apply the promises Eph. 1.13 3ly By letting them see that Christ dyed for them in particular Rom. 5.8 4ly By assureing them of through-bearing Grace 1 Tim. 4.18 2 Tim 4 12 see the Text. 5ly By perswading them of the pardon of their Sin Psal 22.5 Hosea 14.4 And 6ly By discovering the reality of their Grace under its great Tryals And 7ly By leting them see their Election and their Effectual Calling 2ly As for the time in which he gives this perswasion 1st It is when they are deeply humbled for their own Sins and the Sins of others Dan. 9. This is to keep them from fainting and to perswade them their Humiliation is accepted of God A 2d time is at their Conversion Eph. 1 13. And this is to engage them to the way of God finding it sweet and to comfort them under the mean measures of their Mortification A 3d. Time is When they are under pressures of Wrath Psal 32.5 Because their Faith cannot be kept up under the External Promise as David's Faith could not be kept up by the Promise made by Nathan A 4th Time is When they want the Ordinances and that grieves them Psal 63.3 A 5th is under the Cross Rom 5 3.5 That they may contemn the hard Censures of Men and that they may know that even Godliness wants not its advantage even in that Lot A 6th Time is When he puts them to some hard Task Joshua 1.2 3 4 5. A 7th Time is When he is about to let the Devil loose to Tempt them Matth. 3. last Compared with 4 1. and 2. An 8th Time is When they pursue it earnestly by extraordinary Diligence Directions How to come at it are 1st Labour for Sincerity Psal 36.10 2ly Entertain the motions of the Spirit and give them ready Obedience Rev. 3.20 3ly Be tender of your walk from Love to God Jo. 14.21 4ly Be much in Loving your Bretheren Jo. 15.10.12 5ly Beware of Declining Jude 20.21 6ly Be much in Exercising Grace Cant. 5 1. 7ly Beware of hardness of Heart Isai 65.14 Beware of deadness of Spirit Psal 85.5 6. Beware of Graces decay and Corruptions grouth Isai 66.6 We should endeavour after this perswasion of Love Because we can neither bear our Cross nor be willing to dye without it we cannot with confidence and courage look to the Obstructions that ly in the way of our Salvation See the Text. Without it we cannot serve God from Love and our duty will not be sweet without it For the Evils that seem to obstruct the Love of God The first of them is Death where we see that the beloved Believer must go through Deaths Tryal 2ly When it is so he is tempted to doubt of the Love of God 3ly Tho he be tempted to doubt of Gods Love he should be confident of it notwithstanding of Death For 1st They must go through Death for hereby he will try their Faith of an other Life by puting this Veil of Death 'twixt it and us 2ly To conform them to Christ who by Death entered to Life 3ly He will keep Election and Reprobation as a secret in this life 4ly To testifies his Displeasure at Original Sin Rom 8 11. And becauâ— Death here is meant of Death inflicted by persecutâ— on therefore they must go through it 1st Thaâ— they may be Witnesses to his Truth and rendâ— Persecutors inexcusable for rejecting of it 2â— For the Tryal of their Self-denyal Love and Faith And if this be so Then the People of God shoulâ— labour to prepare for Death and for this effect labour first for Self-denyal Luke 14 26. 2ly Laboâ— for Sobriety that with ease ye may part with thâ— Worlds Contentments 3ly Labour for a Heavenly life that ye may be willing to dye that 〈◊〉 may get more of it 4ly Labour to be wearied 〈◊〉 a Body of Death Rom 7 last 5ly Labour foâ— the Faith of Immortality 2 Cor 5 2. Second Observation is It is hard to believe God Love in Death 1st Because it is a Cross we have a strong Aversation from It being the dissolution of Nature and a parting with our dearest Enjoyments 2ly It appears to have something of Godâ— displeasure engraven on it Isai 38. 3ly It 's a separation from Communion with God by Ordinances ibid v 11. 4ly It 's attended with the clearest conviction of guilt and represented as an immediate forerunner of Judgement Use is That we would not wonder to see the People of God hardly put to it at Death Next the Lords People should not question his Love Because 1st He hath appointed all to Dye and so cannot say that he loved none 2ly Christ has Dyed to take away the Sting out of thy Death and to sympathise with thee in it Use is That we would endeavour to believe the love of God even even in Death And for this effect first remember the experience of Gods goodness to thee in thy life Psal 23. 2ly Consider that tho thou dye thou may have fellowship and Communion with God and more after then before Phil 1 23 2 Cor 5.8 3ly Consider the goodness of that God that hath the keeping of thy Soul he is Faithful 1 Pet. 4 last And a powerful Keeper 2 Tim 1 12. 4â—y Consider God is present with his People at Death Psal 23. 5ly Take up Death as the Scripture represents it As a Rest Rev 15 13. From the labour and toil of Duty From bearing Crosses on our Names Persons and Goods from the Cares of the World from the fears of committing sin and of coming Crosses from doubts of Gods Love and fighting against Temptations from Vexation and seeking Contentments in this World and from Griefs from our Self-disappointments and from the Challenges of our Consciences And lastly It is a Rest from sinning 6th Direction Labour for the Testimony of your Sincerity as Hezekia had for ye cannot have the Testimony of Perfection 7ly Ly not under unrepented Guilt 8ly Labour for the Earnest of the Spirit that it may be a pledge of your Immortality 1 Cor. 5 5. 9ly Be not diffident of Divine Providence for them that you leave behind you For when you look on Death as untimeâ—ous it makes you suspect Gods love in it And 10ly Labour for the firm hope of the Resurrection of the Body The next Evil that the Apostle Enumerates As that which threatens to separate him from the love of God is Life which is taken here for all the Contentments of this present Life And this suppose that these Contentments are Temptations to alienaâ— us from God and so to separate us from his Love 2ly We see the Lords People are sufficiently fuâ—nished against that Temptation of the Contentment of this life for we see the Apostle is very confidenâ— that they will not have Power to make God alterâ— love from them That is they will not have Powerâ— alienate them from God And first In that the Apostle ranks this in the second place It tells us That the Apostle
foreknowledge of them Jo. 18.4 4ly Enemies being limited that they could not do all they would Jo. 19 36. And Christ himself acknowledges this Jo. 18.11 And this was the reason why Christ betook himself to Prayer under the Cross Use 1st Iâ— the Father was the main deliverer of him up to Death see here the great intended end of Christs Suffering was satisfaction to his Justice It was the Fathers Justice did pursue him And that consideration is comfortable to us and significative of the Fathers Love that Justice did forbear to punish us and did insist in the pursuit of him 2ly We see that Justice may inflict punishment by Instruments for Guilt whether imputed or following upon personal Transgression it was Justice delivered him up to Death tho it was Men that were the instruments in inflicting of it And this tells us that under all our Sufferings from Men we should mainly look to God for he hath the cheif Hand 3ly Since the Father delivered him to Death out of Love to us for our Salvation there is no cause to stumble at this Providence or strengthen Atheism thereby If Gods designs in this Providence and his Hand be overlooked it seems a strange thing for such a person to be given up to the will of Men but if the reason of this Providence be throughly considered there needs none stumble at it 4ly if Christs Sufferings were ordered by the Fathers Providence then all the Sufferings of his People must be ordered by the same providence 5ly We see in this Providence Gods Hand Christs Hand and the Hand of the Wicked Instruments God was Just because he was imputatively Guilty Christ kythed his Affection in submitting to all that was inflicted on him tho' he did not actively take away his own Life but the Instruments were Wicked because they did it to satisfy their Malice Now if ye would consider the Apostles reasoning hence To confirm the People of God in his Love it is very strong 1st Considering who he was he was his own Son 2ly To what be was delivered it was up to Death And 3ly If you consider for whom for Us Worthless Sinful Creatures All that makes it a High expression of Love Use 1st To reprove those amongst Believers that doubts of his Love For 1st There are some that doubt of it because he crosses them but they would look to his defending them against the Snare of the Cross and for his supplys of Grace under the Cross and how necessary it is for us 2ly Some doubt of his Love because they want Gifts but alas Gods great Gift is Christ to save other Gifts are more significative of Love to others in the Church then that they signifie Gods Love to thy self To press the believing of this Love Consider 1st It makes you Love him 2ly It will make you construct well of his dealing Charity thinketh no Evil. 3ly It will make you very thankful for Mercies For if thou think God Loves thee not thou will be ready to think every thing a snare to thee and so will not be so thankful for it 4ly If thou believe his Love thou will not be feared for the Aspect of an coming Cross Psal 56 4. Use 2d Of Exhortation Love the Father of our Lord Jesus and express your Love 1st By Obedience 2ly By loving his spiritual presence in his Ordinances see Psal 27.4 His Presence was Davids One Thing 3ly By Loving them that are his Psal 16. My Goodness extends not to thee but to the Saints 4ly Let your heart be warmed with Love to God under the Rod Heb. 12.9 5ly Grieve For others and your own offending him 6ly Have nothing but what you can give it him and bestow it for his use Your Health Time Gifts Friendship in the World Riches study how all these may be employed for him and his Glory 7ly Lâ— Love make you willing to part tho' it were with your Life to Glorify him seing Christ parted with his for your Salvation Use 3d. â—eing the Father his Love hath made oâ— Salvation so easy Then work it out with fear and trembling He doth not require a conformity to the Law of thee that thou may be saved that he hath got of Christ when he did not spare him all the Coâ—formity he requires is in order to Thankfulness and by vertue of Christs strength Verse 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifies HAving spoken elsewhere to the Nature of Justification that it does not stand in the infusiâ— of Gracious qualities in the Soul or in a persoâ— conformity to the Law In regard of our Actions But it stands in an Absolution from the charge of the Law for want of an Conformity to its preceptive and comminatory parts 2ly As also having spokeâ— to the compleatness of Justification as it is an Absolution from any possible charge or clame that câ— be given in against us And 3ly To the sureness anâ— firmness of it Here the Apostle triumphs by Faith as judging it so firm As it cannot be quarrelled by any 〈◊〉 any time upon just Grounds But the Text supposes there will be Challenges of our Justification and these are the censuring World the misinforme Conscience and the Tempting Devill And finâ— our Justification is firm in it self and objectively certain it were fit we had an subjective certainty of it that we may the more easily defend our selves against these Challengers And for this effect first we would be truely convinced of sin Psal 32.1 1 Jo. 1.7 People that are either stupid in their Conscience or Extenuaters of their Faults rarely win to the assurance of their Justification 2ly We would not found this Assurance of ours upon a good lively frame or upon some eminent assistance to do a particular Duty or upon some singular returns of Prayer or upon some signal external favourable Providence but we would lay the stress of it upon this that by Faith we appropriate to our selves the general grant of pardon recorded in the Gospel 1 Tim. 1.15 3ly We would Labour to be of an Evangelical Spirit and not of an Legal Phil. 3.10 4ly We should study sincerity Heb. 10.22 The true Heart there is joined with an Heart sprinkled from an Evil Conscience And 5ly Make it your work to walk after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 The Apostle adds two Grounds upon which he founds the sureness of our Justification One is taken from its Author it is God that justifies the other is taken from the subjects of this priviledge the Elect. For the first Gods being the Author of Justification that contributes to its firmness And first consider his Relation that he stands in towards the justified he is their Ruler by Laws and their supreme Judge 2ly Consider the hand he has to their particular Justification 1st His Infinite Wisdom found out the Method of it 2 Cor. 5.17 2ly Christs Resurrection-says he approved it 3ly Iâ— the word of the Gospel he
your Interest in this priviledge by your being Married to Christ that is by forsaking your own personal Righteousness which is by the Law and betaking your selves to Christ's Rom. 7.4 3ly Try your Interest by your Union with Christ If you would know that Union with Christ ye must try it by this whether ye be new Creatures or no 2 Cor. 5.17 4ly ye must try it by the mark in the Text which is that such as are in Christ They walk not after the flesh that is they have not an walk that evidences the dominion of Lust over them Pride Covetousness Malice and Self-love do not Influence their Conversation And 2ly They do not regulate their Life by the Laws of Corruption which are directly opposite to the Laws of God whereof some of them may be repeated As 1st The Natural Man thinks it fit to depend upon himself and not upon God and to please himself and not God 2ly The Natural Man denys the Being of God and mistakes the perfection of God and his walk evidences his Atheism Psal 14.1 and his denyal of God's perfection Psal 36.1 3ly It is a Principle of the Natural Man that he Exerciseth himself in Superstitious Worship In being formal in appointed Worship as meritorious with God see Luke 18. about the Pharisee 4ly It is his principle that we may warrantably use unlawful means to obtain our end That false policy is better then tenderness of Conscience 5ly It is a Principle of his that Folk should rather Sin then suffer Affliction 6ly It is a Principle of the Carnal Man that we should not love our Neighbour with a pure and single Love but with a Selfish Love not designing singly his good but aiming still at our own Advantage in what kindness we do to him 7ly It s the walker after the flesh his Principle that we should not live in Subjection to Superiours from Conscience but because of fear of force and because of Expectation of Advantage 8ly It 's his Principle that his Felicity stands in sensual good 9ly He is not content with what satisfies Nature but with what satisfies Lust and Lust being unsatiaable he cannot but always be discontented Now this Walk after the Flesh does not only import a Walk that evidences reigning Lusts in the Heart and a Walk that is the practical improvement of those pernicious Principles formerly mentioned and such like but it is a Walk tending to corrupt Ends a Walk wherein a Mans Imaginations Desires and Purposes are all levelled at the gratifying of some one predominant Lust or other And 5ly we would try our interest in this priviledge by our walking after the Spirit Which is a walk first which stands in obedience to the motions of the Spirit Rom. 8 13. Gal. 5.18 2ly It stands in giving God spiritual Worship Phiâ—ip 3.3 and Jo. 4 24. 3ly It stands in having a Walk flowing from Spiritual Principles viz. Faith 2 Cor. 5.7 Love Eph. 5.2 4ly It stands in eying an spiritual Rule in our Walk viz. The Law in its spiritual meaning in having a spiritual frame in conforming our selves to that Law that we may do what we do in the strength of Christ's Spirit And 5ly It stands in designing spiritual Ends viz. The Glory of God the Edification of our Neighbour and our own Salvation From the Restriction of this priviledge to such as Walk after the Spirit We may infer an Use of Reproof to many who walk after the flesh and yet will apply this priviledge to themselves The causes of their security may be 1st They lean to their Superstitious Services Mica 6 7. Isa 1 11. And to their External Acts of Worship Isai 58 3. Jer. 7 10. 2ly They Lean to their present impunity Psal 50 21. And 3ly They lean to their own Gifts Matth. 7.22 Observe that the Apostle divides all the Members of the Visible Church in these Two sorts of Men viz. Who walk after the Flesh and Who walk after the Spirit Importing to us that all those that Walk not after the Spirit they certainly walk after the Flesh From this one may infer That all Moralists and Civilians Whatever pretences they have for Innocency in Walking since they are unacquainted with a walking after the Spirit they are certainly to be reckoned as Walkers after the Flesh Observe next from the words That when the Apostle would give a discovery to persons of their spiritual state and of their Interest in the priviledge of Non-condemnation he brings this Discovery not from a particular Act of their Walk whether good or bad but from the Tract of their Walk for a Godly Man may be overcome with an Temptation at a time and do an evil Act which may be called an Act of the Flesh and an godless Man may do an Act materially good but a Godly Man cannot Walk after the Flesh neither can a godless man walk after the Spirit Verse 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death SOme take the meaning of those words to be That the Gospel doth free the Apostle Paul from the Law and Covenant of Works and its Threatning And therefore since the Gospel frees him from the Laws Threatning It cannnot but secure all that are in Christ from Condemnation seing he has no priviledge by the Gospel but what all that are in Christ actually have for the Gospel confers priviledges of this sort and nature equally on all Believers And if the words be taken in this sense they are a proof of the first part of the first verse to this purpose as if the Apostle had said Ye may be very sure that there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Because I who am a Believer by the promulgate Gospel am delivered from the Threatning of the Covenant of Works And so these that ascribe this sense to the words they say that by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is meaned the Gospel called the Law of Faith 3d. Rom. And it gets that Name because as a Law hath Authority in it to oblidge to Obedience so the Gospel has the stampt of Divine Authority on it obliging to Obedience Likeways It is called a Law of the spirit of life because the Gospel and not the Law which is as to this a Dead Letter is the Ministration of the Spirit see Gal. 3.5.2 Cor. 3.8 and we are receivers of the spirit by the hearing of Faith Gal 3.2 and it is said the Gospel is the Law in Christ Jesus because Christ Jesus is the principal Subject about which it Treats Or these words in Christ Jesus may be added not to denote that the principal Subject of the Gospel is Christ Jesus but to denote that the Spirit of Life which is conveyed by the Gospel is to be had from Christ Jesus 2ly Those that ascribe this sence to the words they say that by the Law of sin and death is meant the
Law of God with it's sanction and Threatning For as it is a perfect Rule of Righteousness it discovers sin As the Apostle says by the Law is the knowledge of sin and by reason of the Threatning subjoined to the Law it brings the sinner under a lyableness to Death and upon thir Accounts it is concluded by thir Divines who ascribe this sence to the Text That the Law of God gets this Name of the Law of â—in and Death But yet when we consider the Text more narrowly we think it has an other meaning For it is very clear from the preceeding Chapter That by the Law of sin the Apostle means Corruption and we do not find the Apostle in other places of Scripture giving that name of the Law of sin and death to the Law of God And therefore by the Law of the spirit of life is meant the powerful influence of the spirit of life upon Believers which frees Paul from Corruption these 3. ways 1st By dwelling in Pauls heart he makes up a spiritual Union betwixt Christ and him and so frees him from the guilt of Corruption because by the spirit making up that Union he winns to a justified state 1 Cor 6.11 2ly He frees Paul from his Corruption because by his power he breaks the dominion of sin And 3ly By his presence and efficacious working he will in his own time abolish the remainders of Corruption out of Paul's heart The Cohesion of this Verse with the former seems to be the Apostles proving the latter part of the Verse thus That those that are in Christ must walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh because the Spirit of Life breaks the Dominion of Sin in them as it did in Paul Or 2ly This Second Verse may be added to illustrate the first part of the first Verse viz. That there is no condemnation to the man who is in Christ and it may be set down to prevent an Objection against that Truth that the man that is in Christ is free of condemnation For it may be said that the man that is in Christ hath the Law of Sin and Death and since he hath the remainders of Corruption in him how can he be free from Condemnation It is Answered That the Spirit of Life frees the Believer from the Law of Sin and Death because by uniting a man to Christ it frees him from the Guilt of Corruption and by the Spirits presence as a Spirit of Life in Godâ—s own time he will be freed from the remainders of Corruption From what has been said we may soon see That our discerning of the remainders of Corruption in us inevitably brings us under many fears of Condemnation The fight of Indwelling Sin more forcibly puts us under a fear of Condemnation than the feeling of all our numerous Miseries can do and therefore it were fit for a Believer to strengthen his hope of the total abolition of Sin in him and this may be done 1st By considering our Union with Christ and Christ's Exaltation to Glory which necessarly says that all the Members must have a sinless conformity with the Head 2ly This Hope may be strengthned by considering that the guilt of our Corruption is already pardoned in our Justification for the 1st Verse says There is no condemnation to the man that is actually in Christ And 3ly This Hope may be strengthned in this that the breaking of the Dominion of Corruption in us by the Spirit of Life is a Pledge given us of God to assure us of its total abolition Observe 2ly That Paul was a man deeply exercised with the sense of remaining Corruption in him as appears by the last part of the former Chapter and now he wins to a great deal of freedom to apply Gospel-Priviledges and this tells you that the freedom of the Actings of Faith is very consistent with the sense of Indwelling Sin Observe 3ly Paul used many Means for Mortification he watched he prayed he kept himself out of the way of Temptation yet he ascribed not his freedom from Corruption to the use of these Means but to the Principal Author of his freedom viz. The Spirit of Life who did bless these Means for that end Take notice of that Name that 's given to the Influencing Spirit that liberats Paul from the Law of Sin and Death it is called The Law of the Spirit of Life Because that as a Law hath a Moral Efficacy to draw those that live under it into Obedience So the gracious Spirit of God where he has an indwelling hath an strong Efficacy to bring the Person in whom he dwells to follow his Conduct And this leads us into an 4. Observation anent the mighty Working of the Spirit and his Grace in the Hearts of Believers and this mighty Power of the Spirit and his Grace evidences it self in these few things following amongst many moe As 1st In the actings of Faith under many Tryals which must argue a great Power that makes a man believe notwithstanding of great and manifold Guiltinesses and of long Continuance notwithstanding of Corruptions notwithstanding of violent Assaults from Satan yea notwithstanding of Desertions Chastisements and Death And therefore it is said Eph. 1.19 That there is an exceeding greatness of Power that works in Believers 2ly The Power of Grace kythes in that it can make a man forgoe those Sins his natural Complexion enclines him to whereunto he has been much accustomed and which have brought him great worldy Advantage 2ly Graces Power appears in that it makes a man forsake his own Righteousness and betake himself to Christs which deed will be very much opposed by Pride and Self-love 4ly It s Power appears in this in thaâ— it can make Christians with Paul not to look tâ— things seen that is to depise the allurements of the World which have a sensible certainty and are very grateful to our external Senses 5ly It evidences it self in making People patient under manifold sore continuing and extream Miseries even such oâ— whom is legible God's Quarrel with us for our Sins the Exercise of Patience under such must be an Effect of great Power See Cor. 1.10 11. And that because Patience will be opposed by our natural Pride Self-love and Unbelief Use of Information To let you see to whom you may ascribe the great Works of the mortified Believer even to the mighty efficacious Worker the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus Use of Encouragement to the despondent Believer who â—s feared when he considers the Greatness and Spirituality of his Work he thinks that Work is so far above him he will not get it accomplished But the Answer is His Encouragement should spring from his looking to the mighty Power of that indwelling Spirit in him and albeit he may find himsâ—lf very weak to manadge his Spiritual Work if he compare the greatness of his Work with the strength of that measure of inherent Grace he has for the time yet he
would not be discouraged for although the present measure of inherent Grace that is in him be not able to do his work and overcome the opposition made to it yet there is an abundance of strength in the Spirit of Life that principally resides in the Head and is derived from him to all his Members to manadge all the Christians Work and to overcome all the opposition made to it Take notice 5ly Of the name the Spirit gets here he is called the Spirit of Life or a quickning Spirit and he is called so for Three Reasons 1st Because he raised Christ from the dead 2ly Because he raises us from the Death of Sin And 3ly Because he is to raise the Christian at the last day to immortal Glory From this we infer that those in whom the Spirit dwells must have Spiritual Life that is they must live so as to make his Will their Rule and his Glory their End and his Love their chiefest Comfort 6ly Take notice That the Spirit of Life is said to be in Jesus Christ and that 1st Because Christ did merite the Spirit of Life to his People 2ly Because the Spirit of Life did evidence principally It's quickning vertue in his raising Christ from the dead He did this that believers might have a pledge by this deed that he could raise them from the death of sin and of the grave 3. He is said to be in Christ Jesus because he is given to him principally and primarly and in a greater measure then to Believers the Father gave not the Spirit by measure to him John 3.34 And the Spirit is given to believers from Christ and for his sake and this directs Believers how to strengthen their Faith as to the expectation of the Spirits grace and influence to their Hearts Unbelief will say in their Hearts they should not expect the Spirits presence seeing they cannot deserve it The Answers is that Christ hath deserved it from them tho they have not deserved it themselves 2ly Unbelief will object the difficulty of the Spiritual and Corporal Resurrection a work so difficult how can the accomplishment thereof be expected The answer is That this Spiriâ— of life hath performed ane greater work in raising Christ from the dead then he should perform tho he should raise thee who are the Believer from the death of sin and the grave 3ly Unbelief in Believers will object against their undertaking great Spiritual work for God because they do not find such strength of the Spirits grace in them as many be proportioned to the greatness and Spirituality of that work But the Answer is They should not take their encouragement to the work from the greatness of the strength of their present inherent grace but from the greatness of the strength of that Spirit of life that primarly and principally resides in Christ and therefore Paul 1 Tim. 2.1 He bids Timothy be strong in the grace that is in Jesus and in the Philip 4. He says he can do all things through Christ that strengthneth him and in 2 Cor. 12. He says he rejoyces in his infirmity that the power of Christ may rest upon him And therefore an exercised Believer with indwelling sin if he would have the most comfortable look of Christ let him look to him as having the fullness of the Spirit of life in him for Christ is not only lovely to a Believer as his Blood has an Expiatory vertue to cleanse away our guilt but as he has an fullness of the Spirit whereby he is able to quicken the Believer and raise him from the Death of sin to a Spiritual life Observe the designation of Corruption it is called the Law of Sin to hold out its moral evil 2ly It is called the Law of Death to hold out the prejudice it doeth to us It gets the name of the Law of sin to hold out the impetuous activity of it to make us commit Actual sin notwithstanding all the restraints that God puts upon us by his prohibitions by his Threatenings by his Judgements and Crosses by his Checking and Restraining-providences by his Allureing mercies by his awakening-Smarting challenges of our conscience 2ly This Corruption is very powerful to overcome the restraints of Men made against it No humane law with it's most Vigorous execution can altogether stop its Impetuousness Indwelling sin is so impetuous that it doeth overcome the restraints the the sinner puts on himself he will break his own Vow 's purposes and promises From the Impetuousness and efficacy of this indwelling sin we may inferr the folly of them that think to get it Mortified by their own strength without the efficacy of the Spirit of life convoyed to us in the humble use of appointed means 2ly It says they are fools who look upon their resolutions to live blamelesly as a sufficient guard against Scandalous sins Indwelling sin is so impetuous in its acting that it will break out notwithstanding of that resolution if it be not mortified by the Law of the Spirit of life Next the Text holds out the prejudice we lustain by Corruption here it is called the Law of Death and that first because the strength of Corruption and it's Actings marr Spiritual Life 2ly Because although the Guilt of Corruption be Pardoned to â— Believer yet the intrinsick Demerite of Eternal Death sticks to it 3ly Because that Natural Death necessarly is Connected with it For though the Death of a Believer be not the effect of a Curseing Law as the just Punishment of Corruption yet the Totaâ— removeal of Corruption from the Believer is to be brought about by Death the Dissolution of Nature If this were well considered by Believers it would make us humble under the Sense of Indwelling sin and would make us painful for its Mortification anâ— make us exceedingly long for it's Total Abolition Observe Paul applyes this Priviledge of freedom from indwelling sin to himself and thâ— Application is worthy of Observation if yâ— look to its Qualities As 1st It 's an Application that is attended with a due Sense of sin the Moral ill and prejudice of it an Christian exercised with the exceeding sinfulness of indwelling sin and the prejudice following on it is a fit applye of this benefite 2ly This Application is an humble Application he expects freedom from indwelling sin not from any paines he can take to Mortifâ— it but from the Law and Efficacy of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus 3ly Paul's Application of this benefite is from Knowledge he know's the Guilt of indwelling sin is removed by his Justification and he knowes the presence of it is to be removed alsewell as the Dominion of it to be broken by the Efficacy of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Paul did expect this benefite on rational Grounds which he understood Not like many ignorant Christians that expect benefites fraâ— God and yet they have not distinct Grounds to found their Expectation on 4ly This Application was
their Corruption By the things of the flesh are meant either such outward Enjoyments as are gratifying to our Corrupt Lusts or such sinful methods as Corrupt Men ordinarly chuse to attain these Enjoyments by or both By â—ding the things of the flesh is meant Corrupt Men their high esteem of strong desires after and solicitous care about these Enjoyments of the World that gratify unrenewed Lust That Unrenewed Men thus mind the things of the flesh appears Because to enjoy the Objects of their Lusts they will not stand to commit the greatest of crimes Jeroboam would not stand to commit Idolatry to gratify his Ambition Judas would not stick to betray his Master to gratify his Covetousness 2ly Unrenewed Men will expose themselves to much to ill of Spirit and Labour of Body to obtain these Enjoyments 3ly They expose themselves to many Bodily dangers to enjoy them 4ly They have great fears of loseng them they have a great confidence and rejoiceing in the enjoyment of them Luke 12. The Rich Man bad his Soul take rest and be Merry 5ly Unrenewed Folks have an exceeding greif when they want these Enjoyments The Causes why Unrenewed Fold mind the things of the Flesh are first Ignorance of and Infidelity about an other Life A second cause is a wrong Set of heart whereby they love to have their satisfaction placed in outward things more than in God A Third is the Devil hurries Corrupt Men to follow sinful courses who by that can get no leisure to reflect on the Vanity of these Enjoyments The Evils of their thus minding the things of the flesh Are 1st This practice ordinarly hardens People and gathers strength to Corruption and makes customary sin hard to be overcome Jer. 13.23 2ly This course is very scandalous and offensive to others 3ly It exposes Men to great smarting of Conscience for it 4ly It exposes them to many snares and destuction 1 Tim. 6.9 10. 5ly It exposes them to great Torment through disapointment of their expectations The Use of this serves First for Tryal Those that mind the things of the flesh are in a state of Nature 2ly It bids us pity those those that are in an unrenewed state For they have a pityful Employment minding always the things of the Flesh 3ly It exhorts such as are unrenewed to seek the Renovation of their Nature by Prayer to God for it and the use of the means of Grace see Peter's Exhortation to to Simon Magus Acts 8.22 and Ezek. 36.37 The last part of the verse is contained in these words Those that are after the Spirit mind the things of the Spirit Now First By those that are after the Spirit are meaned Such who have an renewed Nature whose Conversation flows from Faith and Love who are led by the Spirits motions whose Conversations are regulated by the Law in its spiritual meaning whose Conversation hath an tendency to promote spiritual Ends viz. The Glory of God and the pleasing of him their own Salvation the preserving Peace of Conscience the attaining of Communion with God in the World and the Edification of theâ— Neighbour By the things of the Spirit are meant these Duties the New Man exerciseth himself in with Delight and these Comforts that please the new Nature and its Felicity By the minding of the things of the Spirit is meant thâ— Christians esteem of and concernment about thâ— enjoyment of spiritual Good We may observe here the Renewed Man mind the things of the Spirit that is he minds the Dutiâ— that are pleasant and profitable to the New Naturâ— As 1st The duties of the Moral Law Paul tells 〈◊〉 in the 7 Rom. That he delights in the Law of Goâ— after the inward Man 2ly He minds the Exerciâ— of Faith he sits down under Christ's shadow witâ— great delight Câ—râ— 2.3 3ly He is much taken 〈◊〉 about the guiding of his Conscience 1st That 〈◊〉 Conscience may witness for his Integrity 2 Cor. â— 12. 2ly That his Conscience may testify his Tendeâ—ness 1 Cor. 4.2 3ly That it may testify his 〈◊〉 offensive walking Acts 24.16 4ly That his Coâ—science may testify for him that he hath an Intenâ— in Christ's Blood Heb. 10.22 4ly The reneâ—ed man minds Duty if you consider that he is careful to mix the Exercise of Grace with the Exercise of Gifts 1 Tim. 1 14. 5ly He is careful to Exercise the various Graces of the Spirit as providence calls him to it 2 Pet. 1.5 Next as to the Comforts of the New Nature he is an Man that hath a panting desire after fellowship with God Psal 63.8 and that either in Ordinances Psal 27.4 or in Providences Psal 34.7.8 In the last place the renewed man is taken up about his Felicity As 1st To make his Title sure to it Phi. 3.9.10 2ly That he may hastily enjoy it Phil. 3.14 3ly That he may keep entire friendship with God who is the giver of it 2 Cor. 5.8 4ly That he may taste something of it before he enjoy it fully Philip. 3. penulâ— And 5ly He commits the keeping of it to God till he come to the Actual Enjoyment of it 2 Tim. 1.12 From this we make an Use of Tryal of our renewed state And 2ly We would be exhorted if we would be in capacity to mind the things of the Spirit to study more Heart-renovation by labouring to entertain the impressions of the word without prejudice Rom. 6.17 Verse 6 For to be carnally minded is Death But to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace HEre the Apostle proves That those that walk after the flesh are lyable to Condemnation Because to be Carnally minded tends to Death and the truth is that these Objects which gratify Lust or rather those sinful courses that corrupt Nature takes for to attain the Enjoyment of these gratifying objects certainly tends to Death many times the wickedness of men brings them to an untimeous Natural Death and always Mens acting of Wickedness encreaseth Spiritual Death which stands in the Alâ—e nation of the Heart of Man from conversing with God whether to converse with him by Prayer in the use of publick Ordinances or in conscientious Reflections upon and improvement of the course of Divine Prvoidence Now since Sin encreases our Alienation from God it cannot but encrease our Spiritual Death for the Life of the Soul lyes in Communion and fellowship with God 2ly The Carnal Acts of the carnal mind encrease Spiritual Death because they encrease in us an impotency to do that which is spiritually good and they encrease in us a Readiness and Ability to do that which is Evil so then Sin cannot but encrease Siritual Death Because Spiritual Death consists in an Aversion from doing good and a readyness to do Evil. Likeas there is a strict Connection between the sinful course of the Carnal unrenewed Mind and Eternal Death which stands in the Eternal separation of an Man from the favourable presence of God And the Intimation and Expressions of his special Love
and it lyes in the undergoing to all Eternity the Effects of his displeasure as a just Revenging God punishing all disobedience to his Law And that this Eternal death is surely connected with the prophane course of a Carnal Mind Appears 1st Because that the Law binds over all the Transgressors of it to endure this Death The Wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 Now there 's non can evite the Accomplishment of this Law-Threatning but such as are in Christ and the Carnal-minded Man is not so while he remains Carnally Minded 2ly It appears that the course of the Carnal minded Man tends to Death because while he is in that course of Life the Gospel and all it's promises are unsavoury to him and so he cannot be in case to follow the Counsels therein proposed for escaping Eternal Death Use 1st Seing that such persons are running to Death it serves to reprove them that are in this case that are very secure and fearless expecting that they will go to Heaven notwithstanding of their wicked course of Life This security of theirs may arise 1st From their Morality leaning to that 2ly From their Formality 3ly From their immunity from present Trouble 4ly From the exercise of their common Gifts 5ly From their Carnal Policy they make a Covenant with Death and Hell Isai 28. They think they have wit to escape the Wrath of God let it burn never so hot 6ly This security comes from the Flattery of bad Ministers and false Friends A second Use of Exhortation And that First To the Carnally minded That they would consider what is the danger of their Condition and what is the remedy thereof And 2ly To Ministers and other Godly People to pity such and do what they can in their station to prevent the danger of their Folks A Third Use is to instruct us in the miserable condition of such who not only are lyable to Death but the whole tendency and labour of their Body and toil of their Mind during the course of their Life while they are in that state is to involve them more and more under Eternal Death Next Observe To be Spiritually Minded is Life and Peace and therefore the Man that walks after the Spirit is free of Condemnation The Life of Grace follows on Spiritual Mindedness and the Life of Glory is connected with it see Rom. 8.13 This is a singular advantage to have spiritual Life For 1st It is the best kind of Life the Animal is better then the Vegetative Life the Rational is better than the Animal and the spiritual Life is better then the Rational 2ly It is the end of Christ's Death John 4.10 3ly It is the same Life that he possesses 1 John 5.11 4ly Tho it be obscure to Sense yet it is sure to Faith Col 3.2 5ly It is a Life from God springing from his Gracious presence It makes a Man live with God to entertain Converse with God and disposes him to live to God to give him much Self-denying Obedience Now spiritual-mindedness encreaseth this Life because to be spiritually-minded is vigorously to act this Life and the vigorous acting of it encreases it From this we may see That Christians may blame their own Carnality for the want of the encrease of spiritual Life 2ly Since the Apostle to prove that Spiritual Mindedness is inconsistent with the state of Condemnation adduces this Argument that spiritual Life attends spiritual Mindedness from this he warrands the Christian to conclude from his spiritual Life that he cannot be condemned and indeed it is a good Ground for such an Conclusion for spiritual Life is begun Gâ—ory Likeas the Christian is hereby taught to be induced to spiritual Mindedness because it is attended with this advantage the encrease of spiritual Life Tho the World look on spiritual-mindedness as folly yet this again should make them look on it as true Wisedom The next Advantage following on spiritual Mindedness is Peace which includes in it Peace with God peace with our own Conscience and freedom from the disturbance of Lusts The spiritual-minded Man has Peace with God because he has an Union with Christ he has peace with his own Conscience because he lyes near the Communication of saving Light whereby he may discern his Interest in Gospel-Priviledges 3ly He acquires freedom from disturbance frae his Lusts because Spiritual-mindedness lessens a Mans inclination to Sin Verse 7. Because the carnal mind is Enmity against God For it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be HEre the Apostle proves That the unrenewed Man is lyable to Death and Condemnation Because the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God That is it is an irreconcileable Enemy to God and this he proves because the Carnal Mind cannot comply with the Law nor be subject to it There are three Things observable in the Text 1st That the carnal and unrenewed Man is God's irreconcileable Enemy 2ly That the unrenewed Man cannot be subject to the Law nor comply with it And 3ly The Man that is God's Enemy is lyable to Death For here the Apostle proves from the Enmity that the carnal Man hath against God that former Assertion That to be carnally minded is Death For the First Observation That the Unrenewed Man is God's Enemy it appears from his carriage towards Gods Law 1st He contemns its Authority 2ly He vilifies the Rewards that are promised to the Obedience of it 3ly He defies the Threatnings of it Deut. 29.19 4ly He dislikes the Matter of it Secondly It appears from his Carriage towards Gods Spirit As 1st He rejects his Testimony for the Gospel 2ly He resists his Motions 3ly He traduces his special Operations whether his Works of Miracles or his Works of Sanctification in the hearts of the Godly Thirdly It appears from his Carriage towards the Gospel he slights the Acts of Grace contained therein Matth. 22.5 He rejects the revealed Mysteries thereof 1 Cor. 2.4 He is an Enemy to the settlement of the Ordinance of the Gospel and a great Enemy to the serious Preachers of it Fourthly This Enmity kythes by his Carriage towards the Providence of God for as the Corrupt man is ready to deny the Being of God Psal 14.1 So he is ready to deny the Being of Providence Zeph. 1.12 And 2ly He is a great Reflecter upon Providence Mal. 3.13 And Fifthly this Enmity appears in his Carriage towards the Godly his Calumniating and Persecuting the innocent Godly tells that he hates the Image of God And Sixthly He is an Enemy to God because he desires never to think on him he would fain have God far from him he saith to God Depart from me Job 21. Vse This speaks the Folly of the unrenewed Man who loves to be at enmity with so powerful and good a God 2ly It speaks the Wickedness of his Heart since he keeps emnity at so holy a God 3ly It speaks his Ingratitude since he is an Enemy to his Benefactor 4ly It lets us
the former Verse He in this Verse preoccupies an Objection that they might have made against the Application of the Priviledge of Non-condemnation It might have been said that since Believers must dye what benefite can be expected by them as enjoying that Priviledge It is Answered they must dye because of inherent Sin For God to shew his indignation against all sin appointed Death Likeways they must dye for the abolition of it God appointing the dissolution of our Nature to be the Method for its perfect cure yet the comfort is that tho the body dye yet the Soul lives because of Christs Righteousness And a second Comfort is that the Souls Life is an Pledge of the Resurrection of the Body Here we may see that Christ dweâ—ls in his Peoples Hearts by his Spirit 1 John 3. last And ye may Observe 1st That there may be Inherent Sin in those in whom Christ dwells though it reign not Rom. 7. last The Lord does not perfect our Cure all at once he leaves this evil Neighbour in our Hearts to embitter the Worlds Comforts to us to try our Faith of Justification and to call us to a vigilant and dependant frame upon himself Observe 2ly That the Godly must dye For albeit Christ hath removed the whole Curse of the Law and satisfyed Justice compleatly for all our sins and has the Fathers Promise that he shall free his People from all the bad Consequences of sin yet a present total freedom from all these Consequences that followes on sin upon their first believing is not promised by the Father to him or to them It is secured that it shall be done in Gods time and way but mortality is not removed from them presently If ye shall say they are freed from the Curse of the Law in Justification why then and they not freed presently from all the effects of that Curse Answer Mortality continues on the Justified not by vertue of a curseing Law as though it would be a Reflection upon Justice if God should deliver the Believer upon his first Faith altogether from Mortality But Mortality is continued by the Soveraign God for wise Ends not to make a particular satisfaction to Justice for our sin that Christ hath left unmade but because God will have the whole Mystical Body its perfection to be all at once and he will have his People to live in this World by Faith and therefore he makes the Mortality of Believers a vail to hide their promised Felicity from Sense And that the Mortality of Believers is not continued upon them as the Effect of a curseing Law is clear from what the Apostle says 1 Cor. 15. That their Death wants its Sting Next we see Death inflicted as a Chastisement upon some of the Godly See 1 Cor. 11.30 31 32 And it is clear in the Instance of Josia who dyed in peace and yet was chastised with a violent Death for his rash engagement in a War Now God inflicting Death upon Believers testifies his Fatherly Displeasure against sin but not his Justice against them as a just Judge for Affliction is sent upon them as an Accomplishment of the Threatning annext to the Covenant of Grace but not as an Accomplishment of the Law-curse Psal 89.32 This is much for the Comfort of Believers Use of this is since Believers must die They would prepare for Death and if they would be prepared they would make use of these Directions 1st Labour to be sure of the indwelling Spirit for that is the only sure mark of an interest in Christ they would not lean to an empty profession a great measure of common gifts or meer Morality A 2d Direction is They would found their Title to Life only upon the Righteousness of Christ and not upon their own merite A 3d. is They would be willing to dye and therefore they would mortify their Covetousness and their Security and they would labour for a firm Faith in Divine Providence whereby they may committ the disposal of all their concerns and the concerns of the Church to God as Joseph did Gen. last 4th Direction is They would labour to have peace of Conscience at Death and for this effect they would beware of lying under impenitency for old or new contracted Guilt Likeas they would labour for a Testimony from their Conscience that they have readily accepted of the Gospel-Offer 2ly They would labour to have the Conscience witnessing their singleness in their Conversation at Death as Hezekiah had in his sickness Isai 38. Likeas they would have the Conscience witnessing their Diligence in Duty That so an entrance may be Administred to them abundantly to the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus 2 Pet. 1.4 A 5th Direction is They would fix themselves in the faith of the Immortality of the Soul which Immortality appears from its conception of immaterial Objects 2ly From its Operâ—tions independent on the Body as in Extasies 3ly From the Moral Government of God in the World by Laws and Judgement considered jointly with the impartial Justice of God with the Miseries of the Godly and the Prosperity of the Wicked A 6th Direction is We would build our selves up in the faith of the Resurrection of the Body Observe 3ly That the Godly have a spiritual life in their Soul as appears by the spiritual sense they have of spiritual things They have an Hunger and Thirst after spiritual Food They have a spiritual sigh of spiritual Mysteries by Faith and they have a spiritual feeling of sin and misery Now this spiritual Life continues after Death as appears from Luke 16.23 and 23 43. Phil 1 23. 2 Cor 5 1 The Apostle supposeth that the continuance of this Life after Death is a sufficient comfort to the Godly under their present Mortality and these considerations may clear the sufficiency of this Comfort if ye consider First The great Good that is in it 1st There is a freedom in it from Trouble and Vexation Rev. 14.13 Isai 57.1 2ly The perfection of Holiness is in it Heb. 12.23 And sâ— there is freedom from Coâ—ruption and horrid Temptations much uninterrupted Peace and Joy in expectation of a future Blessedness 3ly Theâ— have much good Company in it they have the fellowship of Angels and Saints Heb 12.22 23 They have the fellowship of the Patriarchs Luke 16.25 They have the fellowship of Christ Philip. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 Use of this is Godly Folks would comfort themselves with this Consolation under their Mortality 1st Because this Comfort is a pure Comfort unmixed with Trouble 2ly It is a sure Comfort as appears by the Scriptures formerly cited 3ly It is a near Comfort they have it partly in possession and they are to have a great measure of it immediatly on their Death This speak the great misery of these Mortals who altogether want spiritual life they want the great support that can Support Sinners under the View of Mortality Likeas this calls to the Godly to have a great measure
of the sensible presence of the Spirit that they may have his supporting encouragement at their hand under their seeing and feeling Mortality When the Text says The Spirit is Life in opposition to the Bodys Death It doth not only intimate that the Soul lives a spiritual life and likeways that it doth live that Life after Death immediatly But likeways it imports that the Holy Spirit of God as present in the Soul of a Christian is a pledge and cause of spiritual life here and immediatly after Death when it is a pledge and cause of immortal Life at the Resurrection For when the Text speaks of the Spirit being Life the word Spirit is not meant so much of a mans Soul as of the Indwelling spirit of God in Belivers which is clear by the words subjoined in the Eleventh verse Observe from these Two Verses jointly considered That the Indwelling presence of the Spirit in Believers is a sure pledge of immortal Glory and this is clear by these three 1st Consider the import and significancy of this Gift 2ly It 's Efficacy 3ly Consider it's Irrevocableness And First As to It 's significancy Consider the Names Designations and Descriptions it gets in Scripture 1st It is called the Blessing of Abraham Gal. 3.14 so it signifies that God's Covenant with Abraham belongs to them now Christ Luke 20 Evinces That God cannot be the God of the Dead but of the Living 2ly It is called a Seal Eph. â— 30. To signifie that God hath an peculiar interest â— them that have it as his peculiar Treasure and therâ—fore it is sure he cannot lose them by death Anâ—hilation and Perdition 3ly It is called the Ernest Eph. 1.13 2 Cor. 5.5 and 1 22. And therâ—fore where it is given it signifies Gods purpose anâ— Obligation to give the Inheritance 4ly It is callâ— the Unction or Anointing 2 Cor. 1.21 As 1 Joh. 2.20 To hold out that by the present of the Spirit Gods People are separate sanctâ—fied and dignified to be Gods Kings to triumph over all their spiritual Enemies whereof Death iâ— one 5ly It is called the Spirit of Promise Eph. 1 13. and the promise of the Spirit Gal. 3.14 Because the Gracious Indwelling of the Spirit in â— perfection is the primary and comprehensive goâ— promised in the Gospel and the great design of the Gospel being to possess People of the Spirit therefore the Gospel is called 2 Cor. 3. The Miâ—stration of the Spirit and therefore the presence â— the Spirit signifies that God will grant to the havâ— of it Glory to come seing when God grants tâ— primary good promised in the Gospel he will noâ— deny them any accessory good that 's promised 〈◊〉 the same Now Glory is a consequent unto thâ— presence of the Spirit see Verse 11. Next Consider the Efficacy of this Gift whiâ— kyths in these two 1st in raising us from tâ— Death of sin 2ly In raising Christ from the Deaâ— see for a proof of its Efficacy Eph. 1.19 20. And 3ly Consider it s an irrevocable Gift bâ—cause the Gifts and Callings of God are without Repentance And 2ly Because the Spirit is given to them not to be taken from them again for he is said to dwell in them by his Spirit and to make them a perpetual Sanctuary to himself Ezek. 37.26 He is to be a spring of Eternal Life to them Joh. 7.38 Joh. 4.14 The Soul that is thus possessed of the Spirit cannot miss Eternal Life for it is an Eternal habitation for God and the Spirit gives the Soul Eternal Life now the Spirit cannot give the Soul Eternal Life if the Body lay perpetually in the Grave The Use of this is since the presence of the Holy Spirit in a Believer is a sure pledge of immortal Life it reproves Believers that have it that they are not more lively in their hope of Glory A 2d Use is To Instruct us in the worth of this Gift God may give and take other Gifts from us but he gives us this Gift without Rueing and Repenting we may lose other Gifts but this is a permanent Enjoyment there is nothing in the World that has the full significancy that this Gift has nor has its Efficacy And therefore these that have it should be thankful for it and whosoever want it should be at pains to obtain it Verse 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you HEre the Apostle preoccupies an Objection they might have said since our Soul lives and shall our Body ly perpetually in the Grave wherefore then serves our Justification It is Answered That if the Spirit of God dwell in us that same Spirit will quicken our Mortal Body In the Words ye may take notice of the Assurance that the Apostle gives of the Resurrection of the Body upon the account of the Pledge thereof in time and that is the Spirit dwelling in us And 1st Ye may observe That the Mortal Body shall be quickened again and this appears from the priviledge of Justification seing Death is a punishment following upon sin 2ly Adoption cleaâ— it Luke 20.36 compared with Rom. 8.23 3â— Christs Resurrection clears it his Resurrection being the exemplary cause of ours 1 Cor. 15 2â— 4ly The Spirits Indwelling in the Body clears it 1 Cor. 6.19 and see the Text. 5ly The Body beinâ— a peice of Christ Mystical see 1 Cor. 6.15 1 Thes 4 and 14. 6ly Christs Engagement to the Fatheâ— clears it Joh. 6.37 7ly The Immortality of the Soul compared with the Natural Inclination of iâ— to the Body clears it because nihil violentum est de rabite and therefore Luke 20.37 Christ takes it foâ— granted since Abraham Isaac and Jacob live in theiâ— Souls their Bodies must revive again And that the self same Body shall rise again Appears 1st Becauâ— Chrâ—st had the self same Body and his Resurrection was a Patern of ours 2ly Christ says God can caâ— the Body in Hell after Death 3ly The Bodies thaâ— are raised come out of their Graves John 5.28 29 4ly Paul Prays that the Body may be kept blamelesâ— till the coming of Christ 1 Thess 5. 5ly It 's the Mortal Body see the Text 1 Cor 15. This Corruptible c. Use of Exhortation strive to believe this Article And that by considering the Scriptures are the Word of God and believing the Omnipotent Power of God Luke 20 36. 2ly It exhorts us to abound in Gods Service 1 Cor. 15. last 3ly It bids us suffer for Christ when called to it 4ly It reproves those that stain their Body by Intemperance and Lust see 1 Cor. 6. An other Use is of Comfort for those that have pained Bodies like Lazarus and Job it s sowen in Dishonour it s raised in Glory and it is of comfort to them that have weak Bodies it is sowen in weakness it s
raised in Power 3ly To those that are pinched with Hunger it s sowen a Natural Body it s raised a spiritual Body 2ly Observe that the Spirit dwelling in our Mortal Body is a pledge of this Resurrection This dwelling of the Spirit imports first Constant Residence 2ly Government 3ly His care to adorn and beautify This indwelling of the Spirit cannot but be a Pledge of the Resurrection if ye consider 1st The end why he takes up his Lodging in the Man it is to confer upon him Everlasting Comfort Isai 60.14 2ly Everlasting Life 3ly Everlasting purity 4ly Everlasting Communion Ezek. 37 26 with Rev. 20 3 and 4. 2ly If ye consider the Spirit to be the great Love-token of God to his People he is the whole of Abrahams Blessing Gal. 3. He that gives this will not deny them the Resurrection to Life 3ly The spirit has power to raise them as it 's kythed in the Resurrection of Christ and in quickening the dead Soul from the death of sin John 5.25.28 4ly Spiritual life is a fruit of the Spirit and spiritual life is a pledge of the Resurrection Use 1st Of Consolation to them that have the Spirit of God they have an assureing pledge that they shall rise to life though they be Pained Poor Persecute and Tempted with Corruption and Satan 2ly This reproves those who have the Spirit who will not entertain the lively hope of Heaven 3ly It bids us try whether this spirit dwells in us or not 4ly It bids the Godly Man strengthen his faith by this pledge by considering the Spirits power the Love of God discovered in that gift and Gods design in sending him into the Heart Observe 3ly The description of this Spirit here He is the spirit of the Father 1st Because he proceeds from the Father John 15.26 2ly Because he is promised by the Father Acts 4.33 3ly He is given of the Father Luke 11.13 And this tells us from whom we should seek the spirit and to whom we should be thankful for him and how we may know whether it be the spirit of God that dwells in us or no if it be so he will make us sensible of the Fathers Love in raising Christ for us if it be so he will raise us up to a newness of Life and conform us to a risen Saviour The giver of this Indwelling spirit is described from his great Work One that raised Christ from the dead where first Note why Christs Resurrection is ascribed to the Father 2ly To what end Christ rose And 1st It is ascribed to the Father to show that he keeped his promise to the old Fathers Acts 13 32. And if this promise made to the old Church received its accomplishment all the rest of the promises made to them will 2ly To show that he keeped his promise to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption Isai 42 6. And that says all the rest of the Promises made to him will be accomplished to reward him for his Humiliation Phil 2 9. To show that none shall lose that humble themselves for him 4ly It s ascribed to the Father because it is the Absolution of him as soverty 5ly It was a step to that delegated power that now he enjoys as Mediator and we know that Power comes from the Father He Raised him 1st That he might that was the purchasser be the dispenser of our Mercies Act 5.31 And that Christ is raised to be the dispenser of our Mercies encourages us to be bold in Prayer 1st Because he sympathises with us in our wants be will not frustrate his purchase by forbearing to dispence And 2ly If his Love made him purchase his Love will make him dispense 2ly Christ was raised by the Father to clear That he had merited full pardon and Believers may strengthen their Faith of Pardon with this Resurrection 1st Because it is an evidence of full satisfaction to Justice 2ly It is an evidence of his God-Head Rom 1 4. And so of his meriting worth 3ly it was an step to his Intercession 3ly The Father raised him to assure the People of God of their through Mortifâ—tion of Sin Rom. 6.11 And this 1st Reproves soâ—â—hat are diffident their sin shall not be Mortified â—d that 1st Because Terrour has not Mortifyed it yâ— against this see Exod 32 19. with Exod 19.20 2ly Because Communion with God does not Mortify it David's falling in Adultery after Communion with God 2 Sam 7. Answers that 3ly Because they have been at Solemn Ordinances and these have not done their turn Therefore they think it cannot be done For Answer see Luke 22.24 The Apostles unmortifyed after these And 4ly It reproves those that think they cannot be Mortifyed because Crosses have not done it already Answ Hezekiahs Ambiâ—ion was cured tho it brake out after his Sickness Vse 2d Of Exhortation is to Believers to strengthen their Faith of through Mortification by Christs Resurrection which they may do by considering It is a sufficient evidence of his Deaths meriting sufficient Grace for Mortifying of sin Rom. 6.6 4th End is That he might strengthen our Faith in our Resurrection to Life and this is done by considering that tho we be Tempted yet so was he tho we be under Desertion as to Comfort so was he My God says he Why has thou forsaken me Tho we be Mortal so was he tho we be Guilty so was he imputatively so Verse 12. Therefore Brethren we are Debitors not to the flesh to live after the flesh HEre we have a Conclusion drawn from several prejudices That these that live after the flesh have For 1st They have not the priviledge of Justification â„£ 1. 2ly They mind the things of the flesh â„£ 5. 3ly They are in the way to Death â„£ 6. 4ly They are Enemies to God â„£ 7. And 5ly They cannot please God â„£ 8. Observe 1st here That the flesh is always craving 2ly Tho it be craving yet we owe it nothing it craves we are not Debitors to it 3ly The service of the flesh is a very unprofitable service 4ly The former Grounds upon which the Apostle infers this inference are sufficiently convincing For the First That the flesh is craving appears in these six first In that it craves Love and Affection 2ly Obedience 3ly Awe 4ly Entertainment 5ly Spareing And 6ly hideing of its Nakedness First It craves Love of us That is it craves that we may have a regard to it in our Heart People should beware of this because it is inconsistent with the Enmity we ought to have at Sin it provokes God to forbear reproving of us Hosea 4.17 2ly It restrains Mortifying Grace 3ly It marrs the Love of God 4ly It hinders the Answers of Prayer Psal 66.18 2ly It craves Obedience of us Rom. 6.12 But this should not be because we are made free from Sin and Servants to Righteousness 2ly It grieves the Spirit Eph. 4.30 3ly It 's offensive to others 4ly It strengthens the flesh Rom. 6.19 5ly It fears
the Conscience 3ly Corruption craves That the Christian should stand in fear and awe of it That they should be hopeless ever to get it overcome and this he is prompted to by his sinful Heart through considering the multitude of his Corruptions and the deepness of their Root and of his oft Essays against it with frustration following thereupon and his want of skill to improve Christs Mortifying Grace But the Christian is not a Debitor to give it this awe anâ— fear for this discourageing fear of the power of Corruption should be studied against 1st Because he is free of the Guilt of it 2ly Because he is no moâ— a Slave to it Rom. 6.14 3ly This Fear does hiâ— prejudice For 1st It makes him suspend his Faitâ— upon the promise of pardon 2ly It makes him doubt if God would hear his Prayers 3ly Iâ— make him â—ath to engage against it as being hopeless of the successfulness of his engagement and so he is a Prey to the meanest Temptation and then confusion of Spirit and want of peace follows 4ly We are not Debitors to the Flesh to give it Entertainment for it craves of us that we should seek External Temptations to it to feed it this should be denyed because it stops folks confidence in Praying for Mortifying Grace 2ly It obscure the sight of sincerity Psal 18 23. 3ly It provoke God to let them meet with these occasions 5ly We should not hearken to Corruption when it craves the hideing of its Nakedness from us by making us extenuate it for the yeilding to it in this will not lessen it in Gods sight 2ly It keeps away the impressions of pardoning Mercy Psal 32.3 3ly it will keep us from the Exercise of Repentance or Soul-Loathing and tenderness of Conscience against Sin and weakens the Mans esteem of Christs Blood and sets God against the Man Jer. 2.35 And 6ly Corruption craves spareing of it That we should not seek the Life of it but be content with an mean measure of Mortification And this it doth telling us that we may have peace and Communion with God and keep up our Name of Profession notwithstanding of this But we should not yeild to this because Corruption was cruel to us seeking our Death 2ly If we attempt not its Death none of our Attempts will be successful against it 3ly When we attempt its Death it makes it as it were despaired and gives us more ado whereby we are necessitate to believe on Christ for Mortifying Grace and forced to have a desire to be gone to be sure of it and withall if we do spare it it may break out to our shame Verse 13. For if ye live after the Flesh ye shall â—y But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the Body ye shall live HEre the Apostle is proving we are Debitors not to the flesh but to the Spirit And that because of the benefite we have by the one and the prejudice we have by the other Death is by the one and Life by the other Observe 1. That those that live after the flesh shall dye after the flesh imports a mans fixed purpose not to contradict the Corruptions of his Nature Psal 36 3. 2ly When a man resolutely sets himself to bring the motions of his Corruption to External Acts Mica 2.1 Psal 36 4 3ly When he delights in sinning and is frequent in it and is fearless under it Psal 36 2. In a word it is to be a slave to Corruption and to make it our design to give it full satisfaction Eph. 2.1 2. To spend our time Wit and Parts to the gratifying of our Lusts and to place our felicity and satisfaction in them such a course of Life ends in Eternal Death as appears by the Threatning of the Law and of the Gospel and the Self-condemnation of such Folks Consciences Use of reproof to those that are secure and have their security springing from misbelief of future Wrath False-Imaginations of Divine Mercy Stupidity and souredness of Conscience Blinding Self-Love and Atheistical Thoughts of Providence as tho God would neither do Good nor Evil but such would remember to reflect on the Truth of the Scriptures the hatefulness and demerite of Sin and the Justice of God Observe 2ly That the Mortifying of the Deeds of the Body is a most advantagious thing and brings Life with it it brings with it the Life of Justification or Pardon because it 's the great Pledge of Pardon 1 John 1.8 2ly It brings with it the Life of Sanctification consisting in these Four viz. The Easy Vigorous Cheerful and Constant Exercise of Grace 1st It brings the easy Exercise of Grace with it because it makes a man quick-sighted to discern his Duty for Lust blinds the mind it frees him of these Lusts that makes him ordinarly shift the doing of his Duty 2ly Mortification makes him Vigorous in the Exercise of Grace 1 Tim 6.11 Because the whole Heart when Mortified gets liberty to be about its Duty in the Exercise of Grace 3ly It makes him cheerful in it Because the Exercise of Grace is connatural to a Mortified Heart And the mind of a Mortified Man does more clearly discern the Advantage of the Exercise of Grace than the mind of another 4ly It is useful for the constant Exercise of Grace and that because it keeps him from being easily overcome with Temptation 2ly He cannot weary of it for he finds a pleasure in it And 3ly He does not soon satisfy himself with what he has done because he sees many of his Imperfections therein But 3ly Mortification is good for the life of Comfort Because it fits a Man for discoveries of God Matth. 5.8 It qualifies him for hope 1 John 3.3 And contributes to the intrinsick pleasure that the New Man has in Duty And 4ly It brings the life of Glory with it because it tends to prepare a Man for it From all this we may see 1st The cause why many Christians wants the intimation of their Pardon it s because they study not Mortification 2ly We see that we need not lay the blame of the want of Sanctification either upon Gods sparingness to give us sanctifying Grace or upon External Temptations so much as upon our own neglect of Mortifying our Lusts 3ly This tells us why so many Professors are Strangers to Comforts Use 2d Of Exhortation if we would win hastily to Heaven we would strive to mortify Lusts and as we would have those Advantages let us go about the Duty 1st Labour for the discovery of the Evills in the Imperfections of your Services Rom. 7.21 2ly Repent of them Jam. 4.8.9 Continually groan under Corruption Rom. 7.24 make no provision for Corruption Rom. 13. last And apply the promises of the Gospel 2 Cor. 7.1 Next study to reflect on the prejudices you have sustained by them how oft they have brought on Judgements upon your Person made you Scandalous to others interrupted your Communion with God broken your peace
Scandalous Sinning for a Act of a life after the flesh draws with it the fear of Everlasting Death 2ly They would beware of Impenitency for their old sins before Conversion Pâ— was an man that Exercised Repentance continually for his old Persecution and therefore we do not much read that he was troubled with the Spirit of Bondage after 3ly Beware of Relapses in Predominants for these always break the peace of Conscience 4ly Beware of indifferency as to grouth and of contentment with your present Attainements in Religion For it is only such who make progress in the way of God that enjoys most of the Comforts of the Gospel and are freest of Tormenting Fears these that walk in the fear of God walk also in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 5ly Beware of these Sins mentioned Eph. 4.30 which greives the Spirit of God and makes him forbear to discover to the Godly that they belong to God as his peculiar Treasure and where that discovery is wanting the Heart cannot but be subject to Tormenting Fears Observe 4ly That the native effect of the presence of the Spirit of Adoption in a Believer is Spiritual freedom it is here opposed to the Spirit of Bondage this spiritual liberty appears from the Christians freedom from these Fears that are awakned in him through the Accusations of his Conscience for Guilt 2ly In his freedom from the Fears of Death 3ly In his freedom from the Fears of severe Judgements 4ly In his freedom from the fear of Gods Wrath and frightful Dispensations 2ly As the Spirit of Freedom lyes in a being quite of these Tormenting Fears so it lyes in a ready and dareing Application of Gods Promises suiteable to our Exigence when we reckon it no presumption to apply promises as we need them 3ly It lyes in a Liberty for supplication when we have no Jealousy of God that he will take advantage of us in our low condition but when we can with great freedom of spirit open our own Heart befor him as an Affectionate Father In a word Faith hath its fullest freedom in Prayer where the spirit of freedom is therein is Believing the acceptance of our Prayers the prevalency of our Prayers and the fullest accomplishment of the promises that are in our view 4ly The Spirit of Liberty lyes in this that with great facility we get our duty done by the presence of this Spirit Mastering our Corruptions and repelling the Devills Temptations that may obstruct us in our Duty We walk at liberty in keeping Gods Precepts 5ly The Spirit of Liberty where it is it keeps us from the crushing weight of Crosses because it lets us see that all our Crosses are totally free of the Curse of the Law and so the Man has Internal Freedom of Spirit and rest in his Soul under outward Trouble And this holds out the greatness of the benefite of the Spirit of Adoption Observe 5ly That Familiarity in Prayer is the special effect of the Spirit of Adoption This Familiarity in Prayer appears in an free and fearless Confession of our Guilt and Heart-Plagues before God 2ly In a humble and submissive Representation of the difficulties of our case to him 3ly In the reasoning with him for supply strength and delivery upon the account of his promises as Nehemiah did Neh. 1. 4ly In peremptor Desires after spiritual Good when with Jacob we will not let him goe untill he Bless us Motives to this Familiarity are 1st Gods Fatherly Relation to us 2ly His sitting upon a Throne of Grace and not upon a Throne of Justice he follows a method of Grace and not of strict Justice in his dispensations towards his People 3d. Motive is Christs Sympathy is the spring of his Intercession for his People A 4th is The example of the Saints using this Familiarity with God is proposed in the Scripture for our Imitation The means to win to this Familiarity Are 1st We should study singleness and sincerity Heb. 10.22 2ly We should beware of these Sins we have repented of Vowed against and have born Chastisements from the hand of God for them 3ly We would beware of Formality and study Seriousness and Forvour in our Devotions Verse 16. The Spirit it self bears witness with our Spirit that we are the Chilren of God HEre the Apostle proves That the Sons of God may be Familiar with him because they may be assured of their Sonship Likeas here he proves that the Children of God must live by a second Argument He proves their Sonship because it is witnessed by the Testimony of Gods Spirit and by the Testimony of their own Conscience Observe 1st That Gods People may be assured of Sonship Observe 2ly That the manner of attaining it is by the Testimony of the Spirit and by the Testimony of Conscience For the First Observation I clear the attainableness of assurance by these Four Grounds 1st God Commands to endeavour to attain it 2 Pet 1.11 12. 2ly The Saints have attained it before Rom. 8. Last Ye see the experience of David frequently in the Psalms 3ly He hath laid down positive marks in th Scripture evidenceing the state of Sonship many of these are set down in the 1 Epist John and it cannot be conceived that the Spirit of God should lay down these Marks but for this end that the People of God by discerning them in themselves may attain to Assurance thereby 4th Ground is the necessity and usefulness of Assurance to Gods People Without Assurance they cannot win to the Love of God which is a necessary Principle for Gospel-Obedience without it we cannot râ—joice in Tribulation which is their necessary Duty and approveable temper Rom. 5.3 Without it they cannot rejoice in God as their Covenanted Portion ibid 10. Without this we cannot be cheerful in Obedidience We cannot rejoice and work Righteousness As also without Assurance they cannot rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God Likeas it should be considered That Gods promises into his People are made for that end that they may be applyed and without this Assurance Believers can have no freedom to apply these Promses The Apostasie of Temporary Believers speaks nothing against this Assurance Because true Believers have Attainments that Temporary Believers are wholly Strangers to Heb. 6.9 And albeit the Holy Ghost does dispense Threatnings in the word against Apostates Gods method in that militates nothing against Assurance And that first because these Threatnings are given out indefinitly against the whole Members of the Visible Church amongst whom there are many Hypocrites And 2ly Because the Holy Ghost makes use of these Threatnings to beget in the Heart of true Believers a Cautelous Fear and abstaining from Sins against Light which sins in their own nature have a Tendency to Apostasie Use of this serves To reprove the Error of the Roman Church which maintains that true Believers can attain to no more then a conjectural Opinion anent their sonship 2ly It reproves the Carnal Professors of
their Love to God and that they may try whether they Love God even under hâ— Afflicting-Hand Vse Seing this Providence is so reasonable â— your Heart comply with it and let it be the ocâ—sion of the Exercise of all these Graces to you and that your Heart may win to a complyance with it Labour 1st to be Mortified to the Vanity of thâ— World 2ly Labour to Mortifie your Predomâ—nants which alienate you from the Cross as takinâ— away the Fewel from these Lusts 3ly Labour to a firm Faith that your Sufferings will not neithâ— can marr your Glory 4ly Be often considering That a part of your conformity with Christ stands â— this and that your Sufferings are an Moral meaâ— appointed of God to make you meet for Glory Use 2d If this be our appointed Lot Let uâ— rather be desirous to have the Blessing of it then tâ— be quite of it Vse 3d. It reproves those who stumble at thâ— Providence and that have their Mind alienate from Religion upon that account Observe 6ly The description that is given oâ— right Suffering it is called a Suffering with Christ which is a testifying the same Truth that he testified unto 1 Tim 1.13 It is not a Suffering for maintaining of Errors or for committing of Crimes 1 Pet. 4.13 2ly It is an imitating of Christ in the manner of our Sufferings which takes in a Suffering flowing from the like Principles that his Sufferings did flow from such as Love to God Jo. 14.31 Love to the People of God Jo. 15.12 Rev. 1.5 Self-Denyal and Humility Phil. 2.3 4. Patience 1 Pet. 2.22 Heb. 12.3 and Faith Heb. 12 2. Jo. 17.2 3. 3ly The imitation of Christ in the manner of his Suffering lyes in this that the forest Sufferings did not hinder him to be Active in Duty so far as was possible he went about doing good Acts 10. He comforted and warned his Disciples under his Agony in the Garden Matth. 27. 4ly This Imitation lyes in the entire submission to the disposal of Providence not my will but thine be done says our Lord. 5ly This Imitation lyes in our meekness towards our Persecutors Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing was the Language of our Saviour on the Cross And 6ly This imitation lyes in not declining the variety of sufferings and the extremity of them Use 1st Of Tryal To try whether we imitate Christ in the manner of our suffering Use 2d Of Imitation Motives to this Duty are 1st He is proposed as our Patern Heb. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.21 Motive 2d is The Issues of his Sufferings are proposed for our Encouragement Heb 12 2. 3d. Motive is He was Innocent and we are Guilty 4th Motive is His Sufferings took the sting out of our sufferings Verse 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us THE Apostle in the former Verses having encouraged Christians to suffer for Christ from these two Grounds The one is That their suffering Lot is the way appointed by God to bring them to Glory And the other is That Christs Suffering Lot was the way that he came to the Possession of his Glory He in this Verse encourages them to suffer for Christ from this Ground that there is no proportion betwixt their Sufferings and their Glory That there is much more satisfying good in their Glory nor there is discouraging evil in their Cross This is clear if ye consider That tho their Affliction causes Grief yet their Glory hath in it not only the removal of the occasion of their Grief but it affords them matter of Exuberant Joy Psal 16 last 2ly Their Afflictions do only afflict their outward Man and their inward Man is Afflicted by way of sympathy But Glory intimately possesses the Soul 3ly There is no Christian that hath all Afflictions but the Glorifyed Saint wants no comfort that is suitable to or can gratifie the new Nature 4ly The Crossed Christian hath an mixture of Comfort with his Cross both Temporal and Spiritual but the Glorified Saint his Comforts are not mixed with grief or occasions thereof no Death no Sorrow no Crying in Heaven 5ly The Number of the Comforting Ingredients that are in the Lot of the Glorified Saint exceeds far the Number of the Afflicting Ingredients that is in the sufferings of the Christian while he is in his militant state none can reckon up the particular good things that are in the Glorified state Comforts springing from Communion with God with Angels and Saints Comforts springing from the sanctity of the Soul and incorruptibility of the Body Comforts springing from Reflections on their confirmed state all these are innumerable 6ly The Evil of the suffering of the Saints is but Temporary they end with this present Life as the Text says but the Glory to come is Eternal Vse 1st Of Instruction To let us see that the voluntary Sufferings of the Saints are not condignally Meritorious of Eternal Life For 1st God can be a Debitor to none the Creature owes it self and all it hath to him 2ly The suffering Saint receives more Spiritual and Eternal Good from God even in this Life then can sufficiently compense any Evil that is in their Suffering Lot 3ly The sufferings of the Saints are Chastisements for their Sins 1 Pet. 4.17 Therefore they cannot be Meritorious 4ly The Voluntary Sufferings of the Saints have Moral defects attending on them they spring not from that degree of Love and Zeal that becomes they are attended with Unbelief and Impatience This serves for the Humiliation of sufferers for Christ and may be useful to refute the Popish Opinion anent the merit of Martyrs Vse 2d To encourage Folks to suffer for Christ For 1st It is an Honour to suffer for him To give a Testimony to that sacred Verity that he Preached see Phil. 1. last Acts 5. last 2ly Their Sufferings for Christ are short they terminate with Life 3ly They affect but the outward Man and take but away our outward Enjoyments they do not reach our Soul 4ly They consist in the loss of these things that we will want at Death whether we will or not 5ly They are Medicinal and preparatory for Heaven 2 Cor. 4 last 6ly As our sufferings abounds for Christ so our Consolations abound through him 2 Cor. 1 6. The 3d. Use is Of Exhortation to reckon the good of Glory greater then the Evil of Suffering It Exhorts us to give a firm assent of our Mind and draw a full Conclusion from the former Premisses and so deliberatly to chuse a suffering Lot for Christ in the World Helps to win to this assent and make this choice Are 1st We would labour to have a clear view by Faith of the Reality and Excellency of this Glory and to peirce through those Vails that hides it from sense the Text says It is a Glory to be revealed the Vails are the sinfulness of our state
them for though they be free of the sting of Death which is the Venome of the Curse of the Law in it yet they are not altogether free of the fears of the sting of Death 2ly The Godly tho they be free of the reigning Power of Lust yet they are not free of the solicitations of it Paul complains of this Rom. 7. 3ly Tho' the Godly be not Children of the Kingdom of Darkness and Slaves to Satan yet here-away they are subject to many vexing Temptations from him and therefore this present condition should make us more willing and desireous to dye that we may be freed from this state of Bondage And 2ly It lets us see that considering Christians that have a view of this Bondage cannot send without Faith Observe 2ly That the Children of God shall certainly get this glorious Liberty because here it is taken for granted and fully and clearly promised in the Word and therefore we should al 's firmly believe it There are three things that Christians should firmly believe as to this Liberty As 1st A total freedom from the indwelling Presence of sin 2ly A total freedom from Satans Temptations 3ly A total freedom from Death I shall give the Scripture Grounds that the Christian hath allowed to him for founding his Faith and Hope of all these three upon For the First Grounds to found the Faith of a Christian to make him believe and expect the total removal of sin are these 1st Christ designed its total removeal by his Death we cannot think that he can be frustrate of his Design see Eph. 5.25 26. 2ly His Death did merite the crucifixion and killing of the Old Man Rom. 6.6 3ly His Resurrection is a Pledge thereof see Rom. 8.11 For the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead did it to assure him and the Believing World that he could and would raise up all his Members perfectly from a Death in Sin 4ly The Spirits Presence begining this Work says he will perfect it because his great Design when he enters into the Child of God's Heart is not to make a partial but a total conformity between him and Christ 5ly The Priviledge of Justification says it must be for if all our guilt be pardoned and our Remission be compleat according to the Promise of the new Covenant Ezek. 18 and Ezek. 33. Where it is said that all Iniquity shall be forgiven and none shall be mentioned Then Corruption must be removed for a loving God and a loving Mediator will remove such an hurtful Evil from Believers since the state of Justification tells it may he done without reflection on his Justice A 6th Ground of Faith for the removal of sin is this that Baptism is the External Seal confirming the Promise for its total removal and therefore it s said we are buried as to our old Man with Christ by our Baptisme Rom. 6.4 For the Second piece of the Christians Liberty Viz. A freedom from Satans Temptations the Grounds to found our Faith of that upon Are 1st The Promise made to Eva that the Seed of the Woman should trample down the Head of the Serpent from which Paul infers Rom. 16. That God would tread Satan under their feet shortly A 2d Ground is Christ by his Death hath taken away Satans Plea against us Heb. 2.14 15 For all his â—lea was that we were Enemies to God and therefore it were but just that we should be given up to him to delude and vex us But now Christ by his Death hath destroyed him that is he hath enervate the strength of his Plea by reconcileing us to God and therefore he is said Col. 2.15 to spoil Principalities and Powers and to triumph over them on the Cross by setting at liberty their Captives A 3d Ground is Christs Personal Victory over Satans Temptations and Persecutions which Victory he attained in our Nature by making use of the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and exercising the Graces of the Spirit and by wrestling in Prayer with the Father see Mat. 4. and Mat. 26.41 He overcame by Faith Love Patience Meekness Submission and Zeal and this Victory was given to him to be a Pledge to him and his Spiritual Seed that are incorporate in him of their total Freedom from his seduceing and vexing Temptations A 4th Ground is the strength of Christs Spirit that is stronger in Believers than the Devil that is in the World For the Third piece of the Liberty of the Christian it stands in his delivery from death and there are these following Grounds upon which the Christian may build the Faith of his Delivery from it First Ground is Gods Covenant-relation to him it was from this Relation that God had to Abraham that Christ inferred the necessity of the Resurrection Math. 22. 2d Ground is the Believers Union with Christ that necessarly draws with it a conformity of the Members with the Head in respect of Immortality these that sleep in Jesus God will bring with him 1 Thess 4.4 A 3d. Ground is thâ— the Believers Body is a consecrate Temple to the Holy Ghost and therefore it cannot be always subject to Corruption A 4th Ground is Christ haâ— power to raise the Body Phil. 3 last A 5th Grouâ— is He hath undertaken to the Father to do it he says he will raise them up at the last Day John 6 4â— A 6th Ground is Christs Death which gives assurance of Immortality 1st Because it is a full saâ—faction for sin and it is unpardoned sin that caâ— keep folk eternally under Deaths Power It wâ— by means of his Death for the Redemption of Transgressions that those that are Called receive thâ— Promise of the Eternal Inheritance see Heb. 9.15 Besides God the Father gives an Promise of Eternâ— Life in the Covenant and Christs Death is a Ratification of that Covenant he that spared not his own Soâ— will he not with him freely give us all things Roâ— 8.32 Likeways Christ gives us Eternal Life in hâ— Testament and his death is an Evidence of the unalterableness of his Purpose to Confer it 6ly Thâ— Resurrection is a Ground of Faith for it because 〈◊〉 is the absolution of our Soverty Rom. 4 last and 〈◊〉 Pledge of our Resurrection Christ is the first Fruitâ— of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15. A 7th Ground is his Ascension into Heaven if he had not obtained Eternal Redemption by his Blood and Suffering which includes immortality Justice had given him no access to Heaven he could not have entered into that holy Place by his own Blood except he had obtained immortality for us by that Blood which he as Soverty undertook to do see Heb. 9 12. The 8th Ground is his Session at the Fathers Right Hand which is given him as a Pledge of his Victory over all his Peoples Enemies whereof Death is one Psal 110.1 The 9th Ground is Christ's Intercession for Salvation to his People to the uttermost which includes in it the
sure to all the seed 3ly Consider the Antiquity of the Promise Tit. 1 3. That Promise Gen. 3.16 That the seed of the Woman should Trample down the head of the Serpent it was an promise of Life to the Spiritual Seed of Christ because it is said Christ should destroy the Works of the Devil and therefore he must abolish Death which followed upon Sin which was brought in by Satan 4ly Consider the Repetition and confirmation of it by Oath to Abraham For by the Covenant made with him there was a Right to the Heavenly Inheritance conveyed to him and all his Spiritual Seed Gal. 3. which Covenant God ratifyed by Oath Heb. 6. 5ly Consider the Internal Seal of this Promise to wit the presence of the Spirit Gal. 4.30 Eph. 4.30 Now for the strengthening our Hope He has placed our Eternal Life in Christ he hath given to us Eternal Life and that Life is in his Son 1 John 5. our Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 He is said to be our Life ibid. He calls himself to Mary John 11. The Resurrection and the Life and he is called Eternal Life And first He is the Meritorious cause of this Life 1 John 4.10 He sent his Son to dye that we might live through him 2ly He is the exemplary cause of this Life Rom. 6.10 1 Thess 4. It is said that if God raised up Christ from the Dead them that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 3ly He is the dispensing cause of it he hath power to confer it Phil. 3. last And he has Commission to confer it John 17.3 4 and 6.37 I add for the strengthening of Believers Hope he has appointed the Sacrament of the Communion for the frequent renewing the Believers Right to the person of the Redeemer and therefore the eaten Bread is said to be Communion of his Body as the drinking of the Wine is said to be the Communion of his Blood because by Gods appointment it conveys a sure Right to his Humane Nature as Crucified for us and we know that he saith John 6. He that eateth his Flesh and drinketh his Blood hath Eternal Life And in the first of Johns Epistles Chap. 5. It is said he that hath the Son hath Life As also I add for the strengthening of their Hope he gives them the first Fruits the beginning of Glory in the World See the Text. The next thing that is in this waiting is Patience which imports an continuation of hope without freting or fainting under sore and continuing Crosses And this may be win to by considering what our deservings are and how short a thing Time is compared with Eternity 2 Cor. 4. last Now for the description of the Happiness of the other World It is called first Adoption to shew us that our right to it flows from Adoption Rom 8.17 Use of this is first To Exhort us to receive Christ aright that we may be Adopted Jo. 1.12 2d Use is an use of Tryal to try our Right to Heaven by trying our Adoption the best way to try that is to try if we have the Spirit of Adoption which appears in procuring access to God in a study of Imitation of him and subjection to his Corrections Heb. 12. 2ly Heaven is called Adoption because till we come to Heaven Adoption is not fully manifested 1 Jo. 3.1 2. And thefore in the preceeding verse the happiness of Heaven is called the manifestation of the Sons of God And this tells you how you may win to a due esteem of Adoption by considering it with this consequent The possession of Glory fully manifests the worth of this priviledge and withal this teaches Believers to be content with the Worlds contempt seing in this World their Adoption is not fully manifested 3ly Heaven is called Adoption Because it is an Inheritance suiteable to the dignity of the Son 's of God and therefore we should abound in the Work of the Lord knowing that our Labour will not be in vain in the Lord. Verse 24. For we are saved by hope But hope that is seen is not hope For what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Verse 25 But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it AS the Apostle in the other Verses had comforted the Romans by proving the excellency and certainty of the Future Glory from the Creatures desire after it and the Believers desire after it so now he Comforts them under their Cross by letting them see that their future Happiness is very consistent with their present Misery And this he does by telling them they are saved by hope which he clears by these two things 1st That the object of hope is neither presenty enjoyed nor sensibly certain Hope is not seen that is the object of Hope is not seen 2ly He clears it by describing the Affection of hope he says it is a Patient expecting of a distant good The 24 Verse holds out the Advantagiousness of it The other two Verses hold out the nature of the Object and affection of hope When it is said we are saved by hope As it supposes that our felicity is at a distance so it says that all the good that we can get of that distant felicity for the present time is obtained by hopeing for it and therefore if we cannot hope for it we loss all the Encouragement we have by it Next When the Text says we are saved by Hope it imports that if we can hope for Heaven it will save us from the Ill of the Cross for here he is labouring to comfort crossed Christians it will save for it keeps the Cross from being crushing because it expells the apprehensions of Wrath in a Cross 2ly It keeps the Cross from being ensnaring it cannot drive us from our Duty through fear for where this Hope is it lets us see that we have more gain by our duty nor loss by it Use of this is to exhort us to hope For 1st This Hope is suitable to the Revelation of the Gospel which hath brought to the Church a clearer discovery of Heaven than was brought under the Law 2ly It is suitable to Gods Name which he hath taken under the Gospel he is called the God of Hope Rom. 15.13 3ly It is suitable to Gods Works in raising Christ from the Dead and communicating the first Fruits of the Spirit to us it is an obeying of the Gospel-Precepts and imitation of Gospel Examples We should not be deterred from the Hopâ— of Heaven because we are under afflictions for ouâ— Sin 1 Pet 4. compare the 13. verse with the 17. Neither should we cast away our Hope for being guilty of upsiting in the Way of God compare Heb 5.12 with 10.35 Neither should we quite ouâ— Hope of Heaven because of our great sins before Conversion for so did not Paul Use of this is that we should labour for Hope 1st By making Grace the ground of it 2 Thess