raised Christ's dead body out of the Grave and if ye be guided by that animated and quickned by that live a pious and holy life there is no doubt but God will raise your mortal Bodies out of the Graves also by the power of the same Spirit that raised Christ's As for Pole's Synopsis I have read over all that he saith upon these Verses and you see what I have gotten out of him from Piscator Calvin Estius and others towards my sence and as he hath all the sences of divers Authors so in it you have this of Dr. Hammond Now for Marlorat I find the same Quotation out of Calvin that Pole hath upon these words Vivificabit Mortalia Corpora vestra He shall also quicken your mortal Bodies Mortalia Corpora vocat quiequid adbuc restat in nobis Morti obuoxium ut mos est illi usitatus crassiorem nostri partem hoc nomine appellare ut jam saepe dictum est Vnde colligimus non de ultima Resurrectione quae momento fiet haberi Sermonem sed de continua Spiritus operatione qua reliquias Carnis paulatim mortificans coelestem Vitam in nobis instaurat In English thus St. Paul calls that our mortal Bodies whatsoever yet remains in us liable to death as it is an usual Custom with him to call our grosser part by that name as I have often already said Whence we gather that he doth not here speak of the last Resurrection which shall be done in a moment by the Spirit of Christ and of God but of the continual Operation of the Spirit in us whereby mortifying by little and little the relicks and remainders of the Flesh he doth renew and establish an heavenly Life in us And so I have done with the 10 11 12 13 Verses For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Verse 14 I am now past the discourse of Sanctification by Faith as brought about by Gospel-Principles and impossible to be effected by the Law or attained unto by a legal Spirit or frame of Heart and I come to some other high Priviledges which a Man Sanctified attains unto The first is he is led by the spirit of God and so secondly is one of the Sons of God I shall hasten now with as much brevity as I can to the end of this Chapter And such a one is not only a Son but is in a very fair way to understand and to have the boldness of a Son in the presence of God For ye have not received a spirit of bondage again to fear Verse 15 This Expression seems to have an eye and respect to the Old-Testament Dispensation we in the Dispensation of the Gospel have not received the Spirit of Bondage again as they did under the Law who though they were truly and really under the Covenant of Grace yet their Dispensation looked much like Law and accordingly their Spirits were low and legal and they were more like Servants than Sons as you have it professedly and at large discoursed in Gal. 4.1 2 3. to the end of the 7th Verse Verse 15 And Gal. 3.22 23 24. Ye have received the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba Father Ye Romans have received the Spirit by which same Spirit we Christians of all Nations cry Abba Father for the Saints drink all into one Spirit according to that Article of our Creed the Communion of Saints The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits Verse 16 That we are the Children of God There are two Spirits spoken of in one Verse the Spirit itself that is the Spirit of God bâ—areth witness with our Spirits that is with our Consciences being enlightned by the Spirit of God and renewed thereby and restored to its empire over the Flesh by which renovation we are made the Children of God that we are the Children of God First we must be the Children of God and then the Spirit of God can and will bear witness to this Truth that so it is unless our Consciences can bear this Testimony the Spirit will not cannot bear such a Testimony because it is a Spirit of Truth And if children Verse 17 then heirs See how the Priviledge rises all Children among Men are not Heirs but all God's Children are Heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs or Co-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together See what little reason we have to be asraid of Suffering if we suffer for a good Cause and with a good Conscience Phil. 1.29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but to suffer for his name It is an additional Gift to that of Faith to suffer for the Name of Christ to bear the Cross is the way to the Crown but we are apt to have dastardly and cowardly Thoughts and Spirits St. Paul was quite of another mind as he shews in the next Verse For I reckon Verse 18 that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us This is the third Priviledge that a Sanctified Man hath viz. Courage in the midst of all sorts of suffering for Christ and that upon this account namely the inconceiveable Glory which he is to receive which will be so great when it comes that the whole groaning World waits with earnest expectation to see the blessed Time when the Saints shall receive this Glory and what Comfort should the Saints themselves then take in the Expectation of it and what Patience should they excercise in the mean time For the earnest expectation of the creature Verse 19 waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God this with the 20 21 22 I shall not meddle with as containing no doubt a great Mystery which good and learned Men are divided about and which I confess I do not understand but thus much is evident that there is a wonderfull Glory to come for the Saints and that this life is a suffering life but so ordered for the Saints that they have great cause of Patience nay Joy and Glorying in all their Tribulations seeing the whole suffering and groaning World is contented under their sufferings meerly with the Expectation they have and Participation that they shall have of the Saints Glory for it is said Verse 21. That the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God This is a groaning time There are three sorts of Groans 1st That of the whole Creation 2dly That of the Saints Verse 23. 3dly The Spirit of God also maketh Intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered The First sort of Groans I have passed over with a Confession of my Ignorance only that we see the sad effects of sin in which the brute Creatures suffer The Second sort of Groans we may and ought to understand And
Ephes 6.10 11 12. And for this end you have a Suit of Spiritual Armour the Armour of God on the Right-hand and on the left from Head to Foot and ye shall be made more than Conquerors through him that hath loved you to the Death of the Cross Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce Read the eighth Chapter to the Romans and take Courage and Everlasting Consolation All things are made sure for your good and interest Be but faithful to God and never fear his Grace to you Sing your Triumphant Songs the Song of Moses and the Lamb both Law and Gospel shall comfort you If God be for us who can be against us He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things We are the circumcision that worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 I will lead you to one rich Walk where you may expatiate and deliciate your holy Souls For I speak here to none but those that are sanctified and effectually called It is Gal. 3.1 2 3 to the 7th inclusive Now I say that the heir as long as he is a child differeth nothing from a servant though he be lord of all but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father even so we when we were children were in bondage under the elements of the world but when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons Under the times and dispensations of the Old Testament till the coming of Christ in the flesh the People of God even the true Saints of God were like Children though great Heirs kept at School bred up at a distance from their Father's House in a state of darkness fear and bondage knew little of their Priviledges and Inheritance tho' they were saved by Faith and had the Gospel preached to them in an obscure way yet it lookt all like Law till Christ the Eternal Son of God was made of a Woman and made under the Law they also were as it were under the Law But now in the days of the Gospel especially since the Ascension of Christ and his Mission of the Spirit the Dispensation is quite altered and they are like Heirs called home to the possession of their Inheritance to live like those that are Lords of all Now they are endued with a Spirit of Adoption by which they come to know themselves Sons and Daughters unto God Almighty Verse 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Abba Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek for Father That is Father in all Languages to Saints of all Nations Verse 8. Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son then an heir of God through Christ. In the days of the Gospel heavenly things are brought down to us in the greatest plainness so that a truly holy Soul may converse and treat with them with great freedom Ephes 2.5 6. In two Verses you have three of the greatest Priviledges expressed that the mind of Man can possibly conceive We are said there to be quickned together with Christ to be raised up together and made sit together in heavenly places with him Can there be a nearer approach of an Heir to his heavenly Inheritance Col. 2.20 If therefore ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances Col. 3.1 If ye be therefore risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right-hand of God Verse 3. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God We must live as those that live in Heaven with Christ Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in heaven 1 Cor. 3.3 Are ye not carnal and walk as men Saints should not live like other Men no not like Men You are Sons and Heirs and have liberty to call God Father Our Lord hath taught us to begin our Prayers to God with this rich and high Appellation of Our Father Endeavour therefore but to live like Children of God and you may with holy boldness call God Father and if you can look up to God as your Father you highly dishonour him and disparage yourselves to doubt or fear of what may betide you from Men or Devils all your life long Therefore I say it to all the Saints of God and I humbly beg of God that I may ever attend the Exhortation Endeavour to walk worthy of God unto all pleasing keep your Watch strictly over your Hearts and Ways and go on your Way rejoycing through Thick and Thin through Fire and Water through Troops and Armies of Men and Devils the World is conquered for you Devils and Principalities are triumphed over your own innate and inbred Lusts shall not be too strong for you if you still by the Spirit faithfully endeavour to mortifie the Deeds of the Body Heaven stands open to you Mansions are prepared Angels are ready for your safe Convoy Die you must but Death hath lost its Sting and there is no greater Friend than Death itself next to a Holy Life for Death is also Yours and that is the Porter that lets you into your Resting-place The Law cannot condemn you and the Gospel will save you AN APPENDIX THat the assertion of the Apostle in Rom. 7.9 When the commandment came sin reviv'd and I died is plainly meant of the Moral Law I shall now endeavour to make appear For this I reckon there are several proofs in this 7th Chapter to the Romans First if we consider to whom this Epistle was written it was to the Romans who were certainly as much Gentiles as Jews and more Rom. 11.13 The Apostle tells them I speak to you Gentiles forasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles I magnifie mine office Now to these he saith Rom. 7.4 Wherefore my brethren ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him that is raised from the dead c. How could they become dead to the Law that were never alive to it or to whom the Law was never alive For the Law was never alive to them except the Moral Law written in the Heart They were never under the Ceremonial Law but under the Moral Law they were born Rom. 2.14 For the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves Verse 15. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts c. The Ceremonial Law was not written in the Heart of Man Therefore here by Law viz. in the
sinning more than ever whereas the Man that having been stung with the law terrified in his conscience with the thunderings and lightnings of Mount Sinai hath heard of Christ and grace mercy and pardon on him and rich assistance from him to do all that is well-pleasing to God and hath thereupon fled to Christ and put himself under the conduct of grace to be led by the spirit and to walk in the spirit he is not under the dominion of sin he sees no reason to commit iniquity but infinite reason to the contrary he feels the influence of all the Apostle's arguments he is dead to sin he hath been buried in baptism and risen with Christ in that ordinance he looks upon his old Man as crucified with Christ he would have the body of sin utterly destroyed he will serve sin no longer but as Christ ever lives to God so would he he resolves in the strength of God sin shall not reign in his mortal body but he will yield up all his limbs and members and senses and faculties of body and soul unto God Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace I think I have spoken or written that which may suffice for this Subject in this place if I should enlarge further upon it here I shall prevent my self in what I am to speak again in the seventh Chapter What then shall we continue in sin because we are not under the law but under grace Verse 15 God forbid Here we may refresh our selves a little to observe the folly of Men in their foolish arguings they will draw poison out of an antidote that which is the greatest enemy in the world to sin shall be made the patron of sin even the grace of God they will turn the grace of God into lasciviousness and receive not only the grace of God in vain but to wicked purposes this the Apostle therefore rejects with a great abhorrence God forbid and though he had in the first Verse treated the same persons after his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a train of Insinuations and gentle yet powerful Arguments which I have largely paraphrased on yet now when he meets with the same perverse humour the second time he corrects it with a severe and tart check and threatning withal Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey Verse 16 his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness As much as if he had said If all the Arguments I have used hitherto will not prevail with you to become holy then take only this one more He to whom ye yield your obedience his servants ye are and he will pay you your wages If ye yield your obedience to sin ye are the servants of sin and the wages of sin is death whether the servants of sin unto death or the servants of obedience unto righteousness The Apostle would not dandle them any longer nor dally as it were with pleasing insinuations but tell them whereto they must trust if they would not follow the conduct of the Spirit and go the way that grace led them But yet in the next Verse as if this tender Father that was always so full of bowels had been a little too sharp and severe in his Reprimand Verse 16. in 17. he falls to comforting them again with a God be thanked on their behalf But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin Verse 17 but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine into which ye were delivered That is God be thanked that though ye were the servants of sin once yet now ye have obeyed c. For it is no matter of thanksgiving to God by it self that they were the servants of sin but the supply of the Ellipsis is very obvious Though they had been so yet now they had obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine This is the proper matter of thanksgiving that they had obeyed from the heart supple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had submitted so entirely and from the heart to the Doctrine of the Gospel as if they had suffered themselves to be melted down by it and cast into the form or mould of the Doctrine of the Gospel as so much Lead or Gold cast into a Mould Metaphora est a Typis vel Auri-fabrorum vel Typographorum saith Pool in Loc. Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness Verse 18 Ye were the servants of sin but have now obeyed c. being then made free from sin by dying to it For he that is dead is freed from sin Verse 7. Ye became the servants of righteousness Every Man in the World is in the Apostle's language and sence either free from sin and the servant of righteousness or free from righteousness as the Phrase is Verse 20. and the servant of sin I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh Verse 19 for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants of righteousness unto holiness The Apostle in this Verse doubles and trebles what he had said that so they might be sure and not fail to take it in and by such Metaphors of Service and Liberty as were easie to be understood these were such things as they might understand and that practically and experimentally too in their own Hearts and Practice A good Argument is never too often urged till it be answered or admitted a good Lesson is never too often repeated till it be learnt and indeed the Apostle seems to be willing to sum up what he had said throughout the Chapter because he was to take leave of the Subject As ye have therefore yielded your members Instruments it was Ver. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness What is the difference here betwixt to and unto to iniquity unto iniquity to righteousness unto holiness Why the Apostle is very nice and curious and critical many times in his Expressions And the Holy Ghost is pleased often to condescend in the Scripture to observe the Rules of Elegancy and Exactness which Men delight in I could give in my little Observation many Inslances of this the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.3 not to be made appear in our Translation may be one Another may be that of the Order observed in the 22 Parts of the 119th Psalm that every Octonary shall begin with the same Letter and every Part begin with the Letter of the Alphabet next succeeding in order to that which went before The like is to be observed in the third Chapter of the Lamentations so here in this Verse Rom. 6.19 to and unto twice applied Iniquity and Righteousness
thing to be proved But yet the Apostle goes on and gives a more full account of this matter which leaves the thing without all pretence of doubt as I conceive Ver. 3 4. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh Verse 3 God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did i.e. and for sin condemned sin in the flesh The Explication of this Verse alone clears the whole matter as I judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. What was the impossible thing which the Law could not do Why to justifie or sanctifie a sinner How came it impossible to the Law to effect either of these Why not from any weakness in itself it would have justified innocent Man with good authority But it cannot justifie a sinner that is impossible for then the Law of God would cease to be holy it would have sanctified innocent Man that is have led him on from one kind of holy action to another and made him conversant in and ready at doing the whole Will of God But when it meets with a sinner through the sin which reigns in his flesh it not only condemns him but irritates and provokes Lust till Sin by the Commandment appear in its colours appear Sin and become out of measure sinful as we have at large discoursed this matter in the foregoing Chapter This argues no weakness in the Law that it cannot justifie or sanctifie a sinner for it is weak only through the flesh So that any Man that doth not betake himself to Christ and the Gospel but is only under Convictions from the Law must needs be in such a condition as the seventh Chapter describes But now God in infinite Mercy since the Law under which Man was created was utterly disabled from justifying much more from sanctifying fallen Man sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and by so sending him did that for us which the Law could not do and for sin or as it is in the Margin by a Sin-offering condemned sin in the flesh that is expiated our sins and shewed us a way how we might effectually subdue our lusts or to give you the Paraphrase of the Verse in Dr. Hammond's own words they are these For when through the fleshly desires of Men carrying them headlong into all Sin in despight of the Prohibitions of the Law Chap. 7.14 the Law of Moses was by this means weak and unable to reform and amend Mens Lives then most seasonably God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh that is in a mortal body which was like sinful flesh and differed nothing from it save only in innocence and that on purpose that he might be a Sacrifice for Sin and by laying our Sins on him shewed a great Example of his Wrath against all carnal Sins by punishing Sin in his flesh that so Men might be perswaded by Love or wrought on by Terrors to forsake their sinful Courses By this means Sin itself is condemned in our flesh that is destroyed as to its guilt and power which before by the Law had condemned us That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh Verse 4 but after the Spirit By this means namely the sending Christ to die and giving us the Gospel which discovers to us his Death and Resurrection and the ends of them we are perswaded the Spirit working together with it in the Preaching of it to betake ourselves to Christ for Pardon and Salvation and for Strength against every Lust of the Flesh and being truly converted by and to the Faith of the Gospel the Righteousness of the Law comes to be fulfilled in us and we are enabled through the Grace of God to do the substance of all that which the Moral Law requires and our Failings are hid by the Intercessions of Christ and we are truly said to walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And now see if there be not a vast alteration of states from the Man in the seventh of the Romans and the same I in the eighth the one is legal and under the Power of Sin led captive by the Law of Sin the other is set at liberty by the Gospel from the Law of Sin and Death that is that Sin which necessarily ends in Death For the wages of sin is death and this is done by the Law of the Spirit of Life which is only in Christ Jesus and conveyed by his Gospel into the minds of Men. 'T is the new Law the Law of the Spirit so the Gospel is called We are Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter that is the Law killeth but the Spirit that is the Gospel giveth Life 2 Cor. 3.6 The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life John 6. â—â— Tâ—erefore the Gospel coming in power is called the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus and it is also called the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 I have now done with the argumentative Part as hoping that the Cause is won which yet whether it be or no I must leave to the serious and candid Reader to determine for himself only I shall desire of any that is unsatisfied to give as fair an Account of his contrary Opinion and Perswasion as I have here done by insisting upon the several Verses of the 7th Chaper especially and let him see if he can make sence of every thing as I have done and not only argue against the whole together by some little Arguments that he may imagine to himself to have some strength in them I have not that I know balked or avoid d any thing in the whole Chapter that looks like an Argument for the Opinion which I contradict And that I may not be alone is this Discourse I thought it convenient to subjoyn out of Dr. Hammond's Commentary what were his Sentiments upon the Subject debated which after I have transcribed I shall willingly follow the Apostle's Discourse throughout the whole eighth Chapter For that therein as I humbly conceive the Apostle pursues the Mystery of the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus till he makes it evident that this new Law otherwise truly called Gospel and the Ministration of the Spirit carries a Man on not only to a freedom from the Law of Sin and Death or the bondage and power of Corruption but carries him through the whole course of mortification of Sin and vivification even of our natural Flesh bringing it on to the service of the Spirit the Spirit of our Mind or the Law of the Mind and indeed into a rejoycing in the Conduct of the Spirit of God it brings us on to a Spirit of Adoption praying to God with holy Boldness as a Father It carries us on through the heaviest
that is wholly addicted to and commanded by the lusts or desires of their flesh I take it to be all one with that Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that are after the flesh only there may be this little difference that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the state and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies conversation as walking after the flesh or according to the motions and dictates of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscator and Beza say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so then or therefore but others sav 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is never taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it must be translated Now they that are in the flesh cannot please God and therefore the righteousness of the Law is not fulfilled in them This I take to be the most genuine Interpretation And this Verse is confessed to be the Conclusion of the whole Argumentation of the Verses foregoing But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be the spirit of God dwell in you Now the Apostle hath done with the Argumentation beginning from the first Verse which Argumentation I take to be directed against the state of the Man under convictions in the seventh Chapter And so speaks to his converted Romans Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit with this caution If so be that the spirit of God dwell in you For every Man that hath received the Gospel sincerely and betaken himself to Christ and his Righteousness from the Condemnations and accidental Irritations of the Law hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him for the Gospel is the Ministration of the Spirit which the Law is not Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you Received ye the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Verse 9 This Expression you see is doubled and therefore needs the greater consideration and serious reflection of every Man upon himself to know his state by I cannot here stay to make discovery how a Man may come to know whether he hath the Spirit of God and of Christ which is much or all one and it is the less necessary for me to do it because the Apostle himself in several Verses following makes the discovery himself by several high and glorious effects of the Spirit 's inhabitation And if Christ be in you that is by his Spirit the body is dead because of sin Verse 10 but the spirit is life because of righteousness I fancy or apprehend this to be the meaning of these dark Expressions for which I shall seriously consult Expositors Dr. Hammond Pole and Marlorate and give any thing that I find in them which I think considerable But I presume first here to give my own thoughts for which I beg the Reader 's pardon If Christ be in you by his Spirit the body is dead because of sin that is your Flesh and Body by which you were heretofore strongly impelled and as it were forced on to the commission of all sorts of sin is dead * Piscator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod ad peccâ—tion scuratione peccati ne scilicet possit amplius nos impellere ad petulanter peccandum as to sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of sin propter or secundum where I imagine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have the force of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this I am sure is less straining than to use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Piscator and Beza do and our English Translators in the eighth Verse So then they c. Tho' Pole tells us from another Author Tolet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I take it is never so used But to make good this Exposition see how the sence seems to force it If Christ be in you the body is dead because of or as to sin That is the Flesh in its Lusts is mortified I am sure this is true Divinity But the spirit is life in the abstract or alive in the concrete that it may answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dead in the Antithesis in the words that is Whereas when you were without the Spirit of Christ the Flesh and the Body was alive and regnant and the Law of the Members warred against the Law of the Mind or Spirit and had the better of it and brought you into captivity to the Law of Sin which Law of Sin was in the Members in the Flesh and Body Now this Body this rampant Flesh unbridled Lust which had cast off the Bridle of the Spirit and the Law of the Mind and Conscience which ought to have ruled the Flesh this Body is dead not simply but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Body is dead in the matter of Sin so that you need not obey Sin in the lustings of the Body though the Body hath its desires still of eating and drinking c. yet it hath not those strong impetuous irregular desires that it had but is dead in a great measure because of Sin or as to Sin But the * Significat spiritum hominis tum ob Antithesin Corporis Spiritus tum extollat v. seq Animam five rationalem partem gratia Christi renovatam Estius ex Oecumen Cass spirit is life or greatly alive because of righteousness or as to the matter of Righteousness Now the Law of the Mind prevails over the Law of the Members you are alive to God and Righteousness and Holiness But if the spirit of him that is God the Father that raised up Christ from the dead Verse 11 dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your morted bâ—dies by his spirit that dwelleth in you Here I confess I have a peculiar Notion which I have been hammering at these thirty Years but I will assure thee Reader that it is honest and will lead thee into no dangerous Errour and therefore consider it If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you That is in your mortal Body in which the Apostle forbids that Sin should reign Rom. 6.12 I say this mortal Body shall not only be dead as to the matter of Sin which is affirmed in the 10th Verse and is a great attainment by the Spirit of Christ's dwelling in us The World is well altered with such a Man that whereas his Flesh did rule and lead him captive to the Law of Sin now this Flesh and this mortal Body of his should be dead as to the matter of Sin this I say is a great attainment and a blessed alteration from his former state But this is not all no the chiefest thing is yet behind
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit helps with us and over against us at the other end of the burden under which we groan because of our Infirmities which else would cause that the burthen would be too heavy for us Onus attollit ex altera parte ne sub eo fatiscamus Cum multa potuisset opera Spiritus Sancti proferre quibus ab ipso juvamur hoc solum exponit eum adjuvare nos in orando Tol. Therefore it is not his praying for us in Heaven Spiritus Sanctus hic ut in praeced membro intelligitur E. Tol. Be. Qui interpellare dicitur non quod apud Patrem aut filium ut perverse dicebant Arriani sit Mediator sed quod efficaci sua in nobis operatione nos orare faciat doceat Menochius ex Estio Pole in loc Quia nos ad preces instigat Beza Quia preces ad Deum nobis dictat Grotius Beza Postulat Spiritus non in se sed in nobis per nos tanquam per instrumenta rationalia libera quod autem per instrumentum fit ipsi moventi causae primae tribuitur Tolet. And that fancy of Grotius as I presume to call it begging pardon of that great Name that in Ecclesia Diaconus imaginem quodammodo gerit Spiritus Sancti In the Church the Deacon in reading the Prayers bears after a sort the resemblance of the Holy Ghost strengthens this Interpretation that as the Reader goes before the Assembly in suggesting or rehearsing what they are to pray for so the Holy Ghost is the great Guide and Leader of every Saint in his private and secret Prayer at least not to mention others in shewing them what they are to pray for There are many rare things in Pole's Quotations which are too long to be here inserted and translated I shall add a few more and then translate them because this is an important Matter They are called Groans which cannot be uttered for several reasons One Quia Spiritus ea desideria vota nobis saepe inspirat quae nec ante cogitata nec obvia fuerant nec scitur unde veniant quo tendant Tolet. Ver. 27. He that searcheth the hearts knoweth the mind of the spirit Gemitus illi surt nobis non Deo inenarrabiles scit Deus quo cor ipsum sertur a Spiritu S. motwn quid Spiritus intendit per nos postulat Tolet. Because it maketh intercession for us according to the Will of God Interpellat intercedit postulat orat nâ—mpe per ipsos sanctos qui ipsius instrumenta sunt quorum Corda movet excitat regit Novit quid studeat spiritus nempe sanctorum preces dirigere secundum Deum suggerendo eis illa precari quae Deo serviant Grotius Ex Polo ioidem The English of some of those Latin Quotations above is this Whereas he might have mentioned many Works of the Spirit by which we are helped of it he only insists upon this That he helped us in Praying It is the Holy Spirit himself who is here to be understood who is said to make intercession not that he is a Mediator with the Father or the Son as the Arrians falsly said but that by his effectual operation in us he makes and teaches us to pray Menochius out of Estius Because he urges to pray Beza Because he dictates to us Prayers which we are to offer to God Grotius and Beza The Spirit makes Intercessions not in himself but in us and by us as rational and free Instruments Now that which is done by an Instrument is attributed to the first moving Cause Tâ—lâ—t They are called Groanings which cannot be uttered for several Reasons One Because the Spirit doth often Inspire into us those Desires and Petitions which neither were thought on before nor were any way obvious or at hand for us to think upon neither do we know whence they come and whither they tend Tolet. But for this last Passage I must needs say I know not with what Authority or Allowance we can utter such Passages in Prayer as we know not whither they tend unless we should act purely as inspired and know that we are inspired I am much taken with that Heathen Sentence Nullum numen abest si sit prudentia I know not that we may act in any thing towards Man much less in our Addresses to God beyond what we understand Once more those Groanings are unutterable to us not to God God knoweth whither the heart is carried being moved by the Holy Ghost what the Spirit intends or means and asks by us Tolet. The Spirit intercedes asks prays viz. by the Saints who are his Instruments whose hearts he moves excites and governs God knows what the Spirit means viz. to direct the Prayers of the Saints according to God by suggesting to them those things to be prayed for which may serve for the glory of God Grotius in Pole's Synopsis I have insisted the larger upon this Text and Matter because I find a strange Interpretation of the words in a Learned and Reverend Authour wherein he carries all this Assistance in Prayer to the Spirit of Christ's interceding and praying for us at the Right Hand of his Father where he always makes Intercession for us So that when we Pray but know not ourselves what is best nor consequently what we ought to pray for particularly Health Wealth or Honour then Christ joyns his helping Hand to ours joyns his All-wise and Divine Prayers for that which he knows we most want to our Prayers and so helps to relieve us in all our Distresses And he that searcheth the hearts c. Paraphrase and then God that knoweth our wants exactly understands also the desire and intention of the Spirit of Christ This Interpretation you see is contrary to the current of Expositors both Popish and Protestant Grotius and Beza and turns these two Verses which carry so much matter of Support and Consolation in them only upon the Intercession of Christ in Heaven which indeed is a most Comfortable Article of our Faith but why should we be robb'd and despoiled of the Comfort of the Advocate on Earth which our Lord hath sent us to supply his absence from us by making Intercession within us as he doth without us most effectually at his Father's Right Hand I meet with one that says upon this Paraphrase these words Those that say that by the spirit that helpeth our infirmities Ver. 26. is meant Christ by his Spirit praying for us in Heaven can neither make it agree with the Context nor prove that the Spirit groaneth in Heaven or is called our Intercessor there but within us And so I pass to the 28 Verse And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God Verse 28 to them who are called acording to his purpose After the Apostle had reckoned up and insisted upon these five several Priviledges which the sanctified Person is invested with he seems to come in a general way to
conclude that not only all these things mentioned but all other things whatsoever do work together for good to them that love God The whole Creation groans for their Deliverance they Groan within themselves for their glorious State and the Spirit helps them in their Groanings and to further Groanings in Prayer beyond all Words and Expressions even to meanings which God knows and God alone and they shall all be answered in full Returns not a Sigh or a Groan lost sent out from them that love God from them that are effectually called according to his purpose For I question not but all things are done according to purpose which lies hid as I may humbly say in the breast of God According to the purpose of Eternal Ages as the Phrase is Eph. 3.11 Which he made or purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Then it follows as it were occasionally from this Expression called according to his purpose Ver. 29. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son Verse 29 that he might be the first-born amongst many brethren Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whem he called Verse 30 them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified The Purpose of God is so strongly made that it goes thorough and thorough with the whole train of Successive glorious Effects and this demonstrates a Wonderful Co-operation for good to those that love God to those that are called according to his Purpose Onely I must here honestly offer my Apprehensions in this most profound-Matter for I would deal honestly with all the World and especially with the Church of God And my chief Observation upon this Golden Chain as it is well called is this That the first Link of the Chain which is fastened to the Mercy-seat and all the World can never loose it thence is fore-knowledge whom he did fore-know which I humbly conceive is meant of God's fore-sight * Quos praescivit nempe tales per ductum Gratiae suae consensum liberae Voluntatis futuros bene victuros vel Gratiae oblatae assensuros vel credituros in fide perseveraturos Sic exponunt Chrysost Theodoret. Hieronymus c. Pole in loc The English is this Whom he did fore-know viz. that they would be such through the conduct of Grace and the consent of their own Free-will as would live well assent to Grace offered would believe and persevere in Faith what Men would do placed under such and such circumstances and thereupon did predestinate call justifie and glorifie in his eternal and irrefragable Purpose And so I dismiss the great Subject of these two Verses only I shall remark upon the 29th Verse Whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first-born amongst many brethren That though Men have a true liberty of will in their choice of and adhering unto Christ yet God did not leave the whole issue and success of things to the liberty of Men but fore-seeing what Men would do purposed and decreed to do more for them infinitely than they could themselves do in carrying on the work of Grace in them so that Christ should not be an Head without a Body and a First-born without Brethren but the First-born amongst many Brethren And this fore-knowledge of God what Men would do in believing and returning to God is as easie for us to conceive of as it is how God should foresee that Adam would certainly fall when it was in his power to have stood and yet this certain fore-knowledge of God must be allowed in a matter perfectly free for ought that we know or else the purpose of sending Christ as a Saviour which was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could never have been made by the All-wise Jehovah What shall we say then Verse 31 if God be for us who can be against us As much as to say The whole matter of our salvation is a certain well-laid inexpugnable thing if we are but once brought over to God if we are once well convinced of sin by the Law and see our need of Christ if Christ become precious to us and our only deliverer if we are by him freed from the Curse and Condemnation of the Law and have the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus setting us free from the Law of Sin and Death if we have the impossible thing of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrought in us that is if we are enabled to walk after the Spirit and no longer after the Flesh if we have been taught to mortifie the Deeds of the Body and so come to be led by the Spirit to call God Father by a Spirit of Adoption are content to suffer with Christ to long for his presence and groan after it we need not question but all things shall work together for our good we shall find ourselves effectually called and therefore elected Make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 We have no other way to know our Election but by our Calling and then and not till then can we take comfort in the Doctrine of Election namely when we may have ground to hope that the golden Chain hath fastened upon us and if so what can harm us if God be for us who can be against us unless they can be too hard for God Now from hence the Apostle runs on with a clear and triumphant Argumentation Verse 32. He that spared not his own Son Verse 32 but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things This is the clearest Argument in the World we have no reason to doubt of the good will of God for our final salvation and therefore present happiness for he that gives us the greatest gift he could give will never deny us the small matters of the World if they be good for us This Argument is like that of our Saviour's He that gave us Life will give us Food he that gave us Body will give us Rayment a majori ad minus Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect It is God that justifies Verse 33 And if we be interested in election by effectual calling who shall lay any thing to our charge in judgment when he that is to be our judge and whose approbation alone justifies will justifie us Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died and so took off our condemnation Verse 34 by suffering the penalty of out sin and he that died is not dead yea rather that is risen again who is ever at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us The Spirit in us and for us here on Earth and Christ for us in Heaven What abundant Consolation is here He that died for us on Earth to free us from Death and Hell is ascended to Heaven and there maketh intercession for us
flies from one Country to another with her Familiars and Enchantments and exerciseth such mad passions as I confess I cannot bear the Description of in reading them without a great discomposure of thoughts And where is then the Stoick or Peripatetick with their two distinct wayes But now when we come to Christ who hath satisfied the Law and leave our old Schoolmaster our old Husband as being dead in all its Condemnation by the Body of Christ crucified and do not so much as pretend to exact Obedience to the Law but yet honestly endeavour to give all due Conformity to its Precepts yet without the fear of being cast into Hell for every Failure serve Christ and God in him as an honest Son serveth his Father or an honest Servant his Master allowing ourselves no idle haunts no extravagant ouâ—lets of any kind enjoy the good things of this Life as other Men do but in moderation do the work of our Callings Trades Occupations Studies but without carking cares as being assured that if we be diligent God will provide and will let us want for nothing Here all is quiet we have or may and ought to have a sweet Calm nothing disturbs us If we walk according to this Rule To do all to the Glory of God and in dependance upon him giving Thanks for so great a Saviour peace shall be upon us as upon the whole Israel of God If we are guilty of Negligence we must presently go to God by Prayer confess our sins charge ourselves honestly severely bitterly according to the neglect but we must not despond but endeavour to double our Diligence and Watchfulness In this way God hath the true Glory of an hearty Obedience the Law of God is no whit dishonoured for we bid not the least defiance deny no Duty of Conformity to it but we are free from the danger of its Condemnation being secured by a Surety and Advocate Thus the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And whilst we remain faithful to our God in this way of fincere constant uniform Obedience we have free Access to God as a Father If we presume to Sin wickedly against our God we must expect to be dealt with as Deserters and Apostates and though even some of those may possibly be renewed again unto and by repentance yet it is an evil and bitter state indeed and God alone knows when they shall recover their boldness and liberty of Access to God by a Spirit of Adoption And in this plain Account I hope is contained the true Moral Philosophy or rather Theosophy which we need all to learn and practise by And here I hope I may with very good pretence make an humble Address to the Reverend Heads of Colleges and learned Tutors in the Universities which I would do with the most submiss Deference to intreat them That in preparing Instructers of the People for the next Generation they would teach them the Truth as it is in Jesus and I would bespeak them in the words of the Apostle Paul Ephes 4.20 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the Apostle is speaking of the evil state and conversation of the Gentiles But ye have not so learned Christ By learning Christ I doubt not is meant their learning the Doctrine of and concerning Christ as Scholars and Students learn Authors and study Philosophers Ver. 21. If so be that ye have heard him The Ephesians never heard Christ in person but they heard him preached And been taught by him or in him How could they be taught by Christ Only by his Word and by his Spirit And what were they taught by him The Answer follows As the truth is in Jesus This is the greatest thing that you Scholars are to learn and you are to teach I say not that it is the only thing But this is the true Philosophy without which all that they can learn is perfect folly Rom. 1.22 speaking professedly of the Philosophers I do not pretend to teach you but only humbly to mind you of that which you cannot but know I humbly beg you for God's sake for the Honour of our Lord Jesus and for the Interest of so many Souls as all Yourselves and present Pupils may be concerned with and for in Preaching and in the Press that you make a most accurate distinction betwixt Law and Gospel that Moses may not sit in our Saviour's Seat You see how the Law-Preachers among the Galatians blended the Law and Gospel together and thereby transferred their Auditors from him that had called them unto the Grace of Christ or in the Grace of Christ to another Gospel Gal. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is not another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diversum non aliud There was but one Gospel and could be but one yet this might be so diversified by legal mixtures as to be called another Gospel And. I shall give no further proof of this at present than the foregoing Discourse which I have thought necessary or at least convenient to make in which I hope I have made it appear That the seventh Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans is not to be understood of St. Paul as in his regenerate Estate but as under legal Convictions or rather of a third person personated in the first which is so far from being rightly understood that perhaps the greater half of Divines understand it of St. Paul himself So subtile an evil is that of Legality or seeking to be justified by the Law that it cannot easily be understood in the clearest Gospel-light But Qui bene distinguit bene docet and if any Monopoly be fit to be claimed by an Academy I humbly conceive it is that of Distinctions Your Students are taught learned and polite Ethicks but if they be not taught how to avoid the Condemning Power of the Law by the Grace of the Gospel the Law will condemn them If they be not well warned of the enraging irritating force of the Law occasionally upon all their Lusts when they seek to be reformed by it alone that which was ordained unto Life will be found Death unto them and Sin taking occasion from the Commandment will work in them all manner of Concupiscence and Sin that it may appear Sin working Death in them by that which is good will by the Commandment become out of measure sinful Rom. 7.10.8.13 Here I have a very fair and just occasion to speak to those that I doubt will have little mind to hear or read what they should Use VI but if any such chance to read this Paper let them consider it If those that endeavour in some seriousness and earnest to reform themselves by the Law yet for want of understanding the Grace of Christ cannot attain unto true Holiness and Peace What Peace what Comfort belongs to those that heed not either the Precepts of