Sonne in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sinne condemned sin in the flesh Ver. 4. That the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit CHAP. I. Containeth an Explication of the Text in its dependance and manner of laying down with three special Observations giving further light to the words and with the four great truths of Doctrine three of them expressed and the fourth implyed in the cohaerence SECT 1. THe whole Chapter is the Conclusion The dependance of the words on the former part of the Epistle Their scope is comfort of the large treatise and disputation of the holy Apostle Paul writing to the Romans concerning the Justification and Sanctification of believers in Jesus Christ The Apostle drawes up all that he had delivered in this Epistle for the practice of the Saints and especially for their consolation against all sorts of evils that may befal them in this present Two evils sinne and affliction world Now because there are two sorts of evils which assault their faith and that sorely and dangerously which are the sense of the remainders of sin within them and the manifold afflictions tribulations and temptations that befal them from without two evils sinne and the Crosse sin that dwells in them and the Comfort in Christ to believers against both Cross that attends them from abroad The Apostle against both these doth exceedingly comfort all believers And this he doth not without cause They that believe in Christ do they not finde sinful corruption working in them and is it not as a law in their members doth it not sometimes carry them away captives and is it not alwayes averse and adverse to their holy inclinations unto and delight in the law of the Lord Paul in his own person sets out the estate of a believer to be such in the latter end of the seventh chapter If this be the estate of those that believe and that have in them the beginnings of grace and sanctification How can they be comforted for is not sin to be regarded is not sin the more grievous the more good and gracious God is to them and ought it not so to be do not their souls hate sin the more and are therefore the more troubled because such corruptions stir in them and break forth against God the Apostle grants it all but for full consolation sets Jesus Christ against this evil of sin and asserts that their sins shall not condemn them There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit This is haâ—dled from the first verse to the middle of the seventeenth verse For the second evil true believers are subject to persecutions to afflictions before and above any others they are the 〈◊〉 of contradiction the very strife of tongues how then shall they have comfort Where is the gaine of godlinesse The Apostle saith there is this certaine truth full of Consolation that all afflictions that can befal the believer are so farre from prejudicing his salvation that they promote and assure unto him his greater glory in verse 17. and this argument is continued unto the 31. verse And then in the 31. verse to the end the Apostle breaks out into a triumph of faith over both evil sin and affliction over all that may stand in the way of their comfort not leaving until he hath raised them together with himself in despight of all adverse things to the height of one more than a Conquerour and to the glorying of one that is fully assured In the words of these two verses The The dependance of the words on the former verses To them that are in Christ comfort against the evil of sin proposition for comfort against the sense of sin laid down in the first verse is proved and demonstrated and the meaning of the probation of that proposition given in the second verse is also in these words cleared There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus That 's the proposition whereof these words in verse 3 4. give the full demonstration and 't is this In Jesus Christ their sins are condemned and the righteousnesse of the Law which is the strength of sin is fulfilled What condemnation can there be where sin is condemned and where all righteousnesse is fulfilled and this is the true case of all that are in Christ besides they are under another law even the command of the Spirit of Jesus Christ after whom they walk and who from Christ is in them lawing of them So that they who are in Christ Jesus are not onely under another Law but the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus and from him a their Head and as the second Adam is in them as a Law even the Law of the Spirit of life which delivers them from the Law of sin and death this is the summe of the second verse what is this law of the Spirit It is the Spirit of grace and What is the Law of the Spirit What is the Law of sin holinesse dwelling in us by the Word of the Gospel which hath in us the power and force of a Law What is the Law of sin and death It is the deadly power of sin which hath in all men by nature the strength of a Law to command and commanding reigns through the strength of the holy Law of God unto death or condemnation Now â— observe how the third and fourth verses clear up this nothing but the living spiritual law of the Spirit which is in Christ Jesus can give a sinner an Apostle a Paul deliverance from the power of sin and death but this can this Law of the Spirit of life hath delivered me This is thus made out The Law of God could not do it for that doth not give this Spirit but the Gospel onely can do it because the Gospel giveth the Spirit the Spirit of life which sets free from the Law and power of sin and death This is the dependance of these verses upon the former SECT 2. The words are the summe of the Gospel The manner of laying down the Doctrine of the Gospel here 1. By prevention of an objection Object Might not the Law deliver a sinner explaining the great mystery of salvation which God himself first preached in Paradise to our first Parents miserably fallen which the holy Apostle openeth in this manner He layeth it down first by prevention of an Objection and then by reckoning up the causes of salvation and lastly by re-assuming the description of the persons that have their part therein The Objection is this How doth the Law of the Spirit alone deliver the sinner might not the holy Law of God deliver from sin and death Answ The Law cannot deliver The deliverance of a sinner from sinne and Answ It is the thing impossible to the Law from the damnation of sinne
First what man is since the fall of Adam Take him with all abilities in his best estate here out of Christ he is but weak frail mortal and sinful flesh mortal and sinful man he is flesh that is carnal sensual and wholly corrupted with sin he is utterly unable to keep the holy Law of God to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law to make satisfaction to Gods justice for the least sin by all the righteousnesse he can by himself attain unto And therefore wholly unable to escape condemnation Secondly We may here learn that the flesh that is man consisting of body and soul though frail and mortal even weak dying flesh enfeebled in his abilities and operations both of body and mind is not in that regard sinful for then the Son of God who became flesh who took on him our nature a true humane soul and body and our nature infirme frail and mortal our very flesh and blood must needs have been defiled with sinne but he knew no sinne he was the Lamb without spot and blemish therefore the flesh or body of man is not evil as it is flesh and blood nor the desires appetite or weaknesse frailties and diseases that attend it no more than the minde the top of the soul the will and affections of the soul are in themselves evil God is the former of our bodies as well as the Father of our spirits and God is not the Author of sinne this is diligently to be heeded against the dreams of most Hereticks old and new against the general sayings of Philosophers and the common and usual conceits all men have of the flesh or body as if that were the evil sinning blame-worthy part in them but their souls their hearts their minds the spirit of the minde that they think to be good and holy and to receive its defilement from the body And therefore men place all Religion in some observations of abstinence bodily bodily exercises as Touch not this taste not that and handle not the other or in some neglecting of the body macerating and punishing it and denying satisfaction to the poor flesh in the natural desires thereof unto which weak body there is an honour due whereas all that defiles a man is from within from the heart and soul of man from these good hearts of ours comes all wickednesse as our Lord Jesus teacheth Thirdly here we are taught that there is something in man farre worse than death mortality frailty or any disease or pain even that which brought all this upon him and that is sinne which we make so light of sinne is the worst thing in the world sin is farre worse than affliction than all deaths Fourthly here may be seen how near the Lord Jesus Christ the Sonne of God came unto us he came so near that he took to himself in nearest union not only our souls which are spiritual substances but our very bodies he took to him our flesh and blood he took to him our whole nature and that in the condition which sinne had brought it unto the very likenesse of sinful flesh our infirme nature a soul subject to some kind of ignorance to affections of love anger and sorrow a body subject to hunger thirst nakedness cold wearinesse a frail mortal man he was but wholly without sinne yea tempted as we are like us in all things sin only excepted he became flesh He did not assume our nature as it was in our first Parents in their innocency but as it is now since the fall he came not into the world in the form of a King or some great Monarch or of an honourable person or rich and wealthy no nor of a free-man but of a servant he became Phil. 2. 7. poor and destitute of all naked flesh 2 Cor. 8. 9. Behold the grace the great love of the Lord Jesus Christ behold it till thy heart be loose from all that men here admire and doat upon and begin to draw towards this Lord the Son of the most High who disdained not to come so low to seek after and exalt thee 2. Here we have the persons distinct 2. Three distinct persons and works of those persons distinct in a sinners salvation with their distinct workings who are employed in the salvation of the Elect 1. God the Father he is sending his own Son he is condemning sin he is salving and keeping whole and untoucht the righteousnesse of the Law 2. Then the Sonne of God Jesus Christ he is incarnate he becomes flesh he payes the price of Redemption by suffering the damnatory sentence of the Law he fulfills the righteousness required in the commands of the Law And lastly The Spirit he unites to Christ that this might he in us through faith he applies and brings home with power all this that the Father and Son have done he thrusts out the flesh the power of corrupt nature and regenerates sanctifies and rules in them so mightily that they walk after the Spirit In us who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Who 2 Sam. 7. 23 Deut 33. 29 are like unto Gods chosen who are thus saved of the Lord whom God the Father and the Sonne and the Spirit thus redeeme for whom these three yet one God do thus go forth and work and are so employed to deliver from sinne and damnation Blessed and happy art thou O Israel of God whether Jew or Gentile thus saved of the Lord 3. We have also here the summary 3. The two wayes given to mankind in which everlasting life might be obtained comprehension of all the wayes that ever God gave to mankinde to obtaine life by that is the Law and the Gospel We have likewise the onely way by which mankinde fallen can possibly be delivered and obtaine everlasting life which is the Gospel And further how these two the Law and the Gospel mutually do work The Law comes but is found weak unable and the deliverance of a sinner thereby a thing impossible yet this Law takes off the sinner from his great confidence leaves him at a losse shuts him up to Christ and to faith in him when that shall come to help The Doctrine or Law of Faith in Christ Jesus that establsheth the Law every way and doth that for the sinner which the Law could not do By it Gods love and Christ Jesus the Sonne of God the Saviour God in Christ is made known the Spirit is given the flesh oâ— corruption of nature subdued righteousnesse fulfilled sinne condemned and the sinner saved And withal the words are so composed that the summe of the Gospel is briefly orderly plainly practically or as it may and must fall into practice and fully set down here to our edification and consolation abundantly SECT 4. Having thus farre unfolded the words here are four precious and important 4. grand truths truths three in the text and one in the context We have three most glorious and necessary truths
Law might be fulfilled in us In the Law there is the righteousnesse of the commands and the righteous just damnatory sentence of threatnings against the transgressors of those holy commands Now God sent his Sonne and held the fore-mentioned course in laying our sinnes upon him that the whole righteousnesse which the Law requireth of us might be fulfilled in us who are in Christ by faith whiles by Jesus Christ it is fulfilled for us and for our sakes in our roome and stead and so the Law is while fulfilled for us fulfilled in us who are in Christ by faith And then secondly the holinesse and righteousnesse of the precepts is fulfilled in us whiles by this faith which unites us to Christ receiveth his Spirit draweth from Christ sanctifying grace and purifieth the heart a new obedience in all uprightnesse and integrity respecting the whole Law is begun and more and more encreaseth in us in this life is of that growing nature that it will go forwards hold on fight out its way persevere and overcome and at last be perfected in glory thus the righteousnesse of the Law is in us by faith Christs righteousnesse in obedience and sufferings for us reckoned to us as ours and by the same faith holinesse in truth begunne and growing up to perfection in us See here the Gospel fights not against the Law as the Law is not against the Gospel The Gospel acquits those whom the Law pronounceth guilty but not as considered nakedly in their guilt that were against the Jus the right of the Law but by the intervening of and the guilty considered in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price and satisfaction of the Sonne of God and this is agreeable to the jus the right of the Law The Gospel sets them free from condemnation notwithstanding their sinnes because it brings in God condemning their sinnes in the flesh of his Sonne and the Sonne bearing the condemnation of sinne laid on him of God in his own flesh The Gospel while it acquits from the Law purifieth the sinner and gives him an heart and power to judge himself to love the holinesse and righteousnesse which the Law requireth and in this work upholds him with delight in the inward man till holiness be perfected So the Gospel fulfills the Law every way in Christ and in us fulfills the righteousness of the Law for us and in us and while for us in us 6. The person applying and the manner of application of this salvation even the Spirit the Spirit of Jesus Christ who in all those that are delivered from condemnation by Jesus Christ is uniting them to Christ and regenerating and sanctifying them This Spirit sets himself up in the throne and pulls the flesh out of the throne and he reignes in them and orders their lives This person even the holy Ghost and his work making this salvation to come home with saving efficacy is mentioned implyedly in these words In us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Thus the Apostle hath set out lively the second great Doctrine The third is a description of those for The third whom God sent his Sonne to become flesh to condemn their sin in his flesh and to fulfill the righteousness of the Law in them these persons are plainly and lively described thus they are those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit They are known by their walks that is by the tenour and course of their lives in which they deliberately set themselves with continuance and progress which course of life is framed after the guidance and rule not of the flesh that is of their corrupted nature but of the Spirit that is the Spirit of Christ which by the Word ingraffed in them dwells in them and orders their conversation 4. We have also a fourth point of excellent worth for the comfort of sin-burdened and mortified souls which the word of connexion for leadeth us unto There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ though there be much sin in them for the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and from him coming into them is as a Law that hath delivered them from the Law of sin and so from the Law of death and all this is most evident for in Christ their sins are condemned and they justified and sanctified for see they as men set at liberty do walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh This then is the precious truth which lyeth in the coherence concerning the riches of their assurance and consolation who are in Jesus Christ The sins of those that walk after the Spâ—râ—t shall never be to their condemnation neither shall hinder from them the benefit of all the salvation that cometh by Christ nor â—et ought they in the least kind to hinder their full assurance their comfortable walking in their obedience their constant combating against the flesh nor their full dedition to the Law of the Spirit of life as to that which will give them full deliverance from the Law of sinne and death CHAP. II Containing the first great truth which is this that there is no salvation for any man by the Law or by any other means save onely by Jesus Christ. SECT 1. Having drawn up four choice truths of saving knowledge absolutely necessary to everlasting blessedness and sound comfort compactly delivered by the holy Apostle in this portion of Scripture I 1. Doct. No salvation but by Christ Gal. 3. 21 22. come now to handle those four truths at large the first of them is this There is no salvation for any man by the Law or by any other meanes whatsoever but onely by Jesus Christ. If there had been a Law given which could have given life Verily righteousnesse should have been by the Law but the Scripture hath concluded all under sinne saith this Apostle that the promise of faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve These are opposite the Law and the Promise the concluding of all under sin and the giving of life and righteousness the faith of Jesus Christ whereby we believe and the works of the Law the giving of the promise which is a reward reckoned of grace to him that believeth Rom. 4. 3 4 5 and the paying of a debt which is a reward to him that worketh If then the Law could save there had been no need of the Promise the Promise were in vain nevertheless the Law is not against the Promise but it shuts all men up to the Promise where life and righteousness is alone to be had by believing in Iesus Christ But may there not be found some other name besides or together with Iesus Christ by which a sinner may be saved for answer hear the Apostle Peter as the mouth all the rest of the Apostles saâ—ing to all men and to all the people oâ— Israel Jesus Christ Acts 4. 10 11 12 of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead
of Gods appointing ordained for thee it is the righteousnesse of faith thine by believing not by working thou hast not a righteousnesse of works for thou art a sinner but here is a righteousnesse provided for a sinner believe and it is thine it is an everlasting righteousnesse live ever by believing and all thy sinnes are covered thou art clothed for ever The Sonne of God Jesus Christ is the Lord our righteousnesse 3. But man is yet a creature and though he be not under the curse and be acquitted of his sin yet is he bound to obedience and not the lesse bound but the more because God so loveth as to give Christ his own Son my bonds of obedience are greater and yet I sin daily my sin is the more aggravated because they are against such a gracious God and Father and against such a Lord Redeemer it is answered The Son of God is sent to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law in us how may you say 1. By setting out to the world and to the heart of a sinner sinne more vile and the more condemned in and by the heart of the sinner which is one point of righteousness to hate judge sin And God most holy while most of love and most just while most of mercy now this heals us of profaness whilst it allures draws with cords of love whiles it fills with holy fear sin is hated and God loved the name of the Lord Christ is named with an heart departing with a blessed Apostasie from iniquity as love abounds just abomination of sin encreaseth with self-loathing and self-abhorrency 2. By shewing a crucified Christ which sight wounâ—s to the quick perswades to Zach. 12. 10. Joh. 12. 32 33. Joh. 3. 14 15 16. Gal. 2. 19 20. believe in God so loving as not to spare but to deliver up his own for us so faithful of his word performing in due time the greatest unlikeliest and ancientest promise he ever spake to believe in Christ so gracious to believe his promises threatnings commandments and all his words This sight crucifies us with Christ yeâ— causes to live to God and to live in and through crucifyings 3. By this faith the sinner is united to Christ not by a moral union as love uniteth but by a mystical receiving his Spirit not by a Physical or natural union but by a supernatural Christ of whom the Word the Spirit do therein testifie faith receiveth faith receiveth Christ in the Word justifieth and Christ is formed in the heart faith brings home the love of God in Christ as the Holy Ghost in the Word of the Gospel revealeth and by that Word reveals the Sonne in the sinners heart believing this faith works love this faith works by love which is the fulfilling of the Law 4. By this faith Christ is received not only as satisfying Gods justice punishing and commanding but as purchasing grace glory and all good things else yea as purchasing the blessing of the promise even the Holy Ghost who reneweth after Gal. 3. 12. the image of God and sets the heart on high in hope of the glory to come eternal life 5. Christ coming into the believer breaks down sinnes dominion and sets up his own government in the soul the Rom. 6. 14 authority of the Law-giver the spiritualnesse of the Law and his delight in all this 6. By his Spirit he creates us anew he confers all principles of obedience he comes and dwells there in the new creature he is in the seed abiding in them he enables he excites that ability he imparts to them the promises he puts life into the Word and Ordinances that they may be in power 7. By his exemplary life in holinesse both in doing and suffering he beats out before us the way of righteousnesse as our pattern which draws out imitation man being a creature prone to be led by examples and his imitating inclination in his new Creation sanctified now we would walk as Christ walked the heart is set on high and perfect patterns even on Gods holinesse and on Christs purity 8. Here is the image of God to be beheld in a mirrour in liberty and in great 1 Cor. 3. 17 18. glory the image of God lost but in Christ found again begetting in us the very same image we see and are transformed we see are assimilated made like unto it All this work is in true and powerful beginnings which tend to and are growing towards perfection and shall be perfect with perfection of degrees and fulnesse as here it is of parts and of uprightnesse SECT 2. This Doctrine is of singular use to wipe Uses 1. To vindicate the Gospel Gal. 2. 17 18 19. off all aspersion cast upon the Doctrine of justification of a sinner by faith in Jesus Christ without the works of the Law as if it were a Doctrine of loosnesse for see here Christ is not the minister of sin he destroyeth sinne in believers he by faith purifieth them to the very heart the preaching of this Gospel of forgivenesse of sinnes out of free-grace by faith in Jesus Christ destroyeth sin it makes the believer to live to God through a double death and the latter of them which this Gospel by faith puts the sinner unto is no less than crucifying yet a death to the believer most desirable because it is a crucifying of him with Christ And now this believer cannot but abhor the thought of being such a transgressor as to go about to build again that which by receiving and professing and preaching if he be a Minister this Gospel he destroyed was there ever the like effectual way of destroying sin and fulfilling the Law in a sinner as this here sin is made hateful in the heart of the sinner profanesse of heart healed the heart formerly alienated now drawn to God the old man crucified which Christ and the believer lives yet or rather Christ lives in him faith uniting to Christ and receiving Christ works by love love constraining to live to him that dyed for them the Holy Ghost is received the Son of God revealed in the soul Christs government is set up and sins dominion is broken down the heart is created anew and the sinner enabled to walk in Gods statutes to do his commandments with delight in the spiritualness and purity of the Law he would be holy as his heavenly Father is holy and pure as Christ is pure and walk he would as Christ walked by faith beholding God in Christ all of love he suffers a change from glory unto glory which shall be perfected in both body and soul in glory Was there ever such a fulfilling of the righteousness of the Law by weak sinful man as this which is wrought by faith in the Sonne of God sent into the world to take away sin by one offering and sacrifice once for ever Jesus Christ was a curse for sinne not a cloak for sinne he fulfilled
under bondage and subjected to vanity vanity and vexation of Spirit is attending man in the enjoyment of all things under the Sun Fourthly The harmlesse jollities of the Eccl. 11. 9. flesh shall be brought into judgment Fifthly A conscience checking galling and gnawing for the flesh's ryots Sixthly The flesh's naughtinesse is discovered in the Word of God 2 Cor. 10. 4 5 6. Ro. 8. 13. Seventhly powerful means are given of God to crucifie it The Ministery the Spirit the crucifyings of the Sonne of God and exceeding great and precious promises which present to us a draught of better things than the flesh can propose Eightly In the Word commands and directions are given how to use the flesh such are these be temperate be sober beat down your bodies bring them into subjection Accuse and condemn the flesh silence her reasonings lay-in distinguishing and mortifying principles they are such as these The belly for meat and meat for the belly but God shall destroy them both The body is for the Lord not for lust The body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost The body shall be raised out of the grave but not as it is sowen both soul and body are the more excellent as they are lesse fleshly All the things of this life are such as perish in the using The scheme or fashion of this world passeth away All that is in the world and is of the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father All these things that are of this lower world shall be dissolved Ninthly A judgment day is appointed and it shall as surely come as it is sure that men dye then this whole visible Creation which the flesh abuseth shall be burnt with fire The heavens shall shrivel together as a scrole and the earth with the works thereon shall be burnt up Tenthly in the mean time bitters are cast into all our earthly sweets and wasting judgments are abroad in the visible Church at this day Meditate often upon these things inlarge your thoughts upon each of them All these will eat down proud-flesh Thus of the three grand doctrines more expressely delivered in this text the last of which concerns the lively description of the believer by his walks the fourth doctrine followeth CHAP. XI Containeth the fourth and last great truth which is The fulnesse of the assurance and of the Consolation of those who are in Christ and walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit SECT 1. The fourth doctrine ariseth from the The fourth doctrine coherence of these two verses with the words before and following when we observe how they are placed in the frame of the Apostles discourse and it is full of consolation for it concernes the full assurance and the safe estate of all those who are actually in Christ notwithstanding their sinnes They have flesh a corrupt How raised nature dwelling with them and many sinnes the issues of that flesh but walking not in them they are in Christ and therefore there is no condemnation to them as the 1. verse with these verses affirmes and proves for their sinnes God hath condemned in the flesh or body and soul of his own Sonne the benefit of the salvarion wrought by Jesus Christ cometh home to them for all that their flesh that body of death can do so that they may and ought to say I thank God through Jâ—sus Christ who hath and doth and will deliver me from the same this is evident by comparing these verses with the 25. ver of Chap. 7. They should also rest assured of their blessed estate when there is no condemnation to them and when the strength of this evidence of their interest in Christ from their spiritual-mindednesse and savour influencing their walk is life and peace as these words looking backwards to the 1. ver of this Chapter and forward to the 5. and 6. verses do plentifully shew And since the scope of the whole discourse from ver 1. to ver 17. of this chapter is to support and encourage these spiritual holy walkers in their way the burden and workings of sin in them should not break their spirits or discourage them in the course of their holy living the miserable conflicting toyle of a gracious heart with the sinne dwelling in him is the thing treated of in the person of holy Paul representing all the regenerate in chap. 7. the latter part of it and the 8. chapter to ver 17. thereof is on purpose adjoyned to back on those Combitants in their warre against the flesh their sinne must not dishearten them in the combate this is the force of that word Now it is a word of encouragement as if he said therefore since Christ is your deliverer for and through whom ye may blesse God and rejoyce with thankfulnesse in the very heat and worst of the battel with your sinnes since flesh and you who are under the Law of your minds and are regenerate are two Now Now therefore stand to it and fight it out there is no condemnation to such as you And let this word for in these verses of my Text be carried to the ver immediately going before it and then they perswade these holy walkers to give up themselves fully chearfully and without fear of miscarrying to the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus which will certainly carry through without peril from the Law of sin and death which threatens them Having shewed the coherence take the fourth doctrine in this proposition The sinnes of those that walk after the Spirit shall never be to their condemnation neither shall they hinder to them the benefit of all the salvation that cometh by Christ nor ought in the least kind to hinder their assurance or their comfortable walking in their obedience their constant combating against the flesh or their full dedition to the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus as to that which will deliver from the Law of sin and death For explication of this truth observe The explication 1. What is granted 4. things here in the first place what is granted 1. It is granted that the sinnes of those that walk after the Spirit are sinnes they are transgressions of Gods holy Commandments they are filthy and do make them guilty they are against God and against Christ and are repugnant to the holy Ghost they deserve condemnation though they redound not unto condemnation they redound to their fault and to their guilt though not to their châ—rge for they are not imputed nor to malediction these Christ hath borne nor to eternal punishment for Christ hath made full satisfaction That their sinnes condemne them not is not from any lesse desert they also strike at the life of grace though they cannot destroy the life of grace 2. It is granted that there is flesh in them the seed and spawne of all sin that
is that which is the impossible thing of the Law that which is impossible for the Law to do The Law is the holy Commandements of the Eternal God Maker of all things these discover sinne and condemne the sinner but they deliver not from either That which is of use and is of this nature to shew and sentence for sinne cannot possibly work deliverance to a sinner but it is the Gospel that Law of faith that discovereth a Saviour Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ how a sinner may be made righteous and so be delivered from sinne and how one condemned by the righteous Law may be delivered from that condemning sentence and so be set free from death which sinne deserved God sending his own Sonne c. where it appears that a sinner may be delivered from his sinne and made riâ—hteous and delivered from the Law and not condemned What the Law could not do in that it was weak through â—â—e flesh God sending his own Sonne c. The former Objection may yet be urged for it may be said the Law is righteous and can it not then give righteousnesse and life Answ The Apostle explaineth the Yet the Law is in no fault thing and amplifieth it the Law cannot do it not that there is fault in the Law this impossibility cometh through the weaknesse of mankinde now fallen who are not able to keep the Law The Law is not weak as if not perfectly righteous and holy or as if it had not a promise of life annexed to it but you are weak who are not able to keep it It is through mans weaknesse who is not able to performe the righteousnesse thereof that the Law is become weak the perfect exact holinesse thereof makes through our weaknesse weakning it that none can stand righteous by it nor live by it Hence ariseth the inpossibility of help by the Law Thus the Law is still preserved honourable and is magnified when yet it cannot help us and we are in the fault the fault is wholly ours Again the Apostle displayeth the Gospel 2. By opening the causes of a sinners salvation glory and displayeth the mystery thereof by opening the causes of the salvation of a sinner 1. The outward impulsive cause the impossibility and impotency of the Law to save through the impotency of man who stands bound to keep the Law this is the external impulsive this very thing that the Law cannot help us but condemns our sins and us for our sinnes and curseth us which is not thorough any fault in the Law of it self but only by accident by reason of our corrupt nature this this is that outward thing which moveth God to save sinners that which might move God to come and execute the sentence of the Law that moved God to provide a Saviour That which the Law cannot do through mans default that God doth by sending his own Son 2. The efficient or working cause the first working cause in saving a sinner God God set the accent there it must be noted with emphasis lift up the voice and stay the heart upon that Word write it in great letters It is not my observation that you must not slip over this one syllable but the Apostles divinely inspired as afterwards in this chapter when he saith If GOD be for us and again It is GOD that justifieth God against whom our sins are God whose righteous and eternal Law we have rendred uselesse to an utter impossibility to do us good and that for ever until He put us into another state He is the first agent in the work of our salvation 3. The material cause What course doth God take to save a sinner God sends his own Sonne Gods own Sonne doth take away sin by his passion bearing our sins in his own body his own Son in our flesh in which he was incarnate kept the Law for us and so the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled 4. The final cause which is this Redemption is wrought by the Christ of God that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us in us who have made the Law unable to do us any good who have made it to the Law impossible to set us free from sin and death 3. In us may some say in whom lest 3. By describing the persons for whom this salvation is wrought we should be deceived herein to our everlasting undoing while there is such a Gospel such a Saviour we have the persons described for whom all this is done In us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit that is in us that believe in Jesus Christ but because many do deceive themselves in saying we believe and do not believe the Apostle useth not those words but taketh up this description which noteth out a believer by the Spirit he hath received and the Spirit by the rule and dominion he hath now in and over him and this rule of the Spirit over believers by this that sin doth not now reign in them though sinne be in them and the ruling of the Spirit and the dethroning of sinne by their walk it is not ordered by the flesh nor at the will of the flesh but their life is ordered by the Spirit of Jesus Christ through the Word of this his grace dwelling in their hearts Thus we see proved in these words that there â—an be no condemnation to those that are in Christ for though the Law would condemn them because they are sinners and there is sinne in them that deserves condemnation yet their sinnes being condemned in Jesus Christ by a righteous God God may pardon them with the good leave of his justice doing no wrong at all to the holy Law SECT 3. For the further opening of the words here are Three things of special observation three things of special observation 1. The diverse acceptation of the word flesh in the compasse of this Text. First it notes mankinde with all its abilities and excellencies upheld in men of 1. The word flesh taken four wayes here God himself in his long-suffering since the fall in these words weak through the flesh Secondly it notes out the humane nature as corrupted with sinne in the words sinful flesh for the flesh of sinne that is mankinde such as sin hath made it not such as God made it soaked with sin under the power of sin weak frail flesh the soul and its endowments beslaved to the flesh to the senses to the sensual apperite to the things the outward man the flesh desireth insomuch that the whole man may well be called flesh Thirdly It notes the humane nature frail and mortal but not polluted with sin In the words condemned sinne in the flesh that is in the flesh of Jesus Christ Fourthly it notes the corruption or sinfulnesse of mans nature in the words walk not after the flesh Now from these several acceptations of the word flesh we gather Four observations from that
sinne a body of death a body of sinne 5. The Law the strength of sinne 6. The Laws weaknesse to deliver the sinner 7. God offended these are the seven cords of man distresse answerably here is 1. The Sonne of God made man and so man punished sinne punished in the nature that sinned as God is holy he is an adversary to sinne as just he punisheth sinne as true his threatning before the fall could not be made void it must fall on man for to man was the Law given to man was death threatned to man as the first Adam on man must the punishment light now here is a man an Adam the Sonne of God taking to him mans nature of Adam though not by him hath somewhat to offer and God through his Christ the second Adam and through him crucified receiveth a sinner into favour remaineth holy just and true 2. The Sonne of God made man sent for sinne so that here is in this Christ in his low humiliation a propitiation a mercy-seat here is the Lamb of God in whose flesh sinne was damned the sufferings due to sinne he bears GOD suffers the Sonne of God doth all in the flesh for actions are of the person therefore here justice is satisfied sinne is taken away and death is unstinged 3. In the flesh the humane nature of the Sonne of God sinne is condemned and a perfect conformity to the Law in original and actual righteousnesse is performed and brought in before the Lord therefore here is the sinner justified and healed health and soundnesse restored by curing the disease in the very cause and the flesh is delivered and recovered thorowly Here are the Priestly Robes and the Royal change of rayment to cloath a poor naked sinner withal 4. In this Jesus Christ the flesh and sinne are separated Adams sinne and Adams nature divided and mans nature made a Fountain of holinesse and life wonderful high and heavenly things 5. Here is the Law answered in the Comminations and in the Commandments by Christs obedience passive and active 6. Here God by his Son doth that in weak flesh which the eternal Law could not ever be able to do 7. Here is â—od in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to himself God provides the Lamb God condemns sinne God prepares a righteousnesse fulfilling the Laws righteousnesse and if God be thus for us who can be against us if God justifie who shall condemn SECT 3. For the use of this 1. This precious truth in viteth us to behold Use 1 again the love of God to man Here To invite to contemplation 1 Joh. 4. 9 10. Tit. 3. 4. Eph. 2 4 7. Eph. 1. 7. Tit. 2. 11. is love here is love manifested here is bountifulnesse of love shining never the like love manifested never did God manifest the like love to this that appeared in redeeming in mankinde It is exceeding kindnesse Gods great love wherewith he who is rich in mercy loved us the riches of his grace the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse the glory of his grace abounding the grace of God that bringeth salvation Our blessed Saviour speaks of it with emphasis and admiration God so loved the world Paul speaks of it as alone peerlesse God commended Joh. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 8. love to us and John with an index in this was manifested the love of God herein is love All other manifestations of love are not comparable to this great was Gods love to man in the Creation to place him Lord of the visible world to indue him with a soul bearing on it his Gen. 1. 2. own image and likenesse to seat and plant him in a Paradise to provide him a Sabbath to give him Sacraments the Sacrament of life to establish him and of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil to warn him where his danger lay and to blesse him with conjugal society great is his love in his daily providence over him great in the Covenant made to all Nations in Noah great in the particular experiments Psal 36. Gen. 8. 21 22. Ps 107. 8 c. Psal 104. 27 34. men feel in sicknesse and health at Sea and Land great to all creatures his mercy reacheth to the heavens all wait on him for seasonable food David saith hereupon my meditation of him shall be sweet Great was his love to the Elect Angels whom he hath established about his Throne who alwayes behold his face but to whom gave he his own Son what nature did he ever unite so near to himself where or when did he ever such works for any as in earth to condemn in hell to dissolve all the Divels works in heaven to provide Mansions and all in by and through the flesh the flesh of his own Sonne the similitude of sinful flesh flesh indeed but like sinful flesh for a sinful childe of disobedient Adam justly a childe of wrath All creatures here below are for this ransomed captive sinners rightful new and pure use Angels that fell are reserved in chains of darknesse to the judgment Jude â— of the great day no Saviour afforded them but they are set forth to warn us to flee the wrath to come the blessed holy and elect Angels the innumerable company of them are made ministring spirits sent forth for the good of the heirs Heb. 1. 14. Heb. 2. 8. Rom. 8. 16 of this salvation the world to come is put in subjection to man in Christ we are joint heirs with him of all things This love decâ—ared is the powerful way to work on a sinner Hell and wrath the Law and sinne without this proposed do terrifie and vex but the heart flees God and loaths All other love of God is abused by the deceitful wicked hard heart but let this love be set forth and now sin and all the deserts of it wound stab and gore pierce and tear to pieces and yet the heart draws near and drawing near melts down dissolves desires pants after longs for Christ and God in Christ judges it self justifies God while he judges him trusts though God kill him cannot think or say any thing is ill that this God sayes or does This love is the fatnesse of Gods house the River of Gods pleasures the light the life better than life it self this love fills with love this love makes gracious zealous tender of heart noble of spirit and truly lovely this sweetens the crosses sanctifies afflictions and makes out blessings to be blessings 2. Hast thou informed thy judgment 2. To exhort and taken a view of Gods love in this way of salvation Now then let this doctrine come in the power of it to perswade exhort thee to believe to meditate with admiration and to ascend to fixed contemplation 1. Believe this truth this is the work Joh. 6. 29. of God the work that God requireth since we cannot work the righteousnesse of his holy Law that we believe there is no other
creatures and so are subject to change we should have found so much weaknesse and changeablenesse The holy Angels stand before God through Christ as their Mediator of Confirmation who need no Mediator of Reconciliation and Redemption because they never sinned 9. This raiseth the heart to an exclusive 2 King 7. 34. resolution like the Lepers in the book of the Kings in this manner If we stay in our natural estate we are sure to perish if we come into Christ we can but perish perhaps we may finde favour and grace for there is enough in him yea and it begets in the soul the positive resolution of the Prodigal there is bread enough in my Fathers house and I perish Luk. 15. 15 16 17 18. here and starve with hunger I will arise and go to my father and say father I have sinned 10. Lastly The blessednesse of a sinner consisteth and cannot possibly consist in any Rom. 4. 6 7 8. other thing than in forgivenesse and in a non-imputation of sinne in the merciâ—ul covering of iniquity for what shall become of him that hath sinned if hiâ— sinne be charged upon him he must passe under the eternity of the wrath to come which sinne hath justly subjected him unto and then where will be the time and place for blessednesse what can be beyond everlasting if forgivenesse of sinnes be the blessednesse of a sinner then here is nothing in man to move God but this here is a sinner a man undone by his own sin but I will be his God and will be Heb. 8. 10 12. merciful to his transgressions and I will remember his sinnes no more This this is the Covenant by which we sinners can live and stand in the sight of God SECT 2. But wherein may it be made to appear Illustrated six wayes that the weaknesse of the Law made weak through the sinfulnesse of man moved God to give his Son Answ 1. Because this is the main reason why God left the Gentiles to themselves for above two thousand years upholding them neverthelesse in the utmost of natural abilities which are in man since the fall and giving them all the blessings of Creation continued in his Providence with goodnesse and long-suffering that all the world might see man cannot by his wisdome finde out the true God finde out the way of reconciliation and salvation man cannot do ought but wander from God he understands not and will not ask after Christ and then God will say Behold me to them that asked not Isa 65. 1. after him and that shall be verified I Isa 41. 27. Junius in locum 1 Cor. 1. 21. am found of them that sought me not then God giveth Christ the first that saith to Zion behold behold the things which none could tell of he that is the one the only one that bringeth good tydings Paul to the Corinths opens this saying After that in the wisdome of God who wisely disposeth of all things in his providence governing the ages of the world and the generations of men upon the earth the world by wisdome their wisdome of the light of nature with which they came into the world indued of God the Creatour having the book of the creature open before them and time afforded to improve it to the utmost of which wisdome even in the things of God they grew conceited professing themselves to be wise neverthelesse the truth is they by wisdome know not God much lesse could ever so much as dream of Christ It pleased God in his infinite eudoky or good pleasure by the foolishnesse so esteemed by the wise of the world of the preaching of Christ crucified for the Redemption of a sinner to save them that believe 3. The reason why the Jewes were left of God to doat about the establishing of their own righteousnesse to which thing all men by nature stand enclined neither can they by the utmost abilities of reason in man arise higher or seek any thing else that the Jews I say went about Rom. 9. 31 32. this to their cutting off was this that all men being concluded in unbelief from the Reign of which they cannot deliver themselves when the Gospel of Christ is told them never so plainly and all that they will drive that Gospel unto is but this to seek the more to establish thereby their own righteousnesse It might appear that salvation cometh only then unto men when the Lord will of his own free-grace take hence the occasion to have mercy upon them all whether they be Jews or Gentiles and there the Gentiles sooner attained the righteousnesse which is by faith in Christ Jesus than the Jews who had the Scripture which the Gentiles had not and the Jews cannot get over this evil of going about to establish their own righteousnesse and do make to themselves Christ Jesus A stumbling Rom. 11. 3â— 33. stone and a Rock of offence to this day nor will it ever be otherwise untill God glorifie the riches and power of his grace to have mercy upon them When Paul that heaven-measuring soul knowing in Gospel-mysteries through the Revelations which Christ gave unto him entred into the discourse of these wayes of God he is rap't in admiration and breaks out thus Oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out 3. This was the reason why the Law was given that the Jews having the Law in a perfect draught from God himself by the glorious ministery of the holy Angels in the hand of a Mediator Moses might Gal. 3. 19. 20 21 22 find that thereby they could not have life given them because they could not get righteousnesse thereby but were all concluded under sinne that so the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe and not to them that would stand by their works by which with the help of the holy Law to the uttermost they could never attain to righteousnesse although they sought it zealously thereby 4. The first proposing of the Gospel to Adam fallen proveth that mans destruction by disobedience was the rise and ground of the exhibiting of the Messiah It was proposed in a threatening to the Tempter when Satan had through subtlety destroyed Gods workmanship and in these words was it first Preached It shall break thine head that is the womans sâ—ed shall break thine head she that brought in sin upon mankind by thy seducement shall be the instrument to bring forth that man that seed that shall dissolve the Devils works the ruined workmanship of God shall be reared and restored by flesh of the woman by which it was ruined 5. The manner of disposing of the Covenant of grace teacheth this for therein Ezek. 36. 25 31. God promiseth to work all the work even by a new Creation out of worse then nothing against all impossibilities to any created strength that
cures of bodily miseries here on earth were all to direct us where to seek and finde the cure of all spiritual maladies Christ Jesus loosed the cords of afflictions by loosing the cords of sinne the true method in taking away the cause and thereby the sad effects sheweth the skill of a Physician indeed 4. Here be advised what is the greatest and most shameful perversnesse and that is to continue in sinne that grace may abound Rom. 6. 1. to turn this grace into wantonnesse and lasciviousnesse to professe Christ and live Heathenishly Grace free-grace and not the Law breaks down the dominion of sinne Christ dissolves the works of the Divel he was manifested Rom. 6. 14 1 Joh. 3. 8 5. to take away sinne and in him is no sin he is not faulty in the work he undertook 2. Be perswaded to come to Christ let rhis love draw thee will God take the Use 2. To exhort rise and ground of shewing mercy from thy undone estate there also do thou take thy rise and from thence look unto him what can stand in the way to hinder that love which sinne cannot hinder which sinne drew forth to full manifestations think on 't seriously frequently believingly to turn thee quite about after this God Again be ravished with desires and admiration Oh the heights depths lengths and breadths of this love of God! The Lord strengthen us with might by his Spirit in the inner man that we may comprehend with all the Saints the love of God in Christ in all its dimensions and Ephes 3. 16 18 19. measures to the filling of us with all the fulness of God the fulnesse of this his revealed glory And while thou contemplatest the wayes of Gods grace admiring astonishment will cause thee to cry out Oh the depths both of the knowledge and wisdome of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding Rom. 11. 33 34 35. out who hath given to him first let him stand forth and it shall be recompensed unto him who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor Use 3. To comfort 3. Comfort also springs out and flows hence in abundance first under sinnes guilt and under sinnes motions Die under Rom. 7. 9 13. the feeling thereof let sinne in the thought thereof grow exceeding sinful and abominable in thine eyes as indeed it is in it self view thy self a sinner in the perfect glasse of the pure Law of God behold it in the reflexion of the crucifying death and burial of the Sonne of God for the sinne of the world and let free-grace be glorified and then thou art safe Secondly under temptations of presumption and of despair under the temptation of presumption either that of carnal confidence or that of carnal conceptions of mercy Nothing in us or in any other creature or thing out of God himself was the cause of Gods love to any Christ himself is but the gift of this love of God when thou lookest upon thy self dwell upon thy guilt and filth that thou mayest by faith alone dwell in God and God dwell in thee he sindes thee sinful lost and forlorn and he will save and in saving cannot leave thee such for then he did not save Under the temptation of despair what support is here No sinne no Law made God to loath as in justice he should but to pity and to redeeme Thirdly under the power of enemies Isa 49. 24 25 26. Behold here sinne that sells the sinner occasions the workings of the tender bowels and mercies of the infinite God of God the Father to save Behold here the Lawful Captive the Captive of the Mighty is redeemed and delivered Hitherto of the fourth truth demonsâ—rating the second great doctrine concerning the full salvation which is in Jesus Christ Now let us come to the fifth medium which the Apostle giveth to demonstrate the All-sufficiency of this salvation CHAP. VIII Treating of the fulnesse of salvation by Jesus Christ proved from the end of the sending of Christ intended and attained which was the expiation of sin and the fulfilling of the righteousnesse of the Law both for and in the sinners that shall be saved SECT 1. 5. THe words of the Apostle now to 5. Salvation is full where sin is expiated and the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled for and in us sinners be handled are these And for sinne condemning sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us did God send his own Sonne here is delivered this glorious truth viz. That the end of Christs mission incarnation and passion being to expiate sinne and to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law both for and in us doth abundantly prove the salvation of those that are in Christ to be absolute and full Here three affrighting and sinking sentences Opened and while opened demonstrated are savingly and everlastingly answered The awakened sinner when he considers the Law of God and the Bonds of his obedience thereunto as he is a reasonable creature cannot but reason thus 1. I am a sinner and sinne condemns me by the righteous sentence of the Law which I have broken It is answered The Sonne of God is sent in the flesh for sin to be the sacrifice to take it away the Lamb of God slain in sacrifice for the sin of the world God condemns sinne which would condemn thee God condemns it in the flesh of his own Sonne as the Syriack readeth the words in his flesh and the connexion of the words in these two verses doth inforce that sense for he that sent his own Sonne in the flesh to condemn sinne in the flesh and so save the sinner must needs condemn sinne in his flesh and not in our flesh for had we born in our bodies the condemnation due by the Law for our sinnes we had perished everlastingly and had for ever layn under the curse of the Almighty Law-giver but sinne is expiated by a sacrifice of infinite value sinne is condemned in the flesh of Gods own Sonne therefore thou shalt never be condemned for thy sinne 2. The Law requireth perfect obedience and righteousnesse of the creature and continuance in the same I cannot perform the obedience which the Law requireth and were all my former sinnes forgiven I shall sinne again It is answered the Sonne of God hath fulfill'd the righteousnesse of the Law in thy nature for thee for God sent him in the likenesse of sinful flesh he sent him about sinne that he in the flesh the humane nature might fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law therefore he was sent not for himself who was not obliged to the Law but for us to fulfill it for us therefore his obedience is thy obedience his righteousnesse thy righteousnesse The righteousnesse of Christ Jesus the righteousness performed by him is performed for thee not for himself it is thine it is the righteousnesse of God
all righteousnesse but nulled no Law he fulfills the Law in us whiles he enables ro believe that he fulfilled it for us The Ministry of the Gospel is the Ministry of Rom. 3. 31 life of righteousnesse and of the Spirit we establish the Law by faith we magnifie it and make it honourable we bring to glorious liberty not to base licentiousnesse which is most absolute slavery We advance godlinesse while our Doctrine forms it in power and destroyes a powerlesse form of it we maintaine good workes while through the Gospel the sinner is called to come to God through Christ alone and God takes him into his own gracious and powerful hands and makes molds fashions him in his own workmanship in Christ Jesus created anew unto good Eph. 2. 10. works O ye Pontificians ye Papists and all others to whom the Gospel comes know ye The Law is not against the Promise The Promise ingraves the Law in the fleshly tables of the heart This Doctrine also tries and differenceth 2. To try Professors Believers and Believers Christians and Christians upon the Believer and Christian indeed the former three sentences are deeply fastened and the answers are experimentally and sweetly resented in the heart that closeth with them and receiveth the mould of them such a heart is truly believing and Christian and no other Go over them again and again in thy thoughts and try how it is with thee CHAP. IX Sheweth that the fulnesse of salvation shines in the Person who maketh saving application thereof dethâ—oning corruption of nature and ruling the whole man even the Spirit the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father and of the Sonne SECT 1. THe person applying and the manner of his application of the salvation by Christ is implied in these words who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit here the Spirit is the person that brings home this work with efficacy and power for here we have a double consideration of the Spirits work in the saved ones the first presupposed and implied namely that God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son do give to those that shall be saved the Spirit who applyeth savingly all the love of the Father and the grace of the Son who pulls the flesh or mans natural corruption out of the Throne and sets up himself to rule the man mention is made in these words of such a Spirit and who can be able to do such a work but the Spirit who is the power of the most High who will be willing but the Holy Spirit or as we usually speak the Holy Ghost likewise either sinners have this Spirit of themselves and so none have for if they had him in them by nature how is it that he ruled not how is it all by nature are under the power of the flesh living and walking in their sins or else he must be given and who can give him but God the Father and Christ his only Son this giving and working of the Spirit for the bringing home the Redemption which is in Jesus Christ is therefore necessarily implied in these words The second work of the Spirit is expressed in a Description of the Redeemed ones They walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit both these considerations are in the subject persons made partakers of that work of the Spirit two wayes commended in the words us who walk c. first that the Jews and the Gentiles the Apostles and all others that belong to God are all alike sharers in this mercy and work of the giving of the Spirit to them to apply savingâ—y this salvation and to reign in them and frame their conversation although they have not all alike this Spirit in the same measure and degree Us who walk saith the Apostle we Apostles we Jewes and you the believers at Rome to whom he wrote you that were sinners of the Gentiles us you as well as we who walk after the Spirit Secondly that neither the one nor the other of them have respect with God but in Christ No were he an Apostle not Paul himself nor do they look for part in this salvation upon lower or other termes but as they fall within this Description Hence therefore we have two things before us 1. The sixth branch of truth that proves the fulnesse of salvation in Christ 2. The third great doctrine which is The description of a true Christian The sixth branch is this The salvation of sinners by Christ is compleat Doct. 6. The Spirit of the as being savingly applied by the Spirit given of God the Father and of Christ Father and the Son applies the salvation by Christ dethroning corruption and ruling the whole man 1 Cor. 6. 11 his own Sonne to them that shall be saved In which application the Spirit dethrones the flesh and rules the whole man The sinners which are washed justified and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus have this so great a change wrought by the Spirit of our God saith the Apostle God who sent the Redeemer hath covenanted that his Word and Spirit shall be in the seed and seeds seed of the Redeemer to whom the Father gave them that he should save them as the Prophet Isaiah sheweth saying The Redeemer shall Isa 59. 21. come to Zion As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit that is upon thee that is upon Christ the Redeemer and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed for whom the Redeemer gave his soul an offering for sin and went in travel with them on the Crosse nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth Isa 53. 10. Gal. 3. 14. 1 Joh. 4. 13. 3 24 and for ever Christ hath purchased it and the believer is possessed of it Hereby we know saith the Apostle that we dwell in God and God in us even by the Spirit which he hath given us This is that way in which he saveth even by the renewing Tit. 3. 3 5. 2 Thes 2. 13 14. 1 Thes 1. 3 4 5. of the Holy Ghost which he sheds on us abundantly through our Lord and Saviour and through this way even the sanctification of the Spirit God bringeth his chosen unto glory Hereby our election is known The Son of God the wisdome of the Father subdueth us by his Spirit poured out unto us by which he makes known his words to us This is called the Communion Pro. 1. 23. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Joh. 3. 3 5 of the holy Ghost And this is so absolutely necessary that unlesse a man be born from above of water and of the holy Ghost he can never see the Kingdome of God that is he cannot come into and enjoy eternal life in heaven he can never enter into it unlest he be born again of the holy Spirit now poured out as plentifully as water
awake arise and live he is the Spirit of life the righteousnesse of Christ declared and set forth by God in the Gospel and brought home to the soul of an humbled sinner by the word attended with the Spirit and the Spirit is life because of this righteousnesse life from the death of condemnation which sin deserved life from the death of sin life true and joyful 3. He circumcises the heart with a circumcision made without Rom. 2. 29 Col. 2. 11. hands In this work the word is the circumcising knife this knife is taken into the hand of the Spirit the heart is the part that is to suffer and not the flesh or body of the sinner the fore-skin is the superfluity of maliciousnesse and wickednesse Jam. 1. 21. Deut. 30. 6. the skin upon the heart the skin of other loves which oppose the love of God as self-love the love of the world the love which is called lust and the love of superstitious vanities and mens inventions in Religion and worship and the cutting off this fore-skinnesse is when the word in the hand of the Spirit and by it skilfully used getting between our hearts and them it makes the heart to see them to be such as the word sayes of them and to judge it self for them and to cast them away as unprofitable and destructive even because of Christ circumcised and made under the Law for us and for our deliverance from the same Law Untill this work be done no love of God can be wrought in us strange loves have the heart and when this work is done it reacheth to the circumcision of the ears and of the lips and of the whole man Insomuch that the body of the sinnes of the flesh the whole frame of sinful flesh suffers and is destroyed 4. He gives us spiritual senses and a sagacity and quicknesse of sente whereby he makes us savour spiritual things and to smell out and delight to pursue spiritual wayes this work is so eminent that the Rom. 8. 5. Isa 11. 2 3 newborn babe can taste distinguishingly the sincere milk of the Word fit to feed batten and make to grow from all adulterate stuffe and can see and discern judiciously the things of the Spirit of God from all other things and make up a right judgement concerning them and can in hearing try the words of doctrine delivered and try the spirits in the teachers the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of Antichrist the Spirit of God and the spirit which is of the world the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour In ordering his Conversation he can sente and smell the wayes of holinesse from those of profanenesse so that he is of quick understanding in the feare of the Lord and is sensible and hath his feeling of spiritual mercies and plagues of sin that annoyes spiritual life and of the power and spiritualnesse of Ordinances and Administrations from ordinances of men in will-worship and formal out-sidednesse and shews and florishes in administrations All this the new born babe is able to do by a naturalnesse like an instinct though for want of Art or of strength of the reasoning ability or not yet having the wits the senses exercised in the word of righteousnesse he cannot shew to his own or others satisfaction where the fault lyeth much lesse is able to dispute it and by arguing convince the evil doers the opposer and the pleader for the evil the quicknesse of spiritual senses doth grow as age in Christ cometh on the Spirit in this work rested upon Jesus Christ as he was man in all fulnesse as became our head and it is on every living member of his mystical body according to his place of membership as becomes such a Member 5. He writes his law in our hearts The Law 2 Cor. 3. 2 3 Rom. 8. 2 that is the summe of revealed truth both of the Law strictly so called the Law of the ten Commandments and of the Gospel this is that which is written the writing is such an engraving of the truth with love of the truth upon our hearts made soft tender and fleshy as that it cannot be blotted out The soul may be torn from the body but the truth cannot be torn out of the heart And this impression of the truth is such that now it is the Law of the mind which Laws the man It is the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus as the Head and in them as the members this is an heavenly edition of the Bible so imprinted upon the soul that the man becomes a living walking Bible which print comes off so fair in the life of the regenerate and sanctified that they are the Epistles of Christ to be seen and read of all men 6. He gives liberty he sets us free from the law of sinne and death the title the dominion of sin is taken away that we may 2 Cor. 3. 17. Rom. 8. 2. Joh. 7. 37 38. 4. 14 become servants of righteousnesse 7. He is a spring and rivers of lâ—ving waters in our bellies flowing up within us unto eternal life Our hearts by nature are as a dry and barren howling Wildernesse not fit for habitation nor bearing any good plants untilled and horrid to the sight It is the Spirits work to be in us whom the Lord will save changing the very will breaking open springs and causing Rivers of sweet wholesome and healing waters of the blessings of the Gospel of all gifts and graces and grounds of comfort to flow within us even in the very heart and conscience in the belly of the man and there these waters to be not as standing lakes and ditch-water but ever streaming out and fed from the hid well-head of the holy Spirit When this work is in us then of Wildernesses we become fruitful Fields then we have within us Isa 44. 3. 49. 10. Joel 3. 18. Zach. 14. 8 that which will satisfie and will allay and quench our thirsts our souls will be as a well-watered garden whose waters never fail 8. He causeth all the fruits of graces fructifying to be in us and to abound in us all his fruits he maketh to break Ephes 5. 9 Gal. 5. 22 23. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 13. forth all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance against which and such like there is no Law 9. He transforms us into the image of God from glory to glory 10. He enableth us to believe and Eph. 2. 18. Jude 20. Gal. 4. 6. to speak by confession to pray to the Father through Christ with gracious and fervent desires crying Abba Father to mortifie the deeds of the body our members that are on the earth and to be crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts Rom. 8. 13 Gal. 5. 24. thereof that old bel-dame original sin the sinfulnesse of our natures in which we
coming and sending hath a peculiar season therefore it is said the Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified and Joh. 7. 39. Christ saith If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I Joh. 16. 7. depart I will send him unto you This season began on the day of Pentecost next after the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead the History whereof we have in Acts 2. And this season of his presence and power hath continued and doth continue all the time of the New Testament Ministery and the glory of the season is according to the power plenty and purity of the preaching of the everlasting Gospel for seeing the Spirit accompanieth the Word look as the Gospel had its time when it began to be preached in all the world so the Spirit also was sent and as the Gospel goeth forth so is the Spirit given the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles and endued them with power from on High that they might be able to deliver the whole Counsel of God all the secrets and mysteries of salvation that they might preach it to all the world to all Nations and it might bring forth fruit in the conversion of multitudes and in the planting of Churches every where and that they might leave the same in writing giving us the New Testament and perfecting the whole Canon of the Scripture and all this infallibly And in and with this Gospel to which never one line more shall be added the Holy Ghost is present and worketh and ruleth in the place of Jesus Christ untill this second coming to judgment Under the Old Testament the Spirit was as a Spirit of bondage because the Law was clearly delivered but the Gospel darkly Rom. 8. 14 15. under the whole form of shadowy Ceremonies under the New Testament the Spirit is as the Spirit of Adoption for the Gospel openly delivered the things themselves that were prophesied of shadowed out and promised are given and the great mysteries of the Gospel and all that concerneth them are fully and perfectly made manifest Now also are Converts born of water and the Holy Ghost that is of the Holy Ghost whose working was 2 Tim. 4. 1 2 4. 1 Joh. 4. 4 5. foretold to be like the pouring out of water and like the opening of springs in dry ground now are they baptized washed plunged dipped with the Holy Ghost and with fire that is with zeal answering the glory of the light The godly under the Old Testament had Gods holy and free Spirit but then agreeable to that Ministery Gal. 1. 8 9. and now as is agreeable to this And thus the Apostle teacheth in Gal. 4. 1 2 3 4. And as there is but one Gospel and but one Spirit and never any other coming of the Spirit so it is as sure there shall never be any other dispensation or ministration but this of the New Testament which is that which remaineth unless you could look for another Christ or that Jesus Christ had not fully accomplished the 7. This work of the Spirit is peculiar to the Elect work of Renemption and is not for ever set on the right hand of Majesty but must come again to do somewhat which he left undone and so must to the Tree and Crosse again there is now no coming of any Spirit but the coming of Antichrist and of the spirit of Antichrist the spirit of errour of whose coming the Holy Ghost by the Apostles speaketh expressely therâ—fore all Pastors and Teachers are bound up to the Word to the Scripture and to turn from that is to be turned after fables to teach any other than what they hear from the Apostles writings is to sheak of the world and not of God to receive any other is to run to another Gospel to pervert the Gospel of Christ to runne from the blessing the holy Spirit of promise and to runne under the Gospels curse SECT 8. 7. The peculiarity and appropriation of the saving work of the Spirit unto the Elect and Redeemed That which commends this work of the Spirit yet further is this that is is peculiar and appropriated unto the Elect of God the Father and to the Redeemed of Christ the Lord. The Spirit of truth is the Comforter his work under the New Testament as Comforter is such a work as none but the chosen of God the Redeemed 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. of Christ to whom he was promised do partake of There is another work of the Spirit of truth the Comforter which is conviction not conversion and that Joh. 16. 8 9 10 11. he worketh on the world as well as on the chosen of God This conviction is such illightning by the Word of the Gospel that thereby the world that is the men that are yet still under the power of sinne possess 't with the love of the world and whom God leaveth to their own reason lusts stands clearly fully resolved and perswaded of the matter in hand and set down and concluded under it so that they are self-condemned if they do ought against that light This conviction by the Spirit is of three things first of sinne even of unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ that that unbelief and disobedience is a sinne Secondly of righteousnesse that the civil righteousnesse of men the righteousnesse of mens own works is no garment to cover mans nakednesse to hide his sinnes and shame it is too short it is too filthy like a menstruous ragge it is tattered and full of holes no web no texture which can hang together to make a garment or any cloth of it to wear in the sight of God but it is Christs righteousness consisting of his obedience and suffering to the death of the Crosse performed by him as the second Adam the Surety of a sinner it is this righteousnesse alone which is a perfect righteousnesse or righteousnesse which God accepts as appeareth in that Jesus Christ ascendeth to heaven and goeth to the Father the Father receiving him to highest glory as he that hath done and accomplished perfectly the work for which he sent him into the world and he shall never come more to be seen of the world in that form of humiliation in which he came before Thirdly of judgment that Satan the Serpent and his seed are condemned or sentenced and are going irrecoverably to perdition but Jesus Christ and his seed justified by his knowledge are certainly blessed yea of judgment upon the world Idols and all false religions and of judgment found in the true Christian Religion alone and in the judicious orderly government of Christ set up in his Gospel and thereby in the hearts and lives of true believers that imbrace the same unfeignedly in and by which the power of Satan is broken and his works dissolved This work of conviction is an excellent work of the Holy Ghost it is also wrought
called the spirit of errour and envy the spirit of envy and the wisdome of the the world is called the spirit of the world because of this force appearing in it acting of it which force cometh from the energy or effectual working of the Divel who is an evil Angel a spirit indeed But besides these spirits there is the 1 Cor. 2. 10 12. Spirit of God considered as set in opposition to the spirit of man and of the world this is the spirit spoken of in this Doctrine yet one that hath not this Spirit of God as the Spirit of grace may have the Spirit of God in some lesser and lower workings and presence he may have some excellent gifts of the Spirit of God as for instance he may have the Spirit of government as King Saul had he may have the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit gifting him with faith of miracles Mat. 7. 21. 1 Cor. 12. with tongues with prophesie or with wisdome and the like he may have the ordinary gifts of the Spirit such are all ministerial gifts he may have the common graces of the Spirit as general illumination convictions faith historical and temporary and thereupon tasts of the good Word of God the Word of the Gospel and of the powers of the world to come and many fruits arising from thence insomuch that by falling away willingly and sinning against such grace he may resist the Holy Ghost and may runne so high in this way to commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost that unpardonable sinne that sinne unto death he Heb. 6. 3 4. 10. 26 29. may have the spirit of bondage which is a good work but not enough to life and salvation It is the work of the Law accompanied with the Spirit quickning that part of Gods Word upon the soul and working lively and powerfully in the Ministery thereof Now the work of grace is above all this and the Christian in respect of this renewing and sanctifying work of the Spirit is more excellent than any other however otherwise qualified Pharaoh admiring in Joseph the work of the Spirit as the Spirit of prophesie and of the interpretation of dreams said of him Can we finde such a man as this is a man in Gen. 41. 38 whom the Spirit of God is but much more worthily may these words be applied to the regenerate and sanctified by faith which is in Jesus Christ which makes them workers of righteousnesse and no more workers of iniquity which is that good work which he that hath begun in Phil. 1. 6. any will not cease nor fail to perfect it till the day of Christ SECT 11. The Vse of Exhortation in the first branch of it Therefore let the Exhortation take place with you both to seek the Spirit and Use 2. Exhortation to seek the Spirit The way and means to receive the holy Ghost in ten directions to be rightly ordered towards him when you have him 1. Attend the way and means whereby you may receive the Holy Ghost Seek the sense and comfort of the gracious presence and the lively working of the Spirit of Sanctification and Adoption for this purpose these are choice directions First Come out from the world and give thy self up to the Word The world cannot receive the Spirit thou art among and of the world by nature Come out from among them touch not the unclean thing come out from the worlds lusts the worlds vanities and pomps the worlds traditions the worlds Idols and superstitions the Religions and Devotions as ever thou wouldest have God to receive thee into fellowship with Jesus Christ his Sonne through the communion or communication of his Spirit say of all these What have I to do any more with you the Spirit is the holy Spirit the world and the things of the world are the unclean thing The word is the vehicle the Chariot of the Spirit he spake by the Prophets and Apostles and he for ever works in and by their doctrine By the Word engrafted the Spirit dwells in the heart Receive the Word let it be in the truths contained in it as a heavenly Cyons which entertained with meekness and with laying aside all superfluity of wickednesse may be so naturallized into thee that thou mayest be turned into the nature of it and then thou shalt finde the Holy Ghost enter into thee and take up his habitation in thee Let the Word of Christ dwell richly in thee in all wisdome and the Spirit of Christ will fill thee with grace and glory The Scripture is the store-house of Wisdome Wisdome speaks there justifie Wisdome and thou art a childe of Wisdome whom the Holy Ghost hath regenerated this is the incorruptible seed of which Gods children are born anew who is the spiritual but he that is made up of the Word of God he who hath the Word of Christ to be the reason of his reason the light of his minde the life of his heart and the rule of his life he is the Christian indeed Secondly but when thou comest to the Word thou wilt be sure to meet with reproofs no looking into that glasse but thou wilt see all amisse Christ knoweth he shall finde thee a fool and a scorner simple and loving simplicity ignorant and hating knowledge now know he will reprove but yet with serious exhortations and alluring invitations calling and crying after thee what then is to be done Turn Turn at wisdom's reproofs and the promise of the pouring out of the Spirit unto thee is thine Thirdly Behold the Promises and how they are made I will put my Spirit within you saith God then shall ye remember Ezek. 36. 25 31 32. your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations Remember thy wayes and doings that have not been good and loath thy self that 's all the qualification that is required of thee that thou mayest enjoy this great and all other the precious promises of the Covenant of grace Fourthly Wait on the preaching of the Gospel for that is the Ministery of the 2 Cor. 3. 6 8. Gal. 3. 2. Spirit The Spirit is given aâ—d received by the preaching and hearing of the Word of the Gospel the faith and not the Law by hearing that glorious heavenly Law of faith which excludeth boasting not the Law of works Fifthly Consider the gift and who it is that bestoweth the gift appointed to Joh. 4. 10. that work of God the Father even Jesus Christ the Sonne of God sent in our flesh made of a woman and made under the Law to redeem us from under the Law and consider that God the Father is in and through this Christ our heavenly Father Luk. 11. 13 Consider these three things and then ask the Holy Ghost by prayer for he is promised to those that ask him The gift indeed is great but no lesse
to rellish temporal things only or chiefly and to have no rellish of spiritual things the things of Jesus Christ or to savour spiritual things no otherwayes than carnally as when our Saviour spake of the gift of the Spirit that living water to the woman of Samaria she said Lord give me of this water that I may not thirst nor come to this Well to draw Job 4. 15. And when he said to the Jewes that there was bread of life of the which whosoever should eate he should never dye some cryed out Lord evermore give us this bread Good words but arising Joh. 6. 33 34. wholly from earthly apprehensions of the things of which Christ spake 7. In the reign of some particular lust Gal. 5. 19 20. or known sinne as uncleannesse covetousnesse malice pride profane swearing railing drunkennesse gluttony when we live in any manifest work of the flesh 8. In the power of carnal princâ—ples 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. reasonings and objections against faith and holinesâ—e these are strong holds these are the flesh's fortifications which while they stand undemolished the flesh reigns these be the in-works when they are taken and sleighted the flesh is dismantled and led Captive but not till then 9. In the hatred of the godly the hatred of the brethren which is the not loving Gal. 4. 29. 1 Joh. 3. 14 1. of them we cannot know them to love them but can finde them out to reproach to shoot out the mouth at them a strange perversenesse when we can quickly discern them to slander them and call them hypocrites who though they will not swear yet will lye when we cannot see who are godly Do not all offend in many things yet can privily Psal 11. 2. shoot at the upright in heart when we can see them well enough to shoot at them but we cannot see Christ in them to do them offices of love brethren Mat. 25. 43 45. we cannot love this brotherhood what is this communion of Saints well said here is flesh all over 10. In the speaking evil of the Gospel and of Christs name or way and in an heart alienated from the life of God 1 Tim. 5. 14 Eph. 4. 18. from a godly life a life in which God is seen and in which it is evident that the man hath seen and known God as he hath revealed himself in his Word he is an adversary that is glad of an occasion to speak reproachfully of Gods way he is in the power of Heathenisme whose heart cannot close with the power of godlinesse Thus far for a more general discovery of the reign of the flesh SECT 4. In particular the flesh being a close enemy and in the times of the Gospel it And in matters of Religion its reign discovered as standing with the State policy of this Queen Regent to have somewhat of God and of Christ seemingly and for a colour that she might sit fast in the chaire and reign still indeed let me shew you her in the Throne and descry the Regency of the flesh in the choicest works and means of Religion And here we lay down this for a certain truth that There is not any outward duty profession or priviledge of Gods people which the flesh will not take to and suck to her self advantage out of it she is such an hypocrite and in her wickednesse hath wit at will Therefore see her Regency 1. In prayer they that live and walk 1. In prayer Prov. 28. 9 Isa 1. 15. in sinne and disobedience to the Word of God may make many prayers but an abomination to the Lord are all their prayers and the Lord saith I will not heare when ye multiply prayers for the flesh hath the rule in them while they pray and it is thus discovered First if an Heathenish spirit act them Seven wayes Mat. 6. 5. which thinketh God is well-pleased with the work done or the cries of a natural heart with a few good and holy words with much speaking or with the number and tale of our prayers a touch and outside of the duty Secondly if a Pharisaical spirit act Mat. 6 5. them which thinks to merit at the hands of God and prayes to be seen of men and to be accounted for devout Thirdly if things spiritual be asked as savoured onely under carnal notions and for carnal and worldly ends chiefly Fourthly if the things of this life be asked onely as there are multitudes who never offered any desires to God that were the desires of their hearts but what were for health when they were sick or for successe in their earthly Affairs or for deliverance when they were in distresse and dangers or for a plentiful Harvest and good Crop with such like or if the things of this life be asked chiefly if God should give us Solomons priviledge and then we have not Solomons heart nor Davids one thing nor Agurs discerning feare of sinne and temptations with preferring of contentation with food and rayment if the requests we offer up in the words of prayer be never so spiritual and in the work the affections stir and are jogging and make a great noise but it is all but for the time of prayer when the constant bent of the heart is for covetousnesse and the heart is set upon riches or the things of this life or if the things of life be asked as temporals and not that they may be spiritualized and sanctified to us in their use they cry as the young Ravens cry and pray as rhe Lyon hungry roars and seeks his meat of God Fifthly if temporal afflictions and judgments make us pray and cry but not sinne nor spiritual judgments such prayers have not the heart to God in them they are the howlings of wolves and God Hos 7. 14 so reckons of them Travellers captives sick folks sea-men and all under extremities will cry unto God in their troubles and the Lord hears so as to deliver them out of these distresses but if when they are delivered sinne be still their Idol and spiritual plagues are not felt lamented nor prayed against but rather danced under their prayers are but the cries of swine when they are pinched and the cryes of nature to the Lord of nature Sixthly if sinne and the wrath of God because of guilt and consciences gripes and sentence or if the Laws threatnings and denunciations of judgments out of the word and the work of the spirit of bondage which is upon us if these do cause us to pray cry out and repent but yet there be no workings of the Spirit of grace and of Adoption nor sinnes filthinesse and offence do put us to grief and be a burden and heavy load further then it is abominable to the light of nature and is cryed shame on in the world this kinde of sorrow for sinne is no more than what may be found in a Cain or in a Judas Seventhly if we pray and
because we pray we now think our selves free to commit sinne we have been at prayer therefore we may be at our lewdnesse we have been at Church in the fore-noon of the Lords day therefore we may dance about the May-pole and keep Revels in the after-noon this is like the Harlot who saith to the young Wanton I have peace-offerings with me this day have I paid Prov. 7. 14 15. my vows therefore came I forth to meet thee 2. In reference to the Law of God for though the flesh is not nor will be subject 2. In reference to the holy Law Sixwayes to the holy Law yet the wily wisdome and subtilty thereof will make use of that also and that most perniciously And the Reign of the flesh sheweth it self herein diversly as First when we seek righteousnesse and Rom. 6. 14. 9. 32. 10. 3. salvation by the Law while under the Law we are under the Dominion of sin so long as we go about to establish our own righteousnesse as did the Jewes and as it is found in all men by nature a Phil. 3. 4 5 draught whereof we have excellently and to the life drawn up in Mat. 19. 16 17. to ver 24. this is to have confidence in the flesh Secondly when we take the Law to be no more than as a Law commanding the Ro. 7. 7 9. Mat. 5. 21. to the end of the ch outward man and to forbid nothing but grosse acts of sinne or to require no more than the outward duty and so we are alive we know not sinne which reacheth to the heart and hath its seat there in the deceitfulnesse and wickednesse thereof nor know we lust or inordinate affections and concupiscence to be sinne and therefore we blesse our selves or flatter our selves in our own eyes in our natural estate Thirdly when and whilest that we cannot endure to hear the holinesse of the Law opened and urged and we love not the righteousnesse and purity of the Commandments yet we will have the saying of the Commandments and the publick reading of them as part of Divine service and hold this better than all preaching and without this we care not for Minister or preaching Fourthly when all the fruit of the coming of the Law and Commandment is onely to revive sin and to strike us dead I take the Apoâ—â—les phrase the meaning whereof is this That the Spirit of God doth accompany the Law and the spiritualnesse of the Law being such as Rom. 7. 9. reaches to the thoughts and desires of the heart as well as to our words and deeds when it is opened the Spirit of God brings it home to the conscience with power this is the coming of the Law now when the fruit of it thus coming is this onely to revive sinne and to kill the sinner to ptovoke sinne so that it works in the sinner all manner of concupiscence and then comes the threatning and the curse and slays us and strikes us dead if this be all that we receive by the Law the flesh yet will hold the Chair for we wiâ—l dislike the preaching of the Law we cannot endure these men of sowre spirits these Legal Preachers we will lay the fault on the Minister and if we can but get from under this dinne oh we like the respousal to every Commandment Lord have mtrcy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law this God shall have and then we are at quiet and alive again though our sinnes live in us and we live and continue in them love and plead for them Fifthly when there is nothing in us that is subject to the Law of God nothing that holdeth proportion with the platforme of holinesse laid down in the Law Rom. 8. 7. but that only is found in us which rebels frets pulls away the shoulder and esteems all grievous for then we are wholly flesh Sixthly when we never received any further work of the Spirit than that of the spirit of bondage and yet because thereof we conclude we have repented and our estate is good whereas by the Law we should be shut up to the faith of Christ in the Gospel which having changed and made us anew we should live to God and delight in the spiritualnesse and purity of the Law with judging and condemning our selves thereby and justifying God therein the work of the spirit of bondage is to bring to the knowledge of sinne to work the sense of Gods wrath against sinne and to fill with terrours upon awakenings and there is no further work of the Spirit when there is no hâ—tred of the pollution of sinne no heart-forsaking of the sinnes of the heart no hatred of sinne in the sinfulnesse of our nature whence all transgressions do come when no further work did we ever finde than the convictions of rhe spirit light great and convictions strong but the will the heart not created anew that there might be conversion and healing now though these convictions may be not onely of sinne through the Law but of the sinne of unbelief and of righteousnesse and of judgment even of Christ and his Kingdome and righteousnesse through all the good Word of the Gospel yet the flesh may and will still keep the Chair 3. In reference to God and his worship 3. In reference to God and his worship Two wayes Col. 1. 21 22. Isa 66. 1 3 Psal 106. the flesh can yield to assume unto it and choose both Gods name and service with great state and thereby perk up the higher First with the mixture and blending of mens devices our own inventions the commandments of men to teach the fear and worship of God and the rudiments of the world these are savoury these are devotions humility and wisdome these are the rules to which the flesh lyeth level Secondly with philosophical speculations wisdome of words great swelling words of vanity and the worshipping of Angels disputes about words and genealogies Col. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 3 1 Tim. 6. oppositions of science fables depths unwritten traditions vented for Apostolical these and such like the fleshly-minded is puffed up withall it loves to be intruding into things it knows not it would be reputed seraphical by amazing the simple with high-flown notions 4. In reference to Christ and to his 4. In reference unto Christ Eminently in Antichristianisme Gospel his Profession Ministry and Ordinances all these to choose never did the flesh get more by any thing she appears like a Lamb she puts forth the two Horns of Christs vicegerency and beauty external she gets on the sheeps skin and cloathing she hasps to her both the Keyes the Key of knowledge and the Key of Discipline the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven she will be infallible and give the sense of Scripture unerringly be the Holy Father and the Holy Mother-Church she will exercise and conjure the Divel and cast him out and do a thousand more such
go on and encrease more and more and then finding by experience how weak unable wanting and extreamely failing we are we become dejected and sore perplexed and are ready to say If God hath given such promises to them that fear him why am I thus and almost ready to say As good give over all it will ever be thus with me I shall never get the victory over my sins I shall never attain to setled consolation and assurance Ah poor hearts take this advice Go Gods way to work Go the way after faith and grace received which God took with you when you were in your sins dead in sinnes Go that way still with thanksgiving for what you have in the sense of your sinnes and in ability to fetch the next step in the wayes of faith and holinesse be viewing the glory of the free-grace of God in the face of Jesus Christ even of Christ crucified presented by the Holy Ghost in the Gospel which he breathed oh this is the sight which will make you more and more like him and draw upon you to the life the image of such glorious grace and love to your exceeding joy This sight gives power to walk take and hold this course and thou shalt say with David thy loving Ps 26. 3. kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth This sight impowring is the joy and rejoycing of the heart the joyful growing flourishing prosperity of the soul consists in the walking in the light of Gods countenance Ps 89. 15. reconciled and reconciling us to himself in Jesus Christ All power against sinne and unto duty and all comfort and joy all healthfulnesse soundnesse and thriving in our spiritual estate is this way conveighed It is not attained or maintained by extasies and raptures trances ravishments impressions impulses revelations voices joyes that come by Euthusiasme or inward immediate force of the Spirit these at the best are in Gods own hand and they may be given to a Balaam a wicked man a false Prophet a Conjurer a Witch they may be mixed with Satans working they may be of fancy and not of God at all or of faith they may be of Satan Diabolical delusions Now in our upright walking the joy of the Lord is our strength preserve it If this â—oy may be hindred Satan hath his Neh. 8. 19 desire of us let him not bereave you of it SECT 6. In the fifth place the sins of these holy 5. Their sins ought not to hinder their combating against the flesh walkers ought not to hinder their constant combating against the flesh the flesh lusseth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and shall the spiritual yield the day shall they sâ— down discouraged hath the Spirit undertook doth he lead and cause them to walk after him and shall the flesh and its workings turn them off Hear ye Christians of the Gentiles your Apostle the Apostle of the Gentiles this I say saith he walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh the flesh lusteth Gal. 5. 16 17. in you contrarily but walk on and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 1. You have the better and have no cause to be discouraged these sinnes you see and finde are the flesh's forces but they are but the scattered gleanings of the Field which you have reaped the broken leavings of the body of the Army you have overthrown 2. God could have driven them at once out of you but they are left to learn us the use of our spiritual Armour without an enemy our prowess would not be proved our graces would not be tried our warlike discipline shewed our watchfulnesse excited our strength exercised Vertue lies along without an Enemy 3. We forget our state which is a warfare we fotget it if we admit thoughts of ease or fainting we are to carry our weapons in the one hand while we work in the Lords work with our tooles in the other hand we must fight that we may work and fight out our way Our walk cannot be maintained and held on but by a warre and we warre that we may walk 4. They should be so farre from hindering that they should raise our courage and heat cause us to smite our flesh with sorer blows make us beat down our bodies and bring them into subjection and teach us a point of heavenly wisdome in this warre that is to single out those sins as our special enemies and as the flesh's troops and life-guard say See here be these hellish villains and fall on with a shout against them 5. They should make us the more to think of our Leader and Acter the Holy Ghost and to say should such a man as I flee for fear who of Gods Saints and Souldiers would do it to save his temporal life or estate nay if the rebellion should grow hot high and prevalent yet fight the more and if we be made to cry out Wretched men that we are who shall deliver yet never cease so our holy Apostle Rom. 7. 23 24. gives us himself for a president 6. And indeed there is no cause of fainting and flagging for in the way of righteousnesse there is no death in this walk after the Spirit there is nothing but life and peace in the way that is called holy there is no hurtful thing molestation there may be and will be hurt and destruction there cannot be while thou art in this walk 7. Besides the maintaining of the combate is no losse in thy way the walk is speeded thou art not so much as diverted whiles thou art mortifying these earthly members for this walk is not measured by paces nor by tale of duties but by powerful conquests made over thy fleshly lusts And every resistance is a conquest 8. Let them not put thee to a disorder or an hurry keep thy minde sedate and thy walk steddy take heed of amazements the Spirit delights in a calme breast stand still and thou shalt see the salvation of the Lord and in quietnesse and confidence of faith is thy strength SECT 7. In the sixth place The sinnes of spiritual 6. The sins of the spiritual should not hinder their full dedition to the Spirit Rom. 8. 2 Gal. 5. 18. Ro. 6. 14. walkers should not hinder their full giving up themselves to the Law of the Spirit No rather should they make us to do it the more for 1. No other Law but the Law of the Spirit alone delivereth from the Law of sinne and death 2. They are not under the Law and while they were under it they could get no power against their sinnes but sinne had dominion over them therefore to go to the Law of works will not help them 3. They have had experience of the power of the Gospel that Law of the Spirit It hath broken down the dominion of sinne in them It hath broken off their hearts from the love of sin
in the love of sin lyes the dominion of sin and it will enable to mortifie the deeds of that body of death It fills with the fruits against which there is no Law and it sets the soul at liberty 4. They are no debtors to the flesh they owe it neither suit not service but they are debtors to the Spirit they owe all they are and have towards salvation unto him 5. They are servants to righteousnesse the Covenant of their hearts when Ro. 8. 17. they first knew the grace of God in Christ to sinners in truth and they first saw the Son in the Gospel and believed on him was to be bound servants to righteousness and disavow the service of sinne And the Covenant of grace sets them free from sin that they might be the more servants of righteousnesse which is absolute and perfect liberty and this it doth for those that were servants of sin and free from righteousnesse which is absolute and perfect vassalage Who would run from his liberty to his bondage Who would be at full liberty who is daily and hourly threatened and dogg'd by that which would bring him into bondage and slavery A slave in the gallies would give himself up with all his heart to one able to give full deliverance and the more he hath felt and tasted such a powerful gracious hand the more so long as he is in any danger would he give himself up fully into such a hand Quest But do those that retain their integrity do as well as they can and as they might according to the measure of grace received and according to the means of grace which they do enjoy because some Ministers urge this much and do lay some stresse upon it when they exhort Christians to do what they can and comfort them if they do what they are able and it is usual with all in whom no work of grace discovereth it self in the conversation to plead and rest much upon this that they do and will do as God shall give them grace as if there were no fault in them and as if rather the fault were in God who giveth them no greater a measure Answ This is a certain truth There is no man that ever lived since the fall of our first Parents that walketh up to the light he hath received of God or to the means which God hath given him or hath done all that he might according to the gift and ability which he hath received he is a sinner against his light he Ro. 2. 3. hath his own thoughts accusing many times he pollutes himself in his own gifts Both Jews and Gentiles are guilty in this kinde and as for the regenerate First They have a will graciously inclined so to walk but this will is yoked with another backward crosse and thwart will which although it be subdued and be as it were under tribute yet it is not quite destroyed and sometimes it is up in rebellion and leads them Captive they cannot do what they would Secondly Their renewed will doth rule their walks and that so farre as to the measure of grace received and of the means enjoyed in a prevailing proportion I say prevailing so farre as to a greater strength than they themselves had before they had that measure and enjoyed that means but not to a proportion of strength that answers fully the measure received and the means enjoyed No Saint on earth which doth all that he ought to do No Saint on earth that doth all that he might do and therefore we must be humbled for our failings stirre up the gifts that are in us watch against spiritual slothfulnesse and negligence suffer the word of exhortation take heed of quenching the Spirit and of despising prophesying or faithful preaching and live by faith in the Lord Christ for righteousnesse and for strength Hitherto of the explication of this comfortable truth SECT 8. The demonstration of this doctrine The demonstration of rhis truth four ways in the general is worthy consideration or the reasons why comfort and assurance are not destroyed by the sinnes found upon those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit 1. Because of the Covenant of Grace under whâ—ch they are If they were under the Law if they were to stand or fall by the Covenant of Works their sins would condemn them but they are under the Gospel the Law of faith and that proclaims a Jubilee unto them Not that the Gospel allows of any sinne it forbids all sinne These things saith John I write Isa 61. 1 2 unto you that you sinne not It is as full and strict in forbidding all sinne and as severe in condemning all sinne as the Law is or can be and that to those who have received the free-gift even the justification of life and the Spirit of Grace and of Adoption It is the voice of the Gospel Abstain from all appearance of evil from all kinde of sinne and from all appearance of sinne of what sort soever it be It destroyes the dominion of sinne which thing the Law cannot do because the Law neither knows of a Ransome nor giveth the Spirit to renew sanctifie and priviledge and form to Adoption but the Gospel ptoclaims a Jubilee in that it brings in Christ a sinne-offeriâ—g a Ransome an Advocate with the Father and a Propitiation and in Christ it brings in God reconciling them to himself not imputing trespasses God in Covenant merciful to their transgressions and remembring their sinnes no more and through Christ God pouring out the Spirit of grace and supplication and sending the Spirit of his Sonne into their hearts God accepts them in Christ the beloved and by his Spirit through the Gospel he is perfecting that which concerns them never forsaking the works of his own hands in the regeneration he is accomplishing all the good pleasure of his goodnesse towards them and the work of faith with power in them 2. Because of the indissolublenesse of the chain of salvation in which in their effectual calling they are actually taken half off and in their justification they are actually acquitted from their sinnes and from damnation and adjudged unto everlasting life 3. Because it is not they that do commit sinne it is their flesh that Ro. 7. 25. Gal. 5. 24. doth them which they hale to the Crosse and have and do crucifie And while the Spirit leads them and hath the guidance of their conversation what ever sinne there is with them it is but of an enemy troubling and yet kept under 4. That which any man soweth that Gal. 6. 7 8 shall he reap now these believers sow not to the flesh but to the Spirit but because they yet have many sinnes and many a brush by them they sow in tears neverthelesse they go forth they carry precious seed with them sowing Ps 126. 5 6. they will be while they have time be the season a dirty winter season therefore
they shall reap in joy they shall doubtlesse come again and bring their sheaves with them they shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting SECT 9. Come hither all you to whom the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ is come The uses 1. Of information in foure things and inform your judgments in these following truths which arise from this comfortable doctrine 1. Consider what is wrought for and in a poor sinful creature before he can attain to this to walk after the Spirit First the Word of Gods grace the Gospel of salvation is preached by the Apostles with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven and by Pastours and Teachers sent of Christ who in his exaltation to glory in heaven hath received and given these gifts for men this Gospel is brought even unto thee in its truth and purity in these latter difficult times although false teachers have and do abound It is the first step of Gods approach in his way of saving mercy coming down from heaven to bring thee to glory Then secondly God by his Spirit through the Gospel preached which is his testimony illightens thee and reveals the things of salvation the mysteries of hidden wisdome unto thy soul Thirdly he enables thee to choose Christ Jesus and his Gospel above all other Religions whatsoever abominating them and above thine own carnal thoughts inventions lusts and ways and above thine own reason and thine own righteousnesse and the righteousnesse which is of the Law Fourthly the Spirit in and by the Gospel coming into thee sets thee free from the reign and dominion of the flesh of its mindings of its wisdome and of its wills desiâ—es affections and lusts and turns thee from its walks in which thou didst before walk and live and in which still the world lives and walks Fifthly the Spirit quickens the and gives thee life a new life life from above the life of grace which will be glory a life which is eternal in the beginning of it and being quickned and raised together with Christ sets thee on thy feet takes thee by the hand and teaches thee to go Sixthly the Spirit gives thee an heart to order thy conversation aright acording to the holy Commandments as becometh the Gospel from the power of faith and hope which set thee on high even to sit together with Christ in the heavenly places from whence thou lookest for him insomuch that thy conversation is in heaven Seventhly he gives thee power to walk after him going before thee in the Gospel engrafting the Word on thy heart and thereby counselling teaching exciting and inclining or bowing thy will as powerfully as sweetly drawing and making thee to runne in Gods ways Eighthly and with this power he gives a quick discerning and sense of the flesh and of its motions counsels and ways with resolutions mighty and prevailing to the framing of the course of the life not to walk after the flesh but to hold on thy walk after the Spiâ—it though the flesh be still contrarily lusting and working plotting and warring Thus the regenerate and spiritual though hampered and toyled with his corrupt nature walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit Doth so much go to make thee a holy liver and is not the work very great oh have not any low thoughts of this high mercy for which thou canst never sufficiently blesse the Lord nor canst retain the thankful sense thereof further nor longer than thou keepest up the thoughts of thine own and all mens alienations by nature from the life of God Believe it brethren it is not a mean despicable work to frame the conversation or walk according to the Word of Christ It is not little in it self although it seemeth to thee a small and little thing through vehement desires and longings in thee after greater progresse in the way called holy in which thy soul finds such pleasures that thou art impatient of contrary workings and of interruptions let me tell thee who thus walkest the work is so great that it carries the heart to the leadings of the Spirit and the heart is powerfully wrought upon and changed which none can bow and turn but God that made it or else it could not so powerfully order the conversation This is more then to delight in Gods Word and ways and yet that is a mighty work of grace observe for this Davids prayer Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments for therein do I delight Ps 119. 35. Ro. 7. 22 18. To will is of Gods gracious work To delight in Gods Commandments is the top and that which shews and proves the truth of the work of grace upon the soul enabling to will but to do to performe is more by farre God and Christ by the Holy Spirit have the last Phil. 2. 13. hand put to the work of salvation as farre as agreeth to his Saints in this life when the Spirit rules thy walk 2. Behold here the worth of such a Christian He is Gods workmanship in Christ Jesus created again unto good works which God hath fore-ordained that he should walk in In this walk see the man come out of Gods hands in the regeneration This is a choice creature made up to and by the will of the Spirit and his walk speaks it Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile God hath set out two admirable sights once in this sinful wicked world unto which all eyes should be turned the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world and the Israel of God delivered from this evil world redeemed from all iniquity purified to be a peculiar people to himself zealous of good works This a choice creature as for priviledges and dignity so for heavenly qualifications 3. Take here the maine reason why many under the Gospel attain not to a holy life which is this they take up with that light and with those gifts which will not subdue mortifie and crucifie the flesh they professe the Gospel but the Gospel is not the principle they live by and no other no lower will destroy the reign of sinne the holy Law will not therefore no other Religion no Institutions of Philosophy no light of the Law within man can subdue the flesh the Gospel alone if received into the heart will do it because it gives the Spirit now they by the Gospel never received the Holy Ghost the Spirit of renovation of Sanctification and of Adoption Untill this be had none can attain to an holy life 4. Take hence also the main reasons why the regenerate attain unto so little comfort for first they place not as they should the ground-work of their comfort in this That they are in Christ which this their walk doth evidence but they seek it in their walking which accompanied with sinnes and contrary lustings will beare no higher than to the power of an evidence and to a begunne work which is true but yet but in a part and
contrariety of things that stands out in these Gospel-dayes and rises so stoutly for one against another amazes the best heads and staggers yea confounds the stoutest hearts that are by place and office to manage them here are with us in one womb the old revived strugglings of the holiest and profanest the purest and the subtlest the most for power and the most denying of the power of godlinesse the most zealous and the most formal and richly goodly luke-warme the weightiest grain and the lightest chaffe the deepliest poor in spirit and the loftiest proud in the flesh the heaven-born Sons of marvelous light and the hell-born brats of thickest darknesse these cause difficulty to rule so as to foster the gracious and discountenance the wicked severing the precious and the vile Faith an active faith the faith of the Lords Heroes is the one only helpe this keeps with God in his Word for principles of Policy for upright wayes for support and courage in both against carnal counsels courses confidences and fears the worst of Counsellors These Considerations possesse whil'st with joy in God through Jesus Christ glorying in his works all honourable and glorious and in his wayes all righteous and holy with fears sorrows and prayers because of judgements impendent for the wickednesses of errors divisions profanenesse abounding and for the Magistrates sake and their concernments and for Common-weals and Kingdomes the Innes of the Church for as for the Ministers sackcloth cannot hinder the efficacy of their Prophesying and Witnesse-bearing salutiferous and destructive nor their slaughter do any more than issue forth their resurrection to the fall of the tenth part of the City to be visited and the ruine of seven thousand of men of name let the earth-dwellers the merry world of them beware For the Publishing of this Treatise besides the Importunity of many of the Commissioners of Surrey for the ejection of ignorant and scandalous Ministers who heard part of it delivered in Sermons which wrested from me a concession to their desires two things swayed with me First that in this sleight age tossed to and fro with puffes of windy vaporings which blow high and big and take with many the wholsome old everlasting and absolutely necessary truths of saving doctrine might be laid again before all mens sight to cure if the Lord will this giddinesse of head and secondly that in this notional high-flown conceited age wherein nothing is esteemed but that which goes under the name of Mysterious of a more spiritual dispensation and above Scriptural and the plain truthes of the Scripture are overlook't called low carnal and fit for none but Saints under the lowest dispensation It might be manifest that these truths only are truly heavenly spiritual Gospel-mysteries of the highest dispensation that ever shall be in this world and that upon the review and Christian-experience all might see that the other Novel speakings are low carnal beggarly things belly-breaths the issues of fleshly tumors indigested waterish tympanies and crackes of clouds without rain That I prefix your Highnesses name is an act of boldnesse for which pardon is humbly craved I adventured on it that I might acknowledge the encouragement given to my Ministery two years since at a needful time by your Renowned father now with Christ who openly and really owned it almost opprest by willing my labours at Kingston of which poor labours as they are mine these are some of the fruits presented to your most serene aspect and offered to the service of your faith What remains but prayers promised that your life may be bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord your God your person may abide in the secrets of the most High hid there even in his bosome-love in Christ your heart may remain large wise holy humble and believing your eyes may see the great Council in Parliament assembled full of grace and peace the Lords and yours to his glory and your abundant joy for the good of these Nations and of the people of Christ in all the world In you also through the advice of that your great Council it may be manifest that God doth and will still bless these Nations and make them instrumental to the ruine of Romish Babylon with all that belongs thereto and that out of illuminated zeal for the Gospels the Saints injuries and blood till the vengeance and recompence be rendred to her double which work shall be fulfilled in its time by the Lamb and his called and faithful and chosen On which work your heart set you have the Hosanna of him that waits for the mighty thunderings of the Hallelujahs and is Your Highnesses most obliged for the Gospels and the Publique good Richard Byfield The CONTENTS Chap. 1. AN Explication of the Text in its dependance and manner of laying down with three special observations giving further light to the words and with the foure great truths of doctrine three of them expressed and the fourth strongly implied in the Coherence Chap. 2. The first great truth which is this that there is no salvation by the Law or by any other means save by Jesus Christ Chap. 3. The second great truth The fulnesse of salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ and that set forth by many choice truths which the Apostle in this Text takes for granted Chap. 4. The fulness of salvation by Jesus Christ expressed in the person who is the first efficient cause he that provides this salvation God even God the Father Chap. 5. The fulnesse of this salvation in the Person who undertakes to work it out even Gods own Son Chap. 6. The fulnesse of salvation manifested in the way God taketh to save sinners by his Son Chap. 7. The fulness of a sinners salvation evinced in the outward cause moving God to give his own Sonne and to take such away to save which was the impotency and impossibility of the Law to save and the lost estate of the sinner Chap. 8. The fulnesse of this salvation in the end of Christs mission intended and attained which was the expiation of sin and the fulfilling of the righteousness of the law for and in the sinners that shall be saved Chap. 9 The fulnesse of salvation shines in the person who maketh saving application thereof dethroning corruption of nature and ruling the whole man even the Spirit the holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father and of the Son Chap. 10. The third great truth the lively description of the persons that shall be saved and do partake of this salvation by Jesus Christ viz. They are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Chap. 11. The fourth and last great truth which is The fulnesse of the assurance and of the consolation of those who are in Christ and walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit THE Gospels GLORY ROM 8. 3 4. Ver. 3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own
of greatest moment that can concerne us and our salvation and the assurance thereof laid down in open and expresse words 1. The impossibility of a sinners salvation by any means save by Jesus Christ 2. The absolute fulnesse of a sinners salvation by Jesus Christ 3. The lively description of those among sinners who do obtaine salvation by Jesus Christ And then in the connexion of these words with the former we have a fourth doctrine of excellent worth viz. 4. The fulnesse of their assurance to be out of the reach of condemnation and to be in the estate of salvation and the fulnesse of their consolation who are actually in Christ First The impossibility of the salvation of a sinner by any means saving Jesus Christ This the Apostle teacheth when he saith What she Law could not do It is that which the Law cannot do It is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impossible thing of the Law When he also saith further In that it was weak he teacheth that the Law is weak and so is unable to give life righteousnesse and salvation to a sinner and to deliver him from the Law of sin and death This is that thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which it is weak The Law is a perfect rule of righteousnesse It commands well It is a holy and exact sentencer of the disobedient it judgeth righteously but as for deliverance and salvation there it leaves a man that hath sinned and to that work it is utterly weak that is the thing in which it is weak therefore this impotency of the Law demonstrateth the impossibility of the Law to deliver a sinner And then when he saith through the flesh that is man since the fall taken with all his best abilities and they and he in them upheld by God the Creator in riches of patience and in riches of goodnesse and having in him the light of natural principles and with him the book of the Creature to read and not onely the work of the Law written in his heart but also the Law given to him from God by lively voice and written in Tables of stone and perpetuated in the holy Scripture man thus sustained and furnished with his utmost improvement which he can make of the same is but flesh weak flesh so weak that he hath brought this impotenâ—y and impossibility upon the Law the good holy spiritual and righteous Law of God which had the promise of life annexed to it Now through the flesh through man who is weak the Law becomes weak and deliverance from damnation and from sin is that impossible thing of the Law which man cannot have by the Law thus this gate to life is fast shut yet the Law is set up in its due worth and power and man cast down under his deserved blame man is laid dead to the Law and the Law dead to man as to the matter of righteousnesse and salvation Therfore also it unavoidably followeth that no other creature nor meanes can deliver a sinner for what means setting aside Jesus Christ is comparable to the Law or what creature is above the Law this is the first doctrine 2. As for the second The absolute fulnesse of a sinners salvation by Christ this is demonstrated by six powerful arguments For 1. It is GOD that provides this Saviour the Lord Jesus and the salvation that is in him God sent his Sonne If GOD will save who can destroy God the Law-giver offended the person against whom all our sins are 2. The person undertaking the work It is Gods own Sonne If he undertake it by whom the worlds were made the Sonne of the Fathers love What a salvation must it needs be and who who or what shall condemne 3. The way God took to save by him it is unspotted perfect and compleat this way was 1. By designation of him to the office of Mediatour and Saviour and to the works of that office God sending his own Sonne Sending noteth the Commissionating and actual employing in the execution of some function and work to the which he that is sent was fore-ordained selected and called and all this designing of the Sonne by and from God is of his mere grace and infinite good pleasure within himself 2. By his Incarnation God sent his Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh here is a suitable Mediatour and Saviour one that hath all right for he took to him flesh and blood and all ability for the Son of God became flesh 3. By allotting the businesse concerning which and for which he is sent It was sinne God sending his Sonne for sinne Sinne was that concerning which he came the businesse he was employed in to be a sacrifice and propitiation for sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foulest thing in the world fouler than hell he is sent about sinne to take that away to take it on him on his own body on the body of his flesh God sent him charged with sinne with the iniquities of all his people God sent him as he that had before all world 's engaged himself for sinne to take it away Go out of heaven out of his Fathers bosome he must for the businesse of sinne for sinne lay upon him and since he had undertaken the debt no rest could there be to him till he had paid the utmost farthing It was much he should be sent in the likenesse of sinfâ—l flesh but behold God sending him so and concerning sâ—nne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for sinne What businesse what work is here for Gods own Sonne to be busied about and to have any thing to do withall 4. By course of justice God condemned sinne in the flesh or in that flesh viz. which his own Sonne had at the Fathers sending taken upon him The Syriac readeth in his flesh The Sonne of God saveth by making satisfaction to Gods justice God condemneth sinne in the flesh of his Sonne and so there is no condemnation to the sinner the Sonâ—e of God in his flesh suffers sinne is said upon him and salvation is brought by redemption by ransome by payment of the debt fully charged and exacted God is gloriously and infinitely just in the act of saving a sinner Sinne is damning but in the flesh of Châ—ist sinne is damned God condemns it there Now the condemnation of sinne is the indemnity of the sinner In these four you have the way God took to save a sinner 4. The outward moving or impulsive cause because that the Law could not help and because that man had made that way to life by the Law impassable that was it that moved God thus to save The impotency of the Law made weak by man What the Law could not do God would do Our undone condition our irrevocable estate by our own default moved God to save This is also to admiration and of strong consolation 5. The end aimed at and attained The end of Christs mission incarnation and passion That the righteousnesse of the
is the stone which was set at nâ—ught of you builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given amonâ— men whereby we must be saved Let us yet see how all things are utterly unable to save a sinner SECT 2. First the Law cannot deliver a sinner 2. Not by the Law Moral as a Covenant Rom. 10. 5 Gal. 3. 10. not the Law moral neither as it a Covenant given to mankind which saith Do this and thou shalt live for so man being found to faile in doing he falls from the promised life and on the contrary the Law having this penalty covenanted cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them every sinner falleth under the curse as many therefore as will stand by the Law must of necessity fall under the curse But may A Commandment not the Law as it is a Commandment deliver us from sin no neither as it is a holy Commandment can it do it for so it manifesteth sin by the holy Commandment we come to the knowledge of sin which is nothing else but a swerving from that Ceremonial Heb. 9 â— 9 24 Col. 2. 17. perfect rule nor can the Ceremonial Law deliver the whole excellency of that Law consisteth in signifying and shadowing out â—esus Christ The Sacrifices there commanded did make nothing perfect they took not away sin for then they needed not to have been offered up to God again and again their washings and sprinklings did not cleanse the conscience that Heb. 10. 1 2 3 4. Heb. 9. 9. Heb. 10. 5. 6. Psal 40. 6 7. Gal. 3. 24. whole Law was a carnal commandment God while he required them rejected them as insufficient this was their right use to lead them to Christ and to teach that salvation was to be had in him onely and not in them Again as for the moral Law these two things the Scripture affirmes concerning it 1. The Law cannot save 2. The Law cannot save Irenaeus lib. 3. adversus Haer. c 20 Veniens lex quae data est per Moysen testificans de peccato quoniam peccator est Adam regnum quidem ejus abstulit Adae scilicet latronem non regem eum detegens homicidam eum osteodit Oneravit autem hominem qui peccatum babebat in se reum mortis ostendens eum spiritualis enim cùm lex esset manifestavit tantummodo peccatum non autem interemit dominibatur peccatum sed homini Nor was given of God to save The Law was never given of God to that end that a sinner might thereby be saved The Law cannot save for First the Law commands righteousnesse but giveth no strength to do what it commands nor restoreth any lost strength The Law promiseth life but it is to him that perfectly keepeth it It promiseth no good to a sinner Secondly none can keep the Law therefore none can by the Law attaine to righteousnesse through the weaknesse of the flesh the disability of fraile man to continue in all to do it the Law is become impotent for justification And without righteousnesse it is impossible there should be life or that there should not be death and the curse Thirdly If a sinner could keep the Law for time to come yet by the Law no good to him because he must first answer for his former transgressions and dye the death accursed of God his Maker because of them The Law was not given of God that righteousnesse and life might be Rom. 3. 20 7. 7. Ver. 9. 14. 7. Ver. 13. obtained thereby but it was given that by it a sinner might come to the knowledg of sinne that he might know what is sin that lust or coveting is sinne that our natures are wholly polluted and that we For what ends the Law was given are carnal sold under sinne who can hold no proportion to the plat-forme of righteousnesse which the Law delivers and who have on us a very necessity of sinning and that he might know the sinfulnesse of sinne It was given that it might work wrath that is the sense and apprehensions of Gods deserved wrath It was Rom. 4. 15. given that the perfect holinesse and exact rigour of the justice of it might batter down all confidence in humane goodnesse power of free-will works of our righteousnesse priviledges external or any of our performances and pound to pieces all confidence in the flesh It was given to provoke sinne It was given to Rom. 7. 8 convince of our utter disabilities It was given to arrest attach imprison the jolly Gal. 3. 22. secure sinner and to conclude all under sinne that they might be glad to come to Christ in the promise It was given that through the Law we might for ever Gal. 2. 19. be dead to the Law therefore the Law is a killing letter not a dead letter no 2 Cor. 3. 6 7. part of the Word of God is a dead letter for then it could not be of such power as to be a killing letter and the Miâ—istry of it is the Ministry of death and of condemnation Lastly It was given that unto those that being dead to it and brought to faith in Jesus Christ for righteousnesse and life it might be a rule of holy life a light and lamp and the royal Law to guide into all well-doing and contains the good acceptable and perfect will of God Now for the use of this The use to be made of this 1. truth first This confutes and condemns the folly of divers sorts among us 1. Of those that think to be saved by their good meanings good intentions or purposes their prayers and the works of righteousnesse which they have done or intend to do 2. Of those who think to be saved because they hope they do no body any wrong or because they are as they call it of a good nature and of a gentle good and loving disposition and of a sweet temper or because they break not out into great and notorious sinnes of theft murther adultery profane swearing and cursed speaking with the like or if they have been guilty of such staring abominations yet they do many good works which set against their evil works will answer for them and they are perswaded will weigh them down or they rest upon their civility and morality with the love and good report of all their Neighbours 3. Those also that think to be saved by a devotion taught by the precepts of men or by observing a form of Religion and of Godlinesse 4. Those likewise are condemned here who hold and teach and seek justification by works these so remaining can never Rom. 9. 32. 10. 3 5 6. attain to the righteousnesse of God which is not a righteousnesse of works but of faith Secondly This also teacheth the true Vse 2 and right use of
the Law as to the point of life and righteousnesse of justification and salvation which is briefly delivered by Paul who in his own person gives us one that is taught of God thereby when he saith I through the Law am dead to the Law never more looking for righteousnesse and justification of life that way that I might live unto God Gal. 2. 19. No life but through this death never thus dead but through the Law when it comes the Law comes sinne revives and we dye and this dying is the way to life even to a living unto God SECT 3. Secondly No sinner can work his own 2. A sinner cannot save himself for six reasons deliverance for 1. We are weak and without strength Rom. 5. 6. There is no strength in us to fulfill the Law no strength to satisfie the justice and so turn away the wrath of God much lesse is there strength in us to recover our lost integrity nor to keep it if we had it again restored to us no strength to help our selves to meet the Lord in the wayes of his saving grace or to choose and walk in the way that is call'd holy no strength for any service unto God 2. We are flesh and in the flesh that is wholly corrupted with sin under the power and reign of sin the poyson of the Old Serpent hath run like water into our bowels and like oyle into our bones from the spirit of our mindes to all our outward members we are leprous all unclean and soaked in iniquity conceived in sinne and shapen in wickednesse we Rom. 5. 6 8. are sinners and ungodly when God in Christ by his death comes in love and â—ity to redeem us we lie in our blooâ— untill he saith to us Live we are dead in sin and trespasses till he qâ—icken us and how can such please God they cannot do Rom. 8. 8. it 3. We are enemies unto God our Rom. 5. 10. 8. 7. Col. 1. 21. 2 Cor. 10 3 4 5. wisdome our savour and smatch is enmity unto God We are enemies in our mindes because they are on evil works our principles our thoughts our reasonings our imaginations are high things lifted up in rebellion against the knowledg of God and the obedience of Christ and as strong holds fortified and kept in a desperate Warre against the Spirit of the Lord which in the Ministry even of the Gospel comes forth to bring us into a blessed captivity and subdue us and our very hearts the worst part of man unto himself and to his obedience the carnal minde of man is not subject to the Law of God neither can be there is no good to be done with it put it off Rom. 8. 7. mortifie it crucifie it crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof for that is all the good that can be done with it good it will never be but we must be in the Spirit and the Spirit of Christ dwell in us to enable us to such work or else we have no will no heart to it Rom. 8. 13. Oh then how farre are all men from any ability to work their own deliverance 4. We see not our sinfulnesse nor our misery nor can nor will be brought to see it by any other means than by the Scripture the written Law of God which is the only glasse in which we can truly see our selves James 1. 23. Rom. 7. 7. 5. Though the Law hath not lost it's rectitude yet our weaknesse to keep it maketh the Law by accident to be the more against us And 6. Notwithstanding all this that hath been spoken we yet are full of high thoughts of our selves we are proud and secure sinners and are naturally bent to seek to establish our own righteousnesse For the use of this The consideration The use of this hereof should take us wholly off our own legs and bring us to self-denial It should cause us to deliver up our selves to the Law that we might be throughly convinced of these things and that the Spirit might be in and through the Law a Spirit of bondage in us and we might be glad at heart of a Saviour that can deliver us SECT 4. Thirdly No meer creature can possibly 3. No meer creature can save a sinner for six reasons Matth. 16. 26. 1 Pet. 1. 18 deliver us for 1. No creature is above the Law If the Law of God cannot give life it is not in the power of the creature to do it The Creator alone is above the Law 2. No creature nor the whole Creation hath in it a worth to be a price of value for a soul All the treasures of both the Indies all things in this world because corruptible things are not so excellent as a soul and the price of the Redemption thereof at the hands of God is too high for men and Angels it ceaseth for ever in respect of the creature Psal 49 6 8. 3. Whatever any creature can do he owes it for himself and does but his duty 4. Grant yet that some creature could give help could there be any salvation for then for this very cause we should be servants unto the creature and this were to bring us into bondage and not into liberty they are not their own who are bought with a price if the creature did lay down the price we were the creatures servants which to be is absolute slavery 5. Our evils are greater than can be removed by creatures yet removed they must be if any of us be saved and our good that we may be happy is greater than can be by them communicated The evil is the infinite wrath of God the guilt and damning nature of sinne standing in force and confirmed by the strength of an eternal perfect Law the Empire of sin and death the power of the Divel that strong armed man of whom we read Luk. 11. 21 22. The good we stand in need of is a righteousnesse above the righteousnesse of the Law a Resurrection as well spiritual as corporal the communication of the divine nature eternal life and a blessednesse excelling the blessednesse of Adam in Paradise and a Kingdom which cannot be shaken All and every of these are beyond any created power to give or take away 6. No creature could ever think of the way manner or means whereby we might be delivered The world in the wisdome of God upheld for some thousands of years in its wisdome and abilities by its wisdome knew not God much lesse could finde out the way of peace and â—reconciliation for sinners with the God that made them 1 Cor. 1. 21. Markinde was continued and their rational power sustained and the work of the Law written in their hearts was apparent in them and yet with all the glory of God in his works of Creation and general providence preaching to them they perished in their vain imaginations and professing themselves wise in searching to finde out
this care and concerning whom he had all these thoughts of peace for good Hitherto of the third special truth demonstrating that the salvation by Christ is a full salvation the fourth followeth CHAP. VII The fulnesse of a sinners salvation evinced in the outward cause moving God to give his own Sonne and to take such a way to save which was the impotency and impossibility of the Law to save and the lost estate of the sinner SECT 1. 4. THe outward impulsive cause of Gods giving his Sonne in the flesh to redeem and save is in these words what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Sonne c. these words considered of themselves as one entire proposition namely this the Law could not deliver a sinner for it was weak through the flesh do contain that first great truth handled before in the second Chapter of this Treatise but now take them as the Apostle here puts them in their Syntax in the Contexture woven in together with that which followeth to this effect what the Law could not do that God did by sending his own Son and then we have that which moved God to set forth this way of Redemption by his own Sonne God gave the Law and sin was provoked and the sinner dyed the sinner looked to it stood convinced it was holy just and good but the more seeking righteousnesse and life by it his weaknesse the more appearing and he unable to keep it the more he lay under the curse of it God then takes this course he 'le send his own Sonne and he shall bring righteousnesse and life to this helplesse sinner hence a fourth special doctrine offers it self proving the second general which sheweth that this salvation in Christ must needs be compleat and admirable It is this The very impossibility of the justification 4. The impotency and impossibility of the Law to save and the lost estate of the sinner is the outward thing that moved God to save him by Jesus Christ Proved ten wayes life and salvation of a sinner by the Law and the sinfulnesse of miserable fallen man which brought that utter weaknesse upon the Law was that and that onely from without that moved God to justifie and save a sinner by Christ and therefore it is a salvation glorious gracious and all-sufficient This truth is evident divers wayes 1. That which is the help when the Law cannot help must needs be high and powerful for first The Law is the only way of life which God as Creator doth give to a reasonable creature and secondly The Law is so able that being perfect and Gods own Covenant it cannot be weakned but onely by accident not by its own failing but by ours it is weak but through the flesh 2. The Law for righteousnesse and Christ for righteousnesse do stand in direct Gal. 2. 16 21. opposition yet the Law is not against the Gospel the Law drives to Christ alone the Law is fulfill'd when Christ is Gal. 3. 21 22. received the Law comes in that the offers of Christ might be esteemed which else a proud sinner would wholly neglect Rom. 10. 4 or pervert and never understand aright this is the help given of God which is the end of the Law 3. That help that is able to set flesh sinful weak flesh right in Gods High Court of Justice recta in curiâ as Lawyers speak and to put strength into it and so make up the breach so that both the Law shall stand in its full force and strength and yet the sinner be righteous and live that is altogether a Soveraign salvation but such is the help which Gods grace in Jesus Christ doth bring it puts forth its power gloriously efficacious for and upon and in sinful weak flesh 4. When that which deserves that God should cast off reprobate and condemn to hell for ever and so glorifie his justice is made the ground of giving Christ what now can be alledged to hinder if the Omnipotent All-wise and All-gracious God be able to save a poor perishing creature if Christ the Sonne of God be able to help sinfulnesse of flesh is the very ground It deserves damnation as we see in the righteous sentences of the Law in the casting away of Angels fallen in men whom God reprobates the same reprobablenesse is in the very Elect men in all of them and therefore Isa 43. 22 25. Eph. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. is this Saviour given The Prophet Isaiah pleaded for God with Israel long ago bringing in the Lord speaking in his own words on this wise Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob thou hast been weary of me O Israel thou hast made me to serve with thy sinnes thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sinnes 5. When this that all help failes and through mans own fault shall be the rise and advantage that God will take to give Isa 63. 5. his Sonne to be the Christ and Saviour this answers all objections Now thus it stands here none to help none to uphold therefore saith God my arme Isa 41. 27 28. saves No intercessor no man what no counsellor Behold saith the Lord I give one that bringeth good tydings what can no God Idol god no worship no sacrifice Lambs Rams Bullocks Rivers of oyle no price of silver or gold nor prayers nor tears of blood give help Isa 45. 20 21 22. behold a just God and a Saviour I am and there is none besides me look unto me saith God and be ye saved all the ends of the earth behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world 6. Therefore mercy was the onely motive mercy hath the miserable for its object An unchangeable purpose of love within God himself according to the good pleasure of his will was the onely proper cause causing salvation and therefore it must needs be firme as a foundation of God by grace are we saved above and against desert It is the glory of free-grace and 't is to the glory of free-grace to save Gratia non est gratia ullo modo si non sit gratuita omni modo Rom. 5 20. 3. 27 Eph. 1. 6 7. 2. 8 9. a sinner Grace is not grace any way if it be not frank and free every way 7. It must needs be done thus to shew the glory of grace superabounding when sinne and the Laws curse cannot hinder but where sinne hath abounded grace aboundeth much more and to exclude boasting that glorious superabounding grace may have the praise for ever 8. If it had been grounded upon any thing in us as the cause of this saving love we should never have dared to come near unto the holy God because we are sinful nor could our hearts have stood stable in his presence because
the saved may have no other grounds in themselves to look for mercy but their doings and ways abominable and loathsome and they might be loathing and abhorring themselves as they look to receive mercy that it might be for ever known and acknowledged by them that God doth all not for their righteousnesse but for his own names sake Mark there also how God layeth down this as the reason and ground of making Covenant with any taking them to be his people and promising to be their God For I will saith God be merciful to their transgressions and I will Heb. 8. 9 12. remember their sinnes no more Likewise this is evident from the manner of disposing the heart of the federate of him whom God receiveth into Covenant he is brought to this frame even to smiting on his breast standing aloof off not lifting up so much as his eyes to heaven in sense of unworthinesse and conscience of guilt and filth and to say God be merciful to me a sinner To be ashamed Luk. 18. 13 14. Ezek. 16. 62 63. Mâ—t. 11. 28 1 Joh. 1. 7 9. and confounded and never open his mouth any more because of his shame when God is pacified towards him for all that he hath done So also the promises made to confession of sinnes the invitations of the Gospel to the sinneburdened and sick with sin The prayers and arguments used in prayer by Gods people such as this for thy names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity Psa 25. 11. for it is great This were strange Logick a strange art of reasoning but that this is all that in us doth move God to pardon even that which deserveth damnation our sinnes our sinfulnesse and this is that only thing besides his own bowels of tender compassions which causeth him to will our salvation and to will the giving of a Saviour and to will the appointing of all means and effectual workings in and by those means useful to salvation Our lost estate by sin moved Christ to come to seek and save and moved God the Father to send him to seek and save Mark the arguings of the godly the bottome on which they fasten their foot when they sue for justification and cry for mercy Enter not into judgement for no flesh Psa 142. 2 Psa 130. 1 2 3. Jer. 14. 7. living can be justified in thy sight And out of the depths of the guilt and filth of sinne have I cried unto thee c. And Do thou it though our iniquities testifie against us for we have sinned against thee for our back-slidings are many So runs the Gospels summe This is a faithful saying and worthy of all 1 Tim. 1. 15. acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners And the subjects of the grace of the Gospel Publicans Sinners Harlots A Manasseh A Mary Magdalene 6. The pattern of Gospel-mercy Saul 1 Tim. 1. 16. with ver 12. 13. Phil. 3. 4 5 6. made a Paul Saul the pattern in what he was before conversion obtaining mercy a Persecutor a Blasphemer injurious full of Pharisaical confidence of his own righteousnesse which held his eyes blind-fold ignorant of Christ and his heart malignant to all that was of Christ and so the chief of sinners this Saul obtained mercy for a pattern these were his meritorious works his previous dispositions his free-will power to the obtaining of saving mercy the pattern in the grace abounding in his conversion the grace of 1 Tim. 1. 14. faith and love which is in Christ Jesus that is which is truly Christian the pattern in the work upon him remaining after Gal. 2. 19 20 21. Phil. 3. 5. 6 7 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15 Rom. 7. 7. to the end of the ch conversion the pattern of mercy to all sinners that shall afterwards believe in Jesus Christ to eternal life in all these through the conflicts they shall sustain in their spiritual warfare SECT 3. Be informed and directed hence in four Rom. 8. 2. The use 1. To inform us things 1. In the right use of the Law in respect of life and justification which is this first that righteousnesse cannot be had by the Law but the curse and therefore secondly Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 7. 13 look upon it that sinne may be known that sinne may become to thee exceeding sinful when thou findest that it worketh death in thee even that Law kills thee which is good holy just and spiritual thirdly make use of it to conclude Gal. 3. 23. Gal. 3. 24. Phil. 3. 8 7 9. thee under sinne and shut thee unto faith in Christ and fourthly that thou mayest be schooled unto Christ fifthly that thou mayest renounce thine own righteousnesse which is by the Law as losse and dung as offalls and dogs-meat that thou mayest winne Christ and be found in him who is true food riches and the best gain sixthly that by the body of Christ Jesus crucified for sinners thou mayest be delivered from the Law of thy first husband legally inasmuch as he is dead even Rom. 7. 4. the Law as it is a Covenant that so thoâ— mayest be free to be married unto another even to the Lord Jesus Christ risen from the dead that thou mayest bring forth fruit unto God and no more bring forth fruit unto thy self dead fruit that hath self-ability for the principle and spring and self-glorying for the end which must needs make the best of works done after the holy Law to be dead fruit carrion-like stinking and abominable 2. In the right use of the disability thou findest in the Law to help and deliver this is by accident Lay the blame altogether upon thy self for there lyeth the cause thereof let thy corrupt nature thy flesh be charged with it that the Law may be magnified and kept honourable in thy esteem and that God the holy Law-giver may be justified and cleared when he therein judgeth thee Say with blessed Rom. 7. 10 14. Paul the Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin 3. In the right use of the weaknesse and wickednesse of the flesh when thou feelest Phil. 3. 3 4 the same Have no confidence in the flesh in thy natural abilities priviledges performances Place no confidence in them for ever for flesh defiles them and makes to it self-advantage of them Never trust thine own heart any more for Prov. 28. 26. this is the property of the fool that is not wise towards God the more thou feelest the motions of sinne in thy members look out and betake thy self to Christ to free-grace so much the more Is there not a cause hast thou not weakned the holy perfect Law bring out thy sick and weak thy blinde and halt thy deaf and dumb thy leprous and dead bring them out before this Lord Messiah The great miracles he wrought in the perfect powerful present
with wisdome irresistible to witnesse to the truth with courage undaunted yet attended with love meeknesse and soundnesse of mind and to suffer for the truth with patience invincible of which it may be said Here is tâ—e patience of the Saints These are victors Renowned Conquerors the Churches Heroes the Lords Worthies the noble Army of the Lamb. 4. Such works of the holy Ghost as respect the Ordinances as The Word In the Word the Spirit speaketh to the Churches he gave the Rev. 2. 7. 3. 22. 1 Tim. 4. 1 Act. 11. 2 Rev. 14. â—â— Word by breathing it at first into the holy men of God he by Covenant goeth along with it breaths and works in it speaks in it writes it in the fleshly Tables of the heart every part of the Word is the speaking of the Spirit even that wherein he warnes of seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils And he saith yea to Gospel sentences The Sacraments Baptisme and the 1 Cor. 12. Lords Supper The Spirit accompanieth both as the band of union he maketh the partakers to be one body together of one head By one Spirit are all believers Baptized into one body and in the Lords Supper they all drink into one Spirit All these mighty works the Holy Spirit doth in order to the work of saving application of the grace of the Son our Lord Jesus Christ and of the love of â—od the Father This is the fourth thing proposed for explication The fifth followeth which also doth greatly commend the saving work and that is SECT 6. 5. The Inhabitation of the Holy Ghost Where the Holy Ghost is given manifesting his presence in his saving working 5. The inhabitation of the Spirit where he is thus given Rom. 8. 9 11. 1 Joh. 4. 13 3. 24. there he inhabiteth or dwelleth in them the Apostle distinguishingly and searchingly putting all believers upon the trial of their estates saith Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you and this is so Characteristical that he adjoyneth now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his He that hath the Spirit hath him dwelling in him hereby also we know that God dwelleth in us and that we dwel in God and they that have the Spirit given and dwelling in them they know it 1 Cor. 3. 16 Know ye not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And for this condescension of exceeding grace how great is it for he dwelleth in them first as in his Temple his holy consecrated house and habitation he knowes no Temple or house on earth but the broken and contrite heart the poor in spirit and when he had a Temple at Jerusalem it was to signifie this and not owned of God but with respect to this Temple The regenerate Isa 57. 15. 66. 1 2 3. are his Temples the Holy Ghost makes himself an habitation and then dwels in the Temple which he hath made the glory of the work is heavenly and excellent for this Temple is an house not made with hands no nor of this building 1 Cor. 6. 19. of this kinde of make of which is this fabrick of soul and body in this visible creation although it be reared and set up in this building Again The very bodies of the regenerate are the Temples of the Holy Ghost though they be houses of clay and the leprosie of sin is not clean washed and scraped out while they live in this world Secondly he dwelleth in them as in the living members of Christs Rom. 8. 2. mystical body he is the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ their Head and from him as from their Head floweth into each of them Thirdly he dwelleth in them as he is the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus Rom. 8. 11 from the dead even in the exceeding greatnesse of that power according to the working of the might of that power which he wrought and put forth in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the above-heavenlies Ephes 1. 19 20 21 22 23. far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name of Renown that is named and Renowned not only in this world but also in that which is to come and put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Fourthly he dwelleth in them as the Spirit of the Father and as the Spirit of the â—onne he who taketh them to be his Sonnes by Adoption he sends the Spirit of his Sonne into their Gal. 4. 6. 1 Joh. 4. 8 9 10 13. hearts God is love here is love God the Father sends his Sonne into the world God the Father and God the Sonne send the Spirit into the hearts of those that shall be saved God the holy Ghost given unto them sheds abroad upon their hearts this love he dwels in them doing this work and by him the Father and the Son dwell in them from hence they cannot but say with the beloved Disciple Here is love that God through Christ by his Spirit should dwell in them that by the Spirit through Christ they should have accesse unto the Father Fifthly he dwelleth in them in all the fâ—re-named eminent and peculiar works of saving application in the presence efficacy of all his glorious salvifical Epithetes and Appellations Names and Titles he is in them the Spirit of faith the Spirit of truth the Spirit of grace and prayer the comforted the anointing the earnest and so of the rest and in this glory the Spirit dwelleth in them the Holy Ghost delighteth to fill his house with his glory and to rest there this is his in-dwelling which raiseth and advanceth all which hath been hitherto delivered SECT 7. 6. The time of the coming of the Holy Ghost Now for this great work there is a season 6. The special season of his coming in which the Spirit hath his day for as the Son came down from heaven in the fulnesse of time sent of God the Father according to the promises in the Old Testament delivered and had his day with the Church of God on earth so the Holy Ghost he came down from heaven in his proper time according to promise sent of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ And although the Spirit of God was given and wrought by the Word savingly in the times of the Old Testament and from the first preaching of the Gospel to our fallen first Parents in Paradise and down-wards in the old world and from the flood till the giving of the Law by Moses yet in respect of the promised effusion or pourings out of the Spirit and in regard of the clearnesse eminency and ample largenesse of his presence and workings as such his giving
ought to strive and wrestle taking the Gospels part against the adversaries thereof and this we should do together with all the Saints and faithful especially with those with whom we live and with them let us stand fast in one Spirit The unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God in his Gospel which is but one and the same word of truth should unite us in love and bind us to the peace with lowlinesse and forbearance and with due respect to the variety of the gifts of the Spirit which are the Spirits rich embroidery the ornament of the Church no way of themselves hindering unity and orderly employed and improved are to the singular profit and benefit of all and every one of the members of Christs mystical body 4. Sow to the Spirit lay out your substance Gal. 6. 8. and your worldly goods to spiritual uses to the maintenance of Christs Ministery and Ordinances to the promoting of the Gospel the Church all grace and holinesse and the hopes of glory Seek first Gods Kingdome and righteousnesse Mat. 6. 33. buy the truth and sell it not say not I must provide estates for my children maintain my family raise my posterity God cannot be mocked if thou honour not the Lord with thy substance thou doest but sow to the flesh and of the flesh thou shalt reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Say not I have already done this and that good work hast thou an opportunity do still more with thy wealth and temporals be not weary of well-doing the reaping time will come in due season Faint not therefore neither flag in the sowing time there is now the seed time the harvest day is to come in another world 5. Lastly as it is in this Text Walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh this duty makes up the description of the spirituals of the true Christian the person whom God hath loved to life everlasting and for whom the Sonne of God came into the world and gave himself to the death This is the second Consideration of the words of the Apostle which now cometh to be perused and that as they give us the third Doctrine which is the more necessary the more excellent than the two former are and the more desirable the more searching and differencing the children of God from the men of the world CHAP. X. Treating of the third great truth The lively description of the persons that shall be saved and do partake of this salvation by Jesus Christ viz. They are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit SECT 1. Doctrin 3. The persons for whom God gave his Son and the Son came into the world and gave himself are those that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit THe third great doctrine delivered by our Apostle in these verses this They that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit these are they for whom God sent his own Sonne to become flesh in the likenesse of sinful flesh to be a sacrifice for their sinnes and whose sinnes God condemned in the flesh of his Son that in and for them the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled or take it thus Those in whom the Spirit dwels applying savingly the love of the Father and the grace of the Sonne in them he so mightily rules that they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit That we may not be deceived in a matter of such importance as this is of let us 1. Understand the force of the words 2. Take them asunder in particular Opened in six particulars doctrines 3. And then Consider the Regency of the flesh 4. The Regency of the Spirit 5. The walk after the flesh 6. The walk after the Spirit And seventhly the uses of the whole First for the meaning of the words By flesh is meant the unregenerate part 1. The meaning and force of the words Col. 2. 18. Mat. 15. 19 20. in the sanctified believer the man as defiled with sinne the nature of man of man corrupted by sinne By flesh is not meant 1. Flesh in the substance of it the body opposed to the soul but both body and soul made flesh and carnal as carnal is opposed to spiritual there is the fleshly mind the soul as well as the body is defiled with sinne and depraved the soul defiles the body out of the heart cometh that which defiles the man by flesh therefore we must not understand the substance of flesh which is Gods Creature and therefore good and hath no cause of sinne in it for God is not the Author of sin neither may his workmanship be blamed without committing that great wickednesse of casting reproach upon our Maker This is to be held firm against the vile and pernicious opinions of all ancient Heretiques and our newly up-start erroneous spirits and against the received sayings of Philosophers and the dangerous tenets and expressions of some Divines as if the mind and soul were pure and receiveth its defilement from the body By flesh is not meant 2. Flesh in the natural desires of food sleep generation rayment recreation motion rest and if there be any thing else that accompanies the life of man in this world These are not evil in themselves it is inordinacy that makes them evil faulty and sinful Nor doth flesh note out 3. Humane wisdome and reason and the moral actings and projectings thereof All which kept within their own sphere and acting regularly are most useful to societies commendable among all and serviceable to the Kingdome of Jesus Christ Nor much lesse by flesh may be understood 4. The sparkles of the light that is born with us and in us or the reliques of Gods Image in body or soul or in the whole man Nor yet under the word flesh may we understand 5. The necessary helps of this present life as lands money friends with the like subsidiary ayds Nor 6. Natural diseases infirmities or defects of body or mind In this sense there is an honour due to the flesh and a lawful satisfying of its desires and needs and to deny them to it though Col. 2. 23. upon devout pretence is sinful and falls under that Commandment Thou shalt not kill But by flesh is meant the sinful disposition and this is called flesh not as if this sinfulnesse were first in the body for the soul the fairest part of it the top of it the mind is polluted we are strangers from God in our mindes the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 23. Col. 1. 21. of the mind must be renewed ere ever it will be good Quest Why then may it be said Is corruption of nature which is first and most notably in the chiefest faculties of the soul called flesh Answ First Because the very soul is flesh that is it is defiled with sinne and tyed down to
Kingdome Fourthly in pretending zeal for Reformation and against Gods dishonour Rev. 19. 18 and when God makes a Feast in the slaughter of his enemies to fall from the work begun and to be like Vultures and Kites and Birds of prey feeding on the flesh of Kings Captains and mighty men and â—ied by the teeth on the Collops Flanks and fat of rich Demeans Lands and Estates whereas when God giveth great reward for service done we should be the more and the more faithful in the work of the Lord. Fifthly in seeking to joyne with the sincere in building the Lords Temple that we may corrupt the structure or hinder the work like the Adversaries of the Jews Ezr. 4. 1 2 3. in the dayes of Ezrah 10. In great undertakings the flesh may rule where the enterprizes atchievements and successes are above herâ—ical and the right hand of God is lifted up on high as the Medes and Persians are called Gods mighty ones and his sanctified ones Heathens may be Saints Saints of the Isa 13. 3. most high God in this sense so these were Saint-souldiers And Christians may go farther and yet be under the Regency of the flesh First they may enquire of God by his Prophets by the Scriptures in their great expeditions but herein they are like Ahab who said there is one Micaiah but I 1 Kings 22. 6 8. hate him or they are like Johanan and his company who will needs be satisfied what the Lords minde is and promise obedience and binde it to the utmost but when they understand that it is against their minde they will absolutely refuse and hold their own will and way and Jeremy the Prophet must be charged with speaking falsely in the Name of the Lord. Jer. 42. 1 2 5 6 10. 43. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 Kings 22. 4. Secondly they may use the friendship and seek and hold correspondence with the truly godly but it is like Ahabs compliance with Jehoshaphat upon earthly grounds and for worldly ends Thus have I endeavoured to discover the flesh maintaining her state through spiritual walks the next that follows is to set out the Regency of the Spirit SECT 4. 4. The Reign of the Spirit may be seen in a six-fold discovery of his working for 4. The Regency of the Spirit in six works where he is he works and where he works he works but not as one that doth his work in a corner and his work is with efficacy and power his work is like himself thus then 1. The Spirit carrieth him in whom he is unto the Word and in the Word unto Jâ—sus Christ he carries to the Word Psal 19. 7. 119. 1. 64 which he breathed and in which alone he savingly works he that hath the Spirit saith The Law of the Lord is perfect converting 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. the soul Blessed are the undefiled in the war who walk in the Law of the Lord O teach me thy statutes The Gospel of Christ is to them the power of God and the wisdome of God likewise in the Word the Spirit carries to Jesus Christ Prov. 8. 35 he waiteth there to finde Christ and in him favour with God and life eternal he sâ—ith O that I might be found in him in the Lord Jesus Christ have I righteousnesse and strength And in the knowledge of Christ revealed in the Word the Spirit carries to faith and love which is in Jesus Christ that is which is set on Christ as the object which is formed by the Gospel Isa 45. 24. of Jesus Christ and which is truly Christian now the heart is for such faith and such love and not content with any kinde of faith in God and Christ or any kinde of love to God The Spirit is the Spirit of faith and the Spirit of love in converting a sinner to Christ the Spirit makes faith and love to abound in the exceedings above the 1 Tim. 1. 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power of inbred unbelief and hatred beyond the power and malice of men or Divels to destroy and with the living increasing aspirings to perfection from degree to degree 2. It makes very sensible of spiritual wants and evils and fills with desires like hunger and thirst after spiritual good things Where the Spirit of Christ is for where he is there he reigns that man is made sensible of the flesh even of the corruption of his nature I am carnal sold under sinne I was conceived in iniquity Rom. 7. 14 Psal 51. 5. Rom. 7. 18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwells no good These are the feeling expressions of the godly that man is sensible of his special sinnes I do know mine own iniquity and my sinne is ever Psal 51. 3. before mine eyes that man is very sensible of inward sinnes of the sinnes of his thoughts his heart-impurities the deceitfulnesse and hardnesse the desperate wickednesse of his heart so that it needs a new Creation and the renewing of a right Spirit a new heart and a new Spirit that man is sensible of the evils of his best Isa 64. 6. works all our righteousnesses are as a menstruous cloth that man is sensible of the utter need he hath of Christ for righteousnesse and for strength and of his want of spiritual blessings and saving graces A poor empty vain foolish and lost creature he findes himself without Christ without God and without hope his invincible desires are after reconciliation Cause thy face to shine Lord lift thou up Ps 80. 3 7 19. Psal 4. 6. Hos 14. 2. the light of thy countenance upon us Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously these invincible desires after reconciliation through Jesus Christ to enjoy Gods reconciled face in the Atonement made in the blood of his own Sonne are in that Psal 4. 6. Psal 26. 3. 17. 15. 30. 5. 63. 3. man set to attain it to retain it being had and to recover it if any way lost and to walk in the light of this his countenance as his true blessednesse and chief good that mans desires also are invincibly set after renovation Create in me a clean heart O God Turn us and we shall Ps 19. 15. Ps 51. 10. be turned 3. It filleth full of grace and supplications with mournings bemoanings and self-abhorrings Jer. 31. 16. Zach. 12. 10 11. Ezek. 36. 31. 16. 61 Ro. 6 21. Ezra 9. Jer. 31. 18 19. the confusion and shame for sinne wrought by the Spirit given is voluntary and of choice not without some pleasure taken therein I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sinnâ— the confessions of sinnes guilelesse and open-hearted without hiding and cloaking and with holy blushings in Gods presence this is true of him now ashamed 4. The Spirit where he cometh he giveth a new light even the light of life a new savour and rellish to
minde and rellish the things of the Spirit new inclinations a new bent of soul a new by as on the will set fixed centered and pointed Heaven-Ward God-Ward Christ-Ward 5. The Spirit disposeth to do all good first from a spiritual principle of faith Ephes 5. 9 1 Tim. 1. 5 unfeigned of a heart purified of a good conscience and of love Secondly with a godly force and impulse Thirdly in obedience to the Word and by the Rule of the words of the new creature made up of the Word Fourthly with a searching heart a Spirit making diligent search that all be done with repentance because of the evils of the best we do and with faith in the blood of Jesus Christ for acceptation for our repentance needs still to be repented of and none can live an houre in the sight of God any other way than by faith in Jesus Christ Fifthly and unto high and supernatural ends as 1. To the glory of God and not to our own praise and glory 2 To the salvation of our own souls and others 3. To the increase of grace in our selves and in others 4. And to the adorning of the Gospel and of our holy profession And that all may thus be done the Spirit disposeth to delight in the Law in our inner man to rejoyce to work righteousnesse to glory and make our boast in the Lord Jesus and in him only to serve God with our spirits in the Gospel of his Sonne to solace our selves in fellowship with Christ and through him with the Father by the Holy Ghost according to the Covenant of Grace now set forth fully in the Gospel It disposeth to follow the Lord fully as did Caleb and Joshua Num. 14. 24. in the times of murmurings declinings and evil and hard reports brought upon the wayes of God to walk with a right foot in the Gospel when patties and divisions tempt to dissimulations and haltings To make more streight steps to our paths and strengthen our feeble hands and knees in all pursuits of holinesse with peace and quiet submission when sore persecutions abide or threaten us 6. The Spirit at his first entrance into a sinner in his renewing act and presence heals the soul for ever of sore and grievous wickednesses which shew their poyson with strength in every natural man they are four First Impenitency such a hardnesse of heart that it cannot repent but it abuseth Ro. 2. 3 4. the riches of the goodnesse of God their Creatour and the riches of the patience and long-suffering of a gracious God Repentance unto life Christ giveth and in the Regenerate a spring of godly sorrow is opened and the flint-stone of the heart before hard as a Rock now gives floods before he had a heart that could not repent and now he hath an heart that cannot but mourn for sinne Secondly Pronenesse to be scandalized and to take offence 1. At the afflictions Mat. 13. 21. tentations and persecutions which comes for the Gospels sake 2. At the fewnesse meannesse infirmities sinnes and sorrowes of the godly 3. At Joh. 6. 60 61. 1 Cor. 1. 23 the truths of the Gospel crosse to our corrupt sense and reason 4. At Christ crucified 5. At the simplicity of the Gospel and of the Gospel-Ordinances their poor mean out-side and among them of plain edifying preaching in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power and not with wisdome of words nor Philosophy and such vain deceits 6. At the purity of Gods commands the hardship of mortification the strangenesse and as we naturally think the unreasonablenesse and folly of a Saints life the life of a stranger and pilgrim the life of faith what can we be Saints on earth shall we live like no body we must live and wee 'le trust God with our souls when the Spirit comes he works such great love to the Word that nothing shall offend them such knowledge and assured faith of the Messiah the great Prophet who hath the words of eternal life and Ps 119. 165 Joh. 6. 68 69. none but he that they shall never go away from his blessed Gospel although at the first they are not able well to apprehend many truths there delivered Thirdly The hatred of the godly and of holinesse and the speaking evil of both when the Lord by his Spirit gâ—aciously visits their souls now they have another language they glorifie God for and in the godly to whom before they 1 Pet. 2. 12 could not afford a good word now they are to them the only excellent ones in the earth holinesse hath now their hearts and that for ever and therefore the Saints are their delight Fourthly Insensiblenesse of and under spiritual plagues now they feel and fear Isa 63. 17. Zeph. 3. 18. and pray against a heart hardening and hardened under afflictions and from Gods fear they mourn for the famine of the Word for the want of the solemn Assembly the taking away of faithful searching preaching they fear to be left to their own hearts to walk in their own counsels they are sensible of the hiding away of Gods face and of losse of the joy of Gods salvation they fear to have their Table made a snare and to have their temporal blessings cursed to them and not sanctified to them they know it for a great curse to have successe and prosperity in an evil way A spirit of slumber and carnal security they so dread that they love an awakened and preserve atender conscience an awakening Ministery and dare not live without a watch set chiefly over the heart and mouth and in holy jealousie over themselves they pray Ps 141. 3. Ps 141. 4. to God that he would set the watch they so fear the prosperity of wicked men and the heavy judgment to be left of God to incline in heart to the liking of their condition and estate that it is their earnest prayer that they may never choose or desire in heart to eat of their dainties Thus of the Regency of the Spirit SECT 6. 5. The walk after the flesh is a life led First After the course of the world 5. What the walk after the flesh is in eight things Eph. 2. 2 3 after the will of men in their religions idolatries superstitious vanities and the inventions of men in doctrine and worship in Philosophy and wisdome of words devotions and wayes of Religion Traditions and Commandments of men to teach the fear and service of God there are that speak of the world and the world will hear them the world hath not only his profane ones but his sacra his 1 Pet. 4. 3 holy things and the world hath his just ones and his devout and holy ones here lies one special part of the way and course of the world and so is the will of men that people should walk after that course but so is not the will of God To live after the course of the world is to live
the first is justified by faith freely of free-grace through the righteousnesse and redemption which iâ— in Jesus Christ and in his blood this is most true the great truth of the Gospel and it is of the same Gospel-truth that the â—ust the justified sinner now made just and righteous by faith and whose heart God hath purified and sanctified by faith the just shall live by his faith for the righteousnesse â—phes 1 6 2. 8 9. whereby he stands righteous iâ— revealed from faith to faith and not first to faith and then afterwards to works and he is still by free-grace accepted in Christ the beloved and is what ever he is by the free-grace of God We are saved by grace through faith and that is not of our selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Salvation is by faith that it might be of grace were it of works it were no more of grace Will any say grace is not grace Why sayest thou I but I can do nothing I have done nothing I still sinne after forgivenesse I have upon me a very necessity oh my dayly sinnes and debts what will become of me for my sinnes since God hath graciously visited and called me Do we not see the Answer live by faith upon free-grace and upon the redemption which is in Christ as thou didst at first when thou wast nothing but sinne God hath begun thy salvation by faith and he will never turn thee over to the Law again to be perfected by it Wilt thou begin in the Spirit and then go to be made perfect by the flesh Fourthly That all that is required of us even repentance faith and uprightnesse as well as perseverance is promised given undertaken for and wrought by God the Father and by Jesus Christ the Sonne of the Father and by the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father and of the Sonne Why sayest thou despondingly I cannot repent I cannot believe I have a deceitful heart I cannot be rid of hypocrisie vain-glory and secret self-confidence art thou sensible of these condemn them judge thy self for them and go to him as a child to a father through Christ by the Spirit according to his Word for power to repent believe and to walk uprightly Owning thy disability look to him who whiles and in the bidding exhorting and promising giveth and worketh what he commands Say Turn thou me and I shall be turned Lord I desire to believe help thou mine unbelief accomplish in me all the good pleasure of thy goodnesse and the work of faith with power Take out of me the heart of stone and give me an heart of flesh give me a new heart and a new spirit and put thy holy Spirit into me which shall cause me to walk in thy Statutes and to do them Lift up thy drooping soul and say Let him command what he will who gives what he Commands and gives by commanding Fifthly That free-grace is the ground of all and abounds through all and reignes above all to eternal life Why sayest thou as one discouraged The sense of my sinne and guilt abounds how then can I have comfort In thy self thou canst not loath thy self upon the account of thine own righteousnesse thou canst not but in God in Christ upon the account of his free-grace thou mayest and mayest the more for all the mercy of this Covenant of loving kindnesse peace and salvation was and is for sinners guilty sinners chief sinners that were under sinne and death in their power and for no other that where sinne abounds grace might super-abound and was and is from free-grace above and against desert Sixthly That Jesus Christ is the second Adam and the Covenant is within and in him with us Why sayest thou How can it be that Christs righteousnesse should be mine how can any be perswaded of this Why sayest thou not How can the Rom. 5 12 and forwards to the end of the Chapter first Adam involve me in sinne and death is not the answer clear and full He is the first Adam and is not the answer as clear and full Jesus Christ is the second Adâ—m this he is to all who are in him thou findest the first Adam's disobedience hath made thee sinful and brought in death upon thee place thy self under the Word of faith receive what God there testifieth to be true and why not for God is true and thou shalt feele that the obedience of Christ will make thee righteous the fâ—ee-gift will come upon thee unto justification of life In this thing Adam was a fâ—gure of him that was to come even or the Lord Jesus Christ the second Adam SECT 4. In the third place Mark well The sinnes 3. Falls and backslidings though repeated shall not condemne the spiritual walker of those that walk after the Spirit shall not hinder the benefit of Christs salvation from them no not their falls in their walk not their back-slidings nor their relapses into the same iniquity again The Apostle boldly affirms there is ro condemnation to them tâ—ey are in Christ and to them that are in Christ there is no conâ—emnation They that are in Christ have the benefit of all the salvation which is in him salvation is full where there is no condemnation They sinne but Christ is their Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2. 1. Jer. 31. 18 19 20. Christ is their propâ—tâ—atâ—on They bemoan themselves for their untractable hearts God owns them for children dear by Adoption in Christ Jesus he spares and pities with fatherly yearning bowels as Ps 103. 13 14. Their falls was said before And as for their falls their falls are with rising again with as it were another conversion with a new setting in joynt again They grow better by their falls as did David and Peter not that it is ere the better that they fall or that they are better than those that hold on their way and walk in uprightnesse without falls but thus they are better than they were before they fell they recover the fall and walk on with the more self-denial watchfulnesse holy jealousie speedy stedfastnesse and redoubled zeal and power they were over-taken in a fault and they run the faster tread the streighter and surer They did the Lord dishonour and disservice they now mind the more his honour and some higher service if none fall in their way they will make famous to his honour their own shame owned in repentings but nevet more come near the very appearance of commission or perpetration of such sin by their good will Their falls therefore shall not hinder their salvation No nor their back-sâ—idings I distinguish Their back-slidings them thus A fall into some particular sinne A back-sliding is a departing from the faith or from the holy way back-sliding is of the nature of Apostasie in doctrine or practice there is a new Religion and another frame of conversation in back-sliding As Apostasie is