God 1. All meanes in the world cannot make God known 62 2. Men must be borne againe ibid. 3. They must be delivered from Satans Kingdome 64 4. They must have pure hearts 66 Use 1. They that have seen God should walke holily 67 Serm. IV. Use 2. The reason of the difference between the godly and the wicked 72 Vse 3. Not to envie the prosperity of the wicked 74 Doct. 2. The sight of God in Christ the way to true humiliation 75 Reas 1. All graces are wrought by seeing of God 87 Reas 2. All that is in God is of humbling nature 90 Use 1. Unregenerate men cannot be truely humbled 93 Serm. V. Tryall whether we have seen God aright 100 By our humiliation 1. By our carriage to God ibid. 2. In Justification 101 1. To take the righteousnesse of another 102 2. Upon Christs bare word 104 3. Upon a generall word 107 4. To renounce our owne righteousnesse 108 5. Notwithstanding our sins and want of preparation 109 2. By our carriage towards Gods truths revealed 2. To be willing to know all 111 Wicked mens carriage towards Gods truths 112 3. By our carriage towards Gods commands 116 Carriage of proud hearts towards Gods commands 118 Serm. VI. 4. By our carriage towards God in afflictions 124 1. A humble heart seeth God in affliction 126 2. Hee bath high thoughts of God 128 3. Hee humbly submits in affliction 133 4. Envies not the prosperity of others 135 5. Repents not of receiving Christ 137 6. Is more carefull of his carriage then for deliverance 140 7. Is more carefull of benefit then comfort in affliction 142 8. Neglects not Gods commands in affliction ibid. 9. Sticks close to Gods Covenant in affliction 143 10. Is apt to pray in affliction 144 11. Is not weary of waiting on God 145 Serm. VII The carriage of a humble heart to God for mercies 148 1 He is content to be denyed any mercy 150 2. That God should take away any mercy 154 3. Hee will wait for mercies 156 4. Hee is content with the least mercy 158 5. He is thankfull for a heart to receive mercies 159 6. Hee is content that GOD should make Lawes for his mercies 160 7. New mercies add to his thankfulnesse 161 Serm. VIII True humiliation known by our carriage towards men 166 1. Towards sinners 1. With meeknesse ibid. Cautions in meeknesse to sinners 169 Why Saints should be meeke to Sinners 173 1. They consider what they once were ibid. 2. They thinke themselves bad still 174 3. It is God makes them differ ibid. 4. Others may come to be as good as they ibid. Serm. IX The carriage of a humble heart towards Saints 180 1. He thinks himselfe the least of Saints 181 2. He condiscends to the weakest Saints 186 3. He is jealous of those truthes he knowes 187 4. Meâ—ke to Saints of another mind 188 5. Yeilds to the reproofe or instruction of others 189 6. Vndervalues not grace in others 191 7. He is readier to learne then teach 192 8. He is not discouraged by greater grace in others 194 9. There is a sweetnesse to all Saints 194. 10. He will not offend other Saints 196 11. Gentle to other Saints infirmities 197 12. Glad to doe service for the Saints ibid. 13. Rejoyceth at the growth of grace in others 198 14. He can love though he be not loved 199 15. He measures not himselfe by himselfe ibid. THE CONTENTS OF THE Ten latter SERMONS Serm. I. Doct. 1. THe Law requires a perfect righteousnesse page 209 Reas 1. From Gods Soveraignties ibid. Reas 2. From mans Covenant ibid. Reas 3. Nothing can exempt from the Law 210 Three wayes to fulfill the Law 211 Use 1. Vanity of those that thinke to fulfill the Law ibid. Use 2. Motive to come to Christ 214 Doct. 2. The righteousnesse of the Law fulfilled in all Beleives 217 Use To see upon what our justification is buylt 219 Serm. II. The Law fulfilled in us by our unyon with Christ 224 Reas 1. Christ a publike person 226 Reas 2. Vnyon betwixt Christ and Beleivers 227 Reas 3. God the Father satisfied ibid. Use 1. To learne the ground of our justification 229 Use 2. The glorious condition of Saints in Christ 235 Use 3. Ta conforme our selves to the will of God 240 Three rules that all conforme to ibid. Serm. III. True beleevers no Antinomians 248 Doct. 3. Those that Christ satisfied the Law for walke according to the spirit 250 To walke what 251 To walk according to the spirit what 255 Three things meant by walking according to the flesh ibid. Use Few shall be saved 267 How to judge who are Saints 270 Serm. IV. Use 1. How to judge who are Saints 274 Use 2. How to know wee walke according to the spirit ibid. Use 3. Tryall of our actions 283 Serm. V. Use 4. Exhortation to those that have the spirit 298 Use 5. How men may come to walke spiritually 305 Use 6. Ground of persecution and division 313 Serm. VI. Doct. 4. They that are after the flesh doe minde the things of the flesh 319 Reas 1. Every thing workes according to its principles ibid. Reas 2. Carnall men know not spiritual things 320 Quest 1. What meant by being after the flesh 321 Quest 2. What meant by the things of the flesh 324 Quest 3. VVhat meant by minding the things of the flesh 334 Use 1. Why most people understand not spirituall things 338 Serm. VII Use 2. The misery of a carnall Man what 345 Vse 3. The minde cannot be good if the life be naught 352 Vse 4. Christ dyed not for all alike ibid. Vse 5. To see whether we be fleshly minded 354 Serm. VIII Doct. 5. Those that are after the flesh are swayed by fleshly reasonings 360 Three sorts of minds ibid. Three sorts of reasonings 361 Godlinesse hath the best reason 368 Vse 1. Not to reject all reason in godlinesse 380 Vse 2. Invitation to come to Christ 381 Vse 3. Godly men the wisest 384 Serm. IX The reasonings of the mind the highest act of it 388 Vse The most rationall men without grace the worst 38 The reasoning of the mind the chiefe distinguishing character 390 How a good man may be moved with naturall and carnall reasoning 393 Use 1. To try what grace or corruption is in us 394 Use 2. Why good men misse the will of God 395 Serm. X. How Saints come to be led by spirituall reasoning 402 1. The spirit-workes by creation 403 2. By spirituall illumination 407 3. By suggestion ibid. 4. By conviction 408 5. By commemoration 409 6. By consolation ibid. 7. By sanctification 410 8. By exercising ibid. Use 1. To see the fountaine of all good and evill in the soule 411 Use 2. To labour to be swayed by spirituall reasoning A saving sight of God Isaiah 6. 5. For mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hosts IN this verse we have a description of true Gospell humiliation the most that
likenesse of sinfull flesh like one of us and he hath fulfilled the law of God and condemned sin therefore there is no sin to condemne us nor no jot of the law that is not fullfilled therefore we are just and righteous and cleare There is no condemnatiom to them that are in Christ Jesus For God hath sent his son to condemne sin c. Now in this fourth Verse it is more particularly expressed That the righteousnes of the law might be fullfilled in us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit I shall not orderly goe over to shew the Coherence distinctly as I might but breifly as I can come to those lessons that the Lord is to teach us That the righteousnesse of the law might be fullfilled in us c. There are in the words two things Here is a great priviledge as any can be to have the righteousnesse of the law fullfilled in us And here are secondly the parties that have the benefit of this priviledge Those that walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Concerning the priviledge to understand the words a little That the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us That the law might be fully satisfyed in poynt of righteousnesse that the law might have such a righteousnesse which indeed the law requires that it might have a full and compleat righteousnesse in us So that breifly these are the lessons which I shall open from hence which I desire that our souls may feed upon First that The law requires of every man a righteousnesse to fulfill it Or that Every man is bound to get him a righteousnesse to fulfill the law of God Every man is bound to fulfill the law of God That is one thing The second lesson will be this that The law is perfectly fulfilled or satisfied in all true beleivers And thirdly that All those that are true beleivers or that have these priviledges they are those that walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit These are the three lessons I shall speake of I say first The law requireth a righteousnesse from every Doct. The law requires a perfect righteousnesse man to fulfill it Or Every man is bound to fulfill the law of God That is the first thing The grounds of that are these I shall but touch them First because that God made man man was his creature and the Lord was his soveraigne and Reas 1. From Gods soveraignty when God made all Creatures you know hee made Lawes for them hee made a Law for the Sunne and Moone and Starres c. and every thing goes according to the law that God determined for it Now when God made man who was but his creature though he were a more excellent creature he made a law for him this blessed law of God which is in his booke here the Covenant of works as it was sometimes called therefore as all other creatures were bound to goe in their course and keep their peculiar laws that God layd on them so man also was bound to keepe the law of God that God made for him Another thing is this that besides the soveraigntie 2. From mans covenant with God of God that might impose a law upon him there was secondly a compact between God and man and so there was a kind of bargaine for God layd that law upon man and Adam as a publike person he undertooke to keepe that law by a contract or bargaine If God as it were had had no right before to lay it on him yet now man undertooke it by way of bargaine to keep the law of God Adam first did it and might have done it and afterwards the people of Israell professe to doe it All these words we will doe we will keepe them That is another reason whereby it appeares that every man and woman in the World is bound to fulfill the law of God Thirdly another thing is this if you consider 3. Nothing can exempt man from it what there is that might free a man from keeping a law that is layd upon him you shall see that there are none of those things that can help him in this As First of all our laws many times are repealed 1. It is not repealed and that law that a man was bound to keepe a few yeares agoe he is bound to protest against now as the Service-booke the common prayer c. There is that penaltie now for using it as there was for not using it a few yeares since now it is not so with the law of God Heaven and Earth shall passe away but one jot or tittle of the law shall not passe That law is an eternall law there is no repealing of it Then Secondly you know Judges and Law-givers 2. The Law-giver cannot be bribed among men may be corrupted and bribed and may be brought to dispense with their owne laws nay sometimes to goe against their owne laws but God is a just God and when his owne son the son of his love did take upon him to be borne under the law and to be a suretie for man he endured the smart of the law and was dealt with as if he had been another Then there is no evasion or escaping among 3. There is no escaping men there is If a man breake the law and goe into another Countrie he is cleare and free but here is no escaping one cannot goe away VVhither shall I goe from thy presence sayth David where Psal 139. shall I hide my selfe from thee A man can goe no where but the law of God will be on him So that every man and woman in the World are still bound to fulfill the whole law of God or to get a righteousnesse a perfect righteousnesse to satisfie the law of God Now there are but three wayes in the World 3. Wayes to fulfill the law to fulfill the law of God Eyther a man must doe it in his owne person as 1. In a mans owne person most men doe besides Papists more or lesse they will goe and doe their best and doe the good leave the evill and performe duties and they think by their doing to keepe the law Or else secondly by suffering that is partly in 2. By suffering this World and afterwards in Hel for that is the businesse of Hell for Hell is nothing but the place where people are fulfilling the law of God What doth Caine and other wretches doing in hell They are paying the debt fulfilling the law of God to eternity by suffering because they did not fullfill it by doing while they were here That is the reason that they are in Hell for ever because they can never pay the debt therefore they must abide there for ever for if it could be supposed that they could give a compleat righteousnesse that might satisfie the law they should stay in Prison no longer they should be in Hell no more Then
is wrong'd by him that he hath been most kind to of all the men in the World and yet he proves most ungratefull if a man should goe to flesh and blood he would hate and abhorr him and not indure him man in his best naturalls would not beare it he would not beare ungratefullnesse and wrong but labour to requite it But what is the rule The Lord is good to the wicked and unthankfull Therefore Lend freely looking for nothing againe Presently God will bring a spirituall rule to your mind and God will give you power to doe it And so suppose a man should charge and challenge you with a debt and would have you pay such a debt you perhaps know no such thing and are perswaded of the contrary What now You know what most men think I will never pay him I were a foole if I should give away my estate and be a Beggar when I have done but what is the rule If thine enemy sue thee at the law and take away thy cloake give him thy coat also A Christian comes to this law he consults not with flesh and blood when a case comes but he thinks what is the rule in this case But all the misery is you will be fingering with justification which you should leave alone upon Christs death and Resurrection and you should be working out your holynesse every day that should be your way God will bring it in So when a woman is putting on her cloathes and making her fine cloaths and thinks to be as fine as her Neighbours shee should think but what is my rule Not to conforme my selfe to others in embroydred haire and fine apparrell and gold but with the Ornament of a meek spirit So you have the New Testament full for every case there is some thing that wil direct and lead you that thereby you may conforme to Jesus Christ I give you but generall instances if God open your eyes to see your glorious condition in the New Testament you must resolve on this to walk according to the coppy and the rules of it that in any case you may aske what is my rule as I am a Christian as I am a free man one with God that I may walke by it Now I exhort you to this because if a thousand The best motive to holinesse Devills should preach instead of men and tell you what the Torments of Hell are all would not be so great a motive by half to walke holily as to tell you that the righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled by Christ that you are righteous and just all your sins are done away by Christ Therefore O love him and live to him conforme to your coppy Let your Neighbours conforme to their coppy to the World and others conforme to their lusts as too many doe but doe you conforme to Jesus Christ think what would Christ doe if he had my opportunitie what would he have taken in hand And what ever occasion you have with God or man aske what is my rule in the New Testament and conforme to it Blessed is the man or woman to whome God gives a heart so to doe There remaines one word more of this and the third lesson which is the principall thing the description of those persons that have this priviledge They walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit But because the time is gone and my strength also I shall leave that till God give another opportunitie SERMON III. Rom. 8. 4. That the righteousnesse of the law might be fullfilled in us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit THERE were three Lessons that we may learne from these words The first is implied namely that The righteousnesse of the law must be fulfilled by every man OR Every man is bound to fulfill the law of God And Secondly that The law of God is perfectly fulfilled in all true Beleivers And Thirdly that True Beleivers are they who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit We were the last time upon the second we have prooved it and opened the poynt and have made some Use of it First that from hence we may learne where our justification lieth and wheron it is buylt not upon any thing in us or done by us but only upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ Secondly hence all that are Saints all that beleive in Jesus Christ should labour to see the glorious condition they are in by Christ Thirdly we should learne being justified freely and fully by the grace of Jesus Christ to conforme our selves in our hearts and lives to the example of Jesus Christ and to his rules in the Gospell I shall add but one word more from this Lesson Use 4. True beleivers no Antinomians that is that seeing the righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in them that beleive you may hence see that none are further from Antinomianisme then those that are true beleivers those that are godly Saints You have a great stir concerning Antinomians what they should be It Antinomians who is one that is against the law that is the signification of the Greeke word Now the question is who is most against the law of God I doe not denie but that there are some and they may be called Antinomians though we should not miscall people yet they deserve it But now a Saint that is in Christ he is not an Antinomian he is not against the law because he hath satisfyed the law Every man must pay the law and they that would fulfill the law with their owne righteousnesse they doe the law wrong they that doe most here and they that suffer most in Hell they can never satisfie the law But a Christian hath satisfied the law because he hath given it a perfect righteousnes Now if a man should owe ten thousand pounds and he had but fifty shillings a yeare comming in and it may be one yeare he payes ten shillings another yeare he payes a Noble and another yeare three pence yet he payes as well as he can But now suppose there come a Suretie and he payes the whole ten thousand pound and he sayth to the Creditor you shall be paid no more by three pences but you shall receive the whole summe what doe you think is not that better None satisfie the law but beleivers So there are none that satisfie the law so roundly and fulfill it so perfectly as he that relinquisheth all that is in him and layes hold on Jesus Christ and in him payes God to a farthing Therfore when Paul is prooving strongly that we are justified by Christ and not by the law sayth he We take not away the law but we establish the law This is a better way of fulfilling the law then any other All the damned men in Hell and all the Pharisees on Earth cannot satisfie the law so well as one poore sinner that beleives in Jesus Christ And so for
matter of practice a man that beleives in Jesus Christ he walks more strictly then any Pharisee can for he looks not only what is lawfull but what is convenyent he walks by a more sublime excellent rule A Pharisee looks only what is lawfull and what is not lawfull but a Christian he looks what is exact and expedient take any man that knows what it is to be justified by Christ and that man goes a thousand fold further then another for a man that would be saved by his owne fulfilling of the law if he cannot come up to the law he will bring the law downe to him As a man that hath a heavie Burthen if it be too heavie for him he will cast off some of it so when a man goes about to keep the law and finds it too heavie for him he will throw away some and cut out a part and make a carnall gross law and endeavour to keep that Now a man that is justified by Christ he knowes that the law must be satisfied and so he takes it in the purest spiritualitie and goes to Christ Jesus and he hath satisfied all So much breifly for the second lesson Now I shall enter a little upon the third as sat as the Lord shal give strength time Those that beleive and have this great priviledg which is the Foundation of all others to have the law perfectly fulfilled for them in Christ they are here described to be such as walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit So in the third place take this doctrine or lesson that They and they only that walk not according Doct. 3. They only that have Christ to fulfill the law for them walk according to the spirit to the flesh but according to the spirit are partakers of this priviledg to have the benefite of the righteousnesse of Christ to fulfill the law of God for them I say they and they only have it for it excludes all other The Scripture doth not only set it downe positively as it sayth Goe baptize all Nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost therfore we may conclude thence that we may baptize those that are Disciples but from that place to gather this doctrine that they and they only are to be baptized cannot be right but here I say it is they and they only Why so Because we see after those that walke according to the flesh shall die the righteousnesse of the law is not fulfilled for them for then they should never die nor be damned They that walke after the spirit and they only have this priviledg Now the maine businesse that I shall endeavour at this time will be onely to open to you these two words What it is to walke And what is meant by flesh and what by spirit For if we understand what it is to walke acording to the flesh we shall easily understand what it is to walk according to the spirit Concerning the former word to walk I shall To walk what say but little because you understand it To walk is a generall word in this place it is of a great extent and comprehends a mans whole course and way and practice A man who goes or converseth whose course and way is according to the flesh whatsoever that flesh is as we shall see afterwards such a man walks Therfore it is oft set downe in Scripture by severall expressions They that are after the law and they of the concision c. Put what words you will so they be generall enough they whose thoughts and words and courses are that way they are they that are said to walk There are three words in the Originall for walking and of those three the word here is of the largest extent To walke according to the flesh what is the meaning of that I shall be a little larger in the opening of this I will not trouble you with the various acceptations of the word flesh You know there is a litterall sence of it and by a Synechdoche it is put for the whole person soule and body and there is a Metonimicall acception of flesh I will give them a heart of flesh It is called flesh for softnesse and there is a Metaphoricall acception of flesh a borrowed kind of speech and so it is to be understood in this place Now to open this to you I shall shew you First in generall what is meant by flesh Secondly particularly what is meant by flesh By flesh therefore in generall you are to understand Flesh what meant by it in this place and the like every thing let it be what it will be that is against Jesus Christ or his spirit or his worship or any thing else that belongs to it any thing that is not of faith or of Christ it is flesh in generall Let me speake more plainly any thing that is of Old Adam is flesh whether it be good or evill and any thing that is of and from the new Adam that is spirit Now you Two things from old Adam know we receive two things from Old Adam some naturall morall good some reliques of that that he had the fulness of and we receive evill when he was corrupted Now both these take them in the largest extent they are both called flesh in Scripture whatsoever is of and comes from Old Adam is called flesh therfore flesh in many places in the New Testament it is the very same with the Old Man and you have them taken promiscuously Our old man is crucified Rom. 6. And in another place Those that are Christs have crucified the flesh not only the corruption or evill that Originall sin as we say that is within us but whatsoever of the Image of the old man is upon us whatsoever we have had whether it be good or evill from the old man And indeed in the New Testament it is more frequently taken for the morall good of Old Adam then the evill though it be taken for both yet I say most frequently the good of Old Adam especially the wisdome of Old Adam The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie to God Rom. 8. As in the New Adam the Lord Jesus Christ the wisdome of the holy Ghost is a most excellent peice so the wisdome of Old Adam is the unhappiest and most miserable thing of all That you may understand this you must conceive Two principles whence all men work that all the principles of this World I meane of all mankind all their motions and actions doe wholly spring and flow from two rootes two principles as the Heathen Phylosophers sayd in another sence they held that all this world did rise from two beginnings from two beeings from two principles there was one good and another evill that set all things on worke so all things in every man in this World the principles and motions and actions and thoughts and inclinations and wisdome and reasoning and
doing whatsoever is within or without man it springs from one of these two rootes that is it is either from Old Adam I meane not nature in you but it flowes from Adam that was once in Paradise or else from the New Adam Christ Jesus For there were but two men that ever in the World were publique persons that were the Fountaine of the Only two publike persons the two Adams principles and proceedings of mankind Adam in Paradise naturall Adam and the Lord Jesus Christ the spirituall Adam All mankind was made after the Image of the first Adam We have borne the Image of the earthly Adam 1 Cor. 15. And indeed all the Saints shall beare the Image of the Heavenly Adam too hereafter at the least Now both these Adams are as two springs in a hill conveying their streames to two rivers they are springs from whence arise all the thoughts and imaginations and actions and proceedings all the wisedome and righteousnesse whatsoever is in us it springs eyther from the second Adam the Lord Jesus planted in the soule or else it flowes from Old Adam from naturall Adam that is in us Therfore they are called the roots the Lord Jesus is called the roote of Jesse Why so Because all the new creation all the worke of grace all the principles and thoughts and actions of a Saint so farr as they are of grace they rise from the new Adam the Lord Jesus Christ Therfore I say to understand this a little in generall before I goe further A man that walks according to the flesh who is he A man that walks according to any thing of Old Adam whether it be good or evill And usually in the new Testament it is taken for the good 1 Cor. 1. There flesh is taken for the good of old Adam when a man walks according to the wisdome of Adam according to naturall wisdome and according to the righteousnesse of Old Adam that is done by us or when we walke according to the sins and lusts and corruptions of Adam for both are put together and all makes but flesh and whole flesh strives against whole spirit Now I say take it in a generall sense to walke after the flesh is not only to walk sinfully and carnally but when a man walks though devoutly and righteously in the eye of the World yet if it be after the principles of Old Adam if he doe not walke by a principle planted in him from the new Adam the Lord Jesus Christ all this is but flesh Now then for a man to walk according to the To walk according to the Spirit what spirit What is that All his principles spring from the root of Jesse from the spirit of the Lord Jesus all his actions are upon another ground Now I say all the principles and actions of every man and woman in the World springs from one of these Therefore it is convenient and necessary that you consider how the two Adams are the two springs of all mankind the two pillars as it were upon which God hath layd all mankind and all that is done in the World and those that walk after the one walk after the flesh and those that are after the other walk after the spirit So much in generall Now more particularly by walking after Three things meant by walking according to the flesh the flesh in this place there are Three things meant The first thing meant by walking after the flesh according as most of our godly and learned translate 1. To walk according to the corruption of nature it is when a man walks according to the dicttates and suggestions of corrupt nature So flesh is taken for Originall sin that is that corruption of nature that is prone to every evill and that is an enemy to all good So a man that walks according to the flesh is when the course and bent of a mans soule and life goes after sin though he doe some good sometimes yet when his course is that way that is his continuedness and contentednesse is after sin this is to walk after the flesh First when it is his continued course for walking is not a step or a leape or a stride but walking is a thing of many paces So it is called a goeing from iniquitie to iniquitie Rom. 6. And then there is in walking contentedness and sweetness a man is not sayd to walke when he is tyred or when he goes in danger but walking it is pleasant to all young and old So when he saith they that walk according to the flesh that is not only when men are overtaken by lusts and sin but people that in their ordinarie course goe with a great deale of contentment in evill wayes But though this be true that this is comprehended Which is not the mayne scope here in walking after the flesh yet this is very lame and short of the full and whole meaning of this place I say it is not the maine nor cheife meaning of this place it is not primarily nor principally meant this is a truth and it will follow as a necessary consequence as I shall shew anon and I doubt not but the Apostle meanes it when he sayth we walk not according to the flesh because in Rom. 6. He takes a great deale of paines in that poynt but I think this is not the cheife meaning My Reasons are these First because I find that the very scope of this 1. The Apostles scope is otherwise learned Epistle is different if not almost contrarie to this his scope is not to quarrell with them for want of doing good works and for walking in sinfull works but the scope of it is to beat them off from their owne works and to bring them to Christ and therfore he sayth Abraham was justified without works he all along disparageth their works as they did them Therfore I think he doth not goe so farr from his text or from his scope as to make this the maine businesse their sanctification or holiness the not walking in evill or the walking in good works Secondly this cannot be the cheife scope of 2. These things must follow which are contrary to the Gospell the place because if you take these words They that walk after the flesh in this sence that is those that follow sinfull courses if you take them so that none but such as walk holily have a right to Jesus Christ and his righteousnesse Or if you take them in this sence that they only that walk in a holy life can come to know that they have the righteousnesse of Christ fullfilling the law for them neyther of these can hold For the first that no man can have to doe with 1. That none have to doe with Christ but those that walk holily Christ or his righteousnesse but that man that walks according to the spirit that walks in a holy way and not in sinfull courses this is contrarie to the streame
of the Gospell Why Because the Gospell all along offers Christ to sinners to the cheife of sinners to aliens and to the ungodly Then againe if this were so sanctification 2. Sanctification should be before justification should be before justification a man must be holy before he should be justified As for the latter sence to wit that the Apostle should meane this that no man can know any other way that the righteousnesse of Christ did belong to him but only by not walking after the flesh or by walking after the spirit this cannot be neyther for however we may know a little in a way of sence by our walking yet the maine way to know our justification is the same way that we come by justification for faith is the evidence of Justification cheifly known by Faith things not seen The maine evidence whereby I know I am justified is because the word of faith sayth so the word tells me so and faith evidenceth it That faith that I beleive by it shewes me that I beleive Therfore though I be inconstant in my way of grace that to sence shewes me a little yet it doth it not solely and cheifly and primarily So that this is the substance of it that that sence which godly reverend men give of this place it is true but it is not all nor the first and the cheife part of the meaning of it Secondly flesh in the Scriptures and so here 2. Flesh taken for Jewish priviledges and in diverse other places it may be understood concerning the priviledges those various prerogatives and priviledges that the people of God the Israelites had in a naturall fleshly way from Generation to Generation Being borne of such Parents of such Tribes they had such priviledges belonging to them they had the Oracles and the Covenant and the Tables c. And this is called flesh and I doubt not but the Apostle had this in his eye Sayth he The righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in us that walk not after the flesh As if he had said doe not think because you are of the seed of Abraham or because you have the Covenants and Circumcision and that you are borne of such Parents that therfore you shall the sooner have this priviledg to have the law fulfilled take heed of that for now it springs from another root and it comes now in a spirituall and not in a fleshly way as it did before for they had their mercies generally in the Old Testament according to the flesh that is by Generation I saak as he was Abrahams Son and Jacob his Son c. but now it is in a spirituall way Now that flesh is so taken in Scripture I will give you that one place in Phil. 3. 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh sayth Paul If any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more What doth he meane by flesh here He tells you Circumcised the eight day of the stock of Israell of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law a Pharisee concerning zeale Persecuting the Church Touching the righteousnesse which is in the law blameless As if he had said I had all the priviledges if any man might boast in the flesh I might I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews a Gentleman of the best descent c. So in 2 Cor. 11. 18. Seeing that many glory after the flesh I will glory also yee suffer fooles gladly Wherein any is bold I am bold also Are they Hebrews so am I are they Israelites so am I are they the seed of Abraham so am I. They had priviledges beeing Israelites more then other People and this is called flesh So I am confident that the Apostle had this in his eye in a speciall manner when he saith They that walke not according to the flesh And you shall find that they attributed all priviledges to them because they were Israelites As you see in Mat. 3. Say they We are the Children of Abraham Sayth John The Jewes boasted of outward priviledges Baptist Ye are a Generation of Vipers And so in John 8. Say they we are free men we are the Sons of Abraham Sayth Christ Yee are of your Father the Devill See the Gospell takes away that fleshlyness and puts all in another streame and course and way The Apostle aymes at that here when he sayth Those that walke not according to the flesh As if he had sayd you shal never have this righteousnesse to satisfie the law the sooner because you are the Sons of Abraham no more then if you were Scithians or Barbarians Thirdly and lastly the maine and cheife 3. Flesh taken for the old Covenant of works meaning of this place is this though the other be included when the Apostle sayth those that walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit By flesh here the Apostle meanes walking according to the old Covenant according to the Covenant of works in the way of the law And by spirit is meant walking in the way of faith or in the way of the gospell or in the way of Christ. There be diverse expressions in Scripture that help us to understand it as in Rom. 4. 14. It is called they that are of the Law that is those that walk according to the law In Gal 3. there are two or three phrases Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith The walking according to the spirit is the hearing of faith and it is twise there they that are of faith they that are of faith To be of faith and to walk according to the spirit is the same to be of the law or of circumcision is to walk according to the flesh In Rom. 10. 5. The righteousnesse which is of the law sayth on this wise The righteousnesse of the law that is the way of the law that Scripture sets out the way of those that walk according to the Covenant of works now the way of the law is the same as walking after the flesh and sayth hee the righteousnesse of faith sayth on this wise that is the grace of the Gospell or the way of faith So the meaning is this we neare of a glorious privilidg that the righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in us and there is no man in the World can get it by his owne works or in reference to the Covenant of works no not Abraham himselfe but it is meerly by Jesus Christ Therefore if any of you think to have this righteousnesse fulfilled in him and goe in the old way to Mount Synai to the Covenant of Works he is deceived he shall never have it but by walking according to the spirit no man can injoy this privilidg by a Covenant of works by their owne doing by seeking to fulfill the law of God by their owne righteousnesse but they that walk after the spirit as if he
had sayd doe not mistake me it is a great priviledg to have the law fulfilled for you but it is not by your owne strictness and zeale and though some of you goe further then others yet none of you can attaine the fulfilling of the law that way for all are come short Rom. 3. But it is those that walk after the spirit that is those that seeke it in a way of faith in another not in themselves those that seeke it according to the principles and directions of the Gospell Now because I know this Exposition is harsh to many of you Though I exclude not the other therfore I shall endeavour to shew you three things First I will proove clearly out of the Scriptures That flesh is so understood that this is the meaning Secondly I will give you a reason why that is the cheife meaning Thirdly I shall give you a few Reasons why the Apostle saith that they that walk according to the Covenant of Works walk according to the flesh and they that goe according to the way of faith walk according to the spirit Concerning the First that flesh is often taken 1. prooved by Scriptures clearly in this sence I will give you some places of Scripture Gal. 3. 3. This I would learn of you received you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith Are ye so foolish that having begun in the spirit are you now made perfect in the flesh We see in Chap. 1. They are called to the grace of Christ through the Gospell Gospell principles were rightly and savingly practised among them and after there came some among them that perverted them and sayth he are ye so foolish that having begun in the spirit and have had Christ crucyfied among you that now you will be made perfect by the flesh That now you will goe and seeke justification by your owne works and goe about to keep the law c. Another place is in Phillip 3. 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh and then he speakes of the priviledges of an Israelite and if you looke further Vers 7. I count all these loss that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine owne righteousness which is of the law but that which is of the faith of Christ So by flesh he meanes the righteousnesse of the law which he throwes away for the righteousnesse which is of faith Take another place Rom. 10. 5. Compared with Rom. 6. 14. Sayth the Apostle sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace When you were under the law and walked after the flesh sin had dominion over you and you obeyed it Here is a paralell place for sayth the Apostle When you were in the flesh the motions of sin by the law did Work in your Members When you were in the flesh that is when you were under the law then the motions of sin did work But now sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the law you are not in the flesh you doe not walk according to the flesh And that I suppose is the meaning of that Scripture 2 Pet. 2. 10. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly and to reserve the wicked to be punished but cheifly those that walk after toe flesh in the lusts of uncleanness Now if you take walking after the flesh for sinfull wayes it would be the same as if he had said there are diverse people that walk wickedly but cheifly they that walk after the flesh for all people naturolly walk after the flesh but these were a peculiar people that the Lord would bring judgements on and they walked according to the flesh Who were they They were most of them Jewes they were Adams Sons that walked in the old Covenant cheifly they that walk according to the flesh that is the meaning of it or else he would not have said according to the flesh for every man naturally walks according to the flesh So in this text Who walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit and in the 8 Verse of this Chapter They that are in the flesh cannot please God Now I shall open that by another Scripture Heb. 11. 5. Where it is said that Henoch pleased God We read of Henoch Gen. 5. 24. That he Walked with God he walked not according to the flesh now sayth the Apostle without faith it is impossible to please God now he that walks in the flesh cannot please God Why so He that goes not in the way of faith by Jesus Christ he cannot please God By beleiving I please God by walking in the obedience of faith to God I and my works please God Now to please implies one that was offended before all my doing cannot please God but my beleiving presenting to God a perfect righteousnesse by faith pleaseth God and then all my works are accepted There are two words for it in the Originall One signifies to please one that hath been offended another is pleasingnesse with one that hath not offended as my child pleaseth me though he have not offended me but the other is to be pleased with one that was an Enemy before one that was against me that is now received to favour So I have told you breifly some Scriptures to shew you that flesh is taken in this sence Now the maine reason of it why I beleive this It is the scope of this Epistle to be the cheife meaning of it is because that I see clearly that this is the cheife drift and scope of this Epistle and if I may speake without disparagement there is nothing more methodically layd downe and this is spoken to bring them from the way of works to the way of faith But I hasten Why doth the holy Ghost call walking after the Covenant of Works and after the law walking after the flesh and the other walking after the spirit The reason is because there is so great affinity 3. Why walking after the Law is called walking after the flesh and nearness between walking legally and walking sinfully that they are promiscuously in Scripture taken one for another For let a man walk and endeavour and doe his best according to the law and not by the Gospell he shall be sure to walk 1. They are taken one for another in Scripture sinfully and carnally there is no help for it If he be under the law sin will have dominion over him and if he go after the flesh the motions of the flesh will bring forth fruit unto death Sin and the law are as it were of so near a kin that the law makes sin more sinfull and the more a man strives to keep the law the more he sins The Apostle brought it so neare that people were ready to speake non-sence that the law was sin He prevents the objection Is the law sin O no sayth he sin is
the transgression of the law So that a man that walks according to the law and not according to the way of the Gospell in spight of his heart he shall walk according to the flesh that is according to the lusts of nature he can never walk holily let him doe what he can A second reason why it is called flesh is in allusion 2. In allusion to the allegorie Gal. 4. to the two Sons of Abraham as we see in Gall. 4. 22. The Apostle there speaking of these two Covenants he sayth Abraham had two Sons â—he one by a bond-maid the other by a free Woman But hee who was of the bond-woman was borne afâ—er the flesh but he of the free Woman was by promise which things are an allegorie or a comparison â—r these are the two Covenants the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to Bondage which is Agar â—r this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her Children But Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all He is proving that the old Covenant was to be done away Agar was to be throwen out with her Children He prooves that those two Sons of Abraham Ishmaell and Isaak were types of the two Covenants that Ishmaell and Isaak Types of the two Covenants God made with mankind the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of grace Now the Covenant of Works he compares to Ishmaell that was borne after the flesh as other Children were Abraham went in to Hagar and she conceived and bare a Child as other Women But Isaak was not borne after the flesh all Fleshly wayes could not produce Isaak he was a Child of promise and the spirit of God breathing in the promise and working mightily in Abraham and Sarah Isaak was produced This is an allegorie there is a great Mysterie that you think not of when you read of Ishmaell and Isaak By Ishmaell is meant the Covenant of works and the principles of it and the practicioners of it and they walk according to the flesh as Ishmaell did and by Isaak is meant the Covenant of grace and those that goe that way are Children of promise as Isaak was So God hath set this comparison and I conceive the Apostle alludes to it and calls it a walking according to the Flesh As if he had sayd thou shalt never have this righteousnesse by walking in the way of thy Father Ishmaell by Mount Sinai in Arabia by walking in the law to turne away the wrath of God but if thou wilt get this righteousnesse thou must walk according to the spirit thou must get the spirit and be a Child of promise The third and last reason that I shall give why it is called walking according to the Flesh is because of weaknesse for Flesh is put for weaknesse as the Scripture sayth They are Flesh and not spirit that is they are poore weak things so those that walk in that way in the way of the law they are weak creatures there is nothing but wishing and woulding and covenanting and promising and protesting and vexing and fretting but there is no strength Now one Saint that is truly planted in Christ and the Gospell hath truely taken place in his heart he hath more strength then five hundred of the other Sayth Paul I can doe all things I can want and I can abound I can goe to Prison freely I can rejoyce with them that rejoyce and mourne with them that mourne Because the spirit that dwells in Christ and works effectually the same spirit dwells in us and works in us Therfore that is the meaning of it they that walk after the Flesh that is they that goe after the law they are weake they tugg and are never the nearer Heaven and if they should live a thousand yeares they would be no better but wishers and woulders and say I have a good desire to doe as the Preacher sayth but I have no power Let me conclude with one word of Use from all this that hath been sayd which I hope you Vse That few shal be saved will consider of From this Doctrine thus opened you may hence see the saying of our Lord Jesus Christ verified and made good that few shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Doubtless Paul did not looke on sinners and Saints as we doe we account every Professor let his principles be what they will eyther from the first or second Adam if he begin to leave sin and to performe duties we account him a good man But the Lord when he comes to judge he will looke further and examine us and will I feare find abundance that shal never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven even of those that follow good old Adam I meane there are abundance of Professors that have left corrupt Adam in his grosnesse and follow good old Adam that is a sprig from that they will abstaine from sins and they will performe duties and they will doe no wrong and all is but old Adam still Now good or bad if it be old Adam it must perish the bond Woman must be cast out Therfore you that are Professors looke to your selves for the Lords sake I am mistaken if there be not many hundreds of us that will be found the Sons of Ishmaell at the last day many that make a great Profession and many that make a greater profession then others that are honest spirituall Saints before the World before men for when a man goes to keep the law every light that comes into his soule intends his resolution every thing intends it in that course he is in and he may goe to the highest and be the greatest Professor and be ready for all duties and yet be found a stranger to Jesus Christ therfore look to your selves I remember Mr. Belton that blessed man he divides the World for the fowness of them that shall be saved sayth he the greatest part of the World two or three parts of it are most intire Heathens In Europe here we have the most part Papists and but a few that are Protestants and among those parts there are few that profess Religion and among those that profess Religion there are very few that doe it in truth as another godly man sayth take a multitude of Professors that have been bred under the law that have been bred on Mount Sinai take a Congregation of such Professors as there be many such in Many legall Professors miscarry in their transplanting England and let the Gospell come and be Preached rightly among them to translate them let a Minister of the Gospell come and say there is no damnation to them that are in Christ Jesus and you are justified freely and Christ hath fulfilled the law and all is cleare whereas before there were feares least they were not righteous and they did work hard now let a man labour to draw them to the Gospell and to
plant Christ and the principles of Christ in their hearts and I feare that there is not one in ten but will miscarrie in the remooving as you find it often with your Trees when you remove and transplant them I say abundance of those Professors will come to nothing for when the feare of Hell and damnation is gone from their conscience when the Whip is gone they will turne the grace of God into Wantonnesse Nay some will turne downe right Enemies and persecuters of the Gospell as the Pharisees and of those that would come in in all probabilitie in removing and translating them from the law to the Gospell there is not one in ten but would turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and there goes all their Religion The way to Heaven is narrow our Lord Christ saith and I think it will be found far more narrow then we conceive of it Therfore as another godly man sayth we are exceedingly mistaken in judging of Professors we looke upon them and those that begin to amend from their sins we call them Professors But this Professors to be judged by their principles is the true way of judging that there are but two roots in the World the old Adam and the new Adam There are but two Covenants Sinai and Jerusalem there are but two wayes of walking after the flesh and after the spirit after the law and after the Gospell Now I judge him to be a Saint and a beleiver and God calls and ownes him as a Saint though he be weake and be not so glorious in the eye of the World as many formall Professors yet if I see any principles of the Gospell in him if there be a little of Christ in him in power though it be but in a little measure and he can pray but little and he cannot keepe fasting dayes and dayes of Humiliation so plausibly as many that make a Trade of it in this Cittie yet if that prayer and repeating and reading and hearing or preaching or whatsoever it be if it flow from the Lord Jesus Christ as a naturall man knowes naturall things soone Saint knowes another the spirit of God knowes the things of God It is true we all of us have a great deale of flesh The best have somwhat of old Adam in them and there is somewhat of good old Adam as well as of corrupted Adam but surely we ought not to conceive him to be a Saint let him be never so glorious in the eye of the World and in the performance of duties if there be not somwhat of Christ in him You may see a poore despicable creature and see a great deale of Christ in him and on the other side you may see great Professors that are Ringleaders of others and yet there is not a jot of Christ in them but all is old Adam scrued up in his brave parts and all is but Flesh a little more Resined and he that is Flesh and all that is Flesh cannot inherite the Kingdome of God Looke to your selves seriously especially you that are most emynent that think best of your selves that are ancient Professors unless you look to your selves you may take a great deale of pains and when all comes to all after all your praying fasting and repeating and preaching you may be found to be nothing in the world but men that walk according to the Flesh that is according to the refined and well educated principles of old Adam you may be Ishmaeils and be built upon Mount Sinai when all is done Therfore I say we may hence learne to judg How to judg who are Saints and who not rightly of Persons who are Saints and who are not who are the Children of God and who are not For in most things we doe not judg rightly we doe not judg as God judgeth We usually judg of men and things according to naturall wisdome or according to some distinctions and desinitions that we have of things in that naturall divinitie we have As for instance If a man leave his drunkennesse and whordome and come up to some kind of holinesse in his lips in appearance if he come to heare Sermons and repeat them and pray a little in his Familie that man we call a Saint a godly man and it may be he may be so and it may be not so Now the way that God judgeth of all men is as they are the Children oyther of the old or of the new Adam and not according to such a proportion of strictness in their lives for the Pharisees went beyond many weak Professors in common righteousnesse And this should be a mayne ground of our Ground of fellowship with others communion and fellowship and delight in others whether in Churches or otherwise It should not be grounded on this if such a man be of my opinion in such things if he agree with me he is for me and another that agrees with another he is for him These kind of communions will proove nothing but faction in the end But the true communion is when Saints together keepe fellowship Church fellowship or other upon spirituall grounds That is when Christ in his soule and Christ in myne close together this is the maine ground that makes communion and fellowship whatsoever comes in besides that is additionall but if there be a communion of people without this I say it will proove but faction but walking according to the Flesh I should shew now what course we should take to bring our selves to spirituall walking And Secondly what they should doe that God hath brought up in some measure to this condition But I must leave that till God give another opportunitie SERMON IIII. Rom. 8. 4. That the righteousnesse of the law might be fullfilled in us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit THERE were three Lessons that the Lord did Teach us from these words The First is implied in the begining of the Verse that Every man is bound to get him a righteousness to fulfill the law of God And Secondly that All those that rightly beleive in Christ have in them a righteousnesse perfectly to fulfill it And Thirdly that Those that thus beleive and have this great priviledg for it is the Foundation of all others they are knowne or described by this they walk not after the Flesh but after the spirit The two former I have finished I entred upon the third the last day I opened it at larg and prooved it to you and came to make one Use of it That from hence we may learne how to judg of Use How to judge who are Saints and who are not Persons how to judg of those that are Saints and those that are not Saints not according to some kind of holynesse they may come up to but according to the principles they walk by eyther as they walk according to the Flesh or according to the spirit For I told you there be diverse Profesors among
us that it may be are emynent in the eye of the World before men yet when all coms to all their fasting and praying and preaching and repeating c. will be found to be nothing in the World but a walking according to the Flesh that is according to the refined well educated principles of old Adam But I shall goe on a little further Therfore in the next place the Question will be how shall I know whether I walk according Use 2. How to know whether we walk according to the spirit to the flesh or according to the spirit How shall I know whether I be one of those that walk according to the spirit I will only give you a few expressions of it I will not say signes for it may be you could not all beare that word and these expressions are most of them layd downe in this Chapter and hereabout whereby you may have a guess of it whether you be men that walk according to the spirit or no. First you shall find in Rom. 6. that those that 1. Such are dead to sin are under grace or that walk according to the spirit sin is destroyed in them they are dead to sin and alive to righteousnesse And there are many expressions of the same thing in diverse phrases As in Vers 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified that the bodie of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin If thou be a man that walkest according to the spirit thou canst say the body of sin is destroyed and thou doest not serve sin Then it is sayd in Vers 11. That those that are under grace they are dead indeed to sin and alive to God that is another expression And in Vers 12. Sin shall not raigne in their Mortall bodies that they should obey it in the lusts thereof And in Vers 13. Yeild not your members as instruments of unrighteousnesse And in Vers 14. Sin shall not have dominion over them So there are diverse expressions of one and the same thing Now from all for I cannot open them particularly how much is held forth in each of these expressions but to help thee to see a little the State of thy soule I would gather these three things from all these expressions there is I say meant by them these three things The first thing is this that those that walk according 1. Sin is dead in respect of guilt to grace and according to the spirit sin is dead in them That is they are dead in respect of the guilt of sin they doe see and understand in some measure that Jesus Christ by his death hath abolished and destroyed and done away all their sins in respect of the guilt of them they are not under the law in that respect They see that there is a full righteousnesse in Jesus Christ that hath satisfied the law and so their sins are done away that they shall never condemne them This is one thing Now a man that walks according to the flesh he sees not that neyther can see it for these things are spirituall Now take a man that walks according to the flesh that is according to the most refined principles of old Adam and he alway carries guilt upon his Conscience he will alway be as a man that is rouling of a Snow-ball the more he goes on in his Service the more guilt and horrour But a man that walks according to the spirit let him be weake or strong he sees this in some measure and probably for the most part that his sins are done away and that there is no condemnation to him because he is in Christ and beleives in him therfore as it is Rom. 5. 7. He that is dead is freed from sin or justified from sin That is one thing Secondly in all these phrases this is held forth 2. Sin is dead in respect of the power to us as I understand that a beleiver being planted into Christ for so he looks upon himselfe and ingrafted and united to Christ in respect of the power of sin he accounts it as dead that is when he sees any sin stirring in him he considers I am one with Christ I am planted with him in his death and resurrection and this sin was condemned when Christ was condemned and as sure as Christ did die this sin must die therfore he looks upon all his sins and lusts as things that are gasping for life as things that are ready to die and that will surely die as surely as Christ did die Another man that walks according to the law when he sees sin in him and finds lusts to rise in his soul he sayth as David in another case Surely I shall one day fall by the hands of Saul Surely I shall prove an Hypocrite one time or other this sin will break my neck and so he is discouraged and his heart is hardened But a man that is under grace that walks according to the Gospell let sin be never so strong and prevalent he looks on it as a condemned thing he can triumph over it when it is strongest and can say I know thou must be layd in the Grave with Jesus Christ he reckons himselfe dead to sin That is another thing Thirdly and lastly from all these expressions 3. They are more holy then others here in Rom. 6. We gather this that surely all those that are under grace or that walk according to the spirit in some eminent way are more holy and more freed from sin then once they were and then all those are that walk under the law in some eminent way I say they are more holy though I doe not say there is no sin in them for then we should lye as John sayth but certainly there is a power in their soules against sin that is exceedingly transcendent in respect of the best morall men in respect of the exactest men in the World that walk according to the law what else is the meaning of all this Yee are dead to sin and sin shall not reigne and have dominion over you and you shall not yeild your members as instruments to sin Shall we turne all this into speculation No certainly there is some eminent reall holynesse and power against sin that they had not before Therfore saith he VVhat pleasure had you in those things whereof ye are now ashamed those sins that you committed before you are now ashamed of them And let me looke a little upon my owne soule or appeale to you take any man or woman that understands what it is to be under the law what it is to walke according to the Covenant of works and according to the flesh and what covenants and resolutions and promises and fastings he had and let him looke upon himselfe what he is now since he hath knowen a little of Christ and hath knowen that he is a justified Person and that he is dead to the law and the like I appeale
to you whether you doe not feele a strange power in your soules killing and subduing sin that you never imagined before or almost hoped to have There are some Saints that I know that when they came to know a little of Jesus Christ they have found a power to subdue their sins that they did not hope for in their other condition they were so strong it is an emynent power A poore Saint that sees another tugging and striveing and wrastling and bustling with his corruptions he knowes that there is a sweet power in his soule that pulls downe the highest and proudest imaginations As a godly man sayth there is as much difference between a man that walks after the flesh according to the law and he that walks according to the spirit as betweene a man that is in a great Lyter or in a great Boat that is fast upon the sand and there are it may be a dozen or twenty men tugging and striving to get it off and yet it sticks and another man that is in a Boat upon the water and needs onely to hoist sayle and sit downe and it is gone he goes with winde and tide So a man that walks according to grace he can go as a child and speake loving and plaine words to his Father and get power over his sins that all the bowling and roaring and crying of another a whole Yeare together cannot doe It is so and all you that know what grace is know it That is one thing therefore consider this if thou walke according to the spirit thou art dead to sin That is in respect of the condemnation and guilt of it thou hearest that Christ hath fulfilled the law and that sin is done away And secondly in respect of the power of it thou canst looke upon it as a dying gasping thing that must die and thou canst tread on it through the death of Christ. Thirdly thou findest no lust so strong in thy soul but thou canst ordinarily bring it downe thou canst bring it to the obedience of Jesus Christ another man may throw his cap at his sins and be wishing and woulding all the year long but there are strong lusts in his soule that will not out Therefore sayth the Apostle when you walked according to the law the motions of sin brought forth fruit unto death inevitably it will be so Then further you shall finde the fruits of walking Fruits of walking according to the spirit according to the spirit I will but name them to you and wish you to consider of them You have many set downe in this Eighth to the Romanes When a man walks according to the spirit you shall see this is one fruit of it a spirit of adoption whereby we crie abba Father As many as A spirit of adoption are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God for ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye have received the spirit of adoption wherby we crie abba Father That is one fruit of it as soone as a man comes to walk according to the spirit he hath not a spirit of bondage any more What is that It is nothing but this a temper of soule like a slave just as you may conceive of a Spirit of bondage what man that is taken Prisoner in Turkie what temper he is of he is glad of a crust of bread and he feares whipping and beating and it may be killing such is the temper of a mans soule in a spirit of bondage when one is in such a temper that he is alway in feare of being whipped and scourged and he hath hard thoughts of God and he feares that he shall proove an hypocrite and the like Now sayth the Apostle we have not that spirit but we have the spirit of adoption whereby we crie abba Father That is there is a sweet temper such as is in a loving Child to his deare Father there is a boldnesse a love and delight and rejoycing and a sweetnesse c. This is one fruit of it therefore as far as thou art under horrour and mopeing and howling and crying thou commest short of walking according to the spirit for thy soule would be alway full of sweetnesse in the greatest affliction if there were a spirit of adoption and under the worst sins thou doest commit though their would be sorrow yet thou wouldest be full of sweetnesse and joy That is one thing Againe another fruit and consequent of it is Raysing up of the spirit that the spirit of God beares witnesse with our spirits that we are the Children of God If thou wilt be lead by the spirit and walk after the spirit the spirit of God will witnesse with thy spirit that thou art the Child of God What is that the meaning of it is this as I understand the spirit of God will rayse up my spirit to be able to see and know that I am the Child of God for the spirit of a man knowes the naturall things of a man and no more But the spirit of God witnesseth with my spirit that I am the Childe of God that is hee rayseth up my spirit whereby I may see and know that I am the Childe of God that as before by my owne spirit I was able to know whether I were poore or rich whether I were sick or well whether I were beloved or hated So now my spirit is raysed by the spirit of God I am able to reflect upon my selfe spiritually and look upon my selfe as beloved and chosen and holy and called and justified and this in a spirituall way Thirdly here is another expression of it and An earnest hope that is an earnest hope or expectation of the glory that is to be revealed I find and observe little of that to be in Professors and I have oft marvailed at it and the reason is because they have not the spirit of adoption and walk not fully according to the spirit therfore they are not filled with those expectations and those earnest desires that the Saints were ordinarily in the primitive times Sayth the Apostle in this Chapter The creature groaneth and desires to be delivered and not only they but we our selves which have the first fruits of the spirit we groane within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodie The meaning is there is no man knowes what that glory is that is to be revealed nor no man what it is to looke for it and expect it The word in the Originall is as one sayth as a woman looks for deliverance when her paines are on her O! she would faine be delivered or as a man in Prison that looks for his freind out of a window he puts out his head and looks but he cannot get out though he faine would Such an earnest hope and expectation and desire there is in the Saints that walke according to the spirit to see Jesus
Christ come and to enjoy that glory that is to be revealed There are many more expressions there that are the fruits of it as the spirit of supplication Vers 26. And there is also a triumphing over all our spirituall enemies Vers 31. What shall we say then if God be for us who can be against us c. And then there is an absolute dependance upon God for all things He that spared not his owne Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him give us all things And then there is also a patient suffering of all afflictions Sayth the Apostle Vers 18. I neckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed And then there is lastly an absolute eternal union with Christ Jesus in respect of his love I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor any thing shall ever be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our lord these are the expressions of the fruits of the spirit of God in the soule when men walk according to the spirit when they walk according to grace Take a man that walks according to the flesh or according to the law you shall find none of these kind of things in his soule So much concerning that Use In the next place as this Doctrine is a Touchstone Vse 3. Tryall of our actions whereby you may trie and judg of mens persons so hereby also you may trie your services and actions I say this is a rule whereby you may come to know what your services are what worth is in them For as they only are Saints who walk according to the spirit let the World judg how they will and those that walk carnally according to the flesh according to the law are not Saints so I say those actions or services of ours that proceed from the spirit of God they are only pleasing to God and those that proceed from the flesh from Old Adam those are not pleasing to him Now I say by this we may trie our services and actions as well as our persons for there is the same reason for both in all my actions all that I expect from them is that they be pleasing to God that is the end of all that we doe for they cannot justifie us that is done already or if it be not they cannot doe it but all is to be pleasing to God Now then the maine rule by which I am to judg of my actions it is this not to judg of them according as they are plausible to men or according as they have affection or enlargment in them as we call it but we are to judg of our actions cheifly if not principally by the principle that they flow from if it be the weakest and meanest action if it be the least sigh or prayer if it proceed from the new Adam the Lord Jesus it is sweet and pleasing to God it is an acceptable Sacrifice But if it be the most glorious thing in the World if it proceed from old Adam not only from sinfull Adam but from naturall Adam as he is called the naturall man 1. Cor. 15. I say that that riseth from naturall wisdome and invention and understanding and memory c. it is but flesh and Whatsoever is borne of flesh is flesh and as we say Pepper is Pepper that is it is deare so flesh is flesh that is it is a filthy abominable thing to God As it is in this Chapter they that walk according to the flesh cannot please God So that that is borne of the flesh that service that ariseth from the flesh that is done from the flesh cannot please God But you will say cannot the actions that proceed Quest from the principles of naturall Adam be pleasing to God Every man knowes that of corrupt Adam cannot but cannot that of naturall Adam as a man may pray meerly by a naturall wit and bravely to please man and to please himself and he may preach by a naturall wit and doe other Excercises and doe them finely cannot they be pleasing to God No this is a certaine rule that there is nothing Answ Nothing that comes from naturall Adam pleaseth God that comes from flesh from a principle of old Adam whither it be naturally good or evill there is nothing whether from pure Adam or corrupt Adam that is pleasing to God The reason is this because as it is Gen. 3. 5. That when Adam sinned against God you know his punishment was that he should die he was not to eat or touch the forbidden fruit least he should die Now when Adam eat of that fruit you know the curse came upon him And in reference to this you shall find those phrases in this Epistle whosoever walks according to the flesh shall die whosoever walks as old Adam is in the State of the old curse he shall die and O miserable man who shall deliver me from this body of death He calls it a body of death alluding to the maine curse of old Adam which was that he should die Now when the Lord sayd that Adam should Adam to dye as a publick person die for sin conceive not that the meaning is only that he should die personally that his person now should be subject to the wrath of God to damnation of soule and body for ever in Hell that is not the only meaning of it it is true he fell under that but the meaning is this also that whole Adam Adam as thou art a publike person thou shalt die that whereas I made and appoynted thee to be the spring and Foundation of all mankind and every man in the World is to have thy Image on him and I have filled thee with righteousnesse and wisdome and good things that may tend much to thy happinesse and thy posteritie that thou mayest derive a principle to them to be like thee in good and to be pleasing to me But when Adam sinned now sayth God thou shalt die I made thee a happie creature and put abundance of excellencies in thee for thy selfe and thy posterity as a publike person but now thou hast sinned and extinguished all that good Now I will blast them all thy wisdome and thy righteousnesse thy soule and thy body thy very being Adam shall die Thy person as thou art a private man and as thou art a publike man soule and body flesh and bone all that is in the and all that comes from thee shall die this is that great curse that God laid on him a curse of a great extent Therefore I say whatsoever now ariseth from All that springs from old Adam condemned the Sons of Adam that springs from old Adam be it good or evill it is condemned to die it must die it cannot please God As Adam when he had eaten the forbidden fruit the Lord set an Angell with a Sword
is weake there is so much weaknesse and earthinesse and frailty sometimes a mans heart is right for God yet his head akes or his stomack is full of wind or he is weary and wants sleep there is some frailty or other This is all earthly Adam all this shall be gone and this kind of body and soule shall be altered and changed to the Image of the blessed second Adam we shall put off our earthynesse as well as our sinfulnesse and have his blessed compleat Image Now how glorious that shall be as you never The glory of Saints in Heaven unspeakable saw the first Adam but onely by hear-say and by reading of the Word of God so you have not seen the second Adam but you may partly know by the manifestation of his glory on earth you have heard much of his glory We saw his glory as of the onely begotten Son of God we shall then see him Phil. 3. 19. Our conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies He meanes vile not onely in respect of sinfulnesse but of dustinesse of earthynesse and weaknesse that they may be like his glorious body according to his mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe that is according to his usuall manner of working he can doe what he will in Heaven and Earth We cannot conceive what an Imnge we shall have upon our bodies and soules but according to his wisedome and mighty power whereby he is able to subdue all things he will doe it Therefore let me tell you this I finde few or Saints formerly had more lively expectations of glory by Christ none that have those live by expectations in these times of that glory that is to be revealed that the Saints of old had See how they speake of it What manner of love is this that we should be called the Sons of God But yet it doth not appeare what we shall be for we shall be like him And gird up the loynes of your minds be sober and watch for the glory that shall be revealed The Saints heretofore more then halfe their hearts were in Heaven before hand That is the meaning of that Our conversation is in Heaven Just as you see men that goe a long journey or as you see people that have been plundered that are returning to their owne homes their conversation is there halfe a yeare before their hearts and their thoughts are there and they wish they were there and think the time long and are thinking what they will doe and what they will be when they come there So our conversation is in Heaven the Saints doe so long after the glory that is to be revealed in the day of adoption and redemption of our bodies that the most part of them is there already Now we doe not consider of this because the new Jerusalem is not yet come into our hearts We have not that Gospel-temper and frame of spirit that the Saints had before That which remaines is a little to shew you what your duty is that the Lord hath brought up to walk according to the spirit And two or three words I have to shew you how you should every one endeavour to attaine to it or to attaine it more and more But I shall leave that till the after-noone SERMON V. Rom. 8. 4. Who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit IT is the Foundation of all our happinesse to have the righteousnesse The foundation of a Christians happinesse of the law fulfilled in us for thereby we are exempted from all misery freed from all our enemies and therby we are made capable to enjoy all happinesse and blessednesse For all the misery that man suffers here and hereafter is because he hath not a righteousnesse to fulfill the law And therefore whatsoever man or woman it is that the Lord hath bestowed this great priviledge upon they must needs be in a blessed condition Now that we may know whether we are of that number the Apostle tells us that they that have this priviledge they walk not according to the Flesh but according to the spirit which was the last thing I was upon I told you what was meant by walking after the flesh and what by walking after the spirit I gave the Reasons of it and made two or three Uses There are two things remaine which I shall endeavour to speake of at this time First you that have received the spirit of God Vse 4. Exhortation to those that have the spirit how to walke and in some measure doe walk according to the spirit and not according to the flesh that the new-Jerusalem from Heaven is in some measure come into your hearts I will give you a few Exhortations from the Lord how you should carry your selves That is the first thing I shall doe and that shall be in four or five short words The first is this that the Lord having called 1. Not to abuse this liberty you to this glorious free estate to this free condition that you would take heed of abusing your liberty that you would take heed of turning the grace of God into wantonnesse as many doe And by that I meane but two things That you would take heed of using your liberty as an occasion for the flesh And Secondly of using your liberty so as to give offence to your Brethren or indeed to any I say first beware of using your liberty for an occasion 1. Not to use it as an occasion to the flesh to the flesh That you shall have Gall. 5. 13. For Brethren sayth the Apostle you have been called to liberty only use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another The Apostle shewes them in that Epistle the glorious condition and estate that they were in through grace And here in this Verse there are two things that he tells them the one is implied it is worth observing yee are called to liberty That The Gospell brings liberty is there is a freedome there is a liberty in the Gospell in diverse things that did seeme to be sinfull when ye were under the law for else what sence can you make of this ye are called to liberty onely use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh For we find that the people under the law eyther they made the law stricter or looser then it was And there is no man in the World that walks according to the law but he makes many lawes to himselfe that Christ hath not made Now when the Gospell coms in clearly all those lawes that you made of your owne head vanish Ye are called to liberty that is you see more freedome you are not bound to every thing that before you were Before you must not smile it was a sin if you seemed to laugh or smile and a hundred such things Now
evill thought shee what kind of good and evill shee goes to this sublime conceit and so was lost Now sayth Paul I am afraid of you least the Devill should beguile you so I am loath to offend you for I had rather win 4. To het the comfort of our priviledges you or else I could instance in twenty or forty conceits and distinctions of things Ideas that are above the simplicity of the Gospell and that is enough to make us leave them because they are above the simplicity of the Gospell and the excellency of the Gospell is not in those Ideas but in knowing the power of plaine things as the death of Jesus Christ Every man in Jerusalem knew the death of Christ but to know the power of that death keepe close to the simplicity of the Gospell Another thing is this you that have knowne a little of the spirit of God and have inlarged hearts and enlightned eyes Let not God rest till thou find the comfort and power of what thou knowest O we know that the righteousnesse of the law by Christ is fulfilled in us and the like but we have not the full comfort of such a truth and many others We know Christ hath paid our debt and that we are one with him as he is one with the Father but we have not the power and the comfort of these things Beloved for thy comfort know that Paul in a Pauls condition sort was in thy condition Phil. 3. Not as though I had attained or apprehended but I would apprehend him of whome I am apprehended and I would know the vertue of his death and the power of his Resurrection Paul saw something that he did not fully apprehend but he would feele more of the power of Gospell spirituall truthes and if he saw that he wanted it much more we O doe not content your selves to have an old frozen knowledge of Gospell truths whereby you are able to proove that men are legallists and that men are under Mount Sinai and yet have cold and frozen hearts cold truths without life therefore thinke of minding God of this Then lastly labour to take heed that you be 5. Not to fall back from the light of the Gospell not by any meanes bewitched so as to fall back from that little light in the Gospell that you have received it is an easie thing so to doe I doe beleive and it is my comfort and will be when I am farr from this place that the Lord hath enlightened diverse of you to know the Gospell to know Jesus Christ a little clearer Now I know not whaâ— the Lord may doe for you but I say it is wonderous easie you may under one quarter of a yeares fleshly Preaching lose that that you have been under two or three yeares Preaching a getting I have knowne after a quarter of a yeares buylding up of my soule in the knowledg of Christ and the setling of my faith and assurance I have heard one Sermon that hath routed and dasht all that work in my soule Therefore I beseech you beware faith is a tender thing especially the light we have that is but very weake and very tender therefore sayth Paul Who hath bewitched you you foolish Gallatians before whome Jesus Christ hath been lively painted As the word signifies Christ was drawne lively before the Gallatians and yet they did fall If Paul that was an Apostle and had the spirit of God in such a measure laying open the spirit of Christ and yet his people did goe back to Moses and to Sinai the Lord help and uphold us Therfore stand fast in your liberty in Jesus Christ This is all in short I have to say to you for that I hope you will lay up these words Now I have a few words of advice and counsell Vse 5. How those that walk after the flesh may come to walk spiritually to those poor souls that do yet in a great measure walk according to the flesh in one fashion or other Their religion is a fleshly Religion from old Adam and according to the law in a great measure Now the Question is what shall they doe that they may be spirituall Christians that they may walke according to the spirit I will only name a few things 1. Study the difference between the two Testaments The first is this I would desire you to endeavor to studie much the difference between the two Testaments the new and the old I meane not the two Bookes but the two Testaments that we read of in Heb. 8. Heb. 9. Whereof the one is faulty and the other is excellent the one is done away the other remaines Studie the difference between them for thereby you lay the foundation of your Gospell happinesse for there is the misery of many Professors and will be their misery if they should live a thousand yeares they jumble both Testaments without knowledge and distinction and so they will never be better Another thing that I would exhort you to is 2. To prize the spirit this to prize the spirit of Christ more then you doe There is nothing in the Gospel but it is a Mystery you cannot know it but by the spirit and there is no duty in the Gospell to be done that can be done but by the power of the spirit We may doe many things in the law by the strength of old Adam in the Gospell we can doe nothing but the spirit is all And that is the reason I think for I speake according to the grace given me why people now are left so bare and poore and confused and know not which way to goe or what to doe they doe not prize the spirit of God Many men extoll Learning mightily and it is Learning extolled to the disparagement of the spirit accounted almost Heresie to commend the spirit of God There are many men I and many Professors that doe not love to heare a man in a few modest words to commend the spirit of God but all must be by studie and reading and learning and for the spirit of God it is a plaine meere Cypher and there is an end But my life on it if I had a hundred I would say so they shal be beholding to the spirit of God and extoll him before they be taught spiritually they shall be willing to lay downe all their learning as I have seene a learned godly man of late even with the Plow-boy I do not say but that learning is good for some Learning of what use it is uses and God may blesse it to help a man to expresse what he knowes the better but as I told you Adam must die he cannot by it come to know one jot of the spirituall meaning of God in the Gospell or one jot of power or assurance to be happie or to doe any thing for God towards this all learning is not worth a straw therefore labour to extoll the spirit And
flesh is weake As the Scripture saith Their horses are flesh and not spirit so I may say your Prayers are flesh and not spirit and it may be my Preaching and it may be our endeavours to resist sin But as farr as they are flesh they are weak enough But where the spirit is there is power I can doe all things sayth Paul I can preach the Gospell from Jerusalem to Illyricum and I shall come to you in the fulnesse of Christ A man would think he had been mad but it was the strength of his spirit A poore weake Christian he doth nothing but wish and would and confesseth his sins to day and falls into it againe to morrow and then confesseth againe and when will it once be O Jerusalem But the Gospel is the power of God to Salvation and all the principles of it are powerfull and all the precepts of it have a power through the Knowledg of Christ no ground of licentiousnes spirit for a man to keepe and observe them Men talk that the learning of Christ and the knowledg of the Gospell is to make men loose and lycencious It is true carnall vayne hearts the better any thing is the worse they be but assure your selves concerning true Saints it is false for the only way to be lively and lustie and fruitfull in good is to know Christ more according to the Gospell Let men please themselves and say so as long as they will they shall be but poore old barren creatures You will be wishing but you shall never overcome your sins I have knowne some Saints that by the knowledge of Jesus Christ have had power to subdue those sins and to bring them under that before they never so much as hoped to bring under in this World yet the power of Christ hath brought them under when all their fastings and humiliations would never doe it when they were in that way without the cleare knowledg of Christ but when they have come to Christ they have found it done In 2 Pet. 3. You shall find there men that were carnall men that were as Doggs that returned to their Vomit yet the common knowledg of Jesus Christ did make them cleane from the pollutions of the World and did give them power against their sins what then will the spirituall effectuall knowledge of Christ doe Therefore never entertaine any prejudice against Christ or against his Gospell or against his spirit and his wayes for if there be any power in this World it is there All the rest is but a flourish but a shew of mortification when the heart is as full of lusts as a Toad is of Poyson There is no true mortification or holinesse but what comes from Christ and his holy spirit SERMON VI. Rom. 8. 5. For they that are after the flesh doe minde the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit IN the former Verse you remember how I shewed you that there was a great priviledge to Scope of the words all true Beleevers which indeed is the cheife of all Priviledge for it is the inlet of all mercies and the principall deliverance from all evills It is conteined in the beginning of Verse 4. That the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us In the latter end of the Verse I shewed the persons more largely described to whom this priviledge doth belong that is Not those that walke after the flesh but those that walke after the spirit And I have as God enabled me opened the meaning of that to you what it was to walk after the Flesh and what to walke after the spirit Now the Apostle in this fifth Verse goes forward a little more particularly to discover those that have a right to this priviledge by drawing one thing from another The maine was They walke not after the flesh but after the spirit I but that is a generall word and how shall we know that Saith he you shall know that also by this They that are after the flesh doe minde fleshly things and they that are after the spirit doe mind spirituall things You shall know whether you have the righteousnesse of the Law fulfilled in you if you walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And you shall know that also by your minding by the frame of your mindes if you walke after the flesh you will minde fleshly things if you walke after the spirit you will minde spirituall things And then he goes on to prove that also as we see oft in Scripture as in 1 John 5. where one thing is made the marke of another by a gradation there are five or six things and one thing proves another We know that we are the children of God if we keep his Commandements and we know we keepe his Commandements by another thing and wee know that by another thing So that I say the scope of the Apostle is to cleare unto the Saints their right and title to this great priviledge and also withall to convince those that are carnall that they are without it and to shew them their great miserie in being so for you shall see after how as he discovers them so also he shews their misery he saith they are enmity to God and they that walke after the flesh must dye c. Now that we may goe on breifly to handle this a little to you you may take the Doctrine as it lyes here in the words for I will not nor need not frame it otherwise That Those that are after the flesh doe minde the Doct. They that are after the flesh doe mind the things of the flesh things of the flesh Onely remember what I said before for it is of great concernment for that great priviledge depends upon this If you have the righteousnes of the Law fulfilled in you you must be those that walke according to the spirit and not according to the flesh And then would you know that Saith the Apostle Those that are after the Flesh doe minde the things of the Flesh and those that are after the spirit the things of the spirit so let that be the Doctrine or Lesson I will give you but two short words to prove this to you and then to open it as God shall helpe us The first thing to prove it is this that it must Reas 1. Every thing works according to its principle be so because that every thing in the World in all the creation of God doth act according to the nature of its principle from whence it flowes As Saint James saith Jam. 3. 11 12. Doth a Fountaine send forth from the same place sweet water and bitter Can a Fig-tree my Brethren beare Olive-berries or can a Vine beare Figs You know that a Fig-tree beares Figs and a Vine-tree beares Grapes an Apple-tree beares Apples and a Peare-tree Peares and every Tree and every thing will work according to its principle Make the tree
c. The Lord helpe thee to looke to this SERMON VIII Rom. 8. 5. For they that are after the flesh doe minde the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit I Have spoken of these words in generall and now I will according to the strength that God shall give me speak of them a little in partiticular that seeing those that enjoy this great priviledg to have the law fulfilled in them are those that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit That we may find whether we walke after the flesh or after the spirit I would urge it a little further and that according to the Apostles method He pitcheth upon the mind and the mind not simply considered but as it is acting and setting forth the mind in minding therefore as he takes the chiefest facultie to judge the rest by so I will take the chiefest act in that facultie that so you may judge of the rest by that one and so keep to the Apostles method Now the chiefest act of the mind doubtlesse The chiefe act of the mind is the reasoning part of the mind There are many acts in the mind as it understands it thinks it imamagines but especially the reasoning part It belongs to the mind to reason concerning things and reason is the chiefest part and is called and accounted by Schollers the chiefest part of man and therefore they say that man is a reasonable creature Now I say if we will find out by the Scriptures what we are whether we be according to the flesh or according to the spirit for there is the hinge of it we must examine it by the mind not by the mind simply as it is a faculty but the mind acting and exercising And if we speak of the exercise of it let us take the reasoning part of it that is he best part for of all the acts of the mind the reasoning is the strongest and that that most immediatly flowes from the understanding therefore if the reasoning of the soule be carnall the whole soule is so and if the reasoning of it be spiritual the whole soule is spiritual that was one thing that did move me to pitch upon that it being the chiefest Besides I find that the Apostle in 1 Cor. 5. 16. How Paul distinguisheth Saints and others he distinguisheth those that walke according to the flesh from those that walke according to the spirit by the reasoning part for saith he Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have knowne Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more We doe not saith he henceforth walke according to the flesh and we know it by our knowledge we do know things not according to the flesh but according to the spirit if Christ himselfe were here we would not looke upon him with a fleshly eye What this knowledge is you may see in the verses before For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge we thus reason that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose againe We know saith he that we are spirituall and not fleshly by our judging of things by our reasoning of things for thus we judge or thus we reason that if one man dyed for all that is did dye for others then surely we all are dead And we reason further that if one man did dye for us and we are suffered to live we should imploy our life not for our selves but for him that dyed for us This kind of reasoning we have that walke after the Spirit and not after the Flesh therefore I will pitch upon that And the rather because the Lord hath been pleased for ends best knowne to him to keep that in my mind and to fix it so on my thoughts that I could not passe it by and I usually judge in such cases that God doth often doe it for your sakes And therefore according to this method wee shall observe this Doctrine or this lesson that Doct. Carnall men guided by fleshly reasoning Those that are according to the flesh or that walke according to the flesh are swayed and guided by fleshly reasonings and those that are according to the Spirit are swayed and ruled by spirituall reasonings True Gospell Beleivers are ruled and swayed with spirituall reasonings and all carnall fleshly men are ruled by carnall fleshly reasonings For such as the mind is so is the whole man and if your reasoning be right then I dare say that all the acts of your mind are right for that is the cheifest you may judge of all the acts of your mind by your reasoning and therefore we cull out that for the triall of the rest I say carnall men are swayed and led with fleshly reasonings and spirituall men with spirituall reasonings And this is the most distinguishing Character that I know in the Booke of God betweene a Christian and another man And as the Lord presents it unto me I shall a little open unto you these termes reasoning spirituall reasoning and fleshly reasoning That you may understand these you must conceive that there are three sorts of mindes in the World and therefore there be three sorts of reasonings Three sorts of minds For our Reasonings are according as the minde is There is first a corrupt mind as you have it 1. Corrupt Ephes 4. The old man that is corrupt that is to speake in your language or according to your thoughts a sinfull mind a mind that is exercised about sinfull things When a mans mind is an evill one simplie evill Secondly there is a naturall mind 1 Cor. 2. at 2. Naturall the latter end it is called there the naturall man where I would have you observe by the bye that the mind is called the man there the naturall man that is the naturall mind The naturall man knoweth not the things of God that is the naturall mind for a man is denominated by his excellentest part which is his mind as I told you before And there is also the spirituall mind which is 3. Spirituall called there the spirituall man The spirituall man judgeth all things that is the spirituall mind judgeth all things for it is the mind properly that doth judge and the man is said to judge because he hath the mind or the mind is in the man according Three sorts of reasonings to these three sorts of minds flow forth sorts of reasonings One is corrupt reasoning and that is when men 1. Corrupt doe reason meerly sinfully according to that in 1 Cor. 15. The Apostle useth their carnall phrase Let us eate and drinke for tomorrow we shall die Now here was a kind of reasoning in this here was an argument to morrow we expect to die that is shortly therefore let us
see in these instances that faith goes all upon reason upon spirituall reason 2. In doing And so for doing for obedience as it refers to doing I will give you that one place that I had even now 2 Cor. 5. 14. saith the Apostle VVe thus judge or we thus reason That if one dyed for all then were all dead And further this is an other conclusion He dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him which dyed for them and rose againe There is no act of obedience that a Saint under the Gospell doth but it proceeds from Gospell Spirituall reason Christ dyed God reveales this in the Scripture to me and he seales this to my soule that he dyed for me when I was the veryest enemy in the world why then there is all the reason in the World he dying for me that I should live to him and serve him all the dayes of my life he redeemed me and paid a rannsome for me there is all the reason in the world that I should live to him you must not thinke that the People of God take so much paines to deny themselves and to be carryed on in such hard rough wayes but that they are carryed on in a way of spirituall reasoning And then for suffering which is another part of a Christians life You shall read in Rom. 8. 18. 3 In suffering If we be children then heires heires of God joynt heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glrryfied together For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us Reckon or I reckon for it is the same word in the Greek that is he did put the two sums together as one learned Expositor sayth he put al the sufferings on the one side as light things as short things and the priviledges of the Saints on the other that we are sons heires and coheirs with Christ and that if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him and so after all his reasoning he saw it was better to undergoe sufferings with Jesus Christ considering the gaine and the loss putting them both together in the Ballance and therefore he resolved to suffer any thing that God should lay on him So if we compare this place with 3 Cor. 4. 16. For this cause sayth the Apostle we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day for our light afflictions which are but for a moment worke for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory We have abundance of afflictions as it is known to you Corinthians as he saith before VVe are afflicted on every side there was a great deale of affliction and yet notwithstanding he did not faint he was able to goe on and suffer Why so Not phantastically or rashly as many a carnall man may doe for it is not so with a Saint he will choose dishonour when he may have honour but it is upon good reason I will tell you why because though the outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day and therefore saith he our light afflictions which are but for a moment they worke to us an exceeding eternall weight of glory As if he had said the afflictions which are now upon me however you may conceive them to be great yet in the Skales of spirituall reason I see they are but light and little in comparison of what the wicked shall suffer and of what I have deserved and it is but for a moment it is but for a time and it doth worke an exceeding excessive weight of glory and therefore I have all the reason in the World to suffer afflictions for if the outward man suffer the inward man gets by it and if it be light there is a weight of glory and if it be for a moment there is an externall weight of glory And saith he We doe not looke at things that are seene for they are temporall but at things that are not seene which are eternall We looke at things in a spirituall way and thus saith he I bless God I doe not faint and thus we have opened the Lesson to you that they that walke according to the flesh are led by carnall reasons and they that walk according to the spirit are ruled by spirituall reasons Now before I come to proove the doctrine unto you to make way for it because in my apprehension it is a spirituall thing as I shall shew you hereafter There is nothing that I know in this blessed Booke that may help you in a clearer way to discover your estates to you in a spirituall way for such as the man is such is his mind and such as his actions are such is his mind and we may better understand the acts then the mind and we may better understand both then the man And therefore that you may understand this I will lay downe three things before hand before Three things premised I come to proove the Doctrine or to applie it The first is this that there is in all godlinesse in 1. Godlines hath the best reason every part of it excellent reasons there is the purest sublimest excellentest reason in godlinesse Beloved I may say and say truely of godliness in a spirituall sence what ever you may say of Logick in a naturall way Logick is the art of reasoning that is the definition of it it is the right Art of reasoning so godlinesse is the right art of spirituall reasoning There is not one dram of right spiritual reasoning but in godly people and there is not one act in godly people but it is carried on upon the purest and sublimest and excellentest reasoning that is it is such a kind of reason that the Apostle calls it demonstration that is the surest reasoning in naturall Logick Now in that you have other kind of reasoning as conjectures and probabilities and other topicks but godly reasoning is demonstration as the Apostle saith And therefore in 2 Thes 3. 2. wicked men that have not faith they are said to be unreasonable men he is a wicked man that hath not faith let him be never so honest or civill yet in Gods language if he have not faith he is a wicked man Paul prays that he may be delivered from ureasonable men from absurd Absurd what men as you have it the margine Now what is it to be absurd you say when a man carries himself illfavouredly that is absurd properly then when a man reasons not rightly it is absurd as to draw wrong conclusions from premises as to say such a Towne is garrisoned by the King therefore London hath the plague this is absurd Now all the actions and doings of wicked men they are absurd there is no more hold of them then of a rope of sand A wicked man may
the godly in respect of power 276 Pray A humble heart apt to pray in afflictions 144 See naturall Precious Saints apprehensions of God precious 34 Preparation Christs righteousnesse to be taken notwithstanding want of preparation 109 Principle Two principles whence all men worke 253 Professors to be judged by their principles 270 Every thing workes according to its principle 319 See Darke Prison Christ being out of prison shews God is satisfied 227 Priviledge Jewish priviledges how taken 258 Outward priviledge boasted of by the Jewes 259 To get the comfort of our priviledges 303 Carnall Priviledges called flesh 331 Prize The spirit to be prized 306 Prosperity Prosperity of others not envied by Saints 135 See Envy Proud Carnall minde proud 351 See commands ridgednesse truths unthankfull Publike Christ a publike person 226 Two publike persons 25â— Adam to dye as a publike person 285 Who to be imployed in publike affaires 385 Pure Purity Purity of heart an effect of seeing God 48. 66 Pure heart what 49 See conscience corrupt grow Q. Qualities More then new qualities in Saints 404 R. Rationall The most rationall man without grace the worst 389 Reall Impressions of God upon Saints reall 43 Miseries of this life reall ibid. Reason reasoning Reasoning of three sorts 361 Godlinesse hath the best reason 368 Not to reject all reason in godlinesse 380 Reasoning the highest act of the minde 388 Men mad with reason 389 Reasoning of the minde a distinguishing character 390 How a good man may be moved with naturall and carnall reasoning 393 How Saints come to be led by spirituall reason 402 To labour to be swayed by spirituall reasoning 412 See beleeving doing suffering Reforming Hindrances of reforming our wayes 234 Religion Carnall men may goe farre in Religion 392 Repeale The Law of God not repealed 209 Repent see Christ Reprobate Carnall minde reprobate 350 Revelation Saints to walke humbly for abundance of Revelations 301 Spirit of revelation to be prayd for 313 Reward Proud men obey GOD onely for reward 121 Ridgednesse Ridgednesse to sinners from pride 176 Righteousnesse True humiliation knowne by submitting to Christs righteousnesse 101 Men naturally cleave to their owne righteousnesse ibid. Righteousnesse of our owne to be renounced 108 Righteousnesse perfect required by the Law 208 Righteousnesse of the Law fulfilled in beleevers 217 We are saved by Gods righteousnesse 225 Fleshly men stablish their owne righteousnesse 330 Rotten Minde of a Carnall man rotten 349 Rules Three rules that all men conforme to 240 Rules of Christ to be looked to 242 Severall Gospell rules 243 S. Saint Carriage of a humble heart towards Saints 180 How to judge who are Saints 271. 274 Saints and others how distinguisht 358 See sight old Sanctification How the Spirit works by Sanctification 410 Satan See Kingdome Darknesse Satisfie Saints apprehensions of GOD satisfie them 25 Apprehensions of Hypocrites satisfie not 36 God the Father satisfied in Christ 227 See Spirit Saving Saving knowledge 185 Savour Fleshly men savor fleshly things 335 Scripture see Glosse Secret Secret works in nature and grace 91 See seen seeing The priviledge of Saints to see God 3 Severall wayes of seeing God 4 Order how Saints come to see God 61 All graces wrought by seeing God 87 Why God will humble men by seeing him 91 A wicked man may see his sins 93 Carnall men cannot see God 95 Tryall of seeing God aright 100 A humble heart seeth God in afflictions 126 Things of the flesh are things that are seene 325 Service Saints humble though they doe God more service 183 Humble Saints glad to doe service for others 197 Shift see truths Shrink see trouble Sight Saints have a peculiar sight of God 6 True sight of God how known 30 Signes Christians may make use of signes 103 Simplicity Saints to walke in simplicity 302 Sin Sight of God should preserve from sin 23 Sin what 102 Not to comply with others in sin 172 Justification not broken by sin 233 Who are dead to sin 275 See Guilt Sinners Carriage of a humble heart to sinners 166 Son of Man Two sorts of dayes of the Son of man 26 Soveraignty Soveraignty of God to make a Law 208 Spirit Spirituall Saving sight of God by the spirit 12 The Spirit shewes Christ and the Father 15 The priviledge of those that walk after the spirit 250 To walke according to the Spirit what 255 How to know we walke according to the spirit 274 Fruit of walking according to the spirit 279 How those are to walk that have the spirit 298 How men may come to walk spiritually 305 To labour to be lead by the spirit 309 Things of the spirit what 333 Minde spirituall 361 Reasoning spirituall 363 A Saint made spirituall how 404 Streame Streame of a Saints heart pure 52 Submit Submission A humble heart submits in affliction 133 Ground of true submission to God 154 Suffering True sight of God enables to suffering 60 Law fulfilled by suffering 210 Law cannot be fulfilled by suffering 213 Spirituall reasoning in suffering 366 Sweetnesse Sweetnesse in humble Saints to others 194 T. Take A humble heart content that God should take mercies 154 Teach Christians should be ready to teach others 59 Temptations Godly Men not taken with temptations why 375 See Job Eve Termes Proud men obey God upon their owne termes 120 Terrified Wicked men may be terrified 93 Testaments Difference between the two Testaments to be studyed 305 Thankfull A humble heart thankfull for mercies 161 Themselves Why Saints sometimes differ from themselves 73 Saints measure not themselves by themselves 199 Who build Justification upon themselves 230 Things What meant by things of the flesh 324 Throne The minde the throne of Christ or Satan 346 Through Right impressions of God through 44 Troubles Why professors shrink in troubles 44. 61 What keeps men in inward troubles 104 Truth Saints carriage to Gods truths 110 Proud hearts cavill at Gods truths 113 Proud men shift off Gods truths 114 Saints jealous of the truths they know 187 Time Saints humbled in regard of the time they have had 184 V. Vaine Carnall minde vaine 349 Various God shewes himselfe to his Children variously 16 Violence see Command Vision Beatificall vision in this life 18 Visitation Day of visitation what 176 Understand Why most people understand not spirituall things 338 Christ onely can satisfie the understanding 383 Undervalue A humble Saint undervalues not grace in others 153 Union Too neere union with sinners forbidden 172 The Law fulfilled by our union with Christ 224. 227 To look on our selves as united to Christ 236 Unregenerate Unregenerate men how farre they may goe towards humiliation 93 Unspeakable Saints sight of God unspeakable 10 Unthankfull Proud hearts unthankfull 161 Universall Impressions from the sight of God universall 45 W. Waiting A humble heart not weary of waiting in affliction 145 Waiting for mercies 156 Walke To walke what 251 Way Godly men see their way in confusion 374 Weak Weak Saints in Christ satisfie the Law 224 Flesh put for weaknesse 267 Weaknesse of Saints the cause of it 215 Weary see Commands Wicked Misery of wicked men 20 Winning see Ordinances Wise Wisedome Saints in affliction have high thoughts of Gods wisedome 131 Two wisedomes great in the eyes of Saints ibid. Godly men the wisest 384 Will. Our hearts and lives to conform to Gods will 240 Will of God when knowne 307 Why good men misse Gods will 395 Word Saving sight of God by the word 12 Christs righteousnesse to be taken on his bare word 104 Works Many besides Papists seeke Justification by Workes 213 VVe are dead to the Law as a Covenant of works 218 Good workes by whom to be done 231 Flesh taken for the Covenant of works 260 World Saints see God in this world 3 Happy estate of Saints in this world 17 The rule of most men in the world 241 FINIS
and are damned it is said they tasted of the heavenly gift and were enlightened for there is the very word Compare that with 2 Pet. 2. 20. In the one we read they were enlightned and after fell off In the other wee read that by the knowledge of Christ they were cleansed and after fell with the Dog to his Vomit I say there is a Gospell sight of God that hath some resemblance of this peculier priviledge but is not it Men may have a sight to know abundance of things of the Kingdome of God and so in a sort be said to know and to see God yet this is not the peculiar sight I am to speak of Fourthly there is a sight of God which is not peculiar 4. At the day of Judgement to the Saints and that is at the day of Judgment there wicked people shall see God Only they shall see him clothed with wrath they shall see the Lord coming out to judgement against them they shall see that Man that they thought to be but a man and no more whom they crucified they shall then see him God comming to judge the world they shal see him whom they have pierced And this is not that sight that is the priviledge of Saints It is not a corporeall sight as the Jews had nor it is not a common sight as the Heathens have by the creation or as Hypocrites have in the Gospell by illumination or as Reprobates shall have one day to their condemnation It is none of these sights But Fiftly and lastly there is a seeing of God in the A peculiar Gospell sight only to Saints Gospell by the Spirit of God which is peculiar only to the People of God There was no Saint that ever was in the world but had this sight more or lesse There were few Saints in the old Testament but somwhere or other it is mentioned and said of them that they saw God either directly or by consequence As In the old Testament for instance in the old Testament in the beginning of it though in a different manner you read of divers men that are said to be walkers with God As Noah Noah Henoch Abraham walked with God and Henoch walked with God and Abraham walked with God Now it is impossible in a spirituall right sence that you can conceive of men to walk with God hand in hand but it must necessarily imply that they did see God how shall two walk together unlesse they be agreed much lesse unlesse they see one another for a man will not walk with one which he sees not Therefore it is said of Abraham Joh. 8. 58. Abraham saw my day and rejoyced .. He did not only see the time for that is not all but he saw the glory of God in Jesus Christ though he were not yet manifested Moses So Moses also had this sight as we read Heb. 11. 27. It is said by faith he forsook Aegypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible Moses saw him who is invisible God is said to be invisible two wayes he is invisible in respect of any corporeall shape And God is said to be invisible in respect of all mankind besides the Saints he saw him who is invisible he saw him whom never man saw or shall see but only those that are in Christ as Moses was Of Solomon it is said Solomon God appeared twice to him God appeared often to Saul therefore Saul thought it strange when the Lord appeared not unto him But God did not appeare to Saul in all his dayes with such an apparition Isaiah and in that fashion as he did to Solomon So Isaiah in the Text he had a peculiar sight that made him cry out Woe is me I am undone for mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hosts It was common in the old Testament and in the new Testament it is every where spoken of you shall read of it more fully in the New Testament than in the Old In Isaiah 52. 8. it was prophesied concerning the new Testament In the new Testament Thy watchmen shall lift up their voyce for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring againe Zion as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3. We all behold with open face There was a kind of vaile over the best of them in the old though it were a peculiar thing to the S t s Paul then to see God yet now in the new Testament though the sight be the same yet it is a great deale clearer and brighter and nearer and more glorious As to give you a few instances as that of Paul 2 Cor. 12. He was wrapped up into the third heaven into Paradice where he heard wonders that were not to be uttered What were those glorious things that he saw that he could not utter Without controversie the same that Stephen saw Act. 7. The Heavens were opened Stephen and he saw Christ at the right hand of God the glory of God in Jesus Christ. And least you should think it was a thing peculiar to Paul or Stephen it is a thing commonly spoken of in the new testament of all the Saints and when Christ on the Mount saith And al the Saints blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5. without holines none shall see God Heb. 12. As if he should say any man that is holy shall see God In 1. Joh. 3. A man that lives in sin hath not seene God And he that loves not his Brother hath not seene God It is a common thing it is it hath been and it shall be the Saints and all the Saints have a peculiar sight of God that the world knowes not of To open it a little further that hearing that there is such a glorious thing you may look after it and set your minds to consider it I shall indeavour it as far as I may according to Scripture because there is nothing but the light of the word and Spirit that can discover this You will say what is this sight Or how is it Or how shall we understand it This sight of God which only Saints have is I will lay before you these 4 or 5 propositions in generall that you may have a little light of it out of the scriptures The first is this that the sight of God which the Sâ—â— 1 Imperfect have in this world it is but imperfect it is but in part it is not ful compleat until they be in heaven Not that I meane that they see some part of God in this world and they shall see him all in the other world No a Saint seeth God wholly here he sees all that is in God he sees his love he sees his power he sees his strength he sees his righteousnesse he sees his mercy he sees his all Attributes far otherwise then a carnall man can and that
done with Secondly that The Law of God is perfectly fulfilled in all true believers Thirdly that True believers are they who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit We made some entrance upon the second that The righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in all true believers I spake a little of this and shall adde something farther to what I said if God will The righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in every The righteousness of the Law fulfilled in every true believer not personally true believer Not personally as I told you for there is no Saint no not Abraham himselfe that can say the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in me that is personally that I have walked so the Law is satisfied by my walking But the righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in us not personally but in us by reason but by our union with Christ that Christ and we are one and he is made righteousnesse to us 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is made of God to in wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Then whatsoever Christ is or hath it is ours Therefore saith the Apostle The righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in us He doth not say it is fulfilled in Christ though that be true but he takes the boldness to say it is fulfilled in us by vertue of our union with Jesus Christ So in every true Saint or believer the righteousnesse of the law through Christ The weakest Saint in Christ hath satisfied the Law is perfectly fulfilled The weakest Saint if he be a true Saint he hath perfectly fulfilled the law of God he hath perfectly satisfied every demand that the law can make he hath perfectly paid every penny worth of debt that he oweth to the law the weakest Saint it may be a poore Saint that men can see nothing but corruption in all the day and all the weeke and all the yeare long almost yet that man if he be a true Saint though he be weak hath perfectly in Christ kept the law of God and is a just man and the law of God cannot come upon him nor the Sergeant the Devill to arrest him for one penny or farthing because he can say as Paul saith here The righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in us Therefore that is the reason as I told you that Paul saith I am dead to the law that is I am as free from the law as a man that is dead when a man is dead the law goes no further on him So it is said we are delivered from the law and freed from the law And that is the reason also that the Apostle In Christ we are saved by Gods righteousnesse as well as mercy three times in one Chapter puts our salvation upon the righteousnesse of God he saith not by the mercie of God though that be true there is infinite mercie but saith he that God might declare his righteousnesse in Christ to save us It is a mercifull thing for God to give us Christ and to give us hearts to know that Christ and to believe in that Christ it is infinite unspeakable mercie But now that wee are in Christ and united to him as there was mercie so it is righteous and just with God to save us because we are righteous persons Mistake me not I say every poore Saint through Christ is a righteous person a just man I say in and through Christ he hath taken away all our sins and forgiven all our iniquities Coll. 2. So that when God saves believers he doth not only save them out of mercie but out of righteousness he can doe no otherwise therefore it is three times over his righteousness his righteousness his righteousness Rom. 3. And that is a blessed word in Heb. 12. Yee are come to the spirits of just men made perfect I doe not conceive that it is spoken of the spirits of men in heaven as many doe and no wonder they mistake for I did so for many yeares That place it looks so like heaven that I tooke it for heaven it self Yee are come unto mount Sion to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne and to the spirits of just men made perfect A man would think it were heaven it self it is called heaven but it is nothing in the world but the glorious estate of the Saints in Jesus Christ under the new Testament as you may see afterwards Therefore as Christ saith let this word sink into your hearts that if thou be a right believer thou art as perfectly just and righteous through Jesus Christ as if thou hadst never sinned against the law of God not by thy own righteousnesse but by the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ For what can be said more saith the Apostle The righteousness of the law is fulfilled He doth not say we have a peice of it but it is fulfilled that is to a jote or tittle the law cannot say black is thine eye because Christ hath paid and done all that it can demand Now to give you a word or two of the grounds or reasons to help you to believe this truth to shew you how it comes about It comes about three wayes I meane it will be cleare to you three wayes if you consider three things First You must consider that Jesus Christ Reas 1. Christ a publike person which is our suretie he was sent of the Father out of his love as a publike person to fulfill the law of God by doing and suffering as a publike person There is much comfort in that Beloved you can never throughly understand your justification unlesse you study the first Adam what kind of person Adam was as you may see in Rom. 5. Now the Lord Jesus he came as a publike person and he was delivered for our offences as it is said Rom. 3. ult he did die for our sinnes That is one thing Now the second thing that demonstrates this to 2. From the union between Christ and believers us is besides his dying and that as a publike person there is a union made between every poore believer and Christ as really as between Christ and his Father Indeed it is called in Scripture a marriage because as in a marriage all the wealth of the husband is the wives it becomes hers and shee hath a right to it after marriage So all that is in Christ becomes ours by this union But it is a more reall union a closer union by far then that of marriage it is compared to the union between the members and the head Now by this union that you may read of in Joh. 17. all that is ours becomes Christs and all that is Christs becomes ours There are two things Then thirdly we finde that God the father to 3. God the Father is satisfied which appeares whom the debt was owing and whose law this was that we must satisfie he acknowledgeth satisfaction And what can we have more God the father acknowledgeth
those things that now you know not nor cannot know Therfore labour to learne that lesson it is one of the greatest Mysteries in the World and that is the reason that carnall people carp at these things What greater Mysterie then for me being a just and righteous man through Christ yet to be so sinfull that I can say there is none more sinfull and yet I am as righteous as Abraham or Paul in respect of the righteousnesse of Christ I have as large a share as Abraham or Paul and yet I am full of sin A Christian knowes this and he knowes how it is so Well that is one lesson consider of it that you may know where to plant your justification upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ The Lord teach it to you and me Secondly if the righteousnesse of the law be Vse 2. Saints should see their condition in Christ glorious fulfilled in all that are beleivers through Jesus Christ Then all you that are Saints all you that beleive in Jesus Christ labour to see the glorious condition that you are in that you may be able to reflect upon your selves not according to what you are out of Christ but what you are considered to be as Members of Jesus Christ as unyted to Jesus Christ Therfore you shall have Paul and it doth me good to see his spirit he never reckons himselfe as in himselfe but as in Jesus Christ I can doe all things I can want and I can abound I can doe this and that and all in Christ So I To look on our selves as unyted to Christ must never conceive of God out of Christ nor of my selfe out of Christ I must never conceive of my selfe and Christ as two but I should indeavour clearly and constantly that whatsoever good there is in Christ it is myne as if it were in myne owne person And so we should have our spirits raysed above the temptations of the World and above the afflictions of the World and above corruptions It is a pittifull thing to see poore Professors Why many Christians have such low Spirits there is not one of many but they are ordinarily below temptations and they lie under burdens and are below their sins Nay there are many professors that are more sad and drooping then carnall people Surely this was not the way of those Saints that we read of in the New Testament they had glorious spirits how doe you think else they could goe to the stocks and to Prisons and from one Compter to another and have their spirits so raysed and yet sometimes they were to die the next morning for ought they knew Your spirits will never be heightened and raysed to live the life of Paul by beholding any thing that is in you personally in your posession but what you are by relation and marriage to Christ Reckon your selves dead with Christ and so conceive I am a just man I was bound once to the law of God a terrible law and there are thousands in hell paying the debt and cannot pay it and yet I have paid every farthing and the law cannot ask me more I have offered a perfect righteousnesse to God and I am now sitting at Gods right hand in Heaven by my unyon with Jesus Christ This is the life of faith that we may be able to The life of faith tryumph over all these things below from our Justification as Paul doth Rom. 8. It is God that Justifieth and who shall condemne Who shall seperate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Shall Tribulation or distresse or Famine or nakednesse or perill or Sword Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors through Christ that loved us Indeed Tribulation and hunger and Famine they are sad things but these are the least troubles of a Christian these outward miseries Over these we are more then Conquerers sayth Paul I can tie my right hand at my back and with my left hand beat all these back I can beat them with a finger Nay I say more Neyther death nor life that is more nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. See there how he dares all the Enemies to come upon the Stage and tramples them under feet As in Malachy it is said that in the time of the Gospell they shall tread their Enemies as ashes under their feet So there is a place also in 1 Cor. 1â— Death is swallowed up in victorie As if he had sayd you that have received Christ Jesus I will tell you news Death is swallowed up in victorie O death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victorie He feares the grave and death and triumphs over them O death where is thy sting thou thoughtest to overcome me but where is thy sting The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be unto God who hath given us Victorie through Jesus Christ our Lord. He doth not say which will give us Victory when we are dead and then we shall be perfect in Heaven It is true then we shall be more perfect but he saith which hath given us Victorie for the present I have already overcome Hell and death and the Devill for all hangs on the law the law is Gods writ and the Devill is Gods Sergeant that executes that writ and Hell is the Prison Therefore if the law be satisfied if the righteousnesse of the law be fulfilled death and Hell and the Devill have nothing to doe with me So in Rom. 4. ult Who was delivered for our offences and was raysed for our justification And then it followes Chap. 5. 1. Beeing Justified by faith we have peace with God See where the Apostle layes justification And we glory in tribulation knowing that it worketh patience c. We rejoyce in tribulation and affliction Why Because we are Justified by Christs death and Resurection O what kind of spirits should we have How full of joy and comfort should we be in the greatest tribulation How should we tread all this World under our feet the evills of this World and the comforts of the World How should we insult and tryumph over the Devill and over death and Hell for all their power as I sayd is from the law and if the righteousnesse of the law be fulfilled then all our Enemies are subdued and all is cleare Heaven is open and God is mine and the favour of God is to me For know this that there is no naturall imbred What hinders the creature from enjoying God hatred in God to his creature there is nothing that keeps the creature from the full injoyment of God but the law not being satisfied God made a law and we made the breach of it and there falls out the distance betweene
proud that you cannot rule your hearts but you are lifted up with pride when you have done duties it is because every fine thing you doe from old Adam makes you proud you take all in the bulke and consider not whence you doe things you consider not how much of the old Adam or of the new there is in your Prayers and Duties Therfore let this be an universall eternall rule to know the worth of all your services and actions by whatsoever is of the flesh is flesh and whatsoever of my Preaching and of your praying and lending and giving and of your publike actions if it be not from a spirituall principle from Jesus Christ according to the Gospell planted in you it is of old Adam and it is condemned labour to leave that I shall conclude with one Word more and Vse 4. To expect the fulfilling of Prophesies and promises that is this that this beeing so that this is to walk according to the spirit Then we should long very much for the fulfilling of those Prophesies and Promises that God hath made unto us concerning the latter times There is no Saint almost now that I know but expects glorious times only one Saint thinks that the glory of the Saints shall be in this thing and another in that thing but every Saint expects continually the fulfilling of those Prophesies and promises set downe in the latter end of the Revelations and they are glorious ones whatsoever the meaning of them is and I think the cheife thing there promised which shall be the height of our happinesse that the new Jerusalem shall come downe from Heaven mistake me not though it be a consequent yet it is not cheifly and properly such a way of government this or that or the other way though it be true that Government will follow upon it yet if the meaning of it were only to reforme our Churches though that were a blessing or that Christ should come and reigne here temporally and give us Inheritances and riches and the like truly a Saint would not long much for these things But the New Jerusalem shall come downe from Heaven and abundance of blessings that shall goe along with it What is that The meaning of New Jerusalem comming downe from Heaven what it is we shall have the light of the Gospell clearly revealed unto us and we shall have Gospell principles fully put into our soules which by Antichrist by Babilon we have been seduced of these thirteene or fourteene hundred yeares For that was the mischeife of Antichrist he hath kept us all his reigne under the old Testament with Altars and Sacrifices and Preists and I know not what every thing just as they used under Moses and we are not wholly gone out of Antichrist yet But the Lord will send a light into our hearts to know the truth in the power and spirit and to square our hearts to it For that is new Jerusalem if you compare it with Heb. 12. where the holy Jerusalem the heavenly Jerusalem is clearly opposite to Mount Sinai So compare it with Gal. 4. he tells us that Jerusalem which is above us is Mother of us all that is the Covenant of grace and the principles thereof in the soules of men Therefore I wish that the Lord would set your hearts and mine a longing after that that we may have more of the spirit of the Gospel and of the Principles of the New Testament in us and then for matter of Government of Churches those things would follow For to set up Government and Discipline before this comes into the soule truely it is to build Castles in the ayre for let a man take us and frame us in the Independent or Presbyterian way in what way he will unlesse the Principles of Jesus Christ in the Gospel be spiritually planted it will be a fleshly Independent and a fleshly Presbyterian service Therefore labour chiefly for that and pray the Lord to fulfill that and then your Government whatsoever it shall be God will reveale it more fully People are now generally going to build and order Churches and I know not what unlesse the spirit of the New Testament governe in the New Testament it is a vaine thing thing for if wee have our former fleshly hearts that walke according to the Law and according to the flesh all the Government in the World will never doe us good because God hath cursed Flesh and it will never be regulated and brought to good And this also should move us exceedingly to Upon what ground to long for the comming of Christ long for the comming of Jesus Christ to glory for his comming to us or our comming to him and the reason of that you shall have in 1 Cor. 15. 49. a glorious word that hath dwelt much in my thoughts I told you the reason why every man must dye a naturall death because of that absolute grand curse that Adam did fall in as a publick person and we being from him we must dye Now here is the comfort of it a blessed word it is As we have borne the Image of the earthly so we shall beare also the Image of the heavenly that is when the redemption of our bodies comes at the day of Christ then as we have borne the Image of the earthly so we shall beare the Image of the heavenly We have borne hitherto and doe beare the Image of naturall Adam we are all his Sons and Daughters just like him in our wisedome and understandings and bodies and soules poore earthly creatures naturall fraile creatures we are and by that curse that was layd upon him we must all dye and lay downe these earthly Tabernacles these earthly creatures must be dissolved As we have borne the Image of the earthly not onely as we have borne the Image of old Adam sin and wickednesse and pride and frowardnesse so now we shall beare the Image of the new not onely in respect of grace and holinesse and righteousnesse that if I be in him all those corruptions of nature shall out and I shall have a new nature That is true but that is not all but as I wholly beare the Image and shape of old Adam his body and soule and senses and all those must dye so when these bodies shall be raised we shall as absolutely and largely beare the Image of the new Adam the Lord Jesus in our body and senses and all our whole man soule and body in respect of substance as well as quality we shall beare the Image of the second dam as lively and in as large an extent as ever wee bore the Image of the earthly Adam Therefore that is a Not onely sinfulnesse but earthynesse troubles a Christian great comfort I will tell you why because it is not onely the sinfulnesse of a Christian that troubles him but his earthinesse so many distempers and troubles that it is a misery the spirit is willing but the flesh
you are called to Libertie but use it not as an occasion for the flesh That is take not occasion from your liberty to live more sinfully to say you are made free and others are tyed by the Law and therefore you will live more carelesly and loosely and sinfully take heed and beware of that There were some it seemes I am sure there are some now that all the liberty and freedome they heare off from the Gospel or by getting off from the Law it is nothing in the World but that they may goe on more in sin and enjoy their lusts more freely this is to pervert the Gospel And what the end of these people shall be you The danger of abusing gospel-liberty may see in 2 Pet. 1. and in the Epistle of Jude They are appointed to damnation And their damnation slumbereth and sleepeth not That is they are going on amaine they are going faster towards Hell then any Drunkard or Whormonger A Malefactor never goeth so fast to death as these doe to destruction when all the knowledge of liberty that they have is onely to give occasion to provide more for their lusts then before Let us consider and take heed of that Another thing is seeing you have liberty by 2. Not to use liberty for the offence of our Brethren walking according to the spirit for where the spirit is there is freedome that is certaine use it not for the offence of your Brethren As some there are that when they heare they are free are ready to say I care not what all the World say I know this is not a sin and therefore I will doe it Beloved that is farr from walking worthy according to the Gospel I became all things saith Paul to all men that I might win some I am under the Law to them that are under the Law and without Law to them that are without Law I became all things to all men that I might gaine some So we must not please our selves but one another for edification Rom. 15. and condescend to them of low sort Rom. 12. Who is weake saith the Apostle and I am not weake If thou see a man under the Law fumbling and wallowing upon Mount Sinai without the knowledge of the Gospel despise him not and say he is a Legallist and what have we to doe with him but endeavour to frame thy heart and thy language and carriage so suitable to him that thou mayst win upon him and so with others This is the language of the Gospell and the true way of the spirit of God when a man knowes his freedome and yet he becomes all things to all men that he may doe them good There is one word that I thinke is the word and will of God and I desire that thou mayst take it so and carry it with thee A second thing that I advise you to that are 2. To walke humbly spirituall that the Lord hath revealed a little of the Gospel to it is this that you would endeavour to walk humbly O walk humbly Why so I will tell you why because a man when he is under Because of the abundance of revelations in the Gospell the law he shall be twenty yeares striving for a little knowledge or grace and shall hardly get them but as soone as ever a man comes rightly to Christ and to know him then there is such a flood of grace and such abundance of Revelations it is the Scriptures word there is such abundance of manifestations of GOD and of the Image of GOD when they begin to come in that it is a hard thing then to keepe the soule downe for spirituall things when they come in rightly when the Floud-gates are open they come in as Waves one upon the back of another For spiritull Gospell truths multiplie in the soule a thousand fold one lesson from another and one Scripture opens another and then there is no end and then it is hard to keepe the soule humble Therfore in 2 Cor. 12. When Paul was wrapt into the third Heavens because of the abundance of Revelations that he had seene for he had seen and heard things that he could not utter and speake to others he was readie to be proud to be lifted up and least he should be so God sent a Messenger of Satan to buffet him It implies it was a hard thing for Paul the Apostle when abundance of Revelations came into his soule not to be lifted up And this spoyles some honest hearts I hope they are so and that God will bring them home that having been kept bare of food as some Souldiers that went to releive Glocester when they came home to the Cittie they killed themselves with eating full and good food So when poore soules have gone upon the bare Mountaines of Sinai and then have come to the Pastures of righteousnesse they goe so greedily and are so taken that if God be not wonderfull mercifull they will be undone by being lifted up Therfore beware of this learne from Pauls example to seeke to the Lord to keep your hearts humble A third thing is this endeavour to walk simplie 3. To walk simply I meane to keepe to the simplicity of the Gospell The Gospell though there be glorious mysteries in it to feed the soule yet notwithstanding it is a plaine simple thing Now here the Devill endeavours to undoe soules as it is ordinary in this City when men come once to understand a little of the Gospell and to tast the sweetnesse of it The Devill makes men sublimate Religion into notions the Devill screws them up to sublimate all Religion into notions to cleave a haire and Religion will be all in Ideas and conceits of the nature of God and of the creature Whereas the Gospell is a plaine thing Paul desired to know the death of Christ and the power of his Resurrection And Paul teacheth Servants how to obey their Masters and Masters how to carry themselves to their Servants and VVives to their Husbands and such simple plaine things Now these things are accounted nothing that is the Reason that many among us they doe more and more loose the Word of God unlesse it be about some sublime notions If a Minister be upon such poynts some high Ideas for they feed upon such that is worth the while but if a Minister speake of things that concerne their calling or their sex and condition that is plaine it hath no tast in it no more then the white of an Egg. It is a hard thing to keepe to the simplicity of the Gsopell As the Devill tempted our first Parents God gave Adam and Eve sufficient knowledge to doe his How the Devill tempted Eve will and they had sufficient naturall knowledge for they Named all the Creatures yet notwithstanding shee musts neds goe from the simplicity of Gods will and be curious and shee must know good and evill there was the distinction good and