EVIDENCE FOR HEAVEN CONTAINING Infallible Signs and reall Demonstrations of our Union with Christ and Assurance of Salvation With an Appendix of laying down certain Rules to be observed for preserving our Assurance once Obtained Published by Ed. Calamy B. D. and Pastor of the Church at Aldermanbury London PHIL. 2.12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling 2 PET. 1.10 Give Diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 COR. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates LONDON Printed for Simon Miller at the Staâ— in Pauls Church-yard toward the West end 1657. AN EPISTLE TO THE READER THere are two things which ought to be the chief aim of all those who desire to live holily and dye happily The one is to get an interest in Christ the other to get an assurance of their interest in him The first of these is absolutely necessary to Salvation The second is absolutely necessary though not to our Salvation yet to our Consolation Without the first we cannot dye happily Without the second we cannot dye comfortably It must not be denied but that a man may have true Grace and yet want the Assurance of it he may be a Child of Light in darknesse he may have the direct act of Faith and yet want the reflect act he may have the Sanctifying work of the Spirit and yet want the witnessing work Though no man can have the witnessing work who hath not the Sanctifying yet a man may have the sanctifying and yet want the witnessing work of the Spirit Ioseph may be alive and yet his Father Iacob may think him dead true grace may be in us and yet we may not only not know it but beleeve the contrary This condition though it be sad yet it is not damnable For as a wicked man is never the nearer Heaven because he presumptuously conceits he is in the way to Heaven no more is a Child of God the nearer Hell because he thinks he is in the way to Hell Christ was not therefore a Gardiner because Mary thought so neither was Ioseph therefore dead because Iacob imagined him to be dead He that beleevs shall be saved whether he knows it or knows it not he that walks in Heavens way shall certainly at last come to Heaven though he thinks himself out of the way Notwithstanding all this though the Grace of Assurance be not simply and absolutely necessary yet it is a most precious jewell without which we can neither â—e comforted while we live nor willing to part with life It is a Heaven upon earth a Heaven before we come to Heaven The Prelibation and Pregustation of Heaven It is the hidden Manna Abraham's bosome the joy of the Lord and the peace of God which passeth all understanding It is to be laboured after with all labour And therefore the Apostle perswads us to give diligence to make our calling and election sure The subject of this ensuing Treatise is to direct and teach us how to get an infallible assurance of salvation Here are severall Marks and Characters propounded of a man in Christ the work is very weighty and of great concernment for whosoever undertakes to lay down marks of a Child of God must be carefull of two things 1. That he doth not propound evidences of Grace which are proper only to eminent Christians as belonging to all true Christians least herein he makes sad the hearts of those whom God would not have made sad 2. That he doth not mention such Characters of a true Child of God which may be found in an Hypocrite least he makes glad the hearts of those whom God would not have made glad The Author of this book hath brought very many marks of a true justifying faith of a distinguishing Love of God of of repentance unto life and of a new Creature c. Now though thou canst not apply all of them as thy portion yet if thou canst apply many of them and sincerely labourest to be capable of applying the rest thou art in a happy condition There are two wayes by which a man may come to know his interest in Christ. The one is by the witnesse of his own spirit The other by the witnesse of Gods Spirit There are some who say there is but one witnesse the witnesse of Gods Spirit This I grant is the chief witnesse but I conceive that the Scripture doth also hold forth the witnesse of a mans own spirit as well as of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.16 It is not said the Spirit witnesseth to our spirits but with our spirits that we are the Sons of God Wherenote that a mans own spirit is a co-witnesse This witnesse of a mans own spirit is nothing else but the testimony of an illightened andrenewed conscience reflecting upon its grace and assuring the soul that it is in Christ c. Of this way of assurance the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Iohn 2.3 1 Iohn 3.21 Heb. 13.18 Act. 24.16 When a mans conscience bears him witnesse upon Scripture grounds that he doth beleeve and repent and that he is a new Creature this is instead of a thousand witnesses and it is a continuall feast in the worst of times But now because the voice of conscience is sometimes so low a voice as that the spirit of a man cannot heare it especially when it is disturbed and distracted with the voice of sin accusing and condemning him and because the voice of conscience is sometimes uncertain so as the soul knoweth not what the verdict of it is And because also the eye of conscience is sometimes blind through ignorance and cannot see the garces it hath and is ready to beare false witnesse against it self and to say it is not justified when it is Or if not blind yet it is many times dimme and cannot see the happy condition it is in And sometimes it is infested with melancholly which makes it look upon its own condition with black spectacles And because the graces of Gods Spirit in his Children are sometimes so small and little or at least so blotted and blurred that conscience cannot read the graces God hath given it Hence it is that God out of his great goodnesse hath afforded us another witnesse besides the testimony of conscience which is the witnesse of his own Spirit witnessing with our spirits that we are the Sons of God This indeed is the great and the infallible witnesse therefore it is compared to a Seal whereby we are sealed to the day of Redemption and to an earnest and it is called the comforter and the Spirit of adoption by which we are enabled to cry Abba father Of both these witnesses this Treatise speaks to very good purpose One thing more I must add which will unto many seem very wonderfull and almost incredible The Author of this Book is a Gentlewoman belonging
holds out unto the death and ends in fruition it can never be totally nor finally lost and this indeed is it's distinguishing property and it is the property of every renewing grace every renewing grace holds out unto the end that grace which weares the the Crown of Glory is persevereing Revel 2.10 It is not alwayes so in appearance but in truth A true beleever may at sometimes and in some cases seem both to himself and to others to have loft his faith and his other graces as many examples in Scripture shew but yet as Ieb speaks The root of the matter is within him still Truth of grace in the inward parts and it abideth there However a true beleever may and sometimes doth for a time lose the comfort of his grace and the fight of his grace and the power of acting of his grace yet he hath this priviledg above all formalists he never totally loseth the habit of any renewing grace these gifts of God are without repentance Wouldest thou then know whether thy faith be sound and saving and such as consequently demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soule try and examine thy saith by these properties and Scripture-Characters of a true jusâ—ifying faith and if it hold correspondency with them know for thy comfort that it is such as really demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation and special operatâ—on in tâ—y soul thy Union with Christ aâ—d eâ—ernal salvation by him whatsoever Satan or thine own conscience abused by Satan may at any time hereafter say to the contrary and give the Lord the praise The end of thy faith shall be the salvation of thy Soul as the Scripture speaks 1 Pet. 1.9 LOVE ANother grace demonstrating the holy Spirits saving habitation in us is Love to wit sincere Love God is Love and where God dwelleth by his Spirit he worketh Love to wit sincere Love to God and sincere love to man for Gods sake And this Love is a speciall work and fruit of the holy Spirit of God in man as appears by the language of the Apostle My little Children let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him and Gal 5. â—2 it is said The fruit of the Spirit is Love More particularly That sincere Love to God is a special work of the Spirit of God and such as accompanies salvation is evident by the great good that this grace is attended with both here and hereafter here all things how bad soever in themselves work together for good unto them that love God Rom. 8.28 And many promises of temporall and eternall good are made unto this grace Psal. 91.14 15 16. A Crown of Life is promised unto it Iam 1.12.25 Much good attendeth this grace here but as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Such is the happiness joy and glory which God hath prepared for them that love him that it cannot enter into us till we shall enter into it It must therefore needs be a special work of the Spirit of God in us and a sure pledg of salvation He that sincerely loves God hath that in him which is a sure argument that he is greatly beloved of God I love them that love me saith Christ We love him because he first loved us saith the Apostle And must not that needs be a special work of the Spirit of Gâ—d in man which strongly argues the special Love of God towards man surely yes But sincere Love to God strongly arguâ—s special Love in God towards him that hath it therefore sincere Love to God must needs be a speciall work of the Spirit of God in whomsoever it is That sincere Love to man for Gods sake is a speciall work of the Spirit of God in man is evident by that which follows Sincere love to man for Gods sake in whomsoever it is is a real testimony of his Union with Christ Regeneration and New-birth and that he is indeed a true Disciple of Jesus Christ as these Scriptures following plainly evidence This is his Commandement that we beleeve in the Name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement and he that keepeth his Commandement dwelleth in him and he in him He that dwelleth in love dwellth in God and God in him If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his Love is perfected in us c. These Texts cleerly demonstrate this Love to be a real testimony of Union with Christ Love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God We know that we are passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren saith the Apostle And these Texts plainly evidence this love to be a true testimony of our Regeneration and New birth Love one another saith Christ as I have loved you meaning for the kind of Love By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you have love one towards another These Texts plainly demonstrate this Love we speak of to be a true Character of a true Disciple of Jesus Christ And must not that needs be a special work of the Spirit of God in man and a true testimony of his saving habitation in us which is a real testimony of our Union with Christ and Renovation by him and dependance on him Surely yes But sincere Love to man for Gods sake is eminently all this therefore this Love must needs be a special work of the Spirit of God and a sure testimony of his saving habitation in whomsoever it is Sincere Love is a grace without which all profession of Religion is but guilded Hypocrisie where Love is God dwels but where it is not the Devil dwels the more Love the more like to God the less of it the more like the Devil Wofull experience shews That those men which have great parts and gifts and little or no Love shew more of the Devils nature then of Gods and act more like the Devil then God where they have power Love is the sweetest flower in all the garden of God but it is a flower which the Devil cannot indure the smell of because he is not capable of it and knows that where Love dwels he must vanish and therefore it is his main design to destroy Love if possible in all sorts and sects and to root it up and banish it from the hearts of all men The Devil is well content that men should pray preach read hear Sermons and make a faire shew outwardly provided this spring not from Love nor tendeth not to the increase of Love to God nor man but if he see Love be the root and fruit of mens services then he goes cunningly and Serpent-like to
by the holy Spirit of God his chief work is within doors his principall care desire and endeavour is to approve his heart unto God and so walk that he may be accepted of him and glorifie him Then again civill Holiness springs from morall principles good education and the like but saving Holiness springs from love love to God is the root out of which it springs as the Apostle shews Eph. 1.4 The soul that is thus sealed by the Spirit of God his Holiness springs from love to God The love of Christ constraineth him thereunto The soul that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God dares not sunder what God hath coupled together to wit Holiness towards God and Righteousness towards men a man truly regenerate is carefull of both witness Paul Act. 24.16 He makes conscience of all sinne and of all duty he warrs against all sinne and hath râ—spect unto all Gods Commandments The soul thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is one in whom sinne dwelleth as a Rebell and ruleth as a Tyrant only He is one that is of all men the most sensible of and affected with carnallity in himself I am carnall saith he sold under sinne Rom. 7. He is one that serves the Lord with all humility of mind Act. 20.19 The more holy and the more righteous a soul sealed by the holy Spirit of God is the more humble he is Christ and Paul were notable examples of this He that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is a world-overcoming creature a flesh-overcoming creature and a Devil overcoming creature He is more than a Conquerour over all these through Christ that hath loved him and sealed him by his Spirit He is one that is a new Creature and of this something hath been already spoken in this Treatise to which I refer the Reader for a farther discovery of a regenerate person In fine He that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is one that holds on his way and grows in grace I joyn these together so doth Iob The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 This seal of the holy Spirit of God hath this priveledge above and beyond all other seales the impression which it makes remaineth and increaseth This seal of Demonstration if once truly stamped by the Spirit of God on a soul abideth there the impression never weares out This annointing abideth as Iohn speakes 1 Ioh. 2.27 Truth of grace in the heart and it abideth there and the heart abideth in the truth When God gives a man truth of grace he gives it him to have and to hold for ever the soul thus sealed beares in it the marks of the Lord Jesus unto the death and most eminently after death in glory This seal of the holy Spirit of God is lasting and everlasting True regeneration seales a man to the day of redemption but this it could not do were it not a lasting substance This may suffice to discerne the reality of this seal of Demonstration by to wit true regeneration and to distinguish it from that counterfeit set by Satan I do not intend an innumeration of the qualifications and appearances of a regenerate person here but only endeavour to discry him and distinguish between him and one but seemingly regenerate and therefore strik◠〈◊〉 and proceed to the other seal of the holy Spirit of God to wit the seal of Confirmation mentioned before and for this purpose shall pitch upon Rom. 8.16 Spirits witness with our spirits Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God THis is the last but not the least evidence that a child of God hath in this life for Heaveâ—s eternity of this I â—ay say as David said of 〈◊〉 sword There is none like that give it me There is no testimony to that of the Spirit of God witnessing with our spirits to satisfie conscience to resolve all doubts remove all scruples and end all controversies about our eternall estate When the Spirit of God beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God to wit by grace and adoption the soul then enjoys heaven upon earth and hath meat to eat that the world knoweth not of It is sealed unto the day of redemption indeed with a seal of Confirmation and it knoweth that it is so The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God Hence it is evident That no mans own spirit can truly assâ—re him of the love of God towards him nor â— his adoption unless the Spirit of God concur and bear witness with his spirit no more than a mans own Deed or Seal can assure him of what is delegated or assigned unto him by another Neither is it the Spirit of God alone simply and singly considered that doth this but it is the Spirit of God concurring with our spirits the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that doth assure us of the love of God and our adoption When the Spirit of God by a speciall work of his upon our soules convinces them of the speciall love of God towards us of our Justification and Sanctification and we by faith assent thereunto then doth the Spirit bear witness with our spirit according to the meaning of this Text as I conceive then is the soul sealed unto the day of redemption with a seal of Confirmation And this is that seal which I am now to speak of and that which this Text points at This may be called Gods privy seal sealing a soul unto the day of redemption Of this seal the Apostle speakes Ephâ—s 1.13 In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise c. Before I speak of the appearances of this seal of the Spirit of God I shall here note two or three things This seal of Confirmation God sets upon some of his people but this he doth not set upon all his people the Spirit of God doth â—hus bear witness with our spirits in some of Gods children but it doth not thus bear witness with our spirits in all Gods children Neither doth it thus bear witness at all times in those in whom it doth at some the Scriptures afford frequent examples of this 2. This testimony or witness of the Spirit of God in whomsoever it is proceedeth from and dependeth on free grace and is a token of royall favour to whomsoever it is granted it is Christs golden Scepter held up to the soul. 3. This seal or testimony of the holy Spirit of God though it be the ratifier of our Redemption and Salvation in our hearts yet it is not the meritorious cause of it neither is it absolutely necessary unto salvation 4. This seal of the holy Spirit of God on whomsoever it is set is an earnest and but an earnest of that inheritance which he shall one day be
sincerely loved God and this made him grieve at the dishonour other men did to God but most of all at the dishonour which himself had done to God the consideration of this made his heart pant and his strength fail and made him go mourning all the day long Sincere Love to God makes a man prize the light of Gods countenance and the apprehension of his Love in Christ above all things in the world Lord Lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me this putteth gladness into my heart more then corn and wine Let him kiss me with the kisses of his lips for his love is better then wine This is the language of sincere lovers of God and Christ and a clear evidence it is of the truth asserted and lively demonstrates the judgement and affection of a sincere lover of God and Christ. Sincere Love to God makes a man delight in communion with God by prayer meditation and the use of all his other Ordinances here and long for the marriage-day of the Lamb to the end he might enjoy a more near Union and sweet Communion with Christ his well-beloved and be perfectly conformed unto his holy will as the language of sincere lovers of God shew My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before him Oh God! thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee c. I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is best of all Come Lord Iesus Come quickly This longing desire to depart and to be with Christ and to have Christ come to consummate the mysticall marriage though it be a fruit of love yet it is not an inseparable property of sincere love neither is it in all that sincerely love God nor in all in whom it is is it at all times alike but in those only which apprehend the love of God in Christ towards them and at such time as they apprehend it and this is not every sincere lovers portion here therefore a Christian ought not to judge his love to God unsound onely because he wants this longing desire to be with Christ and to have Christ come to consummate this mystical marriage but to have recourse to the foresaid properties of sincere love for the tryall of his love when this fails and to such as follow Sincere Love to God is a constant growing love and an everlasting love it holds out in all times and seasons and variety of conditions prosperity and adversity praise and persecution health and sickness plenty and poverty liberty and bonds yea in death it self and after death through all eternity death doth not terminate this grace but perfect it therefore saith the Apostle of a sincere lover he dwelleth in love and of this love It never faileth A man that sincerely loves God continues to love him when he hides his face from him and he cannot see him nor one glimpse of his favor neither within him nor without him yea when he frowns upon him and shewes himself marvelous unto him as Iob speaks and the Arrows of the Almighty stick fast in his soul And Satan and his own Conscience deluded by Satan tells him He shall never see the face of God with comfort And however God carryes himself towards him yet he dares not from thence take leave to vary his carriage towards God but loves him still for better for worse and obeys him to the utmost of his power which shews in the next place That he that sincerely loves God loves him for nought That man may be said to love God for nought who loves him principally for himself and not for his who loves him because he is of all things most lovely who had rather have God without all then all without God for his portion Who had rather have a houseless Christ a harbourlesâ— Christ a hated and a persecuted Christ thâ—â— all the honours pleasures and riches of the world without Christ Who had rather have grace without glory then glory without grace Who had rather have the Gospel and Gospel-Ordinances in power and purity with poverty and trouble then peace and plenty without them Who had rather Christ should reign then himself Who desires Christ may encrease though he himself decrease and truth live though he die Who preferrs the interest of God and Christ before his own interest or any interest whatsoever Who labours more to get and to keep a good conscience then a good estate in the world In a word he that loveth God more then these earthly contentments he and he only may be said to love God for nought and to love him sincerely as Christs language to Peter intimates Lovest thou me more then these as if he had said If thy love be not more to me then to these earthly things it 's worth nothing in my account if it be â—ore to me then to â—hese if it adhere to me with the loss of these â—hat shews it is not for these but for nought that thou lovest me and this argues thy love sincere Sincere Love to Christ is very industrious and it makes the Subject in which it is very industrious in following after the Lord and the things of the Lord and the more it aboundeth the more industrious the soul is in following after her beloved this is evident by the language and practice of such as have sincerely loved the Lord in all times I follow after saith the Apostle My soul followeth hard after thee saith another sincere lover of God Early will I seek thee c. and the Spouse in the Canticles sought night and day after her beloved Mary Magdalen and other lovers of Christ were very industrious in seeking after him All which evidently demonstrates the truth asserted to wit That sincere love is very industrious Sincere Love to God and Christ makes the soul unsatisfied in thinking and speaking of the divine Excellencies Wisdome Beauty and Majesty of God and Christ Love of what kind soever delights in the comtemplation of the object which it fastens on the soul delights to be still thinking and speaking of her Beloved whatever it be as every ones experience can teâ—â— him the soul that sincerely loves God doth no less See an instance of this in the Spouse in the Canticles she thinks of her Beloved aâ—d speaks of her Beloved as one unsatisfied with the thoughts and praises of him as one resolved to win if it were possible all the world to love what she loved and this lively demonstrates the sincerity of her love and the nature of sincere love Sincere Love to God is a soul-warming affection it warmeth that heart in which it is with a spirituall heat with a holy zeal for God and the things of God yea so warmeth it that many waters cannot quench it nor floods drown the fire
dead because of sinne That is the desire and bent of the soul which is naturally to sin and for sinne is turned from sinne and against sinne so that the body of sinne cannot without much reluctancy and opposition bear sway where Christ dwells 1. The body of sinne whilest alive makes a willing sinner but when dead a nilling sinner I do that which I would not saith the soul dead to sinne Rom. 7.16 The soul alive to sinne in sinning doth the evill which it would do but the soul dead to sinne in sinning doth the evill which it would not do 2. The soul alive to sinne allows it self in sinne in some sinne or other every soul in whom this body is alive allows it self But the soul dead to sinne allows not it self in any known sinne What I do I allow not saith a soul dead to sinne Rom. 7.15 I do this and I do that which I should not through humane frailty and the violence of temptation from without and from within or true necessity but I allow not what I do I do not resolve in cold bloud that thus and thus I will do but the quite contrary The soul that is truly dead to sinne allows not it self in any one known sinne The soul that is alive to sinne is in league with finne it makes leagues with sinne as the Israelites did with the inhabitants of Canaan there is no unregenerate person but he is in league with some sinne or other and though he lay some tribute upon his sinne or upon himself for his sinne yet he continues his league with sinne still and intends not the ruine of sinne nor the utter extirpation of sinne But the soul that is dead to sinne doth not make a league with any one sinne but his design is to ruine sinne all sinne he will not covenant to sinne as Iudas and the chief-Priests did but covenant against sinne as Iob did Iob. 3 1. â— This is the second Character of a foul dead to sinne As Saul should have dealt with Amalek so doth the soul dead to sinne deal with sinne it spaâ—es none it warrs against the whole body of death against every sinne 3. The soul alive to sinne in sinning doth the evill which he loves but the soul dead to sinne in sinning doth the evill which he hates What I hate that do I saith a soul dead to sinne Rom 7.15 The soul alive to sinne though he refrain from sinne yet he loves it still But the soul dead to sinne though he fall into sinne and be many times overpowred by sinne yet he doth not love sinne but hates it so farre forth as regenerate Object But conscience may here reply in some soul and say I cannot by this conclude that I am one dead to sinne but rather that I am one alive to sinne for I find much inclination in my will to sinne and much adhering in affections to sinne Answ. 1. If this alone were sufficient to give the denomination of a soul alive to sinne then no soul living in a body of flesh could conclude that he were truly dead to sinne for their is no soul inhabiting this earthly house no not the best alive but hath cause thus â—o complain 2. But secondly Every soul dead to sinne doth bear the image of a double person he beares the image of the first Adam and the image of the second Adam he is partly flesh and partly spirit and he is thus in every faculty of his soul there is flesh in every faculty of his soul sinne dwelling in every faculty this therefore doth not render the soul alive to sinne 3. Then thirdly Thou speakest in this as one seeking after a perfect death to the power and being of sinne in thy self But the Apostle in this Text points only at a true death to sinne and truly dead to sinne he may be and is to whom sinne is a burthen So much for â—â—swet to this Objection 4. In the fourth place The body of sinne iâ— truly dead wastes and decayes there is a decaying in this body and a wasting away as in the natural body when once dead therefore saith the Apostle I die daily thereby implying that where there is a true death to sinne there is a true decaying of sinne Object But conscience in some may here reply again and say I cannot hence conclude that I am one truly dead to sinne but rather see cause to conclude on the contrary for I do not find that corruption doth decay and wast away in me but rather that it grows stronger and stronger Answ. Strong apprehensions of corruption are no argument of the strength of corruption at least if they be accompanied with loathing of them and warring against them in the strength of Christ but rather symptomes of a new Life This therefore should not cause any to conclude That there is no death to sinne in him but rather excite him to cleave closer to Christ who hath begun this death in him and will at the length perfect it 5. In the fifth place The soul that is truly dead to sinne is universally dead to sinne he is dead to every sinne and he is dead to sin in every faculty of his soul though but in part yet in every part of soul and body This and no less then this will serve to demonstrate a man truly dead to sinne in a Gospel-sence 6. Finally The soul that is truly dead to sinne is alive to righteousness the soul that is dead in sinne is alive to sinne and the soul that is dead to sinne is alive to righteousness If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne But the Spirit is Life because of righteousness This is the next thing to be spoken of and it is the second Character laid down by the Apostle to demonstrate Christ resident in us The Spirit is Life because of righteousness By Spirit in this Text is meant as I conceive the regenerate part of man and nothing else to wit that which is born of the-Spirit in this sence I take the word Spirit here because it is set in opposition to the forementioned body which body as is evident is the unregenerate part or old man So this word Spirit is used by the Apostle unto the Galathians The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh The regenerate part lusteth against the unregenerate So Christ useth the word Spirit Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit but the Spirit is Life because of righteousness It is as if the Apostle had said If Christ be in you it will appear by this the Spirit is Life because of righteousness that is the regenerate man is alive because of righteousness he is alive because of a double righteousness or because of righteousnes in a double sence 1. He is alive because of the righteousness of Justification And 2. Because of the righteousness of Sanctification That man is truly and perfectly alive
Creature and a meer naturalist For although there may be and oftentimes is a contradiction and combate in an unregenerate person between severall and distinct faculties of the soul the appetite against reason the will or affections against conscience yet there never is a contradiction in the same faculty of the soul in an unregenerate person neither indeed can there be for there is nothing in it to oppose This combate is peculiar to a new Creature where there is flesh and spirit in the same faculty and what the one chuseth the other refuseth it may therefore well be a Christians touch-stone to try himself by There is yet another way whereby a man may be said to commit sinne which is far more dangerous than the former yea remedilesse and that is when a man doth wilfully and obstinately oppose that which the Word of God and the Spirit of God doth throughly convince his conscience is the Truth and ought to be followed out of meer malice scorn and contempt and this is that which I think this Text points at chiefly but thus a Child of God a member of Christ a new Creature cannot commit sinne because his seed remaineth in him as the Apostle here speaks He that thus commiteth sin is of the Divell and sealed by him to Hels eternity 1 Ioh. 3.8 ch 5.16 Mat. 12.32 In the fifth place a new Creature is one that groans under the remainder of the old man in him to wit the naturall propensity which he finds in himself to all evill the inticing tempter of corrupt nature which makes him a verse to all good and prone to all evill as that which spoiles all his good dutyes as that which is his greatest burden bewailes it as that alone which makes his condition wretched and miserable longs earnestly for a total deliverance from this burden of corrupt nature prayes earnestly for strength against all the inticings thereof and rests of Christ by Faith in the use of all lawfull meanes by him appointed for a total deliverance at length and strength against all the inticings thereof until total deliveraâ—ce be granted all which is evident in Paul Rom. 7. And truly I never yet found any burden like this burden though I have born many this burden alone had not Christ borne the heavior end of it had sunk my soul in despaire or driven it upon desperate attempts the time hath been when to have been freed from the power of natural corruption My soul hath chosen death rather than life and longed for dâ—ath more then for hid treasures as Iob speaks yea when it would have joyed in that which nature abhors an untimely death by the hand of man would have infinitely more joyed me than the acquiring of the whole earth with all it affords only for the freeing of my soul from the power of corrupt nature which was so potent that my unbeleeving heart did often conclude That I should one time or other fall by it and by it be undone to all eternity yet the Lord was my stay and prevented what I much feared and out of this deep the Lord at length delivered me to the glory of Christ my keeper and deliverer and the incouragement of others in the like case I speak this much more I could speake on this subject experimentally but I forbeare In the sixt place a new Creature is one that minds the things of the Spirit is led by the Spirit and walks after the Spirit These expressions tend all to one and the same end namely to denominate a new Creature therefore I put them together A new Creature is one that minds the things of the Spirit so saith the text Rom. 8.5 They that are after the slâ—sh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit As carnall hearts mind carnall things so spirituall hearts mind spirituall things a new Creature minds the things of the Spirit after the rule of the Spirit the Word of God He minds the things of the Spirit in the first place he minds them savourly chiefly and principally more than the things of the flesh and declares it by following after them industriously The apprehension of the love and favour of God and that which leades thereunto to wit the pure Ordinances of God are the only jewels which he esteems and follows after and for the acquiring and retaining of these he will part with all the good of the world and count it but dung as is evident in the parable of the merchant-man who sould all to buy the pearl A new Creature his great care desire and indeavour is to be more new O that I were more dead to sinne more alive to righteousnesse that I were lesse in the flesh more in the spirit lesse in my self more in Christ saith a new Creature And these are the things which he minds and follows after He is led by the Spirit of God so saith the Apostle Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God This language plainly shews who are the Adopted Sonnes of God and so consequently who are new Creatures for to be such a Sonne of God as this Text speaks of and to be a new Creature is all one in effect and he that is such is led by the Spirit of God That is his mark set by the holy Ghost by the hand of the Apostle The Spirit of God may be said to lead man two manner of wayes more generally or more specially as a qualifier only or as a sanctifier and that leading of the Spirit which denominates our son ship or the Creature new is not the more generall but the more speciall leading of the Spirit to wit the Spirit leading as a sanctifier as an inward sanctifier as well as an outward A man may then be faid to be led by the Spirit of God according to the meaning of this Text as I humbly conceive when hâ— by a speciall work of the Spirit of God upon his soul is inabled voluntarily and cordially to resign up himself in all things to be guided by the Spirit of God and cordially and couragiously to decline all other leaders contrary unto this 1. He that is thus led by the Spirit of God is not under the Law saith the Apostle Gal. 5.18 If ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law by Law in this Text some Divines take to be meant the moral Law and so taking it conclude That he that is led by the Spirit is freed from the curse of the moral Law which is very true of this mind was Mr Perkins others by Law here understand the domineering power of corrupt nature that which the Apostle cals The Law of sinne Rom. 7 25. of this mind was Luther Law thus taken the conclusion is That he that is led by the Spirit of God is not under the domineering reigning power of sinne