see in these instances that faith goes all upon reason upon spirituall reason 2. In doing And so for doing for obedience as it refers to doing I will give you that one place that I had even now 2 Cor. 5. 14. saith the Apostle VVe thus judge or we thus reason That if one dyed for all then were all dead And further this is an other conclusion He dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him which dyed for them and rose againe There is no act of obedience that a Saint under the Gospell doth but it proceeds from Gospell Spirituall reason Christ dyed God reveales this in the Scripture to me and he seales this to my soule that he dyed for me when I was the veryest enemy in the world why then there is all the reason in the World he dying for me that I should live to him and serve him all the dayes of my life he redeemed me and paid a rannsome for me there is all the reason in the world that I should live to him you must not thinke that the People of God take so much paines to deny themselves and to be carryed on in such hard rough wayes but that they are carryed on in a way of spirituall reasoning And then for suffering which is another part of a Christians life You shall read in Rom. 8. 18. 3 In suffering If we be children then heires heires of God joynt heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glrryfied together For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us Reckon or I reckon for it is the same word in the Greek that is he did put the two sums together as one learned Expositor sayth he put al the sufferings on the one side as light things as short things and the priviledges of the Saints on the other that we are sons heires and coheirs with Christ and that if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him and so after all his reasoning he saw it was better to undergoe sufferings with Jesus Christ considering the gaine and the loss putting them both together in the Ballance and therefore he resolved to suffer any thing that God should lay on him So if we compare this place with 3 Cor. 4. 16. For this cause sayth the Apostle we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day for our light afflictions which are but for a moment worke for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory We have abundance of afflictions as it is known to you Corinthians as he saith before VVe are afflicted on every side there was a great deale of affliction and yet notwithstanding he did not faint he was able to goe on and suffer Why so Not phantastically or rashly as many a carnall man may doe for it is not so with a Saint he will choose dishonour when he may have honour but it is upon good reason I will tell you why because though the outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day and therefore saith he our light afflictions which are but for a moment they worke to us an exceeding eternall weight of glory As if he had said the afflictions which are now upon me however you may conceive them to be great yet in the Skales of spirituall reason I see they are but light and little in comparison of what the wicked shall suffer and of what I have deserved and it is but for a moment it is but for a time and it doth worke an exceeding excessive weight of glory and therefore I have all the reason in the World to suffer afflictions for if the outward man suffer the inward man gets by it and if it be light there is a weight of glory and if it be for a moment there is an externall weight of glory And saith he We doe not looke at things that are seene for they are temporall but at things that are not seene which are eternall We looke at things in a spirituall way and thus saith he I bless God I doe not faint and thus we have opened the Lesson to you that they that walke according to the flesh are led by carnall reasons and they that walk according to the spirit are ruled by spirituall reasons Now before I come to proove the doctrine unto you to make way for it because in my apprehension it is a spirituall thing as I shall shew you hereafter There is nothing that I know in this blessed Booke that may help you in a clearer way to discover your estates to you in a spirituall way for such as the man is such is his mind and such as his actions are such is his mind and we may better understand the acts then the mind and we may better understand both then the man And therefore that you may understand this I will lay downe three things before hand before Three things premised I come to proove the Doctrine or to applie it The first is this that there is in all godlinesse in 1. Godlines hath the best reason every part of it excellent reasons there is the purest sublimest excellentest reason in godlinesse Beloved I may say and say truely of godliness in a spirituall sence what ever you may say of Logick in a naturall way Logick is the art of reasoning that is the definition of it it is the right Art of reasoning so godlinesse is the right art of spirituall reasoning There is not one dram of right spiritual reasoning but in godly people and there is not one act in godly people but it is carried on upon the purest and sublimest and excellentest reasoning that is it is such a kind of reason that the Apostle calls it demonstration that is the surest reasoning in naturall Logick Now in that you have other kind of reasoning as conjectures and probabilities and other topicks but godly reasoning is demonstration as the Apostle saith And therefore in 2 Thes 3. 2. wicked men that have not faith they are said to be unreasonable men he is a wicked man that hath not faith let him be never so honest or civill yet in Gods language if he have not faith he is a wicked man Paul prays that he may be delivered from ureasonable men from absurd Absurd what men as you have it the margine Now what is it to be absurd you say when a man carries himself illfavouredly that is absurd properly then when a man reasons not rightly it is absurd as to draw wrong conclusions from premises as to say such a Towne is garrisoned by the King therefore London hath the plague this is absurd Now all the actions and doings of wicked men they are absurd there is no more hold of them then of a rope of sand A wicked man may
Christ come and to enjoy that glory that is to be revealed There are many more expressions there that are the fruits of it as the spirit of supplication Vers 26. And there is also a triumphing over all our spirituall enemies Vers 31. What shall we say then if God be for us who can be against us c. And then there is an absolute dependance upon God for all things He that spared not his owne Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him give us all things And then there is also a patient suffering of all afflictions Sayth the Apostle Vers 18. I neckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed And then there is lastly an absolute eternal union with Christ Jesus in respect of his love I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor any thing shall ever be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our lord these are the expressions of the fruits of the spirit of God in the soule when men walk according to the spirit when they walk according to grace Take a man that walks according to the flesh or according to the law you shall find none of these kind of things in his soule So much concerning that Use In the next place as this Doctrine is a Touchstone Vse 3. Tryall of our actions whereby you may trie and judg of mens persons so hereby also you may trie your services and actions I say this is a rule whereby you may come to know what your services are what worth is in them For as they only are Saints who walk according to the spirit let the World judg how they will and those that walk carnally according to the flesh according to the law are not Saints so I say those actions or services of ours that proceed from the spirit of God they are only pleasing to God and those that proceed from the flesh from Old Adam those are not pleasing to him Now I say by this we may trie our services and actions as well as our persons for there is the same reason for both in all my actions all that I expect from them is that they be pleasing to God that is the end of all that we doe for they cannot justifie us that is done already or if it be not they cannot doe it but all is to be pleasing to God Now then the maine rule by which I am to judg of my actions it is this not to judg of them according as they are plausible to men or according as they have affection or enlargment in them as we call it but we are to judg of our actions cheifly if not principally by the principle that they flow from if it be the weakest and meanest action if it be the least sigh or prayer if it proceed from the new Adam the Lord Jesus it is sweet and pleasing to God it is an acceptable Sacrifice But if it be the most glorious thing in the World if it proceed from old Adam not only from sinfull Adam but from naturall Adam as he is called the naturall man 1. Cor. 15. I say that that riseth from naturall wisdome and invention and understanding and memory c. it is but flesh and Whatsoever is borne of flesh is flesh and as we say Pepper is Pepper that is it is deare so flesh is flesh that is it is a filthy abominable thing to God As it is in this Chapter they that walk according to the flesh cannot please God So that that is borne of the flesh that service that ariseth from the flesh that is done from the flesh cannot please God But you will say cannot the actions that proceed Quest from the principles of naturall Adam be pleasing to God Every man knowes that of corrupt Adam cannot but cannot that of naturall Adam as a man may pray meerly by a naturall wit and bravely to please man and to please himself and he may preach by a naturall wit and doe other Excercises and doe them finely cannot they be pleasing to God No this is a certaine rule that there is nothing Answ Nothing that comes from naturall Adam pleaseth God that comes from flesh from a principle of old Adam whither it be naturally good or evill there is nothing whether from pure Adam or corrupt Adam that is pleasing to God The reason is this because as it is Gen. 3. 5. That when Adam sinned against God you know his punishment was that he should die he was not to eat or touch the forbidden fruit least he should die Now when Adam eat of that fruit you know the curse came upon him And in reference to this you shall find those phrases in this Epistle whosoever walks according to the flesh shall die whosoever walks as old Adam is in the State of the old curse he shall die and O miserable man who shall deliver me from this body of death He calls it a body of death alluding to the maine curse of old Adam which was that he should die Now when the Lord sayd that Adam should Adam to dye as a publick person die for sin conceive not that the meaning is only that he should die personally that his person now should be subject to the wrath of God to damnation of soule and body for ever in Hell that is not the only meaning of it it is true he fell under that but the meaning is this also that whole Adam Adam as thou art a publike person thou shalt die that whereas I made and appoynted thee to be the spring and Foundation of all mankind and every man in the World is to have thy Image on him and I have filled thee with righteousnesse and wisdome and good things that may tend much to thy happinesse and thy posteritie that thou mayest derive a principle to them to be like thee in good and to be pleasing to me But when Adam sinned now sayth God thou shalt die I made thee a happie creature and put abundance of excellencies in thee for thy selfe and thy posterity as a publike person but now thou hast sinned and extinguished all that good Now I will blast them all thy wisdome and thy righteousnesse thy soule and thy body thy very being Adam shall die Thy person as thou art a private man and as thou art a publike man soule and body flesh and bone all that is in the and all that comes from thee shall die this is that great curse that God laid on him a curse of a great extent Therefore I say whatsoever now ariseth from All that springs from old Adam condemned the Sons of Adam that springs from old Adam be it good or evill it is condemned to die it must die it cannot please God As Adam when he had eaten the forbidden fruit the Lord set an Angell with a Sword
319 To be after the flesh what 321 see works weaknesse spirit corruptions actions carnall righteousnesse Fire Afflictions as fire 125 G Garrison The Devills strongest Garrison 389 Gentlenesse Ground of gentlenesse in the godly 373 Giving To looke to God in his giving 92 Glory glorious Saints condition glorious 235 Glory in Heaven unspeakable 294 Expectation of glory in former Saints 295 Glosses Scripture to be studied without mens glosses 310 God The Devill God of this world how 65 True humiliation known by our carriage to God 100 What hinders from enjoying of God 239 Godlinesse See Reason Good We are not more justified for the good we doe 220 Naturall men in great place do little good 385 The fountaine of all good in the soule 411 Gospell Preaching of the Gospell to be highly prized 24 Excellency of the Gospell why not seene 25 See rules liberty fall Grace Saints rejoyce at grace in others 198 See nature undervalue greater Greater Saints not discouraged by greater grace in others 193 Grow Growth A pure heart labours to grow in purity 52 See grace Guilt Saints dead to sin in regard of guilt 275 See conscience H. Happie happinesse Foundation of a Christians happinesse 297 See World Heart Saints thankfull for a heart to receive mercy 159 See pure Heaven Christs ascending to Heaven shews God is satisfied 228 See joy High A humble heart hath High thoughts of God in affliction 128 Hypocrite Difference betweene saints and Hypocrites 54 See satisfie dye Holy holinesse Those that have seen God should be holy 67 Holinesse wrought by seeing of God 87 Best motive to holinesse 244 Saints more holy then others 277 Hope Hope of glory in saints 281 Humble humiliation Causes of humiliation 2 Sight of God in Christ the true way to humiliation 75 Difference in working humiliation and other graces 79 Unregenerate Men not truely humbled 93 Wicked men may doe acts of humiliation 94 Wicked Men shall one day be humbled 96 True humiliation how known 100 Ground of humilitie 232 Saints to walke humbly 301 See Ministers afflictions Revelations I Jealous see Truth Jerusalem Jerusalem from above 291 Illumination Sight of God by common illumination 5 Saints illumination by the spirit 407 Impression True sight of God known by the impressions of it â—1 Imperfect Sight of God in this world imperfect 8 Infirmities Saints gentle to others infirmities 197 Instruct Saints willing to be instructed by others 189 Intellectuals Godlinesse hath that that will excercise the intellectuals 382 Job Why Satan desired to tempt Job 125 Joy Saints apprehensions of God full of joy 38 Joy of Heaven what 39 Judge Judgement Sight of God at the day of judgment 5 How godly men judge of things 337 A spirituall man judgeth all things 385 Justice Justice of God how thought of by Saints in affliction 129 Justification A humble Saints carriage to God in Justification 101 Justification upon what it is built 219 See good faith K. Kingdome He that will see God must be delivered from Satans Kingdome 64 Know Knowledge A misery in the knowledge of Saints 33 Of such as thinke they know more then others 185 Carnall men know not spirituall things 320 See Saving Licentiousnesse L. Lasting Comfort of spirituall duties lasting 375 Law Saints content that God make Lawes for his mercies 160 Law fulfilled three wayes 210 Vanity of such as think to fulfill the Law 211 See Righteousnesse Beleevers Spirit Learne Humble Saints readier to learne then teach 192 Learning Learning too much extolled by some 306 Learning of what use it is 307 Learning of Christians and others different 311 Led see Spirit Least A humble heart thankfull for the least mercy 158 A humble Saint thinks himselfe the least 181 How a Saint judgeth himselfe the least 183 Liberty Liberty not to be abused 298 Liberty brought by the Gospell 299 Danger of abusing Liberty ibid. Life The minde not good if the life be naught 352 A Saint can look with comfort on his past life 374 Spirituall reasonings bring life 413 See Vision earthly face faith Light Those that have seene God desire to bring others to the light 59 A humble Saint will abate of his owne light 196 A new light in the soules of godly men 376 Saints have a powerfull light 407 Licentiousnesse Knowledge of Christ no ground of licentiousnesse 315 Love Love to our Brethren how wrought 56 How Saints should bee loved 57 Love of God how esteemed by Saints in affliction 130 True Saints can love though not loved 199 Ground of Saints loving good things 392 Low Why Christians spirits are so low 236 Lust Worldly mens lust their rule 240 To fulfill sinfull lusts called flesh 332 Lusts may drive men to duty 395 M. Man True humiliation known by our carriage to Man 166 Things of the flesh called the things of a Man 324 Meanes Saints humbled in regard of the meanes they have had 183 Meeke Meeknesse Humble hearts are meeke to sinners 166 Christs meeknesse to sinners 167 Cautions in meeknesse to sinners 169 Ground of meeknesse to sinners 173 see mind Mercies Mercies abused humble saints 21 Carnall men cannot see God in his mercies 95 Carriage of humble Saints to God for mercies 148 See least denyed waite heart Minde minding Saints meek to those of another minde 188 Minding the things of the flesh what 334 Best thing in a carnall man his minde 344 Misery of a carnall man in his minde 345 God inflicts the greatest punishment on the minde 347 Greatest happinesse of a Chrstian in his minde 348 Misery of a carnall minde in six particulars ibid. Minde of three sorts 360 Spirituall minde what 378 See Throne Life Ministers God humbles his Ministers before he sends them 1 Mistery see Knowledge More Those that see God desire to see him more 37 Saints what humbles them more 182 Motions Motions of the spirit neglected humbles Saints 148 Mourne The right way to mourne for sin 232 N. Nature naturall Grace crosseth not principles of nature 153 Sinners may be conversed with in naturall things 170 And in naturall duties ibid. Prayer a naturall duty 171 Naturall minde 360 Naturall reasonings 362 O Offend A humble Saint will not offend others 106 Liberty Not to be used to offend others 300 Old How Saints of old spake of the spirit 308 Things of the flesh old things 327 Old man what 378 Ordinances Carnall men see not God in Ordinances 95 In what Ordinances wee may converse with sinners 170 Why people care not for Gods Ordinances 340 Others Saints humbled to see more good and lesse evill in othes Outward A Christian may provide and care for outward things 334 P. Patience Patience wrought by seeing God 87 Why Saints beare injuries with patience 341 Part. Saints see God but in part 15 Perpetuall Sight of God to his Children perpetuall 40 Persecution Ground of persecution 313 Please Nothing from naturall Adam can please God 284 Power Pure hearts cleansed from the power of sin 51 Sin dead in