all righteousnesse but nulled no Law he fulfills the Law in us whiles he enables ro believe that he fulfilled it for us The Ministry of the Gospel is the Ministry of Rom. 3. 31 life of righteousnesse and of the Spirit we establish the Law by faith we magnifie it and make it honourable we bring to glorious liberty not to base licentiousnesse which is most absolute slavery We advance godlinesse while our Doctrine forms it in power and destroyes a powerlesse form of it we maintaine good workes while through the Gospel the sinner is called to come to God through Christ alone and God takes him into his own gracious and powerful hands and makes molds fashions him in his own workmanship in Christ Jesus created anew unto good Eph. 2. 10. works O ye Pontificians ye Papists and all others to whom the Gospel comes know ye The Law is not against the Promise The Promise ingraves the Law in the fleshly tables of the heart This Doctrine also tries and differenceth 2. To try Professors Believers and Believers Christians and Christians upon the Believer and Christian indeed the former three sentences are deeply fastened and the answers are experimentally and sweetly resented in the heart that closeth with them and receiveth the mould of them such a heart is truly believing and Christian and no other Go over them again and again in thy thoughts and try how it is with thee CHAP. IX Sheweth that the fulnesse of salvation shines in the Person who maketh saving application thereof dethâ—oning corruption of nature and ruling the whole man even the Spirit the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father and of the Sonne SECT 1. THe person applying and the manner of his application of the salvation by Christ is implied in these words who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit here the Spirit is the person that brings home this work with efficacy and power for here we have a double consideration of the Spirits work in the saved ones the first presupposed and implied namely that God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son do give to those that shall be saved the Spirit who applyeth savingly all the love of the Father and the grace of the Son who pulls the flesh or mans natural corruption out of the Throne and sets up himself to rule the man mention is made in these words of such a Spirit and who can be able to do such a work but the Spirit who is the power of the most High who will be willing but the Holy Spirit or as we usually speak the Holy Ghost likewise either sinners have this Spirit of themselves and so none have for if they had him in them by nature how is it that he ruled not how is it all by nature are under the power of the flesh living and walking in their sins or else he must be given and who can give him but God the Father and Christ his only Son this giving and working of the Spirit for the bringing home the Redemption which is in Jesus Christ is therefore necessarily implied in these words The second work of the Spirit is expressed in a Description of the Redeemed ones They walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit both these considerations are in the subject persons made partakers of that work of the Spirit two wayes commended in the words us who walk c. first that the Jews and the Gentiles the Apostles and all others that belong to God are all alike sharers in this mercy and work of the giving of the Spirit to them to apply savingâ—y this salvation and to reign in them and frame their conversation although they have not all alike this Spirit in the same measure and degree Us who walk saith the Apostle we Apostles we Jewes and you the believers at Rome to whom he wrote you that were sinners of the Gentiles us you as well as we who walk after the Spirit Secondly that neither the one nor the other of them have respect with God but in Christ No were he an Apostle not Paul himself nor do they look for part in this salvation upon lower or other termes but as they fall within this Description Hence therefore we have two things before us 1. The sixth branch of truth that proves the fulnesse of salvation in Christ 2. The third great doctrine which is The description of a true Christian The sixth branch is this The salvation of sinners by Christ is compleat Doct. 6. The Spirit of the as being savingly applied by the Spirit given of God the Father and of Christ Father and the Son applies the salvation by Christ dethroning corruption and ruling the whole man 1 Cor. 6. 11 his own Sonne to them that shall be saved In which application the Spirit dethrones the flesh and rules the whole man The sinners which are washed justified and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus have this so great a change wrought by the Spirit of our God saith the Apostle God who sent the Redeemer hath covenanted that his Word and Spirit shall be in the seed and seeds seed of the Redeemer to whom the Father gave them that he should save them as the Prophet Isaiah sheweth saying The Redeemer shall Isa 59. 21. come to Zion As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit that is upon thee that is upon Christ the Redeemer and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed for whom the Redeemer gave his soul an offering for sin and went in travel with them on the Crosse nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth Isa 53. 10. Gal. 3. 14. 1 Joh. 4. 13. 3 24 and for ever Christ hath purchased it and the believer is possessed of it Hereby we know saith the Apostle that we dwell in God and God in us even by the Spirit which he hath given us This is that way in which he saveth even by the renewing Tit. 3. 3 5. 2 Thes 2. 13 14. 1 Thes 1. 3 4 5. of the Holy Ghost which he sheds on us abundantly through our Lord and Saviour and through this way even the sanctification of the Spirit God bringeth his chosen unto glory Hereby our election is known The Son of God the wisdome of the Father subdueth us by his Spirit poured out unto us by which he makes known his words to us This is called the Communion Pro. 1. 23. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Joh. 3. 3 5 of the holy Ghost And this is so absolutely necessary that unlesse a man be born from above of water and of the holy Ghost he can never see the Kingdome of God that is he cannot come into and enjoy eternal life in heaven he can never enter into it unlest he be born again of the holy Spirit now poured out as plentifully as water
on the judgment to come but in this way nothing so delightful as the presence of God and the light of his countenance gives peace and joy against which is no Law and which no death nor guilt of sin can destroy The Law is delightful death desirable and sinne it self made humbling and profitable because now hateful and abominable to us by how much the more we believe and know that thus God is love 3. All here is kid untill God reveal All here is mysterious 1 Cor. 2. 7. All James 1. 17 18. is heavenly all from above from above Creation from God under another notion 1 Cor. 2. 12 14. then as a Creator The animal or natural man cannot receive these things when told him cannot finde them out till they be told him but the spiritual only who hath received the Spirit of God and not the spirit which is of the world Nothing suits with these things of the Gospel but what is from above the born from above can alone close with these things They are too high for the unregenerate man who is the fool under the power of folly and values them as the Swine doth Pearls A double revelation of the Spirit is absolutely necessary to the discerning of the things of this salvation the one of the Holy Ghost inspiring the Prophets and Apostles to preach and write them the other of the same Holy Ghost as he is the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation inlightning the eyes of our understandings to know them when in and by the Word they are declared to us 1 Cor. 2. 10. Ephes 1. 17 18. 4. Here is truth of salvation and here is strength of salvation truth of salvation for God is the rock his work is perfect all his wayes are judgment A God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32. 4. And strength of salvation when he giveth quietnesse who then can make trouble and when he hideth his face who then can behold him whether it be done against a Nation or against a man only Job 34. 29. 5. Here is satisfaction and assurance to the soul satisfaction for the Lord laid on his Sonne our iniquities the Lord bruised him God gave his Son nothing can satisfie the awakened soul nothing can set down the doubting soul but God who is above the soul and above the Law above sin and Satan And assurance is here it is no venture but a state in which we may glory to cast our selves on God we Ps 62. 7. 56. 10. Rom. 8. 31 33 36. may say every one for himself in God is my glory in God will I praise his Word in God we are more than Conquerors 6. Here is irreversiblenesse God cannot lie God cannot deny himself God is not as man that he should repent he hath blessed and who shall curse Tit. 1. 2. Numb 23. 8 19. His gifts and calling are without repentance he will never repent of them Rom. 11. 29. 7. God is in Christ in Christ and in him alone is God reconciling the world to 2 Cor. 5. 19. himself he is not nor can be found in the whole work of Creation reconciling a sinner and not imputing trespasses no science of the nature of the creatures no knowledge of the connexion and rational mutual chaining of the several creatures in this whole globe as so many parts of the universe having dependence one upon another and influence into each other by way of cause and effect no knowledge of the Deity that made all and rules all no principles and seeds of virtue and righteousnesse there learned and thence gathered by all the strength of the principles of reason and light in man and improved to the utmost for the framing of thoughts desires gestures words and deeds none of these nor all these nor whatever other manifestations of the infinite invisible eternal God-head as the invisible world of Angelical spirits be they Thrones Dominions Principalities or Powers none none of them have God in them reconciling a sinful man to himself not imputing trespasses In none of these nor in all these layed together hath God set forth a ransome for a sinner a price of a redemption for a soul that hath sinned a sacrifice and sin-offering or himself appeased propitious and merciful forgiving sins and receiving the sinner into his favour or any of them set forth as a propitiation or in them as on a mercy seat as upon a throne of grace no no but God is in Christ merciful reconciling pardoning accepting into a state of grace and favour Christ Jesus God hath set forth a ransome a price of redemption a sin-offering and a propitiation for our sins Christ is the Lamb of God God hath provided the Lamb for sacrifice as Abraham answered his son Gen. 22. 7 8. Isaac who said to him My Father behold the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for a burnt-offering to whom Abraham said My son God will provide himself a Lamb for a burnt-offering Behold the Lamb of God as John the Baptist Joh. 1. 29. cryed 8. All things are of God 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. that is all things in the regeneration in the Kingdome of Christ in the businesse of Redemption in the Church of Christ as it is his Church are of God of God not in the way and the putting forth of his power and the manifestation of his glory as he is the faithful Creator but they are of God as he is the God and Father of Jesus Christ oâ—r Lord as he is pleased to set forth himself his power and glory in the way of Redemption here they are all of God and nothing of Angels or Men or of any other whatsoever Whatever is not of God in this work but of men or any other is altogether disagreeable to be rejected unprofitable and shall be rooted out 9. Here we see it makes nothing at all neither is it a pin to choose what or which of the twain befall us to be blessed of the world or to be cursed to be blessed of evil Ministers of Balaams or to be cursed to blesse our selves or to have misgiving thoughts of our selves We stand or fall to God and not to man or to our selves Heark what God saith of thee and to thee and not what man or thine own heart saith as David said of old I will hear what God the Lord Psal 85. 8. will speak 10. Here we see believing is the work that God would have of us He findes out in his own wisdome of his love and good pleasure within himself all that concerns this work it is the mystery of his will his bosome secret and counsel Ephes 1. 10. his Spirit must reveal and tell it if he speak not if he give not out his Word none can dive into it now then he testifyeth and we are to receive his testimony and to believe his Word he that believeth sets to his seal that God
and floods according to the promise of the Old Testament this our Apostle is peremptory If any have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his There are three that bear Record in heaven Isa 44. 3. Rom. 8. 9. 1 Joh. 5. 7 8. and three that bear Record on earth unto the salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ and the Spirit is one of each three The Spirit is the witnesse that testifieth of Christ and the Spirit is the witnesse that testifieth in the true Christian that he is the child of God the believer hath the witnesse in himself the word of Scripture is the Spirits Testimony in this word as in his Chariot the Spirit cometh into the heart by this word engraffed which is the Spirits work he dwells there and in and by this word which he quickneth he gives in his witnesse that we are the Children of God Now it is the compleatnesse of this work of the Spirit which is here to be considered And this will be manifest if we observe diligently the opening of these seven things 1. Who this Spirit is Seven things unfolded touching the Spirit 2. What is his saving work in and upon the elect of God and the Redeemed of Christ 3. That the Spirit is in Office to do that saving work and his faithfulnesse in this his Office 4. The peculiar works of the Spirit in order to this saving work 5. The Inhabitation of this Spirit where he is thus given 6. The time of his coming And lastly 7. The peculiarity and appropriation of this work to the elect of God the Father and to the Redeemed of Jesus Christ SECT 2. 1. Who this Spirit is This Spirit is the holy Ghost for so the Apostle in this Chapter maketh it cleare 1. Who is this Spirit when he calls him the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ ver 9. and the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead the Spirit that shall quicken our mortal bodies in ver 11. and in ver 16. he distinguisheth this Spirit from our spirits in the point of witnesse-bearing Therefore the Spirit is the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit as our Translators also render it in the Epistle to the Ephesians Ch. 1. 13. ch 4. 30. which is all one in sense the word Spirit being from the Latine and Ghost an old English word Now that we may know who the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit is note 2. He is God he is true and very God equal in power and glory with the Father and the Sonne the same God in essence though a distinct 1 Joh. 5. 7 person in the God-head and the third person for there are three and these three are one three persons the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Ghost the Son is not the Father nor the Holy Ghost the holy Ghost is not the Father nor the Son they are three yet these three are one God not three Gods one God in essence the God-head of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is but one Spirit here is taken personally and not essentially as when it is said God is a Spirit and these three are one in bearing Record one God in bearing Record yet three that bear Record three persons and one God and that he is God is manifest The Lord is that Spirit or that Spirit is the Lord. We are transformed into the 2 Cor. 3. 17. v. 18 Image of God in beholding in the glasse of the Gospel the glory of God and this transformation is wrought even as by the Spirit of the Lord that is it is such a work as none can do but the Spirit of the Lord and such wherein the Spirit of the Lord is plainly seen an expression like that concerning Christ Jesus We saw his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father as is not of similitude or likenesse for no like is the same but as of specification of the very things as the glory that is no other or lesse than the very glory of the only begotten of the Father So likewise here as by the Spirit of the Lord that is by no other worker and by no lesse than by the very Spirit of the Lord and it may also be read which I most approve as most agreeing to the whole Context going before especially in ver 17. as by the Lord the Spirit Again To tempt the Spirit is to tempt Act. 5. 3 4. Isa 6. 9. with Act. 28. 25. God as we find in the History of Ananias and Sapphira The Lord Jehovah spake by the Prophet Isaiah and Paul saith the holy Ghost spake those same words by Isaiah The name Jehovah is the name of the true God only this his name which is his alone he will never give to another but here it is the name of the Holy Ghost Jehovah is the Holy Ghost who spake by the Prophets and who is as the Nicene Creed professeth The Lord and giver of life The properties also of the God-head are given to the holy Ghost as eternity Heb. 9. 14. Psa 139. 7. called the eternal Spirit Omnipresence or to be present in all places at once as David sang whither shall I go from thy Spirit Omnipotence to be Almighty and this the works of the Spirit do manifest he doth the works of God the works which only God can do as the work of Creation by the Spirit of the Lord were the Psal 33. 6 Job 26. 13 Job 33. 4. 32. 8. Gen. 1. 2. with Deut. 32. 11. Isa 61. 1. 48. 16. 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10 11. heavens made the Spirit garnished the heavens and made man as Elihu said The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life The â—nspiration of the Almighty giveth men understanding Likewise the work of preservation the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters or was moving with an hatching virtue as the bird sitteth upon the eggs and hovereth over her young to cherish and preserve them his work is the sending and anointing of Jesus Christ the gifts of tongues and miracles and the like which he distributeth as he will These works declare the deity of the holy Ghost and they declare it above Suae libertatis arbiter omnia pro authoritate propriae voluntatis dividens Ambr. l 1. c 2. de spiritu sancto 2 Cor. 13. 14. Rev. 1. 4. the force and reach of all cavills of sophistical blasphemers and to the strong Consolation of all believers he it is that applies with saving efficacy the love of the Father and the grace of the Son Divine honour is also given to him as to be baptized into his Name to pray and blesse from him to call upon him And in the second to the Thessalonians Ch. 3. ver 5. the Apostle prayeth thus The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient
waiting for Christ So Ambr. l. 3. de spir sancto c. 15 The same Father urgeth also that place in 1 Thes 3. 12 13. patrem dixit filium dixit quem ergo cumpatre filio praeter Spiritum junxit Mark 3. 29. Heb. 10. 29. Here are three distinct persons God to be beloved Christ to be waited for with patience and the Lord to whom the prayer is made that he would direct the hearts of believers into that love and patient waiting Now this Lord is the Lord the Spirit who directs the hearts of those whom he sanctifieth and enableth to believe Against the holy Ghost sinne may be committed and to great height and men may commit such sin against him as may become unpardonable because they wilfully and maliciously oppose and despight him in the manifestations of his presence and gracious workings in the Gospel for the Application of this salvation therefore he is very God he is the Spirit of grace 2. He is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son the Spirit of God and the Spirit Rom. 8. 9. Isa 61. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 11. Gal. 4. 6. of Christ He proceedeth * Joh. 15. 26. from the Father and the Sonne and according to this his existing about the work of saving application of Redemption he is sent forth of the Father as he is the Spirit of his Sonne into the hearts * Gal. 4. 6. of those that are priviledged with the Adoption of children God the Father sendeth him as he is the Comforter and the Son Jesus Christ sendeth him and therefore he is Joh. 15. 26 Alius non aliud Joh. 14. 16 another a distinct person not another thing he is another Comforter the Lord Jesus the Bridegroome he is one Comforter the holy Spirit in the Bridegroome and the Bride one and the same he is another Comforter he is the Spirit who knoweth the whole heart and the most hid councels and secrets of the Father and the Son these Gospel Mysteries the 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. secrets of this bosome-love into which no Angels of light could dive no more than a man can know what is in another man unlesse he reveale it This is he who works in us to bring home this salvation therefore it is done most effectually and most comfortably SECT 3. 2. What is his saving work In the Elect of God the Father and in The saving work of the Spirit made up of 14. works the Redeemed of Jesus Christ his Son the Redeemer The holy Ghost hath his saving work and it is made up of these several works following 1. Renovation or regeneration In which the holy Ghost by the word of Christ as water as a laver of water washing a sinner as floods of waters poured out upon the dry and barren heart doth clense and wash and in the washing change and make a new the sinner The word of the Gospel is as pure water and water fructifying The Lord Jesus Christ is a fountain opened for sin and uncleanenesse who came both by blood and water all sorts of clensings and washings are found in him and the holy Ghost in the work of his grace by the Record by making the sinner to know his own foulnesse and uncleanenesse by sin and the fulnesse of clensing away sin by a bathe of that water and by a Sacrifice in that blood which is in Jesus Christ the only Sonne of God crucified and by taking the basin of the Word which sets forth Christ into his own hands to sprinkle and rinse the sinner so enlightened and by taking hold also of such a sinner to put him into this laver and under this sprinkling he makes the heart to feel Christs love and the flinty rockinesse of it to melt and flow down before the Lord God and all the abilities of his soul to flow together and rise up towards the Lord Jesus with strong and fixed desires and then the holy Spirit is as water water that catrieth with it and in it the virtue of Christs blood set Joh. 3. 5 6 8. forth in the Gospel all to the washing and renewing and begetting again in such wise that this sinner is born from above Tit. 3. 5 6. born of the Spirit born of God and Christ is formed in him The party came into this laver a sinful man all leprous a dead man but he comes out of it a new man a living changed man quite another man than he was before Behold the laver of regeneration the renewing of the holy Ghost shed on a poor humbled sinner abundantly and richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour this work is of absolute necessity for old and young for learned and unlearned for Jew and Gentile And as that which is born of the flesh is carnal corrupt earthly low and weak so that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit spiritual pure heavenly high and powerful and discerning the holy Mysteries of the Gospel of the high and holy God 2. Sanctification the Apostle Peter describeth a true member of the Church a subject of grace and peace by the work of the three persons in the undivided Godhead about his salvation so that the Spirits work is that which singleth out the individual person from among all other the children of men and seateth the Fathers love and the Sonnes grace of Redemption upon him particularly This is the Description He is one Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Sanctification is we see the saving work of the Spirit Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 1 Thes 2. 13 14. is the way through which God calling sinners thereunto by the Gospel ministred by the ministry of the New Testament doth bring those whom he hath chosen from the beginning to salvation unto the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as this Apostle Paul teacheth in another place Now the sanctifying work of the Spirit is this 1. He illightens and this illumination is accompanied 1. With wisdome that knows things as they are and values them as they are worth that knows the worth of the things of God in Christ discovered according to their excelling nature and difference and prefers them above all other things and it is 2. With Râ—velation also bringing Ephes 1. 17 18. the things of Christ unto the mind in Gods own light in a light above the light of mans reason And it is thirdly with rectifying or rather making anew the Organe the eyes of our understandings which were covered with blindnesse and Mat. 16. 17 that blindnesse was in and from our birth so that we were born blind they are opened that we may know All this is beyond the illumination which is of common grace and which may be found in the best of hypocrites 2. He quickens he causeth the dead in sins and trespasses to
awake arise and live he is the Spirit of life the righteousnesse of Christ declared and set forth by God in the Gospel and brought home to the soul of an humbled sinner by the word attended with the Spirit and the Spirit is life because of this righteousnesse life from the death of condemnation which sin deserved life from the death of sin life true and joyful 3. He circumcises the heart with a circumcision made without Rom. 2. 29 Col. 2. 11. hands In this work the word is the circumcising knife this knife is taken into the hand of the Spirit the heart is the part that is to suffer and not the flesh or body of the sinner the fore-skin is the superfluity of maliciousnesse and wickednesse Jam. 1. 21. Deut. 30. 6. the skin upon the heart the skin of other loves which oppose the love of God as self-love the love of the world the love which is called lust and the love of superstitious vanities and mens inventions in Religion and worship and the cutting off this fore-skinnesse is when the word in the hand of the Spirit and by it skilfully used getting between our hearts and them it makes the heart to see them to be such as the word sayes of them and to judge it self for them and to cast them away as unprofitable and destructive even because of Christ circumcised and made under the Law for us and for our deliverance from the same Law Untill this work be done no love of God can be wrought in us strange loves have the heart and when this work is done it reacheth to the circumcision of the ears and of the lips and of the whole man Insomuch that the body of the sinnes of the flesh the whole frame of sinful flesh suffers and is destroyed 4. He gives us spiritual senses and a sagacity and quicknesse of sente whereby he makes us savour spiritual things and to smell out and delight to pursue spiritual wayes this work is so eminent that the Rom. 8. 5. Isa 11. 2 3 newborn babe can taste distinguishingly the sincere milk of the Word fit to feed batten and make to grow from all adulterate stuffe and can see and discern judiciously the things of the Spirit of God from all other things and make up a right judgement concerning them and can in hearing try the words of doctrine delivered and try the spirits in the teachers the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of Antichrist the Spirit of God and the spirit which is of the world the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour In ordering his Conversation he can sente and smell the wayes of holinesse from those of profanenesse so that he is of quick understanding in the feare of the Lord and is sensible and hath his feeling of spiritual mercies and plagues of sin that annoyes spiritual life and of the power and spiritualnesse of Ordinances and Administrations from ordinances of men in will-worship and formal out-sidednesse and shews and florishes in administrations All this the new born babe is able to do by a naturalnesse like an instinct though for want of Art or of strength of the reasoning ability or not yet having the wits the senses exercised in the word of righteousnesse he cannot shew to his own or others satisfaction where the fault lyeth much lesse is able to dispute it and by arguing convince the evil doers the opposer and the pleader for the evil the quicknesse of spiritual senses doth grow as age in Christ cometh on the Spirit in this work rested upon Jesus Christ as he was man in all fulnesse as became our head and it is on every living member of his mystical body according to his place of membership as becomes such a Member 5. He writes his law in our hearts The Law 2 Cor. 3. 2 3 Rom. 8. 2 that is the summe of revealed truth both of the Law strictly so called the Law of the ten Commandments and of the Gospel this is that which is written the writing is such an engraving of the truth with love of the truth upon our hearts made soft tender and fleshy as that it cannot be blotted out The soul may be torn from the body but the truth cannot be torn out of the heart And this impression of the truth is such that now it is the Law of the mind which Laws the man It is the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus as the Head and in them as the members this is an heavenly edition of the Bible so imprinted upon the soul that the man becomes a living walking Bible which print comes off so fair in the life of the regenerate and sanctified that they are the Epistles of Christ to be seen and read of all men 6. He gives liberty he sets us free from the law of sinne and death the title the dominion of sin is taken away that we may 2 Cor. 3. 17. Rom. 8. 2. Joh. 7. 37 38. 4. 14 become servants of righteousnesse 7. He is a spring and rivers of lâ—ving waters in our bellies flowing up within us unto eternal life Our hearts by nature are as a dry and barren howling Wildernesse not fit for habitation nor bearing any good plants untilled and horrid to the sight It is the Spirits work to be in us whom the Lord will save changing the very will breaking open springs and causing Rivers of sweet wholesome and healing waters of the blessings of the Gospel of all gifts and graces and grounds of comfort to flow within us even in the very heart and conscience in the belly of the man and there these waters to be not as standing lakes and ditch-water but ever streaming out and fed from the hid well-head of the holy Spirit When this work is in us then of Wildernesses we become fruitful Fields then we have within us Isa 44. 3. 49. 10. Joel 3. 18. Zach. 14. 8 that which will satisfie and will allay and quench our thirsts our souls will be as a well-watered garden whose waters never fail 8. He causeth all the fruits of graces fructifying to be in us and to abound in us all his fruits he maketh to break Ephes 5. 9 Gal. 5. 22 23. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 13. forth all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance against which and such like there is no Law 9. He transforms us into the image of God from glory to glory 10. He enableth us to believe and Eph. 2. 18. Jude 20. Gal. 4. 6. to speak by confession to pray to the Father through Christ with gracious and fervent desires crying Abba Father to mortifie the deeds of the body our members that are on the earth and to be crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts Rom. 8. 13 Gal. 5. 24. thereof that old bel-dame original sin the sinfulnesse of our natures in which we
were conceived and born with all the cursed brats thereof inward and outward in which actual transgressions she hath been and is prodigiously fruitful To be purifying the soul in obeying the truth unto more and more unfeignednesse in faith love meeknesse patience and in every other 1 Pet. 1. 22 Ezek. 36. 27. 2 Tim. 1. 14 grace to walk in Gods statutes to keep his judgments and to do them and to keep the faith committed to our trust as a thing deposited In all these the actions are ours the ability is the Spirits these are the works of the Spirit sanctifying us 3. Manuduction or leading by the Rom. 8. 14. hand the new born and sanctified are at first weak as children and ever after in this life stand in need of a guide such a guide as might inwardly act sweetly and powerfully draw graciously support and gently lead all this the Spirit doth for the children of God this work is accompanied with familiar sense of love and faithfulnesse taking and holding us by the right hand that our souls might follow hard after him these mighty dawnings Psal 63. 8. and sustentations the more they are felt the more are they prayed for that they might run after Christ and the more the soul is powerfully enabled in these pursuits the right hand and dexrous power of the Holy Ghost is put forth to uphold us so much the more and this work is expressed further with counsel as David Ps 73. 23 24. said thou wilt guide me with thy counsel and with inward prompting and whisprings as of a voyce behind them saying this is the way walk in it when ye turn to the Isa 30. 21. right hand and when ye turn to the left 4. Teachings as the anointing this teaching is with sweet and piercing efficacy as oyle that suppleth and entereth soakingly into flesh and bone and it is 1 â—oh 2. 20 27. with the perfume of the aromatical spicery of graces like the holy anointing oyle under the Law mentioned Exod. 30. 23 24 25. It is also with great establishment in our Royal Priest-hood and in the truth of the Gospel which we learn by this teaching therefore the Apostle John saith we have an unction from the holy one 2 Cor. 1. 21. we know all things the effect hereof is great peace of heart as it is said in prophecy concerning the true Church especially under the New Testament Ministry All thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy Isa 54. 13. children 5. Consolation he is the Comforter by leading into all truth by bringing all things unto our remembrance by filling Joh. 16. 13. 6. 14. 2 us with joy and peace in believing by making us to abound in hope of glory through his power for the work is of Rom. 13. 13. 8. 15 16. 1 Joh. 5. 6. Rom. 8. 26. 2 Cor. 1. 22. 5. 5. Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30. great and infinite power to set the heart of earthy man of sinful clay and keep it up stedfast so high as eternal life in the world to come and in the third heaven by being in us the Spirit of Adoption in his work upon the heart by witnesse-bearing by making intercession in us and for us by being the earnest in our bosomes and by sealing us up to the day of Redemption 6. Direction inward a most secret 2 Thes 3. 5. work which hath two branches or parts first the directing of the heart renewed and sanctified into every particular acting of every grace received especially of love and hope Secondly the directing of the heart into a very sensible taste and experience of comfort The words of the Apostle when he saith The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God this love of God may be understood actively of the love wherewith we love God or passively of the love wherewith God loveth us 7. Corroboration this renders the sanctifyed mighty in doing and in suffering enlarged to receive and hold the strong wine of Gospel mysteries and to walk at liberty in the wayes of Gods Commandments making their way through all impediments and oppositions confirmed in the truth and enabled to stand fight and overcome in the spiritual warfare This strengthens with might in the inner man the regenerate and no other have an inner man this is from the gracious free-gift of God as the Father of Christ according to riches of glory according to his Ephes 3. 14 16 20 19. Col. 1. 11. glorious power and from the energy the effectual working of the power of God working in us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think and this work is unto the dwelling of Christ in the heart by faith unto our rooting and grounding in love unto capacious comprehensions of the every way unmeasurable measures of the love of God and of Christ unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulnesse in the profession of Christs name and Gospel and unto the filling with all the fulness of God even the fulnesse of his image 8. The giving of supplies which for the manner of the work is by influence from Phil. 1. 19 Eph. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. Christ the head to believers as his members for measure it is in a proportion agreeable to the measure of every part for the things ministred grace and life spiritual and for the next end nourishment more firm knitting to the head and to every fellow-member and increase with the increase of God that is with a mighty increase an increase which beareth before it the work and blessing of no lesse nor of any other than of God himself 9. The shedding abroad of Gods love in Christ even the sense of that love in Rom. 5. 5. with the context from ver 1. to the 11. ver and upon the heart that lieth now next the heart nothing comes between this love and the heart it is plentifully poured on it this work strengtheneth hope patience experience joy in tribulations even unto glorying and holy humble boasting peace of conscience faith in Jesus Christ liberty of accesse into the favour and free-grace of God and standing in the same so that we joy in God against whom we have sinned this causeth all gladnesse more than that gladnesse of Psal 4. 7 8 corne and wine abounding more than all the comforts of this earthly Creation and it setleth the soul in holy safety and security 10. Assistance in persecutions this appears by special teachings of the Spirit to Mat. 10. 20 wisdome power and utterance which the Adversaries cannot gain-say or resist and by the resting of the Spirit on us as the Spirit of glory against the shame and as the Spirit of God against the pain of the Crosse by delivering also from the spirit of fear even a low pusillanimous slavish 1 Pet. 4. 14. base fearful perplexed selfish revengeful giddy turn-coat unsound
carnally politick temper of the soul and be in us the Spirit of power of love and of a sound minde and by giving suffering 2 Tim. 1. 6 7. graces and comforts fitted to the present suffering condition whatsoever it be Lastly by enabling â—o come to God in prayer when the extremities of sufferings the darknesse of Gods wayes in that dispensation and the difficulties of the times in which we are placed and the perplexednesse of our and the Lords cause we are to stand for by mens subtleties or otherwise is such that we know not what or how to ask as we ought yet even in this case the Spirit it self maketh intercession in us with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed this is the proper sense of the Apostle in that place to the Romans Chap. 8. verse 26. 11. The making us Gods habitation he makes first his own way into the sinful Eph. 2. 22. secure proud hard stony and dead heart and then he prepares for God an habitation there he makes us a spiritual house and an holy Priesthood in that spiritual house he builds us to be a Temple to God that he may walk in them and 1 Pet. 2. 5. 2 Cor. 6. 16 dwell in them this he doth by building us as lively stones on Christ the choicest foundation stone by furnishing us with the Temple-furniture through the doctrine of Christ received and by consecration And he maketh believers Priests by consecâ—ation with the anointing and by the besprinkling of the blood of Christ by cloathing with the Priestly Robes of justification and sanctification and by bestowing on them the hearts and dispositions of consecrated Priests 12. Mansion or abode for ever in Gods people This work is most comfortable the world cannot receive the Spirit they know him not Christs true Disciples John 14. 16 17. know him and receive him and he comes and not as a guest for a night or so but as the inhabitant that dwells in them as in his house and Temple and abides therefor ever he dwells in them as the Comforter and the Spirit of truth he supplies Christs room and presence therefore they are not Orphans here is the anointing the Chrisme that abideth in them teaching 1 Joh. 2. 27. with ver 20. 24. them of all things that are delivered in the Scripture in which doctrine of the Word of truth the true Christian maketh conscience to abide and continue as ever they would continue in the Sonne and in the Father 13. The uniting them to Jesus Christ the husband of the Church and to all true 1 Cor. 16. 17. Christians as all of them make up one body and Bride of such a Lord the only Sonne of the living God and God blessed Rev. 22. 17. for ever in uniting true believers to Jesus Christ as Bridegroome he raiseth in them espoused conjugal love and fidelity vehement desires after his love-tokens the kisses of his mouth familiar talkings and confabulations walks together feastings mutual and imbraces these are set forth in that most spiritual book the Song of Solomon and the more they enjoy this hidden communion with Christ the more the Spirit raiseth in them desires unfeigned and fervent after with love of and waiting for the presence of Christ in his second coming which is the marriage-day the nearness of this union is such that it is thus expressed he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and that is far nearer and more excellent than to be one flesh as man and wife are one the work of the Spirit is also to unite to Christians in such wise that they are all one body this is called the fellowship of the Spirit and the unity of Ephes 4. 4 Phil. 2. 1. Ephes 4. 3 the Spirit union with Christ and with Christians is the glorious work of the Spirit the ground of communion of communication and of sympathy or fellow-feeling These are the saving works of the Spirit in the Elect and Redeemed thus enumerated Arrha docet renevat juvat obsignatque salutem Spiritus ecce docet renovat copulatque regitque consolatur Arrha salutifera for the help of memory but not determining that they are wrought in this order there is an old received verse a pair of verses which name some of them but I hope none that are judicious will either say that there are none else or that these above-named so fully described in plain Scripture and so comfortably experienced by the Saints are not the saving workings of the Spirit but how lively quick significant and discriminating of this saving work are the Scripture expressions and praises attributed to the Holy 2 Cor. 4. 13 Zach. 11. 10. Isa 4. 4. Ghost they are these the Spirit of faith the Spirit of grace and supplications the Spirit of judgment and of burning the Spirit of holiness or of sanctification Rom. 1. 4. 8. 5. Rev. 11. 11 Rom. 8. 2. Eph. 1. 17 Isa 11. 2 3 2 Tim. 1. 7. Joh. 14. 17 Ps 51. 11 12. Eph. 1. 13. Psal 45. 7. 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. Joh. 14. 16 1 Joh. 5. 6 10. Eph. 1. 14. 4. 30. Rom. 8. 23 Ezek. 36. 25. Joh. 4. 10 14. 7. 38 39. Cant. 4. 16 Hos 14. 4. Mal. 3. 11. Tit. 3. 5. 2 Thess 2. 13. Ro. 8. 26. Joh. 14. 26 1 Joh. 3. 9. Joh. 15. 26 27. the Spirit of adoption the Spirit of life the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of Christ the Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of counsel and might the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord the Spirit of love power and of a sound minde the Spirit of truth Gods holy Spirit Gods free or princely Spiâ—it the holy Spirit of promise the oyle of gladnesse the anointing the comforter the witness the earnest the seal sealing for the Saints are the seal sealed the first fruits clean water water of life a well-spring of living water the North and South wind that blowes upon the gardâ—n the dew and fire the renewing of the Holy Ghost the sanctification of the Spirit he that maketh intercession in the Saints he that brings all to their remembrance the seed that abideth in them he that enableth the belieer to bear witnesse to the truth of the Gospel with the spirit of a Martyr All this glory manifested in these saving works the children of God do feel and have the joyful experience of it in this life 14. The last saving work is for and in another world to be done at the last Rom. 8. 11 day and that is The quickening of their bodies out of the grave they shall be raised by the Spirits quickening of them as members of the body of which Christ is the head this is peculiar to the Saints who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ the Spirit which now dwells in them will in
the Resurrection at the last day quicken their mortal bodies These are great things but most sure and certain for the Holy Ghost who is the power of the Highest undertaketh this work as his Office which is the third thing proposed to be unfolded SECT 4. 2. That the Holy Ghost is in Office to do all this saving work and is faithful in this his Office Here are two things to be considered 3. He is in Office to do this work the office of the Holy Ghost and his faithfulnesse 1. The holy Ghost is in office to make good this work this is manifest first because he is sent sent of the Father sent of Christ sent into the hearts of believers Joh. 14. 26 15. 26. 16. 7. Gal. 4. 6. 1 Joh. 2. 1. Rom. 8. 26. sent upon these works Secondly He hath names which denote this his Office He is called the Comforter Another Comforter Jesus Christ he is one Comforter an Advocate with the Father now in heaven appearing for us And the holy Spirit he is not Christ he is Another he is another Comforter An Advocate in us he encourageth backeth us exhorts helps to hand over and puts into us desires and makes intercession ayding with groans unspeakable He is called The unction the anointing or Chrisme 1 Joh. 2. 20 Joh. 16. 13 Rom. 8. 15. He is called The Spirit of truth the Spirit of Adoption 2. The holy Ghost is faithful in this his Office this fidelity is many wayes expressed first in actual performance in Joh. 16. 13 14 15. us of those works for which he is sent and in regard whereof he bears his names He the Spirit of truth he will guide into all truth as in John 16. 13. in like manner is it true of every other work he is the Spirit of Adoption and he enables to cry in prayer Abba-father that is to call on God with fervency of faith so as to expresse the heart of a child towards God as to a father in Christ promised in the Old Testament an t sent accordingly in the New Testament In both Testaments together is set forth the glory of the Father and of Jesus Christ his Sonne to the full written in the Old Testament in Hebrew and in the New Testament in Greek and the Spirit frames the heart of a child and fills with the cryes of a child in prayer answerable to both Testaments manifestations and therefore it is said the Spirit causes them to cry Abba ho Pater Father Father Secondly In speaking nothing of himself he took on him nothing apart from or otherwise than what he had in charge from the Father and the Lord Jesus but what he hears of the Father and the Sonne that he speaks Even as Jesus Christ shewed his faithfulnesse to the Father that sent him in that he spake nothing but what he had heard of the Father he spake altogether what was agreeable to the old Testament Doctrine ver 13. Thirdly in glorifying Jesus Christ He shall receive and take of that which is Jesus Christs and shew it unto us John 16. 14 15. and hereby we may know the Spirit of truth from the 1 Joh. 4. 3 4 5 6. spirit of errour as the Apostle John gives the rule to try the spirits by SECT 5. 4. The peculiar works of the Spirit in order to the saving work Moreover great must needs that 4. Peculiar works of the Spirit in order to the saving work work be which hath marvelous works of the holy Ghost to be wrought and wrought every day and perfected long agoe that it may be performed now in order to the great saving work there are peculiar and wonderful works and they are manifold some respect Jesus Christ some the Scriptures some the Church and some the Ordinances take a brief of them under these four heads 1. Such works of the Spirit as respect 1. Respecting Jesus Christ Jesus Christ And so 1. The holy Ghost formed Christs humane nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary and of her seed this the Angel Gabriel declared in his answer to her enquiry the holy Ghost shall come upon thee Luk. 1. 35 36. and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God 2. The holy Ghost anointed Jesus Isa 61. 1. 11. 2 3. Act. 10. 38 Joh. 3. 34. Luk. 4. 14 18. Joh. 1. 31 32 33. Mat. 3. 16. Christ as he was man with gifts and graces so that he had the Spirit not by measure And having thus consecrated him and furnished him for the great office and work of Mediatour he with God the Father sent him 3. The holy Ghost by descending from heaven and resting upon him visibly in the shape of a Dove did publiquely shew him and seal him in his Baptism 4. The holy Ghost witnesseth that Jesus Christ who was crucified is the Sonne Act. 5. 31 32. Rom. 1. 4. of God the true Messiah he also witnesseth to the doctrine of Christs resurrection in which the deity of Jesus Christ is declared with power and likewise to the doctrine of his exaltation at the right hand of God the Father 2. Such as respect the Holy Scriptures 2. Respecting the written word 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. Act. 1. 16. Mark 12. 36. as 1. He inspired the holy men of God and infallibly dictated unto them and guided them in committing the Word of God unto writing No Scripture is of private motion the holy Ghost spake by David by Moses that faithful servant of God in all his house by Isaiah and by all the Prophets of the Old Testament Heb. 9. 8. Act. 28. 25 1 Pet. 1. 12 Luk. 1. 41 67. Act. 2. 1 Cor. 2. 10 13. the holy Ghost speaks by them so he inspired Elizabeth the Mother of John the Baptist and Zachary his father the holy Ghost came down from heaven upon the holy Apostles on the day of Pentecost the fiftieth day after Christs Resurrection induing them with power from on High and revealed to them all the deep things of God all the mystery of his will the Spirit both revealed to them the things of the Gospel and gave unto them the words in which they should speak them and leave them in writing and these words from his own teaching 2. He quickens the Word so that the Word is Spirit and life the Word is his Joh. 6. 63. Ephes 6. 17. Heb. 4. 12 13. 1 Cor. 2. 4. sword he puts an edge upon the Word making it quick and lively in operation to the dividing between the soul and spirit of man and to the searching of all the secrets of his heart that all may be naked and bare before him with whom he hath to do in the Word 3. He maketh the word to be with demonstration of the Spirit and of power that is with such power and efficacy in
ought to strive and wrestle taking the Gospels part against the adversaries thereof and this we should do together with all the Saints and faithful especially with those with whom we live and with them let us stand fast in one Spirit The unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God in his Gospel which is but one and the same word of truth should unite us in love and bind us to the peace with lowlinesse and forbearance and with due respect to the variety of the gifts of the Spirit which are the Spirits rich embroidery the ornament of the Church no way of themselves hindering unity and orderly employed and improved are to the singular profit and benefit of all and every one of the members of Christs mystical body 4. Sow to the Spirit lay out your substance Gal. 6. 8. and your worldly goods to spiritual uses to the maintenance of Christs Ministery and Ordinances to the promoting of the Gospel the Church all grace and holinesse and the hopes of glory Seek first Gods Kingdome and righteousnesse Mat. 6. 33. buy the truth and sell it not say not I must provide estates for my children maintain my family raise my posterity God cannot be mocked if thou honour not the Lord with thy substance thou doest but sow to the flesh and of the flesh thou shalt reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Say not I have already done this and that good work hast thou an opportunity do still more with thy wealth and temporals be not weary of well-doing the reaping time will come in due season Faint not therefore neither flag in the sowing time there is now the seed time the harvest day is to come in another world 5. Lastly as it is in this Text Walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh this duty makes up the description of the spirituals of the true Christian the person whom God hath loved to life everlasting and for whom the Sonne of God came into the world and gave himself to the death This is the second Consideration of the words of the Apostle which now cometh to be perused and that as they give us the third Doctrine which is the more necessary the more excellent than the two former are and the more desirable the more searching and differencing the children of God from the men of the world CHAP. X. Treating of the third great truth The lively description of the persons that shall be saved and do partake of this salvation by Jesus Christ viz. They are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit SECT 1. Doctrin 3. The persons for whom God gave his Son and the Son came into the world and gave himself are those that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit THe third great doctrine delivered by our Apostle in these verses this They that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit these are they for whom God sent his own Sonne to become flesh in the likenesse of sinful flesh to be a sacrifice for their sinnes and whose sinnes God condemned in the flesh of his Son that in and for them the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled or take it thus Those in whom the Spirit dwels applying savingly the love of the Father and the grace of the Sonne in them he so mightily rules that they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit That we may not be deceived in a matter of such importance as this is of let us 1. Understand the force of the words 2. Take them asunder in particular Opened in six particulars doctrines 3. And then Consider the Regency of the flesh 4. The Regency of the Spirit 5. The walk after the flesh 6. The walk after the Spirit And seventhly the uses of the whole First for the meaning of the words By flesh is meant the unregenerate part 1. The meaning and force of the words Col. 2. 18. Mat. 15. 19 20. in the sanctified believer the man as defiled with sinne the nature of man of man corrupted by sinne By flesh is not meant 1. Flesh in the substance of it the body opposed to the soul but both body and soul made flesh and carnal as carnal is opposed to spiritual there is the fleshly mind the soul as well as the body is defiled with sinne and depraved the soul defiles the body out of the heart cometh that which defiles the man by flesh therefore we must not understand the substance of flesh which is Gods Creature and therefore good and hath no cause of sinne in it for God is not the Author of sin neither may his workmanship be blamed without committing that great wickednesse of casting reproach upon our Maker This is to be held firm against the vile and pernicious opinions of all ancient Heretiques and our newly up-start erroneous spirits and against the received sayings of Philosophers and the dangerous tenets and expressions of some Divines as if the mind and soul were pure and receiveth its defilement from the body By flesh is not meant 2. Flesh in the natural desires of food sleep generation rayment recreation motion rest and if there be any thing else that accompanies the life of man in this world These are not evil in themselves it is inordinacy that makes them evil faulty and sinful Nor doth flesh note out 3. Humane wisdome and reason and the moral actings and projectings thereof All which kept within their own sphere and acting regularly are most useful to societies commendable among all and serviceable to the Kingdome of Jesus Christ Nor much lesse by flesh may be understood 4. The sparkles of the light that is born with us and in us or the reliques of Gods Image in body or soul or in the whole man Nor yet under the word flesh may we understand 5. The necessary helps of this present life as lands money friends with the like subsidiary ayds Nor 6. Natural diseases infirmities or defects of body or mind In this sense there is an honour due to the flesh and a lawful satisfying of its desires and needs and to deny them to it though Col. 2. 23. upon devout pretence is sinful and falls under that Commandment Thou shalt not kill But by flesh is meant the sinful disposition and this is called flesh not as if this sinfulnesse were first in the body for the soul the fairest part of it the top of it the mind is polluted we are strangers from God in our mindes the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 23. Col. 1. 21. of the mind must be renewed ere ever it will be good Quest Why then may it be said Is corruption of nature which is first and most notably in the chiefest faculties of the soul called flesh Answ First Because the very soul is flesh that is it is defiled with sinne and tyed down to
the senses Secondly this pollution is innate and connate it is born in us and born with us It is as old as we are It was in us in our very conception it is bred up with us It discovers it self as we discover the use of our reason and it will be in us while we are in this frame and building Thirdly because we are as tender of it as we are of our very flesh Fourthly because there is a body of it a whole consisting of many members joynted together and ministring nourishment to every part for the encrease of the whole A whole composed heap not only spreading it self through the whole man and discovering it self in every member of the body but having also all the several wickednesses which ever were committed in it in the seed and spawn of them It is not some one transgression but many as the body is not one member but many and these many are knit together in an hellish order Fifthly because this is propagated as our bodies and flesh is propagated but our souls are not God is the Father of our spirits but men the fathers of our bodies therefore it may well be called flesh Sixthly because the motions of this original pollution are in the members of our bodies By spirit is meant not the soul nor the mind or understanding faculty the highest that is in man nor conscience the Character of the reasonable creature But by spirit is meant the Spirit of Christ sanctifying the man and dwelling in him through the Word of God engraffed and the regenerate part the Divine nature or disposition wrought by the Spirit of God the holy Ghost and conformable to the Image of Jesus Christ Iâ— this work there is the seed first of all grace and that under the New Testament in a largenesse Secondly it is in the whole man in soul spirit and body Thirdly and that too in truth or sincerity Fourthly it is of God in Christ for its original And fifthly for its continuance it is of incorruptible seed and abideth for ever Sixthly for its piercing effectualnesse in operation it leavens the whole man It is deepest and chiefest in the soul It is spreading and thorow in what it works It is active according to its own sphere which is supernatural and celestial yea supercelestial and according to its rise which is from the Spirit for whatsoever is of the Spirit is Spirit After notes the rule and guide and from that rule the force which swaies and carries out the man in his actions Walking notes 1. The course taken upon choice and 2. The progresse in that course or way with 3. Pressing on still forwards and 4. With perseverance and constancy till we come to the end Not after the flesh but after the Spirit That is refusing that and choosing this for guide and removing from the wayes and walks of the flesh to go in these that are after the Spirit Walking after the flesh is mentioned to shew that Original sinne is the sinne that reigns every actual sinne hath its strength in the corruption of nature Thither we must ascend in the work of mortification if we would kill sinne dead the root Crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof The lopping of a tree destroyes not the tree he that would not serve any sinne must destroy the body of sinne and not some one or two members only and he that would destroy the body of sinne must crucifie the old man Walking after the Spirit sheweth that all grace is brought into us from without from above from the holy Ghost It is not from a seed in us which is born with us and lyeth as the seed of Corn doth awhile buried in the earth It is not from any power or spirit that is in the Creature or in this visible Globe or in the Creatures Angelical It is from the Spirit of the Father and of the Sonne Again this sheweth that all grace is yet truely in us from the holy Ghost dwelling in us through the Word engraffed or the revealed truth of the Gospel from the holy Ghost thus dwelling in us and renewing sanctifying acting and leading of us And lastly that we are born anew of the Spirit are in the Spirit do live in the Spirit and are after the Spirit and then we walk after the Spirit We must first be and live and afterwards walk Thus you have the force of the words SECT 2. The particular truths or doctrines which 2. The words taken asunderin nine doctrines are wrapped in this description are these 1. In those that are in Christ in them there is the Spirit of Christ The Spirit in renewing unites to Christ their union with Christ is spiritual not physical not moral alone not personal at all The Spirit of Christ is in them and uniteth them to Christ and Christ and they are one Spirit as Man and Wife are one flesh this truth ariseth from this description as it is referred to the words before in ver 1. of this Chapter To them that are in Christ there is no condemnation Now this is to be understood of the holy Ghost as he is the Anointing wherewith Christ is anointed even Jesus Christ not considered as he is the Sonne of God simply and absolutely but as he is the Christ God-man and wherewith from Christ that Holy One they are anointed the work is the work of the third Person but not a work that makes a personal union of them to the Holy Ghost 2. Where the Spirit of Christ is in any there is also flesh whiles they are in this life where there is grace there is corruption though it holds not on the contrary where ever there is corruption there is grace also Nay it is far otherwise untill regeneration there is nothing but corruption in any or all the men in the world no not in the elect of God but where the Spirit is there is flesh although not walked after This is gathered from the description as made up of a negative first and then of an affirmative which sheweth a nature or disposition in the described here which is declining and renouncing one principle and cleaving to and following sweetly another principle Therefore with the regenerate it is thus their works are mixed their actings of their graces are mixt and maimed All their best duties smell strong of the flesh therefore the Regenerate ought to be watchful and jealous over themselves humble to God-ward meek towards man and making use of Christ and faith in him in all doing all in his name or mediation and looking for acceptation of all in him alone 3. That flesh even in the regenerate and spiritual is so sinful that if it were followed it would destroy them therefore it is sinne in it self and in the lusts of it even in the regenerate for if it were not sinful why should it be renounced why should it not at some times and in some cases be allowed 4.
These two the flesh and the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. are contrary one to another When the Spirit comes in and rules and the flesh or corruption of nature cannot rule more yet it will never yield it will ne're be good it is not subject to the Law of God nor can be the best that can be made of it is to mortifie it crucifie it fight it out against it therefore from these two contrary principles in one and the same man it is that in the godly there is a continual fight or deadly war and cursed be that that would make up a peace between these two therefore hence it is that he that is born again is born a Souldier lives by his spiritual sword and valour and dies in the Field and so never dies but is a Conquerour in his death 5. Where the Spirit is he rules and reignes he will not be underling he leads where he is all that is born of God overcometh the whole world And the Spirits rule is set up by pulling the flesh out of the Throne and subduing its Dominion therefore the least measure of true grace the least speak of this holy fire be it but as that in smoaking flax is Soveraign it is judgment which will come unto victory 6. The Regency of the Spirit appears in ordering the walks of every one in whom he is he renews and sanctifies throughout he makes a new creature a new man from the spirit of the minde to the outward members he creates a new heart and a new spirit that there may be a new walk 7. Those who walk after the flesh have not the Spirit at all and therefore they are not in Christ 8. By our lives and conversations we may infallibly know wâ—ether Christ were sent for us whether our sinnes were condemned in his flesh whether God the Father loved us so as to send his own Son for us to be our propitiation or the Son became flesh became sinne for us whether he be our righteousnesse our redemption or whether the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne hath taken possession of us to shed abroad the Fathers love into and sprinkles the Sonnes blood upon our hearts whether these be so or no may be known by the walks of our lives 9. So it is and so it hath ever been and it will for ever be so in this life that even among Christians who professe the true Religion there are two sorts some that walk after the flesh contrary to their profession and some that walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh SECT 3. Let us now therefore consider of the The Regency of the flesh discovered generally in ten things reign of the Spirit and the flesh that so these two sorts of Christians the carnal and the spiritual the true and false may know themselves and because the flesh is the elder brother in the world he shall have the honour to be spoken of in the first place The Regency of the flesh may be set forth more generally or more particularly in general the flesh's Regency consisteth 1. In its lonenesse if there be in us John 3. 6. Joh. 3. 3 5 nothing but flesh then be sure the flesh reigns we are first in the flesh conceived and born in sinne If there be nothing but nature and that which is natural the flesh is regnant for that which is of the flesh is flesh it can never arise higher than the compasse of its own principle it can never get up to things that are above there is nothing but flesh unlesse we be born of the Spirit there is nothing but flesh and nature where the Spirit by the Gospel hath had no changing work and where mans righteousnesse or the righteousnesse of works whether of our own works or of the works of the Law is still sought after and the sinner never yet so farre humbled that now Gal. 3. 10 12 18. Phil. 3. 3 6 7. he hath no confidence in the flesh any more 2. In the love of the lusts of the flesh these lusts are of three sorts the lust of â— Joh. 2. 16. the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life which do all of them spring from the love of the world this is the worlds trinity in unity which all men by nature do serve If the love of the world be in us the love of the Father cannot be in us 3. In the acknowledgment of the Edicts Rom. 6. 13 and Commands of the flesh sinne reigns where the lusts of it that is the motions of sinne in our members are obeyed obedience to it proves its Soveraignty it is an undeniable truth his servants we are to whom we obey The offering up of the members of our bodies to be weapons to fight for it and to be instruments to work for it shews that flesh is in the Throne 4. In making provision to fulâ—ill the Ro. 13. 14 lusts of the flesh there is a lawful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 24. 3. 1 Tim. 5. 8 Ro. 12. 17 providence and fore-cast for the discharge of the duties of our particular callings for making provision for ours and for those of our families for things honest in the sight of all men but none ought to be for the flesh or for our corrupt nature The providence which is lawful hath this character to take the seasons and to improve them with diligence thus the wisdome of God teacheth saying Go to the Pismire thou sluggard consider her wayes â—nd be wise which having no Prov. 6. 6 7 8. guide over-seer or ruler provideth her meat in the sâ—mmer and gathereth her food in the Hâ—rvest the sluggard is he that sleepeth out his Summer season and letteth slip the Harvest goeth forth in the dead of Winter to gather in the fruits of the earth the sinful providence hath two marks first to make it a businesse to project and lay out for the flesh secondly to aime at the satisfying of the lusts thereof when the flesh hath the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providential projecting and fore-casting ability at command and at her service it is certain her supremacy is in the full It is the infallible signe of the renewing of the minde when the providential ability is sanctified and is ready under the command of the Word and Spirit 5. In sensuality when the senses beaâ— rule when what is pleasurable hath the Luk. 17. 27 Mat. 24. 38. Jude 19. 2 Tim. 3. 4 Phil. 3. 19. Job 31. 7. Jam. 3. 15 stroak with us and not what is honest righteous and holy when we are lovers of pleasure more than of God or those whose God is their belly that live to eat that minde earthly things those whose hearts walk after their eyes and their souls are tyed down to their senses who are meer animals whose wisdome is earthly and sensual their wisdome is also Divellish 6. In minding and savouring only fleshly things as
because we pray we now think our selves free to commit sinne we have been at prayer therefore we may be at our lewdnesse we have been at Church in the fore-noon of the Lords day therefore we may dance about the May-pole and keep Revels in the after-noon this is like the Harlot who saith to the young Wanton I have peace-offerings with me this day have I paid Prov. 7. 14 15. my vows therefore came I forth to meet thee 2. In reference to the Law of God for though the flesh is not nor will be subject 2. In reference to the holy Law Sixwayes to the holy Law yet the wily wisdome and subtilty thereof will make use of that also and that most perniciously And the Reign of the flesh sheweth it self herein diversly as First when we seek righteousnesse and Rom. 6. 14. 9. 32. 10. 3. salvation by the Law while under the Law we are under the Dominion of sin so long as we go about to establish our own righteousnesse as did the Jewes and as it is found in all men by nature a Phil. 3. 4 5 draught whereof we have excellently and to the life drawn up in Mat. 19. 16 17. to ver 24. this is to have confidence in the flesh Secondly when we take the Law to be no more than as a Law commanding the Ro. 7. 7 9. Mat. 5. 21. to the end of the ch outward man and to forbid nothing but grosse acts of sinne or to require no more than the outward duty and so we are alive we know not sinne which reacheth to the heart and hath its seat there in the deceitfulnesse and wickednesse thereof nor know we lust or inordinate affections and concupiscence to be sinne and therefore we blesse our selves or flatter our selves in our own eyes in our natural estate Thirdly when and whilest that we cannot endure to hear the holinesse of the Law opened and urged and we love not the righteousnesse and purity of the Commandments yet we will have the saying of the Commandments and the publick reading of them as part of Divine service and hold this better than all preaching and without this we care not for Minister or preaching Fourthly when all the fruit of the coming of the Law and Commandment is onely to revive sin and to strike us dead I take the Apoâ—â—les phrase the meaning whereof is this That the Spirit of God doth accompany the Law and the spiritualnesse of the Law being such as Rom. 7. 9. reaches to the thoughts and desires of the heart as well as to our words and deeds when it is opened the Spirit of God brings it home to the conscience with power this is the coming of the Law now when the fruit of it thus coming is this onely to revive sinne and to kill the sinner to ptovoke sinne so that it works in the sinner all manner of concupiscence and then comes the threatning and the curse and slays us and strikes us dead if this be all that we receive by the Law the flesh yet will hold the Chair for we wiâ—l dislike the preaching of the Law we cannot endure these men of sowre spirits these Legal Preachers we will lay the fault on the Minister and if we can but get from under this dinne oh we like the respousal to every Commandment Lord have mtrcy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law this God shall have and then we are at quiet and alive again though our sinnes live in us and we live and continue in them love and plead for them Fifthly when there is nothing in us that is subject to the Law of God nothing that holdeth proportion with the platforme of holinesse laid down in the Law Rom. 8. 7. but that only is found in us which rebels frets pulls away the shoulder and esteems all grievous for then we are wholly flesh Sixthly when we never received any further work of the Spirit than that of the spirit of bondage and yet because thereof we conclude we have repented and our estate is good whereas by the Law we should be shut up to the faith of Christ in the Gospel which having changed and made us anew we should live to God and delight in the spiritualnesse and purity of the Law with judging and condemning our selves thereby and justifying God therein the work of the spirit of bondage is to bring to the knowledge of sinne to work the sense of Gods wrath against sinne and to fill with terrours upon awakenings and there is no further work of the Spirit when there is no hâ—tred of the pollution of sinne no heart-forsaking of the sinnes of the heart no hatred of sinne in the sinfulnesse of our nature whence all transgressions do come when no further work did we ever finde than the convictions of rhe spirit light great and convictions strong but the will the heart not created anew that there might be conversion and healing now though these convictions may be not onely of sinne through the Law but of the sinne of unbelief and of righteousnesse and of judgment even of Christ and his Kingdome and righteousnesse through all the good Word of the Gospel yet the flesh may and will still keep the Chair 3. In reference to God and his worship 3. In reference to God and his worship Two wayes Col. 1. 21 22. Isa 66. 1 3 Psal 106. the flesh can yield to assume unto it and choose both Gods name and service with great state and thereby perk up the higher First with the mixture and blending of mens devices our own inventions the commandments of men to teach the fear and worship of God and the rudiments of the world these are savoury these are devotions humility and wisdome these are the rules to which the flesh lyeth level Secondly with philosophical speculations wisdome of words great swelling words of vanity and the worshipping of Angels disputes about words and genealogies Col. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 3 1 Tim. 6. oppositions of science fables depths unwritten traditions vented for Apostolical these and such like the fleshly-minded is puffed up withall it loves to be intruding into things it knows not it would be reputed seraphical by amazing the simple with high-flown notions 4. In reference to Christ and to his 4. In reference unto Christ Eminently in Antichristianisme Gospel his Profession Ministry and Ordinances all these to choose never did the flesh get more by any thing she appears like a Lamb she puts forth the two Horns of Christs vicegerency and beauty external she gets on the sheeps skin and cloathing she hasps to her both the Keyes the Key of knowledge and the Key of Discipline the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven she will be infallible and give the sense of Scripture unerringly be the Holy Father and the Holy Mother-Church she will exercise and conjure the Divel and cast him out and do a thousand more such
Conversation an holy life according to Gods Word will serve then there is no hope It is as bad as to be damned to hell to be pressed to holinesse God shall have any thing at their hands if he will spare them in this Ah alas for a spirit of whoredomes is in the midst of them and their sinnes are their Idols they hold fast deceit and refuse to return Brethren shall I hence describe unto you a natural man He is one that leads The Character of a natural man his life whiles perhaps Ingenious witty of fine parts well-tempered civil moral honest fair in his dealings and in some particular actions yea and in his general course upright and blamelesse according to his natural and acquired light yet he leads his life as if his eternity and his good were in this present world his height and glory is to be humane and rational or learned and philosophical or devout in the way of Religion which his own heart chuseth and which the people he liveth withal do like of whose wills he followeth and whose favour he hunts after with an eye to his worldly pleasure or profit or honour or all ever nourishing one or more manifest works of the flesh unto which his heart is true as one that is wedded to the Devil the father of lusts and lies a voluntary captive to his will and taking pleasure to bed with him in his effectual working and to fill his soul with loves he is in darknesse loves darknesse and walks on in darknesse without any spiritual discerning though he be under the Gospel-light and have his day of visitation he sleeps in deep and dead security without any true awakenings to holy enquiries or watchfulnesse Empty of saving truth and graces in power his Converâ—ation is at the best but vain from the vanity of his mind in which he lives and thence he will not be moved for his fathers and fore-fathers did so before him Fleshly wisdome frames his conversation in strength of hypocrisie if not pharisaical yet natural And he never yet knew nor can be perswaded by all the preachers in the world that secret Atheisme estrangings from God much lesse enmity to him impenitency and unbelief do reign in him or that these in him are any great fault Oh the miserable estate of such a one A Lamentation oh how many such are in the world there is a world of them a world of them even of those who bear the best of names which is Christian Who can with-hold from sorrow and sighings if he understand and know things as they are oh that we could mourn over you who cannot mourn for your selves or that one could beare you on his heart and bring you to Christ that he might place you under his love so melting and put you into the laver of his own blood till washed there you might come forth other men even new-men Oh that the Spirit of life from Christ would at length breath upon you till he breathed in you May it be may it not be could you but unfeignedly desire it should it not be We leave you and the work with the Lord and how ever it may fare with worlds of men in this sad estate yet as for you among us if there be no remedy this shall be your priviledge you shall not go down to the Chambers of hell beneath unlamented you shall not descend to that infernal pit not mourned over since such as you are drew tears in abundance such was his heart from the eyes of Jesus Christ our Lord and Master when he came not to condemne but to save the world and being the Minister of the Circumcision beheld so many of his charge to perish everlastingly notwithstanding he would so often have gathered them together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and they would not he would but they would not SECT 7. 6. The walk after the Spirit is a life led First After the Word therein he that 6. What the walk after the Spirit is Ps 1. 1 2. 119. 1 2 5 6. is in the Spirit exerciseth himself with delight day and night thereafter he walketh with desires and endeavours from the whole heart to be undefiled in that way and with earnest prayers unto God that his wayes might be directed to keep Gods testimonies and to have respect unto them all this is the light and the Lamp of the Lord and his heart saith Come let us walk in the light of the Pro. 6. 23. Psal 119. 105. Isa 2. 5. Isa 2. 3. Lord there he findes Christ teaching Gods people of his wayes and therefore taught there of God he resolves he will walk in his paths prescribed in his Word this is the holy Canon and therefore he Gal. 6. 16. will walk according to this rule for so do all the Israel of God this the Holy Ghost breathed whose breath being the breath of Christs lips is his life and kills none but Antichrist and Antichristians with the men of the world and therefore he subscribes to this closing acclamation That man who ere he be is 〈◊〉 worth his ears given him of his Maker to heare Rev. 2. 7 11 17 29. 3. 6 13 22. withall who will not hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches the Scripture is his Rule for faith for worship for holy walking in sobriety in righteousnesse in godlinesse in all estates in all relations in the Family Church and Common-wealth and in his particular calling and for holy order and discipline and for incident cases with professed subjection 2 Cor. 9. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A subjection of publick profession Gal. 2. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1. 6. against which he can do nothing and for which he can do any thing and all this now according to the Gospel-dispensation in which his honour is to walk with a right foot or to foot it right This spiritual walker is righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Secondly After the power of inward graces of these the Spirit is the Authour and the root and these are the fruits of Gal. 5. 22 23. Eph. 5. 9. Gal. 5. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit this holy walker as he lives in the Spirit who is the principle of life within him spiriting and quickning his soul with his graces so he walks in the Spirit himself cloathed and his conversation fashioned and ordered by these graces of the Holy Spirit he gives all diligence to adde seasonably bringing forth into practice one grace to another and 2 Pet. 1. 5 8. that orderly that all graces being in him and abounding he may not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge and profession of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ In the walk in this light of graces as a childe of light he is proving what is acceptable Ephes 5. to the Lord and that
yet such as is tending unto and will attain perfection but not in this life but it is not a righteousnesse to stand in without spot before the Throne of God it is not a Righteousnesse to justifie a sinner in Gods sight it is not a Righteousnesse that God ever appointed for such a work or purpose And secondly they think to squeeze out the comfort of their being in Christ and of the promises to those that are in Christ by reasoning objecting and seeking resolution of their objections and by the examination of themselves by all the light they can get which things are good in themselves and duties as we may have opportunities but not the main thing for they should seek their comfort and settlement chiefly by walking on holily great establishment is in well-doing Comfort should not be expected presently it must have a time to spring and ripen upon a Tree of righteousnesse which the Lord hath planted and which brings forth the fruits of righteousnesse and than the blessing of comfort By diligent adding of one 2 Pet. 1. 5 8 10. grace to another in our practice we become fruitful in the knowledge of Christ and so we make our calling Isa 32. 17. and election sure A barren life be the knowledge never so great and the profession never so high strict and splendid will be but unsetled and uncomfortable The fruit of righteousnesse is peace and the effect of it is quietnesse and assurance for ever SECT 10. Be not therefore reasoning so much but be walking up and be doing and 2. Of exhortation and encouragement the Lord shall be with you Thou hast great encouragement in thy leader and in thy way the leader is the Spirit the Spirit of Adoption the Spirit in the New Testament dispensation the highest that ever shall be till our Lord Christ appears in his glory and great power at the last day Thy way it is the way of all Saints and believers from the beginning of the world this was the character of the godly in all ages as Henoch Noah before the flood Abraham David Hezekiah Zachary and Elizabeth the holy Apostles and all other the Saints of God to walk with God It is the way of the upright not to look what strength and measure of grace they have and what they have done or to think they are already perfect but waiting on him who is their strength to go on and reach forth to that which is before eying the price of their high calling in Christ Jesus It is the surest way to comfort not to look chiefly to our affections feelings and joyes but to our walks and this is most distinguishing this brings most glory to God and edification to others Others by the story of our affections joyes experiences may be made fancyfull and put into a fools Paradise and be raised to admiration of our persons which ends usually in imitating our evils or in doating upon some phrase of words or notions and high strains of opinion or in self-admiration as having themselves out-stripped us and all others and they are disdained now as low and carnal in comparison of themselves as much as before they were exalted and magnified by them as the onely spiritual It is most comfortable and excellent when our lives confute our reasonings answer our objections shew our faith confirme our interest in Christ as it is most comfortlesse and abominable when our joyes perswasions confidences hopes and our faith also are confuted by our lives Walk then after the Spirit and receive Of exhortation and direction the instruction and direction which lieth in the bowels of this Exhortation First The Word of God which is the Spirits testimony and witnesse that 's the rule and way for thy walk but remember that the power to walk is from Christ flowing by his Spirit into thee through the Word walk on then but fetch power daily from Christ giving out his Spirit by the Word Secondly be putting in still into thy aright ordered Conversation that which is lacking enlarge thy heart to all the Articles of faith that their mold and stamp may be upon thy life to all the Commandments that the righteteousnesse of them may be respected and expressed and to all Christs Ordinances that the fruit and special ends of them for which they were instituted for the benefit of Gods Elect may be attained and be made more and more manifest that they are attained Thirdly Be not hearkning what thine own heart saith but what the Lord saith by his Spirit in the Word who speaketh heace to his Saints and while he speaketh peace and no condemnation Ps 85. 8. speaks as effectually that they turn not again to folly but keep on their spiritual walk Fourthly Be not wicked over-much when thou carriest a strict hand over thy sinful deceitful heart lookest over thy wayes with as prying an eye as can malice it self or thy vigilant enemy the Divel himself so farre as truth will bear judgest thy self severely and livest as one condemned in the flesh see Eccl. 7. 17 what Christ hath done for thee what the Spirit hath wrought in thee be not so foolish as to deny his grace in thee which thy walk speaks and testifies for thee to thy conscience and before God and men why shouldest thou so wickedly torment thy self and dye before thy time As it is evil to be righteous over-much by arrogating to thy selfe more than is right so is it a dangerous evil to be wicked overmuch in denying or undervaluing what God hath graciously wrought in thee Condemne the flesh but own and justifie the Spirit Fifthly Walk on remembring the work is begun which God will perfect the greatest work is done already even the quickning thee from the dead it is a farre greater work to give life from the dead than to cause to walk and to uphold him that walketh thou hast been enabled to do and hast done the greatest work already thou hast crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof so saith our Apostle Ther that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. Sixthly When thou seest abroad the Heresies Divisions Apostasies Back-slidings Superstitions Formality Conceited Pride of Spirit Luke-warmnesse Sensuality Security Incorrigiblenesse Impenitency Atheisme Earthly-mindednesse Profanesse and wickednesses of all sorts in many in too many remember thou hast flesh the seed of all this within thee and get away from thy self loath thy self and so walk on Seventhly be not turned off by the flesh's lustings walk though the flesh fret and grinde walk though hell be moved walk though thy way be straitned walk for thy estate is safe thy way good and on high walk though envy spite thee and the flesh way-lay thee for God will keep thy foot from being taken Eighthly be not quarrelling with God but walking humbly say not Why doth not God give me a full and perfect deliverance so soon as