or in his keeping of it CHAP. II. For what Ends the Law was added to the Promise I Now come to shew in the next place for what end the Law of Moses was added to the Promise And before I do this in particular I shall note only in general That it was not added to cross or confront the Promise or God's Design in it but to be subservient to it Gal. 3.21 Is the Law then against the Promises God forbid For it is not to be thought that God would prevaricate in his Design so that when he had once made a New Law of Grace for the Saving of faln Man he would yet afterwards give any Law but what should one way or other subserve to the same End if Men do not deprive themselves of the intended Benefit by perverting it And therefore to be sure God did not intend to revive the Old Covenant of Works made with Adam in Paradise in the after promulgation of the Law of Nature which we call the Moral Law already broken He did not therein come to demand his full Debt of Innocency in Mans Broken and Bankrupt Condition or to let him know that he would without any other Condition than perfect Innocency cast him into Prison until he had paid the utmost farthing For if he had then the Law indeed would have been against the Promise which declares quite otherwise It is true the Law of Nature as it is a perfect Rule of natural Righteousness founded in God's Nature and Man's Nature doth of it self require perfect Innocency and can require no less being suited to the Nature of Man in its perfect State But when God brings this Law forth and sets it before Men that are now faln from that state as he doth in the promulgation of it it is to let them know indeed what they once were and from whence they are fallen and how unhappy their Condition now is according to the Tenour and Terms of that Law and that it would have continued so for ever if God had not made a New Law of Grace to over-rule that Law and to let all know that they shall still remain in that Condition that wilfully exclude themselves from the benefit of the Law of Grace by not performing the Condition of it But not to let them know they should have no better terms from him than that Law affords them nor to make their perfect keeping of it the condition of their Justification But the Law of Moses entirely taken in all its parts was rather given as an Appendix to the Promise both as a Rule of the material part of that Obedience which God would now require of the Israelites in conjunction with their Faith in the Promise and as a Motive to that Obedience This in general The Question is put Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serveth the Law And the Answer there is That it was added because of transgression until the Seed should come And it was added because of transgression in more respects than one 1. It was added to discover Sin to make that known to be Sin which was so of it self and in its own nature before the promulgation of the Law For by reason of that grievous Wound which Man got in his Understanding by the Fall and by reason also of a progressive Degeneration in Mankind the natural Sense of Moral Good and Evil was to a great degree worn out of the minds of Men. For the repairing of which decay a promulgate Law the Ten Commandments answerable to the Law of pure Nature in the Spirituality of it was set on foot in the World And by this Law came Sin and Duty to be more clearly known than they were before Rom. 3.20 By the Law is the knowledge of Sin Rom. 7.7 I had not known Sin but by the Law For I had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not Covet 2. The Law was added not only barely to make known that to be Sin which was so of it self before but to set it out in its Colours to make it known in the horrid nature and consequence of it that Men might be the more afraid to have to do with it The Law entred that the offence might abound That is that by that means it might be rendred the more Criminous and Demeritorious That Sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful Rom. 5.20 and 7.13 3. The Law as it discovered Sin and made it more criminous and the People the more sensible of guilt and more apprehensive of their obnoxiousness to punishment was given to set off so much the more the Glory Beauty and Desirableness of God's Grace in the Promise of Pardon and Salvation Rom. 5.20 The Law entered that the offence might abound But where Sin abounded Grace did much more abound By how much the more Sin appeared Sin and was enhanced and aggravated and rendred manifestly mischievous by a Promulgate Law by so much the more Grace appear'd to be Grace in all its Glory that brought Deliverance from it Rom. 5.21 That like as Sin hath reigned unto death viz. by the Law that being the strength of Sin 1 Cor. 15.56 Even so Grace might reign through Righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. After Christ came the Rest which he gave was so much the more sweet to those Jews who received him by how much they had been weary and heavy-laden under a Spirit of Bondage before 4. The Law saith St. Paul was our Schoolmaster to bring â—s unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith Gal. 3.24 That is It was a lower sort of Institution accommodated to the weak and more imperfect state of the Church until afterward it should deliver them over to a more perfect Institution under Christ Parents first teach their Children to Speak and after put them to School to learn Letters Syllables Words and Sentences the use and design of all which they do not understand while they are Children as they do when they come to be Men. In proportion to this hath God dealt with his Church in the World beginning with a lower and more imperfect sort of Instruction Precepts and Promises and so proceeding to those that are higher and more perfect and so by certain gradations to lead on and build up his Church to a more perfect Spiritual and compleat state of Faith and Holiness To all the riches of fulness of understanding of the Mystery of God of the Father and of Christ Col. 2.2 And thus the Law as Schoolmaster had a double end and use The one respecting the time then present The other that which was then future and to come The then present use of it was twofold also 1. To reclaim and restrain them from the Superstitious Customs of the Heathen to which they were addicted in which respect also it was added because of transgression The Heathen-Worship stood in divers Superstitious Rites or Ceremonies And because the Israelites were addicted to a bodily Worship
that there is a certain Distemper of Mind called Curiosity which as it is of like Nature so it is of full as hurtful and mischievous Effects to the Mind as that Distemper is to the Body which stirs up Persons to eat Chalk or Coals or Trash or whatever affords either none at all or a very ill Nourishment Such is the Curiosity of Knowing Evil which was the thing that ruin'd our first Parents and afterwards Solomon and since him many other Persons Such are they who have a great desire to tast those Pleasures which are in Sin and by tasting of 'em their Minds are defil'd and their Morals corrupted and it is seldom that they do ever after return to have a right Judgment of Good or Evil. Thus hurtful is the Knowledge of some things so that it is much better to be Ignorant thereof than to Know ' em Again there are others whose Curiosity gives 'em a strange Itch to know Hidden Things such as are not proper for Man to know Or not proper for Man to know as the Decrees of Predestination and the Counsels of God's Will which is the Ark that no mortal Eye ought to look into And many are wonderfully Inquisitive to learn the future Events of Kingdoms and States and of their own and others private Fortunes And therefore it is that they are so apt to give heed to every pretended Prophecy and tho' few are so very wicked as to Consult Evil Spirits themselves by Magical Arts yet Multitudes will make no scruple to Resort to Fortune-tellers and Conjurers and those that do consult 'em or are reputed to do tho' it be an Impiety so severely threaten'd Deut. 18.11 12. But all Curious Enquiries whatever into the Secrets of God's Providence are to be Renounc'd by us Christians as being the Gratifications only of a sinful Curiosity Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are Reveal'd unto us and our Children for ever that we may do all the words of his Law Deut. 29.29 II. When we do immoderately study to be Exquisitely Skilled in whatever humane Arts and Sciences to the Neglect or Contempt of Divine Knowledge 2. We must Renounce that as a sinful Lust of the Fleshly Mind which improportionably to the true worth of things is more desirous to furnish it self with the Knowledge of what concerns only this Mortal Life than with the Knowledge of those Divine Truths which direct us to Life Everlasting Now this is Life Eternal or that Knowledge which leadeth and directs us to Life Eternal That we know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Joh. 17.3 But alas such is the Folly of the Carnally and Worldly wise that most Persons do neglect the Knowledge of God and the Christian Religion as if it were little worth when certainly in the End there is nothing will stand us in that stead as this sort of Knowledge Some there are whose whole search is for the Causes and Cures of Bodily Distempers and yet alas all is but Guess and Conjecture and an ordinary Malady not very seldom baffles the most Learned Physician and he sits down heavy in Disgrace and Disappointment But the Knowledge of God and Religion if duly apply'd never fails to cure the Soul of all its Infirmities nor will it fail to fill the Mind with the sweetest Comforts and Satisfactions Others you shall have who desire and care for nothing more than good Skill in the Laws of their Country whereby they may raise themselves good Estates in this World but alas such Knowledg can only serve a present Interest but by the Knowledge of our Christianity we may be able to provide our selves Bags that wax not old Eternal in the Heavens Some are wholly bent upon Merchandize and Trade but when the most Skilful Pilot shall split upon the Rocks or be foundred in the Sands he who has Heaven in his Eye may steer his Course without danger through the roughest Billows of Adverse Fortune And others there are who seem to aim at no higher Knowledge than how to Till their Land and feed their Cattle and when after all the Crop fails the most painful Husbandman he who knows the Laws of Christianity need not fear a joyful and a plentiful Harvest so excellent and useful is Divine Knowledge above all other Arts and Sciences The Knowledge of our Christian Religion as it serves to nobler Purposes so ought it to be prefer'd to any other Not that I would cast a Disparagement upon them they are the Gift of God and useful in their kind but the Knowledge of our Christian Religion as it serves to nobler and better Purposes so ought it to be prefer'd to any other and most study'd by every Christian And hence therefore does St. Paul when he comes at any time to speak of Divine Knowledge not only barely enjoin the Attainment of it as of other Vertues but does moreover add Prayers and Supplications to God to endow 'em therewith and to increase 'em therein We do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the Knowledge of his Will in all Wisdom and Spiritual Vnderstanding that ye might walk worthy of the Lord in all pleasing being fruitful in every good Work and increasing in the Knowledge of God Col. 1.9 10. And again I cease not says he making mention of you always in my Prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him Eph. 1.16 17. So that tho' to be excellently well skill'd in any Art or Science whatsoever which terminates only in the Conveniencies of this Life be not only Lawful but Commendable yet it is a Profaneness fit to be Renounc'd by every Christian to prefer such to Divine Knowledge and to apply your Mind wholly to the attaining of such Skill to the Neglect of those Great and Important Truths the Knowledge of which is indispensably necessary to our Everlasting Happiness And therefore let your Profession and Calling be what it will you must make it your first Care and Study to know the Nature and Design of the Christian Religion The necessary Points of Christian Knowledge how that it is a Body of the most Excellent Principles and Laws all of 'em tending wholly to render you Holy and Good Livers and then to make you to depend upon the Mediation of Christ with his Father for his Acceptance thereof to your Justification You must also next make it more your Study to understand throughly the Covenant of Grace than the Nature and Obligation of any Humane Covenants or Contracts whatsoever And since we must build our Hopes upon the performance of particular Articles and as exactly as possible square our Lives according to each single Condition of the Covenant of Grace there can be nothing of more concernment to every Christian Lay as well as Clergy
like theirs for they said Let us make us Gods to go before us Exod. 32.1 and were in danger thereby of being drawn to Worship their Gods therefore to prevent this as Parents put their Children to School partly to keep them out of harms way the Lord by way of condescention to their childish humour did ordain a Worship consisting much in bodily Exercise and Instituted divers Laws which stood in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and carnal Ordinances until the time of Reformation till he should by sending his Son appoint more excellent Laws for Reforming both them and the rest of the World Lev. 18.3 4 5. After the doings of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt shall ye not do and after the doings of the Land of Canaan whither I bring you shall ye not do neither shall ye walk in their Ordinances Ye shall therefore keep my Statutes and my Judgments Which if a Man do he shall live in them Ezek. 20.6 11. 2. The Lord did Institute divers Temporary Laws for tryal and exercise of their Obedience in those lesser things for a time as being such as they were as yet best capable to receive thereby to lead them on to higher instances of Obedience afterward Those many Ceremonies which they were obliged to observe were not things of any natural or intrinsick Goodness but only made use of by God for a present turn which when that was served they as to practise were of no value but became beggerly Elements But yet while they continued commanded of God their Obedience in the use of them was Rewardable as well as their Obedience to any other Laws The other end and use of the Law as it was a Schoolmaster respected the time then to come For the High Priesthood and Sacrifices of the Law as they were Types of what Christ should be do and suffer as Mediator were of great use to the Jews after Christ had Suffered and was Risen again and Ascended into Heaven to facilitate both the knowledge and belief of the Mystery of Redemption by Christ 1. To facilitate the knowledge thereof and to beget in them a right Notion of those things in Christ by which forgiveness of sins and acceptance with God is obtained on our behalf For those who had long seen and known the effect of Legal Sacrifices as how they did procure Legal Impunity for Offences commited God accepting the Life of a Beast that had not sinned instead of the life of a Man that had might soon come to understand by parity of reason that God would much more accept of his own Sons offering himself in Sacrifice for us so as to excuse us from suffering Eternal Punishment for our sin For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.13 14. And so the High Priest's entering into the Holy of Holies in the behalf of the People with the Blood of the Sacrifice and burning Incense there doth greatly assist the mind in understanding the nature of Christ's Intercession for us in Heaven in virtue of his Bloodshed for us on Earth Heb. 9. 2. The Law in the Typical nature of it was of great use to the Jews to facilitate and strengthen their Belief in Christ and so were the Predictions of the Prophets in conjunction with it For these and the accomplishment of them in Christ did so answer each other as in Water Face answereth to Face that those who believed the Law and the Prophets had a great advantage by means thereof to believe in Christ And therefore our blessed Saviour when he would satisfie his Disciples touching himself that he was indeed the Christ and of the necessity of his Death which Death occasioned at first a staggering in their Faith beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Luke 24.27 And St. Paul when he laboured the Conversion of the Jews at Rome to Christianity as the chiefest way to effect it he expounded to them and testified the Kingdom of God perswading them concerning Jesus both out of the Law of Moses and of the Prophets from morning to evening Acts 28.23 Had ye believed Moses Saith our Saviour to them ye would have believed me for he wrote of me But if ye believe not his Writings how shall ye believe my Words Joh. 5.46 47. And thus in both the forementioned respects the Law was a Schoolmaster indeed to bring them to Christ that they might be Justified by Faith 5. The Law was given to the Jewish Nation not only for their behoof and benefit but also for a general Good to the World That the Nations round about hearing of such excellent Laws and percieving how happy and prosperous those People were so long as they observed them might thereby be invited to quit their Idol Gods and to take hold of the Covenant and to join themselves to the people of the God of Abraham even as it came to pass in such as were Proselited And upon this account it seems to be that the Psalmist prayed thus God be merciful unto us and bless us and cause thy Face to shine upon us That thy way may be known on Earth thy saving health unto all Nations Psal 67.1 2. and concludes ver 7. That if God should so do his fear would be propagated through the World God shall bless us and all the ends of the Earth shall fear him Deut. 4.6 7 8. Keep therefore and do them for this is your Wisdom and your Vnderstanding in the sight of the Nations who shall hear all these Statutes and say surely this great Nation is a Wise and an Vnderstanding People For what Nation is there so great that hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for And what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgments so Righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day To them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 They were committed in trust to them as Feoffees for the World to communicate the knowledge of God and of his Laws to the Nations to carry on further the Reformation of the World begun in their Father Abraham and which was promised to be more compleatly effected by the Messias in that all Nations of the Earth should be Blessed in him And as God's Judgments on the Jews for breaking his Laws was Admonitory to the Nations about them Deut. 29.24 28. so his famous Deliverances wrought for them upon their Repentance for breaking his Laws made God known abroad to be a great favourer of such as repent of their worshipping and serving other Gods and such a one as could and would Save
which the Apostle made against them in it For they did still oppose another Covenant as the Covenant of Justification and Eternal Life unto this Mosaical Covenant and Faith as the Conditon of that in opposition to Works as the Condition of this as will appear if we come to Instances 1. St. Paul argues it with them that the Promise of God to Abraham and his Seed was not through the Law but through the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.13 Not through the Law that is not upon the terms upon which the benefits of the first Covenant were promised to the Nation of the Jews but upon quite other terms express'd by the Righteousness of Faith 2. He argues it farther with them That God's way of accounting Men Righteous by Faith and their way of seeking Righteousness upon the terms of the first Covenant were utterly inconsistent and the one destructive of the other and that but one of these ways could possibly stand For if they which are of the Law be Heirs Faith is made void and the Promise made of none effect Rom. 4.14 And again If the Inheritance be of the Law it is no more of Promise But God gave it to Abraham by Promise Gal. 3.18 And if by Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace c. Rom. 11.6 3. And that the Law did not exclude the Promise to Abraham he farther argues in that the Covenant with Abraham was confirmed and unalterably setled and established in the Messias 430 Years before the Law by Moses was given and that therefore for them to go about to introduce the Law in the room of the Promise to Abraham so confirmed would be as unreasonable and unjust as for one Man to alter or make void anothers Covenant after he hath confirmed it Gal. 3.15 17. Brethren I speak after the manner of men though it be but a Mans Covenant yet if it be confirmed no Man disannulleth or addeth thereto And this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was 430 Years after cannot disannul that it should make the Promise of none effect 4. St. Paul argues it impossible in the nature of the thing that they should be justified by the Law because one main end of God's promulging the Law of Nature which yet was a great part of the first Covenant was to convince Men of their Guilt and of their obnoxiousness to Wrath and to stop their Mouthes and to leave them without any plea of defence as from it Rom. 3.19 20. Now we know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law That every mouth may be stopt and all the world may become guilty before God Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin And if the Law doth convict Men it cannot justifie them For the same Law cannot both Condemn and Justifie the same person in reference to the same Charge If all are Cast and Condemned by the Original Law as they are for he hath concluded all under sin that he might have mercy upon all Gal. 3. then so many as come to be justified after this must needs be justified by another Law superceding that and that is none other than the Law of Grace The Law of Nature Curseth every one that hath broken it though but once and therefore it cannot justifie them too Out of the same mouth in this case doth not proceed Blessing and Cursing 5. He argues this Opinion of theirs to be contrary to the Doctrine of the Prophets many hundred years after as well as contrary to the Promise to Abraham long before the Law That no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident For the just shall live by Faith and the Law is not of Faith but the man that doth them shall live in them Gal. 3.11 12. from Heb. 2.4 The Law is not of Faith that is it doth not promise Pardon or any other Blessing upon Believing but upon condition of Doing the things therein required the man that doth them shall live in them Levit. 18.5 6. The insufficiency of the first Covenant to make Men Eternally Happy and the necessity and validity of the second to that end as further argued in Heb. 8. from another famous Prophecy in Jer. 31.31 c. of God's making a New Covenant with Israel and Judah in the latter days not according to that he made with their Fathers when he brought them out of Egypt 1. It 's argued that the first Covenant was but Temporary and being old was ready to vanish and to give place tâ— a New and Everlasting Covenant Chap. 8.13 2. That the first Covenant was faulty or defective or else there would have been no place sought for a second ver 7. 3. That the Promises of that first Covenant were not of such things as Men stand in need of to make them everlastingly Happy as those better Promises of the second Covenant are ver 6. 4. And yet more particularly that in this New Covenant there is promise of such a forgiveness of sins as that iniquity shall be remembred no more ver 12. whereas the first Covenant did not promise any such Pardons All that it promised was a forgiveness only as to the concerns of this Life otherwise their sins were still kept upon the File to be taken away if ever taken away by the Mediator of the New Testament by means of his Death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament Chap. 9.15 But in those Sacrifices which were but the Sacrifices of the first Covenant there was a remembrance again made of sins every year Heb. 10.3 And now by all these reasonings of the Apostle put together it sufficiently appears that the unbelieving Jews did expect Justification and Eternal Life only upon the terms of the first Covenant and that they held that Covenant as comprehending the Covenant of Circumcision to be the Covenant of Eternal Life And indeed this last mentioned Error of theirs in holding the first Covenant to be the Covenant of Salvation did in a manner contain in it all the rest mentioned before which did naturally grow out of it For if that had been the Covenant of Salvation then it would have followed that the Sacrifices of that Covenant had been sufficient and the Death of Christ needless and that Circumcision and keeping the Law of Moses would have been necessary to the Salvation of the Gâ—ntiles c. And now after all this considering what Erroneous Opinions the incredulous Jews held about the Law and about Circumcision and considering in what sense they asserted Justification by the Law and by Circumcision it will be no difficult thing to understand exactly in what sense the Apostle doth every where deny Justification to be by the Law or by the Works of the Law
in a Way of Sincere Obedience according to the Tenour and Import of such a Declaration p. 17. What Faith as Evangelical and Christian is p. 17. The first reason why Faith is made the Condition of the Promise is that the Grace of God to Man might the more shew it self The Second Reason because it best answers God's Design in this Covenant p. 18. 19. 20. Sect. 8. What we are to understand by God's counting Abraham's Faith to him for Righteousness p. 21. Two things make up the Righteousness of the Law of Grace First the Righteousness which consisteth in the Forgiveness of Sins Secondly the Righteousness of Sincere Obedience p. 22. This cleared p. 23. CHAP. II. For what ends the Law was added to the Promise not to cross or confront it p. 24. A Question wherefore then serveth the Law ibid. Answer it was added because of Transgression until the Seed should come And that in many respects first to discover Sin that it might be known to be Sin Secondly to set it out in its own Colours Thirdly to set off the Beauty and Glory of God's Grace in the Promise of Salvation Fourthly because it serves as a School Master to Lead us to Christ and as a School-Master hath a double End respecting the present and future time The present use twofold First to Reclaim and Restrain them from Heathenish superstitions 2dly for Tryal of Obedience in lesser things p. 25. The use of the Law for the time to come was first to facilitate the knowledge of the mystery of their Redemption by Christ Secondly to facilitate and Strengthen their Belief in Christ Thirdly the Law was given to the Jews for the general Good of all the World p. 27. CHAP. III. Wherein is shewed by what Faith and Practise persons under the Law were saved That the Jews had not a clear and full Knowledge of all that was included in the Promise made to Abraham p. 28. and yet that they had the Promise of Blessedness to all Nations in Abraham's Seed They had the addition of several other predictions concerning the Messias p. 30. They had large Significations of God's special Favour above all People ibid. They had exprâ—ss Declarations from God of the Goodness of his Nature By all which they were induc'd to Love God and to endeavour to please him ibid. CHAP. IV. That the Law contained a Covenant different from that with Abraham p. 31. In what respect the Law of Moses is said to contain a Covenant of a different nature from the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham ibid. The Law of Moses under a twofold consideration first as in Conjunction with the Promise made to Abraham 2dly as given at Sinai in a stricter Sense as it was a Rule of Government in the Common-Wealth of Israel In the former sense is obscurely promised Eternal Life in the Latter temporal Blessings p. 32. This Covenant consisted first of Laws 2dly the Sanction of these Laws The Laws were of two sorts 1st the Law of Duty 2dly the Laws of Jndemnity p. 33. Laws of Duty what p. 33. Laws of Jndemnity what p. 34. The Sanction of these Laws consisted in Promises made to the observing them and a Curse denounced against the Transgressors ibid. The Promises considered negatively and Affirmatively p. 35. 36. 37. A five-fold difference in reference to remission of Sin between the first Covenant and the Covenant of Grace p. 38. 39. That more than a temporal Death was threatned for a Breach of the political Covenant as such p. 39. The temporal Evils threatned for a Breach of this Covenant were Personal Domestick or Nationall whereof in particular p. 39. and 41. CHAP. V. The Grand mistakes of the Jews about the Law and Promise and how St. Paul Counter-argues these Mistakes p. 41. First they held Circumcision of the Flesh to be the special Condition upon which God's Covenant-Blessings with Abraham did depend never Vnderstanding that Spiritual Circumcision which was primarily intended p 42. St. Paul's arguing against their Belief in this point p. 42. Secondly That the Promised Messias shou'd not by suffering Death become a Sacrifice for Sin ibid. and yet his Death was necessary how St. Paul â—onsutes their Belief in this point p. 44. Thirdly They held another Error that the Legal Sacrifices did expiate Sin ibid. This Error opposed p. 45 Fourthly That without Circumcision and observing Moses's Law the Gentiles cou'd not be saved ibid. This Error Refuted ibid. Fifthly they held that the Law of Moses was unalterably perpetual and this opposed p. 47. Another Errror of theirs was That they held the First Covenant alone together with the Covenant of Literal Circumcision which they made a part of their Law to be the Covenant of Salvation ibid. And to this they peremptorily adher'd ibid. and disprov'd ibid. CHAP. VI. How St. Paul's Doctrine of Justification by Faith and not by Works was then Mistaken by some The Mistake of those Jews who laid the stress of their Salvation upon Believing only without a virtuous and Holy Life p. 53. Neither did they discern Faith to be necessary in the operative and practical Nature of it p. 54. How the Doctrine of Justification by Faith without Works in the sense wherein the Apostles asserted it was understood p. 55. CHAP. VII That the Doctrine of St. Paul and St. James about Faith and Works in reference to Justification do not differ but are wholly one p. 60. Ten Considerations to prove this p. 61. First that Works of Evangelical Obedience are never in Scripture opposed to God's Grace ibid. Secondly That St. Paul in speaking against Justification by Works gives Caution not to be Vnderstood to speak against Evangelical Obedience p. 62. Thirdly Regeneration or the New Creature is opposed to Works of the Law as well as Faith ibid. Fourthly Evangelical Obedience as well as Faith is opposed to Works of the Law in order to Justification p. 63. Fifthly Evangelical Obedience alone is opposed to Works of the Law in reference to Salvation ibid. Sixthly That Faith is an act of Evangelical Obedience ibid. Seventhly That by Evangelical Obedience Christians come to have a Right to Salvation p. 64. Eightly That as the promise of forgiveness is made sometimes to Believing so it is to Obedience p. 66. Ninthly That Evangelical Obedience is a part of the Condition of Justification p. 67. Tenthly That Repentance is one Eminent Act of Evangelical Obedience ibid. FINIS A DISCOURSE ON FAITH MEN's Eternal Estate of Weal or Wo in another World and their Peace and Comfort in this being very much concerned in their right understanding or mistaking the nature and difference of that Faith which is Saving and of that which is not I shall here state the nature and difference of those two kinds of Faith with what brevity and perspicuity I can I cannot I confess think that the nature of Faith which is of absolute necessity to the Salvation of the meanest Christian is in it self hard to be
being Members of Christ's Church In a word so Honourable to God so Perfective of our own Natures and so Beneficial to Mankind are the Laws of Christ and so well is our Obedience secur'd to 'em by those Principles he has taught us that this very Thing does speak our exceeding Great Priviledge in being Members of Christ and under his Conduct and Government as our supreme Head and Law-giver But especially this Advantage will appear to be very Great Another Branch of this first part of a a Christian's Priviledge are most edifying and comfortable Institutions and Ordinances if we consider How that together with those most excellent Laws that he has given us he has also appointed us most Edifying and comfortable Ordinances to Conduct us to Heaven Now by Divine Institutions and Ordinances I do mean those positive Appointments and Observations which he has given his Church and all the Members thereof for their Improvement in the Knowledge and Practice of his Holy Religion and Laws And that which our Great Law-giver has done of this Nature is this He has Ordain'd solemn and set Days viz. The Christian Sabbaths for his own Service He has Order'd that Publick Assemblies of all Christians should be held upon those Days he has Authoriz'd and Commanded the Publication and Preaching of his Laws at those Publick Assemblies He has appointed that Common-Prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings for Divine Grace and Assistance to enable us to perform these Laws then Preacht and for other Mercies should be jointly put up to him by all Christians on those solemn Days and publick Assemblies and Lastly he has Enjoin'd therein the use of Sacraments as means of Conveying such Grace and Assistance and also as Oaths and Obligations upon us to be Obedient to those Laws All which are the Priviledges that do belong to the Members of Christ's Visible Church And if we compare 'em with what others want of this Nature they are indeed most singular Favours vouchsafed only to such as are Members thereof and which Aliens and Strangers have no Right nor Admittance to And consider'd in themselves they are most admirable Advantages towards the Observation of God's most Holy Laws and in order to a Holy and Good Life I. Publick Ordinances the Priviledge of every Member of Christs Church First I say All these fore-mentioned Priviledges do belong to the Members of Christ's Church to such as have been Baptized and profess themselves to be Christians To understand which Rights and Priviledges the better you must know that as there are Two sorts of Members in the visible Church so there are Two kinds of Priviledges that belong to each sort as One rightly states this Matter each having those Priviledges which are proper and peculiar to 'em according to the relation they bear to the Head and their Fellow-Members First There are Members only by Foederal or Covenant Holiness such are only Born of Water when by Baptism they are United to Christ and the Church and take upon them the Profession and Practice of the Christian Religion Now the Priviledges that do belong to these are of the same make with their Church-Membership Outward and consist only in outward and publick Communion with the Church in Word and Ordinances Secondly There are Members by Real and Inherent Holiness such as are not only Born of Water but of the Spirit also when by the inward Operation of the Holy Ghost their Souls are Renew'd after the Image of God and made Partakers of a Divine Nature And the Priviledges that do belong to these are not only the foremention'd Ones but together with them others that are suitable to their more spiritual Relations Inward and such as consist in the special and particular Care and Protection of God and in the more plentiful Measures of his Grace and in the more sensible Comforts of his Holy Spirit according to that of our Saviour Mat. 25.29 Vnto every One that hath or Improveth those Talents of Grace he has received shall be given and he shall have abundance So that these latter and more peculiar Priviledges indeed do not belong to every Member of the visible Church but to those only who are sincere in their Profession of Christianity and who by their more than ordinary Piety are become Dear to God But then as to Outward Priviledges it is not only the Duty but it is the Priviledge which of Right belongs to Every Member of Christ's Church to Observe the Lord's Day to be Present in the Publick Assemblies to Join in the Common-Prayers and even to Partake when of Age of the Lord's Supper So we find Acts 2.41 42. That the whole Three Thousand Souls who received the Word and were Baptized continued stedfastly in the Apostle's Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers True it is such as that more than ordinary Regard Scandalous Members to be suspended from the Lord's Supper that the Church of Christ has for the Lord's Supper that most solemn Ordinance in the Christian Religion that when any Member becomes Scandalous for any Sin he is to be Suspended from Communion in that till he amends So it is order'd in the Rubrick before the Communion-Service that if any be an open and notorious Evil-Liver so that the Congregation be thereby offended The Curate having Knowledge thereof shall Call him and Advertise him that in any-wise he presume not to come to the Lord's Table until he hath openly declared himself to have truly Repented and Amended his former Naughty Life that the Congregation may thereby be satisfy'd which before were Offended And the same Order shall the Curate use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth Malice and Hatred to reign not suffering them to be Partakers at the Lord's Table till he Knows them to be Reconciled But otherwise till a Member become Notorious and Scandalous for his Evil Principles or Practices he may claim the Right to be admitted to the Lord's Supper for even Judas himself before he Betray'd our Saviour did Partake with him at the first Institution of the Supper as you will find Matth. 26.25 26. So that as to the Outward Institutions and Ordinances of Christ they are Priviledges you see that do belong to all the Members of Christ's Church to all such as have been Baptized and Profess themselves to be Christians And now Secondly I. Christian Ordinances are a singular favour which Aliens and Vnbelievers do not nor have any Right to enjoy If we compare but these outward Priviledges of God's Holy Ordinances with what others do want of this Nature they are indeed most singular Favours vouchsafed only to such as are Members of Christ's Church and which Aliens and Strangers have no Right nor Admittance to For alas The Infidel Part of the World whether Jews Turks or Pagans have none of these Divine Ordinances amongst ' em They neither Know the Lord's Day nor Hold any Assemblies thereon for the Instruction in his Laws
that we should Renounce c. And as I have already Explain'd to you the Importance of those vast Favours on God's Part so I will proceed now to do the same as to those Conditions on ours shewing you First What it is to Renounce the Devil and all his Works Whereof the First is to Renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh Here is as much Matter as can possibly be crowded into so few Words A great Part of the Christian Life is discharged in what these Words do mean For our Christian Race is represented in Scripture to be for the most part a Warfare against several very powerful Enemies both without and within us And these Words do Instruct you both what those Enemies are and how we must War against them Wherefore if in the Explication of Words so very full of Meaning and of such vast Concernment to be understood by you I shall be forc'd to run out into some considerable Length you must have Patience and you must give good heed to what I shall Discourse upon them answerable to the Benefit may accrue to you from the through understanding thereof That which I shall do towards the Explication of them shall be this First I will shew you who the Devil is and what are his Works what is meant by Renouncing the Devil and all his Works and how absolutely necessary it is we should do so Secondly I will also shew you what is meant by the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and how far you must Renounce the wicked World with its Pomps and Vanity Lastly I will in like manner open unto you what is to be understood by the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and how far we must Renounce them And First I am to shew you who the Devil is what are his Works what is meant by Renouncing the Devil and all his Works and how absolutely necessary it is we should do so The Devil his Names and their importance Whereof First Let us enquire who the Devil is And in Scripture he is call'd by different Names whereof some do import his Rank and Place as Baalzebub signifying him to be a Prince of Devils and some his Wickedness and Enmity as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a Calumniator or a false Accuser Satan an Adversary from his Fury and Murderous Temper he is call'd a Roaring Lion and from his Craft and Lying Policies an Old and subtle Serpent and from both perhaps he is call'd the Dragon There are many Legions of 'em in Number but One supreme in Power and He it is who is Chief of all the Enemies both of God and Man that presents himself at the Head of all the rest He was once one of the highest Angels and is now that Arch-Rebel against God being that Arch-Rebel and Traitor against God He was once as may be gather'd from his Superiority to Michael the Arch-Angel who upon that account Durst not bring a railing Accusation against him Jude 8.9 The highest Angel the most glorious Spirit and the First be-like of all the Angelical Orders But not content with that vast Power and Glory that God had bestow'd on him but envying that God that gave it and affecting He with many Legions of inferior Angels whom he drew into the same Conspiracy is Banisht Heaven perhaps no less than a Sovereignty himself He with many Legions of the lower Order of Angels whom he drew into the same horrid and ungrateful Conspiracy Revolted from God and set himself to Oppose his Government But no sooner did this wicked Apostate frame so horrid a Design but the All-knowing and infinitely Powerful God of Heaven and Earth perceiving his Intentions immediately hurl'd him down and all his wicked Crew of ungrateful Conspirators from the Battlements of Heaven into those dark Mansions of Sorrow which we call Hell there to be Reserved in everlasting Chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the great Day Jude 6. as the due Punishment of his so black and ungrateful a Treason against his Sovereign and Bountiful Creator But so far was this hardned Rebel against God from Repenting of his Villany even under the sad Experience of the woful Issue of it That he is eversince acted with the highest Spirit of Revenge against his God Being acted with a Spirit of Revenge against God he afterwards with-drew Mankind to join with him in his Rebellion and because he finds it in vain to attempt any thing immediately against God himself he studies and endeavours all he can ever since to wound him in his Authority and Honour For no sooner did the Almighty Create the lower World and place Man in the midst of it as of a Temple to set forth his Praises and to glorify his Creator's infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness in this so stupendious a Work of the Creation but this grand Enemy Attacks him with all the Subtilty and Policy of a Traytor tempting him to dis-believe his Maker's Goodness and kind Intentions towards him to cast off his Authority and dis-obey his Laws and rather to follow his pernicious Counsels The Arch-Rebel prevails and the whole Representative World of Men Adam and Eve Revolted from their God and took part with the Devil And tho' God condescending himself to propose Terms of Accommodation in a Saviour and Redeemer which was for to come recover'd a part of Mankind both before and after the Flood and afterwards selected the whole Nation of the Jews to be a peculiar People unto him set apart to serve him yet through the Instigation of Satan the greater part of Mankind were absolutely the Devil's Vassals And prevailed so far till God's Authority was almost utterly banisht from amongst men serving him in abominable Idolatries Sorceries Witchcrafts and giving themselves up to all manner of Villanies Vices and Sins whatsoever whereby the Laws of God could be transgress'd or his Authority utterly Banish'd as far as lay in their power from amongst the Sons of Men. And thus the Devil usurpt an Authority over almost the whole World for many Thousand Years till such time as our Saviour came amongst us to Preach Repentance Which occasion'd the Son of God's coming into the World to recover Mankind and to recover us to the Knowledge and the Service of the One True God which was the great Design of his Coming So that you see the Devil is that Arch-Rebel who with his whole Legion of Infernal Spirits are continually mustering up all their Forces against the Authority of God and drawing wretched sinful Men into the Conspiracy and whose Quarrel is for no less than Dominion and Empire who shall be King God or Satan And thus you plainly see who the Devil is Secondly Let us enquire what are the Works of the Devil The works of the Devil in general are and from what hath been said his Works in general do
therefore by the Presentation of those things to their Senses with all the Advantage that Satan has Skill enough to put 'em off withal their Lusts and Appetites do wholly desire these things And as Satan does excite our Lusts and Appetites to covet Unlawful things by whatever pleases any of our Senses Especially the Senses of Seeing and Tasting so especially by those Objects that do gratify the Senses of Seeing and Tasting Hence as to the Lusts of the Eye How many look so long upon a Woman till they have committed Adultery with her already in their Hearts And as to our Appetites How many Belly-Gods with Esau Sell their Inheritance for a Mess of Pottage But our being taken only with outward things is such an high Ingratitude to God who hath provided so much better for us and such an Abuse to our own Souls which are capable of relishing higher Enjoyments as is not to be endured But our being taken only with sensible ond outward Things is such an high Ingratitude to God and such an Abuse to our own Souls as is not to be endur'd What can shew more Ingratitude to God than to despise those Noble Enjoyments which he has prepared for purify'd Souls in Heaven and to choose to feed upon the Husks of sensual Pleasures here below And as to our own Souls Why should such excellent Beings of such exquisite Faculties capable of relishing those Pure and Heavenly Joys above be clogg'd and surfeited with those cloying Vanities of this World Which after they are once Tasted are sure to sit very Heavy and are never well digested by the Mind and Conscience and the Soul can never be at Ease till by Confession and other Acts of Repentance it has thrown 'em up again But the Vileness of thus submitting the Mind to drudge to our Senses and to study only to please our Lusts and Appetites will be more properly Expos'd when we come to shew you how far and in what sence you are to Renounce the sinful Lusts of the Flesh To summ up then what has been hitherto said concerning those Temptations and Means whereby at first Satan overthrew the whole Race of Mankind and drew it off from their Obedience to God to do Service to him and does still so successfully Overcome so many Whether it be by infusing into your Thoughts ill Apprehensions of God particularly of his Justice and Mercy or by diverting of your Minds by needless Curiosities from improving of your Souls in Divine Knowledge and especially as is his wont by stupifying of your sence of Divine Things by trying what is in sinful Pleasures Or whether he shall at any time Tempt you to commit what is sinful by the Inveiglements and Enticements of what you do entirely love and affect Or Lastly By proposing to your Lusts and Appetites what is pleasing to your Senses In which of these ways soever it is that he attempts you you must stoutly resist him And being he was not successful in these ways of Temptation against our First Parents alone but has been also Vers'd in the same for many Thousand Years ever since and therefore must be suppos'd to have grown very skilful in the Management of 'em It does therefore concern you with more than ordinary Diligence to Guard your selves against ' em And in so doing you will go a great way towards Renouncing that great Work of his his Tempting us to Sin concerning which what is farther to be spoke must be defer'd till the next Opportunity THE Eleventh Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh THAT Great Work of the Devil his Tempting of us to Sin being the Subject of our present Consideration and in order to the full Discovery of what so much concerns you having already shew'd you First By what Temptations and Means he overthrew the whole Race of Mankind and drew it off from Obedience to God to do Service to him In pursuance of the same important Subject concerning the Temptations of the Devil what they are and in what Ways and Methods he attempts our Ruine I am Secondly To discover to you What Temptations Satan levels against the Church of Christ such as he Levels against the Church of Christ the True Servants of God either utterly to destroy them from off the face of the Earth or at least-wise so to corrupt the Notions of God and Religion that by their very Christianity they may dishonour him Soon after that Satan had seduc'd the whole Race of Mankind into a most unnatural and ungrateful Rebellion against their Maker God recovers out of the Fallen Race of Mankind a Body of Men the Church to his service Listing 'em under Jesus Christ to Fight against Satan did God of his infinite Compassion to the woful State of Man in slavery to so base a Tyrant as the Devil appoint his own Son to be the Great Captain of our Salvation and gave him Power and Commission to List a Church Militant out of the rest of the World who being directed by his Word and assisted by his Holy Spirit should continually fight under his Banner and Conduct against this wicked Spirit the Devil and discharging their Parts well in this Warfare should in another World be eternally Rewarded with Honour by him But the Devil Enrag'd as a Bear bereav'd of her Whelps to have his Prey thus snatch'd away out of his Teeth The Devil Enrag'd to have his Prey snatcht out of his Teeth continually Attacks it by One mightier than he sets himself with the greatest Vigour to ruine this Body of Men who are Arm'd by God on purpose to destroy his Kingdom and does therefore both with the Fury of a Roaring Lion and with the Cunning of a Subtle Serpent continually attack it endeavouring all he can either utterly to Destroy the Church of Christ from off the Face of the Earth Or at least-wise so to corrupt its Notions of God and Religion that by Religion it self it might dishonour him And his first and chief Endeavours were His first and chief endeavours are utterly to destroy it from off the Face of the Earth utterly to destroy the Church of Christ from off the Face of the Earth Towards the understanding of which we must know that God the Father gave Commission to his Son to raise this Church Militant immediately after the Fall of Man and the War between Satan and the Church was Proclaim'd in these Words This he endeavour'd to do in the Person of Abel I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between her Seed and thy Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Gen. 3.15 And no sooner was this War Proclaim'd but this cruel Murderer the Devil for a Murderer he is said to have been from the Beginning thought to have cut it off at one Blow in the Person of
those who would discharge the Duties of such Offices and Places This mischievous to the State much more to the Benefit and Satisfaction of the Publick But this Ambitious and Pragmatical Humour of Climbing where they are not Call'd is most of all mischievous to the Church This mischievous to the Church when Persons undertake to be Teachers of others who have not Learnt themselves such were those of whom St. Paul speaks Who desired to be Teachers of the Law when they understood neither what they said nor whereof they affirmed 1 Tim. 1.7 And such were some great Pretenders to Illumination and Knowledge in the Apostles Time of whom St. Peter complains thus These are Wells without Water Clouds carried by a Tempest viz. From one dangerous Error to another by every Wind of Doctrine as Clouds are from one place to another by a tempestuous Wind 2 Pet. 2.17 But the Psalmist was far from this pragmatical and medling Temper Psal 131.1 Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine Eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great matters or things too high for me Much less does it become others to be so but all must so far Renounce as great as is the Temptation the most Honourable Posts as to decline and refuse those they are not able to manage to the Satisfaction of their own Consciences and the Publick Weal And it would be happy for the World if all would do so But above all this Modesty in declining those Undertakings they are not fitted for becomes the Laity with respect to their Teaching of others whom it does not become To think more highly of themselves than they ought to think as they do who set up for Teachers who had not an Education for that Purpose but to think soberly according as God has dealt to every Man the measure of Faith Rom. 12.3 Nor Secondly ought Persons of the best Capacities and greatest Abilities be over-eager and importunate in their Suits and Applications to those who bestow them Secondly And in the obtaining of these Posts of Honour and Power Persons of the best Capacities and Abilities must not be over-eager and importunate in their Suits and Applications to those who bestow them but having modestly made their Court to their Superiors must contentedly receive their Denial It is the Ambition of Great Men striving with one another for the highest Places of Trust and Power in the Common-wealth that causes Factions and Civil Wars to the Destruction of their Native Country And it is the Pride of some who over-valuing their own Abilities and Parts and thinking they are Injured in not being Prefer'd to the highest Dignities and Promotions in the Church has caused those Schisms and Separations in it such choosing rather to be Ring-leaders of a Party than Subject to and Dependant on any But tho' these publick Posts in Church or State may be modestly sought by those who are able to weild 'em and need not be renounc'd and declin'd by Men of Parts and Abilities when duly call'd thereto Yet none of the greatest Capacities ought violently to thrust themselves into 'em to the Disturbance of Church or State Lest they perish in the Gain-saying of Korah who with his Companions Dathan and Abiram unduly and factiously seeking the Priest-hood Numb 16.10 Provok'd God in so fearful a manner that The Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their Houses and all the men that appertained unto Korah and all their Goods ver 32. The Consequences and Effects of Faction and Schism are so very bad that it is not to be wonder'd God should so remarkably Punish it as he did to the Example of others Wherefore a Person of the best Capacities and Abilities if after some reasonable Expectations and a modest Importunity he cannot yet hope to prevail he must submit to Authority and Order acknowledg God's Providence in it possess his Soul in Patience and think that for some secret Corruption in himself or for some other just Cause God is pleas'd that he should not at all or not yet succeed in his Suit So that thus you see how in the Pursuit of Civil Honour as High Places and Posts of Honour and Authorities Dignities and Promotions that no Man must grasp at those which he has not Abilities or Skill to manage nor must Persons of greatest Abilities turn Male-contents and Mutineers against the Government in Church or State when defeated in their Aims But as they may modestly endeavour their own Advancement so they must contentedly receive a Denial when for Reasons best known to their Superiors they are put by their Pretensions And this is all that is proper for me to speak as to the Renouncing of this sort of Honour it being not my Business to Catechize my Governours but rather to Instruct you that you may be obedient both to God and Them To proceed then Thirdly There is another sort of Honour consisting in the high Esteem and Reputation on which the wise and vertuous Part of Mankind have of a Person III. How far and in what Sence that Honor which consists in the high Esteem and Reputation of the wise and vertuous part of Mankind is to be renounced occasion'd by the excellent Qualities and divine Graces shining in him or upon the account of some extraordinary Actions performed by him And this indeed is a Subject which it concerns all of you to have well stated to you there being no Christian but has or ought to have a good Reputation for his good and excellent Qualities And by what measures he ought to Gain to Enjoy or to Retain it and when how far and in what Sence he is bound to deny himself in or to decline it is what belongs therefore to every One to be satisfy'd about Now this is that Honour which the Wise-man calls a Good Name This is what the Wise-man calls a Good Name and is more valuable than Riches or precious Ointments Prov. 22.1 and tells us it is rather to be chosen than great Riches and that loving Favour is better than Silver and Gold And yet to give us a higher Commendation of it Eccl. 7.1 he tells us that a Good Name is better than precious Ointment Now that he does compare and prefer it to precious Ointment the reason very likely is this Because in the first place precious Ointment was a most valuable Treasure in the Eastern Nations as appears by Hezekiah's shewing it in a vain Ostentatious manner amongst the rest of his choicest Treasures those in the House of his precious things to the Babylonish Ambassadours 2 King 20.13 Next it was what was used in the Consecration of Persons to the highest Dignities and Employments as to the Pre-eminence of a King and the Office of the High Priest-hood as you will see Lev. 16.32 and 1 King 19.16 It was what cast forth far and near a most fragrant and delicious Scent to the Comfort of others and of those who were Anointed
and consequently when the Divine Image which is now defac'd is in some good measure restor'd when thus we shall have Put on the New Man Eph. 4.24 Partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. and Be conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 then can we be truly said to Renounce the Flesh 2. To Renounce the Flesh is to be Converted in the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul toward God II. To Renounce the Flesh is to be Converted in the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul towards God Smith 's Select Disc p. 374. 430. This is the true Property of the Regenerate Nature to be exalted above all Worldly Things and to be carried out in Love and Affection towards God The Soul says a Learned and Pious Author is a more vigorous and puissant thing when it is once Restor'd to the possession of its own Being than to be bounded within a narrow Prison of Sensual and Bodily Delights but it will break forth with the greatest Vehemence and Ascend upwards towards Immortality For it is only true Religion that teaches and enables Men to die to this World and to all Earthly Things and to rise above the Sphere of Sensual and Earthly Pleasures which darken the Mind and blind it that it cannot enjoy the brightness of Divine Light so that whereas the Fleshly Mind never minds any thing but Flesh and never rises above the Outward Matter but always creeps up and down like Shadows upon the Surface of the Earth and if it begin at any time to make any faint Essays upwards it presently finds it self laden with a weight of Sensuality which draws it down again Holy and Religious Souls being touch'd with an Inward Sense of the Divine Goodness and Beauty are mov'd swiftly after God and as the Apostle expresses himself forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before they press towards the Mark for the Prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus that so they may attain to the Resurrection of the Deâ—d In short therefore whereas there is now a continual Conflict betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit the Flesh Lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh we must never cease Mortifying and Subduing all the Motions of Corrupt Nature tending downward towards the Creature till they be brought in Subjection to the Power and Influence of God's Holy Spirit which alone can lift up our Hearts and Affections to God and Heavenly Things THE XXI Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh IN order to the full Explication of these Words the sinful Lusts of the Flesh The sinful Lusts of the Flesh what Having already shew'd you First what is meant by the Flesh and in what Sence and how far we must Renounce the Flesh 2. I am now to give you in like manner the full Meaning and Importance of the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and to shew you in what sence and how far we are to Renounce them And as by the Flesh is meant the whole Unregenerate Nature of Man Soul as well as Body in its State of Corruption and as it acts contrary to the Holy Will and Spirit of God so proportionably by the sinful Lusts of the Flesh must be understood all the Faculties and Powers of this corrupted Nature as they carry us out to commit Sin as well the Faculties of the Soul the Understanding and Will as the Bodily Powers viz. the Affections Lusts and Appetites These are all of 'em in their own Nature the Effects of God's Workmanship and were Pure as they came forth of his Hands But ever since the Fall of Adam they are wofully Corrupted and there is none of these Faculties or Powers either of Soul or Body but may be call'd a sinful Lust of the Flesh Every Faculty and Power of Soul and Body is properly enough term'd a Lust as it Craves and Desires its Object And they are all of 'em sinful Lusts of the Flesh just as the whole Unregenerate Nature was said to be Flesh that is either First as those several Faculties of the Soul do move downwards from God and Heavenly Things Immediately and Inordinately towards the Creatures Or Secondly as the Inferior and Bodily Powers the Affections Lusts and Appetites do disorderly Rebel against the Superior Faculty of the Understanding and Reason and do carry the Will into Slavery to ' em I will take the whole Frame of this our depraved Nature in Pieces that so viewing that Corruption which residing in every of the Faculties and Powers thereof renders all of 'em so many sinful Lusts of the Flesh we may be better able to Renounce each of those sinful and fleshly Lusts And First The Sinful Lusts of the Fleshly Mind what Let us consider that Corruption which Resides in the Mind and renders it Fleshly and consequently the Motions even of the Intellectual part of our Nature no better than Sinful Lusts of the Flesh And our Understanding alas which should be full of Divine Knowledge such as may be a Lamp unto our Feet and a Light unto our Paths is in the Unregenerate Man full of Vanity Ignorance of and Prejudice against Divine Truths The Unregenerate Man neither understands nor seeks after God Rom. 3.11 He likes not to Retain God in his Knowledge or to consider any thing concerning him but is vain in his Imaginations having his foolish heart darkned Rom. 1.21.28 Nay the best Habits of the Mind in the Unregenerate Man are Corrupt having the Vnderstanding darkned being Alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them Eph. 4.18 And hence it comes to pass that whereas the great and proper Appetite of the Mind is after Knowledge an Appetite which God hath put into the Soul of Man and so a thing Beautiful and Good This very desire of Knowledge becomes a sinful Lust of the Fleshly Mind in several Cases particularly in these following viz. when either we misplace our Desires of Knowledge upon wrong Objects or when we do immoderately study to be exquisitely skill'd in Humane tho' Lawful Arts and Sciences to the Neglect and Contempt of Divine Knowledge And lastly when out of Pride Prejudice and Contradiction to all sacred Truths we set up our own Fleshly Imaginations and Reasonings against the Spiritual Notions that are dictated to us And accordingly such our Appetites or Desires even of Knowledge it self must be Renounced as so many sinful Lusts of a Fleshly Mind And first we must Renounce the Desires of Knowing wrong Objects that is we must not Gratify but Mortify our Desires of Knowing such things which are either Hurtful to be known I. When we are curious to to know things which are either Hurtful to be Known or are not proper for Man to know Now as to this we are to consider