believe that an external Profession of the Christian Faith is sufficient to Entitle them to Christ and these Priviledges for this see Mat. 7.21 a◠Rom. 2.28 29. 2d Cause of this Mistake 〈◊〉 That People think that to whomsoever the Sacrament of Baptism is administred though they be voi◠of Christs Spirit yet they have an Interest in Christ and in the Gospel Against this see Rom. 2 2◠If thou break the Law thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision And Luke 3.7 8. also Simon Magus was baptised and yet was in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity It is true that Baptism gives those that are baptised who are not Ignorant o◠Scandalous a Right to join with the Church in al◠Church-Institutions but it does not possess them with a Right to the great Priviledges of the Gospel except they cordially receive Christ offered therein It is true it doth really seal the Truth of the free Covenant of Grace and the closs Particular and condescending Good offered therein but it cannot oblige God to give that Good to those that refuse it and will not cordially accept it A 3d. Cause of the Mistake is They take Morality for true Grace so they think their Morality evidenceth their Interest in Christ but Christ tells us Mat. 5.20 That our Righteousness must exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees otherways we cannot enter into the Kingdom of God A 4th Cause is They think the great and sole End of Christs Mission is to free them from the Guilt and Curse of the Law Therefore they think tho they be void of Christs Spirit they may have an Interest in Christ and the Gospel because they think Christ is come to save them from Wrath tho they take liberty to live as they will so they make Christ the Minister of Sin See Gal. 2.17 The folly of thir Persons is evidenced from this That Christs Errand into the World was to Redeem us from all Iniquity and to purify to himself a Peculiar People zealous of good Works A 5th Cause of this Mistake is That unrenewed Folks takes the Challenges of their Consciences to be the strivings of the Spirit against the Flesh for they conclude from having these Challenges that they have the Spirit of Christ tho they altogether want him But to undeceive such they would consider that those that have the strivings of the Spirit they do not fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh the External Conversation is regular although the inward Frame with Paul as Rom. 7. may want some Degrees of Perfection Likeas the strivings of the Spirit where they are they oppose heart-evils as well as external-evils evils against the Gospel as well as evils against the Moral-Law As this Text tells us That those that want Christs Spirit Christ has no such peculiar Interest in them as he has in Believers So it plainly supposeth that all those that have a peculiar Interest in him have this great Priviledge of the Presence of his Spirit I shall clear 1st That it is so 2ly Confirm it by telling you what are the Causes from whence the presence of the Spirit flowes 3ly What are the Ends and Uses for which God bestows this Benefit on Believers 4ly We shall exhort the People of God to improve this Benefite and not to lye out in the use making of it And 5ly Seeing all that are Christs have the Spirit and none other We will reprove those that have this Spirit and yet notwithstanding question Christs peculiar Interest in them and theirs in him As for the First Scripture shews it and the Experience of the Saints confirms it that Believers have the Spirit 1st Their illumination clears it their distinct clear near and solid Views of the sublime Mysteries of Gods Covenant that the sharpest Witts that want the Spirit reckon foolishness 1 Cor. 2.12 That Illumination discovers it self in a Presence of the Spirit 2. The Work of Sanctification discovers it if ye look to the greatness of the Change the thorrowness of the Change upon the whole Faculties and the whole conversation the constancy of the Change the suddenness of it and that it is carried over great and manifold Obstructions from Allurements and Terrors from bad Counsel and bad Custom from many false Suggestions of a deceitful Heart and subtile Reasonings of a tempting Devil 3ly The Spirits Consolation evinceth the reality of this Gift if we consider how the Saints Hearts are kept up under fightings without and terrours within 4. Their Devotions clears it if you consider their single humble fervent spiritual and confident Desires persevered in notwithstanding of Guilt Corruption Misery and Repulses surely such Desires come from no other Principle than the Omnipotent Spirit of God The Causes of this Gift may be 1st The Internal moving Cause is Electing Love 2ly The Meritorious Cause is Christs Satisfaction Gal. 3.13 14. 3ly The Procuring Cause is Christs Intercession John 14.16 4ly The Dispensing Cause is Christ himself John 16.7 and 15.26 5ly The Final Causes and Ends of this Gift are these following He is given 1st As an Illuminator to guide us into all Truth John 16.13 and to direct us in dubious Cases and lead us Rom. 8.14 2d End is to help our Infirmity in Prayer Rom. 8.26 3d. Is to comfort us in our Trouble John 14.16 A 4th Is to sanctify us 1 Thess 4.7 A 5th Is to be the Earnest of our Inheritance and to strengthen our Hope thereof Eph. 1.19 A 6th End is he is Gods Mark and Seal upon us till the Day of Redemption to obstruct the Worlds Calumnies whereby they calumniate us as Hypocrites and to hinder us to dispose upon our selves as we were our own And 7ly That his Presence may be a standing Witness in and to the World of the Truth of Christianity 1 John 5.10 As to the 4th Thing how to improve this Gift we have by Promise from the Fathers Love Christs Merite and Intercession 1st Believe that God will give us this promised Mercy Eph. 1.13 2ly We would pray for it Luke 11.13 3ly We would obey the Spirits Motions Gal. 5. penult 4ly Grieve not the Spirit and meddle not with these sins mentioned Eph. 4.30 5ly Savour the things of the Spirit and have an high esteem of Spiritual Priviledges Rom. 8.4 A 2d Use is since these that are Christs have this Gift and none other it reproves these that participate in part of this Gift and question Christs Interest in them and theirs in him and that First on the account of their Miseries Crosses and Mortalitie 2ly On account of the Remainders of their Corruption and sinful Infirmities 3ly Upon account of their partial Darkness in Spiritual Matters for we know but in part 4ly Upon account of their strong Temptations from Satan Verse 10. And if Christ be in you the Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness THE Apostle having applyed to the Romans the former Priviledges spoken of in
Scandalous Sinning for a Act of a life after the flesh draws with it the fear of Everlasting Death 2ly They would beware of Impenitency for their old sins before Conversion Pâ— was an man that Exercised Repentance continually for his old Persecution and therefore we do not much read that he was troubled with the Spirit of Bondage after 3ly Beware of Relapses in Predominants for these always break the peace of Conscience 4ly Beware of indifferency as to grouth and of contentment with your present Attainements in Religion For it is only such who make progress in the way of God that enjoys most of the Comforts of the Gospel and are freest of Tormenting Fears these that walk in the fear of God walk also in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 5ly Beware of these Sins mentioned Eph. 4.30 which greives the Spirit of God and makes him forbear to discover to the Godly that they belong to God as his peculiar Treasure and where that discovery is wanting the Heart cannot but be subject to Tormenting Fears Observe 4ly That the native effect of the presence of the Spirit of Adoption in a Believer is Spiritual freedom it is here opposed to the Spirit of Bondage this spiritual liberty appears from the Christians freedom from these Fears that are awakned in him through the Accusations of his Conscience for Guilt 2ly In his freedom from the Fears of Death 3ly In his freedom from the Fears of severe Judgements 4ly In his freedom from the fear of Gods Wrath and frightful Dispensations 2ly As the Spirit of Freedom lyes in a being quite of these Tormenting Fears so it lyes in a ready and dareing Application of Gods Promises suiteable to our Exigence when we reckon it no presumption to apply promises as we need them 3ly It lyes in a Liberty for supplication when we have no Jealousy of God that he will take advantage of us in our low condition but when we can with great freedom of spirit open our own Heart befor him as an Affectionate Father In a word Faith hath its fullest freedom in Prayer where the spirit of freedom is therein is Believing the acceptance of our Prayers the prevalency of our Prayers and the fullest accomplishment of the promises that are in our view 4ly The Spirit of Liberty lyes in this that with great facility we get our duty done by the presence of this Spirit Mastering our Corruptions and repelling the Devills Temptations that may obstruct us in our Duty We walk at liberty in keeping Gods Precepts 5ly The Spirit of Liberty where it is it keeps us from the crushing weight of Crosses because it lets us see that all our Crosses are totally free of the Curse of the Law and so the Man has Internal Freedom of Spirit and rest in his Soul under outward Trouble And this holds out the greatness of the benefite of the Spirit of Adoption Observe 5ly That Familiarity in Prayer is the special effect of the Spirit of Adoption This Familiarity in Prayer appears in an free and fearless Confession of our Guilt and Heart-Plagues before God 2ly In a humble and submissive Representation of the difficulties of our case to him 3ly In the reasoning with him for supply strength and delivery upon the account of his promises as Nehemiah did Neh. 1. 4ly In peremptor Desires after spiritual Good when with Jacob we will not let him goe untill he Bless us Motives to this Familiarity are 1st Gods Fatherly Relation to us 2ly His sitting upon a Throne of Grace and not upon a Throne of Justice he follows a method of Grace and not of strict Justice in his dispensations towards his People 3d. Motive is Christs Sympathy is the spring of his Intercession for his People A 4th is The example of the Saints using this Familiarity with God is proposed in the Scripture for our Imitation The means to win to this Familiarity Are 1st We should study singleness and sincerity Heb. 10.22 2ly We should beware of these Sins we have repented of Vowed against and have born Chastisements from the hand of God for them 3ly We would beware of Formality and study Seriousness and Forvour in our Devotions Verse 16. The Spirit it self bears witness with our Spirit that we are the Chilren of God HEre the Apostle proves That the Sons of God may be Familiar with him because they may be assured of their Sonship Likeas here he proves that the Children of God must live by a second Argument He proves their Sonship because it is witnessed by the Testimony of Gods Spirit and by the Testimony of their own Conscience Observe 1st That Gods People may be assured of Sonship Observe 2ly That the manner of attaining it is by the Testimony of the Spirit and by the Testimony of Conscience For the First Observation I clear the attainableness of assurance by these Four Grounds 1st God Commands to endeavour to attain it 2 Pet 1.11 12. 2ly The Saints have attained it before Rom. 8. Last Ye see the experience of David frequently in the Psalms 3ly He hath laid down positive marks in th Scripture evidenceing the state of Sonship many of these are set down in the 1 Epist John and it cannot be conceived that the Spirit of God should lay down these Marks but for this end that the People of God by discerning them in themselves may attain to Assurance thereby 4th Ground is the necessity and usefulness of Assurance to Gods People Without Assurance they cannot win to the Love of God which is a necessary Principle for Gospel-Obedience without it we cannot râ—joice in Tribulation which is their necessary Duty and approveable temper Rom. 5.3 Without it they cannot rejoice in God as their Covenanted Portion ibid 10. Without this we cannot be cheerful in Obedidience We cannot rejoice and work Righteousness As also without Assurance they cannot rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God Likeas it should be considered That Gods promises into his People are made for that end that they may be applyed and without this Assurance Believers can have no freedom to apply these Promses The Apostasie of Temporary Believers speaks nothing against this Assurance Because true Believers have Attainments that Temporary Believers are wholly Strangers to Heb. 6.9 And albeit the Holy Ghost does dispense Threatnings in the word against Apostates Gods method in that militates nothing against Assurance And that first because these Threatnings are given out indefinitly against the whole Members of the Visible Church amongst whom there are many Hypocrites And 2ly Because the Holy Ghost makes use of these Threatnings to beget in the Heart of true Believers a Cautelous Fear and abstaining from Sins against Light which sins in their own nature have a Tendency to Apostasie Use of this serves To reprove the Error of the Roman Church which maintains that true Believers can attain to no more then a conjectural Opinion anent their sonship 2ly It reproves the Carnal Professors of
2 16. 2ly By making Christs Resurrection the ground of it 1 Pet. 1.21 3ly By making his entry into Heaven the ground of it Heb. 6. last 4ly Bâ— discerning the Fruits of the Spirit see the preceeding Verse 5ly By observing the Victories over Temptations that God affords us Psal 73.24 Observe from the next Verse that our Happiness which is the Object of Hope it is not presently enjoyed but deferred 1st Because Christ mystical is not perfected the Souls under the Altar Rev. 6. their cry is not answered until their Brethrens Sufferings be fulfilled as well as theirs 2ly Individual Believers are not fit for Heaven till they be free of Sin and Mortality 1 Cor. 15. 3ly God continues Believers in the World he does not translate them to Heaven presently that they may beâ— Light shining in the dark World by good Example 4ly That they may keep off Wrath from the Society where they live if there had been ten Righteous Persons in Sodom it had not been destroyed and that they may be Intercessours for the sinfulâ— â—orld that it may not be destroyed as Moses was â—r sinful Israel Ezod 32. And 5ly It is deferred â—at Heaven may be the sweeter when it comes â—ope deferred makes the Heart sick but when the â—re comes it is a Tree of Life Prov 13.12 Use of Caution Beware of chosing present pleaâ—res before a deferred Happiness For these Pleaâ—res are insufficient Eccl. 2.1 2ly They are the â—easures of Sin and very momentany Heb 11.25 â—y This deferred Happiness is very certain and â—ery near Rom. 13. It is said our Salvation is nearer â—en when we Believed Heb. 10.37 Use 2d Wonder not to see the Lord delay the Temporal deliverance of his Kirk seing he delays â—e compleat delivery of it The Churches lying â—nder the Egyptian and Babilonish Captivity was â—ong But seing this is a peice of the Saints their Tryal to have their partial and total deliverance deerred we should be prepared to bear it First by considering the certainty of it that it will come â—ly By considering that Infinite Wisdom will appoint â—he fittest season for its coming which will tend most â—o his Glory and our Comfort 3ly We should comfort our selves by considering that God is still at work in the mean time fulfilling Scripture-predictions Use 3d. That since this happiness is deferred while we have time we should improve it in making our Title sure to it and fitting and preparing our selves for it Observe next That since happiness is the object of hope we have no certainty for it for it is only knowable by Supernatural Revelation Col. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.10 Happiness is the effect of Mercy The acting of which Attribute is free and therefore only knowable by Divine Revelation tho the actings of vindictive Justice be necessary and so easily known by Natures Light 2ly This happiness is hid and vailed to sense by many Vails of Sinfulness Misery and Mortality The difficulty of Faith and unstability thereof in Believers tells it has no sensible certainty of Heaven and the total Ignorance of the Heathen Philosophers of this truth with the scant knowledge that those had of it that lived under the Law tells us that there is no sensible certainty for Heaven Use of Caution Let not the sensible certainty of allureing present good be preferred to this Happiness for the alluring Good of this World is uncertain and ensnaring 2ly Let not the sensible Persecutions of this World deter you from your Duty so as to make you miss this Happiness for all the Evil of Persecution is but Chastisement Heb. 12. It is limited Psal 76. Jer. 10. It is mixt with strong Consolations 2 Cor. 1.6 It is light and momentany 2 Cor. 4. and penult A 2d Use of Tryal seing ye want of sensible certainty of it try whether ye have the Faith of it or no Marks of it are first ye will please God with Enoch Heb 11.6 2ly Ye will chose Affliction before Sin with Moses Heb. 11.35 3ly Ye will be strangers oâ— the Earth with the Patriarths Heb. 11 13. 4ly Ye will be hearty sufferers for Christ Heb. 10.34 2 Tim. 1 12. A 5th Mark is ye will be unwearied in diligence for doing good 1 Cor. 15. And Lastly Ye will be fearless of Death Phil 1.23 2 Cor. 5.1 2. A 3d. Use is An Use of Exhortation since ye want the sensible certainty of your happiness Labour for a certainty of the Faith of it For this effect Labour to be well acquaint with with Christ the knowledge of Christ will draw with it the believing certainty of this Happiness See Eph. 1.18 19. 2ly Meditate much on Scriptures and the Power of God Christ tells the Saducees that they would not believe the Resurrection to Life because they knew not the Scriptures nor the Power of God A 3d. Help to Faith Look on the Spirits presence under the notion of an earnest for so it called Eph. 1.2 Cor. 5. The first fruits of the Spirit should make us wait for the Adoption 4ly We should with Abraham not stagger at the promise of Heaven through unbelief we should not sit as Judge upon the Truth or falshood of the Promise we should instantly repell all Thoughts of the improbability of the performance of Promises Abraham would not consider his own Body now Dead We have the more need to obey this Exhortation to have the certainty of the Faith of our Happiness when we want the sensible certainty thereof the more need we have of it under the Cross nor any other time because our sight by Faith of Heaven is dimned under Crosses For 1st Our Consciences accuses us of Sin and for our Guilt Then 2ly We become Jealous of the Truth of our former Experiences of Gods Love 3ly With Hezekiah we become apprehensive of the grouth and continuance of our Tryal Isai 38. From Day untill Night thou will make an end of me and because with the Church Lam. 3. He will reckon God his Enemy and his case hopeless all which are Clouds to dim our sight of Heaven Use of Instruction this lets us see first the reason why the Members of the Visible Church have need of Saving Grace to help them to assent to the truth of the Gospel the reason is because this assent is no founded on sensible certainty or rational evidence but upon Divine Testimony and therefore it being the assent of Faith it most be the Gift of God Eph. 2.10 2ly This instructs us in the true reason why these that are wise Men after the flesh are not called It is because they know not to set to their Seal to Gods truth all that they win to is the improvemeâ— of their reason Now follows the description of the Affection oâ— hope It is called a Patient waiting for Heaven whicâ— imports first A longing for Heaven 2 Tim. 4. â— Rom. 8 23 Phil. 3 last 2 Cor. 4. last and 5 and 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.23 The Excellency and Eternity of the
pursueing our necessary Good 7ly Our peremptoriness in seeking what we would be at without submission makes us miscarry we should be absolute in our Desires but it is for what is absolutely promised in all other things we should leave God the liberty of his disposal 8ly Our unbelief makes us miscarry in the Manner of our praying James tells us that what we ask we should ask in Faith James 1.3 9ly Presumption is the cause of our miscarriage when we do not found our Prayers upon Promises Psal 119. Remember thy Word to thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope A 10th Cause is selfishness and the want of a publick Spirit when we pray for our selves and neglect the Saints Eph. 6 17. We should pray for the peace of Jerusalem Psal 122. 11ly We miscarry when we neglect the Confession of Sin and Thanksgiving to God for Mercy see Dan. 9. Phil. 4.6 Confession is necessary for strengthning of Faith Thanksgiving makes way for the obtaining of further Mercy And 12ly Want of an firm Belief of the Power and Efficacy of Prayer which makes us be unfrequent in it when we get not our will at the first when we are called to pray always Eph. 6.17 and to pray without ceasing 1 Thess 5. Use is since we are so ready to miscarry in the manner of our praying we should be far from thinking that our Acts of Devotion are meritorious before God and we should reckon that when God hears any Prayers we put up to him he evidences his rich Grace in overlooking our Infirmities that stick to our Prayers Observe The Spirit helps us to pray aright 1st Because it is his inward Light that discovers what is expedient for our Good he sets us on a right Choice he makes us prefer Spiritual Mercies to Temporal Mercies he makes us prefer the Mercy of the Cross to our Deliverance from it he makes us prefer the Spiritual Good of our Neighbours before our own Temporal Good he gives our heart a right sett as to its choice 2ly The Spirit gives us the clearest view of Gods Attributes and his relation to us and so presents the Object of Prayer aright to us Rom. 5.5 3ly The Spirit glorifies Christ and enclines the Soul to give him his due and makes the Soul acknowledge his Merit as the ground of our expectation of Mercy and makes the Soul look on his Intercession as the appointed Mean to obtain the same Eph. 1.18 John 16.14 4ly The Spirit is a Spirit of Promise and leads the Soul to the Promises of God in the Word which are the Foundation of our Expectations of Mercy Eph. 1.16 John 14.26 5ly The Spirit encreases a great Esteem of Spiritual Mercies in the Hearts of the Godly and makes them pursue with fervent Desires the obtaining of the same Paul tells us Rom. 8.5 That those that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit 6ly The Spirit discovers a mans Evils to him and so makes the Creature humble in its Addresses to God he is a convinceing Spirit John 16.8 7ly The Spirit is a Spirit of Faith and therefore he keeps up the heart in believing under the sense of Guilt Corruption and Temptations 2 Cor. 4.13 And this Faith in Prayer makes way for returns to it unbelief being a great Restraint to God's working for us When it is said the Spirit interceeds for us the meaning it that our Intercession flows from his Influence This Intercession is not like Christs Intercession for he interceeds for us when we make no intercession for our selves as witness his Intercession for Peter when he fell but the Spirit is said to interceed for us when he makes us interceed as it is said in Matth. 10. That we do not speak but it is the Spirit of the Father that speaketh in us The Spirit assists us in Prayer by causeing a fervour in our Desires and bringing us into a cordial submission to his Will he makes us groan he makes us pray according to the Will of God This lets us see that we are to depend on the Spirit of God for his assistance in Prayer as being convinced that we cannot pray aright without him The darkness of our mind as to spiritual Things the disquiet of our Conscience and perverseness of our Will the disorder of our Affections makes it impossible for us to pray aright without his help And therefore in all the Course of our Walk we should be tender of grieving this Spirit lest by doing so we marrâ— our Devotions which are the great Mean of our intercourse with God Observe That under Crosses the Saints may be very indistinct as to their Prayers they have groans unutterable that is they have such Desires as that they cannot give an perfect and explicite Account of The Text says plainly That they know not what to pray for as they ought their Faith may be up and down in their Prayers as witness Davids practice in the Psalms their Petitions may be upon the matter inconsistent and yet they do not know many a desire had Job to God that he would take away his life and yet undoubtedly he had his own desires for delivery many a time they are forced to sist in a Petition for help in the General without condescending to particular Requests because they are ignorant what is expedient for them but all the irregular desires of the Saints in such a case does not come from the Spirit but only the lawful Desires that are mixed with these irregular Desires these are called the Sense and Meaning of the Spirit which God approves of in the next Verse Now these confused Prayers of the Saints they arise from various Causes 1st From dark Providences this was Jobs case When men know not the Cause why God afflicts nor the Ends which he intends to bring about by the Affliction it is no wonder then they be indistinct in their Prayers they know not what to seek of God in this Case 2ly When men are under the Apprehensions of imminent great Trouble causeing a fear that they may be overcome by the Trouble the Creature is at a stand and knows not what to desire even innocent finite Nature while it is seiled upon by these great Fears the Mind is not free at the time to have the actual uptaking of what is fit to be desired or expected of God for the finite Mind is detained in the Contemplation of the greatness of the Trouble that is coming on them see Christs Words John 12.27 3ly When Corruption is tumultuating in the Heart and Grace fighting against it the Spirit lusteth against the Flesh and the Flesh against the Spirit it is no wonder the Soul be troubled with contrary Tydes of contrary Desires 4ly While the Soul is troubled with sad Challenges of Conscience for sin that vexation of mind caused by these Challenges makes the Creature unfit to take up the particular state and condition of their Soul so that they cannot
your Interest in this priviledge by your being Married to Christ that is by forsaking your own personal Righteousness which is by the Law and betaking your selves to Christ's Rom. 7.4 3ly Try your Interest by your Union with Christ If you would know that Union with Christ ye must try it by this whether ye be new Creatures or no 2 Cor. 5.17 4ly ye must try it by the mark in the Text which is that such as are in Christ They walk not after the flesh that is they have not an walk that evidences the dominion of Lust over them Pride Covetousness Malice and Self-love do not Influence their Conversation And 2ly They do not regulate their Life by the Laws of Corruption which are directly opposite to the Laws of God whereof some of them may be repeated As 1st The Natural Man thinks it fit to depend upon himself and not upon God and to please himself and not God 2ly The Natural Man denys the Being of God and mistakes the perfection of God and his walk evidences his Atheism Psal 14.1 and his denyal of God's perfection Psal 36.1 3ly It is a Principle of the Natural Man that he Exerciseth himself in Superstitious Worship In being formal in appointed Worship as meritorious with God see Luke 18. about the Pharisee 4ly It is his principle that we may warrantably use unlawful means to obtain our end That false policy is better then tenderness of Conscience 5ly It is a Principle of his that Folk should rather Sin then suffer Affliction 6ly It is a Principle of the Carnal Man that we should not love our Neighbour with a pure and single Love but with a Selfish Love not designing singly his good but aiming still at our own Advantage in what kindness we do to him 7ly It s the walker after the flesh his Principle that we should not live in Subjection to Superiours from Conscience but because of fear of force and because of Expectation of Advantage 8ly It 's his Principle that his Felicity stands in sensual good 9ly He is not content with what satisfies Nature but with what satisfies Lust and Lust being unsatiaable he cannot but always be discontented Now this Walk after the Flesh does not only import a Walk that evidences reigning Lusts in the Heart and a Walk that is the practical improvement of those pernicious Principles formerly mentioned and such like but it is a Walk tending to corrupt Ends a Walk wherein a Mans Imaginations Desires and Purposes are all levelled at the gratifying of some one predominant Lust or other And 5ly we would try our interest in this priviledge by our walking after the Spirit Which is a walk first which stands in obedience to the motions of the Spirit Rom. 8 13. Gal. 5.18 2ly It stands in giving God spiritual Worship Phiâ—ip 3.3 and Jo. 4 24. 3ly It stands in having a Walk flowing from Spiritual Principles viz. Faith 2 Cor. 5.7 Love Eph. 5.2 4ly It stands in eying an spiritual Rule in our Walk viz. The Law in its spiritual meaning in having a spiritual frame in conforming our selves to that Law that we may do what we do in the strength of Christ's Spirit And 5ly It stands in designing spiritual Ends viz. The Glory of God the Edification of our Neighbour and our own Salvation From the Restriction of this priviledge to such as Walk after the Spirit We may infer an Use of Reproof to many who walk after the flesh and yet will apply this priviledge to themselves The causes of their security may be 1st They lean to their Superstitious Services Mica 6 7. Isa 1 11. And to their External Acts of Worship Isai 58 3. Jer. 7 10. 2ly They Lean to their present impunity Psal 50 21. And 3ly They lean to their own Gifts Matth. 7.22 Observe that the Apostle divides all the Members of the Visible Church in these Two sorts of Men viz. Who walk after the Flesh and Who walk after the Spirit Importing to us that all those that Walk not after the Spirit they certainly walk after the Flesh From this one may infer That all Moralists and Civilians Whatever pretences they have for Innocency in Walking since they are unacquainted with a walking after the Spirit they are certainly to be reckoned as Walkers after the Flesh Observe next from the words That when the Apostle would give a discovery to persons of their spiritual state and of their Interest in the priviledge of Non-condemnation he brings this Discovery not from a particular Act of their Walk whether good or bad but from the Tract of their Walk for a Godly Man may be overcome with an Temptation at a time and do an evil Act which may be called an Act of the Flesh and an godless Man may do an Act materially good but a Godly Man cannot Walk after the Flesh neither can a godless man walk after the Spirit Verse 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death SOme take the meaning of those words to be That the Gospel doth free the Apostle Paul from the Law and Covenant of Works and its Threatning And therefore since the Gospel frees him from the Laws Threatning It cannnot but secure all that are in Christ from Condemnation seing he has no priviledge by the Gospel but what all that are in Christ actually have for the Gospel confers priviledges of this sort and nature equally on all Believers And if the words be taken in this sense they are a proof of the first part of the first verse to this purpose as if the Apostle had said Ye may be very sure that there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Because I who am a Believer by the promulgate Gospel am delivered from the Threatning of the Covenant of Works And so these that ascribe this sense to the words they say that by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is meaned the Gospel called the Law of Faith 3d. Rom. And it gets that Name because as a Law hath Authority in it to oblidge to Obedience so the Gospel has the stampt of Divine Authority on it obliging to Obedience Likeways It is called a Law of the spirit of life because the Gospel and not the Law which is as to this a Dead Letter is the Ministration of the Spirit see Gal. 3.5.2 Cor. 3.8 and we are receivers of the spirit by the hearing of Faith Gal 3.2 and it is said the Gospel is the Law in Christ Jesus because Christ Jesus is the principal Subject about which it Treats Or these words in Christ Jesus may be added not to denote that the principal Subject of the Gospel is Christ Jesus but to denote that the Spirit of Life which is conveyed by the Gospel is to be had from Christ Jesus 2ly Those that ascribe this sence to the words they say that by the Law of sin and death is meant the
would not be discouraged for although the present measure of inherent Grace that is in him be not able to do his work and overcome the opposition made to it yet there is an abundance of strength in the Spirit of Life that principally resides in the Head and is derived from him to all his Members to manadge all the Christians Work and to overcome all the opposition made to it Take notice 5ly Of the name the Spirit gets here he is called the Spirit of Life or a quickning Spirit and he is called so for Three Reasons 1st Because he raised Christ from the dead 2ly Because he raises us from the Death of Sin And 3ly Because he is to raise the Christian at the last day to immortal Glory From this we infer that those in whom the Spirit dwells must have Spiritual Life that is they must live so as to make his Will their Rule and his Glory their End and his Love their chiefest Comfort 6ly Take notice That the Spirit of Life is said to be in Jesus Christ and that 1st Because Christ did merite the Spirit of Life to his People 2ly Because the Spirit of Life did evidence principally It's quickning vertue in his raising Christ from the dead He did this that believers might have a pledge by this deed that he could raise them from the death of sin and of the grave 3. He is said to be in Christ Jesus because he is given to him principally and primarly and in a greater measure then to Believers the Father gave not the Spirit by measure to him John 3.34 And the Spirit is given to believers from Christ and for his sake and this directs Believers how to strengthen their Faith as to the expectation of the Spirits grace and influence to their Hearts Unbelief will say in their Hearts they should not expect the Spirits presence seeing they cannot deserve it The Answers is that Christ hath deserved it from them tho they have not deserved it themselves 2ly Unbelief will object the difficulty of the Spiritual and Corporal Resurrection a work so difficult how can the accomplishment thereof be expected The answer is That this Spiriâ— of life hath performed ane greater work in raising Christ from the dead then he should perform tho he should raise thee who are the Believer from the death of sin and the grave 3ly Unbelief in Believers will object against their undertaking great Spiritual work for God because they do not find such strength of the Spirits grace in them as many be proportioned to the greatness and Spirituality of that work But the Answer is They should not take their encouragement to the work from the greatness of the strength of their present inherent grace but from the greatness of the strength of that Spirit of life that primarly and principally resides in Christ and therefore Paul 1 Tim. 2.1 He bids Timothy be strong in the grace that is in Jesus and in the Philip 4. He says he can do all things through Christ that strengthneth him and in 2 Cor. 12. He says he rejoyces in his infirmity that the power of Christ may rest upon him And therefore an exercised Believer with indwelling sin if he would have the most comfortable look of Christ let him look to him as having the fullness of the Spirit of life in him for Christ is not only lovely to a Believer as his Blood has an Expiatory vertue to cleanse away our guilt but as he has an fullness of the Spirit whereby he is able to quicken the Believer and raise him from the Death of sin to a Spiritual life Observe the designation of Corruption it is called the Law of Sin to hold out its moral evil 2ly It is called the Law of Death to hold out the prejudice it doeth to us It gets the name of the Law of sin to hold out the impetuous activity of it to make us commit Actual sin notwithstanding all the restraints that God puts upon us by his prohibitions by his Threatenings by his Judgements and Crosses by his Checking and Restraining-providences by his Allureing mercies by his awakening-Smarting challenges of our conscience 2ly This Corruption is very powerful to overcome the restraints of Men made against it No humane law with it's most Vigorous execution can altogether stop its Impetuousness Indwelling sin is so impetuous that it doeth overcome the restraints the the sinner puts on himself he will break his own Vow 's purposes and promises From the Impetuousness and efficacy of this indwelling sin we may inferr the folly of them that think to get it Mortified by their own strength without the efficacy of the Spirit of life convoyed to us in the humble use of appointed means 2ly It says they are fools who look upon their resolutions to live blamelesly as a sufficient guard against Scandalous sins Indwelling sin is so impetuous in its acting that it will break out notwithstanding of that resolution if it be not mortified by the Law of the Spirit of life Next the Text holds out the prejudice we lustain by Corruption here it is called the Law of Death and that first because the strength of Corruption and it's Actings marr Spiritual Life 2ly Because although the Guilt of Corruption be Pardoned to â— Believer yet the intrinsick Demerite of Eternal Death sticks to it 3ly Because that Natural Death necessarly is Connected with it For though the Death of a Believer be not the effect of a Curseing Law as the just Punishment of Corruption yet the Totaâ— removeal of Corruption from the Believer is to be brought about by Death the Dissolution of Nature If this were well considered by Believers it would make us humble under the Sense of Indwelling sin and would make us painful for its Mortification anâ— make us exceedingly long for it's Total Abolition Observe Paul applyes this Priviledge of freedom from indwelling sin to himself and thâ— Application is worthy of Observation if yâ— look to its Qualities As 1st It 's an Application that is attended with a due Sense of sin the Moral ill and prejudice of it an Christian exercised with the exceeding sinfulness of indwelling sin and the prejudice following on it is a fit applye of this benefite 2ly This Application is an humble Application he expects freedom from indwelling sin not from any paines he can take to Mortifâ— it but from the Law and Efficacy of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus 3ly Paul's Application of this benefite is from Knowledge he know's the Guilt of indwelling sin is removed by his Justification and he knowes the presence of it is to be removed alsewell as the Dominion of it to be broken by the Efficacy of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Paul did expect this benefite on rational Grounds which he understood Not like many ignorant Christians that expect benefites fraâ— God and yet they have not distinct Grounds to found their Expectation on 4ly This Application was
Observation That God is not reconciled to those that are unrenewed is clear Because none can be reconciled to God but those that have an interest in Christ and we can have no interest in Christ without the Presence of his Spirit and that Presence is always a renewing Presence For the Apostle in the 4. of the Thess proves That we are called to Holiness because he has given us of his holy Spirit vers 7 8. 2ly Christs Errand is to save his People from their Sins Mat. 1.21 And therefore those that Christ reconciles to God he must renew seing his Salvation includes in it aswell the abolition of the Power of Sin by renovation as the removal of the guilt of it by reconciliation neither is it consistent with Christs Hâ—nour to make him the minister of Sin to say thâ— his errand into the World was to suffer and therâ— by to procure a liberty to Rebels to continue in the Rebellion against God and yet be free of Punisâ—ment 3ly To say that People can be reconcile to God and yet unrenewed is to say that Christ cannot by Water as well as by Blood It is to deâ— a great part of the vertue of the Redeemer 4 To assert this that People may be reconciled to Gâ— and yet unrenewed is to say that God misses tâ— designed End that he hath before him in reconciâ—ing them to himself As 1. To free them of tâ— Bondage of Satan Justice is satisfied for them thâ— they may be renewed and that Satan may have 〈◊〉 plea against them to detain them under his Tyrrany 2. He designs to bring them to himself have access to him to be consecrate Temples him Eph. 2.21 He designs to have their way pleâ—sing to him Psal 37.23 He designs to make â—irself lovely to them and to make them take Deligâ— in him Rom. 5.10 11. And he designs by Recoâ—ciliation to present them holy and blameless in 〈◊〉 sight Col. 1.20 21. Now none of these Ends thâ— God intends to bring about by reconciling his Peâ—ple to himself can be attained without Renovatioâ— Vse 1st To Instruct the unrenewed anent the great misery God is their stated Enemy and â— their Blessings are Snares their Crosses are Curse and Pledges of their Eternal Ruine they have â— access to God in their miâ—ery and as afterward â— will see from the Text all their Services are rejectâ— of him as Refuse Use 2. To reprove the unrenewed Who will believe that God is reconciled to them notwithstanding of their unrenewed state and there are many sorts of such Persons As 1st The Moralists 2ly The Formalists Luke 18.11 and 12. 3ly The Partial Reformer Mark 10.21 4ly The Temporary Believer see Heb. 6. and the Parable of the Sower 5ly Such as lean to their wide Profession and their Name amongst the Godly Math. 25.3 Use 3. Is of Exhortation To Exhort these that are unrenewed to do their best for the change of their State Seing certainly God is their Enemy while they remain such And for this Effect they would Pray to be delivered from the Bond of Iniquity this is Peters advice to Simon Magus Acts 8.2 Direction for change of their state is Jam. 1.21 Receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your Soul 3. Direction is Be convinced that ye are unrenewed and of the evil and danger of that condition 4th Use Is an Use of Tryal Since there is such danger in being in an unrenewed state try it by this mark if ye allow your selves in an continued Rebellion against the divine Law ye are certainly unrenewed Use 5th Is of Consolation and Exhortation to the truely Godly and renewed They are called to apply the priviledge of Reconciliation to themselves because the Text supposes that all those that are in the Spirit pleases God When it asserts that all those that are in the flesh cannot please him For the Text divides all Professors into these two sorts viz. These that are in the flesh and those that aâ— in the Spirit denying the priviledge of Non-coâ—demnation to the first and allowing it to the seconâ— And indeed it is not Gods will that renewed foâ— should forbear applying Reconciliation to themselvâ— for this confident Application would make way foâ— confident walk and converse with God and confide access to him in Prayer It would support us undâ— the Worlds Emnity and defend us against tâ— Worlds Allurements and encourage us to the stuâ— of Mortification with the greater Cheerfulness As to the second Observation That unrenewed Peâ—sons their Actions are not accepted of God is cleâ— 1st Because their Persons are not acceptable throuâ— Christ 2ly Because they have not the Image God neither are they Objects of his Complacenâ— he hates the Workers of Iniquity Psal 5.5.5 The Action it self is wholly Flesh and corrupt bâ—cause flowing from himself without the assistance the Spirit and directed to his own self ends allenaly Use To reprove the unrenewed who belieâ— the acceptance of their Devotion and are sometimâ— angry with God when they find it otherways 1st 58.3 2ly They believe the acceptance of thâ— Charity 3ly Their suffering for their Professioâ— 4ly They believe their acceptance of their Zeal fâ— publick Reformation The cause of this misâ—aâ— is the Ignorance of the Spirituality of Gods Naturâ— and the Spirituality of his Law 2ly Their Ignorance of the great obligations they ly under to Goâ— which makes them think that God is obliged to accept of the meanest peice of service done by there A 3d. Cause is Their overlooking the deceitfulness and wickedness of their Heart 4th Cause is Self-Love whereby they are inclined to overvalue all they do 5th Cause is their few Reflections upon their great and many Sins Use 2. To the Godly To believe the acceptance of their service seing these that are in the Spirit The Text supposes their services to please God this belief is necessary to them to keep up their heart under the Worlds Censures of their good Actions and under the Godlyes Censures of the same and under the want of Temporal Rewards for them and under the Afflictions that may attend them for the tryal of their Constancy therein They would not be discouraged from this belief for the sinful imperfections that attend them see Rev. 2.4 and 5. See Rachabs case in hiding of the Spyes God accepted of the service who tho he does not approve of the Lye yet he approves of the Faith and Affection that was in the service Neither should they be discouraged from their after-faillings The weakness of Moses Parents in exposing the Child to danger in the Ark of Bull-rushes did not hinder God to notice their Faith in the Preservation of the Child three Moneths Neither should they be discouraged from the faith of acceptance because of the difficulties that attend the doing of a good work the opposition the people met with in Building the Temple In the days of Nehemiah should not have marred the faith
of their Acceptance in the doing of it Neither should they be discouraged from the faith of this Acceptance because of the Afflictions that do immediatly attend the doing of Gods Service which was Hezekiahs case in the time of the Invasion of Senacherib Neither should they be discouraged because of the groundless Censures that the Godly pass upon their way This was Mary's case who was Censured by the Disciples in pouring Oyntment upon Christ's Head We would give some Directions to the Godly Whereby they may win the more easily to the faith of this acceptance As 1st What they do they would do it from Faith seing what is not done from faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 They would do their Good Works from the Faith of a Command from the faith of acceptance and the Faith of Remuneration 2d Direction is They would do what they do from Love 1 Cor. 13. and 1. A 3d. Direction is They would do it from Self denyal in respect to God's Glory Abrahams offering up of Isaac was accepted of God because there was much of Self-denyal in it Gen. 22. A 4th Direction is That what they do they would owe it to the Strength of Christ's Spirit because then the Action does not flow from Corruption A 5th Direction is They would reflect upon the Spiritual Rewards that God bestows upon them to testifie the acceptance of their Service such as these 1st The giving them more meanes of Knowledge and encrease of Light as he did to Cornelius Acts 10.6 2ly Greater manifestations of his Love see John 4. and â—3 3ly A greater measure of assistance for doing Duty 1 Tim. 4.14 4ly He gives them fairer opportunities of doing God great Service and in keeping them from the Evil of Temptations Rev. 3.10 5ly In suiteing their Tryals to their strength see Mal. 3.17 And a 6th Reward is their prevailence with God in Prayer see Ezek. 14. where it said that Noah Job and Daniel had much power with God because of their Piety Verse 9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you c. HEre the Apostle makes an Application of his Doctrine He applyes an priviledge of Non-condemnation to the Roman's because Charitably he constructs them Renewed But lest they should lean too much to his Charitable Judgement of them he gives them an Mark to try themselves by because they can know themselves better then he can know them And the Mark he gives to evidence the change of their State is The Indwelling presence of the Spirit and lest they should slight this Mark or try by other false Marks he gives them a peremptory certification That if they want the Spirit of Christ they have nothing to do with him From whence we may see That Ministers should not only in the general speak of Gospel-Comforts but in particular make application of them by giving particular marks of these to whom they do belong But withal the Marks they give of Peoples particular Interest in Christ should be very sure and solid such as this was And likeways they should press People by peremptory Certifications to make enquiry whether they have these solid Marks or no left either they neglect to try themselves by these Marks or examine themselves by False marks The Doctrine is That the Indwelling Spirit is the sure mark of the Renovation of our state By the Indwelling of the Spirit is not meant the transient operations of the Spirit as are wrought in Temporary Believers Matth. 13. Heb. 6 Neither is meant the having of these Gifts that are given for the Churches Edification But by it is meant the Gracious and continuing presence of the Spirit produceing these Effects in Believers viz. Illumination Supplication Consolation and Sanctification The Indwelling Spirit produces Illumination By opening the understanding that they may know the Scriptures Luke 25.45 By taking away the Vail that is on the Mind in Reading of the Word He proves an Spirit of Illumination by discovering the Glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus by letting us see that all the perfections of the Divine Nature do manifest themselves clearly in the Mediators Work of Mediation 2 Cor. 4 6. He opens the Eyes of Men and lets them see that the way of Salvation holden out by the Gospel is the most wise and and effectual way of Salvation These that want this Spirit they look on the Gospel as Foolishness 1 Cor. 1.23 and 2.14 He proves a Spirit of Illumination to the Godly by making them love the Truth for the want of which those are destroyed that are spoken of 2 Thess 2. and 10. And this Illumination is attended with the Faith of Truth revealed Therefore Christ's says that every one that is Taught of the Father comes to him Joh. 6. 2ly This Spirit he is a Spirit of Prayer by making us Pray Fervently Submissively and Regularly Rom. 8.26 Believingly 8.15 In the Name of Christ Eph. 2.18 Penitently Zech. 12.10 for all Saints Eph. 6.18 Perseveringly Ibid. and singly out of a pure Heart Next The Indwelling Spirit is the Author of Sanctification First By exciteing Repentance Zech. 12.10 And this is done by manifesting many Evils in the Heart and the Moral Evil of sin 2ly He sanctifies by applying the Word Joh. 17.17 1 Pet. 1.23 By applying the Command to make the Conscience stand in awe by applying the promise to outbid Temptations by applying the Threatnings to restrain them from outbreaking in sin And lastly he proves a Spirit of Consolation by manifesting the great Happiness of Believers both in this Life and that which is to come It is by the Spirit we take up the Reality and Excellency of these Priviledges that are freely given us of God even in this World 1 Cor. 2.12 It is by the Spirits light we understand what is the Hope of our Calling Eph. 1.18 2ly He proves a Comforter because he helps the People of God to apply the Promise for which cause he is called the Spirit of Promise Eph. 1.13 3ly He Comforts as a Witness He Witnesses to our Adoption Rom. 8.15 16. He testifies to the Truth and grouth of our Graces Use 1st For instruction This lets us see why many of the Godly are not Assured of their renewed state It is because through grieving of the Spirit the presence of the indwelling spirit is not so clear to them Use 2d Of Consolation to the Godly that have this Indwelling Spirit They would from this conclude the Renovation of their state But lest they doubt of their Renovation when there is no ground of doubting They would consider First That they may have the Spirit of truth in them tho they may be ignorant of many great Truths as the Apostles were before Christ's Resurrection if they believe Love and Practise what they know 2ly They may have the Spirit of Prayer in them though they have not that withgate and liberty in Praying through a defect of
the Gift of Prayer which stands in a clearness of Conception of things needful and a clearness of Expression if they have fervent single desires after spiritual good and these desires put up in the Name of Christ 3ly They would consider that tho Believers may want sometimes that Peace passing understanding that Joy unspeakable and Glorious the Spirits Testimony for their Aodption that full and free Application of the Promises Yet they may have the Comfort of the Spirit if they have that support in their Mind and calmness in their Conscience as makes them cheerfully go about their duty and hear their Crosses 4ly They would consider That the Spirit may be a sanctifying Spirit to such who are overtaken with Temptations at a time Gal. 6.1 and whose fervour of their first Love is abated Rev. 2.5 If their Exercise be to keep a good Conscience towards God and Man and if the tract of their way be to please God A Third Use of Exhortation to the Godly That since the Indwelling Spirit is a sure evidence of a renewed state they would Labour to entertain the presence of this Spirit in their Hearts And first they would entertain the presence of the Illuminating Spirit First By using all appointed meanes for the encrease of Knowledge 2ly By depending on the Spirit in the use of these meanes for the growth of Knowledge and not on the quickness of our understanding 3ly By having single desires after Knowledge by desireing the same not for Vain-glory or By Ends but for Gods Glory and our own and others Education Next We would entertain the presence of the Spirit of Prayer First By applying our selves seriously to that Duty as Daniel did Daniel 9. 2ly By being constantly exact in our Life which ministers confidence to us in Prayer 3ly By Examining our own Condition that we may not want matter for Prayer when we go to God 3ly We would entertain the Spirit of Sanctification by watching against Temptations and by the use of all appointed meanes for the Communicating of the Spirits Grace and searching after the Evils of your Heart and by knowing the plagues of your own Heart ye may know what Evils ye are mostly to set your selves against by Repenting for them Praying against them and watching in opposition against them 4ly Ye would entertain the spirit of Consolation As 1st By improving his Comforts to make you Cheerfully obey Astâ— 9.31 And 2ly By forebearing to drench your self too much in Worldly Comforts Jo. 14.17 Verse 9. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his HEre is a Certification of the distance of all from Christ that want his Spirit And this is given on purpose to make the Romans make enquiry whether they have the Spirit or not This Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ 1st Because he meritoriously procures him Gal. 3.14 2â—y He is primarly possessed by him he possesses a greater number and measure of his Gifts than any of his Members John 3.34 Isa 61.1 3ly The Communication of the Spirit flowes from his Intercession John 14.16 4lyâ— The dispensation of the Spirit is from him John 15.26 and 16.7 And 5ly The Spirits Work â— to glorify him and to apply his Purchase John 16.14 From the Words observe 1st That all that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his The meaning is not that these that have not Christs Spirit they are none of them elected or that the Salvation of such is not transacted for in the Covenant of Redemption for the Elect themselves may be Children of Wrath Eph. 2.2 and void of Christâ— Spirit alse well as others But the meaning is that the man that wants the Illuminating Praying Sanctifying and Comforting Spirit Christ hath noâ— that Interest in them that he hath in Actual Believers they do not so belong to him as they doâ— that is by vertue of the Fathers actual Donation iâ— time which stands in effectual Vocation John 6.37 38. they may be entrusted to him in the Covenant of Redemption but yet if they be void of Christâ— Spirit they are not effectually Called 2ly They do not belong to him by vertue of their personaâ— Resignation to him they cannot offer themselveâ— as a living and acceptable Sacrifice to him without Christs Spirit 3ly They do not belong to him by reason of his Conquest of them of redeeming them from the Dominion of Sin and Satan because a man that wants Christs Spirit is under the Tyrrany of both 4ly They belong not to him as his Members by Mystical Union for as that Union is made up of Faith on our part Eph. 3.17 so it is made up by the Communication of his Spirit on his part 1 Cor. 6.17 5ly They are not his by that near relation of his Spiritual marriage so as to be his Spouse because without Christs Spirit they cannot quite the Law as a Husband and consent to be married to Christ Rom. 7.4 For to quite our own Righteousness is a Work far above the power of our Faculties without the Communication of the Spirit of Grace 6ly Neither can a man void of Christs Spirit belong to Christ in this sense As tho the Mediator stood obliedged by vertue of the Covenant of Grace to conferr upon him Justification Adoption and Sanctification and to bring him to Glory For by vertue of that Covenant he is only tyed to conferr these things on sincere Believers now these that are void of the Spirit have no sincere Faith It 's true Christ may be engaged by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption to bring some who for the present are void of Christs Spirit into an Estate of Justification Adoption and Sanctification But for Answer 1st That Obligation lyes not on him by vertue of the Covenant of Grace made with the Church or the promulgate Gospel to them But that Obligation lyes upon him by vertue of that undertaking that he makes to his Father in the Covenant of Redemption Likeways when he undertakes to possess them of an Estate of Justification Adoption and Glory he doth not undertake to bring them into that 〈◊〉 state and Condition and that they should be voiâ— of the Spirits Presence while they are in that Estate but he undertakes to bring them into that Estate bâ— Communicating of his Spirit to them Now that no man that wants the Spirit of Christ can so belong to him as actual Believers do appearâ— by this we cannot belong to Christ without receiving him and it 's in the Word of the Gospel that â— receive him now when we receive him in the Gospel we receive him and his Spirit together See Gal. 2.3 Therefore is it that the Gospel is called the Ministrâ—tion of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3 8 The use of this is to reprove the unrenewed world that are void of the Spirit for believing they haâ— an actual Interest in Christ and in the Priviledges of the Gospel Covenant the reason of this Mistake is They
the Visible Church who because of their being strangers to the Operations of the Spirit in the Hearts of true Believers look upon Assurance as an unattainable thing As to the second Observation The way to win to this Assurance it is set down in the Text and it is by getting a two fold Testimony for our Sonship The one from the Spirit and the other from our Conscience The Spirit Testifies to our Sonship 1st By giving an External Revelation in the Scriptures that penitent Believers are the Sons of God John 1.12 2ly The Spirit concurrs with this Testimony by illuminating the Mind and Understanding and perswading it of the truth of this External Revelation 1 Cor. 2.12 3ly The Spirit concurrs to this Testimony by being an evidence of our Sonship by reason of his Gracious sanctifying presence in us Therefore the Scripture calls him the Earnest of our Inheritance Eph. 1 13 and Gods Seal on us Eph 4.30 4ly The Spirit testifies our Sonship by giving us this Internal Objective Revelation viz. That we are Sons and that we have these true Graces in us that are the true Marks of our Adopted state and albeit we cannot discern a true difference between a suggestion of the Spirit of God injecting this thought in us That we are â—onâ— differing I say from the Act of our Conscience concluding our Sonship from reflecting on the truth of our Graces yet there may be a difference between these Two the thought and persuasion injected by the Spirit being attended with a total expulsion of all Fears Whereas the Act of the Conscience may have some mixture of fears attending it And if we consider this Text which asserts the Spirit to be a Co-witness with Conscience testifieing Sonship it supposeth that the Spirit doth give this Internal Objective Revelation to the Mind as a distinct Testimony from that of the Conscience For to say that all that the Spirit works in this affair is to assist the Conscience concluding Sonship from the discerning of the true Marks of a renewed state To say this does not seem to be the whole of his Text for in that case the Spirit helps only the Conscience to be a Witness but he cannot properly be called a Testator himself yea also and another Testator besides the Conscience which the Text does here assert neither doeth tâ— is Assertion of the Spirits giving this Internal Objective Revelation anent the Son ship of the Saints take off Believers from the written word as a Rule of their Life and expose Believers to delusions by leading them to wait upon Internal Revelations differing from the Revelations made in Scripture And that 1st Because this Internal Revelation is agreeable to Scripture-Revelation because it is the Revelacion of Sonship to a particular Membeâ— of the Church who hath all the Scripture-marks of an Adopted state neither is this internal Revelation of Sonship to a particular Believer a new Revelation of a new Article of Faith not contained in the Scriptures added to the Creed of other Believers obliedging them to believe the same it is only the Revelation of a Truth consonant to the Scriptures made to a particular Believer to his comfort And if it be said the asserting of such an Revelation leaves men at great uncertainty because they may take Satans Suggestion for the Testimony of the Spirit It is Answered The Testimony of the Spirit is attended with the Testimony of Conscience concluding upon rational Grounds their Sonship he is said here to be a Co-witness with our Spirits 2ly Where it is it brings with it a disposition and promptitude for Prayer It is the Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption whereby we Cry Abba Father 3ly It disposes the Soul for Holiness it is the holy Spirit of Promise that gives this Testimony Eph. 1.13 There are these Three or Four Ways whereby we may win to this Spirits Testimony As. 1st By exact walking God gives it as a Reward to his Obedient Children 2ly By being of a Gospel-frame of Spirit he is the holy Spirit of Promise and we receive the Spirit as well in his comforting Testimony as in his Sanctifying Vertue by improving the Gospel We receive the Spirit by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 That is by the acceptance and improving of the Object of Faith Viz. the Promise of the Gospel A 3d. Way we receive the Spirit is to be devout much given to Prayer the Spirit of Adoption prompting us to pray is attended with this Testimony as we see by thir two Verses joined together A 4th Way to win at it is Labour for the constant witnessing of our own Conscience testifying to our Son ship and this is win at by studying singleness and sincerity 2 Cor. 1.12 See Jobâ— Experience 2ly We would labour for the grouth of Grace for when Grace is growen it is better seen than when it is in a mean measure 3ly We would labour to have all the Graces of the Spirit for our shortcoming in some makes us jealous we want all 4ly When God calls us to self-denying Acts of Obedience we would readily answer Gods Call For if God take self-denying Acts of Obedience for Evidences of the Truth of Grace a mans own Conscience may safely take them for a sure Evidence of the same for God says Gen. 22. That by Abrahams offering up of Isaac he knew that he feared God Verse 17. And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorifyed together HERE the Apostle infers a certainty of the Children of Gods possessing the Inheritance If Children then Hears and he commends that Inheritance from these two Grounds As 1st It is an Inheritance suitable to the Giver they are Heirs of God 2d Ground is it is the same Inheritance possest by the Lord Christ they are Co-heirs with him The Apostle here also prevents an Objection that might be made against this Doctrine which might be taken from the suffering Lot of the Saints and he turns the Objection to a Confirmation of this Truth See 1 Pet. 1.14 If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorifyed together Observe 1st From the Text that God's Children shall certainly possess the Inheritance The 1st Ground of this Objective Certainty is the Oath and Promise of the Covenant See Heb. 6. 2d Ground is the two Priviledges of the Saints whereby they have Right to this Inheritance And these are 1st Justification Tit. 3.6 2ly Adoption See the Text. 3d. Ground are the Seals whereby God confirms the Promise of this Inheritance to his People 1st Seal is the internal Seal of the Spirit Eph. 1.13 2d Seal is the external Seal of the Sacrament of the Supper which is a Seal of the Communion of his Body and Blood the Bread which we break is the Communion of his Body and the Cup which we drink is the Communion of his Blood 2 Cor. 10. And we know
them for though they be free of the sting of Death which is the Venome of the Curse of the Law in it yet they are not altogether free of the fears of the sting of Death 2ly The Godly tho they be free of the reigning Power of Lust yet they are not free of the solicitations of it Paul complains of this Rom. 7. 3ly Tho' the Godly be not Children of the Kingdom of Darkness and Slaves to Satan yet here-away they are subject to many vexing Temptations from him and therefore this present condition should make us more willing and desireous to dye that we may be freed from this state of Bondage And 2ly It lets us see that considering Christians that have a view of this Bondage cannot send without Faith Observe 2ly That the Children of God shall certainly get this glorious Liberty because here it is taken for granted and fully and clearly promised in the Word and therefore we should al 's firmly believe it There are three things that Christians should firmly believe as to this Liberty As 1st A total freedom from the indwelling Presence of sin 2ly A total freedom from Satans Temptations 3ly A total freedom from Death I shall give the Scripture Grounds that the Christian hath allowed to him for founding his Faith and Hope of all these three upon For the First Grounds to found the Faith of a Christian to make him believe and expect the total removal of sin are these 1st Christ designed its total removeal by his Death we cannot think that he can be frustrate of his Design see Eph. 5.25 26. 2ly His Death did merite the crucifixion and killing of the Old Man Rom. 6.6 3ly His Resurrection is a Pledge thereof see Rom. 8.11 For the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead did it to assure him and the Believing World that he could and would raise up all his Members perfectly from a Death in Sin 4ly The Spirits Presence begining this Work says he will perfect it because his great Design when he enters into the Child of God's Heart is not to make a partial but a total conformity between him and Christ 5ly The Priviledge of Justification says it must be for if all our guilt be pardoned and our Remission be compleat according to the Promise of the new Covenant Ezek. 18 and Ezek. 33. Where it is said that all Iniquity shall be forgiven and none shall be mentioned Then Corruption must be removed for a loving God and a loving Mediator will remove such an hurtful Evil from Believers since the state of Justification tells it may he done without reflection on his Justice A 6th Ground of Faith for the removal of sin is this that Baptism is the External Seal confirming the Promise for its total removal and therefore it s said we are buried as to our old Man with Christ by our Baptisme Rom. 6.4 For the Second piece of the Christians Liberty Viz. A freedom from Satans Temptations the Grounds to found our Faith of that upon Are 1st The Promise made to Eva that the Seed of the Woman should trample down the Head of the Serpent from which Paul infers Rom. 16. That God would tread Satan under their feet shortly A 2d Ground is Christ by his Death hath taken away Satans Plea against us Heb. 2.14 15 For all his â—lea was that we were Enemies to God and therefore it were but just that we should be given up to him to delude and vex us But now Christ by his Death hath destroyed him that is he hath enervate the strength of his Plea by reconcileing us to God and therefore he is said Col. 2.15 to spoil Principalities and Powers and to triumph over them on the Cross by setting at liberty their Captives A 3d Ground is Christs Personal Victory over Satans Temptations and Persecutions which Victory he attained in our Nature by making use of the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and exercising the Graces of the Spirit and by wrestling in Prayer with the Father see Mat. 4. and Mat. 26.41 He overcame by Faith Love Patience Meekness Submission and Zeal and this Victory was given to him to be a Pledge to him and his Spiritual Seed that are incorporate in him of their total Freedom from his seduceing and vexing Temptations A 4th Ground is the strength of Christs Spirit that is stronger in Believers than the Devil that is in the World For the Third piece of the Liberty of the Christian it stands in his delivery from death and there are these following Grounds upon which the Christian may build the Faith of his Delivery from it First Ground is Gods Covenant-relation to him it was from this Relation that God had to Abraham that Christ inferred the necessity of the Resurrection Math. 22. 2d Ground is the Believers Union with Christ that necessarly draws with it a conformity of the Members with the Head in respect of Immortality these that sleep in Jesus God will bring with him 1 Thess 4.4 A 3d. Ground is thâ— the Believers Body is a consecrate Temple to the Holy Ghost and therefore it cannot be always subject to Corruption A 4th Ground is Christ haâ— power to raise the Body Phil. 3 last A 5th Grouâ— is He hath undertaken to the Father to do it he says he will raise them up at the last Day John 6 4â— A 6th Ground is Christs Death which gives assurance of Immortality 1st Because it is a full saâ—faction for sin and it is unpardoned sin that caâ— keep folk eternally under Deaths Power It wâ— by means of his Death for the Redemption of Transgressions that those that are Called receive thâ— Promise of the Eternal Inheritance see Heb. 9.15 Besides God the Father gives an Promise of Eternâ— Life in the Covenant and Christs Death is a Ratification of that Covenant he that spared not his own Soâ— will he not with him freely give us all things Roâ— 8.32 Likeways Christ gives us Eternal Life in hâ— Testament and his death is an Evidence of the unalterableness of his Purpose to Confer it 6ly Thâ— Resurrection is a Ground of Faith for it because 〈◊〉 is the absolution of our Soverty Rom. 4 last and 〈◊〉 Pledge of our Resurrection Christ is the first Fruitâ— of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15. A 7th Ground is his Ascension into Heaven if he had not obtained Eternal Redemption by his Blood and Suffering which includes immortality Justice had given him no access to Heaven he could not have entered into that holy Place by his own Blood except he had obtained immortality for us by that Blood which he as Soverty undertook to do see Heb. 9 12. The 8th Ground is his Session at the Fathers Right Hand which is given him as a Pledge of his Victory over all his Peoples Enemies whereof Death is one Psal 110.1 The 9th Ground is Christ's Intercession for Salvation to his People to the uttermost which includes in it the
we are lying out of our Duty 2 Sam. 11. when Corruption stirrs in us Eph. 4.27 He suites his Temptation to our External Condition he tempts them that are in Adversity to despair and them that are in Prosperity to Pride he suits his Temptations to our Predominants as he tempted Covetous Judas with 30 peices of Silver he conveys his temptations to us by Instruments beloved of us as he tempted Adam by his Wife and by Instruments unexpected by us as he tempted Job to despair by his Godly Friends and as he tempted Christ to forbear suffering by Peter Verse 23. And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan with in our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of 〈◊〉 Body HEre the Apostle goes on to hold out the certainty and excellency of the Glory to come from the Saints Frames relative to it First they vehemently desire it They groan within themselves 2ly They patiently expect it They wait for the Adoption And in this Verse ye may observe three things 1st Gods allowance to his own in this life they receive the first fruits of the Spirit 2ly Observe their Affections toward the other Life they groan for it and wait for it 3ly Observe the description of the happiness that is given of the other World in this Verse it is called the Adoption The redemption of our Body For the First That God allows the first fruits of the Spirit to Believers in this Life By these first fruits are not to be understood the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit given to the Apostles in the primitive times but by these are understood the ordinary Graces of the Spirit conferred upon all Believers called the first Fruits because as the first Fruits were offered up to God under the Law so these Graces should be used to Gods Glory and as they were an pledge of a plentiful Harvest so these Graces are a pledge to us of our full Felicity because God gives us them for that end to confirm our Hope 2ly They are a pledge because that same Love and Grace that moved God to confer the beginnings of our Salvation will move him to perfect them and if God bestow upon Believers part of Christs purchase he 'l bestow the whole By these first Fruits then are meant the Renovation of our Nature Peace of Conscience and Joy in the Holy Ghost Communion with God which stands in saving views of God in his Word and in his Works 2ly It stands in access to God Eph. 2.18 And 3ly In Influences â—rae God God gives these first Fruits to Believers in this Life to defend them against the Worlds deriding their Faith in the Gospel to give them the Witness of the Gospels Verity in their own Heart 1 John 5 10.11 2ly He does it to excite and confirm their hope of Heaven and to awaken their desire after it See the Text. 3ly To Comfort and support them under their Sufferings 4ly To encourage them to Self-denying Duties 5ly To make them content with a mean measure of Worldly Enjoyments 6ly To make them content to go through Death that they may have the full measure of the Spirits presence seing they experience the sweetness of a small measure of it Use 1st Of Exhortation Labour for the presence of the Spirit that ye may have these first Fruits 1st Act Faith on Christ Eph. 1.10 2ly Be tender of grieving the Spirit Eph. 4 30. 3ly Obey his Motions Gal. 5.17 4ly Pray for his presence Luke 11.18 5ly Be not Worldly Minded John 14.17 6ly Beware of Sensuality See the Epistle of Jude Verse 19. 2d Use is of Tryal Try whether ye have Sanctification or no true Sanctification possesses the whole Man it makes a change on the Mind Will and Affections 1 Thess 5.23 True peace it founded on the merite of Christ and guards the Heart against Temptations Phil. 4.3 True joy strengthens the Heart for Duty and makes the Heart despise Worldly Comforts in comparison of it and is an attendant on tender walking Acts 9 31. True Communion with God advances the Believer in a conformity to Gods Image 2 Cor. 3.18 For our Affections relative to the Glory to come 1st They have an vehement desire after it which they cannot sufficiently express and therefore they are said to groan within themselves for the Adoption Likeas this phrase imports the sincerity of their desire this was Pauls desire and he reckons it to be the desire of the rest of the Godly 2 Cor. 5.1 2. But this desire tho it be vehement it should be attended with submission to God prescribing the time of our Death Phil. 1. This Desire should flow rather from a desire of enjoying full Communion with God than a desire to be free of Trouble 2 Cor. 5.8 This Desire is necessary for the Saints that their Affections may be set on Heavenly things That they may be reconciled more to Death and that they may be more Zealous for further degrees of Mortification And therefore Covetousness after the good things of this World marr's this desire as also Anxiety and Concernment about the future Events of Providence marrs this Desire and again the want of the enjoyment of the first Fruits of the Spirit marr's it For when we feel not the sweetness of Communion with God we cannot have an desire after an full measure of it The best way to excite this Desire is frequently to reflect on our Misery through Original and Actual Sin our Chastisement for our Sins our trying Dispensations from God and our persecutions from the World The 2d mean to excite this Desire is the firm Faith of the certainty of the Excellency and of the Eternity of the Glory to come This vehement Desire is of great use to the Godly It makes them Strangers in the World and sober in the Enjoyment of Worldly Good and sober in their expectations from it The next Affection that is ascribed to the Godly Relative to Heaven is waiting Importing first Their expecting their Felicity 2ly It imports their patience under the delay of the same For the first They should expect it for that engages them to Purity 1 John 3 3. 2ly It supports them under Sufferings Heb. 10.35 3ly It makes them content with little in the World 1 Pet. 1.13 The way to win to this Expectation is to be diligent in all Dutys especially the Dutys of Brotherly-Love Heb. 6.12 2ly Make use of your Victory over Temptations as a confirmation to your Hope Psal 73.23 3ly Be oft considering the Grounds of security that secures your right to Heaven And first consider the promise of Eternal Life in the Word First Consider its universaâ— extensiveness to all Acts 13 48. Tit. 2.12 Actâ— 2.39 2ly Consider the freedom of the promise Gal. 3. It is said the Inheritance is not by the Law but by the promise Rom. 4. It is said that the Inheritance is by Grace that it might be
prepare for them an Heavenly City now Believers in Christ are Abraham's Spiritual Seed with whom that Covenant was made and therefore they must go to Heaven and cannot be condemned to go to Hell 2d Ground of their freedom from Condemnation is their freedom from the Law Believers are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6 They are married to Christ and so are not under the Dominion of their old Husband the Law They are not under the Law as an Covenant tho they be under it as an Rule of Life and so they cannot be under the commination of that Covenant because of the Transgressions of it now where the Law does not condemn the Judge cannot condemn 3d. Ground of Certainty is the Believers interest in Christ's Sacrifice Heb. 12.24 It is said we are come to the blood of sprinkling we have a real Interest in his Sacrifice because he is One that had our nature 2ly That Sacrifice by God's Appointment and his own Consent was offered up for Believers and he had a Spiritual Sâ—bness to them Now since Believers have an interest in this Sacrifice this cannot but secure them from Condemnation if you consider the expiatory Vertue thereof which expiatory Vertue is evinced from these few Considerations 1st Consider the infinitely wise God chose this Sacrifice to expiate the Sins of Believers Heb. 10.5 2ly He accepted of this Sacrifice as a proper and effectual Mean to produce this end Eph. 5.2 3ly This Sacrifice had an Intrinsick Worth in it and was spotless 4ly It was offered up by the Heavenly-Fire of the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 5ly The Offerer was the High-Priest of the New Testament himself inaugurate in his Office by God himself Heb. 7.21 6ly The Sufferings he was put to by being thus a Sacrifice were the accomplishments of the Commination of the Law An Fourth Ground of Certainty is the absolution of Christ the Believers soverty in his Resurrection and this absolution more fully cleared by his Session at God's Right Hand Rom. 4 and last and Heb. 1. and 3. A 5th Ground of Certainty of the Believers freedom is the promulgate Gospel which plainly asserts that the Believer is not condemned John 3.18 and 5.24 And this Truth of the Gospel is confirmed by external Miracles and by the Internal Operations of the Spirit of God A 6th Ground is the Priviledges that this Gospel declares are conferred on Believers as 1st The Priviledge of Justification and that secures the Believer from Condemnation 1st Because it is God's Deed Rom. 8 33. and 34. 2ly It is an Act of Grace Rom. 3.24 We are justified freely by his Grace now Grace must reign over Sin and Death Rom. 5. and last 3ly It is an Act founded on Christ's Righteousness which is called the Righteousness of God viz. of his Invention and Approbation 2 Cor. 5. and last And therefore this Priviledge of Justification cannot but secure the Believer from Condemnation 4ly This Act of Justification draws with it the total and irrepâ—alable Pardon of all Sin Rom. 4.5 6. compared with Psal 32.1 2· For the Apostle Rom. 4 clears from that Psalm that the Gospel-Righteousness is not a Righteousness of Works for it draws with it as its attendant the Remission of Sins A 2d Priviledge that the Gospel secures to a Believer is Adoption John 1.12 and this cannot but secure the Believer from Condemnation because a sure Title to eternal Life depends on it and follows the same Rom. 8.17 1 Joh. 3.1 2. A Third Priviledge that the Gospel assures us Believers have Is that they are sanctified by the Spirit of God which is their being made meet for Heaven Col. 1.12 It is the Earnest of it Eph 1 14. Now this cannot but secure them from Condemnation because God cannot separate a man that hath his Image from himself seing the Image of God is given by him to prepare a man for Communion with himself A 7th Ground is the Believer is unite to Christ not only because Christ hath the same Humane Nature with him but because he is mystically and spiritually one with him 1 Cor. 6.17 The Believer is a piece of Christ mystical therefore the Church of Believers is called his fullness Eph. 1. last Now this Union with Christ secures from Condemnation because the Love of the Father that is terminate on Christ primarly and principally must also necessarly terminate on them see Jo. 17. last An 8to Ground of certainty is That Christ is Judge and the Rule whereby he proceeds is not the Law but the Gospel John 12.48 49 and 50. Use of Consolation from this Doctrine is 1st To these who are under the conviction of Sin Guilt and Death and who have fled for Refuge to Christ such are not allowed to have the Spirit of Bondage again to fear Condemnation Rom. 8.15 2ly To such who are under paternal Chastisements for Sin because these are our evidences of our freedom from Condemnation 1 Cor. 11.32 And therefore they should not be looked on as Prooffs of our lyableness to Condemnation 3ly It is comfortable to those that are Assaulted with Satan's Fiery Darts suggesting to them that they will be condemned and yet giving them no sufficient ground to found that Assertion on If a mans Conscience tell him that he believes on Christ from this Text he may easily repell all these horrid Temptations 4ly It is very comfortable at the hour of Death for Death wants its Sting to an Believer 1 Cor. 15.55 Death is but a sleep to a Believer Death doth not seperate a Believer from the Love of God Rom. 8. last But it is the Believers passage to immediate Communion with God and therefore Paul 2 Cor. 5.8 Desires to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. The former Scriptural-Grounds assuring the Believer that he is free from Condemnation they are fit to be applyed by these Believers that know they have Faith and whose fears of Condemnation arise more from their reflection on their Guilt Corruption and Misery then from any Jealousie that they want Faith But for such whose fears of Condemnation arise from the weakness of their Faith I would have them consider many Scripture Instances which clear that a weak Faith maybe very profitable if it be true As the Faith of the Leper who believed Christ's Power but questioned his Willingness Mâ—th 8 and as the Faith of the Prodigal who believed his Father might put him amongst the Servants but could not make him a Son see what Opinion Paul hath of the Faith of the Hebrews Heb. 6.9 compared with the 12. and 13. and compared with the 5. and 12. Secondly There is an use of Tryal to try whether we have an Interest in this Priviledge or no. And 1st Try it by your Faith whether ye believe the promises of God whose performances are very improbable like as Abraham did Then are we Abraham's spiritual Seed and so have Interest in the Covenant made with him 2ly Try
Law of God with it's sanction and Threatning For as it is a perfect Rule of Righteousness it discovers sin As the Apostle says by the Law is the knowledge of sin and by reason of the Threatning subjoined to the Law it brings the sinner under a lyableness to Death and upon thir Accounts it is concluded by thir Divines who ascribe this sence to the Text That the Law of God gets this Name of the Law of â—in and Death But yet when we consider the Text more narrowly we think it has an other meaning For it is very clear from the preceeding Chapter That by the Law of sin the Apostle means Corruption and we do not find the Apostle in other places of Scripture giving that name of the Law of sin and death to the Law of God And therefore by the Law of the spirit of life is meant the powerful influence of the spirit of life upon Believers which frees Paul from Corruption these 3. ways 1st By dwelling in Pauls heart he makes up a spiritual Union betwixt Christ and him and so frees him from the guilt of Corruption because by the spirit making up that Union he winns to a justified state 1 Cor 6.11 2ly He frees Paul from his Corruption because by his power he breaks the dominion of sin And 3ly By his presence and efficacious working he will in his own time abolish the remainders of Corruption out of Paul's heart The Cohesion of this Verse with the former seems to be the Apostles proving the latter part of the Verse thus That those that are in Christ must walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh because the Spirit of Life breaks the Dominion of Sin in them as it did in Paul Or 2ly This Second Verse may be added to illustrate the first part of the first Verse viz. That there is no condemnation to the man who is in Christ and it may be set down to prevent an Objection against that Truth that the man that is in Christ is free of condemnation For it may be said that the man that is in Christ hath the Law of Sin and Death and since he hath the remainders of Corruption in him how can he be free from Condemnation It is Answered That the Spirit of Life frees the Believer from the Law of Sin and Death because by uniting a man to Christ it frees him from the Guilt of Corruption and by the Spirits presence as a Spirit of Life in Godâ—s own time he will be freed from the remainders of Corruption From what has been said we may soon see That our discerning of the remainders of Corruption in us inevitably brings us under many fears of Condemnation The fight of Indwelling Sin more forcibly puts us under a fear of Condemnation than the feeling of all our numerous Miseries can do and therefore it were fit for a Believer to strengthen his hope of the total abolition of Sin in him and this may be done 1st By considering our Union with Christ and Christ's Exaltation to Glory which necessarly says that all the Members must have a sinless conformity with the Head 2ly This Hope may be strengthned by considering that the guilt of our Corruption is already pardoned in our Justification for the 1st Verse says There is no condemnation to the man that is actually in Christ And 3ly This Hope may be strengthned in this that the breaking of the Dominion of Corruption in us by the Spirit of Life is a Pledge given us of God to assure us of its total abolition Observe 2ly That Paul was a man deeply exercised with the sense of remaining Corruption in him as appears by the last part of the former Chapter and now he wins to a great deal of freedom to apply Gospel-Priviledges and this tells you that the freedom of the Actings of Faith is very consistent with the sense of Indwelling Sin Observe 3ly Paul used many Means for Mortification he watched he prayed he kept himself out of the way of Temptation yet he ascribed not his freedom from Corruption to the use of these Means but to the Principal Author of his freedom viz. The Spirit of Life who did bless these Means for that end Take notice of that Name that 's given to the Influencing Spirit that liberats Paul from the Law of Sin and Death it is called The Law of the Spirit of Life Because that as a Law hath a Moral Efficacy to draw those that live under it into Obedience So the gracious Spirit of God where he has an indwelling hath an strong Efficacy to bring the Person in whom he dwells to follow his Conduct And this leads us into an 4. Observation anent the mighty Working of the Spirit and his Grace in the Hearts of Believers and this mighty Power of the Spirit and his Grace evidences it self in these few things following amongst many moe As 1st In the actings of Faith under many Tryals which must argue a great Power that makes a man believe notwithstanding of great and manifold Guiltinesses and of long Continuance notwithstanding of Corruptions notwithstanding of violent Assaults from Satan yea notwithstanding of Desertions Chastisements and Death And therefore it is said Eph. 1.19 That there is an exceeding greatness of Power that works in Believers 2ly The Power of Grace kythes in that it can make a man forgoe those Sins his natural Complexion enclines him to whereunto he has been much accustomed and which have brought him great worldy Advantage 2ly Graces Power appears in that it makes a man forsake his own Righteousness and betake himself to Christs which deed will be very much opposed by Pride and Self-love 4ly It s Power appears in this in thaâ— it can make Christians with Paul not to look tâ— things seen that is to depise the allurements of the World which have a sensible certainty and are very grateful to our external Senses 5ly It evidences it self in making People patient under manifold sore continuing and extream Miseries even such oâ— whom is legible God's Quarrel with us for our Sins the Exercise of Patience under such must be an Effect of great Power See Cor. 1.10 11. And that because Patience will be opposed by our natural Pride Self-love and Unbelief Use of Information To let you see to whom you may ascribe the great Works of the mortified Believer even to the mighty efficacious Worker the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus Use of Encouragement to the despondent Believer who â—s feared when he considers the Greatness and Spirituality of his Work he thinks that Work is so far above him he will not get it accomplished But the Answer is His Encouragement should spring from his looking to the mighty Power of that indwelling Spirit in him and albeit he may find himsâ—lf very weak to manadge his Spiritual Work if he compare the greatness of his Work with the strength of that measure of inherent Grace he has for the time yet he
and it lyes in the undergoing to all Eternity the Effects of his displeasure as a just Revenging God punishing all disobedience to his Law And that this Eternal death is surely connected with the prophane course of a Carnal Mind Appears 1st Because that the Law binds over all the Transgressors of it to endure this Death The Wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 Now there 's non can evite the Accomplishment of this Law-Threatning but such as are in Christ and the Carnal-minded Man is not so while he remains Carnally Minded 2ly It appears that the course of the Carnal minded Man tends to Death because while he is in that course of Life the Gospel and all it's promises are unsavoury to him and so he cannot be in case to follow the Counsels therein proposed for escaping Eternal Death Use 1st Seing that such persons are running to Death it serves to reprove them that are in this case that are very secure and fearless expecting that they will go to Heaven notwithstanding of their wicked course of Life This security of theirs may arise 1st From their Morality leaning to that 2ly From their Formality 3ly From their immunity from present Trouble 4ly From the exercise of their common Gifts 5ly From their Carnal Policy they make a Covenant with Death and Hell Isai 28. They think they have wit to escape the Wrath of God let it burn never so hot 6ly This security comes from the Flattery of bad Ministers and false Friends A second Use of Exhortation And that First To the Carnally minded That they would consider what is the danger of their Condition and what is the remedy thereof And 2ly To Ministers and other Godly People to pity such and do what they can in their station to prevent the danger of their Folks A Third Use is to instruct us in the miserable condition of such who not only are lyable to Death but the whole tendency and labour of their Body and toil of their Mind during the course of their Life while they are in that state is to involve them more and more under Eternal Death Next Observe To be Spiritually Minded is Life and Peace and therefore the Man that walks after the Spirit is free of Condemnation The Life of Grace follows on Spiritual Mindedness and the Life of Glory is connected with it see Rom. 8.13 This is a singular advantage to have spiritual Life For 1st It is the best kind of Life the Animal is better then the Vegetative Life the Rational is better than the Animal and the spiritual Life is better then the Rational 2ly It is the end of Christ's Death John 4.10 3ly It is the same Life that he possesses 1 John 5.11 4ly Tho it be obscure to Sense yet it is sure to Faith Col 3.2 5ly It is a Life from God springing from his Gracious presence It makes a Man live with God to entertain Converse with God and disposes him to live to God to give him much Self-denying Obedience Now spiritual-mindedness encreaseth this Life because to be spiritually-minded is vigorously to act this Life and the vigorous acting of it encreases it From this we may see That Christians may blame their own Carnality for the want of the encrease of spiritual Life 2ly Since the Apostle to prove that Spiritual Mindedness is inconsistent with the state of Condemnation adduces this Argument that spiritual Life attends spiritual Mindedness from this he warrands the Christian to conclude from his spiritual Life that he cannot be condemned and indeed it is a good Ground for such an Conclusion for spiritual Life is begun Gâ—ory Likeas the Christian is hereby taught to be induced to spiritual Mindedness because it is attended with this advantage the encrease of spiritual Life Tho the World look on spiritual-mindedness as folly yet this again should make them look on it as true Wisedom The next Advantage following on spiritual Mindedness is Peace which includes in it Peace with God peace with our own Conscience and freedom from the disturbance of Lusts The spiritual-minded Man has Peace with God because he has an Union with Christ he has peace with his own Conscience because he lyes near the Communication of saving Light whereby he may discern his Interest in Gospel-Priviledges 3ly He acquires freedom from disturbance frae his Lusts because Spiritual-mindedness lessens a Mans inclination to Sin Verse 7. Because the carnal mind is Enmity against God For it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be HEre the Apostle proves That the unrenewed Man is lyable to Death and Condemnation Because the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God That is it is an irreconcileable Enemy to God and this he proves because the Carnal Mind cannot comply with the Law nor be subject to it There are three Things observable in the Text 1st That the carnal and unrenewed Man is God's irreconcileable Enemy 2ly That the unrenewed Man cannot be subject to the Law nor comply with it And 3ly The Man that is God's Enemy is lyable to Death For here the Apostle proves from the Enmity that the carnal Man hath against God that former Assertion That to be carnally minded is Death For the First Observation That the Unrenewed Man is God's Enemy it appears from his carriage towards Gods Law 1st He contemns its Authority 2ly He vilifies the Rewards that are promised to the Obedience of it 3ly He defies the Threatnings of it Deut. 29.19 4ly He dislikes the Matter of it Secondly It appears from his Carriage towards Gods Spirit As 1st He rejects his Testimony for the Gospel 2ly He resists his Motions 3ly He traduces his special Operations whether his Works of Miracles or his Works of Sanctification in the hearts of the Godly Thirdly It appears from his Carriage towards the Gospel he slights the Acts of Grace contained therein Matth. 22.5 He rejects the revealed Mysteries thereof 1 Cor. 2.4 He is an Enemy to the settlement of the Ordinance of the Gospel and a great Enemy to the serious Preachers of it Fourthly This Enmity kythes by his Carriage towards the Providence of God for as the Corrupt man is ready to deny the Being of God Psal 14.1 So he is ready to deny the Being of Providence Zeph. 1.12 And 2ly He is a great Reflecter upon Providence Mal. 3.13 And Fifthly this Enmity appears in his Carriage towards the Godly his Calumniating and Persecuting the innocent Godly tells that he hates the Image of God And Sixthly He is an Enemy to God because he desires never to think on him he would fain have God far from him he saith to God Depart from me Job 21. Vse This speaks the Folly of the unrenewed Man who loves to be at enmity with so powerful and good a God 2ly It speaks the Wickedness of his Heart since he keeps emnity at so holy a God 3ly It speaks his Ingratitude since he is an Enemy to his Benefactor 4ly It lets us
of the sensible presence of the Spirit that they may have his supporting encouragement at their hand under their seeing and feeling Mortality When the Text says The Spirit is Life in opposition to the Bodys Death It doth not only intimate that the Soul lives a spiritual life and likeways that it doth live that Life after Death immediatly But likeways it imports that the Holy Spirit of God as present in the Soul of a Christian is a pledge and cause of spiritual life here and immediatly after Death when it is a pledge and cause of immortal Life at the Resurrection For when the Text speaks of the Spirit being Life the word Spirit is not meant so much of a mans Soul as of the Indwelling spirit of God in Belivers which is clear by the words subjoined in the Eleventh verse Observe from these Two Verses jointly considered That the Indwelling presence of the Spirit in Believers is a sure pledge of immortal Glory and this is clear by these three 1st Consider the import and significancy of this Gift 2ly It 's Efficacy 3ly Consider it's Irrevocableness And First As to It 's significancy Consider the Names Designations and Descriptions it gets in Scripture 1st It is called the Blessing of Abraham Gal. 3.14 so it signifies that God's Covenant with Abraham belongs to them now Christ Luke 20 Evinces That God cannot be the God of the Dead but of the Living 2ly It is called a Seal Eph. â— 30. To signifie that God hath an peculiar interest â— them that have it as his peculiar Treasure and therâ—fore it is sure he cannot lose them by death Anâ—hilation and Perdition 3ly It is called the Ernest Eph. 1.13 2 Cor. 5.5 and 1 22. And therâ—fore where it is given it signifies Gods purpose anâ— Obligation to give the Inheritance 4ly It is callâ— the Unction or Anointing 2 Cor. 1.21 As 1 Joh. 2.20 To hold out that by the present of the Spirit Gods People are separate sanctâ—fied and dignified to be Gods Kings to triumph over all their spiritual Enemies whereof Death iâ— one 5ly It is called the Spirit of Promise Eph. 1 13. and the promise of the Spirit Gal. 3.14 Because the Gracious Indwelling of the Spirit in â— perfection is the primary and comprehensive goâ— promised in the Gospel and the great design of the Gospel being to possess People of the Spirit therefore the Gospel is called 2 Cor. 3. The Miâ—stration of the Spirit and therefore the presence â— the Spirit signifies that God will grant to the havâ— of it Glory to come seing when God grants tâ— primary good promised in the Gospel he will noâ— deny them any accessory good that 's promised 〈◊〉 the same Now Glory is a consequent unto thâ— presence of the Spirit see Verse 11. Next Consider the Efficacy of this Gift whiâ— kyths in these two 1st in raising us from tâ— Death of sin 2ly In raising Christ from the Deaâ— see for a proof of its Efficacy Eph. 1.19 20. And 3ly Consider it s an irrevocable Gift bâ—cause the Gifts and Callings of God are without Repentance And 2ly Because the Spirit is given to them not to be taken from them again for he is said to dwell in them by his Spirit and to make them a perpetual Sanctuary to himself Ezek. 37.26 He is to be a spring of Eternal Life to them Joh. 7.38 Joh. 4.14 The Soul that is thus possessed of the Spirit cannot miss Eternal Life for it is an Eternal habitation for God and the Spirit gives the Soul Eternal Life now the Spirit cannot give the Soul Eternal Life if the Body lay perpetually in the Grave The Use of this is since the presence of the Holy Spirit in a Believer is a sure pledge of immortal Life it reproves Believers that have it that they are not more lively in their hope of Glory A 2d Use is To Instruct us in the worth of this Gift God may give and take other Gifts from us but he gives us this Gift without Rueing and Repenting we may lose other Gifts but this is a permanent Enjoyment there is nothing in the World that has the full significancy that this Gift has nor has its Efficacy And therefore these that have it should be thankful for it and whosoever want it should be at pains to obtain it Verse 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you HEre the Apostle preoccupies an Objection they might have said since our Soul lives and shall our Body ly perpetually in the Grave wherefore then serves our Justification It is Answered That if the Spirit of God dwell in us that same Spirit will quicken our Mortal Body In the Words ye may take notice of the Assurance that the Apostle gives of the Resurrection of the Body upon the account of the Pledge thereof in time and that is the Spirit dwelling in us And 1st Ye may observe That the Mortal Body shall be quickened again and this appears from the priviledge of Justification seing Death is a punishment following upon sin 2ly Adoption cleaâ— it Luke 20.36 compared with Rom. 8.23 3â— Christs Resurrection clears it his Resurrection being the exemplary cause of ours 1 Cor. 15 2â— 4ly The Spirits Indwelling in the Body clears it 1 Cor. 6.19 and see the Text. 5ly The Body beinâ— a peice of Christ Mystical see 1 Cor. 6.15 1 Thes 4 and 14. 6ly Christs Engagement to the Fatheâ— clears it Joh. 6.37 7ly The Immortality of the Soul compared with the Natural Inclination of iâ— to the Body clears it because nihil violentum est de rabite and therefore Luke 20.37 Christ takes it foâ— granted since Abraham Isaac and Jacob live in theiâ— Souls their Bodies must revive again And that the self same Body shall rise again Appears 1st Becauâ— Chrâ—st had the self same Body and his Resurrection was a Patern of ours 2ly Christ says God can caâ— the Body in Hell after Death 3ly The Bodies thaâ— are raised come out of their Graves John 5.28 29 4ly Paul Prays that the Body may be kept blamelesâ— till the coming of Christ 1 Thess 5. 5ly It 's the Mortal Body see the Text 1 Cor 15. This Corruptible c. Use of Exhortation strive to believe this Article And that by considering the Scriptures are the Word of God and believing the Omnipotent Power of God Luke 20 36. 2ly It exhorts us to abound in Gods Service 1 Cor. 15. last 3ly It bids us suffer for Christ when called to it 4ly It reproves those that stain their Body by Intemperance and Lust see 1 Cor. 6. An other Use is of Comfort for those that have pained Bodies like Lazarus and Job it s sowen in Dishonour it s raised in Glory and it is of comfort to them that have weak Bodies it is sowen in weakness it s
the Conscience 3ly Corruption craves That the Christian should stand in fear and awe of it That they should be hopeless ever to get it overcome and this he is prompted to by his sinful Heart through considering the multitude of his Corruptions and the deepness of their Root and of his oft Essays against it with frustration following thereupon and his want of skill to improve Christs Mortifying Grace But the Christian is not a Debitor to give it this awe anâ— fear for this discourageing fear of the power of Corruption should be studied against 1st Because he is free of the Guilt of it 2ly Because he is no moâ— a Slave to it Rom. 6.14 3ly This Fear does hiâ— prejudice For 1st It makes him suspend his Faitâ— upon the promise of pardon 2ly It makes him doubt if God would hear his Prayers 3ly Iâ— make him â—ath to engage against it as being hopeless of the successfulness of his engagement and so he is a Prey to the meanest Temptation and then confusion of Spirit and want of peace follows 4ly We are not Debitors to the Flesh to give it Entertainment for it craves of us that we should seek External Temptations to it to feed it this should be denyed because it stops folks confidence in Praying for Mortifying Grace 2ly It obscure the sight of sincerity Psal 18 23. 3ly It provoke God to let them meet with these occasions 5ly We should not hearken to Corruption when it craves the hideing of its Nakedness from us by making us extenuate it for the yeilding to it in this will not lessen it in Gods sight 2ly It keeps away the impressions of pardoning Mercy Psal 32.3 3ly it will keep us from the Exercise of Repentance or Soul-Loathing and tenderness of Conscience against Sin and weakens the Mans esteem of Christs Blood and sets God against the Man Jer. 2.35 And 6ly Corruption craves spareing of it That we should not seek the Life of it but be content with an mean measure of Mortification And this it doth telling us that we may have peace and Communion with God and keep up our Name of Profession notwithstanding of this But we should not yeild to this because Corruption was cruel to us seeking our Death 2ly If we attempt not its Death none of our Attempts will be successful against it 3ly When we attempt its Death it makes it as it were despaired and gives us more ado whereby we are necessitate to believe on Christ for Mortifying Grace and forced to have a desire to be gone to be sure of it and withall if we do spare it it may break out to our shame Verse 13. For if ye live after the Flesh ye shall â—y But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the Body ye shall live HEre the Apostle is proving we are Debitors not to the flesh but to the Spirit And that because of the benefite we have by the one and the prejudice we have by the other Death is by the one and Life by the other Observe 1. That those that live after the flesh shall dye after the flesh imports a mans fixed purpose not to contradict the Corruptions of his Nature Psal 36 3. 2ly When a man resolutely sets himself to bring the motions of his Corruption to External Acts Mica 2.1 Psal 36 4 3ly When he delights in sinning and is frequent in it and is fearless under it Psal 36 2. In a word it is to be a slave to Corruption and to make it our design to give it full satisfaction Eph. 2.1 2. To spend our time Wit and Parts to the gratifying of our Lusts and to place our felicity and satisfaction in them such a course of Life ends in Eternal Death as appears by the Threatning of the Law and of the Gospel and the Self-condemnation of such Folks Consciences Use of reproof to those that are secure and have their security springing from misbelief of future Wrath False-Imaginations of Divine Mercy Stupidity and souredness of Conscience Blinding Self-Love and Atheistical Thoughts of Providence as tho God would neither do Good nor Evil but such would remember to reflect on the Truth of the Scriptures the hatefulness and demerite of Sin and the Justice of God Observe 2ly That the Mortifying of the Deeds of the Body is a most advantagious thing and brings Life with it it brings with it the Life of Justification or Pardon because it 's the great Pledge of Pardon 1 John 1.8 2ly It brings with it the Life of Sanctification consisting in these Four viz. The Easy Vigorous Cheerful and Constant Exercise of Grace 1st It brings the easy Exercise of Grace with it because it makes a man quick-sighted to discern his Duty for Lust blinds the mind it frees him of these Lusts that makes him ordinarly shift the doing of his Duty 2ly Mortification makes him Vigorous in the Exercise of Grace 1 Tim 6.11 Because the whole Heart when Mortified gets liberty to be about its Duty in the Exercise of Grace 3ly It makes him cheerful in it Because the Exercise of Grace is connatural to a Mortified Heart And the mind of a Mortified Man does more clearly discern the Advantage of the Exercise of Grace than the mind of another 4ly It is useful for the constant Exercise of Grace and that because it keeps him from being easily overcome with Temptation 2ly He cannot weary of it for he finds a pleasure in it And 3ly He does not soon satisfy himself with what he has done because he sees many of his Imperfections therein But 3ly Mortification is good for the life of Comfort Because it fits a Man for discoveries of God Matth. 5.8 It qualifies him for hope 1 John 3.3 And contributes to the intrinsick pleasure that the New Man has in Duty And 4ly It brings the life of Glory with it because it tends to prepare a Man for it From all this we may see 1st The cause why many Christians wants the intimation of their Pardon it s because they study not Mortification 2ly We see that we need not lay the blame of the want of Sanctification either upon Gods sparingness to give us sanctifying Grace or upon External Temptations so much as upon our own neglect of Mortifying our Lusts 3ly This tells us why so many Professors are Strangers to Comforts Use 2d Of Exhortation if we would win hastily to Heaven we would strive to mortify Lusts and as we would have those Advantages let us go about the Duty 1st Labour for the discovery of the Evills in the Imperfections of your Services Rom. 7.21 2ly Repent of them Jam. 4.8.9 Continually groan under Corruption Rom. 7.24 make no provision for Corruption Rom. 13. last And apply the promises of the Gospel 2 Cor. 7.1 Next study to reflect on the prejudices you have sustained by them how oft they have brought on Judgements upon your Person made you Scandalous to others interrupted your Communion with God broken your peace
the Point The First is an Use of Tryal hereby ye may try if ye have had the Spirit of Bondage or no if the Mystery of Christs Cross be credible If sin appear an hateful thing to you If readily ye accept of Christs offered Righteousness If willingly ye subject your selves to the Divine Law as a Rule of Life If ye prefer Christ to all things in your Esteem If ye esteem the burthen of Christs Cross light Then ye have received the Spirit of Bondage 2d Sort of Uses are Uses of Instruction It instructs us in the Cause why so many Men see so little of the Moral Ill of Sin the Cause is they have not received the Spirit of Bondage 2ly Since the Spirit of Bondage goes before the Spirit of Adoption we may soon see that if the Spirit of Bondage be a rare thing in the World the Work of Conversion is as rare 3â—y We may be instructed that the Hearts of the Elect are very stupid under sin because that a mans Convictâ—on of his sin and misery must be brought about by the mighty Power of the Spirit of Bondage The Causes of the stupidity under sin before this Work of the Spirit of Bondage are 1st A feared Conscience through customary sinning A 2d Is Impunity Eccl. 9.3 A 3d. is Prosperity in sin Ephraim said I am become rich there is no iniquity in me A 4th Cause is the flattery of Ministers and Neighbours A 5th Cause is leaning to formal Services There is a 3d. Use of Exhortation to Ministers to preach the Law to prepare People for receiving of the Gospel because it is the moral Mean whereby this Work is wrought A 2d Use is to all the Members of the Visible Kirk as they would desire this necessary preparatory Work to be wrought in them so they would consider the Spirituality and Perfection of the Law and examine their Life according to it A second Observation Viz. That God allowes the Spirit of Adoption to these that have received the Spirit of Bondage He gives them this Frame to evidence the Reality of the Grant of Adoption and this Grant of Adoption is given them to testâ— his Love 1 John 1.3 2ly To testify his Respâ— to Christ to whom they are united Eph. 1.6 Aâ— 3ly To confirm their hope of Glory he gives thâ— this Honourable Title to it over and above the Tâ—tle they have to it by their Justification The Use of this is 1st of Consolation if Gâ— give them the Spirit of Adoption to evidence tâ— Reality of this Grant Then these that have the Sâ—rit of Adoption may be sure that God deals wiâ— them as with Children he 'll correct them for thâ— faults Heb. 12 6. He 'll pity them under the straits Psal 103.13 He 'll punish them sparing Mal. 3.17 He 'll give them access to himself unâ— their Trouble Eph. 2.18 He 'll be reconcilable â— them after their strayings Luke 15. He 'll proviâ— for all their wants Mat. 6.32 And he 'll give theâ— the Heavenly Inheritance in the end Rom. 8.17 Use of Reproof since God allows the Spirit 〈◊〉 Adoption to these that have had the Spirit of Boâ—dage It reproves such who have had some measurâ— of the Spirit of Bondage and do lay Obstructioâ— in their own way for their receiving the Spirit â— Adoption Such are these 1st Who refuse â— take with all the Aggravations of their Guilt sâ— Psal 32.9 2d Sort are such who continue ignoraâ— of the Grace of the Gospel A 3d. sort are sudâ— who continue an respect to their old Predominanâ— A 4th sort are such who are tenacious of their owâ— Righteousness and will not quite it It is to be Observed That God in his Soveraigâ— Wisdom deals variously with his Elect as to thâ— leaving them longer or shorter time under the Preâ—sures of the Spirit of Bondage There are some that lye short time under it As 1st Such as are called in their younger Years 2ly Such as are called presently after their Conversion to great and difficult Services as it was with Paul 3ly Such as upon their Conversion are called to endure hard â—ersecutions as it was with these Converts Acts â—3 Some he continues longer under the Spirit of Bondage As 1st Such as are Persons of Eminent Gifts such as Heman was Psal 88. This he does to to prevent their Pride A 2d sort are such as have been very gross sinners before their Conversion such are continued longer under the fears of Wrath that their Condition may be a scar to others to live in gross sins A 3d. sort are such who are continued long under these fears that they may acquire a skill and sympathy to be useful and comfortable to those that are in the like condition For the 3d. Observation These that once have received the Spirit of Adoption the Spirit of God never becomes to them a Spirit of Bondage A full Conviction that the sinner is presently lyable to wrath cannot be wrought by Gods Spirit in the Adopted Child of God because such a Conviction as this is inconsistent with the Word seing the Adopted Child of God notwithstanding of his Failings is not under the Law but under Grace If it be questioned what fears the Child of God may be allowed to entertain seing this Text tells us that he is not allowed to entertain a fear of his present actual lyableness into Wrath It may be answered to the Question he should entertain a fear and jealousie of the Evil of his own Heart that it may make him neglect his Duty and mislead him into sin Phil. 2.12 2ly He should fear that he will fall under certain ruine on supposition of his total Apostasie from God and this fear will breed an aversation from sins agaiâ— light and upsitting in duty and halting in the waâ— of God seing that Carriage has an tendency to Apostasie the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews labours to cure their lame walk in the way of God by proposing the danger of Apostasie to them Use 1st Of Reproof to such that are Gods Adopted Children who have tormenting fears â— Wrath in their bosom which fears are not wroughâ— by Gods Spirit but they flow from their own miâ—believing hearts and Satans suggestions and are permitted of God as Chastisements for their former siâ— such I say are to be reproved who reckon theâ— fears well grounded as judgeing them wrought bâ— Gods Spirit when as they are nothing but permittod of God for their Chastisement 2ly Such arâ— to be reproved who entertain these fears as an â— for restraint against sin seing although they â— restrain from the outward Transgression yet thâ— are never effectual to remove the inward Inclination to sin Use 2d Of Exhortation Seing God allows noâ— his Adopted Children to entertain Tormenting fears of Wrath they would beware of these Sins that provocks God to give them up to their mis-believing Hearts to fill them with these fears As first They would beware of
that the Communion of his Body and Blood secures Eternal Life to the Believer according to his Doctrine John 6. The 4th Ground of Certainty is the Enjoyment of the first Fruits of the Spirit Viz. Peace and Joy which are the Beginnings of Heaven They that wait for the first Fruits they wait for the Adoption and Redemption of their Body see the Verses subsequent to this Text. The 5th Ground of Certainty is the performance of that Good to the Children of Israel that was Typical of this God possest the natural Seed of Abraham of the earthly Canaan which was a Type that he would possess the Spiritual Seed of Abraham of the Heavenly Canaan Vse This Exhorts the Godly to be content with their Lot and to make nothing their Treasure and Felicity which is upon Earth 2â—y It Exhorts the Godly to attain a subjective certainty of this Inheritance and to found that subjective certainty on the former Grounds which clear the objective certainty of the same 3ly This lets the World see that Godliness is no folly because the Godly have sufficient Grounds for the certain Possession of their Salvation Observe 2ly That the Inheritance is such as becomes God to give It is clear because it is a suitable Expression of his infinite Love 1 John 3.1 1st It is a manifestation of the reality of the Grant of Adoption when Gods People shall enjoy it there will be no room left for doubting that God did really reckon them his Children when he favoured them with Adoption the day when they possess that Inheritance is called a day of the manifestation of the Sons of God 2ly God is an all sufficient God this is an all-sufficient Inheritance God is all in all 1 Cor. 15. The Godly inherite all things Rev. 2â— 3ly God is an Eternal and Unchangeable God and therefore it is an Eternal Inheritance it cannot be wasted away It is an Inheritance incorruptible that fades not away 1 Pet. 1.3 4ly We cannot be dispossessed of this Inheritance not by Power or Violence for the Omnipotence of our God secures us against all opposition the Inhabitants of the New Jerusalem are within a City highly walled We cannot be dispossest by Law-Quirks or Cheats for we have the ultimate Decision of the great Judge Mat. 25. see the Process of Judgement our God is an holy God and therefore this Inheritance is undefiled 1 Pet. 1.3 Created Enjoyments are subject to be abused by men through their Corruption it is a piece of the vanity of the Creature to which it is subjected that it may be made Fewel to Lust but this is a Land wherein dwelleth Righteousness there is nothing enters that defiles This is to reprove those that have low and carnal Conceptions of this Inheritance 2ly It reproves such who have mean Expectations from God in this World and are content with mean Measures of Spiritual Good seing God designs to possess them of such an Excellent Inheritance Observe 3ly That the Inheritance to be possest by Gods Children for the nature of it is the same possest by the man Christ the Glory the Father gives to him he gives to them John 17. â—4 They participate of the same Spirit with him they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his that same Spiritual Life that he has is conferred on them because he lives they live John 14. And as the living Father sent him and he lives by the Father so they that eat him shall live by him John 6.57 The Glory of their Body is of the same kind with his Phil. 3. last That same Love that the Father hath to him vents it self in suitable Expressions towards them John 17. last They are admitted to the same glorious Place with him John 14.3 That same light of Glory whereby they see him as he is brings them to a conformity with him 1 John 3.2 The Reason of this is their Adoption which calls for this Participation of Glory if Children then Co-heirs with Christ and this Adoption is granted to give them a Title to this Inheritance 1 John 3.2 There must be conformity betwixt the Head and the Members but Christ must have the Preéminence in respect of Degrees Col. 1.18 He is the First born amongst many Brethren This speaks the great Love of the Redeemer that is content to communicate his Inheritance with us 2ly It calls on Believers to make their Right unquestionable to this excellent Inheritance 3ly It exhorts Believers to be content with their suffering Lot seing they are to share in his Glory 4ly It exhorts them to imitate him in his Obedience it was universal he did always what pleased the Father it was conscientious out of respect to the Fathers Command As the Father gave him Commandment even so he did John 15. last It was single done with respect to the Fathers Glory he glorified his Father on Earth he sought not his own Glory but the Glory of him that sent him It was a self-denying Obedience he humbled himself and became obedient to death Observe 4ly Christ behooved to suffer before he was glorified Luke 24. Christ behooved to suffer and so to enter into his Glory the Reason is because he behooved to satisfie Justice fully as the Soverty of his People before Justice could admit him into the Possession of his Glory 2ly He behooved to go through the Course of his Obedience before the possession of his Reward 3ly The Father gives a full instance of the consistence of his Love with a suffering Lot 4ly By this the Father would make a discovery what should be the course of his Providence towards his Adopted Children viz. That they should be brought through many sufferings to the possession of their Glory And this tells us 1st That we should not stumble at the sufferings of Gods People as tho that Lot signified Gods want of Love to them or the want of a purpose to Glorifie them 2ly It reproves the Discontentment of Gods Children with their suffering Lot It is an arrogant presumption in them to expect that God will use more tenderness in his dealing towards them then he hath used towards his own only begotten Son 3ly It may contribute towards the strengthening the Faith of the Saints in their Extremity of Sufferings seing Christs Sufferings did not marr his Glory they may expect that their Sufferings will not marr theirs 4ly It reproves those that are impatiently desirous of Glory and would shift a suffering Lot 5ly It bids us lay our Compt with a suffering Lot in this World And this is a 5th Observation from the Text And this is done for the Tryal of their Faith 1 Pet. 1.5 For the Exercise of their Patience Ja. 1.3 For Mortification of their Sin and their preparation for Heaven 2 Cor 4. last As also That they may have occasion for many Experiences of Gods Love for Patience in Tribulation works Experience Rom. 5. And that they may have opportunity to prove the sincerity of
have distinct Petitions to God about their condition and therefore David Psal 38. When he fears Gods rebukeing of him in Wrath all that he wins to is All my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Psal 38 9. This speaks out what sad Condition the Saints may be in sometimes when they are under this confusion They would not conclude that they are in an unrenewed state on the account of this condition neither would they reckon that all of their Prayers they put up to God in this condition are refused by him for God observes what is regular in their Desires and accepts it tho it be mixed with many irregularities as the next Verse tells us and this is an Evidence of the great Favour and Grace of God to his own and this tells us that the prevalency of Prayer springs more from Divine Favour than from its own absolute and intrinsick Perfection Observe next that in the sad conditions of the Saints they are called to fervency in Prayer this is necessary if they would imitate Christ in his Prayers and if they would imitate the Saints Practice according to the Scriptures And 3ly The Fervour of Prayer is necessary for the prevalency of it for as James tells us that the effectual fervent Prayer of the Righteous avails much with God if men would win to fervour in Prayer they would labour to be under the fullest conviction of the necessity and usefulness of the Mercies prayed for Verse 27. And he that searcheth the Hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saintâ— according to the Will of God HEre the Apostle adds the Consolation thâ— God accepts the indistinct and confused Prayers of the Saints and he gives the reason of this acceptance 1st He knows what in these Prayerâ— flowes from his Spirit men in confusion cannot takâ— up what is the good and what is the bad of theiâ— Prayers but God can take it up because he searcheth the Heart and by searching knowes what iâ— perfectly in it and so can accept the good and refusâ— the evil in them 2d Cause of acceptance is Thâ— good of these Prayers comes from his Spirit and therefore he cannot and he will not refuse the good desires that are excited by his Spirit sent into theiâ— Hearts A 3d. Cause is these good Desires anâ— Intercessions are made for the Saints for their Spiritual and Eternal Good whose Felicity God intends to bring to a Perfection A 4th Cause is that this Intercession made by the Spirit is according to the Will of God that is according to his Promise for the Spirit excites no desire in a Saint for any good but what is promised of God 2ly Thir desires are according to the revealed Will of God which is the Rule of Duty and agreeable thereto the Desires excited by the Spirit are all lawful Desires 3ly Thir Desires are according to Gods Will because attended with submission to his disposeing Will. Observe 1st The Designation that God gets in the Text he is called the Searcher of Hearts and one that by searching perfectly knowes the Heart man by Reflections can but know his Heart imperfectly for the Lusts of his Heart are deceitful and darkens his mind that he cannot see all the evil that is in his Heart perfectly and the number and greatness of the evils that is in the Heart of the best marrs the mind of man from taking up the good that is mixt with these evils Next Satan does not perfectly know what is in the Heart he only can conjecture by the external Conversation and Temperature of the Body what is in it but God has the perfect knowledge of it he framed it and therefore knows it 3ly The Heart of Man as to its actings depends on Gods Influences the Heart of man is in the hand of the Lord and he turneth it whethersoever he will 3ly The internal Acts of a Mans Heart and Soul is regulate by the Divine Law and the Sum of the Law is to love the Lord with all our Heart alse well as to give him external Service and therefore he being Judge of them he must know them In a Word his Immensity and Omniscience makes him perfectly know all the Good and al the Evil that is in the Heart Use of this is first to exhort Folks to look well to the Heart that it be right for God knows it we should look to this that the Heart hate the Ill and love the Good 2ly This is very comfortable to these that are sincere for let the World calumâ—niate as they please God sees the contrary 3ly It may terrify the Hypocrite who professes fair and neglects the Heart Observe next That God accepts and hears the sincere Prayers of the oppressed Saints The Texâ— says he knows what is the mind of the Spirit thaâ— is he approves and hears the Desires excited by the Spirit in the Hearts of the Godly This is cleâ— from the returns he gives to those Prayers bâ— giving Spiritual and Temporal Mercies This Goâ— doth to keep his promise for he has promised tâ— hear the Prayers of his People 2ly To convincâ— the Atheistical World of a Providence And 3â— To testify his respect to Prayer and to endear thâ— Exercise to the Saints 4ly To testify his respect tâ— Christ for whose sake he hears them 5ly To testiâ— that Blessed Harmony that is amongst the Persons 〈◊〉 the Trinity in carrying on the Work of our Salvâ—tion The Father hears these Prayers that are dâ—ctate by the Spirit for the Saints Good 6ly Thâ— he may sweeten our Mercies as coming to us thâ— way and intimate his Love to his Saints therebâ— see Dan. 9. And 7ly That he may put a note oâ— respect on his Saints and shew the view of the moyen with him as he did to Moses and Daniel Use Seing this is a priviledge of the Saints Lâ—bour to win to these Prayers that prevails with God and for this effect First Labour to be renewed be Saints for it is only the Prayers of such that prevails with him 2ly See that your Prayers come not so much from the gift of Prayer as from the Grace of Prayer let them come from an Holy Inclination to promote your spiritual good they must come from the Spirit 3ly They must be lawful desires agreeable to his will 4ly They must be attended with submission 5ly They must be founded on the the promise 6ly They must be single Desires we must not regard Iniquity in our heart Psal 66.18 7ly They must be fervent groanings unutterable 8ly They must be attended with Breathings after the publick good of the Saints Eph. 6 16 9ly They must be in faith Ja 1 3. 10ly They must be free of resentment and revenge see 1 Timothy 2 8. Use 2d Of Tryal Since the great reason why the Lord hears the Prayers of his People is because they flow from his Spirit ye would try whether your
Prayers come from the Spirit or not And 1st ye would try by the matter of your Prayers whether they be spiritual things or no these Prayers that are from the Spirit are for spiritual things Rom. 8 5. 2ly Try the subject that Prayer is seated in if it be in the Heart God by searching the Heart finds the Prayers raised by the Spirit there see the Text The mind is rightly attentive both as to the matter and manner of Praying the intention is found to use Mercies to Gods Glory the Affections have something of Purity and Heavenlyness in them see 2 Sam 7 18. Isai 26 8. 3ly Try it by the abundance of Prayer in the Heart see Eph 6 16 where the abundance of Prayer is there will be these several parts of Prayer First as Confession Thansgiving Supplications for Good and Deprecations of Evil. 2ly In this abundancâ— there will be fervour of the Desire Groanings uâ—utturable see the preceeding Verse 3ly In thâ— abundance there will be strong spiritual Reasoning from the promise see Neh 1. A 4th Mark of thâ— Spirits Prayers is the frequency of them they wilâ— Pray always Eph. 6 17. A 5th is Delays and Repulses will not discourage them they will continuâ— therein with all perseverance see Eph. 6.17 A 6th is They will be for all Saints see ibid. A 7th Theâ— will be attended with a Holy constancy in the Christian profession this lays by the Prayers of those that are guilty of Fundamental Errours in their Judgement An 8th Mark is There will be tenderness in their conversation see for these two last thâ— 20 Verse of the Epistle Jude And an 9th is Theâ— will be attended with Repentance see Zach 12 1â— The 3d. Use of Tryal since God hears the Prayer of his People We would try if God has heard us or not And 1st Try it by this whether God hâ— given us that which we desired or no. 2â— Mark is if he hears us he intimates his pardon to us Psa 85.8 A 3d. is He gives us a farther degree 〈◊〉 Reformation of our Life Psal 85 last A 4th Mark is He gives us strength and support to beâ— our Tryals Psal 138. In the day I cryed he answered me and strengthened me with strength in my Soul A 5th Mark He gives them the faith of acceptation he makes them joyful in the house 〈◊〉 Prayer Isai 57. A 6th Mark is he disposes their heart to improve their Mercy for their advantage he hears the desire of the humble he prepares their heart and hears their cry Psal 10 17. A 7th is He removes their distrustful Anxiety see Hanâ—as case Phil. 4 6. A 5th Use is An 2d Use of Exhortation Since God hears the Prayers of his People we should wait for God and expect the Answer we should direct our Prayers to God and look up Psal 5 2â—y We should observe Providences and see what Answer we get 3ly We should not abuse the Answer of our Prayers to be proud of them but we should improve them to our best advantage for the confirmation of our Faith for the exciteing of our Love and for the endearing of Prayer more to us Verse 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God HEre the Apostle adds another Consolation under the Cross which is That all things work together for good to them that love God That is that all Afflictions tend to their spiritual Good By All things here are meaned Afflictions the universal particle being resticted to the subject matter of the discourse Observe 1st The Consolation that all Afflictions tend to the good of the Believer 2ly Observe the certainty of this Consolation Paul speaks of it as an uncontraverted truth we know that all things work together for good says he 3ly We have the persons to whom this Consolation belongs described from these two Love to God and their Effectual Calling For the first That all Afflictions tend to their good appears Because Internal and External Affliction tend to their good External Afflictions tend to the good because they are 1st The occasion of the experience of delivery from great outward Tryal Psal 18 2ly They are the occasion of suppâ—â— under Tryals Psal 138 3 and 73 26. 3ly Theâ—â— are the occasion of feeling sweetness in Spiritual Comforts 2 Cor. 1 4. 4ly They are the occasion of Faith Hope and Meekness which otherway would not have any occasion of Exercise 5ly bâ—thir Afflictions we know the truth reality and grouâ— of these Graces 6ly They are the occasion of thâ— hightening of our Repentance for our present Sinns 2 Kinâ— 15 30. And of cureing our stupidity for ouâ— old Guilt Gen 41 21. 7ly By them Predominant are restrained Hos 2 7 8. 8ly By them People are made Sympathilers with others in Trouble Heb 10 33. The Use of this is Not to be Angry with God for our Afflictions 2ly Not to stumble at the Afflictions of our Godly Neighbours 3ly We should try whether the forementioned good be the effect of our Troubles yea or no. Observe next That inward Tryals tend to the good of the Saints And 1st Inward temptationâ— they tend to their good because they make them to depend upon Christs strength 2 Cor 12 8. 2ly They tend to excite the people of God to Exercise Grace and put on the Spiritual Armour see Eph 6 10. 3ly By them the Christian is acquaintâ—â— with the devices of Satan Next Gods Desertions leaving them to yeild to a Temptation tends to their Good because it tends to their Humility Jo 21 15. 2ly It tends to their greater measure of watchfulness and sympathy with others This should keep Folks from Despair that are in this case And 4ly Desertions in respect of Comfort tend to their good because thir Desertions put the people of God to try their Impenitency Formality Security and Predominant ills 2ly They tend to their good because they make them to breath more fervently after Communion with God Psal 42.1 3ly It is a great help to the purified Exercise of Faith Iâ—a 50.10 Use Of Instruction This tells us why God trysts his people with Inward Afflictions It is to be observed that without the Spirit Folks will be the worse of Afflictions Isai 1.6 But by the Spirit the Blessing of the Affliction is attained Isai 4.4 A 2d Use is Of Exhortation We should be careful to get good of our Afflictions And that 1st By Prayer under them Job 27.10 Ja. 5.13 2ly By being suitably Exercised by them Heb. 12.13 3ly By observing Gods Call to our particular duties by them Mic. 6 9. A third Use is Of reproof to these that are the worse of their Afflictions Such 1st As are either Despisers of the Lord or Fainters under his Rebuke Heb. 12.6 Or 2ly Denyers of Providence Psal 73.11 Or 3ly These that despair and conclude that God intends their ruine by the providence they are under See Jos 7 7. Or 4ly These that deny
without Efficacy reflect 〈◊〉 Gods sincerity in the external call for the external call only holds out what is Duty and what mâ— be a sufficient encouragement for the doing of thâ— Duty but it does not signifie any thing of Gods 〈◊〉 terminate Purpose to bring about Events Neithâ— are these only that are externally called excusabâ— for their disobedience upon the account of their waâ— of the internal Call for they are willingly disobedient and they have sufficient discovery of Duâ— with sufficient encouragement to perform it Use 1st This lets us see the Soveraignty oâ— God in dispensing this internal Call to some and denying it to others this is handled by the Apostle Rom. 9. Use 2d Of Exhortation to exhort the internally called to thankfulness seing it is a special Mercy not granted to all within the Visible Church Observe next that this internal Call is of Grace 〈◊〉 and not of Works see 2 Tim. 1.8 This is clear 〈◊〉 ye consider who they are the Called The Poor 1 Cor. 1.27 The Foolish Matth. 11.25 The Prophane passing by the Civil 2 Cor. 6.10 The dead in Trespasses and Sins Eph. 2.1 The Gentiles passing by many of the Jews besides Gods calling the wicked Nation of the Jews to a Visible Church-state passing by other Nations that were more Civilized then they was à representation of the freedom of this Internal Call see Deut. 9.4 Now there were some Nations better then the Jews for when God sent Ezekiel to them he said if he had sent them to other Nations he had not found them so Rebellious as the house of Judah and Christ said that tho the Jews were Impenitent under his Doctrine and Miracles yet if they of Tyre and Sidon had heard and seen them they would not a been so Next This Internal Call is free Because the Soul is passive in Vocation Phil. 3.12 2ly It is free because it is not merited by Works for all the good Works that a man can do flows from the Power of Grace 1 Cor. 15.10 Now we want Grace before we be internally Called and we are in the flesh also before we be internally Called Now these that are in the flesh cannot please God and therefore cannot merite this internal Call Again neither can it be said that the receiving of this internal Call doth merite because Gods Working in us to Will is of good Pleasure also well as his working in us to do Phil. 2.12 Use 1st The internally Called should be humble 2ly They should be confident of their perseverance seing Grace began their Salvation it can also carry it on 3ly Seing ye get this Grace freely of God use it for him Use 2d To encourage these who find their Grace under decay to use means for its recovery and expect it seing it was given freely Use 3d. Of Instruction to let us see that Glory is of Grace seeing our first Calling to it is free Use 4th It encourages Ministers to go on with the external Call because God may confer the internal Call upon the worst seing it is free and the worst of sinners may use the means for their conversion to God seing God can confer this internal Call upon the worst of them freely Observe 3ly This Call is effectual seing it is the accomplishment of a standing purpose see Rom. 9.11 Jo. 6 44.45 Cant. 1.3 4. The promise of thâ— Spirit Ezek. 36. â—6 Doth not only say that God wil enable us to walk in his Statutes but that we shall actually walk in them beside not only a Power to believe but Actual Believing is Gods Gift Phil. 1. last And actual Repentance is the certain effect of converting Grace Jer. 31 18. Likeas this Grace conferred by this Internal Call cures the resistence to it self because by it the stony heart is taken out of our flesh and we get an heart of flesh Neither can it be said that our concurrence into this Internal Calâ— makes it effectual because then Gods working in us to do were not so much of his good pleasure as his working in us to will contrair to Phil. 2.2 And our Calling which is said to be of Grace and not of Works might be said to be of this Work Viz. A Concurrence with the internal Call which cannot be consistent with this which is said in the 2 Tim 1.9 Viz. That our Calling is not of Works bâ— of Grace Besides to say that the effectualness of this Grace depended on our concurrence it were also much as to say that it were in our power to make Christs Death fruitless and to render void the Promise of the Father to the Son in the Covenant of Redemption Viz. That he should see his seed and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand Isai 53.10 Neither doth the effectualness of this Call take away the natural freedom of the Will for that Natural freedom consists in a spontaneous willing acting from choice Neither doth the Doctrine of the effectualness of Grace speak any thing against the approvableness of the Saints obedience to Gods Call for it may flow from determinating Grace and yet be approvable for the obedience of Angels and confirm'd Saints in Heaven is approven of God Use 1st This lets us see the difference betwixt Gods working on Mens Spirits and Satans working on them Satan can only perswade but God can determine 2ly we may see the great power of God in the power of converting Grace It is compared to the Power that raised Christ from the Dead Eph. 1.18 3ly It says we need not despair of the Conversion of the worst 4ly It says that the Converted may believe that they shall persevere notwithstanding of the opposition made to their perseverance because that same powerful Grace that converted them at first can make them persevere Next When it is said they are called according to purpose it speaks this Call to be a persevering Call for this purpose is irrevocable Rom. 11.29 Observe next That those that are called according to purpose their Calling is a sure pledge that God will make all their Afflictions tend to their spiritual good and that because their Calling is linked with their Glory as being the first prime effect of their predestination v 30. Use of this is That if we would be sure that ouâ— Afflictions would advance our spiritual Good we would try our Calling And first try it by our Saving Knowledge 2 Pet. 1.58 2ly Try it by ouâ— attainment to Holyness 1 Thess 4.7 3ly Try it by your Communion with Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 4ly Try it by your esteem of the mystery of the Cross 1 Cor. 1.23 5ly Try it by the deep impressions of the Gospel Truths on your Heart Rom. 6.17 6ly Try it by your esteem of the Calling Word If ye desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 Verse 29 For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conform'd to the image of his Son that he might
be the first-born amongst many bretheren HEre the Apostle proves That the Called according to purpose Their Afflictions must tend to their Spiritual Good because they are predestinate to be conformed to the Image of the Son of God And the medium he makes use of to prove it is that the foreknown are predestinate to be conformed to the Image of God and he takes it for granted that all the Called according to purpose are foreknown By a conformity with Christs Image is not here understood an Conformity with him in his Suffering Lot else the Argument would not infer what the Apostle intends to prove viz. That the Afflictions of the called ones might tend to their spiritual Good for many might be predestinate to be in a suffering Lot which Lot might prove not very edifying to them 2ly The Illustration subjoined viz. That he might be the first-born amongst many Bretheren signifies that by conformity with Christs Image is not meaned Suffering but a shareing in his priviledges significative of favour 3lâ— It must not be a conformity to his Suffering Lot here meant because as the Apostle expresses it in the bulk v 29. That the effect of Predestination is a conformity to Christs Image so more plainly and particularly he sets out wherein that conformity doth consist v. 30. viz. By giving us the effects of Predestination which are Calling Justification and Glory By Foreknowledge here is not meaned a Foreknowledge of our Faith or good Works or of our concurrence with the External Call The reason is because Faith is the effect of Predestination v. 30. Therefore it cannot be the object of Foreknowledge because Foreknowledge is before Predestination and Faith is the effect of Predestination Acts 13.48 neither can it be meant of the Forknowledge of good Works because these are the effects of Predestination Likeways Eph. 2.10 Neither can it be meant of the Foreknowledge of our concurrence with the External Call because our Effectual Calling depends not upon that concurrence but upon Gods purpose and Grace that was given to us in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 1.9 By this Foreknowledge therefore is meant the Love of God towards such whom he predestinates to be saved through Christ because Knowledge in the Hebrew Language is taken for Affection Psal 1 â—lâ— Rom. 11.2 1 Pet. 1.2 We may observe here that all the Called of God are foreknown of him that is they are the Objects oâ— his Eternal Love and this tells us that their Callinâ— comes from free Love and not from merite 2lâ— It bids us conclude from our Calling that we are thâ— Objects of Eternal Love 3ly It says that if Goâ— Loved us from Eternity he will Love us to Eternity 4ly It says that since God Loved us from Eternity we should Love him in time Next Observe that the Called are predestinate tâ— be conformed to the Image of his Son and this telâ— us that Electing Love was towards Gods Elect before they were considered as in Christ nay the giâ—ing of them to Christ does say by the decree of Predestination which as to our uptaking is revealed in tâ— Scripture to be posterior to this Love that the peopâ— of God were his by Electing Love before they wâ— given to Christ to save Jo. 17.6 And we see thâ— were designed to be conformed to the Image 〈◊〉 Christ after they were foreknown And therefoâ— that Arminian Tenet is false that God can have Elective Love towards none but such as he does foâ— see to be Believers And this says next that if Gâ— Love his people with an Love of Benevolence befoâ— he consider them as in Christ by Faith he will câ—tainly Love such with an Love of complacency as aâ— actually in him by Believing Observe 3ly That God designs a Fraternity betwixt Believers and Christ That is that there shouâ— be a Communion of Natures betwixt us and him he hath the same human Nature with the Children Heb. 2.14 Likeas they partake of his Spirit Rom. â—â— And this is appointed of God 1 That there migâ— be an Imputation of his Obedience and Sufferings tâ— us because we are sib to him 2ly That we might claim with confidence the effects of his merite And 3ly That he might sympathisingly interceed for us And 4ly That we might with boldness employ him in all his Offices as one we are so nearly related to And 5ly That there might be access to conform us to his Image As the Text says that is to share with him in his priviledges here and his Glory hereafter And first we share with him in his Natural Sonship by our Adoption Gal. 4.5 2ly We share with him in his Justification he was justified by his Resurrection as our Soverty 1 Tim. 3 last And we are justified through him Phil. 3.9 He received the Spirit from the Father as Spirit of Life and we receive that Spirit from him Jo· 14.19 And 6.57 He raised himself from the Grave by his own Power we are to be raised by his Power Rom. 8.11 Jo. 528. He went into Heaven and acquired an nearness to his Father by his own Blood we acquire an access to Heaven by the same Blood Heb. 10.19.20 He allows us a share of his Glory Jo. 17.24 This speaks out the Fathers Love that advances us to partake of thir priviledges with Christ and it exhorts us to be content with his Lot in this World and to imitate his Virtues Observe That Christ hath the preheminence in respect of priviledges over all his Bretheren He is the Natural Son we are the Adopted Children he received the Spirit above measure we by measure the Fountain and fulness of Life is in him we have but a share of it he was justified by his own Righteousness and Obedience we by his he got access to the Fathers Glorious presence by vertue of his own Blood we by vertue of the same Heb 10.19 He rose by the Power of his own Spirit we are raised by vertue of his Power As to his personal Glory it is greater nor ours because he sits on the right hand of the Throne of Majesty This tells us we owe him great Honour Homage Love Esteem and Dependance Observe That Christ possest with thir priviledges evidences himself to be Gods first born and Heir what priviledges I have named do testify that he is the Son of God so that after Christs Exaltation to deny hiâ— Divinity is an inexcusable Fault and it is an inexcusable Infidelity in the Saints to deny their Adoption while they feel in themselves an Communication of the Spirit of Life from Christ And as thir Priviledges testify that he is the Natural Son of God so they testify that he is the Heir of all things he is called here the First-born The Father Loves the Son and giveth all things into his hand and this speaks our right to these Priviledges to be very firm seing we have a right to them by his Testament ratified by his Blood and Death Verse 30. Moreover whom he
the Sacrament And 3ly We see the Truth of the Divine Threatning in the Covenant of Works because he bore the same Punishment for kind that was threatned in that Covenant 4ly We see the care that Christ has to remove the fear of Death from us Heb. 2.15 5ly We may be assured that a living Christ will save us since he dyed to reconcile us to God Rom. 5.10 6ly We may expect the total Crucifixion of the Body of Sin and Death by the diligent use of the Means of Mortification since he dyed to procure the same Rom. 6.6 7ly We see the Fathers good Will to conferr the Covenant-Good on us since he exposed his Son to Death to make way for the same From his Resurrection inferr since it was the first step of his Exaltation after his self denying Obedience Phil. 2. We may see from this the Fathers readiness to reward the self-denying Obedience of his People 2ly We may see a Confirmation of his being the Son of God from it Rom 1.4 3ly We may see the Fathers care to vindicate him from the Calumnies that were laid on him he was reckoned to be a Blasphemer and a false Teacher God raised him from the Dead for a vindication from these Calumnies 4ly We may inferr we have sufficient Ground to expect our Spiritual Life from him Rom. 6.11 5ly We may expect the Resurrection of our Body from him seing his Resurrection was a Pledge of our Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.20 23. 6ly From this we may inferr that we have an good Ground for our Faith of Justification through Christ because he raised him from the Dead to give us assurance of his Absolution as our Soverty 1 Pet. 1 21. From Christs Session at the right Hand inferr 1st That we should set our Hearts on things above where he is Col. 3.1 2ly That we should cast the Anchor of our Souls Hope within the Veil because Christ the Forerunner is there Heb. 6.20 If he be there he'ell fetch us to himself that where he is there we may be John 14.2 3. 3ly From this we have a further confirming Ground for the answer of a quiet and peaceable Conscience notwithstanding of sin 1 Pet. 3 21 2â— 4ly We may expect for our Consolation the Mission of the Spirit of God to us John 16.7 for he goes to Heaven for that end Acts 2.33 5ly We may securely expect that all things will be mannaged for the safety of the Church seing this Session at the right Hand includes in it a Power over all Flesh that he may possess these hâ— has given him with Eternal Life John 17.3 6ly We need not fear any opposition made to our â—alvation seing the frustration of that is included iâ— Christs sitting at the right Hand since the Fatheâ— gave him that Session at his Right Hand as a Pledge of that total Victory over all our Personal Enemieâ— Psal 110.1 From Christs Intercession the People of God mâ— expect that Spiritual Benediction spoken of Numb â— last verses They may expect the Unity the Preservation from the Evils of the World and the seven other things prayed for in the 17 of John Theâ— may expect Grace and Mercy to help in time oâ— need Heb 4. They may expect perfect Salvation Heb. 7.23 They may expect the presenting of therâ— imperfect Prayers to God Rev 8.3 He offers 〈◊〉 the Incense of the Prayers of the Saints The Church may expect his â—ntercession for them whiâ— they are in a Low Condition Zech. 1. This Intercession will be prevalent 1st If 〈◊〉 consider his Sympathy Heb. 4 2ly Consider hâ— is called the High-Priest in the New Testament inaugurate by Oath Heb. 7 it is founded upon Blooâ— Next it is founded upon the Promise made to Chrisâ— and the Promise made to us Likeas it cannot be bâ— prevalent because of the great Affection the Father bears to the Son and if ye consider that Mystical Union that is 'twixt him and us Use of Consolation 1st To such as are at 〈◊〉 distance from God and have not clear views of hiâ— This High-Priest is appearing before God and is a no distance from God 2ly It 's comfortable to suâ— as are jealous that God may forget them but this Intercession secures the contrary because this true High-Priest carries the Names of the true Israelites upon his heart before the Lord for he is the truth of that Levitical Priest that had the Names of the Twelve Tribes of the Israelites writen on his Breastplite 3ly It is comfortable to those that meet with Satans Temptations because he prays for such that their Faith fail them not Luke 22.23 4ly It 's comfortable to such as miss the Spirits Presence John 14.16 Verse 35. Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Perrill or Sword Verse 36. As it is writen For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Verse 37. Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us HEre the Apostle prevents another Discouragement ariseing from Trouble He had prevented Discouragements ariseing from Sin in the former Verses And now he prevents a Discouragement ariseing from fear that our Trouble may draw us from the Love of Christ The Question here proposed anent it imports a strong denyal that any Trouble will drive us from the Love of Christ And this is clear that through Christs Assistance we are more than Conquerors The Apostle adds a Description of Christ from his Love to hold out that Loâ— is the Principle of Assistance and he wills us to be assured of his love to us by proposeing his own Example to us to imitate Paul was Assured of bâ— love to him as the last Verse in the Chapteâ— sheweth Observe 1st here That the People of God arâ— subject to all the Evils here enumerate And 1â— To Tribulation which is taken for Distempers anâ— Pressures on the Body the Reason of it is 1st Tâ— humble them under these Notes of Respect God pâ— on them as Hezekiah was Isa 38. 2ly To try theâ— Patience Job 2. 3ly To excite Repentance Psaâ— 38. 4ly To set them to Prayer Psal 6. 5ly Tâ— presignifie their Mortality and to make the Worâ— werch to them 6ly That they may have an entire Faith in God 2 Cor. 1.12 And Lastly the God may give them fresh Experiences of his Suppoâ— and Relle Vse Improve all the Distempers of your Bodie for these Ends. Observe 2ly That the Godly are subject to Dâ—stress or Anguish of Mind that is Perplexity ariseing from a doubtfulness about our delivery and the methods of it This is done by God that the Delivery may be seen the more to be of him see Exoâ— 14. 2ly He trystes them with this to try whether their Faith be grown stronger or not with their former Experiences see that same Text. 3ly Thaâ— they may prize their Delivery the more Hezekiâ—
them to more and they foolishly dream that a continued Persecution will reach their end 2ly We see that God may permit the Persecution to last a long time for the filling up of the number of his Witnesses And 3ly We may see that the Lords People may ly under an uninterrupted Persecution for a while to force them to Self-denyal and Heavenly mindedness for when Persecution relents they begin to make the World their Home again Next It tells us that Persecutors when they inflict the greatest Miseries upon the Lords People they do it with great Contempt they count them as Sheep for the slaughter Their Power makes them proud 2ly The Saints mean condition in the World makes them contemn them 3ly The Pretences they have for the justness of their Persecution makes them think light of them Use Saints would bear this contempt and would comfort themselves with this that in Gods sight their Blood is precious Observe next That the People of Gods Tryals tempts them to quite their love to Christ it appears because unsound Professors quite their Love under such Dispensations Mat. 24.12 They are strong Temptations to break our Love because it 's usual with us to judge of Christs Love by his external favourable Dispensations towards us as also they tempt us to cast away our confidence and so they tend to weaken our Love Vse Is that we should fortifie our Love to Christ under these Dispensations of Affliction because it is much put at and this may be done by living by Faith and upon the Hope of Heaven and by studying Self denyal to our Ease and Interests in the World 2ly By this ye may know whether your Troubles or Afflictions hurt you or benefite you whether they do crush or encrease your love Encreâ—ed Love hath Zeal with it for the Publick Good Repentance for formerly committed Guilt and much Longing after Communion with God when Love is weakened by Crosses it makes us dislike the Lords Way because of the Cross and â—ue our Religion because the Lord disappoints our foolish Expectations from the World As for the last thing That over all these Crosses the Saints are more than Conquerours It will appear if ye consider the Advantage that the Church has in general of all those Afflictions and Persecutions 1st Because it tends to the Churches purifying from Hypocrites Ezek. 20â— 38 2ly It contributes to the Churches Unity Acts 4.32 3ly It contributes to the Addition of near Members to the Church 1 Cor. 16.9 4ly Truth is more cleared and confirmed by the diligence and painfulness of the persecute Members of the Church 5ly The Enemies of the Church are convinced more in these times of Gods owning of the Church Rev. 3.9 6ly Persecution makes way many times for the Churches Resurrection Mic. 4.10 The Reason of this Deliverance is because God dwells in his Church Psal 46.5 The Bush was not burnt because God dwelt in it Exod 6. Vse This may satisfie us as to that Providence of God in putting his Church under Persecution 2ly It reproves them that repine at this Providence and scarr at it But 2ly Private Christians are more than Conquerours in their Persecutions if ye look to the Advantage they meet with under that Dispensation As 1st They are more purged from sin Dan 10.35 Isa 4.4 Their Faith is more established in the Doctrine of the Gospel Acts 2.42 Greater affection to the Means of Grace Ibid. More of the Joy of the Holy Ghost Acts 13. last They are more weaned from other Helps and lean to God Psal 44.8 Their Love is warmed to Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 8. They have a more Publick Spirit Psal 137. And 2ly As their Advantage is greater so Satan is much disappointed of his intendment by Persecution whereby he intends to ruine the People of Gods Faith but that fails him to make them rue their Religion and others be hardened in their rejecting of it and so does that fail him also and likeways that of his to make the Saints Life bitter with Persecution but the sweet Joy they meet with makes him get a disappointment there The Reason why the People of God are more than Conquerours is because of the influence of Christs Life upon them 2 Cor. 4.8 9. From this that they are said to be more then Conquerours We may see that the People of God have their own difficulty in this Contest and no wonder because of the greatness of their Afflictions that they are without Interruption and of long continuance and without the appearance of an outgate Isai 42.27 They are chastisements for Sin Heb. 12. They surprise them as they did Job they irritate our Corruptions therefore called Temptations they are such Crosses as readily we would never choise therefore our Self-denyal is most tryed with them where there is an conquest there there hath been a contest This tells us that the Christians Life is not idle but a fighting Life under the Cross it is much to the Christian to overcome his Unbelief Impenitence Selfishness Use 2d Of Consolation Albeit the Christian hath his own difficulty in this Fight yet he is more than a Conquerour that is his Victory is not dubious but manifest for albeit he has his own sin of Unbelief and Impenitence yet the Devil is evidently disappointed and this Victory cannot be lost again it is a sure continuing Victory for whatever scaith the Church or the People of God may receive by a particular Assault from a Cross yet it is very sure they shall have the full and absolute Victory in the close Verse 38. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come Verse 39. Nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. HEre the Apostle brings in his own perswasion of Gods Love in Christ Jesus that others may imitate him for this perswasion is for Imitation as appears by his making the constancy of Gods Love not a peculiar priviledge to himself but common to him with others see Verse last He proposes I say this perswasion of Gods Love in its constancy to clear that Believers need not fear the want of Assistance to make them overcome all their Tribulation constant Love will make constant Assistance for constant Victory And this perswasion is not conjectural but a certain Assurance as appears by the Greek word here translated Perswaded 2 Tim. 1.12 2ly His particular enumeration of these things that might make an alteration of Gods Love towards him And by the Ground of this perswasion It 's the love of God in Christ and therefore must be constant First then consider How God persuades his People of his Love 2ly When he doth it And 2ly How Gods People may come by this persuasion First He does perswade them by giving them a Spirit of Filial Prayer v. 15.16 2ly By enableing them to
apply the promises Eph. 1.13 3ly By letting them see that Christ dyed for them in particular Rom. 5.8 4ly By assureing them of through-bearing Grace 1 Tim. 4.18 2 Tim 4 12 see the Text. 5ly By perswading them of the pardon of their Sin Psal 22.5 Hosea 14.4 And 6ly By discovering the reality of their Grace under its great Tryals And 7ly By leting them see their Election and their Effectual Calling 2ly As for the time in which he gives this perswasion 1st It is when they are deeply humbled for their own Sins and the Sins of others Dan. 9. This is to keep them from fainting and to perswade them their Humiliation is accepted of God A 2d time is at their Conversion Eph. 1 13. And this is to engage them to the way of God finding it sweet and to comfort them under the mean measures of their Mortification A 3d. Time is When they are under pressures of Wrath Psal 32.5 Because their Faith cannot be kept up under the External Promise as David's Faith could not be kept up by the Promise made by Nathan A 4th Time is When they want the Ordinances and that grieves them Psal 63.3 A 5th is under the Cross Rom 5 3.5 That they may contemn the hard Censures of Men and that they may know that even Godliness wants not its advantage even in that Lot A 6th Time is When he puts them to some hard Task Joshua 1.2 3 4 5. A 7th Time is When he is about to let the Devil loose to Tempt them Matth. 3. last Compared with 4 1. and 2. An 8th Time is When they pursue it earnestly by extraordinary Diligence Directions How to come at it are 1st Labour for Sincerity Psal 36.10 2ly Entertain the motions of the Spirit and give them ready Obedience Rev. 3.20 3ly Be tender of your walk from Love to God Jo. 14.21 4ly Be much in Loving your Bretheren Jo. 15.10.12 5ly Beware of Declining Jude 20.21 6ly Be much in Exercising Grace Cant. 5 1. 7ly Beware of hardness of Heart Isai 65.14 Beware of deadness of Spirit Psal 85.5 6. Beware of Graces decay and Corruptions grouth Isai 66.6 We should endeavour after this perswasion of Love Because we can neither bear our Cross nor be willing to dye without it we cannot with confidence and courage look to the Obstructions that ly in the way of our Salvation See the Text. Without it we cannot serve God from Love and our duty will not be sweet without it For the Evils that seem to obstruct the Love of God The first of them is Death where we see that the beloved Believer must go through Deaths Tryal 2ly When it is so he is tempted to doubt of the Love of God 3ly Tho he be tempted to doubt of Gods Love he should be confident of it notwithstanding of Death For 1st They must go through Death for hereby he will try their Faith of an other Life by puting this Veil of Death 'twixt it and us 2ly To conform them to Christ who by Death entered to Life 3ly He will keep Election and Reprobation as a secret in this life 4ly To testifies his Displeasure at Original Sin Rom 8 11. And becauâ— Death here is meant of Death inflicted by persecutâ— on therefore they must go through it 1st Thaâ— they may be Witnesses to his Truth and rendâ— Persecutors inexcusable for rejecting of it 2â— For the Tryal of their Self-denyal Love and Faith And if this be so Then the People of God shoulâ— labour to prepare for Death and for this effect labour first for Self-denyal Luke 14 26. 2ly Laboâ— for Sobriety that with ease ye may part with thâ— Worlds Contentments 3ly Labour for a Heavenly life that ye may be willing to dye that 〈◊〉 may get more of it 4ly Labour to be wearied 〈◊〉 a Body of Death Rom 7 last 5ly Labour foâ— the Faith of Immortality 2 Cor 5 2. Second Observation is It is hard to believe God Love in Death 1st Because it is a Cross we have a strong Aversation from It being the dissolution of Nature and a parting with our dearest Enjoyments 2ly It appears to have something of Godâ— displeasure engraven on it Isai 38. 3ly It 's a separation from Communion with God by Ordinances ibid v 11. 4ly It 's attended with the clearest conviction of guilt and represented as an immediate forerunner of Judgement Use is That we would not wonder to see the People of God hardly put to it at Death Next the Lords People should not question his Love Because 1st He hath appointed all to Dye and so cannot say that he loved none 2ly Christ has Dyed to take away the Sting out of thy Death and to sympathise with thee in it Use is That we would endeavour to believe the love of God even even in Death And for this effect first remember the experience of Gods goodness to thee in thy life Psal 23. 2ly Consider that tho thou dye thou may have fellowship and Communion with God and more after then before Phil 1 23 2 Cor 5.8 3ly Consider the goodness of that God that hath the keeping of thy Soul he is Faithful 1 Pet. 4 last And a powerful Keeper 2 Tim 1 12. 4â—y Consider God is present with his People at Death Psal 23. 5ly Take up Death as the Scripture represents it As a Rest Rev 15 13. From the labour and toil of Duty From bearing Crosses on our Names Persons and Goods from the Cares of the World from the fears of committing sin and of coming Crosses from doubts of Gods Love and fighting against Temptations from Vexation and seeking Contentments in this World and from Griefs from our Self-disappointments and from the Challenges of our Consciences And lastly It is a Rest from sinning 6th Direction Labour for the Testimony of your Sincerity as Hezekia had for ye cannot have the Testimony of Perfection 7ly Ly not under unrepented Guilt 8ly Labour for the Earnest of the Spirit that it may be a pledge of your Immortality 1 Cor. 5 5. 9ly Be not diffident of Divine Providence for them that you leave behind you For when you look on Death as untimeâ—ous it makes you suspect Gods love in it And 10ly Labour for the firm hope of the Resurrection of the Body The next Evil that the Apostle Enumerates As that which threatens to separate him from the love of God is Life which is taken here for all the Contentments of this present Life And this suppose that these Contentments are Temptations to alienaâ— us from God and so to separate us from his Love 2ly We see the Lords People are sufficiently fuâ—nished against that Temptation of the Contentment of this life for we see the Apostle is very confidenâ— that they will not have Power to make God alterâ— love from them That is they will not have Powerâ— alienate them from God And first In that the Apostle ranks this in the second place It tells us That the Apostle