for our justification declaring himself to have gotten the day of the Law Sin Hell and the Devil all the enemies of our salvation and likewise alluring us hereby that wee are already in him acquited God having forgiven us all our trespasses and shall assuredly one day rise as hee is risen to live with him in glory hereafter when this our corruptible shall put on incorruption and this our mortall shall put on immortality and death shall bee swallowed up into victory Again which our hearts should bee much taken up with How that Jesus Christ being now risen hee as the common person of the Saints and as a glorious Conqueror is ascended up into heaven herein triumphing over Principalities and Powers which he by his death had spoyled making a shew of them openly and leading captivity captive where being arrived hee is sate down at the right hand of the Father upon the Throne of Majesty in the heavens having Angels Principalities and Powers made subject unto him and all his enemies under his feet himselfe being invested with Majesty and Glory Sovereignty and Power Authority and Judgement all which hee improves for the good of his Saints Again farther How that the Saints as considered in him their common person are quickned together with him and raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places being sharers and partakers with him in his life and death in his humiliation and exaltation hee personating them in both having his wisdome righteousness riches holiness made over to them so that they are compleat in him and of his fulnesse doe receive grace for grace Again yet farther how that Jesus Christ being now in the heavens is there imployed in making preparation and providing mansions for his Saints against they come thither and is continually ready to and busied in presenting the wants and petitions of his people to his Father hee also himselfe in all our exigencies and under all our infirmities making intercession for us so that wee are for ever safe and secure from all fear and danger hee ever living to make intercession for us From whence when all his Elect of Jew and Gentile shall bee called home hee shall gloriously come attended with his mighty Angels and ten thousands of his Saints when as the Spouse being arraied in fine linnen clean and white hee shall take her to himselfe and celebrate his glorious Marriage and having done justice upon all her enemies here below and judged quick and dead shall triumphantly carry her with himselfe into his Fathers Kingdome where shee shall for ever bee with him where hee is beholding the glory the Father hath given him and injoying with him fulnesse of glory fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Again yet farther the thoughts whereof our thoughts should bee exercised about how that in the mean time that his people might bee gathered together and made meet to bee partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light hee hath and continually doth send forth his Spirit the great promise of the Father together with Messengers and Ambassadors having the everlasting Gospel in their mouths whereby those which everlasting love did in the beginning choose out of the world and predestinated to the adoption of Sons are in time through grace called and actually and personally having precious faith given unto them justified from all their iniquities united to him made children heires of God and joynt heires with Christ sanctified by the Spirit and through the applying of the blood of Jesus have their consciences purged from dead works to serve the ever living and true God daily going on from faith to faith and strength to strength till in the end they attaine the Resurrection of the dead and come to behold God in Sion Finally seeing and considering what glorious things are through grace wrought and prepared for us and which are in part and shall be in Gods time fully given to us it should bee the continual exercise of our hearts and that which wee should bee much taken up with how wee may come to attain and enjoy these things so as may make for the glory of God the good of others and our own comfort more It should bee our continual querying O how shall I come to know more of Christ more of the love of God in Christ How shall I come to beleeve in Christ more to live by faith more to injoy the fruit and comfort of my election through grace my redemption justification by Christ adoption in him union with him more How shall I come to bee more sanctified by the Spirit made more conformable to him have more of his Image imprinted upon mee feel him more in his Death and Resurrection have more fellowship with him in his sufferings O how shall I come to have corruption in mee daily more mortified my pride mortified my unbeleefe mortified my corrupt affections and passions mortified my luke-warmness earthly-mindedness deadness formality in duty mortified How shall I come to have my graces more quickned my faith love godly-sorrow humility self-denial patience thankfulness contentedness quickned O how shall I have a heart carried out more to glorifie God in the place calling I am in time opportunities I have How shall I have a frame of heart to go about the service of God more freely willingly cheerfully and to act in it more purely sincerely every day than other Such things and questions as these are I call Spiritual things and they are the things our hearts should bee exercised about Object Must a Saint onely bee exercised about Spiritual things are there not some external things which a Saint must exercise himselfe in and about Answ Yes there are outward Civil imployments which a Saint as a man is with moderation to bee exercised about And also there are outward Ordinances and institutions of Jesus Christ which a Saint as hee is a Christian out of obedience to his Masters command so far as the same is made clear to him is to bee exercised in and about in exercising himselfe in which though the things themselves are external yet hee injoyes much inward and spiritual communion with Jesus Christ therefore I do not oppose spiritual things to all things external neither would I bee so understood For though the Kingdome of God doth not consist in meat and drink yet meat and drink are usefull in their place and men in an ordinary way cannot live without it But now when I speak of a Saints exercising himself in spirituals I oppose spiritual 1 To things expresly forbidden which are simply in themselves evill and sinful being things not convenient nor becoming Saints Eph. 5.3 4. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not bee once named amongst you as becometh Saints neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient Prophane courses become no man but worst of all a Saint 2 To things light and frivolous Things indeed unworthy the thoughts of a Saint
is usual in Scripture-language to give the name of Flesh to the one and Spirit to the other The Law is called Flesh Rom. 4.1 compared with 2. What shall wee say then that Abraham our Father as pertaining to the Flesh hath found for if Abraham were justified by works hee hath whereof to glory but not before God Phil. 3.4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh if any other man thinketh that hee hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more Comp. with the 6. v. concerning zeal persecuting the Church touching the righteousnesse which is in the Law blamelesse The Gospel is called a Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit Both are together under these names or titles Gal. 3.2 3. This onely would I learn of you received yee the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith Are yee so foolish having begun in the Spirit are yee now made perfect by the flesh What hee calls works of the Law and hearing of faith in vers 2. hee calls Flesh and Spirit in the third Again the old man is called Flesh Gal. 5.19 Now the works of the Flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousnesse c. compared with Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might bee destroyed that henceforth wee should not serve sin The new man is called Spirit Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you c. both together are under these names Rom. 7. last So then with the minde I my selfe serve the Law of God but with the Flesh the Law of sin Gal. 5.17 For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh Matth. â—6 41 The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Now that there is good reason why wee should take both these and not one to hee here meant I think the scope shews us for the Apostle having spoken of both these things in the former Chapter and proceeding onwards to a glorious triumph in this hee takes the rise of this triumph from the consideration of the premises and that of both of them for one alone as may by good reason be made to appear had not been a sufficient bottome for such a triumph as if hee should say These things being so that through Jesus Christ as hath been cleared wee are delivered from the dominion of the Law and also from the tyranny of the old man in us there being now no longer any reigning Law over us nor reigning old man in us I therefore do conclude That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus there being no enemy that can do it the Law without and the old man within which onely were able to do it having now no condemning power over them which persons that hee might give an infallible note and character of hee still keeping the scope describes them to bee such Who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit i.e. They are such persons who being by Christ set free from the Dominion of the Law and Tyranny of the old man do not walk after the one or the other and on the other side being by Christ brought under the power of the Gospel and regiment of the new man they do now walk as becomes in some measure Gospel Saints and new creatures These things being laid down and premised wee are to understand the words thus Walking after the Flesh i.e. Either first Legal walking to walk after or according to the Law Or secondly Corrupt walking i. e. to bee wholly and constantly swayed ruled or lead by the principles dictates or motions of the old man or unregenerate part Walking after the Spirit i.e. Either first Gospel-walking to walk after or according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ Or secondly Renewed walking to walk according to the rule principle motions and dictates of the new man or regenerate part in a Saint Now in saying that these two are to be understood by Flesh and Spirit I do not exclude any of those laid down in the general explication of the words no I do think that by Flesh the Apostle may mean all those viz. mans wisdome reason understanding outward priviledges c. and the contrary to these by Spirit But I name these two onely with their contraries because I think that although the other are included in Flesh and Spirit as general termes yet here these are chiefly intended being most agreeable to the Apostles scope and what hee had said in the former Chapter which gives rise to this verse I shall therefore begin with the words as they lye in the first sense to bee understood of Legal and Gospel-walking and so wee have in them two Propositions 1 Legal-walking is walking according to the Flesh 2 Gospel-walking is walking according to the Spirit 1 Legal-walking is walking according to the Flesh In the opening of this I shall shew 1 What I mean by Legal-walking or what it is to walk Legally 2 When a mans walk may bee said to bee such that is a pure Legal-walk 3 Why Legal-walking is called Flesh or walking according to the Flesh 4 That those persons who are freed from condemnation for such our Text imports do not walk Legally or after the Flesh in this sense 5 Answer an Objection and Lastly conclude with Application Of the first viz. What I mean by Legal-walking or what it is for a man or woman to walk legally Answ Legal-walking in the sense wee are now to speak to it is this To make the Law as the same is a Covenant of works the rule of our lives and actions and the alone touchstone to try our conditions by To walke after the Law or according to the Law as the Law is a Covenant of works that is Legal-walking That so wee are to understand here I prove thus because Legal-walking is here called Flesh and the Law is no where in Scripture called Flesh but as the same is considered under this notion as it is a Covenant of works If you take the Law in its self that is for the matter of it the substance of those things the Law requires so the Apostle saith the contrary of the Law Rom. 7.14 The Law is spiritual the matter or substance of the Law is spiritual injoyning spiritual duties requiring spiritual performance and designing to make the creature spiritual so that the Law in its selfe is not Flesh but rather it is a spiritual and an everlasting rule of righteousness But now look upon the Law whensoever it is spoken of under this notion as it is the old Covenant or a Covenant of works and then it is called Flesh I will give you but a few places in Gal. 3.2 3. before quoted when the Galathians were gone from the Gospel to the Law
Nature for this reason legal walking may be called Flesh 3 Because of the weakness of such walking Flesh is put in Scripture for weakness so Isa 31.3 Now the Aegyptians are men and not God and their Horses Flesh and not Spirit when the Lord shall stretch out his hand both hee that helpeth shall fall and hee that is holpen shall fall downe and they all shall faile together Spirit hath strength in it but flesh without spirit is a weak thing the more any mans spirit decaies the weaker he growes Now legal walking may be called a walking after the flesh in regard of the weaknesse of those persons who walk in a legal way they are pittious poor weak Creatures there is nothing as a godly man saith in such but wishing and woulding and covenanting and promising and protesting and vexing and fretting no strength at all one day they vow they will leave their sins and the next day they run into them one day they will weep and mourn and howl for the neglect of such a duty and the next day they will neglect it again thus they tugge and pull and worry and weary themselves but are never the near nothing comes of all this they wish and would and have good desires c. but walking legally all is but flesh and flesh is weak so as that after all they are by all their toyling and labouring and the adoe they keep to mend their hearts and tame their lusts as farre from the attaining the one or the other as when they began as far from their journies end after many dayes months and years travells as when they first set out 4 And lastly Because the Flesh or unregenerate part is in a manner maintained alive by such walking my meaning is the more any man walks or acts in a legal way the more active sin is and the stronger his lusts grow and the more doth sin get ground of him As the Gospel will take an advantage to bring a Soul which walks after the Gospel to be more holy and beleeving by his very slips sins and infirmities so the Law doth take an advantage from the very outward holinesse of those who walk after the Law to make them more prophane and licentious than otherwise did they not presse after some outward holinesse and conformity to the Law they would be This the Apostle clearly teacheth us Rom. 7.8 9.10 11. Without the law sin was dead How dead what had sin no life in it till the Law came did the law put life into sin which was not in it before No not so but the meaning is that sin did not shew that livelinesse that was in it although it were there before and not begotten by the law yet till the law came up close to it it did not appear but sin lay as though it had been dead being not so vigorous and active when it saw no law to restraine it as afterwards it grew to be when it saw it self restrained by a law when sin saw the Commandement come to lay bonds upon it then sin which lay as though it had been asseep or dead revived started up and broke all the bonds of the law to peeces Saith the Law Sin I will have you bound and curbed aye but saith Sin I will not be bound and because you will goe to binde me I will stirre and act the more then the Flesh or unregenerate part accidentally gets strength by the law and therefore legal walking may well be called walking alter the flesh 4 That those persons who are freed from Condemnation being such as my text speaks of doe not walk legally or after the flesh 1 If such are dead unto and delivered from the law as it is a Covenant of works then doe they not walk after the law as such for a man cannot be said to walk after that which is both dead unto and delivered from But now those persons who are freed from Condemnation are dead unto and delivered from the law as it is a Covenant of works for this see Rom. 7.4 Wherefore my brethren yee also are become dead to the law by the Body of Christ that yee should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God How are Beleevers dead to and delivered from the law Not as the same is a rule of Christian life for so the Apostle afterwards speaks for it ver 12 14. Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandement holy and just and good for we know that the law is spiritual In this sense hee consents to it vers 16. I consent unto the law that it is good yea delights in it vers 22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man yea serves it and conformes himself thereto vers 25. So then with the minde I my self serve the law of God but as the same was a Covenant of works holding forth Life and Salvation by doing which was the very sense that those whom the Apostle in this Chapter disputes against did put upon the law and the works thereof as is clear from Acts 15.1 And certaine men which came downe from Judea taught the Brethren and said except yee be circumcised after the manner of Moses yee cannot bee saved and therefore the Apostles exclusion of the law from beleevers must needs lye in that sense which they would have inforced the same upon them viz. as a Covenant of works or as a way or means by observance of which they might obtaine life justification here and eternal salvation hereafter 2 If such have the Spirit of God in them and are led guided and governed in their waies and walkings thereby then doe they not walk after the law as a covenant of works Where is Legal walking is nothing of the Spirit because the Covenant of vvorks gives not the Spirit but now such have the Spirit of God in them Rom. 8.9 But yee are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his and in their walkings are led and acted thereby vers 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God therefore doe not walk after the Law altering but a word or two and the Apostle from the very same premises makes my conclusion for mee Gal. 5.18 But if yee be led of the Spirit yee are not under the law 3 If the obedience of such persons be true Gospel obedience then doe they not walk after the law as a Covenant of works for then their obedience should be legal obedience to a Covenant of works being legal But the first is true as I prove thus either there is no Evangelical obedience in the world or if there be it must be found in those who are not freed from condemnation in those that are that there is Evangelical obedience none
same our Rule under the Gospel for look what Christ as our common Person did actively without us in obeying the law of God that for the kind is by his Word and Spirit wrought and effected in time within us Christs obedience to the Law doth not free us from obedience in the same kind but in the same way or degree Christ obeyed the Law as it was a Covenant of works and obeyed it perfectly now for so much as relates to the way or degree of obedience Christs active obedience hath freed us from but not from obedience in the same kind as for example Christ prayed this doth not free us from prayer Christ repented this doth not free us from Repentance Christ was thankful to his Father this don't free us from thankness Christ was meek lowly patient humble Self-denying submissive to his Fathers will this doth not free us from the like Duties and Qualifications it frees us that we are not bound to performe these things perfectly or in the way of a Covenant of works but not at all from the things themselves but rather the obligation is greater by how much we have not only the law but Christs Life which is the pattern of ours as Mat. 11.29 Heb. 12.1 2 3. 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. Ephes 5.1 2. obliging us hereunto Argum. 6. If the Moral Law in the substance of it is no other than the law of Nature then is it a Rule in Gospel-times for it would be absurd to say the Gospel sets us at liberty from the law of Nature so as that it is no sin to violate Natures law to neglect that which Natures law teacheth to doe and to doe that Natures law teacheth to abhor and the first is true Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the law doe by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves which shew the work of the law written in their hearts c. the Gentiles doing by nature the things contained in the Law shewing us that the very things of the law are in nature the Moral law it is only a written external copy of the law of Nature Argum. 7. If it be a sin and offence in Beleevers under the Gospel to doe contrary to what the Moral law requires then is it a Rule to them for where there is no Rule can bee no offence where is no law is no transgression But who in his right wits would not say that put case a beleever should commit Adultery blaspheme God prophane the Sabbath bee a Murderer Thief Adulterer c. that he doth not sin if he sin hee transgresseth a Rule and if so then the Moral Law which forbids these things is a Rule to him Argum. 8. If Saints in Gospel-times are bid in an especial manner to remember the Moral Law then is it a Rule in Gospel-times But the antecedent is true Mal. 4.4 Remember the law of Moses my Servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Judgements In vers 2. he speaks of Christs appearing in the glory and lustre of his Righteousness with his bright Sun-beams in the Gospel and of the Saints imbracing of his light and flourishing under it and after all bids them remember the law of Moses why after this discovery of these things doth he call upon them to remember the law of Moses but to shew that the Moral Law given by Moses though not as given by him should remaine a Rule to Saints in the purest and brightest Gospel-times therefore the consequent 2 Though the Moral Law is a Rule yet only as it is in the hand of Christ That it is not a Rule to beleevers under the Gospel as given by Moses is clear 1 Because as such they are as hath been shewed dead to it and it is dead to them therefore cannot be their rule 2 Then their obedience should be a fruit of fear for in Moses's hand it came with terrour in Thundring and Lightning to beget fear and accordingly in those who were under the same did produce it But now the obedience of Saints under the Gospel is not a fruit of fear but of faith Luke 1.74 75. That hee would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life 2 Tim. 1.7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde 3 Then beleevers must unavoydably be under a curse Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to doe them It is not said as many as are under the reigning or condemning power of the Law but the Works of the Law if a man be but under the mandatory power of the law as given by Moses he is under a curse 4 Then should a Beleever be bound over to personal performance of what the law requires I prove it thus Whatsoever the Law saith i. e. as given by Moses it saith to them that are under the law Rom. 3.19 Now wee know that what thing soever the law saith it saith to them who are under the law But the law saith do all this do it in thine own person therefore if a Beleever be under it as such he is bound to personal performance and if so how will he escape condemnation seeing in his own person he cannot according to the obedience it requires obey the same 5 Then Beleevers should be under the commands of a Covenant of works for the law in Moses's hand was a Covenant of works for it is set in direct opposition to grace Rom. 6.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you for yee are not under the law but under grace which could not bee were it not a Covenant of works and it requires works for justification as doth the Covenant of works Gal. 3.10 6 Then their obedience should bee Legal not Evangelical for obedience to a Covenant of works can bee no other 7 Beleevers are under the command of the New Covenant and therefore the commands of Moses being the commands of the Old are not their Rule But now this Law as it is in Christs hands is a beleevers Rule Quest But how or in what way are wee to conceive of the Law as it comes in the hands of Christ Answ This is the great Question without opening wherof all we have hitherto said comes to nothing For answer therefore hereunto we shall consider how the Law came in the hand of Moses when it came as the Rule of a Covenant of works which opened will help us in the consideration of the other how it comes in Christs hand as it is our Gospel rule If you would know how the Law came in Moses
peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance All that obedience therefore which hath not the Spirit of God for the principle the root or rise thereof though ever so glorious is not Gospel-obedience nor Gospel-walking Quest But how shall I know whether the Spirit is the principle of my obedience Answ I shall say no more hereto at present but onely this doest thou finde a contentedness of heart in thy obedience mingled with pride self-estimation c. i. e. when thou hast performed any duty dost thou finde thy self contented and satisfied in having done the same and art thou proud and arrogant accounting thy self some body because thou hast done it Or on the other side doest thou find a spiritual rejoycing of heart in that thou hast been inabled to perform thy duty and this mingled with humility and mortification my meaning is when thou hast been obedient in any one particular doest thou rejoyce in God and bless his name in that hee hath inabled thee so to do and considering it was not in thine own proper strength to obey God in any thing Art thou by and under this obedience kept humble having thy pride and self-estimation more mortified in thee than thou didst finde it before If the first then doth not thy obedience arise front the Spirit because it takes from the Spirit which no works of the Spirit doth if the latter then assuredly the Spirit of God is the principle the root of thy obedience because it gives to the Spirit of God as every worke which is by and from the holy Spirit doth 3 When our Motives to obedience are Gospel Motives Quest But what are Gospel Motives Answ Such as these 1 The will and command of our heavenly Father You know the difference betwixt a servant and a son in working a servant will not do any work for his Master unlesse there bee a compact and agreement betwixt his Master and him his Master must give him so much wages and hee will do him so much work But now when a Son is to do any work for his Father hee doth not capitulate with his Father if you will give mee so much I will do your work but if not I will not no but the Father saith to the Son Son do mee such a peece of work and presently the Son hearing the command of his Father goes about it the Fathers will is his Motive So take a legal man or woman and let God command such a one a duty and streightway hee goes to capitulate with God I hope Lord if I do this thou wilt pardon my sins I hope thou wilt give mee heaven I shall never go to hell thus the Legal soul will bee upon termes with God or will do nothing for God hee will know what hee shall have for his work or will not work at all But now take a Gospel soul hee doth not stand upon termes what shall I have Shall I bee saved or shall I bee damned These are not his questions but saith the Gospel soul God I know is my Father in Jesus Christ and I am the Son and Childe of God by adoption now it is becoming a Son to do the will of his Father I am the Son of God and such and such things I have read and heard of and know to bee my Fathers will and because they are so that I may do as becomes an obedient childe and shew my self that I am such a one I will therefore endeavour to conform my self so far as I am able to what I know of my Fathers will And therefore whereas it is grievous to another to read or hear of his duty because hee serves as a hireling and therefore cares not so hee may obtain the hire how little work hee doth this Gospel soul with joy delight can take the Book of God where his Fathers will is revealed and turn it over and search it leaf by leaf and line by line and is glad when he findes any peece of work or part or parcel of his Fathers will which he was ignorant of before because hee doth not what hee doth upon the account of hire or reward but upon this account that it is his Fathers will The will and command of his Father is both the Rule and reason of his obedience Hence Paul urgeth Holiness in the general and thankfulness in particular 1 The. 4.3 For this is the will of God even your sanctification that yee should abstaine from fornication and Chap. 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Upon this very reason or motive and no other as if he should say you are Sons and therefore I need not use many Arguments with you it is enough to tell you it is the will of your Father you should be holy you should bee thankful 2 The powerful and efficacious workings of the new nature that is within every Saint or Son of God The promise of the Gospel or New Covenant is that God will give to his Children a new heart and spirit Ezek. 36.26 i.e. put a new nature within them whereby they shall be naturally inclined and disposed to the doing of that which is his Will which in other places is called the Writing of his Law in their hearts This new Nature is put into every Saint though in the actings thereof in some more in others less and being in every Saint every Saint is naturally inclined and disposed to the doing of that which is wel-pleasing unto God As the old nature doth naturally move incline and carry on the Soul to the doing of that which is contrary to the Will of God so this new nature doth naturally incline incite and provoke the Soul to those things which are agreeable to the Will of God Hence a Gospel-soul is moved to obedience because there is a new nature within which answers to the Law or Word of God without which requires obedience of him and all disobedience is as contrary to this new nature within as to the Rule without 3 Love and filial affection The bond of love is natural betwixt a Father and a Son a Father hath a Natural affection to his Childe more than to anothers and a Childe a natural affection to his Father more than to another man and love though there be no other reason will make the party loving doe much for the party loved Now I say there is a tye of love upon a Son which is not upon a Servant or Hireling come to a Servant or Hireling and ask him why hee toyls and moyls and sweats from morning till night all the year long for his Master my Naster saith hee gives me wages and therefore I doe it but come to a Son who it may be is as hard or harder at work than the Servant and ask him Why doe you toyl and moyl your self thus why sayes the Son it is my Fathers work I am doing of and I love my Father
times of the Law God gave his Spirit but only to some few extraordinary men as Prophets c. in the beginning of the Gospel God poured it downe upon many more upon Apostles and many Brethren but not all but now in the last daies upon all flesh for I take it that this Prophesie of Ioel relates to the last daies though in the beginnings of it it was fulfilled in the Apostles time add so Ierem. 31.34 And they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall shall know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord speaking of the last daies it is said They shall all know me So Isa 65.20 The childe shall dye an hundred years old i. e. in knowledge very Children shall have the Spirit poured downe upon them O what a glorious time will this be when all the Saints shall be filled with the Spirit when you cannot goe to a Saint but you shall finde Gods Spirit breathing in him and how should this stirre up every one of us upon whom these last daies are coming if not come to labour after the Spirit Is it not a shame that the nearer this time comes the more Carnal instead of Spiritual we should be Obs 3. All grace it from the Spirit of God the spirit of grace we have no grace in our Nature but all is from the Spirit as the fruits thereof Gal. 5.22 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance Obs 4. The gift of the Spirit is the gift of Free Grace This is taken from those words the Spirit of Grace interpreted in the latter sense Obs 5. One maine and special work that the Spirit of God puts Souls upon where it is is the work of Supplication or Prayer and Supplications the Spirit coming from God it loves much to be carrying out those Souls where it is to God Prayer it is a Natural work to that Soul where the Spirit is and as the Spirit of God puts Souls upon Prayer so the Spirit of God acts the Saints in Prayer or as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. Prayes in them sometimes by enabling them with words sometimes by filling them with groanes unutterable i. e. a Soul that prayes by the Spirit hee hath inward groanings for many things more than hee can utter it may be he speaks one Petition and at that instant groanes for twenty the groanings of the spirits in the Saints hearts whilst they are in prayer being farre more large and extensive than the expressions of the mouth are or can bee and which may bee a matter of abundant comfort to us the answer of God is not according to the expressions of our mouth but the desires and groanings of his owne Spirit O would we know then how to pray as we should let us labour for the Spirit we shall never pray without it perhaps we may speak good words and fine expressions as many can who yet never prayed in their lives and know no more what Prayer means than I know the way to Rome but alas prayer doth not lye in these things in speaking good Language and putting up fine Petitions if that be all no Prayer is another thing it is the breathings of the Spirit in the hearts of the Saints after God and to God many times that soul prayes and that excellently powerfully who perhaps is not able to speak a word or if hee do hee is not able to speak ten words true sense together when as another which speaks fluently and orderly and that for houres together perhaps prayes not a word all that time Observ 6. In the last dayes there shall bee a greater powring forth of the Spirit than ordinary This I gather from the last thing in opening the words viz. the time when this shall bee that day Hence the word pouring is much used when the giving of the Spirit in the last dayes is spoken of denoting an abundant measure of the Spirit which shall at this time bee given forth for what was formerly wherein God did as it were drop his Spirit now hee poures it forth and the reasons are because God hath greater works to do in the last dayes and the Church comes nearer to mans estate and the people of God have more and greater enemies to incounter with than in former times they had and therefore God gives them more of the Spirit what a mercy then is it to be brought forth and to live in the last dayes And how doth it call upon us all the nearer these times draw on to bee the more spiritual Thus much for the Observations from the first part of the words I come now to the second the effects of this powring forth of the Spirit They shall look on him whom they have pierced Observ 7. The sins of beleevers do pierce Jesus Christ This is implied in that they look upon him whom they have pierced Observ 8. Christ must bee looked upon as pierced by us before wee can mourn They do not mourn nor shed a tear till then Observ 9. When Christ is looked upon as pierced by us then wee shall mourn They look on him and do mourn Observ 10. That mourning which ariseth from the beholding of a pierced Christ is a very bitter and grievous mourning And they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely Son Observ 11. None can thus look upon Christ or mourn for him but only those upon whom God pours his Spirit I will poure out my Spirit and they shall look and they shall mourn I shall wave all these and pitch upon one Observation from the latter part of the words which is this viz Observ True Gospel-humiliation doth arise from a looking upon a pierced Christ In the opening of this point I shall shew 1 That it doth not arise from any other thing and doth from this 2 What manner of looking upon Jesus Christ that is which doth beget true mourning or Gospel-humiliation 3 How this Gospel-humiliation is begotten in the soul from a looking upon Jesus Christ Of the first That it doth not arise from any other thing and doth from this 1 It doth not arise from nature There is a kinde of humility in many a man by nature but this is not Gospel-humility and there is too a natural sorrow but this is not Gospel-humiliation This is an herbe that grows not in Natures garden any other humiliation saving Gospel-humiliation may grow there 2 It doth not arise from imitation of others the examples of others Some things which are not natural are done by imitation as an Ape will do many things by imitation which are not natural but this doth arise from hence seeing another humbled and imitating him 3 It doth not arise from a sense or discerning of sin in a man Many there are who see their sin and will acknowledge the same natural light
many even of as many as do beleeve therefore that obedience is not the souls righteousnesse 2 Faith is a Law-duty and the work of faith a Law-work though the object of faith be of Gospel-revelation now if a Law-work be the condition of the New Covenant It is not a Covenant of grace but works Rom. 11.6 If it bee of works it is no more grace else work is no more work 3 A man might stay upon Old Covenant works because the condition of his Covenant as Hezekiah did 2 King 20.4 and Abijah did 2 Chron. 13.12 But a man may not stay upon his faith nor intreat favour for his faiths sake but for Christs sake The Old Covenant made premises unto performances the New Covenant makes promises of performances Many promises indeed are made of comfort to them that mourne of rest to them that are weary of pardon to them that confesse but not because they mourne are weary or confesse In promises of this nature faith findes footing not in a condition but in a connexion as also when the promise saith The barren shall bring forth I will poure water upon dry ground here is no condition for barrennesse and drinesse is none but here is a connexion unto faith a heart full of groans an eye full of tears a life full of reformation may bee good signes but bad grounds faith knowes nothing but Jesus Christ 4 The condition of the Old Covenant was to bee performed in the power of him that was in Covenant and was no part of the Covenant to be given of God in which respect it is compared unto Pharoahs Taskmasters who required the whole tale of Bricke but gave no straw Faith is no such condition because the work of God wherein hee is mindful of his Covenant and Engagement though not to the creature yet to himself and to his Son on the behalfe of the creature 2 Cor. 4.13 Eph. 1.17 18 19 2.8 Hagar hath seed but in a natural way an Ishmael who was of the Law of Works after the flesh Sarah also hath seed but in a supernatural way an Isaac who was of promise of faith of the Spirit Gal. 4.29 Works were the condition of the Old Covenant and not Fruit Faith is the fruit of the New Covenant and not the condition 5 What is properly conditional in the constitution is certainly uncertain in the event all the good covenanted for hangs upon the condition as that which may bee injoyed or lost The Old Covenant was so according to the tenour whereof Ishmael the childe thereof is cast out But the New Covenant is not so not a Covenant which way bee broken Heb. 7 22.-9.15 16 17. being of the nature of a Testament Luke 22.20 1 Cor. 11.25 therefore not a Covenant properly conditional or having faith for a condition as Works were in the Old Covenant I shall adde no more under this head lest I bee reproved for furnishing so large a Porch to so little an house The New Covenant is a Covenant of Grace distinguished from the Old in the fulnesse thereof The Old Covenant had but the shadow of good things but the shadow of Election Vocation Justification c. The High Priest was but a shadow So the Temple the Sacrifice the Peace Heb 10.1 2. None fully purged or fully pardoned or furnished with a full answer to every charge and challenge of the Law Heb. 9.9 But the New Covenant hath the substance being full of Christ it is full of grace and truth For by one offering hee hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 Under this Covenant no more conscience of sin Heb. 10.2 not that a man is past sinning or past feeling but because hee is past charging Rom. 8.33 34. No more conscience of sin as transgression of the Law which is a Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 No more conscience of sin as a debt to that Law and so needing new Sacrifice but as Christ made satisfaction once and at once Rom. 6.10 Heb. 7.27 1 Pet. 3.18 so hee is made righteousnesse The Old Covenant was a weak Covenant not in commanding or condemning power it is able to damn a whole world for disobedience but in helping a poor miserable undone creature Rom. 8.3 What can the Sun do for a blinde man a Physitian may help nature but cannot give it the Old Covenant is like unto those Physitians upon whom the woman that had the Bloody-issue waited twelve years and spent all her substance being never the better but the worse The New Covenant is like unto Christ if wee touch but the hemm of that Garment there is healing which doth not onely declare a Law for the heart but also write it upon the heart not impose a duty onely but dispose unto obedience administring not onely the letter but the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 The Old Covenant is like unto Moses the Minister thereof who could not lead the people into Canaan The New is like unto Joshua a Type of our Jesus under whom the Tribes received their Inheritance Compare the times of Moses and Joshua and you will finde a fulnesse of grace in Joshuahs time Compare the times of the Old and New Covenant you will finde a fulnesse of grace in the New Covenant time exceeding fulnesse comparative with the former time 1 Moses his Spies brought up an ill report upon the good Land Numb 13.32 but Joshuahs returned with glad tidings Jos 2.23 Vnder Moses the Land is seen as a Land to bee obtained by warlike performances and the enemies being mighty they are discouraged Under Joshua the Land is seen as a Land of Promise to be given unto them in faithfulnesse Reformations under the Old Covenant commonly miscarry men are discouraged and run from Moses backe again into Egypt when corruption and temptation shew themselves men say as the Prophets servant Alas what shall wee do Under the New Covenant mans eye being open unto the Lord they can say with the Prophet There are more for us than bee against us and with the Apostle Wee can do all things Jesus Christ strengthning of us 2 Moses led the people toward the Land within sight of it and left them Joshua led them into Canaan Under the Old Covenant men may bee toward the Kingdome and nigh unto it but under the New they enter it and possesse it Agag may bee taken prisoner and bound under the one but hee is hewn in sunder and destroyed under the other 3 Under Moses Circumcision was neglected during the time that Israel was in the Wildernesse Under Joshua it was renewed Jos 5.5 9. So under the Old Covenant men are driven from iniquity by fear of punishment or dragged on in a way of duty by hope of reward the heart not yet set against that nor for this Vnder the New Covenant the heart is circumcised to love the Lord and thereby sweetly drawn after him 4 No Jubilee was kept by Moses nor by the people in his time but
Elijah's Mantle OR THE REMAINES Of that late worthy and faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. JOHN TILLINGHAST Viz. I. The Conformity of a Saint to the Will of God On Act. 21.14 II. The will of God and Christ concerning Sinners On Gal. 1.4 III. No Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus On Rom. 8.1 IV. Christs Love to his owne On Joh. 13.1 V. True Gospel Humiliation On Zach. 12.10 VI. The most effectual means to kill and subdue sin On 1 Joh. 2.2 VII The Advocateship of Jesus Christ a great ground of Saints comfort and support under sins and infirmities On 1 Joh. 2.2 VIII The only way for Saints to be delivered from the errors and evils of the times On I Tim. 6.11 IX Of the Old Covenant from Gal. 4.30 being so farre as the Author had proceeded in a Treatise of the two Covenants before his death Published by his owne Notes Rev. 14.13 And I heard a voyce from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them London printed for Livewell Chapman and are to be sold at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1658. To the Reader THis dear Servant of Christ the Author of these Sermons who whilst in the Body lived much in and of the love of our Lord Jesus and is now swallowed up of that love which passeth knowledge who yet doth and I am perswaded will live in the love of many precious * In London Lewes Nudigate Frasingfield Yarmouth Walpoole Walsham Truâ—ch c. Saints among whom hee conversed here on earth made it his great designe the love of Christ constraining him both by preaching and walking to promote faith towards Christ and love to all Saints Hee lived much by faith and was often in coming to the Father by the Son as a poor Sinner as he usually expressed it And here I cannot but take the opportunity to say that which I apprehend the Word of Christ and also our experience doe witness 1 That the Act of Faith whereby wee are looking to Jesus coming to him and rowling upon him as the only way to the Father it is indeed the great Act it is that which doth honour God and that which Christ doth honour as a great faith After that poor woman of Canaan Mat. 15. had endured many repulses and yet making after Christ and hanging upon him he saith O woman great is thy faith this was clearly a faith of dependance 2 We are extreamly averse to this duty There is a great desire of evidence c. but when we should look to and stay on the Promise or rather on God in it O what a difficult work is it Indeed by thus beleeving Romans 16.26 Heb. 11.2 we yeeld unto God the obedience hee requires without which wee cannot please him and it is that for which the Gospel is sent among us and hereby wee doe indeed act Self-denial Is it not a great part of Self-denial for the Soul which doth naturally set up his owne righteousnesse and would not be beholding to God for his to renounce his right that is so dear to him Phil. 3.8 9. Hereby also the Soul denies his Carnal reason as Abraham Rom. 4. hee sacrificed his Carnal reason before he could enjoy or Sacrifice his Isaac It is no wonder that our hearts are so hardly brought up to such actings there is not only an inabillity to them but enmity against them as Christ hath told us Yee will not come to me Joh. 5.40 3 We have no assurance and evidence but in and by these acts of reliance it is possible wee may have a true faith and great faith of reliance without evidence but our assurance comes in this way as we have not the reflection of the Sun upon the wall except the beames of the Sun flow forth 4 Our Lord Jesus being the Author and Finisher and also actor of our faith Heb. 12.2 Joh. 15.5 Phil. 2.13 without whom wee can doe nothing hee that worketh to will as well as to doe in his people and that freely we cannot act this faith but as we are acted by him let us therefore expect all our fruites from him And because faith worketh by love and the more the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts the more faith c. also the more faith the more love to God let us look much into the Gospel which gives us so great discovery of that love 1 Behold there with admiration God from Eternity freely purposing the Salvation of the Elect in Jesus Christ hee hath saved us c. not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace which was given in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 2 After we had all fallen from God in that fearful Apostacy of our first Parents under the Wrath and Curse of God Rom. 5.18 Ephes 3.2 behold God sending forth his dear Son made of a Woman c. for the redemption of poor sinners from this woful state and thereby not only delivering his people from the depth of misery but restoring them to the height of happinesse for by the death of our Lord Jesus is a way made to bring us unto God 1 Pet. 3.18 by it we come to him Heb. 7.25 all those that come to God come by him wee come even to the Father Joh. 14.6 No man cometh to the Father but by me here is the true center of our immortal souls Thus our dear Lord doth bring us to soul-rest Mat. 11.28 29. O what manner of love is this 3 Behold here the will of the Father and the Son both concurring in this matter Gal. 1.4 which the heart of this Author was much taken up with 4 Here is a discovery of Christ as an overcommer actually Rev. 3.21 It is observeable that the very first promise of Jesus Christ Gen. 3.15 declares him a Conqueror and all the Saints for many Ages lived upon and were comforted in Christ as hee who was to overcome and though this perhaps in the weakness of their faith the tempter might trouble them withall but what if their expected Messiah should not come or what if he should not overcome their enemies what would become of them then Now there is no roome for this temptation he hath abolished death 2 Tim. 1.10 I have overcome the world Joh. 6.33 and therefore saith the Lord Be you of good cheer it is for you and be yee comforted by it there is vertue and strength in it for you whereby you shall bee more than conquerours And hereby may the Saints come up to that difficult Piece of Self-denial to submit to the will of God who will have some remainders of corruption yet in his people as in these Sermons is mentioned where the Author doth caution us not so to submit to as not to strive against corruptions to mourn over them and watch
in Christ and another man ibid. Use 2. How blessed is the condition of every one that hath interest in Christ ibid. Use 3. Then how great a sinne and how much below their condition is unâ—â—leef in the people of God p. 112 Vse 4. This casts many persons and brings most men under condemnation ibid. Vse 5. This is comfort to the Saints against the guilt of all sin whatsoever p. 114 Serm. II. Doct. That our freedome from Condemnation comes from our in-being in Jesus Christ p. 115 That Saints have in-being in Christ proved p. 115. to 118 What in-being in Christ Saints have shewed p. 119 120 That by in-being in Christ Saints are freed from Condemnation proved p. 121 122 Object But I fear I have no in-being in Christ for surely had I in-being in Christ I should grow and thrive more than I doe c. answered p. 123 Object But my doubt is not so much about Gifts as Grace I doe not finde my self to grow in grace and this begets all my fears answered p. 124 125 Object But I doe not only finde a want of growth in grace but I clearly finde a declining in grace both in root and branches c. answered p. 126 Vse This shews us the glorious priviledges of all those that have in-being in Christ they are freed from condemnation p. 127 Serm. III. What is meant by Flesh and what by Spirit shewed in the general p. 130. to 133. in particular p. 133. to 136 What is meant by Legal walking shewed p. 137. to 140 When a mans walk may bee said to bee such a pure Legal walking or a walking after the Law as it is a Covenant of works shewed p. 140. to 145 Serm. IV. Why Legal walking is called walking after the flesh shewed p. 147 to 150 That those persons who are freed from Condemnation doe not walk legally or after the flesh shewed p. 150. to 152 An Objection answered p. 153 154 Vse 1. This discovers to us that there are abundance of rotten-hearted Professors in the World p. 155. to 158 Vse 2. By this we may also take a scantling of our actions as well as our persons p. 159. to 161 Vse 3. How sad and pittiful is the condition of Legal walkers they walk after the flesh p. 162 Serm. V. What Gospel-walking is shewed p. 164. to 166 That the Moral Law in Gospel-times is a rule to Beleevers proved by eight Arguments p. 167. to 172 That it is a rule only as it is in the hands of Christ proved by several particulars p. 172. to 174 Quest But how or in what way are wee to conceive of the Law as it comes in the hands of Christ answered p. 174. to 178 That to yeeld obedience to the Law as it is in the hands of Christ is Gospel-walking proved p. 178 179 Two great mistakes corrected p. 180 181 Serm. VI. When a mans walk may be said to be a Gospel walk or a walking after the Gospel p. 182 What is the Gospel Principle p. 183 Quest How shall I know whether the Spirit is the principle of my obedience answered p. 184 What are Gospel Motives p. 185. to 193 What are Gospel ends p. 193. to 201 Why Gospel walking is called walking after the Spirit p. 201 202 That all those that are freed from Condemnation walk after the Gospel p. 203 204 Serm. VII Vse 1. Hence we may learn the excellency of a Gospel walk p. 205 206 Vse 2. This shews us why there is such a mystery in Gospel walking that a meer Natural man cannot conceive what manner of walk a Gospel walk is p. 207. to 209 Vse 3. This truth it a touch-stone to try mens persons and actions by p. 210 Vse 4. Hence let us learn not to put too much in any outward forme p. 211 212 Quest But when may a man bee said to put too much in an outward form answered p. 213. to 218 Vse 5. Then you which are Gospel Saints follow the Spirit ibid. Quest But how shall I come to this to follow the Spirit answered p. 219 Quest But put the case the Spirit of God goes before me and I doe not know the same how shall I come to know it answered p. 220 221 4 Christs love to his owne On Joh. 13.1 The Text opened p. 222 223 Doct. Christs love to his owne is a choyse and an everlasting love p. 224 Who are meant by Christs owne ibid In what respects Beleevers are called Christs owne p. 225. to 231 That Christ hath a love to his own proved p. 232 That this love of Christ to his owne is a choyse and an everlasting love p. 233 234 The Application 1 Christ will not see his owne want p. 234 2 Let wicked men take heed how they wrong Beleevers p. 235 3 Let not Saints injure one another ibid. The second part of the Application 1 A Saint can never fall from the love of Christ p. 236 2 How blessed is the condition of the poorest Beleever ibid. 3 How then doe the Saints injure Jesus Christ c. ibid. 4 Take heed of sinning against this love p. 237 5 Serve God freely and without fear ibid. 6 Labour to get a portion of this love ibid. 5 True Gospel Humiliation On Zach. 12.10 The Text opened p. 240 to 251 Obs 1. That the pouring out of the Spirit upon any soul is the proper and peculiar work of God p. 252 Obs 2. In the last day 's the pouring out of the Spirit shall be very general p. 253 Obs 3. All grace is from the Spirit of God the spirit of grace ibid. Obs 4. The gift of the Spirit is the gift of Free Grace p. 254 Obs 5. One maine and special work that the Spirit of God puts souls upon where it is is the work of Supplication or Prayer ibid. Obs 6. In the last dayes there shall bee a greater pouring forth of the Spirit than or dinary p. 255 Obs 7. The sins of Beleevers doe pierce Jesus Christ p. 256 Obs 8. Christ must be looked upon as pierced by us before we can mourn ibid. Obs 9. When Christ is looked upon as pierced by us then we shall mourn ibid. Obs 10. That mourning which ariseth from the beholding of a pierced Christ is a very bitter and grievous mourning ibid. Obs 11. None can thus look upon Christ or mourn for him but only those upon whom God pours his Spirit ibid. Obs True Gospel Humiliation doth arise from a looking upon a pierced Christ ibid. That it doth not arise from any other thing and doth from this proved p. 257 What manner of looking upon Christ this is p. 258 How this looking upon Christ as pierced for sin begets this true Gospel Humiliation p. 260. to 264 6 The most effectual means to kill and subdue Sin On 1 Joh. 2.2 The Text opened p. 265 Obs 1. That the end of Gospel revelation is to keep men from sin p. 266 That this must needs be the end of Gospel
The solution of the case from this General Rule is That I am to do that thing chuse that way which tends most to keeping and maintaining peace among the Saints Now that wee may not fetter conscience instead of setting it at liberty it is necessary that wee consider how far this Rule doth oblige us and how far not for General Rules are but snares to conscience if they bee not warily laid down with their due cautions and considerations To bring this case therefore into the light I shall here inquire into What that is I am to dispence with in reference unto peace and What not 1 What I am not to to dispense with Answ I am not to dispense with the parting from any one dram of clear truth 1 The reason is because that peace is an evill peace that doth shut truth out of doors if peace and truth cannot go together truth is to bee preferred and rather to bee chosen for a companion than peace And there is good reason for this also because truth is a peece of Gods nature peace is but one of our priviledges mans priviledges must rather be lost than Gods nature suffered to bee trodden underfoot if therefore the excellent priviledge of peace cannot be attained without intrenching upon the limits of the more excellent thing truth wee must then give way to truth 2 I am not for peace sake to dispence with any act that shall countenance corruption in a brother The reason is because I am not to suffer sin to lye upon a brother it so then not to countenance any evill in him for that is more the one is a meer negative act and yet sinful because forbidden the other a positive and therefore more sinfult If therefore for peace sake I shall humor a brother in his corruptions as pride passion c. When these are evident and apparent I do that which I ought not I should rather break peace with a brother than contract guilt on mine own head 3 I am not for peace sake to dispense with any palpable affront or injury offered by a brother to the cause or truth of Christ The reason is because Christ's cause and truth is better and more honourable and therefore rather to bee stuck to than mans peace if therefore a brother speaks slightly of Christs cause reproachfully of any part of his truth I am in a Christian way to vindicate it if my vindication of it break peace in this case let it 4 I am not for peace sake to dispense with any superstitious custome and practice of a brother which may endanger the welfare of the souls of others The reason is because the soul is of more worth than peace peace if lost may bee recovered the loss of souls is irrecoverable Mans eternal being consists in the welfare of his soul his temporal well-being onely is wrapt up in his peace I am to prefer mans eternal being before his temporal well-being If therefore by the superstitious customes or practises of a brother another soul shall bee endangered I am to declare against those customes or practises although it bee to the breach of peace 5 I am not for peace sake to dispense with the shaking of a weak beleever in his faith The reason is Faith is the Root peace is but the branch If the branch bee lopped off and the root remaine unmaymed the branch will recover again but if the root bee maymed root and branch dye both the shaking of the root is therefore a greater evil than the lopping off the branch when therefore the root faith is shaken I am to relieve that though it bee with the lopping off the branch of peace Upon this account Paul Gal. 2. doth openly oppose Peter when hee by complying with the Jews and refusing to eat meat with the Gentiles did thereby hazard the weak faith of the Gentiles 6 I am not for peace sake to dispense with a designing spirit in a brother The reason is whilst a brother designes upon mee hee doth never really intend peace with mee though I do it with him I am not therefore for peace sake to dispense with that which hath a necessary tendency to cut mee short of mine end When Paul saw designing brethren coming in upon him hee would not give place no not for an hour Gal. 2.11 12 c. 7 I am not for peace sake to dispense with a wilful spirit in a brother because with such a one I can neither make peace nor keep it when it is made unless in every thing I subject my self to his will Now it is better to stand off from peace than for the attaining and keeping thereof to put my self under the slavery of anothers will For the loss of liberty to my self and others hereby on the one hand is greater than the gain that on the other hand will redound to me Therefore Paul who did oftentimes comply when hee could keep his liberty would never comply when and where hee must infringe it by complying 8 And lastly I am not for peace sake to dispense with a lording domineering spirit in a brother or a spirit that affects preheminence The reason is in a manner the same with the former because such a spirit will bee a Lord and hee must have others as his servants or hee will have no peace with them Now to make a league upon such terms is expresly against the Rule which condemns such a spirit Matth. 20.25 26 27 28. 1 Pet. 5.3 1 Cor. 7.23 Diotrophes his affecting preheminence was not to bee born with out of respect to the Churches peace 3 Epist of Joh. 9.10 2 But what then am I to dispense with in reference unto peace Answ 1. I am to dispense with some things which are truths as to this or that season c. 2 I am for peace sake to dispense with a stiffe and peremptory insisting upon this or that particular thing supposed by mee to bee truth in case it be in it self doubtful The reason is because the maintaining of the thing cannot bee a known duty so long as the thing it self is not known to bee a truth But now on the other side breach of peace if it bee not upon due grounds and considerations is a known evill and I may not commit the least known evill to perform the greatest unknown duty Nay nothing in the world can acquit mee of guilt in doing the least known evill but this when I must either neglect some duty that is greater and weighs more heavy or rush my self upon some evill of more dangerous consequence in case I neglect it when the case is such the Rule is of two evills I must chuse the least This is the case Rom. 14. where the Apostles whole discourse runs upon things which are doubtfull not determined 3 I am for peace sake to dispense with mine own will if nothing stand in the way of peace but my will onely I am rather than to hinder the free passage
from the Covenant of grace to the old Covenant of works to look for life and justification The Apostle then calls the Law Flesh So in Chap. 4 21 22 23 c. The Apostle speaking exprefly of the two Covenants the New and Old or of Grace and Works whereof one viz. the old Covenant was Hagar the bond-woman the other Sarah the free-woman he in plain language calls Hagar the bond-woman i. e. the old Covenant Flesh vers 23. and 29. So also Rom. 7.5 wee have a place pertinent to our purpose When wee were in the Flesh i.e. when wee were in or under the old Covenant and did walk by the Law as it was a rule of the old Covenant there were by the same continually occasioned risings and stirrings of sin within us here the Apostle in plaine termes calls the old Covenant Flesh as before Now that the Apostle doth here speak of the old Covenant is clear from the next verse But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held as if hee had said now we who are beleevers are delivered from the Law as it is a Covenant of works Why because the Covenant of works it self by which wee were held once and bound to the performance of the Law is dead What was it that wee were held by why the Law as a Covenant of works as Gal. 3.23 But before faith came wee were kept under the Law shut up unto faith which should afterwards be revealed Now that wherein we were held is dead therefore the old Covenant is that 's the meaning so that here hee speaks of the old Covenant So also in the next words that we might serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter i. e. that all our obedience which now we perform to God might be inward and spiritual according to the way of the new Covenant we are under i. e. arising from new Principles put into us new thoughts and new apprehensions of God begot within us new strength and assistance given us new ends in our working and not in that way of outward and litteral performance which was the way of the old Covenant here he speaks plainly of the old Covenant shewing the difference betwixt that obedience which that produceth and that which the new Covenant brings forth therefore what he calls Flesh in the former verse by weighing the scope can be no other but the old Covenant which he speaks of in this I could bring many other places but these may suffice to shew us that when the Law is called Flesh we are to understand the Law as it is the Covenant of Works the Law of the old Covenant which being so by legal walking in this place which the Apostle calls Flesh wee are to understand walking according to the way of the old Covenant walking after the Law as the same is a Covenant of works 2 But when may a mans walk be said to bee such a pure legal walking or a walking after the Law as it is a Covenant of Works Answ 1. When a mans obedience ariseth from and is drawn out meerly by the Law when the Law is principle motive and all in a mans obedience when a man doth this good avoyds that evil from no other principle upon no other ground or motive but because the Law saith doe the one avoyd the other There are three things in the Law which doe draw forth that obedience which is purely legal 1 There are Commands and Prohibitions in the Law commands of Holiness prohibitions of Sin 2 Threatnings of punishments 3 Promises of reward annexed to these commands and prohibitions of the Law now when I doe a thing barely because the Law commands me to doe it or promiseth me a reward in or for my doing thereof or threatneth with some penalty to be inflicted in case I neglect it and contrariwise when I forbeare a thing barely because the Law forbids it and promiseth me a reward in or for forbearing and threatens me if I doe not forbear it this obedience is purely legal and an obedience to a Covenant of works upon this score Adam in Paradise had he stood should have obeyed First there was a Prohibition Eate not then a Threatning In the day thou eatest thou shalt dye which did include in it the promise of the contrary good that in case he did not eate he then should live all which obedience of Adam's had he never fallen could have been no other but obedience to a Covenant of works he being under no other Covenant So I say Put case a man should be never so exact and punctual in his obedience labouring to walk up to every command of God and to avoyd every sin yet if the root principle or motive of this his obedience be the Law the Command the Promise and Threatning of the Law if there be no other principle or motive but the Law if the Law be the roote and rise of all though he should strive to live like an Angel pray ten times a day fast and weep and mourn for his sins till he can mourne no longer watch against and resist sin with the utmost care industry and diligence strive to bee as holy as passes yet all this his obedience would be but legal a walking after the flesh a yeilding obedience to the law as it is a covenant of works 2 When a man in all his obedience proposeth life justification salvation to himself as his end in what he doth then doth he walk legally after the Flesh and according to the rate of the covenant of works In the first making of the covenant of works with Adam in Paradise Life was proposed as his reward and had Adam stood and obeyed according to the promise and tenour of that Covenant the fruit of life would have been his end And how men did look upon the same in the renewal thereof with Moses upon Mount Sinai is very evident from the rooted principles which were in those persons with whom this covenant was made an example whereof we have in the Pharisees Scribes and others of those dayes wherein they lived who did expresly affirme and maintaine that Justification and Salvation was attaineable by the works of the Law and therefore they were so zealous for the same and gave themselves up to the observance thereof to the end they might bee justified and saved which very principle of theirs is that the Apostle both in our text and in many other places in the Romanes and Galatians calls Flesh so that a man then walks legally according to the flesh when by his obedience to the law he seeks to obtaine Life Salvation and Justification When a man because he prayes and heares and mournes and laments for his sins and strives against them maintaines an opinion in himself that because of these things God loves him that he will justifie him give him life and salvation yea that God because of these his duties his prayers
his tears his fastings his humiliations his lamentations his leaving of sin and doing of good stands engaged as it were to give him Heaven and Salvation he then walks legally when the course and stream of his life and actions runs this way that all his prayers humiliations resolutions covenants resisting of sin c. is to this very end that God hereby would be moved to pardon his sins justifie him give him Heaven and eternal life which had hee not some hope to procure by these things hee would neither pray nor hear nor mourn for sin nor doe any thing else he then most certainly walks legally after the flesh 3 When a man in his obedience hath altogether respect to the external or outward part of the Law contenting himself if that be but done never looking to the internal or spiritual part thereof his walking is legal and after the flesh In this manner did the Scribes and Pharisees those great Legalists apply themselves to the keeping of the Law by a litteral observance of what it required accounting it kept when the external works which the Law required should be done was performed or the outward act of sin shunned which the Law willed them to forbear Upon which ground according to the principles and practices of the Pharisees Paul saith of himself that hee whilst hee continued a Pharisee was touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Phil. 3.6 upon this ground likewise doe the Papists assert their Opus operatum the work done as sufficient to Justification and Salvation never regarding how the same is done Now whensoever a man in Prayer hearing the Word or any other Duty hath only respect to the external part contenting himself with that if that bee done never looking to the spiritual performance thereof he walks legally 4 When a man blesseth himself in his obedience and pronounceth himself happy because of that he walks legally Thus Paul whilst hee was a Pharisee did blesse himself in his way Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the law once i. e. so long as I gave up my self to an outward observance of the law being without the law in respect of the true spiritual meaning thereof I was alive in my owne conceit I thought all was well with me and that I was a happy man Thus likewise the proud Pharisee Luke 18.11 12. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give tithes of all that I possesse how doth hee blesse himself in his way of works and crow it over the poor Publican because hee was a Sinner and had no works When therefore a man blesseth himself in his obedience and thinks himself some body pronouncing himself happy because of this as many men will say I thank God all is well with me I have no doubt about my Salvation I am not nor never was I a Drunkard or Swearer c. I was never given to cheat or cousen as others my Neighbours will doe but I pray and read good Books and hear good Sermons c. a man then walks legally after the flesh 5 When a man performes his obedience ever and altogether in his owne strength the law as a covenant of works it calls for obedience but it gives a man no strength but what he hath of his owne to doe it Hence it is called a voyce of words Heb. 12. and a killing letter 2 Cor. 3. because it requires obedience under penalty of death and knowes the creature hath no strength to obey and yet gives him none and so by its very command it kills all those that are under it Now when a man sets himself to keep the law in his owne strength neither finding nor knowing nor feeling nor looking after nor desiring any other strength to enable him to doe his duty then his owne he then walks legally after the Flesh and all his obedience is obedience to a covenant of works Thus much of the Second particular what remaines I leave unto the next opportunity Why Legal walking is walking after the Flesh SERMON IV. Rom. 8.1 Who walk not after the flesh WEe are now upon the Character of those Persons who are freed from Condemnation they are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Flesh and Spirit in this place by the acception of the termes in other places and the consideration of the scope of the Apostle in this are as I told you the last day to be understood either of the Law and the Gospel or the old and new man Walking after the flesh that is either legal walking or walking after the corrupt principles of the old man Walking after the Spirit that is either Gospel walking or walking after the renewed principle of the new man I began with the words in the first acceptation as they hold forth Legal and Gospel walking and so I laid downe these Propositions viz That Legal walking is walking after the flesh Gospel walking is walking after the Spirit Concerning the first I have shewed 1 What I mean by Legal walking 2 When a man's walk is a Legal walk I now proceed to the third 3 Why Legal walking is called walking after the flesh Ans 1. Because there is nothing of the Spirit of God that goes along with a legal walk The Spirit was not given by the Covenant of works and therefore so long as a man walks in the way of that Covenant there is nothing of the Spirit of God that goes along with him Now we usually call that flesh that hath not Spirit in it take a man when he is dead wee say hee is flesh nothing but flesh because the Soul and Spirit is gone so take a legal Walker hee is flesh his walking is flesh because there is nothing of the Spirit of God in him nor his walking hee praies but there is nothing of the Spirit of God in his prayers and therefore though hee pray dayes and weeks and months together all is but flesh he mourns and humbles himself for sin resolves vowes and strives against it but doing all this in a legal manner there is nothing of the Spirit of God in all this and so all is but flesh 2 Because Legal walking is walking in the way of Nature the Covenant of works was given to Adam as out common person and sois in the Nature of every man Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the law doe by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another Now in Scripture phrase Nature is called flesh Joh. 3.6 That which is borne of the flesh is flesh i.e. that which is borne of meer Nature can be no more but
will deny that this is or can be found in persons actually not freed from condemnation none will affirme therefore it must be in those who are freed from condemnation 4 And lastly Such doe not walk after the Law as it is a covenant of works because did they they could not be freed from condemnation as they are for it is a contradiction to say a man walks after the law i. e. observes the law and is subject thereunto as he that walks after it is and yet to say that the â—aw cannot condemne him if he disobey or break it what is the law if it cannot condemne take away the penalty and you make the law a nullity the force and power and terrour of the law lies in the penalty it inflicts upon Offenders take this away and it remains a law in name not in force or power any longer Obj. But are there not some who cannot in charity but be looked upon as having an interest in Christ so consequently are exempted from Condemnation who yet notwithstanding seeme to be very legal in their walking they have an eye much to themselves and to their owne comfort and happiness in their duties and when they goe about a duty they act much in their owne strength and also are very prone when they have done any good work to rest upon it and to draw comfort there-from now if it be so that those who are freed from Condemnation doe not walk Legally what shall we judge of such persons whom wee cannot but beleeve are gracious and yet have so much legality in them Ans It is one thing for a man to walk legally after the way of the old Covenant and it is another thing for a man to walk by the light and direction of an Old Testament spirit an Old Testament spirit though it have much legality in it yet is it not a pure legal spirit and for a man to walk with an Old Testament spirit though there bee much legality here and there in his walking yet is not his walk a pure legal walk For opening of this consider that the people of God in the dayes of the Old Testament were under a Twofold Covenant at the same time viz. the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and a Covenant of works given forth at Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses to the Nation of Israel Now being under both these Covenants at once the Covenant of Grace and a Covenant of Works both which had influence upon their spirits their actions were oftentimes mixt being neither purely Gospel nor purely Legal so much as they kept their eye upon the Covenant of Abraham so much they were of Gospel Spirits and their works were Gospel works and on the contrary so much as the Covenant of Moses had command over them and did reach their spirits and Consciences so much their spirits were legal and their actings legal so that there did plainly appear something of Grace and Legality in the Spirit and actings of most of the Old Testament Saints and yet notwithstanding though there was somewhat of legality in their spirits and actings by vertue of their being under the old Covenant yet were not their actings purely Legal nor their walk a pure Legal walk because they had in their walking and acting respect too unto that other Covenant made with Abraham which was a Covenant of Grace Now although this old Covenant was abrogated upon the coming of Christ and is now of no longer force to the Saints in the New Testament yet in regard this Covenant is more natural to us than the other and also was once in being in the times of the Old Testament and the disannulling thereof is not presently made clear to a Soul especially which hath but a little Gospel light it therefore comes to passe that many of the people of God in the New Testament times following too much the natural way and reading of the Old Testament of such a kinde of Covenant that once was in being and not having light enough in the Gospel to see that the same is abrogated and done away they by poring upon these things and considering of them have an Old Testastament spirit begotten in them than is a spirit much like unto the spirit of Saints who lived under the Old Testament by reason whereof those actions and duties which flow from them are like theirs being neither purely Gospel nor purely Legal but partaking somewhat of either Hence sometimes slavish fear sometimes much self-love is discernable in their actions which things are common in Old Testament Saints and yet notwithstanding as those were so may these bee true Saints onely they are of an Old Testament spirit by reason whereof something of the Law and Old Covenant doth stick and cleave to their walkings and actings and there is also something though it may bee under much darknesse of the New Covenant also in these which makes them that they are neither pure Gospel-walkings nor pure Legal but as it were a mixture of either They are in short Gospel Saints but in an Old Testament garb New Testament Saints but of an Old Testament spirit Use 1. Is it so that Legal walking is walking after the Flesh Then this discovers to us that there are abundance of rotten-hearted Professors in the world How many persons are there who walk after the Flesh I mean who are pure Legal walkers Should wee come to those who are Professors the general bulk of Professors who walke in a way of duty and search them narrowly wee should finde ten to one to be Legal walkers All their Religion their duties their prayers tears repentance c. it springs from the Law the Law is principle and motive in their obedience the great and onely wheel and engine that turns all and carries them to all that they do Such a man prayes in his Family is a frequenter of Sermons c. But why Alas hee dares not do otherwise the Law over-rules him the Law hath got command in his conscience so that should hee not pray c. and do some good and avoid some evil hee should have no peace nor quiet within his conscience would bee his tormentor and continually lash him and therefore hee doth these things not out of any love to the thing hee doth no hee hates them counts them his burden and intolerable task and would gladly could hee finde a way to avoid hell and get heaven without doing of any of these things throw off all but because hee knows no other way hee therefore goes on though fore against his will moving heavily as the Egyptian Chariots when they had lost their wheels in a track of duty And therefore you shall observe that such persons when they come to hear of the free grace of God and the Gospel-way to salvation by Christ without the works of the Law if a Minister come and tell them that would they go to heaven and bee saved the way is not to worke
and worke and worke but to beleeve on Christ who hath purchased salvation for poor sinners and gives it out freely without any merit or desert of theirs they make this use of it to throw off all If God will save them which is all they have a care for they will do nothing now for God or the glory of God As it is with young trees in the transplanting of them usually most of them wither and come to nothing So take a company of Legal walkers and go about to transplant them bring them from the Law to the Gospel and there are but few of them that will not miscarry and come to nothing in the removing When the Law is gone and the fear of Hell is off their hearts they will do nothing for the love of God or the glory of God I have read of a man that was so exact in duty that hee would never go forth in the morning but hee would first go to prayer by himself and when hee had prayed hee would say to himself Now Devil do thy worst and all the day long would haunt the Ale-houses Taverns and Whore-houses and come home again at night and go to pray Take the generation of Professors throughout the world and their Religion is such a kinde of Religion as this mans was though I will not say they are so prophane as hee every legal conscience is not so large yet usually they go on in a track of duties They will serve God morning and evening and if this bee done though the world and Devil have their hearts all the day besides yet they thinke all is well and that by their morning and evening prayers they make God amends for all their sin their pride their worldlinesse wantonnesse uncleannesse all the day besides There are some Papists they say that alwayes carry a Crucifix about with them and when they have been drunk or unclean or blasphemed God c. Their manner is to take their Crucifix and kiss that and howle over it a while and when they have so done they will return to their sin again So there are many Professors who though they have not their Crucifixes yet somewhat they have which serves them instead thereof which ordinarily is some outward duty and when they have committed any sin they run to their duty and there lick themselves whole and having so done back from their duty to their sin again You therefore that are Professors look to your selves I say look to your selves for as a godly man saith there are many hundred Professors which bear forth a broad profession and make a glorious shew in the eyes of the world who will bee found to bee sons of Ishmael at the last day bare Legal Professors And with this kinde of Profession a man may and many there are which do go bravely through the world with top and top gallant up carrying the applause of Town and Country where they dwell for men of excelling godliness and honesty and yet bee strangers to Jesus Christ and true Gospel-holiness for all this In good earnest therefore look to your selves Professors and consider seriously the ground you stand upon whether it bee Legal or Gospel-ground lest after you have travelled many miles as you come heaven-ward you are found to be nearer hell then when you first set out Use 2. By this wee may also take a scantling of our actions as well as our persons Wee may know what they are and what worth they have in them To know the worth of our actions wee are not to judge by the outward plausibleness of them but the principle whence they flow if the principle bee a Gospel-principle though the action bee ever so poor weake and mean in it self and despicable in the eyes of others yet the action is good and accepted of God If the Law bee the principle though the action bee ever so glorious yet it is Flesh and abominable to God Why doth the Apostle Heb. 11. so highly commend the works of the godly Patriarchs many of which for the outward act were poor and low and mean but because the principle whence they did flow was a Gospel-principle they sprang from faith the worthiness of the principle makes the action though ever so poor and low in it self worthy And why are the howlings of Cain the tears of Esau the humiliations of Ahab the confessions and repentance of Judas so branded in Scripture but because the principle whence they did flow was Legal the principle being Flesh though ever so shining and glorious otherwise to bee filthy and abominable to God The Apostle tells us Rom. 8. Those that are in the flesh cannot please God So let mee say There is never an action which is an action of the Flesh as every pure Legal action is that either is or can be pleasing to God Yea the actions of Saints themselves having Flesh in them would bee abhorring to God did not Christ the High Priest of the Saints seperate between the precious and the vile in their actions and present onely the precious to his Father So displeasing is Flesh to God that even the actions of those whom hee loves as the apple of his eye would bee a stinking smell to him were there any thing of Flesh in them when they come before him Why is it said of Paul at his conversion Behold hee prayeth why then hee prayed before hee was a Pharisee and the Pharisees used to make long prayers they made a trade of praying why because though hee prayed before yet so long as hee was a Pharisee and walked Legally all his praying was but a little of the Flesh and God will not own it by the name of praying But now when there was a beam of Gospel-light darted into his soul and a little of the Spirit of God in his prayer God streightway owns it Behold hee prayeth Paul made many prayers before whilst hee was a Legalist and God will not own one of them and now he makes but one with a little of the Spirit and God streightway owns that So there is many a man and woman that sayes over a prayer sometimes and thinks God indebted to him when alas poor soul when the reckoning day comes wherein hee expects his reward for his worke hee shall finde to his woe that God will not owne any of these his prayers but God will say to him as to those hypocritical fasters the Prophet speaks of When yee fasted fasted yee at all to mee even to mee saith the Lord So will God say Man woman thou hast prayed but didst thou pray to mee at all to mee were not all thy prayers because thou wast afraid of hell or because thy conscience whipped thee to it or thou hadst a design hereby to get credit amongst thy friends and neighbours c. Is this praying to mee Or will God say to them as Christ said to those Mat. 7. who come to him with Lord Lord in their mouthes wee have
hands of Christ there are no terrors threatnings no curse no noise of death hell and damnation though I break the same all these things being gone And on the other side is there not much to cause love heaven eternal life is given before ever I strike a stroak do one action that the Law requires of mee set one step in a way of obedience all my sins are pardoned in Christ and through him before ever I commit them is not here much to beget love and to make mee out of love to yeeld obedience to the holy Law of God who hath pardoned my sins made mee an heire of life eternal and all without my merit or desert therefore I say this obedience having not slavish fear in it but arising from love must needs bee Gospel-walking 3 That obedience which is the fruit and effect of the working of Gods holy Spirit in us is Gospel-walking for not the Law but the Gospel or New Covenant gives the Spirit which helps us to obey But now all obedience to the Law as it is in the hands of Christ is such for to such as take the Law of Christ Christ first gives his Spirit then his Law as Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you What then And I will cause you to walk in my wayes First the Spirit to inable to obedience then the Law and they do obey it Therefore all such obedience is Gospel-walking Other Questions there are behinde which I cannot reach at present I shall onely minde you of this that what hath been before spoken serves to correct two great mistakes 1 A MISTAKE of some men of the one hand who are so much for the Gospel and do so cry it up that they throw the Moral Law quite out of doors as though there were no room for that in the Gospel Temple They think that grace and good works are so inconsistent one with the other that they can never stand together and therefore that grace may bee all the Law and good works shall bee nothing at all whose mistake is corrected from what hath been said and proved that the Moral Law remaines a Rule to Saints in Gospel-times 2 A MISTAKE of some others on the other hand who out of zeal for the Moral Law do hand over head urge and press the same as the Rule of Saints never considering how or in what sense the same remaines a Rule and by so doing they bring the glorious Sons of Sion the free-born Saints of the Gospel under the power and commands of a Covenant of Workes ere they are aware Whose mistake is corrected by distinguishing of commands as they are Moses's and Christs In the first sense the Law is not a Saints Rule and it is dangerous so to make it in the latter it is and it is sweet and comfortable so to receive it Therefore you that are Saints and Beleevers hence learn two things I Not to reject the Moral Law as a Rule to order your lives and conversations by but with love delight and chearfulness approve of imbrace and obey the same 2 Not to take the Moral Law for your Rule as it comes out of Moses his hand for then you bring your selves under the power of a Covenant of Workes and your soules will bee continually filled with terror fear and trembling covered over with darknesse lying under apprehensions of wrath and altogether weake and unable to do what is commanded But take it out of the hands of Christ and then with Paul you will say The Law if holy just and good I consent to the Law that it is good I delight in the Law of God after the inner man yea with my minde I my selfe do serve the Law of God Which Gospel-walking the Lord bring you and I daily more and more unto Amen When a mans walk may bee said to bee a Gospel walk SERMON VI. Rom. 8.1 Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit BY this time you know the meaning of these Phrases which you have oft heard to bee meant either of Legal or Gospel walking Walking after the Old or New man I have spoken or Legal walking and am now upon Gospel walking The last day I shewed you what Gospel walking is I now proceed to another Question viz. 2 Quest When may a mans walk bee said to bee a Gospel walke or a walking after the Gospel I answer I. When the Rule of a mans obedience is a Gospel Rule i.e. the Law as it is in the hands of Christ. Of this having spoken at large the last day I shall wholly wave it now 2 When the principle of a mans obedience or walking is a Gospel principle Quest But what is the Gospel principle Answ This Gospel holds forth two great things viz. a crucified Christ to bee beleeved on and the Powring out of the Spirit of Christ into the hearts of beleevers The first respects our Justification the latter our Sanctification or our obedience and walking Now as Christ crucified is the great Principle in the business of our Justification whence alone that flows from the knowing and beleeving on a Crucified Christ so the Spirit of Christ in the hearts of Saints is the great Principle in the matter of our obedience whence that flows Hence Rom. 8. the Sons of God are said to bee lead by the Spirit of God i.e. the Spirit doth not onely teach a beleever what is his duty but doth as it were take him by the hand and lead him to it help and guide him in it There is more held forth in the word leading than in teaching I teach another when I write him a copy and lay it before him and tell him how hee should hold his pen and order and guide his hand but now when I do not onely do this but take his hand in mine and write therewith I may bee better said to guide or lead him So the Spirit of God teacheth a beleever when it makes discovery of any truth to him hee was ignorant of before and shows him what duty that truth calls for from him but when it doth not onely do this but also inables the soul to receive this truth and to walk up to what this truth calls for conforming the soul to the truth or will of God then doth it exercise its leading power in the soule And therefore Ezek. 36.27 God saith I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my wayes c. In the Gospel or New Covenant the Spirit of God put into a beleever is the causing constraining principle to obedience and holy walking As in the Old Covenant though the fruit seem never so glorious yet the principle or root of all obedience is Flesh So in the New Covenant though the outward fruit seem never so mean and weak yet the principle or root is the Spirit All Gospel graces and works are fruits of the Spirit as Gal. 5.22 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy
own heart therein though it may bee at that time hee could through faith say notwithstanding all my sin I am the childe of God yet hath hee not felt in himselfe that sweet and spiritual communion hee had with his Father at another time and good reason for it hee hath walked at a distance from God and therefore though God loves him still and acknowledgeth him for his childe yet to the end hee may better learn to know himselfe and to know his Father God will for a time walke at a distance from him As when a childe hath been stubborn and disobedient to his Father though his Father loves him still as his childe and will not dis-inherit him for all this yet the Father to make the childe know himself and know his Father will carry it at a distance for a while and hee will not bee so loving in his look and familiar in his discourse with his childe as at other times So when a Saint walks loosely and unsaintlike not as a childe to his Father though God loves him still yet hee shall not have those smiles and loving looks and lappings and dandlings and sweet imbraces and familiar discourses that hee had with his Father at another time Now how sweet this communion is appears if wee consider the esteem a Saint hath of it when hee feels it and the price hee puts upon it in want thereof What high language doth the Spouse in the Canticles speak of her Beloved and the ravishments of her heart by his love whilst shee found and felt this her communion and mutual imbraces and love-songs and change of voyces passed between her and her beloved and how sorrowfully doth shee speak and how mournfully doth shee walk when as any thing did interpose between her and her beloved and hinder those mutual imbraces and kisses of love The sweetness of this communion made a heavenly * Galeacius Carracciolus the Italian Marquess man which had great preferments and vast sums of mony offered him to forsake the Gospel say Let their mony perish with them who esteem all the wealth in the world worth one hours communion with Jesus Christ Now this being so that the communion a Saint hath with God is so unspeakably sweet as there is nothing like it and this having much dependance upon a Saints walking that accordingly as hee demeans himself towards God either in a way of duty or disobedience hee shall have more or lesse thereof hence he labours to walk as a Saint should for saith the Soul though I know my sin shall never deprive mee of Heaven hereafter yet if I walke carnally I shall loose my communion with God and that is my heaven here 5 The profiting of others is another Gospel-end which runs along in the stream of their obedience who walke after the Gospel Now the gracious walking of a Saint may bee profitable to others two wayes 1 To those without by way of convincement Let there bee a whole Parish made up of Drunkards and Swearers c. and let but a spiritual holy-walking Saint come amongst them and he by his holy walking wil convince them and make their conscience condemn them all Therefore Christ exhorts his Matth. 5. to let their light shine before men that they may see their good works and Paul bids the Thessalonians walk honestly towards them without 2 To those that are within by way of provocation Heb. 12.24 And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel 2 Cor. 9.2 For I know the forwardness of your minde for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia that Achaia was ready a year agoe and your zeal hath provoked very many When a poor soul that hath been for a great while very carnal and dead comes into the presence of another spiritual Saint that is lively and active for God and hears him speak and sees his walking hee is hereby provoked He thinks with himself O what a block am I what abundance of life hath such a one and O what a block am I and this making him ashamed of himself sets him on work and so becomes a means to put life into that heart which was dead carnal cold and frozen many dayes weeks and months before And truly this is a blessed provocation and a Saint who indeed labours and endeavours to walke with God making it his design to bee holy both may and shall do God much service in this way 6 And lastly The beating down of the body and bringing it into subjection Idleness we say is the mother of all iniquity We know by experience when a man is idle and not imployed in spiritual things the flesh through that natural depravation that is in the whole man will incline and draw a man into evill and rebellion against God When the Spirit is not acting in that which is good and bringing the flesh under the flesh will take advantage to act in those things that are evill and so bring the the Spirit under Now a Saint knowing and feeling that natural depravation that is in him and the pronenesse of the flesh in case it bee not held under to captivate him thereby hee exerciseth himself in those duties of holiness which concern his general and particular calling knowing that by keeping a yoak upon the neck of this Rebel hee shall in time weaken him and make him the more unable to doe him an injury at least deprive him of his advantage to do it The flesh is like an unruly Beast which through rest and idleness grows wilde and Masterless and there is no way to tame him but by working him hard so the way to hold the body under is to keep up the soule as much as may bee in the exercise of Holiness This seems to have been Pauls practice and to bee the meaning of that place 1 Cor. 9 last But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my selfe should bee a cast-away 3 Quest But why is Gospel-walking called Walking after the Spirit Answ 1. Reason is because The Spirit of God hath a principal hand in all the actings and walkings of a Gospel Saint I mean such as are according to the Gospel doth hee pray the Spirit of God helpes his infirmities in prayer Rom. 8.26 is sin mortified in him the Spirit of God doth it Rom. 8.13 is hee quickned the Spirit doth that Joh. 6.63 The Spirit of God is all in all in his walking and in his working 2 Because of the spiritualness of a Gospel-walke above a Legal-walk Every thing in the Gospel hath more spirituality in it than under the Law Ordinances are more spiritual under the Law they had abundance of Ordinances and Institutions but the Apostle calls them Carnal Ordinances Heb. 9.10 and Carnal Commandements Chap. 7.16 and Beggerly Elelements Gal. 4.9 Wee under the Gospel
into the things of he Gospel in a notional way as he takes up these things by relation of others and beleeving and giving credit to those Principles which from relation he hath received he is able by his parts and reason and Natural understanding to deduce and inferre from these other Principles and Conclusions whereby in a Notional way he may by meer parts of Nature attaine to a competent measure of Gospel-knowledge yet the things of the Gospel as they are the things of the Spirit i.e. things made out to him not by relation of others but by the inward revelation inspiration and teaching of the Spirit of God are Mysteries to him they are things out of his sphere which his reason and natural understanding cannot reach and therefore he is blinde in these things A blinde man we know can guesse at things when he hath them declared to him by relation of others which have their sight and see those things but though he guesse at them yet hee cannot passe a right judgement upon them his conceptions are dark and cloudy various and too and fro and not those clear and stedfast conceptions which another man which hath his sight and sees and beholds these things hath of them So a Natural man when hee hears the things of the Spirit discovered to him by another which sees and enjoys these things he though he have not the Spirit yet by his reason and parts he can Divine and guesse at these things but in respect of clear and certaine conceptions hee hath them not so all these things are Mysteries and Riddles to him And hence it is because the Natural man neither doth know nor can know wanting the true inward Spiritual light what manner of things the things of the Spirit are nor what manner of walk this Gospel-walking or walking after the Spirit is therefore is he uncapable of passing any right or true judgement upon the actions of the Spiritual man or Gospel-walker I say a natural man cannot pass a right judgement upon the actions of one that is a Saint or Son of God and led by the Spirit because they are things beyond his sphere and out of the compasse and reach of his understanding As saith a godly man Valdesto Consid 95. take a Worme that is bred of the corruption of the Earth this Creature is not able to conceive of the Generation of the Sons of men how one man is generated of another nor of the actions of Mankind because all these things are things alienated from her generation yea put the case one worme should understand this and goe about to make other worms capable thereof yet could she never doe it because these are things alienated from their generation so take a Natural man he is altogether unable to passe a right judgement upon the actions of the Sons of God which they doe as led and guided by the Spirit because these are things altogether alienated from that which he in a Natural way doth feeles knowes or experiments in himself yea should one Natural man bee able to passe a right judgement upon the actions of a Spiritual man yet could he not make others capable thereof because the judgement of Spiritual things is a thing alienated from their generation Therefore saith the Apostle 1 Cor. â— 15 The spiritual man judgeth all things c. that is the spiritual man hee can see quite through another man he can see through his actions and designes what hee can doe and whither all tends hee can see through the Principles of another what they are what good there is in them and how they will hold but hee himself is judged of no man that is no man which hath not the Spirit is able to judge of him his actions principles c. wherein hee is guided by the Spirit the walk and actions of the Spiritual man are a Mystery and Riddle to other men whereas their waies and walkings are clear to him And truly the consideration of this hath oftentimes made me afraid to pass a judgement upon the principles or actions of such men whom I have seen to have more of the power of the Spirit than my selfe had Vse 3. This truth is a Touch-stone to try mens persons and actions by would we judge of men would wee judge of actions what in deed or in truth they are the judge of them by what there is of the Spirit in the one or the other 1 For Persons the great difference all along the New Testament betwixt Saints and Sinners is this and only this one hath a Spirit the other not Saints have a Spirit Sinners have not the Spirit We have the Spirit saith Paul and again If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his He makes the great business of judging persons whether they bee right or wrong sincere or hipocrites sound or rotten to lye in this the having or not having of the spirit In the Primitive times when Christians came together they used to ask one another Have you received the Spirit they did not judge of men as wee doe now such a man is a good man he praies hears c. no but hath the Spirit there are a hundred things which men look upon and call godliness which indeed are no part of it for a man to pray and performe some Moral duties which Natural Conscience may compel a man unto this doth not make a man a godly man but this is that which makes a man a godly man indeed and distinguisheth him from all the Sinners of the World the having of the Spirit therefore Christ when he speaks of sending of the Spirit Joh. 14. he saith I will send the Spirit whom the world cannot receive this is that wherein a Saint out-strips and goes beyond all the world besides hee hath the Spirit which the world cannot receive 2 For actions would wee know whether such a mans actions are right or wrong look to this doe they come from the Spirit one man may doe the same things for the outward work as another doth and yet one may be right and the other wrong one may be a Gospel-work the other not because one may come from the Spirit the other may be only flesh springing from Natural Conscience or Natural parts gathered up together Judas repented as well as Peter but Peters coming from the Spirit and Judasses not his was a Gospel-act and not the other It is not the outward walk but the inward principle that makes the difference of walking Vse 4. Then hence let us learn not to put too much in any outward forme I am not of their minde who are against all formes for out ward formes there are as well as duties of Christs owne institution but this I say sith Gospel-walking is walking after the Spirit let us not put too much in the forme Some men there are that put too little in the forme and so they throw it by others put too much
from the next of supplications because prayer or supplication is one special grace of the Spirit which if wee take the first the Spirit of Grace that is so called because it begets grace then the latter viz. Supplications which is one special grace begotten by the Spirit in the hearts of Saints is included in it unless we shall take the first of grace for the habits of grace which are first wrought in the Soule by the Spirit and the latter or Supplications for the actings of those graces one Spiritual work wherein much grace is exercised being put for the exercise of all grace 4 When hee pours this though it bee out of the text yet it is a necessary question and it is answered in the fore-going verse where the time in which God will doe this is called that day It is a phrase which is much used in the Prophets no lesse than forty times as I take it in Isaiah and near twenty in this Prophet and it is called that day for eminency sake because this time when it shall come it shall be a very eminent and remarkable time such a time for peace joy plenty and prosperity glory and liberty to the Saints and bondage and captivity to the enemies of Gods people as the World never saw and therefore it is called that day 1 Noting an eminent glorious day farre excelling all daies that ever had gone before it and when it is called a day we are not to understand it a Natural day i. e. consisting of twenty four hours nor of an ordinary Prophetical day that is a day for a year but of an extraordinary day such a day as Peter speaks of 2 Epist 3. One day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day Now the time which is set forth in Scripture by this phrase of speech that day is sometimes taken for a larger sometimes for a stricter time sometimes it is taken so strictly that it may containe not much more time if so much as a meer Natural day and so we have the day of that great Battel of Armageddon often called where it is spoken of that day Rev. 16.14 and Ioel 3. and other places sometimes it is taken strictly but not so strictly and then it is put for the whole time of Christs Kingdome here on earth from the time that he sets up his Kingdome to the end and this is so frequently spoken of in the Prophets that I need name no place only I will turne you to one because not farre from the text Zach. 14.6 7 8 9. And it shall come to passe in that day that the light shall not be clear nor dark But it shall be one day which shall bee known to the Lord not day nor night but it shall come to passe that at evening time it shall be light and it shall be in that day that living waters shall goe out from Jerusalem halfe of them toward the former Sea and half of them toward the hinder Sea in summer and in winter shall it be and the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there bee one Lord and his name one Here we have Christs Kingdome set up and the whole time of it is but one day and that one day is all along called that day sometimes it is taken more largely not only for the time of Christs Kingdome after hee sets the same up but for the last dayes also the dayes immediately before that time wherein many glorious things as the spreading of the Gospel the ruine of Antichrist and the call of the Iewes which if it be not before yet it shall be just upon Christs setting up of his Kingdome and so may have reference to the time before or after the last dayes or the time of Christs Kingdome and in this sense it is here to be taken as I conceive for the time just upon Christs setting up his Kingdome when Gods peoples enemies shall be ruined the Iewes called and mourn as here we read of 2 A glorious effect following this effusion or pouring forth of the Spirit which is twofold 1 Upon the Senses They shall look upon mee whom they have peirced which words litterally are spoken of the Iewes who at the time of their Call shall behold that Jesus Christ whom their Nation have peirced Spiritually it is true of all Beleevers looking upon that Christ by faith whom their sins have peirced 2 Upon the Affections They shall mourn which mourning is set forth by the greatnesse of it it shall be such a mourning as when a man mourns for his only Son no grief or sorrow goes so near as grief for losse of an only Childe Ah! will a man say had I lost of my estate it would never have troubled mee but it is my Son my only Son I have never another and then it shall be bitternesse you know the nature of bitter things things which are bitter the taste of them will remaine a great while it sticks by a man but now bitternesse that is more and denotes a higher degree than bitter as the abstract is more than the concret so that this expression shewes that it shall bee an exceeding great mourning and that so too as it shall stick by them it shall not lightly passe off their spirits and glide away and so be forgotten and there is no more of it as other sorrow doth but it shall bee an exceeding great and a remaining mourning of which more is spoken in the next verses The words thus opened yeeld us several useful observations Obs 1. That the pouring out of the Spirit upon any soul is the proper and peculiar work of God it is not Men nor means nor Ordinances that can effect this but God alone and therefore it is still attributed to him Ioel 2.28 And it shall come to passe afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh c. Isa 32.15 until the Spirit bee poured upon us from on high c. Christ himself as a Man had the Spirit poured upon him by the Father Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him he shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles How many poor Souls are there that have good education godly friends and Parents sit under means and Ordinances and yet are strangers to the Spirit many there are who all the year long come hither and hear the Word and there is no change in them they were Drunkards Swearers c. at the beginning of the year and so they are still God hath not poured down of his Spirit upon them O poor Souls would you ever have the Spirit begge it of God Obs 2. In the last dayes the pouring out of the Spirit shall be very general on the house of David inhabitants of Ierusalem high and low Ioel saith all flesh chap. 2. end Sons Daughters Young men Old men In the
passed for the poor sinner it is definitive there can bee no alteration of it nor appeal from it because it is the sentence of the highest Judicature a sentence passed in the highest Court which no subordinate power can change or alter Hence likewise in this respect Jesus Christ is of all other Advocates the most useful because hee pleads in such a place where if hee do procure by his mediation an act to bee but once passed in the behalf of the poor sinner whose cause hee pleads there can never bee any repealing of that act but it remains like the Laws of the Medes and Persians irreversible In our Courts of Law a man may have a sentence passed for him to day and against him to morrow and one Court repeals what another enacts yea the Laws and Ordinances of the superior Courts are subject to mutation and alteration but now Christ pleads as an Advocate in such a Court where every Law is binding for ever sentences passed are unalterable O poor sinner if through the mediation of Christ thou hast an acquittance given thee of all thy sins and debts thou owest God it is unalterable If a grant of any favour it is unalterable If a right or title to any inheritance afterwards to bee injoyed it is unalterable What poor sinner is there that would not now run to Christ as an Advocate for the pardon of his sins grace heaven c. which if once granted to him shall bee his surely unchangeably for ever even for ever 2 Hee is an Advocate that is gifted and qualified for the worke Many times a just and righteous cause suffers through the weakness of him that hath the mannaging of it But now Christ is an able Advocate a gifted Advocate one fit for the work See Isa 42.1 2 3 4. Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him hee shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles Hee shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voyce to bee heard in the streets A bruised reed shall hee not breake and the smoaking flax shall hee not quench Hee shall bring judgement unto truth Hee shall not faile nor bee discouraged till he have set judgement in the earth See how God hath fitted him God upholds him puts his Spirit on him c. But there are two things in a more especial manner which speak his fitness and qualification as to the work 1 Hee shall mannage all his causes very tenderly and so as hee will bee sure they shall not bee the worse by his taking them in hand vers 3. If it bee a poor bruised cause which will hardly hold together hee will bee sure so to mannage it as that it shall not bee broken If it bee a pitions cause that hath abundance of evill in it but a very little that can bee said for it to make it good hee will bee sure hee will not let that little bee lost 2 Hee will bee undaunted notwithstanding all the opposition hee meets with and all the flaws hee findes in the cause hee pleads and never give over till the judgement goes of his side and hence Matth. 12.20 A bruised reed shall hee not breake and smoaking flax shall hee not quench till hee send forth judgement unto victory What is here read truth is there victory noting that whatsoever difficulties or discouragements hee meets with hee will not bee daunted nor give over till hee hath gotten victory in judgement obtained to have the sentence passed on the sinners side bee the cause ever so poor or tottered or bruised that hee pleads Many times when an Attorney or Councellor resolving to bee just sees the cause so ill that hee thinks hee shall make nothing of it hee is discouraged and will not undertake it But now Christ will not bee daunted nor discouraged at the oppositions and discouragements hee meets with but will proceed till hee hath gotten victory in judgement 3 Hee is an Advocate that hath a lawfull call to the Bar. In our Common and Civill Law there are degrees of Lawyers wee have our students at Law our Councellors and Serjeants and sometimes it so falls out that a studient of the Law is better able to plead the Clients cause than a Serjeant yet because hee hath not his degree upon him hee is not called to the Bar and so being not called to the Bar hee cannot plead Sometimes perhaps such a one stands by and hee sees a poor mans cause through the weakness of him that mannageth it go to the wall and hee could help him and would willingly do it but now because hee hath not a call to plead at the Bar hee may not Now Jesus Christ is such an Advocate which is not only gifted and able but hath also a lawful call to the Barre to plead Heb. 5.4 5 6 10. And no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron so also Christ glorified not himself to bee made an High Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee as he saith also in another place Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck vers 10. Called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedeck God called him out to the work he is Christ i. e. anoynted to it yea he is alone called to it there is no other joyned with him as Co-partner with him in this Office which makes his call to the Barre of Gods Justice to plead there in the behalf of poor Sinners so much the greater because the Cause it self of poor Sinners must wholly faile if hee doe not undertake the mannaging of it 4 He is a faithful Advocate Advocates among men are unfaithful oftentimes the poor Clients cause oftentimes perisheth not so much from the unskilfulnesse or weaknesse as the unfaithfulnesse of him whom hee entrusts it with But now Christ is a faithful Advocate and therefore in the text as he is called an Advocate so he is also called the Righteous And so Heb. 2. he is said to bee a faithful High Priest hee is such an Advocate as will not deceive his poor Clients Thou mayest O poor Soul trust thy Cause with Christ he will not deceive thee it is a great jealousie many times a poor man hath and perhaps from ground enough that his Lawyer deceives him Put thy case over to Christ thou shalt be freed of this jealousie 5 He is an Advocate that hath the Law and Justice on his side Many times a good Advocate loseth his Cause because the Law is against him and it would be injustice should he carry it Law and Justice are above the Lawyer But now Christ is such an Advocate as hath Law and Justice for him they are both of his side here the Lawyer if I may so speak is above the Law and here it is Law because the Lawyer saies it in others the Lawyer
remedy get thy heart exercised in and taken up with spiritual things I need say no more by way of motive than to repeat over the Doctrine viz. That the way for a Saint to bee delivered from the errors and evils of the times hee lives in is to have his heart as much as may bee taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and spiritual things Yet because our hearts are so dull of hearing that a great deal said moves them but a little I shall therefore besides the Doctrine lay some few other motives before you to stir up to this to have our hearts more exercised in and taken up with spiritual things 1 Consider This is the way a special way to maintain peace in thine own soul Were a mans abode in the upper region of the aire hee should neither bee troubled with storms or cloudings because hee should bee above all So soul were thy heart and minde alwayes taken up with spiritual things in a spiritual manner wee should bee more free from stormes within more free from the cloudings of Gods face than now wee are wee should have more inward calme and Sun-shine of Gods love in a day than now perhaps wee have in a month 2 This also is the way to end divisions amongst Saints The way to cure a disease is to take away the cause What is the cause of divisions amongst Saints but the not exercising of our hearts about spiritual things The root of our divisions is our carnality 1 Cor. 3.3 4. For yee are yet carnal For whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are yee not carnal and walke as men For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are yee not carnal When Christians who should bee one divide themselves and make parties one party setting themselves might and maine against the other it is a signe that they are carnal but now as Saints come to bee more spiritual and more taken up with spiritual things they come to see their own folly and childishness in these things they come to look upon and have fellowship with Saints as they are Saints as they have the Image of God upon them Christ in them The spiritual Christian loves what God loves and where God loves now God loves his own Image in all and all as they have this Image upon them Thus the spiritual Christian who is taken up with spiritual things loves and hath fellowship with Saints as they are Saints whoever they are which hee sees to bee such if there bee not some eminent blot either upon their conversations or judgements which after admonitions remaining so as that the glory of God and the honour of the Gospel calls aloud for withdrawing communion from them hee dares not but to love them own them and have fellowship with them as God doth and as hee himself hereafter in heaven shall do Now this exceedingly heals and makes up breaches amongst the Saints 3 The exercising of the heart about spiritual things is the way to dis-enamour a mans heart of the world The way to dis-enamour a man of a base and vulgar person is to have his heart enamoured with a person of great worth and excellency So the way to dis-enamour our hearts of low carnal and earthly things is to have them enamoured with high spiritual and heavenly things Paul saith Col. 3.1 If you bee risen with Christ seeke things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Christs sitting at the right hand of God is a motive to us to seek things above as if hee should say Would you have your hearts spiritual bee much in cogitation of this Christ is above hee is at the right hand of God and say What is my head above my husband above my Saviour my all above and shall I minde things here below O Christians were you busied in spiritual things you would bee lesse busie with the world Were your hearts and thoughts more taken up about your union with Christ your justification your inheritance you are called to c. you would not root in the world as yee doe Moles root themselves in the earth but Birds do not because they flye aloft they are much above and take no delight to root in the earth Bee as the Bird but not as the Mole Christians 4 The exercising of the heart about spiritual things begets a sweet disposednesse of spirit both to in and after every duty It disposeth the heart to a duty such a heart is in a frame to pray at any time to speak a spiritual word at any time when hee sees a call thereto other Christians they have a heart to a spiritual work to day it may bee but finde not a heart for a week together at another time When they are to go to a duty they have a great deal ado to get their hearts up to what they are going about their hearts are in the world in their profits and pleasures and as their duty calls on one hand these call on the other and not without much ado do they bring their hearts from these to their duty whereas this heart that is taken up with spiritual things is ready for the duty when ever it calls And as to a duty so also it doth sweetly dispose the heart in a duty It is said of Mr. Bradford that hee never came off from a duty without enjoying somewhat of God therein A spiritual heart injoyes more of God many times in one duty than another doth in twenty And so after a duty a spiritual heart walks sweetly and bravely after a duty You shall have others come and get up a little comfort in a duty and when they have got a little comfort they will walk basely they will run themselves head and ears into the world untill they have quite lost all that comfort and communion that they had with God in the duty But now a spiritual heart if yours and mine were such after hee hath been at a duty and met with God there his conversation is like Moses face when hee came off the Mount it shines his behaviour speeches actions his carriage towards Saints and sinners shines there is a lustre a beauty a glory upon them as it was said of Peter and John seeing their boldness and undauntedness and considering they were unlearned and ignorant men they took notice of them that they had been with Jesus So the carriage and words and behaviour of a spiritual heart after hee comes off from a duty where hee hath met with God is such that by speaking with him and hearing of him you may say there is a man a woman that hath been with Jesus hee walks hee talks as one that hath met with Jesus 5 By exercising the heart about spiritual things a man shall be brought up to a blessed composednesse and stayednesse of heart upon God in all the alterations changes and turnes of things here below turnes in the
truth of the Scripture may plead the number and worth of its Patrons and Friends this may Let us learn to give honour to whom honour is due and reverence and respect to holy men and to their holiness so far as the same is due but let the ability or holiness of no man or men bee the standard of our principles for it is not any thing within but the blessed word without that is the onely sure foundation to truth bottome to our faith Paul commended the Bereans for not taking up what hee delivered upon trust but searching the Scriptures whether the things were so or not Act. 17.10 11. How would such a spirit grace the Ministry at this day And how much cause have wee to lament the want of it 2 Hence learn That justification peace of conscience here salvation hereafter is not attainable by the Old Covenant The reason is because all these flow from grace 1 Justification flows from grace Rom. 3.24 Titus 3.7 2 Peace of conscience flows from that and therefore consequently from grace Rom. 5.1 2 3. Yea peace of conscience is Gods gift Rom. 15.13 2 Thess 2.16 Everlasting consolation is given and given through grace 3 Salvation is of grace Ephes 2.5.8 2 Tim. 1.9 But now the Old Covenant is not a Covenant of grace Therefore neither of these which are all effects of grace are attainable by it 3 Hence Learn That whatsoever worke may bee in a man or upon him by vertue of the Old Covenant and the power that it hath ever conscience is not a worke of grace A man under the Old Covenant may through the terrors of it upon his conscience do much hee may repent as Ahab and Judas did confesse his sin to others as Saul did to David pray and deny himself as Ishmael did Gen. 21.17 Chap. 25.9 reform many things as Herod did bee very zealous in his way as the Jewes were Rom. 10.2 and Paul before conversion Gal. 1.14 Phil. 3.6 I say hee may bee outwardly very strict yet not have one dram of grace because the Old Covenant is not a Covenant that gives grace Hence wee may see what a great Mistake many poor souls lye under about their own condition and the condition of others whilst they blesse themselves or others as being the people of God because some Legal works through the terrors of the Old Covenant have passed upon them they have repented and mourned and been humbled and are reformed c. Truly all this a man may bee and yet as Christ saith a Publican and Harlot may get into heaven before him All this if there bee no more doth not evidence a dram of grace for all this may bee by the Old Covenant which is not a Covenant of grace nor doth convey grace The Old Covenant as I shall shew hereafter can do glorious things it can make a man work till hee â—weats again so reform as that one would think that man which the other day was a notorious sinner were become an Angel it would give a man comforts and joyes and ravishments in his duties and obedience Now many when they feel an Old Covenant work passed upon them or see it in others which men may have and drop into hell notwithstanding yea thousands are there which have had it they presently cry out Well I am a Saint a childe of God such a one is a childe of God my condition and his is doubtlesse good wee are happy men c. when as alas poor souls they are meerly deluded they feed on ashes a deceived heart hath turned them aside and though now they will not beleeve it because they are loath to bee troubled by thinking otherwise of themselves then that all is well and also because others think well of them and so as the stony ground they have their root not in themselves but in another i. e. the root of their comfort is laid in anothers judgement of their condition and the good opinion another hath of them yet the day will come when to their woe they will find it namely in that day when many shall come and say Lord Lord have not we done thus and thus been thus and thus and shal receive this answer contrary to their expectation Depart from mee I know yee not yee workers of iniquity Come yee to mee will Christ then say with your works you have done thus and thus away with you and your works too for I account no better of your works than as they are works of iniquity nor of you any better for them then as you are a company of workers of iniquity When this day comes mens eyes will be open and they will finde that truth which now they will not beleeve then shal the children of the Old Covenant when they come upon this stage be known from the children of the New Here will bee the separation indeed betwixt the Goats and the Sheep but of these things more hereafter Thus much as touching the Negative part of our Question That the Old Covenant cannot bee a Covenant of Grace I come to the positive The question now is Quest What kind of Covenant is this Old Covenant Ans The most proper name that can be given to it to expresse its nature is to stile it a Conditional Covenant a name that sutes excellently well with the nature of the Old and doth also better than any other distinguish it from the New which according to name and nature both is a Covenant absolute and inconditional as shall the Lord assisting bee made appear when wee come to treat of the New Covenant If you ask me wherein or in what things doth this conditionality of the Old Covenant appear I answer in the whole of it whatsoever the Old Covenant holds forth or gives to those under it it holds forth and gives in a conditional way The Old Covenant is rich hath its hands full or mercies and blessings but will give forth none but upon condition As there is nothing in the New Covenant so great but that Covenant gives it forth freely so there is nothing in the Old Covenant so small which it will part with or let goe without the performance of some condition by him who would enjoy its gifts This will better appear if we consider how that this Old Covenant hath two great gifts to bestow 1 A gift of blessings which it gives forth upon condition of exact and perfect obedience to all those things that those under the same did by vertue either of Moral or Judicial precepts stand obliged to performe 2 A gift of Grace by which in case their blessings through disobedience either to any of the Moral or Judicial commands should become forfeit or lost and themselves brought under the contrary Curse they might againe recover their Blessings and be delivered from the Curse but this also was upon condition of their flying for refuge to the Ceremonial Law doing that thing which the said law did require to be
did give to Christ for man as the words compared with the following verse hold forth he being able to give it its own terms which plainly speaks that the defect lay in man not in the law he is unable to give the law its termes not the law unable to give him life So Heb. 8.7 8. hee speakes of the first Covenant as being faulty i. e. short unable to justifie or save yet to prevent mistakes he strait way in the very next words addes that the fault was not in the Old Covenant it self but in them to whom it was given for finding fault with them he saith Behold the dayes come saith the Lord the fault is found in them not in the Covenant it self So that the truth is the Old Covenant it self was ordained for life able to give it yet could it not give life because they with whom this Old Covenant was made were not able to performe the condition of it give it those termes which it must have and without which it could not dispense life Obj. But it will bee said But why did God establish the Old Covenant for life and yet hold forth this life upon such termes as that the Covenant ordained to life could give life to none This seems to be but a mockery in God Ans Not so for it must be considered what I said before that the Old Covenant was not established for life to this end that life should bee attained thereby but for other ends and designes Now God having other ends and designes in the holding forth life eternal in this Old Covenant then the giving of life which indeed was no end of Gods at all it was therefore no mockery in God for the accomplishment of those other ends to establish it as a Covenant for life eternal which was the best way it could bee established in for the attainement of those ends now the ends why it was by God established as such a Covenant were such as these 1 Because it was a thing of absolute necessity to the end that the righteousnesse of the Law or Old Covenant might bee fulfilled in us as Rom. 8.4 that the same should be perfectly obeyed either by us or by our Surety in our stead Now though God knew full well that wee could not obey it yet to the end that our Surety might stand under it as a Covenant for life and his obedience to it as such a Covenant might bee imputed to us therefore doth God institute it or ordaine it as such a Covenant And to set forth this the two-fold giving forth of the Old Covenant doth excellently accord As the Old Covenant as hath been formerly noted did consist of three parts 1 The Moral Law 2 The Ceremonial 3 The Judicial so it is a thing observable that either were twice given forth from the Lord unto Moses who was the Mediator of this Covenant FINIS Books Printed for and sold by Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes head-Alley MR. Greenhils Exposition on the first nineteen Chapters of Ezekiel in three Volumes Quarto Mr. Greenhils Sermons on Christs last Discovery of himself Octavo Mr. Cottons Exposition on the 13. Chapter of the Revelations Quarto Mr. Raworths Jacobs Ladder c. Octavo Mr. Can's Truth with Time proving none of the Seven last Vials are yet poured out Quarto Mr. Can's Time of the End a Treatise about the last Apostacy the Little Horn and the Beast hat slayeth the Witnesses Octavo The Holiness of Church-members Quarto By John Cotton Singing of Psalms a Gospel Ordinance quarto By John Cotton An explicite Declaration of the Testimony of Christ according to the plain sayings of the Gospel c. Quarto By Tho. Moor senior A Treatise of the Person of Christ c. Quarto By Tho. Moor senior An Antidote against the spreading Infections of the Spirit of Antichrist in these last dayes under many vizards Being a Discovery of a lying and Antichristian spirit in some of those called Quakers c. Quarto By Tho. Moor junior The Knowledge of Christ c. Wherein the Types Prophesies Genealogies Miracles Humiliation Exaltation and the Mediatorial Office of Christ are opened and applied By John Davenport of New-haven in New-England The Legislative power Christs peculiar Prerogative By William Aspinwal A Presage of sundry sad Calamities yet to come By William Aspinwal The Abrogation of the Jewish Sabbath or the Sabbath of the seventh day of the week By William Aspinwal Arrows against Babylon By John Pendarves Sigh's for Sion By John Penderves The Fear of God what it is and exhorted to a Sermon preached by John Pendarves The voice of the Spirit A Discovery what the witnessing work of the Spirit is How the Spirit witnesseth Who are capable of attaining the witnessings of the Spirit How a soul may know its injoyment of them By what means a soul may attain them By Sam. Petto A Voyce from heaven a Testimony the Remainders of Antichrist yet in England By Gualter Postlethwaite Christ and Moses Excellency A Triplex Treatise distinguishing the two Covenants By Vavasor Powell Saving Faith set forth in three Dialogues By Vavasor Powell Generation-work in three parts 1 Part shewing what Generation-work is That Saints in their several Generations have the peculiar works of their Generation That it s of great concernment for a Saint to attend to and bee industrious in it wherein the work of the present Generation lyes How a man may finde out that part of it which is properly his work How it may bee so carried on as God may bee served 2 Part being an Exposition of the seven Vials Rev. 16. 3 Part an Exposition of the Prophesie of the two Witnesses from the 11 12 and 14 Chap. of the Revelation To which is added a Key to unlock the mystical Numbers of Daniel and the Revelations By John Tillinghast Mr. Tillinghasts eight last Sermons viz. The Fifth Kingdom founded on the New Covenant The Signs of the Times Christ the only Foundation The promise of the Father The Evil of the Times Look to your aimes and ends The Idols abolished Six several Treatises viz. The promises made and fulfilled in Christ Absolute promises made to sinners as sinners The life of faith in Justification Sanctification Expectation The Saints Anchor rightly cast Christs new Command Of Offences By John Tillinghast Knowledge of the Times or a resolution of the Question how long it shall bee unto the end of Wonders By John Tillinghast FINIS