of the spirit An Assent with wonder and astonishment because so much wisdom love and grace was discovered in it Eph. 3.17 18 19. 2. Consent must be often renewed to that covenant by which the spirit is dispensed often enter into a resolution to take God for your God for your Soveraign Lord your Portion and Happiness and Christ for your Redeemer and Saviour and the Holy Ghost for your Guide Sanctifier and Comforter Every solemn consent renewed doth both confirm you in the benefit of the spirit and bind you and excite you to the duties required by God in all these relations Your constant work is to love and seek after God as your happiness and Jesus Christ as your Saviour and the Spirit for your Guide and Direction 3. Dependance upon the love of God and the merits of Christ and the power of the spirit that you may use Christs appointed means with the more confidence That soul that thus sets its self to believe findeth a wonderful encrease of the spirit in this renewed exercise of faith assenting consenting and depending Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy ghost 2. Your Repentance must be renewed by a hearty grief for sin and resolutions and endeavours against it The more sin is made odious the more the spirit hath obtained his effect in you and the more heartily you study to please God in the work of love and obedience the more you are acquainted with the spirit and his quicknings the spirit and his comforts Acts 9.31 They walked in the fear of the Lord and the comforts of the Holy ghost His business is to make you holy the more you obey his motions and follow his directions the more he delighteth to dwell in your hearts 2. VSE is self-reflection Let me put that Question to you Acts 19.3 Have ye received the Holy ghost since ye believed Is the first great change wrought Are you called from darkness to light From sin to holiness Turned from Satan to God Are you made partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 The change must be perfected more and more by the spirit 2 Cor. 3.18 Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord we are changed into his image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Do you obey his sanctifying motions Rom. 8.14 For as many as are led by the spirit of God are the Sons of God His motions all tend to quicken us to the heavenly life inclining our hearts to things above 2 Thes. 2.13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth SERMON XIII ROM VIII 10 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin and the spirit is life because of righteousness THE Text is manifestly a Prolepsis or a Preoccupation of a secret Objection against our Redemption by Christ If believers die as well as others how are they freed from death questionless Christ was sent into the world to abolish the misery brought in by Adams sin now death was the primary punishment of sin Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And this remaineth on believers The Apostle answereth in the words read 1. By supposition If Christ be in you That he might fix the priviledg on the Persons to whom it properly belongeth 2. By concession The body is dead because of sin 3. By correction And the spirit is life because of righteousness 1. The supposition sheweth that the comfort of the priviledg is drawn from the spiritual union which believers have with Christ if Christ be in you Secondly The concession granteth what must be granted that death befalleth believers their bodies return to the dust as others do But Thirdly the correction is that they are certain to live for ever with Christ both in body and soul and this upon a twofold ground first There is a life begun which shall not be quenched but perfected the spirit is life Secondly The ground and procuring cause is Christs righteousness Sin deprived them of the life of grace and forfeited the life of glory but here the righteousness of Christ hath purchased this life for us and the spirit applieth it to us Doct. That Christ in believers notwithstanding death is a sure pledg and earnest to them of eternal life both in body and soul. This Point will be best discussed with respect to the several clauses in the Text the supposition the concession the correction or contrary assertion 1. The supposition if Christ be in you Here I will prove to you that a true Christian is one that doth not only profess Christ but hath Christ in him 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye are reprobates that is senseless stupid wretches not accepted of God so Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory Now Christ is in us two ways Objectively and Effectively Objectively as the object is in the faculty or the things we think of and love are in our hearts and minds so Christ is in us as he is apperehended and imbraced by faith and love so he is said Eph. 3.17 To dwell in our hearts by faith and again He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 John 4.18 Which is not to be understood of the acts only but the habitual temper and dispositions of our souls for else by the ceasing of the acts the union at least on our hearts would be broken off Secondly Effectively so Christ is in us by his spirit and gracious influence Now the effects of his spirit are first life he is become the principle of a new life in us Gal. 2.20 Christ liveth in me and the life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Where he is he maketh us to live and we have another principle of our lives than our selves or our own natural or renewed spirit Secondly Likeness or renovation of our natures Gal. 4.19 Vntil Christ be formed in you The image of Christ is impressed on the soul 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 'T is all to the same effect our being in Christ or Christs being in us for both imply Union and the effect of it a near conformity to Christ in holiness Thirdly Strength by the continued influence of his grace to overcome temptations 1 John 4.4 Ye are of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world The spirit keepeth a foot Gods interest in the soul against all the assaults of the Devil so for the variety of conditions we pass thorough Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and how to abound
body is dead because of sin That is the relicks of sin are not abolished but by death there is a twofold end and use of death to them that are in Christ. 1. To finish transgression and make an end of Sin We groan under the burden of it while we are in our Mortal bodies Rom. 7.24 But when the Believer dyeth death is the destruction of sin rather than of the penitent Sinner the vail of the sinful flesh is rent and by the sight of God we are purified all in an instant and then sin shall gasp its last and our Physitian will perfect the cure which he hath begun in us and we shall be presented faultless before the presence of God 2. To free us from the natural infirmities which render us uncapable of that happy life in Heaven which is intended to us The state of Adam in innocency was blessed but Terrene and Earthly a state that needed Meat Drink and Sleep If Christ would have restored us to this life it may be death had not been necessary and the present state of our bodies needed not to be destroyed but only purified but our Lord Jesus had an higher aim Eph. 1.3 Who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in Christ Adam injoyed God among the beasts in paradise we injoy God among the Angels in Heaven it 's a divine and Heavenly Life that he promiseth a life like that of the blessed Angels where meat and drink and sleep hath no use Now this nature that we now have is not fitted for this life therefore Paul telleth us 1 Cor. 15.50 That flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God That is that Animal life which we derived from Adam cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Therefore we need to bear the image of the Heavenly which cannot be till this terrene and animal life be abolished To this end God useth death So that which was in its self a punishment becometh a means of entrance into glory the Corn is not quickened unless it die 1 Cor. 15.36 37 38. The believers that are alive at Christs coming must be change v. 52 53. Christ himself by death entred into Glory therefore what ever is animal vile and earthly and weak must be put off before we are capable of this blessed estate 3. The cause of this mortality is Because of sin Had it not been for sin we had never had cause to fear dissolution there had been no use for coffins and winding-sheets nor had we been beholding to a Grave to hide our carkass from the sight and smell of the living there was a posse mori in innocency else death could not be threatned as a penalty but there was a posse non mori or else Immortality could not be propounded as the reward of Obedience therefore Man is Mortal conditione corporis but Immortal beneficio conditoris God could have supported him Well then death must make sin odious or else sin allowed will make death terrible Thirdly We come to the assertoin or correction The spirit is life because of Righteousness In which observe 1. That Believers have a life notwithstanding death Though death be appointed by God and inflicted upon believers as well as others yet they live notwithstanding this death John 11.25 He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live The Fountain of Life can raise him when he will no bands of Death can hinder his quickening Vertue Tho the union between Body and Soul be dissolved yet not their union with God 2. This life is to be understood of body and soul. 'T is only indeed here said life but he explaineth himself in the 11. vers If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you Man is compounded of a Body and a Soul death deprived him of his body for a time only the Body shall at last be reunited to partake of the happiness of the soul. 1. The soul being the noblest part is presently and most happily provided for being sanctified and purified from all her imperfections and is brought into the sight and presence of God Luke 20.38 They all live to God And they are gathered to the great counsel and assembly of Souls Heb. 12.23 There they serve God day and night and are under an happy necessity of never wandring from their Duty and no longer busied to maintain a war against sin but are always Imployed in Lauding Praising and Blessing God and delighting in him Well then this is the happiness of the faithful That though they put off the Body for a time yet the Soul hath an Eternal house to which it retireth and remains not only in the hand of God but injoyeth the sight and love of God 2. Cor. 5 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2. For the body At the Resurrection the soul shall reassume its body again We cannot easily believe that part shall be placed in Heaven which we see commited to the Grave to rot there but there is no impediment to Gods Almighty Power Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself This place doth prove that God hath provided for the happy estate of the Body as well as the Soul The dead are Gods subjects put into the hands of Christ he must give an account of them John 6.40 And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day They are likewise members of Christ. 1 Cor. 6.15 Now his Mystical body will not be maimed they are Temples of the Holy ghost 1 Cor. 6.15 Temples wherein we offer up to God reasonable service Now since the Spirit possesseth both Body and Soul he will repair his own dwelling-place which he hath once honoured with his presence and not let corruption always abide on it And we have the pattern of Christ he is the first Fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 the Soul hath an inclination to the Body still Therefore that our happiness may be compleat a glorified Soul shall inanimate immortal Body 3. The grounds are first the Spirit renewing Secondly Christ purchase 1. The Spirit is life he doth not draw his Argument from the immortality of the Soul for that is common to good and bad the wicked have a soul that will survive the body but little to their comfort their immortality is not an happy immortality but he taketh his argument from the new life wrought in us by the spirit which is the beginning pledg and earnest of a blessed immortality
from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you The Spirit cannot leave his dwelling-place It is said John 5.24 He that heareth my Word and believeth on Him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but is passed from Death unto Life The change is wrought as soon as we begin to be acquainted with God in Christ. 2. Presently after Death there is a further progress made As soon as the Soul is separated from the Body it begins to live gloriously It is with Christ Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ it is in Christ here but not so properly with him And it is in Paradise Luke 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise In Abraham 's Bosom Luke 16.25 He seeth Abraham a far off and Lazarus in his Bosom And enjoyeth the Fruit of good Works Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord From henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them There is not only a cessation from Sin and Misery but an enjoyment of Glory and the Body resteth without pain and labour till the Resurrection as in a Bed Isa. 57.2 He shall enter into Peace they shall rest in their Beds each one walking in his uprightness 3. After at the Resurrection of the Body there is a consummation of all Joy That is called the Day of Regeneration Mat. 19.28 Body and Soul shall be renewed perfectly for Immortality and Glory Then we live indeed therefore Christ saith John 11.25 I am the Resurrection and the Life All is consummate and full then Death hath some Power till that day Vse 1. To press us to labour after this Holy Life John 6.27 Labour not for the Meat that perisheth but for that Meat that endureth unto everlasting Life which the Son of Man shall give you Grace is the Beginning and Pledg of it It is the Beginning and Seed of Life this is an immortal Spark that shall never be quenched It is the Pledg 1 Tim. 6.19 you may seize Life as your Right and Inheritance Oh labour for it This Life is made bitter that thou mayest desire the other Consider all dependeth on thy State in this World Either thou art a Child of Wrath or an Heir of Life Wicked Men do die rather than live in the other World It is better not to be than to be for ever miserable to lie under the Wrath of God to be shut out of the Presence of God for evermore Vse 2. Bless the Lord Jesus Christ for opening a Door of Life for them that were dead in and by Sin The Tree of Life was fenced by a flaming Sword no Creature could enter till Christ opened the Way 2 Tim. 1.10 By his appearing he hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Christ came from Heaven on purpose to overcome Death and take away the Sting of it and he is gone to Heaven on purpose to make way for us Our Life cost Christ his Death John 16.5 Now I go away to him that sent me To as many as thou hast given him Let us see the import of this Phrase 1. How we are said to be given to Christ. 2. Who are they that are given to Christ. 1. How we are said to be given to Christ. 1. By way of Reward There was an eternal Bargain and Compact Isa. 53.10 When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin he shall see his Seed c. We are Members of his Body Children of his Family Subjects of his Kingdom This is a ground of Certainty to the Elect The Lord knoweth those that are his 2 Tim. 2.18 He made no blind Bargain he had leisure enough to cast up his Account from all Eternity 2. By way of Charge to be redeemed justified sanctified glorified John 6. 37 38 39 40. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out For I came down from Heaven not to do mine own Will but the Will of him that sent me And this is the Father's Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last Day And this is the Will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last Day When the Elect were made over to Christ it was not by way of Alienation but Oppignoration they were laid to Pledg in his Hands and God will call Christ to an account None given to him by way of Charge can miscarry You trust Christ and God trusted him with all the Souls of the Elect. 2. Who are they that are given to Christ I Answer The Elect are intended in this Scripture as is clear He hath a Power over all flesh but to give eternal Life to as many as are given to him So Vers. 24. I will that all they whom thou hast given me may be with me None but the Elect are saved So Vers. 10. All mine are thine and thine are mine Where Christ's Charge and the Father's Election are made commensurable and of the same extent and latitude They are opposed to the World Vers. 9. I pray for them I pray not for the World but for them whom thou hast given me for they are thine I confess it is sometimes used in a more restrained sence of the Apostles and Believers of that Age as Vers. 6. Thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy Word And Vers. 12. Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition These were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Elect of the Elect. I confess sometimes the Word is used in a larger sence for Christ's universal Power over all Flesh. Psal. 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy Possession not by way of Charge but by way of Reward they were given to him or rather a Power over them was given to him There is a peculiar difficulty Vers. 12. concerning the Son of Perdition how he was given to Christ. But I shall handle it when I come to that place Christ having spoken of the Apostles keeping his Word taketh occasion to speak of Judas his Apostacy Note hence 1. That there was from all Eternity a solemn Tradition and Disposition of all that shall be saved into the Hands of Christ. All God's Flock are committed to his keeping This giving Souls to Christ was founded in an eternal Treaty Isa. 53.10 Christ received them by way of Grant and Charge he hath a Book where all their Names are recorded and written Rev. 13.8 All
the Promise of the Father When he came to Heaven he received the fulfilling of this Promise for God did not bring Christ into Heaven as we are brought into Heaven merely to rest from Labour and to enjoy the Reward of Glory but that he might sit in the Throne of Majesty and Authority to have Power to send the Spirit and gather the Church and condemn the World and to apply to all the Elect the Privileges that he had purchased for them There are Effects of Christ Crucified and there are Effects of Christ Raised and Exalted Psal. 68.18 Thou hast ascended on High thou hast led Captivity captive thou hast received Gifts for Men yea for the Rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them He gave Gifts when he ascended as Kings do at their Coronation The Humiliation of Christ hath its Effects in fulfilling the Curses of the Law pacifying God's Wrath and Justice the annihilation of the Right which the Devil had in Elect Sinners purchasing a right to returning to God and enjoying the Grace of Eternal Life The Exaltation of Christ hath its Effects viz. the Application of this Righteousness and to possess us of this Right When Christ was dead it was lawful for those for whom he died to return to God and enjoy his Grace but it was not possible for they were dead in Sins Therefore God raised up Christ and gave him Authority to pour out the Holy Ghost that we should seek in Grace not only the force of Satisfaction but of Regeneration that the effect of his Abasement this of his Advancement What a Comfort is this that Christ would not only die for us but rise again and pour out his Spirit that his Blood might not be without Profit 4. Here is Comfort for the Church while our Head is so highly magnified and made Lord of all he will rule all for the best certainly no Good shall be wanting to them that are his Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right Hand until I make thine Enemies thy Footstool There shall come a Time when the Church shall have no Enemies so far shall it be from its being overcome by its Enemies that they shall curse themselves that ever they resisted the Church 5. Our Sins shall not prejudice our Happiness seeing he sitteth at the right Hand of God the Father to be our Intercessor 1 Joh. 2.1 If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous we have a Friend at Court a Favorite in the Court of Heaven If it were not for Christ's Intercession what should we do those that know the Majesty of God their own Unworthiness the pollution of their Prayers what should they do The Spirit is our Notary here Rom. 8.26 The Spirit helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit is self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered And Christ is our Advocate in Heaven Rev. 8.3 And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne Our Prayers have an ill savour as they come from us 2. For our Instruction It teacheth us to seek Heavenly Things Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek the things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ. We should imitate Christ whatever he did Corporally we must do Spiritually There is our Treasure if you are the Children of God he is your Delight There is our Head the inferiour Parts never do well when they are severed from the Head All that we expect cometh from thence and therefore a natural desire of Happiness carrieth the Saints thither SERMON VII JOHN XVII 6 I have manifested thy Name unto the Men which thou gavest me out of the World thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy Word WE have now ended the first Paragraph of this Chapter Christ's Prayer for himself Here he cometh to pray for others the Disciples of that Age. When Jacob was about to die he blesseth his Sons so doth Christ his Disciples Christ representeth their Case with as much vehemency as he doth his own In this Verse useth three Arguments They were acquainted with his Father's Name belonged to his Grace and were obedient to his Will Or if you will you may observe First The Persons for whom he prayeth Secondly The Reasons why he prayeth for them which are three I. What Christ had done II. What the Father himself had done III. What they had done First The Persons for whom he prayeth The Men which thou hast given me out of the World Who are these I answer the Disciples or Believers of that Age not only the eleven Apostles are intended tho chiefly But it is not to be restrained to the Apostles only 1. Because the Description is common to other Believers others were given him besides the eleven Apostles It is the usual Description of the Elect in this Chapter ver 2. That he should give eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him So ver 9. I pray for them whom thou hast given me for they are thine And ver 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am And in other Chapters of this Gospel 2. Because Christ had made known the Name of God to more than the Apostles Many of the Jews and Samaritans had received the Faith Acts 1.15 there a hundred and twenty met together in a Church-Assembly presently after Christ's Death 3. Otherwise they had been forgotten in Christ's Prayer for afterwards he prayeth only for future Believers ver 20. Neither pray I for them only but for those that shall believe on me through their Word Mark That shall believe But tho the Apostles are not only intended yet they are chiefly intended as appeareth by that Expression Through their Word We have seen who are the Persons Now they are described to be the Men which the Father hath given me out of the World Men. To note the greatness of the Blessing tho they were frail miserable Men corrupt by Nature as others are yet by singular Mercy they are made familiar Friends of Christ and some of them Doctors of the World Which thou hast given me by way of special Charge There is a double giving to Christ by way of Reward by way of Charge These were given to him as a peculiar Charge Out of the World That is out of the whole Mass of Mankind When others were left and passed by God singled them out and gave them to Christ. I shall open the Phrase more fully in the next Clause The Points of Doctrine are these 1. Observ.
God's Wrath and Sin are exceeding terrible when they are charged on the Conscience Life is sweet and Man's Nature is afraid of Death it must be some great Matter that must cause a Man to make an end of himself and yet so great was his Despair that he was his own Destroyer Usually it is thus with grievous Sinners they dream of nothing but Mercy while they live and when they come they die have nothing but Wrath and Hell their presumption of Mercy doth but provide Matter for Despair He repented confessed his Sin restored the thirty pieces of Silver Conviction Confession Restitution are good yet do not always lead to God John 16.8 When he is come he will reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment This is as Water out of a Still that is forced by Fire not as Water out of a Fountain 2. We now come to his Punishment His Temporal Judgment you have recorded Mat. 27.5 He cast down the pieces of Silver in the Temple and departed and went and hanged himself The Pleasures of Sin are very short in the Midnight he receiveth the Mony and in the Morning hangeth himself The Pleasures of Sin are but for a Season Heb. 11.26 Till we sin Satan is a Parasite but when once we are in the Devil's Hands he turns Tyrant as an Angler when the Fish hath swallowed the Bait discovers himself or as an Hunter lies out of sight till the Beast is gotten into the Toil then he shouts and triumphs over the Prey Prov. 20.17 Bread of Deceit is sweet to a Man but afterwards his Mouth shall be filled with Gravel He went and hanged himself a Man will endure the greatest Evils rather than the Gripes of an awakened Conscience it is worse than all the Racks and Strappado's in the World A Man may make shift with other Calamities Prov. 18.14 The Spirit of a Man will sustain his Infirmity but a wounded Spirit who can bear When once he hath broken his Peace and run into God's displeasure Oh then who can stand under it Job 7.15 My Soul chuseth strangling and Death rather than Life Death the most violent and most disgraceful is more welcome to them than Life in such a case when a Man's Thoughts become his Hell and where-ever he goeth he carrieth his Hell about with him He hanged himself The event of Sin is always deadly to the Sinner Judas becometh his own Executioner Non potuit pejore manu perire quà m suâ non debuit tamen He could not die by a worser Hand God cannot want Instruments to punish Sinners he can arm our own Hands and Thoughts against our selves Judas was his own Judg and his own Executioner There is another Circumstance in his Death Acts 1.18 And falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst and all his Bowels gushed out The Rope breaking he fell down and then that accident befel him God suiteth Punishments to Sins to shew his detestation of Hypocrisy He turns the Traitor in and out he was outwardly an Apostle inwardly a Traitor therefore his Bowels and Inwards are now poured forth And then follows the Infamy of it Acts 1.19 And it was known unto all the Dwellers at Jerusalem insomuch as that Field is called in their proper Tongue Aceldama that is to say The Field of Blood Thus God will do pour shame and contempt upon them that are false to him Prov. 26.25 26. When he speaketh fair believe him not for there are seven Abominations in his Heart Whose Hatred is covered with Deceit his Wickedness shall be shewed before the whole Congregation First or last the Mask shall fall off and a Man shall be betrayed to shame and infamy Of the Woman whom Judas envied Christ saith Mat. 26.13 Verily I say unto you Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole World there shall also this that this Woman hath done be told for a Memorial of her As the Memorial of the Just doth not go into the Grave with him so neither the Infamy of the Wicked here is an everlasting Infamy upon Judas Judas is remembred in the Lord's Supper The Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread 1 Cor. 11.23 as Pilate is remembred in the Creed But all this is nothing to Hell he is gone to his own place where we must leave him as the first Fruits of Reprobates Vse Let us hate those Sins that brought Judas to destruction If you imitate him you make him your Patriarch We all defy his Memory but we love his Practices Every one that beareth the Name of a Christian would have nothing to do with Judas Abandon his Sins You have heard what they are 1. Covetousness It is the Root of all Evil. This is that which betrayed Christ Let us turn our dipleasure upon the Sin rather than the Person it made an Apostle to become a Devil We stroak it with a gentle Censure as if it were but a little Evil. Oh you do not know how far this may carry you Psal. 10.3 The Wicked boasteth of his Heart's desire and blesseth the Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth Sensuality hath more of the Beast Covetousness seems to have more of the Man Oh but think of it here was the Rise Covetousness beginneth with inordinate Desire and ends in Injustice that with Hypocrisy to vail it brings Hardning this Hardness brings at length to Despair and so you are made Sons of Perdition by degrees A Man may insensibly grow a perfect Judas to betray Christ and ruin his own Soul Cherish but this one Sin follow it and obey it and it will not leave you till it hath brought you in laqueum Diaboli into the Snare of the Devil 1 Tim. 6.9 They that will be Rich fall into Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition Beware of that Covetousness which is proper to Judas begrudging what is spent upon God If thou thinkest thy time is lost that is spent in Holy Services or thy Mony lost that is laid out upon God or good uses thou hast much of his Spirit and it is a step to it Seneca said of the Jews That they were a foolish People because they lost a full seventh part of their Lives meaning the Sabbath Oh there are more of his mind that think all is lost that is not laid out upon their Callings and upon their Sports and Pleasures and upon their temporal Provisions that look upon the Sabbath as a melancholy Interruption that say as Amos 8.5 When will the New Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat 2. Beware of Hypocrisy or of taking up the Profession of Christianity for Carnal Ends. O look to your Grounds and Motives when you take up with the stricter ways of Christ. A sound beginning will have an happy End but if you take up this Profession upon Carnal Reasons one time or other
Isa. 58.5 They afflict the soul for a day or bow down the head like a bulrush and so in the external actions of other Duties That this deceit may be more strong they exceed in outward Observances and that produceth Superstition or some by-Laws of our own by which we hope to expiate our sins as to whip and gash our selves Micah 6.6 7. Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord and â—ow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul On the other side if mens Tempers Education and strain of Religion carry them to another way and they are all for the Grace of the Gospel without the Rudiments of men the Devil knows how to charm and lull Souls asleep in sin by that way of Profession also and so many take liberty to sin under the pretence that God may have more occasion to exercise his mercy and our proneness to please the flesh is countenanced by presumptions of Grace and the supposition of unreasonable Indulgences of God to the faulty Creature Psal. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self God will not be so severe as is commonly imagined and so lessening Gods Holiness they abate their Reverence of him Psal. 68.19 20 21. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death But God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses He seeketh to obviate their conceit how great soever the riches of his Bounty and Grace offered in Christ be yet he is irreconcileable to those that cease not to follow a course of sin 3. This conceit is strengthened in us because many that profess Christianity live licentiously All sins propagate their kind and among others abuse of Grace we see others have great hopes and confidence in Christ notwithstanding their carnal and worldly course of living and self-love prompteth us that we may hope to fare as well as they and so we leaven one another with a dead loose carnal sort of Christianity instead of provoking each other to love and good works Heb. 10.24 Self-love is very partial and loth to think evil of our condition now this cannot be justified by the Laws of Christianity yet it is often justified by the lives of Christians after this Rule they live in the World and we think we may do as others do 4. There is another cause that is Satan who abuseth the weakness of some Teachers and the ignorance of some Hearers to misapply the Grace of the Gospel and the comforts of Justification to countenance their sins The Devil knoweth we will not receive his Doctrine in his own Name and therefore doth what he can to usurp the Name of Christ and to obtrude his Commands upon us in the Name of Christ and so conveyeth poison to you by the Perfume of the Gospel and if he can set Christ against Christ his Merits and Mercy against his Government and Spirit his Promises against his Laws Justification against Sanctification he knoweth that he obtaineth his end and purpose that the Gospel which was set up to destroy the works of the Devil will be a means to cherish his Kingdom in the World And on the Hearers part he abuseth them also carnal hearts turn all into fuel for their lusts and with the more pretence if they can alledge a Dispensation from God himself to serve and please the flesh and no harm shall come of it A little trusting in Christ shall serve the turn though they live never so impure lives I ascribe all this to Satan because all Errour is from him who is the Father of Lyes who often obtrudeth upon the simple credulity of Christians his own Gospel instead of Christ's and by a partial representation of Christs Gospel destroyeth the whole II. I come now to make good the Charge First That this inference is very unjust and ill grounded The Pretence here are those words of the Apostle in the two last verses of the former Chapter Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. These words yield no such consequence To evince which 1. I shall state the meaning of those words 2. Show the unjustness of this illation from them 1. For the meaning the Apostle sheweth the Law was given to the Israelites by Moses not that they might be justified thereby but that sin and punishment to which we are liable by reason of sin might the better be known and so the Grace of God in Christ which justifieth us notwithstanding the grievousness of sin might be the more esteemed and we might the more earnestly fly to it for Sanctuary and Refuge and the Curse might drive us to the Promise For there are two things which the Law discovereth 1. The multitude and hainous nature of our offences it entred that sin might abound not in our practice but in our sense and feeling as being more apparent and awakening more lively stings in our Consciences If a rugged and obstinate People sin the more that is not the fault of the Law but of our corrupt Nature which always tendeth to that which is forbidden it only took occasion from the commandment Rom. 7.8 The proper effect of the Law was to give us more convincing and clear knowledge of Duty and Sin or to be a means to aggravate sin to render it more exceedingly hainous as being against an express Law of Gods own giving with great Majesty and Terrour 2. The other use of the Law is to give us an awakening sense of the punishment due to sin as it exposes us to temporal and eternal death vers 21. and so our deliverance and life by Christ might be more thankfully accepted who by his Mercy hath taken away the condemning and reigning power of sin by granting pardon of it and power over it so that as a great and mortal disease maketh a Physician famous if he cureth it so sin maketh the Grace of Christ more conspicuous and glorious 2. The injustice of the Illation 1. There is a difference between causa per se and causa per accidens a Cause and an Occasion though the abounding of sin helpeth to advance Grace it is not of it self but by accident by Gods over-ruling Grace therefore it is a desperate Adventure to try Conlusions to drink rank Poison to experiment the goodness of an
them The heart is so turned from sin that it is turned against it we do not repent of the sins we still live in Now if Grace be dispensed in this order what more contrary to the Tenour of the Gospel-Covenant 3. This Faith and Repentance are solemnly professed in Baptism which is the initiating Ordinance wherein we profess to be baptized into the Death of Christ that is to say to express the virtue to be conformed to the likeness of it and dye unto sin When we first gave our Names to Christ our Baptism strictly obligeth us to continue no longer in sin it is a vowed death to sin therefore if we continue in it we renounce or forget our Baptism 2 Pet. 1.9 if we wallow again in the mire after we are once washed all that is done in Baptism is but a Nullity or empty Formality That is the Apostles Argument here How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein There you solemnly renounced sin that you might have no more commerce with it than the dead have with the living therefore for us to continue in sin and indulge sin is to break our solemn Covenant with God You have promised to give neither mind nor heart nor sense nor any faculty or member of Soul or body to accomplish it but so carry your selves as if you were dead And besides you deprive your selves of the Grace of the Covenant which you might have if you did not ponere obicem you might be delivered from the reigning power of indwelling sin therefore you must carefully see that it have not the upper hand in your Souls that the Flesh be made subject to the Spirit that the Reign and Dominion of Sin be indeed broken that you run into no wilful sin and walk with all holy strictness and watchfulness 4. It is contrary to Gods design to call us out of our sinful estate to sincere reformation this was Gods end that we that fly from him as a condemning God might return to his love and service as a pardoning God Psal. 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mightest be feared he pardoneth what is past upon condition of future obedience he calleth us to Repentance Acts 17.30 Now he commandeth all men every where to repent not to encourage them to continue or go on a minute longer in a course of sin or flatter them with hope of impunity if they do so Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Isa. 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Thirdly It is wicked and blasphemous 1. Because as much as in you lyeth you make Christ a Minister of sin or an incourager of sin Gal. 2.7 If while we seek to be justified by Christ we are found sinners is Christ a minister of sin God forbid 2. They prevent the highest Institution in the World for the recovery of men to God Jude 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turning the grace of God into wantonness The Gospel is the only way of taking away sin you make it the only way to countenance sin Grace is there taken for objâ—ctive Grace viz. Grace held forth to us in the Doctrine of the Gospel The Doctrine of the Gospel doth not tend to make men sinners nor incourage them to lay aside all care of Holiness or good Works Vse 1. Caution against this abuse 1. Be not prejudiced against the Doctrine of Grace as if it yielded these conclusions it is a misunderstood and misapplied Gospel the World hath not a right understanding in this Mystery Christ came into the World to save sinners but not to reconcile God to our sins to make him less holy or his Law less strict or sin less odious and his free pardon is not to incourage us to go on in our sins but a wicked heart like a Spider will suck poyson from those flowers from wheâ—â—e a Bee â—uâ—keth honey 2. Let us not give occasion to others to think so either 1. By entertaining Opinions that may countenance this abuse as the setting up a naked dependence on Christ without a care of Holiness or Christs Merit against his Spirit relying on his reconciling and neglecting his renewing Grace that we are justified before we repent or believe that all sins past present or to come aâ—e pardoned at once that we need not trouble our selves with scruples about offending God that the greatest confidence of our own good estate is the strongest and best Faith 2. Nor by Practices Christians must be most averse from sin and all enormous Practices else you dishonour Christ in the World but let the blame and shame lye on us and not on the Gospel 3. Let us not harbour this mistake in our own bosoms we are marvellous apt to do so but hereby we forfeit the comfort and priviledge of Christians and it concerneth God to avenge the quarrel of his Grace against us Now harbour it we do if we grow more careless and negligent in Duties less circumspect in our Conversations less humble for Sins and venture upon them with greater boldness and security If you think you need to be less troubled for sin less earnest and watchful against it as if since Christ dyed for the expiation of it it were a smaller matter than before to sin against God you are guilty of this abuse Vse 2. To exhort you to three things 1. To carry your selves as those that are dead to sin be sure that its Dominion and Reign be broken and its strength and power every day more weakened you subdue it throughly root and branch and let your minds be more intent on this that you may not sin 1. Joh. 3.9 Whoso is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God see how this is fulfilled in you and what Conscience you make of your Baptismal Vow every day 2. Honour Grace you should not only esteem it and advance it in your minds but set forth the glory of it in word and deed Eph. 1.5 12. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will that we should be to the praise of his glory The whole strain of your life and conversation should be to the praise of Grace that our actions might speak for it though we be silent To this end consider God hath trusted you with the honour of his Grace therefore you should be eminently much better than other men Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven 1 Pet. 3.9 and set forth the genuine and kindly workings of it 3. Fortifie your minds against this abuse which is so
natural to us 1. Gods principal Will is that we should obey his Laws rather than need his Pardon the Precept is before the Sanction before sin came into the world he pardoneth that we may return to our duty Heb. 9.14 Luk. 1.74 Rev. 5.9 10. therefore to make wounds for Christ to cure is not the part of a good Christian. 2. Remember what was Christs main design 1 Joh. 3.5 To take away sin not to take away obedience Many think though they sin never so much their pardon will be ready and easie Oh no! not so lightly when you wilfully and presumptuously run into sin 3. Loose carnal and careless Christians that wallow in all filthiness and hope to be saved are rather of the Faction of Christians than of the Religion of Christians 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity 1 Pet. 1.17 18. Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear forasmuch as you are not redeemed with corruptible things â—s silver and gold from your vain conversations received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot SERMON II. ROM VI. 3 Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Iesus Christ were baptized into his death IN the former verse the Apostle confuteth the preposterous inference which some drew or might draw from free Justicifation or Gods Mercy to Sinners in Christ by this Argument It cannot be so that men should continue in sin because Grace aboundeth for all Christians are dead to sin at their first entrance upon the Profession of Christianity they take upon themselves a Vow or solemn Obligation to dye unto sin Now what he had asserted there he proveth it in this verse that such is the Tenor of the Baptismal engagement Know ye not that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death In the words there is 1. A Truth supposed That those who are baptized are baptized into Christ. 2. A Truth inferred That they that are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death 3. The Notoriety of both these Truths Know ye not 1. For the first the Phrase of being baptized into Christ is again repeated Gal. 3.27 As many of you as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ it noteth our Union with him or ingrafting into his mystical Body We are not only baptized in his Name but baptized into him made Members of that mystical Body whereof he is the Head 2. For the second are baptized into his death the meaning is Baptism principally referreth to his Death that we may have communion with it expect the benefit of it express the likeness of it 3. For the third Know ye not It is that which every Christian knoweth if he be but a little instructed in the Principles of his Religion those bred in the Church neither are nor can be ignorant of this Truth therefore the Doctrine of Grace opens no way to Licentiousness Doctrine Sacraments are a solemn means of our Communion with the Death of Christ. Where is to be shewn 1. What is Communion with Christs Death 2. That Sacraments are a solemn means thereof 1. What is Communion with Christs Death It signifieth two things First Something by way of Priviledge a participation of the Benefits and Efficacy of Christs Death Secondly Something by way of Duty and Obligation namely a spiritual Conformity and Likeness thereunto by a Mortification of our Lusts and Passions First We are partakers of the Benefits of his Death when we receive Pardon and Life begun by the Spirit and perfected in Heaven Pardon Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption by his blood even the remission of sins The same Death of Christ which is the meritorious cause of our Justification is the cause of our Sanctification also Tit. 3.5 6. Eph. 5.26 as it took away the impediment which hindred God from communicating his Grace to us and opened a way for the Spirit of Grace to come at us and sea our Adoption Gal. 3.13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a three That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith Gal. 4.5 6. To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Secondly Christs Death bindeth us to renounce sin and by submitting to Baptism we profess to take the Obligation upon us to dye unto sin and unto the world more and more to shew our selves to be true Disciples of the crucified Saviour as we are when we express the likeness of his Death vers 5. And elsewhere the Apostle telleth us Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ. He is a Christian indeed that not only believeth that Christ is crucified but is crucified with him that is doth feel the virtue and bear the likeness of his Death for Christs death is the pattern of our Duty This likeness is seen in two things First In weakening and subduing sin so it is said Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts they have in their Baptism renounced these things and they fulfil their Vow sincerely and faithfully there we bind our selves to dye unto sin and Christ bindeth himself to communicate the virtue of his Death unto us that we may fulfil our Vow and by his Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8.13 Secondly In suffering for Righteousness sake and obeying God at the dearest rate as Christs undergoing the Death of the Cross was the highest act of his Obedience to God This is also called Conformity to his death and the fellowship of his suffering Phil. 3.10 This is Participation of or Communion with his Death Christ intended to wean his people from the interests of the animal life therefore assoon as they enter into his Family or are listed in his Warfare they must resolve to renounce all that is dear to them in the World rather than be unfaithful to him Christ puts this Question to the two Brothers that would fain have an honourable place in his Kingdom Mat. 20.22 Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with They thought of Dignities of being nearer to Christ than others in Honour and Christ puts them in mind of sufferings that should befal them wherein they might rejoyce that they were partakers with him but mark here is a plain allusion to the two Sacraments which are Signs and Tokens of Grace on Gods â—ide and we on ours bind our selves to imitate Christ in his patient and self-denying Obedience This is Communion
may be confirmed by the Types of the old Law the Sin-offering was not to be eaten by the people at all and the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving was not to be eaten the third day after it was offered Lev. 7.16 17 18. the eating of the Peace-offerings wherein they rejoyced before the Lord and gave him thanks was a solemn Feast like the Lords Supper now they might eat it the same day in which it was offered with acceptation but not on the third day then it was unlawful the eating it the same day taught them to hasten and not delay but with speed while it is called to day to be made partakers of Christ to eat his flesh in Faith and to be thankful for his Grace the longest time was the second day the third it could not be eaten not only upon a natural reason that the flesh might be eaten while it was pure and sweet for by the third day it might easily putrefie in those hot Countries but upon a mystical reason to foreshadow the time of Christs Resurrection whose rising from the dead was on the third day and the third day I shall be perfected Luk. 13.32 So our Feast on the flesh and blood of Christ representeth his Death rather than his Resurrection Well then Christ hath appointed two Sacraments which represent him dead but none that represent him glorified for Sacraments were instituted in favour of Man and for the benefit of man more directly and immediately than for the Honour of Christ exalted Therefore in these Ordinances he representeth himself rather as he procured the glory of others than as possessed of his own Glory and would have us consider rather his Death past than his present Glory His Death is wholly for us but his Glory for himself and us too For understanding this we must distinguish between what is primarily represented in the Sacraments and what is secondarily and consequentially It is true the consideration of his Humiliation excludeth not that of his Exaltation but leadeth us to it primarily and properly Christs Death is represented in the Sacraments and consequentially his Resurrection and Exaltation as those other Acts receive their value from his Death as to our comfort and benefit as his Resurrection and Intercession we remember his Death as the meritorious cause of our Justification and Sanctification but his Resurrection as the publick Evidence of the value of his Merit according to that of the Apostle Rom. 4.25 He dyed for our offences and rose again for our justification Therefore primarily and directly we are baptized into his death and in the Lords Supper we shew forth his death by which he satisfied Divine Justice for us but secondarily and consequentially we remember his Resurrection which sheweth that his Satisfaction is perfect and God who is the Judge and Avenger of sin could require no more of Christ for the Atonement of the World While the punishment remaineth in the guilty person or his Surety the debt is not fully paid but the taking our Surety from Prison and Judgment sheweth that provoked Justice is contented So in Baptism the immersion or plunging in Water signified his Death and the coming out of the Water his Resurrection and in the Lords Supper we annunciate his Death but because we keep up this Ordinance till he come we imply his Resurrection and Life of Glory therefore we do but consequentially remember it So it is for Christs Intercession it is but a Representation of the Merit of his Sacrifice and receiveth its value from his Death Heb. 9.12 By his own blood he entred into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us Our High Priest now appearing before God and representing the value of his Sacrifice for all penitent Believers the foundation was in his Death As this is true of the cause so it is true of the benefits procured by that Cause the great benefit which we have by Christ is Salvation which consists in the destruction of sin and a fruition of those things which by Gods appointment are consequent upon the destruction of sin namely Eternal Life and Happiness Now as these things are consequent upon the destruction of sin so Baptism and the Lords Supper signifieth and sealeth them but consequentially its primary use is to signifie the destruction and abolition of sin by the Death of Christ as for instance We are baptized for the remission of sins Act. 2.38 and Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins and in the Lords Supper Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins So that you see these benefits are more expresly signified in Baptism and the Lords Supper the Resurrection of the Body and Eternal Life more remotely and consequentially The Death of Christ first purchased for us Justification and Sanctification therefore they are first represented directly and primarily Baptism and the Lords Supper represent these especially so now you see why the Apostle saith Ye are baptized into his death 2. By the Rites used in both these Ordinances Baptism signifieth the Death and Burial of Christ for immersion under the water is a kind of Figure of Death and Burial as our Apostle explaineth it v. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death and the trine Immersion the threefold Dipping used by the Ancients is expounded by them not only with reference to the Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost in whose Names they were baptized Mat. 28.19 but the three several days wherein Christ lay buried in the grave as Athanasius expoundeth it and many others interpret it as a similitude of Christs death for three days So for the Lords Supper Luke 22.19 20. He took bread and brake it and gave it to them saying This is my body which is given for you this do in remembrance of me Likewise also the cup after supper saying This cup is the New â—estament in my blood which is shed for you His Body is represented as dead and broken and so proper food for our Souls his Blood as poured out and shed for us Well then here we remember Christ as dying on the Cross rather than as glorified in Heven 3. By reason it must needs be so 1. With respect to the state of Man with whom the new Covenant is made it is made with Man fallen and a Sinner therefore Baptism and the Lords Supper imply our Communion with Christ as a Redeemer and Saviour who cometh to save us from our sins Mat. 1.21 and nothing can save us from our sins but a crucified Saviour Therefore these Ordinances imply a Communion with his Death Heb. 9.15 For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by the means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance So here the intervention of his Death was the way and means to expiate
strengthen your resolutions and increase your dependence that in these means you may meet with more incouragement then come and see what Christ will do for you 2. As to the Lords Supper your great business here is to commemorate Christs Death who is evidently set forth and as it were crucified before your eyes Now you you do not commemorate his Death as a Tragical story but as a Mystery of Godliness and therefore you are to look to the end of it which is the destruction of sin This is what man needeth this is that which God offereth 1. This is needed by man we are undone for ever if sin be not destroyed We may take up the Churches words Lament 5.11 The crown is fallen from our head we unto us that we have sinned If we had a broken hearted sense of what we have brought upon our selves by sin we would more prize our remedy we come to be saved from sin and so by consequence from Wrath and Hell and shall we be cold in such addresses to God while we have so much sin in us 2. This is offered by God His great intention of sending Christ into the World was to be a propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins and therefore he set him forth in the Gospel Rom. 3.24 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood How is it offered 1. It is dearly purchased by the Death of Christ that was the price paid for our Ransom which both commendeth his Love Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love to us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us and assureth ouâ— confidence Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things 2. It is freely offered Isa. 55.1 Hâ— every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Rev. 22.17 And the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely These blessings come freely to you though they cost Christ dear 3. It is surely sealed and conveyed to every penitent Believer for God by Deed and Instrument reacheth out to every Believer the Body and Blood of our crucified Saviour or the benefits of Christs Death To others it is a Nullity the whole Duty is lost to them who regard iniquity in their hearts Therefore resolve without any reservation to devote your selves to God always to watch and strive against sin SERMON III. ROM VI. 4 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life THE words are a proof that we are baptized into Christs Death the Apostle proveth it by explaining the Rites of Baptism The ancient manner of Baptism was to dip the Parties baptized and as it were to bury them under water for a while and if Baptism hath the Figure of a Burial but with an hope to rise again then it signifieth two things Christs Death and Resurrection the one directly and formally the other by consequence and our Communion with him in both Therefore we are buried with him in Baptism c. In the words the Apostle speaketh 1. Of something directly and primarily signified in Baptism We are buried with him c. 2. Of something by just consequence and inference thence That like as c. 1. That which is primarily and directly signified in Baptism We are buried with him in Baptism into his death the like expression you have Col. 2.12 Buried with him in Baptism wherein also ye are risen with him The putting the baptized Person into the Water denoteth and proclaimeth the Burial of Christ and we by submitting to it are baptized with him or profess to be dead to sin for none but the dead are buried So that it signifieth Christs Death for sin and our dying unto sin You will say If the Rite hath this signification and use why is it not retained I answer Christianity lyeth not in Ceremonies the principal thing in Baptism is the washing away of sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins that may be done by pouring on of water as well as dipping Other things were used about Baptism then as the stripping themselves of their cloaths even to stark nakedness whence came the notions of putting off and putting on so frequently used Eph. 4.22 24. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man and Col. 3.9 10. Seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man c. Gal. 3.27 As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Now none rigorously urge the continuance of these Ceremonies as long as the substance is retained we may not quarrel about the manner 2. That which was signified with just consequence and inference is our conforming to Christs resurrection Baptism referreth to this also as a significant Emblem for the going out of the water is a kind of resurrection so it signifieth Christs Resurrection and ours Now our resurrection is double to the life of Grace spoken of here and called the first Resurrection or to the life of Glory Baptism relateth to that also 1 Cor. 15.29 else what shall they do who are baptized for the dead Baptism is a putting in and taking out of the water or a being buried with an hope to rise The former is intended here our rising to the life of Grace All this abundantly proveth that those which are dead to sin cannot live any longer therein In the latter Clause the Pattern of Christs Resurrection is first propounded then applied the Protasis the Apodosis 1. The Protasis or the Proposal of the Pattern like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father 2. The Conformity or Similitude on our part even so we should walk in newness of life 1. In the Pattern propounded you may observe two things First Christs state after his Burial he was raised up from the dead Secondly The efficient Cause by the glory of the Father that is by his glorious Power as it is explained 2 Cor. 13.4 He was crucified through weakness but he liveth by the power of God and elsewhere by the glory of God is meant his power So Joh. 11.40 If thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of God that is his Power in raising Lazarus to life The agreement to this purpose is observable of Eph. 3.16 That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be
never thoroughly dissolved 2. Your consolations will be but small Mortification breeds joy and peace especially the mortification of a Master-sin Psal. 18.3 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity A man sheweth his uprightness in mastering this sin The dearer any victory over sin costs you the sweeter will the issue be Voluntarily and allowedly to commit a known sin or omit a known duty maketh our sincerity questionable Jam. 4.17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin 3. Crosses will be many Hos. 5.15 I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early Isa. 27.9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin 4. Doubts will be troublesom To obey Christ a little and the Flesh more is no true obedience and such will have no rejoycing of heart Job 20.12 13 14. Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth though he hide it under his tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still within his mouth yet his meat in his bowels is turned into poison and becomes the gall of aspes within him Sin proveth bitter and vexing till we leave it and sinners still have a secret sting within 5. The Heart is benummed and stupefied Heb. 3.13 Hardened through the deceitfulness of sin that is the sorest Judgment to become stupid 2. To walk in newness of life First It is the most noble life the Nature of Man is capable of it is called the life of God Eph. 4.18 it floweth from the gracious presence of God dwelling in us by the Spirit which ingageth us in the highest designs Secondly It is the most delectable life Prov. 3.17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace We live upon God as represented to us in a Mediator and avoid the filthiness delusions vexations of the World and the Flesh. Thirdly It is the most profitable life it is a preparation for and introduction into eternal life Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life SERMON IV. ROM VI. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection HERE the Apostle proveth that continuance in sin cannot be supposed in them that are really and sincerely dedicated to Christ in Baptism from the strict Union between Christ and them and their Communion already thereupon with him in his Death They are planted into Christ and particularly into the likeness of his death therefore the Virtue and Likeness of his Resurrection is communicated to them For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection In the words 1. A Supposition and 2. An Inference 1. The Supposition proceedeth on two grounds One is taken from the general Nature of Sacraments that they signifie and seal our Union and Communion with Christ. The other from their direct and immediate Use our Communion with his Death 2. The Inference and Consequence drawn thence That we shall be also planted into the likeness of his resurrection The reason of the Consequence is because if we have indeed Communion with Christ in one Act we shall have Communion with him in another for the one doth but make way for the other the death of sin for the life of Holiness But what is this Likeness of his Death and this Likeness of his Resurrection 1. The Likeness of his Death hath been already explained to be a dying to sin and to the world as the fuel and bait of sin our old man is crucified vers 6. and the world is crucified to us and we to it Gal. 6.14 Not that we are utterly dead to all the motions of sin but the reign of it is broken its power much weakened 2. What is this Likeness of his Resurrection There is a twofold Resurrection a Resurrection to the Life of Grace and to the Life of Glory The one may be called the Resurrection of the Soul the other the Resurrection of the Body Both are often spoke of in Scripture The first is spoken of here our being quickened when we were dead in trespasses and sins and raised from the death of sin to newness of life vers 4. But though Regeneration or Resurrection to the Liâ—e of Grace be principally intended yet Resurrection to the Life of Glory is not altogether excluded for the one is the beginning of the other and the other surely followeth upon it by Gods Promise the joys and bliss of the last Resurrection are the reward of those who have part in the first Resurrection and are raised to Holiness of life When the Apostle had first said Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection he presently addeth in vers 11. If by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead When once we are raised from the death of sin to the life of Grace then the benefit reacheth further than to any thing within time it accompanieth a man till death and after death and preserveth his dust in the grave that it may be raised into a body again and so in Body and Soul we are made partakers of the glorious Resurrection of the Just. So Eph. 2.5 6. He hath quickened us together with Christ and raised us up together with Christ the one expression signifieth our Regeneration the other our rising to Glory first he quickeneth us by his converting Grace and then glorifieth us by his rewarding Grace All that I shall say concerning this double Resurrection may be referred to these three Considerations 1. That both are the fruit of our Union with Christ his raising us to a new life and his raising us to the life of Glory Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you The same Spirit that we received by Union with Christ doth first sanctifie our Souls and then raise our Bodies 2. That the one giveth right to the other Rom. 6.8 If we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also rise with him that is live with him in glory Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live 3. That when we are fully freed from sin then we attain to the full Resurrection somewhat of the fruit of sin remaineth in our bodies till the last Day but then is our final deliverance therefore it is called the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 Well then the meaning is If the fruits of his Death be accomplished in us we shall be sure to partake of
of his wine as to the progress of it 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake to righteousness and sin not Rouse up your selves out of this drowsie condition of sin to a lively exercise of Grace 3. The tendency and end of it Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek the things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God SERMON V. ROM VI. 6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin IN this Verse the Apostle explaineth how we are planted into the likeness of Christs Death Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him c. In the words 1. A Truth represented That our old man is crucified with him 2. The manner of applying and improving this Truth For the former Branch 1. Christs undertaking Our old man is crucified with him 2. The Fruit and End of it That the body of sin might be destroyed 3. The Obligation lying upon us That we might no longer serve sin Or 1. What Christ doth he was crucified And our old man crucified with him 2. What the Spirit doth That the body of sin might be destroyed that is the Reign of it broken the Power of it weakened yet more and more Acts prevented Habits cast off 3. What we must do That henceforth we may not serve sin Doctrine That the Reign of sin would be sooner broken if we did seriously consider and believe the great End of Christs Death and undertaking on the Cross. This will appear 1. By explaining the several Branches of the Text. 2. Giving Reasons 1. In the Explication take notice of First The Truth represented which is expressed in three Branches 1. What Christ doth or his intention and undertaking on the Cross. Our old man is crucified with him Where observe I. That sin within us is called an Old man partly because it is born and bred with us it had its rise from Adams Fall and is ever since conveyed from Father to Son unto all who are descended from Adam Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Psal. 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Partly because this natural corruption which we inherit from the first Man is opposite to that new Man which consisteth in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4.22 24. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true â—oliness And Col. 3.9 10. Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him So that the Old man is that perverse temper of Soul which was in us before we had the knowledge of Christ or embraced him by Faith Partly because it is an antiquated thing as is upon the declining hand and hasteneth in the Regenerate as men in their old age to its own ruine and destruction 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are passed away behold all things are become new 1 Cor. 5.7 Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump 2. This Old man must be crucified that is the kind of death which it must dye Sometimes the destruction of sin is called a mortifying of sin that implyeth a putting to death in the general or a killing the love of sin in our Souls sometimes a crucifying of sin that sheweth the particular kind of death we must put it to and this for a double reason Partly to shew our conformity and likeness to Christs Crucifixion Partly because it expresseth the nature of the thing it self the Cross bringeth pain and death So is sin weakened by godly sorrow which checketh the sensual inclination The strength and life of sin lyeth in a love of pleasure and one special means to mortifie it is godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation never to be repented of Those that have tasted the bitter waters are more easily induced to forsake all known sin Well then sin must be crucified a man fastened to the Cross suffereth great pain his strength wasteth and his life droppeth out with his blood by degrees So sin is not subdued but by constant painful endeavours not by feeding the flesh with carnal delights but by thwarting it watching striving against it bemoaning our selves because of it and so by degrees the love of it is not only weakened but deadned in our Souls If it be tedious and troublesom nothing that hath life will be put to death without some struggling we must be content to suffer in the flesh Christ suffered more and none but he that hath suffered in the flesh ceaseth from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 You make it more painful by dealing negligently in the business and draw out your vexation to a greater length the longer you suffer the Canaanite to live with you the more doth it prove a thorn and goad in your sides Our affection increaseth our affliction your trouble endeth and your delight increaseth as you bring your Souls to a thorough resolution to quit it Quà m suave mihi subiâ—ò factum est carere suavitatibus nugarum No delight so sincere as the contempt of vain delights The crucified mans pains end when death cometh 3. This Old man was crucified with Christ. This Phrase and manner of speech is difficult and therefore must be explained 1. That Christ was crucified for us in bonum nostrum for our good is past dispute with Christians Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows Isa. 53.3 he endured the punishment which sin had made our due 2. That he stood before the Tribunal of God representing us and so dyed loco vice omnium nostrî in the room as well as for the good of his people should as little be doubted 2 Cor. 5.14 For if he dyed for all then were all dead that is in him he dyed not on the Cross as a private but a publick Person 3. Christ dyed not only to expiate our guilt but to take away the power of sin at least the end of Christs suffering and dying on the Cross for our sins was to purchase Grace that we might crucifie sin that is forsake it with grief and shame Heb. 9.26 Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself that is not only to expiate the guilt of our sins but to abolish the power of them He came to redeem us from the slavery of sin Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity 4. Assoon as we are regenerated and converted to God there is a closer application of the Death of
wean us from worldly happiness To make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 Vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory Rom. 9.23 In time you shall be delivered see that you have the beginning and first-fruits and that you daily grow in grace 2. With earnest Longing Rom. 7.23 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death 2 Cor. 5.2 In this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven 3. As to Faith 1. Fix it and be at a greater certainty against all doubts and fears not only as to your interest but the truth of the promise of eternal Life These doubts may stand with a sincere Faith but not a confirmed Faith we have much of the Unbeliever in our bosoms venture all your happiness temporal and spiritual upon this security 2. Improve it it is the work of Faith to overcome the World and the Flesh 1 Joh. 5.4 5. This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God to over-rule our sense and appetite and to teach us to make nothing of all that would disswade us against our heavenly interest Acts 20.24 But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God This is the true Mortification SERMON VIII ROM VI. 9 10. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him For in that he dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God THAT I may the better explain the drift of these words let us take the Apostles Method along with us His intent is to prevent an abuse of the Doctrine of the Gospel which publisheth the free Grace of God to Sinners Where sin abounded grace did much more abound From hence some did infer That therefore under the Gospel they might take liberty to sin the more their sins were and the greater they were the more they should occasion God to manifest the abundance of his Grace upon them The Apostle answereth this 1. By way of Detestation Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid 2. By way of Confutation the Argument by which he confuseth it is our Baptismal Vow and Engagement How shall they that are dead to sin live any longer therein To clear this he explaineth our Baptismal Vow in the two branches of it dying to sin and living to righteousness the one direct and the other consequential directly we are baptized into the death of Christ vers 2. but so as that we also rise again to newness of life vers 4 5. for we are united to Christ as dying anâ— rising and we are by virtue of the Union to express a conformity to both vers 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection He proveth the former part vers 6 7. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin The latter he begins to prove vers 8. If we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him How live with him As our spiritual death was answerable to the Death of Christ so our spiritual Life must be answerable to his Resurrection from the Dead as we have a Copy and Pattern for the mortifying sin in his Death so we have also a Copy and Pattern for newness of life in his Resurrection and therefore we do not in vain believe that we shall live spiritually and eternally with him Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him for in that he dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God The better to state the Analogy and Proportion between Christs Resurrection and our rising to the Life of Grace first and then of Glory afterward The Life of Christ after his Resurrection is set forth by two thiâ—â—â— 1. The Perpetuity or Immortality of it 2. The Perfection and Blessedness of it 1. The Perpetuity and Immortality of it is delivered in three expressions First Actual dying again is denied Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more Christs Resurrection was not a return to a single Act of Life or Life for a while to shew himself to the World and no more but to an immortal endless estate Secondly His further liableness or subjection to death is denied Death hath no more dominion over him That is thus expressed for two reasons 1. Death had once dominion over Christ when he gave up himself to dye for us he for a while permitted yea subjected himself to the power of it but Christ overcame death and put an end to its power by his Resurrection Acts 2.24 Whom God raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was impossible that he should be holden of it 2. To shew that Christ dyed not only to expiate sin but to take away the dominion and power of it in Believers therefore it is said Death hath no more dominion over him he took away sin by which death reigneth he did enough both as to the satisfying Gods Justice and our Deliverance Thirdly Any further need of his dying again is denied In that he dyed he dyed unto sin once that is he hath done his work his Death needeth not to be repeated he dyed to sin once not in regard of himself for in him was no sin but as charged with the sins of his people he sufficiently took away sin both as to guilt and power 2. The Perfection and Blessedness of his Life is intimated In that he liveth he liveth unto God This expression may imply either the Holiness of his Life in Heaven or the Blessedness of it First The Holiness when Christ was raised from death to life again he liveth to God wholly seeketh to promote his Glory in the World he liveth with God and to God with God as he is sat down at the right hand of Majesty and administreth the Mediatorial Kingdom for his Glory as indeed God hath a great deal of Honour from Christ as Mediator Phil. 2.11 That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father 2. The Blessedness of it Christ always lived to God even before his Death Joh. 8.29 And he that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone but I do always those things that please him Why then is he said after his Resurrection to live to God Answ. As freed from
at â—alseness of the heart and are bred in us by some corrupt affections such as Pride Vain-glory Self-seeking c. Gal. 2.18 Puffed up with his fleshly mind and for sins of Omission they arise in us from some inordinate sensual affection to the Creature which causeth us to omit our Duty to God But generally most sins are acted by the body Therefore as in Grace or in the Dedication of our selves to God the Soul is included when the Body only is mentioned Rom. 12.1 Present your body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service all the service we perform to God is acted by the body so in the destruction of sin let it not reign in your body 3. Because the disorder of the sensual Appetite which inclineth us to the interests and conveniencies of the bodily life is the great cause of all sin and therefore man corrupted and fallen is represented as wholly governed by his sensual inclinations Gen. 6.3 For that man also is flesh and Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh as if he had nothing in him but what is earthly and carnal Our Souls do so cleave to the earth and are addicted to the body that they have lost their primitive excellency our Understandings Will and Affections are distempered by our Senses and enslaved to serve the Flesh which is a matter well to be regarded that we may understand why the Scripture so often calleth sin by the name of Flesh and sometimes a Body or it is said to dwell in the body not as if the Understanding and Will were not corrupted and tainted but to shew how they are tainted and corrupted that this corruption which hath invaded humane Nature cometh chiefly though not only from the inordinacy of our sensual Appetite I will prove it by two Considerations First One is a Supposition Suppose that Original sin so far as it concerneth the Understanding and Will consisted in a bare privation of that rectitude that should be in these Faculties I do not say it is so but suppose it were so yet as long as our Senses and Appetites are disordered which wholly incline us to terrene and earthly things this were enough to cause us to sin as a Chariot must needs miscarry where the Driver is weak sleepy negligent and the Horses unruly and disorderly So here we have not so much light and love to higher things as will restrain the sensual Appetite the Understanding hath no light 2 Pet. 1.9 But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off Eph. 1.18 The eyes of your understandings being inlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling c. The Will hath no love 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned and therefore man that obeyeth his bodily lusts and desires must needs be corrupt and sinful Secondly The other is an Assertion that there are habitual positive inordinate inclinations to sensual things both in the Understanding and Will For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the carnal mind is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 The mind doth not only befriend the lusts of the flesh and seek to palliate and excuse them but opposeth whatever would reduce us from the love of them And the Will is biassed by such sensual inclinations 1 Tim. 6.10 For the love of money is the root of all evil Our Reason doth often contrive and approve sin and the Will embraceth it So that you see the reason why sin is said to reign in our bodies because of the strong inclination of our Souls to present things or things conducing to the contenting of the flesh or gratifying the bodily life Secondly Why doth the Apostle say In your mortal bodies I answer For sundry reasons 1. To put us in mind of the first rise of sin for sin brought in death Rom. 5.12 As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned And so while we live this mortal bodily life we are subject to these desires swarms of sinful motions and inclinations to evil remain within us we are prone to them and give way to them and are too slack in the resistance of them and through the ignorance and unattentiveness of our minds cannot discern or distinguish between what regular Nature desireth and Lust craveth There are lawful desires of the body and prohibited desires of the body through the crafty conveyance between the Understanding and the false Heart we easily give way to what is inordinate under the pretence of what is lawful and convenient and so insensibly slide into compliance with the plain prohibited desires of the body Lust is head-strong and the Empire and Government of the Will feeble and so we are led on to obey them that is we become servants and slaves to sin And though the Regenerate be delivered from the power of sin yet much of this corruption remaineth in them for their exercise and humiliation and if they be not watchful and obey not the motions of the Spirit it will soon recover its power and men will be brought into their old slavery and captivity Gal. 5.16 17. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh So that this mortal body giveth sin many advantages 2. This term mortal Body puts us in mind of its punishment it tendeth to death and destruction We considered it before as it pointed at the rise now at the fruit it self The Apostle telleth us Rom. 8.10 The body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness He speaketh there of Believers or those who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them who being once sinners the punishment of sin death befalleth them and so their bodies must die and return to dust yet they shall live a happy and blessed Life both in Body and Soul If they labour to mortifie and suppress sin and return sincerely to newness of life though they are still mortal and subject to corporal death because of sin yet it shall not be eternal death The renewed Soul is a partaker of eternal Life and shall always live with God in Glory and though the body be put off for a time yet in time it shall be partaker of this life also 3. To shew us the transitoriness of these delights You gratifie a mortal body with the neglect of a precious and immortal Soul now the mortal body should not be pampered with so great a loss and inconvenience to our Souls All the good things which the flesh aimeth at they perish with the mortal body but the guilt and punishment of this disorderly life remaineth for ever All fleshly pleasure ceaseth at the
the members of an harlot God forbid He hath bought us to this very end that you may be no longer under the slavery of sin but under his blessed Government and the Scepter of his Spirit Tit. 2.14 He hath redeemed us from all iniquity that was his end to set us at liberty and free us from our sins and therefore for us to despise the benefit and to count our bondage to be a delight and priviledge this is to build up again that which he came to destroy to put our Redeemer to shame to tye those cords the faster which he came to unloose and so it is as great an affront and disparagement of his undertaking as possibly can be Therefore let not sin live and reign Secondly We are his not only by Purchace but by Covenant Ezek. 16.8 I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine We wholly gave over our selves to his use and service this Covenant was ratified in Baptism wherein we were planted into the likeness of his death Rom. 6.3 4 5. How into the likeness of his Death To dye unto sin as he dyed for sin that is explained by the Apostle ver 9. Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him his Resurrection instated him in an eternal Life never to come under the power of death again so are we to rise to a new life never to return to our sins again Now shall we rescind our Baptismal Vows and after we have resigned our selves to Christ give the Soveraignty to another the hands of Consecration have been upon us and therefore to allow our selves in any course and way of sinning is to alienate our selves and to employ our selves not only to a common but a vile and base use When Ananias had dedicated that that was in his power and kept back part for private use God struck him dead in the place Acts 5. And if we alienate our selves who were not in our own power and were Christs before the Consecration of how much severer vengeance shall we be worthy God complaineth of the wrong of Parents Ezek. â—6 20 that they took sons and daughters born to him and sacrificed them to be devoured by Moloch Children born during the Marriage-Covenant were his they were circumcised and so dedicated to him yet they gave them to Moloch as many Parents dedicate their Children to God by Baptism and bring them up for the World and the Flesh. This is veriâ—y a great sin in Parents but we are more answerable for our own Souls when we have owned the Dedication and ratified it by our own professed consent and if we shall willingly yield to the World and the Flesh and suffer them to have a full Power and Dominion over us how do we defie Christ whom yet in words we profess to be our Lord It is said Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof How shall we interpret this Scripture and reconcile it with the Carriage of most Christians de jure all will grant that they should crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof But the Apostle seemeth to speak de facto they have and that maketh the difficulty All true Christians indeed have done so Christians in the letter are bound to do so and let them look to it how they will answer it to Christ another day All in their Baptism have renounced the desires of the flesh and the passions of it also they are ingaged to do it and all that are serious and real have begun to do this act of mortifying sin and must go on yet more and more to smother the endeavours and effects of it Because this is a momentous business and it is charged on us as we are Christs as we profess our selves to be so and take our selves to be so let us see what it importeth They must all are bound they really have crucified the flesh mortified and deadned the root of corruption that it shall not easily sprout and put forth its lustings carnal Nature in them is weakened it is not so vigorous and stirring as it was wont to be there is some preventing of the first risings though sin dwell in them and work in them so far all that are Christs have put to death their fleshly corruption But now as to the several ways of venting of it expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either by sinful Passions as malice envy hatred variance emulation wrath strife they do in a great measure and considerable degree get above these or by Lust is meant all fleshly and worldly desires which carry us out of the Pleasures and Profits and Honours of the World the pleasing baits and inticements of Sense they are dead to these also all motions to Uncleanness Intemperance Ambition Love of Riches and vain Pleasures all the Children of God have actually begun this work and are still suppressing these things for they have resigned their hearts for Christ to dwell in and they are advancing his Scepter and Rule continually for they have given up themselves to be guided by him whether they be pleasant sins or vexatious evils the heart of a Christian is set against them and therefore you see how unsuitable it is for those that are Christs his redeemed ones and his covenanted ones to give way to the reign of sin 4. My last Argument to evince this necessity that is incumbent on the People of God that this Dominion of Sin be not set up in their hearts is because otherwise they cannot maintain and keep up any lively hope of Glory That I shall evidence by some Scriptures Rom. 6.8 If we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him If we dye to sin so as never to allow it or to return to the love and practice of it any more than the Christian Faith promiseth some good to us we have hopes of living with Christ or a joyful Resurrection to eternal Life for the Christian Life is an entrance and introduction into the Life of Glory So Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The Scripture is plain in setting down the Characters of those that shall go to Heaven or to Hell and very decisive and peremptory If we live after the flesh we shall dye it doth not say if we have lived after the flesh for that would cut off the hope of all the living one man was first good and after bad as Adam another never bad always good as Christ of all the rest none ever proved good who was not sometimes bad we all lived after the Flesh before we come to live after the Spirit But if we do still accommodate our selves to obey and fulfil the motions of the flesh Christ speaketh no good to such But now see the Promise of God to those that keep mortifying of sin striving against sin
instruments of Righteousness unto God Secondly Among other the means required by God there are these two things to be considered Fear of Falling and the Danger of Backsliding 1. Fear of Falling Heb. 4.1 Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of us should seem to come short of it 1 Pet. 1.17 Pass the time of your sojourning here with fear Phil. 2.12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Fear is careful and solicitous what Fear is this a Fear of Caution 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Of Reverence Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me 2. The Danger of Backsliding is often represented to Believers to increase their caution as Christ said to his own Disciples Joh. 15.6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned The danger of Apostasie is represented to them to confirm their standing or laid before them to make them afraid of defection So Heb. 10.26 27. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries 3. The Promise and Exhortation go together that we may carry an even hand between Despair and Presumption Compare vers 12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof with the Text Sin shall not have dominion over you we must not presume because of the filthiness of our hearts and the number of the snares that are still before us we must not despond because of the unchangeableness of Gods Covenant-love Let us improve the Grace we have received that we may continue in it The Act is ours but the Help is Gods To sin upon a confidence that we are sure to persevere is to cease persevering and to fall away because we are sure not to fall away which is a contradiction Vse of Information It informeth us 1. No Doctrine is so sound but a corrupt heart will abuse it therefore as much as in us lies we must prevent these mis-interpretations 2. How prone sinful men are to take all occasions to indulge liberty to sin being naturally bent to Licentiousness they pervert Christs holy Doctrine to this end 3. With what abhorrence we should entertain any thing that lessens the necessity of the Creatures subjection to God or doth befriend sin or inticeth you to make light of Obedience yea though this should be done with the most glorious pretences of Grace it is but Poison ministred by a Perfume 4. What caution and watchfulness we should use over our own thoughts and inferences Every one draweth one Conclusion or other from the Gospel What use do you make of it Many that will not say so that we should sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace are apt to think and do so And since it is natural to us we should be provided of a remedy 1. Let every Sacred Truth be digested into holy Love and Practice Love 2 Cor. 8.1 2. Knowledge puffeth up but charity edifyeth And if any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know Practice 1 Joh. 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him When Truth is turned into Love it is turned into a new Nature and deeds discover the reality of our opinions more than words 2. Let no mystical Truth be set up to avoid Gods unquestionable natural Right to govern his Creature or to infringe the Rights of the Godhead as to set up Christ against the Moral Law as if that were abrogated and if no Law no Transgression no Sin no Duty no Judgment no Punishment no Reward 3. Do not set up Christ against Christ Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Do not set up his Merits against his Law he is Saviour but to those that obey him SERMON XVII ROM VI. 16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness IN this Verse the Apostle proveth that it is unreasonable and absurd to conclude That we may sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace Why Because it destroyeth the state to which we pretend for men cannot be under Grace that serve sin He proveth it by a general Maxim evident by the common Reason of Mankind Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are c. So that in the words we may observe two things 1. A general Maxim evident by the Light of Nature 2. The Application of it to the matter in hand 1. The general Maxim That whatsoever or whomsoever a man voluntarily obeyeth he maketh it or him his proper Lord and Master There take notice of the evidence of it Know ye not q. d. you may easily know this by the common course of affairs of the World Here four things are evident First That omnis servus est alicujus Domini servus that every Servant hath some particular Lord and Master Secondly That the interest of this particular Lord and Master is grounded upon some special Title Thirdly This Title as matters are carried in the World is either voluntary Contract or Consent or plain Conquest getting another into his Power By voluntary Contract one is a Servant that bargaineth with another to serve him either wholly that selleth himself as a Slave or in part for such services and ministeries the one is Servus a Bondman or a Slave the other is Famulus an Attendant or Apprentice not absolutely but for such a time and for such ends By Conquest 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise themselves liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage Fourthly Where a Master hath such a legal Title every Servant is bound to obey his Master Aristotle maketh it the property of a Servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to live not as himself listeth but as his Master pleaseth All these things are plain and obvious to every mans understanding 2. The matter of it there are two things observable 1. Yielding our selves to obey 2. Actual Obedience 1. Consent To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are as a man contracts with another to serve him 2. The Act His servants ye are to whom ye obey whether there hath been a formal Contract yea or no. He that actually obeyeth another is to be accounted his Servant and becometh his Servant The first Notion
Grace is an effectual Principle both to produce its own operations and to restrain sin Prov. 16.6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil Iniquity is purged in a way of Sanctification SERMON XXI ROM VI. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death THE Apostle pursueth his Argument why they should be as free from Sin as formerly they were from Righteousness by comparing the two Services together the service of Sin and the service of Righteousness he speaketh in the next Verse of the service of Righteousness in the Text of the service of Sin As to the service of Righteousness it is matter of joy and pleasure while it is a doing of comfort and confidence in the remembrance of it and for the future Life and eternal Salvation But on the contrary if we take a view of sin with respect to the three distinctions of time past present and to come we shall find it evil and very evil What fruit had you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death Sin may be considered three ways either as to the time of committing it or the time of remembring it or the time of Gods rewarding and punishing of it and you find in all so many Arguments against it First As to the Time of committing it so the Apostle argueth ab inutili There is no fruit then when you lived a carnal life what fruit had you Secondly As to the present Remembrance Ye are now ashamed Now that is 1. Now the Commission is over Or rather 2. Now after your Conversion to God Grace breedeth shame in us because of foregoing sins so that here the Apostle argueth à turpi Thirdly As to future Expectation The end of those things is death there the Argument is à damno from the hurt and damage that cometh to us thereby As to time past sin is unprofitable as to time present shameful as to time to come pernicious and deadly By all these Considerations it may be made fearful to us First The Apostles Argument ab inutili is propounded by way of Question which is the strongest way either of Affirmation or Denial for it is an Appeal to Conscience and Experience if the service of sin was at any time fruitful it was questionless when it was a doing when you were servants of sin and had nothing to check and allay it but were altogether blinded by your lusts feeding the oblectation and pleasure of your fleshly minds with the vanities of the World What fruit had you then that is you had none at all Doctrine There is no solid Benefit or Profit to be gotten by Sin The Scripture representeth it as unfruitful and deceitful 1. As unfruitful Eph. 4.11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness A state of sin maketh us unfruitful to God we cannot gather Grapes of Thorns and Figs of Thistles so it is unfruitful to the Sinner himself who loseth his time and strength for that which will only occasion shame and trouble and hereafter Eternal death 2. As deceitful Eph. 4.22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts Heb. 3.13 Lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin It is so called because is promiseth much and performeth but little 1. It promiseth much Sin smileth on the Soul with inticing blandishments Satan told our first Parents Ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 and still we promise our selves something from sin some contentment some profit for no man would be wicked gratis meerly for his minds sake or without an aim at some further end meer evil as evil cannot be the object of choice there is some fruit or benefit expected in all that we do 2. It doth not make good its word to us 1. It doth not answer Expectation the Sinner looketh for more contentment and satisfaction than ever he doth injoy Eccles. 5.16 What profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind it is fruitless enterprise it may be there is a wind a short-lived transitory delight but it is gone assoon as it cometh nothing cometh of it that may be called Fruit nothing that may be solid satisfaction to a man that hath a Conscience and is capable of an immortal Estate and hath a Maker or a Judge to whom he must give an account how he hath spent his time and strength and what hath been the business of his Life in the World Alas the fruit of sin dieth with the very act and when the lust is satisfied it beginneth â—o be contemned as Amnon hated Tamar more than ever be loved her 2 Sam. 13.15 So short are all unlawful pleasures enduring no longer than the sinful act for which like Fools men hazard and lose pleasures for evermore Reason taketh the Throne when Appetite is satisfied and scourgeth the Soul with bitter remorse because Appetite hath been obeyed before it Sin after the committing appeareth worse than before when it is too late the Sinner cryeth out What have I done Esau when he had sold the birth-right sought it afterwards with tears Heb. 12.16 17. Judas when the Treason was over he saw the worthlesness of the price for which he sold his Master Mat. 27.4 I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood When once Conscience is touched and awakened Guilt flasheth in the Sinners face then the bitter effects of sin are felt by Experience 2. It is not valuable the Profit will not countervail the Loss nor the Pleasure the Pain 1. The Profit will not countervail the Loss men hazard their Souls and then gain a little wealth and that is the worst bargain men can make Mat. 16.26 What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Besides that the wealth gotten by sin cometh with a Curse that within a while consumeth it Prov. 10.2 The treasures of wickedness profit nothing so that to seek to grow rich by sin is in the eye of Faith at least a fruitless enterpise 2. Nor the Pleasure the Pain it is delightful to the sensual part but at the end it biteth like a Serpent Heb. 11.26 All the pleasures of sin are but for a season Sometimes they leave us in the midst always in â—â—e end of our days and then the horrour and anguish beginneth But to speak nothing of what is eternal but of that which is of present feeling sin raiseth a tempest and storm in the Conscience which is not easily allayed Hos. 8.7 They have sown the wind they shall reap the whirlwind The pleasure we fancy in sin is lost assoon as injoyed but the sting is not so soon gone the Crop doth answer the seed and usually with increase they that sow the wind can expect
pardon of God with promises of greater diligence for the future 3. to implore the special aid and assistance of Gods Spirit for the better performance of what we promise 4. we are to obtain it by the means of Christs Sacrifice and Intercession Who by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 9.14 there needeth no other Sacrifice If we thus humbly apply our selves to God and desire again to bind our Bond the Duty will be comfortable to us Secondly Our second general work is to revive afresh the hopes of eternal Life and to get our taste and relishes of that blessed Estate renewed and confirmed upon our hearts that we may be fortified against the troubles of the World and inconveniencies of our Pilgrimage that we may not only be encouraged to do well but to suffer evil with patience That this Duty is a Pledge of Heaven appeareth by Christs words Mat. 26.29 I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom It is an Antepast of that blessed and eternal Feast When we shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven Mat. 8.11 And the end of both Sacraments is to prepare us for sufferings Mat. 20.22 23. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with They say unto him We are able And he saith unto them Ye shall drink indeed of my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with These terms shew that the Sacraments imply a preparation for sufferings for there seemeth to be a plain allusion to both Sacraments drinking of his Cup and being baptized with his Baptism Now counterballasting our Troubles with our Hopes begets the true Spirit of Christian Courage and Fortitude Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Therefore here is your work mind it and God will bless you SERMON XXIV ROM VI. 23 For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. THESE words are the Conclusion confirming all that the Apostle had said before in this Argument and more especially explaining those two Clauses That the end of sin is death and the end of holiness is eternal life it is so but with this difference the one as Wages deserved the other as a meer free Gift Death follows sin by Justice but eternal Life follows Holiness by free favour Both branches deserve to be considered by us conjunctly and apart 1. Conjunctly and there we shall see wherein they agree and wherein they disagree 1. Wherein they agree 1. They agree in respect of their Duration and Continuance the Death and the Life are both endless Mat. 25.46 These shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal 2. As they are the final issue of â—ens several ways the one as well as the other is the fruit of mens foregoing course here upon Earth Sin is punished by Death and Holiness rewarded by eternal Life Gal. 6.8 For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting 3. They agree in this that both are equally certain for they depend upon Gods unalterable Truth he will punish the disobedient as surely as he doth reward the godly We must not fancy a God all mercy and sweetness he is a God of Salvation but he will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses Psal. 68.21 The same Truth and Veracity of God that confirmeth his Promises doth also infer the certainty of his Threatnings Psal. 11.6 7. Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous God loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright God is a perfect Judge and will take order in due time with the wicked who break his Laws and will not make use of his Mercy their destruction shall be terrible irresistible and remediless but his upright Servants shall certainly reap the fruits of his Love and their own Obedience 2. Wherein they disagree The Text telleth you the one is Wages and the other a Gift God doth not punish men beyond their deserts that is Justice but he doth reward men above their deserts that is Grace therefore he varieth the word concerning sin it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wages which alludeth either to the hire due to the Labourer or the Pay due to the Souldier both are a just debt the Labourer is worthy of his hire when his work is ended he receives his wages and Souldiers at the end of their service get their Pay But of the other he faith it is the gift of God Sin deserveth Hell and therefore Death is called Wages but if eternal Life might in any fort be deserved or merited the Apostle would not have changed his word as he expresly doth he doth not say Eternal Life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wages nay he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reward which sometimes expresseth the Recompence of the Faithful as Heb. 11.26 Having respect to the recompence of reward but because reward doth not always signifie a reward of free bounty he doth not use that word neither yea neither doth he use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies a Gift because one kindness doth deserve another but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gracious Gift the Vulgar renders it Gratia Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace signifieth the free favour of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impression or effect of it upon us this is a word inconsistent with all conceit of merit But what is the reason of this difference that the one should be Wages the other a gracious Gift First Our evil works are our own wholly evil therefore merit death as work doth wages but the good we do is neither ours nor is it perfect and is done by them that have a demerit upon them that have deserved the contrary by reason of sin and might look for punishment rather than reward Secondly There is this difference between sin and obedience that the hainousness of sin is always aggravated and heightened by the proportion of its object as to strike an Officer is more than to strike a private person a Judge more than an ordinary Officer a King most of all Thence it comes to pass that a sin committed against God deserveth an infinite punishment because the Majesty of God is despised but on
the spirit he is regenerate or a new Creature if his heart be set to seek serve please and glorifie God and doth prefer Christ before all the world Phil. 3.8 Then he hath not only a spirit contrary to the flesh and the world but a spirit prevailing above the flesh and the world 1 Cor. 2.12 for we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit of God Then the Government of the Soul is in the hands of Grace 6. The prevalency of the principle is known not only by the bent and habit of our wills but our setled course of Life By our walk for 't is said in the Text They that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit A man is not known by an act or two but by the tenor of his life those that make corrupt inclination their ordinary guide and rule and the satisfaction thereof their common trade they are carnal and in the flesh and so cannot please God Rom. 8.5 but those whose Business it is to serve please and glorifie God and their end to enjoy him and by whom this is diligently and uniformly pursued they walk after the spirit because they live in the spirit they walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 I come to apply this Discourse The first Use is Information 1. That Condemnation yet remaineth upon all those that are out of Christ for that promise there is no condemnation hath an exception limiting it to those that are in Christ. Carnal men think God will not deal so severely as to condemn them but there is no comfort hence to them the Scripture propoundeth Priviledges with their â—ecessary limitations and restrictions where sin remaineth in its power and strength the Law condemneth men Conscience convinceth them and God will condemn them also So the Brutes are more happy than they who follow their pleasure without remorse and offend not the Law of their Creation as they do and when they die death puts an end to their pains and pleasures at once but those that walk after their lusts are but Christians in name certainly they are not made partakers of the spirit of Christ for if they did live in the spirit they would walk in the spirit and none but such can escape Condemnation they that walk after the flesh are without God and without Christ but every one will shift this off from himself but the works of the flesh are manifest Gal. 5.19 Many men visibly declare that they walk not after the spirit by their Drunkenness Adultery Wrath Strife Malice Envy Others more closely live only to satisfie a fleshly mind now whether openly or closely if they cannot make out their living after the spirit they walk after the flesh 2. It informeth us That we can never have solid peace till justification and sanctification be joyned together Justification Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace wiih God Mat. 9.2 Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee so for sanctification 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world Still there are fears of damnation while sin is in us but when it is our honest purpose to please God and we strive against sin and do in a good measure overcome it our Consciences may be the better and the sooner setled The next Use is for Exhortation To quicken us to seek after this Priviledg Do you fear Damnation or do you not if not what grounds of Comfort have you What course have you taken to escape it If you do fear it why do you not flee from wrath to come Mat. 3.7 Why do you not run for refuge Heb. 6.18 You cannot be speedy and earnest enough in a matter of such concernment Again This calls to those that are in Christ to be sensible of their priviledg so that they may bless God for it Gratitude is the life and soul of our Religion and 't is a cold and dull thanksgiving only to give thanks for temporal Mercies it cometh more heartily from us when we bless God for spiritual mercies Psal. 103.1 2 3. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases It also calls to all such to be tender of their peace Every Sin doth not put you into a state of Condemnation again but every known wilful sin puts us to get a new extract of our pardon 1 John 2.1 2. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sins By sin your Title is made questionable and your claim made doubtful repenting and forsaking sin is necessary when we have been foiled by sin that we may have a new grant of a pardon SERMON II. ROM VIII 2 For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death THAT these words are brought as a proof of the former assertion is clear from the causal particle For but whether they are a proof of the Priviledg or Qualification is usually disputed I think of both as when they are explained will appear Therefore I shall first open the wâ—â—ds and then suit the proof to the foregoing assertion In opening the words observe 1. Here is Law opposed to Law 2. By the one we are freed from the other 1. There is a perfect opposition of the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus to the Law of Sin and Death here is Law against Law and the Spirit against Sin and Life against Death Now what are these two Laws I think they may be explained by that of the Apostle Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then it is excluded by what law of works nay but by the law of faith What is there called the law of works and the law of faith is here called the law of the spirit of life and the law of sin and death in short by these two laws is meant the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace 1. The Covenant of Grace is called the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus a Law it is for it hath all the requisites of a Law a precept and a sanction They err certainly That tell us the Gospel is no Law for if there were no Law there would be no Governour and no Government no Duty no Sin no Judgment no Punishment nor Reward but of that more by and by 2. A Law of the Spirit it is Not only because of its spiritual nature as it cometh nearer and closer to the Soul than the Law of outward and beggarly rudiments and therefore Christ called the Ordinances of the Gospel Spirit and Truth John 4.24 Spirit in opposition to the
Duties or the Legal administrations which are called carnal Ordinances Heb. 9.10 and Truth in opposition to them again as they are called shadows of good things to come Heb. 10.1 In this sense the Gospel or New Covenant might well be called the Law of the Spirit but not for this reason only but because of the power of the Spirit that accompanieth it as 't is said 2 Cor. 3.6 Who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Lex jubet gratia juvat and the grace of the Gospel is the gift of the Spirit 3. 'T is called the Spirit of Life because through the preaching of the Gospel we are renewed by the Holy Ghost and have the new life begun in us which is perfected in Heaven and we are said Gal. 2.19 To be dead to the Law that we may live unto God that is that by vertue of the spirit of Christ dwelling in us we may live righteously and holily to the glory of God 4. 'T is the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus partly because he is the author and foundation of this new Covenant and partly also because from him we receive the Spirit as from our head we have the unction from the holy one 1 John 2.10 and the renewing of the Holy Ghost is shed upon us abundantly through Christ Jesus our Lord Titus 3.6 Thus I have plainly opened the first Law mentioned Let us address our selves to the second 2. The Law of Sin and Death Thereby is meant the covenant of works which inferreth condemnation to the fallen Creature because of sin and in part the legal Covenant not as intended by God but used by them it proved to them a Law of Sin and Death for the Apostle calleth it the ministration of Death 2 Cor. 3.7 and verse the 9th a ministration of condemnation Now because it seemeth hard to call a Law given by God himself a Law of Sin and Death I must tell you 't is only called so because it convinceth of Sin and bindeth over to Death and that I may not involve you in a tedious debate I shall expedite my self by informing you That the Law of works hath a twofold operation the one is about Sin the other about Wrath or the Death threatned by the Law 1. About Sin its operation is double First it convinceth of Sin as 't is said Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledg of Sin That is the use of it is to bring us to an acknowledgment of Sin and Guilt For when the Law sets before a man what God commandeth and forbiddeth and a mans Conscience convinceth him that he hath offended against it by Thoughts Lusts Words Deeds he findeth himself a sinner and his heart reproacheth him as one that is become culpable and guilty before God so that all are concluded under Sin by the services of that Covenant neither will the legal covenant help him for that is rather an acknowledgment of the Debt than a token of our Discharge a Bond rather than an Acquittance an hand-writing of Ordinances against us Col. 2.14 which did every year revive again the Conscience and remembrance of Sins Heb. 10.3 Secondly The other Operation of the Law about Sin is That it irritateth Sin and doth provoke and stir up our carnal desires and affections rather than mortify them For the more carnal men are urged to obedience by the rigid exactions of the Law the more doth carnal nature rebel as a Bullock is the more unruly for the yoking and a River stopt by a Dam swells the higher The Law requireth Duty at our hands but confers not on corrupt man power to perform it and denounceth a Curse against those that obey not but giveth no strength to obey that it is so is plain by that of the Apostle Rom. 7.5 When we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto Death While we were under the Dominion of corrupt nature Sins that were discovered by the Law were also irritated by the Law as ill vapours are discovered and raised by the Sun which were hidden in the earth before and so Sin brought forth those ill fruits the end whereof is Death but this is not to be charged on the Law of God but the perverseness of man for the proper use of the Law is to discover and retrain Sin and weaken it not to provoke and stir it up See how the Apostle vindicateth Gods Law Rom. 7.7 8. What shall we say then is the Law sin God forbid nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust unless the Law had said Thou shalt not covet but sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Thus he answereth the Objection If Sin grow more powerful in us by the Law then is the Law Sin No far be it from our thoughts the Law is not the cause but the occasion only as Sin sheweth its power upon the restraint Well then the ceremonies of the legal Covenant do not mend the matter for these are but a weak fence about our duty and bridling more of our liberty stubborn man spurneth the more against the Law of God and will not be subject to it 2. The other operation of the Law is about Death or the Judgment denounced against Sin and so 't is said the law worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 as it bringeth punishment into the World and revealeth Gods wrath against the transgressions of men and raiseth the fears of it in our Consciences and 't is called the Law of Death because unavoidably it leaveth man under a Sentence of Death or in a cursed and lost estate by reason of Sin These are the two Laws 3. By one Law we are freed from the other the Apostle saith me but he personateth every Believer they are all freed by the Covenant of Grace from the bond and influence of the Covenant of Works so 't is a common Priviledg what belongeth to one belongeth to all 2. My second part is to suit the words as an Argument to confirm the former Proposition 1. They confirm the Priviledg There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ. They are free from the Law of Sin and Death he that is freed from the Law is acquitted from Condemnation it can have no power over him 2. The Description is double first from their internal estate they are in Christ Therefore they have the priviledges and advantages of his new Law of the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus Secondly their external course They walk not after the flesh but after the spirit They have a spirit and a quickning sanctifying spirit grace given them in some measure to do what the Law injoineth being under
for their evidences are not clear by which they should be tryed Mortification Gal. 5.24 They that are Chrisâ—s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Courage 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye 3 d Use is of Direction to all sorts of Christians 1. Do all your duties as those that are under the law of the spirit of life Not in the oldness of the letter but the newness of the spirit not customarily formally but seriously with a life and a power believe in the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God Love in the spirit Col. 1.8 Who also declared to us your love in the spirit Hope in the spirit Gal. 5.5 For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith Hear in the spirit pray in the spirit and obey in the spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit Let there be a Spirit and Life in all that you do 2. Beg of your Redeemer to pour out a fuller measure of his Spirit in your Souls he hath promised it Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication Isa. 44.3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground and I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring The Saints have begg'd it earnestly Psal. 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness And Luke 11.13 They that ask shall have None lack this grace but those that forfeit it by neglect and contempt and resistance of the motions of his holy Spirit 3. Vse Ordinances to this end All these are helps and means to obtain it the Gospel worketh morally and powerfully 'T is the Divine power giveth us all things to life and godliness therefore in the use of means you must wait for it 2 Pet. 1.3 According to his divine power he hath given us all things 4. Let us examine often and see if we are partakers of his Spirit Two Evidences there be of it and they are both in the Text life and liberty First life for this spirit is called the spirit of life in Christ Jesus by it we are enabled to live the life of faith and holiness Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the son of God Doth it rule the main course of your lives denying the pleasures and profits and honours of the World we must live in Christ and to Christ we must not only seek truth in the Gospel but life in the Gospel Secondly liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty There is more alacrity readiness and chearfulness in obedience Psal. 119.32 I will run the ways of thy commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart 'T is a liberty not to do what we list but what we ought and that upon gracious and free motives with a large heart that can deny God nothing but is sweetly and strongly inclined to him SERMON III. ROM VIII 2 Hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death WE now come to the second point 2 Doct. That the new Covenant giveth liberty to all that are under it from the slavery of sin and the condemning power of the law Let me explain this point and here I shall shew you 1. That liberty supposeth precedent bondage 2. That our liberty must answer the bondage 3. I shall shew you the manner of getting our liberty First Liberty supposeth preceding bondage for when Christ spake of liberty or making them free the Jews quarrelled at it John 8.33 We were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou then that ye shall be made free So much we gather from their cavil That it is the first thought or the ready sentiment and opinion of mankind That to be made free implieth a foregoing bondage now our Bondage consisteth in a slavery to Sin and Satan and being under the condemning power of the law or obligation to the curse and eternal damnation 1. That man is under the slavery of sin which the Law convinceth him of that it is so with us the Scripture sheweth Titus 3.3 We were sometimes foolish and disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures 1. There is the condition of natural men they serve 2. The baseness of the Master lusts and divers lusts 3. The bait or motive by which they are drawn into this service intimated in the word pleasures for a little bruitish satisfaction a man selleth his Liberty his Soul his Religion his Good and All. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most proper to our purpose for that noteth his slavery carnal affections so govern us that we know not how to escape and come out of this thraldome we suffer the Beast to ride the Man it were monstrous in the body for the feet to be where the head should be or to have the limbs distorted to have the arms hang backward yet such a de-ordination there is in the Soul when Reason and Conscience is put in vassalage to sense and appetite The natural order is this Reason and Conscience directs the Will the Will moveth the affections the affections move the bodily Spirits and they the senses and members of the body but natural corruption inverts all pleasures affect the senses the senses corrupt the phantasy the phantasy moveth the bodily spirits the affections by their violence and inclination inslave the Will and blind the Mind and so man is carried head-long to his own Destruction This Slavery implieth three things 1. A willing subjection Rom. 6.16 Know ye not â—hat to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom you obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Servants were made so eitheâ— by consent or conquest The Apostle speaketh there not of servants by conquest but of servants by consent and covenant When a man yeildeth up himself to be at the disposal of another he is a servant to him so in moral matters by whatever a man is imployed and to which he giveth up his time and strength life and love to that he is a servant be it to the flesh or to the spirit as we make it our business to accomplish or gratifie the desires of the one or the other A godly man hath sin in him but he doth not serve it yield up himself to obey it he doth not walk after his lusts 2. Customary practise and observance John 8.34 Whosoever eommitteth sin is the servant of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that liveth in an habit and course of sin these are brought under the power of it inslaved by such pleasures as they affect 3. Inability to come out of this condition The Law is
of condemnation to Death if you be not sensible of the evil and burden of Sin yet surely you should flee from wrath to come Is that a slight matter to you our first and quickest sense is of wrath when our hearts are made more tender we feel the burden of sin fear worketh before shame and sorrow Therefore surely he that considereth his deep necessity should cry our Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7.24 2. Consider the possibility of your delivery from this bondage by the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Surely the Blood of Jesus can purge your consciences from dead works that you may serve the living God Heb. 9.14 There is a Covenant all the promises of which in Christ are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.23 The Covenant of night and day may sooner be dissolved than this Covenant broken or repealed There is the Spirit also who can subdue your strongest lusts and is ready to help you to mortifie the deeds of the body and to reclaim you from your vain pleasures 3. How comfortable it will be for you when once this work is in progress and you begin to pass from Death to Life every step will be sweet to you and as you grow in grace you do apace advance to Heaven Prov. 3.17 All her ways are pleasantness and all her paths are peace 2 Vse Let us examine whether we have received this regenerating grace to free us from the reign of sin Some are free in shew but others are free indeed John 8.36 Some have the outward badges of Liberty are Christians in name receive Sacraments and enjoy the Ordinances but not the grace in and by the Ordinances You may know the state of your service by the course of your life are you as ready to do any thing for God as before for sin Rom. 6.18 3 d Vse If we be free let us not return to our old slavery again Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherein Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again in the yoke of bondage Especially that chief part of freedom from the dominion of sin Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof And the 14 verse For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace SERMON IV. ROM VIII 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh HERE the Apostle explaineth himself and sheweth how the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus doth make us free from the law of sin and death In the words observe three things 1. The deep necessity of mankind For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh. 2. The means of our deliverance or Gods merciful provision for our relief The means are two First Christs incarnation Secondly His Passion 1. His incarnation in these Words and God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh 2. His Passion and for sin or by a Sacrifice for Sin 3. The end or benefit accruing to us thereby Condemned Sinint he Flesh. Doct. from the whole That when man could by no means be freed from Sin and Death God sent his Son to be a sacrifice for sin that our liberty might be fully accomplished The Apostles method is best I shall therefore follow that 1. The deep necessity of mankind is argued and made out by this reason That it was impossible for the Law to do away Sin and justifie man before God so he saith For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh That is through the corruption of our natures we being Sinners and unable to perform the Duty of the Law To understand the force of this reason take these considerations 1. That it was necessary in respect of Gods purpose and decree that we should be freed from Sin and Death For God would not have mankind utterly to perish having chosen some to Salvation and Repentance and so leaving others without excuse therefore the strict Judgment of the Law is debated upon this Argument Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified And again Psal. 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity Lord who shall stand According to the first Covenant none can escape Condemnation now this consisted not with the purposes of the Lords Grace who would not lose the whole Creation of mankind God hath shewed himself placable and merciful to all men and hath forbidden despair and continued many forfeited mercies and did not presently upon Sinning put us in our everlasting estate as he did the fallen Angels but rather is upon a Treaty with us 2. God resolving to restore and recover some of mankind it must be by the old way of the Law or by some other course The old way of the Law claimeth the first respect and precedence of consideration for take away Christ and the Gospel nothing more divine and perfect was given to man than the Law this was first intended by God for that end as the Scriptures every where witness and God will not depart from his own institutions without evident necessity for he doth nothing in vain or without necessary cause and reason Gal. 3.21 If there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousness had been by the Law God would have gone no further than his first transaction with man Again 't is said Gal. 2.21 If righteousness had been by the Law then Christ is dead in vain If there had been any other way possible in Heaven or in earth than the death of Christ by which the salvation of lost sinners could have been brought about Christ would not have died no our disease was desperate as to any other way of cure before this great Physitian took our case in hand Christ is of no use till our wound be found incurable and all other help in vain 3. The Law coming first into consideration as our remedy its impossibility to justifie and give life needs to be sufficiently demonstrated for till we are dead to the law we shall but carelesly seek after the Grace of God in Jesâ—s Christ therefore doth the Scripture travel so much in this point and sheweth us we must not only be dead to sin and dead to the world but dead to the law before we can live unto God Gal. 2.19 I through the law am dead to the law that I may live unto God and again Rom. 7.4 Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye may be married to another even to him that was raised from the dead that ye may bring forth fruit to God These two places shew the means how we become dead
to the law partly through the law requiring a righteousness so exact and full in order to life as the corrupt estate of man cannot afford partly by the body of Christ introducing a better hope that is his crucified body which is the foundation of the new Covenant besides Paul argueth this that the law doth only discover sin but cannot abolish it but doth increase it rather it bindeth over to death and therefore cannot free from death and so to fallen man 't is a law of sin and death and then answereth the Objections that might be brought against this Is therefore the law sin God forbid Rom. 7.7 and verse 10. The commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death and so was a law of death and working wrath and all not because of any defect in Gods institution but the weakness of our flesh that is the corruption of our nature nature being depraved cannot fulfil it or yield perfect obedience to it Once more 't is said Acts 10.39 By him all that believe are justified by the law of Moses The Law of Moses was either the ceremonial law All the oblations and Sacrifices the washings and the offerings then required could not take away sin for they were but shadows and figures of what was to come Heb. 9.9 They were figures which could not make him that did the service perfect as appertaining to the conscience and again Heb. 10.1 4. They were shadows of good things to come and it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins They might obtain some temporal blessings or remove some temporal judgments as they obeyed God in them but did little as to the ease of the soul as it was conscious of sin or under fears of the eternal punishment they that looked beyond them to the Messiah to come with an humble and penitent heart might have their consciences cleansed from dead works Every effect must have a cause sufficient to produce it The blood of bulls and goats was no such cause had no such vertue the effect was far above it there was a more precious blood signified and shadowed out thereby that could do it indeed Or secondly the moral law given by Moses partly because we cannot keep it of our selves and the best works that the regenerate perform are so imperfect and mixed with so many infirmities and defects that they stand in need of pardon Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all of us Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Isa. 64.6 and partly because they cannot fatisfie for the least sin whereby the Infinite Majesty of God is provoked This is only spoken to shew why the Scriptures do so often speak of the weakness of the Law and how impossible it is the Law should give us life that we may wholly be driven to Christ. 4. The utter impotency of the Law to produce this effect may be known by these two Things which are necessary to salvation Justification and Sanctification The Law can give neither of these 1. It cannot give us Justification unto life the Law promiseth no good to sinners but only to those that keep and observe it he that doth them shall live in them Do and live sin and die this is the voice of the law that was a way whereby an innocent person might be saved but not how a sinner might be saved The Law considered us as innocent and required us to continue so Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the words of the law to do them Gal. 3.20 But alas all we have broken with God Rom. 3.23 We have all sinned and are come short of the glory of God The Gospel considereth us in this sinful estate and therefore it promiseth remission and requireth repentance both the priviledg and the duty concern our recovery to God Secondly If the law could be fulfilled for the future past sins would take away all hope of reward by the law for the paying of new debts would not quit old scores what satisfaction shall be given for those Transgressions let me express it thus the paying of what we owe will not make amends for what we have stolen we have robbed God of his Glory and Honour tho for the future we should be obedient to him yet who shall restore that we have taken away Or satisfie for the wrong done to Gods Justice Thirdly The law had no power of taking away of sin but only of punishing of sin as it threatned death to the sinner but how we should escape this death it told us not being all shut up under sin we are shut up under wrath and there is no escape but by Jesus Christ. 2. It cannot give us sanctification It calleth for duty and puts in mind of it but giveth no strength to perform it for being corrupted within we are little wrought upon by a law without to which our hearts stand in such enmity and contrariety but let me prove it by two Arguments 1. They that did not keep themselves in innocency cannot recover their integrity now 't is lost 'T is easier to preserve life than to restore it when once dead any fool may open the Flood gates but when once the waters are broken in who can recall them Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one that is who can purifie his heart when 't is once defiled with sin This is an evil not to be remedied by instruction but inclination 2. Suppose they could recover themselves they would soon lose it again As Adam gave out at the first assault so we would be every moment breaking with God the sure estate and the everlasting Covenant is provided for us by Christ and our condition by Grace is more stable God by Christ hath ingaged his faithfulness to give us necessary and effectual grace to preserve the new life 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye were called Austin compareth the state of Job and Adam Job was more happy in his misery than Adam in innocency he was victorious on the Dunghil when the other was defeated on the Throne he received no evil counsel from his wife when the first Woman seduced Adam he by grace despised the assaults of Satan when the other suffered himself to be worsted at the first temptation he preserved his righteousness in the midst of his sorrows when the other lost his innocency in paradise So much better is it to stand by the Grace of Christ than our own free will the broken vessel being cemented again is strongest in the crack Well then you see that our misery is such that God only can help us by some new treaty of relief and therefore let us see what God hath done for us Secondly The means of our deliverance they are tvvo his Incarnation and Passion 1. His Incarnation He sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh let me first open the words Secondly shew what benefit we have
find out a ransome for us The Goodness of God that he sent his own Son The Power of God that by this means the guilt and power of sin with all the consequents of it are dissolved 3. VSE is Direction in the Lords Supper First here is the flesh of Christ which is food for souls John 6.51 The bread that I shall give is my flesh which I shall give for the life of the world In it he hath purchased grace and pardon of sin which are the foundations of Immortality 2. The Lords Supper is a feast on a sacrifice a commemoration of Christs sin-offering or a standing memorial of his Passion a Table spread for us in the sight of our enemies how must we be conversant about it as the Jews about the sacrifices First there is required an humble broken and contrite heart confessing our sins Psal. 46.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Secondly sensible thankful and comfortable owning of Gods love in Christ. When they had eaten the Passover they were to rejoice before the Lord Deut. 16.11 So should we after this feast prepared by God to feed and nourish our souls to eternal life SERMON V. ROM VIII 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit HERE is the second end of our deliverance by Christ That we might have Grace to keep the Law of God The first was That sin might be condemned in the flesh In the words we have 1. A Benefit 2. The persons that receive it First the Benefit That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us How is this to be understood of Justification or Sanctification They that expound it in the former way make this the sense That Christ's active Obedience or fulfilling the Law might be imputed and reckoned to us as if done by us But I cannot like this Interpretation First because 't is contrary to the Apostle's scope who speaketh not of Christ's active obedience but the fruits of his Death or his being made a 〈◊〉 Offering for us Secondly the words will not bear it For the Apostle doth not say that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled for us but fulfilled in us Thirdly the Doctrine its self is not 〈◊〉 unless rightly interpreted For tho God upon the account of Christ's passive obedience and satisfaction doth forgive our sins and his active obedience as well as his passive is the meritorious cause of our Justification as being a part of his Humiliation yet that cannot be said to be fulfilled in us which was done by Christ for God cannot be mistaken and reckon us to fulfil the Law which we have not and will not lie and say we did it when we did it not 'T is enough to say Christ obeyed and suffered for our sakes so as we might have the fruit and benefit of it Fourthly the Consequent is pernicious to say the Law is fulfilled in us as obeyed by Christ for then we needed not to fulfil it our selves 't is done to our hands already and needeth only to be imputed to us by Faith but Christ who suffered that we might not suffer yet did not obey that we might not obey but his Obedience being part of his Humiliation is an Ingredient into his satisfaction for our sins Christ fulfilled all righteousness and suffered that our imperfection of obedience might not be our ruin 2. It must be meant then of Sanctification That by the merit of Christ's Death we are freed not only from the Guilt but Tyranny of sin that we might obtain Grace to obey the Law or live holily which will appear by the answering of Two Questions 1. What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the righteousness of the Law I answer the Duty which the Law requireth or any thing which God seeth fit to command his people The Law is holy just and good and certainly was not given in vain but to be a Rule to Believers in Christ. 2. How is it fulfilled in us For there is the difficulty that pincheth Can we fulfil the righteousness of the Law The Law may be said to be fulfilled Two ways 1. Legally as a Covenant of Works 2. Evangelically as the Rule of Obedience 1. Legally No man that was once a sinner and is still a sinner can possibly fulfil the Law for he cannot be a sinner and no sinner at the same time nor fulfil the Law to a tittle He that hath broken with God cannot continue to be innocent and he that hath flesh and spirit in him cannot be absolutely perfect That was determined before ver 3. what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh and this is directly opposed to that 2. Evangelically And so the Law can and may be kept or fulfilled sincerely tho not perfectly The prevalency of the better part constituteth our sincerity Justified Souls have flesh and spirit but they walk after the spirit The mixture of infirmities sheweth it is not done perfectly for the corrupt Principle hath some influence yet not a prevailing influence and God counteth that as done which is sincerely done Rom. 13.8 He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law And Gal. 6.2 and so fulfilling the law of Christ And Gal. 5.14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self So the Apostle supposeth the Gentiles might in a Gospel-manner fulfil the Law Rom. 2.27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfil the law judg thee who by the letter and circumcision doest transgress the law So that in our measure we do fulfil the Law by the Grace of Christ not perfectly for he supposeth them to have flesh or sin in them but sincerely as they obey the inclinations of the better part Walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Doct. That Christ was made a Sin Offering for us that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us I shall prove it by these Considerations 1. That Christ came not only to redeem us from wrath but also to renew and heal our Natures 2. That our Natures being renewed and healed we are to walk in newness of life according to the directions of the Law of God 1. That Christ came not only to redeem us from wrath but to renew and sanctify us I prove it 1. From the conâ—tant drift and tenor of the Scriptures From his Nature and Office Mat. 1.21 He shâ—ll be called Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Denominatio est a potioribus From his chief work which is to save his people from the guilt and power of sin Guilt inferreth damnation which is the evil after sin but he hath his Name from saving us from the evil of sin its self For the great promise made to Abraham was in that Gen. 12.3 In thy seed shall all
the way which God hath set forth for you All will chuse happiness before misery but they are out in the means they do not chuse the good of holiness before the pleasures of sin nor the life of faith before the life of sence If you have more mind to keep sin than to let it go you are still charmed and inchanted with the delights of the flesh your will and resolution is not fixed 3. To this add an industrious pursuit and seeking after these things for our choice is known by our pursuit and our bent by our work these things must be diligently sought after that we may behave our selves like men that are desirous to have what they seek Heb. 11.6 God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Everlasting Joys will not drop into the mouth of the lazy soul these things are not trifles they will cost us diligence and seriousness Phil. 2.12 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling It is a weighty work and it must be followed close if you miscarry in it you are undone for ever but if you happily get through it you are in a blessed state indeed 4. You must seek after the priviledges of the Gospel in Gods way You cannot have spiritual life and Adoption and Justification by Christ till you are united to him by faith 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life You cannot have Heaven and Glory but by patient continuance in well doing Rom. 2.3 To them that by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life You cannot have the end but in the use of means and you do not like the end if you do not like the means till you come to God by Christ you cannot live the life of Grace and till you live the Life of Grace you are not capable of Glory Therefore you must ask your souls often What have I to show for my Title to Salvation more than most of the world have 5. It is not enough that you seek after them in Gods way but you must seek after them above other things A feeble desire cannot maintain it self against fleshly lusts and temptations if you have a mind to these things and a greater mind to other things your resolution will be soon shaken carnal things will intercept the vigor and life of your souls these things must be sought first and most all must be sold for the Pearl of Price Mat. 13.45 46. 6. You must beg of God to give you a new mind and a new heart Both to discern and relish spiritual things for your old corrupt minds and hearts will never do it 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he receive them because they are spiritually discerned He cannot accept nor savingly understand these things so as to believe them with a sound belief and a large affection Exhortations are in vain for inclination here doth more than Perswasion all things are of God 2 Cor. 5.17 18. God must give both and therefore ask them of him SERMON VIII ROM VIII 6 For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace THE Apostle is giving Reasons Why the Comforts of Justification do only belong to the sanctified He only takes notice of Two First The difference between the sanctified and unsanctified as to their disposition Secondly The difference that is between them as to the Event and Issue There is a contrary disposition and a contrary end and issue First How they are affected or what they mind Secondly What will come of it according to Gods Oordination and Appointment 1. He reasoneth from the contrary disposition of the unsanctified They being after the flesh do only mind and savour carnal things they study to please the flesh value all things by the interest of the flesh therefore are justly excluded from the priviledges of the spiritual life for 't is not fit men should be happy against their wills or be possess'd of priviledges they do not care for God will not cast Pearl before swine that trample on them nor bestow these precious comforts where they are not valued This Argument you have v. 5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Because they mind them not they have them not 2. He reasoneth from the consequent issue and event by the Ordination and Appointment of God Thus in the Text For to be carnally minded is death Death belongeth to the carnally minded and Life and Peace to the spiritually minded In this Scripture there are two Ways and two ends both opposite and contrary to each other 1. The two Ways The Carnal minding and the Spiritual minding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Two Ends Death and Life and Peace Doct. That the carnal mind tendeth and bringeth a man to Death but the spiritual mind is the way to life and peace The Text and the Doctrine being a copulate Axiom must be explained by parts 1. To be carnally minded is death I must open Two Things 1. The carnal minding 2. That death which is the fruit and consequent of it 1. What is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which here we translate to be carnally minded in the Margent the minding of the flesh and some Translations the wisdom of the flesh 1. I Answer 'T is the influence of the flesh upon all the faculties Vnderstanding Will and Affections as also upon our practice and conversation when the Wisdom of the flesh governeth our counsels choices and actions It includeth the acts of the mind There are two acts of the mind Apprehension and Cogitation in both the flesh bewrayeth its self 1. As to Apprehension We are acute in discerning the Nature Worth and Value of carnal things but stupid and blockish in things spiritual and heavenly Luke 16.9 The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More dexterous in the course of their affairs skilful in all things of a secular interest in back and belly concernments but very sensless in things that are without the line of the flesh and beyond the present world 2 Pet. 1.9 He is blind and cannot see afar off He can see nothing of the danger of perishing for ever or the worth of Salvation or the need of Christ to heal wounded souls or the necessity of making serious preparation for the world to come 'T is strange to consider how acute Wits are stupid and sensless in these things being blinded by the delusions of the flesh surely none have such a lively knowledg of spiritual things as spiritual men Object But do not many carnal men understand the Mysteries of Godliness Yea sometimes more distinctly and acurately than the sanctified I Answer Carnal
every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need so for all duties that we are called unto 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly than they all and yet not I but the grace of God which was in me and Heb. 13.21 Working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Now you see what 't is to have Christ in us none but these are real Christians 1. Because We must first be partakers of Christ before we can be paratkers of any saving benefit purchased by him As members are united to the head before they receive sense and motion from it Christ giveth nothing of his purchase to any but to whom he giveth himself first 1 John 5.12 And to whom he giveth himself to them he giveth all things needful to their salvation 2. Where Christ once entreth there he taketh up his abode and lodging not to depart thence dwelling noteth his constant and familiar presence he doth not sojourn for a while but dwelleth as a man in his own house and castle There is a continued presence and influence whereby they are supported in their Chistianity He dwelleth in us and we in him and we know that he abideth in us by his spirit 1 John 3.24 and John 14.23 If a man love me he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and take up our abode with him Not a visit and away but a constant residence John 15.5 He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit 3. Where Christ is he ruleth and reigneth for we receive him as our Lord and Saviour Col. 2.6 As ye received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him We received him that he may perform the office of a Mediator in our hearts and teach us and rule us and guide us by his spirit All others know him by hearsay but these know him by experience the testimony of Christ is confirmed in them Others talk of Christ but these feel him others have him in their ears and tongues but not in their hearts or if the heart be warm and heavenly for a fit it quickly cooleth and falleth to the earth again Then here doth our true happiness begin to find Christ within us this is that which giveth the Seal to Christ without us and all the Mysteries of Redemption by him for you have experienced the power and comfort of it in your own souls you find his image in your hearts and his spirit conforming you to what he commandeth in the word and have a suitableness to the Gospel in your souls you may look with an holy confidence for help to him in all your necessities when others look at him with strange and doubtful thoughts because nearness breedeth familiarity and the sense of his continual love and presence begets an holy confidence to come to him for mercy and grace to help in short when others have but the common offer you have a propriety and interest in Christ Christ without us is a perfect Saviour but not to you the appropriation is by union he came down from Heaven took our nature died for sinners ascended us into Heaven again to make Intercession at the Right Hand of the Father all this is without us Do not say only there is a Saviour in Heaven is there one in thy heart There is an Intercessor in Heaven is there one in thy heart Rom. 8.26 But the spirit its self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered He was born of the Virgin is he formed in thee Gal. 4.19 He died are you planted into the likeness of his death Rom. 6.5 He is risen from the dead do you know the power of his Resurrection Phil. 3.10 Are you raised with him Col. 3.1 He is ascended are you ascended with him Eph. 2.6 Christ without us established the merit but Christ within us assureth the Application Secondly I come now to the concession The body is dead because of sin Here observe the Emphasis of the expression the body is dead not only shall die or must die but is dead He expresseth himself thus for two reasons first because the sentence is past Gen. 2.17 and Heb. 7.29 It is appointed for all men once to die Therefore as we say of a condemned man he is a dead man by reason of the Sentence past upon him So by reason of this sentence our body is a mortal body liable to death sentenced doomed to death and must one day undergo it The Union between it and the Soul after a certain time shall be dissolved and our bodies corrupted The execution is begun mortalitity hath already seised upon our bodies by the many infirmities tending to and ending in the dissolution of nature We now bear about the marks of Sin in our bodies the harbingers of death are already come and have taken up their lodging aforehand The Apostle saith In deaths often how many deaths do we suffer before death cometh to relieve us by several diseases as Collicks Meagrims Catarrhs Gout Stone and the like all these prepare for it and therefore this body though glorious in its Structure as it is the workmanship of God is called a vile body as it is the subject of so many diseases yea and its self is continually dying Heb. 11.12 therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead We express it a man hath one foot in the grave 2. The reason is assigned Because of Sin death is the most ordinary thing in the world but its cause and end are little thought of this expression will give us occasion to speak of both its meritorious cause and its use and end both are implyed in the clause Because of Sin 1. It implyeth the meritorious cause Death is not a natural accident but a punishment we die not as the beasts die or as the Plants decay no the Scripture telleth us by what Gate it entered into the World namely that 't is an effect of the justice of God for mans Sin Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin And 't is also by Covenant therefore called wages Rom. 6.23 Sin procured it and the law ratifies it I but doth it so come upon the faithful I Answer though their sins be forgiven yet God would leave this mark of his displeasure on all mankind that all Adams Children shall die for a warning to the World Well then sin carryes death in its bosome and to some this death is but a step to Hell or death to come 't is not so to the Godly yet in their instance God would teach the World the sure connexion between death and Sin whosoever hath been once a sinner must die 2. It s end and use The
but be raised up from the grave and their vile bodies be changed like unto the Glorious Body of their Redeemer SERMON XIV ROM VIII 11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you THE Apostle is answering a doubt How there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ since death which is the fruit of sin yet remaineth on the Godly Answer 1. By concession that sin is indeed the seed and original of mortality the body is dead because of sin Not only the carnal undergo it but the justified tho the guilt of sin be taken away by a pardon and the dominion and power of it be broken by the Spirit of Christ yet the being of it is not quite abolished and as long as sin remaineth in us in the least degree it maketh us subject to the power of death 2. By way of correction He opposeth a double comfort against it Destruction by sin is neither total nor final First Not total 't is but an half death v. 10. The spirit is life because of righteousness Secondly Nor final it hath a limit of time set which when it is expired the body shall have an happy Resurrection and that by vertue of the same spirit by which the soul is now quickned so that mark both parts receive their happiness by the spirit the soul and the body the soul tho it be immortal in its self yet the blessed immortality it hath from the spirit the spirit is life because of righteousness and the dead body shall not finally perish but be sure to be raised again by the same spirit If the spirit of him c. In the Words we have 1. The condition upon which the Resurrection is promised if the Spirit 2. The certainty of performance set forth 1. By the Author or efficient cause he that raised up Jesus from the dead 2. By his spirit that dwelleth in you the way and manner of working 1. The condition A Resurrection is necessary but an happy Resurrection is limited by a condition Phil. 3.11 If by any means 2. The certainty of performance 1. From the Author of God described by his eminent and powerful work he that raised up Jesus from the dead This is mentioned partly as an instance of his power and partly as an assurance of his will first an instance of his power Eph. 1.18 19. According to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Our Resurrection is a work of the same Omnipotency with that which he first evidenced in raising Christ from the dead the same power is still imployed to bring us to a glorious Eternity Secondly 'T is an assurance of his will for Christs Resurrection is a pattern of ours 1 Cor. 6.14 God hath both raised the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power 2 Cor. 4.14 Knowing that he that raised up Jesus shall also raise us up by Jesus 2. For the way and manner of bringing it about by his spirit that dwelleth in us Where take notice 1. Of the Relation of the Holy Spirit to God Secondly His interest in and nearness to us 1. His relation to God He is called his Spirit and the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead That is of God the Father The Holy Spirit is sometimes called the Fathers Spirit and sometimes Christs Spirit because he proceedeth both from the Father and the Son the Fathers Spirit John 15.26 When the Comforter is come whom I will send to you from the Father even the spirit of truth he is also called Acts 11.4 The promise of the Father and Christs Spirit Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts Now the Spirit being one in essence and undivided in Will and Essence with the Father and the Son surely the Father will by or because of the Spirit dwelling in us raise us again for Father Son and Holy Spirit are one and the same God 2. His interest in and nearness to us he dwelleth in us All dependeth upon that mark he doth not say he worketh in us per modum actionis transeuntis so he worketh in those that resist his work and shall perish for ever but per modum habitus permanentis as we are regenerated and sanctified and the effects of his powerful Resurrection remain in those habits which constitute the new nature so the Spirit is said to dwell in us and in the former verse Christ to be in us if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin verse 10. Doct. That the bodies of Believers shall be raised at the last day by the spirit of holiness which now dwelleth in them 1. I shall a little open this inhabitation of the spirit 2. Shew you why 't is the ground and cause of our happy Resurrection 1. For the first the inhabitation of the Spirit Dwelling may relate to a double Metaphor either to the dwelling of a man in his house or of God in his Temple of a man in his house 1 John 3.24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and be in him so it noteth his constant familiar presence or of God in his Temple 1 Cor. 6.16 Know ye not that you are the Temple of God and the spirit of God dwelleth in you Which noteth a sacred presence that presence as a God to bless and sanctifie the spirit buildeth us up for so holy an use and then dwelleth in us as our Sanctifier Guide and Comforter the one maketh way for the other first a Sanctifier and then a guide as a ship is first well-rigg'd and then a Pilot and by both he comforts us he hath regenerated and guided us in the way of holiness first he sanctifieth and reneweth us Tit. 3.5 But according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy ghost and John 3.6 That which is born of spirit is spirit First he buildeth his House or Temple and then cometh and dwelleth in it Secondly He guideth and leadeth us in the ways of holiness Rom. 15.14 And my self also am perswaded of you my brethren that you also are full of godliness filled with all knowledg If we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 Before we were influenced by Satan Eph. 2.2 Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air that now worketh in the children of disobedience He put us upon anger malice envy unclean lusts and noisome and filthy ways and we readily obeyed 2 Tim. 2.28 And that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the devil who are taken captive
in the way of worldliness all their toiling and excessive care and pains are for the worldly life in short they follow after earthly things with greatest earnestness and spiritual things in an overly formal and careless manner A carnal man may do many things in Religion which are good and worthy Man that hath an Appetite hath also a conscience tho the flesh is importunate to be pleased and unwilling to be crossed that it giveth way to a little superficial duty that conscience may be pacified and so its self may be pleased with the less disturbance Religion is but taken on as a matter by the by as you give way to a servant to go upon his own errand Nay sometimes the flesh doth not only give leave but it sets them a work to hide a lust or feed a lust to hide a lust from the world as in Hypocrites as the Pharisees made their worship serve their rapine Matth. 3.14 Or from their own consciences every man must have some Religion therefore the flesh alloweth a few services that it may the more securely possess the heart 't is not for the interest of the flesh to have too much Religion nor none at all the carnal life must have some devotion to cover iâ— that men may take courage in sin the more freely Or feed a lust pride or vain-glory may put men on preaching or praying before others Phil. 1.16 17. The one preacâ—eth Christ out of contention Or give alms Matth 6.1 take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of men and a sacrifice may be brought with an evil mind Prov. 21.27 The devil careth not what means we use so he may have his ends that is to keep men in a carnal condition 3. That make it their scope end and happiness That is our scope and end that solaceth our minds and sweetneth our labours that which they aim at is to be rich and great in the world or enjoy their pleasure without remorse Phil. 3.19 Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly they mind earthly things That is our God which lieth next our hearts to which we offer our actions and from which we fetch our inward complacency be it the pleasing of the flesh or being accepted with God all their delight and contentment is to have the flesh pleased in some worldly thing this giveth them a joy and rest of mind and quencheth all sentiments of Religion and delight in God they that aim at Pardon Grace and Glory no worldly thing will satisfie them God and Heaven are preferred above all the Pleasures Honours and Profits they can enjoy here Psal. 4.7 Thou hast put gladness into my heart more than at the time when their corn and wine increased But 't is otherwise with the carnal for their hearts run out more pleasingly after some worldly thing and when they obtain it it keepeth them quiet under the guilt of wilful sin and all their soul-dangers and forget eternity because they have their hearts desire already Luke 12.19 20. And I will say to my soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry but God said unto him Thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee then whose shall these things be thou hast provided And the peace and pleasure which they dayly live upon is fetched more from the World than from God and Christ and Heaven the flesh is at ease and hath nothing to disturb it and they designed the conveniencies of the flesh in their whole lives this is their principle their chief scope and aim whatsoever he doth he still designeth the contentment of the flesh or some temporal good that shall accrue to him Thus you see who live after the flesh Where no contrary principle is set up to check it where 't is our daily work to please the flesh and our great scope and solace to have it pleased 3. What is this death that is here threatned ye shall dye Surely the natural death is not intended for that is common to all both to those that please the flesh and those that crucifie the flesh Heb. 9.27 'T is appointed for all men once to die And besides to the godly it is matter of comfort a thing which they should rather desire than fear 1 Cor. 3.22 Death is theirs therefore death is but a softer word for eternal damnation yet used with good Reason the Apostle saith Ye shall die rather than ye shall be damned first because death to the wicked is an inlet to their final and eternal misery 'T is dreadful to them not only as a natural evil as it puts an end to their worldly comforts but as a penal evil Heb. 2.14 15. Who are all their life time subject to bondage through fear of death because of the consequences of it then their torment beginneth Secondly because 't is more liable to sense We know hell by faith and death by sense now that notion that is more known affects us more all abhor death as a fearful thing Briefly then this death consists not in an extinction and abolition of the creature but in a deprivation of the favour and presence of the blessed God who is the fountain of all comfort and the everlasting pains and torments which the soul and body being cast out of Gods presence feeleth in hell all that weeping and gâ—ashing of teeth that bitter remembrance of what is past the acute sense of what is present that despair and fearful looking for of the fiery indignation of the Lord what the Scripture speaketh of 't is all included in this word ye shall die 't is in short to be separated from God and Christ and the Saints and Angels and to have eternal fellowship with Devils and damned Spirits together with those unknown pains inflicted on us by the Wrath of God in the other world 3. It would not be sufficient to restrain men from sin if God should only threaten temporal death and not eternal every murtherer would venture to execute his maliee every adulterer follow his lusts and voluptuous man his swinish and brutish pleasure if it were only to endure a short pain at death and then be free from misery for ever after We see how offenders venture on mans punishment and how many shorten their days for their vain pleasure therefore unless the death were everlasting the world would be little awed by it unless the bitterness be greater than the present sinful pleasure therefore eternal torment is that which God threatneth and will surely execute on the sensual and carnal so that the sinner hath no hope to escape unless by repentance and breaking this course of living after the flesh Secondly Now by way of Confirmation We must shew the fit Connexion between these Two Things the carnal living and this terrible Death and there we must shew you 1. That this threatning is every way consistent with the Justice and Wisdom
Government than reward we owe much of our safety to Prisons and Executions so in Gods Government tho love be the mighty Gospel Motive yet fear hath its use at least for those who will not serve God out of love slavish fear tieth rheir hands from mischief 3. For the converted they find all help in this part of the spirits discipline to guard their love When their minds are in danger of being inchanted by carnal delights or perverted by the terrors of sense when the flesh presents the bait Faith shews the hook Matth. 10.28 Or are apt to abuse our power because none in the world can call us to an account Job 3.23 Destruction from God was a terror to me He stood in awe of God who is a party against the oppressor and will right the weak against the powerful 2. Secondly Since 't is threatned we may conclude the certainty of its accomplishment The world will not easily believe that none shall be saved but the Regenerate and those that live not after the flesh but the spirit and love God in Christ above all the world even their own lives that besides these few all the rest shall be tormented in Hell for ever flesh and blood cannot easily down with this Doctrine but Gods threatnings are as sure as executions 1. Because of the holinese of his nature Psal. 11.6 7. Vpon the wicked he will rain snares fire and brimstone and horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness But men feign God as they would have him to be and judg of Gods holiness by their own interest Psal. 50.21 Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self As if God were less mindful because he is so holy and will not be so indulgent to their flesh and sin as they are themselves and would have him to be 2. His unalterable truth God cannot lie Tit. 1.2 Tho the threatning in the present judgment doth not always shew the event but merit yet it follows afterward for the Scripture must be fulfilled or else all Religion will fall to the ground he cannot endure any should question it 't is not a vain scare-crow Deut. 30.19.20 I call Heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that thou and thy seed may live that thou mayest love the Lord thy God that thou mayest obey his voice and that thou mayest cleave unto him for he is thy life and the length of thy days 3. His all-sufficient Power 2 Thes. 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power and Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known indureth with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction If God will do so surely he can there is no let there Heb. 10.29 30. Vengeance belongeth to me and I will recompence saith the Lord and again the Lord shall judg his people He liveth for ever to see vengeance executed if it seem co be so terrible to you God knoweth 't is with a design of love to awaken those that are carnal What a case am I in then And to make the converted more cautious that they do not border on the carnal life God maketh no great difference here between the righteous and the wicked hereafter he will SERMON XVII ROM VIII 13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die 1. USe is Information 1. To shew the lawful use of Threatnings 2. The folly of two sorts of people 1. Of those that will rather venture this death than leave their sinful pleasure 2. Those that would reconcile God and flesh God and the world c. 1. The lawful use of threatnings 1. Threatnings are necessary during the law of Grace Two Arguments I shall give for the proof thereof 1. If Threatnings were needful to Adam in the State of Innocency and Perfection much more are they useful now when there is such a corrupt Inclination within and so many Temptations without in the best there is a double principle and many inordinate lusts that we need the strongest bridle and curb to suppreis them 2. If Christ eame to verifie Gods threatnings surely God hath some use of them now But so it is the Devil would represent God as a lyer in his comminations Gen. 3.4 Ye shall not surely die Christ came to confute the Tempter and would die rather than the Devils reproach of Gods threatnings should be found true surely this is to check thoughts of iniquity 2. The folly of two sorts of people First Of those that will rather venture this death than leave their sinful pleasures and live an holy life carnal men think no life so happy as theirs being escaped out of fetters of Religion and bonds of Conscience in the Apostles Expression Free from righteousness Rom. 6.20 Whereas the truth is none are more miserable for they carry it so as if they were in love with their own death Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul and they that hate me love death You hazzard soul and body and all that is near and dear to you for a little carnal satisfaction for the present you get nothing but the guilt of conscience hardness of heart and the displeasure of the eternal God and for the future everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord when the body and soul shall be cast into Hell Fire Consider this before it be too late there is no man goeth to Hell or Heaven but with violence to conscience or lusts those that go to Hell offer violence to their conscience 2. Those that would reconcile God and flesh God and the world and secure their interest in both that hope to please the flesh and yet to be happy hereafter for all that would keep up a profession of Godliness while they live in secret league with their lusts God will not halve it with the world nor part stakes with the flesh you cannot please the flesh and enjoy God too for you have but one happiness if you place it in contenting the flesh you cannot have it in the fruition of God Their end is destruction whose God is their belly and who mind earthly things Phil 3.19 Wordly pleasures will end in eternal torments and so much delight so much more will your torments be for contraries are punished with contraries Rev. 8.11 How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much sorrow give her Therefore so much as you gratifie the flesh so much you endanger the soul Will you for a little temporal satisfaction run the hazzard of Gods eternal wrath 2. USE is to disswade you from this course To this End I shall lay down some Motives and some Means Motives are these 1. You think the flesh is your friend do all that you can to
your Lord and happiness to Chrâ—st as your Redemer and Saviour to the Holy-Ghost as your guide comforter and sanctifier We renew this consent in the Lords Supper that we may bind our selves the faster to him to submit to his spiritual Discipline that our cure my be wrought in us 2. You must obey his sanctifying motions for otherwise this resignation was in vain therefore we must faithfully endeavour by the power and help which he giveth us to mortifie sin we must strive against sin and we must strive with them to strive and resist him argueth great prophaness Gen. 6.3 Acts 7.51 Not to strive with him much neglect and laziness you must strive with your hearts when the spirit is striving with you and take the season of his special help 'T is not at our command for the wind bloweth as it listeth take it when you have it 'T is an offence to the spirit when the flesh is obeyed before him men are easily intreated by sin but deaf to his motions 3. Use the appointed means by which the spirit worketh There are means of obtaining the spirit at first by the Word and Prayer The spirit is conveyed by some Doctrine for Gods operative Power is applyed to man as a reasonable creature not for necessity For the Word Gal. 3.2 Received ye the the spirit by the works of the law or the hearing of faith So for Prayer If not for friendships sake c. Luke 11.8 13. yet because of his importunity If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask it Beg it of God upon the account of Christ Titus 3.5.6 But we speak now of another thing not the gift of the spirit at first but the supply of the spirit 'T is gotten the same way the spirit joyneth his power and efficacy with the proper instituted means the Word which is the sword of the spirit Eph. 6.17 This sword was made by the spirit Holy men spake as moved by the Holy Ghost Used by the spirit to vanquish Satan 1 John 2.14 And the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one â—Tis used for the defence of the better part the sword of the flesh is the excessive love of pleasures some carnal bait And by it the power of the holy ghost came upon us Acts 10.44 While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word A spirit of sobriety godliness meekness and the fear of the Lord. We cannot make use of this sword without the spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit So Sacraments 1 Cor. 12.13 And have been all made to drink into one spirit Prayer looking up to God who helpeth us in our conflicts openeth their ears to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity Job 36. And breaketh the yokeless disposition and opposition in our hearts 4. To forbear those wilful sins which grieve the spirit Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the spirit 1 Thes. 5.19 Quench not the spirit do not provoke him to withdraw his assistance from us as David was sensible of his misery Psa. 51.10 11 12. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me by thy free spirit SERMON XX. ROM VIII 13 ye shall live WE come now to the Promise ye shall live Doct. That life is promised to those that seriously improve the assistances of the spirit for the mortifying of sin 1. What is the life here promised the life of Grace or the life of Glory I shall give my Answer in Three Considerations 1. The more we die unto sin the more fit we are to live that new life which becometh Christians or new creatures For Mortification and Vivification do mutually help one another So much sin as remaineth in us so far is the spiritual life clogged and obstructed therefore it is called a weight that hangeth upon us and retardeth and hindreth us in all our heavenly flights and motion Heb. 12.1 That weight is there explained to be sin that doth easily befet us 't is the great impediment to the heavenly life and maketh our progress therein slow and troublesom Well then the more these inordinate inclinations are broken and mortifyed the more we are alive unto Righteousness as the Scripture every where witnesseth and the more we tame and subdue the flesh the more doth the spirit or better part thrive and prosper therefore it may be truly said If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live That is spiritually 2. The spiritual life is the pledg and beginning of the life of glory Here 't is begun by the spirit and there perfected the spirit of holiness is the surest pledg of a Resurrection to eternal life as I proved v. 10 11. The reasonable nature inferreth Immortality and the new nature a blessed Immortality every where the new birth 't is made the seed of Eternity called therefore the immortal seed 1 Pet. 1.23 And he that is born of God is said to have eternal life abiding in him he hath the pledg and earnest and first fruits of it the spiritual life consists in the knowledg love and contemplation of God and perfect love and subjection to him so that if it were meant of the Life of Grace the Life of Glory cannot be excluded 3. As it cannot be excluded so 't is principally intended as is evident partly because 't is put in opposition to death which is the fruit of the carnal life if ye live after the flesh ye shall die Such a life is intended as is directly opposite to that death and partly because 't is propounded by way of motive and motives are seldom taken from things co-ordinate such as are vivification and mortification a dying to sin but from things of a superior rank and order as the glorious reward is to duty and partly because this suiteth with the Apostles scope That justified Persons shall not be condemned but glorified because of the life of the spirit in them 2. To confirm the point First by Scripture The offer of eternal life is every where propounded in Scripture as the great encouragement of all our endeavours either in subduing sin or perfecting holiness as Prov. 12.28 The way of righteousness is life and in the path thereof is no death There is the hope of life asserted and the fear of death removed death elsewhere is propounded as the reward of sin and life as the great motive to keep us in the true love and obedience of God Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting so Ezek. 18.18 Because he considereth and turneth away from all his
covenant of nature which concerned both Jew and Gentile or the first administration of the covenant of Grace made with the Jews only First the covenant of nature which we are all under naturally breedeth Bondage and shyness of God we are sensible that we are his creatures and so owe him duty and subjection that we have fail'd in our duty to him and therefore lye obnoxious to his wrath and punishment Heathens that had but some obscure notions of God felt somewhat of this Bondage Rom. 1.32 They knew the judgment of God and that they which commit such things are worthy of death They stood in dread of angry justice and not only they but all mankind are under it Rom. 2.15 according to that natural sense which men have of religion so is their Bondage more or less still under fear of death and the consequents thereof This sense or conscience of sin and wrath which the breach of Gods law hath made our due is so ingrained in the nature of man that he cannot disposess himself of it The Apostle compareth it to the bond of marriage which is indissoluble till one of the parties die Rom. 7.1 2 3. The conscience of man is either married to the law as its husband or Christ as its husband not to the latter till it be dead to the former v. 4. Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye might be marrid to another even to him that was raised from the dead Well then this Bondage is the effect of the law or covenant of Nature impressed upon the heart of man and ariseth from a consciousness of guilt and obnoxiousness to Gods wrath and displeasure because of Gods broken covenant Secondly The first administration of the covenant of grace That bred a spirit of Bondage witness that allegory Gal. 4.22 to 26. Abrahams two Wives did represent the two Covenants the first and second administration of the Covenant of grace The first gendred to Bondage men of a servile spirit doing what they did not out of love but slavish fear 2 Cor. 3.9 But if the ministration of death written and ingraven in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away for if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousness excel in glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Gospel was dark and had little efficacy to change the heart of man it did little allay and vanquish this shyness of God rather increased it as it conduced to revive the knowledg of God in their minds and held forth the ransom and way of appeasing Gods angry justice obscurely and darkly rather shewed our distance from God Israel was Gods first-born and so his heir but an heir in non-age Gal. 4.1 2. Their ordinances was a Bond ours an Aquittance but what is this to us Answer Much every way 1. That we may bless God for the greater advantages that we have to breed a Child-like spirit in us by the new Covenant where the Lord who is offended by sin is propitiated by the death of Christ and willing to admit man into his presence and bless him that God as a Judge driveth us by the spirit of Bondage to Christ as Mediator that Christ as Mediator by the spirit of adoption may bring us back again to God as a Father and then having God for our Father we may have Christ for our Advocate and the Spirit for our Comforter and Sanctifier to inable us to observe the Gospel precepts of repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and so be made capable of the promises of pardon and life one covenant maketh us sensible of the grace of the other Christ dealeth with us as children of the family requiring duty from us upon reasonable and comfortable terms 2. Because those that live under the Gospel-dispensation and have not received the power of it may be yet under a spirit of bondage and cherish a legal way of religion In every one that entertaineth thoughts of Religion Law and Gospel are at conflict in his heart as well as flesh and corruption this is clear by Gal. 5.17 18. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would but if ye be led by the spirit ye are not under the law as spirit and flesh do lust against and constantly oppose one another and labour to suppress and diminish each other so do Law and Grace those that are slaves to their sinful lusts and are not inabled by the spirit of the new Testament to do in some measure what the rule injoyneth have their comforts obstructed and while sin reigneth the law reigneth Rom. 6.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but grace Partly by its iritating power and Partly by its condemning power leaving them under a fear of condemnation and urging them to do what they cannot do 3. The Children of God by regeneration and adoption while sin remaineth may have somewhat of bondage remaining in them Look as under the Old Testment when the ingenuous and noble motives of the Gospel were in a great measure unknown there was somewhat of a free spirit in the Eminent Saints Psal. 51.12 though but sparingly dispenced so under the Gospel dispensation there are many sad and drooping Christians who do not improve the comforts provided for them and when they are called upon to rejoyce in the Lord always Phil. 4.4 rather go mourning all the day long but 't is their fault The people under the law dispensation were either the Godly or the wicked or the middle sort the eminently Godly then had a free spirit the wicked were either terrified or stupified the middle sort who were touching the righteousness of the law blameless Phil. 3.6 had a zeal for outward observances but not according to knowledg Rom. 10.2 were meerly acted by a legal spirit so under the Gospel there are the eminently Godly who evermore rejoyce 1 Thes. 5.16 or at least are swayed more with love than fear the weak Godly who have much of their ancient fears and the love of God in them is yet too weak to produce its effect though this love to God do prevail over sin yet not ordinarily over fear of punishment but much of that influences their duties more than their love to God There is too great aversness in their hearts from God and Holiness and they seek to break it by the terrors of the Lord. Not sin but fear is predominant Thirdly Is this spirit of Bondage good or bad I answer 1. We must distinguish of the three Agents in it This Bondage cometh partly from a good cause the spirit of God breeding in us a knowledg of our Duty and a
of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death SERMON XXVI ROM VIII 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us IN this Chapter the Apostle speaketh first of bridling lusts and then of bearing afflictions both are tedious to flesh and blood the necessity of taming the flesh is deduced throughout that whole discourse which is continued from v. 1. to the end of v. 17 where he maketh patient enduring afflictions a condition of our glory if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together He now sheweth us a reason why we should not dislike this condition because the good which is promised is far greater than the evil which we fear two things Nature teacheth all men the first is to submit to a lesser evil to avoid a greater as men will cut off an Arm or a Leg to save the whole body the other is to undergo a lesser evil to obtain a greater good than that evil depriveth us of If this principle were not allowed it would destroy all the industry in the world for good is not to be obtained unless we venture somewhat to get it upon this principle the Apostle worketh in this place For I reckon c. In the Words take notice of 1. The things compared The sufferings of the present life and the glory to be revealed in us 2. The inequality that is in them They are not worthy 3. The Conclusion or Judgment of the Apostle upon the case I reckon 1. The things compared On the one side the sufferings of the present time 1. Mark that sufferings plurally to comprize all of the kind Reproaches Strifes Fines spolling of goods Imprisonment Banishment Death Again of the present time To distinguish them from the torments of Hell which maketh up a part of the Argument for if to avoid temporal evils we forsake Christ we shall endure eternal torments but the Apostle speaketh of temporal evils 2. On the other side The glory that shall be revealed in us Every Word is Emphatical 1. Our reward is called glory in our calamity we are depressed and put to shame but whatever honour we lose in this mortal life shall be abundantly supplied and recompenced to us in Heaven If any man serve me him shall my father honour John 12.26 An afflicted persecuted people are usually misrepresented and scandalized in the world but there is a life and state of glory prepared for them in Heaven men cannot put so much disgrace upon them as God will put marks of honour and favour 2. It shall be revealed This glory doth not appear for the present 't is not seen 't is not conspicuous to the eyes of men therefore some believe it not others regard it not It doth not yet appear what we shall be the world knoweth us not as it knew him not 1 Job 3.1 2. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not behold now we are the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him and see him as he is But it shall be seen because of Gods Decree and promise for the glory is prepared tho it be not revealed 3. In us or upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we shall be raised immortal incorruptible and we shall be so highly favoured and honoured by Christ as we shall be at the Day of Judgment then this glory is revealed upon us that is we shall be possessors of if we have the right now but then the possession 2. The inequality between them They are not worthy to be compared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not worthy to future glory not worthy to be set one against the other as bearing no proportion 3. The Conclusion or Judgment of the Apostle in this case the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical and implieth that he had weighed these things in his mind after the case was well traversed he did conclude and determine upon the whole debate rationibus bene subductis colligo statuo The Apostle speaketh like a man that had cast up his accounts well weighed the mattrr he speaketh of and then concludeth resolveth and determineth that the sufferings which are to be undergone for Christ are nothing considering the glory and blessedness which shall ensue Doct. That every good Christian or considerate believer should determine that the happiness of his glorified estate doth infinitely outweigh and exceed the misery of his present afflictions I shall open the Point by these Considerations 1. That counterballancing temporal things with eternal is the way to clear our mistakes or prevent the delusions of the flesh The Apostle observeth this method here and elsewhere 2 Cor. 4.17 This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory And 't is necessary for all our mistakes come by reckoning by time and not by eternity but looking to eternity sets us right again 2 Cor. 4.18 Looking not to the things which are temporal but to the things which are eternal The flesh is importunate to be pleased with present satisfactions it must have something seen and at hand and this tainteth our minds so that present things bear a big bulk in our eye but things to come are as a vain fancy therefore nothig will scatter this mist and cloud upon our understandings but a due sight of eternal things how real they are and how much they exceed for greatness and duration then we shall find that time to eternity is but as a drop lost or spilt in the Ocean as a point to the circumference and that the honours and dignities of the world which dazzle mens eyes are vain and slippery that riches which captivate their hearts are uncertain and perishing that pleasures which inchant their minds are sordid and base and pass away as the wind that nothing is great but what is eternal if wicked men did but consider the shortness of their pleasures and the length of their sorrows they would not be so besotted as they are and if holy men did but consider the shortness of their afflictions and the length of their joy and glory it would animate and encourage them to carry it more patiently and cheerfully in all their tribulations 2. This may be done four ways 1. Comparing temporal good things with eternal good things that we may wean and draw off our hearts from the one to the other and so check the delights of senfe As wealth with heavenly riches Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods as knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and a more enduring substance Eternal bliss in Heaven is the most valuable and durable kind of wealth all other treasure cometh more infinitely short of it than Wampompeage or the shells which the Indians use for money
the Apostle is of immutable equity Rom. 6.11 His servants you are to whom ye yield your selves to obey Now man giving up reason to appetite becometh a very slave as a Country is inthralled when the base prevail above the honourable and Beggars get on horseback but the Princes are on foot such a deordination there is when reason is put out of Dominon and lusts prevail our Bondage is described by the Apostle Tit. 3.3 Serving divers lusts and pleasures Our lusts urge us to an eager pursuit of inferior things reason or the leading-part of the Soul reclaimeth but it hath no force besides our dependance upon God which cannot be shaken off if since our Apostacy from him we have a perfect understanding to guide us the danger would not be so great but in this corrupt estate the mind is blinded by our Passions and Appetites and therefore to be left to the dispose of our bruitish affections is the greatest judgment that can be Psal. 81.12 So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsels This is the greatest thraldom that can befal such a creature as man is it leaveth us no power to dispose of our selves men often see what they should do but cannot do it being drawn away by their own lusts and tho we have some kind of remorse from the remainders of reason especially being assisted by the Holy Spirit as to some common help yet we foully miscarry still till it hath brought us to misery as it did Sampson the strongest Solomon the wisest of men Then therefore is a man at liberty when reason and conscience are again put into dominion and a man is fitted to please God and seek after his true happiness with the contempt of all worldly things 4. It must be such a liberty as bringeth us nearest to the state of innocency which is mans first estate and the state of glory which is his last and most perfect state Now this doth consist in a freedom from the Power of sin the liberty of Innocency was posse non peccare Adam might not have sinned the liberty of Glory will be non posse peccare they cannot sin as not with a moral cannot 't is absurd that may be obtained here 1 John 3.9 He cannot sin because he is born of God but with a natural cannot 't is impossible the Soul doth indeclinably adhere to God as the chiefest good therefore now the nearer we come to this the will of man is best disposed and the more to be accounted as free Divines usually consider man in a fourfold estate In statu instituto in a state of integrity and so man might not have sinned In statu destituto in a state of corruption so he can do nothing else but sin That every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually Gen. 6.5 In statu restituto and so he hath an inclination partly to good by the spirit of grace dwelling in him partly to evil by reason of the relickes of sin and is only so far freed from the bondage of corruption as that it shall not reign in him Rom. 6.14 In statu preestituto in the state to which he is appointed in the state of glory in which he can will nothing but what is good a blessed necessity it is and our highest liberty for liberty is not opposite to necessity but obligation or impulsion we are never more free than when we are passed all possibility of sinning 2. As it relateth to our felicity and so it implyeth two things 1. Our immunities and priviledges 2. Our rights and prerogatives 1. The immunities and priviledges of Gods Children we are delivered from much misery by Christ. First From the slavery of sin Rom. 6.18 Being made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness Tho sin still dwelleth in us yet the guilt is remitted the damning power gone Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. The reigning power broken Rom. 6.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you and so 't is more and more mortified in us by the grace of Regeneration till at length it be abolished by death and so the being is gone and our inthralled spirits are in some measure set free to know serve and love God and delight in him as our Lord and life and end and all Secondly From death as the curse of the law And so from those everlasting torments which the wicked must endure The second death hath no power over such and tho we are obnoxious to the first death yet the venom and sting of it is gone 1 Cor. 15.56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory And of an enemy 't is made a friend 1 Cor. 3.22 Death is yours 'T is made the gate and entrance into eternal rest Thirdly From the Bondage that did arise in us from the fear of eternal death Where sin is entertained it bringeth another inmate along with it and that is the fear and terror of death and damnation which ariseth from the consciousness of sin now to be free from the accusations of a guilty conscience and those self-tormentings which in the wicked are the foretasts of Hell is surely a great mercy and this is the priviledge of Gods People Heb. 2.14 15. To deliver them who through fear of death are all their life-time subject to bondage And sinners are such Bond-men that they dare not call themselves to an account for the expence of their time and course of their imployments which all wise men should do and think seriously of God and the day of judgment and the World to come therefore it is a great mercy to have a quiet well settled conscience Fourthly From the tyranny and power of Satan as a deceiver and enemy and executioner of the wrath of God who thereby taketh wicked men captive at his will and pleasure He cannot totally prevail against the elect Matth. 16.18 Vpon this rock I build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it tho he vex and tempt them continually He hath a kind of right to apostate Souls Eph. 6.12 Rulers of the darkness of this world but his power is much broken as to the elect they are dayly exercised by him but they overcome and stand stedfast in the faith Fiftly They are freed from the law and covenant of works which requireth that which to us is become impossible and also from the burdensome task of useless ceremonies imposed on the Church in the times of imfancy and darkness And the Apostle biddeth us stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free Gal. 5.1 The ceremonial law was a Bondage by reason of the great trouble expence and pain to the flesh which did attend the observation of it especially in its use a bond confessing the debt and Christ hath purchased this freedom and liberty to the Church and we should stand to the
defence of it Sixthly An immunity from such temporal judgments as might hinder our salvation and the service of God 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken hold of you but such as is common to man But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it and Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God No absolute immunity from troubles God hath reserved a liberty to his wisdom and justice to afflict us as he shall see cause Psal. 89.32 Then will I visit their transgressions with the Rod and their iniquity with stripes But will preserve us to his Heavenly Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.17 18. 1. Their rights and prerogatives First They have a right to serve God with a ready and free will and on comfortable terms Luke 1.74 75. That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives Psal. 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me by thy free spirit And Rom. 8.15 For we have not received the spirit of Bondage again to fear but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 2. A liberty of access to God a large door is opened to us for communion with him Eph. 3.12 To whom we have boldness and access with confidence Heb. 4.16 Let us come with boldness to the throne of grace that we may have grace and find mercy in a time of need and Heb. 10.19 Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holyest by the blood of Jesus 1 John 3.21 Beloved if our hearts condemn us not then have we boldness toward God 3. A free use of all the creatures which fall to our share and allowance by Gods fatherly providence 1 Tim. 4.3 4. Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meat which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and obey the truth For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods With good conscience we may use the creatures and get them Sanctified to us by the word and prayer 4. A right to eternal life Tit. 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Rom. 8.17 If children then heirs heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ If so be we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together Tho we have not the possession yet a Title sure and indefecible so that you see and yet I have told you little of it it is valuable but 't is a glorious liberty we are to speak of 2. Our glorious liberty in the world to come That is a liberty which implyeth the removal of all evil and the affluence of all good and may be considered either as to the Soul or to the Body 1. As to the Soul We are admitted into the blessed sight of God and the perfect fruition and pleasing of him in perfect love joy and praise to all eternity 1 Cor. 13.12 For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know it partly but then shall I know even also as I am known 1 John 3.2 But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Psal. 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life for in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand pleasures for evermore Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness 2. As to the Body it is in a state of immortality and incorruption wholly freed from death and all the frailties introduced by sin and because the body remaineth behind when the Soul is in Glory our Deliverance and Redemption is saâ—d to be yet behind Eph. 1.14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption And that in respect of the body Rom. 8.23 Waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body In short This glorious liberty may be somewhat understood by the liberty which we have now 1. Our liberty now is imperfect and incompleat but then 't is full and perfect 'T is but begun now and our bonds loosed in part but our compleat deliverance is to come from sin at death from all misery when our bodies are raised up in glory sin dwelleth in the Saints now but in death it will be utterly abolished therefore groan and long for it Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of death Yet with hope v. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord so then with the mind I my self serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin Our bodies now are subject to corruption and diseases as others are but Phil. 3.21 God will then perfectly glorifie his children in body and soul. 2. Spiritual liberty is consistent enough with corporal bondage Paul was in Prison when Nero was Emperor of the world many that are taken into the liberty of Gods children are not freed from outward servitude 1 Cor. 7.21 22. Art thou called being a servant care not for it but if thou canst be made free use it rather The condition of a slave is not incompetent with Christianity Joseph was a slave in Egypt but his Mistress was the Captive as she was overcome by her own lusts servants may be the Lords Freemen and Freemen may be Satans slaves 3. All the parts of liberty are quite other than now First as to duty we are not so free from the power of sin as to be able to govern our own actions in order to eternal happiness Rom. 7.25 With my mind I serve the law of God with my flesh the law of sin There is law against law mutual conflicts and mutual opposition tho grace gets the mastery not absolute freedom Our present estate is but a convalescency a recovery out of sickness by degrees 2. As to felicity First Immunity from the curse of the law and the wrath of God We have a right but the solemn and actual judgment is not past nor the case adjudged but at the last day when the condemning sentence is past upon the wicked our sins shall be blotted out Acts 3.19 Secondly Death remaineth on the body but then the last enemy shall be quite destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 Thirdly Satan doth still trouble us and vex us winnow us as
by all posts for the destruction and extermination of the Jews the City Shushan was perplexed 5. Tho we cannot absolutely determine of the success as to particular events yet this giveth good hope and confidence towards God 1. As to particular events no absolute certainty For God promiseth not all that you desire or think that ye want in bodily things 2. Many things are necessary to serve the order and harmony of his Providence in the communities and societies wherein we live And God may deliver his people in such a way and by such means as they never dreamt of as Pauls going to Rome therefore for the way his Wisdom must be the Judg not our partial conceits 3. As to temporal events we must pray with submission 1 John 5.14 And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will â—e heareth us 'T is not always necessay for us that we should have love and respect from men and never be tried and exercised with want or pain or suffering 2. This giveth good hope 1. Because it is for Christs sake that he fulfilleth all promises to us and so giveth us deliverance in any strait or present exigence 2. Because we are heard in what we ask for Gods glory and our own good so our prayers are accepted 1. Gods glory but he must chuse the means the end is granted the prayer is not lost but rewarded as an act of our sincerity 2. For our good that is the chiefest good Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God The great promise is eternal salvation all things else subordinated to it if you beg ease for the flesh merely for its own sake or worldly prosperity to please the flesh you bespeak your own denial Christ puts no such dross in his golden Censer 3. USE is to perswade you to get an actual interest in Christ By receiving him when God offereth him and is willing to give him to you John 1.12 Faith is a broken-hearted and thankful acceptance of Christ and a giving up our selves to him by an intire and unbounded resignation 2 Chron. 30.8 Yield up your selves to the Lord to be sanctified and governed by him SERMON XLIII ROM VIII 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect 't is God that justifieth WE have done with the general triumph of believers and considered what supported them against the fear of evil and the fear of death viz. the hope of good Now the Apostle descendeth to particulars and the first ground of a believers trouble is sin the guilt of which raiseth many doubts and fears within us all which are removed by Justification now Justification is opposite to two things Accusation and Condemnation the one maketh way for the other for those that are justly accused are also condemned as 't is opposite to accusation so to justifie is the part of an advocate as to condemnation so to justifie is the part of a Judg A believer is upon good terms in both respects there are no accusers before God that we need to be afraid of and they may with comfort appear before the bar of their Judg if we are impleaded we may stand in the judgment as to accusation here and as to condemnation hereafter accusation may seem to infringe our present comforts condemnation make void our future hopes But things present and to come are both ours The Apostle beginneth with the accusation in this verse and speaketh of condemnation in the next Who shall lay any thing c. In which Words observe 1. A question or bold challenge of faith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect 2. The reply or answer 'T is God that justifieth The question or interrogation intimateth the matter of our trouble something that may be laid to our charge the answer the ground of our support and comfort which is Gods free Justification by Christ In the challenge or question First What is denied having any thing laid to our charge Secondly The persons concerned Gods elect Both must be explained 1. The question implieth a denial not simple and absolute but in some respects not as if no accuser for the Devil accuseth us Rev. 12.10 He is called The accuser of the brethren who accuseth us before God day and night And the world accuseth us It accused Jeremiah Jer. 37.13 as a revolter to the Caldeans Amos 7.10 as a mover of sedition Paul as a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition and in general all Christians 2 Cor. 6.8 As deceivers and yet true Our own consciences accuse us Rom. 2.15 1 John 3.20 For if our hearts condemn us And David Psal. 25.7 saith Remember not the sins of my youth 2. Nor is it to be understood as if there were no ground for the accusation the Devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a whisperer or a slanderer but an impleader in a Court of Jâ—stice before the Tribunal of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's an adversary in law one that joyneth with us in plea of law he may slander us as he did Job that he was a mercenary man tho perfect and upright Job 1.8 11. But too often there is too much ground for the accusation The world accuseth us but we often give them too great occasion 2 Cor. 11.12 That I may cut off occasion from them that desire occasion our hearts accuse us for committing and omitting many things contrary to the law of God James 3.2 in many things we offend all so that 't is not an absolute denial of a legal accusation How then can the Apostle say Who shall lay any thing to our charge I answer 't is to be interpreted as to the success they cannot prevail in the plea if they charge Go I will discharge The Devil is often a slanderer the world raileth conscience may give a wrong judgment but when the accusation cannot be wholly denied yet there is a remedy for the penitent believer 't is in vain to accuse those whom God upon just reasons acquitteth God is not in danger to be mistaken by false accusation or to do us any injustice but when our real guilt is before our face and the malice of Satan will seek thereupon to procure our condemnation yet there are just reasons to be presented before him to procure our pardon 2. The persons God's elect who in justification are considered not as elect but as effectually called for the order is set down verse the 30 th whom he did predestinate them he called and whom he called them he justified Those whom God hath chosen before the foundation of the world and now truly believing in Christ these are justified for otherwise they are condemned already John 3.18 Children of wrath as well as others Eph. 2.3 for we must consider the elect as to the purpose of his grace or the sentence of his law for till the elect are effectually
upon If we would enter into his peace we must take his yoke upon us and share with him in all conditions Secondly yea rather that is risen again When the Apostle saith yea rather there is some special thing in Christs Resurrection comparatively above his death which hath an influence upon our justification What is it What is the reason of this connection Was not Christs dying every way enough to free us from sin and from condemnation by sin Answer Yes but yet the visible evidence was by his Resurrection the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not risen then are you yet in your sins And again Rom. 4.25 He dyed for our offences and rose again for our justification Christs death would not have profited us if he had been swallowed up by it or still detained under the power of it More particularly 1. 'T is a proof of the truth of his person and office that he is the Son of God and the Saviour and Judge of the world and therefore usually by this argument the Apostles asserted the truth of the Gospel for they were witnesses of his Resurrection and 't is said 1 Pet. 1.21 God raised him from the dead that our faith and hope may be in God We would not have believed this foundation laid for the great blessings of the Gospel had we not so clear a proof That he is the Son of God is proved Rom. 1.4 Mightily declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the dead So Acts 13.33 God hath raised up Jesus from the dead for it is written Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee He was the Son of God from all eternity but then visibly declared to be so God did as it were by that one act own pronounce and publickly declare in the audience of all the world that Christ was his only begotten Son one in substance with him eternally And as the truth of his person so of his Office that he was the true Messiah that was to restore the lapsed estate of Mankind Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins This was the only sign he would give the Jews the sign of the Prophet Jonah Matth. 12.38 39 40. Master we would see a sign from thee But he answered and said unto them An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the Prophet Jonas for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whales belly so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth So elsewhere he speaketh of destroying the temple of his body and raising it up after three days John 2.19 So for his being the Judge of the world Acts 17.31 Whereof he hath given assurance to all men in that he raised him from the dead Namely that he is Lord and Judge so that by his Resurrection all the clouds about his person vanish The world have satisfaction enough if they will take it There lyeth this argument in the case If Christ had been an Impostor or false Prophet neither could he have raised up himself being a meer man nor would God have raised him up if he had been a meer deceiver nor could the Devil have raised him to life no more than make a man out of dead matter nor can we reply that Lazarus was raised up from the dead and so others and yet not the Sons of God nor Saviours and Judges of the world I Answer Christ dyed not a natural death but in the repute of man as a Malefactor by the hand of the Magistrate Lazarus and others did not give out themselves as the Saviours of the world as Christ did so the truth of his claim was manifested and made evident by the Resurrection God would not leave him in the power of death but raised him up and assumed him into glory Therefore it appeared the judgment passed on him was not right and that he was indeed what he gave out himself to be 2. It is a token of the acceptation of his purchase or a solemn acquittance a full discharge of Christ as our Mediator and Surety He dyed to pay our debts now the payment is fully made when the Surety is let out of prison Isa. 53.8 He was taken from prison and from judgment His Resurrection sheweth God hath received the death of Christ as a sufficient ransom for our sins The continuance of the payment shewed the imperfection of it 't is a kind of release Christ did not break prison but was brought forth Heb. 13.20 Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus As the Apostles would not come out of prison till fetched out Acts 16.38 39. so here 3. He is in a capacity to convey life to others which if he had remained in a state of death he could not do John 14.19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me beeause I live ye shall live also The life of believers is derived from the life of Christ without which it cannot subsist If he had been holden of death he had never been a fountain of grace or glory to us we have the merit of his humiliation and the power of his exaltation The Scripture putteth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the latter Rom. 5.10 Much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life meaning thereby his life in glory His death was for the Expiation of sin but the effectual application of it dependeth on his life so that the faith of sinners may comfortably rest on Christ as one raised and glorified 4. His Resurrection was his victory over death which is the wages of sin if Christ be risen from the dead then is sin conquered for the sting of death is sin Therefore his Resurrection declareth plainly that sin is done away and so 't is a pattern and pledge to assure us of the forgiveness of sins Thirdly his Exaltation at the right hand of God Who is even at the right hand of God This confirmeth all the other ends 1. The truth of Christs Dignity and Office John 16.10 Of righteousness because I go to my Father 2. The validity of Christs satisfaction for our Surety is not only got out of prison but preferred not only discharged but honoured and rewarded and appeareth in the presence of God Christ did in effect say to God as Judah the Patriarch did to Jacob concerning Benjamin Gen. 43.9 I will be surety for him thou shalt require him of me if I bring him not to thee and set him before thee let me never see thy face more but bear the blame for ever So Christ undertaketh to be responsible for these poor creâ—tures What they owe put upon my score as Paul said to Onesimus 3. That he is in a full capacity to
convey life to others All weakness is removed from him his humane nature is glorified and seated in Heaven and his Divine Majesty and glory is restored to him so that we may reflect upon him with comfort as a King on the Throne in his royal Palace and place of residence David was King as soon as anointed by Samuel but when crowned in Hebron then did he actually administer the Kingdom and reward his servants and followers in the desert Christ when lifted up filleth all things Eph. 4.10 Lastly His Victory over his enemies death and sin as is fully seen Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my lord sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool And Heb. 10.13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies he made his footstool But there is somewhat peculiar 1. By entring into Heaven he hath opened Heaven for us he hath carryed our nature thither our flesh into Heaven and advanced it at the Fathers right hand in glory and so hath taken possession of Heaven for and in the name of all believers that in time they may ascend and be partakers of the same glory John 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you 'T was prepared before the world began by the decree of God Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world 'T was prepared in time by the purchase of Christ Heb. 9.15 For the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament that they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Now he is gone to Heaven to pursue and apply that right gone thither as our harbinger Heb. 6.20 Whither the forerunner is for us entred opened Paradise again to us which was formerly shut and closed by our sins 2. By this means we have a friend in Heaven who is always at the right hand of God to prevent breaches between him and us 1 John 2.1 And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous As David had Jonathan in Sauls Court to give notice of danger and to interpose to take off all displeasure conceived against him 'T is a great priviledge questionless to have a friend in the Court of Heaven to take up all differences between God and us as a merciful and faithful High Priest to answer all accusations of Satan and hinder wrath from breaking out upon us as it would do every moment if we had the desert of our sins 3. His being exalted at the right hand of God noteth that honour and power which is put upon the Redeemer He hath received all power in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28.18 And Eph. 1.20 21. God set him at his right hand far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come So 1 Pet. 3.22 He is gone into Heaven Angels authorities and powers being made subject to him This height of honour to which Christ was exalted shews how much his friends may trust him and venture their all in his hands Psal. 2.12 Blessed are all they that put their trust in him how much his enemies may fear him every knee must bow to him they must either bend or break Phil. 2.10 We have not thoughts high enough of the glory and excellency of Jesus Christ and therefore the glory and splendor of Created things doth soon dazzle our eyes and our hearts are hardly held up and fortified against these discouragements that we must meet with in his service Surely since Christ is in the highest dignity and power with God and hath all the Heavenly hosts and Creatures at his command we should more incourage our selves in the Lord for all this power is managed for the comfort and defence of the godly and the terror and punishment of his and their enemies This power was given him as God man when he entred into Heaven and sat down on the right hand of Majesty 4. Fulness of grace given him to dispence the spirit to his redeemed ones Acts 2.33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear As soon as he was warm in the Throne he poureth out the spirit that is the first news that we hear from him and presently the virtue of it appeared three thousand souls were added to the Church that day Now that is a pledge of what is continually dispensed in the Church There is still a spirit sent forth to convince the unbelieving world and to conquer the opposing wisdom and power of the flesh as also to beget and continue life in his people that they may actually be put in possession of what he hath purchased for them for he hath promised to be with the Ministry and dispensation of the word to the end of the world Matth. 28.20 meaning by that presence not only his powerful providence but his covincing and quickning Spirit 5. The actual Administration of his Kingdom He ruleth his Church preserveth his people and subdueth their enemies The enemies of Christ are of two sorts Temporal and Spiritual his Temporal enemies are such as oppose his cause and servants and seek to suppress his interest in the world The Jews despightfully used him and his messengers and they had their doom wrath came upon them to the uttermost 'T is supposed they are intended Matth. 16.28 There are some standing here which shall not tast of death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom In a few years the City Temple and whole Polity of the Jews were destroyed for the erection of the Gospel kingdom The Romans were the next enemy who endeavoured the extirpation of Christianity by several persecutions these were next made the footstool of the King of Kings and after some years that vast Empire was destroyed by the Inundation of barbarous Nations and the residue marched under the banner of Christ. Within a little time all these Nations which oppose Christs interest and persecute his servants are subdued under him and either broken in pieces by sundry plagues and judgments or else brought to submit their necks to Christs blessed yoke There is no standing out against the King whom God hath exalted at his right hand Secondly the Spiritual enemies of Christs kingdom are sin Satan and death each of which hath a kingdom of its own opposite to the kingdom of Christ. The Apostle telleth us Rom. 5.21 That sin reigned unto death but he exhorteth Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies And he promiseth Rom. 6.14 That sin shall not have dominion over you Satan hath a kingdom opposite to Christ he is called the Prince of this world by usurpation John 12.31 And the Devils are called Eph. 6.12 Rulers of the darkness of this world The ignorant
determine in the case I answer 'T is meant of both Christs love to us and our love to Christ but principally of the love of God in Christ to us First the object us 't is we are in danger to be separated Secondly The word separate also noteth it to separate us from our own love to Christ is an harsh phrase Thirdly 'T is said v. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through him that loved us And again The love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord v. 34. Which is most properly spoken of Gods love to us but this is not exclusive of our love to him but comprehendeth it rather therefore 't is a mutual love the Apostle speaketh of his love as the cause of ours for we love because he loved us first the comfort is not so great that we love him as that he loveth us and the stability of our love dependeth on his 2. The evils enumerated here are seven kinds of external affliction under which all the rest are comprehended 1. Tribulation whereby is meant common affliction which doth not amount to death any thing which presseth or pincheth us disgrace fines stripes imprisonment banishment at large 2. Distress When there is no shifting nor way of escape left us but we are brought into such straits as we know not which way to turn but are at our wits ends and know not how to escape but must submit to the will of our enemies 3. Persecution When not only cast out but pursued from place to place as David by Saul 1 Sam. 26.20 For the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea at when one doth hunt a partridg in the mountains And 2 Sam. 24.14 And David said unto God I am in a great strait Id genus hominum non inquiro inventos antem puniri oportere A law of Severus against the Christians 4. Famine when for fear of persecution they are forced to shun all Cities Towns Villages and places of resort and to lurk in deserts and places uninhabited where many times they suffer great extremity of hunger Heb. 11.38 They wandred in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth 5. Nakedness When their cloaths were worn and spent so 't is said of those Heb. 11.37 They wandred about in sheeps skins and goats skins So the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 11.27 In hunger cold and nakedness 1 Cor. 4.11 We hunger and tâ—irst and are nakâ—d 6. Peril by which â—e 〈…〉 dangers for even in their lurking places they had no safety Paul reckoneth 〈◊〉 perils 2. Cor. 11.26 In perils of water in perils of robbers in perils by mine own countrey-men in perils by the heathen in perils in the city in perils in the wilderness in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren And of the Christians of those times he he saithâ— They stood in jeopardy every hour 1 Cor. 15.20 7. The last is the sword Whereby he meaneth a violent death And here the Apostle stoppeth for all enemies can do no more than kill the body nor can we suffer more by them a sword may separate body and soul but it cannot separate us from the love of Christ and under sword are comprehended Axes Gibbets Fires Halters all sorts of violent deaths From the whole observe Doct. 1. That it is the usual portion of a Christian in the discharge of his duty to meet with many troâ—bles Doct. 2. That none of these can dissolve the union between them and Christ. First note That troubles are often the portion of Gods people the primitive Christians here spoken of are a sufficient instance First their troubles were for their number many Psal. 34.19 Many are the troubles of the righteous Secondly For their kinds divers Christians by the unthankful world are exposed to sundry evils and molestations sometimes they are assaulted by want and shame by fear and force by all present and possible evils Thirdly for their degree very grievous not only vexatious but destructive There is a gradation they molest them that 's tribulation they follow them close leave them no way of escape that 's distress if they remove still they worry them and follow them from place to place then 't is persecution that driveth to great necessities for food then 't is famine for raiment then 't is nakedness involveth them in sundry dangers then 't is peril yea sometimes they have power to reach life its self and then 't is sword Now shall we think that this was proper to that age only and that the first professors of Christianity were exposed to these sharp and grievous tryals that we might be totally excused from all kind of vexation and trouble No we must not indulge such tenderness and delicacy but must look for our tryals also The bad will ever hate the good the world is still set upon wickedness and worse rather than better by long continuance Certainly the world is the same that ever it was but considering in whose hands the government of the world is that raiseth wonder that he should permit it Therefore let us see the Reasons 1. That we may be conformed to our Head and pledg him in his bitter cup Jesus Christ was a man of sorrows and there would be a strange disproportion between Head and members if we should live altogether in honour and pleasure Col. 1.24 That I may fill up what is behind of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh There is Christ Personal and Christ Mystical the sufferings of Christ personal are compleat and there is nothing behind to be filled up but the sufferings of Christ Mystical are not perfect till every member have their allotted portion 't is an unseemly delicacy to be nice of carrying the Cross after Christ the Apostle counted the fellowship of his sufferings and conformity to his death an honour and priviledg to be bought at the dearest rates Phil. 3.10 All things should be dung and dross to gâ—in this experience and honour 2. God would have his people seen in their proper colours that they are a sort of people that love him above all that is dear and precious to them in the world and that they do not own Christ upon extrinsick and forreign motives that their example may be an help to promote mortification in the world therefore all his people shall be tried Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life which God hath promised to them that love him And Rev. 2.10 Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed 1 Pet. 1.7 That the tryal of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth tho it be tried with fire might be found to praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. God will try the foundation that men build upon and whether his people love him above all yea or no and teach the world to subordinate
and Children and Brethren and Sisters and his own life he cannot be my disciple Now this love that is in us being of such a vehement nature it can be resisted no more than death or the grave can be resisted No opposition can quench or extinguish it no Pleasures or Honours or Profits can bribe it If men would give all their substance such a soul will be faithful to Christ so that by this love Christ maintaineth his interest in our souls The stony ground could not abide the heat of the sun the thorny ground was choaked with the deceitfulness of riches and voluptuous living Waters or Bribes may carry away some unmortified souls but sincere love to Christ will not suffer us to be tempted away from him 1. USE Is information How a Christian cometh to be safe in the midst of temptations 1. 'T is by Christs love to us and ours to him First his love to us Once be perswaded that Christ loveth you then what need you fear Nothing that he doth will be grievous to you but how shall I bring my heart to this His love to sinners is plainly demonstrated in our Redemption Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us But his special love to us is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 he giveth the effect and the sense The general love must be apprehended by faith 1 John 4 16. We have known and believed the love God hath to us and improved by serious consideration Eph. 3.18 19. That ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth by taking this way to be possessed of this love Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me and the effects of it sought after What is every day done more to heal and recover our wounded and self condemned souls and to rescue us out of the misery incurred by sin to appease our griefs and fears What power against sin What assistance of grace in your duties and conflicts 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates This is to seek a proof of Christ in you Secondly for the other we get it by patience in afflictions Rom. 5.5 bâ— fruitfulness in obedience John 14.21 23. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him If a man love me and keep my commandments my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Converse with God in solemn Ordinances Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee the King brâ—ught me into his chamber we will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy love more than wine 2. Our love to Christ This must be taken in for 't is we are assaulted not Christ we are conquerors not God nothing shall divorce us Christ will never forsake a loving soul nor will a loving soul easily forsake him they have such an esteem of Christ that all things else are but dung and dross Phil. 3.8 9 10. Let deceived souls desire worldly greatness they can be satisfied with nothing but Christ nothing can supply his room in their hearts SERMON XLVI ROM VIII 36 37. As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us IN the former of these verses the Apostle continueth his challenge and then in the latter giveth the answer from experience He continueth the challenge verse 36. speaking to the last enumerated Sword lest he should seem to triumph over a feigned enemy he sheweth how the people of God in all ages are not only subject to divers calamities but even to death its self he proveth it by a quotation Psal. 44.22 for thy sake we are killed all the day long The words of the Psalm seem to relate to the times of Antiochus when every day they were in danger of death for religious sake As it is written for thy sake c. The answer is in verse 37. That in all these things we have had experience and have found this that they have no power to separate us from the love of Christ. In the words considered in themselves observe three things 1 The greatness of the tryal for thy sake we are killed all the day long 2. The absoluteness of their Conquest and Victory in all these things we are more than Conquerors 3. The Author or cause through him that loved us 1. The greatness of the tryal The calamity of the people of God in those times is First Literally expressed Secondly Set forth by a similitude or Metaphor 1. Literally expressed for thy sake we are killed all the day long Where 1 The cause for thy sake out of love to him and zeal for his glory and the purity of his worship This instance sheweth partly that the true Religion is ever hated in the world and partly that for the love of God we ought to endure all manner of extremities Partly that 't is a blessed thing when our death is not occasioned by our own crimes but meerly for Gods sake when a man doth not suffer as an evil doer but for Righteousness sake 2. The grievousness of the tryal we are killed not spoiled only but killed 't is further set forth Heb. 11.37 They were stoned sawn asunder tempted slain with the sword that is put to death several ways Some think it should not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were burnt or tempted by some cruel kind of death to forsake God The whole signifieth That the lives of the Saints were most cruelly taken away by several kinds of tormenting deaths 3. The continuance all the day long either the Church speaketh as a collective body for a single person can be killed but once now one then another made away all hours of the day they were taking or killing some of the brethren yet the rest were not discouraged or else killed all the day long must bear this sense that they were always in fear of death it did continually hang over their heads they were no time free as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15.31 I die daily He did daily run the hazzard of death 2. By a similitude we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter some take the allusion from sheep appointed for Sacrifice The wicked thought they did God good service in killing the godly John 16.2 And the godly themselves yeilded up themselves as a Sacrifice to God 2 Tim. 4.6 I am ready to be offered and
evidence of things not seen it realizeth our hopes and sheweth us the other world as in a glass As the Devil shewed Christ the glory of the world as in a Map and representation So doth Faith represent the glory of the world to come as in a Map it giveth us a kind of Pisgah sight or view of the promised Land Other men have but a general guess and tradition about Heaven talk at the same rate other Christians do but have not a lively affective sight of it A Believer hath a sight of it other an empty notion he a real prospect Many hang between believing and unbelieving neither assent to the truth of the Promise nor directly deny it Oh Could we by Faith lift up the Eye of the Soul to view those everlasting Mansions By Faith see Heaven in the promise we should be other manner of Christians than we are but most never thought seriously of it to make their assent more firm and strong Keep the Eye of Faith clear The world is a blinding thing 2 Cor. 4.4 2. Faith giveth not only a sight but a tast It is a delightful confidence a strong assent and therefore they are said to tast the powers of the world to come Heb. 6. Faith an anticipation of our Blessedness or a prae-occupation of our everlasting estate 'T is such a sight as ravisheth the heart and filleth it with joy John 8.56 Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them hugged the Promises And 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom though now ye see him not yet believing that is believing for eternal life ye rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory To others the Promises are as dry chips and withered flowers Luke 6.23 Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in Heaven 3dly How shall we rouze up our Faith and more firmly believe the promised glory Foundation Stones can never be laid with care and exactness enough None of us believe it so but we may believe it again with more certainty and assurance of understanding At least we need to revive it often as when the Picture waxeth old we refresh the Colours The motives of credibility I have given you in former discourses I shall only now mention its own intrinsick grounds which have a more direct influence on the confidence of a Believer A Blessed Estate is very sure to the Heirs of Promise 1. Partly as being appointed to them from all eternity Mat. 25.34 Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World A purpose so long ago thought of and prepared with such solemnity and designed to us in Christ will not easily be broken off 2 Tim. 1.9 10. He hath saved us with an Holy Calling according to his purpose and Grace which was given to us in Christ before the world began but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light in the Gospel It seemed good to God from everlasting to decree within himself concerning us to give us eternal life by Christ Jesus who came to free poor Creatures from Eternal death and the wrath of God abiding on them and to make the offer of a glorious estate to them in the world to come as the fruit of his merit Here was the first Stone laid towards this eternal building even the foundation of God which standeth sure 2. 'T is secured to them by the promise of the faithful God 1 John 2.25 And what needed God to promise what he would not perform In other parts of Scripture we own Gods Authority Why not in the Promises The same God which gave the Commands which you find so powerful on your Consciences the same God gave the Promises In all other promises God standeth to his word and is very faithful and punctual in them as in those which are of a present accomplishment in ultimo non deficiet God hath entred into Covenant with us A Covenant supposeth both parties ingaged it doth not leave one bound and another at large The Precept doth not leave us free and the Promise maketh God a debtor Therefore if he hath promised he will be as good as his word 3. The third ground which raiseth this confidence is the raising and glorifying of Christ who is entred into Heaven as our Fore-runner Heb. 6.20 1 Pet. 1.21 God raised him and gave him Glory and Honour that your Faith and Hope might be in God Heaven is possessed by our Head and surely in our name John 14.2 which is a sure pledge that the Members shall be glorified if our Head be raised he will not leave his Members under the power of Death He hath carried our Nature into Heaven our Flesh thither and advanced it to the Fathers right Hand in Glory let us follow him and we shall get thither also Well now these are the grounds of Confidence whereby we know that there is a Blessed estate reserved for us II. Hope for it Next to a sound belief of such things there must be an earnest expectation of them For having a Promise Hope waiteth for the accomplishment of the thing Promised and looketh out to see it a coming There is a twofold Hope the one necessary to Grace the other very profitable but not absolutely necessary to the Life and being of a Christian. The one is the immediate effect of regeneration 1 Pet. 1.3 The other the fruit of experience Rom. 5.4 The one dependeth upon the promises of God which are proposed to men to beget in them an hope of the greatest good they can expect from God The other dependeth upon our own qualification The one is Antecedent to acts of Holiness the other followeth after it and resulteth from it 1. An Antecedent Hope there must be before the effect of the holy life can be produced For since Hope is the principle of all humane endeavours and actions 't is Hope that sets every Man awork in the world The Merchant Tradeth in Hope the Husbandman Ploweth in Hope the Souldier fighteth in Hope So 't is Hope that sets the Christian awork The Twelve Tribes serve God instantly day and night that they may come to the Blessed Hope Before a Man can ingage in the Spiritual life he must have some Hope and indeed this Hope dependeth upon the conditional offer of eternal life according to the terms of the Gospel This conditional offer is very comfortable to hunger bitten Sinners who do seriously mind their own happiness Of this Hope the Apostle speaketh Heb. 3.6 Whose House are we if we hold fast the Confidence and the rejoycing of the Hope firm unto the end This is the first tast of the pleasures of the world to come 2. There is another Hope which cometh after much exercise in Godliness which requireth
respect from men If we shall Everlastingly injoy the Love of God nothing should trouble us Rom. 8.37 38. Nay at length we shall meet all the Holy ones of God Heb. 11.13 and shall all join in comfort there There is no pride or envy to divide us or to make us contemn one another but Love and Charity reigneth so that the good of every one is the good of all and the good of all the good of every one They all make up one Body and have one heart and one Soul and one God who is all in all 6thly Against Persecution Matth. 5.11 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you â—â—lsely for my sake Rejoice and be exceeding Glad for great is your reward in Heaven For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you And 1 Thes. 1.6.7 Having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy-Ghost 7thly Against exile When cast out of Cities Towns driven from House and home consider we shall abide with Christ for ever 8thly Against Death of friends 1. Thes. 4.14 to the 18. He concludeth Wherefore comfort one another with these words They are not genuine comforts of Christianity which are not fetched from the world to come 9thly Against sin 'T is our trouble here it must be mortified There it will be nullified Our Inheritance is incorruptible and undefiled and fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1.4 Our carnality will be for ever gone our Temptations will be over There is no Serpent in the upper Paradice 10thly Against spiritual wants There all desires will be accomplished our expectations fully satisfied and the Soul filled up with all the fulness of God And Lastly Against Death which is the last enemy This Christ hath conquered and will conquer for you 1 Cor. 15.56 57. The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Death is yours 1 Cor. 3.22 All things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours And ye are Christs and Christ is Gods SERMON IV. 2 Cor. 5.2 For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be Clothed upon with our House which is from Heaven IN the former verse the Apostle had asserted his confidence of a Blessed Estate both in his own name and the name of other Believers Now he speaketh of his readiness to enter into it or his desire of getting out of this Life that he might enjoy this Immortality and Blessedness For in this we groan In this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in the mean time In the words observe 1. The greatness of the affection here mentioned Expressed by the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we groan by which he meaneth not the groans which come from sorrow but from desire and hope 2dly The other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not desiring only but earnestly desiring 2dly The object or thing affected To be cloathed upon with our House which is from Heaven Where our Glory and Blessedness is set forth by a double Metaphore an House and a Garment Men do not clothe themselves with Houses but this is such an House as is so fitted for us and we for it as apparel is for the Body Well then the state of Glory is called an House with respect to the deliverance which we have from the pressures which the bodily Life is subject unto As in an House we are sheltered and defended from the injuries of wind and weather And then 't is compared to an upper garment to hide our blemishes and imperfections Because the Apostle useth the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some have thought the Apostles meaning to be That he would have that Life clothed upon this Life as the Tunick upon the Vest That he would not put off the Body or die at all but go to Heaven by that sudden change spoken of 1 Cor. 15.51 52. 1 Thes. 4.17 Indeed many of the expressions of the Context seem to look that way But I shall adjourn the debate till I come to open the Third and Fourth verses Doct. Those that sincerely believe and wait for a Blessed Immortality do also groan for it and earnestly desire it The reasons of this groaning are 1. Because of the pressures and miseries of the present Life Being burthened we groan verse 4 We are pressed under an heavy weight burthen'd both with sin and misery and both set us a groaning very sorely 1. With sin To a waking Conscience and a gracious Heart this is one of the greatest burthens that can be felt see that Rom. 7.24 Oh vvretched man that I am vvho shall deliver me from the body of this Death If any had cause to complain of his afflictions Paul much more He was Whipped Imprisoned Stoned in Perils by Land and by Sea but afflictions did not sit so close to him as sins The body of death was his greatest burthen and therefore did he long for deliverance A Beast will leave the place where he findeth neither food nor rest 'T is not the bare trouble of the world which sets the Saints a groaning but indwelling corruption which may be cast down but is not cast out This grieveth them they are sinning whil'st others are pleasing God serving him with weakness and manifold defects whil'st others are serving him without spot and blemish They see clearly what we see darkly and as in a glass and adhere to God perfectly whil'st we are distracted with sensual and worldly affections and many incident fears and cares They are enjoying and praising God while we are mourning under sin and such an heap of remaining infirmities Surely 't is weariness of sinning which maketh the Saints groan As light and love increaseth sin groweth a greater burthen to us they cannot get rid of this cursed Inmate and therefore are longing for a change A gracious heart seeth this is the greatest evil and therefore would fain get rid of it not only of the guilt and power but of the very being of it which will never be till this Tabernacle be dissolved Then sin shall gasp its last because death removeth from us this sinful flesh and admits into the sight of God And therefore the Saints are groaning and longing for the parting day when by putting off flesh they shall put off sin and come and dwell with God 2. They are also burthened with miseries and these are not the only causes yet they are a cause of the Saints groaning For they have not devested themselves of the feelings of nature nor grown senseless as Stocks and Stones The Apostle telleth us Rom. 8.20 21. That the whole Creation groaneth because 't is put under misery and vanity 'T is a groaning world and Gods Children bear a part in the Consort because they live here in a valley of
place but when the heart is set against it then the least remainders are a Burthen to them this is that they pray and strive against Wicked men are in their Element they make a mock of sin 't is a sport to them to do evil What I hate is my Burthen O wretched man c. Rom. 7.24 4. They hope for a better estate than others do to be perfectly freed from sin 1 Joh. 3.3 'T is a grief to them they cannot find it while they are in the body Here as Hair cut will grow again as long as the Roots remain or Ivy in the Wall cut Boughs stump Branches yet some strings there are that will ever sprout out again Vse This shews our stupid Folly that we do no more mind and improve this that still we are so loth to leave this woful life and prepare for a better estate God driveth us out of the World as he did Lot out of Sodom but yet we are loth to depart as if it were better to be miserable apart from Christ than happy with him Have we not yet smarted enough for our love to a vain World Nor sinned enough to make us weary of our Abode here But yet we linger and draw back as if we would sin more and longer Surely this miserable tempting sinful World is an unmeet place to be the home and happiness of God's Children in this valley of tears and place of snares What should we do but long and sigh for Home Here sin liveth with men from the birth to the grave we complain of sin and yet are loth to be rid of it we cry out of the vanity and vexation of the World and yet set our hearts upon it and love it better than God and the World to come The thoughts of our Transmigration are very grievous to us If you cannot go so high as groaning and desiring earnestly yet where is serious waiting and diligent preparing drawing home as fast as we can Alas we are serving our Covetousness and Pride and Lusts and tiring our selves in making provision for our fleshly Appetites and Wills as if we were to tarry here for ever We take it for granted they have not thought to remove to another place that do not make provision before they come thither But alas we must remove whether we will or no and shall we like foolish Birds build our Nests here with such Art and Contrivance when to morrow we must be gone Second Proposition That the Saints being burthened do in an holy manner groan and long for a better life The Apostle here explaineth their groaning and sheweth that it is not to be unclothed but clothed upon Therefore 1. 'T is not an unnatural desire as if we did desire Death as Death No a creature cannot desire its own deprivation therefore the Apostle saith it is not to be unclothed c. Jesus Christ before he manifested his submission did first manifest the innocent desires of Nature Father if it be possible let the Cup pass from me c. The separation of the Soul from the Body and the Bodys remaining under corruption is in its self evil and the fruit of sin Rom. 5.12 Grace is not given us to reconcile us to corruption or to make Death as Death seem desirable or to cross the inclinations of innocent Nature But yet Heaven and Eternal Happiness beyond it is still matter of desire to us Death is God's Threatning and we are not threatned with Benefits but Evils and Evils of punishment are not to be desired barely for themselves but submitted unto for an higher end Nature abhorreth and feareth Death but yet Grace desireth Glory The Soul is loth to part with the Body but yet 't is far lother to miss Christ and to be without him As a man is loth to lose a Leg or an Arm yet to preserve the whole Body is willing In short the Soul is bound to the Body with a double Bond one natural and the other voluntary by Love and Affection desiring and seeking its welfare The voluntary Bond is governed and ordered by Religion till the natural Bond be loosed either in the ordinary course of Nature or at the Will of God 2dly 'T is not a discontented desire arising out of an impatiency of the Cross or desperation under our difficulties and troubles No believers lament their present misery by reason of sin and the evils which proceed thence They have a sense and feeling of them as well as others have yet they do not desire death out of impatience to be freed from so many troubles and vexations But 't is that Blessed estate and perfect deliverance which they expect in the world to come like men in a tempest that would be set ashore assoon as they can The carnal groan out of discontent but the groans of the faithful are that they cannot injoy true and perfect Blessedness nor be without sin To give you some instances of groans out of discontent The murmuring Israelites Exod. 16.3 Would to God we had dyed in Aegypt 'T is usual in a pet for men to wish themselves in their graves but Alas they do not consider what it is to be in the state of the dead and to come unprepared into the other world Yea the Children of God may have their fits of impatiency and discontent But they are not the desires and groanings here mentioned as Job Chap. 3.20 Wherefore is Life given to him that is in misery and light to the bitter in Soul 21. verse Which long for Death but it cometh not which dig for it more than for hid treasures No these discontented fits are far different from the Holy desires and groans of the Saints These are but a shameful retreat from the conflict and difficulties of the present Life or irksomeness under the burden thereof or despondency and distrust of Gods help rather than any sanctified resolution 2dly Let us see the Holiness of these groans and desires 1. They come from a certain confidence Verse 1. of this Chapter not a bare conjecture but a certain knowledge Surely Heaven and Glory is amiable and the object of our desires and when we are perswaded of the truth and worth of it we will groan and long after it 2dly A serious preparation Verse the Third If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked They have made up their accounts between God and their Souls sued out their Pardon Stand with their Loins girt and Lamps burning As Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace c. when he had seen Christ with the Eyes of his Faith as well as of his Body 3dly An Heart deadned to the world For in the Text Being Burthened we groan Till we are weaned from present felicities we shall not earnestly seek after better The Child of God is now in his exile and pilgrimage and therefore longeth to be at home in his own Country He is now in his conflict and warfare Then
the Earth and Psalm 50.6 God is Judge himself It was enough to understand it so without any distinction of the Persons But when once this mystery was most certainly manifested by God manifest in our flesh now we must Enquire a little further 2. I Answer there is an Order in the Persons of the Blessed Trinity as in the manner of subsisting so also there 's a certain Order and Oeconomy according to which all their operations are produced and brought forth to the Creature according to which Order the power of Judging doth belong partly to the Father and partly to the Son 1. In the business of Redemption there the act of judging was exercised upon our surety he was substituted into our room and place and offered himself not only for our good but in our room and stead to bear our punishment and to Procure the favour of God to us there the act of judging belonged to the Father to whom the satisfaction was tendred and before whom our Advocate and Surety must plead and present himself therefore it is said in 1 John 2.1 We have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the righteous Thus our advocate pleads before the Father as before the Judge 2. As to the Judgment to be exercised upon us whoever partakes of that Salvation which was purchased by the Surety or have lost it by their negligence impenitency and unbelief there the Second Person is to be judge In the former the Son could not be our judge for then he would be our Judge and Party too and then the plea of those Hereticks would have more Countenance of Reason In the business of Redemption the Son could not Judge because he made himself a Party for our good and stood in our room and place and the same Party cannot give and take the Satisfacion that cannot be therefore this order is constituted in this glorious mystery of the God-head that the satisfaction is tendred to the Father he pleads and represents himself to the Father in our behalf And the Holy-Ghost cannot be the Judge for in this mystery he hath another part and function and office he being the Third Person in Order of subsisting 3. In the Son there 's a double Relation or Consideration One as he is God and the other as he is Mediatour the one Natural and Eternal which shall endure for ever the other which he took upon himself in time and which in the Consummation of time he shall at length lay aside In the former respect as God so Christ is Judge with the Father and Spirit as by Original Authority but in this later respect as Christ is Mediatour he is Judge by Deputation The primitive Soveraignty belongs to God as Supream King and the Judge by derivation and deputation is the Lord Jesus Christ as Mediatour in his man-hood united to the Second Person of the God-head So the Judgment of the World is put upon him In regard of the creature as to us his Authority is Absolute and Supream But in regard of God it is deputed so he is ordained and appointed to be Judg. The Scripture delights much in this Notion John 5.27 He hath power of life and death to condemn and absolve the Father hath given him Authority as he is the Son of man Acts 10.42 The Apostles when they were to preach thought it not enough for them to say God is Judge no but he is ordained of God to be Judge of quick and dead So Acts 17.31 He hath appointed a day in the which he will Judge the World in Righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained In all which Christs acts as the Fathers vicegerent And after he hath thus judged the World as the Fathers Deputy then he shall give up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15.25 So that the right Christ hath as Mediatour it is not meerly by Creation nor his Essential Kingdom common to the Father But a derivative subordinate right as Mediatour by vertue of his purchase as he dyed rose again and revived 4. This power which belongs to Christ as Mediatour it is given to him upon these accounts 1. Partly as a recompence of his humiliation But chiefly because it belongs to the fulness of his Mediatory Office 't is the last act The Kingdom of the Mediator is subordinate to the Kingdom of God now he being appointed by the Father the last act of his Kingly Office was to Judge the World This Mediatour was not only to pay a price to Divine Justice Not only to separate the redeemed from the World by converting them to God But he is also to Judge Devils and those Enemies of his that would not submit to his Mediatory Kingdom to Judge those Enemies out of whose hands he is to free the Church While the World lasts he is to fight against our Enemies but then to judge them and cast them into Eternal torments and so to deliver up the Kingdom to the Father 1. Cor. 15.24 His Office is not full till he hath executed and judged all his Enemies 2dly In what nature doth he act and exercise the Judgment either as God or man or both I answer in both Christ is the Person not the Father nor the Spirit and Christ acts it as God-man the Judgment is acted visibly by him in the Humane Nature seated upon a visible Throne that he may be seen of all and heard of all therefore Christ is so often with respect to the Judgment called the Son of man Mat. 16.27 Acts 17.31 Mat. 26.64 Joh. 5.27 The Judgment must be visible therefore the Judge must be so and that the World may see him with these eyes that we may see our Redeemer come in the last day and see him to our comfort he that is withdrawn into the Curtain of the Heavens he that is gone about his Ministration before God must come out and bless the People And therefore that he may be seen and heard of all though the divine Power be mightily seen yet he is to act it in the Humane Nature USE of all 1. This speaks terrour to the wicked 2dly Comfort to the Godly 1. Terrour to the wicked Here let us see 1. Who are those wicked ones to whom this terrour belongeth 2dly What is it that maketh it so terrible to them And will breed horrour and trembling in their hearts if they repent not First All those that have opposed his Kingdom in the World Luk. 19.27 Those mine Enemies that would not that I should Reign over them bring them forth and slay them before me These oppose the great design of the Gospel which is to set up the Lord Jesus as King 2dly All that set light by his Person in the day of his grace And though they do not oppose his Government yet refuse it Psal. 81.11 My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me 3dly All that despise his benefits and neglect to seek after them Heb.
If Christ came to save sinners I am sinner enough for Christ to save creeping in at the back-door of a promise God hath opened the way for all if they perish 't is through their own default He hath sent Messengers into the World Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned And if you are within hearing the Gospel you have more cause to hope than to scruple Acts 13.26 To you is the word of salvation sent Not brought but sent Know it for thy good Job 5.27 And rowse up your selves what shall we say to these things Rom. 8.39 If God be for us who can be against us 4. Though weak in faith and love to God yet Christ died one for all The best have not a more worthy Redeemer then the worst of sinners Go preach the Gospel to every creature Exod. 30.15 The Rich and Poor have the same ransom 1 Cor. 1.2 Jesus Christ theirs and ours And Rom. 3.22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe for there is no difference And 2 Pet. 1.1 To them who have obtained like precious faith with us A Jewel received by a Child and a Giant 't is the same Jewel So strong and weak faith are built upon one and the same righteousness of Christ. 2. Let us devote our selves to God in the sense of this love to walk before him in all thankful obedience Christ hath born our burden and in stead thereof offered his burden which is light and easie he took the curse upon him but we take his yoke Mat. 11.29 He freely accepted the work of Mediatour Heb. 10.7 Will you as freely return to his service SERMON XXVIII 2 Cor. 5.14 Then were all dead WE have handled the intensiveness of Christs love he died the extent how for all is to be interpreted now the fruit dying to sin and living to righteousness The first in this last clause Then were all dead not carnally in sin but mystically in Christ dead in Christ to sin In the Original the words run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not dead in regard of the merits of sin but dead in the merits of Christ for the Apostle speaketh here of death and life with reference and correspondence to Christs death and resurrection as the original pattern of them in which sense we are said to die when Christ died for us and to live when he rose again 2. He speaketh of such a death as is the foundation of the Spiritual life he died for them then were all dead and he died for them that they might live to him that died for them and rose again Our translation seemeth to create a prejudice to this exposition were dead in the Greek 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all died or all are dead that is to sin the World and self interesâ—s And besides it seemeth to be difficult to understand how all Believers were dead when Christ died since most were not then born and had no actual existence in the World and after they are converted they feel much of the power of sin in themselves Ans. They are comprized in Christs act done in their name as if they were actually in being and consenting to what he did In short they are dead mystically in Christ because he undertook it Sacramentally in themselves because by submitting to baptism they bind themselves and profess themselves ingaged to mortify sin Actually they are dead because the work at first conversion is begun which will be carryed on by degrees till sin be utterly extinguished Doct. That when Christ died all Believers were dead in him to sin and to the World 'T is the Apostles inference then were all dead The expression should not seem strange to us for there are like passages scattered every where throughout the Word 1. Therefore I shall shew you first that this truth is asserted in Scripture 2. I will shew you how all can be said to be dead since all were not then born and had no actual existence in the World 3. How they can be said to be dead to sin and the World since after conversion they feel so many carnal motions 4. What use the death of Christ hath to this effect to make us die to sin and the World 1. That this truth is asserted in Scripture To this end I shall propound and explain some places The first is Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should no longer serve sin In that place observe 1. The notions by which sin is set forth 'T is called by the names of the old man and the body of sin and simply and nakedly possibly by the old man natural corruption may be intended by the body of sin the whole mass of our acquired evil customs by sin actual transgression Or take them for one and the same thing diversly expressed in-dwelling sin is called an old man A man it is because it spreadeth its self throughout the whole man The Soul for Gen. 6.5 't is said every Imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil continually The Body Rom. 6.19 As you have yielded up your members Servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity And 't is called an old man as grace is called a new man and a new creature and it is so called because it is of long standing it had its rise at Adams fall Rom. 5.12 Whereas by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin so that death passed upon all because all had sinned And it hath ever been conveyed since from Father to Son unto all descending from Adam Psa. 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me So that 't is born and bred with us And Partly because in the godly 't is upon the declining hand and draweth towards its final ruine and expiration De jure 't is an old antiquated thing not to be cherished but subdued De facto 't is upon declining and weakning more and more And this old man is afterwards called the body of sin the whole Mass of habitual sins composed of divers evil qualities as the body of divers members this is our enemy 2. Observe in the place the priviledge that we have by Christs Death That our old man was crucified with him That is when Christ was crucified And the Apostle would have us know this and lay it up as a sure principle in our hearts the meaning is then there was a foundation laid for the destruction of sin when Christ dyed namely as there was a merit and a price paid and if ever our old man be crucified it must be by vertue of Christs death 3. Observe the way how this merit cometh to be applyed to us Something there must be done on Gods part in that expression that the body
sacrifice and the power of his Spirit we come to God and by a thankful sense of his love we are incouraged and inabled to our duty Well then when in a broken hearted manner we confess our sins and own our Redeemer and devote our selves to God and resolve to walk in Christs prescribed way then are sins pardoned and we accepted with God 2. This Faith and repentance is wrought in us by the word and mainly acted in prayer First 'T is wrought in us by the word wherein God is pleased to propound free and easie Conditions of pardon and mercy praying us to be reconciled and to cast away the weapons of our Rebellion and submit to the Law of grace For here in verses 18 19 20. He doth not only reveal the mystery but beseecheth us to enter into Covenant with him and to yield up our selves to his service Secondly Prayer by which in the name of Christ we sue out this benefit This is the means appointed both for regenerate and unregenerate The unregenerate Acts 8.22 Repent therefore of thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart be forgiven thee The regenerate 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is just and faithful to forgive us our sins Believing broken hearted prayer doth notably prevail the publican had no other suit but Lord be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18.13 The Lord describeth the poor sinners that came to him for pardon Jer. 31.9 They shall come with weeping and supplications 5. We are sensibly pardoned as well as actually when the Lord giveth peace and joy in believing and sheddeth abroad his love in our hearts by the Spirit We must distinguish between the grant and the sense sometimes a pardon may be granted when we have not the sense and comfort of it We may hold a precious Jewel with a trembling hand as the waves roll after a storm when the wind is ceased God may keep his people humble as a Prince may grant a pardon to a condemned malefactor but he will not have him know so much till he come even to the place of execution Davids heart was to Absolom yet he would not let him see his face There are two Courts the Court of Heaven and the Court of Conscience The pardon may be passed in the one and not in the other and a man may have peace with God when he hath not peace of Conscience To assure our hearts before him and know our sincerity 1 John 3.9 is a thing distinct from being sincere and a man may be safe though not comfortable Every one that believeth cannot make the bold challenge of faith and say Who shall condemn Rom 8.33 6. The last step is when we have a compleat and full absolution of sin that is at the day of Judgment Acts 3.19 Your sins shall be blotted out when days of refreshment shall come from the presence of the Lord when the Judge pro tribunali shall sententionally and in the audience of all the World pronounce our pardon To make title to pardon by Law is comfortable but then we shall have it from our Judges own mouth Here we are continually subject to new guilt and so to new sins whereby arise new fears So till our final absolution we are not fully perfect not till the day of redemption Eph. 4 30. When the evils of sin do fully cease then is our Adoption full Rom. 8.23 Then will our Regeneration be full Matth. 19.28 Then all the effects of sin will cease Death upon the body will be no interruption of pardon we shall be fully acquitted and never sin more 3. That 't is a branch and fruit of our reconciliation with God the other is the gift of the Spirit or all things that belong to the new nature for God giveth sanctifying grace as the God of peace But this also is a notable branch and fruit of reconciliation 1. Because when God releaseth us from the punishment of sin 't is a sign his anger and wrath is appeased and now over Isa. 24.7 Fury is not in me God hath been angry for a little moment but when he pardoneth sin then he is pacified for sin is the make-bate between us and God 2. That which is the ground of reconciliation is the ground of pardon of sin Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace viz. the price paid by the Mediator to his Fathers Justice and therefore a principal part of our reconciliation and redemption is Remission of sins in Justification 3. That which is the fruit of reconciliation is obtained and promoted by pardon of sin and that is fellowship with God and delightful Communion with him in a course of obedience and subjection to him Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Our general pardon at first is to put us into a state of new obedience our particular pardon ingageth us to continue in a course of acceptable obedience that we may maintain a holy Commerce with God 1 John 1.7 If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin VSE 1. is to inform us That all those that seek after reconciliation with God or would take themselves to be reconciled to him should be dealing with God about the pardon of sins and suing out this priviledge which is of such use in their Commerce with God But here ariseth a doubt What need have those that are reconciled to God to beg pardon Ans. very great Matth. 6 12. Our Lord hath taught us so we pray for daily pardon and daily grace Against Temptations as well as for daily bread I prove it 1. From the Condition of Gods people here in the World we are not so fully sanctified here in the World but there is some sin found in us original sin remaineth with us to the last and we have our actual slips Paul complaineth of the body of death Rom. 7.23 And the Apostle telleth us 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us And verse 10 th If we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us And Eccl. 7.20 There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Either omitting good or commiting evil They do not love God with that purity and fervency nor serve him with that liberty delight and reverence that he hath required 'T is the happiness of the Church Triumphant that they have have no sin of the Church Militant that their sin is forgiven Sometimes we sin out of ignorance sometimes out of imprudence and inconsideration sometimes we are overtaken and sometimes overborn now these things