the former Verse He in this Verse preoccupies an Objection that they might have made against the Application of the Priviledge of Non-condemnation It might have been said that since Believers must dye what benefite can be expected by them as enjoying that Priviledge It is Answered they must dye because of inherent Sin For God to shew his indignation against all sin appointed Death Likeways they must dye for the abolition of it God appointing the dissolution of our Nature to be the Method for its perfect cure yet the comfort is that tho the body dye yet the Soul lives because of Christs Righteousness And a second Comfort is that the Souls Life is an Pledge of the Resurrection of the Body Here we may see that Christ dweâ—ls in his Peoples Hearts by his Spirit 1 John 3. last And ye may Observe 1st That there may be Inherent Sin in those in whom Christ dwells though it reign not Rom. 7. last The Lord does not perfect our Cure all at once he leaves this evil Neighbour in our Hearts to embitter the Worlds Comforts to us to try our Faith of Justification and to call us to a vigilant and dependant frame upon himself Observe 2ly That the Godly must dye For albeit Christ hath removed the whole Curse of the Law and satisfyed Justice compleatly for all our sins and has the Fathers Promise that he shall free his People from all the bad Consequences of sin yet a present total freedom from all these Consequences that followes on sin upon their first believing is not promised by the Father to him or to them It is secured that it shall be done in Gods time and way but mortality is not removed from them presently If ye shall say they are freed from the Curse of the Law in Justification why then and they not freed presently from all the effects of that Curse Answer Mortality continues on the Justified not by vertue of a curseing Law as though it would be a Reflection upon Justice if God should deliver the Believer upon his first Faith altogether from Mortality But Mortality is continued by the Soveraign God for wise Ends not to make a particular satisfaction to Justice for our sin that Christ hath left unmade but because God will have the whole Mystical Body its perfection to be all at once and he will have his People to live in this World by Faith and therefore he makes the Mortality of Believers a vail to hide their promised Felicity from Sense And that the Mortality of Believers is not continued upon them as the Effect of a curseing Law is clear from what the Apostle says 1 Cor. 15. That their Death wants its Sting Next we see Death inflicted as a Chastisement upon some of the Godly See 1 Cor. 11.30 31 32 And it is clear in the Instance of Josia who dyed in peace and yet was chastised with a violent Death for his rash engagement in a War Now God inflicting Death upon Believers testifies his Fatherly Displeasure against sin but not his Justice against them as a just Judge for Affliction is sent upon them as an Accomplishment of the Threatning annext to the Covenant of Grace but not as an Accomplishment of the Law-curse Psal 89.32 This is much for the Comfort of Believers Use of this is since Believers must die They would prepare for Death and if they would be prepared they would make use of these Directions 1st Labour to be sure of the indwelling Spirit for that is the only sure mark of an interest in Christ they would not lean to an empty profession a great measure of common gifts or meer Morality A 2d Direction is They would found their Title to Life only upon the Righteousness of Christ and not upon their own merite A 3d. is They would be willing to dye and therefore they would mortify their Covetousness and their Security and they would labour for a firm Faith in Divine Providence whereby they may committ the disposal of all their concerns and the concerns of the Church to God as Joseph did Gen. last 4th Direction is They would labour to have peace of Conscience at Death and for this effect they would beware of lying under impenitency for old or new contracted Guilt Likeas they would labour for a Testimony from their Conscience that they have readily accepted of the Gospel-Offer 2ly They would labour to have the Conscience witnessing their singleness in their Conversation at Death as Hezekiah had in his sickness Isai 38. Likeas they would have the Conscience witnessing their Diligence in Duty That so an entrance may be Administred to them abundantly to the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus 2 Pet. 1.4 A 5th Direction is They would fix themselves in the faith of the Immortality of the Soul which Immortality appears from its conception of immaterial Objects 2ly From its Operâ—tions independent on the Body as in Extasies 3ly From the Moral Government of God in the World by Laws and Judgement considered jointly with the impartial Justice of God with the Miseries of the Godly and the Prosperity of the Wicked A 6th Direction is We would build our selves up in the faith of the Resurrection of the Body Observe 3ly That the Godly have a spiritual life in their Soul as appears by the spiritual sense they have of spiritual things They have an Hunger and Thirst after spiritual Food They have a spiritual sigh of spiritual Mysteries by Faith and they have a spiritual feeling of sin and misery Now this spiritual Life continues after Death as appears from Luke 16.23 and 23 43. Phil 1 23. 2 Cor 5 1 The Apostle supposeth that the continuance of this Life after Death is a sufficient comfort to the Godly under their present Mortality and these considerations may clear the sufficiency of this Comfort if ye consider First The great Good that is in it 1st There is a freedom in it from Trouble and Vexation Rev. 14.13 Isai 57.1 2ly The perfection of Holiness is in it Heb. 12.23 And sâ— there is freedom from Coâ—ruption and horrid Temptations much uninterrupted Peace and Joy in expectation of a future Blessedness 3ly Theâ— have much good Company in it they have the fellowship of Angels and Saints Heb 12.22 23 They have the fellowship of the Patriarchs Luke 16.25 They have the fellowship of Christ Philip. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 Use of this is Godly Folks would comfort themselves with this Consolation under their Mortality 1st Because this Comfort is a pure Comfort unmixed with Trouble 2ly It is a sure Comfort as appears by the Scriptures formerly cited 3ly It is a near Comfort they have it partly in possession and they are to have a great measure of it immediatly on their Death This speak the great misery of these Mortals who altogether want spiritual life they want the great support that can Support Sinners under the View of Mortality Likeas this calls to the Godly to have a great measure
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
raised in Power 3ly To those that are pinched with Hunger it s sowen a Natural Body it s raised a spiritual Body 2ly Observe that the Spirit dwelling in our Mortal Body is a pledge of this Resurrection This dwelling of the Spirit imports first Constant Residence 2ly Government 3ly His care to adorn and beautify This indwelling of the Spirit cannot but be a Pledge of the Resurrection if ye consider 1st The end why he takes up his Lodging in the Man it is to confer upon him Everlasting Comfort Isai 60.14 2ly Everlasting Life 3ly Everlasting purity 4ly Everlasting Communion Ezek. 37 26 with Rev. 20 3 and 4. 2ly If ye consider the Spirit to be the great Love-token of God to his People he is the whole of Abrahams Blessing Gal. 3. He that gives this will not deny them the Resurrection to Life 3ly The spirit has power to raise them as it 's kythed in the Resurrection of Christ and in quickening the dead Soul from the death of sin John 5.25.28 4ly Spiritual life is a fruit of the Spirit and spiritual life is a pledge of the Resurrection Use 1st Of Consolation to them that have the Spirit of God they have an assureing pledge that they shall rise to life though they be Pained Poor Persecute and Tempted with Corruption and Satan 2ly This reproves those who have the Spirit who will not entertain the lively hope of Heaven 3ly It bids us try whether this spirit dwells in us or not 4ly It bids the Godly Man strengthen his faith by this pledge by considering the Spirits power the Love of God discovered in that gift and Gods design in sending him into the Heart Observe 3ly The description of this Spirit here He is the spirit of the Father 1st Because he proceeds from the Father John 15.26 2ly Because he is promised by the Father Acts 4.33 3ly He is given of the Father Luke 11.13 And this tells us from whom we should seek the spirit and to whom we should be thankful for him and how we may know whether it be the spirit of God that dwells in us or no if it be so he will make us sensible of the Fathers Love in raising Christ for us if it be so he will raise us up to a newness of Life and conform us to a risen Saviour The giver of this Indwelling spirit is described from his great Work One that raised Christ from the dead where first Note why Christs Resurrection is ascribed to the Father 2ly To what end Christ rose And 1st It is ascribed to the Father to show that he keeped his promise to the old Fathers Acts 13 32. And if this promise made to the old Church received its accomplishment all the rest of the promises made to them will 2ly To show that he keeped his promise to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption Isai 42 6. And that says all the rest of the Promises made to him will be accomplished to reward him for his Humiliation Phil 2 9. To show that none shall lose that humble themselves for him 4ly It s ascribed to the Father because it is the Absolution of him as soverty 5ly It was a step to that delegated power that now he enjoys as Mediator and we know that Power comes from the Father He Raised him 1st That he might that was the purchasser be the dispenser of our Mercies Act 5.31 And that Christ is raised to be the dispenser of our Mercies encourages us to be bold in Prayer 1st Because he sympathises with us in our wants be will not frustrate his purchase by forbearing to dispence And 2ly If his Love made him purchase his Love will make him dispense 2ly Christ was raised by the Father to clear That he had merited full pardon and Believers may strengthen their Faith of Pardon with this Resurrection 1st Because it is an evidence of full satisfaction to Justice 2ly It is an evidence of his God-Head Rom 1 4. And so of his meriting worth 3ly it was an step to his Intercession 3ly The Father raised him to assure the People of God of their through Mortifâ—tion of Sin Rom. 6.11 And this 1st Reproves soâ—â—hat are diffident their sin shall not be Mortified â—d that 1st Because Terrour has not Mortifyed it yâ— against this see Exod 32 19. with Exod 19.20 2ly Because Communion with God does not Mortify it David's falling in Adultery after Communion with God 2 Sam 7. Answers that 3ly Because they have been at Solemn Ordinances and these have not done their turn Therefore they think it cannot be done For Answer see Luke 22.24 The Apostles unmortifyed after these And 4ly It reproves those that think they cannot be Mortifyed because Crosses have not done it already Answ Hezekiahs Ambiâ—ion was cured tho it brake out after his Sickness Vse 2d Of Exhortation is to Believers to strengthen their Faith of through Mortification by Christs Resurrection which they may do by considering It is a sufficient evidence of his Deaths meriting sufficient Grace for Mortifying of sin Rom. 6.6 4th End is That he might strengthen our Faith in our Resurrection to Life and this is done by considering that tho we be Tempted yet so was he tho we be under Desertion as to Comfort so was he My God says he Why has thou forsaken me Tho we be Mortal so was he tho we be Guilty so was he imputatively so Verse 12. Therefore Brethren we are Debitors not to the flesh to live after the flesh HEre we have a Conclusion drawn from several prejudices That these that live after the flesh have For 1st They have not the priviledge of Justification â„£ 1. 2ly They mind the things of the flesh â„£ 5. 3ly They are in the way to Death â„£ 6. 4ly They are Enemies to God â„£ 7. And 5ly They cannot please God â„£ 8. Observe 1st here That the flesh is always craving 2ly Tho it be craving yet we owe it nothing it craves we are not Debitors to it 3ly The service of the flesh is a very unprofitable service 4ly The former Grounds upon which the Apostle infers this inference are sufficiently convincing For the First That the flesh is craving appears in these six first In that it craves Love and Affection 2ly Obedience 3ly Awe 4ly Entertainment 5ly Spareing And 6ly hideing of its Nakedness First It craves Love of us That is it craves that we may have a regard to it in our Heart People should beware of this because it is inconsistent with the Enmity we ought to have at Sin it provokes God to forbear reproving of us Hosea 4.17 2ly It restrains Mortifying Grace 3ly It marrs the Love of God 4ly It hinders the Answers of Prayer Psal 66.18 2ly It craves Obedience of us Rom. 6.12 But this should not be because we are made free from Sin and Servants to Righteousness 2ly It grieves the Spirit Eph. 4.30 3ly It 's offensive to others 4ly It strengthens the flesh Rom. 6.19 5ly It fears
Godly as the unquestionable Sign of Grace Heb. 6.12 And 4ly To remember former Experiences For the Object of the Creatures Hope it is said to be the manifestation of the Sons of God this Figurative Manifestation of the Sons of God is ascribed to the Creature because they will never attain to their Primitive Perfection and Beauty till the Sons of God be Glorifyed and untill the last Day At which time or rather the Beginning of Eternity when there shall be a Manifestation of the Sons of God It shall be manifested then how excellent a Dignity it is to be the Sons of God the outward Visible Effects of Adoption are delayed till that day and therefore the Redemption of the Body is called Adoption in the subsequent Verses It is true the adopted receive the Spirit of Adoption whereby they themselves may know they are adopted but that effect is not so discernible by others 2ly At that day it shall be manifested who are the Sons of God the Book of Life will be opened to the view of all and the Children will have the Sentence of the Judge for their Possession of this Inheritance see the Process of Judgement Mat. 25. 3ly It will be made manifest in that day what good Works the Children of God have done God will bring to light the hidden Counsels of the Heart and so every man shall have praise of God see 2 Cor. 4 This Description of the last Day affords us an Use of Consolation to the Christian that doubts of his Adoption 2ly To the Christian contemned by the World 3ly To the Christian censured by the World for his Hypocrisie A 2d Use is of Exhortation to exhort folks to live suitably to this Adoption seing its Manifestation is so certain From the 20. Verse Observe the Vanity of all this visible Creation and its Insufficiency to make men happy And therefore Folks 1st Should not have excessive Desires after it Our Desires should not be pâ—remptor like Racheâ—s after Children we should be content to want what God denyes 2ly It reproves these that have big Expectations from the World like that fool Luke 12. who builded his large Barnes We should not expect full contentment of Mind or quiet of Conscience from any thing here away 3ly It reproves those that are unsober in their Enjoyments who do not use the World as though they used it not such who look on their Injoyments as perpetual and suffers their heart so to run out after the Worlds Good that they turn incapable to enjoy God or the Priviledges of the Gospel 4ly It reproves those that gives way to anxious Care about obtaining of the Worlds Good which anxiety makes them with Martha neglect the one thing needful and choaks the Word and makes it become unfruitful see Phil. 4.6 5ly It reproves these that give way to Excess of Sorrow when Providence separates their Enjoyments from them sorrow is excessive when it hinders them always to rejoice in God and when it weakens their health A 2d Use of Exhortation from the Vanity of the Creature is People should be crucified to it That they may win to this they should labour 1st For Mortification of their Lusts 2ly They should labour for a lively Faith of a better World 3ly They should observe the frequent Disappointments they meet with from the Worlds Good From the Creatures aversion to this Vanity It is subject to Vanity not willingly Christians may learn they are allowed to have a lawful Aversion from the Cross which aversion kythes in their Prayers to remove the Cross and in using all lawful Endeavors for its removing From the Creatures being subject to Vanity by reason of Gods imposing it on them Christians should learn an entire submission to cross Providences Which submission kythes 1st In an grateful Acknowledgement of the present Mercies of their Lot 2ly In a cordial Complyance with their Duty notwithstanding of their Cross 3ly In a believing of Gods Promises made to them notwithstanding of it 4ly In a Justification of Gods Way towards them notwithstanding of the same 5ly In a refusing of all unwarrantable Ways for their relief Helps to win at this Submission Are 1st A full Conviction of their Guilt a living man should not complain for the punishment of his Sins A 2d Is the due consideration of the Goodness Justice and Soveraignty of God A 3d. Is the firm belief of Divine Wisdom which can extract our profite out of the most dark and cross Providences we can live under Rom. 8.28 The Text says that he subjected the same in Hope To hold out that God did not design to perpetuate its Vanity but had appointed its restauration to its primitive Perfection And this is set down here as an Ground of the Creatures Metaphorical Hope And from this we may learn from the Creatures Example to strengthen our Hope by the consideration of this That God designs not to keep us perpetually in Misery but there is a firm Determination in Heaven for our Relief we may put on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love because as the Apostle says to the Thessalonians God hath not appointed 〈◊〉 to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by Jesus Christ Verse 21. Because the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God THE Apostle having Verse 19. ascribed a Figurative Hope to the Creature in the 20. 21 Verses he lays down the Grounds of that Hope and in the 20 Verse there are Two Grounds laid down whereof one is That the Vanity to which it was subject was contrary to its natural Inclination and Gods primitive Institution in the state 〈◊〉 Innocence The Text says It was not subjected 〈◊〉 vanity willingly A 2d Ground is there was a fiâ—ed purpose in God for the restitution of the Creature to its Primitive Vigour and Beauty He subjecâ— the Creature to Vanity under Hope And there a 3d. Ground of the Creatures Hope laid down 〈◊〉 the 21. Verse Viz. The necessity of the Creature partaking according to its measure and capacity 〈◊〉 the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God And ther is a Reason given for this because Vanity was imposed on the Creature for the sins of Gods People and therefore when Gods Children are made free 〈◊〉 sin both as to its Guilt and Presence it is but reâ—sonable that the Creature should be liberate of iâ—â— Vanity also We may Observe here 1st That Gods Children are while they are here away under Bondage 〈◊〉 They shall certainly meet with a glorious Liberty from that Bondage 3ly When they meet with that Liberty the Creature shall then and not till then be liberate from their Bondage For the 1st Observation Tho' the Godly be not slaves to Satan nor to Sin yet they are under a sort of Captivity for while here away they are subject to Death and to the frailties of Nature and to great fears that Death may have its sting towards
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
their Corruption By the things of the flesh are meant either such outward Enjoyments as are gratifying to our Corrupt Lusts or such sinful methods as Corrupt Men ordinarly chuse to attain these Enjoyments by or both By â—ding the things of the flesh is meant Corrupt Men their high esteem of strong desires after and solicitous care about these Enjoyments of the World that gratify unrenewed Lust That Unrenewed Men thus mind the things of the flesh appears Because to enjoy the Objects of their Lusts they will not stand to commit the greatest of crimes Jeroboam would not stand to commit Idolatry to gratify his Ambition Judas would not stick to betray his Master to gratify his Covetousness 2ly Unrenewed Men will expose themselves to much to ill of Spirit and Labour of Body to obtain these Enjoyments 3ly They expose themselves to many Bodily dangers to enjoy them 4ly They have great fears of loseng them they have a great confidence and rejoiceing in the enjoyment of them Luke 12. The Rich Man bad his Soul take rest and be Merry 5ly Unrenewed Folks have an exceeding greif when they want these Enjoyments The Causes why Unrenewed Fold mind the things of the Flesh are first Ignorance of and Infidelity about an other Life A second cause is a wrong Set of heart whereby they love to have their satisfaction placed in outward things more than in God A Third is the Devil hurries Corrupt Men to follow sinful courses who by that can get no leisure to reflect on the Vanity of these Enjoyments The Evils of their thus minding the things of the flesh Are 1st This practice ordinarly hardens People and gathers strength to Corruption and makes customary sin hard to be overcome Jer. 13.23 2ly This course is very scandalous and offensive to others 3ly It exposes Men to great smarting of Conscience for it 4ly It exposes them to many snares and destuction 1 Tim. 6.9 10. 5ly It exposes them to great Torment through disapointment of their expectations The Use of this serves First for Tryal Those that mind the things of the flesh are in a state of Nature 2ly It bids us pity those those that are in an unrenewed state For they have a pityful Employment minding always the things of the Flesh 3ly It exhorts such as are unrenewed to seek the Renovation of their Nature by Prayer to God for it and the use of the means of Grace see Peter's Exhortation to to Simon Magus Acts 8.22 and Ezek. 36.37 The last part of the verse is contained in these words Those that are after the Spirit mind the things of the Spirit Now First By those that are after the Spirit are meaned Such who have an renewed Nature whose Conversation flows from Faith and Love who are led by the Spirits motions whose Conversations are regulated by the Law in its spiritual meaning whose Conversation hath an tendency to promote spiritual Ends viz. The Glory of God and the pleasing of him their own Salvation the preserving Peace of Conscience the attaining of Communion with God in the World and the Edification of theâ— Neighbour By the things of the Spirit are meant these Duties the New Man exerciseth himself in with Delight and these Comforts that please the new Nature and its Felicity By the minding of the things of the Spirit is meant thâ— Christians esteem of and concernment about thâ— enjoyment of spiritual Good We may observe here the Renewed Man mind the things of the Spirit that is he minds the Dutiâ— that are pleasant and profitable to the New Naturâ— As 1st The duties of the Moral Law Paul tells 〈◊〉 in the 7 Rom. That he delights in the Law of Goâ— after the inward Man 2ly He minds the Exerciâ— of Faith he sits down under Christ's shadow witâ— great delight Câ—râ— 2.3 3ly He is much taken 〈◊〉 about the guiding of his Conscience 1st That 〈◊〉 Conscience may witness for his Integrity 2 Cor. â— 12. 2ly That his Conscience may testify his Tendeâ—ness 1 Cor. 4.2 3ly That it may testify his 〈◊〉 offensive walking Acts 24.16 4ly That his Coâ—science may testify for him that he hath an Intenâ— in Christ's Blood Heb. 10.22 4ly The reneâ—ed man minds Duty if you consider that he is careful to mix the Exercise of Grace with the Exercise of Gifts 1 Tim. 1 14. 5ly He is careful to Exercise the various Graces of the Spirit as providence calls him to it 2 Pet. 1.5 Next as to the Comforts of the New Nature he is an Man that hath a panting desire after fellowship with God Psal 63.8 and that either in Ordinances Psal 27.4 or in Providences Psal 34.7.8 In the last place the renewed man is taken up about his Felicity As 1st To make his Title sure to it Phi. 3.9.10 2ly That he may hastily enjoy it Phil. 3.14 3ly That he may keep entire friendship with God who is the giver of it 2 Cor. 5.8 4ly That he may taste something of it before he enjoy it fully Philip. 3. penulâ— And 5ly He commits the keeping of it to God till he come to the Actual Enjoyment of it 2 Tim. 1.12 From this we make an Use of Tryal of our renewed state And 2ly We would be exhorted if we would be in capacity to mind the things of the Spirit to study more Heart-renovation by labouring to entertain the impressions of the word without prejudice Rom. 6.17 Verse 6 For to be carnally minded is Death But to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace HEre the Apostle proves That those that walk after the flesh are lyable to Condemnation Because to be Carnally minded tends to Death and the truth is that these Objects which gratify Lust or rather those sinful courses that corrupt Nature takes for to attain the Enjoyment of these gratifying objects certainly tends to Death many times the wickedness of men brings them to an untimeous Natural Death and always Mens acting of Wickedness encreaseth Spiritual Death which stands in the Alâ—e nation of the Heart of Man from conversing with God whether to converse with him by Prayer in the use of publick Ordinances or in conscientious Reflections upon and improvement of the course of Divine Prvoidence Now since Sin encreases our Alienation from God it cannot but encrease our Spiritual Death for the Life of the Soul lyes in Communion and fellowship with God 2ly The Carnal Acts of the carnal mind encrease Spiritual Death because they encrease in us an impotency to do that which is spiritually good and they encrease in us a Readiness and Ability to do that which is Evil so then Sin cannot but encrease Siritual Death Because Spiritual Death consists in an Aversion from doing good and a readyness to do Evil. Likeas there is a strict Connection between the sinful course of the Carnal unrenewed Mind and Eternal Death which stands in the Eternal separation of an Man from the favourable presence of God And the Intimation and Expressions of his special Love
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
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
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
strong Comforter The Child of God is subject through self-love to overlook his Faults but the Spirit is a sharp and seasonable Reprover The Child of God is subject to lazieness and upsitting in the Way of God but the Spirit of God is a seasonable and powerful Exciter to Duty There is a 4th Use of Instruction from the Doctrine This instructs us what is the Cause Why the Children of God keep Gods Way notwithstanding of their Weakness in the Point of Light notwithstanding of the remaining Wickedness of their Heart and notwithstanding of the manifold external Temptations It is neither the strength of their Reason nor the strength of their Inherent Grace that is the Principal Cause of their keeping the way of God but this is the Cause of it Because they are led by the Spirit of God There is an other Use of Instruction from the Doctrine It instructs us in the misery of these that are not Gods Children such are not led by his Spirit For to be led by his Spirit is the alone Priviledge of Sons and this must be a great Misery to want this Guide because such are led by bad Examplâ— in this World by the Dictates of Corrupt Reason and by the swing of their Lusts There is an other Use from this Doctrine and that is of Exhortation to the Godly to exhort them rightly to improve this Priviledge And for this Effect 1st They would be humble and docile to his Teachings the meek he will guide in Judgement the meek he will teach his way Psal 52.10 2ly They would improve his Comforts for Encouragement to walk in the Way of God Acts 9.31 3ly They would be painful in improving his Assistance Col. 1.29 1 Cor. 15.10 4ly They would shun these Temptations he forwarnes them of And 5ly They would hearken to these Calls to Duty and Excitements he trysts them with Verse 15. But ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father HEre the Apostle proves that those that are led by the Spirit they are the Sons of God by two Arguments One is that they have received the Spirit of Adoption The other is the Spirit of God and their own Spirit witnesseth that they are Sons Observe 1st That Gods People receive the Spirit of Bondage before they receive the Spirit of Adoption Observe 2ly That the Elect People of God that receive the Spirit of Bondage they are allowed of God the Spirit of Adoption 3ly Observe That those that have received the Spirit of Adoption they never again receive the Spirit of Bondage 4ly The Spirit of Adoption where it is it is a Spirit of Liberty it is here opposed to a Spirit of Bondage Observe 5ly That those that receive the Spirit of Adoption their condition is preferable to those that receive a Spirit of Bondage 6ly The Apostle seems to glance at the frame of Gods People that lived under the Legal Administration differing it from the frame of such as lived under the Administration of the Gospel Observe 7ly That the Spirit of Adoption in Believers prompts them to Prayer and these Prayers are free and fearless fervent and serious and these Two Qualities of Prayer are included in the Word Crying As also these Prayers are confident and affectionate the Spirit of Adoption makes them cry Father 8ly Observe the Spirit of Adoption is a Benefite common to the Gentiles with the Jews The Apostle to denote this he expresses the homely Compellation of God both in Hebrew and Greek For the First Observation that the Elect People of God receive the Spirit of Bondage before they receive the Spirit of Adoption We shall clear it 1st By shewing what is meant by the Spirit of Bondage and what is meant by the Spirit of Adoption 2ly We shall prove that God dispenses the Spirit of Bondage to the Elect before he dispenses the Spirit of Adoption 3ly We shall give the Reasons of this Dispensation And 4ly Give the Uses of the Point For the First by the Spirit of Bondage is meant that Frame of Soul wrought in them by Gods Spirit preparing them for the state of Conversion springing from a sight of their state of Bondage while they are in an state of Nature convinceing them of their state of slavery to Sin and Satan and so bringing them under a full Conviction of their unability to relieve themselves from that condition Likeas this Conviction is attended with a Grief for their former sins and a fear of their imminent danger By the Spirit of Adoption is meant that disposition of Soul wrought in the Elect becoming the state of Adoption It is wrought by Gods Spirit through the application of Gospel-Promises It includes in it 1st The reverential awe of God 2ly An affection and care to imitate God in his moral Perfections 3ly A kindly submission to his Corrections 4ly A lively Expectation of the Inheritance of God For the second thing proposed Viz. the Proof of this that God dispenses to the Elect the Spirit of Bondage before he dispenses to them the Spirit of Adoption It is clear from the Experience of the Converts Acts 2. And from Pauls Experience at his Conversion and from the Experience of the Jaylor For the third Thing Viz. The Reasons why God thus dispenses to his Elect the Spirit of Bondage before the Spirit of Adoption they are these 1st He does this that he may make the Mysteries of the Gospel more credible to them For before a Man be convinced of his Sin and Misery The Mystery of Christs Cross seems but a Fable to the unconvinced Jew Christs Cross is but a stumbling Block and to the unconvinced Greek it seems foolishness but to the convinced and called Man it is the Wisdom of God and the Power of God See 1 Cor. 1. 2ly He does this to disengage their Affections from sin Our hearts through long custom acquire a great lyking to a course of sinning and untill our Spirits smart for our sins by grief and fear we cannot fall in a dislike with them 3ly He does this that thereby he may bring us to quite our own Righteousness and accept of Christ For Pride Self-love and Blindness of Mind do all concurr to make us tenacious of our own Righteousness before the Spirit work this Work in us A 4th Is he dispenses this to make his Elect willing to subject themselves to the Divine Law as a Rule of Life for when they are made by the Spirit of Conviction to smart for sin no terms of their freedom from sin and misery seems hard to them A 5th Reason he thus dispenses is that he may bring his own to have anâ— high Esteem of Christ to reckon all things but as dung and dross in comparison of the Son of God A 6th is he does it that he may make the burthen of Christs Cross seem light to them For the 4th Thing proposed the Uses of
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
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
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
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