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
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
can challenge no such thing This for a Law in its proper sense Sin is a Law according to the improper acceptation of a Law 2. Secondly the word Law is taken improperly for any thing that hath an impelling or impulsive virtue in it which though it be not strictly and properly a Law yet it may pass under that appellation because it hath the virtue and force of a Law and doth that which a true and proper Law uses to do And so an inward operative lively Principle that which efficaciously moves and acts a man or impells and urges him so and so to act may be stil'd a Law because of its powerful and authoritative influence in and upon the man in his acting a Principle is a Virtual Law or that which is equivalent to a Law inasmuch as it inclines urges impells with power and efficacy to such and such operations which are suitable to it And therefore when Sin is the Principle which acts a person in his general course and which doth efficaciously excite and impell him to those things which are suitable to its own nature I say when 't is thus there Sin may be called a Law and there 't is the Law of Sin So that when Paul here supposes himself before his Conversion to be under the Law of Sin he means that then Sin was his principle the sole and active principle in him that which with a strange kind of power and efficacy did urge excite impell him to wicked and sinful acts all along in that state The Law of Sin notes the power of Sin as hath been shown now that is twofold Moral or Physical I will not upon several accounts undertake to justifie this distinction in the rigid acceptation of things I onely make use of it to help your conceptions in that which I am upon Sins moral power lies in its being a Law for that 's the power of a Law its physical power lies in its being a Principle for that 's the power of a principle As to its Moral power it directs and regulates prescribing to the Sinner what it would have him to do and in a sense commanding him to do accordingly as to its Physical power it doth so and so excite and act by its inward effectual powerful inclinations and impulsions I distinguish here between a Law and a Principle because I now consider the Latter strictly in it self and not according to the improper application of the word Law to it And I make use of this distinction of Sins twofold power not as designing to assert any specifical difference betwixt them possibly something might be objected against that I onely design thereby to set forth the several ways and modes wherein Sin doth exert its power for though 't is very true that Moral and Physical power as considered in themselves and when applied to such and such things are distinct kinds of power yet when they are applied to sin they are but different modes the Nature of the thing admitting nothing more Now to bring this to the Point in hand Unregenerate persons are under the Law of Sin inasmuch as in that state Sin the depraved Nature is the principle which acts them and which strongly effectually nay impetuously inclines and excites them to what is sinful Every Agent hath its principle which acts it strongly and irresistibly as Natural Agents in natural acts have their principle working with great efficacy in them the Fire burns and cannot do otherwise because 't is determin'd and influenc'd by that natural principle which is in it so Moral Agents in Moral acts have their efficacious principles too which work as strongly and powerfully in them the difference being always preserv'd 'twixt Natural and Free Agents But now these principles are very different according to mens different state where 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus there the Spirit is the principle and the New Nature too in the Soul as the principle doth with a great deal of power and efficacy excite and quicken to what is good 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us But where it is the Law of Sin there Sin is the principle which doth also strongly excite to what is evil The Natural man hath no other principle than this and 't is very active in him it ever workng with great power and strength to draw out his corruption and so he is under the Law of sin I conceive this Law of Sin as to its most proper import notes the activeness and efficacy of a principle rather than the authority or Soveraignty of a Law though that be the word here used But however 't is best to take in both notions and in both the Doctrine holds true so long as any man is unrenewed Sin is both a Law to him to command rule and govern him and also a principle powerfully and efficaciously to act him in his whole course in both respects before regeneration 't is nothing but the Law of Sin By which expression the Apostle seems to superadd something to what he had said Ver. 1. he had there spoke of walking after the Flesh thereby intimating the Flesh to be the principle by which men out of Christ do act but now here in calling it the Law of Sin or of the Flesh he intimates the power and strength of that principle in those persons 't is a commanding principle in them which takes in the sum of both the significations which I have been enlarging upon it rules and acts them as it pleases it hath over them the authority of a Law and in them the energy or efficacy of a principle both of which do center and are comprehended in one word the power of Sin So much for the First Thing to show what the Apostle means by the Law of Sin and in what respects 't is so stiled 1 Quest Wherein doth Sin act as a Law in the Vnregenerate Two Questions here arise the answering of which will give further light into the Doctrine the First is this How or wherein doth Sin as a Law exert and put forth its power and dominion in and over unregenerate persons In the answering of this should I fall upon particulars Answ to set forth the various workings of Sin in the matter or kind of them or the various arts and methods of Sin in the manner of its working it would occasion a discourse too large for my present design I will therefore limit my self to two General Heads under which the several particulars will fall The Law of Sin shews it self partly with respect to what is Evil and partly with respect to what is Good You may understand its workings in the Vnregenerate by its workings in the Regenerate for 't is the same in both onely in different degrees Now how doth it work in these that you shall see in our great instance in the Text Paul complaining of this Law as in himself shews how it did
hurt it had done before and remov'd that in it which was of so hurtful a nature What was that I answer its guilt O that 's an hurtful thing indeed it binds the Sinner over to answer at God's tribunal for all the evils commited by him exposes him to the Wrath of the great God renders him lyable to a Sentence of eternal death but now it pleased God for sin to condemn sin i.e. by Christ's being a Sacrifice to expiate this guilt of sin which in it self was so pernicious and hurtful so that believers should not lie under it or eternally suffer for it Now this is that explication of the Word which is most commonly given by the best * Damnatio peccati nos in juslitiam asseruit quia deleto reatu absolvimur uti nos Deus justos reputet Calvin with many Others Beza dissents Non mihi facilè persuaserim de peccatorum expiatione hic agi est enim pars illa jam pridem ab Apostolo explicata adeo ut à v. 12. c. 5. aliud Argumentum sit exorsus Expositors and I prefer it before the former upon these Reasons 1 As to the abolishing of Sins power that the Apostle had spoken to already in the foregoing verse the Law of the Spirit c. and he instances in the Spirit there as he doth in the Son here Now according to what was said before as 't is the proper act of the Spirit to free from Sins power therefore that must be understood there so 't is the proper act of the Son to free from Sins guilt therefore that must be understood here 2 The Word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all along in Scripture points to the guilt of sin and the punishment inflicted thereupon never to its power or dominion for the proof of which several Texts might be cited if it was deny'd 'T is usually apply'd to the Sinner here only if I well â—emember 't is apply'd to sin it self and in this different application it carries a different sense for as 't is elsewhere apply'd to the Sinner it notes the imputation of guilt to him and the passing of a condemnatory sentence upon him for that guilt but as 't is here apply'd to sin it notes the expiation or abolition of its guilt yet this doth not wealien what I have said because in both references though in a different sense it still points to guilt and punishment which is enough for my purpose 3 The Apostle speaks of that abolition of Sin which was effected in Christ's Flesh therefore it must be understood of the abolition of its guilt rather than of its power that being the thing which was most directly and immediately done in Christ's Flesh 4 'T is that condemning sin which is for sin i.e. by a Sacrifice for sin wherefore it must be taken in that sense which best suits with what was done in and by Sacrifices Now they abolished sin not so much by turning men from it or by lessening its power though that might follow as a Consequent upon them as by the * This proved in Essenius de Satisf Christi c. 8. p. 422. Turretin de Sat. c. part 6. p. 202 Dr. O. against B. P. 574. expiating of its guilt this was the proper and primary effect of the Leâ—itical Sacrifices in allusion to which when Christ the true Sacrifice is said to purge away sin to purifie c. you are to understand those expressions as respecting the expiation of Sins guilt as I shall have occasion further to prove in what will follow For these reasons though I would not exclude wholly the former sense yet I prefer this before it In the punishing of it in Christ's person 3. There is a * See Pareus in loc in Dub. 3. p. 779. Condemnare perpetuò significat Apostolo poenas peccati irrogare Damnare pec catum est illud dignum poenà judicare paenasque pro eo exigere Contzen his sense of the Word justified by Calov Socin profl p. 433. third interpretation put upon the Word namely God's condemning sin was his punishing of it in Christ's person or his exacting of Christ that punishment which was due to the Sinner himself For this Condemning must be joyn'd with that which follows in the Flesh and expounded by that and then the meaning will be this For sin God condemned sin in the flesh that is he fell upon sin severely punish'd it inflicted the curse and punishment due to us for it in and upon the Person of his own Son he †Isa 53.6 laid the iniquities of Believers upon Christ and then punished them in him so that he bore that penalty which Sinners themselves should have undergone God did of him in our Nature paenas peccato debitas exigere or maledictionem nobis debitam irrogare Man having fin'd either he himself or his surety must suffer the punishment thereby deserv'd God will have sin punnish'd somewhere therefore Christ having put himself into the Sinners stead he must bear the punishment due to the Sinner for though God will so far ‖ See of God's relaxing his Law and the threatning thereof Mr. Baxter Aphor. p. 36. c. Mr. Burgesse of Justif p. 84. relax his Law as to admit of a substitution or commutation as to the Person suffering yet he will have its penalty inflicted either upon the proper Offender himself or upon the Saviour who was willing to interpose for the Offender so as to suffer what he should have suffered and God accordingly dealing withhim and proceeding against him in the laying of the punishment due for Sin upon him this was his condemning Sin in the flesh of Christ I am not now to prove the truth of the thing of that hereafter at present I 'me only shewing how 't is held forth in the Word which I am opening so much for the first thing what this condemning of Sin is How Sin is said to be condem'd for Sin 2. The Second thing that needs explaination is the condemning sin for sin what may our Apostle mean by this for sin * Contra duas Pelagian Ep. l. 3. c. 6. Austine gives a threefold sense of it 1. For sin that is by that flesh which look'd like to sinful flesh which therefore might be called sin since as he saith the resemblances of things do usually pass under the names of the things which they resemble by that flesh sin was condemn'd 2. For Sin he makes to be as much as by a Sacrifice for Sin 3. He expounds it of the Sin of the Jews not as heightning it in which sense all the Greek Expositors take it but as pointing to the effect of it by that sin of theirs in crucifying Christ eventually Sin was condemn'd or expiated But these things must be further enquired into The double Reading of Sin and for Sin both opened 'T is in our Translation exactly as 't is in the Original equally concise in both and
or conjunction with him so far as the participation of one and the same Nature with him will go The Spiritual and Supernatural Union is that which hath been opened viz. that which is brought about by the Spirit and by Faith upon which the Creature is not one with Christ meerly in respect of his Manhood but he is one with him in an higher manner as being also according to his measure made a partaker of his Divine Nature that is to say as the Image of God is imprinted upon him as the several Graces of the Spirit are wrought in him as Christ and he are not only one flesh but also one spirit both having the same spirit dwelling in them and both being animated and acted by one and the same spirit Now to apply this Distinction The first of these Vnions is not sufficient to secure from Condemnation or to entitle to Salvation for then that being * Nullus est hominum cujus Natura non erat suscepta in Christo Prosp resp ad cap. Gall. c. 9. Of this see Cyril l. 10. c. 13. in Joh. Dei Filius quia suscepit humanam Naturam cum omnibus hominibus conjunctus est c. sed ista conjunctio generalis est tantum ut ita dicam juxta materiam Pet. Martyr common and general all men living should be saved and none should be condemned Even the graceless and unregenerate are men and have that very nature which Christ assumed but is this enough for an everlasting state of happiness Surely no! 'T is true even this natural union is very precious and the foundation of great joy and comfort to Believers O for such to remember that Christ hath match'd into their family sits in Heaven in their nature and is of the same flesh and blood with themselves this I say must needs be very sweet The Apostle speaks of it as a very great thing Heb. 2.11 He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admits of various interpretations I conceive this is the best Christ and the Saints are all of one that is all of one nature of one and the same flesh and blood for it follows v. 14. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same c. and v. 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham I say this Vnion is matter of great comfort to Believers but for Others who have nothing more than that Christ is man and hath assumed their flesh and is as they are and they as he what will this avail them What is Christs taking our flesh if he doth not give us his spirit what is it for him to be made like to us in our nature if we be not made like to him in his nature Christ with the humane Nature is in Heaven and yet thousands with the humane Nature are in Hell O rest not in meer manhood though Christ be man but get an higher a closer a more special Union with him or else it will be condemnation for all that 2. I distinguish Secondly Union with Christ is either External and Visible or Internal and Invisible The First is common and general yet not so common as the Material and Nartural Vnion spoken of before for all are Men but all are not Christians This lies in Church-membership the participation of Church-priviledges living under the Word and Sacraments passing under the Baptismal Seal making of some external profession of Religion c. The Second includes and supposes all this but hath a great deal more in it it notes real insition and implantation into Christ This Distinction is evidently grounded upon that of our Saviour Joh. 15.2 where he saith Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away here is the external Vnion for here is a branch which bears no fruit and yet it is in Christ how it must be understood in respect of Church membership external profession c. And every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit here 's the internal and special Union that which is as was said by real insition and implantation into Christ Now the enquiry lies here whether you be so in Christ as to be ingrafted and implanted into him the Former without this will signifie but very little 'T is indeed a great mercy to be a member of the Visible Church but this without a close and special membership with Christ will not secure a mans everlasting state if it be only external conjunction with Christ here it may for all that be eternal separation from him hereafter What is it for the Branch to be ty'd or fast'ned to the Stock if it doth not coalesce and incorporate with the Stock what is it for a man to be in Christs mystical Body only as the wooden leg or eye of glass is in the natural body where there is apposition but no coalition or union Certainly when Paul here tells us There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus he means such a being in him as is more than what is external and common or (a) Illi in Christo esse dicuntur hoc loco non qui mediatè tantum secundum quid in Christo sunt nempe ratione Ecclesiae ipsius quae corpus Christi mysticum c. sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelliguntur veri Christiani qui immediate in Christo sunt per Unionem mysticam cum ipsius personâ fide virtute Spiritus Sancti c. Gomar founded upon any such bottom As particularly such as is by meer Baptism I mean when 't is the participation of the external sign only and there 's nothing more (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl They therefore who open the Words by this are too large and general Alas Baptism (c) Non loquitur Paulus de iis qui Sacramentum tantummodo Baptismi perceperunt quos extrinsecus duntaxat unda alluit non autem intus in animo Gratia expiavit sed eos intelligit qui sunt in Christo Jesu h. e. rem etiam Sacramenti adepti sunt Justinian in loc Qui sunt in Christo Jesu i. e. qui per Baptismum Christum induerunt eique per Fidem dilectionem incorporati sunt factique tanquam viva ejus membra tanquam palmites Christo ut viti insiti Perer. Disp 1. in Cap. 8. ad Rom. Qui sunt insiti per Baptismum in eo regenerati Estius alone will not do it there must be something more than the external badge and livery of Christianity or else that will come short both of Vnion here and No-Condemnation hereafter O how many are there who are baptiz'd live in the Church are visible members thereof who yet are far from being inwardly knit to Christ and therefore shall perish eternally This is to be
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
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
sets down the Way and Manner how this Non condemnation is carried on That is done two ways partly by the Spirit of Christ partly by the Merit of Christ In order to the Sinners Justification and Salvation two things are necessary 1. he must be freed from the tyranny usurpation and dominion of sin 2. he must be freed too from the guilt of Sin and the Justice of God must be satisfied Now saith the Apostle Both of these are accordingly done the Former by the Spirit of Christ which is spoken to in this Second Verse the Latter by the Merit or Satisfactory Obedience of Christ in his own Person which is spoken to in the Third and Fourth Verses Thus the Apostle clears up the way and method of God in the bringing about of the Non-condemnation of Believers and this in the double reference which the Words will bear with respect to the Priviledge 2. Then Secondly they way refer too to the Character or Description who walk not after c. It might be ask'd How doth the truth of this appear viz. that persons in Christ do thus walk or rather How comes it about that Such do arrive at this spiritual course The Apostle answers The Law of the Spirit of Life hath freed Such from the Law of Sin q. d. I have spoken of the holy and heavenly course of Believers and do not wonder at it you may believe me in what I have asserted for the mighty power of the Spirit of God having subdued Sin and broke its strength and dominion in these persons upon this they are brought to holy walking or therefore they do so walk In this reference several * Lex spiritus vitae quae pertinet ad gratiam liberat à lege peccati mortis facit ut non concupiscamus impleamus jussa legis c. August Octoginr Quaest p. 575. t. 4. Verius certius est quod hoc versiculo rationem reddere Apostolus voluerit non illorum verborum nihil nunc damnationis sed cur hanc quasi conditionem illis verbis adjecerit iis qui non secundum carnem ambulant Stapl. Antidot p. 625. The Apostle proves the Spiritual walking à causa procreante quae est Spiritus Sanctus Piscat He gives a reason why the true members of Christ do walk according to the Spirit Deod Expositers carry the Words but this for their Connexion Some Divines make them to be in part Proleptical as if the Apostle foreseeing some Objections which might be made against what he had laid down did here design to prevent and anticipate those Objections For as to both the forementioned Things doubts and discouragements might arise in some who were in Christ They might object thus Blessed Paul thou saist there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ but how can this be what so much Sin and Guilt and yet no Condemnation can we who are nothing but a very mass of Sin be thus safe and secure as to our eternal state O this we scarce know how to believe And again thou speakest of Walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit alas who do thus walk when we have so much of Flesh in us and that doth so often draw us to carnal acts c. how is this qualification practicable To obviate this double Objection or Discouragement the Apostle brings in these Words in which he renders both the Priviledge and the Property of persons interested in it real and credible viz by their being freed from the Law of Sin and Death through the Law of the Spirit 'T is as if he had said 't is too true that even such who are in Christ will have Sin in them and sin will too often be committed by them yet for all this I say that such shall not be condemned why because they are freed from the Law of Sin and so consequently from the Law of Death Sin I grant is in them but 't is not a Law in them or to them it still keeps its residence in them but its reign its commanding power is gone now where it is not commanding it shall not be condemning So then this notwithstanding the foundation of a Believers Safety and Comfort stands firm and unshaken And for the Other discouragement here is a kind of tacit and implicit Concession that the people of God are Flesh as well as Spirit and that as to some particular acts through infirmity they may follow the guidance and motions of the Flesh but yet they are not under the Law and command of the Flesh why because they are freed from the Law of Sin there is another Law which hath thrust out that Law of Sin viz. the Law of the Spirit Indeed time was when they were at the beck and command of the Flesh when they walked after it but the Law of the Spirit having taken hold of them now for the main they do not they cannot walk after the Flesh The force of the is Particle FOR opened I come more strictly and narrowly to look into the Words For the Law of the Spirit of Life c. 'T is a Scripture that either is dark in it self or else 't is made so by the various and different interpretations put upon it Which before I can well speak to the first word For must be a little considered and the rather because 't is made use of and insisted upon in some matters of Controversie That which unites Verse and Verse divides party and party this little Word is made to bear its part in some sharp Contests and though to us at the first view it may seem but inconsiderable yet 't is not so to the ROMANISTS who in their arguings against PROTESTANTS make no small use of it They tell us that 't is here to be taken * Subscribit causam praedictae liberationis Soto Apostolus hanc libertatem à lege peccati per Spiritum Dei ponit ut causam ejus quod prius dixerat Stapl. Antid p. 625. With many Others causally as containing in it the Ground of Justification that it points to inherent Righteousness as the Cause of the Non-condemnation before spoken of and by this they attempt to prove that the Believer is not justified by the imputed righteousness of Christ but by his own personal inherent righteousness For say they the Apostle having said that there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ he proves it from inherent righteousness as the proper and formal cause of it there is no Condemnation For the Law of the Spirit c. And that the Argument may be the more pressing and concluding to us PROTESTANTS they urge that Calvin and Beza themselves do make this Law of the Spirit of Life to point to grace regeneration inherent righteousness To whom I reply 1. That 't is not safe either for Them or Vs in matters of great moment to lay too great a stress upon little Words which onely joyn Verse and Verse
Spiritus serviunt Orig. Origen makes it to be the Law of God in general which saith he is also the Law of the Spirit (b) Lex Spiritus perinde sonat q. d. Legem Spiritualem juxa proprietatem sermonis Hebraici Erasm Erasmus opens it by the Spiritual Law (c) Est periphrasis Legis Gratiae quam Spiritus Sanctus renovator vivificator mentis humanae scribit in cordibus quae inhabitat Perer. Legem Spiritus vocat Gratiam Christi quâ Lex Dei per Spiritum Sanctum scribitur in cordibus nostris Estius Pererius and Estius by that grace of Christ or of the Spirit by which he writes the Law in the Heart (d) Lex Spiritus vitae i.e. certa indubitata in Christum fides c. Per Antithesin Legi peceati fidem in Deum per Christum Legem appellat abutens vocabulo Legis Zuinglius Zuinglius by the grace of Faith several such Glosses are put upon it which I shall not further make recital of That explication which I have laid down is most (e) Cum Puulus utitur Voce Legis loquitur Metaphoricè nam per Legem intelligit Vim efficaciam Pet. Martyr Lex Spiritus Metaphorioè vis quasi imperans dominans Gomor usual and common and so to be brief all comes to this The Spirit of Life is the Holy Spirit of God which is a living Spirit in himself and which also as a regenerating Spirit works the divine and spiritual Life in the Soul and The Law of the Spirit of life is the power and commanding efficacy of the Sanctifying Spirit in his gracious operations upon the Hearts of such and such persons by which they are made free from the Law of Sin and Death that is from the absolute domination tyranny and full power of Sin and Death Before I go off from this One thing must be added viz. that though Law be here joyned with the Spirit of life yet 't is to be taken not as ultimately referring to the life but rather to that which follows hath made me free from the Law of sin c. I mean this Great is that power which the Spirit puts forth in renewing and thereby quick'ning the Soul yet his power as terminating in that effect is not here mainly intended but 't is the power of the Spirit terminating in the deliverance of the Sinner from Sins dominion which is here intended that I say is the proper terminus of the Spirits power in this place and whatever power the Spirit puts forth in the life or Regeneration that is here mentioned but as the way or medium of the Spirit in his making free from the Law of Sin and Death This Interpretation of the Words I judge most agreeable to the Apostles Scope in them and therefore I shall handle them according to it and then the Connexion will lie thus There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus c. because by the mighty power of the regenerating and enlivening Spirit Such are freed from the command and rule of Sin so that it doth not reign over them as formerly it did and they being thus freed from the power of Sin consequently they are also freed from the power of Death especially of eternal Death so that most certainly there is no Condemnation to them But now against the truth of what is here asserted a Question or Objection may be raised How doth Paul here say that he was made free from the Law of sin when in the preceding Chapter he had so much complained of it you have him there bewailing it over and over therefore how is that consistent with what he here lays down I will not at present stay to answer this Objection but in the handling of one of the Observations it shall be answered What is it which is in Christ Jesus Upon the review of the Words I find one thing in them which as yet hath scarce been touch'd upon that therefore must be a little opened and then I shall have done with the Explication of them 'T is here said the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus now it may be ask'd what doth this in Christ Jesus refer to or what is that in special which is in Christ Jesus is it the Life or the Spirit or the Law of the Spirit for all of these go before I answer Each and all of them in different respects may be said to be in Christ Jesus but I conceive 't is spoken chiefly with respect to the Spirit it self 1. The Life wrought in the Soul at and by regeneration that is in Christ Jesus partly as he by the Spirit doth work that Life and partly as he preserves and keeps up that Life when it is wrought The spiritual life here as well as the eternal life hereafter is in Christ that of the Apostle though it be spoken of the latter yet is applicable to both 1 Joh. 5.11 And this life is in his Son Beza with * Lex Spiritus Vitae est vis Spiritus quae vitam eam inspirat quae est in Christo quaeque vivitur ejus Spiritu Bucer Illius inquam Spiritus qui ad vitam aeternam ducit quam Christus daturus est Grot. Others some of whom do a little differ in their notion of the life it self carries it in this reference according to his explication of the Spirit of life and to make the thing more express he would have an Article inserted and added to the Words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Spirit is in Christ Jesus And it may be said to be so upon a fourfold account 1. As it was at first poured out upon him in his Humane Nature and doth yet reside in him in a very high and eminent manner For God gave not the Spirit by measure to him as he doth to us Joh. 3.34 he was full of the Holy Ghost Luk. 4.1 anointed with the Holy Ghost Acts 10.38 't was prophesied of him that the Spirit of the Lord should rest upon him Isa 11.2 Christ as man hath the special residence of the Spirit in him and the special communication of the Spirit to him 't is in all the Saints but eminently 't is in Christ Jesus 2. 'T is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus not onely in respect of the great acts and operations of this Spirit in and upon Christ himself but also in respect of the Order of the Spirit in its operations for it (a) See of this Dr. Sibbs in The Spiritual Jubille p. 36 c. first wrought in and upon Christ in the sanctifying of his Humane Nature in the fitting of him for his Sufferings in the supporting of him under his Sufferings c. and then subsequently it works in and upon Believers according to their capacity 3. The Spirit may be said to be in Christ Jesus as he doth convey and give this Spirit where he pleases Then the in Christ
Jesus is as much as (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occumenius Lex Spiritus vitae i. e. gubernatio Spiritus vitalis quem suppeditat Christus non solum admonens nos exemplo mortis suae ad charitatis opera perficienda sed etiam operans illam in cordibus nostris Oecolamp by Christ Jesus the Spirit is given and doth work as a regenerating Spirit or the Spirit of life according to the will and good pleasure of Christ 4. (c) In Christo Jesu quia non datur nisi his qui sunt in Christo Jesu Aquin. As this Spirit is given onely to those who are in Christ Men out of Christ have nothing to do with it his Members are onely its Temples without the Spirit there 's no Vnion and without the Vnion there 's no Spirit As the Member doth not participate of the Animal Spirit but as 't is united to the Head so a man doth not participate of the blessed quickening Spirit of God but as he is united to Christ but these things will be more largely insisted upon when I come to the ninth and tenth Verses Now the Words which I am opening mainly point to this what is it which is in Christ Jesus why 't is the Spirit it self therefore (d) Placet supplementum qui ut referatur ad Spiritum in Graeco subaudiatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi scriptum sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscat So Erasm Some also would have an Article inserted here to make the reference to the Spirit more clear thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Then as to the Third and Last thing the Law of the Spirit that too is in Christ Jesus Thus that mighty power which the Spirit at any time doth exert in the work of Regeneration it is conveyed to a person and doth take hold of him in Christ Jesus that is in and through Christ viz. as this effectual Operation of the Spirit is grounded upon Christ's purchase and is put forth in pursuance of Christ's redeeming love This is a truth which might be largely opened but I fear I have been too long already upon the clearing up of this Branch of the Text And yet I cannot omit to tell you that there 's One reference more which * Quamquam nihil vetat quin illa verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 construantur cum verba sequente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Piscat in Schol. Some do mention as this in Christ Jesus may refer to and be joyned with the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath made free Then the Sense would be this 't is by Christ that Saints are made free from Sin and Death whatever spiritual freedome Believers have they owe it all to Christ he hath the great hand in it as the Efficient and meritorious Cause thereof But this I 'le pass by because though it be a thing unquestionably true yet the generally received pointing of the Words will not admit it to be here intended I have now finished the Explicatory part the difficulty of the Words and the different Expositions put upon them all of which may be useful though all are not so pertinent and proper must be my Excuse for my being so redious and prolix upon it Having given you their proper sense and monning I should next draw out those Doctrinal Truths which are contained in them but that I shall not do at present Onely there 's One of them which I shall mention and briefly close with How the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life 't is this The Holy and Blessed Spirit is the Spirit of Life so he is here expresly stiled the Law of the Spirit of Life Which Words are applied to the Witnesses Rev. 11.11 where 't is said of them that the Spirit of Life from God entred upon them but yet know though 't is the same words yet 't is not the same sense For by the Spirit of Life as applied to the Witnesses nothing is meant but their civil living again in their restunration to their former Power Office Liberties of Service c. but when 't is applied to the Great Spirit of God it carries a quite other and much higher sense in it What 's that why it notes his living in himself and also his being the Cause of Life to the Creature He 's the Spirit of Life 1. Formally 2. Effectively or Causally A few words to each 1. First as to the Formal Notion The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life as he is a living Spirit as he lives in himself or hath life in himself For as the Father hath life in himself and hath given to the Son to have life in himself Joh 5.26 so the Spirit hath life in himself also And 't is not an ordinary or common life which the Spirit lives but 't is the self same life which the Father and the Son do live he being truly God lives the same increated infinite independent blessed life which the two Other Persons do * Genitivus Hebraico more pro Epitheto ponitur Calvin Est Genitivus Epitheti loco Estius Expositors generally observe that Life when 't is here joyned with the Spirit is not to be taken Substantive but Adjective 't is according to the Hebrew I diome where when two Substantives are put together the Latter of which is in the Genitive Case that is to be rendred as an Adjective or as an Epithete of the Former as the Bread of life is living bread the Water of life is living water the Glory of Grace is glorious Grace c. so here the Spirit of life is the living Spirit Theophylact joyning this Life with the Law going before saith this is spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the Law of Life was set in opposition to the Law of Sin and Death but Life is not to be joyned with the Law but with the Spirit himself 2. Secondly the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of life Effectively or Causally He is a quickening a life-bestowing or life-working Spirit in the Creature he makes Sinners to live and is the spring of that heavenly and supernatural life which is in the gracious Soul As he hath life in Himself so he communicates it to Others he is not onely a living Spirit but he is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quickening Spirit And this is One of his great acts namely to quicken he 's the Spirit of * 2 Cor. 3.17 liberty and he 's also the Spirit of life he 's a teaching inlightning convincing strengthening comforting purifying Spirit and he 's also an enlivening and quickening Spirit And as the Father and the Son live in themselves and quicken * Joh. 5.21 whom they will so the Holy Ghost too hath life in himself and quickens whom he will as he is said to divide gifts to every one severally even as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 The Spirit is * Oecumen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the
who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Titus 3.3 4 5. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish c. but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost he lays it upon the kindness and love of God which indeed are admirable in the freeing of a Soul from the Law of Sin by the regenerating Spirit this kindness of God should draw out the thankefulness of every gracious heart So much for this Vse of Counsel VSE 4. Comfort to regenerate persons upon their being made free from the Law of Sin A word in the fourth place for Comfort I would have every truly gracious person upon this Truth to be even filled with joy what glad tidings doth it bring to thee whoever thou art upon whom regenerating Grace hath taken hold it tells thee thou art made free from the Law of Sin Sin may and doth trouble thee but it doth not rule thee it lorded it over thee too long but now its dominion is gone from the very first moment of thy Conversion thou hast been made free believe it and take the comfort of it What think you had not Paul great joy in himself when he uttered these words the Law of the Spirit c. thou maist say the same concerning thy self the new birth having pass'd upon thee why therefore shouldst not thou be brimful of joy also This is so great a thing that the sense and comfort of it should revive and cheer thy Spirit under all outward evils the Laws of Men possibly may be somewhat heavy upon thee thou maist groan under such and such external pressures there may be much of bondage in thy outward condition but the Law of Sin is abolish'd thy Soul is made free the spiritual bondage is taken off is not this well very well Under the Law how were the poor Servants overjoy'd when the year of Jubilee came which gave them a release from all their servitude ô Christian thou hast liv'd to see a glorious Jubilee wilt not thou rejoyce So also when oppressed Subjects are freed from cruel Vsurpers 't is a time of great rejoycing mens joy then runs over and will be kept in no bounds or limits what a full tide of joy should be in their Souls whom God hath graciously delivered from Sins tyranny and usurpation ' True Sin never had any right to rule yet de facto rule it did therefore triumph over it as though its authority had been just as the * Hoc illi in malis suis indulgente fortunâ ut de eo populus Romanus quasi de vero Rege triumpharet Florus lib. 2. cap. 14. people of Rome once did with a mean person That Sin which once had you under is now brought under it self and 't is subdued therefore cannot much hurt you Adonibezek himself when in chains Bajazet when in an Iron Cage the fiercest Enemies when broken in their power cannot do much mischief God be blessed so 't is with Sin and therefore as to the main state fear it not I know you lie under many discouragements you feel such cursed inclinations to evil Sin doth so often prevail over you repeated back-slidings afflict you greatly your corruptions daily pursue you c. Well! I would have you to be very sensible of these things and mourn over them but yet know the reigning commanding power of Sin is gone notwithstanding all these yet 't is not the Law of Sin How much good may an unregenerate person do and yet Sin reign in him and how much evil may a regenerate person do and yet Sin not reign in him Under the Law every scab did not make one a Leper neither doth every prevalency of Sin make one a slave to it The Spirit of Life hath freed you from its dominion that being duely stated and that too in such a manner as that you shall never again be brought under it Sin shall not have dominion over you c. Rom. 6.14 Is all this nothing or but little in your thoughts is not here sufficient matter of great joy ô know what God hath done for you and make the best of it Being freed from the Law of Sin you are freed from Guilt Wrath Hell eternal condemnation for the Apostle having said there 's no condemnation c. he proves his assertion by this for the Law of the Spirit of Life c. And where 't is not the Law of Sin there 't is not the Law of Death these two Laws are link'd and fast'ned each to the other therefore he that is delivered from the one is delivered from the other also Believers there is but one thing remaining to be done for you which in due time shall most certainly be done too and that is to free you from the very being of Sin and from all those remainders of power which yet it hath in you do but wait and a little time will put an end to these also be of good comfort Sin is dying and weakening and wearing out every day shortly 't will dye indeed so as never to molest you more As you are justified its guilt is gone as you are sanctified its power is gone it will not be long before you will be glorified and then it s very being shall be gone too here in Grace Pharaoh's yoke is broken but above in Glory Sin shall be like Pharaoh drowned in the bottom of the Sea ô let every regenerate Soul greatly rejoice in these things So much for the Second Observation ROM 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death CHAP. VII Of the power of the Holy Spirit in the making of persons free from the Law of Sin The Third Observation viz. that 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life which frees the Regenerate from the Law of Sin How this is brought about by the Spirit by the Spirit of Life by the Law of the Spirit c. what this imports Of the necessity sufficiency efficacy of the Spirits power for and in the production of this Effect The particular ways and methods of the Spirit in it opened Of its workings at the first Conversion Of its subsequent regency in the renewed Soul Vse 1. Of the greatness and glory of the Spirit his Godhead inferr'd from hence Vse 2. To show the true and proper Cause of freedome from the Law of Sin where men are exhorted 1. To apply themselves to the Spirit for this freedome 2. In case it be wrought in them to ascribe and attribute the glory of it only to the Spirit Saints exhorted 1. To love and honour the Spirit 2. To live continually under the Law of it 3. To set Law against Law The third Observation handled
TWo Observations I have gone through I come now to the third and last 'T is the Law of the Spirit of Life which frees the Regenerate from the Law of Sin or thus 't is by the mighty power of the living and regenerating Spirit that any are deliver'd from the power and dominion of Sin This is the great effect here spoken of and the Apostle shows who is the Author and Efficient of it or how 't is brought about the Law of the Spirit of Life hath made me free from the Law of Sin I shall as much as conveniently I may contract in what I have to say upon this Point that I may draw towards the close of this Verse which I fear I have staid too long upon The Spirit frees from the Law of Sin Now here observe 1. The Spirit frees from the Law of Sin he is the true and proper Agent in the production of this Effect In reference to which you may consider him either essentially as he is God or personally as he is the third Person distinct from the Father and the Son in both of which considerations he makes free from the Law of Sin As to the first so there can be no question made of the thing * Factum Spiritus S. factum filii Dei est propter Natun◠Voluntatis unitatem Sive enim Pater faciat sive Filius sive Spiritus Sanct. Trinitas est quae operatur quicquid tres fecerint Dei unius est operatio Aug. in Qu. N. T. Quaest 51. because the Spirit so considered acts in common with the two other Persons and a they with him what the Father doth and the Son as God that the Spirit doth also and so vice versâ I speak of (b) August in Enchirid. c. 38. actiones ad extra which onely are indivisae As to the second so the thing is also clear because 't is the Spirits personal and proper act to weaken and dethrone Sin in the heart for as 't is the Sons proper act to free from the guilt so 't is the Spirits proper act to free from the power of Sin that being a thing done within the Creature this person is the proper author of it it belonging to the Son to do all without and to the Spirit to do all within The Father and the Son are by no means to be excluded yet 't is the Spirit which doth immediately bring about in the Soul that blessed freedom which I am upon If you cast your eye a little upon what lies very near the Text you 'l find all the Persons mentioned as all concurring to the advancement and promoting of the good of Believers 't is (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen Chrysostomes observation upon the Words That saith he which the Apostle always doth going from the Son to the Spirit from the Spirit to the Son and Father ascribing all to the Trinity that here he doth also For when he said who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord heshews that the Father doth this by the Son then he shews that the Spirit also doth this by the Son when he says that the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus c. then he brings in again the Father and the Son v. 3 4. But I say this freedom from the Law of Sin 't is the proper and immediate effect of the Spirit therefore 't is said * 2 Cor. 3.17 where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty the meaning of which Scripture I had occasion to touch upon before That which God once said to Zerubbabel in reference to the building of the Temple * Zech. 4.6 Not by might not by power but by my Spirit is applicable to deliverance from Sins dominion which is not brought about by any external and visible force and strength but onely by the internal effectual operations of the Holy Spirit How the Spirit of Life comes in 2. Secondly observe this is done by the Spirit of Life he doth not say onely the Spirit had made him free from the Law of Sin but he joyns this with it the Spirit of Life What is contain'd in this as 't is consider'd abstractly and in it self I show'd at my first entrance upon this Verse but I conceive it here hath some special reference to the effect spoken of it being either a description of the Spirit who frees from the Law of Sin he is a living Spirit or it pointing to the special time when the Spirit doth this viz. when he quickens and regenerates a man or it noting the way and method of the Spirit wherein or whereby he frees from the Law of Sin that is by working the spiritual Life or regeneration The Spirit who renews when he renews by renewing brings Sin under these are distinct things and yet are all couch'd in this Spirit of Life I might enlarge upon each but I will not because that which I have in my eye doth not much depend upon them The Law of the Spirit frees from the Law of Sin 3. Then observe thirdly 't is the Law of the Spirit by which this is done 'T is a Metaphorical expression as was shown in the opening of the Words the Law of the Spirit is the power of the Spirit as the Law of Sin is the power of Sin Here is Law against Law power against power the power and efficacy of the Spirit against the power and efficacy of Sin The Apostle elsewhere speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inworking power Eph. 3.20 according to the power that worketh in us that is the same with the Law of the Spirit in the Text so that when he saith the Law of the Spirit c. he means this that through the mighty power of the Holy Ghost authoritatively and effectually working in him Sins power was abolish'd its dominion brought down its kingdom in him destroyed and not only so but likewise Christs kingdom was erected in him for this Law of the Spirit doth both conjunctly wherever it dethrones Sin it also at the same time inthrones Christ and Grace in the heart When I was upon the Law of Sin I told you it hath a twofold power a moral and a physical power in reference to both of which 't is called a Law so 't is with the Spirit he hath his Moral power as he doth persuade command c. and he hath his Physical power as he doth strongly efficaciously incline urge impell the Sinner to such and such gracious acts yea which is highest of all as he doth effectually nay irresistibly change his heart make him a new Creature dispossess Sin of its regency and bring him under the Scepter and Government of Christ The difference betwixt the Law of the Spirit and the Law of Sin And herein the Law of the Spirit is above the Law
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
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
am well pleased and then at his Transfiguration Matth. 17.5 Behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son The Apostle 1 Joh. 5.7 8. speaks of the Witness of Heaven and of Earth There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one And there are three that bear witness in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one Now what is the thing which they bear witness to 't is Christ's Sonship for that is instanc'd in as to the First and Supream Witness Vers 9. If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater For this is the witness of God which he hath testified af his Son You see how fully this Truth is attested and how abundantly God was pleas'd to clear it up in the first promulgation of the Gospel it being the great thing necessary to be known and believed Indeed the Jews as to the Body of them had a vail before their eyes so that they could not discern this near relation of Christ to God they saw the Son of man but they did not see the Son of God they went no higher than * Matth. 13.55 56. Is not this the Carpenters Son is not his mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas and his sisters are they not all with us * Joh. 6.42 Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph whose Father and Mother we know how is it then that he saith I came down from heaven Nay when Christ plainly and boldly told them that he was the Son of God they could not bear it Joh. 10.33 For a good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy and because that thou being a man makest thy self God you may know what they meant by this by Christ's reply Vers 36. Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God Nay they were so offended at it that for this very thing they took away his life Joh. 19.7 The Jews answered him we have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God You have a full account of it Mark 14.61 to 65. Again the High Priest asked him and said unto him Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed And Jesus said I am c. Then the High Priest rent his cloaths and said What need we any further witnesses Ye have heard the blasphemy what think ye and they all condemned him to be guilty of death Thus the eyes of that people were then and O that they were not so still so blinded that they could not perceive Christ to be the Son of God but the Lord hath given sufficient evidence thereof to all who do not willfully shut their eyes upon the light 'T is a Truth out of all question to us who are called Christians yet about the Nature and Manner of Christ's Sonship there are some unhappy Controversies rais'd amongst us 2. Secondly Christ was God's own Son so 't is here signanter God sending hîs own Son I have told you in the Original 't is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of himself or his ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper Son as 't is Vers 32. God is Christ's proper Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 5.18 and Christ here is God's proper Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is not barely a Son but a Son in a special and peculiar manner God's own Son This being a Truth of very high import a most Fundamental Point I will endeavour first to explain and prove it and then to vindicate and make good its true and genuine Notion against Opposers Our Lord Jesus Christ is God's own Son whether you consider him comparatively and relatively I mean How Christ is God's own Son in reference to other Sons or absolutely as he is in Himself abstractly considered from all Other Sons God hath three sorts of Sons By Creation by Grace by Nature 1. Consider him Comparatively And so he is thus stiled to difference or distinguish him from all Other Sons For God hath three sorts of Sons 1. Some are so by Creation or in respect of their immediate Creation by God so the Angels are the Sons of God of whom Divines commonly interpret those passages in Job Chap. 1.6 There was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord Chap. 38.7 When the morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy So Adam upon this account he being immediately made by God is called the Son of God Luke 3.38 2. Some are the Sons of God by Grace viz. the Grace of Regeneration and Adoption thus Believers are the Sons of God as they are spiritually begotten of him and adopted by him Joh. 1.12 13. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God c. which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth c. Gal. 4.3 To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Chrildren by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Then 3. in contradistinction to these there is God's own Son or his Son by Nature one that is a Son of another rank and Order than the former in this respect God hath but One Son namely Christ True Believers are his Sons which speaks the exuberancy of Divine Love towards them * 1 Joh. 3.1 â—â— Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! therefore Christ owns them for his Brethren Heb. 2.11 Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren and Vers 17. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren But yet they are not Sons as Christ is his Sonship and theirs are of a very different nature differing no less than specifically Upon which account he sometimes appropriates the paternal relation in God unto himself Luke 10.22 All things are delivered to me of my Father c. Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions And elsewhere he distinguishes 'twixt God as being his Father and as being the Father of Believers Joh. 20.17 Go to
Essential Son of God 't is the very Title which they prefix before some of their Treatises in which One would think that they did concur with us holding the same thing which we do and giving the same honour and respect to Christ which we do when in truth there 's no such thing they do but speak fraudulently according to the custom of their * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. See much of the fraud of the Arrians in this in Epiphan adv Haeres lib. 2. tom 2. p. 738 Of them Hilarius speaks to the same purpose Tribuunt Christo Dei nomen quia hoc hominibus sit tributum Fatentur Dei verè Filium quia Sacramento Baptismi verè Dei Filius unusquisque perficitur Ante tempora saecula confitentur quod de Angelis Diabolis non est negandum Ita Domino Christo sola illa tribuuntur quae sunt vel Angelorum propria vel nostra Caeterum quod Deo Christo legitimum verum est Christus Deus verus i.e. eadem esse Filii quae Patris Divinitas denegatur Contra Auxent Mediolan old Predecessors for here 's the Fallacy they me an by all this nothing more than that Christ was the Son of God in regard of his wonderful Conception and Nativity by the Virgin Mary But to pass by their frauds let us come to the thing We say Christ's filiation or Sonship was grounded upon something of a far higher nature than this that he was the Son of God antecedently to it even from all eternity they ground his Sonship upon it only making it but then to commence when he was begotten by the holy Ghost conceived and born by the Virgin Against which dangerous Opinion we argue thus 1. If Christ's Sonship did result from this as the true and proper ground of it then the * Vide Stegm Photin Dip. 16. p. 180. Arnold Catech Racov. major p. 176. Holy Ghost the third Person should rather be intituled the Father of Christ than the First Person because that effect which was the foundation of Christ's Sonship was more immediately produced by him than by the First Person But this is notoriously false for all along in the whole current of the Word Christ is brought in as the Son of the Father and as standing in this relation to the Father and not to the Spirit 2. Christ himself never resolves his Sonship into his miraculous Conception or Birth You find him sometimes professedly treating upon it and giving the world ' an account about it what doth he then ground it upon why he carry's it up to his doing what the Father did Joh. 5.19 to his quickning whom he will even as the Father doth Joh. 5.21 to his having life in himself as the Father hath life in himself Joh. 5.26 to his being one with the Father Joh. 10.30 to his being in the Father and his Father in him Joh. 10.38 He doth not at all mention his miraculous Conception which in all probability he would have done if that had been the proper Ground of his Sonship but he insists altogether upon things tending to the proof of his participating of his Fathers Nature and Essence and by them he designs to make out his Sonship yea and that it was such a Sonship as did render him equal with his Father but this he could not have done either with truth or evidence had he been only the Son of God upon what is here pretended 3. Though Christ's Conception and temporal Generation was very wonderful yet that did but reach to his Flesh or Humane Nature and there terminate Now the Scripture doth not place his great Sonship in his Humane but in his Divine Nature therefore as to that it speaks him to be the * Qui factus est ex semine David secundum carnem hic erit Homo Filius Hominis qui declarandus est Filius Dei secundum Spiritum Sanctificationis hic erit Deus sermo Dei Filius Tertul. adv Praxean Torquetur frustra locus Luc. 1.35 c. A nuda enim conceptione nativitate Carnis ex Virgine manavit non Filii Dei sed Filii hominis appellatio Quod verò Angelus porrò affirmat illud est hâc Filiatione non obstante etiam vocandum Filium Dei adhibitâ exactè particulâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad conciliandam utramque Filii Hominis Filii Dei uni Christo tribuendam appellationem per communicationem idiomatum c. Cloppenb Ant. Smalc p. 71. Son and Seed of David or the Son of Man in contradistinction to his being the Son of God And his Sonship to God cannot be grounded upon that which was the ground of his Sonship to Man for where the Sonships are so different they must needs have different Grounds and foundations Pray let these two Texts be well weighed and they will sufficiently prove what I say Rom. 1.3.4 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the resurrection from the Dead Rom. 9.5 Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever The sum of all Christ hath two Natures according to which two Natures he hath two distinct Sonships he is the Son of God and he is the Son of Man these different Sonships must have different causes grounds therefore his Conception upon which he was the Son of Man cannot make him also to be the Son of God 4. As to the Text alledg'd by our Adversaries to prove their Opinion there 's a double Answer commonly given to it 1. The particle therefore in it is not causal but illative 'T is not brought in as signifying the Ground of Christ's Sonship but as a note of inference wherein something is inferr'd from what went before The Angel had told Mary that the Holy Ghost should come upon her and the power of the Highest should overshadow her and then adds therefore also the Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God therefore what may be the force of this word in this place 't is a meer deduction drawn from the premises to this effect Since such a thing shall be done by the Holy Ghost therefore according to what was prophesied Christ shall be called the Son of God The words plainly refer to the prophesie Isa 7 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel The Evangelist brings them in expresly in that reference Matth. 1.21 22 23. And she shall bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Behold a
the Text God sent his Son implying he was a Son before he was sent had it not been so it must have been said God sent him to be his Son and not God sent his Son which supposes him before the sending to be actually a Son The Third False Ground of Christ's Sonship 3. Another Cause assigned of Christ's Sonship and of the apellation here given him God's own Son is his Resurrection That begetting which the Psalmist speaks of Psal 2.7 is not say they to be interpreted of Christ's being eternally begotten of the Father but only of what the Father did when he raised him up from the dead for so the Apostle brings it in Acts 13.32 33. We declare unto you glad tydings how that the promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus again as it is also written in the Second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Christ not God's Son in respect of his Resuâ—rection For answer to this 1. How many Causes and Grounds shall we have of Christ's Sonship we have had two already here 's a third we shall have by and by a fourth and a fifth and I know not how many more where shall we stop Christ's Sonship is but one I mean as he is the Son of God and therefore admits not of the multiplication of Causes In all relations there is some single act which is the foundation of them upon which in their relative notion they are compleat and why should it not be so here in the relation betwixt God and Christ Our Opponents tell us that Christ upon his miraculous Coneeption was the Son of God I then ask was he so truly fully perfectly compleatly if so which they by their Principles cannot deny then what need is there of any thing further or how doth the nature of the thing admit of any thing further for he that is a Son already perfect and compleat cannot by any addition or new emergency be made more a Son because the Essence of things whether absolute or relative cannot be intended or remitted We are enquiring what is it which makes Christ the Son of God we ground it as we should and must upon one thing namely upon the Father's begetting of Christ from all eternity and communicating his own Nature and Essence to him they who oppose lay it upon several things as you have already heard in part and will yet further hear in what follows now we say this cannot be for there can be but one foundation of one and the same relation therefore they must pitch upon some such one foundation and wave all the rest I know what they say Christ upon his Conception c. was the Son of God in a way of inchoation but upon his Resurrection and Exaltation he was the Son of God in a way of consummation I reply 1. Then the Texts urged before are out of doors and signifie little or nothing for they only prove that Christ upon his Conception and Sanctification and Mission began to be a Son of God but he was not so indeed fully and properly for there must be yet something more which must follow after to compleat and consummate his Sonship 2. This is a very strange and most ungrounded distinction it arguing a growth and progress in Christ's Sonship for which there is not the least warrant from the Word of God we read of Christ's * Luke 2.52 increasing in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and Man but we never read of his increasing in his Sonship that admitted of several manifestative evidences as to us but not of several perfective degrees as to it self Even the Sonship of Believers at the first moment of their Conversion is entire and full they may grow and be more perfect in their Gifts Graces Comforts but as to their Covenant-state and Relation to God that 's compleat at the first and admits of no further addition And shall the Sonship of the blessed Son of God be a partial imperfect progressive thing neither the glory of the Person nor the nature of the Relation it self will bear such a thing 2. Secondly nothing more evident than that Christ was the Son of God before his Resurrection Matth. 3.17 Lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased was not this witness given of Christ before his Resurrection Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but gave him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Christ here is called God's own Son which must be understood of him before his Resurrection for the Father 's not sparing of him was antecedent to that and yet then he was his own Son otherwise how could it be said that God spared not his own Son Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Son of the living God was not this Confession made by Peter before Christ's Resurrection I might go much higher in the dating of Christ's Sonship than meerly before his Resurrection but that is high enough to show the falsity of what is asserted by the Adversary 3. We say Christ was * Non quod tum Filins Dei esse caeperit qui ab aeterno fuerat sed quia tunc res aliqua fieri dicitur quando talis cognoscitur seu tum demum dicitur facta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum fuit facta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Portus contra Ostorod cap. 9. p. 67. declared and manifested but not made or constituted the Son of God by his Resurrection So the Apostle himself states it Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the resurrection from the dead that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is truly rendred by declared is sufficiently proved by many 'T is one thing to be made God's Son another thing to be declared God's Son the First Christ had from his eternal Generation 't was only the Second that he had from his Resurrection You read Vers 19. of this Chapter of the manifestation of the Sons of God Believers are not made the Sons of God when they enter upon the glorified estate but they are then manifested both to be the Sons of God as also what their glory is upon their being so 1 Joh. 3.2 Now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him mark it the relation it self is present now we are the Sons of God but the dignity and glory which is to follow upon this relation that doth not yet appear but hereafter it shall So here Christ was the Son of God long before his resurrection but the manifestation thereof was when God raised him from the dead till then his Sonship and Glory had been very much vail'd and hid but then it broke
proper Son of God but how why not only as he was eternally begotten by him but also as he was miraculously Conceived by the Virgin Mary that agreeing to none but only to him And therefore in this Point upon their blending of these things together they are judged by Some * See Peltius Harm Remonstr Socin Art 4. to Socinianize Now though this Opinion doth come incomparably short of that which absolutely deny's Christ's eternal Generation provided that the abettors of it who seem to grant this Generation do state it right that is that they hold Christ to be begotten in the very Nature and Essence of God and therein equal to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which there is just matter of doubting as to the * Instit Theol. lib. 4. cap. 32. Person nam'd but now he making the Son in the Deity it self not co-ordinate but subordinate to the First Person I say though this Opinion thus stated be nothing neer so bad as the former yet †Censura Profess Leid in c. 3. p. 51. Trigland in Exam. Apâ—log cap. 5. Alting Theol. Elenc p. 151. c. et p. 181. c. Divines of another persuasion cannot close with it or let it pass without some Confutation The Arguments against it do very much fall in with those which have been insisted upon already 1. First if Christ be the Son of God as eternally begotten with respect to his Divine Nature and also the Son of God as conceived in time c. with respect to his Humane Nature then the Scripture doth groundlesly and needlesly distinguish betwixt his being the Son of God in reference to the one and his being the Son of Man in reference to the other Nature Why doth it make him to be * Rom. 1.3 4. God's Son according to the Spirit of Holiness i. e. his Divine Nature and the Son of David according to the Flesh i. e. his Humane Nature if with respect to both he be the Son of God this is to confound those things which the Scripture makes distinct and places under several references Christ's Sonships as the Son of God and as the Son of Man are two very different things and therefore they cannot have the same foundation 'T is true he who is the Son of Man is also the Son of God but as he is the Son of Man or in what is proper to him as the Son of Man so he is not the Son of God And 't is true these two in concreto may convertibly be predicated each of the other thus the Son of God is the Son of Man and the Son of Man is the Son of God but this is founded not upon the oneness of the foundation of the Relation nor upon the oneness of the two Natures but upon the * Inficiamur Christum esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. quamvis propter Naturam Humanam personae divinae hypostaticè unitam dicamus etiam in concreto hunc hominem Jefum Deum ac Filium Dei unigenitum esse per communicationem idiomatum c. Cloppenb Comp. Socin p. 38. communication of properties and the union of the two Natures in one Person It comes to this where the relations are distinct the grounds of these relations must be distinct and therefore Christ's Sonship as the Son of God and as the Son of Man being distinct there cannot be one and the same ground of them 2. If this was so that Christ was the Son of God conjunctly upon his eternal Generation and also upon his conception and advancement in time then he would strangely differ in the same relation I do not contradict my self in what I said but now under the former head for there I spake of both the Sonships of Christ which differ very much and must not be confounded but here I speak only of his single Sonship as he is the Son of God which is but one and must not be divided Observe me as the difference of the Sonships of Christ as the Son of God and as the Son of Mary depends upon the difference of their Grounds eternal Generation being the ground of the one and temporal Generation being the ground of the ooher so the oneness of the same single Sonship of Christ as the Son of God depends upon the oneness of the ground of it viz. his Generation by the Father for if you add any other ground to this then Christ ceases to be one Son then he is the Son of God partly by Nature and partly by Grace partly begotten and partly made partly from eternity and partly in time what a strange Son would Christ be upon these terms 3. There can be but one true and proper Cause of one and the same Filiation this hath been already proved Divines are so tender of multiplying this relation of Christ that several of them though they grant the distinction of his Natures and hold his twofold Generation yet they argue but for one Sonship to belong to him for say they Sonship belonging to the Person and being founded upon the Person Christ being but one Person therefore he can have but one Sonship so * 3. p. Quest 35. Art 5. in corpore Art Aquinas argues I concur with †See Durandus Rada c. Junius Martinius Amesius in Hoorneb Socin Conf. tom 2. de Christo c. 1. p. 30 31 32. Others who attribute a twofold Sonship to Christ but then I affirm that each of them have but that one single Cause or foundation which is respectively proper to them 't is only eternal Generation of the Father which makes Christ to be the Son of God and 't is only temporal Generation of the Virgin which makes him to be the Son of Man 4. We say Oppositorum opposita ratio if Christ be the Son of Man only because he was conceived of the substance of his Mother then he is the Son of God only upon the account of his being begotten of the substance of his Father as a * Dr O. ag B. p. 179. Worthy Author argues 5. Whatever is over and above eternal Generation is but manifestative and not constitutive of Christ's Sonship this hath been made out in the several particulars alleadg'd therefore it will be needless to add any thing further upon it I have shown wherein and how Christ is the Son of God his own proper Son I 'le but propound one Question and very briefly Answer it and then I shall have finish'd the Explicatory part 'T is this if Christ be God's Son because in his ineffable Generation the Divine Essence was communicated to him Quest. Of the different Communication of the Divine Essence from the Father to the Son and to the holy Ghost Answ why may not the Holy Ghost the third Person also be stiled the Son of God to whom the same Essence was communicated as well as unto Christ I answer No for two Reasons 1. Because 't is the same Essence in
both yet not the same Person When we speak of the communicating of the Divine Essence from the First to the Second and Third Persons we must be understood as was before hinted to speak this of them as Persons or as they are personally considered for that Essence simply and absolutely considered is not communicated to the Son and Spirit but only as it subsists in them as such Persons the Godhead it self they have in and from themselves but their distinct Personalities in which the Godhead subsists are of the Father It being thus from hence it follows that according to the distinction of the Persons there must also be a distinct communication of the divine Essence not that there is one Essence in the Son and another in the Spirit for both are God only that is distinguish'd according to their Personal Consideration and the Personal Properties belonging to them which notwithstanding their oneness in Nature do alwayes remain Well then Christ's Sonship being a Personal thing proceeding not simply from the Divine Essence but as it subsists in the second Person therefore it must be proper and peculiar to him and not common to the Holy Ghost he being another Person and the Divine Nature subsisting in him accordingly with respect to his Personal Properties 2. Because though the same Divine Essence be communicated to both yet not in the same way and manner For though both come from the Father yet 't is in divers respects the Son coming from him by Generation the Spirit by Procession And therefore though both are God and both come from God yet both are not the Sons of God because 't is coming from God in the way of Generation only which entitles to Sonship Thus * Quaeris à me si de substantiâ Patris est Filius de substantiâ Patris est etiam Spiritus Sanctus cur unus Filius sit alius non sit Filius Ego respondeo sive capias sive non capias De Patte est Filius de Patre est Spiritus Sanctus sed ille genitus est iste procedens August contra Maxim lib. 3. cap. 14 Austine answers it Thou askest of me saith he if the Son be of the substance of the Father and the Holy Ghost be of the substance of the Father also why is one the Son and not the Other I answer whether you comprehend it or not the Son is of the Father the Holy Ghost is of the Father but the Son is begotten the Spirit proceeds Thus this great Divine did solve this difficulty stopping here and going no further If any will be so curious as to enquire further wherein the difference lies betwixt eternal Generation and eternal Procession I am not asham'd to give them this answer I cannot tell 't is a mystery far above my reach God hath not revealed it and there is nothing in Nature which will give us any light about it therefore it becomes us rather to adore than to be inquisitive I know the Schoolmen who are privy to all secrets and have a key to open every difficulty though it be lock'd up never so close attempt the opening of it but they had better have let it alone here humble ignorance is better than sawey curiosity I think * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hujus differentiae scire credi ex divina revelatione At 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est nobis incomprehensibile ineffabile Alting Theolog. Prolem loc 3. Problem 38. p. 238. they speak best who say we know and believe there is a difference 'twixt Generation and Procession but what that is and wherein it lies that is to us incomprehensible 'T is time therefore for me to leave this Point and to come to the Application of the main Truth Is Christ thus God's own Son I infer then Use 1. Three Things inferr'd from Christ's Sonship 1. That he is God 1. That he is God Not a meer titular or nuncupative God not a God by Office only not a made God a contradiction in the adject but he is God truly properly essentially Which great Truth is most strongly asserted and proved by various convincing Arguments against Jews Arrians Socinians all the Opposers of it I must not engage in so vast a Subject I 'le only argue from this Relation wherein Christ stands to God as he is his own Son which indeed by its self is sufficient if there was nothing more to demonstrate his Godhead He who is the true Son of God and such a Son of God is truly God but Christ is the true Son of God and such a Son of God his own Son therefore he is truly God c. The Apostle joyns the true Son and the true God together therefore the Argument is good 1 Joh. 5.20 We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal Life I do not say that every Son of God is God for the Saints are Sons and yet not God but I say he who is such a Son as God's own proper natural consubstantial coessential only begotten Son he is God where-ever this Sonship is there 's the Deity or the Divine Essence now Christ is thus God's Son therefore he is God What the Father is as to his Nature that the Son must be also now the first Person the Father of Christ is God whereupon he too who is the Son must be God also A Son alwayes participates of his Fathers Essence there is betwixt them more an identity and oneness of Nature if therefore Christ be Gods Son as hath been fully proved he must then needs have * Nisi esset Jesus Christus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naturâ Deus non esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naturâ seu Naturalis Dei Filius Cloppenb Anti-Smalc c. 3. p. 72. Vide Jacob ad Portum contra Ostorod c. 9. p. 59. Estwick against Bidale p. 442 c. that very Nature and Essence which God the Father hath in somuch that if the second Person be not really a God the first Person is but equivocally a Father Therefore he himself tells us †Job 10.30 I and my Father are one where he is speaking of a far higher oneness than that of Consent or Will only Christ being both the natural Son of God and also his Son by eternal Generation that makes the thing unquestionable for what is that Generation but the Fathers communicating of his own Nature and Essence to him This is that which is done in all Generations for Generation is alwayes the production of another in the same Nature * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epiph. Haeres 69. p. 750. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phot. Ep. p. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Najanz Orat. 35. tom 1. p. 568. like ever begets like as 't is said of Adam he