And through Him the sting of death which is sin is taken away 1 Cor. 15 56 57. 3. He reconcileth to God taking away that distance and enmity 2 Cor. 5 20. and so He is our peace and peace-maker purchaseing accesse to us to the Father Ephes. 2 14 16. 3 12. 4. He also delivereth from the power of sin and corruption Rom. 7 24. 5. And from all those spiritual stroakes such as blindnesse hardness of heart c for He is our light and hath procured a new heart for us even â—…n heart of flesh 6. So delivereth He from hell fire having satisfied justice and having brought life and immortality to light And He giveth life eternal as â—…e see Rev. 2. 3. Oh! it is sad that Christ is so little made use 〈◊〉 and that so many will forsake the fountaine of â—…wing waters and dig to themselves brocken cisteâ—…s that can hold no water and slight despise â—…d undervalue the gospel of Christ which bringeth life and immortality to light Oh! if the consideration of this could move â—…ch as never found any change in themselves to â—…to and make use of Jesus Christ for life and would for this end 1. Cry to Him that He would make them â—…ensible of their deadnesse and waken them out of their deep sleep 2. Cry to Him to set them a work to renunce â—…ll other helpe beside his as being utterly unable â—…o quicken and put life in them 3. Cry to Him that He would draw and determine their souls to a closeing with Him by faith â—…lone to a hearing of his voice to an obeying â—…f his call to a following of his direction to a giving up of themselves to Him leaning to Him â—…d waiting for all from Him alone in a word to â—…ake Him for their life in all points and to leane â—…o Him for life and to expect it from Him through â—…th in the promises of the gospel Next This being spoken to the disciples whom â—…e suppose to have been beleevers it will give us â—…round to speak of it in reference to beleevers and 〈◊〉 yeeld three points of truth which we shall briefly â—…ch and then come to speak of use-making of â—…hrist as the Life in some particular cases First It is here clearly presupposed that even beleevers have need of Christ to be life unto them so have their fits of deadnesse If it were not so why would Christ have said to beleevers that He was life And daylie experience doth abundantly confirme it For 1. They are oft so weak and unable to resist temptation or to go about any commanded duty as if they were quite dead 2. They are oft so borne down with discouragement because of the strength of opposition which they meet with on all hands and because of the manifold disappointments which they meet with that they have neither heart nor hand and they faint and sit up in the wayes of the Lord and cannot go thorow difficulties but oftimâ—… lye by 3. Through daylie fighting and seeing no victory they become weary and faint hearted so that they lie by as dead Esai 40 29. 4. They oft fall sick and decay and have need of restauration and quickning 5. The want of the sense of God's favour and 〈◊〉 the comforts of the holy ghost maketh them 〈◊〉 dwine and droup and look out as dead 6. While under soul desertions upon one account or other they look upon themselves as fâ—… among the dead that is as dead men of the society of the dead with Heman Psal. 88. 7. Yea many times they are as dead men â—…d captive in chaines of unbeleef and corrupâ—…ons as we see David was when his heaâ—… panted and his strength failed him and 〈◊〉 light of his eyes was gone from him Psal. 38 10. 8. Many times the frequent changes and ups and downs they meet with take all courage and heart from them that they become like men tossed at sea so as they have no more strength And many such things befall them which make them look as dead and to stand in need of quickening reviveing and strengthening cordialls from Him who is the Life And thus the Lord thinketh good to dispense with his owne people 1. That they may be keeped humble and know themselves to be indigent creatures needing influences of life daylie 2. That they may have many errands to Him who is the Life and have much to do with Him and depend upon Him continually 3. That He may shew himself wonderful in and about them giving proof of His skill in quickening the dead and in bringing such thorow unto everlasting life who were daylie as it were giving up the ghost and at the point of death 4. That heaven may be heaven that is a place where the weary are at rest Iob. 3 17. and the troubled rest 2 Thes. 1 7. And where the inhabitants shall not say they are sick Esai 33 vers 24. 5. That they may be taught more the life of faith and of dependence on Him and trained up in that way 6. That He may be owned acknowledged and submitted unto as a Soveraigne God doing what He will in heaven and in earth For all this there is no cause that any should take up any prejudice at christianity for for all this their life is sure and the outgate is sure and saife Nor would they think it strange to see beleevers oft mourning and drouping seing their case will oft call for new supplies of life Their fits are not known to every one nor doth every one know what lyeth sometime at their heart Nor would they think it such an easie matter to win to heaven as they imagine and so deceive themselves The righteous are saved through many deaths And as for beleevers They would not think it strange to meet with such fits of deadnesse nor thence conclude that all their former work was but delusion and that they are still into the state of nature But rather observe the wisdome faithfulnesse and power of God in bringing their brocken shipe thorow so much brocken water yea and ship wracks and his goodnesse in ordering matters so as they shall be keeped humble watchful diligent and constant in dependence upon Him who is and must be their life first and last And hence learne a necessitie of living alwayes neare to Christ and depending constantly upon Him by faith for he being their life they cannot be without Him but they must die and decay Secondly We hence learne That under all these fits of deadnesse to which his people are subject nothing without Christ will helpe Not 1. All their paines in and about ordinary meanes prayer reading hearing meditation conference c. They will all cry out that help is not in them for He is the Life 2. Nor extraordinary duties Such as fasting and prayer and vowes these will never revive quicken a drouping or fainting sickly soul for they are not Christ nor the Life 3. Nor will
what benefites pardons favours and other things they need from all which they have strong ground of comfort and of hope yea and assurance of pardon would acquiesce in this way and having laid those particular sins under the burden whereof they now groan on Christ the mediator dying on the crosse to make satisfaction and ariseing to make application of what was purchased and having put them in his hand who is a faithfull High priest and a noble Intercessour would remember that Christ is a Prince exalted to give Repentance and Remission of sins and so exspect the sentence even from Him as a Prince now exalted and as having obtained that of the Father even a power to forgive sins justice being now sufficiently satisfied through his death yea as having all power in heaven and in earth as being Lord both of the dead and of the living Sure a right thought of this would much quiet the soul in hope of obtaining pardon through Him seing now the pardon is in his owne hand to give out who loved them so dearly that he gave himself to the death for them and shed his heart blood to satisfie justice for their transgressions Since he who hath procured their pardon at so dear a rate and is their atturnay to agent their businesse at the throne of grace hath now obtained the prayed-for looked-for pardon and hath it in his ownehand they will not question but He will give it and so absolve them from their guilt 12. The beleever having taken this course with his dayly provocations and laid them all on Him would acquiâ—…sce in this way and not seek after another that he may obtaine pardon Here he would rest committing the matter by faith in prayer to Christ leaving his guilt and sins on Him expect the pardon yea conclude that they are already pardoned and that for these sins he shall never be brought unto condemnation whatever Satan and a misbeleeving heart may say or suggest afterward Thus should a beleever make use of Christ for the taking away of the Guilt of his dayly transgressions and for further clearing of it I shall adde a few cautions Cautions 1. However the beleever is to be much moved at affâ—…cted with his sins and provocations which he committeth after God hath visited his soul with salvation and brought him into a covenant with himself yet he must not suppose that his sins after justification do marre his state as if thereby he were brought into a Non-justified state or to a Non reconciled state It is true such sins especially if grosse whether in themselves or by reason of circumstances will darken a mans state and put him to search and try his condition over againe But yet we dar not say that they make any alteration in the state of a beleever for once in a justified state alwayes in a justified state It is true likewise that as to those sins which now he hath committed he cannot be said to be acquited or justified till this pardon be got out by faith and repentance as is said yet his State remaineth fixed and unchanged so that though God should seem to deal with such in his dispensations as with enemies yet really his affections change not he never accounteth them real enemies nay love lieth at the bottom of all his sharp st dispenâ—…ations If they for sake his law and walk not in his judgements if they break his statutes and keep not his commandements he will visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquitâ—… with stripes neverthelesse his loving kindnesse will he not utterly take from them nor suffer his faithfulnesse to â—…ail his covenant will he not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal. 89 30 31 32 33 34. And againe though after-transgressions may waken challenges for former sins which have been pardoned and blotted out and give occasion to Satan to raise a storme in the soul and put all in confusion yet really sins once pardoned cannot become againe unpardoned sins The Lord doth not revoke his sentence nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth It is true likewise that a beleever by committing of grosse sins may come to misse the effects of God's favour and good will and the intimations of his love and kindnesse and so be made to cry with David Psal. 51 8. make me to heare joy and gladnesse and vers 12. restore unto me the joy of thy salvation c. Yet that really holdeth true that whom he loveth he loveth to the end and He is a God that changeth not and his gifts are without repentance Yea though grieving of the Spirit may bring souls under sharp throwes and pangs of the Spirit of bondage and the terrors of God and His sharpe arrowes the poyson where of may drink up their spirits and so be far from the actuall witnessings of the Spirit of Adoption yet the Spirte will never be againe really a Spirit of bondage unto fear nor deny his his owne work in the soul or the souls real right to or possession of that fundamentall privilege of Adoption or say that the soul is no more a Son noâ—… within the covenant 2. The course before mentioned is to be taken with all sins though 1. They be never so haiâ—…ous and grosse 2. Though they be accompanyed with never such aggravating and crying aggravations 3. Though they be sins frequently fallen into and. 4. Though they be sins many and heaped together Davids transgression was a hainous sin and had hainous aggravations yea there was an heap and a complication of sins together in that one yet he followed this course We finde none of those kinde of sins excepted in the new covenant and where the law doth not distinguish we ought not to distinguish where God's law doth not expressely exclude us we should not exclude our selves Christs death is able enough to take away all sin If through it a beleeveâ—… be justified from all his transgressions committed before conversion why may not also a beleever be through vertue of it justified from his grosse and multiplied sins committed after conversion The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sinâ—… Christ hath taught his followers to pray forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sinne against us and he hath told us also that we must forgive our brother seventy times seven times Mat. 18 22. We would not be discouraged then from taking this course because our sins are such and such nay rather we would look on this as an argument to presse us more unto this way because the greater our sins be the greater need have we of pardon and to say with David Ps. 25 11. Pardon mine iniquity for it is great 3. We would not think that upon our taking of this course we shall be instantly freed from challenges because of those sins for pardoning whereof we take this course nor should we think that because challenges remaine
returne to the great God upon him Let all the creation of God wonder at this wonderfull condescending love of God that appointed such a way and of Christ that was content to louâ—… so low as to become this way to us this new and living way and that for this end he should have taken on flesh and become Emmanuel God with us and taberrackled with us that through this vaile of his flesh he might consecrate a way to us Let angels wonder at this condescendency 2. Hence we may see ground of being convinced of those things 1 That naturally we are out of the way to peace and favour with God and in a way that leadeth to death and so that our miserie and wreatchednesse so long as it is so cannot be expressed 2. That we can do nothing for ourselves set all our wits a work we cannot fall upon a way that will bring us home 3. That it is madnesse for us to seek out another way and to vex ourselves in vaine to run to this and to that meane or invention of owr owne and be found fools in end 4. That our madnesse is so much the greater in this that we will turne to our owne wayes that will fail us when there is such a noble and excellent every way satisfying way prepared to our hand 5. That our wickednesse is so desperat that the way which is pointed out to us doth not please us and that we will not enter into it not walk in it 6. That this Way which is also the Truth and the Life is only worth the Imbraceing and is only saife and sure we should be convinced and perswaded of the worth sufficiency and desireablenesse of this way Reason with ordinary light from the word may teach these things But grace can only cary them into the heart and make them take rooting there 3. We may read here our obligation unto those particulars 1. To turne our bak upon all other false and deceitfull wayes and not rest there 2. To enter into this way though the gate be narrow straite Mat. 7 13. Luk. 13 24. yet to strive to enter in 3. To resolve to abide in that way as acquiesceing in it resting satisfied with it and this is to be rooted in him Col. 2 7. to dwel in him 1 Iohn 3 24. to live in him or through him 1. Iohn 4 9. 4. To walk in this way Col. 2 6. that is to make constant use of him and to make progresse in the way in through him to goe from strength to strength in him drawing all our furniture from him by faith according to the covenant And this sayeth that the soul should guaird against 1 stepping aside out of this good pleasant way 2. backslideing 3. sitting up fainting by the way In a word This pointeth out our duty to make use of Christ as our way to the father and only of Christ and this leads us to the particulars we shall speak a little to There are two maine things which stand in our way and hinder us from approaching to the Father 1. Unrighteousnesse and guilt whereby we are legally banished because of the broken covenant and the righteous sentence of God according to that covenant 2. Wickednesse impurity unholinesse which is as a physicall bar lying in our way because nothing that is uncleane can dwell and abide with him who is of purer eyes then he can behold inquitie and nothing that is uncleane can enter in there where He is So then there must be an usemaking of Christ as a way through both these impediments We need justification pardon for the one and sanctification cleansing for the other Now Christ being the way to the Father both as to justification in taking away the enmitie in changeing our state removing our unrighteousnesse guilt whereby we were lying under the sentence of the law adjudging such sinners as we are to hell and as to sanctification in cleansing us from all our pollutions renewing our souls washing away our spots defilements c. He must be made use of in reference to both In speaking to the first we shall be the shorter because through God's great mercy the gospell pure way of justification by faith in Christ is richly and aboundantly cleared up by many worthy authors of late both as concearning the theoreticall and practicall part CHAP. IV. How Christ is made use of for justification as a Way WHat Christ hath done to purchase procure to bring about our justification before God is mentioned already viz. That He stood in the room of sinners engadging for them as their cautioner undertaking at length paying down the ransome becoming sin or a sacrifice for sin a curse for them and so laying downe his life a ransome to satisfie divine justice and this he hath made known in the gospell calling sinners to an accepting of him as their only Mediator and to a resting upon him for life salvation and withall working up such as belong to the election of grace to an actuall closeing with him upon the conditions of the covenant to an accepting of him beleeving in him resting upon him as satisfied with and acquiesceing in that soveraigne way of salvation justification through a crucified mediator Now for such as would make use of Christ as the way to the Father in the point of justification those things are requisite to which we shall only premit this word of caution That we Judge not the want of these requisites a ground to exeem any that heareth the gospell from the obligation to believe rest upon Christ as He is offered in the gospell First There must be a conviction of sin miserâ—… a conviction of originall guilt whereby we are banished out of God's presence favour are in a state of enmity death are come short of the glory of God Rom. 3 23. becomeing dead or under the sentence of death through the offence of one Rom. 5 15. being made sinners by one Mans disobedience vers 19. and therefore under the reigneing power of death vers 17. and under that judgement which came upon all men to condemnation vers 18. And of originall innate wickednesse whereby the heart is filled with enmity against God and is a hater of Him of all his wayes standing in full opposition to him to his holy lawes loving to contradict and resist him in all his actings despiseing and undervalueing all his condescensious of love obstinately refuseing his goodnesse offers of mercy peremptoâ—…ily persisting in rebellion heart opposition not only not accepting his kindnesses offers of mercy but contemning them trampling them underfoot as imbittered against him As also there must be a conviction of our actuall transgressions whereby we have corrupted our wayes yet more run further away from God brought on more wrath upon our souls according to that sentence of the law
and death And beside this slight and cunning it hath strength and power to draw by lusts into destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 4 9. and to carry the soul headlong So that it makes the mans case miserable Rom. 7 24. All which would say that the beleever should call in other help than his owne and remember that through the Spirit he must mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8 13. 7. And therefore the beleever must lay aside all his carnall weapons in dealing with this adversary and look out for divine help assistance even for the promised Spirit through which alone he can be instructed inabled for this great work for of himself he can do nothing not so much as think a good thought as of himself 2 Cor. 3 5. faâ—… lesse will he be able to oppose such a mightie adversary that hath so great many advantages and therefore all his carnall meanes purposes vowes fightings in himself will but render himself weaker a readyer prey unto this adversary which gaineth ground while he is so opposed It is Christ alone and his Spirit that can destroy the works of the devil and kill or crucify this enmity 8. So that the beleever must have his recourse for help and succour here unto Iesus the Captaine of salvation and must follow Him and fight under his bâ—…nner make use of his weapons which are spirituâ—…ll fight according to his counsell and conduct taking Him as a leader commander lying open for his orders instructions waiting for the motions of his Spirit following them and thâ—…s oppose fight against this deadly enemie with an eye alwayes on Christ by â—…aith depending on Him for light to the minde resolution to the will and grace to the whole soul to stand in the battel and to withstand all assaults and never engadge in a disput with this enemie or any lust or member of this body without Christ the Principall that is the soul would dispaire in it self and be strong in Him and in the power of his might by faith gripping to Him as Head Captaine and Commander in chiefe resolving to fight in his strength and to oppose through the helpe of his Spirit 9. And for this cause the beleever would eye the covenant of Redemption the basis of all our hope and consolation wherein finall and full victory is promised to Christ as head of the elect viz that He shall bruise the serpents head and so that in Him all his followers and members of his mysticall body shall lift up the head and get full victory at length over both sin and death Now it is God thâ—…t giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15 57. The bâ—…leever would also eye by faith the covenant of Grace where in particularly this same victory is promiâ—…ed to the beleever in and through Jesus Rom. 16 20 the God of peace shall brâ—…ise Satan under your feet shortly and Sin shall not have dominion over you for yee are not under the law but under grace Rom. 6 14. The beleever I say would look out by faith unto and lay hold on these and the like promises and thereby get strength conveyed to him self whereby he may strive lawfully and fight valiently and oppose with courage and resolution 10. Further the beleever would eye Christ as a fountaine of Furniture as a full and compleat magazine standing open ready for every one of his honest souldiers to run to for new supply of what they want so that whatever they finde wanting in their Christian armour they must run away to the open magazine Christs fulnesse that standeth ready for them and by faith take put on what they want stand in need of in their warfare If their girdle of truth be slacked loosed or weakened and they be meeting with temptations anent their hypocrisie and Satan objecting to them their double dealing of purpose to discourage them and to make them fainte give over the fight they must away to Him who is the Truth that He may binde on that girdle better and make their hearts more upright before God in all they do And if their breast plate of righteousnesse be weakened Satan there seem to get advantage by casting up to them their unrighteous dealings towards God or Men they must flee to Him who only can help here and beg pardon through his blood for 〈◊〉 failings and set to againe a fresh to the battel If their resolution which is understood by the preparation of the gospell of peace grow weak it must be renewed in Christs armory and the feet of new be shode therewith If their shield of faith beginne to fail theâ—… away must they get to Him who is the Author finisher of faith Heb 12 2. And if their helmet of hope beginne to fail them In this armory alone can that be supplied And if their sword be blunted in their hand or they unable to weild it aright the Spirit of Jesus can only teach their hands to fight and instruct them how to mannage that usefull weapon with advantage Thus must the beleever be strong in Him and in the power of his might Ephes. 6 10. He is their God that girdeth them with strength and maketh their way perfect He maketh their feet like hindes feet setteth them upon their high places He teacheth their hands to war so that a bow of steal is brocken by their armes He giveth them the shield of Salvation His right hand upholdeth them He girdeth with strength unto the battell c. Psal. 18 vers 32 33 34 35 39. c. 11. For the further strengthening of their Hope Faith Confidence beleevers would eye Christ as hanging on the crosse and overcomeing by death Death and him that had the power of death the Devill so as meritoriously purchaseing this redemtion from the slavery of sin and Satan and particulary from the slavery of that body of death and of the law of sin death for the Apostle tells us Rom. 8 2 that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus doth make us free from the law of sin and death and that because as he sayeth further vers 3 4. what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the rigâ—… teousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us So that the beleever may now look upon that enemy how fearfull so ever it appear as condemned and killed in the death of Christ. He having laid downe the price of Redemption hath bought this freedom from the chaines fetters with which he was held in captivity faith then on the death of Jesus satifying justice for the poor captive may should support and strengthen the hope confidence of the beleever that he shall obtaine victory at length 12. And it will
rebelliousnesse in the will irregularity disorder in the affections whereby the soul is unfit for any thing that is good prone to every thing that is evil Rom. 3 10 20. Ephes. 2 1 2 3. Rom. 5 6. 8 7 8 whence proceedeth all our actual transgressions Iam 1 14 15. And moreover sometimes the soul is given up to a reprobat minde Rom. 1 28. to strong delusions 2 Thes. 2 2. to hardnesse of heart Rom. 2 5. horror of conscience Esa. 33 14. to vile affections Rom. 1 26 and the like spiritual plagues which though the Lord inflict on some only yet all are obnoxious to the same by nature can exspect no lesse if the Lord should enter with them into judgment And finally as to what is future of this kinde they are being fuel for Tophet obnoxious to that malignant sinful blasphemous and desperat rebellion against God in hell for ever more O how lamentable upon this consideration must the condition of such be as are yet in the state of nature Oh if it were but seen and felt But alas there is this addition to all that people know noâ—… this they consider it not they beleeve it not they feel it not they see it not and hence it cometh to passe that 1. They cannot bewail and lament their condition nor be humbled therefore 2. They cannot nor will not seek after a remedie for the whole will not trouble themselves to seek after a physician And sure upon this account their case calleth for pity and compassion from all that know what a dreadful thing it is to be in such a condition and should stirre up all to pray for them and to do all they can to helpe them out of that state of sin and misery which is dreadful to think upon Should not the thoughts and consideration of this put us all to try and search if we be yet translated from death to life and delivered out of that terrible and dreadful state and made partakers of the first resurrection It not being my purpose to handle this point at large I shall not here insist in giving marks whereby this may be known and which are obvious in Paul's Epistles to be found handled at large in several practical pieces chiefly in Mr. Guthries Great interest I shall only desire every one to consider and examine 1. Whether or not the voice of Christ which quickeneth the dead hath been heard and welcomed in their soul This is effectual calling 2. Whether or not there be a through change wrought in their soul a change in the whole Man so as all things are become new 2 Cor. 5 vers 17 3. Whether or not there be a Principle of life within And they be led by the Spirit 4. Whether or not there be a living to the glory of the Lord Redeemer And when by impartial tryal a discovery is made of the badness of our condition should we not be alarmed to look about us and to laboure by all meanes for an outgate considering 1. How doâ—…lful and lamentable this condition is 2. How sad and dreadful the consequents of it are 3. How happy a thing itis to be delivered from this miserable and sinful condition and. 4. How there is a possibility of outgate Finally It may break a heart of stone to think how people that are in such a condition are so unwilling to come out of it for 1. How unwilling are they once to suspect their condition or to suppose that it may be bad and that they may be yet unconverted 2. How unwilling are they to sit down seriously to try and 〈◊〉 the matter and to lay their case to the touch-stone of the word 3. Yea how unwilling are they to heare any thing that may tend to awaken them or to discover unto them the badness of their condition 4. How ready to stiffle challenges of conscience or any common motion of the Spirit which tendeth to alarme their soul 5. How great enemies are they to such ordinances as serve to awaken sleeping consciences 6. And how do they hate such ministers as preach such doctrine as may serve to rouz thâ—…m up and set them a work about their own salvation Secondly We learne hence That without Christ there is no imaginable way of delivery out of this natural state of death No other name is given under heaven whereby we can be saved Act. 4 12. and angels can make no help here nor can one of us deliver another the redemption of the soul is more precious then so Psal. 49 7 8. Not is there any thing we can do for ourselves that will availe here all our prayers teares whipeings fastings voâ—…es almes deeds purposes promises resolutions abstenance from some evils outward amendements good morality and civility outward religiousnesse yea and if it were possible our keeping of the whole law will not helpe us out of this pit And we may weary ourselves in such exercises in vaine for they will prove but bodylie exercises that profite little And when in this way we have spent all our time parts spirits and labour we shall at length see and say that we have spent our money for that which is not bread This should put all of us to try what itis which we leane to for life and what it is the consideration whereof giveth us peace and quietnesse when the thoughts of death judgment hell and the wrath of God come upon us and trouble us for if it be any thing beside Christ that our soul leaneth to and that we are comforted by and found all our hopes upon we will meet with a lamentable oh for ever lamentable disappointment Be sure then that our hearts renunce all other wayes and meanes of outgate out of this death beside Jesus the Resurrection and the Life else it will not be well with us Thirdly We see here That delivery out of this natural state of death is only had by Christ for He alone is the Life and the life that is in Him is suiteable and excellent Hence he is called the bread of life Iohn 6 35 48. The resurrection and the life Iohn 11 25. The water of life Revel 21 6. 22 17. The tree of life Revel 22 2 14. The Prince of life Act. 3 15. our life Col. 3 4. The word of life and life it self 1 Iohn 1 1 2. And as He is a suitable and excellent life so is He an alsufficient and perfect life able every way to helpe us and to deliver us from all the parts of our death For 1. He delivereth from the sentence of the law Rom. 5 17 18. undergoing the curse of the law and becomeing a curse for us 2 Cor. 5. last 2. He taketh away the curse and sting of all temporal plagues yea and of death it self causeing all work together for good to such as love Him Rom. 8 28. He hath killed Him that had the power of death that is the devil Heb. 2 14.
through the Spirit Rom. 8 13. Now if it be asked how shall a beleever make life of Christ to the end this old man may be goten crucified or how should a beleever mortifie thâ—… Old man and the lusts thereof through Christ or by the Spirit of Jesus We shall propose thosâ—… things which may helpe to cleare this 1. The beleever would have his eye on this old man as his arch enemy as a deadly cut-throat lying within his bosome It is an enemy ludging within him in his Soul Minde Heart and Affections so that there is no part free and therefore is acquant with all the motions of the soul and iâ—… alwayes opposeing and hindering every thing that is good It is an enemy that will never be reconciled to God and therefore will not be reconciled with the beleever as such for it is called enmiâ—…y it self and so it is actively alwayes seeking to promove the ruine of the soul what by prompting inclineing moving and forceably drawing or driveing sometimes with violence and rage to evil what by withstanding resisting opposeing counter working and contradicting what is good so that the beleever can not get that done which he would do and is made to do that which he would not Therefore this being such an enemie and so dangerous an enemie so constant and implacable an enemy so active and closse an enemie so deadly and destructive it is the beleevers part to guaird against this enemy to have a vigilant eye upon it to carry as an irreconcilable enemy thereunto and therefore never to come in tearms of capitulation or agreement therewith never oâ—…ce to parlie let be make peace And the beleever would not have his vigilant eye upon this or that Member of this body of death so much as upon the Body it self or the Principle of wickednesse and rebellion against God the Head Life Spirit or Law of this body of death for there lyeth its greatest wickednesse and activity and this is alwayes opposeing us though not in every joy at and member but sometime in one sometime in another 2. Though the beleever should have a maine eye upon the Body this innate strong and forcible law of sin and death yet should he have friendshipe and familiarity with no part member or lust of all this body all the deeds of the body should be mortified Rom. 8 13. the old man with his deeds should be mortified Col. 3 6. we should mortifie our members which are upon the earth vers 5. for all of them are against us the least of them countenanced intertained imbraced will worke ouâ—… ruine cut our souls throat therefore should the beleever look on each of them on all of them as his deadly enemies 3. He would consider that as it is a very unseemly thing for him to be a slave to that old tyrant and to yeeld his members as so many servants to iniquity so it is dangerous deadly his life lyeth at the stake either he must get it mortified killed subdued or it will kill him his life will goe for its life if this enemy escape he is a gone man The consideration of this would cause the beleeveâ—… act here in earnestnesse and seriousnesse with care and diligence and set about this work of mortification with labour and paines 4. Much more must it be against all reason and christianity for the beleever to be making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13 14. To be strengthening the hands of and laying provision to this enemy which is lâ—…t sworne against us can stand with no reason And here is much of the christians prudence spirituall wisdome required to discerne what may make for fostering of this or that corruption or member of the body of sin death and to withdraw that as we will labour to take away provision of any kinde from an enemy that is comeing against us Paul acted herein as a wise gamster combatant when he keept under his body brought it into subjection 1 Cor. 9 27. It were but to mock God to preach forth our own folly to be looking to Christ for help against such an enemy and in the mean time to be under-hand strengthening the hands of the enemie this would be double dealing and trearchery against our selves 5. To the end their opposition unto this enemy may be the stronger and more resolute they would consider that this body of sin is wholly set against God his interest in the soul being very enmity it self against God Rom. 8 7. and alwayes losting and fighting against the work of God in the soul Gal. 5 17. against every thing that is good so that it will not suffer so far as it can hinder the soul to do any thing that is good at least in a right manner and for a right end nay with its lustings it driveth constantly to that which is evill raiseth evil motions inclinations in the soul ere the beleever be aware sideth with any tentation that is offâ—…ed to the end it may destroy the soul like a traitour within as we see it did in David when he fell in adultery and with Asaph Ps. 73 2. yea it self opposeth and tempteth Iam. 1 14. by setting minde will affections on wrong courses and thus it driveth the soul to a course of rebellion against God or diverts it and drawes it back that it cannot get God served aright yea sometimes it sets a fire in the soul intangling all the facultyes filling the minde with darknesse or prejudice misleading or perverting the affectious and so miscarrying the will leading it captive Rom. 7 23. so that the thing is done which the regenerate soul would not do and the duty is left undone which the soul would fain have had done yea and that sometimes notwithstanding of the souls watching and striveing against this so strong is its force 6. The beleever would remember that this enemy is not for him to fight against alone and that his owne strength and skill will make but a slender opposition unto it It will laugh at the shaking of his spear it can easily insinuate it self on all occasions because it lyeth so neare close to the soul alwayes resideing there and is at the beleevers right hand whatever he be doing and is alwayes openly or closely opposeing and that with great facility for it easily besetteth Heb. 12 1. because it lyeth within the soul in all the faculties of it in the Heart Minde Will Conscience Affectiones so that upon this account the deceitfulnesse of the heart is great passeth the search of Man Ier. 17 9. Man cannot know all the windeings and turnings all the drifts and designes all the lurking and retireing places all the falshoods and double dealings all the dissimulations lies and subterfuges all the plauâ—…ible and deceitfull pretexts and insinuations of this heart acted and spirited by this law of sin