47. 4. Isa 57. 15. In this his beloved Son he is for ever well-pleased he rests in his love Behold his truth God who cannot lye hath promised eternal life and his faithfulnesse he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2. 13. This Covenant is as the waters of Noah unto God more stable than the Mountains and Hills as sure as the Ordinances set with the heavens Gods holinesse is here pawned in this redemption it is most gloriously manifested Consider his holinesse who only is holy and therewith his height and loftinesse and never the like manifestations of lower condescensions then in this work of saving the poor humble sinner he is the holy one of Israel never the like manifestation of holiâ—esse as in this work though God be holy in all his works and of purer eyes than to behold iniquity with any liking here the glory of his wisdome is Rom. 16. 27. illustrious the only wise found out this way no Angel of light none of the 1 Cor. 2. 7. wise of the world could ever have thought of it It is the hid wisdome of God wisdome in a mystery the contrivance is such that when it is made known all the Eph. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12 Eph. 1. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 19. 1 Cor. 3. 19. Isa 44. 25 26. holy Angels admire it as the manifold wisdome of God and are never enough satisfied in the delightful viewiâ—g of it and prying into it the whole businesse is of deep mysterious wisdome all is according to fore-knowledge God knoweth them that are his he cannot be deceived none can go beyond him nothing can escape him he taketh the wise in their craftinesse and turneth them backwards and maketh diviners mad but confirmeth the word and counsel of his messengers to whom he gave the word of this salvation he dâ—spenseth full seasons for making Eph. 1. 10. known this mystery of his will in stupend wayes of wisdome he brings home his chosen both of Jews and Gentiles through Rom. 11. 32 33. investigable passages of Providence he so calleth and bringeth to glory that his foolishnesse is wiser than men and by foolish 1 Cor. 1. 25 27. things he confounds the wise world but above all behold God here gracious and just exactly infinitely just and yet mercy and grace exalted through justice and above justice This word GOD carrieth out or thoughts 4. To God as the faithful Creator the Maker of heaven and earth of all things visible and invisible who hath engaged all Isa 42. 5 6. 41. 1 2. 44. 24. 45. 11 12 18. his glory as he is the Creator to fulfill this work of Redemption And as he layeth all that his glory at the stake to assure it so he layes out no lesse efficiency in the performing of this salvation in every part of it then what was put forth in the Creation Rom. 4. 17. Ps 51. 10. Isa 57. 19. He calls the things that are not as if they were he creates in them clean hearts he creates the fruits of the lips to be peace and so you must conceive of every piece of this salvation that appertains to the being or well-being and comfort of the saved ones all is done in the power of a Creation 5. To God his absolute Soveraignty and Royal Dominion who makes all for his own wills sake who is not bound to give account to any of any of his matters who is not bound to any who hath mercy because he will have mercy who as the Potter hath power over us his clay and makes some vessels to honour when for his own glory he might make all unto dishonour who makes one to honour and another to dishonour when he might shew his power in annihilating as well as his skill in making or if he will shew his skill might shew it in fashioning it another way to other uses or if he will shew his skill in such salvation might shew it upon one or on a few or upon those whom he passeth by and not on us In this work his Soveraignty is full of Regality God is Lord and King here Majesty and Righteousnesse shine in splendor The 2 Tim. 6. blessed and only Potentate Lord of Lords and King of Kings will in his time shew his Christ his will is with perfect justice and his justice to the utmost shewed to set off and make his mercy upon the vessels of mercy more Renowned And his Dominion is mighty holy wise good and reaching to every thing and action of all his creatures to bring about his intended salvation 6. To Gods eternal good pleasure within Ephes 1. 4 5 6. himself doing the whole work according to the counsel of his own will to the praise of the glory of his grace 7. For this word GOD carrieth our minds to God the Father God sent his own Sonne he hath a Son whom he sends therefore he is a Father this God is God the Father God must here be thought on as he is the God and Father of Jesus Christ in this glorious manifestation of himself is God to be beheld in this work of Redemption as he is the Father of his own only eternally begotten Sonne his beloved in whom he is well-pleased and not only as the Fountain of being he is to be beheld in his love and goodnesse not that of a Creator but that love of a Father of the Father of his only begotten Son the Son of his love the Son of his bosome the eternal delights of the eternal Father SECT 2. 2. What conclusions do issue from What conclusions flow from this ten hence is God the Author of this salvation then it followeth 1. Here is love as the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 4. 10. Not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Sonne c. God first loved us here is love 1 Joh. 4. 10 9 19. Joh. 3. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 11 Ver. 19. that is first love manifested love so as cannot be paralleld maâ—chless love love that is the perfect sampler of love love that is the fountain and former of all true love we love him because he first loved us The Laws voice to man is Thou shalt love God above all and thy neighbour as thy self The Gospels voice The voice of the Law and of the Gospel differ is to man hateful and hating God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life The Gospel excells the Law as much as Gods love excells mans it superexcells for it declares and proclaims Gods love to man void of the love to God which the Law commands 2. God is love to us in this way of 1 Joh. 4. 16 manifestation all love out of this way it is a terrible sight to look on God on sinne death the grave and hell upon the Law on any misery or affliction
upon the Elect but it is common the world thus far feels the mighty power of Tit. 3. 4 5 6. Joh. 16. 13 14 15. the working of the Spirit in the Gospel but the work of the Spirit on the Church of the saved ones is conversion or regeneration as was said before in this work the light is the light of life the knowledge in renewing In this renewing there are two works of the Spirit the taking out of the sinner the heart of stone and the giving to them an heart of flesh the Spirit so applieth the love of God in Christ that it melts the flinty heart down to godly sorrow for sinne as against such a God so gracious it turns it quite about to God and centers it on God and Christ it cures the soul of three evils otherwise incurable alienations of minde and heart from Timor cultus culpa the life of God offence-taking at his Works and Word and Impenitency it puts into it the holy fear of reverence and to offend it raiseth high estimation of God in Christ as of our chief good with hungrings and thirstings out of poverty of spirit a meekned soul and contrite heart it raiseth appetite to the means sanctified of God and having the promise of the Spirit as after the Word the Sabbath the Ordinancâ—s of Ministery and Worship the Ordinances for fellowship and for the exercise of the power of the Keyes as to means of communion with God and Christ this making anew is with union and unction union to Christ and Christians by union with Christ they have union with the Father and this union is to Adoption and marriage-union and from this union cometh continual influences and for ever unction is to be Kings and Priests to God the Father of our Lord Jesus this first work of grace is wholly above the work of conviction and the Spirit worketh that and all the rest as an Agent within thus you have the seven things proposed for explication It is also profitable before we come to application of this Doctrine that we briefly shew thee why the grounds and reasons SECT 9. The Holy Ghost is the applier of salvation The reasons why the work of the Spirit is to apply 1. Because salvation is the work of God who is three in persons it is the work of the three persons in the manifestation of their distinct glory which is ad intra within the God-head mark that I say the manifestation of the distinct glory of each wherein each person being distinct and the works of each distinct the Father begets the Sonne the Sonne is begotten of the Father the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Sonne the glory of each distinctly is manifested as far as it can be communicable in this work of salvation the Father loves with the love wherewith he loves the Son and is Father to them in his Sonne this is the love of the Father the Sonne is the Mediator to bring them to the Father by redeeming them giving himself a ransome to his Fathers justice bringing in an everlasting righteousnesse to cloath them withall purchasing for them the Spirit and all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places wherewith his Father may blesse them this is the grace of the Sonne the Holy Ghost he communicates the love of the Father and the grace of the Sonne and is the Spirit of Regeneration the Spirit of Adoption the Spirit of sanctification the Spirit of union and unction abiding in them for ever to their preservation in Christ Jesus and in the Father so that they are and continue in the Father and in the Sonne this is the communion of the Holy Ghost 2. Because this is the order of the working of the three persons in the God-head God the Father beginneth the work God the Son is the person through whom as his eternal wisdome he doth the work God the Holy Ghost is the person by whom as by the eternal power of the most High both the Father and the Sonne do compleat the work therefore in the work of salvation God willing and determining to imprint upon the saved ones the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost in their distinct glory to Mat. 28. 19 the uttermost according to the distinct manner of subsisting or existing distinctly that each of them might be experimentally known believed in and worshipped of them he will save the work of application is proper to God the Holy Ghost 3. God the Holy Ghost must be the Applier the Comforter or else none could be saved none partake of the comfort of this salvation for all men are dead in sinne lie among the dead none can quicken their own souls they are from beneath under the power of sin and Satan and the Law they are in a state of enmity alienation impenitency and unbelief invincible to any created power or means there is a Christ there is a Father and let this be told us a thousand times over and we left to our best abilities to receive this declared love and grace this is all we can do we can draw back but cannot draw near to the saving of the soul we can behold with our rational abilities and wonder but then we despise and so perish we can discern it but under carnal notions and count it foolishnesse we can but receive it in vain we can but turn his grace into wantonnesse we will be establishing our own righteousnesse by all that is delivered in the Gospel and so become more stout proud formal and secure and Christ crucified who should be precious and our only glory and rejoycing will be to us a stumbling block and a Rock of offence and under the form we will be the more stiffe though perhaps the more secret sometimes and ever among men the more plausible deniers of the power of godlinesse Oh let the holy Spirit of life and power come by the Gospel and bring it home with much power and much assurance or else all perish we all perish for ever with Christ in our ears in our mouths in our best natural understandings with the Gospel preached in our streets with high and low applauding of the mercies of God 4. God the Holy Ghost must be the applier that all the love of God the Father and the grace of the Sonne set forth in the Gospel may be thorough and effectual even to one awakened to see his sinne and cursednesse and that we once brought to faith in Christ might be for ever safe An awakened sinner how will he runne from God runne into the gulf of despair or gad about to change his way or catcht at straws to save from sinking but when Christ is proposed he cannot lift up himself to draw near to meet him in the wayes of his grace No the Spirit of truth must come as the Comforter as the Arme and right hand of the Lord to bring Christ and the soul together to comfoâ—t
5. â—1 4. 9. of the salvation of Gods people for 1. In this Son is our eternal life placed This is the Record the summe of Gods Testimony witnessed in the Bible that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne God sent his only begotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him In this Sonne the beloved Pro. 8. 30. Mat. 3. 17. the Sonne of his bosome his eternal delights God the Father doth rest well-pleased for ever 2. This assure the absolute sufficiency of Christ Jesus for his Office he is the Mediatour who is the Son of God The Son is the Prophet he declares the Father Joh. 1. 18. Joh. 3. 32. 6. 68 96 Joh. 5. 25 28. Heb. 1. 8. Joh. 1. 49. 10 30. he testifies what he hath seen and heard he hath the words of eternal life his voice raiseth the dead the dead spiritually out of their sinnes the dead Corporally out of their graves The Sonne is the King greater than all who hath all Soveraignty authority and power The Sonne is the Priest who is consecrâ—â—ed Heb. 4. 14. 7. 28. for ever more who hath the heart and eare of the Father alwayes 3. This puts a value and worth of infinite price upon all that he hath done or 1 Joh. 1. 7. doth for us now in heaven into his sufferings and into his intercession The blood of Gods Sonne clerâ—seth us from all sinne the Sonne is consecrated for evermore 4. He can do all that we stand in need Joh. 1. 51. 3. 13. of because he is the Sonne of God He can create the heart anew and give the Holy Ghost He baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and with fire He opens heaven and brings in the Angels-service that they may minister unto us He seeth the truth of grace in our hearts He knoweth the workings beatings and breathings of our Joh. 1. 47 48. 10. 28 29 30. Joh. 5. 26 28. Heb. 12. 16 23. Psa 89. 27. Jer. 31. 8. Exod. 4. 22 Psa 89. 19. spirits and all our secret duties the guilelesse spirited Nathanaels their most retired meditations and prayers under the fig-tree He gives the power or priviledge to be Sonnes of God he makes free indeed he gives life to whom he will he preserveth the life spiritual given and gives eternal life he fetcheth out of the graves he makes us a Congregation of Gods first-born God hath laid help for us upon one that is mighty 5. There is no danger to adventure Jer. 17. 7. Joh. 3. 16. 36. Joh. 14. 9. here No feare of that curse Cursed be the man that trusteth in man for Jesus Christ is the Lord Jehovah It is no fault to believe on him to worship to serve to call upon to obey him There is no perishing to a believer There is nothing but wrath to him that believeth not on him Here is the only way to see the Father SECT 4. For the Application and Use Improve it The Use thus 1. By this Doctrine Inform thy self 1. Of Information First of the excellency of the word of Scripture which revealeth this truth and especially of the glory of the New Testament which is the Gospel of the Sonne of God Secondly of the honour conferred on sinful men called to the faith of Jesus Christ they are called to fellowship with the Sonne of God Thirdly 1 Cor. 1. 9. of the faithfulnesse of God in the wayes of his free and saving grace he failed not to send his own Sonne into the world according to his promise We may trust him to make good all that he hath spoken the heaven of heavens and blessed life and immortality there is not too much nor too good for believers It is not so good as his own Son 2. Be perswaded to dwell upon these 2. Of Exhortation Ephes 4. 13. Gal. 2. 20. meditations untill thy heart be winned and perswaded first to believe in the Sonne of God secondly to seek growth in the knowledge of the Sonne of God and then thirdly to live by faith of the Sonne of God and fourthly to digest this truth in the power of it that thou mayest triumph over all Brethren beloved look above all to this faith that Joh. 20. 31 1 Joh. 5. 12. you may receive and have the Sonne in you and that you may know you have him Let there be the hearing of faith the Confession of faith the emptyings of faith to reject all for him to forget all for him the application of faith that makes us apply our selves to him to draw near to the saving of the soul and not to Mark this distination of the applying act of faith draw back that applies him to our selves in desires of the hungry and thirsty and in high prizings of the poor in spirit and in the repoâ—e of the weary and laden and in the breathings and aspirings of the lowly and in the waitings of those that know no other door of mercy till we come to the applications of comfortable perswasions the obedience of faith the betrothed Mat. 22. 12 love which faith worketh and the wedding garment of all Gospel-dresse that may become the Espousals of such a Bridegroom 3. And why should we not delight our 3. Of Consolation Isa 8. 9 10 9 5 6. Psa 2. 1 2 5 6. 1 Joh. 5. 5. souls in this glorious principle of Christian Religion which leads us unto the holy One the mighty One of Israel for here we see and from hence we meditate and threaten terrour to the associations of all enemies We carry victories over the world's lusts and lyes errours and terrours vanities and violence We know the advancing and amplitude of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ We are confirmed Psa 2. 6 8. Ro. 8. 32. Heb. 2. 2 3 12. 25 26. 10. 29. Joh. â—7 26 1 Joh. 4. 9. Rom. 8. 31. 32 39. in the stability of all the promises and in the greatnesse of the sin and misery of all the disobedient and contemners of the Gospel We have the love of God manifested the love wherewith he loves his own Sonne reaching and clasping us A love that cannot but freely give us all things a love that assures God is for us a love from which nothing can separate us CHAP. VII Treateth of the fulnesse of salvation manifested in the way God taketh to save sinners by his Son SECT 1. 3. THe third truth demonstrating the 3. The way God took to condemn sin in the flesh of his Son and so to take it away provs the salvation full perfect fulnesse of salvation by Jesus Christ cometh now under consideration which is from the way and course God in his good pleasure took and held in saving sinners by his Sonne This is held out in these words Sending his own Sonne in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh which
sinne a body of death a body of sinne 5. The Law the strength of sinne 6. The Laws weaknesse to deliver the sinner 7. God offended these are the seven cords of man distresse answerably here is 1. The Sonne of God made man and so man punished sinne punished in the nature that sinned as God is holy he is an adversary to sinne as just he punisheth sinne as true his threatning before the fall could not be made void it must fall on man for to man was the Law given to man was death threatned to man as the first Adam on man must the punishment light now here is a man an Adam the Sonne of God taking to him mans nature of Adam though not by him hath somewhat to offer and God through his Christ the second Adam and through him crucified receiveth a sinner into favour remaineth holy just and true 2. The Sonne of God made man sent for sinne so that here is in this Christ in his low humiliation a propitiation a mercy-seat here is the Lamb of God in whose flesh sinne was damned the sufferings due to sinne he bears GOD suffers the Sonne of God doth all in the flesh for actions are of the person therefore here justice is satisfied sinne is taken away and death is unstinged 3. In the flesh the humane nature of the Sonne of God sinne is condemned and a perfect conformity to the Law in original and actual righteousnesse is performed and brought in before the Lord therefore here is the sinner justified and healed health and soundnesse restored by curing the disease in the very cause and the flesh is delivered and recovered thorowly Here are the Priestly Robes and the Royal change of rayment to cloath a poor naked sinner withal 4. In this Jesus Christ the flesh and sinne are separated Adams sinne and Adams nature divided and mans nature made a Fountain of holinesse and life wonderful high and heavenly things 5. Here is the Law answered in the Comminations and in the Commandments by Christs obedience passive and active 6. Here God by his Son doth that in weak flesh which the eternal Law could not ever be able to do 7. Here is â—od in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to himself God provides the Lamb God condemns sinne God prepares a righteousnesse fulfilling the Laws righteousnesse and if God be thus for us who can be against us if God justifie who shall condemn SECT 3. For the use of this 1. This precious truth in viteth us to behold Use 1 again the love of God to man Here To invite to contemplation 1 Joh. 4. 9 10. Tit. 3. 4. Eph. 2 4 7. Eph. 1. 7. Tit. 2. 11. is love here is love manifested here is bountifulnesse of love shining never the like love manifested never did God manifest the like love to this that appeared in redeeming in mankinde It is exceeding kindnesse Gods great love wherewith he who is rich in mercy loved us the riches of his grace the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse the glory of his grace abounding the grace of God that bringeth salvation Our blessed Saviour speaks of it with emphasis and admiration God so loved the world Paul speaks of it as alone peerlesse God commended Joh. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 8. love to us and John with an index in this was manifested the love of God herein is love All other manifestations of love are not comparable to this great was Gods love to man in the Creation to place him Lord of the visible world to indue him with a soul bearing on it his Gen. 1. 2. own image and likenesse to seat and plant him in a Paradise to provide him a Sabbath to give him Sacraments the Sacrament of life to establish him and of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil to warn him where his danger lay and to blesse him with conjugal society great is his love in his daily providence over him great in the Covenant made to all Nations in Noah great in the particular experiments Psal 36. Gen. 8. 21 22. Ps 107. 8 c. Psal 104. 27 34. men feel in sicknesse and health at Sea and Land great to all creatures his mercy reacheth to the heavens all wait on him for seasonable food David saith hereupon my meditation of him shall be sweet Great was his love to the Elect Angels whom he hath established about his Throne who alwayes behold his face but to whom gave he his own Son what nature did he ever unite so near to himself where or when did he ever such works for any as in earth to condemn in hell to dissolve all the Divels works in heaven to provide Mansions and all in by and through the flesh the flesh of his own Sonne the similitude of sinful flesh flesh indeed but like sinful flesh for a sinful childe of disobedient Adam justly a childe of wrath All creatures here below are for this ransomed captive sinners rightful new and pure use Angels that fell are reserved in chains of darknesse to the judgment Jude â— of the great day no Saviour afforded them but they are set forth to warn us to flee the wrath to come the blessed holy and elect Angels the innumerable company of them are made ministring spirits sent forth for the good of the heirs Heb. 1. 14. Heb. 2. 8. Rom. 8. 16 of this salvation the world to come is put in subjection to man in Christ we are joint heirs with him of all things This love decâ—ared is the powerful way to work on a sinner Hell and wrath the Law and sinne without this proposed do terrifie and vex but the heart flees God and loaths All other love of God is abused by the deceitful wicked hard heart but let this love be set forth and now sin and all the deserts of it wound stab and gore pierce and tear to pieces and yet the heart draws near and drawing near melts down dissolves desires pants after longs for Christ and God in Christ judges it self justifies God while he judges him trusts though God kill him cannot think or say any thing is ill that this God sayes or does This love is the fatnesse of Gods house the River of Gods pleasures the light the life better than life it self this love fills with love this love makes gracious zealous tender of heart noble of spirit and truly lovely this sweetens the crosses sanctifies afflictions and makes out blessings to be blessings 2. Hast thou informed thy judgment 2. To exhort and taken a view of Gods love in this way of salvation Now then let this doctrine come in the power of it to perswade exhort thee to believe to meditate with admiration and to ascend to fixed contemplation 1. Believe this truth this is the work Joh. 6. 29. of God the work that God requireth since we cannot work the righteousnesse of his holy Law that we believe there is no other
work sutable to Gods dealing with us he sends his Sonne we are to receive him whom God hath sent and believing is receiving he tells and testifies this unto the world we are to believe his Word and Testimony there is no other work left Christ hath done and suffered all for us believing is the acceptable work it gives glory to God and destroyes boasting utterly this faith doth all the work by faith Christ is revealed conceived formed born lives and dwells in the heart faith makes the sinner mourn pray wait at wisdomes gates confesse Christ contemn and overcome the world deny himself exalt God lay under the creature resist the Divel live holily and heavenly and dye in hope peace and joy faith purifieth the heart worketh by love circumciseth the heart to love God makes to fear the Lord and his goodnesse frames to the life of a pilgrim and stranger on earth and enables to do and suffer and labour and grow vigorous in the midst and strength of all that opposeth like men heaven-born born from above as men heaven-aspiring as bound for and tending to the Countrey above This is the will of God the Father that sent Jesus Christ his Sonne that every one that seeth Joh. 6. 40. Joh. 17. 3. the Sonne and believeth on him should have everlasting life This is Eternal life 2. Meditate Say with thy self Lord what is sinne what is man who art thou sinne it is the mischief that which destroyes the work of Gods own hand and that which ruines the choicest creature which no holy Law can abolish which no sacrifice but that of Gods own Sonne can expiate that which condemns the Sonne of God and can never be condemned in it self and in the heart of the sinner but by such a way and as for man what is he even dust and clay at his first and best raised out of the dust of the earth a very rebellious lump a masse of rebellion a lump of rebellious clay a leprous heap a putrified sore a hateful and hating enmity proud conceited brutish foolish sinful flesh that is not subject to the Law of God nor can be unlesse mortified crucified and created again but as for Thee O Lord God what is this name of Father what is this thy Sonne what is thy Sonnes name Oh that we could tell dost thou make thine own Sonne to be sin and condemn him as a sinner and condemn sin in his flesh is this the manner and Law of thy love to the sonnes of men to sinful man what manner of love is this Now stay make up what is wanting in thy conceiving of these things in admiration in the administration of faith which makes us draw near to God which transforms us into the image of Gods love 3. Fasten thy thoughts know thy self and God in Christ more behold his glory to make thee like him in this his love Take the Gospel glasse and while in the glasse of the Law thou seest thy self to just detestation and shame of face with open face behold the glory of God in his grace in Christ his Sonne crucified in that mitrour view it freely to transform thee into the image of this his love and grace from one degree of glory to another degree of glory Let Gods love work in thee such love to thy own soul first and then such love to the souls of others their salvation dearer to thee then thy own things temporal than thy temporal life A pure love sinne the enemy and the sinner the object of thy love sinnes against thee not hindering thee seeking of their good Love that is in deed and in truth love to die for the brethren love making willing to part with lay down lay out expose to the utmost of sufferings whatever is dearest willing to be counselled appointed and sent no envy no ambition nothing of self The greatest and lowest service proves the greatest love love bearing one anothers infirmities and temptations Behold this love to the espousing of thy soul to Christ for ever and adjure all not to disquiet him who is the love Cant. 2. 7. 3. To convince 3. Suffering the Word of exhortation Consider also how this doctrine is full of conviction It convinceth of the great sinne and misery of all men yea of all Christians that refuse Jesus Christ their refusal is of the onely remedy of a poor guilty sinner it 's the refusal of the Son manifesting the greatest love 't is the refusal of God the Father coming to undone man in a way of salvation as mysterious as salvifical as full of glory as of grace the more exalted in lofty height the more it is matchlesse in lowest condescensions of free grace their refusal is a Prov. 8. 36 degree of hatred of Christ and this hatred of the Sonne is the hatred of the Father they love death they love to be damned they love to go to hell they love that which will bring them thither they passe not for that which would deliver them thence they have not the Word nor the love of the Father abiding Joh. 5. 38 42. 8. 41 42. in them for then they would receive him whom the Father hath sent and all this hath the greater aggravation in that every one so knows his sicknesse and seels his wound that he will go out for some or other and any one that comes in his own name whom God the Father never sent nor sealed him he will receive every one will have his way of Religion but this way of God he will not own 4. This doctrine also giveth ground of 4. To humble deep humiliation even to the godly who do believe yet are guilty of much neglect of three things 1. Of the riches of assurance both of full assurance of understanding to the acknowledging of this mystery of God even Col. 2. 2. of the Father and of Christ and of the full assurance of faith that they might in God all day long and night glory in the Lord Christ alone and rejoyce in him for evermore 2. Of enjoying God in Christ in all other their enjoyments 3. Of the high valuations of Jesus Christ when you hear these reproofs say Is not this a part of that love in Christ to the Elect Vessels of mercy that God condemns my sinne but yet he condemns not me he condemns my sinne that he might save me 5. Lastly This ministers strong consolation to the humbled every one that 5. To comfort desires to be found in Christ that seeks his righteousnesse that owns his own want of all righteousnesse and takes his own sins as the detestable and deadly thing to thee is this Saviour sent for thee did he come into the world to thee doth God come in every step of this way to thee belongs this grace of God bringing salvation Go over the whole of this truth and put in thy self thy name thou art the man or woman for whom God took all
with wisdome irresistible to witnesse to the truth with courage undaunted yet attended with love meeknesse and soundnesse of mind and to suffer for the truth with patience invincible of which it may be said Here is tâ—e patience of the Saints These are victors Renowned Conquerors the Churches Heroes the Lords Worthies the noble Army of the Lamb. 4. Such works of the holy Ghost as respect the Ordinances as The Word In the Word the Spirit speaketh to the Churches he gave the Rev. 2. 7. 3. 22. 1 Tim. 4. 1 Act. 11. 2 Rev. 14. â—â— Word by breathing it at first into the holy men of God he by Covenant goeth along with it breaths and works in it speaks in it writes it in the fleshly Tables of the heart every part of the Word is the speaking of the Spirit even that wherein he warnes of seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils And he saith yea to Gospel sentences The Sacraments Baptisme and the 1 Cor. 12. Lords Supper The Spirit accompanieth both as the band of union he maketh the partakers to be one body together of one head By one Spirit are all believers Baptized into one body and in the Lords Supper they all drink into one Spirit All these mighty works the Holy Spirit doth in order to the work of saving application of the grace of the Son our Lord Jesus Christ and of the love of â—od the Father This is the fourth thing proposed for explication The fifth followeth which also doth greatly commend the saving work and that is SECT 6. 5. The Inhabitation of the Holy Ghost Where the Holy Ghost is given manifesting his presence in his saving working 5. The inhabitation of the Spirit where he is thus given Rom. 8. 9 11. 1 Joh. 4. 13 3. 24. there he inhabiteth or dwelleth in them the Apostle distinguishingly and searchingly putting all believers upon the trial of their estates saith Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you and this is so Characteristical that he adjoyneth now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his He that hath the Spirit hath him dwelling in him hereby also we know that God dwelleth in us and that we dwel in God and they that have the Spirit given and dwelling in them they know it 1 Cor. 3. 16 Know ye not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And for this condescension of exceeding grace how great is it for he dwelleth in them first as in his Temple his holy consecrated house and habitation he knowes no Temple or house on earth but the broken and contrite heart the poor in spirit and when he had a Temple at Jerusalem it was to signifie this and not owned of God but with respect to this Temple The regenerate Isa 57. 15. 66. 1 2 3. are his Temples the Holy Ghost makes himself an habitation and then dwels in the Temple which he hath made the glory of the work is heavenly and excellent for this Temple is an house not made with hands no nor of this building 1 Cor. 6. 19. of this kinde of make of which is this fabrick of soul and body in this visible creation although it be reared and set up in this building Again The very bodies of the regenerate are the Temples of the Holy Ghost though they be houses of clay and the leprosie of sin is not clean washed and scraped out while they live in this world Secondly he dwelleth in them as in the living members of Christs Rom. 8. 2. mystical body he is the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ their Head and from him as from their Head floweth into each of them Thirdly he dwelleth in them as he is the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus Rom. 8. 11 from the dead even in the exceeding greatnesse of that power according to the working of the might of that power which he wrought and put forth in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the above-heavenlies Ephes 1. 19 20 21 22 23. far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name of Renown that is named and Renowned not only in this world but also in that which is to come and put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Fourthly he dwelleth in them as the Spirit of the Father and as the Spirit of the â—onne he who taketh them to be his Sonnes by Adoption he sends the Spirit of his Sonne into their Gal. 4. 6. 1 Joh. 4. 8 9 10 13. hearts God is love here is love God the Father sends his Sonne into the world God the Father and God the Sonne send the Spirit into the hearts of those that shall be saved God the holy Ghost given unto them sheds abroad upon their hearts this love he dwels in them doing this work and by him the Father and the Son dwell in them from hence they cannot but say with the beloved Disciple Here is love that God through Christ by his Spirit should dwell in them that by the Spirit through Christ they should have accesse unto the Father Fifthly he dwelleth in them in all the fâ—re-named eminent and peculiar works of saving application in the presence efficacy of all his glorious salvifical Epithetes and Appellations Names and Titles he is in them the Spirit of faith the Spirit of truth the Spirit of grace and prayer the comforted the anointing the earnest and so of the rest and in this glory the Spirit dwelleth in them the Holy Ghost delighteth to fill his house with his glory and to rest there this is his in-dwelling which raiseth and advanceth all which hath been hitherto delivered SECT 7. 6. The time of the coming of the Holy Ghost Now for this great work there is a season 6. The special season of his coming in which the Spirit hath his day for as the Son came down from heaven in the fulnesse of time sent of God the Father according to the promises in the Old Testament delivered and had his day with the Church of God on earth so the Holy Ghost he came down from heaven in his proper time according to promise sent of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ And although the Spirit of God was given and wrought by the Word savingly in the times of the Old Testament and from the first preaching of the Gospel to our fallen first Parents in Paradise and down-wards in the old world and from the flood till the giving of the Law by Moses yet in respect of the promised effusion or pourings out of the Spirit and in regard of the clearnesse eminency and ample largenesse of his presence and workings as such his giving
These two the flesh and the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. are contrary one to another When the Spirit comes in and rules and the flesh or corruption of nature cannot rule more yet it will never yield it will ne're be good it is not subject to the Law of God nor can be the best that can be made of it is to mortifie it crucifie it fight it out against it therefore from these two contrary principles in one and the same man it is that in the godly there is a continual fight or deadly war and cursed be that that would make up a peace between these two therefore hence it is that he that is born again is born a Souldier lives by his spiritual sword and valour and dies in the Field and so never dies but is a Conquerour in his death 5. Where the Spirit is he rules and reignes he will not be underling he leads where he is all that is born of God overcometh the whole world And the Spirits rule is set up by pulling the flesh out of the Throne and subduing its Dominion therefore the least measure of true grace the least speak of this holy fire be it but as that in smoaking flax is Soveraign it is judgment which will come unto victory 6. The Regency of the Spirit appears in ordering the walks of every one in whom he is he renews and sanctifies throughout he makes a new creature a new man from the spirit of the minde to the outward members he creates a new heart and a new spirit that there may be a new walk 7. Those who walk after the flesh have not the Spirit at all and therefore they are not in Christ 8. By our lives and conversations we may infallibly know wâ—ether Christ were sent for us whether our sinnes were condemned in his flesh whether God the Father loved us so as to send his own Son for us to be our propitiation or the Son became flesh became sinne for us whether he be our righteousnesse our redemption or whether the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne hath taken possession of us to shed abroad the Fathers love into and sprinkles the Sonnes blood upon our hearts whether these be so or no may be known by the walks of our lives 9. So it is and so it hath ever been and it will for ever be so in this life that even among Christians who professe the true Religion there are two sorts some that walk after the flesh contrary to their profession and some that walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh SECT 3. Let us now therefore consider of the The Regency of the flesh discovered generally in ten things reign of the Spirit and the flesh that so these two sorts of Christians the carnal and the spiritual the true and false may know themselves and because the flesh is the elder brother in the world he shall have the honour to be spoken of in the first place The Regency of the flesh may be set forth more generally or more particularly in general the flesh's Regency consisteth 1. In its lonenesse if there be in us John 3. 6. Joh. 3. 3 5 nothing but flesh then be sure the flesh reigns we are first in the flesh conceived and born in sinne If there be nothing but nature and that which is natural the flesh is regnant for that which is of the flesh is flesh it can never arise higher than the compasse of its own principle it can never get up to things that are above there is nothing but flesh unlesse we be born of the Spirit there is nothing but flesh and nature where the Spirit by the Gospel hath had no changing work and where mans righteousnesse or the righteousnesse of works whether of our own works or of the works of the Law is still sought after and the sinner never yet so farre humbled that now Gal. 3. 10 12 18. Phil. 3. 3 6 7. he hath no confidence in the flesh any more 2. In the love of the lusts of the flesh these lusts are of three sorts the lust of â— Joh. 2. 16. the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life which do all of them spring from the love of the world this is the worlds trinity in unity which all men by nature do serve If the love of the world be in us the love of the Father cannot be in us 3. In the acknowledgment of the Edicts Rom. 6. 13 and Commands of the flesh sinne reigns where the lusts of it that is the motions of sinne in our members are obeyed obedience to it proves its Soveraignty it is an undeniable truth his servants we are to whom we obey The offering up of the members of our bodies to be weapons to fight for it and to be instruments to work for it shews that flesh is in the Throne 4. In making provision to fulâ—ill the Ro. 13. 14 lusts of the flesh there is a lawful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 24. 3. 1 Tim. 5. 8 Ro. 12. 17 providence and fore-cast for the discharge of the duties of our particular callings for making provision for ours and for those of our families for things honest in the sight of all men but none ought to be for the flesh or for our corrupt nature The providence which is lawful hath this character to take the seasons and to improve them with diligence thus the wisdome of God teacheth saying Go to the Pismire thou sluggard consider her wayes â—nd be wise which having no Prov. 6. 6 7 8. guide over-seer or ruler provideth her meat in the sâ—mmer and gathereth her food in the Hâ—rvest the sluggard is he that sleepeth out his Summer season and letteth slip the Harvest goeth forth in the dead of Winter to gather in the fruits of the earth the sinful providence hath two marks first to make it a businesse to project and lay out for the flesh secondly to aime at the satisfying of the lusts thereof when the flesh hath the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providential projecting and fore-casting ability at command and at her service it is certain her supremacy is in the full It is the infallible signe of the renewing of the minde when the providential ability is sanctified and is ready under the command of the Word and Spirit 5. In sensuality when the senses beaâ— rule when what is pleasurable hath the Luk. 17. 27 Mat. 24. 38. Jude 19. 2 Tim. 3. 4 Phil. 3. 19. Job 31. 7. Jam. 3. 15 stroak with us and not what is honest righteous and holy when we are lovers of pleasure more than of God or those whose God is their belly that live to eat that minde earthly things those whose hearts walk after their eyes and their souls are tyed down to their senses who are meer animals whose wisdome is earthly and sensual their wisdome is also Divellish 6. In minding and savouring only fleshly things as
of greatest moment that can concerne us and our salvation and the assurance thereof laid down in open and expresse words 1. The impossibility of a sinners salvation by any means save by Jesus Christ 2. The absolute fulnesse of a sinners salvation by Jesus Christ 3. The lively description of those among sinners who do obtaine salvation by Jesus Christ And then in the connexion of these words with the former we have a fourth doctrine of excellent worth viz. 4. The fulnesse of their assurance to be out of the reach of condemnation and to be in the estate of salvation and the fulnesse of their consolation who are actually in Christ First The impossibility of the salvation of a sinner by any means saving Jesus Christ This the Apostle teacheth when he saith What she Law could not do It is that which the Law cannot do It is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impossible thing of the Law When he also saith further In that it was weak he teacheth that the Law is weak and so is unable to give life righteousnesse and salvation to a sinner and to deliver him from the Law of sin and death This is that thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which it is weak The Law is a perfect rule of righteousnesse It commands well It is a holy and exact sentencer of the disobedient it judgeth righteously but as for deliverance and salvation there it leaves a man that hath sinned and to that work it is utterly weak that is the thing in which it is weak therefore this impotency of the Law demonstrateth the impossibility of the Law to deliver a sinner And then when he saith through the flesh that is man since the fall taken with all his best abilities and they and he in them upheld by God the Creator in riches of patience and in riches of goodnesse and having in him the light of natural principles and with him the book of the Creature to read and not onely the work of the Law written in his heart but also the Law given to him from God by lively voice and written in Tables of stone and perpetuated in the holy Scripture man thus sustained and furnished with his utmost improvement which he can make of the same is but flesh weak flesh so weak that he hath brought this impotenâ—y and impossibility upon the Law the good holy spiritual and righteous Law of God which had the promise of life annexed to it Now through the flesh through man who is weak the Law becomes weak and deliverance from damnation and from sin is that impossible thing of the Law which man cannot have by the Law thus this gate to life is fast shut yet the Law is set up in its due worth and power and man cast down under his deserved blame man is laid dead to the Law and the Law dead to man as to the matter of righteousnesse and salvation Therfore also it unavoidably followeth that no other creature nor meanes can deliver a sinner for what means setting aside Jesus Christ is comparable to the Law or what creature is above the Law this is the first doctrine 2. As for the second The absolute fulnesse of a sinners salvation by Christ this is demonstrated by six powerful arguments For 1. It is GOD that provides this Saviour the Lord Jesus and the salvation that is in him God sent his Sonne If GOD will save who can destroy God the Law-giver offended the person against whom all our sins are 2. The person undertaking the work It is Gods own Sonne If he undertake it by whom the worlds were made the Sonne of the Fathers love What a salvation must it needs be and who who or what shall condemne 3. The way God took to save by him it is unspotted perfect and compleat this way was 1. By designation of him to the office of Mediatour and Saviour and to the works of that office God sending his own Sonne Sending noteth the Commissionating and actual employing in the execution of some function and work to the which he that is sent was fore-ordained selected and called and all this designing of the Sonne by and from God is of his mere grace and infinite good pleasure within himself 2. By his Incarnation God sent his Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh here is a suitable Mediatour and Saviour one that hath all right for he took to him flesh and blood and all ability for the Son of God became flesh 3. By allotting the businesse concerning which and for which he is sent It was sinne God sending his Sonne for sinne Sinne was that concerning which he came the businesse he was employed in to be a sacrifice and propitiation for sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foulest thing in the world fouler than hell he is sent about sinne to take that away to take it on him on his own body on the body of his flesh God sent him charged with sinne with the iniquities of all his people God sent him as he that had before all world 's engaged himself for sinne to take it away Go out of heaven out of his Fathers bosome he must for the businesse of sinne for sinne lay upon him and since he had undertaken the debt no rest could there be to him till he had paid the utmost farthing It was much he should be sent in the likenesse of sinfâ—l flesh but behold God sending him so and concerning sâ—nne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for sinne What businesse what work is here for Gods own Sonne to be busied about and to have any thing to do withall 4. By course of justice God condemned sinne in the flesh or in that flesh viz. which his own Sonne had at the Fathers sending taken upon him The Syriac readeth in his flesh The Sonne of God saveth by making satisfaction to Gods justice God condemneth sinne in the flesh of his Sonne and so there is no condemnation to the sinner the Sonâ—e of God in his flesh suffers sinne is said upon him and salvation is brought by redemption by ransome by payment of the debt fully charged and exacted God is gloriously and infinitely just in the act of saving a sinner Sinne is damning but in the flesh of Châ—ist sinne is damned God condemns it there Now the condemnation of sinne is the indemnity of the sinner In these four you have the way God took to save a sinner 4. The outward moving or impulsive cause because that the Law could not help and because that man had made that way to life by the Law impassable that was it that moved God thus to save The impotency of the Law made weak by man What the Law could not do God would do Our undone condition our irrevocable estate by our own default moved God to save This is also to admiration and of strong consolation 5. The end aimed at and attained The end of Christs mission incarnation and passion That the righteousnesse of the
of Gods appointing ordained for thee it is the righteousnesse of faith thine by believing not by working thou hast not a righteousnesse of works for thou art a sinner but here is a righteousnesse provided for a sinner believe and it is thine it is an everlasting righteousnesse live ever by believing and all thy sinnes are covered thou art clothed for ever The Sonne of God Jesus Christ is the Lord our righteousnesse 3. But man is yet a creature and though he be not under the curse and be acquitted of his sin yet is he bound to obedience and not the lesse bound but the more because God so loveth as to give Christ his own Son my bonds of obedience are greater and yet I sin daily my sin is the more aggravated because they are against such a gracious God and Father and against such a Lord Redeemer it is answered The Son of God is sent to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law in us how may you say 1. By setting out to the world and to the heart of a sinner sinne more vile and the more condemned in and by the heart of the sinner which is one point of righteousness to hate judge sin And God most holy while most of love and most just while most of mercy now this heals us of profaness whilst it allures draws with cords of love whiles it fills with holy fear sin is hated and God loved the name of the Lord Christ is named with an heart departing with a blessed Apostasie from iniquity as love abounds just abomination of sin encreaseth with self-loathing and self-abhorrency 2. By shewing a crucified Christ which sight wounâ—s to the quick perswades to Zach. 12. 10. Joh. 12. 32 33. Joh. 3. 14 15 16. Gal. 2. 19 20. believe in God so loving as not to spare but to deliver up his own for us so faithful of his word performing in due time the greatest unlikeliest and ancientest promise he ever spake to believe in Christ so gracious to believe his promises threatnings commandments and all his words This sight crucifies us with Christ yeâ— causes to live to God and to live in and through crucifyings 3. By this faith the sinner is united to Christ not by a moral union as love uniteth but by a mystical receiving his Spirit not by a Physical or natural union but by a supernatural Christ of whom the Word the Spirit do therein testifie faith receiveth faith receiveth Christ in the Word justifieth and Christ is formed in the heart faith brings home the love of God in Christ as the Holy Ghost in the Word of the Gospel revealeth and by that Word reveals the Sonne in the sinners heart believing this faith works love this faith works by love which is the fulfilling of the Law 4. By this faith Christ is received not only as satisfying Gods justice punishing and commanding but as purchasing grace glory and all good things else yea as purchasing the blessing of the promise even the Holy Ghost who reneweth after Gal. 3. 12. the image of God and sets the heart on high in hope of the glory to come eternal life 5. Christ coming into the believer breaks down sinnes dominion and sets up his own government in the soul the Rom. 6. 14 authority of the Law-giver the spiritualnesse of the Law and his delight in all this 6. By his Spirit he creates us anew he confers all principles of obedience he comes and dwells there in the new creature he is in the seed abiding in them he enables he excites that ability he imparts to them the promises he puts life into the Word and Ordinances that they may be in power 7. By his exemplary life in holinesse both in doing and suffering he beats out before us the way of righteousnesse as our pattern which draws out imitation man being a creature prone to be led by examples and his imitating inclination in his new Creation sanctified now we would walk as Christ walked the heart is set on high and perfect patterns even on Gods holinesse and on Christs purity 8. Here is the image of God to be beheld in a mirrour in liberty and in great 1 Cor. 3. 17 18. glory the image of God lost but in Christ found again begetting in us the very same image we see and are transformed we see are assimilated made like unto it All this work is in true and powerful beginnings which tend to and are growing towards perfection and shall be perfect with perfection of degrees and fulnesse as here it is of parts and of uprightnesse SECT 2. This Doctrine is of singular use to wipe Uses 1. To vindicate the Gospel Gal. 2. 17 18 19. off all aspersion cast upon the Doctrine of justification of a sinner by faith in Jesus Christ without the works of the Law as if it were a Doctrine of loosnesse for see here Christ is not the minister of sin he destroyeth sinne in believers he by faith purifieth them to the very heart the preaching of this Gospel of forgivenesse of sinnes out of free-grace by faith in Jesus Christ destroyeth sin it makes the believer to live to God through a double death and the latter of them which this Gospel by faith puts the sinner unto is no less than crucifying yet a death to the believer most desirable because it is a crucifying of him with Christ And now this believer cannot but abhor the thought of being such a transgressor as to go about to build again that which by receiving and professing and preaching if he be a Minister this Gospel he destroyed was there ever the like effectual way of destroying sin and fulfilling the Law in a sinner as this here sin is made hateful in the heart of the sinner profanesse of heart healed the heart formerly alienated now drawn to God the old man crucified which Christ and the believer lives yet or rather Christ lives in him faith uniting to Christ and receiving Christ works by love love constraining to live to him that dyed for them the Holy Ghost is received the Son of God revealed in the soul Christs government is set up and sins dominion is broken down the heart is created anew and the sinner enabled to walk in Gods statutes to do his commandments with delight in the spiritualness and purity of the Law he would be holy as his heavenly Father is holy and pure as Christ is pure and walk he would as Christ walked by faith beholding God in Christ all of love he suffers a change from glory unto glory which shall be perfected in both body and soul in glory Was there ever such a fulfilling of the righteousness of the Law by weak sinful man as this which is wrought by faith in the Sonne of God sent into the world to take away sin by one offering and sacrifice once for ever Jesus Christ was a curse for sinne not a cloak for sinne he fulfilled
all righteousnesse but nulled no Law he fulfills the Law in us whiles he enables ro believe that he fulfilled it for us The Ministry of the Gospel is the Ministry of Rom. 3. 31 life of righteousnesse and of the Spirit we establish the Law by faith we magnifie it and make it honourable we bring to glorious liberty not to base licentiousnesse which is most absolute slavery We advance godlinesse while our Doctrine forms it in power and destroyes a powerlesse form of it we maintaine good workes while through the Gospel the sinner is called to come to God through Christ alone and God takes him into his own gracious and powerful hands and makes molds fashions him in his own workmanship in Christ Jesus created anew unto good Eph. 2. 10. works O ye Pontificians ye Papists and all others to whom the Gospel comes know ye The Law is not against the Promise The Promise ingraves the Law in the fleshly tables of the heart This Doctrine also tries and differenceth 2. To try Professors Believers and Believers Christians and Christians upon the Believer and Christian indeed the former three sentences are deeply fastened and the answers are experimentally and sweetly resented in the heart that closeth with them and receiveth the mould of them such a heart is truly believing and Christian and no other Go over them again and again in thy thoughts and try how it is with thee CHAP. IX Sheweth that the fulnesse of salvation shines in the Person who maketh saving application thereof dethâ—oning corruption of nature and ruling the whole man even the Spirit the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father and of the Sonne SECT 1. THe person applying and the manner of his application of the salvation by Christ is implied in these words who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit here the Spirit is the person that brings home this work with efficacy and power for here we have a double consideration of the Spirits work in the saved ones the first presupposed and implied namely that God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son do give to those that shall be saved the Spirit who applyeth savingly all the love of the Father and the grace of the Son who pulls the flesh or mans natural corruption out of the Throne and sets up himself to rule the man mention is made in these words of such a Spirit and who can be able to do such a work but the Spirit who is the power of the most High who will be willing but the Holy Spirit or as we usually speak the Holy Ghost likewise either sinners have this Spirit of themselves and so none have for if they had him in them by nature how is it that he ruled not how is it all by nature are under the power of the flesh living and walking in their sins or else he must be given and who can give him but God the Father and Christ his only Son this giving and working of the Spirit for the bringing home the Redemption which is in Jesus Christ is therefore necessarily implied in these words The second work of the Spirit is expressed in a Description of the Redeemed ones They walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit both these considerations are in the subject persons made partakers of that work of the Spirit two wayes commended in the words us who walk c. first that the Jews and the Gentiles the Apostles and all others that belong to God are all alike sharers in this mercy and work of the giving of the Spirit to them to apply savingâ—y this salvation and to reign in them and frame their conversation although they have not all alike this Spirit in the same measure and degree Us who walk saith the Apostle we Apostles we Jewes and you the believers at Rome to whom he wrote you that were sinners of the Gentiles us you as well as we who walk after the Spirit Secondly that neither the one nor the other of them have respect with God but in Christ No were he an Apostle not Paul himself nor do they look for part in this salvation upon lower or other termes but as they fall within this Description Hence therefore we have two things before us 1. The sixth branch of truth that proves the fulnesse of salvation in Christ 2. The third great doctrine which is The description of a true Christian The sixth branch is this The salvation of sinners by Christ is compleat Doct. 6. The Spirit of the as being savingly applied by the Spirit given of God the Father and of Christ Father and the Son applies the salvation by Christ dethroning corruption and ruling the whole man 1 Cor. 6. 11 his own Sonne to them that shall be saved In which application the Spirit dethrones the flesh and rules the whole man The sinners which are washed justified and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus have this so great a change wrought by the Spirit of our God saith the Apostle God who sent the Redeemer hath covenanted that his Word and Spirit shall be in the seed and seeds seed of the Redeemer to whom the Father gave them that he should save them as the Prophet Isaiah sheweth saying The Redeemer shall Isa 59. 21. come to Zion As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit that is upon thee that is upon Christ the Redeemer and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed for whom the Redeemer gave his soul an offering for sin and went in travel with them on the Crosse nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth Isa 53. 10. Gal. 3. 14. 1 Joh. 4. 13. 3 24 and for ever Christ hath purchased it and the believer is possessed of it Hereby we know saith the Apostle that we dwell in God and God in us even by the Spirit which he hath given us This is that way in which he saveth even by the renewing Tit. 3. 3 5. 2 Thes 2. 13 14. 1 Thes 1. 3 4 5. of the Holy Ghost which he sheds on us abundantly through our Lord and Saviour and through this way even the sanctification of the Spirit God bringeth his chosen unto glory Hereby our election is known The Son of God the wisdome of the Father subdueth us by his Spirit poured out unto us by which he makes known his words to us This is called the Communion Pro. 1. 23. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Joh. 3. 3 5 of the holy Ghost And this is so absolutely necessary that unlesse a man be born from above of water and of the holy Ghost he can never see the Kingdome of God that is he cannot come into and enjoy eternal life in heaven he can never enter into it unlest he be born again of the holy Spirit now poured out as plentifully as water
waiting for Christ So Ambr. l. 3. de spir sancto c. 15 The same Father urgeth also that place in 1 Thes 3. 12 13. patrem dixit filium dixit quem ergo cumpatre filio praeter Spiritum junxit Mark 3. 29. Heb. 10. 29. Here are three distinct persons God to be beloved Christ to be waited for with patience and the Lord to whom the prayer is made that he would direct the hearts of believers into that love and patient waiting Now this Lord is the Lord the Spirit who directs the hearts of those whom he sanctifieth and enableth to believe Against the holy Ghost sinne may be committed and to great height and men may commit such sin against him as may become unpardonable because they wilfully and maliciously oppose and despight him in the manifestations of his presence and gracious workings in the Gospel for the Application of this salvation therefore he is very God he is the Spirit of grace 2. He is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son the Spirit of God and the Spirit Rom. 8. 9. Isa 61. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 11. Gal. 4. 6. of Christ He proceedeth * Joh. 15. 26. from the Father and the Sonne and according to this his existing about the work of saving application of Redemption he is sent forth of the Father as he is the Spirit of his Sonne into the hearts * Gal. 4. 6. of those that are priviledged with the Adoption of children God the Father sendeth him as he is the Comforter and the Son Jesus Christ sendeth him and therefore he is Joh. 15. 26 Alius non aliud Joh. 14. 16 another a distinct person not another thing he is another Comforter the Lord Jesus the Bridegroome he is one Comforter the holy Spirit in the Bridegroome and the Bride one and the same he is another Comforter he is the Spirit who knoweth the whole heart and the most hid councels and secrets of the Father and the Son these Gospel Mysteries the 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. secrets of this bosome-bosome-love into which no Angels of light could dive no more than a man can know what is in another man unlesse he reveale it This is he who works in us to bring home this salvation therefore it is done most effectually and most comfortably SECT 3. 2. What is his saving work In the Elect of God the Father and in The saving work of the Spirit made up of 14. works the Redeemed of Jesus Christ his Son the Redeemer The holy Ghost hath his saving work and it is made up of these several works following 1. Renovation or regeneration In which the holy Ghost by the word of Christ as water as a laver of water washing a sinner as floods of waters poured out upon the dry and barren heart doth clense and wash and in the washing change and make a new the sinner The word of the Gospel is as pure water and water fructifying The Lord Jesus Christ is a fountain opened for sin and uncleanenesse who came both by blood and water all sorts of clensings and washings are found in him and the holy Ghost in the work of his grace by the Record by making the sinner to know his own foulnesse and uncleanenesse by sin and the fulnesse of clensing away sin by a bathe of that water and by a Sacrifice in that blood which is in Jesus Christ the only Sonne of God crucified and by taking the basin of the Word which sets forth Christ into his own hands to sprinkle and rinse the sinner so enlightened and by taking hold also of such a sinner to put him into this laver and under this sprinkling he makes the heart to feel Christs love and the flinty rockinesse of it to melt and flow down before the Lord God and all the abilities of his soul to flow together and rise up towards the Lord Jesus with strong and fixed desires and then the holy Spirit is as water water that catrieth with it and in it the virtue of Christs blood set Joh. 3. 5 6 8. forth in the Gospel all to the washing and renewing and begetting again in such wise that this sinner is born from above Tit. 3. 5 6. born of the Spirit born of God and Christ is formed in him The party came into this laver a sinful man all leprous a dead man but he comes out of it a new man a living changed man quite another man than he was before Behold the laver of regeneration the renewing of the holy Ghost shed on a poor humbled sinner abundantly and richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour this work is of absolute necessity for old and young for learned and unlearned for Jew and Gentile And as that which is born of the flesh is carnal corrupt earthly low and weak so that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit spiritual pure heavenly high and powerful and discerning the holy Mysteries of the Gospel of the high and holy God 2. Sanctification the Apostle Peter describeth a true member of the Church a subject of grace and peace by the work of the three persons in the undivided Godhead about his salvation so that the Spirits work is that which singleth out the individual person from among all other the children of men and seateth the Fathers love and the Sonnes grace of Redemption upon him particularly This is the Description He is one Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Sanctification is we see the saving work of the Spirit Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 1 Thes 2. 13 14. is the way through which God calling sinners thereunto by the Gospel ministred by the ministry of the New Testament doth bring those whom he hath chosen from the beginning to salvation unto the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as this Apostle Paul teacheth in another place Now the sanctifying work of the Spirit is this 1. He illightens and this illumination is accompanied 1. With wisdome that knows things as they are and values them as they are worth that knows the worth of the things of God in Christ discovered according to their excelling nature and difference and prefers them above all other things and it is 2. With Râ—velation also bringing Ephes 1. 17 18. the things of Christ unto the mind in Gods own light in a light above the light of mans reason And it is thirdly with rectifying or rather making anew the Organe the eyes of our understandings which were covered with blindnesse and Mat. 16. 17 that blindnesse was in and from our birth so that we were born blind they are opened that we may know All this is beyond the illumination which is of common grace and which may be found in the best of hypocrites 2. He quickens he causeth the dead in sins and trespasses to
Conversation an holy life according to Gods Word will serve then there is no hope It is as bad as to be damned to hell to be pressed to holinesse God shall have any thing at their hands if he will spare them in this Ah alas for a spirit of whoredomes is in the midst of them and their sinnes are their Idols they hold fast deceit and refuse to return Brethren shall I hence describe unto you a natural man He is one that leads The Character of a natural man his life whiles perhaps Ingenious witty of fine parts well-tempered civil moral honest fair in his dealings and in some particular actions yea and in his general course upright and blamelesse according to his natural and acquired light yet he leads his life as if his eternity and his good were in this present world his height and glory is to be humane and rational or learned and philosophical or devout in the way of Religion which his own heart chuseth and which the people he liveth withal do like of whose wills he followeth and whose favour he hunts after with an eye to his worldly pleasure or profit or honour or all ever nourishing one or more manifest works of the flesh unto which his heart is true as one that is wedded to the Devil the father of lusts and lies a voluntary captive to his will and taking pleasure to bed with him in his effectual working and to fill his soul with loves he is in darknesse loves darknesse and walks on in darknesse without any spiritual discerning though he be under the Gospel-light and have his day of visitation he sleeps in deep and dead security without any true awakenings to holy enquiries or watchfulnesse Empty of saving truth and graces in power his Converâ—ation is at the best but vain from the vanity of his mind in which he lives and thence he will not be moved for his fathers and fore-fathers did so before him Fleshly wisdome frames his conversation in strength of hypocrisie if not pharisaical yet natural And he never yet knew nor can be perswaded by all the preachers in the world that secret Atheisme estrangings from God much lesse enmity to him impenitency and unbelief do reign in him or that these in him are any great fault Oh the miserable estate of such a one A Lamentation oh how many such are in the world there is a world of them a world of them even of those who bear the best of names which is Christian Who can with-hold from sorrow and sighings if he understand and know things as they are oh that we could mourn over you who cannot mourn for your selves or that one could beare you on his heart and bring you to Christ that he might place you under his love so melting and put you into the laver of his own blood till washed there you might come forth other men even new-men Oh that the Spirit of life from Christ would at length breath upon you till he breathed in you May it be may it not be could you but unfeignedly desire it should it not be We leave you and the work with the Lord and how ever it may fare with worlds of men in this sad estate yet as for you among us if there be no remedy this shall be your priviledge you shall not go down to the Chambers of hell beneath unlamented you shall not descend to that infernal pit not mourned over since such as you are drew tears in abundance such was his heart from the eyes of Jesus Christ our Lord and Master when he came not to condemne but to save the world and being the Minister of the Circumcision beheld so many of his charge to perish everlastingly notwithstanding he would so often have gathered them together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and they would not he would but they would not SECT 7. 6. The walk after the Spirit is a life led First After the Word therein he that 6. What the walk after the Spirit is Ps 1. 1 2. 119. 1 2 5 6. is in the Spirit exerciseth himself with delight day and night thereafter he walketh with desires and endeavours from the whole heart to be undefiled in that way and with earnest prayers unto God that his wayes might be directed to keep Gods testimonies and to have respect unto them all this is the light and the Lamp of the Lord and his heart saith Come let us walk in the light of the Pro. 6. 23. Psal 119. 105. Isa 2. 5. Isa 2. 3. Lord there he findes Christ teaching Gods people of his wayes and therefore taught there of God he resolves he will walk in his paths prescribed in his Word this is the holy Canon and therefore he Gal. 6. 16. will walk according to this rule for so do all the Israel of God this the Holy Ghost breathed whose breath being the breath of Christs lips is his life and kills none but Antichrist and Antichristians with the men of the world and therefore he subscribes to this closing acclamation That man who ere he be is 〈◊〉 worth his ears given him of his Maker to heare Rev. 2. 7 11 17 29. 3. 6 13 22. withall who will not hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches the Scripture is his Rule for faith for worship for holy walking in sobriety in righteousnesse in godlinesse in all estates in all relations in the Family Church and Common-wealth and in his particular calling and for holy order and discipline and for incident cases with professed subjection 2 Cor. 9. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A subjection of publick profession Gal. 2. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1. 6. against which he can do nothing and for which he can do any thing and all this now according to the Gospel-dispensation in which his honour is to walk with a right foot or to foot it right This spiritual walker is righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Secondly After the power of inward graces of these the Spirit is the Authour and the root and these are the fruits of Gal. 5. 22 23. Eph. 5. 9. Gal. 5. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit this holy walker as he lives in the Spirit who is the principle of life within him spiriting and quickning his soul with his graces so he walks in the Spirit himself cloathed and his conversation fashioned and ordered by these graces of the Holy Spirit he gives all diligence to adde seasonably bringing forth into practice one grace to another and 2 Pet. 1. 5 8. that orderly that all graces being in him and abounding he may not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge and profession of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ In the walk in this light of graces as a childe of light he is proving what is acceptable Ephes 5. to the Lord and that
abilities and high priviledges and might shade themselves under the power of Jesus Christ alone So much of the flesh may be where the Spirit reigns this is the first consideration to establish the comfort of the holy spiritual walker Then again consider Secondly There is a great difference 2. The difference between the reigne and the rage of sin between the reign and the rage of sinne sinne may rage where it hath lost its dominion or domination sinne may rage where the Spirit dwells and reigns although it is true that it may rage in those also in whom it reigns sinne while and where it reigns is sometimes dormant and sometimes rampant but in them in whom it reigneth it rageth and rampeth because it is made much of and fuelled pampered and well-fed and hath its full swinge and scope whereas in the godly it rageth because it is stoutly resisted and the death of it is sought with mortal hatred and with immortal hatred with an hatred that would have the very life and heart-blood of sinne and with an hatred that never dyeth but encreaseth more and more There is a wide difference between the rule and dominion and the prevalency of sinne Where sinne is not served nor obeyed yet there it may struggle and for a time prevaile but this prevalency is prayed against till they can say upon comfortable answers from God to those prayers O thou that hearest prayers thou wilt purge them away Ps 65. 23. Thirdly Consider that the combate of 3. The combate of the Spirit against the flesh How known the Spirit against the flesh proves thy good estate Not that it is good or comfortable that there is flesh and that it lusteth but that there is Spirit lusting against it and that there is a combating with it which thou desirest to maintain this is good and comfortable This combate is known thus it is not only between the conscience and the will but between the will and the will it is in the same faculty of the soul and in the will the love is to righteousnesse and not to iniquity and the hatred is against iniquity and not against righteousnesse Again it is a fight against all sinne that he knoweth and against inward sinne and secret in respect of other mens knowledge and not only against outward or grosse sinnes or sinnes which come to light or against some one sinne It seeks and attains to mortification and not only suppression keeping in and restraining It is such as carries the walk of conversation it prevails to preserve a good principle rule and end and not only to do that which is good for the matter with neglect of these It carries to the use of the means and helps against sinne which God hath sanctified and to the use of these means it carries us humbly and with desire of fruit with frequency fervency and reverence taking heed that frequency abate not â—everence and fervency It is maintained by spiritual weapons not by carnal and in Christs might pawned and promised in the Covenant of Grace and not in our own might no not in the might of grace already received and still afresh derived from Christ in the promise by faith acted on them anew Lastly the weaknesse and foiles received in this fight and the wounds gotten and the ground lost are recovered by renewing our repentance and faith and the spiritual Warriour with all his might and atchievements his valiant acts and victories are as before the Lord looking at his approbation and his acceptation for the worthinesse and mediation of Jesus Christ alone in which he rests with self-denial Fourthly Consider there is a Regency 4. The reigne of the Spirit hath a three-fold degree according to three ages of one in Christ 1 Joh. 2. 12 13 14. of the Spirit differing according to believers ages in Christ and so there is a Regency in the bâ—bâ— in Christ seeking assurance of Gods love as a Father and expressing it self in desires complaints and cryes of a childe in prayer And there is a Regency in the strong man or young man in Christ who is carried on with the Spirit of meeknesse and love skilful in the Word and in the use of that Sword full of the power and vigorous actings of faith and of riches of assurance full of exploits in the Field delighting in putting forth the vigour of his strength in deeds and conflicts and there is a Regency of the Spirit in fathers in Christ full of settlednesse of inlarged knowledge in the great mysteries of the Gospel and the perfection of his pure precepts of experiences and of ability and dexterity for counsel and comfort To each of these three ages in Christ doth this description here agree they are all such as walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit neverthelesse these walkers in the truth are not all of a size but are of three degrees according to their several ages and God doth not expect that of a childe which he doth of a young man or of a father this he requireth that answerable to our time and means of enjoying the Gospel we should passe on from infancy to youth from youth to father-hood in Christ These four considerations are of singular worth and use to establish the 〈◊〉 of true believers that their joy â—ight bâ— full SECT 10. Now for Caution whiles these truths A preserving caution that the spiritual walk not as men carnal In twelve carnal paths are opened to stay the heart and to keep the consolation close to it let all the spiritual and gracious be warned that they walk not as carnal for they may walk so that they may look for all the world like carnal persons and thereby may dishonour Christ the Gospel and the Spirit of God and destroy for the present the comfort of their estate Be warned for to look like carnal persons to walk as carnal is not far from this to be no other than carnal Quest. Who look like carnal persons Answ First Those Christians though they be regenerate who are carried with 1 Cor. 3. 1 3 4. envying strife divisions and schismes in the Church according to their several ministers though eminently gifted and holy if one say I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal It savours of Schisme to call any particular Church by the name of the Minister for every Church is the Church of God and of 1 Cor. 1. 12 13. Christ not the Church of Paul nor of Apollo neither Paul nor Apollo was crucified for them nor were they baptized into their names this very thing causeth divisions envyings and strife among Christians Christs name is that worthy name by which the Disciples are to be called If Jam. 2. 7. any make several Church-wayes and Churches according to several points of lesser moment than the faith of Jesus and the Commandements of God which are of perfect unity and agreement and in respect