me and washed me with water yea with blood with the blood of his Sonne he throughly washed away my filth and annoynted me with oyl indued me with his Spirit and his grace c. I had forfeited all right to Heaven and earth into the Lords hand and he hath given me all back again freely and put me in a better condition than I was in before O the deepnesse of the riches of the Justice and Mercy of God! 10. In the tenth place Evangelical sorrow is a sorrow that keeps the soul in a sweet heavenly frame for all holy and heavenly duties it sweetly fits the soul for all holy performances Sorrow that flowes from the apprehension of Love in God is fresh and lively and full of spirits so that a man never performs any holy duty better then when his heart is filled with this sorrow Set a soul filled with this sorrow to pray and he will pray sweetly and heavenly fervently and effectually to wit in faith and so prevaile much with God Set him to hear and he will hear humbly and the whole Word of the Lord will be sweet unto him every precept and every threatning of the Lord every bitter thing will be sweet unto him every crum that fals from his Table will he gather up as precious food Set a soul filled with this sorrow to Divine Meditation and he will do it with great delight and freedome set him to receive the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord and he will do this action in its beauty He will looke upon him whom he hath pierced and mourn for his sinne that hath pierced him and every other holy duty will he perform with a more heavenly mind than others which have not felt this sorrow or not in that measure which he hath done 11. The soul Evangelically contrite sorrows not so much for suffering as for sinning not so much for being displeased as for displeasing and dishonouring God by sinne it is grieved for its sinne because the holy Spirit of God is grieved by its sinne and broken with its whorish heart as the Prophet speaks and is melted by the consideration of the incomparable goodness of God and his kindnesse and love in Christ towards its self abused by its self rather then broken with horrour threatnings punishments or slavish feare Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight saith the contrite soul and this is that which pierceth his soul. 12. The soul Evangelically contrite longs after freedome from sinne more than freedome from suffering it saies with the Church Lord take away all mine iniquity not with Pharaâ—h the plague Lord look upon my affliction and my pain saith the contrite soul and ease me of that if it be thy blessed Will but however forgive all my sinnes deliver me from all my transgressions Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sinne hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities O wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me and when shall I be delivered from the body of this death This is the language of contrite souls The soul Evangelically contrite counts sin the worst Evill and Christ the best Good the guilt of sinne the power of sinne and the being of sinne is of all burdens the heaviest unto a contrite soul and that which of all other it longs to be freed from 13. The soul Evangelically contrite priseth Christ as the chiefest Good as the only true Good it is not satisfied with any thing without Christ it is not fully satisfied with any thing but Christ Christ in his Blood Christ in his Spirit Christ in his Ordinances Christ in his Ministers Christ in whomsoever his Image is stamped is precious above all earthly things unto the contrite soul Thou art my beloved and my desire is towards thee saith the Contrite heart to Christ. To the soul Evangelically Contrite the light of Gods Countenance and the sense of his love in Christ is more worth than all the treasures and pleasures in the world Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon me thy love is better than wine better then Corn and Wine it strengthens more it comforts more it puts gladness in my heart more then Corn and Wine more than the choicest Creatures in the world saith the Contrite soul. When once this contrition had ceazed on Davids heart his soul did thirst for God as the thirsty land for rain and as the chased Hart for the water-brooks And not after God only in his immediate dispensations but in his mediate also after God in his Ordinances in his Sanctuary as appears Psal. 63.2 84.10 27.4 and thus did Mary Magdalen and Paul and other Saints under the New Testament when once this contrition had ceazed on their hearts they were very industrious seekers of God in his Ordinances By which it is eminently evident that it is the nature of Evangelical Contrition of hearts Evangelically contrite to prize highly communion with God in his Ordinances As it was with David and Mary and the other Saints here so it is with every soul Evangelically Contrite he hath the same judgement of and affection towards Gods Ordinances in truth though not in the same degree Such as the measure of contrition wrought in the soul is such usually is the measure of his affection to and thirst after these Divine excellencies forementioned 14. The soul Evangelically Contrite disclaims all righteousnesse of its own and rests wholly on the merit of Christ for justification before God We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs saith the Contrite Church Isai. 64.6 What things were gain to me those I counted loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord and do judg them but dung that I may winne Christ saith the Apostle Phil. 3.8 9. When once this Evangelical contrition hâ—d ceazed on the heart of Paul he renounced all his own righteousnesse all before conversion and all after conversion his old man and his new in matter of justification and rested wholly upon the merit of Christ which plainly demonstrates the truth asserted 15. Evangelical sorrow is a lasting sorrow and a wasting sorrow When once it hath ceazed upon the heart of a Christian it doth not pass away as the morning cloud and early dew or a land-flood but continueth and riseth up as a spring and is never exhaust till sin the cause of it be wholly taken away and not only the guilt and punishment of sinne but the very being of sinne till total deliverance from this body of death be granted This is evident in the Apostle Paul when once this sorrow had ceazed on his heart he did not cease to bewail his proness to sinne till his being in this world ceased as appears Rom. 7. ver 14.24 And as it is a lasting sorrow so it is a wasting
double There is a death to the guilt of sinne And a death to the power reign and dominion of sinne Death to the guilt of sinne is a perfect fredome from all sinne by the death of Christ for our sinne thus all in whom Christ lives are dead to sinne totally We are dead to the guilt of sinne by the body of Christ who died for us The death of our dear Saviour hath purchased and perfected this death for us The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sinne 1 Joh. 1.7 From all sinne past present and to come He that is thus dead is freed from sinne as the Apostle speaks Rom. 6.7 Redeemed from all iniqâ—ity Tit. 2.14 And this is the great priveledge of all those in whom Christ lives of all the true memberâ— of Jesus Christ Christ undertakes for them as Iudah did for Benjamin I will be sâ—rety for him of my hand shale thou require him if I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee then let me bear the blame for ever said Iudah to his father Gen. 43.9 Thus Christ undertakes for all his members for all his elect so as they may and ought to turn all charges brought against them over to Christ all inditements from God or Satan or conscience abused by Satan over to Christ their surety Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect saith the Apostle it is God that justifieth who is he tâ—at condemneth c. So may he that is thus dead to the guilt of sinne say What sinne is it that can condemne me that can bâ—ing in an inâ—ictment against me it is Christ that died it is Christ that died for me and by his death perfected this death for me I am now compleat in him in this respâ—ct who is it or whâ—t is it then that can lay any thing unto my chaâ—ge that can seperate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus Sin my worst enemy cannot do it for I am totally dead to the guilt of it by vertue of my Union with Christ Is Châ—ist be in yâ—u the boâ—y is dead because of sinne perfectly â—ead to the guilt of sinne Though Justâ—fication acquits a sinner from all sinne in Gods determination yet is not his pâ—râ—â—n formally granted nor actually put in exâ—â—uâ—iâ—n unâ—â—ll sued out and the trâ—bute of acâ—uâ—ll Repentance for kâ—own sinne is â—aid except in some cases viz. in case of the want of tâ—e use of 〈◊〉 as in children and disâ—â—â—cted persons in whom conscience cannot do its â—â—ffice beâ—â—usâ— of debility in the underâ—â—anding Thiâ— with submission to a better juâ—gement I humbly conceive to be according to tâ—uth and noâ—e it to vindicate my sâ—lâ— and cauâ—ion the Reader concerning that Antinomiâ—â— Tenet about Justification so common in these daies Thus is a true believer perfectly dead to the guilt of sinne by the death of Christ for his sinne But to the power dominion and being of sinne no child of Adam is totally dead in this life no not the best of the children of God but dying daily therefore saith the Apostle I die daily c. If any man thinks himself freed from sinne or perfectly dead to sinne in this sence He deceives himself and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 1.8 For totally dead to sinne in this sence was never any sonne of man in this life but he that was the Sonne of God to wit Jesus Christ. Totally dead to the power and being of sinne is not he that is totally dead to the guilt of sinne untill this earthly house be quite pulled down and death that last debt and wages of sinne to the godly paid then and never till then is he in whom Christ lives totally freed from the power and being of sinne By the mercy of God death which was to man the wages and punishment of sinne is made unto all true believers the end of sinne the worker of death to wit sinne doth perish by its own workes sinne is slain and abolished by death Totall death to the power and being of finne is one great part of the privative gain which death brings to all that are in Christ to all that die in the Lord death the devorcer of soul and body brings perfect death to the power and being of sinne the enemy and burden of soul and body Perfectly dead to the power and being of sinne is no man here this death belongs to that other world But truly dead to the power and reign of sinne are all those here in whom Christ lives and this is that death which this Text points at If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne c. All in the state of nature are dead in sinne All in a state of grace are dead to sinne according to the meaning of this Text dead to sinne in a Gospel sence Death to the power and reign of finne is one part of the renovation of our natures consisting in that which the Scripture calls mortification by vertue of which the love of sinne and delight in sinne which is indeed the life of sinne is destroyed At this death the Apostle points Rom. 6 2. How shall we that are dead to sinne live any longer therein As if he had said How shall we that are dead to the guilt of sinne take pleasure in the filth of sinne or wallow in any sinne with delight It is impossible for death to the guilt of sin alwayes produceth death to the power and dominion of sinne If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne Is Christ be in you as a Iustifier he is in you as a Sanctifier also The body is dead because of sinne Christ and sinne may dwell in the same subject at the same time yea Christ may live where sinne doth dwell Christ liveth in me sinne dwelleth in me saith the Apostle but Christ and sinne cannot both live and reign together in the same subject at the same time Caesar and Pompey might better have lived and reigned togeher than Christ and sinne where either of these lives it reigns and both cannot reign together If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne This body to wit sinne whilest alive rules and reignes as a Husband as a Lord and Master and is obeyed freely and willingly with the consent of the whole will so much that phrase of the Apostle To whom ye yeeld your selves servants to obey doth imply But when Christ once espouseth a soul unto himself he divests this Lord of his power He puts this Husband to death and assumes all the rule and domination to himself And the soul thus espoused yeelds to obey him as her sovereign Lord and sole Commander We have no king but Caesar said the Iews So saith the soul dead to sinne I have no King but Christ I yeeld my self willingly to no other Therefore saith the Apostle If Christ be in you the body is
dead because of sinne That is the desire and bent of the soul which is naturally to sin and for sinne is turned from sinne and against sinne so that the body of sinne cannot without much reluctancy and opposition bear sway where Christ dwells 1. The body of sinne whilest alive makes a willing sinner but when dead a nilling sinner I do that which I would not saith the soul dead to sinne Rom. 7.16 The soul alive to sinne in sinning doth the evill which it would do but the soul dead to sinne in sinning doth the evill which it would not do 2. The soul alive to sinne allows it self in sinne in some sinne or other every soul in whom this body is alive allows it self But the soul dead to sinne allows not it self in any known sinne What I do I allow not saith a soul dead to sinne Rom. 7.15 I do this and I do that which I should not through humane frailty and the violence of temptation from without and from within or true necessity but I allow not what I do I do not resolve in cold bloud that thus and thus I will do but the quite contrary The soul that is truly dead to sinne allows not it self in any one known sinne The soul that is alive to sinne is in league with finne it makes leagues with sinne as the Israelites did with the inhabitants of Canaan there is no unregenerate person but he is in league with some sinne or other and though he lay some tribute upon his sinne or upon himself for his sinne yet he continues his league with sinne still and intends not the ruine of sinne nor the utter extirpation of sinne But the soul that is dead to sinne doth not make a league with any one sinne but his design is to ruine sinne all sinne he will not covenant to sinne as Iudas and the chief-Priests did but covenant against sinne as Iob did Iob. 3 1. â— This is the second Character of a foul dead to sinne As Saul should have dealt with Amalek so doth the soul dead to sinne deal with sinne it spaâ—es none it warrs against the whole body of death against every sinne 3. The soul alive to sinne in sinning doth the evill which he loves but the soul dead to sinne in sinning doth the evill which he hates What I hate that do I saith a soul dead to sinne Rom 7.15 The soul alive to sinne though he refrain from sinne yet he loves it still But the soul dead to sinne though he fall into sinne and be many times overpowred by sinne yet he doth not love sinne but hates it so farre forth as regenerate Object But conscience may here reply in some soul and say I cannot by this conclude that I am one dead to sinne but rather that I am one alive to sinne for I find much inclination in my will to sinne and much adhering in affections to sinne Answ. 1. If this alone were sufficient to give the denomination of a soul alive to sinne then no soul living in a body of flesh could conclude that he were truly dead to sinne for their is no soul inhabiting this earthly house no not the best alive but hath cause thus â—o complain 2. But secondly Every soul dead to sinne doth bear the image of a double person he beares the image of the first Adam and the image of the second Adam he is partly flesh and partly spirit and he is thus in every faculty of his soul there is flesh in every faculty of his soul sinne dwelling in every faculty this therefore doth not render the soul alive to sinne 3. Then thirdly Thou speakest in this as one seeking after a perfect death to the power and being of sinne in thy self But the Apostle in this Text points only at a true death to sinne and truly dead to sinne he may be and is to whom sinne is a burthen So much for â—â—swet to this Objection 4. In the fourth place The body of sinne iâ— truly dead wastes and decayes there is a decaying in this body and a wasting away as in the natural body when once dead therefore saith the Apostle I die daily thereby implying that where there is a true death to sinne there is a true decaying of sinne Object But conscience in some may here reply again and say I cannot hence conclude that I am one truly dead to sinne but rather see cause to conclude on the contrary for I do not find that corruption doth decay and wast away in me but rather that it grows stronger and stronger Answ. Strong apprehensions of corruption are no argument of the strength of corruption at least if they be accompanied with loathing of them and warring against them in the strength of Christ but rather symptomes of a new Life This therefore should not cause any to conclude That there is no death to sinne in him but rather excite him to cleave closer to Christ who hath begun this death in him and will at the length perfect it 5. In the fifth place The soul that is truly dead to sinne is universally dead to sinne he is dead to every sinne and he is dead to sin in every faculty of his soul though but in part yet in every part of soul and body This and no less then this will serve to demonstrate a man truly dead to sinne in a Gospel-sence 6. Finally The soul that is truly dead to sinne is alive to righteousness the soul that is dead in sinne is alive to sinne and the soul that is dead to sinne is alive to righteousness If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne But the Spirit is Life because of righteousness This is the next thing to be spoken of and it is the second Character laid down by the Apostle to demonstrate Christ resident in us The Spirit is Life because of righteousness By Spirit in this Text is meant as I conceive the regenerate part of man and nothing else to wit that which is born of the-Spirit in this sence I take the word Spirit here because it is set in opposition to the forementioned body which body as is evident is the unregenerate part or old man So this word Spirit is used by the Apostle unto the Galathians The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh The regenerate part lusteth against the unregenerate So Christ useth the word Spirit Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit but the Spirit is Life because of righteousness It is as if the Apostle had said If Christ be in you it will appear by this the Spirit is Life because of righteousness that is the regenerate man is alive because of righteousness he is alive because of a double righteousness or because of righteousnes in a double sence 1. He is alive because of the righteousness of Justification And 2. Because of the righteousness of Sanctification That man is truly and perfectly alive
The will of Christ is That he that suffers for his will should aim at his Honour and Glory therein This appeares thus Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God saith the Text 1 Cor. 10.31 That is do it so that God may have glory thereby do it aiming at the Honour and Glory of God therein Hence I argue thus If it be the will of Christ that I should aim at his Honour and Glory in all that I do then it is the will of Christ that I should aim at his Honour and Glory in all that I suffer for suffering is doing But it is the will of Christ that I should aim at his Honour and Glory in all that I do Therefore it is the will of Christ that I should aim at it in all that I suffer A man may then be said to aim at the Honour and Glory of Christ in suffering when he makes that his direct chief and utmost end in all that he suffers when he makes the Honour and Glory of Christ the finall cause of all his sufferings when he suffers not out of vain glory but that Christ may be magnified thereby when a man doth thus suffer for the will of Christ then doth he suffer according to the will of Christ in this particular 9. Finally the will of Christ is that he that suffers for his will shoulâ— glorifie God for suffering If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on thiâ— behalf 1 Pet. 4.16 A man doth then glorifie God for suffering 1. When he boldly and thankfully acknowledges the favour of the Lord towards him in calling him forth and enabling him to suffer for his sake 2. When he makes his sufferings the matter of his joy and thanksgiving when he rejoyces and praises God that he is counted worthy to suffer in any kind for Christs sake 3. When he doubles his diligence in duty upon this account thus did the Apostles glorifie God for suffering Phil. 1.29 Act. 5.41 42. Art thou then a sufferer Consider whether thou sufferest as a Christian yea or nay whether thou sufferest for the will of Christ and whether thou sufferest according to the will of Christ And if thou canst truly conclude on the affirmative thou hast good ground to conclude that thou art one that shall reign with Jesus Christ in his everlasting kingdome If ye suffer ye shall also reign with him and not only reign with Christ but reign with him in greater glory For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Suffering as a Christian is a reall testimony of a reall Christian and suffering as a Christian is a high evidence of Gods speciall love towards a person Dost thou then suffer and suffer as a Christian Thou maist then safely conclude I shall reign with Christ Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness An exceeding and eternall weight of glory A kingdome that cannot be shaken A Crown that cannot be taken Glory that cannot here enter into my heart to conceive Glory that cannot be measured Glory that fadeth not away but remaineth through all eternity Glory that cannot enter into me I shall one day enter into I now suffer with Christ and for Christ I shall one day be glorified with Christ and by Christ whatsoever Satan or the world may say to the contrary Sealing by the Spirit Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Whereby ye are sealed c. THat which I pitch upon in this Text as most for my purpose is this That the holy Spirit of God doth seal the Elect unto the day of redemption The whole Trinity doth concur in this work of sealing soules to eternall happiness but sealing is here attributed to the third Person in Trinity to wit the holy Spirit of God because it is a work most proper to his Office It is the holy Spirit of God that sealeth soules to the day of redemption as the Apostle here tells us The persons sealed by the holy Spirit of God are the Elect of God true believers as the Apostle intimates by that particle Ye whereby Ye are sealed speaking of true believers These all these and none but these the holy Spirit of God doth seal unto the day of redemption unto the day of the full manifestation of our redemption unto the day of the redemption of our bodies from corruption and the fruition of the redemption of our souls and bodies from Hell by Jesus Christ. Sealing is a metaphor taken from Merchants who use to seal their own wares for speciall ends The divine seales of God are of a double kind and of a double use they are of a double kind they are either externall or internall outward or inward â— Externall or outward and such a seal was Circumcision in the time of the Law it is so called by the Apostle Rom 4.11 And such are our Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper now in the daies of the Gospel 2. Internall or inward the internall or inward seal of God is the seal of the holy Spirit of God metaphorically so called and this is that which this Text points at Seales are of a double use they serve to demonstrate and to confirme they signifie and ratifie I speak after the manner of men Gods seales do no less they demonstrate they confirme But Gods externall seales without the internall seal of the Spirit of God cannot assure any soul of the speciall love of God nor of his Adoption many outwardly sealed go to Hell the outward seales alone cannot seal any soul unto the day of redemption It is the inward seal of the holy Spirit of God that seales us unto the day of redemption as this Text tells us Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption The internall or inward divine seal of the Spirit of God is twofold Demonstrative or Confirmative The holy Spirit of God seals the Elect to the day of redemption two wayes 1. With a seal of Demonstration 2. With a seal of Confirmation The seal of Demonstration set by the Spirit of God I call that a speciall work of the holy Spirit of God whereby a sinfull soul is truly regenerated and the Image of God stamped upon him The seal of Confirmation I call that a speciall work of the holy Spirit of God within us whereby we are perswaded and assured after an immediate manner that we are the children of God adopted in Christ and beloved with an everlasting love Both these seales agree in their efficient cause for they are both the speciall workes of the holy Spirit of God whereby the soul is marked for and assured of eternall happiness when this life is ended Of the first of these seales to wit the seal of
dwell in you But without Christ without Vnion with Christ there is no Salvation sor Man therefore it follows by necessary consequence That he that hath the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him according to the meaning of the Apostle in this text hath undoubtedly Union with Christ. Here note That the first and radicall Union between Christ and his Members is by conjunction This Union by Conjunction is a true and reall uniting of our persons bodies and souls to the Person of Christ God and Man To the Person of Christ as our Mediator And it is then effected when the Lord is joyned to the Soul and the Soul to the Lord so as they are made truly one This Union between Christ and his Members is made by the Spirit of God whose office it is to joyn Christ and his Members together it is the Spirit immediately on Christs part but the Spirit mediately on our part that makes this Union Christ by an actuall habitation of his Spirit in his Elect really joyns himself unto them and becoms truly one with them Christ by his Spirit works unfeigned faith in the hearts of his elect by which they habitually abide in him joyn themselves unto him and become truly one with him Christ and his Members thus joyned together are one by Conjunction To get assurance of thy Union with Christ then thou must of necessity begin here viz. with a diligent search whether thou art indued with the Spirit of Christ yea or nay and in searching after this take notice That the Spirit of God is said to be given Either Essentially or Virtually Essentially unto Christ onely virtually unto us So as when the Scripture speaks of giving the holy Spirit of God to man of the receiving of the Spirit by Man and of the dwelling of the holy Spirit in man In these texts and the like we are not to understand the essence of that Person in Trinity But the vertue efficacy and operation of that Person Secondly Note that the Spirit of God is virtually given unto man either as a qualifier only or as a sanctifier As a restrainer or as a renewer and that reception of the Spirit and dwelling of the Spirit which the Scripture makes an Argument of ouâ— Union with Christ is not that common efficacy and dwelling of the Spirit whereby he is a restrainer and qualifier onely But that speciall Efficacy and Virtue of the holy Spirit of God whereby he becometh a renewer and sanctifier of us To get assurance of the Union with Christ then thou must diligently and seriously examine thy self touching the spirituall virtue efficacy and operation of the holy Spirit of God in thy Soul manifested in and by those speciall graces which the holy Spirit of God works in the hearts of the Elect and of them onely thence called by Divines for distinction sake saâ—ctâ—fying or renewing grace The Spirit of God as a sanctifier the world cannot receive as the Language of Christ intimates Ioh 14.17 Sanctifying or renewing grace Christ bestows upon his Spouse onely it is his love-token to her in her military life though Christ be liberall in bestowing gifts upon all sorts of people yet he keeps these Jewels for his Spouse and bestows them on her onely on whom he bestows himself well may they therefore serve to demonstrate our Union with Christ and the habitation of his â—pirit in us after a speciall manner wheresoever they are bestowed hence it is that this gâ—ace and glory are coupled together Psal. 84 11. Amongst those speciall graces which demonstrâ—â—â— the holy Spirits saving habitation in â—s the first which I will here speak of is Faith to wiâ— justifying Faith We having the â—ame Spirit of Faith we also believe saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.13 Hence it is evident that whosoever is indued with the holy Spirit of God savingly beleives he beleives with a justifying faith For as much as the Spirit works this true justifying faith in all those in whom he dwelleth savingly Therefore if thou wouldest get a true testimony of the holy Spirits dwelling in thee after a speciall and saving manner thou must diligently try and examine thy self whether thou hast this grace of faith true justifying faith wrought in thee or not If thou hast this grace of justifying faith thou hast that which is an infallible Character and a reall testimony of the holy Spirits saving habitation and operation in thee of thy Union with Christ and eternal salvation by him as the Apostle intimates 1 Iohn 5.10 where he saith he that believeth in the Son of God hath the witnesse in himself The truth of this assertion will more clearly and fully appear by that which follows This faith is a speciall work of the Spirit of God in man as appears by the language of the Apostle Eph. 1.19 20. Where the Apostle speaks of it as a work of Gods Almighty Power No less then that which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in Glory And in that it accompanieth predestination and is a grace proper and peculiar unto the elect as appears by 2 Thes. 2.13 compared with Tit. 1.1 He that with this saith beleiveth in Christ eateth the Flesh of Christ and drinketh his Blood and Christ saith He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him John 6.56 And hath he not then Union with Christ surely yes for he lives in Christ and Christ in him Really Spiritually he is one with Christ and Christ with him Of this faith Christ affirmeth that it is accompanied with salvation Iohn 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath Everlasting life and John 6.54 He saith wheso eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath Eternall Life He that believâ—th on me hath Everlasting Life Joh. 6.47 This faith is called an evidence Heb. 11.1 the evidence of things not seen And true it is that this faith alwayes is an evidence though it do not alwayes give evidence to the subject in which it is beleeve and be saved are coupled together Luk. 8.12 Finally unto this faith is annexed in Scripture many special and absolute promises of salvation the Scripture faith that whosoever beleiveth in Christ shall not be ashamed Rom. 10.11 Beleive in the Lord Iâ—sus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 1â— 31 Christ saith He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live Joh. 11.25 He that liveth and believeth in me shall never die ver 26. He shall never dye eternally He that eateth me shall live by me He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever Joh. 6.57 58. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and beleiveth in him that sent me shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Joh. 5.24 By all which it is evident that justifying faith for of that these texts speak is a sure earnest of our
action Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes c. How faire is thy Love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy Love then Wine c. Cant. 4.9 10. I conclude this therefore with the saying of a worthy man A Christians affection is his perfection in this fraile condition The final cause of cordial Obedience is the Glory of God He that cordially obeys the Will of God propoundeth the pleasing of God and the glory of his Name for his direct chief and ultimate end in all that he doth in way of Obedience according to the direction of the Holy Ghost by the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.31 And these two the efficient and the end denominate the action 1. The properties of cordial Obedience are these Cordial Obedience is free and willing Obedience voluntary and not forced To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are saith the Apostle Rom. 6.16 It is willingnesse in Obedience that is the beauty of Obedience and that which God chiefly looks to in Obedience If you be willing and Obedient or willingly obedient then so and so ye shall eat the good of the Land Isai. 1.19 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that which a man hath not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 If I do this thing willingly I have a reward 1 Cor. 9.17 By all these places it is evident That cordial Obedience is willing Obedience This was that which rendered Abraham's Obedience so lovely in the eye of God he rose early to go about the offering up of Isaac which shews he did it willingly He whose Obedience springs from Love to God hath his heart first warmed with the sense of Gods Love to him and he that aims principally at the glory of God in his Obedience hath his heart humbled when he hath done the best that he can for that he cannot bring more glory to God and hence it comes to pass that he is willing and ready to obey He consents to obey and that without grudging or repining even when he comes short of doing what he desires to do What I would that do I not saith a cordial server of Christ. 2. Cordial Obedience is universal Obedience and that both in respect of the Subject and in respect of the Object it is yielded of the whole man to the whole Will of God the soul according to all the powers and faculties thereof is only and wholly for Christ in its scope and bent the understanding the will and the affections are in their scope and bent only and wholly for Christ therefore saith the Apostle of such as were cordial servers of Christ Ye have obeyed from the heart c. Rom. 6.17 The body and all its members are yielded up wholly and only to Christ to the service of Christ for the magnifying of Christ shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot saith the cordial server of Christ God forbid 1 Cor. 6.15 God requires the whole man soul and body to be wholly yielded up unto him unto his use and service in Obedience Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods saith the Text 1 Cor. 6.20 God requires soul and body to wit the whole man to be wholly yielded up unto him unto his use and service in Obedience in obeying all his revealed will touching beleeving doing and suffering Take diligent heed to do the Commandement and the Law which Moses the Servant of the Lord commanded you to Love the Lord your God and walk in all his wayes and to keep his Commandements and to cleave unto him and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul Josh. 22.5 And again Exo 23. ver 20 and 22. Behold I send an Angel before thee if thou shalt indeed obey his voice in all that I speak then I will be an enemy unto thy enemies c. saith the Lord. Go ye and teach all Nations saith Christ to his Apostles What should they teach them Why teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mat. 28.19 20. The Apostle useth the like phrase 2 Cor. 2.9 where he cals for Obedience in all things Here is universal Obedience unto the whole Will of God required in the whole man and he that cordially obeys the Will of God obeys according to this Rule of God to wit universally He yeelds up his whole man to the Obedience of the whole Will of the Lord without picking and chusing in the wayes of God without reservation or exception or desire of dispensation However he failes in his Obedience and comes short of what he ought to do and desires to do yet he determines not to reserve any part of himself from Christ nor to stand out against any part of his holy Will but hath his heart and mind ready prest to obey every of his Commandements which he knows as well as any the least as well as the greatest and the greatest as well as the least He thinks not tithing of Mint and Comin too small a precept to make conscience of nor a right hand nor a right eye nor an only Isaac nor Life it self or whatsoever may indeare it unto him too much to sacrifice when Christ shall call for it at his hands He resolves to obey those precepts which cross his corrupt nature most and the sinne of his constitution as well as those which it can better brook He resolves to obey both Law and Gospel in every precept Negative and Positive to his utmost power his Obedience is of as great a latitude as the whole Will of God He hath respect unto all Gods Commandements as the Psalmist speaketh 3. Cordial Obedience is conscionable Obedience He that cordially obeys the Will of God obeys not out of by respects but for conscience sake Conscience of duty leades him to the performance of duty so that he as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God obeys the will of God as the Apostles phrase is 2 Cor. 2.17 He that obeys the Will of God out of love to God and conscience of duty esteems all Gods precepts concerning all things to be right and hates every false way one as well as another even vain thoughts he consents to the whole will of God that it is good and delights in the whole Will of God after the inward man and with the mind serves the Law of God even when the flesh is captivated by the Law of sinne His heart inclineth to perform the Statutes of the Lord alwayes even unto the end and he wisheth that his wayes were so directed that he might keep all the Statutes of his God The Will of his God is deare unto him above all things Above Silver and Gold Above necessary food Above Life and all the
of all Saints he disclaimes all his own righteousnesses and accounts them as rotten raggs and abominable things in reference to Justification before God He forgets all that is behind if he cast up his parts his gifts and his graces he concludes Circumcision is nothing nor Vncircumcision is nothing his faith his love his repentance his obedience all put together nothing he brings in the totall summe in meer ciphers I am nothing yea worse then nothing saith this soul Can a man be profitable unto his Maker I am unprofitable to God and man When saw I thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and cloathed thee c. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool saith this soul. 3. A man graciously poor or blessedly poor in spirit is a man of a contrite spirit a man that trembleth at the Word of the Lord To him will I look saith the Lord that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word Isa. 66.2 In this Text poverty of spirit contrition and the effect of it trâ—mbling at the Word of the Lord are joyned together as linkes of a Chain so as he that hath one of them hath all of them in some measure As for contrition it hath been already spoken of from Pag. 56. to Pag. 64. to which I refer the Reader 4. A man graciously poor in spirit as he sees a fullness of sinne and an emptiness of grace in himself and bewailes it so he sees a fullness of grace in Christ a fullness of mercy with God in Christ to pardon him and heal him to justifie him and sanctifie him and fill him with all grace and this is attended with some hopes to be made a partaker of it The truth of this is evident in the poor Publican He saw a fullness of sinne in himself and an emptiness of grace and he saw a fullness of mercy in God and merit in Christ to take away his sinne and garnish his soul with all grace and had some hopes to attain this otherwise he would never have gone to God for mercy A man graciously or evangelically poor in spirit hath some hope of obtaining mercy 5. And this makes him very industriously to seek after the Lord in a conscionable use of all those means which he hath appointed I will arise and go to my Father c. saith the poor Prodigal When once this poverty of Spirit had seized on his spirit he thought no labour too much to attain what he sought Draw me we will runne after thee saith the Spouse graciously poor in spirit Cant. 1.4 6. A man graciously poor in spirit esteems spirituall riches the best riches and for them he will with the Merchant-man give the best price for thâ—m he will part with all carnall things and count them but dung he doth hunger and thirst after righteousness more than after riches after the riches of grace more than after the riches of the world 7. A man graciously poor in spirit is a man of a humble spirit if God dispense his gifts liberally unto him or make greater discoveries of himself his mind and will unto him than he doth to others he will humbly and thankfully and really ascribe all the glory thereof unto the Lord and his free grace and say as Daniel As for me this is not conferred upon me for any Wisdome or goodness that I have more than other but of free grace for Christs sake bestowed upon me therefore to him be all the glory Who am I or what is there in me that God should shew such favour unto me above what he doth unto other This is vigor fit and â—â—t fit to give the denomination of a man graciously poor in spirit 8. A man graciously poor in spirit is the contentedst man with his condition of all others I went out full but the Lord brought me home empty saith a soul gratiously poor in spirit and yet she was contented with her condition Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evill Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus It is the Lord let him do with we as seemeth good to him This is the lanâ—uage of soules graciously poor in spirit Such a soul lookes upon every thing as a mercy that is on this side Hell and how bad soevâ—r his condition be thinks it too good for him 9. A man graciously poor in spirit justifâ—es God in all his dealiâ—gs even under his sadest providences and dispensations of Justice The Lord is righteous in all his Wayes saith this soul I am justly under this condemnation for I receive the due reward of my deeds for I have rebelled against his Commandmenâ—s c. 10. The soul gracioâ—sly poor in spirit grâ—anes under that privy pride which he finds in himself as that which is the great burdâ—n on his spirit and that which he longs to be delivered from Oh wretched man that I â—m who shall deliver me and when shall I be deliveâ—ed â—rom this corrupt nature of mine which exalts it sâ—lf against God and hinders the influence of his grâ—ce in me These Appearances of gratious poverty of spirit may serve to disâ—ry a soul graciously and blessedly poor in spirit Try thy spirit by them and if by what hath been said thou findest this Qualification in thy self in any measure bless God for it labour to grow in it and remember the words of our Lord Jesu Christ Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven Death to Sinne. Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne But the Spirit is Life because of righteousness IN these words the Apostle lays down two great Characters of our Union with Christ or Christ resident in us The first this The body is dead because of sinne The second this The Spirit is Life because of righteousness Christ is in you saith the Apostle except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 If Christ be in you it will appear thus The body is dead because of sinne The Body here spoken of is not a body of flesh not a body Celestiall nor a body Terrestiall but a body Diabolicall a body of sin as the members mentioned Col. 3.5 demonstrate and likewise the language of the Apostle Rom. 7.24 where he calls corrupt nature the body and more plainly Rom. 6.6 stiles it The body of sinne Ephes. 4.22 The old man This is the body here meant The body of sinne is the depravedness and corruption of our whole nature by reason of which we are naturally averse to all good and prone to evill continually and so liable to all misery and therefore the Apostle calls it A body of death The body is alive in all those in whom Christ lives not but where Christ lives this body dies If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne c. Death to sinne is
a grace which keeps a man quiet within when all things are troublous and very unquiet without it is a grace which possesses a man of himself when dispossessed of all earthly comforts it is a speciall work of the Spirit of God in the soul enabling a man not stupidly but quietly to bear whatsoever God lays upon him without feeling murmuring or repining against God or man in heart or in tongue or fainting under his chastising hand When it is thus with a sufferer for Christ then may he be said to suffer according to the will of Christ in this particular to wit patiently 4. Christ requires joy in sufferers for his will Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations Rejoyce and be exceeding glad saith Christ. Rejoyce in that day and leap for joy It is divine joy or the joy of grace that Christ here calls for in sufferers for his will it is that joy which Nehemiah calls The joy of the Lord. And this is a holy passion of the soul issuing out of the apprehension of what Christ hath done for it and will do for it reviving elevating and strengthening the soul and carrying it above it self It is a wing grace which whiles the soul is actually possessed of is thereby carried above it self above the world and above Satan Faith and joy are the two wings of the soul which bear it up both in doing and suffering If either of these be câ—ipt the soul is much hindered thereby and exposed to many dangers Joy as all other graces of the Spirit hath different degrees in different times and subjects and is usually greatest in the greatest sufferers and sufferings for Christ. When a man is spoiled in his estate spoiled in his good name spoiled in his body or any thing respecting the preservation or felicity of this life for his faithfullness to the word and will of Christ and yet with the good Prophet Rejoyces in the Lord and joys in the God of his salvation then may he be said to suffer joyfully then may he be said to suffer according to the will of Christ in this particular 5. Christ in his Word calls for courage in sufferers for his will the will of Christ is that he that suffers for a good cause should not be ashamed of his cause nor of his sufferings If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of the Lord nor of me his prisoner saith Paul to Timothy The will of Christ is That he that suffers for his will should not be afraid If ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrour nor be troubled Fear them not saith Christ thrice in one Chapter Fear noâ— them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Phil. 1.28 Christ compares his Church to a company of horses in Pharaohs Chariots which in all probability were the best in Egypt and like to the war-horse which the Lord describes to Iob Job 39. very couragious in the hottest battell Christ by this metaphor hints unto us That his will is that we should be very bold and couragious in whatsoever we do or suffer for his sake and that he expects it at our hands his will is that we should be like a company of horses in Pharaohs Chariots full of spirits and courage in doing and suffering and not like a company of Jades in a Dung-Cart spiritless and unfit to bear any thing for his sake It is Christian-courage that Christ requires in sufferers for his will Christian courage is a grace of the â—pirit whereby a man resolves through the help and assistance of Jesus Christ to cleave close to his word and will and boldly to stand for it mauger all opposition and chuses rather to suffer any thing than omit any thing or commit any thing that should derogate from the honour of Christ. A man doth then declare Christian courage when he is not ashamed nor afraid to own a good cause or appear in it because of suffering when he can suffer for the Gospel or any Ordinance of God and truly say with the Apostle Though I suffer these things neverthelâ—ss I am not ashamed I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ nor of the cause of God And when with the three Children he slights the torment and the tormentor resolving in the strength of Christ to do his duty whatsoever he suffer for it and to cleave close to the word and will of Christ whether deliverance or no deliverance arise here when he is more afraid to displease God than man when he is more afraid of losing things spiritual and eternal than of losing things temporal when he chooses to suffer rather than sinne when he endureth the Cross and despiseth the shame when he refuseth base deliverance and yeeldeth his body rather than his cause his cause being good into a Tyrants hand When a sufferer for a good cause doth thus declare his courage he declares it in a high degree and suffers according to the will of Christ in this particular 6. Christ in his Word requires perseverance unto the end in suffering for his will and it is unto the persevering sufferer that this great reward of reigning with Christ is promised Be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the Crown of life He that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved Christian perseverance is a conftant holding out in the Truth to the last breath in the belief love profession and practice of the Truth And this he may be said to do that doth never totally nor finally apostatize from the Truth once received It is possible for one that perseveres in suffering at some time and in some kind and measure to desist from his former forwardness through strong temptations and humane frailty witness Peter who through fear denied his Master and forsware him and yet did after suffer for him 7. The will of Christ is That he that suffers for his will wrongfully should do it for conscience sake For conscience towards God conscience of his duty should be the principall motive inducing him to suffer I do not say the only but the principall motive A man may then be said to suffer for conscience towards God when conscience of his duty is the thing that puts him upon suffering when he to avoid sinne or performe duty exposes himself to suffering when he out of scruple in conscience of the lawfullness or unlawfullness of a thing commanded or forbidden by Authority refuseth it and chooses rather to suffer in his outward man than to baffle his conscience or displease God by rebelling against lawfull Authority which is Gods Ordinance He that doth thus suffer doth suffer for conscience towards God and according to the will of Christ in this particular 8.
Demonstration I shall speak something from this Text as God shall enable me and somewhat of the other to wit the seal of Confirmation from another Text if the Lord permit and so conclude this work Before I speak further of this seal of Demonstration or the appearances of it I will here premise six things First That as a Merchant sets his seal upon his wares by which he demonstrates such and such wares to be his and distinguisheth them from all other so God sets his seal upon his people to wit this seal of regeneration by which he demonstrates them to be his and distinguisheth them from all the people in the world profane morall hypocriticall This I may call Gods broad-seal sealing a soul to the day of redemption Secondly This seal God sets upon all his wares all his adopted children are sooner or later sealed with this seal every reall Saint every one that is effectually called hath this seal of Demonstration set upon him regeneration wrought in him Gods Image stamped upon him But all the children of God have not this in like measure the impression is not alike visible in all neither to the parties themselves nor to others some bear this impression as babes others as men grown up to some maturity all Gods adopted children bear this impression truly but none of them perfectly in this life The third thing premised is this That this seal of Demonstration to wit true regeneration is of absolute necessity unto salvation for Without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 No man shall ever inherit the kingdome of glory that hath not this seal set upon him in the kingdome of grace Christ will own none of these wares for his in that other world whom he doth not thus seal in this world it stands not with his justice to own such The fourth thing premised is this That this seal of regeneration demonstrates to God to man to others and to a mans self except in some cases that he is Gods He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth 2 Thes. 2.13 Fifthly This seal of regeneration is such as others may discern therefore I call it a seal of demonstration The Image of God if once stamped in truth upon the soul cannot be hid no more than fire in a mans bosome the love of God in the heart will shew it self in the outward man Nay this seal of regeneration is many times more obvious unto others than unto the parties themselves This seal is so lively stamped on some of Gods people that it shews it self very eminently in the eies of others when they that have it cannot nor will not behold it in themselves The sixth and last thing premised is this That this seal of regeneration whereever it is truly stamped by the holy Spirit of God is Gods mark and the soules earnest for Heavens eternity The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psal. 4.3 The person thus sealed is a sequestred person sequestred for the Lords use sealed unto the day of redemption Where note That this seal of regeneration doth confirme and make sure the love of God unto the person on which it is set as well as the other though not alwayes to the apprehension of the person Object But Satan doth many times counterfeit this seal and thereby cheats and cosens many a soul He counterfeiteth holiness and perswades the soul that is but seemingly regenerate that he is truly regenerate and him that hath but civill holiness that he hath saving holiness and by this sophistry of his cheats and undoth many a soul How shall I then come truly to discern whether the demonstrative seal set upon my self be indeed the seal of the holy Spirit of God or but the counterfeit set by Satan Answ. 1. Wheresoever there is true regeneration wrought by the holy Spirit of God Satans seal which is upon our soules as we come into the world is cancelled corruption is not barely restrained but mortified The body is dead because of sinne as the Scripture speaks the soul is bent against every sinne it allows not it self in any known sinne it hates all sin but where Satan counterfeits this seal corruption is but restrained the heart loves it still and cherisheth some one sinne or other 2. The soul â—hus sealed by the holy Spirit of God beares the Image of God the Image of God is stamped upon it as the seal is so is the print which it makes the Spirit of God is a holy Spirit and the soul that is sealed by it is a holy soul He is renewed in the spirit of his mind Holiness is stamped upon his heart and spirit and from thence spreads it self through the whole man and through the whole life from the time of conversion regeneration wrought by the Spirit of God makes the heart pure and holy as well as the outward man therefore the Apostle calls it Holiness of truth Ephes. 4.24 and saith in another place The Spirit is Life because of righteousness Christ makes it a note of a good man that he can derive goodness from within Luk 6 45. Therefore I may safely pitch upon it That Holiness engraven upon the heart and spirit of a man and from thence declaring it self in the whole man and in the whole life is vigor fit and but fit to give the denomination of a soul thus sealed regeneration wrought by the Spirit of God is begun in the inward man it is universall and goes through every faculty of the soul and every part and member of the body through the whole life and conversation he that is truly sanctified is sanctified throughout and holy in all manner of conversâ—tion he that is sealed by the holy Spirit of God beares the Image of God in all these But Satans counterfeit seal of Demonstration stamps his own image he is seemingly an Angel of light whilest really a Devil and he that is thus sealed by Satan resembles him in this he is a seeming Saint a reall Devil So Christ spake of Iudas Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devil He that is thus sealed by Satan hath Holiness painted on his outside but wickedness graven on his heart as is evident in the Scribes and Pharisees who were thus sealed by Satan they were outwardly holy as Christ shews at large Mat. 23. but inwardly very ugly and rotten and therefore calls them whited sepulchres not sealed soules Civill Holiness may and many times doth enable a man to carry himself civilly and holily in the eies of men but saving Holiness makes a man studious and carefull to approve himself unto God in his very thoughts and affections and in the motions of his heart as well as the motions of the outward man yea this is that which he is most carefull of and industrious about that is sealed