Prophets and hewn them with the word of my mouth so the Spirit by Scripture words slayes hacks and hews our sins as Antichrist is consumed by the breath of the Lords mouth so is sin within us which is the worst Antichrist of all and but for which there had been no Antichrist at all Lastly The Spirit mortifieth our sins by producing and begetting fruits in us contrary thereto such as those Gal. 5.22 23. the Apostle in the foregoing verses declares what are the fruits of the Flesh thereupon makes mention of the fruits of the Spirit such as love peace long-suffering goodness faith meekness whereby he teacheth us that the Spirit by causing these good things in us doth expell and destroy the fruits of the Elesh which are contrary thereto and there is one fruit of the spirit not there mentioned but implyed in love which the spirit works whereby the power and life of Sin is greatly abated yea even taken away according to the measurc and strength of it and that 's hatred hatred of all Sin which makes us eager in seeking the utter extirpation of it out of our Souls I might have added The Spirit breaks the force of Satan's temptations who seeks to defend Sin and keeps it upon the throne in us and therefore tempts violently stirs up and doth all he can to kindle it and feed it by pouring in such and such thoughts as by other means but the Spirit opposeth and withstands him to which that may be applyed Isa 59.19 When the enemy shall come in like a floud the Spirit of the Lord shal lift up a Standard against him The Spirit well understands all Satans wiles and what correspondence he hath with Sin in us and the Spirit either driveth him away and makes him flee from us or counterworks him dictating answers to all his temptations and as casting water on the fire which Satan endeavours to blow up in us Sermon 6. I Am now in the second place to shew what we are to do that we may have the help of the Spirit in mortifying the deeds of the body For answer whereto briefly in a few particulars First We must receive the Spirit we can do nothing this way through the Spirit unless it be in us dwelling and abiding in our Souls which it will not be except it be received by us 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the Spirit which is of God So have all we who truly believe and they who have not must receive it or never will they give any of their sins a deadly wound through it If any keep their hearts shur against the Spirit they cannot have the help of it in the work of mortification or any other work to their Salvation As till the Soul come into the Body and dwell in it the Body doth not cannot work act or do any thing by it so till the Spirit come into the Soul and be received to dwell there the Soul doth nothing by it to the subduing it's lusts Secondly They who have received the Spirit must call in or call for it's help and assistance when you find corruption stirring when you go about the killing your sins you must desire and ask the Spirit 's co-working with you O that the Spirit of the Lord may now work with me O that it may now assist me let it now please to help me in destroying this evill affection in mortifying this and that sinfull motion I feel stirring in me You must never attempt any thing without looking for and seeking the Spirit 's assistance Ps 143.10 Thy Spirit is good it 's a good guide lead me into the Land of uprightness by it O Lord be pleased to lead me in the good and upright way in the strait path the way everlasting till I shall come to that place appointed for upright ones and where nothing of hypocrisie is but all uprightness and sincerity only grows So you should pray Lord thy Spirit is holy and mighty it is every way able to help me O let it assist me in mortifying mine iniquities till they shall be all destroyed till I come to that Country where no such poysonous hurtful thing as sin doth grow or live or hath any being Thirdly You must wholly rely on and trust in the Spirit for its direction and powerfull co-operation with you in this work not having any thought as if you could put to death or do any thing for the destruction of any sin of your selves but knowing remembring and acknowledging also your own utter weakness and insufficiency your trust confidence relyance must be altogether on the Spirit As Jehosaphat said We know not what to do but our eyes are to thee which implyes trust and dependance on God so your eyes must be to the Spirit Psal 38.19 Mine enemies are lively and they are strong i. e. they are too strong for me what then V. 15. In thee O Lord do I hope So when our Spiritual enemies are lively and when they are as indeed they alwayes are too strong for us we must hope in the Spirit of God for strength from it Ps 47.3 He shall subdue the People under us and the Nations under our feet we will not think or attempt it in our own strength but as elsewhere it is In the name of the Lord I will destroy them yea in the Lords name will I destroy them I will not trust in my bow nor shall my sword save me c. So we must not think that any means we can use can lay dead any sin but we must still purpose resolve and endeavour the slaying of every sin in the power and strength of the Spirit Fourthly You must lye in the way of the Spirits working as Marriners do lay their Vessell in the way of the wind or the Miller turns his Mill that way the wind blows because the Ship will not sail nor the Mill grind without the wind So you must lay your selves in the way of the Spirits breathing and turn your Souls to that blessed wind that way it bloweth I mean you must attend under Ordinances you must give your selves to religious holy duties to hear to read to meditate on the Word of God to confer with others and joyn in prayer with them as you have opportunity c. John 3.8 The Spirit worketh As the wind bloweth where it listeth not where we list but where it self pleaseth and where is it that the Spirit listeth to work sure it is in the way of it 's own appointments Fifthly We must yeild up our selves to the Spirit to be acted moved and ruled according to it's pleasure as Souldiers follow your Leader observe his Commands yea every beck or wagging of his head or hand and accordingly order themselves so we must well mind all the dictates take notice of all the movings of the Spirit in us and comply therewith Gal. 5.16 This I say then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us in our nature for us who walk not after the slesh but after the Spirit and it 's sure we do walk after the Spirit if we mortifie our sins through the Spirit Fourthly the Apostle gives us another Argument in the words next following my Text Rom. 8.14 for saith he As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God for that is for this reason it must be so that if we through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body we shall live because we so doing are led by the Spirit which ever leadeth souls led by it to life as Satan leads souls that walk after him to death and our being led by the Spirit proves that we are the Children of the living God whose Children shall surely live the fountain of life will give life the best all life to his Children and those whom he makes his Children are therefore so made by him that they might live in him to him and with him for ever As Christ faith God is not the God of the dead but of the living so he is not the Father of the dead but of the living only of such to whom he doth and will give life all his Children shall have life from him he will be their life Fifthly Either we shall dye or live there is no middle between death and life but if we through the Spirit put sin to death if we mortifie it then we shall not dye because none dye but it is by sin as by the guilt so by the power of sin sin kills all who perish but if sin be killed in us we shall not be killed or destroyed by it He that slayeth his enemies shall not be slain by them He that mortifieth the diseases that seize on his body shall not by them be mortified in his body It may be said if we could mortifie sin so as never to sin more then no doubt we should live but Alas whatever we do against sin still we sin yea even continually one way or other A. But it shall not be alway so the day will come when you shall sin no more and in the mean time there is a party in you that sinneth not the Spirit sinneth not nor doth the seed of God in you the new man the new creature and if you through the Spirit do seek and are set upon a hearty endeavouring the death of sin then the sin that comes from you is rather to be look'd upon as from corruption remaining than from you because you have a contrary principle and the sin that flows from you is against your will as it is not the Palsey man that shakes his head or hand but the Palsey Rom. 7.16 If then I do that which I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me should any one take your hand and smite another therewith against your will would you not say you did not smite him so your sin whose hearts are in truth bent against it is not accounted to you that it should prejudice you and hinder your attaining life but you shall live as surely as if you were wholly freed from sin and did never sin at all I know that speech of the Apostle may be hath been and is no doubt much abused by such who understand it not or use it to harden themselves to stop the mouth of conscience and of such who justly reprove them as it was wrested and misused by that Antinomian Maid who being ask'd how stolen Cloaths came to be in her Chest answered it was not I but sin that dwelleth in me But if that Scripture be rightly understood and applyed it is of great good use and it doth establish and confirm the present truth Sixthly The Apostle saith if God be for us who can be against us but if we through the Spirit make war to purpose against our sin then God is for us we are on God's side who is on my side who said Jehu whereupon one looking out at a window he bid him throw Jezabel down who was his enemy whereby that man shewed himself to be on Jehu's side so when we heartily seek to throw out and break the neck of that Jezabel sin that is within us which is enmity to God then are we on God's side and God is on our side he is for us if we are for him As he is cursed who helps not the Lord against the mighty so he is blessed that doth go forth against his sin that may be applyed to sin which is spoken of Babylon Ps 137. 2 last O corruption O lust which art to be destroyed happy shall he be who rewardeth thee as thou hast served us happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones who seeks thy utter destruction In a word sin hath not dominion over those who mortifie it through the Spirit therefore they are under grace therefore they shall live through grace they are in the covenant of grace which is a covenant of life therefore they shall have life according to and by the covenant Application Use 1. LEarn hence a reason of that deadness that is upon the Spirits of men of professors too commonly how many have a name to live yet are dead and how many are under great deadness as to all holy duties all ordinances all good works reprobate or much like such who are reprobate to every good work Tit. 1. last speak to them call cry aloud and tell them this that is their duty shew it them by Scripture yet O sadness they have no life no heart to it you had even as good call upon a dead man to eat to drink or hear and do any thing you shall say to him Why what 's the matter with men that they are thus dead their hearts their consciences their wills and affections dead the cause is palpable their sin liveth lust is unmortified Know it whoever of you are under prevailing deadness of spirit to or in that which is good and your duty deadness of heart God-ward there is some lust or other that is lively in you seeing they shall live who do mortifie the deeds of sin And as for those who are dead at heart especially if they are daily so be it as to any good or as to joy peace and comfort let them consider whether it arise not hence the prevalency of some sin in them the death whereof they have not industriously sought through the Spirit Or if any are without the life of happiness by God's countenance shining upon them look well into thy self search and see is there not earthly mindedness worldliness love of the world pride impatience hypocrisie envy or some other iniquity unmortified and which through the Spirit thou seekest not the destruction of Or if any are born down with fear overcome with doubts concerning their living hereafter though this through temptation may be the case
obedience to the Flesh to pass over those things it prohibits as it is to do what it moves you to Sixthly They live after the Flesh who are lively in sinning and that ordinarily all sin but all are not lively in sinning when any are alive in the doing of evil as in their element they sin with liveliness these are like to dye especially if they are lively in sinning and they use to be as without life lifeless in serving God they are lively in speaking idely vainly but dead hearted in all discourses about spiritual matters lively in reproaching revileing back-biting but dead hearted in reproving counselling exhorting according to rule lively in murmuring repining but dead hearted in praying to and praising God lively in hearkning to evil or vanity swift to hear what 's foolish and sinful but dead slow in hearing the things of God and of salvation ready to evil and backward to good works Tit. 1. last to every good work reprobate yea if a man be lively in worldly affairs outward businesses and as without life in spiritual services and this be a man's daily or ordinary temper he lives after the Flesh Seventhly They live after the flesh most assuredly who boast glory in the flesh or any works of the flesh Phil. 3 19. they glory in their shame they mind earthly things their end is destruction They glory in what they have got of the world thus much they have so and so rich they are so they thrive in their trade which is their shame considering that though they gain much outwardly they being worldly persons gain nothing spiritually while they are rich towards men they are poor towards God they thrive in their earthly but not in their heavenly trade or else because that they gain of the world is got unjustly by bribery by extortion oppression or some wayes of covetousness therefore it is their shame and they glorying be it in their words or thoughts with their mouth or their heart or both they do glory in their shame whoever glorieth in any sin or in any thing won or attained by sin as so glorying it is in his shame Some they glory in their excessive drinking other 's in their swearing others in their over reaching some in their lewdness and filthiness others in their persecuting others in their Idolatrous or superstitious wayes Gal. last 12.13 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the Flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only least they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ for neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your Flesh When they had constrained others to be circumcised which was their great sin then they gloried in it How frequent is this for men to sin to cause others to sin to oppose good to hinder the work of God to further evil to do mischief and when they have done they glory in it Let all such expect death Eighthly They live after the Flesh who live after a fleshly rule there are divers rules the Flesh teacheth men to live according to viz their own will imagination or phansie the pleasing bodily senses custom example of men these with other are the rules that the flesh teacheth men to live by yea education it self though not very bad in it self or Conscience it self is a fleshly rule or any other thing if look'd to and followed without respect to the Word of God without consideration of or regard to the Divine Law If then any thing be your rule unless with an eye and insubordination to the will of God revealed in his Word you live after the flesh for that which gives you your copy is your Teacher Master that which gives you your rule is your Lord Gal. 6.16 Peace happiness is only for them who walk according to this rule that is the rule of Scripture of God in this Word Isa 8.20 If they speak not so if they live not according to the Word this law and testimony of God It is because there is no light in them the flesh reigns in them which is darkness in which there 's no true light at all Ninthly They live after the Flesh who do what they do though in it self good from carnal fleshly principles to a carnal fleshly end such as the principles are from which we act and such as the end is to which we live such is our life What are fleshly principles A. They are fear of Man or tear of God which is not accompanied with and rooted in love pride of heart love of money love of the praise of men if a man be acted by such like principles if he allow them then he lives after the Flesh Or if a man's end be fleshly his aim in what he doth be taken by the direction of the flesh as if it be meer self if outward good honour esteem with men worldly gain or barely to quiet Conscience if our design be for the attainment of such things and not to honour God and please him then though we abound in good duties religious performances yet are we livers after the Flesh before God as really as they who live in the most abominable Lusts of the Flesh For the flesh hath the command and government of our hearts if our principle and end in acting be of and from the flesh though the thing in it self considered which we do be contrary to the Flesh yet is it thereby served and pleased Tenthly They live after the flesh who upon choice live with those who are in the flesh according to the company a man chooseth such is his heart such his life though he do not all things which they do whom he makes his Companions yet in the general he lives after the same manner when was it that Nebuchadnezar accompanied with the beasts then when he was like them void of understanding A companion of Fools saith Solomon shall be deflroyed why because he is a Fool Prov. 13.20 and will be so more and more very sojourning with the ungodly Psal 120.5 in Mesech in the Tents of Kedar was as death to the Psalmist why because they and he lived a contrary life How can two walk together unless they are agreed Amos 3.3 that Italian Proverb hath truth in it tell me where thou goest that is what company thou keepest and I 'le tell thee what thou doest to be intimate as one saith with sinners is to intimate you are sinners Lastly Whoever lives not after the spirit doth live after the flesh Rom. 8.1 there 's no condemnation to them who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit there 's no middle between these two when any cease living after the flesh they begin to live after the spirit when any come from under the power and dominion of corruption they do come under the power and dominion of grace holiness and the spirit of God either therefore the spirit of grace rules
Therefore they hardly have the Spirit in a special saving way at least working with them who only seek to get sin down but mind not to get grace up Sixthly This is a sure rule whatever the Spirit helps us to do it causeth us to do from a gracious principle to a gracious end so in the present case if the Spirit stir up any to mortifie their sins it causeth them to endeavour the death thereof from a principle of hatred of sin love to God and faith of his Word and if the Spirit work with us it causeth us to strive to ruine sin not only as contrary to us but as contrary to the law nature and name of God and honour of Christ Whoever aims only at himself in what he doth he acts from and of himself and is not acted by the Spirit For though the Spirit love all in whom it is it loves God more and Christ more than it loves us Though the Spirit aims at our good yet more at the honour of God Jesus Christ Seventhly Though the Spirit if you are acted by it do put you on to pursue all your sins to death yet some of them principally as the more strongly and lively any sin is the more it steals or keeps the heart from God the more it hinders you in religious services the more hurt it causeth you to do to others by offending by hardning and causing them to stumble and whatever sin it be by which Gods name your profession and your souls most suffer that you especially strike at and war upon chiefly your chief sin your iniquity your master corruption which is in you the worst for the Spirit of God is a Spirit of wisdom and when it affords its assistance it is according to true wisdom Therefore it spake Saul to be acted by his own Spirit in that he spared Agag the chief of the Amalekits against whom God sent him whereas of all other he should have put him to death so when any indulge and are tender to their head sin that which sits upon the throne in them which above all should be mortified Eighthly If you have the Spirits assistance then you do ordinarily mortifie your sinful motions under strong temptations as well as under weak for all things are alike to the Spirit whose power and whose understanding are infinite Strong and weak temptations differ as to us not as to the Spirit therefore when it vouchsafeth its assisting presence it doth help under and against all sorts and kinds of temptations It may be objected hath it not been known and do we not read that the best men under very strong temptations do greatly miscarry For answer to that it 's true but it 's also true that even they who have the Spirit of God do sometimes turn out of the way under weak temptations God so ordering it that they may the better know themselves and be the more humbled yea it is known that they who stand out against very mighty temptations are for a time born down by some that are of no great strength compared with those which they withstand David's temptation to take away the life of Shimei who cursed him flung stones at him then when he was King and had reigned long his Servants also pressing him to let them go and take off the head of that dead Dog seems much stronger than his temptation to cut off Nabal and all the males of his house because he refused to shew him kindness yet David absolutely refused to give way that Shimei should be medled with whereas he vowed the death of Nabal and of all the men of his house and armed himself and march'd forth to execute his purpose against him which he had done had he not been stopt as himself confesseth 1 Sam. 25.34 In very deed as the Lord God of Israel liveth which hath kept me back from hurting thee except thou had'st hasted and come to meet me surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall So then it is not barely the greatness of the temptation that makes a good man to stumble but the withdrawing of the Spirit at such a time and then whether the temptation be small or great he is carried away thereby Wherefore I say if the Spirit of God be in you and work with you for the most part you mortifie the motions of sin under all kinds of temptations as you usually stand out against small so usually against great temptations also Lastly You ascribe all that victory that at any time you gain against any sin to the Spirit if you are acted by it for when the Spirit helps it makes the soul sensible that it could not do what it doth of it self Luke 1.49 He that is mighty hath done for me great things and holy is his name so saith the soul that is in a truely gracious frame and is carried forth against sin by the Spirit Not I have done great things to the curbing quelling and killing my sins but he that 's mighty the mighty Spirit of God hath done great things in me for me and by me as Isa 26.12 he hath wrought all our works in us not we our selves of our selves but he yea he hath wrought not some but all our works in us Sermon 7. Use 9. SEe how great need they have to seek the Spirit who have it not so necessary as the mortifying any sin is so necessary is the having of the Spirit for as hath been said we must have the Spirit e're we can do any thing by it to the slaying our sins therefore so many lusts so many evil affections and motions so many sins as are in any one of us so many engagements to seek the Spirit without which not one of them can be subdued They who have not the Spirit of the Lord they do they will walk after their lusts nor can they walk otherwise Jude 17 18. Beloved remember ye the words that were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts how so v. 19. these be they who separate themselves i. e. from ordinances from the Societies of Saints sensual not having the spirit hence they did they could not but walk after their lusts because though they pretended high as if they had the spirit and that in a larger measure than others yet in truth they had it not Whoever are without the Spirit are in the flesh Rom. 8.9 Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be the Spirit of Christ dwell in you but which is implyed if the Spirit of Christ dwell not in you then are you in the flesh in the hands under the power of corrupt nature therefore cannot possibly mortifie the deeds of the flesh But get the Spirit once so shall you through it be able to bring under and tread
DEATH AND LIFE OR Sins Life the Sinners Death Sins Death the Saints Life BEING The Sum of Eight SERMONS on Romans 8.13 By Samuel Malbon Preacher of the Word of life in Amsterdam Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end London Printed for John Allen living in Wentworth-street near Bell-Lane 1669. Christian Reader THe Author of these Sermons having for several years been absent from this his Native Country being Pastor to a Church of Christ at Amsterdam may be under some disadvantage as to his esteem in the hearts of those that fear the Lord by reason that neither his person nor his name is well known unto them And so through ignorance or misapprehension they may omit the purchase of this Book which may through grace be of much use and benefit to their souls Therefore we have thought it meet and a duty for thy good to prefix a few words in a way of recommendation of the person to thee that as his name is sweet and precious amongst those Saints and people to whom he Preaches so both himself and this his work may be readily and cheerfully received by Thee and others of God's life-breathing ones here in England He is a man ready in the Scriptures and much acquainted with the mind of God therein painful spiritual and powerful in his Preaching to the conviction conversion and edification of many souls Having large experiences of God's goings in and dealings with his own soul in a way of grace by his Spirit And one who lives in the Spirit and walks up exemplarily to that light and life which is communicated freely and richly to him by Jesus Christ the Mediator who is the soul fountain of both And as for this his work it carries its own praise with it and needs not our Testimony only give us leave to say thus much that it is plain sound spiritual lively and practical well suited to every capacity You will find the Text with many other Scriptures truely and clearly opened The Doctrines genuinely deduced rightly stated fully proved and Illustrated doubts assoiled Mistakes rectified Errors enervated Objections answered and the Application faithful home searching pathetical full of perswasion and life In sum the Design and Endeavour of this sweet Preacher in these Sermons is very glorious viz. To discover lurking soul beguiling and destroying Hypocrisie To lay open the false bottoms that many stand upon for eternity To bring souls to a full and entire close with Jesus Christ by faith the only foundation of eternal salvation and to entertain and cherish the Holy Spirit in its workings To eradicate soul-polluring corruption and further the true mortification of internal bosom lusts By shewing whence and how it is effected what is the power that produces carries on and perfects it And to work up Saints to a living unto God in the life of God that they may escape death and attain at last everlasting life in the vision of God The footsteps of which design are manifestly apparent in these Sermons And the fruits of his faithful and laborious Endeavours are to be seen and read in the hearts and lives of many of his hearers which through the blessing of God upon thy diligent and serious perusal thereof may be experienced by Thee also so as Thou mayest in Christ's strength come in as a Conquerour over all thy spiritual enemies and joyn with those mentioned in the close of this Book who have the Palms of victory and Harps of joy in their hands to sing praises to the Lord and say Glory Honour and Dominion be unto our God Father Son and Holy Ghost Father who hath sealed and freely sent his only begotten and dearly beloved Son into the world that by his death I might have life Son who hath finished the work the Father gave him to do who hath dyed is risen again and ascended and as a fruit of all hath received and sent the Holy Ghost to apply and produce that spiritual life And Holy Ghost who as the Comforter is come and hath sweetly graciously wisely faithfully and all-prevailingly accomplish'd that living work in my soul Therefore buy and read this Book Reading meditate Meditating pray and Praying remember Thy real Friends and Soul's Welwishers William Greenehill Joseph Caryl Thomas Malery Richard Lawrence To the Reader YOur greatest good is aimed at in this little Book Let me ask you a plain but serious question how fareth your Soul that pretious that immortal Soul within you As by natural sense you could soon answer a like question concerning your Body so by a quick spirituall sense may this be answered Christ our Saviour speaks Luke 16.11 of the true riches outward riches are not the true riches so there is a true health bodily health is not the true health 3 Ep. John v 2. Beloved saith that beloved Disciple I wish above all things thou majest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth but to the generality there is cause to wish that they may prosper and be in health as their body prospereth for the most have far more prosperity health in their outward than in their inward man Either you are under the foot of your natural Lusts or they are in a good degree under your foot either you are overcome by them or you overcome them If the former either you are so and yet senselesse and secure which is the miserable condition of the greater part of men then here 's a word of conviction continuing as you are the word of truth saith you shall dy or being sensible and awake you do strive and strugle against your corruptions without victory which is the sad case of many then here 's a rule of direction all your endeavours against your sin must be through the spirit If the latter if you are victorious over your lusts which war against your souls which is the happinesse but of a comparative few then here 's a Cup of consolation for you he who cannot ly saith you shall live Take thine own portion learn thine own Lesson In that great day when the Books shall be opened then shall this Book with all other have a far more open publication and how it came to be printed and what my end in it is and what the fruit of it shall be will be revealed men's writings are called their works we say the works of such a one and not without reason according to these works shall it be rendred by that just that wise Judge in that day to every one who worketh in this kind I had much rather therefore write that which is profitable though not honourable than that which is honourable and not profitable or that which is good meanly than any thing that is evill eligantly Seeing the Scriptures themselves are so dislik't and found fault with by so many no wonder if this piece meet with hard censures Rom. 14.4 Who art thou that judgest
ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye The Apostle doth not say they who live after the flesh shall dye But If ye c. he speaks home to their Consciences It is to be minded to whom this is spoken that may be known by observing to whom this Epistle was written Chap. 1.6 7. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints By the way you may take notice of three things 1. The Apostle Paul wrote this Epistle not the Apostle Peter v. 1. though the Pope that great * As a Prophet was called a man of God and Timothy 1 Tim. 6.11 so Antichrist a man of sin 2 Thess 2.3 Or one made up of sin inward part very wickedness Ps 5.9 and his outward part also eyes full of Adultery hands full of blood c. man of sin that Gyant that Monster of iniquity doth pretend himself to be Peters not Paul's Successor yet we read not that Peter did ever so much as write an Epistle to any in Rome and some learned men prove by divers arguments that he never was there but Paul wrote this Epistle to them in Rome and it is expressed Acts last 〈◊〉 that there he dwelt and preached in his own hired house two years besides it is considerable Peter was the Apostle of the Circumcision Paul of the Uncircumcision and so of the Romans Chap. 15.15 16 Nevertheless Brethren I have written the more boldly to you in some sort as putting you in mind because of the Grace that is given to me of God that I should be the Minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles c. Secondly There are divers passages in this Epistle that seem to have been purposely exprest by the guidance of the Holy Ghost with respect to that great Apostacy he foreknew would be and have its chief seat in Rome which is the rather to be noted because some Jesuits make use of certain expressions in it uttered in commendation of the Christians then at Rome to defend their Sect and Party in their present wickedness though the Apostle do as much or more commend others to whom he wrote It is observeable in this Epistle the Apostle disputes largely concerning justification by faith without works whereas they now cry up works in justification and he by way of warning perhaps also of Prophecy tells the Romans Chap. 11. that if they continued nor in the goodness of God which they have not they should be cut off from being a Church of God as the Jews were and Chap. 12.3 I say faith he through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith Now of all men on earth no man doth or even can transgress that rule more than the Pope who boasteth himself to be infallible at least in his Chan and to have power to forgive sins to dispose of Kingdoms to dispence with the Law of God in divers cases and the like Oh how highly doth he think of himself above what he ought to think how far are such thoughts from sobriety would he think of himself according to the measure of his faith must he not think himself among the meanest if not the lowest of those who make any profession of the name of Christ Ag. Ch. 13.1 Let every soul be subject to the higher powers viz. Magistrates Civil Rulers it 's not said let all but every soul yet that great Antichrist would have the highest powers on earth subject to him and he saith they are or ought to be so he exalts himself above all that 's called God 2 Thess 2.4 I shall add only that one place more Chap. last 17.18 Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Who are they that cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle more than they at Rome and their fellow Idolaters enemies of the Cross of Christ who do more manifestly than the generality of that sort of men serve their own belly and who by good words and fair speeches as by other means do more grosslly deceive the hearts of the simple Thirdly observe the Apostle doth not in the dedication or superscription of this Epistle say to the Church which is at Rome as in other Epistles he saith to the Church in such or such a place but he saith in that first Chap. 6.7 v. To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints He doth not so much as make mention of a Church at Rome much Iess doth he speak of it as the Mother and chief Church much less doth he once mention or direct his Epistle to a Pope there No nor doth he give the least hint of Peters being there or to be there which most probably he would had Peter ever been Bishop of Rome as Papists conceit But saith he to all c. called Saints as the Greek hath it not called to be but called Saints or Saints by calling though now they at Rome Canonize persons for Saints after they have been long dead and speak as if there were no Saints on earth being conscious perhaps to themselves that they are far from being such yet at Rome in Paul's time there were called Saints who were beloved of God to these the Apostle directed and sent this Epistle and therefore to these he speaks in my Text. If ye beloved of God called Saints live after the flesh ye shall dye It may seem strange he should speak of dying to such as these but the Spirit of truth who guided the Apostle in his writing is the great teacher and well understands himself and to dislike that which was written by the Spirit is no small evil Nor is it strange that the Apostle should thus write to such considering how he expresseth himself with an If If ye live after c. as it 's no way improper or unfit to say to ungodly men in general if ye repent if ye believe ye shall live ye shall be saved No more hath it any unfitness in it or strangeness of speech to say to believers If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye As there are conditional promises to unbelievers so conditional threatnings to believers and hereby it appears were that Apostle here to Preach as once divers would not like his preaching for there are who love not to hear but cry down such Doctrine The Doctrinal proposition which I am to Discourse upon is this D. That if any whoever they are do or shall live after the flesh they shall dye whatever their priviledges or enjoyments are
Five dores I shall open or five questions I shall briefly Answer to make way for and let in the Application of this truth I shall shew briefly 1. What 's meant by flesh and why it 's so called 2. What by living after the flesh 3. What by dying ye shall dye 4. How doth it appear that they who live after the flesh shall dye 5. Why should such Doctrine as this be preached to believers to Saints by calling Q. 1. What 's meant by flesh and why it is so called A. By flesh here as oft in other places corrupt nature is understood or the corruption of nature as when it 's said that which is born of the flesh is flesh flesh is opposed to the new man the new creature the image of God the Divine nature And corruption of nature may be called flesh for divers reasons such as these 1. Because it is derived to us with our flesh our body from Adom We have bad saith the Apostle Fathers of our flesh who corrected us Fathers of our fleshly part of our body and they who are fathers of that are fathers of our corrupt nature i. e. we have it from them for when any are conceived in sin are they conceived 2. Corruption of nature is naturally as dear to men as their flesh their very body and as near to them No man hates his own flesh but cherisheth it so no man naturally hates his corrupt nature which he brings into the world with him but every one cherisheth and nourisheth his corruption and makes provision for it till he be renewed Yea how many shew more love more tenderness towards their Corruption than to their very body how many endure much suffer greatly in their bodies and venter and lose not unusually their life it self from their love to some vile lust which is to them as their right eye their right hand or right foot and as their life it self skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life only a mans lust that 's many times so dear to him he 'l hazard his life to satisfie it rather than lay it aside or part with it 3. Corruption grows with the flesh and as the flesh is strong or weak so frequently are the workings of lust hence the Apostle saith he kept under his body in fickness in bodily weakness this and that sin doth not ordinarily move so much or stir so strongly 4. Corrupt nature doth never quite cease in any till they lay down put off the tabernacle of their flesh while the best are here in the body much sin abides in them the old man will in part remain in all untill the Tabernacle of their body be quite pulled down to the ground as we read concerning the Leprosie among the Jews it getting into their houses would not out till they were took quite down and destroyed 5. Corruption of nature inclines men to do many things pleasing to their flesh and which give the body ease content and delight so that sin seems a great friend thereto hence excessive eating drinking sleeping hence slothfulness uncleanness and the like though these things are really hurtful to the body not only as to hereafter or in their desert but in their present effect yet are they pleasing to it all which arise from corrupt nature 6. Corruption prevailing and reigning turns the soul of man as it were into flesh it makes a man's mind fleshly Col. 2.18 so it makes his will affections all fleshly so that though the soul of man in its own nature be a Spirit God is the father of Spirits of mens souls that is yet through inbred sin it minds not regards not spiritual things but fleshly bodily things which are delightful to the outward senses Sin when it hath Dominion in a man makes him to God ward and the things of God as if he were all flesh all body not spirit at all in any part of him it makes man backward to heavy and dull in spiritual duties and whatever tends to the Souls good It makes him dull in hearing in understanding spiritual things it makes him unfit for Communion with God unfit to receive spiritual good as if he were spiritless or had no better spirit than that the beasts have In many cases Lust takes away the use of a mans reason it causeth him to act as unreasonably irrationally as if he had not a reasonable Soul it makes many a man like Nebuchadnezar when his understanding went from him fitter for the Society of beasts than of reasonable creatures living like themselves when a lust prevailed in the Psalmist he saith I was as a beast before thee and hence graceless men under the full power of iniquity are compared to beasts in Scripture and called Dogs Swine c. Sin also makes the Soul lyable to and unless subdued it brings the Soul unto death the worst death the second death though the Soul be immortal in its essence and dyes not as the body yet sin makes it mortal in a sense it makes it subject to a death of misery And farther corruption lyes much in the body therefore the Apostle prays for the Thessalonians that they might be sanctified in their body as well as in their spirit And may it not be said that corruption is first in the body the body being shaped e're the soul comes into it and if the soul be as the Scripture seems to teach us immediately from God then it is by the body not by the soul that sin is propagated God is the Father of Spirits but he is not the father of sin that the soul gets from by or upon its union to the body though its difficult to apprehend how it is For these and such like reasons the corruption of nature may very fitly and significantly be called flesh Q. 2. What is it to live after the flesh how is this Phrase live after the flesh to be understood A. To live after the flesh is the same with walking after the flesh spoken of some verses before my Text It is to live an ill life to live sinfully as we say such a one doth not live well he lives an evil life he lives loosely c. He that so liveth doth live after the flesh The flesh gives Councel as it were to men so and so that they live thus and thus I consulted not saith the Apostle with flesh and when a man doth order his conversation according to the Counsels of the flesh then liveth he after the flesh when a man doth those things the flesh saith are best to be done The flesh hath many motions Rom. 7.5 It 's scarce ever still but is moving this way or that way and when any one doth follow the evil motions thereof when a man acts according to them then doth he live after the flesh Corruption of nature is called a Law Rom. 7.21 I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me which
flesh willeth and his doing thereof be a real trouble a heart grief to him if the flesh its commands be grievous as the overflowings of the gall very bitter as the workings of a sick Stomach if a man's heart be afflected and humbled if it mourn and sigh when he is led away at any time by any fleshly motion then doth he not live after the flesh but rather dyeth after it or is dead to it for it is as death to him that he sins Eccles 7.26 Fourthly Living after the flesh takes in constantness continualness doing the will of the flesh continually as while life lasteth a man liveth daily hourly though not alwayes alike and he be not still busied about the same things but sometimes he 's more lively sometimes lest now he eats then he sleeps sometimes follows his calling or talks or walks Thus a man who liveth after the flesh he is even continually fulfilling one Lust or other thereof one way or other either more or less openly vigorously actively still he acts according to the dictates or movings of sin within him according as the flesh commands and moves which is somtimes more sometimes less strongly absolutely peremptorily and forcibly so he obeys that is ever commanding somthing as there is opportunity occasion temptation and the man who liveth after it is even ever doing inwardly if not outwardly something in obedience to its command When you say of a man he liveth after a high rate he liveth prodigally you do not mean that only now and then he makes an extraordinary meal or is at some extraordinary expense but that in his ordinary course he 's extravagant expensive above his estate ability and quality so to live after the flesh is not now and then in some extraordinary case to follow the flesh but for a man to act according to it in ordinary Fifthly Living after the flesh includes continuance and perseverance as every man liveth till he dyeth so that man who lives after the flesh and shall dye he doth live after it till he dye for if any man hath followed his lust though very much as before express'd willingly freely and wilfully affectionately and continually for a long time yet he at length truely ceasing while here so to live if he heartily turn and alter his course notwithstanding all that 's past he shall not dye in the sense of my text Ezek. 18.21.22 In a word if you spend your life as the fresh moves you to spend it if you order your conversation while you live after the inclinations of that corruption that is in you then ye shall dye I desire that this may be well understood what living after the flesh is for on your right understanding thereof depends you profiting by this truth two things are necessary thaâ— this Doctrine may become effectual and do us good the one is that we beleive in our hearts that if wâ— thus live the end thereof will be our death thâ— other is that we be enlightned rightly to perceive and judge what living after the flesh meaneth therefore I purpose to lay this open more particularly when I come to the use of examination Q. 3. How shall they dye who do live after thâ— flesh A. I suppose none of you need to be told a meer natural death is nothere intended seeing it 's appointed once to all men to dye that death whatever their life be But a spiritual dying is understood that respects the soul and whole man in a spiritual sense Sometimes to dye in Scripture is used for being near death lyable to or in danger of dying so the Apostle saith I dye daily we are killed all the day long thus it 's true ye shall dye ye will be in great danger of dying yea though ye live after the flesh only in some degree you 'l deserve death you 'l be deservedly liable thereto whenever you do but begin to step after the flesh into the hands of death even the worst death will ye fall unless infinite mercy prevent But my Text speaks of more than a bare lyableness or danger as in the following words if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live more is meant than barely a hope of life so by ye shall dye more is intended than danger of death ye shall dye actually certainly unavoidably but how A. First Ye shall dye in this world as to the loss of Gods special gracious presence God is our life so far as God leaves us and departs from us so much death but if we live after the flesh God will depart his soul will depart from us Jer. 6.8 He 'l leave us as he left Saul who thereupon dyed before he dyed because God was gone his life was gone so God will go from us he 'l draw in the beams of his favour he 'l hide himself he 'l take his good spirit from us And thereupon Secondly You 'l dye as to all Spiritual good that you have or seem to have you will by degrees lose your light your convictions gracious motions I and your very profession it self or the liveliness of it and that good that may have been in your conversation it will be with you at best as with the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 if you retain a name to live yet will you he dead dead as 1. Tim. 5.9 she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth you 'l be twice dead as it 's said elsewhere some are dead dead by nature dead in sin and dead as to the loss of that conviction that light that affection that holiness they made a shew off Thirdly Ye shall dye as to inward peace comfort joy as Nabal's heart dyed within him it lost that comfort mirth it had before and through grief became as dead so your heart will dye you 'l either have no peace no joy or none that 's worth the having none but such as you had better be without such as is rather the death than the life of the soul Rom. 7.9 Sin revived and I dyed and the Commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death he intends he lost his former considence hope peace and joy so shall ye dye Fourthly Ye shall dye ye shall lose the blessing of God in all you are all ye have and all ye do whatever any have without Gods blessing they are dead in the possession of it whatever they do they are dead in doing it it is a dead enjoyment a dead work that is not blessed of God life is but a death if it be not blessed every comfort of life is as without life it 's not a living comfort if not blessed to us but living after the flesh removes the blessing far from us and brings a curse upon us as it 's said I 'le curse thee in thy basket in thy store in all thou settest thy hand to and I will curse thy blessings there is it not a manifest yet
a secret curse upon all that live after the flesh upon all they have all they do which curse is a sore death all who are cursed are dead while they live Fifthly If ye live after the flesh so as hath been declared ye will at last not only dye a natural but a cursed death when you come to dye naturally you 'l dye cursedly wretchedly as Christ saith ye shall dye in your sins if you live in them you shall dye in them under the curse of God due to them And so ye shall dye the second death when your bodies shall dye and go to the grave your souls shall dye and go to hell when your souls shall leave your bodies God will wholly leave them when they shall be separated from their earthly Tabernacle they shall be shut out from that building which is eternal in the heavens and from God perfectly ye shall so dye that ye shall be killed and killed with death Rev. 2.23 death will come upon you and hell at the heels of it Rev. 6.8 So shall ye be killed with death and Devils In which condition your souls will abide to the appearing of Christ and then your bodies shall be raised to partake with them in misery raised to the resurrection of damnation which is opposed to the resurrection of life Joh. 5.29 so your whole man your souls and bodies together will remain in a forlorn dead woeful state without end for ever and ever Q. 4. How doth this appear how may it be proved that they who live after the flesh shall dye A. It appears many wayes by many arguments from Scripture and sound reason take a hint of some 1. They who live after the flesh are not truely in Christ Rom. 8.1 they who are in Christ walk not after the flesh therefore they who do live after the flesh are not in Christ they have no interest in him no part in him so they must needs dye for not being in Christ they are not under Christ's righteousness they have nothing to do with that v. 4. the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us in our nature for us who walk not after the flesh Christ performed righteousness only for such It is applyed accounted to such and no other therefore they who live after the flesh are unrighteous in the sight of God they stand guilty before the justice of God dye then they must because not partakers of that righteousness which justifieth to life and as they are not in Christ so Christ is not in them Christ hath not taken hold of them his spirit is not in them therefore they belong not to him they are none of his Rom. 8.9 and if they are none of his then life is none of theirs the Fathe bath given to the Son to have life in himself he quickens whom he will but none have life from him unless they belong to him Secondly They who live after the flesh are in the flesh they are in its hands under its power therefore shall dye as one who is in the hand of his mortal enemy and while any are in the flesh they cannot please God Rom. 8.8 and whoever cannot please God shall not be pleased with life by God but shall dye Thirdly To live after the flesh is to live in a direct contrariety to God to his will his law his nature He is a pure spirit not flesh at all in any sense much less in the worst sense he is holy holy holy in him is no darkness at all not any appearance or shadow of sin so that whoever live after the flesh do turn their backs upon God they depart they go far from him they live most directly contrary to him how then can they but dye forasmuch as God is the fountain of living waters the living God for they who live not shall dye none can live unless God give them life God will not give life to any who continue his enemies to depart from him in a direct opposition to him Gods soul cannot but depart from such his wrath cannot but be kindled against them shall they not then dye for as in his favour is life so in his wrath is death Fourthly They who live after the flesh are the servants of it living after it being a doing service to it the flesh is their Lord and Mâ—ster therefore they must have the wages of the flesh Rom. 6.16 his servants ye are to whom ye obey if of sin then unto death how so v. last for the wages of sin is death God in justice as the Judg of the world is engaged to see to it that they who live to sin have the wages of sin Destâ—uction and misery are in the wayes of the flesh Rom. 3.16 therefore they who live in those wayes cannot but dye as surely as he that drinks and continues to drink the most deadly poyson He that walks in any way will come to the end of it at last therefore the end of the wayes of sin bring death they who continue therein will surely dye in the end If the wind blow direct to the shore and the Ship sail just before the wind the helm not being turn'd where will it be by and by will it not be on shore on the ground if the Boat still continue going down the stream it will be in the Sea e're long into which all Rivers run the flesh that is as the wind that blows direct hellward as the stream that runs directly into the bottomless pit he that lives after the flesh he sails before the wind he goes down with the stream think then where will he be after a little while if he turn if he stop not That which every man sows that shall be reap reason and experience say that 's past question beyond any doubt if a man sow tares he cannot reap wheat but must have his harvest of tares so he that sowes to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption destruction Gal. 6.7 8. Be not deceived which intimates many are so God is not mocked couzened though men oft are so whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap you know it is so outwardly and so it is as sure spiritually for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption spiritual Corruption which is the worst Ag. If any live after the flesh it hath their heart it hath seized on their heart it hath possession and dominion there therefore they 'l dye as when a grievous Disease gets to the heart suppose the Plague if once it get to the heart you know what follows unless it be speedily expelled or driven thence Lust is to the soul that which the Plague is to the body if ye live after the flesh the Plague is now already at in your heart it hath the command of your will and affections Moreover to live after the flesh is to live after Satan 1 Tim. 5.15 some are already turned aside after Satan though he be not
heart and soul will he embrace you and hold you fast and keep you till he hath brought you to heaven observe well how that good promise is shut up thus saith the Lord Almighty He who is as able to save as to destroy he that is almighty to pardon thy many sins he who is almighty to subdue thy mighty Corruptions and to deliver thee from the most mighty temptations he saith he will receive thee and that as Almighty so as to shew himself Almighty for thy salvation If thou desirest yet another Scripture to encourage thee read and ponder that word full of sweetness Jer. 31.18 19 20. and be assured Jesus Christ hath dyed that thou mightst not see death not tast the worst death or feel the curse of death if thou turn'st from the flesh to God in him Use 4. Let me press you all to take great heed that you never at all live after the flesh never take one step after it Beware my Brethren beware of that flesh that is within you of that corruption that is in you because it is so dangerous to live after it it is a deadly thing it is a subtle deceitful thing alluring ensnaring and powerfully moving let us all be very watchful against it consider a few words First so far as you give way to the flesh you 'l hinder your assurance what assurance considering this truth can I or you have unless our Conscience acquit us and bear witness in us that we live not after the flesh but you Christians know the worth of assurance say is it not a sad thing to have your assurance though but in some degree weakened clouded is it not very ill to have your evidences blotted to have any ground or so much as seeming cause to doubt concerning your state and to fear that you are among them that shall dye They who know not what it is to dye spiritually everlastingly may be in a state of death and make nothing of it but you who understand what this dying meaneth cannot live comfortably without good assurance that you shall not dye O let there be nothing of the reprobates mark found upon you Secondly So far as you yield to the flesh so far you feed you nourish it but would you feed a deadly disease If you feed your Corruption you starve your souls every degree of living all acting after the flesh all complying therewith strengtheneth it and weakneth your souls do not you O do not strengthen your enemy against your selves Thirdly so much as you are led by the flesh and let it have its will you honour it you commend you praise it as if it were a good thing a good Teacher a good Master but will you honour such a shameful thing will you commend will you praise that God so much condemns and abhorreth you honouring it dishonour your selves commending it you shame your selves Fourthly To fulfill the desires of the flesh is to speak as if you were Debtors to it as is intimated in the verse before my Text where we read thus Therefore brethren we are Debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh No how can we be Debtors to it for it 's a poor thing it 's not worth any thing we never had or could have good by it therefore we cannot be Debtors to it except it should be by Gods Command or by compact and agreement or promise but Gods command runs contrary and as for agreement we have covenanted with God and promised oft to have nothing to do with the flesh therefore we are no way Debtors to it unless it shall be said we owe it hatred and all that we can do for it's destruction so indeed we are Debtors to the flesh we owe it all possible hatred and the utmost of our endeavour's for the utter extirpation and ruining of it whereas if we let the flesh have its will then we act as if we owed it service and were indebted to it by the bond of love But this is sure you believers are exceedingly by all bonds and obligations engaged in love thankfulness obedience to the Father and Son and holy Spirit who have made you preserved you redeemed called and chosen you So far as you serve the flesh you rob God you do as pay money where you owe none and refuse or neglect to pay what you greatly stand indebted for Besides you believers have a principle of grace in you to that you are Debtors for it hath done you great good by the new man created in you your condition is altered of Children of Satan you are become Children of God by it you are fitted for fellowship with God by it you have had much peace comfort and God commands you to live after it and have you not promised so to do therefore spend not the money of your time strength service in acting according to the Flesh to which you owe nothing but pay your Debts to the new man that seed of grace that is in you quench alwayes the motions of the Flesh but blow up nourish cherish all holy motions grieve the flesh as much as ever you can but please the spirit to the utmost To live after the flesh is to countenance the old and discountenance the new man to give way at all to the flesh it is to favour to smile upon your corruption and frown upon the seed of God in you Yea it is to resist the spirit for that draws you from the flesh a contrary way to that wherein the flesh would lead you Ag. To comply with the flesh speaks no or little love to Jesus Christ for the flesh it was the corruption of man that murdered him and it is against the death of Christ for the Gospel tells us Christ dyed that we should not live after the Flesh but to him that dyed for us I shall not hold you longer on this only do you make good use of the Apostles argument though you are sure that you are in Christ yet make use of this word if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but remember to use it lawfully 1 Tim. 1.8 We know that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully so is this truth good very good if it be used lawfully not to hinder but to help to a right grounded assurance not to terrifie but to awaken your spirits not to overses but to ballast them to poize them and this word is to be made use of seasonably There is a great deal of Christian wisdom in the seasonable making use of truths sometimes your souls may be in a desponding fainting sinking frame full of discouragement and fear then call to mind promises gracious invitations the comfortable words of Scripture but too oft your spirits are in a light vain temper inclining to carnal confidence presumption fearlesseness and carelessness they begin to be somewhat bold and ventrous upon evil then is a fit season to meditate on this truth and to think what do I
do why am I so heedless what mean I to shew any friendship to to hold correspondence with or at all to countenance the flesh that Traytor to the Majesty of heaven that deadly enemy to my soul doth not the Scripture say if I whatever I am live after the flesh I shall dye O that the Lord would make use of this word pray you that he would as he did of the Stone that David slung whereby he killed that Gyant Goliah our flesh corruption is as a mighty Gyant he that speaks the word is of no strength but if God set in with it it shall knock our flesh on the head and lay it dead as that stone little David slung run into the head of that Philistine and brought him down dead to the Ground so that David whom he defyed came and stood upon him and cut off his head In a word when ever the flesh calls you after it answer it with this whenever Satan tempts you to follow it let this be your reply so and so the Scripture saith And do you Parents Preach this to your Children you friends and companions tell one another of this when you see one another acting sinfully Children Friends Companions the Lord God by his Apostle hath spoken it If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Lastly See what cause you have to bless the Lord who once did live after the flesh but now do not O mercy rich mercy that God hath turn'd you from that way wherein had you still lived it would have carried you from God from Heaven into the bottomless pit that place a thousand times worse than Nebuchadnezar's fiery Furnace when heated seventimes hotter than it used to be while you live praise God for this that you live not after the flesh And let this bear up your spirits under all afflictions though you live a life of affliction now yet not a life of corruption though an afflicted life yet not that life that will end in endless death Sermon 3. I shall now fall upon the second part of the Text But if ye through the shirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live IN these words we have a Character and evident sign of those who shall live with a promise of life to them or this sentence hath three things contained in it 1. A necessary constant duty that is incumbent and lyes upon us all that is to mortifie the deeds of the body 2. The great means prescribed for our doing this and that 's through the spirit 3. The great advantage that cometh by so doing and that 's life ye shall live I intend to speak to these three things in three Doctrines distinctly the first whereof the Doctrine now to be discussed is this Doct. 1. That it is a necessary and constant duty incumbent or lying upon us all to mortifie that is to kill slay and destroy the deeds of the body In the management of this truth I am to shew First What 's meant by the body and why it is so called Secondly what 's meant by the deeds of the body and why they are so named Thirdly what is it to mortifie the deeds thereof and how is that to be done Fourthly why is this a necessary duty Fifthly why is it a constant duty Q. 1. What 's meant by the body and why is it so called A. Body here signifyeth the same thing with flesh in the foregoing part of the Text corrupt nature or the corruption of nature natural corruption that sin we all brought into the world with us in us which is called the body of the sins of the flesh Col. 2.11 in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in puting off the body of the sins of the flesh and this is that which is tearmed the body of Sin Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed where by our old man and the body of sin the same thing is understood our old man corrupt nature is the body of sin it 's altogether made up of sin it 's nothing else but sin this also is that the Apostle calleth the body of this death Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death or as it may be read from this body of death But why is the corruption of nature called the body A. For the same reasons before given why it 's called the flesh and besides those corrupt nature may be called the body for these reasons following 1. The body hath many parts and members which being united make one body together and each of those members differ the one from the other in their proper nature and use Rom. 12.4 We have many members in one body and all members have not the same office so is the mystical body of Christ his Church and thus is it with the body of sin it hath divers parts and members and therefore may be called in that place to the Colossians even now cited the body of the Sins of the flesh There is pride hatred hypocrisie covetousness unbelief with many more all which are as members of the body of sin there is a kind of union between them they all together make one corrupt nature and each of them differeth in the proper nature thereof and in its working or acting as the hand is one thing and acts in one manner the foot another thing and acts in another manner the eye differeth from the ear and the ear from the eye so is it with the several parts of corrupt nature And it may be observed as some parts of the body are inward not ordinarily seen or easie to be seen others are outward without and manifest to all so some lusts are more secret and not so commonly or easily perceived as others are which daily shew themselves as also the being and subsistence or life of the body lyeth chiefly in those parts that are within as the Heart Liver Lungs which are more necessary to the body it's subsisting than the outward parts as hands legs so the body of sin hath its being principally in those sins that are more secret less obvious such as hypocrifie unbelief formality covetousness vanity of mind these are as the Heart Liver and Lungs of the body of sin it would no longer subsist were there nothing of such sins within us whereas the body of sin may and oft doth continue and that strong and lusty without some outward more manifest sins such as Drunkenness Adultery Swearing and such like Moreover a man hath all the members of his body from the womb though he doth not use some of them so soon as others the Child useth not its tongue and legs so soon as its eyes and ears though it be born with them all so we bring all lusts into the world with us though some shew themselves and are exerted much sooner than others as pride
wish and if it may be to seek the death of its object Hence we read 1 Joh. 3.15 Whoso hateth his brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath eternal life abiding in him Fourthly Is it not necessary that we escape condemnation in the day of judgment but this we cannot unless we mortifie the deeds of the body for the Scripture assures us in that day the Lord will render to every one according to his deeds Rom. 2.5 6. Now is the day of salvation now is the accepted time 2 Cor. 6.2 but yet after a little while there will be a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God and then O then even then will the Lord God himself render to every one of us according to our deeds but what are our deeds A. The deeds of the body of sin are our deeds if we mortifie them not for then we allow them as they say the receiver is as bad as the thief so if we entertain and give way to the lustings and out-goings of corrupt nature we make our selves even as bad as it we are as guilty as the old man the body of sin is they are as partners with their corruption who seek not its destruction therefore according to all the deeds of our corruption will the Lord render to us in that day if we mortifie them not but O! Alas what a recompense what wo what sore punishment when God even the most High and Almighty one himself and that in the day of wrath shall render to a poor creature a miserable man according to all the lusts and lustings of sin all the members and motions and works of the body of sin in him Fifthly Is it not necessary that we perform acceptable service to God This will not be cannot be that we serve or worship God so that what we do should be accepted of him unless we mortifie the affections and motions of sin within us for our iniquities if not subdued will defile all we do so that it will be loathsom and abominable to God our lusts if suffered to live in us will either quite draw us off from serving God or they will mortifie all our services they will make them as dead services altogether odious and hateful to the Lord Isa 1.11 12 c. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord c. bring no more vain oblations Incense is an abomination to me the new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity the solemn meeting Your new Moons and your appointted Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to hear them Why because their lusts were unmortified therefore it 's said v. 16. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil And no wonder for if our lusts are let alone and entertained as friends not dealt with as enemies then are not our hearts upright with God we are no better than Hypocrites in all that we do Corruption living and prevailing keeps our hearts from God it fetters imprisoneth and shackles our souls that they cannot follow after God Every lust any one sin not mortified it doth bind a man hand and foot as to any right performance to God so it will be most just for Christ to say to all whose sins are not mortified as he foretells us he will say Take them bind them hand and foot and cast them into outer darkness because they suffered themselves as if Christ should say to be taken and bound hand and foot by their corruptions And would not endeavour by destroying them to set themselves at liberty that they might walk in the light therefore take them you Executioners of my wrath take them and bind them hand and foot and cast them into outer darkness Sixthly Let me add but this is it not necessary that we should have Communion with God fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ but how shall this be sure our sins must first be mortified because the Father is most holy and the Son is most holy should God grant us Communion with himself while any of our corruptions are harboured and not wounded not brought under but have dominion in us he must have fellowship with them even with our sins which is impossible 2 Cor. 6.14 15. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what Communion hath light with darkness and what Concord hath Christ with Belial We are exhorted to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but we have fellowship with the deeds of the body of sin if we comply with them and mortifie them not and we thereby have Communion with Satan It is as sure some have Communion with Satan in this world as it is that some have fellowship with God and who are they who have Communion with Satan but such whose hearts are in league with their sins therefore such can have no fellowship with God nor can it be that God should draw nigh to them in a way of Communion So then I need say no more it abundantly appears it is necessary of exceeding great necessity that we do mortifie the deeds of the body Q. 5. Why is this to be done constantly A. This is a duty and work about which we must be conversant wherein we must be exercised continually all the dayes of our life therefore the Apostle saith if ye mortifie not if ye have mortified noting to us that this is a business we are daily all our life long to be employed in And the reasons hereof are manifest First Because as hath before been said the body of sin continueth in all while their natural visible body liveth in this world the Apostle Paul himself complains and cryeth out because of this body of death of sin which is as death and this body of sin is still bringing forth sowr grapes vile fruit there are new lustings of corruption every day hence we read the flesh lusteth against the spirit that is constantly daily and Jam. 4.5 the spirit that is in us lusteth to envy so it lusteth to worldliness to discontent impatience pride wrath c. Therefore we must constantly keep warring against our sin its motions are still renewed therefore we must still renew our blows our opposition our endeavour for their mortification a if fire break forth and it be beaten in or quench't yet so that it is still burning still flaming and issuing forth again then there is greet need why there should be still endeavours to extinguish it But the bare continuance and constant working of corruption is not all Secondly Satan is still endeavouring to quicken the deeds of the body he is still seeking to stir up this and the other lust in us to ingender hatch or beget new sinful motions in us in our corrupt nature The body of sin is as I may call it
the most peace is it not then when you are most eagerly ingaged against and hot in the pursuit of sin plotting contriving and by all means you can working its death The experience of all Christians I doubt not gives in restimony that this is true Sermon 5. THe second thing in the latter part of my Text now offereth it self to our serious consideration this necessary duty is to be performed through the Spirit whence the Doctrine is this D. 2. That the great work of mortifying killing or destroying the deeds of the body of sin is to be managed through the Spirit when we are called upon to mortifie our sinful affections our evil motions and the corrupt lustings within us the meaning is that this is to be done through the Spirit No truth more useful than this if well understood and received this is the principal thing that I would commend to you All know or generally it is confest that sins must be mortified but that this is to be done by in with or through the Spirit few in comparison understand I know nothing that needs to be taught among and prest upon Christians and more frequently to be inculcated than this There are three Queries concerning the truth now proposed which call for some Answer for the explication of it 1. What 's meant by the Spirit 2. Why is this work to be done through the Spirit 3. How is it thus to be done Q. 1. What 's meant by the Spirit A. Spirit signifieth diverse things in Scripture it hath several acceptations 4 of which I shall here take notice 1. By spirit is meant our spirit our heart and soul so the Apostle saith he did serve God with his spirit and Christ saith God is to be worshipped in spirit so we must mortifie the deeds of the body of sin in spirit with our whole heart and soul otherwise we shall not prosper in what we do all will be to no purpose if we have not a thorow will and sincere endeavour Christ saith many shall seek to enter in at the strait gate and not be able so many seek to mortifie their sins and are not able because they are not thorowly willing and resolved And then our main endeavour must be to mortifie sin within of which I spake before when sins are only kept from outward outbreakings they are no more mortified than Lions and Bears or such wild creatures when shut up and kept from ranging abroad Secondly Sometimes by spirit in Scripture is understood new nature the new man as it may be taken and seems to be in that 5. Gal. 17. where the Apostle saith the spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit thus we must mortifie our sins in by or through the spirit by the new creature through a principle of true grace acted and stirred up in us This is most certain no man can mortifie the deeds of sin without he have a contrary principle of grace for till the new man be formed in one there 's no good nothing but flesh but sin and the flesh neither will nor can mortifie it self as Satan casteth not out Satan neither doth lust cast out or destroy lust though it 's true sometimes one lust doth keep under another and hinder anothers working this or that way as a mans pride may put a stop to his covetousness though he have a covetous heart yet through predominant pride he scorns to be base and niggardly so covetousness may hold in pride as to it 's shewing it self in such or such a way because the man is coverous therefore he will not wear such cloths or do some other things which pride otherwise would cause him to do that he might have respect among men But sin cannot truely subdue sin no more than water can dry up water though one stream being stronger may stop and turn the course of another that hath less strength so pride may command covetousness or covetousness pride yet do they both live before God as the greater light may drown the less yet doth not extinguish it He that hath not a principle of true grace is under the power of fin therefore is not at liberty to mortifie or to will the mortification of his lusts in truth If there be war if there be killing and slaying there must be two parties the one against the other but in a graceless man there 's only one party one nature one kind of principles all sinful therefore he cannot kill or in truth set upon the slaying of his sin though he may possibly upon some outward account or to quiet conscience seek to curb some evil motions As it is against our nature as men to hurt our bodies so is it against our nature as sinful men to do any thing in good earnest and truth of heart towards the death of our sin Therefore a man must have a new nature which whosoever hath then he cannot but be striking at and wounding the deeds of corrupt nature because these two are perfectly contrary Yet they who have true grace need to be awakned and excited thereto more and more to lay out themselves therein through that grace they have received could it be that the actings of sin should be destroyed without contrary workings of grace it would little avail a man would not thereby be in the way of life but no lusting of corruption can be truely killed without a lusting and stirring of grace in opposition thereto as darkness is only dispelled removed by the shining forth of some light Therefore look O soul well to this that thou hast a new nature that thou beest a new Creature in Christ Jesus Thirdly Spirit is sometimes taken for the Gospel as opposed to the Covenant of works 2 Cor. 3.8 where the Apostle speaks of the ministration of the Spirit in opposition to the ministration of Death mentioned in the foregoing verse and verse 6. he saith we are Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life and thus some take Spirit 1 John 5.8 There are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood i. e. the Word the Gospel Baptism and the Lords Supper If we take Spirit in my Text in this sense It 's true the deeds of the body are to be mortified through the Gospel by Gospel truths and considerations for it is the Gospel only that is effectual to destroy our sins the Law is not sufficient to kill any Lust in us It may be by legal truths men may be frighted and chained as it were with the heavy chain of slavish fear so that they dare not sin as they used to do but the Law alone never was or can be sufficient to lay any sin dead The Law alone rather quickneth and stirreth up sin than destroyeth it sin is thereby revived not mortified Rom. 7.8 Without the Law sin was dead i. e. it lay as if
it had been so in comparison of those stirrings of it which he found when the Law came to his conscience verse 9. When the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the commandement which was ordained to life I found to be unto Death to his own death the death of his former hope and comfort not the death of his sin and thus he saith it was with others before converted verse 5. When we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death the motions of sin which were by the Law i. e. which were begotten or drawn forth by the Law through our corruption Therefore they are Gospel Truths especially and no Truths without these that are an efficacious means for the mortifying of sin These are the weapons of our warfare as the Apostle calls them 2 Cor. 10.4 which are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds they are spiritual and so effectual through God to the subduing our carnal affections As the work of mortification is begun so it is carried on but it is begun in regeneration and that 's by the Gospel as we read we are begotten again by that 1 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel Therefore the Gospel and the truths thereof should principally be made use of The curse of the Law should be considered but if a man would get his sin indeed destroyed let him seek a spiritual understanding of and let him be much in meditating on the grace of the Gospel the doctrine of Christ Fourthly By the Spirit is understood the Holy Ghost the third Person in the Trinity thus it 's taken both before my Text ver 9 and 11. as also after my Text ver 14 15 and 16 c. and in this sense we are to take it in the words I am upon if ye through the Spirit through the Holy Ghost i. e. through the Spirit of God do mortifie the deeds of the body Yet this includes the three other acceptations of the word Spirit for whoever do mortifie any sin through the Holy Ghost they are engaged in the work with their whole souls their whole heart is in it and they do destroy the deeds of the flesh by acting and exercising grace and this they do through hearing considering and acting Faith on Gospel Truths as will be shewn afterward Q. 2. Why is this work of mortifying our sins to be done by the Spirit of God A. 1. Because it cannot possibly be done without the Spirit of God Whatever is done against sin without the Spirit gives it no deaths wound it only covers or somewhat curbeth sin but doth not at all destroy it Christ saith John 6.63 It 's the Spirit that giveth life or that quickneth so it 's the Spirit that mortifieth the Spirit quickneth the Soul and the Spirit mortifieth sin in the Soul A dead carkass shall as soon maintain a fight against and kill a powerful enemy as any man slay his sin any one lust without the Spirit of God As it is natural to our visible body to save it self and every member thereof so is it natural to the body of sin and every member of that to save it self and as it is natural to a Father to save his Child so to Satan to do his utmost to defend and preserve fin in us Therefore it cannot be that we should of our selves or by the help of any creature alone mortifie any lust could we without the Spirit of Christ destroy our sin then might we be in a great part our own Saviours He that knows not the necessity of the Spirits special assistance in this work is certainly a great stranger to the mortification of sin that is most true in this case Zech. 4.6 Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts It is too great a work too mighty and too honourable for any one of himself to get the victory over sin which is our strongest and our worst enemy Outward enemies cannot be destroyed without the help of God especially when many and potent much less can spiritual enemies which are the worst and strongest Psal 33.16 17. There is no King saved by the multitude of an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength an horse is a vain thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength So all Means Duties Ordinances Power and Ability of the Creature is vain weak and to no purpose to deliver and save a man from his sin unless the Spirit of the Lord put its hand to the work and by its might effect it Secondly As this cannot be done without the Spirit so may it be done by the Spirit what though our lusts are never so many It 's all one as we read with the Lord to save with many or with few so is it all one with him to destroy many or few what was that great Host of Senacherib which came against Jerusalem one Angel of the Lord destroyed it in one night we read of the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin every sin is exceeding deceitful besides how deceitful is the heart how deceitful is Satan how deceitful is the world which is one great reason why we cannot mortifie our evil affections of our selves we want not only strength but understanding also our Lusts seem dead while in truth they live they make us think we wound them when the blow falls quite beside we seem many times to do all we can against our sins when it s nothing so that sin seems least in us which is greatest and most hurtful Now the spirit of God is a spirit of wisdom therefore through it we may destroy our sin notwithstanding its deceitfulness though we oft are the spirit of God cannot be deceived What though our iniquities are never so mighty the spirit of God is Almighty Ps 74.15 thou driedst up mighty rivers yet dryed and dryed up though rivers though mighty rivers or as the word is rivers of strength what great things did the spirit of God do in the creation when it moved on the face of the waters such like things it can do and doth when it moveth powerfully in our hearts Psal 93.3 The floods have lifted up O Lord the floods have Dfted up their voice the floods lift up their waves what then who can still them can any man No they as the Psalmist speaks make the Marriners at their wits end they know not how to save themselves much less to quell and calm the floods when they do lift up their voice and their waves to the highest I but the Lord the Spirit of our God is able to command them silence as it there follows verse 4. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters yea
than the mighty waves of the Sea so is no man Darius found himself too weak to deal with the waves when they broke his bridge of boats though he had a hundred thousand men at his command and is but laught at for his attempting by shackles and stripes to tame the tempestuous waters but Christ by commanding the sea to silence shew'd and made manifest the power of God Thus when our lusts lift up their voice when our flesh lifteth up its waves as it were in our souls the Lord is more mighty we are too weak to grapple with them but the spirit of the Lord is mightier than the strongest motions and most mighty lustings of sin within us It is sometimes thought by some when they feel this or that lust stirring strongly and when they have laboured long against it without conquest over it can this lust be subdued can it ever be mortified and sure it is we are all too full of unbelief as to God's power However some imagine they believe it enough hence they said can God prepare a Table in the wilderness yea Moses himself notwithstanding all he had heard seen and experienced of the power of God yet once spake doubtingly concerning it Numb 11.21 22. for which God rebuked him v. 23. saying is the Lords hand waxed short and hence though the Prophet makes a full confession of Gods power Jer. 32.17 Ah Lord God behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm and there is nothing too hard for thee yet observe in the following verses he seems to speak too unbelievingly concerning God's power so and so saith he it is with us yet v. 25. thou hast said unto me O Lord God buy the field for money and take witnesses for the City is given into the hands of the Caldeans therefore v. 26.27 Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah saying Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh is there any thing too hard for me As if the Lord had said thou say'st indeed there is nothing too hard for me but thou hast not so much faith of my power as thou oughtest to have thou hast too much doubting too much unbelief concerning my power it self But above all things a soul under a deep sense of the power of natural corruption is prone to doubt of Gods power as to the destruction thereof were there reason to doubt of the power of God in any thing there would be cause to question it in this if even any thing were too hard for the Lord this would to slay those lusts which grow in our corrupt nature the difficulty of destroying sin in us the Apostle intimates when he saith who shall deliver me from this body of death Wherefore this is needful to be declared and to be urged whatever our fins are the spirit of the Lord can mortifie them it can cause the body of sin and all the lusts thereof to wither and dye away as Christ did that fig tree which he cursed so that they should no more bring forth any fruit And the spirit of the Lord can so strengthen and assist us that though we be weak we shall be strong enough in its strength to lay dead every deed of sin 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings he can perfect praise There have been many who have had such like lusts as ours are who have been able through the spirit to tread them under their feet we read of seven Devils cast out of Mary Magdalen not that she was possess'd in her body but she was a notorious sinner she had mighty lusts whereby the Devils had great power in and over-her soul If I saith Christ by the spirit cast out Devils there are no Devils and so no lusts but may be cast out by the spirit so strong was Paul's envy and malice before his Conversion that Acts 26.11 he was exceeding mad against the Christians yet by the spirit he of mad was made sober those his lusts were destroyed and instead of being mad against Christ he became as besides himself for Christ 2 Cor. 5.13 whether we be besides our selves it is to God some accounted them because of their self denyal and fervency in Preaching the Word whereby they spent themselves as besides themselves what lusts had they 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. they were some of them for nicators Idolaters Adulterers Abusers of themselves with mankind Thieves Covetous Drunkards Extortioners the worst of sinners yet were they sanctified by the spirit of our God and if they were sanctified then their lusts were mortified through the spirit Therefore believe that your sins by the spirit may also be destroyed it is a good step towards the doing this to believe that through the spirit it may be done and the believing this is necessary Mat. 9.28 29. Believe ye that I am able to do this they said yea Lord then touched he their eyes saying according to your faith be it unto you i. e. according to their faith of Christ's ability so were their eyes opened Thirdly All whom the Lord hath chosen to salvation he hath elected them to this way through mortification of their sin by the spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience through sanctification and therefore through mortification how by the spirit so 2 Thes 2.13 We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you Brethren beloved of God because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit but no more sanctification of our souls than there is mortification of our lusts Fourthly Jesus Christ dyed for this 1 Joh. 3.5 he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin to take them away that is not only in the guilt of them but in the power and life of them and it is of the latter he there speaks as the context shews v. 6. whosoever abideth in him sinneth not that is he hath his sins taken away by him and so he sinneth not as he did nor as others do not with his whole man not with delight c. and as Christ came and dyed for this that our sins might be mortified so that this might be done by the spirit in that it cannot be done without it and hence Christ speaks of sending the spirit after his Crucisixion Resurrection and Ascension to deal with men about their fins and why but in order to the subduing them and that because for this he dyed and also rose and ascended and interceeds that those whom he saves may have the spirit to help them in this work Fifthly God hath promised his spirit to his people for this Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you for what v. 29. I will save you from all your uncleannesses that is God will
flesh So say I yeild to the Spirit to along with it so shal ye mortifie any deed of the Flesh If the Spirit go one way you will go another if the Spirit call and you 'l not hearken if that speak and you 'l not hear if that move and you 'l not follow the motions thereof then will the Spirit leave you to your selves See the V. following my Text the Apostle having said if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the Body he adds in the next words Rom. 8.14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God whereby he teacheth us that if we would mortifie the deeds of the Body through the spirit then we must be led by the spirit we must resign our selves to the conduct and guidance thereof Sixthly We must wait on the spirit if it doe not come in to our assistance if it do not help us as we desire we must continue waiting hold on looking for it begging it and using the means it hath ordained As they waited at the Pool of Bethesda for the moving of the waters by the Angel that they might be healed If the Angel came not and moved not the waters one day nor the next yea though he stayed one week and another still they waited there till he should come When Saul waited not for Samuel Samuel told him he did foolishly and he should lose his Kingdome So do they exceeding foolishly who wait not for the spirit of God and hence it is that many lose the Kingdom of Heaven and never get victory over their corruption because they will not continue waiting till the spirit come in to their assistance These six things we are to do that we may mortifie our sins through the spirit but it is to be remembred that neither can any of these be done without the spirit therefore we must ask it that we by it may be enabled to do these things Yet must we not sit still but we must put forth our selves stir up our selves and go as far as we can as well as we can It should be well noted The Apostle saith not If the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body in you but if ye through the spirit do mortifie them plainly declaring and testifying to us that though we can do nothing of our selves that shall be effectuall we must not be idle we must not sit still but we must rouze up our selves and as the little child that can't go alone yet strives to go when lead it moves it's leggs and doth what it can towards it's going so must we do to the utmost what lyes in us towards the mortification of our sins and so look for the spirit to carry us on in the work prosperously Application USe 1. Learn by the Truth to understand aright the councels exhortations and commands of Scripture this and that the Scripture saith you must do and you are oft call'd upon to do such things from the Word of God but how is it that you are to do them Remember alwayes though this be not every where or every time exprest this is meant this is alwayes understood you must do so and so through the spirit you must get the spirit and give up your selves to the spirit that you may do all and every of the things whereto you are counselled exhorted or commanded For this work of mortifying our sins is a generall work that hath an influence into even all other things that concern us to do or whereto we are obliged in our whole conversation nothing can be done as God requireth if this be not done every command of God implyes the subduing of some lust or other even lust being contrary to some command If then we are to mortifie our sins through the spirit through it therefore we are to yeild obedience to all the commands of the Lord. Use 2. Learn whence it is that the purposes resolutions and endeavours of men against their sin are so fruitlesse and ineffectuall how oft is it that men purpose resolve and take great pains to bring under this or that lust in them yet it retains it's strength yet it continueth your master notwithstanding Why whence is this It is because they have not learnt to put themselves into the hand of the spirit and to take that along with them in what they do They resolve but not through the spirit they strive they weep but they trust in themselves they call not for their eye is not to the spirit of God so all their resolutions vanish wither away all their attempts pains and industry prove abortive and in vain As it 's said concerning prayer Jam. 4.2.3 Ye lust and have not ye kill desire to have and cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not because ye ask not ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse so many do much they make a great deal of stir about the conquering their corruptions yet prevail not because they do all amisse as Christ saith Many shal strive to enter shal not be able so many strive to destroy their sin but are not able because they have not learnt to go forth against their evill motions under the conduct and in the power of the Holy Ghost Hath it not been thus sometimes with you Such a sin you have found working strongly in you you have made war upon it sought it's death resolved upon it's destruction but to no purpose It hath continued still living lively stirring as before learn then this day learn it well what hath been the cause even this know this to have been the reason you have not taken the right course you have not duly sought therefore have not truly had the spirit helping you which only hath power to strengthen and skill to direct you in that you have endeavoured As the Apostle saith the spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought So the spirit must help our infirmities or we know not in any case or matter relating to the good of our souls what to do as we ought When any labour against their sin without the spirit they do as one that takes a great deal of pains to open a dore without the right key or to cause a vessell to sail against the stream without any wind in a calm And perhaps you have observed that others they have got great victory over their sins in much lesse time you have striven long and yet are as trodden under foot by this and that base lust and another who began to look heavenward a great while after you is able to trample his sin under his feet How so because he is wise and being taught by the spirit hath taken the spirit along with him in all his endeavours and then no wonder As suppose two vessels set forth to one Port from severall harbours the one long after the other having divers leagues more to sail yet if
too much to acknowledge this cause thereof Secondly Remember to seek not only the spirit 's powerful but also its counselling and directing assistance we greatly need both we are weak therefore need the Spirit 's strength we are unwise and foolish therefore need its counsel As we have not power to do so neither understanding to discern what we should do against our sins what is the best way and course to mortifie them It is not unusual for men to take such a course for the destroying their sin as rather strengthneth than weakneth it Enemies are overcome as oft if not oftner by policy than by main force so our sins are to be conquered by wisdom as well as if not more than by strength Therefore look for the spirit to help you both as a spirit of power and also as a spirit of wisdom Thirdly Beg that the spirit would not only help you against your sins but that it would cause you to make use of and trust in it self for its help that it would shew you more and more your need of it convince you of your own weakness and foolishness that you may have no confidence in your selves but wholly depend on it Fourthly Set your selves against every sin through the spirit it may be you look for and desire the spirit's assistance against some special strong corruption but you must seek its help against all or you 'l hardly have it against any you must not think any sin so small that it needs not to be mortified nor any so weak that you can kill it of your selves it offends the spirit if you so think It 's much what a like evil to think any sin too strong to be subdued by the spirit and to think any so small that it need not or so weak that without the spirit it may be mortified Fifthly Make sure of this that you are in Christ and have received the spirit from him and then stedfastly expect its conduct powerful assistance and counsel for the destruction of your sins Look upon it as your helper and have a raised firm expectation without wavering of its help as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 4.18 the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom so you may and should say the spirit of the Lord shall deliver me from every lust and will preserve me from the dominion of every corruption yea and destroy all my sins it will never leave me nor forsake me till it have brought me off victorious it will help me it will give me a full compleat victory overall mine iniquities But let this your confident expectation be rightly grounded How is that I answer you should confidently expect the spirits full help upon these and such like grounds First As it is the spirit of the Father that which the Father hath promised and given you the promise of the spirit is called the promise of the Father Acts. 1.4 and Christ saith it proceedeth from the Father therefore look for it as so think not it will help you only or so much because you need it or will to be help'd by it or for any other reason with respect to your selves as because the Father willeth it should help you and hath promised and given it for that purpose and so it 's the Father's work to do in you and with you Secondly Expect it's help as the spirit of Christ as that which proceeds from the Son which Christ hath obtained and sent to you from the Father Christ dyed and ascended to interceed that you might have it he shed his blood also that your sins might be destroyed through it he hath sent it into your hearts therefore look for it 's help upon Christ's account and as you belong to Christ as you are in him his members so that what the spirit doth for you it doth for Christ as they who shew kindnesse to any of Christ's members feeding visiting clothing them he saith shew kindnesse to himself so the spirit helping you helps Christ as you are of his mysticall body Thirdly Expect the spirit's help also for it's own sake because you are it's Temple 1 Cor. 6.19 It hath freely come to you it doth dwell in you and it is to abide with you for ever John 14.16 therefore the spirit is concern'd in your welfare it helping you to mortifie your sins honoureth itself destroying your sins he destroyeth his own enemies the enemies of his own habitation his own temple Fourthly Expect it's assistance upon the account of the everlastingnesse and freenesse of the Covenant wherein God hath said he will give us his spirit and cause us to walk in his statutes which is to be understood for all our life long the Covenant gives assurance of the constant assistance of the spirit to the end upon such accounts as these stedfastly look for strongly expect the spirits help so certainly you shall not misse of it you may upon the grounds mentioned say of your sins as David to Goliah 1 Sam. 17.46 47. The Lord will deliver thee into mine hand and I will smite thee and take thine head from thee and all shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword spear for the battell is the Lords he will give you into mine hands Our trust in the spirit is not right if we expect not it's help the greater our expectation is the greater our trust and the greater engagement upon our friend to help us Fifthly If after all you at any time find sin prevailing yet be not out of heart if you are that 's the way to have it prevail again and more but stir up your selves to your duty in your spirituall warfare renew your trust in the spirit be more earnest in calling for it's help As Israel when they fled before the men of Ai they went and humbled themselves fasted and prayed so when you as flee before your sin when beaten by your spiritual enemies go to God be more importunate and urgent for help say with the Psalmist Psal 35.1 2. Plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me fight against them which fight against me take hold of shield buckler and stand up for my help draw out the spear and stop the way against them say unto my soul speak it feelingly to my sense I am thy salvation let them be confounded that seek after my soul c. And as it is in the Prophet Awake O arm of the Lord put on strength c. By no means give way to discouragement for that is unbelief and a dishonour to the spirit as also to your selves what is it but cowardise when a man is worsted and he falls down under discouragement in this he is more conquered than in the other A right souldier will stir up himself when foiled and prepare for a new assault with the more eagernesse That you may not at any time sinck under discouragement because of the prevalency of
Rev. 4.4 I saw twenty four Elders sitting clothed in white raiment and they had on their heads crowns of gold That is durable glorious crowns given them with respect to their conquering And what then V. 10. They fall down before the throne and woâ—ship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne saying thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory honour and power as if they had said though we are crowned yet we in our selves are not worthy of our crowns but thou art worthy of glory honour and power for by the power of thy spirit it is that we have vanquished our enemies and have won these Crowns It 's another principal way of grieving the spirit when we mortifying any sin through it do take the glory to our selves which we do when we grow high minded and puf't up in our spirits thereby And it 's one of the best evidences that our sins are indeed mortified by the holy spirit when our pride is mortified so that we are still humble as well when we overcome this or that lust as when we are overcome by it There is no sin more hatefull to the spirit of God than pride is therefore it helping us against other sins it will surely smite that Lastly Be exhorted to get more of the spirit you who are endued with it who have it dwelling in you Ephes 5.18 Be filled with the spirit the spirit is given by degrees and in divers measures the more you are filled with it the more you 'l be emptied of your lusts through it the more effectually and easily will you prevail against every sin that hath been too hard for you But how shall we gain more of the spirit I answer The same way the spirit is received at first more thereof is to be attained and that 's by faith The more we act faith on Christ and on the promises and the more we earnestly pray in faith the more shall we receive and be filled with that mighty sin-killing lust destroying spirit of the Lord. Sermon 8. and Last I Am now come to the last thing to be considered in this Text which I shall briefly dispatch and put an issue thereto D. 3. That they who do mortifie the deeds of the body of sin through the spirit they shall live As they who live after the flesh shall dy so they who do mortifie the affections lusts and motions of the flesh shall live so be it that they do this through the spirit because else it s not done in truth and to purpose And there is this difference to be remembred they who live after the flesh deserve tody they earn the wages of death it 's not so here that they who mortifie the deeds of sin do deserve to live for though as the Apostle saith Ro. 6. last The wages of sin is death yet the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ God freely gives life and Christ hath by his obedience to death obtain'd it 1 Joh. 3.9 In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him Christ was sent to dye that we might live otherwise we could never by any means have had life yet is this the mortification of sin the way to though not the cause of life it necessarily preceeds life Two things I shall speak a little to before I come to the Application 1. Shew how they shall live who do this 2. Give some reasons for the confirmation of the truth How shall they live who do this answer look how they shall dye who live after the flesh in a contrary way shall they live who mortifie the deeds of the flesh First If we do this we shall live the life of grace of holiness which is called the life of God Eph. 4.18 Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart How excellent how desirable is their life which is the life of God even that life shall we live let us but get our sin dead through the Spirit of God Christ the Son of God will live in us Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me He did through Christ dwelling in him live a spiritual holy life so shall we live it 's true none can do any thing this way to purpose till they are quickned and have some spiritual life in them can those who lye dead in their graves kill the worms that feed upon them No more can any while they lye dead in their sins mortifie their sins they have not the spirit therefore cannot act through it But if we do destroy our corruptions through the spirit then we are quickned and we shall retain that spiritual life we have 2 Pet. 1.10 If ye do these things ye shall never fall never fall as Adam did so as to lose our spiritual life as they of whom the Apostle speaks that they are twice dead though he means not that ever they had a reall principle of spiritual life should it be that any of us who have the spirit should grow quite negligent in this work of subduing our sins should we altogether give it over then should we become like those twice dead sin as I may say would choak would strangle our souls or the new creature in us But we continuing to keep under and to slay our sins so the life of grace we have shall be retained and we shall not fall into a dead frame yea thus shall we have life more abundantly we shall be more lively God-ward in all duties and good works Rev. 3.2 3. Christ exhorteth the Church of Sardis to strengthen the things that did remain which were ready to dye and for that end biddeth them repent mortifie their sin through the neglect whereof some good things were even as dead already and others were in a dying case it will not be so with us if we herein do our duty but all good will live in us and it will grow more lively so we shall be farther and farther from dying Secondly We shall live a life of peace and comfort as it is Gal. 5.25 we shall live in the spirit in the peace comfort and joy thereof the Kingdom of God we read consists in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost but the more we mortifie our sin through the spirit the more of the Kingdom of God as it consists in righteousness whereupon also we shall have the more of the Kingdom of God as it consists in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost we shall have the more sense of our justification and of our peace with God a more clear discerning of the forgiveness of our iniquities a more quiet and acquitting conscience more of the rejoycing of the testimony of a good conscience and the very slaying of our corruptions because they are
enemies will administer joy yea peace shall we have in great trouble joy in the midst of great sorrow for it s not affliction so much as corruption that deprives our heart of comfort peace and joy Nor can any trouble drown our consolation and chearfulness of spirit wholly if our sin be but mortified by the spirit 1 Pet. 1.6 though in heaviness by manifold temptations yet shall our hearts greatly rejoyce As Solomon saith of the worldly man's mirth Prov. 14.13 even in laughter the qeart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness so as to a Godly man's sorrow if he keep constant and diligent in warring against his sin even in his mourning his his heart is joyful and the end of that heaviness is gladness Perhaps God may withdraw and much try such a one and â—o his heart will have great sorrow yet not without a secret mixture of joy and if his comfort seem to be dead it is but as a sleep it will soon awake and no true joy or peace can be while sin is permitted to bear sway in the soul and is not heartily opposed Thirdly We shall live a life of all true spiritual happiness while we are here we shall have God's favour wherein as the Psalmist saith there is life and which is better than life yea for the most part at least we shall or may have the shining of it into us the light of God's countenance ever and anon lifted up upon us we shall have the blessing of God all things will be blest to us many afflictions will graciously be prevented those that come will be sanctified to us so that they shall not hurt us spiritually no more than the fiery furnace did the three Children outwardly our souls thereby shall not be so much as singed as their clothes were not by that devouring fire nothing shall befall us that will be evil to us in it's effect No good thing shall be wanting to us we shall thrive under ordinances we shall hear and live we shall be fed with and feed on the bread of life our duties and our labours shall live we shall experience the truth of those and other like words Psal 1.3 we shall be like a tree planted by the Rivers of water that bringeth forth its fruit in its season our leaf shall not wither and whatsoever we do shall prosper so the blessing of God will attend us and his favour compass us Fourthly When we come to dye a natural death we shall live much better we shall presently live in our souls perfectly and so shall we after a while live in our whole man Joh. 5.29 we shall come out of our graves to the resurrection of life as Christ liveth so shall we live and O how doth he live now there above 2 Cor. 13.4 though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God we also are weak in or with him but we shall live with him if sin dye in us through the spirit of Christ thereby we have great assurance that we shall live with Christ Rom. 6.8 if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him to him that overcometh saith the faithful and true witness Rev. 2.7 will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God which words seem to have respect to that spoken to Adam after he had sinned Gen. 3.22 23. lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and live for ever therefore the Lord God sent him forth out of Paradise now saith Christ though Adam having sin'd and being mortified by sin might not eat of or touch or come near the tree of life that he should live for ever as he hoped or supposed he thereby should yet to him that overcometh his temptations and corruptions will I give to eat I 'le not only permit him to eat but I 'le give him to eat of the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God even the third heavens that best place of all the creation as Paradise was of all the earth and so he shall live for ever far better than Adam in that state could have lived Hear men and brethren thus O thus shall ye live if ye will so fight against your sins as not to let them live in you They said of Paul Acts. 22.22 it 's not fit that he should live so the world may say of us and we considered in our selves have great reason to acknowledge we are not fit to live any life no not here in this present evil world but through grace we shall live a life ten thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand much better a life glorious and everlasting 2 Pet. 1.11 we shall have an entrance administred abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Now for a few arguments to demonstrate and help faith as to this truth that they who so do as is express'd shall so live as is declared First it must be so because otherwise the spirit's work in us should be lost the spirit 's helping and assisting us against our sins should be in vain to what purpose should the spirit of the Lord enable us in this work if we being help'd should not live but dye at last Therefore shall we live for the spirit 's almighty special work cannot be lost our working alone might well be and would be in vain and disowned by God but that which we do through the powerful assistance and effectual workings of the Holy Ghost will surely be owned by the Father for the spirit's sake and his own sake who sent it to strengthen us and Christ's sake also who obtained it for us Secondly The Spirit is the Spirit of life it 's he that quickneth Joh. 6.63 it is the living water the Scripture speaks of and if we mortifie our sins through it it hath quickned us we begin already to live through it and it dwelleth in us therefore we shall live more and more till we come to live the life of perfection and glory Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwel in you he that hath raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you and in the mean time it will be quickning our immortal souls as to that death whereto by sin they are obnoxious or lyable Thirdly Having the Spirit of Christ we are in him we are one with him and this is a sure evidence and infallible testimony that Christ hath dyed for us he hath so taken our sins upon him that he hath taken them away he hath so born them that he hath born them away for ever from us he hath satisfied divine justice as to all our iniquities and fulfilled the law and now appears in the presence of God for us Rom. 8.3 4. God sent Christ that the