sanctified judgement and a mighty power to raise the soule to cast it selfe so upon Gods mercy in Christ. So that besides the obtaining saluation by Christ there must be a grace to apply it and this faith doth Faith is said to doe that that Christ doth because faith layes hold upon Christ what faith doth Christ doth and what Christ doth faith doth therefore it hath the same actions applyed and given to it that Christ hath Faith is said to save us you know it is Christ that saves us but faith layes hold on Christ that saves us faith purgeth the heart and overcomes the world Christ by his Spirit doth all this but because faith wrought by the Spirit is such a grace as layes hold on the power of Christ it goes out of it selfe to Christ therefore what Christ doth faith is said to doe So then the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ not onely freed Christ himselfe by his Resurrection but likewise by the same power whereby hee raysed himselfe he rayseth our hearts to beleeve what hee hath done both in his state of humiliation and exaltation and makes all that Christ did ours The Spirit of life in Christ Iesus working faith in us and by faith other graces doth free us from the Law of sinne and death Christ doth it and faith doth it and grace which issues from faith doth it subordinately Christ doth it by way of merit and by his Spirit working faith in us to lay hold upon whatsoever Christ hath done or suffered as if we had done it our selves so it frees us from the law of sinne and death because it layes hold of the freedome wrought by Christ for us But besides and next to faith there is a Spirit of sanctification by which we are free from the commanding law of sinne and death But to cleare all this consider there is a freedome in this life and in the life to come from sinne and from death A freedome in this life in calling in justification in sanctification and in the life to come a freedome of glory There is a freedome in effectuall calling by the minâ—sterie of the Gospel the Gospel being preached unfolded faith is wrought whereby wee know what Christ hath done for us and wee see a better condition in Christ then we are in by nature seeing by the Spirit of God the cursed estate wee are in we are convinced of sinne in our selves and of the good that is in Christ and hereupon wee are called out of the thraldome wee are in by nature by the Spirit of Christ and the Word of God unfolding what our condition is for man by nature having selfe-love in him and that selfe-love being turned the right way he begins to thinke I doth the Word of God say I am a slave to sinne and damnation the Word of God can judge better then my selfe and then the Spirit of God sets it on with conviction that undoubtedly this is true And together with the cursed kingdome and slavery that I am under there is discovered a better state in Christ for the Gospel tells us what we are in Christ freed from hell and death and heires of heaven oh the happy estate of a Christian to be in Christ The Gospel with the Spirit discovering this a man is called out of the cursed estate he is in by nature to the fellow-ship of Christ by faith which is wrought in this calling so that now he comes to be a member of Christ by faith so that whatsoever Christ hath or is or hath done or suffered it is mine by reason of this union with him by faith which is the grace of union that knits us to Christ and the first grace of application So there is the first degree of liberty and freedome wrought by the Spirit of God together with the Gospel in effectuall calling The second is in justification that faith and beleefe in Christ that was wrought in effectuall calling it frees me from the guilt of my sinnes For when the Gospel in effectuall calling discovers that Christ is such a one and that there is such an estate in Christ and there is faith wrought in me then that faith layes hold upon the obedience of Christ to be mine For Christ in the Gospel offers his obedience to be mine as if I had done it in mine own person whatsoever Christ did or suffered is mine for he is made of God to be Wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption to be all in all the Gospell sets him forth to be so Now faith laying hold of Christ to be made of God all in all obedience righteousnesse c. whatsoever is needfull hereupon this faith justifies me hereupon I come to be free from the guilt of my sinnes because my sinnes were laid upon Christ Christs death was the death of a surety it was as if I had dyed my selfe and more firme thus I come to be free in justification for what my surety hath done I have done Againe there is a freedome in sanctification that is when a man beleeves that Christ is his and that his sufferings are his then the same Spirit that discovers this to be mine it workes a change and alteration in my nature and frees me from the dominion of sinne The obedience of Christ frees me from the condemnation of sinne and the Spirit of sanctification frees me from the dominion of sinne This is the freedome of sanctification which faith layes hold on Whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Christ as a head derives to me the holy Spirit to sanctifie my nature and of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace so the Spirit of sanctification in Christ frees me from the dominion of sinne and death It is said here that by Christ we have spirituall liberty and freedome not from sinne and death but from the law of sinne and of death It is one thing to be freed from sinne and death and another thing to be freed from the law of them for wee are not indeed freed from sinne and death but from the law of sinne and death that is from the condemning power of sinne that though sinne be in us yet it doth not condemne us and though we die yet the sting is pulled out death is but a passage to a better life So I say in Justification wee are freed from the condemning power of sinne and in sanctification from the commanding power of sinne When we are knit once to Christ we have the obedience of Christ ours in justification and the holinesse of Christ is derived to us as from the head to the members in sanctification and so we are freed from the law of sin To understand this a little better the same Spirit that sanctified the naturall body the humane nature of Christ wherby he became bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh the same Spirit doth sanctifie the mysticall body of Christ
that it may be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh For before wee come to heaven Christ must not onely be bone of our bone c. that is in his Incarnation but wee must be bone of his bone c. that is wee must have natures like Christ not onely flesh and blood for so a reprobate hath flesh and blood as Christ hath but wee must have his Spirit altering and changing our nature that instead of a proud disobedient rebellious nature now it must be a holy and humble and meeke nature together with humane frailty for that we carry about with us then the Spirit of life derived from Christ makes us bone of his bone For indeed in his humane nature being bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh hee made us bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh he became man that we might partake of the divine nature being partakers of the divine Spirit So that now the Spirit of life in Christ when we are knit to him is a Spirit of sanctification altering our natures and working in our hearts a disposition like Christs that wee judge as Christ judgeth and chuse as Christ chuseth and ayme at Gods glory as Christ did For there is the same mind in us that was in Christ Philip. 2. In our proportion growing still more and more to conformity with Christ till we be in heaven till Christ be all in all 1 Cor. 15. When he will change our nature to be holy as his owne Besides this liberty from sinne and death in this life there is a glorious liberty and freedome thaâ— we have by the Spirit of Christ when we are dead for then the Spirit of life that raised Christs dead body will raise our bodies and that Spirit of Christ that raiseth his body and raiseth our soules in this world from sinne to beleeve in him will raise our dead bodies The same vertue and power that workes in Christ workes in his members this is called The glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God Then wee shall be freed indeed not onely from the law of sinne but from sinne it selfe and not onely from the law of death but death it selfe and wee shall live forever with the Lord. Christ then shall be all in all by his Spirit Christ will never leave us till hee have brought us to that glorious freedome wee are freed already from sinne and death he hath set us in heavenly places together with himselfe now In faith we are there already but then wee shall be indeed Thus you see how we come to have the law of the Spirit of life in Christ to free us from the law of sinne and death and all the passages of it You see here that there is law against law The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ against the law of sinne and death I beseech you consider that God hath appointed law to countermand law the Spirit of Christ to overcome sinne in us not onely in justification but in sanctification oh let us therefore comfortably thinke there is a Law above this Law I have now cold dead base affections but if I have the Spirit of Christ he can quicken and enliven me hee will not onely pardon my sinne but by the Law of his Spirit direct guid and command me a contrary way to my lusts And this is an Art of spirituall prudence in heavenly things whensoever wee are beset with dangers to set â—reater then that against it The Devill is an Angell but we have a guard of Angels about us The Devill is a Serpent but we have a braâ—en Serpent that cures all the stings of that Serpent We have Principalities and Powers against but we have greater Principalities and Poâ—ers for us The Law of life against the law of sinne and death We have a law of our lusts tyrannizing over us and enthralling us it is true but then there is a Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus to overcome and subdue that law of our lusts if so be that wee use the prerogatives wee have if we use faith and goe to God and Christ in whom are all the treasures of grace Hee is the treasury of the Church of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace Are we troubled with any corruptions goe to the Spirit of liberty in Christ and desire him to set us at liberty from the bondage and thraldome of our corruptions And remember what Christ hath done for us and where hee is now in heaven let us raiâ—e our thoughts that wee may see our selves in heaven already that wee may be ashamed to defile our bodies and soules with the base drudgery of sinne and Satan that are sanctified in part in this world and shall be glorified in heaven Certainely faith would raise our soules so we betray our selves when being once in the state of grace we are inâ—hralled basely to any sinne For sinne shall not have dominion over you because you are under grace saith the Apostle Being under grace if wee doe 〈◊〉 use our reasoning and use faith and exercise the grace we have given us wee cannot be in thrall to corruptions Wee shall have remainders to trouble us put not to 〈◊〉 and reigne and domineere For sinne 〈◊〉 beares â—way but when wee betray our selves and either beleeve not what Christ hath done for us or else exercise not our faith A Christian is never overtaken basely but when hee neglects his priviledges and prerogatives and doth not stirre up the grace of God in him Learne this then when we are troubled with any thing set Law against Law set the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ against all oppositions whatsoever and let the temptation â—â—e where it will let it lie in justificatiâ—â— as when wee are tempted by Satan to despaire for sinnes for great sinnes oh but then consider the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath freed me from the law of sinne and of death Christ was made sinne to free me â—rom sinne Consider that Christ was God-man hee satisfied divine Justice the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sinne though they be as red as crimson Thus set Christ against our sinnes in justification when the guilt of them â—â—oubles our soules And so likewise when wee are set on by base lusts set against them the power of Christ in sanctification What 〈◊〉 I now a member of Christ one that professeth my selfe to be an heire of heaven there is a Spirit of life in Christ my head there is a Law of the Spirit of life in Christ that is there is a commanding power in his Spirit and that Spirit of his is not onely in the head but in the members If I goe to him for grace I may have grace answerable to the grace that is in him grace that will strengthen me with his power be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes. 6.
sinnes he quickned us but they are put in in the translation because they must be understood to make the full sence In the words consider these things First of all heere the Apostle puts them in mind of their former condition And then he sets downe in particular what it was They were dead in trespasses and sins Then he tells them wherein they were dead what was the cause of their death and the element wherein they were dead in trespasses and sins Lastly not in one trespasse and in one sin but in trespasses and sins And then to speake a little of quickning to take it out of the 5. verse You hath he quickned There is the benefit with the condition That which Jaime at is especially to shew our estate by nature and how we are raised out of that I shall touch the points briefly as I have propounded them Saint Paul here first minds them of their former condition you were dead in trespasses and sinnes For contraries give lustre one to another and it magnifies grace mervailously to consider the opposite condition Hee that never knew the height and bredth and depth of his naturall corruption will never be able to conceive the height and breadth and depth of Gods infinite love in Iesus Christ. Saint Paul had deepe thoughts of both as ever man had therefore he could never enter into the argument of abasing man and extolling the love of God in Christ that he could satisfie himselfe but his spirit carries him from one thing to another till he set it out to the full And every one of us should be skilfull in this double mystery the mystery of the corruption of nature that is unsearchable there is corruption in the heart that none knows but God only and we must plow with his heifer that carries a light into the hidden parts of the soule and discovers corruption there is a mystery of that as well as of the Gospell of our deliverance out of that cursed estate from the guilt and thraldome of it I doe but touch it onely to shew the scope of the Apostle Now besides the consideration of it for this end to magnifie the grace of God and to understand what our former estate was the better there are many other ends As to stirre up our thankefullnesse when we consider from what we are delivered to glorifie God the more There is no soule so enlarged to glorifie God as that soule that hath large thoughts of its estate by nature and that estate by nature made worse by custome our second ill nature and bondage voluntary considering Gods mercy in delivering and freeing us from all sinnes and trespasses this will make us thankefull indeed And it is a spring of love to God when we consider what great sinnes we have forgiven usâ— it will make us humble all the daies of our lives and pitifull to others but this may be handled fitter from another portion of Scripture To come therefore to the words Who were dead in trespasses and sins Their condition is they were dead the specification of their death in sinnes and trespasses and not in one but in sinnes and trespasses Here I might digresse and tell you a discourse of life and death at large every man knowes by experience what they are In a word death is a privation of life What is life and whence ariseth it Not to speake of the life of God God is life and Christ is life but of lâ—fe in us It ariseth from the soule first there is a soule and then a life from the union with that soule and then there is a secret kindled motion and operation outward wheresoever life is Life in man I say springâ— from the soule The soule hâ—th a double life a life in it selfe and a life it communicates to the body The life in it selfe it liveth when it is out of the body it hath an essentiall life of its owne but the life of the body is derived from its union with the soule and from that union comes lively motion and operation The spirituall life of the soule is by the Spirit of Christ when our soule hath union with the quickning Spirit of Christ and by Christs Spirit is joyned to Christ and by Christ to God who is life it selfe and the first fountaine of all life then we have a spirituall life The Spirit is the soule of our soules and this spiritual soule this Spirit in us is not idle wherever life is there is motion and operation inward and outward suteable and proportionable to the fountaine of life the Spirit of God himselfe So on the contrary it is with death what is death Death is nothing else but a seperation from the cause of life from that from whence life springs The body having a communicated life from the soule when the soule is departed it must needs be dead Now death take it in a spirituall sence it is either the death of law our sentence as we say of a man when he is condemned he is a dead man Or death in regard of disposition and then the execution of that death of sentence in bodily death and in eternall death afterward Now naturally we are dead in all these sences First by the sin of Adam in whose loynes we were we were all damned there was a sentence of death upon all Adams rotten race as we say damnati antequam nati we were damned before we were borne as soone as we had a being in our mothers wombe by reason of our communion with Adam in that first sinne And then there is corruption of nature as a punishment of that first sinne that is a death as we shall see afterward a death of al the powers we cannot act and moove according to that life that we had at the first we cannot thinke we cannot will we cannot affect we cannot doe any thing that savours of spirituall life Hereupon comes a death of sentence upon us being damned both in Adams loynes and in originall sinne and likewise adding actuall sinnes of our owne if we had no actuall sinne it were enough for the sentence of death to passe upon us but this aggravates the sentence We are dead in law as well as in disposition This death in law is called guilt a binding over to eternall death it breeds horrour and terrours in the soule for the present which are the flashes of Hell-fire and expectation of worse even of the second death for the time to come which is an eternall seperation from God for ever an eternall lying under the wrath and curse of God in body and soule after they are united at the resurrection because wee would sinne eternally if we did live eternally here and no satisfaction being made for man after death there must be an eternall sentence and punishment upon him a terrible condition if we were not afraid of the first death we should be afraid of the
to direct us heere as I shall discover better to you when I come to speake of the duty injoyned which is that I especially aime at But before I come to inforce the act or duty which our Saviour heere exhorts unto I must unfold the object of that act what is meant heere by the meate that endures to everlasting life The meate that endures to everlasting life is our blessed Saviour Christ Jesus as he is contained and wrapped up in the meanes of salvation with all the blessed liberties priviledges and prerogatives graces and comforts that we have by him and in him for our blessed Saviour never goes alone hee is never imbraced naked but with him goes his graces comforts prerogatives and liberties wee have him not now as we shall see him face to face hereafter in Heaven but he is to be considered as wrapped up in the Word and Sacraments so is Christ the foode that lasts to everlasting life and in this latitude we must take it or else wee mistake and straiten the Holy Ghost But why is our blessed Saviour so considered and the comforts and prerogatives and good things we have by him termed food In divers respects To instance in a few but first you must know that as the soule hath a life as well as the body so it hath a taste as well as the body and as God least the body should pine away hath planted in it an appetite which is the bodies longing after that which refresheth it for if it were not for appetite if it were not for hunger and thirst who would care for meate and drinke so God hath planted in the soule least it should pine away a spirituall appetite an earnest longing and desiring after that which is the most necessary good of the soule for the soule hath that which the body hath taste and smell c. though in a more sublime and divine sense but as really and truly as we shall see afterwards Now our blessed Saviour is this spirituall food of the soule He is the bread of life that came downe from Heaven He is the true Manna He is the true Tree of life in Paradice in the Church of God the true Paradice He is the true Shewbread He is the true Lambe of God He considered with all the blessed prerogatives and priviledges and comforts we have by him is called meate or food for divers respects First whatsoever sweetnesse or comfort or strength there is in meate it is for the comfort and strength and good of the body so whatsoever is comfortable and cherishing in Christ as indeed all comfort and cherishing is in him it is for our good to us He is given for us Hee was borne to us a Childe is borne to us a Sonne is given all is for us for us men for us sinners there is nothing in his natures in his state and condition both of abasement and exaltation nothing in his Offices but it is all for our good Consider him in his humane nature and joyne with his nature his abasement that hee was man that he tooke upon him our nature that he was abased in it that he humbled himselfe to death even to the death of the Crosse to bee a sacrifice for our sinnes how doth the soule feed on this on the wonderfull love of God in giving Christ to be incarnate and then to die for us how doth the soule feed upon the death of Christ because by that Gods wrath is appeased and he reconciled where the dead body is there the Eagles resort so doth the soule prey and feed upon the dead body of Christ Christ crucified is the speciall food of the soule Consider him in his Exaltation in his glorious Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven how doth the soule feed upon that Christ our Surety is risen againe therfore our debt is discharged the justice of God is satisfied to the full so for his Ascension when the soule is basely minded on earthly things it ascends to Christ who is taken up to Heaven for us so his sitting at the right hand of God the soule feedes on that because he sits there till hee have triumphed over all his enemies till he have trod them all under foot Consider him in his Offices In ignorance the soule feeds on him as a Prophet to instruct it in the sense of wrath and anger the soule feeds on him as a Priest to make peace and reconciliation in want of righteousnesse the soule feeds on his righteousnesse he is our righteousnesse In the sense of corruption the soule feeds on him as a King that by his Spirit will ere long worke out all corruption that as hee will tread downe all our enemies without so he will tread downe all corruption within he will never leave the soule till he have made it a glorious house fit for himselfe So the prerogatives wee have by him the soule feeds on them feeds on his Redemption that by his Redemption wee are freed from our enemies and all that hate us and all that we feared that wee are set at liberty from the Law from sinne and from death and notwithstanding all the debasements of this world wee are the sons of God and heires of Heaven In a word whatsoever is in Christ is for our good Hee is all mine his Life is mine his Death is mine his Resurrection is mine his Ascension is mine all is mine he is expended and laid open for my good that 's the first Againe as in the bodily life there is a stomack a power to worke out of the meate that which is for strength and nourishment so in the soule there is faith the spirituall mouth and stomack of the soule to worke and draw out of Christ whatsoever is for the comfort and nourishment of it as there is comfort in Christ so the Spirit of God gives a man a hand a mouth as it were gives a man faith to worke out of Christ somewhat for comfort what were food if there were not a stomack to digest it to make it a mans owne so what were Christ if wee had not faith to lay hold on him Againe thirdly as our life is nourished and maintained with that which is dead with dead things so the chiefe dish that maintaineth and nourisheth the life of the soule as I said before is Christ crucified God forbid saith the Apostle that I should rejoyce in any thing but in Christ crucified when the soule of a poore sinner is pursued with accusations from Satan and his owne conscience when they take part with God against him whether runs it to the city of refuge it runs to Christ to Christ crucified thither the soule flies being pursued with the guilt of sinne to the hornes of the Altar as Ioab did when hee was pursued but with better successe for hee was pulled from thence but the soule that flies to Christ crucified to the death of Christ to Christ abased to his satisfying the wrath of
under Gods hand to bee sonnes you are sonnes by Creation already offer thy selfe to be of his family for the time to come and God will give a sweet report to thy soule Stand not out at the staves end Thou art our Father Lord. If you have a purpose to live in firme the Divell is your father and not God you are of your father the Divell but if wee bee willing to submit wee may say Doubtlesse thou art our Father We are the clay thou art the potter Heere is a resignation of themselves to God in this tearme thou art the potter we are the clay Indeed we are but earthen vessells the best of us in regard of the bodily life we have and we are at the liberty of God to dispose of as he pleaseth So before he comes to put forth this prayer to God he useth this resignation of themselves into the hand of God we are as clay in thy hands Lord dispose of us as thou wilt Let us remember this when we come to pray to God use all meanes of abasement that can be lay aside all tearmes other then abasing tearmes wee are the clay and as Iob saith I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes So the Saints have done in all times I am not worthy to bee called thy sonne and I am lesse then the least of thy mercies Let us lay aside proud and lofty tearmes and cast downe our crownes at the foot of Christ as the Saints in Revel 4. cast downe all our excellencies let us have no thought of outward excellencies of beautie or strength or riches or high dignity when we come to God wee must come with low thoughts to the high God can the creature be too low in his presence And then come with resignation wee are the clay thou art the potter doe with us as thou wilt if thou dash us in peeces as a potters vessell thou maist doe it that is the way to escape That is well committed that is committed into Gods hand some men shift by their wits and will not trust God with their health and strength they bee double minded as Saint Iames saith they will have two strings to their bow if lawfull meanes will not serve unlawfull shall No but wee must commit our selves to God as to a faithfull Creator and then see what hee will doe then it stands with his honour hee will looke to the lowlie I am the clay thou art the potter heere I am doe as thou wilt as David saith it is a blessed estate thus to resigne our selves into Gods hands If the Divell and Reprobates could bee brought to this they should never come there where they are in terrours of conscience Let us labour to practise this dutie Lord I commit to thy hands my body and soule I cast my selfe into thy bosome doe with mee as thou wilt Some that have stood out at the staves end with temptations many yeares have gotten comfort by this resignation VVe are the clay thou art the potter thou maist mold and break us as thou wilt The way now to escape the plague is not alltogether to use tricks of wit and policie though lawfull meanes must be used but labour to get into Christ and resigne our selves into Gods hand absolutely and say thus VVe are the clay c. Lord thou maist dash us if thou wilt as thou dost now many hundreds weekely thou maist dash us in that fashion if thou wilt Only we may have a desire that God would make our lives and health pretious to him that we may serve him as if we were now in Heaven and that we may have grace to make good use of all But if God have determined and decreed to take us away let us resigne our selves into his hands It is no matter though the body bee sowne in dishonour they shall be raised in honour wee are the clay he is the potter let him do what he will with our carkasses and bodies so he be mercifull to our soules These vessells of clay when they are turned to earth they shall be renewed of better stuffe like the glorious body of Christ then our soules and bodies shall be glorious by him that took a peece of flesh and clay for us O the humility of Christ we wonder that the soule should animate a peece of clay so excellent a thing as the soule is much more may we wonder that the Sonne of God should take a piece of flesh and clay upon him to take our nature of base earth to make us eternally glorious as himselfe Let it comfort us though God dash our clay in pieces as a Potter yet Christ that tooke our clay to the unity of his Person our nature being ingrafted into him hee will make our bodies eternall and everlasting as his owne glorious body Let us resigne our selves into Gods hands as the Church here Thou art the Potter and we are the clay and then wee shall never miscarry FINIS THE SPIRITVALL IUBILE In two Sermons By The late learned and reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinitie Mr. of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at GRAYES-INNE JOHN 8.36 If the Sonne therefore shall make you free yee shall be free indeed GAL 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free LONDON Printed by E. P. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford and are to be sold at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange and in Queens head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row at the gilt Bible 1638. THE SPIRITVALL IVBILE ROM 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and of death THERE be foure things especially that trouble the peace of a Christian and indeed of any man in this world The first is sinne with the guilt of it binding them over to the wrath of God and the expectation of miserie a heavie bondage The second is besides the guilt of sinne the remainders of corruption with the conflict that accompanies them while we live in this world and that conflict must needes be tedious The third is the miseries of this life that accompanie alway both the guilt and remainders of sinne in this world we are condemned to a great deale of trouble here and this doth much exercise and perplex Gods children And then the shutting up of all death and damnation the thought of these things doth much disquiet and disturbe the peace of a Christians soule Now in this Epistle we have comfort against all these First for the guilt of sinne that binds us over to eternall judgement and the wrath of God we are freed by the obedience of Christ the second Adam as is excellently she well in the fifth Chapter And for the remainders of corruption that we conflict with in this world we are assisted against that by the Spirit of Christ for as by the obedience of Christ we are freed from the guilt so by the Spirit
of Christ we are helped and assisted against the remainders of our corruptions For the third the miseries of this life we have victori◠in Christ In him we are more they conquerours as you have it in this Chapter They can doe us no harme Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus We have 〈◊〉 singular comforts in this Chapter against all the troubles than can be fall us and this is one that triumphs over all All things shall worke for the best to them that love God What should I speake of hurt from any thing that befalls us when all shall worke for the best by the over-ruling of him that commands all Vers. 28 And for death it selfe Neither life nor death shall be able to separate us from the love of God And for damnation which accompanies death It is God that justifieth who shall condemne There is opposite comforts in Gods Booke nay in this Epistle and in this Chapter against all that may any way trouble our peace There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus saith the Apostle and then he goes on after to shew how by the helpe of the Spirit all things worke for the best c. In this very Verse likewise you have this comfort set downe of our freedome by Christ from any thing that may hurt us For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sinne and of death The words are dependant as we see in the particle for For the Law of the Spirit of Life c. They depend upon the first Verse thus as a reason why how ever there be sinne in Gods children yet there is no damnation to them There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus he prooves it thus Those that are free from the Law of sinne and of death which brings in condemnation those undoubtedly are free from damnation but those that are in Christ Jesus they are freed from the Law of sinne and of death therefore there is no condemnation to such But how shall we know that we are in Christ Jesus Those that have the Spirit and are led by the Spirit of Christ they are in Christ The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death So I say the words are especially a reason of the former There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus because by the Spirit of Christ they are freed from the Law of sinne and of death and by consequent they are freed from damnation for what brings in damnation but sinne In the words then there is an opposition there is Law against Law The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ and the Law of sinne and of death Now where there are contrarie Lawes if there be contrarie Lords as there must be New Lords will have new Lawes especially if they be Lords by conquest they will alter the very fundamentall Lawes that were before as you know the old Conquerours have done in this Kingdome Here is Law against Law and Lord against Lord Christ against sinne and death Here is a Lord by conquest over all other Lords and Lawes therefore here must needes be an alteration of Lawes upon it the very fundamentall Lawes must be altered But to come more particularly to the words For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death The words are much vexed by Expositors I will rather speake my owne judgement of them and reconcile them then dash one mans judgement against another for that tends not to edification The Law of the Spirit of life c. The meaning of the words is plaine if we compare it with other Scriptures The Law It is nothing but a commanding power for so the word written the Law in the Apostles meaning is but a power forcing and commanding So the Law of the Spirit of life is the commanding and forcing power of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus and so the Law of sinne it is either the tyrannicall command and forcing power of sinne or else the condemning for sinne afterwards as we shall see hereafter for we shall unfold the words better in the particulars First then here we have set downe what estate we are in by nature we are under the Law of sinne and of death And then here is our freedome and deliverance from that we are made free from the Law of sinne and of death And then the Author of it Christ Jesus The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death In the words and those that goe a little before there are these three maine fundamentall points of Religion The miserie and bondage of man The deliverance of man And his dutie Here you have his miserie he is under sinne and death Here is his deliverance he is free from this by Christ. And for his dutie you have it in the last Verse of the former Chapter speaking of his deliverance Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death then it followes Thankes be to God through Iesus Christ our Lord Thankfulnesse is due not verball thankfulnesse onely Indeed the whole life of a Christian after his deliverance is a reall thanksgiving but that is not in my Text. To speake therefore of our estate by nature and of our deliverance our estate is that we are under the Law of sinne and death We are under the Law of sinne We are under sinne what sinne We are under a three-fold sinne We are under the first sinne of our first father for as Levi payd Tythes in Abraham to Melchisedech so we all sinned in the Loynes of Adam our first Parent and the guilt of that first sinne lyes upon us Secondly there is another sinne that is derived and springs from that first sinne which is the deprivation of the Image of God the pravation of our nature we call it originall sinne whereby we are stripped of that good we had in our first creation and have the contrarie image the image of Satan stamped upon us so we are under the first sinne the guilt of it and we are under the sinne of nature which we call originall sinne because it is derived to us even from our birth and first originall we had in Adam And then we are under actuall sinnes which are so many bonds to tie us fast under sinne We are dead by nature but we are dead and rotten by actuall sinnes we super adde to the guilt of our sinne by our dayly conversation We are blind by nature but we are blinded indeed much more by our custome of life Every sinne doth as it were tie us faster to damnation and keepes us faster under the bondage of sinne Every new sinne takes away
may be devillish secret bitter darke enemies to that Though they may have strong heads for the good of the State yet it is not from any intrinsecall good in themselves but God useth them and makes them doe that For the Devill would have all naught he is an enemie to the very Swine therefore much more to the good of a State Therefore there are many politike civill Vertues as we fee in Achitophel and Iudas which no question is more then the Devill would have he would not have civill men so good he would not have them doe that they doe for the common good oft times yet the Devill will be sure to be at one end of the good they doe to taint them that their aime shall not be good it shall not be to the glory of God it shall not be in reference to salvation And so as the good is temporall they have a reward sutable to their desire they care for no more for they beleeve not Heaven but in a generall notion It may be there is such things it may be not therefore the good they doe is some little pettie obedience and what doe they desire To be well esteemed and respected to be venerable and to have honourable opinions in the hearts of men that men may stoupe in their conceits to them as men of respect This they deserve indeed and this they have God gives them that they would have But as Christ tells the Pharises who did excellent good things but it was to be seene of men he tells them they had their reward they had all they looked for for they were Atheists they looked not for Heaven So a man may say of all men that are out of the state of grace though they doe more then the Devill would have them and for diverse degrees of that they doe they are not subject to the Devill yet he taints their actions one way or other in the end he joynes himselfe in the action first or last he hath a hand in all their actions So that notwithstanding there be many good things yet this hinders not a whit but that they may be under the power of the Devill for it is but in reference to civill Government and State which is but for a time The fashion of this world passeth away here will be no Magistrates to governe nor no people to be governed ere long I speake it because many men are readie to propound such and such to imitate them in their courses and to say I will be no more religious then he when perhaps all may be but formalitie and common graces for this world God will honour some so much to be instruments for common good here but what is that to eternall salvation He may be a slave to his lusts and an enemie to the power of grace for all that Therefore unlesse we see men wrought upon thorowly to be of the mind of Christ to have the Spirit of Christ to judge of things as Christ judgeth to judge the service of God and doing his will to be the best things and to goe about doing good and that with reference and obedience to God all is nothing else A man may be under the bondage of his corruptions and so by them to Satan Againe when we are under our lusts and sinnes it is about earthly things we are in slaverie to that which is worse then our selves Sinne is the vilest thing in the world and the things whereabout sinne is occupied are the profits and pleasures and trifles of this world meane pettie things it is a base slaverie to consider whom we serve And to consider what it is that is in bondage the immortall soule of man that had the image of God stamped upon it and in the soule of man the most excellent part the will that is most free yet being under sinne it is most bound Our will was given us to cleave to God and the best things to make choise of the best things and to cleave to them undivided in life and death and for ever and so by cleaving to things better then our selves to advance our selves to a higher condition For when the soule of man that is under better things that is under God and Christ and doth cleave to God and Christ in his affections and to the things of a better life these be things bettering a mans condition even raysing the soule from its owne present estate to a glorious condition For we are as we affect our wills and our affections doe transforme us therefore wicked men are called the World because they love it and holy men are called heavenly because they are carryed in their affections and wills to heavenly things Our affections and wills doe denominate us they give us the name nay that is too little they doe give us the realitie the state When God so alters and changes our dispositions that out of a sanctified judgement wee make a right choyse of things and then cleave to them in our wills and affections constantly this raiseth our nature to be higher then it selfe Hee that cleaveth to the Lord is one Spirit as the Apostle saith Indeed our affections tranâ—forme us anew As it is with the fire it transformes cold and grosse bodies to be all fierie so God and heavenly things worke upon our hearts they transforme us to be like themselves Now for this inward soule of man which is so excellent a thing fitted by God to cleave to better things for communion with himselfe and everlasting happinesse for this to be a drudge to base pleasures and profits to the windie empty things of this world to vaine titles such like empty things and to place its happinesse in these things it is a pittifull degeneration that so excellent a thing as the immortall soule of man that shall never die should joyne with those things that shall make him miserable that it shall be better for a man that he had never beene as it is said of Iudas It had beene better for that man that he had never beene borne In the next place consider that that followes this thraldome and basenesse to our lusts there is a double fruite of it The one is uncertaine I meane for our yeelding to our base affections what get we The pleasures of sinne for a season a little pleasure or profit perhaps not that neither but if we have it it is a fading commodity that goes away quickly when they are gotten what are they vanity they promise more before we get them then they performe when we have them But then there is another wages that God in justice hath appointed for it that is damnation The wages of sinne is death it cries for wages When we are under sinne we can looke for nothing but death and therefore he joyns them together here the law of sin and of death an expectation of eternall misery This a man hath that is wedded to himselfe
is the nature of this Tyrant sinne it hath such possession of a man till he be got out of it and be in Christ that it takes away the sight of it selfe it hinders the knowledge of it selfe it puts out a mans eyes For that whereby a man should judge of corruption it is corrupt it selfe The wisedome of a man is death it is enmitie to God The wit that he hath that should discerne of his base courses it tangles him more and more to his owne lusts so that wit and wisedome the highest part of the soule it is imprisoned by base affections and that power that should discerne corruption it is set on worke to satisfie corruption What is the wit of a man that is not in Christ occupied about all his life time it is nothing but a drudge and a slave to devise meanes to satisfie his base lusts Take a worldly man hee is exceeding witty to contrive wordly plots and businesse though he be a dunce and a sot in matters that are spirituall in his owne tract and course hee hath a shrewd wit why because his lusts to the world they whet his wit So we see the best thing in man now is inthralled to sinne his very wisedome it selfe therefore it is enmity to God Every man hath some Herodias some sinne or other that hee is in bondage to till he be in Christ. He cannot in a like measure be given and inthralled to all sinnes it is unnecessary because one sinne serveth another many sinnes serve one great one Corruption doth not runne in all streames in one equality but it runnes amaine one way unchecked and uncontrolled and unmortified in all men that are not in Christ and subdues the soule to it selfe that it can devise and plot for nothing but to satisfie that base lust This is the state of man by nature But some will say it is not our state and condition wee are baptized and receive the Sacrament and heare Sermons and read good bookes and therefore we are not under sinne But saith the Apostle His servants ye are to whom ye obey you may know the state of your service and subjection by the course of your life And as Christ saith to the Iewes Iohn 8. they bragged that they were free alas proud people they were neither free for soule nor state for they were under the Romanes They thought they were free because they were Abrahams children were they not in captivity to the Egyptians and under the Babylonians and in present captivity under the Romanes yet they forget themselves out of pride If the Sonne make you free ye are free indeed but because they were in a sinfull course they were slaves of sinne So it is no matter what priviledges men are under that they receive the Sacrament and are baptized and live in the Church c. His servants yeare whom yee obey If there be prevayling lusts that sit up their throne and tyrannize in our hearts and set our wits on worke to devise how to satisfie them more then to please God it is no matter what priviledges we have it is no matter whose livery we weare but whom we serve We may weare Gods Livery that shall be pulled over our heads afterwards and we be uncased that it shall appeare that we are the Devils servants under the profession of Christ. There is no man that is not in Christ that denies his corrupt nature any thing if revenge bid him take revenge he will if he can if he doe not it is no thankes to him but to the Lawes If any sinne rise in the heart all the parts of the body and powers of the soule are ready weapons to this tyrant to keepe a man in slavery As if anger and wrath keepe a man in bondage you shall have it in his countenance his hand will be ready to execute it his feet will be ready to carry him to revenge If it be a proud heart that a man is kept under you shall have it in his lookes and expressions outward If it be the base affection of lust you shall have adultery in the eye an unchast and uncircumcised eare and filthy rotten language Men you see upon all occasions are ready to execute the commands of these tyrannicall lusts in some kinde or other Therefore never talke of thy freedome when lusts are raised up within thee either ascending from thine owne corruption or cast in by Satan and so joyning with thy heart presently thy tongue will speake wickedly and thine eyes and lookes and countenance shew that there is a naughty heart within and the whole man is ready to execute it further then a man is curbed by Law or respect to his reputation or the like which is no thankes to him Yet a man cannot act the part of a civill man so well but the corruption of his vile heart will betray it selfe in his lookes or language one time or other this tyrant will breake forth Therefore let us looke to our hearts and courses for if we be not in Christ we are under the Law of sin And of Death We are not onely under the law of sinne but also of death Now there is a death in this world the separation of the soule from the body but that is not so much meant here for when we are in Christ we are not free from this death But there a is worse death which is a separation of the soule from the favour and love of God and from the sanctifying and comforting Spirit of God when the Spirit of God doth not comfort and sanctifie the soule it is a death For as the soule is the life of the body the body hath but a communicated life from the union it hath with the soule The soule hath a life of its owne when it is out of the body but the body hath its life from the soule so it is with the soule when there is an estrangement of the soule from the Spirit of God Christ sanctifying and comforting and chearing it then there is a death of the soule the soule can no more act any thing that is savingly and holily good then the body can be without the soule And as the body without the soule is a noysome odious carcasse offensive in the eyes of its dearest friends so the soule without the Spirit of Christ quickening and seasoning it and putting a comelinesse and beautie upon it it is odious All the cloathes and flowers you put upon a dead body cannot make it but a stinking carkasse so all the morall vertues and all the honours in this world put upon a man out of Christ it makes him not a spirituall living soule he is but a loathsome carrion a dead carkasse in the sight of God and of all that have the Spirit of God for hee is under death he is starke and stiffe unable to stirre or moove to any duty whatsoever he hath no sense
nor motion Though such men live a common naturall civill life and walke up and downe yet they are dead men to God and to a better life The world is full of dead men that are dead while they are alive as S. Paul speakes of the Widow that lives in pleasures A fearefull estate if we had Spirituall eyes to see it and thinke of it But then after the death of the soule in this world there is another degree of spirituall death which is when the soule leaves the body then the soule dies for then it goes to hell it is severed for ever from the comfortable and gracious presence of God and likewise it wants the comforts it had in this world And the third degree of it is when body and soule shall be joyned together then there is an eternall separation of both from the presence of God and an adjudging of them to eternall torments in hell This is the state of all men that are not in Christ they are dead in soule while they live dead after the separation of the soule and body and after to be adjudged to eternall damnation world without end Life is a sweet thing and wee know death it is terrible when we would set out our hatefulnesse to any thing wee use to say I hate it as death doe wee love life and doe we hate death we should labour then to be out of that condition that we are all in by nature wherein we are under sinne and death in regard of spirituall life I meane for for civill life and government and policy men may have life and vigour enough that are hypocrites but I speake of a better life an eternall life that is not subject to death Now marke the joyning of both these together we are under sinne and death by nature where a man is under sinne he is under death for as the Apostle saith Rom. 5. Sinne entred into the world and by sinne death They were neither of both Gods creatures neither sinne nor death but sinne entred into the world by Satan and death by sinne Oh ye shall not die saith Satan he was a lyar alway from the beginning so now he saith to men you shall not die you may doe this and doe well enough but he is a lyar and a murtherer when he solicites to sinne he is a murtherer Let us take heed of solicitations to sinne from our owne nature or from Satan marke how God hath linked sinne and death The wages of sinne is death When we are tempted to sinne we thinke I shall have this credit or profite or contentment or preferment and advancement in the world I but that that you get by sinne it is not so great as you looke for when you have it if you get it at all but afterwards comes death the beginnings of eternall death terrours of conscience universally follow if a man be himselfe if he be not besotted The more a man is a man and enjoyes the liberty of his judgement to judge of things the more he sees the misery that is due after sinne with a fearefull expectation of worse things to come Sinne and death are an adamantine chaine and linke that none can sever who shall separate that which God in his Justice hath put together If sinne goe before death will follow if the conception goe before the birth will follow after if the smoake goe before the fire will follow There is not a more constant order in nature then this in Gods appointment first sinne and then death and damnation after Therefore when wee are tempted to sinne let us reason with our selves there is death in the pot let us discerne death in it it will follow And if a man after repent of it it will be more sharp repentance and grievous then the sinne was pleasant that a man shall have little joy of his sinne if he doe repent if he doe not repent what a fearefull estate is a man in after he hath sinned Sinne and death goe together no humane power can sever them for take the greatest Monarch in the world when he hath sinned conscience is above him as great as hee is for conscience is next under God it awes and terrifies him and keepes his sleepe from him as we see of late in our bloody neighbour Country after that great Massacre he could not sleepe without Musicke and the like All that they have and enjoy in the world all their greatnesse it will not satisfie and stop the mouth of conscience but when they sinne they feele the wrath of God arresting and they aâ—e as iâ— were shut up in prison under the terrours of an accusing conscience till they come to eternall imprisoment in the chaine of hell and damnation This is the estate of the greatest man in the world that is not in Christ. They are not so happy as we thinke they are they are imprisoned in their owne hearts though they walke at never so much liberty abroad and doe what they list for sinne and death goes together and before eternall death comes the expectation and terrours of it seize on them for the present So that whatsoever our first birth be though it be noble and great yet by it we are bond-slaves under sinne and death unlesse our second birth our new birth make amends for flâ—â—e for the basenesse of our first birth This prerogative our spirituall noblenesse is such an estate wherein wee are not borne but are borne againe to it to an inheritance immortall c. But by nature wee are all bond men though wee be be borne never so nobly Therefore let us never bragge of our birth as the Jewes did that they were the children of Abraham No saith Christ you are of your father the Devill Let none stand upon the Gentrie and Nobility of their birth unlesse they be taken out of the condition they are in by nature to be in a better condition in Christ for we see all men naturally are under the law of sinne and death These things are slighted because wee enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season men thinke to be inthralled to sinne it is pleasant thraldome they are golden fetters for I shall have the pleasures of sin all my life time c. and for death I will set a Romane spirit against death Saith a Romane what is it such a matter to die It is nothing to die they set a good face on the matter And this is the conceite of many men till they come to it but alas to be inthralled to death it is another matter for behind death there is a gulphe A man may breake the hedgewell enough with a strong resolution to die it is nothing to die if there were an end But there is a gulphe there is damnation and destruction behind there is eternall torment behind to be adjudged from the presence of God for ever to be separated from all good and all comfort
and to have societie with the Devill and his Angels in hell and that forever and for ever Thou maist perhaps make â—light of the service of sinne because thou hast the present baits to delight thee but thou shouldst regard death Thou maist neglect death but then regard eternall death This word Eternall it is a heavy word Eternall separation from all good and eternall communion with the Devill and his Angels and for the wrath of God to seize on thy soule eternally world without end me thinkes men should not set light by that Therefore considering that this is our estate by nature we are all slaves to sinne and death let us labour to get out of this cursed estate by all meanes which is by The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus Now I come to speake of our freedome The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and death This is good news indeed to heare of freedome good newes to the Israelites to heare of freedome out of Egypt and for the Jewes to heare of Cyrus Proclamation for their freedome out of Babylon Freedome out of bondage is a sweet message Here we have such a message of spirituall freedome from other manner of enemies then those were The yeare of Jubile it was a comfortable yeare to servants that were kept in and were much vexed with their bondage when the yeare of Jubile came they were all freed therefore there was great expectation of the yeare of Jubile Here we have a spirituall Jubile a manumission and freedome from the bondage we are in by nature The Spirit of life in Christ makes us free from the Law of sinne and death There is life in Christ opposite to death in us there is a Spirit of life in Christ and a Law of the Spirit of life in Christ opposite to the law of sinne and of death in us So that this is our happinesse while we live here oh it is the blessednesse of men to make use of it while they have time and space and grace to repent and to cleave to Christ that whatsoever ill we are under by nature we may have full supply in Christ for all the breaches that came by the first Adam There came the wrath of God the corruption of our nature terrours of conscience death and damnation all these followed the sinne and breach of the first Adam all these are made up in the second He hath freed us from all the ill wee received from the first Adam and that we have added our selves for we make our selves worse then we come from Adam by our voluntary and daily transgressions but wee are freed from all by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus How comes this freedome There can no freedome be without satisfaction to divine Justice For why are we under sinne God gives us up to sinne why are we under death God gives us up to death Why are we under Satans government he is Gods executioner Gods serjeant he gives us up to him here because we offend him Why are we under damnation and wrath because God is offended All our slavery comes originally from God however it be sinfull in regard of Satan that keepes us yet the power whereby he keepes us is good for he doth it from God His will is alwayes naught but his power is alwayes lawfull therefore the power whereby the Devill keepes us if wee looke up to God under whom the power is it is a lawfull power for God hath a hand in giving us up to finne it is a judiciall giving up and then by lusts and â—inne to Satan and death and damnation So if we speake of freedome wee must not begin with the executioner the wrath of God must be satisfied God must be one with us so as his Justice must have contentment Satisfaction must be with the glory of his Justice as well as of his Mercie his Attributes must have full content one must not be destroyed to satisfie another hee must so be mercifull in freeing us as that content must be given to his Justice that it complaine not of any losse Now reconciliation alway supposeth satisfaction it is founded upon it And satisfaction for sinne it must be in that nature that hath sinned now man of himselfe could not satisfie divine Justice being a finite person therefore God the second Person became man that in our nature hee might satisfie Gods wrath for us and so free us by giving payment to his divine Justice The death of Christ God-man is the price of our liberty and freedome But why doth the Apostle speake here of a Law of the Spirit of life in Christ which frees us but here is no mention of satisfaction by death Oh but death is the foundation of all as we shall see afterwards To unfold the point therefore because it is a speciall point and the words need unfolding Here it is said there is life in Christ. A Spirit of life in Christ. and a Law of a Spirit of life in Christ. There is life in Christ not onely as God for so indeed he is life God his life is himselfe for life is the being of a thing and the actions and moving and vigour and operations of a thing answerable to that being So the life of God is his being As I live saith the Lord that is as I am God I will not the death of a sinner Now Christ hath life in him as God as the Father hath but that is not especially here meant There is life in Christ as God-man as Mediator Now this life is that life which is originally from the God-head indeed it is but the God-heads quickening and giving life to the man-hood in Christ the Spirit quickning and sanctifying the man-hood And we have no comfort by the life of God as it is in Gods life alone severed for alas what communion have wee with God without a Mediator but our comfort is this that God who is the fountaine of life he became man and having satisfied Gods Justice he conveyes life to us he is our head hee hath life in himselfe as God to impart spirituall life to all his members so there is life in Christ as Mediator And there is a Spirit of life that life it is a working life for spirit is an emphaticall word spirit added to a thing increased the thing Againe he saith the Law of the Spirit of life Law is a commanding thing to shew that the life in Christ it is a commanding life it countermands all opposite lives whatsoever of sinne and death and this Law is a countermand to all other Lawes the Law of the Spirit of life frees us from all other Lawes So here is life the Spirit of life and the Law of the Spirit of life all words of strong signification But for the cleare understanding of this sweet and comfortable point First
and in Christ I can doe all things by his Spirit though in my selfe I can doe nothing And so in deadnesse and desolation of Spirit when the soule is cast downe with discomfort let us thinke with our selves the Spirit of life in Christ is a quickening Spirit if I can beleeve in Christ he hath freed me from the guilt of sinne and hee hath by his Spirit given me some little inlargement from the dominion of my corruptions why should I be cast downe I am an heire of heaven ere long Satan shall be trodden under my feet ere long I shall be free from the spirituall combate and conflict with sinne that I am now encountred with therefore I will comfort my selfe I will not be cast downe overmuch In the houre of death let us make use of this freedome of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus from the law of sinne and death When the time comes that there must be a separation of soule and body oh let us thinke with our selves Now I must dye yet Christ hath dyed and I must dye in conformity to my head and here is my comfort the Law of the Spirit of life hath freed me from the law of death it hath freed me from spirituall and eternall death So that now through Christ death is become friendly to me death now is not the death of me but death will be the death of my misery the death of my sinnes it will be the death of my corruptions death now will be the death of all that before troubled me but death will be my birth day in regard of happinesse Better is the day of death then the day of birth When a man comes into this life he comes into misery but when he dies hee goes out of misery and comes to happinesse so that indeed wee never live till we dye wee never live eternally and happily till then for then wee are freed from all misery and sinne Blessed are they that dye in the Lord they rest from their labours they rest from the labours of toyle and misery they rest from the labours of sinne from all labours whatsoever Blessed are they that dye in the Lord and of all times then blessed more blessed then before they rest from their labours and then begins their happinesse that shall never end So you see what comfort a Christians soule sprinkled with the blood of Christ may have if it goe to God in Christ and begge of Christ to be set at liberty from all enemies to serve God in holines and righteousnesse I speake too meanely when I say the Law of the Spirit of life hath fâ—â—ed us from 〈◊〉 and death this is not all the Spirit of life not onely frees us from ill but advanceth us to the contrary good in every thing wherein this freedome is For we are not onely called out of misery but to a Kingdome wee are not onely freed from sinne but intitled to heaven in justification and in sanctification we are not onely freed from corruption but inabled by the holy Spirit of liberty to run the wayes of Gods Commandements and make them voluntary to serve God chearefully zealous of good workes wee are not onely freed from the command and condemnation of sinne and â—he rigour of the Law but we have contrary dispositions ready and willing and voluntary dispositions wrought by the Spirit of Christ to every thing thâ—â—â—s good And so wee are not onely free from death and misery for so things without life are they suffer no misery but wee are partakers of everlasting life and glory the liberty of glory Gods benefits are compleat that is not onely priuative freeing us from ill but positive implying all good because God will shew himselfe a God he will doe good things as a God fully For the Law of the Spirit of life not onely frees us from the law of sinne and of death but writes the Law of God in our hearts he not onely frees us from the law of death but advance us to everlasting life to the glorious life we have in heaven to live for ever with the Lord oâ— happy condition of a Christian if wee could know our happinesse Let us often meditate deepely of Christ and of our selves in him let us see all our ill in him and all our good in him see death overcome and sinne overcome by his death hee being made a curse for us see the Law overcome hee being made under the Law for us when the wrath of God vexeth and terrifieth us see it upon him Hee sweat water and blood in the Garden It made him crie out My God my God why â—ast thou forsaken me See all that may trouble us in him as our Surety And all the good wee hope for see it in Christ first whatsoever he hath in his naturall body it is for his mysticall body for hee gave his naturall body for his mysticall God in the world to humble us exerciseth us with troubles and calamiâ—ies as he did Christ wee must be conformable to our heâ—d but consider the poyson and sting of all ills wee need to feaâ—e is swallowed up and taken away by Christ. And as I said let us see all our good in him wee are sonnes in him raysed 〈◊〉 him blessed in him set in heavenly places with him and shall be follow-heires and Kings with him for wee are his members his Spouse the wife shall enjoy the same condition as the husband whatsoever hee hath she shall have What a comfortable estate is this I we can feare no ill nor want no good whatsoever hee hath it is for us hee was borne for us hee dyed for us hee is gone to heaven for us for us and our good hee did and suffered all these things We cannot exercise our thoughts too much in these meditations The Lords Supper is a Sacrament of union and communion hence it hath its name and by receiving the Sacrament our Communion and union with Christ is strengthned What a comfort then is it to thinke if I have fellowship with Christ it is sealed by the Sacrament when I take the Bread and Wine at the same time I have communion with the Body and Blood of Christ shed for my sinnes and as Christ himselfe was freed from my sinnes imputed to him and by his Resurrection declared that hee was freed so surely shall I be freed from my sinnes So that this Communion taking the Bread and Wine it seales to us our Communion and fellowship with Christ and thereupon our freedome from sinne and from the Law and sets us in a blessed and happy estate Wee should labour therefore by all meanes to strengthen our union and Communion with Christ and amongst the rest reverently and carefully attend upon this blessed Ordinance of God for the body of Christ broken doth quicken us because it is the body of the Sonne of God My flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drinke indeed and hee
calls his body broken the bread of life Why because it was the body of the Sonne of God who is life Iob 6. All life comes from God Now Christ taking our nature upon him his death is a quickning death and by reason of the union with the divine nature now it is the body of God broken and the blood of God shed for us there is our comfort and hee was declared to be so by his Resurrection that declared that he was God and that hee was freed from our sinnes Powerfull must that Saviour needs be that was so strong in his very death when his very body was broken and his blood let out then hee did worke the foundation of all comfort for then hee satisfied the wrath of God Christ was strongest when hee was weakest The Resurrection was but a declaration of the worth of that hee had done Now in the Sacrament wee have Communion with Christ dying especially as his body is broken and his blood shed for that is the foundation of all comfort by his Resurrection And because the Spirit of life was in Christ and did quicken his body while hee was alive and was a Spirit of life even when hee dyed and gave worth and excellency to his death therefore when wee take the Communion wee ought not to meditate meerely of the death of Christ as his blood was shed and his body broken but of the death of such a person as had the Spirit of life in him as was God and man and so set the excellency of his person against all temptations whatsoever Set the excellency of Christ so abased his body broken and his blood shed against all temptations if it be the greatest the wrath of God upon the conscience yet when conscience thinkes this God the party offended gave his owne Sonne to be Incarnate and the Spirit of life in him did quicken mans nature and in that nature did die for satisfaction now God will be satisfied by the death of such a Surety as his owne Sonne so that the excellency of the Person having the Seale of God upon him For him hath God the Father sealed doth wondrously satisfie conscience in all temptations whatsoever What need a man feare death and damnation and the miseries of this life and Satan what are all if God be appeased and reconciled in Christ then a man hath comfort and may thinke of all other enemies as conquered enemies Now we cannot thinke of the death of Christ who was a quickening Spirit but wee must thinke of the death of an excellent person that gave worth to his death to be a satisfactory death for us Therefore let us receive the Communion with comfort that as verily as Christ is mine so his quickening Spirit is communicated to me and whatsoever he hath is mine If I have the field I have the Pearle in it his obedience his victory over death his Sonship is mine his sitting in heaven is for me he sits there to rule me while I am on earth and to take me up to himselfe when I am dead all is for me when wee have Communion with Christ wee have communion with all Therefore the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus when I am one with him it quickens mâ— and frees me from the law of sinne and death FINIS SAINT PAULS CHALLENGE In one Sermon By The late learned and reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinitie Mr of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at GRAYES-INNE PSAL. 27.3 Though an Host should encampe against me my heart shall not feare though warre should rise against me In this will I be confident LONDON Printed by E. P. for Nicholas Bourne and Rapha Harford 1638. SAINT PAVLS CHALLENGE ROM 8.30 What shall wee then say to these things If God be for us who can be against us THE words are a glorious conclusion and triumph of faith the conclusion upon all the former particulars in the Chapter and the foundation of all the comforts that follow after to the end of the Chapter They are as the center of the Chapter all the beames of heavenly comfort in this divine Chapter they meete as it were in one in this short clause What shall we say then to these things c. In the words briefly there is first a question What shall we say to these things And then a triumph If God be with us who can be against us It is a question answered with another question What shall wee say to these things He answers it with another question If God be with us who can be against us What shall we say to these things To these things before mentioned If wâ—e be in Christ there is no condemnation to us if wee be led by the Spirit if we be heires of heaven and fellow heires with Christ if we suffer with him if we have the spirit of prayer to helpe our infirmities in the worst conditions if all creatures groane with us and if all worke for our good if God from all eternity hath written our names in heaven by election and separated us from the rest of the world in vocation and hath sanctified and justified us and will after glorifie us what shall wee say to these things The heart of man is full of doubtings and misgiving full of thoughts According to the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts refreshed my soule a multitude of thoughts and a multitude of comforts there is comfort after comfort because there are thoughts after thoughts and surmises after surmises There is no wast comfort set down in this Chapter and when he hath set down all he comes and concludes in a triumphant manner What shall wee say to these things He propounds the quaere to himselfe he catechiseth his own heart and others if these things be so what can be sayd against them Surely the unbeleeving doubting darke rebellious heart of man hath many things to say against divine truths for though divine truths be lighter then the Sunne and there is no greater evidence of any thing in the world yet they find no place in the unbeleeving heart Let God say what he will the doubting heart is ready to gain-say it but these truths are so pregnant and cleare that it is a wonder that any thing should be said against them What shall we say to thâ—se things Againe he meanes what comfort can you have more what can you desire more what can be said more what use will you make of all that hath beene said what will you sucke out of it If all this be true that hath beene spoken before that a Christian is so elevated above the common condition if God love him from everlasting in election and to everlasting in glorification if in the middle time all shall worke for the best what comfort can the heart of man desire more and what use can you make of this for courage and for comfort for the time to come these things are implyed in this
and do all the good we can in our time And then consider what death will be when we come to die it will be a sweet sâ—eep to us and our resurrection will bee a refreshing our flesh shall rest in hope as David saith We shall be gathered to our fathers wee shall see Corruption indeed but mark what David saith Psal. 16. my flesh shall rest in hope because thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see Corruption Then this is the upshot of all though we see Corruption when we are dead yet with the â—y of faith wee see a rising againe from Corruption We see death but as a pot to refine us in even as it is with silver when there is much corruption and heterogeniall matter mingled with it the fire refines it but it is not lost so the grave refines the body and fits it for a glorious resurrection The flesh rests in hope all the while though the body see Corruption because our head saw no Corruption if the head be above water what if the body be downe our head saw no Corruption that is Christ for he rose out of the grave before his body putrified for his body had a subsistence and was gloriously united to the second person in Trinity and being united to the Lord of life it saw no Cortrption For that did not lie upon Christ as our Saviour to bee corrupt but to die to bee made a curse for us and then especially I say by reason of the neare union of it to the God of life Well then what is Davids argument of comfort in Psal. 16. My flesh shall rest in hope because thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see Corruption Because Christ rose from the grave himselfe the holy one of God our flesh may rest in hope though we see Corruption because the same divine power that raised christ our head out of the grave that his body saw no Corruption will raise our bodies to bee like our glorious bodie Our blessed Saviour that overcame death in his owne person by his power he will overcome death for all his mysticall body that is his Church it shall be perfect in heaven soule and body together as hee himselfe is glorious now in heaven That wee may say with David notwithstanding our bodies see Corruption as his did yet our flesh shall rest in hope because Gods holy one saw no Corruption FINIS The Table Part Page A Abasement ABasement of Christ the greatest 1 10. Abasement of Christ whence it was 1 11. Fruit of Christs Abasement 1 13. Adam Our estate in Christ better then in Adam 1 43. Affections Affections not taken away by religion 1 249. Afflictions Benefit of Afflictions 1 279. Against How farre the enemies of Gods children are Against them 2 74. In what respect none are Against Gods children 2 75. Alone A Christian is never Alone 2 78. Angels Angels the cause of their fall 2 202. Annointed Three sorts of persons Annointed 1 34. Appetite How to get Appetite to feed on Christ 1 183. Application Application wrought by the Spirit 2 43. Faith the grace of Application Ibid. Approach Comfort in our Approach to God 1 27. Ascention The Spirit given more abundantly since Christs Ascention 1 53. Authority Authority of Christ from his Father 1 202. B Behold The word Bâ—â—â—ld how used 1 5. Blame Blame to bee laid upon our selves in judgements 1 316. Bodies Bodies of others not to be doted on 2 229 Bondage Freedome in sin a Bondage 2 17. Bride The Church of God a Bride 2 101. Why the Church is called a Bride 2 106. C Care Ground of Care in our carriage 1 82. Ceremonies Bondage of Ceremonies in the Law 1 263. Chaines Sin as Chaines 2 7. Choise Chosen Christ Chosen of God how 1 19. We should rest in Gods Choise 1 20. Christ. Christ not to be neglected 1 21. How to know wee are in Christ 1 30. All that is good is first in Christ and then in us 1 40. To take heed of refusing Christ 1 210. The greatnesse of the sin to refuse Christ 1 212. Comfort for such as receive Christ 1 213. See Chosen servant delight Adam Christians Difference betweene Christians and others 1 238. 2 205. Disposition of true Christians 1 246. Church Three degrees of men in the Church 1 156. Cleansed To labour to be Cleansed by the blood of Christ 1 296 Comfort Comfort from the ground of Gods love 1 25. Comforts when to bee stored up 1 131. Ground of Comfort for weake Christians 1 228. Comming There must be a second Comming of Christ 2 107. The Church desires Christs Comming 2 108. The Church in Heaven desires Christs Comming 2 113. Christians not alway fitted alike for Christs Comming 2 118. Directions how to desire Christs Comming 2 119 Communion See Saints Common See Service Condition Why we should consider our former Condition 1 140. Why God suffers different Conditions of men 2 137. Conflict Gods children exercised with Conflicts 2 132. How to recover out of Conflict 2.134 Confession Confession of sin necessary 1.288 Good men in their Confessions rank themselves with others 1 289. Conscience Conscience after long sinning hardly comforted 1 94 Conjunction Foure Conjunctions wonderfull 1 10 Consideration Hinderances of Consideration 1 103. Contentment Ground of Contentment 2 84. Contraries Contraries agree in a Christian 1 302. Conviction Ground of Conviction 1 127. Conviction of judgement the ground of practise 2 148. Foure things in Conviction 2 149. Conviction to be laboured for 2 151. Conviction wrought by the Holy Ghost 2 155. Correct God Corrects his children sharply 2 169. Counsell The will of God called Counsell why 2 187. Corruption The best men subject to Corruption why 2 227. Ground of support against Corruption 2 218 Courage Ground of Christian Courage 2 81. Course Every man hath his Course 1 107. God judgeth men according to their Course 1 108 Gods children have a contrarie Course to the world 2 137. Creator God to be served as a Creator 2 187. Crâ—â—â—ion See Redemption Creature God shames mens pride by other Crâ—atures 1 115 D Danger What to doe in times of Danger 1 129. Death Dead Men naturally Dead 1 141. Death what Ibid. Death spirituall wherein it is 1 142. Sin it selfe a Death 1 144. Signes of spirituall Death 1 145. Difference in naturall and spirituall Death 1 152. The best have remainders of Death 1 155. Every man under the law of Death 2 25. How we are under the law of Death 2 27. Sin and Death go together 2 28. â—reedome from sin and Death what 2 49. Difference in the Death of godly and wicked 2 216. See Sinne. Defect Three maine Defects in man 1 34. Defiled The best actions of the best men Defiled 1 299 Delay Repentance not to be Delaied 1 91. Danger of Delaying 1 92. Delight Delight in Christ the ground of it 1 28. Desirâ— See Comming Dying There is a time of Dying as
obedience to the Law 2 To the Gospell 3 Call to mind our especiall sins 4 The uncertainty of life 5 To bee humbled in all the powers of the soule Verball humiliation Necessity of coÌ„fession of sins Confession of sin gives glory to God Holy men in their confessions rank themselve with others The best men guilty of the sins of the times 1 In not sorrowing for them 1 Cor. 5. 2 By Simpathie Vse To labour every one to bee humbled We are all tainted by nature Sin a leprosie Washings in the Law what they signified Sin like a leprosie defiles all Vse To labour to be cleansed by the blood of Christ. Heb. 9 14. By the Spirit of Christ. Vse 2. Take heed of society with sinners Sin worse then the plague In actuall sins to haue recourse to the corruption of nature All the best actions of the best men defiled Object Answ. Though our best actions be defiled yet there is some good in them A double principle in a ChristiaÌ„ CoÌ„traries agree in a Christian In what case to 〈◊〉 and upon our innocenâ—y Prayer put for the whole worship of God Danger of neglecting prayer Prayer layes hold on God Quest. Answ. We must stir up our selves to lay hold of God 1 By considering our danger 2 Meditation of the exceâ—eâ—y â—eceâ—sity of that we beg 3 Importunity with God Outward service alone not accepted 4 To looke for an answer of our prayers The complaint applied to the present times Extraordinarie humiliation required sometimes Men fading as leaves 1 For performances 2 Mortality Men out of Christ blowne away as with a winde A child of God lookes to his sins in all judgements Vse To lay the blame upon our sins Ground of humiliation for sin Nations and kingdomes melt before sin Gods face what The conflict of faith when God hides his face We must seeke Gods face 1 By prayer 2 In his ordinaÌ„ces The consideration that God is our Father should stirre us up to seek to â—iâ— Resignation of our selves in prayer requisite To abase our selves in prayer Foure things that trouble a Christians peace Dependance of the wordsâ— Law what Parts of the Text. Observ. Naturally we are under the Law of sinne Sinne three-â—old 1 Adams sinne 2 Originall sinne 3 Actuall sinnes Prov. 5. Sinnes as chaines Iustice in God to give up men to their sinnes Rom. 1. 2 Thess. The miserie of being under sinne 1 We are under Satan Luke 1. Wicked men acted by the Devill Ephes. 2. 2 Tim. 2. Carnall men better then the Devill would have them 2 To worse thing then our selves 3 So excellent a thing as the soule Simile 4 The fruit of it 1 Vncertaine pleasure 5 Men are insensible of their bondage Freedome in sin is a bondage The false judgement of the world who are happy 6 The tyrannie of sinne Covetousnesse Carnall pleasure Ambition Sin takes away the sight of it selfe Wisedome in man corrupted Men not given up to all sinnes alike Object Answer We are under the law of death 1 Naturall 2 Spirituall 1 In this world 2 At the houre of death 3 At the day of Indgment A man under sin is under death Rom. 5. Sinne and death goe together Vse To see death in sinne Eternitie of misery should deterre from sinne Freedome acceptable We are freed from all ill by Christ. 1 By satisfaction 2 By taking our nature Life in Christ. 1 As God 2 As Mediator All in Christ first The Spirit in Christ. 1 Sanctified his humane nature 2 Ennobled it 3 Enriched it 4 Fitted him for his Sacrifice Iohn 17. 5 Supported him in death 6 In raising him Rom. 1.4 Rom. 4. 1 Pet. 3. What Christ did was for us To see our ill in Christ. To see Christs good for us 1 Pet. 1. The Spirit works application Faith the grace of application How faith is said to doe that that Christ doth Freedome double 1 In this life 2 In effectuall calling 2 In justification 3 In sanctification To be free from the law of sinne and death what Philip. 2. 1 Cor. 15. 2 In the life to come Vse Comfort against rebellion of lusts How to use our prerogatives Comfort in temptations 1 To despaire 2 Temptation by lusts Ephes. 6. 3 Deadnesse of Spirit 4 In the houre of death We are not onely freed from ill but advanced to good Application to the Sacrament Iohn 6. 2 To shew the greatnesse of our priviledges Vse It is good to propound quaere's to our selves God is with his children How God is with them Act. 16. Act. 10 38. Ground of it From Gods free love The comfort on the former ground How farre the enemies of Gods children are against them Why God suffers them to prevaile No man can be against Gods children 1 In respect of Christâ— cause 2 The courage of his children Psal. 129. Vse The state of a Christian impregnable A Christian never alone A Christian though weake in himselfe strong in God Christianity grounded strongly Psal. 118. To lay up principles Ground of Christian courage Cyprian In opposition In our callings Ground of contentment Not to be discouraged for our infirmities Object Answer God sometimes hides himselfe Isay 49. Question Answer Wee may know that God is with us 1 When wee are with him 2 Deâ—ight in Gods presence 3 Taking Gods side 2 Chron. 15. 4 By testimony of conscience Quest. Answer How to have God with us 1 By renewing our Covenants 2 Looke to our cause Psal. 91. Novemb. 5. Psal. 1â—9 Simile Rom. 8.26 The Church â— Bride Can. 5. Vse 1. Comfort by our marriage to Christ. Hosea 2. Vse 2. The Church why called a Bride The deâ—ire of Christs comming There must be a second comming of Christ. Psal. 45. The Church desires the comming of Christ in regard 1 Of scandals 2 Persecutions 3 Oppositions in the Church 4 Weaknesse of Christians 5 Corruption by Satan 5 Christians conflict 6 The necessities of this life 7 The relation betweene Christ and the Church 8 From the nature of love Question Answer The Church in heaven desires Christs comming Vse 1. Tryall of our estate 1 By desiring Christ to come into our hearts now 2 They promote his comming 3 Fitting for it Answer Christians not alway fitted alike for Christs comming Vse Direction to come to desire Christs comming 1 To purge our selves 2 Vnloose our hearts from the world 3 Meditate of our happy condition 4 Labour for the Spirit Meanes to get the Spirit Luke 11. The contents of tâ—e Psalme 1 A coâ—flict 2 A discovery Verse 13. 3 The recovery Verse 17. 4 The Victory Verse 23. The scope of the words Gods children exercised with conflicts Gods children recover 〈◊〉 of conflict Reas. Gods children go not far from him Verse 27. Vse To discerne our estate The way to recover out of conflict to enter into Gods Sanctuary Benefit of entring the Sanctuary Different conclusions
unrepentant persons heart wheresoever he goes he is affraid of the plague affraid of sicknesse affraid of death affraid of every body he knowes he hath his heaven here hee hath not the sting of evills pulled out therefore hee is affraid hee shall goe from the terrors of conscience to the torments of hell his conscience speakes terrible things to him what a cursed state is this How can hee looke with comfort any way Jf he looke to Heaven God is ready to powre the violls of his wrath to execute his vengeance on him If hee looke to the Earth hee knowes not how soone hee shall be layd there or that the earth may swallow him up If he thinke of death it strikes terrour to him every thing is uncomfortable to an unrepentant sinner Let all this stirre us up to this duty of repentance it is the end why God sends his judgements First he warnes us by his Word and if we neglect that he sends judgements and they â—eaze on us that is a second warning and if lesser jâ—dgements will not warne us then he sends greater and all to make us repent if we repent we give the judgements their answer and he will either remove them or sanctifie them so much for that A word of the generality No man No man repented of his evill wayes wee see then That Generality is no plea. We must not follow a multitude to doe evill we must not follow the streame to doe as the world doth will any man reason thus Now there dye so many weekely of the plague it is no matter whether I goe I will goe now into any place without any respect to my company c Will he not reason on the contrary Therefore I will take heed J will carry preservatives about me and looke to my company Selfe-love will teach a man to reason so The Infection is great therefore I will take the more heed And will not spirituall wisedome teach us the more spreading and infectious sinne is the more heed to take When all flesh had corrupted their way then came the flood Generality of sinne makes way for sweeping judgements that takes all away Therefore we have more reason to tremble when the infection of sinne hath ceazed upon all when no man repents of his wickednesse a man should resolve surely I will come out of such company as we see Lot departed out of Sodome and David in his time was as a Pelican in the wildernesse I will rather goe to Heaven alone then goe to hell and be damned with a multitude Multitude is no plea to a wise man Shall we thinke it a meanes to increase danger in worldly things and shall we thinke it a plea in spirituall things It hath beene the commendation of Gods children that they have striven against the streame and been good in evill times Redeeme the time because the dayes are evill saith the Apostle A carnall Christian saith does as the rest doe but saith David Mine eyes gush out with rivers of waters because men keepe not thy Law Doe not feare that you shall passe unrespected if you be carefull to looke to your selves this way If there be but one Lot in Sodome one Noah and his family in the old world he shall be looked to as a Jewell among much drosse God will single him out as a man doth his Iewels when the rubbish is burnt God will have a speciall care to gather his Iewels When a man makes conscience of his waies in ill times and ill company God regards him the more for witnessing to his truth and standing for and owning his cause in ill times it shewes sincerity and strength of grace when a man is not tainted with the common corruptions No man repented What was the cause of all this that they were thus unrepentant and that generallly No man said What have I done The did not say in their hearts and tongues What have I done they were inconsiderate they did not examine and search and try their waies Here we see First that a man can returne upon himselfe he can search and try his owne waies and cite and arrest and arraigne himselfe What have I done This is a prerogative that God hath given to the understanding creature the reasonable soule it can reflect upon it selfe which is an act of judgement The bruit creatures looke forward to present objects they are carried to present things and cannot reflect But man hath judgement to know what hee hath done and spoken to sit upon his owne doings to judge of his owne actions God hath erected a tribunall in every man hee hath set up conscience for a register and witnesse and judge c. there are all the parts of judiciall proceeding in the soule of man This shewes the dignity of man and considering that God hath set up a throne and seate of judgement in the heart we should labour to exercise this judgement Secondly God having given man this excellent prerogative to cite himselfe and to judge his owne courses when man doth not this it is the cause of all mischiefe of all sinne and misery Alas the vile heart of man is prone to thinke it may be God hath decreed my damnation and he might make mee better if he would But why dost thou speake thus O wicked man the fault is in thy selfe because thou doest not what thou mightest doe hath not God set up a judgement seate in thy heart to deliberate of thine owne courses whether thou dost well or ill and thy owne conscience if thou bee not an Athiest and besotted tells thee thou dost ill and accuseth thee for it An ordinary swearer that by Athiesticall acquaintance and poysonfull breeding is accustomed to that sinne if he did consider what good shall I get by this by provoking God who hath threatned that I shall not goe guiltlesse and that I shall give an account for every idle word much more oâ— every idle oath the consideration of this would make him judge and condemne himselfe and repent and amend his waies The exercising of this judgement it makes a mans life lightsome he knowes who he is and whether he goes it makes him able to answer for what hee doth at the judgement seate of God it makes him doe what he doth in cofidence it perfects the soule every way Againe whatsoever we doe without this consideration it is not put upon our account for comfort when we doe things upon judgement it is with examination whether it be according to the rule or no. Our service of God is especially in our affections when wee joy and feare and delight aright Now how can a man doe this without consideration For the affections wheresoever they are ordinate and good they are raised up by judgement they are never good but when they are regular and according to judgement when judgement raiseth up the affections and we see cause why we should delight in God and love him and feare him
Justice for them and by the Spirit of life hath quickned that dead body of his that was surety for us himselfe we may well say Who shall lay any thing to our charge he that is our surety is dead dead nay risen againe nay ascended and sits at the right hand of God Therefore now the conscience of any Christian may make that interrogation and bold demand there it may stand out any that dares to oppose the peace of his conscience now that he may say who is it it is God-man that dyed it is Christ that dyed in our nature and hath raised that nature of ours againe and is at the right hand of God who shall lay any thing to our charge The Spirit of life in Christ quickning him hath quickned us together with him so that now we may boldly demand we are freed from our sinnes because our surety is free from all All this was for our good what Christ did it was not for himselfe but for us and in his birth and life and death and resurrection we must consider him as a publicke person and so goe along with all that hee did as a publicke person Whatsoever may be terrible to us we must looke upon it first in Christ. If we looke upon the corruption and defilement in our nature looke upon the pure nature of Christ his nature was sanctified in his birth and he is a publicke person therefore this is for me and though I be defiled in my owne nature and carry the remainders of corruption about me yet the Spirit of life in Christ sanctified his nature and there is more sanctity in him then there can be sinne in me When we looke upon our sinnes let us not so much looke upon them in our consciences as in our surety Christ. When wee looke upon death looke not upon it in our selves in its owne visage but as it is in Christ undergone and conquered for the power of the Spirit of life in Christ overcame death in himselfe first and for us and will overcome in us in time When the wrath of God is on our consciences looke not upon it as it is in our selves but as undergone by Christ and as Christ by the Spirit of life now in him is raised up not from death alone but from all terrours My God my God why hast thou forsaken me See Christ by the Spirit of life quickened from all not onely bare naturall death but from all enemies thou needest to feare from the Law it is nayled to his Crosse hee now triumphs over it and from sinne hee was a Sacrifice for it and from the wrath of God he hath satisfied it or else he had not come out of his grave So whatsoever is terrible look on it in Christ first see a full discharge of all that may affright thy conscience and trouble thy peace any way See him in his death dying for every man that will beleeve Consider him in his resurrection as a publicke person not rising himselfe alone but for all us therefore is 1 Pet. 1. There is an excellent place Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. and so goe along with him to his Ascension and see our selves sitting with him in heavenly places as Saint Paul speakes oh this is a sweet meditation of Christ to see our selves in him in all the passages of his birth and life and death and resurrection and ascension to glory in heaven for all that he did was as a publicke person as the second Adam But now before the Spirit of life in Christ come to free me I and Christ must be one there must be an union betweene me and Christ I must be a member of Christ mysticall For as Christ quickened his owne body every joynt when it was dead because it was his body so he quickens his mysticall body every member of it but I must be a member first I must not be my selfe severed from Christ. Therefore the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ the first thing it doth next to impetration and obtaining of happinesse it workes application for these two goe together impetration and application Christ by his death obtained all good and by his resurrection hee declared it but there must be an application to me Now this Spirit of life which is in Christ which quickened him and raised him up and all for my good must apply this to me The grace of application it is faith therefore this must be wrought in the next place How doth the Law of the Spirit of life free me because first it freed Christ therefore me but that is not enough except there be application Therefore the Law of the Spirit of life workes faith in me to knit me to Christ to make me beleeve that all that hee hath done is mine and the same power that raised Christ from the dead workes the power of faith and application For wee must not thinke that it is an easie thing for a carnall man to beleeve to goe out of himselfe that it is salvation enough to have salvation by the obedience of another man No both in the Ephesians and Colossians in divers places it is S. Pauls phrase that the same power that raised Christ from the dead must raise our hearts and worke faith in them For as the good things that faith layes hold on are wondrous good things even above admiration almost that poore flesh and blood a piece of earth should be an heire of heaven a member of Christ that it should be above Angels in dignity as the things are superexcellent things even above admiration in a manner so the grace that beleeves these things it is a strange and excellent and admirable grace that is faith Therefore faith must be wrought by the Law of the Spirit of Christ by the ministery of the Gospell This is the grace of application when a man goes out of himselfe when he sees himselfe first in bondage to his corruptions to Satan and to death and then sees the excellent way that God hath wrought in Christ to bring him out of that cursed estate then hee hath by the Spirit of life faith wrought in him And indeed the same power and Spirit that quickened Christ from the dead must quicken our hearts to beleeve in Christ. It is a miracle to bring the heart of man to beleeve Wee thinke it an easie matter to beleeve indeed it is an easie matter to presume to have a conceite but for the soule in the time of temptation and in the houre of death for the guilty soule to goe out of it selfe and cast it selfe upon the mercy of God who is justly offended and to beleeve that the obedience of Christ is mine as verily as if I had obeyed my selfe here must be a strong