but on the outside of the Ark which will not save from drowning 'T is the internal special Union which you must look after whether you be in Christ so as to receive life growth spiritual influences from him as the branch doth from the root Other Unions might be alluded to 'T is very true that Baptism is an ingrafting Ordinance into Christ therefore 't is set forth by being baptized into Jesus Christ Rom. 6.3 and Gal. 3.27 you read As many of you as have been baptized have put on Christ and again 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are all baptized into one body But then it must be limited to such and such subjects and as the spirit accompanies it working therein Faith and Regeneration So that the matter comes to this upon Baptism alone in the external reception of it you cannot be confident but if you can find that you are also true Believers and regenerate persons then you are right as to your Vnion and safe as to Non Condemnation This twofold Distinction being premised and opened in the General the main Question now lies thus before us How may a person know whether the Vnion in which he stands to Christ be internal special and saving or whether it be only external material and common 'T is a Question of very high import for answer to it I shall desire you 1. To fix your thoughts upon the double Bond of it 2. To look into some trying Scriptures which lay down marks and characters about it First make your search after and by the Bonds of the Mystical Vnion the Spirit and Faith As 1. Enquire whether you have the Spirit for it being the bond of the Vnion 't is evident that none can be a partaker thereof who is not first a partaker of the Spirit The Apostle lays it down very expresly * Rom. 8.9 If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his that is he is none of those who are savingly united to him Whoever is in Christ the Spirit of Christ is first in him that being the agent by which this blessed In-being is brought about I told you the Spirit is the bond of the Union on Christs part which yet you are to understand not of the Spirit meerly as it resides in Christ himself but as 't is given and communicated to us he by his own Spirit as poured out upon Believers and dwelling in them takes hold of them and joyns them to himself Not that there is any priority of time betwixt the gift of the Spirit and the Vnion for they go together at the very same instant wherein the Spirit is received the Soul is united to Christ but in order of Nature the reception of the one is antecedent to the Vnion with the other 1 Joh. 3.24 Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us and chap. 4.13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Observe it still the Apostle grounds the evidence of the Vnion upon the Spirit as given to the Saints not as it resides in Christ himself O therefore let the serious inquisitive Christian put such interrogatories as these to himself Have I the Spirit is he given to me doth he dwell in me for accordingly as he can answer these queries so will he be able to conclude whether he be in Christ or not And he that would know whether he hath the Spirit he must examine what he feels of its great acts in himself To have the Spirit 't is for a man to be brought under the great and special effects and operations thereof at present I say no more of it I hope hereafter I shall These are various there 's Illumination whence he 's called The Spirit of wisdom and revelation Eph. 1.17 Quickening whence he 's called the Spirit of Life Rom. 8.2 Conviction the promise is he shall convince the world of sin Joh. 16.8 he 's the Spirit of Grace and Supplication Zech. 12.10 the sanctifying Spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 the Spirit enabling to mortifie sin Rom. 8.13 working a person up to all holy obedience Ezek. 36.27 Now then what do you find in your selves of these high and precious operations of the Spirit here lies your participation or having of it and consequently the evidence of your Union with Christ This great Spirit is never idle where he is he is always an active operative working Spirit is he so in you doth he teach enlighten convince humble draw to Christ raise up the heart to heavenly things excite to duty assist in duty c. if so then he is in you and you are in Christ if it be not so then you have not the Spirit and thereupon are none of Christ's 2. Enquire about the other bond viz. * Soli verè Fideles sunt membra Christi idque non quatenus Homines sed quatenus Christiani nec secundum regenerationem ac proinde non secundum ipsam humanae Naturae substantiam per se sed quatenus illa in Christo ut altero Adamo renovatur singulis ejus partibus novâ ac spirituali qualitate Sanctificatis ut simus novi homines Polan Synt. Theol. p. 454. Faith Ask your selves in secret how the case stands as to Faith say O is this precious grace wrought in us are we sincere and sound Believers have we heartily clos'd with Christ according to the Gospel-offer have we received Christ and whole Christ is our trust relyance confidence for pardon life salvation grounded upon him and upon him only do we cast our selves upon his alone Merits renouncing every thing in our selves have we that Faith which is wrought by the (a) Eph. 1.19 Almighty power of God which (b) Acts 15.9 purifies the heart (c) 1 Joh. 5.4 overcomes the world (d) Gal. 5.6 works by love is attended with (e) Jam. 2.20 good works is it more than a meer dogmatical or historical Faith than such an easie common presumptuous false Faith as that which is in the generality of men O that you would herein deal faithfully with your own Souls let the search be deep and thorough go to the very bottom of your deceitful hearts bring things to an issue be sure that you be not mistaken if the Faith be right the Vnion is sure yea every thing else is sure but if that be unsound do not flatter your selves you are not in Christ Jesus but in the woful state of disunion and distance from him Thus the Examination must be made from the Bonds of the Vnion To clear up the thing yet further in order to your passing true judgement upon your selves I would direct you to a few trying Scriptures 1. Let the First be that 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature what a glass is this for every one of us to see our faces in The thing to be known is our being
Vincula Vnionis the Means or Bonds of this Union the Spirit and Faith 5. Here is also the Effect or Consequent upon this Union namely mutual and reciprocal Communion each with the other This will be opened in what will follow Only at present let me open the fourth Head the Means and Bonds of the Mystical Union In all Unions there is something which binds and knits Thing and Thing Person and Person together what is it then which binds knits conjoyns Christ to Believers and Believers to Christ I answer 't is the Spirit and Faith The Spirit unites Christ to us and Faith unites us to Christ First the Spirit is the bond of this Union on Christs part for by this he takes possession of Believers * Christ lives in us not by local presence but by the special supernatural operation of his Spirit Perkins upon Gal. 2.20 p. 216. dwells in them lays hold of them apprehends them as the word is Phil. 3.12 In * De Trinit de Poenit. Tertullians Dialect Spiritus nos Christo confibulat the Spirit doth joyn and button Believers to Christ And then Faith is the bond or ligament on our part Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts how by Faith Christ lays hold on us by the Spirit and we lay hold on him by Faith he comes to us by the Spirit and we go to him by Faith The Spirit of God does not only discover and make out the Union of the Soul with Christ Hereby we know that he abides in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 Joh. 3.24 but he works promotes and brings it about As 't is in that Vnion which is amongst the Saints themselves * 1 Cor. 12.13 by one Spirit they are all baptized into one body So 't is in the Vnion which is betwixt Christ and them by this One Spirit they are all made one with Christ Therefore saith the Apostle * Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his he means he hath neither interest in him nor union with him And then there is Faith which unites on our part for that is the uniting Grace the Sinew or Ligament which knits and binds the Soul to Christ that by which the Soul clasps and clings about Christ By faith we apply our selves to Christ and Christ to our selves and that application is the ground of union So also by Faith we * Joh. 1.12 receive Christ upon which receiving of him we are united to him and made one with him The spiritual ingrafting too is by this as you may see Rom 11.19 20 and this is our eating Christs flesh and drinking-Christs-blood upon which he dwells in us Joh. 6.56 Thus the Union is brought about both on Christs part and on the Believers part and this is the Mystical Vnion Of the Law-Vnion Secondly There is the Legal or Law-Vnion betwixt Christ and Believers The ground of this Union is Christs * Heb. 7.22 Suretyship he as the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surety struck hands with God as the word imports put himself into their stead took their debt upon himself and bound himself upon their account to make satisfaction to God Now from this act of Christ there results that Law-Vnion which I am upon Saints as 't is said by some are united to Christ three ways Spiritu Carne Vadimonio as they are partakers of his Spirit as he hath assumed their Nature and as he hath engaged for them as there Sponsor or Surety You know in Law the Debtor and the Surety are but one Person the Law looks upon them as One and makes no difference betwixt them and therefore both are equally liable to the debt and if the One pay it 't is in the eye of the Law as much as if the Other had paid it So 't is with Christ and us he is our Surety for he took our debt upon himself engaged to pay whatever we owed as * Philem. 18.19 Paul once did to Philemon for his Onesimus entred into bond though not with us yet for us Upon this Christ and we are but One Person before God and accordingly he deals with us For he makes over our Sins to Christ and also Christs righteousness and satisfaction to us he now in a legal notion looking upon both but as One person And this Consideration is of great use and so accordingly 'tis improved by the Orthodox against Socinians to clear up and confirm those great Truths which concern Christs Sufferings and the Believers benefit thereby For if it be ask'd How could Christ he being a Person perfectly innocent suffer in a penal manner as he did he being altogether guiltless in himself how could the Father with justice fall upon him as though he had been guilty Or grant that he did thus suffer yet how can any good by his suffering redound to others I say if any shall raise such Questions the Answer is ready That Christ and Believers in Law are but one Person he having submitted to be their Surety in a voluntary substitution of himself in their stead and susception of their Guilt whereupon it came to pass that their Guilt was imputed to him upon which the Father might without the least impeachment of his justice severely fall upon him and his righteousness merit satisfaction was imputed to them for that being performed by their Surety 't is theirs to all intents and purposes as if they had perform'd it in their own persons Briefly upon this Law-Vnion resulting from Christs Suretiship our Sins were very well imputable to him and his merits to us This doth so exactly fall in with the common notion and case of Suretyship amongst Men that I need not any further insist upon the illustration of it The Adversaries therefore who deny that Christ either did or could suffer in the Sinners stead or that there is any imputation of his Merit to Believers are so pinched with this his being a Surety that they oppose it to their utmost wholly deny that too and are feign to make good one denial with another But here I digress Two things I shall add upon this Head and then dismiss it 1. That the Oneness of Person 'twixt Christ and the Saints which hath been affirmed of them more than once or twice in the opening of the matter in hand is not to be carried further than that particular Sense and respect in which 't is affirmed I mean this They are not one Person in respect of Nature Essence or any personal Vnion onely they are so in respect of that Mystical and Legal Oneness of Person that is betwixt them And this latter Oneness is very well consistent with the different Natures of the Subjects united though the former is not so 2. That this Law-Vnion is only proper to Christ the Second Person The mystical and the moral Union in some sense doth reach to the other Persons
is fond of his vassalage and loves Sins government better than Christs ô the Commands of it suit better with him than the Commands of an holy God so that upon the whole matter he is peremptorily resolved to adhere to it against whatever shall oppose it 5. Sins strength is not only very great in it self but it hath also those additional advantages which render it as to any finite power invincible therefore 't is set forth by the strong man and by the strong man armed too Luk. 11.21 't is ingarrison'd in the heart which of all places is the most inaccessible it hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong holds in which 't is fortified 2 Cor. 10.4 6. Sin is very resolute for and in the maintaining of what it hath it hath a power and 't will keep it 't will fight it out to the last and dye rather than yield all the persuasives in the world signifie nothing to it if the Spirit of God will gain the Soul he must gain it as Souldiers do strong Towns which refuse to surrender unciatim to borrow the Comedians word inch by inch 7. Sin and the Sinner are under a * Isa 28.15 Covenant they have engaged as it were to live and dye together now to dissolve and break this engagement is no easie matter 8. Satan sets in with it and upon all occasions gives it all the help he can as Allies and Confederates use to do he says to Sin what Joab once did to Abisha 2 Sam. 10.11 If the Syrians be too strong for me then thou shalt help me but if the Children of Ammon be too strong for thee then I will come and help thee if he can hinder it Sins kingdom shall never be demolish'd no not in any one Soul Now put all these things together and it will appear that the power of the Spirit is highly necessary to deliver from the power of Sin yea that nothing below the Almighty strength of this Almighty Spirit can free a Soul from its dominion who but he who is God could subdue and conquer such an enemy as this is Of the sufficiency of the Spirits power to make free from the Law of Sin 2. Secondly there 's the sufficiency of the Spirits power as he is every way able to produce the effect we are speaking of 'T is indeed a great thing to break the yoke of Sin to pull the Crown off from its head to conquer it notwithstanding all the things which have been alledged yet as great a thing as it is this great Spirit is able to do it if he once engage in the work 't is enough the power of an Almighty God must needs be above the power of what is but finite and limited as was said but now As Christ is able to save * Heb. 7.25 to the utmost from Sins guilt so the Spirit also is able to save to the utmost from Sins power let it be never so high and lofty if this Spirit take it in hand I 'le warrant you it shall be brought down God once said to Paul My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 't is meant chiefly of strengthening and supporting grace now as that grace is sufficient to bear up under the heaviest afflictions so this sanctifying sin-subduing sin-mortifying grace is sufficient to bring down the strongest corruptions All things considered we may stand and wonder at the rescuing of a Soul out of Sins thraldome ô the bringing of Sin under that but just now was so high is a strange and wonderful thing but if we consider the strength of that person who is employed about it the wonder is at an end as 't was said upon another account Zech. 8.6 If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days should it also be marvellous in mine eyes saith the Lord of Hosts Jer. 32.27 Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh is there any thing too hard for me this is applicable to the Spirit in the personal consideration of God We alas must cry out as David once of the Sons of Zeruiah Sin is too hard for us we cannot get it down but 't is not too hard for God and his Spirit Though it hath its strong holds he takes them or batters them all down with ease it captivates the Sinner but the Spirit captivates it 2 Cor 10.4 5. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ô the boundless infinite power of the Spirit nothing no not Sin it self even when 't is at the highest can stand before him that which all the Creatures in heaven and in earth cannot do that he can do omnipotentissimâ facilitate as * Epist 107. ad Vitalem Austine phrases it Who is sufficient for these things why he and none but he who hath illimited and infinite power Of the efficacious workings of the Spirit in this Effect 3. Thirdly There 's the efficacy of the Spirits power or the effectual working of the Spirit in the freeing of a person from the Law of Sin When this great Agent comes to bring about this freedom how doth he act Answ efficaciously and irresistibly I mean he puts forth such a power as that the work is certainly done He doth not onely in a Moral way advise counsel * Vid. Twiss Vind. Grat. l. 1. par 2. sect 16. p. 160. c. Digress 6. p. 163 c. With many others who every where write upon this Argument persuade the Sinner to cast off Sins bondage but he in order thereunto puts forth an insuperable and irresistible strength upon him and so goes thorough with the work he conquers all opposition both from without and from within so as that it shall not be victorious and in spite of all makes the Soul free he works herein omnipotentèr indeclinabilitèr insuperabilitèr as that great Champion of Effectual Grace expresses it Further when he comes about this or any other saving act he doth not leave the Sinners Will in suspense pendulous in aequilibrio hanging like a pair of Scales even and not going down on either side but in a way congruous to its liberty he overcomes and determins it for God against Sin so as that it shall neither hesitate nor make any successful * Deo volenti salvum facere nul um humanum resistit arbitrium Aug. de Corrept Grat. c. 14. Vide Jansen August t. 3. l. 2 c. 2◠Habertus de Grat. l. 2. c. 16. Vid. etiam celeberrimum Doct. Ward de Grat disct p. 24 c. resistance to his Grace I am be ore I was well aware of it fallen upon a nice and much controverted Point viz. the efficacy of Divine Grace in its special operations a thing
when he manages himself with his * Isa 53.1 own arm then Sin falls and dyes before it but in any other hand it doth but little execution I would fain convince you of the insufficiency inability of all Causes or things within or without and consequently of the absolute necessity of the Spirits efficiency in order to the divesting Sin of its dominion and thence it is that I stay so long upon this Argument but I 'le close it with this one Consideration viz. Take the Saints themselves such as have true Grace wrought in them who consequently are made free from the Law of Sin and put even these upon particular and gradual Mortification the mortifying of some one Lust be it what it will or the mortifying of it in an higher degree than before I say take these very persons and let things too be brought thus low yet they of themselves without the mighty assistance of Gods Spirit can do nothing about them special grace from above is requisite to every act and degree of mortification by the Saints themselves Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live 't was spoken to renewed persons therefore it must be understood of gradual and progressive mortification now saith Paul if ye through the Spirit c. implying that even such persons in such mortification which of all is most easie must be enabled thereunto by strength from the holy Spirit convey'd to them Whence I infer an utter inability in the unregenerate to free themselves from the Law of Sin they having no principle in them to further such a thing as the Saints have for their mortification Sin having its full unbroken strength in them which it hath not in the other their work not being gradual mortification but habitual and the first mortification of the whole body of Sin which therefore is much harder than the former I say upon this stating of things how unable must these be to throw off Sins power If the Saint be so weak how weak is the Sinner if the Saint must have the Spirits help or else Sin will be too hard for him in its relicks how much more must the Sinner have it in whom Sin is in its full strength he being under the Law of Sin what can he do further than attend upon the means to free himself from it Blessed be God that this Spirit is engag'd in this work otherwise there would be no such thing in the world as freedom from the Law of Sin Two things inser'd by way of advice 1. That Sinners would betake themselves to the Spirit for freedom from the Law of Sin It being so two things I would infer by way of advice 1. Let such who desire this mercy betake themselves to the Spirit for it Such who desire it did I say methinks upon what hath been said all should passionately desire it will any be willing still to continue under Sins Command I will suppose all that hear me to be heartily desirous to cast off its yoke no longer to live in subjection to it c. the onely thing that troubles them is the difficulty of the thing and all their enquiry is how they may be rid of this Tyrant who hath so long domineer'd over them If so then I would give them this direction Fly to the Spirit of Life let them cast themselves down at the feet of this Spirit expecting onely deliverance by and from him 'T is a great while before Sinners will be brought to desire such a thing when they are brought to that then they mistake themselves about the way of obtaining it fain they would be made free but they do not betake themselves to that Spirit which alone can make them so Sirs your case is desperate if this Spirit of Life do not undertake it no power in heaven or in earth can relieve you but his As that evil Spirit once said to him that would undertake to cast it out * Acts 19.15 Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye so here Sin despises and defies all that will meddle with it it onely knows and cannot stand before this omnipotent Spirit Christs infinite merit alone frees from its damnation the Spirits infinite power alone frees from its dominion therefore to that you must fly for this freedom You may possibly think this and that may do the work but you 'l be deceiv'd suppose you are brought under some convictions Sin will do well enough for all them suppose you resolve thus and thus for the future Sins throne may stand fast enough for all that suppose you sit under such a Ministry Sin can let you hear the Word powerfully preached and yet rule you as much as ever O do not deceive your selves I tell you nothing will or can effectually pull the Scepter out of this Vsurpers hand and disengage the Heart from obedience and bondage under Sin but this one thing the Law of the Spirit of Life With the most humble hearty fervent prayer therefore go to him and say O blessed Spirit pity and help me deliver a poor Captive that is held in Sins chains and fetters break its yoke for me rid me out of the thraldom I have so long liv'd in put forth thy power in me to free me from Sins power over me I 'm undone forever if thou dost not help me I know not what to do against Sins mighty Host only * 2 Chr. 20.12 mine eyes are unto thee I have heard that 't is thy office to rescue and set free poor inslaved Souls such a one am I ô do this for me thou blessed Spirit I must not let thee alone 'till this be done take thine own course and method convince humble terrifie c. do any thing with me onely let not lust pride ignorance passion covetuousness sensuality any sin whatsoever any longer reign over me Could I but bring you thus to pray the thing was done if it be the Spirit of supplication it will be the Law of the Spirit c. never did any sincerely desire to be freed from Sins dominion but 't was done for them at the Spirits time in the Spirits method and according to that measure which the Spirit sees best In your betaking of your selves to him in prayer 1. See that you pray in Faith believing the sufficiency of his power Let Sin be never so high he 's able to bring it down do you believe this all other things are weak and can contribute but little to your help but the mighty Spirit can do it easily and effectually Sin cannot stand before him no more than you can before it when he undertakes it he 'l subdue it to purpose notwithstanding all its strength You cannot be too diffident as to your selves nor too confident as to the Spirit 2. Let all other Means be joyn'd with Prayer They are but means and therefore not to be relied upon yet they are means
Grace here they lye open before them Paul in it speaks much of the blessed Spirit and surely he was more than ordinarily * Est Caput aureum inter omnia hujus Epistolae illustrissimum in quo cum de Spirtûs muneribus disserere statuisset Apostolus Spiritus ipse Divinus pleno numine in ejus pectus illapsus videtur cujus ideo suavitate fragrantiâ singulis Verbis redolet charismatibusque diffluit exundat Soto full of this Spirit in the penning of it Blessed be God for every part and parcel of Holy Writ and in special blessed be God for this Eighth Chapter to the Romans O 't is pitty that it is not better understood through the dimness of our light nor better improv'd through the weakness of our Faith May I in my poor endeavours be instrumental but in the least to further these two in any I hope I shall own it as an abundant recompence for all my pains As to the Scope and principal Matter of it 't is Consolatory there 's a vein of heavenly Comfort running through the whole Body of it Of its main Scope with this it begins with this it ends for it begins with No Condemnation v. 1. and ends with No Separation from the Love of God v. 38 39 and all the intermediate parts do exactly correspond with these extreams The truth is the sincere Christian here treads upon nothing but Roses and Violets there 's nothing but Hony to be found in this Hive here 's Balm in every Line for the healing of the wounded Spirit Let such as are in Christ for that 's the foundation of all study weigh digest believe apply what is laid down in this Chapter and let them walk dejectedly if they can The Division of it into its Parts Divines who write upon it commonly divide it into Three Parts The First contains in it excellent supports and comforts for the people of God as burdened under the reliques and remainders of Sin and this reaches from the 1 v. to the 17 The Second contains in it further supports and comforts in reference to the Sufferings Afflictions which here are incident to the Godly this reaches from the 17 v. to the 31 The Third contains in it those high and holy Triumphs which the Apostle in his own person and in the person of all Believers makes over both Sin and Suffering which reaches from the 31 v. to the end In this threefold channel the Comforts of the whole Chapter run this Division of it I shall follow and accordingly divide my ensuing Discourse into Three Parts For the First the supporting and comforting the Saints as burdened under the reliques of sin the Apostle begins with that because he very well knew that sin to such is their greatest burden O nothing lies so sad and heavy upon their Spirits as this It was so with Paul himself as you see Chapt. 7. and it is so too with all that are gracious they having the same Spirit which he had All Pauls afflictions without though they were very many and very sharp see his Catalogue of them 2 Cor. 11.23 c. were nothing to his Corruptions within the former never made him cry out * Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am as the latter did O this Sin went to the heart of him and almost overwhelmed him And so proportionably it is with all who belong to God For this reason therefore when the Apostle would comfort himself and others he first applies his Discourse to that which might give ease as to what was and is most burdensome In order to which he First lays down a notable Faith-supporting and Soul-reviving Proposition The main Proposition then Secondly he amplifies and enlarges upon that Proposition which he doth chiefly with respect to the description of the Subject of it And all that is contain'd in this First Part of the Chapter will fall either under the one or the other of these two Heads The Proposition it self is this There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus c. In which the Illative Therefore shows that the Words are an Inference or Conclusion drawn from what went before Take but that away though we must not so easily part with it and they fall into a Formal Thesis or Categorical Proposition There is no Condemnation c. I will by and by give you the force and strength of the Illation and show what 't is grounded upon but at present we are only to consider the Position it self No Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus O great and blessed words How appositely fully and convincingly doth Paul speak to the thing in hand What a Basis and Foundation doth he here lay for Faith to build upon Is the gracious heart burd'ned under the remainders of Sin what could be spoken more proper more effectual for its relief then to assure it that though there may be much Corruption yet there is no Condemnation No Condemnation to them which are in Christ what a magnificent Conclusion what a Faith-strengthening and heart-chearing consideration is this Here 's Dainties and Cordials at the very first no sooner doth the Apostle launch out but immediately he is in the great deeps of the Grace of God and of the happiness of Believers A great change in Paul By the way I cannot but observe how the case is altered and mended with him View him in the foregoing Chapter there you find him pensive sad cast down under the sense of sin making sad complaints that he * Rom. 7.14 18 15. carnal sold under sin that in him viz. in his Flesh there dwelt no good thing that the good he would he did not the evil he would not that he did many such indictments he there draws up against himself and thus it was with him in that Chapter But now follow him to this here he 's another man he speaks at another rate now you have him rejoycing yea triumphing over sin and all From the depth of sorrow he 's got up to the highest pinacle of divine joy that eye which but just now was fixed upon his own vileness is now fixed upon his great blessedness in and through Christ And indeed usually 't is so with others too after Conviction comes Consolation a deep sense of sin attended with brokenness of heart for it doth commonly usher in the highest peace and comfort to the Soul After the dark night the day dawns when the true Poenitent hath been most abased and cast down then comes exalting and lifting up see Job 22.29 There is in this respect post nubila Phoebus a bright Sun after the thick Cloud or a * Psal 126.5 reaping in joy after a sowing in Tears Penitential sorrow is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysost expresses it the Mother the Precursor of inward joy God will heal where he thus wound * Psal 147.3 he healeth the broken in
wickedness O let such take heed lest God hear them in a dreadful manner I hope I speak to none of these you I trust have a dread of God and of the things of eternity upon your spirits let exempt on from Condemnation be the matter of your prayer and do but joyn the right manner with the right matter and this will secure your Souls forever God never yet condemned a praying man he that fears and prays shall never feel what he fears and prays against Fifthly 5 Dir. Make sure of Faith I mean true saving justifying Faith where that is yea but the least dram of it there shall be no Condemnation It secures from this both as 't is the Grace which unites to Christ and also as 't is the great condition of the Gospel upon which it promises life and salvation Unbelief is the damning Sin and Faith is the saving Grace If thou be'st a sincere Believer 't is not only thou shalt not be condemned but thou shalt most certainly be saved both are sure from the frequent often repeated declarations attestations promises of the word the whole Gospel-revelation centers in this God is as gracious to acquit justifie save the Believer as he is righteous to charge punish condemn the Unbeliever He * Gratia Dei speranda est acceptanda ad normam propositum miserentis Dei reque enim convenit or quiâ—condemnationis reusest formulas Gratiae praescribat ei à quo justè potest condemnari sed requiritur ut praescriptum Gratiae ab allo accipiat grato animo amplectatur Muscul in praefat ad Ep. ad Rom. may set down what condition or conditions he pleases in order to the giving out of his grace which when they are performed he is engaged to make good what he promises upon them O therefore get faith for this is the grand Gospel-condition if you believe not the Gospel it self cannot save you if you believe the Law it self cannot condemn you I do not enlarge upon these things 6 Dir. because that Direction which is proper to the Text is this As you desire No-condemnation get into Christ so as to be in Christ Jesus For they and they only are the persons who are out of the danger of Condemnation The Priviledge and the Subject are of the same extent and latitude just so many as are in Christ are safe and no more If thou beest one of these do not fear if otherwise do not flatter thy self with false presumptuous and ungrounded hopes All that were not in the Ark perished in the common Deluge all out of Christ are lost When 't is a Christ 't is no Condemnation when 't is no Christ 't is nothing but Condemnation When the guilty pursued Malefactor had got into the City of Refuge then he was secure O thou poor awakened Sinner fly to Christ 't is for the life of thy precious Soul and get into Christ the alone City of Refuge for the poor guilty Creature then Guilt many pursue thee but it shall never hurt thee And here I would admonish all to take up with nothing short of Vnion with Christ You are members of the Church but are you members of Christ you are joyned to the Church upon Baptism but are you joyned to Christ by a true and lively faith here lies your security from Condemnation The first Adam hath brought Guilt upon us and consequently Death how we being united to him So the second Adam frees us from this and makes over righteousness to us how in the same way and upon the same ground viz we being united to him without this all that Christ is hath done or suffered will avail us nothing But I shall more fully insist upon this in that which will follow VSE 3. Believers are to admire God for exemption from Condemnation Thirdly I would speak to those who are in Christ to excite them to be very thankful and highly to admire the Grace of God What No condemnation not one condemnation O the riches the heighths bredths depths lengths of the love of God! How should such be even astonished because of this inexpressible mercy They who deserve millions of condemnations that yet there is not one condemnation belonging to them they that have in them matter enough to condemn them over and over that yet they shall never be condemned how should God be admired by those to whom this blessedness belongs Such as are not in this state how should they be filled with self-awakening thoughts such as are in this state how should they be filled with God-admiring thoughts O you that are in Christ what will you think of this happiness when you shall see it accomplished the truth is as Sinners will never know nor ever be suitably affected with their misery till they feel it in Hell so the Saints will never know or be suitably affected with their happiness till that day shall come wherein they shall be put into the possession of it in Heaven When God shall pick and single you out of the common crowd and shall say I here acquit you before all the world from all your guilt I here pronounce you to be righteous persons and I will by no means pass a condemnatory sentence upon you though I know what I might have done to you and what I will do to others I say when it shall come to this how will your Souls be drawn out and if you had a thousand more Souls how would they all be drawn out in the adoring and magnifying of the Grace of God! But something should be done now whilst you are here though but in the hopes and expectation of this felicity Where there is no condemnation there should be much thankfulness How doth the Traitor admire the grace and clemency of his Prince who sends him a pardon when he expected his tryal and sentence to dye And as you must be thankful to God the Father so in special to Jesus Christ 't is he * 1 Thes 1.10 who hath saved you from wrath to come 't is he who was willing to be condemned himself that he might free you from condemnation judgment passed upon him * Is 53.8 he was taken from prison and from judgment that it might not pass upon you he was * Gal. 3.13 made a curse that he might deliver you from the curse when Adam had entail'd guilt and wrath upon you Christ came and cut off this sad entail and procur'd justification for you * Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one judgment came upon all to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all to justification of life 'T is upon Vnion with him that there is no condemnation to you O let your whole Soul go out in thankfulness to Christ He as your Surety paid your debt else you had been arrested and thrown into prison forever in him there was nothing to deserve condemnation and yet he
To excite all to get into Christ Use 3. Some Directions in order to it Use 4. Several Duties pressed upon those who are in Christ Use 5. Comfort to such in Eleven Particulars TWo things have been observed in these Words the Priviledge and the Subjects of that Priviledge I have done with the First and go on now to the Second Here is no Condemnation a very high and glorious Priviledge who are the Persons to whom it belongs Such as are in Christ Jesus This I have hitherto but touch'd upon in the General but am now to fall upon the more particular opening of it To them which are in Christ Jesus Here are the two great Names or Titles of our blessed Lord Christ with respect to God Jesus with respect to us he is Gods Christ and our Jesus Gods Anointed and our Saviour But I do not intend in the least to stay upon these Titles I 'le only speak to that one thing which here lies before me viz. being in Christ Jesus To them which are in Christ Jesus So we fill it up but in the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Original 't is only to them in Christ Jesus The Words are descriptive the Apostle doth not design in them to set down the Meritorious Cause of Non-condemnation no not with respect to Christ himself but only to describe the Persons who have an interest therein for he doth not say there is no Condemnation because of Christ or through Christ though that be very true but there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ I grant that something argumentative may be fetch'd out of them but in their first and main scope they are descriptive Qu. What is it to be in Christ Jesus What it is to be in Christ opened Answ 'T is * Qui sunt in Christo i. e. qui credunt in Christum per fidem ei sunt insiti Piscat in Schol. So. Beza Esse in Christo Jesu est fide Christo adhaerere Spiritu insitus esse ut membrum Capiti Pare Conjunctis fide cum Christo Jesu Vatabl. Qui sunt incorporati per fidem dilectionem fidei Sacramentum Aquin generally opened by that mystical Vnion which is betwixt Christ and Believers through the Spirit and Faith To be in Christ 't is to be ingrafted incorporated mystically united unto Christ This Vnion in Scripture is set forth sometimes by the Saints being in Christ sometimes by Christs being in them Sometimes I say by their being in Christ So here in the Text and so in several other places 1 Joh. 5.20 We are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus c. Then 't is also set forth by Christs being in them 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Christ is in you except you be Reprobates Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory Rom. 8.10 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin c. The difference betwixt Saints Being in Christ and Christs Being in them Now I conceive these two Expressions do both point to one and the same thing viz. to the Spiritual and Mystical Vnion betwixt Christ and Believers Yet possibly as to some Modes and Circumstances there may be some difference betwixt them Which a Reverend Person in a late * Mount Pisgah pag. 22. Treatise thus sets forth Christ is in the Believer by his Spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 1 Cor. 12.13 the Believer is in Christ by Faith Joh. 1.12 Christ is in the Believer by Inhabitation Eph. 3.17 the Believer is in Christ by Implantation Joh. 15.2 Rom. 6 3. Christ is in the Believer as the head is in the body Col. 1.18 as the root is in the branches Joh. 15.5 Believers are in Christ as the members are in the head Eph. 1.23 as the branches are in the root Joh. 15.7 Christ in the Believer implyeth Life and Influence from Christ Col. 3.4 1 Pet. 2.5 the Believer in Christ implieth communion and fellowship with Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 When Christ is said to be in the Believer we are to understand it in reference to Sanctification when the Believer is said to be in Christ it is in Order to Justification Further this Vnion in Scripture is set forth sometimes by the Saints abiding in Christ and Christs abiding in them Joh. 15.4 Abide in me and I in you 1 Joh. 3.24 Hereby we know that he abideth in us c. Sometimes by their dwelling in Christ and Christs dwelling in them 1 Joh. 4.13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit Joh. 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Sometimes by Christs living in them Gal 2.20 c Yet not I but Christ liveth in me Sometimes by that Oneness that is betwixt Christ and them Joh. 17.21 22. And some make that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that gathering together in one all things in Christ Eph. 1.10 to point to this Vnion I dispute not about that but certainly this is that which is here held forth when the Apostle saith there is no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus It being so my business then will be as God shall assist to discourse of that admirable and glorious Vnion which is betwixt Christ and Believers 'T is a very high and noble and excellent Argument O that I may in some measure reach the greatness spiritualness and glory of it I will not at all insist upon the proving of the Thing viz. that some persons are in Christ or that there is this blessed Vnion 'twixt Christ and Saints for the Scriptures ' forementioned sufficiently prove it and I do not meet with any who deny it Though there are some different Notions about it and some different Explications of it yet all grant there is such a thing So that my only work will be first to open and then to apply it And indeed there 's great need of the former Vnion with Christ a great Mystery because this Vnion is a very profound and abstruse point 't is a mystery a very great mystery a truth which lyes very deep and is not easily to be understood All believe it but few understand it all grant the quod sit but for the quid sit how much are the most knowing persons in the dark about it The Apostle speaking of it calls it a great mystery Eph. 5.32 and Col. 1.27 he sets it forth by the riches of the glory of this mystery what 's that why Christ in you the hope of glory Indeed 't is such a mystery as that we shall never fully understand it till we come to Heaven where all mysteries shall be unfolded and particularly this of the mystical
Hominem in Personam But now in the Mystical Vnion 't is otherwise there 't is the Vnion of Persons but not Personal Vnion this I 'le endeavour to clear as well as I can In the Mystical Vnion there is the Vnion of Persons the Person of Christ is united to the Person of the Believer and the Person of the Believer is united to the Person of Christ For Faith being the uniting grace and this faith receiving the Person of Christ * Joh. 1.12 Faith is a receiving of Christ himself we cannot receive the benefits that come by him without receiving of himself as in Marriage the Consent is I take thee not I take thine c. Vines on the Sacram. p. 120. To as many as received him c it must also unite to the Person of Christ In the Marriage-Vnion 't is person joyned to person and so 't is in the Mystical Vnion also How is a Believer said to be in Christ it cannot so properly be said that he is in the graces or in the comforts or in the gifts of Christ but the meaning is he is in the Person of Christ so that this is an Union of Persons For further this Vnion doth not lye only in some moral or spiritual acts qualities or gracious indowments as oneness of will or oneness of disposition c. but it lies in the Oneness of Persons And therefore * Nostra ipsius conjunctio non miscet Personas nec confundit substantias sed affectus consociat confaederat voluntates Cypr. Cyprian's explication of this Vnion with Christ is not full enough Our Vnion saith he with Christ does not mingle Persons nor confound Substances so far very true but it unites affections and wills if he meant that this was all then 't is conceived he came short there is more in it than so for there is besides this uniting of the Affections and Will the uniting though not the mingling of Persons The Father Son and Spirit are one not only in respect of Consent as some most falsely tell us but also in respect of Nature and Essence Now far be it from me to say that Christ and the Saints are one in this sense yet withall I say even between them there is an higher Vnion than barely that of oneness of affection and will I say no more than what * Vide Zanch. in Cap. 5. ad Eph. p. 245. Polan Synt. Theol. Lib. 6. cap. 35. p. 454. Hujus Unionis interventu fit ut tum Beneficiorum Christi tum Substantiae ipsius fiamus participes quia beneficia omnia vis illa vivifica quae animas nostras sustentat in vitam aeternam non possunt à Corpore Sanguine Christi cui inhaerent adeoque ab ipso Christo divelli Trelcat Inst Theol. Lib. 2. p. 189. Bucan L. C. 48. p. 818 819. 'T is not an Union of Christ with a Believer in Accidents only as in Opinion Affection in Consent of Mind and Heart or in likeness of Disposition and Conversation but it is an Union of Substances Essences Persons As Mr. Perkins saith the Person of him that believeth is united to the Person of Christ Reyn. Praec p 49. Others who write upon this Argument generally say But that you may not go too high I add this Vnion is not Personal 't is but Mystical not Personal For then Christ and the Believer would properly and physically make but one person and then it would be so many Believers so many Christs and then the Believer would have no subsistence but in Christ as the Humane Nature of Christ hath no subsistence but what it hath in the Godhead and then he would merit in what he did as Christ quà Man did by virtue of the Personal Vnion Therefore we must conclude that though here is an Vnion of Persons the Person of Christ in a mystical way being united to the person of Believers yet here is not any Personal Vnion they both notwithstanding this remaining several and distinct Persons These things may seem as indeed they are abstruse and dark to you I 'le come to that which will be somewhat more plain and easie For the further Explication of this Great Mystery there are Three Things which I 'le speak to 1. I 'le endeavour to open the several Kinds or Branches of that Vnion which is betwixt Christ and Believers 2. I 'le give you those Scriptural Resemblances by which 't is shadowed and set forth 3. I 'le give you the several Properties of it Vnion Mystical Legal Moral 1. First Let me open the several Kinds or Branches of this Vnion 'T is Threefold Mystical Legal and Moral A Believer is united to Christ three ways Mystically Legally Morally Take any of these singly and they will not be enough comprehensive but take them jointly so there 's all in them Of the Mystical Vnion 1. First there 's the Mystical Vnion so we usually call it Which may be thus * Vide Bodium in Ephes 5.28 p. 786. more fully describing of it describ'd 'T is that supernatural spiritual intimous Oneness and Conjunction which is betwixt the Person of Christ and the Persons of Believers through the Bond of the Spirit and Faith upon which there follows mutual and reciprocal Communion each with the other If this Description be taken in pieces it contains in it the most considerable things to be known about the Mystical Vnion For 1. Here is the proper General Nature of it viz. Oneness and Conjunction Christ and Saints are united how why in respect of that Oneness and Conjunction that is betwixt them This the Scripture-Expressions do mainly refer to and clearly hold forth They are said to be in Christ and Christ in them they are said to dwell in Christ and Christ in them to abide in Christ and Christ in them to be one with Christ as he is one with the Father the several Scriptures which speak to these things have been already cited They are further said to be (a) 1 Cor. 6.17 joyned to the Lord and to be one Spirit to be (b) Eph. 5.31 32. one flesh Christ (c) Gal. 2.20 lives in them he is the (d) Eph. 1.22 Head they the Members he the (e) Joh. 15.5 Root they the Branches he the (f) 1 Cor. 3.9 11. Foundation they the Building he the (g) Eph. 5.28 c. Husband they the Wife All these expressions I say point to that Oneness and Conjunction which is betwixt Christ and Believers in which the General Nature of the Mystical Vnion doth consist 2. Here 's the Qualities or Properties of this Vnion 't is a supernatural spiritual intimous Vnion to which I shall speak by and by 3. Here 's the Subjects of this Vnion Christ and Believers And that too is set down with this modification the Oneness and Conjunction is betwixt the Person of Christ and the Persons of Believers of which before 4. Here 's the Media or
justificari nisi ci inseramur uniamur unus spiritus cum eo fiâ—mus Sâ—â—eso the first Adam could do us no hurt were we not descended out of his loyns and in him as our common head and so the second Adam can do us no good unless we be made One with him and in him as our head also If we so be then there shall be gracious communications most blessed derivations from him but if not none of these can be looked for And who would not now desire to be in Christ who would not purchase this priviledge with a world nay who would not give ten thousand worlds for it O that you would all make sure of it Do not trouble your heads with curious enquiries into some difficulties about this union but let this be your business to make sure of the thing The poor low-gifted Christian may get it though the highest gifted man cannot grasp it VSE 3. Directions how to get into Christ But I must direct as well as perswade Methinks I hear some saying How may this blessed Vnion be attained what shall we do that we may be in the number of those who are in Christ Jesus For answer to this I must again refer you to its double bond and ligament the Spirit and Faith and advise you to get both of them Would you have Christ to be one with you then get the Spirit would you be one with Christ then get Faith 1. First get the Spirit which may be done by attendance upon the Word and by Prayer Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the Hearing of Faith the Apostle means the Hearing of the Gospel or the Evangelical Doctrine The Gospel doth highly conduce to the obtaining of the Spirit for 't is the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Do any therefore want this Spirit let them wait upon the Gospel dispensation and publication and through the Grace of God attending that Dispensation they shall have it Let me also recommend Prayer as an excellent means for the procuring of the Spirit O Sirs what will bring you into Christ but the Spirit and what will bring the Spirit into you but Prayer you should be praying for the Spirit though you cannot as yet pray with the Spirit O that you would often go to God and plead with him for the giving of it to you Say Lord we read if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his now Lord we dread the thoughts of being none of Christs O to be out of Christ is a woful state and we perceive that is our state till we have thy Spirit we hear 't is the Spirit that knits the Soul to Christ till therefore we are partakers of it we cannot be knit to him wherefore we beseech thee to give it to us O whatever thou deniest to us do not deny us this good Spirit Thou hast promised * Luk. 11.13 to give thy Spirit to them that ask him Lord upon our bended knees we ask him of thee O now make good thy promise to us I say do you but thus pray and the thing shall be done a good God never denies his good Spirit to the good Seeker of it 2. Get Faith also This is a Grace highly precious and excellent the Apostle Peter speaks of several precious things and Faith is one of them 't is precious blood 1 Pet. 1.19 't is precious Christ 1 Pet. 2.7 't is precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 and 't is also precious Faith 2 Pet. 1.1 Now amongst many other things which make it so precious this is one 't is the * Fidei Gratia incomparabilis haec est quod animam copulat cum Christo sicut sponsam cum sponso c. Luther tom 1.466 Grace which unites to Christ The woman consenting to take the man for her Husband upon that the matrimonial union follows so the Sinner consenting to the receiving and obeying of Christ which is one great act of Faith upon this he is united to him this I say makes Faith so precious O this is one of Faith's royal excellences nothing puts a greater worth and glory upon it than this great effect Well then see that you make sure of it are you yet without it in the sad state of unbelief You have no share in and can make no claim to this Mystical Union so long as 't is thus with you you must be put into another state and become true Believers then 't will be well These are the only persons who are in Christ we who believe are in him that is true 1 Joh. 5.20 For whom did Christ ask of his Father that they may be one even as we are one 't was for them that should believe on him Joh. 17.20 c. Therefore let it be your great endeavour to be Believers for let me tell you in the very first moment of believing you will actually be the members of Christ the Soul is in Christ as soon as ever Faith is in it I 'le say no more but only add this As you desire to get Faith first get the Spirit for if you once come to have that Spirit he will most infallibly work Faith in you Of all the several Graces he will not let that be wanting wherever he is The Vses hitherto have been General VSE 4. Several things press'd upon those who are in Christ To admire the Love of God I shall now more particularly direct my self to those who are in Christ Jesus And first is it thus with any of you that you are indeed taken into this near Vnion with Christ how should you admire the love of God! I here consider God personally and so I would excite you to admire the Love of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost for indeed all the Persons have a great hand in this Vnion and the love of each of them in it is very admirable The Father first lays the foundation of it and then he orders the accomplishment of it therefore 't is said 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him i.e. of God the Father are ye in Christ Jesus c. and he also is said to call unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 The Son is willing to be One with you what a condescension is that and he is the person in whom the Vnion is primarily terminated Then the Holy Ghost brings it about as one great Agent therein So that all the three Persons are concerned in the Mystical Union 't is to the Son by the Will of the Father through the agency and operation of the Spirit O let Father Son and Spirit all be adored by you Which that I may the more effectually perswade you to let the Thing it self be considered and how you stand in reference to it To be in Christ Jesus so nearly so indissolubly united to him what mercy is this There are in the Vnion many things of a
Christ being your head why do you not live under more constant more free and full derivations from him Why is not this Union improved as a standing cordial in and against those faintings and despondencies of Spirit which sometimes you lye under why is not this more pleaded with God in the midst of sad thoughts and misgivings of heart many other things might be instanc'd in 'T is too much a truth all other Vnions are better improved than this great Mystical Vnion with Christ the branch makes the best of the root and draws from it as though it would exhaust all its life and vertue O that we could carry it so to Jesus Christ even to draw from him as though we would draw him dry if such a thing was possible We say in Philosophy * Unumquodque quò propâ—ùs accedit Causae primae eò abundantiùs recipit the nearer any thing comes to the first Cause the more abundantly it doth receive from it as the nearer a thing is to the Sun the more it doth participate of its light and heat now you Believers are very nigh to Christ * Coloss 1.19 in whom all fulness dwells you are even in him O what full supplies of Grace should you be fetching from him upon all occasions why should they want or what should they want who are not only at the fountain but in it 5. Such as are in Christ must be very humble To be humble Christians your Vnion is very high but your Spirits should be very low High alliances are apt to puff men up you are highly allied indeed Christ is your Head your Husband your Brother he and you are * Heb. 2.11 all of one yet be not proud When the Apostle was speaking of the ingrafting of the Gentile-believers into Christ he adds Others by unbelief are broken off you stand by Faith be not high minded but fear Rom. 11.20 the same I say to you O ascribe nothing to your selves do not entertain or give way to any self-exalting thoughts never think you can subsist by your selves live under a constant sense of your dependance upon Christ let there not be a thought in you that Christ is in the least beholden to you 't is the root which bears you you do not bear the root Rom. 11.18 You are one with Christ yet you come infinitely short of him he is in you yet above you 't would be pride of the first magnitude to equalize your selves with him Especially never think that because of this Union you can merit any thing of God The Papists would fain prove the Saints meriting in what they do from their Union with Christ but 't is a weak proving of it and our Divines give a good reason against it because the Vnion betwixt Christ and Believers is only mystical and not personal now 't is the personal Vnion only that is the ground of merit O * Luke 17.10 when you have done all say you are unprofitable How unprofitable then are you when you do so little nay when you do nothing at all as you ought to do 6. Be very holy They who are joyned to such an head To be holy how should they live what holiness can be high enough for such an Vnion Will you pretend to be in Christ and yet live in Sin will you dishonour Christ your head by a loose vain unholy unsuitable conversation How should they * 1 Pet. 2.9 shew forth the vertues of Christ who are the members of Christ Methinks this Union with him should greatly sharpen the Soul against Sin and cause it to repel all temptations and sollicitations thereunto with an holy detestation as he once did * Gen. 39.9 How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God what I a member of Christ one with Christ shall I do so and so As for Others who belong to a degenerate root they will bring forth degenerate fruit but I who am ingrafted into so noble so excellent a stock shall I bring forth no better fruit This precious Soul which was so immediately created by God and is so immediately united to Christ shall that be prostituted to Sin and Sathan This Body too hath its share in this Union and shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot 1 Cor. 6.15 Surely such who are one with Christ should in all things be like to Christ where there is union and communion there should be conformity Christians if you live as Others do you will make the world to question whether there be such a thing as union with Christ or at least to think but meanly of it O therefore as you have received Christ so walk ye in him Col. 2.7 'T is Obedience and holy walking which must evidence your union to others to your selves 1 Joh. 3.4 He that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us And the Union it self calls for it 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked O how should they live who live in Christ and * Gal. 2.20 To be heavenly minded he in them 7. Are you in Christ then be heavenly minded Such as are in him should be much with him in the heavenliness of their thoughts and affections Our Vnion is with our Lord in Heaven and our * Phil. 3.20 conversation should be with him in heaven also our * Col. 3.1 head is there and our * Matth. 6.21 treasure is there should not our hearts be there also what a contradiction is an earthly conversation to the heavenly union how sad a thing is it that a Believer who is so near to Christ should yet live at so great a distance from him and carry it as though he was rather in the world than in Christ Jesus If thou beest glewed to Christ do not live as one who is glewed to the world 8. Be fruitful and very fruitful To be fruitful he that abideth in me bringeth forth much fruit Joh. 15.4 Christ saith it is so sure I am it should be so If you be branches ingrafted into Christ there 's a special obligation lying upon you to be very fruitful for else you will disparage your root and also frustrate the expectations of him who lays out much cost upon you in order to your fruitfulness The Husbandman God the Father looks for much fruit from such as you and if you do not answer his expectations hee 'l purge you that is hee 'l lay some sharp afflictions upon you and thereby make you to bring forth more fruit He will not take you away as he doth those who are only externally in Christ or cast you out for the fire but hee 'l afflict you to some purpose This is our Saviours own awakening Doctrine Joh. 15.2 The promise is Psal 92.13
with respect to the Non-condemnation and also to the Being in Christ This Clause is descriptive of the persons who have an interest or share in that which goes before and so 't is an evidence or description either with respect to the No-condemnation or to the being in Christ There is therefore now no condemnation to whom why to them who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Wherever there is an holy conversation in this life there shall be no condemnation in the life to come and so vice versâ Or it refers to the other branch immediately foregoing to them that are in Christ Jesus who are they or how may they be known the Apostle thus characterizeth them they are such who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit An holy spiritual course is an infallible evidence and inseparable concomitant of Vnion with Christ These two may reciprocally be predicated each of the other thus they who are in Christ walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and They who thus walk are in Christ You may take the Words in which of these two references you please but their immediate conjunction seems to carry it for the latter they being link'd and coupled with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that are in Christ Jesus but both may very well be taken in Which way soever we take it certainly there is as to both a restriction and limitation in the Words the Non-condemnation and the Vnion belong onely to those who walk not after the Flesh c. Yea they are conditional as to the priviledge even to them who are in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation to such provided or upon this condition that they walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and so the * Non est igitur ulla damnatio eis qui sunt in fide Jesu Christi dummodò se exerceant non in his quae propria sunt carnis sed in his quae propria sunt Spiritus Vers Arab. Arabick Version paraphraseth upon them Why the Apostle singles out this Character The Apostle designing to describe such who are freed from condemnation or such who are in Christ he pitches upon that evidence and character which is plain and obvious and not upon that which might have been more dark obscure and hard to be understood He grounds it upon the course of a man's life and conversation and what may better be known than that He does not lay it upon Election or the secret Decree of God and say there is no condemnation to them whom God hath * Eph. 1.4 chosen before the foundation of the world to them whom God hath * Act. 13.48 ordained to eternal life whose names are * Rev. 13.8 written in the book of life though that be a very great truth but because persons possibly herein might not be so well able to judge of themselves therefore he saith there is no condemnation to them who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit This walking is a thing that is manifest and easie to be known I cannot so easily find out my Election for that lies deep and hid as I can my Conversation which in a great measure is expos'd to the view of others much more to my own And whereas the Apostle had been speaking of Vnion with Christ that being a great mystery and men might not so well know how to judge of themselves concerning it therefore he comes to that which would fully and plainly open it to them He saith whoever they be who are in Christ this is the course they take they walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit They that can find which upon faithful searching may easily be found that they do not live the carnal and sensual life but the holy and spiritual life though this being in Christ be a great mystery in it self yet this walking will clear it up to them so far as their interest in it is concern'd that they are indeed in Christ What Walking imports Who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit 'T is a very usual Metaphor in Scripture to set forth the course of life by walking * Gen. 5.24 Enoch walked with God c. i. e. the course of his life was holy * Gen. 17.1 I am God Allfufficient walk before me and be perfect * Luk. 1.6 Zachary and Elizabeth were righteous walking in all the commandements and ordinances of God blameless with very many such places That which in this Verse is called walking after the flesh in the 12 and 13 Verses 't is called living after the flesh I might in several particulars shew you the aptness of this Metaphor how proper it is to set forth the course of life but I will not stay upon that This branch of the Text leads me to that Second Observation which I raised from the whole Verse at my entrance upon it namely That such who are in Christ and thereby freed from Condemnation 2 Observ this is their property or course they walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit In the discussing of which my main work will be to open the twofold Walking here mentioned Yet before I fall upon that let me take notice of Seven or Eight things which lie very plainly before us in the Words Eight things premisâ—d for the clearing up of the Words and of the Observation 1. The Apostle does not say There is therefore now no condemnation to them in whom there is no Flesh or to them who have no Flesh in them but he saith to them who walk not after the Flesh Alas if the Former should be the description and character of justified persons and of such who are in Christ then none would be justified or in Christ there would not be so much as any one person in the world exempted from condemnation or united to Christ for there 's not a man upon the earth I except not * Rom. 3.10 one in whom there is not more or less of this Flesh The very best of Saints in their lower state are not wholly freed from it the most spiritual whilst here below are but mixt imperfect creatures made up partly of Flesh and partly of Spirit so 't is in the natural and so 't is in the moral notion also Paul himself lay under a sad sense of this as you see Rom. 7.14 25 'T is most truly said by (a) Elton upon the Text. One upon the words Perfect sanctification is the rule that is to be laid to the Saints in heaven not to those that are upon the face of the earth And 't is a saying of Bernard Velis nolis intra fines tuos habitabit Jebusaeus the poor burdened Christian whether he will or no shall have the Jebusite the Flesh dwelling in him Men before conversion are entirely Flesh but they are not after conversion entirely Spirit The Apostle here saith There is now
no condemnation but he doth not say there is now no corrupion no flesh no (b) Et ne putares hoc posteâ— futurum ideo additum est Nunc postea expecta illud ut nec concupiscentia sit in te contra quam contendas quia nec ipsa erit Anselm concupiscence in the Children of God It shall be so hereafter but 't is not so at present no that perfect freedome from all mixtures of Flesh is reserved for heaven And therefore (c) Nihil absurdius nequo magis falsum dici potest Origenis in hunc locum expositione qui haec de iis dici vult qui sunt inquit ita emendati ut in seipsis nihil vitiosi operis inveniatur i. e. de iis qui uno excepto Christo nusquam unquam fuerunt neque sunt futuri Beza Origen's Gloss upon the Words is much too high There 's no condemnation to them who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit that is saith he to them who are so reformed and rectified that there is nothing of sin of any vitious act or of Flesh to be found in them But who Christ only excepted did ever arrive at this pitch and measure of holiness and spiritualness here on earth There is not only Flesh in the best but that is very stirring active and powerful even in them It hath not only a bare being or existence in them but a great activity and strength the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 These two opposite principles like Rebecca's twins in the womb are daily contending in the gracious Soul each against the other and this combat will continue till the Saint be in heaven 'T is well therefore that the Apostle grounds his description not upon the * Secundum Spiritum ambulare dicit non qui penitus exucrint omnes Carnis sensus ut tota eorum vita praeter coelesten perfectionem nihil redoleat sed qui in domandâ mortificandâ Caâ—ne sedulò laborant Calvin Omnes Carnem habent violentiam Peccati in se sentiunt tamen modò ei non obediant sed Spiritu actiones carnis mortificent nulla est eis condemnatio Pareus Attendendum est non dicere Apostolum sublatum in nobis esse peccatum utpote regeneratis sed nullam condemnationem in nobis superesse quia summa perâ—ectissima Naturae nostrae in Filio Dei integritas nostra facta per nostram cum ipso per sidem spiritualiter apprehenso unitionem nos jam nunc licet vix ab illâ nativâ corruptione liberari coeptos sistit in sese apud Patris tribunal prorsus integros securos Beza Non dicit Qui non peccant c. Vide Muscul in loc p. 120. not having of flesh but upon the not walking after the flesh which are two very different things 2. He doth not lay his Evidence upon particular Acts but upon the general Course not upon particular Steps but upon Walking which notes the continued uniform course of life In the tryal of our selves about our Union with Christ or freedome from condemnation or the truth of grace we are not to judge so much by single acts as by the general course The reason is because the State whether present or future may infallibly be known by the latter but it cannot be so by the former for as to some single acts the bad may be very good and the good may be very bad The best sometimes tread awry and take some steps too many God knows in the way of the Flesh of which Noah's drunkenness Lot's incest David's adultery c. are too sad proofs but yet they do not walk after the Flesh because this is not their general course And on the other hand the worst may seem to take a step or two now and then in the way of duty to come up to some particular good acts Cain sacrificed Ahab humbled himself Judas preached Christ c. but yet they do not walk after the Spirit both because they are not thorough and sincere in the good they do and also because 't is not their course to do good The coursest web here and there may have some finer threads in it but they are nothing to the whole piece Even the blackest Moors have their white teeth yet the whole body being black from that they receive their denomination the application is obvious That which constitutes this walking after the Flesh or after the Spirit is a constant continued uniform course of life and therefore this is that which we must judge by A godly man indeed is and ought to be careful as to his particular steps David pray'd * Psal 119.133 Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me but that which doth denominate him to be godly it is that course of godliness which he drives on in his whole life and this is that which must evidence his being in Christ Every * Aliud est peccare etiam actu aliud in peccato ambulare h. e. eo delectâ—ri illi operam dare eique maxime servire Gomar Qui Spiritum sequitur ducem quamvis interdum à Carne quasi pertractus extra viam vestigium ponat secundum tamen Carnem vivere non dicitur Beza Non protenùs secundum Carnem ambulat qui imprudens aut affectu aliquo abreptus delinquit Lapsus hic est vel cespitatio quaedam non ambulatio c. Slichting Fidelis seipsum omnes suas naturales facultates subdidit Magisterio Spiritus secundum ìâ—lum ambulat Sed dum ambulat in Obedientiâ Spiritus violentis motibus inhabitants Carnis per externa objecta externas occasiones excitatis ita obruitur ut labatur vincatur atque ita dictamen Carnis aliquando sequatur Sic fuit cum Noah c. Streso fleshly act doth not constitute fleshly walking though even they must be avoided as much as may be and greatly repented of when they do prevail but when the conversation is filled up with them and the heart too delights in them O that is to walk after the Flesh And so it is è contrà as to walking after the Spirit 3. This Spiritual walking is not redditio causae but onely descriptio personae or the Words are not the assignation of the cause of the priviledge but onely the description of the person to whom it belongs Here is walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit how doth this come in I answer the Apostle doth not assign this as the cause of the Non-condemnation as the (a) Causa haec est cur non sic eis damnationis c. Tolets Ut haec posteriora causam contineant cur nihil condemnationis c. Justin Vide Stapl. Antidor p. 624 625. Contzen in V. 2. Cap. 8. ad Rom. Quaest 2. Popish Doctors teach or of the union with Christ onely he brings it in as a description of the person who is freed from condemnation
the Apostle in these words contrary as to their propensions tendencies workings lustings in the Subject Oh they put men upon different courses so different as that in their proper acceptation they cannot consist insomuch that he who walks after the flesh cannot walk after the spirit neither can he who walks after the spirit walk after the flesh A man cannot move to two contrary points as East and West North and South at the same time no more can a man walk heaven-ward and hell-ward at the same time now the Flesh draws hell-ward and the Spirit draws heaven-ward so that it is impossible in sensu composito to follow both These are the two opposite Masters which none can serve together Matth 6.24 Friendship with the Flesh is enmity to the Spirit whoever therefore will be a friend of the Flesh he must be an enemy to the Spirit I allude to James 4.4 6. The Order of the things here spoken of is to be observed First 'tis being in Christ Jesus and then 't is walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit this I may briefly take notice of though it be not the thing here directly intended There must be union with Christ before there can be spiritual walking for walking is an act or operation of life dead things do not move there can be no motion where there is no life Especially spiritual and holy walking depends upon life but now there is no such life in the soul till being united to Christ it be quickened by him He who is out of Christ cannot live the holy life for 't is union with him that lays the foundation of all holiness in us The branch must first be ingrafted into the stock and then it bears fruit so here Therefore saith Christ Joh 15.4 5. Abide in me and I in you As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing Holiness is the evidence of Vnion so it comes in in the Text and Vnion is the ground of Holiness so it comes in in this Head Holy walking is an infallible consequent upon being in Christ and that is a necessary antecedent to holy walking 7. 'T is imply'd That there were in the Apostles time and so will be to the end of the world different Walkers some will walk after the Spirit and some after the Flesh As 't was said with respect to persecution * Gal. 4.27 As then he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now So it may be said with respect to the different conversations of men as then in Paul's days some walked after the Spirit and some after the Flesh even so it is now So long as the world stands some will be carnal as well as some spiritual the distinction of Saints and Sinners of godly and ungodly of good and bad will abide whilst this world shall abide There is the broad way of the flesh there is the strait way of the spirit in both of which some or other will always be walking And the misery is * Mat. 7.13 14. many walk in the broad way of the Flesh when but few walk in the strait way of the Spirit this may have its thousands but that hath its ten thousands 8. The Apostle expresses it in the general onely by not walking after the Flesh but after the Spirit He doth not instance in those particulars which are proper either to the one or to the other as he doth Gal. 5.17 c. onely he speaks in the gross But all the several Particulars are included in the General and run into that as all waters do into the Sea Be it pride coveteousness uncleanness c. all center in the Flesh so be it humility heavenly-mindedness holy love c. all center in the Spirit and derive their being operation efficacy from the Spirit Therefore the Apostle sets it down thus generally under the Flesh comprehending all Evil and under the Spirit all Good he sums up all the several Sins under the former and all the several Graces under the latter These things being premis'd I come now to the main Point Such as are in Christ Jesus this is their property or course they walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit This I will 1. explain 2. prove 3. apply For Explication The Observ opened I must speak to the parts of the Description severally and show 1. What is meant by Flesh and by walking or not walking after it 2. What is meant by Spirit and by walking after it And as I go along I will take in the Doctrine and particularly bring down to it the several explications of the Description Negative and Affirmative What is meant by Flesh and by not walking after the Flesh I begin with the First Which that I may the better cleer up observe that there is a being in the Flesh and a walking in or after the Flesh which two though they be never parted yet they are distinct the First refers to a man's State the Second to his Course There is a being in the Flesh of which you read Rom. 7.5 For when we were in the Flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 8.8 9. So then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God but ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit c. Then there is a walking after the Flesh this inevitably follows upon and suits with the former They who are in the Flesh will certainly walk after the Flesh for the Conversation always agrees with the State Now 't is this walking which the Text speaks of You have the same expression 2 Pet. 2.10 But chiefly them that walk after the Flesh c. 't is also set forth by living after the Flesh v. 12 13. of this Chapter If you turn to one Scripture you 'l find the phrase there used in a quite other sense than that in which 't is here used 2 Cor. 10.3 explained 'T is 2 Cor. 10.3 Though we walk in the Flesh we do not war after the Flesh what may be the meaning of walking in the Flesh in this place I conceive it notes the Apostles living the * Porrò hoc loco Paulus alitèr dicit ambulare secundum carnem quam alibi cum dixit In carne ambulantes non secundum carnem militamus ibi enim in Carne ambulare est mortalem adhuc viâ—am ducere hic autem secundum Carnem ambulare idem est quod militare secundum Carnem h. e Genio ac voluptatibus indulgere pravis cupiditatibus morem gâ—râ—re Justin same nà tural life with other men and also the meanness of his external appearance
in action that 's the guide Now take Christless men the persons of whom I am speaking Flesh is the spring and Flesh is the guide of their actings if they think 't is from the corrupt Nature if they speak 't is from the corrupt Nature if they love 't is from the corrupt Nature c. and so all along this is that spring in them which makes all the wheels to move And this is that guide too by which they steer order direct their whole course And it being so their conversation must needs be a fleshly conversation or a walking after the Flesh for that is always denominated from and answerable to its principle and guide if it be a fleshly principle and a fleshly guide it must needs be a fleshly walking And thus it is with persons out of Christ they act from the flesh and by the flesh and so they are said to walk after the flesh But such who are in Christ they do not thus walk corrupt Nature is neither their principle nor their guide there is another Nature in them by which they are acted and guided viz. the Spirit as I shall shew you by and by when I come to the Affirmative part Expositors whom to cite would be endless do variously open and illustrate this walking or not walking after the Flesh but the Most do pitch upon that illustration of it which I have given This concerning Flesh in the general consideration of it But then The Flesh more particularly considered Of Lust the most natural and vital act of the Flesh Secondly It may be considered more particularly with respect to its proper radical most natural and vital act and that is Lust or lusting This Lust is the great act the most genuine issue of the Flesh the stream which does most immediately and directly flow from that fountain the most proper notion of the Flesh is to conceive of it as a lusting thing The Apostle therefore when he was speaking of it presently he puts down this as its most proper and essential act * Gal. 5.17 The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the Lusts thereof Sin here is the Flesh and you see how it works You read of the Lust of the Flesh Gal. 5.16 and of the Lusts of the Flesh Eph. 2.3 Rom. 13.14 Gal. 5.24 These Lusts I say are the most proper issue and the most genuine effects of the corrupt Nature in man Rom. 7.8 Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence or Lust Eph. 4.22 That ye put off concerning your former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts Observe how the Flesh the old man the corrupt Nature and Lust or Lusts are usually link'd and coupled together To apply this now to the walking which I am upon To walk after the Flesh 't is to live and act as under the full power and strength of unmortified Lust 't is to indulge gratifie obey and comply with the Flesh as a lusting thing or as it puts forth it self in sinful lustings The Apostle 2 Pet. 2.10 having spoken of walking after the Flesh immediately he instances in the gratifying of a particular Lust thereby shewing what that walking after the Flesh is But chiefly them that walk after the Flesh in the Lust of uncleanness c. On the other hand Not to walk after the Flesh 't is to keep Lust under to beat it down to resist it not to give way to it in whatever form or shape it may assault the Soul to live in the daily mortification of it not to suffer such hellish fire to smother and burn in the Soul to let it have no harbour or entertainment in the heart but to thrust it out with abhorrency and detestation c. this is not to walk after the Flesh But this Lust being so near to the Flesh so connatural with it that which issues from it even as heat and burning doth from the fire and the walking or not walking after the Flesh being so much to be measur'd by it I will therefore give you some further explication of it Lust in Scripture as 't is taken in a bad sense for the Spirit hath its lustings as well as the Flesh sometimes notes the habit the root it self viz. the depraved Nature sometimes the Act that cursed fruit which grows upon the forenamed cursed root The Apostle James speaks of it as the Mother sin if I may so express it Jam. 1.4 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin c. Paul speaks of it as the Daughter-sin Rom. 7.8 Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence or Lust the One considers it as the fountain the Other as the stream In this latter Notion I am to open it and so 't is the bent and propension the eager sierce vehement desire of the Soul after fleshly Objects or sensual things For Lust in its strict and primary sense mainly lies in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the desiring or concupiscible faculty therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word by which it is set forth The Soul of man is a desiring craving thirsting thing 't is a very mass of desires and there 's no faculty more natural to it or wherein it puts forth it self more vigorously than the desiring faculty Now here 's the principal seat of Lust and that which gives it its very being when the Soul is earnestly vehemently impetuously carried out after some sensual good something that will please the fleshly part if it will but do that let it be what it will this is Lust I say it refers principally to the desires as inordinately set upon and drawn out after fleshly things Therefore the Apostle couples them together the Lusts of the Flesh and the desires of the Flesh Eph. 2.3 And the other Apostle speaking of the inordinate desire of worldly pleasure and profit he expresseth it by the Lust of the flesh and the Lust of the eyes 1 Joh. 2.16 I know if you consider Lust habitually and radically there is more in it than this for so 't is the bent and propension of the Soul to whatever is evil and its aversation from whatever is good But if you consider it actually and particularly so fleshly and sensual desires are the main and most proper acts of it Here further you must distinguish of Lust or Lusts Some are more rank and gross such as lie in the sensitive and fleshly part Others are more resin'd and secret such as lie in the upper part of the Soul the Reason Mind and Will You read 2 Cor. 7.1 of the filthiness of the Flesh and of the Spirit where the Apostle describes the Lusts of the lower faculties under the filthiness of the Flesh and the Lusts of
Nature in the Soul that too may have its place here very properly for Spirit being set in opposition to the Flesh which is the depraved Nature it must have some reference to that other Nature which is opposite to this And * Spiritus sumitur pro animo regenerato per Spiritum Pareus Per spiritum intelligit novitatem Naturae effectam per regenerationem Spiritus vitiositate naturali emendatâ Piscat Vocat Carnem universam hominis naturam ut quae corrupta exciderit à priftinâ dignitate cui opponitur Spiritus eadem viz. instaurata per Spiritum Dei Beza Interpreters generally so open it 't is best therefore I say to take in both these notions of the word Spirit The natural and philosophical notion of Flesh and Spirit is Body and Soul though yet some Philosophers sometimes speak of them in a somewhat different and more restrained sense For Spirit they make to be as the whole Soul in general so sometimes only the highest part of the Soul viz. the intellectual and discursive Faculty in compliance with whom or rather with the * Vide Drussum in 1 Thes 5.23 Jewish Writers in their Nephesh Ruach and Nesama Paul seems so to use the word * 1 Thes 5.23 I pray God your whole Spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blameless c. And as to Flesh that they make to be not onely the Body it self but also the sensitive Soul that part which is void of and sets it self against Reason and refuses to be subject to the Laws and Dictates of the rational faculty Thus the * For this see Salmas in Epicl Simplic p. 116. c. Platonists and Stoicks do frequently make use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flesh onely they differ about the diversity of the Faculty where 't is seated from the reasonable faculty Now though Flesh and Spirit in the Text contain in them something higher than what this philosophical notion of them reaches yet 't is not altogether to be rejected and therefore in this discourse it will accordingly be made use of What it is to walk after the Spirit Now I come to answer the Question What is it to walk after the Spirit In general 't is to walk in the way of Spirit The Flesh hath its way and the Spirit hath its way the way of the Flesh is sin wickedness rebellion against God c. the way of the Spirit is holiness obedience righteousness c. He then that walks in the way of Sin he walks after the Flesh and he that walks in the way of Holiness he walks after the Spirit for the walking is according to the way that men go in So again To walk after the Spirit 't is to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit the Spirit hath its fruits such as Love Joy c. Gal. 5.22 and the Flesh hath its fruits several of which are recited Gal. 5.19 where the fruits of the Spirit fill up the life there 't is walking after the Spirit and so è contra as to the Flesh In short as to the general opening of it To walk after the Spirit 't is to live the holy and the spiritual life 't is to have Gods Spirit and to act in compliance with and obedience to it and 't is too to have the Divine Nature in the Soul to follow the motions and dictates of that Nature and to live in the exercise of the several Graces which grow upon that root I could very much enlarge upon this General Description but I shall chuse rather to explain the thing particularly under these Five Heads To walk after the Spirit 't is 1. To have the Spirit to be the principle of acting 2. To have the Spirit to be the guide of life and to follow its guidance 3. To have those affections which are proper to and suit with the Spirit 4. To live under and to close with holy inclinations and propensions to what is good 5. To act for spiritual Ends. Here I instance in more particulars than I did in the opening of the Walking after the flesh but they are as applicable to that as to this and they being contraries the One will illustrate the Other I. To walk after the Spirit 't is for a person to be acted by the Spirit or to act from the Spirit as his principle That is the principle as hath been said which acts a man or from which he acts when the Spirit is this to a person so that he lives and acts by its vital quickening agency and working in him then he may be said to walk after or according to the Spirit You heard before a man walks after the flesh when the flesh is his principle and so he walks after the spirit when the spirit is his principle This is applicable to the Spirit in both of the respects which have been mentioned As 1. take it personally the Holy Spirit is in Believers as the spring and principle of their obedience and holy actings In a sober sense all others I dread and detest that which acts and animates the Saints in their course it is Gods own Spirit he is not barely in them but he is in them as a lively and active principle to actuate their Graces to quicken and excite them to all holy and spiritual acts This is a part of that walking in the spirit which you read of Gal. 5.25 If we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit as if the Apostle had said if the Spirit hath been a quickening spirit to us and hath wrought a supernatural life in us then let us walk in the Spirit that is let us all along live and act by this Spirit as our great principle Such as are in Christ they pray mortifie sin are heavenly minded love God deny themselves c. now in all these acti agunt they act as they are acted from above the Spirit on his part stirs them up to what is good and gives out his influences to them in what is good and they on their part fall in with his exciting and assisting grace in opposition to all the interposures of the flesh and so they walk after the Spirit Then 2. take the Spirit habitually for Grace or the sanctified Nature in the heart this is a secondary or subordinate principle the principium Quod as the former is principium Quo from which spiritual acts do proceed You have the Apostle speaking to this double principle Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me there 's the supreme and first principle and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God there 's the subordinate and secondary principle Faith and Love those two great branches of that general root which I am upon make all the several wheels in a gracious heart to move that which is done in the life comes from
these in the heart the spiritual walker doth all from these two Graces as his abiding principles he lives by the Faith of the Son of God and * 2 Cor. 5.14 the Love of Christ constrains him Now he who is acted by this twofold principle he is the walker after the Spirit 'Pray observe as there are two publick Heads to which all men in the world do belong the first and the second Adam and as there are two Common States under which all are and shall be comprehended at present it is the state of Nature or the state of Grace and hereafter it is the state of blessedness or the state of mistery So there are also two Common Principles by which all men in the world are acted viz the Flesh and the Spirit They that have Flesh for their principle they walk after the Flesh they that have the Spirit for their principle they walk after the Spirit So far forth as our principle is divine and spiritual so far forth is our walking divine and spiritual for that is always answerable to its principle O are you acted in your course by an inward principle is that the Spirit of God and Grace in the heart is all done by and from this Spirit this is to walk after the Spirit II. To walk after the Spirit 't is to have the Spirit for the guide of life and to follow its guidance Where there is a fleshly guide there 't is fleshly walking where there is a spiritual guide there 't is spiritual walking for the Course is denominated as from the principle so from the guide or rule And indeed the latter is in part included in the former for whatever is the principle that carries in it too the nature and use of a guide inasmuch as the action is always steered and ordered by and according to the principle but yet I consider them here as distinct I say when the Spirit is the guide and followed as the guide this is to walk after the Spirit As I may be said to walk after one when he goes before me shews me my way and I follow him step by step where he goes I go as he bids me move so I move So 't is in reference to this walking after the Spirit Thus 't is very commonly opened Ambulare secundum spiritum quid est sequi in omnibus nostris actionibus ductum Spiritus Sancti What is it to walk after the Spirit 't is for a man in all his actions and motions to follow the Spirits conduct and guidance And here too 1. God's spirit is a guiding spirit He leads directs the Soul to and in the way of holiness I say in the way of holiness for this pure and holy spirit always leads to that which is pure and holy never to that which is sinful his excitations and guidance being evermore agreeable to his Nature Psa 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God how doth God teach or guide a man to this it follows thy spirit is good good in it self and good as a guide to us lead me unto the land of uprightness Now when this Spirit is the dux viae a persons leader and guide and he follows its guidance in his conversation then his walking is right and good 'T is set forth Ver. 14. of this Chapt. by being led by the spirit As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God You read Ezek. 1.20 of the living Creatures whithersoever the Spirit was to go they went thither was their spirit to go And you read of the people of Israel Numb 9.16 As the cloud moved they moved as that stood they stood c. Thus 't is with the spiritual walker he is one who fetches his guidance from the unerring spirit and who regulates all his motions according to the spirits direction what the Spirit bids him do that he doth what the Spirit forbids him to do that he doth not he moves or stands still as this great guide directs him Let not any mistake me as though I did in this assert or advance any Enthusiasms immediate inspirations or directions from the spirit without or besides much less against the written word No God willing I shall shew the danger and vanity of such pretences when I come to the 14 v. I am for the Spirit and the * Ambulare secundum spiritum est omnes actiones qualescunque sunt dirigere instituere secundum dictamen Spiritus Sancti in Verbo in conscientiâ nostrâ secundum Verbum loquentis Sâ—râ—so Word conjunctly he guides but 't is by and in the Word and the guidance of the Word is the guidance of the Spirit He that squares his Life by the Counsels Commands Prohibitions of the Word he truly walks after the Spirit Again 2. there is the sanctified Nature which is a guide also though inferiour to the former Gal. 6.15 16. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature and as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God The New Creature or Grace is a rule 't is not onely regula regulata but in some sense also regula regulans For in subordination to the Word it shows a man what is good and directs him to and in the doing of it what is evil and how he is to shun it it leads him to those things which are suitable to its self as to love God to hate sin c. He that lives in compliance with this guide he walks not after the flesh but after the spirit III. To walk after the spirit 't is to have spiritual and heavenly Affections such as are proper to and suit with the Divine Spirit The Spirit himself wherever he dwells and the spiritual life wherever it is wrought in the Soul are always attended with spiritual affections and indeed much of the influence and efficacy of both is exerted in the spiritualizing of the affections These are always suited to the Nature the fleshly nature hath fleshly affections and the Divine nature hath Divine and spiritual affections so that the walking after the spirit or after the flesh is very much to be judged of and measured by them Doth the poor Creature love God is his delight and joy in spiritual things have they his most strong and vehement desires this is to walk after the spirit Our Apostle himself here opens the twofold walking by this Ver. 5. They that are after the flesh or who walk after the flesh mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit or who walk after the spirit mind the things of the spirit This minding the things of the flesh or of the spirit is not to be limited either to the inward acts of the Mind in the thoughts onely or to the outward endeavours but it includes and takes in the affections also Here then is the difference
Such as are after the flesh they mind i. e. they savour and relish the things of the flesh their affections are wholly set upon and drawn out after fleshly Objects their love delight desires run out altogether upon these things But they that are after the spirit they mind the things of the spirit their affections are fixed upon spiritual Objects they run in the right channel are place upon God and Christ they are in a word pure and heavenly The flesh hath carnal affections and indeed it puts forth it self very much if not most in them therefore you have it coupled with them Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts On the other hand the spirit hath its affections too but they are as contrary to the former as Heaven is to Hell 'Pray observe what the Apostle subjoins v. 25 If we live in the spirit let us walk in the spirit This walking in the spirit for it will bear this sense as well as that which I mentioned before is brought in by way of opposition to the affections and lusts of the flesh 't is as if he had said if we live in the spirit then let us not give way to those sordid affections which are of the flesh and suit with it but let our affections be such as may suit with the Holy Spirit and with that Divine Life which he hath wrought in us Where any thus walk in the spirit they walk after the spirit IV. To walk after the Spirit 't is to live under and to close with secret inclinations and propensions in the Soul to what is holy and good so that the bent byas tendency and workings of the heart are for what is good and against what is evil These two contrary principles have always contrary propensions they incline and draw contrary ways the good Spirit and the sanctified Nature are all for Obedience close walking with God the exercise of the several Graces c. there 's their tendency The evil Spirit without and the evil Nature within I put them together for they agree too well in that which I am upon they are altogether for sin they perpetually incline and urge to pride passion envy coveteousness uncleanness c. there 's their tendency And these different propensions are so far in the Saints themselves that they are the ground of that civil war and conflict which they in this Life feel so much of They are set forth by the lustings of the flesh against the spirit and of the spirit against the flesh Gal. 5.17 Now according to the strength and prevalency of these two principles and the closure of the heart with them in their different propensions and inclinations so is the Walking either after the flesh or after the spirit Let me not be misunderstood I do not speak of the meer inexistence or inbeing of these contrary propensions no nor of the prevalency of them in some particular acts for both of these may be in a Child of God and in one who walks after the Spirit as you see in Paul himself Rom. 7.23 25 I onely speak of evil propensions in their full strength when they are entire unmixt unbroken do prevail as to the general course when persons upon all occasions side with and wholly give up themselves to them where 't is so doubtles there 't is walking after the flesh But now when these are resisted and the Soul doth rather fall in with the good inclinations of the good Spirit so as to cherish obey comply with and act according to them then 't is walking after the spirit V. This walking after the Spirit consists in the spiritualness and supernaturalness of the aims and ends For the Spirit of God where ever he is always raises and elevates a man in his ends and the spiritual life too wherever it is always is attended with spiritual ends namely the glorifying of God as the supream and ultimate End and the saving of the Soul as the subordinate End Where-ever there is a supernatural principle there will also be a supernatural end for the end is always adequate and answerable to the principle as it cannot be higher so it will not be lower Men that are nothing but corrupt nature and flesh their aims are answerable to their state all that they drive at is the Flesh or Self under some fleshly consideration as they act altogether from Self some base fleshly principle so they act altogether for Self some base fleshly end the great End the glory of God is nothing to them but Flesh is all in all here 's no halting in the case this is down-right walking after the flesh But they that are spirit and have the spirit O they look higher the mark which they aim at with the greatest steà diness they can it is God's Glory You see it in Paul Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain Christ was the matter of his life and the end of his life for these two Things make the living Christ Paul was all for this as he * Ver. 20. there speaks that Christ might be greatned or magnified by him And he speaking elsewhere of the Saints in general he thus sets them forth * Rom. 14.7 8. None of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself for whether we live we live to the Lord and whether we dye we dye to the Lord whether we live or dye we are the Lords Now so far forth as any in their course come up to these high and spiritual ends so far and no farther may they be said to to walk after the Spirit Flesh always centers in flesh but grace causes a man to aspire and aim at the glory of God The spiritual Walker makes this his chief end and looks upon all other things but as means to this and herein lies the very essence of Holiness or of holy Walking Would any of you fully understand your selves so as to be able to pass decisive judgment about this let your enquiry run out here what are our Ends what is it that we mainly design and intend in our Course As every mans End hereafter happy or miserable shall be according to his walking here so every mans walking here is either spiritual or carnal according to his End Our Lord tells us Joh. 7.18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent me the same is true and no unrighteousness is in him So here he that liveth himself and of himself he seeketh himself but he that seeketh the glory of God the same is a true walker after the Spirit Thus have I shown in these five particulars what it is to walk after the Spirit Concerning which 't is not necessary that I should vouch an exact difference betwixt them I give them but as so many illustrations of the Thing and so you must take them From all that hath been spoken it
maledictione carni suae interim securè indulgens Ut ergo frustra blanditur c. Calvin Non satis est Christum ore profiteri oportet Fide per opera esfioaci Christo ahhaerere quod fit non Carnis sed Spiritus ductum sequendo in vitâ Observa secundò quòd connexam esse docet Justificationis Sanctificationis Gratiam adeò ut divelli nequeant ut frustra de priore glorietur qui posteriorem non habeat Qui igitur habâ—nas laxant carni testantur se in Christo non esse c. Hinc refutatur trita Papistarum Calumnia c. Atqui docemus cum Apostolo non esse in Christo nisi qui secundum Spiritum ambulant qui carni indulgent eos inanem Fidem profiteri c. Pareus Sunt cohaerentes quidem c. Beza this very place say that which might be enough to all ingenuous men to obviate these Calumnies But let this pass Give me leave onely in the General to vindicate our Faith in this matter and to shew that what we believe herein is not at all repugnant to this or to any other Scripture For do we hold that Believers are exempted from condemnation and shall most certainly be sav'd upon their being in Christ though they live a sinful carnal wicked life how often have our Opposers been told that we detest and abhor such an Opinion We say indeed that sanctification holiness or walking after the Spirit are not the meritorious causes of Non-condemnation that honour we give to the alone merits of our Saviour yet withall we say that whoever hath an interest in such blessedness he is a sanctified person and he must and shall live an holy life Is not this enough as much as what the Word will bear us out in Can we not be for Walking after the Spirit unless we make it to be a Cause of our justification or can we not hold imputed righteousness but we must deny inherent righteousness are these two inconsistent Our Adversaries asperse us as if we denied the latter which we do not but what may we say of them who do most certainly deny the former To go on Do not we set inherent righteousness as high as they bate but perfection and merit the First of which would make it impossible in this life as the Other would derogate from the freeness of God's grace and the fullness of Christ's merit And we appeal to the world do our Censurers with their principles live more holily than Protestants with theirs we wish we could see it Nay take the whole model and platform of their Doctrine and of ours and let the would judge which doth most tend to the * See Dr. Stillingslees of the Idolatry of the Church of Rome Chap. 3. p. 178. promoting of a strict and holy conversation Indeed if we give way to the flesh and walk after the flesh we are to be blamed for our practices but the principles of our Religion are strict holy and good In short we are for the same things which They contend for and that too in the highest measures and degrees so far as the infirmities of the present state will admit of but not upon the same grounds We are for the spiritual life as the fruit and evidence of the Vnion and as always attending the person who is in Christ and shall not be condemned but we dare not make it to be the meritorious ground or to have any causal influence upon the one or the other If this will not satisfie let our revilers revile on 3. There are but Iew who are in Christ 3. If this be the way and course of such who are in Christ that they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit it informs us then that there are but few who are in Christ or who have any interest in the Mystical Vnion I would not streighten or narrow the Grace of God or the happiness of the Creature further than the word it self doth but on the other hand I must not make them wider than that doth The most it is to be feared are out of Christ because the most do walk after the flesh 't is but here and there some few who walk after the spirit Instead of walking not after the flesh but after the spirit the generality of men walk after the flesh and not after the spirit they are in the flesh there 's their state and they walk after the flesh there 's their course O that this was not as evident as the light of the noon day This Flesh as you have heard is either the corrupt Nature in the general or more particularly 't is the corrupt Nature venting it self in and about fleshly and sensual things now in both respects how do fleshly Walkers abound As to the First what an unholy sinful life do the most live how doth the depraved Nature break forth and show it self in their whole course this is that which acts them all along by which they steer and order their conversation And as to the Second look upon the greatest number of men how sensual are they they lie tumbling and wallowing in the mire of Lust are even immers'd and swallowed up in fleshly things minding nothing so much as the pleasing of the flesh Go to them at their Tables there 's gluttony excess in eating and drinking they pamper the body whilst they starve the soul Mind them in their pursuits 't is some fleshly good they mainly drive at some fleshly interest by which they steer their course what do they most consult but the Fleshes ease and interest O that 's the thing which they make provision for that they may fulfil the lusts thereof which the Apostle so expresly forbids Rom. 13.14 their forecasts projects contrivances are for the Flesh yea all their thoughts are imployed as so many caterers or purveyours for their sensual lusts is not this walking after the flesh and is not this more or less the Walk of the most Alas as to that walking after the spirit which hath been opened how few are there that know any thing of it the generality are wholly strangers to it understanding the Angelical life in Heaven as well as the spiritual holy life of Saints here upon earth you can scarce make them believe that there is such a life so far are they from the living of it Thus 't is with the multitude and is not this then too clear an evidence too full a demonstration of the paucity of such as are in Christ O that we could bewail and lament it what more plain than that such who are in Christ do walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and what more plain too than that the body of men do walk after the Flesh and not after the Spirit Sirs let us not flatter and think too well of our selves * Ut eos omnes intelligamus esse exclusos qui Fidem Evangelium jactitant cum interim volutentur in
crassissimis vitiis c. P. Mart. Addo quòd fortasse Paulus non tam spectasse videtur vim Baptismi quâ omnis macula penitus abstergitur sed ad mores ac vitam eorum qui Christi gratia perceptâ omnes vitae suae rationes ad Christi legem exigunt atque it a pravae cupiditati nonobsequuntur Justinian we talk of Faith make our boast of the Gospel glory in our Baptism lay a great stress upon our Church priviledges when yet notwithstanding all this we are meer Flesh-pleasers our Conversations are carnal and fleshly doth not this proclaim us to be yet out of Christ VSE 2. Of Examination about our walking whither it be after the flesh or after the spirit Secondly Let me desire you to examine what your walking is whether it be after the flesh or after the spirit Is spiritual walking the property of all who are in Christ must this evidence your union with him how then doth it concern you all to judge aright about it Here are two Sorts of Walkers and every man in the world comes under the One or the Other for these two divide the world betwixt them Now where are you what is your course which of these walkings do you come under what do you follow Flesh or Spirit I told you at the first this is a thing which may be known the Apostle doth not lay the Evidence upon something that is abstruse and hard to be understood but upon that which is easie to be found out surely with a little diligence every person may know what his walking is I intreat you therefore to urge this home upon your selves O let every one say how do I walk what a kind of life do I live holy or sinful spiritual or carnal Brethren your freedom from Condemnation depends upon your Vnion with Christ will you not find out that then your Union must be known by the holiness of your walking and will you not understand your selves about this also O what a blessed thing is it when a man is clear in this so that he can frame a Syllogism upon it thus He that walks not after the flesh but after the spirit he is in Christ But I through grace am one who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit therefore I am in Christ This is a good bottom to build assurance upon these premises will bear the weight of such a conclusion be sure you take up with nothing short of this 'T is onely the spiritual life which must assure of the Mystical Vnion 1 Joh. 1.6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth 1 Joh. 2.4 5 6. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him But whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked Faith indeed is the bond of the union but holines of heart and life is the mark or evidence of it And 't is the walking which makes the Christian 't is not external profession the being of such or such a party some good religious talking but 't is the course of life which is the distinguishing character betwixt person and person O that God would direct every one of you to pass righteous judgment upon himself concerning this I need not add any thing to what hath been laid down in order to the helping of you in this Tryal The walking after the Flesh and after the Spirit have been opened and by the particulars which make up each of them you may be able to judge of your selves 'Pray go over them in your own thoughts again and again and say is the Flesh or the Spirit our principle our guide what are our affections do we savour the things of the Flesh or of the Spirit what are our secret and strongest propensions are our Ends fleshly or spiritual I say go over these things again and again and there 's no question of it but that serious and frequent examination in a little time will fully clear up the thing to you Atwofold walking after the Flesh Onely to prevent mistakes let me tell you there is a twofold walking after the Flesh One more gross and manifest the Other more close and more indiscernable The first is when the Flesh breaks forth and openly vents it self in external and bodily lusts such as adultery uncleanness drunkenness gluttony c. this is * 2 Cor. 7.1 the filthiness of the flesh The Second is when the Flesh more secretly vents it self in internal heart-lusts such as are kept in and lie smothering in the Soul as pride self-love envy coveteousness c. this is the filthiness of the Spirit the Apostle gives a Catalogue of the actings of the Flesh in both of these respects Gal. 5.19 20 c. Now here 's the mistake of men they confine walking after the flesh to the first of these the latter being little regarded by them so that if they do not live in whoredome gross intemperance open profaneness bruitish sensuality they think all is well whereas they may be free from these gross practises and yet be walkers after the flesh The corrupt Nature hath other out-lets besides these and there may be Sins ulcers within when they do not externally show themselves O be not deceived you are not possibly so and so vitious in the outward conversation but if there be within in the Heart malice hatred envy uncharitableness self exalting inordinate affections to the world coveteousness these are enough to bring you within the compass of walking after the flesh * Invidentia vitium Diabolicum quo solus Diabolus reus est c. Non enim dicitur Diabolo ut damnetur adulterium commisisti furtum fecisti c. sed homini stanti lapsus invidisti Aug. de Disc Chri. cap. 1. Devils you 'l grant are bad enough 't is because of their envy pride c. for the grosser sins of the Flesh they are not liable to them * De Civitate Dei l. 14. c. 2. Austine proves that the Stoicks that strict Sect of Philosophers were as guilty of this upon their inward unmortified corruptions as the Epicureans themselves a more debauched and sensual sort of men if they be not wrong'd for as to Epicurus himself * Against whō see Dr. Meric Casaubon of Incredulity par 1. p. 202. c. Laertius Gassendus c. give a quite other character of him Do I see one living a bruitish life wallowing in his filthy lusts laying the reynes upon the neck of his corruptions he 's drunk defiles his body lives in open wickedness c. I 'm sure this man walks after the flesh these are the works of the flesh which are manifest Gal. 5.19 every eye sees and every tongue cries shame
upon these courses Ah but there 's another who is free from these scandalous courses yet he is worldly revengeful envious proud haughty under the power of carthly affections full of evil desires this man now is a walker after the flesh as well as the former though not in so gross a manner Therefore do not please yourselves upon your being kept from the notorious and external eruptions of the corrupt Nature if yet inward and more refined corruptions have their full power and strength over you O how many persons of a civil unblameable conversation nay how many fair professing Hypocrites though no adulterers no drunkards c. will yet be judged at the Great Day to be walkers after the flesh 'Pray look inward any one allowed cherished unmortified Lust in the heart will spoil your walking before God though before Men it may seem to be blameless yea very spiritual Thirdly the main Vse will be for Counsel VSE 3. 1. To dehort from walking after the flesh 2. To exhort to walk after the spirit 1. First 1 Branch to dehort from walking after the Flesh do not walk after the flesh Particularly let not Flesh be your principle to act you in your course for what can be expected but evil practises from so evil a principle * Mat. 7.16 Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles how impure must those streams be which flow from so impure a fountain how bitter must that fruit be which grows upon so bitter a root So also let not Flesh be your Guide that you should chuse to be ordered and directed by it Will you chuse or follow a blind guide * Mat. 15.14 If the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch or will you follow a Guide that will lead you to Hell God forbid when you have the good Spirit of God and the good Word of God to lead you will you rather live under the leading and conduct of the flesh O have as little to do with its guidance as ever you can 't is not a thing that you must walk after but rather fly from for if you follow it 't will certainly carry you to those rocks and precipices which will endanger the dashing of you in pieces forever I know the best will not be wholly freed from this Flesh whilst they are here but let not any tamely give up themselves to it so as to be subject and obedient to it or to walk after it Let not sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey it in the lusts thereof Avoid it I beseech you in all the parts and limbs of it for 't is all naught there are the wills of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2.3 the affections or passions of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5.24 Rom. 7.5 the works of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5.19 all these flow from one and the same spring onely they are several channels in which it runs Now I say avoid it in all as it works in the soul by its wills and affections as it works in the body by its grosser lusts do not in any thing comply with it or walk after it we must be always mortifying never allowedly gratifying this cursed flesh The Dehortation enforc'd by several Motives To enforce the Dehortation one would think the Motive in the Text should be strong enough if you do not walk after the flesh then you are in Christ and if you be in Christ you will not walk after the flesh for such do never so walk But besides this there are some Other Motives which have a great force and efficacy in them 1. Let it be considered that this walking after the flesh is directly contrary to your Baptismal dedication and obligation When you passed under that blessed Ordinance did you not then dedicate your selves to the Lord have you not since owned and acknowledged that dedication and shall persons so dedicated to the Lord walk after the flesh that would be like * Dan. 5.2 3 4. Belshazzar's making of himself drunk even out of the golden vessels which were dedicated to the service of God in the Temple There is upon your baptismal dedication a Sacredness upon your Souls and Bodies and yet shall they be made common and prostituted to the service of sin and lust this is not onely to rescind retract null your dedication but even to profane that which was consecrated to holy uses and ends When you were baptized did you not then stipulate and covenant to renounce the Flesh as well as the World and the Devil and notwithstanding this will you yet walk after it what an high breach of Covenant would that be and shall any break Covenant with God and * Ezek. 17.15 prosper If after Baptism you will be flesh-pleasers and flesh followers where will that answer of a good conscience be which the Apostle speaks of 1 Pet. 3.21 how will you be said * Rom. 6.3 to be baptized into Christ's death if the Flesh yet live in you and you in it And what a poor insignificative thing is the outward washing if heart and life continue under flesh pollutions * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in V. 4. hujus Capitis Restringitur generalis Propositio contra cos qui in Baptismo omnia collocabant satis esse Christo per Baptismum insitum esse rectè credere in Ecclesiâ versari Sacramenta participare vitam Christanam dignam etiam requirâ— docet vitam spiritualem non carnalem Conâ—z what will the sprinkling of baptismal water profit him who lies wallowing in fleshly lusts O think much of your solemn ingagement in Baptism and surely you will not be so obsequious and pliable to the motions of the flesh as hitherto you have been how ill doth the Christian-mark and title agree with a Pagan-life 2. Secondly I would desire you to consider what the Flesh is He that knows it and hath right apprehensions of it certainly will not walk after it In general let it promise or pretend what it will 't is an Enemy and shall we cherish an enemy in our bosome nay let him have the command and guidance of us First 't is God's enemy yea his inveterate implacable irreconcileable enemy the Sinner may be reconciled to God but Sin it self the Flesh the corrupt Nature never can 'T is observable Ver. 7. The wisdome of the Flesh the carnal mind we read it is enmity against God the Apostle sets it forth in the abstract to note the greatness of the enmity 't is more than if he had said 't is an enemy against God for enemies may but enmities cannot be reconciled and he speaks of the best of the Flesh too the very wisdome of the Flesh is enmity against God and see what a full proof he gives of it for saith he 't is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be O how evil a thing
Spirit O stupendious folly most woful infatuation The Apostle describing the natural state saith For we our selves also were sometimes foolish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any understanding or intellective faculty wherein serving divers lusts and pleasures O that is to be foolish indeed And he elsewhere speaking of lusts themselves calls them too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish and hurtful 1 Tim. 6.9 Flesh-followers are apt to admire their own wisdome but they fall under that sad character Rom. 1.20 Professing themselves to be wise they became fool◠3. 'T is groundless and unreasonable walking Bate but the Sinners pleasing himself which is a pitiful reason and what reason hath he to serve or gratifie the Flesh what can it plead for any subjection or obedience to it This our Apostle here takes notice of v. 12. we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh We are debtors indeed to God every way to him we owe our Love Obedience c. our All but what do we owe the flesh what hath it done or suffered for us hath it redeemed us was it crucified for us surely no! Justice and gratitude call upon us to live to God and Christ but for the Flesh we are under no obligation at all to live to it rather the quite contrary Why should we pay where we owe nothing and not pay where we owe our-all were we but so just and honest as to pay our debts sure I am we should walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh 4. 'T is uncomfortable walking Isa 57.20 21. The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa 59.8 They have made them crooked paths whosoever goeth therein shall not have peace Sin and Comfort cannot go together he loses the one who closes with the other A wicked life saith (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat◠de Leg. lib. 2. p. 663. Plato is not onely a sordid but a more unpleasant life than that which is vertuous the bare light of Nature led divers of the ancient (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch 101. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in Tract Ne suaviter quidem c. p. 1087. Moralists to assert this over and over And Sinners may put the best face upon it but they find this to be true by their own sad experience they feel it their Consciences plainly tell them of it every day that there is little true joy in a sinful sensual course O the sad gripes of Conscience which they meet with in the way of sin which though they endeavour to smother yet they pursue and vex them from time to time But suppose the way of the Flesh at present be not uncomfortable to be sure in the final issue it will be so when the Sensualist and ungodly wretch shall see death making its near approaches to him when Conscience shall force him to take a review of his ill-spent life when he shall be called to stand before the tribunal of his Judge I say how will it be then will it be joy and comfort no but instead thereof inexpressible anguish and horrour of spirit O let not the Flesh deceive you its (c) Heb. 11.25 pleasures are but for a season its (d) Delectatio occidit praeteriit volneravit transivit miserum fecit abiit infaelicem reddidit reliquit August de Temp. Serm. 3. delights are soon over and gone and then that which was hony in the mouth turns into gall and wormewood in the belly Poor deluded creatures think to take their fill of it but in a little time God finds them out sets home their sin and folly gives them the prospect of a dreadful eternity and what follows first Hell is in their Souls and then in a little time their Souls are in Hell And therefore as you desire to be kept from this misery and to have peace and comfort in Life and Death see that you abandon the Flesh so as not to walk after it 5. 'T is walking which ends in eternal perdition O that this might be believed before it be felt Sirs whom will you believe Sin and the Flesh which are made up of lyes and do their business by lyes or the God of truth and the Word of truth He tells you therein (e) Rom. 8.6 To be carnally minded is death (f) Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye (g) Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption There is no condemnation to them which walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit then there is condemnation to them who walk after the Flesh c. (h) Jam. 2.15 Sin when it is finished it brings forth death with many such Scriptures Now shall not this deter you from a fleshly conversation if this will not what will Salomon speaking of the strange Woman tells us * Prov. ◠18 her house inclineth unto death and her paths to the dead just so it is with fleshly Walking Nothing more certain than that every mans end shall be according to his course as he sowes so shall he reap Gal. 6.7 now there are two very different ends and two very different courses there is Heaven and Hell two very different ends and there is walking after the flesh and after the spirit two very different courses If you fall in with the Former that will most certainly lead you to Hell if with the Latter that will as certainly lead you to Heaven which of these Courses now will you chuse Condemnation is as sure to them who walk after the Flesh as No-Condemnation is to them who walk after the Spirit So much for the third Motive 4. Fourthly let me add but one Disuasive more and that is the Death of Christ What a consideration is this to take men off from a carnal life O when this flesh begins to stir and pirk up it self you will do well in order to the suppressing of it to fix your thoughts upon your dying Redeemer Say when my Saviour hath died for Sin shall I live in Sin when he was * 1 Joh. 3.8 manifested on purpose to destroy the works of the Flesh and of the Devil shall I yet walk after them was the sinless Flesh in Christ crucified and shall the sinful Flesh in me be cherished You read of the crucifiion of the Flesh Gal. 5.24 we should be for nothing short of that for no better usage doth it deserve from us When Pilate ask'd the enraged Jews against our blessed Lord What shall I then do with Jesus which is called Christ they all said unto him Let him be crucified and when he a little hung off from this cruelty What evil hath he done they cryed out the more saying Let him be crucified Matth. 27.22 23. This was not so much their sin in being so cruel
to the Lord of Glory but 't is as much your duty to deal thus revengefully with the Flesh O let all cry out in the height of their hatred against it Let it be crucified why but what evil hath it done nay rather ask what evil hath it not done therefore cry out the more let it be crucified And indeed the crucifixion of our Natural Flesh in Christ without the crucifixion of moral and sinful Flesh in our selves will not profit us Paul saith he was crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 how why in a spiritual and mystical sense so as to be dead to the Flesh and so as to live the spiritual life And the Apostle lays it upon this 1 Pet. 4.1 2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 'T is a Scripture somewhat dark but the strength of it lies thus Christ hath suffered for us and we in an analogical sense must be ready to suffer too this is the same mind here spoken of and Christ having suffered hath ceased from sin h. e. so as to dye for sin no more so saith the Apostle you too in your own persons must so dye to sin as no longer to live in it This is the being planted into the likeness of Christ's death Rom. 6.5 and you find the Apostle there in that Chapter from this very Topick the Death of Christ earnestly disuading persons from walking after the flesh I have done with the Motives to inforce the Dehortation What men are to do that they may not walk after the Flesh Before I go off from this Head something must be hinted by way of Direction What is to be done some may say that we may no longer walk after the Flesh I answer 1. Get out of the Flesh For being in the flesh is always attended with walking after the flesh as the State is always according to the Course so the Course is always according to the State if you be in the fleshly state your conversation will be a fleshly conversation Such as the man is such are the principles and such as the principles are such will the practises be also Therefore get out of the state of Nature in which the Flesh rules and carries a man whither it pleases and get into Christ persons out of Christ are all Flesh and thereupon will be wholly followers of the Flesh Spiritual walking discovers the Vnion but first the Union is the ground of spiritual walking that will certainly follow upon being in Christ but being in Christ must necessarily antecede it Till thou beest ingrafted into Christ no good fruit can grow upon thee he that is flesh must needs live and act flesh 2. Get the Spirit and walk after the Spirit 'T is the divine Spirit and the divine Nature from that Spirit which must dethrone and break the power of sinning and sinful Nature Till the Holy Spirit and grace come into the heart the Flesh lords and domineers in the life as you will hear more fully when I come to the second Verse The Apostle joins together Sensual and not having the Spirit Jud. 19. where the latter clause is not onely a further description of the persons spoken of but 't is also the assignation of the cause or reason of their being sensual viz. because they had not the Spirit Till the mighty Spirit of God comes into the Soul by saving illumination and overpowering influences to say efficaciously to a man * Isa 30.21 This is the way walk therein there may be convictions purposes resolutions to the contrary yet still there will be one way or other walking after the Flesh And so for Grace no sooner doth this take possession but the Walking is altered which it never is before to any purpose Prov. 2.10 When wisdom entereth into the heart c. discretion shall preserve thee c. to deliver thee from the way of the evil man c. who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness who rejoice to do evil c. Your way to be rid of the Flesh is to get the Spirit set a thousand Arguments the most effectual Considerations imaginable before the Sinner to draw him off from this fleshly walking till the regenerating sanctifying Spirit take hold of him they are all weak and ineffective I add Walk after the Spirit Every man will be walking there 's no standing still all will be in motion so long as they are in viâ and every mans Walking will be in one of these two ways either after the Flesh or after the Spirit for non datur tertium And these being contrary do mutually exclude each the other he that walks after the flesh cannot in sensu composito walk after the spirit and he that walks after the spirit cannot walk after the flesh therefore Gal. 5.16 Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh the Reason then upon which this Direction is grounded is strong and evident And let me tell you Principles you will and must have some or other which if they be not good they will be bad and so as to Guides Affections Propensions Ends these will be in every reasonable Soul from one cause or another So that if you be not spiritual you will be carnal for one of these two you must be as both you cannot be O let it be the Former that it may not be the Latter 3. Take heed of particular allowed fleshly acts for they make way for that general course which you are to shun Acts produce Habits as well as Habits do produce Acts particular acts of sin especially if allowed and repeated end in a course of sin If you gratifie the flesh in some things it will grow upon you as sad experience proves the Gangrene or Leprosie at the first begins with some particular member but if it be let alone in a little time it diffuses it self over the whole body and so 't is here as to sin A little leaven leavens the whole lump 'T is true as hath been observ'd the Apostle here fixes his Character upon the Course and not upon single acts but he that allows himself in them will not stay there in time hee 'l fall into a wicked and fleshly Course 4. Timely suppress the first risings of the flesh it gains by delays O as soon as the corrupt Nature begins to stir and show it self see that you fall upon it presently make speedy and vigorous resistance to it if you give the Enemy time hee 'l grow stronger and the Conquest will be the more difficult You read Jam. 1.15 of the conceiving of Lust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vide Stobaeum in Eclog. Serm. 3. p. 9. when Lust hath conceived
it bringeth forth Sin now Sin must be taken at the first conception as soon as the temptation offers it self and begins to allure and tickle by something that it presents so that the Heart inclines to a closure with it now fall on presently and parlie no longer This brat of Babylon must be dasht in pieces in its very infancy 't is good to kill the Cockatrice in the very egg to quench the fire at the first smotherings of it within or else it will quickly flame forth in the life even to the making the conversation carnal Be very watchful over the initial suggestions of the Flesh and fall upon the timely exercise of mortification upon the first motions of sin say Sathan Flesh * Mat. 16.23 get thee behind me thou art an offence to me But I must not further expatiate upon these things So much for the disuasive part of this Vse against walking after the flesh 2 Branch of the Vse to exhort to Walking after the Spirit I go on to the persuasive part wherein I would most earnestly exhort you to walk after the Spirit I will be but short upon this because that which I have already spoken hath a great tendency to the promoting of it for the truth is whilst I have been disuading you from walking after the Flesh I have in effect been persuading you to walk after the Spirit in beating you off from that I have been drawing you on to this You have heard what it is so to walk what now remains but that you would all endeavour to put it in practise and O that this might be your way and course Let others live as they please let it be your fixed resolution that you will live the holy spiritual heavenly life True there are but few who do thus walk the World is but a great Exchange wherein the Spirits Walk is very thin whilst the Fleshes Walk is full and crowded but 't is better to be with the Few in the way of the Spirit than with the Many in the way of the Flesh And I desire you to lay it to heart have not you your selves too long walked after the flesh is it not high time for you to think of another Course 1 Pet. 4.3 The time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in Lasciviousness Lusts Excess of Wine c. When will ye walk in newness of life as the expression is Rom. 6.4 when shall the renewing and the renewed Spirit command govern act guide you in your whole conversation when will you so walk that you your selves and others too may know by the spiritualness of your deportment that you are indeed in Christ Jesus * The exhortation to walking after the Spirit pressed by some Motives Here consider in opposition to what was said of the former walking but three things 1. This is excellent Walking The spiritual life is the excellent life * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. lib. 10. cap. 7. this speaks somewhat more than what is of man there is something divine and supernatural in it To be acted by to live under the conduct and guidance of the blessed Spirit to have affections propensions ends all holy this is truely great This is the Life which is most agreeable to the humane Nature not onely as consider'd in its primitive unstained glory and excellency but as 't is now under its sad ruins and decays O how unbecoming how ill doth a vitious Conversation comport even with that Reason natural Light and those broken excellencies which are yet left in Man Man is not so low but that by complying with sensual Lusts he yet acts below himself nay so far as he puts on the Sinner he puts off the Man where he un-Saints himself he un-Mans himself Sensuality and wickedness carry in them a contradiction to his very Being nothing so well suits with that as a pious religious heavenly course Further the fleshly life is a base sordid life but the spiritual life is a raised noble life So much as the Spirit is above the Flesh the Soul above the Body so much is the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist ibid. p. 138. spiritual life above the sensual or carnal life The life which I am urging upon you is the very life of God himself for the Apostle speaks Eph. 4.18 of some mens being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them by which life of God he means in part the holiness of God or that holy life which God lives the holy liver then he not being alienated from Gods holiness lives the life of God he acts in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Thaeaet conformity though under a vast disproportion to the great God must there not then needs be unspeakable glory and excellency in Spiritual Walking The more one lives the fleshly life the more he resembles the Beast the more one lives the spiritual life the more he resembles God the Creature is not so much debased and depressed by the One but he-is as much advanc'd and dignified by the Other Saints may be censured and misjudged by the world but in truth they come the nearest and are most like to God that they might be judged according to men in the Flesh but live according to God in the Spirit 1 Pet. 4.6 I do but allude to these words for I know in their first and proper sense they point to another thing than that which I cite them for Gods people are judged as if they lived according to men walking in or after the Flesh as others do but 't is not so they walk in or after the Spirit and so live according to God what a great thing is this for poor creatures to live according to God! who would not so live And this too is the Life of the blessed ones in Heaven take the glorified Saints how do they walk not after the Flesh I assure you for they have no such Flesh to walk after they are wholly freed from the sinning and sinful Nature are perfectly renewed and sanctified and accordingly they act All in them or from them is divine and spiritual there 's nothing that they do but what flows from a gracious principle all their thoughts and affections are swallowed up in God their love joy delight are unmixtly spiritual the pleasures of the Flesh are nothing to them they have not the least inclination to the least evil the great thing they mind and rejoyce in is the Glory of God O what an holy spiritual life do the Saints live in heaven Must not the same life then needs be excellent in the Saints here so far forth as they can reach it in their imperfect state Surely none can undervalue or think low of it but onely they who are altogether ignorant of and strangers to it A Child of God would not for a thousand worlds live any other
life nay should God leave him to his liberty to make his own choice and fully assure him of his future blessedness let his choice be what it would yet he would chuse to live the spiritual rather than the carnal life was there no Heaven nor no Hell yet the sincere Christian would be for holy walking because of that excellency and intrinsick goodness which he sees in it 2. Walking after the Spirit is pleasant delightful comfortable walking that which begets true peace solid joy unspeakable comfort in the Soul The more spiritual a man is in his walking the greater is his rejoycing O * Psal 119.165 what peace have they who thus walk The Flesh must not vye with the Spirit about true comfort men exceedingly mistake themselves when they look for pleasure delight and satisfaction in a fleshly course alas 't is not there to be had It s very sweet is bitter there 's gall and wormwood even in its hony * Prov. 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness It promises indeed great things but it falls exceedingly short in its performances eminently it doth so in its promises of joy and comfort True peace is onely to be found in a holy course Rom. 8.6 To be spiritually minded is life and peace life hereafter peace here 2 Cor. 6.10 As sorrowful yet always rejoycing 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimoâ—â— of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world There 's no comfort like to that which attends * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. l. 1. c. 9. holy walking the true Christian would not for a world exchange that joy which he hath in his Soul in and from Meditation Prayer the Word Sacraments Promises mortification of sin holiness communion with God the hope of glory for all that joy which the Sinner hath in the way of sin and in his sensual delights Would you have the * 1 Pâ—t 1 8. joy which is unspeakable the * Phil. 4.7 peace which passeth all understanding the * Job 15.11 consolations of God which are not small O walk after the Spirit Men have false notions of Religion which experience must confute the Devil belies and misreports the ways of God as if a godly life was a sad pensive melancholly life pray try and then judge be perswaded to fall upon this heavenly course and then tell me whether * Prov. 3.17 wisdomes ways be not ways of pleasantness and all her paths peace Psal 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches The Flesh is outdone by the Spirit if it gives some outward flashy joy the Spirit with advantage gives inward solid abiding joy should not this allure you to walk after it We always love to walk where our walking may be most pleasant and delightful surely to walk with God to live in communion with Father Son and Spirit to be taken up in the contemplation and fruition of heavenly things to be always sucking at the breasts of the Promises to act in the daily exercisâ— of Grace I say surely this must needs be pleasant and delightful Walking indeed And the Spiritual Walker hath not onely this peace and satisfaction whilst he lives but in a dying hour too he is full of comfort O the Soul-chearing reflexions which he then can make upon an holy life O that heart-exhilerating prospect which he hath of the World to come whether he looks backward or forward all administers ground of rejoycing to him Is it thus with the Sinner the Sensualist alas 't is quite otherwise when Death comes and lays his cold hands upon him what bitter pangs of Conscience doth he feel what dreadful terrours do sill his Soul how doth the sense of Judgment and Aeternity strike him with astonishment All his sensual Comforts do now fail him and he did not live so full of joy but he dyes as full of sorrow This shall ye have of mine hand ye shall lye down in sâ—rrow Isa 50.11 but Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psal 37.37 3. This is blessed Walking for it evermore ends in salvation It doâ—â— not onely at present evidence Non-condemnation and Vnion with Christ but it assures of Heaven and certainly brings to Heaven at last Holiness and Happiness never were never shall be parted Every motion hath its terminus or end the End of this motion or walking is eternal rest Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Gal. 6.18 He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousness is life and in the path-way thereof there is no death so that if you will be perswaded to enter into and to hold on in the way of the â—pirit it will infallibly lead you to eternal life and what can be spoken higher The sum of all is this I here set * Jer. 21.8 life and death before you if the One will not allure you to an holy heavenly conversation nor the Other deter you from a sinful carnal conversation I have then no more to say but surely such as have any sense of God of the worth of the Soul and of the things of the world to come they will resolve for the spiritual life * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athenag Leg pro Christian p. 35. Athenagoras in his Apology for the primitive Christians states their practice thus If saith he we did believe that we should onely live the present life there might then be some room for suspicion that we might be as wicked as others indulging flesh and blood and drawn aside by covetuousness and concupiscence but we know that God is privy not onely to all our actions but to all our thoughts and words that he is all light and sees what is most hid in us and we are fully perswaded that after this life we shall live a much better life with God in Heaven and therefore we do not live as others do whose life will end in Hell fire O that we could as easily draw men to the heavenly life as we can apologize for those who live it or set down the grounds and reasons why they live it And now you who are Flesh-followers will nothing prevail with you shall all these Considerations be ineffectual will you yet persist in your fleshly course though an Angel with a drawn sword stands before you to stop you in your evil way yet * Numb 22.22 Balaam-like will you go on will you set your selves in a way that is not good as the wicked are described Psal 36.4 are you at that language * Jer. 18.2 We will every one walk after our own devices and we will every
take Sometimes you are in the way of the Spirit then presently in the way of the Flesh you do not make straight-paths as the Apostle advises Heb. 12.13 how do your partial closures and compliances with the carnal part too often intercept the light of God's countenance interrupt your communion with him and cause a damp in all your inward peace as you know by reason of this it sometimes was with David himself when will you walk in the path of Holiness so as not to turn to the right hand or to the left as the Word enjoins see Prov. 4.27 Deut. 5.32 Again is your Spiritual walking so visible as it should be so as to convince the world that there is such a life such a course as hath been described Truly men question whether there be such a thing because you who pretend to it come so short of it when you speak act just as others are as wordly vain passionate selfish revengeful as others who will believe that there is in reality any such walking after the Spirit or that there is more in it than meer fancy and pretence How did Pauls Spirit rise in him upon the surmises and censures of some who * 2 Cor. 10.2 thought of him as though he walked according to the Flesh and can you as to your selves noâ— onely bear such censures but which is much worse give too just occasion for them Further let me ask you doth this Holy walking intermingle it self with your whole conversation even in your natural and civil actions do you walk after the Spirit when you * 1 Cor. 10.31 eat and drink is your eye upon the glory of God in common actions have you special and peculiar aimes and principles the very animal life which you live in the Flesh do you live by the Faith of the Son of God as Paul did Gal. 2.20 'T is a great mistake to limit this walking after the Spirit to actions materially spiritual or to the positive duties of Religion No at all times in all actions you are so to walk doing all from a spiritual Principle by a spiritual Rule to a spiritual End 'T is one thing to be employ'd in some acts that are spiritual and another thing to be spiritual in all acts the fleshly Walker may do the First but Saints must endeavour after the Last At your Tables in your Shops in your civil Converses you may and ought to live the heavenly life as well as in hearing the Word Prayer and such religious Duties A carnal man sometimes engages in spiritual things and yet even then he doth not walk after the Spirit and a Child of God sometimes is engaged in common things Civil and Natural and yet even then he walks after the Spirit viz. as he intermingles grace with all he doth Now is it thus with you are you holy spiritual in all manner of conversation in every winding and turn of the life as the Apostle exhorts 1 Pet. 1.15 And once more let me ask you and 'pray call your own Souls to account about it is there not some one or other secret by-path of the Flesh which you walk in this holy David prayed against Psal 139.24 See if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Upon the whole I fear there is need to press this upon you to walk yet more and more after the Spirit and we beseech and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more 1 Thes 4.1 3. Thirdly are you such who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit O rejoice in this and take the comfort of it Here 's sufficient ground of assurance that there is no condemnation to you that you are in Christ Jesus and is not that matter of rejoicing You are within the Character here given of such who are in Christ therefore you are in him and being in him must it not needs be well with you And if you look into the following Verses there is yet more comfort for you they tell you that God sent his Son to condemn Sin to fulfil the Law and all for such spiritual Walkers as you are for upon them the Character is repeated again Ah you 'l say if it was thus with us we would desire no higher comfort in the world but we fear 't is otherwise we cannot find that we come up to this description and therefore cannot apply the happiness annexed to it And why so why because there is so much of Flesh in us O there is a very sinful carnal and sensual part in us yea this often prevails and breaks forth in our conversation upon which we cannot but judge that we walk after the Flesh rather than after the Spirit Now to this I answer Nothing more certain than that Flesh is in you and will be so whilst you are in the Flesh you must carry it with you to your very grave the Body of sin and the other Body must both be buried together you 'le never be wholly rid of a sinning Nature and a carnal part till you be in heaven And 't is true too this Flesh doth and will sometimes prevail over you though the seldomer the better yet this doth not amount to walking after the Flesh or to the nullifying of the walking after the Spirit Paul himself complained of the Flesh yea of the strength and power of it yet for all that he says here v. 4. we walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit though it was so with him yet his state was good and his course good too we must thus speak for the comfort of burd'ned Souls though Enemies without take occasion from hence to revile and Sinners amongst our selves to presume It would be (a) Desiderium tuum tale debet esse ad Deum ut omnino non fit ipsa concupiscentia cui resistâ—â—e oporteat Resistis enim non consentiendo vincis sed mâ—lius est hostem non habere quam vincere Aug. Serm. de Tem. 45. happy if you might wholly be freed from a corrupt Nature but that is rather to be desired than hoped for in this life Yet here is this to support you though that may carry the day as to some particular acts yet the bent of the heart is for God and as to the general course the renewed part is uppermost The Flesh sometimes is too hard for you but you do not (b) Nulla condemnatio iis qui sunt in Chisto Jeâ—u nonenim damnatur nisi qui concupiscentiaâ— carnis consentit ad malum Aug. contra duas Ep. Pelag. lâ—b 1. c. 10. Vide plura in Aug. in Psal â— 18. coâ—c 3. consent to it it hath not the full allowance and approbation of the Will you do not give up your selves in a willing subjection to it what it doth 't is from meer force and strength you cry our
put forth its power and strength in him namely thus 1. it did strongly excite impell and draw him to what was evil so Rom. 7.15 That which I do I allow not what I hate that do I V. 17. It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me V. 19. the evil which I would not that I do V. 23. I see another law in my members c. 2. it did strongly oppose resist hinder him as to what was good V. 15. what I would that do I not V. 18. To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not for the good that I would I do not V. 21. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me Thus Sin acted in Paul in whom its power and strength was much broken and thus it doth in a much higher degree act in the Vnregenerate in whom it is in its full strength and vigour 1. Sin in such exerts its power in its vehement urging and impelling of them to what is evil I say to what is evil for indeed all its impulsions are to that Sin is for nothing but Sin Sin in the Habit is altogether for Sin in the Act Indwelling Sin is wholly for dwelling in Sin it bends and works entirely that way urget ad Peccata Peccatum And no wonder that it so doth since the principle always moves and excites to those acts which are consentaneous to it self therefore Sin agreeing with Sin the sinful Nature solely stirs up a person to that which is sinful And how entire restless unwearied impetuous is it in this the truth is though there was no Devil to tempt the graceless Sinner yet that Law of Sin which is in himself would be enough to make him sin in a great measure as he doth as to many Men and many Sins of those men 't is but the Devils over-eagerness which puts him upon tempting of them for without that the thing would be done to his hand as dry wood would burn without blowing Corrupt Nature is continually egging solliciting exciting the unsanctified man to what is evil 't will not let him alone day or night unless he gratifie it and its motions are so urgent and violent that he poor creature either cannot or will not make any considerable resistance What an instance was Amnon of this he was under the Law of Sin it had such a power and Soveraignty over him and was so impetuous in its workings in him that he walked sadly pined away fell down-right sick and all because he knew not how to satisfie that Lust which wrought so strongly in him towards his own Sister read 2 Sam. 13.2 c. So Ahab Sin put him upon the coveting of Naboths Vineyard and this it did with such violence that he would eat no bread because he could not have his will 1 Kings 21.5 Solomon tells us of some who sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall Prov. 4.16 O the Law of Sin it sollicits to this and that evil and its sollicitations thereunto are so pressing and earnest that it will receive no repulse yea the Sinner is so over-powered that he is even carried away with it like an empty Vessel in a fierce and rapid stream In whatever point the Wind stands it blows so fiercely so strongly that there 's no standing against it I mean whatever the Lust be in which the Sin of Nature vents it self whether Vncleanness or Ambition or Coveteousness or what you will that comes with such a force and violence upon the natural man that he falls before it and yields to it We speak much in another sense of the Law of Nature truely the grand Law of Nature as depraved is to command and incline men to sin against God and this it must needs do with a mighty power and efficacy in those in whom 't is wholly depraved 2. Secondly this Law of Sin shews it self in its opposing and hindring of what is good 'T is a Law which always runs counter to Gods Law it will be sure to further what that forbids and to hinder what that commands for it always sets it self in a direct opposition thereunto Doth that call for such and such Duties are there some Convictions upon the Sinners Conscience about them doth he begin a little to incline to what is good how doth Sin now bestir it self to make head in the Soul against these convictions and good inclinations how doth it endeavour to nip the blossoms to stifle and smother the initial propensions to what is good to kill the Infant in the Cradle as Herod would have done with Christ to make all Conceptions in order to Obedience and Holiness to prove abortive There is in Sin a fixed rooted aversation to whatever is holy and spiritual which it puts forth to its utmost wherever 't is upon the throne it doth not onely work a loathness to duty but a loathing of duty it countermands where 't is in its full power all the motions and excitations of the blessed Spirit thereunto O sometimes the Spirit comes to a man and says thou hast neglected prayer hitherto 't is high time now to set upon it thus long thou hast liv'd and all this time thou hast not minded the reading of the Scriptures the hearing of the Word preached c. come now let them be minded all thy days thou hast been a stranger to holiness now be holy thou hast been a despiser of Christ hitherto now love fear receive honour him thus the good Spirit would draw on the Sinner to what is good Well! is indwelling Sin quiet now O no! it puts forth it self with its greatest vigour and strength in opposition to the breathings of the good Spirit it saith Sinner let Word and Spirit say what they will do thou hold on thy course keep on thy way God is merciful fear it not Duty is burdensome meddle not with it what need is there of all this praying hearing believing repenting holy walking c. These are the bold oppositions and subtil insinuations of Sin against what is good set forth by the lustings of the Flesh against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 these are its cursed renitencies and reluctancies against duty Now till the regenerating Spirit comes with his victorious grace to conquer them the Sinner is wholly under their power so that they do most effectually and prevailingly keep him off from what is good You have it exemplified in the Young-man Matth. 19.22 in Felix Acts 24.25 and in several others This is the very Case of men before Conversion whether you consider the Law of Sin as it puts forth it self with respect to Evil or with respect to Good the Unconverted are under it it hurries them on to what is wicked and as powerfully holds them off from what is holy in both respects they are entirely under the command of it as a Law
Law of Sin and that which is peculiar to the graceless Some there are who set themselves to sin 't is the thing they aim at which they deliberate contrive muse how to bring about their serious thoughts from time to time are at work in order to it like to that person whom David describes Psal 36.4 He deviseth mischief on his bed he setteth himself in a way that is not good like to the wickedness of men before the Deluge Gen. 6.5 c. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil continually 't is meant not onely of imaginations which had Sin in them materially and subjectively but also of those which were for Sin and in order to Sin intentionally and finally The Apostle sets it forth by making provision for the flesh Rom. 13.14 when the Sinner hath his forecasts and projects for Sin Now * When the Flesh hath the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providenâ—ial projecting and forecasting ability at command and at her service it is certain her supremacy is in the full Mr. Rich. Bifeild The Gospels glory c. p. 235. where 't is thus unquestionably 't is the Law of Sin this doth most certainly discover the absolute unbroken full power and dominion of Sin Joh. 8.34 Whoever commits Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who makes it or frames it as an Artist doth a thing which is proper to his trade or art who sins de industriâ datâ operâ what of him why he is the servant of sin that is he is fully under its Command and is a perfect slave and vassal to it 'T is never thus with regenerate persons this * Deut. 32.5 spot is not the spot of Gods Children 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin he doth not frame sin or contrive how to sin in the sense named but now It cannot be denied but that even a Child of God may sin after deliberation nay as to some particular sinful act he may deliberate in order to the doing of it there was a great deal of deliberation in Davids killing Vriah 't was a plotted contrived sin that which was brought about by many deliberate thoughts ô but in such an One this is very rare and seldome 't is but in this or that particular act 't is not a thing that he holds on in God forbid it should be so And therefore though this be a great aggravation of sin when it is committed deliberately and a sad evidence that it hath too much power and strength in the heart yet every deliberate sin is not enough to prove a man to be under the Law of sin when the designing and contriving is customary and that too as to a Course in sin ô then 't is the Law of sin 2. When the Temptation easily prevails and there is little or no resistance and opposition made to sin then 't is the Law of sin and that which is proper to the unregenerate If the Town be surrendred and yields upon the first Summons 't is a sign the Assailers are very strong and the Defendants very weak if the tinder takes fire upon the first little spark that falls into it surely 't is very dry so here when Satan doth no sooner lay the temptation before the Sinner but he immediately closes with it and falls before it and yields to it this argues that Sin and Satan have a full power in and over him But I lay the main stress of this Head upon little or no resistance to the motions suggestions commands of sin Possibly it no sooner commands but the Sinner readily obeys if he chance to make some some opposition 't is as bad as none at all 't is not lively vigorous resolute but cold dull faint and languid ô this is a sad demonstration of Sins heighth and regency in the Soul The bare Commands of Sin as hath been said do not make it to be a Law but when there is a ready willing subjection to those Commands then 't is a Law Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness 'T is a brand upon Ephraim that he was * Hos 5.11 willingly walked after the Commandment may not this be charged upon men before renovation with respect to the Commands of Sin We read of Satan that he takes some captive at his will 2 Tim. 6.26 and truly so it is with the sinful Nature too it doth with the unregenerate what it will it commands governs orders them even as it will it meets with little or no resistance upon all occasions it doth but speak the word and the thing is done The true Convert stands upon his guard fights it out to the last hee 'l dye rather than yield Sin doth not so easily do his work in him he may sometimes â—e a Captive to it as being overborn with its strength but he will not be a Subject to it so as to give willing obedience to it which shows that he is not under the Law of Sin When 't is willingness in the way of duty then 't is the day of * Psal 110.3 God's power when 't is willingness in the way of sin then 't is the day of Sins power There may be some resistance made to Sin and yet its dominion may be high but when 't is no resistance then its dominion is high indeed A Sinner sometimes from the stirrings of Conscience may make a little opposition but Sin having his Will in its entire consent that opposition soon goes off and so Sins Sover aignty is as absolute as ever it was 3. When Sin carries it in spight of all opposition then 't is the Law of Sin and that power of Sin which only suits with the unregenerate state when 't is committed with little opposition ab intra and in spight of all opposition ab extra I assure you then it hath a great power Many there are who are so much under the strength and dominion of the hellish Nature that nothing shall hinder them from what is evil As the sincere Christian set never so many hinderances and discouragements before him yet being under the Law of the Spirit he will be and do good so è contrà the man that is destitute of Grace set what hinderances or discouragements you will before him yet being under the Law of Sin he will be and do evil Let the threatnings of the Law of God stand in his way like the Angel with a drawn sword in his hand yet hee 'l sin let the Scepter of the Gospel be held out to him yet hee 'l sin set the Love Grace Mercy of God before him yet hee 'l sin set the Wrath Justice Severity of God before him yet hee 'l sin set the Death Sufferings Agonies Wounds Blood of the Lord Jesus before him yet hee 'l sin let Conscience smite him let Word
Vnsanctified in both of these ways are under the Law of Sin but with the Sanctified 't is not so especially in the latter respect Indeed Sin on its part will often be laying its Commands upon them magisterially and imperiously enough but they do not on their part yield obedience or subjection to those commands possibly now and then through infirmity they may hearken to something that Sin enjoyns but as to their general course and to the bent and purpose of their hearts they say Sin shall not reign ever us Sin is onely then a Law when it hath habitual universal entire absolute dominion and when the Sinner gives up himself in willing ready total subjection to it now it s never thus bad with the Regenerate Sins power never rises so high where grace is in this respect every Child of God is made free from the Law of Sin And in this notion the Apostle here takes the Law of Sin in the * At inquies quomodo Paulus se liberatum jactat à lege Peccati qui cap. praecedente quaestus sit-se adhuc mancipari Legi Peccati adhuc servire Legi Peccati Dixit se carne ei servire at mente Legi Dei Si carne tantum non mente ergo verè liberatus à mente enim non à carne fidelis aestimandus est c. Adde quod lex peccati non eodem prorsus modo hic sumitur atque praeced capite Hic significat plenum illud peccati Dominium cui totus homo naturalis extra Christum constitutus subjectus est c. Illic autem per legem peccati intelligebantur reliquiae quaedam istius Dominii quod peccatum non in totum hominem fidelem sed in membra sive in carnem ejus tantum i. e. in corruptam naturam adhuc exercet c. Lud. de Dieu former Chapter he speaks to it as it notes the power and strength of the relicks of Sin and as its power is but somewhat broken and so he 〈◊〉 too much of it but here in the Text he speaks to it as 't is in its full power and strength and so he was freed from it Several of these things have occurr'd in what goes before but they being most necessary and proper in this place I could not but again mention them Having thus stated the Doctrine and given you the explication of it I am now Secondly to make out the truth of it and to prove that persons truly regenerate are made free from the Law of Sin And surely so it is The Obs proved by Scripture and Reason as certain as the unrenewed are under this Law so certain are the renewed freed from it Paul here attests it as to himself the Law of the Spirit c. and elsewhere he asserts the same in a more general manner That Text is not impertinent to my present purpose in the 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is as the Spirit of Life as renewing and regenerating there is liberty or freedom from the Law of Sin for I conceive the Apostle doth not onely speak of liberty of Spirit in opposition to bondage of Spirit or the Spirit of bondage but also of the liberty of the State in opposition to the State of bondage and that too is not to be limited only to the liberty of the Gospel state in opposition to the bondage of the Law though I grant the Words are brought in more immediately upon that account but it is applicable to persons with respect to their inward and spiritual state as by the sanctifying Spirit they are freed from the power of Sin and from that bondage which they were under to it in their natural condition So that the liberty here spoken of is in a great measure one and the same with the being made free from the Law of Sin in my Text and if so then you see how positively 't is asserted where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty So again the Apostle Rom. 6. speaks much of the Law or reign and dominion of Sin which he having dehorted from V. 12. let not Sin reign in you c. he then backs his dehortation with a promise V. 14. For Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the law but under * Homo consideratur ante Legem sub Lege sub Gratiâ in Pace Ante Legem non pugnamus sub Lege pugnamus sed vincimur sub Gratiâ pugnamus vincimus in Pace non pugnamus quidem Aug. Lib. Octog Quaest 66. in Expos quarund Propos Ep. ad Rom. grace the grace here mainly intended is that assisting helping strengthening grace which always accompanies the Gospel or new Covenant state the Law commanded much but gave no strength for the doing what it commanded but the Gospel where it requires duty it always enables a person to perform it Now upon this grace Paul assures Believers that they endeavouring on their part and making vigorous resistance to sin it should not have dominion over them because they should certainly have such strength and assistance given them from God as that their endeavours should be successful against all Sins assaults This I say is the Grace primarily intended in this place yet you may take in too Converting and renewing Grace and then the words will run thus Sin neither hath nor ever shall have dominion over you who are Believers because you are not under the Law i e. that Law which only discovers Sin but doth not help to conquer it which leaves the person as it finds him without any charging of his heart or state but you are under grace i.e. regenerating grace which always delivers from and secures against the dominion of Sin And besides these Scripture-proofs in point of Reason it must needs be so because upon regeneration there is another active operative commanding principle infused into the Soul viz Grace now Grace and the Law of Sin are inconsistent It may consist with sin for otherwise there would be no Grace in this lower world but it cannot consist with the Law of Sin or with Sin in its full and absolute dominion power Two contrary principles cannot be together in the same Subject in their full vigour and strength the like caeteris paribus may be said of contrary Powers if Sin be the principle in its full efficacy so as to make it a Law then there is no grace because if this was in the Soul it would certainly break the full strength of the opposite principle True grace is a commanding thing as well as Sin there is such an holy pride in it that it disdains and scorns to be subject to Corruption or to let Sin be above it it can though not without reluctancy bear the inbeing of Sin but it cannot bear Sin as a corrival or competitor with it in point of rule and dominion Here the elder must serve the younger to allude to that of Jacob and Esau
of Sin for though that puts forth a great efficacy in the manner of its working yet it doth not rise to such a pitch or degree of efficacy in what is evil as the Spirit of God doth in what is good Set corrupt Nature never so high yet 't is but a finite thing and so hath but a finite power but the Spirit is an infinite being and in his saving and special workings he puts forth an infinite power and therefore He must work more efficaciously than Sin can do the Law of the Spirit must carry it against and notwithstanding the Law of Sin for though both pass under the same appellation of Laws yet they are Laws of a different kind and nature with respect to their power and efficacy This Law or power of the Spirit is that which I will speak to and for the better opening of the Truth in hand which mainly points thereunto I 'le do two things Two things propounded for the opening of the Observation 1. I 'le speak to the necessity sufficiency efficacy of the power of the Spirit in order to the freeing of men from the power of Sin 2. I 'le shew in what Way or Method the Spirit doth work and exert his power in his rescuing of Souls from Sins power In the First of these Heads three things are put together which must be spoken unto apart The Necessity of the Spirits power to free from Sins power 1. First of the necessity of the power of the Spirit Concerning which I may confidently affirm that 't is indispensably absolutely necessary for the divesting Sin of its long possessed soveraignty no less a power than the mighty power of this Spirit can bring down Sins power ô it s no easie thing to rescue the poor enslaved captive-soul out of its bonds Omnipotency it self is requisite thereunto that 's the * Luk. 11.21 22. strong man which keeps the palace till Christ through the Spirit which is stronger than it comes upon it and overcomes it Israel had never got out of their bondage under Pharaoh if God himself had not brought them out of it through a mighty hand and by an out-stretched arm as you read Deut. 5.15 and so 't is here Let 's bring it to a particular case take a Sinner who is under the Law of Vnbelief as there are too many such God knows nothing shall ever free this Sinner from the power of his unbelief unless a divine and an almighty power from above be put forth upon him 'till this be done all the Calls Commands Invitations Promises of the Gospel are all weak and ineffectual therefore 't is said to be the faith of the operation of God Col. 2.12 and the Apostle pray'd that God would fulfil the work of faith with power 2 Thes 1.11 and says the Prophet who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Isa 53.1 without the revealing of Gods mighty arm there 's no believing and you read that God in sanctification and the working of Faith doth put forth the exceeding greatness of his power according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Eph. 1.19 20. what can be spoken higher than this You see the Law of the Spirit is necessary to the freeing of a person from the Law of Vnbelief and is it not so in all other things wherein Sins power shows it self The power of Nature which some do so much magnifie can never conquer the power of Sin alas 't is impar congressus there 's no eaven match betwixt them and besides Natures greatest strength is on Sins side its relicks onely where 't is good are for God against Sin but its full and entire strength as 't is bad are for Sin against God God hath but its shattered sorces as it were but Sin hath its full Body what can enfeebled Nature what will depraved Nature do against Sin Let it be considered if the power of Grace in the Regenerate be so small that by that alone without the concurrence of divine and special assistance from above they can do nothing which Christ affirms Joh. 15.5 no not so much as think a good thought as the Apostle affirms 2 Cor. 3.5 what then can be expected from meer Nature in the Vnregenerate in whom Sin is in its full strength as to the weakning or subduing of it In things of a spiritual nature the Scripture doth not onely deny the act but the power too Joh. 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father draw him 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God c. neither can the know them because they are spiritually discerned Jer. 13.23 Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil So in that which I am upon 't is not onely the Sinner doth not free himself from the Law of Sin but of himself without the mighty power of the divine Spirit he cannot so do he that is not strong enough to subdue some one particular Lust how shall he be able to subdue the whole body of Sin in all its united and combined force as he that cannot conquer one single Souldier can much less conquer the whole Army If God leave a man to grapple with Sin meerly by his own strength woe be to him The necessity of the Spirits power to free from Sins power made out in some Particulars That the power of the Spirit is absolutely necessary to free from the power of Sin will be very evident if you consider those several advantages which it hath for the securing and holding up of its power in the Sinner As 1. 't is in possession 2. It hath been so a long time may be twenty forty theescore years to be sure from the time of the Sinners coming into the world for its power and his birth are of the same date now Vsurpers in possession and who have long been so are not so easily conquer'd 3. It s dominion is entire it hath all on its side the whole Soul is for Sin insomuch that when the Spirit of God comes to grapple with it he finds nothing there to side with him or to take his part which argues the necessity of his infinite power When there is a party within a Kingdom ready to fall in with the foreign force that comes to depose the Tyrant he may with more facility be vanquished but if all the people unanimously stick to him then the conquest is the more difficult As Christ once said * Joh. 14.30 the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me so the poor Sinner may say the Sin-subduing Spirit comes but he finds nothing in me to close with him 4. The natural man likes the power of Sin it hath his heart which is worst of all for the securing of its empire he
faculty And whereas he finds it under darkness blindness woful ignorance he is pleased to act as a Spirit of Illumination irradiating the mind with beams of divine light dispelling the opposite darkness filling the Soul with heavenly and saving knowledge This is the Spirits proper act and that which carries a marvellous power in it 't is no easie thing to open a blind eye this is just such a thing as that when the World lay in the abyss of darkness it required Omnipotency to say * Gen. 1.3 Let there be light no less a power is requisite to the saving enlight'ning of the Sinner who is not in darkness but darkness it self Eph. 5.8 But this being done Sin is exceedingly broken in its power by it for ignorance is one of the great supporters of its throne one of its royal Forts wherein its main strength lies where that is in the head Sin domineers in the heart and life You read Eph. 4.19 of some who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness here was the Law of Sin to purpose Sin at the very heighth and top of its dominion how did things come to this pass why ver 18. their Vnderstanding was darkened and they were alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them because of the blindness of their heart what a friend to Sin is ignorance how by this is the Sinner at its beck even to do whatever it would have him No wonder then that the Spirit when he comes to take Sin down first removes this ignorance Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God c. here 's the order or method in which the Spirit acts he first opens mens eyes and turns them from darkness to light and so he frees them from the power of Sin and Satan Again whereas the Vnderstanding lies under sad mistakes misapprehensions misjudgings having false notions of things and accordingly passing false judgment upon them by which Sins power is highly strengthened and kept up therefore the Spirit doth rectifie it delivers it from these mistakes c. makes it to judge aright of things and things brings it to pass true dictates that Sin is evil Christ good holiness excellent c. gives that sound mind which the Apostle speaks of 2 Tim. 1.7 This too being done Sin as commanding exceedingly falls and sinks upon this there 's a great abatement and diminution of its power for that never continues absolute and entire in a rectified judgment the convincing Spirit working as such always destroys commanding Sin It s kingdom stands by lyes and falshoods let but the Soul be enabled to see into them and thorough them so as no longer to be deluded by them and down goes that kingdom to be made free from a * Isa 44.20 deceived and a deceiving judgment is the way to the being made free from the Law of Sin therefore the Spirit will be sure to have that done Once more the Vnderstanding is full of high and proud thoughts of strange imaginations and reasonings which lift up themselves against God and subjection to his Will ô saith the Spirit these I must take a course with these must be thrown out of the heart or else Christs kingdom will never go up in it till something be done to bring these down Sins regency will continue as high as ever wherefore I 'le do it effectually 2 Cor. 10.5 Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ I assure you this is an act of great power but the Spirit goes thorough with it when he comes as a Sin dethroning Spirit thus he exerts his power in the Understanding Vpon the Will 2. He then proceeds to the Will where you have heard Sin chiefly exercises its dominion and which of all the faculties is most enslaved to it and by it The liberty of the Will is very much cry'd up by many and in such a sense none can deny it but out of that sense there 's nothing in man more under bondage than his Will 't is not now liberum but servum arbitrium as * See him de Servo Arbitr Luther us'd to phrase it and * Vide Jansen August l. 1. p. 3. c. 3. 5. Austine long before him In natural and purely moral acts there 's no question but it yet retains its freedom but in things of a spiritual and supernatural nature that upon Adams fall it hath wholly lost since which 't is only libera quatenus liberata free no further than as 't is made free Well! the Spirit undertakes this faculty lays forth his power upon it that he may rescue it out of the hands of Sin and bring it over to God and surely 't is most necessary he should so do for till the Will be effectually wrought upon and subbued how can it be imagin'd that ever the Law of Sin should be abolish'd Of all the faculties Sin contends most for the Will which when it hath once gained it will not easily part with whatever it loses that it will not lose it puts forth its utmost strength to defend and make good its Conquests over that And so too of all the faculties the blessed Spirit contends most for the Will that being the determining faculty with respect to Sins Reign he puts forth the greatest efficacy of his Grace for the setting of that right and straight for God that it may chuse close with cleave to his good and holy Commands in opposition to what it was wont to do to the Laws and Commands of Sin But 't will be ask'd How far or wherein doth he exert his power upon the Sinners Will in order to the freeing of him from Sin as a Law I have already answer'd this in what I said but now when I affirm'd that the Spirit doth not work upon it only in a persuasive way barely presenting some alluring Considerations or Motives for the inclining of it to this or that but still leaving it under a perfect indifferency so as that the Sinner may after all yet chuse whether he will believe or not repent or not cast of Sins yoke or not but he doth efficaciously incline bow overponâ—er determine it so as that it shall most certainly yet most freely consent to what is good and close with it And if God by his Spirit did not thus determine the Will either the Sinner would never be converted or if he should be converted the compleating of his Conversion would be brought about by the determination of his Will as his own act God doing no more than only leaving it to its own indifferency and so he would (a) Domine gratias ago tibi quod supernaturale auxilium mihi contuleris misericcrditèr nempe posse velle
convertere At vero simile aequaleque auxilium condiscipulo Judae contulisti sed ego superaddidi quod tu mihi supernaturaliter non dedisti viz velle convertere cumque non amplius receperim quam ille tamen ego amplius fcci quam ille cum jam justificatus evadam ille in peccato permaneat itaque non amplius tibi tuaeque gratiae dâ—beo quam iste Judas qui non est conversus Hoc autem Christianae aures audire exhorrescunt Bannez in D. Ward de Grat. discrim p. 40. have whereof to glory he himself having done that which was the highest and the hardest thing in Conversion And herein lies the mysterious operation of the Spirit in that though he acts thus efficaciously and victorioâ—sly upon the Will yet he doth not at all violate infringe or intrench upon its (b) Ne arbitreris istam asperam molestamque violentiam dulâ—is est suavis est ipsa suavitas te trahit Aug. Gratiâ Dei humanum arbitrium non aufertur sed sanatur c. Fulgent l. 2. de verit Praed Divina haec actio non laedit voluntatis liberatem sed roborat neque tamen extirpat radicitus vitiosam resistendi possibilitatem sed efficacitèr suavitèr dat homm firmam obediendi voluntatem Theol Mag. Brit. in Acta Syn. part 1. p. 679 Deus ita utitur voluntate vt ipsa voluntas sese elective vitalitèr ex practico rationis judicio agat Rhaetorf de Grâ—t Exerc. 3. cap. 3. Vide Norton's Orthod Evangel p 114. Natural liberty which is yet secured because the Spirit exerts all this power in such a way as doth very well agree with that liberty for he carries on the work suavitèr as well as fortitèr with efficacy but without any coaction or violence all being done by him in an accommodation and congruous attemperature of things to the Wills native and ingenit liberty and he working per certam scientiam victricem delectationem as (c) De Peccat Mer. Rom. lib. 2. cap. 19. tom 7. Austine speaks Therefore 't is said Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power mark what a sweet harmony and consistency there is betwixt the efficacy of Grace and the Wills liberty Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee draw me there 's efficacious grace we 'll run there 's free and voluntary obedience and see how well they agree draw me and we will run what more forceable than the former what more free than the latter Let us but fix upon the right notion of Liberty viz spontaneity not indifferency and that which I have said will be clear enough But to come to what is easie the converting Spirit so puts forth his power upon the Will that he makes it willing to close with what is good he removes that averseness obstinateness reluctancy that is in it against what is holy and spiritual whereupon it most readily complies therewith And in reference to the casting off the yoke of Sin and the taking up of the yoke of Christ he never gives the Will off till he hath brought the Sinner to say Sin from this day forward I break of all my allegiance to thee I 'le be ruled by thee no longer I resolve now to change my Master Lord Jesus I am thine I have been a traytor and rebel against thee too long but now I fully surrender up my self to thy Government thy Laws only I 'le be subject unto do thou rule command order dispose me as thou pleasest put thy yoke upon me I willingly stoop to it thus his Will is subdued and now he 's made free from the Law of Sin So much of the power of the Spirit and of its way of working upon the Will in order to this effect 3. I might go on the shew the way of the Spirits agency upon the affections as he doth disengage and disentangle them from Sin nay set them directly against it and so freeing the Sinner from the Law of Sin But this being necessarily consequential upon the two former I will not at all stay upon it So much for the Spirits workings at the first Conversion Of the Spirits subsequent workings after Conversion for the keeping down of the power of Sin 2. Secondly I am to consider the exertings of his power in his subsequent workings after Conversion during the whole life by which he keeps free from the Law of Sin and secures from its actual dominion this being not so proper to the Text I 'le dispatch it very briefly The good Spirit doth not put forth his power only in his first regenerating Sin-subduing acts but he continues so to do to the end of the Believers life having brought Sin under he 'le keep it so it will be endeavouring to regain what it hath lost but this gracious Spirit will not suffer it Having made the conquest he will parta tueri make good the conquest having gained the throne in the heart for God and Christ he 'le order it so that that shall be secured for them that Sin shall never ascend it any more And truly there is much power in this as well as in that which went before ô this corrupt nature will be stirring making head upon all occasions to get up again it must be a mighty strength which must suppress and break it in all its attempts therefore here too 't is the Law of the Spirit But how is this done by him Answ by his constant and continued agency in and regency over the renewed Soul The Law of the Spirit may have reference to these also that look as Sin is a standing Law in the Unregenerate it having in their whole course the command of them and it being the constant active principle in them efficaciously urging and exciting them to what is evil so the Spirit is standing Law in the Regenerate it too in their whole course having the command of them and it being the constant abiding lively principle in them efficaciously urging and exciting them to what is good by which continued actings he keeps Sin under forever For if it shall offer at any time by its sollicitations promises threatnings to recover its former dominion the Spirit is ready at hand to set in with other commands promises threatnings thereby to obviate and countermine Sin in its interposures he watches Sin in all its motions and assaults and accordingly applies himself in his guiding governing strengthening grace so that Sin can make but little on 't in all its endeavours You read here in this Chapter Ver. 14. of the leading of this Spirit As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and 't was Davids prayer Psal 51.12 that God would uphold him with his free Spirit so we read it but * De Sp. Sanct. l. 6. p. 213. Chysostome renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leading governing commanding Spirit which he saith is so called because
it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. bridle and command the affections and put forth its power over sensual pleasures This is certain the Spirit of God doth authoritatively lead and govern the Children of God in their course and by virtue of that constant regency which it keeps up in and over them Sins power is kept down here also is the Law of the Spirit freeing from the Law of Sin VSE 1. It informs as of the greatness and glory of the Spirit I have done with the Doctrinal part let me make some short Application Where first we see what a great and glorious person the Spirit of God is he 's the Spirit of Life by a mighty power he delivers from the Law of Sin the corrupt nature with all its strength and advantages cannot stand before him that which to the Creature is invincible he overcomes with ease ô he that doth such great things must needs be a great Spirit the excellency of the effect proves the excellency of the agent Some from this very passage fetch an Argument to prove the Godhead of the Holy Ghost (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril Alexandr in Thesaur Assert 34. p. 235. t. 5. Cyril from his being the Spirit of Life (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys de Spir. Sanct. p. 206. Chrysostome from his making free from the Law of Sin Hast thou not saith he heard Paul saying the Law of the Spirit c. doth the Spirit make slaves free it not having liberty in its own nature if it be created and in subjection it self it cannot make others free The Argument may be thus drawn up He that in the way of primary efficiency is the Spirit of Life to quicken the dead Soul and the Spirit of Liberty to free the enslaved Soul he is God but the Holy Spirit of God in this way is and doth all this ergo I put in these words in the way of primary efficiency because other things as means or instruments by a derived and subordinate power may have some influence upon these things and yet not be God but whoever doth produce them by an immediate primary underived power as the Spirit doth certainly he is more than a bare Creature he is truly God To make free from the Law of Sin is work for a God and for a God only for to this infinite knowledge is requisite in order to the finding out of all the secret recesses and close workings of Sin and also infinite power for none below that is fit to grapple with so great a power as that of Sin so long as 't is finite against finite the match is but equal and so there would be no victory if therefore the Spirit carries through such a work as this it speaks him to be infinite in his knowledge and in his power and consequently to be God But this I do but touch upon here hereafter if the Lord give leave I shall have occasion to speak more fully to it VSE 2. The true Cause of the Sinners being made free from the Law of Sin 2. Secondly we have here the assignation of the true and only Cause of freedome from Sins bondage Mistakes about this are very dangerous and yet nothing more common than for men to run themselves upon such mistakes The Apostle here speaking of his being made free from the Law of Sin what doth he fix upon as the proper Cause thereof doth he resolve it into the power of Nature alas that 's a thing so feeble and weak that corrupt Nature despises it not fearing that that will ever do any great thing against it Doth he resolve it into his own * Neque liberum arbitrium quicquam nisi ad peccandum valet si careat veritatis viâ August de Sp. Lit. c. 3. liberum arbitrium captivatum non nisi ad peccatum valet Aug. adversus duâ—s Pelag Ep. l. 3. c. 3. Free-will no that he understood little of I challenge the whole world to give me one instance of a Sinner that was ever by the power election and determination of his own Will made free from the reign of Sin The Will as now constituted is so corrupted that 't is rather for the continuance than for the shaking off of Sins dominion ô 't is loath to be delivered even by a foreign power it likes its bondage so well One of the greatest things that the converting Spirit when it so works hath to do is to bow and incline the Sinners Will so as to make it willing to accept of deliverance from Sins yoke and he 's never brought to this till the day of Gods power dawn upon him Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power The Evangelist setting down the proper Causes of Regeneration first removes the false ones among which mans Will is one and then assigns the true one Joh. 1.13 Which we born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God the same holds true of that which is a Consequent upon regeneration viz. being made free from the Law of Sin How can he that is a captive himself deliver others out of their captivity how can that bring down Sins power which is it self most under that power This was not the thing in Pauls eye when he was giving an account of his happy state 't was * De corpore mortis hujus non liberum hominis arbitrium neque Legis Sanctum jusiumque mandatum sed sola nos liberat gratia Dei per Jesum Christum Lex euim Spiritus vitae c. Fulg. de Incarn Grat. c. 16. Free-grace and not Free-will that he magnified Again doth he resolve it into any thing out of himself as the Word Ordinances the means of Grace c. no! 't is very true that these God having set his divine stamp upon them he also being pleas'd to accompany them with his own presence and blessing may be productive of high and great things yet as consider'd in themselves they are but means or instruments and therefore do not operate from any natural or instruments and therefore do not operate from any natural or inherent virtue but onely as they are us'd by the first Cause and as the Spirit of Life puts energy and power into them * 2 Cor. 10.4 Our weapons saith the Apostle are not carnal but spiritual and mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds c. the same may be said of all Gospel-institutions O how many live under the most effectual means the Ordinances of God in the most lively and powerful administration thereof and yet Sin stands its ground and keeps up its full power in and over them 'T is not Goliah's Sword that makes execution upon the Enemy unless it be wielded with Goliah's arm the Word is the * Eph. 6.17 sword of the Spirit which
and therefore not to be neglected In things of this nature men are very prone to run themselves upon one of these two rocks either they rest upon the means not looking up to the Spirit or they cast off the means casting all upon the Spirit * Quosdam nimia voluntatis suae fiducia extulit in superbiam quosdam nimia voluntatis suae diffidentia dejecit in negligentiam Illi dicunt quid rogamus Deum ne vincamur tentatione quod in nostrâ est potestate isti quid conamur benè vivere quod in Dei est potestate ô Domine ô Pater qui es in Coelis ne nos inferas in quamlibet istarum tentationum sed libera nos à malo August Agendae gratiae sunt quia data est potestas orandum ne succumbat infirmitas Bradw l. 2. c. 4. p. 473. either they are proud and can do all without God or dejected and slothful so as that God must and shall do all without them both of which are most dangerous mistakes You have heard that 't is the Spirits sole Act to free from Sins power that you your selves and all Causes and Means whatsoever are utterly unable to produce this effect what now will you draw from hence what that you have nothing to do that 't is a vain thing for you to use any endeavour on your part or to attend upon any means for 't is God and his Spirit that must do all ô pray do not so argue you 'l erre most perniciously if you do The Spirits sole efficiency as to the formal production of the act is very well consistent with the Creatures endeavours he indeed doth the thing yet he 'l have the Creature do what he can in order to it he doth all in us and for us yet he 'l do nothing without us therefore the confidence must be on him but yet diligence is requir'd of us 'T is the warmth and influences of the Sun which make the fruits of the earth to grow yet the Husbandman must plow the ground and sow his seed 't was the Angel stirring the waters that wrought the cure yet the poor Cripples were to lie by the pool side which allusion was before made use of upon this account and thus 't is here So then as to that which I am upon unquestionably 't is the power of the Spirit which alone frees from the power of Sin but yet you in your sphere are to be active and to do what in you lies in order to this very thing as namely you are to attend upon the Word the several Ordinances in and by which the Spirit works to read the Scriptures to be much in consideration of the evil of Sin and the sad effects of its dominion not to do any thing that may tend to the strengthening of its power by abstinence fasting c. to keep it under where it vents it self in some bodily lusts c. And in the doing of these things with all faithfulness and diligence you may with the greater confidence expect that the Spirit will exert his power for the real and thorough delivering of you from the Law of Sin 2. Such a◠are freed c. are to ascribe all to the Spirit 2. The Second word of advice is this Let such who are made free from this Law of Sin own the Spirit of Life as the author of their freedom and ascribe the glory of it to him Is this done for any of you you are infinitely engaged to God and to his Spirit How high should you be in the admiring of him how humble in the ascribing of all to him how should you evermore be crying out Not unto us ô Lord and Spirit not unto us nor unto any thing in all the World besides but unto thy name be all the glory Assuredly if this Spirit had not effected this liberty for you you had been to this day as much under Sins bondage as you your selves ever were or as any others yet are you may take the comfort but God must have the sole glory of it The Apostle praid for the Romans that God would fill them with all joy and peace in believing that they might abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Rom. 15.13 't is this power of the holy Ghost that hath done your work keep your eye there Acts 3.12 Why look ye so earnestly on us saith Peter as though by our own power we had made this man to walk possibly God was pleas'd to make use of such instruments in order to your spiritual rescue but why is your eye so much upon them as though they had done it by any power of their own no 't was not so all was done in the power of God We poor Ministers must say We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4.7 and all other things whatsoever must say the same But is nothing to be ascrib'd to a mans self to the actings and determination of his own will to the improvement of his natural abilities is it not enough to ascribe part yea the better part to the Spirit but some part to the Creature ô this we like dearly to divide 'twixt God and our selves to share with him in part of the glory due upon his special grace (a) Aqnin 1.2 Quaest 109. A. 6 7 Syn. Trid. Sess 6. c. 2. Can. 3. Bellar. de Lib Arb. l. 6. c. 15. Remonst in Acta Syn. p. 1. p. 64. Armin. Declar. Sent. p. 98. in Ep ad Hip. Addo illum doctorem mihi maxime placere qui Gratiae quam plurimum tribuit c. Some seem highly to cry up the grace of God and very much to assert the impotency of Nature and yet in after-positions and distinctions the Creature must come in for a part may be God shall have the (b) J. G. Red. red in Praef. nine hundred ninety ninth proportion but the thousandth part man himself must have which if it be granted to him in a little time he 'l put in for more till at last it come to this man did all and God did nothing 'T is safest and best to ascribe all to God 't was a good speech of (c) Non est devotionis dedisse prope totum sod fraudis retinuisle vel minimum Contra Collat. c. ult Saints further exhorted Prosper 'T is not devotion to give almost all to God but 't is dishonesty to keep the very least part from him the all is not too much to be attributed to him the least is too much to be attributed to the Creature 1. I cannot confine my advice to Gods people to this only Head three things further I would say to them and I have done 1 To love and honour the Spirit You are greatly to love and honour the Spirit This you do or ought to do to the Father to the Son pray do the same to
the Spirit He 's the great agent in your Regeneration deliverance from Sins Soveraignty illumination conviction turning to God believing mortification c. from him your light life strength liberty joy peace do all proceed why do you not more love and honour the Spirit O love the Son for what hath been done without but love the Spirit also for what he hath done within the whole management of Soul-work within in order to salvation now lies upon the hands of the Spirit let him be adored and honoured by all Saints 2 To live under the Law of the Spirit As you have found the Law of the Spirit in your first Conversion so you should live under the Law of the Spirit in your whole Conversation There is the power of the Spirit at the first saving work that is here spoken of and there is in what sense you have heard the continuation of it in the whole life now this you are to labour after I mean two things 1. you are to live under the constant influences 2. under the constant government and rule of the Spirit Blessed is the man that hath it always working in him and ruling of him what a life doth he live who ever lives under the Spirits authoritative guidance Col. 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts c. I and let the Spirit of peace rule in your hearts 'T is a great motive to men to come under the rule of Christ to consider that where he rules there he saves and 't is also a great motive to sanctified persons to live under the rule of the Spirit to consider where he rules there he comforts his governing and his comforting go together he that is acted by the Spirits command and yields up himself to the Spirits guidance shall neither want peace here nor come short of Heaven hereafter 3 To set Law against Law Set Law against Law the Law of the Spirit against the Law of Sin You yet find too much of this latter Law and it goes to the heart of you that Sin should yet have so great a power over you well what have you to do in this case why set Law against Law power against power the power of the Spirit against the power of Sin this should humble you that should support you That power which could baffle Sin when in its full strength can it not subdue it in the remainders thereof that power which could bring you in to God in spite of all opposition is it not sufficient to keep you now you are brought in to God 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation that very power is put forth for your establishment now which was put forth for your Conversion at the first ô fear not the Law of Sin against you so long as the Law of the Spirit is for you When you are beset and enemies press hard upon you see that you improve both for duty and comfort this power of Gods own Spirit Thus I have finish'd the three Observations which take in the summe of this Verse Rom. 8.2 Reader the Contents of this Chapter were insisted upon only in the close of a Sermon I having under the former Head the Law of Sin exceeded the bounds allowed by the Press cannot upon this Head the Law of Death make any considerable enlargement From the Law of Sin and Death CHAP. VIII Of the Law of Death The connexion 'twixt Sin and Death Where 't is the Law of Sin there 't is the Law of Death Regenerate persons are made free from this Law that opened with respect to Death temporal and Death eternal Vse 1. Men persuaded to believe that Sin and Death go together dehorted from thence not to sin Vse 2. Of the happiness of Gods people Of the Law of Death THe Apostle here sets a twofold Law before us the Law of Sin and the Law of Death the former I have been large upon the latter I must dispatch in a few words And Death The word Law is not repeated but according to that interpretation which some put upon the Words 't is to be * Ut Lex ad utrumque ex aequo referatur Erasm Of the twofold Sense of the Words repeated 't is the Law of Sin and 't is the Law of Death too as if the Apostle had said The Law c. hath made me free both from the Law of Sin and also from the Law of Death In the * See pag. 152. opening of them I told you there is a twofold Sense given of them 1. Some tell us there is in them the Figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein one thing is set forth by two words therefore they render this and Death as being onely an Adjective or Epethite of Sin thus the Law c. from the Law of Sin and Death that is from deadly Sin or from the Law of Sin which is of a deadly nature 2. Others take the word substantivè making the Law of Death to be a Law by it self as well as the Law of Sin as if this Death was not to be melted into Sin and the deliverance from it into the deliverance from Sin but that they are distinct things and point to distinct deliverances Now both of these Senses are very true and good and indeed I know not which to prefer From the First The Matter contained in them one single point offers it self to us viz. That Sin is a deadly thing From the Second these three which mutatis mutandis perfectly answer to the three former under the Law of Sin 1. That men by Nature and before Regeneration are under the Law of Death 2. That upon Regeneration or such as are Regenerate are made free from the Law of Death 3. That 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life which frees from the Law of Death The due handling of these Heads would take up a great deal of time but I having already staid too long upon this Verse and upon some other Considerations I am necessitated to contract and therefore for the better shortning of the work I must pitch upon another method wherein I may draw all into a narrow compass Three things abserv'd in the Words That Sin and Death go together Three things onely shall be observ'd 1. That Sin and Death go hand in hand together There 's an inseperable connexion or conjunction betwixt them they come here in the Text very near each to the other there 's but an and betwixt them and that too is copulative the Law of Sin and Death And well might the Apostle put them together when God himself in the methods of his Justice and in the threatning of his Law hath so put them together and surely what he hath so joyn'd no man can put asunder When Sin came into the world Death came along with it the one trod upon the heels of the other if man will sin he shall
improvement of it Was Christ sent and did God thus send him what doth this great act of God call for from us I 'le tell you in a few things 1. It calls upon us greatly to admire God Use 1. God to be admired for his sending of Christ O how should all our souls be drawn forth and elevated in the adoring of God for his sending of Christ What rich Mines of Grace have we in these few words God sent his own Son Here 's the greatest thing that ever God did or ever will do 't was much that he should make a World but what 's the making of a World to the sending of a Son The Apostle in the Text seems to ascend step by step and to crowd together variety of great and glorious things that he might the more heighten God's Love and draw up the hearts of Believers to the admiration of it For 1. here is Sending 2. God sending 3. God sending a Son 4. His own Son 5. The sending of this Son in our flesh Yea 6. in the likeness of sinful flesh Yea 7. in that Flesh to offer up himself as a Sacrifice for sin 8. Doing this for this End that sin might be condemned and that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us 9. Doing this too when the Sinners Case was desperate as to the Law is not here maguum in parvo and doth not the Apostle thrust things together heaping one thing upon another that he might the better set off and aggrandize the Love of God There 's enough in any One of them to make you stand and wonder but when you have them conjunct and all set before you in their proper emphasis and import how should you be affected and wrought upon to admire the Grace of God! The truth is take all together and you have here a representation of that Low Mercy Goodness which was too great and bigg for any but a God If you read no further than the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh there man is utterly lost but if you go on to God 's sending of his Son c. there the day of Salvation begins to dawn there 's an effectual remedy for a desperate malady now the case is altered O let the blessed God be therefore for ever magnify'd and adored 2. More particularly The Love of God the Father to be admired this calls upon you to admire the Love of God the Father and alwayes to entertain good thoughts of him they are distinct Heads however let me put them together I would not too curiously divide or distinguish betwixt the Sacred Persons in their several Acts much less would I set them in competition or prefer one before another as if we were more beholden to the One than to the Other As they center in the same common Essence 't is the same Love and the same gracious actings in all but yet they being personally distinct and they having those acts which are proper to them as so distinguished so they have their special and peculiar Love And 't is very good for us to understand what is immediately done by the Father what by the Son what by the Spirit which we must the rather endeavour after because the Scripture usually I do not say alwayes apply's this effect to the First that to the Second and another to the Third Person I am at present only to speak to the acts of the Father wherein he hath display'd that Love which is proper to him which if you please to look into as the Scripture sets them forth you will find your selves under a strong obligation to admire him as personally so considered For 'pray observe who did from all eternity predestinate elect choose you was it not God the Father Predestinating Love is the Father's Love Eph. 1.3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world c. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will After this came Redeeming Love and had the Father no hand in that Love nay had not He the first and the chief hand therein For did not he find out the ransom Job 33.24 I have found a ransom did not he contrive and lay the whole model and platform of Redemption in his eternal purpose and ordination therefore 't is said Isa 53.10 The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand that great Work resolves it self into the Will and pleasure of the Father as the first and principal Cause of it Christ as Mediator is brought in but as subordinate to him as being but the ministerial and executive agent in redemption for 't is but in his hands that the pleasure of the Lord should prosper Who chose sent called Christ to that Work and fitted him for it but the Father as you have heard So also who assisted and strengthened him in it but the Father Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold of which upholding and strengthening Grace by the Father Christ assured himself beforehand as you read Isa 50. 7 9. and it was accordingly made good to him as you read Matth. 4.11 Luke 22.43 Then again who rewarded Christ when he had finished his Work but the Father therefore to him Christ pray'd for this Joh. 17.4 5. I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was And now Christ hath made the purchase who doth authoritatively collate upon persons the blessings purchased but the Father Rom. 8.33 It is God that justifieth 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ c. Luke 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Who is it that works in Sinners their meetness for heaven but the Father Col. 1.12 Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Who is it that reveals the great mysteries of the Gospel but the Father Matth. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Who bestows and gives the Spirit but the Father Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth And to shut up this who secures and keeps in a state of grace but the Father Joh. 10.29 My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's band Now Christians may