partly under the vail of the natural life 'T is a life within a life they live in the flesh as others do but they do not live after the flesh they eat drink sleep trade marry and give in marriage as the rest of the world do but all these things are governed by Grace and carried on to high and eternal ends The spirit and life is not seen and felt by others but only discovered in the effects as these things are carried on holily and with a sincere respect to Gods Glory 1 Cor. 10.31 Besides the effects are imperfect and clouded with a mixture of remaining infirmities the best Christians shew forth too much of the flesh and do not act as those that have the spirit of God dwelling in them now this is a great hindrance to the converting of the world and a means of hardning to prying Atheists who think all strictness is but a pretence 1 Cor. 3.3 While there is yet strife envyings and divisions among you are ye not carnal and walk as men Matth. 18.7 Wo to the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences come but wo to the man by whom the offence cometh 'T is dangerous to scandalize the world but the chief cause is their secret enmity to holiness they censure and traduce good men by reproaches and base misprisions and cannot endure that those that take a contrary course should have an excellency owned that might alarm their consciences to reverence 1 Pet. 4.6 Judged according to men in the flesh but live to God in the spirit as deceivers and yet true So reputed in the world as a company of dissemblers the worlds malice will not give them leave to see any good in those whom they dislike 3. It sheweth how much it becometh Christians to give such a demonstration and proof of the spirits dwelling in them that others may be able to say they are not in the flesh but in the spirit So did these Romans to Paul they gave ground for his charity to think them justfied so should all that are sincere do Now these others may be either the godly or the carnal world First for the godly who are best able to judg they have cause to think so when you are companions with them in the Faith Holiness and patience of the Gospel the men in the world are tied to one another like Sampsons Foxes by their tails tho their heads look several ways by their mutual interests and common agreement in mischief and enmity to the godly but the godly themselves should be joined together in the communion of the spirit loving one another with a Christ-like love and seeking each others good as their own and being affected with mutual sympathy towards each others condition as if it were their own case and with one mind and mouth glorifying God and promoting the interests of his kingdom and by their personal holiness bringing his honour in request in the world surely whoever do so we are to judg them heirs with us of the same grace of life and to bless God for them Secondly for the carnal world you must keep up the majesty of your profession that they may see there is a generation of men whose life is not spent in carnal pleasures and delights who are not as other men nor as themselves once were and do things which can be accomplished in them by no other Means or Agent than the Spirit of God Who in their common business act upon reasons and principles of Religion and turn all duties of the Second Table into duties of the first discharging all their respects to men out of the love of God and fear of God and are led by conscience rather than Interest and begin and end with God in all they do and cast their whole lives into an holy and heavenly mould making straight steps to their feet and walk with a temper becoming Religion in all the inequality of conditions they pass through in the World looking for no great matters heâ—e but fetching their main supports and comforts from the World to come 1. Those that do so will in time overcome malice and prejudice and convince the world that God is in them of a truth and they a heavenly and holy people and have a spirit and a presence that others have not Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour 2. They will reprove the World Heb. 11.7 Noah condemned the world by his ready obedience to Gods warning 3. They will make the world wonder 1 Pet. 4.4 They think it strange you run not into the same excess of riot with them 'T is no wonder to see men proud covetous revengeful carnal self-seeking corrupt Nature will sufficiently prove this As 't is no wonder to see the Sun move tho 't was a wonder in Iâ—shuah's time when the Sun stood still so 't is no wonder to see men loose and wicked but 't is a wonder to see men holy heavenly mortified self-denying 4. You will justifie the ways of God against the cavils of Atheists and prophane carnal men Matt. 11.19 Wisdom is justified of her children and Israel justified Sodom Ezek. 16. 2. Vse is to exhort us to get this holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts that he may work in us a Divine Nature or that spiritual and Divine Temper which will teach us to live above and against the inclinations of the flesh 1. The means of infusing the Divine Nature into us is the Doctrine and example of Christ First his Doctrine which discovereth higher things than the flesh inclineth us unto and is the only cure of the carnal spirit This word was indited by the holy spirit For holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy-Ghost 2 Pet. 2.21 He inspired the Holy Apostles first to speak and then to write the Doctrine of Christ he led them into all truth John 6.13 The same Spirit attested this Doctrine by miraculous gifts Heb. 2.4 is conveyed by it Gal. 3 2. Received ye the spirit by the works of the law or the hearing of faith He prepareth and assisteth the ordinary Ministry that they may be fitted to convey this great gift Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy-Ghost hath made you overseers and 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the spirit He writeth this Doctrine upon the heart Heb. 10.8 and 2 Cor. 3 3. Doth so renew and sanctifie our souls that we may live unto God Secondly The example of Christ for he had the days of his flesh John 1.14 and Heb. 5.7 lived in the world as men do but not after the flesh and God in our nature is the fit pattern for us to imitate that we may be in the world as he was in the world and not please the flesh as he pleased not himself To this example we are to be conformed but
your own and when any interest of your own riseth up against the interest of God you will set light by it as if it were nothing worth and then no self-respects will tempt you to disobey God though never so powerful no hire draw you to the smallest sin nor danger fright you from your Duty Dan. 3.17 18. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King But if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy gods nor worship thy golden image that thou hast set up Acts 20.24 But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy If we can but forget our selves and remember God he will remember us better than if we had remembred our selves We secure whatever we put into Gods hands and venture in his service 2. You will make Conscience how you spend your time and strength God keepeth account Luke 19.23 Wherefore gavest not thou my money into the bank that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury So you will keep a faithful reckoning how you lay out your selves for God that share he hath in all things we have and do God observeth so must we whether God have his own and we do not defraud him whose work are you a doing 3. You will have a liberal heart you will think no service too much or loss too great for God Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ all other things come from God Certainly you must not put him off with what the flesh will spare SERMON XII ROM VI. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace THE Apostle had exhorted them to Mortification vers 12. to Vivification vers 13. in both to Caution that sin may not usurp the power and place of God who alone should command and govern both our Souls and Bodies To fight for sin is to fight against God which should be an horrid thing to Christians who should imploy all their powers and faculties to keep up Gods interest in their Souls by maintaining that new Life that is given them by God If we have any Weapons or Instruments they should be imployed for God and not for sin because sin was not their Lord now as heretofore it neither had nor shall have dominion over you If a man should speak to any City suppose in Hungary or other Frontier of Christendom newly freed from Turkish slavery Care not for the commands and threatnings of the Turks any more they do not Lord it over you as they were wont to do the very same is the Argument of the Apostle Sin hath not the same strength against you which before it had now you are regenerate and alive from the dead Nay he speaketh with more advantage of expression than any can in an outward case sin hath not sin shall not have dominion c. if you keep striving and fighting against it this Tyrant shall not recover the Kingdom in you which he hath lost but you shall become victorious by Christ. There are two things which incourage us to fight 1. the goodness of the Cause 2. the assurance and hope of Victory The Cause is good for the business in debate is to whom we should yield up our selves to sin or to God or in whose Warfare we shall imploy the faculties and powers of Body and Soul If we take to Gods side the Victory is clear that Grace which hath freed us from the Tyranny of sin is able to free us still that we shall no more come under that bondage Strive we must for unless we fight and make good our resignation sin will reign but let not the sense of our weakness discourage us in our endeavours against sin though there be some relicts of the flesh yet the Sanctification of the Spirit shall prevail and therefore it is laziness and cowardize if we do not strive duly against sin For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace In the words observe 1. The Priviledge of the renewed and striving Christian Sin shall not have dominion over you 2. The Reason of the Certainty of it For ye are not under the Law but under Grace This Reason is both Negatively and Affirmatively expressed 1. Negatively For ye are not under the Law 2. Positively But under Grace Both Expressions have their proper Emphasis as you will see by and by 1. The Priviledge of the renewed and striving Christian. 1. That the renewed Christian is here considered is plain from all the foregoing Context he speaketh of those that were dead unto sin ver 2. not only in Profession and Baptismal Vow but really by virtue of their Union to Christ ver 5. But how is a Christian dead unto sin not so as that it should be wholly extinguished in us but so as that it is a dying and the Victory is sure to those that strive against it Again he speaketh of those that are alive from the dead v. 13. had a new Life begun in them and have renounced sin and effectually presented and resigned up themselves to Gods use and service 2. That the renewed Christian is here considered as striving because they are the same Persons who were exhorted ver 12. not to let sin reign what is here a Promise is there an Exhortation Again they were such as had presented their Members and Faculties to the Lord as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weapons or instruments of righteousness now what are weapons but for Warfare they had undertaken in their Covenant-resignation not only to work but fight for God Rom. 13.12 the Graces of the Spirit are called Armour of Light Christ doth array us non ad pompam sed ad pugnam not for shew but use A Christian can do no good but he must fight first Again carnal inferences are rejected with indignation ver 15. What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid and therefore the Christian here is not considered as loose and lazy but as warring and fighting against sin Once more the Argument here implieth it ye are under Grace which impelleth and urgeth us to resist sin and the lusts thereof God giveth power to overcome it So then the Apostles purpose is to exhort the renewed Christian strongly to resist sin because through Grace he is sure to carry away the Victory whilst we work and concur with our wills and endeavours God worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2.12 2. The Reason of it 1. Negatively expressed Ye are not under the Law By the Law is meant the Covenant of Works which requireth exact obedience but giveth no strength to obey the Law requireth what we must do but giveth no power to do what it commandeth it forbiddeth sin and
sin was God reconciling In themselves Gods Elect differ nothing from the rest of the World till grace prevent them they were as bad as any in the World of the same race of cursed mankind not only living in the World but after the fashions of the World dead in trespasses and sins and obnoxious to the curse and Wrath of God Fourthly To shew the Amplitude of Gods Grace the greater and worser part of the World the Gentiles as well as the Jews Rom. 11.15 If the casting away of them be the reconciling the World So 1 John 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World Fifthly To awaken all that are concerned to look after this priviledge which is common to all nations the offer is made indifferently to all sorts of persons where the Gospel cometh and this grace is effectually applyed to all the Elect of all Nations and all sorts and conditions and ranks of persons in the World if thou art a member of the World thou shouldest not receive this grace in vain 2. The other party concerned is the Great God to himself To be reconciled to one another when we have smarted sufficiently under the fruits of our differences will be found an especial blessing much more to be reconciled to God this is the comfort here propounded To himself of whom we stand so much in dread 1 Sam. 2.15 If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against God who shall plead for him A fit Umpire and Mediator may be found out in matters of difference and plea between man and man but who shall arbitrate and take up the difference between us and God Here first the greatness of the priviledge That God will reconcile us to himself Doct. There is a reconciliation made in and by Iesus Christ between God and man First I shall premise three things in general 1. That to reconcile is to bring into favour and friendship after some breach made and offence taken as Luke 23.12 The same day Herod and Pilate were made friends for before they were at enmity between themselves So Joseph and his Brethren were made friends and the woman faulty is said to be reconciled to her husband 1 Cor. 7.11 So Matth. 5.23 24. If thou bringest thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee go thy may and be reconciled to thy Brother All which places prove the natural notion of the word and so 't is fitly used for our recovery and returning into grace and favour with God after a breach 2. That the reconciliation is mutual God is reconciled to us and we to God Many will not hear that God is reconciled to us but only that we are reconciled to God But certainly there must be both God was angry with us and we hated God the Alienation was mutual and therefore the reconciliation must be so the Scripture speaketh not only of an enmity and hatred on mans part Rom. 5.10 For when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son but also of wrath on Gods part not only against sin but the sinner Eph. 2.3 Being Children of wrath by nature Certainly God doth not only hate sin but is angry with the wicked because of it Psal. 7.11 God is angry with the wicked every day And we must distinguish between the work of Christ in order to God and the work of the Minister and Christ by the ministry in order to men The work of Christ in order to God which is to appease the Wrath of God Therefore 't is said Heb. 2.17 That he is a merciful and faithful High-priest to make reconciliation for the sins of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely there Gods being reconciled to us is intended by Christs Sacrifice and Intercession For Christ as an High-priest hath to deal with us as Gods Apostle with men Heb. 3.1 We in Christs stead pray you to be reconciled verse 20th Besides our reconciliation is made the fruit of Christs death in contradistinction to his life Rom. 5.10 The death of Christ mainly respected the appeasing of the Wrath of God whereas if it only implyed the changing of our natures it might as well be ascribed to his life in Heaven as his death upon earth Again the Scripture maketh this reconciliation to be a great instance of Gods love to us Now if it did only consist in laying aside our enmity to God it would rather be an instance of our love to God than his love to us Once more the Text is plain that Gods reconciling the World to himself did consist in not imputing our trespasses to us his laying aside his suit and just plea he had against us so that it relateth to him Therefore upon the whole we may pronounce that God is reconciled to us as well as we to God Indeed the Scriptures do more generally insist upon our being reconciled to God than Gods being reconciled to us for two reasons 1. Because we are in a fault 'T is the usual way of speaking amongst men He that offendeth is said to be reconciled because he was the cause of the breach and he needeth to reconcile himself and to appease him whom he hath offended which the innocent party needeth not he needeth only to forgive and to lay aside his just anger We offended God not he us therefore the Scripture usually saith we are reconciled to God 2dly We have the benefit 't is no profit to God that the Creature enters into his peace He is happy within himself without our love or service only we are undone if we are not upon good terms with him If any believe not the Wrath of God abideth upon him John 3.36 And that is enough to make us eternally miserable 3. That reconciliation in Scripture is sometimes ascribed to God the Father sometimes to Christ as Mediator sometimes to Believers themselves 1. To God the Father as in the Text God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and in the verse before the Text who hath reconciled us to himself And Col. 1.20 Having made peace by the Blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself To God the Father as the primary cause of our reconciliation he found out and appointed the means as he decreed from everlasting to restore the Elect faln into sin unto grace and favour and prepared whatever was necessary to compose and take up the difference between him and sinners 2. Christ is said to reconcile Eph. 2.16 That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross. And Col. 1.21 Yet now hath he reconciled Not as the primary but meritorious cause of reconciliation which respects both God and us chiefly God as he was appeased by the merit of his Sacrifice as he procured the Spirit that same Spirit whereby our enmity might be overcome and
we might yield up our selves to God to love and serve and please him for we by his blood are purged from dead works that we might serve the living God Heb. 9.14 3. Believers are said to reconcile themselves to God 2 Cor. 5.20 We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God As they do imbrace the offered benefit and lay aside their enmity and love God that loveth them and devote themselves to his use and service 2. More particularly I shall do three things 1. State the foregoing breach 2. Shew you the nature of this reconciliation 3. Shew you how Christ is concerned in it 1. To state the foregoing breach take these Propositions 1. God and man were once near friends Adam was the Lords favourite You know till man was made 't is said of every rank and species of the Creature God saw that it was good But when man was made in his day Gen. 1.31 God saw what he had made and behold it was very good An object of special love God expressed more of his favour to him than to any other Creature except the Angels Man was made after his Image Gen. 1.26 When you make the Image or Picture of a man you do not draw his feet or his hands but his face his tract or foot-print may be found among the creatures but his Image and express resemblance with man and so he was fitted to live in delightful Communion with his Creator Man was his Vice-roy Gen. 1.27 God intrusted him with the care charge and dominion over all the Creatures Yea he was capable of loving knowing or injoying God other Creatures were capable of glorifying God of setting forth his Power Wisdom and Goodness objectively and passively but man of glorifying God actively as being appointed to be the mouth of the Creation 2. Man gets out of Gods favour by conspiring with Gods grand Enemy His Condition was happy but mutable before Satan by insinuating with him draweth him into Rebellion against God and upon this Rebellion he forfeiteth all his priviledges Gods Image favour and Fellowship God would deal with him in the way of a Covenant Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Do and live sin and die The comminatory part is only expressed because that only took place So that by this Rebellion he lost the integrity of his nature and all his Happiness he first run away from God and then God drove him away he was first a fugitive and than an exile 3. Man faln draweth all his posterity along with him For God dealt not with him as a single but as a publick person Rom. 5.13 Whereas by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all for that all have sinned And 1 Cor. 15.47 The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from Heaven There 's a first man and a Second man nos omnes eramus in illo unus homo Adam and Jesus are the two great Institutions the one consistent with the Wisdom and Justice of God as the other with the wisdom and grace of God so that Adam begets enemies to God Gen. 5.3 Adam begot a Son in own likeness And 1 Cor. 15.49 we read of the Image of the earthly one Every man is born an enemy to God his nature opposite his ways contrary to God and so is eternally lost and undone unless God make some other provision for him 4. The Condition of every man by nature is to be a stranger and an enemy to God Col. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds That double notion is to be considered Strangers there is no Communion between God and us we cannot delight in God nor God in us till there be a greater suitableness or a divine nature put into us If that be too soft a notion the next will help it we are enemies there is a perfect contrariety we are perfectly opposit to God in nature and ways We are enemies directly or formally and in effect or by interpretation formally men are enemies open or secret open are those that bid open defiance to him as Pagans and Infidels and Idolaters Secret so are all sinners their hopes and desires are that there were no God they would fain have God out of their way rather than part with their lusts they would part with their God Psa. 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God 'T is a pleasing thought and supposition that there were no God In effect and by Interpretation they do things or leave things undone contrary to to Gods will and take part with their sins against him As Love is a Love of duty and subjection so hatred is a refusal of obedience Love me and keep my Commandments Exod. 20.6 They are angry with those who would plead Gods interests with them But how can men hate God who is summum bonum fons boni The School-men put the Question We hate him not as a Creator and Preserver but as a Law-giver and Judge As a Law-giver because we cannot injoy our lusts with that freedom and security by reason of his restraint God hath interposed by his Law against our desires Rom. 8.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity to God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be As a Judge and avenger of sin not only desire of carnal liberty but slavish fear is the cause of this enmity Men hate those whom they fear We have wronged God exceedingly and we know that he will call us to an account we are his debtors and cannot answer the demands of his Justice And therefore we hate him what comfort is it to a guilty prisoner to tell him that his Judge is a discreet person or of a stayed Judgment he is one that will condemn him A condemning God can never be loved by a guilty creature as barely apprehended under that notion 5. God hateth sinners as they hate him For we are Children of wrath from the womb Eph. 2.3 And that wrath abideth on us till we enter into Gods peace John 3.36 And the more wicked we are the more we incur Gods Wrath. Psal. 7.11 He is angry with the wicked every day They are under his curse Gal. 3.10 Whatever be the secret purposes of his grace yet so they are by the sentence of his Law and according to that we must Judge of our condition 2. The nature of this reconciliation 1. As the enmity is mutual so is the reconciliation God is reconciled to us and we to God On Gods part his Wrath is appeased and our wicked disposition is taken away by regeneration for there are the causes of the difference between him and us his Justice and our sin His Justice is satisfied in Christ so that he is willing to offer us a new Covenant Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He is