come and receive his full and perfect salvation I think a man should seek nothing in himself whereupon to build his coming to Christ though it be true no man can come to a Saviour till he be convinced of sin and misery yet no man should seek convictions as a warrand to come to Christ for salvation he that is in earnest about this question how shall I be saved I think he should not spend the time in reflecting on and examination of himself till he find something promising in himself but from discovered sin and misery pass straight way over to the grace and mercy of Christ without any interveening search of something in himself to warrand him to come there should be nothing before the eye of the soul but sin and misery and absolute necessity compared with superabounding grace and righteousness in Christ And thus it singly devolves it self over upon Christ and receives him as offered freely without money and without price I know it is not possible that a soul can receive Christ till there be some preparatory convincing work of the Law to discover sin and misery But I hold that to look to any such preparation and fetch an incouragement or motive therefrom to believe in Christ is really to give him a price for his free waters and wine it is to mix in together Christ and the Law in the point of our acceptation and for souls to go about to seek preparations for a time resolving not at all to consider the promise of the Gospel till they have found them and satisfaction in them is nothing else but to go about to establish their own righteousness being ignorant of the righteousness of Christ. And therefore many do corrupt the simplicity of the Gospel by rigid exactions of preparations and measures of them and by making them conditions or restrictions of Gospel-commands and promises As in this Come ye that are wearied And from thence they seem to exclude persons not so qualified from having a warrand to believe Alas it is a great mistake of these and such words certainly these are not set down of purpose to exclude any who will come for whoever will let them come and take freely but rather to encourage such wearied and broken souls as conceives themselves to be the only peâ—sons excluded and to declare unto us in some measure the nature of true faith that a soul must be beaten out of it self ere it can come to Christ. Therefore I conclude that not only it is â— ridiculous and foolish conceit of many Christians that uses to object against believing Iâ— I were as such or such a person if I did love God if I had these fruits of the Spirit if I walked according to the Spirit then I might believe Alace how directly opposite is this to the tearms of the Gospeâ— I say If thou place satisfaction in these and from that ground come to Jesus Christ then thou dost not come really thou dost indeed establish thine own righteousness Doth any Saint though never so holy consider himself under such notions of grace when he comes to be justified No indeed but as an ungodly man rather he must deny all that though he had it And besides it is most unreasonable and incongruous to seek the fruits before the tree be planted and to refuse to plant the tree till you can behold the fruits of it But also it is contrary to the â—ree and comfortable Doctrine of the Gospel for a soul to seek the discovery of any thing in it self but sin before it apply to Jesus Christ. I say there must be some sense oâ— sin otherwise it hath not rightly discovered sin but a soul should not be at the pains to discover that sense of sin and find it out so as to make it a motive of believing in Christ He ought to go straight foreward and not return as he goes he must indeed examine himself not to find himself a sensible humbled sinner that so he may have ground of believing but that he may find himself a lost perishing sinner void of all grace and goodness that he may find the more necessity of Jesus Christ. And thus I think the many contentions about preparations or conditions preparatory to believing may be reconciled Now if the question be as it is indeed about the grounds of our assurance and knowledge of our own faith certainly it is clear as the noon-day that as the good tree is known by the fruits thereof and the fire by the heat thereof so the in-dwelling of faith in the heart is known by its purifying of the heart and working by love it makes a man a new creature so that he and others may see the difference Neither is this any derogation to the free grace of Christ or any establishing of our own righteousness except men be so afraid to establish their own righteousness that they will have no holiness at all but abandon it quite for fear of trusting in it which is a remedy worse than the disease because I make it not a ground of my acceptation before God but only a naked evidence of my believing in Christ and being accepted of God it being known that these have a necessary connexion together in the Scriptures and it being also known that the one is more obvious and easie to be discerned then the other Sure I am the Lambs Book of Life is a great mystery and unless this be granted I see not but every mans regeneration and change shall be as dark and hidden as the hidden and secret decrees of Gods Election for the Spirit may immediatly reveal both the one and the other Is it any derogation to the grace of Christ to know what is freely given us Doth it not rather commend his grace When a soul looks upon it self beautified with hiâ— comeliness and adorned with his graces and loaths it self in it self and ascribes all the honour and praise to him Is it not more injury to the fountain and fulness of grace in Christ not to see the streams of it at all nor to consider them then to behold the streams of grace that flowes out of this fountain as coming out of it I think Christians may be ready to idolize their graces and make them Mediators when they are known but is this a good remedy of that evil to abandone all sight and knowledge of the things freely given us of God Shall we not speak of the freeness of grace because mens corruptions turn grace into carnal liberty and wantonness If these graces be in us sure I am 't is no vertue to be ignorant of them but rather a weakness and darkness It must then be the light and grace of God to know them and from thence to conclude that assurance of faith which is not a forced ungrounded perswasion and strong fancy without any discovered reason of it Sure I am the Apostles counsel is to make our election sure by making our calling sure
wrath consider what is your advantage O consider your dignity ye are advanced unto that ye may engadge your hearts to him to become his and his wholly for you are bought with a price and are no more your own he gave himself for you and was made a curse to redeem you from the curse O how should ye walk as priviledged men as redeemed ones I beseech you all to call home your thoughts to consider and ponder on this sentence that is past against us there is now hope of delivery from it if ye will take it home unto you but if ye will still continue in the wayes of sin without returning know this that ye are but multiplying those curses platting many cords of your iniquities to bind you in everlasting chains ye are but digging a pit for your souls ye that sweat in your sins and travel in them and will not embrace this ransome offered the key and lock of that pit is eternal despair O consider how quickly your pleasures and gains will end and spare some of your thoughts from present things to give them to eternity that threed spun out for ever and ever the very length of the dayes of the Ancient of Dayes who hath no beginning of dayes nor end of time Remember now of it least ye become as long miserable as God is blessed and that is for ever All men would desire to have priviledges beyond others but there is one that carries it away from all the world and that is the believer in Jesus Christ who is said to be in Christ implanted in him by faith as a lively member of that body whereof Christ is the head Christ Jesus is the head of that body the Church and this head communicats life unto all the members for be fills all in all there is a mighty working power in the head which diffuseth it self throughout the members Ephes. 1.19 22 23. There are many expressions of union between Christ and believers therâ— is no near conjunction among men but this spiritual union of Christ with believers is represented to us under it The foundation and the building have a near dependence the corner stone and the wall these knit together and Christ Iesus is the foundation and the chief cornerstone in whom all the building fitly joyned together groweth up into an holy temple Ephes. 2 20 21. The head and members are near united so is Christ and believers they grow up into him Ephes. 4.15 Parents and children are almost one â—o is Christ Jesus the everlasting Father and he shews to the Father the children which he hath given him we are his brethren and he is not ashamed to call us so But which is more we are one flesh with him There is a marriage between Christ and the Church and this is the great meditation of the Song of Solomon He is the vine tree and we are branches planted in him Nay this union is so strict that it is mutual I in them and they in me Christ dwelleth in us by faith by making us to believe in him and love him we dwell in Christ by that same faith and love by believing in him and loving him Christ Jesus is our house where we get all our furniture he is our store-house and treasure our place of strength and pleasure a city of refuge a strong tower and a pleasant river to refresh us We again are his habitation where he dwelleth by his Spirit we are his work-house where he works all his curious pieces of the new creature forming it unto the day of Espousals the great day of Redemption This gives us to understand what we once were we may stand here and look back upon our former condition and find matter both of delight and sorrow We were once without Christ in the world and if without Christ then without God and hope in the world Eph. 2.12 I wish this were engraven on the hearts of men that they are born out of Christ Jesus wild Olives growing up in the stock of degenerated Adam He was once planted a noble Vine but how quickly turned he into a degenerate plant and instead of Grapes brought forth wilde Grapes and sowre We all grow upon an Olive tree that is wilde by nature Rom. 11.24 It grows out of the Garden of God in the barren wilderness and is meet for nothing but to bring forth fruit unto death to be cut down and cast into the fire It s a tree which the Lord hath cursed never more fruit grow upon thee henceforth This was the fatal sentence pronounced on Adam Oh that you would know your condition by nature how all your good inclinations dispositions and educations cannot make your stock good and your fruit good Ephraim is an empty vine this is ouâ— name Nay but many thinks they bring forth fruit Hath not Heathens spread forth their branches and brought foâ—th many pleasant fâ—uits of â—emporal patience sobriety magnanimity prudence and such like Doth not some civil men many acts of civility profitable to men Do not many a man pray and read the Scriptures from his youth up Yes indeed these are fruits but for all that he is an empty Vine for he brings forth fruit to himself and so as in the Original he is a Vine emptying the fruit which it gives Hos. 10.1 All these fruits are but to himself and from himself he knows not to direct those to Gods glory but to his own praise or advantage to make them his ornament and he knows not his own emptiness to seek all his furniture and sap from another What were all these â—air blossoms and fruits of Heathens indeed they were more and better than any now upon the multitude of professed Christians and yet these were but splendida peccata shining sins What is all your praying and fasting but to your selves as the Lord charges the people Zech. 7. Do you fast at all to me no ye do it to your selves Here is the wildness and degeneraâ—ness of your natures either you bring forth very bitter fruits such as intemperance avarice contention swearing c. or else fruits that have nothing but a fair skin like apples of Sodom that are beautiful on the tree but being handled turn to ashes so there is nothing of them from God or to God I think every man almost intertains this secret perswasion in his breast that his nature it may be weak yet it is not wicked it may be helped with education and care and diligence and dressed till it please God and profite others Who is perswaded in heart that he is an enemy to God and cannot be subject to Gods Law Who believes that theiâ— â—eart is desperatly wicked Oh! it s indeed deceitful above all things and in this most deceitful that it perswadeâ— you ye have a good heart to God Will not proâ—ane men whose hands are defiâ—ed maintain the uprightness of their hearts Nâ—mo nascitur bonus sed fu I beseech you once consider
satisfied in our Cautioner and considers us as righteous in that account before God And this likewise I speak for your use that ye may loath and abhor your selves as much in your selves who are made clean by the blood of Jesus Christ as if ye were not washen Nay so much the more ye ought to remember your own sins which he doth not remember as debt any more and to be ashamed and confounded because they are pardoned It is ordinary for souls to look on themselves with an eye of more complacency in themselves when they apprehend that God lookes favourably on them I do not think that any soul can duely consider the gracious aspect of God in Jesus Christ to them but they will the more loath themselves but I find it ordinary that slight and inconsiderate thoughts of pardon begets jolly conceits in mens hearts of themselves and this is even the sin of Gods children something is abated of our self abhorring when we have peace and favour spoken in to us but I beseech every one that believes there is no condemnation for them to consider there is all things worthy of it in them yea nothing but what deserves it and therefore let that aspect of God beget self-loathing and self-detestation in you the more you apprehend he is pleased with you be ye the more displeased with your selves because it is not your selves he is pleased with but his own well-beloved Son The day of redemption is coming when there shall be no condemnation and nothing condemnable either In Heaven you shall be so but while ye are here this is the most important duty ye are called to to loath your selves because of all your abominations and because he is pacified towards you Ezek. 16. at the close and Chap. 36.31 and 20 43 44. There is a new and strange mortification now pleadde â—or by many whose highest advancement consisteth in not feeling or knowing or confessing sin but in being dead to the sense and convictâ—â—n of the same Alace whither are these reforming timeâ— gone Is not this the spirit of Antichrist I confess it is a mortification of Godliness a crucifying of Repentance and Holiness a crucifying of the new man but it is a quickning of the old man in the lusts thereof a living to sin this is a part of that new but â—aâ—sly so called Gospel that is preached by some which if an Angel would bâ—ing from Heaven we ought not to believe it Other foundation can no man lay then which is laid already upon which the Prophets and Apostles are builded even Christ Jesus Lord give the spirit to understand these mysteries already revealed but save us from these new discoveries and lights That which we have received is able to make us perefâ—ct to salvation Every one pretends a claim and right to this priviledge of Christians to be pardoned and absolved from condemnation who doth not put it out of question though in the mean time their iniquities testifie against them and their transgressions say in the heart of a godly man that there is no fear of God before their eyes Therefore the Apostle describes the man that is in Jesus Christ to be such an one That walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit Not only to guard against the presumptuous fancy of those that live in their sins that pretend to hope for Heaven but to stir up every justified soul to a new manner of conversation since they are in Jesus Christ. We would speak a word of two things from this First that the Scripture gives marks and characters of justified and reconciled persons that they may be known by both to themselves and others Next that the Christian escaped condemnation hath a new manner of walking and is a new creature in Christ. It might seem a strange thing that this fiâ—st were questioned in this generation if any the most clear and important truth could pass without scanning the very tenor of the whole Scripture holds out so much of it I wonder that any man that reads this Chapter or the Epistles of Iames and Iohn should have any more doubt of it Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his commands Is not this a conclusion of our state and condition from the conformity of our walking to the will of God What divine truth can we be sure of if this be uncertain When the beloved Disciple who knew how to preach Christ asserts it in express terms 1 Ioh. 5.13 These things have I written to you that believe that ye may know ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God this very thing was the great scope and purpose of that Evangelick and Divine Epistle I find that Antinomians confound this question that they may have the more advantage in their darkness The question is not concerning the grounds of a mans believing in Christ but concerning our assurance or knowledge of our believing There is a great mistake in Christians practice in confounding these two it makes Christians very unreasonable in their doubtings and exercises therefore let us have this before our eyes Faith in its first and pure acting is rather an adherence and cleaving of a lost soul to Christ than an evidence of its interest in him or of his everlasting love You know all that it is one thing to know a thing or love a thing and another thing to reflect upon it and know that I know and love Iohn did write to believers that they might know they did believe and believe yet more These things then are both separable and the one is posterior to the other After ye believed ye were sealed The perswasion of Gods love and our interest in Christ is the Spirits seal set upon the soul there is a mutual sealing here the soul by believing and trusting in Jesus Christ sets to its seal that God is true as Iohn speaks 3.33 When God speaks in his Law the soul receives that testimony of his Justice and Holiness subscribes to the equity and righteousness of the sentence by condemning it self And when Christ speaks in the Gospel the soul seals that doctrine of free Salvation by approving and consenting with all its heart to the offer subscribes to the way of Salvation in Christ and truth of his promises and thus is the truth of God and Christ sealed by the souls believing Then the Spirit of Jesus Christ afterward when he pleaseth irradiats and shines upon the soul and discovers these things that are freely given and witnesseth to the conscience of the believer that he is a son of God thus the Spirit seals the believer and gives his testimony to his truth Now if we speak of the ground of the first viz. Of believing in Christ to salvation I know none but that which is common to sinners and holden out in the Gospel generally to all Our sin and misery and absolute necessity and Christs invitation of all to
its impossible that he should do nothing else but pray in an express formal way but the souls walking with God between times of Prayer should compense that and thus Prayer is continued though not in it self yet in meditation on God which hath in it the seed of all worship and is virtually Prayer and Thanksgiving and all duties Let us then consider If our bodies be not more exercised in Religion then our souls yea if they be not the chief agents how many impertinencies and roveries and wandrings are throughout the day the most part of our conversation if it be not profane yet it is vain that is unprofitable in the World it neither advantageth us spiritually nor glorifies God it is almost to no purpose and this is enough to make it all flesh And for our thoughts how do they go unlimited and unrestrained like a wilde Ass traversing her wayes and gadding about fixed on nothing at least not on God nay fixed on any thing but God If it be spiritual service should it not carry the seal of our spirit and affection on it We are as so many shadows walking as pictures and statues of Christians without the soul and life which consists in the temper and disposition of the spirit and soul towards God SERMON V. Vers. 1. That walk not after the flesh but after the spirit IT is no wonder that we cannot speak any thing to purpose of this Subject and that ye do not hear with fruit because it is indeed a mystery to our judgements and a great stranger to our practice There is so litle of the Spirit both in Teachers and those that come to be taught that we can but speak of it as an unknown thing and cannot make you to conceive it in the living notion of it as it is Only we may say in general It is certainly a divine thing and another thing then our common or religious walk is It is little experience so we can know the less of it but this much we should know it is another thing then we have attained it s above us and yet such a thing as we are called to aspire unto How should it stir up in our spirits a holy fire of ambition to be at such a thing when we hear it is a thing attainable nay when Christ calls us unto himself that we may thus walk with him I would have Christians men of great and big projects and resolutions of high and illimited desires not satisfied with their attainments but still aspiring unto more of God more conformity to his will more walking after the Spirit more separation from the course of the World and this is indeed to be of a divine spirit The divine Nature is here as it were in a state of violence out of its own element Now it s known by this iâ— it be still moving upwards taking no rest in this place and these measures and degrees but upon a continual motion towards the proper center of it God his holiness and Spirit We desire to speak a word of these three 1. The nature of this spiritual walking Next Its connexion and union with that blessed state of non-condemnation And then of the order of this how it flows from a mans being implanted in Christ Jesus Which three are considerable in the words This spiritual walking is according to a spiritual rule from spiritual principles for spiritual ends These three being established aright the walk is even the motion of a Christian within the compass of these it is according to the word as the holy rule it s from the faith love of Jesus Christ as the predominant principleâ— Nay from the Spirit of Jesus living in the heart by faith and dwelling in it by love as the first wheel of this motion the Primum Mobile and as it begins in the Spirit so it ends there in the glory of Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father Consider this then it is not a lawless walking and irregular walk it is according to the rule and the rule is perfect and it is a motion to perfection not a rest in what is now attained to The course of this world is the way and rule of the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 There is a spirit indeed that works in them and a rule it works by the spirit is that evil spirit contrary to the holy Spirit of God you may know what spirit it is that works by the way it leads men unto a broad way path'd and troden in by many travellers it s the Kings high street the common way that most part walkes into according as their neighbours do as the most do But â—hat King is the Prince of this World satan who blinds the eyes of many that they may not see that pit of misery before them which their way leads them to A Christian must have a kind of singularity not in opinion but in practice rather to be more holy and walk more abstracted from the dregs of the worlds pollution this were a divine singularity Indeed men may suspect themselves that separats from the godly in opinion they have reason to be more jealous of themselves when they offend against the generation of the just but if this were the contention and design of men to be very unlike the multitude of men nay to be very unlike the multitude of Professors in the affection and practice of holiness humility and spiritual walking I think this were an allowed way though a singular way Men may aspire to as great a difference as may be from the conversations and practice of others if there be a tending to more conformity to the Word the rule of all practice The Law is spiritual and holy saith Paul but I am carnal this therefore were spiritual walking to set that excellent spiritual rule before our eyes that we who are carnal may be transformed and changed into more likeness to that holy and spiritual Law If a man had not an imperfect rule of his own fancy and imagination before his eyes he could not be satisfied with his attainments but with Paul would forget them in a manner not know them but reach forward still to what is before because so much length would be before us as would swallow up all our progress this would keep the motion on foot and make it constant A man should never say Master let us make tabernacles its good to be here no indeed the dwelling place and resting would be seen to be above As long as a man had so much of his journey to accomplish he would not sit down on in his advancement he would not compare with others and exalt himself above others Why because there is still a far greater distance between him and his rule then between the slowest walker and him This made Paul more sensible of a body of death Rom. 7 then readily lower Christians are Reflections on our attainments and comparisons with others which are so often the
work of our Spirits are a retrograde motion it makes no way but spends the time is a returning as we go whereas we ought to go straight forward I beseech you Christians consider what ye are doing if ye would prove your selves so indeed I know not how you can evidence it better then by honouring and esteeming his Word and Commandments exceeding large and precious no end of their perfection the word is much undervalued in the opinions of many but it is as little cared for in the practice of most there is certainly little of God there where this is not magnified and honoured There must be darkness in that way where this candle which was a lamp to Davids feet shines not Some promise to us liberty but they themselves are the servants of corruption it is no liberty to be above all law and rule It was innocent Adams liberty to be conformed to a holy and just command nay this was his beauty The Spirit indeed gives liberty where he is but this liberty is from our sins and corruptions not to them it looses the chains of a mans own corrupt lusts off him to walk at freedom in the way of his commandments the Spirit inlargeth the prisoners heart and then he runs but not at random but the way of his commands Psal. 119.32 It was our bondage to be as wilde Asses traversing our wayes to be gadding abroad to change our way Now here is the Spirits liberty to bring us into the way and that way is one Let us then learn this one principle the Word must be the rule of your walking both common and religious Alas it s not spiritual walking to confine Religion to some solemn duties Remember it s a walk a continued thing without interruption therefore your whole conversation ought to be as so many steps progressive to Heaven Your motion should not be to begin only when ye come to pray or read or hear as many men do they are in a quite different way and element when they step out of their civil callings into religious ordinances but Christians your motion should be continued in your eating and drinking and sleeping and acting in your callings that when ye come to pray or read ye may be but stepping forward in the way out of one darker obscurer path into a more beaten way Remember this word can make us perfect to Salvation It is a principle in the hearts of folks which is vented now by many that the Word doth not reach their particular carriages and conversations in civil matters these are apprehended to be without the sphear and compass of the Word while it is commonly cast up to Ministers meddle with the word and spiritual things and not with our matters Truly I think if we separate these from the Word we may quickly separat all Religion from such actions and if such actings and businesses be without the Court of the Word they are also without the Court of Conscience Conscience Religion and the Word being commensurable Therefore I beseech every one of you take the Word for the ruling of your callings and conversations among men extend it to all your actions that in all those ye may act as Christians as well as men It is certainly the licentiousness of the spirits of men that cannot endure the application of the Word unto their particular actions and conversations Now this spiritual walk proceeds from spiritual principles It is certain the Spirit of Jesus Christ is he in whom we live and move and have our being spiritually without him we can do nothing and therefore Christians ought to walk with such a subordination to and dependence on him as if they were meer instruments and patients under his hand though I think in regard of endeavoured activity they should bestir themselves and give all diligence as if they acted independently of the Spirit yet in regard of denial of himself and dependence on the Spirit each one ought to act as if he did not act at all but the Spirit only acted in him This is the Divinity of Paul I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but grace in me I live yet not I but Christ in me O how difficult a thing is it to reconcile these two in the practice of Christians which yet cannot really be except they be together It is certainly one of the great mysteries of Christianity to draw our strength and activity from another to look upon our selves and our actings as these that can do nothing as empty vines and that notwithstanding of all inâ—used and acquired principles Whatever we ought to do in judging and discerning of our condition yet sure I am Christians in the exercise and practice of godliness should look upon themselves void of any principle in themselves either to do or think not that we are sufficient of of our selves The proficient and growing Christian should look no moâ—e on his own inclinations and habits thâ—n if he had none he should consider himself an ungodly man that no fruit can grow upon one that cannot pray as he is in himself Buâ— alace we come to duties in the confidence of qualifications â—or duties acts more confidently in them because accustomed to them and so makes Grace and Religion a kind of Art and Discipline that use and experience makes expert into Learn now this one thing which would be in stead of many rules and doctrines to us to shut out of your eyes the consideration of what ye are by Gifts or Grace or experience Do not consider that but rather fix your eyes on the grace of Jesus Christ and upon the power and vertue of the Holy Spirit which is given by promise that when the way is all the easiest to you both by delight and custom yet ye may find it to your natural principles as insuperable as at the beginning and may still cry Draw me and I will run after thee lead me and I will walk with thee Do not measure thy call into duties by the strength thou finds in thy self but look unto him who strengtheneth us with all might Now the Spirit worketh in us by subordinat spiritual principles as believing in Christ and loving of him as our Lord and Saviour and these two acts drives on a soul sweetly in the way of obedience Fear where not mixt in its actings with faith and love is a spirit of bondage but the Christian ought to walk according to the Spirit of Adoption which cryes Abba Father Yet how many Christians are rather in a servile and slavish manner driven on by terrours and chastisements to their duty then by love There is a piece of liberty in Christian-walking when there is not a restraint upon the spirit by this slavish fear this I say is not beseeming these that are in Christ Jesus ye ought to have the Spirit of your Father for your leader and guide O! how sweet and how certain and necessary also would this walking be
and by his power obtain this supream authoâ—y of life and death Now having his authority established in hiâ— person the next work is to apply this purchase actâ—ally to conâ—er this liâ—e and therefore he hath almighty power to raise up dead sinners to creat us again to good works to redeem us from the tyâ—anny oâ— sin and satan whose slaves we are He hath a spirit of liâ—e which he communicats to his seed he breaths it into these souls that he died for and dispossesseth that powerful corruption that dwells in us Hence it comes to passe that they walk after the Spirit though they be in the flesh because the powerful Spirit of Christ hath entered and taken possession of their spirits Isa. 59.20 21. Let us not be discouraged in our apprehensions of Christ when we look on our ruinous and desperatâ— estate let us not conclude it is past hope and past his help too We do proclaim in the name of Jesus Christ that there is no sinner howsoever justly under a sentence of death and damnation but they may in him find a relaxation from that sentence and that without the impairing of Gods justice and this is a marvelous ground of comfort that may establish our souls 1 Iohn 1.9 even this that law and justice is upon Christs side and nothing to accuse or plead against a sinner that imploys him for his Advocat But know this also that you are not delivered from death that you may live under sin nay you are redeemed from death that you may be freed from the law of sin but that must be done by his almighty Spirit and cannot be otherwayes done I know not whether of these is matter of greatest comfort that there is in Christ a redemption from the wrath of God and from hell and that there is a redemption too from sin and corruption which dwells within us but sure I am both of them will be most sweet and comfortable to a believer and without both Christ were not a compleat Redeemer nor we compleatly redeemed Nâ—itheâ— would a believing soul in which there is any measure of this new law and divine life be satisfied without both these Many are miserably deluded in their apprehensions of the Gospel they take it up thus as if it were nothing but a proclamation of freedom from misery from death and damnation and so the most part catch at nothing else in it and from thence takes liberty to walk after their former lusts and courses this is the woful practical uâ—e that the generality of hearers make of the free intimation of pardon and forgiveness of sin and delivery from wrath they admit some general notion of that and stops there and examines not what further is in the Gospel and so you will see the slaves of sin professing a kind of hope of freedom from death the servants and vassals of corruption who walk after the course of this world and fulfill the lusts and desires of their mind and flesh yet fancying a freedom and immunity from condemnation men living in sin yet thinking of escaping wrath which dreams could not be entertained in men if they did drink in all the truth and open both their ears to the Gospel if our spirits were not narrow and limited and so excluded the one half of the Gospel that is our redemption from sin There is too much of this even among the children of God a strange narrowness of spirit which admits not whole and intire truth it falls out often that when we think of delivery from death and wrath we forget in the mean time the end and purpose of that which is that we may be freed from sin and serve the living God without fear And if at any time we consider and busie our thoughts about freedom from the law of sin and victory over corruption such is the scantness of room and capacity in our spirits that we loss the remembrance of delivery from death and condemnation in Christ Jesus thus we are tossed between two extreams the quick-sands of presumption and wantonness and the rocks of unbelief and despair or discouragement both of which do kill the Christians life and make all to fade and wither But this were the way and only way to preserve the soul in good case even to keep these two continually in our â—ight that we are redeemed from death and misery in Christ and that not to serve our selves or to continue in our sins but that we may be redeemed from that sin that dwells in us and that both these are purchased by Jesus Christ and done by his power the one in his own person the other by his Spirit within us I would have you correcting your misapprehensions of the Gospel do not so much look on victory and freedom from sin as a duty and task though we be infinitly bound to it but rather as a priviledge and dignity conferred upon us by Christ Look not upon it I say only as your duty as many do and by this means are discouraged from the sight of their own infirmity and weakness as being too weak for such a strong party but look upon it as the one half and greater half of the benefite conferred by Christs death as the greater hall of the redemptiâ—n which the Redeemer by his office is bound to accomplish He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities with him is plenteous redâ—mpâ—ion Pâ—al 130.7 8. This is the plenty this is the sufficiency of iâ— that he redeems not only from misery but from iniquity and that all iniquities I would not desire a believers soul to be in a better posture here-away then this to be looking upon sin inâ—dwelling aâ— his bondage and redemption â—rom it as freedom to account â—imâ—elf in so far free as tâ—e free Spirit of Christ enters and wâ—ites that â—â—ee Law of love and obedience in his heart and blots out these base characters of the law of sin It were a good temper to be groaning for the redemption of the soul and why doth a believer groan for the redemption of the body but because he shall then be freed wholly from the law oâ— sin and from the presence of sin I know not a greater argument to a gracious heart to subdue his corruption and strive for freedom from the law of sin then the freedom obtained from the law of death nor is there any clearer aâ—gument and evidence of a soul delivered from death then to strive for the freedom of the Spirit from the law of sin there jointly help one another freedom from death will raise up a Christians heart to aspire to a freedom and liberty from sin And again freedom from sin will wiâ—ness and evidence that such a one is delivered from death When freedom from death is an inducement to seek after freedom from sin and freedom from sin a declaration of freedom from death then all is well and indeed thus it will be in some meaâ—uâ—e with every soul
Christians puddle themselves in the mire of their own darknesse and discouragement because they cannot find any thing in themselves that can give but the least probable conjecture that he will admit and welcome them to come to him or that such precious promises and sweet invitations can belong to such sinners as they conceive themselves to be Truly my beloved I think while we exercise our selves thus we are seeking the Sun with a candle making that which is in it self as bright as the light to be more dark The evidence of Gods reality in offering life to you in Christ and his willingness to receive you it is not without the compasse of his invitation and yet you seek it where it is least to be found that is in your selves But indeed his invitations in the Gospel carry the evidence in their bosome that which is above all other signs and evidences that he did ever send his own Son in the flesh for this purpose is there any thing besides this either greater or clearer I think we are like these who when they had seen many signs and wonders done by Christ which did bear testimony to all the world of his Divine Nature yet they would not be satisfied but sought out another sign tempting him Mat. 16.1 And truly he might return this answer to us O wicked and adulterous generation that seeketh after a sign there shall no sign be given to thee but the sign of the Prophet Ionas the greatest testimony that can be imagined is given already that the Father should send his only begotten and well beloved Son into the state of a servant for man If this do not satisfie I know not what will I see not how any work of his Spirit in us can make so much evidence of his reality and faithfulnesse in the Gospel and of his willingness to welcome sinners All the works of Creation all the works of Grace are nothing to this to manifest his love to men and therefore there is a singular note upon it God so loved the world that he sent his Son Joh. 3.16 And in this was love manifested that he gave his Son 1 Joh. 4.9 If men and Angels had set themselves to devise and find out a pledge or confirmation of the love of God they would have fallen upon some revelation unto or some operation upon their spirits but alace this is infinitly above that his own express image and the brightness of his glory is come down to bear witnesse of his love nay he who is equal with himself in glory is given as a gift to men and is not he infinitly more then created gifts or graces who is the very spring and fountain of them all God so loved the world that truly he gave no such gift besides to testifie such a love Therefore when all that he hath done in this kind cannot satisfie thy sâ—rupulous mind but thou wilt still go on to seek more confirmation of his readinesse to receive thee I think it is a tempting of the Holy One which may draw such an answer from him O wicked and adulterous person there shall no sign be given thee but that which is darker then the former that which thou shalt understand lesse thou may get what thou seeks perhaps some more satisfaction in thy own condition but it shall plung thee more in the issue thou shall alwayes be unsetled and unconstant as water thou shalt not excell I confesse indeed if we speak of the manifestation of ones particular interest in these promises and of an evidence of the love of God to thee in particular then there must needs be something wrought by the Holy Spirit on thy soul to draw down the general testimony of Gods love to mankind into a particular application to thy self But that I do not speak of now because that is the sealing of the Spirit after believing and because you are alwayes unsetled in the first and main point of flying unto the Son and waiting on him for life therefore have you so much inevidence and weakness in that which follows That which I now speak of is that if this were cordially believed and seriously considered that God sent his own Son in the flesh to save sinners you could not readily have any doubt but that you coming to him for salvation would be welcome you could not say that such precious invitations could not belong to sinners or that he could not love the like of you Truly I think if the general were laid to heart that God hath so loved mankind that he gave such a gift unto them there is none could make any more question of his reality when that gift is tendered to any in particular Nay I think it is the inconsideration of this general evidence and manifestation of love to the world that makes you so perplexed in particulars Could you have so much difficulty to believe his love to you if you indeed believe that he hath loved the world that is so many thousands like you Is there so much distance I pray you between you and another as between him and all If then he loves so many miserable sinners is there any impossibility in it but he may love you for what is in them that might conciliat his love I tell you why I think the right apprehension of the general truths of the Gospel would be able like the Sun in its strength to scatter all the clouds and mists of our particular interest-debates because I find that these very grounds upon which you call in question your own particular interest if you did consider them you would find they go a further length to conclude against all others and either they have no strength in your case or they will be of equal force to batter down the confidence of all the Saints and the certainty of all the promises What is it that troubles you but that you are sinners and such sinners so vile and loathsome from whence you do conclude not only that you have no present assurance of his love but that he cannot love such a one as you are Now I say if this hold good in reference to you take heed that you condemn not your selves in that which you approve that is that you do not diâ—pute against the interest of all the Saints who were such as you are and the truth of these fundamentall positions of the Gospel God so loved the world c. And so you do not only wrong your selves but all others and not only so but you offer the greatest indignity to him that out oâ— love sent his Son and to him who out of love came and laid down his life O consider how you indignifie and set at nought that great manifestation of Gods love God manifested in the flesh how you despise his love-pledge to sinners a greater then which he could not give you because as great as himself O that you could see the consequence of your anxious and
fulfill all righteousness that is accounted ours because we were represented in him and judicially one with him And therefore we were condemned when he was condemned we were dead when he died and so the righteousness of the Law in exâ—cting a due punishment for sin was fulfilled for us in him and it is all one as if it had been personally in us And this is laid down as the foundation of that blessed embassie or message of reconciliation to sinners as that upon which God is in Christ reconciling and beseeching us to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. Him who knew no sin hath he made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him You see the blessed exchange that he hath made with us he hath laid our sins on sinless Christ and laid Christs righteousness on sinful us Christ took our sins on him that he might give us his righteousness and by vertue of this transaction and communication as it was righteous with God to condemn sin in Christs flesh because our sin was upon him so it is as just with him to impute righteousness to us because we were in him And as the Law made him a curse and exacted the punishment off him it is as righteous with the Lord to give us life and salvation and to forgive sin as Iohn speaks 1 Epist. 1.19 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins Now consider this my Beloved for it is propounded unto you as the greatest perswasive to move you to come to Jesus Christ there is such a clear and plain way in him to Salvation If this do not move your hearts I know not what will I do not expect that your troubles in this world the frequent lashes of judgement the impoverishing and exhausting of you the plucking away of these things ye loved the disquieting your peace so often that any of those things that have the image of wrath upon them can drive you to him and make you forsake your way when such a motive as this doth not prevail with you O what heart could stand against the power of this perswasion if it were but righty apprehended who would not willingly flee in to this City of refuge if they did but know aright the avenger of blood that pursues them and what safety is within You are alwayes imagining vain satisfactions to the Law of God how great weight doth your fancy impose upon your tears your confessions your reformations If you can attain any thing of this kind that is it which you give to satisfie justice it is that wherewith you pretend to fulfill the Law But if it could be so wherefore should God have sent his Son to condemn sin and purchase righteousness by him I beseech you once know and consider your estate that you may open your hearts to this Redeemer that you may be willing to be stript naked of all your imaginary righteousness to put on this which will satisfie the Law fully Will you die in your sins because you will not come to him to have life Will you rather be condemned with sin then saved with Christs righteousness And truly there is no other Altar that will preserve you but this Now if any apprehending their own misery be hardly pursued in their consciences by the Law of God I beseech you come hither and behold it satisfied and fulâ—â—lled I beseech you in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God to lay down all hostile affections and come to him because God is in Christ reconciling the world and not imputing their sins because he hath imputed them already to Christ him who knew no sin c. and he is in Christ imputing his righteousness to sinners SERMON XV. Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us c. THink not saith our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that I am come to destroy the Law I am come to fulfill it Mat. 5.17 It was a needful Caveat and a very timous Adâ—ertisment because of the natural mis-apprehensions in mens mindâ— of the Gospel When free forgiveness of sins and life â—verlasting iâ— preached in Jesus Christ without our works when the mercy of God is proclaimed in its freedom and fulness the heart of man is subject to a wofull mis-conceit of Christ as if by these a latitude were given and a liberty proclaimed to men to live in sin That which is propounded as the incouragement of poor sinners to come to God and forsake their own wicked way it is miserably wrested upon a mistake to be an incouragement to revolt more and more Righteousness and life by faith in a Saviour without the works of the Law is holden out as the grand perswasion of the Gospel to study obedience to the Law and yet such is the perversness of many hearts that either in opinion or practice they so carry themselves as if there were an inconsistence between Christ and the Law between free Justification and Sanctification as if Christ had come to redeem us not from sin but to sin Now to prevent this think not saith he that I am come to destroy the Law do not fancie to your selves a liberty to live in sin and an immunity from the obligation of a commandment because I have purchased an immunity â—nd freedom from the curse no I am come to fulfill it rather not only in mine own person but in yours also And to this purpose Paul Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law by faith It is so natural to our rebellious hearts to desire to be free from the yoke of obedience and theâ—efore we fancy such a notion of faith as may not give it self to working in love as is active in nothing but imagination The Apostle abominats this God forbid he detests it as impious and sacrilegious yea we establish it So then all returns to this one of the great ends of Christs coming in the flesh and one main intendment of the Gospel published in his Name is not meerly to deliver us from wrath and redeem us from the curse Gal. 3.13 1 Thâ—ss 1.10 But also and that especially to redeem us from all iniquity that we might be a people zealous of â—ood works Tiâ— 2.14 And to take away sin and destroy the works of the devil 2 Joh. 3.5 8. We spoke something before noon how Chrâ—â—t hath fâ—lâ—â—lled the Law and established it in his own person by obedience and suffering neither of which wayes it could be so well contented by any other but there is yet a third way that he fulfills and establisheth it and that is in our persons That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not aftâ—r the â—â—esh but after the Spirit He hath oblidged himself to fulfill it not only for believers but in believers therefore the promises run thus I will write my Law in their hearts and cause them to walk in my Satutes Ezâ—k 36.27 Jer.
dungeon of the flesh and cast off these heavier chains that bind the most part oâ— men yet wholly escape they cannot There be higher and lower rooms of this prison there are some more gross some more subâ—â—le câ—â—ds and bands of the flesh and whatsoever it be that holds a man bound or in whatsoever house he be imprisoned it s not mucâ— matter since really he is bound and his liberty restrained If a Câ—ain of Gold bind as fast as a Chain of Iron there is no â—eal difference except that mockeâ—y is added unto it when a man is detained in a Golden Prison with Golden Chains Though some men I say escape the grosser pollutions of the flesh yet they are â—ettered within some narrow scant and but imaginary good things they cannot go without the compass of those every man is confined by nature within the circle of his own narrow bosome or if he expatiat into the field of the world yet how narrow how limited are all created objects for the infinit desires of the soul whether it tend to the enjoyment of other creatures or to the possession of some imaginary excellency in a mans self how straitned are they how imprisoned in all that compass There is no true liberty can be found there Though some may be disingaged from baser lusts and the common vain imployments of men yet far they cannot go they do but ingage more with themselves the love and estimation of themselves without that compass they cannot possibly go whether from another principle or to another end and O! how little boundâ— is within any created breast for the immortal spirit that is so vast and expatiating in its desires to dwell in But here is the perfect redemption that is in Jesus Christ when he comes into the soul he unâ—etters and releases it not only of the grosser lusts of the flesh but even of thâ—se subtile invisible bands of self-self-love self-seeking of all scant narrow and particular objects and sets it at liberty to expatiat in that universal good the infinite fulness of God and grace which is in Christ Jesus And hence a Christian is called one after the Spirit that is whose spirit is rid and delivered from that natural bondage and slavery to the creatures and is espoused at least in affection and endeavour to the all-sufficient and self-sufficient God We told you that this new nature of a Christian shews it self in affection and motion in minding and walking both are signs of life and the proper actions of it As the natural man is easily known by what he minds and savours and what way he walks so is the spiritual man Minding or savouring comprehendâ— no doubt all the inward acts of the soul all the imaginations cogitations thoughts affections desires and purposes of the soul to expresse it shortly there is a concurrence of these two cogitation and affection the understanding and the will in this business The natural man knoweth not the things of the Spirit so he cannot taste or relish them since he doth not know them 1 Cor. 2.14 How can they believe on him whom they have not heard but far moâ—e how can men love and desire that which they do not know Though it be hard to convince some that they know not God nor the things of the Spirit because they have some form of knowledge and seem to understand and can discourse in Religion yet I wonder that the most part of men whose ignorance is written in their forehead with such palpable characters should have so much difficulty to take with this challenge I am sure many that perswade themselves of Heaven are yet shut up in that dungeon of natural blindness and daâ—kness of mind and that so gross and thick darkness that it is not possible to make them conceive any notion of spiritual things the common twilight of nature is almost exinguished and little or nothing increased by their education in the visible Church How can you prize and â—steem Jesus Christ of whom you know nothing but the bare name How can you favour Heaven when you have never admitted one serious thought of the life to come O that ye could be perswaded that the grace of God is inconsistent with such gross ignorance as is the generality of you truly grace is a light shining in the soul that opens the eyes to see that light that surrounds us in the Gospel But will you consider beloved how ready you are to receive other things of no moment how your memories can retain them and your understandings receive other purposes very perplexed and laborious but for the knowledge of your sin and misery or of that blessed remedy shewed in the Gospel we cannot make you capable of a few questions about them and if you learn the words by heart as ye use to speak yet alâ—ce the matter and thing it selâ— is not in the heart or mind you have nothing but words as appears if we ask about that same maâ—ter in other words and terms it is as dark and new to you as if you had never heard it I beseech you consider if you do not then mind the things of the flesh most when you are not only most capable to know these things that concern this life but most ready to entertain such thoughts You have no difficulty to mind the world whole weeks and years but you can never find leasure or time to mind the liâ—e to come and yet vainly you say you mind it alwayes I beseech you how do you mind God and the things oâ— God when if ye will but recollect your thoughts and gather the sum of them you will not find one serious advised thought of him or his matters in a whole week I profess I wonder how so many can inforce upon themselves a perswasion that God is alwayes in their heart I think it is the hight of delusion I am sure he is not in one of ten thousand thoughts that travel walk lodge and dwell in the souls of men and yet they will needs bear upon themselves that they alwayes mind him I am sure most of you cannot say that ever you shut the doors of your hearts upon other vain objects that you might retire to secret meditation on God or conference with him and I am as sure that many men have God oâ—tner in their mouths by oaths and blasphemies and irreverent speaking and taking his holy Name in vain then in their minds prayers or praises or any holy meditations of him Are you not as unwilling to fix your minds upon any sad solemn thoughts of Gods Justice of hell of heaven of sin or misery of death as boys whose heads are â—ull of play are loath to go to their books Doth not your practice in this speak with these wicked men Iob. 21.14 Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of the Almighty How constrained are all your thoughtâ— of Religion they are intertained as these whom you would
the proper owner acknowledging his absolute dependence on him and claiming interest and propriety in nothing not in himself and then on the other hand the love and good-will of infinit God placed on man and from that fountain all the streams of happiness issuing forth towards man the fulness of God opening up it self to him and laying out it self towards him God so far descending as in a manner to become the creatures to expose and dispose Himself and all in him for poor mans use and comfort How joyful was that amity but the breaking of this bond of peace is as sad and grievous There was a woful interposal between God and us which hath separated these chief friends ever since the beginning and that is sin the seeds of all enmity and discord this hath rent asunder the bond of amity this hath made such a total aversion of the soul from God and imprinted such an irreconciliable eâ—mity in the heart against the holy will of God that there is no possibility to reunite again and restore the old friendship as long as the soul is not quite changed and transformed that first creation is so marred and defaced that there is no mending of it till a second creation come The carnal mind is not simply an enemy but enmity it self an enemy may reconcile again and accept terms of peace but enmity cannot reconcile to amity without the very destruction of it self the opposition of the heart is so perfect that as soon may enmity unite with amity and become one with it as a carnal natural-mind can submit to Gods holy will That which was at the beginning voluntary is become necessary and turned into the nature of an in-bred antipathy that no art can cure The fall was such a disjoynting of the soul from God that no skill but infinit wisdom no strength but Almighty power can set it right and put it in the first posture again It is true there are not many who will openly and expresly denounce war against Heaven it is not so incident that any man should have explicit plain thoughts of hatred against God there are some common principles engraven by God in all mens minds which serve as his witnesses against men that God should be loved served adored and worshipped that there is nothing so worthy of the desires of the soul. Now this general acknowledgment deludes the most part for they take it for granted that they do love God with their heart because their consciences bears witness that they ought to love him as if it were all one to know our duty and to do it Who is there but he intertains himself with this good opinion of himself that his heart is good and true to God for say you Whâ—m should I love if I love not God I were not worthy to live if I love not Him It is true indeed that you say but if you did know your hearts you would find their faces turned backward and averted from God and â—ould no more please your selves in such a confession of the truth then the Devil hath reason to think himself a believer because he is convinced that Christ is the Son of God and confessed it too no more then the son that promised to go to the Garden to work and went not had ground to think himself an obedient son Mat. 21.30 Such a confession of duty may be extorted from damned spirits and therefore you would not draw this vail over the wretched wickedness of your natures to the end that you may conceive well of yourselves It is so far from extenuating or excusing that the very conviction of the great obligation to love and obey God is the greatest aggravation of the enmity it is this which makes it the purest malice and perâ—â—ctest hatred that knowing the goodness of God convinced of our bound duty to love and serve him yet in the very light of such a shining truth to turn our hearts away from him and exercise all acts of hostility against him That you may know then wherein the enmity of your hearts consists I shall instance it in three branches or evidences There is an enmity in the understanding that it cannot stoop to believing of the truth there is an enmity in the will that it cannot subject to obedience of Gods holy cammands and this is extended also to a stubborn rebellion against the will of God manifested in the dispensations of his providence In a word the natural and carnal mind is incapable of faith of obedience and of submission There are many truths revealed in the Scripture that the natural man cannot receive or know for they are foolishness to him 1 Cor. 2.14 Some spirits there are lifted up above others either by nature or education in which this rebellion doth more evidently appear reason in them contends with Religion and they will believe no more then they can give a reason for There is a wisdom in some men that despiseth the simplicity or the inevidence of the Gospel and accounts it foolishness The carnal mind will needs start out â—rom implicit trusting of God when once it s possessed with some imagination of wisdom therefore how many are the insurrections of of mens spirits against Gods absolute power over the creatures against the mysteries of the holy Trinity and Incarnation against the resurrection of our bodies In these and such like the pretended wisdom of men hath taken liberty to act enmity and to dispute against God But truly the rebellion and insubjection against the truth of God is more generally practised even by the multitude of men though in an unfree hidden way How few do believe their own desperat wickedness though God hath testified it of man Doth not every one apprehend some good to remain in his nature and some power to good what an impossibility is it to perswade you that all mankind are under the sentence of eternal condemnatioâ— that children who have not done good or evil are involved in it also Your hearts riseth against such doctrines as if they were bloody and cruel inventions To tell you that many are called and few chosen that the most part of them who prosesse the truth are walking in the way to Hell and shall undoubtedly fall into it you may hear such things but you blesse your selves from them and cannot be perswaded to admit them into your mindâ— The hearts of men will be giving the very lie to the God of truth when he speaks these things in his word God forbid that all that be true If we should expound the Law unto you and shew you that the least idle word the lightest thought the smallest inward motion of the heart deserves eternal misery that anger is murder in Gods sight that lusting is fornication that covetousness and love of the world is idolatry these things you cannot know them or receive them therâ— are so many high imaginations in your minds that exalts themselves against the knowledge
favour to us especially since the goodness of God is so exundant as to overflow even to the wicked world and vent it self as out of superabundance in a river of goodness throughout the whole earth how much more will it run abundantly towards them whom he is well pleased with and therefore the Psalmist cryes out as being already full in the very hope and expectation of it That he would burst if he had not the vent of admiration and praise O how great is His goodness and how excellent His loving-kindness laid up for them that fear him Psal. 31.19 and 36.7 But on the other hand how incomparable is the misery of them who cannot please God even though they did both please themselves and all others for the present to be at odds with him in whom alone they can subsist and without whose savour is nothing but wretchedness and misery O! that must be the worst and most cursed estate imaginable to be in such a state as do what they can they cannot please him whom alone to please is of only concernment what can be invented to that Now if you ask who they are that are such the words speak it plainly in way of inference from the former doctrine Therefore they that are in the flesh cannot please God Not they in whom there is flesh for there is remnants of that in the most spiritual man in this life we cannot attain here to Angelick purity though it should be the aim and endeavour of every Christian. But they that are in the flesh or after the flesh importing the predominion of that and an universal thraldom of nature unto it which indeed is the state of all men that are but once born till a second birth come by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The ground of this may be taken from the foregoing discourse and it is chiefly twofold one is because they are not in Iesus Christ in whom his soul is well pleased another is because they cannot suit and frame their carriage to his pleasure since all mankind hath fallen under the displeasure of the most high God by sinning against him in preferring the pleasure of the flesh and the pleasure of Satan to the pleasure of God there can be no atonement found to pacifie him no sacrifice to appease him no ransome to satisfie his Justice but that one perfect offering for sin Iesus Christ the propitiation for the sins of the elect world This the Father accepts in the name of sinners and in testimony of his acceptance he did two several times by a voice from Heaven declare first to a multitude Matth. 3.17 and then to the beloved Disciples Matth. 17.5 and both times with great Majesty and solemnity as did become him that this is his well-beloved Son in whom his soul is well pleased It pleased God to make the stream of his love to take another channel after mans sin and not to run immediatly towards wretched man but he turned the current of his love another way to his own Son whom he choosed for that end to reconcile man and bring him into favour and his love going about by that compass comes in the â—ssue towards poor sinners with the greater force He hath appointed Christ the meeting-place with sinners the dayes-man to lay his hands on both and therefore he is God to lay his hand on God and Man to lay his hand on man and bring both into a peaceable and amicable conjunction Now then whoever are not in Iesus Christ as is spoken vers 1. certainly they cannot please God do what they can because God hath made Christ the Center in which he would have the good pleasure of sinners meeting with his good pleasure and therefore without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 not so much for the excellency of the act it self as for the well-pleasing object to it Christ. The love of the Father is terminat in Him His Justice is satiâ—fied in Him His love is well pleased with the excellency of His person He finds in him an object of delight which is no where else and His Justice is well pleased with the sufficiency and worthiness of His ransome and without this compass there is neither satisfaction to the one nor to the other so then whatsoever you are how high soever your degree in the world how sweet soever your disposition let your natures be never so good your carriage never so smooth yet certainly there is nothing in all that can please God either by an object of love or a price for justice You are under that eternal displeasure which will fall on and crush you to pieces mountains will not be so heavy as it will appear in that great day of his wrath Rev. 6. I say you cannot come from under that imminent weight of eternal wrath unless you be found in Iesus Christ that blessed place of immunity and refuge if you have not forsaken your selves and your own natures and denied your own righteousnnss as dung to be found in him cloathed with his righteousness and satisfaction If the delight and pleasure of your soul do not co-incide and fall in at one place with the delight and good pleasure of the Father that is upon his well-beloved Son Certainly the pleasure and good will of God hath not as yet fallen upon you and met with you therefore if you would please God be pleased with Christ and you cannot do him a greater pleasure then believe in him Joh. 5.23 that is absolutely resign your selves unto him for salvation and sanctification The other ground is Such as are in the flesh cannot frame their spirits affections and wayes to Gods good pleasure for their very wisdome the very excellency that is in them is enmity to God and cannot subject to His Law and therefore they cannot please him I am sure you may easily reflect upon your selves and find not with much search but upon all these as the Prophet Ier. 2.34 speaks that it is not the study and businesse you have undertaken To please God but the bent and main of your aims and endeavours is to please your selves or to please men This makes many mens pains even in Religion displeasing to God because they do not indeed mind his pleasure but their own or others satisfaction what they do is but to conâ—orm to the custome of the time or commandments of men or their own humour and all this must needs be abominable to God Truly that which is in great account among men is abomination to God as our Saviour speaks of the very righteousness and professed piety of the Pharisees Luk. 16.25 the more you please your selves and the world the further you are from pleasing God The very beginning of pleasing God is when a soul falls in displeasure at it self and abhorrency of his own loathsomness therefore it is said The humble and contrite spirit I will look unto and dwell with him and such sacrifices do please
the power is put in his hand and resigned to him for where he dwells he must rule as good reason is He is about the greatest work that is now to do in the world the repairing and renewing of the ruines and breaches of mans spirit which was the fiâ—st breach in the Creation and the cause of all the rest He is about the cleansing and washing this Temple and we may be perswaded that he who hath begun this good work will perform it untill the day of Christ till we be presented blameless and without spot to our husband Phil. 1.5 6. and this is the grand conâ—olation of believers that they have this presence assured to them by promise that the Spirit is fixed here by an irreovcable and unchangeable Covenant or donation and will not wholly depart from them though he may withdraw and leave you comfortless â—or a season Isa. 59.21 Therefore I would shut up all in a word of exhortation to you that since we have the promise of so noble and happy a guest you would apply your selves to seek him and then keep him to receive him and then retain him It is true that he must first prevent uâ— for as no man can say that Iesus is the Christ but by thâ— Spirit of God so no man can indeed pâ—ay for the Spirit but by the Spirits own intercession within him Where God hath bestowed any thing of this Spirit it is known by the kindly and fervent desires after more of it Now since we have such a laâ—ge and ample promise Ezek. 36.27 Ioel 2.28 of the pouring out of the Spirit and that in as absolute and free a manner as can be imagined and this renewed by Christ and confirmed by his Prayer to the Father for the performance of it Ioh. 14.16 17. and then we have a sweet and affectionat promise propounded in the most moving and loving manner that can be Luk. 11.13 where he encourageth us to pray for the Spirit and that from this ground that our Heavenly Father who placed that natural affection in other fathers towards their children whereby they cannot refuse them bread when they cry for it He who was the Author of all natural affection must certainly transcend them infinitly in his love to his childâ—en as the Psalmist argues Shall not he that planted the ear hear and he that formed the eye see So may a poor soul reason it self to some confidence Shall not He who is the â—ountain of all natural love in men and beasts have much more Himself and if my â—ather will not give me a stone when I seek bread certainly he will far lesse do it Therefore if we being evil know how to give good things to our chilren how much more shall our Heavenly Father give his Spirit to them that ask him Alas that we should want such a gift for not asking it my beloved let us enlarge our desires for this Spirit and seek more earnestly and no doubt affection and importunity will not be sent away empty Is it any wonder we receive not because we ask not or we ask so coldly that we teach him in a manner to deny us qui tiâ—ide rogat I may say frigide docet negare ask frequently and ask confidently and His heart cannot deny O that we could lay this ingâ—gement on our own hearts to be more in Prayer Let 〈◊〉 presse our selves to this and we need not presse Him albeit the first grace be wholly a surprisal yet certainly he keeps this suitable method in the enlargements of grace that when he gives more He enlargeth the heart more after it He openeth the mouth wider to ask and receive and according to that capacity so is His hand opened to fill the heart O why are our hearts shut when his hand is open Again I would exhort you in Jesus Christ to intertain the Spirit suitably and this shall keep Him To this purpose are these exhortations Grieve not the Spirit Eph. 4.30 and quench not the Spirit 1 Thes. 5.19 There is nothing can grieve Him but sin and if you intertain that you cannot retain Him He is a Spiâ—it of holinesse and He is about the making you holy then do not marr him in his work labour to advance this and you do him a pleasure If you make his holy Temple an unclean cage for hateful birds or a Temple for Idols how can it but grieve him and if you grieve the Spirit certainly the Spirit will grieve you will make you repent it at the heart Please him by heaâ—kning to his motions and following his direction and he shall comfort you His office is to be a spring of consolation to you but if you grieve him by walking in the imagination of your hearts and following the suggestions of the Flesh His enemy no doubt that spring will turn its channel another way and dry up for a season toward you It is not every sin or infirmity that grieves Him thus if so be that it grieve thee but the intertaining of any sin and mâ—king peace with any of his enemies that cannot but displease Him and O what losse you have by it You displease your greatest friend to please your greatest enemy you blot and bludder that seal of the Spirit that you shall not be able to read it till it be cleansed and washed again Now if any man have not this Spirit of Christ he is none of his he is not a Christian take this alongs with you who aim at nothing but the external and outward shew or visible standing in the Church if you have not this Spirit and the seal of this Spirit found on you Christ will not know you for his in that day of his appearing SERMON XXVI Rom. 8.10 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin c. GODS presence is his working his presence in a soul by his Spirit is his working in such a soul in some special manner not common to all men but peculiar to them whom he hath chosen Now his dwelling is nothing else but a continued familiar and endlesse working in a soul till he have conformed all within to the Image of His Son The soul is the office-house or work-house that the Spirit hath taken up to â—rame in it the most curious piece of the whole Creation even to restore and repair that Master-piece which came last from Gods hand ab ultima manu and so was the chiefest I mean the Image of God in righteousness and holinesse Now this is the bond of union between God and us Christ is the bond of union with God but the Spirit is the bond of union with Christ. Christ is the peace between God and us that makes of two one but the Spirit is the link between Christ and us whereby he hath immediat and actual interest in us and we in Him I find the union between Christ and a soul shadowed out in Scripture by the nearest relations among creatures for
truly these are but shadows and that is the body or substance and because an union that is mutual is nearest it is often so expressed as it imports an interchangeable relation a reciprocal conjunction with Christ. The knot is cast on both sides to make it strong Christ in us and we in him God dwelling in us and we in Him and both by this one Spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 Hereby we know that God dwelleth in us and we in him by his Spirit which he hath given us You find it often in Iohn who being most possessed with the love of Christ and most sensible of his love could best expresse it I in them and they in me He that keepeth his commands dwelleth in Him and he in Him as the names of married persons are spelled through other so doth he spell out this in-dwelling it s not cohabitation but inhabitation neither that alone singlely but mutual inhabitation which amounts to a kind of Penetration the most intimat and immediat presence imaginable Christ â—welleth in our hearts by faith and we dwell in Christ by love Eph. 17. and 1 John 4. Death bringeth him into the heart for it is the very â—pplication of a Saviour to a sinfull soul. It is the very applying of his blood and sufferings to the wound that sin hath made in the conscience the laying of that sacrifice propitiatory to the wounded conscience is that which heals it pacifies it and calms it A Christian by receiving the offer of the Gospel cordially and affectionatly brings in Christ offered into his house and then salvation comes with him Therefore believing is receiving John 1. the very opening of the heart to let in an offered Saviour and then Christ thus possessing the heart by faith He works by love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him Love hath this special vertue in it that it transports the soul in a manner out of it self to the beloved Cant. 1.9 anima est ubi amat non ubi animat the fixing and establishing of the heart on God is a dwelling in Him for the constant and most continued residence of the most serious thoughts and aâ—fections will be their dwelling in the all fulness and riches of grace in Jesus Christ as the spirit dwelleth where he worketh so the soul dwelleth where it delighteth its complacency in God maketh a frequent issue or outgoing to Him in desires and breathings after Him And by means of this same God dwelleth in the heart for love is the opening up of the inmost chamber of the heart to Him it brings in the beloved in to the very secrets of the soul to lye all night betwixt His breasts as a bundle of myrrhe Cant. 1.13 And indeed all the sweet odours of holy duties and all the performing of good works and edifying speeches spring out only and are sent forth from this bundle of myrrhe that lyes betwixt the breasts of a Christian in the inmost of his heart from Christ dwelling in the affections of the soul. Now this being the bond of union betwixt Christ and us it follows necessarily that whoever hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His and this is subjoyned for prevention or removal of the misapprehensions and delusions of men in their self-judgings Because self-love blinds our eyes and maketh our hearts deceive themselves we are given to this self-flattery to pretend and claim to an interest in Jesus Christ even though there be no more evidence for it then the external relation that we have to Christ as members of his visible body or partakers of a common influence of his Spirit There are some external bonds and tyes to Christ which are like a knot that may easily be loosed if any thing get hold of the end of it as by our relations to Christ by baptisme hearing the word your outward covenanting to be his people all these are loose unsure knots It is as easie to untie them as to tie them yea and more easie and yet many have no other relation to Christ then what these make But it is only the Spirit of Christ given to us that intitles and interesseth us in Him and Him in us it s the Spirit working in your souls mightily and continually making your hearts temples for the offering of the sacrifice of prayer and praises casting out all idols out of these temples that He alone may be adored and worshipped by the affectionate service of the heart purging them from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit It is the Spirit I say thus dwelling in men that maketh them living members of the true body of Christ lively joyned to the head Christ this maketh him yours and you his by vertue of this He may command you as His own and you may use and imploy Him as your own Now for want of this in most part of men they also want this living saving-interest in Christ they have no real but an imaginary and notional propriety and right to the Lord Jesus for Christ must first take possession of us by His Spirit before we have any true right to Him or can willingly resign our selves to Him and give Him right over us What shall it profite us my beloved to be called Christians and to esteem our selves so if really we be none of Christs shall it not highten our condemnation so much the more that we desire to passe for such and give out our selves so and yet have no inward aquaintance and interest in Him whose name we love to bear Are not the most part shadows and pictures of true Christians bodies without the soul of Christianity that is the Spirit of Christ whose hearts are treasures of wickednesse and deceit and storâ—-houses of iniquity and ignorance It may be known what treasure fills the heart by that which is the constant and common vent of it as our Saviour speakes Matth 15.19 and 12.34 35. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks the feet walks and the hand works Consider then if the Spirit of God dwelleth in such unclean habitations and dark dungeons certainly no uncleanness or darkness of the house can hinder him to come in but â—t is a sure argument and evidence That he is not as yet come in becausâ— the Prince of darkness is not yet cast out of many souls nor yet the unclean spirits that lodge within these haunt your hearts and are as familiar now as ever Sure I am many souls have never yet changed their guests and it is as sure that the fiâ—st guest that taketh up the soul iâ— darkness and desperat wickedness with imparalelled deceitfulness there is an accurâ—ed trinity in stead of that blessed Tâ—inity the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and when this holy Tâ—inity cometh in to dwell that other of Hell must go out Now my beloved do you think this a light matter To be disowned by Jesus Christ Truly the word of Christ which is the
of hâ—s Law surâ—ound when your Conscience accuâ—eth and God condâ—mneth it may be too late and out of date Alas then wâ—at will you do who now put your conscâ—ence by and will not hearken to it or be put in fear by any thâ—ng can be represented to you we do not desiâ—e to put you in feâ—r where nâ—â—ear is but where there is infinit cause of â—ear and when it is possible that fear may introduce faith and be the forerunner oâ— these glad tidings that will compose the soul We desiâ—e only you may know what bondage you are really into whether it be observed or not that you may fear lest you be enthralled in the chains oâ— everlasting daâ—knesse and so may be perswaded to flee from it before it be irrecoverable Wâ—at a vain and empty sound is the Gospel of liberty by a Redeemer to the most paâ—t who do not feel their bondage Who believes its report or care much for it because it is necessity that casts a beauty and lustâ—e upon it or takes the scales off our eyes and opens our closed ears Now for you who either are or have been detained in this bondage under the feaâ—ful apprehension oâ— the wrath of God and the sad remembrance oâ— your sins know that this is not the prime intent and grand businesse to torment you as it were before the time there is some other more beautiful and satisfying structure to be raised out of this â—oundation I would have you improve it thus to commend the necessity the absolute necessity of a Redeemer and to make him beautiful in your eyes Do not dwell upon that as if it were the ultimat or last work but know that you are called in this rational way to come out of your selves into this glorious liberty of the sons of God purchased by Christ anâ— revealed in the Gospel Know you have not received the spirit of bondage only to fear but to drive you to faith in a Saviour and then you ought so to walk as not to return to that â—ormer thraldome oâ— the â—ear of wrath but believe his love SERMON XXXVII Rom. 8.14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God Vers. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father THE liâ—e oâ— Christianity take it in it self it is the most pleasant and joyful life that can be exempted from these fears and cares these sorrows and anxieties that all other lives are subjâ—ct unto for this of necessity must be the force and efficacy of true Religion iâ— it be indeed true to its name to disburden and ease the heart and fill it with all manner of consolation Certainly it is the most rich Subject and most compleatly â—urnished with all variety of delights to enteâ—tain a soul that can be imagined Yet I must confess while we consult with the experience and practice of Christians this bold assertion seems to be much weakned and too much ground is given to confirm the contrary misappreheâ—sions of the world who take it to be a sullen melancholick and dâ—â—consolat life attended with many â—ears and sorows It is alas too evident that many Christians are kept in bondage almost all their lâ—fe-time through fear oâ— eteâ—nall death how many dismall representations of sin and wrath in the souls of some Christians which keep them in much thraldom at least who is it that is not once and often brought in bondage aâ—ter conversion and made to apprehend feaâ—fully their own estate who hath such constant uninterrupâ—ed peace and joy in the holy Ghost or lyes under such direct beams of divine favour but it is sometimes eclipsed and their souls fillâ—d with the darknes of horrour and terrour and â—ruly the most part taâ—â—e not so much sweetness in Religion as makeâ— them uncessâ—nt and unwearied in the wayes of Godliness yet not withstanding of all this wâ— must vindicat Christianity it self and not impute these things unto it which are the infirmities and faults of the followers of it who do not improve it unto such an use or use it so far as in it self it is capable Indeed it is true that oâ—ten we are brought to fear again yet withall it is certain that our allowance is larger and that we have received the Spirit not to put us in bondage again to fear but rather to seal to our hearts that love of God which may not only expell fear but bring in joy I wish that this were deeply considered by all of us that there is such a life as this attainâ—ble that the word of God doth not deceive us in promiâ—ing fair things which it cannot perform but that there is a certain realiâ—y in the life of Christianity in that peace and joy tranquility and serenity of minâ— that is holden out and that some have â—eally found it and do find it and that the reason why all of us do not find it in expeâ—ience is not because it is not but because we have so little apprehension of it and diligence after it It is strange that all men who have pursued satisfaction in the things of this life being disappointed and one generation witnessing this to another and one person to another that notwithstanding men are this day as fresh in the pursuit of that as big in the expectations as ever and yet in this business of Religion and the happiness to be found in it though the Oracles of God in all ages have testified from Heaven how certain and possible it is though many have found it in experience and left it on record to others yet there is so slender belief of the reality and certainty of it and so slack pursuit of it as if we did not believe it at all Truly my beloved there is a great mistake in this and it s generally too all men apprehend other things more â—easable and attainable then personal holinesse and happinesse in it but truly I conceive there is nothing in the world so practicable as this nothing made so easie so certain to a soul that really minds it Let us take it so then the fault is not Religions that these who professe it are subject to so much fear and care and disquieted with so much sorrow it is rather because Christianity doth not sink into the hearts and souls oâ— men but only puts a tincture on their out-side or because the â—aith of divine truths is so supeâ—ficial and the consideration oâ— them so slight that they cannot have much efficacy and influence on the heart to quiet and compose it Is it any wonder that some souls be subject again to the bondage of fear and terrour when they do not stand in aw to sin Much liberty to sin will certainly embondage the spirit of a Christian to fear Suppose a believer in Jesus Christ be exempted from the hazâ—rd of condemnation yet he
and never cease looking because they never see the bottom oâ— it It was not out of indigency he did it not for any need he had of us or comfort expected â—rom us but absolutely â—or our necessity and consolation that he might have upon whom to pour the riches of his grace SERMON XXXVIII Rom. 8.15 But ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father BEhold what manner of love the Father hath shewed unto us that we should be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3.1 It is a wonderful expression of love to advance his own creatures not only infinitly below himself but far below other creatures to such a dignity Lord what is man that thou so magnifiest him but it surpasses wonder that rebellious creatures his enemies should have not only their rebellions â—reely pardoned but this pâ—iviledge of Son-ship bestowed upon them that he should take enemies and make Sons of them and not only Sons but Heirs Co-heirs with his own only begotten Son And then how he makes them sons is â—s wonderâ—ul as the thing it self that he should make his own Son our Brother bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and make him spring out as a branch or rod out of the dry stemm of Iesse who himself was the root oâ— all mankind This is the way God sent his Son made of a woman under the Law that we might reâ—eive the adoption of sons Gal. 4.5 The House of Heaven marries with the Earth with them who have their foundation in the dust the chief Heir of that heavenly Family joyneth in kindred with our base and obscure family and by this mâ—ans we are made of kin to God But of him are ye in Christ Iesus 1 Cor. 1.30 It behoved Christ in a manner to lose his own Son-ship as to men to have it so vailed and darkned by the superadded interest in us and his nearnesse to us he was so properly a Son of man subject to all humane infirmities except sin that without eyes of â—aith men could not perceive that he was the Son of God and by this wonderful exchange are we made the sons of God whoever in the apprehension of their own enmity and distance â—rom God receive Christ Jesus offered as the peace the bond of union between the two Families of Heaven and earth that were at an infinit odds and distance whoever I say believes thus in him and flies to him desiring to lay down the weapons of their warfare their peace is not only made by that marriage which Christ made with our nature but they are blessed with this power and priviledge to be the sons and daughters of the Most Hig hand from thence you may conclude that if God be your Father you can want nothing that is good but the determination of what is good for you whether in spiritual enlargments or in the things of this life you must refer to his wisdom for his love indeed is strong as deâ—th nothing can quench it in the point of reality and constancy there is nothing to shadow it out among men the love oâ— women is eaâ—nest and vehement but that is nothing to it Isa. 49.15 For they may forget but he cannot Yet his love is not a â—oolish dotage like men that is often miscarried with fancy and lust but it is a rational and wise affection administred and expressed with infinit reason and wisdom and therefore he chooses rather to profit us then to please us in his dealings and we who are not so fit to judge and discern our own good should commit all to his Fatherly and wise providence Therefore iâ— you be tempted to anxiety and carefulnesse oâ— mind either through the earthlinesse of your dispositions or the present straits of the time you who have resigned your self to Jesus Christ would call to mind that your heavenly Father careth â—or you and and what need you care too why not use your lawful Callings be diligent in them this is not to prejudge that but if you believe in God then you are oblidged by that prosession to abate â—rom the supeâ—fluous tormenting thoughtfulnesse that is good â—or nothing but to make you more miserable then your troubles can make you and to make you miserable before you be miserable to anticipat your sorrows If you say God is your Father you are tyed to devolve your selves over on him and trust in his good will and faithâ—ulnesse and to sit down quietly as children that have parents to provide for them Now the other gift is great too the Spirit of adoptiâ—n and because ye are sons therefore hath he given you the Spirit of his Son saith this Apostle Gal. 4.6 And â—o it is a kind of conâ—ectaâ—y of the great priviledge and blessed estate of adoption They who adopt children use to give them some kind of token to expresse their love to them But as the Lord is higher then all and this priviledge to be His son or child is the greatest dignity imaginable â—o this giâ—t of his Spirit suits the greatnesse and glory and love of our Father It is a Fathers gift indeed a gift suitable to our heavenly Father If a father that is â—ender of the education of his child and would desire nothing so much as that he might be of a vertuous and gracious disposition and good ingine I think if he were to expresse his love in one wish it would be this that he might have such a spirit in him and this he would account better then all that he could leave him But if it were possible to transmit a gracious and well-disposed and understanding spirit from one to another and if men could leave it as they do their inheritance to their children certainly a wise and religious parent would first make over â— disposition of that to his children as Elisha sought a double measure of Elijahs spirit so a â—ather would wish such a measure to his children and if it were possible give it But that may not be all that can be done is to wish well to them and leave them a good example for imitation But in this our heavenly Father transcends all that He can import his own Spirit to his adopted children and this Spirit is in a manner the very essential principle that maketh them children of the Father their natures their dispositions are under his power he can as well reform them as you can change your childrens gâ—rments he can make of us what he will our hearts are in his hand as the water capable oâ— any impression he pleaseth to put on it and this is the impression he putteth on his children he putteth his Spirit in their hearts and writeth his Law in their inward parts a more divine and higher work then all humane perswasion can reach This Spirit they receive as earnest of the inheritance and withall to make them fit for the inheritance oâ— the Saints in light Now the working oâ— this Spirit
incense to God dayly when they offer up their souls desires in simplicity and sincerity Certainly this is a spiritual thing derived only from the fountain of Spirts this grace of pouring out our souls into him and keeping communication with him the variety of words and riches of expression it is but the shell of it the external shadow And all the life consists in the frame of the heart before God And this none can put in frame but he that formed the Spirit of man within him some through custom of hearing and using it attain to a habit of expressing themselves readily in it it may be to the satisfaction of others but alas they may be strangers to the fiâ—st letters and elements of the life and spirit of prayer I would have you who want both look up to heaven for it many of you cannot be induced to pray in your family and I fear little or none in secret which is indeed a more serious work because you have not been used or not learned or such like Alas beloved this cometh not through education or learning it cometh from the Spirit of adoption and if ye cannot pray ye say ye have not the Spirit and if ye have not the Spirit ye are not the Sons of God Know what is in the inevitable sequel of your own confessions But I haste to the qualifications of this divine work fervencie reverence and confidence Fervencie in crying reverence and confidence in crying Abba Father for these two suit well towards our Father the first I fear we must seek it elsewhere then in prayer I find it spent on other things of lesse moment Truly all the Spirit and affection of men runes in another channel in the way of contention and strife in the way of passion and miscalled zeal and because these things whereabout we do thus earnestly contend have some interest or coherance with Religion we not only excuse but approve our vehemency But O! much better were that imployed in supplicationâ— to God that were a divine channel Again the marrow of other mens Spirits is exhausted in the pursuit of things in the world the edge of their desires is turned that way and it must needs be blunted and dulled in spiritual things that it cannot pierce into Heaven and prevail effectually I am sure many of us useth this excuse who are so cold in it that we do not warm our selves and how shall we think to prevail with God our spirits make little noise when we cry all the loudest we can scarce hear any whisper in our hearts and how shall he hear us Certainly it is not the extension of the voice pleaseth Him it is the cry of the heart that is sweet harmony in his ears and you may easily perceive that if you but consider that he is an infinit Spirit that pierceth into all the corners of our hearts and hath all the darknesse of it as light before him how can you think that such a spirit can be pleased with lip-cryes how can he endure such deceit and â—alshood who hath so perfect a contrariety with all false appearances that your heart should lye so dead and flatt before him and the affection of it turned quite another way There were no sacrifices without fire in the Old Testament and that fire was kept-in perpetually and so no prayer now without some inward fire conceived in the desires and blazing up and growing into a flame in the presenting of them to God The incense that was to be offered on the Altar of perfume Exod. 30. it behoved to be beaten and prepared and truly prayer would do well to be made out of a beaten and bruised heart and contrite spirit a spirit truly sensible of its own unworthinesse and wants and that beating and pounding of the heart will yeeld a good fragrant smel as some spices do not till beaten The incense was made of divers spices intimating to us that true prayer is not one grace alone but a compound of graces It is the joynt exercise of all a Christian graces seasoned with all every one of them give some peculiar fragrancy to it as Humility Faith Repentance Love c. The acting of the heart in supplication is a kind of compend and result of all these as one perfume made up of many simples But above all as the incense our prayers must be kindled by fire on the Altar there must be some heat and servour some warmnesse conceived by the holy Spirit in our hearts which may make our spices send forth a pleasant smell as many spices do not till they get heat Let us lay this engagement on our hearts to be more serious in our addresses to God the Father of spirits above all to present our inward soul before him before whom it is naked and open though we do not bring it And certainly frequency in prayer will much help us to fervency and to keep it when we have it SERMON XL. Rom. 8.15 VVhereby we cry Abba Father ALL that know any thing of Religion must needs know and confess that there is no exercise either more suitable to him that prosesseth it or more needful for him then to give himself to the exercise of prayer but that which is confessed by all and as to the outward performance gone about by many I fear it is yet a mystery sealed up fâ—om us as to the true and living nature of it There is much of it expressed here in few words whereby we cry Abba Father The divine constitution and qualification of this divine work is here made up of a temper of fervency reverence and confidence The first I spoke of before but I fear our hearts was not well heated then or may be cooled since It is not the loud noise of words that is best heard in Heaven or that is constructed to be crying to God No this is transacted in the heart more silently to men but it striketh up into the ears of God His ear is sharp and that voice of the souls desires is shrill and though it were out of the depths they will meet together It is true the vehemency of affection will sometimes cause the extension of the voice but yet it may cry as loud to Heaven when it is kept within I do not presse such extraordinary degrees of servour as may effect the body but I would rather wish we accustomed our selves to a solid calm seriousnesse and earnestnesse of spirit which might be more constant then such raptures can be that we might alwayes gather our spirits to what we are about and avocat them from impertinent wanderingâ— and fix them upon the present object of our worship this is to worship him in spirit who is a Spirit The other thing that composes the sweet temper of prayeâ— is reverence and what more suitable whether you consider Him or your selves If I be your Father where is my honour and if I be your Master where is my fear