I shall open to you which is Vse 2. Tryall if we have seen God aâ—ight the maine shall be to shew you a way how you may know whether ever you have thus seene God it is an ordinary phrase in John his Epistles such a man hath not seene God He that hates his Brother hath not seene God And the seeing of God even in this world is the glorious priviledge that the Saints have Men usually say that the Saints have every thing here that they shall have in Heaven but only the beatificall vision but truly they have here the beatificall vision they doe see God as truly though not so fully as they shall in Heaven Therefore you may know whether you be of those that have this great priviledge that you have seen God if you have you are truly humbled that will follow for the right sight of God makes a man By our humiliation cry out VVoe is me for I am undone Now the question will be whether this grace be wrought in our hearts in yours and mine whether we be rightly humbled And that you may know by two ways in generall The one by your carriage towards God True humiliation may be knowne The other by your carriage to your Brethren You may know it by your carriage to God in these five things First in respect of Gods justifying grace Secondly in respect of his truths that are made By our carriage to God knowne to you Thirdly in respect of his commandements that are laid upon you Fourthly in respect of his corrections Fifthly In respect of his mercies Now to open these to you I say that every Saint that is truly humbled By humiliation I told you I meane not a preparatorie humiliation as some In our Justification of our Divines say or an after humiliation but the grace of humiliation that is alway in every Saint and that grows more and more as other graces as meeknesse and joy and love and goodnesse and the like now to know whether you be thus humbled The first question will be whether ever God hath brought thee to submit to the righteousnesse of 1. By submitting to the righteousnes of Christ Christ for justification That is the first and the chiefest thing as it is in Rom. 10. 3. They being ignorant of Gods righteousnes and going about to establish their own righteousnes they have not submitted to the righteousnesse of God Now whether hath the Lord ever brought thee to a full despaire of ever being justified in the sight of God or of getting any favor from him or of salvation by any good that is in thee or hath been done by thee or any hope that thou shalt have any good or doe any good I say that if thou be truly humbled thou art brought to that And I say this is the first and chiefest thing Because that a man is more prone to his own righteousnesse such as it is then to his sin a man sticks closer to his owne righteousnes then to his sin for it is an easier thing to bring twenty men from their sins then one man from his righteousnesse Why man is naturally prone to cleave to his owne righteousnesse Simile The ground is this because it is that liquor that was first put into us the liquor that is put into a vessell first that sticks longer and hath a deeper impression and keeps the tast longer if it be Vinegar or VVine or any thing that is put in a new barrell Now God made us first righteous afterwards we sought out many inventions after we fell therefore it is more naturall to us to be righteous in some fashion with some fashioned righteousnesse such as it is then to be sinfull And a man sticks closer to his righteousnesse and is more troubled with it and more endangered by it a thousand fold then by his sinns For truly sinne is nothing but a feaverish distemper in a man he is many times Sin what drawn to drunkennesse and to whoredome but take a carnall man when he is best his owne man he approoves righteousnesse better then sinne so that we may see it is righteousnesse he aimes at and he will commend a Preacher that would have him leave sinne rather then one that will help him on in it so that its a principle more rooted in mans heart to be righteous then to be sinfull but it is not the righteousnesse of Christ remember that it is but that a man would get up he would repaire that shattered and torne righteousnesse that once was in him by Adam that a man is more prone to though by sinne by a feaverish distemper he is oft carried from that but none are so farre carried but he followes it in some measure and in a great measure Now the question is whether the Lord hath wholly brought thee from that righteousnesse to submit To be content with the righteousnes of another wholly to the righteousnesse of another That is the first expression whereby I shall demonstrate it Whether a man be brought wholly from his owne righteousnesse to submit wholly to the righteousnesse of another that is to the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ now in Heaven If thou art come to this then thou art an humbled man For it is a great point of humilitie for at man to stoop to another ro be beholding to another for a thing when he thinks that he hath one that is good of his owne Now for me to leave my owne righteousnesse and to goe and seeke a righteousnesse only in Jesus Christ and to walke in that all the dayes of my life and to live upon that righteousnesse this shews that a man hath a humble heart let the world say what it will here is the maine point of humiliation in this world It is not whining and crying and howling wicked men and proud men may doe this and be roaring and damning themselves and the like the Devill may doe so that hath no true humiliation But here is true humiliation for a man to deny his owne righteousnesse and to embrace humbly the righteousnesse that is in Jesus Christ I say to be content wholly and fully with it That as one godlie man saith God at the first put a great stock of righteousnesse in Adams hand to Simile trade with he made him a righteous man and when Adam fell God tooke away his stock and God said he should never trade and set up shop more God had a way indeed to doe him good but he should never set up shop againe We would set up shop and trade as Adam did there is no man in the world though his righteousnesse be never so little but he would rather goe with that portion of a righteousnesse of his owne then submit to the glorious righteousnesse of the Lord Jesus Therefore I say this is it whether the Lord hath brought thy Spirit to be humble that thou art content to be a foole
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
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
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
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
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
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
read one single Scripture it may be I have a book that will point out halfe a dozen Scriptures to open one Scripture by And it may be I have some books that take 3. To presse Scriptures on the soule some Scripture and presse it upon my soule as Doctor Prestons and other godly books But to take books and say Jerome thinks this and Austin that and fill our heads with notions they blind us that we cannot see the will of God Therefore in reading of Scriptures there should Difference in the learning of Christians and others be this difference from our reading of other Books I meane in respect of age When we are Children and young we use not Spectacles it may be at twenty or thirty or fourty yeares old we can read without Spectacles but when we come to fifty or sixty then we can see nothing but through Spectacles It should be just contrary with us when we are Christians When we are young we usually never read the Word of God but through the Spectacles of mens glosses but when we are older Christians and stronger Saints we should learne to read better without Spectacles wee should daily make lesse use of Mens Books and more of Gods Book That whereas before a man turned over twenty Authors upon a point Now he can goe humbly to God with his Bible and without Spectacles he can see what the will of God is Therefore lay aside Spectacles sometimes and onely take the spirit of God and compare Scipture with Scripture that you may come to know the mind of Christ Shall I name one thing more If you would 5. To be borne againe come to be spirituall Gospel-Saints you must be borne againe you must be borne from above A Gospell-profession is Jerusalem from above and there are none that can come into Jerusalem that is from above but those that are borne from above Therefore marke our Saviours reasoning John 3. Nicodemus asks Christ which was the way to Heaven And he tells him Verily thou must be borne againe or thou must be borne from above or else thou canst not see it Nichodemus wonders why hee must be borne from above saith he Shall I goe into my Mothers belly c. Saith Christ marvell not wonder not why should he not wonder at such a strange speech Here is the reason That which is borne of flesh is flesh therefore think it not strange that I say thou must be borne againe So I say whatsoever you do by the power of nature by your owne wisedome by your owne righteousnesse or your owne strength all comes but to this but to flesh and whatsoever comes of flesh is flesh Flesh cannot bring out the spirit no more then a thorne can bring out Grapes as Christ speak Therefore wonder not that thou must be borne from above that is thou must have the Lord from above to beget thee againe You have every one been borne once you must be borne once more you must have a new creation in you the Lord must create new strange properties and dispositions that no flesh and blood is able to comprehend Lastly take the councell of the Holy Ghost 6. To pray for the spirit of wisedome and revelation and that is in Ephes 1. 16 As Paul prayed for them so doe thou pray for thy selfe and there is all the reason in the World that thou shouldest I cease not sayth he to give thanks for you making mention of you in my Prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory would give to you the spirit of wisedome and revelation in the knowledge of him Pray for the spirit of wisedome and revelation in the knowledge of Christ Sleight not these words because some wicked men abuse them and others reproach them but because Paul saith so pray that the Lord would give thee the spirit of wisedome and revelation So much concerning the directions I had to give you There is one word of Information and with Vse 6. The true ground of persecutions and divisions that I will conclude From what I have said before concerning the flesh and the spirit learne this instruction more hence to see what is the true ground of all persecution nay even of all the divisions that are among us Men may pretend what they will and deceive themselves but all the strife and persecution in the World is meerly between the flesh and the spirit between the old and the new Adam There are two Princes in this World and these are contrary the one to the other The flesh lusteth against the spirit Old Adam seeks to get up and the new Adam will have him downe Therefore you shall have these two in every Towne in one Church in one Family in one soule and wheresoever they are the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these two are contrary Are contrary what is that That is there is no true contrariety between any things in the World but between the old Adam and the new between the flesh and the spirit Now by Flesh I meane not onely corruption but whole flesh fleshly wisedome The wisedome of old Adam is enmity against the wisedome of the new the righteousnesse of old Adam is quite contrary to the righteousnesse of the new this is the cause of persecution Let people pretend what they will you shall see godly men persecuted you may see Christ in their soules as clearly as the Sun and people keep a coile about Independency and Presbytery but the truth is it is old Adam in those that persecute and the new Adam in the other a man with one eye may see it There are many pretences but all the strife is between the old Adam and the new For to give a little illustration take Gospell godly Saints that have the spirit of God in them they agree well enough they will not strive sometimes they may differ a little but for the generality they live well enough together nay take some Gospell Saints that are filled with the spirit of God and the knowledge of Jesus Christ in these times and in this City which is the center of all division and they cannot attest divisions they cannot make a partie and give rayling for rayling and strife for strife they cannot but love their enemies and bless them that blaspheme them As James sayth Whence come all wars You think they come from your zeale for your way and yours for your way but it is from your lusts The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh It is from old Adam And I was going to say but I will but name it Cause of Saints weakness This is the cause also of the weaknesse generally that is among you It is not wickednesse that troubles a Saint but weaknesse it is not positive ills but weaknesse And whence is this weaknesse Because he walks after the flesh The spirit is powerfull but the
men are so flesh and fleshly in their principles and actions that there is nothing of the spirit of God in them So it is principally to be taken here Though for the former two I may say this that as farr as a Saint either in the measure of his graces or in his actions is Fleshly he minds Fleshly things but a man that is wholly fleshly wholly minds Fleshly things And so much concerning the first Question The second thing is what is meant here by the Quest 2. VVhat meant by the things of the flesh and of the spirit things of the Flesh and by the things of the spirit If you remember what I have told you of Flesh before you will understand much what is meant by the things of the Flesh I told you Flesh was old Adam both in his good and in his evill pure Adam and corrupt Adam and every thing that came from him or every thing that leads to him that was Flesh So the things of the flesh are these things and all opportunities belonging to them in generall But that you may understand it a little better I will shew you what the holy Ghost calls these things of the Flesh and the things of the spirit that so by the Scriptures you may understand Scriptures We will put them both together the one will open the other to you In 1 Cor. 2. 11. There you shall see the things of the flesh are called the things of a man For what man knoweth the 1. The things of the flesh are the things of a man things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him The things of a man The things of the Flesh are the things of a man that is proper to a man as man Therefore Mark 8. 32. They are called The things that be of men The things of the Flesh are called the things that men deal about the things that men as men naturally deale about and look after the things of men But the things of the spirit of God in that 1 Cor. 2. You have diverse expressions The things of the spirit of them Vers 9. They are the things that Eye hath not seen nor Eare heard nor hath entred The things that eye hath not seen c. into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him What are these things These glorious things that no carnall man hath ever seene or heard or understood any thing of them that God hath prepared for them that love him They are as we see there afterwards clearly the things of the spirit of God They are called the deep things of God Vers 10. They are deepe because no carnall man can reach them and in Vers 11. They are called the things of God And in Vers 12. The things that are freely given to us of The deep things of God God And in Vers 14. They are called the things of the spirit of God The things of the spirit of God are foolishnesse to him In 2 Cor. 4. ult There you shall have both these things described for in that we shall have a little light from that description of it the things of the flesh are called there Things of the flesh are seen the things that are seene and the things of the spirit are called the things that are not seene the one are said to be temporall and the other eternall The things of the Flesh are temporall things that may be seene that is not so much seene with the eyes of the body but he meanes that a man every carnall man may perceive and understand them All the things of old Adam a meere narurall man is able to comprehend them but the other things are things that are not seene that is that eye hath not seene nor eare beard nor hath entred into the heart of man Therefore Christ in Mat. 11. 25. saith I thank thee O heavenly Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to Babes What were these things the things of the spirit of God they are the things that are hid from the wise and prudent of the World they are not possible to be seene of them but God reveales them to the least Babe of his owne Kingdome In Collos 3. 1. 2. You have another description for you may put these together and so the better understand They are things on Earth Things of the spirit above them In Vers 2. The things of the flesh are called things on Earth and the things of the spirit are called the things that are above The things of the flesh are the things that are beneath as it were things on the Earth That is though in old Adam there be many excellent things you must not conceive earth here in a gross sence there is fine refined wisdome and understanding and prudence which the spirit of God usually slights and despiseth Where is the wise and the disputer c. Notwithstanding all old Adam is but Earthly all the spirituality as it were of old Adam are but things on the Earth It is no wonder they are called things of the Earth when the Doctrine and Preaching of John Baptist he himselfe calls it Earthly I am from the Earth I speake earthly he is from above he speaks Heavenly and spiritually It was Earthly in comparison of Christ though there was some Gospell in it Much more earthly is all the devotion and Religion and what is best in Fleshly man that hath nothing in him but old Adam In Philip. 3. 7. there is another large description Gaine and losse of these things The things of the flesh there they are those things that Paul once accounted gaine to him and those things that Paul now accounted losse to him see there what those things are those excellent fine things the things of the flesh a man while he is in the flesh accounts them gaine a great gaine to him he lives by his wit and his wisedome and it is a mighty gaine to him to increase and build up old Adam in him But when a man comes to spirituall things he accounts all these things losse I account them losse saith Paul Now the things of the Spirit were those things that Paul desired to win and to gaine in the Things behind and before verses following That I may gaine Christ and his righteousnesse And a little further you shall see Paul calls the things of flesh the things behind and the things of the spirit the things before And in verse 19. the things of the flesh he calls them earthly things They mind earthly things and so by contraries the other things are heavenly I can not open every perticular expression only I would point out the descriptions to you as the holy-Ghost layes them downe In 2. Cor. 5. there the things of the flesh are called old things and the things of the Spirit are called new things for saith
Old and new the Apostle We know no man after the flesh yea though we have knowne Christ after the flesh yet know we him so no more therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away All the things of the Flesh are old things the things of the Spirit of God are new things Therfore in the Acts the Athenians desired to know that new strange doctrine that Paul brought What was this new doctrine Only the things concerning the Spirit of God the other things are old things Gal. 2. 18. there the things of the flesh are described to be the things That Paul destroyed and built up that Paul destroyed and the things of the Spirit the things that Paul sought to build up 1 Cor. 7. 32 33. The things of the flesh are called the things of the world but the things of the Spirit are called there the things of the Lord The married The things of the world and of the Lord. cares for the things of the world but the unmarried for the things of the Lord. Philip. 2. 20. The things of the flesh are called our owne things and the things of the Spirit are called the things of Jesus Christ Saith the Apostle I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state Mark that expression it is well worth observing in these self-seeking times We may well say so now if Paul said so then I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your estate A man can hardly find a Professor in a multitude that will naturally and freely care for the state of others of the Saints The things that are a mans owne and that are Jesus Christs For saith he All seeke their owne and not the things that are Jesus Christs all seeke their owne things the things that make for old Adam that make for the Flesh and for mans selfe Joh 6. 27. the things of the Flesh are called meat that perisheth and the things of the Spirit meat endureth to everlasting life Luk. 10. 41. they are called many things perishing and induring meat and the things of the spirit are called one thing Martha Martha thou art cumbred about many Many and one thing things for indeed there are many distracting businesses in the things of the world therefore in Mat. 13. when the seed was sowen among thornes it is said the deceitfulnesse of riches and pleasures and the lusts of other things who knowes how many it may be a thousand two thousand other things the things of the flesh are endlesse but the things of the Spirit are called one thing the ruinous building of old Adam is going into a thousand pieces but there is but one Jesus Christ and in Trouble and peace the things of Jesus Christ there is a greater union then in the things of the Flesh and old Adam In Luke 19. they are called the things of trouble and the things of the Spirit the things that belong to our peace O that thou hadst known in this Vaine and excellent thy day the things that belong to thy peace In Jerem. 2. 8. they are called things that doe not profit vaine things and the things of the spirit in Phil. 1. 10. they are called excellent things that ye may be able to know the things that are excellent that is the things of the Spirit of God and to conclude this Philip. 4. 8. speaking of the things of the Spirit saith he whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things of good report these things do These are the things of the Spirit of God Then impure things dishonest things dishonourable things unjust things unlovely things these are the things of the flesh Thus much in generall according to the description The things of the flesh in perticular of the things of the flesh in Scripture But now in perticular I will summe up the things of the Flesh or of old Adam one or other of which Fleshly men doe wholly mind to these three heads The first is to establish their owne righteousnesse 1. To establish mans owne righteousnesse by the law to procure to themselves justification by their works This is the master-peice of old Adam for I told you that man is more prone to this then to sinne though he be prone to that also and old Adam works stronger towards his righteousnesse such as it is in a forbidden way then to sinne Therefore it is said Rom. 10. 3. They being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse went about to establish their owne righteousnesse went about to establish their owne righteousnesse He speaks there of the Jewes The word in the originall is they went to make it stand just as a tottered house that every blast is ready to throw downe and it must be underpropped on this side on that side to keepe it up So every fleshly man in the world this is halfe his worke to make the Babel of his owne righteousnesse to stand he is alway peicing and patching and doing some good worke he is wishing and woulding or in one fashion or other to make up a good estate against the latter day Therefore that was the question Act. 2. and Luke 3. and it is the grand question of all mankind What shall we doe to be saved and we see when they came to Christ it was alway with this Master what shall I doe to be saved As if he had said I know it must be by doing and I am willing to goe about it to frame some kinde of righteousnesse or other Therefore in Joh. 6. say they What shall we doe to work the works of eternall life saith Christ This is the worke of God to believe he takes them off Now this is one thing whereby you may know what it is to be a fleshly man and to minde fleshly things when people mind and cast projects and wayes to procure righteousnesse to themselves or justification to their soules any other way then only by the Lord Jesus Christ Men may be as it were drunke sometimes and mind neither heaven nor hell but there is no fleshly carnall man when he is his owne man but he thinks there is some good worke or other that he must doe either giving or lending or building an Almes-house or giving to the poore or somewhat to get him a righteousnes But remember thou art a carnal man and all thy minding and all thy thoughts this way are but according to the flesh and those that are after the flesh must dye it was the first and the greatest curse that ever was in the world when God said to old Adam he must dye it is a generall rule all old Adam must dye either thou must get that peice of old Adam that is in thee to dye or thou shalt dye with it one of the two Then another thing that is
So the reasonings of the soule are the chiefest weapons of the minde because I told you that these they doe come immediately from it The third thing was that the reasoning is the chief character of a man as reason in a man considered in a naturall way is the most proper way of distinguishing of him from other things because it is most essentiall to him for you cannot distinguish a man so properly from a horse because he hath two leggs and that a horse hath foure but by his essence he is a rationall creature and therefore I told you a man may know good excellently a man may love good and godlines and a man may do good and suffer for good and yet be an hypocrite yet be a carnall man Why Because he may doe good and love good and suffer for good and all out of carnall reasoning he may love the good because of some fine circumstantiall things And therefore I concluded last day with two words of use but I must endeavor to make good my promise Now the last thing is how it comes to passe for I have as in reference to the Doctrine you heard That spirituall men are swayed 3. How it comes that Saints are guided by spirituall reason with spirituall reasons How comes it to passe that they are enabled so to reason and to be so guided by such Reasons Beloved in generall certainly it is only by the same spirit of God for I must advance the spirit still Not in opposition to the Scriptures mistake me not for the spirit takes of the things of By the spirit Christ and in the Scriptures sheweth you them but it is the Spirits teaching you And therefore it is said they are after the spirit that doe mind spirituall things because it is the spirit that doth worke them to mind spirituall things yee would never mind spirituall things else All the Learning in the World and all the wit in the World will never teach a man to make one sincere argument to doe good or draw him from evill But you will say how doth the Spirit doe this Beloved I told you heretofore that I doe not approove of those that doe endeavour to shew you too particularly and disbiastly how the spirit of God works in the soule as many men have done and many a godly man but they have lost much time and have puzelled the soules of poore people for thou knowest not how a Child is formed in the VVombe how his eye is made and how his Nose is made And how are we able to discover how the Spirit of God works grace in the soule which ordinarily is done that he doth this first and then that and will not doe this untill he hath done that which hath brought forth a deale of curiositie and needlesse distinctions troubling the People of God But I will give you some particulars how he doth it The wayes whereby he doth it without curiositie not saying he doth this first or that first He doth it by a Creation by spirituall Creation 1. By a creation he doth make a Caeation in the soule which is called the new man Thou that art there now sitting in the Pew that creature that old creature cannot reach the spirit of God It cannot be mended for we have hearts of stone that will not be cobled nor mended but taken out wholly our natures are so naught that they cannot be mended but God comes and by his Holy spirit makes a new Creature in the soule As man is said to be a man and hath not his denomination from the grosser part as his Legs or the like but from the more noble part his soule and his mind for where as in one place it is said What will it availe a man to get the World and loose his soule in another it is loose himselfe So as my soule is my selfe So there is an old man not according to outward age but according to the inward Now he makes thee a new creature not New legs and hands but new mind new affections and new powers in thy soule Now most people say that the Lord doth infuse new qualities into the soule that whereas thou hast an under standing and it is rotten and all is full of bad qualities thou shalt have new qualities thou shalt have an under standing that will mind More then new qualities in Saints Heavenly things Beloved that is true but I very much doubt whiter there be not something more because the Lord calls it a man and we never Reade in the Scripture where he will worke new qualities but a new man We are created a new Creature Now that is the way and therefore if ever thou wilt be a spirituall man thou must have the Lord to make thee a new creature Now the Saints heretofore pray understand me did not looke upon things as we doe we have had so many false distinctions and subdistinctions we have not the same notions and distinctions they had They alwayes looked upon rhe inward man or the new craature Now we looke without saith Paul my inward man gaineth dayly If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Beloved that ye may understand this beare with me a little I doe find in the Scripture that a man is made a Saint made spirituall and holy two wayes One is by renewing a man to that which he was in Old Adam Secondly by creating things in him that were never there before And we have these two expressions A Saint made spirituall how in Scripture Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and created unto good works So that a Saint he is made up unto that condition two wayes Either God hath renewed in him those things he had in Adam Or else God hath created in him that which was never there before As for instance God revealeth in him Sobrietie and continuance and the like These things were in Adam and now when a man is made a Saint they are renewed only upon a new Foundation And withall the Lord creates some things that were never in Adam as for instance he creates faith there that is the the faith of the Gospell There was a faith in Adam without doubt but that faith of the Gospell to beleive in another to renounce his owne righteousnesse this was not in Adam because it was point-blanke contrary to his owne condition for he was to have righteousnesse in himselfe and to renounce it was contrary to his condition Now God Creates such a faith in us And Beloved there is another thing and it may be there are many things more I have had many thoughts of it with submission to the godly and wise I thinke that Gospell-goodnesse is a peice of the new man which was not in Adam Some thing in Saints that was not in Adam as to doe good to Enemies to love them that hate us to give drinke to a thirstie Enemy When one is wicked and
it be rough for me every day to dispute with my carnall heart and not only carry on good but deny my selfe in good upon spirituall reason this is a warrefare but the end is life and it is peace too This is a hard worke you will say and therefore we will take the easiest and smallest worke Beloved I say there is more ease and sweetnesse and contentednesse in going on in the wayes of God spiritually upon spirituall reasons an hundred fold than in the other for the other will be rough and God hath cast it so God hath put a curse upon all Old Adam he curseth it with death and therefore he must dye that walks carnally and that is the reason all your naturall thoughts and actions are so bitter God hath cursed them they must dye and now all the wayes of Holinesse have enough to induce thee to endeavour to walke holily as one saith the gleanings of the Saints are better than the harvest of the wicked men if there were no Hell nor Heaven hereafter but only the wicked to have the pleasures of sinne here and the Saints to have the consolations of the Spirit dwelling in them it is more an hundred fold the one is nothing but crackling of Thornes under a Pot and the end is smoake and stinke and the other is sweet here and in the end blessed eternally if it were not suppose though the way to Heaven be bitter here yet it is sweet in the End and the way of the world sweet here and bitter in the end yet you should choose holinesse as a Philosopher said if a man were to take a bitter and sweet thing which were he best to take first saith he to take the sower or the evill first and the sweet for the hope of the good to come will sweeten the present evill but when a man hath the good first the feare of the evill to come will marre al but therefore seeing there is a reward in the way in Holinesse as well as in the end for holinesse it should move us to labour after holinesse THE TABLE A Abraham ABraham juflified how page 231 Absurd Absurd what 369 Act The cheife act of the mind 358 See Reasoning Action Actions carnall denominate men 323 Adam Two things from Adam 252 The best have somwhat of old Adam 270 All from old Adam condemned 28â— Somthing in Saints that was not in Adam 405 See please Adoption Spirit of adoption 280 Affliction Carriage of a humble heart in affliction 124 Ten Instances of the carriage of a humble heart in afflictions 126 See fire All Christ died not for all 107 Saints willing to know all Gods truthes 110 Amiable Sight of God to Saints amiable 16 Another Saints content with the righteousnesse of another 102 Antinomians Antinomians who Apprehensions Sight of God knowne by our apprehensions 31 Apprehensions of God how to trie them 40 See cleare pretious perpetuall Assurance Assurance in the apprehensions of Saints 32 Assurance wanting to ordinary Professors why 106 B Beleivers Beleiving None satisfie the law but Beleivers 249 Spirituall reasoning in Beleiving 363 See righteousnesse Blind Mind of a Carnall man blind 349 Bondage Spirit of bondage what 280 Books three uses of other books besides the Scriptures 311 Borne againe He that will see God must be borne againe 62 To be borne againe what 69 To labour to be borne againe 312 Bribe God such a Lawgiver as cannot be brided 209 C Change A true sight of God changeth men 54 Carnall Men meerly carnall are called flesh 323 See actions Christ Saving sight of God only in Christ 11 A Saint in the worst condition repents not of taking Christ 137 The law fulfilled by Christ 210 Motive to come to Christ 214 Invitation to come to Christ 381 See example father comming meeke lycenciousnesse rule unyon Cleare Apprehensions of God cleare to Saints 31 Coach-man The mind the coach-man of the soule 347 Coare The coare of a naturall mans heart fleshly 335 Commands A proud heart dissobeys Gods commands 117 A proud heart wearie of Gods commands 118 Who offer violence to Gods commands 119 A Saint in affliction neglects not Gods commands 142 Comfort The godly more carefull of benefite then comfort in afflictions 142 why Saints have comfort in the worst condition 371 Comming Upon what ground to long for Christs comming 292 Communion Communion with sinners wherein forbidden 169 Condemne See Adam Condiscend A humble Saint will condiscend to the weake 186 Conscience Conscience purified what 49 Consolation consolations of the spirit 409 Conversation Vnnecessary conversation with sinners forbidden 171 Constant Sight of God in this World not constant 17 Ground of Saints constancy 369 Conviction Conviction of the spirit 409 Correction Wicked men see not God in corrections 96 Corporeall Corporeall sight of God 4 Corrupt corruption Saints pure notwithstanding their corruptions 52 Corruption how discovered 149 Saints called fleshly because of their corruptions 322 Mind corrupted 360 Reasoning corrupted 361 Covenant Saints stick close to the covenant in afflictions 143 Covenant in man to keepe Gods law 208 Ishmael and Isaac types of the Covenants 266 See workes Creation Sight of God in works of creation 4 New creation by the spirit 403 Creature Creatures resemblances of spirituall things 55 Curse Sin a curse in Hell 288 D Darknesse Satans Kingdome darknesse 64 Naturall principles darke 377 Day See son of man Death die Hypocrites why â—oth to die 38 Why godly men die 287 Carnall reasoning brings death 413 See sin works Deliberation Deliberation wherein excluded 215 Deliverance Saints desire somthing more then deliverance 140 Discretion Sadnesse of Christians in Discretion 74 Devill see God Divinity Divinitie mistaken 289 Doing No man can fulfill the law by doing 212 Spirituall reasoning in doing 365 Draw How God drawes mens hearts 92 Dutie In what duties we may converse with sinners 170 Men proud of duties why 290 E Earthly earthlynesse Wicked men live on earthly things 72 Earthlynesse troubleth Christians 294 Things of the flesh things on earth Enjoy see God Envie Prosperity of the wicked not to be envied 73 Escape No escape from Gods law 209 Eve How the DEVILL tempted Eve 302 Evill Fountaine of evill in the soule 412 Example Christs example to be looked on 242 Excercise Excercise of spirituall reasoning by the spirit 410 Extoll see learning F Face Christ the face of God 11 Saints live by seeing Gods face 72 Faculties Naturall faculties corrupted by sin 378 Faith Faith the life of it 237 Justification known by faith 258 Fall Not to fall from the liberty of the Gospell 304 Father The Father shews Christ 13 Christ shews the Father 14 Fellowship Fellowship of Saints whence 59 Ground of fellowship with others 272 Few Few shall be saved 267 Flesh Flesh what meant by it 252 Walking according to the flesh what 255 Why walking after the law is after the flesh 265 Not to use liberty for the flesh 298 VVho mind the things of the flesh