in it making that the maine laying the stresse of their whole religion there Now I desire this may bee considered of us all that the maine Gospel-walking is the Spirit and though I am to walk in outward formes so farre as they are of Christs institution and to use them yet the maine of Christian Gospel religion lyes not so much in the outward forme as in the inward spiritual worship Therefore Paul speaking of Gospel-worship makes in principally to consist in this as Rom. 1.9 For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son c. and Chap. 2.28 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God and Phil. 3.3 For wee are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh and so Christ himself opposing the Legal and Gospel worship Joh. 4.21 22 23 24. shewes us that Gospel worship is chiefly and mainly worship in spirit Jesus saith unto her Woman beleeve mee the hour cometh when yee shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father yee worship yee know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth And therefore in Psam 45. which is a Prophesie of the Church of the New Testament it is said that the Kings daughter is all glorious within shewing us that the Saints of the New Testament their glory should be chiefly in inward graces This is the difference betwixt Old Testament worship and New Testament in the time of the Old Testament their worship did lye mostly in outward things outward observations of times and places c. the inward worship it was vailed under the outward So in the New Testament the maine worship is inward worship in spirit and the outward in many things seems to be vailed under that yet as then the outward worship did not exclude the inward but the inward was required and without in the outward was nothing so now the inward worship doth not exclude the outward but the outward is also required and where it may bee performed and is not I may say without it the inward is little or nothing as to Gods acceptance thereof Therefore I say let us not put too much in the outward forme though were are not to despise it yet let us not put too much therein Quest But when may a man be said to put too much in an outward forme Ans 1. When a mans whole religion lies in that when a man hath nothing to shew him to be religious or to make him so but some outward forme Many there are which goe with some outward forme upon their backs and doe but strip them of this their garment and they have no more Religion than the most irreligious man living they have nothing to shew them to be religious or to difference them from other men who have no religion at all but live without God in the world save only this they are in such an outward way or they doe now and then performe such an outward duty take them out of their way and from their duty and they have no more religion than a Horse all their religion it lies in the outside they have as little in their heart though they seeme to have much on their backs as any other men And indeed it is a very usual thing with many persons who faine would be rellgious and love to be so accounted and have no stock within to trade with to drive on a trade for a while as long as they can in this way Now I say when all a mans religion lyes in the outward forme it is evident such a one puts too much in it Thus it was with the Jews in Christs and the Apostles times their whole religion lay in this that they were the Sons of Abrcham and circumcised c. but see what Paul saith to them Rom. 2.28 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 2 When a mans love and charity is bounded up within the line of his own form or the way hee is in or opinion hee holds When a man hath no charity to spare for any but those that jump with him in his own way or opinion or if hee have charity for them yet because they do not fully accord with him in every thing hee can allow them but a little of his love or of the exercise of this his charity I have known some my self who have been so high against baptising of Infants that their charity would not allow that man one grain of grace who could not set his seal presently to this their opinion I speak not this to throw dirt in the faces of any but only to shew how that some men there are who put too much in Forms Paul undoubtedly you will all grant it had as much cause to bee confident of the truth of those Ordinances and Traditions hee delivered to the Churches as any man now living hath of his own way or opinion and yet hee had so much charity as to allow him to bee a brother which did not come up to his Traditions 2 Thess 3.14 15. And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother 3 When a man is so addicted to his owne way or forme that he cannot with patience hear what in a way of Christian love or humility is or may be said against it I speak of such things as are disputable where godly men have somewhat to say pro and con as we say now when a man is so set upon some outward forme that hee walks in or hath taken up as that hee cannot without flying out and shewing much passion much of man hear a word against any thing or principle by him taken up it argues hee puts too much in that outward forme though he may be in the right as to the thing yet this argues him to put too much in it Thus the Jews in the two and twentieth of the Acts they gave Paul audience till he came to those words Depart for I will send thee farre hence unto the
hands of Christ there are no terrors threatnings no curse no noise of death hell and damnation though I break the same all these things being gone And on the other side is there not much to cause love heaven eternal life is given before ever I strike a stroak do one action that the Law requires of mee set one step in a way of obedience all my sins are pardoned in Christ and through him before ever I commit them is not here much to beget love and to make mee out of love to yeeld obedience to the holy Law of God who hath pardoned my sins made mee an heire of life eternal and all without my merit or desert therefore I say this obedience having not slavish fear in it but arising from love must needs bee Gospel-walking 3 That obedience which is the fruit and effect of the working of Gods holy Spirit in us is Gospel-walking for not the Law but the Gospel or New Covenant gives the Spirit which helps us to obey But now all obedience to the Law as it is in the hands of Christ is such for to such as take the Law of Christ Christ first gives his Spirit then his Law as Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you What then And I will cause you to walk in my wayes First the Spirit to inable to obedience then the Law and they do obey it Therefore all such obedience is Gospel-walking Other Questions there are behinde which I cannot reach at present I shall onely minde you of this that what hath been before spoken serves to correct two great mistakes 1 A MISTAKE of some men of the one hand who are so much for the Gospel and do so cry it up that they throw the Moral Law quite out of doors as though there were no room for that in the Gospel Temple They think that grace and good works are so inconsistent one with the other that they can never stand together and therefore that grace may bee all the Law and good works shall bee nothing at all whose mistake is corrected from what hath been said and proved that the Moral Law remaines a Rule to Saints in Gospel-times 2 A MISTAKE of some others on the other hand who out of zeal for the Moral Law do hand over head urge and press the same as the Rule of Saints never considering how or in what sense the same remaines a Rule and by so doing they bring the glorious Sons of Sion the free-born Saints of the Gospel under the power and commands of a Covenant of Workes ere they are aware Whose mistake is corrected by distinguishing of commands as they are Moses's and Christs In the first sense the Law is not a Saints Rule and it is dangerous so to make it in the latter it is and it is sweet and comfortable so to receive it Therefore you that are Saints and Beleevers hence learn two things I Not to reject the Moral Law as a Rule to order your lives and conversations by but with love delight and chearfulness approve of imbrace and obey the same 2 Not to take the Moral Law for your Rule as it comes out of Moses his hand for then you bring your selves under the power of a Covenant of Workes and your soules will bee continually filled with terror fear and trembling covered over with darknesse lying under apprehensions of wrath and altogether weake and unable to do what is commanded But take it out of the hands of Christ and then with Paul you will say The Law if holy just and good I consent to the Law that it is good I delight in the Law of God after the inner man yea with my minde I my selfe do serve the Law of God Which Gospel-walking the Lord bring you and I daily more and more unto Amen When a mans walk may bee said to bee a Gospel walk SERMON VI. Rom. 8.1 Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit BY this time you know the meaning of these Phrases which you have oft heard to bee meant either of Legal or Gospel walking Walking after the Old or New man I have spoken or Legal walking and am now upon Gospel walking The last day I shewed you what Gospel walking is I now proceed to another Question viz. 2 Quest When may a mans walk bee said to bee a Gospel walke or a walking after the Gospel I answer I. When the Rule of a mans obedience is a Gospel Rule i.e. the Law as it is in the hands of Christ. Of this having spoken at large the last day I shall wholly wave it now 2 When the principle of a mans obedience or walking is a Gospel principle Quest But what is the Gospel principle Answ This Gospel holds forth two great things viz. a crucified Christ to bee beleeved on and the Powring out of the Spirit of Christ into the hearts of beleevers The first respects our Justification the latter our Sanctification or our obedience and walking Now as Christ crucified is the great Principle in the business of our Justification whence alone that flows from the knowing and beleeving on a Crucified Christ so the Spirit of Christ in the hearts of Saints is the great Principle in the matter of our obedience whence that flows Hence Rom. 8. the Sons of God are said to bee lead by the Spirit of God i.e. the Spirit doth not onely teach a beleever what is his duty but doth as it were take him by the hand and lead him to it help and guide him in it There is more held forth in the word leading than in teaching I teach another when I write him a copy and lay it before him and tell him how hee should hold his pen and order and guide his hand but now when I do not onely do this but take his hand in mine and write therewith I may bee better said to guide or lead him So the Spirit of God teacheth a beleever when it makes discovery of any truth to him hee was ignorant of before and shows him what duty that truth calls for from him but when it doth not onely do this but also inables the soul to receive this truth and to walk up to what this truth calls for conforming the soul to the truth or will of God then doth it exercise its leading power in the soule And therefore Ezek. 36.27 God saith I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my wayes c. In the Gospel or New Covenant the Spirit of God put into a beleever is the causing constraining principle to obedience and holy walking As in the Old Covenant though the fruit seem never so glorious yet the principle or root of all obedience is Flesh So in the New Covenant though the outward fruit seem never so mean and weak yet the principle or root is the Spirit All Gospel graces and works are fruits of the Spirit as Gal. 5.22 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy
into the things of he Gospel in a notional way as he takes up these things by relation of others and beleeving and giving credit to those Principles which from relation he hath received he is able by his parts and reason and Natural understanding to deduce and inferre from these other Principles and Conclusions whereby in a Notional way he may by meer parts of Nature attaine to a competent measure of Gospel-knowledge yet the things of the Gospel as they are the things of the Spirit i.e. things made out to him not by relation of others but by the inward revelation inspiration and teaching of the Spirit of God are Mysteries to him they are things out of his sphere which his reason and natural understanding cannot reach and therefore he is blinde in these things A blinde man we know can guesse at things when he hath them declared to him by relation of others which have their sight and see those things but though he guesse at them yet hee cannot passe a right judgement upon them his conceptions are dark and cloudy various and too and fro and not those clear and stedfast conceptions which another man which hath his sight and sees and beholds these things hath of them So a Natural man when hee hears the things of the Spirit discovered to him by another which sees and enjoys these things he though he have not the Spirit yet by his reason and parts he can Divine and guesse at these things but in respect of clear and certaine conceptions hee hath them not so all these things are Mysteries and Riddles to him And hence it is because the Natural man neither doth know nor can know wanting the true inward Spiritual light what manner of things the things of the Spirit are nor what manner of walk this Gospel-walking or walking after the Spirit is therefore is he uncapable of passing any right or true judgement upon the actions of the Spiritual man or Gospel-walker I say a natural man cannot pass a right judgement upon the actions of one that is a Saint or Son of God and led by the Spirit because they are things beyond his sphere and out of the compasse and reach of his understanding As saith a godly man Valdesto Consid 95. take a Worme that is bred of the corruption of the Earth this Creature is not able to conceive of the Generation of the Sons of men how one man is generated of another nor of the actions of Mankind because all these things are things alienated from her generation yea put the case one worme should understand this and goe about to make other worms capable thereof yet could she never doe it because these are things alienated from their generation so take a Natural man he is altogether unable to passe a right judgement upon the actions of the Sons of God which they doe as led and guided by the Spirit because these are things altogether alienated from that which he in a Natural way doth feeles knowes or experiments in himself yea should one Natural man bee able to passe a right judgement upon the actions of a Spiritual man yet could he not make others capable thereof because the judgement of Spiritual things is a thing alienated from their generation Therefore saith the Apostle 1 Cor. â— 15 The spiritual man judgeth all things c. that is the spiritual man hee can see quite through another man he can see through his actions and designes what hee can doe and whither all tends hee can see through the Principles of another what they are what good there is in them and how they will hold but hee himself is judged of no man that is no man which hath not the Spirit is able to judge of him his actions principles c. wherein hee is guided by the Spirit the walk and actions of the Spiritual man are a Mystery and Riddle to other men whereas their waies and walkings are clear to him And truly the consideration of this hath oftentimes made me afraid to pass a judgement upon the principles or actions of such men whom I have seen to have more of the power of the Spirit than my selfe had Vse 3. This truth is a Touch-stone to try mens persons and actions by would we judge of men would wee judge of actions what in deed or in truth they are the judge of them by what there is of the Spirit in the one or the other 1 For Persons the great difference all along the New Testament betwixt Saints and Sinners is this and only this one hath a Spirit the other not Saints have a Spirit Sinners have not the Spirit We have the Spirit saith Paul and again If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his He makes the great business of judging persons whether they bee right or wrong sincere or hipocrites sound or rotten to lye in this the having or not having of the spirit In the Primitive times when Christians came together they used to ask one another Have you received the Spirit they did not judge of men as wee doe now such a man is a good man he praies hears c. no but hath the Spirit there are a hundred things which men look upon and call godliness which indeed are no part of it for a man to pray and performe some Moral duties which Natural Conscience may compel a man unto this doth not make a man a godly man but this is that which makes a man a godly man indeed and distinguisheth him from all the Sinners of the World the having of the Spirit therefore Christ when he speaks of sending of the Spirit Joh. 14. he saith I will send the Spirit whom the world cannot receive this is that wherein a Saint out-strips and goes beyond all the world besides hee hath the Spirit which the world cannot receive 2 For actions would wee know whether such a mans actions are right or wrong look to this doe they come from the Spirit one man may doe the same things for the outward work as another doth and yet one may be right and the other wrong one may be a Gospel-work the other not because one may come from the Spirit the other may be only flesh springing from Natural Conscience or Natural parts gathered up together Judas repented as well as Peter but Peters coming from the Spirit and Judasses not his was a Gospel-act and not the other It is not the outward walk but the inward principle that makes the difference of walking Vse 4. Then hence let us learn not to put too much in any outward forme I am not of their minde who are against all formes for out ward formes there are as well as duties of Christs owne institution but this I say sith Gospel-walking is walking after the Spirit let us not put too much in the forme Some men there are that put too little in the forme and so they throw it by others put too much
Gentiles and they gave him audience unto this word and then lift up their voyces and said away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that hee should live vers 21.22 This because it did derogate from their outward priviledges and their way of a National Church that now the Gospel should goe from them unto the Gentiles they can bear no longer but passionately cry out Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should live 4 When a mans glorying and boasting lyes chiefly in that when a man makes this the great matter of his glorying and boasting that hee is in such or such a way as many poor souls will do they boast of this that they are for or of such a way of those that hold such an opinion c. When a man makes any outward thing the matter of his glorying hee puts too much in that This Paul would not do and therefore when the false Apostles made a glorying in outward things as Circumcision c. hee saith Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the crosse of the Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to mee and I unto the world hee makes spiritual things as the Cross of Christ the Death of Christ and his being crucified with Christ and dying with Christ and that in opposition to outward things as Circumcision c. which the false Apostles gloried in the only matter of his glory shewing us that when we make our greatest boast and glorying of outward things we put too much in those things and also that the great glorying of a Christian should bee in inward things his being crucified with Christ being like Christ c. Yea such glorying in outward things hee calls a glorying after the Flesh 2 Cor. 11.18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh I will glory also the best of outward things when we come to glory in these and make our boast of these our glorying and boasting will be found but a carnal fleshly boasting 5 When a man likes that truth which otherwise he loves the worse because it comes not to him fully in his owne way it argues he puts too much in that outward way As suppose two godly men deliver the same Truth one in an Independent as they say the other a Presbyter and put the case I were a Presbyter I dislike the Truth because it is an Independent one of another way speaks it another is an Independent hee dislikes because a Presbyter speaks it both these shew that they put too much in their owne way because they love the Truth which only is to be loved and embraced for it self the better or the worse because it comes in or out of their way Truth was truth in Apollos his mouth and Aquila and Priscilla heard him when hee preached in the Synagogue yet it is said that hee knew only the Baptisme of John and had but a dark and confused not a perfect knowledge in the way of the Lord till afterwards Aquila and Priscilla took him and expounded the way of God to him more perfectly Acts 24.25 26. From which instance I conclude this that a man may and it was the practise of Primitive Saints to hear those who were not Members of visible Churches but strangers to them if so be the things they taught were truth for Aquila and Priscilla Church-members hear Apollo who was either a stranger to them and if so then it was an use to hear strangers of it known to them which is most likely hee was not till afterwards then did they know that hee knew only the Baptisme of John and was not clear as yet in his principles for the way of the Lord and yet they heard him Vse 5. Then you which are Gospel Saints follow the Spirit the mistakes of the Saints doe not arise from the want of the Spirit to teach them and guide them so much as from their not observing the way of the Spirit and following of it Saints have the Spirit promised to teach and lead them but they do not follow their Leader and hence grow all those mistakes and errours that are in Beleevers from their not following their Leader Had wee but so much heavenly wisdome and grace as observe the goings of the Spirit and to follow him in his owne way or path we should not misse the will of God so frequently as wee doe seldome doth a Saint mistake but he shall finde if he doe but look back where his mistake began that there he did cease to follow his Leader either he did turne aside to pride curiosity or somewhat which he should not have done and there the Spirit which before sensibly went along with him left him so that he went about groping after that truth which before he saw by another inward secret light only by the light of his owne reason and natural understanding so that sometimes a Soul which is taught by the Spirit can say here and here I left to follow my Leader and ever since I have been in the dark whilst I went along humbly seeking after truth and the will of God as God should make out the same to me I saw thingsclear and with much evidence and inward light things were made out to me but at such a time I remember after I had got a little light into such a truth I grew proud and self-conceited and wanton with what I had attained and there I sensibly found the Spirit left me and ever since I have been seeking after that truth but have not had that inward light to direct me nor than evidence nor clearness concerning the things I have found out as before I had Quest But how shall I come to this to follow the Spirit Answ 1. Observe when the Spirit of God goes before thee either in the discoverie of any truth or helping thee in any thing that concerns thy practise sometimes the Spirit of God goes so manifestly with a Beleever either in the helping of him in the knowledge of some truth or performance of some duty that a Beleever can say Now I know of a truth that the Spirit of God is with me and here and here he hath helped me Hee beholds himself to see things with another light than at other times he hath done and such a light as though hee would give a world for the same yet can he not attaint it when hee would and he feels himself to bee helped and assisted by another strength so as that he can say I know now I have light from the Spirit and strength from it the Spirit of God is with mee goes before me hitherto it hath helped me Now observe such times as these are when the Spirit of God goes before thee Quest But put the case the Spirit of God goes before me and I doe not know the same how shall I come to know it Answ There are three things or three waies by
Grace say to him goe but he goes come but he comes doe this avoyd that but he doth the one and avoyds the other The Law doth not put such a Principle of ingenuity in a man and therefore persons under the same one day they are threatned another day they feele the Whip and Rod for their sins another while they resolve vow and covenant they will sin no more and yet still they goe in the old track they sin and vow and vow and sin and all because there is not a spiritual ingenuity wrought in them as Grace works in all those that hear and receive the same but now Grace that makes a man so ingenuous that considering what God hath done for poore Sinners what Christ hath suffered to take away sin how free and willing God is to receive him make him a Son and Heir here give him Heaven and glory hereafter he would not now lye swilling and sweltering in his old sins and lusts though hee might the Soul needs not now to vow and covenant a twelve month together against such and such sins it is addicted unto no but it hears the voyce of Gods grace telling it what Christ hath done for it how willing God is to pardon all his sins and bidding it doe this avoyd that and presently it is made inclinable to obey the voyce of Gods grace what saith Paul Rom. 6.1 Shall we sin because grave doth abound no God forbid we have more ingenuity in us than to doe thus because God loves us and is willing to pardon cur sins here and to glorifie us hereafter shall we therefore doe what we can to grieve him to offend and trouble him no God forbid we are more ingenuous than so nay we cannot doe it our very hearts are against it and our souls hate and abhorre the thoughts of it we would not for a world bee found to require the Lord thus So 2 Cor. 5.13 14 15. For whether we be besides our selves it is to God or whether we be sober it is for your Cause for the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again As to say whether we be mad or sober judge of us as you please yet have wee so much ingenuity as to judge thus that if Jesus Christ dyed for us we should now live to him if he came and purchased an everlasting life for us our ingenuity makes us reason that it is a fit thing that we should live this our temporal life to him and consecrate it wholly to his service What is the reason that many a poor Soul sits all the week long at the Ale-pot Sweares and Whores and yet now and then he vowes and resolves against such courses and yet cannot for his heart and bloud as we say leave them but the Law when hee hath done such things whips and stings him and this hardens him whereas did but such a poor Soul see that he is by Jesus Christ delivered from wrath to come freed from the Law Sin and Satan did but God let him to see the hope of his calling and what a happy and blessed estate hee is by Christ brought into there would bee such an ingenuity wrought within him that hee needs not vow and covenant to bee Drunk and Swear and Whore no more no but his heart would abhor to deal so basely and unworthily with a God so infinite rich in love and abounding in Grace and mercy towards him 2 Because the grace of God it hath more full and clear precepts to holinesse than the Law hath the Law that hath ten Commands but the grace of God that hath many hundred Spiritual commands wherein it injoynes spiritual obedience and newness of life and then the commands of grace they are as more so of a more spiritual nature whatsoever the Law commands Natures light teacheth and a man may by Natures light convince a man of these things but now the precepts of grace are spiritual and supernatural such as a Natural man by Natures light cannot perceive The precepts of grace are called the things of the Spirit l Cor. 2. Which the Natural man cannot perceive but they are foolishnesse unto him because they are spiritually discerned Where the grace of God is preached and received there doth the Spirit of God goe who is a teaching Spirit and teacheth the Soul infinite more commands and with more clearness and demonstration doth it discover truth than any Natural or Moral man by his Natural light or study of the Law can ever finde out the Law discovers to a man the outward actions of sin and forbids these but when grace comes with its precepts it makes discovery of the first risings motions stirrings and concupiscence of these things in the Soul and forbids these and hence by reason that the grace of God or the Doctrine of the Gospel for that I understand by the grace of God all along hath more full higher and more Spiritual instructions than any the Law hath makes further discoveries of sin than the Law barely considered can doe it comes to passe that it is the most effectual means of killing and subduing sin 3 Because there is a power in grace for the subduing and killing of sin The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 3. that the Law it is a killing letter that is it is only a bare letter without any power bidding us to doe this and avoyd that but contributes no assistance to us yet tells us if wee doe not obey it we shall be damned and so it is a killing letter that is to us it kills us instead of killing our sins but now the Gospel gives life that doth not only command but giveth power to doe and so is a word of life So Heb. 12. hee calls the Law a voyce of words for the same reason because it did command and forbid things under the penalty of Death and Damnation and it saw the poor Creature to bee weak and altogether unable to doe either the one or the other and yet gave him no power at all and so was only a terrible voyce of words to him The Law as one saith it doth teach just as the Commandements written upon the walls doe a poor man comes in and reads them over and yet his heart is never the warmer never the more fit to obey any of them because he reads them there but now the Gospel on the grace of God that brings power along with it a poor Soul which before lived in sins and thought it impossible that ever hee should leave them or have them subdued now findes a power within him killing and subduing those sins of his hence it is called The power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 4 Because a Soul never comes to see sin in its proper colours until the grace
passed for the poor sinner it is definitive there can bee no alteration of it nor appeal from it because it is the sentence of the highest Judicature a sentence passed in the highest Court which no subordinate power can change or alter Hence likewise in this respect Jesus Christ is of all other Advocates the most useful because hee pleads in such a place where if hee do procure by his mediation an act to bee but once passed in the behalf of the poor sinner whose cause hee pleads there can never bee any repealing of that act but it remains like the Laws of the Medes and Persians irreversible In our Courts of Law a man may have a sentence passed for him to day and against him to morrow and one Court repeals what another enacts yea the Laws and Ordinances of the superior Courts are subject to mutation and alteration but now Christ pleads as an Advocate in such a Court where every Law is binding for ever sentences passed are unalterable O poor sinner if through the mediation of Christ thou hast an acquittance given thee of all thy sins and debts thou owest God it is unalterable If a grant of any favour it is unalterable If a right or title to any inheritance afterwards to bee injoyed it is unalterable What poor sinner is there that would not now run to Christ as an Advocate for the pardon of his sins grace heaven c. which if once granted to him shall bee his surely unchangeably for ever even for ever 2 Hee is an Advocate that is gifted and qualified for the worke Many times a just and righteous cause suffers through the weakness of him that hath the mannaging of it But now Christ is an able Advocate a gifted Advocate one fit for the work See Isa 42.1 2 3 4. Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him hee shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles Hee shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voyce to bee heard in the streets A bruised reed shall hee not breake and the smoaking flax shall hee not quench Hee shall bring judgement unto truth Hee shall not faile nor bee discouraged till he have set judgement in the earth See how God hath fitted him God upholds him puts his Spirit on him c. But there are two things in a more especial manner which speak his fitness and qualification as to the work 1 Hee shall mannage all his causes very tenderly and so as hee will bee sure they shall not bee the worse by his taking them in hand vers 3. If it bee a poor bruised cause which will hardly hold together hee will bee sure so to mannage it as that it shall not bee broken If it bee a pitions cause that hath abundance of evill in it but a very little that can bee said for it to make it good hee will bee sure hee will not let that little bee lost 2 Hee will bee undaunted notwithstanding all the opposition hee meets with and all the flaws hee findes in the cause hee pleads and never give over till the judgement goes of his side and hence Matth. 12.20 A bruised reed shall hee not breake and smoaking flax shall hee not quench till hee send forth judgement unto victory What is here read truth is there victory noting that whatsoever difficulties or discouragements hee meets with hee will not bee daunted nor give over till hee hath gotten victory in judgement obtained to have the sentence passed on the sinners side bee the cause ever so poor or tottered or bruised that hee pleads Many times when an Attorney or Councellor resolving to bee just sees the cause so ill that hee thinks hee shall make nothing of it hee is discouraged and will not undertake it But now Christ will not bee daunted nor discouraged at the oppositions and discouragements hee meets with but will proceed till hee hath gotten victory in judgement 3 Hee is an Advocate that hath a lawfull call to the Bar. In our Common and Civill Law there are degrees of Lawyers wee have our students at Law our Councellors and Serjeants and sometimes it so falls out that a studient of the Law is better able to plead the Clients cause than a Serjeant yet because hee hath not his degree upon him hee is not called to the Bar and so being not called to the Bar hee cannot plead Sometimes perhaps such a one stands by and hee sees a poor mans cause through the weakness of him that mannageth it go to the wall and hee could help him and would willingly do it but now because hee hath not a call to plead at the Bar hee may not Now Jesus Christ is such an Advocate which is not only gifted and able but hath also a lawful call to the Barre to plead Heb. 5.4 5 6 10. And no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron so also Christ glorified not himself to bee made an High Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee as he saith also in another place Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck vers 10. Called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedeck God called him out to the work he is Christ i. e. anoynted to it yea he is alone called to it there is no other joyned with him as Co-partner with him in this Office which makes his call to the Barre of Gods Justice to plead there in the behalf of poor Sinners so much the greater because the Cause it self of poor Sinners must wholly faile if hee doe not undertake the mannaging of it 4 He is a faithful Advocate Advocates among men are unfaithful oftentimes the poor Clients cause oftentimes perisheth not so much from the unskilfulnesse or weaknesse as the unfaithfulnesse of him whom hee entrusts it with But now Christ is a faithful Advocate and therefore in the text as he is called an Advocate so he is also called the Righteous And so Heb. 2. he is said to bee a faithful High Priest hee is such an Advocate as will not deceive his poor Clients Thou mayest O poor Soul trust thy Cause with Christ he will not deceive thee it is a great jealousie many times a poor man hath and perhaps from ground enough that his Lawyer deceives him Put thy case over to Christ thou shalt be freed of this jealousie 5 He is an Advocate that hath the Law and Justice on his side Many times a good Advocate loseth his Cause because the Law is against him and it would be injustice should he carry it Law and Justice are above the Lawyer But now Christ is such an Advocate as hath Law and Justice for him they are both of his side here the Lawyer if I may so speak is above the Law and here it is Law because the Lawyer saies it in others the Lawyer
worse than the former when men doe not only study Niceties and make Lawes for themselves but when they have so done will make Lawes for their Brethren and binde their Consciences to those Lawes which they themselves have made Now wilt thou exercise thy self in things of this nature take heed then thou make not thy Conscience the rule of thy Brothers neither make Lawes over him in such things as thou canst not assure his Conscience Christ hath made them I had rather yeeld in a hundred things of this nature to a Brothers weaknesse than by an absolute Law of his making to be bound up to one Let Saints therefore be wary of tying their Brethren hand and foot in such things wherein Christ hath left them free for Saints if tied will not doe that which if they were left to their liberty they ought to doe as I remember Luther saith to the Papists about eating their meats and observing their dayes leave us saith he to our liberty wee will cat your meats observe your dayes but bind us hereto and wee will doe neither 5 And lastly Take heed thy spirit grow not hence by degrees to an affectation of novelty or new things Many there are who first take delight to pry into dark and curious questions and when they have gone on thus a while there is nothing will please them but new things and curious things they grow out of love with old truth and spiritual heart matters these are fet by and it must bee some fine new tickling question that is fit matter only for their thoughts and meditations and as for all things else they account them but low things and those that hold them and press them men of lower light and of a lower forme as they say I am almost confident of if that most of the errours this day broached or on foot in England or elsewhere doe grow out of this root viz. A neglect of exercising the heart about spiritual things and a desire to be alwaies prying into dark things from whence by degrees there creepes into the Soul a love of novelty and new matters which no sooner is in any but the heart is as prone and apt to suck in errour as a spunge water and of all spirits in searching after truth I should desire the Lord to keep me from this a spirit delighting it self in and affecting novelty and new things The Reasons of this Point with the Application I shall leave to the next opportunity The Second SERMON ON 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after righteousness godliness c. THe last opportunity I had in this place I told you that the Apostle gives these words as a direction to his Schollar Timothy and in him to all Beleevers how to escape the dangerous errours and evils that then were or at any time should be abroad the direction is to follow after righteousnesse godlinesse c. as if hee should say employ thy self and thy heart about these things and there is no fear of receiving hurt by the other In General I told you the things he mentions are all spiritual things whence I laid before you this observation viz. Doct. That the only and special way for a Saint to bee delivered from the errours and evils of the times he lives in is to have his heart as much as may be taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and Spiritual things I proved it then unto you and also shewed you what I did meane by Spiritual things I now proceed to the Reasons why the exercising the heart about Spiritual things is such a preservative against the errours and evils of the times we live in Reas 1. Because such a heart as is exercised about Spiritual things findes not leasure to run out after those poor low things which others trifle away their time and lose themselves about Many there are in the world of whom it may be said as Pharaoh once said of the Israelites Yee are idle yee are idle who are very Idlers and doe nothing at all in Spirituals by reason whereof their hearts have a great deale of leisure which because they would be doing and finde nothing to take too they busie themselves just as Children and Boyes doe when they are idle about this toy and the other such a querk and such a query their time and thoughts are busied about and they are continually fancying and inventing new Notions and Chymaera's and this bears the Bell and is all in request to day and this to morrow and thus they strangely lose themselves running from one fancy unto another till in the end they have out-run Reason Religion and all Whereas now a Saint which hath his heart exercised about spiritual things is like a man which is in great dealings and trading which hath many weighty affairs under his hand together and is by reason hereof so full of employment that he cannot finde time to beat his braines about this querk and the other query all the time that he hath is little enough and too little to follow so as that he may not be a looser of his greater employments hee findes that had hee two dayes whereas he hath but one time would be too little for him to busie himself how hee might enjoy more communion with God understand more of the great Mysteries of Godlinesse get his heart more mortified his graces more quickned c. though hee should allow other things no time at all Because to a heart that is exercised about spiritual things other things are dry and empty such a heart neither findes relish in them nor satisfaction from them a spiritual heart delights in things and relisheth them as they are spiritual that which much relisheth a carnal heart is very dis-relishing to the Spiritual man As take a Carnal eare that loves to hear things where there is a great deale of curiosity and of the varnish of Humane wit and Wisdome but now take a Spiritual eare that delights to hear such things as have in them evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and power and findes a dis-relishing of other things So take a Carnal eye that delights to behold such things as please the Natural sense and delight the Fancy but now a Spiritual soul that delights to behold such things as may elevate the Soul and raise the affections more towards Heaven so take a Carnal heart that is well pleased when it is exercised about toyes this vaine needless question and the other but now a Spiritual heart that can take no comfortable relish in things of this nature but they are dry and empty unto it and therefore it shuns and avoyds them and so escapes the danger that comes by them 3 Because such a heart as is exercised in and taken up with Spiritual things lives as I may say in another world whither these vapours which make the braines of many men giddy and their conversation unstedfast doe not ascend he lives in the heavenly world and is