infallible if they be truly and clearly drawne So then the meaning of it is that all the principles of the Gospell they are cleare and plain they are demonstrations infallible to a spirituall mind a carnall man may doubt of them but wee speak wisedome to them that are perfect Thirdly and lastly the facultie of the soule whereby we do apprehend this light and in which we retain these principles it is a great deal more exlent I say the facultie that is the spirituall minde for I told you before there were three minds This spirituall minde is nothing else but the new Spirituall mind what Creature there is in a Christian the old Creature and the new Creature and the Scripture ordinarily calls it the old man and the new man What is the new man Nothing in the world but God puts as it were a new understanding in him that is he puts a new light in his understanding and frames his understanding to be capable of that new light For the minde we have naturally cannot receive spirituall things Therefore it is not only a new quality there is somthing more or else God would not call it the new man but the new quality which he doth no where in Scripture the Lord frames in the soule a capabillity a faculty to apprehend and reason upon Spirituall things and this is called the new man and this comes from Jesus Christ and his holy Spirit and is upon the growing hand more and more Now the other facultie the naturall facultie is corrupt with lusts The old man is corrupt And when I say the old man you must take the naturall Old man what man as well as the sinfull man The old man is corrupt what is that he is corrupt that is he is rotten How comes he to be rotten He is corrupt by reason of the lusts of it As it is with Timber it would continue a long time if it have not rayne come upon it but if rayne fall on it it makes it decay so the naturall mind the naturall Sin corrupts the naturall faculties facultie in Adam before he sinned was great deale more cleare and therefore Adam was a better naturalist then any man then all the men in the world Adam was a better Navigator a better Phisitian a better any thing But as sinne raised the Law of God out of mans heart so sinne begun to rot and corrupt the naturall excellencies of man as his mind c. and that right reason that Adam had before his fall you see how he did name all the creatures and what wisedome he had but after his fall sinne had not been long in him but he was more corrupt As you see in a house where there is a hole in the thatch if the raine come in but two or three dayes the Timber will not be much rotted but in time it will spoyle it So wee see after when sinne came to increase more in the dayes of Cain man was more tainted and yet surely then naturall knowledge was more excellent then now it is for you see what inventions they had Gen. 4. of musick and building and Tents and many things that they invented in Arts. But you will say it is an easie thing to make Tents and Organs It is an easie thing to perfect a thing that hath been 5000. yeares finding out but were you now to find out the thing it were not easie Now I say that sinne doth rott and rust the nature of man more and more and as sinne gets head more so more and more it will rot the faculties of man but the facultie we have in the new man it is new it was never tainted never any drop came into it to corrupt it for when God creates the new Creature he makes it a more excellent peice then he did the old and this growes more and more therefore seeing there is clearer light excellenter principles a profounder facultie there must needs be a more blessed and glorious way of reasoning in a spirituall way then in a naturall way I had thought to have gone over the other two things premised but the time is past and therefore I will only now conclude this with one or two short words of use And first of all I will here in love admonish Use 1. Not to reject all reason in godlinesse you that are the people of God to take heed of that devise of Satan whereby he would perswade the Saints that there is no reason in godlinesse Reason is a word that is much prejudiced among Professors and if a man speake of reason they are ready to slight it and say shew me Scripture as if sound spirituall reason and the Scripture were contrary one to another they are readie to say what doe you talk to me of reason shew me a Text for it It is true we must not talk of carnall corrupt reason that is abhominable nor of naturall reason that is too short but we may and must in any thing belonging to godlinesse take in spirituall reason and if it hold not with spirituall reason doe not admit of it let it be what Opinion it will Most of your wandrings and mistakes doe arise from want of observing spirituall reason we reject reason and goe and take a place of Scripture and so hand over head goe along and not deduct things as Paul and Abraham did But beware of this for there is nothing in godlinesse but thon mayest find sound reason in it there is no absurdity in godlinesse absurdity belongs to wicked men that have not faith Take heed of rejecting all kind of reason in godlinesse reject carnall reason and expect godlinesse to be above naturall reason but if there be not spirituall reason in what thou doest it is not of God Secondly it is a word of exhortation or invitation Use 2. Invitation to come to Christ to you that are carnall that you would come in and receive Jesus Christ that you would imbrace Christ and godlinesse by him Why so Because there is nothing in nature that may take with man but there is that and that in a more excellent way in grace if men had grace to heed it You know what takes with men in nature ordinarily most of mankind are weake and come not up so high as to action and contempldtion but you know what takes with them Riches and Honour c. Now the Scripture tells us in Christ we shall in herite all these things some affect Liberty here is that also If the Son make you free you shall be free indeed And whatsoever men can fancie saith Christ Come and buy of me gold and Rayment and milk and honey and Kingdomes and Crownes and whatsoever the nature of man is capable of But there are some that feed not upon sensuall things and to tell them of pleasures and Honour and Riches by Christ doth not so much take them but thou art it may be an intellectuall man
that in Scripture is so called when men are said to be humble it is a grace that is never away from a Saint we should be cloathed with it as Peter saith I am to speake of it in that sence it is the gracious lowly spirituall humble frame of heart that is in a Saint and is in no wicked man nor can be as I shall shew afterwards Secondly when I am speaking that the sight of God in Christ humbleth the soule you must not 2 Other meanes of humiliation excluded mistake here and thinke that I exclude other meanes inferiour meanes For I told you before as God shews himselfe by any meanes by any creature by any providence or any way So he may so shew himself that way that he may humble you in that way Therefore you must not say that therefore we speake against meanes because I say the sight of God doth humble a Saint for I exclude not other meanes Thirdly and in a speciall manner take notice 3 Sight of God doth humble occasionally that this sight of God the seeing God of as Saints doe see him doth not properly humble the soule of a man but occasionally as it were It doth it not properly because you know that in Heaven when we shall be in Heaven we doe not read that we shall then be humbled We shall then be in a state of glory every way and yet we shall see God there more then ever we did before But beloved the sight of God humbleth us here occasionally that is by reason of the frailtie and corruption that is upon us Just as the Law made Paul to sinne more Rom. 7. Sinn taking occasion by the Law So I say because we are fraile and weake and vile and sinfull every apprehension of a glorious and great and powerfull God abaseth and humbleth us as in Luke 5. 8. when Peter saw a little of God in Christ working a myracle for I told you God many wayes by any meanes can reveale himself to the soule of a Saint saith he Lord depart from me I am a sinfull man Peters heart was taken downe and he was amazed to see the glory of God and why so because he considered he was a sinfull man that threw him downe and humbled him Now these three things being laid downe before-hand I shall briefly in a word prove this lesson Job 42. 5 6. when Job had seen God it humbled him I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes So likewise Peter Luke 22. 61 62. Peter having a glance of Christ Christ looked on him and he seeing his Master looke on him he went out and wept bitterly Paul having seene the Lord he was stricken downe from his Horse and cried Lord what wilt thou have me to doe though God manifested himselfe variously and their humiliation is variously exprest and set forth in Scripture yet it is but one and the same thing so it holds true that this sight of God doth truly humble the soule I shall in the next place shew you two things First I shall give you some reasons to prove that it is so And secondly shew you somewhat why it is so Concerning the first I shall give you but these two or three reasons First of all I finde clearly in Scripture that God Reas 1. All graces wrought by seeing of God works all graces in the soules of his Saints by beholding him I say I find clearly in Scripture that every grace that is wrought in the heart of a Saint is wrought by beholding God in Christ and if every other grace be wrought thus why not this As for instance First for holines take it in a general sence 2 Cor. 3. Holinesse ult VVe all with open face behold as in a glosse the glory of the Lord in Jesus Christ We behold the glory of God as in a glasse and are changed into the same image that is we are made like unto Jesus Christ holy as he is holy we are changed from glory to glory that is by beholding the glory of God in Jesus Christ we are made holy And then you shall see for patience that comes into the soule by beholding God in Christ as Patience you shall have it Heb. 11. 27. It is said that Moses he endured and feared not the wrath of the King he endured as seeing him who is invisible How did Moses endure all the threatnings of Pharaoh The Lord revealed himselfe to his Soule and by the grace of God the Lord wrought him to a patiently bearing of all his threatnings So Stephen in Act. 7. He saw Jesus Christ sit at the right hand of glory and then he did quietly fall on his knees to pray for his enemies when they were stoning him to death So also for faith how wil you have faith see in Heb. Faith 12. 2. Looking to Jesus the author and sinisher of our faith We have not faith of our selves neither can we make a faith of our selves but by beholding of Christ the Lord works faith in our hearts to receive Wisdome him So also I might shew of wisdom and of strength as you may see Isa 45. 23 24. an observable place Strength Christ would have them to looke upon him Looke to me and be saved surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousnes and strength Christ bids them looke to him and then they shall crie out they have strength Nay in Joh. 1. 12. you shall see that all graces are put together VVe beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten Sonne of God and out of his fullnesse we all receive grace for grace By beholding the glory of God in Jesus Christ we receive grace for grace that Jesus Christ hath we have it as they say the Paper receives the print from the Presse Now beloved if this be the ordinary way in Scripture to beget all other graces in the soule then why not the way to humble the soule before God Only with this difference which is worth your Difference in the working of humiliation and other graces observing that every other grace is wrought in the soule by a kinde of assimilation but this is wrought in a contrary way I mean thus by beholding the strength of God in Jesus Christ my soule is made strong by beholding the wisedome of God in Christ I am made wise by beholding the holinesse of God in Jesus Christ I am made holy But now of this humiliation it is not so by beholding the holinesse and power or strength or any thing else in God humiliation does not rise by assimulation by making me like but every thing in God dasheth a man and makes him nothing in his owne eyes Thus the sight of God works it Besides I finde in Scripture that every thing that is in God if I may so speake is of a humbling
not beleive in Judea and that my service for Jerusalem may be accepted of the Saints For Jesus Christs sake pray for me VVhy He was going to Jerusalem to carry money to the poore A man would think that they should be beholding to him that Paul a Preacher would come and bring it himself but I beseech you for Christs sake pray that the Saints may accept of my service O God give Parliament men and great ones that they may be Willing to doe for the Saints and to pray to God for the Saints acceptance It is a great matter for the Saints to accept the service of the Saints The Thirteenth thing to know a humble heart 13. He rejoyceth at the growth of grace in others by in his demeanour to the Saints is this he rejoyceth much that grace grows in others though it doe not in himselfe and he rejoyceth in the good that is done by others though he can doe none himselfe Paul 2 Cor. 4. 13. I rejoyce that ye be honourable though we be beggars A humble heart rejoyceth though he be the least of Saints yet to see such people grow and to have full grace and to thrive accordingly a proud heart will murmur and it is a signe of a cursed heart that doth not rejoyce in the good that is done by another it is a cursed hellish disposition in Numb 11. We read how diverse did Prophesie in the Campe and they come to Moses and desire him to forbid them O say they looke yonder he is turned Preacher now O sayth Moses I would that all Gods people did prophesie Now there are such a generation of men among us that will not indure that any good should be done but by themselves and if a poore man goe out of my Parish to another place for the good of his soul I must envie the man because he would get more good and others that have been trades-men though they be men of parts and breeding in the Army and elsewhere yet if they have not the languages though they teach the people gloriously yet we must crie them downe as Aereticks whereas if God will doe good by using such we should rejoyce if I rejoyce not in the good that is done by another in this Congregation or in the Armie or any where as much as if it were done by my selfe I am a cursed proud man Let us think of that Another thing which I spake of before is that 14. He can love though he be not loved a humble heart he can love though he be not loved As Paul sayth Though the more I love you the lesse â— be loved of you There is none but a humble heart that can love when it is not loved Lastly and so to make an end of this text the 15. He measures not himselfe by himselfe demeanour of a humble heart to the Saints it is seen in this he dares not measure himself by himself nor compare himself with himself You shall find that word 2 Cor 10. 12. VVe dare not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise Man naturally is the best judge of himselfe only every man hath abundance of self-love whereby every man thinks in every poynt better of himself then he is and they think themselves the wisest people in the World and that other people have no braines and so measure themselves with themselves Or rather thus I have observed in proud hearted professors to their ruyne unlesse God work a myracle that doe not approove their hearts to God nor to the generality of the Saints but measure themselves by themselves they are good because they think they are good or else they will have two or three fawning flatterers by them that shall commend them though all the VVorld condemne them yet if they approove them and commend them they care not Thereupon I have knowne some that have lost all their reputation with all the Saints excepting only two or three that would call black white and white black You shall have a great man when he hath done an action he will goe to his Chaplaine and say is not this well done and it may be he will flatter him in it We are all subject to this it is not peculiar to one alone We should make use of some friends when we have done an action that should be joynt judges in it and if they entertaine it for good we should account it so or else not for a World and if these condemne us we should hold our selves condemned but beware of setting a few creatures like our selves to be judges but to approve our selves before the Lord and before the Generation of Saints And so you have heard the demeanour of the Saints that they are humble in their carriage towards God and towards sinners and towards Saints And so much for this text Mount Sion OR The Priviledge and Practice OF THE SAINTS By WALTER CRADOCK late Preacher at ALHALLOWS Great in LONDON HEB. 12.22 But yee are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living GOD c. GAL. 4.26 But Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all LONDON Printed in the Yeare 1649. SERMON I. Rom. 8. 4. That the righteousnesse of the law might be fullfilled in us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit THE maine drift of the Apostle in this Epistle is to hold forth justification by faith or by free grace without the works of the law And in Chap. 7. The Apostle doth answer an objection For they might say what then shall we doe with the law if it cannot justifie us There the Apostle tells us that though the law cannot justifie us yet there are many blessed uses both for sinners and Saints to make of the law of which I shall not now speake Now in this 8th Chapter the Apostle drawes this conclusion from what he had said before There is therefore from what I have sayd it is evident that there is no condemnation there is no damnation there is no danger of hell to them which are in Christ Jesus Now he opens who those are he sayth they are those Who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And he gives a reason of it in Vers 2. why there is no damnation to those people For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sin and of death Now he amplifies that in Vers 3. For what the law could not doe in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his owne son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh As if he should have sayd thus it comes about that we are now free from the law and that there is no damnation to us because sayth he that God hath sent his son in the
likenesse of sinfull flesh like one of us and he hath fulfilled the law of God and condemned sin therefore there is no sin to condemne us nor no jot of the law that is not fullfilled therefore we are just and righteous and cleare There is no condemnatiom to them that are in Christ Jesus For God hath sent his son to condemne sin c. Now in this fourth Verse it is more particularly expressed That the righteousnes of the law might be fullfilled in us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit I shall not orderly goe over to shew the Coherence distinctly as I might but breifly as I can come to those lessons that the Lord is to teach us That the righteousnesse of the law might be fullfilled in us c. There are in the words two things Here is a great priviledge as any can be to have the righteousnesse of the law fullfilled in us And here are secondly the parties that have the benefit of this priviledge Those that walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Concerning the priviledge to understand the words a little That the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us That the law might be fully satisfyed in poynt of righteousnesse that the law might have such a righteousnesse which indeed the law requires that it might have a full and compleat righteousnesse in us So that breifly these are the lessons which I shall open from hence which I desire that our souls may feed upon First that The law requires of every man a righteousnesse to fulfill it Or that Every man is bound to get him a righteousnesse to fulfill the law of God Every man is bound to fulfill the law of God That is one thing The second lesson will be this that The law is perfectly fulfilled or satisfied in all true beleivers And thirdly that All those that are true beleivers or that have these priviledges they are those that walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit These are the three lessons I shall speake of I say first The law requireth a righteousnesse from every Doct. The law requires a perfect righteousnesse man to fulfill it Or Every man is bound to fulfill the law of God That is the first thing The grounds of that are these I shall but touch them First because that God made man man was his creature and the Lord was his soveraigne and Reas 1. From Gods soveraignty when God made all Creatures you know hee made Lawes for them hee made a Law for the Sunne and Moone and Starres c. and every thing goes according to the law that God determined for it Now when God made man who was but his creature though he were a more excellent creature he made a law for him this blessed law of God which is in his booke here the Covenant of works as it was sometimes called therefore as all other creatures were bound to goe in their course and keep their peculiar laws that God layd on them so man also was bound to keepe the law of God that God made for him Another thing is this that besides the soveraigntie 2. From mans covenant with God of God that might impose a law upon him there was secondly a compact between God and man and so there was a kind of bargaine for God layd that law upon man and Adam as a publike person he undertooke to keepe that law by a contract or bargaine If God as it were had had no right before to lay it on him yet now man undertooke it by way of bargaine to keep the law of God Adam first did it and might have done it and afterwards the people of Israell professe to doe it All these words we will doe we will keepe them That is another reason whereby it appeares that every man and woman in the World is bound to fulfill the law of God Thirdly another thing is this if you consider 3. Nothing can exempt man from it what there is that might free a man from keeping a law that is layd upon him you shall see that there are none of those things that can help him in this As First of all our laws many times are repealed 1. It is not repealed and that law that a man was bound to keepe a few yeares agoe he is bound to protest against now as the Service-booke the common prayer c. There is that penaltie now for using it as there was for not using it a few yeares since now it is not so with the law of God Heaven and Earth shall passe away but one jot or tittle of the law shall not passe That law is an eternall law there is no repealing of it Then Secondly you know Judges and Law-givers 2. The Law-giver cannot be bribed among men may be corrupted and bribed and may be brought to dispense with their owne laws nay sometimes to goe against their owne laws but God is a just God and when his owne son the son of his love did take upon him to be borne under the law and to be a suretie for man he endured the smart of the law and was dealt with as if he had been another Then there is no evasion or escaping among 3. There is no escaping men there is If a man breake the law and goe into another Countrie he is cleare and free but here is no escaping one cannot goe away VVhither shall I goe from thy presence sayth David where Psal 139. shall I hide my selfe from thee A man can goe no where but the law of God will be on him So that every man and woman in the World are still bound to fulfill the whole law of God or to get a righteousnesse a perfect righteousnesse to satisfie the law of God Now there are but three wayes in the World 3. Wayes to fulfill the law to fulfill the law of God Eyther a man must doe it in his owne person as 1. In a mans owne person most men doe besides Papists more or lesse they will goe and doe their best and doe the good leave the evill and performe duties and they think by their doing to keepe the law Or else secondly by suffering that is partly in 2. By suffering this World and afterwards in Hel for that is the businesse of Hell for Hell is nothing but the place where people are fulfilling the law of God What doth Caine and other wretches doing in hell They are paying the debt fulfilling the law of God to eternity by suffering because they did not fullfill it by doing while they were here That is the reason that they are in Hell for ever because they can never pay the debt therefore they must abide there for ever for if it could be supposed that they could give a compleat righteousnesse that might satisfie the law they should stay in Prison no longer they should be in Hell no more Then
thirdly there is another glorious way 3. By Jesus Christ that is in Jesus Christ Jesus Christ he hath kept the law and perfectly fulfilled it now a man by beleiving in Jesus Christ and by being unyted to him and married to him that in his owne person hath fulfilled the law being married to him whatsoever he hath is yours and whatsoever he hath done it is as if it had been done by you all shall be imputed to you and so the law of God may be fullfilled in you perfectly and you shall never goe to Hell and have nothing to doe or to suffer in that kind This being premised breifly the use of this may be twofold First to shew you what a vaine and foolish Vse The vanity of those that goe about to keepe the law thing it is for a man to goe about to keepe the law of God in his owne strength or in his owne person for you to think to save your soules or to fulfill the righteousnesse of the law by your owne doings Beloved it is a great matter to bring poore sinners to be awakened to see their sins or to break off their course in sin For there are many drunkards and swearers and jearers of Religion and prophaners of the Lords day that sit as sots all the yeare and are never awakned but generally when men are awakened Sinners awakened labour to fullfill the law out of their sins this is the resolution of all man kind of every man none excepted unlesse God have mercy on him he is ready to say I see I am in a damnable way and this course will bring me to hell by the grace of God I will turne over a new leafe and now I will heare Sermons I was wont to jeare at them and I will get me a practice of piety or some other good Book and I will have prayers in my house and I will be drunke no more and sweare no more I will be a new man I will avoyd that which is evill and doe that which is good And marke it this is more naturall to man then sin it is more naturall to man to be righteous then to be sinfull because he was righteous before he was sinfull The liquor that is put first into a vessell the vessell keeps the tast of that longer then of any that is put into it afterwards Now God at first made man righteous and man is more apt to fall to that kind of righteousnesse then to any sin And this is the great misery of people every one in some fashion or other this is his businesse he goes about to fulfill the law of God in his owne person and there you shall have one praying and another crying and another keeping so many fasts and dayes of humiliation upon humiliation and the end of all is if men had eyes to see it his endeavour is to fulfill the law of God he endeavours to scrape and to get up a righteousnesse to pay the law of God You cannot conceive and comprehend how subject you and I are to this misery and how this is in your very bones as it were and I feare truly it is the greatest part of your Religion and the most of your profession is nothing but to endeavour to get a righteousnesse to fulfill the law of God though some doe it in a closer siner way then others Now I beseech you consider this word lay No man can fulfill the law by doing downe this throughly in your hearts that it is a vaine thing so to doe and who would goe about a vaine thing a thing that he shall never bring to perfection For it is not every paltrie righteousnesse that can fulfill the law of God It is not ten thousand fastings that can fullfill the law of God it is not praying in your familie three times a day that can fullfill the law I speake not against these things in their right way and course but all will not doe in this respect for if you faile but once if you miss but one farthing you are gone if you have but one bad thought in all your life you are lost Therefore I would have you despaire of getting by your owne doing and suffering any righteousnesse to fulfill the law of God never goe about it No wise man will goe and buyld a Castle in the ayre It is reason and argument enough in any naturall busnesse to make a man desist to tell him it is a vayne thing it is a worke that will never come to perfection therefore desist and give over and thinke of some other course VVhy should we not prevaile in spirituall things as well as in naturall Let every man lay downe this for a certaine truth for a certaine conclusion in his soul that I were as good be a sinner as a righteous man in my owne person in respect of fulfilling the law I am sure I shall never doe it but as a snow-ball the more it is roled the bigger it growes so the more you goe on and indeavour to get a righteousnesse to fulfill the law the further off you will be for as I said if you faile but once you are guiltie of all And as you cannot reach it by doeing Nor by suffering so not by suffering for what men have mist in doing they shall be suffering to all eternity in hell but the law is so holy and God is so glorious whose law you have broken that when you have suffered millions yet the debt will be still unpaid Therefore who would be so mad as Paul calls the Gallathians mad Gallathians VVho hath bewitched you It is a kind of madnesse for any man to attempt in his owne person by doing or suffering to fulfill the righteousnesse of the law or to justifie and save his soul You will say we grant it is true and therefore Many seek to be justified by works besides Papists the Papists are much to blame that labour to be justified by their works They are so and so are many others much to blame besides them and blessed is that man or woman among you whosoever it be that doth not in some measure in his owne person endeavour to make up his owne righteousnesse It is a thing that sticks nearer to you then you are aware of though it may be at sometimes you see Christ and justification by him clearly yet at other times you know how many pangs and how may secret glances we have at our justication by our owne works take notice of the vanity of this That is one word Secondly me thinks this should move you above Vse 2. It should move us to come to Christ all things in the World if it were considered and O that the Lord would be pleased yet to open your eyes while it is called to day I say this should be one of the greatest motives in the World to come to Jesus Christ to get into Christ to receive Jesus Christ and in
him as I shall shew after you shall have a righteousnesse that hath fulfilled the law Let every man say I see here is a law that God hath layd upon me I am subject to it and this law must be fulfilled there is no helpe for it every man is bound to it he must have a righteousnesse to satisfie the law Heaven and Earth shal passe away rather then that shal not be Now there are but three ways to fulfil it either in mine owne person here or to suffer for ever in hell or else to beleive in and receive another that may doe it for me Now we neyther by our doing or suffering can get such a righteousnesse that is cleare therefore there is but one way that is in Jesus Christ there is a perfect righteousnesse in him he hath fulfilled the law get into him and be one with him and then we shall be able to say perfectly with Paul That the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us that beleive and are in Jesus Christ There is but that one way now when there is Where there is but one way there needs no deliberation but one way me thinks there needs no deliberation or consultation In Worldly things when there are diverse wayes and courses that a man may take he will consult with his friends which to take this or that or the other but when there is but one way there needs no consultation So if there were two or three or many wayes to Heaven we might consult which way to take if there were as many wayes as you imagine and make in your owne heads if Antinomianisme were the onely way or Presbyterians or Independents were the onely way men might demurr but in Gods language there is but one way and that is the way the truth and the life Jesus Christ is the way goe out of that and you wander for ever he is the only sacrifice miss that and there is no more sacrifice for sin There is but this one thing necessarie there is no other way in the World but Jesus Christ there is no other name under Heaven by which you can be saved Therefore we should doe in our condition just as a man that were fallen into a great pit that were full of stones and snakes and serpents and sire and all that we can imagine to be terrible and miserable and there comes a man and casts a rope into this great deep pit you need not perswade the man to lay hold of it he would presently catch at it as soone as it comes Why so Because he knowes he is in a miserable case and there is no other way to help him but that VVe are fallen into such a pit where there are snakes and scorpions and serpents fire the sting of sin the curse of the law the wrath of God we are in the pawes of the Devill we are in a manner in hell already and God hath sent his son Christ and hath put righteousnesse in him and he hath let down this rope that poor sinking miserable creatures might lay hold on it Therefore what shall I say to you but this I beseech you stand not trifling and dallying and whâ—nâ—ing and goe to this Preacher and say what shall I doe Siâ— and to that Christian what course shall I take as though there were many wayes and you had choyce of things What shouldest thou doe but studie Jesus Christ throughly and roundly make a worke of it or else thou wilt be damned There is no other way left there is no other meanes to be had God will not abate one farthing token the law must be satisfied as the people of Israell in Aegypt when they made brick they must bring in such a number so the law must be perfectly satisfied and thou art not able to doe it by doing here or by suffering in hell therefore what shall I doe Receive Jesus Christ studie Jesus Christ and resigne thy selfe wholly up to Jesus Christ and stand not trifling and dallying till thou goe to the Devill in hell as many doe if there were twenty wayes to Heaven God might say I wonder not that yonder people stand musing and consulting a twelve-month together but when there is but one way and yet people stand mopeing it is that that angers God Therefore remember that in Zephan 2. 1. Gather your selves together before the decree bring forth before the day passe as the chaffe c. Seeke yee the Lord c. Gather your selves together He doth not meane in companies as you use to meet in the Guyld-hall but the meaning is when he sayth gather your selves together that man is a worried creature a shattered thing as Solomon sayth The eyes of a wiseman are in his head but the eyes of a foole are over the World There are abundance of men that have their understandings goe in the World this way and that way but gather your selves together How To get into Christ you heare that there is no righteousnesse but his will serve the turne gather your selves to studie Christ to obey Christ to receive Christ to love Christ and to resigne your selves to Jesus Christ in whome there is a perfect righteousnesse That is one lesson you should desire the Lord to teach you hence The next lesson is this that The righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in all Doct. 2. The righteousnesse of the Law fulfilled in all true beleevers true beleivers Sayth the Apostle That the law might be fullfilled in us In us we are not to understand it personally as though any Saint though it were Abraham himself were able in his owne person to fulfill the law but the meaning of it is in respect of the unyon that we have with Jesus Christ who is our Husband and our head The law is perfectly fulfilled by him therefore it is perfectly fulfilled by me because I am unyted to him The law is not perfectly fulfilled by me because I doe more good or doe lesse evill then another but only the law is fulfilled and hath reason to be satisfied because I am married to one that hath done it and that perfectly Now you shall see diverse Scriptures that hold it forth blessedly As those phrases that you have in Gall. 2. the latter end where it is sayd we are dead to the law I through the law am dead to the law I am crucified with Christ I am dead to the law What is the meaning of that That is I am dead to the We are dead to the law as a Covenant of works law as it is a Covenant of works the law hath no more to doe with me then the Lawes of men have to doe with a man that is in debt when he is dead when he is dead he is free from it So the law is paid by Jesus Christ it is fully satisfyed I owe not one farthing or farthing worth to the law I am dead to the law And so in Rom.
those things that now you know not nor cannot know Therfore labour to learne that lesson it is one of the greatest Mysteries in the World and that is the reason that carnall people carp at these things What greater Mysterie then for me being a just and righteous man through Christ yet to be so sinfull that I can say there is none more sinfull and yet I am as righteous as Abraham or Paul in respect of the righteousnesse of Christ I have as large a share as Abraham or Paul and yet I am full of sin A Christian knowes this and he knowes how it is so Well that is one lesson consider of it that you may know where to plant your justification upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ The Lord teach it to you and me Secondly if the righteousnesse of the law be Vse 2. Saints should see their condition in Christ glorious fulfilled in all that are beleivers through Jesus Christ Then all you that are Saints all you that beleive in Jesus Christ labour to see the glorious condition that you are in that you may be able to reflect upon your selves not according to what you are out of Christ but what you are considered to be as Members of Jesus Christ as unyted to Jesus Christ Therfore you shall have Paul and it doth me good to see his spirit he never reckons himselfe as in himselfe but as in Jesus Christ I can doe all things I can want and I can abound I can doe this and that and all in Christ So I To look on our selves as unyted to Christ must never conceive of God out of Christ nor of my selfe out of Christ I must never conceive of my selfe and Christ as two but I should indeavour clearly and constantly that whatsoever good there is in Christ it is myne as if it were in myne owne person And so we should have our spirits raysed above the temptations of the World and above the afflictions of the World and above corruptions It is a pittifull thing to see poore Professors Why many Christians have such low Spirits there is not one of many but they are ordinarily below temptations and they lie under burdens and are below their sins Nay there are many professors that are more sad and drooping then carnall people Surely this was not the way of those Saints that we read of in the New Testament they had glorious spirits how doe you think else they could goe to the stocks and to Prisons and from one Compter to another and have their spirits so raysed and yet sometimes they were to die the next morning for ought they knew Your spirits will never be heightened and raysed to live the life of Paul by beholding any thing that is in you personally in your posession but what you are by relation and marriage to Christ Reckon your selves dead with Christ and so conceive I am a just man I was bound once to the law of God a terrible law and there are thousands in hell paying the debt and cannot pay it and yet I have paid every farthing and the law cannot ask me more I have offered a perfect righteousnesse to God and I am now sitting at Gods right hand in Heaven by my unyon with Jesus Christ This is the life of faith that we may be able to The life of faith tryumph over all these things below from our Justification as Paul doth Rom. 8. It is God that Justifieth and who shall condemne Who shall seperate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Shall Tribulation or distresse or Famine or nakednesse or perill or Sword Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors through Christ that loved us Indeed Tribulation and hunger and Famine they are sad things but these are the least troubles of a Christian these outward miseries Over these we are more then Conquerers sayth Paul I can tie my right hand at my back and with my left hand beat all these back I can beat them with a finger Nay I say more Neyther death nor life that is more nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. See there how he dares all the Enemies to come upon the Stage and tramples them under feet As in Malachy it is said that in the time of the Gospell they shall tread their Enemies as ashes under their feet So there is a place also in 1 Cor. 1â— Death is swallowed up in victorie As if he had sayd you that have received Christ Jesus I will tell you news Death is swallowed up in victorie O death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victorie He feares the grave and death and triumphs over them O death where is thy sting thou thoughtest to overcome me but where is thy sting The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be unto God who hath given us Victorie through Jesus Christ our Lord. He doth not say which will give us Victory when we are dead and then we shall be perfect in Heaven It is true then we shall be more perfect but he saith which hath given us Victorie for the present I have already overcome Hell and death and the Devill for all hangs on the law the law is Gods writ and the Devill is Gods Sergeant that executes that writ and Hell is the Prison Therefore if the law be satisfied if the righteousnesse of the law be fulfilled death and Hell and the Devill have nothing to doe with me So in Rom. 4. ult Who was delivered for our offences and was raysed for our justification And then it followes Chap. 5. 1. Beeing Justified by faith we have peace with God See where the Apostle layes justification And we glory in tribulation knowing that it worketh patience c. We rejoyce in tribulation and affliction Why Because we are Justified by Christs death and Resurection O what kind of spirits should we have How full of joy and comfort should we be in the greatest tribulation How should we tread all this World under our feet the evills of this World and the comforts of the World How should we insult and tryumph over the Devill and over death and Hell for all their power as I sayd is from the law and if the righteousnesse of the law be fulfilled then all our Enemies are subdued and all is cleare Heaven is open and God is mine and the favour of God is to me For know this that there is no naturall imbred What hinders the creature from enjoying God hatred in God to his creature there is nothing that keeps the creature from the full injoyment of God but the law not being satisfied God made a law and we made the breach of it and there falls out the distance betweene
had sayd doe not mistake me it is a great priviledg to have the law fulfilled for you but it is not by your owne strictness and zeale and though some of you goe further then others yet none of you can attaine the fulfilling of the law that way for all are come short Rom. 3. But it is those that walk after the spirit that is those that seeke it in a way of faith in another not in themselves those that seeke it according to the principles and directions of the Gospell Now because I know this Exposition is harsh to many of you Though I exclude not the other therfore I shall endeavour to shew you three things First I will proove clearly out of the Scriptures That flesh is so understood that this is the meaning Secondly I will give you a reason why that is the cheife meaning Thirdly I shall give you a few Reasons why the Apostle saith that they that walk according to the Covenant of Works walk according to the flesh and they that goe according to the way of faith walk according to the spirit Concerning the First that flesh is often taken 1. prooved by Scriptures clearly in this sence I will give you some places of Scripture Gal. 3. 3. This I would learn of you received you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith Are ye so foolish that having begun in the spirit are you now made perfect in the flesh We see in Chap. 1. They are called to the grace of Christ through the Gospell Gospell principles were rightly and savingly practised among them and after there came some among them that perverted them and sayth he are ye so foolish that having begun in the spirit and have had Christ crucyfied among you that now you will be made perfect by the flesh That now you will goe and seeke justification by your owne works and goe about to keep the law c. Another place is in Phillip 3. 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh and then he speakes of the priviledges of an Israelite and if you looke further Vers 7. I count all these loss that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine owne righteousness which is of the law but that which is of the faith of Christ So by flesh he meanes the righteousnesse of the law which he throwes away for the righteousnesse which is of faith Take another place Rom. 10. 5. Compared with Rom. 6. 14. Sayth the Apostle sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace When you were under the law and walked after the flesh sin had dominion over you and you obeyed it Here is a paralell place for sayth the Apostle When you were in the flesh the motions of sin by the law did Work in your Members When you were in the flesh that is when you were under the law then the motions of sin did work But now sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the law you are not in the flesh you doe not walk according to the flesh And that I suppose is the meaning of that Scripture 2 Pet. 2. 10. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly and to reserve the wicked to be punished but cheifly those that walk after toe flesh in the lusts of uncleanness Now if you take walking after the flesh for sinfull wayes it would be the same as if he had said there are diverse people that walk wickedly but cheifly they that walk after the flesh for all people naturolly walk after the flesh but these were a peculiar people that the Lord would bring judgements on and they walked according to the flesh Who were they They were most of them Jewes they were Adams Sons that walked in the old Covenant cheifly they that walk according to the flesh that is the meaning of it or else he would not have said according to the flesh for every man naturally walks according to the flesh So in this text Who walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit and in the 8 Verse of this Chapter They that are in the flesh cannot please God Now I shall open that by another Scripture Heb. 11. 5. Where it is said that Henoch pleased God We read of Henoch Gen. 5. 24. That he Walked with God he walked not according to the flesh now sayth the Apostle without faith it is impossible to please God now he that walks in the flesh cannot please God Why so He that goes not in the way of faith by Jesus Christ he cannot please God By beleiving I please God by walking in the obedience of faith to God I and my works please God Now to please implies one that was offended before all my doing cannot please God but my beleiving presenting to God a perfect righteousnesse by faith pleaseth God and then all my works are accepted There are two words for it in the Originall One signifies to please one that hath been offended another is pleasingnesse with one that hath not offended as my child pleaseth me though he have not offended me but the other is to be pleased with one that was an Enemy before one that was against me that is now received to favour So I have told you breifly some Scriptures to shew you that flesh is taken in this sence Now the maine reason of it why I beleive this It is the scope of this Epistle to be the cheife meaning of it is because that I see clearly that this is the cheife drift and scope of this Epistle and if I may speake without disparagement there is nothing more methodically layd downe and this is spoken to bring them from the way of works to the way of faith But I hasten Why doth the holy Ghost call walking after the Covenant of Works and after the law walking after the flesh and the other walking after the spirit The reason is because there is so great affinity 3. Why walking after the Law is called walking after the flesh and nearness between walking legally and walking sinfully that they are promiscuously in Scripture taken one for another For let a man walk and endeavour and doe his best according to the law and not by the Gospell he shall be sure to walk 1. They are taken one for another in Scripture sinfully and carnally there is no help for it If he be under the law sin will have dominion over him and if he go after the flesh the motions of the flesh will bring forth fruit unto death Sin and the law are as it were of so near a kin that the law makes sin more sinfull and the more a man strives to keep the law the more he sins The Apostle brought it so neare that people were ready to speake non-sence that the law was sin He prevents the objection Is the law sin O no sayth he sin is
the transgression of the law So that a man that walks according to the law and not according to the way of the Gospell in spight of his heart he shall walk according to the flesh that is according to the lusts of nature he can never walk holily let him doe what he can A second reason why it is called flesh is in allusion 2. In allusion to the allegorie Gal. 4. to the two Sons of Abraham as we see in Gall. 4. 22. The Apostle there speaking of these two Covenants he sayth Abraham had two Sons â—he one by a bond-maid the other by a free Woman But hee who was of the bond-woman was borne afâ—er the flesh but he of the free Woman was by promise which things are an allegorie or a comparison â—r these are the two Covenants the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to Bondage which is Agar â—r this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her Children But Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all He is proving that the old Covenant was to be done away Agar was to be throwen out with her Children He prooves that those two Sons of Abraham Ishmaell and Isaak were types of the two Covenants that Ishmaell and Isaak Types of the two Covenants God made with mankind the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of grace Now the Covenant of Works he compares to Ishmaell that was borne after the flesh as other Children were Abraham went in to Hagar and she conceived and bare a Child as other Women But Isaak was not borne after the flesh all Fleshly wayes could not produce Isaak he was a Child of promise and the spirit of God breathing in the promise and working mightily in Abraham and Sarah Isaak was produced This is an allegorie there is a great Mysterie that you think not of when you read of Ishmaell and Isaak By Ishmaell is meant the Covenant of works and the principles of it and the practicioners of it and they walk according to the flesh as Ishmaell did and by Isaak is meant the Covenant of grace and those that goe that way are Children of promise as Isaak was So God hath set this comparison and I conceive the Apostle alludes to it and calls it a walking according to the Flesh As if he had sayd thou shalt never have this righteousnesse by walking in the way of thy Father Ishmaell by Mount Sinai in Arabia by walking in the law to turne away the wrath of God but if thou wilt get this righteousnesse thou must walk according to the spirit thou must get the spirit and be a Child of promise The third and last reason that I shall give why it is called walking according to the Flesh is because of weaknesse for Flesh is put for weaknesse as the Scripture sayth They are Flesh and not spirit that is they are poore weak things so those that walk in that way in the way of the law they are weak creatures there is nothing but wishing and woulding and covenanting and promising and protesting and vexing and fretting but there is no strength Now one Saint that is truly planted in Christ and the Gospell hath truely taken place in his heart he hath more strength then five hundred of the other Sayth Paul I can doe all things I can want and I can abound I can goe to Prison freely I can rejoyce with them that rejoyce and mourne with them that mourne Because the spirit that dwells in Christ and works effectually the same spirit dwells in us and works in us Therfore that is the meaning of it they that walk after the Flesh that is they that goe after the law they are weake they tugg and are never the nearer Heaven and if they should live a thousand yeares they would be no better but wishers and woulders and say I have a good desire to doe as the Preacher sayth but I have no power Let me conclude with one word of Use from all this that hath been sayd which I hope you Vse That few shal be saved will consider of From this Doctrine thus opened you may hence see the saying of our Lord Jesus Christ verified and made good that few shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Doubtless Paul did not looke on sinners and Saints as we doe we account every Professor let his principles be what they will eyther from the first or second Adam if he begin to leave sin and to performe duties we account him a good man But the Lord when he comes to judge he will looke further and examine us and will I feare find abundance that shal never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven even of those that follow good old Adam I meane there are abundance of Professors that have left corrupt Adam in his grosnesse and follow good old Adam that is a sprig from that they will abstaine from sins and they will performe duties and they will doe no wrong and all is but old Adam still Now good or bad if it be old Adam it must perish the bond Woman must be cast out Therfore you that are Professors looke to your selves for the Lords sake I am mistaken if there be not many hundreds of us that will be found the Sons of Ishmaell at the last day many that make a great Profession and many that make a greater profession then others that are honest spirituall Saints before the World before men for when a man goes to keep the law every light that comes into his soule intends his resolution every thing intends it in that course he is in and he may goe to the highest and be the greatest Professor and be ready for all duties and yet be found a stranger to Jesus Christ therfore look to your selves I remember Mr. Belton that blessed man he divides the World for the fowness of them that shall be saved sayth he the greatest part of the World two or three parts of it are most intire Heathens In Europe here we have the most part Papists and but a few that are Protestants and among those parts there are few that profess Religion and among those that profess Religion there are very few that doe it in truth as another godly man sayth take a multitude of Professors that have been bred under the law that have been bred on Mount Sinai take a Congregation of such Professors as there be many such in Many legall Professors miscarry in their transplanting England and let the Gospell come and be Preached rightly among them to translate them let a Minister of the Gospell come and say there is no damnation to them that are in Christ Jesus and you are justified freely and Christ hath fulfilled the law and all is cleare whereas before there were feares least they were not righteous and they did work hard now let a man labour to draw them to the Gospell and to
us that it may be are emynent in the eye of the World before men yet when all coms to all their fasting and praying and preaching and repeating c. will be found to be nothing in the World but a walking according to the Flesh that is according to the refined well educated principles of old Adam But I shall goe on a little further Therfore in the next place the Question will be how shall I know whether I walk according Use 2. How to know whether we walk according to the spirit to the flesh or according to the spirit How shall I know whether I be one of those that walk according to the spirit I will only give you a few expressions of it I will not say signes for it may be you could not all beare that word and these expressions are most of them layd downe in this Chapter and hereabout whereby you may have a guess of it whether you be men that walk according to the spirit or no. First you shall find in Rom. 6. that those that 1. Such are dead to sin are under grace or that walk according to the spirit sin is destroyed in them they are dead to sin and alive to righteousnesse And there are many expressions of the same thing in diverse phrases As in Vers 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified that the bodie of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin If thou be a man that walkest according to the spirit thou canst say the body of sin is destroyed and thou doest not serve sin Then it is sayd in Vers 11. That those that are under grace they are dead indeed to sin and alive to God that is another expression And in Vers 12. Sin shall not raigne in their Mortall bodies that they should obey it in the lusts thereof And in Vers 13. Yeild not your members as instruments of unrighteousnesse And in Vers 14. Sin shall not have dominion over them So there are diverse expressions of one and the same thing Now from all for I cannot open them particularly how much is held forth in each of these expressions but to help thee to see a little the State of thy soule I would gather these three things from all these expressions there is I say meant by them these three things The first thing is this that those that walk according 1. Sin is dead in respect of guilt to grace and according to the spirit sin is dead in them That is they are dead in respect of the guilt of sin they doe see and understand in some measure that Jesus Christ by his death hath abolished and destroyed and done away all their sins in respect of the guilt of them they are not under the law in that respect They see that there is a full righteousnesse in Jesus Christ that hath satisfied the law and so their sins are done away that they shall never condemne them This is one thing Now a man that walks according to the flesh he sees not that neyther can see it for these things are spirituall Now take a man that walks according to the flesh that is according to the most refined principles of old Adam and he alway carries guilt upon his Conscience he will alway be as a man that is rouling of a Snow-ball the more he goes on in his Service the more guilt and horrour But a man that walks according to the spirit let him be weake or strong he sees this in some measure and probably for the most part that his sins are done away and that there is no condemnation to him because he is in Christ and beleives in him therfore as it is Rom. 5. 7. He that is dead is freed from sin or justified from sin That is one thing Secondly in all these phrases this is held forth 2. Sin is dead in respect of the power to us as I understand that a beleiver being planted into Christ for so he looks upon himselfe and ingrafted and united to Christ in respect of the power of sin he accounts it as dead that is when he sees any sin stirring in him he considers I am one with Christ I am planted with him in his death and resurrection and this sin was condemned when Christ was condemned and as sure as Christ did die this sin must die therfore he looks upon all his sins and lusts as things that are gasping for life as things that are ready to die and that will surely die as surely as Christ did die Another man that walks according to the law when he sees sin in him and finds lusts to rise in his soul he sayth as David in another case Surely I shall one day fall by the hands of Saul Surely I shall prove an Hypocrite one time or other this sin will break my neck and so he is discouraged and his heart is hardened But a man that is under grace that walks according to the Gospell let sin be never so strong and prevalent he looks on it as a condemned thing he can triumph over it when it is strongest and can say I know thou must be layd in the Grave with Jesus Christ he reckons himselfe dead to sin That is another thing Thirdly and lastly from all these expressions 3. They are more holy then others here in Rom. 6. We gather this that surely all those that are under grace or that walk according to the spirit in some eminent way are more holy and more freed from sin then once they were and then all those are that walk under the law in some eminent way I say they are more holy though I doe not say there is no sin in them for then we should lye as John sayth but certainly there is a power in their soules against sin that is exceedingly transcendent in respect of the best morall men in respect of the exactest men in the World that walk according to the law what else is the meaning of all this Yee are dead to sin and sin shall not reigne and have dominion over you and you shall not yeild your members as instruments to sin Shall we turne all this into speculation No certainly there is some eminent reall holynesse and power against sin that they had not before Therfore saith he VVhat pleasure had you in those things whereof ye are now ashamed those sins that you committed before you are now ashamed of them And let me looke a little upon my owne soule or appeale to you take any man or woman that understands what it is to be under the law what it is to walke according to the Covenant of works and according to the flesh and what covenants and resolutions and promises and fastings he had and let him looke upon himselfe what he is now since he hath knowen a little of Christ and hath knowen that he is a justified Person and that he is dead to the law and the like I appeale
to you whether you doe not feele a strange power in your soules killing and subduing sin that you never imagined before or almost hoped to have There are some Saints that I know that when they came to know a little of Jesus Christ they have found a power to subdue their sins that they did not hope for in their other condition they were so strong it is an emynent power A poore Saint that sees another tugging and striveing and wrastling and bustling with his corruptions he knowes that there is a sweet power in his soule that pulls downe the highest and proudest imaginations As a godly man sayth there is as much difference between a man that walks after the flesh according to the law and he that walks according to the spirit as betweene a man that is in a great Lyter or in a great Boat that is fast upon the sand and there are it may be a dozen or twenty men tugging and striving to get it off and yet it sticks and another man that is in a Boat upon the water and needs onely to hoist sayle and sit downe and it is gone he goes with winde and tide So a man that walks according to grace he can go as a child and speake loving and plaine words to his Father and get power over his sins that all the bowling and roaring and crying of another a whole Yeare together cannot doe It is so and all you that know what grace is know it That is one thing therefore consider this if thou walke according to the spirit thou art dead to sin That is in respect of the condemnation and guilt of it thou hearest that Christ hath fulfilled the law and that sin is done away And secondly in respect of the power of it thou canst looke upon it as a dying gasping thing that must die and thou canst tread on it through the death of Christ. Thirdly thou findest no lust so strong in thy soul but thou canst ordinarily bring it downe thou canst bring it to the obedience of Jesus Christ another man may throw his cap at his sins and be wishing and woulding all the year long but there are strong lusts in his soule that will not out Therefore sayth the Apostle when you walked according to the law the motions of sin brought forth fruit unto death inevitably it will be so Then further you shall finde the fruits of walking Fruits of walking according to the spirit according to the spirit I will but name them to you and wish you to consider of them You have many set downe in this Eighth to the Romanes When a man walks according to the spirit you shall see this is one fruit of it a spirit of adoption whereby we crie abba Father As many as A spirit of adoption are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God for ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye have received the spirit of adoption wherby we crie abba Father That is one fruit of it as soone as a man comes to walk according to the spirit he hath not a spirit of bondage any more What is that It is nothing but this a temper of soule like a slave just as you may conceive of a Spirit of bondage what man that is taken Prisoner in Turkie what temper he is of he is glad of a crust of bread and he feares whipping and beating and it may be killing such is the temper of a mans soule in a spirit of bondage when one is in such a temper that he is alway in feare of being whipped and scourged and he hath hard thoughts of God and he feares that he shall proove an hypocrite and the like Now sayth the Apostle we have not that spirit but we have the spirit of adoption whereby we crie abba Father That is there is a sweet temper such as is in a loving Child to his deare Father there is a boldnesse a love and delight and rejoycing and a sweetnesse c. This is one fruit of it therefore as far as thou art under horrour and mopeing and howling and crying thou commest short of walking according to the spirit for thy soule would be alway full of sweetnesse in the greatest affliction if there were a spirit of adoption and under the worst sins thou doest commit though their would be sorrow yet thou wouldest be full of sweetnesse and joy That is one thing Againe another fruit and consequent of it is Raysing up of the spirit that the spirit of God beares witnesse with our spirits that we are the Children of God If thou wilt be lead by the spirit and walk after the spirit the spirit of God will witnesse with thy spirit that thou art the Child of God What is that the meaning of it is this as I understand the spirit of God will rayse up my spirit to be able to see and know that I am the Child of God for the spirit of a man knowes the naturall things of a man and no more But the spirit of God witnesseth with my spirit that I am the Childe of God that is hee rayseth up my spirit whereby I may see and know that I am the Childe of God that as before by my owne spirit I was able to know whether I were poore or rich whether I were sick or well whether I were beloved or hated So now my spirit is raysed by the spirit of God I am able to reflect upon my selfe spiritually and look upon my selfe as beloved and chosen and holy and called and justified and this in a spirituall way Thirdly here is another expression of it and An earnest hope that is an earnest hope or expectation of the glory that is to be revealed I find and observe little of that to be in Professors and I have oft marvailed at it and the reason is because they have not the spirit of adoption and walk not fully according to the spirit therfore they are not filled with those expectations and those earnest desires that the Saints were ordinarily in the primitive times Sayth the Apostle in this Chapter The creature groaneth and desires to be delivered and not only they but we our selves which have the first fruits of the spirit we groane within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodie The meaning is there is no man knowes what that glory is that is to be revealed nor no man what it is to looke for it and expect it The word in the Originall is as one sayth as a woman looks for deliverance when her paines are on her O! she would faine be delivered or as a man in Prison that looks for his freind out of a window he puts out his head and looks but he cannot get out though he faine would Such an earnest hope and expectation and desire there is in the Saints that walke according to the spirit to see Jesus
you are called to Libertie but use it not as an occasion for the flesh That is take not occasion from your liberty to live more sinfully to say you are made free and others are tyed by the Law and therefore you will live more carelesly and loosely and sinfully take heed and beware of that There were some it seemes I am sure there are some now that all the liberty and freedome they heare off from the Gospel or by getting off from the Law it is nothing in the World but that they may goe on more in sin and enjoy their lusts more freely this is to pervert the Gospel And what the end of these people shall be you The danger of abusing gospel-liberty may see in 2 Pet. 1. and in the Epistle of Jude They are appointed to damnation And their damnation slumbereth and sleepeth not That is they are going on amaine they are going faster towards Hell then any Drunkard or Whormonger A Malefactor never goeth so fast to death as these doe to destruction when all the knowledge of liberty that they have is onely to give occasion to provide more for their lusts then before Let us consider and take heed of that Another thing is seeing you have liberty by 2. Not to use liberty for the offence of our Brethren walking according to the spirit for where the spirit is there is freedome that is certaine use it not for the offence of your Brethren As some there are that when they heare they are free are ready to say I care not what all the World say I know this is not a sin and therefore I will doe it Beloved that is farr from walking worthy according to the Gospel I became all things saith Paul to all men that I might win some I am under the Law to them that are under the Law and without Law to them that are without Law I became all things to all men that I might gaine some So we must not please our selves but one another for edification Rom. 15. and condescend to them of low sort Rom. 12. Who is weake saith the Apostle and I am not weake If thou see a man under the Law fumbling and wallowing upon Mount Sinai without the knowledge of the Gospel despise him not and say he is a Legallist and what have we to doe with him but endeavour to frame thy heart and thy language and carriage so suitable to him that thou mayst win upon him and so with others This is the language of the Gospell and the true way of the spirit of God when a man knowes his freedome and yet he becomes all things to all men that he may doe them good There is one word that I thinke is the word and will of God and I desire that thou mayst take it so and carry it with thee A second thing that I advise you to that are 2. To walke humbly spirituall that the Lord hath revealed a little of the Gospel to it is this that you would endeavour to walk humbly O walk humbly Why so I will tell you why because a man when he is under Because of the abundance of revelations in the Gospell the law he shall be twenty yeares striving for a little knowledge or grace and shall hardly get them but as soone as ever a man comes rightly to Christ and to know him then there is such a flood of grace and such abundance of Revelations it is the Scriptures word there is such abundance of manifestations of GOD and of the Image of GOD when they begin to come in that it is a hard thing then to keepe the soule downe for spirituall things when they come in rightly when the Floud-gates are open they come in as Waves one upon the back of another For spiritull Gospell truths multiplie in the soule a thousand fold one lesson from another and one Scripture opens another and then there is no end and then it is hard to keepe the soule humble Therfore in 2 Cor. 12. When Paul was wrapt into the third Heavens because of the abundance of Revelations that he had seene for he had seen and heard things that he could not utter and speake to others he was readie to be proud to be lifted up and least he should be so God sent a Messenger of Satan to buffet him It implies it was a hard thing for Paul the Apostle when abundance of Revelations came into his soule not to be lifted up And this spoyles some honest hearts I hope they are so and that God will bring them home that having been kept bare of food as some Souldiers that went to releive Glocester when they came home to the Cittie they killed themselves with eating full and good food So when poore soules have gone upon the bare Mountaines of Sinai and then have come to the Pastures of righteousnesse they goe so greedily and are so taken that if God be not wonderfull mercifull they will be undone by being lifted up Therfore beware of this learne from Pauls example to seeke to the Lord to keep your hearts humble A third thing is this endeavour to walk simplie 3. To walk simply I meane to keepe to the simplicity of the Gospell The Gospell though there be glorious mysteries in it to feed the soule yet notwithstanding it is a plaine simple thing Now here the Devill endeavours to undoe soules as it is ordinary in this City when men come once to understand a little of the Gospell and to tast the sweetnesse of it The Devill makes men sublimate Religion into notions the Devill screws them up to sublimate all Religion into notions to cleave a haire and Religion will be all in Ideas and conceits of the nature of God and of the creature Whereas the Gospell is a plaine thing Paul desired to know the death of Christ and the power of his Resurrection And Paul teacheth Servants how to obey their Masters and Masters how to carry themselves to their Servants and VVives to their Husbands and such simple plaine things Now these things are accounted nothing that is the Reason that many among us they doe more and more loose the Word of God unlesse it be about some sublime notions If a Minister be upon such poynts some high Ideas for they feed upon such that is worth the while but if a Minister speake of things that concerne their calling or their sex and condition that is plaine it hath no tast in it no more then the white of an Egg. It is a hard thing to keepe to the simplicity of the Gsopell As the Devill tempted our first Parents God gave Adam and Eve sufficient knowledge to doe his How the Devill tempted Eve will and they had sufficient naturall knowledge for they Named all the Creatures yet notwithstanding shee musts neds goe from the simplicity of Gods will and be curious and shee must know good and evill there was the distinction good and
called the things of 2 Carnall priviledges the flesh it is carnall priviledges either men that are Fleshly mind their justification out of Christ or else their carnall priviledges I told you before that those are called Flesh saith the Apostle if any might I may glory in the Flesh What is that I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews c. and so the Jews in Mat. 3. Joh. 8. and 2. Cor. 11. They were apt as to stablish their own righteousnes so to glory in their priviledges we are the children of Abraham we were never slaves nor Servants We have not their priviledges to glory in yet this is a maine piece of old Adam a great part of the things of the Flesh outward priviledges let them be Church-priviledges or what you will when people rejoyce and mind and contemplate outward priviledges and doe not regard the inward power nor what is in and through and by them this is but flesh I feare you will not beare with me you will account me your enemy for telling you the truth but I am perswaded there are many among us that talke of churches and government and ordinances and priviledges and yet all is but flesh and you cannot well judge of them by their strictnesse in it for flesh will goe as strictly in its way as the Spirit but it is to be feared that diverse build of it and glory in it and it is a great part of their religion I warne you in love to looke to it and if those priviledges were taken away as Christ takes away the priviledge of being the Children of Abraham from the Jewes such people would be poore carnall people Take heed of it and let him that glories glory in the Lord. Thirdly and lastly the things of the flesh for 3 To fulfill sinfull lusts all old Adam is included in these three things that fleshly men mind is to fulfill their lusts which are many To make provision for the flesh Rom. 13. that is to be casting how to feed one lust or other Now if you would know what those lusts are in particular though in a sort it be generall you have it in 1 Joh. 16. saith he all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life These are the lusts of the world all the lusts in the world may be reduced it seemes to those 3. heads so I say these are the fleshly things that al Carnall people mind all their thoughts throughout the yeare every one runns either in stablishing their own righteousnes or in glorying and contemplating their outward priviledges or in projecting for the fulfilling of some lust or other thus they spend their whole life these are the things of the flesh that carnall men mind Now the other the things of the Spirit that are contrary to these you may comprehend them all Things of the spirit in three words That is They are either the things of faith Or else their hope and happinesse in Jesus Christ Or else their Obedience to the will of Christ All the things of the Spirit are comprehended in these three Either the things of faith They mind the 1 The things of faith things of the Spirit that is they alway mind and study how to believe in Jesus Christ and how to lay firmer and righter hold on him how they may know him more distinctly and hold him more firmly and get fuller assurance this is their worke Or they are excercised about the things of hope 2. The things they hope for by Christ that is they are contemplating and rejoycing in their happinesse by Christ how their persons are justified and their sins pardoned and the righteousnesse of the law fulfilled in them and all in Heaven and earth bestowed on them As Paul sayth Phil. 3. This is our Religion we glory in the flesh as if not but we reioyce in Jesus we have no confidence in the flesh but we rejoyce in Jesus that is in all the happinesse we have in Jesus Christ Or thirdly and lastly the things of the spirit 3 Obedience to the wil of Christ are the will of God or the commands of Jesus Christ they alway studie how they may obey and fulfill the good and acceptable and perfect will of God So that a Saint if he be spirituall he is alway either acting his faith and increasing and strengthening that or he is contemplating his happinesse in Jesus Christ Or studying which way to glorifie God to know what part of the will of God he knowes not and to studie what part of the will of God he knowes and remembers this is his excercise And let this suffice to shew what the things of the Flesh and what the things of the spirit are Now the third question breifly is what is meant Quest 3. VVhat meant by minding the things of the flesh and of the spirit by the minding of the things of the Flesh and the things of the spirit You must understand first that the meaning is not as though a man might not think upon Fleshly 1. Not but that a Saint may provide outward things things For a spirituall Saint oft thinks upon Fleshly things in a spirituall manner as to consider his sins to bewayle and to mourne for them and he may mind Earthly Worldly things to provide things honest to provide for his Familie as the Apostle saith he may think of his businesse Therfore the holy Ghost here doth not use the word Frounesis but Frounena Frounesis signifies prudence or discretion or providence in businesse He doth not use that least we should think that the holy Ghost forbids to provide to be mindfull and carefull of Worldly businesse but Frounena that signifies a further thing as I shall shew presently Now then you must understand this also 2. The understanding is not only meant that when the Apostle sayth they mind the things of the Flesh The word doth not onely signifie the understanding but it signifies all the affections also I could give you divers places of Scripture where this word is set downe to expresse the working of any affection in the soule Therefore the meaning is not only of the mind that studies but his affections his will the way of his delight his joy is in earthly things his care is after fleshly things But in particuler there are these four or five Five things meant by minding of fleshly things things implied in the word when they are said to mind the things of the Flesh The first is that the very care of his heart as 1. The caâ—e of the heart is fleshly I told you before is Fleshly and carnall A Christian hath outward VVorldly things in an outward Roome and Jesus Christ next his heart There is sayth one godly man a closet in the heart of a Saint onely to entertaine Jesus Christ. Which the Scripture calls the spirit frequently I worship God in
it be rough for me every day to dispute with my carnall heart and not only carry on good but deny my selfe in good upon spirituall reason this is a warrefare but the end is life and it is peace too This is a hard worke you will say and therefore we will take the easiest and smallest worke Beloved I say there is more ease and sweetnesse and contentednesse in going on in the wayes of God spiritually upon spirituall reasons an hundred fold than in the other for the other will be rough and God hath cast it so God hath put a curse upon all Old Adam he curseth it with death and therefore he must dye that walks carnally and that is the reason all your naturall thoughts and actions are so bitter God hath cursed them they must dye and now all the wayes of Holinesse have enough to induce thee to endeavour to walke holily as one saith the gleanings of the Saints are better than the harvest of the wicked men if there were no Hell nor Heaven hereafter but only the wicked to have the pleasures of sinne here and the Saints to have the consolations of the Spirit dwelling in them it is more an hundred fold the one is nothing but crackling of Thornes under a Pot and the end is smoake and stinke and the other is sweet here and in the end blessed eternally if it were not suppose though the way to Heaven be bitter here yet it is sweet in the End and the way of the world sweet here and bitter in the end yet you should choose holinesse as a Philosopher said if a man were to take a bitter and sweet thing which were he best to take first saith he to take the sower or the evill first and the sweet for the hope of the good to come will sweeten the present evill but when a man hath the good first the feare of the evill to come will marre al but therefore seeing there is a reward in the way in Holinesse as well as in the end for holinesse it should move us to labour after holinesse THE TABLE A Abraham ABraham juflified how page 231 Absurd Absurd what 369 Act The cheife act of the mind 358 See Reasoning Action Actions carnall denominate men 323 Adam Two things from Adam 252 The best have somwhat of old Adam 270 All from old Adam condemned 28â— Somthing in Saints that was not in Adam 405 See please Adoption Spirit of adoption 280 Affliction Carriage of a humble heart in affliction 124 Ten Instances of the carriage of a humble heart in afflictions 126 See fire All Christ died not for all 107 Saints willing to know all Gods truthes 110 Amiable Sight of God to Saints amiable 16 Another Saints content with the righteousnesse of another 102 Antinomians Antinomians who Apprehensions Sight of God knowne by our apprehensions 31 Apprehensions of God how to trie them 40 See cleare pretious perpetuall Assurance Assurance in the apprehensions of Saints 32 Assurance wanting to ordinary Professors why 106 B Beleivers Beleiving None satisfie the law but Beleivers 249 Spirituall reasoning in Beleiving 363 See righteousnesse Blind Mind of a Carnall man blind 349 Bondage Spirit of bondage what 280 Books three uses of other books besides the Scriptures 311 Borne againe He that will see God must be borne againe 62 To be borne againe what 69 To labour to be borne againe 312 Bribe God such a Lawgiver as cannot be brided 209 C Change A true sight of God changeth men 54 Carnall Men meerly carnall are called flesh 323 See actions Christ Saving sight of God only in Christ 11 A Saint in the worst condition repents not of taking Christ 137 The law fulfilled by Christ 210 Motive to come to Christ 214 Invitation to come to Christ 381 See example father comming meeke lycenciousnesse rule unyon Cleare Apprehensions of God cleare to Saints 31 Coach-man The mind the coach-man of the soule 347 Coare The coare of a naturall mans heart fleshly 335 Commands A proud heart dissobeys Gods commands 117 A proud heart wearie of Gods commands 118 Who offer violence to Gods commands 119 A Saint in affliction neglects not Gods commands 142 Comfort The godly more carefull of benefite then comfort in afflictions 142 why Saints have comfort in the worst condition 371 Comming Upon what ground to long for Christs comming 292 Communion Communion with sinners wherein forbidden 169 Condemne See Adam Condiscend A humble Saint will condiscend to the weake 186 Conscience Conscience purified what 49 Consolation consolations of the spirit 409 Conversation Vnnecessary conversation with sinners forbidden 171 Constant Sight of God in this World not constant 17 Ground of Saints constancy 369 Conviction Conviction of the spirit 409 Correction Wicked men see not God in corrections 96 Corporeall Corporeall sight of God 4 Corrupt corruption Saints pure notwithstanding their corruptions 52 Corruption how discovered 149 Saints called fleshly because of their corruptions 322 Mind corrupted 360 Reasoning corrupted 361 Covenant Saints stick close to the covenant in afflictions 143 Covenant in man to keepe Gods law 208 Ishmael and Isaac types of the Covenants 266 See workes Creation Sight of God in works of creation 4 New creation by the spirit 403 Creature Creatures resemblances of spirituall things 55 Curse Sin a curse in Hell 288 D Darknesse Satans Kingdome darknesse 64 Naturall principles darke 377 Day See son of man Death die Hypocrites why â—oth to die 38 Why godly men die 287 Carnall reasoning brings death 413 See sin works Deliberation Deliberation wherein excluded 215 Deliverance Saints desire somthing more then deliverance 140 Discretion Sadnesse of Christians in Discretion 74 Devill see God Divinity Divinitie mistaken 289 Doing No man can fulfill the law by doing 212 Spirituall reasoning in doing 365 Draw How God drawes mens hearts 92 Dutie In what duties we may converse with sinners 170 Men proud of duties why 290 E Earthly earthlynesse Wicked men live on earthly things 72 Earthlynesse troubleth Christians 294 Things of the flesh things on earth Enjoy see God Envie Prosperity of the wicked not to be envied 73 Escape No escape from Gods law 209 Eve How the DEVILL tempted Eve 302 Evill Fountaine of evill in the soule 412 Example Christs example to be looked on 242 Excercise Excercise of spirituall reasoning by the spirit 410 Extoll see learning F Face Christ the face of God 11 Saints live by seeing Gods face 72 Faculties Naturall faculties corrupted by sin 378 Faith Faith the life of it 237 Justification known by faith 258 Fall Not to fall from the liberty of the Gospell 304 Father The Father shews Christ 13 Christ shews the Father 14 Fellowship Fellowship of Saints whence 59 Ground of fellowship with others 272 Few Few shall be saved 267 Flesh Flesh what meant by it 252 Walking according to the flesh what 255 Why walking after the law is after the flesh 265 Not to use liberty for the flesh 298 VVho mind the things of the flesh
the godly in respect of power 276 Pray A humble heart apt to pray in afflictions 144 See naturall Precious Saints apprehensions of God precious 34 Preparation Christs righteousnesse to be taken notwithstanding want of preparation 109 Principle Two principles whence all men worke 253 Professors to be judged by their principles 270 Every thing workes according to its principle 319 See Darke Prison Christ being out of prison shews God is satisfied 227 Priviledge Jewish priviledges how taken 258 Outward priviledge boasted of by the Jewes 259 To get the comfort of our priviledges 303 Carnall Priviledges called flesh 331 Prize The spirit to be prized 306 Prosperity Prosperity of others not envied by Saints 135 See Envy Proud Carnall minde proud 351 See commands ridgednesse truths unthankfull Publike Christ a publike person 226 Two publike persons 25â— Adam to dye as a publike person 285 Who to be imployed in publike affaires 385 Pure Purity Purity of heart an effect of seeing God 48. 66 Pure heart what 49 See conscience corrupt grow Q. Qualities More then new qualities in Saints 404 R. Rationall The most rationall man without grace the worst 389 Reall Impressions of God upon Saints reall 43 Miseries of this life reall ibid. Reason reasoning Reasoning of three sorts 361 Godlinesse hath the best reason 368 Not to reject all reason in godlinesse 380 Reasoning the highest act of the minde 388 Men mad with reason 389 Reasoning of the minde a distinguishing character 390 How a good man may be moved with naturall and carnall reasoning 393 How Saints come to be led by spirituall reason 402 To labour to be swayed by spirituall reasoning 412 See beleeving doing suffering Reforming Hindrances of reforming our wayes 234 Religion Carnall men may goe farre in Religion 392 Repeale The Law of God not repealed 209 Repent see Christ Reprobate Carnall minde reprobate 350 Revelation Saints to walke humbly for abundance of Revelations 301 Spirit of revelation to be prayd for 313 Reward Proud men obey GOD onely for reward 121 Ridgednesse Ridgednesse to sinners from pride 176 Righteousnesse True humiliation knowne by submitting to Christs righteousnesse 101 Men naturally cleave to their owne righteousnesse ibid. Righteousnesse of our owne to be renounced 108 Righteousnesse perfect required by the Law 208 Righteousnesse of the Law fulfilled in beleevers 217 We are saved by Gods righteousnesse 225 Fleshly men stablish their owne righteousnesse 330 Rotten Minde of a Carnall man rotten 349 Rules Three rules that all men conforme to 240 Rules of Christ to be looked to 242 Severall Gospell rules 243 S. Saint Carriage of a humble heart towards Saints 180 How to judge who are Saints 271. 274 Saints and others how distinguisht 358 See sight old Sanctification How the Spirit works by Sanctification 410 Satan See Kingdome Darknesse Satisfie Saints apprehensions of GOD satisfie them 25 Apprehensions of Hypocrites satisfie not 36 God the Father satisfied in Christ 227 See Spirit Saving Saving knowledge 185 Savour Fleshly men savor fleshly things 335 Scripture see Glosse Secret Secret works in nature and grace 91 See seen seeing The priviledge of Saints to see God 3 Severall wayes of seeing God 4 Order how Saints come to see God 61 All graces wrought by seeing God 87 Why God will humble men by seeing him 91 A wicked man may see his sins 93 Carnall men cannot see God 95 Tryall of seeing God aright 100 A humble heart seeth God in afflictions 126 Things of the flesh are things that are seene 325 Service Saints humble though they doe God more service 183 Humble Saints glad to doe service for others 197 Shift see truths Shrink see trouble Sight Saints have a peculiar sight of God 6 True sight of God how known 30 Signes Christians may make use of signes 103 Simplicity Saints to walke in simplicity 302 Sin Sight of God should preserve from sin 23 Sin what 102 Not to comply with others in sin 172 Justification not broken by sin 233 Who are dead to sin 275 See Guilt Sinners Carriage of a humble heart to sinners 166 Son of Man Two sorts of dayes of the Son of man 26 Soveraignty Soveraignty of God to make a Law 208 Spirit Spirituall Saving sight of God by the spirit 12 The Spirit shewes Christ and the Father 15 The priviledge of those that walk after the spirit 250 To walke according to the Spirit what 255 How to know we walke according to the spirit 274 Fruit of walking according to the spirit 279 How those are to walk that have the spirit 298 How men may come to walk spiritually 305 To labour to be lead by the spirit 309 Things of the spirit what 333 Minde spirituall 361 Reasoning spirituall 363 A Saint made spirituall how 404 Streame Streame of a Saints heart pure 52 Submit Submission A humble heart submits in affliction 133 Ground of true submission to God 154 Suffering True sight of God enables to suffering 60 Law fulfilled by suffering 210 Law cannot be fulfilled by suffering 213 Spirituall reasoning in suffering 366 Sweetnesse Sweetnesse in humble Saints to others 194 T. Take A humble heart content that God should take mercies 154 Teach Christians should be ready to teach others 59 Temptations Godly Men not taken with temptations why 375 See Job Eve Termes Proud men obey God upon their owne termes 120 Terrified Wicked men may be terrified 93 Testaments Difference between the two Testaments to be studyed 305 Thankfull A humble heart thankfull for mercies 161 Themselves Why Saints sometimes differ from themselves 73 Saints measure not themselves by themselves 199 Who build Justification upon themselves 230 Things What meant by things of the flesh 324 Throne The minde the throne of Christ or Satan 346 Through Right impressions of God through 44 Troubles Why professors shrink in troubles 44. 61 What keeps men in inward troubles 104 Truth Saints carriage to Gods truths 110 Proud hearts cavill at Gods truths 113 Proud men shift off Gods truths 114 Saints jealous of the truths they know 187 Time Saints humbled in regard of the time they have had 184 V. Vaine Carnall minde vaine 349 Various God shewes himselfe to his Children variously 16 Violence see Command Vision Beatificall vision in this life 18 Visitation Day of visitation what 176 Understand Why most people understand not spirituall things 338 Christ onely can satisfie the understanding 383 Undervalue A humble Saint undervalues not grace in others 153 Union Too neere union with sinners forbidden 172 The Law fulfilled by our union with Christ 224. 227 To look on our selves as united to Christ 236 Unregenerate Unregenerate men how farre they may goe towards humiliation 93 Unspeakable Saints sight of God unspeakable 10 Unthankfull Proud hearts unthankfull 161 Universall Impressions from the sight of God universall 45 W. Waiting A humble heart not weary of waiting in affliction 145 Waiting for mercies 156 Walke To walke what 251 Way Godly men see their way in confusion 374 Weak Weak Saints in Christ satisfie the Law 224 Flesh put for weaknesse 267 Weaknesse of Saints the cause of it 215 Weary see Commands Wicked Misery of wicked men 20 Winning see Ordinances Wise Wisedome Saints in affliction have high thoughts of Gods wisedome 131 Two wisedomes great in the eyes of Saints ibid. Godly men the wisest 384 Will. Our hearts and lives to conform to Gods will 240 Will of God when knowne 307 Why good men misse Gods will 395 Word Saving sight of God by the word 12 Christs righteousnesse to be taken on his bare word 104 Works Many besides Papists seeke Justification by Workes 213 VVe are dead to the Law as a Covenant of works 218 Good workes by whom to be done 231 Flesh taken for the Covenant of works 260 World Saints see God in this world 3 Happy estate of Saints in this world 17 The rule of most men in the world 241 FINIS