is certainly abiding us 6ly We should never be jealous that the Cross will tend to our prejudice but believe it will tend to our profit seing God designs to bring us to Glory for Grace must reign through Righteousness into eternal Life And 7ly Ye would try your state to Justification as ye would try your right to Glory Verse 31. What shall we say then to these things If God be for us who can be against us HEre the Apostle by way of interrogating what shall we say then to these things infers the truth and sufficiency of the Comforts formerly laid down because when he says What shall we say to them imports that we can say nothing to them And afterwards from this he concludes a triumphant Defyance against all the Opposition that can he made to their Salvation under the Cross and that is because it appears by the Comforts formerly laid down that God is with them that is God is Friends with them they have fellowship with him and he assists them against all the Opposition that is made to their Salvation Observe here 1st That the Comforts formerly laid down are real and sufficient and that proven so by the Experience of all Saints The Comforts formerly spoken to are the Certainty of Glory and its preferable Good to the Evil of Afflictions that we are saved by Hope that the Spirit helps our Infirmities especially in Prayer that all things work together for our Good especially Afflictions and tâ— our love to God and Calling according to purpoâ— are Pledges thereof that we are Predestinate toâ— conformed to Christs Image and sharers of his â—viledges that Predestination has put a sure Conâ—ction betwixt Calling and Glory From this 〈◊〉 inferr that the Enjoyers of these Comforts are 〈◊〉 excuseable for their being prevailed upon by dâ—couragements under the Cross 2ly This tells 〈◊〉 that Ministers when they comfort People undâ— Crosses should afford them plain and unquestioâ—able Grounds of Consolation that cannot be contâ—dicted such as the Text says here we have nothiâ— to say against Observe next that the Enjoyers of these Comforts may conclude that God is with them Froâ— this I inferr 1st That these Comforts are sure Marâ— of a state of Reconciliation 2ly I inferr that thâ— are certain Pledges of Divine Assistance against opposition made to our Salvation 3ly I infer thâ— they are real Evidences of Spiritual Communion betwixt God and us Observe 3ly That while Saints are under the Cross their is much opposition made to their Salvation It 's clear 1st By their Corruptions being irritate by the Cross 2ly By the Devils taking advantage by the Cross to tempt us 3ly It appears by the Worlds insulting over the People of God while they are under the Cross 4ly It appears from the Challenges of Conscience for sin that they are lyable unto while under the Cross This says that we have not only need of Patience to bear the Cross but we have need of Watchfulness against that opposition that is made to our Faith under the Cross and we had need to pray for strength against that opposition much more than for Deliverance from the Cross Observe 4ly That this Opposition is all succesless because it is limited by Providence and we have strength afforded us by the Spirits Influence against it Vse This is comfortable to People under long continuing Crosses 2ly This invites us to bring our Faith up to that triumphantly to defy all the opposition that is made against it Verse 32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all How shall he not with him freely also give us all things HEre the Apostle as he had in the former Verses comforted the Saints under the Cross by telling them that God would secure and defend them from the evil of it by giving them many sensible Supports for that end So likewise in this Verse he doth comfort them by telling them of his readiness to confer Favours upon them and this he confirms by the Love of Christ to them and by the Love of the Father in giving Christ Observe 1st That there is an abundance of Spiritual Things that the afflicted Christian stands in need of Here the Apostle says they may expect an All of things They have need of Pardon to be intimate to them and that because the Cross is really an Effect of Paternal Displeasure and People under the Cross are ready to be jealous of God anger as a Judge 2ly They have need of Grace to prevent the irritation of their Corruption 3ly They had need of Patience under the Cross because of the continuance of it 4ly· They had need of Repentance because the Cross leads them to it 5ly They had need of Comfort because they are called to suffer with joy and cheerfulness under the Cross alse well as otherways 6ly They had need of Deliverance to prevent their overwhelming under the Cross and they had need of the Blessing of the Cross to make it effectual for their good Use This lets us see how much we are in Gods Reverence therefore we should be loath to offend him 2ly This tells us that afflicted Folks should be much in Prayer for the supply of their wants and other Folk should pray for them 3ly They are called to be very humble seing they have so great need of so many things in their afflicted Condition Observe 2ly That God is very ready to give bountifully to his People in their afflicted State As appears 1st By the compleatness of their Pardon Psal 85. 2ly By the fulness of their Comfort 2 Cor. 1.6 3ly By the sufficiency of their Grace against Temptations 2 Cor. 12.8 4ly By their innumerable Deliverances Psal 71.15 5ly By the seasonableness of these Deliverances Psal 46.1 6ly By their unexpectedness Psal 126.1 7ly By their Deliverance being above their Merite Isaâ— 57.18 8ly By the Communication of Light to them Prov. 3.8 Psal 25.8 Use of Reproof for the narrow Thoughts we have of the Bounty of God towards us in our afflicted state 2d Use of Exhortation to exhort us to have large Desires and Expectations suitable to this large Bounty 3ly It reproves us for repineing under Crosses seing God puts us in that Condition of purpose that we may be capable of having the Experience of the Expressions of his Bounty 5ly Do not shift a Cross seing God can by the Expressions of his Bounty make it both pleasant and profitable 6ly Do not obstruct the Expressions of his Bounty by Unbelief Impenitency and neglect of Prayer 7ly Labour to observe the Expressions of Gods Bounty to confirm your Faith to excite your Love and Thankfulness Observe 3ly That thir Expressions of Love are freely given because they exceed and go beyond our Faith Psal 31.21 2ly They go beyond our Merit Isay 57.18 God will deliver us even when we are guilty of Treachery towards him Jer. 3.20 21. This teaches us Humility and confidence in Prayer Observe 4ly All thir
and it lyes in the undergoing to all Eternity the Effects of his displeasure as a just Revenging God punishing all disobedience to his Law And that this Eternal death is surely connected with the prophane course of a Carnal Mind Appears 1st Because that the Law binds over all the Transgressors of it to endure this Death The Wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 Now there 's non can evite the Accomplishment of this Law-Threatning but such as are in Christ and the Carnal-minded Man is not so while he remains Carnally Minded 2ly It appears that the course of the Carnal minded Man tends to Death because while he is in that course of Life the Gospel and all it's promises are unsavoury to him and so he cannot be in case to follow the Counsels therein proposed for escaping Eternal Death Use 1st Seing that such persons are running to Death it serves to reprove them that are in this case that are very secure and fearless expecting that they will go to Heaven notwithstanding of their wicked course of Life This security of theirs may arise 1st From their Morality leaning to that 2ly From their Formality 3ly From their immunity from present Trouble 4ly From the exercise of their common Gifts 5ly From their Carnal Policy they make a Covenant with Death and Hell Isai 28. They think they have wit to escape the Wrath of God let it burn never so hot 6ly This security comes from the Flattery of bad Ministers and false Friends A second Use of Exhortation And that First To the Carnally minded That they would consider what is the danger of their Condition and what is the remedy thereof And 2ly To Ministers and other Godly People to pity such and do what they can in their station to prevent the danger of their Folks A Third Use is to instruct us in the miserable condition of such who not only are lyable to Death but the whole tendency and labour of their Body and toil of their Mind during the course of their Life while they are in that state is to involve them more and more under Eternal Death Next Observe To be Spiritually Minded is Life and Peace and therefore the Man that walks after the Spirit is free of Condemnation The Life of Grace follows on Spiritual Mindedness and the Life of Glory is connected with it see Rom. 8.13 This is a singular advantage to have spiritual Life For 1st It is the best kind of Life the Animal is better then the Vegetative Life the Rational is better than the Animal and the spiritual Life is better then the Rational 2ly It is the end of Christ's Death John 4.10 3ly It is the same Life that he possesses 1 John 5.11 4ly Tho it be obscure to Sense yet it is sure to Faith Col 3.2 5ly It is a Life from God springing from his Gracious presence It makes a Man live with God to entertain Converse with God and disposes him to live to God to give him much Self-denying Obedience Now spiritual-mindedness encreaseth this Life because to be spiritually-minded is vigorously to act this Life and the vigorous acting of it encreases it From this we may see That Christians may blame their own Carnality for the want of the encrease of spiritual Life 2ly Since the Apostle to prove that Spiritual Mindedness is inconsistent with the state of Condemnation adduces this Argument that spiritual Life attends spiritual Mindedness from this he warrands the Christian to conclude from his spiritual Life that he cannot be condemned and indeed it is a good Ground for such an Conclusion for spiritual Life is begun Gâ—ory Likeas the Christian is hereby taught to be induced to spiritual Mindedness because it is attended with this advantage the encrease of spiritual Life Tho the World look on spiritual-mindedness as folly yet this again should make them look on it as true Wisedom The next Advantage following on spiritual Mindedness is Peace which includes in it Peace with God peace with our own Conscience and freedom from the disturbance of Lusts The spiritual-minded Man has Peace with God because he has an Union with Christ he has peace with his own Conscience because he lyes near the Communication of saving Light whereby he may discern his Interest in Gospel-Priviledges 3ly He acquires freedom from disturbance frae his Lusts because Spiritual-mindedness lessens a Mans inclination to Sin Verse 7. Because the carnal mind is Enmity against God For it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be HEre the Apostle proves That the unrenewed Man is lyable to Death and Condemnation Because the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God That is it is an irreconcileable Enemy to God and this he proves because the Carnal Mind cannot comply with the Law nor be subject to it There are three Things observable in the Text 1st That the carnal and unrenewed Man is God's irreconcileable Enemy 2ly That the unrenewed Man cannot be subject to the Law nor comply with it And 3ly The Man that is God's Enemy is lyable to Death For here the Apostle proves from the Enmity that the carnal Man hath against God that former Assertion That to be carnally minded is Death For the First Observation That the Unrenewed Man is God's Enemy it appears from his carriage towards Gods Law 1st He contemns its Authority 2ly He vilifies the Rewards that are promised to the Obedience of it 3ly He defies the Threatnings of it Deut. 29.19 4ly He dislikes the Matter of it Secondly It appears from his Carriage towards Gods Spirit As 1st He rejects his Testimony for the Gospel 2ly He resists his Motions 3ly He traduces his special Operations whether his Works of Miracles or his Works of Sanctification in the hearts of the Godly Thirdly It appears from his Carriage towards the Gospel he slights the Acts of Grace contained therein Matth. 22.5 He rejects the revealed Mysteries thereof 1 Cor. 2.4 He is an Enemy to the settlement of the Ordinance of the Gospel and a great Enemy to the serious Preachers of it Fourthly This Enmity kythes by his Carriage towards the Providence of God for as the Corrupt man is ready to deny the Being of God Psal 14.1 So he is ready to deny the Being of Providence Zeph. 1.12 And 2ly He is a great Reflecter upon Providence Mal. 3.13 And Fifthly this Enmity appears in his Carriage towards the Godly his Calumniating and Persecuting the innocent Godly tells that he hates the Image of God And Sixthly He is an Enemy to God because he desires never to think on him he would fain have God far from him he saith to God Depart from me Job 21. Vse This speaks the Folly of the unrenewed Man who loves to be at enmity with so powerful and good a God 2ly It speaks the Wickedness of his Heart since he keeps emnity at so holy a God 3ly It speaks his Ingratitude since he is an Enemy to his Benefactor 4ly It lets us
their Love to God and that they may try whether they Love God even under hâ— Afflicting-Hand Vse Seing this Providence is so reasonable â— your Heart comply with it and let it be the ocâ—sion of the Exercise of all these Graces to you and that your Heart may win to a complyance with it Labour 1st to be Mortified to the Vanity of thâ— World 2ly Labour to Mortifie your Predomâ—nants which alienate you from the Cross as takinâ— away the Fewel from these Lusts 3ly Labour to a firm Faith that your Sufferings will not neithâ— can marr your Glory 4ly Be often considering That a part of your conformity with Christ stands â— this and that your Sufferings are an Moral meaâ— appointed of God to make you meet for Glory Use 2d If this be our appointed Lot Let uâ— rather be desirous to have the Blessing of it then tâ— be quite of it Vse 3d. It reproves those who stumble at thâ— Providence and that have their Mind alienate from Religion upon that account Observe 6ly The description that is given oâ— right Suffering it is called a Suffering with Christ which is a testifying the same Truth that he testified unto 1 Tim 1.13 It is not a Suffering for maintaining of Errors or for committing of Crimes 1 Pet. 4.13 2ly It is an imitating of Christ in the manner of our Sufferings which takes in a Suffering flowing from the like Principles that his Sufferings did flow from such as Love to God Jo. 14.31 Love to the People of God Jo. 15.12 Rev. 1.5 Self-Denyal and Humility Phil. 2.3 4. Patience 1 Pet. 2.22 Heb. 12.3 and Faith Heb. 12 2. Jo. 17.2 3. 3ly The imitation of Christ in the manner of his Suffering lyes in this that the forest Sufferings did not hinder him to be Active in Duty so far as was possible he went about doing good Acts 10. He comforted and warned his Disciples under his Agony in the Garden Matth. 27. 4ly This Imitation lyes in the entire submission to the disposal of Providence not my will but thine be done says our Lord. 5ly This Imitation lyes in our meekness towards our Persecutors Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing was the Language of our Saviour on the Cross And 6ly This imitation lyes in not declining the variety of sufferings and the extremity of them Use 1st Of Tryal To try whether we imitate Christ in the manner of our suffering Use 2d Of Imitation Motives to this Duty are 1st He is proposed as our Patern Heb. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.21 Motive 2d is The Issues of his Sufferings are proposed for our Encouragement Heb 12 2. 3d. Motive is He was Innocent and we are Guilty 4th Motive is His Sufferings took the sting out of our sufferings Verse 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us THE Apostle in the former Verses having encouraged Christians to suffer for Christ from these two Grounds The one is That their suffering Lot is the way appointed by God to bring them to Glory And the other is That Christs Suffering Lot was the way that he came to the Possession of his Glory He in this Verse encourages them to suffer for Christ from this Ground that there is no proportion betwixt their Sufferings and their Glory That there is much more satisfying good in their Glory nor there is discouraging evil in their Cross This is clear if ye consider That tho their Affliction causes Grief yet their Glory hath in it not only the removal of the occasion of their Grief but it affords them matter of Exuberant Joy Psal 16 last 2ly Their Afflictions do only afflict their outward Man and their inward Man is Afflicted by way of sympathy But Glory intimately possesses the Soul 3ly There is no Christian that hath all Afflictions but the Glorifyed Saint wants no comfort that is suitable to or can gratifie the new Nature 4ly The Crossed Christian hath an mixture of Comfort with his Cross both Temporal and Spiritual but the Glorified Saint his Comforts are not mixed with grief or occasions thereof no Death no Sorrow no Crying in Heaven 5ly The Number of the Comforting Ingredients that are in the Lot of the Glorified Saint exceeds far the Number of the Afflicting Ingredients that is in the sufferings of the Christian while he is in his militant state none can reckon up the particular good things that are in the Glorified state Comforts springing from Communion with God with Angels and Saints Comforts springing from the sanctity of the Soul and incorruptibility of the Body Comforts springing from Reflections on their confirmed state all these are innumerable 6ly The Evil of the suffering of the Saints is but Temporary they end with this present Life as the Text says but the Glory to come is Eternal Vse 1st Of Instruction To let us see that the voluntary Sufferings of the Saints are not condignally Meritorious of Eternal Life For 1st God can be a Debitor to none the Creature owes it self and all it hath to him 2ly The suffering Saint receives more Spiritual and Eternal Good from God even in this Life then can sufficiently compense any Evil that is in their Suffering Lot 3ly The sufferings of the Saints are Chastisements for their Sins 1 Pet. 4.17 Therefore they cannot be Meritorious 4ly The Voluntary Sufferings of the Saints have Moral defects attending on them they spring not from that degree of Love and Zeal that becomes they are attended with Unbelief and Impatience This serves for the Humiliation of sufferers for Christ and may be useful to refute the Popish Opinion anent the merit of Martyrs Vse 2d To encourage Folks to suffer for Christ For 1st It is an Honour to suffer for him To give a Testimony to that sacred Verity that he Preached see Phil. 1. last Acts 5. last 2ly Their Sufferings for Christ are short they terminate with Life 3ly They affect but the outward Man and take but away our outward Enjoyments they do not reach our Soul 4ly They consist in the loss of these things that we will want at Death whether we will or not 5ly They are Medicinal and preparatory for Heaven 2 Cor. 4 last 6ly As our sufferings abounds for Christ so our Consolations abound through him 2 Cor. 1 6. The 3d. Use is Of Exhortation to reckon the good of Glory greater then the Evil of Suffering It Exhorts us to give a firm assent of our Mind and draw a full Conclusion from the former Premisses and so deliberatly to chuse a suffering Lot for Christ in the World Helps to win to this assent and make this choice Are 1st We would labour to have a clear view by Faith of the Reality and Excellency of this Glory and to peirce through those Vails that hides it from sense the Text says It is a Glory to be revealed the Vails are the sinfulness of our state
did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified OBserve here the Apostle clearing That the Called according to purpose or the Predestinate Folks their Afflictions must tend to their Good because of this Argument that Calling Justification and Glory are the certain effects of Predestination And therefore God in his Wisdom must order Afflictions so as they must have a certain tendency to bring them to Glory at last Observe here All the predestinate Folks are effectually Called And therefore this says first That none will win to Heaven but those that are Effectually Called for Calling here goes before Glory and such as are Predestinate to Glory are Predestinate to Calling 2ly It says that the first clear discovery of Predestination is Calling A Man cannot know his Election by any other evidence then by Calling 3ly It says that this is a sure evidence thereof 4ly We see that Calling being the effect of Predestination and it being an irrevocable purpose Rom. 9.11 That Calling must as to its effect be irresistable 5ly We see that since Calling is the effect of Predestination the Foreknowledge of our Calling cannot be the cause of it and therefore our foreseen Faith cannot be the cause of our Election And 6ly Seing we see the Apostle proving that the Called according to purpose are to be conformed according to Christs Image that is they are to share of his priviledges and Glory he proves this I say by that sure Link that Predestination puts between their Calling and Glory which tells us that all Effectually Called do share of Christs Priviledges and shall after share of his Glory The Text says Whom he Calls he Justifies this says there are none Justified till they be Called and therefore the Antinomian Errour is reproveable who say the Elect are justified from Eternity Elect Paul before Conversion was a Child of Wrath even as others Eph. 2.2 2ly This says That presently upon their being Called they are Justified and therefore their Justification is not delayed till they persevere in Good Works to the end of their Life or else how should they rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God while they are in time 3ly If the Called Folks be justified then they are in a state of Friendship with God and therefore there is no Wrath in their most severe Lots Rom. 5.7 And they may with freedom use access to the Throne of Grace 4ly If the Called be justified It says their Afflictions must tend to their Good because when they know that Sin is pardoned they cannot but be sure that God will bless their Crosses to them and not make them a Curse 5ly If Called Folks be justified they should have peace in their own Conscience they may well be humbled for Sin they should not have an Tormenting fear of Hell for it 6ly If the Called be justified their Obedience should flow more from Love to God then from distrustful fears Now I clear that the Called are justified That is they are indemnified as to the punishment for Sin threatned by the Covenant of Works and they have an unquestionable Title to Life the reason is because they have a right to Christs Obedience and Suffering For the Father gives Christ to them for Righteousness 1 Cor. 1 30. 2 Cor 5. last And Christ ratifies the Gift of his own Consent and seals his own gift and the Fathers Gift by the Sacrament of the Supper Now that the Called Man is justified appears because the Called have Faith and the Gospel-Promulgation secures that all Believers are justified 2ly It appears that the Called Man is justified because God gives him of his Spirit and we know that he gives his Spirit to none but to such to whom he is reconciled 3ly The Called Man is justified because he is Just and that upon the account he has a sure interest in a perfect justifying Righteousness It is a justifying Righteousness if ye consider 1st The compleatness of his Obedience and Sufferings 2ly If ye consider That that Obedience and Suffering was for us and not for himself 3ly If ye consider that the Father appointed it to be so 2 Cor. 5. last 4ly If ye consider there were Grounds for this Appointment viz. Christs sibness to us and his consent it should be so From this we inferr that the Called since they are justified may bear the Calumnies of the World and live in the Hope of the sentential Justification of the Judge at the last Day seing they are Legally justified by Law and that Law of his own Constitution Observe All the justified shall be glorified this Glory stands as to the Body in its Clarity Immortality Spirituality and Power As to the Soul it stands in its Light in its Life in its Communion with God and in its Joy and Comfort springing from all these That Light is full and immediate we see no more through a Glass darkly but face to face It is Eternal our Sun will no more go down that Life it is a Life on from and to God it is full and abundant there is a River of Waters of Life in Heaven it is eternal as to its duration that Communion we have with God is immediate without Ordinances there is no Temple in the New Jerusalem Rev. 22. It is constant without interruption we are made Pillars of the Temple of God Rev 7 10. The Joys that follow thereon are full anâ— satisfying constant and lasting Psal 16. last Now this Glory all the Justified shall possess it as appears by the linking of Calling Justification anâ— Glory together and they are linked together by reason of Predestination Christs Merite and the Spirits Application 2ly It is sure by the nature of Justification it being a Right to Life alse well as Immunity from Wrath. 3ly It appears from Sanctification which is a Preparation for Glory and a Pledge of it Eph. 4.30 It appears from their Adoption Rom. 8.17 It appears from this that the Gospel is the Rule of Judgement the Word that Christ speaks shall judge them at the last Day John 12. It appears from the necessary Righteousness that is in the Judge And Lastly it appears from the Truth of God and the Truth of his Promise From this we infer that the Justified do share of Christ's Priviledges here such as access to God seing they are to share of his Glory hereafter and partial Conformity with Christ in this World secures our total Conformity with him in Glory in the other 2ly This says that the justified are sanctified seing Sanctification must go before Glory and it is Glory begun 2ly It says that the justified are sure of perseverance seing they that endure to the end must be saved and none but they 4ly That since Glory is connected with Justification we should hope for Heaven wait for Heaven and work out our Salvation with fear and trembling 5ly We should submit to the Cross seing this condition
apply the promises Eph. 1.13 3ly By letting them see that Christ dyed for them in particular Rom. 5.8 4ly By assureing them of through-bearing Grace 1 Tim. 4.18 2 Tim 4 12 see the Text. 5ly By perswading them of the pardon of their Sin Psal 22.5 Hosea 14.4 And 6ly By discovering the reality of their Grace under its great Tryals And 7ly By leting them see their Election and their Effectual Calling 2ly As for the time in which he gives this perswasion 1st It is when they are deeply humbled for their own Sins and the Sins of others Dan. 9. This is to keep them from fainting and to perswade them their Humiliation is accepted of God A 2d time is at their Conversion Eph. 1 13. And this is to engage them to the way of God finding it sweet and to comfort them under the mean measures of their Mortification A 3d. Time is When they are under pressures of Wrath Psal 32.5 Because their Faith cannot be kept up under the External Promise as David's Faith could not be kept up by the Promise made by Nathan A 4th Time is When they want the Ordinances and that grieves them Psal 63.3 A 5th is under the Cross Rom 5 3.5 That they may contemn the hard Censures of Men and that they may know that even Godliness wants not its advantage even in that Lot A 6th Time is When he puts them to some hard Task Joshua 1.2 3 4 5. A 7th Time is When he is about to let the Devil loose to Tempt them Matth. 3. last Compared with 4 1. and 2. An 8th Time is When they pursue it earnestly by extraordinary Diligence Directions How to come at it are 1st Labour for Sincerity Psal 36.10 2ly Entertain the motions of the Spirit and give them ready Obedience Rev. 3.20 3ly Be tender of your walk from Love to God Jo. 14.21 4ly Be much in Loving your Bretheren Jo. 15.10.12 5ly Beware of Declining Jude 20.21 6ly Be much in Exercising Grace Cant. 5 1. 7ly Beware of hardness of Heart Isai 65.14 Beware of deadness of Spirit Psal 85.5 6. Beware of Graces decay and Corruptions grouth Isai 66.6 We should endeavour after this perswasion of Love Because we can neither bear our Cross nor be willing to dye without it we cannot with confidence and courage look to the Obstructions that ly in the way of our Salvation See the Text. Without it we cannot serve God from Love and our duty will not be sweet without it For the Evils that seem to obstruct the Love of God The first of them is Death where we see that the beloved Believer must go through Deaths Tryal 2ly When it is so he is tempted to doubt of the Love of God 3ly Tho he be tempted to doubt of Gods Love he should be confident of it notwithstanding of Death For 1st They must go through Death for hereby he will try their Faith of an other Life by puting this Veil of Death 'twixt it and us 2ly To conform them to Christ who by Death entered to Life 3ly He will keep Election and Reprobation as a secret in this life 4ly To testifies his Displeasure at Original Sin Rom 8 11. And becauâ— Death here is meant of Death inflicted by persecutâ— on therefore they must go through it 1st Thaâ— they may be Witnesses to his Truth and rendâ— Persecutors inexcusable for rejecting of it 2â— For the Tryal of their Self-denyal Love and Faith And if this be so Then the People of God shoulâ— labour to prepare for Death and for this effect labour first for Self-denyal Luke 14 26. 2ly Laboâ— for Sobriety that with ease ye may part with thâ— Worlds Contentments 3ly Labour for a Heavenly life that ye may be willing to dye that 〈◊〉 may get more of it 4ly Labour to be wearied 〈◊〉 a Body of Death Rom 7 last 5ly Labour foâ— the Faith of Immortality 2 Cor 5 2. Second Observation is It is hard to believe God Love in Death 1st Because it is a Cross we have a strong Aversation from It being the dissolution of Nature and a parting with our dearest Enjoyments 2ly It appears to have something of Godâ— displeasure engraven on it Isai 38. 3ly It 's a separation from Communion with God by Ordinances ibid v 11. 4ly It 's attended with the clearest conviction of guilt and represented as an immediate forerunner of Judgement Use is That we would not wonder to see the People of God hardly put to it at Death Next the Lords People should not question his Love Because 1st He hath appointed all to Dye and so cannot say that he loved none 2ly Christ has Dyed to take away the Sting out of thy Death and to sympathise with thee in it Use is That we would endeavour to believe the love of God even even in Death And for this effect first remember the experience of Gods goodness to thee in thy life Psal 23. 2ly Consider that tho thou dye thou may have fellowship and Communion with God and more after then before Phil 1 23 2 Cor 5.8 3ly Consider the goodness of that God that hath the keeping of thy Soul he is Faithful 1 Pet. 4 last And a powerful Keeper 2 Tim 1 12. 4â—y Consider God is present with his People at Death Psal 23. 5ly Take up Death as the Scripture represents it As a Rest Rev 15 13. From the labour and toil of Duty From bearing Crosses on our Names Persons and Goods from the Cares of the World from the fears of committing sin and of coming Crosses from doubts of Gods Love and fighting against Temptations from Vexation and seeking Contentments in this World and from Griefs from our Self-disappointments and from the Challenges of our Consciences And lastly It is a Rest from sinning 6th Direction Labour for the Testimony of your Sincerity as Hezekia had for ye cannot have the Testimony of Perfection 7ly Ly not under unrepented Guilt 8ly Labour for the Earnest of the Spirit that it may be a pledge of your Immortality 1 Cor. 5 5. 9ly Be not diffident of Divine Providence for them that you leave behind you For when you look on Death as untimeâ—ous it makes you suspect Gods love in it And 10ly Labour for the firm hope of the Resurrection of the Body The next Evil that the Apostle Enumerates As that which threatens to separate him from the love of God is Life which is taken here for all the Contentments of this present Life And this suppose that these Contentments are Temptations to alienaâ— us from God and so to separate us from his Love 2ly We see the Lords People are sufficiently fuâ—nished against that Temptation of the Contentment of this life for we see the Apostle is very confidenâ— that they will not have Power to make God alterâ— love from them That is they will not have Powerâ— alienate them from God And first In that the Apostle ranks this in the second place It tells us That the Apostle
suppose it 's a great difficulty to overcome the Temptation of the Contentments of this life And this will appear to be true if ye consider thâ— these Contentments have a sensible present certainty which makes us prefer them to the thing of another life which are to come and cannot be seen but believed 2ly The Contentment they offer is suitable to our Corruption 3ly At the first view they offer Happiness as they did to Solomon 4ly We are under necessity to use these Contentments and readily the use of them ensnares us and the necessity of our using them makes us forget our selves when our heart is too much taken away by them 5ly We would willingly have Happiness to ly in them as appears by our trying them after disappointments Solomon tryed Wisdom again and again Eccl. 2 12 Our desire that Happiness should be in them makes us hardly believe that it is not in them 6ly The Contentments of this life are very various and our deceitful heart tho we have experience of the emptiness of some yet it bids is try others this made Solomon turn himself from one thing to another 7ly There are many Folks that are drawen away with the Contentments of this life and that makes the Temptation hardly overcome 8ly We have the easy opportunity of enjoying them and that proves a great snare to us they may easily be had by some whereas spiritual Comforts require more diligence to obtain them 9â—y The heart of Man must be defended by spiritual Enjoyments against this snare and many times the Christian lyes out of these partly through Gods Desertions and partly through his own Sin Mis-belief Laziness and unconstant pursuit of them Use Wonder not then that this temptation carries so many away with it 2ly It says to the Rich that they should be afraid for they are in the midst of Temptation 3ly It says to the Poor that they should be Content with their Poverty because they want the temptation and not to repine 4ly It exhorts all to be sober-Minded and those that stand under this Temptation to be humble seing it is so dangerous 5ly Seing it is a Temptation that is so hardly overcome we would try whether we be overcome by it or not And 1st We must try whether we make use of these Contentments to satisfy our heart under want of Communion with God 2ly We would try whether or not we are so well pleased with them as we will desire to live in the World perpetualy and make it our home 3ly Whether we use them as helps to serve God or rather as fewel to our Lusts Observe 2ly That God has provided sufficient security against the temptation of the Worlds Contentments As appears 1st If ye consider that he has clearly revealed a Heaven and an other Life and has given them the security of a promise for it Heb 11 13. 2ly He has given them the first fruits of the Spirit to make these tasteless to them Psal 4 7. 3ly Ordinarly he keeps them from this Temptationâ— either by denying them these Contentments for nâ— many Rich are called 1 Cor. 1 30. Or by mixing something with them if they enjoy them that maâ— make them wersh to them viz Some spiritual Exercise about their Soul-state or some sad grieving cross that sticks to them that makes their other Contentments wersh 3ly Some fear of the inconstancy of their Lot as Job had Job 3 26. Or lastly He sets up a Light in the Mind that discovers the Vanity of all these Contentments to them Use this tells us that when the People of God are overcome with this Temptation in less or more they may blame themselves and not him 2ly It says that we should be thanful to God for these things that he gives us as securities against this temptation And for the first fruits of the Spirit our sticking Cross and the fears of coming Crosses we should be thankful 3ly Since he his provided thir sufficient Securities for us let us use all means to preserve us from the scaith of this Temptation And for this effect build up your selves in the Faith of the Truth of the Gospel 2ly Meditate much on the Excellency of the Good therein offered 3ly Consider much the vanity of all these Enjoyments Consider their unsuitableness emptiness and inconstancy and how frequently ye have met with Disappointments from them 4ly Be busie at your Duty that ye may not be ensnared by Idleness 5ly Take head to your Heart in the very first pursueing of these Contentments that it be not over eager Regulate your Conversation more by the word then by the Example of others Meditate much on Old-Age Death and Judgement Eccles 11.8 9.10 11. And lastly Labour to live in the Enjoyments of Gospel-Comforts Motives to perswade to the use of these Directions Are 1st The Eager pursuit of the Worlds Contentments loses our Time and makes us neglect our Duty 2ly It is an Sin that breaks our peace with God 3ly It wears out the thoughts of God Death and Judgement out of our Heart 4ly It makes Spiritual Content and Fellowship with God appear less excellent in our Eye And 5ly It makes our Cross more intollerable when it comes on us The next thing that the Apostle says that shall not separate us from the Love of God is Angels And by Angels some here mean Good Angels not that these can endeavour to separate us from the Love of God but by way of supposition that tho they would yet they could not effectuate it For we may suppose things that will never be to clear an Truth Gal. 1 8. By Principalities and Powers are there meant Devils Eph. 6 12. Col. 2 5. Called so because of their Power over the Inferiour World and therefore the Devil is called the Prince of the Power of the Air. 2ly For their Dominion over the Ungodly Men in the World Eph. 6 12. Or 3ly Here he may mean the most Mighty and Wickedest of these Spirits for certainly there are some of them more Mighty and Wicked then other Matth. 12 45. We may observe here that the Devils are greâ— Enemies to our Salvation and endeavour to separate us from Gods Love The Devils Enmity against 〈◊〉 appears In the Bodily Possession of the Saints he possessing of Mary-Magdalen Luke 13 16. And his drawing some of them to Compacts with himself 2 Chron. 33 6. Next it appears by his Accusations of them to God Job 1 Zech. 2 1 2. As also by his Accusations of them to themselves Luke 22 31 2 Cor. 2 7 11. And his Accusations of them to their Neighbours it was he that filled the Hearts of Jobâ— Friends with Surmises of his Hypocrisy As also he Accuses God to us as he did to our first Parents Gen. 1.12 His Enmity appears by his wronging their Goods as in the instance of Job it appears by his tempting them to Sin And that these Temptations come from him and not so much from Corruption
Appears 1st From the nature of them they are tâ— such Sins as ordinarly our Corruption will not prompt us to without him such as unnatural Uncleanness inhumane Cruelties denying of natural Verities 2ly It appears from the impetuousness of them they are so frequent and come in so thick that they cannot well be resisted 1 Chor. 21.4 But because Satans Enmity here spoken of 〈◊〉 mainly meant of his Temptations to draw us to Sin therefore I shall speak somewhat as to these Temptations that the Love of God may be commended and that in its constancy as making the Saints more than Conquerours over them And First I shall hold out the subtilty of them and that in these Three 1st His Subtilty appears in the timeing of them 2ly In the manner of their Conveyance 3ly In the External Baites he holds out to make them forceible As to the first He times his Temptation when we are out of our Duty 2 Sam. 11.12 2ly When we are not watchful Eph. 6.10 3ly When we presume Luke 22.33 4ly When our Armour is off us Eph. 6 13. 5ly When we have got a Victory because then we are most secure Eph. 6 13. 2ly His Subtility appears as to the manner of the Conveyance 1st If ye consider the Instruments he makes use of to tempt us They are persons either that we love entirely as our nearest Relations as he tempted Adam by his Wife and Job by his or he makes use of Godly persons to tempt us that they may be less suspect as he tempted Job by his Godly Friends to question his Integrity and Christ by Peter not to suffer Matth. 16. He tempts many Folks to Errour by making use of Godly Folks sometimes to propagate Errour 2ly His Subtilty appears in this that he tempts many Folks to Sin under colour of necessity as he tempted Christ to work a Miracle to stanch his Hunger Matth. 4. Next he tempts them to Sin under Colour of Duty as he tempted the Corinthians to Rigour against the Incestuous Person under colour of Zeal 2 Cor. 2 11. 3ly He tempts them to great Sins upon the account that the matter of the Action is indifferent tho the Principle from which and the end to which makes it a grievous Sin 1 Chron. 21.2 Thirdly From the nature of the Temptation his Subtilty appears As 1st He sends these Temptations on us as have the advantage of the Lot that we are under he tempts us to Impatience and Despair under Adversity and to the denying of our Grace as he tempted Job he tempts us to Sensuality Contempt of our Neighbours under Prosperity and 〈◊〉 Pride under manifestations of Gods Love 2 Cor. 12 8. 2ly If ye consider that he suites the Temptation to our Predominant he tempted the Covetous Judas with Money he tempts the Ambitious with Honour and the sensual man with sensual pleasure 3ly His Subtilty appears in that he tempts People to lesser Sins First And then to greater gradually to bring them to a defection and e're he bring the People of God to Commissions he will tempt them to omission of Duty 4ly His great Subtilty appears in this that he frames his Temptations to make them misbelieve Threatnings that he may draw them to the actual contempt of Gods Law This he did with Eva. Use is If Satan be so subtile we would labour to be in case to resist his Temptations And 1st Let Grace never be out of Exercise Eph. 6.11 2ly Be very Watchful 1 Pet. 5 8. 3ly Pray much Eph. 6 18 2 Cor. 12 8. 4ly Be acquaint with his Devices 2 Cor. 2 11. 5ly Let the Word of God dwell Richly in you Matth. 4 Eph. 6 17. 6ly Resist him in the beginning Ja. 4 7 1 Pet. 5 10. Observe 2ly That tho Satan in his Temptations be strong and subtile yet the Christian may be sure of Victory 1st If ye consider that he is a foiled Enemy Col. 2 15. 2ly The Victory of our Head over him is a good pledge of our victory Matth. 4. 3ly Christ has an Experimental Sympathy with the People of God in these temptations Heb. 2 22. 4ly He interceeds for them Luke 22 32. 5ly Christ is stronger then he 1 Jo 4 4 And there is a sufficiency of Grace in him to bear them through 2 Cor. 12 1 Pet 5 10. 6ly There is a promise of Victory given to them Gen. 3.16 Rom. 16.20 Use If they be sure of Victory the tempted Saints would not fret against this their Lot of being troubled with the Devils temptations And that they may be reconciled to this Lot consider the Advantages of it As first It cures their presumption Luke 22 32 2ly It prevents their Pride and puts them to Prayer 2 Cor. 12 8. 3ly It helps them to an Experimental skill to succour the tempted 4ly It gives them experience of the Power and Wisdom of God who can make them that are Witless and Weak to overcome a strong and Wise Devil 2ly If the Victory be sure it says they should not be discouraged under temptation from Satan but fight Manfully The next thing the Apostle gives an defyance to is things present by which he means present Crosses in his Lot which tells us that the Christian readily never wants sad Crosses in his Life That notwithstanding of these sad Crosses yet he may and ought to believe the continuance of Gods Love toward him For the First that he never wants sad Crosses so that always as one goâ—s away an other comes appears from the recorded life of the Saints in Scripture See the Register of Jacobs Life and Davids c And this God does to try their patience and submission by 2ly To make the World wersh and to force them to be Strangers in it Jacobs Days were Evil that he might know they were a Pilgrimage Gen 47 9. 3ly To keep down their Pride 4ly To keep them constantly under the Exercise of Repentance for pasâ— and present Guilt 5ly That they may observe the Divine Providence of God supporting them under alâ— these Crosses Gen. 48.13 Vse is That People would be content with theiâ— present Crosses seing if they wanted these they might expect others in their room 2ly Let never man dream of an happiness in this life it s our expectation of a life free of Crosses that makes us dream of Happiness here 3ly Live near God that ye may be able to be comforted under the necessary Crosses that ye are subjected to 4ly Long to be away with submission to Gods time seing that while you are here away you are never to be free of Crosses For the 2d Thing The present Crosses of the Saints should not make them question Gods Love if ye consider 1st Their Head had an constant life of Crosses 2ly Consider that the Saints before us have had that life 3ly If ye consider the Promise of Gods Presence with them under the Cross Isa 43.2 4ly If ye consider the Necessity and Profitableness of that Lot it should not make us question Gods Love 1 Pet. 1.6 5ly In their nature they are but Chastisements and Evidences of Love Heb. 12.6 Vse is That the People of God would keep up their Faith of Gods Love notwithstanding of their present Crosses their neglect of this weakens their Love to God breaks their resolution to Obedience makes their present Duty unpleasant and makes them undervalue their present Mercies and be unthankful for them Observe The Apostle says Things to come will not separate them from the Love of God where we see that he had not only present Crosses to debate with but the fears of coming Crosses 2ly We see that these fears of coming Crosses made him not to doubt of Gods Love From hence we see that the saints may be trysted with the fears of coming Crosses besides all the present Crosses that they are under This the Lord does for to make them use means for the preventing of these Crosses Rebecca feared that Esau should kill Jacob therefore she used Means to prevent it Gen. 27.46 2ly He does it to make them digest the present Cross that they are under the better Rebecca was the better content to want Jacob that she feared his stay would endanger his Life Ibid. 3ly To make them sensible of Gods Goodness in keeping these Troubles off them that they feared Gen. 32.9 10. 4ly To keep them from Security Job 3 26. 5ly He makes use of the fear of the Cross to inform them of the evil that the inflicted Cross should reform for if the fear do it the Cross will not be inflicted 6ly That when the Cross comes they may be in better case to bear it and not be surprised with it Use Seing this is the Lot of the Saints to be under fears of coming Crosses study to carry rightly under this Condition and for this effect be not distrustfully anxious Phil. 4 6. 2ly Let these fears send you to Prayer Gen. 32.9 3ly Be not unsensible of Gods Mercies under these fears Ibid. verse 10. 2ly The fears of coming Crosses should not weaken our Faith of God Love For 1st Whatever they be they wâ— work out your good Rom. 8.28 2ly Howâ—ver they be strong your strength will grow aâ—cording to the strength of the Cross 1 Cor. â— 13. 3ly What ever aspect the Cross has yâ— the Lord has many ways to deliver you from that you cannot foresee 2 Pet. 2.9 The Loâ— knows how to deliver the Godly out of Temâ—tations FINIS
your Interest in this priviledge by your being Married to Christ that is by forsaking your own personal Righteousness which is by the Law and betaking your selves to Christ's Rom. 7.4 3ly Try your Interest by your Union with Christ If you would know that Union with Christ ye must try it by this whether ye be new Creatures or no 2 Cor. 5.17 4ly ye must try it by the mark in the Text which is that such as are in Christ They walk not after the flesh that is they have not an walk that evidences the dominion of Lust over them Pride Covetousness Malice and Self-love do not Influence their Conversation And 2ly They do not regulate their Life by the Laws of Corruption which are directly opposite to the Laws of God whereof some of them may be repeated As 1st The Natural Man thinks it fit to depend upon himself and not upon God and to please himself and not God 2ly The Natural Man denys the Being of God and mistakes the perfection of God and his walk evidences his Atheism Psal 14.1 and his denyal of God's perfection Psal 36.1 3ly It is a Principle of the Natural Man that he Exerciseth himself in Superstitious Worship In being formal in appointed Worship as meritorious with God see Luke 18. about the Pharisee 4ly It is his principle that we may warrantably use unlawful means to obtain our end That false policy is better then tenderness of Conscience 5ly It is a Principle of his that Folk should rather Sin then suffer Affliction 6ly It is a Principle of the Carnal Man that we should not love our Neighbour with a pure and single Love but with a Selfish Love not designing singly his good but aiming still at our own Advantage in what kindness we do to him 7ly It s the walker after the flesh his Principle that we should not live in Subjection to Superiours from Conscience but because of fear of force and because of Expectation of Advantage 8ly It 's his Principle that his Felicity stands in sensual good 9ly He is not content with what satisfies Nature but with what satisfies Lust and Lust being unsatiaable he cannot but always be discontented Now this Walk after the Flesh does not only import a Walk that evidences reigning Lusts in the Heart and a Walk that is the practical improvement of those pernicious Principles formerly mentioned and such like but it is a Walk tending to corrupt Ends a Walk wherein a Mans Imaginations Desires and Purposes are all levelled at the gratifying of some one predominant Lust or other And 5ly we would try our interest in this priviledge by our walking after the Spirit Which is a walk first which stands in obedience to the motions of the Spirit Rom. 8 13. Gal. 5.18 2ly It stands in giving God spiritual Worship Phiâ—ip 3.3 and Jo. 4 24. 3ly It stands in having a Walk flowing from Spiritual Principles viz. Faith 2 Cor. 5.7 Love Eph. 5.2 4ly It stands in eying an spiritual Rule in our Walk viz. The Law in its spiritual meaning in having a spiritual frame in conforming our selves to that Law that we may do what we do in the strength of Christ's Spirit And 5ly It stands in designing spiritual Ends viz. The Glory of God the Edification of our Neighbour and our own Salvation From the Restriction of this priviledge to such as Walk after the Spirit We may infer an Use of Reproof to many who walk after the flesh and yet will apply this priviledge to themselves The causes of their security may be 1st They lean to their Superstitious Services Mica 6 7. Isa 1 11. And to their External Acts of Worship Isai 58 3. Jer. 7 10. 2ly They Lean to their present impunity Psal 50 21. And 3ly They lean to their own Gifts Matth. 7.22 Observe that the Apostle divides all the Members of the Visible Church in these Two sorts of Men viz. Who walk after the Flesh and Who walk after the Spirit Importing to us that all those that Walk not after the Spirit they certainly walk after the Flesh From this one may infer That all Moralists and Civilians Whatever pretences they have for Innocency in Walking since they are unacquainted with a walking after the Spirit they are certainly to be reckoned as Walkers after the Flesh Observe next from the words That when the Apostle would give a discovery to persons of their spiritual state and of their Interest in the priviledge of Non-condemnation he brings this Discovery not from a particular Act of their Walk whether good or bad but from the Tract of their Walk for a Godly Man may be overcome with an Temptation at a time and do an evil Act which may be called an Act of the Flesh and an godless Man may do an Act materially good but a Godly Man cannot Walk after the Flesh neither can a godless man walk after the Spirit Verse 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death SOme take the meaning of those words to be That the Gospel doth free the Apostle Paul from the Law and Covenant of Works and its Threatning And therefore since the Gospel frees him from the Laws Threatning It cannnot but secure all that are in Christ from Condemnation seing he has no priviledge by the Gospel but what all that are in Christ actually have for the Gospel confers priviledges of this sort and nature equally on all Believers And if the words be taken in this sense they are a proof of the first part of the first verse to this purpose as if the Apostle had said Ye may be very sure that there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Because I who am a Believer by the promulgate Gospel am delivered from the Threatning of the Covenant of Works And so these that ascribe this sense to the words they say that by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is meaned the Gospel called the Law of Faith 3d. Rom. And it gets that Name because as a Law hath Authority in it to oblidge to Obedience so the Gospel has the stampt of Divine Authority on it obliging to Obedience Likeways It is called a Law of the spirit of life because the Gospel and not the Law which is as to this a Dead Letter is the Ministration of the Spirit see Gal. 3.5.2 Cor. 3.8 and we are receivers of the spirit by the hearing of Faith Gal 3.2 and it is said the Gospel is the Law in Christ Jesus because Christ Jesus is the principal Subject about which it Treats Or these words in Christ Jesus may be added not to denote that the principal Subject of the Gospel is Christ Jesus but to denote that the Spirit of Life which is conveyed by the Gospel is to be had from Christ Jesus 2ly Those that ascribe this sence to the words they say that by the Law of sin and death is meant the
Law of God with it's sanction and Threatning For as it is a perfect Rule of Righteousness it discovers sin As the Apostle says by the Law is the knowledge of sin and by reason of the Threatning subjoined to the Law it brings the sinner under a lyableness to Death and upon thir Accounts it is concluded by thir Divines who ascribe this sence to the Text That the Law of God gets this Name of the Law of â—in and Death But yet when we consider the Text more narrowly we think it has an other meaning For it is very clear from the preceeding Chapter That by the Law of sin the Apostle means Corruption and we do not find the Apostle in other places of Scripture giving that name of the Law of sin and death to the Law of God And therefore by the Law of the spirit of life is meant the powerful influence of the spirit of life upon Believers which frees Paul from Corruption these 3. ways 1st By dwelling in Pauls heart he makes up a spiritual Union betwixt Christ and him and so frees him from the guilt of Corruption because by the spirit making up that Union he winns to a justified state 1 Cor 6.11 2ly He frees Paul from his Corruption because by his power he breaks the dominion of sin And 3ly By his presence and efficacious working he will in his own time abolish the remainders of Corruption out of Paul's heart The Cohesion of this Verse with the former seems to be the Apostles proving the latter part of the Verse thus That those that are in Christ must walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh because the Spirit of Life breaks the Dominion of Sin in them as it did in Paul Or 2ly This Second Verse may be added to illustrate the first part of the first Verse viz. That there is no condemnation to the man who is in Christ and it may be set down to prevent an Objection against that Truth that the man that is in Christ is free of condemnation For it may be said that the man that is in Christ hath the Law of Sin and Death and since he hath the remainders of Corruption in him how can he be free from Condemnation It is Answered That the Spirit of Life frees the Believer from the Law of Sin and Death because by uniting a man to Christ it frees him from the Guilt of Corruption and by the Spirits presence as a Spirit of Life in Godâ—s own time he will be freed from the remainders of Corruption From what has been said we may soon see That our discerning of the remainders of Corruption in us inevitably brings us under many fears of Condemnation The fight of Indwelling Sin more forcibly puts us under a fear of Condemnation than the feeling of all our numerous Miseries can do and therefore it were fit for a Believer to strengthen his hope of the total abolition of Sin in him and this may be done 1st By considering our Union with Christ and Christ's Exaltation to Glory which necessarly says that all the Members must have a sinless conformity with the Head 2ly This Hope may be strengthned by considering that the guilt of our Corruption is already pardoned in our Justification for the 1st Verse says There is no condemnation to the man that is actually in Christ And 3ly This Hope may be strengthned in this that the breaking of the Dominion of Corruption in us by the Spirit of Life is a Pledge given us of God to assure us of its total abolition Observe 2ly That Paul was a man deeply exercised with the sense of remaining Corruption in him as appears by the last part of the former Chapter and now he wins to a great deal of freedom to apply Gospel-Priviledges and this tells you that the freedom of the Actings of Faith is very consistent with the sense of Indwelling Sin Observe 3ly Paul used many Means for Mortification he watched he prayed he kept himself out of the way of Temptation yet he ascribed not his freedom from Corruption to the use of these Means but to the Principal Author of his freedom viz. The Spirit of Life who did bless these Means for that end Take notice of that Name that 's given to the Influencing Spirit that liberats Paul from the Law of Sin and Death it is called The Law of the Spirit of Life Because that as a Law hath a Moral Efficacy to draw those that live under it into Obedience So the gracious Spirit of God where he has an indwelling hath an strong Efficacy to bring the Person in whom he dwells to follow his Conduct And this leads us into an 4. Observation anent the mighty Working of the Spirit and his Grace in the Hearts of Believers and this mighty Power of the Spirit and his Grace evidences it self in these few things following amongst many moe As 1st In the actings of Faith under many Tryals which must argue a great Power that makes a man believe notwithstanding of great and manifold Guiltinesses and of long Continuance notwithstanding of Corruptions notwithstanding of violent Assaults from Satan yea notwithstanding of Desertions Chastisements and Death And therefore it is said Eph. 1.19 That there is an exceeding greatness of Power that works in Believers 2ly The Power of Grace kythes in that it can make a man forgoe those Sins his natural Complexion enclines him to whereunto he has been much accustomed and which have brought him great worldy Advantage 2ly Graces Power appears in that it makes a man forsake his own Righteousness and betake himself to Christs which deed will be very much opposed by Pride and Self-love 4ly It s Power appears in this in thaâ— it can make Christians with Paul not to look tâ— things seen that is to depise the allurements of the World which have a sensible certainty and are very grateful to our external Senses 5ly It evidences it self in making People patient under manifold sore continuing and extream Miseries even such oâ— whom is legible God's Quarrel with us for our Sins the Exercise of Patience under such must be an Effect of great Power See Cor. 1.10 11. And that because Patience will be opposed by our natural Pride Self-love and Unbelief Use of Information To let you see to whom you may ascribe the great Works of the mortified Believer even to the mighty efficacious Worker the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus Use of Encouragement to the despondent Believer who â—s feared when he considers the Greatness and Spirituality of his Work he thinks that Work is so far above him he will not get it accomplished But the Answer is His Encouragement should spring from his looking to the mighty Power of that indwelling Spirit in him and albeit he may find himsâ—lf very weak to manadge his Spiritual Work if he compare the greatness of his Work with the strength of that measure of inherent Grace he has for the time yet he
the former Verse He in this Verse preoccupies an Objection that they might have made against the Application of the Priviledge of Non-condemnation It might have been said that since Believers must dye what benefite can be expected by them as enjoying that Priviledge It is Answered they must dye because of inherent Sin For God to shew his indignation against all sin appointed Death Likeways they must dye for the abolition of it God appointing the dissolution of our Nature to be the Method for its perfect cure yet the comfort is that tho the body dye yet the Soul lives because of Christs Righteousness And a second Comfort is that the Souls Life is an Pledge of the Resurrection of the Body Here we may see that Christ dweâ—ls in his Peoples Hearts by his Spirit 1 John 3. last And ye may Observe 1st That there may be Inherent Sin in those in whom Christ dwells though it reign not Rom. 7. last The Lord does not perfect our Cure all at once he leaves this evil Neighbour in our Hearts to embitter the Worlds Comforts to us to try our Faith of Justification and to call us to a vigilant and dependant frame upon himself Observe 2ly That the Godly must dye For albeit Christ hath removed the whole Curse of the Law and satisfyed Justice compleatly for all our sins and has the Fathers Promise that he shall free his People from all the bad Consequences of sin yet a present total freedom from all these Consequences that followes on sin upon their first believing is not promised by the Father to him or to them It is secured that it shall be done in Gods time and way but mortality is not removed from them presently If ye shall say they are freed from the Curse of the Law in Justification why then and they not freed presently from all the effects of that Curse Answer Mortality continues on the Justified not by vertue of a curseing Law as though it would be a Reflection upon Justice if God should deliver the Believer upon his first Faith altogether from Mortality But Mortality is continued by the Soveraign God for wise Ends not to make a particular satisfaction to Justice for our sin that Christ hath left unmade but because God will have the whole Mystical Body its perfection to be all at once and he will have his People to live in this World by Faith and therefore he makes the Mortality of Believers a vail to hide their promised Felicity from Sense And that the Mortality of Believers is not continued upon them as the Effect of a curseing Law is clear from what the Apostle says 1 Cor. 15. That their Death wants its Sting Next we see Death inflicted as a Chastisement upon some of the Godly See 1 Cor. 11.30 31 32 And it is clear in the Instance of Josia who dyed in peace and yet was chastised with a violent Death for his rash engagement in a War Now God inflicting Death upon Believers testifies his Fatherly Displeasure against sin but not his Justice against them as a just Judge for Affliction is sent upon them as an Accomplishment of the Threatning annext to the Covenant of Grace but not as an Accomplishment of the Law-curse Psal 89.32 This is much for the Comfort of Believers Use of this is since Believers must die They would prepare for Death and if they would be prepared they would make use of these Directions 1st Labour to be sure of the indwelling Spirit for that is the only sure mark of an interest in Christ they would not lean to an empty profession a great measure of common gifts or meer Morality A 2d Direction is They would found their Title to Life only upon the Righteousness of Christ and not upon their own merite A 3d. is They would be willing to dye and therefore they would mortify their Covetousness and their Security and they would labour for a firm Faith in Divine Providence whereby they may committ the disposal of all their concerns and the concerns of the Church to God as Joseph did Gen. last 4th Direction is They would labour to have peace of Conscience at Death and for this effect they would beware of lying under impenitency for old or new contracted Guilt Likeas they would labour for a Testimony from their Conscience that they have readily accepted of the Gospel-Offer 2ly They would labour to have the Conscience witnessing their singleness in their Conversation at Death as Hezekiah had in his sickness Isai 38. Likeas they would have the Conscience witnessing their Diligence in Duty That so an entrance may be Administred to them abundantly to the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus 2 Pet. 1.4 A 5th Direction is They would fix themselves in the faith of the Immortality of the Soul which Immortality appears from its conception of immaterial Objects 2ly From its Operâ—tions independent on the Body as in Extasies 3ly From the Moral Government of God in the World by Laws and Judgement considered jointly with the impartial Justice of God with the Miseries of the Godly and the Prosperity of the Wicked A 6th Direction is We would build our selves up in the faith of the Resurrection of the Body Observe 3ly That the Godly have a spiritual life in their Soul as appears by the spiritual sense they have of spiritual things They have an Hunger and Thirst after spiritual Food They have a spiritual sigh of spiritual Mysteries by Faith and they have a spiritual feeling of sin and misery Now this spiritual Life continues after Death as appears from Luke 16.23 and 23 43. Phil 1 23. 2 Cor 5 1 The Apostle supposeth that the continuance of this Life after Death is a sufficient comfort to the Godly under their present Mortality and these considerations may clear the sufficiency of this Comfort if ye consider First The great Good that is in it 1st There is a freedom in it from Trouble and Vexation Rev. 14.13 Isai 57.1 2ly The perfection of Holiness is in it Heb. 12.23 And sâ— there is freedom from Coâ—ruption and horrid Temptations much uninterrupted Peace and Joy in expectation of a future Blessedness 3ly Theâ— have much good Company in it they have the fellowship of Angels and Saints Heb 12.22 23 They have the fellowship of the Patriarchs Luke 16.25 They have the fellowship of Christ Philip. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 Use of this is Godly Folks would comfort themselves with this Consolation under their Mortality 1st Because this Comfort is a pure Comfort unmixed with Trouble 2ly It is a sure Comfort as appears by the Scriptures formerly cited 3ly It is a near Comfort they have it partly in possession and they are to have a great measure of it immediatly on their Death This speak the great misery of these Mortals who altogether want spiritual life they want the great support that can Support Sinners under the View of Mortality Likeas this calls to the Godly to have a great measure
the Conscience 3ly Corruption craves That the Christian should stand in fear and awe of it That they should be hopeless ever to get it overcome and this he is prompted to by his sinful Heart through considering the multitude of his Corruptions and the deepness of their Root and of his oft Essays against it with frustration following thereupon and his want of skill to improve Christs Mortifying Grace But the Christian is not a Debitor to give it this awe anâ— fear for this discourageing fear of the power of Corruption should be studied against 1st Because he is free of the Guilt of it 2ly Because he is no moâ— a Slave to it Rom. 6.14 3ly This Fear does hiâ— prejudice For 1st It makes him suspend his Faitâ— upon the promise of pardon 2ly It makes him doubt if God would hear his Prayers 3ly Iâ— make him â—ath to engage against it as being hopeless of the successfulness of his engagement and so he is a Prey to the meanest Temptation and then confusion of Spirit and want of peace follows 4ly We are not Debitors to the Flesh to give it Entertainment for it craves of us that we should seek External Temptations to it to feed it this should be denyed because it stops folks confidence in Praying for Mortifying Grace 2ly It obscure the sight of sincerity Psal 18 23. 3ly It provoke God to let them meet with these occasions 5ly We should not hearken to Corruption when it craves the hideing of its Nakedness from us by making us extenuate it for the yeilding to it in this will not lessen it in Gods sight 2ly It keeps away the impressions of pardoning Mercy Psal 32.3 3ly it will keep us from the Exercise of Repentance or Soul-Loathing and tenderness of Conscience against Sin and weakens the Mans esteem of Christs Blood and sets God against the Man Jer. 2.35 And 6ly Corruption craves spareing of it That we should not seek the Life of it but be content with an mean measure of Mortification And this it doth telling us that we may have peace and Communion with God and keep up our Name of Profession notwithstanding of this But we should not yeild to this because Corruption was cruel to us seeking our Death 2ly If we attempt not its Death none of our Attempts will be successful against it 3ly When we attempt its Death it makes it as it were despaired and gives us more ado whereby we are necessitate to believe on Christ for Mortifying Grace and forced to have a desire to be gone to be sure of it and withall if we do spare it it may break out to our shame Verse 13. For if ye live after the Flesh ye shall â—y But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the Body ye shall live HEre the Apostle is proving we are Debitors not to the flesh but to the Spirit And that because of the benefite we have by the one and the prejudice we have by the other Death is by the one and Life by the other Observe 1. That those that live after the flesh shall dye after the flesh imports a mans fixed purpose not to contradict the Corruptions of his Nature Psal 36 3. 2ly When a man resolutely sets himself to bring the motions of his Corruption to External Acts Mica 2.1 Psal 36 4 3ly When he delights in sinning and is frequent in it and is fearless under it Psal 36 2. In a word it is to be a slave to Corruption and to make it our design to give it full satisfaction Eph. 2.1 2. To spend our time Wit and Parts to the gratifying of our Lusts and to place our felicity and satisfaction in them such a course of Life ends in Eternal Death as appears by the Threatning of the Law and of the Gospel and the Self-condemnation of such Folks Consciences Use of reproof to those that are secure and have their security springing from misbelief of future Wrath False-Imaginations of Divine Mercy Stupidity and souredness of Conscience Blinding Self-Love and Atheistical Thoughts of Providence as tho God would neither do Good nor Evil but such would remember to reflect on the Truth of the Scriptures the hatefulness and demerite of Sin and the Justice of God Observe 2ly That the Mortifying of the Deeds of the Body is a most advantagious thing and brings Life with it it brings with it the Life of Justification or Pardon because it 's the great Pledge of Pardon 1 John 1.8 2ly It brings with it the Life of Sanctification consisting in these Four viz. The Easy Vigorous Cheerful and Constant Exercise of Grace 1st It brings the easy Exercise of Grace with it because it makes a man quick-sighted to discern his Duty for Lust blinds the mind it frees him of these Lusts that makes him ordinarly shift the doing of his Duty 2ly Mortification makes him Vigorous in the Exercise of Grace 1 Tim 6.11 Because the whole Heart when Mortified gets liberty to be about its Duty in the Exercise of Grace 3ly It makes him cheerful in it Because the Exercise of Grace is connatural to a Mortified Heart And the mind of a Mortified Man does more clearly discern the Advantage of the Exercise of Grace than the mind of another 4ly It is useful for the constant Exercise of Grace and that because it keeps him from being easily overcome with Temptation 2ly He cannot weary of it for he finds a pleasure in it And 3ly He does not soon satisfy himself with what he has done because he sees many of his Imperfections therein But 3ly Mortification is good for the life of Comfort Because it fits a Man for discoveries of God Matth. 5.8 It qualifies him for hope 1 John 3.3 And contributes to the intrinsick pleasure that the New Man has in Duty And 4ly It brings the life of Glory with it because it tends to prepare a Man for it From all this we may see 1st The cause why many Christians wants the intimation of their Pardon it s because they study not Mortification 2ly We see that we need not lay the blame of the want of Sanctification either upon Gods sparingness to give us sanctifying Grace or upon External Temptations so much as upon our own neglect of Mortifying our Lusts 3ly This tells us why so many Professors are Strangers to Comforts Use 2d Of Exhortation if we would win hastily to Heaven we would strive to mortify Lusts and as we would have those Advantages let us go about the Duty 1st Labour for the discovery of the Evills in the Imperfections of your Services Rom. 7.21 2ly Repent of them Jam. 4.8.9 Continually groan under Corruption Rom. 7.24 make no provision for Corruption Rom. 13. last And apply the promises of the Gospel 2 Cor. 7.1 Next study to reflect on the prejudices you have sustained by them how oft they have brought on Judgements upon your Person made you Scandalous to others interrupted your Communion with God broken your peace
of Conscience Next Regulate your life by the Word having a constant Eye upon that as your Rule Use 2d Of Reproof If this be so advantageous an Exercise it reproves those that lay this work aside because they think the neglect of Mortification is consistent with Grace but as we were saying it is not consistent with the Life of Grace And the total neglect of it is inconsistent with Grace it self 3ly It reproves those that forbear Mortification because they see not many Evils to Mortifie through want of Self-Examination 4ly Those that spare their Sins because they think there are few free of the like of these Evills they are loath to Mortify Use 3d. Of Tryal To try whether we be about this Work or not 1st The Man that is about this Work he is glad of any actual separation Providence makes between him and his Ills by Crosses 2ly He is daily watchful against External Temptations 3ly He is daily porcing on the Mischiefs that Sin does him and Prays more for Grace against sin then to be free of Crosses and welcoms that Word most that particularly hits his Evills and does not spurn at it Observe 3ly That the Spirit is the great and principal cause of Mortification This is clear if ye consider the strength and deceitfulness of Lusts it must require the Spirits power in opposition to them 2ly if ye consider the ineffectualness of the means that many enjoy without the Spirits Blessing 3ly If ye consider that even those that are weak in natural parts they will when they depend upon the Spirit find great success in Mortification beyond others The manner how the Spirit does Mortifie is by discovering the hatefulness of Sin and its danger 2ly By applying the promises of the Gospel and so outbidding Corruption 3ly By enforcing the Commands of God against sin upon the Conscience Use If it be so we should use the means and Pray for the Spirits Blessing upon them 2ly We should not grieve the Mortifieing Spirit by unwatchfulness against External Temptations by want of Self-Examination to discern our Evills by falling into a frame of indifferency about Mortification that so we desire it faintly Verse 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God HEre is a proof That those that Mortify their Corruption by the Spirit shall live because They are the Sons of God And he proves this because that as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God Observe the Children of God are led by Gods Spirit I shall clear how this is and then apply it And first The Spirit leads the Child of God by giving him saving Instruction this is Gods teaching according to the Covenant-Promise 1st He opens his understanding that he may understand the Scriptures Luke 24.45 He makes them understand Truth Error 1 John 2.27 2ly He reveals the good things of the Gospel to him in their reality and usefulness 1 Cor. 2 13. 3ly He reveals the spirituality of the Law to them he makes the Commandment which is the Law come in its spiritual meaning to them Rom. 7.9 4ly He instructs them in the vanity of the Creature he makes them see an end of all perfection Psal 119.96 But 2ly He leads them as a Comforter and Encourager of them in their Journey and this he does these three ways 1st By witnessing their Adoption Rom. 8.15 2ly By helping them to apply the Promises Eph. 1.13 3ly By exciting their Hope Rom. 15.13 A 3d. way how he leads them is by strengthening their Grace and so assisting them in their Duty Eph. 3 16. A 4th Way is By exciting them to their Duty when they are laisy And this is done 1st By bringing the Word to their Remembrance Jo. 14.27 2ly By bringing their Engagements to God to their remembrance 3ly He excites them to their Duty by making them observe the Call of Exciteing Providences A 5th Way is By being a Reprover to them discovering to them their sinful Inclinations and strayings out of the way A 6th Way is By discovering unto them and giving them a foresight of the Stumbling-blocks that lye in the way and of the manifold Temptations they may meet with in it A 7th Way is By determining them in dubious cases Paul was bound in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem tho Agabas the Prophet told him of his suffering there From this We may make an Use of Tryal We may conclude that we are Gods Children if we observe these Operations of the Spirit in us 2ly We would be exhorted to beware of these things that marrs the presence of this Guide from us And 1st We would beware of impenitency under known Guilt Psal 51. David was afraid of the loseing the free Spirit by his Impenitency 2ly Beware of Worldliness John 14 17. 3ly Beware of Intemperance These that would be filled with the Spirit must not be filled with Wine Eph. 5.18 4ly Beware of an Vindictive Spirit Eph. 4.31 5ly Beware of slighting the Motions of the Spirit if we would live by the Spirit we must walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 6ly Beware of a Legal Frame of Spirit The Spirit glorifies Christ and so is grieved when Christians give not Christ his due The Spirit glorifies Christ John 16.14 7ly We would beware of Laziness or lying by from the use of appointed Means for that is the Way to quench the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 8â—y Beware of neglecting Praying for the Spirit for the Father gives the holy Spirit to them that ask him 9ly Beware of casting your self upon Temptations we should abstain from all appearance of Evil if we would not quench the Spirit 1 Thess 5.22 Motives to perswade us to entertain the presence of this Guide 1st He is an unerring Guide He neither can nor will mislead us 2ly He is an experienced Guide he hath led many Sons to Glory 3ly He is sent by the Father and the Son to lead the Believer to Heaven 4ly This Guide is near us and constantly with us if we doe not grieve him he remaineth with us and shall be in us John 14 17. 4ly This Guide is absolutely needful for the Christian without him he has no Light no Comfort and no Strength The ignorant dejected and weak Condition of the Christian makes the guiding and leading of the Spirit absolutely needful to him There is a 3d. Use of Consolation from this Doctrine if the Child of God have the leading of the Spirit he may be much comforted under the various Cases he is in in the World he is many times weak for his Duty The Spirit can strengthen him with Might in the inward Man The Child of God is many times environed with Temptations the Spirit can give him the foresight of these He is many times straitned to know what is his Duty The Spirit can lead the blind by a way they know not He is subject to many Discouragements but the Spirit is a
the Point The First is an Use of Tryal hereby ye may try if ye have had the Spirit of Bondage or no if the Mystery of Christs Cross be credible If sin appear an hateful thing to you If readily ye accept of Christs offered Righteousness If willingly ye subject your selves to the Divine Law as a Rule of Life If ye prefer Christ to all things in your Esteem If ye esteem the burthen of Christs Cross light Then ye have received the Spirit of Bondage 2d Sort of Uses are Uses of Instruction It instructs us in the Cause why so many Men see so little of the Moral Ill of Sin the Cause is they have not received the Spirit of Bondage 2ly Since the Spirit of Bondage goes before the Spirit of Adoption we may soon see that if the Spirit of Bondage be a rare thing in the World the Work of Conversion is as rare 3â—y We may be instructed that the Hearts of the Elect are very stupid under sin because that a mans Convictâ—on of his sin and misery must be brought about by the mighty Power of the Spirit of Bondage The Causes of the stupidity under sin before this Work of the Spirit of Bondage are 1st A feared Conscience through customary sinning A 2d Is Impunity Eccl. 9.3 A 3d. is Prosperity in sin Ephraim said I am become rich there is no iniquity in me A 4th Cause is the flattery of Ministers and Neighbours A 5th Cause is leaning to formal Services There is a 3d. Use of Exhortation to Ministers to preach the Law to prepare People for receiving of the Gospel because it is the moral Mean whereby this Work is wrought A 2d Use is to all the Members of the Visible Kirk as they would desire this necessary preparatory Work to be wrought in them so they would consider the Spirituality and Perfection of the Law and examine their Life according to it A second Observation Viz. That God allowes the Spirit of Adoption to these that have received the Spirit of Bondage He gives them this Frame to evidence the Reality of the Grant of Adoption and this Grant of Adoption is given them to testâ— his Love 1 John 1.3 2ly To testify his Respâ— to Christ to whom they are united Eph. 1.6 Aâ— 3ly To confirm their hope of Glory he gives thâ— this Honourable Title to it over and above the Tâ—tle they have to it by their Justification The Use of this is 1st of Consolation if Gâ— give them the Spirit of Adoption to evidence tâ— Reality of this Grant Then these that have the Sâ—rit of Adoption may be sure that God deals wiâ— them as with Children he 'll correct them for thâ— faults Heb. 12 6. He 'll pity them under the straits Psal 103.13 He 'll punish them sparing Mal. 3.17 He 'll give them access to himself unâ— their Trouble Eph. 2.18 He 'll be reconcilable â— them after their strayings Luke 15. He 'll proviâ— for all their wants Mat. 6.32 And he 'll give theâ— the Heavenly Inheritance in the end Rom. 8.17 Use of Reproof since God allows the Spirit 〈◊〉 Adoption to these that have had the Spirit of Boâ—dage It reproves such who have had some measurâ— of the Spirit of Bondage and do lay Obstructioâ— in their own way for their receiving the Spirit â— Adoption Such are these 1st Who refuse â— take with all the Aggravations of their Guilt sâ— Psal 32.9 2d Sort are such who continue ignoraâ— of the Grace of the Gospel A 3d. sort are sudâ— who continue an respect to their old Predominanâ— A 4th sort are such who are tenacious of their owâ— Righteousness and will not quite it It is to be Observed That God in his Soveraigâ— Wisdom deals variously with his Elect as to thâ— leaving them longer or shorter time under the Preâ—sures of the Spirit of Bondage There are some that lye short time under it As 1st Such as are called in their younger Years 2ly Such as are called presently after their Conversion to great and difficult Services as it was with Paul 3ly Such as upon their Conversion are called to endure hard â—ersecutions as it was with these Converts Acts â—3 Some he continues longer under the Spirit of Bondage As 1st Such as are Persons of Eminent Gifts such as Heman was Psal 88. This he does to to prevent their Pride A 2d sort are such as have been very gross sinners before their Conversion such are continued longer under the fears of Wrath that their Condition may be a scar to others to live in gross sins A 3d. sort are such who are continued long under these fears that they may acquire a skill and sympathy to be useful and comfortable to those that are in the like condition For the 3d. Observation These that once have received the Spirit of Adoption the Spirit of God never becomes to them a Spirit of Bondage A full Conviction that the sinner is presently lyable to wrath cannot be wrought by Gods Spirit in the Adopted Child of God because such a Conviction as this is inconsistent with the Word seing the Adopted Child of God notwithstanding of his Failings is not under the Law but under Grace If it be questioned what fears the Child of God may be allowed to entertain seing this Text tells us that he is not allowed to entertain a fear of his present actual lyableness into Wrath It may be answered to the Question he should entertain a fear and jealousie of the Evil of his own Heart that it may make him neglect his Duty and mislead him into sin Phil. 2.12 2ly He should fear that he will fall under certain ruine on supposition of his total Apostasie from God and this fear will breed an aversation from sins agaiâ— light and upsitting in duty and halting in the waâ— of God seing that Carriage has an tendency to Apostasie the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews labours to cure their lame walk in the way of God by proposing the danger of Apostasie to them Use 1st Of Reproof to such that are Gods Adopted Children who have tormenting fears â— Wrath in their bosom which fears are not wroughâ— by Gods Spirit but they flow from their own miâ—believing hearts and Satans suggestions and are permitted of God as Chastisements for their former siâ— such I say are to be reproved who reckon theâ— fears well grounded as judgeing them wrought bâ— Gods Spirit when as they are nothing but permittod of God for their Chastisement 2ly Such arâ— to be reproved who entertain these fears as an â— for restraint against sin seing although they â— restrain from the outward Transgression yet thâ— are never effectual to remove the inward Inclination to sin Use 2d Of Exhortation Seing God allows noâ— his Adopted Children to entertain Tormenting fears of Wrath they would beware of these Sins that provocks God to give them up to their mis-believing Hearts to fill them with these fears As first They would beware of
Godly as the unquestionable Sign of Grace Heb. 6.12 And 4ly To remember former Experiences For the Object of the Creatures Hope it is said to be the manifestation of the Sons of God this Figurative Manifestation of the Sons of God is ascribed to the Creature because they will never attain to their Primitive Perfection and Beauty till the Sons of God be Glorifyed and untill the last Day At which time or rather the Beginning of Eternity when there shall be a Manifestation of the Sons of God It shall be manifested then how excellent a Dignity it is to be the Sons of God the outward Visible Effects of Adoption are delayed till that day and therefore the Redemption of the Body is called Adoption in the subsequent Verses It is true the adopted receive the Spirit of Adoption whereby they themselves may know they are adopted but that effect is not so discernible by others 2ly At that day it shall be manifested who are the Sons of God the Book of Life will be opened to the view of all and the Children will have the Sentence of the Judge for their Possession of this Inheritance see the Process of Judgement Mat. 25. 3ly It will be made manifest in that day what good Works the Children of God have done God will bring to light the hidden Counsels of the Heart and so every man shall have praise of God see 2 Cor. 4 This Description of the last Day affords us an Use of Consolation to the Christian that doubts of his Adoption 2ly To the Christian contemned by the World 3ly To the Christian censured by the World for his Hypocrisie A 2d Use is of Exhortation to exhort folks to live suitably to this Adoption seing its Manifestation is so certain From the 20. Verse Observe the Vanity of all this visible Creation and its Insufficiency to make men happy And therefore Folks 1st Should not have excessive Desires after it Our Desires should not be pâ—remptor like Racheâ—s after Children we should be content to want what God denyes 2ly It reproves these that have big Expectations from the World like that fool Luke 12. who builded his large Barnes We should not expect full contentment of Mind or quiet of Conscience from any thing here away 3ly It reproves those that are unsober in their Enjoyments who do not use the World as though they used it not such who look on their Injoyments as perpetual and suffers their heart so to run out after the Worlds Good that they turn incapable to enjoy God or the Priviledges of the Gospel 4ly It reproves those that gives way to anxious Care about obtaining of the Worlds Good which anxiety makes them with Martha neglect the one thing needful and choaks the Word and makes it become unfruitful see Phil. 4.6 5ly It reproves these that give way to Excess of Sorrow when Providence separates their Enjoyments from them sorrow is excessive when it hinders them always to rejoice in God and when it weakens their health A 2d Use of Exhortation from the Vanity of the Creature is People should be crucified to it That they may win to this they should labour 1st For Mortification of their Lusts 2ly They should labour for a lively Faith of a better World 3ly They should observe the frequent Disappointments they meet with from the Worlds Good From the Creatures aversion to this Vanity It is subject to Vanity not willingly Christians may learn they are allowed to have a lawful Aversion from the Cross which aversion kythes in their Prayers to remove the Cross and in using all lawful Endeavors for its removing From the Creatures being subject to Vanity by reason of Gods imposing it on them Christians should learn an entire submission to cross Providences Which submission kythes 1st In an grateful Acknowledgement of the present Mercies of their Lot 2ly In a cordial Complyance with their Duty notwithstanding of their Cross 3ly In a believing of Gods Promises made to them notwithstanding of it 4ly In a Justification of Gods Way towards them notwithstanding of the same 5ly In a refusing of all unwarrantable Ways for their relief Helps to win at this Submission Are 1st A full Conviction of their Guilt a living man should not complain for the punishment of his Sins A 2d Is the due consideration of the Goodness Justice and Soveraignty of God A 3d. Is the firm belief of Divine Wisdom which can extract our profite out of the most dark and cross Providences we can live under Rom. 8.28 The Text says that he subjected the same in Hope To hold out that God did not design to perpetuate its Vanity but had appointed its restauration to its primitive Perfection And this is set down here as an Ground of the Creatures Metaphorical Hope And from this we may learn from the Creatures Example to strengthen our Hope by the consideration of this That God designs not to keep us perpetually in Misery but there is a firm Determination in Heaven for our Relief we may put on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love because as the Apostle says to the Thessalonians God hath not appointed 〈◊〉 to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by Jesus Christ Verse 21. Because the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God THE Apostle having Verse 19. ascribed a Figurative Hope to the Creature in the 20. 21 Verses he lays down the Grounds of that Hope and in the 20 Verse there are Two Grounds laid down whereof one is That the Vanity to which it was subject was contrary to its natural Inclination and Gods primitive Institution in the state 〈◊〉 Innocence The Text says It was not subjected 〈◊〉 vanity willingly A 2d Ground is there was a fiâ—ed purpose in God for the restitution of the Creature to its Primitive Vigour and Beauty He subjecâ— the Creature to Vanity under Hope And there a 3d. Ground of the Creatures Hope laid down 〈◊〉 the 21. Verse Viz. The necessity of the Creature partaking according to its measure and capacity 〈◊〉 the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God And ther is a Reason given for this because Vanity was imposed on the Creature for the sins of Gods People and therefore when Gods Children are made free 〈◊〉 sin both as to its Guilt and Presence it is but reâ—sonable that the Creature should be liberate of iâ—â— Vanity also We may Observe here 1st That Gods Children are while they are here away under Bondage 〈◊〉 They shall certainly meet with a glorious Liberty from that Bondage 3ly When they meet with that Liberty the Creature shall then and not till then be liberate from their Bondage For the 1st Observation Tho' the Godly be not slaves to Satan nor to Sin yet they are under a sort of Captivity for while here away they are subject to Death and to the frailties of Nature and to great fears that Death may have its sting towards
we are lying out of our Duty 2 Sam. 11. when Corruption stirrs in us Eph. 4.27 He suites his Temptation to our External Condition he tempts them that are in Adversity to despair and them that are in Prosperity to Pride he suits his Temptations to our Predominants as he tempted Covetous Judas with 30 peices of Silver he conveys his temptations to us by Instruments beloved of us as he tempted Adam by his Wife and by Instruments unexpected by us as he tempted Job to despair by his Godly Friends and as he tempted Christ to forbear suffering by Peter Verse 23. And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan with in our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of 〈◊〉 Body HEre the Apostle goes on to hold out the certainty and excellency of the Glory to come from the Saints Frames relative to it First they vehemently desire it They groan within themselves 2ly They patiently expect it They wait for the Adoption And in this Verse ye may observe three things 1st Gods allowance to his own in this life they receive the first fruits of the Spirit 2ly Observe their Affections toward the other Life they groan for it and wait for it 3ly Observe the description of the happiness that is given of the other World in this Verse it is called the Adoption The redemption of our Body For the First That God allows the first fruits of the Spirit to Believers in this Life By these first fruits are not to be understood the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit given to the Apostles in the primitive times but by these are understood the ordinary Graces of the Spirit conferred upon all Believers called the first Fruits because as the first Fruits were offered up to God under the Law so these Graces should be used to Gods Glory and as they were an pledge of a plentiful Harvest so these Graces are a pledge to us of our full Felicity because God gives us them for that end to confirm our Hope 2ly They are a pledge because that same Love and Grace that moved God to confer the beginnings of our Salvation will move him to perfect them and if God bestow upon Believers part of Christs purchase he 'l bestow the whole By these first Fruits then are meant the Renovation of our Nature Peace of Conscience and Joy in the Holy Ghost Communion with God which stands in saving views of God in his Word and in his Works 2ly It stands in access to God Eph. 2.18 And 3ly In Influences â—rae God God gives these first Fruits to Believers in this Life to defend them against the Worlds deriding their Faith in the Gospel to give them the Witness of the Gospels Verity in their own Heart 1 John 5 10.11 2ly He does it to excite and confirm their hope of Heaven and to awaken their desire after it See the Text. 3ly To Comfort and support them under their Sufferings 4ly To encourage them to Self-denying Duties 5ly To make them content with a mean measure of Worldly Enjoyments 6ly To make them content to go through Death that they may have the full measure of the Spirits presence seing they experience the sweetness of a small measure of it Use 1st Of Exhortation Labour for the presence of the Spirit that ye may have these first Fruits 1st Act Faith on Christ Eph. 1.10 2ly Be tender of grieving the Spirit Eph. 4 30. 3ly Obey his Motions Gal. 5.17 4ly Pray for his presence Luke 11.18 5ly Be not Worldly Minded John 14.17 6ly Beware of Sensuality See the Epistle of Jude Verse 19. 2d Use is of Tryal Try whether ye have Sanctification or no true Sanctification possesses the whole Man it makes a change on the Mind Will and Affections 1 Thess 5.23 True peace it founded on the merite of Christ and guards the Heart against Temptations Phil. 4.3 True joy strengthens the Heart for Duty and makes the Heart despise Worldly Comforts in comparison of it and is an attendant on tender walking Acts 9 31. True Communion with God advances the Believer in a conformity to Gods Image 2 Cor. 3.18 For our Affections relative to the Glory to come 1st They have an vehement desire after it which they cannot sufficiently express and therefore they are said to groan within themselves for the Adoption Likeas this phrase imports the sincerity of their desire this was Pauls desire and he reckons it to be the desire of the rest of the Godly 2 Cor. 5.1 2. But this desire tho it be vehement it should be attended with submission to God prescribing the time of our Death Phil. 1. This Desire should flow rather from a desire of enjoying full Communion with God than a desire to be free of Trouble 2 Cor. 5.8 This Desire is necessary for the Saints that their Affections may be set on Heavenly things That they may be reconciled more to Death and that they may be more Zealous for further degrees of Mortification And therefore Covetousness after the good things of this World marr's this desire as also Anxiety and Concernment about the future Events of Providence marrs this Desire and again the want of the enjoyment of the first Fruits of the Spirit marr's it For when we feel not the sweetness of Communion with God we cannot have an desire after an full measure of it The best way to excite this Desire is frequently to reflect on our Misery through Original and Actual Sin our Chastisement for our Sins our trying Dispensations from God and our persecutions from the World The 2d mean to excite this Desire is the firm Faith of the certainty of the Excellency and of the Eternity of the Glory to come This vehement Desire is of great use to the Godly It makes them Strangers in the World and sober in the Enjoyment of Worldly Good and sober in their expectations from it The next Affection that is ascribed to the Godly Relative to Heaven is waiting Importing first Their expecting their Felicity 2ly It imports their patience under the delay of the same For the first They should expect it for that engages them to Purity 1 John 3 3. 2ly It supports them under Sufferings Heb. 10.35 3ly It makes them content with little in the World 1 Pet. 1.13 The way to win to this Expectation is to be diligent in all Dutys especially the Dutys of Brotherly-Love Heb. 6.12 2ly Make use of your Victory over Temptations as a confirmation to your Hope Psal 73.23 3ly Be oft considering the Grounds of security that secures your right to Heaven And first consider the promise of Eternal Life in the Word First Consider its universaâ— extensiveness to all Acts 13 48. Tit. 2.12 Actâ— 2.39 2ly Consider the freedom of the promise Gal. 3. It is said the Inheritance is not by the Law but by the promise Rom. 4. It is said that the Inheritance is by Grace that it might be
sure to all the seed 3ly Consider the Antiquity of the Promise Tit. 1 3. That Promise Gen. 3.16 That the seed of the Woman should Trample down the head of the Serpent it was an promise of Life to the Spiritual Seed of Christ because it is said Christ should destroy the Works of the Devil and therefore he must abolish Death which followed upon Sin which was brought in by Satan 4ly Consider the Repetition and confirmation of it by Oath to Abraham For by the Covenant made with him there was a Right to the Heavenly Inheritance conveyed to him and all his Spiritual Seed Gal. 3. which Covenant God ratifyed by Oath Heb. 6. 5ly Consider the Internal Seal of this Promise to wit the presence of the Spirit Gal. 4.30 Eph. 4.30 Now for the strengthening our Hope He has placed our Eternal Life in Christ he hath given to us Eternal Life and that Life is in his Son 1 John 5. our Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 He is said to be our Life ibid. He calls himself to Mary John 11. The Resurrection and the Life and he is called Eternal Life And first He is the Meritorious cause of this Life 1 John 4.10 He sent his Son to dye that we might live through him 2ly He is the exemplary cause of this Life Rom. 6.10 1 Thess 4. It is said that if God raised up Christ from the Dead them that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 3ly He is the dispensing cause of it he hath power to confer it Phil. 3. last And he has Commission to confer it John 17.3 4 and 6.37 I add for the strengthening of Believers Hope he has appointed the Sacrament of the Communion for the frequent renewing the Believers Right to the person of the Redeemer and therefore the eaten Bread is said to be Communion of his Body as the drinking of the Wine is said to be the Communion of his Blood because by Gods appointment it conveys a sure Right to his Humane Nature as Crucified for us and we know that he saith John 6. He that eateth his Flesh and drinketh his Blood hath Eternal Life And in the first of Johns Epistles Chap. 5. It is said he that hath the Son hath Life As also I add for the strengthening of their Hope he gives them the first Fruits the beginning of Glory in the World See the Text. The next thing that is in this waiting is Patience which imports an continuation of hope without freting or fainting under sore and continuing Crosses And this may be win to by considering what our deservings are and how short a thing Time is compared with Eternity 2 Cor. 4. last Now for the description of the Happiness of the other World It is called first Adoption to shew us that our right to it flows from Adoption Rom 8.17 Use of this is first To Exhort us to receive Christ aright that we may be Adopted Jo. 1.12 2d Use is an use of Tryal to try our Right to Heaven by trying our Adoption the best way to try that is to try if we have the Spirit of Adoption which appears in procuring access to God in a study of Imitation of him and subjection to his Corrections Heb. 12. 2ly Heaven is called Adoption because till we come to Heaven Adoption is not fully manifested 1 Jo. 3.1 2. And thefore in the preceeding verse the happiness of Heaven is called the manifestation of the Sons of God And this tells you how you may win to a due esteem of Adoption by considering it with this consequent The possession of Glory fully manifests the worth of this priviledge and withal this teaches Believers to be content with the Worlds contempt seing in this World their Adoption is not fully manifested 3ly Heaven is called Adoption Because it is an Inheritance suiteable to the dignity of the Son 's of God and therefore we should abound in the Work of the Lord knowing that our Labour will not be in vain in the Lord. Verse 24. For we are saved by hope But hope that is seen is not hope For what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Verse 25 But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it AS the Apostle in the other Verses had comforted the Romans by proving the excellency and certainty of the Future Glory from the Creatures desire after it and the Believers desire after it so now he Comforts them under their Cross by letting them see that their future Happiness is very consistent with their present Misery And this he does by telling them they are saved by hope which he clears by these two things 1st That the object of hope is neither presenty enjoyed nor sensibly certain Hope is not seen that is the object of Hope is not seen 2ly He clears it by describing the Affection of hope he says it is a Patient expecting of a distant good The 24 Verse holds out the Advantagiousness of it The other two Verses hold out the nature of the Object and affection of hope When it is said we are saved by hope As it supposes that our felicity is at a distance so it says that all the good that we can get of that distant felicity for the present time is obtained by hopeing for it and therefore if we cannot hope for it we loss all the Encouragement we have by it Next When the Text says we are saved by Hope it imports that if we can hope for Heaven it will save us from the Ill of the Cross for here he is labouring to comfort crossed Christians it will save for it keeps the Cross from being crushing because it expells the apprehensions of Wrath in a Cross 2ly It keeps the Cross from being ensnaring it cannot drive us from our Duty through fear for where this Hope is it lets us see that we have more gain by our duty nor loss by it Use of this is to exhort us to hope For 1st This Hope is suitable to the Revelation of the Gospel which hath brought to the Church a clearer discovery of Heaven than was brought under the Law 2ly It is suitable to Gods Name which he hath taken under the Gospel he is called the God of Hope Rom. 15.13 3ly It is suitable to Gods Works in raising Christ from the Dead and communicating the first Fruits of the Spirit to us it is an obeying of the Gospel-Precepts and imitation of Gospel Examples We should not be deterred from the Hopâ— of Heaven because we are under afflictions for ouâ— Sin 1 Pet 4. compare the 13. verse with the 17. Neither should we cast away our Hope for being guilty of upsiting in the Way of God compare Heb 5.12 with 10.35 Neither should we quite ouâ— Hope of Heaven because of our great sins before Conversion for so did not Paul Use of this is that we should labour for Hope 1st By making Grace the ground of it 2 Thess
2 16. 2ly By making Christs Resurrection the ground of it 1 Pet. 1.21 3ly By making his entry into Heaven the ground of it Heb. 6. last 4ly Bâ— discerning the Fruits of the Spirit see the preceeding Verse 5ly By observing the Victories over Temptations that God affords us Psal 73.24 Observe from the next Verse that our Happiness which is the Object of Hope it is not presently enjoyed but deferred 1st Because Christ mystical is not perfected the Souls under the Altar Rev. 6. their cry is not answered until their Brethrens Sufferings be fulfilled as well as theirs 2ly Individual Believers are not fit for Heaven till they be free of Sin and Mortality 1 Cor. 15. 3ly God continues Believers in the World he does not translate them to Heaven presently that they may beâ— Light shining in the dark World by good Example 4ly That they may keep off Wrath from the Society where they live if there had been ten Righteous Persons in Sodom it had not been destroyed and that they may be Intercessours for the sinfulâ— â—orld that it may not be destroyed as Moses was â—r sinful Israel Ezod 32. And 5ly It is deferred â—at Heaven may be the sweeter when it comes â—ope deferred makes the Heart sick but when the â—re comes it is a Tree of Life Prov 13.12 Use of Caution Beware of chosing present pleaâ—res before a deferred Happiness For these Pleaâ—res are insufficient Eccl. 2.1 2ly They are the â—easures of Sin and very momentany Heb 11.25 â—y This deferred Happiness is very certain and â—ery near Rom. 13. It is said our Salvation is nearer â—en when we Believed Heb. 10.37 Use 2d Wonder not to see the Lord delay the Temporal deliverance of his Kirk seing he delays â—e compleat delivery of it The Churches lying â—nder the Egyptian and Babilonish Captivity was â—ong But seing this is a peice of the Saints their Tryal to have their partial and total deliverance deerred we should be prepared to bear it First by considering the certainty of it that it will come â—ly By considering that Infinite Wisdom will appoint â—he fittest season for its coming which will tend most â—o his Glory and our Comfort 3ly We should comfort our selves by considering that God is still at work in the mean time fulfilling Scripture-predictions Use 3d. That since this happiness is deferred while we have time we should improve it in making our Title sure to it and fitting and preparing our selves for it Observe next That since happiness is the object of hope we have no certainty for it for it is only knowable by Supernatural Revelation Col. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.10 Happiness is the effect of Mercy The acting of which Attribute is free and therefore only knowable by Divine Revelation tho the actings of vindictive Justice be necessary and so easily known by Natures Light 2ly This happiness is hid and vailed to sense by many Vails of Sinfulness Misery and Mortality The difficulty of Faith and unstability thereof in Believers tells it has no sensible certainty of Heaven and the total Ignorance of the Heathen Philosophers of this truth with the scant knowledge that those had of it that lived under the Law tells us that there is no sensible certainty for Heaven Use of Caution Let not the sensible certainty of allureing present good be preferred to this Happiness for the alluring Good of this World is uncertain and ensnaring 2ly Let not the sensible Persecutions of this World deter you from your Duty so as to make you miss this Happiness for all the Evil of Persecution is but Chastisement Heb. 12. It is limited Psal 76. Jer. 10. It is mixt with strong Consolations 2 Cor. 1.6 It is light and momentany 2 Cor. 4. and penult A 2d Use of Tryal seing ye want of sensible certainty of it try whether ye have the Faith of it or no Marks of it are first ye will please God with Enoch Heb 11.6 2ly Ye will chose Affliction before Sin with Moses Heb. 11.35 3ly Ye will be strangers oâ— the Earth with the Patriarths Heb. 11 13. 4ly Ye will be hearty sufferers for Christ Heb. 10.34 2 Tim. 1 12. A 5th Mark is ye will be unwearied in diligence for doing good 1 Cor. 15. And Lastly Ye will be fearless of Death Phil 1.23 2 Cor. 5.1 2. A 3d. Use is An Use of Exhortation since ye want the sensible certainty of your happiness Labour for a certainty of the Faith of it For this effect Labour to be well acquaint with with Christ the knowledge of Christ will draw with it the believing certainty of this Happiness See Eph. 1.18 19. 2ly Meditate much on Scriptures and the Power of God Christ tells the Saducees that they would not believe the Resurrection to Life because they knew not the Scriptures nor the Power of God A 3d. Help to Faith Look on the Spirits presence under the notion of an earnest for so it called Eph. 1.2 Cor. 5. The first fruits of the Spirit should make us wait for the Adoption 4ly We should with Abraham not stagger at the promise of Heaven through unbelief we should not sit as Judge upon the Truth or falshood of the Promise we should instantly repell all Thoughts of the improbability of the performance of Promises Abraham would not consider his own Body now Dead We have the more need to obey this Exhortation to have the certainty of the Faith of our Happiness when we want the sensible certainty thereof the more need we have of it under the Cross nor any other time because our sight by Faith of Heaven is dimned under Crosses For 1st Our Consciences accuses us of Sin and for our Guilt Then 2ly We become Jealous of the Truth of our former Experiences of Gods Love 3ly With Hezekiah we become apprehensive of the grouth and continuance of our Tryal Isai 38. From Day untill Night thou will make an end of me and because with the Church Lam. 3. He will reckon God his Enemy and his case hopeless all which are Clouds to dim our sight of Heaven Use of Instruction this lets us see first the reason why the Members of the Visible Church have need of Saving Grace to help them to assent to the truth of the Gospel the reason is because this assent is no founded on sensible certainty or rational evidence but upon Divine Testimony and therefore it being the assent of Faith it most be the Gift of God Eph. 2.10 2ly This instructs us in the true reason why these that are wise Men after the flesh are not called It is because they know not to set to their Seal to Gods truth all that they win to is the improvemeâ— of their reason Now follows the description of the Affection oâ— hope It is called a Patient waiting for Heaven whicâ— imports first A longing for Heaven 2 Tim. 4. â— Rom. 8 23 Phil. 3 last 2 Cor. 4. last and 5 and 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.23 The Excellency and Eternity of the
blessedness together with this that it carries 〈◊〉 the bosom of it a removal of all Evil engageth 〈◊〉 to long for it It is our diffidence of the certainâ— of this happiness and our Carnal Minds wherebâ— we are strongly affected to Bodily and external gooâ— These two make us unconcerned and indifferent as 〈◊〉 our going hastily to Heaven 2ly This Patieâ— waiting for Heaven imports our expectation of 〈◊〉 we would believe that it is keeped for us 1 Pet. â— 2ly We should believe we are keeped for it 1 Pâ— 1 5. 1 Pet 4 last 2 Tim. 1 12. This firm expectâ—tion of Heaven is necessary for defending us agaiâ— Worldly Allurements and fixing our Love to Goâ— 3ly This Patient waiting imports in it an endâ—ing of Crosses without Fretting without Faintinâ— we should not fret under Persecutions under Perâ—nal Chastisements under the labour and toil of Duty under the singularity of Crosses under the Assaults of Satans Temptations which may be violent strange and frequent we should kyth our Patience in the want of fretting under Crosses by our Love to God complyance with our present Duty and our loathness to take sinful courses for our relief 4ly This Patient waiting for Heaven imports a protracted and continued hope See Psal 71 14 Col. 1 19 1 Pet. 1 13 Heb 3.14 It is necessary because it is long betwixt the promise of it and the performance of it 2â—y Our Work continues and therefore our hope should continue 3ly Our Tryals may continue and therefore our Hope should continue 4ly We have good reason to continue our hope under continuing Tryals because God has born through formerly the Saints under alle long Tryals and the experience we have had of Gods through bearing us in our former Tryals should make us believe that he will carry us through all the Tryals that is befor our hand Use of this is If we would wait patiently for Heaven as the Text bids us we must strive for an all of Patience Col. 1.10 and for this effect we should acquire much of the Art of Self-denyal Verse 26. Likeways the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities HEre the Apostle gives us an other Ground of Comfort under the Cross viz That tho the Saints be compassed with Infirmities yet the Spirit supports them under those and doth as the word in the first Language imports join himself with them in bearing of their Burthen Observe The Saints under Crosses have Infirmities both Moral and Physical Moral Infirmities such as Discontent as Jonah had Impatience which Job had a share of Unbelief with David Psal 77 Partial Atheism Psal 73 Pride with Hezekiah Isai 39. Passionate revenge with David in the case of Nabal Selfishness with those People that lived in the days of Hagai who Builded their own houses and forgot to Build the house of God weariedness in Labour and toil in Duty with Moses who wearied in the toil and labour of the Government of the People Partial Hypocrisie with David in the matter of Vriah 1 Pet. 2 1 2ly They are subject to Physical Troubles because they meet with Challenges for their old and new Sins under the Crosses which makes them apprehend their Crosses to be wrathful and makes them fear their continueing and grouth In the 3d place They are subject to Bodily Frailty and Sickness and Death which certainly contributes to make the Cross the more uneasy The Saints subjection to these manifold Moral Infirmities should bâ— a motive to humble them and to make them watchful lest they break out into gross Transgressions by them For when I say the Saints are subject to those Infirmities my meaning is not that the tract of their life is spent in outward Acts signifying the Predominancy of these ills in their heart for the Godly Man does no Iniquity in that sense See Psal 119 2 1 Jo. 3.8 But when I say they are subjsâ—ct to Infirmities my meaning is That Corruption tho it be broken in its Power in Believers yet it is partially Acting with their Graces There is another Use And that is Since the Saints are subject to physical Throuble then they need not wonder that besides the Persecution they sustained for the Testimony of the Truth they are lyable to manifold personal troubles since the Saints have been tryed with those before them Observe 2ly That the Spirit supports the Saints under their Infirmities he keeps them from despair under their most violent Temptations Psal 42.5 Psal 73 23. and 73.3 Lam. 3.13 The Spirit supports the Saints by giving them a prospect of Heaven Eph. 1.18 this cures their impatience and discontent 2ly He supports them by discovering the Truth of their Grace 1 Cor. 2.12 this was the way he supported Job 2ly He supports them against Temptations to Sin by discovering the odiousness of Sin to them this was it whereby he keeped David from yeilding to the Temptations of fretting against the prosperity of the Wicked the Spirit did convince him that if he gave way to that Temptation it were upon the matter an denying of the necessity and advantage of Piety Psal 73 17. 4ly The Spirit keeps a man from sinning under the Cross by fixing a man in such thoughts as may best preserve him from these sins he is presently tempted to and therefore when the Spirit would preserve David from despair Psal 77. He fixes his thoughts on the former kindnesses of God towards him He called to mind the former days 5ly He supports the Saints by strengthening the habits of Grace Eph. 3.17 and this makes their Gracious Work more easy 6ly He applys the promises to them and so makes them cheerful in their duty notwithstanding of their Infirmities 7ly He gives them access to God in Prayer as the Text afterwards tells us Vse 1st This lets us see That common Courage will not bear us through our Infirmities 2ly This refutes the Worlds Atheism because it evinceth that there is an efficacy in the Spirit that supports the Saints under their Infirmities 3ly It bids Crossed Christians under their Infirmities be careful to obtain and entertain the Spirits presence by shunning Legality Worldlyness and Sensuality greiving the Spirit Repelling his motions and quenching them we should Pray much to God for the Spirit Luke 17 18. We should labour to attain the Spirits presence by the use of Ordinances next we should be careful to refer our through-bearing to the Spirit and not to our selves Verse 26. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self also maketh Intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered THE Apostle doth instance the particular help the Spirit affords us in Prayer To prove that the Spirit is the helper of our Infirmities under the Cross Observe 1st That Prayer is a very suitable Exercise to Crossed Christians 2ly We are very ignorant what to Pray for or how to Pray 3ly This indisposition for Prayer is removed by the Spirit And 4ly Where the Spirit removes
foreknowledge of them Jo. 18.4 4ly Enemies being limited that they could not do all they would Jo. 19 36. And Christ himself acknowledges this Jo. 18.11 And this was the reason why Christ betook himself to Prayer under the Cross Use 1st Iâ— the Father was the main deliverer of him up to Death see here the great intended end of Christs Suffering was satisfaction to his Justice It was the Fathers Justice did pursue him And that consideration is comfortable to us and significative of the Fathers Love that Justice did forbear to punish us and did insist in the pursuit of him 2ly We see that Justice may inflict punishment by Instruments for Guilt whether imputed or following upon personal Transgression it was Justice delivered him up to Death tho it was Men that were the instruments in inflicting of it And this tells us that under all our Sufferings from Men we should mainly look to God for he hath the cheif Hand 3ly Since the Father delivered him to Death out of Love to us for our Salvation there is no cause to stumble at this Providence or strengthen Atheism thereby If Gods designs in this Providence and his Hand be overlooked it seems a strange thing for such a person to be given up to the will of Men but if the reason of this Providence be throughly considered there needs none stumble at it 4ly if Christs Sufferings were ordered by the Fathers Providence then all the Sufferings of his People must be ordered by the same providence 5ly We see in this Providence Gods Hand Christs Hand and the Hand of the Wicked Instruments God was Just because he was imputatively Guilty Christ kythed his Affection in submitting to all that was inflicted on him tho' he did not actively take away his own Life but the Instruments were Wicked because they did it to satisfy their Malice Now if ye would consider the Apostles reasoning hence To confirm the People of God in his Love it is very strong 1st Considering who he was he was his own Son 2ly To what be was delivered it was up to Death And 3ly If you consider for whom for Us Worthless Sinful Creatures All that makes it a High expression of Love Use 1st To reprove those amongst Believers that doubts of his Love For 1st There are some that doubt of it because he crosses them but they would look to his defending them against the Snare of the Cross and for his supplys of Grace under the Cross and how necessary it is for us 2ly Some doubt of his Love because they want Gifts but alas Gods great Gift is Christ to save other Gifts are more significative of Love to others in the Church then that they signifie Gods Love to thy self To press the believing of this Love Consider 1st It makes you Love him 2ly It will make you construct well of his dealing Charity thinketh no Evil. 3ly It will make you very thankful for Mercies For if thou think God Loves thee not thou will be ready to think every thing a snare to thee and so will not be so thankful for it 4ly If thou believe his Love thou will not be feared for the Aspect of an coming Cross Psal 56 4. Use 2d Of Exhortation Love the Father of our Lord Jesus and express your Love 1st By Obedience 2ly By loving his spiritual presence in his Ordinances see Psal 27.4 His Presence was Davids One Thing 3ly By Loving them that are his Psal 16. My Goodness extends not to thee but to the Saints 4ly Let your heart be warmed with Love to God under the Rod Heb. 12.9 5ly Grieve For others and your own offending him 6ly Have nothing but what you can give it him and bestow it for his use Your Health Time Gifts Friendship in the World Riches study how all these may be employed for him and his Glory 7ly Lâ— Love make you willing to part tho' it were with your Life to Glorify him seing Christ parted with his for your Salvation Use 3d. â—eing the Father his Love hath made oâ— Salvation so easy Then work it out with fear and trembling He doth not require a conformity to the Law of thee that thou may be saved that he hath got of Christ when he did not spare him all the Coâ—formity he requires is in order to Thankfulness and by vertue of Christs strength Verse 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifies HAving spoken elsewhere to the Nature of Justification that it does not stand in the infusiâ— of Gracious qualities in the Soul or in a persoâ— conformity to the Law In regard of our Actions But it stands in an Absolution from the charge of the Law for want of an Conformity to its preceptive and comminatory parts 2ly As also having spokeâ— to the compleatness of Justification as it is an Absolution from any possible charge or clame that câ— be given in against us And 3ly To the sureness anâ— firmness of it Here the Apostle triumphs by Faith as judging it so firm As it cannot be quarrelled by any 〈◊〉 any time upon just Grounds But the Text supposes there will be Challenges of our Justification and these are the censuring World the misinforme Conscience and the Tempting Devill And finâ— our Justification is firm in it self and objectively certain it were fit we had an subjective certainty of it that we may the more easily defend our selves against these Challengers And for this effect first we would be truely convinced of sin Psal 32.1 1 Jo. 1.7 People that are either stupid in their Conscience or Extenuaters of their Faults rarely win to the assurance of their Justification 2ly We would not found this Assurance of ours upon a good lively frame or upon some eminent assistance to do a particular Duty or upon some singular returns of Prayer or upon some signal external favourable Providence but we would lay the stress of it upon this that by Faith we appropriate to our selves the general grant of pardon recorded in the Gospel 1 Tim. 1.15 3ly We would Labour to be of an Evangelical Spirit and not of an Legal Phil. 3.10 4ly We should study sincerity Heb. 10.22 The true Heart there is joined with an Heart sprinkled from an Evil Conscience And 5ly Make it your work to walk after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 The Apostle adds two Grounds upon which he founds the sureness of our Justification One is taken from its Author it is God that justifies the other is taken from the subjects of this priviledge the Elect. For the first Gods being the Author of Justification that contributes to its firmness And first consider his Relation that he stands in towards the justified he is their Ruler by Laws and their supreme Judge 2ly Consider the hand he has to their particular Justification 1st His Infinite Wisdom found out the Method of it 2 Cor. 5.17 2ly Christs Resurrection-says he approved it 3ly Iâ— the word of the Gospel he
the Sacrament And 3ly We see the Truth of the Divine Threatning in the Covenant of Works because he bore the same Punishment for kind that was threatned in that Covenant 4ly We see the care that Christ has to remove the fear of Death from us Heb. 2.15 5ly We may be assured that a living Christ will save us since he dyed to reconcile us to God Rom. 5.10 6ly We may expect the total Crucifixion of the Body of Sin and Death by the diligent use of the Means of Mortification since he dyed to procure the same Rom. 6.6 7ly We see the Fathers good Will to conferr the Covenant-Good on us since he exposed his Son to Death to make way for the same From his Resurrection inferr since it was the first step of his Exaltation after his self denying Obedience Phil. 2. We may see from this the Fathers readiness to reward the self-denying Obedience of his People 2ly We may see a Confirmation of his being the Son of God from it Rom 1.4 3ly We may see the Fathers care to vindicate him from the Calumnies that were laid on him he was reckoned to be a Blasphemer and a false Teacher God raised him from the Dead for a vindication from these Calumnies 4ly We may inferr we have sufficient Ground to expect our Spiritual Life from him Rom. 6.11 5ly We may expect the Resurrection of our Body from him seing his Resurrection was a Pledge of our Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.20 23. 6ly From this we may inferr that we have an good Ground for our Faith of Justification through Christ because he raised him from the Dead to give us assurance of his Absolution as our Soverty 1 Pet. 1 21. From Christs Session at the right Hand inferr 1st That we should set our Hearts on things above where he is Col. 3.1 2ly That we should cast the Anchor of our Souls Hope within the Veil because Christ the Forerunner is there Heb. 6.20 If he be there he'ell fetch us to himself that where he is there we may be John 14.2 3. 3ly From this we have a further confirming Ground for the answer of a quiet and peaceable Conscience notwithstanding of sin 1 Pet. 3 21 2â— 4ly We may expect for our Consolation the Mission of the Spirit of God to us John 16.7 for he goes to Heaven for that end Acts 2.33 5ly We may securely expect that all things will be mannaged for the safety of the Church seing this Session at the right Hand includes in it a Power over all Flesh that he may possess these hâ— has given him with Eternal Life John 17.3 6ly We need not fear any opposition made to our â—alvation seing the frustration of that is included iâ— Christs sitting at the right Hand since the Fatheâ— gave him that Session at his Right Hand as a Pledge of that total Victory over all our Personal Enemieâ— Psal 110.1 From Christs Intercession the People of God mâ— expect that Spiritual Benediction spoken of Numb â— last verses They may expect the Unity the Preservation from the Evils of the World and the seven other things prayed for in the 17 of John Theâ— may expect Grace and Mercy to help in time oâ— need Heb 4. They may expect perfect Salvation Heb. 7.23 They may expect the presenting of therâ— imperfect Prayers to God Rev 8.3 He offers 〈◊〉 the Incense of the Prayers of the Saints The Church may expect his â—ntercession for them whiâ— they are in a Low Condition Zech. 1. This Intercession will be prevalent 1st If 〈◊〉 consider his Sympathy Heb. 4 2ly Consider hâ— is called the High-Priest in the New Testament inaugurate by Oath Heb. 7 it is founded upon Blooâ— Next it is founded upon the Promise made to Chrisâ— and the Promise made to us Likeas it cannot be bâ— prevalent because of the great Affection the Father bears to the Son and if ye consider that Mystical Union that is 'twixt him and us Use of Consolation 1st To such as are at 〈◊〉 distance from God and have not clear views of hiâ— This High-Priest is appearing before God and is a no distance from God 2ly It 's comfortable to suâ— as are jealous that God may forget them but this Intercession secures the contrary because this true High-Priest carries the Names of the true Israelites upon his heart before the Lord for he is the truth of that Levitical Priest that had the Names of the Twelve Tribes of the Israelites writen on his Breastplite 3ly It is comfortable to those that meet with Satans Temptations because he prays for such that their Faith fail them not Luke 22.23 4ly It 's comfortable to such as miss the Spirits Presence John 14.16 Verse 35. Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Perrill or Sword Verse 36. As it is writen For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Verse 37. Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us HEre the Apostle prevents another Discouragement ariseing from Trouble He had prevented Discouragements ariseing from Sin in the former Verses And now he prevents a Discouragement ariseing from fear that our Trouble may draw us from the Love of Christ The Question here proposed anent it imports a strong denyal that any Trouble will drive us from the Love of Christ And this is clear that through Christs Assistance we are more than Conquerors The Apostle adds a Description of Christ from his Love to hold out that Loâ— is the Principle of Assistance and he wills us to be assured of his love to us by proposeing his own Example to us to imitate Paul was Assured of bâ— love to him as the last Verse in the Chapteâ— sheweth Observe 1st here That the People of God arâ— subject to all the Evils here enumerate And 1â— To Tribulation which is taken for Distempers anâ— Pressures on the Body the Reason of it is 1st Tâ— humble them under these Notes of Respect God pâ— on them as Hezekiah was Isa 38. 2ly To try theâ— Patience Job 2. 3ly To excite Repentance Psaâ— 38. 4ly To set them to Prayer Psal 6. 5ly Tâ— presignifie their Mortality and to make the Worâ— werch to them 6ly That they may have an entire Faith in God 2 Cor. 1.12 And Lastly the God may give them fresh Experiences of his Suppoâ— and Relle Vse Improve all the Distempers of your Bodie for these Ends. Observe 2ly That the Godly are subject to Dâ—stress or Anguish of Mind that is Perplexity ariseing from a doubtfulness about our delivery and the methods of it This is done by God that the Delivery may be seen the more to be of him see Exoâ— 14. 2ly He trystes them with this to try whether their Faith be grown stronger or not with their former Experiences see that same Text. 3ly Thaâ— they may prize their Delivery the more Hezekiâ—
was opprest with his sickness and when he undelivered he could not express the greatness of the Sense he had of it 4ly He brings his People to this pass to try if they rue their former Religion Hezekiah was tryed whether he rued his Reformation by the Assyrian Invasion 2 Chron. 32.1 5ly He does it to make them fervent in Prayer 2 Chron. 20.12 6ly To try their Integrity whether they shall take unlawful Ways for their Relief 7ly This is to make them not to trust in their own Wisdom but in Gods 2 Cor. 1 8 9 And 8ly This is done to punish their sin Isa 59.10 11 12. Observe 3ly The Saints may meet with Exile or Banishment the Word here translated Persecution may be meant of Expulsion from the Society whereof they are Members This is caseable to the Saints as witness the case of David and of the Captives in Jeconiab's days God trysts them with this 1st To awaken their longing after the Ordinances Psal 63.8 Psal 42. 2ly To punish the Wicked with the want of their Company 3ly To convert the Elect where they go Acts 11.19 Isa 66 19. 4ly To fit them for great Services by accustoming them to bear hardship as he did with Moses and David 5ly To make them to be denyed to their Relations and to be strangers on the Earth 6ly That they may have Experience of Gods Fatherly Provision of them in such a case Vse If this may be their case prepare to meet with it and for this effect use your Liberty and the Company of your Friends edifieingly that when you are in Exile you may bear off your Conscience-Challenges for abuse of Mercies 2ly Use the World as an strange Place and make Heaven your Home 3ly Labour for Communion with God that whâ— you want the Company of your Friends you 〈◊〉 have Gods Company to make it up 4ly In tâ— midst of your Prosperity acquaint your self with Life of Faith and Dependence upon God that whâ— ye come to straits that life may be the more easy â— you 5ly Acquaint your self with the comfortabâ— allowances of Gods People under Exile As 1st Hâ— supplies the want of Ordinances to them Ezek. â— 16 2ly He provides Friends to them where the go as he provided to Joseph and Daniel 3ly Hâ— supports them under that case 2 Cor. 4 9. 4ly Theâ— are sure of a Recompence Mat. 19 â—9 5ly Hâ— sanctifies that condition to them Jer. 24.7 6ly He renews the sense of their Interest in Gods Covenant-Promise Gen. 28 And discovers more of thâ— Secrets of the Covenant of Grace than at any â—ther time See his dealing with the Captives in Baâ—lon and sometimes he gives them a foresight 〈◊〉 the future State of the Church as he did to Daniel Observe 4ly That Gods People may be tryeâ— with Famine God does this 1st To punish Sensuality Lam 4.5 2ly To humble them and â— prepare them for Plenty Deut. 8 3 6. 3ly To tâ— their Faith and Integrity as it was with Christ 〈◊〉 the Wilderness 4ly To depend more upon Providence than to trust what they presently possesâ— 5ly That they may have experience of Gods blessing their little Vse Be comforted under this case when ye faâ— in it For 1st Christ was in this case that he might Sympathize with you 2ly This case mâ— prevent the Snare of Plenty 3ly It may be the occasion of some extraordinary Way of Gods providing for you for it may be an occasion of Gods giving them an experience that he blesses their little Observe 5ly They may be tryed with Nakedness 2 Cor. 11.27 Heb 11.37 And this teacheth you not to be Prodigal as to cloaths ye know not what may come 2ly The People of God may be comforted under this Lot because it 's not a singular case 2ly They have Christs Righteousness to cover their Spiritual Nakedness and may expect the Garment of Immortality Observe 6ly They may meet with Perils that may put their Life in hazard to be taken away suddenly 2 Cor. 11.26 And this reproves the vulgar who censures the state of the Godly upon the account of their meeting with thir Perils see Acts 28.4 2ly It says the state of the Saints is secure tho they should suddenly be taken away 3ly It bids them prepare for Death lest they be surprised with it 4ly It bids them be thankful for the continuance of their life seing they are lyable to so many Perils as may take it away Observe next The Saints may be tryed with the Enmity of the Powers of the World against them this is meant by the Sword and this is done for the greater Tryal of the Saints that they may suffer in their Name alse well as in their Body for when the Powers of the Earth persecute them they pretend their being guilty of Crimes that they are innocent of The Apostle insists in this Tryal by citeing the Experience of the Saints in Psal 44. The Words are as it is writen For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughter In which Words we may see 1st That the recorded Persecution of the Saints in Scripture is great comfort to the Saints when they are persecute 2ly We may see that the Powers on Earth maâ— take away the life of the Saints for adhereing to the Truth The Reason is because Gods Truth wâ— not let them sin without a Witness it awakens theâ— Conscience against them These Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the Earth Rev. 11. 2ly They persecute them because they oppose their wicked political Designs as Jeroboam persecute Amos God permits this that Persecutors should kilâ— them to the End that Persecutors their Enmity should be better discovered and their Cup the sooner filled that the Saints Faith may be better tryed and their Corruptions more purged and they made more heavenly and that Hypocrites may be purgeâ— out of the Kirk by that soreness of the Persecution and that the Power of God may be more seen it enlarging of his Church under that Persecution as it was seen in Egypt and in the Primitive Times Vse Since this is caseable Gods People would be comforted under this Providence by these Grounds 1st It is an honour that they are to co-witness with Christ to the Truth 2ly Truth will receive no Damnage by this it 's more cleared and confirmed the Church receives no damnage by it it 's more purified and enlarged the Godly receive no damnage by it for they are born up Luke 21.14 15. The Lord takes this way for to chastise their sin and that tends in the hinderend for their honour and he lets them not want comfort and by this they have a great evidence of the soundness of their Grace Next From this Citation that we are killed all the day long There is imported 1st That Persecutors Malice is not soon satisfied the constancy of Saints irritates their Malice and former Acts of persecution gives the Devil access to hurry
them to more and they foolishly dream that a continued Persecution will reach their end 2ly We see that God may permit the Persecution to last a long time for the filling up of the number of his Witnesses And 3ly We may see that the Lords People may ly under an uninterrupted Persecution for a while to force them to Self-denyal and Heavenly mindedness for when Persecution relents they begin to make the World their Home again Next It tells us that Persecutors when they inflict the greatest Miseries upon the Lords People they do it with great Contempt they count them as Sheep for the slaughter Their Power makes them proud 2ly The Saints mean condition in the World makes them contemn them 3ly The Pretences they have for the justness of their Persecution makes them think light of them Use Saints would bear this contempt and would comfort themselves with this that in Gods sight their Blood is precious Observe next That the People of Gods Tryals tempts them to quite their love to Christ it appears because unsound Professors quite their Love under such Dispensations Mat. 24.12 They are strong Temptations to break our Love because it 's usual with us to judge of Christs Love by his external favourable Dispensations towards us as also they tempt us to cast away our confidence and so they tend to weaken our Love Vse Is that we should fortifie our Love to Christ under these Dispensations of Affliction because it is much put at and this may be done by living by Faith and upon the Hope of Heaven and by studying Self denyal to our Ease and Interests in the World 2ly By this ye may know whether your Troubles or Afflictions hurt you or benefite you whether they do crush or encrease your love Encreâ—ed Love hath Zeal with it for the Publick Good Repentance for formerly committed Guilt and much Longing after Communion with God when Love is weakened by Crosses it makes us dislike the Lords Way because of the Cross and â—ue our Religion because the Lord disappoints our foolish Expectations from the World As for the last thing That over all these Crosses the Saints are more than Conquerours It will appear if ye consider the Advantage that the Church has in general of all those Afflictions and Persecutions 1st Because it tends to the Churches purifying from Hypocrites Ezek. 20â— 38 2ly It contributes to the Churches Unity Acts 4.32 3ly It contributes to the Addition of near Members to the Church 1 Cor. 16.9 4ly Truth is more cleared and confirmed by the diligence and painfulness of the persecute Members of the Church 5ly The Enemies of the Church are convinced more in these times of Gods owning of the Church Rev. 3.9 6ly Persecution makes way many times for the Churches Resurrection Mic. 4.10 The Reason of this Deliverance is because God dwells in his Church Psal 46.5 The Bush was not burnt because God dwelt in it Exod 6. Vse This may satisfie us as to that Providence of God in putting his Church under Persecution 2ly It reproves them that repine at this Providence and scarr at it But 2ly Private Christians are more than Conquerours in their Persecutions if ye look to the Advantage they meet with under that Dispensation As 1st They are more purged from sin Dan 10.35 Isa 4.4 Their Faith is more established in the Doctrine of the Gospel Acts 2.42 Greater affection to the Means of Grace Ibid. More of the Joy of the Holy Ghost Acts 13. last They are more weaned from other Helps and lean to God Psal 44.8 Their Love is warmed to Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 8. They have a more Publick Spirit Psal 137. And 2ly As their Advantage is greater so Satan is much disappointed of his intendment by Persecution whereby he intends to ruine the People of Gods Faith but that fails him to make them rue their Religion and others be hardened in their rejecting of it and so does that fail him also and likeways that of his to make the Saints Life bitter with Persecution but the sweet Joy they meet with makes him get a disappointment there The Reason why the People of God are more than Conquerours is because of the influence of Christs Life upon them 2 Cor. 4.8 9. From this that they are said to be more then Conquerours We may see that the People of God have their own difficulty in this Contest and no wonder because of the greatness of their Afflictions that they are without Interruption and of long continuance and without the appearance of an outgate Isai 42.27 They are chastisements for Sin Heb. 12. They surprise them as they did Job they irritate our Corruptions therefore called Temptations they are such Crosses as readily we would never choise therefore our Self-denyal is most tryed with them where there is an conquest there there hath been a contest This tells us that the Christians Life is not idle but a fighting Life under the Cross it is much to the Christian to overcome his Unbelief Impenitence Selfishness Use 2d Of Consolation Albeit the Christian hath his own difficulty in this Fight yet he is more than a Conquerour that is his Victory is not dubious but manifest for albeit he has his own sin of Unbelief and Impenitence yet the Devil is evidently disappointed and this Victory cannot be lost again it is a sure continuing Victory for whatever scaith the Church or the People of God may receive by a particular Assault from a Cross yet it is very sure they shall have the full and absolute Victory in the close Verse 38. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come Verse 39. Nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. HEre the Apostle brings in his own perswasion of Gods Love in Christ Jesus that others may imitate him for this perswasion is for Imitation as appears by his making the constancy of Gods Love not a peculiar priviledge to himself but common to him with others see Verse last He proposes I say this perswasion of Gods Love in its constancy to clear that Believers need not fear the want of Assistance to make them overcome all their Tribulation constant Love will make constant Assistance for constant Victory And this perswasion is not conjectural but a certain Assurance as appears by the Greek word here translated Perswaded 2 Tim. 1.12 2ly His particular enumeration of these things that might make an alteration of Gods Love towards him And by the Ground of this perswasion It 's the love of God in Christ and therefore must be constant First then consider How God persuades his People of his Love 2ly When he doth it And 2ly How Gods People may come by this persuasion First He does perswade them by giving them a Spirit of Filial Prayer v. 15.16 2ly By enableing them to
of the sensible presence of the Spirit that they may have his supporting encouragement at their hand under their seeing and feeling Mortality When the Text says The Spirit is Life in opposition to the Bodys Death It doth not only intimate that the Soul lives a spiritual life and likeways that it doth live that Life after Death immediatly But likeways it imports that the Holy Spirit of God as present in the Soul of a Christian is a pledge and cause of spiritual life here and immediatly after Death when it is a pledge and cause of immortal Life at the Resurrection For when the Text speaks of the Spirit being Life the word Spirit is not meant so much of a mans Soul as of the Indwelling spirit of God in Belivers which is clear by the words subjoined in the Eleventh verse Observe from these Two Verses jointly considered That the Indwelling presence of the Spirit in Believers is a sure pledge of immortal Glory and this is clear by these three 1st Consider the import and significancy of this Gift 2ly It 's Efficacy 3ly Consider it's Irrevocableness And First As to It 's significancy Consider the Names Designations and Descriptions it gets in Scripture 1st It is called the Blessing of Abraham Gal. 3.14 so it signifies that God's Covenant with Abraham belongs to them now Christ Luke 20 Evinces That God cannot be the God of the Dead but of the Living 2ly It is called a Seal Eph. â— 30. To signifie that God hath an peculiar interest â— them that have it as his peculiar Treasure and therâ—fore it is sure he cannot lose them by death Anâ—hilation and Perdition 3ly It is called the Ernest Eph. 1.13 2 Cor. 5.5 and 1 22. And therâ—fore where it is given it signifies Gods purpose anâ— Obligation to give the Inheritance 4ly It is callâ— the Unction or Anointing 2 Cor. 1.21 As 1 Joh. 2.20 To hold out that by the present of the Spirit Gods People are separate sanctâ—fied and dignified to be Gods Kings to triumph over all their spiritual Enemies whereof Death iâ— one 5ly It is called the Spirit of Promise Eph. 1 13. and the promise of the Spirit Gal. 3.14 Because the Gracious Indwelling of the Spirit in â— perfection is the primary and comprehensive goâ— promised in the Gospel and the great design of the Gospel being to possess People of the Spirit therefore the Gospel is called 2 Cor. 3. The Miâ—stration of the Spirit and therefore the presence â— the Spirit signifies that God will grant to the havâ— of it Glory to come seing when God grants tâ— primary good promised in the Gospel he will noâ— deny them any accessory good that 's promised 〈◊〉 the same Now Glory is a consequent unto thâ— presence of the Spirit see Verse 11. Next Consider the Efficacy of this Gift whiâ— kyths in these two 1st in raising us from tâ— Death of sin 2ly In raising Christ from the Deaâ— see for a proof of its Efficacy Eph. 1.19 20. And 3ly Consider it s an irrevocable Gift bâ—cause the Gifts and Callings of God are without Repentance And 2ly Because the Spirit is given to them not to be taken from them again for he is said to dwell in them by his Spirit and to make them a perpetual Sanctuary to himself Ezek. 37.26 He is to be a spring of Eternal Life to them Joh. 7.38 Joh. 4.14 The Soul that is thus possessed of the Spirit cannot miss Eternal Life for it is an Eternal habitation for God and the Spirit gives the Soul Eternal Life now the Spirit cannot give the Soul Eternal Life if the Body lay perpetually in the Grave The Use of this is since the presence of the Holy Spirit in a Believer is a sure pledge of immortal Life it reproves Believers that have it that they are not more lively in their hope of Glory A 2d Use is To Instruct us in the worth of this Gift God may give and take other Gifts from us but he gives us this Gift without Rueing and Repenting we may lose other Gifts but this is a permanent Enjoyment there is nothing in the World that has the full significancy that this Gift has nor has its Efficacy And therefore these that have it should be thankful for it and whosoever want it should be at pains to obtain it Verse 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you HEre the Apostle preoccupies an Objection they might have said since our Soul lives and shall our Body ly perpetually in the Grave wherefore then serves our Justification It is Answered That if the Spirit of God dwell in us that same Spirit will quicken our Mortal Body In the Words ye may take notice of the Assurance that the Apostle gives of the Resurrection of the Body upon the account of the Pledge thereof in time and that is the Spirit dwelling in us And 1st Ye may observe That the Mortal Body shall be quickened again and this appears from the priviledge of Justification seing Death is a punishment following upon sin 2ly Adoption cleaâ— it Luke 20.36 compared with Rom. 8.23 3â— Christs Resurrection clears it his Resurrection being the exemplary cause of ours 1 Cor. 15 2â— 4ly The Spirits Indwelling in the Body clears it 1 Cor. 6.19 and see the Text. 5ly The Body beinâ— a peice of Christ Mystical see 1 Cor. 6.15 1 Thes 4 and 14. 6ly Christs Engagement to the Fatheâ— clears it Joh. 6.37 7ly The Immortality of the Soul compared with the Natural Inclination of iâ— to the Body clears it because nihil violentum est de rabite and therefore Luke 20.37 Christ takes it foâ— granted since Abraham Isaac and Jacob live in theiâ— Souls their Bodies must revive again And that the self same Body shall rise again Appears 1st Becauâ— Chrâ—st had the self same Body and his Resurrection was a Patern of ours 2ly Christ says God can caâ— the Body in Hell after Death 3ly The Bodies thaâ— are raised come out of their Graves John 5.28 29 4ly Paul Prays that the Body may be kept blamelesâ— till the coming of Christ 1 Thess 5. 5ly It 's the Mortal Body see the Text 1 Cor 15. This Corruptible c. Use of Exhortation strive to believe this Article And that by considering the Scriptures are the Word of God and believing the Omnipotent Power of God Luke 20 36. 2ly It exhorts us to abound in Gods Service 1 Cor. 15. last 3ly It bids us suffer for Christ when called to it 4ly It reproves those that stain their Body by Intemperance and Lust see 1 Cor. 6. An other Use is of Comfort for those that have pained Bodies like Lazarus and Job it s sowen in Dishonour it s raised in Glory and it is of comfort to them that have weak Bodies it is sowen in weakness it s