in it making that the maine laying the stresse of their whole religion there Now I desire this may bee considered of us all that the maine Gospel-walking is the Spirit and though I am to walk in outward formes so farre as they are of Christs institution and to use them yet the maine of Christian Gospel religion lyes not so much in the outward forme as in the inward spiritual worship Therefore Paul speaking of Gospel-worship makes in principally to consist in this as Rom. 1.9 For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son c. and Chap. 2.28 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God and Phil. 3.3 For wee are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh and so Christ himself opposing the Legal and Gospel worship Joh. 4.21 22 23 24. shewes us that Gospel worship is chiefly and mainly worship in spirit Jesus saith unto her Woman beleeve mee the hour cometh when yee shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father yee worship yee know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth And therefore in Psam 45. which is a Prophesie of the Church of the New Testament it is said that the Kings daughter is all glorious within shewing us that the Saints of the New Testament their glory should be chiefly in inward graces This is the difference betwixt Old Testament worship and New Testament in the time of the Old Testament their worship did lye mostly in outward things outward observations of times and places c. the inward worship it was vailed under the outward So in the New Testament the maine worship is inward worship in spirit and the outward in many things seems to be vailed under that yet as then the outward worship did not exclude the inward but the inward was required and without in the outward was nothing so now the inward worship doth not exclude the outward but the outward is also required and where it may bee performed and is not I may say without it the inward is little or nothing as to Gods acceptance thereof Therefore I say let us not put too much in the outward forme though were are not to despise it yet let us not put too much therein Quest But when may a man be said to put too much in an outward forme Ans 1. When a mans whole religion lies in that when a man hath nothing to shew him to be religious or to make him so but some outward forme Many there are which goe with some outward forme upon their backs and doe but strip them of this their garment and they have no more Religion than the most irreligious man living they have nothing to shew them to be religious or to difference them from other men who have no religion at all but live without God in the world save only this they are in such an outward way or they doe now and then performe such an outward duty take them out of their way and from their duty and they have no more religion than a Horse all their religion it lies in the outside they have as little in their heart though they seeme to have much on their backs as any other men And indeed it is a very usual thing with many persons who faine would be rellgious and love to be so accounted and have no stock within to trade with to drive on a trade for a while as long as they can in this way Now I say when all a mans religion lyes in the outward forme it is evident such a one puts too much in it Thus it was with the Jews in Christs and the Apostles times their whole religion lay in this that they were the Sons of Abrcham and circumcised c. but see what Paul saith to them Rom. 2.28 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 2 When a mans love and charity is bounded up within the line of his own form or the way hee is in or opinion hee holds When a man hath no charity to spare for any but those that jump with him in his own way or opinion or if hee have charity for them yet because they do not fully accord with him in every thing hee can allow them but a little of his love or of the exercise of this his charity I have known some my self who have been so high against baptising of Infants that their charity would not allow that man one grain of grace who could not set his seal presently to this their opinion I speak not this to throw dirt in the faces of any but only to shew how that some men there are who put too much in Forms Paul undoubtedly you will all grant it had as much cause to bee confident of the truth of those Ordinances and Traditions hee delivered to the Churches as any man now living hath of his own way or opinion and yet hee had so much charity as to allow him to bee a brother which did not come up to his Traditions 2 Thess 3.14 15. And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother 3 When a man is so addicted to his owne way or forme that he cannot with patience hear what in a way of Christian love or humility is or may be said against it I speak of such things as are disputable where godly men have somewhat to say pro and con as we say now when a man is so set upon some outward forme that hee walks in or hath taken up as that hee cannot without flying out and shewing much passion much of man hear a word against any thing or principle by him taken up it argues hee puts too much in that outward forme though he may be in the right as to the thing yet this argues him to put too much in it Thus the Jews in the two and twentieth of the Acts they gave Paul audience till he came to those words Depart for I will send thee farre hence unto the
in Christ and another man ibid. Use 2. How blessed is the condition of every one that hath interest in Christ ibid. Use 3. Then how great a sinne and how much below their condition is unâ—â—leef in the people of God p. 112 Vse 4. This casts many persons and brings most men under condemnation ibid. Vse 5. This is comfort to the Saints against the guilt of all sin whatsoever p. 114 Serm. II. Doct. That our freedome from Condemnation comes from our in-being in Jesus Christ p. 115 That Saints have in-being in Christ proved p. 115. to 118 What in-being in Christ Saints have shewed p. 119 120 That by in-being in Christ Saints are freed from Condemnation proved p. 121 122 Object But I fear I have no in-being in Christ for surely had I in-being in Christ I should grow and thrive more than I doe c. answered p. 123 Object But my doubt is not so much about Gifts as Grace I doe not finde my self to grow in grace and this begets all my fears answered p. 124 125 Object But I doe not only finde a want of growth in grace but I clearly finde a declining in grace both in root and branches c. answered p. 126 Vse This shews us the glorious priviledges of all those that have in-being in Christ they are freed from condemnation p. 127 Serm. III. What is meant by Flesh and what by Spirit shewed in the general p. 130. to 133. in particular p. 133. to 136 What is meant by Legal walking shewed p. 137. to 140 When a mans walk may bee said to bee such a pure Legal walking or a walking after the Law as it is a Covenant of works shewed p. 140. to 145 Serm. IV. Why Legal walking is called walking after the flesh shewed p. 147 to 150 That those persons who are freed from Condemnation doe not walk legally or after the flesh shewed p. 150. to 152 An Objection answered p. 153 154 Vse 1. This discovers to us that there are abundance of rotten-hearted Professors in the World p. 155. to 158 Vse 2. By this we may also take a scantling of our actions as well as our persons p. 159. to 161 Vse 3. How sad and pittiful is the condition of Legal walkers they walk after the flesh p. 162 Serm. V. What Gospel-walking is shewed p. 164. to 166 That the Moral Law in Gospel-times is a rule to Beleevers proved by eight Arguments p. 167. to 172 That it is a rule only as it is in the hands of Christ proved by several particulars p. 172. to 174 Quest But how or in what way are wee to conceive of the Law as it comes in the hands of Christ answered p. 174. to 178 That to yeeld obedience to the Law as it is in the hands of Christ is Gospel-walking proved p. 178 179 Two great mistakes corrected p. 180 181 Serm. VI. When a mans walk may be said to be a Gospel walk or a walking after the Gospel p. 182 What is the Gospel Principle p. 183 Quest How shall I know whether the Spirit is the principle of my obedience answered p. 184 What are Gospel Motives p. 185. to 193 What are Gospel ends p. 193. to 201 Why Gospel walking is called walking after the Spirit p. 201 202 That all those that are freed from Condemnation walk after the Gospel p. 203 204 Serm. VII Vse 1. Hence we may learn the excellency of a Gospel walk p. 205 206 Vse 2. This shews us why there is such a mystery in Gospel walking that a meer Natural man cannot conceive what manner of walk a Gospel walk is p. 207. to 209 Vse 3. This truth it a touch-stone to try mens persons and actions by p. 210 Vse 4. Hence let us learn not to put too much in any outward forme p. 211 212 Quest But when may a man bee said to put too much in an outward form answered p. 213. to 218 Vse 5. Then you which are Gospel Saints follow the Spirit ibid. Quest But how shall I come to this to follow the Spirit answered p. 219 Quest But put the case the Spirit of God goes before me and I doe not know the same how shall I come to know it answered p. 220 221 4 Christs love to his owne On Joh. 13.1 The Text opened p. 222 223 Doct. Christs love to his owne is a choyse and an everlasting love p. 224 Who are meant by Christs owne ibid In what respects Beleevers are called Christs owne p. 225. to 231 That Christ hath a love to his own proved p. 232 That this love of Christ to his owne is a choyse and an everlasting love p. 233 234 The Application 1 Christ will not see his owne want p. 234 2 Let wicked men take heed how they wrong Beleevers p. 235 3 Let not Saints injure one another ibid. The second part of the Application 1 A Saint can never fall from the love of Christ p. 236 2 How blessed is the condition of the poorest Beleever ibid. 3 How then doe the Saints injure Jesus Christ c. ibid. 4 Take heed of sinning against this love p. 237 5 Serve God freely and without fear ibid. 6 Labour to get a portion of this love ibid. 5 True Gospel Humiliation On Zach. 12.10 The Text opened p. 240 to 251 Obs 1. That the pouring out of the Spirit upon any soul is the proper and peculiar work of God p. 252 Obs 2. In the last day 's the pouring out of the Spirit shall be very general p. 253 Obs 3. All grace is from the Spirit of God the spirit of grace ibid. Obs 4. The gift of the Spirit is the gift of Free Grace p. 254 Obs 5. One maine and special work that the Spirit of God puts souls upon where it is is the work of Supplication or Prayer ibid. Obs 6. In the last dayes there shall bee a greater pouring forth of the Spirit than or dinary p. 255 Obs 7. The sins of Beleevers doe pierce Jesus Christ p. 256 Obs 8. Christ must be looked upon as pierced by us before we can mourn ibid. Obs 9. When Christ is looked upon as pierced by us then we shall mourn ibid. Obs 10. That mourning which ariseth from the beholding of a pierced Christ is a very bitter and grievous mourning ibid. Obs 11. None can thus look upon Christ or mourn for him but only those upon whom God pours his Spirit ibid. Obs True Gospel Humiliation doth arise from a looking upon a pierced Christ ibid. That it doth not arise from any other thing and doth from this proved p. 257 What manner of looking upon Christ this is p. 258 How this looking upon Christ as pierced for sin begets this true Gospel Humiliation p. 260. to 264 6 The most effectual means to kill and subdue Sin On 1 Joh. 2.2 The Text opened p. 265 Obs 1. That the end of Gospel revelation is to keep men from sin p. 266 That this must needs be the end of Gospel
the two to chuse rather that God should be pleased than we Of Humility making us willing to stoop and vail our wills to God a proud will scorns to stoop Of Self-denial causing us to lay our owne desires and affections aside Of Patience enabling us to take any thing in good part from God without hard thoughts or words of or against his Dispensations Of Contentedness in suffering God to take any thing from us yea though it be our will which the most of men had rather part with their lives than part with Secondly I call it a frame wrought by the holy Spirit to distinguish it from meer Natural and Moral frames or those frames which may be in a man by the temper and disposition of nature or the exercise of morality Some persons there are that either by natural a sposition or moral exercise have so excelâ—ed in patience meekness temperance c. that a diligent observer of them should rarely in â—â—poâ—t of these things ever perceive them to be in the excess such have been among the Heathens formerly and such though they are thin sown may here and there be found yet but these dispositions though they seeme so calm as not to be disturbed by any acts or changes of the Creature neither doe nor can submit to the will of the Creator as is evident hence because being despoyled of those Vices opposite to the aforesaid Vertues they have and doe even thereby nourish and allow in themselves other Vices as Self-estimation Vain-glory c. as repugnant to the Will of God yea rather more than any of the other Thirdly I call it a frame within us to note the seat of it which is the inward man This submission to the Will of God it is a thing seated deep in the innermost parts of the Soul Hence 1 It is not alwaies visible in that Soul in which it is 2 It consists not in notion and speculation which is a thing more outward so much as in the exercise of the heart and action of the Soul 3 It can be only in those that are the true Children of God and Members of Jesus Christ because in all others not Gods Spirit nor any thing of its but Satan the Prince of Darkness bears rule in and possesseth the inward man Fourthly I call it such a frame by which the will of the Creature is brought freely quietly and with a holy delight to lay its self down at the feet of God to be disposed of according to his will not its owne 1 Freely this prostrating its self and its will at the feet of God is where this grace of true submission to Gods will dwells a free act This distinguâ—â—â—th it from that constrained submission found â—…me Some there are that will say when a cross an affliction comes well this is the Will of God I must submit to it but this Divine submission is another thing it makes the Soul not to submit of necessity but of choyse So farre as this Grace acteth in any the heart chooseth to be what it apprehends it is Gods Will it should be 2 Quietly that is 1 Without murmuring or repining at the thing Though Israel followed the Cloud and therefore are said to go after God in the Wilderness Jerem. 2.2 yet they did not submit to Gods VVill but were Rebels Numb 17.10 chap. 20.10 because they were ever murmuring 2 Without fretting which is somewhat more than the former the waspish Child frets when the Father or Mother on 't lets him have his will but the towardly obedient Child frets not when his Father denies him this or that thing because hee wills to have nothing but what his Father will let him have 3 Without charging God foolishly i. e. complaining of his dealings as though hee were hard and over severe to us This was a sweet frame in Job chap. 1.22 yet here mistake not I doe not say that we should especially when the thing in which we are to submit sits very close and pincheth hard make no complaint to God that were stupidity but we are not so to complain as to charge God or lay any blame on him I may in a sober submissive way tell him how great my affliction is how unable I am to bear it but I must not blame him for laying it on me 4 Without striving and strugling against the streame i. e. running cross in our affections desires endeavours to that thing which God is doing or about to doe with us 5 Without perplexing our selves about the issue VVe ordinarily look to the issue of Gods Actions concerning us O what will be the issue and we conclude the worst whereas our duty is where we see his Will to be quiet and trust him with the issue of his actions 6 Without shifting and sharking to avoyd Gods will How did Jonas shark to put off that work God sent him about and Moses little less at first when God was sending him into Aegypt 7 Without providing our selves before-hand with shelters to fence our selves against that evil that we doe fore-cast will come upon us by giving our selves up to Gods Will. Some will doe Gods Will but so as that if danger befall them they will have their shelter ready and be provided before-hand whereas this is an Argument of a distrustful unquiet spirit my duty is to doe what I apprehend is Gods Will and trust God to shelter me 8 VVithout risings swellings and boylings of heart against God bringing forth desperate speeches such as was that 2 King 6. last 3 With a holy delight i. e. approving of the thing and delighting in it whatsoever it be so farre as I see Gods Will therein thus Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good Thus also Hezekiah Isa 39.8 Good is the Word of the Lord. Fifthly and lastly I adde in every thing i. e. in every thing so farre as God shall make knowne his VVill in that thing but not otherwise for this Divine submission is to that thing that hath Gods VVill written upon it and not unto a blank II. The DIVISION of it THis submission to the Will of God is two-fold 1 GENERAL which I take to be this when the bent and inclination of the Soul stands to that thing whatsoever it be which is the Will of God when God shall reveal and make known to me his Will to be in that thing This may be where particular acts of submission are not 2 PARTICVLAR which I understand to be this when the Will of God being revealed to me in this or that particular case whatsoever the case be though ever so contrary to my owne will or interest yet I strait way submit to and close in with the VVill of God Upon this distinction I ground these two Positions 1 That when the particular thing in which I am to submit is dark to me a submission to the Will of God in general is of God accepted and accounted submission to
will deny that this is or can be found in persons actually not freed from condemnation none will affirme therefore it must be in those who are freed from condemnation 4 And lastly Such doe not walk after the Law as it is a covenant of works because did they they could not be freed from condemnation as they are for it is a contradiction to say a man walks after the law i. e. observes the law and is subject thereunto as he that walks after it is and yet to say that the â—aw cannot condemne him if he disobey or break it what is the law if it cannot condemne take away the penalty and you make the law a nullity the force and power and terrour of the law lies in the penalty it inflicts upon Offenders take this away and it remains a law in name not in force or power any longer Obj. But are there not some who cannot in charity but be looked upon as having an interest in Christ so consequently are exempted from Condemnation who yet notwithstanding seeme to be very legal in their walking they have an eye much to themselves and to their owne comfort and happiness in their duties and when they goe about a duty they act much in their owne strength and also are very prone when they have done any good work to rest upon it and to draw comfort there-from now if it be so that those who are freed from Condemnation doe not walk Legally what shall we judge of such persons whom wee cannot but beleeve are gracious and yet have so much legality in them Ans It is one thing for a man to walk legally after the way of the old Covenant and it is another thing for a man to walk by the light and direction of an Old Testament spirit an Old Testament spirit though it have much legality in it yet is it not a pure legal spirit and for a man to walk with an Old Testament spirit though there bee much legality here and there in his walking yet is not his walk a pure legal walk For opening of this consider that the people of God in the dayes of the Old Testament were under a Twofold Covenant at the same time viz. the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and a Covenant of works given forth at Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses to the Nation of Israel Now being under both these Covenants at once the Covenant of Grace and a Covenant of Works both which had influence upon their spirits their actions were oftentimes mixt being neither purely Gospel nor purely Legal so much as they kept their eye upon the Covenant of Abraham so much they were of Gospel Spirits and their works were Gospel works and on the contrary so much as the Covenant of Moses had command over them and did reach their spirits and Consciences so much their spirits were legal and their actings legal so that there did plainly appear something of Grace and Legality in the Spirit and actings of most of the Old Testament Saints and yet notwithstanding though there was somewhat of legality in their spirits and actings by vertue of their being under the old Covenant yet were not their actings purely Legal nor their walk a pure Legal walk because they had in their walking and acting respect too unto that other Covenant made with Abraham which was a Covenant of Grace Now although this old Covenant was abrogated upon the coming of Christ and is now of no longer force to the Saints in the New Testament yet in regard this Covenant is more natural to us than the other and also was once in being in the times of the Old Testament and the disannulling thereof is not presently made clear to a Soul especially which hath but a little Gospel light it therefore comes to passe that many of the people of God in the New Testament times following too much the natural way and reading of the Old Testament of such a kinde of Covenant that once was in being and not having light enough in the Gospel to see that the same is abrogated and done away they by poring upon these things and considering of them have an Old Testastament spirit begotten in them than is a spirit much like unto the spirit of Saints who lived under the Old Testament by reason whereof those actions and duties which flow from them are like theirs being neither purely Gospel nor purely Legal but partaking somewhat of either Hence sometimes slavish fear sometimes much self-love is discernable in their actions which things are common in Old Testament Saints and yet notwithstanding as those were so may these bee true Saints onely they are of an Old Testament spirit by reason whereof something of the Law and Old Covenant doth stick and cleave to their walkings and actings and there is also something though it may bee under much darknesse of the New Covenant also in these which makes them that they are neither pure Gospel-walkings nor pure Legal but as it were a mixture of either They are in short Gospel Saints but in an Old Testament garb New Testament Saints but of an Old Testament spirit Use 1. Is it so that Legal walking is walking after the Flesh Then this discovers to us that there are abundance of rotten-hearted Professors in the world How many persons are there who walk after the Flesh I mean who are pure Legal walkers Should wee come to those who are Professors the general bulk of Professors who walke in a way of duty and search them narrowly wee should finde ten to one to be Legal walkers All their Religion their duties their prayers tears repentance c. it springs from the Law the Law is principle and motive in their obedience the great and onely wheel and engine that turns all and carries them to all that they do Such a man prayes in his Family is a frequenter of Sermons c. But why Alas hee dares not do otherwise the Law over-rules him the Law hath got command in his conscience so that should hee not pray c. and do some good and avoid some evil hee should have no peace nor quiet within his conscience would bee his tormentor and continually lash him and therefore hee doth these things not out of any love to the thing hee doth no hee hates them counts them his burden and intolerable task and would gladly could hee finde a way to avoid hell and get heaven without doing of any of these things throw off all but because hee knows no other way hee therefore goes on though fore against his will moving heavily as the Egyptian Chariots when they had lost their wheels in a track of duty And therefore you shall observe that such persons when they come to hear of the free grace of God and the Gospel-way to salvation by Christ without the works of the Law if a Minister come and tell them that would they go to heaven and bee saved the way is not to worke
have fewer Ordinances I mean outward Ordinances and those wee have are more spiritual Gospel-worship is one step nearer to Heavenly than Legal worship Persons are more Spiritual Saints of the Old Testament excepting some few who were the Pen-men of the Holy Ghost had but a little of the Spirit the Spirit then being not powred down then the promise of the pouring out of the Spirit being made to Gospel times Precepts are more spiritual compare the ten Commandements of Moses with the Precepts of the New Testament and see how spiritual the one are in regard of the other Promises are more spiritual abundance of their promises did relate to outward and temporal good things wee under the New Testament have but few promises of outward and temporal things but abundance relating to spirituall and eternall things therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 8.6 The New Covenant that is the Gospel is established upon better promises than the old was Yea the whole administration take it in the bulk is more spiritual and therefore when the Apostle compares the two Administrations he calls the one the Letter the other the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 Moses or the Legal Administration is the Letter Christs or the Gospel Administration the Spirit So also the conversation or walking of Saints under the Gospel is more spiritual by far then theirs was under the Law and therefore it is called a walking in heaven Phil. 3.20 3 Because There is a mighty power that goes along with a Gospel-walk The Spirit is called Power Luke 24.49 Now take a Gospel Saint and he hath more power than five hundred Legal persons I can do all things saith Paul through Christ that strengtheneth mee 4 Quest But do all those that are freed from condemnation Walke after the Gospel Answ Yea though here that there may bee nothing laid as matter of temptation before scrupulous and troubled souls consider that there are two sorts of persons that are freed i.e. actually freed from condemnation 1 There are some are freed from condemnation but being but newly come to this their freedome and having been all the time of their life before trained up under the Law in the School of the Law and been Apprentices to the Law they can hardly beleeve it the thing seeming strange to them that they should bee from under their other Master that they are freed and therefore though they are indeed freed from condemnation yet not beleeving it or with difficulty beleeving it And on the contrary being with ease perswaded that they are still under the command of their old Master their walke which hath much dependance upon the knowing or beleeving this their freedome is not a pure Gospel-walke but rather an Old Testament walk a walk much like unto the walk of the Saints in the time of the Old Testament which as I have formerly shewed was neither purely Gospel nor purely Legal but partaking of either So that in these persons although there is somewhat of the Gospel at the bottome yet may there bee much of the Law at the top much doubting darkness fear terror c. and yet for all this they may bee true Saints and Gospel-walkers as the Gospel is at the bottome of their actions the Spirit of God at the bottome though darkness fear terror c. at the top 2 There are others who are not onely freed from condemnation but injoying and beleeving this their freedome and knowing that the Law their former husband hath now nothing to do with them but they are onely under the commands of Christ who is their King Law-giver and Husband their walke is a pure Gospel-walke i.e. there is not that darkness doubting fear self-love in their walking as in the walkes of the other but their actions do spring from pure love to God to the glory of God love to their neighbour c. Now the things that I have before spoken of as touching Gospel-walking do chiefly relate to these latter sort of persons Thus much for the opening of this Truth the Application I shall leave to the next opportunity The Application SERMON VII Rom. 8.1 Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit WAlking after the Flesh and Spirit as you have heard holds forth the one of these two either Legal or Gospel-walking or walking after the Old and New man I am upon the words in the first sense as they hold forth Legal and Gospel-walking and so I have laid down these two Propositions Legal walking is walking after the Flesh Gospel-walking is walking after the Spirit Of Legal walking I have spoken the last day I made an end of the Doctrinal part of the other viz. Gospel-walking I now proceed to Application Vse 1. Is it so that Gospel-walking is walking after the Spirit then hence we may learn the excellency of a Gospel-walk every thing the more of Spirit it hath in it the more excellent it is Now Gospel-walking is a walking after the Spirit there is much of the Spirit in it the whole walk of a Gospel-Saint so farre as hee walks according to the Gospel is directed by the Spirit and therefore it is of all others the most excellent walk This Gospel-walk it excels a pure Natural walk or a Legal walk in a pure Natural walk there the Principle is Natural light Natural conscience in a Legal walk there the Principle is fear and apprehension of wrath but now in a Gospel-walk the principle is the Spirit now by how much the principle is more excellent by so much the action duty the walk is more excellent As let a man have two Servants one serves him out of love and from a principle of ingenuity because he hath received some favour from the hand of his Master the other serves him for fear or in hope to receive somewhat from his Master he doth the most excellent service that serves him out of love and from ingenuity because the principle is most excellent whence that hee doth ariseth Gospel obedience is excellent obedience there is a stamp of Divine excellency upon that which is upon no other obedience in the world and the more any Christian comes to this to walk and to obey according to the Gopel the more excellent Christian he is A pure Gospel-walking it is the highest sublimest the most excellent walking on this side the walk of glorified Saints in Heaven which should bee a mighty encouragement to us all to presse after this Gospel-walk Vse 2. This shews us why there is such a Mystery in Gospel-walking that a meer Natural man cannot conceive what manner of walk a Gospel-walk is why because Gospel-walking is a walking after the Spirit The Natural man saith the Apostle perceiveth not the things of the Spirit neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned though a Natural man hath knowledge and insight into the things of Nature and the things of Morality because these are within the sphere of his reason and natural understanding and also
into the things of he Gospel in a notional way as he takes up these things by relation of others and beleeving and giving credit to those Principles which from relation he hath received he is able by his parts and reason and Natural understanding to deduce and inferre from these other Principles and Conclusions whereby in a Notional way he may by meer parts of Nature attaine to a competent measure of Gospel-knowledge yet the things of the Gospel as they are the things of the Spirit i.e. things made out to him not by relation of others but by the inward revelation inspiration and teaching of the Spirit of God are Mysteries to him they are things out of his sphere which his reason and natural understanding cannot reach and therefore he is blinde in these things A blinde man we know can guesse at things when he hath them declared to him by relation of others which have their sight and see those things but though he guesse at them yet hee cannot passe a right judgement upon them his conceptions are dark and cloudy various and too and fro and not those clear and stedfast conceptions which another man which hath his sight and sees and beholds these things hath of them So a Natural man when hee hears the things of the Spirit discovered to him by another which sees and enjoys these things he though he have not the Spirit yet by his reason and parts he can Divine and guesse at these things but in respect of clear and certaine conceptions hee hath them not so all these things are Mysteries and Riddles to him And hence it is because the Natural man neither doth know nor can know wanting the true inward Spiritual light what manner of things the things of the Spirit are nor what manner of walk this Gospel-walking or walking after the Spirit is therefore is he uncapable of passing any right or true judgement upon the actions of the Spiritual man or Gospel-walker I say a natural man cannot pass a right judgement upon the actions of one that is a Saint or Son of God and led by the Spirit because they are things beyond his sphere and out of the compasse and reach of his understanding As saith a godly man Valdesto Consid 95. take a Worme that is bred of the corruption of the Earth this Creature is not able to conceive of the Generation of the Sons of men how one man is generated of another nor of the actions of Mankind because all these things are things alienated from her generation yea put the case one worme should understand this and goe about to make other worms capable thereof yet could she never doe it because these are things alienated from their generation so take a Natural man he is altogether unable to passe a right judgement upon the actions of the Sons of God which they doe as led and guided by the Spirit because these are things altogether alienated from that which he in a Natural way doth feeles knowes or experiments in himself yea should one Natural man bee able to passe a right judgement upon the actions of a Spiritual man yet could he not make others capable thereof because the judgement of Spiritual things is a thing alienated from their generation Therefore saith the Apostle 1 Cor. â— 15 The spiritual man judgeth all things c. that is the spiritual man hee can see quite through another man he can see through his actions and designes what hee can doe and whither all tends hee can see through the Principles of another what they are what good there is in them and how they will hold but hee himself is judged of no man that is no man which hath not the Spirit is able to judge of him his actions principles c. wherein hee is guided by the Spirit the walk and actions of the Spiritual man are a Mystery and Riddle to other men whereas their waies and walkings are clear to him And truly the consideration of this hath oftentimes made me afraid to pass a judgement upon the principles or actions of such men whom I have seen to have more of the power of the Spirit than my selfe had Vse 3. This truth is a Touch-stone to try mens persons and actions by would we judge of men would wee judge of actions what in deed or in truth they are the judge of them by what there is of the Spirit in the one or the other 1 For Persons the great difference all along the New Testament betwixt Saints and Sinners is this and only this one hath a Spirit the other not Saints have a Spirit Sinners have not the Spirit We have the Spirit saith Paul and again If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his He makes the great business of judging persons whether they bee right or wrong sincere or hipocrites sound or rotten to lye in this the having or not having of the spirit In the Primitive times when Christians came together they used to ask one another Have you received the Spirit they did not judge of men as wee doe now such a man is a good man he praies hears c. no but hath the Spirit there are a hundred things which men look upon and call godliness which indeed are no part of it for a man to pray and performe some Moral duties which Natural Conscience may compel a man unto this doth not make a man a godly man but this is that which makes a man a godly man indeed and distinguisheth him from all the Sinners of the World the having of the Spirit therefore Christ when he speaks of sending of the Spirit Joh. 14. he saith I will send the Spirit whom the world cannot receive this is that wherein a Saint out-strips and goes beyond all the world besides hee hath the Spirit which the world cannot receive 2 For actions would wee know whether such a mans actions are right or wrong look to this doe they come from the Spirit one man may doe the same things for the outward work as another doth and yet one may be right and the other wrong one may be a Gospel-work the other not because one may come from the Spirit the other may be only flesh springing from Natural Conscience or Natural parts gathered up together Judas repented as well as Peter but Peters coming from the Spirit and Judasses not his was a Gospel-act and not the other It is not the outward walk but the inward principle that makes the difference of walking Vse 4. Then hence let us learn not to put too much in any outward forme I am not of their minde who are against all formes for out ward formes there are as well as duties of Christs owne institution but this I say sith Gospel-walking is walking after the Spirit let us not put too much in the forme Some men there are that put too little in the forme and so they throw it by others put too much
ask Christ for it say Lord give mee thy love I have heard so much that I am taken with thy love Lord give mee thy love I say come to Christ cast thy self upon Christ in the Promise say Lord thou hast said thou wilt love freely and why not me freely and for encouragement let me leave that sweet word with you Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Him that comes I will in no wise cast out whatsoever he comes for True Gospel Humiliation One SERMON on Zach. 12.10 And I will pour upon the House of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall look upon him whom they have peirced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first borne THis whole Chapter is nothing else but a bundle of precious Promises laid down in a Prophetical manner of great and glorious things to the Church and people of God in the last dayes It tells us what God will doe to and against the enemies of his Church and what God will doe for and in his people and therefore if you observe it the Prophesie of this Chapter verse 1. it is called the burden of the Lord for Israel Mal. chap. 1.1 calls his the burden of the Lord to Israel because what he spake was mostly against Israel in way of reproving them for their sins and so it was directed to them this is the burden of the Lord for Israel because what is here spoken it is either something that God will doe against his enemies in the behalf of Israel for Israels sake or somewhat which God in a way of Grace and Mercy will doe to Israel or bestow upon Israel though I take it it is called the burden of the Lord for Israel in the first respect in respect of what God in the last dayes will doe for Israel against his enemies for if we take it for what God in a way of Mercy will doe to Israel it cannot so properly be called a burden now here we finde God in vers 1. being now to appear for Israel against his enemies coming forth in the greatness of his power be comes forth as the Psalmist speaks like a Giant refreshed with wine and as Esay saies as one that would work and none should let it the first sight wee have of him wee behold him in the greatnesse of his power saith the Lord which stretcheth forth the Heavens and layeth the foundation of the earth he comes as one travelling in the greatnesse of his strength mighty to save and as hee appears in the greatness of his strength so of his Wisdome too that formeth the spirit of man within him as to say his Wisdome is farre beyond the wisdome of any man or of all men put together for whatever is in any man or men it is from him he hath put it in them hee foreth the spirit of man within him Thus God comes forth being to march against his enemies in the behalf of his people in the greatness of his Strength and Wisdome as one that is able to doe it and will carry the day and to the end that all his Adversaries might quake and tremble at the very newes and noyse of such an enemy so wonderful in power and policy coming against them But you will say What doth God doe now he is up why as he ariseth in the greatnesse of his power and wisdome so being up hee doth great and wonderful things and therefore at the very beginning he calls for a behold from his people vers 2. Behold denoting that he would have his people in an especial manner to attend unto and observe the things he was at present doing and about to doe Now what are they why you finde in the following words and verses some things that he would doe against his enemies and some things for his people As first he would make Jerusalem a cup of trembling c. As a man that drinks up a cup of Poyson through the operation of that within him is inwardly filled with trembling the Natural spirits and vitals whilst they are in combate with the Poyson doe tremble so all those which should head and be gathered together against Gods Judah and Ierusalem thinking to drink up Ierusalem and to devour her they shall finde Ierusalem to be unto them like a cup of Poyson it should set them all on trembling and instead of ruining Jerusalem they should bee ruined by her And againe vers 3. In that day i.e. in the last dayes as I shall clear afterwards will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone as a man that offers to take up a great stone too heavie and weighty by farre for him to bear sinkes downe under the same and is crushed to peeces by it so those whosoever they be though all the earth bee gathered together which shall make War against Gods Ierusalem thinking to dispose of and carry her about at their pleasure shall finde her to bee so weighty a burden that they shall even sinke down under her and bee crushed in peeces by her And again vers 3. I will smite every horse with astonishment and his Rider with madnesse and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah Horse and Horsemen wee know are the strength of an Army Now when a Horse is filled with astonishment wee see hee flyes back and instead of offending the enemy hee destroyes friends and so proves the ruine of those who march out with him And when a Horse is blinde hee is of no use at all to doe any service in a way of offence or defence And when a man is mad and hath lost the use of his reason hee can make no more difference than a very beast betwixt friends and foes but falls upon all alike and ever upon those that are next to him So that it is as if God should say In that day when multitudes of wicked men and the enemies of my Sion shall bee gathered together against her thinking to destroy her and root her out for ever then will I do this I will open my eyes i.e. I will cast a gracious and a merciful eye upon my Judah and for her sake I will make Horse and Horsemen i.e. the whole strength and power of the enemy altogether unserviceable for the doing of any hurt or prejudice to my Sion or for the defending of themselves from Sions stroak which shall fall upon them and serviceable onely for the ruining and destroying of themselves and of one another And again verse 5. Here wee have a Prophesie concerning the Governours of Judah as concernig Judahs enemies in the former verses and what is it Why this The Governours of Judah shall say in their heart it seems to mee from this verse and likewise
times of the Law God gave his Spirit but only to some few extraordinary men as Prophets c. in the beginning of the Gospel God poured it downe upon many more upon Apostles and many Brethren but not all but now in the last daies upon all flesh for I take it that this Prophesie of Ioel relates to the last daies though in the beginnings of it it was fulfilled in the Apostles time add so Ierem. 31.34 And they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall shall know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord speaking of the last daies it is said They shall all know me So Isa 65.20 The childe shall dye an hundred years old i. e. in knowledge very Children shall have the Spirit poured downe upon them O what a glorious time will this be when all the Saints shall be filled with the Spirit when you cannot goe to a Saint but you shall finde Gods Spirit breathing in him and how should this stirre up every one of us upon whom these last daies are coming if not come to labour after the Spirit Is it not a shame that the nearer this time comes the more Carnal instead of Spiritual we should be Obs 3. All grace it from the Spirit of God the spirit of grace we have no grace in our Nature but all is from the Spirit as the fruits thereof Gal. 5.22 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance Obs 4. The gift of the Spirit is the gift of Free Grace This is taken from those words the Spirit of Grace interpreted in the latter sense Obs 5. One maine and special work that the Spirit of God puts Souls upon where it is is the work of Supplication or Prayer and Supplications the Spirit coming from God it loves much to be carrying out those Souls where it is to God Prayer it is a Natural work to that Soul where the Spirit is and as the Spirit of God puts Souls upon Prayer so the Spirit of God acts the Saints in Prayer or as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. Prayes in them sometimes by enabling them with words sometimes by filling them with groanes unutterable i. e. a Soul that prayes by the Spirit hee hath inward groanings for many things more than hee can utter it may be he speaks one Petition and at that instant groanes for twenty the groanings of the spirits in the Saints hearts whilst they are in prayer being farre more large and extensive than the expressions of the mouth are or can bee and which may bee a matter of abundant comfort to us the answer of God is not according to the expressions of our mouth but the desires and groanings of his owne Spirit O would we know then how to pray as we should let us labour for the Spirit we shall never pray without it perhaps we may speak good words and fine expressions as many can who yet never prayed in their lives and know no more what Prayer means than I know the way to Rome but alas prayer doth not lye in these things in speaking good Language and putting up fine Petitions if that be all no Prayer is another thing it is the breathings of the Spirit in the hearts of the Saints after God and to God many times that soul prayes and that excellently powerfully who perhaps is not able to speak a word or if hee do hee is not able to speak ten words true sense together when as another which speaks fluently and orderly and that for houres together perhaps prayes not a word all that time Observ 6. In the last dayes there shall bee a greater powring forth of the Spirit than ordinary This I gather from the last thing in opening the words viz. the time when this shall bee that day Hence the word pouring is much used when the giving of the Spirit in the last dayes is spoken of denoting an abundant measure of the Spirit which shall at this time bee given forth for what was formerly wherein God did as it were drop his Spirit now hee poures it forth and the reasons are because God hath greater works to do in the last dayes and the Church comes nearer to mans estate and the people of God have more and greater enemies to incounter with than in former times they had and therefore God gives them more of the Spirit what a mercy then is it to be brought forth and to live in the last dayes And how doth it call upon us all the nearer these times draw on to bee the more spiritual Thus much for the Observations from the first part of the words I come now to the second the effects of this powring forth of the Spirit They shall look on him whom they have pierced Observ 7. The sins of beleevers do pierce Jesus Christ This is implied in that they look upon him whom they have pierced Observ 8. Christ must bee looked upon as pierced by us before wee can mourn They do not mourn nor shed a tear till then Observ 9. When Christ is looked upon as pierced by us then wee shall mourn They look on him and do mourn Observ 10. That mourning which ariseth from the beholding of a pierced Christ is a very bitter and grievous mourning And they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely Son Observ 11. None can thus look upon Christ or mourn for him but only those upon whom God pours his Spirit I will poure out my Spirit and they shall look and they shall mourn I shall wave all these and pitch upon one Observation from the latter part of the words which is this viz Observ True Gospel-humiliation doth arise from a looking upon a pierced Christ In the opening of this point I shall shew 1 That it doth not arise from any other thing and doth from this 2 What manner of looking upon Jesus Christ that is which doth beget true mourning or Gospel-humiliation 3 How this Gospel-humiliation is begotten in the soul from a looking upon Jesus Christ Of the first That it doth not arise from any other thing and doth from this 1 It doth not arise from nature There is a kinde of humility in many a man by nature but this is not Gospel-humility and there is too a natural sorrow but this is not Gospel-humiliation This is an herbe that grows not in Natures garden any other humiliation saving Gospel-humiliation may grow there 2 It doth not arise from imitation of others the examples of others Some things which are not natural are done by imitation as an Ape will do many things by imitation which are not natural but this doth arise from hence seeing another humbled and imitating him 3 It doth not arise from a sense or discerning of sin in a man Many there are who see their sin and will acknowledge the same natural light