How shall any venture to look in to these secrets of the Lambs book of life and read their name there undoubtedly they belong not to us they are a light inaccessible that will but conâ—ound anâ— darken us more Therefore whoever would know their election according to the Scriptures must read the transcript and copy of the Book of Life which is written in the hearts and souls of the elect the thoughts of God are written in his works upon the spirits of men his election hath a seal upon it The Lord knoweth who are his and who can break up this seal Who hath understood the mind of the Lord None can untill the Lord write over his thoughts in some characters of his Spirit and of the new creature in some lineaments and draughts of his own Image that it may be known they are the Epistle of Christ not written with ink and paper but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3.3 Christ writes his everlasting thoughts oâ— love and good-will to us in this Epistle and that we may not think this doth extol the creature and abase Christ it is added vers 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves but our suffiâ—iency is of Goâ— The seeing of grace in our selves doth not prejudge the gâ—ace oâ— God unless we see it independent of the fountain and behold not the true rise of it that we may have no matter to glory of It is not a safe way of beholding the Sun to look straight on it it is too dazling to our weak eyes you shall not well take it up so but the best way is to look on it in water then we shall more stedfastly behold it Gods everlasting love and the redemption of Jesus Christ is too glorious an object to behold with the eyes of flesh such objects certainly must astonish and strike the spirits of men with their transcendent brightness therefore we must look on the beams of this Sun as they are reflected in our hearts and so behold the conformity of our souls wrought by his Spirit unto his will and then we shall know the thoughts of his soul to us If men shall at the first â—â—ight climb so high as to be perswaded of Gods eternal love and Christs purchase for them in particular they can do no more but scorch their wings and melt the wax off them till they fall down from that heaven of their ungrounded perswasion into a pit of desperation The Scripture-way is to go downward once that ye may go up first go down in your selves and make your calling sure and then you may rise up to God and make your election sure You must come by this circle there is no passing by a direct line and straight thorow unless by the immediat revelation of the Spirit which is not ordinary and constant and so not to pretended unto I confess that sometimes the Spirit may intimate to the Soul Gods thoughts towards it and its own state and condition by an immediat overpowering testimony that puts to silence all doubts and obejctions that needs no other work or mark to evidence the sincerity and reality of it that light of the Spirit shall be seen in its own light and needs not that any witness of it The Spirit of God sometimes may speak to a Soul Son be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee This may break into the Soul as a beam darted from heaven without reference to any work of the Spirit upon the heart or word of Scripture as a mids and mean to apply it But this is more extraordinary the ordinary testimony of the Spirit is certainly conjoined with the testimony of our own consciences Rom. 8.16 and our consciences beares witness of the work of the Sâ—irit in us which the Spirit discovers to be according to the Woâ—d The spirit makes known to us things that are freely given but by comparing things Spiritual with Spiritual 1 Cor. 2.10.13 The fruit and special work of the Holy Ghost in us is the medium and the Spirits light irradiats and shines upon it and makes the heart see the same clearly For though we be the children of light yet our light hath so much darkness as there must be a supervenient and accessory light of the Spirit to discover that light unto us Now what is all this to us I fear that there be many ungrounded perswasions amongst us that many build on a sandy foundation even a strong opinion that it is well with them without any examination of their Souls and conversations according to the Word and this certainly when the tempest blows cannot stand Some teach that no man should question whether he believe or not but presently believe I think none can believe too suddenly it s alwise in season nunquam sera est fides nec paenitentia its never late in respect of the promise and its never too early in respect of a mans case But I cannot think any man can â—elieve till the Spirit have convinced him of his unbelief And tâ—erefore I would think the most part of men nearer faith in Jesus Christ if they knew they wanted faith Nay it s a part of faith and believing God in his word and setting to our Seal that God is true for a man to â—ake with his unbelief and his natural inability yea aveâ—sness to it I would think that these who could not believe in Christ because they â—ought honouâ— one of another and went about to kill him they had done well to have taken with that challenge of Christs and if men ought to take with their sin they ought to search and try their sin that they may find it out to take with it I wonder since Antinomians make unbebelief the only sin in the world that they cannot endure the discovery and confession of it it seems they do not think it so heinous a sin I confesse no man should of purpose abstain from believing in Christ till he find out whether he hath believed or not but what ever have been he is bound presently to act saith in Jesus Christ to flee unto him as a lost sinner to a saving Mediator But that every man is bound to perswade himself at the first that God hath loved him and Christ redeemed him is the hope of the Hypocrite like a spiders web which when leaned to it shall not stand that mans expectation shall perish he hath kindled sparks of his own a wilde fire and walketh not in the true light of the Word and so must ly down in sorrow Many of you deceive your selves and none can perswade you that ye do deceive your selves such is the strength of that delusion and dream It s the great part of the hearts deceitfulness to flatter it self in its own eyes to make a man conceive well of himself and his heart I beseech you do not venture your souls salvation to such
There is no toleration of sin within this City and Kingdom sinners are indeed pardoned yea received and accepted drunkards unclean persons c. are not excluded from entering here but they must renounce these lusts if they would stay here Christ will not keep both he must either cast out the sin or the sinner with it if he will not part with it I beseech you know what ye walk after the flesh is your leader and whither will it lead you O! its sad to think on it to perdition vers 8. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die Ye think flesh your great friend ye do all ye can to satifie and please it and O how pleasant is the satisfaction of your flesh to you Ye think it liberty to follow it and counts it bonds and cords to be restrained But Oh! know and consider that flesh will lead you by the Kingdom that guide of your way to which ye committed your self will lead you by Heaven Gal. 5.21 It s a blind guide corruption and humour and will have no eyes no discerning of that pit of eternal misery they choose the way that is best pathed and troden that is easiest and most walk into and this certainly will lead you straight into this pit of darkness Be called off this way from following your blind lusts and rather suffer them to be crucified be avenged on them for your two eyes that they have put out and their treacherous dealing to you in leading you to destruction the high way Come in to Christ Jesus and ye shall get a new guide of the way the Spirit that shall lead you in all truth unto the blessed and eternal life Christ is the way ye must walk in and the life that we must go in to at the end of our way and the truth according to which we must walk now he hath given his Spirit the Comforter to be our leader in this way according to this rule and pattern unto that life In a word the Spirit shall lead you the straight way unto Christ you shall begin in him and end in him he shall lead you from grace to glory the Spirit that came down from Heaven shall lead you back to Heaven All your walk is within the compass of Christ out of him is no way to Heaven But we must not take this so grosly as if no other thing were a walking after the flesh but the gross abominations among men though even these will scrape a great number from being in Christ Jesus but it must be further enlarged to the motions affections of the unrenewed spirit and the common principles according to which men walk And therefore the Apostle Col. 3 and Gal. 5. nameth many things among the works of the flesh and members of the old man which I doubt many will account so of Some natural passions that we account nothing of because common as anger wrath covetousness what man is there amongst us in whom some of these mentioned stirs not Many of your hearts and eyes are given to covetousness your souls bow downward as your bodies do and many times before your bodies Is not the heart of men upon this world and cannot rise above to a treasure in Heaven and therefore your Callings otherwayes lawful and all your pains and endeavours in them hath this seal of the flesh stamped on them and passeth no otherwayes with God We see how rank the corruptions of men are anger domineering in them and leading them often captive and this is counted a light matter but it is not so in Scripture How often is it branded with folly by the wise man and this folly is even the natural fleshly corruption that men are born with and in how many doth it rise up to the elevation of malice and hatred of others and then it carries the image of the devil rather then of humane infirmity And if we suppose a man not much given to any of these yet what a spirt of pride and self-love is in every man even these that carry the lowest sail and the meanest port among men these that are affable and courteous and these that seem most condescending to inferiours and equals yet alas this evil is more deeply engraven on the spirt If a man could but watch over his heart and observe all the secret reflections of it all the comparisons it makes all the desires of applause and favour among men all the surmises and stirrings of spirit upon any affront O how would they discover diabolick pride This sin is the more natural inbred for that it is our mother-sin that brought us down from our excellency this weed grows upon a glass-window and upon a dunghill it lodges in Palaces and Cottages nay it will spring and grow out of a pretended humility and low carriage In a word the ambitious designs of men the large appetite of earthly things the over-weaning conceit of our selves love to our selves the flirring of our affections without observing a rule upon unlawful objects or in an unlawful manner all these are common to men and men walk after them Every man hath some predominant or idol that takes him most up some are finer and subtiler than others some their pleasures and gains without others their own gifts and parts within but both are alike odious before God and both gross flesh and corruption before him There are two errours among men concerning this spiritual walking the one is the Doctrine of some in these dayes the other is the practical error of many of us Many pretending to some near and high discoveries as to Christ and the Spirit have fallen upon the most refined and spiritualized flesh instead of the Spirit indeed they separate the Spirit from the Word and reckons the Word and Law of God which was a Lamp to Davids feet among the fleshly rudiments of the world But if they speak not according to the Law and Testimony saith Isaiah it is because there is no light in them Thus their new light is but an old darkness that could not endure even the darker light of the Prophets If they speak not according to the Word it is because there is no spirit in them It is not the Spirit the Comforter which Christ promised to send to the Apostles and all that should believe in his Name through their word for that Spirit was a Spirit of truth that should lead into all truth and lest men should father their own fancies and imaginations on the Spirit of God Christ adds he shall bring all things to your remembrance These things that Christ hath spoken and we have here written The holy Apostle to the Col. 3. when he reproves the works of the flesh and declares they had put them off he commends unto them in opposition to these Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom teaching one another in Psalms and spiritual songs with grace in your hearts to the Lord
very image of a beast upon his nature to look on that slavery and bondage of his far better part to the worst and bruitish part in him his flesh If a man did wisely consider the constitution of his nature from its first divine original and what a thing the soul is which is truly and more properly himself then his body what excellency is in the soul beyond the body and so what preheminency it advanceth a man unto beyond a beast He could not but account Religion the very ornament and perfection of his nature Reason will say that the spirit should rule and command the body that flesh is but the minister and servant of the spirit that there is nothing the proper and peculiar good of man but that which adorns and rectifies the spirit that all these external things which mens senses are carried after with so much violence do not better a man as man but are common to beasts that in these things mans happiness as man doth not at all consist but in some higher and more transcending good which beasts are not capable of and which may satisfie the immortal spirit and not perish in the using but live with it All these things the very natural frame and constitution of man doth convincingly perswade Now then may a soul think within it self O how far am I departed from my original how far degenerated from that noble and royal dignity that God by the stamp of his image once put upon me How is it that I am become a slave and drudge to that baser and brutish part the flesh I would have you retire into your own hearts and ask such things at them Man being in honour and understanding not is even like the beasts that perish Truly we are become like beasts because we consider not that we are men and so advanced by creation far above beasts The not reflecting on the immortal spiritual nature of our souls hath transformed us in a manner into the nature of beasts perishing beasts Christianity is the very transforming of a beast into a man as sin was the deforming of a man into a beast This is the proper effect of Christianity to restore humanity to elevat it and purifie it from all those defilements and corruptions that were ingrossed and incorporated into it by the state of subjection to the flesh and therefore the Apostle delineats the nature of it unto us and draws the difference wide between the natural man and a Christian The natures of things are dark and hidden in themselves but they come to be known to us by there operations and acting their inclinations and instincts are known this way Grace is truly a very spiritual thing and the nature of it lyes high yet as Christ could not be hid in the house neither can grace be hid in the heart it will be known by its working Christ can better be hid in a house then in the heart because when he is in a heart he is ingadged to restore that heart and soul to its native dignity and preheminency over the flesh and this cannot but cause much disturbance in the man for a season to change governments to cast out usurpers and to restore the lawful and righteous owner to the possession of his right cannot be done secretly and easily it will shake the very foundations of a Kingdom to accomplish it so it is here the restitution of the soul to the possession of its right and dominion over the flesh the casting out of that tyrannous and base usurper the flesh cannot be done except all the man know it feel it and in a manner be pained with it Now the nature of Christianity doth lay it self open to us in these two especially in what it minds and savours and how it causeth to walk life is known especially by affection and motion A feeling thinking â—avouring power is a living power so a moving walking power is a living power and these are here the Christian is shortly described by his nature he is one after the Spirit not after the flesh and by the proper characteristical operations of that nature first minding or savouring the things of the Spirit which comprehends his inward thoughts affections intentions and cogitations all his inward senses are exercised about such objects and then he is one walking after the Spirit his motions are in a course of obedience proceeding from that inward relish or taste that he hath of the things of God It is not without very good reason that the name of a Christian is thus expâ—essed one after the Spirit that is his character that expressed his nature unto us whether ye look to the original of Christianity or the prime subject of it or the chief end of it it deserves to be called by this name The original of it is very high as high as that eternal Spirit as high as the God of the spirits of all flesh Things are like their original and some way participat of the nature of their causes that which is born of the spirit is spirit Joh. 3.6 that which is born of God who is a Spirit must be spirit 1 Joh. 5.1 How royal a descent is that how doth it nobilitat a mans nature Truly all other degrees of birth among men are vain imaginary things that hath no worth at all but in the fancies of men they put no real excellency in men But this is only true nobility this alone doth extract a man deface vulgi out of the dregs of the multitude There is no intrinsick difference between bloods or natures but what this make this divine birth this second birth all other differences are but in opinion this is reality it puts the image of that blessed Spirit upon a man Truly such a creature is not begotten in the womb of any natural cause of any humane perswasion or intising words of mans wisdom of any external mercy or judgment no instruction no peâ—swasion no allurement nor afrightment can make you Christians in the Spirit till the Spirit blow when he pleaseth and creat you again It must come from above that power that can set your hearts aright and make them to look straight above Christ Jesus came down from Heaven into the earth and took on our flesh that so the Almighty Spirit might come down to transform our spirits and lift them up from the earth to the Heaven We cast the seed into the ground of mens hearts and alace it gets entry but in few souls it is scattered rather on the high-way side and cannot reach into the arrable ground of the heart but it can do nothing without the influence of Heaven except the Spirit beget you again by that immortal seed of the Word Therefore we would cease our wondering that all the means of Gods Word and Works do not beget moe true Christians I do rather wonder that any of Adams wretched posterity should be begotten again and advanced to so high a dignity to
shall we be It is high time indeed to pretend to this to be a son or a daughter of God it s a higher word then if a man could deduce his genealogy from an interrupted line of a thousand Kings and Princes there is more honour true honour in it and more profit too that which enriches the poorest and eâ—nobles the basest inconceivably beyond â—ll the imaginary degrees of men Now my beloved this is the great design of the Gospel to bestow this incomparable priviledge upon you to become the Sons of God But it is sad to think how many souls scarce think upon it and how many delude themselves in it but consider that as many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God they have gotten a new leader and guider other then their own fancy or humour which once they followed in the ignorance of their hearts It is lamentable to conceive how the most part of us are acted and driven and carried head-long rather then gently led by our own carnal and corrupt inclinations men pretending to Christianity yet hurried away with every self-pleasing object as if they were not Masters of themselves furiously agitated by violent lusts miscarried continually against the very dictates of their own reason and conscience And I fear there iâ— too much of these even in those who have more reason to assume this honourable title of Son ship I know not how we are exceedingly addicted to self-pleasing in everything whatsoever our â—ancy or inclination suggest to us that we must do without more bands if it be not directly sinful whatsoever we apprehend that we must venâ— and speak it out though to little or no edâ—fication like that oâ— Solomon We deny our hearts nothing they desire except the grossâ—esse of it restrain us Now certainly if we knew what we are called to who are the Sons of God we could not but disingage more with our selves even in lawful things and give over the conduct oâ— our hearts and wayes to the Spirit of our Father whom we may be perswaded of that he will lead us in the wayes of pleasantnesse and peace Now the special and peculiar operations of the Spirit are expressed in the following words There are some workings of the Spirit of God that are but introductory and subservient to more excellent works and therefore they are transient not appointed to continue long for they are not his great intendment of this kind are these terrible representations of sin and wrath of the Justice of God which puts the soul in a fear a trembling fear and while such a soul is kept within the apprehension of sin and judgment it s shut up as it were in bondage Now though it be true that in the conversion of a sinner there is alwayes something of this in more or lesse degrees yet because this is not the gâ—eat design of the Gospel to put men in fear but rather to give them confidence nor the great intendment of God in the dispensation of the Law To bring a soul in bondage under terror but rather by the Gospel to free them from that bondage therefore he hath reason to expresse it thus ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear c. But there are other operations of the Spirit which are chiefly intended and principally bestowed as the great gift of our Father to expresse his bounty and goodnesse towards us and from these he is called the Spirit of Adoption and the Spirit of Intercession The Spirit of Adoption not only in regard of that witness-bearing and testification to our consciences of Gods love and â—avour and our interest in it as in the next vers but also in regard of that child-like disposition of reverence and love and respect that he begets in our hearts towards God as our Father and â—rom both these flowes this next working â—rying Abba Father aiding and assisting us in presenâ—ing our necessities to our Father making this the continued vent of the heart in all extremitieâ— to pour out all that burthens us in our Fathers bosom and this giveâ— marvelous ease to the heart and releases it from the bondage of carefulnâ—sse and anxiety which it may be subject to after the soul is delivered from the â—ear and bondage of wrath Let us speak then to these in order the first working of the spiritâ— to put a mâ—n in feâ—r of himself and such a fear as mightily straitenâ— and embondages the soul of man and this though in it self it be neither so pleasant nor excellent as to make it come under the notion of any gift from God it having rather the nature of a torment and punishment and being some sparkle of Hell already kindled in the Conscience yet hath made it beautiful and seasonable in its use and end because he makes it to usher-in the pleasant and refreshing sight of a Saviour and the report of Gods love to the World in Him It is true all men are in bondage to sin and Satan and shut up in the darknesse of ignorance and unbelief and bound in the setters of their own lusts which are as the chains that are put about malefactors before they go to prison He that commits sin is a servant of sin Joh. 8.34 And to be a servant of sin is slavery under the most cruel tyrant all these things are yet how few souls do apprehend it seriously or are weary of their prison how few groan to be delivered nay the most part account it only liberty To hate true delivery as bondage But some there are whose eyes the Spirit of God openâ— and lets them see their bondage and slavery and how they are concluded under the most heavy and weighty sentence that ever was pronounced The curse and wrath of the everliving God that there is no way to flie from it or escape it for any thing they can do or know Now indeed this serious discovery cannot choose but make the heart of a man to tremble as David my heart trembles because of thy Iudgments and I am afraid of thee Pâ—al 119.120 Such a serious representation will make the sâ—outest and proudest heart to fall down and â—aint for â—ear of that infinit intollerable weight of deserved wrath and then the soul is in a sensible bondage that before was in a real but insensible bondage then it s invironed about with bitter accusations with dreadful challenges then the Law of God arrests and confines the soul within the bounds of its own accusing Conscience and thiâ— is some previous â—epresâ—ntation â—f that eternal â—mpâ—isonment and banishment â—â—om the pressence oâ— God albeâ—â—t many of you are free from this â—ear and enjoy a kind oâ— liberty to â—erve your own lusts and are not sensiâ—le oâ— any thraldom oâ— your spirits yet certainly the Lord will sometime arrest you anâ— bâ—ing you to this spiritual bondage when he shall make the inâ—qâ—â—ties oâ— your heels encompasse you about and the curâ—es
of Adoption I conceive to be threefold beside that of Intercession expressed in the vers The first work of the Spirit of Adoption that wherein a Fathers affection seems to break first from under ground is â—he revealing to the heart the love and mercy of God to sinners I do not say to such a soul in particular for that application is neither first nor universal But herein the Spirit of Adoption first appears from under the cloud of â—ear and this is the first opening oâ— the prison of bondage wherein a soul was shut when the plain way of reconciliation to God in Christ and delivery from the bondage of sin and wrath is holden out when such a word as this comes into the soul and is received with some gladnesse God so loved the world that he gave his Son c. This is a true and faithful saying c. Come ye that labour and weary and I will give rest to your souls When a soul is made to hear the gâ—ad tidings of liberty preached to captives of lighâ— to the blind of joy to the heavy in spirit of life to the dead though he cannot come that length as to see his own pâ—â—ticular interest yet the very receiving affectionatly and greedily such a general report as good and true gives some ease and relaxation to the heart To see delivery possible is some door of hope to a desperat sinner but to see it and espy more then a possibility even great probability though he cannot reach a certainty â—hat will be as the breaking open of a window of light in a dark dungeon it will be as the taking off oâ— some of the hardest fetters and the worst chains which makes a man almost to think himself at liberty Now this is the great office of the Spirit of the Father to beget in us good thoughts of Him to incline us to charitable and favourable construction of Him and make us ready to think well of Him to beget a good understanding between us and Him and correct our jealous misapprehensions of Him for certainly we are naturally suspitious of God that he deals not in sad earnest with us when ever we see the hight of our provocation and weight of deserved indignation we think him like our selves and can hardly receive without suspition the Gospel that layes open his love in Christ to the world Now this is the Spirits woâ—k to make us entertain that hoâ—ourable thought of God that he is most inclinable to pardon sinners and that his mercy is infinitly above mans sin and that it is no prejudice to His Holiness or Justice and to apprehend seriously a constant reality and solid truth in the promises of the Gospel and so to convince a soul of righteousnesse Joh. 18. that there is a way of justifying a sinner and ungodly person without wrong to Gods righteousnesse and this being well pondered in the heart and received in love the great businesse is done after that particular application is more easie of which I shall not speak now because occasion will be given in the next vers about the Spirits witnessing with our spirits which is another of the Spirits workings only I say this that which makes this so difficult is a defect in the fiâ—st but the common principles of the Gospel are not really and so seriously apprehended because many souls do not put to their seal to witnesse to the promises and truth oâ— it therefore the Lord often denies this seal anâ— witnesse to our comfort It is certainly a preposterous way Sâ—tan puts souls upon first to get such a testimony from the Spirit before they labour to get such a testimony to Christ and eccho or answer in their hearts to his word this way it seems shortest for it would leap into the greater liberty at the first hand but certainly its farthest about because its impossible for souls to leap immediatly out of bondage to assurance without some middle step they cannot passe thus from extreams to extreams without going through the middle stâ—te of receiving Christ and laying his word up in the heart and therefore it proves the way furthest about because when souls have long wearied themselves they must at length turn in hither But there is another working of the Spirit I wish you were acquaint with as the first work is to beget a suitable apprehension of Gods mind and heart towards sinners so the next is to beget a suitable disposition in our hearts towards God as a Father The first apprehends his love the next reflects it back again with the heart of a sinner to Him The Spirit first brings the report of the love and grace of God to us and then he carries the love and respect of the heart up to God You know how God complains in Mâ—lachi If I be a Father where is my fear and honour â—or these are the only fitting qualifications of Children such a reverent respective observance of our Heavenly Father such affectionat and humble carriage towards him as becometh both His Majesty and His Love as these are tempered one with another in Him his Love not abasing his Majesty and his Majesty not diminishing his Love So we ought to carry as reverence and confidence fear and love may be contempered one with another so as we may neither forget his infinit greatnesse nor doubt of his unspeakable love and this inward disposition ingraven on the heart will be the principle of willing and ready obedience it will in some measure be our meat and drink to do our Fathers will for Christ gave us an example how we should carry towards him How humble and obedient was he though his only begotten Son SERMON XXXIX Rom. 8.15 Whereby we cry Abba Father AS there is a light of grace in bestowing such incomparably high dignities and excellent gifts on poor sinneâ—s such as to make them the sons of God who were the children of the Devil and heirs of a kingdom who were heirs of wrath so there is a depth of wisdom in the Lords allowance and manner of dispensing his love and grace in this life for though the love be wonderful that we should be called the sons of God yet as that Apostle speaks It doth not yet so clearly appear what we shall be by what we are 1 Joh. 3.1 Our present condition is so unlike such a state and dignity and our enjoyments so unsuitable to our rights and pâ—iviledges that it would not appear by the mean low and indigent state we are now into that we have so great and glorious a Father How many infiâ—mities are we compassed about with How many wants are we pressed withall our necessitiâ—s aâ—e infinit and our enjoyments no wayes proportioned to our necessities Notwithstanding even in this the love and wisdom oâ— our Heavenly Father shews it self and oftentimes more gloriously in the theatre of mens weaknesse infirmities and wants then they could appear in the absolute and total exemption
conversation all these are now but flesh Nay not only such natural gifts and illuminations but even the light of the Gospel and Law of God that someway enters his soul changeth the nature and name it s all but darkness and flesh in him because the flesh hath a dominion over all that the clouds and vapours that ariseth from the flesh bemists and obscures all these the corruptions of the soul is most strengthned in this fort and most vented here Sins become connatural to the flesh and so a man by the flesh is ensnared and subjected to sin Christ comprehends all our prerogatives and indowments under this Iohn 1.13 born not of flesh and blood And Matth. 16.17 flesh and blood hath not revealed these things to thee Even all the outwards of Religion and all the common priviledges of Christians may be called so What hath Abraham sound according to the flesh Rom. 4.1 Phil. 3.3 Which imports so much that all those outward priviledges many illuminations and reformations may so far consist with the corruption of mans nature may unite so with that as to have one name with it it s not all able to conquer our flesh but our flesh rather subdues all that and makes it serve it self till a stronger than it come even the Spirit to subdue it and cast it out of the house Thus the Image of God in man is defaced Nay the very image and nature of man as man spoyled the first creation sin hath marr'd and disordere'd it Now when this second creation or regeneration comes the creature is made new and formed again by the powerful Spirit of Jesus Christ this change is made flesh is put out of the Throne as an usurper the spirit and soul of a man is put in a Throne above it but is placed according to its due order under a holy and spiritual Law of God And thus Jesus Christ is the repairer of the breaches and restorer of the ancient paths and old waâ—â—s to dwell in Now the soul hath a new rule established to act according to and new principles to act from He whose course of walking was after the corrupt dictates and commands of his fleshly affections and was of no higher strain then his own sparks of nature and acquired light would lead him to now he hath a new rule established the Spirit speaking in the Word to him and pointing out the way to him and there is a new principle that Spirit leading him in all truth and quickning him to walk in it Now this is the souls perfect liberty to be from under the dominion of sin and lusts and thus the Son makes free indeed by the free Spirit the Son was made a servant that we might be made free no more servants of sin in the lusts thereof and the Spirit of the Lord where he comes there is liberty there the Spirit and reasonable soul of a man is elevated into its first native dignity there the base flesh is dethroned and made to serve the spirit and soul in a man Christ is indeed the greatest friend of men as they are men sin made us beasts Christ makes us men Unbelievers are unreasonable men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brutish yea in a manner beasts this is an ordinary compellation in Scripture faith makes a man reasonable it gives the saving and sanctified use of reason it s a shame for any man to be a slave to his lusts and passions it s the character of a beast upon him he that is led by senses and affections is degenerated from humane nature and yet such are all out of Christ sin reigns in them and flesh reigns and the principles of light and reason within are captivated incarcerated within a corner of their minds We see the generally received truths among men that God is that he is holy and just and good that Heaven and hell is these are altogether ineffectual and have no influence on mens conversations no more then if they were not known even because the truth is detained in unrighteousness the corruptions of mens flesh are so rank that they overgrow all this seed of truth and choaks it as the thorns did the seed Matth. 15.7 Now for you who are called of Jesus Christ O know what ye are called unto It s a liberty indeed a priviledge indeed ye are no more debtors to the flesh Christ hath loosed that obligation of servitude to it O let it be a shame unto you who are Christians to walk so any more to be entangled any more in that yoke of bondage He that ruleth his spirit is greater then the mighty then he that taketh a city Thus we are called to be more then conquerours others when they conquer the world they are slaves to their own lusts but let it be far from you to be so ye ought to conquer your self which is more then to conquer the World it s not only unbeseeming a Christian to beled with passions and lusts but it s below a man if men were not now through sin below beasts I beseech you aspire unto and hold fast the liberty Christ hath obtained to you be not fashioned any more according to former lusts know ye are men that ye have reasonable and immortal spirits in you why will ye then walk as beasts Understand O brutish and ye fools when will ye be wise But I say more know ye are Christians and this is more then to be a man it s to be a divine man one partaker of the divine Nature and who is to walk accordingly Christians are called to a new manner of walking and this walking is a fruit that comes out of the root of faith whereby they are implanted in Christ You see these agree well together these who are in Christ walk not after the flesh c. Walking after the flesh is the common walk of the World who are without God and without Christ But Christ gives no latitude to such a walk this is a new nature to be in Christ and therefore it must have new operations to walk after the Spirit While we look upon the conversations of the most part of men they may be a commentary to expound this part of the words what it is to walk after the flesh The works of the flesh saith the Apostle to Gal 5.19 are manifest and indeed they are manifest because written in great letters on the out-side of many in the visible Church that who runs may read them do but read that Catalogue in Paul and then come and see them in Congregations It is not so doubtful and subtile a matter to know that many are yet without the verge of Christ Jesus without the City of refuge you may see their mark on their brow Is not drunkenness which is so frequent a palpable evidence of this your envyings revilings wrath strife seditions fornications and such like Oh do not deceive your selves there is no room in Jesus Christ for such impurities and impieties
ver 16. Here the Spirit not casting out the Word but bringing it in plentifully and sweetly agreeing with it The Spirit that Christ sent did not put men above Ordinances but above corruptions and the body of death in them It s a poor and easie victory to subdue Grace and Ordinances every slave of the Devil doth that I fear as men and Angels fell from their own dignity by aspiring higher so these that will not be content with the estate of Christ and his Apostles but soar up in a higher strain of spirit and trample on that ministration as fleshly and carnal I fear they fall from Jesus Christ and come into greater condemnation It s true indeed 2 Cor. 3.6 The Letter killeth that is the Covenant of Works preacheth now nothing but condemnation to men but the Spirit of the Gospel giveth life nay even the Gospel separated from the Spirit of life in Jesus is but a savour of death to souls Shall we therefore separate the Spirit from the Gospel and Word because the Word alone cannot quicken us David knew how to reconcile this Quicken me O Lord according to thy Word Psal. 119.25 Thy Spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness and quicken me Psal. 143.10 11. The Word was his rule and the Spirit applyed his soul to the rule the Word holds out the present patteâ—n we should be conformed unto now if there be no more a man may look all his dayes on it and yet not be changed but the Spirit within transforms and changes a mans soul to more and more conformity to that pattern by beholding it If a man shall shut his eyes on the pattern he cannot know what he is and ought to be if he look only on the Spirits work within and make that his rule he takes an imperfect rule and an incompleat copy and yet this is the highest attainment of these aspirers to new light they have forsaken the Word as their rule and instead of it have another Law within them as much as is already written on their hearts which is in substance this as they suppose I am bound to do no more then I have already power to do I am not to endeavour more holiness then I have already These men are indeed perfect here in their own apprehension and do not know in part and believe in part and obey in part because they are advanced the length of their own Law and rule their rule being of no perfection Paul was not so but forgetting what he had attained he followed on to what was before him and was still reaching forward Let not us my brethren believe every spirit and every doctrine that comes out under that name Christ hath forwarned us Let us pray for more of that Spirit which may quicken the Word to us and quicken us to obey the Word there must be a mutual enlivening the Word must be made the ministration of life by the Spirit of Jesus which can use it as a sword to divide the soul and spirit and we must be quickned to the obedience of the truth in the Word The Word is the seed incorruptible but it cannot beget us or be a principle of a new life within us except a living spirit come alongs to our hearts Know that the Word is your pattern and rule the Spirit your leader and helper whose vertue and power must conform you that rule 1 Pet. 1.22 Peter joyns these two the purification and cleansing of the soul which Christ attributes to the Word ye are clean through the word I have spoken Joh. 15.3 Peter attributes it to the Spirit working according to the pattern of truth It s true the Spirit of God needs no pattern to look to nay but we must have it and eye it else we know not the Spirit of truth from a lie and delusion we cannot try the spirits but by this rule and it is by making us stedfastly look on this glorious pattern in the Word and the example of Christ Jesus his life that we are conformed unto Christ as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.13 Certainly that must be fleshly walking which is rather conformed unto the imaginations of a mans own heart then the blessed will of God revealed in his Word Can such walking please God when a man will not so much as hearken to what is Gods will and pleasure As other heresies so especially this is a work of the flesh Now there is another principle amongst many of us we account it spiritual walking to be separated from the gross pollutions of the world to have a carriage blameless before men this is the notion that the multitude fancy of it Be not deceived you may pass the censure of all men and be unreproveable among them and yet be but walkers after the flesh It is not what ye are before the world can prove you spiritual men though it may prove many of your carnal Your out-side may demonstrate of many of you that ye walk after the flesh and if ye will not believe it I ask you if ye think drunkenness a walking in the Spirit Do ye think ye are following the Spirit of God in uncleanness Is it not that Holy Spirit that purgeth from all filthiness Look but what your walk is ye that are not so much as conformed to the Letter of the Word in any thing who cares not to read the Scriptures and meditate on them Is this walking after the Spirit of truth If drunkenness railing contention wrath envy covetousness and such like be the Spirits way then I confess many of you walks after the Spirit but if these be the manifest works of the flesh and manifestly your way and work then why dream ye that ye are Christians But I suppose that you could be charged with none of these outward things that you had a form of Religion and Godliness yet I say all that is visible before men cannot prove you to be spiritual walkers Remember it is a spirit ye must walk after now what shall be the chief agent here sure not the body what fellowship can your body have with him that is a Spirit the body indeed may worship that eternal Spirit being acted by the Spirit but I say that alone can never prove you to be Christians we must then layaside a number of Professors who have no other ground of confidence but such things as may be seen of men if they would enter their hearts how many vain thoughts lodge there how litle of God is there God is not almost in all our thoughts we give a morning and evening salutation but there is no more of God all the day throughout and is this walking after the Spirit which imports a constancy And what part can be spared most but the spirit of a man The body is distracted with other necessary things but we might alwayes spare our souls to God Now thus should a man obey that command Pray alwayes
its impossible that he should do nothing else but pray in an express formal way but the souls walking with God between times of Prayer should compense that and thus Prayer is continued though not in it self yet in meditation on God which hath in it the seed of all worship and is virtually Prayer and Thanksgiving and all duties Let us then consider If our bodies be not more exercised in Religion then our souls yea if they be not the chief agents how many impertinencies and roveries and wandrings are throughout the day the most part of our conversation if it be not profane yet it is vain that is unprofitable in the World it neither advantageth us spiritually nor glorifies God it is almost to no purpose and this is enough to make it all flesh And for our thoughts how do they go unlimited and unrestrained like a wilde Ass traversing her wayes and gadding about fixed on nothing at least not on God nay fixed on any thing but God If it be spiritual service should it not carry the seal of our spirit and affection on it We are as so many shadows walking as pictures and statues of Christians without the soul and life which consists in the temper and disposition of the spirit and soul towards God SERMON V. Vers. 1. That walk not after the flesh but after the spirit IT is no wonder that we cannot speak any thing to purpose of this Subject and that ye do not hear with fruit because it is indeed a mystery to our judgements and a great stranger to our practice There is so litle of the Spirit both in Teachers and those that come to be taught that we can but speak of it as an unknown thing and cannot make you to conceive it in the living notion of it as it is Only we may say in general It is certainly a divine thing and another thing then our common or religious walk is It is little experience so we can know the less of it but this much we should know it is another thing then we have attained it s above us and yet such a thing as we are called to aspire unto How should it stir up in our spirits a holy fire of ambition to be at such a thing when we hear it is a thing attainable nay when Christ calls us unto himself that we may thus walk with him I would have Christians men of great and big projects and resolutions of high and illimited desires not satisfied with their attainments but still aspiring unto more of God more conformity to his will more walking after the Spirit more separation from the course of the World and this is indeed to be of a divine spirit The divine Nature is here as it were in a state of violence out of its own element Now it s known by this iâ— it be still moving upwards taking no rest in this place and these measures and degrees but upon a continual motion towards the proper center of it God his holiness and Spirit We desire to speak a word of these three 1. The nature of this spiritual walking Next Its connexion and union with that blessed state of non-condemnation And then of the order of this how it flows from a mans being implanted in Christ Jesus Which three are considerable in the words This spiritual walking is according to a spiritual rule from spiritual principles for spiritual ends These three being established aright the walk is even the motion of a Christian within the compass of these it is according to the word as the holy rule it s from the faith love of Jesus Christ as the predominant principleâ— Nay from the Spirit of Jesus living in the heart by faith and dwelling in it by love as the first wheel of this motion the Primum Mobile and as it begins in the Spirit so it ends there in the glory of Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father Consider this then it is not a lawless walking and irregular walk it is according to the rule and the rule is perfect and it is a motion to perfection not a rest in what is now attained to The course of this world is the way and rule of the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 There is a spirit indeed that works in them and a rule it works by the spirit is that evil spirit contrary to the holy Spirit of God you may know what spirit it is that works by the way it leads men unto a broad way path'd and troden in by many travellers it s the Kings high street the common way that most part walkes into according as their neighbours do as the most do But â—hat King is the Prince of this World satan who blinds the eyes of many that they may not see that pit of misery before them which their way leads them to A Christian must have a kind of singularity not in opinion but in practice rather to be more holy and walk more abstracted from the dregs of the worlds pollution this were a divine singularity Indeed men may suspect themselves that separats from the godly in opinion they have reason to be more jealous of themselves when they offend against the generation of the just but if this were the contention and design of men to be very unlike the multitude of men nay to be very unlike the multitude of Professors in the affection and practice of holiness humility and spiritual walking I think this were an allowed way though a singular way Men may aspire to as great a difference as may be from the conversations and practice of others if there be a tending to more conformity to the Word the rule of all practice The Law is spiritual and holy saith Paul but I am carnal this therefore were spiritual walking to set that excellent spiritual rule before our eyes that we who are carnal may be transformed and changed into more likeness to that holy and spiritual Law If a man had not an imperfect rule of his own fancy and imagination before his eyes he could not be satisfied with his attainments but with Paul would forget them in a manner not know them but reach forward still to what is before because so much length would be before us as would swallow up all our progress this would keep the motion on foot and make it constant A man should never say Master let us make tabernacles its good to be here no indeed the dwelling place and resting would be seen to be above As long as a man had so much of his journey to accomplish he would not sit down on in his advancement he would not compare with others and exalt himself above others Why because there is still a far greater distance between him and his rule then between the slowest walker and him This made Paul more sensible of a body of death Rom. 7 then readily lower Christians are Reflections on our attainments and comparisons with others which are so often the
work of our Spirits are a retrograde motion it makes no way but spends the time is a returning as we go whereas we ought to go straight forward I beseech you Christians consider what ye are doing if ye would prove your selves so indeed I know not how you can evidence it better then by honouring and esteeming his Word and Commandments exceeding large and precious no end of their perfection the word is much undervalued in the opinions of many but it is as little cared for in the practice of most there is certainly little of God there where this is not magnified and honoured There must be darkness in that way where this candle which was a lamp to Davids feet shines not Some promise to us liberty but they themselves are the servants of corruption it is no liberty to be above all law and rule It was innocent Adams liberty to be conformed to a holy and just command nay this was his beauty The Spirit indeed gives liberty where he is but this liberty is from our sins and corruptions not to them it looses the chains of a mans own corrupt lusts off him to walk at freedom in the way of his commandments the Spirit inlargeth the prisoners heart and then he runs but not at random but the way of his commands Psal. 119.32 It was our bondage to be as wilde Asses traversing our wayes to be gadding abroad to change our way Now here is the Spirits liberty to bring us into the way and that way is one Let us then learn this one principle the Word must be the rule of your walking both common and religious Alas it s not spiritual walking to confine Religion to some solemn duties Remember it s a walk a continued thing without interruption therefore your whole conversation ought to be as so many steps progressive to Heaven Your motion should not be to begin only when ye come to pray or read or hear as many men do they are in a quite different way and element when they step out of their civil callings into religious ordinances but Christians your motion should be continued in your eating and drinking and sleeping and acting in your callings that when ye come to pray or read ye may be but stepping forward in the way out of one darker obscurer path into a more beaten way Remember this word can make us perfect to Salvation It is a principle in the hearts of folks which is vented now by many that the Word doth not reach their particular carriages and conversations in civil matters these are apprehended to be without the sphear and compass of the Word while it is commonly cast up to Ministers meddle with the word and spiritual things and not with our matters Truly I think if we separate these from the Word we may quickly separat all Religion from such actions and if such actings and businesses be without the Court of the Word they are also without the Court of Conscience Conscience Religion and the Word being commensurable Therefore I beseech every one of you take the Word for the ruling of your callings and conversations among men extend it to all your actions that in all those ye may act as Christians as well as men It is certainly the licentiousness of the spirits of men that cannot endure the application of the Word unto their particular actions and conversations Now this spiritual walk proceeds from spiritual principles It is certain the Spirit of Jesus Christ is he in whom we live and move and have our being spiritually without him we can do nothing and therefore Christians ought to walk with such a subordination to and dependence on him as if they were meer instruments and patients under his hand though I think in regard of endeavoured activity they should bestir themselves and give all diligence as if they acted independently of the Spirit yet in regard of denial of himself and dependence on the Spirit each one ought to act as if he did not act at all but the Spirit only acted in him This is the Divinity of Paul I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but grace in me I live yet not I but Christ in me O how difficult a thing is it to reconcile these two in the practice of Christians which yet cannot really be except they be together It is certainly one of the great mysteries of Christianity to draw our strength and activity from another to look upon our selves and our actings as these that can do nothing as empty vines and that notwithstanding of all inâ—used and acquired principles Whatever we ought to do in judging and discerning of our condition yet sure I am Christians in the exercise and practice of godliness should look upon themselves void of any principle in themselves either to do or think not that we are sufficient of of our selves The proficient and growing Christian should look no moâ—e on his own inclinations and habits thâ—n if he had none he should consider himself an ungodly man that no fruit can grow upon one that cannot pray as he is in himself Buâ— alace we come to duties in the confidence of qualifications â—or duties acts more confidently in them because accustomed to them and so makes Grace and Religion a kind of Art and Discipline that use and experience makes expert into Learn now this one thing which would be in stead of many rules and doctrines to us to shut out of your eyes the consideration of what ye are by Gifts or Grace or experience Do not consider that but rather fix your eyes on the grace of Jesus Christ and upon the power and vertue of the Holy Spirit which is given by promise that when the way is all the easiest to you both by delight and custom yet ye may find it to your natural principles as insuperable as at the beginning and may still cry Draw me and I will run after thee lead me and I will walk with thee Do not measure thy call into duties by the strength thou finds in thy self but look unto him who strengtheneth us with all might Now the Spirit worketh in us by subordinat spiritual principles as believing in Christ and loving of him as our Lord and Saviour and these two acts drives on a soul sweetly in the way of obedience Fear where not mixt in its actings with faith and love is a spirit of bondage but the Christian ought to walk according to the Spirit of Adoption which cryes Abba Father Yet how many Christians are rather in a servile and slavish manner driven on by terrours and chastisements to their duty then by love There is a piece of liberty in Christian-walking when there is not a restraint upon the spirit by this slavish fear this I say is not beseeming these that are in Christ Jesus ye ought to have the Spirit of your Father for your leader and guide O! how sweet and how certain and necessary also would this walking be
man lying under a sentence of death Cursed is he that abides not in all things c. How then can hâ— escape condemnation Again you speak of walking after the Spirit as proper to the Christian but whose walk is not carnal Who is it that doth not often step aside out of the way and follow the conduct and counsel of flesh and blood Is not sin dwelling here in our mortal bodies Who can say my heart or way is clean Therefore both that priviledge and this property of a Christian seems to be but big words no real thing And indeed I confess the multitude of men hath no other opinion of them but as fancied imaginary thingâ— few believes the report of the Gospel concerning the salvation of elect ones and few understands what this spiritual walking is many conceive it is not a thing that belongs to men who are led about with passions and affections but rather to Angels or Spirits perfected However we have in these words an answer to satisfie both objections He grants something implicitely and it is this it is true indeed Christians are under a twoâ—old Law captives and bondmen to these A law of sin in their members bringing them in subjection to the lusts of the flesh Sin hath a powerful dominion and tyranny over every man by nature it hath a sort of right and power over him and likewise every one was under a law of death the Law of God cuâ—sing him and sentencing him to condemnation because of sin these two were joynt conquerours of all mankind But saith he there is a delivery from this bondage freedom is obtained to believers by Jesus Christ and so there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ and so they walk not after the leading and direction of that law of sin within them but after the guiding of our blessed Tutor the Spirit of God If you ask how this comes to pass by what authority or law or power is this releasement and freedom obtained Here it is by the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ. Christ is not an invader or unjust conquerour he hath fair Law for what he doth even against these Laws which detains unbelievers in bondage There is a higher and later Law on his side and he hath power and strength to accomplish his design He opposes Law unto Law and life unto death and spirit unto flesh a Law of Spirit unto a Law of sin and flesh a Law of life unto a Law of death In a word the Gospel or Covenant of Grace unto the Law or Covenant of Woâ—ks the powerful and living Spirit of grace that wrought mightily in him is set â—â—re-against the power of sin and Satan in us and against us the one gives him right and title to conquer the other accomplisheth him for the work and by these two are believers in Jesus Christ made free-men who were bond-men That then which we would speak from these words is the common lot of all men by nature viz. to be under the power of sin and sentence of death the special exemption of believers in Christ and immunity from this or delivery from it and then the true ground and cause of this delivery from that bondage which three are contained in the words It is a purpose indeed of a high nature and of high conceâ—nment to us all our life and death is wrapt up in this you may hear maâ—y things more gladly but if ye knew it none so profitable Therefore let us gather our spirits to the consideration of these particulars As the first all men are under the bondage of a twofold Law the law of sin within them and the law of death without them Man was created righteous but saith the wise man he found out many inventions a sad invention indeed he found but misery and slavery to himself who was made free and happy His freedom and happiness was to be in subjection to his Maker under the just and holy commands of his Lord who had given him breath and being it was no captivity or restraint to be compassed about with the hedges of the Lords holy Law no more then it is a restraint on a mans liberty to have his way hedged in where he may safely walk that he may keep himself within it from pits and snares on every hand But alace if we may say alace when we have such a redemption in Jesus Christ. Adam was not content with that happiness but seeking after more liberty he sold himself into the hands of strange lords first sin and then death Other lords besides thee O Lord have dominion over us Isa. 26.13 This is too true in this sense Adam seeking to be as the Lord himself lost his own lordship and dominion over all the works of Gods hands and became a servant to the basest and most abominable of all even that which is most hateful to the Lord to sin and death And this is the condition we are now born into Consider it I pray you we are born captives and slaves the most noble the most ingenuous and the most free of us all Paul speaks of it as a priviledge to be born free to be free in mans Common-wealth It is counted a dignity to be a free Citizen or Burgess of a Town Liberty is the great claim of people now a dayes and indeed it is the great advantage of a people to enjoy that mother and womb-priviledge and right But alace what is all this to be free-born in a civil society it is but the state of a man among men it reaches no further then the outward man his life or estate But here is a matter of greater moment know ye what state your souls are in your souls are incomparably more worth than your bodies as much as eternity surpasseth this inch of time or immortality exceeds mortality your souls are your selves indeed your bodies are but your house or tabernacle ye lodge into for a season Now then I beseech you ask whether ye be born free or not if your souls be slaves ye are slaves indeed for so the Evangelist changeth these Matthew saith in ch 16. â—6 What hath a man gained if he lose his soul And Luke 9.25 saith What hath he gained if he lose himself Therefore you are not free indeed except your souls be fâ—ee What is it I pray you to enjoy freedom among men I aâ—k you what are ye before God whether bond or free this is the business inâ—eed The Phariâ—ees pleaded a claim to the liberty and priviledge of being Abrahams sons and children and thought they might hence conclude they were Gods children But our Lord Jeâ—us discovers this misâ—ake when he tells them of a freedom and libeâ—ty that he came to proclaim to men to purchase to them and bestow on them they stumbled at this Doctrine What say they talkest thou to us of making us free we were never in bondage for we be Abrahams chilâ—ren This is
in a manner dead but when any adversary appears when our lusts and humors are crossed then they unite their strength against any such opposition and brings forth more sinful sin The knowledge and conscience that many have serves for nothing but to make their sins greater to exasperat and imbitter their spirits and lusts against God why torments thou me before the time It s a devilish disposition that is in us all we cannot indure the light because our deeds are evil Let us but consider these particulars and we shall know the power and dominion of sin First Consider the extent of its dominion both in regard of all men and all in every man I say all men there is none of us exempted from it the most noble and the most base Sin is the Catholick king the universal king or rather satan who is the prince of this world and he rules the world by this law of sin which is even the contradiction of the Law of God Who of you believes this that satans kindom is so spacious that it is even over the most part in the visible Church this is the Emperour of the world The Turk vainly arrogats this title to himself but the devil is truly so and we have Gods own testimony for it All Kings all Nobles all Princes all People rich and poor high and low are once subjects of this prince ruled by this black law of sin Oh! know your condition whose servants ye are think not within your selves we have Abraham for our father we are baptized Christians No know that all of us are once the children of satan and do his works and fulfil his will But moreover all that is in us is subject to this law of sin all the faculties of the soul the understanding is under the power of darkness the affections under the power of corruption the mind is blinded and the heart is hardened the soul alienated from God who is its life all the members and powers of a man yielded up as instruments of unrighteousnesse every one to execute that wicked law and fulfill the lusts oâ— the flesh This dominion is over all a mans actions even those that are in best account and esteem among men your honest upright dealing with men your most religious performances to God they are more conformed to the law of sin then to the law of God Hag. 2.14 this nation and the work of their hands and that which they offer is unclean All your works your good works are infected with this pollution sin hath defiled your persons and they defile all your actions the infection is mutual these actions again defiles your persons still more To the impure all things are impure even their mind and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 Do what you can ye who are in nature cannot please God it s but obedience to the law of sin that is in you Buâ— 2. Consider the intensness and force of this power how mighty it is in working against all oppositions whatsoever unless it be overcome by Almighty power Nothing but All-might can conquer this power The spirit that works in men by nature is of such activity and efficacy that it drives men on furiously as if they were possessed to their own ruine How much hath it of a mans consent and so it drives him strongly and irresistibly Much will desire and greediness will make corruption run like a River over all its Banks set in the way thereof Counsel Perswasion Law Heaven Hell yet mens corruption must be over all those Preaching Threatnings Convictions of Conscience are but as flaxen ropes to bind a Sampson sin within easily breaks them In a word no created power is of sufficient vertue to bind the strong man it must be one mightier then he and that is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Do ye not see men daily drawn after their lusts as beasts following their senses as violently as a horse rusheth to the battel If there be any gain or advantage to oyl the wheels of affection O how runs men head-long there is no crying will hold them In sum sin is become all one with us its incorporat into the man and become one with his affections and then these command SERMON VIII Vers. 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free c. THat whereabout the thoughts and discourses of men now run is freedom and liberty or bondage and slavery All men are afâ—aid to lose their liberties and be made servants to strangers And indeed liberty whether National or personal even in civil respects is a great mercy and priviledge but alace men know not neither do they consider what is the ground and reason of such changes and from what fountain it flows that a Nation of a long time â—ree from a forraign yoke should now be made to submit their necks unto it Many wonder that our Nation unconquered in the dayes of ignorance and darkness should now be conquered in the days of the Gospel and there want not many ungodly spirits that will rather impute the fault unto the Reformation of Religion that take it to themselves There are many secret heart-jealousies among us that Christ is a hard Master and cannot be served But would you know the true original of our apparent and threatned bondage Come and see come and consider something expressed in these words All your thoughts are busied about civil liberty but you do not consider that you are in bondage while you are free and that to worse masters than you fear We are under a law of sin and death that hath the dominion and sway in all mens affections and conversations and when the glorious liberty of the Sons of God is offered unto us in the Gospel when the Son hath come to make us free we love our own chains and will not suffer them to be loosed therefore it is that a Nation that hath despised such a gracious offer of peace and freedom in Jesus Christ is robbed and spoiled of peace and freedom When this Law of the Spirit of life in Christ is published and proclaimed openly unto Congregations unto Judicatories and unto persons yet few do regard it the generality are in bondage to a contrary law of sin and this they serve in the lusts thereof Yea which most of all aggravats and heightens the offence even after we have all of us professed a subjection to the Law of God and to Jesus Christ the King and Law-giver we are in an extraordinaâ—y way ingaged to the Lord by many Oaths and Covenants to be his people we did consent that he should be our King and that we should be ruled in our profession and practice by his Word and will as the fundamental Laws of this his Kingdom we did solemnly renounce all strange lords that had tyrannized over us and did swear against them never to yeeld willing obedience unto them namely the lusts of the world ignorance of
that is quickned by this new Law of the Spirit of Life for its the entry of this that expells its contrary the Law oâ— sin And indeed the Law must enter the command and the pâ—omise must enter into the soul and the affections of the soul be enlivened thereby or rather the soul changed into the similitude of that mould or else the having of it in a book or in ones memory and understanding will never make him the richer or freer A Châ—istian looks to the patern of the Law and the word of the Goâ—pel without but he must be changed into the image of it by beholding it and so he becomes a living Law to himself The Spirit writes these precepts and practices oâ— Christs in which he commands imitation upon the fleshly tables of the heart And now the Law is not a rod above his head as above a slave but it s turned into a Law oâ— love within his heart and hath something like a natural instinct in it all that men can do either to themselves or others will not purchase the least measure of â—â—eedom from predominant corruptions cannot deliver you from your sins till this free Spirit that blows where he pleases come It s our part to hoise up sails and wait for the wind to â—â—e means and wait on him in his way and oâ—der but all will be in vain till this stronger one come and cast out the strong man till this arbitrary and free wind blow from heaven and fill the sails SERMON X. Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son c. THE greatest design that ever God had in the world is certainly the sending of his own Son into the world and it must needs be some great busines that drew so excellent and glorious a person out of Heaven the plot and contrivance of the world was a profound piâ—ce of wisdom and goodness the making of men after Gods image waâ— done by a high and glorious counsel Let us make man after our image there was some thing special in this expression importing â—ome peculiar excellency in the work it self or some special depth of design about it But what think you of this consultation let one of us be made man after mans image and likeness that must be a strange piece of wisdom and grace Great is the mystery of godliness God manifested in the flesh No wonder though Paul cryed out as one swallowed up with this mystery for indeed it must be some odd matter beyond all that is in the creation wherein thâ—â—e are many mysteries able to swallow up any understanding but that in which they were first formed This must be the chief of the works of God the rarest piece of them all God to become man the Creator of all to come in the likeness of a creature he by whom all things were created and do yet consist to come in the likeness of the most wretched of all Strange that we do not dwell more in our thoughts and affections on this subject either we do not believe it or if we did we could not but be ravished with admiration at it Iohn the beloved Disciple who was often nearest unto Christ dwelt most upon this and made it the subject of his preaching that which was from the beginning which we have heard and seen and handled c. Ioh. 1.1 He speaks of that mystery as if he were imbracing Jesus Christ in his arms and holding him out to others saying Come and see This divine mystery is the subject of these words read but the mystery is somewhat unfolded and opened up to you in them yet so as it will not diminish but increase the wonder of a believing soul. It is ignorance that magnifies other mysteries which viâ—ifie through knowledge but it is the true knowledge of this mystery that makes it the more wonderful whereas ignorance only makes it common and despicable There are three things then of special consideration in the words which may declare and open unto you something of this mystery Fiâ—st what was the ground and reason or occasion of the Sons sending into the world next what the Son being sent did in the world And the third for what end and use it was What fruit we have by it The ground and reason of Gods sending his Son is because there was an impossibility upon the Law to save man which impossibility was not the Laws fault but mans defect by reason of the weakness and impotency of our flesh to fulfill the Law Now God having chosen come to life and man having put this obstruction and impediment in his own way which made it impossible for the Law to give him life though it was first given out as the way of life therefore that God should not fail in this glorious design of saving his chosen he choosed to send his own Son in the likeness of flesh as the only remedy of the Laws impossibility That which Christ being sent into the likeness of flesh did is the condemning of sin in the flesh by a sacrifice offered for sin even the sacrifice of his own body upon the crosse He came in the likeness not of flesh simply for he was really a man but in the likeness of sinful flesh though without sin yet like a sinner as to the outward appearance a sinner because subject to all these infirmities and miseries which sin did first open a door for Sin was the in-let of afflictions of bodily infirmities and necessities of death it self and when the floods of these did overflow Christs Humane Nature it was a great presumption to the world who look and judge according to the outward appeaâ—ance tâ—at â—in was the â—lâ—ce opened to let in such an inundation of calamity Now he being thus in the likeness of a sinner though not a sinner he for sin that is because of sin that had entered upon man and made life impossible to him by the Law by occasion of that great enemy of God which had conquered mankind he condemned sin in his flesh he overthrew it in its plea and power against us he condemned that which condemned us overcame it in judgment and made us free by sustaining the curse of it in his flesh he cut off all its plea against us This is the great work and business which was worthy of so noble a Messenger his own Son sent to conquer his greatest enemy that he hates most And then in the third place you see what benefite or fruit redounds to us by it What was the end and purpose of it vers 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us that seing it was impossible for us to fulfill the righteousness of the Law and so became impossible to the Law to fulfill our reward of life it might be fulfilled by him in our name and so the righteousness of the Law being fulfilled in us by
should buy it at the dearest rate of pains and expenses from all those vain impertinent and trifling diversions that take it up that we may imploy it as it becomes suitable to eternity that is posting on And then as the shortness of it makes it the more precious and considerable in regard of the end of it eternity as the scantnesse of a thing increases the rate of it so that same consideration should make all worldly things that are confined either in their being or use within it to be incosiderable as Paul 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. shews seing the time is short it remaineth that we should rejoice as not rejoicing weep as not weeping buy as if we possessed not use the world as not abusing it Seing all its worth is to be esteemed from the end of it eternity never ending then certainly whatsover in time doth not reach that end and hath no connexion with it we should give it but such intertainment as a passing bird that is pleasant to the eye gets of a beholder while it is in its flight the shortness of the day should make us double our diligence and put on the harder in our walk or race that so we may come in time to our place of rest and that same should make the passenger give an overly and passing look to all things that are by the way and which he must of necessity leave behind him Seing these things then are so important let us draw our hearts together to consider what the Lord speaks to us in this word for in it you have two wayes and two ends opposite and contrary wayes and walks and as contrary ends the wayes are walking after the flesh and walking after the Spirit the ends to which they lead are death and life We spoke something of the wayes and the wide difference that is between them what excellency is in the one beyond the other but truly it is hard to perswade you to take off your accustomed wayes and walks because your inward sense and the inclination of your hearts is wholly perverted and corrupted by nature You know the moving faculty is subordinat in its operations unto the knowing feeling and apprehending-faculties The locomotive power is given for a subsidiary and help to the apprehensive and appetitive powers because things are convenient and disconvenient good or evil to the nature of the living creature are without it and it could not by meer knowledge or desire or hatred of things either come in possession of them or eschew them therefore God hath given them a faculty of moving themselves to the prosecution and attainment of any apprehended good or to the eschewing and aversion from any conceived evil Thus when beasts savour or smell that food which is fit for them their appetite stirs them up to motion 〈◊〉 it to obtain it Now I say if this inward sense be â—orrupâ—â—d thâ—n things that are destructive will be conceived good because they are suitable to that corrupt humor or quality that possessed the senses and thus all the motion and walk will be disordered The truth is my beloved our spirits and minds are infected with a poysonable humour fleshly passions and lusts are predominant naturally and as in them that are in a feaver their organ being distempered with a bitten unsavoury humour the pleasantest things seems unsavoury because not suitable to that predominant humour even so it is wiâ—h you by nature That which puts all upon motion is out of course since the fiâ—st distemper of mâ—n your spirits and minds are fleshly and carnal they have a strong and deep impression of all the lusts that are in the body and are accordingly affected and therefore you cannot fitly judge what is good or evil for you but as these Isai. 5.20 You mâ—st call evil good and good evil bitter sweet and sweet bitter because you are already prepossessed thus And therefore the wayes of the flesh those paths that lead to destruction you cannot but look on them as pleaâ—ant because they suit and please your corrupted sense or spirit and so this disordered savour or smell of some fragrant perfume in the ways of the flesh puts you upon walking in these wayes and being thus possessed and ingaged you cannot but stop your ears to all contrary perswasions you think it against-your sense and reason to tell you that these are loathsome and unsavoury and that the other wayes of widom and spirit are pleasantness and peace I say you cannot believe this till your hearts and spirits be purged and your taste be pure and uncorrupted It is certainly upon this ground that our Saviour puts such characters upon the way to Heaven and Hell to life and death the one is strait and narrow and few walk in it the other broad and easie and many walk in it Matth. 7.13 Certainly it is not the way in it self simply that admitâ— of such a motion to speak properly as the thing is the way to life by the guiding of the Spirit is easiest plainest shortest and broadest it hath all the properties of a good way none so pleasant and plain how sweet and pleasant sights all the way its an Alley of delight the way of his Commandments it wants not accommodation in it to refresh the Traveller the most delightful company is here the Father and the Son who sought no other company from all eternity but were abundantly satisfied and rejoiced one another this fellowship the Christian hath to solace himself with and he is admitted to be partaker of that joy There is nothing that doth disbuâ—den the soul so of care and anxiety nothing doth rid a man of so many perplexities and troubles as this way But the way of sin in it self is most laborious most difficult it hath infinite by-wayes that it leads a man into and he must turn and return and run in a circle all the day all his time to satisfie the infinit lusts and insatiable desires of sin O! how painful and laborious is it to fulfill the lusts of the flesh how much service doth it impose how serious attention what perplexing câ—res and tormenting thoughts how many sorrows and griefs are in every step of this way Do you not perceive what drudges and slaves sin makes you how much labour you have to satisfie your lusts and you are alwayes to begin as near that which you seek in the end of your years as in the beginning How thorny how myry is the way of covetousness Are you not alwayes out of one thorn into another and cut asunder or pierced through with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6.10 Mat. 13.22 Is that a pleasant and easie way I pray you that makes all your sorrow and your travel grief and suffers not your heart to take rest in the night Eccles. 2.22 23. What pains of body What plotting oâ— mind What labour and vexation of both must a sinner have as his constant attendants in this way The way is intricat deep
in lesser things and shall we be mad self-willed and refractory in the greatest thing that concerns us eternally O! unbelief is that which will condemn the world the unbelief of this one thing that the walking aâ—â—er and minding of the flesh is mortal and deadly Though all men confesse with their tongues this to be a truth yet it is not really believed the deep inconsideration and slight apprehension of this truth makes men boldly to walk and violently to run on to perdition Did you indeed believe that eternal misery is before you at the end of this way and would you be so cruel to your selves as to walk in it for any allurement that is in it Did you really believe That there is a precipice into utter darkness and everlasting death at the end of this alley would the pleasure and sweetness of it be able to inâ—atuat you and besott you so far as to lead you on into it like an Ox to the slaughter and a fool to the correction of the stocks It is strange indeed thou you neither will believe that death is the end of these things nor yet can you be perswaded that you do not believe it there is a twofold delusion that possesses the hearts of men one is a dream and â—ancy of escaping death though they live in sin another is a dream and fancy that they do believe that death is the wages of sin We might wonder how they consist together if we did not find it by so many experiences Your way proves that you do not believe it that death is the end of it and then your words evidence that you do not believe That you are unbelievers of that O! how desperat is the wickedness and how great is the deceitfulness of the heart The false Prophet that is in every mans bosome deceives him that it may destroy him As Satan is a liar and murderer and murders by lying so the heart of man is a self-murderer and self-destroyer and that is done by lying and dâ—ceiving There is some lie in every â—in but there is this grosse black fundamental lie at the bottom of all sin A conceit of immunity and freedom from death and hell a strong imagination of escaping danger even though such a way be chosen and walked into as of its own nature inevitably leads to destruction And there is something of this bloody murdering flattery even in the hearts of Christians therefore this Apostle gives us an antidot against it and labours often to purge it out by stirring up that knowledge they have received Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 Be not deceived God is not mocked for what a man soweth that he shall reap he that soweth to the flesh shall reap corruption c. Gal. 6.7 8. O! that you might listen to this word to this watch word given you and stop your course at least for a season to think what shall be the latter end know ye not that such shall not inherit the Kingdom know you not that the way to heaven lyes upward know you not that your way lyes downward towards the flesh and the earth are you so far demented as to think to come to Heaven by walking just downward in the lusts of the flesh Truly this is the strongest and strangest inchantment that can be that you think to sow one thing and reap another thing to sow darkness and reap light to sow corruption and reap incorruption Is that possible in nature to sow nettle-seed and think to â—eap barley or wheat Be not deceived O that you would undeceive your poor deluded souls and know that is as natural for Death and Hell to grow out of sin and walking after the flesh as it is for every seed to yeeld its own fruit and herb Do you then think to disolve the course and order of nature Truly the flesh is mortal in it self it s ordained for corruption you see what it turns to after the life is out that is an embleme of the state of the fleshly soul after death As you did abase your spirits to the service of the flesh here and all your plowing and labouring and sowing was about it the seed which you did cast in the ground was Fleshly lusts earthly things for the satisfaction of your flesh so you shall reap of the flesh Corruption death and destruction that shall make your immortal spirits mortal and corruptible and subject them to death and corruption with the body as far as they are capable it shall deprive them of all that which is their proper life and refreshment and separat them eternally from the fountain of blessedness and banish them out of Heaven unto the fellowship of devils and Oh! that corruption of the incoruptible spiâ—it is worse then the corruption of the mortall flesh corruptio optimi pessima Now who ever of you is thus far undeceived as to believe your danger and misery and to discern that imbred delusion of your hearts be not discouraged utterly there may be hope of recovery when you see your disease I say if you see that hell is at the end of your way then know that He who sent that voice to call you off that way of death He leaves you not to your own wits to guide you into the right way but He follows with a voice behind you â—aying Here is the way walk in it turn not out of it to the right hand or left and this voice sounds plainly in the Word and it is nothing elâ—e but the sound of the Gospel that blessed sound that invites and allures you to come in to Jesus Christ the way truth and life the true way to the true life All other wayes all other lifes have no truth in them it s but a cloud a fancy that men apprehend and lay hold on But come to this way and it will truly lead thee to the true life eternal life if you flee unto him out of the apprehension of your danger you have a clear way to come to God and as plain a way to attain life and peace Being in Christ you have assurance of not falling into condemnation He is such a way as will hold you in and not suffer you to go out of it again to the way of Death And therefore he will give you a Tutor a guider and directer in this way to life and peace and that is the Holy Spirit to lead in all truth and to guide your feet in the way of his Commandments so that in this new and living way of Christ you shall have both light of the Word to know where to walk and life of the Spirit to make you walk toward that eternal life and thus grace and truth is come by Christ. Indeed you must suffer the mortification of your flesh you must endure the pain of the death of your lusts the cutting off your right hand and plucking out your right
the proper owner acknowledging his absolute dependence on him and claiming interest and propriety in nothing not in himself and then on the other hand the love and good-will of infinit God placed on man and from that fountain all the streams of happiness issuing forth towards man the fulness of God opening up it self to him and laying out it self towards him God so far descending as in a manner to become the creatures to expose and dispose Himself and all in him for poor mans use and comfort How joyful was that amity but the breaking of this bond of peace is as sad and grievous There was a woful interposal between God and us which hath separated these chief friends ever since the beginning and that is sin the seeds of all enmity and discord this hath rent asunder the bond of amity this hath made such a total aversion of the soul from God and imprinted such an irreconciliable eâ—mity in the heart against the holy will of God that there is no possibility to reunite again and restore the old friendship as long as the soul is not quite changed and transformed that first creation is so marred and defaced that there is no mending of it till a second creation come The carnal mind is not simply an enemy but enmity it self an enemy may reconcile again and accept terms of peace but enmity cannot reconcile to amity without the very destruction of it self the opposition of the heart is so perfect that as soon may enmity unite with amity and become one with it as a carnal natural-mind can submit to Gods holy will That which was at the beginning voluntary is become necessary and turned into the nature of an in-bred antipathy that no art can cure The fall was such a disjoynting of the soul from God that no skill but infinit wisdom no strength but Almighty power can set it right and put it in the first posture again It is true there are not many who will openly and expresly denounce war against Heaven it is not so incident that any man should have explicit plain thoughts of hatred against God there are some common principles engraven by God in all mens minds which serve as his witnesses against men that God should be loved served adored and worshipped that there is nothing so worthy of the desires of the soul. Now this general acknowledgment deludes the most part for they take it for granted that they do love God with their heart because their consciences bears witness that they ought to love him as if it were all one to know our duty and to do it Who is there but he intertains himself with this good opinion of himself that his heart is good and true to God for say you Whâ—m should I love if I love not God I were not worthy to live if I love not Him It is true indeed that you say but if you did know your hearts you would find their faces turned backward and averted from God and â—ould no more please your selves in such a confession of the truth then the Devil hath reason to think himself a believer because he is convinced that Christ is the Son of God and confessed it too no more then the son that promised to go to the Garden to work and went not had ground to think himself an obedient son Mat. 21.30 Such a confession of duty may be extorted from damned spirits and therefore you would not draw this vail over the wretched wickedness of your natures to the end that you may conceive well of yourselves It is so far from extenuating or excusing that the very conviction of the great obligation to love and obey God is the greatest aggravation of the enmity it is this which makes it the purest malice and perâ—â—ctest hatred that knowing the goodness of God convinced of our bound duty to love and serve him yet in the very light of such a shining truth to turn our hearts away from him and exercise all acts of hostility against him That you may know then wherein the enmity of your hearts consists I shall instance it in three branches or evidences There is an enmity in the understanding that it cannot stoop to believing of the truth there is an enmity in the will that it cannot subject to obedience of Gods holy cammands and this is extended also to a stubborn rebellion against the will of God manifested in the dispensations of his providence In a word the natural and carnal mind is incapable of faith of obedience and of submission There are many truths revealed in the Scripture that the natural man cannot receive or know for they are foolishness to him 1 Cor. 2.14 Some spirits there are lifted up above others either by nature or education in which this rebellion doth more evidently appear reason in them contends with Religion and they will believe no more then they can give a reason for There is a wisdom in some men that despiseth the simplicity or the inevidence of the Gospel and accounts it foolishness The carnal mind will needs start out â—rom implicit trusting of God when once it s possessed with some imagination of wisdom therefore how many are the insurrections of of mens spirits against Gods absolute power over the creatures against the mysteries of the holy Trinity and Incarnation against the resurrection of our bodies In these and such like the pretended wisdom of men hath taken liberty to act enmity and to dispute against God But truly the rebellion and insubjection against the truth of God is more generally practised even by the multitude of men though in an unfree hidden way How few do believe their own desperat wickedness though God hath testified it of man Doth not every one apprehend some good to remain in his nature and some power to good what an impossibility is it to perswade you that all mankind are under the sentence of eternal condemnatioâ— that children who have not done good or evil are involved in it also Your hearts riseth against such doctrines as if they were bloody and cruel inventions To tell you that many are called and few chosen that the most part of them who prosesse the truth are walking in the way to Hell and shall undoubtedly fall into it you may hear such things but you blesse your selves from them and cannot be perswaded to admit them into your mindâ— The hearts of men will be giving the very lie to the God of truth when he speaks these things in his word God forbid that all that be true If we should expound the Law unto you and shew you that the least idle word the lightest thought the smallest inward motion of the heart deserves eternal misery that anger is murder in Gods sight that lusting is fornication that covetousness and love of the world is idolatry these things you cannot know them or receive them therâ— are so many high imaginations in your minds that exalts themselves against the knowledge
God shall dwell in sinful men by his Spirit but in order of nature it hath some influence upon the other without which God could not have dwelt in us There is so much distance and disproportion between his Majesty and us that we could not be well united but by this interveening God coming down fâ—â—st a step into the holy nature of the Man Christ that from thence he might go into the sinâ—ul nature of other men Our sinâ—ul and rebellious nature behoved to be first sanctified this way by the persâ—nal in-dwelling of God in our flesh and this had made an easie passage into sinful Us for His Spirit to dwell into us powerfully and graciously therefore the Spirit of Christ is said to dwell in us Christs Spirit not only because proceeding from Him as from the Father but particularly because the inhabitation or operation of the Spirit in us is the proper result and fruit of that glorious union of our nature with him He took our flesh that he might send us His Spirit And O what a blessed exchange was this He came and dâ—elt in our nature that so He might dwell in us He took up a Shop as it were in our flesh that He might work in us and make us again conformed to God We shall not cut this asunder into many parts you see the words contain plainly The very essential definition of a spiritual man and of a Christian. You find a spiritiual man and a Christian equivalent in this ver that is to say they are taken for one and the self same thing and so they are reciprocal of equal extent and restraint every Christian is one aâ—ter the Spirit and whosoever is after the Spirit is a Christian one of Christs and one aâ—ter the Spirit is one thing Now the definition of the Christian is taken from that which really and essentially constitutes him such He is one in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells that makes him one after the Spirit that makes him one of Christs because it is the Spirit of Christ. As if you define what a man is you could not do it better then thus he is one endowed with a reasonable soul So the Apostle gives you the very soul and form of a Christian which differenceth from all others As the soul is to the body to make up a man so the Spirit of Christ is to the soul and spirit of a man to make up a Christian as the absence or presence of the soul makes or unmakes a man so the absence or presence of this Spirit makes or unmakes a Christian for you see he makes it reciprocal If you be Christianâ— the Spirit dwells in you but if the Spirit dwell not in you you are not Christians A word then to the first of these that a Christian and a spiritual man are commensurable one to another It is true there are Iews who are not Iews inwardly but only according to the letter Rom. 2.28 29. And so there are Christians so called who are but so outwardly and in the letter who have no more of it but the name and viâ—ible standing in the Church but we are speaking of that which is truly that which it is called whose praise is not of men but of God The name of â— man may be extended to a Picture or Image for some outward resemblance it hath of him but it is not a proper speech no more is it proper to extend the Name of Christians unto the Pictures or Images of Christians such as are destitute of this inward life You may be properly according to Scripture-phrase members of the visible body but you cannot have that real and blessed relation to Jesus Christ the Head which shall be the source of happinesse to all the living members I wish you would take it so and flatter your selves no more with Church-titles as iâ— these were sufficient evidences for your salvation You would all be called Christians but it fears me you know not many of you the true meaning and signification of that word the most comfortable sense of it is hid from you The meaning of it is That a man is renewed by Christ in the spirit of his mind As Christ and the Spirit are inseparable so a Christian and a spiritual â—ature are not to be â—ound severed Certainly the very sound of the name whereby you are called imports another nature and conversation then is to be â—ound in many You cannot say that you have a shadow of spirituality either in your affections or actions or that you have any real design and study that way but only to please your flesh and satisfie the customs of the world why do you then usurpe the name of Christianity this is a common sacriledge to give that which is holy unto dogs Others give it to you and you take it to your selves But know that though you please your selves and others in this yet without such a renovation of your natures and such a sincere study to be inwardly and outwardly conformed to the profession and name of Christianity you have not your praise of God and him whom God praises and allows not he cannot blesse for ever I am perswaded there are some who are not only in the letter but in the Spirit whose greatest desire and design is To be indeed what they professe and such their praise is of God and if God praise them now they shall be made to praise him for ever hereafâ—er such are allowed to take the name and honourable style of Christianity unto them You are Christs nearly interessed in him and if you be Christs own he cannot be happy without you for such was his love that he would not be happy alone in Heaven but come down to be miserable with us and now that he is again happy in Heaven certainly he cannot enjoy it long alone but he must draw up his members unto the fellowship of that glory Now the other thing that which gives even beeing to a Christian is The Spirit of Christ dwelling in him Of this inhabitation we shall not say so much as the comparison being strained will yeeld neither expatiat into many notions about it I wish rather we went home with some desires kindled in us after such a noble guest as the Holy Spirit is and that we were begun once to weary of â—he base and unclean guests that we lodge within us to our own destruction That which I said that the Spirit is to a Christian what the soul is to a man if well considered might present the absolute necessity and the excellency of this unto your eyes Consider what a thing the body is without the soul how defiled and deformed a piece of dust it is void of all sense and life loathsome to look upon Truly the soul of man by nature is in no better case till this Spirit enter it hath no light in it no life in it it is a dark dungeon such as is described Ephes. 4.18
O how infinitly is that compensed one hours fellowship with him alone when all strangers are cast out will compense all will make all to be forgotten the pain of mortification will be swallowed up in the pleasure of his inhabitation When I shall awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness When He shall take up house fully in you it will satisfie you to the full In the mean time as he takes the rule and command of your house so for the present he provides for it the provision of the soul is incumbent to this Divine Guest and O how sweet and satisfying is it the peace and joy of the Holy Ghost which are the intertainment that he gives a soul where he reigns and hath brought In righteousnesse Rom. 14.17 What a noble train doth the Spirit bring alongs with him to furnish this house Many rich and costly ornaments hang over it and adorn it to make it like the Kings Wise all glorious within such as the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit 1 Pet. 3.4 which is a far more precious and rich hanging than the most curious or precious contexture of corruptible things the cloathing of humility simple in shew but rich in substance 1 Pet. 5.5 which enriches and beautifies the soul that hath it more than all Solomons glory could do his person for better is it to be of a humble spirit with the lowly then divide the spoil with the proud Prov. 16.19 In a word the Spirit makes all new puts a new man a new fashion and Image on the soul which suits the Court of Heaven the highest in the world and is conformed to the noblest and highest pattern the Holinesse and Beauty of the greatest King And being lodged within O what sweet fruits is the Spirit dayly bringing forth to feed and delight the soul withall Gal. 5.22 23. And he is not only a Spirit of Sanctification but of Consolation too and therefore of all the most worthy to be received into our hearts for he is a bosome-comforter Ioh. 14 16. when there is no friend nor lover without but a soul in that posture of Heman Psal. 88.18 and in that desolate estate of the Churches Ierem. Lament 1.2 Among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her vers 17. Spreading forth her hands and none to comfort her vers 21. Sighing and none to comfort her In such a case to have a living and over-running spring of comfort within when all externall and lower consolations like winter-brookes that dry up in summer have dryed up and disappointed thy expectation sure this were a happy guest that could do this O that we could open our hearts to receive him SERMON XXV Rom. 8.9 If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man c. THere is a great marriage spoken of Eph. 5. That hath a great mystery in it which the Apostle propoundeth as the samplar and archetype of all marriages or rather as the substance of which all conjunctions and relations among the creatures are buâ— the shaddows It is that marriage between Christ and his Church for which it would appear this world was builded to be a Palace to celebrat it into and especially the upper-house Heaven was made glorious for that great day where it shall be solemnized The first in order of time that was made by God himself in paradise certainly to represent a higher mystery The marriage of the second Adam with his Spouse which is taken out of his bloody side as the Apostle imports Eph. 5. Now there is the greatest inequality and disproportion between the parties Christ and sinners so that it would seem a desperate matter to bring two such distant and unequal natures to such a neer union as may cast a copy to all unions and relations of the creatures But He who at first made a kind of marriage between Heaven and Earth in the composure of man and joyned together an immortal spirit in such a bond of amity with corruptible dust hath found out the way to help this and make it â—easable And truly we may conceive the Lord was but making way for this greater mystery of the union of Christ with us when he joyned the breath of Heaven with the dust of the earth in this he gave some representation of another more mysterious conjunction Now the way that the wisdome and love of God hath found out to bring about this marriage is this Because there was such an infinite distance between the only begotten Son of God who is the expresse character of his Image and the brightness of his Glory and Us sinful mortal creatures whose foundation is in the dust therefore it pleased the Father out of His good-will to the match To send his Son down among men and the Son out of his love to take on our flâ—sh and so fill up that distance with his low condescendence to be partaker of flesh and blood with the children And now what the Lord spoke of man fallen in a holy kind of irony or mock Behold he is become as one of us that men may truly say of the Son of God not fallen down from Heaven but come down willingly Lo he is become as one of us like us in all things except sin which hath made us unlike our selves This bond of union you have in the vers 3. Christ so infinitly above sinners and higher then the Heavens coming down so low to be as like sinners as might be or could be profitable for us in the liâ—eness of sinful flesh c. But yet this bond is not neer enough that conjunction seemeth but general and infirm both because it is in some manner common to all mankind who shall not be all advanced to this priviledge By taking on our nature he cometh nearer to humane nature but not to some beyond others and besides the distance is not filled up this way because there is a great disproportion between that nature in Christ and in us In Him it is holy and undefiled and seperated from sin but in Us it is unclean and immersed into sin so that albeit he be nearer us as a man yet he is far distant and unlike us a holy perfect man Now what fellowship can be between light and darkness as Paul speaketh of the marriage of Christians with Idolaters much greater distance and disagreement is between Christ and us Therefore it seemeth that some of us must be changed and transformed But Him it may not be he cannot become liker us than by partaking of our flesh for if he had become a sinner indeed he would have become so like us that he could not help himself nor us either this would eclipse the glory and happiness of the marriage but in that he came as near as could be without disabling himâ—elf to make us happy and so he was contented to come in the place of sinners and take on their debt and answer to Gods Justice for it yea
truly these are but shadows and that is the body or substance and because an union that is mutual is nearest it is often so expressed as it imports an interchangeable relation a reciprocal conjunction with Christ. The knot is cast on both sides to make it strong Christ in us and we in him God dwelling in us and we in Him and both by this one Spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 Hereby we know that God dwelleth in us and we in him by his Spirit which he hath given us You find it often in Iohn who being most possessed with the love of Christ and most sensible of his love could best expresse it I in them and they in me He that keepeth his commands dwelleth in Him and he in Him as the names of married persons are spelled through other so doth he spell out this in-dwelling it s not cohabitation but inhabitation neither that alone singlely but mutual inhabitation which amounts to a kind of Penetration the most intimat and immediat presence imaginable Christ â—welleth in our hearts by faith and we dwell in Christ by love Eph. 17. and 1 John 4. Death bringeth him into the heart for it is the very â—pplication of a Saviour to a sinfull soul. It is the very applying of his blood and sufferings to the wound that sin hath made in the conscience the laying of that sacrifice propitiatory to the wounded conscience is that which heals it pacifies it and calms it A Christian by receiving the offer of the Gospel cordially and affectionatly brings in Christ offered into his house and then salvation comes with him Therefore believing is receiving John 1. the very opening of the heart to let in an offered Saviour and then Christ thus possessing the heart by faith He works by love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him Love hath this special vertue in it that it transports the soul in a manner out of it self to the beloved Cant. 1.9 anima est ubi amat non ubi animat the fixing and establishing of the heart on God is a dwelling in Him for the constant and most continued residence of the most serious thoughts and aâ—fections will be their dwelling in the all fulness and riches of grace in Jesus Christ as the spirit dwelleth where he worketh so the soul dwelleth where it delighteth its complacency in God maketh a frequent issue or outgoing to Him in desires and breathings after Him And by means of this same God dwelleth in the heart for love is the opening up of the inmost chamber of the heart to Him it brings in the beloved in to the very secrets of the soul to lye all night betwixt His breasts as a bundle of myrrhe Cant. 1.13 And indeed all the sweet odours of holy duties and all the performing of good works and edifying speeches spring out only and are sent forth from this bundle of myrrhe that lyes betwixt the breasts of a Christian in the inmost of his heart from Christ dwelling in the affections of the soul. Now this being the bond of union betwixt Christ and us it follows necessarily that whoever hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His and this is subjoyned for prevention or removal of the misapprehensions and delusions of men in their self-judgings Because self-love blinds our eyes and maketh our hearts deceive themselves we are given to this self-flattery to pretend and claim to an interest in Jesus Christ even though there be no more evidence for it then the external relation that we have to Christ as members of his visible body or partakers of a common influence of his Spirit There are some external bonds and tyes to Christ which are like a knot that may easily be loosed if any thing get hold of the end of it as by our relations to Christ by baptisme hearing the word your outward covenanting to be his people all these are loose unsure knots It is as easie to untie them as to tie them yea and more easie and yet many have no other relation to Christ then what these make But it is only the Spirit of Christ given to us that intitles and interesseth us in Him and Him in us it s the Spirit working in your souls mightily and continually making your hearts temples for the offering of the sacrifice of prayer and praises casting out all idols out of these temples that He alone may be adored and worshipped by the affectionate service of the heart purging them from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit It is the Spirit I say thus dwelling in men that maketh them living members of the true body of Christ lively joyned to the head Christ this maketh him yours and you his by vertue of this He may command you as His own and you may use and imploy Him as your own Now for want of this in most part of men they also want this living saving-interest in Christ they have no real but an imaginary and notional propriety and right to the Lord Jesus for Christ must first take possession of us by His Spirit before we have any true right to Him or can willingly resign our selves to Him and give Him right over us What shall it profite us my beloved to be called Christians and to esteem our selves so if really we be none of Christs shall it not highten our condemnation so much the more that we desire to passe for such and give out our selves so and yet have no inward aquaintance and interest in Him whose name we love to bear Are not the most part shadows and pictures of true Christians bodies without the soul of Christianity that is the Spirit of Christ whose hearts are treasures of wickednesse and deceit and storâ—-houses of iniquity and ignorance It may be known what treasure fills the heart by that which is the constant and common vent of it as our Saviour speakes Matth 15.19 and 12.34 35. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks the feet walks and the hand works Consider then if the Spirit of God dwelleth in such unclean habitations and dark dungeons certainly no uncleanness or darkness of the house can hinder him to come in but â—t is a sure argument and evidence That he is not as yet come in becausâ— the Prince of darkness is not yet cast out of many souls nor yet the unclean spirits that lodge within these haunt your hearts and are as familiar now as ever Sure I am many souls have never yet changed their guests and it is as sure that the fiâ—st guest that taketh up the soul iâ— darkness and desperat wickedness with imparalelled deceitfulness there is an accurâ—ed trinity in stead of that blessed Tâ—inity the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and when this holy Tâ—inity cometh in to dwell that other of Hell must go out Now my beloved do you think this a light matter To be disowned by Jesus Christ Truly the word of Christ which is the
and besides it was for a pledge that at the last day all shall not die but be changed The true cause of death is sin and the true nature of it is penal to be a punishment of sin take away this relation to sin and death wants the sting But in itâ— fiâ—st appointment and as it prevails generally over men aâ—uleaâ—a est mors it hath a sting that pierceth deeper and woundeth soâ—er then to the dissolution of the body it goeth in to the innermost paâ—â—s of the soul and wâ—undeth that eternally The truth is the death of the body is not either the first death or the last death it is rather placed in the middle between two deaths and it s the fruit of the first and the root of the last There is a death immediatly hath ensued upon sin and it is the separation of the soul from God the fountain of life and blessedness and this is the death often spoken of you who were dead in sins and trespasses c. Eph. 2.1 Being past feeling and alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 19. And truly this is worse in it â—elf then the death of the body simply though not so sensible because â—pirituâ—l the corruption of the best pâ—â—t in man in all reason is worse then the corruption of his worst part but this death which consists especially in the losse of that blessed communion with God which made the soul happy cannot be found till some new life enter or else till the last death come which adds infinit pain to infinit losse Now the death of the body succeeds thiâ— souls death and that is the separation of the soul from the body most suitable seeing the soul was turned from the fountain spirit to the body that the body should by his command return to dust and be made the most defiâ—ed piece of dust Now this were not so grievous if it were not a step to the death to come and a degree of it introductive to it But that statute and appointment of Heaven hath thus linked it after death comes Iudgment Because the soul in the body would not be sensible of its separation from God but was wholly taken up with the body neglecting and miskenning that infinit losse of Gods favour and face therefore the Lord commands it to go out of the body that it maythen be sensible of its infinit loss of God when it is separated from the body that it may then have leasure to reflect upon it self and find its own surpassing misery and then indeed infinit pain and infinit losse conjoyned eternal banishment from the presence of that blessed Spirit and eternal torment within it self these two concurring what posture do you think such a soul will be into There are some earnest of this in this life when God reveals his terrour and sets mens sins in order before their face O how intolerable is it and more insupportable then many deaths They that have been accquainted with it have declared it the terrours of God are like poysonable arrows sunk into Jobs spirit and drinking up all the moisture of them Such a spirit as is wounded with one of these darts shot from Heaven who can bear it not the most patient and most magnanimous spirit that can sustain all other infiâ—mities Prov. 18.14 Now my beloved if it be so now while the soul is in the body drowned in it what will be the case of the soul separated from the body when it shall be all one sense to reflect and consider it self This is the sting of death indeed worse then a thousand deaths to a soul that apprehends it and the lesse it is apprehended the worse it is because it is the more certain and must shortly be found when there is no brazen serpent to heal that sting Now what comfort have you provided against this day what way do you think to take out this sting Truly there is no balm for it no Physitian for it but one and that the Christian is only acquainted with He in whom Christ is he hath this soveraign antidot against the pâ—yson of Death he hath the very sting of it taken out by Châ—â—st death it self killed and of an mortal enemy made the kindest friend And so he may triumph with the Apostle O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Thanks be to God in Iesuâ— Christ who giveth us the victory 1 Cor. 15.55 The ground of his triumph and that which a Christian hath to oppose to all the sorrows and pains and fears of death mustred against him is threefold one that death is not real a second that is not total even that which is and then that it is not perpetual This last is contained in the next vers the second expressed in this vers and the first may be understood or implyed in it That the nature of death is so far changed that of a punishment it is become a medicine of a punishment for sin it is turned into the last purgative of the soul from sin and thus the sting of it is taken away that relation it did bear to the just wrath of God And now the body of a Christian under appointment to die for sin that is for the death of sin the eternal death of sin Christ having come under the power of death hath gotten power over it and spoiled it of its stinging vertue he hath taken away the poysonable ingredient of the curse that it can no more hurt them that are in Him and so it is not now vested with that piercing and wounding notion of punishment though it be true that sin was the first in-lett of death that it first opened the slâ—ue to let it enter and flow in upon mankind yet that appointment of death is renewed and bears a relation to the destruction of sin rather then the punishment of the sinner who is f`orgiven in Christ And O how much solid comfort is here that the great reason of mortality that a Christian it subject unto is that he may be made free of that which made him at first mortal Because sin hath taken suâ—h possession in this earthly tabernacle and is so strong a poyson that it hath infected all the members and by no purgation here made can be fully cleansed â—ut but there are many secret corners it lurks into and upon occasion vents it self therefore it hath pleased God in His infinit goodnesse to continue the former appointment of death but under a new and living consideration to take down this infected and defiled tabernacle as the houses of leprosie were taken down under the Law that so they might be the better cleansed and this is the last purification of the soul from sin And therefore as one of the Ancients said well That we might not be eternally miserable mercy hath made us mortal Justice hath made the world mortal that they may be eternally miserable but to put an end to this misery
raised up Christ the very first fruits of all the rest so that Christs resurrection is a sure pledge and token of yours and both together are the main basis and ground work of all our hope and salvation the neglect and inconsideration whereof makes the most part of pretended Christians to walk according to that Epicurean principle let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die as if there were no life to come they withold nothing from their carnal minds that can satisfie or please their lusts But for you who desire a part in this resurrection and daâ—e scarcely believe so great a thing or entertain such a high hope because of the â—ight of your unworthinesse as ye would be awaked by this hope to righteousnesse and to sin no more vers 34. of that Chap. So you may encourage your selves to that hope by the resurrection of Christ for it is that which hath the mighty influence to beget you to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Look upon this as the grand intent and special design of Christs both dying and rising again that he might be the first fruits to sanctifie all the lump Nevertheless it is not he defect of your bodies for they are often a great impediment and retardment to the spirit and lodgeth the enemy within their walls when he is chased out of the mind by the Law of the Spirit of life but it is the great design of God through the whole work of redemption and the desert of Christ your head and therefore you may entertain that hope but take heed to walk worthy of it and that is if we have this hope let us purifie our selves let us who believe that we are risen with Christ set our affections on things above else we dishonour Him that is risen in our name and we dishonour that Temple of the Holy Ghost which he will one day make so glorious SERMON XXXI Rom. 8.11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead c. AS there is a twofold death the death of the soul and the death of the body so there is a double resurrection the resurrection of the soul from the power of sin and the resurrection of the body from the grave as the first death is that which is spiritual then that which is bodily so the first resurrection is of the Spirit then the second of the body and these two have a connexion together therefore saith the Apostle Iohn Blessed are they who have part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests to God c. Rom. 20.6 Although death must 〈…〉 their bodies yet the sting wherein the strength of it lyes is taken away by Christ that it hath no power to hurt him whose spirit is raised out of the grave of sin and truly it is hard to tell which is the greatest change or the most dificult to raise a Body out of corruption to life or to to raise a Soul out of sin to grace But both are the greatest changes that can be and shadowed out under the similitude of the greatest in nature for our conversion to God is a new birth a new creation and a resurrection in Scripture style and so both require one and the same power the almighty power of his Spirit you who were dead in sin hath He quickned c. O what a notable change it maketh them no longer the same men but new creatures and therefore it is the death of sin and the resurrection of the soul for as long as it is under the chains of darknesse and power of sin it is free among the dead it is buried in the vilest sepulchre old graves and these full of rottennesse and dead mens bones are nothing to â—xpresse the lamentable case of such a soul and yet such are all by nature whatsoever excellency or endowment men have from their birth or education yet certainly they are but apparitions rather then any real substance and which is worse their bodies is the sepulchre of their souls and if the corruption of a soul were sensible we would think all the putrifactions of bodily things but shadows of it And therefore no sooner is there any inward life begotten in a soul but this is the very fiâ—st exercise of it the abhorrency of the soul upon the sight and smell of its own loathsomnesse Now there is no hope of any reviving though all the wisdom and art of men and Angels were imployed in this businesse there is nothing able to quicken one such soul untill it please the Lord to speak such a word as he did to Lazarus Arise come forth and send his Spirit to accomplish his word and this will do it when the Spirit cometh into the soul he quickeneth it and this is the first â—esurrection O blessed are they who have part in this whose souls are drawen out of the dungeon of darknesse and ignorance and brought â—orth to behold this glorious light that shineth in the Gospel and raised out of the grave of the lusts of ignorance to live â—nto God henceforth for such they have their part in the second resurrection to life for you see these are conjoyned If the Spirit dwell in you He shall raise you c. You see here two grounds and reasons of the resurrection of the body Christs rising and the Spirits indwelling now I find these in Scripture made the two fountains of all Christianity both of the fiâ—st and second resurrection The â—esurrection of Christ is an evidence of our Justification the the cause of our quickening or vivification and the ground and pledge of our last resurrection and all these are grounds of strong consolation The first you have Rom. 4.25 Christ died for our sins and rose for our Iustification and the vers 34. of this Chap. Christ is dead yea rather that is risen again who then shall condemn Here is a clear evidence that He hath payed the debt wholly and satisfied Justice fully since He was under the power of death imprisoned by Justice certainly he would not have won free if he had not payed the uttermost farthing therefore his glorious resurrection is a sure manifestation of his present satisfaction it is a publick acquittance and absolution of him from all our debt and so by consequence of all he died for for their debt was laid upon him and now He is discharged and therefore the believing soul may tremblingly boast who shall condemn me for it is God that justifieth Why because all my sins were laid on Christ and God hath in a most solemn manner acquited and discharged him from all when he raised him from the dead and therefore he cannot and none other can sue me or prosecute a plea against me since my Cautioner is fully exonered of this undertaking even by the great Creditor God himself But then his resurrection is a pawn or pledge of the spiritual raising of the soul
from sin as the death of Christ is made the pledge of our dying to sin so his rising of our living to God Rom. 6.4 5. These are not meer paterns and examples of spiritual things but assured pledges of that divine vertue and power which he being raised again should send abroad throughout the world for as there are Coronation-gifts when Kings are solemnly installed in office so there are Coronation-mercies triumphal gifts when Christ rose and ascended he bestowed then on the world Eph. 4. And certainly these are the greatest the vertue of his death to kill the old man and the power of his resurrection to quicken the new and by faith a believer is united and ingraâ—ted into him as a plant into a choice stock and by vertue and sap coming from Christs death and resurrection he is transformed into the similitude of both he groweth into the likenesse of his death by dying to sin by crucifying these inward affections and inclinations to it and he groweth up into the similitude of his resurrection by newnesse of life or being alive to God in holy desires and endeavours after holinesse â—nd obedience And thus the first resurrection of the soul floweth from Christs resurrection But add unto this that Christs rising is the pledge and pawn of the second resurrection that is of the body for He is the head and we the members now it is most incongruous that the head should rise and not draw up the members after him certainly he will not cease till He have drawen up all his memâ—ers to him if the head be above water it is a sure pledge that the body will win out of the water if the root be alive certainly the branches will shoot out in Spring-time they shall live also There is that connexion betwixt Christ and believers that wonderful communication between them that Christ did nothing was nothing and had nothing done to him but what He did and was and sufferd personating them and all the benefiâ—e and advantage redounds to them He would not be considered of us as a person by himself but would rather be still taken in with the children as for love he came down and took flesh to be like them and did take their sin and misery off them and so was content to be looked upon by God as in the place of sinners as the chief sinner so he is content and desirous that we should look on him as in the place of sinners as dying as rising for us as having no excellency or privelege incommunicable to us And this was not hid from the Church of old but presented as the grand consolation Thy dead men shall live â—ogether with my dead body they shall rise and therefore may poor souls awake and sing though they must dwell in the dust yet as the dew and influence of Heaven maketh herbs to spring out of the earth so the vertue of this resurrection shall make the earth and sea and air to cast out and render their dead Isa. 26.19 Upon what a sure and strong chain hangs the salvation of poor sinners I wish Christians might salute one another with this Christ is risen and so comfort one another with these words or rather that every one would apply this cordial to his own heart Christ is risen and you know what a golden chain this draweth after it therefore we must rise and live The other cause which is more immediat and will actively accomplish it is the Spirit dwelling in us for there is a suitable method here too as the Lord first raised the Head Christ and will then raise the Members and he that doth the one cannot but do the other so the Spirit first raiseth the soul from that woful fall into sin which killed us and so maketh it a Temple and the body too for both are bought with a price and therefore the Spirit possesseth both but the inmost residence is in the soul and the bodily members are made servants of righteousness which is a great honour and dignity in regard of that base imployment they had once and so it is most suitable that he who hath thus dwelt in both repair his own dwelling-house for here it is ruinous and therefore must be cast down but because it was once a Temple for the Holy Ghost therefore it will be repaired and built again for he that once honoured it with his presence will not suffer corruption alwayes to dwell in it for what Christ by his humiliation and suffering purchased the Spirit hath this Commission to perform it aâ—d what is it but the restitution of mankind to an happier estate in the second Adam then ever the first was into Now since our Lord who pleased to take on our flesh did not put it off again but admits it to the fellowship of the same glory in heaven in that he died he dies no more death hath no more dominion over him he will never be wearied or ashamed of that humane clothing of flesh and therefore certainly that the children may be like the father the followers their Captain the members not disproportioned to the head the branches not different and heterogeneous to the stock and that our rising in Christ may leave no footstep of our falling no remainder of our misery therefore the Spirit of Christ will also quicken the mortal bodies of believers and make them like Christs glorious body This must be done with divine power and what more powerful then the Spirit for it is the spirits or subtil parts in all creatures that causeth all motions and worketh all effects What then is that Almighty Spirit not able to do You have shadows of this in nature yea convincing evidences for what is the Spring but a resurrection of the earth Is not the world every year renewed and riseth again out of the grave of Winter as you find it elegantly expressed Psal. 107. and doth not the grains of seed die in the â—lods beâ—ore they rise to the harvest 1 Cor. 15. All the vicissitudes and alterations in nature give us a plain draught of this great change and certainly it is one Spirit that effects all But though there be the same power required to raise up the bodies of the godly and ungodly yet O what infinit distance and difference in the nature and ends oâ— their resurrections there is the resurrection of life and the resurrection of condemnation Joh. 5.29 O happy they who rise to life that ever they died but O miserable thrice wretched are all others that they may not be dead for ever The immortality of the souls was infinit misery because it is that which eternizes their misery but when this overplus is added the incorruptibility of the body and so the whole man made an inconsumable subject for that fire to seed upon perpetually what heart can conceive it without horrour and yet we hear it often without any such affection It is a strange life that death is the only
are debters indeed but you owe nothing to the flesh but stripes and mortification SERMON XXXIV Rom. 8.13 For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit c. THough the Lord out of his absolute Soveraignty might deal with man in such a way as nothing should appear but his supream Will and Almighty Power he might simply command obedience and without any more perswasions either leave men to the frowardnesse of their own natures or else powerfully constrain them to their duty yet he hath chosen that way that is most suitable to his own wisdom and most connatural to mans nature To lay out before him the advantages and disadvantages and to use these as motives and perswasives of his Spirit for since He hath by his first creation implanted in mans soul such a principle as moveth it self upon the presentation of good or evil that this might not be in vain he administers all the dispensation of the Law and Gospel in a way suitable to that by propounding such powerful motives as may incline and perswade the heart of man It is true there is a secret drawing withall necessary the pull of the Fathers arm and power of the Holy Ghost yet that which is visible or sensible to the soul is the framing of all things so as to engage it upon rational terms it is set between two contraries death and life death which it naturally abhoâ—reth and life which it naturally loveth an even ballance is holden up before the light of the conscience in which obedience and sin are weighed and it is found even to the convincing of the spirit of man that there are as many disadvantages in the one as advantages in the other This was the way that God used fiâ—st with man in Paradise you remember the terms â—un to what day thou eats thou shalt die he hedged him in on the one side by a promisâ— of life on the other by a threatning of death and these two are very rational restraintâ— â—uited to â—he â—oul of man and in the inward principles of it which are a kind of instinct to that which is appâ—ehenâ—ed good or gainfull Now this vers â—uns even so in the form of words If ye live after the flesh ye shall die you see thiâ— method is not changed under the Gospel for indeed it is natuâ—al to the spiâ—it of man and he hath now much more need of all such peâ—swasions because there is a great change of mans inclination to the woâ—st side all within is so disordered and perverse that a thousand hedges of perswasive grounds cannot do that which one might have done at fiâ—st then they were added out of superabundance but now out of necessity then they were set about man to preserve him in his natural â—â—ame and inâ—linations but now they are needfull to change and alter them quite which is a kind of creation therefore sayeth David creat in me a new spirit and therefore the Gospel abounds in vaâ—ieâ—y of motives and inducementâ— in greater variety oâ— far moâ—e powerâ—ul inducements then the Law Heâ—e is that grâ—aâ— peâ—swasiâ—n tâ—kâ—n fâ—om the infinit gain or lâ—sse of â—â—e â—â—ul of man which is any thing be able to prevail this must do seing it is seconded wiâ—h some natural inclination in the soul of man to seek its own gain Yet there is a diâ—â—erence between the nature of such like promises and threatningâ— in the fiâ—st covenant and in the second In the fiâ—st covenant though life was freely promised â—et it was immediatly annexed to perâ—ect obedience as a consequent â—eward oâ— it it was fiâ—stly pâ—omised unto compleat â—ighteousnesse of mens persons But in the second covenant firstly and principally liâ—e eteâ—nal grace and glory is promised to Jesus Christ and his â—eed antecedent to any condition or qualification upon their part and then again all the promises that run in way of condition as he that believeth shâ—ll not perish c. If ye walk after the Spirit ye shall live these aâ—e all the consequent fruits of that absolute gracious disposition and resignation of grace and life to them whom Christ hath chosen and so their believing and walking and obeying cometh in principally as parts of the grace promised and as witnesses and evidences and confirmations of that life which is already begun and will not see an end Besides that by vertue of these absolute promises made to the seed of Christ and Christs compleat performance of all conditions in their name the promises of life are made to faith principally which hath this peculiar vertue To cary forth the soul to anothers righteousnesse and sufficiency and to bottom it upon another and in the next place to holy walking though mixed with many infirmities which promise in the first covenant was only annexed to perfect and absolute obedience You heard in the preceeding vers a strong inducement taken from the bond debt and duty we owe to the Spirit to walk after it and the want of all obligation to the flesh Now if honesty and duty will not suffiâ—e to perswade you as you know in other things it would do with any honest man plain equity is a sufficient bond to him yet consider what the Apostle subjoynes from the dammage and from the advantage which may of it self be the Topickes of perswasion and serves to drive in the nail of debt and duty to the head if ye will not take with this debt ye owe to the Spirit but still conceive there is some greater obligation lying on you to care for your bodies and satisfie them then I say behold the end of it what fruit you must one day reap of the flesh and service of sin If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but then consider the fruit you â—hall reap of the Spirit and holy walking ye shall live It is true the flesh may flatter you more for the present but the end of it will be bitter as death amplâ—ctitur ut strangulet the flesh imbraces you that it may strangle you and so if you knew all well you would not think you owed it any thing but enmity and hatred and mortification If your duty will not move you let the love of your selves and your souls perswade you for it is an irrepealable statute The wages of sin is death Every way you choose to fulfill the lusts of your flesh and to make provision for it neglecting the eternal welfare of your souls certainly it shall prove to you the tree of the knowledge of good and evil it shall be as the forbidden fruit which in stead of performing that was promised will bring forth death the eternal separation of the soul from God Adam's sin was an Breviary or Epitome of the multiplied and enâ—arged sins of mankind you may see in this tragedy all your fortuns so to speak you may behold in it the flattering insinuations and deceitful promises of sin and Satan who is a liar
who only think it easie because they have never tryed it It is a Circumcision of the foreskin of the heart and you know how it disabled a whole City Gen. 34. and how it enraged the heart of a tender mother Exod. 4 26. It is the incision or cutting off a member and these the most dear and precious be it the right hand or right foot which is a living death as it were even to kill a man while he is alive It is a new birth and the pains and throws of the birth are known Regeneration certainly hath a travelling pain within it in so much that Paul travelled in pain till it were accomplished in these Galat. 4.19 Though men conceive sin in pleasure yet they cannot be rid of that deadly burden without throws and pain and to half this work or to be remiss and negligent in it is â—s foolish and unwise as for a child to stay long in the place of breaking forth as the Lord complains of Ephraim Hos. 13.13 He is an unwise son for he should not stay long in the place of breaking forth of children It is one of the greatest follies not to labour by all means to be rid of the inâ—umbrances of sin Much violence offered to it and a total resignation of our selves to God may be great pain but it is short pain then the pleasure is greater and continues But now Christians lengthen their pain and draw out their crosse and vexation to a great extent because they deal negligently in the businesse they suffer the Canaanites to live and these are thorns and briers in their sides continually Then this businesse is called Mortification as the word is here and Col. 3.5 which imports a higher degree of pain for the agonies of death are terrible and to hold it out yet more the most painful and lingering kind of death is chosen to expresse it Crucifiction Gal. 5.24 Now indeed that which makes the forsaking of sin so grievous to flesh and blood is the engagements of the soul to it the onenesse that is between it and our natures as they are now fallen for you know pain ariseth upon the dissolution or division of any thing that is continued or united and these things that are so nearly conjoyned it is hard to separat them without much violence And truly as the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence so we must offer violence to our selves to our lusts and inclinations who are almost our selves And if ye would be truly Christians this must be your businesse and imployment to cut off these things that are dearest unto you to cast out the very idols your hearts sacrifice unto and if there be any thing more one with you than another to endeavour to break the bond with that and to be at the furthest distance with it It is easie to perswade men to forsake some sins and courses that they are not much inâ—lined to and find not much pleasure or profit by them You may do that and be but dead in sins but if you aim at true mortification indeed you would consider what are the chief idols and predominant inclinations of your heart and as to set your self impartially against all known sin so particularly against the most beloved sin because it interrupts most the communion of God and separates from youâ— Beloved and the dearer it be the more dangerous certainly it is But to encourage and hearten you to this I would have you look back to that former victory that Christ hath gained in our name and look about you to the assistance you have for the present the Spirit to help you Truly my beloved this will be a dead businesse if you be not animated and quickned by these considerations that Christ died to sin and lived to God and that in this He was a publick person representing you that so you may conclude with Paul I am crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 We are buried with him by baptism into his death Rom. 6.4 Consider that mystical union with Christ crucified and life shall spring out of his crosse out of his grave to kill sin in you That the great businesse is done already and victory gained in our head this is our victory even faith Believe and then you have overcome before you overcome and this will help you to overcome in your own persons And then conâ—ider and look round about to the strong helper you have the Spirit If ye through the Spirit mortifie c. Stronger is he that is in you then he that is in the world though he doth not vent all his power to you yet you may believe that there is a secret latent vertue in the seed of grace that it cannot be wholly overcome or conquered and there is one engaged in the warfare with us who will never leave us nor forsake us who of set purpose withdraweth his help now and then to discover our weaknesse to us that we may cleave the faster to Him who never letteth sin get any power or gather any strength but out of wisdom to make the final victory the more glorious in a word he leads us through weaknesses infirmities faintingâ— wrestlings that his strength may be perfected in weaknesse that when we are weak then we may be strongest in Him 2 Cor. 12 9. Our duty then is to follow this Spirit wheresoever he leadeth us Christ the Captain of our Salvation when he went to Heaven he sent the Spirit to be our guider to lead us thither where he is and therefore we should resign and give up our selves to His guidance and direction The nâ—ture of a creature is dependence so the very essence of a Christian consists in dependence and subordination to the Spirit of God Nature it self would teach them that want wisdom to commit themselves to these that have it and not to carry the reins of their own life themselves Truly not only the sense of our own imperfection of our folly and ignorance in these things that belong to life should make us willing to yeeld ourselves over to the Spirit of God as blind men to their leader as children to their nurses as orphans to their Tutors but also because the Spirit is made our Tutor and leader Christ our Father hath left us to the Spirit in his latter-will and therefore as we have absolute necessity so he hath both willingnesse and ability because it is his office O Lord I know saith Jeremiah the way of man is not in himself it is not in him that walketh to direct his steps Jer. 10.23 O! it were a great point of wisdom thus to know our ignorance and folly and this is the great qualification of Christs Disciples simple as children as little children as void of conceit of their own wisdom Mark 10.15 And this alone capacitats the soul to receive the impressions of wisdom as an empty table is fittest to write upon so a soul emptied of it self whereas self-conceit draweth a number of
is the gâ—eatest fool in the world that would on that account venture on satisfaction to his lusts for though it be true that he be not in danger of eternal wrath yet he may find so much present wâ—ath in his conscience as may make him think it was a â—oolish bargain he may lose so much of the sweetnesse of the peace and joy of God as all the pleasures oâ— sin cannot compense Theâ—efore to the end that yâ—u whose souls aâ—e once pacified by the blood of Christ and composed by his word of promise may enjoy that constant rest and tranquility as not to be enthralled agâ—â—n to your old fears and terrours I would advise and recommend to you these two things one is that ye would be much in the studie of that allowance which the promises of Christ affords be much in the serious apprehension of the Gospel and certainly your doubts and feares would evainish at one puff of such a rooted and established meditation Think what you are called to not to fear again but to love rather and honour him as a Father and then take heed to walk suitably and preserve your seal of adoption unbâ—otted unrusted you would study so to walk as you may not cast dirt upon it or open any gap in the conscience for the re-entry of these hellish-like fears and dreadâ—ul apprehensions of God Câ—rtainly â—ts impossible to preserve the Spirit in freedom if a man be not watchfull against sin and corruption David prayes re-establish me with thy free Spirit as if his spirit had been abased embondaged and enthraled by the power of that corruption If you would have your spirits kept free from the â—ear of wrath study to keep them free from the power of sin for that is but a fâ—uit of this and it s most suitable that the soul that cares not to be in bondage to sinful lusts should by the righteousnesse of God tempered with love and wisdom be brought under the bondage he would not that is oâ—â—ear and terrour â—or by this means the Lord makes him know how evil the first is by the bitternesse of the second It is usual on such a Scripture as this to propound many questions and debate many practical cases as whether a soul after believing can be under legal bondage and wherein these dâ—ffer the bondage oâ— a soul after believing and in it fiâ—st conversion And how far that bondage oâ— fear is preparatory to faith and many such like but I choose rather to hold forth the simple and naked truth for your edification then put you upon or intertain you in such needlesse janglings and contentions All I desire to say to a soul in bondage is to exhort him to come to the Redeemer and to consider that his case calls and cryes for a delivery Come I say and he shall find rest and liberty to his soul. All I would say to souls delivered from this bondage is to request and beseech them to live in a holy fear of sin and jealousie over themselves that so they may not be readily brought under the bondage of the fear of wrath again Perfect love casts out the fear of hell but perfect love bâ—ings in the fear of sin Ye that love the Lord hate ill and if ye hate it ye will fear it in this state of infirmity and weaknesse wherein we are And if at any time ye through negligence and carelessness of walking lose the comfortable evidence oâ— the Fathers love and be reduced again to your old prison oâ— legal terrour do not despair for that do not think that such a thing could not beâ—all a child of God and from that ground do not raze former foundations for the Scriptures saith not that whosoever believes once in Christ and receives the Spirit of Adoption cannot fear again â—or we see it otherwise in David in Heman in Iob c. all holy Saints but the Scripture saith ye have not received the spirit of bondage for that end to fear again it is not the allowance of your Father your allowance is better and larger if you knew it and did not sit below it Now the great giâ—t and large allowance of our Father is expressed in the next words but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption c. Which Spirit of Adoption is a Spirit of Intercession to make us cry to God as our Father These are two gifts Adoption or the priviledge of Sons and the Spirit of Adoption revealing the love and mercy of God to the heart and framing it to a soul-like disposition compare the two states together and its a marvelous change a Rebel condemned and then pardoned and then adopted to be a Son of God a sinner under bondage a bound slave to sin and Satâ—n not only freed from that intollerable bondage but advanced to this liberty to be made a Son of God this will be the continued wonder of eternity and that whereabout the song oâ— Angels and Saints will be accursed rebels expecting nothing but present death sinners arraigned and sentenced beâ—ore his Tribunal and already tasting Hell in their Consciences and in fear of eternal perishing not only to be delivered from all that but to be dignified with this priviledge to be the Sons of God to be taken from the Gibbit to be Crowned that is the great myâ—tery of wisdom and grace revealed in the Gospel the proclaiming whereof will be the joynt labour of all the innumerable companies above for all eternity Now if you ask how this estâ—te is attainable Himself tells us Iohn 1.12 As many as believed or received him to them he gave the priviledge to be the Sons of God The way is made plain and easie Christ the Son of God the natural and eternal Son of God became the son of man to facilitate this he hath taken on the burden of mans sin the chastisement of our peace and so of the glorious Son of God he became like the wretched and accursed sons of men and thereâ—ore God hath proclaimed in the Gospel not only an immunity and freedom from wrath to all that in the sense of their own misery cordially receive him as he is offered but the unspeakable priviledge of Sonship and Adoption for his sake who became our elder brother Gal. 4.4 5. Men that want children use to supply their want by adopting some beloved friend in the place of a son and this is a kind of supply oâ— nature for the comfort of them that want But it is strange that God having a Son so glorious the very character of his Person and brightnesse of his glory in whom he delighted â—rom eternity strange I say that he should in a manner losse and give away his only begotten Son that he might by his means adopt others poor despicable creatures yea rebellious to be his sons and daughters Certainly this is an act infinitly transcending nature such an act that hath an unsearchable mystery in it into which Angels desire to look
of his children from necessities strength perfected in weaknesse grace sufficient in infirmities hath some greater glory then strength and grace alone Thereâ—ore he hath chosen this way as most fit for the advancing his glory and moâ—t suitable for our comfort and edification to give us but little in hand and environ us with a crowd of continued necessities and wants within and without that we may learn to cry to him as our Father and seek our supplies â—rom him and withall he hath not been sparing but liberal in promises of hearing our cryes and supplying our wants â—o that this way of narrow and hard dispensation that at first seems contrary to the love and bounty and riches of our Father in the perfect view of it appears to be the only way to perpetuat our communion with Him and often to renew the sense of His love and grace that would grow slack in our hearts if our needs did not every day stir-up fresh longings and his returns by this means are so much the more refreshing There is a time of childrens minority when they stand in need of continual supplies from their Parents or Tutors because they are not entered in possession of their inheritance and while they are in this state there is nothing more beseeming them then in all their wants to addresse to their Father and represent them to Him and it is fit they should be from hand to mouth as you say that they may know and acknowledge their dependance on their Father Tâ—uly this is our minority our presence in the body which because of sin that dwells in it and its own natural weaknesse and incapacity keeps us at much distance with the Lord that we cannot be intimatly present with him Now in this condition the most natural the most comely and becoming exercise of children is to cry to our Father to present all our grievances and thus to intertain some holy correspondence with our absent Father by the messenger of prayer and supplication which cannot return empty if it be not sent away too full of self-conceit This is the most natural breathing of a child of God in this world it is the most proper acting of his new life and the most suitable exspiration of that Spirit of Adoption that is inspired into him since there is so much life as to know what we want and our wants are infinite therefore that life cannot but beat this way in holy desires after God whose fulnesse can supplie all wants this is the Pulse of a Christian that goeth continually and there is much advantage to the continuity and interruptednesse of the motion from the infinitenesse and inexhaustednesse of our needs in this life and the continual assaults that are made by necessity and temptation on the heart But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry c. He puts in his own Name in the latter parr though theirs was in the former part When he speaks of a donation or priviledge he applies to the meanest to shew that the lowest and most despised creature is not in any incapacity to receive the greatest gifts of God and then when he mentions the working of that Spirit in way of intercession because it imports necessity and want he cares not to commit some incongruity in the Language by changing the Person that he may teach us that weaknesse infirmities and wants are common to thebest and chiefest among Christians That the most eminent have continual need to cry and the lowest and obscurest believers have as good ground to believe the hearing and acceptance of their cryes that the highest are not above the weakest and lowest ordinanceâ— and that the lowest are not below the comfort of help and acceptation in him Nay the growth and increase of grace is so far from exempting men from or setting them above this duty of constant supplication that by the contrary this is the just measure of their growth and altitude in grace as the degrees of the hight of the Water of Nilus in its overflowing are a sure sign of the fertility or barrennesse of that year so the overflowings of the spirit of Prayer in one gives a present account how the heart is whether barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ or fruitful and lively and vigorous in it It is certain that contraries do discover one another and the more the one be increased that is not only the more incompatible and inconsistent with the other but gives the most perfect discerning of it When grace is but as twi-light in the soul and as the dawning of the day only grosse darknesse and uncleanesse is seen but the more it grow to the perfect day the more sin is sin and the more its hated wants are discovered that did not appear and therefore it exerciseth its self the more in opposition to sin and supplication to God To speak the truth our growth here is but an advancement in the knowledge and sense of our own indigencey It s but a further entry into the idolatrous Temple of the heart which makes a man see daily new abominations worse then the former and therefore you may easily know that such repeated sights and discoveries will but presse out more earnest and frequent cryes from the heart and such a growth in humility and faith in Gods fulnesse will be but as oyl to feed the flame of supplication For what is Prayer indeed but the ardency of the affection after God flaming up to him in cryes and requests To speak of this exercise of an holy heart it would require more of the spirit of it then we have but truly this is to be lamented that though there be nothing more common among Christians in the outward practice of it yet that there is nothing more extraordinary and rare even among many that use it then to be acquainted with the inward nature of it Truly the most ordinary things in Religion are the greatest mysteries as to the true life of them we are strangers to the soul and life of these things which consists in the holy behavior and deportment of our Spirits before the Father of Spirits These words give some ground to speak of some special qualifications of prayer and the chief principle of it The chief principle and original of prayer is the Spirit of adoption received into the heart It is a businesse of a higher nature then can be taught by precepts or learned by custome and educationâ— there is a general mistake among men that the gift of prayer is attained by learning and that it consists in the freedom and plenty of expression But O! how many Doctors and disputers of the world that can defend all the articles of faith against the opposers of them Yet how unaquainted are they with this exercise that the poor and unlearned and nothings in the world who cannot dispute for Religion yet they send up a more â—avory and acceptable sacrifice and sweet
incense to God dayly when they offer up their souls desires in simplicity and sincerity Certainly this is a spiritual thing derived only from the fountain of Spirts this grace of pouring out our souls into him and keeping communication with him the variety of words and riches of expression it is but the shell of it the external shadow And all the life consists in the frame of the heart before God And this none can put in frame but he that formed the Spirit of man within him some through custom of hearing and using it attain to a habit of expressing themselves readily in it it may be to the satisfaction of others but alas they may be strangers to the fiâ—st letters and elements of the life and spirit of prayer I would have you who want both look up to heaven for it many of you cannot be induced to pray in your family and I fear little or none in secret which is indeed a more serious work because you have not been used or not learned or such like Alas beloved this cometh not through education or learning it cometh from the Spirit of adoption and if ye cannot pray ye say ye have not the Spirit and if ye have not the Spirit ye are not the Sons of God Know what is in the inevitable sequel of your own confessions But I haste to the qualifications of this divine work fervencie reverence and confidence Fervencie in crying reverence and confidence in crying Abba Father for these two suit well towards our Father the first I fear we must seek it elsewhere then in prayer I find it spent on other things of lesse moment Truly all the Spirit and affection of men runes in another channel in the way of contention and strife in the way of passion and miscalled zeal and because these things whereabout we do thus earnestly contend have some interest or coherance with Religion we not only excuse but approve our vehemency But O! much better were that imployed in supplicationâ— to God that were a divine channel Again the marrow of other mens Spirits is exhausted in the pursuit of things in the world the edge of their desires is turned that way and it must needs be blunted and dulled in spiritual things that it cannot pierce into Heaven and prevail effectually I am sure many of us useth this excuse who are so cold in it that we do not warm our selves and how shall we think to prevail with God our spirits make little noise when we cry all the loudest we can scarce hear any whisper in our hearts and how shall he hear us Certainly it is not the extension of the voice pleaseth Him it is the cry of the heart that is sweet harmony in his ears and you may easily perceive that if you but consider that he is an infinit Spirit that pierceth into all the corners of our hearts and hath all the darknesse of it as light before him how can you think that such a spirit can be pleased with lip-cryes how can he endure such deceit and â—alshood who hath so perfect a contrariety with all false appearances that your heart should lye so dead and flatt before him and the affection of it turned quite another way There were no sacrifices without fire in the Old Testament and that fire was kept-in perpetually and so no prayer now without some inward fire conceived in the desires and blazing up and growing into a flame in the presenting of them to God The incense that was to be offered on the Altar of perfume Exod. 30. it behoved to be beaten and prepared and truly prayer would do well to be made out of a beaten and bruised heart and contrite spirit a spirit truly sensible of its own unworthinesse and wants and that beating and pounding of the heart will yeeld a good fragrant smel as some spices do not till beaten The incense was made of divers spices intimating to us that true prayer is not one grace alone but a compound of graces It is the joynt exercise of all a Christian graces seasoned with all every one of them give some peculiar fragrancy to it as Humility Faith Repentance Love c. The acting of the heart in supplication is a kind of compend and result of all these as one perfume made up of many simples But above all as the incense our prayers must be kindled by fire on the Altar there must be some heat and servour some warmnesse conceived by the holy Spirit in our hearts which may make our spices send forth a pleasant smell as many spices do not till they get heat Let us lay this engagement on our hearts to be more serious in our addresses to God the Father of spirits above all to present our inward soul before him before whom it is naked and open though we do not bring it And certainly frequency in prayer will much help us to fervency and to keep it when we have it SERMON XL. Rom. 8.15 VVhereby we cry Abba Father ALL that know any thing of Religion must needs know and confess that there is no exercise either more suitable to him that prosesseth it or more needful for him then to give himself to the exercise of prayer but that which is confessed by all and as to the outward performance gone about by many I fear it is yet a mystery sealed up fâ—om us as to the true and living nature of it There is much of it expressed here in few words whereby we cry Abba Father The divine constitution and qualification of this divine work is here made up of a temper of fervency reverence and confidence The first I spoke of before but I fear our hearts was not well heated then or may be cooled since It is not the loud noise of words that is best heard in Heaven or that is constructed to be crying to God No this is transacted in the heart more silently to men but it striketh up into the ears of God His ear is sharp and that voice of the souls desires is shrill and though it were out of the depths they will meet together It is true the vehemency of affection will sometimes cause the extension of the voice but yet it may cry as loud to Heaven when it is kept within I do not presse such extraordinary degrees of servour as may effect the body but I would rather wish we accustomed our selves to a solid calm seriousnesse and earnestnesse of spirit which might be more constant then such raptures can be that we might alwayes gather our spirits to what we are about and avocat them from impertinent wanderingâ— and fix them upon the present object of our worship this is to worship him in spirit who is a Spirit The other thing that composes the sweet temper of prayeâ— is reverence and what more suitable whether you consider Him or your selves If I be your Father where is my honour and if I be your Master where is my fear
Mal. 1.6 While we call him Father or Lord we proclaim this much that we ought to know our distance from him and his superiority to us and if worship in prayer carry not this character and expresse not this honourable and glorious Lord whom we serve it wantes that congruity and suitableness to him that is the beauty of it Is there any thing more uncomly then for children to behave themselves irreverently and irrespectively towards their Fathers to whom they owe themselves It is a monstruous thing even innature and to natures light O how much more abominable must it be to draw near to the Father of spirits who made us and not we our selves in whose hand our breath is and whose are all our wayes in a word to whom we owe not only this dust but the living spirit that animats it that was breathed from Heaven and finally in whom we live and move and have our being and well-being to worship such an one and yet to behave our selves so unseemly and irreverently in his presence our hearts not stricken with the apprehension of his glory but lying flatt and dead before him having scarcely him in our thoughts whom we speak to and finally our deportments in his sight are such as could not be admitted in the presence of any person a little above our selves to be about to speak to them and yet to turn aside continually to every one that cometh by and entertain communication with every base creature this I say in the presence of a King or Nobleman would be accounted such an absurd incivility as could be committed and yet we behave our selves just so with the Father of spirits O the wandrings of the hearts of men in divine worship while we are in communication with our Father and Loâ—d in prayer whose heart is fixed to a constant attendance and presence by the impression of his glorious holinesse whose spirit doth not continually gadd abroad and take a word of every thing that occurrs and so marrs that soul-coâ—â—espondance O that this word Psal. 89.7 were written with great letters on our hearts God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him that one word God speaketh all Either we must convert Him in an idol which is nothing or if we apprehend Him to be God we must apprehend our infinit distance from Him and his unspeakable inaccessible glory above us He is greatly feaâ—ed and reverenced in the Assemblies that are above in the upper Courts of Angels those glorious Spiâ—its who must cover the feet from us because we cannot see their gloâ—y they must cover their faces from Him because they cannot behold his glory Isa. 6. what a glorious train hath he and yet how reverend are they they wait round about the Throne above and about it as Courtierâ— upon their King for they are all ministâ—ing spirits and they rest not day and night to adore and admire that holy one crying holy holy holy the whole earth is full of his glory Now how much more then should he be greatly feared and had in reverence in the assembly of his Saints of poor mortal men whose foundation is in the dust and dwell in clay and besides drink in iniquity like water there is two points of difference and distance from us He is nearer Angels for Angels are pure spirits but we have flesh which is furthest removed from his nature And then Angels are holy and clean yet that is but spotted to his unspotted holinesse but we are defiled with sin which putteth us farthest off from him and which his holinesse hath greatest antipathy at Let us consider this my beloved that we may carry the impression of the glorious holinesse and Majesty of God on our hearts when ever we appear before him that so we may serve and rejoice with trembling and pray with reverence and godly fear if we apprehend indeed our own quality and condition how low how base it is how we cannot endure the very clear aspect of our own consciences we cannot look on our selves stedfastly without shame and confusion of face at the deâ—ormed spectacle we behold much lesse would we endure to have our souls opened and presented to the view of other men even the basest of men we would be overwhelmed with shame if they could see into our hearts Now then apprehend seriously what He is how glorious in holinesse how infinit in wisdom how the secrets of your souls are plain and open in his sight and I am perswaded you will be composed to a reverend humble and trembling behaviour in his sight But withall I must add this that because he is your Father you may intermingle confidence nay you are commanded so to do and this honours him as much as reverence for confidence in God as our Father is the best acknowledgment of the greatnesse and goodnesse of God it declareth how able he is to save us and how willing and so ratifieth all the promises of God made to us and setteth to a seal to his â—aithâ—ulness there is nothing he accounts himself more honoured by then a souls full resigning it self to him and relying upon his power and good-will in all necessities casting its care upon Him as a loving Father who careth for us And truly there is much beauty and harmony in the juncture of these two reioycing with trembling confidence with reverence to ask nothing doubting and yet sensible of our infinit distance from him and the disproportion of our requests to his Highnesse A child-like disposition is composed thus as also the temper and carriage of a Courtier hath these ingredients in it The love of his Father and the â—avour of his Prince maketh him take liberty and assume boldnesse and withall he is not unmindful of his own distance from his Father or Master Let us draw near with full assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 There is much in the Scripture both exhorted commanded and commended of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that liberty and boldnesse of pouring out our requests to God as one that certainly will hear us and grant that which is good Vnbelief spoileth all it s a wretched and base-spirited thing that can conceive no honourable thoughts of God but only like it self but faith which is the well-pleasing ingredient of prayer the lower thoughts a man have of himself it maketh him conceive the higher and more honourable of God My wayes are not as your wayes nor my thoughts as your thoughts but as far above as the Heaven above the Earth Isa. 55.8 This is the rule of a believing souls conceiving of God and expecting from him and when a soul is thus placed on God by trusting and believing in him it is fixed My heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal. 112.7 O how wavering and inconstant is a soul till it fix at this Anchor upon the ground of his immutable promises It is tossed
be born of the Spirit O that Christians would mind their original and wonder at it and study to be like it If you believe and consider that your descent is from that uncreated Spirit how powerful might that be to conform you more and more to him and to transform more and more of your flesh into spirit There is nothing will raise up the spirits of the children of Princes more then to know their royal birth and dignity how should the consideration of this make your spirits suitable to your state or fortunes as we use to say You would labour to raise them up to that hight of your original and to walk worthy of that high calling O that we could learn that instruction from it which Paul gives 1 Cor. 1.30 31 But of him are ye in Christ therefore let him that glorieth glory in the Lord Truly a soul possessed with the meditation of this royal descent from God could not possibly glory in these inglorious baser things in which men glory and could not contain or restrain gloâ—iation and boasting in him The glory of many is their shame because it s their sin of which they should be ashamed but suppose that in which men glory be not shame in it self as the lawful things of this present world yet certainly it is a great shame for a Christian to glory in them or esteem the better of himself for them If this were minded alwayes that we are of God born of God what power do ye think temptations or solistations to sin would have over us he that is born of God sinneth not he keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not 1 Ioh. 5.18 19. Truly this consideration imprinted in the heart would elevate us above all these baser perswasions of the flesh this would make sin loathsome and despicable as the greatest indignity we could do to our own natures The strength and advantage of sin is to make us forget what we are whom we have relation unto to drink us drunk with the puddle of the world or then with our own jealousies and suspitions that we may forget our birth and state and so be enticed to anything If you would have wherewith to beat back all the fiery darts of the devil take the shield of this faith and perswasion how would it silence temptations Shall I who am a Ruler flee saith Nehemiah Shall I who am born of the Spirit shall I who am of God in Christ abase my self to such unworthy and base things Shall I dishonour my father and disgrace my self Then Christianity its chief residence its royal sent is in the spirit of a man and so he he is one after the Spirit Be ye renewed in the spirit of your minds Eph. 4.23 As it is of a high descent so it must have the highest and most honourable lodging in all the Creation that is the spirit of a man without this there is no room else fit for it and suitable to it in this lower world My son give me thine heart saith wisdom Pro. 23.26 It cares for nothing besides if it get not the heart the inmost Cabinet of the imperial City of this Isle of Man for out of it are the issues of life that flow into all the members Do not think that grace will lodge one night in your outward man that you can put on Christianity upon your countenance or conversation without except you admit it into your souls it can have no suitable intertaiâ—ment there alone it s of a spiritual nature and it must have a spirit to abide in Every thing is best preserved and entertained by things suitable to its nature such do incorporat together and inbosome one with another whereas things keep a greater distance with things different in nature a â—â—ame will die out among cold stones without oylie matter This heavenly fire that is descended into the world can have nothing earthly to feed upon it must die out except it get into the immortal spirit and then furnish to speak so perpetual nourishment to it till at length all the spirit be set on flame and changed as it were into that heavenly substance to mount up above from whence it came Do not think my beloved to superinduce true Religion upon your out-side and within to be as rotten sepulâ—â—â—es You must either open your hearts to Christ or else he will â—ot abide with you such a noble guest will not stay in the suburbs of the City if you take him not into the Palace and truly the palace of our hearts is too unworthy for such a worthy guest it hath been so defiled by sin how vile is it but if you would let him â—â—ter he would wash it and cleanse it for himself Will you know then the character of a Christian he is one much within he hath retired into his own spirit to know how it goes with it and he finds all so disordered and confused all so unsetled that he gets so much buâ—iness to do at home as he gets no leasure to come much abroad again It is the misery of men that they are wholly without carried into external things only and this is the very character of a beast that it cannot reflect inwardly upon it self but is wholly spent on things that are presented to the outward senses There is nothing in which mâ—n are more assimilated to beasts then this that we do not speak in our selves or return in to our own bosoms but are wholly occupyed about the things that are without us and thus it fares with us as with the man that is busie in all other mens matters and never thinks of his own his estate must needs ruin all his affairs must be out of course Truly while we are immersed and drowned in external things our souls are perishing our inward estate is washing away all our own affairs that can only and properly be called ours are disordered and jumbled Therefore Christianity doth first of all recall the wandering and vain spririt of man in to it self as that exhortation is Psal. 4.9 to commune with his own heart to make a diligent search of his own affairs and O! how doth he find all out of course as a garden neglected all overgrowen as a house not inhabited all dropping through in a word wholly ruinous through intolerable negligence It was the first turn of the Prodigal to return to himself he came to himself Luke 15.17 Truly sin is not only an aversion from God but it is an estrangement from our selves from our souls from our own happiness it s â— madness that takes away the use of reason and consideration of our own selves But grace is a conversion not only to God but to our selves it bringeth a man home to his heart maketh him sober again who was beside himself Hence that phrase 1 King 8.47 When they shall turn to their own hearts and return It is the most laborious vanity or the vainest labour to compass