is used inâ—â— ver 27. conform to that of Moses Gen. 6. Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is only evil continually The word indeed signifies the wise thoughts so then take the full latitude of it thus The carnal mind in its best and wisest thoughts is direct enmity against God Carnal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What meant by the flesh here It is the whole corrupt Nature of man and that we may know by its opposition to the Spirit not to the Spirit or Soul of a man for so it hath no thoughts nor minding these being proper to the Soul but opposed to the Spirit of God Now the Corruption of Nature is called the Flesh not without very good reason not only to signifie the baseness of it the Flesh being the more ignoble and meaner part of a Man but because the greatest part of the sins of mens lives are about sensitive objects and things that concern the Flesh or the Body it lets in temptation of sin to the Soul by the doors of the Senses and it gives the last perfection or accomplishment to sin by external acting of it The very first sin that brought in Death and Misery with it upon Mankind the pleasure of the eye and of the taste were sharers in the guiltiness of it The carnal mind Man in regard of his composure is as it were the tie and band of Heaven and Earth they meet and are married in him A Body he has taken out of the Dust but a Soul breathed from Heaven the Father of Spirits a House of Clay but a Guest of most noble Extraction But the pity is it hath forgot its Original and is so drowned in flesh that it deserves no other but to go under the Name of Flesh. It is become the Slave and Drudge of the Body and as the Israelites in Egypt made perpetually to moyl in Clay What is all your Merchandise your Trades and Manufactures your Tillage and Husbandry but all for the Body in its behalf for Food and Raiment In all these the Mind must be careful and thoughtful and yet properly they reach it not for it self hath no interest in them It is true the necessity of the Body requires much of these things and superfluous custom far more but it is lamentable that men force their Souls to forget it self and its proper business to attend these things only and be busie in them They spend all their time and their choicest pains upon perishing things and which is worse engage their affections to them They mind earthly things whose end is destruction Philip. 3. 19. The same word that 's here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Will you consider seriously that your Souls run the hazard of perishing because you consider not their Spiritual Nature When that earthly Tabernacle of yours shall fall to the ground and e're long it must your Souls must then enter Eternity and though you had as large a share of earthly things as your earthly hearts now would wish they all lose their use in that moment they are not a proper good for the Soul at any time and least at that time If you keep it all your life long busie about the interest and benefit of the flesh the Body how poor will be when thy part having provided nothing at all for it self but the guiltiness of a sinful life which will sink it into that bottomless Pit Be forewarned then for to be carnally minded is death verse 6. precedeing the Text. The carnal mind Now as Sin hath abased and degenerated the Soul of Man making it Carnal so the Son of God by taking on our Nature hath sublimated it again and made it Spiritual The Souls that received him are Spiritualized yea as Sin made the Soul Carnal Grace makes the very Body to become Spiritual making it partaker and co-worker in spiritual things together with the Soul in doing and suffering and participant of the hopes too of an everlasting reward This is the main Christian Character our Apostle gives here that they are spiritually minded and that their actions suit their minds They walk not after the flesh but after the spirit whereas before with the rest of the World they were eager in the pursuit of Honours and Profits and Worldly Pleasures Now the stream of their desires run in another channel they seek after Honour and are very ambitious of it but it is such Honour as the Apostle speaks of in this Epistle Rom. 2. 7. By patient continuance in well doing they seek for glory and honour and immortality Their mind is upon profit and gain but it is with the same Apostle Philip. 3. that they may win Christ and they account all other things loss in comparison And their desires are after pleasure too but not Carnal Pleasures those are both base and of short continuance but the pleasures they aim at are those that are at Gods right hand and for evermore Psal. 16. 11. And that path of life he there speaks of that way of holiness that leads thither is their delight Spiritual Excercises they go to not as their task only but more as their joy and refreshment And this change the Spirit of God works in the Soul making it yea and the body wherein it dwells of Carnal to become Spiritual as the fire to which the Holy Ghost is compared refines Sand and Ashes and makes of them the purest Glass which is so neat and transparent Enmity against God Sin hath not only made us unlike God by defacing his beautiful Image in us not only strangers by making us wander far off from him but enemies nor enemies only but Enmity in the abstract for that is emphatical The carnal mind is Enmity nothing else but Enmity Now this Enmity is described in the latter clause of the Text by an Antipathy so to call it or Not-compliance with the Law of God it is not subject to the Law of God neither can it be to wit while it remains such There is an absolute impossibility in it to suit with the Law of God and consequently with God himself the reason lies in their opposits qualities God is spiritual and holy and so is the law as our Apostle hath it in the preceeding Chapter and the opposition he there makes betwixt his Unregenerate part and the Law is wholly true of the Unregenerate man The law is holy says he ver 12. And ver 14. It is spiritual to which too he opposes but I am carnal sold under sin Where are now those that so vilifie Grace and magnifie Nature Or shall I rather say Nullifie Grace and Deifie Nature Here is the best Elogy the Apostle will bestow upon the best of Natures Enmity against God Nay all the sparkles of Virtue and Moral Goodness in Civil Men and Ancient Heathens is no better besides many other things to be said to the Vertues of those Philosophers as ignorance of Christ by whom alone this enmity is removed I
not only those hidden from Men but even from my self as is clearly his meaning by the words precedeing who knows the errors of his Life Therefore is it necessary that we desire light of God The Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord says Solomon searching the innermost parts of the Belly But it is a Candle unlighted when he does not illuminate it for that search Oh! What a deal of Vanity and love of this World Envy and secret Pride lurks in many of our hearts that we do not at all perceive till God causeth us to see it leading us in as he did the Prophet in the Vision to see the Idolatry of the Jews in his very Temple by which they had provoked him to forsake it and go far from his sanctuary and having discovered one parcel leads him in further and makes him enter through the Wall and adds often Son of Man hast thou seen these I will cause thee see yet more abominations and yet more abominations Thus is it within many of us that should be his Temples but we have multitude of Images of Jealousie one lying hid behind another till he thus discover them to us Oh! What need have we to entreat him thus What I see not shew thou me Now in both these both in the knowledge of our Rule and of our selves though there may be some useful subserviency of the Ministry of Men yet the great Teacher of the true knowledge of his Law and of himself and of our selves is God Men may speak to the Ear but his Chair is in Heaven that Teaches hearts Cathedram habet in caelo Matchless Teacher that Teacheth more in one hour than Men can do in a whole Age That can cure the invincible unteachableness of the dullest heart Gives understanding to the simple and opens the eyes of the Blind So then would we be made wise wise for Eternity learned in real living Divinity Let us sit down at his feet and make this our continual request What I see not teach thou me And if I have done c. That 's any iniquity that I yet know not of any hidden Sin let me but once see it and I hope thou shalt see it no more within me not willingly lodged and entertained This speaks an entire total giving up all Sin and proclaming utter defiance and enmity against it casting out what is already found out without delay and resolving that still in further search as it shall be more discovered it shall be forthwith dislodged without a thought of sparing or partial indulgence to any thing that is Sin or like it or may any way befriend it or be an occasion and incentive of it This is that absolute renouncing of Sin and surrender of the whole Soul and our whole selves to God which whosoever do not heartily consent to and resolve on their Religion is in vain and which is here the point their Affliction is in vain whatsoever they have suffered they have gained nothing by all their sufferings if their hearts remain still Selfwill'd Stubborn Untamed and unpliable to God And this makes their miseries out of measure miserable and their sins out of measure sinful whereas were it thus qualify'd and had it any operation this way towards the subjecting of their hearts unto God Affliction were not to be called misery but would go under the Title of a blessedness Blessed is the Man whom thou correctest and teachest him out of thy Law That suiting with this here desired I have born Chastisement What I see not teach thou me and if I have done iniquity I will do it no more Oh! Were it thus with us M. B. how might we rejoyce and insert into our Praises all that is come upon us if it had wrought or advanced any thing of this kind within us this blessed compliance with the will of God not entertaining any thing knowingly that displeases him finding a pleasure in the denial and destruction of our own most beloved pleasures at his appointment and for his sake whatsoever is in us and dearest to us that would offend us that would draw us to offend him were it the right hand let it be cut off or the right eye let it be pluckt out Or to make shorter work let the whole Man die at once Crucified with Jesus That we may be henceforth dead to Sin dead to the World dead to our selves and alive only to God SERMON III. PREFACE THere is no Exercise so delightful to those that are truly godly as the solemn Worship of God if they find his powerful and sensible presence in it and indeed there is nothing on earth more like to Heaven than that is But when he withdraws himself and witholds the influence and breathings of his Spirit in his service then good Souls find nothing more lifeless and uncomfortable but there is this difference even at such a time betwixt them and those that have no Spiritual life in them at all that they find and are sensible of this difference whereas the other know not what it means And for the most part the greatest number of those that meet together with a profession to Worship God yet are such as do not understand this difference Custom and formality draws many to the ordinary places of publick Worship and fills too much of the Room And somtimes Novelty and Curiosity to places not ordinary has a large share But how few are there that come on purpose to meet with God in his Worship and to find his power in it strengthning their weak Faith and weakning their strong Corruptious affording them provision of Spiritual strength and comfort against times of trial And in a word advancing them some steps forward in their Journey towards Heaven where Happiness and Perfection dwells Certainly these sweet effects are to be found in these Ordinances if we would look after them let it grieve us then that we have so often lost our labour in the Worship of God through our own neglect and intreat the Lord that at this time he would not send us away empty for how weak so ever the means be if he put his strength the work shall be done in some measure to his Glory and our Edification Now that he may be pleased to do so to leave ablessing behind him let us Pray c. Isaiah XXVIII 5 6. In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a Crown of Glory and for a diadem of beauty unto the residue of his People And for a spirit of judgment to him that sittest in judgment and for strength to them that turn the battel to the gate ALL the Works of Divine Providence are full of Wisdom and Justice even every one severally considered yet we observe them best to be such when we take notice of their order and mutual aspect one to another whether in the succession of times or such passages as are contemporary and fall in together at one and the same time
Jo. 13. as it is said of the Ointment that Mary poured upon his feet in the foregoing Chapter Job 12. Amongst many other of his gracious Qualities that might be mentioned there is one we cannot but take particular notice of His Love the rather because the fragrant smell of his Graces is here said to beget Love Now you know that one of the strongest attractives of Love is Love Magnes amoris amor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What made him empty himself of his Glory as the Apostle speaks but because he was full of love What made him take on the form of a Servant suffer Heat and Cold and Hunger and Poverty but Love What other was it made him digest the Persecutions Revilings and the contradiction of Sinners but Love But the great wonder of his Love is this He died to become our Life who hath loved me and given himself for me says the great Apostle St. Paul And hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us says the beloved Apostle St. John Was it the Nails that held him fast to the Cross when they tauntingly bid him come down No it was his Love that was stronger than Death But all this was nothing to the angry countenance of his Father nor would he ever have ventured upon that if infinite Love had not perswaded him no wonder if the Apostle call it a Love that passeth knowledge That you may know saith he the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 19. Know it we may and should but we must know withal that we cannot know it fully And this is our comfort that it is greater than we can comprehend for if it were not so it would be less than we stand in need of So much of his Love we may understand as may abundantly inflame our hearts with love to him for this purpose hath he revealed it and made his Name like an Ointment poured out And that 's the second thing His Name That 's the report and manifestation of his Excellencies and if you will take it properly of his Name Jesus and Christ or the Messiah it is true of them for they are significative of these Excellencies Ask an afflicted Conscience if Jesus that is a Saviour be not a precious Word that hath a Sovereign value both a refreshing smell and a healing vertue The Hammer of the Law may break a stony heart in pieces but it is only the blood of Jesus that can soften it and where it is effectually poured either upon a wounded Soul it heals it or upon a hard heart it mollifies it For that other Name Christ well may it be called an Ointment poured out for it signifies his Anointing and that the sweet savour of this Name may effect read but that one passage Isai. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings c. What inestimable riches of Consolation is there in each of these effects to which Christ was Anointed and yet we find not a word among them all for a proud stiff-necked Sinner Here are good tidings but it is to the meek comfortable binding up but it is for the broken hearted Liberty but it is for Captives and Prisoners groaning under their Chains and desirous to be delivered Not for such as delight in their bondage there is Oil of joy and garments of praise but they are provided for mourning dejected Spirits that need them not to the Impediment On the contrary there is a terrible word interjected in the midst of these Promises The day of vengeance of our God and that is the portion of Christ's Enemies and such are all incorrigible sinners Thus it is at the same Banquet from which you come one may be filled with Spiritual Joy and the very Person that sits next be filled with a secret Curse and return more miserable than he came But let the disconsolate lamenting Sinner lift up his head and behold Christ the Son of God anointed a Prophet to preach Salvation and liberty to such a Priest to purchase it and a King to give it Now the pouring out of this Name is divers Before the coming of the Messiah his Name was poured out in Prophesies and Promises in Types and legal Ceremonies but more fully when the Word was made flesh then Angels and holy Men yea and Women spake clearly of him What was his Fathers voice at his Baptism The Holy Ghosts descending What was his own Preaching and Miracles and Conversation but all the pouring forth of his precious Name And in his Sufferings and Death what think you Was not his Name then poured forth yea his Blood with it Yes truly being extended on the Cross and his Body pierced in divers place his precious Ointments were shed abroad towards all the Quarters of the World their smell both reached Heaven and the visible Earth God the Father as he was said to do in Noahs Sacrifice did much more smell in his Sacrifice a savour of rest appeasing his wrath and all Believers a savour of peace a quieting of their Consciences And as Aâ—omatick Spices when they are pounded out and beaten send forth their sweet smells most liberally so in these his Sufferings did the obedience patience and love and all the Graces and the Name of our Saviour most clearly manifest themselves to the World After he was Dead they Embalmed his Body but they knew not that his own Vertue would do more than all the Ointments and Spices in the World could do not only by preserving his Body from Corruption but by raising it the third day And truly after his Resurrection his own Disciples knew his Name better than ever before and yet more fully after his Ascention when the Holy Ghost came down upon them which was poured from Heaven on them for this very end That they might pour forth Christ's Name to the ends of the Earth Act. 2. 8. And they did so carrying this precious Treasure in Earthen Vessels as that Elect Vessel St. Paul speaks And ever since God hath continued the pouring forth of this Name by the Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel 'T is true there are too many of those that are employed in this work that seek themselves and their own ends rather than his Glory whom they Preach And they that are more upright the very best of them are sinful Men but how mean and unworthy soever they be despise not the Gospel let the sweet Name which they pour forth prevail for it self that so you may reverence and love it if you would have Salvation by it and there is no other Name under Heaven by which that can be obtained As this Name is poured forth in the Gospel Preached so in the Sacraments annexed to it and particularly in this when the Bread is broken and the Wine poured out And was not this the earnest desire of the Receivers of it this day it should