Five dores I shall open or five questions I shall briefly Answer to make way for and let in the Application of this truth I shall shew briefly 1. What 's meant by flesh and why it 's so called 2. What by living after the flesh 3. What by dying ye shall dye 4. How doth it appear that they who live after the flesh shall dye 5. Why should such Doctrine as this be preached to believers to Saints by calling Q. 1. What 's meant by flesh and why it is so called A. By flesh here as oft in other places corrupt nature is understood or the corruption of nature as when it 's said that which is born of the flesh is flesh flesh is opposed to the new man the new creature the image of God the Divine nature And corruption of nature may be called flesh for divers reasons such as these 1. Because it is derived to us with our flesh our body from Adom We have bad saith the Apostle Fathers of our flesh who corrected us Fathers of our fleshly part of our body and they who are fathers of that are fathers of our corrupt nature i. e. we have it from them for when any are conceived in sin are they conceived 2. Corruption of nature is naturally as dear to men as their flesh their very body and as near to them No man hates his own flesh but cherisheth it so no man naturally hates his corrupt nature which he brings into the world with him but every one cherisheth and nourisheth his corruption and makes provision for it till he be renewed Yea how many shew more love more tenderness towards their Corruption than to their very body how many endure much suffer greatly in their bodies and venter and lose not unusually their life it self from their love to some vile lust which is to them as their right eye their right hand or right foot and as their life it self skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life only a mans lust that 's many times so dear to him he 'l hazard his life to satisfie it rather than lay it aside or part with it 3. Corruption grows with the flesh and as the flesh is strong or weak so frequently are the workings of lust hence the Apostle saith he kept under his body in fickness in bodily weakness this and that sin doth not ordinarily move so much or stir so strongly 4. Corrupt nature doth never quite cease in any till they lay down put off the tabernacle of their flesh while the best are here in the body much sin abides in them the old man will in part remain in all untill the Tabernacle of their body be quite pulled down to the ground as we read concerning the Leprosie among the Jews it getting into their houses would not out till they were took quite down and destroyed 5. Corruption of nature inclines men to do many things pleasing to their flesh and which give the body ease content and delight so that sin seems a great friend thereto hence excessive eating drinking sleeping hence slothfulness uncleanness and the like though these things are really hurtful to the body not only as to hereafter or in their desert but in their present effect yet are they pleasing to it all which arise from corrupt nature 6. Corruption prevailing and reigning turns the soul of man as it were into flesh it makes a man's mind fleshly Col. 2.18 so it makes his will affections all fleshly so that though the soul of man in its own nature be a Spirit God is the father of Spirits of mens souls that is yet through inbred sin it minds not regards not spiritual things but fleshly bodily things which are delightful to the outward senses Sin when it hath Dominion in a man makes him to God ward and the things of God as if he were all flesh all body not spirit at all in any part of him it makes man backward to heavy and dull in spiritual duties and whatever tends to the Souls good It makes him dull in hearing in understanding spiritual things it makes him unfit for Communion with God unfit to receive spiritual good as if he were spiritless or had no better spirit than that the beasts have In many cases Lust takes away the use of a mans reason it causeth him to act as unreasonably irrationally as if he had not a reasonable Soul it makes many a man like Nebuchadnezar when his understanding went from him fitter for the Society of beasts than of reasonable creatures living like themselves when a lust prevailed in the Psalmist he saith I was as a beast before thee and hence graceless men under the full power of iniquity are compared to beasts in Scripture and called Dogs Swine c. Sin also makes the Soul lyable to and unless subdued it brings the Soul unto death the worst death the second death though the Soul be immortal in its essence and dyes not as the body yet sin makes it mortal in a sense it makes it subject to a death of misery And farther corruption lyes much in the body therefore the Apostle prays for the Thessalonians that they might be sanctified in their body as well as in their spirit And may it not be said that corruption is first in the body the body being shaped e're the soul comes into it and if the soul be as the Scripture seems to teach us immediately from God then it is by the body not by the soul that sin is propagated God is the Father of Spirits but he is not the father of sin that the soul gets from by or upon its union to the body though its difficult to apprehend how it is For these and such like reasons the corruption of nature may very fitly and significantly be called flesh Q. 2. What is it to live after the flesh how is this Phrase live after the flesh to be understood A. To live after the flesh is the same with walking after the flesh spoken of some verses before my Text It is to live an ill life to live sinfully as we say such a one doth not live well he lives an evil life he lives loosely c. He that so liveth doth live after the flesh The flesh gives Councel as it were to men so and so that they live thus and thus I consulted not saith the Apostle with flesh and when a man doth order his conversation according to the Counsels of the flesh then liveth he after the flesh when a man doth those things the flesh saith are best to be done The flesh hath many motions Rom. 7.5 It 's scarce ever still but is moving this way or that way and when any one doth follow the evil motions thereof when a man acts according to them then doth he live after the flesh Corruption of nature is called a Law Rom. 7.21 I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me which
flesh willeth and his doing thereof be a real trouble a heart grief to him if the flesh its commands be grievous as the overflowings of the gall very bitter as the workings of a sick Stomach if a man's heart be afflected and humbled if it mourn and sigh when he is led away at any time by any fleshly motion then doth he not live after the flesh but rather dyeth after it or is dead to it for it is as death to him that he sins Eccles 7.26 Fourthly Living after the flesh takes in constantness continualness doing the will of the flesh continually as while life lasteth a man liveth daily hourly though not alwayes alike and he be not still busied about the same things but sometimes he 's more lively sometimes lest now he eats then he sleeps sometimes follows his calling or talks or walks Thus a man who liveth after the flesh he is even continually fulfilling one Lust or other thereof one way or other either more or less openly vigorously actively still he acts according to the dictates or movings of sin within him according as the flesh commands and moves which is somtimes more sometimes less strongly absolutely peremptorily and forcibly so he obeys that is ever commanding somthing as there is opportunity occasion temptation and the man who liveth after it is even ever doing inwardly if not outwardly something in obedience to its command When you say of a man he liveth after a high rate he liveth prodigally you do not mean that only now and then he makes an extraordinary meal or is at some extraordinary expense but that in his ordinary course he 's extravagant expensive above his estate ability and quality so to live after the flesh is not now and then in some extraordinary case to follow the flesh but for a man to act according to it in ordinary Fifthly Living after the flesh includes continuance and perseverance as every man liveth till he dyeth so that man who lives after the flesh and shall dye he doth live after it till he dye for if any man hath followed his lust though very much as before express'd willingly freely and wilfully affectionately and continually for a long time yet he at length truely ceasing while here so to live if he heartily turn and alter his course notwithstanding all that 's past he shall not dye in the sense of my text Ezek. 18.21.22 In a word if you spend your life as the fresh moves you to spend it if you order your conversation while you live after the inclinations of that corruption that is in you then ye shall dye I desire that this may be well understood what living after the flesh is for on your right understanding thereof depends you profiting by this truth two things are necessary thaâ— this Doctrine may become effectual and do us good the one is that we beleive in our hearts that if wâ— thus live the end thereof will be our death thâ— other is that we be enlightned rightly to perceive and judge what living after the flesh meaneth therefore I purpose to lay this open more particularly when I come to the use of examination Q. 3. How shall they dye who do live after thâ— flesh A. I suppose none of you need to be told a meer natural death is nothere intended seeing it 's appointed once to all men to dye that death whatever their life be But a spiritual dying is understood that respects the soul and whole man in a spiritual sense Sometimes to dye in Scripture is used for being near death lyable to or in danger of dying so the Apostle saith I dye daily we are killed all the day long thus it 's true ye shall dye ye will be in great danger of dying yea though ye live after the flesh only in some degree you 'l deserve death you 'l be deservedly liable thereto whenever you do but begin to step after the flesh into the hands of death even the worst death will ye fall unless infinite mercy prevent But my Text speaks of more than a bare lyableness or danger as in the following words if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live more is meant than barely a hope of life so by ye shall dye more is intended than danger of death ye shall dye actually certainly unavoidably but how A. First Ye shall dye in this world as to the loss of Gods special gracious presence God is our life so far as God leaves us and departs from us so much death but if we live after the flesh God will depart his soul will depart from us Jer. 6.8 He 'l leave us as he left Saul who thereupon dyed before he dyed because God was gone his life was gone so God will go from us he 'l draw in the beams of his favour he 'l hide himself he 'l take his good spirit from us And thereupon Secondly You 'l dye as to all Spiritual good that you have or seem to have you will by degrees lose your light your convictions gracious motions I and your very profession it self or the liveliness of it and that good that may have been in your conversation it will be with you at best as with the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 if you retain a name to live yet will you he dead dead as 1. Tim. 5.9 she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth you 'l be twice dead as it 's said elsewhere some are dead dead by nature dead in sin and dead as to the loss of that conviction that light that affection that holiness they made a shew off Thirdly Ye shall dye as to inward peace comfort joy as Nabal's heart dyed within him it lost that comfort mirth it had before and through grief became as dead so your heart will dye you 'l either have no peace no joy or none that 's worth the having none but such as you had better be without such as is rather the death than the life of the soul Rom. 7.9 Sin revived and I dyed and the Commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death he intends he lost his former considence hope peace and joy so shall ye dye Fourthly Ye shall dye ye shall lose the blessing of God in all you are all ye have and all ye do whatever any have without Gods blessing they are dead in the possession of it whatever they do they are dead in doing it it is a dead enjoyment a dead work that is not blessed of God life is but a death if it be not blessed every comfort of life is as without life it 's not a living comfort if not blessed to us but living after the flesh removes the blessing far from us and brings a curse upon us as it 's said I 'le curse thee in thy basket in thy store in all thou settest thy hand to and I will curse thy blessings there is it not a manifest yet
a secret curse upon all that live after the flesh upon all they have all they do which curse is a sore death all who are cursed are dead while they live Fifthly If ye live after the flesh so as hath been declared ye will at last not only dye a natural but a cursed death when you come to dye naturally you 'l dye cursedly wretchedly as Christ saith ye shall dye in your sins if you live in them you shall dye in them under the curse of God due to them And so ye shall dye the second death when your bodies shall dye and go to the grave your souls shall dye and go to hell when your souls shall leave your bodies God will wholly leave them when they shall be separated from their earthly Tabernacle they shall be shut out from that building which is eternal in the heavens and from God perfectly ye shall so dye that ye shall be killed and killed with death Rev. 2.23 death will come upon you and hell at the heels of it Rev. 6.8 So shall ye be killed with death and Devils In which condition your souls will abide to the appearing of Christ and then your bodies shall be raised to partake with them in misery raised to the resurrection of damnation which is opposed to the resurrection of life Joh. 5.29 so your whole man your souls and bodies together will remain in a forlorn dead woeful state without end for ever and ever Q. 4. How doth this appear how may it be proved that they who live after the flesh shall dye A. It appears many wayes by many arguments from Scripture and sound reason take a hint of some 1. They who live after the flesh are not truely in Christ Rom. 8.1 they who are in Christ walk not after the flesh therefore they who do live after the flesh are not in Christ they have no interest in him no part in him so they must needs dye for not being in Christ they are not under Christ's righteousness they have nothing to do with that v. 4. the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us in our nature for us who walk not after the flesh Christ performed righteousness only for such It is applyed accounted to such and no other therefore they who live after the flesh are unrighteous in the sight of God they stand guilty before the justice of God dye then they must because not partakers of that righteousness which justifieth to life and as they are not in Christ so Christ is not in them Christ hath not taken hold of them his spirit is not in them therefore they belong not to him they are none of his Rom. 8.9 and if they are none of his then life is none of theirs the Fathe bath given to the Son to have life in himself he quickens whom he will but none have life from him unless they belong to him Secondly They who live after the flesh are in the flesh they are in its hands under its power therefore shall dye as one who is in the hand of his mortal enemy and while any are in the flesh they cannot please God Rom. 8.8 and whoever cannot please God shall not be pleased with life by God but shall dye Thirdly To live after the flesh is to live in a direct contrariety to God to his will his law his nature He is a pure spirit not flesh at all in any sense much less in the worst sense he is holy holy holy in him is no darkness at all not any appearance or shadow of sin so that whoever live after the flesh do turn their backs upon God they depart they go far from him they live most directly contrary to him how then can they but dye forasmuch as God is the fountain of living waters the living God for they who live not shall dye none can live unless God give them life God will not give life to any who continue his enemies to depart from him in a direct opposition to him Gods soul cannot but depart from such his wrath cannot but be kindled against them shall they not then dye for as in his favour is life so in his wrath is death Fourthly They who live after the flesh are the servants of it living after it being a doing service to it the flesh is their Lord and Mâ—ster therefore they must have the wages of the flesh Rom. 6.16 his servants ye are to whom ye obey if of sin then unto death how so v. last for the wages of sin is death God in justice as the Judg of the world is engaged to see to it that they who live to sin have the wages of sin Destâ—uction and misery are in the wayes of the flesh Rom. 3.16 therefore they who live in those wayes cannot but dye as surely as he that drinks and continues to drink the most deadly poyson He that walks in any way will come to the end of it at last therefore the end of the wayes of sin bring death they who continue therein will surely dye in the end If the wind blow direct to the shore and the Ship sail just before the wind the helm not being turn'd where will it be by and by will it not be on shore on the ground if the Boat still continue going down the stream it will be in the Sea e're long into which all Rivers run the flesh that is as the wind that blows direct hellward as the stream that runs directly into the bottomless pit he that lives after the flesh he sails before the wind he goes down with the stream think then where will he be after a little while if he turn if he stop not That which every man sows that shall be reap reason and experience say that 's past question beyond any doubt if a man sow tares he cannot reap wheat but must have his harvest of tares so he that sowes to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption destruction Gal. 6.7 8. Be not deceived which intimates many are so God is not mocked couzened though men oft are so whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap you know it is so outwardly and so it is as sure spiritually for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption spiritual Corruption which is the worst Ag. If any live after the flesh it hath their heart it hath seized on their heart it hath possession and dominion there therefore they 'l dye as when a grievous Disease gets to the heart suppose the Plague if once it get to the heart you know what follows unless it be speedily expelled or driven thence Lust is to the soul that which the Plague is to the body if ye live after the flesh the Plague is now already at in your heart it hath the command of your will and affections Moreover to live after the flesh is to live after Satan 1 Tim. 5.15 some are already turned aside after Satan though he be not
it had been so in comparison of those stirrings of it which he found when the Law came to his conscience verse 9. When the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the commandement which was ordained to life I found to be unto Death to his own death the death of his former hope and comfort not the death of his sin and thus he saith it was with others before converted verse 5. When we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death the motions of sin which were by the Law i. e. which were begotten or drawn forth by the Law through our corruption Therefore they are Gospel Truths especially and no Truths without these that are an efficacious means for the mortifying of sin These are the weapons of our warfare as the Apostle calls them 2 Cor. 10.4 which are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds they are spiritual and so effectual through God to the subduing our carnal affections As the work of mortification is begun so it is carried on but it is begun in regeneration and that 's by the Gospel as we read we are begotten again by that 1 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel Therefore the Gospel and the truths thereof should principally be made use of The curse of the Law should be considered but if a man would get his sin indeed destroyed let him seek a spiritual understanding of and let him be much in meditating on the grace of the Gospel the doctrine of Christ Fourthly By the Spirit is understood the Holy Ghost the third Person in the Trinity thus it 's taken both before my Text ver 9 and 11. as also after my Text ver 14 15 and 16 c. and in this sense we are to take it in the words I am upon if ye through the Spirit through the Holy Ghost i. e. through the Spirit of God do mortifie the deeds of the body Yet this includes the three other acceptations of the word Spirit for whoever do mortifie any sin through the Holy Ghost they are engaged in the work with their whole souls their whole heart is in it and they do destroy the deeds of the flesh by acting and exercising grace and this they do through hearing considering and acting Faith on Gospel Truths as will be shewn afterward Q. 2. Why is this work of mortifying our sins to be done by the Spirit of God A. 1. Because it cannot possibly be done without the Spirit of God Whatever is done against sin without the Spirit gives it no deaths wound it only covers or somewhat curbeth sin but doth not at all destroy it Christ saith John 6.63 It 's the Spirit that giveth life or that quickneth so it 's the Spirit that mortifieth the Spirit quickneth the Soul and the Spirit mortifieth sin in the Soul A dead carkass shall as soon maintain a fight against and kill a powerful enemy as any man slay his sin any one lust without the Spirit of God As it is natural to our visible body to save it self and every member thereof so is it natural to the body of sin and every member of that to save it self and as it is natural to a Father to save his Child so to Satan to do his utmost to defend and preserve fin in us Therefore it cannot be that we should of our selves or by the help of any creature alone mortifie any lust could we without the Spirit of Christ destroy our sin then might we be in a great part our own Saviours He that knows not the necessity of the Spirits special assistance in this work is certainly a great stranger to the mortification of sin that is most true in this case Zech. 4.6 Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts It is too great a work too mighty and too honourable for any one of himself to get the victory over sin which is our strongest and our worst enemy Outward enemies cannot be destroyed without the help of God especially when many and potent much less can spiritual enemies which are the worst and strongest Psal 33.16 17. There is no King saved by the multitude of an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength an horse is a vain thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength So all Means Duties Ordinances Power and Ability of the Creature is vain weak and to no purpose to deliver and save a man from his sin unless the Spirit of the Lord put its hand to the work and by its might effect it Secondly As this cannot be done without the Spirit so may it be done by the Spirit what though our lusts are never so many It 's all one as we read with the Lord to save with many or with few so is it all one with him to destroy many or few what was that great Host of Senacherib which came against Jerusalem one Angel of the Lord destroyed it in one night we read of the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin every sin is exceeding deceitful besides how deceitful is the heart how deceitful is Satan how deceitful is the world which is one great reason why we cannot mortifie our evil affections of our selves we want not only strength but understanding also our Lusts seem dead while in truth they live they make us think we wound them when the blow falls quite beside we seem many times to do all we can against our sins when it s nothing so that sin seems least in us which is greatest and most hurtful Now the spirit of God is a spirit of wisdom therefore through it we may destroy our sin notwithstanding its deceitfulness though we oft are the spirit of God cannot be deceived What though our iniquities are never so mighty the spirit of God is Almighty Ps 74.15 thou driedst up mighty rivers yet dryed and dryed up though rivers though mighty rivers or as the word is rivers of strength what great things did the spirit of God do in the creation when it moved on the face of the waters such like things it can do and doth when it moveth powerfully in our hearts Psal 93.3 The floods have lifted up O Lord the floods have Dfted up their voice the floods lift up their waves what then who can still them can any man No they as the Psalmist speaks make the Marriners at their wits end they know not how to save themselves much less to quell and calm the floods when they do lift up their voice and their waves to the highest I but the Lord the Spirit of our God is able to command them silence as it there follows verse 4. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters yea
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us in our nature for us who walk not after the slesh but after the Spirit and it 's sure we do walk after the Spirit if we mortifie our sins through the Spirit Fourthly the Apostle gives us another Argument in the words next following my Text Rom. 8.14 for saith he As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God for that is for this reason it must be so that if we through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body we shall live because we so doing are led by the Spirit which ever leadeth souls led by it to life as Satan leads souls that walk after him to death and our being led by the Spirit proves that we are the Children of the living God whose Children shall surely live the fountain of life will give life the best all life to his Children and those whom he makes his Children are therefore so made by him that they might live in him to him and with him for ever As Christ faith God is not the God of the dead but of the living so he is not the Father of the dead but of the living only of such to whom he doth and will give life all his Children shall have life from him he will be their life Fifthly Either we shall dye or live there is no middle between death and life but if we through the Spirit put sin to death if we mortifie it then we shall not dye because none dye but it is by sin as by the guilt so by the power of sin sin kills all who perish but if sin be killed in us we shall not be killed or destroyed by it He that slayeth his enemies shall not be slain by them He that mortifieth the diseases that seize on his body shall not by them be mortified in his body It may be said if we could mortifie sin so as never to sin more then no doubt we should live but Alas whatever we do against sin still we sin yea even continually one way or other A. But it shall not be alway so the day will come when you shall sin no more and in the mean time there is a party in you that sinneth not the Spirit sinneth not nor doth the seed of God in you the new man the new creature and if you through the Spirit do seek and are set upon a hearty endeavouring the death of sin then the sin that comes from you is rather to be look'd upon as from corruption remaining than from you because you have a contrary principle and the sin that flows from you is against your will as it is not the Palsey man that shakes his head or hand but the Palsey Rom. 7.16 If then I do that which I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me should any one take your hand and smite another therewith against your will would you not say you did not smite him so your sin whose hearts are in truth bent against it is not accounted to you that it should prejudice you and hinder your attaining life but you shall live as surely as if you were wholly freed from sin and did never sin at all I know that speech of the Apostle may be hath been and is no doubt much abused by such who understand it not or use it to harden themselves to stop the mouth of conscience and of such who justly reprove them as it was wrested and misused by that Antinomian Maid who being ask'd how stolen Cloaths came to be in her Chest answered it was not I but sin that dwelleth in me But if that Scripture be rightly understood and applyed it is of great good use and it doth establish and confirm the present truth Sixthly The Apostle saith if God be for us who can be against us but if we through the Spirit make war to purpose against our sin then God is for us we are on God's side who is on my side who said Jehu whereupon one looking out at a window he bid him throw Jezabel down who was his enemy whereby that man shewed himself to be on Jehu's side so when we heartily seek to throw out and break the neck of that Jezabel sin that is within us which is enmity to God then are we on God's side and God is on our side he is for us if we are for him As he is cursed who helps not the Lord against the mighty so he is blessed that doth go forth against his sin that may be applyed to sin which is spoken of Babylon Ps 137. 2 last O corruption O lust which art to be destroyed happy shall he be who rewardeth thee as thou hast served us happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones who seeks thy utter destruction In a word sin hath not dominion over those who mortifie it through the Spirit therefore they are under grace therefore they shall live through grace they are in the covenant of grace which is a covenant of life therefore they shall have life according to and by the covenant Application Use 1. LEarn hence a reason of that deadness that is upon the Spirits of men of professors too commonly how many have a name to live yet are dead and how many are under great deadness as to all holy duties all ordinances all good works reprobate or much like such who are reprobate to every good work Tit. 1. last speak to them call cry aloud and tell them this that is their duty shew it them by Scripture yet O sadness they have no life no heart to it you had even as good call upon a dead man to eat to drink or hear and do any thing you shall say to him Why what 's the matter with men that they are thus dead their hearts their consciences their wills and affections dead the cause is palpable their sin liveth lust is unmortified Know it whoever of you are under prevailing deadness of spirit to or in that which is good and your duty deadness of heart God-ward there is some lust or other that is lively in you seeing they shall live who do mortifie the deeds of sin And as for those who are dead at heart especially if they are daily so be it as to any good or as to joy peace and comfort let them consider whether it arise not hence the prevalency of some sin in them the death whereof they have not industriously sought through the Spirit Or if any are without the life of happiness by God's countenance shining upon them look well into thy self search and see is there not earthly mindedness worldliness love of the world pride impatience hypocrisie envy or some other iniquity unmortified and which through the Spirit thou seekest not the destruction of Or if any are born down with fear overcome with doubts concerning their living hereafter though this through temptation may be the case
drink in the comfort of it abundantly did I know it belongs to me but I fear whether I do truely mortifie my sin through the spirit or no. I answer the Apostle spake this by the Spirit which had never moved him so to speak had it not been a thing knowable it 's manifest this may be known and questionless they who have the help of the Spirit in mortifying their sin may if they have not have the testimony of it that they so do who helping his friend in any great work is unwilling he should know it A few things I shall propound over and above what you have heard that may be somewhat helpful to you in your knowing this First Is your eye much upon your sin is it much in your thoughts especially your chief iniquity have you many thoughts of that is your mind much exercised upon it Ps 51.3 my sin is ever before me When a man sights against an enemy he keeps him in his eye looks stedfastly on him so he that is bent upon the mortifying his sin hath his thoughts much on it not as some to be pleased therewith but so as to grieve for it to sigh because of it and to consider what he should do for the preventing and destroying it Secondly Doth the breaking forth of sin and your being at any time mastered hy it sadden your hearts as really and more than affliction sickness causeth sadness Neh. 2.2 Why is thy countenance sad seeing thou art not sick so doth other affliction but nothing saddeneth one who is intent and heartily engaged in war so much as the prevailing of the enemy if that question should be put to a gracious person why is thy countenance sad seeing thou art not sick nor in other great affliction he could oft answer it is because of my sin that hath prevailed against me though my body be not sick my soul which is worse alas that is sick through the prevalency of this or that iniquity The Apostle Paul upon occasion gives us a large relation concerning his exceeding great sufferings but saith not because of them but because of his sin O wretched man that I am Now can you say the breaking forth of worldliness troubles me more than the loss of the world the prevailing of pride grieveth me more than contempt and disgrace my neglecting to shew love and kindness to others afflicteth me as really as much and yet more than others not shewing love and kindness to me the discontentment of my Spirit lyeth heavier upon me than any worldly disappointment and the like this is a good demonstration that you mortifie your sin through the Spirit and the more if you can say the very stirring and moving of sin in you sadneth you heart though it do not outwardly shew it self and is known to none but God alone Thirdly The more sin is mortified in any are they the dearer to you or the more you perceive any are careful and watchful against sin doth your heart go forth the more in love and affection to them It may be the less this or that sin appeareth in another which is contrary to your temper humour or interest the more you may love him and yet be under the power of your sin but if your affection be drawn out to others according as you perceive them to be engaged against all their sin this speaks well and the sign is the clearer if you do in your hearts esteem and rejoyce in such who have got a greater conquest over their sin than you have yet attained to Fourthly It is a hopeful evidence if you have much tenderness towards such who are strugling and striving against their sin when you see them sometimes foiled thereby yet it appearing that they do wrestle against their sin your hearts are full of pitty towards them you have a tender respect to them and bear them upon your hearts before God When any are seen to be favourers of their sin and manifest that they nourish or countenance a lust then your hearts are offended and rise against them upon that account but for those who are enemies to their sin these you compassionate this speaks you know what it is to fight against sin and that the Spirit acts you therein Again it is a good mark if you have strong breathings after the motions of the Spirit if you long much for its moving in ordinances and that in order to the destroying your corruptions O that the holy mighty Spirit would move and work in this and the other duty that my sin may have some deadly blow thereby and it this be one principall thing you look at in all your duties and waiting on God in Ordinances that through the Spirit your iniquities may be mortified I shall now only give a short answer to three Objections and conclude this subject and shut up this Text. Obj. 1. Some sincere heart may object were my sin quite subdued I should not doubt but wo is me it liveth still Ans We read Heb. 11.17 Abraham offered Isaac yea it is there repeated he offered up his only begotten son yet his son lived still How so because in his will he did actually offer him at God's command and went a great way in offering him he took his son bound him and having built an Altar and laid on wood he laid his son thereon and took his knife in his hand and had gone farther had not God stopt him So if thy heart be indeed set against sin and they will thy purpose and resolution be utterly to slay thy sin and thou goest as far as ever thou canst therein though as yet it have life thy sin may be said to be mortified yea altogether so as to thy will thy desire and purpose Obj. 2. I have a long time laboured against this and that sin yet doth it oft get the mastery of me it hath much life much livelinesse and strength after years strugling against it had I the spirit helping me sure I should before this have gotten if not a perfect yet a greater victory over my sin Ans When an enemy prevails frequently greatly and holds out long very long it 's more honour to him that continues fighting against him when at last conquereth that his enemy and this gives good hope the spirit doth help thee that thou hast so long wrestled against thy corruption and yet holdest on thou faintest nor but maintainest the fight sighing crying out against it Obj. 3. But I see that some have got much more ground upon their sin and have it more under than I have though they began the fight a good while after me Ans It 's good to be lowly minded to think others better than thy self but perhaps their sin whom thou thinkest of may have more strength than thou knowest or though one fin be lesse in them than in thee another may be lesse in thee than in them or thou mayest have done much more against thy sin than they though it break forth more in thee yea thou mayest in a great degree have mortified thy sin and some who seem to have out gone thee in mortification have done nothing in it to purpose either because thy temptations are stronger or thy disadvantage greater through naturall weaknesse badnesse of constitution bodily distemper want of such education or some other cause Many a man whose sin never had one wound or stroke towards it's death never sined to appearance outwardly so much as Lot Noah David Jonah Peter and others in whom sin was truly mortified Some ground through it's natural quality or because more dunged or better watered may have it's weeds oft cut down and yet at times have more than another piece of ground which was never weeded at all The not knowing or not considering such things makes some go blessing themselves to Hell and others to go trembling to Heaven and causeth divers to become exceeding guilty by their self conceitednesse and proud censoâ—iousnesse However sincerity in this as in all things is that God accepts though the more it be done the better For a Conclusion of all Praise the Lord greatly ye upright in heart Rev. 5 8. We read The 24 Elders have every one of them Harps and Golden Viols full of Odours which are the Prayers of Saints teaching us that Saints are not only much in praying but much in praising also they have every one Harps and V. 9. they sung a new song Take you your Harps and sing a new song give great glory to God For what you may say for these five things First Bless God for Christ who hath obtained and as your Head received the Spirit for you Second Bless God for his Covenant wherein he hath promised his Spirit to you and your interest therein as also in Christs Third Bless God for the Gospell which teacheth you this use of the Spirit to mortifie your sins through it this excellent direction and only effectuall means for the destroying all your lusts Fourth Bless God that he hath given you his Spirit and that you do at least many times feel it helping you against your iniquities and that you have begun to destroy them through it Last Bless God for the promise of Life and that you have this Scripture evidence and certain assurance that you shall live
another mans servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth so may it be said of another mans service I have sometime thought why did not all the Apostles write something for publick common use or why have we not somewhat of the writing of them all who since like them yet what volumes have been written and preserved and brought down to us through the severall ages since their time No doubt more things were written by the Pen-men of Scripture than we have more Epistles by the Apostles than are come to us some of which it 's very like we would have judg'd mere usefull and should have preferred before some that we have Luke 1.1 For as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us V. 3. It seemed good to me also though many yea because many had written be wrote too and that about the same things Had printing been found out in Christ's time or the Apostles dayes how much more of their sayings doings and writings might we have had But God's providence over-ruleth all things in infinite wisdome not to be fathomed by the short line of our reason or understanding How unsearchable are his wayes To say the truth as these Sermons were preached upon the desire of a Friend so are they published upon the serious request of severall backt with some remarkable passages of providence and by grave advice otherwise I had not any mind or thought in my mind to let them passe the Press than which even nothing farther from my thoughts when I preach't them As they were delivered in my constant course of preaching so neer as well could be come they here to you in a homely dresse Eccl. 11.6 In the morning fow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good So may it be said read one and read another Book for thou knowest not whether shall advantage thee either this or that or whether they shall be both alike gainfull or succesfull They say it 's an ill wind that blows no one any good I am not without hope those things printed may do some good as I have ground to believe when preached they did If they become beneficiall to any I shall account that alone a great reward and he that shall say contemptuously pâ—sh they had better never seen the light doth he not sâ—y withall better that good some may gain thereby had not been done but when the least good is done to the least Christ will not say so for he saith Verily he that gives a Cup of cold water to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward so doth he love Disciples Christians it is his saying Feed my Lambs as well as feed my Sheep and he wiâ—l have him that hath but one talent to improve it That place hath many times given me great encouragement in my hard work 1 Cor. 1.26 27. c. For ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty nor many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to consound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence We read Luke 24.11 Their words seemed to them as idle tales because they believed them not Pray O therefore pray much for Faith lest these words of truth be but to you as idle tales and therewith mix all the truths of God The way to experience promâ—ses and the goodnesse of Scripture counsels is to believe them but he that believeth not shall feel in due time the certainty of all Scripture threatnings If every idle word spoken must be given an account of then sure every good and usefull word heard or read must be accounted for Hos 2.8 9. She did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oyl c. therefore will I return and take away my Corn and my Wine and will recover my Wool and my Flax c. Doth the Lord regard what use men put his Corn Wine Wool and Flax to and doth he not observe how men entertain and deal with his Words The good Lord deliver thee from that wosull yet prevailing frame of Spirit to be serious about trifles and triflng about serious things He in whom are all the Treasures of Wisdom make you wise to Salvation your own your everlasting Salvation from the worst death to the best life cause you to know savingly in this your day the things that concern your peace lest the night the dismal night come wherein they will wholly and for ever be hid from thine eyes Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life the fountain of light and life give you proportionably O that at least it might be so much to value life spiritual and eternal In a word my Pen already having run too far and beyond my purpose If thou art a careless sighty one O that thou wouldst sit down and ponder till thou feelest those words come home with power to thy heart Prov. 1.24.25 c. art thou one that mournest because of the prevalency of sin in thee remember the Spirit is a Spirit of love and power therefore ready and able to enable thee heartily seeking it to tread upon the nâ—ck of all thy sins as they did upon the necks of those Kings Josh 10 24. and to lead thee in the way everlasting till thou attainest to the full possession of that never ending Life of Glory If in reading thou findest thy heart stirred up to pray then lift up a request for him who is Thy hearty Soul-Friend S. M. Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye c. AS Moses told the people he had set life and death before them Deut. 30.19 upon the account whereof he there calls heaven and earth to record against them so are these two great things Death and Life set before us in the Scripture throughout especially in some places among which my Text is one what is the great question that all do or should put and labour to get answered Is it not this which of those two things shall we have shall we have Death or shall we have life to which grand enquiry the Apostle here from the Lord gives a short but full answer in two conditional propositions The first hath the force of a Divine threatning and is a plain Character of those who shall dye The other carrieth in it a sure promise from God and gives a certain note of such who shall live I begin with the first If
flesh in one sense because he hath no body yet he is altogether Flesh in a spiritual sense i. e. sinful and he draws those and leads them after the Flesh who live after it they do follow him though they think not so they know it not Eph 2.2 they who walk according to the course of this world they do walk according to the Prince of the power of the air so v. 3. they fulfill the desires or wills of the flesh therefore they shall dye for Satan is a dead creature and he is reserved to a farther degree of death and misery Satan also is a deadly enemy to men he seeks with all diligence to entice allure and draw us to his condition will he not be killed who follows a subtle enemy that plots his death Shall not he dye who yields himself up to his enemies who christ to have his blood and are implacably bent upon his ruine but thus do they who live after the Flesh they yield themselves up to Satan who as I may say hath sworn and more chan sworn the death of all he can prevail against and they give up themselves into the hand of the Lusts of the Flesh which war against their souls 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly beloved abstain from steshly Lusts which war against your souls how then can he escape death who surrenders himself thereto Lastly Those many threatnings of the God of truth against such who live in sin that he will whet his Sword against them wound their hairy sculp turn them into hell Ps 9.17 the word into is doubled in the Hebrew either to note the certainty thereof as if he had said the wicked shall be turned into yea surely into hell or to signifie the greatness and the endlesseness of their punishment they shall be turned into and into hell over head and eats as we say they shall be cast deep very deep into the bottomless pit they shall still be falling as it were lower and lower or their souls and at last their bodies shall be cast into hell their souls into and their bodies into hell or when their bodies into the grave then their souls into hell and the like they all demonstrate and establish this truth so sure as God is true those threatnings are true So then it is abundantly manifest most undeniable as clear as the Sun as sure as sure can be that if we if any of us all live after the flesh dye we shall perish we shall without remedy Sermon 2. Q. 5. VVHy should such Doctrine be preached to believers A. Not as if they who have true faith shall ever any of them so live after the flesh as at last to dye the second death this is not intended nor implyed either in my Text or any other like Sentence of Scripture for it 's certain nothing is meant or can by right consequence be deduced from one place of Scripture which is contrary to any thing expressed in another but it is expressly asserted that God who hath begun a good work in his people will perform carry it on to the day of Christ Phil. 1.6 he that layes the foundation of true grace in any soul will go forward with his work till he hath laid the top stone and that because he is faithful 1 Cor. 1.8 9. Who shall also confirm you to the end that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ for God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord so 1 Thess last 24 and 2 Thess 3.3 and as God is faithful so it 's sure he is able otherwise he would never have begun his work in us as may be argued from those words of Christ Luke 14.28 29 30. which of you intending to build a Tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he have sufficient to finish it lest haply after he hath said the foundation and is not able to finish it all that behold it begin to mock him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish How much wiser is God than man none shall have cause to mock him therefore he both can and will finish his building the Church and the work of grace in every one of his effectually called ones But why then is it said to Believers If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye A. 1. All Believers are not such in truth all who make a profession have not been under the power of God to their saving Conversion when God sows wheat the Devil sows tares when God makes true Converts the Devil makes Hypocrites Mat. 13.38 39. Hypocrites especially are the Devils Children the tares are the Children of the wicked one all wicked ones are Children of that wicked one chiefly Hypocrites these are as his first born and have most of his likeness There ever were and will be during the state of things such as Judas Symon Magus Demas c. hereafter all such shall be gathered out of Gods Kingdom No Hypocrite shall be in the New Jerusalem but now there are foolish as well as wise Virgins workers of iniquity who hear Christs word and eat and drink in his presence at his Table with respect to this it is needfull there should be such Doctrine Preached now in the Church ye shal dye if c the rather because men know not the hearts of those to whom they Preach Mal. 3. last Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked now there is not a certain Infallible discerning and false unsound hearted ones are frequently very confident of their state that it is good that it is safe As men in a dream while dreaming are very confident of this or that concerning themselves the contrary whereto they find true when they awake hence this truth is to be taught to awaken such if it may be and to shew them their great and sad mistake Secondly Though it shall never be because of Gods faithfulness as also because of Gods election Christ's death c. that true Believers shall so live after the flesh that they shall perish yet the thing is possible in it self and as to themselves Did not Adam in innocency fall and come under the sentence of death so would the best men fall into perdition if left to themselves as Peter had sunk quite down and drowned if left to himself and when he denied Christ so far he had denied him utterly Corruption because natural hath great advantage against grace in us and Satan by all means layes about him to draw it forth so that if we had no keeper no guid or better Pilot than our selves we should live after the Flesh and split dash in pieces on that rock therefore that none may have confidence in themselves but all of us be kept constantly trusting in the living God in Christ the power of God and that we may not be high minded but fear hence the Apostle having given that
and bears sway in us or we do live after the Flesh Thus much for the first use let not these things be spoken in vain make application of them to your selves try your selves by them pray over them rest not till you know what your life is how it is that you do live for this is one Word of God by which we shall be judged hereafter when the great Judge shall come to execute the final dismal Sentence of Death then will it be enquired and published who have lived after the flesh Use 2. Let the second Use be to convince those whose life is after the flesh of their misery art thou such a one and yet dost think thou shalt not dye not dye the second the worst death thou deceivest thy self thou dost contradict my Text belye the Word of the Lord so art thou the more guilty and while senseless of thy miserable state that thy senslessness is a bar to thy repenting How art thou like to turn who walkest in the way of Death and wilt not believe it is such a way or that thou art in it No wonder if all calls are ineffectual though God saith turn ye turn ye why will ye dye yet thou art like the deaf Adder Therefore let me perswade thee who dost live after the flesh to receive this as a truth though uncomfortable yet profitable shouldest thou dye presently a natural death thou wouldest in dying dye dying naturally thou wouldst dye everlastingly and unless thou livest a new life thus will it be whenever death comes It will come double when a visible death shall arrest thy body an invisible death will arrest thy soul even thine for God will stand to his word he will not forget any one word that he hath spoken by any of his Servants Isa 44.26 he confirmeth the word of his Servant and performeth the counsel of his Messengers God never goeth back from any word that he absolutely uttereth as this without any If expressed or intended only this if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye certainly unavoidably It is most undeniable God is able to execute his word he is able as Christ saith to destroy soul and body If a man a beast a small creature a very gnat or a disease can kill thy body how much more can he who made thee kill thee soul and body destroy thee with an everlasting destruction what are we to the Angels that sinned yet the Lord God hath clapt them all though many Legions though mighty spirits though very subtle and cunning he that almighty only wise one hath put them all under everlasting chains of darkness How able then is he to crush us as moths to trample under his feet us poor worms to break us as a Potters Vessel and as God is able to fulfill his threatning so is he resolved to do it his word tells us his setled purpose his eternal will and unalterable Counsel as his threatnings are written in the same book with his promises so have they the same confirmation his oath as well as his bare word and determinate counsel Am. 8.7 The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob surely I 'le never forget any of their works I 'le that is eternally punish impenitent sinners for all their iniquities Solomon saith where the word of a King is there 's power much more where the word of the great King is the Lord of Heaven and Earth there 's power all power to put his Word in execution but behold here 's the Word of God see it read it ye shall Dye Almighty power is tyed to see this word accomplished Bear with me a little I beseech you while I speak in love for good Who what shall can let or hinder thy death If thou livest after the Flesh shall thy riches estate any thing of this world No Riches profit not we read in the day of wrath what 's Gold and Silver what 's all the rubbish of this world when the Lord shall come forth as a consuming fire when the earth shall be burnt up and the works thereof will fallen Angels who now deceive help they could not save themselves they seek to devour but will good Angels they will be evil Angels in respect of the execution of evil to evil men they alwayes hearken to God's voice and obey the word of his Command they Christ saith shall gather the tarts and cast them into unquenchable fire or will Christ himself stay the execution of this word No he 'l see it executed he 'l come in flaming fire taking vengeance on all who know not God 2. Thess 1.8 and obey not the Gospel of his Son though Christ hath dyed for sins he hath said impenitent sinners shall dye in their sins and he puts the question himself to such how can ye escape the damnation of hell Mat. 23.33 I may say Christ himself could not answer it how they who continue living in their sins shall escape because it 's not to be answered there 's no answer can be given to that Quaerie Shall sinners be able to save one another Nay no more than the men of the old world than the men of Sodom did who perish'd all together Shall sinners prayers shall all that they can do or say save them No all will be charged upon them as sin Is 1.15 God declares though they make many Prayers he 'l not hear whereof Christ also gives assurance testifying before hand when they shall hereafter say Lord Lord open to us c. he 'l say depart I know you not Shall the mercy of God save such No for it is holy faithfull mercy therefore cannot save any against his word How sure then is the death of all who live after the flesh Therefore if thou so livest and yet thinkest thou shalt not dye thou art deceived by sin by Satan yea thou art a self deceiver and wilfull in thy deceiving thy self Do ye not know I pray remember this day God said to Adam in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye but he deceived by Satan thought though he did eat he should not dye Now doth not woful experience to this day teach us the truth of Gods Word for hence we were all born in sin hence the grave so filled with the bodies of Adam's posterity hence the world so full of misery as now and as it hath been in all ages hence you women bring forth in sorrow hence we men get our bread with the sweat of our brows hence all our labour all our toyl hence the earth brings forth bryars and thorns hence all afflictions And as sure as that word proved true which God spake to Adam notwithstanding what Satan insinuated to the contrary so sure is this word true if thou O man if thou O woman livest after the flesh thou shalt dye whatever Satan may whisper in thee to the contrary wherefore shut thine ear to all thoughts that contradict this truth and take it into thy
heart as that which all who are disobedient will feel at last to be most true I might here desire you to think or ask you what you do think in your souls whether in your consciences you think not this word being true there be not a multitude of poor creatures high and low rich and poor who are woefully deceived Doth it not appear there are great swarms and droves of men and women many and many in all places who live evidently after the flesh yet who almost but thinks he shall escape death though he live as he doth How sad is this O sadness lamentation that so great a number of our father Adam's Children are so deceived not taking warning by his being deceived and Alas alas that such a number of people must dye eternally dye even all that multitude who live after the flesh Did you hear of a 1000 or a 100 to be executed on the Scaffold to be broken upon the wheel would not your bowels earn should you not be much troubled and shall not this move you and cause you to weep and pray much to hear from the word of truth that all those many and many who live after the flesh shall dye the second death be tormented in that lake which burns with fire and brimstone for ever and ever Ah how great our unbelief how little our love to those made of one blood with us how rocky our hearts O our want of bowels that this affects us no more But Use 3. Hear me O precious immortal soul every one who lives after the flesh give ear turn O turn repent O repent I beseech thee for thine own good for thy greatest good Live a new life that thou mayest not dye Be not angry with the Word of God be not angry with him that speaks it but be angry with thy sinful life God saith Ezek. 38.18 It shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the Land of Israel saith the Lord God that my fury shall come up in my face so when any lust stirs in thee and warreth against thy soul O let thy fury come up in thy face deal with it as with thy worst enemy be entreated so to love thy self as to turn over a new leaf to write after a new Copy Turn thy face from the flesh turn thy back upon it Should I tel you that if you live after such a custom such an old new fashion or the like ye shall dye by the hand of man would you not be perswaded to leave that custom that fashion and thank me for my pains in perswading you can you think dying by the hand of man worse than dying by the hand of God is not the hand of the Almighty heavier than the hand of man have you not heard have you not read what the Apostle saith It 's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God even of him in whom ye live and move and do you not believe he saith true that it is so indeed Truely friend if thou art one who livest after the flesh it is a wonder thou art not actually dead under the second death already in the paws Jaws of everlasting death that that is not now at this day feeding upon thee but God hath spared thee hitherto why why thinkest thou is it Is' t not that thou mayest repent Yes the long suffering of God saith the Scripture is salvation and so thou thouldest account 2. Pet. 3.15 account that the long suffering of our God is salvation even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the Wisdom given unto him hath written unto you Rom. 2.4 or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance Is not this mercy O great mercy that yet that after so long a time God waits for thy turning and thou hast once again a fair warning How woefully guilty wi lt thou be of thine own death if being thus warned thou shalt turn a deaf ear How inexcusable wilt thou be whatever thou shalt plead for thy self It will be answered thou wert plainly told what would be the end of thy fleshly life thou thoughtest thou shouldst not dye but thy thought contradicted that word of truth which was Preached to thee Doth not this word sound terribly in thine ears thou shalt dye dye in thy soul dye in thy whole man dye a death of the greatest of unspeakable misery dye eternally why then let it awaken thee to repentance how canst thou sleep in thy sin how canst thou rest and be quiet with such a terrible word sounding in thine ears will not dying it self be far more dreadful than to hear of it is or can be I shall not now stand to use more words if any soul will not hear the blood of such a one will be upon his own head and let me mind thee my friend that the longer thou livest in thy sin before death comes to thee the more sore grievous and tormenting will it be when it comes I wonder what impenitent sinners think of that word Rom. 2.5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds wilt thou believe it and turn from the wayes of the flesh If not thou must experience it and shalt find it to be as true as he is true whose word it is It may be some one may think Is there hope yet hope for me after all my sinning for so long a time A. There is a certain hope hast thou a mind a heart to turn in good earnest lift up thy head fear not doubt not Turn heartily God is ready to receive thee and he will receive thee graciously for so he hath promised 2 Cor. 6.17 Come out from among them come away in thy heart and life from all that live after the flesh touch not the unclean thing Let thy repentance be thorow and sound what then if I so turn who will receive me God answers I will receive thee I will that is receive thee graciously I will receive thee to my mercy into the bosome of my grace as the Prodâ—gals father received him therefore it follows and I will be a Father to you saith the Lord God Almighty yea and ye shall be my Sons and my Daughters I 'le receive you as a most tender father his Children when they are in great streights and and dangers consider the Lord's promise think how a Father doth catch his dear Child when falling into the water or fire or when his Child runs to him from one that would kill him so even so and with much more readiness and tenderness will the Lord God receive you if ye run to him in Christ from your sins he 'l speedily receive you into the arms of his mercy with all his
heart and soul will he embrace you and hold you fast and keep you till he hath brought you to heaven observe well how that good promise is shut up thus saith the Lord Almighty He who is as able to save as to destroy he that is almighty to pardon thy many sins he who is almighty to subdue thy mighty Corruptions and to deliver thee from the most mighty temptations he saith he will receive thee and that as Almighty so as to shew himself Almighty for thy salvation If thou desirest yet another Scripture to encourage thee read and ponder that word full of sweetness Jer. 31.18 19 20. and be assured Jesus Christ hath dyed that thou mightst not see death not tast the worst death or feel the curse of death if thou turn'st from the flesh to God in him Use 4. Let me press you all to take great heed that you never at all live after the flesh never take one step after it Beware my Brethren beware of that flesh that is within you of that corruption that is in you because it is so dangerous to live after it it is a deadly thing it is a subtle deceitful thing alluring ensnaring and powerfully moving let us all be very watchful against it consider a few words First so far as you give way to the flesh you 'l hinder your assurance what assurance considering this truth can I or you have unless our Conscience acquit us and bear witness in us that we live not after the flesh but you Christians know the worth of assurance say is it not a sad thing to have your assurance though but in some degree weakened clouded is it not very ill to have your evidences blotted to have any ground or so much as seeming cause to doubt concerning your state and to fear that you are among them that shall dye They who know not what it is to dye spiritually everlastingly may be in a state of death and make nothing of it but you who understand what this dying meaneth cannot live comfortably without good assurance that you shall not dye O let there be nothing of the reprobates mark found upon you Secondly So far as you yield to the flesh so far you feed you nourish it but would you feed a deadly disease If you feed your Corruption you starve your souls every degree of living all acting after the flesh all complying therewith strengtheneth it and weakneth your souls do not you O do not strengthen your enemy against your selves Thirdly so much as you are led by the flesh and let it have its will you honour it you commend you praise it as if it were a good thing a good Teacher a good Master but will you honour such a shameful thing will you commend will you praise that God so much condemns and abhorreth you honouring it dishonour your selves commending it you shame your selves Fourthly To fulfill the desires of the flesh is to speak as if you were Debtors to it as is intimated in the verse before my Text where we read thus Therefore brethren we are Debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh No how can we be Debtors to it for it 's a poor thing it 's not worth any thing we never had or could have good by it therefore we cannot be Debtors to it except it should be by Gods Command or by compact and agreement or promise but Gods command runs contrary and as for agreement we have covenanted with God and promised oft to have nothing to do with the flesh therefore we are no way Debtors to it unless it shall be said we owe it hatred and all that we can do for it's destruction so indeed we are Debtors to the flesh we owe it all possible hatred and the utmost of our endeavour's for the utter extirpation and ruining of it whereas if we let the flesh have its will then we act as if we owed it service and were indebted to it by the bond of love But this is sure you believers are exceedingly by all bonds and obligations engaged in love thankfulness obedience to the Father and Son and holy Spirit who have made you preserved you redeemed called and chosen you So far as you serve the flesh you rob God you do as pay money where you owe none and refuse or neglect to pay what you greatly stand indebted for Besides you believers have a principle of grace in you to that you are Debtors for it hath done you great good by the new man created in you your condition is altered of Children of Satan you are become Children of God by it you are fitted for fellowship with God by it you have had much peace comfort and God commands you to live after it and have you not promised so to do therefore spend not the money of your time strength service in acting according to the Flesh to which you owe nothing but pay your Debts to the new man that seed of grace that is in you quench alwayes the motions of the Flesh but blow up nourish cherish all holy motions grieve the flesh as much as ever you can but please the spirit to the utmost To live after the flesh is to countenance the old and discountenance the new man to give way at all to the flesh it is to favour to smile upon your corruption and frown upon the seed of God in you Yea it is to resist the spirit for that draws you from the flesh a contrary way to that wherein the flesh would lead you Ag. To comply with the flesh speaks no or little love to Jesus Christ for the flesh it was the corruption of man that murdered him and it is against the death of Christ for the Gospel tells us Christ dyed that we should not live after the Flesh but to him that dyed for us I shall not hold you longer on this only do you make good use of the Apostles argument though you are sure that you are in Christ yet make use of this word if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but remember to use it lawfully 1 Tim. 1.8 We know that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully so is this truth good very good if it be used lawfully not to hinder but to help to a right grounded assurance not to terrifie but to awaken your spirits not to overses but to ballast them to poize them and this word is to be made use of seasonably There is a great deal of Christian wisdom in the seasonable making use of truths sometimes your souls may be in a desponding fainting sinking frame full of discouragement and fear then call to mind promises gracious invitations the comfortable words of Scripture but too oft your spirits are in a light vain temper inclining to carnal confidence presumption fearlesseness and carelessness they begin to be somewhat bold and ventrous upon evil then is a fit season to meditate on this truth and to think what do I
enemies will administer joy yea peace shall we have in great trouble joy in the midst of great sorrow for it s not affliction so much as corruption that deprives our heart of comfort peace and joy Nor can any trouble drown our consolation and chearfulness of spirit wholly if our sin be but mortified by the spirit 1 Pet. 1.6 though in heaviness by manifold temptations yet shall our hearts greatly rejoyce As Solomon saith of the worldly man's mirth Prov. 14.13 even in laughter the qeart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness so as to a Godly man's sorrow if he keep constant and diligent in warring against his sin even in his mourning his his heart is joyful and the end of that heaviness is gladness Perhaps God may withdraw and much try such a one and â—o his heart will have great sorrow yet not without a secret mixture of joy and if his comfort seem to be dead it is but as a sleep it will soon awake and no true joy or peace can be while sin is permitted to bear sway in the soul and is not heartily opposed Thirdly We shall live a life of all true spiritual happiness while we are here we shall have God's favour wherein as the Psalmist saith there is life and which is better than life yea for the most part at least we shall or may have the shining of it into us the light of God's countenance ever and anon lifted up upon us we shall have the blessing of God all things will be blest to us many afflictions will graciously be prevented those that come will be sanctified to us so that they shall not hurt us spiritually no more than the fiery furnace did the three Children outwardly our souls thereby shall not be so much as singed as their clothes were not by that devouring fire nothing shall befall us that will be evil to us in it's effect No good thing shall be wanting to us we shall thrive under ordinances we shall hear and live we shall be fed with and feed on the bread of life our duties and our labours shall live we shall experience the truth of those and other like words Psal 1.3 we shall be like a tree planted by the Rivers of water that bringeth forth its fruit in its season our leaf shall not wither and whatsoever we do shall prosper so the blessing of God will attend us and his favour compass us Fourthly When we come to dye a natural death we shall live much better we shall presently live in our souls perfectly and so shall we after a while live in our whole man Joh. 5.29 we shall come out of our graves to the resurrection of life as Christ liveth so shall we live and O how doth he live now there above 2 Cor. 13.4 though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God we also are weak in or with him but we shall live with him if sin dye in us through the spirit of Christ thereby we have great assurance that we shall live with Christ Rom. 6.8 if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him to him that overcometh saith the faithful and true witness Rev. 2.7 will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God which words seem to have respect to that spoken to Adam after he had sinned Gen. 3.22 23. lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and live for ever therefore the Lord God sent him forth out of Paradise now saith Christ though Adam having sin'd and being mortified by sin might not eat of or touch or come near the tree of life that he should live for ever as he hoped or supposed he thereby should yet to him that overcometh his temptations and corruptions will I give to eat I 'le not only permit him to eat but I 'le give him to eat of the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God even the third heavens that best place of all the creation as Paradise was of all the earth and so he shall live for ever far better than Adam in that state could have lived Hear men and brethren thus O thus shall ye live if ye will so fight against your sins as not to let them live in you They said of Paul Acts. 22.22 it 's not fit that he should live so the world may say of us and we considered in our selves have great reason to acknowledge we are not fit to live any life no not here in this present evil world but through grace we shall live a life ten thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand much better a life glorious and everlasting 2 Pet. 1.11 we shall have an entrance administred abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Now for a few arguments to demonstrate and help faith as to this truth that they who so do as is express'd shall so live as is declared First it must be so because otherwise the spirit's work in us should be lost the spirit 's helping and assisting us against our sins should be in vain to what purpose should the spirit of the Lord enable us in this work if we being help'd should not live but dye at last Therefore shall we live for the spirit 's almighty special work cannot be lost our working alone might well be and would be in vain and disowned by God but that which we do through the powerful assistance and effectual workings of the Holy Ghost will surely be owned by the Father for the spirit's sake and his own sake who sent it to strengthen us and Christ's sake also who obtained it for us Secondly The Spirit is the Spirit of life it 's he that quickneth Joh. 6.63 it is the living water the Scripture speaks of and if we mortifie our sins through it it hath quickned us we begin already to live through it and it dwelleth in us therefore we shall live more and more till we come to live the life of perfection and glory Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwel in you he that hath raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you and in the mean time it will be quickning our immortal souls as to that death whereto by sin they are obnoxious or lyable Thirdly Having the Spirit of Christ we are in him we are one with him and this is a sure evidence and infallible testimony that Christ hath dyed for us he hath so taken our sins upon him that he hath taken them away he hath so born them that he hath born them away for ever from us he hath satisfied divine justice as to all our iniquities and fulfilled the law and now appears in the presence of God for us Rom. 8.3 4. God sent Christ that the