SECT. 1.

THe whole Chapter is the Con­clusion The de­pendance of the words on the former part of the Epistle. Their scope is comfort. of the large treatise and disputation of the holy Apostle Paul writing to the Romans concerning the Ju­stification and Sanctification of believers in Jesus Christ. The Apostle drawes up all that he had delivered in this Epistle, for the practice of the Saints, and especi­ally for their consolation against all sorts of evils that may befal them in this pre­sent Two e­vils, sinne and affli­ction. world. Now because there are two sorts of evils which assault their faith, and that sorely and dangerously, which are, the sense of the remainders of sin within them, and the manifold afflictions, tribu­lations and temptations that befal them from without: two evils, sinne and the Crosse; sin that dwells in them, and the Comfort in Christ to belie­vers a­gainst both. Cross that attends them from abroad: The Apostle against both these doth exceed­ingly comfort all believers. And this he doth, not without cause. They that believe in Christ, do they not finde sinful corrup­tion working in them? and is it not as a law in their members? doth it not some­times [Page 3] carry them away captives? and is it not alwayes averse and adverse to their holy inclinations unto, and delight in the law of the Lord? Paul in his own person sets out the estate of a believer to be such, in the latter end of the seventh chapter. If this be the estate of those that believe, and that have in them the beginnings of grace and sanctification, How can they be comforted? for is not sin to be regarded? is not sin the more grievous, the more good and gracious God is to them? and ought it not so to be? do not their souls hate sin the more, and are therefore the more troubled because such corruptions stir in them, and break forth against God? the Apostle grants it all: but for full con­solation sets Jesus Christ against this evil of sin, and asserts, that their sins shall not condemn them. There is no condemna­tion to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. This is ha [...]dled from the first verse to the middle of the seventeenth verse.

For the second evil: true believers are subject to persecutions & to afflictions be­fore and above any others▪ they are the [...] of contradiction, the very strife of tongues: [Page 4] how then shall they have comfort? Where is the gaine of godlinesse? The Apostle saith, there is this certaine truth full of Consolation, that all afflictions that can befal the believer, are so farre from pre­judicing his salvation, that they promote and assure unto him his greater glory in verse 17. and this argument is continued unto the 31. verse. And then in the 31. verse to the end, the Apostle breaks out into a triumph of faith over both evil, sin and affliction; over all that may stand in the way of their comfort, not leaving un­til he hath raised them together with him­self, in despight of all adverse things, to the height of one more than a Conque­rour, and to the glorying of one that is fully assured.

In the words of these two verses, The The de­pendance of the words on the former verses. To them that are in Christ, comfort a­gainst the evil of sin. proposition for comfort against the sense of sin laid down in the first verse is pro­ved and demonstrated: and the meaning of the probation of that proposition gi­ven in the second verse, is also in these words cleared, [There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus]. That's the proposition, whereof these words in verse 3, 4. give the full demonstration; and 'tis this; In Jesus Christ their sins are [Page 5] condemned, and the righteousnesse of the Law which is the strength of sin, is fulfilled. What condemnation can there be where sin is condemned, and where all righte­ousnesse is fulfilled? and this is the true case of all that are in Christ; besides, they are under another law, even the com­mand of the Spirit of Jesus Christ after whom they walk, and who from Christ is in them, lawing of them; So that they who are in Christ Jesus are not onely un­der another Law, but the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus, and from him a their Head, and as the second Adam, is in them as a Law, even the Law of the Spi­rit of life which delivers them from the Law of sin and death: this is the summe of the second verse; what is this law of the Spirit? It is the Spirit of grace and What is the Law of the Spirit. What is the Law of sin. holinesse dwelling in us by the Word of the Gospel, which hath in us the power and force of a Law. What is the Law of sin and death? It is the deadly power of sin, which hath in all men by nature the strength of a Law to command, and com­manding reigns through the strength of the holy Law of God unto death or con­demnation. Now ( [...] observe how the third and fourth verses clear up this) [Page 6] nothing but the living spiritual law of the Spirit which is in Christ Jesus, can give a sinner, an Apostle, a Paul deliverance from the power of sin and death; but this can; this Law of the Spirit of life hath de­livered me. This is thus made out. The Law of God could not do it, for that doth not give this Spirit: but the Gospel onely can do it, because the Gospel giveth the Spirit, the Spirit of life which sets free from the Law and power of sin and death. This is the dependance of these verses up­on the former.

SECT. 2.

The words are the summe of the Go­spel, The man­ner of lay­ing down the Do­ctrine of the Gospel here. 1. By pre­vention of an ob­jection. Object. Might not the Law deliver a sinner? explaining the great mystery of sal­vation which God himself first preached in Paradise to our first Parents miserably fallen, which the holy Apostle openeth in this manner. He layeth it down first by prevention of an Objection; and then by reckoning up the causes of salvation; and lastly by re-assuming the description of the persons that have their part therein.

The Objection is this: How doth the Law of the Spirit alone deliver the sinner? might not the holy Law of God deliver from sin and death?

Answ. The Law cannot deliver: The deliverance of a sinner from sinne, and Answ. It is the thing impossible to the Law. from the damnation of sinne, is that which is the impossible thing of the Law; that which is impossible for the Law to do. The Law is the holy Commandements of the Eternal God, Maker of all things: these discover sinne, and condemne the sinner; but they deliver not from either. That which is of use, and is of this nature, to shew and sentence for sinne, cannot possibly work deliverance to a sinner; but it is the Gospel, that Law of faith, that discovereth a Saviour Jesus Christ, and in Jesus Christ, how a sinner may be made righteous, and so be delivered from sinne; and how one condemned by the righteous Law, may be delivered from that condem­ning sentence, and so be set free from death which sinne deserved: [God sending his own Sonne, &c.] where it appears that a sinner may be delivered from his sinne, and made ri [...]hteous, and delivered from the Law, and not condemned. [What the Law could not do, in that it was weak through [...]e flesh, God sending his own Sonne, &c.]

The former Objection may yet be urged; for it may be said, the Law is righteous, and [Page 8] can it not then give righteousnesse and life?

Answ. The Apostle explaineth the Yet the Law is in no fault. thing, and amplifieth it; the Law cannot do it: not that there is fault in the Law; this impossibility cometh through the weaknesse of mankinde now fallen, who are not able to keep the Law. The Law is not weak, as if not perfectly righteous and holy; or as if it had not a promise of life annexed to it: but you are weak, who are not able to keep it. It is through mans weaknesse, who is not able to per­forme the righteousnesse thereof, that the Law is become weak: the perfect, exact holinesse thereof makes through our weak­nesse weakning it, that none can stand righteous by it, nor live by it. Hence a­riseth the inpossibility of help by the Law. Thus the Law is still preserved honourable, and is magnified, when yet it cannot help us; and we are in the fault, the fault is wholly ours.

Again, the Apostle displayeth the Go­spel 2. By ope­ning the causes of a sinners salvation. glory, and displayeth the mystery thereof, by opening the causes of the sal­vation of a sinner.

1. The outward impulsive cause; the impossibility and impotency of the Law [Page 9] to save, through the impotency of man who stands bound to keep the Law; this is the external impulsive: this very thing that the Law cannot help us, but condemns our sins, and us for our sinnes, and cur­seth us; which is not thorough any fault in the Law of it self, but only by accident, by reason of our corrupt nature; this, this is that outward thing which moveth God to save sinners: that which might move God to come and execute the sen­tence of the Law, that moved God to provide a Saviour. That which the Law cannot do through mans default, that God doth by sending his own Son.

2. The efficient or working cause, the first working cause in saving a sinner; God. God set the accent there; it must be noted with emphasis, lift up the voice, and stay the heart upon that Word, write it in great letters. It is not my observation that you must not slip over this one sylla­ble, but the Apostles divinely inspired, as afterwards in this chapter when he saith, If GOD be for us: and again, It is GOD that justifieth. God against whom our sins are, God whose righteous and eternal Law we have rendred uselesse to an utter impossibility to do us good, and [Page 10] that for ever until He put us into another state; He is the first agent in the work of our salvation.

3. The material cause. What course doth God take to save a sinner? God sends his own Sonne. Gods own Sonne doth take away sin by his passion, bearing our sins in his own body: his own Son in our flesh in which he was incarnate, kept the Law for us, and so the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled.

4. The final cause, which is this, Re­demption is wrought by the Christ of God; that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us; in us, who have made the Law unable to do us any good, who have made it to the Law impossible to set us free from sin and death.

3. In us? may some say in whom? lest 3. By de­scribing the per­sons for whom this salvati­on is wrought. we should be deceived herein to our ever­lasting undoing, while there is such a Go­spel, such a Saviour, we have the persons described for whom all this is done. In us, who walk not after the flesh, but af­ter the Spirit; that is, in us that believe in Jesus Christ: but because many do de­ceive themselves, in saying we believe, and do not believe; the Apostle useth not those words, but taketh up this descri­ption, [Page 11] which noteth out a believer by the Spirit he hath received, and the Spirit by the rule and dominion he hath now in and over him; and this rule of the Spirit over believers by this, that sin doth not now reign in them, though sinne be in them; and the ruling of the Spirit, and the de­throning of sinne by their walk: it is not ordered by the flesh, nor at the will of the flesh, but their life is ordered by the Spirit of Jesus Christ through the Word of this his grace dwelling in their hearts.

Thus we see proved in these words, that there [...]an be no condemnation to those that are in Christ; for though the Law would condemn them, because they are sinners, and there is sinne in them that de­serves condemnation, yet their sinnes be­ing condemned in Jesus Christ by a righte­ous God, God may pardon them with the good leave of his justice, doing no wrong at all to the holy Law.

SECT. 3.
For the further opening of the words, here are Three things of special ob­servation. three things of special observation.

1. The diverse acceptation of the word [Page 12] [flesh,] in the compasse of this Text.

First, it notes mankinde with all its a­bilities and excellencies upheld in men of 1. The word flesh, taken four wayes here. God himself in his long-suffering since the fall, in these words [weak through the flesh,]

Secondly, it notes out the humane na­ture as corrupted with sinne, in the words [sinful flesh] for [the flesh of sinne] that is, mankinde such as sin hath made it, not such as God made it, soaked with sin, un­der the power of sin, weak frail flesh; the soul and its endowments beslaved to the flesh, to the senses, to the sensual appe­rite, to the things the outward man the flesh desireth, insomuch that the whole man may well be called flesh.

Thirdly, It notes the humane nature, frail and mortal, but not polluted with sin. In the words [condemned sinne in the flesh] that is, in the flesh of Jesus Christ.

Fourthly, it notes the corruption or sinfulnesse of mans nature; in the words [walk not after the flesh.]

Now from these several acceptations of the word flesh, we gather, Four ob­servations from that.

First, what man is since the fall of A­dam. Take him with all abilities in his [Page 13] best estate here, out of Christ, he is but weak, frail, mortal and sinful flesh; mor­tal and sinful man: he is flesh, that is, car­nal, sensual, and wholly corrupted with sin; he is utterly unable to keep the holy Law of God, to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law, to make satisfaction to Gods justice for the least sin, by all the righ­teousnesse he can by himself attain unto. And therefore wholly unable to escape condemnation.

Secondly, We may here learn that the flesh, that is, man consisting of body and soul, though frail and mortal, even weak, dying flesh, enfeebled in his abilities and operations both of body and mind, is not in that regard sinful; for then the Son of God who became flesh, who took on him our nature, a true humane soul and body, and our nature infirme, frail and mortal, our very flesh and blood, must needs have been defiled with sinne; but he knew no sinne, he was the Lamb without spot and blemish: therefore the flesh, or body of man is not evil as it is flesh and blood, nor the desires, appetite or weaknesse, frail­ties and diseases that attend it, no more than the minde the top of the soul, the will and affections of the soul are in them­selves [Page 14] evil. God is the former of our bodies, as well as the Father of our spi­rits; and God is not the Author of sinne: this is diligently to be heeded against the dreams of most Hereticks, old and new, against the general sayings of Philosophers, and the common and usual conceits all men have of the flesh or body, as if that were the evil sinning, blame-worthy part in them; but their souls, their hearts, their minds, the spirit of the minde, that they think to be good and holy, and to re­ceive its defilement from the body. And therefore men place all Religion in some observations of abstinence bodily, bodily exercises, as, Touch not this, taste not that, and handle not the other; or in some ne­glecting of the body, macerating and pu­nishing it, and denying satisfaction to the poor flesh in the natural desires thereof, unto which weak body there is an honour due: whereas all that defiles a man is from within, from the heart and soul of man, from these good hearts of ours comes all wickednesse, as our Lord Jesus tea­cheth.

Thirdly, here we are taught that there is something in man farre worse than death, mortality, frailty, or any disease or pain; [Page 15] even that which brought all this upon him, and that is sinne which we make so light of; sinne is the worst thing in the world; sin is farre worse than affliction, than all deaths.

Fourthly, here may be seen how near the Lord Jesus Christ, the Sonne of God came unto us; he came so near, that he took to himself in nearest union, not on­ly our souls, which are spiritual substances, but our very bodies; he took to him our flesh and blood; he took to him our whole nature, and that in the condition which sinne had brought it unto; the very like­nesse of sinful flesh, our infirme nature; a soul subject to some kind of ignorance, to affections of love, anger and sorrow; a body subject to hunger, thirst, nakedness, cold, wearinesse; a frail mortal man he was, but wholly without sinne: yea, tem­pted as we are, like us in all things, sin only excepted; he became flesh. He did not assume our nature as it was in our first Parents in their innocency, but as it is now since the fall; he came not into the world in the form of a King, or some great Monarch, or of an honourable person, or rich and wealthy; no, nor of a free-man, but of a servant; he became Phil. 2. 7. [Page 16] poor and destitute of all; naked flesh▪ 2 Cor. 8. 9. Behold the grace, the great love of the Lord Jesus Christ: behold it, till thy heart be loose from all that men here ad­mire and doat upon, and begin to draw to­wards this Lord, the Son of the most High, who disdained not to come so low to seek after and exalt thee.

2. Here we have the persons distinct, 2. Three distinct persons, and works of those persons di­stinct, in a sinners sal­vation. with their distinct workings, who are em­ployed in the salvation of the E­lect.

1. God the Father, he is sending his own Son; he is condemning sin, he is sal­ving and keeping whole and untoucht the righteousnesse of the Law.

2. Then the Sonne of God Jesus Christ, he is incarnate, he becomes flesh; he payes the price of Redemption by suffe­ring the damnatory sentence of the Law, he fulfills the righteousness required in the commands of the Law.

And lastly, The Spirit he unites to Christ, that this might he in us through faith; he applies and brings home with power all this that the Father and Son have done; he thrusts out the flesh, the power of cor­rupt nature: and regenerates, sanctifies and rules in them so mightily, that they walk [Page 17] after the Spirit. [In us, who walke not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.] Who 2 Sam. 7. 23 Deut, 33. 29 are like unto Gods chosen: who are thus saved of the Lord? whom God the Fa­ther, and the Sonne, and the Spirit thus re­deeme! for whom these three, yet one God do thus go forth and work, and are so employed to deliver from sinne and damnation! Blessed and happy art thou, O Israel of God, whether Jew or Gentile, thus saved of the Lord!

3. We have also here the summary 3. The two wayes gi­ven to mankind, in which everlasting life might be obtain­ed. comprehension of all the wayes that ever God gave to mankinde to obtaine life by, that is, the Law and the Gospel. We have likewise the onely way by which mankinde fallen can possibly be delivered, and ob­taine everlasting life, which is the Gospel. And further, how these two, the Law and the Gospel mutually do work: The Law comes, but is found weak, unable; and the deliverance of a sinner thereby, a thing impossible; yet this Law takes off the sin­ner from his great confidence, leaves him at a losse, shuts him up to Christ, and to faith in him, when that shall come to help. The Doctrine or Law of Faith in Christ Jesus, that establsheth the Law every way, and doth that for the sinner which the Law [Page 18] could not do. By it, Gods love, and Christ Jesus the Sonne of God the Savi­our, God in Christ is made known, the Spirit is given, the flesh o [...] corruption of nature subdued, righteousnesse fulfilled, sinne condemned, and the sinner saved. And withal, the words are so composed, that the summe of the Gospel is briefly, orderly, plainly, practically (or as it may and must fall into practice) and fully set down here to our edification and consolati­on abundantly.

SECT. 4.

Having thus farre unfolded the words; here are four precious and important 4. grand truths. truths, three in the text, and one in the context. We have three most glorious and necessary truths of greatest moment that can concerne us and our salvation, and the assurance thereof, laid down in open and expresse words.

1. The impossibility of a sinners salva­tion by any means save by Jesus Christ.

2. The absolute fulnesse of a sinners salvation by Jesus Christ.

3. The lively description of those a­mong sinners who do obtaine salvation by Jesus Christ.

And then in the connexion of these words with the former, we have a fourth doctrine of excellent worth, viz.

4. The fulnesse of their assurance to be out of the reach of condemnation, and to be in the estate of salvation, and the ful­nesse of their consolation who are actually in Christ.

The firſt. First, The impossibility of the salvati­on of a sinner by any means saving Jesus Christ; This the Apostle teacheth when he saith, [What she Law could not do] It is that which the Law cannot do. It is (the [...]) the impossible thing of the Law. When he also saith further [In that it was weak] he teacheth that the Law is weak, and so is unable to give life, righteousnesse and salvation to a sinner, and to deliver him from the Law of sin and death. This is that thing ( [...]) in which it is weak. The Law is a perfect rule of righteousnesse: It commands well. It is a holy and exact sentencer of the dis­obedient, it judgeth righteously; but as for deliverance and salvation there it leaves a man that hath sinned, and to that work it is utterly weak: that is the thing in which it is weak; therefore this impo­tency of the Law demonstrateth the im­possibility [Page 20] of the Law to deliver a sinner, And then when he saith [through the flesh] that is, man, since the fall, taken with all his best abilities, and they and he in them upheld by God the Creator in riches of patience, and in riches of goodnesse, and having in him the light of natural princi­ples, and with him the book of the Crea­ture to read; and not onely the work of the Law written in his heart, but also the Law given to him from God by lively voice, and written in Tables of stone, and perpetuated in the holy Scripture; man thus sustained and furnished with his ut­most improvement which he can make of the same, is but flesh, weak flesh, so weak that he hath brought this impoten [...]y and impossibility upon the Law; the good, ho­ly, spiritual and righteous Law of God which had the promise of life annexed to it. Now through the flesh, through man who is weak, the Law becomes weak: and deliverance from damnation and from sin is that impossible thing of the Law, which man cannot have by the Law; thus this gate to life is fast shut; yet the Law is set up in its due worth and power: and man cast down under his deserved blame: man is laid dead to the Law, and the Law dead [Page 21] to man as to the matter of righteousnesse and salvation. Therfore also it unavoidably followeth that no other creature, nor meanes can deliver a sinner: for what means (setting aside Jesus Christ) is com­parable to the Law? or what creature is above the Law? this is the first doctrine.

The ſe∣cond. 2. As for the second, The absolute ful­nesse of a sinners salvation by Christ; this is demonstrated by six powerful argu­ments. For

1. It is GOD that provides this Sa­viour the Lord Jesus, and the salvation that is in him; God sent his Sonne. If GOD will save, who can destroy? God, the Law-giver offended, the person against whom all our sins are.

2. The person undertaking the work, It is Gods own Sonne. If he undertake it by whom the worlds were made, the Sonne of the Fathers love, What a salvation must it needs be? and who, who or what shall condemne?

3. The way God took to save by him; it is unspotted, perfect and compleat; this way was

1. By designation of him to the office of Mediatour and Saviour, and to the works of that office. God sending his own [Page 22] Sonne. Sending noteth the Commissiona­ting, and actual employing in the executi­on of some function and work to the which he that is sent was fore-ordained, selected and called; and all this designing of the Sonne by and from God is of his mere grace and infinite good pleasure within himself.

2. By his Incarnation, God sent his Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh; here is a suit­able Mediatour and Saviour, one that hath all right, for he took to him flesh and blood, and all ability, for the Son of God became flesh.

3. By allotting the businesse concern­ing which, and for which he is sent. It was sinne. God sending his Sonne for sinne. Sinne was that concerning which he came; the businesse he was employed in: to be a sacrifice and propitiation for sinne ( [...].) the foulest thing in the world, fouler than hell; he is sent about sinne to take that away, to take it on him, on his own body, on the body of his flesh. God sent him charged with sinne, with the ini­quities of all his people. God sent him as he that had before all worlds engaged him­self for sinne to take it away. Go out of heaven, out of his Fathers bosome he [Page 23] must for the businesse of sinne; for sinne lay upon him, and since he had undertaken the debt, no rest could there be to him, till he had paid the utmost farthing. It was much he should be sent in the likenesse of sinf [...]l flesh, but behold God sending him so, and concerning s [...]nne [ [...]] and for sinne. What businesse what work is here for Gods own Sonne to be busied about, and to have any thing to do with­all?

4. By course of justice. God condemn­ed sinne in the flesh, or, in that flesh, viz. which his own Sonne had at the Fathers sending, taken upon him. The Syriac readeth, in his flesh. The Sonne of God saveth by making satisfaction to Gods justice. God condemneth sinne in the flesh of his Sonne, and so there is no condemnation to the sinner; the Son [...]e of God in his flesh suffers, sinne is said upon him; and salvation is brought by redemption, by ransome, by payment of the debt fully charged and exacted. God is gloriously and infinitely just in the act of saving a sinner. Sinne is damning, but in the flesh of Ch [...]ist sinne is damned; God condemns it there. Now, the condemna­tion of sinne, is the indemnity of the sin­ner. [Page 24] In these four you have the way God took to save a sinner.

4. The outward moving, or impulsive cause, because that the Law could not help, and because that man had made that way to life by the Law impassable, that was it that moved God thus to save. The impo­tency of the Law, made weak by man. What the Law could not do, God would do. Our undone condition, our irrevoca­ble estate by our own default, moved God to save. This is also to admiration, and of strong consolation.

5. The end aimed at and attained. The end of Christs mission, incarnation, and passion, [That the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us.] In the Law there is the righteousnesse of the com­mands, and the righteous, just, damnatory sentence of threatnings against the trans­gressors of those holy commands. Now God sent his Sonne, and held the fore-men­tioned course in laying our sinnes upon him, that the whole righteousnesse which the Law requireth of us, might be fulfilled in us who are in Christ by faith, whiles by Jesus Christ it is fulfilled for us, and for our sakes, in our roome and stead: and so the Law is, while fulfilled for us, fulfilled in us [Page 25] who are in Christ by faith. And then secondly, the holinesse and righteousnesse of the precepts is fulfilled in us, whiles by this faith which unites us to Christ, recei­veth his Spirit, draweth from Christ san­ctifying grace, and purifieth the heart, a new obedience in all uprightnesse and in­tegrity respecting the whole Law is begun, and more and more encreaseth in us in this life; & is of that growing nature, that it will go forwards, hold on, fight out its way, persevere and overcome, and at last be per­fected in glory; thus the righteousnesse of the Law is in us; by faith Christs righ­teousnesse in obedience and sufferings, for us reckoned to us as ours, and by the same faith holinesse in truth begunne, and growing up to perfection in us. See here the Gospel fights not against the Law, as the Law is not against the Gospel. The Gospel acquits those whom the Law pro­nounceth guilty, but not as considered nakedly in their guilt; that were against the (Jus) the right of the Law, but by the intervening of, and the guilty considered in the [ [...]] the price, and satisfaction of the Sonne of God; and this is agree­able to [the jus] the right of the Law. The Gospel sets them free from condemna­tion [Page 26] notwithstanding their sinnes, because it brings in God condemning their sinnes in the flesh of his Sonne, and the Sonne bearing the condemnation of sinne laid on him of God, in his own flesh. The Go­spel while it acquits from the Law, purifi­eth the sinner, and gives him an heart and power to judge himself, to love the holi­nesse and righteousnesse which the Law requireth, and in this work upholds him with delight in the inward man till holi­ness be perfected. So the Gospel fulfills the Law every way, in Christ and in us, ful­fills the righteousness of the Law for us, and in us; and while for us, in us.

6. The person applying, and the man­ner of application of this salvation, even the Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who (in all those that are delivered from con­demnation by Jesus Christ) is uniting them to Christ, and regenerating and sanctify­ing them. This Spirit sets himself up in the throne, and pulls the flesh out of the throne, and he reignes in them, and orders their lives. This person, even the holy Ghost, and his work making this salvation to come home with saving efficacy, is men­tioned implyedly in these words [In us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the [Page 27] Spirit.] Thus the Apostle hath set out lively the second great Doctrine.

The third is a description of those for The third. whom God sent his Sonne to become flesh, to condemn their sin in his flesh, and to ful­fill the righteousness of the Law in them: these persons are plainly and lively descri­bed thus, they are those who walk not af­ter the flesh, but after the Spirit. They are known by their walks, that is, by the te­nour and course of their lives, in which they deliberately set themselves with con­tinuance and progress: which course of life is framed after the guidance and rule not of the flesh, that is, of their corrupted nature, but of the Spirit, that is, the Spirit of Christ which by the Word ingraffed in them, dwells in them, and orders their conver­sation.

The 4th. 4. We have also a fourth point of ex­cellent worth for the comfort of sin-bur­dened and mortified souls, which the word of connexion, for, leadeth us unto. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ, though there be much sin in them; for the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, and from him coming into them, is as a Law that hath delivered them from the Law of sin, and so from the Law of death: and [Page 28] all this is most evident; for, in Christ their sins are condemned, and they justified and sanctified: for see, they, as men set at li­berty, do walk after the Spirit, and not af­ter the flesh. This then is the precious truth which lyeth in the coherence con­cerning the riches of their assurance and consolation who are in Jesus Christ.

The sins of those that walk after the Sp [...]r [...]t shall never be to their condemnati­on, neither shall hinder from them the be­nefit of all the salvation that cometh by Christ: nor [...]et ought they in the least kind to hinder their full assurance, their com­fortable walking in their obedience, their constant combating against the flesh, nor their full dedition to the Law of the Spirit of life, as to that which will give them full deliverance from the Law of sinne and death.

SECT. 1.

Having drawn up four choice truths of saving knowledge absolutely necessa­ry to everlasting blessedness and sound comfort, compactly delivered by the ho­ly Apostle in this portion of Scripture; I 1. Doct. No salva­tion but by Christ. Gal. 3. 21, 22. come now to handle those four truths at large: the first of them is this.

If there had been a Law given which could have given life, Verily righteousnesse should have been by the Law: but the Scripture hath concluded all under sinne, saith this Apostle, that the promise of faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve; These are opposite; the [Page 30] Law and the Promise; the concluding of all under sin and the giving of life and righ­teousness; the faith of Jesus Christ where­by we believe, and the works of the Law; the giving of the promise which is a re­ward reckoned of grace to him that be­lieveth, Rom. 4. 3, 4, 5 and the paying of a debt which is a reward to him that worketh. If then the Law could save, there had been no need of the Promise; the Promise were in vain; nevertheless the Law is not against the Promise, but it shuts all men up to the Pro­mise, where life and righteousness is alone to be had by believing in Iesus Christ. But may there not be found some other name besides, or together with Iesus Christ by which a sinner may be saved? for answer, hear the Apostle Peter as the mouth all the rest of the Apostles, sa [...]ing to all men, and to all the people o [...] Israel: Jesus Christ Acts 4. 10, 11, 12 of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, is the stone which was set at n [...]ught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner: neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven gi­ven amon [...] men, whereby we must be sa­ved. Let us yet see how all things are ut­terly unable to save a sinner.

SECT. 2.

First, the Law cannot deliver a sinner; 2. Not by the Law Moral as a Covenant. Rom. 10. 5 Gal. 3. 10. not the Law moral; neither as it a Cove­nant given to mankind; which saith, Do this and thou shalt live: for so man being found to faile in doing, he falls from the promised life; and on the contrary, the Law having this penalty covenanted, cur­sed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them; e­very sinner falleth under the curse; as ma­ny therefore as will stand by the Law, must of necessity fall under the curse. But may A Com­mandment not the Law as it is a Commandment, deliver us from sin? no, neither as it is a holy Commandment can it do it; for so it mani­festeth sin; by the holy Commandment, we come to the knowledge of sin, which is nothing else but a swerving from that Ceremo­nial. Heb. 9▪ [...], 9 24 Col. 2. 17. perfect rule; nor can the Ceremonial Law deliver the whole excellency of that Law consisteth in signifying and shadowing out [...]esus Christ. The Sacrifices there commanded did make nothing perfect, they took not away sin, for then they needed not to have been offered up to God again and again; their washings and sprink­lings [Page 32] did not cleanse the conscience, that Heb. 10. 1, 2, 3, 4. Heb. 9. 9. Heb. 10. 5. 6. Psal. 40. 6, 7. Gal. 3. 24. whole Law was a carnal commandment; God while he required them, rejected them as insufficient: this was their right use, to lead them to Christ, and to teach that sal­vation was to be had in him onely, and not in them. Again, as for the moral Law, these two things the Scripture affirmes concerning it. 1. The Law cannot save. 2. The Law cannot save. Irenaeus lib. 3. adversus Haer. c 20 Veniens lex quae data est per Moysen, & testificans de peccato, quoniam peccator est (Adam) regnum qui­dem ejus abstulit, (Adae scilicet) latronem & non regem eum dete­gens, & homicidam eum osteodit. Oneravit autem hominem, qui pec­catum babebat in se, reum mortis ostendens eum, spiritualis enim cùm lex esset, manifestavit tantummo­do peccatum, non autem interemit: dominibatur peccatum, sed homini. Nor was given of God to save. The Law was never given of God to that end that a sinner might thereby be saved. The Law cannot save: for, First, the Law com­mands righteousnesse, but giveth no strength to do what it com­mands, nor restoreth any lost strength. The Law promiseth life, but it is to him that perfectly keepeth it; It promiseth no good to a sinner. Secondly, none can keep the Law, therefore none can by the Law attaine to righteousnesse through the weaknesse of the flesh, the disability of fraile man to continue in [Page 33] all to do it, the Law is become impotent for justification. And without righteous­nesse it is impossible there should be life; or that there should not be death and the curse. Thirdly, If a sinner could keep the Law for time to come, yet by the Law no good to him; because he must first answer for his former transgressions, and dye the death, accursed of God his Maker because of them. The Law was not given of God, that righteousnesse and life might be Rom. 3. 20 & 7. 7. Ver. 9. 14. & 7. Ver. 13. obtained thereby: but it was given, that by it a sinner might come to the knowledg of sinne; that he might know what is sin; that lust, or coveting is sinne; that our natures are wholly polluted, and that we For what ends the Law was given. are carnal, sold under sinne, who can hold no proportion to the plat-forme of righteousnesse which the Law delivers, and who have on us a very necessity of sinning; and that he might know the sinfulnesse of sinne. It was given, that it might work wrath; that is, the sense and apprehen­sions of Gods deserved wrath. It was Rom. 4. 15. given, that the perfect holinesse, and exact rigour of the justice of it might bat­ter down all confidence in humane good­nesse, power of free-will, works of our righteousnesse; priviledges external, or [Page 34] any of our performances; and pound to pieces all confidence in the flesh. It was given, to provoke sinne. It was given, to Rom. 7. 8 convince of our utter disabilities. It was given, to arrest, attach, imprison the jol­ly Gal. 3. 22. secure sinner, and to conclude all un­der sinne, that they might be glad to come to Christ in the promise. It was given, that through the Law, we might for ever Gal. 2. 19. be dead to the Law; therefore the Law is a killing letter, (not a dead letter, no 2 Cor. 3. 6, 7. part of the Word of God is a dead letter; for then it could not be of such power as to be a killing letter) and the Mi [...]istry of it, is the Ministry of death and of con­demnation. Lastly, It was given, that unto those that being dead to it, and brought to faith in Jesus Christ for righ­teousnesse and life, it might be a rule of holy life, a light and lamp, and the royal Law to guide into all well-doing; and contains the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. Now for the use of this The use to be made of this. 1. truth; first,

This confutes and condemns the folly of divers sorts among us.

1. Of those that think to be saved by their good meanings, good intentions or purposes; their prayers, and the works of [Page 35] righteousnesse which they have done, or intend to do.

2. Of those who think to be saved, be­cause they hope they do no body any wrong; or because they are, as they call it, of a good nature, and of a gentle, good and loving disposition, and of a sweet temper: or because they break not out into great and notorious sinnes, of theft, murther, adultery, profane swea­ring, and cursed speaking, with the like: or, if they have been guilty of such staring abominations, yet they do many good works, which set against their evil works will answer for them, and they are per­swaded will weigh them down: or, they rest upon their civility and morality with the love and good report of all their Neighbours.

3. Those also that think to be saved by a devotion taught by the precepts of men, or by observing a form of Religion and of Godlinesse.

4. Those likewise are condemned here, who hold and teach, and seek justification by works; these so remaining can never Rom. 9. 32. & 10. 3, 5, 6. attain to the righteousnesse of God, which is not a righteousnesse of works, but of faith.

Secondly, This also teacheth the true Ʋse 2 and right use of the Law, as to the point of life and righteousnesse, of justification and salvation; which is briefly delivered by Paul, who in his own person gives us one that is taught of God thereby, when he saith, I through the Law, am dead to the Law, (never more looking for righte­ousnesse and justification of life that way) that I might live unto God, Gal. 2. 19. No life but through this death; never thus dead but through the Law when it comes; the Law comes, sinne revives, and we dye; and this dying is the way to life, even to a living unto God.

SECT. 3.

Secondly, No sinner can work his own 2. A sin­ner cannot save him­self, for six reasons. deliverance; for,

1. We are weak and without strength, Rom. 5. 6. There is no strength in us to fulfill the Law: no strength to satisfie the justice, and so turn away the wrath of God: much lesse is there strength in us to recover our lost integrity, nor to keep it, if we had it again restored to us: no strength to help our selves, to meet the Lord in the wayes of his saving grace, or [Page 37] to choose and walk in the way that is call'd holy; no strength for any service unto God.

2. We are flesh, and in the flesh; that is, wholly corrupted with sin, under the power and reign of sin; the poyson of the Old Serpent hath run like water into our bowels, and like oyle into our bones; from the spirit of our mindes to all our outward members we are leprous, all un­clean, and soaked in iniquity, conceived in sinne, and shapen in wickednesse: we Rom. 5. 6, 8. are sinners and ungodly, when God in Christ by his death comes in love and [...]ity to redeem us; we lie in our bloo [...] untill he saith to us Live; we are dead in sin and trespasses, till he q [...]icken us; and how can such please God? they cannot do Rom. 8. 8. it.

3. We are enemies unto God; our Rom. 5. 10. & 8. 7. Col. 1. 21. 2 Cor. 10: 3, 4, 5. wisdome, our savour and smatch is enmi­ty unto God. We are enemies in our mindes, because they are on evil works; our principles, our thoughts, our reaso­nings, our imaginations are high things lifted up in rebellion against the knowledg of God, and the obedience of Christ: and as strong holds fortified and kept in a desperate Warre against the Spirit of the [Page 38] Lord, which in the Ministry even of the Gospel comes forth to bring us into a bles­sed captivity, and subdue us and our very hearts (the worst part of man) unto himself, and to his obedience; the car­nal minde of man is not subject to the Law of God, neither can be; there is no good to be done with it; put it off, Rom. 8. 7. mortifie it, crucifie it, crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof; for that is all the good that can be done with it; good it will never be: but we must be in the Spirit, and the Spirit of Christ dwell in us to enable us to such work, or else we have no will, no heart to it. Rom. 8. 13. Oh then how farre are all men from any ability to work their own deliverance!

4. We see not our sinfulnesse, nor our misery: nor can, nor will be brought to see it by any other means than by the Scri­pture, the written Law of God, which is the only glasse in which we can truly see our selves, James 1. 23. Rom. 7. 7.

5. Though the Law hath not lost it's rectitude, yet our weaknesse to keep it maketh the Law (by accident) to be the more against us. And

6. Notwithstanding all this that hath been spoken, we yet are full of high [Page 39] thoughts of our selves, we are proud and secure sinners; and are naturally bent to seek to establish our own righteousnesse. For the use of this, The consideration The use of this. hereof should take us wholly off our own legs, and bring us to self-denial. It should cause us to deliver up our selves to the Law, that we might be throughly convin­ced of these things, and that the Spirit might be in and through the Law, a Spirit of bondage in us, and we might be glad at heart of a Saviour that can deliver us.

SECT. 4.

Thirdly, No meer creature can possi­bly 3. No meer crea­ture can save a sin­ner, for six reasons. Matth. 16. 26. 1 Pet. 1. 18▪ deliver us; for

1. No creature is above the Law. If the Law of God cannot give life, it is not in the power of the creature to do it. The Creator alone is above the Law.

2. No creature, nor the whole Creati­on hath in it a worth to be a price of va­lue for a soul. All the treasures of both the Indies, all things in this world, be­cause corruptible things, are not so excel­lent as a soul: and the price of the Re­demption thereof at the hands of God is [Page 40] too high for men and Angels: it ceaseth for ever in respect of the creature, Psal. 49▪ 6, 8.

3. Whatever any creature can do, he owes it for himself, and does but his du­ty.

4. Grant yet, that some creature could give help, could there be any salvation? for then, for this very cause we should be servants unto the creature; and this were to bring us into bondage, and not into li­berty: they are not their own who are bought with a price; if the creature did lay down the price, we were the creatures servants, which to be, is absolute sla­very.

5. Our evils are greater than can be removed by creatures; yet removed they must be, if any of us be saved; and our good, that we may be happy, is greater than can be by them communicated. The evil is, the infinite wrath of God, the guilt and damning nature of sinne standing in force, and confirmed by the strength of an eternal perfect Law, the Empire of sin and death, the power of the Divel that strong armed man of whom we read, Luk. 11. 21, 22. The good we stand in need of, is a righteousnesse above the righteousnesse [Page 41] of the Law; a Resurrection as well spiri­tual as corporal; the communication of the divine nature, eternal life, and a blessednesse excelling the blessednesse of Adam in Paradise, and a Kingdom which cannot be shaken. All and every of these are beyond any created power to give or take away.

6. No creature could ever think of the way, manner or means whereby we might be delivered. The world, in the wis­dome of God, upheld for some thousands of years in its wisdome and abilities, by its wisdome knew not God, much lesse could finde out the way of peace and [...]re­conciliation for sinners with the God that made them, 1 Cor. 1. 21. Markinde was continued, and their rational power su­stained, and the work of the Law written in their hearts was apparent in them, and yet, with all the glory of God in his works of Creation and general provi­dence preaching to them, they perished in their vain imaginations; and professing themselves wise in searching to finde out God, they became fools, corrupted Gods glory, and turned his truth into a lye unto themselves, Rom. 1. 21. & 2. 14. And as for the holy Angels, they [Page 42] could not finde out the way of mans re­conciliation; for they come to know it by the Church, Ephes. 3. 10.

SECT. 5.

And fourthly, as for any other means; what can enter into mans heart, but the 4. Nor a­ny other means. offering of Sacrifices, even to thousands of Rams, or ten thousands of Rivers of oyle, a thing impossible to be had: or the giving of the sonnes of our bodies, for the sinnes of our souls, a bloody and as fond as desperate a course, or the building of Temples to God? but all these, with such like, God rejects, Micah 6. 6, 7. Isa. 66. 1, 2, 3.

Now these are the uses unto which we should put this Doctrine. The use of this.

First, to shew our lost estate by na­ture, to put us all among the lost. All men are helplesse and hopelesse in respect of themselves or any other creature.

Secondly, To strip us of all fig-leaves; lay us naked, and to shut us up to Christ.

Thirdly, To endear Jesus Christ unto us, that we may say, Give me Christ, or else I dye.

And fourthly, to form us to a readiness to be any thing that God would have us to be, that Christ may be ours.

SECT. 1.

THe second Doctrine is this. There is absolute fulnesse of salvation for sinners in Jesus Christ. In Doct. 2 There is fulnesse of salvation in Christ for sin­ners. Proved, 1 Cor: 1. 30. him there is a redemption plenteous, Psa. 130. 7. and eternal, Heb. 9. 12. salvati­on to the utmost, Heb. 7. 25. in him an everlasting righteousnesse, Dan. 9. 24. in him righteousnesse and strength; he is made to us of God, wisdome, righteous­nesse, sanctification and redemption what can a sinner need (and yet his needs are unspeakable) but they are all exceed­ing [Page 44] abundantly in glory to be supplyed in Christ? A sinner, a most imperfect no­thing; yet if believing, he is compleat in Christ; in him it pleased the Father Col. 2. 9, 10. Col. 1. 19. Joh. 1. 16. that all fulnesse should dwell, that out of his fulnesse poor needy sinners might re­ceive even grace for grace, grace answer­able to that which is in Christ the head of his body the Church; grace upon grace, more and more still; he it is who came by water and blood; all sorts of taking away sinne is in him, the whole of legal ablu­tions 1 Joh. 5. 6. Joh. 3. 34. Rom. 5. 21. and cleansings, and he hath the Spi­rit not by measure. Grace reignes over sinne and death, through righteousnesse unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.

To open this; that this fulnesse of sal­vation Opened. may appear, I shall follow our A­postle in this Text. Two wayes it may be set forth.

First, In the most excellent truths inti­mated, pre-supposed, and taken for gran­ted, as bottome, substrate, and founda­tion, or ground truths, upon which his frame of declared Doctrine of the Gospel here delivered is built.

Secondly, In the six special heads ex­pressed, which before were pointed out.

SECT. 2.
The Truths taken for granted and inti­mated are these.

First, That even the Elect of God, and 1. By five truths ta­ken for granted here in the Apostles words. the Redeemed by Christ, are by nature in the same condemnation with all others of the children of Adam; for they are flesh, weak sinful flesh; they are unable to keep the Law, unde [...] sinne, and under the curse; for whom God sent his Sonne, the Law being unable to help them, and their de­liverance being that thing which was im­possible for the Law to do. Although all men are not Reprobates, yet all by reason of sinne are reprobable. Man in himself hath no cause of glorying; and as to God, no cause of complaining. To the Elect man is there undeserved grace; and to the Reprobate is there deserved pu­nishment▪ The Elect and Redeemed re­main, till their effectual calling, in them­selves miserable, carnal, alienated from Ephes. 2. 1, 2, 3. the life of God, dead in sinne and tres­passes, the children of wrath, even as o­thets. In them are no propensions, incli­nations, or fore-going dispositions to re­ceive [Page 46] grace, not one of them was ever a­ble to raise up himself to meet God in the wayes of his grace. God never gave Christ to any because he was better than others, nor sent the Gospel to any be­cause they would give it better entertain­ment. This only may be said of him which is true of any other man, that being a reasonable creature, and not a stock, or a brute beast, he is a subject upon which the glory of God and his Image may be re­estamped; but for any goodnesse, or lesse guilt, God findes them all in their blood, and wallowing in their filth, none righte­ous, no not one; all altogether unprofi­table and abominable.

Secondly, That condemnation, death and hell have their power from sinne: and sinnes strength to condemn lyeth in the Law and in the righteousnesse thereof; for mark here, God to deliver from condem­nation, condemns sinne: and sinne being the swerving from the righteousnesse of the Law, for which the Law sentenceth the Transgressor thereof with the curse, sin is then utterly gone, when the righteous­nesse of the Law is every way fulfilled. God therefore purposing to deliver, fetch­eth out the very heart of sinne, and taketh [Page 47] it quite away by providing that the Laws righteousnesse be fulfilled. Hence it is manifest that this is an undoubted and first truth, that the Laws righteousnesse is the strength of sinne. The sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the Law, 1 Cor. 15. 56. Full salvation can no other way be wrought, but by unstin­ging death, and by fulfilling the Law; which is the only way to pluck out deaths sting: let this be done, and the delive­rance from sinne and death is full and compleat.

Thirdly, That mercy in God cannot make him like of sinne, or blinde him that he should not see it, and the sinful­nesse of it; or cause him to dislike the righteousnesse of the Law, and of the just sentence thereof: because God cannot forgo his holinesse, justice and omnisci­ence. God condemned sinne, that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfil­led; he condemns sinne, he provides that the Law be fulfilled, and so he saves the sinner.

Fourthly, That the benefit of Gods saving love, and of the Redemption by Christ, and of the Gospel, is never to a­ny man actually, till it be in him; and if [Page 48] never in him, never was it to him inten­tionally. God and Christ never intended life and righteousnesse to those in whom he never fulfills it. This is taught in the words [in us.]

SECT. 3.

And fifthly, As the ground of the whole work here declared, and as the foundation of the Apostles argumentati­on, this is taken for granted, that God of his infinite goodnesse was resolved to save some sinnets out of fallen mankind, and to give unto them eternal life. Of this the beloved disciple speaketh, in 1 Joh. 5. 11. This is the record that God hath given to us eternal life; and the reason thereof is nothing in the creature, but it is that in them whom he shall save, Ephes. 1. 6, 7. & 2. 7. Ephes. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Gen. 17. 1. Heb. 6. 18. he might shew forth the glory of his mer­cy, love and grace; the glory of his ma­nifold wisdome, of his power, of his holinesse and justice, while his grace doth superabound, Rom. 3. 24. and in all, the glo­ry of his immutable counsels and decrees, which no length of time, wickedness and unfaithfulness of man, power and policy of Satan, cords of death, depth of the grave [Page 49] and hell can hinder from taking full effect and accomplishment.

The summe is this; sinne is sinne: the Law is the Law; God is God; the per­sons to be saved as miserable, vile, filthy and guilty as any: and yet Gods mercy magnified, Christs grace exalted, the sin­ner saved, and while saved, not left car­nal; but all that is done for him, hath its holy and blessed work in him.

These things premised, consider now the six particulars expressed by the Apostle, and then you will see here omnimodas sa­lutes, all sorts of salvations, salvation from sinne, the curse of the Law, death, the grave, and the wrath to come, salva­tion of the soul, and of the body, salva­tion eternal, salvation to the uttermost, salvation full, and attaining its end.

SECT. 1.

THe first truth the Apostle fixeth us up­on 2. By six truths ex­pressed, as 1. God is he that provides this salva­tion. expresly, demonstrating the fulnesse of salvation for sinners to be had in Jesus Christ, is this.

God is the first mover; the primary ef­ficient of the wonderful work of saving a sinner, [God sent his own Son.]

Here begins the excellency and fulnesse of salvation for sinners through Jesus Christ, that it is God that provides it. Isa. 43. 13. If he work, who shall let it? what God doth, is for ever; what God doth, is done Eccles. 3. 14. indeed; his work is perfect: nothing can be put to it, nor can any thing be taken from it: upon this word, GOD, must [Page 51] we must put our accent, it is written with emphasis, as the Apostle in ver. 33. of this Chapter fastens us upon this thought, saying; it is GOD that justifieth; so here, GOD sending his Sonne, con­demned sinne; this then is of high and se­rious thought.

What hath this of consideration in it? and what conclusions flow from hence? dwell awhile on these two.

(1.) What matter of due and high What matter of highest conside [...] ­tion is in this; se­ven fold. Ps. 83. 18. Rev. 1. 4, 8 Exod. 3. 14 consideration is there in this, that GOD is the worker here? this word GOD car­rieth our thoughts,

1. To the true God, Jehovah, the one only God, whose name alone is J [...] ­hovah, the force of which name is delive­red thus in the New Testament, which is, which was, which is to come; who is, I am, that I [...]m; who hath his being of himself, and giveth to all things their be­ing, who gives a being to all his words which he speaketh, and to his gracious pro­mises in their season, so that no tittle of 1 King. 18. 39. them shall fall to the ground; this Jeho­vah he is the God, he is the God. All other whom men call God, are not God by nature, they are but either the creatures, or the inventions of their own braines, the [Page 52] work of their own hands: they are Idols, and an Idol is nothing in the world, it hath no deity at all, and therefore as such, 1 Cor. 8. 4, 5. it hath no being at all; and having no be­ing, it can do neither good nor evil, it is profitable and good for nothing. God Jehovah, he who is, and none besides him, he gives this Saviour, and therefore his who are taken into this Covenant of Mal. 3. 6. salvation, are not consumed, nor can ever perish.

2. To God as the Majesty offended, as he against whom all our sinnes are: who might have glorified in his justice upon the sinner; but mercies to forgive­nesse and to eternal life do please him. Who can of right remit, because the wrong is against him, against him onely; if he acquit and justifie, who can lay any thi [...]g to their charge? if he be for the sin­ner, Psal. 51. 2. Rom 8. 33, 31. who can be against him?

3. To God as cloathed with all his At­tributes, with all his Essential glory. In this salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, look upon his Almightinesse, or All-sufficiency; he cometh forth and saith to his poor cteature, the sinner whom Gen. 17. 1. he calleth, I am God Almighty, I am God All-sufficient, to me nothing is hard, [Page 53] nothing impossible; have me and thou hast enough, thou hast all, thou needest not go out to any other, nor be to seek, and at a losse for any thing, or in any e­state; look upon his Infinity or Infinite­nesse, the Alpha and Omega, who hath Phil. 1. 6. begun and will perfect his work. Behold his Eternity, is he not from everlasting Hab. 1. 12. the Lord their God, the [...]r holy one? they shall not dye. All the greatest enemies, the mighty Lord God hath ordained and established but for the correction of his people. Behold his Ʋnchangeablenesse; Heb 6. 17. Numb. 23. 19, 20. the immutable God is willing here to shew unto the heirs of promise, the immutabi­lity of his Counsel by interposing himself by an oath; he will not repent of this his Word: and no conjuration can reverse it; hear what he saith, I will ransome them from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from death; O death, I will be thy plagues: O grave, I will be thy destruction: Repentance shall be hid from Isa. 64. 5. mine eyes; this unchangablenesse causeth continuance in his saving wayes when his people raise his wrath against them, and they ought to say thereupon, we shall be Jer. 31. 20. saved; this unchangeablenesse shines in the sounding of his bowels towards them [Page 54] repenting: and though their provocati­ons are such as would weary and tire out Hos. 11. 8, 9. any created patience, yet he is God, and not man; the thoughts of giving them up, turn his heart within, and his immutable counsel makes his repentings to be kindled together: so far is repentance from God; his gifts and calling are without repen­tance. Rom. 11. 29. Mat. 3. 17. & 17. 5. Zeph. 3. 17 Tit. 1. 2. Isa. 54. 9, 10. Jer. 31. 35, 36. Psal. 89. 33, 34, 35. Isa. 47. 4. Isa. 57. 15. In this his beloved Son he is for ever well-pleased; he rests in his love. Behold his truth, God who cannot lye hath promised eternal life; and his faith­fulnesse, he cannot deny himself, 2 Tim. 2. 13. This Covenant is as the waters of Noah unto God; more stable than the Mountains and Hills; as sure as the Ordi­nances set with the heavens: Gods holi­nesse is here pawned; in this redemption it is most gloriously manifested. Consi­der his holinesse, who only is holy, and therewith his height and loftinesse, and never the like manifestations of lower condescensions then in this work of saving the poor humble sinner; he is the holy one of Israel; never the like manifestati­on of holi [...]esse as in this work, though God be holy in all his works, and of pu­rer eyes than to behold iniquity with any liking; here the glory of his wisdome is Rom. 16. 27. [Page 55] illustrious, the only wise found out this way: no Angel of light, none of the 1 Cor. 2. 7. wise of the world could ever have thought of it. It is the hid wisdome of God, wis­dome in a mystery; the contrivance is such, that when it is made known, all the Eph. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12 Eph. 1. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 19. 1 Cor. 3. 19. Isa. 44. 25, 26. holy Angels admire it as the manifold wis­dome of God, and are never enough sa­tisfied in the delightful viewi [...]g of it, and prying into it; the whole businesse is of deep mysterious wisdome; all is accor­ding to fore-knowledge. God knoweth them that are his; he cannot be deceived, none can go beyond him, nothing can e­scape him; he taketh the wise in their craftinesse, and turneth them backwards, and maketh diviners mad, but confirmeth the word and counsel of his messengers to whom he gave the word of this salvation; he d [...]spenseth full seasons, for making Eph. 1. 10. known this mystery of his will in stupend wayes of wisdome, he brings home his chosen both of Jews and Gentiles through Rom. 11. 32, 33. investigable passages of Providence; he so calleth and bringeth to glory, that his foolishnesse is wiser than men, and by foo­lish 1 Cor. 1. 25, 27. things he confounds the wise world: but above all, behold God here, gracious and just, exactly, infinitely just, and yet [Page 56] mercy and grace exalted through justice, and above justice.

This word (GOD) carrieth out or thoughts,

4. To God as the faithful Creator, the Maker of heaven and earth; of all things visible and invisible, who hath engaged all Isa. 42. 5, 6. & 41. 1, 2. & 44. 24. & 45. 11, 12, 18. his glory as he is the Creator, to fulfill this work of Redemption. And as he layeth all that his glory at the stake to assure it; so he layes out no lesse efficiency in the performing of this salvation in every part of it, then what was put forth in the Cre­ation. Rom. 4. 17. Ps. 51. 10. Isa. 57. 19. He calls the things that are not, as if they were, he creates in them clean hearts, he creates the fruits of the lips to be peace, and so you must conceive of every piece of this salvation that apper­tains to the being or well-being and com­fort of the saved ones, all is done in the power of a Creation.

5. To God his absolute Soveraignty, and Royal Dominion; who makes all for his own wills sake, who is not bound to give account to any of any of his matters; who is not bound to any, who hath mercy be­cause he will have mercy; who, as the Potter, hath power over us his clay, and makes some vessels to honour, when for [Page 57] his own glory he might make all unto dis­honour; who makes one to honour and another to dishonour, when he might shew his power in annihilating, as well as his skill in making; or if he will shew his skill, might shew it in fashioning it ano­ther way to other uses; or if he will shew his skill in such salvation, might shew it upon one, or on a few, or upon those whom he passeth by, and not on us. In this work his Soveraignty is full of Regali­ty, God is Lord and King; here Majesty and Righteousnesse shine in splendor. The 2 Tim. 6. blessed and only Potentate, Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, will in his time shew his Christ; his will is with perfect justice, and his justice to the utmost shewed to set off and make his mercy upon the vessels of mercy more Renowned. And his Domi­nion is mighty, holy, wise, good, and reaching to every thing and action of all his creatures, to bring about his intended salvation.

6. To Gods eternal good pleasure with­in Ephes. 1. 4, 5, 6. himself; doing the whole work accor­ding to the counsel of his own will to the praise of the glory of his grace.

7. For this word GOD carrieth our minds to God the Father; God sent his [Page 58] own Sonne, he hath a Son whom he sends, therefore he is a Father, this God is God the Father. God must here be thought on, as he is the God and Father of Jesus Christ; in this glorious manifestation of himself is God to be beheld in this work of Redemption, as he is the Father of his own, only, eternally begotten Sonne, his beloved in whom he is well-pleased, and not only as the Fountain of being; he is to be beheld in his love and good­nesse, not that of a Creator, but that love of a Father, of the Father of his on­ly begotten Son, the Son of his love, the Son of his bosome, the eternal delights of the eternal Father.

SECT. 2.

(2.) What conclusions do issue from What conclusi­ons flow from this; ten. hence? is God the Author of this salva­tion, then it followeth,

1. Here is love, as the Apostle saith, 1 Joh. 4. 10. Not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Sonne, &c. God first loved us, here is love 1 Joh. 4. 10, 9, 19. Joh. 3. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 11 Ver. 19. that is first, love manifested, love so, as cannot be paralleld, ma [...]chless love, love that is the perfect sampler of love, [Page 59] love that is the fountain and former of all true love: we love him because he first loved us. The Laws voice to man is, Thou shalt love God above all, and thy neighbour as thy self. The Gospels voice The voice of the Law, and of the Go­spel differ. is to man hateful and hating, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne, that whosoever believeth on him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. The Gospel excells the Law, as much as Gods love excells mans; it super­excells, for it declares and proclaims Gods love to man void of the love to God which the Law commands.

2. God is love; to us in this way of 1 Joh. 4. 16 manifestation all love: out of this way it is a terrible sight to look on God, on sinne, death, the grave and hell; upon the Law, on any misery or affliction, on the judgment to come: but in this way nothing so delightful as the presence of God, and the light of his countenance gives peace and joy, against which is no Law, and which no death nor guilt of sin can destroy. The Law is delightful, death desirable, and sinne it self made humbling and profitable, because now hateful and abominable to us, by how much the more we believe and know that thus God is love.

[Page 60] 3. All here is kid untill God reveal: All here is mysterious, 1 Cor. 2. 7. All James 1. 17, 18. is heavenly, all from above, from above Creation, from God under another noti­on 1 Cor. 2. 12, 14. then as a Creator. The animal or na­tural man cannot receive these things when told him, cannot finde them out, till they be told him; but the spiritual on­ly, who hath received the Spirit of God, and not the spirit which is of the world. Nothing suits with these things of the Gospel, but what is from above, the born from above can alone close with these things. They are too high for the unrege­nerate man who is the fool under the power of folly, and values them as the Swine doth Pearls. A double revelation of the Spirit is absolutely necessary to the discerning of the things of this salvation; the one of the Holy Ghost inspiring the Prophets and Apostles to preach and write them; the other, of the same Holy Ghost as he is the Spirit of Wisdome and Reve­lation inlightning the eyes of our under­standings to know them, when in and by the Word they are declared to us, 1 Cor. 2. 10. Ephes. 1. 17, 18.

4. Here is truth of salvation, and here is strength of salvation; truth of salvati­on: [Page 61] for God is the rock, his work is per­fect, all his wayes are judgment. A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he, Deut. 32. 4. And strength of salvation; when he giveth quietnesse, who then can make trouble? and when he hi­deth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a Nation, or a­gainst a man only, Job 34. 29.

5. Here is satisfaction and assurance to the soul; satisfaction, for the Lord laid on his Sonne our iniquities: the Lord bruised him, God gave his Son; nothing can satisfie the awakened soul, nothing can set down the doubting soul, but God who is above the soul, and above the Law, a­bove sin and Satan. And assurance is here, it is no venture, but a state in which we may glory, to cast our selves on God; we Ps. 62. 7. & 56. 10. Rom. 8. 31, 33, 36. may say every one for himself; in God is my glory, in God will I praise his Word, in God we are more than Conquerors.

6. Here is irreversiblenesse; God can­not lie, God cannot deny himself, God is not as man that he should repent, he hath blessed, and who shall curse? Tit. 1. 2. Numb. 23. 8, 19. His gifts and cal­ling are without repentance, he will never repent of them, Rom. 11. 29.

[Page 62] 7. God is in Christ; in Christ and in him alone is God reconciling the world to 2 Cor. 5. 19. himself; he is not nor can be found in the whole work of Creation, reconciling a sinner, and not imputing trespasses; no science of the nature of the creatures, no knowledge of the connexion, and ratio­nal mutual chaining of the several crea­tures in this whole globe, as so many parts of the universe, having dependence one upon another, and influence into each o­ther by way of cause and effect; no know­ledge of the Deity that made all, and rules all; no principles and seeds of vir­tue and righteousnesse there learned and thence gathered by all the strength of the principles of reason and light in man, and improved to the utmost for the framing of thoughts, desires, gestures, words and deeds; none of these, nor all these, nor whatever other manifestations of the infi­nite, invisible, eternal God-head, as the invisible world of Angelical spirits, be they Thrones, Dominions, Principali­ties or Powers, none, none of them have God in them reconciling a sinful man to himself, not imputing trespasses. In none of these, nor in all these layed toge­ther hath God set forth a ransome for a [Page 63] sinner, a price of a redemption for a soul that hath sinned, a sacrifice and sin-offer­ing; or himself appeased, propitious, and merciful, forgiving sins, and receiving the sinner into his favour: or any of them set forth as a propitiation, or in them as on a mercy seat, as upon a throne of grace; no, no, but God is in Christ, merciful, reconciling, pardoning, accepting into a state of grace and favour: Christ Jesus God hath set forth a ransome, a price of redemption, a sin-offering, and a propi­tiation for our sins; Christ is the Lamb of God; God hath provided the Lamb for sacrifice: as Abraham answered his son Gen. 22. 7, 8. Isaac, who said to him, My Father, be­hold the fire and the wood; but where is the Lamb for a burnt-offering? to whom Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a Lamb for a burnt-offering. Be­hold, the Lamb of God, as John the Ba­ptist Joh. 1. 29. cryed.

8. All things are of God, 2 Cor. 5. 17, 18. that is, all things in the regene­ration, in the Kingdome of Christ, in the businesse of Redemption, in the Church of Christ as it is his Church; are of God; of God, not in the way and the putting forth of his power, and the [Page 64] manifestation of his glory as he is the faithful Creator, but they are of God as he is the God and Father of Jesus Christ o [...]r Lord, as he is pleased to set forth him­self, his power and glory in the way of Redemption: here they are all of God, and nothing of Angels or Men, or of any other whatsoever. Whatever is not of God in this work, but of men or any o­ther, is altogether disagreeable, to be re­jected, unprofitable, and shall be rooted out.

9. Here we see, it makes nothing at all, neither is it a pin to choose, what, or which of the twain befall us; to be blessed of the world, or to be cursed: to be blessed of evil Ministers, of Balaams, or to be cursed; to blesse our selves, or to have misgiving thoughts of our selves. We stand or fall to God, and not to man, or to our selves: Heark what God saith of thee and to thee, and not what man, or thine own heart saith, as David said of old, I will hear what God the Lord Psal. 85. 8. will speak.

10. Here we see, believing is the work that God would have of us. He findes out in his own wisdome, of his love and good pleasure within himself, all that [Page 65] concerns this work, it is the mystery of his will, his bosome secret and counsel; Ephes. 1. 10. his Spirit must reveal and tell it, if he speak not, if he give not out his Word, none can dive into it; now then he testi­fyeth, and we are to receive his testimo­ny, and to believe his Word; he that be­lieveth, sets to his seal that God (who speaketh) is true, John 3. 33. He that believeth not, maketh God a liar, 1 Joh. 5. 10. Because he receiveth not his testi­mony or witnesse; he that receiveth Christ Jesus, receiveth God that sent him: he that rejecteth Christ, rejecteth God. All respect or neglect in this great businesse, runs up so high as to God himself.

SECT. 3.

The use of this point is to call upon us to entertain these thoughts, digest this The use hereof: truth, and it will work, warme it and rub it in by meditation, and it will enter into thy soul. First, believe this truth in the general, that GOD doth thus tender the everlasting salvation of poor sinners, great sinners: and then bring it home un­to thy self, that GOD offers life to thee [Page 66] a sinner: Dwell awhile on these; if we lay away the principles of sound doctrine, and care not to know them: if we stick in an overlie knowledge, and do not be­lieve them with the heart, receiving them as the saving truths revealed by the Spirit of God, and testified to the children of men, as Gods own Record and Testimo­ny, there is no talking of the application of faith upon them to our own souls.

Quest. But some may say, how may one know that he hath apprehended a­right this truth, that it is GOD that hath provided the way of salvation?

Answ. In general thus; if rightly apprehended, then every word of this salvation will come to the soul, as the Word of God; not as the word of a man, though never so worthy credit; not as the word of a King, yet power goes with the word of a King; not as the word of an Angel, it is more than so, when it comes to thy heart as the Word of God. It 1 Thes. 2. 13. will come to thee in the power of God, in divine life and strength; it will work effectually in thee: Gods Word-runneth very swiftly, he commandeth, and the thing is done. Again, it will come to thy soul as the good Word of God, the [Page 67] Word, and Message in which thy good, thy everlasting good doth lie; to such a r Thes. 1. heart the Gospel comes in much assu­rance, and in the joy of the Holy Ghost: the Gospel now stands to thee as an un­doubted, unmovable truth, now it is the best news that ever came into the world, the glad tydings of great joy; the onely light and life of thy heart.

In special, attend that God the Lord is the first and principal Agent or Worker here.

1. It layes down in the heart of a sin­ner, a possibility of his salvation. That which to the Law, to man whiles he stands to the Law, is impossible that GOD will yet do it, it becomes very possible, with God all things are possible; say to thy self before the Lord, it is possible that such a sinner as I am, or as thou art mayest be saved; for GOD sends a Saviour for sinners; you, this layes down a possibility above all difficulties; the difficulties are great, our innumerable sinnes, the bor­tomlesse depth of the deceitfulnesse and the desperatenesse of the wickednesse of our hearts, the impenitency of an hard heart that cannot repent, the death in s [...]n and trespasses, the alienations, with­drawings [Page 68] and gain-sayings of an heart that cannot believe; the cursed barren­nesse in the heart and life of all grace and good fruit; the defilement and contagion of sinne as a leprofie, and as the plague of pestilence; the guilt and condemning power of sinne; the distance and separa­tion; yea, the enmity between God and man which sinne hath made: the great enemies; such are, the Law, the Curse, Mortality, Death, the Grave, Hell, Sa­tan, Tentations, Persecutions; the world with all its lusts and errours; the body of sinne, called the body of this death; (Rom. 7. 24.) the Back-slidings and Apostasies which we are subject unto; Satans strong holds within in false princi­ples, high thoughts, and devised devoti­ons, depths, carnal reasonings, foolish and snarling objections: besides, the wisdome of a conceited, the pride of a presuming, and the dejections of a despairing heart. If these Armies of difficulties, and of impossibilities to created means should beset thee, yet that GOD should reveale himself in a saving way, stayes the heart, and renders all of them Conque­rable.

[Page 69] 2. It awakens, it shakes the carelesse soul, and fills with trembling. It saith with Jacob, God is here, in this Word of the Gospel, and I was not aware; lit­tle thought I of such a presence in this contemned Word.

3. It layeth a basis, a foundation un­movable thus; we have him to be­lieve on, who supports Heaven and Earth, who is the Rock of A­ges.

4. It sets another face on God, and on all things. God is in Christ reconci­ling the world; God at peace, and all things become full of peace. Behold, all's new, there is now a new face of 2 Cor. 5. 18. things. In this light we see light, and have life; there is a blessing in all; through Gods blessing the worst and most dead­ly are not onely harmlesse, but medi­cinal and helpful, the heart begins to live, at this presence a hea­venly calme passeth, bespreadeth and dwelleth upon the soul. Tranq [...]illus De­us tranquillat omnia.

5. It heals the heart of hard thoughts of God, and of alienations from God; then I perceive saith the soul, the holy God will yet look after me.

[Page 70] 6. It sets the heart on God: is there hope yet for such a one as I am? surely it is good for me to draw near to God.

7. It prevents and allayes the o­ver-much grief for sinne, or for affli­ctions and miseries, our own, or the Churches; overmuch in both is hurt­ful to our soules, dishonourable to God, scandalous to men; this de­livers, I even, I am he that com­forteth you, saith the Lord, Isa. 49. 14, 15. I blot out your transgessi­ons, Isa. 43. 25.

8. It makes to cry to God out of the depth of our hellish filth and guilt, Psalme 130. 1. It boiles up the spirit to fervency in Pray­er.

9. It puts an Awful, Reveren­tial, Uniting feare into the soul, Psalme 130. 3. There is forgive­nesse with thee, that thou mayest be fea­red.

10. It enclines the soul to be­lieve, hope, wait, and love, Psalme 130. 4, 5.

11. It comforteth with comforrs rational and real; from grounds in [Page 71] God, from the presence of God, 2 Cor. 6. 17. I will dwell in them, I will walke in them, I will be their GOD, and they shall be my Peo­ple.

12. It devotes, it assures, it raiseth to Triumph. What shall we say to these things! If GOD be for Rom. 8. 31. Eph. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 3. us, who can be against us. What shall separate us from the love of GOD; it fills with praise, and with gloryings, and humble boast­ings in God. This GOD is our GOD; GOD is become my salva­tion.

Thus of the person who is the first mover in the great work of a sinners sal­vation.

SECT. 1.

THe Person that undertaketh to work out the salvation of a sinner, 2. Gods own Son undertak­eth to work out the salvati­on of a sinner; who he is. Gal. 4. 8. Heb. 1. 3. Rom. 8. 32 1 Joh. 4. 9. Joh. 3. 16. Rev. 1. 8. & 22. 13. is Gods own Son. The Apostle is expresse, God sent his own Son, his Son by nature; taking the word nature, in that sense in which the Apostle taketh it, when he saith of Idols, th [...]y by nature are no gods. His own Son, distinguished from all other, and dear unto the Father, the ex­presse Image of the Fathers person. He spa­red not his own Sonne, his onely begotten Son, who was not made, nor created, but begotten, the eternal Son of God: who of his grace assumed and took to him a true humane body and soul, of the seed of the Virgin Mary, and united it to his person, even this person the Sonne of the Father; this person, the own, only [Page 73] begotten Sonne of God the Father, is he whom God sent: he who is by grace of personal union, and by conception of the Holy Ghost as he is man (the man Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Mary) the Son of God also. But this Son-ship (if it may be so called) is of grace, not of nature, and not the thing intended here: and be­cause the humane nature of the Sonne of God, is of Adam, though not by Adam, he is also in that respect the Son of God Luk. 3. 38. by Creation. But when it is said here ex­pressely, God sent his own Sonne; this notes out the person, who is the Son of God by nature, who that he might perform the work of salvation, did take to him that humane nature, a creature of God, and did unite, support and Individuate it of his grace by his own person, inseparably and for ever. The glory of this act is uncon­ceivable, but that belongs to the work of salvation, and is not of consideration in this saying. He is called the Son of his self, [...], because he is Gods Son, not by grace, neither of personal union, as the humane nature of Christ his Son: not of Creation, as Angels, Adam and all men are Sonnes of God: nor of Mal. 2. 10. Communication of beams of Dominion, [Page 74] as Magistrates are Sons of God. Nor of Psal. 82. 5. Ephe. 1. 6. Joh. 1. 11. Adoption, or of regeneration, as are all the Elect believers. No, he is one grea­ter than all these, Gods own Son: This is the undertaker of our salvation. And this is the second Medium, which produ­ceth that grand conclusion afore delive­red; A demonstration thereof, Divine, and Apostolical, that is, that the salvati­on by Christ is full and absolute: the Al­sufficiency of our salvation appears abun­dantly Joh. 6. 96. Mat. 16. 16 1 Joh. 5. 7, 9, 10. in the person that undertakes the work, the Son of the living God. This is a doctrine of faith of necessity to be be­lieved. Gods own Sonne, see here his glo­ry, and from thence the alsufficiency of our salvation.

SECT. 2.

Behold his Glory: for, His glory.

1. He is of the same essence and nature with the Father, the brightnesse of his Fa­thers Heb. 1. 3. 5 glory, the expresse Image of his per­son. This honour and excellency is a­bove all Angels, he is very God of very God, as the Nicene Creed hath it, [...], of the same substance with God the Fa­ther, [Page 75] not, [...], of a like substance, but the very same: not of another sub­stance, [...]; not of unlike substance, [...]: not of the same kind of sub­stance, not of the same species, [...] ▪ but he is [...] of that very essence, co­essential: as the Creed of Athanasius hath it. The God-head of the Father and of the Son is one. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Joh. 1. 1. 1 Joh. 5. 20 Phil. 2. 6. the Word was God; and therefore being true God, he is Co-equal with the Father, and it is no robbery at all. He is God of himself, [...] ▪ though he be not Son of himself, [...], but Son of the Father; he is life of himself, [...] ▪ he is righte­ousnesse it self [...]. There is al­so between him and the Father a mutual Joh. 14. 11. Joh. 8. 58. In-being (the Greek fathers call it [...]) the Father is in him, and he is in the Father.

He is Eternal, before Abraham was saith he, I am; He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. And this his eterni­ty is the foundation of his eternal King­dome, of whom it is said, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. And again, Heb. 1. 8. Heb. 1. 10, 11, 12. Thou, Lord; in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens [Page 76] are the works of thine hands: they shall pe­rish, but thou remainest, thou art the same.

He is Omniscient, he knowes all things; Joh. 2. 24. & 1. 47, 48, 49. Rev. 2. 23. all men, all that is in man: neither needs he that any one should testifie of man, for he knoweth what is in man, all their reas­onings, all their thoughts, all their wayes. He searcheth the heart and reines.

He is Omnipresent, he is in every place. Lo, saith he, I am with you to the end of Mat. 28. 20 the world. His presence everywhere is that which gives the ground of the promise of his gracious presence with all his Mi­nisters in all their Ministerial performan­ces, in all ages and places to the worlds end.

He is Omnipotent. Whatever the Fa­ther Joh. 5. 19. doth, that doth the Son likewise.

He is the Creatour of all things, visible Joh. 1. 2. and invisible. In him all things con­sist.

He is the Ʋpholder of all, by his mighty Word of Command. Col. 1. 16.

He changeth all things at his pleasure. Heb. 1. 12. Heb. 1. 3.

To him is due from men and Angels, Divine honour and worship, and Faith. Heb. 1. 6. Joh. 14. 1. Psal. 2. 12. In him we should believe, him we should [Page 77] kisse and do homage unto. He is God Rom. 9. 5. Tit. [...]. 13. blessed for ever, the great God our Savi­ur.

2. He is aeternally and only begotten. Joh. 1. 1. Pro. 8. 22. Col. 1. 13. Mat. 17. 5. Joh. 1. 18. The word, the wisdome of God, and there­fore he is the Son of Gods love, the eternal delights of the eternal Father, In whom he is well-pleased. He that is in the bo­some of the Father ( [...]) and now he is neither lesser, nor lower in the favour of his Father, because he hath stooped so low as to become flesh, and to be the Messiah.

SECT. 3.

2. From his truth, behold the alsuffici­ency The Al­sufficiency of salvati­on by him in five things. 1 Joh. 5. [...]1 & 4. 9. of the salvation of Gods people: for,

1. In this Son is our eternal life placed. This is the Record, the summe of Gods Testimony witnessed in the Bible, that God hath given to us eternal life: and this life is in his Sonne. God sent his only be­gotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him. In this Sonne, the be­loved, Pro. 8. 30. Mat. 3. 17. the Sonne of his bosome, his e­ternal delights, God the Father doth rest well-pleased for ever.

[Page 78] 2. This assure the absolute sufficiency of Christ Jesus for his Office, he is the Mediatour who is the Son of God. The Son is the Prophet, he declares the Father, Joh. 1. 18. Joh. 3. 32. & 6. 68, 96 Joh. 5. 25, 28. Heb. 1. 8. Joh. 1. 49. & 10, 30. he testifies what he hath seen and heard, he hath the words of eternal life, his voice raiseth the dead, the dead spiritually, out of their sinnes; the dead Corporally, out of their graves. The Sonne is the King, greater than all, who hath all Soveraignty, authority and power.

The Sonne is the Priest, who is conse­cr [...]ed Heb. 4. 14. & 7. 28. for ever more, who hath the heart and eare of the Father alwayes.

3. This puts a value and worth of infi­nite price upon all that he hath done, or 1 Joh. 1. 7. doth for us now in heaven; into his suf­ferings, and into his intercession. The blood of Gods Sonne cler [...]seth us from all sinne; the Sonne is consecrated for ever­more.

4. He can do all that we stand in need Joh. 1. 51. & 3. 13. of, because he is the Sonne of God. He can create the heart anew, and give the Holy Ghost. He baptizeth with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. He opens heaven, and brings in the Angels-service that they may minister unto us. He seeth the truth of grace in our hearts. He knoweth the [Page 79] workings, beatings, and breathings of our Joh. 1. 47, 48. & 10. 28, 29, 30. Joh. 5. 26, 28. Heb. 12. 16 23. Psa. 89. 27. Jer. 31. 8. Exod. 4. 22 Psa 89. 19. spirits: and all our secret duties; the guilelesse spirited Nathanaels, their most retired meditations and prayers under the fig-tree. He gives the power or priviledge to be Sonnes of God; he makes free in­deed; he gives life to whom he will; he preserveth the life spiritual given, and gives eternal life; he fetcheth out of the graves; he makes us a Congregation of Gods first-born. God hath laid help for us upon one that is mighty.

5. There is no danger to adventure Jer. 17. 7. Joh. 3. 16. 36. Joh. 14. 9. here. No feare of that curse, Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, for Jesus Christ is the Lord Jehovah. It is no fault to believe on him, to worship, to serve, to call upon, to obey him. There is no perishing to a believer. There is nothing but wrath to him that believeth not on him. Here is the only way to see the Fa­ther.

SECT. 4.
For the Application and Use, Improve it The Use. thus.

1. By this Doctrine Inform thy self: 1. Of In­formation. [Page 80] First, of the excellency of the word of Scripture which revealeth this truth, and especially of the glory of the New Testa­ment, which is the Gospel of the Sonne of God. Secondly, of the honour confer­red on sinful men, called to the faith of Jesus Christ, they are called to fellow­ship with the Sonne of God. Thirdly, 1 Cor. 1. 9. of the faithfulnesse of God in the wayes of his free and saving grace; he failed not to send his own Sonne into the world ac­cording to his promise: We may trust him to make good all that he hath spoken; the heaven of heavens, and blessed life, and immortality there is not too much, nor too good for believers. It is not so good as his own Son.

2. Be perswaded to dwell upon these 2. Of Ex­hortation. Ephes. 4. 13. Gal. 2. 20. meditations, untill thy heart be winned and perswaded, first, to believe in the Sonne of God; secondly, to seek growth in the knowledge of the Sonne of God; and then thirdly, to live by faith of the Sonne of God; and fourthly, to digest this truth in the power of it, that thou mayest triumph over all. Brethren, be­loved, look above all to this faith, that Joh. 20. 31 1 Joh. 5. 12. you may receive and have the Sonne in you, and that you may know you have [Page 81] him. Let there be the hearing of faith, the Confession of faith, the emptyings of faith to reject all for him, to forget all for him; the application of faith; that makes us apply our selves to him, to draw near to the saving of the soul, and not to Mark this distinati­on of the applying act of faith draw back; that applies him to our selves in desires of the hungry and thirsty, and in high prizings of the poor in spirit, and in the repo [...]e of the weary and laden, and in the breathings and aspirings of the lowly, and in the waitings of those that know no other door of mercy, till we come to the applications of comfortable perswasi­ons, the obedience of faith, the betroth­ed Mat. 22. 12 love which faith worketh, and the wed­ding garment of all Gospel-dresse that may become the Espousals of such a Bride­groom.

3. And why should we not delight our 3. Of Con­solation. Isa. 8. 9, 10 & 9, 5, 6. Psa. 2. 1, 2, 5, 6. 1 Joh. 5. 5. souls in this glorious principle of Christi­an Religion, which leads us unto the ho­ly One, the mighty One of Israel? for here we see, and from hence we medi­tate and threaten terrour to the associati­ons of all enemies: We carry victories over the world's lusts and lyes, errours and terrours, vanities and violence: We know the advancing and amplitude of the [Page 82] Kingdome of Jesus Christ: We are con­firmed Psa. 2. 6, 8. Ro. 8. 32. Heb. 2. 2, 3 & 12. 25, 26. & 10. 29. Joh. [...]7. 26 1 Joh. 4. 9. Rom. 8. 31. 32, 39. in the stability of all the promises, and in the greatnesse of the sin and misery of all the disobedient and contemners of the Gospel: We have the love of God manifested, the love wherewith he loves his own Sonne reaching and clasping us; A love that cannot but freely give us all things, a love that assures God is for us, a love from which nothing can separate us.

SECT. 1.

3. THe third truth demonstrating the 3. The way God took to con­demn sin in the flesh of his Son, and so to take it a­way, provs the salvati­on full. perfect fulnesse of salvation by Jesus Christ, cometh now under conside­ration, which is from the way and course God in his good pleasure took and held in saving sinners by his Sonne. This is held out in these words [Sending his own [Page 83] Sonne in the likenesse of sinful flesh, and for sinne, condemned sinne in the flesh] which contain this doctrine: The way God took to save a sinner by Christ, is a sweet and sound demonstration of the alsuffici­ency of the salvation in Christ Jesus, and the way was this, to condemn sinne in the flesh of his Sonne whom he sent in the flesh, and that of purpose to take a­way sinne.

• Two things are to be unfolded here,
  • 1. The way which God taketh.
  • 2. The effectual­ness of that way.

1. The way of God is this, while he saveth the sinner, he will condeme his sin to the low [...] Hell, and lower by farre; and that in the very same nature that hath sinned, even in humane flesh. That this may be done, he sets out his own Sonne to be made flesh: he sends him in the simi­l [...]tude of sinful flesh, in a true humane soul and body, such as sinne had made frail, miserable, and mortal; such a one as ours is. He thus sends him for sin, that he may bear all their sins charged on him. And then in this flesh of his own Son, their [Page 84] sinnes shall be condemned; the Son of God condemned for their sin, and so in that condemnation, sin for ever condemned; for this end he sends him as one that hath taken upon him the Office of a Saviour, by mediation, by suretiship, and by re­demption, and as he whom God had de­signed to this office.

Consider every step in this way: they are Five steps in this way of God. 1 His Sons preordi­nation. 1 Pet. 1. 20. Ephes. 1. 9 five, the first step is,

1. Gods preordination of the Sonne to be the Mediatour, that he in our nature should execute the office of a Mediatour, of Priest, Prophet, and King, in a state of humiliation. This preordination is Gods eternal fore-knowledge, counsel, purpose and decree out of his infinite good pleasure within himself, appointing his Son to be the Christ to bring the Elect to glory. Christ Jesus as God-man is the means of election to be executed, he is the cause of our salvation, but not of our election. In this preordination there was a Councel held between the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit. In this councel all that concerns mans salvation was determined, Act. 2. 23. & 4. 28. The Son is set out, and by a free voluntary dispensation, he yieldeth to be ordained [Page 85] and appointed, Rom. 3. 25. And with him an Agreement is made, that he should give his soul an offering for sinne; and then, according to promise in that agreement, he should see the fruit of that his travel of soul to his own hearts full sa­tisfaction. Isa. 53. 10. All that ever shall be saved were given to him before all worlds. John 10. 29. & 17. 6, 9, & 6. 37, 39. Life eternal is promised before the worlds, ( [...],) grace, that Tit. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 10. is, free love and favour with the effects of it, was given the Elect in Christ, before the world began. A book of all is writ­ten; the Records, the most High's Par­liament Rev. 20. 15 & 21. 27. & 13. 8. Roles, called the book of life, the Lambs book of life. And accordingly, he, before he was sent, was Preached in Gen. 3. 15. promised to Abraham, in Gen. 22. 18. and to David, in Psal. 132. was prophesied of Isa. 7. 4. & 9. 6, 7. & 53. Jer. 23. 5., was Typified in the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant▪ Heb. 9. and in Melchizedech, Heb. 7. 3. was seen in fore-shewes in a humane shape, in which of old he appeared fre­quently to the Fathers, as the holy Angels also used to do.

2. Gods mission of his Sonne is the second 2. His mis­sion. step of this way of God, The work thus; [Page 86] 1. The Father and the holy Ghost do send, and the Son voluntarily condescends to be sent. All stoops, nothing too dear for the salvation of a sinner. The Sonne is brought in speaking thus, I have not spo­ken in secret from the beginning, from the Isa. 48. 16. A cleare old Testa­ment proof of the Trinity Joh. 7. 28, 29. time that it was, there am I, and now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me. 2. The Son came not of himself: he took nothing on him of his own head apart from the Father, in the whole busi­nesse of Redemption. 3. The Father gave him out of his bosome, he sent him on this great errand, he parted with him, spared him not, but he delivered him up. 4. He sent him in his Incarnation, in the fulnesse of time, (but of this Act in the next step.) 5. He sent him into the world, into this miserable, vain, sin­ful place: he dwelt among men, and was found in fashion as a man; he sent him not Isa. 61. 1. to delight and glory in the world. 6. He sent him furnished with gifts; he sanctifi­ed him, separated him from all other, as Joh. 10. 36. Joh. 5. 3 [...]. & 9. 4. only able and fit for such a work as to save the world, and filled him with the Spirit, not by measure, as he is man; and having thus sanctified him, he sent him. 7. He sent him, and gave him work to do and [Page 87] finish, and set him a day, a season to do Joh. 7. 6. 8 & 8. 28. & 12. 49. & 14. 24. Joh. 17. 1, 4. it in; he neither did nor spake of himself, but as the Father which sent him, gave him Commandment what he should say, and what he should speak; he did nothing of himself, he doth what he seeth the Fa­ther do, and spake what he heard and learn't of his father; he did all in the very hour of the allotted day, and finished his work in the hour of the day set him; the work some of it was none of the easiest or fairest work: he was not only to preach the doctrine of the Kingdome, and to confirm it by Miracles, to keep the law, and to fulfill all righteousnesse; but to be a pattern, in doing and suffering, yea, to be a Ransome, a Price, a Sacrifice▪ for sinne, to suffer a cursed death, and to be made sin, and a curse for us: and this Heb. 10. 8 9. [...]oh. 3. 17. Act. 3. 26, 1 Joh. 4. 9. 10. Joh. 8. 29. Joh. 16. 32 hard and foul work he delighted to per­form. 8. He sent him not to condemn, but to save the world, to blesse his people, to be a propitiation, that in him we might have life. 9. He sent him and was with him, he never left him alone, because he doth alwayes those things that please his Father; he never did his own will, or sought his own glory, but his glory who sent him; and when all his Apostles left [Page 88] him alone and forsook him, then the Fa­ther was with him. 10. He sent him with Commission; what was that? surely most worthy the perusing by us; his Commission he opens and reads: it was this. 1. His Commission was and is, to seek and to save that which was lost: 2. To dye and rise Luk. 19. 10. Joh. 10. 28. Isa. 49. 6. Joh. 6. 39, 40. again for his sheep: 3. To be the Cove­nant of the people of the Jewes, and raise them up, and to be salvation to the ends of the earth: 4. To see that no be­liever perish, but that he raise every one of them to everlasting life at the last day: and to give faith to all that the Father hath given him, that the given of the Father may come unto him: 5. To speak com­fort to the weary soul: 6. To bruise and Isa. 50. 4. & 61, 1, 2, 3. Joh. 4. 34. & 5. 30. Psal. 2. 8, 9. 3. His in­carnation. Heb. 10. 5. Heb. 2. 16. crush the enemies, and to rule all for the good of the Elect. A gracious Com­mission.

3. The third step is his Sonnes incar­nation; God sent his own Sonne in the likenesse of sinful flesh. God fitted him a body; the Sonne of God assumed not the nature of Angels, but the seed of A­braham; he assumed flesh, that is, a true and very man consisting of an humane soul, and an humane body; he assumed flesh and blood, not only a soul, the more [Page 89] noble part of man, but flesh, even the begin­ning of our nature, growing from infancy Heb. 2. [...]4. Mat. 2. & 1. to perfection of age and stature, and not a full and perfect man grown, at his full stature and ripe age when he first assumed our nature; flesh; weak, dying flesh; he assumed into the unity of his person the similitude of sinful flesh, the similitude of the flesh of sinne; such flesh as sinne hath now made it to be in us sinners; not sin­ful flesh; for he never knew sinne, but such a soul and body as ours is now by sin, and not such as Adams was in the state of innocency: that had been great love and great condescension and abasement; but how great humiliation to take part of the same flesh and blood of which we con­sist? yet further, he took to him the like­nesse of sinful flesh in a low and abject condition, having no form nor beauty; Phil. 2. 6, 7▪ in the form of a servant, and not in the forme of the rich, the honourable, the potent; not in the form of a King, or of Gal. 4. 4. a Monarch: he took flesh, made of a wo­man, made under the Law; he who was the onely Law-giver, and might have been a Law to himself, is made of a woman; of the seed of Abraham, as well as of Adam, a Jew, under the Law of Moses, [Page 90] circumcised, and therefore a debtor to keep the whole Law, thus made under the Law that he might redeem those that were under the Law.

See then the Sonne of God, the Word who was God is incarnate, God manifest in the flesh, made flesh of the seed of wo­man, a Virgin, the Virgin Mary, by conception, and by birth; by conception by the Holy Ghost, by his over-shadowing power sanctifying and making her wombe fruitful. In this conception there was the plasmation and forming of the childe Jesus; 2. The assumption; 3. And the personal union of the humane nature of Jesus Christ. The Sonne of God became flesh also by birth, born of a woman and brought forth into the world. Although therefore he was sent in the similitude of sinful flesh, true and very man in all things like one of us, yet he was without sinne: there was no sinne in his concepti­on, no sinne in his birth, no sinne in him all his life.

4. The fourth step is the work alotted to him by his Father; he is sent not on­ly 4. His work ap­pointed. to dwell among men, which had been a great abasing businesse, though it had been to dwell with the Saints on earth, but [Page 91] he must dwell among beastly men, a­mong fat Bulls of Bashan, and be with Mark 1. 13 men set on fire; he must be with the Beasts of the Wildernesse, farre from the estate of man in Paradise: he is sent to fight with Divels; the sorrows of death must take hold of him, & he must be com­passed with the pains of hell. And which is above and beyond all this, he must be numbred with transgressours, and bear the sinnes of many, even of all the millions which shall be saved; he that knew no sin, is sent to be made sinne for them, and he to bear them, imputed to him, laid on him, on his own body, as if he had been the sinner.

5. The fifth and last step in this way of 5. Con­demnation of sin in his flesh. God is this, The condemnation of sinne in the flesh of Gods own Sonne. Now this hath four distinct things in it.

1. The Lord layed on him the iniqui­ties Foure things in that. of all the Elect, Isa. 53. 1 Pet. 2.

2. Sinne indefinitely is charged on him: sinne in all its evil came upon him; in its condemning power, even the curse due to sinne by the Law of God. In its defi­ling power, not defiling him, but the im­putation of the foulnesse, and defiling na­ture of sinne came upon him; he was made [Page 92] sinne. In its weakning power, weaknes­ses not culpable, but miserable, weaknes­ses attending mans nature since the fall, but not such as attend particular persons, took hold of him; he was a man of sor­rows, and acquainted with grief.

3. He who was the holy one and the just, was made the sinne-offering.

4. God condemned sinne in his flesh; the Sonne of God bears our sinnes in his own body on the Tree; for sinne the Son is condemned and crucified being made a curse for us; sinne would have held down the sinner for ever in hell; there sinne hath the mastery over the sinner, there it is alive in its full poyson and strength; but here sinne is destroyed and utterly aboli­shed, it is fully and for ever taken away, and that in a legal and exact way of ju­stice, the sinner is saved, and sinne con­demned. This is the way, and the five steps in this way of God coming to us to save us.

SECT. 2.

2. The effectualnesse and sufficiency of The effe­ctualnesse of this way. this way appears in two things princi­pally.

First, In the fitnesse of Christ Jesus for the work; he is God to treat with and sa­tisfie God: and he is man to deal with man: he is the Sonne of Gods love to make us sonnes, and place us in Gods love and favour, by whom we have access into, and stand in his grace, accepted in the beloved; he is the image of the Fa­ther, in whom we may see the Father, and who repaires the image of God in us, and to whom we are to be conformed; he is the son of man, our brother, the second Adam in whom we partake of all that is Job 19. 25 in him, our kins-man to whom the right to redeem doth belong.

Secondly, In the sutablenesse of every thing to our distresse; as for the distresse we were in, here we have, 1. Man the offendor. 2. Sinne the sting of death. 3. Flesh, that is to say, man made by sin weak, miserable and mortal. 4. Sinful flesh, flesh of sinne, a body of death, a body of sinne. 5. The Law, the strength of sinne. 6. The Laws weaknesse to de­liver the sinner. 7. God offended; these are the seven cords of man distresse; an­swerably, here is 1. The Sonne of God made man; and so man punished, sinne punished in the nature that sinned; as [Page 94] God is holy, he is an adversary to sinne; as just, he punisheth sinne; as true, his threat­ning before the fall could not be made void, it must fall on man; for to man was the Law given, to man was death threatned, to man as the first Adam, on man must the punishment light; now here is a man, an Adam, the Sonne of God taking to him mans nature of Adam, though not by him hath somewhat to of­fer: and God through his Christ the second Adam, and through him crucified, re­ceiveth a sinner into favour, remaineth holy, just and true. 2. The Sonne of God made man sent for sinne; so that here is in this Christ in his low humiliati­on a propitiation, a mercy-seat; here is the Lamb of God in whose flesh sinne was damned; the sufferings due to sinne he bears: GOD suffers, the Sonne of God doth all in the flesh; (for actions are of the person) therefore here justice is sa­tisfied, sinne is taken away, and death is unstinged. 3. In the flesh, the humane nature of the Sonne of God, sinne is condemned, and a perfect conformity to the Law in original and actual righteous­nesse is performed and brought in before the Lord, therefore here is the sinner ju­stified [Page 95] and healed, health and soundnesse restored by curing the disease in the very cause, and the flesh is delivered and reco­vered thorowly. Here are the Priestly Robes, and the Royal change of rayment to cloath a poor naked sinner withal 4. In this Jesus Christ, the flesh and sinne are separated, Adams sinne and Adams nature divided, and mans nature made a Fountain of holinesse and life; wonder­ful, high and heavenly things. 5. Here is the Law answered in the Comminations and in the Commandments by Christs o­bedience passive and active. 6. Here God by his Son doth that in weak flesh, which the eternal Law could not ever be able to do. 7. Here is [...]od in Christ Je­sus reconciling the world to himself. God provides the Lamb, God condemns sinne, God prepares a righteousnesse, fulfilling the Laws righteousnesse; and if God be thus for us, who can be against us? if God justifie, who shall condemn?

SECT. 3.
For the use of this.

1. This precious truth in viteth us to be­hold Use 1 [Page 96] again the love of God to man. Here To invite to con­templati­on. 1 Joh. 4. 9, 10. Tit. 3. 4. Eph. 2 4, 7. Eph. 1. 7. Tit. 2. 11. is love, here is love manifested; here is bountifulnesse of love shining, never the like love manifested, never did God ma­nifest the like love to this that appeared in redeeming in mankinde. It is exceeding kindnesse, Gods great love wherewith he who is rich in mercy loved us; the riches of his grace, the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse, the glory of his grace abounding; the grace of God that bringeth salvation. Our blessed Saviour speaks of it with emphasis and admiration, God so loved the world; Paul speaks of it as alone peerlesse, God commended Joh. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 8. love to us: and John with an index, in this was manifested the love of God, herein is love. All other manifestations of love are not comparable to this; great was Gods love to man in the Creation, to place him Lord of the visible world, to indue him with a soul bearing on it his Gen. 1. & 2. own image and likenesse, to seat and plant him in a Paradise, to provide him a Sab­bath, to give him Sacraments; the Sacra­ment of life to establish him, and of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil to warn him where his danger lay, and to blesse him with conjugal society; great is [Page 97] his love in his daily providence over him; great in the Covenant made to all Nati­ons in Noah; great in the particular ex­periments Psal. 36. Gen. 8. 21, 22. Ps. 107. 8, &c. Psal. 104. 27, 34. men feel in sicknesse and health at Sea and Land; great to all creatures, his mercy reacheth to the heavens: all wait on him for seasonable food. David saith hereupon, my meditation of him shall be sweet. Great was his love to the Elect An­gels whom he hath established about his Throne; who alwayes behold his face; but to whom gave he his own Son? what na­ture did he ever unite so near to himself? where, or when did he ever such works for any, as in earth to condemn, in hell to dissolve all the Divels works, in heaven to provide Mansions, and all in, by and through the flesh, the flesh of his own Sonne, the similitude of sinful flesh, flesh indeed, but like sinful flesh; for a sinful childe of disobedient Adam, justly a childe of wrath!

All creatures here below are for this ransomed captive sinners rightful new and pure use. Angels that fell are reser­ved in chains of darknesse to the judgment Jude [...]. of the great day, no Saviour afforded them, but they are set forth to warn us to flee the wrath to come: the blessed, ho­ly [Page 98] and elect Angels, the innumerable company of them, are made ministring spirits sent forth for the good of the heirs Heb. 1. 14. Heb. 2. 8. Rom. 8. 16 of this salvation; the world to come is put in subjection to man: in Christ we are joint heirs with him of all things.

This love dec [...]ared is the powerful way to work on a sinner. Hell and wrath, the Law and sinne, without this proposed, do terrifie and vex, but the heart flees God and loaths. All other love of God is a­bused by the deceitful wicked hard heart; but let this love be set forth, and now sin and all the deserts of it, wound, stab and gore, pierce and tear to pieces, and yet the heart draws near; and drawing near, melts down, dissolves, desires, pants af­ter, longs for Christ, and God in Christ, judges it self, justifies God while he judges him; trusts, though God kill him; can­not think or say any thing is ill that this God sayes or does.

This love is the fatnesse of Gods house, the River of Gods pleasures, the light, the life, better than life it self; this love fills with love, this love makes gracious, zealous, tender of heart, noble of spirit, and truly lovely; this sweetens the cros­ses, sanctifies afflictions, and makes out blessings to be blessings.

[Page 96] 2. Hast thou informed thy judgment, 2. To ex­hort. and taken a view of Gods love in this way of salvation? Now then let this doctrine come in the power of it to perswade & ex­hort thee to believe, to meditate with ad­miration, and to ascend to fixed contem­plation.

1. Believe this truth, this is the work Joh. 6. 29. of God; the work that God requireth; since we cannot work the righteousnesse of his holy Law, that we believe; there is no other work sutable to Gods dealing with us; he sends his Sonne, we are to re­ceive him whom God hath sent, and be­lieving is receiving; he tells and testifies this unto the world, we are to believe his Word and Testimony; there is no other work left, Christ hath done and suffered all for us; believing is the acceptable work, it gives glory to God, and destroyes boasting utterly; this faith doth all the work; by faith Christ is revealed, con­ceived, formed, born, lives and dwells in the heart; faith makes the sinner mourn, pray, wait at wisdomes gates, confesse Christ, contemn and overcome the world, deny himself, exalt God, lay under the creature, resist the Divel, live holily and heavenly, and dye in hope, peace and [Page 100] joy: faith purifieth the heart, worketh by love, circumciseth the heart to love God, makes to fear the Lord and his goodnesse, frames to the life of a pilgrim and stranger on earth, and enables to do and suffer, and labour, and grow vigorous in the midst and strength of all that opposeth, like men heaven-born, born from above, as men heaven-aspiring, as bound for and tending to the Countrey above. This is the will of God the Father that sent Jesus Christ his Sonne, that every one that seeth Joh. 6. 40. Joh. 17. 3. the Sonne and believeth on him, should have everlasting life. This is Eternal life.

2. Meditate, Say with thy self, Lord, what is sinne? what is man? who art thou? sinne it is the mischief, that which destroyes the work of Gods own hand, and that which ruines the choicest creature, which no holy Law can abolish, which no sacrifice but that of Gods own Sonne can expiate, that which condemns the Sonne of God; and can never be condemned in it self, and in the heart of the sinner, but by such a way; and as for man, what is he? even dust and clay, at his first and best rai­sed out of the dust of the earth: a very re­bellious lump, a masse of rebellion, a [Page 101] lump of rebellious clay, a leprous heap, a putrified sore, a hateful and hating en­mity, proud, conceited, brutish, foolish, sinful flesh that is not subject to the Law of God, nor can be, unlesse mortified, cru­cified, and created again; but as for Thee O Lord God, what is this name of Fa­ther? what is this thy Sonne? what is thy Sonnes name? Oh that we could tell; dost thou make thine own Sonne to be sin? and condemn him as a sinner, and con­demn sin in his flesh? is this the manner and Law of thy love to the sonnes of men, to sinful man? what manner of love is this! Now stay, make up what is wanting in thy conceiving of these things, in admiration, in the administration of faith, which makes us draw near to God, which trans­forms us into the image of Gods love.

3. Fasten thy thoughts; know thy self and God in Christ more: behold his glory to make thee like him in this his love. Take the Gospel glasse (and while in the glasse of the Law thou seest thy self to just detestation and shame of face) with open face behold the glory of God in his grace in Christ his Sonne crucified; in that mit­rour view it freely to transform thee into the image of this his love and grace, from [Page 102] one degree of glory, to another degree of glory. Let Gods love work in thee such love to thy own soul first, and then such love to the souls of others; their salvation dearer to thee, then thy own things tem­poral, than thy temporal life. A pure love, sinne the enemy, and the sin­ner the object of thy love; sinnes against thee, not hindering thee seeking of their good. Love that is in deed and in truth; love to die for the brethren; love making willing to part with, lay down, lay out, expose to the utmost of sufferings whate­ver is dearest, willing to be counselled, ap­pointed and sent: no envy, no ambition, nothing of self. The greatest and lowest service proves the greatest love, love bea­ring one anothers infirmities and tempta­tions. Behold this love to the espousing of thy soul to Christ for ever, and adjure all not to disquiet him who is the love. Cant. 2. 7. 3. To con­vince.

3. Suffering the Word of exhortation; Consider also how this doctrine is full of conviction. It convinceth of the great sinne and misery of all men, yea, of all Christians that refuse Jesus Christ; their refusal is of the onely remedy of a poor guilty sinner, it's the refusal of the Son manifesting the greatest love; 'tis the re­fusal [Page 103] of God the Father coming to un­done man in a way of salvation as myste­rious as salvifical, as full of glory as of grace; the more exalted in lofty height, the more it is matchlesse in lowest conde­scensions of free grace; their refusal is a Prov. 8. 36 degree of hatred of Christ, and this hatred of the Sonne is the hatred of the Father; they love death, they love to be damned, they love to go to hell, they love that which will bring them thither, they passe not for that which would deli­ver them thence, they have not the Word, nor the love of the Father abiding Joh. 5. 38, 42. & 8. 41, 42. in them; for then they would receive him whom the Father hath sent: and all this hath the greater aggravation, in that every one so knows his sicknesse and seels his wound, that he will go out for some or o­ther, and any one that comes in his own name, whom God the Father never sent nor sealed, him he will receive; every one will have his way of Religion, but this way of God he will not own.

4. This doctrine also giveth ground of 4. To humble. deep humiliation even to the godly who do believe, yet are guilty of much neglect of three things.

1. Of the riches of assurance; both of [Page 104] full assurance of understanding to the ac­knowledging of this mystery of God, e­ven Col. 2. 2. of the Father, and of Christ; and of the full assurance of faith that they might in God all day long and night glo­ry in the Lord Christ alone, and rejoyce in him for evermore.

2. Of enjoying God in Christ in all other their enjoyments.

3. Of the high valuations of Jesus Christ; when you hear these reproofs, say, Is not this a part of that love in Christ to the Elect Vessels of mercy, that God condemns my sinne, but yet he condemns not me? he condemns my sinne that he might save me.

5. Lastly, This ministers strong conso­lation to the humbled; every one that 5. To comfort. desires to be found in Christ, that seeks his righteousnesse, that owns his own want of all righteousnesse, and takes his own sins as the detestable and deadly thing; to thee is this Saviour sent, for thee did he come into the world, to thee doth God come in every step of this way, to thee belongs this grace of God bringing salvation; Go over the whole of this truth, and put in thy self, thy name, thou art the man or woman for whom God took all this care, [Page 105] and concerning whom he had all these thoughts of peace for good.

Hitherto of the third special truth de­monstrating that the salvation by Christ is a full salvation; the fourth followeth.

SECT. 1.

4. THe outward impulsive cause of Gods giving his Sonne in the flesh to redeem and save, is in these words; [what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Sonne, &c.] these words consi­dered of themselves as one entire propo­sition, namely this, [the Law could not [Page 106] deliver a sinner; for it was weak through the flesh:) do contain that first great truth handled before in the second Chap­ter of this Treatise; but now take them as the Apostle here puts them in their Syntax, in the Contexture, woven in to­gether with that which followeth, to this effect; [what the Law could not do, that God did by sending his own Son;] and then we have that which moved God to set forth this way of Redemption by his own Sonne. God gave the Law, and sin was provoked, and the sinner dyed; the sinner looked to it, stood convinced it was holy, just and good, but the more seek­ing righteousnesse and life by it, his weak­nesse the more appearing, and he unable to keep it, the more he lay under the curse of it: God then takes this course, he'le send his own Sonne, and he shall bring righteousnesse and life to this helplesse sin­ner; hence a fourth special doctrine of­fers it self, proving the second general, which sheweth that this salvation in Christ must needs be compleat and admi­rable. It is this:

This truth is evident divers wayes.

1. That which is the help when the Law cannot help, must needs be high and powerful; for first, The Law is the only way of life which God as Creator doth give to a reasonable creature; and second­ly, The Law is so able, that (being per­fect and Gods own Covenant) it cannot be weakned but onely by accident; not by its own failing, but by ours: it is weak, but through the flesh.

2. The Law for righteousnesse, and Christ for righteousnesse, do stand in di­rect Gal. 2. 16, 21. opposition; yet the Law is not against the Gospel: the Law drives to Christ a­lone; the Law is fulfill'd, when Christ is Gal. 3. 21, 22. received, the Law comes in that the of­fers of Christ might be esteemed, which else a proud sinner would wholly neglect Rom. 10. 4 or pervert, and never understand aright; this is the help given of God, which is the end of the Law.

[Page 108] 3. That help that is able to set flesh, sinful weak flesh right in Gods High Court of Justice, (recta in curiâ, as Lawyers speak) and to put strength into it, and so make up the breach, so that both the Law shall stand in its full force and strength, and yet the sinner be righteous and live, that is altogether a Soveraign salvation: but such is the help which Gods grace in Je­sus Christ doth bring; it puts forth its power gloriously efficacious, for and upon and in sinful weak flesh.

4. When that which deserves that God should cast off, reprobate and condemn to hell for ever, and so glorifie his justice, is made the ground of giving Christ; what now can be alledged to hinder, if the Omnipotent, All-wise and All-gracious God be able to save a poor perishing crea­ture, if Christ the Sonne of God be able to help? sinfulnesse of flesh is the ve­ry ground. It deserves damnation, as we see in the righteous sentences of the Law, in the casting away of Angels fal­len, in men whom God reprobates; the same reprobablenesse is in the very Elect men, in all of them, and there­fore Isa. 43. 22, 25. Eph. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. is this Saviour given.

The Prophet Isaiah pleaded for God with Israel long ago, bringing in the Lord speaking in his own words on this wise: Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob, thou hast been weary of me, O Israel; thou hast made me to serve with thy sinnes, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities; I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sinnes.

5. When this, that all help failes, and through mans own fault, shall be the rise and advantage that God will take to give Isa. 63. 5. his Sonne to be the Christ and Saviour; this answers all objections. Now thus it stands here, none to help, none to up­hold; therefore (saith God) my arme Isa. 41. 27, 28. saves. No intercessor, no man, what! no counsellor! Behold (saith the Lord) I give one that bringeth good tydings, what! can no God, (Idol god) no wor­ship, no sacrifice, Lambs, Rams, Bullocks, Rivers of oyle, no price of silver or gold, nor prayers, nor tears of blood give help; Isa. 45. 20, 21, 22. behold, a just God and a Saviour I am, and there is none besides me; look unto me saith God, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth; behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.

[Page 110] 6. Therefore mercy was the onely mo­tive, mercy hath the miserable for its ob­ject. An unchangeable purpose of love within God himself according to the good pleasure of his will, was the onely proper cause causing salvation, and therefore it must needs be firme as a foundation of God; by grace are we saved, above and against desert. It is the glory of free-grace, and 'tis to the glory of free-grace to save Gratia non est gratia ullo modo, si non sit gratuita omni modo. Rom. 5 20. & 3. 27 Eph. 1. 6, 7. & 2. 8, 9. a sinner. Grace is not grace any way, if it be not frank and free every way.

7. It must needs be done thus to shew the glory of grace superabounding, when sinne and the Laws curse cannot hinder; but where sinne hath abounded, grace a­boundeth much more; and to exclude boasting, that glorious superabounding grace may have the praise for ever.

8. If it had been grounded upon any thing in us as the cause of this saving love, we should never have dared to come near unto the holy God, because we are sinful; nor could our hearts have stood stable in his presence, because creatures, and so are subject to change, we should have found so much weaknesse and changeable­nesse. The holy Angels stand before God through Christ as their Mediator of Con­firmation, [Page 111] who need no Mediator of Reconciliation and Redemption, because they never sinned.

9. This raiseth the heart to an exclusive 2 King. 7. 34. resolution, like the Lepers in the book of the Kings, in this manner; If we stay in our natural estate, we are sure to perish, if we come into Christ, we can but pe­rish; perhaps we may finde favour and grace, for there is enough in him; yea, and it begets in the soul the positive reso­lution of the Prodigal; there is bread e­nough in my Fathers house, and I perish Luk. 15. 15, 16, 17, 18. here, and starve with hunger; I will a­rise, and go to my father and say, father I have sinned.

10. Lastly, The blessednesse of a sinner consisteth and cannot possibly consist in a­ny Rom. 4. 6, 7, 8. other thing than in forgivenesse, and in a non-imputation of sinne; in the mer­ci [...]ul covering of iniquity: for what shall become of him that hath sinned, if hi [...] sinne be charged upon him; he must passe under the eternity of the wrath to come, which sinne hath justly subjected him un­to: and then where will be the time and place for blessednesse? what can be be­yond everlasting? if forgivenesse of sinnes be the blessednesse of a sinner, then here [Page 112] is nothing in man to move God but this; here is a sinner, a man undone by his own sin, but I will be his God, and will be Heb. 8. 10, 12. merciful to his transgressions, and I will remember his sinnes no more. This, this is the Covenant by which we sinners can live and stand in the sight of God.

SECT. 2.

But wherein may it be made to appear Illustrated six wayes. that the weaknesse of the Law, made weak through the sinfulnesse of man mo­ved God to give his Son?

Answ. 1. Because this is the main rea­son why God left the Gentiles to them­selves for above two thousand years, up­holding them neverthelesse in the utmost of natural abilities which are in man since the fall, and giving them all the blessings of Creation continued in his Providence with goodnesse and long-suffering, that all the world might see, man cannot by his wisdome finde out the true God; finde out the way of reconciliation and salvati­on; man cannot do ought but wander from God, he understands not, and will not ask after Christ: and then God will say, Behold me, to them that asked not Isa. 65. 1. [Page 113] after him, and that shall be verified, I Isa. 41. 27. Junius in locum. 1 Cor. 1. 21. am found of them that sought me not; then God giveth Christ, the first that saith to Zion, behold, behold the things which none could tell of: he that is the one, the only one that bringeth good ty­dings. Paul to the Corinths opens this, saying, After that in the wisdome of God (who wisely disposeth of all things in his providence, governing the ages of the world, and the generations of men upon the earth) the world by wisdome, (their wisdome of the light of nature with which they came into the world indued of God the Creatour, having the book of the creature open before them, and time afforded to improve it to the utmost, of which wisdome even in the things of God they grew conceited, professing themselves to be wise, neverthelesse the truth is, they by wisdome) know not God: much lesse could ever so much as dream of Christ; It pleased God in his infinite eudoky, or good pleasure, by the foolish­nesse so esteemed by the wise of the world, of the preaching of Christ crucified, for the Redemption of a sinner, to save them that believe.

3. The reason why the Jewes were left [Page 114] of God to doat about the establishing of their own righteousnesse (to which thing all men by nature stand enclined, neither can they by the utmost abilities of reason in man arise higher, or seek any thing else: that the Jews, I say, went about Rom. 9. 31, 32. this) to their cutting off, was this: that all men being concluded in unbelief (from the Reign of which they cannot deliver themselves, when the Gospel of Christ is told them never so plainly; and all that they will drive that Gospel unto, is but this, to seek the more to establish thereby their own righteousnesse.) It might ap­pear that salvation cometh only then un­to men, when the Lord will of his own free-grace take hence the occasion to have mercy upon them all, whether they be Jews or Gentiles; and there the Gen­tiles sooner attained the righteousnesse which is by faith in Christ Jesus, than the Jews who had the Scripture, which the Gentiles had not; and the Jews cannot get over this evil of going about to esta­blish their own righteousnesse, and do make to themselves Christ Jesus, A stum­bling Rom. 11. 3 [...], 33. stone, and a Rock of offence to this day; nor will it ever be otherwise, untill God glorifie the riches and power [Page 115] of his grace to have mercy upon them. When Paul, that heaven-measuring soul, knowing in Gospel-mysteries, through the Revelations which Christ gave unto him, entred into the discourse of these wayes of God, he is rap't in admiration, and breaks out thus, Oh the depths of the riches, both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judge­ments, and his wayes past finding out!

3. This was the reason why the Law was given, that the Jews having the Law in a perfect draught from God himself, by the glorious ministery of the holy Angels in the hand of a Mediator Moses, might Gal. 3. 19. 20, 21, 22, find that thereby they could not have life given them, because they could not get righteousnesse thereby, but were all con­cluded under sinne, that so the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe, and not to them that would stand by their works; by which with the help of the holy Law to the ut­termost they could never attain to righteousnesse, although they sought it zealously thereby.

4. The first proposing of the Gospel to Adam fallen, proveth that mans de­struction by disobedience was the rise and [Page 116] ground of the exhibiting of the Messiah. It was proposed in a threatening to the Tempter, when Satan had through subtle­ty destroyed Gods workmanship: and in these words was it first Preached, It shall break thine head, that is, the womans s [...]ed shall break thine head: she that brought in sin upon mankind by thy se­ducement, shall be the instrument to bring forth that man, that seed that shall dis­solve the Devils works; the ruined work­manship of God shall be reared and resto­red by flesh of the woman by which it was ruined.

5. The manner of disposing of the Co­venant of grace teacheth this: for therein Ezek. 36. 25, 31. God promiseth to work all the work, e­ven by a new Creation, out of worse then nothing, against all impossibilities to any created strength, that the saved may have no other grounds in themselves to look for mercy, but their doings and ways abominable and loathsome; and they might be loathing and abhorring them­selves as they look to receive mercy: that it might be for ever known and acknow­ledged by them, that God doth all not for their righteousnesse, but for his own names sake. Mark there also how God [Page 117] layeth down this as the reason and ground of making Covenant with any, taking them to be his people, and promising to be their God: For I will saith God, be merciful to their transgressions, and I will Heb. 8. 9, 12. remember their sinnes no more. Likewise this is evident from the manner of dispo­sing the heart of the federate, of him whom God receiveth into Covenant: he is brought to this frame, even to smiting on his breast, standing aloof off, not lift­ing up so much as his eyes to heaven, in sense of unworthinesse and conscience of guilt and filth, and to say, God be merciful to me a sinner: To be ashamed Luk. 18. 13 14. Ezek. 16. 62, 63. M [...]t. 11. 28 1 Joh. 1. 7, 9. and confounded, and never open his mouth any more, because of his shame, when God is pacified towards him for all that he hath done. So also the promises made to confession of sinnes: the in­vitations of the Gospel to the sinne­burdened, and sick with sin: The prayers, and arguments used in prayer by Gods people; such as this, for thy names sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, Psa. 25. 11. for it is great. This were strange Logick, a strange art of reasoning, but that this is all that in us doth move God to pardon, [Page 118] even that which deserveth damnation, our sinnes, our sinfulnesse: and this is that only thing, besides his own bowels of ten­der compassions, which causeth him to will our salvation, and to will the giving of a Saviour, and to will the appointing of all means, and effectual workings in and by those means useful to salvation. Our lost estate by sin, moved Christ to come to seek and save, and moved God the Father to send him to seek and save. Mark the arguings of the godly, the bot­tome on which they fasten their foot when they sue for justification, and cry for mer­cy: Enter not into judgement, for no flesh Psa. 142. 2 Psa. 130. 1, 2, 3. Jer. 14. 7. living can be justified in thy sight. And, out of the depths (of the guilt and filth of sinne) have I cried unto thee, &c. And, Do thou it, though our iniquities testifie against us, for we have sinned against thee: for our back-slidings are many. So runs the Gospels summe; This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all 1 Tim. 1. 15. acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And the subjects of the grace of the Gospel; Publi­cans, Sinners, Harlots, A Manasseh, A Mary Magdalene.

[Page 119] 6. The pattern of Gospel-mercy, Saul 1 Tim. 1. 16. with ver. 12. 13. Phil. 3. 4, 5, 6. made a Paul. Saul the pattern in what he was before conversion obtaining mer­cy; a Persecutor, a Blasphemer, injuri­ous, full of Pharisaical confidence of his own righteousnesse which held his eyes blind-fold, ignorant of Christ, and his heart malignant to all that was of Christ, and so the chief of sinners, this Saul ob­tained mercy for a pattern: these were his meritorious works, his previous dispositi­ons, his free-will power to the obtaining of saving mercy; the pattern, in the grace abounding in his conversion; the grace of 1 Tim. 1. 14. faith and love which is in Christ Jesus, that is, which is truly Christian; the pat­tern in the work upon him remaining af­ter Gal. 2. 19, 20, 21. Phil. 3. 5. 6, 7, 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15 Rom. 7. 7. to the end of the ch. conversion; the pattern of mercy to all sinners that shall afterwards believe in Je­sus Christ to eternal life, in all these, through the conflicts they shall sustain in their spiritual warfare.

SECT. 3.

Be informed and directed hence in four Rom. 8. 2. The use, 1. To in­form us. things.

1. In the right use of the Law in respect of life and justification, which is this, first, [Page 120] that righteousnesse cannot be had by the Law, but the curse; and therefore se­condly, Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 7. 13 look upon it, that sinne may be known, that sinne may become to thee exceeding sinful, when thou findest that it worketh death in thee, even that Law kills thee, which is good, holy, just and spiri­tual; thirdly, make use of it to conclude Gal. 3. 23. Gal. 3. 24. Phil. 3. 8, 7, 9. thee under sinne, and shut thee unto faith in Christ; and fourthly, that thou mayest be schooled unto Christ; fifthly, that thou mayest renounce thine own righte­ousnesse which is by the Law as losse and dung, as offalls and dogs-meat that thou mayest winne Christ, and be found in him, who is true food, riches and the best gain; sixthly, that by the body of Christ Jesus crucified for sinners, thou mayest be delivered from the Law of thy first hus­band legally, inasmuch as he is dead; e­ven Rom. 7. 4. the Law as it is a Covenant, that so tho [...] mayest be free to be married unto a­nother, even to the Lord Jesus Christ ri­sen from the dead, that thou mayest bring forth fruit unto God, and no more bring forth fruit unto thy self, dead fruit, that hath self-ability for the principle and spring, and self-glorying for the end; which must needs make the best of works [Page 121] done after the holy Law to be dead fruit, carrion-like, stinking and abominable.

2. In the right use of the disability thou findest in the Law to help and deliver, this is by accident, Lay the blame altogether upon thy self; for there lyeth the cause thereof: let thy corrupt nature, thy flesh be charged with it, that the Law may be magnified and kept honourable in thy esteem; and that God the holy Law-giver may be justified and cleared when he therein judgeth thee: Say with blessed Rom. 7. 10, 14. Paul, the Law is holy, and the Com­mandment holy and just, and good; the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

3. In the right use of the weaknesse and wickednesse of the flesh when thou feelest Phil. 3. 3, 4 the same; Have no confidence in the flesh, in thy natural abilities, priviledges, per­formances; Place no confidence in them for ever, for flesh defiles them, and makes to it self-advantage of them: Ne­ver trust thine own heart any more, for Prov. 28. 26. this is the property of the fool that is not wise towards God; the more thou feelest the motions of sinne in thy members, look out and betake thy self to Christ, & to free-grace so much the more: Is there not [Page 122] a cause? hast thou not weakned the holy perfect Law? bring out thy sick and weak, thy blinde and halt, thy deaf and dumb, thy leprous and dead, bring them out be­fore this Lord Messiah. The great mira­cles he wrought in the perfect, powerful, present cures of bodily miseries here on earth, were all to direct us where to seek and finde the cure of all spiritual mala­dies. Christ Jesus loosed the cords of af­flictions, by loosing the cords of sinne; the true method in taking away the cause, and thereby the sad effects, sheweth the skill of a Physician indeed.

4. Here be advised what is the greatest and most shameful perversnesse, and that is, to continue in sinne that grace may a­bound; Rom. 6. 1. to turn this grace into wanton­nesse and lasciviousnesse; to professe Christ, and live Heathenishly. Grace, free-grace, and not the Law, breaks down the dominion of sinne. Christ dissolves the works of the Divel; he was manifested Rom. 6. 14 1 Joh. 3. 8, 5. to take away sinne, and in him is no sin, he is not faulty in the work he under­took.

2. Be perswaded to come to Christ; let rhis love draw thee; will God take the Use 2. To exhort. rise and ground of shewing mercy from [Page 123] thy undone estate, there also do thou take thy rise, and from thence look unto him; what can stand in the way to hinder that love which sinne cannot hinder; which sinne drew forth to full manifestations? think on't seriously, frequently, belie­vingly to turn thee quite about after this God.

Again, be ravished with desires and ad­miration: Oh the heights, depths, lengths and breadths of this love of God! The Lord strengthen us with might by his Spirit in the inner man, that we may com­prehend with all the Saints the love of God in Christ, in all its dimensions and Ephes. 3. 16, 18, 19. measures, to the filling of us with all the fulness of God; the fulnesse of this his revealed glory. And while thou contem­platest the wayes of Gods grace, admiring astonishment will cause thee to cry out, Oh the depths both of the knowledge and wisdome of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his wayes past finding Rom. 11. 33, 34, 35. out! who hath given to him first? let him stand forth, and it shall be recompensed unto him; who hath known the minde of the Lord? or who hath been his Coun­sellor? Use 3. To comfort.

3. Comfort also springs out and flows [Page 124] hence in abundance: first, under sinnes guilt, and under sinnes motions; Die un­der Rom. 7. 9, 13. the feeling thereof: let sinne in the thought thereof grow exceeding sinful and abominable in thine eyes, as indeed it is in it self; view thy self a sinner in the perfect glasse of the pure Law of God, behold it in the reflexion of the cruci­fying, death and burial of the Sonne of God for the sinne of the world, and let free-grace be glorified, and then thou art safe. Secondly, under temptations of presumption and of despair; under the temptation of presumption, either that of carnal confidence, or that of carnal conceptions of mercy. Nothing in us, or in any other creature or thing out of God himself was the cause of Gods love to any. Christ himself is but the gift of this love of God; when thou lookest upon thy self, dwell upon thy guilt and filth, that thou mayest by faith alone dwell in God, and God dwell in thee; he sindes thee sinful, lost and forlorn, and he will save, and in saving cannot leave thee such, for then he did not save. Under the temptation of despair, what support is here? No sinne, no Law made God to loath, as in justice he [Page 125] should, but to pity, and to redeeme. Thirdly, under the power of enemies; Isa. 49. 24, 25, 26. Behold here, sinne that sells the sinner, occasions the workings of the tender bowels and mercies of the infinite God, of God the Father to save; Behold here, the Lawful Captive, the Captive of the Mighty is redeemed and delive­red.

Hitherto of the fourth truth demon­s [...]rating the second great doctrine concerning the full salvation which is in Jesus Christ. Now let us come to the fifth medium which the Apostle giveth to demon­strate the All-sufficiency of this salvation.

SECT. 1.

5. THe words of the Apostle now to 5. Salvati­on is full where sin is expia­ted, and the righ­teousnesse of the Law is fulfilled for and in us sinners. be handled are these; [And for sinne, condemning sinne in the flesh, that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us, did God send his own Sonne;] here is delivered this glorious truth, viz. That the end of Christs mis­sion, incarnation and passion being to ex­piate sinne, and to fulfill the righteous­nesse of the Law both for and in us, doth abundantly prove the salvation of those that are in Christ to be absolute and full.

Here three affrighting and sinking sen­tences Opened, and while opened, demon­strated. [Page 127] are savingly and everlastingly an­swered: The awakened sinner when he considers the Law of God, and the Bonds of his obedience thereunto, as he is a reasonable creature, cannot but reason thus;

1. I am a sinner, and sinne condemns me by the righteous sentence of the Law which I have broken. It is answered, The Sonne of God is sent in the flesh for sin, to be the sacrifice to take it away, the Lamb of God slain in sacrifice for the sin of the world. God condemns sinne, which would condemn thee; God con­demns it in the flesh of his own Sonne; as the Syriack readeth the words, in his flesh, and the connexion of the words in these two verses doth inforce that sense; for he that sent his own Sonne in the flesh to condemn sinne in the flesh, and so save the sinner, must needs condemn sinne in his flesh, and not in our flesh; for had we born in our bodies the condemnation due by the Law for our sinnes, we had perished everlastingly, and had for ever layn under the curse of the Almighty Law-giver, but sinne is expiated by a sacrifice of infinite value, sinne is condemned in the flesh of Gods own Sonne; therefore thou shalt [Page 128] never be condemned for thy sinne.

2. The Law requireth perfect obedi­ence and righteousnesse of the creature, and continuance in the same. I cannot perform the obedience which the Law re­quireth; and were all my former sinnes forgiven, I shall sinne again. It is answe­red, the Sonne of God hath fulfill'd the righteousnesse of the Law in thy nature for thee; for God sent him in the like­nesse of sinful flesh, he sent him about sinne, that he in the flesh, the humane nature, might fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law; therefore he was sent not for himself, who was not obliged to the Law, but for us to fulfill it for us; therefore his obedience is thy obedience, his righteous­nesse thy righteousnesse. The righteous­nesse of Christ Jesus, the righteousness performed by him, is performed for thee, not for himself, it is thine: it is the righ­teousnesse of God, of Gods appointing ordained for thee: it is the righteousnesse of faith, thine by believing, not by work­ing; thou hast not a righteousnesse of works, for thou art a sinner, but here is a righteousnesse provided for a sinner; be­lieve, and it is thine; it is an everlasting righteousnesse; live ever by believing, and [Page 129] all thy sinnes are covered, thou art clo­thed for ever. The Sonne of God Jesus Christ is the Lord our righteousnesse.

3. But man is yet a creature, and though he be not under the curse, and be acquit­ted of his sin, yet is he bound to obedience, and not the lesse bound, but the more, be­cause God so loveth, as to give Christ his own Son; my bonds of obedience are grea­ter, and yet I sin daily, my sin is the more aggravated, because they are against such a gracious God and Father, and against such a Lord Redeemer; it is answered; The Son of God is sent to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law in us; how? may you say;

1. By setting out to the world, and to the heart of a sinner, sinne more vile and the more condemned in and by the heart of the sinner, which is one point of righteous­ness to hate & judge sin. And God most ho­ly, while most of love, and most just while most of mercy; now this heals us of profa­ness whilst it allures; & draws with cords of love whiles it fills with holy fear; sin is ha­ted, and God loved; the name of the Lord Christ is named with an heart departing with a blessed Apostasie from iniquity; & as love abounds, just abomination of sin en­creaseth with self-loathing and self-abhor­rency.

[Page 130] 2. By shewing a crucified Christ, which sight woun [...]s to the quick, perswades to Zach. 12. 10. Joh. 12. 32, 33. Joh. 3. 14, 15, 16. Gal. 2. 19, 20. believe in God so loving as not to spare but to deliver up his own for us; so faith­ful of his word, performing in due time the greatest, unlikeliest, and ancientest promise he ever spake; to believe in Christ so gracious, to believe his promises, threatnings, commandments, and all his words. This sight crucifies us with Christ, ye [...] causes to live to God, and to live in and through crucifyings.

3. By this faith the sinner is united to Christ; not by a moral union, as love u­niteth, but by a mystical, receiving his Spirit; not by a Physical or natural union, but by a supernatural. Christ of whom the Word & the Spirit do therein testifie, faith receiveth; faith receiveth Christ in the Word, justifieth, and Christ is formed in the heart; faith brings home the love of God in Christ, as the Holy Ghost in the Word of the Gospel revealeth, and by that Word reveals the Sonne in the sinners heart believing: this faith works love, this faith works by love, which is the fulfilling of the Law.

4. By this faith Christ is received; not only as satisfying Gods justice punishing [Page 131] and commanding, but as purchasing grace, glory, and all good things else: yea, as purchasing the blessing of the promise, e­ven the Holy Ghost who reneweth after Gal. 3. 12. the image of God, and sets the heart on high in hope of the glory to come, eternal life.

5. Christ coming into the believer, breaks down sinnes dominion, and sets up his own government in the soul, the Rom. 6. 14 authority of the Law-giver, the spiritual­nesse of the Law, and his delight in all this.

6. By his Spirit, he creates us anew, he confers all principles of obedience, he comes and dwells there in the new crea­ture, he is in the seed abiding in them, he enables, he excites that ability, he im­parts to them the promises, he puts life into the Word and Ordinances that they may be in power.

7. By his exemplary life in holinesse, both in doing and suffering; he beats out before us the way of righteousnesse as our pattern, which draws out imitation, (man being a creature prone to be led by ex­amples, and his imitating inclination in his new Creation sanctified,) now we would walk as Christ walked; the heart [Page 132] is set on high and perfect patterns, even on Gods holinesse, and on Christs purity.

8. Here is the image of God to be be­held in a mirrour, in liberty and in great 1 Cor. 3. 17, 18. glory, the image of God lost, but in Christ found again, begetting in us the ve­ry same image, we see and are transformed, we see & are assimilated, & made like unto it.

All this work is in true and powerful be­ginnings which tend to, and are growing towards perfection, and shall be perfect with perfection of degrees and fulnesse, as here it is of parts and of uprightnesse.

SECT. 2.

This Doctrine is of singular use to wipe Uses. 1. To vin­dicate the Gospel. Gal. 2. 17, 18, 19. off all aspersion cast upon the Doctrine of justification of a sinner by faith in Jesus Christ without the works of the Law, as if it were a Doctrine of loosnesse: for see here Christ is not the minister of sin; he destroyeth sinne in believers, he by faith purifieth them to the very heart; the preaching of this Gospel of forgivenesse of sinnes out of free-grace by faith in Jesus Christ destroyeth sin; it makes the belie­ver to live to God through a double death, and the latter of them which this Gospel [Page 133] by faith puts the sinner unto is no less than crucifying, yet a death to the believer most desirable, because it is a crucifying of him with Christ. And now this believer can­not but abhor the thought of being such a transgressor as to go about to build again that which by receiving and professing, and preaching (if he be a Minister) this Gos­pel he destroyed, was there ever the like effectual way of destroying sin, and ful­filling the Law in a sinner as this? here sin is made hateful in the heart of the sinner, profanesse of heart healed, the heart for­merly alienated, now drawn to God, the old man crucified, which Christ and the believer lives yet, or rather Christ lives in him; faith uniting to Christ, and recei­ving Christ works by love, love constrain­ing to live to him that dyed for them, the Holy Ghost is received, the Son of God revealed in the soul, Christs, government is set up, and sins dominion is broken down, the heart is created anew, and the sinner enabled to walk in Gods statutes, & to do his commandments with delight in the spiritualness and purity of the Law; he would be holy, as his heavenly Father is holy, and pure as Christ is pure, and walk he would as Christ walked: by [Page 134] faith beholding God in Christ all of love, he suffers a change from glory unto glory, which shall be perfected in both body and soul in glory. Was there e­ver such a fulfilling of the righteousness of the Law by weak sinful man as this, which is wrought by faith in the Sonne of God sent into the world to take away sin by one offering and sacrifice once for ever? Jesus Christ was a curse for sinne, not a cloak for sinne; he fulfilled all righteousnesse, but nulled no Law; he fulfills the Law in us, whiles he enables ro believe that he fulfilled it for us. The Ministry of the Gospel is the Ministry of Rom. 3. 31 life, of righteousnesse, and of the Spi­rit: we establish the Law by faith; we magnifie it and make it honourable; we bring to glorious liberty, not to base licentiousnesse, which is most absolute slavery. We advance godlinesse, while our Doctrine forms it in power, and destroyes a powerlesse form of it: we maintaine good workes, while through the Gospel the sinner is called to come to God through Christ alone, and God takes him into his own gracious and powerful hands, and makes, molds, fa­shions him in his own workmanship in [Page 135] Christ Jesus created anew unto good Eph. 2. 10. works. O ye Pontificians, ye Papists and all others to whom the Gospel comes, know ye, The Law is not a­gainst the Promise: The Promise in­graves the Law in the fleshly tables of the heart.

This Doctrine also tries and differen­ceth 2. To try Profes­sors. Believers and Believers, Christians and Christians; upon the Believer and Christian indeed, the former three senten­ces are deeply fastened, and the answers are experimentally and sweetly resented in the heart that closeth with them, and re­ceiveth the mould of them; such a heart is truly believing and Christian, and no o­ther: Go over them again and again in thy thoughts, and try how it is with thee.

SECT. 1.

THe person applying, and the man­ner of his application of the salva­tion by Christ is implied in these words, [who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit] here the Spirit is the person that brings home this work with efficacy and power; for here we have a double consideration of the Spirits work in the saved ones; the first presupposed and im­plied, namely, that God the Father, and Jesus Christ his Son do give to those that shall be saved the Spirit, who applyeth sa­vingly [Page 137] all the love of the Father, and the grace of the Son: who pulls the flesh, or mans natural corruption out of the Throne, and sets up himself to rule the man; mention is made in these words of such a Spirit, and who can be able to do such a work but the Spirit who is the power of the most High; who will be willing but the Holy Spirit, or as we usually speak the Holy Ghost? likewise, either sinners have this Spirit of themselves, and so none have; for if they had him in them by nature, how is it that he ruled not, how is it all by nature are under the power of the flesh living and walking in their sins? or else he must be given, and who can give him but God the Father, and Christ his only Son? this giving and working of the Spirit for the bringing home the Redemption which is in Jesus Christ, is therefore necessarily implied in these words. The second work of the Spirit is expressed in a Description of the Re­deemed ones; [They walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit;] both these considerations are in the subject persons made partakers of that work of the Spirit, two wayes commended in the words, [us, [Page 138] who walk, &c.) first, that the Jews and the Gentiles, the Apostles and all others that belong to God, are all alike sharers in this mercy and work of the giving of the Spirit to them to apply saving [...]y this salva­tion, and to reign in them, and frame their conversation, although they have not all alike this Spirit in the same mea­sure and degree; Us who walk saith the Apostle, we Apostles, we Jewes, and you the believers at Rome to whom he wrote, you that were sinners of the Gentiles; us, you as well as we, who walk after the Spi­rit. Secondly, that neither the one nor the other of them, have respect with God but in Christ; No, were he an Apostle, not Paul himself, nor do they look for part in this salvation upon lower or other termes, but as they fall with­in this Description. Hence therefore we have two things before us.

1. The sixth branch of truth that proves the fulnesse of salvation in Christ.

2. The third great doctrine, which is, The description of a true Christi­an.

The sixth branch is this.

The salvation of sinners by Christ is com­pleat, Doct. 6. The Spi­rit of the as being savingly applied by the Spi­rit, [Page 139] given of God the Father, and of Christ Father and the Son, applies the salvation by Christ, dethron­ing cor­ruption, and ruling the whole man. 1 Cor. 6. 11 his own Sonne to them that shall be saved; In which application, the Spirit dethrones the flesh, and rules the whole man. The sin­ners which are washed, justified and san­ctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, have this so great a change wrought by the Spirit of our God, saith the Apostle: God who sent the Redeemer, hath covenanted that his Word and Spirit shall be in the seed, and seeds seed of the Redeemer, to whom the Father gave them that he should save them, as the Prophet Isaiah sheweth, saying, The Redeemer shall Isa. 59. 21. come to Zion. As for me, this is my Cove­nant with them, saith the Lord, my Spirit that is upon thee (that is, upon Christ the Redeemer,) and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed (for whom the Redeemer gave his soul an offering for sin, and went in tra­vel with them on the Crosse) nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed, from henceforth Isa. 53. 10. Gal. 3. 14. 1 Joh. 4. 13. & 3, 24 and for ever. Christ hath purchased it, and the believer is possessed of it. Here­by we know, saith the Apostle, that we dwell in God, and God in us, even by the Spirit which he hath given us. This is that way [Page 140] in which he saveth, even by the renewing Tit. 3. 3, 5. 2 Thes. 2. 13, 14. 1 Thes. 1. 3, 4, 5. of the Holy Ghost, which he sheds on us abundantly through our Lord and Saviour; and through this way, even the sanctifica­tion of the Spirit; God bringeth his chosen unto glory. Hereby our election is known. The Son of God the wisdome of the Father, subdueth us by his Spirit pour­ed out unto us; by which he makes known his words to us: This is called the Commu­nion Pro. 1. 23. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Joh. 3. 3, 5 of the holy Ghost. And this is so ab­solutely necessary, that unlesse a man be born from above of water, and of the ho­ly Ghost, he can never see the Kingdome of God; that is, he cannot come into and enjoy eternal life in heaven, he can never enter into it, unlest he be born a­gain of the holy Spirit now poured out as plentifully as water and floods according to the promise of the Old Testament: this our Apostle is peremptory, If any have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. There are three that bear Record in hea­ven, Isa. 44. 3. Rom. 8. 9. 1 Joh. 5. 7, 8. and three that bear Record on earth unto the salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ, and the Spirit is one of each three. The Spirit is the witnesse that testifieth of Christ, and the Spirit is the witnesse that testifieth in the true Christian, that he is [Page 141] the child of God; the believer hath the witnesse in himself, the word of Scripture is the Spirits Testimony; in this word as in his Chariot the Spirit cometh into the heart; by this word engraffed, which is the Spirits work, he dwells there, and in and by this word which he quickneth, he gives in his witnesse that we are the Chil­dren of God.

Now it is the compleatnesse of this work of the Spirit which is here to be con­sidered: And this will be manifest if we observe diligently the opening of these seven things.

1. Who this Spirit is. Seven things un­folded, touching the Spirit.

2. What is his saving work in and upon the elect of God, and the Redeemed of Christ.

3. That the Spirit is in Office to do that saving work, and his faithfulnesse in this his Office.

4. The peculiar works of the Spirit in order to this saving work.

5. The Inhabitation of this Spirit where he is thus given.

6. The time of his coming.

And lastly.

7. The peculiarity and appropriation of this work to the elect of God the Fa­ther, [Page 142] and to the Redeemed of Jesus Christ.

SECT. 2.
1. Who this Spirit is.

This Spirit is the holy Ghost; for so the Apostle in this Chapter maketh it cleare, 1. Who is this Spi­rit. when he calls him the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ, ver. 9. and the Spi­rit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead: the Spirit that shall quicken our mor­tal bodies, in ver. 11. and in ver. 16. he distinguisheth this Spirit from our spirits in the point of witnesse-bearing. There­fore the Spirit is the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Spirit, as our Translators also render it in the Epistle to the Ephesians, Ch. 1. 13. & ch. 4. 30. which is all one in sense, the word Spirit being from the Latine, and Ghost an old English word. Now that we may know who the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Spirit is, note 2. He is God, he is true and very God, equal in power and glory with the Father and the Sonne, the same God in essence, though a distinct 1 Joh. 5. 7 person in the God-head and the third per­son; for there are three, and these three [Page 143] are one: three persons; the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Ghost; the Son is not the Father, nor the Holy Ghost; the holy Ghost is not the Father nor the Son; they are three, yet these three are one God, not three Gods: one God in essence; the God-head of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is but one. Spirit here is taken personally, and not essentially, as when it is said, God is a Spi­rit; and these three are one in bearing Record; one God in bearing Record, yet three that bear Record; three persons and one God; and that he is God is manifest; The Lord is that Spirit, or that Spirit is the Lord. We are transformed into the 2 Cor. 3. 17. & v. 18 Image of God in beholding in the glasse of the Gospel the glory of God; and this transformation is wrought even as by the Spirit of the Lord; that is, it is such a work as none can do but the Spirit of the Lord, and such wherein the Spirit of the Lord is plainly seen; an expression like that concerning Christ Jesus, We saw his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father; as is not of similitude, or likenesse, for no like is the same; but as of specification of the very things; as the glory, that is, no other or lesse than the [Page 144] very glory of the only begotten of the Fa­ther. So likewise here, as by the Spirit of the Lord, that is, by no other worker, and by no lesse than by the very Spirit of the Lord; and it may also be read (which I most approve as most agreeing to the whole Context going before, especially in ver. 17. as by the Lord the Spirit. A­gain, To tempt the Spirit, is to tempt Act. 5. 3, 4. Isa. 6. 9. with Act. 28. 25. God: as we find in the History of Ana­nias and Sapphira; The Lord Jehovah spake by the Prophet Isaiah, and Paul saith, the holy Ghost spake those same words by Isaiah. The name Jehovah is the name of the true God only, this his name which is his alone, he will never give to another, but here it is the name of the Holy Ghost, Jehovah is the Holy Ghost, who spake by the Prophets, and who is, as the Nicene Creed professeth, The Lord and giver of life.

The properties also of the God-head, are given to the holy Ghost; as eternity, Heb. 9. 14. Psa. 139. 7. called the eternal Spirit. Omnipresence, or to be present in all places at once: as David sang, whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Omnipotence, to be Almighty: and this the works of the Spirit do mani­fest; he doth the works of God, the works [Page 145] which only God can do: as the work of Creation; by the Spirit of the Lord were the Psal. 33. 6 Job. 26. 13 Job. 33. 4. & 32. 8. Gen. 1. 2. with Deut. 32. 11. Isa. 61. 1. & 48. 16. 1 Cor. 12. 8, 9, 10, 11. heavens made; the Spirit garnished the hea­vens, and made man, as Elihu said, The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. The [...]nspiration of the Almighty giveth men un­derstanding. Likewise the work of preser­vation; the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, or was moving with an hatching virtue as the bird sitteth upon the eggs, and hovereth over her young to cherish and preserve them; his work is the sending and anointing of Jesus Christ: the gifts of tongues and miracles, and the like, which he distributeth as he will. These works declare the deity of the holy Ghost: and they declare it above Suae liberta­tis arbiter, omnia pro authoritate propriae vo­luntatis di­videns. Ambr. l 1. c 2. de spi­ritu sancto. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Rev. 1. 4. the force and reach of all cavills of sophi­stical blasphemers, and to the strong Consolation of all believers; he it is that applies with saving efficacy the love of the Father, and the grace of the Son. Divine honour is also given to him: as to be baptized into his Name, to pray and blesse from him, to call upon him. And in the second to the Thessalonians, Ch. 3. ver. 5. the Apostle prayeth thus, The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, [Page 146] and into the patient waiting for Christ. So Ambr. l. 3. de spir. sancto. c. 15 The same Father urgeth also that place in 1 Thes. 3. 12, 13. patrem dix­it, filium dixit: quem ergo cum­patre & fi­lio, praeter Spiritum junxit? Mark. 3. 29. Heb. 10. 29. Here are three distinct persons, God to be beloved, Christ to be waited for with pa­tience, and the Lord to whom the prayer is made, that he would direct the hearts of believers into that love and patient waiting. Now this Lord is the Lord the Spirit, who directs the hearts of those whom he sanctifieth and enableth to be­lieve. Against the holy Ghost sinne may be committed, and to great height, and men may commit such sin against him as may become unpardonable: because they wilfully and maliciously oppose and de­spight him in the manifestations of his presence, and gracious workings in the Gospel for the Application of this salva­tion; therefore he is very God, he is the Spirit of grace.

2. He is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son; the Spirit of God, and the Spi­rit Rom. 8. 9. Isa. 61. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 11. Gal. 4. 6. of Christ. He proceedeth Joh. 15. 26. from the Fa­ther and the Sonne, and according to this his existing, about the work of saving application of Redemption, he is sent forth of the Father, as he is the Spirit of his Sonne, into the hearts Gal. 4. 6. of those that are priviledged with the Adoption of chil­dren. God the Father sendeth him as he [Page 147] is the Comforter, and the Son Jesus Christ sendeth him: and therefore he is Joh. 15. 26 Alius, non aliud. Joh. 14. 16 another, a distinct person, not another thing: he is another Comforter; the Lord Jesus the Bridegroome, he is one Comfor­ter, the holy Spirit, in the Bridegroome, and the Bride one and the same, he is a­nother Comforter, he is the Spirit who knoweth the whole heart, and the most hid councels and secrets of the Father and the Son; these Gospel Mysteries, the 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11. secrets of this bosome-love, into which no Angels of light could dive, no more than a man can know what is in another man, unlesse he reveale it. This is he who works in us to bring home this salvation: therefore it is done most effectually and most comfortably.

SECT. 3.
2. What is his saving work?

In the Elect of God the Father, and in The saving work of the Spirit, made up of 14. works. the Redeemed of Jesus Christ his Son the Redeemer. The holy Ghost hath his sa­ving work: and it is made up of these se­veral works following.

1. Renovation, or regeneration; In [Page 148] which the holy Ghost by the word of Christ as water, as a laver of water wash­ing a sinner, as floods of waters poured out upon the dry and barren heart, doth clense and wash, and in the washing change and make a new the sinner. The word of the Gospel is as pure water, and water fructifying. The Lord Jesus Christ is a fountain opened for sin and uncleane­nesse, who came both by blood and wa­ter: all sorts of clensings and washings are found in him, and the holy Ghost in the work of his grace by the Record, by making the sinner to know his own foul­nesse and uncleanenesse by sin; and the fulnesse of clensing away sin by a bathe of that water, and by a Sacrifice in that blood which is in Jesus Christ the only Sonne of God crucified, and by taking the basin of the Word which sets forth Christ, into his own hands to sprinkle and rinse the sinner so enlightened; and by taking hold also of such a sinner to put him into this laver, and under this sprinkling he makes the heart to feel Christs love, and the flinty rockinesse of it to melt and flow down before the Lord God, and all the abilities of his soul to flow together, and rise up towards the Lord Jesus with strong and [Page 149] fixed desires; and then the holy Spirit is as water, (water that catrieth with it, and in it, the virtue of Christs blood, set Joh. 3. 5, 6, 8. forth in the Gospel,) all to the washing, and renewing, and begetting again, in such wise that this sinner is born from a­bove, Tit. 3. 5, 6. born of the Spirit, born of God, and Christ is formed in him. The par­ty came into this laver a sinful man, all leprous, a dead man, but he comes out of it a new man, a living changed man, quite another man than he was before. Behold the laver of regeneration, the re­newing of the holy Ghost shed on a poor humbled sinner abundantly, and richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; this work is of absolute necessity for old and young, for learned and unlearned, for Jew and Gentile. And as that which is born of the flesh, is carnal, corrupt, earth­ly, low and weak: so that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit, spiritual, pure, heavenly, high, and powerful, and dis­cerning the holy Mysteries of the Gospel of the high and holy God.

2. Sanctification: the Apostle Peter describeth a true member of the Church, a subject of grace and peace by the work of the three persons in the undivided God­head [Page 150] about his salvation, so that the Spi­rits work is that which singleth out the individual person from among all other the children of men, and seateth the Fa­thers love, and the Sonnes grace of Re­demption upon him particularly. This is the Description, He is one Elect ac­cording to the foreknowledge of God the Fa­ther, through sanctification of the Spirit un­to obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is we see, the saving work of the Spirit. Sanctifica­tion of the Spirit: and belief of the truth 1 Thes. 2. 13, 14. is the way through which God, calling sin­ners thereunto by the Gospel ministred by the ministry of the New Testament, doth bring those whom he hath chosen from the beginning to salvation, unto the obtain­ing of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, as this Apostle Paul teacheth in another place. Now the sanctifying work of the Spirit is this: 1. He illightens; and this illumination is accompanied, 1. With wisdome, that knows things as they are, and values them as they are worth, that knows the worth of the things of God in Christ discovered according to their excelling nature and difference, and pre­fers them above all other things: and it [Page 151] is 2. With R [...]velation also, bringing Ephes. 1. 17, 18. the things of Christ unto the mind in Gods own light; in a light above the light of mans reason: And it is thirdly with rectifying, or rather making anew the Organe: the eyes of our understandings, which were covered with blindnesse, and Mat. 16. 17 that blindnesse was in and from our birth (so that we were born blind) they are opened that we may know. All this is beyond the illumination which is of com­mon grace, and which may be found in the best of hypocrites. 2. He quickens, he causeth the dead in sins and trespasses to awake, arise, and live; he is the Spi­rit of life, the righteousnesse of Christ declared and set forth by God in the Gospel, and brought home to the soul of an humbled sinner by the word at­tended with the Spirit: and the Spirit is life, because of this righteousnesse; life from the death of condemnation which sin deserved: life from the death of sin; life true and joyful. 3. He circumcises the heart with a circumcision made without Rom. 2. 29 Col. 2. 11. hands. In this work, the word is the cir­cumcising knife; this knife is taken into the hand of the Spirit, the heart is the part that is to suffer, and not the flesh or [Page 152] body of the sinner, the fore-skin is the superfluity of maliciousnesse and wicked­nesse; Jam. 1. 21. Deut. 30. 6. the skin upon the heart, the skin of other loves which oppose the love of God, as self-love, the love of the world, the love which is called lust, and the love of superstitious vanities, and mens inven­tions in Religion, and worship: and the cutting off this fore-skinnesse, is when the word in the hand of the Spirit, and by it skilfully used, getting between our hearts and them, it makes the heart to see them to be such as the word sayes of them, and to judge it self for them, and to cast them away as unprofitable and destru­ctive, even because of Christ circumcised and made under the Law for us, and for our deliverance from the same Law. Un­till this work be done, no love of God can be wrought in us; strange loves have the heart; and when this work is done, it reacheth to the circumcision of the ears, and of the lips, and of the whole man; Insomuch that the body of the sinnes of the flesh, the whole frame of sinful flesh suffers and is destroyed. 4. He gives us spiritual senses, and a sagaci­ty and quicknesse of sente, whereby he makes us savour spiritual things, and to [Page 153] smell out, and delight to pursue spiritual wayes; this work is so eminent, that the Rom. 8. 5. Isa. 11. 2, 3 newborn babe can taste distinguishingly the sincere milk of the Word fit to feed, bat­ten and make to grow, from all adulte­rate stuffe, and can see and discern judi­ciously the things of the Spirit of God from all other things, and make up a right judgement concerning them, and can in hearing, try the words of doctrine deli­vered, and try the spirits in the teachers, the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of Anti­christ, the Spirit of God and the spirit which is of the world, the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour. In ordering his Conversation, he can sente and smell the wayes of holinesse from those of profane­nesse, so that he is of quick understanding in the feare of the Lord, and is sensible, and hath his feeling of spiritual mercies, and plagues of sin that annoyes spiritual life, and of the power and spiritualnesse of Ordinances and Administrations from ordinances of men in will-worship, and formal out-sidednesse and shews, and flo­rishes in administrations. All this the new born babe is able to do by a natural­nesse like an instinct, though for want of Art, or of strength of the reasoning abi­lity, [Page 154] or not yet having the wits, the sen­ses exercised in the word of righteousnesse, he cannot shew to his own or others sa­tisfaction where the fault lyeth, much lesse is able to dispute it, and by arguing con­vince the evil doers, the opposer, and the pleader for the evil; the quicknesse of spiritual senses doth grow, as age in Christ cometh on; the Spirit in this work rest­ed upon Jesus Christ as he was man in all fulnesse, as became our head, and it is on every living member of his mystical body, according to his place of member­ship as becomes such a Member. 5. He writes his law in our hearts. The Law, 2 Cor. 3. 2, 3, Rom. 8. 2 that is, the summe of revealed truth, both of the Law strictly so called, the Law of the ten Commandments, and of the Go­spel: this is that which is written; the writing is such an engraving of the truth with love of the truth upon our hearts, made soft, tender, and fleshy, as that it cannot be blotted out. The soul may be torn from the body, but the truth cannot be torn out of the heart. And this im­pression of the truth is such, that now it is the Law of the mind, which Laws the man: It is the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus as the Head, and [Page 155] in them as the members; this is an hea­venly edition of the Bible, so imprinted upon the soul, that the man becomes a living walking Bible, which print comes off so fair in the life of the regenerate and sanctified, that they are the Epistles of Christ to be seen and read of all men. 6. He gives liberty; he sets us free from the law of sinne and death; the title, the do­minion of sin is taken away that we may 2 Cor. 3. 17. Rom. 8. 2. Joh. 7. 37, 38. & 4. 14 become servants of righteousnesse. 7. He is a spring, and rivers of l [...]ving waters in our bellies, flowing up within us unto eter­nal life. Our hearts by nature are as a dry and barren howling Wildernesse, not fit for habitation, nor bearing any good plants, untilled and horrid to the sight: It is the Spirits work to be in us whom the Lord will save, changing the very will, breaking, open springs, and causing Rivers of sweet, wholesome and healing waters of the blessings of the Gospel, of all gifts and graces, and grounds of com­fort to flow within us, even in the very heart and conscience, in the belly of the man; and there these waters to be not as standing lakes, and ditch-water, but ever streaming out, and fed from the hid well-head of the holy Spirit. When this work [Page 156] is in us, then of Wildernesses we become fruitful Fields, then we have within us Isa. 44. 3. & 49. 10. Joel 3. 18. Zach. 14. 8 that which will satisfie, and will allay and quench our thirsts, our souls will be as a well-watered garden whose waters never fail. 8. He causeth all the fruits of gra­ces fructifying to be in us and to abound in us: all his fruits he maketh to break Ephes. 5. 9 Gal. 5. 22, 23. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 13. forth; all goodnesse, righteousnesse and truth, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faith, meeknesse, temperance; against which and such like there is no Law. 9. He transforms us into the image of God from glory to glo­ry. 10. He enableth us to believe, and Eph. 2. 18. Jude 20. Gal. 4. 6. to speak by confession, to pray to the Father through Christ with gracious and fervent desires, crying Abba Father, to morti­fie the deeds of the body; our members that are on the earth, and to be crucify­ing the flesh with the affections and lusts Rom. 8. 13 Gal. 5. 24. thereof, that old bel-dame original sin, the sinfulnesse of our natures in which we were conceived and born with all the cur­sed brats thereof inward and outward, in which actual transgressions she hath been and is prodigiously fruitful: To be puri­fying the soul in obeying the truth unto more and more unfeignednesse in faith, [Page 157] love, meeknesse, patience, and in every o­ther 1 Pet. 1. 22 Ezek. 36. 27. 2 Tim. 1. 14 grace: to walk in Gods statutes, to keep his judgments, and to do them: and to keep the faith committed to our trust as a thing deposited. In all these the actions are ours, the ability is the Spirits: these are the works of the Spirit sanctify­ing us.

3. Manuduction, or leading by the Rom. 8. 14. hand: the new born and sanctified are at first weak as children, and ever after in this life stand in need of a guide, such a guide as might inwardly act, sweetly and powerfully draw, graciously support, and gently lead, all this the Spirit doth for the children of God; this work is accom­panied with familiar sense of love and faithfulnesse, taking and holding us by the right hand that our souls might fol­low hard after him, these mighty dawn­ings Psal. 63. 8. and sustentations the more they are felt, the more are they prayed for, that they might run after Christ, and the more the soul is powerfully enabled in these pursuits, the right hand and dexrous power of the Holy Ghost is put forth to uphold us so much the more; and this work is ex­pressed further with counsel, as David Ps. 73. 23, 24. said, thou wilt guide me with thy counsel; and [Page 158] with inward prompting and whisprings as of a voyce behind them, saying, this is the way, walk in it, when ye turn to the Isa. 30. 21. right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

4. Teachings as the anointing; this teaching is with sweet and piercing effica­cy, as oyle that suppleth and entereth soakingly into flesh and bone; and it is 1 [...]oh. 2. 20, 27. with the perfume of the aromatical spicery of graces, like the holy anointing oyle un­der the Law mentioned, Exod. 30. 23, 24, 25. It is also with great establishment in our Royal Priest-hood, and in the truth of the Gospel which we learn by this teach­ing; therefore the Apostle John saith, we have an unction from the holy one, 2 Cor. 1. 21. we know all things: the effect hereof is great peace of heart, as it is said in pro­phecy concerning the true Church, espe­cially under the New Testament Ministry, All thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy Isa. 54. 13. children.

5. Consolation; he is the Comforter, by leading into all truth, by bringing all things unto our remembrance, by filling Joh. 16. 13. 6. & 14. 2 us with joy and peace in believing, by ma­king us to abound in hope of glory [Page 159] through his power, (for the work is of Rom. 13. 13. & 8. 15, 16. 1 Joh. 5. 6. Rom. 8. 26. 2 Cor. 1. 22. & 5. 5. Eph. 1. 13. & 4. 30. great and infinite power to set the heart of earthy man, of sinful clay, and keep it up stedfast so high as eternal life in the world to come, and in the third heaven;) by being in us the Spirit of Adoption in his work upon the heart, by witnesse-bea­ring, by making intercession in us and for us, by being the earnest in our bosomes, and by sealing us up to the day of Re­demption.

6. Direction inward, a most secret 2 Thes. 3. 5. work which hath two branches or parts: first, the directing of the heart renewed and sanctified into every particular acting of every grace received, especially of love and hope. Secondly, the directing of the heart into a very sensible taste and experience of comfort. The words of the Apostle when he saith, The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, this love of God may be understood actively of the love wherewith we love God; or passively, of the love wherewith God lo­veth us.

7. Corroboration; this renders the san­ctifyed mighty in doing and in suffering; enlarged to receive, and hold the strong wine of Gospel mysteries, and to walk at [Page 160] liberty in the wayes of Gods Command­ments, making their way through all im­pediments and oppositions, confirmed in the truth, and enabled to stand, fight and overcome in the spiritual warfare; This strengthens with might in the inner man, (the regenerate and no other have an in­ner man;) this is from the gracious free-gift of God, as the Father of Christ accord­ing to riches of glory, according to his Ephes. 3. 14, 16, 20, 19. Col. 1. 11. glorious power; and from the energy, the effectual working of the power of God working in us exceeding abundantly a­bove all that we can ask or think; and this work is unto the dwelling of Christ in the heart by faith, unto our rooting and grounding in love, unto capacious com­prehensions of the every way unmeasura­ble measures of the love of God and of Christ, unto all patience and long-suffer­ing with joyfulnesse in the profession of Christs name and Gospel, and unto the fil­ling with all the fulness of God, even the fulnesse of his image.

8. The giving of supplies; which for the manner of the work is by influence from Phil. 1. 19 Eph. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. Christ the head to believers as his members; for measure it is in a proportion agreeable to the measure of every part; for the things [Page 161] ministred grace and life spiritual; and for the next end, nourishment more firm, knitting to the head, and to every fellow-member, and increase with the increase of God, that is, with a mighty increase, an increase which beareth before it the work and blessing of no lesse, nor of any other than of God himself.

9. The shedding abroad of Gods love in Christ, even the sense of that love in Rom. 5. 5. with the context from ver. 1. to the 11. ver. and upon the heart: that lieth now next the heart; nothing comes between this love and the heart, it is plentifully pou­red on it; this work strengtheneth hope, patience, experience, joy in tribulations, even unto glorying and holy humble boasting, peace of conscience, faith in Jesus Christ, liberty of accesse into the favour and free-grace of God, and stand­ing in the same, so that we joy in God a­gainst whom we have sinned; this causeth all gladnesse, more than that gladnesse of Psal. 4. 7, 8 corne and wine abounding, more than all the comforts of this earthly Creation; and it setleth the soul in holy safety and security.

10. Assistance in persecutions; this ap­pears by special teachings of the Spirit to Mat. 10. 20 wisdome, power and utterance which the [Page 162] Adversaries cannot gain-say or resist; and by the resting of the Spirit on us as the Spirit of glory against the shame, and as the Spirit of God against the pain of the Crosse; by delivering also from the spirit of fear, even a low, pusillanimous, sla­vish, 1 Pet. 4. 14. base, fearful, perplexed, selfish, revengeful, giddy, turn-coat, unsound, carnally politick temper of the soul, and be in us the Spirit of power, of love, and of a sound minde: and by giving suffering 2 Tim. 1. 6, 7. graces and comforts fitted to the present suffering condition whatsoever it be. Last­ly, by enabling [...]o come to God in pray­er when the extremities of sufferings, the darknesse of Gods wayes in that dispensa­tion, and the difficulties of the times in which we are placed, and the perplexed­nesse of our and the Lords cause we are to stand for, by mens subtleties or otherwise is such, that we know not what or how to ask as we ought, yet even in this case the Spirit it self maketh intercession in us with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed; this is the proper sense of the Apostle in that place to the Romans, Chap. 8. verse 26.

11. The making us Gods habitation; he makes first his own way into the sinful, Eph. 2. 22. [Page 163] secure, proud, hard & stony, and dead heart, and then he prepares for God an habitati­on there; he makes us a spiritual house, and an holy Priesthood in that spiritual house; he builds us to be a Temple to God, that he may walk in them, and 1 Pet. 2. 5. 2 Cor. 6. 16 dwell in them; this he doth by building us as lively stones on Christ the choicest foundation stone, by furnishing us with the Temple-furniture through the doctrine of Christ received, and by consecration. And he maketh believers Priests by conse­c [...]ation with the anointing and by the be­sprinkling of the blood of Christ; by cloathing with the Priestly Robes of justi­fication and sanctification; and by bestow­ing on them the hearts and dispositions of consecrated Priests.

12. Mansion, or abode for ever in Gods people. This work is most comfor­table; the world cannot receive the Spirit, they know him not; Christs true Disciples John 14. 16, 17. know him and receive him; and he comes, and not as a guest for a night or so, but as the inhabitant that dwells in them as in his house and Temple, and abides therefor e­ver; he dwells in them as the Comforter and the Spirit of truth; he supplies Christs room and presence, therefore they are [Page 164] not Orphans; here is the anointing, the Chrisme that abideth in them, teaching 1 Joh. 2. 27. with ver. 20. & 24. them of all things that are delivered in the Scripture: in which doctrine of the Word of truth, the true Christian maketh conscience to abide and continue as ever they would continue in the Sonne and in the Father.

13. The uniting them to Jesus Christ the husband of the Church and to all true 1 Cor. 16. 17. Christians as all of them make up one bo­dy and Bride of such a Lord, the only Sonne of the living God, and God blessed Rev. 22. 17. for ever; in uniting true believers to Je­sus Christ as Bridegroome, he raiseth in them espoused conjugal love and fidelity, vehement desires after his love-tokens, the kisses of his mouth, familiar talkings and confabulations, walks together, feastings mutual and imbraces; these are set forth in that most spiritual book the Song of Solomon, and the more they enjoy this hidden communion with Christ, the more the Spirit raiseth in them desires unfeigned and fervent after, with love of, and waiting for the presence of Christ in his second coming; which is the marriage-day; the nearness of this union is such, that it is thus expressed, he that is joyned to the Lord, is one [Page 165] Spirit; and that is far nearer and more ex­cellent than to be one flesh, as man and wife are one: the work of the Spirit is al­so to unite to Christians in such wise that they are all one body; this is called the fellowship of the Spirit, and the unity of Ephes. 4. 4 Phil. 2. 1. Ephes. 4. 3 the Spirit; union with Christ and with Christians is the glorious work of the Spi­rit, the ground of communion, of com­munication, and of sympathy or fellow-feeling.

These are the saving works of the Spirit in the Elect and Redeemed, thus enume­rated Arrha do­cet, rene­vat, juvat, obsignat­que. salu­tem. Spiri­tus ecce do­cet, reno­vat, copu­latque, re­gitque; & consolatur Arrha sa­lutifera. for the help of memory, but not de­termining that they are wrought in this order; there is an old received verse, a pair of verses which name some of them, but I hope none that are judicious will ei­ther say that there are none else, or that these above-named so fully described in plain Scripture, and so comfortably expe­rienced by the Saints, are not the saving workings of the Spirit; but how lively, quick, significant and discriminating of this saving work are the Scripture expressi­ons and praises attributed to the Holy 2 Cor. 4. 13 Zach. 11. 10. Isa. 4. 4. Ghost? they are these, the Spirit of faith, the Spirit of grace and supplications; the Spirit of judgment and of burning; [Page 166] the Spirit of holiness, or of sanctification; Rom. 1. 4. & 8. 5. Rev. 11. 11 Rom. 8. 2. Eph. 1. 17 Isa. 11. 2, 3 2 Tim. 1. 7. Joh. 14. 17 Ps. 51. 11, 12. Eph. 1. 13. Psal. 45. 7. 1 Joh. 2. 20, 27. Joh. 14. 16 1 Joh. 5. 6, 10. Eph. 1. 14. & 4. 30. Rom. 8. 23 Ezek. 36. 25. Joh. 4. 10, 14. & 7. 38, 39. Cant. 4. 16 Hos. 14. 4. Mal. 3. 11. Tit. 3. 5. 2 Thess. 2. 13. Ro. 8. 26. Joh. 14. 26 1 Joh. 3. 9. Joh. 15. 26, 27. the Spirit of adoption, the Spirit of life, the Spirit of life which is in Christ Je­sus; the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of Christ; the Spirit of wisdome and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might; the Spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord; the Spirit of love, power, and of a sound minde; the Spirit of truth, Gods holy Spirit, Gods free or princely Spi [...]it; the holy Spi­rit of promise; the oyle of gladnesse, the anointing, the comforter, the witness, the earnest, the seal sealing, (for the Saints are the seal sealed;) the first fruits; clean water, water of life, a well-spring of living water, the North and South wind that blowes upon the gard [...]n, the dew and fire: the renewing of the Holy Ghost, the sanctification of the Spirit, he that ma­keth intercession in the Saints, he that brings all to their remembrance, the seed that abideth in them, he that enableth the belieer to bear witnesse to the truth of the Gospel with the spirit of a Martyr. All this glory manifested in these saving works, the children of God do feel and have the joyful experience of it in this life.

[Page 167] 14. The last saving work is for and in another world, to be done at the last Rom. 8. 11 day; and that is, The quickening of their bodies out of the grave: they shall be rais­ed by the Spirits quickening of them as members of the body of which Christ is the head; this is peculiar to the Saints who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ; the Spirit which now dwells in them, will in the Resurrection at the last day, quicken their mortal bodies.

These are great things, but most sure and certain: for the Holy Ghost, who is the power of the Highest, undertaketh this work as his Office; which is the third thing proposed to be unfold­ed.

SECT. 4.
2. That the Holy Ghost is in Office to do all this saving work, and is faithful in this his Office.

Here are two things to be considered, 3. He is in Office to do this work. the office of the Holy Ghost: and his faith­fulnesse.

1. The holy Ghost is in office to make good this work; this is manifest; first, be­cause [Page 168] he is sent, sent of the Father; sent of Christ, sent into the hearts of believers, Joh. 14. 26 & 15. 26. & 16. 7. Gal. 4. 6. 1 Joh. 2. 1. Rom. 8. 26. sent upon these works. Secondly, He hath names which denote this his Office: He is called the Comforter. Another Comforter. Jesus Christ he is one Com­forter, an Advocate with the Father, now in heaven appearing for us. And the ho­ly Spirit he is not Christ, he is Another, he is another Comforter, An Advocate in us; he encourageth, backeth us, ex­horts, helps to hand over, and puts into us desires, and makes intercession, ayding with groans unspeakable. He is called The unction, the anointing, or Chrisme▪ 1 Joh. 2. 20 Joh. 16. 13 Rom. 8. 15. He is called The Spirit of truth, the Spirit of Adoption.

2. The holy Ghost is faithful in this his Office: this fidelity is many wayes ex­pressed: first, in actual performance in Joh. 16. 13 14, 15. us of those works for which he is sent, and in regard whereof he bears his names: He the Spirit of truth, he will guide into all truth: as in John 16. 13. in like manner is it true of every other work; he is the Spirit of Adoption, and he enables to cry in prayer Abba-father, that is, to call on God with fervency of faith, so as to ex­presse the heart of a child towards God, [Page 169] as to a father in Christ promised in the Old Testament, ant sent accordingly in the New Testament. In both Testaments together is set forth the glory of the Fa­ther, and of Jesus Christ his Sonne to the full, written in the Old Testament in He­brew, and in the New Testament in Greek; and the Spirit frames the heart of a child, and fills with the cryes of a child in prayer answerable to both Testaments manifesta­tions; and therefore it is said the Spirit causes them to cry Abba, ho Pater, Fa­ther, Father. Secondly, In speaking no­thing of himself; he took on him nothing apart from, or otherwise than what he had in charge from the Father, and the Lord Jesus: but what he hears of the Fa­ther and the Sonne, that he speaks. E­ven as Jesus Christ shewed his faithful­nesse to the Father that sent him, in that he spake nothing but what he had heard of the Father; he spake altogether what was agreeable to the old Testament Do­ctrine, ver. 13. Thirdly, in glorifying Jesus Christ; He shall receive and take of that which is Jesus Christs, and shew it unto us. John 16. 14, 15. and hereby we may know the Spirit of truth from the 1 Joh. 4. 3, 4, 5, 6. spirit of errour: as the Apostle John gives [Page 170] the rule to try the spirits by.

SECT. 5.
4. The peculiar works of the Spirit, in order to the saving work.

Moreover, great must needs that 4. Peculiar works of the Spirit, in order to the saving work. work be, which hath marvelous works of the holy Ghost to be wrought and wrought every day, and perfected long agoe; that it may be performed now in order to the great saving work; there are peculiar and wonderful works, and they are manifold: some respect Jesus Christ, some the Scri­ptures, some the Church, and some the Ordinances: take a brief of them under these four heads.

1. Such works of the Spirit as respect 1. Respe­cting Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ: And so,

1. The holy Ghost formed Christs hu­mane nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and of her seed; this the Angel Gabriel declared in his answer to her en­quiry; the holy Ghost shall come upon thee, Luk. 1. 35, 36. and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.

[Page 171] 2. The holy Ghost anointed Jesus Isa. 61. 1. & 11. 2, 3. Act. 10. 38 Joh. 3. 34. Luk. 4. 14, 18. Joh. 1. 31, 32, 33. Mat. 3. 16. Christ as he was man with gifts and graces, so that he had the Spirit not by measure: And having thus consecrated him, and furnished him for the great office and work of Mediatour, he with God the Father sent him.

3. The holy Ghost by descending from heaven, and resting upon him visibly in the shape of a Dove, did publiquely shew him, and seal him in his Ba­ptism.

4. The holy Ghost witnesseth that Je­sus Christ who was crucified, is the Sonne Act. 5. 31, 32. Rom. 1. 4. of God the true Messiah: he also witnes­seth to the doctrine of Christs resurrecti­on, in which the deity of Jesus Christ is declared with power: and likewise to the doctrine of his exaltation at the right hand of God the Father.

2. Such as respect the Holy Scriptures; 2. Respe­cting the written word. 2 Pet. 1. 20, 21. Act. 1. 16. Mark. 12. 36. as,

1. He inspired the holy men of God, and infallibly dictated unto them, and guided them in committing the Word of God unto writing. No Scripture is of private motion; the holy Ghost spake by David, by Moses that faithful servant of God in all his house, by Isaiah, and by [Page 172] all the Prophets of the Old Testament: Heb. 9. 8. Act. 28. 25 1 Pet. 1. 12 Luk. 1. 41 67. Act. 2. 1 Cor. 2. 10, 13. the holy Ghost speaks by them; so he in­spired Elizabeth the Mother of John the Baptist, and Zachary his father; the ho­ly Ghost came down from heaven upon the holy Apostles on the day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Christs Resurrection, induing them with power from on High, and revealed to them all the deep things of God, all the mystery of his will; the Spirit both revealed to them the things of the Gospel, and gave unto them the words in which they should speak them, and leave them in writing, and these words from his own teaching.

2. He quickens the Word, so that the Word is Spirit and life: the Word is his Joh. 6. 63. Ephes. 6. 17. Heb. 4. 12 13. 1 Cor. 2. 4. sword; he puts an edge upon the Word, making it quick and lively in operation, to the dividing between the soul and spi­rit of man, and to the searching of all the secrets of his heart, that all may be na­ked and bare before him, with whom he hath to do in the Word.

3. He maketh the word to be with de­monstration of the Spirit, and of power: that is, with such power and efficacy in the heart, as ariseth from no lesse than the mighty working of the Spirit, and [Page 173] that in a way Demonstration: in which demonstration the Spirits light, testimo­ny and perswasion is so strong, that faith is wrought, faith in God, and that faith stands founded and rooted upon the pow­er of God.

3. Such works of the Spirit as respect 3. Respe­cting the Church. the Church of God: Now these respect either Church-Officers, or else the whole Church, or those members which are cal­led out to Martyrdome;

1. As touching Church-Officers, the works of the Spirit are these,

1. He gives them their gifts, which de­sign them out to the Church, unto their places and stations therein; thus the Dea­cons Act. 6. 3. Rom. 12. 8 1 Tim. 3. 9. were pointed out by the holy Ghost, in that he filled some members of the Church at Jerusalem with gifts of wis­dome and of mercifulnesse, and of sim­plicity, and of knowledge of the mystery of faith held and kept by them in a pure conscience; and this last was the special note of the foure, by which the Church should be guided in the election of Dea­cons, whom the Apostles upon such choice were to appoint and ordain, that they might have those men in that admi­nistration whom the Holy Ghost had gif­ted [Page 175] and fitted for the work.

2. He placeth them in their charges, as you may see concerning the Bishops, or Elders, the Ministers of the Church of Ephesus, of whom it is said that the holy Ghost made them Bishops over the flock of Act. 20. 28 God there. Our Translators render the word overseers, but in the Greek it is Bishops; neither can any good reason be alledged, why in this place as well as in o­thers of the New Testament they should not use this word Bishops.

3. He disposeth of them, so that they are fit for one place rather than for ano­ther; Peter was the Apostle of the Cir­cumcision: Paul had the uncircumcision committed unto him. Although Peter first of all the Apostles, preached the Go­spel to the Gentiles, as we read in Acts 10. yet Paul is called the Apostle of the Gentiles; when neverthelesse the Apo­stles Mark. 16. 16. all of them had the whole world gi­ven them in common, as their charge in these words, Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. And that the Holy Ghost doth in special and e­minent manner dispose of the Ministers where they shall perform their Ministry, consider these following Texts, Act. 13. [Page 175] 4. & 16. 6, 7. & 11. 12. & 8. 29, 39. Luk. 2. 27. there is not only a providential work of God about it who sets the bounds of mens habitations, but there is a work of the Spirit which may be known by his work both upon the heart of the teacher, and also upon the hearts and spirits of the hearers; and lastly by the judgement and sentence of the Assembly of Pastors and Teachers; the spirits work upon the teach­er, is his enclining and suiting of his spi­rit to the work of the ministery among them upon spiritual grounds and ends. The Spirits work upon the hearers, is his o­pening a door by enclining their hearts to 1 Cor. 16. 9 receive him, by stirring up many with de­sires to heare and receive the doctrine, although there be many adversaries, and many difficulties. The sentence of the Presbytery is also the work of the Spirit when it is done upon mature deliberation, and is regular and impartial, approving, ordaining, and appointing that Minister to dispense the Gospel to that particular people.

4. He enableth them to their ministe­rial work with utterance, and with a suf­ficiency for meditation and for ministra­tion. And this work of making able and [Page 176] sufficient to the ministery of the New Te­stament, is necessary to the performance Act. 2. 4. 2 Cor. 3. 5, 6. of every new acting of the Ministers, who after abilities and gifts received, still re­main insufficient for the least action Mi­nisterial, yea for so much as a good thought in that way; thus Paul acknowledgeth of himself; so absolutely necessary is this concurrence of the enabling power of the Holy Ghost.

5. He maketh their ministery effectual; that is, to be the ministery of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. Rom. 15. 18, 19. Rom. 15. 16. of life, of righteousnesse, and of glory, ministering these: and thereby to make some of the hearers obedient: (for God sends not his Gospel to any place where he hath none to call and save,) and to sanctifie the offering of the converted and obedient ones up unto God as an of­fering.

6. He enableth to solve cases of con­science, to the comfort and settling of Isa. 50. 4. dejected humble souls, and of doubting and trembling feeble-minded ones, and weak in the faith; this is of high price a­mong the Saints to have a minister that knows how to speak a word in season to the weary soul.

7. He guideth them in Councils and [Page 177] Synods, while their debates and deter­minations Act. 15. 28 Mat. 18. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 5. 4. are directed by the Scripture: and he is present, and guides in the Ad­ministration of Church-discipline, unto the performane whereof Assemblies in Christs name ought to be kept up.

8. He raiseth the slain witnesses, which are called the two Prophets, whose work is Rev. 11. 1 [...] with v. 2. [...] ▪ to Prophesie, and the dayes and time is the space of a thousand, two hundred and threescore dayes, which space is fourty and two months, all which while the ho­ly City is trodden under foot of the Gen­tiles; even of those over whom the beast that ariseth out of the bottomlesse pit ru­leth, and his whore the whore of Babylon sitteth & Rev. 11. 7. with Rev. 17. 8 15.: these are therefore not the Ma­gistrates, whose work by virtue of their office is never called Prophesying; nor is it to Prophesie, but to bear the Sword: and they are not just two, but the small yet sufficient number of faithful Preach­ers, during all that space which in Pro­phetical computation makes 1260. years; they shall be slain, but that is the work of the beast that ascends out of the bottom-lesse pit; It is the work of the Spirit of life from God entering into them, to [Page 178] raise them, and make them stand upon their feet.

These are the works of the Spirit respe­cting the ministery for the saving works sake.

2. As concerning the whole Church, the work of the Spirit is seen first in the Act. 19. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 4 8, 9, 11, 7, 28. gifts which he hath given for the good of the whole, he hath given extraordinary gifts, Apostles, Prophets, Miracles, gifts of healing, to speak with tongues, to Prophesie or foretell things to come, with the like: Secondly, in the gifts which he doth give, they are divers, making up the Churches rich embroidered garments, and all of them for the edification of the whole society or body.

3. As concerning the Martyrs; he Act. 6. 10. Rev. 12. 11 & 13. 10. & 14. 12. enables them to speak with wisdome ir­resistible, to witnesse to the truth with courage undaunted, yet attended with love, meeknesse and soundnesse of mind, and to suffer for the truth with patience invincible; of which it may be said, Here is t [...]e patience of the Saints. These are vi­ctors, Renowned Conquerors, the Churches Heroes, the Lords Worthies, the noble Army of the Lamb.

4. Such works of the holy Ghost as [Page 179] respect the Ordinances; as,

The Word: In the Word the Spirit speaketh to the Churches; he gave the Rev. 2. 7. & 3. 22. 1 Tim. 4. 1 Act. 11. 2▪ Rev. 14. [...] Word by breathing it at first into the ho­ly men of God; he by Covenant goeth a­long with it, breaths and works in it, speaks in it, writes it in the fleshly Tables of the heart; every part of the Word is the speaking of the Spirit, even that wherein he warnes of seducing spirits, and doctrines of Devils. And he saith, yea to Gospel sentences.

The Sacraments, Baptisme and the 1 Cor. 12. Lords Supper: The Spirit accompanieth both, as the band of union, he maketh the partakers to be one body together of one head. By one Spirit are all believers Baptized into one body, and in the Lords Supper they all drink into one Spirit.

All these mighty works the Holy Spi­rit doth in order to the work of saving ap­plication of the grace of the Son our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the love of [...]od the Father. This is the fourth thing proposed for explication. The fifth followeth, which also doth greatly commend the saving work; and that is,

SECT. 6.
5. The Inhabitation of the Holy Ghost.

Where the Holy Ghost is given mani­festing his presence in his saving working, 5. The in­habitation of the Spi­rit where he is thus given. Rom. 8. 9, 11. 1 Joh. 4. 13 & 3. 24. there he inhabiteth, or dwelleth in them; the Apostle distinguishingly and search­ingly putting all believers upon the trial of their estates saith: Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you, and this is so Characte­ristical that he adjoyneth: now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. He that hath the Spirit, hath him dwelling in him; hereby also we know that God dwelleth in us, and that we dwel in God, and they that have the Spirit gi­ven and dwelling in them, they know it; 1 Cor. 3. 16 Know ye not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? And for this condescension of exceeding grace, how great is it! for he dwelleth in them; first, as in his Temple, his holy consecrated house and habitati­on; he knowes no Temple or house on earth, but the broken and contrite heart, the poor in spirit; and when he [Page 181] had a Temple at Jerusalem, it was to sig­nifie this, and not owned of God, but with respect to this Temple. The regenerate Isa. 57. 15. & 66. 1, 2▪ 3. are his Temples; the Holy Ghost makes himself an habitation, and then dwels in the Temple which he hath made; the glory of the work is heavenly and excel­lent, for this Temple is an house not made with hands, no, nor of this building, 1 Cor. 6. 19. of this kinde of make, of which is this fabrick of soul and body in this visible cre­ation: although it be reared and set up in this building. Again, The very bodies of the regenerate are the Temples of the Holy Ghost, though they be houses of clay, and the leprosie of sin is not clean washed and scraped out while they live in this world. Secondly, he dwelleth in them as in the living members of Christs Rom. 8. 2. mystical body; he is the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ their Head, and from him as from their Head floweth into each of them. Thirdly, he dwelleth in them as he is the Spirit of him that raised up Je­sus Rom. 8. 11 from the dead, even in the exceeding greatnesse of that power, according to the working of the might of that power which he wrought and put forth in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and [Page 182] set him at his own right hand in the above-heavenlies, Ephes. 1. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name of Renown, that is named and Renowned, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all. Fourthly, he dwelleth in them as the Spirit of the Father, and as the Spirit of the [...]onne; he who taketh them to be his Sonnes by Adoption, he sends the Spirit of his Sonne into their Gal. 4. 6. 1 Joh. 4. 8, 9, 10, 13. hearts. God is love; here is love; God the Father sends his Sonne into the world; God the Father and God the Sonne send the Spirit into the hearts of those that shall be saved; God the holy Ghost given unto them sheds abroad upon their hearts this love; he dwels in them doing this work, and by him the Father and the Son dwell in them; from hence they cannot but say with the beloved Disciple, Here is love: that God through Christ by his Spirit should dwell in them, that by the Spirit through Christ they should have ac­cesse unto the Father. Fifthly, he dwel­leth in them in all the f [...]re-named emi­nent [Page 183] and peculiar works of saving applica­tion, & in the presence & efficacy of all his glorious salvifical Epithetes and Appellati­ons, Names and Titles; he is in them the Spirit of faith, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of grace and prayer, the comfor­ted, the anointing, the earnest, and so of the rest; and in this glory the Spirit dwel­leth in them; the Holy Ghost delighteth to fill his house with his glory, and to rest there: this is his in-dwelling, which rai­seth and advanceth all which hath been hitherto delivered.

SECT. 7.
6. The time of the coming of the Holy Ghost.

Now for this great work there is a sea­son 6. The spe­cial season of his coming. in which the Spirit hath his day; for as the Son came down from heaven in the fulnesse of time, sent of God the Father according to the promises in the Old Te­stament delivered, and had his day with the Church of God on earth; so the Holy Ghost he came down from heaven in his proper time according to promise, sent of God the Father, and of our Lord Je­sus [Page 184] Christ. And although the Spirit of God was given and wrought by the Word savingly in the times of the Old Testa­ment, and from the first preaching of the Gospel to our fallen first Parents in Para­dise, and down-wards in the old world, and from the flood till the giving of the Law by Moses; yet in respect of the promised effusion, or pourings out of the Spirit, and in regard of the clearnesse, eminency and ample largenesse of his presence and wor­kings as such, his giving, coming and sen­ding hath a peculiar season, therefore it is said, the Spirit was not yet given, be­cause Jesus was not yet glorified; and Joh. 7. 39. Christ saith, If I go not away, the Com­forter will not come unto you; but if I Joh. 16. 7. depart, I will send him unto you: This season began on the day of Pentecost next after the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, the History whereof we have in Acts 2. And this season of his presence, and power hath continued and doth conti­nue all the time of the New Testament Ministery; and the glory of the season is according to the power, plenty and purity of the preaching of the everlasting Go­spel; for seeing the Spirit accompanieth the Word, look as the Gospel had its [Page 185] time when it began to be preached in all the world, so the Spirit also was sent; and as the Gospel goeth forth, so is the Spirit given: the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles, and endued them with power from on High that they might be able to deliver the whole Counsel of God, all the secrets and mysteries of salvation, that they might preach it to all the world, to all Nations, and it might bring forth fruit in the conversion of multitudes, and in the planting of Churches every where, and that they might leave the same in wri­ting, giving us the New Testament, and perfecting the whole Canon of the Scri­pture, and all this infallibly. And in and with this Gospel, to which never one line more shall be added, the Holy Ghost is present, and worketh and ruleth in the place of Jesus Christ untill this second coming to judgment.

Under the Old Testament the Spirit was as a Spirit of bondage, because the Law was clearly delivered, but the Gospel dark­ly Rom. 8. 14, 15. under the whole form of shadowy Cere­monies; under the New Testament the Spirit is as the Spirit of Adoption, for the Gospel openly delivered, the things them­selves that were prophesied of, shadowed [Page 186] out and promised, are given, and the great mysteries of the Gospel, and all that concerneth them are fully and perfectly made manifest. Now also are Converts born of water and the Holy Ghost, that is, of the Holy Ghost whose working was 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 4. 1 Joh. 4. 4▪ 5. foretold to be like the pouring out of wa­ter, and like the opening of springs in dry ground; now are they baptized, (washed, plunged, dipped,) with the Holy Ghost and with fire: that is, with zeal answering the glory of the light. The godly under the Old Testament had Gods holy and free Spirit, but then agreeable to that Ministery, Gal. 1. 8, 9. and now as is agreeable to this. And thus the Apostle teacheth in Gal. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. And as there is but one Gospel, and but one Spirit, and never any other coming of the Spirit, so it is as sure there shall ne­ver be any other dispensation or ministra­tion but this of the New Testament, which is that which remaineth; unless you could look for another Christ, or that Jesus Christ had not fully accomplished the 7. This work of the Spirit is peculiar to the E­lect. work of Renemption, and is not for ever set on the right hand of Majesty, but must come again to do somewhat which he left undone, and so must to the Tree and Crosse again; there is now no coming of [Page 187] any Spirit, but the coming of Antichrist, and of the spirit of Antichrist, the spirit of errour, of whose coming the Holy Ghost by the Apostles speaketh expressely, ther [...]fore all Pastors and Teachers are bound up to the Word, to the Scripture, and to turn from that, is to be turned after fa­bles; to teach any other than what they hear from the Apostles writings, is to sheak of the world, and not of God; to receive any other, is to run to another Gospel, to pervert the Gospel of Christ, to runne from the blessing, the holy Spirit of pro­mise: and to runne under the Gospels curse.

SECT. 8.
7. The peculiarity and appropriation of the saving work of the Spirit unto the Elect and Redeemed.

That which commends this work of the Spirit yet further, is this, that is, is peculiar and appropriated unto the Elect of God the Father, and to the Redeemed of Christ the Lord. The Spirit of truth is the Comforter, his work under the New Testament as Comforter, is such a work as [Page 188] none but the chosen of God, the Redeem­ed 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. of Christ, to whom he was promised, do partake of. There is another work of the Spirit of truth, the Comforter, which is conviction, not conversion, and that Joh. 16. 8, 9, 10, 11. he worketh on the world, as well as on the chosen of God. This conviction is such illightning by the Word of the Go­spel that thereby the world (that is, the men that are yet still under the power of sinne, possess't with the love of the world, and whom God leaveth to their own rea­son & lusts) stands clearly & fully resolved and perswaded of the matter in hand, and set down and concluded under it, so that they are self-condemned, if they do ought against that light. This conviction by the Spirit is of three things: first, of sinne; even of unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that that unbelief and disobedience is a sinne. Secondly, of righteousnesse, that the civil righteous­nesse of men, the righteousnesse of mens own works is no garment to cover mans nakednesse to hide his sinnes and shame: it is too short, it is too filthy, like a men­struous ragge; it is tattered and full of holes; no web, no texture which can hang together to make a garment, or a­ny [Page 189] cloth of it to wear in the sight of God; but it is Christs righteousness consisting of his obedience and suffering to the death of the Crosse performed by him as the se­cond Adam, the Surety of a sinner; it is this righteousnesse alone which is a perfect righteousnesse, or righteousnesse which God accepts, as appeareth in that Jesus Christ ascendeth to heaven, and go­eth to the Father, the Father receiving him to highest glory as he that hath done and accomplished perfectly the work for which he sent him into the world, and he shall never come more to be seen of the world in that form of humiliation in which he came before. Thirdly, of judgment, that Satan the Serpent and his seed are con­demned or sentenced, and are going irre­coverably to perdition, but Jesus Christ and his seed justified by his knowledge, are certainly blessed; yea, of judgment upon the world: Idols and all false religions and of judgment found in the true Chri­stian Religion alone, and in the judicious orderly government of Christ set up in his Gospel, and thereby in the hearts and lives of true believers that imbrace the same unfeignedly, in and by which the power of Satan is broken, and his works dissolved.

This work of conviction is an excellent work of the Holy Ghost, it is also wrought upon the Elect; but it is common, the world thus far feels the mighty power of Tit. 3. 4, 5, 6. Joh. 16. 13, 14, 15. the working of the Spirit in the Gospel; but the work of the Spirit on the Church of the saved ones is conversion or regene­ration, as was said before, in this work the light is the light of life, the knowledge in renewing. In this renewing there are two works of the Spirit; the taking out of the sinner the heart of stone, and the giving to them an heart of flesh; the Spi­rit so applieth the love of God in Christ, that it melts the flinty heart down to god­ly sorrow for sinne, as against such a God, so gracious, it turns it quite about to God, and centers it on God and Christ; it cures the soul of three evils otherwise incura­ble; alienations of minde and heart from Timor cul­tus & cul­pa. the life of God, offence-taking at his Works and Word, and Impenitency: it puts into it the holy fear of reverence and to offend: it raiseth high estimation of God in Christ, as of our chief good, with hungrings and thirstings out of poverty of spirit, a meekned soul and contrite heart: it raiseth appetite to the means sanctified of God, and having the promise of the [Page 191] Spirit, as after the Word, the Sabbath, the Ordinanc [...]s of Ministery and Worship, the Ordinances for fellowship, and for the exercise of the power of the Keyes, as to means of communion with God and Christ; this making anew is with union and unction, union to Christ and Chri­stians, by union with Christ, they have u­nion with the Father, and this union is to Adoption and marriage-union, and from this union cometh continual influences, and for ever; unction is to be Kings and Priests to God the Father of our Lord Je­sus; this first work of grace is wholly a­bove the work of conviction; and the Spirit worketh that and all the rest as an A­gent within; thus you have the seven things proposed for explication.

It is also profitable before we come to application of this Doctrine, that we briefly shew thee why, the grounds and reasons.

SECT. 9.
The Holy Ghost is the applier of sal­vation. The rea­sons why the work of the Spirit is to apply.

1. Because salvation is the work of God who is three in persons; it is the work of [Page 192] the three persons in the manifestation of their distinct glory which is ad intra, within the God-head; mark that I say, the manifestation of the distinct glory of each, wherein each person being distinct, and the works of each distinct, (the Fa­ther begets the Sonne, the Sonne is be­gotten of the Father, the Holy Ghost pro­ceeds from the Father and the Sonne;) the glory of each distinctly is manifested, (as far as it can be communicable) in this work of salvation: the Father loves with the love wherewith he loves the Son, and is Father to them in his Sonne; this is the love of the Father, the Sonne is the Mediator to bring them to the Father, by redeeming them, giving himself a ran­some to his Fathers justice, bringing in an everlasting righteousnesse to cloath them withall, purchasing for them the Spirit and all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places wherewith his Father may blesse them: this is the grace of the Sonne, the Holy Ghost he communicates the love of the Father, and the grace of the Sonne, and is the Spirit of Regeneration, the Spirit of Adoption, the Spirit of sanctification, the Spirit of union and unction abiding in them for ever to their preservation in [Page 193] Christ Jesus, and in the Father, so that they are and continue in the Father and in the Sonne; this is the communion of the Holy Ghost.

2. Because this is the order of the working of the three persons in the God-head; God the Father beginneth the work, God the Son is the person through whom as his eternal wisdome he doth the work, God the Holy Ghost is the person by whom as by the eternal power of the most High both the Father and the Sonne do compleat the work; therefore in the work of salvation God willing and deter­mining to imprint upon the saved ones, the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost, in their distinct glory to Mat. 28. 19 the uttermost, according to the distinct manner of subsisting or existing distinctly that each of them might be experimental­ly known, believed in and worshipped of them he will save, the work of applicati­on is proper to God the Holy Ghost.

3. God the Holy Ghost must be the Applier, the Comforter, or else none could be saved, none partake of the com­fort of this salvation; for all men are dead in sinne, lie among the dead, none can quicken their own souls; they are from [Page 194] beneath, under the power of sin, and Satan, and the Law; they are in a state of enmity, alienation, impenitency and unbelief in­vincible to any created power or means; there is a Christ, there is a Father, and let this be told us a thousand times over, and we left to our best abilities to receive this declared love and grace, this is all we can do, we can draw back, but cannot draw near to the saving of the soul; we can behold with our rational abilities, and wonder, but then we despise and so pe­rish: we can discern it but under carnal notions and count it foolishnesse, we can but receive it in vain; we can but turn his grace into wantonnesse; we will be e­stablishing our own righteousnesse by all that is delivered in the Gospel, and so be­come more stout, proud, formal and se­cure; and Christ crucified, who should be precious and our only glory and rejoy­cing, will be to us a stumbling block and a Rock of offence; and under the form we will be the more stiffe, though per­haps the more secret sometimes, and e­ver among men the more plausible deniers of the power of godlinesse. Oh let the holy Spirit of life and power come by the Gospel, and bring it home with much pow­er [Page 195] and much assurance, or else all perish; we all perish for ever, with Christ in our ears, in our mouths, in our best natural under­standings, with the Gospel preached in our streets, with high and low applauding of the mercies of God.

4. God the Holy Ghost must be the ap­plier, that all the love of God the Father, and the grace of the Sonne set forth in the Gospel may be thorough and effectual e­ven to one awakened to see his sinne and cursednesse, and that we once brought to faith in Christ might be for ever safe. An awakened sinner how will he runne from God, runne into the gulf of despair, or gad about to change his way, or catcht at straws to save from sinking! but when Christ is proposed, he cannot lift up him­self to draw near to meet him in the wayes of his grace. No, the Spirit of truth must come as the Comforter, as the Arme and right hand of the Lord to bring Christ and the soul together, to comfo [...]t and revive the broken in heart; he must create the fruit of the lips of Ministers to be peace; the believing and revived souls how soon would they lose their graces and comforts, were not the Holy Ghost the Comforter given unto them to dwell in [Page 196] them for ever! here, here is our safety.

5. By the Word which the Spirit in­grafts, the Spirit comes in his communi­on, that the believer might have the witnesse within him; and then can nothing deprive him of the comfort of his salvation.

SECT. 10.
The Ʋse of this Doctrine is first for In­formation.

This truth, that the Holy Ghost ma­keth The use of this. 1. In­formati­on. the application of the salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ, is for singular use; for Information, and for Exhortation. First, for I [...]formation; it informs us of four things; first, of the excellency of the Word of God, the Scripture, and in special of the Word of the New Testa­ment; it is the Chariot of the Spirit, in which the Spirit of truth cometh into our hearts; the Spirit breathed it at first, and in it still the Spirit breaths. It is never without the movings and workings of the Holy Ghost in strivings, in convictions upon all men to whom it comes, and in conversion to the chosen of God. It is the [Page 197] power of God to salvation to all that be­lieve, whether Jews or Gentiles. Se­condly, of the excellency of the Ministe­ry of the New Testament which mini­sters or. 3. [...] the spirit, and is the Ministery of the Spirit; which makes the receivers of the Gospel to be the Epistles of Christ, writ­ten not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in Tables of stone, but in fleshly Tables of the heart; and all this ministred by the Ministers of Christ, by which God maketh manifest the savour 2 Cor. 2. 14, 15, 16. of the knowledge of Christ, unto God a sweet savour in them that are saved, to whom ir is the savour of life unto life, and in them that perish, to whom it is the sa­vour of death unto death, but in both a sweet savour unto God; and by it he per­fumes the world. Thirdly, of the worth of a true Christian; the Spirit of God and of Christ dwelleth in him, he hath the witnesse in himself, he hath this anointing. Fourthly, of the excellency of the work of grace in the Convert above all that is found of vertue, praise, or worth in any other people in the world. The Gospel Convert is the spiritual man, he is one in the Spirit, one after the Spirit, he is one [...]pirit with the Lord Christ; their very bo­dies [Page 198] are the consecrated Temples of the Holy Ghost; this makes one a good man, this makes a difference among men; some have the Spirit; some though they may pretend to it, yet seeing they are not delivered from sensuality, nor from self­conceitednesse Jude 19. [...]. which sheweth it self in re­moving all the bounds which God hath set between his Church and the world, and in setting no bounds, or in setting bounds of their own, they have not the Spi­rit.

There are other spirits besides the Spirit of God: and there are who have the Spi­rit of God, and yet they have not the Spirit in that sense of which we speak here.

There are five sorts of spirits which are not the Spirit of God, and they have a Five sorts of spirits that have much power on men, which are not the Spirit of God. great stroak upon men.

1. The spirit of man which knoweth what is in this man; this is the soul which animates the body, which is endued with reason, which hath understanding and will, which hath conscience, that is, a power to reflect upon himself and upon all within him, to view and know his own thoughts and counsels, and all his desires and actions, and then to make up a judg­ment [Page 199] upon it for God with or against the man; the soul in respect of this power, 1 Cor. 2. 11, 14. called the conscience, is the spirit of man; but this animal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, nor can know them; they are far above, out of their reach.

2. The spirit of the world; this is the wisdome of the world wherewith Philoso­phers, Princes, wise States-men and Po­liticians, learned men, Inventers of arts, trades and manufactures, Merchants, Rich men, Navigators, warlike Heroes, Re­nowned men have excelled; whose pow­er and force lyeth within the compasse of humane reason, and is accounted the per­fection of the minde. This spirit the world is proud of; this saith Paul, we leave to the world, to the men of the 1 Cor. 2. 12. world, this spirit is not sinful in it self.

3. The spirit of lust that dwelleth in Jam. 45. [...] [...]oh, 5. 19. & 2. 15, 16 us; this is the spirit of that world which is placed in wickednesse, of that world which is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; this is a sinful spirit, and it reigneth in all men by nature, and beslaveth the two former spi­rits; the wisdome of the world, and the [Page 200] very soul and conscience of man; this is the impulse of the former spirit of the world, the life and power of it, the ma­lignity and wickednesse of it. And this spirit is the spirit of envy, pride, ambiti­on, revenge, self-love, atheisme, pro­fanesse and superstition; it is the spirit of timidity or base pusillanimous fear, and of tyrannical, domineering oppression. The more basely fearful, the more proudly ty­rannical.

4. The spirit Satan, who works effe­ctually in all men by nature; he is the 1 John 4. 2, 3, 6. 1 Tim. 4. 1, 2. Zach. 13. 2 Rev. 16. 14 father of lusts, and the father of lies; and in that regard he is the spirit of er­rour, the spirit of Apostasie, and of the doctrine of Devils; we read of unclean spirits, the spirits of Devils which come out of the mouth of the Dragon, as well as out of the mouth of the Beast, and our of the mouth of the false Prophet; these are those men who love to broach such lies in Religion, coloured over with hy­pocrisie. Rom. 11. 8 Isa. 29. 10, 14. & 6. 9.

5. The spirit of slumber, which is sent of God in his righteous judgment for hardnings and rebellion against the light of his Word, and for gain-saying of un­belief under the Gospel. This is a stu­pid, [Page 201] sottish heart, hard and hardened, be­nummed, aston'd as with a lethargy, that feels not, nor understands divine and spi­ritual things, although it be never so much rouzed, punched and gored, so that they startle, but presently nod, and fall fast asleep again. And here not only the heart is so secure, but there is also a force and impulse of Satan sent of God as a righteous judge, which carrieth them mightily and beyond what is ordinarily found in things which men do alone as men; this is called a spi­rit of slumber; the like reason is to be held in the fore-named spirits. Errour is called the spirit of errour, and envy the spirit of envy, and the wisdome of the the world is called the spirit of the world, because of this force appearing in it, acting of it, which force cometh from the ener­gy or effectual working of the Divel, who is an evil Angel, a spirit in­deed.

But besides these spirits, there is the 1 Cor. 2. 10, 12. Spirit of God, considered as set in oppo­sition to the spirit of man and of the world; this is the spirit spoken of in this Doctrine; yet one that hath not this Spi­rit of God as the Spirit of grace, may have the Spirit of God in some lesser and [Page 202] lower workings and presence; he may have some excellent gifts of the Spirit of God; as for instance, he may have the Spirit of government as King Saul had: he may have the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, gifting him with faith of miracles, Mat. 7. 21. 1 Cor. 12. with tongues, with prophesie or with wis­dome, and the like: he may have the or­dinary gifts of the Spirit, such are all mi­nisterial gifts: he may have the common graces of the Spirit, as general illumina­tion, convictions, faith historical and temporary, and thereupon tasts of the good Word of God, the Word of the Gospel, and of the powers of the world to come, and many fruits arising from thence: insomuch that by falling away willingly, and sinning against such grace, he may resist the Holy Ghost, and may runne so high in this way to commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost, that unpar­donable sinne, that sinne unto death: he Heb. 6. 3, 4. & 10. 26, 29. may have the spirit of bondage, which is a good work, but not enough to life and salvation. It is the work of the Law ac­companied with the Spirit quickning that part of Gods Word upon the soul, and working lively and powerfully in the Mi­nistery thereof.

Now the work of grace is above all this, and the Christian in respect of this renewing and sanctifying work of the Spi­rit is more excellent than any other how­ever otherwise qualified. Pharaoh ad­miring in Joseph the work of the Spirit, as the Spirit of prophesie, and of the in­terpretation of dreams, said of him, Can we finde such a man as this is, a man in Gen. 41. 38 whom the Spirit of God is? but much more worthily may these words be applied to the regenerate and sanctified by faith which is in Jesus Christ, which makes them workers of righteousnesse, and no more workers of iniquity, which is that good work which he that hath begun in Phil. 1. 6. any, will not cease nor fail to perfect it till the day of Christ.

SECT. 11.
The Ʋse of Exhortation in the first branch of it.

Therefore let the Exhortation take place with you both to seek the Spirit, and Use 2. Ex­hortation to seek the Spirit. The way and means to receive the holy Ghost in ten dire­ctions. to be rightly ordered towards him when you have him.

1. Attend the way and means whereby [Page 204] you may receive the Holy Ghost; Seek the sense and comfort of the gracious pre­sence and the lively working of the Spirit of Sanctification and Adoption; for this purpose these are choice directions.

First, Come out from the world, and give thy self up to the Word. The world cannot re­ceive the Spirit; thou art among and of the world by nature; Come out from among them, & touch not the unclean thing; come out from the worlds lusts, the worlds vani­ties and pomps, the worlds traditions, the worlds Idols and superstitions, the Reli­gions and Devotions, as ever thou wouldest have God to receive thee into fellowship with Jesus Christ his Sonne through the communion or communication of his Spirit; say of all these, What have I to do any more with you? the Spirit is the holy Spirit; the world and the things of the world are the unclean thing. The word is the vehicle, the Chariot of the Spirit; he spake by the Prophets and Apostles, and he for ever works in and by their doctrine. By the Word engrafted, the Spirit dwells in the heart; Receive the Word, let it be in the truths contained in it, as a heavenly Cyons, which entertained with meekness, and with laying aside all superfluity of [Page 205] wickednesse, may be so naturallized into thee, that thou mayest be turned into the nature of it, and then thou shalt finde the Holy Ghost enter into thee, and take up his habitation in thee: Let the Word of Christ dwell richly in thee in all wisdome, and the Spirit of Christ will fill thee with grace and glory. The Scripture is the store-house of Wisdome; Wisdome speaks there; justifie Wisdome, and thou art a childe of Wisdome whom the Holy Ghost hath regenerated; this is the incorruptible seed of which Gods chil­dren are born anew; who is the spiritual, but he that is made up of the Word of God? he who hath the Word of Christ to be the reason of his reason, the light of his minde, the life of his heart, and the rule of his life, he is the Christian indeed.

Secondly, but when thou comest to the Word, thou wilt be sure to meet with re­proofs; no looking into that glasse, but thou wilt see all amisse. Christ knoweth he shall finde thee a fool, and a scorner; simple, and loving simplicity; ignorant, and hating knowledge; now know he will reprove, but yet with serious exhortations and alluring invitations, calling and crying after thee; what then is to be done? [Page 206] Turn, Turn at wisdom's reproofs, and the promise of the pouring out of the Spirit unto thee is thine.

Thirdly, Behold the Promises, and how they are made. I will put my Spirit within you saith God, then shall ye re­member Ezek. 36. 25, 31, 32. your own evil wayes and your do­ings that were not good, and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominati­ons. Remember thy wayes and doings that have not been good, and loath thy self, that's all the qualification that is re­quired of thee, that thou mayest enjoy this great and all other the precious pro­mises of the Covenant of grace.

Fourthly, Wait on the preaching of the Gospel, for that is the Ministery of the 2 Cor. 3. 6, 8. Gal. 3. 2. Spirit: The Spirit is given a [...]d received by the preaching and hearing of the Word of the Gospel; the faith and not the Law; by hearing that glorious, heavenly Law of faith which excludeth boasting, not the Law of works.

Fifthly, Consider the gift, and who it is that bestoweth the gift, appointed to Joh. 4. 10. that work of God the Father; even Jesus Christ the Sonne of God sent in our flesh, made of a woman, and made under the [Page 207] Law to redeem us from under the Law; and consider that God the Father is in and through this Christ our heavenly Father: Luk. 11. 13 Consider these three things, and then ask the Holy Ghost by prayer, for he is pro­mised to those that ask him. The gift in­deed is great, but no lesse a gift will do us good; is it great, and is it not worth the asking? it is too great and good for us, but Christ is the giver, the Father is the giver; he that gave freely for a sinner, for chief of sinners his own Sonne, and gave himself a God in Covenant, and a Father in that his Sonne, he will not think the gift too good and too great, to give his holy Spirit. Ask then, Ask of thy hea­venly Father, Ask for his Sonne Christ Jesus sake, not for thy own sake; this gift may be had for asking.

Sixthly, Let thy utter destituteness and want of the spirit the more felt, the more make thee athirst; and then let thy thir­sty soul call and cry for this living water; Isa 43. 3. Mark the promises I will pour water up­on him that is thirsty, and stoods upon Joh. 7. 37, 38. the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine off-spring. The thirsty coming unto Christ and believing on him, shall have the Spirit given unto him.

Seventhly, Cherish the motions of the Spirit in and by the word moving upon thy heart. Its motions, that we may know them, are these. 1. The reveal­ing of things supernatural, and the setting home of holy truths; he causeth by the Word, the light to arise and shine upon thee, and lets it in by the understanding upon thy heart, and thus is striving with thee to give it entertainment. Shut not thine eyes, draw the curtain of neglect and security: open the doors and let the truth come close to thy heart, and sink down deep into thy soul. 2. The disco­very of our sinnes and sinfulnesse, and re­bukes to astonishment general, and to sorrow special, unto the manifesting of the unreasonablenesse of our carnal rea­son, and of the misplacing of our affecti­ons; and in both these laying low the stournesse and haughtinesse of man, a most necessary work; for we are not more sin­ful then proud and lofty, as appears by our scorning, and our delight at least in the secret disposition of a scorning heart at all the counsels of wisdome that tend to the power of Godlinesse. 3. The leading to Christ crucified for justification, presenting Gods great mercy, and Jesus [Page 209] Christs obedience and sufferings to the heart, and carrying out the heart to it with such heart-breakings as produce supplica­tions, and with such perswasions as pro­duce joy and peace. 4. The framing and fashioning to holy obedience with soul­purifyings, and with readinesse and liveli­nesse. 5. The raising of strong lustings, that is, holy hatred, fear, sorrow, care­fulnesse, blushings and shame, vehement desire, indignation, reve [...]ge and endea­vours to grow better and better by all the means of grace, by failings, by falls, by ex­periments, by mercies, by corrections, by word and works, by all occurrences joyous or grievous, & all the creatures. These are the motions of the Spirit; now then che­rish these.

Eighthly, Take [...]eed of Intemparency; that is, all excesse in the use of things law­ful, of things which we must use of ne­cessity and of duty. It is excesse when the use of such things (as of meat, drink, apparrel, and honest recreations) cau­seth uncircumspect walking, taketh off from wise Redemption of our time, dead­eth or wasteth spiritual mirth and melody of heart and behaviour, destroyeth thank­fulnesse to God as Father through Christ, [Page 210] and lifteth up from submission one to a­nother in the feare of God. The Con­text in Ephes. 5. from ver. 15. to v. 22. teacheth this.

Ninthly, Obey God in his Gospel, and in the ministery of it. This obedience is Act. 5. 32. Act. 2. 38, 39, 40, 41, 42. expressed in repentance, and the works of the truly penitent: in glad receiving of the Word; in receiving the [...]o [...]pel-Ordinances, and continuing in the use of them▪ in forsaking the wayes of an un­toward generation, crosse and opposing together with their society: and in em­bracing the wayes and society of the faith­ful and godly, together with the godly faithful Ministers who labour among us, and admonish us.

Tenthly, Love the Lord Jesus Christ, Joh. 14. 15 16. 1 Joh. 3. 22 23, 24. and out of love to him, have, hold and keep his Commandments of faith and love which he hath given in charge: the Spi­rit who glorifieth Jesus Christ will dwell, and will not abide to come, but to those who delight in doing Christs Commands, and the things that are pleasing in his sight.

This is the first branch of Exhortation: the second followeth concerning

SECT. 12.
The ordering of the believers aright towards the holy Ghost given to them.

When we have received the Spirit, let us have our hearts upon the duties which To be or­dered a­right to­wards the Spirit. we owe towards him; they are these: they order us aright in two particulars: First, that we avoid all sinning against the Spirit. Secondly, that we expresse the virtue of his Communion, and manifest his name put upon us in our Baptism, and his glory dwelling in us, and resting on us.

There are many wayes of sinning a­gainst In five rules for a­voiding e­vils against the Spirit. the Spirit, all which are the more dangerous because not discerned by the world, and chiefly because they are a­gainst the applying of the remedy provi­ded for sinners in Jesus Christ, lest it should be received in vain, and lest any should fail of the grace of God. Here­in our duty is laid down in five rules.

1. Quench not the Spirit; this is done, 1. by neglecting or despising the Word 1 Thes. 5. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 14. 2. and the means of grace which have the promise of the Spirit, especially among [Page 212] all the means, that of Prophesying, or the Preaching of the Word. 2. By per­mitting 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. with ch. 4. 2, 3. any thing to put our hearts out of a gracious f [...]ame. And this is a gracious frame, a heart seeking others edification, full of love and goodnesse, joyful in the Lord Jesus, prayerful, thankful, nourish­ing the gifts, graces and motions of the Spirit in our selves, or any others in whomsoever we perceive them stirring them up, and blowing that holy fire, high­ly esteeming the gifts, operations and ad­ministrations of faithful preaching, bring­ing all to the touch-stone of the Word, tenacious of that which is good, fleeing the appearing of sin of all sorts, and seek­ing growth in sanctification; this is ga­thered from the Context in verse 14. to the 24. of 1 Thes. 5. The Spirit is like fire: fire consumeth stubble, purifieth mettals, illighteneth and heateth, and is of vehement and powerful acting to turn all into fire, and make all things like it self. So the Spirit, it burneth out our lusts, it purifieth the soul, it giveth light and heat of knowledge and zeal, it maketh spiritual, and that which is of the Spirit is Spirit. The Spirit is like the holy fire which came down from heaven upon the [Page 213] Altar, which the Priests by Office were to keep in that it might never go out. Shall we quench the Spirit without which there is neither light nor hear of saving good, or salvifical upon the face of the earth? shall we that are a spiritual Pri [...]t-hood, let this heavenly fire go out for want of stirring it up, and of fuelling it? Now as fire, so the Spirit may be quenched: It's workings of a lesser and lower degree than of renewing grace may be utterly ex­tinguished; its gifts may grow rusty, and the Spirit in that working may depart wholly, as it did from Saul, and an evil spirit come in the room of it. His pecu­liar works and saving may be weakened and lost for acts and degrees, and sensible feelings, as in David, Take not thy holy Psa. 51. 11. Spirit from me, Restore me t [...]e [...]oy of thy salvation.

2. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, Eph. 4. 30. with the context in ver. 25. to the end of the chap. by the usual and accustomary evils of the tongue in lying and corrupt communica­tion: by the sins of unbridled passions, of idlenesse, and whatever it be that break­eth out against kindnesse, tender-hearted­nesse, and readinesse to forgive. A gra­cious and pure language, a diligent and liberal hand that labours to have where­of [Page 214] to give to him that needeth, a calm and quiet breast, a loving heart full of the bowels of Jesus Christ, these rejoyce and glad the Spirit of God: All the other (which are sinnes that discover themselves after calling) do sad the Spirit whom we should make joyful, as our best guest, our best friend, who comes and dwels in us purposely to seale us up unto the day of redemption: these and all sinnes unmor­tified (I mean, not singled out particular­ly, and brought under the work of morti­fication and put into that furnace,) after conversion do spoile the sealing of the Spirit, that it cannot come off faire and full; these also are against the comfort we should have in the day of redemption, when Jesus Christ shall come in glory to receive his redeemed ones to himself, and manifest to all the perfection of that work in righteousnesse; how shall he con­demn the world for idle words, and his Redeemed ones live with idle hands and filthy rotten discourse? or shall he re­ceive those for adopted sonnes and daugh­ters, when they are of spirits as implaca­ble, proud, passionate and malicious as those who are without Christ in the world, in whom the spirit of Satan works effectu­ally?

[Page 215] 3. Resist not the holy Ghost much lesse, for that is a higher degree of sinning; to resist is out of an uncircumcised natural heart and eare to rise up, and to be of an hostile mind and behaviour against the ministery, and to fall fowle upon the do­ctrine delivered according to the Word of the Old and New Testament, or upon Act. 7. 51. the Ministers for their doctrines sake.

4. Tempt not the holy Ghost; by pre­tending Act. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4, 9. such works of faith, love, and o­bedience which are most eminent fruits of the Spirit in the truely and eminently gracious, answerable to the times of light, and the state of the Church which we live in, when indeed it is but a pretence, and we know that we play the hypocrites, ly­ing, dissembling, and dealing falsely therein, as if we had not to deale with God, with God the holy Spirit, but with men whom we may easily deceive.

5. Defile not his Temple: that is, pol­lute 1 Cor. 3. 17 neither your own selves nor other Christians, neither yours nor their souls or bodies, either with corrupt and unpro­fitable doctrine, or with corrupt and vain manners; or with dividing principles or practices, causing rents and schisme [...], par­ties and factions in the Church of Christ.

Again, that we may be rightly ordered In five rules to shew the virtue of the Com­munion of the holy Ghost. Jude 20. Eph. 6. [...]8. 1 Cor. 2. 4. Col. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 7 Gal▪ 5. 25. Act. 9. 31. towards the Spirit, we ought to shew forth the power of his Communion, the manifestation of his residence in us, and the glory of his name put upon us in our Baptism in these duties following.

1. Perform all duties, and exercise all graces in the power of the Spirit; pray in the holy Ghost, Preach in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit, love in the Spirit, let the exercise of all gifts be the manifestation of the Spirit: live in­wardly in the Spirit, walk in the strength of the graces, in the power of the spiri­tual Gospel truthes, the articles of faith, and in the comforts of the holy Ghost, even of the exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospel quickened upon the heart by the Holy Spirit of pro­mise.

2. Be filled with the Spirit; here can be no sinful excesse; excessive fulnesse is [...]ph. 5. 18. [...] [...]3. [...]2 the just and due measure and proportion in which we should desire the Spirits pre­sence and working. The Holy Ghost sometimes fills with special force and po [...]e [...] to some particular Acts of duty: So P [...]t [...]r and all the Apostles after solemn pr [...]er, were silled with the holy Ghost [Page 217] enabling to speak the Word with bold­nesse, with liberty of Spirit and of speech. Sometime he fills with great joy: as in the Disciples when they saw the courage of the Apostle Paul and Barnabas under expulsion, and the wise and gracious gui­dance of Gods expelled servants for the spreading of the Gospel, and propagating thereof to other parts of the world. Act. 7. 55. Act. 6. 3. 1 Cor. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 8. 7. Sometime with the might of patience, and power of hope, and of all graces, fit­ting for Martyrdome, as in Stephen. Some­time he fills some members with special abilities and gifts, as with wisdome, with utterance, with all knowledge, with all diligence.

All this fulnesse of the Spirit God keeps in his own hand to give when he pleaseth, and it is of reward: but all graces that ac­company salvation, that have salvation in them, of them we should e [...]pecially desire to be full; as of faith, of love to God, to Christ, to the Word, and to the Saints, and of a lively patient hope; this is our work, and is of the ordinary working of God through Christ in his live-members. And not only should we seek to be full of these graces, but of them and of the holy Ghost: (as in all [Page 218] the places above mentioned, the words runne and not in vain) that is, filled full of a singular presence, force, and work­ing of the holy Spirit, acting and directing the mind and heart unto that which is good and holy, with efficacy and pow­er.

3. Preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; this we ought to be endea­vouring, Ephes. 4. 3 Phil. 1. 27. though we cannot effect what we would by reason of the destroyers of this unity, and though we have many fail­ings unbeseeming this unity. It is an E­vangelical command and endeavour; we may, we ought to stand fast in one spirit, striving together for the faith of the Go­spel; when the faith of the Gospel is op­posed, and is in the conflict, we ought to strive and wrestle, taking the Gospels part against the adversaries thereof; and this we should do together with all the Saints and faithful, especially with those with whom we live: and with them let us stand fast in one Spirit. The unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God in his Gospel which is but one, and the same word of truth, should unite us in love, and bind us to the peace, with lowlinesse and forbearance, and [Page 219] with due respect to the variety of the gifts of the Spirit, which are the Spirits rich embroidery, the ornament of the Church, no way of themselves hindering unity, and orderly employed, and improved are to the singular profit and benefit of all and e­very one of the members of Christs mysti­cal body.

4. Sow to the Spirit; lay out your sub­stance, Gal. 6. 8. and your worldly goods to spiritu­al uses; to the maintenance of Christs Ministery and Ordinances, to the promo­ting of the Gospel, the Church, all grace and holinesse, and the hopes of glory. Seek first Gods Kingdome and righteous­nesse; Mat. 6. 33. buy the truth and sell it not; say not, I must provide estates for my chil­dren, maintain my family, raise my po­sterity. God cannot be mocked; if thou honour not the Lord with thy substance, thou doest but sow to the flesh, and of the flesh thou shalt reap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Say not, I have already done this and that good work; hast thou an opportunity? do still more with thy wealth and temporals: be not weary of well-doing, the reaping time will come in due season. Faint not [Page 220] therefore, neither flag in the sowing time; there is now the seed time, the har­vest day is to come in another world.

5. Lastly, as it is in this Text, Walk after the Spirit, and not after the flesh; this duty makes up the description of the spi­rituals of the true Christian; the person whom God hath loved to life everlasting, and for whom the Sonne of God came into the world, and gave himself to the death. This is the second Consideration of the words of the Apostle, which now cometh to be perused, and that as they give us the third Doctrine, which is the more necessary, the more excellent than the two former are, and the more desir­able, the more searching and differencing the children of God from the men of the world.

SECT. 1. Doctrin 3. The per­sons for whom God gave his Son, and the Son came into the world, and gave him­self, are those that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.

THe third great doctrine delivered by our Apostle in these verses, this.

They that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, these are they for whom God sent his own Sonne to become flesh, in the likenesse of sinful flesh, to be a sa­crifice for their sinnes, and whose sinnes God condemned in the flesh of his Son, that in and for them the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled; or take it thus:

Those in whom the Spirit dwels, ap­plying [Page 222] savingly the love of the Father and the grace of the Sonne, in them he so mightily rules, that they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.

That we may not be deceived in a mat­ter of such importance as this is of, let us

• 1. Understand the force of the words.
• 2. Take them asunder in particular
  Opened in six parti­culars.
  doctrines.
• 3. And then Consider the Regency of the flesh.
• 4. The Regency of the Spirit.
• 5. The walk after the flesh.
• 6. The walk after the Spirit.

And seventhly, the uses of the whole.

First, for the meaning of the words: By flesh, is meant the unregenerate part 1. The meaning and force of the words. Col. 2. 18. Mat. 15. 19 20. in the sanctified believer; the man as de­filed with sinne; the nature of man, of man corrupted by sinne. By flesh is not meant, 1. Flesh in the substance of it, the body opposed to the soul, but both body and soul made flesh and carnal, as carnal is opposed to spiritual; there is the fleshly mind; the soul as well as the body is defiled with sinne and depraved; the soul defiles the body; out of the heart cometh that which defiles the man; by [Page 223] flesh therefore we must not understand the substance of flesh which is Gods Creature, and therefore good: and hath no cause of sinne in it, for God is not the Author of sin: neither may his workmanship be blamed, without committing that great wickednesse of casting reproach upon our Maker. This is to be held firm against the vile and pernicious opinions of all an­cient Heretiques, and our newly up-start erroneous spirits: and against the receiv­ed sayings of Philosophers, and the dan­gerous tenets and expressions of some Di­vines, as if the mind and soul were pure, and receiveth its defilement from the bo­dy. By flesh is not meant, 2. Flesh in the natural desires of food, sleep, generati­on, rayment, recreation, motion, rest, and if there be any thing else that accom­panies the life of man in this world. These are not evil in themselves, it is in­ordinacy that makes them evil, faulty and sinful. Nor doth flesh note out, 3. Hu­mane wisdome and reason, and the mo­ral actings and projectings thereof: All which kept within their own sphere, and acting regularly, are most useful to soci­eties, commendable among all, and ser­viceable to the Kingdome of Jesus Christ. [Page 224] Nor much lesse by flesh may be under­stood 4. The sparkles of the light that is born with us and in us, or the reliques of Gods Image in body or soul, or in the whole man. Nor yet under the word flesh may we understand 5. The neces­sary helps of this present life, as lands, money, friends, with the like subsidiary ayds. Nor 6. Natural diseases, infir­mities, or defects of body or mind. In this sense there is an honour due to the flesh, and a lawful satisfying of its desires and needs: and to deny them to it, though Col. 2. 23. upon devout pretence, is sinful, and falls under that Commandment, Thou shalt not kill. But by flesh is meant the sinful disposition; and this is called flesh, not as if this sinfulnesse were first in the body; for the soul, the fairest part of it, the top of it, the mind is polluted; we are stran­gers from God in our mindes; the spirit [...]. Eph. 4. 23. Col. 1. 21. of the mind must be renewed, ere ever it will be good.

Quest. Why then may it be said, Is corruption of nature which is first and most notably in the chiefest faculties of the soul, called flesh?

Answ. First, Because the very soul is flesh; that is, it is defiled with sinne, and [Page 225] tyed down to the senses. Secondly, this pollution is innate and connate, it is born in us and born with us. It is as old as we are. It was in us in our very conception, it is bred up with us; It discovers it self as we discover the use of our reason, and it will be in us while we are in this frame and building. Thirdly, because we are as tender of it, as we are of our very flesh. Fourthly, because there is a body of it, a whole consisting of many members joyn­ted together, and ministring nourishment to every part for the encrease of the whole. A whole composed heap, not only spreading it self through the whole man, and discovering it self in every member of the body; but having also all the several wickednesses which ever were committed in it, in the seed and spawn of them: It is not some one transgressi­on, but many; as the body is not one member, but many; and these many are knit together in an hellish order. Fifthly, because this is propagated, as our bodies and flesh is propagated, but our souls are not. God is the Father of our spirits, but men the fathers of our bodies; therefore it may well be called flesh. Sixthly, be­cause the motions of this original pollu­tion [Page 226] are in the members of our bo­dies.

By spirit is meant, not the soul, nor the mind, or understanding faculty, the highest that is in man; nor conscience, the Character of the reasonable creature. But by spirit, is meant the Spirit of Christ sanctifying the man, and dwelling in him through the Word of God engraffed: and the regenerate part, the Divine nature or disposition wrought by the Spirit of God, the holy Ghost, and conformable to the Image of Jesus Christ. I [...] this work there is the seed; first, of all grace, and that under the New Testament, in a large­nesse; Secondly, it is in the whole man, in soul, spirit, and body; Thirdly, and that too in truth or sincerity. Fourthly, it is of God in Christ, for its original. And fifthly, for its continuance, it is of incorruptible seed and abideth for ever. Sixthly, for its piercing effectualnesse in operation, it leavens the whole man. It is deepest and chiefest in the soul. It is spreading, and thorow in what it works. It is active, according to its own sphere, which is supernatural, and celestial, yea supercelestial, and according to its rise which is from the Spirit; for whatsoever [Page 227] is of the Spirit, is Spirit.

After, notes the rule and guide; and from that rule the force which swaies and carries out the man in his actions.

Walking, notes 1. The course taken upon choice: and 2. The progresse in that course or way: with 3. Pressing on still forwards: and 4. With perseve­rance, and constancy till we come to the end.

Not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. That is, refusing that, and choosing this for guide: and removing from the wayes and walks of the flesh, to go in these that are after the Spirit.

Walking after the flesh is mentioned to shew that Original sinne is the sinne that reigns; every actual sinne hath its strength in the corruption of nature. Thither we must ascend in the work of mortification; if we would kill sinne, dead the root. Crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof. The lopping of a tree, de­stroyes not the tree; he that would not serve any sinne, must destroy the body of sinne, and not some one or two mem­bers only: and he that would destroy the body of sinne, must crucifie the old man.

Walking after the Spirit, sheweth that all grace is brought into us from without, from above, from the holy Ghost. It is not from a seed in us which is born with us, and lyeth as the seed of Corn doth a­while buried in the earth. It is not from any power or spirit that is in the Creature, or in this visible Globe, or in the Crea­tures Angelical. It is from the Spirit of the Father and of the Sonne. Again, this sheweth that all grace is yet truely in us, from the holy Ghost dwelling in us through the Word engraffed, or the re­vealed truth of the Gospel; from the ho­ly Ghost thus dwelling in us, and renew­ing, sanctifying, acting, and leading of us. And lastly, that we are born anew of the Spirit, are in the Spirit, do live in the Spirit, and are after the Spirit, and then we walk after the Spirit. We must first be, and live, and afterwards walk.

Thus you have the force of the words.

SECT. 2.

The particular truths or doctrines which 2. The words ta­ken asun­derin nine doctrines. are wrapped in this description, are these.

1. In those that are in Christ, in them there is the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit [Page 229] in renewing, unites to Christ: their uni­on with Christ is spiritual, not physical, not moral alone, not personal at all. The Spirit of Christ is in them, and uni­teth them to Christ, and Christ and they are one Spirit, as Man and Wife are one flesh; this truth ariseth from this descri­ption as it is referred to the words before in ver. 1. of this Chapter. To them that are in Christ there is no condemnation. Now this is to be understood of the holy Ghost, as he is the Anointing wherewith Christ is anointed, even Jesus Christ, not con­sidered as he is the Sonne of God simply and absolutely, but as he is the Christ, God-man: and wherewith from Christ that Holy One, they are anointed: the work is the work of the third Person, but not a work that makes a personal union of them to the Holy Ghost.

2. Where the Spirit of Christ is in any, there is also flesh, whiles they are in this life; where there is grace, there is cor­ruption: though it holds not on the con­trary, where ever there is corruption, there is grace also. Nay, it is far other­wise, untill regeneration there is nothing but corruption in any or all the men in the world, no, not in the elect of God: [Page 230] but where the Spirit is, there is flesh, al­though not walked after. This is gather­ed from the description as made up of a negative first, and then of an affirmative, which sheweth a nature or disposition in the described here, which is declining and renouncing one principle, and cleaving to and following sweetly another princi­ple. Therefore with the regenerate it is thus, their works are mixed, their actings of their graces are mixt and maimed: All their best duties smell strong of the flesh; therefore the Regenerate ought to be watchful, and jealous over themselves, humble to God-ward, meek towards man, and making use of Christ and faith in him in all, doing all in his name or mediati­on, and looking for acceptation of all in him alone.

3. That flesh, even in the regenerate and spiritual is so sinful, that if it were follow­ed, it would destroy them; therefore it is sinne in it self, and in the lusts of it, even in the regenerate; for if it were not sin­ful, why should it be renounced? why should it not at some times, and in some cases be allowed?

4. These two, the flesh and the Spirit, Gal. 5. 17. are contrary one to another. When the Spi­rit [Page 231] comes in and rules, and the flesh or corruption of nature cannot rule more, yet it will never yield, it will ne're be good: it is not subject to the Law of God, nor can be; the best that can be made of it, is to mortifie it, crucifie it, fight it out against it; therefore from these two contrary principles in one and the same man it is that in the godly there is a continual fight or deadly war; and cursed be that that would make up a peace be­tween these two; therefore hence it is that he that is born again, is born a Soul­dier, lives by his spiritual sword and va­lour, and dies in the Field, and so never dies but is a Conquerour in his death.

5. Where the Spirit is, he rules and reignes; he will not be underling, he leads where he is; all that is born of God o­vercometh the whole world. And the Spirits rule is set up by pulling the flesh out of the Throne, and subduing its Do­minion; therefore the least measure of true grace, the least speak of this holy fire, be it but as that in smoaking flax, is Soveraign, it is judgment which will come unto victory.

6. The Regency of the Spirit appears in ordering the walks of every one in whom [Page 232] he is; he renews and sanctifies through­out, he makes a new creature, a new man, from the spirit of the minde to the out­ward members; he creates a new heart, and a new spirit, that there may be a new walk.

7. Those who walk after the flesh, have not the Spirit at all; and therefore they are not in Christ.

8. By our lives and conversations we may infallibly know w [...]ether Christ were sent for us; whether our sinnes were condemned in his flesh; whether God the Father loved us so as to send his own Son for us to be our propitiation, or the Son became flesh, became sinne for us; whe­ther he be our righteousnesse, our redem­ption; or whether the Spirit of the Fa­ther and the Sonne hath taken possession of us to shed abroad the Fathers love in­to, and sprinkles the Sonnes blood upon our hearts; whether these be so or no, may be known by the walks of our lives.

9. So it is, and so it hath ever been, and it will for ever be so in this life, that even among Christians who professe the true Religion, there are two sorts, some that walk after the flesh, contrary to their [Page 233] profession; and some that walk after the Spirit, and not after the flesh.

SECT. 3.

Let us now therefore consider of the The Re­gency of the flesh discovered generally in ten things. reign of the Spirit and the flesh, that so these two sorts of Christians, the carnal and the spiritual, the true and false may know themselves; and because the flesh is the elder brother in the world, he shall have the honour to be spoken of in the first place.

The Regency of the flesh may be set forth more generally, or more particu­larly; in general, the flesh's Regency consisteth,

1. In its lonenesse; if there be in us John 3. 6. Joh. 3. 3, 5 nothing but flesh, then be sure the flesh reigns; we are first in the flesh, concei­ved and born in sinne. If there be no­thing but nature, and that which is natu­ral, the flesh is regnant; for that which is of the flesh is flesh, it can never arise higher than the compasse of its own prin­ciple, it can never get up to things that are above; there is nothing but flesh, un­lesse we be born of the Spirit; there is nothing but flesh and nature where the [Page 234] Spirit by the Gospel hath had no changing work; and where mans righteousnesse, or the righteousnesse of works, whether of our own works, or of the works of the Law, is still sought after, and the sin­ner never yet so farre humbled, that now Gal. 3. 10, 12, 18. Phil. 3. 3, 6, 7. he hath no confidence in the flesh any more.

2. In the love of the lusts of the flesh; these lusts are of three sorts: the lust of [...] Joh. 2. 16. the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which do all of them spring from the love of the world; this is the worlds trinity in unity, which all men by nature do serve. If the love of the world be in us, the love of the Father cannot be in us.

3. In the acknowledgment of the E­dicts Rom. 6. 13 and Commands of the flesh; sinne reigns where the lusts of it, that is, the motions of sinne in our members are o­beyed; obedience to it proves its Sove­raignty: it is an undeniable truth, his ser­vants we are to whom we obey. The of­fering up of the members of our bodies to be weapons to fight for it, and to be in­struments to work for it, shews that flesh is in the Throne.

4. In making provision to ful [...]ill the Ro. 13. 14 [Page 235] lusts of the flesh; there is a lawful ( [...]) Acts 24. 3. 1 Tim. 5. 8 Ro. 12. 17 providence and fore-cast for the discharge of the duties of our particular callings; for making provision for ours, and for those of our families, for things honest in the sight of all men; but none ought to be for the flesh, or for our corrupt na­ture. The providence which is lawful hath this character, to take the seasons and to improve them with diligence; thus the wisdome of God teacheth, saying, Go to the Pismire thou sluggard, consider her wayes [...]nd be wise, which having no Prov. 6. 6, 7, 8. guide, over-seer or ruler, provideth her meat in the s [...]mmer, and gathereth her food in the H [...]rvest; the sluggard is he that sleepeth out his Summer season, and letteth slip the Harvest, goeth forth in the dead of Winter to gather in the fruits of the earth; the sinful providence hath two marks: first, to make it a businesse to project and lay out for the flesh: second­ly, to aime at the satisfying of the lusts thereof; when the flesh hath the ( [...]) providential projecting and fore-casting a­bility at command, and at her service, it is certain her supremacy is in the full. It is the infallible signe of the renewing of the minde when the providential ability is [Page 236] sanctified, and is ready under the com­mand of the Word and Spirit.

5. In sensuality; when the senses bea [...] rule, when what is pleasurable hath the Luk. 17. 27 Mat. 24. 38. Jude 19. 2 Tim. 3. 4 Phil. 3. 19. Job 31. 7. Jam. 3. 15 stroak with us, and not what is honest, righteous and holy; when we are lovers of pleasure, more than of God; or those whose God is their belly: that live to eat, that minde earthly things; those whose hearts walk after their eyes, and their souls are tyed down to their senses; who are meer animals, whose wisdome is earthly and sensual, their wisdome is also Divellish.

6. In minding and savouring only fleshly things; as to rellish temporal things only or chiefly, and to have no rellish of spiri­tual things, the things of Jesus Christ, or to savour spiritual things no otherwayes than carnally; as when our Saviour spake of the gift of the Spirit, that living water, to the woman of Samaria, she said, Lord, give me of this water that I may not thirst, nor come to this Well to draw. Job. 4. 15. And when he said to the Jewes that there was bread of life, of the which whosoe­ver should eate, he should never dye; some cryed out, Lord, evermore give us this bread. Good words, but arising Joh. 6. 33, 34. [Page 237] wholly from earthly apprehensions of the things of which Christ spake.

7. In the reign of some particular lust Gal. 5. 19, 20. or known sinne, as uncleannesse, cove­tousnesse, malice, pride, profane swea­ring, railing, drunkennesse, gluttony; when we live in any manifest work of the flesh.

8. In the power of carnal princ [...]ples, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. reasonings and objections against faith and holines [...]e; these are strong holds, these are the flesh's fortifications which while they stand undemolished, the flesh reigns; these be the in-works; when they are ta­ken and sleighted, the flesh is dismantled, and led Captive, but not till then.

9. In the hatred of the godly, the ha­tred of the brethren, which is the not lo­ving Gal. 4. 29. 1 Joh. 3. 14, 1. of them; we cannot know them to love them, but can finde them out to re­proach, to shoot out the mouth at them; a strange perversenesse, when we can quickly discern them to slander them, and call them hypocrites, who though they will not swear, yet will lye; when we cannot see who are godly, Do not all of­fend in many things? yet can privily Psal. 11. 2. shoot at the upright in heart; when we can see them well enough to shoot at [Page 238] them, but we cannot see Christ in them to do them offices of love; brethren! Mat. 25. 43, 45. we cannot love this brotherhood; what is this communion of Saints? well said, here is flesh all over.

10. In the speaking evil of the Gospel, and of Christs name or way, and in an heart alienated from the life of God; 1 Tim. 5. 14 Eph. 4. 18. from a godly life, a life in which God is seen, and in which it is evident that the man hath seen and known God as he hath revealed himself in his Word; he is an adversary that is glad of an occasion to speak reproachfully of Gods way; he is in the power of Heathenisme whose heart cannot close with the power of godli­nesse.

Thus far for a more general discovery of the reign of the flesh.

SECT. 4.

In particular; the flesh being a close e­nemy, and in the times of the Gospel it And in matters of Religion its reign discove­red; as, standing with the State policy of this Queen Regent to have somewhat of God and of Christ seemingly, and for a colour, that she might sit fast in the chaire and reign still indeed, let me shew you her [Page 239] in the Throne, and descry the Regency of the flesh in the choicest works and means of Religion. And here we lay down this for a certain truth, that

Therefore see her Regency,

1. In prayer; they that live and walk 1. In pray­er. Prov. 28. 9 Isa. 1. 15. in sinne and disobedience to the Word of God, may make many prayers; but an a­bomination to the Lord are all their pray­ers, and the Lord saith, I will not heare when ye multiply prayers: for the flesh hath the rule in them while they pray, and it is thus discovered.

First, if an Heathenish spirit act them, Seven wayes. Mat. 6. 5. which thinketh God is well-pleased with the work done, or the cries of a natural heart, with a few good and holy words, with much speaking, or with the num­ber and tale of our prayers, a touch and outside of the duty.

Secondly, if a Pharisaical spirit act Mat. 6 5. them, which thinks to merit at the hands of God, and prayes to be seen of men, and to be accounted for devout.

Thirdly, if things spiritual be asked as savoured onely under carnal notions, and for carnal and worldly ends chiefly.

Fourthly, if the things of this life be asked onely: as there are multitudes who never offered any desires to God that were the desires of their hearts, but what were for health when they were sick, or for suc­cesse in their earthly Affairs, or for delive­rance when they were in distresse and dan­gers, or for a plentiful Harvest and good Crop, with such like; or if the things of this life be asked chiefly; if God should give us Solomons priviledge, and then we have not Solomons heart, nor Davids one thing, nor Agurs discerning feare of sinne and temptations, with preferring of contentation with food and rayment; if the requests we offer up in the words of prayer be never so spiritual, and in the work the affections stir, and are jogging, and make a great noise, but it is all but for the time of prayer, when the constant bent of the heart is for covetousnesse, and the heart is set upon riches or the things of this life; or if the things of life be asked as temporals, and not that they may be spiritualized and sanctified to us in their use; they cry as the young Ravens [Page 241] cry, and pray as rhe Lyon hungry roars and seeks his meat of God.

Fifthly, if temporal afflictions and judgments make us pray and cry, but not sinne nor spiritual judgments; such pray­ers have not the heart to God in them, they are the howlings of wolves, and God Hos. 7. 14 so reckons of them. Travellers, captives, sick folks, sea-men, and all under extre­mities will cry unto God in their troubles, and the Lord hears so as to deliver them out of these distresses; but if when they are delivered, sinne be still their Idol, and spiritual plagues are not felt, lamen­ted, nor prayed against, but rather dan­ced under, their prayers are but the cries of swine when they are pinched, and the cryes of nature to the Lord of nature.

Sixthly, if sinne and the wrath of God, because of guilt and consciences gripes and sentence; or if the Laws threatnings and denunciations of judgments out of the word, and the work of the spirit of bon­dage which is upon us; if these do cause us to pray, cry out and repent, but yet there be no workings of the Spirit of grace and of Adoption, nor sinnes filthinesse and offence do put us to grief, and be a burden and heavy load, further then it is [Page 242] abominable to the light of nature, and is cryed shame on in the world; this kinde of sorrow for sinne is no more than what may be found in a Cain, or in a Ju­das.

Seventhly, if we pray, and because we pray▪ we now think our selves free to com­mit sinne; we have been at prayer, there­fore we may be at our lewdnesse; we have been at Church in the fore-noon of the Lords day, therefore we may dance about the May-pole, and keep Revels in the af­ter-noon; this is like the Harlot, who saith to the young Wanton, I have peace­offerings with me, this day have I paid Prov. 7. 14, 15. my vows, therefore came I forth to meet thee.

2. In reference to the Law of God; for though the flesh is not, nor will be sub­ject 2. In refe­rence to the holy Law. Sixwayes. to the holy Law, yet the wily wis­dome and subtilty thereof will make use of that also, and that most perniciously. And the Reign of the flesh sheweth it self herein diversly; as,

First, when we seek righteousnesse and Rom. 6. 14. & 9. 32. & 10. 3. salvation by the Law; while under the Law, we are under the Dominion of sin; so long as we go about to establish our own righteousnesse, as did the Jewes and [Page 243] as it is found in all men by nature; (a Phil. 3. 4, 5 draught) whereof we have excellently and to the life drawn up in Mat. 19. 16, 17. to ver. 24. this is to have confidence in the flesh.

Secondly, when we take the Law to be no more than as a Law commanding the Ro. 7. 7, 9. Mat. 5. 21. to the end of the ch. outward man, and to forbid nothing but grosse acts of sinne, or to require no more than the outward duty; and so we are a­live; we know not sinne which reacheth to the heart, and hath its seat there in the deceitfulnesse and wickednesse thereof, nor know we lust or inordinate affections and concupiscence to be sinne, and there­fore we blesse our selves, or flatter our selves in our own eyes in our natural e­state.

Thirdly, when and whilest that we can­not endure to hear the holinesse of the Law opened and urged; and we love not the righteousnesse and purity of the Com­mandments; yet we will have the saying of the Commandments and the publick reading of them as part of Divine service, and hold this better than all preaching, and without this we care not for Minister or preaching.

Fourthly, when all the fruit of the [Page 244] coming of the Law and Commandment is onely to revive sin, and to strike us dead. I take the Apo [...]les phrase, the meaning whereof is this, That the Spirit of God doth accompany the Law, and the spiritualnesse of the Law being such as Rom. 7. 9. reaches to the thoughts and desires of the heart, as well as to our words and deeds, when it is opened, the Spirit of God brings it home to the conscience with power, this is the coming of the Law; now when the fruit of it thus coming, is this onely, to revive sinne, and to kill the sinner, to ptovoke sinne, so that it works in the sin­ner all manner of concupiscence, and then comes the threatning and the curse and slays us, and strikes us dead; if this be all that we receive by the Law, the flesh yet will hold the Chair; for we wi [...]l dislike the preaching of the Law, we cannot en­dure these men of sowre spirits, these Legal Preachers, we will lay the fault on the Minister, and if we can but get from under this dinne, oh we like the respousal to every Commandment, Lord have mtrcy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this Law; this God shall have, and then we are at quiet and alive again, though our sinnes live in us, and we live [Page 245] and continue in them, love and plead for them.

Fifthly, when there is nothing in us that is subject to the Law of God; nothing that holdeth proportion with the plat­forme of holinesse laid down in the Law, Rom. 8. 7. but that only is found in us which rebels, frets, pulls away the shoulder and e­steems all grievous; for then we are whol­ly flesh.

Sixthly, when we never received any further work of the Spirit, than that of the spirit of bondage, and yet because thereof we conclude we have repented, and our estate is good, whereas by the Law we should be shut up to the faith of Christ in the Gospel, which having chan­ged and made us anew, we should live to God and delight in the spiritualnesse and purity of the Law, with judging and con­demning our selves thereby, and justify­ing God therein; the work of the spirit of bondage is to bring to the knowledge of sinne, to work the sense of Gods wrath a­gainst sinne, and to fill with terrours upon awakenings; and there is no further work of the Spirit, when there is no h [...]tred of the pollution of sinne, no heart-forsaking of the sinnes of the heart, no hatred of [Page 246] sinne in the sinfulnesse of our nature, whence all transgressions do come; when no further work did we ever finde than the convictions of rhe spirit; light great, and convictions strong, but the will, the heart, not created anew that there might be con­version and healing; now though these convictions may be not onely of sinne through the Law, but of the sinne of un­belief, and of righteousnesse, and of judgment, even of Christ and his King­dome, and righteousnesse through all the good Word of the Gospel, yet the flesh may and will still keep the Chair.

3. In reference to God and his wor­ship, 3. In refe­rence to God and his wor­ship. Two wayes. Col. 1. 21, 22. Isa. 66. 1, 3 Psal. 106. the flesh can yield to assume unto it, and choose both Gods name and ser­vice with great state, and thereby perk up the higher.

First, with the mixture and blending of mens devices, our own inventions, the commandments of men to teach the fear and worship of God, and the rudiments of the world, these are savoury, these are devotions, humility and wisdome, these are the rules to which the flesh lyeth level.

Secondly, with philosophical specula­tions, wisdome of words, great swelling [Page 247] words of vanity, and the worshipping of Angels: disputes about words and genea­logies, Col. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 3 1 Tim. 6. oppositions of science, fables, depths, unwritten traditions vented for Apostolical; these and such like, the flesh­ly-minded is puffed up withall; it loves to be intruding into things it knows not; it would be reputed seraphical by amazing the simple with high-flown notions.

4. In reference to Christ and to his 4. In refe­rence un­to Christ. Eminent­ly in Anti­christia­nisme. Gospel, his Profession, Ministry and Or­dinances; all these to choose: never did the flesh get more by any thing, she ap­pears like a Lamb, she puts forth the two Horns of Christs vicegerency and beauty external, she gets on the sheeps skin and cloathing, she hasps to her both the Keyes, the Key of knowledge and the Key of Discipline, the Keyes of the King­dome of heaven; she will be infallible, and give the sense of Scripture unerring­ly, be the Holy Father, and the Holy Mother-Church; she will exercise and con­jure the Divel, and cast him out, and do a thousand more such feats to admiration, till she in her bastard imp, the man of sin be brought to light, and he exalt himself above all that is called God and worship­ped, and sit in the Temple of God, shew­ing [Page 248] himself that he is God, confirming his doctrines of Divels with mighty signs and lying wonders; the Divel on the flesh got Antichrist the great, and surrogates him as Beast under the mantle of sacred Christianity by the cunning of name and shew severed from the thing and veri­ty; for the flesh domineers and is discove­red, domineering as the Mistresse and La­dy of Whoredomes, in this respect, these wayes.

First, when Christianity is turned into And five wayes. 2 Tim. 3. 5 a matter of form, and into a theatrical pomp and show; as when the temptati­ons, sufferings, crucifyings and resurre­ction, with the rest of the great works of Christ for our salvation, are acted, repre­sented and learnt in a Lent, a Maundie Thursday, a Good Friday, an Easter Fe­stival, an Holy Thursday, a Whitsontide, a Christmas, a Candlemas, (as they are Idolatrously named) with such goodly trash and trumpery; when Christ crucifi­ed is learned in a Crucifix, in the s [...]gn of the Crosse; and the Lords Supper institu­ted for remembrance of Christ, is turned into an Altar-service and Sacrifice with stately Altars, Altar-cloaths, Tapers, Pavements, Ascents, Priests in rich em­broidered [Page 249] Copes, Surplisses, Cringings and Bowings, Elevation of the Host, as it is fond and superstitiously called, kneel­ings, knockings of the breast, and o­ther gestures of Adoration; ‘sumptuous Temples, Partitions and Chancels, Pro­cessions, carrying of the Host about, sacring Bells, and the like of that rabble. What is Popery, but the out­side of Christian Religion, dressed up with trappings and trinkets of humane inventions and ceremonies to take the outward man withall, and keep that employed? for which cause doctrines erroneous must be taught and added to the doctrine of the Gospel, that whiles this is done, covetousnesse, pride and ambition may be fed, and the head and members of a belly-God Clergy from the Pope to the Apparitour may be stuffed and ruffle; and the Christian seduced people from the Em­perour to the Vassal may give them the honour, and cramme them with the best and choicest of all their temporals, that they may have the favour to live on mans dung, their own and others meritorious good works instead of the onely merits and Spirit of our Lord Je­sus [Page 250] Christ:’ there are degrees of this for­mality; for although in the Papacy you have Pharisaisme enthro [...]iz'd, yet where­ever the form of godlinesse is held to, with disregard of the power of it, there is Pha­risaisme in the form, though it hath not the upper-seat in the Temple of God, and there the flesh hath the rule. And how great is this wickednesse of formality, that the Word of life from the living God, set­ting forth Jesus Christ the Lord of life, for the eternal life and salvation of the sinful children of men, breathed by the Holy Ghost the Spirit of life and power, should be turned into a dead powerlesse shew, and the true Christian Religion be turned into a form, a carcase, and then all the care is to embalme it according to art to keep it from stinking; and with such folly and madnesse to dote upon this form, that they will perswade themselves it must needs commend them unto God, and to Angels, and to Men; and if any would otherwise perswade them to be ei­ther sullen and pleas'd with nothing, or in a rage and fury; the formal have ever been the most absurd and unreasonable to deal with, and the most fiery bloody perse­cutors of the godly in Christ Jesus.

Secondly, when Christ, the Gospel, Profession, with the rest is taken up to Gal. 6. 12, [...]3. [...]. make a faire shew in the flesh; to carry a face, and act a part which may please men, and winne glory with those of corrupt judgements, and thereby avoid persecu­tions for the Gospel, and for righteous­nesse sake. This way they take out of softnesse and delicacy, and out of ambi­tion; these are theologi gloriae, not theo­logi crucis; Divines that hunt after glory, and not Divines of the Crosse. These Christians are Christians of the Church tri­umphant, and will not be of the Church militant; they frame their Religion to [...] doctore glorioso, à pastore con­tentioso, ab inutilibus quaestioni­bus, liberet ecclesiam suam domi­nus. Joh. 5. 44. hold with the times, and to get reputati­on with men; they will be godly, because it is in fashion: and that is now adayes their best interest in worldly and state af­faires. This course is inconsistent with faith in Christ, as our Lord saith, How can ye believe who r [...]ceive honour one from another, and se [...]k not the honour that com­eth from God only? this is altogether re­pugnant to the Character of a true Chri­stian, which is, to be one crucified with Gal. 6. 14. Christ, and to glory in the Crosse, where­by he is crucified to the world, and the world to him.

Thirdly, when outward priviledges, Phil. 3. 7. Judg. 17. 13. Joh. 8. 39, 41. & 9. 28 profession, and performances are accoun­ted gaine to us; as Micah said, Now know I that the Lord, the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest; and the Jews stood upon this, We have A­braham to our father. We are not born of fornication, we have one Father, even God. We are Moses Disciples.

Fourthly, when we will heap to our selves teachers, after our lusts, having itching eares, 2 Tim. 4. 3. but will not endure sound doctrine: we will not be without Preachers, but they shall be Women-Prophets, such as dawbe, and can sow pillowes under all arm-holes; we love trencher-Chaplains. Christ by his Spirit carrieth on his saving work by Preaching, writing of good books, Catechismes, bodies and Systems of Divinity, Rules of holy life, Expositi­ons of Scripture: and Antichrist he will have his order of Preachers, Colledge of Jesuites, Monks, Fryars of several or­ders, Catechismes, Books of good life, Annotations upon the New Testament, as that of the Rhemists; and such Writings of all sorts to bolster their lyes and super­stitions, and hinder the propagation and obscure the light of the truth of the Go­spel, [Page 253] that he will herein out-bid all the Churches, since so it is that they cannot keep up any longer grosse ignorance, a [...] the Scripture and Religion in an unknown tongue.

Fifthly, many there are who bear reve­rence and observance to the faithful and Mar. 6. 20. godly Ministers, when yet (with Herod) they have their Herodias, their Minion­lust which they will not part with: and here let many be warned who seem to be gracious, how they put the stay of their hearts for their spiritual estate upon this, that they hear choice Ministers as sweet men, and call their preaching such; or [...] upon this, that they tongue it now in the Dialect and language that hath a strain of more than common plain expression of the things of Christ, and take to some word, or tone, or mincing of words or utterance, as if it hung between the teeth when they speak; as if yea, were better than yes, or I: or Gad, were better than God. It irketh me to name these, but the good and honour of the godly which I ten­der, compelleth me, for I know these things are not spiritual, and of the Spi­rit.

5. In reference to the godly with whom [Page 254] we live. The flesh reigns 5. In refe­rence to the godly▪ three ways Jam. 2. 1.

First, when we have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons; when worldly things give them the roome in our hearts, either in our choice for society, or in our Church-Assemblies. When the Gold Ring on the finger, or rich apparel bears the sway, and not the riches of faith, which is the true riches.

Secondly, when the times and respect to a Jehoiada, and the presence of an Isa­ac 2 King. 12 2. Gen. 27. 41 Gal. 4. 29. fashion the outward man to some correspondency and conformity with and to them, as in Joash, and Esau: but ha­tred and persecution of mocking were ne­ver cured. When we are the Israel of Kings and Parliaments, and not the Isra­el of God, as holy Greenham distinguish­eth them.

Thirdly, when the utmost we seek is a trimme Lamp of true and pure profession Mat. 25. 1. to the 10. burning, and look not to have oyle in our Vessels, the Spirit of grace, and a lively faith in the heart; when it is enough for us if we be Virgins for truth of doctrine in profession, and in tenet, and that we joyn our selves in Church-fellowship, and in society in conversation to the wise Vir­gin-Professors.

[Page 255] 6. In times of diversity of opinions, and sects in Religion, as in such dayes as 6. In times of diversi­ties of opi­nions, wayes. Mat. 16. 14 15. ours are. The flesh reigns

First, when we cannot tell what to be or hold: and grow so unsettled, that we tend to be Neuters in Religion, or to be of no Religion; and unto this Neutrality are all those subject to fall, who have no farther knowledge of the mysteries of godliness, than that which flesh and blood, the light of wisdome that is in all men doth reveale.

Secondly, when we runne into divisi­ons Rom. 16. 17, 18. without care had, either of the truth of doctrine, or of giving offence.

7. In times of extremities, the flesh 7. In times of distresse three ways Hos. 8. 2, 3 Jer. 3. 5. rules

First, when we are full of large claimes of interest in God and Christ; and of con­fident Profession of our assurance; and full of arguments pleaded from experi­ences of outward blessings, deliverances, preservations and successes: and yet the former life not led by the rule of the Word, nor the former sinnes about which God strove with us; these in the present extremity are not made the matter of hu­miliation and self-accusation in the pre­sence [Page 256] of God, nor is the heart right with God in things we do professe, nor are we Psa. 78. 34, 35, 36, 37. stedfast in his Covenant.

Secondly, when we are like Esau the prophane, who preferred the saving of his Heb. 12. 16 17. life before his birth-right, that is, before his title to the Promises of the Messiah. Esau's case was the danger of present death; no lesse; but he had not the faith of Abraham his Grand father, for then that faith would have carried him out pre­vailingly to the lively hope of a resurre­ction, unto which, God that is able to raise the dead could bring him; and there­fore thus trusting God, he would have dy­ed a thousand deaths, rather than have parted with his birth-right. How many Esau's, and more prophane than Esau the Son of Jacob, are there in the visible Church, which will part with the promise (wherein the title to Christ doth lie) for a far lighter thing than life!

Thirdly, when though we enquire of God in our distresse, in his own appoin­ted 1 Sam. 28. and instituted way, yet like Saul, if we be hard-bestedd, we will out to unlawful and forbidden meanes, as he did to a witch. We will leap the hedge, and not keep the way of God till he therein ac­complish [Page 257] our desired end, and his own promise: and we will reason thus for our practice, Why should we wait on the Lord any longer? 2 King. 6. 33.

8. In times of persecution, the flesh reignes

First, when humane reason in the prin­ciples 8. In times of the fie­ry tryal, four ways. Psa. 14▪ 6. thereof against the Crosse, doth so sa­vour and sway with us, that we deride and shame their counsel and course▪ who will hold fast, and endure and live by faith to their greatest hazard and extreamest losse. Satan took hold of Peter, and he justly bare from Christ the name of Satan, for counselling and admonishing out of hu­mane principles, though with very entire­ly-loving Mat. 16. 23. affections: but he suffered the just rebuke, and did not nourish his hu­mane wisdome with scorn of the way of Gods holy servants, who choosing righte­ousnesse with the Crosse, have preferred the life of faith before the life of reason, and have patiently with joyfulnesse sub­mitted their lives in this world, and their all here on earth, to the holy disposing of the All-wise and gracious God.

Secondly, when we cannot discern those that tremble at Gods Word, to own Isa. 66. 1, 5 them from Pompous hypocrites, who can [Page 258] easily find them out to hate them: when we cannot see Christ in his Members, Mat. 25. 44, 45. through a poore, naked, imprisoned out­side.

Thirdly, when we suffer but in faction, and do drive on worldly interests and de­signes, 1 Cor. 13. 1, 3. and not out of love to Christ, his Gospel, and to righteousnesse: or we suffer out of opinion of merit, not in self-denial: or out of vain-glory, not with lowlinesse and love of the brethren: or out of a Roman resolution, as it is called, not out of a sound mind: or out of tena­ciousnesse of what we have once professed and maintained, not in obedience to the truth, ready to receive light from the Word, in case that any could evidence by the Scripture our mistakes: or when we suffer upon design to get the more, as Ju­das 2 Tim. 1. 7 Rev. 21. forsook all and followed Christ, but he hoped to get by the bargain: or out of heat of blood▪ when in cold blood we are void of the power of the Spirit, and possessed with the spirit of base feare; the feareful and unbelieving go to­gether.

Fourthly, when we sort and suit out holy truths and practices, and con [...]oyne with them errours that are plausible, or [Page 259] first-Table and Gospel-sinnes, according as the times will bear to avoid persecution, Act. 20. 39 Psal. 91. 1. to get followers, and to satisfie one lust or other. We would dwell in the secrets of men, of Princes, whereas we should dwell in the secrets of the most High.

9. In extraordinary duties, and about the great work of Reformation, this hath 9. In ex­traordina­ry duties, four ways. been no unusual thing for the flesh to ad­mit of these, and sometimes on occasion to be forward in them, and yet clearly to be discerned to sit on the throne: As for extraordinary duties,

First, All of them called for, and de­lighted Isa. 58. 1, 2 3. in, so that we may hold our speci­al sinnes of violence, oppression, un­cleanenesse, filthy lucre or the like.

Secondly, All these continued, but Zach. 7. 5, 6, 7. Refo [...]mation according to the Word neg­lected.

Thirdly, God sought with droves and heards for sacrifice, with outward perfor­mances Hos. 5. 6. Mic. 6. 6, 7. Hos. 14. 2, 3. and flashes of Devotion, sparing therein neither for paines and cost, and price, but not looking to the Sacrifice of righteousnesse, the sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart, nor with renouncing of carnal and forbidden confidences.

Fourthly, When all our humiliations [Page 260] are Ahabs humiliations; such outward penitentials proceeding even from the belief of an Elijah's threatning, that they draw the eye of God and man, and receive some answers from God in temporal mercies: and yet Ahab is Ahab still, 1 King. 21. 27, 29. when that fit is over, and some breathing time given.

Again, in the work of Reformation, The unregenerate may cry, call Assem­blies, About Re­formation five ways. Hos. 7. 14, 17. promise reformation, and return too, (though not up to the most High,) but be as a deceitful bow that is bent, hath the arrow upon the string, and puts off with a levelling at the white, but flies quite aside, mounts in the ayre, or falls short, or [...]ver many a score: and then the Lord hearing and giving deliverance, they keep still their old wont, Reforming no further than will stand with their worldly inte­rests, and driving on their interest to the endammaging of Christs interest.

More particularly, in Reformation the fleshes Regency is discovered,

First, in a partial Reformation. This sinne hath been too too palpable with us since our first just with-drawing from the bed of that Romish Jezebel, and casting off the yoke of Romish Antichristian ty­ranny. [Page 261] In the dayes of Henry the eight, the Popes supremacy was cast off, but o­ther parts of Popery retained: Witnesse, the six Articles, for refusal of which Ar­ticles many faithful Christians burnt at the stake. In King Edward the sixth's reign, a gracious young Prince, when the worship of God was so far restored as to be Celebrated in the Mother tongue, and grosse superstitions abandoned, the six Ar­ticles taken away, truth of doctrine held forth, neverthelesse, in some the flesh so cunningly wrought that Leiturgy and Pre­lacy were retained, and by a Law many holy dayes (as men call them) ranged in the same rank with the Lords day. In Queen Elizabeths dayes of blessed Me­mory, the mind of the flesh was so potent in many, that there was kept up a reading Ministery, Non-residency, and Pluralities, Ceremonies with subscription, leiturgy with an encrease of length, Prelacy, the Royal Chappels and Cathedrals with chantings, Altars, Copes, Bowings at Altars, and at the name of Jesus kept up, Crosse in Baptisme urged unto Suspencion, and ejection of many choice Ministers, Canons, Canonical obedience, and the abuse of excommunication, with the spi­ritual [Page 262] Courts, as they were carnally na­med. In King James's Reign, besides all the former continued with many accessi­ons, the book of sports was given out. In King Charles his Reign, many corrupti­ons in Doctrine vented, the book of sports urged upon Ministers to publish it, the new-Canons with an oath made by the Convocation house, Altars and Organes brought into Parish Churches, with other of the like leaven: So that Reformation was highly needful. In the time of the Parliament in 1642. and forwards Refor­mation was solemnely Covenanted. An Assembly for that end called, the things of Jesus Christ Covenanted, were prepa­red and pre [...]ented; but how far they took any effect, is at present by the godly sober­minded laid to heart and bewailed. And now though no Popery, Prelacy, nor Leiturgy, blessed be the holy Name of our God: yet there is no confession of faith for unity in Doctrine, no Directory for uniformity in worship, no Church-Discipline or Government, no Cate­chisme, no Communion of Congregati­ons, of Churches, of Ministers settled. Thus in the edificative part we may say, where shall our Reformation be found? [Page 263] our Covenant Reformation where is it? The Lord hath been upon the work of pu­rifying and refining his Church for the space now of above one hundred years, even ever since the year 1517. and he will effect it; shall he begin, and shall he not make an end? how is it that we are slack and follow not the Lord more fully, and observe not more his goings forth with Hosanna's, saying, Save now we be­seech thee, send now prosperity. It was the Ex. 10. 24, 26. antient voice of the godly in this Land, a hoof must not be left behinde; let us re­assume it, let us rest assured that inventi­ons of men must not come in.

Secondly, in abhorring one sinne (as to the out-side) and setting-up another; as when it may be said of us, thou that ab­horrest Idols, dost thou commit sacriledge? Ro. 2. 22. thou pullest down all the reliques of Super­stition, and sufferest not a Crosse in a street, nor on a Steeple, nor an image painted in a Church-window, nor a consecrated Font for Baptisme, and thou doest well; and wilt thou continue in the sinne of sacri­ledge; shall the maintenance of the Mini­stery that labours in the Word and Doctrine remain impropriated, in that very day when thy Supreme Governour who undertaketh [Page 264] great things righteously for the good of the Church in all the world, cuts off all un­necessary expences for his Court, needeth great supplies, doth yet freely give home the first fruits and renths (which none e­ver before did do) to provide that there may be no scandalous livings in the Nati­on, whiles he endeavours the ejection of scandalous Ministers? is that no scariledge now adayes, which was sacriledge, and so preached and proved to be in all parts of the Land by the faithful Ministers in the days of Queen Elizabeth?

Thirdly, in the execution of judgment, and in pursuing Reformation to be like Jehu; zealous for the Lord of Hosts in ful­filling 2 Kings 10. 28. 29, 30, 31. the Word of the Lord against the I­dolatry of the house of Ahab, when he could not live by faith above his carnal reason, that the ten Tribes should not re­turn to the house of David in the line of Solomon, if they should all come up to Jerusalem yea [...]ly to worship God according to Gods command; and therefore he would keep up Jeroboams Idol-calves, and not depart from his sinne: oh this reason of state, what evil work hath it not produced! How hath it turned a man, a brave Prince 2 Kings 8. 12, 13. into a dog! David was a man after Gods [Page 265] own heart, who did live by faith, in the matter of getting and keeping a Crown and a Kingdome.

Fourthly, in pretending zeal for Re­formation, and against Gods dishonour, Rev. 19. 18 and when God makes a Feast in the slaugh­ter of his enemies to fall from the work begun, and to be like Vultures and Kites, and Birds of prey, feeding on the flesh of Kings, Captains, and mighty men, and [...]ied by the teeth on the Collops, Flanks and fat of rich Demeans, Lands and E­states; whereas when God giveth great re­ward for service done, we should be the more, and the more faithful in the work of the Lord.

Fifthly, in seeking to joyne with the sincere in building the Lords Temple, that we may corrupt the structure, or hinder the work, like the Adversaries of the Jews Ezr. 4. 1, 2, 3. in the dayes of Ezrah.

10. In great undertakings; the flesh may rule where the enterprizes, atchieve­ments and successes are above her [...]ical, and the right hand of God is lifted up on high, as the Medes and Persians are called Gods mighty ones, and his sanctified ones; Heathens may be Saints, Saints of the Isa. 13. 3. most high God in this sense; so these were [Page 266] Saint-souldiers. And Christians may go farther, and yet be under the Regency of the flesh.

First, they may enquire of God by his Prophets, by the Scriptures in their great expeditions; but herein they are like A­hab, who said there is one Micaiah, but I 1 Kings 22. 6, 8. hate him; or they are like Johanan and his company, who will needs be satisfied what the Lords minde is, and promise o­bedience, and binde it to the utmost; but when they understand that it is against their minde, they will absolutely refuse, and hold their own will and way; and Jeremy the Prophet must be charged with speak­ing falsely in the Name of the Lord. Jer. 42. 1, 2, 5, 6, 10. & 43. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 1 Kings 22. 4.

Secondly, they may use the friendship, and seek and hold correspondence with the truly godly, but it is like Ahabs compli­ance with Jehoshaphat, upon earthly grounds, and for worldly ends.

Thus have I endeavoured to discover the flesh maintaining her state through spiritual walks; the next that follows is to set out the Regency of the Spi­rit.

SECT. 4.

4. The Reign of the Spirit may be seen in a six-fold discovery of his working; for 4. The Re­gency of the Spirit in six works. where he is, he works, and where he works, he works, but not as one that doth his work in a corner, and his work is with efficacy and power, his work is like himself; thus then,

1. The Spirit carrieth him in whom he is, unto the Word, and in the Word unto J [...]sus Christ; he carries to the Word Psal. 19. 7. & 119. 1. 64 which he breathed, and in which alone he savingly works: he that hath the Spirit, saith, The Law of the Lord is perfect, conver­ting 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24. the soul. Blessed are the undefiled in the war, who walk in the Law of the Lord; O teach me thy statutes. The Gospel of Christ is to them the power of God, and the wisdome of God; likewise in the Word, the Spirit carries to Jesus Christ, Prov. 8. 35 he waiteth there to finde Christ, and in him favour with God, and life eternal; he s [...]ith, O that I might be found in him; in the Lord Jesus Christ have I righteousnesse and strength. And in the knowledge of Christ revealed in the Word, the Spirit carries to faith and love which is in Je­sus [Page 268] Christ, that is, which is set on Christ as the object, which is formed by the Go­spel Isa. 45. 24. of Jesus Christ, and which is truly Christian; now the heart is for such faith, and such love, and not content with any kinde of faith in God and Christ, or a­ny kinde of love to God.

The Spirit is the Spirit of faith, and the Spirit of love, in converting a sinner to Christ, the Spirit makes faith and love to abound in the exceedings, above the 1 Tim. 1. 14 [...]. power of inbred, unbelief, and hatred, beyond the power and malice of men or Divels to destroy, and with the living, in­creasing aspirings to perfection from de­gree to degree.

2. It makes very sensible of spiritual wants and evils, and fills with desires like hunger and thirst after spiritual good things. Where the Spirit of Christ is, (for where he is, there he reigns;] that man is made sensible of the flesh, even of the corruption of his nature; I am carnal, sold under sinne; I was conceived in ini­quity, Rom. 7. 14 Psal. 51. 5. Rom. 7. 18 I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good. These are the feel­ing expressions of the godly; that man is sensible of his special sinnes, I do know mine own iniquity, and my sinne is ever Psal. 51. 3. [Page 269] before mine eyes; that man is very sensi­ble of inward sinnes, of the sinnes of his thoughts, his heart-impurities, the deceit­fulnesse and hardnesse, the desperate wick­ednesse of his heart, so that it needs a new Creation, and the renewing of a right Spi­rit, a new heart, and a new Spirit: that man is sensible of the evils of his best Isa. 64. 6. works, all our righteousnesses are as a menstruous cloth: that man is sensible of the utter need he hath of Christ for righte­ousnesse and for strength, and of his want of spiritual blessings, and saving graces. A poor, empty, vain, foolish, and lost creature he findes himself, without Christ, without God, and without hope; his in­vincible desires are after reconciliation; Cause thy face to shine, Lord, lift thou up Ps. 80. 3, 7, 19. Psal. 4. 6. Hos. 14. 2. the light of thy countenance upon us; Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously; these invincible desires after reconciliation through Jesus Christ, to enjoy Gods re­conciled face in the Atonement made in the blood of his own Sonne, are in that Psal. 4. 6. Psal. 26. 3. & 17. 15. & 30. 5. & 63. 3. man set to attain it, to retain it being had, and to recover it if any way lost, and to walk in the light of this his counte­nance as his true blessednesse and chief good: that mans desires also are invin­cibly [Page 270] set after renovation; Create in me a clean heart O God; Turn us, and we shall Ps. 19. 15. Ps. 51. 10. be turned.

3. It filleth full of grace and supplicati­ons, with mournings, bemoanings and self-abhorrings; Jer. 31. 16. Zach. 12. 10, 11. Ezek. 36. 31. & 16. 61 Ro. 6 21. Ezra 9. Jer. 31. 18, 19. the confusion and shame for sinne wrought by the Spirit given, is volun­tary and of choice, not without some plea­sure taken therein; (I will declare mine iniquity, I will be sorry for my sinn [...],) the confessions of sinnes guilelesse and o­pen-hearted without hiding and cloaking, and with holy blushings in Gods presence; this is true of him now ashamed.

4. The Spirit where he cometh, he gi­veth a new light, even the light of life, a new savour and rellish to minde and rellish the things of the Spirit; new inclinati­ons, a new bent of soul, a new by as on the will, set, fixed, centered and pointed Heaven-Ward, God-Ward, Christ-Ward.

5. The Spirit disposeth to do all good; first, from a spiritual principle of faith Ephes. 5. 9 1 Tim. 1. 5 unfeigned, of a heart purified, of a good conscience, and of love. Secondly, with a godly force and impulse. Thirdly, in o­bedience to the Word, and by the Rule of the words of the new creature made up of [Page 271] the Word. Fourthly, with a searching heart, a Spirit making diligent search that all be done with repentance because of the evils of the best we do; and with faith in the blood of Jesus Christ for acceptation: for our repentance needs still to be repent­ed of; and none can live an houre in the sight of God any other way than by faith in Jesus Christ. Fifthly, and unto high and supernatural ends; as 1. To the glory of God, and not to our own praise and glory. 2 To the salvation of our own souls and others. 3. To the increase of grace in our selves and in others. 4. And to the adorning of the Gospel, and of our holy profession. And that all may thus be done, the Spirit disposeth to delight in the Law in our inner man, to rejoyce to work righteousnesse, to glory and make our boast in the Lord Jesus, and in him only to serve God with our spirits in the Gospel of his Sonne, to solace our selves in fellow­ship with Christ, and through him with the Father by the Holy Ghost, according to the Covenant of Grace, now set forth ful­ly in the Gospel. It disposeth to follow the Lord fully, as did Caleb and Joshua, Num. 14. 24. in the times of murmurings, declinings, and evil and hard reports brought upon the [Page 272] wayes of God, to walk with a right foot in the Gospel, when patties and divisions tempt to dissimulations and haltings. To make more streight steps to our paths, and strengthen our feeble hands and knees in all pursuits of holinesse with peace and quiet submission, when sore persecutions abide or threaten us.

6. The Spirit at his first entrance into a sinner, in his renewing act and presence heals the soul for ever of sore and grie­vous wickednesses, which shew their poy­son with strength in every natural man; they are four:

First, Impenitency, such a hardnesse of heart that it cannot repent, but it abuseth Ro. 2. 3, 4. the riches of the goodnesse of God their Creatour, and the riches of the patience and long-suffering of a gracious God. Repentance unto life Christ giveth; and in the Regenerate a spring of godly sor­row is opened, and the flint-stone of the heart before hard as a Rock, now gives floods; before he had a heart that could not repent, and now he hath an heart that cannot but mourn for sinne.

Secondly, Pronenesse to be scandali­zed, and to take offence; 1. At the af­flictions, Mat. 13. 21. tentations and persecutions [Page 273] which comes for the Gospels sake; 2. At the fewnesse, meannesse, infirmities, sinnes and sorrowes of the godly; 3. At Joh. 6. 60, 61. 1 Cor. 1. 23 the truths of the Gospel, crosse to our corrupt sense and reason; 4. At Christ crucified. 5. At the simplicity of the Gospel, and of the Gospel-Ordinances, their poor mean out-side, and among them, of plain edifying preaching in de­monstration of the Spirit, and of Power, and not with wisdome of words nor Phi­losophy, and such vain deceits. 6. At the purity of Gods commands, the hard­ship of mortification, the strangenesse, and as we naturally think, the unreaso­nablenesse and folly of a Saints life, the life of a stranger and pilgrim, the life of faith; what? can we be Saints on earth? shall we live like no body? we must live, and wee'le trust God with our souls: when the Spirit comes, he works such great love to the Word, that nothing shall of­fend them; such knowledge and assured faith of the Messiah the great Prophet who hath the words of eternal life, and Ps. 119. 165 Joh. 6. 68, 69. none but he, that they shall never go a­way from his blessed Gospel, although at the first they are not able well to appre­hend many truths there delivered.

Thirdly, The hatred of the godly and of holinesse, and the speaking evil of both: when the Lord by his Spirit g [...]aci­ously visits their souls, now they have a­nother language, they glorifie God for and in the godly, to whom before they 1 Pet. 2. 12 could not afford a good word; now they are to them the only excellent ones in the earth: holinesse hath now their hearts, and that for ever; and therefore the Saints are their delight.

Fourthly, Insensiblenesse of, and under spiritual plagues; now they feel and fear, Isa. 63. 17. Zeph. 3. 18. and pray against a heart hardening and hardened under afflictions, and from Gods fear, they mourn for the famine of the Word, for the want of the solemn Assembly, the taking away of faithful searching preaching; they fear to be left to their own hearts, to walk in their own counsels; they are sensible of the hiding away of Gods face, and of losse of the joy of Gods salvation; they fear to have their Table made a snare, and to have their temporal blessings cursed to them, and not sanctified to them; they know it for a great curse to have successe and prosperity in an evil way. A spirit of slumber and carnal security they so dread, [Page 275] that they love an awakened, and preserve atender conscience, an awakening Mini­stery, and dare not live without a watch set chiefly over the heart and mouth, and in holy jealousie over themselves they pray Ps. 141. 3. Ps. 141. 4. to God that he would set the watch; they so fear the prosperity of wicked men, and the heavy judgment to be left of God to incline in heart to the liking of their con­dition and estate, that it is their earnest prayer that they may never choose or de­sire in heart to eat of their dainties. Thus of the Regency of the Spirit.

SECT. 6.
5. The walk after the flesh, is a life led

First, After the course of the world, 5. What the walk after the flesh is, in eight things. Eph. 2. 2, 3 after the will of men; in their religions, idolatries, superstitious vanities, and the inventions of men in doctrine and wor­ship, in Philosophy and wisdome of words, devotions and wayes of Religion, Traditions and Commandments of men to teach the fear and service of God; there are that speak of the world, and the world will hear them; the world hath not only his profane ones, but his sacra, his 1 Pet. 4. 3 [Page 276] holy things, and the world hath his just ones, and his devout and holy ones; here lies one special part of the way and course of the world, and so is the will of men that people should walk after that course, but so is not the will of God. To live after the course of the world, is to live after the lusts of men, to live the life of the Gentiles, following and imitating their manners, hunting after their favours, this is the broad way where most go; this is the way of the men of this world. To live after the course of the world, is to live seeking what the Gentiles seck Mat. 6. 32. after, what we shall eat, what we shall drink, wherewith we shall be cloathed, how we may rise, grow rich and great, how we may build, plant, purchase, leave our names great on earth, and leave our children so, and thus eternize Psal. 49. 1. our selves here as the men of this world do, that minde and are addicted unto this present life, seeking their good things, and making up their portion in this world; Ps. 17. 14. how also they may do well to themselves, fare deliciously, wear gorgeous artire, swim in vanity, jollity and pleasure; this is their way, and their posterity like and applaud it, and others that have neither [Page 277] power nor hopes to attain it, count these the happiest under the Sunne; and though the Spirit of God saith, it is their folly, and they shall never see light, yet this the world doth as their [ [...]] their eternity, as if there were no other life, nor other world.

Secondly, After the lusts of the flesh, 2 Pet. 3. 3, 4. Gal. 5. 1 [...] that is, in some manifest work of the flesh, a manifest wickednesse either against pie­ty or against charity, or righteousnesse, or chastity, or temperance.

Thirdly, after Satan, as if joyned in 1 Tim. 5. 15. marriage with him, so the Apostle expres­seth it; that is, to live in love, fidelity, and obedience to the Divel, lo [...]ding it in lying vanities, in darknesse of sinne, in ignorance of God, and in unbelief ru­ling; he is the liar and the murtherer, the father of lusts and of lies of all sorts; the enemy and envious one, the tempter, the accuser of the brethren, and the back-biter: now when Satan may in his temptations play with us, touch us with his love-touches in any of those wherein his works consist, from which he hath those his former proper names and titles; may bed with us, and we with him; when he may enter into us, as he did into Ju­das [Page 278] Iscariot, and fill our hearts as he did the heart of Ananias and Sapphira, and take us Captives as fish that love the bai [...], at his own will: when we keep open house for him, by giving place to wrath, re­venge, uncleanenesse, covetousnesse, i­dolatries, lyes taught in hypocrisie, ha­tred of the godly, cavilling at the Word of truth, or at the way of holinesse, or the like: or when we keep the house empty, not stored with holy truths and graces, the fur­niture of the mind and heart: when our hearts are true to evil motions and lusts, but false to Gods Commandments and Gospel, and we passe not much that it is so, then we live after Satan. These are they in whom Satan works effectually, and Eph. 2. 2, 3. they fulfill the desires of the flesh, and of the mind.

Fourthly, In darknesse: no discerning of men, either of the godly to make their companions, and to choose their portion and lot, even the reproaches of Christ; or of the wicked, to avoid their company, counsel, way, and chaire; although they Psa. 11. 1, 2 1 Joh. 4. 1. can finde out the godly, even the upright in heart, to shoot privily at them, no dis­cerning of spirits; of Ministers and Mi­nistery: nor of things and doctrines, un­lesse [Page 279] it be this, to account the things of the Spirit foolishnesse: no discerning of Joh. 10. 4, 5. graces from moralities and civilities, which they prefer before the feare of God, and faith in Christ, the love of the Saints, and the patience of hope. No discerning of wayes; the way which is called holy, from the way of the worldling, prophane Luk. 12. [...]6 2 Cor. 6. 2. Mat. 16. 3. Luk. 19. 44 or formal. No discerning of the signes of the times; the seasons of grace, the day of salvation, the day of their visitati­on.

Fifthly, a life led in security; no won­der if the dark and blind who see not their 1 Thes. 5. 5, 6, 7. Deut. 29. 19. danger, be altogether secure; the night is for sleep; they that sleep are of the night, and of darknesse; they that are of the night are sleepers. No questions; no ca­ses of conscience; the flesh blesseth them in their evil imaginations, and flatters Psa. 36. 1, 2 them in their iniquities; no serious enqui­ries about their spiritual estate, or about their wayes; about these two are all the main cases of conscience; no watchful­nesse over the heart, the mouth, the eyes, the feet, and all their goings. A man must be awake before he can watch.

Sixthly, In vanity of mind, and of con­versation. In vain principles, reasonings, [Page 280] thoughts and inventions: they walk in emptinesse of the power of saving truths Ephes. 4. 18 1 Pet. 1. 18. and graces, the conversation vaine, fool­ish, unprofitable, void of godlinesse in power, the words idle, unsavoury, not good for the use of edifying, and the works not directed in truth according to the do­ctrine which is after godlinesse; this is upon them at the best, and many times they break out to that which is vile and a­bominable.

Seventhly, In hypocrisie, with fleshly 2 Cor. 1. 12 Mat. 6. 1, 2 & 23. wisdome; hypocrisie, either natural, or pharisaical. The natural hypocrisie may stand with a particular uprightnesse, as in Abimelech, of whom God testifieth that he did in the fact about Sara, Abra­hams Gen. 20. 5, 6. wife, that which he did, in upright­nesse: and it may stand with a general up­rightnesse to the light of a natural self-deceived heart, and to the light of the Law in a man that seeketh righteousnesse in his own works: An uprightnesse legal, Act. 23. 1. Phil. 3. 6, &c. such as was in Paul before his conversion: but not an uprightnesse Evangelical, which consisteth in renouncing all confidence in our works, and in the flesh, or outward duties, and priviledges, or inward self-abilities; in the life of faith, in heart-pu­rifyings, [Page 281] and a Gospel conversation, in rejoycing in Christ Jesus, and our inte­rest in him, and in conformity to his death, in hatred of all sinne we know, in bearing respect to all Gods Command­ments, and in all these, in humble stre­nuous pressings on to that which yet we have not attained, but is before us, with an heart and eye upon the prize of our high calling, to which we are called in Christ Jesus by the Gospel.

8. In natural Atheisme, in alienations of heart from the life of God, in impeniten­cy and unbelief. It is with them as with Israel, back-slidden Israel of old; they Hos. 5. 4. cannot frame their doings to return, they can do any thing, but to order their ways, to return they will not; they have no heart: and when urged to it, and the threatnings of God applyed, they say, no, there is no hope; if nothing but a Gospel Conversation, an holy life according to Gods Word will serve, then there is no hope. It is as bad as to be damned to hell, to be pressed to holinesse. God shall have any thing at their hands, if he will spare them in this. Ah, alas, for a spirit of whoredomes is in the midst of them; and their sinnes are their Idols: they hold fast [Page 282] deceit, and refuse to return.

Brethren, shall I hence describe unto you a natural man? ‘He is one that leads The Cha­racter of a natural man. his life (whiles perhaps Ingenious, witty, of fine parts, well-tempered, civil, moral, honest, fair in his deal­ings, and in some particular actions, yea, and in his general course, upright and blamelesse according to his natural and acquired light, yet he leads his life) as if his eternity and his good were in this present world; his height and glo­ry is to be humane and rational, or learned and philosophical, or devout in the way of Religion which his own heart chuseth, and which the people he liveth withal do like of; whose wills he followeth, and whose favour he hunts after, with an eye to his worldly plea­sure, or profit, or honour, or all; ever nourishing one or more manifest works of the flesh, unto which his heart is true, as one that is wedded to the Devil the father of lusts and lies, a voluntary cap­tive to his will, and taking pleasure to bed with him in his effectual working, and to fill his soul with loves; he is in darknesse, loves darknesse, and walks on in darknesse without any spiritual dis­cerning, [Page 283] though he be under the Go­spel-light, and have his day of visitati­on; he sleeps in deep and dead security, without any true awakenings to holy enquiries or watchfulnesse. Empty of saving truth and graces in power, his Conver [...]ation is at the best but vain, from the vanity of his mind in which he lives, and thence he will not be mo­ved, for his fathers and fore-fathers did so before him. Fleshly wisdome frames his conversation in strength of hypocri­sie, if not pharisaical, yet natural: And he never yet knew, nor can be per­swaded by all the preachers in the world, that secret Atheisme, estrang­ings from God, much lesse enmity to him, impenitency, and unbelief do reign in him, or that these in him are any great fault.’

Oh the miserable estate of such a one! A Lamen­tation. oh, how many such are in the world; there is a world of them: a world of them, even of those who bear the best of names, which is Christian. Who can with-hold from sorrow and sighings, if he understand and know things as they are? oh that we could mourn over you who cannot mourn for your selves! or that one could beare you [Page 284] on his heart, and bring you to Christ, that he might place you under his love so mel­ting, and put you into the laver of his own blood, till washed there you might come forth other men, even new-men. Oh that the Spirit of life from Christ would at length breath upon you, till he breathed in you. May it be, may it not be? could you but unfeignedly desire it, should it not be? We leave you and the work with the Lord; and how ever it may fare with worlds of men in this sad estate, yet as for you among us, if there be no re­medy, this shall be your priviledge, you shall not go down to the Chambers of hell beneath, unlamented; you shall not de­scend to that infernal pit not mourned o­ver: since such as you are, drew tears in abundance, such was his heart, from the eyes of Jesus Christ our Lord and Master, when he came not to condemne, but to save the world: and being the Minister of the Circumcision, beheld so many of his charge to perish everlastingly, notwith­standing he would so often have gathered them together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and they would not; he would, but they would not.

SECT. 7.
6. The walk after the Spirit, is a life led

First, After the Word: therein he that 6. What the walk after the Spirit is. Ps. 1. 1, 2. & 119. 1, 2, 5, 6. is in the Spirit exerciseth himself with de­light day and night; thereafter he wal­keth with desires and endeavours from the whole heart to be undefiled in that way; and with earnest prayers unto God that his wayes might be directed to keep Gods testimonies, and to have respect unto them all; this is the light and the Lamp of the Lord; and his heart saith, Come, let us walk in the light of the Pro. 6. 23. Psal. 119. 105. Isa. 2. 5. Isa. 2. 3. Lord; there he findes Christ teaching Gods people of his wayes, and therefore taught there of God, he resolves he will walk in his paths prescribed in his Word; this is the holy Canon, and therefore he Gal. 6. 16. will walk according to this rule, for so do all the Israel of God; this the Holy Ghost breathed, whose breath being the breath of Christs lips, is his life, and kills none but Antichrist and Antichristians with the men of the world; and therefore he subscribes to this closing acclamation, That man who ere he be is [...] worth his [Page 286] ears given him of his Maker to heare Rev. 2. 7, 11, 17, 29. & 3. 6, 13, 22. withall, who will not hear what the Spi­rit saith unto the Churches: the Scri­pture is his Rule for faith, for worship, for holy walking, in sobriety, in righte­ousnesse, in godlinesse, in all estates, in all relations, in the Family, Church and Common-wealth, and in his particular calling, and for holy order and discipline, and for incident cases, with professed sub­jection, 2 Cor. 9. 13. [...]. A subjecti­on of pub­lick pro­fession. Gal. 2. 14. [...]. Luk. 1. 6. against which he can do nothing, and for which he can do any thing; and all this now according to the Gospel-dis­pensation, in which his honour is to walk with a right foot, or to foot it right. This spiritual walker is righteous before God, walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blame­lesse.

Secondly, After the power of inward graces; of these the Spirit is the Authour, and the root, and these are the fruits of Gal. 5. 22, 23. Eph. 5. 9. Gal. 5. 25. [...]. the Spirit; this holy walker as he lives in the Spirit who is the principle of life within him, spiriting and quickning his soul with his graces, so he walks in the Spirit, himself cloathed, and his con­versation fashioned and ordered by these graces of the Holy Spirit; he gives all di­ligence [Page 287] to adde, seasonably bringing forth into practice, one grace to another, and 2 Pet. 1. 5, 8. that orderly; that all graces being in him and abounding, he may not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge and profession of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In the walk in this light of graces, as a childe of light, he is proving what is ac­ceptable Ephes. 5. to the Lord; and that he may so walk he shunnes all fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknesse; these are his study and endeavour, this is the way which he doth choose.

Thirdly, After Christ, as those that are betrothed unto him, and cleansed by his blood, and anointed by his Spirit, are married unto him, risen from the dead, and now they would keep themselves chast to him in the simplicity and purity of his Gospel and Ordinances, and in the sincerity and incorruption of the love of their hearts, they would imitate him, walk as he walked, and be as he is, even in this world would they be such; they would maintain communion and fellow­ship with him in the bed of his green and flourishing Ordinances, in their wayes, conversings, relations and enjoyments of the creatures, and in the secret lone­nesse, [Page 288] and the chamber of their hearts.

Fourthly, In light; this they love and come unto, because it is that which makes manifest; they would walk as un­derstanding, Joh. 3. 20, 21. Eph. 5. 10, 17. Phil. 1. 10. wise and prudent, proving what the will of the Lord is, and appro­ving what is excellent, and things that differ; this is their armour which they Rom. 13. 12. put on and wear, knowing their spiritual holy walk cannot be kept, further then it is maintained by a War.

Fifthly, In searchings of heart, a­wakenings of conscience, and holy watch­fulnesse; God awakens theit ears morn­ing by morning; and with those awaken­ings bores the ears, bows the heart, and in the bowing makes teachable and godly wise that they hear as the learned, as the taught of God; these gracious walkers are inquisitive, asking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, inquiring for the old and good way; they are seek­ers of the Lord, of his face and strength; they seek and keep the Word of God, they keep and seek it, as not to seek of Word, Ordinances and means of Gods own gi­ving and sanctifying which have the pro­mise of his presence and Spirit: these they have, and in them they seek the face [Page 289] of the God of Jacob; they are full of the communings with their own hearts, their spirits make diligent search within them that they may settle their state spiritual, their doubts, their wayes through serious examinations by the Word. They come to the light daily, to see whether their Joh. 3. 22. deeds be wrought in God or no; this is the manner of their walk, they consider Ps. 119. 59 their wayes, and turn their feet unto Gods testimonies.

Sixthly, In the power of supernatural Phil. 1. 27. truths. This walk is a Conversation be­coming the Gospel; the Gospel frames and influenceth their conversation. It is a Conversation in heaven where their Sa­viour Phil. 3. 20, 21. is, and whence they look for him to change their vile bodies (in the resur­rection) into the likenesse of his own glorious body; these spiritual walkers do live their Creed.

Seventhly, In sincerity, such holy plain­nesse, 2 Cor. 1. 12 perspicuity and transparent clear­nesse which God worketh and witnesseth withall, no way hypocritical and varnished over, but in simplicity purging from and stirring up himself against the hypocrite, and the hypocrisie of their own hearts. And all this by the grace of God, the [Page 290] free-grace of God which destroyes the do­minion of sinne in them, which thing the Law could not do; and by the which they are what they are in things pertaining to salvation; and by the gift of inherent grace which is now the leading principle guiding their conversation towards all men, and in the Church of God.

Eighthly, In repentance, faith and love; that is, they make it their every dayes work to be renewing their repentance to­wards God, their faith in Jesus Christ, and their love to the Word, to the Saints, and to all men.

All this the spiritual do do, not without the feelings and motions, but with a con­trary Gal. 5. 17. stirring, egging and workings of the flesh, insomuch that they cannot do what they would, yet they truly would what they should, and cannot do as they would. In all the eight fore-named, the flesh be­ing contrary, is in them lusting against the Spirit, but is not yielded unto, nay, it is resisted with mighty lustings, and still these walkings are chosen; their hearts and lives speak thus, Not the flesh, but the spirit; not the world, but the Word; not lust, but grace; not Satan, but Christ; not in darknesse as a night bird, as one of the [Page 291] night and of darknesse, but in light, as a childe of light, and of the day; not in sleep of security, but in awakings of ten­dernesse of a good conscience; not in vanity, but in the power of Gospel truths; not in hypocrisie with fleshly wis­dome, but in godly sincerity by the grace of God; not in with-drawings and forget­fulnesse of God, but with drawings near of faith in power to the saving of the soul; not in those, but in these would I unfeignedly have my walks; not after the flesh, but after the Spirit will I walk, is the language of the spiritual.

Again, the order of placing is very sig­nificant in this description; he that is now in the Spirit, was first in the flesh; he who now walks after the Spirit, had his former Conversation corrupt and after the flesh; therefore the spiritual mans walk is thus: he is ever putting off, and Eph. 4. 22, 24, 25, &c. getting further from his former corrupt Conversation, and is putting on a renewed Conversation day after day.

Beloved, shall I hence present you The cha­racter of a spiritual man. with the draught of a spiritual man? ‘The spiritual man is one, who, (be­ing regenerated and sanctified by the Holy Ghost, who in that work gives [Page 292] him a new life, no other than eternal life in the beginnings of it, and comes into him to rule and frame the whole soul, spirit and body in the power of the new life received,) he gives up him­self unto the Word that he may be for ever under the governance of the Spi­rit; he dares not compasse himself a­bout with sparks, nor walk in the light of a fire of his own, or of mans kind­ling. The Law of God is in his heart, guiding his steps that none of them do slide; he is a walking bible; he is the Epistle of Christ of the best Edition, so fair written that it is to be seen and read of all men. Grace in his heart is stamped upon his daily course; from a good treasure within he bringeth forth good things; he is married to Christ ri­sen from the dead, that he might bring forth fruit unto God; to him to live is Christ, being of the truth, and of the day; he walks Gospelly-genteel [...]. Rom. 13. 13. in a truly honourable dresse; comely, beau­tiful, and terrible as an Army with Banners. That others sleep, keeps him the more awake; and his security is in his keeping the watch and ward of the awakened. His conversation is on [Page 293] high, as is his high and heavenly cal­ling, with the Moon under his feet, and himself set above himself, and a­bove t [...]e world, while he treads on mould, and dwells in a leprous house of clay. He cannot abide hypocrisie, and loves nothing below that conversa­tion which the grace of God in Christ teacheth. He is passing on from faith to faith, from glorious grace to glori­ous grace, from strength to strength, as one called▪ to glory and vertue; but speeding his way through daily mortifi­cations and crucifixions of a home ene­my within his own bowels, he walks in the Spirit, and so fulfills not the lusts of the flesh; he walks not after the flesh, that he might walk closely after the Spirit; he that walks after the flesh, knows not the flesh so well as he; he a­voids and passes by, he comes not near, but goes away from the flesh's walks: for he hates the garment spotted with the flesh. He would not defile his gar­ments; for fine linnen, clean and white is his cloathing, even the righte­ousnesses of the Saints, all wrought without hands, as himself is the work­manship of God in Christ Jesus by the [Page 294] Spirit in a new Creation: yet since that the flesh will be with him, the heighth of his spiritual temper is this; he will take his garments and his fine array, and wash them white in the blood of the Lamb.’

O spiritual man! O Saint of the most high! blessed be thou; blessed be thy A blessing of his happy change. way: blessed be thy counsel in choosing this way; thou art blessed in such a leader, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of life and power: what eye-salve but that which Christ alone is Merchant of by a Monopo­ly that enriches all the Church, and in­fringes the liberty of none, what eye-salve but that, could have made thee so wel­sighted clearly to discern these two-fold leaders, walks and walkers; and as if thine eyes were in thy feet, to turn thy way with such exactnesse from the one, and turn thy walks unto this other? Grace is in thy walk, and Glory will be thy Crown. Christ is not ashamed to call them bre­thren, though he be in glory, and they on the dung-hill. Of this brood of travel­lers let my soul be; it shall be my hi [...]hest honour among all men to be of this bro­ther-hood which is so nearly allyed and so fast, that they are all but one body anima­ted, [Page 295] acted, and lead by one Spiri [...], and have all one way and walk, and one de­scription agreeing to one and all.

Thus far of the six things proposed for explication of this description, which makes up the third great doctrine of this text: now follow the uses to be made of this whole truth.

SECT. 8.

The use is three-fold. 1. Of Tryal. 2. Of comfort; and 3. Of exhortation. Three use [...] of the whole. 1. Of try­al.

1. This doctrine is full of tryal; it is of a distinguishing and differencing na­ture, such are all descriptions; they de­scribe not, if they distinguish not, that one thing may not be taken for another; and the excellency of this description is that it is plain and manifest; he that runnes may read who is in Christ by faith, and who is not; the Apostle would not have given it twice in one Context and in the same words, in matters of such hi [...]h concern­ment, and on purpose to settle us in sure consolation, had it not been most easie to be discerned, and palpable to all, though malice will not suffer the tongue to own what they cannot but know in their heart. [Page 296] The walk, the conversation shews the man; try then who hath the command of our lives; observe that; for if we live after the flesh, we shall dye for ever; but if through the Spirit we mortifie the deeds of the body, our members that are on earth, Rom. 8. 13 as uncleannesse, covetousnesse and the like, we shall live for ever, and never be damned. There are but two principles that rule the man; one of these have the command of all men; where the one com­mands, there the other cannot; that commands that hath power over the con­versation. It's lustings and motions are reigning indeed, that frame the walk of a man. It is then no difficult thing to know what we are by our walks; look upon your walk, and see your estate. The works of the flesh are manifest; read, and see Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21. And the fruits of the Spi­rit are many, and go in a chain unsevered; Gal. 5. 22. they are sweet; and ripe, not rotten, not hedge-fruit they are such against which there is no Law, although they are Gospel-fruit, & never grew but in that soil. Did ever any men make a Law against them? and the Law of God is wholly for them. Be not deceived by profession and perswasion that thou hast spiritual life [Page 297] within thee, if that inward spiritual life do not come forth in power to frame thy conversation after it, and no more after Gal. 5. 25, 26. the flesh. If we saith our Apostle, do live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spi­rit; have you spiritual life in you? have a spiritual conversation also; have a spiritu­al conversation, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, though you have flesh, and the flesh lusting in you. The sinnes of the godly are not as the sinnes of the wicked; and the manifest diffe­rence is this, the godly have no way of wickednesse in them, no sinne is their way Ps. 139. 24 and trade, no sinne commands their walk; they may fall into a sinne, as a wicked man may sometimes fall upon a duty, but that is not their course, they up again, and walk on in Gods way which their souls de­light in and choose, humbled and ashamed, and speeding their way the more; their de­light is in the Law of the Lord; now that allows no sinne, neither do they; every word of God is pure, so is their way, and purity of way is that they love; there is no wickednesse in all the words of wis­dome; he that delights in the Word of God as his guide, shall of necessity be led in wayes wholly differing from the coun­sel, [Page 298] course and chair of sinners, ungodly and scorners. Gods children have spots too many, but not the spots of unbelie­vers and hypocrites. The spot of Gods children, is not the spot of carnal Israe­lites, or carnal professours of the Go­spel; whatever be the spot of the spiritu­al, this is his beauty, he walks after the Spi­rit; he walks not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Mark here these three distin­guishing points in the trial of our estate.

First, the spiritual takes the Spirit for the Commander and Orderer of his con­versation; as he would have the Holy Ghost live and rule in his heart and his soul live in the power of the Spirit given to him, and dwelling in him, so he re­solves to walk in the Spirit; the spiritual mans walk is a walk after the Spirit.

Secondly, he walks thus, refusing and watching against, fleeing and warring a­gainst the flesh, and against the affections, and the lusts thereof; this the words im­port, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, is the spiritual mans walk.

Thirdly, and whereas the flesh would impose upon the most spiritual, he glori­fies the Spirit, and condemns the flesh; the flesh is rejected, but the Spirit is cho­sen [Page 299] for guide and leader; this refusing and choosing is his daily work; daily and con­tinually in his wayes and walks, he is re­fusing to walk after the flesh, and choo­sing to walk after the Spirit; the language of his walks and conversation is this, not the flesh, but the Spirit; not the walk af­ter the flesh, but the walk after the Spi­rit.

2. Therefore for the second use, here is 2. Of com­fort. singular comfort to all whose wayes are holy; who have the Spirit of Christ the orderer of their lives. God will account of thee by the course of thy life; the wicked while their lives are vain, earthly, carnal, and they like not the way of the holy, and choose not the Word and Spirit for their rule and guide, they plead Ps. 50. 16. and please themselves in the goodnesse of their hearts; God knows them for wick­ed, and so will judge them: thou com­plainest of thy heart, and mournest over thy vain thoughts, thy weaknesses, but holdest fast the way which is called holy; thy walk is directed heaven-ward. Re­member now, God reckons thee to be as the way is which thou hast chosen; whose walks are spiritual, they are spiritual, they Rom. 8. 1. are in Christ Jesus, and not in Adam: [Page 300] flesh may lust in them, but they fulfill not those lusts; for look upon their conver­sation, they walk in the Spirit, they walk after the Spirit, and that from the power of the Spirit in them as the spring of life, as the quickning, commanding, renew­ing inward life. The Holy Ghost hath his Throne in the heart of those whose walks he frames, whose walks are after his minde; these holy walkers are in the Spi­rit, in the Sonne, and in the Father, as their walk doth evidence undoubtedly.

That this comfort may flow forth clear and strong, it will be needful to give here somewhat of Consideration, and somewhat of Caution.

SECT. 9.

For Consideration, Consider seriously Where, four relie­ving con­siderati­ons. 1. What of the flesh may be, where the Spirit rules; cast under se­ven heads. Jam. 1. 14, 15. these four things following.

First, What of the flesh may be where the Spirit reigns; there may be

(1.) The lustings of the flesh contra­ry to the Spirit. In sinne there is first the evil suggestion, or first motion, the first rising▪ and peering out of sinne. This is in the most gracious and spiritual, but with great difference; for to the unregenerate and wicked it is the babe of his bosome, but to the godly it is the brat of Babylon; [Page 301] happy would he be esteemed of him, that could take and dash them against the stones. Secondly, delight ensnaring and bird-liming the soul; this may be in the godly, but it is stollen, and of treachery from the inmate the flesh; for his chosen delight is in the Law of God, his de­light is to do Gods will, that is with­in his bowels; but as for the wicked, his Psal. 1. 2. & 40. 8. inward parts are very wickednesse, he looks and welcomes, and with the whole heart closes with the ensnarings of sinnes motions; he would not willingly have it to have check in any case, no, not so much as from his conscience within. Thirdly, Consent of will; this in the godly is but partial, but in the unregene­rate it is a full consent. Fourthly, the Act or Commission in a formed thought, in word, or in deed; This in the godly is seldome, and then that which he would not; but in the wicked it is common and usual, and yet not so oft as he would. Fifthly, persisting in it, and making the actings of sinne their way in which they choose to stand and walk, taking pleasure therein; this in the regenerate is never, much lesse doth the godly man continue in sinne obstinately, pleading for it, and [Page 302] scorning reproof; much lesse doth he take a pride in it, and boast of accomplishing his sinful desires, blessing the wicked whom the Lord abhorreth, and hating the godly that fear to sinne, in whom the Lord taketh pleasure.

(2.) Sinnes motions may be lively in Ro. 7. 23. the members of the truly godly; but not so as to be able to bring forth fruit unto death, as the phrase is in ver. 5. of Rom. 7. for as lively as they be, the godly watch them the more, that they shall not be fruitful. Death is not their Lord, nor hath them under its power now, as it was while they stood married to the Law, the Covenant of Works; but God is their Lord unto whom they bring forth fruit, as mar­ried to Christ risen from the dead. There­fore sinne may stirre lively, but not be fruit-bearing in them; but in the ungodly the motions thrive, as the birth in the bel­ly, which they seek carefully to midwife and suckle, hugge in the bosome, and dandle on their knees, because there is no life of God in them, they being altoge­ther in death, and abiding in death, as the Apostle Johns expression is in 1 John 3. 14.

(3.) Evil may be present, when they Rom. 7. 21 [Page 303] would do good. To will that which is good, is present with the godly; but through the flesh, that is, by reason of the corruption of their natures in which no good dwelleth, there is evil adjacent to that willing, and easily beletteth them.

(4.) Grievous untowardnesse, awker­nesse, Rom. 7. 14, 19, 20. Heb. 12. 1 indisposednesse, and aversenesse some­times. And this is the more burdening and pressing down, begirting and encom­passing, the more they presse unto the spi­ritualnesse of any duty; neverthelesse unto spiritualnesse in duty they presse on, they stirre up themselves thereto; and their backwardnesse, dulnesse and dead­nesse with all formality they mourn over and judge.

(5.) The Law of the members, or cor­ruption of nature, which no sooner stirs, Ro. 7. 23. but it is presently in the members of the body, and there is working as a Law; this Law of the members, making Warre, and rebelling against the Law of their minds; yet their inner man, (and such a man they have in them, and others have not;) that is the Master they own; his Law is their Law; the other they own not, but take for a Rebel, and his Law for tyran­ny.

[Page 304] (6.) Yea, there may be a Captivity Rom. 7. 23, 24, 25. under the Law of the members; but it is a captivity in their esteem, under which they cry out of their wretched condition, cry for deliverance, and rest not untill they can upon experience blesse God for Christ their deliverer.

(7.) Sometimes they may have a 2 Cor. 12. 7 thorne in the flesh; Some special sinne troubling, some great temptation or sore affliction, or some Satanical mole­station with which they may be buffered sorely, that they might be kept more humble under choice abilities and high priviledges, and might shade themselves under the power of Jesus Christ alone.

So much of the flesh may be where the Spirit reigns; this is the first considerati­on to establish the comfort of the holy spiritual walker. Then again consider

Secondly, There is a great difference 2. The dif­ference between the reigne and the rage of sin. between the reign and the rage of sinne; sinne may rage where it hath lost its do­minion or domination; sinne may rage where the Spirit dwells and reigns; al­though it is true that it may rage in those also in whom it reigns; sinne while and where it reigns is sometimes dormant, and sometimes rampant; but in them in whom it [Page 305] reigneth, it rageth and rampeth, because it is made much of and fuelled, pampe­red and well-fed, and hath its full swinge and scope; whereas in the godly it ra­geth, because it is stoutly resisted, and the death of it is sought with mortal hatred, and with immortal hatred, with an hatred that would have the very life and heart-blood of sinne, and with an hatred that never dyeth but encreaseth more and more. There is a wide difference be­tween the rule and dominion, and the prevalency of sinne. Where sinne is not served nor obeyed, yet there it may struggle, and for a time prevaile; but this prevalency is prayed against, till they can say upon comfortable answers from God to those prayers, O thou that hearest prayers, thou wilt purge them away. Ps. 65. 23.

Thirdly, Consider that the combate of 3. The combate of the Spi­rit against the flesh. How known. the Spirit against the flesh proves thy good estate. Not that it is good or com­fortable that there is flesh, and that it lusteth; but that there is Spirit lusting a­gainst it, and that there is a combating with it which thou desirest to maintain; this is good and comfortable. This com­bate is known thus; it is not only between the conscience and the will, but between [Page 306] the will and the will; it is in the same fa­culty of the soul, and in the will the love is to righteousnesse, and not to iniquity; and the hatred is against iniquity, and not against righteousnesse. Again, it is a fight against all sinne that he knoweth, and a­gainst inward sinne, and secret in respect of other mens knowledge, and not only against outward or grosse sinnes, or sinnes which come to light, or against some one sinne. It seeks and attains to mortificati­on, and not only suppression, keeping in, and restraining. It is such as carries the walk of conversation; it prevails to pre­serve a good principle, rule and end; and not only to do that which is good for the matter with neglect of these. It carries to the use of the means and helps against sinne which God hath sanctified, and to the use of these means it carries us humbly and with desire of fruit, with frequency, fervency and reverence, taking heed that frequency abate not [...]everence and fer­vency. It is maintained by spiritual weapons, not by carnal; and in Christs might pawned and promised in the Cove­nant of Grace, and not in our own might; no, not in the might of grace al­ready received, and still afresh derived [Page 307] from Christ in the promise by faith acted on them anew. Lastly, the weaknesse and foiles received in this fight, and the wounds gotten, and the ground lost, are recovered by renewing our repentance and faith; and the spiritual Warriour with all his might and atchievements, his vali­ant acts and victories are as before the Lord, looking at his approbation and his acceptation for the worthinesse and medi­ation of Jesus Christ alone, in which he rests with self-denial.

Fourthly, Consider there is a Regen­cy 4. The reigne of the Spirit hath a three-fold degree ac­cording to three a­ges of one in Christ. 1 Joh. 2. 12, 13, 14. of the Spirit differing according to be­lievers ages in Christ; and so there is a Regency in the b [...]b [...] in Christ, seeking assurance of Gods love as a Father, and expressing it self in desires, complaints and cryes of a childe in prayer. And there is a Regency in the strong man, or young man in Christ, who is carried on with the Spirit of meeknesse and love, skilful in the Word, and in the use of that Sword, full of the power and vigorous actings of faith, and of riches of assurance, full of exploits in the Field, delighting in put­ting forth the vigour of his strength in deeds and conflicts; and there is a Regen­cy of the Spirit in fathers in Christ, full [Page 308] of settlednesse, of inlarged knowledge in the great mysteries of the Gospel, and the perfection of his pure precepts, of experiences, and of ability and dexterity for counsel and comfort. To each of these three ages in Christ doth this descri­ption here agree; they are all such as walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; neverthelesse these walkers in the truth, are not all of a size, but are of three de­grees according to their several ages; and God doth not expect that of a childe which he doth of a young man, or of a father; this he requireth, that answerable to our time and means of enjoying the Gospel, we should passe on from infancy to youth, from youth to father-hood in Christ.

These four considerations are of singu­lar worth and use to establish the [...] of true believers, that their joy [...]ight b [...] full.

SECT. 10.

Now for Caution, whiles these truths A pre­serving caution that the spiritual walk not as men carnal; In twelve carnal paths. are opened to stay the heart, and to keep the consolation close to it, let all the spi­ritual and gracious be warned that they walk not as carnal; for they may walk [Page 309] so that they may look for all the world like carnal persons, and thereby may di­shonour Christ, the Gospel, and the Spi­rit of God, and destroy for the present the comfort of their estate. Be warned; for to look like carnal persons, to walk as carnal, is not far from this, to be no other than carnal.

Quest. Who look like carnal per­sons?

Answ. First, Those Christians (though they be regenerate) who are carried with 1 Cor. 3. 1, 3, 4. envying, strife, divisions, and schismes in the Church, according to their several mi­nisters, though eminently gifted and holy; if one say I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollo, are ye not carnal? It savours of Schisme, to call any particular Church by the name of the Minister; for every Church is the Church of God and of 1 Cor. 1. 12, 13. Christ, not the Church of Paul, nor of Apollo; neither Paul nor Apollo was cru­cified for them: nor were they baptized into their names: this very thing causeth divisions, envyings and strife among Chri­stians. Christs name is that worthy name by which the Disciples are to be called. If Jam. 2. 7. any make several Church-wayes and Churches according to several points of [Page 380] lesser moment than the faith of Jesus and the Commandements of God, which are of perfect unity and agreement, and in respect whereof there is but one body, one Church, and one way: and all the parti­cular Churches are all one in this that makes them Churches, that is, they are Churches of God, which are in Christ 1 Thes. 2. 14. Jesus, holding the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus; and the note of distinction that differenceth them one from another, and by which they are to be known one from the other is this; one is in or at Jerusalem, another in Ephesus, some in Judea, some in Macedonia, with the like; all that otherwise make Churches, and Church-wayes which so hold and joyn together in, they are held and reputed for a particular Church, they make divisions, and set bounds which Christ hath not set, and therefore they walk as men, and not as Christians; where­as unity of the faith and of the Spirit, (which is one and the same thing) and love which that faith worketh with humblenesse of minde, and forbearance one of another expressed in our walks, is that alone which becometh our holy cal­ling by the Gospel.

Secondly, they that go to be made per­fect in the flesh, by receiving the opini­ons Gal. 3. 1, 3 that set up the power of mans free­will, or the merits of mans works, or the works of the Law for justification of a sinner in the sight of God, or the suffici­ency of the light in man as he cometh in­to the world, or o [...]ght else that is of na­tural abilities, or that tends to the exal­ting of mans worth, or to boasting or glorying in man, and not in the Lord Je­sus alone, and in the riches of Gods free­grace in Christ testifyed by the Holy Ghost in Scripture, all such do savour of the flesh, and look like carnal men, and not like spiritual men.

Thirdly, they that bite and devoure one Gal. 5. 13, 15. another, whereas they should serve one another by love.

Fouthly, they that use their Christian liberty for an occasion to the flesh, in Gal. 5. 13. with v. 11. Rom. 15. 1, 2. Gal. 5. 26. 2 Pet. 2. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 13, 16. self-pleasing, in vain-glory, in avoiding persecution by pleasing and humouring the persecutors in the matters of Religi­on, and in despising dignities, and disobey­ing their lawful, though but humane and civil Laws▪

Fifthly, they that are worldly, I mean, that take licence to plunge themselves in­to [Page 312] too many affairs unnecessarily for profit sake, or for honours or pleasures sake; this is to live as the men of the world. Ps. 49. 11. & 17. 14.

Sixthly, they that are sowing to the flesh, more than to the Spirit; that is, who bestow their temporal goods and lay them out for the profits, the honours, Gal. 6. 6, 7, 8, 10. the comforts, the necessaries of this pre­sent life, and not for the Gospel, the good of the Church, the upholding of the true Religion, Ministry and Ordinan­ces of Jesus Christ, the relief of the ne­cessities of others, especially of the Saints; nor to get wisdome and spirituals, nor un­to spiritual uses.

Seventhly, they that are indulgent to the body in its vanities for attire, culture and dresse, beauty-spots, paintings, cris­pings and curlings, and womanish exces­ses; for delicious fare, spotts, idlenesse, empty visits, gossipings as they are termed, expence of precious time in toyings and unprofitable talk, and being busie bodies in other folks matters; together with the unweaned use of things lawful, and the unmanly vanities about the haire; they that are moll, soft and delicate ones, are like the worlds minions, and unlike Chri­stians who are called to self-denial, and [Page 313] to the Crosse, and to converse like Citi­zens of the heavenly Jerusalem.

Eightly, they that to enjoy their sensu­alities Jude 19. will separate themselves from the grave, sober and mortified Christians.

Ninthly, they that have the faith of our Lord Jesus Ch [...]ist with respect of persons; one in gay cloathing is more set by than a­nother, Jam. 2. 1, 2, 3. though farre more gracious than he, because he is but a poor man in poor cloathing; and this respect of persons takes place in Church Assemblies, Admi­nistrations and Affairs, as well as in the heart, the converse and the setting of our selves in Company keep­ing.

Tenthly, they that grow carelesse, and slighting of the Scriptures, the Ordinan­ces of Christ, and means of grace, upon what pretence soever, as if they were a­bove Ordinances, or seekers of another more spiritual dispensation than that in and of the New Testament, whereas this shall remain till the great day of judg­ment; or as if they were fed by immedi­ate revelations and impulses of the Spirit, or growing loose, or having a sufficient light within them, or ought else which they may runne into, being puffed up by their fleshly minds.

Eleventhly, they that are in their sor­rowes 1 Thess. 4. 13. for the death of their friends im­moderate, and in their passions and affe­ctions violent, in their speech foolish and jesting, in their behaviour light and vain, in their recreations excessive, and under wrongs and injuries void of moderation of minde, and rigid exactors of their own right; whereas we should in our own right be ready to abate and moderate our minds and affairs, bearing, forbearing, easie to be intreated, and ready to forgive, Phil. 4. 5. [...]. but in matters of Gods right we ought not yield an hairs breadth.

Twelfthly, they that watch not against the sinnes of lying, fraud and over-reach­ing in bargaining, with all deceit and guile.

These sinnes chosen and lived in, de­nominate us carnal; and if the regene­rate give way to them, and they begin to deface their conversations, they make them look like men carnal, as if they would put on the old man again; as if they were in the first Adam, old Adam.

So far of this caveat, and of the use of comfort.

SECT. 11.

Thirdly and lastly, be exhorted and 3. Of Ex­hortation to keep down the flesh. By using ten helps to tame the flesh. Isa. 40. 6. 2 Pet. 1. 24, 25. perswaded to cherish the Spirit, and keep down the flesh, and for this end take the helpes which God giveth to tame the flesh; they are these,

First, the necessity of dying. Cry, cry, to thine own soul, All flesh is grasse, the grasse withereth, and the flower fadeth away. Nothing will a­bide but that which is born of the in­corruptible seed of the Word, the Word which is preached, which liveth and abi­deth ever.

Secondly, The rejection of all excel­lenc [...]es Mat. 11. 5, 6. 1 Cor. 1. 26, 27, 28, 29. in which the flesh glories, their rejection in Christs Kingdome. The poor are Gospellized, when the wise and rich are scandalized. God doth choose the foolish, weak, despised, and things that are not, and passeth by the migh­ty, noble, learned, and brings to nought the things that are; he doth not always the greatest works of conversion by the learnedst Ministers, or by men of great­est parts and gifts.

Thirdly, An irrevocable curse is upon all that the flesh likes best; this the book [Page 316] called Ecclesiastes sheweth; the whole visible Creation is under bondage, and subjected to vanity; vanity and vexation of Spirit is attending man in the en­joyment of all things under the Sun.

Fourthly, The harmlesse jollities of the Eccl. 11. 9. flesh shall be brought into judgment.

Fifthly, A conscience checking, galling, and gnawing for the flesh's ryots.

Sixthly, The flesh's naughtinesse is dis­covered in the Word of God. 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5, 6. Ro. 8. 13.

Seventhly, powerful means are given of God to crucifie it; The Ministery, the Spirit, the crucifyings of the Sonne of God; and exceeding great and preci­ous promises which present to us a draught of better things than the flesh can propose.

Eightly, In the Word, commands and directions are given how to use the flesh: such are these, be temperate, be sober, beat down your bodies, bring them into subjection. Accuse and condemn the flesh; silence her reasonings, lay-in di­stinguishing and mortifying principles; they are such as these; The belly for meat, and meat for the belly; but God shall destroy them both. The body is for the Lord, not for lust. The body is the Temple of the Holy [Page 317] Ghost. The body shall be raised out of the grave, but not as it is sowen; both soul and bo­dy are the more excellent, as they are lesse fleshly. All the things of this life are such as perish in the using. The scheme or fashion of this world passeth away. All that is in the world, and is of the world, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father. All these things that are of this lower world shall be dissolved.

Ninthly, A judgment day is appointed; and it shall as surely come, as it is sure that men dye; then this whole visible Creati­on which the flesh abuseth shall be burnt with fire. The heavens shall shrivel toge­ther as a scrole, and the earth with the works thereon shall be burnt up.

Tenthly, in the mean time, bitters are cast into all our earthly sweets; and wasting judgments are abroad in the visible Church at this day. Meditate often upon these things, inlarge your thoughts upon each of them. All these will eat down proud­flesh.

Thus of the three grand doctrines more expressely delivered in this text, the last of which concerns the lively de­scription of the believer by his walks; the fourth doctrine followeth.

SECT. 1.

The fourth doctrine ariseth from the The fourth doctrine. coherence of these two verses with the words before and following, when we ob­serve how they are placed in the frame of the Apostles discourse; and it is full of consolation, for it concernes the full as­surance, and the safe estate of all those who are actually in Christ, notwithstand­ing their sinnes. They have flesh; a cor­rupt How rai­sed. nature dwelling with them, and many sinnes the issues of that flesh, but walking not in them; they are in Christ, and therefore there is no condemnation to them, as the 1. verse with these verses af­firmes and proves; for their sinnes God [Page 389] hath condemned in the flesh, or body and soul of his own Sonne; the benefit of the salvarion wrought by Jesus Christ cometh home to them, for all that their flesh, that body of death can do, so that they may and ought to say, I thank God through J [...]sus Christ, who hath, and doth, and will deliver me from the same; this is e­vident by comparing these verses with the 25. ver. of Chap. 7. They should also rest assured of their blessed estate, when there is no condemnation to them, and when the strength of this evidence of their interest in Christ from their spiritual-min­dednesse and savour influencing their walk is life and peace, as these words looking backwards to the 1. ver. of this Chapter, and forward to the 5. and 6. verses do plentifully shew. And since the scope of the whole discourse from ver. 1. to ver. 17. of this chapter, is to support and encourage these spiritual, holy wal­kers in their way; the burden and work­ings of sin in them should not break their spirits, or discourage them in the course of their holy living; the miserable conflicting toyle of a gracious heart with the sinne dwelling in him, is the thing treated of in the person of holy Paul, representing all [Page 320] the regenerate, in chap. 7. the latter part of it: and the 8. chapter to ver. 17. there­of is on purpose adjoyned to back on those Combitants in their warre against the flesh; their sinne must not dishearten them in the combate; this is the force of that word, Now; it is a word of encou­ragement; as if he said, therefore since Christ is your deliverer, for and through whom ye may blesse God, and rejoyce with thankfulnesse, in the very heat and worst of the battel with your sinnes; since flesh, and you who are under the Law of your minds, and are regenerate, are two; Now, Now therefore stand to it and fight it out, there is no condemnation to such as you. And let this word for, in these verses of my Text be carried to the ver. im­mediately going before it, and then they perswade▪ these holy walkers to give up themselves fully, chearfully, and without fear of miscarrying, to the Law of the Spi­rit of life which is in Christ Jesus which will certainly carry through, without pe­ril from the Law of sin and death which threatens them. Having shewed the co­herence, take the fourth doctrine in this proposition:

The sinnes of those that walk after the [Page 321] Spirit, shall never be to their condemna­tion, neither shall they hinder to them the benefit of all the salvation that cometh by Christ, nor ought in the least kind to hinder their assurance, or their comforta­ble walking in their obedience, their con­stant combating against the flesh, or their full dedition to the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus, as to that which will deliver from the Law of sin and death.

For explication of this truth, observe The expli­cation. 1. What is granted. 4. things. here in the first place what is granted.

1. It is granted, that the sinnes of those that walk after the Spirit are sinnes, they are transgressions of Gods holy Com­mandments, they are filthy, and do make them guilty: they are against God, and a­gainst Christ, and are repugnant to the holy Ghost: they deserve condemnation, though they redound not unto condemna­tion: they redound to their fault, and to their guilt, though not to their ch [...]rge, for they are not imputed; nor to malediction; these Christ hath borne; nor to eternal punishment, for Christ hath made full sa­tisfaction. That their sinnes condemne them not, is not from any lesse desert; they also strike at the life of grace: though [Page 322] they cannot destroy the life of grace.

2. It is granted, that there is flesh in them; the seed and spawne of all sin that ever mans eye saw, or eare heard of; of presumptuous sinne, even of the sinne un­pardonable, and unto death: but it is sub­dued, and broken or destroyed, so that it hath not dominion. There is not a full deletion and taking away of the being of sinne. He that saith, he hath no sinne, de­ceiveth himself, and there is no truth in 1 Joh. 1. 8, 10. him.

3. These holy walkers after the com­mands of another ruler, even of the holy Ghost dwelling in them, do confesse as much, and do retain the sense of their sins, and sinful natures, and do hold them con­trary to the Spirit, contrary to its lustings, 1 Joh. 1. 8, 9 and contrary to their walking.

4. There is not in them a blotting out, and taking away of all the sad ruines which sinne hath made upon man-kind: these shall not be taken away from them, untill the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ the second time, when the last enemy death and the grave shall be destroyed, as it is promised in Act. [...]. 19, 20. then there shall not be so much as a scarre of the wo [...]nds which sin hath made.

SECT. 2.

In the second place, observe when we say, that their sinnes should not hinder 2. Whose sins hinder not com­fort, and assurance; and what sinnes. their comfort or assurance; we [...]peak of the sinnes of such as hold on in this walk, retaining their integrity, otherwise the fall of a David, or of a Peter will take a­way their comfort in holy wayes, and the joy of their salvation, untill it be unfeign­edly repented of, and they recovered of such falls. We yield that all sinnes in their own nature, and by the law of works do make against all comfort; but there are great sinnes, the manifest works of the flesh, which the spiritual may fall into: and these for th [...]t time destroy the com­fort of the most holy of Saints who are guilty of them. Neverthelesse, while the regenerate are guilty of these sinnes after calling, these in them compared with the unregenerate that live and walk in the same sinnes, may be said truely to be of in­firmity, and to be but falls in their walk, although they are not in their own nature sinnes of infirmity. There are sinnes of in­firmity: viz. Sins of infirmity. and there are sinnes that may be [Page 324] fallen into of infirmity.

Now the sinnes which are sinnes of infir­mity, of these we speak in this doctrine. These are such sinnes as have been found in the best and choicest of Gods Servants upon earth, who have kept their holy watchfulnesse, and while they have kept it. Infirmity is when the serious purpose What in­firmity is. of holy and humble walking with God, both general for our whole course, and special for our particular wayes and acti­ons, is present and firm, but to performe what we unfeignedly desire, and diligent­ly endeavour is wanting. Sinnes of in­firmity Rom. 7. 18 And what are sins of infirmity in genera [...] Psa. 19. 13. are such as [...]nto which presumptu­ous sinnes are opposite. Sinnes of infir­mity are opposite to sin [...]es which are done willingly; to sinnes against knowledge and conscience: I say not, sinnes with knowledge and conscience. The most knowing and conscientious, being truely godly and gracious, may see those sinnes which wicked men neither see nor feel: but those sinnes which are against know­ledge and conscience, they are as a thief in the candle, as gravel in the shooe of a Traveller.

More particularly, sinnes of infirmity, In particu­lar. Psa. 19. 12. 1. Are secret sinnes which we know [Page 325] not; yet knowing our ignorance, or de­fect of full and cleare sight whereby ma­ny sinnes may scape us, we repent of them, as did David, saying, Who know­eth his e [...]ro [...]s! [...]cl [...]nse thou me from secret sinnes. 2. They are imperfections and failings cleaving to our good works, and to our best actions. 3. They are such as arise from want of age in Christ, and do accompany the state of a Babe. An infant is infirm. 4. They are such as proceed from want of stren [...]th where there hath been but little means, or though great meanes, yet en [...]oyed but for a little time. 5. They are sudden, indeliberate brea­kings out, contrary to our bent, and pur­pose: when our judgements are clouded by some sudden temptation, after which we are sensible of our failing, mourne, complain, labour to [...]amend, and to get ground of our corruption.

Sinnes of infirmity are found in the re­generate only, who have the life of grace begun. No weaknesse where no life. Weaknesse is properly in those who have and retain a sincere, universal, and con­stant inclination to spiritual things as the best. No infirmity where the Spirit of Christ dwells not: Although the inhabita­tion [Page 326] of the Spirit be no cause of weaknesse, but of strength. No infirmity in those that have not gracious principles, for in such the deadly law of sinne hath domini­on. No failings, where no right judge­ment to place us upon high and supernatu­ral ends and aimes. Infirmities are in those only that have espoused love to Jesus Christ.

Infirmities, are those sinnes which are the matter of dayly humiliation, and the objects of dayly mortification. It is not of infirmity to please our selves in our weaknesse, to plead for it, or to allow of it.

There are infirmities which are not pos­sibly to be rooted out, when yet the up­right strive daily against them: as forget­fulnesse, heavinesse of Spirit, distractions in duty, sudden passions, fears, secret fu­gitivenesse of heart from under the pre­sence of God, some kind of rashnesse and rudenesse of spirit in our approaches to God, covetings or hanckerings after the creature inordinately, with many of like sort: and there are infirmities more easi­ly subdued, as are all the frailties which break out in gestures, words, and actions; the Apostle gives us the ground of such a [Page 327] distinction, when he saith, In many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, Jam. 3. 2. the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

SECT. 3.

Now having treated thus of sins of in­firmity, What is meant in saying sins of infirmi­ty shall not condemn. this doctrine sheweth

First, that these sinnes of infirmity, shall not condemn those that are guilty of them. Not as if their great sinnes shall condemn them: no, for Jesus Christ me­diates not only for lesser sinnes, but for the greatest sinnes: and God forgiveth ini­quity, transgression, and sinne; sinnes of all sorts, and of all sizes; but the mean­ing is, that Christ is such a propitiation that these are covered; such an Advocate that he pleads to the Father, that these by 1 Joh. 2. 1. the tenour of the Covenant of grace be wholly passed by; he is such an high Priest, as is touched with the feeling of our infir­mities; for though he never knew what it was to sinne, no, not of infirmity; he knew no sin: yet he was tempted, and so Heb. 4. 15. is touched with the feeling of the state of one that cannot be free from some touch of defilement when he is tempted. God [Page 328] is a Father who is so far from being angry Psa. 103. 13 Mal. 3. 17. with his children for these meer infirmi­ties, that he pities them, spares them, and makes them up as his Jewels; but as for their g [...]osse sinnes, they are they for which their Father is angry, with-holds his com­forts, his Spirit, and their joy: and no consolation to them in sinnes they in­dulge, untill they be humbled deeply. Again, understand this aright: These sins condemn not; not as if lesser sinnes were not displeasing unto God their Father, to Christ their Lord, and to the Spirit their Leader: nor as if they might not be so committed, that they may become great sinnes, through carelessenesse and securi­ty, and so as they may be circumstanced. Nay. A failing may be so allowed, so customary, so malapertly, and frowardly excused and pleaded for, that it may have too much of presumption in it: and so have much wickednesse in it, and have much of the nature of a great transgression; and therefore may have in it much provocati­on, and that which calls for great humili­ation, before any comfort can flow into the soul of such a one.

Secondly, these sinnes of infirmity ought not to hinder assurance: that is, the [Page 329] assurance of faith, and the ass [...]rance of e­vidence. There is the assurance of faith, Sins of in­firmity hinder not assurance. which is our du [...]y, and ought to be held fast and maintained, whiles uprightnesse is kept up in its constant course without interruptions, although God do desert us, although God do kill us. There is the as­surance of evidence, which is not alone to have the promises for us, and we rest thereon, but to have our evidences of our interest in the promises speaking fully, and our spirits clearely reading them, and gi­ving in their witnesse, and thence the heart assured; this also, as the help of the assurance of faith, is belonging to our du­ty; but there is the assurance of feeling, and of the T [...]stimon [...] of the holy Sp [...]rit of promise; this is a blessing wholely, this is in Gods hand, and not in ours. And it cannot be in a better hand.

Qu [...]st. If any say: How can the assurance of faith be held fast. How can we have our evidences fair and full, when there is such quick sense of sinne in the sincere believer? None so tender of Conscience, none indeed truly affected with sinnes fil­thinesse and burden but he. When also there is no lesse apprehension of Gods wrath and displeasure, and of his forsa­sakings, [Page 330] and withdrawings of the comforts of his Presence; he only knowes what the shining of Gods face in Christ reconciled means, and he only knows what the hi­ding away of his face means. I an­swer;

Answ. Understand well these six things in the Covenant of Grace, which answer all the fears of the upright.

First, That in this Covenant uprightnesse Gen. 17. 1. Pro. 11. 6, 5. is required, and not perfection. The righ­teousnesse of the upright, is the righteous­nesse which God accepteth: and he calls it the righteousnesse of the perfect; that is, of the sincere and entire, who are sancti­fied throughout, and in every part: though they be not perfect already in any part, in soul, in spirit, or in body; they have in no part, the perfection of degrees, but they Phil. 3. 12. Phil. 3. 11, 12, 13, 14. say with the Apostle, I have not attained, I am not already perfect. Uprightnesse is the reaching forth to that which is before, as not having yet attained, as not already perfect, untill we attain unto the blessed resurrection of the dead. It is not to ac­count ones self to have apprehended, but to follow after, and to be upon the pur­suit, if that we may apprehend that for which also we are apprehended of Christ [Page 331] Jesus. It is forgetting what is behind, and which we are brought to through grace, to presse toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, that we may come to the Goale, and receive the Crown of righteousnesse, and consummate holinesse and glory 2 Cor. 7. 2. which is the hope of our calling. It is to be on clensing from all filthinesse of flesh 2 Cor. 7. 1. and spirit, of body and soul, inward and outward, and on perfecting our holinesse in the fear of God. The Lord knoweth that thou believest but in part; thou knowest but in part, and thou doest all duties but in part. Why sayest thou as one deje­cted, Oh, I have many failings, many sinnes are upon me! Say the same (for it is very true;) say it as one deeply hum­bled, and spare not: say it as one confes­sing with godly sorrow, with a spirit with­out guile: My sinnes are more in number Psa. 40. 12 than the haires of my head; when I think on them, they encrease, and come so fast on, that I am not able to look up: my very heart faileth me. Art thou kept in this frame to be a purifying, to be a clensing, to be a perfecting, to be pressing on forwards still? thou art upright. Ch [...]ist is thy righ­teousnesse, thou art absolutely perfect [Page 332] and compleat in him; for it is in the first Psa. 40. 12 with 6. 7, 8 verses. place spoken of him thy Mediatour and surety. It is most true of him who came to bear the s [...]nnes of all the Elect; Innu­merable evils d [...]d c [...]mpasse him about; thy sinnes since calling, and all thy sinnes be­fore calling, and all the sinnes of all that ever shall be saved, were charged upon thy Lord Jesus Christ, so that he saith, Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up: they are moe th [...]n the hairs of mine head, therefore my heart faileth me. Why say­est thou; should I be of the number of Phil. 3. 15. the secure and luke-warme, which my soul fears and hates? hold fast the former frame, and while thus minded, art thou not minded as all the perfect are? as the perfect in the Gospel-sense, and in the language of the holy Ghost, who ever gives right names to things.

Secondly, that perseverance is promised and given to believers, as well as required Jer. 32▪ 40. 1 Joh. 2. 27▪ of them. I will put my feare into their hearts, that they shall not depart from me; this is a Branch of Gods everlasting Covenant with his people in Christ. The anointing which ye have received of Christ, abideth in you: and even as it hath taught you, ye shall a­bide [Page 333] in him. A precious promise. Why then doest thou say, I shall never hold out; I shall one day fall by the hands of Saul; by this, or tother temptation or corruption? Re­member these promises, and stay thy soul on them: thy perseverance is from pre­servation, even as thy spiritual life is from Regeneration.

Thirdly, The Law of this Covenant which thou art under, is the Law of f [...]th, Rom 3. 27, 28. Rom. 10. [...]. 6, 8, 9. Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 3. 24, 25. Rom. 1. 17 and not the Law of works. The un [...]odly and sinner at the first is justified by faith, freely of free-grace through the righte­ousnesse and redemption which i [...] in Jesus Christ, and in his blood; this is most true, the great truth of the Gospel; and it is of the same Gospel-truth, that the [...]ust, the justified sinner, now made just and righteous by faith, and whose heart God hath purified and sanctified by faith, the just shall live by his faith: for the righte­ousnesse [...]phes. 1 6 & 2. 8, 9. whereby he stands righteous, i [...] revealed from faith to faith; and not first to faith, and then afterwards to works, and he is still by free-grace accepted in Christ the beloved, and is what ever he is by the free-grace of God. We are saved by grace through faith, and that is, not of our selves, it is the gift of God, not of [Page 343] works lest any man should boast. Salva­tion is by faith that it might be of grace: were it of works, it were no more of grace. Will any say, grace is not grace? Why sayest thou, I, but I can do nothing, I have done nothing, I still sinne after for­givenesse, I have upon me a very necessi­ty? oh my dayly sinnes and debts, what will become of me for my sinnes, since God hath graciously visited and called me? Do we not see the Answer? live by faith upon free-grace, and upon the redempti­on which is in Christ, as thou didst at first when thou wast nothing but sinne. God hath begun thy salvation by faith, and he will never turn thee over to the Law a­gain, to be perfected by it. Wilt thou be­gin in the Spirit, and then go to be made perfect by the flesh?

Fourthly, That all that is required of us, even repentance, faith, and uprightnesse, as well as perseverance, is promised, given, undertaken for, and wrought by God the Fa­ther, and by Jesus Christ the Sonne of the Father, and by the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father, and of the Sonne. Why sayest thou despondingly, I cannot repent, I can­not believe, I have a deceitful heart, I cannot be rid of hypocrisie, vain-glory, [Page 335] and secret self-confidence? art thou sensi­ble of these? condemn them, judge thy self for them: and go to him as a child to a father through Christ, by the Spirit ac­cording to his Word for power to repent, believe, and to walk uprightly. Owning thy disability, look to him who whiles and in the bidding, exhorting, and pro­mising, giveth and worketh what he com­mands. Say, Turn thou me and I shall be turned. Lord, I desire to believe, help thou mine unbelief; accomplish in me all the good pleasure of thy goodnesse, and the work of faith with power. Take out of me the heart of stone, and give me an heart of flesh, give me a new heart, and a new spirit, and put thy holy Spirit into me, which shall cause me to walk in thy Statutes, and to do them. Lift up thy drooping soul and say, Let him command what he will, who gives what he Com­mands, and gives by commanding.

Fifthly, That free-grace is the ground of all, and abounds through all, and reignes above all to eternal life. Why sayest thou as one discouraged, The sense of my sinne and guilt abounds: how then can I have comfort? In thy self thou canst not loath thy self; upon the account of thine own [Page 336] righteousnesse thou canst not, but in God in Christ, upon the account of his free­grace thou mayest, and mayest the more; for all the mercy of this Covenant of lo­ving kindnesse, peace, and salvation was and is for sinners, guilty sinners, chief sinners, that were under sinne and death in their power, and for no other: that where sinne abounds, grace might super-abound: and was, and is from free-grace above, and against desert.

Sixthly, That Jesus Christ is the second Adam, and the Covenant is within, and in him with us. Why sayest thou, How can it be that Christs righteousnesse should be mine? how can any be perswaded of this? Why sayest thou not, How can the Rom. 5 12 and for­wards to the end of the Chap­ter. first Adam involve me in sinne and death? is not the answer clear and full; He is the first Adam; and is not the answer as clear and full? Jesus Christ is the second Ad [...]m; this he is to all who are in him; thou findest the first Adam's disobedience hath made thee sinful, and brought in death upon thee: place thy self under the Word of faith, receive what God there te­stifieth to be true, (and why not? for God is true,) and thou shalt feele that the obedience of Christ will make thee [Page 337] righteous, the f [...]ee-gift will come upon thee unto justification of life. In this thing Adam was a f [...]gure of him that was to come, even or the Lord Jesus Christ the second Adam.

SECT. 4.

In the third place, Mark well, The sinnes 3. Falls and back­slidings though repeated, shall not condemne the spiri­tual wal­ker. of those that walk after the Spirit, shall not hinder the benefit of Christs salvation from them; no, not their falls in their walk, not their back-slidings, nor their relapses into the same iniquity again. The Apostle boldly affirms, there is ro con­demnation to them t [...]ey are in Christ; and to them that are in Christ there is no con­ [...]emnation. They that are in Christ, have the benefit of all the salvation which is in him; salvation is full where there is no condemnation. They sinne, but Christ is their Advocate with the Fa­ther, 1 Joh. 2. 1. Jer. 31. 18, 19, 20. Christ is their prop [...]t [...]at [...]on. They bemoan themselves for their untractable hearts, God owns them for children, dear by Adoption in Christ Jesus, he spares and pities with fatherly yearning bowels, as Ps. 103. 13, 14. Their falls. was said before. And as for their falls, their falls are with rising again, with as it were another conversion, with a new set­ting in joynt again. They grow better by [Page 338] their falls, as did David and Peter, not that it is ere the better that they fall, or that they are better than those that hold on their way and walk in uprightnesse with­out falls; but thus, they are better than they were before they fell, they recover the fall, and walk on with the more self­denial, watchfulnesse, holy jealousie, speedy stedfastnesse, and redoubled zeal and power; they were over-taken in a fault, and they run the faster, tread the streighter and surer. They did the Lord dishonour and disservice, they now mind the more his honour, and some higher service: if none fall in their way, they will make famous to his honour, their own shame owned in repentings, but nevet more come near the very appearance of commission or perpetration of such sin by their good will. Their falls therefore shall not hinder their salvation.

No; nor their back-s [...]idings. I di­stinguish Their back-sli­dings. them thus; A fall into some par­ticular sinne. A back-sliding is a depar­ting from the faith, or from the holy way; back-sliding is of the nature of Apostasie in doctrine or practice: there is a new Religion, and another frame of conver­sation in back-sliding. As Apostasie is [Page 339] worse than Heresie, so back-sliding is worse than falling. A fall is taken in stumbling and tripping in the way; a back-sliding is a real change of the state of a man gone a­way backward. God requires, and the spiritual answer his call therein, That they Jer. 3. 14, 22. return, that they acknowledge their trans­gressions, how they have back-slidden, that they pray earnestly for pardon and power, and vow Thankfulnesse and Reformation; Hos. 14. 4, 5, 6, 7. with ver, 1. 2, 3. Luk. 15. 20, 22. to the end. and this will be found upon them, and then God of his free-love will heal back-slidings, and bedew them to flourishing, sightly, sweet-smelling, savoury fruitful­nesse and growth. Oh the fatherly mer­cies of God to his returning prodigal son; he is clad, he is adorned, he is feasted: hea­ven & earth is fill'd with musick and mirth.

Quest. But may the godly who walk af­ter the Spirit, be guilty of relapses, and may their back-slidings be repeated? and if so, shall not that prejudice their salvation?

Answ. It is lamentable to tell, but it may so be, they may fall, and fall again and again; they may lapse and relapse, Their re­lapses. and back-slide and again back-slide. It is not usual, but so it may be; and though it be pitiful to tell, yet it must be told; for the Scripture mentioneth it in Sampson [Page 340] and Solomon, two of the Lords Worthies.

Both falls or relapses, and back-slidings or relapses do waste the conscience, and destroy comfort and joy of our salvation; neverthelesse they ruine not utterly, they shall not be to condemnation; yet relap­ses go not without some notable testimo­nies of Gods wrath in this world; and their Sunne [...]etteth usually in a cloud, as did Sampsons and Solomons. O all you eminent in faith and grace, nourish your fear and humility, and your living by faith continually; for, they that have discove­red the greatest acts of faith, and have been the highest for wisdome and grace, have fallen into the foulest s [...]nnes, and dreadful relapses. Humble thy self to walk with thy [...]od; the flesh, even in the Saints, is a mad beast, a hellish mon­s [...]er, a subtle fiend, if it be suffered to be wanton, and to play its pranks. Be not high-minded, but fear, look to thy stand­ing, thou sta [...]des [...] by faith; Continue in Gods goodnesse, and not in thine own, not in thine own received in the regenera­tion; and then shalt thou walk surely, and thy steps shall not slide. Abide in Christ, and let his Word abide in thee, so shalt thou bring forth much fruit; severed from [Page 341] him the true Ʋine, though a branch full Joh. 15. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of sap, thou canst do nothing, thou wilt dwingle an [...] fade, an [...] wither, without the continual influence of his Spirit, the Spirit of life and power coming from him Phil. 1. 19 into thee with fresh supplies.

SECT. 5.

In the fourth place, Ob [...]erve, the sins that attend thee in thy walk, whiles yet 4. The sins of the upright, should not hinder their com­fortable walking. uprightnesse is held in faith an [...] obedience with patience in the sight of God, and in love without giving offence to men; or, when thy falls are recovered, and thy back-slidings healed, they ought not to hinder thy comfortable walking. God said to Abraham, I am God all-suffic [...]ent, walk be­fore Gen. 17. 1. me, and be thou pe [...]fect; we are not self-sufficient, nor all-sufficient, much lesse to our selves after faith an [...] grace received; but God is to us both these in his Covenant, the alone sufficient an [...] all-sufficient for us; here is the comfort of the upright in their holy walking. When God saith to the Father of the faithful f [...]ar not, he encourageth to comfortable & chearful walking; nothing should daunt or dism [...]y nothing st [...]gger or cloud his Spirit in his way of obedience; why so? he h [...]d his doubts, his failings he had his dangers, his enemies; yet saith God to [Page 342] him, fear not Abraham; not because thou art able to defend thy self, thou art able to blesse thy self; no: but because I am thy shield, I am thy exceeding great Gen. 15. 1 reward. Now then if it be so, what should discourage in our obedience, who have God the Almighty, and All-suffici­ent for us, who have God for our shield to defend, who have God for our porti­o [...], our exceeding great reward, to bless us? That God is ours, this carries in it all good, even eternal life through and o­ver death and the grave, and notwithstand­ing our sinnes, the Law, the justice of God, and the wrath to come from which we are delivered. They that walk in the fear of the Lord, should walk in the com­forts of the Holy Ghost. To them is that exhortation given, Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes; and again I say, Rejoyce. Act. 9. 31 Phil. 4. 4. Phil. 4. 6. Instead of caring in any thing, they should in every thing be praying and supplicating, but still with thanksgiving; such exhor­tation also is that in another place, Re­joyce evermore, pray without ceasing, in every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning 1 Thes. 5. 16, 17, 18 you; the heart not kept in a thankful frame, is not fit for prayer, nor for any [Page 343] duty to God or man. This is the descri­ption of the godly, he that rejoyceth, and Isa. 64. 5. worketh righteousnesse; and now under the New Testament, they are the circumci­sion, Phil. 3. 3. which worship God in the Spirit, (not in the Legal Ceremonies and Ordi­nances of the worldly Sanctuary) and re­joyce in Christ Jesus, and have no confi­dence in the flesh.

But they may say, we have sinnes with Object. us, and if not burdensome and grievous to us, they will be our ruine; we live al­so in a troublesome world, and these troubles of life do oft provoke our cor­ruption; we are sometimes afflicted of God, scorned and persecuted of men, as­saulted by Satans temptations; besides pain and mortality, death and the grave must be passed through, and how then can we walk comfortably? for answer,

He that hath God the Father, to be his Sol. God and Father, and to him a Father of mercies, and God of all consolations; he that hath God the Sonne, our Lord Jesus Christ the consolation of Israel, to be his Comforter, sent as the great Prophet who hath given to him the tongue of the learned, that he should know how to speak a word in season to him that is wea­ry; [Page 344] he that hath God the Holy Ghost ano­ther Comforter, the name The Comfor­ter given to signifie his office, given to him, and sent into his heatt to shed abroad upon it the love of God, and to be and to abide in him for ever, the Spirit of A­doption; he may and ought to walk in comfort. But the walkers after the Spirit have this God, three persons and one God, theirs in this presence, and that by Covenant; therefore they should walk comfortably. To open this truth further; understand,

Comfort consists in blessednesse; bles­sednesse consists in the fruition and enjoy­ing of the chief good. The chief good is that which when we have we are blessed, but not having it we are miserable. The chief good is God alone; the enjoying and fruition of God is true blessednesse, and true comfort. This cannot be to a sinner but in Christ who is the propitiati­on, the reconciliation, and the atone­ment. Therefore God in Christ is the sinners chief good. Christ cannot be re­ceived but by his Spirit given; thus then, to be the Lord Christs in body and soul, whether we live or die, redeemed by his Precious blood from all our sinnes, and [Page 345] from the power of Satan, death and the grave, and from the wrath to come; and through Christ to be the Fathers own po [...] ­tion, received into his f [...]vour and grace, as his ado [...]ted child [...]en in Jesus Christ; and to be under his fathe [...]ly care and providence, that without his will, not an h [...]i [...]e can fall f [...]om our heads, and that all things are made to wo [...]k together for our good: and to have the Holy Ghost given to us to renew us, to unite us to Christ, to enable us to believe, to mo [...]tifie the flesh, to give up our selves to obedience, to make us willing and ready to live to him, and walk after him, and to assure of eternal life; this is the onely true and sound consolation both in life and death. And this is the estate of those that walk afte [...] the S [...]i [...]it. This true blessednesse cannot be in this life in perfection, but onely in in [...]hoation, or a begun enjoyment of the same, and by faith and hope in a lively expectation of the full and perfect fruition thereof; because there is death, mortality, sinful remai [...]ders, the w [...]ath to come, w [...]ich must be utte [...]ly ta­ken away, and the soul and body placed in a state of glorious libe [...]ty, befo [...]e there can be full en [...]oyment of perfect blisse; because also the glory unto which we are [Page 346] called by the Gospel, is farre greater than this world is capable of: and soul and bo­dy in this earthly frame cannot receive it. True blessednesse cannot be at all of this world, nor of the things thereof, could one man be possessed of them all, which yet never was, nor will be; for they are mutable and passing away: and if they were abiding, yet they are not satisfactory, nor can they fill all the capacities of the reasonable creature; much lesse can bles­sednesse be of the things of this life to a sinner; for by sin they are become accur­sed to the sinner, and he accursed in their enjoyment. They also cannot take away sinne, make the sinner holy, bring him into favour with God, and so bring him to blessedness; mistake not then:

Our comfort is not in this that we have attained, and that we are already perfect; but that we are in the begun state, and that we shall assuredly attain and shall be perfect.

Our comfort consists not in this, that we have no sinne, but in forgivenesse at present, and in the full blotting out expe­cted, when the Lord shall come again in glory.

Our holinesse or sanctification consists [Page 347] not in this, that no sinne is at all in us; but in this, that our old man is crucified, so that we be not servants to any sinne, and that we are become servants of righte­ousness.

Our holy walking is in finding out our sinnes, that they may not finde us out; and in eschewing them that we may tread the wayes of God with a larger, streighter, firmer step, and with an evener, quicker pace.

Our progresse in holinesse is by daily mortifying the members on the earth, and by bringing forth continually more fruits unto God, as those that are alive from the dead.

Our perseverance is the maintaining of the combate.

Our present state is that of David un­der the anointing, conflicting with our spiritual enemies that either are like Saul and his confede [...]ates, or like Absolom and his conspirators, so that we are singing a Psalme like the third Psalme; and it is not that of David upon the Throne, sin­ging the eighteenth Psalme, whereof the title is, A Psalme sung when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of his enemies; yet it is the estate wherein we [Page 348] are assured to be singing it with perfect triumph one day.

Our comfort is begun and held, out of godly sorrow; we sow in tears, and go carrying precious seed with us; our com­fort is a seed-season, and the joy of a har­vest-home.

Our comfort is in Gospel-promises, blessings, priviledges, graces.

Our comfort is not in freedome from troubles, temptations, persecutions; but in a heavenly Fathers disposing the troubles, delivering from the power and poyson of the temptations, and of per­secutions as they are persecutions, putting us into the upper form of his Saints on earth, and placing us in highest honour, and giving us the matter of greatest joy that can befall us in this valley of tears.

God hath registred and left upon file for a perpetual Record the way of the Saints comfort on this wise: If when we are e­nemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life: Ro. 5. 10. If God be for us, who can be against us? he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he [Page 349] not with [...]m also fre [...]ly give us all Rom. 8. 31, 32. Ps. 56. 13. things? Thou [...]st del [...]vered my soul from death; wilt not thou d [...]l [...]ver my feet from fall [...]ng, that I m [...]y walk before [...]od in the light of the living?

God hath shewed us the way wherein he Gods way of giving grace and comfort is the sight of his grace in Christ, and not the eying of our duty or deser­vings. 2 Cor. 3. 18. & 5. 19. Ro. 1. 179 giveth both at the first convers [...]on, and e­ver after all grace and comfort. It is this, he sets before sinners brought to see them­selves, their s [...]nnes, and curse [...]n [...]sse there­by in the glasse of his holy Law; the glasse and mirrour of his Gospel, where in the beholding of the glory of God as he is in Christ reconciling the world to himself, both Jewes and Gentiles, concluded all under sinne, not imputing trespasses, and sending them to the Word and Ministry of reconciliation, this sight of glorious grace changeth and transformeth them. And as th [...]s righteousnesse of God provi­ded to cloath a sinner withall is through the Gospel-glasse revealed more and more from faith to faith, from one mea­sure of faith to another greater and grow­ing measure of faith, so will the change and transformation be from glory to glo­ry, from one degree of glorious grace and comfort to another greater and grow­ing degree of glorious grace and comfort; [Page 350] and the work is no lesse nor lower than the work of the Spirit of the Lord, the Lord, the 2 Cor. 3. 17, 18. Holy Ghost setting the sinner in blessed, gracious and glorious liberty. We work then at the wrong end, when we toyle with our own hearts, pore upon our sins, think we will believe, walk, obey, and the like, and so go on and encrease more and more, and then finding by experience how weak, unable, wanting, and ex­treamely failing we are, we become de­jected, and sore perplexed, and are ready to say, If God hath given such promises to them that fear him, why am I thus? and almost ready to say, As good give over all, it will ever be thus with me, I shall never get the victory over my sins, I shall never attain to setled consolation and as­surance. Ah, poor hearts, take this ad­vice, Go Gods way to work, Go the way after faith and grace received, which God took with you when you were in your sins, dead in sinnes. Go that way still, with thanksgiving for what you have in the sense of your sinnes, and in ability to fetch the next step in the wayes of faith and holinesse; be viewing the glory of the free-grace of God in the face of Jesus Christ, even of Christ crucified, presen­ted [Page 351] by the Holy Ghost in the Gospel which he breathed; oh this is the sight which will make you more and more like him, and draw upon you to the life the image of such glorious grace and love, to your exceeding joy. This sight gives power to walk; take and hold this course, and thou shalt say with David, thy loving Ps. 26. 3. kindness is before mine eyes, and I have walked in thy truth. This sight impow­ring, is the joy and rejoycing of the heart; the joyful growing, flourishing prosperity of the soul, consists in the wal­king in the light of Gods countenance, Ps. 89. 15. reconciled and reconciling us to himself in Jesus Christ. All power against sinne, and unto duty, and all comfort and joy, all healthfulnesse, soundnesse, and thri­ving in our spiritual estate, is this way conveighed. It is not attained or main­tained by extasies and raptures, trances, ravishments, impressions, impulses, re­velations, voices, joyes that come by Euthusiasme or inward immediate force of the Spirit; these at the best are in Gods own hand, and they may be given to a Balaam, a wicked man, a false Prophet, a Conjurer, a Witch; they may be mix­ed with Satans working, they may be of [Page 352] fancy, and not of God at all, or of faith; they may be of Satan, Diabolical de­lusions.

Now in our upright walking, the joy of the Lord is our strength; preserve it. If this [...]oy may be hindred, Satan hath his Neh. 8. 19 desire of us; let him not bereave you of it.

SECT. 6.

In the fifth place; the sins of these ho­ly 5. Their sins ought not to hinder their comba­ting a­gainst the flesh. walkers ought not to hinder their con­stant combating against the flesh; the flesh lusseth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and shall the spi­ritual yield the day? shall they s [...] down discouraged? hath the Spirit undertook, doth he lead, and cause them to walk af­ter him, and shall the flesh and its work­ings turn them off? Hear ye Christians of the Gentiles, your Apostle, the Apostle of the Gentiles, this I say, (saith he) walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not ful­fill the lusts of the flesh; the flesh lusteth Gal. 5. 16, 17. in you contrarily, but walk on, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

1. You have the better, and have no cause to be discouraged; these sinnes you [Page 353] see and finde are the flesh's forces: but they are but the scattered gleanings of the Field which you have reaped, the broken leavings of the body of the Army you have overthrown.

2. God could have driven them at once out of you, but they are left to learn us the use of our spiritual Armour; without an enemy our prowess would not be proved, our graces would not be tried, our warlike discipline shewed, our watch­fulnesse excited, our strength exercised; Vertue lies along without an Ene­my.

3. We forget our state which is a war­fare, we fotget it if we admit thoughts of ease or fainting; we are to carry our wea­pons in the one hand, while we work in the Lords work with our tooles in the o­ther hand; we must fight that we may work, and fight out our way. Our walk cannot be maintained and held on but by a warre, and we warre, that we may walk.

4. They should be so farre from hinde­ring, that they should raise our courage and heat, cause us to smite our flesh with sorer blows, make us beat down our bo­dies, and bring them into subjection; and [Page 354] teach us a point of heavenly wisdome in this warre, that is, to single out those sins as our special enemies, and as the flesh's troops and life-guard; say, See, here be these hellish villains, and fall on with a shout against them.

5. They should make us the more to think of our Leader and Acter the Holy Ghost; and to say, should such a man as I flee for fear? who of Gods Saints and Souldiers would do it to save his temporal life or estate? nay, if the rebellion should grow hot, high and prevalent, yet fight the more, and if we be made to cry out Wretched men that we are, who shall deliver? yet never cease; so our holy A­postle Rom. 7. 23, 24. gives us himself for a president.

6. And indeed there is no cause of fainting and flagging; for in the way of righteous­nesse there is no death: in this walk after the Spirit there is nothing but life and peace: in the way that is called holy, there is no hurtful thing; molestation there may be and will be; hurt and destruction there cannot be while thou art in this walk.

7. Besides, the maintaining of the combate is no losse in thy way; the walk is speeded, thou art not so much as diver­ted, whiles thou art mortifying these [Page 355] earthly members; for this walk is not mea­sured by paces, nor by tale of duties, but by powerful conquests made over thy fleshly lusts: And every resistance is a conquest.

8. Let them not put thee to a disorder or an hurry; keep thy minde sedate, and thy walk steddy; take heed of amaze­ments; the Spirit delights in a calme breast; stand still, and thou shalt see the salvation of the Lord, and in quietnesse and confidence of faith is thy strength.

SECT. 7.

In the sixth place, The sinnes of spiri­tual 6. The sins of the spiritual should not hinder their full dedition to the Spi­rit. Rom. 8. 2 Gal. 5. 18. Ro. 6. 14. walkers should not hinder their full giving up themselves to the Law of the Spirit. No, rather should they make us to do it the more; for 1. No other Law but the Law of the Spirit alone delivereth from the Law of sinne and death. 2. They are not under the Law, and while they were under it, they could get no power against their sinnes, but sinne had domi­nion over them; therefore to go to the Law of works will not help them. 3. They have had experience of the power of the Gospel, that Law of the Spirit: It hath [Page 356] broken down the dominion of sinne in them, It hath broken off their hearts from the love of sin; in the love of sin lyes the dominion of sin: and it will enable to mortifie the deeds of that body of death. It fills with the fruits against which there is no Law, and it sets the soul at liberty. 4. They are no debtors to the flesh, they owe it neither suit not service: but they are debtors to the Spirit: they owe all they are and have towards salvation unto him. 5. They are servants to righteous­nesse; the Covenant of their hearts when Ro. 8. 17. they first knew the grace of God in Christ to sinners, in truth, and they first saw the Son in the Gospel, and believed on him, was to be bound servants to righteousness, and disavow the service of sinne. And the Covenant of grace sets them free from sin, that they might be the more servants of righteousnesse, which is absolute and perfect liberty: and this it doth for those that were servants of sin, and free from righteousnesse, which is absolute and per­fect vassalage. Who would run from his liberty to his bondage? Who would be at full liberty, who is daily and hourly threa­tened and dogg'd by that which would bring him into bondage and slavery? A [Page 357] slave in the gallies would give himself up with all his heart to one able to give full deliverance; and the more he hath felt and tasted such a powerful gracious hand, the more, so long as he is in any danger, would he give himself up fully into such a hand.

Quest. But do those that retain their integrity, do as well as they can, and as they might according to the measure of grace received, and according to the means of grace which they do enjoy? because some Ministers urge this much, and do lay some stresse upon it, when they exhort Chri­stians to do what they can, and comfort them, if they do what they are able; and it is usual with all in whom no work of grace discovereth it self in the conversati­on, to plead and rest much upon this that they do and will do as God shall give them grace, as if there were no fault in them, and as if rather the fault were in God who giveth them no greater a measure.

Answ. This is a certain truth, There is no man that ever lived since the fall of our first Parents, that walketh up to the light he hath received of God, or to the means which God hath given him; or, hath done all that he might according to [Page 358] the gift and ability which he hath recei­ved; he is a sinner against his light, he Ro. 2. & 3. hath his own thoughts accusing many times, he pollutes himself in his own gifts. Both Jews and Gentiles are guilty in this kinde; and as for the regene­rate;

First, They have a will graciously incli­ned so to walk; but this will is yoked with another backward, crosse and thwart will, which although it be subdued, and be as it were under tribute, yet it is not quite destroyed, and sometimes it is up in rebellion, and leads them Captive; they cannot do what they would.

Secondly, Their renewed will doth rule their walks, and that so farre as to the measure of grace received, and of the means enjoyed in a prevailing proportion. I say, prevailing, so farre as to a greater strength than they themselves had before they had that measure and enjoyed that means; but not to a proportion of strength that answers fully the measure received, and the means enjoyed. No Saint on earth which doth all that he ought to do. No Saint on earth that doth all that he might do; and therefore we must be humbled for our failings, stirre up the [Page 359] gifts that are in us, watch against spiritual slothfulnesse and negligence, suffer the word of exhortation, take heed of quen­ching the Spirit, and of despising prophe­sying or faithful preaching, and live by faith in the Lord Christ for righteousnesse, and for strength.

Hitherto of the explication of this comfortable truth.

SECT. 8.

The demonstration of this doctrine The de­monstra­tion of rhis truth; four ways. in the general is worthy consideration, or the reasons why comfort and assurance are not destroyed by the sinnes found up­on those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

1. Because of the Covenant of Grace under wh [...]ch they are. If they were under the Law, if they were to stand or fall by the Covenant of Works, their sins would condemn them; but they are under the Gospel, the Law of faith, and that pro­claims a Jubilee unto them. Not that the Gospel allows of any sinne; it forbids all sinne: These things, saith John, I write Isa. 61. 1, 2 unto you that you sinne not. It is as full and strict in forbidding all sinne, and as [Page 360] severe in condemning all sinne, as the Law is or can be, and that to those who have received the free-gift, even the ju­stification of life, and the Spirit of Grace and of Adoption. It is the voice of the Gospel, Abstain from all appearance of evil, from all kinde of sinne, and from all appearance of sinne of what sort soever it be. It destroyes the dominion of sinne, which thing the Law cannot do, because the Law neither knows of a Ransome, nor giveth the Spirit to renew, sanctifie, and priviledge, and form to Adoption; but the Gospel ptoclaims a Jubilee, in that it brings in Christ a sinne-offeri [...]g, a Ran­some, an Advocate with the Father, and a Propitiation; and in Christ it brings in God reconciling them to himself, not imputing trespasses; God in Covenant, merciful to their transgressions, and re­membring their sinnes no more; and through Christ God pouring out the Spirit of grace and supplication, and sending the Spirit of his Sonne into their hearts, God accepts them in Christ the beloved, and by his Spirit through the Gospel he is per­fecting that which concerns them, never forsaking the works of his own hands in the regeneration; he is accomplishing all the [Page 361] good pleasure of his goodnesse towards them, and the work of faith with power in them.

2. Because of the indissolublenesse of the chain of salvation, in which in their effectual calling they are actually taken half off; and in their justification they are actually acquitted from their sinnes, and from damnation, and ad­judged unto everlasting life.

3. Because it is not they that do commit sinne; it is their flesh that Ro. 7. 25. Gal. 5. 24. doth them, which they hale to the Crosse, and have and do crucifie. And while the Spirit leads them, and hath the guidance of their conversation, what ever sinne there is with them, it is but of an enemy troubling and yet kept under.

4. That which any man soweth, that Gal. 6. 7, 8 shall he reap; now these believers sow not to the flesh, but to the Spirit; but because they yet have many sinnes, and many a brush by them, they sow in tears; neverthelesse they go forth, they carry precious seed with them; sowing Ps. 126. 5, 6. they will be while they have time, be the season a dirty winter season; there­fore they shall reap in joy, they shall [Page 362] doubtlesse come again, and bring their sheaves with them, they shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

SECT. 9.

Come hither all you to whom the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ is come; The uses 1. Of in­formation in foure things. and inform your judgments in these fol­lowing truths which arise from this comfortable doctrine.

1. Consider what is wrought for and in a poor sinful creature before he can attain to this, to walk after the Spirit. First, the Word of Gods grace, the Go­spel of salvation is preached by the A­postles with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, and by Pastours and Tea­chers sent of Christ, who in his exalta­tion to glory in heaven hath received and given these gifts for men; this Go­spel is brought even unto thee in its truth and purity in these latter difficult times, although false teachers have and do abound. It is the first step of Gods approach in his way of saving mercy coming down from heaven to bring thee to glory. Then secondly, God by his [Page 363] Spirit through the Gospel preached which is his testimony, illightens thee, and re­veals the things of salvation, the myste­ries of hidden wisdome unto thy soul. Thirdly, he enables thee to choose Christ Jesus and his Gospel above all other Religions whatsoever, abomina­ting them; and above thine own car­nal thoughts, inventions, lusts and ways: and above thine own reason, and thine own righteousnesse, and the righteous­nesse which is of the Law. Fourthly, the Spirit in and by the Gospel coming into thee, sets thee free from the reign and dominion of the flesh, of its mindings, of its wisdome, and of its wills, desi [...]es, affections and lusts; and turns thee from its walks in which thou didst be­fore walk and live, and in which still the world lives and walks. Fifthly, the Spirit quickens the and gives thee life; a new life, life from above, the life of grace which will be glory, a life which is eternal in the beginning of it; and being quickned and raised together with Christ, sets thee on thy feet, takes thee by the hand, and teaches thee to go. Sixthly, the Spirit gives thee an heart to order thy conversation aright, acording [Page 364] to the holy Commandments as becometh the Gospel, from the power of faith and hope which set thee on high, even to sit together with Christ in the hea­venly places from whence thou lookest for him, insomuch that thy conversati­on is in heaven. Seventhly, he gives thee power to walk after him, going before thee in the Gospel, engrafting the Word on thy heart, and thereby coun­selling, teaching, exciting and inclining, or bowing thy will as powerfully as sweetly, drawing and making thee to runne in Gods ways. Eighthly, and with this power he gives a quick dis­cerning, and sense of the flesh, and of its motions, counsels and ways, with resolutions mighty and prevailing to the framing of the course of the life, not to walk after the flesh, but to hold on thy walk after the Spi [...]it, though the flesh be still contrarily lusting and working, plot­ting and warring.

Thus the regenerate and spiritual, though hampered and toyled with his corrupt nature, walks not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Doth so much go to make thee a holy liver, and is not the work very great? oh have not any low thoughts of this high mercy, for which thou canst never sufficiently blesse the Lord, nor canst retain the thankful sense there­of further nor longer than thou keepest up the thoughts of thine own, and all mens alienations by nature from the life of God.

Believe it brethren, it is not a mean, despicable work to frame the conversa­tion, or walk according to the Word of Christ. It is not little in it self, although it seemeth to thee a small and little thing, through vehement desires, and longings in thee after greater pro­gresse in the way called holy, in which thy soul finds such pleasures that thou art impatient of contrary workings, and of interruptions; let me tell thee who thus walkest, the work is so great, that it carries the heart to the leadings of the Spirit, and the heart is powerfully wrought upon and changed, which none can bow and turn but God that made it, or else it could not so powerfully order the conversation. This is more [Page 366] then to delight in Gods Word and ways, and yet that is a mighty work of grace; observe for this, Davids pray­er, Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments, for therein do I delight. Ps. 119. 35. Ro. 7. 22, 18. To will is of Gods gracious work; To delight in Gods Commandments is the top, and that which shews and proves the truth of the work of grace upon the soul enabling to will; but to do, to per­forme, is more by farre. God and Christ by the Holy Spirit have the last Phil. 2. 13. hand put to the work of salvation as farre as agreeth to his Saints in this life, when the Spirit rules thy walk.

2. Behold here the worth of such a Christian. He is Gods workmanship in Christ Jesus, created again unto good works which God hath fore-or­dained that he should walk in. In this walk, see the man come out of Gods hands in the regeneration. This is a choice creature, made up to and by the will of the Spirit, and his walk speaks it. Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. God hath set out two admirable sights once in this sinful wicked world, unto which [Page 367] all eyes should be turned; the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world; and the Israel of God, de­livered from this evil world, redeemed from all iniquity, purified to be a pe­culiar people to himself, zealous of good works. This a choice creature, as for priviledges and dignity, so for heavenly qualifications.

3. Take here the maine reason, why many under the Gospel attain not to a holy life, which is this, they take up with that light and with those gifts, which will not subdue, mortifie and crucifie the flesh; they professe the Gospel, but the Gospel is not the prin­ciple they live by; and no other, no lower will destroy the reign of sinne; the holy Law will not, therefore no o­ther Religion, no Institutions of Phi­losophy, no light of the Law within man can subdue the flesh; the Gospel alone, if received into the heart, will do it, because it gives the Spirit; now they by the Gospel never received the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of renova­tion, of Sanctification, and of A­doption. [Page 368] Untill this be had, none can attain to an holy life.

4. Take hence also the main rea­sons why the regenerate attain unto so little comfort; for first, they place not as they should the ground-work of their comfort, in this, That they are in Christ, which this their walk doth evidence; but they seek it in their walking, which, accompanied with sinnes and contrary lustings, will beare no higher than to the power of an evidence, and to a begunne work which is true, but yet but in a part, and yet such as is tend­ing unto, and will attain perfection, but not in this life; but it is not a righ­teousnesse to stand in, without spot be­fore the Throne of God, it is not a Righteousnesse to justifie a sinner in Gods sight, it is not a Righteousnesse that God ever appointed for such a work or purpose. And secondly, they think to squeeze out the comfort of their being in Christ, and of the pro­mises to those that are in Christ by rea­soning, objecting, and seeking resoluti­on of their objections, and by the ex­amination [Page 369] of themselves by all the light they can get, which things are good in themselves, and duties as we may have opportunities, but not the main thing; for they should seek their comfort and settlement chiefly by wal­king on holily; great establishment is in well-doing. Comfort should not be expected presently, it must have a time to spring and ripen upon a Tree of righ­teousnesse which the Lord hath planted, and which brings forth the fruits of righteousnesse, and than the blessing of comfort. By diligent adding of one 2 Pet. 1. 5, 8, 10. grace to another in our practice, we become fruitful in the knowledge of Christ, and so we make our calling Isa. 32. 17. and election sure. A barren life, be the knowledge never so great, and the profession never so high, strict and splendid, will be but unsetled and un­comfortable. The fruit of righteous­nesse is peace, and the effect of it is quietnesse and assurance for ever.

SECT. 10.

Be not therefore reasoning so much, but be walking up and be doing, and 2. Of ex­hortation and en­courage­ment. the Lord shall be with you. Thou hast great encouragement in thy leader, and in thy way; the leader is the Spirit, the Spirit of Adoption, the Spirit in the New Testament dispensation, the highest that ever shall be till our Lord Christ appears in his glory and great power at the last day. Thy way, it is the way of all Saints and believers from the beginning of the world; this was the character of the godly in all ages, as Henoch, Noah, before the flood, Abraham, David, Hezekiah, Zacha­ry and Elizabeth, the holy Apostles, and all other the Saints of God, to walk with God. It is the way of the upright not to look what strength and measure of grace they have, and what they have done, or to think they are already perfect, but waiting on him who is their strength to go on and reach forth to that which is before, eying the price of their high calling in Christ Je­sus. It is the surest way to comfort, [Page 371] not to look chiefly to our affections, feelings and joyes, but to our walks; and this is most distinguishing; this brings most glory to God, and edifi­cation to others. Others by the story of our affections, joyes, experiences, may be made fancyfull, and put into a fools Paradise, and be raised to admi­ration of our persons, which ends u­sually in imitating our evils, or in doating upon some phrase of words, or noti­ons and high strains of opinion, or in self-admiration, as having themselves out-stripped us, and all others, and they are disdained now as low and carnal in comparison of themselves, as much as before they were exalted and mag­nified by them as the onely spiritual. It is most comfortable and excellent when our lives confute our reasonings, answer our objections, shew our faith, confirme our interest in Christ; as it is most comfortlesse and abominable when our joyes, perswasions, confiden­ces, hopes, and our faith also are con­futed by our lives.

Walk then after the Spirit, and re­ceive Of exhor­tation and direction. the instruction and direction which [Page 372] lieth in the bowels of this Exhorta­tion.

First, The Word of God which is the Spirits testimony and witnesse, that's the rule and way for thy walk; but remember, that the power to walk is from Christ, flowing by his Spirit into thee through the Word; walk on then, but fetch power daily from Christ, giving out his Spirit by the Word.

Secondly, be putting in still into thy aright ordered Conversation that which is lacking; enlarge thy heart to all the Articles of faith, that their mold and stamp may be upon thy life; to all the Commandments that the righte­teousnesse of them may be respected and expressed; and to all Christs Or­dinances that the fruit and special ends of them for which they were instituted for the benefit of Gods Elect may be attained, and be made more and more manifest, that they are attained.

Thirdly, Be not hearkning what thine own heart saith, but what the Lord saith by his Spirit in the Word, who [Page 373] speaketh heace to his Saints, and while he speaketh peace and no condemnati­on, Ps. 85. 8. speaks as effectually that they turn not again to folly, but keep on their spiritual walk.

Fourthly, Be not wicked over-much; when thou carriest a strict hand over thy sinful deceitful heart, lookest over thy wayes with as prying an eye as can ma­lice it self, or thy vigilant enemy the Divel himself, so farre as truth will bear; judgest thy self severely, and li­vest as one condemned in the flesh; see Eccl. 7. 17 what Christ hath done for thee; what the Spirit hath wrought in thee; be not so foolish as to deny his grace in thee, which thy walk speaks and testifies for thee to thy conscience, and before God and men; why shouldest thou so wick­edly torment thy self, and dye before thy time? As it is evil to be righteous over-much by arrogating to thy selfe more than is right: so is it a dangerous evil to be wicked overmuch in denying or undervaluing what God hath graci­ously wrought in thee. Condemne the flesh, but own and justifie the Spirit.

Fifthly, Walk on, remembring the work is begun which God will perfect; the greatest work is done already, even the quickning thee from the dead; (it is a farre greater work to give life from the dead, than to cause to walk, and to uphold him that walketh:) thou hast been enabled to do, and hast done the greatest work already; thou hast cruci­fied the flesh with the lusts and affecti­ons thereof; so saith our Apostle, Ther that are Christs, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Gal. 5. 24.

Sixthly, When thou seest abroad the Heresies, Divisions, Apostasies, Back-sli­dings, Superstitions, Formality, Concei­ted Pride of Spirit, Luke-warmnesse, Sensuality, Security, Incorrigiblenesse, Impenitency, Atheisme, Earthly-minded­nesse, Profanesse, and wickednesses of all sorts in many, in too many: remem­ber thou hast flesh the seed of all this within thee, and get away from thy self, loath thy self, and so walk on.

Seventhly, be not turned off by the flesh's lustings; walk, though the flesh fret and grinde; walk, though hell be [Page 375] moved; walk, though thy way be strait­ned; walk, for thy estate is safe, thy way good, and on high; walk, though envy spite thee, and the flesh way-lay thee; for God will keep thy foot from being taken.

Eighthly, be not quarrelling with God, but walking humbly; say not, Why doth not God give me a full and perfect de­liverance so soon as he converts me? couldst thou have thought thou hadst had such a sinful nature as now thou findest and feelest? or couldst thou e­ver have thought of the mighty and glorious power of the Spirit in the least spark of renewing grace, which both lives and orders the whole man, heart and life, in the midst of such floods and seas of inbred ungodlinesse and lusts? say not, Why doth he give desires not to sinne, and yet answers not, satisfies not those desires? they shall not pe­rish, they shall be satisfied and filled, whereas the desires of the wicked shall perish: besides, than these desires there cannot be lesse, if the heart be right; than they, there cannot be more, as to the matter of desires: say not, How can I be comforted, when yet sin [Page 376] remains? rather, here couldst thou be comforted in Christ if sinne were not? how could all thy good be wholly of grace? How altogether by faith? say not, how can I be right who sinne continually? may it not be said, How can he be but right who doth not, and resolves never to walk after the flesh, and lives judging himself continually? say not, Wherein hath God loved me? he gives thee himself, he gives thee his Son, and it is undeniable; for see, he hath gi­ven thee his Spirit, and thy walk testifyeth it. Oh walk on, and let it so witnesse for thee more and more; silence thy reaso­nings, prevent not the order which God hath set; here we walk by faith, not by sig [...]t; that's for the life to come.

Ninthly, be not desponding, and saying, I shall perish one time or other; the Spirit in thee is the anointing: thou art King Elect, and shalt thou perish, who hast upon thee the holy oyle? thine enemy the flesh yokes thee, but the yokes shall be broken, because of the anointing. Isa. 10. 27.

Tenthly, methinks I hear thee yet say, I am weary of my life because of these [Page 377] daughters of Heth, these issues of the flesh; it were better for me to die, than to live in this sinful world; what good will my life do me, if that which my soul hateth, must still dwell with me? hate thy sinnes yet more, but when thou hatest them never so much, art thou a greater hater of the flesh than God and Christ, and the Holy Ghost? And canst thou not a­bide where the Holy Ghost is willing to reside and dwell? whom makest thou thy self! consider who is thy next neighbour; keep in the Communion of the Holy Ghost, and solace thy self in thy Com­forter who dwells in thee, that thou may­est never walk in fellowship with the flesh.

Eleventhly, why goest thou not the right way to work, even to give up thy self unto the command of the Spirit, who treats with thee by the Word, and dwel­leth in thee whiles the Word of Christ a­bideth in thee?

Twelfthly, pay the flesh home for its naughtinesse and all its pranks, but glo­rifie the Spirit.

Lastly, believe in the Holy Ghost, and walk in his comforts, who will prompt thee and say, This is the way, walk in it, Isa. 30. 20, 21. when thou art turning aside to the right hand, or to the left.