forms to seek the living power of them that you perish not You think the renouncing of Baptism a horrible Word and that we would speak only so of witches yet it is a common guiltiness that cleaves to all who renounce not the filthy lusts and the self will of their own hearts for Baptism carries in it a renouncing of these and so the cleaving unto these is a renouâ—cing of it Oh! we all were sealed for God in Baptism who lives so few that have the Impression of it on the Conscience and the expression of it in the walk and fruit of their life We do not as clean washed persons abhor and fly all pollutions all fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness We have been a
that there is a 〈◊〉 need of this honouring that consists in not dâ—spiâ—â—g and in covering of â—railties as is even imply'd in this that the Woman is not called simply weak but the weaker and the Husband that is generally by Natures advantage or should be the stronger yet is weak too for both are Vessels of Earth and therefore frail both polluted with sin and therefore subject to a multitude of sinful sollies and frailties but as that particular frailty of nature pleads for Women that honour so the other reason added is not from particular disadvantage but from their common priviledge and advantage of grace as Christian that the Christian Husband and Wife are equally Co-heirs of the same grace of life As being Heirs together of the grace of life This is that which most strongly binds on all these duties on the hearts of Husbands and Wives And most strongly indeed binds their hearts together and makes them one 〈◊〉 each be reconciled unto God in Christ and so heirs of life and one with God then are they truly one in God each with other and that 's the surest and sweetest union that can be Natural love hath risen very high in some Husbands and Wives but the highest of it fallâ— far very short of that which holds in God hearts concentring in him are most and excellently one that love which is cemented by youth and beauty when these moulder and decay as soon they do it â—ades too that is somewhat purer and so more lasting 〈◊〉 holds in a natural or moral harmony of Minds yet these likewise may alter and change by some great accident but the most refin'd and spiritual and most â—â—disâ—olubleâ— is that which is knit with the highest and 〈◊〉 Spirit And the ignorance or disregard of this 〈◊〉 great cause of so much bitterness or so little true 〈◊〉 in the life of most married Persons because 〈…〉 meet not as one in him Heirs together Loath will they be to despise one another that are both bought with the precious blood of one Redeemer and loath to grieve one another being in him brought into peace with God they will entertain true peace betwixt themselves and not suffer any thing to disturb it They have hopes to meet one day where is nothing but perfect Concord and Peace they will live as heirs of that life here and make their present estate as like to Heaven as they can and so a pledge and evidence of their title to that Inheritance of peace that is there laid up for them and they will not fail to put one another often in Mind of thâ—se hopes and that Inheritance and to advance and further both each other towards it where this is not 't is to little purpose to speak of other rules where neither party aspires to this heiâ—ship live otherways as they will there is one common Inheritance abiding them one Inheritance of everlasting flames and as they do increase the sin and guiltiness of one another by their irreligâ—ous Conversation so that which some of them do wickedly here upon no great cause they shall have full cause there to curse the time of their coming together and that shall be a peice of their exercise for ever but happy those persons in any Society of Marriage or Friendship that converse so together as those that shall live eternally together in glory This indeed is the Sum of all duties Life A sweet word but sweetest of all in this sense that Life above indeed only worthy the name and this we have here in comparison let it not be called life but continual dying an incessant journey towards the Grave if you reckon years but a short moment to him that attains the fullest old age but reckon miserieâ— and sorrows 't is long to him that dyes young Oh! that that only blessed liâ—e were more known and then it would be more desir'd Grace This the tenor of this Heirship Free Grace this Life a free Gift Rom. 6. ult No life so spotless either in marriage or virginity as to lay claim to this life upon other terms if we consider but a little what it is and what we are this will be quickly out of question with us and we will be most gladly content to hold it thus by deed or gift and admire and extol that Grace that bestows it That your Prayers be not hindred He supposes in Christians the necessary and frequent use of this takes it for granted that the Heir of Life cannot live without prayer this is the proper breathing and language of these Heirs none of them dumb they can all speak these Heirs if they be alone they pray alone if Heirs together and living together they pray together Can the Husband and Wife have that love and wisdom and meekness that may make their life happy and that blessing that may make their Affairs successful while they neglect God the only giver of these and all good things You think these needless motives but you cannot think how it would sweeten your Converse if it were used 'T is prayer that sanctifies and seasons and blesses all and not enough that they pray when with the Family but even Husband and Wife together by themselves and with their Children that they especially the Mother as being most with them in their Child-hood when they begin to be capable may draw them apart and offer them to God often praying with them and instructing them in their youth for they are pliable while young as glass when hot but after sooner break than bend But above all Prayer is necessary as they are Heirs of Heaven often sending up their desires thither You that are not much in prayer look as if you look'd for no more than what you have here if you had an Inheritance and Treasure above would not your heart delight to be there Thus the Heart of a Christian is in the constant frame of it but after a special manner Prayer raises the Soul above the World and sets it in Heaven 't is its near access unto God and dealing with him especially about those Affairs that concern that Inheritance Now in this lies a great part of the comfort a Christian can have here and the Apostle knew this that he would gain any thing at their hands that he press'd by this Argument that otherwise they would be hinder'd in their prayers He knew that they who are acquainted with prayer find such unspeakable sweetness in it that they will rather do any thing than be prejudic'd in that Now the breach of conjugal Love the jarrs and contentions of Husband and Wife do out of doubt so leaven and imbitter their Spirits that they are exceeding unfit for Prayer which is the sweet Harmony of the Soul in God's ears and when the Soul is so far out of tune as those distempers make it he cannot but perceive it whose ear is the most exact of all for he made and tun'd the Ear and is the
good yea mainly in so doing is peace to be sought and pursu'd and most readily to be found and overtaken in that way for the fruit of righteousness is peace Cons. 1. An unpeaceable turbulent disposition is the badge of a wicked mind as the Raging Sea still casting up mire and dirt Is. 57. But this love of peace and in all good ways seeking and pursuing it the true Character of the Children of God who is the God of peace True the Ungodly to prevent their own just challenge as Ahab call the friends of true Religion disturbers and the troublers of Israel And this will still be their impudence but certainly they that love the welfare of Ierusalem do seek and pray for and work for peace all they can as a chief blessing and the fruitful Womb of multitudes of blessings 2dly Considerthen that it is a heavy judgement the deprivement of peace and calls for our prayers and tears to pursue it and intreat its return to seek it from his hand that is the Soveraign dispenser of peace and War to seek to be at peace with him and thereby good all good shall come unto us and particularly this great good of outward peace in due time and the very judgement of War shall in the event be turn'd into a blessing We may pursue it amongst Men and not overtake it use all good means and fall short but pursue it up as far as the Throne of grace seek it by Prayer and that will overtake it will be sure to find it in God's hand who stilleth the Waves of the Sea and the Tumults of the people If he give quietness who then can disturb He that will love Life This the attractive Liâ—e long Life and days of good is the thing Men most desire for if evil days then the worse that they be long and the shortest of such seem too long and if short being good this cuts off the enjoyment of that good but these two compleat the good and sute iâ— to Men's wishes length and prosperity of Life This here supposed that all would be happy that all desire it carried to that by nature to seek their own good but he that will love it that 's here that will wisely love it that will take the way to it and be true to his desire must refrain his Tongue from Evil and his Lips that they speak no guile he must eschew evil and do good seek peace and ensue it You desire to see good days and yet hinder them by sinful provocations desire good clear days and yet Cloud them by your guiltiness Thus many desire good here yea and confus'dly the good of the Life to come because they hear 't is Life and long Life and good to be found in it yea nothing but good but in this is our folly we will not love it wisely the face of our desire is towards it but in our course we are rowing from it down into the dead Sea You would all have better times peace and plenty and freedom from the molest and expence of our present condition why will you not be perswaded to seek it in the true way of it But how this do not the Righteous often pass their days in distress and sorrow and have few and evil days as Iacob speaks Yet is there a truth in this promise annexing outward good things to Godliness as having the promises of this Life and that which is to come and so accomplish'd to them when the Lord sees it convenient and conducing to their highest good but that he most aims at and they themselves do most desire and therefore if the abatement of outward good either the length or sweetness of this Life serve his main end and theirs better they are agreed upon this gainful commutation of good for infinitely better The Life of a godly Man tho' short in comparison of the utmost of Natures course yet may be long in value in reof his activity and attainment to much spiritual good they may be said to live much in a little time and they that wear out their days in folly and sin diu vivunt sed parâ—m i. e. they live long but little or as he again non diu vixit diu fuit i. e. he lived not long but existed long And the good of their days unseen good surpasses all the Worlds mirth and prosperity that makes a noise but is hollow within as the crackling of thorns a great sound but little heat and quickly done as S. Augustine says of Abraham he had dies bonos in Deo licet malos in seculo Good Days in God tho' Evil Days in his Generation A Believer can make up an ill Day with a good God and enjoying him hath solid peace but then that which is abiding that length of Days and that dwelling in the House of God in that length of Days is that which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard c. Good Days an Everlasting Day no need of the Sun nor Moon but that Day immediately flows from first and increated light the Father of Lights his glory shines in it and the Lamb is the light thereof Verse 12. 12. For the Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous and his Ears are open unto their Prayers but the Face of the Lord is against them that do Evil. THe Wisest Knowledge of things is to know them in their Causes but there is no Knowledge of Causes so happy and useful as clearly to know and firmly believe the Universal dependance of all things upon the first and highest Cause the Cause of Causes the Spring of Being and Goodness the Wise and Just Ruler of the World This the Psalmist and here with him the Apostle gives as the true reason of that truth they have averr'd in the former words the connexion of Holyness and Happyness If Life and peace and all good be in God's Hand to bestow when it pleaseth him then sure the way to it is an obedient and regular walking observance of his will and the way of sin is the way to ruin for the Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous c. And his Face against them that do Evil. In the words there 's a double opposition of persons and of their portion 1. Persons The Righteous and Evil Doers 1. These two words are usual in the Scriptures and particularly in the Book of Psalms to express the Godly and Wicked and so this righteousness is not absolute perfection or sinlessness nor the opposed evil doing every act of sin or breach of God's Law but the righteous be they that are students of obedience and holyness that desire to walk as in the sight of God and to walk with God as Enoch did that are glad when they can any way serve him and griev'd when they ofâ—end him that feel and bewail their unrighteousness and are earnestly breathing and advancing forward have a sincere and unfeigned Love to all the Commandments of God and a
sealed it that then the Grave had indeed shut her mouth upon him it appeared a done business to them and lookt very compleat-like in his Enemies eyes and very desperate like to his Friends his poor Disciples and Followers were they not near the point of giving over when they said This is the third day c. And we thought this had been he that should have delivered Israel And yet he was then with them who was indeed the Deliverer and Salvation of Israel that rolling of the Stone to the Grave was as if they had rolled it towards the East in the night to stop the rising of the Sun the next Morning much further above all their Watches and power was this Sun of Righteousness in his rising again That body that was enâ—omb'd was united to the Spring of Life the Divine Spirit of the Godhead that quickened it Obs. 1. Thus the Church which is likewise his Body when it seems undone is brought to the lowest Posture yet by vertue of that mystical Union with Jesus Christ as his Natural Body by personal Union with his Deity shall be preserved from destruction and shall be delivered and raised in due time Yet as he was nearest his exaltation in the lowest step of his Humiliation so is it with his Church when things are brought to the most hopeless appearance then shall light arise out of darkness Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses Therefore as we ought to seek more humble Sense of Sions distress so withal not to let go this hope that her mighty Lord will in the end be glorious in her deliverance and all her sufferings and low estate shall be as a dark Soil to set off the lusture of her restorement when the Lord shall visit her with Salvation As in the rising of Jesus Christ his Almighty Power and Deity was more manifested than if he had not died and therefore we may say confidently with the Psalmist to his Lord Psal. 71. Thou which hast shewed me greâ—t and sore troubles shall quicken me again and shall bring 〈◊〉 up from the depths of the Earth thou shalt increase my greatness and comfort me on every side Yea the Church comes more beautiful out of the deepest distress let it be oâ—erwhelmed with waves yet it sinks not but rises up as only washt And in this confidence we ought to rejoyce even in the midst of our sorrows and though we live not to see them yet even in beholding afar off to be gladed with the great things the Lord will do for his Church in these later times he will certainly make bare his holy Arm in the Eyes of the Nations and all the ends of the Earth shall see the Salvation of our God His King that he hath set on his holy Hill shall grow in his Conquests and Glory and all that rise against him shall he break with a Rod of Iron He was humbled once but his glory shall be for ever as many were astonished at him his Visage being mar'd more than any Man they shall be as much astonished at his Beauty and Glory so shall he sprinkle many Nations and Kings shall shut their mouths at him According as here we find that remarkable evidence of his Divine Power in rising from the dead put to death in the Flesh but quickened by the Spirit 2. Thus a believing Soul at the lowest when to its own sense it is given over unto death and swallowed up of it as it were in the Belly of Hell yet look up to this Divine Power him whose Soul was not left there will not leave thine there Yea when thou art most sunk in thy sad apprehensions and far off to thy thinking then is he nearest to raise and comfort thee as sometimes it grows darkest immediately before day Rest on his power and goodness which never failed any that did so It is he as David says that lifts up the Soul from the Gates of Death 3. Would any of you be cured of that common Disease the fear of Death look this way and you shall find more than you seek you shall be taught not only not to fear but to love it Consider 1. His Death He died by that thou that receivest him as thy life maist be sure of this that thou art by that his death freed from the second death and that 's the great Point let that have the name which was given to the other the most terrible of all terrible things and as the second death is removed this death that thou art to pass through is I may say beautified and sweetned the ugly Visage of it becomes amiable when ye look on 't in Christ and in his death that puts such a pleasing comeliness upon it that whereas others fly from it with affrightment the Believer cannot chuse but embrace it longs to lie down in that Bed of Rest since his Lord lay in it and hath warmed that cold Bed and purified it with his fragrant Body 2. But especially looking forward to his return thence quickened by the Spirit this being to those that are in him the certain pledge yea the effectual Cause of that blessed Reâ—urrection that is in their hopes there is that Union betwixt them that they shall rise by the communication and vertue of his rising not simply by his Power so the wicked to their grief shall be raised but they by his life as theirs Therefore is it so often re-iterated Io. 6. where he speaks of himself as living and Life-giving Bread to Belivers adds I will raise them up at the last day This comfort we have even for the house of Clay we lay down and for our more considerable part our immortal Souls this his death and rising hath provided for them at their dislodging entring into that Glory where he is Now if these things were lively apprehended and laid hold on Christ made ours and the first Resurrection manifest in us quickened by his spirit to newness of life certainly there would not be a more wellcome and refreshing thought nor a sweeter discourse to us than that of death and no matter for the kind of it were it a violent death so was his Were it that we account most judgement like amongst diseases the plague was not his death very painful and was it not an accursed death and by that curse endured by him in his is not the Curse taken away to the Believer Oh! how wellcome shall that day be that day of Deliverance to be out of this woâ—ful Prison I regard not at what Door I go out at being at once freed from so many deaths and set in to enjoy him who is my life Verses 19 20 21. 19. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison 20. Which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water 21. The like figure
fruitful 2. By this Spirit it s said here he preacht not only did he so in the Days of his abode on Earth but in all times both before and after never left his Church altogether destitute of saving light which he dispenced himself and conveyed by the hands of his Servants therefore it s said he preacht that this be no excuse for times after he is ascended into Heaven no nor for times before he descended to the Earth in humane flesh though he preached not then nor does now in his flesh yet by his Spirit he then preacht and still doth so according to what was chief in him he was still present with his Church and preaching in it and is so to the end of the World This his infinite Spirit being every where yet 't is said here by it he went and preached signifying the remarkable clearness of his Administration that way as when he appears eminently in any work of his own or taking notice of our works God is said to come down so to those Cities Gen. 11. Let us go down So Exod. 3. 8. Thus here so clearly did he admonish them by Noah coming as it were himself on purpose to declare his Mind to them And this word I conceive is the rather used to shew what equality there is in this He came indeed visibly and dwelt amongst Men when he became flesh yet before that he visited by his Spirit he went by that and preached And so in after times himself being ascended and not having come visibly in his flesh to all but to the Jews only yet in the preaching of the Apostles to the Gentiles as the great Apostle says of him in this expression Eph. 2. 17. He came and preached to you which were asar off and this he continues to do in the ministry of his word and therefore says he he that despiseth you despiseth me c. Were this considered it could not but procure far more respect to the word and more acceptance of it Would you think that in his word Christ speaks by his eternal Spirit yea he comes and preaches addresses himself particularly to you in it could you slight him thus and turn him off with daily refusals or delays at least Think it is too long you have so unworthily used so great a Lord that brings unto you so great Salvation that came once in so wonderful a way to work that Salvation for us in his flesh and is still coming to offer it unto us by his Spirit does himself preach to us tells us what he undertook on our behalf and how he hath performed all and now nothing rests but that we receive him and believe on him and all is ours But alas from the most the return is that we have here disobedience Sometimes disobedient Two things in the hearers by which they are charactared their present condition in the time the Apostle was speaking of them and this by-past disposition when the Spirit of Christ was preaching to them this latter went first in time and was the cause of the other Therefore of it first If you look to their visible subordinate Preacher a holy Man and an able and diligent Preacher of righteousness both in his Doctrine and in the tract of his life which is the powerfullest preaching it seems strange that he prevailed so little But much more if we look higher this hight as the Apostle points to us to look to that Almighty Spirit of Christ that preacht to them and yet they were disobedient The word is they were not perswaded and it signifies both unbelief and disobedience and that very fitly unbelief being in it self the grand disobedience the mind not yielding to Divine Truth and so the spring of all disobedience in affection and action And this root of bitterness this unbelief is deep â—aâ—â—ened in our natural hearts and without a change in them a taking them to pieces they cannot be good it is as a Tree firm rooted cannot be pluckt up without loosening the ground round about it and this accursed root brings forth fruit unto death because the Word is not believed the threats of the Law and promises of the Gospel therefore Men cleave unto their sins and speak peace unto themselves while they are under the Curse It may seâ—m very strange that the Gospel is so fruitless amongst us yea that neither word nor rod both preaching aloud to us the Doctrine of Humiliation and Repentance yet perswades any Man to return or so much to turn inward and question himself to say what have I done But thus it will be till the Spirit be poured from on high to open and soften hearts It is to be desired as much wanting in the Ministery of the Word but were it there that would not serve unless it were by a concurrent work within the Heart meeting the Word and making the impressions of it there for here we find the Spirit went and preacht and yet the Spirits of the Hearers still unbelieving and disobedient it s a combined work of this Spirit in the Preacher and Hearers that makes it successful otherwise it is but shouting in a dead man's ear there must be something within as one said in a like case To the Spirits in Prison That 's now their Posture and because he speaks of them as in that Posture he calls them Spirits for it s their Spirits that are in that Prison As likewise calls them Spirits that the Spirit of Christ preacht to because it is indeed that that the preaching of the Word aims at it hath to do with the Spirits of Men is not content to be at their ear with a sound but works on their Minds and Spirits some way either to believe and receive or to be hardened and sealed up to Judgement by it which is for Rebels If disobedience follow on the preaching of that word the prison follows on that disobedâ—ence and that Word which they would not be bound by to obedience binds them over to that Prison whence they shall never escape nor be released for ever Take notice of it and know that you are warned you will not receive Salvation offering pressing it self upon you You are every day in that way of disobedience hastening to this perpetual Imprisonment Consider you now sit and hear this Word so did these that are here spoken of they had their time on Earth and much patience used towards them and though not to be swept away by a flood of Waters yet daily carried on by the flood of â—imes 90 Psal. and mortality And how soon you shall be on the other side set into Eternity you know not I beseech you be yet wise hearken to the offers yet made you for in his name I yet once again make a tender of Jesus Christ and Salvation in him to all that will let go their sins to lay hold on him Oh! do not destroy your selves you are in Prison he proclaims you Liberty Christ is still following
be filthy still in the sight of God There is such a Generation a Multitude of them that is pure in their own Eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness Moral evil persons that are most satisfied with their own estate or such as have further a form of Godliness but their lusts not mortified by the power of it secret pride and earthliness of Mind and vain glory and carnal wisdom still pleasingly entertained within these are foul Pollutions filthy and hateful in the sight of God so that where it is thus that the heart is peaceably possest with such guests there the blood and Spirit of Christ are not yet come neither can there be this answer of a Good Conscience unto God This answer of a Good Conscience unto God as likewise its questioning to enable it self for that answer is touching two great points that are of chief concern to their Soul its Iustification and Sanctification for Baptism is the Seal of both and purges the Conscience in both respects that water as the figure both of the blood and water the justifying blood of Christ and the pure water of the sanctifying Spirit of Christ takes away the condemning guiltiness of sin by the one and the polluting filthiness by the other Now the Conscience of a real Believer enquiring within upon right discovery will make this answer unto God Lord I have found that there is no standing before thee for the Soul in it self is overwhelmed with a World of guiltiness but I find a blood sprinkled upon it that hath I am sure vertue enough to purge it all away and to present it pure unto thee and I know that wheresoever thou findest that blood sprinkled thine anger is quench'd and appealed presently upon the sight of it That hand cannot smite where that blood is before thine eye And this the Lord does agree to and authorises the Conscience upon this account to return back an answer of safety and peace to the Soul So for the other Lord I find a living Work of holiness on this Soul though there is yet corruption there yet it is as a continual grief and vexation it s an implacable hatred there is no peace betwixt them but continual enmity and hostility and if I cannot say much of the high degrees of Grace and faith in Christ and love to him and heavenliness of Mind yet I may say there is a beginning of those at least this I most confidently affirm that there are real and earnest desires of the Soul in these things It would know and conform to thy will and be delivered from it self and its own will and though it were to the highest displeasure of all the World it would gladly walk in all well pleasing unto thee And he that sees the truth of these things knowing it to be thus owns it as his own work and engages himself to advance it on and bring it to perfection This is a taste of that intercourse the purified Conscience hath with God as the saving fruit of Baptism And all this it doth not of it self but by vertue of the resurrection of Jesus Christ which refers both to the utmost effect Salvation and the nearer effect as a means and pledge of that the purging of the Conscience By this his Death and the effusion of his Blood in his sufferings are not excluded but are included in it His Resurrection being the evidence of all that work of Expiation both compleated and accepted full Payment made by our Surety and so he set free and his Freedom the Cause and the Assurance of ours Therefore the Apostle St. Paul expresses it so That he died for our sins and rose for our righteousness and our Apostle shews us the worth of our living hope in this same resurrection Chap. 1. v. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Now that Baptism doth apply and seal to the Believer his Interest in the death and resurrection of Christ the Apostle St. Paul teaches to the full Rom. 8. 3. The dipping into the waters our dying with him and the return thence our rising with him The last thing is the resemblance of Baptism in these things with the saving of Noah in the Flood and it holds in that we spoke last of for he seemed to have rather entred into a Grave as dead than into a safeguard of Life in going into the Ark yet there being buried he rose again as it were in his coming forth to begin a new World The Waters of the Flood drown'd the Ungodly as a heap of filthiness washt them away they and their sin together as one being inseparable and upon the same Waters the Ark floating preserved Noah Thus the Waters of Baptism are intended as a deludge to drown Sin and to save the Believer that by Faith is separated both from the World and from his Sin so it sinks and he is saved And there is further one thing specified by the Apostle wherein though it be a little hard yet chiefly intends the paralel The fewness of these that are sav'd by both for though many are sprinkled with the Elemental Water of Baptism yet few so as to attain by it the Answer of a good Conscience towards God and to live by participance of the Resurrection and Life of Christ. Thou that seest the World perishing in a deluge of Wrath and art now most thoughtful for this how thou shalt escape it fly into Christ as thy safety and rest secure there thou shalt find life in his death and that life further ascertained to you in his rising again so full and clear a Title to Life in these two that thou canst challenge all Adversaries upon this very Ground as unconquerable whilest thou standest on it and speak thy challenge in the Apostles stile It is God that justifieth who shall condemn But how know you that he justifies it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen who sitteth at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us It alludes to that place Isa. 50. where Christ speaks of himself but in the name of all that adhere to him he is near that justifies me who is he that will contend with me so that what Christ speaks there the Apostle with good reason imparts to each Believer as in him If no more to be laid to Christ's charge being now acquitted as is clear by his rising again then neither to thine who art cloathed with him and one with him This the grand Answer of a good Conscience and in point of justifying them before God no answer but this What have any to say to thee thy debt is paid by him that undertook it he is free answer all accusations with this Christ is risen And then for the mortifying of sin and strengthing of thy Graces look daily on that
not through fire and water yea through death it self yea were it through many deaths to go after him 2. Consider as its due so it is made easie by that his suffering for us our burden that pressed us to hell taken off is not all as nothing that is left to suffer or do our Chains that bounds us over to eternal Death being knock'd off shall we not walk shall we not run in his ways Oh! think what that Burden and Yoke was he hath eased us of how heavy how unsufferable it was and then we shall think what he so truly says that all he lays on is sweet his yoke easie and his burden light Oh! the happy change rescued from the vilest slavery and called to conformity and Fellowship with the Son of God 2. The Nature of this Conformity to shew the nearness of it is exprest in the very same terms as in the pattern it is not a remote resemblance but the same thing even suffering in the flesh But that we may take it right what suffering is here meant it is plainly this ceasing from sin so suffering in the flesh here is not the enduring of afflictions which is a part of a Christians Conformity with his head Christ Rom. 8. But this is a more inward and spiritual suffering it is the suffering and the dying of our Corruption the taking away the life of sin by the death of Christ and that death of his sinless flesh works in the Believer the death of sinful flesh that is the Corruption of his Nature which is so usually in Scripture called flesh Sin makes Man base drowns him in flesh and the lusts of it makes the very Soul become gross and earthly turns it as it were to flesh so the Apostle calls the very Mind that is unrenewed a carnal mind Rom. 8. And what doth the mind of a Natural Man hunt after and run out into from one day and year to another is it not on things of this base World and the concernment of his flesh What would he have but be accommodated to eat and drink and dress and live at ease he minds earthly things savours and relishes them and cares for them examin the most of your pains and time and your strongest desires and most serious thoughts if they go not this way to raise your selves and yours in your Worldly condition yea the highest projects of the greatest natural Spirits are but earth still in respect of things truly spiritual all their State Designs go not beyond this poor life that perishes in the flesh and is daily perishing even while we are busiest upholding it and providing for it present things and this lodge of clay this flesh and its interest take up most of our time and pains the most yea all till that change be wrought the Apostle speaks of till Christ be put on Rom. 13. put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and then the other will easily follow that follows in the Words make no provision for the flesh to fullfil it in the lusts thereof Once in Christ and then your necessary general care for this natural life will be regulated and moderated by the Spirit And for all unlawful and enormous desires of the flesh you shall be rid of providing for these instead of all provision for the life of the flesh in that sense there is another guest and another life for you now to wait on and furnish for in them that are in Christ that flesh is dead they are frâ—ed from its drudgery he that hath suffered in the flesh hath rested from sin Ceased from sin â—e is at rest from it a Godly Death as thâ—y that die in the Lord rest from their labours he that hath suffered in the flesh and is dead to it dies indeed in the Lord rests from the base turmoil of sin it is no longer his Master As our sin was the cause of Christs death his death is the death of sin in us and that not simply as he bear a moral pattern of it but the real working cause of it hath an effectual influence on the Soul kills it to sin I am crucified with Christ says S. Paul Faith so looks on the death of Christ that it takes the impression of it sets it on the heart kills it unto sin Christ and the Believer do not only become one in law so as his death stands for theirs but are in nature so as his death for sin causes theirs to it Rom. 6. 3. This suffering in the flesh being unto death and such a death Crucifying hath indeed pain in it but what then it must be so like his and the believer like him in willingly enduring it all the pain of his suffering in the flesh his love to us digested and went through it so all the pain to our nature in severing and pulling us from our beloved sins and our dying to them if his love be planted in our hearts that will sweeten it and make us delight in it love desires nothing more than likeness and shares willingly in all with the party loved and above all love this Divine Love is purest and highest and works strongliest that way takes pleasure in that pain and is a voluntary death as Plato calls love it is strong as death makes the strongest body fâ—ll to the ground so doth the love of Christ make the activest and liveliest sinner dead to his sin And as death fevers a Man from his dearest and most familiar friends thus doth the love of Christ and his death flowing from it fever the heart from its most beloved sins I beseech you seek to have your hearts set against sin to hate it to wound it and be dying daily to it Be not satisfy'd unless ye feel an abatement of it and a life within you disdain that base service and being bought at so high a rate think your selves too good to be slaves to any base lust you are called to a more excellent and more honourable service And of this suffering in the flesh we may safely say what the Apostle speaks of the sufferings with and for Christ that the partakers of these sufferings are co-heirs of glory with Christ if we suffer thus with him we shall also be glorified with him if we die with him we shall live with him for ever 3. The actual improvement of this Conformity Arm your selves with the same Mind or thoughts of this Mortification Death taken Naturally in its proper sense being an intire privation of life admits not of degrees but this figurative death this Mortification of the flesh in a Christian is gradual in so far as he is renewed and is animated and acted by the Spirit of Christ he is throughly mortified for this death and that new life joyned with it and here added ver 2. go together and grow together but because he is not totally renewed and there is in him of that corruption still that is here called flesh therefore is
undiscovered unbelief even in that point Therefore the Lord so often makes mention of it in the Prophets Isa. 50. 3. c. And in this point the Apostle particulary expresses I am perswaded that he is able to keep c. So this Apostle chap. 1. 5. Kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time This very needful to be considered in regard of the many and great oppositions and dangers the powerful enemies that seek after our Souls He is able to keep them for he is stronger than all and none can pluck them out of his hand says our Saviour This the Apostle here hath in that word Creator if he was able to give them being sure he is able to keep them from perishing This relation of a Creator implies likewise a benign propension and good will to the works of his hands if he gave them us at first when once they were not forming them of nothing will he not give us them again being put into his hand for safety And as he is powerful he is no less faithful a faithful Creator Truth it self They that believe on him he never deceives nor disappoints Well might St. Paul say I know whom◠I have trusted Oh! the advantage of faith It engages the truth and power of God his royal Word and honour lies upon it to preserve the Soul that faith gives him in keeping if he remain able and faithful to perform his Word that Soul shall not perish There be in the words other two grounds of quietness of Spirit in sufferings 1. It is according to the will of God The believing Soul subjected and levelled to that complying with his good pleasure in all cannot have a more powerful perswasive than this that all is ordered by his will This settled in the heart would settle it much and make it even in all things not only to know but wisely and deeply to consider that it is thus That all is measured in Heaven every dram of thy troubles weighed by that skilful hand that doth all in weight number and measure And then consider him as thy God and father who hath taken special charge of thee and thy Soul thou hast given it to him and he hath received it And upon this consideration study to follow his will in all to have no will but his This is thy duty and thy wisdom nothing gained by spurning and struggling but to hurt and vex thy self but by complying all is gained sweet peace it is the very secret the mystery of solid peace within to resign to his will to be disposed of at his pleasure without the least contrary thought And thus as two faced pictures those sufferings and troubles and whatsoever else to look to it on the one side as painful to the flesh hath an unpleasant visage yet go about a little and look upon it as thy fathers will and then it is smiling and beautiful and lovely This I would recommend to you not only for temporals as easier there but in spiritual things your comforts and sensible enlargements to love all he does it s the sum of Christianity thy will crucify'd and the will of thy Lord thy alone desire joy or sorrow sickness or health life or death in all in all thy will be done The other ground is in the first word reflecting on the foregoing discourse Wherefore what seeing your reproaches and sufferings are not endless yea they are short they shall end and quickly end and end in glory be not troubled about them overlook them the eye of faith will do it a moment what are they this is the great cause of our disquietness in present troubles and griefs we forget their end we are affected withour condition of this present life as if it were all and it is nothing Oh! how quickly shall all the enjoyments and all the sufferings of this life pass away and be as if they had not been Tbe End of the Fourth Chapter 1 Ep. St. Peter Chap. V. Ver. 1. The elders which are among you I exhort who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed THE Church of Christ being one body is interessed in the condition and carriage of each particular Christian as a part of it but more eminently in those that are more eminent and organick parts of it Therefore the Apostle after many Excellent directions given to all his Christian Brethren to whom he writes doth most reasonably and fitly add this express Exhortation to these that had oversight and charge of the rest The Elders that are amongst you c. The words have 1. A particular definement of the Persons exhorted and exhorting 2. The Tenour of the Exhortation it self The former in the 1 verse the Persons exhorted The Elders among you First Elders This here as often is a name not of Age but of Office yet named by that Age that is or ought to be most suitably qualified to such an office and imports that men though not aged yet if called to that office should be noted with that Wisdom and 〈◊〉 of mind and carriage which may give that authority and command that respect that is requisite for their calling not Novices as St. Paul speaks not as a light bladder being easily blown up as young unstable minds are but such as young Timothy was in humility and diligence as the Apostle testifies of him Phil. 2. 20. and further exhorts him to be 1 Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be an example of believers in word in conversation in charity in faith in purity The name of Elders indifferently signifies either their age or their calling and of ruling sometimes civil Rulers sometimes Pastors of the Church as amongst the Jews both Here it appears that Pastors are meant as the Exhortation of feeding the flock evidences which though it sometimes signifie ruling and here may comprise it yet is chiefly by Doctrine and then the stile given to Christ in the encouragement added the chief Shepherd A due frame of spirit and carriage in the Elders particularly the Apostles of the Church is a thing of prime concern for the good of it It is one of the heaviest threatnings when the Lord declares that he will give a rebellious People such Teachers and Prophets as they deserved and indeed desired If there be a man to prophecy of wine and strong drink such a one shall be a prophet says he to that People And on the other side amongst the sweetest promises of mercy this is not the least to be furnisht with plenty of faithful Teachers Though prophane men make no reckoning of it yet were it in the hardest times they that know the Lord will account of it as he doth a sweet allay of all sufferings and hardship though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not