answer to those Jewes which thought themselves not to be under bondage because they were Abrahams seede in the flesh our Saviour tels them this externall interest did not make them free-men For sayes hee notwithstanding this you are under sinne Vers 34. Who ever commits sinne is the servant of sinne and your fleshly interest in Abraham doth not acquit you from the bonds and servitude of sinne but if the Sonne have made you free then are you free indeed As if Christ had said Abraham could not beare your sins and the wrath of God due to them for you and therefore you are in bondage still but what the Son bears he makes them perfectly free from for whom he beares it Christ came to save those that were lost And he tels us when he gave up the ghost upon the Crosse that the worke was finished And in John 17.4 I have glorified thee on earth Joh. 17.4 I have finished the worke thou gavest mee to doe Christ tels his Father that he had lost no glory in sending him upon the worke of Redemption for says he I have finished that worke thou gavest me to doe which was to worke out a perfect Redemption for his people Isa 61.1 To give liberty to the captive and to open the prison doores Isa 61.1 If this bee a truth as doubtlesse it is that what-ever Christ hath borne for a believer that a believer is fully redeemed from then it will be worthy a Saints best serious consideration in searching the Scriptures and in the Spirit giving eare to heare and heart to consider what they say Christ hath borne for us First I finde by that 2 Cor. 5.21 that Christ hath born sinne for us For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him The text speaks in the abstract He was made sinne for us There cannot be a fuller expression there is the act God making Christ to be sinne for us or taking all sinne off from us and laying it upon him as was typified under the law in the Scape-goate which went into the Land of Forgetfulnesse Now the issue and effect of this act followeth in the Text That we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him This expression is as full as the former the holy Ghost expresseth the sinner for whom Christ was made sinne to be as fully acquitted from sinne as Christ is made sinne Marke the words made the righteousnesse of God in him so perfectly righteous that God ownes the soule as one with himselfe righteous as being one with Christ who is the righteousnesse of God Now the soule that is thus righteous must needs be acquitted from all finne the righteousnesse of God and the condemnation for sinne is as light and darknesse which cannot be together in one soule If Christ once come into a soule and tels that soul by his Spirit that he hath borne all its sins and so makes the soule to believe in the free grace of God and to rest upon Christ as his righteousnesse that soule is as fully in the fight of God acquitted from sin as Christ was by God made sinne for it This soule stands before God compleate in Christ not having spot nor wrinckle in it All that can be said is said in this That soule for whom Christ was made sin is thereby made the righteousnesse of God in him So that Christ having borne the sinne the soule never more beares that in his owne person before God but doth alwayes stand both before the throne of justice the throne of grace as fully cloath'd with Christ his righteousnesse as Christ upon the Crosse was with his sinne Isa 53.6 The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all Iniquity is one with sin here now then read this truth with an eye and heart of faith that what Christ hath borne for us we are fully delivered from and then will the glory of free grace be lifted up and our soules made to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory in believing Secondly Christ hath fulfilled the Law and borne the curse of it for his people Gal. 4.4 5. Christ was made under the law to redeeme his people from all that in the law which was weight and burthen from the curse of the law Gal. 3.13 From the reigning and condemning power of it he hath satisfied and keeps the law fully for us In Gal. 4.5 6. there Christ hath redeemed us to the liberty of sons the spirit of adoption reigning in our consciences and conversations above the letter of the law so that in Rom. 8.2 3 4. There the Apostle tells us That by vertue of the law of the spirit of life in his union with Christ Jesus hee had freedome from the law of sin and death That law of commandement by which sinne revived and the soule dyed he was delivered from by the spirit of life in Christ Jesus For sayes he what the law could not enable the soule to doe because of the weakenesse of the flesh that did God by sending his Sonne in the flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that is condemned our sinnes and satisfied his law and justice for them all in the death of Christ So that now the righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled by Christ for us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit The law was fulfilled and had its accomplishment in Christ that is the law in the letter and the soule now through union with Christ is taken up to live in the law of the spirit of life that is the spirit of God lives in the soule and is a law and a life to it not only teaching but leading the soule into all truth it is the law of the spirit and so the law of life it is the law of love and so the law of life Nay it is God himselfe displaying his love and reigning by his Spirit in the souls and consciences of his people and so it is the law of the spirit of life and all this to the soules of his people in Christ Jesus Gal. 5.18 But if yee be led by the Spirit yee are not under the law A soul which lives not and acts not upon Christ in the Spirit so farre as as he doth not he is under the law of sinne and death in all hee doth but it is a certaine deliverance from the law of the flesh in our conversations and the law of the letter in our consciences is to be ledde by the spirit of Christ and to walke in that spirit Ephes 5.8 9. For yee were sometimes darknesse Ephes 5.8 9. but now are yee light in the Lord walke as children of the light For the fruits of the Spirit is in all goodnesse c. They were never without the letter yet sometimes darke saith the Text but the light of the Lord in which the redeemed of Christ should walke
me and so hath taken all my sinnes and the punishment due to sinne from mee And as he was made sinne for me so am I made righteousnesse before God to all eternity in him hee is the full satisfier of divine justice for mee so that I am compleatly righteous in the righteousnesse of God in him thus doth the Spirit seale and roote and ground and establish a soule by faith in Christ And in this assurance it is that the Saints have accesse by one Spirit unto the Father Ephes 2.18 as in Ephes 2.18 In this assurance the soule runnes with holy boldnesse and throwes it selfe into the bosome of his Father In this spirituall light the soule sees that there is nothing but Christ betweene him and his Fathers bosome and this Christ to be him that hath taken all sinne punishment due to the sins of his people on himselfe so that there is not the least tittle of them to stand between God and the soule nothing but Christ betweene and this Christ stands only as the way to the Fathers bosome not to keepe out as the Angel with his sword at the entrance of the garden but to carry home and to present spotless to his Father so that God may truly say of us we have his righteousnesse in Christ Ephes 1.13 14. For further proofe looke into that Ephes 1.13 14. There the Apostle having spoken of the secrets of God his election and predestination according to his purpose in Christ in whom after yee believed yee were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which sayes he is the earnest of our inheritance plainly making the Spirit to be the seal and the earnest of a Saints inheritance It was from this seale that Job could say I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall behold him with these eyes And so the Apostle I know sayes he if this earthly tabernacle were dissolved I should have a building not made with hands eternall in the Heavens And thus the soule is carryed above all feares under the spirit of bondage by living upon God and Christ in the spirit of Adoption bearing witnesse to the soule that it is the childe of God and so filling the soule with God that it is quiet add established and lives boasting in God as the Apostle Paul in Rom. 8. the latter end Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect who shall condemne or separate from the love of God in Christ nothing not life nor death nor any thing shall be able to dee this How knew he this why he tels you in vers 16. The Spirit of God did bear witnesse of this to his spirit And thus the soul through the seale of the Spirit quitely waites for his period in a state of grace till he be swallowed up into the fulnesse of that glory which is by the same Spirit sealed up for it as in Gal. 5.5 We through the Spirit waite saith the Apostle yea and not only wait but waite satisfied under possession the soule is satisfied with a fulnesse of eternall life as in John 4.14 There is the Spirit powred forth into a satisfying of the soul that it thirsts no more after any thing but God and is satisfied with God for it is a well of water springing up to eternall life I shall satisfie my selfe with thus much in the proofe of the first head namely the sealing worke of the Spirit of God in a Saint or a Saint sealed up to the eternall love of God by his Spirit By this we should examine our assurance of Gods love Vse whence we fetch it whether from within or from without whether from externall duties and priviledges or from an internall seale we seee it is Gods end in giving his Spirit that by it Saints may be sealed up to the day of Redemption and that we may thereby know we are his children And this wee finde to be in the experience of the Apostle Paul and other Saints Now let us aske our soules doth our assurance rise from the witnesse of the Spirit of God to our spirit Truly we shall never be established in our spirite till we come to this pitch If we live only upon those graces that flowe from the Spirit it will be a very uncertaine life for our own hearts can best witnesse how many ebbings and flowings of the fruits of the Spirit is within us Now if Gods love ebbe and flow to us as our love doth to him how changeable shall wee make God to be and how unsetled must our spirits needes be sayes God my love is unchangeable and to assure you of it I give you my Spirit to beare witnesse with your spirit that yee are the children of my love God gives his Spirit that we may looke on himselfe which is unchangeable he loves because he will love and as we can give no reason of his love so God gives no period to his love And when once the soule of a Believer comes thus to live on God himself by his spirit then he is an established soul But I hasten to the second head namely a Saints walking and working in the Spirit or the Spirit ruling and reigning in a Saint and this I gather from the 14. and 15. verses of John 14.17 There is the spirit of Truth dwelling and being in a Saint John 14.17 and the Saint knowing of this possession Here is a being and abiding a possession that leads to a ruling and a reigning The Spirit in a Saint is Christ in a Saint now Christ is a Saints head to rule in him and reigne over him And in verse 26. the Spirit puts forth an act of its Soveraignty teaching all things a Saint acting knowingly acts from the Spirit that teaches And in John 16.13 14. There is a further discovery what the Spirit shall doe when it hath possessed a soule why it makes discoveries of Christ to the soule for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you and thereby you shall be guided into all truth And as a Saint is elected into God and Christ so the holy Spirit dwelling in him he lives in and to God and Christ possessing all fulnesse in God and Christ and making all his performances from God and Christ And thus he walkes and workes in the Spirit Rom. 8.1 2 3 4 5 6.9 10 11. and the Spirit rules and reignes in him This Rom. 8.1 2 3 4 5 6 9 10 11. speaks very exactly of a Saints walking in the Spirit and the Spirit reigning in a Saint They that are in Christ Jesus saith he walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And in verse 2. he tells us he acts only in Christ and lives by the law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus which hath freed him from the law of sinne and death As if hee should say all my duties and performances it is Christ living and acting by his Spirit in mee For saith he in the 3d verse
the bare law of Commandement could not raise mee up to holy walking For flesh which was my owne strength that was weake but God having made up that in his Son Now sayes hee the righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And shewes in the 5th verse what it is to walke after the flesh and what after the spirit and in the 6. verse tells us flesh and spirit is the way of life and death but in the 9th verse he shewes who are in the Spirit namely those in whom the spirit of God dwels And sayes plainly that those which have not the Spirit are none of Christs And in the two next verses shewes if Christ lives in a soule by his Spirit then the body of sinne dyes There is a reigning power indeed the whole body of sin killed by the Spirits dwelling and reigning in a Saint and now all the action and motion of such a soule is from God The soule now in all its wants can have accesse to God through Christ in the spirit as in Ephes 2.18 and in Ephes 3.16 17 18. Ephes 2.18 Ephes 3.16 17 18. John 17.38 39. By the spirit in the inward man the soule is an established soule and a knowing soule and so is enabled to act for God in the Spirit John 7.38 39. There is a promise to believing soules of being so filled with the Spirit that there shall be flowings forth Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water And this saith the 39th verse is spoken of the spirit which they that believe in him should receive Now what is the end of this fulnesse of the Spirit but that it should rule and reigne in a Saint and that a Saint should walke and act in it In Rom 6.14 There is a promise sin shall not have dominion over the Saints and the reason is given because saith he you are not under the law but under grace Christ is your sanctification and his spirit of grace shall deliver you from the dominion of sin In 1 Cor. 2.14 15. There a Saints knowledge is spiritual and so dstinguished from the world and this spirituall knowledg living in action in a Saint We shall finde in 1 Cor. 12.11 in the former part of the Chapter the Apostle speaks of spiritual gifts acting diversly in severall Saints but all these workings are from one and the same Spirit so as it is the Spirit that doth all in the Saints In 2 Cor. 3.16 17 18. There is a soule made light by having the vaile taken from its eyes and in that light beholding God saith the Text is changed into his Image Now marke it all this is by the spirits living in a soule A soule living upon God in the spirit hath the vaile taken away and lives in a glorious vision of God by which the soul is changed into the Image of God and this is by the Spirit of the Lord saith the end of the 18. Verse And so in 2 Cor. 5.14 15 16 17. There is a new creature made by the love of Christ which constrained the soul from the powerfull operation of the Spirit wherefore henceforth saith he wee know no man no not Christ himselfe after the flesh No How then Why in the spirit that spirit that sheddes the love of Christ in our hearts and thereby constâ—aines us to live in him that died for us and in whom wee are dead to the flesh but alive in the spirit And thus the Spirit acts the new creature So in Gal. 5.16 17 18 22 25. Verses There is an exhortation to walke in the spirit by which a saint is delivered from obedience to the lusts of the flesh though the flesh lusteth against the spirit yet saith the 18. Verse If yee be led by the spirit yee are not under the Law and in the 22. Verse shewes the fruits of the Spirit and concludes in the 25. Verse If you live in the spirit then walke in the spirit making all a Saints life and action to be in the spirit I will only touch one particular of the life of a Saint out of this generall namely his worship and shew you how all that is in the Spirit for a Saint worshiping God in the Spirit take first John 4.23 24. Which is our Saviours Answer to the woman of Samarias Question in the 20 Verse she as one without the Spirit questions about the places of worship going as far as an eye of nature could carry her to externalls but the Lord Christ in the 21 Verse tells her Woman the houre cometh when neither in this mountaine nor in Jerusalem shall yee worship the father your light is onely in externalls and you worship you know not what and then preaches himselfe to her Salvation is of the Jewes as if he had said God will have his people onely worship him and that in the Spirit for the time comes and now is when the true worshipers shall worship God in the spirit and gives the reason of it for saith he God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth This truth is very fully confirmed in Phil 3.3 false teachers in the foregoing Chapter would have brought the Saints under the law of works a gaine and the yoake of circumcision but the Apostle in this 3. Verse tell us those are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit As if the Apostle had said these false teachers endeavour to bring you under a formall worship and to make you debtors to the law of worâ—s againe But we are above it and we are to live in the Spirit and to worship in the Spirit in the 1 Pet. 2.5 There the Apostle tells you who they be that are sit for communion with God they be living stones alive in the Spirâ—t and acting in the Spirit to offer up spirituall sacrificâ— to God by Jesus Christ I but when is a man a living stone fit to offer up the sacrifice sâ—e that in 1 Joh. 2.27 But the anâ—inting whâ—ch yee have received of him abides in you and the same anointing teacheth you all thinâ—s and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you yee shall abide in him Then is a man a visible Saint a living stone fiâ— to worship God and to have communion with him when he hath received the Vnction of the Spirit by which he is taught of God to woâ—ship in the Spirit and in truth This truth is not taught of man but of God and therefore it abides in him thus you see he that worships God truly worships him in the Spirit What a Spirituall Saint is What a Saint is not First he is more than a Morall-man he that is lesse than a morall-man is a beast and he that is at the heigh of a morall-man is but meerly a man a fine civiliz'd peice of clay loving himselfe and therefore doth â—ot devoute another because
another man should not devoure him decked with his owne accomplishments and glorying in his owne Babel Sarely a spirituall Saint is more than this Yea Secondly he is more than a Form â—ll or Legall Profâ—ssâ—r What is a formall Proâ—essor He is one that lives by sâ—nsâ— and not by faith that is onâ—ly taught of man and not of God that hath all his light from without him from the practice of others and not from the precâ—pts or spirit of God within him One that can see and practise anything which may please all or the most of men he is alwayes learning and never learned because hee is alwayes studying man and never God hee is one which you shall ever finde in the croude where the most are there you shal be sure to finde him If you meet him and tell him of a Christ crucified I but saith he doth any of the Pharisees bâ—lieve in his name he is a man much in worship but the inscription is to the unknown God his eyes are in anothers head and therefore he is led by another to act as a blinde-man no forme comes amisse to him for he is nothing else but forme he is one so ignorant as that hee thinks it a crime for any man to see more than himselfe though he be blind and if the man that sees will not deny his light hee will doe the best he can to pluck out his eyes he is so proud of his chaines of darkenesse that none shall live where hee can rule that will not weare his setters this soule is mother and nurse both to that Brate of hell Persecution of the Saints this man of forme knows no heights bredths depths or lengths above himselfe and if he snatch a peice of the Word of God he only hath it in the letter and so never reaches God in it this is a formall Professor I but what is a legall Professor he is a man seemingly neerer Heaven but if he goe on farther no man farther from it he is a man full of the word in the letter but altogether emptie of it in the spirit he is a man exact in the language of Mount Sinai but cannot pronounce a plaine sillable of the language of Sion he can tell you that God is a just God and a severe Judge a revenger of himself upon sinners but is not able to pronounce God as a Father and a reconciled God in Christ hee is exact to tell you of present duty and transgression but is not able to unfold the mysterie of godlinesse Christ in the flesh if a word of Christ drop out of his mouth it is to tell you what quallifications must fit you for Christ as he thinkes when he hath found a leprous soule of sinne he cannot shew it Christ but sayes he goe wash in the teares of repentance and you shall bee cleane though he never shew him Christ which must wash his repentance if he findes a poore Saint under some affliction he cannot make up the wound by leading the soul to the love of God from whence that affliction came but saith he looke into your selfe inquire for that sin the punishment of which you now lie under God is a just God if you will sin you must beare the indignation of the Lord for it goe fall on your knees weep and fast and pray and vow make God some amends this is all the releife he can give and so he poures oyle into the flame of sorrows and vineger into the bleeding woundes of poore Saiuts This legall soule lives upon his duties and not upon the free grace of God and therefore he can give no other counsel than he hath experience he never tasted in the spirit how good God is and therefore can never speake good to his own soule or any other from God If he speak any good to a soule it is from duties doe and live the effect of all his language I only give this as a word of caution that we hearken not to the councels of such men least we become like those foolish Galatians which began in the Spirit but were like to end in the flesh Let this be enough in the negative what a spirituall Saint is not But then what is a spirituall Saint What a Saint is Why hee is one that lives by faith above sence one that is all in God and nothing in himselfe hee is taught of God to know him he is drawne by God to love him he is perswaded by God to trust in him he is silled with God and lives upon him heis satisefid with God and rejoyces in him he so lives in God that he makes his boast of him as the Apostle Rom. 8. the latter end Who shall condemne nay who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect He is one which in the Spirit is able to looke from eternity to eternity and therein behold that eternall love of God which gave out Christ to manifest his love to us in him and hath made him one with Christ in all his merits righteousnesse and benefits he is able to see into that love and eternall purpose of God that made Christ to be sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him He can see God his Father and in the spirit of Adoption call him Father Hee can read his salvation written in the Covenant of grace He can behold himselfe one in Christ as Christ is in God He assuredly knowes that Christ hath born his griefe and that God hath wounded Christ for his transgressions bruised him for his iniquities laid the chastisement of his peace on him and all this so fully and really as that by the stripes God laid on Christ his soule is healed that God hath made Christe soul an offering for the sinnes of his people and that hee hath beheld the travell of his soule and is well pleased so that now this spirituall man drawes up this conclusion What-ever of sinne and punishment was mine was taken from me and made Christs and he hath fully satisfied for the one born the other so that now from the justice of God I can conclude this that neither of them shall bee laid on mee againe Christs righteousnesse and his glory is so made mine that I stand spotlesse in the one and shall be perfect in the other to all eternity Thus is a spirituall soul-led up to God and made to know his great designe from eternity namely to make Christ his wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and that in all these hee stands perfect before God in the perfection of Christ This soule lives in the region of Gods love and in Christs righteousnesse and sees himself above all condemnation and yet the least transgression in him discovered to him by the love and Spirit of God melts the poore heart into nothing I see sayes he I am alive in Christ through the eternall love of God and that makes me thus judge that if
one dyed for all then were all dead I dyed to sinne in Christ and if now I live it should not be to my selfe but to Christ 2 Cor. 5.14 15. And to this the love of Christ constraines me For sayes he This I know who ever is in Christ is a new creature Olde things are passed away and behold all things are become new vers 17. And therefore saith he what ever is sinne is the old man and of this he cries out as the Apostle in Rom. 7. O wretched man that I am the law of my flesh rebels against the law of my minde Sin hath lesse entertainment no where then where the love of God by his Spirit dwels perfect love shuts out feare saith the Text and perfect love kils corruption Love to Christ kils and buries sin when legal fear only layes it in a swound it lives againe and possibly kils the legall soule at last but this spirituall man he keepes nothing to himselfe but carries all to God and Christ he lives only in God and Christ and when he finds corruption in himselfe he presently by the spirit layes it downe at the feete of Christ and tels him my glory saith he is to live in thee and what ever is thine and thy glory is to live in mee and in the death of my corruptions Oh then be zealous of thy glory thou hast taken the guilt and punishment of all my corruptions from me Is it not also for thy glory to take the reigne and the power of them from me too Yes saith Christ and I will make my promise good Sinne shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the law but under grace True Lord sayes the soule and I believe it that to live under grace is the only way to keepe sin under me Thus a spirituall soule having a sight of his sinnes of all men hath least feare in point of condemnation because this soule is filled with the perfect love of God which casts out feare but the in-being of this love of God in a soule makes as little love to all the profers of sin as it hath feare of the condemnation of it Sin in all its temptations hath the soonest denyall from such a soule of any for he answers sin thus Sin sayes he The love of Christ constrains me to hate thee This soule tels sin he will but lose his labour in tempting him for sayes he I am not at my owne disposing I have given my selfe up to Christ already and Christ hath taken possession of me and lives in me by his Spirit and for thy temptations I shall carry them to Christ and sure I am thou canst not live in his presence he hath overcome thee for me and he will destroy thee in me Thus the spirit changes a soule from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan unto God and is made to live in this light which is the light of Gods reconciled countenance in the face of Christ And in this vision of God and Christ the soule is changed into the image of Christ from glory to glory even as by the Spirit 2 Cor. 3d. last This spiritual man as he lives upon God in the spirit so he worships God in the Spirit he knowes neither the Mount nor Hierusalem as his place to worship in he only knows Christ as the proper medium to worship God in and he knowes not Christ after the flesh neither but after the spirit his feasting is with God and upon God he knowes no formes or figure nor externals to make him a rest of he can only rest in the bosome of God and Christ he knowes no fellowship but with the Father and the Son as hee enjoyes God and Christ in Saints so hee hath sweete fellowship with them God is both the light and the life of his worship he makes God his way and his end in his worship This is a Dove that can rest no where but in the Arke Church-fellowship to him without Christ is no more then a selected piece of the darke world the Ordinances if Christ be not in them is to him but as the grave When Christ was risen all his enquiries are where is he whom my soule loves Shew me Christ in a Saint Christ in a Church and Christ in an Ordinance and then you shew me my life and upon this ground I can live and dye with you saith hee This soule can measure all men and things by Christ but Christ by nothing but himselfe that Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in him and thus you have some weake discourses of a spirituall Saint This exhorts Saints to live in the spirit upon God and Christ and to act from the endowings of that spirit as the image of God and Christ It is very plaine it is the interest and priviledge of Gods children to live on himselfe in the Spirit and from that life spiritually to make all its motions Oh why will you live out of God! did you ever finde any beloved like this beloved Did you sinde any thing that is all but God Why God is willing you should live upon all his all and be filled with his fulnesse O come my beloved eate of my banquet of love Drinke O drinke abundantly and be satisfied saith Christ All our sadnesse and complainings arise from our living out of God be it what ever it can be that is the most like God yet if it be not naked and clearly God the soule will be complaining of wants 'T is not duties Church-fellowship Ordinances or any thing that we conceive or propose to our selves which can of themselves give the soule rest it is only a living in and upon God in the spirit Oh let us stand in that liberty with which Christ hath made us free we can stand in none but in Christ and that is the freenesse of grace that we should stand for ever spotlesse and blamelesse in the sight of God through him Again This should stirre up Saints to act in God we have no cause now to act doubtingly If Christ be our strength the Spirit will teach us to pray and to crye Abba-Father for hee is our Father Is corruption too strong for us it is not too strong for Christ we should lay it at his feete And now tell mee believing soule canst thou that livest in the love of Christ live in sin No sayes the soule sin is for the love of it slaine in me by what law even the law of love living by the Spirit in me It is impossible sayes such a soule that I that am dead to sinne should live unto it My life sayes he is hid with Christ in God And it is not I that live now but Christ he lives in me Christ lives and I dye sayes the soule I that is all I my righteousnesse as well as my unrighteousnesse If I mistake not this is the strongest argument against a Saints living in sin that can be why a Saint
not able to act the new creature without Christ no more is it able to conceale the new creature now Christ is borne in me I am now led by the Spirit and I walke in the Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit is love joy peace c. And such are they that are in Christ for they have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof That is Christ in them hath crucified the flesh and they are dead to it so that their life is in the spirit and they both live and walk in the spirit because Christ lives in them and they live and act meerly from Christ Saints in Christ are branches in the Vine And if Christ be the root then holinesse will be the fruit for no other fruit can grow from that roote The demonstration of this truth may be found in the particulars following the first demonstration is this That it is Gods designe from eternity that such as are united to Christ should be made new creatures in Christ that Christ should worke holinesse in Saints and that Saints should worke holily as created unto holinesse in Christ For proofe to this take that full place of Scripture in Ephe. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them In the foregoing verses he tells us that we are saved meerly of grace and though God makes faith the hand to lay hold upon this free-grace of his in Christ yet that faith is the free gift of God as well as Christ which faith layes hold on so wrappes up all salvation in free-grace and in verse 9. excludes workes wholely upon that account But now least the wicked naturall heart of man should conclude thus my salvation is onely upon free-grace good workes addes nothing to it therefore as my salvation is left to Christ so my conversation is left to my self If I beleeve in Christ for to be saved I may live as I list I say to answer this in full arguing of our naturall hearts the Holy Ghost tells us that though holinesse and good workes are not under the account of jstuification yet that the conversation of Saints in truth is as purely out of their owne hands as their just fication is for saith the Text Wee are his workmanship that is Gods created in Christ Jesus unto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them The holy Ghost speakes methinkes very fully to this truth in this place that it is ordained and decreed by God from all eternity that such as are saved by Christ should be sanctified in Christ as it was the designe of God from all eternity to save soules meerly of his grace through Christ so is it the same designe of God to sanctifie every soul whom he saves through Christ now this is the decree of God that if any man be in Christ and Christ be his justification that Christ shall be in him and his sanctification so that if any man be in Christ he is a new creature for the one is as fully the design desire of the free grace of God as the other holiness it is the worke of God committed as I may say to the hands of Christ The same Apostle tels us That Christ is made to us of God wisdome righteousnesse sanctification redemption And God carries on this decree of his when he calls a soule to lye in his bosome and to have communion with himselfe through the Lord Christ The Apostle makes it an argument in 1 Thes 4.7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanenesse but unto holinesse His businesse in the fore-going verses is to exhort them to holinesse and to avoid the lusts and concupiscence of the Gentiles which saith he knew not God and makes this the argument to his exhortation for God hath called us to holinesse God hath united us to Christ and in that union he hath decreed that we shall be sanctified as well as saved so that to me this is a full demonstration that if any man be truly in Christ he is a new creature for this is the decree of God from all eternity and shall abide to all eternity A second demonstration of this truth may be this That the teachings of Christ in those that are truly taught by him is to put off the olde man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts of the flesh and to put on the new man which is to be renewed in the spirit of their minds after the image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse The proofe of this doth appeare in Ephes 4.20 21 22 23 24. But you have not so learned Christ If so be that you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus That yee put off concerning the former conversation the olde man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts of the flesh and be renewed in the spirit of your minds and that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse By this Scripture it appeares that such soules as have learned Christ and truths as they are in Jesus they are thereby renewed in the spirit of their mindes so as that the olde man which is after the flesh is put off and the new man put on which is after God created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Christ teacheth with power and his teachings make a change from flesh to spirit and from the carnall conversation of the old man to the image of God in the Spirit according to righteousnesse and holinesse Christ he renewes the mind and the conversation when hee teacheth his teachings reacheth the internals the roote receives life from him so that the fruit is the image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse not a bare form all professed holinesse but a true holinesse that is holinesse in truth which is in Christ the truth it selfe so that the demonstration is full Christ and the new creature alwayes goe together but as if the Apostle had said there may be many formall carnall wretches that may professe Christ and lay claime to him but this is a standing truth they have not been taught truths as they are in Jesus and for their formality and carnality they have that from the old man what ever they professe of Christ for sure I am they have not so learned Christ his teachings are spirituall and his renewings are in the minde which makes the image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse in the conversation not only a naked professed holinesse for if Christ then the new creature A third Demonstration may be this That God is light and in him is no darkenesse so that whoever hath fellowship with God and Christ walketh in the light as God is light for proof of this take a Scripture or two 1 John 1.5 6. This is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you
of our paines to consider the benefits that doe accrue to the soules of Gods people in having their wils involved into the will of the holy God First This giving up our wils to the will of God it lifts up and magnifies the glory of God in his love power and wisdome upon our own soules and in the World By this Saints declare to all the World that they have found more sweetness in Gods love then in theirs because they have given themselves from the world to be ruled by and satisfied with his love Abraham did this in an eminent manner when he left his Fathers house to follow the will and command of God It speakes plainly this there is most love in God therefore the soule loves alwayes to be with God and to that end hath given it self wholy up to God and that it resteth upon the power of God to defend it and therefore gives up himselfe and his will to Gods worke and leaves his protection in all his worke to Gods power Sure Abraham did so for the Text tels us bee knew not the place to which be went then hee could not know the dangers hee should meete withall but he knew whom he had trusted and under what protection hee was namely the power of the Almighty God to whom hee had committed his owne will and way this also doth much manifest the glory and wisdome of God when his people give up their wils to his what is it but adeclaring Lord wee are folly but thou art wisdome swallow us up into thy selfe that wee may be wise in thy wisdome let our foolish wils appeare no more but thy will and thy wisdome Let Christ be our wisdome lift up thy selfe in us the soule gives up it selfe to God because it would appeare no more in it selfe but in God as Paul not in his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but in Christ the righteousnesse of God Now doth not this plainly appeare that the soule judgeth Gods love better then all other love His power above all other power and Gods wisdome to exceede all his owne and the wisedome of the World else why doth the soule in its will give up it selfe to the will of God So the Apostle Paul I through Christ can doe all things He would not so much as mention himselfe I have given my selfe up to Christ sayes hee and what is done Christ doth it in me I have found his love his power and his wisdome better then my owne or any besides therefore I have given my selfe up to him and I act in him How exceedingly doth this frame of Spirit declare the glory of God this frame of will to Gods will was in the Disciples Luke 5.5 When Christ bid them cast their nett into the Sea againe they told him They had toyled all night and caught nothing yet neverthelesse at thy word wee will let downe the nett How doth this manifest their love to Christ in obeying him contrary to all their reason and experience of that nights labour also it magnifies the power of Christ As if they had said wee will cast in at thy command for thou hast power to make our labour successefull so it doth the wisdome of Christ thou art wiser then all wee therefore wee will obey not dispute thy commands marke that clause yet neverthelesse at thy word wee will let downe the net As if they had said should wee owne our wills to be our owne we should finde arguments enough in our flesh to dispute thy commands Yet neverthelesse that there be so many fleshly arguments against thy command yet our wils being thine we readily obey this neverthelesse gives the more glory to the love power and wisdome of God A second Benefit of the will of man given up to the will of God is this That it takes the soule off from vain and needlesse pursuits and enquiries and wholly puts it upon seeking after the will of God when the soule is brought to this to seek and have all its light life and strength from God it then seekes no where else so when it hath given it selfe up wholly to be acted and disposed of by God then it lookes for nothing but God to manifest his will in what the soule or body should doe or suffer This single object is a mighty advantage to a beleeving soule how miserably are such poore hearts puzled which have more then this single object to look to for rules to act by such as when God by his providence brings them to a triall that they must act or declare for or against him own him or deny him before men then they have struglings within themselves First to know after the menner of men which is the strongest side and if they find that yet they feare lest it should not continue so they would seemingly own God but yet dare not let goe the arm of flesh they know not how to trust Gods power and wisdome above the power and wisdome of the world and this makes them say one thing one day and another the next this uncertainty and perplexity in mens spirits ariseth from hence that God is not their single object they would doe that which cannot be serve God and Mammon too they are ambidous and would be alwayes uppermost therefore they keep their wils in their own hands that they may as they think be able alwayes to gratifie the strongest party But this makes miserable worke in the soule and altogether unfixes the motions You shall never tell where to have that man that cannot tell where to be himselfe He must turn with the wind and unlesse you can tell where and when the wind will change you shall never know how to find him This is misery enough for any man and it is great pitie that any such man or men should have power to make more miserable then themselves But the misery of this man sets forth the beauty and the benefit of that wil which is wholly given up to God and to whom God is the single object it looks after When God brings forth the soule to discover it selfe to the world it goes to God and begges of him to discover and manifest his will concerning its motion For sayes he Lord thou knowest I have no will of my own my will is in thee thou must discover thy will before I can know or doe my duty Now when the soule is fixed upon this single object it is free from all those poore and low distracting considerations and though he be made to wait a while to know Gods way yet hee waits patiently because he knows he hath pitched upon an object that cannot deceive him and upon a faithfull God that will make known himselfe to him so that both waiting and working hath a setlednesse in it where God is the single object of any soul and God is so when the will of man is brought over to his will it hath then nothing to enquire after but the
will of God and what ever soule hath that singly in his eye shall never want a cleare object for God will never hide himselfe from that heart which he inclines to enquire after him much lesse to such a soule as hath resigned it selfe wholly up to God to see with his eyes to hear with his eares and to work with his hands to know nor doe nothing but Gods will in his Spirit God can never leave that soule to it selfe which hath given it selfe up to God And this is the language of such a soule when as duty worship and service is required of it Shew me the will and command of my God in what you require and I shall soon obey otherwise I must deny what you require untill I see it be the will of my God for there is my will bound up and truly where God appeares not I must deny my selfe to you and all flesh For I am not my own but Gods and cannot act but by the command and in the strength of my God it is not my will nor your will but Gods will that my spirit can yeeld obedience to for God is my single object upon whom I look and from whom onely I can receive light in what I should doe and strength to act according to that light This is a great and glorious benefit which comes into that soule whose will is given up to the will of God it enquires for God and pursues after the knowledge of his will in all things for this is the breathing of his spirit to God Not my will but thy will bee done A third Benefit of our wils given up to Gods will is this It carries the soule resolvedly and stedily to its duty and leaveth the issue and successe to God If God make knowne his will to this soule it doth not protract its obedience till God hath made known unto him in particular what shall bee the issue of that hee requires but makes this conclusion The duty is mine now God hath declared himselfe in it and the successe is Gods it is in a safe hand and I know in the general it shal be good because it is in God and comes from God but let God take his owne time to declare that he hath at present made known his wil concerning my work my enquiry is now at an end and I will obey Queene Hester is an eminent example in this when as God by Mordecai had shewed his wil and her duty in that great and weighty businesse of her interceding with King Ahasuerus for altering of his decree that was to take away the life of Mordecai and all the Jewish Nation though in the performance of this work she must go in to the King without his sending for her which was not according to the law and in which shee hazarded the losse of her life as well as her petition yet duty being made known she resolves to obey though ignorant of the successe shee takes up the duty with these words in her mouth If I perish I perish This is a resolved duty that comes from a stedy soule which hath given it selfe up to God as if she had said If the issue bee to perish I shal willingly take up that when God declares himselfe in it but at the present God hath declared his will that I should goe and that will of God I shall obey though I perish she doth not stay to know the issue before she goes whether perish or not perish but she obeyes the command leaveth it to God in his own time to make known his will in the successe as well as the work whether it it be perishing or not It was a pretious spirit yea it was the spirit of God in her and it is the same spirit that brings over the wil of Saints to the will of God and makes them to be stedy and resolved in their duty It was thus with Paul he could not forbear his going to Jerusalem though his friends begged him with tears and he knew bonds should take hold on him there yet neverthelesse God had declared his will for him to goe and goe he must his will was as Gods will and that manifested his obedience is stedy and resolved So it is reported of Luther that he should say he would goe and preach the Gospel though he met with as many Devils as tiles on the house Difficulties cannot hinder duties in such a soule as hath given it selfe and its will up to God when God doth but declare his will for that is all which such soules look after and when God hath declared that the soule takes it up resolvedly to obey it and casts it selfe and whole worke and wayes upon God that he would own him and his work so as to carry the soule through it according to the glory of his mighty power whereby hee is able to work all things to himselfe and leaves the issue in Gods hand to the same end the glory of his Name saying to God Not my will but thy will be done A fourth Benefit of our wils being surrendred up to the will of God is this It sanctifies and beautifies the life and conversation of Saints with the image and presence of God If the wil of God bee that fountaine which giveth life to all our motion then surely that motion will be the life of God that soul which will take up no practice upon trust but doth try all and make Gods will the touch-stone to try them shall be sure never to be deceived with copper in stead of gold that soule which wil embrace nothing but what God shal first approve of is in a sure way of keeping it selfe pure and undefiled Now this is the frame of Spirit which is in such soules as have given up their wils to Gods wil for their wils being in God they wil be sure to see his will in all they doe they can take up no practice but what they have his precept for and they will give you this for an unanswerable reason They have no wil but what is in God therefore can take up nor obey no worke nor wil but what is the worke and wil of God And such as walk by this Rule sayes the Apostle Peace be to them and to the Israel of God God is such a Rule as can produce no other end and what ever soule takes it work onely from Gods wil must needs be doing the will of God which is in a few words to be holy as God is holy to bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse because what that soule receives is from a righteous God that soule which hath all from God is alwayes with God and the presence of God changes soules into his own image and that soule which hath its wil in God must needs have God in his wil and work which wil certainly make a holy wil and a holy work because both are made by a holy God The new Creature is the most glorious
this was not Gods wil Haman hee designes according to his will but it being without God observe the fulnesse of his disappointment and the Justice of God returned into his own bosome In Esther 6. Esther 7. and vers 10. of Chap. 6. The King asketh Haman what should be done to the man the King would honour Doubtlesse Haman thought the King meant himselfe and therefore makes him this answer in verse 8. Let the royall apparrel be brought which the King useth to weare and the horse that the King rideth upon and the Crowne royall which is set upon his head and let his apparell horse be delivered to the hands of one of the Kings most noble Princes that they may array the man withall whom the King delights to honour and bring him on horse-backe through the streets of the City and proclaim before him thus shall be done to the man whom the King will honour It appeares cleare by this counsell that selfe was in his heart but observe in vers 10. the miserable disappointment of this proud selfish man Then the King said unto Haman make hast take the Apparell and the Horse as thou hast said and doe even so to Mordecai the Jew that sitteth at the Kings gate let nothing faile of all that thou hast spoken First Haman is disappointed in that he is not the man Secondly To aggravate his misery Mordecai whom he hated he is the man for whom hee had beene inventing death and dishonour God makes him the instrument to invent honours and to compleat this miserable disappointment Haman himselfe must be the Kings servant to honour Mordecai whom hee hated we see by Hamans answers to the King what proud and selfish men seeke after but their wils being out of God the higher they clime the lower they fall and the greater their expectations be the fuller of misery is their disappointment Yet the justice of God left not this proud cruel man but brought him to be hanged upon the Gallowes of fifty cubits high which he had in his wil appointed for Mordecay This is the fruit of having our wils out of Gods wil So Jonah his wil was the gourd should continue but that was not Gods wil therefore dye it must now how doth this disquiet the man even so much that he seemes to justifie his anger there was no cause of his discontent but that his wil was not in Gods wil. Secondly This doth informe us whence this rest and quiet that is in the bosomes of Gods people doth arise namely in this that their wils are in Gods wil therefore when God declares his wil under any dispensation in the World they are at rest for the appearance of his wil makes their rest all things besides this brings disquietments upon the spirit but when the wil of God appeares it silences all disputes and quiets all thoughts in the heart of him that hath given up his wil to Gods wil this soule doth not quarrel with but kisseth the feete of God when the wil of God lays it there it is in spirit at rest upon a sicke bed because of the wil of God there Disappointments in the outward man do not cease upon this man to disturbance because the wil of God is in them and that is his rest he is best at rest in that wherein he seeth most of Gods wil discovered to him what ever it be in its owne nature this soule can say with David when Gods wil appeares in it It is good for me I have beene afflicted and makes this the discovery of the good and evil of all he meddles with namely the wil of God If Gods wil appeare in it he acknowledgeth it to be good but if he see not that he cannot own it as his good or any thing for him to rest in for he rests only in God and it is nothing but the appearance of Gods wil that makes his Spirit at rest under every dispensation of God and from thence this soule hath a quiet being But againe This truth doth informe us as Saints of our duty to enquire after Gods will in all we doe or require others to doe The will of Christ was that the will of God should be done so is the wil of Saints in conformity to the wil of Christ their head and if to be done then surely to be known Nay Saints ought to doe nothing before they know the wil of God in it If this rule were observed there would not be so much doing and undoing as this uncertaine age affords If God led men into what they doe hee would so owne them that they should not be ashamed of it this is the true reason why men doe and ondoe because in what they doe they seeke their owne wils not Gods wil but hee that hath given up his wil to Gods wil before hee works he will see Gods wil this is the true reason why the men of this World with all their power and policy cannot make Saints worship as they doe the unknowne God or at least wise in such a manner as they know not whether it be the wil of God or no. I say this is the reason because they are bound up in the wil of God so that they cannot worship any unknowne God nor the God they know in any manner but what he makes known to them to be his wil that they should worship him in If men be truly zealous for the worship of God it can goe no farther then this That such as know him and his wil should worship him according to his wil made knowne to them for any thing else cannot be the true worship of the true God Now such as know God and his wil in truth the spirit of truth they are a willing people to worship God according to his wil made known to them by his Spirit in which they worship him If this were seriously considered in the Spirit of God it would appear to be the beauty of Saints not to act before light to know Gods wil and so to doe it therefore Saints should be teaching one another in the Spirit but not to force any where the Spirit hath not taught then there is no neede of forcing for the Spirit of God that teacheth doth also leade his people into obeying of his truths and wil. The Saints in truth speak thus in the spirit of truth to God Not my will nor the will of any man or men but thy will be done Therefore Lord shew me thy wil and it sufficeth he that rules should enquire after the will of God to rule by and he that is ruled for the will of God to be the rule of his obedience Oh that our Rulers did enquire after and finde out this rule to rule by Then would righteousnesse flourish in the Land as a greene Bay-tree and the branches of it would cover the Land with that much desired peace It is the want of this which makes the want of peace did