be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life It is impossible that such a man should die for this reason He that receives the life of Christ through the spirit of Christ he receives a true being a divine nature and it is unpossible that one drop of the divine nature should perish 〈◊〉 very person that hath the divine nature he hath the spirit of Christ he hath Christ as he raises persons from the dead and as hee delivers them from the power of sin and as hee quickens them as himself is a quickning spirit And so much for answer of the second querie but 3. Queree What doth the Apostle meane heere by the law of sinne and death from which the spirit of life in Christ sets us free T Answ o which I answer His meaning is either one or both of these two things either 1. By the law of sin and death he must meane the power of sin or 2. By the law of sin and death he means that law which gives sinne a being and gives it power to destroy Now though the first of these may be heere included yet hee mainly intends the second in this place as I shall shew by and by but if he doe here any thing ayme at the first in this place it is as sin is a law and sin may be said to be a law under these two significations 1. As it hath a mighty power in 〈◊〉 or 2. As it hath a certaine kinde of confused rule 1. It hath a mighty power for so saies the Scripture the flesh lusteth against the spirit and where there is lust there is love and love is as strong as death either in good things or in evill and so sin hath its power but 2. It hath a kinde of uncertaine rule and method for there is a method in pleasure and lust and sinfull joy after a carnall manner and so sinne is a law but that which the Apostle here means is 2. The law which is the Law that occasions sinne which the law of the spirit freeth us from to this purpose observe but the 23. verse of the 7th Chapter which runs thus But I see another law in my membrs warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity unto the law of sin Where we see the Apostle speakes of three lawes 1. The law of the spirit which he calls the law of his minde 2. The law of Concupiscence which he calls the law in his members which he saies brings him into Captivitie to the third law Which he calls the Law of sinne and is the law which occasions sinne For here is law against law bringing into Captivitie to law The law of sin in his members rebelling against the law of the spirit in his minde or his inward man for saies Paul I doe see another law in my members and this law in his members was the power of sin working through concupiscence and lust carrying him contrary to God rebelling saies he against the law of my minde meaning against the law of the spirit in his heart or the spirit in his heart as a law And so as he saies in another place The flesh lusteth against the Spirit leading me captive to the law of sinne Meaning by the law of sin here in the last place that law of which he speakes in the Text. The law of sinne and death which is the Law that occasions sinne and death or the Law of Commandments and this appears in the verse following the Text For the Apostle having said in the Text that the saints are free from the Law of sinne and death in the next verse hee shewes what that law is in these Words For what the law could not do in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his owne Sonne c. What was that which the law could not do that the Sonne of God did for us Answer 1. the Law could not make us holy 2. The Law could not free us from sinne 3. The law could not free us from condemnation But one the contrary it brought under guilt brought us under the curse Now what law did this The law of Comandments which saies the Apostle was weake through the flesh And it may bee said to bee weake through the flesh thus 1. In that wee are weake and through the fleshare not able to walk exactly to the law nor to come up to the Rule of it in our conversation And so are not able to obtain life by it Therefore God hath given us life in another way even through his Son or 2 In that the law as it is written upon tables of Stone though it be holy just and good hath no power as it is in the Letter to convay its selfe into us to inable us to walke according to the rule it prescribes unto us And this law is stiled the law of sinne and death in these three respect which the Scripture holds forth unto us 1. In that it discovers sinne 2. In that it is the strength of sinne 3. In that it brings men under the curse and so lyable to death 1. It discovers sinne For the Apostle tells us Rom. 7.7 I had not known sin but by the law For I had not knowne lust except the law had said Thou shalt not covet and he tells us further that where no law is there is no transgression The law is holy and therefore it discouers unto men their unholinesse And 2. As the law discovers sinne and makes sin to be exceeding sinfull so it is the strength of sin The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sin is the law 1 Cor. 15.56 where were the strength of sin were in not for the Law and 3 It brings men under the curse and under death For so saves the Apostle it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that is written in the Book of the Law to do them And so being under the curse the effect of the curse is death and therefore saies the Apostle if you walke after the flesh ye shall dye and it is the very title that 's giuen to the law as though there were nothing else in it The ministeration of condemnation and the ministeration of death 2. Cor. 3.7.9 In the 7 verse the Apostle cales it the ministeration of death ingraven in stones and in the 9. verse the ministeration of condemnation Thus you see how the lawis held forh in scripture to be the law of sinne and death now what this law being weake through the flesh could not doe God hath sent Iesus Christ to doe for us and in us and therefore he hath freed us from that law and given us another law even the law of the Spirit that the righteousnesse of the law might be fullfilled by the spirit in us as apears verse 4th And now being freed from this law sinne shall not have dominion over us for we are not vnder the law but under
grace but againe it further apeares that the Apostle in the text meanes the law of Condemnation by comparing it with the precedent verse where the Apostle saies their is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus now least any man should object against that truth hee gives this text as a reason as if he should say thus There is no condemnation to us that are in Christ Jesus because we through the law of the spirit that is in him are freed from the law of sin and death and therefore there is no condemnation to us although others that are out of Christ are under the law and shall be condemned by the law We are under another law the law of the spirit which is not the law of death but the law of life which is not the ministration of condemnation but of Salvation And thus much for answer to those thre queeries I shall now proceede to that one observation which is as it were the sum of the whole verse and that 's this The generall observation That the Saints have obtained a freedome from the law by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ IN the prosecution of this point I shall 1 Shew how the Spirit of life in Christ freeth us from the law 2. I shall shew the necessitie of it 1. I shall shew how the Spirit of life in Christ sets us free from the law and this I shall doe under a double consideration 1. Shewing how the Spirit of life as it is in Christ sets us free 1 The Spirit of life as it is in Christ sets us free as this spirit is all in all in Christ in all his actions 2. How the Spirit of life as it is in us derived from Christ sets us free but First as it is in Christ It s the Spirit in Christ is all in all In his sufferings in his death and in his resurrection I say the Spirit of life in the Lord Jesus is all in all in every thing he did in the justifying of sinners Without the Spirit he could doe nothing for the flesh is weake and Profiteth not but the Spirit is all in all therefore when the Apostle tells us that by the righteousnesse of one man the free gift of God came upon al unto justification of life Rom. 5.18 but because this could not have beene unlesse the Lord Jesus had been justified in the Spirit he therefore tells us 2. Tim. 3.16 that without controversie this is the mysterie of Godlinesse GOD manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels c. So that the Lord Jesus was justified in the Spirit Now Christ is said to be justified in the Spirit two waies 1. As he is iustified in his person as hee was found to be without all spot and without all staine as he was innocent and holy And 2. As hee was justified in his workes as they were all compleat and perfect before God And so Christ is justified in the spirit the spirit is all in all in him in all his actions and in all his sufferings And 2. As the Spirit is all in all in Christs in his death The Spirit is all in all in his death He offered himself saies the Apostle Heb. 9.14 through the Eternall Spirit without fault to God he presented himself as a compleate sacrifice to God through the Eternall Spirit and this indeede is the mystery of Godlynesse that the Spirit doth all in all in Christ in that he is justifyed in the Spirit and through the Eternall Spirit he presented himself a compleate Sacrifice without spot to God flesh and blood could never have done it no it was the Eternall Spirit in Christ is all in all and therefore we know the Spirit was poured upon Christ without measure And 3. As the spirit in his death As the Spirit is all in all in his Resurrection so in his Resurrection was all in all Therefore the Apostle Rom. 1.3 4 speaking of Christ sayes hee was made of the seed of David according to the flesh but declared to be the Son of God with power according unto the spirit of holinesse by the Refurrection from the dead by the Spirit of holinesse The Lord Jesus was gloriously discovered to be the Sonne of God being raised from the dead by the spirit of holinesse The Lord Iesus was gloriously discovered to be the Son of God being raised from the dead by the spirit of holinesse Indeed had it not been for the spirit he might have layne for ever in the grav and never have beene discovered but the Eternall spirit wrought gloriously in him in the resurrection from the dead Thus you see the Spirit is all in Christ Now this spirit in Christ sets us free from the law But now I shall shew you how the spirit of life being thus in Christ all in all sets us free from the Law And thus 1. As Christ himselfe was subject to the Law for us 1. As Christ fulfilled the Law for us Mat. 3. and thus we shall finde he fulfilled all the law for this end Gal. 4 4 5. He was made of a woman made under the law for what end To redeem them that were under the law And indeed he fulfilled the law to the very uttermost When he comes to Iohn to be Baptized he saies Iohn resusing to Baptize him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteosnesse The truth is it is not possible that any person that could not fulfill the whole law should have bin a Saviour of sinners from the curse of the law Therefore saies the Apostles Heb. 7.26 For such an High Priest became us who is holy harmelesse separate from fins And saies he verse 28. The law maketh men high Priests which have infirmity But the word of the oath which is since the law maketh the Son a high priest who is perfected for evermore for so the word is in the Originall though it be other waies rendered in our ordinary Translation so that the Son the Lord Jesus he is perfected for evermore he hath no infirmity as those Priests had no failing no spot but is perfected for evermore and therefore he saies to the Jewes which of you convinceth me of sin Although he was a friend of publicanes and sinners yet he could not be convicted of sin for hee actually never sinned but was a Lambe without spot and that is the first consideration wherein Christ hath set us free from the law in that he hath fulfilled the law for us But 2. The Lord Iesus hatht set us free from the law 2. As Christ adiuged all our sins against the Law to death upon the Crosse in that he through the spirit adjuudged the offences committed by us against the law unto finall and fatall ruine He upon his Crosse adjudged all our sins to death that they should bee caried all away into the land oâ— forgetfulnesse never any more
to be remembred Now take away the offence and the law hath nothing to do with you take away the breaches and you are free from all the Curses of the Law Therefore the Apostle tels us that in Christ sin was condemned in the flesh Christ did thus condemne sin as he tooke away the power of sin and as he took away sinne it selfe so that it could have no voice against us Now the offence being taken away of what force is the law As suppose a man should live in a Kingdom wherein there should be a law made that whosoever should doe such a particular thing let it be what it will should snffer such a heavie punishmnnt onely the law maker hath power over the law to pardon such particular persons as he pleases Which if he doe the law hath no voyce at all against them They are free from the law The law hath nothing to doe with them though all others are under the power of it yet they are not under the power of it for the law maker having pardoned these perticuler persons the law hath no voice at all against them and though the law be powerfull against others yet it cannot against them they then are free from the law the law may bee a law to others to condemn them but not to these their offence being pardoned So the Lord Jesus Christ taking away the offence takes away condemning power of the law from us and so we are not under the law but under grace the law being taken away by Christ for in that Christ upon the Crosse adjudged all the breaches and trespasses of us committed by us contrary unto the law to death and destruction we are free from that Law God sending his owne Sonne in the flesh condemned sinne in the flesh How did the Lord Jesus Condemne sin in the flesh Thus The Lord Jesus Christ coming in our nature and taking our sinne upon him he condemned sin and suffered for it in the flesh and so tooke away the voice of sin and the power of sinne so that sinne is as a condemned man judged to death to be destroyed And if sinne be taken away I pray what is become of the law the strength of sinne The Apostle tells us that is in the same manner that sinne is taken away too Rom. 7.4 we are dead to the law by the body of Christ that we should be married unto another even to him who is raised from the dead c. So then we are dead to the Law For thus They that live unto the law have either life from it or death from it 1. Life from it but that we have not for there is no life from it but in the fulfilling of it but Christ is our life and we are justified freely by grace for by the works of the law shall no man living be iustified Or in the next Place they that live to the law have death from it for the breach of it but we are free from the condemnation of it also and shall not be destroyed by the Law so that we do not live unto the law but are dead unto the law And if you shall ask how The Apostle answers by the body of Christ How is that Thus. The Lord Jesus Christ taking our nature upon him in that body ascending upon the Crosse hee there blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us that was contrary to us that stood cursing of us he took it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse And this is a precious misterie which affords the Saints abundant consolation Again in that the Apostle saies in the aforementioned place that we are dead to the law by the body of Christ it is saies he that we should live unto another as if he had said we are not now to live any longer to the law but Christ hath therefore freed us from living to the Law that we should live unto himself live as by him and through him so to him as our first Husband being dead we are no longer to live to him but being married to another We are to live unto him and therefore saies the Apostle we are dead to the law our first husbnd to what end that we might be maried to another even to him who is raised from the dead And this is the further illustrated in the next verse for saies the Apostle Now being delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held It is that we should serve in the newnesse of the spirit and not in the oldnesse of the latter So now here we see cleerly Christ having adjudged all our sins to death upon the Crosse in his owne body hath also by the same way freed us from the Law But 3. 3. As Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse Rom. 10.4 And lastly wee are free from the law by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ as Christ is the end of the law for Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse unto every one that beleeveth He is the end of the law for righteousnesse Righteousnesse could not be by the law therefore the Lord Jesus became the end of the law to bring righteousnesse to us No man can performe the law or walke equivolent to it and therefore Christ must be the end of the Law to bring in everlasting righteousnesse that is such a glorious righteousnesse that is such a glorious righnesse as abides for ever The whole law is summed up in Christ whatever beauty or glory or excellencie appeares in the law It gives it all up â—o Christ As when many small sums are gathered up into into one sum they looze their number and names in it So the law and the beauties of it being as Severall small sums gathered up into Christ they looze their name in him and he is their perfection When the Gentiles do bring in their glory into the New Jerusalem they shall looze their glory in the New Jerusalem and New Jerusalem shall be their glory so is it with the Law Christ is the glory of it and as the beams of the Sun end and are summed up in the Sunne so the law is a beame of God and Shadowes out something of Christ and of God But when Christ came and took our nature upon him it was summed up in him and ends in him and in him it appers gloriously So Christ frees us from the law as he sums up the law wholly in himselfe If there be any beauty in the law it is beautifull as it is in Christ The truth is Christ is the substance of it all and so a beleever sees all the beauty and glory of the law as it is in Christ for him he having fulfilled all righteousnesse and so for righteousnesse he is become the end of it to every beleever and he is not to have his righteousnesse in the Law but in Chriist And thus now wee see in these three particulars how
The Glorious EXCELLENCIE OF THE Spirit of Adoption OR Of the Spirit of the Sonne of God derived to the Sonnes of GOD. Wherein are many precious truths held forth which are presented to all the children of Truth who are and shall be sanctified through the truth ISAIAH 44.3 I will powr water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry groâ—nd I will pâ—â—r my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring GAL. 4.6 And because ye are Sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father By M. G. Minister of the Gospell London printed by Jane Coe for HENRY OUERTON 1645. To the Reader THou art heere presented with a rich Cabinet of precious Jewels the which if thou doest unlock by the Key of the Spirit thou mayest both inrich thy inner and adorne thy outer man withall for they are not appointed for Swine nor Dogs who will trample them under their feet and turn again and rent those that present them but for the man who by the key of the spirit is able to unlock them to wit the man of which PAUL speaks the spirituall man that is able to discern spirituall things and that by faith is able to eloath and adorn himselfe with them to these and no other shall it be advantagious for as the talent wrapt up in a Naptkin and the precious oyntment kept still in a close boxe and the treasure hid in the earth can do good to none untill it be opened and applyed unto the severall uses for which they are appointed so neither can a Cabinet of spirituall Jewels and perals be any way profitable to any until they are opened and unlockt by the spirit who can lay open every truth is it is in its self and cause the simple to understand the sweet the high and the glorious misteries of it whereas before it is meerly foolishnes unto him and he cannot discern it And therefore to you that have the spirit to you it is commended but this let me say that even you are to beware how you come with a key of carnalitie to open it for in the best there is carnality as appears 1 Cor. 3.3 and Rom. 7.14.15 Oh therefore cast away that key for it is a false key and can never unlock it I mean the key of the love of the world which is contrary to the love of the Father the key of Pride of covetousnesse of self-conceitednesse of strength of Parts or mans wisdome and of any other thing that is contrary unto the fruits of the Spirit and let the spirit of Christ Jesus that is in thee unlock it for thee and open it to thee that so by faith thou mayest by the help of the same spirit pertake of the sweetnesse and the benefit of it and be gloriously adorned with it that thou mayest I say pertake of the benefit of it for he that is made a Pertaker of these glorious Priviledges and Prerogatives that is herein held forth is unconceivably rich and he that is adorned with the ornaments herein presented is all glorious within c. But let no perticular person whosoever he be think that he is hereby accounted either a dog or a swine or is excluded from a participation of these Jewels and Pearles Although in thine own apprehension and the apprehensions of others thoâ— art in as bad a condition aâ— can be imagined yet I am assured that God hath given his blessed spirit even the spirit of Adoption unto those that have formerly been apprehended to be as bad as thou art and who knowes but in the reading of or meditating on those lines the holy spirit may be given in unto thee and then though it be otherwise a dead letter it may prove a quickening word As in the very reading of the Word in former times nay and in this present time it hath proved so to others Now that all that shall read and meditate on this piece may if they belong to the Election of Grace behold and see the visions of the glory of the Lord that are either here or any where discovered and in beholding of them may be more and more changed into the same Image from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the Lord Is the fervent desire of The Servant of Jesus CHRIST M. C. THE CONTENTS TWo parts in the text p. 2. Three queries in the text First How the Spirit may be said to be a Law Answered p. 4. Secondly How the Spirit of life may be said to be in Christ Answered p. 11. Thirdly What doth the Apostle meane by the Law of sinne and death Answered p. 14. The Generall observation p. 21. Two things laid open First that the Spirt of life in Christ frees us from the Law Secondly the reasons of it and ibid. First that the Spirit of life in Christ sets us free as the Spirit is all in all in Christ in all his sufferings actions is shewed ibid. And secondly as the Spirit is all in all in his death p. 23. And thirdly as the Spirit is all in all in his Resurrection ibid. Now this Spirit in Christ sets us free from the Law first as Christ fulfilled the law for us p. 24. Secondly as Christ adiudged all our sins against the law to death upon the crosse p. 26. Thirdly As Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousnesse p. 30 But secondly The Spirit of life derived from Christ to us frees us First declaratively p. 32. Secondly operatively p. 33. The necessitie of our freedome from the law by the spirit of life in Christ is shewed first because else no flesh could be saved p. 36. Secondly that the righteosnesse of it might be fulfilled in us by the spirit p. 37. And thirdly that God might be all in all and the Creature nothing at all p. 38. Three queeries more First whether the law is sin Answered p. 39. Secondly Wherefore serveth the law Answered p. 40. Thirdly whither the law were given for a rule of life to the people of God Answered p. 44. The uses are 1. To rebuke and admonish those that really are Antinomians and against the law who goe about to make voyde the law p. 56. 2. To discover the sad condition of all that walke after the flesh p. 60. 3. To invite poore sinners to come to Iesus Christ p. 65. 4. To discover the fondnesse of those that seek to be iustified by works as all Papist and Papisticall spirits doe p. 69. 5. To cleere the Saints from that calumnious aspersion cast upon them of being Aminomians who â—n the contrary are such as establish the law p. 72. 6. To informe the Saints of their priviledges p. 76. 7. To exhort the Saints to walke in the sight of Iesus Christ and in the light the purity and the joyes of the Spirit p. 83. Imprimatur John Downham Errata PAge 64. line 16. for they read thy l. 23. f. the r. their l. 26. f.
condition r. condition l. 29. f. wait r. weight p. 68. l. 6. f. ceifest r. chiefest l. 22. dele into l. 26. f. livig r. living p. 69. l. 2. f. befre r. before l. 9. f. free r. freed l. 12. dele by the. p. 17. l. 15 f. was justified r. was not justified p. 73. l. 19. dele by p. 62. l. 7. dele mis p. 63. l. 4. f. course r. curse l. 20. for man crucified r. man is crucified l. 26. f. Goost r. Ghost l. 29. f. trough r. through THE GLORIOVS Excellencies of the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of sin and Death THis blessed Apostle not inferiour unto any of the rest of the Apostles seems to bee carried up alwaies into Heaven as once hee was while hee was upon earth so that hee tryumphs over all things as having the victorie and is not moved nor in the least troubled for any of the sufferings he underwent in the body but glories in tribulation and despises the world for he is crucified to it and is as having nothing yet possessing all things Peâ—sâ—â—ution and Prosperity Penurie and Plentie are alike welcome to him no Mutation and Change of sublunarie things can trouble his spirit in a word his whole Conversation is in Heaven though his person be one earth and no wonder for he is fild with the Heavenly manifestations the sweete discoveries and the glorious makings out of the minde of God and Christ through the Spirit unto him as appears in all his Epistles and especially in this wherein hee holds forth the glorious Misteries of the Gospell which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as he him selfe saies Ephesians 3.5 but now is made knowne unto the Apostles and Prophets through the Spirit Of which misterieis this Text holds forth a very blessed one where he tells us that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made him all the Saints free from the Law of sin and death Now in the words heere are two things contained a Proposition and a supposition Something by way of proposall and something by way of supposall The proposition is this that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set the Saints free The supposition is this that the law of sin and death had brought us into bondage from which this Spirit of life in Christ hath set us free in which these two things are to be taken notice of First the ground or cause or foundation of our freedome and that is the law of the spirit Secondly The method or way by which we are set free and that is as the spirit its selfe workes in Christ he doth not say that the spirit of life in us hath set us free but the spirit of life in Christ hath set us free from the law of sin and death And here there might be many profitable observations drawn from the words but I shall sum up all in one but before I fall upon it there are three queries arising from some difficulties in the words to be answered 1. Quere 1 How the spirit may be said to be a law or what is meant by the law of the spirit 2. Queree 2 How the spirit of life is in Christ 3. Queree 3 What is meant by the law of sin and death from which the law of the spirit of life in Christ hath set us free But first if the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ doth set us free from the law of sin and death then it seemes the spirit hath a law for as there was a law given by God in the hand of Moses the Mediatour in the Olde testament so there is a law in the new Testament The law of the Spirit which it seemes is the more powerfull and glorious law The law that brings blessednesse and joy unto a Saint for its this law that brings life whereas the other brings death for the Spirit must bring life through its owne law Queree 1 But then the Queerie is How the Spirit may be said to be a law or to have law Answ To which I answer The law of spirit may bee Considered in these three things 1. In the Authoritie of the Spirit 2. In the operations or workings of the Spirit 3. In the guidance of the spirit 1. Consider we the Authoritie of the Spirit that royall and giorious authoritie that the Spirit hath Now the spirit hath a double autority 1. As it comes from God 2. As it is equall with God in the first sence the spirit and the Law are one but in the second the spirit and the law differs But I say the first part or peece of the Authoritie of the Spirit is this that it comes forth from the Father and the Son and is sent forth from the Father the Son by way of embassage so our Saviour saies I will send the Comforter He is a messenger sent from the Father and the Sonne and so hath mighty Authority Hitherto the father works and I worke but if the Father workes hee workes by the Spirit and so if the Son workes he workes by the same spirit It s the same Spirit comes from them both And thus the Spirit hath Authority and thus the law hath also authority I meane the Law given of God by Moses for the law hath all its Anthority as it comes from God and as it is sent sorth by God so the law hath true authority and in this Consideration they both agree the spirit and the law both have Authority as they come from God but then 2. The spirit hath another Authority which the law simply considered hath not that is this the spirit hath authority in its self and from its selfe for the Spirit hath as great authority as him that sent him God is the Spirit the Spirit is God and the Spirit comming from the bosome of God is God himselfe and the Spirit hath equall Authority with the Father and the Son and hath power to work out of his own pleasure and out of his owne will So saies the Scripture The winde bloweth where it listeth so is every man that is borne of the Spirit The winde is sometimes in the East sometime in the West no man commands it hither or thither no man bids it goe here or there but it goes where it will It is even so with the spirit He hath authority to lay hold of one man and not another to chuse this man and to give life to that person and so suffer another to lie under death and miserie for the spirit hath that prerogative wherin he is not onely as a messenger but is equall with the Father and the Son And so the royall Authoritie of the Spirit exceedingly surpasses the law though the law have also authority from God but then 2. The Spirit may be said to have a law or
Righteousnesse of God and going about to set up their owne righteousnesse which is by the Law have not submitted to to the righteousnesse of God c. And so though they had a zeale of God in the fulfilling of the Law Yet being without a Christ they are without a spirit and walke after the flesh Thus you have seene the Caracters of the men that walke after the flesh and they are next to be informed of their wofull and miserable condition from this point and the first word it speakes to them is no lesse then this They shall die die Eternally it is the direct word of the Apostle Rom 8.13 for if yee live after the flesh yee shall die eternally for they that walke after the flesh shall not inherite the Kingdome of God and of Christ Gal 5.2 so that your condition is deplorable and the reason is because you are vnder the law and all the curses thereof so that fearfull is your condition for you are gone no further being but after the flesh then Agar then mount Sinai then mount Ebal you are no further then Agar which is in bondage with her children you are still in bondage and if their be any spirit in you it is a spirit of bondage a spirit vnder which you may lie bound till you drop into hell Againe you are no further then mount Sinai the mount of feare and trembling and you heare nothing but a fearfull noyse so that horrour and trembling lights upon you and fearfullnesse surprises you and no wonder you are no further then mount Ebal all the curses of the law are thundering against you for what saies it Cursed is every one that continueth not in all that is written in the Booke of the law to doe them So that Dredfull fearfull and lamentable is thy condition whoever thou art and wherever thou art that walkest after the flesh To be carnally minded is death death while alive for thou art but as a dead carkase while thou walkest up and downe thou haste no spirituall life in thee no spirituall joy in thee no spirituall peace no true contentment nor joy in the holy Ghost thy pleasures are dead pleasures thy comforts are dead comforts thy life is a dead life for if thou looke upon thoy best comforts and pleasures thou shalt find bitternesse and sorrow in them a secret inward anguish in them so that they are not to be compared with those living pleasures and that glorious sweetnesse and peace that Saints have in the spirits And so may I say of all that thou inioyest Ah poore creature hâ—w sad is thy condition If it be bitternesse in the be gining it will much more be bitter in the latter end And how searfull will that wait of vergence be when it shall fully seâ—â—e upon thee And now I cannot but bewaile and pity thy condition and thy deplorable estate nor can I leave thee heere in it But 3. Vse To invite poore sinners to come to Jesus Christ Vse 3 IN the next use with yerning bowels and melting affections being so deeply affected with thy miserable condition desire to fall a wooing of thee to come over unto the Lord Iesus Christ that through his spirit thou mayest be freed from this condition and a beseeching of thee to be marryed to the Lord Iesus that thou Mayest be dead to the law What canst thou object against him that thou shouldest not imbrace him I know that thou wilt answer that thou canst not object against him but against thy selfe thou art a great sinner But what though thou art 2. Cor. 5.20 Yet he woes thee and sends his messengers to wee thee And wilt thou not be wood And why O hearken to his voice and thy soule shall live Why what saies he Truly faithfull sayings and thus I am come into the world to save sinners dyed for the ungodly What canst thou now say Though thou art a sinner yet thou art not exempted from him Nay though thou art the chiefest of sinners and thy sinns be of the deepest dye though they bee Scarlet and red like Crimson yet is the Blood of the LORD JESUS able to make thee as white as Wooll ye whiter then the Snow Isa 1.18 And now why wilt thou not accept of the LORD JESUS O imbrace him for thy Saviour But thou sayest How shall I dare to come to Christ since I have nothing to bring him norighteousnesse nor holy performances nor good actions But hee will not be put off so but continues still to woe thee and answers that Objection too and saies Let him that is a thirst come and take of the Water of life freely Revel 22.17 Yea without money and without price Isa 55.1 So that he tells thee plainly he expects nothing from thee hee resolves to be free and tâ— shew the riches of his free gracâ— unto thee And now behold he stands at the doore and knockes and waites to be Gracious and now what canst thou say that thou dost not hearken unto his sweete voice And why is not thine heart ravished with his love and overcome with his sweetnesse Canst thou yet refuse to be married to the Lord Jesus And to receive him into thy bosome that he may free thee out of thy miserable condition and adorne thee with glory O receive the Lord Jesus that he may take thee out of thy ragges and filthynesse and aray thee with royall robes and put a crowne upon thine head But me thinkes I should heare thee say How is it that I must receive him that so I may become his Spouse and may bee married unto him and be his for ever I Answer Doth his sweetnesse prevaile upon thine heartt and doth his love constraine thee indeed and art thou so inamored with his beauteous excellencie that now thy heart doth thirst for him And art thou as it were cast into pangs of love for him and longest thou to enjoy him above any besides him Then be leeve that he is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World Beleeve he came to save the ciefest of sinners and that he came to save thee and to free thee from under the Law beleeve that he hath washed away thy sinns in his blood and beleeve that hee loves thee and delights in thee for his owne sake And this is all he desires For if thou canst but thus beleeve thou art in a most glorious and a most happie condition for thou hast formerly had nothing that is good in thee yet in belleving if thou dost by the sweet workings of the Spirit in thy soul truely beleeve thou hast put on the Lord Iesus Christ and hast the Spirit of Christ powred into into thee as the Lord Iesus himselfe hath saide Iohn 7.38 39. Hee that beleeveth one me one of his belly shall flow rivers of livig waters And this saith the Text he spake of the Spirit and indeede he that beleeveth on the Son is at once possest of the
no so it is their delight so it is sweete unto them Although they seeke not righteousnesse by it but by the Lord Iesus who hath fulfild it for them which the Lord teach thee by his Spirit to do whoever thou art that brandest any Saint with this title And thus I thinke I neede not say more in this particular to take off men from casting this Aspersion upon the Saints and that for this reason Because I doe not here speake unto those who have given up their names to Iesus Christ who ever they are for they are not I hope to bee charged herewith nor are they so much out of their way as to give out such expressions of their brethren in whom the Spirit of the Lord Iesus is or if they have through weakenesse or mismisinformation herein failled a word is enough for them Their spirits are so tender and as for others it is not much materiall if they so breake out still For the seed of the Bondwoman be alwaies enemies to the children of the Freewoman Onely heere they may see though they cast this aspersion upon them it is but false And so much therefore shall suffice for that use But 6. Vse To informe the saints of their priviledges Vse 6 IS is so that the Saints through the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus are freed from the Law From the Curse of the Law and from the oldnesse of the Letter c. Then let the Saints be heere informed of their priviledges and their uspeakable happinesse 1. You that walke afer the Spirit this you see now is your priviledge that though you were by nature under the course and children of Wrath even as others being under the Law Yet now you are free from the curse and from wroath And 2. That though you were once darknesse yet now are you light in the Lord. And 3. Though you were once strangers and alians in your mindes by wicked workes yet now are you drawne nigh to God by the death of his Sonne And 4. Though you were once altogether defiled with pollution and corruption yet now your old man crucified and the deedes of the body are mortified through the Spirit And 5. Though you were once in fear continuaily yet now have you continuall peace in some measure and joy in the Holy Goost and why all this and much more But 6. Trough that priviledge which summes up all others in it In that you are translated out of the kingdome and the power of darknesse into the glorious light and libertie and Kingdome of the Sons of God in Jesus Christ 1. I say your priviledge and glorious prerogative is that though you were by nature under the curse and Children of wrath even as others Yet now you are free from the Curse and from wrath for the Lord Jesus was made a curse for you to free you from the curse of the Law The Lord Jesus lay under the Wrath of the Father that you might lye downe in the love of the Father And that the time of your blood might be a time of love to him so though the Law may curse others yet it cannot curse you For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Who can lay any thing to thy charge so as to condemne thee Surely none can Neither Satan nor wicked men nor good men nor thine owne conscience nor Angels Nay God himselfe will not for it is he that justifieth thee or rather Christ that died and now being free from every curse and every condemnation O how blessed is thy condition But 2. Looke yet further upon thy priviledges and see that though thou wert once darkenesse yet now art thou light in the Lord though thou wert in a state of blindenesse and ignorance even as other gentiles walked taking thy swinge in the workes of Darkenesse yet now the Lord Jesus by his Spirit hath been a light unto thee Who is a light to lighten the Gentiles as well as others so that though thou wert altogether kept under and couldest not look up unto God being in darknesse yet now by the light of the Spirit thou art able to behold God in the face of Jesus Christ to know the minde of God and what is the acceptable will of God in some measure and now thou seest and and discernest spirituall things for thou hast now the Spirit to teach thee to know the things that are freely given to thee of God So that 3. Though thou wert a stranger and an alian in thy minde by wicked workes workes of darkenesse yet now art thou drawn nigh to God by the death of his Son and though thou wert once a stranger yet now thou art of the common wealth of Israel Though thou wert once a stranger now thou art a fellow Citizen with the Saints in Sion though thou wert once a stranger and an alian yet now thou art of the Family of God of the Houshold of God And what a servant there I and more A Son an adopted Son Nay a fellow heire with Jesus Christ Nay more thou art a Spouse a Bride the Lambes wife Thou art married to the Lord Jesus Now all the sweetnesses that are to be found in these relations are thine Is it a great priviledge to be a Servant to the Kings person Thou art so most eminently Nay he makes thee his friend too But it is more to be a Sonne Why thou art so It is more to be an heire That is thy priviledge too But is it more to bee a Spouse a Bride a Wife This is thy Royall Prerogative Besides many other relations in which thou standest through Iesus Christ as to be Kings and Priests before God c. And all this though thou wert once a stranger unto God and an Alian unto thy Fathers house and wert defiled with wicked workes so as thy person was loathsome yet even then wast thou received into love and haddest these priviledges conferred upon thee and all through the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of life working in him But 4. Thou that wert once altogether daubed all over with black and bloody staines of Corruption yet hast thou now that old man Crucified and these deeds of the body mortified through the Spirit and although thy life were as a sinke continually sending forth abominable corruption that did even infect the very ayre where thou didst breath Yet now through the Spirit of Holinesse given forth unto thee by the Lord Iesus thou art still mortifying the deeds of the body and still crucifying these Corruptions And that spirit that is in thee will never cease untill he hath totally gotten the victory over all thy coruptions and hath set thee in a perfect State even when thou shalt lay downe this fleshly body and this earthly tabernacle so that still in the meane time thou dost increase with the increase of God and so thou shalt grow in the Spirit and decrease in the flesh As John must decrease but Christ must