to you whether you doe not feele a strange power in your soules killing and subduing sin that you never imagined before or almost hoped to have There are some Saints that I know that when they came to know a little of Jesus Christ they have found a power to subdue their sins that they did not hope for in their other condition they were so strong it is an emynent power A poore Saint that sees another tugging and striveing and wrastling and bustling with his corruptions he knowes that there is a sweet power in his soule that pulls downe the highest and proudest imaginations As a godly man sayth there is as much difference between a man that walks after the flesh according to the law and he that walks according to the spirit as betweene a man that is in a great Lyter or in a great Boat that is fast upon the sand and there are it may be a dozen or twenty men tugging and striving to get it off and yet it sticks and another man that is in a Boat upon the water and needs onely to hoist sayle and sit downe and it is gone he goes with winde and tide So a man that walks according to grace he can go as a child and speake loving and plaine words to his Father and get power over his sins that all the bowling and roaring and crying of another a whole Yeare together cannot doe It is so and all you that know what grace is know it That is one thing therefore consider this if thou walke according to the spirit thou art dead to sin That is in respect of the condemnation and guilt of it thou hearest that Christ hath fulfilled the law and that sin is done away And secondly in respect of the power of it thou canst looke upon it as a dying gasping thing that must die and thou canst tread on it through the death of Christ. Thirdly thou findest no lust so strong in thy soul but thou canst ordinarily bring it downe thou canst bring it to the obedience of Jesus Christ another man may throw his cap at his sins and be wishing and woulding all the year long but there are strong lusts in his soule that will not out Therefore sayth the Apostle when you walked according to the law the motions of sin brought forth fruit unto death inevitably it will be so Then further you shall finde the fruits of walking Fruits of walking according to the spirit according to the spirit I will but name them to you and wish you to consider of them You have many set downe in this Eighth to the Romanes When a man walks according to the spirit you shall see this is one fruit of it a spirit of adoption whereby we crie abba Father As many as A spirit of adoption are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God for ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye have received the spirit of adoption wherby we crie abba Father That is one fruit of it as soone as a man comes to walk according to the spirit he hath not a spirit of bondage any more What is that It is nothing but this a temper of soule like a slave just as you may conceive of a Spirit of bondage what man that is taken Prisoner in Turkie what temper he is of he is glad of a crust of bread and he feares whipping and beating and it may be killing such is the temper of a mans soule in a spirit of bondage when one is in such a temper that he is alway in feare of being whipped and scourged and he hath hard thoughts of God and he feares that he shall proove an hypocrite and the like Now sayth the Apostle we have not that spirit but we have the spirit of adoption whereby we crie abba Father That is there is a sweet temper such as is in a loving Child to his deare Father there is a boldnesse a love and delight and rejoycing and a sweetnesse c. This is one fruit of it therefore as far as thou art under horrour and mopeing and howling and crying thou commest short of walking according to the spirit for thy soule would be alway full of sweetnesse in the greatest affliction if there were a spirit of adoption and under the worst sins thou doest commit though their would be sorrow yet thou wouldest be full of sweetnesse and joy That is one thing Againe another fruit and consequent of it is Raysing up of the spirit that the spirit of God beares witnesse with our spirits that we are the Children of God If thou wilt be lead by the spirit and walk after the spirit the spirit of God will witnesse with thy spirit that thou art the Child of God What is that the meaning of it is this as I understand the spirit of God will rayse up my spirit to be able to see and know that I am the Child of God for the spirit of a man knowes the naturall things of a man and no more But the spirit of God witnesseth with my spirit that I am the Childe of God that is hee rayseth up my spirit whereby I may see and know that I am the Childe of God that as before by my owne spirit I was able to know whether I were poore or rich whether I were sick or well whether I were beloved or hated So now my spirit is raysed by the spirit of God I am able to reflect upon my selfe spiritually and look upon my selfe as beloved and chosen and holy and called and justified and this in a spirituall way Thirdly here is another expression of it and An earnest hope that is an earnest hope or expectation of the glory that is to be revealed I find and observe little of that to be in Professors and I have oft marvailed at it and the reason is because they have not the spirit of adoption and walk not fully according to the spirit therfore they are not filled with those expectations and those earnest desires that the Saints were ordinarily in the primitive times Sayth the Apostle in this Chapter The creature groaneth and desires to be delivered and not only they but we our selves which have the first fruits of the spirit we groane within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodie The meaning is there is no man knowes what that glory is that is to be revealed nor no man what it is to looke for it and expect it The word in the Originall is as one sayth as a woman looks for deliverance when her paines are on her O! she would faine be delivered or as a man in Prison that looks for his freind out of a window he puts out his head and looks but he cannot get out though he faine would Such an earnest hope and expectation and desire there is in the Saints that walke according to the spirit to see Jesus
is weake there is so much weaknesse and earthinesse and frailty sometimes a mans heart is right for God yet his head akes or his stomack is full of wind or he is weary and wants sleep there is some frailty or other This is all earthly Adam all this shall be gone and this kind of body and soule shall be altered and changed to the Image of the blessed second Adam we shall put off our earthynesse as well as our sinfulnesse and have his blessed compleat Image Now how glorious that shall be as you never The glory of Saints in Heaven unspeakable saw the first Adam but onely by hear-say and by reading of the Word of God so you have not seen the second Adam but you may partly know by the manifestation of his glory on earth you have heard much of his glory We saw his glory as of the onely begotten Son of God we shall then see him Phil. 3. 19. Our conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies He meanes vile not onely in respect of sinfulnesse but of dustinesse of earthynesse and weaknesse that they may be like his glorious body according to his mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe that is according to his usuall manner of working he can doe what he will in Heaven and Earth We cannot conceive what an Imnge we shall have upon our bodies and soules but according to his wisedome and mighty power whereby he is able to subdue all things he will doe it Therefore let me tell you this I finde few or Saints formerly had more lively expectations of glory by Christ none that have those live by expectations in these times of that glory that is to be revealed that the Saints of old had See how they speake of it What manner of love is this that we should be called the Sons of God But yet it doth not appeare what we shall be for we shall be like him And gird up the loynes of your minds be sober and watch for the glory that shall be revealed The Saints heretofore more then halfe their hearts were in Heaven before hand That is the meaning of that Our conversation is in Heaven Just as you see men that goe a long journey or as you see people that have been plundered that are returning to their owne homes their conversation is there halfe a yeare before their hearts and their thoughts are there and they wish they were there and think the time long and are thinking what they will doe and what they will be when they come there So our conversation is in Heaven the Saints doe so long after the glory that is to be revealed in the day of adoption and redemption of our bodies that the most part of them is there already Now we doe not consider of this because the new Jerusalem is not yet come into our hearts We have not that Gospel-temper and frame of spirit that the Saints had before That which remaines is a little to shew you what your duty is that the Lord hath brought up to walk according to the spirit And two or three words I have to shew you how you should every one endeavour to attaine to it or to attaine it more and more But I shall leave that till the after-noone SERMON V. Rom. 8. 4. Who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit IT is the Foundation of all our happinesse to have the righteousnesse The foundation of a Christians happinesse of the law fulfilled in us for thereby we are exempted from all misery freed from all our enemies and therby we are made capable to enjoy all happinesse and blessednesse For all the misery that man suffers here and hereafter is because he hath not a righteousnesse to fulfill the law And therefore whatsoever man or woman it is that the Lord hath bestowed this great priviledge upon they must needs be in a blessed condition Now that we may know whether we are of that number the Apostle tells us that they that have this priviledge they walk not according to the Flesh but according to the spirit which was the last thing I was upon I told you what was meant by walking after the flesh and what by walking after the spirit I gave the Reasons of it and made two or three Uses There are two things remaine which I shall endeavour to speake of at this time First you that have received the spirit of God Vse 4. Exhortation to those that have the spirit how to walke and in some measure doe walk according to the spirit and not according to the flesh that the new-Jerusalem from Heaven is in some measure come into your hearts I will give you a few Exhortations from the Lord how you should carry your selves That is the first thing I shall doe and that shall be in four or five short words The first is this that the Lord having called 1. Not to abuse this liberty you to this glorious free estate to this free condition that you would take heed of abusing your liberty that you would take heed of turning the grace of God into wantonnesse as many doe And by that I meane but two things That you would take heed of using your liberty as an occasion for the flesh And Secondly of using your liberty so as to give offence to your Brethren or indeed to any I say first beware of using your liberty for an occasion 1. Not to use it as an occasion to the flesh to the flesh That you shall have Gall. 5. 13. For Brethren sayth the Apostle you have been called to liberty only use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another The Apostle shewes them in that Epistle the glorious condition and estate that they were in through grace And here in this Verse there are two things that he tells them the one is implied it is worth observing yee are called to liberty That The Gospell brings liberty is there is a freedome there is a liberty in the Gospell in diverse things that did seeme to be sinfull when ye were under the law for else what sence can you make of this ye are called to liberty onely use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh For we find that the people under the law eyther they made the law stricter or looser then it was And there is no man in the World that walks according to the law but he makes many lawes to himselfe that Christ hath not made Now when the Gospell coms in clearly all those lawes that you made of your owne head vanish Ye are called to liberty that is you see more freedome you are not bound to every thing that before you were Before you must not smile it was a sin if you seemed to laugh or smile and a hundred such things Now
lifted up to thinke he is something more then his brethren but then even with a haire you may pull him downe to the lowest forme with the least and lowest of Saints This you have Rom. 12. Mind not high things but condescend to them of low estate A humble heart can rank himselfe with the meanest sort of Christians Proud hearts especially in this Cittie tread poore Saints under feet you have many that are only for disputing professors if he can hold an argument bravely and sophistically or be a controversiall Christian that can discourse upon this or that controversie such your spirits are carried after But a poore Saint that can hardly pray in his familie or speake a little broken fragments of godlinesse you despise him But a humble heart knows how to suite to the poorest Saint let him be weak in any thing he can be weak also As the Apostle sayth 2 Cor. 11. 9. Who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burne not If any one be weake I will come downe and be weak with him if any be offended I burne that is I suit my selfe to all men that I may win some as he speaks of sinners so it is with Saints when they can be weake with the weake and ignorant with the ignorant and suite themselves with the meanest So you have two words The Third is this breifly observe it that a 3. He is jealous of those truths he knowes humble heart you shall see it by his carriage towards his brethren towards Saints by this that out of the high and honourable opinion that he hath of all other Saints he alway hath a kind of jealousie even of those truths which he is most assured of I say meerly out of the very honour and esteeme and respect that he hath of all Saints he sees them all over and above him and from thence even those truths that he is most assured off he is jealous of O the pride and the wretchednesse of some that are ready to say what doe I care what all the World thinks all the World now or they that were before and it may be it is but a conceit of yesterday or it may be it is a truth but it argueth a vile proud heart Shall I say what doe I care what others think why should I be perswaded that I am so sainted that I should not care what the Generation of the Saints that are otherwise minded say There are many things in our preaching that we may have full assurance of but there may be full assurance of understanding concerning truths that a man may preach with boldnesse and suffer and die for it with fearlesnesse and yet there may be a kind of jealousie in the soul concerning it when the Generation of the Saints that he looks on as above him are of another mind This is a mysterie and a riddle that is only knowne to humble men Acts 2â— 9. Say they let us not be too violent against Paul Who knoweth but that an Angel hath revealed this to him So a humble heart thinks this is the will of God and I dare die for it but this is the time of pouring out of the spirit and such men as are above me they are of another mind and how doe I know but God may be in it So there is a holy suspicion that yet hinders not full assurance that riseth meerly out of reverence and respect of all the Saints that he sees and thinks are above him Therefore we have proud spirits a devillsh spirit of pride among us when a man shall conceit that he only is in the right and slight others We have every good gift from above and I must not be angrie with yonder man because he doth not beleive as I say for he hath received of God what he hath But when a man shall say this thing I think to be so and all the rest of the World are Schismaticks and factious people it is an argument of a devillish spirit of a proud spirit at the best Fourthly from this for they depend one upon another you may know a humble heart in his demeanour to the Saints he is very meek 4. He is meek to Saints of another mind and patient and long-suffering towards other Saints that are otherwise minded and hence it is from his humilitie that hee is meeke and patient For he thinks eyther be is in the truth or I he thinks one thing and I another if he be in the truth and I be not God will reveale it in due time to me and if I be in the truth and he be not God will reveale it to him in due time Therefore he sayth that is a golden rule Rom. 14. 5. Let every man be perswaded in his owne mind whatsoever is not of faith is sin Therefore he will not doe as many men doe in our times if men differ a tittle from them they crie out we shall have the Common-wealth and the Kingdome undone and such and such are Hereticks and schismaticks and one will have them â—â—â—â—shed and another will have them imprisoned and there must be fire and fagot and it may be some of Gods people may be carried with the rous of blaspheming creatures that raile at the people of God who have various dispensations various graces in a various measure and manner But these are not humble persons for I never heard a humble Saint use that language And I dare say it is for want of grace eyther men have no grace at all or else it is because they have not this grace of humility in their soules Fiftly the demeanour of a humble heart toward 5. He yeelds to the reproofe or instruction of others the Saints will appeare also in this marke it a humble heart he dares not resist or slight reproofe or instruction from the meanest Saint because he sees him above him that is the reason you know the Scripture is full of it how David was a man after Gods owne heart therefore he had a humble and good heart when Ahigal a woman comes to give him instruction that he should not shed innocent bloud blessed be the Lord sayth he and blessed be thy councel it is good councel And Job sayth If I have not hearkened to my maid servant it were a wickednesse to be punished by the Judg he would hearken to her if shee reprooved him and admonished him and instructed him in any thing How was Apollo an eloquent man taken and instructed by a crafts-man and his Wife and the wife did teach him for ought I know as much if not more then her husband the holy-Ghost puts her first he learned the Gospell of God and Christ from them David did learne from his enemies he did take a reproofe from one of the worst of his enemies And sayth Paul Rom. 2. 12. When I come we shall be edified by our mutuall faith Paul thought they would doe him good and he would
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
had sayd doe not mistake me it is a great priviledg to have the law fulfilled for you but it is not by your owne strictness and zeale and though some of you goe further then others yet none of you can attaine the fulfilling of the law that way for all are come short Rom. 3. But it is those that walk after the spirit that is those that seeke it in a way of faith in another not in themselves those that seeke it according to the principles and directions of the Gospell Now because I know this Exposition is harsh to many of you Though I exclude not the other therfore I shall endeavour to shew you three things First I will proove clearly out of the Scriptures That flesh is so understood that this is the meaning Secondly I will give you a reason why that is the cheife meaning Thirdly I shall give you a few Reasons why the Apostle saith that they that walk according to the Covenant of Works walk according to the flesh and they that goe according to the way of faith walk according to the spirit Concerning the First that flesh is often taken 1. prooved by Scriptures clearly in this sence I will give you some places of Scripture Gal. 3. 3. This I would learn of you received you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith Are ye so foolish that having begun in the spirit are you now made perfect in the flesh We see in Chap. 1. They are called to the grace of Christ through the Gospell Gospell principles were rightly and savingly practised among them and after there came some among them that perverted them and sayth he are ye so foolish that having begun in the spirit and have had Christ crucyfied among you that now you will be made perfect by the flesh That now you will goe and seeke justification by your owne works and goe about to keep the law c. Another place is in Phillip 3. 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh and then he speakes of the priviledges of an Israelite and if you looke further Vers 7. I count all these loss that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine owne righteousness which is of the law but that which is of the faith of Christ So by flesh he meanes the righteousnesse of the law which he throwes away for the righteousnesse which is of faith Take another place Rom. 10. 5. Compared with Rom. 6. 14. Sayth the Apostle sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace When you were under the law and walked after the flesh sin had dominion over you and you obeyed it Here is a paralell place for sayth the Apostle When you were in the flesh the motions of sin by the law did Work in your Members When you were in the flesh that is when you were under the law then the motions of sin did work But now sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the law you are not in the flesh you doe not walk according to the flesh And that I suppose is the meaning of that Scripture 2 Pet. 2. 10. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly and to reserve the wicked to be punished but cheifly those that walk after toe flesh in the lusts of uncleanness Now if you take walking after the flesh for sinfull wayes it would be the same as if he had said there are diverse people that walk wickedly but cheifly they that walk after the flesh for all people naturolly walk after the flesh but these were a peculiar people that the Lord would bring judgements on and they walked according to the flesh Who were they They were most of them Jewes they were Adams Sons that walked in the old Covenant cheifly they that walk according to the flesh that is the meaning of it or else he would not have said according to the flesh for every man naturally walks according to the flesh So in this text Who walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit and in the 8 Verse of this Chapter They that are in the flesh cannot please God Now I shall open that by another Scripture Heb. 11. 5. Where it is said that Henoch pleased God We read of Henoch Gen. 5. 24. That he Walked with God he walked not according to the flesh now sayth the Apostle without faith it is impossible to please God now he that walks in the flesh cannot please God Why so He that goes not in the way of faith by Jesus Christ he cannot please God By beleiving I please God by walking in the obedience of faith to God I and my works please God Now to please implies one that was offended before all my doing cannot please God but my beleiving presenting to God a perfect righteousnesse by faith pleaseth God and then all my works are accepted There are two words for it in the Originall One signifies to please one that hath been offended another is pleasingnesse with one that hath not offended as my child pleaseth me though he have not offended me but the other is to be pleased with one that was an Enemy before one that was against me that is now received to favour So I have told you breifly some Scriptures to shew you that flesh is taken in this sence Now the maine reason of it why I beleive this It is the scope of this Epistle to be the cheife meaning of it is because that I see clearly that this is the cheife drift and scope of this Epistle and if I may speake without disparagement there is nothing more methodically layd downe and this is spoken to bring them from the way of works to the way of faith But I hasten Why doth the holy Ghost call walking after the Covenant of Works and after the law walking after the flesh and the other walking after the spirit The reason is because there is so great affinity 3. Why walking after the Law is called walking after the flesh and nearness between walking legally and walking sinfully that they are promiscuously in Scripture taken one for another For let a man walk and endeavour and doe his best according to the law and not by the Gospell he shall be sure to walk 1. They are taken one for another in Scripture sinfully and carnally there is no help for it If he be under the law sin will have dominion over him and if he go after the flesh the motions of the flesh will bring forth fruit unto death Sin and the law are as it were of so near a kin that the law makes sin more sinfull and the more a man strives to keep the law the more he sins The Apostle brought it so neare that people were ready to speake non-sence that the law was sin He prevents the objection Is the law sin O no sayth he sin is
ungodly and doth deale despightfully with us as Christ saith then to doe him good and blesse when he curseth and pray for him that injureth us Beloved this is Gospell goodnesse I have had many thoughts of it had I time to proove that this Gospell goodnesse is a peice of the new Creature that was not in old Adam There was goodnesse in Adam but not this as for instance there are diverse things we find among Professors that in the last day will be found to be nothing but the Old Adam but Ishmaells that are humbled to the height and ye shall see in them a great deale of diligence in Gods service but where will you finde a Professor one of 500. and I speake with the least that you may clearly reade Gospell goodnesse in him that you may say younder is a man that if you curse him he will love you and if you doe him hurt and that despitefully he will pray for you It is an easie thing to kindle a brand that hath been once lighted to doe that which Adam did but to doe this is a higher matter As man was created after the Image of God so the Creatures in a sort were created after the Image of man Now as in Creatures in a Dogg there is love and the like But where is there a Creature that if you doe him mischiefe will not endeavour to doe you the like againe or at least wise runne away But where is a piece in the Old creation that doth lâ—ve his enemies And whereas it is said Adam was created after the image of God and God loves his enmies I answer God then in that Covenant was not in a disposition to love his enemies but to hate his enemies and sinners and curse them and damne them but now in Jesus Christ he loves his Enemies and therefore according to his minde he revealed to Adam it was not so and many other reasons I had but this I present to you with submission I doe not speake curiosities but I finde and see very little of this scarcely any there was a candid goodnesse in the primitive Church which is not now to be which is not now to be found now nothing but biting and teareing and devouring one another well there is one word he doth it by a spirituall Creation 2. By spirituall illumination Then Secondly he brings the soule to this way of spirituall reasoning by spirituall illumination he created faculties before and now he casteth in light as he did in the old creation you know he made Heaven and Earth in the lumpe and then said let there be light Now that is the reason when the Gospell is Preched and there is the spirit of God going with the Word and thou are darke and canst not receive this light the new creature is not framed in thee if thou hast no eyes thou canst not see and if a man have eyes he cannot see in a darke roome Now when the new man is made then the Lord sends in light and it is not every light for there are many lights a blind man as it were hath an Hypocrite hath them but it is a powerfull light that God Saints have a powerfull light puts in for we doe finde that there is a kinde of light in Hypocrites but yet there is not power in them there is not light to bring them to such kinde of reasoning as will bring them to any good or from any evill they will talke of drunknesse and Whoredome and the like but have not power to bring them off from any of these things Indeed a Saint may be overcome of his lusts that warre in his Members but there is a law in his mindâ— that is there is a light that is like unto a Law that hath power in it that he seeth Christ doing them away I am sorry I have not time to open this unto you farther but remember it Thirdly the Lord will doe it by suggestion that is the spirit of God puts light into the soule he puts a measure of light to dwell in every new creature and that powerfully But because the way of of the Saints are so darke in this World and thorow so much difficulty the spirit of God prompts a Saint allwayes when he is at a loss As among Schollers we shall see somtimes a man is almost borne downe and then another giveth him an Argument or distinction to helpe him and then he carries it and so the flesh hath reasons and arguments as we are going along and now though there be a measure of light a stock of light dwelling in us yet we are nonplussed by the flesh and then the spirit of God suggesteth somwhat to us and we are carried thorow as you have it in Mat. 20. When you are brought before Governours it is not you that speake but the spirit of God that prompteth you Fourthly the spirit doth it by Conviction that 4. By conviction is another way we have it Joh. 16. Saith Christ when I goe I will send my spirit and my spirit shall convince the World of sin reproove you have it he shall convince the World of sin of righteousnesse judgement The word signifies when he saith the spirit will convince that is by way of Argument the meaning is that in every carnall mans heart there are arguments against faith and for his owne destruction and strong ones too And when we Preach to you ye bring reason against reason and so goe away unconvinced unconverted but the spirit will ronvince you that is he will bring such strong arguments as Doctor PRESTON saith from Heaven that will convince you As when a stronger man commeth he disarmeth the other as before we thought godlinesse nothing but Heresie and Puritansme and the like but now the spirit convinceth you you see this is the only way and out of this way I shall never see God and the like Another way I find the spirit doth it by is by 5. By commemoration commemoration by minding us of what we have heard or somthing we have knowne before it is our remembrance Therefore saith Christ I will send my spirit and he shall bring to your remembrance what you have heard not that you shall remember a whole Sermon and Repeate it every word but thus it is he will either suggest thoughts Nenever had before or bring to our remembrance a word we have heard of such a Preacher in such a place or Read in such a place or thought in such a walke or the like and so setteth on and carrieth on the worke And he doth it by consolation he is the Comforter 6. By consolation the consolation of the spirit Beloved this is certaine that ye know trouble of mind exceedingly hinders the acts of reason That 's the reason men are madd because some fumes rise up in the braine and trouble the mind that they cannot reason but are madd Beloved our troubles of mind and soule
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