save as the Apostle here avers of Baptism Now that which is intended for our help our carnal minds are ready to turn into a hinderance and disadvantage The Lord representing invisible things to the eye and confirming his Promises even by visible seals we are apt by the grossness of our unspiritual hearts instead of steping up by that which is earthly to the Divine Spiritual things represented to stay on the outward Element and go no further therefore the Apostle to lead us into the inside of this Seal of Baptism is very clear in designing the effect and fruit of it Not says he putting away the silth of the flesh and water if you look no further can do no more There is an invisible impurity upon our Nature chiefly on our invisible Part our Soul this washing means the taking away of thatâ— and where it reaches its true effect it doth so purifie the Conscience and makes it good truly so in the sight of God who is the â—udge of it Consi 1. â—s a pitiful thing to see the Ignorance of the most professing Christianity and partaking of the outward Seals of it and yet knowing not what they mean know not the spiritual dignity and vertue of them blind in the Mysteries of the Kingdom and not so much as sensible of that blindness And being ignorant of the Nature of these holy things cannot have a due esteem of them which arises out of the view of their inward worth and efficacy A confused fancy of some good in them and this rising to the other extream to a superstitious confidence in the simple performance and participance of them as if that carried some inseparable Vertue with it which none could miss of that are sprinkled with the Waters of Baptism and share in the Elements of Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper And what is the utmost Plea of the most for their Title to Heaven but in these relative and external things they are Christians are Baptized hear the Word and are admitted to the Lord's Table not considering how many through all these have gone and daily are going on in the ways of death never coming near Jesus Christ who is the Way and Truth and the Life whom the Word and the Seals of it hold forth to Believers and they are washt in his Blood and quickened with his Life and made like him and Coheirs of Glory with him 2. Even thâ—y that have some clearer Notion of the Nature and 〈◊〉 of the Seals of Grace yet are in a practiâ—â— Error that they look not with due diligence into themselves enquiring after the efficiency of them in their hearts do not study the Life of Christ to know more what it is and then to search into themselves for the Truth and the growth of that Life within them Is it not an unbelieving thing for a Christian when he is about to appear before the Lord's Table and so looks something more narrowly within to find as little Faith as little Divine Affection a Heart as unmortified to the World as cold towards Christ as before his last Address to the same Table after the intervening possibly of many Months in which time had he been careful often to reflect inwards on his Heart and look back upon that new sealing in his last Participation he might likely have been more suitable And truly as there is much guiltiness cleaves to us in this so readily much more in reference to this other Sacrament that is here the Apostles Subject Baptism because but once administred and that in Infancy very seldom and slightly considered by many even real Christians And so we are at a loss in that Profit and Comfort that increase of both Holiness and Faith that the frequent recollecting of it after a Spiritual manner would no doubt advance us to And not only neglect to put our selves upon the thoughts of it in private but in the frequent opportunities of such thoughts in publick let it pass unregarded are idle inconsiderate and so truly guilty beholders and the more frequent we have them are the less toucht with them they become common and work not and the â—lighting of them grows so common with us as the thing Yea when the Engagement is more special and personal when Parents are to present their Infants to this Ordinance and then might and certainly ought to have a more particular and fixed eye upon it and themselves as being sealed with it to ask within after the Fruit and Power of it and to stir up themselves anew to the Actings of Faith and Ambition after newness of Life and with earnest prayer for their Children to be Suâ—ters for themselves for further evidence of their interest in Christ yet possibly many are not much in these things at such times but are more busied to prepare their House for entertaining their Friends than to prepare their hearts for offering up their Infant unto God to be sealed and withal to make a new offer of their own hearts to him to have renewed on them the inward Seal of the Covenant of Grace the outward Seal whereof they did receive as it is now to be conferr'd upon their Infant Did we often look upon the Face of our Souls the seeing of the many spots we have defil'd them with after our washing it might work us to shame and grief and would drive us by renewed Application to wash often in that blood which that water figures which alone can â—etch out the stain of sin and then it would set us upon renewed Purposes of Purity to walk more carefully to avoid the pollutions of the World we walk in and to purge out the pollutions of the Hearts that we carry about with us that deâ—ile us more than all the World besides It would work an holy disdain oâ— sin often to contemplate our selves as washed in so precious a â—aver shall I would the Christian say considering that I am now cleansed in the precious blood of my Lord Jesus run again into that puddle where he so graciously took me out and made me clean Let the Swine wallow in it he hath made me of his Sheâ—pâ—old he hath made me of that excellent order for which all are consecrated by that washing that partake of it washt us in his Blood and made us Kings and Pâ—â—ests unto God the Father Am I of these and shall I debase my self to the 〈◊〉 pleasures of sin No I will think my self too good to serve any sinful lust seeing he hath lookt on me and taken me up and washt and dignified me I am wholly his all my study and business shall be to honour and magnifie him The Answer of a Good Conscience c. The taking away of Spiritual 〈◊〉 as the true and saving effect of Baptism the Apostle here expresses by that which is the further result and effect of it The answer of a good Conscience unto God For its the washing of that filthiness which makes both the Conscience
Father which is in Heaven to love them that hate you and bless them that curse you 't is a kind of perfection ver 48. He makes his Sun to shine on the Righteous and the Wicked c. Be you like it howsoever Men behave themselves keep you your course and let your benign influence as you can do good to all And Jesus Christ sets in himself these things before us Learn of me not to heal the sick or raise the dead but Learn for I am meek and lowly in Heart And if you be his Followers this is your way as the Apostle here addeth hereunto are you called and this is the end of it agrecable to the way that you may inherit a blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowing that Understanding â—right the Nature of your holy calling and then considering it wisely and conforming to it They that have nothing beyond an external calling and profession of Christianity are wholly bliud in this point do not think what this imports a Christian. Could they be drawn to this it were much it were indeed all to know to what they are called and to answer it to walk like it but as one calls a certain sort of Lawyers indoctum doctorum genus we may call the most an unchristian kind of Christians But even they that are real partakers of this spiritual and effectual Call yet are much to seek in this often viewing their rule and laying it to their Life their hearts and words and actions and squaring by it and often posing themselves suits this my calling Is this like a Christian 'T is a main point in any civil Station to have a suitable convenient carriage to a Man's Station and condition that his actions become him but how many incongruities and solecisms do we commit forgetting our selves who we are and what we are called to to what as our duty and to what as our portion and inheritance and these indeed agree together we are called to an undefiled a holy Inheritance and therefore likewise to be Holy in our way to it for that contains all We are called to a better estate at home and called to be sitted for it while we are here to an Inheritance of light and therefore to walk as Children of light and so here to blessing as our inheritance and to blessing as our duty for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thereunto relates to both looks back to the one and forward to the other the way and the end both Blessing The fulness of this inheritance is reserv'd till we come to that Land where it lyeth there it abideth us but the earnests of that fulness of blessing are bestow'd on us here spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ they descend from those heavenly places upon the heart that precious name of our Lord Jesus powred on our hearts if we be indeed interessed in him as we pretend and we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ we are put in possession of that blessing of forgiveness of sin and in terms of love and amity with the Father being reconciled by the blood of his Son and then blessed with the anointing of the Spirit the graces infus'd from Heaven now all these do so cure the bitter accursed distempers of our natural Hearts and so perfume it that it cannot well breath any thing but sweetness and blessing towards others being it self thus blessed of the Lord it eccho's blessing both to God and Men to his blessing of it and its words and whole carriage are as the smell of a Field that the Lord hath blessed as old Iacob said of his Son's Garments The Lord having spoke pardon to a Soul and instead of the curse due to sin bless'd it with a title to glory it easily and readily speaks pardon and not only pardon but blessing to the advantage even to these that outrage it most and deserve worst of it reflects still on that Oh! what deserv'd I at my Lords hands so many talents forgiven me shall I stick at forgiving a few pence And then call'd to inherit a blessing so every Believer an heir of blessing and not only are the spiritual blessings he hath received but even his largeness of blessing others is a pledge to him an evidence of that heirship as those that are bent to cursing though provok'd yet can look upon that as a sad mark that they are heirs of a curse Ps. 109. 18. shall they not that delight in cursing have then enough of it when they shall hear that doleful word go ye cursed c. And on the other side as for the Sons of blessing that spar'd it not to any the blessing they are Heirs to is a blessedness it self and they to be enter'd into it by that joyful speech come ye blessed of my Father c. Men can but bless one another in good wishes and the Lord in praises and applauding to his blessedness but the Lord's blessing is really making blessed an operative word brings the thing with it Inherit a Blessing Not called to be exempted from troubles and injuries here and to be extoll'd and favour'd by the World but on the contrary rather to suffer the utmost of their malice and be the mark of their arrows of wrongs and scoffs and reproaches but it matters not this weighs down all you are called to inherit a blessing which all their cursings and hate cannot prejudge you of for as this inheriting of blessing binds on the duty of blessing others upon a Christian so it encourages to go through the hardest contrary measure they receive from the World if the World should bless you and applaud you never so loud yet that blessing cannot be call'd an inheritance they fly away and dy out in the air have no substance at all much less that endurance that may make them an inheritance and more generally is their any thing here so to be called the surest inheritances are not more than for term of Life to any one Man their abiding is for others that succeed but he removes and when a Man is to remove from all he hath possess'd and rejoyc'd in here then fool indeed if nothing provided for the longer O! how much longer abode he must make elsewhere Will he not then bewail his madness that he was hunting a Shaddow all his Life time and may be turned out of all his quiet possessions and easie dwelling before that and in these times we may the more readily think of this but at the utmost at night when he should be for most rest when that sad night comes after this day of fairest prosperity the unbeleiving unrepenting sinner lies down in sorrow in a woful bed then must he whether he will or no enter possession to this inheritance of everlasting burnings he hath an inheritance indeed but he had better want it and himself too be turn'd to nothing Do you believe there are treasures that neither Thief breaks
says the Son to the Father power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him and after all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them For the sins of those he suffered standing in their room and what he did and suffered according to the Law of that Covenant as done and suffer'd by them All the sins of all the Elect were made up into an huge bundle and bound upon his Shoulders so the Prophet speaks in their name surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows And the Lord laid or made to meet on him the iniquity of us all where he spoke of many ways of sin every one to his own way he binds up all in the word of iniquity as all one sin as if it were that one transgression of the first Adam that brought on the Curse of his Seed born by the second Adam to take it away from all that are his Seed that are in him as their Root He the great high Priest appearing before God with the Names of the Elect upon his Shoulders and in his Heart bearing them and all their burdens and offering for them not any other Sacrifice but himself charging all their Sin on himself as the Priest did the Sins of the People on the Head of the Sacrifice He by the eternal Spirit says the Apostle offered up himself without spot unto God spotless and sinless and so only fit to take away our sin being a satisfactory oblation for it He suffered in him was our ransome and thus it was paid in the Man Christ was the Deity and so his blood was as the Apostle calls it the Blood of God and being pierced it came forth and was told down as the rich price of our Redemption not silver nor gold nor corruptible things as our Apostle hath it before but the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish Obs. 1. Shall any Man offer to bear the Name of a Christian that pleases himself in the way of Sin can delight and sport himself with it when he considers this that Christ suffered for sin do not think it you that still account sin sweet which he found so bitter and light which was so heavy to him and made his Soul heavy to the death you are yet far off from him if you were in him and one with him there would be some harmony of your hearts with his and some sympathy with thâ—se sufferings as endured by your Lord your Head and for you They that with a right view see him as pierced by their sins that sight pierces them and makes them mourn brings forth tears beholding the gushing forth of his blood This makes the real Christian an avowed enemy to sin shall I ever be Friends with it says he that killed my Lord no but I will ever kill it and do it by applying his death The true Penitent is sworn to be the death of sin may be surprized by it but no possibility of reconcilement betwixt them Thou that livest kindly and familiarly with sin either openly declarest thy self for it or hast a secret love for it where canst thou reap any comfort not from these sufferings to thee continuing in that Posture It is all one as if Christ had not suffer'd for sins yea worse than if no such thing had been that there is salvation and terms of mercy unto thee and yet perishes That there is Balm in Gilead and yet thou art not healed And if thou hast not comfort from Jesus crucified I know not whence thou canst have any that will hold out look about thee tell me what thou seest either in thy Possession or in thy hopes that thou esteemest most off and layest thy confidence on it or to deal more liberally with thee see what estate thou wouldest chuse for thy wish stretch thy fancy to devise an earthly happiness these times are full of unquietness but give thee a time of the calmest peace not an air of trouble stirring put thee where thou wilt far off from fear of Sword and Pestilence and encompass thee with Children Friends and Possessions and Honours and Comfort and Health to enjoy all those yet one thing thou must admit in the midst of all these within a while thou must die and having no real portion in Christ but a deluding dream of it thou sinkest through possibly that death into another death far more terrible of all thou enjoyest nothing goes along with thee but unpardoned sin and that delivers thee up to endless sorrow Oh! that you were wise and would consider your latter end do not still gaze about you upon trifles but yet be intreated to take notice of your Saviour and receive him that he may be yours fasten your Belief and your Love on him give him all your Heart that stuck not to give himself an offering for your sins 2. To you that have fled into him for Refuge if sensible of the Churches distress be upheld with this thought that he that suffered for it will not suffer it to be undone all the rage of enemies yea the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it he may for a time suffer them to be brought low for the â—ins of his People and other wise Reasons but he will not utterly forsake them though there is much chaff yet he hath a precious number in these Kingdoms that he shed his blood for many God hath called and yet is to call he will not lose any of his flock that he hath bought so dear Acts. 20. And for their sake he will at one time repair our breaches and establish his Throne in these Kingdoms 2. For your selves what can affright you while this is in your Eye let others tremble at the Apprehension of Sword or Pestilence but sure you have for them and all other hazards a most satisfying answer in this My Christ hath suffered for sin I am not to fear that and that set aside I know the worst is but death I am wrong truly that is the best to be dissolv'd and to be with Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more better This were a happy Estate indeed but what shall they think that have no assurance those that doubt that Christ is their's and that he suffered for their sins I know no way but believe on him and then you shall know that he is yours from this is the grand mistake of many they would first know that Christ is theirs and they would believe which cannot be before he becomes ours by believing It is that gives title and propriety to him he is set before Sinners as a Saviour that hath suffered for sin that they look to him and be saved that they lay over their Souls on him and then they may be assured he suffer'd for them Say then what is it that scares thâ—e from Christ this thou seest is a poor groundless exception for he is set
guilt of sin setting his strong shoulder to remove that Mountain he made way or access for Man unto God This the Apostle hath excellently Eph. 2. He hath reconciled us by his cross having slain the enmity he kill'd the quarrel betwixt God and us killed it by his death brings the Parties together and hath laid a sure Foundation of Agreement in his own Sufferings appeases his Fathers wrath by them and by the same appeases the Sinners Conscience All that God hath to say in point of Justice is answered there all that the poor humbled sinner hath to say is answered too Offered up such an Attonement as satisfies the Father so he is content that sinners come in and be reconciled and then Christ gives notice of this to the Soul to remove all Jealousies it is full of fear though it would dare not approach unto God apprehending him a consuming Fire They that have done the offence are usually the hardest to reconcile because they are still in doubt of their pardon but Christ assures of a full and hearty forgiveness quenching the flame and wrath of God by his blood No says Christ upon my Warrant come in you will now find my Father otherwise than you imagin he hath declared himself satisfied at my hands and is willing to receive you to be heartily and throughly Friends never to hear a word more of the quarrel that was betwixt you a full Oblivion And if the Soul bear back still through distrust he takes it by the hand and draws it forward leads it into his Father as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports presents it to him and leaves not the matter till it be made a full and sure agreement But for this purpose that the Soul may be able and willing to come unto God the sufferings of Christ take away that other Impediment as they satisfie the sentence and so remove the guiltiness of sin so he hath by them purchased a deliverance from the tyrannous power of sin that detains the Soul from God after all the way made for it And he hath a power of applying his Sufferings to the Souls deliverance in that kind too he opens the Prison Doors to them that are led Captive and because the great chain is upon the heart willingly enthralled in sin he by his Sovereign power takes off that frees the heart from the love of sin shews what a base slavish condition it is in by representing in his effectual way the goodness of God his readiness to entertain a returning sinner the sweetness and happiness of Communion with him powerfully perswades the heart to shake off all and without further delay to return unto God as to be received into favour and friendship so to walk in the way of friendship with God to give up it self to his Obedience to disdain the vile service of sin and live sutable to the dignity of fellowship and Union with God And there is no other but the power of Christ alone that is able to effect this to perswade a sinner to return to bring home a heart unto God Common mercies of God though they have a leading faculty to repentance Rom. 2. yet the rebellious heart will not be led by them The Jâ—dgements of God publick or personal though they should drive us to God yet the heart unchanged runs the farther from God do we not see it by our selves and other sinners about us look not at all towards him that smiles much less return or if any sadder thoughts arise that way upon the surprize of an affliction how soon vanish they whether the stroke abateing or the heart by time growing hard and sensless under it Indeed where it is renewed and brought in by Christ thâ—n all other things have a sanctified influence according to their quality to stir up a Christian to seek after nearer Communion closer walk and more access to God But leave Christ out I say all other means work not this way neither the works nor word of God sounded daily in his ear return return Let the noise of the rod speak it too and both joyn together to make the cry the louder yet the wicked will do wickedly will not hearken to the voice of God will not see the hand of God lifted up will not be perswaded to go in and seek peace and reconcilement with God though declaring himself provoked to punish and to behave himself as an enemy against his own people How many are there that in their own particular have been very sharply lasht with divers scourges on their bodies or families and yet are never a whit the nearer God for it all hearts as proud and earthly and vain as ever and lay on as much and they will still be the same Only a Divine Vertue going forth from Christ lifted up draws Men unto him and being come to him he brings them unto the Father Obs. 1. You that still are Strangers to God who declare your selves to be so live as Strangers far off from him do not still continue to abuse your selves so grosly Can you think there is any consolation yours that is in the sufferings of Christ while it is so evident they have not gained their end upon you have not brought you to God Truly most of you seem to think that our Lord Jesus suffered rather to the end we might neglect God and disobey him securely than to reduce us to him Hath he purchas'd you a liberty to sin or is not deliverance from sin which alone is true liberty the thing he aimed at and agreed â—or and laid down his life for 2. Why let we still his blood run in vain as to us He hath by it opened up our way to God and yet we refuse to make use of it Oh! how few come in They that are brought unto God and received into friendship with him they entertain that friendship they delight in his company love to be much with him is it so with us 2. By being so they become like him know his will daily better and grow more sutable to it in the most nothing of this 3. But even they that are brought unto God may be faulty in this in part not applying so sweet a Priviledge can comply and be too friendly with the vain World can pass many days without a lively Communion with God not aspiring to the increase of that as the thing our Lord hath purchas'd for us and that wherein all our happiness and welfare lyes here and hereafter your hearts cleaving to folly and not delighting your selves in the Lord not refresht with this nearness to him and Union with him your thoughts not often on it and your study to walk conform to it Certainly it ought to be this and you would be perswaded to endeavour it may be thus with you 4. Remember this for your Comfort that you as are brought unto God by Jesus Christ you are kept in that Union by him it s a firmer knot than
be filthy still in the sight of God There is such a Generation a Multitude of them that is pure in their own Eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness Moral evil persons that are most satisfied with their own estate or such as have further a form of Godliness but their lusts not mortified by the power of it secret pride and earthliness of Mind and vain glory and carnal wisdom still pleasingly entertained within these are foul Pollutions filthy and hateful in the sight of God so that where it is thus that the heart is peaceably possest with such guests there the blood and Spirit of Christ are not yet come neither can there be this answer of a Good Conscience unto God This answer of a Good Conscience unto God as likewise its questioning to enable it self for that answer is touching two great points that are of chief concern to their Soul its Iustification and Sanctification for Baptism is the Seal of both and purges the Conscience in both respects that water as the figure both of the blood and water the justifying blood of Christ and the pure water of the sanctifying Spirit of Christ takes away the condemning guiltiness of sin by the one and the polluting filthiness by the other Now the Conscience of a real Believer enquiring within upon right discovery will make this answer unto God Lord I have found that there is no standing before thee for the Soul in it self is overwhelmed with a World of guiltiness but I find a blood sprinkled upon it that hath I am sure vertue enough to purge it all away and to present it pure unto thee and I know that wheresoever thou findest that blood sprinkled thine anger is quench'd and appealed presently upon the sight of it That hand cannot smite where that blood is before thine eye And this the Lord does agree to and authorises the Conscience upon this account to return back an answer of safety and peace to the Soul So for the other Lord I find a living Work of holiness on this Soul though there is yet corruption there yet it is as a continual grief and vexation it s an implacable hatred there is no peace betwixt them but continual enmity and hostility and if I cannot say much of the high degrees of Grace and faith in Christ and love to him and heavenliness of Mind yet I may say there is a beginning of those at least this I most confidently affirm that there are real and earnest desires of the Soul in these things It would know and conform to thy will and be delivered from it self and its own will and though it were to the highest displeasure of all the World it would gladly walk in all well pleasing unto thee And he that sees the truth of these things knowing it to be thus owns it as his own work and engages himself to advance it on and bring it to perfection This is a taste of that intercourse the purified Conscience hath with God as the saving fruit of Baptism And all this it doth not of it self but by vertue of the resurrection of Jesus Christ which refers both to the utmost effect Salvation and the nearer effect as a means and pledge of that the purging of the Conscience By this his Death and the effusion of his Blood in his sufferings are not excluded but are included in it His Resurrection being the evidence of all that work of Expiation both compleated and accepted full Payment made by our Surety and so he set free and his Freedom the Cause and the Assurance of ours Therefore the Apostle St. Paul expresses it so That he died for our sins and rose for our righteousness and our Apostle shews us the worth of our living hope in this same resurrection Chap. 1. v. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Now that Baptism doth apply and seal to the Believer his Interest in the death and resurrection of Christ the Apostle St. Paul teaches to the full Rom. 8. 3. The dipping into the waters our dying with him and the return thence our rising with him The last thing is the resemblance of Baptism in these things with the saving of Noah in the Flood and it holds in that we spoke last of for he seemed to have rather entred into a Grave as dead than into a safeguard of Life in going into the Ark yet there being buried he rose again as it were in his coming forth to begin a new World The Waters of the Flood drown'd the Ungodly as a heap of filthiness washt them away they and their sin together as one being inseparable and upon the same Waters the Ark floating preserved Noah Thus the Waters of Baptism are intended as a deludge to drown Sin and to save the Believer that by Faith is separated both from the World and from his Sin so it sinks and he is saved And there is further one thing specified by the Apostle wherein though it be a little hard yet chiefly intends the paralel The fewness of these that are sav'd by both for though many are sprinkled with the Elemental Water of Baptism yet few so as to attain by it the Answer of a good Conscience towards God and to live by participance of the Resurrection and Life of Christ. Thou that seest the World perishing in a deluge of Wrath and art now most thoughtful for this how thou shalt escape it fly into Christ as thy safety and rest secure there thou shalt find life in his death and that life further ascertained to you in his rising again so full and clear a Title to Life in these two that thou canst challenge all Adversaries upon this very Ground as unconquerable whilest thou standest on it and speak thy challenge in the Apostles stile It is God that justifieth who shall condemn But how know you that he justifies it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen who sitteth at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us It alludes to that place Isa. 50. where Christ speaks of himself but in the name of all that adhere to him he is near that justifies me who is he that will contend with me so that what Christ speaks there the Apostle with good reason imparts to each Believer as in him If no more to be laid to Christ's charge being now acquitted as is clear by his rising again then neither to thine who art cloathed with him and one with him This the grand Answer of a good Conscience and in point of justifying them before God no answer but this What have any to say to thee thy debt is paid by him that undertook it he is free answer all accusations with this Christ is risen And then for the mortifying of sin and strengthing of thy Graces look daily on that
this great task to be gaining further upon it and overcoming and mortifying it every Day and to this tend the frequent Exhortations of this Nature Mortifie your members that are on the earth So Rom. 6. Likewise reekon your selves dead to sin and let it not reign in your mortal bodies Thus here Arm your selves with the same Mind or with this very thought Consider and apply that suffering of Christ in the flesh to the end that you with him suffering in the flesh may cease from sin Think it ought to be thus and seek that it may be thus with you Arm your selves There is still fighting and sin will be molesting you though wounded to death yet will it struggle for life and seek to wound its enemy will assault the graces that are in you Do not think if it be once struck and you have a hit near to the heart by the Sword of the Spirit that therefore it will stir no more No so long as you live in the flesh in these bowels there will be remainders of the life of this flesh your natural corruption Therefore ye must be Armed against it Sin will not give you rest so long as there is a drop of blood in its vein one spark of life in it and that will be so long as you have life here This old Man is stout and will fight himself to death and at the weakest it will rouze up it felt and act its dying Spirits as Men will do sometimes more eagerly then when they were not so weak nor so near death This the Children of God often find to their grief that corruptions which they thought had been cold dead stir and rise up again and set upon them A â—assion or Lust that after some great stroke lay along while as dead stirred not and therefore they thought to have heard no more of it though it shall never recoverfully again to be lively as before yet will revive in such a measure as to molest and possibly to foyl them yet again Therefore is it continually necessary that they live in Arms and put them not off to their dying day till they put off the body and be altogether free of the flesh you may take the Lord's promise for victory in the â—nd that shall not fail but do not promise your self ease in the way for that will not hold if at somtimes you be at under give not all for lost he hath often won the Day that hath been foiled and wounded in the fight but likwise take not all for won so as to have no more conflict when sometimes you have the better as in particular battels be not desperate when you loose nor secure when you gain them when it is worst with you do not throw away your Arms nor lay them away when you are at best Now the way to be armed is this the same mind how would my Lord Christ carry himself in this case and what was his business in all places and Companies was it not to do the will and advance the glory of his Father If I be injured and reviled consider how would he do in this would he repay one injury with another one reproach with another reproach No being reviled he reviled not again Well through his strength this shall be my way too Thus ought it to be with the Christian framing all his ways and words and very thoughts upon that model the mind of Christ and to study in all things to walk even as he walked 1. Studying it much as the reason and rule of Mortification 2. Drawing from it as the real Cause and Spring of mortification The pious Contemplation of his Death will most powerfully kill the love of sin in the Soul and kindle an ardent hatred of it The Believer looking on his Jesus crucified for him and wounded for his transgressions and taking in deep thoughts of his spotless Innocency that deserved no such thing and of his matchless love that yet endured it all for him then will he think shall I be a friend to that which was his deadly enemy shall sin be sweet to me that was so bitter to him and that for my sake shall I ever have a favourable thought or lend it a good look that shed my Lord's blood shall I live in that for which he died and died to kill it in me Oh! let it not be To the end it may not be let such really apply that Death to work this on the Soul for this is always to be added and is the main indeed by holding and fastning that Death close to the Soul effectually to kill the effects of sin in it to stiâ—â—e and crush them dead by pressing that death on the heart looking on it not only as a most compleat model but as having a most effectual vertue for this effect and desiring him intreating our Lord himself who communicates himself and the vertue of his death to the Believer that he would powerfully cause it to flow to us and let us feel the vertue of it It s then the only thriving and growing life to be much in the lively Contemplation and Application of Jesus Christ to be continually studying him and conversing with him and drawing from him receiving of his fullness grace for grace Wouldest thou have much power against sin and much increase of holiness let thine eye be much on Christ set thine heart on him let it dwell in him and be still with him When sin is like to prevail in any kind go to him tell him of the insurrection of his enemies and thy inability to resist and desire him to suppress them and to help thee against them that they may gain nothing by their stirring but some new wound If thy heart begin to be taken with and move towards sin lay it before him the beams of his love shall eat out that fire of these sinful lusts Wouldest thou have thy Pride and Passions and love of the World and self love kill'd go suit for the vertue of his death and that shall do it seek his Spirit the Spirit of Meekness and Humility and Divine Love Look on him and he shall draw thy heart heavenwards and unite it to himself and make it like himself And is not that the thing thou desirest Verses 2 3. Ver. 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts excess of Wine revellings banquetings and abominable idolatries THE Chains of sin are so strong and so fastened on our Nature that there is in us no power to break them off till a mightier and stronger Spirit than our own come into us The Spirit of Christ dropt inâ—o the Soul makes it able to break through an host and leap over a Wall as David speaks of himself furnisht with
after the Holy Sacrament then will he set on most eagerly when he knows of the richest booty the Pyrats that lets the Ships pass as they go by empty watch them well when they return richly loaden so doth this great Pyrate Did he not assault our Saviour straight after his Baptism And that we may watch to be sober the instruction is military a Souldier drunk is not fit to be on the watch this most of us are with our several fancies and vanities and so exposed to this adversary yea when we have gained some advantage in a conflict or when the enemy seems to retire and be gone yet even then to be watchful yea then especially how many presuming on false safeties that way and sitting down to carouze or lying down to sleep have been reassaulted and cut off Oh! beware when you think your selves most safe that very thought makes you least safe keep always your Spirits free of surcharges and lavish profusion upon the World applying your hearts to any thing in it siting down to 't Oh! no. Gideons Army fit to follow God and be victorious in him not lying down to drink but taking of it only as for necessity in passing Take our Saviours own word Take heed lest at anytime your hearts be surcharged with surfetings and drunkenness and the cares of this life those will overcharge you and make you drunk and cast you asleep Oh! mind your work and your warfare always more than your ease and pleasure seek it not here your rest is not here Oh! poor short rest if it were but follow the Lord Jesus through conflicts and sufferings a little while and you shall have certain victory and after it everlasting triumph rest and pleasure and a feast that shall not end where there is neither danger of surfetting nor wearying but pure and perpetual delight in this perswasion you should be abstinent and watchful and endure hardship as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ as the Apostle speaks not entangling your selves with the affairs of this life and thus be ready for encounters stand watching and if assaulted resist Whom resist stedfast in the faith To watchfullness courage would be joyned he that watches and yields seems rather to watch to receive than to resist the enemy And this resistance would be continued even against multiplyed assaults for thou hast to deal with an enemy that will not easily give over but will try several ways and will redouble his on sets sometimes very thick to weary thee out sometimes after a little forbearance interpos'd to catch thee unawares when he is not expected but in all faint not but be stedfast in thy resistance This is easie said but how may it be how shall I be able so to do Thus stedfast in the faith The most of Men are under the power of one of these two evils Security or Distrust and out of the one we readily fall into the other Therefore the Apostle frames his exhortations and the arguments of it in opposition to both these First against Security in the former verse Be sober and watch and presses that by the proper argument of great and continuing danger Here against distrust Whom resist stedfast in the faith And adds an encouraging consideration of the common condition of the Children of God in the World Stedfast or solid by faith This is absolutely necessary for resistance a Man cannot fight upon a quagmire no standing out without a standing some firm ground to foot upon and this faith alone furnishes lists the Soul up to the firm advanced ground of the Promises and fastens it there and there it is sure even as Mount Sion that cannot be removed He says not stedfast by your own resolutions and purposes but stedfast by faith the power of God by faith becomes ours for that is contain'd and engag'd in the Word of Promise faith lays hold there and there finds Almighty strength and this is our victory says the Apostle St. Iohn whereby we overcome the World even our faith so it is our victory whereby we overcome the Prince of this World Whom resist stedfast in the faith And universally all difficulties and all enemies are overcome by faith faith sets the stronger Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah against this roaring Lyon of the bottomless pit that delivering Lyon against this devouring Lyon When the Soul is surrounded with enemies on all hands so that there is no way of escape faith flies above them carries up the Soul and takes refuge in Christ and there is safe that 's the power of faith sets a Soul in Christ and there it looks down upon all tentations as at the bottom of the Rock breaking themselves into foam When the floods of tentations rise and gather so great and many that the Soul is even ready to be swallow'd up then by Faith it says Lord Jesus thou art my strength I look to thee for deliverance now appear for my help and thus it overcomes guilt of sin that 's answered by his blood power of sin conquered by his spirit and afflictions that arise are nothing to these his love and gracious presence makes them sweet and easie We mistake if we think to do any thing or be any thing without him and we mistake again if we think any thing too hard to be done or suffered with him without me you can do nothing says he and I am able to do all things or can all things so the Apostles word is through Christ that strengthens me All things Oh! that is a big word yet a true word and thus made good through Christ impowering me that frees it both from falsehood and vanity A humble confidence for it is not in himself but in Christ and this boasting is good my Soul shall make her boast in God says David Oh! they have only warrant to boast and to triumph even before the victory that do it in that stile and may give a challenge to all the World to all adverse powers of Earth and Hell as the Apostle doth in his own and every Believers name Rom. 8. 38. see the victory recorded and in this same way Apec 12. 11. and they overcame him But how by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony that blood and the word of their testimony believing that word concerning that blood these are the strength and victory of a Christian Inf. Although then thou seest thy self the most witless and weakest and findest thy self nothing but a prey to the powers of darkness yet know that by believing the wisdom and strength of Christ is thine thou art and oughtest to find thy self all weakness but he is all strength almightiness it self Learn to apply his victory and so it is thine be strong how in him and the power of his might But thou wilt say I am often foiled yea I cannot find that I prevail at all against mine enemies but they still against me yet rely on him he