to oblige us the more strongly to endeavour it And Partly because we have consented to this obligation in Baptism All the members of the Church have ingaged themselves to imploy the death and strength of Christ for the subduing of sin they are dead as they have upon this incouragement undertaken its death and in part already begun it 2. How all can be said to be dead when Christ died Since most of the Elect were not then born or yet in being Answer 1. When Christ was upon the cross be sustained the relation of our head or Common Person 'T was not in his own name that he appeared before Gods Tribunal but in ours not as a private but as a publick person So that when he was crucified all believers were crucified in him for the act of a Common Person is the act of every particular Person represented by him As a Knight or Burgess in Parliament serveth for his whole Borrough and Country Now that Christ was such a Common Person appeareth plainly by this that Christ was that to us in grace what Adam was to us in nature or sin The First Adam was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. â—4 The figure of him that was to come And Christ is called the Second Adam 1 Cor. 15.45 The Second Common Person So that as we had a death in sin from the First Adam so a death to sin from the Second As we stood in Adam in Paradise so we stood in Christ upon the Cross Adams act in Paradise was in effect ours In Adam we all died 1 Cor. 15.21 So Christs act was in effect ours In Christ we all died Spiritually and mystically Adam did as it were lend his Body in Paradise we saw the forbidden fruit with his eyes gathered it with his hands eat it with his mouth that is we were ruâ—ned by these things as if we had been by and actually consented to his sin So in Christs representation on the Cross all believers are concerned as if they had been by and actually present and had been crucified in their own Persons and born the punishment of their own sins for all this was done in their name and â—ead that they might have the benefit 2. Christ was on the Cross not only as a Common Person but as a Surety and Vndertaker I say in his death there was not only a Satisfaction for sin but an obligation to destroy it There was an undergoing and an undertaking As he is set out in the Scripture under the notion of a Second Adam So also of a Surety Heb. 7.22 Christ is called the Surety of a better Testament Now he was a Surety mutually on Gods part and ours First he was to ingage for us to God and in the name of God ingaged himself to us The tenor of both ingagements is in Rom. 6.6 That the body of death should be destroyed that we should from thenceforth no longer serve sin Assoon as we consent to this stipulation this taketh effect On Gods part Christ undertook to destroy the body of sin by the Power of his Spirit which should be given to us to become a principle of Life in us and of death to our old man Titus 3.5 More particularly we mortify the deeds of the body by the help of the Spirit Rom. 8.13 The Holy-Ghost when he reneweth the heart puts into it a principle and seed of Enmity against sin 1 John 3.9 He cannot sin because the seed abideth in him And as that is cherished obeyed sin is resisted and mortified And he actuateth and quickeneth it yet more and more that it may prevail against the sin which dwelleth in us 2dly As our Surety he undertook that we should no longer serve sin that we should not willingly indulge any presumptuous acts nor slavishly lye down in any habit or course of sin Or under the power of any arnal distemper but also should use all godly endeavours for the preventing weakning or subduing it Christs act being the act of a Surety he did oblige all the Parties interessed he purchased grace at Gods hands and bound us to use all holy means of watching striving humiliation cutting off the provisions of the flesh avoiding occasions weaning the heart from earthly things which are the bait and fuel of sin that keep it alive 3. Our consent to this ingagement is actually given when we are converted and solemnly ratified in Baptism 1. 'T is actually given when we are converted Rom. 6.13 As those that are alive from the dead yield your selves to God and your members as instruments of righteousness to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weapons we then give up our selves to work and first as to do his work so to war in his warfare against the Devil the World and the flesh Till the merit of Christs death be applyed by faith to the hearts of sinners they are alive to sin but dead to righteousness but then they are dead to sin and alive to righteousness and as alive from the dead and then yield up themselves to serve and please God in all things 2dly That this is solemnly done or implyed in Baptism For when we were baptized into Christ we were baptized into his death Rom. 6.3 4 5. In Baptism we did by solemn vow and profession bind our selves to look after the effects of Christs death to mortify the deeds of the body or which is all one renounce the Devil the World and the flesh The Devil as the great architect and principle of all wickedness the World as the great bait and snare the flesh as the rebelling principle Our Baptism is certainly an avowed death to sin it implieth a renunciation by way of vow for 't is the answer of a good conscience towards God And the ancient covenants were made by way of question and answer 1 Pet. 3.21 The very washing implieth it washing is a purifying and after purifying we must not return to this mire again 2 Pet. 1.19 He hath forgotten he was purged from his old sins We promised to give over our old sins or as 't is our first ingrafting and implanting into Christ and his death if when we are baptized we are reckoned to be dead The death of Christ was mainly to put away sin and to take away sin 1 John 3.5 And Heb. 9.26 Now sins were not taken away that men may resume and take them up again The great condemnation of the Christian world is that when Christ would take away their sins they will not part with their sins 3dly How they can be dead to sin and the World since after conversion they feel so many carnal motions Ans. 1. By consenting to Christs ingagement they have bound themselves to dye unto sin When we gave up our names to Christ we promised to cast off sin and therefore we are to reckon our selves as dead to â—in by our own vow and obligation and accordingly to behave our selves Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead
Duties or the Legal administrations which are called carnal Ordinances Heb. 9.10 and Truth in opposition to them again as they are called shadows of good things to come Heb. 10.1 In this sense the Gospel or New Covenant might well be called the Law of the Spirit but not for this reason only but because of the power of the Spirit that accompanieth it as 't is said 2 Cor. 3.6 Who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Lex jubet gratia juvat and the grace of the Gospel is the gift of the Spirit 3. 'T is called the Spirit of Life because through the preaching of the Gospel we are renewed by the Holy Ghost and have the new life begun in us which is perfected in Heaven and we are said Gal. 2.19 To be dead to the Law that we may live unto God that is that by vertue of the spirit of Christ dwelling in us we may live righteously and holily to the glory of God 4. 'T is the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus partly because he is the author and foundation of this new Covenant and partly also because from him we receive the Spirit as from our head we have the unction from the holy one 1 John 2.10 and the renewing of the Holy Ghost is shed upon us abundantly through Christ Jesus our Lord Titus 3.6 Thus I have plainly opened the first Law mentioned Let us address our selves to the second 2. The Law of Sin and Death Thereby is meant the covenant of works which inferreth condemnation to the fallen Creature because of sin and in part the legal Covenant not as intended by God but used by them it proved to them a Law of Sin and Death for the Apostle calleth it the ministration of Death 2 Cor. 3.7 and verse the 9th a ministration of condemnation Now because it seemeth hard to call a Law given by God himself a Law of Sin and Death I must tell you 't is only called so because it convinceth of Sin and bindeth over to Death and that I may not involve you in a tedious debate I shall expedite my self by informing you That the Law of works hath a twofold operation the one is about Sin the other about Wrath or the Death threatned by the Law 1. About Sin its operation is double First it convinceth of Sin as 't is said Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledg of Sin That is the use of it is to bring us to an acknowledgment of Sin and Guilt For when the Law sets before a man what God commandeth and forbiddeth and a mans Conscience convinceth him that he hath offended against it by Thoughts Lusts Words Deeds he findeth himself a sinner and his heart reproacheth him as one that is become culpable and guilty before God so that all are concluded under Sin by the services of that Covenant neither will the legal covenant help him for that is rather an acknowledgment of the Debt than a token of our Discharge a Bond rather than an Acquittance an hand-writing of Ordinances against us Col. 2.14 which did every year revive again the Conscience and remembrance of Sins Heb. 10.3 Secondly The other Operation of the Law about Sin is That it irritateth Sin and doth provoke and stir up our carnal desires and affections rather than mortify them For the more carnal men are urged to obedience by the rigid exactions of the Law the more doth carnal nature rebel as a Bullock is the more unruly for the yoking and a River stopt by a Dam swells the higher The Law requireth Duty at our hands but confers not on corrupt man power to perform it and denounceth a Curse against those that obey not but giveth no strength to obey that it is so is plain by that of the Apostle Rom. 7.5 When we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto Death While we were under the Dominion of corrupt nature Sins that were discovered by the Law were also irritated by the Law as ill vapours are discovered and raised by the Sun which were hidden in the earth before and so Sin brought forth those ill fruits the end whereof is Death but this is not to be charged on the Law of God but the perverseness of man for the proper use of the Law is to discover and retrain Sin and weaken it not to provoke and stir it up See how the Apostle vindicateth Gods Law Rom. 7.7 8. What shall we say then is the Law sin God forbid nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust unless the Law had said Thou shalt not covet but sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Thus he answereth the Objection If Sin grow more powerful in us by the Law then is the Law Sin No far be it from our thoughts the Law is not the cause but the occasion only as Sin sheweth its power upon the restraint Well then the ceremonies of the legal Covenant do not mend the matter for these are but a weak fence about our duty and bridling more of our liberty stubborn man spurneth the more against the Law of God and will not be subject to it 2. The other operation of the Law is about Death or the Judgment denounced against Sin and so 't is said the law worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 as it bringeth punishment into the World and revealeth Gods wrath against the transgressions of men and raiseth the fears of it in our Consciences and 't is called the Law of Death because unavoidably it leaveth man under a Sentence of Death or in a cursed and lost estate by reason of Sin These are the two Laws 3. By one Law we are freed from the other the Apostle saith me but he personateth every Believer they are all freed by the Covenant of Grace from the bond and influence of the Covenant of Works so 't is a common Priviledg what belongeth to one belongeth to all 2. My second part is to suit the words as an Argument to confirm the former Proposition 1. They confirm the Priviledg There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ. They are free from the Law of Sin and Death he that is freed from the Law is acquitted from Condemnation it can have no power over him 2. The Description is double first from their internal estate they are in Christ Therefore they have the priviledges and advantages of his new Law of the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus Secondly their external course They walk not after the flesh but after the spirit They have a spirit and a quickning sanctifying spirit grace given them in some measure to do what the Law injoineth being under
Progress in Religion and stop there they lose what they have Luk. 8.18 From him that hath not shall be taken what he seemeth to have to him that imployeth his stock more shall be given but the other is on the losing hand Secondly As to the Hope and Comfort that followeth this Profession An Inclination to that which is good I suppose without that there can be no true Comfort 'till we should submit to the Conditions of the Gospel-law Matth. 5.28 29 30. There Temporaries are defective all therefore see it and know it when they are serious and considerative and their mistakes and misconceits are blown away by Death and Judgment now the conditions are Believing Repenting and Gospel-walking Now their Faith will not yield Comfort Gal. 5.6 Neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision availeth any thing but Faith that worketh by love Not their Repenting not a little sorrow for sin past 'till carnal Distempers are mortified 2 Cor. 7.10 So for Gospel-walking not a loose owning of Christ Mat. 7.21 'till there be a full Obedience to his Law putting it in practice with an upright Heart which is not consistent with allowed failings A man may profess himself a Christian yet if he do not his Fathers Will he may come short USE Oh then let us take heed we be not of the number of those whose Lamps are gone out The Lamps of the Sanctuary were never to go out but to burn alwayes Exod. 17.20 To this end 1. Apply your selves to Christ in the use of his appointed means for the renewing your Natures That his Spirit may give you a new Understanding and a new Heart God hath made the offer Ezek. 36.26 and it is only made good to those that diligently attend upon the appointed Means 2. Improve what you receive in that way 1 Thess. 5.14 Quench not the Spirit Fire may be quenched by powring on water or withdrawing the Fuel Quench not the Spirit by fleshly delights nor by a careless Conversation 3. They ask the wise Give us of your Oyl First This demand was unseasonable to be getting Oyl when they should use it to have their Oyl to buy when their Lamps should have been burning There is a time of getting if we lose that our opportunity is gone Luke 14.32 Isa. 55.2 John 9.4 While you have the day work for the night cometh in which no man can work Secondly It was extorted by meer necessity In a time of straits and distresses men will call upon the People of God to help them as Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron when Gods Judgements were upon him SERMON VII MATTH XXV v. 9. But the wise answered saying Not so lest there be not enough for us and you but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selves IN the words we have 1. A Denyal 2. The Reason of the Denyal 3. Their advice and Counsel to the foolish First The Denyal not so 't is not a churlish and envious Denyal but such an Answer as the nature of the thing would bear If they should be so kind they would deprive themselves and not leave sufficient for them both therefore they were better take the usual way of supply Three points are in this Verse 1 Doct. Every one must get Oyl into his own Lamp or get Grace of his own or else in the day of his Accounts the Grace of others will do him no good Secondly From the Reason lest there be not enough for us and you 2 Doct. They that have most grace have none to spare 3 Doct. If we would get Grace we must have recourse to the Ordinances For the first Point That every man must get Grace of his own 1. I do not hereby exclude the Righteousness of Christ or his communicating his Spirit to us There is a great deal of difference between Christ and the Saints in point of Sufficiency Power and Authority First They have not a Sufficiency for themselves and us too Christ hath a fulness out of which you may receive enough John 1.16 Of his fulness we receive grace for grace There is plenitudo Fontis plenitudo Vasis The Fulness of a Fountain and the Fulness of a Vessel The fulness of a Vessel is lessened and abated the more you take out of it the Creature is wasted by giving but a fountain is ever flowing and overflowing it keepeth its fulness still though it affordeth to others God saith to Moses Numb 11.12 I will take of the Spirit that is upon thee and put it upon them The words seem principally to intend as if his own Gifts and Abilities were given to them to help bear a part in the burden of the Government Secondly In point of Power they have no power to transfuse and put over their Righteousness to another As a man cannot divide and part his Life between him and another But Christ who liveth in us and is spiritually united to us he can impart his Grace and Righteousness 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Gal. 2.20 The life that I live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Thirdly If they could do so they have no Authority and Commission to do it as God hath given to Christ Joh. 3.34 35. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand And Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him Such a difference there is between the Lord Jesus Christ and the Saints He can give us of his Oyl and will do it will not deny those that seek it humbly and seasonably and have enough himself as the precious Oyntment upon Aarons head and beard ran down to the skirts of his Garments Psal. 133.2 so doth Christ the Head communicate his Gifts and Graces to all his Members 2. I do not hereby exclude the Benefit which we have by the Communion of the Saints in the Mystical Body of Christ here in this World The Members are mutually usefull to one another as 't is said Col. 2.19 From which all the Body by joynts and hands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God 'T is from the Head but knit together by Nerves Veins and Arteries The Apostle saith that every joynt supplyeth something Eph. 4.16 we communicate to one another that strength and nourishment which all receive by the Head There is no Member but is of use we have benefit from one anothers Gifts and Graces or else we could not be serviceable in the Body But the Case in the Text is different these foolish Virgins had their former advantages which they should have improved to have supplyed them in the day of their Account Now the wise could not help the
content with it God is the Master of the Scenes and appoints which Part to act We must not prescribe to Providence at what rate we will be maintained nor what we will do but keep within the Bounds of our Place If you do any thing that is not within the compass of your Calling you can have no warrant that it pleaseth God Christ would not intermeddle out of his Calling Luke 12.14 Man who made me a Judg or a Divider over you Vzzah's putting his Hand to the Ark cost him dear If Troubles arise we cannot suffer them comfortably we are out of God's way Most of our late Mischiefs came from invading Callings as there are Confusions in Nature when Elements are out of their Places God is glorified and served in a lower Calling as well as in an higher Poor Servants may adorn the Gospel of God our Saviour in all things Tit. 2.10 Answ. 2. With Patience digest the Inconveniences of your Calling Affliction attendeth every state and condition of Life but we must go through chearfully when in our way and place 4. This Work must be finished and perfected we must be working till God call us off by Death or irresistible Providences We must persist hold out in God's Way without Defection Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto the Death I will give thee a Crown of Life Get the Gift of Perseverance happy are they that have past such a tempestuous Sea with safety He was a foolish Builder who laid the Foundation of a stately Fabrick and was not able to finish it O when this is done we may resign up our selves to the Mercy of God 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judg shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto them also that love his appearing It is an excellent thing after such a dangerous Voyage to come safe to Shore How sweet is it to enjoy our past Lives and yield up our Spirits to God saying Lord I have made it my study to glorify thee Isa. 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect Heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Others Souls are taken away but yours are resigned II. Why this should be our great care 1. This is the End why all Creatures were made Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things When God did make the World he did not throw it out of his Hands and leave it alone to subsist of it self as a thing that had no further relation to him but so guides it and governs it that as the first production and continued subsistence of all things is from himself so the ultimate Resolution and Tendency of all things might be to him The whole World is a Circle and all the Motions of the Creatures are circular they end where they began as Rivers run to the place whence they came All that issueth out of the Fountain of his Goodness must fall again into the Ocean of his Glory but Man especially If God had made us to live for our selves it were lawful But Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself all things are made ultimately and terminatively for God but Man immediately Creatures are made immediately for us and submit to our Dominion or are created for our use 2. From God's Right and Interest in us Rom. 14.7 8. For none of us liveth to himself and no Man dieth to himself For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lord's We are his and therefore for him All that you have is God's and by giving it to you he did not divest himself of his own Right God scatters his Benefits as the Husbandman doth his Seed that he may receive a Crop His Glory is not due to another He made us out of Nothing and bought us 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ye are not your own ye are bought with a Price therefore glorify God in your Body and in your Spirit which are God's If we had any thing our own we might use it for our selves 3. We shall be called to an account Luke 19.23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my Mony into the Bank that at my coming I might have required my own with Vsury We must give an account what honour God hath had by us in our Relations as Magistrates Ministers Masters of Families Servants Husbands Wives Parents Children What Honour by our Estates Relations c. We are obliged so deeply by preceding Benefits that if there were no account to be given we should be careful to use all things for his Glory Oh but much more when there will be so strict and severe an Account The Lord of those Servants will reckon with them What we enjoy is not Donum a Gift but Talentum a Talent to be improved for our Master's Use. Beasts are liable to no Account because they have not Reason and Conscience as Man hath and are meerly ruled with a Rod of Iron they are to glorify God passively but we are left to our choice and therefore must give an account 4. Because of the great Benefit that cometh to us by it God noteth it and rewards it He noteth it Joh. 17.10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them Our Redeemer speaketh well of us behind our Backs and maketh a good Report of us in Heaven And he rewards it in the day of his Royalty Christ will not be ashamed of his poor Servants Mat. 19.28 Ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel 5. The End enobleth a Man and still the Man is according to his End Low Spirits have low Designs and a base End is pursued by base Actions Mat. 6.22 23. The Light of the Body is the Eye if therefore thine Eye be single thy whole Body shall be full of Light But if thine Eye be evil thy whole Body shall be full of Darkness Men are properly such as the End that they aim at he that pursueth any worldly Interest or earthly Thing as his End is Earthly he becometh himself Earthly the more the Soul directeth it self to God the more God-like their Inclinations are above the base things of this World Psal. 17.14 From Men of the World which have their Portion in this Life and whose Belly thou fillest with thy hid Treasures The Noblest Soul is for the Noblest Object others do but provide for the Flesh they drive on no greater Trade they may talk of Heaven wish for it rather than Hell when they can live no longer but their Lives are
in their place but by their Faith and the Godly are elsewhere called of the Hâ—â—shold of Faith Where ever our Implantation into Christ or Participation of the Privileges of his Death or our Spiritual Communion in the Church is spoken of the Condition is Faith It is a Grace that sendeth us out of our selves to look for all in another It is the Mother of Obedience as all Disobedience is by Unbelief so all Obedience is by Faith First he said Ye shall not die and then Ye shall be as Gods First he seeketh to weaken their Faith in the Word they could not be proud and ambitious till they did disbelieve Therefore above all Things let us labour after Faith Our Hearts are taken up with the World the Honours and Pleasures of it these cannot make us happy but Christian Privileges will all which are conveyed to us by Faith But let us come to the second Point Doct. 2. That in the reckoning and sense of the Gospel they are Believers that are wrought upon to believe in Christ through the Word Here is the Object Christ the Ground Warrant and Instrumental Cause and that is the Word The Warrant must be distinguished from the Object the Warrant is the Word and the proper object of Faith is Christ as considered in his Mediatory Office Sometimes the Act of Faith is terminated on the Person of Christ and sometimes on the Promise to shew there is no closing with Christ without the Promise and no closing with the Promise without Christ. As in a Contract there is not only a receiving of the Leaâ—e or Conveyance but a receiving of Lands by virtue of such a Deed and Conveyance So there is a receiving of the Word and a receiving of Christ through the Word the one maketh way for the other the Promise for our Affiance in Christ. Faith that assents to the Promise doth also accept of Christ there is an Act terminated on his Person Faith is not assensus axiomati a naked Assent to the Propositions of the Word but a Consent to take Christ that we may rely upon him and obey him as an Alsufficient Saviour But now let us speak of these distinctly First Of the Object that is to believe in Christ. There is believing of Christ and believing in Christ. He doth not say those that believe me but those that believe in me through their Word Believing Christ implieth a Credulity and Assent to the Word and believing in Christ Confidence and Reliance Once more Believing in Christ is a Notion distinct from Believing in God Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me Since the Incarnation and since Christ came to exercise the Office of a Mediator there is a distinct Faith required in him because there are distinct grounds of Confidence because in him we see God in our Nature we have a claim by Justice as well as Mercy we have a Mediator who partaketh of God's Nature and Ours and so is fit to go between God and us Briefly to open this believing in Christ it may be opened by the Implicit or Explicit Acts of it 1. There is something Implicite in this Confidence and Reliance upon Christ and that is a lively sense of our own Misery and the Wrath of God due for Sin All God's Acts take date from the Nothingness and Necessity of the Creature and from thence also do begin our own Addresses to God God's Acts begin thence that he may be All in All from the Creation to the Resurrection God keepeth this Course and then the Dispensation ceaseth for then there is no more want but fulness Creation is out of Nothing Providence interposeth when we are as good as Nothing at the Resurrection we are nothing but Dust God worketh on the few Relicts of Death and Time So in all Moral Matters as well as Natural it is one of his Names He comforteth those that are cast down When he came to convert Adam he first terrified him They heard the Voice of God in the Garden and were afraid Gen. 3.10 He delivered Israel out of Egypt when their Souls were full of Anguish We are first exercised with the Ministry of the Condemnation before Light and Immortality are brought to Life in the Gospel and still God keeps his old Course Men are first burdened and sensible of their Load before he giveth them ease and refreshment in Christ. At the first Gospel-Sermon preached after the pouring forth of the Spirit Acts 2.37 They were pricked in their Hearts Christ's Commission was to preach the Gospel to the poor and broken-hearted and bruised Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord was upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted to preach Deliverance to the Captives the recovering of Sight to the Blind to set at liberty them that are bruised This is the Road-way to Christ. And all our Addresses to God begin too thence Man is careless Mat. 22.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they made light of it and proud Rom. 10.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God The Israelites were not weary of Egypt till they were filled with Anguish Adonijah when he found himself guilty of Death he laid hold on the Horns of the Altar The Prodigal never thought of returning till he began to be in want and to be soundly pinched Therefore till there be a due sense and conviction of Conscience it is not Faith but carnal Security In short we can never be truly desirous of Grace we cannot prize it we do not run for refuge Heb. 6.18 We are not earnest for a Deliverance till there be some such Work There are two Things keep the Conscience quiet without Christ Peace and Self Carnal-security and Self-sufficiency 1. It is hard to wean Men from the Pleasures of Sense and to make them serious in the Matters of their Peace before Christ and they be brought together they and themselves must be brought together This God seeketh to do by outward Afflictions that he may take them in their Month as the Ram was caught in the Briars In Afflictions Men bethink themselves 1 Kings 8.47 If they shall bethink themselves in the Land whither they are carried Captives c. It makes them to return upon themselves how it is between God and them If Affliction worketh not he joineth the Word it is a Glass wherein we see our natural Face James 1.21 God sheweth them what loathsome Creatures they are how liable to Wrath. Or if not by the Power of his Spirit upon their Consciences their Reins may chasten them they cannot wake in the Night or be solitary in the Day but their Hearts are upon them so great a Matter is it to bring Men to be serious 2. Self When the Prodigal began to be in want he joined himself to a Man of that Country Luke 15.15 We have slight Promises and Resolutions and
Isa. 58.5 They afflict the soul for a day or bow down the head like a bulrush and so in the external actions of other Duties That this deceit may be more strong they exceed in outward Observances and that produceth Superstition or some by-Laws of our own by which we hope to expiate our sins as to whip and gash our selves Micah 6.6 7. Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord and â—ow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul On the other side if mens Tempers Education and strain of Religion carry them to another way and they are all for the Grace of the Gospel without the Rudiments of men the Devil knows how to charm and lull Souls asleep in sin by that way of Profession also and so many take liberty to sin under the pretence that God may have more occasion to exercise his mercy and our proneness to please the flesh is countenanced by presumptions of Grace and the supposition of unreasonable Indulgences of God to the faulty Creature Psal. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self God will not be so severe as is commonly imagined and so lessening Gods Holiness they abate their Reverence of him Psal. 68.19 20 21. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death But God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses He seeketh to obviate their conceit how great soever the riches of his Bounty and Grace offered in Christ be yet he is irreconcileable to those that cease not to follow a course of sin 3. This conceit is strengthened in us because many that profess Christianity live licentiously All sins propagate their kind and among others abuse of Grace we see others have great hopes and confidence in Christ notwithstanding their carnal and worldly course of living and self-love prompteth us that we may hope to fare as well as they and so we leaven one another with a dead loose carnal sort of Christianity instead of provoking each other to love and good works Heb. 10.24 Self-love is very partial and loth to think evil of our condition now this cannot be justified by the Laws of Christianity yet it is often justified by the lives of Christians after this Rule they live in the World and we think we may do as others do 4. There is another cause that is Satan who abuseth the weakness of some Teachers and the ignorance of some Hearers to misapply the Grace of the Gospel and the comforts of Justification to countenance their sins The Devil knoweth we will not receive his Doctrine in his own Name and therefore doth what he can to usurp the Name of Christ and to obtrude his Commands upon us in the Name of Christ and so conveyeth poison to you by the Perfume of the Gospel and if he can set Christ against Christ his Merits and Mercy against his Government and Spirit his Promises against his Laws Justification against Sanctification he knoweth that he obtaineth his end and purpose that the Gospel which was set up to destroy the works of the Devil will be a means to cherish his Kingdom in the World And on the Hearers part he abuseth them also carnal hearts turn all into fuel for their lusts and with the more pretence if they can alledge a Dispensation from God himself to serve and please the flesh and no harm shall come of it A little trusting in Christ shall serve the turn though they live never so impure lives I ascribe all this to Satan because all Errour is from him who is the Father of Lyes who often obtrudeth upon the simple credulity of Christians his own Gospel instead of Christ's and by a partial representation of Christs Gospel destroyeth the whole II. I come now to make good the Charge First That this inference is very unjust and ill grounded The Pretence here are those words of the Apostle in the two last verses of the former Chapter Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. These words yield no such consequence To evince which 1. I shall state the meaning of those words 2. Show the unjustness of this illation from them 1. For the meaning the Apostle sheweth the Law was given to the Israelites by Moses not that they might be justified thereby but that sin and punishment to which we are liable by reason of sin might the better be known and so the Grace of God in Christ which justifieth us notwithstanding the grievousness of sin might be the more esteemed and we might the more earnestly fly to it for Sanctuary and Refuge and the Curse might drive us to the Promise For there are two things which the Law discovereth 1. The multitude and hainous nature of our offences it entred that sin might abound not in our practice but in our sense and feeling as being more apparent and awakening more lively stings in our Consciences If a rugged and obstinate People sin the more that is not the fault of the Law but of our corrupt Nature which always tendeth to that which is forbidden it only took occasion from the commandment Rom. 7.8 The proper effect of the Law was to give us more convincing and clear knowledge of Duty and Sin or to be a means to aggravate sin to render it more exceedingly hainous as being against an express Law of Gods own giving with great Majesty and Terrour 2. The other use of the Law is to give us an awakening sense of the punishment due to sin as it exposes us to temporal and eternal death vers 21. and so our deliverance and life by Christ might be more thankfully accepted who by his Mercy hath taken away the condemning and reigning power of sin by granting pardon of it and power over it so that as a great and mortal disease maketh a Physician famous if he cureth it so sin maketh the Grace of Christ more conspicuous and glorious 2. The injustice of the Illation 1. There is a difference between causa per se and causa per accidens a Cause and an Occasion though the abounding of sin helpeth to advance Grace it is not of it self but by accident by Gods over-ruling Grace therefore it is a desperate Adventure to try Conlusions to drink rank Poison to experiment the goodness of an
is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead To convert Souls to God there needeth a mighty working of efficacious Power which exceedeth all contrary power which might hinder and impede that work Men by Nature are averse from God the Devil seeketh to detain them from him and his powerful Engine is the World But now if they are to be raised as Christ was raised what can oppose this work So that we have not only the Merit of his Humiliation but the Power of his Exaltation And besides that this Power is likely to be exercised for us we may consider that Christ is said to rise by his own Power Joh. 2.19 Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up Joh. 10.17 I lay down my life that I may take it again and to be raised by the Power of his Father which noteth Authority to rise again and having fully done his work upon which account he is said to be brought again from the dead Heb. 13.20 and the Apostle inferreth from thence vers 21. Being made perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Now if both these be implied in Baptism it doth mightily oblige the Parties baptized to look after the effect of these two Acts of Christ Mediation for Christians should not only believe the Death and Resurrection of Christ but feel it by the Merit of his Death and Efficacy of his Resurrection we obtain this new life and both are the causes of our dying to sin and living to God Secondly What it sealeth or confirmeth The new Covenant wherein God hath promised the gift of the Spirit to renew sanctifie and heal all those that enter into it We have the Grace to destroy sin by virtue of the Death and Burial of Christ but the Promises are in the new Covenant That the new Covenant is sealed in Baptism see Mat. 28.19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall de damned Now the great Promise of the new Covenant is the Spirit to renew and cleanse the Soul Surely this is properly signified in Baptism Joh. 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God And Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost As the body is washed with water without so is the Soul cleansed by the Spirit within As at the Baptism of our Saviour the descending of the Holy Ghost upon him was a visible Pledge of what should be done afterward for at his Baptism the fruit of all Baptisms was visibly represented we are admitted Children of his Family as Christ was declared to be the well beloved Son of God Mat. 3.17 and we have the Spirit of his Son Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father As God promiseth to pour out water on him that is thirsty and floods on the dry ground so to pour out his Spirit on the seed and his blessing upon thy off-spring Isa. 44.3 And the Spirit it self is figured by Water Joh. 4.14 Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a-thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Now unless we will receive this Grace in vain we are bound to wait for and obey the Spirits motions either by way of restraint or excitation Rom. 8.13 14. If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God we that pretend to come to God for this Promise of the Spirit as in Baptism we do Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Thirdly It obligeth as there is a kind of undertaking to shew forth the likeness of Christs Death and Resurrection by our submission to it Our receiving Baptism implieth two things 1. A publick and open Profession 2. A solemn Bond wherewith we bind our Souls 1. A publick and open Profession wherein we profess a Communion with Christs Death and Resurrection or to dye and rise with Christ. In the general that Baptism is an open Profession for it is required as a sign of the Faith that is in our hearts Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation And Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost As Circumcision was the Badge of the Jewish Profession so is Baptism of the Profession of Christianity Therefore the Jews are called Circumcision and we are called the purified people Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works and those that are purged from their sins 2 Pet. 1.9 And more distinctly what we profess is plain and evident in this Ordinance we profess to dye and rise with Christ. 1. Death yea in the Text not only and simply to be dead but to be buried with Christ. If Baptism expresseth an image of Burial and every Burial supposeth Death not only of Christ but us surely we are bound not only to dye unto sin at first but to make our mortification more thorough and constant for as Burial noteth the continuance of Christs Death so should we persevere and increase in the mortification of sin for Burial is a continued dying to sin we should not only renounce and give over all the sins of our former lives but presevere in this resolution and increase in our endeavour against sin daily A Christian living in sin and serving his lusts is like a Spectre and Ghost arisen out of the grave 2. So for Christs Resurrection In this Ordinance we profess to rise again with Christ and therefore should not only put off the old Man or body of sin but have an earnest impulsion within our selves to the duties of Holiness and
mightily and effectually for it cometh not to us in word only but in power 1 Thess. 2.13 Ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe And more particulary in Mortification for it is Faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 Where the Christian Doctrine is really entertained and received by Faith it taketh men off from their old sins 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit The obedience of the Truth is nothing else but Faith wrought in us by the Spirit upon the hearing of the Gospel this produceth in us that purity of heart and life which becometh Christians II. I will give you the reasons The Death of Christ may be considered as it worketh morally or as it worketh meritoriously As it worketh morally it hath a full and a sufficient force to draw us off from sin as it worketh meritoriously it purchaseth the Spirit for us As it worketh morally it layeth a strong ingagement upon us as it worketh meritoriously it giveth great incouragement to oppose and resist sin and set about the mortification of it So that the true way of subduing sin is by serious reflexion on the Death of Christ which we shall consider 1. As it is a strong ingagement 2. As it is a great incouragement 1. As it is a strong ingagement and there 1. It is a pattern to teach us how to deny the pleasures of the senses Pleasure is the great Sorceress that hath bewitched all the World and that which giveth strength to all temptations Jam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed There is some sensitive carnal bait which first inviteth and then draweth us from our duty and all the Charms sin hath upon us are by the treacherous sensual appetite which is impatient to be crossed So when another Apostle speaketh of a revolt to the carnal life after some partial Reformation he giveth this account of it 2 Pet. 2.20 After they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled and overcome Before men be overcome by Temptation they are first inticed by the apprehension of some pleasure or profit which is to be had by their sins by which apprehension the danger of committing the sin is covered and hid as the Fishers hook is by the bait that is the Metaphor there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lapse again into the slavery of the former sins which they seemed to have escaped Therefore till we are dead to the sensitive lure and can be content to suffer in the flesh and to deny the satisfactions of the animal life we shall never avoid the slavery of sin nor know that our old man is crucified Now what is more powerful than the consideration of the Death and Example of Jesus Christ In his whole Life he was a Man of sorrows and so taught us to contemn the world and the pleasures of the flesh but especially at his Death when pain was poured in upon him by the Conduit of every Sense there he pleased not himself Rom. 15. 3. but conquered the love of life and all the natural contentments of life that he might please God and procure our Salvation Now we have not the Spirit of our Religion till we grow dead not only to the pleasures of sin but the natural pleasures of life yea life it self and can submit all to Gods glory 2. As it is an act of Love which should beget love in us to God again which love will make us tender of sinning There are many aggravations of sinning but the greatest of all is because we sin against so much Love as God hath shewed us in our Redemption by Christ. Sin is aggravated by the greatness of the Person against whom it is committed against the infinite Majesty of God as to strike an inferiour person is not so hainous a crime as to strike a Magistrate or Prince but this will not hold in all cases for foul indignities and grievous wrongs offered to meaner persons are a greater offence than the omission of a Ceremony to a Prince as if a man through ignorance of the customs of the Court should not be bare before his Chair of State Therefore take in the other Consideration of the infinite Goodness and Love of God towards us in Christ this doth exceedingly aggravate our sins They are acts of unkindness After such a deliverance as this is shall we again break thy commandments Ezra 9.13 14. after a deliverance out of Babylon out of Hell To sin against the infinite Goodness of a Creator by eating the forbidden Fruit we see what mischief it brought on Mankind conscious of this transgression the first Actors hid themselves from Gods presence But what is it to sin against the infinite Goodness of a Redeemer who came to recover us from this thraldom and bondage and to draw us to himself with the cord of love He chose rather to suffer the punishment due to our sins than to suffer sin still to reign in us whom he loved more dearly than his own life Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me Rev. 1.5 To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Now if after this manifestation of his Love we shall still continue in sin the hainousness of our offence is greatly increased 3. Christs Death is the best Glass wherein to view the deadly nature of sin It was so great and hainous an evil in the sight of God that nothing but the Blood of the Son of God could expiate it Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Jesus Christ must come and suffer a shameful Death this painful shameful accursed Death of the Son of God sheweth Gods displeasure against sin and what it will cost us if we allow it and indulge it in our hearts and lives for if this be done in the green tree what shall be done in the dry 4. It sheweth us also what a great benefit Mortification is This among others was intended by him and moved him to bear our sins in his Body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness To remember a good turn done by a Friend and not to prize and value it as we ought is rather to forget than to remember his friendliness So here if we do not prize Christs benefits we undervalue his Death and a lessening of the benefits is a lessening the price Now one of the chief of them is to take away sin and to break the reign of it in the heart of his
the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but they that sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Now it concerneth us to consider what or who it is that employeth us Our Bodies are worn out and the vigour of Nature is daily spent but in what in pleasing the flesh in that which it craveth or in serving pleasing and glorifying God The Prophet saith Isa. 55.2 Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Every man is at the cost and expence of his time and labour and bestoweth it on something or other but in what Do not think of compounding the matter for as every man serveth one of these Masters so no man serveth both Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon They both require our full strength and both command contrary things therefore as a man cannot go two contrary ways at once so he cannot obey these two Masters if sin reign in our Souls it draweth all things into obedience the consent of your minds is not enough to satisfie it but it will employ the body to fulfil its cravings and especially those two Adjuncts of the bodily Life Time and Strength And Grace doth the like the Faculties and Powers of the Soul and Body must be employed one way or another they cannot lie idle in such an active restless Creature as man is 2. Both these Services are entred into by consent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Some men pronely yield up themselves to do what sin would have to be done therefore they are said to give themselves to work wickedness and where sin is vehement and obstinate they are said to sell themselves to work wickedness and in other Phrases Eccles. 8.11 The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Eph. 4.19 They have given themselves over to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness when they have cast off all remorse of Conscience and fear of Gods Judgments with full consent they abandon themselves to their brutish lusts and filthy desires there is no check nor restraint can hold them But this is when sin is grown an height 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 11 They have ran greedily c. as water is poured out of a Bucket But generally in all sin there is a voluntariness if not a wilfulness in it as a stone runneth down hill because it is its own proper motion 2. To God we consecrate our selves with a thorow consent of will Rom. 12.1 I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service And 2 Cor. 8.5 And this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word either alludeth to Servants who stand before or in the presence of their Lord and Master to shew their readiness to be commanded or employed by him so present your selves to shew your readiness to obey all the commands of God or in allusion to the Sacrifice which was presented before the Altar in token that the party did design it and with it himself to God so do we yield up our selves to God Bodies and Souls all that we are and have we resign it to him There is this difference in both these resignations the Devils Servants do not what they do in love to him but to their own flesh but Christs Servants do what they do in love to him as well as to themselves they know him and love him he is not a Master to be ashamed of The giving up our selves to sin is a concealed act we would not be seen in it for there is somewhat in their own hearts to check it and condemn it some Conscience of good and evil as also a fear of blame from God and the World and so men do it covertly but do we give up our selves solemnly and professedly 3. The service of sin should not be allowed by us 1. Partly because Sin is an Usurper whereas God hath a full and clear right both to our Bodies and our Souls for he made them both Sinners so far as they owne a God and their obligations to him cannot but look upon sin as a disorder for it alienateth our subjection from him to whom it is due All sinners are not Atheists and therefore can never get off this Conviction that God is their Owner for he is their Maker and framed them for such an use and end namely to keep his Laws therefore to lend or give their bodies to sin is disloyalty and rebellion against the great and just Soveraign of the World 1 Joh. 3.4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law for sin is the transgression of the Law Men do not only say but notionally know that God is their Owner but if they did practically improve it the reformation of the World would not be so desperate a Cure as it is but alas professing to know God in their works they deny him Tit. 1.16 their lives are quite contrary to their notional acknowledgement of God what could they do more or worse if there were no God Reason will tell us that it is impossible for us to be our own for we neither made our selves nor can we subsist of our selves for one moment All wicked men are God's whether they will or no yea the Devils themselves not expected they are his against their wills and therefore do not live as his 2. Sin is Gods enemy and ours too it destroyeth us while it seemeth to gratifie us The end of these things is death Rom. 6.21 Now he is a Traitor to his Country that supplieth the Enemy with Arms you wrong God and wrong your own Bodies and Souls Therefore yield not your members us weapons of unrighteousness unto sin It is a miserable thing to be Traitors to God and our selves Thy dâ—struction iâ— of thy self Hos. 13.9 our misery is of our own procuring God is not to be blamed but our own perverse choice we cherish a Serpent in our bosoms that will sting us to death 4. Since sin cannot challenge any just Title to us it is unquestionably our Duty to yield up our selves to the Lord. Let us see in what manner it is to be done 1. It must be done with hearty and full consent of Will In the Covenant of Grace God demandeth his Right to be given him by your Consent it is indeed a due Debt but it is called a Gift My son give me thy heart Prov. 23.20 because you become his People not by constraint but by consent Psal. 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power and therefore it is resembled to Marriage than which
the members of an harlot God forbid He hath bought us to this very end that you may be no longer under the slavery of sin but under his blessed Government and the Scepter of his Spirit Tit. 2.14 He hath redeemed us from all iniquity that was his end to set us at liberty and free us from our sins and therefore for us to despise the benefit and to count our bondage to be a delight and priviledge this is to build up again that which he came to destroy to put our Redeemer to shame to tye those cords the faster which he came to unloose and so it is as great an affront and disparagement of his undertaking as possibly can be Therefore let not sin live and reign Secondly We are his not only by Purchace but by Covenant Ezek. 16.8 I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine We wholly gave over our selves to his use and service this Covenant was ratified in Baptism wherein we were planted into the likeness of his death Rom. 6.3 4 5. How into the likeness of his Death To dye unto sin as he dyed for sin that is explained by the Apostle ver 9. Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him his Resurrection instated him in an eternal Life never to come under the power of death again so are we to rise to a new life never to return to our sins again Now shall we rescind our Baptismal Vows and after we have resigned our selves to Christ give the Soveraignty to another the hands of Consecration have been upon us and therefore to allow our selves in any course and way of sinning is to alienate our selves and to employ our selves not only to a common but a vile and base use When Ananias had dedicated that that was in his power and kept back part for private use God struck him dead in the place Acts 5. And if we alienate our selves who were not in our own power and were Christs before the Consecration of how much severer vengeance shall we be worthy God complaineth of the wrong of Parents Ezek. â—6 20 that they took sons and daughters born to him and sacrificed them to be devoured by Moloch Children born during the Marriage-Covenant were his they were circumcised and so dedicated to him yet they gave them to Moloch as many Parents dedicate their Children to God by Baptism and bring them up for the World and the Flesh. This is veriâ—y a great sin in Parents but we are more answerable for our own Souls when we have owned the Dedication and ratified it by our own professed consent and if we shall willingly yield to the World and the Flesh and suffer them to have a full Power and Dominion over us how do we defie Christ whom yet in words we profess to be our Lord It is said Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof How shall we interpret this Scripture and reconcile it with the Carriage of most Christians de jure all will grant that they should crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof But the Apostle seemeth to speak de facto they have and that maketh the difficulty All true Christians indeed have done so Christians in the letter are bound to do so and let them look to it how they will answer it to Christ another day All in their Baptism have renounced the desires of the flesh and the passions of it also they are ingaged to do it and all that are serious and real have begun to do this act of mortifying sin and must go on yet more and more to smother the endeavours and effects of it Because this is a momentous business and it is charged on us as we are Christs as we profess our selves to be so and take our selves to be so let us see what it importeth They must all are bound they really have crucified the flesh mortified and deadned the root of corruption that it shall not easily sprout and put forth its lustings carnal Nature in them is weakened it is not so vigorous and stirring as it was wont to be there is some preventing of the first risings though sin dwell in them and work in them so far all that are Christs have put to death their fleshly corruption But now as to the several ways of venting of it expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either by sinful Passions as malice envy hatred variance emulation wrath strife they do in a great measure and considerable degree get above these or by Lust is meant all fleshly and worldly desires which carry us out of the Pleasures and Profits and Honours of the World the pleasing baits and inticements of Sense they are dead to these also all motions to Uncleanness Intemperance Ambition Love of Riches and vain Pleasures all the Children of God have actually begun this work and are still suppressing these things for they have resigned their hearts for Christ to dwell in and they are advancing his Scepter and Rule continually for they have given up themselves to be guided by him whether they be pleasant sins or vexatious evils the heart of a Christian is set against them and therefore you see how unsuitable it is for those that are Christs his redeemed ones and his covenanted ones to give way to the reign of sin 4. My last Argument to evince this necessity that is incumbent on the People of God that this Dominion of Sin be not set up in their hearts is because otherwise they cannot maintain and keep up any lively hope of Glory That I shall evidence by some Scriptures Rom. 6.8 If we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him If we dye to sin so as never to allow it or to return to the love and practice of it any more than the Christian Faith promiseth some good to us we have hopes of living with Christ or a joyful Resurrection to eternal Life for the Christian Life is an entrance and introduction into the Life of Glory So Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The Scripture is plain in setting down the Characters of those that shall go to Heaven or to Hell and very decisive and peremptory If we live after the flesh we shall dye it doth not say if we have lived after the flesh for that would cut off the hope of all the living one man was first good and after bad as Adam another never bad always good as Christ of all the rest none ever proved good who was not sometimes bad we all lived after the Flesh before we come to live after the Spirit But if we do still accommodate our selves to obey and fulfil the motions of the flesh Christ speaketh no good to such But now see the Promise of God to those that keep mortifying of sin striving against sin
prevent hardness of heart by all holy means that we may not settle in an evil course it is not enough to ask Pardon to forbear the Act but you must mortifie the root of the distemper There are three things in sin Culpa Reatus Macula The Fault is continued as long as the Act is repeated you are in danger of this till the breach be made up between God and you as Lot doubled his Incest the orifice of the wound was not yet closed and Peter doubled and trebled his denials whilst the Temptation was yet upon him and he had not recovered himself by Repentance Samsons folly and inordinate love to women twice betrayed him Judg. 16.1 4. The Guilt continueth till Repentance and suing out Pardon in the Name of Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Though a man should forbear the Act yet unless he humbleth himself before God and in a broken hearted way applieth himself to his Mediator and Advocate the guilt is not done away But besides there is the blot or the inclination to sin again the evil influence of the sin continues till we mortifie the root and the core of the distemper be gotten out Take for an instance Jonah the Prophet the original reason of his tergiversation from his Call was a fear of being ashamed and found false in those threatnings which he was to denounce in the Name of God this maketh him run away from his Duty and it cost him dear for a Tempest pursued him and he was thrown into the Sea and swallowed up of a Whale or great Fish Well he being disciplined confesseth his fault repenteth his forsaking his Call begs pardon is delivered addresseth himself to his work God interposeth by the Prerogative of his Grace upon the Humiliation of the Ninevites and then Jonah is all in a fury his old reasons return Jonah 4.1 2. Was not this my saying when I was yet in my country c. Therefore it is not enough to bewail or discontinue the sin but we must launce the sore mortifie the root of the distemper till all be well This was the reason of Christs Speech to Peter Joh. 21.15 Simon Peter lovest thou me more than these that is more than the rest of the Disciples present Peter had boasted Mat. 26.33 Though all men be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended Now saith Christ Lovest thou me more than these he reflecteth upon his former-conceit of himself and singular undertaking Peter had wept bitterly for the fact of denying his Master Christ would try if the cause were removed The evil of the Saints Apostasie and Defection will never be cured thorowly unless the Fountain-cause and root of it be cured and continually watched over his making comparisons and lofty conceit of himself was that which occasioned his former Fall therefore Christ to see what he did think of it and whether it did continue with him puts him this Question Peter was grown more modest than to make any comparisons now his sad Fall taught him sobriety not to boast of himself beyond others Sixthly You are to watch against evil Customs that you do not lose your tenderness of Conscience Conscience as the Eye is soon offended the least dust if it get into the Eye will pain it so will Conscience smite for lesser â—ailings and exorbitancies but afterwards when you make bold with it it is like the stomach of the Estrich which digesteth Iron or like a part or member of the Body which is seared with an hot Iron it hath no feeling 1 Tim. 4.2 or like freezing water which at first will not bear a pin but afterwards it freezeth and freezeth till it bear a Cart-load so men lose their tender sense by frequency of sinning Therefore it is some degree of Mortification to prevent the Custom and the hardness of Heart that comes thereby When a member is sprained or out of joynt if you let it alone and delay to set it it never groweth strong or straight so the longer Corruption is spared the worse it groweth and requireth more strength Therefore at least let not your hearts settle in a course of Vanity or Disobedience unto God Seventhly Take heed of your darling Sin We are more tender of one sin than another It is sweet in our mouths and we hide it under our tongues Job 20.12 there is most pleasure and profit in it This is the sin which is most apt to prevail and settle into a Tyranny in the Soul and your Uprightness is tryed by your watching and striving against it as Psal. 18.23 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity Unless we humble our selves more for this watch against this strive against this it will be our ruine and prove the ground of our Apostasie in a time of Temptation There is some secret vent which all men have for their Corruptions or some Postern or Back-door by which Satan usually enters Now this sin should be always in your eye for the strength of other sins dependeth upon love to this Fight not against small nor great but against the King of Israel 1 Kings 22.21 You should be most jealous of your hearts lest they miscarry by this sin and labour to increase in the contrary Grace He that will not spare his darling he hateth no sin indeed Secondly For striving this is required of us also for we are bidden to stand against the wiles of the Devil Eph. 6.11 To withstand that after all we may stand vers 13. A stout and peremptory resistance of Satans Temptations is required of us in order to Victory The more we yield to sin the more it tyrannizeth over us Mat. 12.45 Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other Spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first The more Satan is resisted the more he loseth ground Jam. 4.7 Resist the Devil and he will flee from you Christ promiseth the Crowns to those that will fight manfully Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of life Therefore do not basely yield nor lazily sit down as if the work were already done But what is this Striving It implieth two things 1. An avowed Defiance 2. A couragious Resistance 1. An avowed Defiance The first preparation of it is the Resolution of the Mind or the Dedication of our selves to God When we are regeneraet we renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and bid defiance or proclaim an eternal feud and hostility against them declare our selves enemies to these three 2. A couragious resistance for after that time we are fearfully assaulted and in continual warfare with Satan 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil like a roaring lion continually walketh about seeking whom
people and excludeth the prophane and unclean the holy Covenant must have an holy People suitable to it or else it speaketh no good to them if you be not holy you have no part in Christ nor interest in his Covenant Acts 20.32 And now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that we may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me Well you see the whole scope and great drift of the Covenant is to promote Holiness 2. It remains to vindicate those Doctrines of Grace that may seem to occasion these imaginations 1. Gods freeness and readiness to pardon The Law threatneth Punishment but Grace offereth Pardon and Impunity therefore men let loose the reins they think Mercy will pardon all and discharge all But this is a wretched abuse 1. Though Pardon be offered to penitent Sinners yet it is on purpose that they may forsake their sins and timely return to the obedience of God Psal. 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared that they may not stand aloof from God as a condemning God but return to his fear and service It is offered to prevent despair not to encourage us in sin so that you quite pervert the end of the offer 2. This Pardon belongeth only to the Penitent The offer is made to all but none have an actual Right to it till they repent Isa. 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon And Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy All Sinners are to be told That God is ready to pardon but all Sinners are not to believe that their sins are pardoned for this is an Act that belongeth to God as a Governor and Judge Some things God doth as a free Lord and there it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 Other things God doth as a righteous Judge and Governor according to the Law of Commerce between Him and his Creatures there it is So run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 To apply this to the case in hand Pardon of sins is an Act of Judicature dispenseth upon certain Terms gracious and free they are indeed but Terms and Conditions they are still without which we have no right to pardon or are not qualified to receive it All the Priviledges of the Gospel are a Benefit but a Benefit dispensed on certain Terms such as our Soveraign Lord was pleased to prescribe 3. They are expresly excluded that securely go on in sin Psal. 68.21 But he will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses That exceptive Particle But relateth to what was said of God before now twice before God is called a God of Salvation vers 19. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation Selah And vers 20. He that is our God is the God of salvation But he will wound c. A man that goeth on still in his sins is reckoned an Enemy to Christ whatever he be by outward Profession and as an Enemy he shall be dealt with the God of Salvations or the merciful Saviour will not save him notwithstanding all that lenity and goodness which he sheweth to them that are sincere the God of Salvations will strike home upon their hairy scalp that is utterly destroy them Therefore when men go on in a state of Impenitency either ignorantly or against conviction of Conscience upon a presumption that Gods mercy shall bear them out they make the God of all Grace their Enemy his Justice is against you and his Mercy will not help you By the Law is the knowledge of sin and by the Gospel you are excluded from Pardon till you break off your sins by Repentance and the more sin you commit the further off you are from Salvation every sin is a step further Psal. 119.155 Salvation is far from the wicked for they seek not thy statutes à pari Salvation is near to the righteous Rom. 13.11 Now is your salvation nearer than when ye first believed Every man every day is a step nearer to Heaven or Hell The second Doctrine abused is Exemption from the Rigour and Curse of the Law Ye are not under the Law but under Grace Therefore men take a liberty to sin They are not under the Law But we must distinguish how we are and how we are not under the Law 1. We are still under the Law as a Rule of Obedience so the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 9.21 Not being without Law to God but under the Law to Christ. The Apostle still ruled his Actions by Law both the Law of God and the Law of Christian Charity To be in this sense without Law is either to make us Gods or Devils if you plead it de Jure of Right it is to make the Creature a God for it is impossible any created thing can be without Law that were to make it supreme and independent as if its own Will were its Rule without liableness to be called to an account by another Saul proclaimed 1 Sam. 17.25 That whosoever would encounter the Philistine his house should be free in Israel but it is as impossible to free the Creature from subjection to God as it is from dependance upon him If you plead it de Facto this were to make us Devils to live in direct opposition to God and rebellion against him or exempt us from his Authority Psal. 12.4 Who have said With our tongues will we prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us Thus every Creature must be under a Law 2. There is a good sense in which we are said not to be under the Law as here in the Text and Gal. 5.18 If ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law that is not under the condemning power of it spoken of Rom. 8.1 There is therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ or the irritating power of it spoken of Rom. 7.5 While we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death namely as it did rigidly exact duty from us and gave no strength to perform it Well then we many from hence see what liberty we have by Grace there is a twofold Liberty an holy and blessed Liberty and a wicked and carnal Liberty First The holy Liberty is to be freed
teacheth us That none can be a Servant to another but by the election and consent of his own proper Will and whatsoever service men enter they enter it of their own accord the Devil cannot force us to evil and Christ will not force us to good The second Notion teacheth us That we must not judge of our service to any either to Sin or God by our professed Consent barely but by our Practice and Obedience if we obey sin we are servants to sin whatever we prosess or say to the contrary and if we do not live in obedience to God whatever Professions Vows and Covenants we make to him or with him we are not Servants of God 2. In the Application of it to the matter in hand take notice 1. Of two contrary Masters Sin and Obedience 2. Of two contrary Rewards and Wages Death and Righteousness 3. The suiting the one to the other Sin and Death Obedience and Righteousness 1. By Sin he meaneth sinning wittingly and willingly constantly easily By Death as the Wages is understood the second or eternal Death 2. The other Master By Obedience is meant obedience to God if you obey Gods commands and as our Duty is expressed by Obedience so our Reward by Righteousness He doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Law of Contraries would seem to require but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Righteousness you may expound it either of our Title to Happiness or our Reward it self 1. Our Title you shall be pronounced and accepted as righteous and so Heirs of eternal Life There are many acceptations of the word Righteousness in Scripture In short take them thus 1. It may be taken in a Moral sense for a good disposition of mind and heart Eph. 4.24 That ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness 2. In a Legal or Judicial sense for a state of Acceptation or the ground of a Plea before the Tribunal of God So Rom. 5.19 By the obedience of one many shall be made righteous In this Judicial sense either with respect to the Precept or the Sanction 1. With respect to the Precept or the Law as it is sincerely and Evangelically obeyed 1 Joh. 3.7 He that doth righteousness is righteous And Luke 1.6 They were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless this is opposite to reatus culpae 2. With respect to the Sanction which is double the Threatning or the Promise With respect to the Threatning so Righteousness implieth freedom from the Obligation to Punishment So Rom. 1.17 18. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness this is opposite to reatus poenae With respect to the Promise so Righteousness imports our Right and Title to eternal Life not from any merit in our obedience it self but Gods gracious condescension in the Covenant There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness 1 Tim. 4.8 Our Title is first by Faith then continued by new Obedience 2. It may imply the Reward it self for it is said elsewhere Isa. 48.18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments then had thy peace been as the river and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea Where by righteousness is not meant any moral Vertue or gracious Disposition but Prosperity and Happiness So Prov. 8.18 Riches and honour are with me yea durable riches and righteousness thereby is meant Felicity As Iniquity is put for Punishment He shall bear his iniquity so Righteousness is put for Reward So here Righteousness is opposed to Death and signifieth eternal Life Doctrine That it greatly concerneth Christians to consider upon what they bestow or imploy their Time Service and Obedience This will be evident by these Considerations 1. That the great business which belongeth to our Duty is the choice of a Master or to consider to what we must addict our selves and upon what we bestow our minds and hearts our life and love our time and strength 1 Kings 18.21 How long halt ye between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him He brings the business to a tryal not to give them liberty to be of what Religion they pleased but on deliberation to chuse the best So Josh. 24.15 If it seem evil to you to serve the Lord chuse you this day whom you will serve He doth not leave it to their liberty to chuse God or Idols but would have them to compare the best with the worst the service of God or the service of Devils which will be Life and which will be Death which will be good and which will be bad for them not as if it were doubtful which to chuse for that is evident to any man in his right wits nor to blunt their zeal by any demurrer in the case but rather quicken and hasten their choice but chiefly that they might chuse freely and be more firm and constant in their Covenant and to shame them that they might be more inexcusable if pretending to God they divert their obedience from him to other things Well then whom will you serve and love To whom will ye give up your minds and hearts and whole man To do what God requireth or to serve and please your Lusts Make a right choice and then be firm and true to it Will you pretend to be Servants to God and do nothing for him 2. The Considerations which must guide us in this choice are two 1. Right and Interest 2. The Good or Hurt that we all get by it for there are wages proportionable and suitable to every work 1. Where lyeth the Right to command and who hath the best Title to us Justice is to give every one his own Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Surely sin is an Usurper but God is our rightful Lord for he made us and to him we must give an account of our time strength and imployments Acts 27.23 There stood by me this night an Angel of God whose I am and whom I serve And 2. His service turneth to the best account Our Apostle telleth us Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. That in a moral Consideration there are two Masters sinful Self and the Holy God This distribution comprehendeth all men either they are servants of Sin or servants to God whosoever yieldeth his consent or obedience to sin doth thereby make himself the true and proper servant of sin and whosoever yieldeth his obedience to God is the servant of God If you deliver up your selves to serve God to obey his commands you will be reputed as his Servants and so accepted
pardon of God with promises of greater diligence for the future 3. to implore the special aid and assistance of Gods Spirit for the better performance of what we promise 4. we are to obtain it by the means of Christs Sacrifice and Intercession Who by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 9.14 there needeth no other Sacrifice If we thus humbly apply our selves to God and desire again to bind our Bond the Duty will be comfortable to us Secondly Our second general work is to revive afresh the hopes of eternal Life and to get our taste and relishes of that blessed Estate renewed and confirmed upon our hearts that we may be fortified against the troubles of the World and inconveniencies of our Pilgrimage that we may not only be encouraged to do well but to suffer evil with patience That this Duty is a Pledge of Heaven appeareth by Christs words Mat. 26.29 I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom It is an Antepast of that blessed and eternal Feast When we shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven Mat. 8.11 And the end of both Sacraments is to prepare us for sufferings Mat. 20.22 23. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with They say unto him We are able And he saith unto them Ye shall drink indeed of my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with These terms shew that the Sacraments imply a preparation for sufferings for there seemeth to be a plain allusion to both Sacraments drinking of his Cup and being baptized with his Baptism Now counterballasting our Troubles with our Hopes begets the true Spirit of Christian Courage and Fortitude Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Therefore here is your work mind it and God will bless you SERMON XXIV ROM VI. 23 For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. THESE words are the Conclusion confirming all that the Apostle had said before in this Argument and more especially explaining those two Clauses That the end of sin is death and the end of holiness is eternal life it is so but with this difference the one as Wages deserved the other as a meer free Gift Death follows sin by Justice but eternal Life follows Holiness by free favour Both branches deserve to be considered by us conjunctly and apart 1. Conjunctly and there we shall see wherein they agree and wherein they disagree 1. Wherein they agree 1. They agree in respect of their Duration and Continuance the Death and the Life are both endless Mat. 25.46 These shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal 2. As they are the final issue of â—ens several ways the one as well as the other is the fruit of mens foregoing course here upon Earth Sin is punished by Death and Holiness rewarded by eternal Life Gal. 6.8 For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting 3. They agree in this that both are equally certain for they depend upon Gods unalterable Truth he will punish the disobedient as surely as he doth reward the godly We must not fancy a God all mercy and sweetness he is a God of Salvation but he will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses Psal. 68.21 The same Truth and Veracity of God that confirmeth his Promises doth also infer the certainty of his Threatnings Psal. 11.6 7. Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous God loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright God is a perfect Judge and will take order in due time with the wicked who break his Laws and will not make use of his Mercy their destruction shall be terrible irresistible and remediless but his upright Servants shall certainly reap the fruits of his Love and their own Obedience 2. Wherein they disagree The Text telleth you the one is Wages and the other a Gift God doth not punish men beyond their deserts that is Justice but he doth reward men above their deserts that is Grace therefore he varieth the word concerning sin it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wages which alludeth either to the hire due to the Labourer or the Pay due to the Souldier both are a just debt the Labourer is worthy of his hire when his work is ended he receives his wages and Souldiers at the end of their service get their Pay But of the other he faith it is the gift of God Sin deserveth Hell and therefore Death is called Wages but if eternal Life might in any fort be deserved or merited the Apostle would not have changed his word as he expresly doth he doth not say Eternal Life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wages nay he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reward which sometimes expresseth the Recompence of the Faithful as Heb. 11.26 Having respect to the recompence of reward but because reward doth not always signifie a reward of free bounty he doth not use that word neither yea neither doth he use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies a Gift because one kindness doth deserve another but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gracious Gift the Vulgar renders it Gratia Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace signifieth the free favour of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impression or effect of it upon us this is a word inconsistent with all conceit of merit But what is the reason of this difference that the one should be Wages the other a gracious Gift First Our evil works are our own wholly evil therefore merit death as work doth wages but the good we do is neither ours nor is it perfect and is done by them that have a demerit upon them that have deserved the contrary by reason of sin and might look for punishment rather than reward Secondly There is this difference between sin and obedience that the hainousness of sin is always aggravated and heightened by the proportion of its object as to strike an Officer is more than to strike a private person a Judge more than an ordinary Officer a King most of all Thence it comes to pass that a sin committed against God deserveth an infinite punishment because the Majesty of God is despised but on
for their evidences are not clear by which they should be tryed Mortification Gal. 5.24 They that are Chrisâ—s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Courage 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye 3 d Use is of Direction to all sorts of Christians 1. Do all your duties as those that are under the law of the spirit of life Not in the oldness of the letter but the newness of the spirit not customarily formally but seriously with a life and a power believe in the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God Love in the spirit Col. 1.8 Who also declared to us your love in the spirit Hope in the spirit Gal. 5.5 For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith Hear in the spirit pray in the spirit and obey in the spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit Let there be a Spirit and Life in all that you do 2. Beg of your Redeemer to pour out a fuller measure of his Spirit in your Souls he hath promised it Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication Isa. 44.3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground and I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring The Saints have begg'd it earnestly Psal. 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness And Luke 11.13 They that ask shall have None lack this grace but those that forfeit it by neglect and contempt and resistance of the motions of his holy Spirit 3. Vse Ordinances to this end All these are helps and means to obtain it the Gospel worketh morally and powerfully 'T is the Divine power giveth us all things to life and godliness therefore in the use of means you must wait for it 2 Pet. 1.3 According to his divine power he hath given us all things 4. Let us examine often and see if we are partakers of his Spirit Two Evidences there be of it and they are both in the Text life and liberty First life for this spirit is called the spirit of life in Christ Jesus by it we are enabled to live the life of faith and holiness Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the son of God Doth it rule the main course of your lives denying the pleasures and profits and honours of the World we must live in Christ and to Christ we must not only seek truth in the Gospel but life in the Gospel Secondly liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty There is more alacrity readiness and chearfulness in obedience Psal. 119.32 I will run the ways of thy commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart 'T is a liberty not to do what we list but what we ought and that upon gracious and free motives with a large heart that can deny God nothing but is sweetly and strongly inclined to him SERMON III. ROM VIII 2 Hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death WE now come to the second point 2 Doct. That the new Covenant giveth liberty to all that are under it from the slavery of sin and the condemning power of the law Let me explain this point and here I shall shew you 1. That liberty supposeth precedent bondage 2. That our liberty must answer the bondage 3. I shall shew you the manner of getting our liberty First Liberty supposeth preceding bondage for when Christ spake of liberty or making them free the Jews quarrelled at it John 8.33 We were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou then that ye shall be made free So much we gather from their cavil That it is the first thought or the ready sentiment and opinion of mankind That to be made free implieth a foregoing bondage now our Bondage consisteth in a slavery to Sin and Satan and being under the condemning power of the law or obligation to the curse and eternal damnation 1. That man is under the slavery of sin which the Law convinceth him of that it is so with us the Scripture sheweth Titus 3.3 We were sometimes foolish and disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures 1. There is the condition of natural men they serve 2. The baseness of the Master lusts and divers lusts 3. The bait or motive by which they are drawn into this service intimated in the word pleasures for a little bruitish satisfaction a man selleth his Liberty his Soul his Religion his Good and All. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most proper to our purpose for that noteth his slavery carnal affections so govern us that we know not how to escape and come out of this thraldome we suffer the Beast to ride the Man it were monstrous in the body for the feet to be where the head should be or to have the limbs distorted to have the arms hang backward yet such a de-ordination there is in the Soul when Reason and Conscience is put in vassalage to sense and appetite The natural order is this Reason and Conscience directs the Will the Will moveth the affections the affections move the bodily Spirits and they the senses and members of the body but natural corruption inverts all pleasures affect the senses the senses corrupt the phantasy the phantasy moveth the bodily spirits the affections by their violence and inclination inslave the Will and blind the Mind and so man is carried head-long to his own Destruction This Slavery implieth three things 1. A willing subjection Rom. 6.16 Know ye not â—hat to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom you obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Servants were made so eitheâ— by consent or conquest The Apostle speaketh there not of servants by conquest but of servants by consent and covenant When a man yeildeth up himself to be at the disposal of another he is a servant to him so in moral matters by whatever a man is imployed and to which he giveth up his time and strength life and love to that he is a servant be it to the flesh or to the spirit as we make it our business to accomplish or gratifie the desires of the one or the other A godly man hath sin in him but he doth not serve it yield up himself to obey it he doth not walk after his lusts 2. Customary practise and observance John 8.34 Whosoever eommitteth sin is the servant of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that liveth in an habit and course of sin these are brought under the power of it inslaved by such pleasures as they affect 3. Inability to come out of this condition The Law is
spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin Rom. 7.14 By the law of nations Service was brought in by conquest and those that were taken in War were vendati sub Hasta sold under a speer merely at the dispose of him that took them 2 Pet. 2.19 They are servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage This our service under sin is in part represented by a Captive in regard we cannot rid our selves of it in part by an hired servant because we willingly and by our own default run into it This impotency is most sensible in them that are convinced of better but do that which is worse they see their duty but are not able to perform it being overcome by their lusts they have some kind of remorse and trouble but cannot help themselves But how came this servitude upon us Partly by the natural inclination of our own corrupt hearts There are servi natura Fools and brutish Men so in a spiritual sense are all men Gen. 3.31 The imaginations of mans heart are evil from his youth 2 ly 'T is increased by custom in sinning these lusts are not only born with us but bred up with us and so plead prescription because Religion cometh afterwards Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil 'T is hard to shake off inveterate customs strict education tho it changeth not the heart hindreth the growth of sin 3 ly Example doth strengthen and increase it Eph. 2.3 Among whom we also had our conversations in times past in the lust of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind and were by nature children of wrath even as others and Isa. 6.5 I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips 4. By the Devils craft who observeth our tempers and inclinations who suiteth every distemper with a diet proper 2 Tim. 2.26 That they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will Now this is our bondage till we change Masters and devote and give up our selves to God 2. By nature men are under the power of sin and so by consequence under the sentence of death for sin and death go hand in hand These two cannot be put asunder being joined together by the ordination of Gods righteous Law if sin rule in us 't will certainly damn us for none are freed from the damning power of sin but those that are freed from the dominion of it the same law that convinceth of sin doth also bind over to death sin and death suit together like work and wages Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death To affect you while we are explaining this matter consider Three things 1. The suitableness of death to sin 2. The certainty of it 3. The terribleness of this death 1. The suitableness or correspondence that is between sin and death This suitableness will appear if we consider the Wisdom Justice and Holiness of God 1. The Wisdom of God which doth all things according to Weight Measure and Order cannot permit the disjunction of these two Things so closely united together as sin and punishment but there will be an appearance of deformity and incongruity if there be such things as good and evil bonum malum morale as he is unworthy of the name not only of a Christian but a man that denieth it Again if there be such a thing as pleasure and pain joy and sorrow as the sense telleth us or that which we call bonum malum naturale natural good and natural evil Then 't is very agreeable to the Wisdom of God that these things should be rightly placed and sorted that a moral evil which is sin should be punished with a natural evil which is pain and misery and moral good which is Vertue should end in joy and pleasure or in short that there should be rewards and punishments God is naturally inclined as the Creator of mankind to mankind to make his Creature good and happy if nothing hinder him from it if there be no impediment in the way From hence we may see how incongruous it is to the Wisdom of God who permitteth no dissonancy or disproportion in any of his dispensations to admit a separation of these natural relatives if there were no other Testimony of this yet the dispositions of our own hearts would evince it for there we have some obscure shadows of the properties which are in God we compassionate a miserable man who is made so by the iniquity of the times and we esteem him not deserving his misery And we are moved with indignation against one who by evil arts is fortunate and successful but altogether unworthy of â—he happiness which falleth to his share which is an apparent proof that men are sensible of an excellent Harmony and natural order which is between these two things Vertue and Felicity Sin and Misery and to see them so suited doth exceedingly please us Now this sheweth how fitly these two couples are joined sin and death Grace and Life 2. Let us consider the Justice of God as the Judg of the world and so must and will do right Gen. 18.25 Shall not the judg of all the earth do right It belongeth to his general justice that it be well with them that do well and ill with them that do evil God is readily inclined to provide happiness for man who is his creature if there were no sin to stop the course of his bounty and if sin had not entred into the world there had been nothing but happiness in the world but when sin entred into the world death presently trod upon the heels of it Rom. 5.12 As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so death passed upon all even for that all have sinned Now men are of different sorts some recover out of the common Apostacy and their cursed estate by sin and live holily others wallow in their filthiness still Therefore it is agreeable to Gods general justice to execute vengeance on the one and to reward the other at least the punishment is just Rom. 2.9 10. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil but glory honour and peace to every one that worketh good So that the Justice of God maketh an inseparable connexion between Sin and Death 3. Let us consider the Purity and Holiness of God which inclineth him to hate evil and love that which is good the first we are most concerned to prove Psal. 5.5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all the workers of iniquity But the other is true also the upright are his delight Prov. 11.20 Well then if God loveth good and hateth evil he will one way or other express his love and hatred this he doth by
of condemnation to Death if you be not sensible of the evil and burden of Sin yet surely you should flee from wrath to come Is that a slight matter to you our first and quickest sense is of wrath when our hearts are made more tender we feel the burden of sin fear worketh before shame and sorrow Therefore surely he that considereth his deep necessity should cry our Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7.24 2. Consider the possibility of your delivery from this bondage by the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Surely the Blood of Jesus can purge your consciences from dead works that you may serve the living God Heb. 9.14 There is a Covenant all the promises of which in Christ are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.23 The Covenant of night and day may sooner be dissolved than this Covenant broken or repealed There is the Spirit also who can subdue your strongest lusts and is ready to help you to mortifie the deeds of the body and to reclaim you from your vain pleasures 3. How comfortable it will be for you when once this work is in progress and you begin to pass from Death to Life every step will be sweet to you and as you grow in grace you do apace advance to Heaven Prov. 3.17 All her ways are pleasantness and all her paths are peace 2 Vse Let us examine whether we have received this regenerating grace to free us from the reign of sin Some are free in shew but others are free indeed John 8.36 Some have the outward badges of Liberty are Christians in name receive Sacraments and enjoy the Ordinances but not the grace in and by the Ordinances You may know the state of your service by the course of your life are you as ready to do any thing for God as before for sin Rom. 6.18 3 d Vse If we be free let us not return to our old slavery again Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherein Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again in the yoke of bondage Especially that chief part of freedom from the dominion of sin Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof And the 14 verse For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace SERMON IV. ROM VIII 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh HERE the Apostle explaineth himself and sheweth how the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus doth make us free from the law of sin and death In the words observe three things 1. The deep necessity of mankind For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh. 2. The means of our deliverance or Gods merciful provision for our relief The means are two First Christs incarnation Secondly His Passion 1. His incarnation in these Words and God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh 2. His Passion and for sin or by a Sacrifice for Sin 3. The end or benefit accruing to us thereby Condemned Sinint he Flesh. Doct. from the whole That when man could by no means be freed from Sin and Death God sent his Son to be a sacrifice for sin that our liberty might be fully accomplished The Apostles method is best I shall therefore follow that 1. The deep necessity of mankind is argued and made out by this reason That it was impossible for the Law to do away Sin and justifie man before God so he saith For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh That is through the corruption of our natures we being Sinners and unable to perform the Duty of the Law To understand the force of this reason take these considerations 1. That it was necessary in respect of Gods purpose and decree that we should be freed from Sin and Death For God would not have mankind utterly to perish having chosen some to Salvation and Repentance and so leaving others without excuse therefore the strict Judgment of the Law is debated upon this Argument Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified And again Psal. 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity Lord who shall stand According to the first Covenant none can escape Condemnation now this consisted not with the purposes of the Lords Grace who would not lose the whole Creation of mankind God hath shewed himself placable and merciful to all men and hath forbidden despair and continued many forfeited mercies and did not presently upon Sinning put us in our everlasting estate as he did the fallen Angels but rather is upon a Treaty with us 2. God resolving to restore and recover some of mankind it must be by the old way of the Law or by some other course The old way of the Law claimeth the first respect and precedence of consideration for take away Christ and the Gospel nothing more divine and perfect was given to man than the Law this was first intended by God for that end as the Scriptures every where witness and God will not depart from his own institutions without evident necessity for he doth nothing in vain or without necessary cause and reason Gal. 3.21 If there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousness had been by the Law God would have gone no further than his first transaction with man Again 't is said Gal. 2.21 If righteousness had been by the Law then Christ is dead in vain If there had been any other way possible in Heaven or in earth than the death of Christ by which the salvation of lost sinners could have been brought about Christ would not have died no our disease was desperate as to any other way of cure before this great Physitian took our case in hand Christ is of no use till our wound be found incurable and all other help in vain 3. The Law coming first into consideration as our remedy its impossibility to justifie and give life needs to be sufficiently demonstrated for till we are dead to the law we shall but carelesly seek after the Grace of God in Jesâ—s Christ therefore doth the Scripture travel so much in this point and sheweth us we must not only be dead to sin and dead to the world but dead to the law before we can live unto God Gal. 2.19 I through the law am dead to the law that I may live unto God and again Rom. 7.4 Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye may be married to another even to him that was raised from the dead that ye may bring forth fruit to God These two places shew the means how we become dead
to the law partly through the law requiring a righteousness so exact and full in order to life as the corrupt estate of man cannot afford partly by the body of Christ introducing a better hope that is his crucified body which is the foundation of the new Covenant besides Paul argueth this that the law doth only discover sin but cannot abolish it but doth increase it rather it bindeth over to death and therefore cannot free from death and so to fallen man 't is a law of sin and death and then answereth the Objections that might be brought against this Is therefore the law sin God forbid Rom. 7.7 and verse 10. The commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death and so was a law of death and working wrath and all not because of any defect in Gods institution but the weakness of our flesh that is the corruption of our nature nature being depraved cannot fulfil it or yield perfect obedience to it Once more 't is said Acts 10.39 By him all that believe are justified by the law of Moses The Law of Moses was either the ceremonial law All the oblations and Sacrifices the washings and the offerings then required could not take away sin for they were but shadows and figures of what was to come Heb. 9.9 They were figures which could not make him that did the service perfect as appertaining to the conscience and again Heb. 10.1 4. They were shadows of good things to come and it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins They might obtain some temporal blessings or remove some temporal judgments as they obeyed God in them but did little as to the ease of the soul as it was conscious of sin or under fears of the eternal punishment they that looked beyond them to the Messiah to come with an humble and penitent heart might have their consciences cleansed from dead works Every effect must have a cause sufficient to produce it The blood of bulls and goats was no such cause had no such vertue the effect was far above it there was a more precious blood signified and shadowed out thereby that could do it indeed Or secondly the moral law given by Moses partly because we cannot keep it of our selves and the best works that the regenerate perform are so imperfect and mixed with so many infirmities and defects that they stand in need of pardon Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all of us Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Isa. 64.6 and partly because they cannot fatisfie for the least sin whereby the Infinite Majesty of God is provoked This is only spoken to shew why the Scriptures do so often speak of the weakness of the Law and how impossible it is the Law should give us life that we may wholly be driven to Christ. 4. The utter impotency of the Law to produce this effect may be known by these two Things which are necessary to salvation Justification and Sanctification The Law can give neither of these 1. It cannot give us Justification unto life the Law promiseth no good to sinners but only to those that keep and observe it he that doth them shall live in them Do and live sin and die this is the voice of the law that was a way whereby an innocent person might be saved but not how a sinner might be saved The Law considered us as innocent and required us to continue so Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the words of the law to do them Gal. 3.20 But alas all we have broken with God Rom. 3.23 We have all sinned and are come short of the glory of God The Gospel considereth us in this sinful estate and therefore it promiseth remission and requireth repentance both the priviledg and the duty concern our recovery to God Secondly If the law could be fulfilled for the future past sins would take away all hope of reward by the law for the paying of new debts would not quit old scores what satisfaction shall be given for those Transgressions let me express it thus the paying of what we owe will not make amends for what we have stolen we have robbed God of his Glory and Honour tho for the future we should be obedient to him yet who shall restore that we have taken away Or satisfie for the wrong done to Gods Justice Thirdly The law had no power of taking away of sin but only of punishing of sin as it threatned death to the sinner but how we should escape this death it told us not being all shut up under sin we are shut up under wrath and there is no escape but by Jesus Christ. 2. It cannot give us sanctification It calleth for duty and puts in mind of it but giveth no strength to perform it for being corrupted within we are little wrought upon by a law without to which our hearts stand in such enmity and contrariety but let me prove it by two Arguments 1. They that did not keep themselves in innocency cannot recover their integrity now 't is lost 'T is easier to preserve life than to restore it when once dead any fool may open the Flood gates but when once the waters are broken in who can recall them Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one that is who can purifie his heart when 't is once defiled with sin This is an evil not to be remedied by instruction but inclination 2. Suppose they could recover themselves they would soon lose it again As Adam gave out at the first assault so we would be every moment breaking with God the sure estate and the everlasting Covenant is provided for us by Christ and our condition by Grace is more stable God by Christ hath ingaged his faithfulness to give us necessary and effectual grace to preserve the new life 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye were called Austin compareth the state of Job and Adam Job was more happy in his misery than Adam in innocency he was victorious on the Dunghil when the other was defeated on the Throne he received no evil counsel from his wife when the first Woman seduced Adam he by grace despised the assaults of Satan when the other suffered himself to be worsted at the first temptation he preserved his righteousness in the midst of his sorrows when the other lost his innocency in paradise So much better is it to stand by the Grace of Christ than our own free will the broken vessel being cemented again is strongest in the crack Well then you see that our misery is such that God only can help us by some new treaty of relief and therefore let us see what God hath done for us Secondly The means of our deliverance they are tvvo his Incarnation and Passion 1. His Incarnation He sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh let me first open the words Secondly shew what benefit we have
wicked yet it doth not lye idle he can deal with us cominus and eminus at a distance and near at hand he is whetting his sword and bending his bow if he fall upon us what shall we do if a spark of his wrath light upon the conscience how soon is man made a burden to himself Psal. 2.12 much more when he stirreth up all his wrath against us What shall we do First Accept of the conditions of peace God hath provided 2 Cor. 5.19 20. to wit That God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses to them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation Now then we are ambassadors of Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God We read of Princes that Luke 14.31 while their enemy is yet a great way off they send an Embassy and desire conditions of peace God sendeth the Embassy to us let us accept of the offer we are no match for God Scondly Get corrupt nature healed and the heart renewed by the spirit for there is no peace as long as the old heart remaineth when renewed we are reconciled we receive the atonement if God sanctifieth he is a God of peace Be once after the spirit and then you will be spiritually minded and to one that is spiritually minded there is life and peace 2. The next thing is our impotency to recover our selves out of this estate for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Hence observe Doct. That while we remain carnally minded there is no breaking off this enmity between God and us The reasons of this repugnancy or why the carnal mind standeth in such direct opposition to the Law are 1. The law is spiritual and we are carnal sold under sin Rom. 7.14 Men in an habitual state of carnality cannot obey a spiritual law 2. The law is pure and holy Psal. 119.140 Thy law is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it but it is otherwise with fleshly creatures impuritas est mixtura vilioris 3. The Law is directly contrary to the fleshly mind and therefore the fleshly mind is directly contrary to it The Law of God forbiddeth many things that are pleasing to carnal nature as all excess of bodily pleasures inordinate seeking after the prosits and honours of the World commandeth many things tedious to flesh and blood as the loving God with all our hearts serving him with all our might and strength loving Enemies doing good to all seeking others welfare as our own Secondly Besides its repugnancy there is an utter incapacity But may it not be brought to obedience by the Law demanding its right and due in the Name of God 1. Not by a bare prohibition for that exasperateth the evil Rom. 7.5 For when we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in my members to bring forth fruit unto death 2. Not by perswasions or instructions for spiritual arguments work little with a carnal heart perswasion alone prevaileth not against inclination 1 Cor. 2.14 For the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God 3. Nor will Resolutions Vows and Covenants make us subject for these are but the Dictates of Conscience till the Will be renewed 'T is our Judgment we should but the bent of our hearts lieth as a weight against it Rom. 2.18 Thou approvest the things that are excellent being instructed out of the law VSE is Information Since the unregenerate are altogether Flesh and the regenerate in part flesh the one can do nothing good the other nothing perfect 1. It giveth us a true account of mans natural incapicity to what is good First there is a natural propensity or inclination to the body before the soul and Earth before Heaven the creature before God John 3.6 That which is born of flesh is flesh 2. This is increased in us by being accustomed to a sinful life Jer. 13.13 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil 3. This custom is more confirmed and rooted by the general practice of all about us Isa. 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips 4. 'T is not only practised but countenanced generally in the world 1 Pet. 4.4 Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them into the same excess of riot 5. The incouragements of another course lye wholly in a World to come Matth. 5.12 Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven 6. The Precepts to renounce this sensuality are given by an Invisible God Who tho he hath given sufficient demonstration of the truth of his being is little cared for Psal. 10.4 The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts SERMON X. ROM VIII 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God THIS Verse is Consectary from the whole Discourse especially from the former Verse They who are in the flesh are professed Enemies to God and therefore they cannot please him In the Words here are two Things 1. The Persons spoken of 2. What is said of them 1. The Persons spoken of They that are in the flesh that is who are unregenerate in the state of corrupt Nature he saith not if the flesh be in you ye cannot please God but if you be in the flesh that is in a carnal state As to be in the faith 2 Cor. 13.5 implieth being in a Gospel-state and to be in Christ Rom. 8.1 noteth a state of true Christianity so to be in the flesh is to be under the dominion and power of the flesh so as to serve the lusts and passions thereof during this carnal and corrupt estate till men are converted and changed they cannot please God 2. What is said of them They cannot please God Which may be interpreted two Ways quoad conatum vel quoad eventum first with respect to their endeavour they will not frame their doings nor make this their business and scope to please the Lord as 't is said of the Jews that rigorously kept up the ritual Observances of the law 1 Thes. 2.15 They please not God and are contrary to all men They were as far from fulfilling the true meaning of the law as they were from observing the Gospel and all men as long as their lusts are untamed and unbroken they cannot do those things which are pleasing in his sight Secondly With respect to Gods acceptance and favour they are not accepted with him so as to obtain Life and Peace and be exempted from Condemnation Doct. Carnal men do not cannot please God To prove this I shall lay down some Propositions 1. That it is mans duty and happiness to please God For this end
〈◊〉 passions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affections The first word noteth vexing passions the next desirable lusts There are two dispositions in the soul of man of aversation and prosecution by the one we eschew evil by the other we pursue good Corruption hath invaded both and therefore Grace is necessary to rectifie and govern both 2 Cor. 6.7 By the armour of righteousness both on the right hand and on the left 1. We must crucifie our passions which have to do with evils vexatious to the flesh and we must subdue our lusts or affections which have to do with those good things which are pleasing to the flesh there are vexing evils in which the mind suffereth a kind of affliction but 't is a disorder arising from self-love and therefore it must be mortified as envy which corrodeth and fretteth the heart of him that is surprized by it but yet self love is the cause of it for we are troubled that any water should pass by our Mill or that others should enjoy any honour or esteem or trade or profit which we covet for our selves so anger at any thing done by man which is displeasing to us and if given way to is a short fury and madness and hindreth a clear discovering of what is right and equal Jam. 1.20 So worldly sorrow at any thing done by God displeasing to the flesh 2 Cor. 7. Worldly sorrow works death So inordinate fear which betrayeth the succors which reason and grace offereth to fortifie us upon any sudden incursion of evil The fear of man bringeth a snare Prov. 29.25 So worldly cares which divert us from God and dependance on his Providence Phil. 4.6 7. Yea set up an anti-providence in our own hearts The like may be said of malice and revenge all which bring a torture with them and if allowed or indulged would soon destroy our love to God or men as if God withholdeth from us any good that we desire or sendeth that which we desire not but crosseth our humor as sickness want reproach or disrespect or whatever the heart is carried to eschew or if men enjoy any thing more than we would have them or do any thing contrary to the conveniency of our flesh we storm and fret justifie our passions think we do well to be angry tho these are a sort of sins which are a punishment to themselves and do destroy not only our duty but our peace and disquiet and torment and soul that harbors them yea will soon destroy that love we owe to God or man therefore they must be mortified 2. Not only our passions but our affections must be mortified Or more pleasant lusts to which we are carried by a sweeter inclination of nature such as are stirred up by carnal baits and pleasures as to instance in sins of the more sordid and brutish part of mankind motions to Intemperance Luxury Uncleanness and brutish Satisfactions or to instance in the more refined part of the world to worldly Greatness Honour and vain delights to be distinguished from others by Estate Rank and outward Dignity as every man is apt to be carried away by some inordinate lust or other now whatever the distemper be it must be purged out of the heart if we would have Christ have any interest there And here we must not only restrain the act but mortifie the habits for otherwise we cannot be safe for every temptation falleth in with some or other of these sins and giveth a new life to it unless the lusts are weakned the conversation cannot be Christian 1 Pet. 2.4 Abstain from fleshly lusts having your conversations honest and Jam. 4.1 From whence come wars and fighting Come they not hence even from your lusts that war in your members All their strifes and contentions come from their carnal hearts or sensual inclinations which first rebelled against the upper part of the soul or the dictates of Grace and Reason and then broke out into outragious or misbecoming practises And our Saviour telleth us that Murthers Thefts Adulteries come first out of the heart Matth. 15.19 From the polluted fountain of the heart floweth all the pollution of the life And if the act should be restrained yet unless the heart be cleansed all is loathsome to God Matth. 23.27 Therefore kill the lusts in your heart and ye shall more easily curb the sins of the outward man that they may not break out to Gods dishonour Many think to fashion the life but neglect the heart and if they keep from scandal yet they do not advance the Authority and Power of Grace in the Heart but self-love securely beareth rule in the soul. Many die by inward bleeding as well as by outward wounds therefore unless our irrascible or concupiscible faculty be bridled and made pliable to the conduct of the heavenly mind we shall do nothing in Christianity to any good effect 3. As to actual temptations when they stir indwelling sin complain of the violence to God Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me from this body of death Bemoan your selves to him who alone can help you and is ready to do so when you are afraid of doing any thing contrary to your duty and an humble sense of your impotency is not only a good preparative to receive his graces but also to defy and rebuke the temptation Matth. 4.10 Get thee behind me Satan and Gen. 39.9 How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God These are best smothered in the birth 4. Take heed of those sins which the people of God are most in danger of 'T is hard to say what they are for all sins when they are near and importune the flesh by the easie and profitable practice of them without danger or discovery may tempt an unwary heart Therefore we must have always our eyes in our head and stand upon our guard the secure are next to a fall there is no cessation of arms in this warfare nor treaty and conclusion of peace to be made with our lusts Sin is a bosome-friend but yet the sorest enemy and if we be not resolute and vigilant our appetites and senses or passions may betray us and if you be not daylie deadning worldly inclinations self-esteem and conceit you cannot stand out against the smallest temptation But they are most in danger of those sins which the temperature of body and constitution do incline them unto tho we must watch against all sins for all are hateful to God and contrary to his law and incident to us yet we are inclined to one sin more than to another there is something that is our privy sore and may be called the plague of our own hearts 1 Kings 8.38 Now this must be watched and striven against and here the victory is never cheap nor easie Many a groan many a prayer many a serious thought many an hearty endeavour it will cost us these master lusts they never go alone like great diseases that
a lawful and necessary Fear which doth quicken us to our Duty Phil. 2.12 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling and is either the fear of Reverence or the fear of Caution The fear of Reverence is nothing but that awe which we as Creatures are to have of the Divine Majesty or an humble sense of the condition place and duty of a Creature towards its Creator The fear of Caution is a due sense of the importance and weight of the business we are ingaged in in order to our salvation Certainly none can consider the danger we are to escape and the blessedness we aim at but will see a need to be serious and therefore this fear is good and holy Secondly There is besides this a slavish fear which doth not further but extreamly hinder our Work For tho we are to fear God yet we are not to be afraid of God This servile fear may be interpreted either with respect to the Precept or the Sanction of the Law First with respect to the Precept and so it sheweth us how men stand naturally affected to the duty of the Law Whatever they do is meerly for fear of being punished Secondly to the Sanction Penalty and Curse The fear of evil is more powerful upon us than the hope of good The greater the evil the greater the fear and the more tormenting Doct. That men under the Law-Covenant are under a Spirit of Bondage Here I shall enquire 1. What is the Spirit of Bondage 2. How is it the fruit of the Law-Covenant 3. Whether it is good or bad 1. What is the Spirit of Bondage To open it we must explain Three Things The Nature of the Object 2. The Work of the Spirit 3. The Disposition of man 1. The Nature of the Object The Law requiring Duty of the fal'n creature and threatning punishment in case of disobedience For the Law hath a Twofold Office to convince of sin Rom. 3.20 Now by the Law only cometh the knowledg of sin and to bind over to punishment Therefore 't is said The law worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 In both respects the Old Covenant is called the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 The Law as a covenant of Works is called a Law of sin because it only sheweth our sin and a Law of death because it bindeth us over to death 2. The Work of the Spirit Every Truth is quickned by the Spirit and made more powerful upon our hearts The comfort which we have from the Truth of the Gospel is by the Spirit and therefore 't is called Joy in the Holy Ghost So Law-Truths are applied to the conscience by the Spirit Jer. 31.19 After I was instructed I smote upon the thigh and when the commandment came that is in the light and power of the Spirit sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 That is was made sensible of his sinful and lost condition And indeed the usual Work wherewith the Spirit beginneth with men is to shew them their sin and misery their alienation from God and enmity to him and insufficiency to help themselves 3. The disposition of man which is corrupted under the workings of the Spirit of Bondage And so this Spirit of Bondage or servile Fear worketh several ways according to the Temper of men First in the prophane it giveth occasion of further sinning as conscience being awakened by the Spirit urgeth either the Precept or the Curse the Precept as a Bullock at first yoking groweth more unruly or a River swelleth when it meeteth with a dam and restraint Rom. 7.5 For when we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Sinful practices were more irritated by the prohibition and so our obligation to death increased or else by urging the Curse which produceth the sottish despair Jer. 18.12 And they said there is no hope we will walk after our devices There is a double despair of pleasing or being accepted There is a lazy sottish despair as well as raging and tormenting despair by which men cast off all care of the Souls welfare There is no hope Secondly in a middle sort of men that have a legal conscience it puts them upon some duty and course of service to God But 't is not done comfortably nor upon any noble motives That which is defective in it is this First 't is constrained service This Bondage which is a fruit of the Law doth force and compel men to some unpleasing Task A Christian serveth God out of love but one under the Spirit of Bondage serveth God out of fear A love to God and true holiness prevaileth with the one more than the fear of wrath and punishment for the Spirit of Adoption disposeth and inclineth him to God as a Father but one under the Spirit of Bondage is forced to submit to some kind of religiousness for fear of being damned Indeed both are constrained the one by love the other by fear 2 Cor. 5.14 only the constraint of love is durable and kindly and sweet the other his Task is grievous and wearisome Mal. 1.11 and holdeth most in a fit when danger is nigh they are frighted into some devotion Psal. 78. from 34 to 38. Secondly That service which they are forced and compelled to yield to God is outward service and obedience Isa. 58.7 hanging the head for a day like a Bulrush and as they do Micah 6.7 offer Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousands of Rivers of Oyl or the first born of their body for the sin of their souls 'T is a Sin-Offering rather than a Thank-Offering more to appease conscience than to please God consists in Rituals rather than Substantials and those invented by men rather than commanded by God Whereas the true Christian is otherwise described Phil. 3.3 For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the fiesh But the false Christian is one Matth. 15.8 that draweth nigh to God with the mouth but their heart is far from him their heart is averse from God tho they must have an outward Religion to rest in and so they serve God not as children do a father but as slaves serve an hard and cruel master Thirdly In some the Lord may make use of it to bring on conversion for according to our sense of sin and misery so is a Saviour and Redeemer welcome to us and prized by us There must be a sensible awakening knowledg of our great necessity before we will make use of Christ for our Cure and Remedy None but the sick will care for the Physitian Matth. 9.12 the burdened for ease Matth. 11.28 29. the pursued for a Sanctuary and Refuge Heb. 6.18 None but the condemned to be justified and acquitted Rom. 8.33 34. the lost and miserable to be saved Luke 19.10 2. How is it the fruit of the law covenant The law covenant is double either the
and Children and Brethren and Sisters and his own life he cannot be my disciple Now this love that is in us being of such a vehement nature it can be resisted no more than death or the grave can be resisted No opposition can quench or extinguish it no Pleasures or Honours or Profits can bribe it If men would give all their substance such a soul will be faithful to Christ so that by this love Christ maintaineth his interest in our souls The stony ground could not abide the heat of the sun the thorny ground was choaked with the deceitfulness of riches and voluptuous living Waters or Bribes may carry away some unmortified souls but sincere love to Christ will not suffer us to be tempted away from him 1. USE Is information How a Christian cometh to be safe in the midst of temptations 1. 'T is by Christs love to us and ours to him First his love to us Once be perswaded that Christ loveth you then what need you fear Nothing that he doth will be grievous to you but how shall I bring my heart to this His love to sinners is plainly demonstrated in our Redemption Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us But his special love to us is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 he giveth the effect and the sense The general love must be apprehended by faith 1 John 4 16. We have known and believed the love God hath to us and improved by serious consideration Eph. 3.18 19. That ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth by taking this way to be possessed of this love Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me and the effects of it sought after What is every day done more to heal and recover our wounded and self condemned souls and to rescue us out of the misery incurred by sin to appease our griefs and fears What power against sin What assistance of grace in your duties and conflicts 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates This is to seek a proof of Christ in you Secondly for the other we get it by patience in afflictions Rom. 5.5 bâ— fruitfulness in obedience John 14.21 23. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him If a man love me and keep my commandments my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Converse with God in solemn Ordinances Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee the King brâ—ught me into his chamber we will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy love more than wine 2. Our love to Christ This must be taken in for 't is we are assaulted not Christ we are conquerors not God nothing shall divorce us Christ will never forsake a loving soul nor will a loving soul easily forsake him they have such an esteem of Christ that all things else are but dung and dross Phil. 3.8 9 10. Let deceived souls desire worldly greatness they can be satisfied with nothing but Christ nothing can supply his room in their hearts SERMON XLVI ROM VIII 36 37. As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us IN the former of these verses the Apostle continueth his challenge and then in the latter giveth the answer from experience He continueth the challenge verse 36. speaking to the last enumerated Sword lest he should seem to triumph over a feigned enemy he sheweth how the people of God in all ages are not only subject to divers calamities but even to death its self he proveth it by a quotation Psal. 44.22 for thy sake we are killed all the day long The words of the Psalm seem to relate to the times of Antiochus when every day they were in danger of death for religious sake As it is written for thy sake c. The answer is in verse 37. That in all these things we have had experience and have found this that they have no power to separate us from the love of Christ. In the words considered in themselves observe three things 1 The greatness of the tryal for thy sake we are killed all the day long 2. The absoluteness of their Conquest and Victory in all these things we are more than Conquerors 3. The Author or cause through him that loved us 1. The greatness of the tryal The calamity of the people of God in those times is First Literally expressed Secondly Set forth by a similitude or Metaphor 1. Literally expressed for thy sake we are killed all the day long Where 1 The cause for thy sake out of love to him and zeal for his glory and the purity of his worship This instance sheweth partly that the true Religion is ever hated in the world and partly that for the love of God we ought to endure all manner of extremities Partly that 't is a blessed thing when our death is not occasioned by our own crimes but meerly for Gods sake when a man doth not suffer as an evil doer but for Righteousness sake 2. The grievousness of the tryal we are killed not spoiled only but killed 't is further set forth Heb. 11.37 They were stoned sawn asunder tempted slain with the sword that is put to death several ways Some think it should not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were burnt or tempted by some cruel kind of death to forsake God The whole signifieth That the lives of the Saints were most cruelly taken away by several kinds of tormenting deaths 3. The continuance all the day long either the Church speaketh as a collective body for a single person can be killed but once now one then another made away all hours of the day they were taking or killing some of the brethren yet the rest were not discouraged or else killed all the day long must bear this sense that they were always in fear of death it did continually hang over their heads they were no time free as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15.31 I die daily He did daily run the hazzard of death 2. By a similitude we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter some take the allusion from sheep appointed for Sacrifice The wicked thought they did God good service in killing the godly John 16.2 And the godly themselves yeilded up themselves as a Sacrifice to God 2 Tim. 4.6 I am ready to be offered and
hereafter we shall have sight or hereafter injoy the beatifical vision 6. That those that have faith must walk by it 1. That Faith and sight are opposed and contradistinguished the one from the other Faith is a grace that is conversant about things unseen or a dependance upon God for something that lyeth out of sight That this is the Essential property and nature of Faith appeareth by the definition of it Heb. 11.1 'T is the Substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen The Objects of Faith are things invisible and future the Lord is absent from us who maketh the promise and Heaven which is the great promise which he hath promised us is yet to come The nature of Faith and Hope is destroyed if the object be seen and present or ready at hand to be enjoyed Rom. 8.24 For hope that is seen is not Hope for what a man seeth why doth he hope for it Vision and possession exclude Faith and Hope there is a constant opposition you see between Faith and sight so that we may know that we have Faith when we can believe those things which are promised though we have little probability in Sense or Reason to expect them and hereby we may know the measure as well as the nature of our Faith for the excellency and strength of it is in believing things upon Gods word to which sense giveth little incouragement as appeareth by those words of Christ to Thomas John 20.29 Thomas because thou hast seen thou hast believed but blessed are they that have not seen and yet believed Thomas must have the object of Faith under the view of his senses which though it did not Argue a nullity in his Faith yet a very great weakness and Imbecillity weak Christians must be carryed in Arms dandled upon knees fed with sensible Pledges and ocular demonstrations or else they are ready to faint but strong Christians can believe above sense and against sense As 't is said of the Father of the Faithful that he believed in Hope and against hope Rom. 4.18 19. And considered not his own Body being dead being an hundred years old nor the deadness of Sarahs womb he staggered not at the promise of God but was strong in Faith giving glory to God The more Faith can live upon the Word of God the better though the things believed be neither felt nor seen and the less of sensible Demonstration we require the stronger the Faith ever This is true in all the objects that Faith is conversant about I shall instance in some The person of Christ. Many believed on him though they had never seen him in the flesh and therefore their Faith is commended 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love and in whom ye believe rejoycing with joy unspeakable and full of Glory 'T was an advantage certainly to converse with Christ personally here upon Earth but Faith can Imbrace him in the Word though it never saw him in the Flesh. So for the threatnings when we can tremble at the Word as Josiah did when he heard the curses of the law though there were no dangers nigh we do not read of any actual disturbance and trouble at that time in the nation So many times when an Age is very corrupt and things are ripe for Judgment and God giveth warning alas few take it or lay it to heart they are not affected with things till they feel them Few can see a storm when the Clouds are a gathering they securely build upon their present ease and peace though God be angry But in the eye of Faith a sinful Estate is always dangerous and they humble themselves while the judgment is but in its causes as 't is said Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet prepared an Ark to the saving of his house by the which he condemned the World and became the Heir of Righteousness which is by faith Mark things not seen are still matter of faith he saw them in the warning of God though he could not any way else see a flood a coming So for Gods aid and succour in a time of danger Heb. 11.27 By faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible To appearance he was like to be swallowed up being pursued by a Wrathful and puissant King but the terrours of sense may be easily vanquished by those invisible Succours which Faith relyeth upon So in all matters of practical experience In prosperity we have but too much Confidence but when we are lessened in the World and cut short we are full of diffidence and distrustful fears Psa. 30.6 In my Prosperity I said I shall never be moved Even a Child of God when he gets a carnal Pillow to rest upon lyeth down and sleepeth securely and dreameth many a pleasant Dream and is full of confidence But when God taketh away his Pillow from under his head then he is as diffident as formerly confident God is the same his promises the same his covenant the same the Mediatour the same but we are much changed because we look to things seen and live upon things seen In danger how are we troubled about protection in deep poverty about provisions and maintenance If sick and nigh unto death how little do the promises of pardon and eternal life prevail In perplexed affairs how little can we unravel our selves and refer the issue to God Faith is staggered because we cannot believe in Hope against Hope We must have something in view and sight faith yieldeth no relief to us Let me instance in a case of Spiritual sense in troubles of Conscience When Gods law speaketh him an Enemy and Conscience feeleth him an Enemy How long is it ore we can bring men to any kind of Hope by Christ notwithstanding the rich and free offers of his grace or ingage them when the curse of the Law cleaveth to their Consciences to take Gods way for Cure and Remedy Because they prefer Sense before Faith and the feeling of Gods Law that cleaveth to them maketh them exclude all hope by the Gospel Isa. 50.10 Who is there among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God The recumbency of such a Soul is a notable act of Faith loving God as a Friend trusting him as an Enemy So in outward tryals and difficulties to wait for so much as God hath promised Many trust God no further than they can see him or have probability to expect his help which is a limiting the holy one of Israel Psa. 78.41 Confining him to a circle of their own making If sense be against the promise the promise doth them no good Now to comfort our selves in God when all faileth Hab. 3.18 Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in
the God of my Salvation And Psa. 23.4 Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear none evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff doth comfort me To make the promise yield us that which the creature cannot health strength life peace house and home and maintenance for our selves and Children When we die and have little or nothing to leave them and all means of subsistance are cut off and blasted then to live yea to grow rich by Faith as having nothing yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6.10 'T is enough that God carryeth the purse for us Many talk of living by Faith but 't is when they have something in the World to live upon As those Isa. 4.1 Only let us he called by thy name So in other cases why do the vain delights and dignities and honours of the World so prevail with Men that all the Promises of the Gospel cannot reclaim them yea fell their birth-right for one morsel of meat Heb. 11.15 The life of Sense is lifted up above that of Faith The Soul dwelleth in Flesh looketh out by the senses and knoweth what is comfortable to sense that God is unseen our great hopes are to come and the Flesh is Importunate to be pleased 2. Pet. 1.9 They that want these things that is Faith and other graces are blind and cannot see afar off Doct. 2. That Faith is for Earth and sight is for Heaven So the Apostle sorteth these two Here we believe in God and there we see him as he is As soon as we are reconciled to him God will not admit us into his immediate presence as Absolom when he had leave to return yet he could not see the King's face 2 Sam. 14.24 So God causeth us to stay a while in the World ere we come before him in his Heavenly Temple 1. Because now we are in our minority and all things are by degrees carryed on towards their state of perfection as an Infant doth not presently commence into the stature of a man In the course of Nature there is an orderly progress from an Imperfect state to a perfect The dispensations of God to the Church Gal. 4. And the Apostle compareth our estate in Glory and our estate by grace to Child-hood and manly Age 1 Cor. 13.11 12. Our words inclinations affections are quite changed in the compass of a few years so as we neither say nor desire nor understand any thing as some years before we did so it is with this and the next life Now our vision is very dark and imperfect looking upon things when they are shewed us as through a glass on purpose to give us a Glimpse of them but when we come to Heaven we shall see perfectly as we see a person or thing that is before our Eyes 2. We are now upon our tryal but then we are in termino in our final state now we are in our way but then we are in our Country Therefore now we walk by faith but then by sight God would not give us our reward here A tryal cannot be made in a state of sense but in a state of Faith We are justified by Faith we live by Faith we walk by Faith This state of Faith requireth that the manner of that dispensation by which God governeth the World should neither be too sensible and clear nor too obscure and dark but a middle thing as the day break or twilight is between the light of the day and the darkness of the night that as the World is a middle place between Heaven and Hell so it should have somewhat of either If all things were too clear and liable to sense we should not need Faith if to obscure we should wholly lose Faith Therefore 't is neither night nor day but towards the evening If the Godly should be presently admitted to their Happiness and have all things according to Hearts desire it would make Religion too sensible a thing not fit for that kind of Government which God will now exercise in the World Heb. 6.12 But followers of them who through Faith and patience have inherited the promises And Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Every man must be tryed and approved faithful upon tryal and then God will admit him into his presence 3. There is no congruity between our present state and the beatifical vision the place is not fit nor the persons 1. The place is not fit because 't is full of changes Here time and chance happeneth to all and there is a continual succession of Night and Day Calm and Tempest Winter and Summer There is neither evil nor only evil not all good nor all Blessing but a mixture of either The World to come is either all evil or all good This is a fit place for our exercise but not for our injoyments here is the patience of the Saints But there is the reward of the Saints 'T is a fit place to get an Interest in but not a possession 'T is Gods Foot-stool but not his Throne Isa. 66.1 Now he will not immediately shew himself to us till we come before the Throne of his Glory He manifesteth himself to the Blessed Spirits as a King sitting in his Royal Robes upon his Throne but the Church is but his Foot-stool as he filleth the upper part of the World with his Glorious presence so the lower part with his powerful presence This is a place wherein God will shew his bounty to all his Creatures a Common Inn and receptacle for Sons and Bastards a place given to the Children of men But the Heaven of Heavens he hath reserved for himself and his people Psa. 115.16 2. The persons are not fit Our Souls are not yet enough purified to see God Matth. 5.8 1 John 3.3 Till sin be done away which will not be till Death we are unmeet for his presence when Christ will present us to God he will present us faultless before the presence of his Glory Jude 28. Our Bodies also are not fit till we have passed the Gulph of Death We are not able to bear Eternal Happiness Old bottles will not hold the new wine of Glory a Mortal Creature is not capable of the Glorious presence of God and cannot endure the splendour of it Matth. 12.6 They fell on their Faces and were sore afraid Upon any manifestation of God the Saints hide themselves Elijah Wrapt his Face in a mantle Moses himself when God gave the Law trembled exceedingly 3. Point That till we have sight 't is some advantage that we have Faith There is no other way to live spiritually and in holy peace joy and the love of God but by sight or faith either by injoyment or expectation therefore sight being reserved for the other world if we would live holily and comfortably we must walk
condemned by the world But how shall Wisdom be justified by us Answ. 1. By disclaiming and renouncing them who Adopt Fooleries into their Religion and betray it to the scorn of all considering men In this class and rank I put the Papists and the Quakers The first by a Pageantry of many ridiculous Ceremonies have so disguised the Christian Religion that it is made Contemptible Therefore is it that where this Religion hath most absolutely commanded Atheism aboundeth for the heart of a rational man can find no satisfaction in these things nothing of the Majesty of God and the power of his Ordinances where they are made so sense-pleasing and accommodated with such worldly Pomp and silly Rudiments which can only prevail upon the weaker sort of Spirits The more knowing and searching wits cannot but secretly scorn those things in their hearts and therefore no other Religion being allowed and countenanced they lie under a dangerous Temptation to Atheism and Unbelief The other sort are the Quakers a sort of People whose Principles are not yet fixed but in the forming being of a vertiginous spirit are a ready prey for Sathan and fit instruments for him to work by to the great disturbance of Religion or to disgrace and shame it and betray it to scorn Now the main of what their Religion hitherto hath been is to teach men to cast away their Bands and their Cuffs and the trimmings of their Garments and to deny Civilities and to teach men to say thou these make Religion ridiculous and prostitute Scripture phrase to scorn and by them the way of truth is evil spoken of 2. By pleading for it Surely Godliness is not madness but the highest Wisdom This Argument will clear it Wisdom lieth in the fixing of a right end and the choice of apt and good means and a dexterous pursuit of these means These things are evident to reason Now in all these respects there is not a wiser man than a godly man and the more godly he is the more he excelleth in Wisdom And therefore folly and madness can no more be ascribed to godliness than heat to the Snow or cold to the fire 1. He fixeth upon an higher end than all the rest of the world doth which is the pleasing glorifying injoying God Alas what 's the heaping up of wealth the getting of a little honour or designing to wallow in ease and pleasure as to these things He is wiser that is wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.16 That chooseth God for his portion God hath given him counsel in his Reins All the Wisdom of the world is Earthly Sensual and Devilish Jam. 1.3 Others are Foolish and Madmen Who are wiser They that run after painted Butterflies or spend their time in making Clay-pies like Children or sucking at the dry Breast of the Creature or those who are able to govern Commonwealths or do things for publick good Who are wiser They that can pass by their worldly designs to carry on their Heavenly Or they that are wise for the present and Fools to all Eternity 2. He chuseth apt and sit means He takes not an uncertain course in the world but goeth by the certain rule of Gods Word Deut. 4.6 Keep them and do them for this is your Wisdom Jer. 8.9 They have rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them And the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Psal. 19.7 The more a man keepeth to the Word of the Lord the more wise and as far as he abateth he sheweth foâ—ly and madness as others do 3. For diligent pursuit being heedful Eph 5.15 See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise Avoiding what may be a snare they are true to their end by being serious and diligent Eccl. 10.2 A wise mans heart is at his right hand by self denyal spareth no cost selleth all for the Pearl of great Price Matth. 13. Though to despise the Delights and Honours and Pleasures of the world seemeth the greatest folly and madness to Carnal men Nothing venture nothing have Rom. 8.6 To be Carnally minded is death and to be Spiritually minded is life and peace He loseth something but getteth much better If a man should keep his money by him and neglect a gainful purchase that would yield him an hundred fold this would be accounted folly among worldly wise men what is their course who venture death and eternal Destruction rather than be at the pains to save their Souls 3. Let us wipe off â—his reproach by our Conversations Not by abating our zeal and diligence in the Heavenly life but by a prudent behaviour giving no occasion by any ridiculous actions of ours to blemish the Holy Profession I 'le urge but this one Argument that a Christian is to shew forth the vertues of God or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praises of God 1 Pet. 2.9 as an Image is to represent the Party Now the vertues of God are chiefly three Wisdom Power and Goodness A Christian is to shew forth Gods Power by his reverence and awfulness not daring to do any thing that God hath forbidden His Goodness of benignity by his delight and readiness of obedience as his beneficial goodness so his moral Goodness by our Holiness 1 Pet. 1.16 Be ye holy for I am holy So also his Wisdom we shew he is Wise by whose Counsel we are guided and wait on God for the direction of his Word and the Spirit will help you to do it Jam. 1.5 If any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth no man Use 3. Is Caution to Carnal men Let them forbear the censures of the Godly and study their own case we charge them with madness and folly not to upbraid them but to convince them not out of Malice as they do but compassion that they may repent and grow wise to Salvation Repentance is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a returning to our wits again What is that 1. When you begin to be serious When the Conversion of the Gentiles to the Christian Faith is Prophesied of 't is said Psalm 22.27 All the ends of the Earth shall remember and turn to the Lord. As long as men are thoughtless and mindless of Heavenly things they know not what they do but are as men sleeping and distracted not making use of the common light of Reason or those Principles which are ingrafted into the hearts of all men What am I Who made me What do all these Creatures proclaim all that I can see and feel but an Eternal Power Have I any Interest in him Alas they went on madly before sleeping in the lap of Carnal Pleasures when the Philistines were upon them or else plunging themselves in a gulph of business and worldly distractions and there they lie in the deep waters till they be ready to sink to the bottom Oh remember and return you are undone for ever if you do not escape out
satisfied in Christ that he is willing to forgive the offences done to him for the Text saith God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their trespasses to them And our wicked disposition is done away and our hearts are converted and turned to the Lord Acts 9.6 And he trembled and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do And 2 Chron. 30.8 But yield your selves unto the Lord and enter into his Sanctuary which he hath sanctifyed for ever and serve the Lord your God that the fierceness of his Wrath may be turned from you And we are drawn to enter into Covenant with the Lord even that new Covenant which is called the Covenant of his peace Isa. 54.10 And so of enemies we are made friends as Abraham because of his Covenant-relation is called the friend of God Jam. 2.23 In the new Covenant God offereth pardon and requireth repentance when we accept the offer the pardon procured for us by Christ and submit to the Conditions lay down the weapons of our defiance and give the hand to the Lord to walk with him in all new obedience then are we reconciled 2. This reconciliation is as firm and strong as our estate in innocency as if there had been no foregoing breach and in some considerations better especially when we look to the full effect of it As good as if the first Covenant had never been broken for God doth not only put away his anger but loveth us as if we never had been in hatred he doth not only pardon sinners but delight in them when they repent Men may forgive a fault but they do not forget it the person liveth in Vmbrage and suspicion with them still Absolom was pardoned but not to see the Kings face 2 Sam. 13.14 Shimei had a lease of his life but lived always as a hated and a suspected man 1 Kings 2.8 But now 't is otherwise here we find not only mercy with God but are as firmly instated into his love as ever Our sins are cast into the depths of the Sea Hosea 7.19 And Hosea 14.4 I will love them freely And Rom. 9.25 And her Beloved which was not Beloved He not only passeth by the injury but calls her Beloved Breaches between man and man are like deep wounds though healed the scares remain something sticketh or like a vessel sodered weak in the crack but here Beloved delighted in The Lord delighteth in thee Isa. 62.4 And he will rest in his love In some sort 't is more sure 't is not committed to us and the freedom of our wills A bone well set is strongest where broken Adam was happy but not established 3. This active reconciliation draweth many blessings along with it 1. Peace with God Rom. 5 1. Being justifyed by faith we have peace with God To have God an enemy is to have a sharp sword always hanging over our heads by a slender thread How can we look him in the face lift up our heads to Heaven think of him without trembling There is a God but he is our enemy how can we eat drink or sleep while God is our enemy Did we know what 't is to have God our enemy we should soon know that he cannot want instruments of revenge death may way-lay us in every place if we eat our meat may poyson or choak us if we go abroad God may cast us into Hell before we come home again if we sleep his wrath may take us napping For our damnation slumbereth not 2 Pet. 3.3 Surely 't is such a dreadful thing to be at enmity with God that we should not continue in that estate for a moment but when once you are at peace with God you stop all evil at the fountain head 2. Access to God with boldness and free trade into Heaven Rom. 5.2 By whom we have access by faith And Eph. 2.18 For through him we have both access by one Spirit unto the Father When a peace is made between two warring Nations Trading is revived When you have occasion to make use of God you may go to him as your reconciled Father there is no flaming sword to keep you out of paradise 3. Acceptance both of your persons and performances your persons are accepted Eph. 1 6. He hath accepted us in the Beloved to the praise of his glorious grace You are looked upon as members of Christ favourites of Heaven your duties and actions are accepted Heb. 11.4 By faith Abel offered a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain The sinful failings of our best actions are hid and covered they are not examined by a severe Judge but accepted by a loving Father 4. All the graces of the Spirit are fruits of our reconciliation with God Rom. 5.11 We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the atoâ—ement Jewels of the Covenant wherewith the Spouse of Christ is decked Christ prayed that we might be loved as he was loved John 17. Not for degree but kind John 3 34. These are given as tokens and evidences of his Love the priviledge is so great that we cannot believe it without some real demonâ—â—ration of Gods heart towards us When Jacob heard that Joseph was alive and Governour of Egypt he would not believe it but when he saw the Waggons which Joseph sent to carry him Gen. 45.27 28. Then his Spirit revived within him So here 1 Thessa. 1.5 For our Gospel came not to you in word only but in power and in the Holy-Ghost and in much assurance 5. All outward blessings are sanctified especially the inâ—oyment of them which we have by another right and tenure Surely one that is reconciled to God cannot be miserable for all things are his 1 Cor. 3.23 Whatsoever falleth to his share comfort and cross cometh with a blessing And all worketh for good Rom. 8.28 Gods enmity is declared by raining snares Psal. 11.6 There is a secret war against the Soul but his love that always worketh for good Out of what corner soever the wind bloweth it always bloweth for good to his people 6. 'T is a pledge of Heaven Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled by his death much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life The glorifying of a Saint is a more easie thing than the reconciling of a sinner suppose the one and you may suppose the other if God would pardon us and take us with all our faults he will much more glorify us when we are reconciled and sanctified 7. Our right to this priviledge beginneth assoon as we do believe in Christ. For upon these terms God hath set forth Christ Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by â—his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. When our hearts are drawn to receive Christ upon these terms we are legally capable of his favour Now faith is nothing else but a broken hearted and thankful acceptance of Christ with a resolution to give up our selves to