justification from death eternal hath respect to his passive Rom. 5.10 Christs Passive obedience viz. his death and sufferings is that frees us from condemnation for herein hee bare the curse of the Law and was condemned for us So that all the free dome poor souls have from that guilt which is brought in by sin and the consequence thereof viz. a sentence of condemnation here with its effects and the final execution thereof hereafter is by the death of Christ his blood his passive obedience 1 Joh. 1.7 Rev. 1.5 Hence these and such like Scriptures which attribute justification to the blood death and sufferings of Christ speak not of justification fully but onely of a part of it viz. Justification from death eternal Hence also wee learn how exceedingly every Saint is beholding to Christ for dying for had hee not dyed wee had been all to this very day under the fearful sentence of condemnation with all the effects thereof and should have been under the final execution thereof for ever in hell hereafter and also for fulfilling the Law of God actively for him which had hee not done though his death shoud have freed him from hell yet could hee not have had an entrance into Heaven 4 But wherein doth it appear that this freedome from condemnation is such a great and glorious priviledge Answ 1. Is it not a great and glorious priviledge for a man to have all his accusers mouths stopped This is the priviledge of those who are freed from condemnation Suppose a Malefactor under sentence hath a pardon that very act stops all his accusers mouthes as to that thing for which hee was condemned So the act of Gods pardoning grace stops sins mouth consciences mouth the Devils mouth As there can bee no legal condemnation without a precedent accusation so there can bee no accusation as touching things remitted after pardon When Satan accused Joshua Zach. 3. begin Christ stops his mouth Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire So when the Devil accuseth any soul which hee hath delivered from condemnation Christ stops his mouth is not this Satan one whom I have freed from condemnation Have not I plucked him out of the fire Are not his sins pardoned Why then Satan doest thou rake up these old businesses again 2 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to bee freed from that which to bee under would make one unspeakably miserable for ever Soules freed from condemnation are so under condemnation and under the wrath of God which burnes like devouring flames of fire I Under condemnation and under all the plagues and judgements of God under the weight of all thy sins each of which will one day weigh like a mountain of lead under all the dreadful curses of the Law under the sting and biting of a tormenting conscience under the power of the Devil under all afflictions as legal punishments for sin c. 3 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have ground to beleeve that I shall injoy an eternal life with God in glory after this short life is ended This is the soules that is freed from condemnation Christ would never have freed him from the one but in order to the other Hee would never have plucked him out of hell but in order to the putting him into Heaven and therefore once freed from hell and thou art safe for ever returning thither again Joh. 5.24 There is a passage from death to life but none back again 4 Is it not a great priviledge to bee in such a condition wherein I can triumph over all my enemies spiritual and temporal Soules freed from condemnation are in this condition they can triumph over sin because they see the guilt thereof taken away and have the promise and strength of Christ to mortifie it in them over the Law because the curse is gone Gal. 3.13 over the Devil because they see principalities and powers spoyled over death because it s but an entrance into life and so far as there is evil in it it s swallowed up into victory over hell because Christ hath delivered them from wrath to come over the malice reproaches contumelies of the world because Christ hath overcome the world and also they behold all the malice of the world bound up in a chain and that chaine to bee at the disposal of their Father 5 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to know assuredly that although through infirmity I fall into sin yet sin shall never be laid to my charge This is that souls also which is freed from condemnation Rom. 8.33.34 6 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have a share and propriety in all that is Christs this is their's they are heirs of God and coheires with Christ and so Christs life death riches wisdome righteousness strength grace glory all is theirs 7 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have all our afflictions and crosses turned into blessings and mercies This also is their's they meet with no affliction but it is a mercy to them if in poverty their poverty is a mercy if in sickness if in temptation under reproach under losses yea death it self yet it is a mercy 8 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have God and the whole Creation at peace with a man This likewise is theirs God is at peace with that soul Col. 1.20 and all the creatures which are at war with others are at peace with him Such are in Covenant with God and being so God makes a Covenant for them with all the creatures as Job 5.23 Hos 2.18 9 And lastly Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have all things working together for our good Health if wee can have it strength parts riches honours if wee can have them Satans temptations Gods hidings c. all things conspiring as it were our good This is the priviledge of called souls who are freed from condemnation Rom. 8.28 Object O but will some poor soul say Were I freed from condemnation surely the Devil would not bee so busie with mee by his temptations I should not bee so under his power as I am Answ 1. It is one thing to bee under the power of Satan by way of Divine permission God permitting Satan to have a power over thee another by way of voluntary subjection Christ was under the power of Satan by way of Divine permission when his body by Satan was transported from place to place So also Peter when hee was left to be winnowed by Satan and Paul when buffeted yet none under Satans power by way of voluntary subjection 2 Thy temptations rather argue that thou art freed from condemnation than otherwise Satan doth not use to trouble his friends but those that are his enemies or in a way to bee so Object But I finde corruption strong within mee which surely would not bee were I freed from condemnation Answ 1. It is one thing to have the guilt of
such strong affections such a flowing of heavenly desires so much brokenness of heart love to the brethren c. But dost thou grow in the root doth thy want of these things cause thee to root thy self more in the free promise so as that now thou dost more and oftner go out to God upon the account of the general promise then it was usual with thee to do when thou hadst and foundest in thee these things then soul beleeve it thou dost grow and though thy growth is not so much to sense as it would bee didst thou grow more in the branches yet is it a better a surer growth That tree stands fastest that grows much in the root 2 Thou complainest thou dost not grow Looke soul upon thy growth in the right season of growing There is a season of growing come to a tree in the Spring or Summer and you shall see it all over green full of sap leaves and fruit but come to that tree in the Winter and you see none of all this but the tree looks as though it were dead and withered Why so the Spring and Summer is the season of growing but the Winter is not the season So c. 3 Take in a pretty distance of time when thou wouldest judge of thy growth My meaning is when thou wouldest pass a judgement upon thy growth of grace whether it bee little or much do not compare thy self to day with what thou wast yesterday or a week agoe but take in some years and then thou wilt see thy growth better In Nature growth is not suddenly discerned no more is it in Grace Take a living childe it grows every day yet is not this growth discerned in a day or a week or a month but it must have a longer time Take a tree it grows daily but come to it to day and again to morrow you see no growth yea it may bee come to it a year or two years after the growth is hardly discernable but come to it now and again seven years hence you will see growth Object But I do not onely finde a want of growth in grace but I clearly finde a declining in grace both in root and branches as I thinks I cannot beleeve nor have confidence as formerly I thought I did neither am I so humble mortified self-denying as once I thinke I was and therefore I fear I have no in-being in Christ Answ Thou findest a declining in grace why then that hast grace how else couldest thou decline in grace Light decreases therefore there is light how could it decrease else by thine owne confession therefore thou hast Grace and if Grace then in-being in Christ 2 Thou findest declinings in grace but art thou not at present in a distemper or hast thou not been in one of late no wonder to see a mans spirits and strength decreasing when there is some feavourish distemper upon him or that hath been lately upon him 3 Thou findest declinings but didst thou never in all thy life time finde declinings in grace before and yet finde also that grace did rise up out of these declinings with advantage As wee see a corn of wheat falls to the ground and dyes but riseth with advantage an ear for a corn So when thy grace hath seemed to bee dead as it were for a while yet hast thou not at last seen it sprouting up with advantage more faith more love humility mortification at the rising of grace after such a declining time than thou sawest in thy self before O yes saith the soul I must confess I have many times thought now I am quite gone my grace is dead and yet after all this I have seen a greater shooting and springing up than ever before in my soul If so then assure thy self poor soul thou hast in-being in Jesus Christ by vertue of which all thy winter-time the seed of grace is maintained alive in thy soul and when the spring-time comes sprouts up with advantage Use 1. Is this so Then this shews us the glorious priviledges of all those that have in-being in Christ they are freed from condemnation what a blessed priviledge is this freed from condemnation and freed from the wrath of God freed from condemnation and freed from the guilt of all sin from the dreadful curses of the Law from the heavy charges of Satan from the stingings of a tormenting conscience from the slavery of the Devil from all afflictions as legal punishments for sin from the fear of man from the violence of the creatures c. O blessed condition the poorest Grey coat and Lether coat that hath in-being in Christ is in a more blessed and happy condition than the silk gown the plush and scarlet coat that hath not in-being in Christ The one though hee make not such a bravado in the world yet being in Christ heaven salvation and all is his Others though they brave it out for a time and must have elbow room where they go and be come to with conge and cap in the hand yet they are under condemnation from which if God do not by bringing them home to himself release them here they will bee miserable in hell for ever hereafter Vse 2. This casts many persons and brings most men in the Countries Towns and Parishes of the world under condemnation Why they have not in-being in Christ 1 Art thou one who livest and walkest in prophane courses Art thou a Drunkard Swearer an unclean person c. assure thy self thou art one cast by this doctrine for thou hast not as yet in-being I mean actual in-being which is that frees from condemnation in Christ 1 Joh. 1.6 If wee say that wee have fellowship with him and walk in darkness wee lye If such have not fellowship with Christ then no in-being communion flowes from union if it bee a lye to say they have communion much more to say they have in-being or union 2 Art thou one who art an enemy to Christ and his people a persecutor a scoffer c. thou hast not in-being in Christ Christ speaking of such persons Joh. 16.3 saith These things will they do because they have not known the Father nor mee If such do not in a saving way know Christ and the Father then have they not in-being in Christ Scoffer thou proclaimest to all the Town and to all thy neighbours that thou art one who hast not in-being in Christ 3 Art thou a moral man and restest here then hast thou not in-being in Christ The Heathens many of them did excell in morality yet knew not Christ The Scribes and Pharisees came behinde none of our Moralists yet hear what Christ saith to them Matth. 5.20 For I say unto you that except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven 4 Art thou outwardly Religious and a Professor and dost thou rest here contenting thy selfe with an outward profession and
of God is discovered to it Take a poor Soul that is convinced of his sins by the Law yet doth hee not see the foule filthy and odious nature of his sins and how exceedingly every sin he commits is aggravated and how sad by reason of sin his condition is as doth another poor Soul who sees his sins and himself a sinner in the Gospel and by the Gospel A poor Soul that sees his sins through the vail of the Law never comes to see the odiousness of sin nor to hate sin for it self nor the aggravations of his sin as doth that Soul which beholds the same in the Bloud of Jesus in the glasse of the Gospel A poor Soul that sees his sin by the Law doth not see in what a miserable and undone condition hee is in by reason of his sin hee sins to day and hee sees and knowes it and knowes too that he hath deserved thereby eternal death and perhaps his Conscience gripes him for it but to morrow hee runs to his praying and vowing and covenanting and here hee licks himself whole againe thinks to make God amends by future obedience for former disobedience and when he hath been drunk wanton uncleane cheated his Neighbour c. presently he runs to praying and confessing and resolving to change his course of life and doe thus no more and then hee thinks all is well and the scores are crossed between God and him Thus the poor Sinner conceits no danger but blesseth himself that hee hath done God no injury and therefore God means him no ill and so all is well and he is happy when alas poor soul hee is meerly gull'd hee feedeth on ashes as the Prophet speaks a deceived heart hath turned him aside so that he cannot say Is there not a lye in my right hand Whereas when a poor Soul comes to have the grace of God discovered to it or the Gospel opened unto it and it embraceth the same it then comes to see the odious and filthy nature of its sins how every sin peirced Christ wounded him made him who is blessed for evermore to lye under a Curse how exceedingly every sin it commits aggravated being committed against grace and mercy c. O then it sees that there is no way in the world to bee delivered from its sins but by Jesus Christ no righteousnesse will stand it in stead but Christs whereas before it thought its praying and reforming the works of its owne righteousnesse would have saved it now it sees that all is nothing sin is of so deep a dye that there is nothing in the world will or can wash it out but the bloud of Christ 5 Because there is nothing of a more contrary nature to sin than the grace of God is the best way to destroy a contrary is to oppose its contrary to it if you would put out Fire throw water upon it if you would have your Chamber free from Darknesse open the Window and let in the Light contraries fight and endeavour to destroy each other and the more contrary things are the more doe they endeavour to doe it Now there are no greater contraries than Sin and the Grace of God are Sin is the greatest darknesse the grace of God is the greatest light and therefore these two are in continual fight and labour to destroy each other in which Combate the Grace of God ever prevailes as the light of the Sun being the greatest light doth ever expel darknesse when ever it comes let it be ever so much All light is contrary in its nature to darknesse yet if the light be but small and the darknesse great wee see in will not expel it So may I say the Law is in its own nature holy just good spiritual contrary to sin yet because it is but a little light in comparison of the grace of God as it were the shining of a Candle to the Sun and sin being the greatest darkness it doth not therefore overcome and expel the same And hence the discovery of the grace of God is the most effectual means to kill sin because it is of such a contrary nature to sin that either sin must destroy it or it will destroy sin but sin never being able to doe the one it will and doth in all those Souls which hear and receive the same by degrees doe the other Vse 1. Then see how the grace of God is wronged in the World when men cry out this is your preaching of Free Grace what comes of it but to make a company of Hypocrites to make persons loose and prophane when indeed this is altogether false and an abominable slander of the Free Grace of God the grace of God is the greatest motive and means to holinesse that is in the World and if that will not mortifie sin to be sure nothing else will doe it Men may talk of the Law and the terrours thereof and the thunderings of Hell and Damnation as the only means to kill sin but sure enough if the grace of God will not doe it these never will it is one thing to have sin killed another thing to have it bridled the Law may put a bridle upon a mans sins and lusts but it never kills them but grace that kills sin Therefore it is an injury offered to the grace of God to say of it that it makes men Sinners it makes them loose c. for it doth the contrary Shall we sin because grace aboundeth no God forbid Thus grace reasoneth Vse 2. Then wouldest thou overcome thy sins study the grace of God more the more God lets the light of his grace into thy Soule the more shalt thou finde thy sins to dye Many poor Soules there are which strive against their sins and labour to keep up their hearts in waies of obedience c. and yet little fruit comes of all their toyl and sweat and tiring themselves why because they weary themselves out in a way of works to get that which is to be obtained only by grace they seek after Righteousnesie and Justification and Holinesse and Sanctification not by faith not from the grace of God but as Israel did by the works of the Law and so doing it fares with them as with Israel they doe not obtaine that which they seek for Poor Souls you cry out O my sins my sins I cannot subdue them such and such a lust is too hard for me and what is the cause why this you think to get the mastery of your sins by your works and this wil never doe it Let mee tell you a little the road you go in to mortifie and subdue sin you finde sin strugling within you and overcoming you well now saith the soul by Gods help I will overcome this sin hereupon thou takest up a resolution to change thy course of life and to avoid all occasions whatsoever that should draw thee to sin This resolution it may be doth not hold thy sin masters thee and thy
many even of as many as do beleeve therefore that obedience is not the souls righteousnesse 2 Faith is a Law-duty and the work of faith a Law-work though the object of faith be of Gospel-revelation now if a Law-work be the condition of the New Covenant It is not a Covenant of grace but works Rom. 11.6 If it bee of works it is no more grace else work is no more work 3 A man might stay upon Old Covenant works because the condition of his Covenant as Hezekiah did 2 King 20.4 and Abijah did 2 Chron. 13.12 But a man may not stay upon his faith nor intreat favour for his faiths sake but for Christs sake The Old Covenant made premises unto performances the New Covenant makes promises of performances Many promises indeed are made of comfort to them that mourne of rest to them that are weary of pardon to them that confesse but not because they mourne are weary or confesse In promises of this nature faith findes footing not in a condition but in a connexion as also when the promise saith The barren shall bring forth I will poure water upon dry ground here is no condition for barrennesse and drinesse is none but here is a connexion unto faith a heart full of groans an eye full of tears a life full of reformation may bee good signes but bad grounds faith knowes nothing but Jesus Christ 4 The condition of the Old Covenant was to bee performed in the power of him that was in Covenant and was no part of the Covenant to be given of God in which respect it is compared unto Pharoahs Taskmasters who required the whole tale of Bricke but gave no straw Faith is no such condition because the work of God wherein hee is mindful of his Covenant and Engagement though not to the creature yet to himself and to his Son on the behalfe of the creature 2 Cor. 4.13 Eph. 1.17 18 19 2.8 Hagar hath seed but in a natural way an Ishmael who was of the Law of Works after the flesh Sarah also hath seed but in a supernatural way an Isaac who was of promise of faith of the Spirit Gal. 4.29 Works were the condition of the Old Covenant and not Fruit Faith is the fruit of the New Covenant and not the condition 5 What is properly conditional in the constitution is certainly uncertain in the event all the good covenanted for hangs upon the condition as that which may bee injoyed or lost The Old Covenant was so according to the tenour whereof Ishmael the childe thereof is cast out But the New Covenant is not so not a Covenant which way bee broken Heb. 7 22.-9.15 16 17. being of the nature of a Testament Luke 22.20 1 Cor. 11.25 therefore not a Covenant properly conditional or having faith for a condition as Works were in the Old Covenant I shall adde no more under this head lest I bee reproved for furnishing so large a Porch to so little an house The New Covenant is a Covenant of Grace distinguished from the Old in the fulnesse thereof The Old Covenant had but the shadow of good things but the shadow of Election Vocation Justification c. The High Priest was but a shadow So the Temple the Sacrifice the Peace Heb 10.1 2. None fully purged or fully pardoned or furnished with a full answer to every charge and challenge of the Law Heb. 9.9 But the New Covenant hath the substance being full of Christ it is full of grace and truth For by one offering hee hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 Under this Covenant no more conscience of sin Heb. 10.2 not that a man is past sinning or past feeling but because hee is past charging Rom. 8.33 34. No more conscience of sin as transgression of the Law which is a Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 No more conscience of sin as a debt to that Law and so needing new Sacrifice but as Christ made satisfaction once and at once Rom. 6.10 Heb. 7.27 1 Pet. 3.18 so hee is made righteousnesse The Old Covenant was a weak Covenant not in commanding or condemning power it is able to damn a whole world for disobedience but in helping a poor miserable undone creature Rom. 8.3 What can the Sun do for a blinde man a Physitian may help nature but cannot give it the Old Covenant is like unto those Physitians upon whom the woman that had the Bloody-issue waited twelve years and spent all her substance being never the better but the worse The New Covenant is like unto Christ if wee touch but the hemm of that Garment there is healing which doth not onely declare a Law for the heart but also write it upon the heart not impose a duty onely but dispose unto obedience administring not onely the letter but the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 The Old Covenant is like unto Moses the Minister thereof who could not lead the people into Canaan The New is like unto Joshua a Type of our Jesus under whom the Tribes received their Inheritance Compare the times of Moses and Joshua and you will finde a fulnesse of grace in Joshuahs time Compare the times of the Old and New Covenant you will finde a fulnesse of grace in the New Covenant time exceeding fulnesse comparative with the former time 1 Moses his Spies brought up an ill report upon the good Land Numb 13.32 but Joshuahs returned with glad tidings Jos 2.23 Vnder Moses the Land is seen as a Land to bee obtained by warlike performances and the enemies being mighty they are discouraged Under Joshua the Land is seen as a Land of Promise to be given unto them in faithfulnesse Reformations under the Old Covenant commonly miscarry men are discouraged and run from Moses backe again into Egypt when corruption and temptation shew themselves men say as the Prophets servant Alas what shall wee do Under the New Covenant mans eye being open unto the Lord they can say with the Prophet There are more for us than bee against us and with the Apostle Wee can do all things Jesus Christ strengthning of us 2 Moses led the people toward the Land within sight of it and left them Joshua led them into Canaan Under the Old Covenant men may bee toward the Kingdome and nigh unto it but under the New they enter it and possesse it Agag may bee taken prisoner and bound under the one but hee is hewn in sunder and destroyed under the other 3 Under Moses Circumcision was neglected during the time that Israel was in the Wildernesse Under Joshua it was renewed Jos 5.5 9. So under the Old Covenant men are driven from iniquity by fear of punishment or dragged on in a way of duty by hope of reward the heart not yet set against that nor for this Vnder the New Covenant the heart is circumcised to love the Lord and thereby sweetly drawn after him 4 No Jubilee was kept by Moses nor by the people in his time but
of peace to remove that for the peace of the Saints is a thing of far greater concernment than my having my will there is nothing of evill against God in the one but there is in the other peace is a spiritual thing mans will is but a natural natural things must give place to spiritual the end of peace is edification the end of having my will is but to please my self I must prefer edification before the pleasing of my self 4 I am for peace sake to dispense with many things the particular interest of mine honour profit c. Abraham though the elder for peace sake gives place to Lot the younger to chuse before him the place of his habitation upon so doing for peace sake hee at once dispenseth with honour and profit both Peace is a duty our interests and advantages must give place to our duties yet here take this caution and limitation if the case bee such that by my resigning my particular interest and advantage I shall disadvantage truth it self I am then to hold it though it bee with so great a hazard as the loss of peace for though I may not hold mine advantage upon mine own account to the prejudice of peace because neither my selfe nor the thing in which my advantage lyes are of worth equivalent to peace yet I may upon the account of truth because that is of greater worth When Paul among the Corinthians and Galatians perceived truth it self to bee struck at through a sleighty esteem of his person then he who in his heart had as low thoughts of himselfe as they could have of him yet now stands up boldly and pleads the point of his honour preferring himself though for ought hee knew he might anger Peter James and John and so hazard a breach of peace before Peter James or John or any of them all 5 I am for peace sake to dispense with particular wrongs and injuries done to my self I speak not now as to civill injuries that question appertains to another case but I mean such as are of a more spiritual nature as censuring me as touching my spiritual condition branding mee for an Heretick Schismatick Dissembler c. endeavouring to set others against mee c. I am silently to put up many things of this nature rather than to break the peace the reason is because while I put these up the wrong is onely my own but in breaking the peace I may injure myself and many others also The putting up of these quietly for peace sake is an act of self-denial and so a fruit of the spirit The making a stir and coile about these things till peace is broken is a pure selfish business and so a fruit of the flesh yet take this also with two Cautions 1 I must so put it up as not to doe that in way of Self-denial as may any way allow of the act it self for though the evil of the act is to be patiently borne yet the act it self being evil is not to be allowed 2 I must also consider warily whether there be not some thing in the action that brings Gods Truth and Honour to the stake together with my self if so I may and ought to take upon me my owne rescue not for the sake of my self but of Gods Truth and Honour ingaged with me I am to dispence with errour in judgement in a Brother if it arise from weakness and be not obstinately and pertinaciously maintained because error of judgement is only a privative evil breach of peace a positive Quest But when may an errour of judgement be said to be of weakness not wilfulness or pertinacy Ans 1. VVhen a Brothers judgement is weak in all things else which is easily known by this if he be readily drawn to this thing or that Ephes 4.14 2 VVhen a Brother seeing a man of more grace than himself so or so appropriated subjects his judgement to the others grace Quest When of wilfulness or pertinacy First When he will stablish any Principles though never so contrary to faith and godliness to hold up his errour rather than suffer it to fall Secondly When he cares not what other Principles of his owne he pluck up by the roots so he may thereby keep that one Principle in which the errour lyes Thirdly VVhen a man pretends much Conscience as to that particular Principle but makes no Conscience of his practise in other things of greater and more weighty concernment Now to apply our Rule to the present Case if by doing this or that thing moving this or that way I either doe or shall dispence with any of those things which I ought not to dispence with or contrariwise shall not dispence with any of those things that for peace-sake I ought to dispence with then am I by this general Rule to shun that way and chuse another The Fourth GENERAL RVLE is Let your light so shine before men c. Walk in wisdome towards them that are without The true intent and purport of this Rule is that a Christian should so order his steps in the way of truth and holiness that poor sinners by beholding his conversation might not finde cause to harden their hearts in their owne wayes of iniquity but might be won to a love of the waies of God the case is still as before The Solution is That I am to chuse that path by walking in which I shall take away occasion of hardning poor Sinners and lay before them an occasion of winning and drawing them to a love and liking of the ways of Christ Quest Now would we know what that is which laies occasion of hardning before Sinners and what that is which on the other side wins them to a love and liking of the waies of Christ Ans One principal thing amongst many others by which Sinners are hardned is When they see Professors making no conscience of such things as they themselves at leastwise they think so would if they were in their stead make conscience of VVhen they see Persons pretending much more holiness than they break those bands of outward and civil holiness which their very Natural conscience laies such an awe upon them as they dare not break this is an exceeding great hardning to sinners especially the more refined sort of them your Civilians or Morralists who have partly by Natures light and partly by the light they have into things honest and just by the written VVord such a tye upon their Conscience that when they have an advantage yet many times they dare not transgress the Rules of equity and righteousness On the other side this is a thing very taking with Sinners and renders the waies of Christ amiable in their eyes when they see Professors conscientious in smaller things as well as greater such things wherein they are not absolutely bound up but have a kinde of liberty left them by the Lawes of God and men yet are as tender and conscientious least they should abuse this
Father and this is wrought precedent to any good in us and all good comes from this Actual union on our part that is by beleeving and is then effected when I am said to come to Christ and the Father by him As in our Reconciliation there is Gods Reconciliation to us and ours to God spoken of 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Now then we are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be yee reconciled to God God's reconciliation to us that is before faith before ever we heare a word of faith and that by Christs offering up himself to his Father our reconciliation to God that is by beleeving when wee heare and embrace the word of reconciliation So Christs union to us that is before faith and doth not at all depend upon our beleeving as any fruit thereof but rather our beleeving flowes from thence We love him because he loved us first wee are actually united to him because hee is acutally united to us first but now our union with Christ that is by beleeving 3 That by in-being in Christ Saints are freed from Condemnation 1 That which removes all our sins from us frees us from condemnation for no sin no condemnation but in-being in Christ removes all our sins from us it takes sin from our backs and laies it upon the back of Christ Sins are debts the debts that we owe to God all these debts after once we come to have marriage-union with Christ are transferred over to him so that they are no longer our debts but his debts neither are we now liable to pay them but he must answer for them and see Gods Justice satisfied and the Debt-book crossed 2 That which gives us a right and title to Salvation that frees us from condemnation but out in-being in Christ doth this for by vertue hereof we are Gods Heirs yea joynt-heirs with Christ and so have as true a title though not so large a title to Glory and Salvation as Christ himself hath though wee have not for the present actual possession yet our title is good firme and certaine as an Heire in Minority hath not actual possession yet his title is as good as afterwards 3 That which makes voyd and null all impeachments and charges whatsoever frees us from condemnation but this doth our in-being in Christ for being in Christ no charge or Impeachment can be drawne against us but the same hath been drawne against Christ in our stead and he hath answered the same at the Bar of Gods Justice and is come off clear and acquitted So that now all impeachments and charges are voyd and null Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us 4 And lastly That which makers the Law Jury and Judge of a mans side frees him from condemnation but this doth our in-being in Christ 1 It makes the Law of our side for the Law it is a rule of Justice and Equity it requires equity should be done to every one now it would not be equity to take satisfaction and not to acquit the Party for whom it hath received it now the Law hath taken satisfaction for all that are in Christ and therefore the equity of the Law requires they should be absolved from the sentence of condemnation so that the Law is of the side of those persons 2 It make the Jury of Conscience of a mans side for saith Conscience doth the case lye thus that I am in Christ then not guilty not guilty though once I was guilty yet Christ hath taken the guilt away and therefore now not guilty not guilty 3 It makes the Judge of a mans side for saith God the Judge is it so that this party is in my Son Christ then is he a member of my Son then is he married to my Son and I am a Friend to all such for my Sons sake for what hee hath done and suffered I own love and respect and therefore hee shall never bee condemned Obj. But I fear I have no in-being in Jesus Christ for surely had I in-being in Christ I should grow and thrive more than I doe living Branches in the Vine grow and certainly were I a living Branch in Christ I should grow more Answ Thy doubt poor Soul is thou dost not grow what growth is that thou lookest for is it growth of gifts only or is it growth of grace doth thy doubt arise hence because thou canst not pray talk of Divine things open and explains Scriptures as another can or because thou art not so humble mortified self-denying conformable in all things and conditions to the will of God as thou seest another Saint is If thy doubt arise because thou hast not such gifts then let me tell thee that as gifts of themselves though a man did ever so excel in them are no evidence of a mans being in Christ though a man had the gifts of an Angel yet no evidence for herein hee hath no more than the Devil hath who is an Angel so the want of gifts if this bee all thy doubt doth not at all evidence the contrary I pray what excellency of gifts are there in Babes and Sucklings in comparison of the gifts of the wise and prudent and yet Babes and Sucklings are in Christ when the wise and prudent are not What gifts in the foolish things of the world and base things and things that are not i.e. of no account at all in the eye and esteeme of man and yet these hath God chosen and they are in Christ who of God is made unto them wisdome c. When the wise things of the world and the Scribes and disputers of the world are set by 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29 30. Object But saith the soul my doubt is not so much about gifts as grace I do not finde my self to grow in grace in humility mortification c. and this begets all my fear Answ To this I answer Poor soul 1 There is a twofold growth a growth in the branches and a growth in the root as a tree grows sometimes upwards in branches sometimes downward in root So thy grace growes sometimes in branches as in love humility brokenness of heart c. sometimes in root as when thy faith grows more and roots it selfe in Christ and the promise more Now how is it with thee soul Thou dost not grow in branches as once thou didst that is thou dost not finde such a lively heart
his tears his fastings his humiliations his lamentations his leaving of sin and doing of good stands engaged as it were to give him Heaven and Salvation he then walks legally when the course and stream of his life and actions runs this way that all his prayers humiliations resolutions covenants resisting of sin c. is to this very end that God hereby would be moved to pardon his sins justifie him give him Heaven and eternal life which had hee not some hope to procure by these things hee would neither pray nor hear nor mourn for sin nor doe any thing else he then most certainly walks legally after the flesh 3 When a man in his obedience hath altogether respect to the external or outward part of the Law contenting himself if that be but done never looking to the internal or spiritual part thereof his walking is legal and after the flesh In this manner did the Scribes and Pharisees those great Legalists apply themselves to the keeping of the Law by a litteral observance of what it required accounting it kept when the external works which the Law required should be done was performed or the outward act of sin shunned which the Law willed them to forbear Upon which ground according to the principles and practices of the Pharisees Paul saith of himself that hee whilst hee continued a Pharisee was touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Phil. 3.6 upon this ground likewise doe the Papists assert their Opus operatum the work done as sufficient to Justification and Salvation never regarding how the same is done Now whensoever a man in Prayer hearing the Word or any other Duty hath only respect to the external part contenting himself with that if that bee done never looking to the spiritual performance thereof he walks legally 4 When a man blesseth himself in his obedience and pronounceth himself happy because of that he walks legally Thus Paul whilst hee was a Pharisee did blesse himself in his way Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the law once i. e. so long as I gave up my self to an outward observance of the law being without the law in respect of the true spiritual meaning thereof I was alive in my owne conceit I thought all was well with me and that I was a happy man Thus likewise the proud Pharisee Luke 18.11 12. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give tithes of all that I possesse how doth hee blesse himself in his way of works and crow it over the poor Publican because hee was a Sinner and had no works When therefore a man blesseth himself in his obedience and thinks himself some body pronouncing himself happy because of this as many men will say I thank God all is well with me I have no doubt about my Salvation I am not nor never was I a Drunkard or Swearer c. I was never given to cheat or cousen as others my Neighbours will doe but I pray and read good Books and hear good Sermons c. a man then walks legally after the flesh 5 When a man performes his obedience ever and altogether in his owne strength the law as a covenant of works it calls for obedience but it gives a man no strength but what he hath of his owne to doe it Hence it is called a voyce of words Heb. 12. and a killing letter 2 Cor. 3. because it requires obedience under penalty of death and knowes the creature hath no strength to obey and yet gives him none and so by its very command it kills all those that are under it Now when a man sets himself to keep the law in his owne strength neither finding nor knowing nor feeling nor looking after nor desiring any other strength to enable him to doe his duty then his owne he then walks legally after the Flesh and all his obedience is obedience to a covenant of works Thus much of the Second particular what remaines I leave unto the next opportunity Why Legal walking is walking after the Flesh SERMON IV. Rom. 8.1 Who walk not after the flesh WEe are now upon the Character of those Persons who are freed from Condemnation they are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Flesh and Spirit in this place by the acception of the termes in other places and the consideration of the scope of the Apostle in this are as I told you the last day to be understood either of the Law and the Gospel or the old and new man Walking after the flesh that is either legal walking or walking after the corrupt principles of the old man Walking after the Spirit that is either Gospel walking or walking after the renewed principle of the new man I began with the words in the first acceptation as they hold forth Legal and Gospel walking and so I laid downe these Propositions viz That Legal walking is walking after the flesh Gospel walking is walking after the Spirit Concerning the first I have shewed 1 What I mean by Legal walking 2 When a man's walk is a Legal walk I now proceed to the third 3 Why Legal walking is called walking after the flesh Ans 1. Because there is nothing of the Spirit of God that goes along with a legal walk The Spirit was not given by the Covenant of works and therefore so long as a man walks in the way of that Covenant there is nothing of the Spirit of God that goes along with him Now we usually call that flesh that hath not Spirit in it take a man when he is dead wee say hee is flesh nothing but flesh because the Soul and Spirit is gone so take a legal Walker hee is flesh his walking is flesh because there is nothing of the Spirit of God in him nor his walking hee praies but there is nothing of the Spirit of God in his prayers and therefore though hee pray dayes and weeks and months together all is but flesh he mourns and humbles himself for sin resolves vowes and strives against it but doing all this in a legal manner there is nothing of the Spirit of God in all this and so all is but flesh 2 Because Legal walking is walking in the way of Nature the Covenant of works was given to Adam as out common person and sois in the Nature of every man Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the law doe by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another Now in Scripture phrase Nature is called flesh Joh. 3.6 That which is borne of the flesh is flesh i.e. that which is borne of meer Nature can be no more but
will deny that this is or can be found in persons actually not freed from condemnation none will affirme therefore it must be in those who are freed from condemnation 4 And lastly Such doe not walk after the Law as it is a covenant of works because did they they could not be freed from condemnation as they are for it is a contradiction to say a man walks after the law i. e. observes the law and is subject thereunto as he that walks after it is and yet to say that the â—aw cannot condemne him if he disobey or break it what is the law if it cannot condemne take away the penalty and you make the law a nullity the force and power and terrour of the law lies in the penalty it inflicts upon Offenders take this away and it remains a law in name not in force or power any longer Obj. But are there not some who cannot in charity but be looked upon as having an interest in Christ so consequently are exempted from Condemnation who yet notwithstanding seeme to be very legal in their walking they have an eye much to themselves and to their owne comfort and happiness in their duties and when they goe about a duty they act much in their owne strength and also are very prone when they have done any good work to rest upon it and to draw comfort there-from now if it be so that those who are freed from Condemnation doe not walk Legally what shall we judge of such persons whom wee cannot but beleeve are gracious and yet have so much legality in them Ans It is one thing for a man to walk legally after the way of the old Covenant and it is another thing for a man to walk by the light and direction of an Old Testament spirit an Old Testament spirit though it have much legality in it yet is it not a pure legal spirit and for a man to walk with an Old Testament spirit though there bee much legality here and there in his walking yet is not his walk a pure legal walk For opening of this consider that the people of God in the dayes of the Old Testament were under a Twofold Covenant at the same time viz. the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and a Covenant of works given forth at Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses to the Nation of Israel Now being under both these Covenants at once the Covenant of Grace and a Covenant of Works both which had influence upon their spirits their actions were oftentimes mixt being neither purely Gospel nor purely Legal so much as they kept their eye upon the Covenant of Abraham so much they were of Gospel Spirits and their works were Gospel works and on the contrary so much as the Covenant of Moses had command over them and did reach their spirits and Consciences so much their spirits were legal and their actings legal so that there did plainly appear something of Grace and Legality in the Spirit and actings of most of the Old Testament Saints and yet notwithstanding though there was somewhat of legality in their spirits and actings by vertue of their being under the old Covenant yet were not their actings purely Legal nor their walk a pure Legal walk because they had in their walking and acting respect too unto that other Covenant made with Abraham which was a Covenant of Grace Now although this old Covenant was abrogated upon the coming of Christ and is now of no longer force to the Saints in the New Testament yet in regard this Covenant is more natural to us than the other and also was once in being in the times of the Old Testament and the disannulling thereof is not presently made clear to a Soul especially which hath but a little Gospel light it therefore comes to passe that many of the people of God in the New Testament times following too much the natural way and reading of the Old Testament of such a kinde of Covenant that once was in being and not having light enough in the Gospel to see that the same is abrogated and done away they by poring upon these things and considering of them have an Old Testastament spirit begotten in them than is a spirit much like unto the spirit of Saints who lived under the Old Testament by reason whereof those actions and duties which flow from them are like theirs being neither purely Gospel nor purely Legal but partaking somewhat of either Hence sometimes slavish fear sometimes much self-love is discernable in their actions which things are common in Old Testament Saints and yet notwithstanding as those were so may these bee true Saints onely they are of an Old Testament spirit by reason whereof something of the Law and Old Covenant doth stick and cleave to their walkings and actings and there is also something though it may bee under much darknesse of the New Covenant also in these which makes them that they are neither pure Gospel-walkings nor pure Legal but as it were a mixture of either They are in short Gospel Saints but in an Old Testament garb New Testament Saints but of an Old Testament spirit Use 1. Is it so that Legal walking is walking after the Flesh Then this discovers to us that there are abundance of rotten-hearted Professors in the world How many persons are there who walk after the Flesh I mean who are pure Legal walkers Should wee come to those who are Professors the general bulk of Professors who walke in a way of duty and search them narrowly wee should finde ten to one to be Legal walkers All their Religion their duties their prayers tears repentance c. it springs from the Law the Law is principle and motive in their obedience the great and onely wheel and engine that turns all and carries them to all that they do Such a man prayes in his Family is a frequenter of Sermons c. But why Alas hee dares not do otherwise the Law over-rules him the Law hath got command in his conscience so that should hee not pray c. and do some good and avoid some evil hee should have no peace nor quiet within his conscience would bee his tormentor and continually lash him and therefore hee doth these things not out of any love to the thing hee doth no hee hates them counts them his burden and intolerable task and would gladly could hee finde a way to avoid hell and get heaven without doing of any of these things throw off all but because hee knows no other way hee therefore goes on though fore against his will moving heavily as the Egyptian Chariots when they had lost their wheels in a track of duty And therefore you shall observe that such persons when they come to hear of the free grace of God and the Gospel-way to salvation by Christ without the works of the Law if a Minister come and tell them that would they go to heaven and bee saved the way is not to worke
worse than the former when men doe not only study Niceties and make Lawes for themselves but when they have so done will make Lawes for their Brethren and binde their Consciences to those Lawes which they themselves have made Now wilt thou exercise thy self in things of this nature take heed then thou make not thy Conscience the rule of thy Brothers neither make Lawes over him in such things as thou canst not assure his Conscience Christ hath made them I had rather yeeld in a hundred things of this nature to a Brothers weaknesse than by an absolute Law of his making to be bound up to one Let Saints therefore be wary of tying their Brethren hand and foot in such things wherein Christ hath left them free for Saints if tied will not doe that which if they were left to their liberty they ought to doe as I remember Luther saith to the Papists about eating their meats and observing their dayes leave us saith he to our liberty wee will cat your meats observe your dayes but bind us hereto and wee will doe neither 5 And lastly Take heed thy spirit grow not hence by degrees to an affectation of novelty or new things Many there are who first take delight to pry into dark and curious questions and when they have gone on thus a while there is nothing will please them but new things and curious things they grow out of love with old truth and spiritual heart matters these are fet by and it must bee some fine new tickling question that is fit matter only for their thoughts and meditations and as for all things else they account them but low things and those that hold them and press them men of lower light and of a lower forme as they say I am almost confident of if that most of the errours this day broached or on foot in England or elsewhere doe grow out of this root viz. A neglect of exercising the heart about spiritual things and a desire to be alwaies prying into dark things from whence by degrees there creepes into the Soul a love of novelty and new matters which no sooner is in any but the heart is as prone and apt to suck in errour as a spunge water and of all spirits in searching after truth I should desire the Lord to keep me from this a spirit delighting it self in and affecting novelty and new things The Reasons of this Point with the Application I shall leave to the next opportunity The Second SERMON ON 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after righteousness godliness c. THe last opportunity I had in this place I told you that the Apostle gives these words as a direction to his Schollar Timothy and in him to all Beleevers how to escape the dangerous errours and evils that then were or at any time should be abroad the direction is to follow after righteousnesse godlinesse c. as if hee should say employ thy self and thy heart about these things and there is no fear of receiving hurt by the other In General I told you the things he mentions are all spiritual things whence I laid before you this observation viz. Doct. That the only and special way for a Saint to bee delivered from the errours and evils of the times he lives in is to have his heart as much as may be taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and Spiritual things I proved it then unto you and also shewed you what I did meane by Spiritual things I now proceed to the Reasons why the exercising the heart about Spiritual things is such a preservative against the errours and evils of the times we live in Reas 1. Because such a heart as is exercised about Spiritual things findes not leasure to run out after those poor low things which others trifle away their time and lose themselves about Many there are in the world of whom it may be said as Pharaoh once said of the Israelites Yee are idle yee are idle who are very Idlers and doe nothing at all in Spirituals by reason whereof their hearts have a great deale of leisure which because they would be doing and finde nothing to take too they busie themselves just as Children and Boyes doe when they are idle about this toy and the other such a querk and such a query their time and thoughts are busied about and they are continually fancying and inventing new Notions and Chymaera's and this bears the Bell and is all in request to day and this to morrow and thus they strangely lose themselves running from one fancy unto another till in the end they have out-run Reason Religion and all Whereas now a Saint which hath his heart exercised about spiritual things is like a man which is in great dealings and trading which hath many weighty affairs under his hand together and is by reason hereof so full of employment that he cannot finde time to beat his braines about this querk and the other query all the time that he hath is little enough and too little to follow so as that he may not be a looser of his greater employments hee findes that had hee two dayes whereas he hath but one time would be too little for him to busie himself how hee might enjoy more communion with God understand more of the great Mysteries of Godlinesse get his heart more mortified his graces more quickned c. though hee should allow other things no time at all Because to a heart that is exercised about spiritual things other things are dry and empty such a heart neither findes relish in them nor satisfaction from them a spiritual heart delights in things and relisheth them as they are spiritual that which much relisheth a carnal heart is very dis-relishing to the Spiritual man As take a Carnal eare that loves to hear things where there is a great deale of curiosity and of the varnish of Humane wit and Wisdome but now take a Spiritual eare that delights to hear such things as have in them evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and power and findes a dis-relishing of other things So take a Carnal eye that delights to behold such things as please the Natural sense and delight the Fancy but now a Spiritual soul that delights to behold such things as may elevate the Soul and raise the affections more towards Heaven so take a Carnal heart that is well pleased when it is exercised about toyes this vaine needless question and the other but now a Spiritual heart that can take no comfortable relish in things of this nature but they are dry and empty unto it and therefore it shuns and avoyds them and so escapes the danger that comes by them 3 Because such a heart as is exercised in and taken up with Spiritual things lives as I may say in another world whither these vapours which make the braines of many men giddy and their conversation unstedfast doe not ascend he lives in the heavenly world and is