HERE the Apostle infers from the Doctrine of Justificati­on, delivered in 3d. 4th. and 5th. Chapters; (For the 6th. and 7th. come in by way of Digression, to answer the Objections against the Do­ctrine of Justification, for the further clearing of it,) That there is no Condemnati­on to them that are in Christ Jesus: And because ma­ny may pretend to be unite to Christ, that are not really so, therefore such as are unite to him, are de­scribed by their Walk, which is not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit.

This being a comfortable Conclusion from the Pre­misses, in the preceeding part of this Epistle, Viz. [Page 2] 'That there is no condemnation to the Believer that 'is in Christ; We shall clear First what the Words import. And 2ly. Hold out some Scriptural Grounds that may and will clear the certainty of this Truth

As to the First, When the Apostle says, there is no Condemnation, his meaning is, 1st, That the Law does not condemn the Believer. 2ly. That the Believers Conscience cannot warrantably condemn him. And 3ly. By these Words, he assures us, that the Judge will never condemn Believers in Christ.

For the 2d. Thing, The certain Grounds of the Believers Freedom from condemnation are these. 1st Ground, is the Covenant of God, made with Abra­ham, and his Spiritual Seed, to which God interpo­sed his Oath, to be their God. Now these to whom he is a God, he must prepare for them an Heavenly City; now Believers in Christ are Abraham's Spiri­tual Seed, with whom that Covenant was made; and therefore they must go to Heaven, and cannot be condemned to go to Hell. 2d. Ground of their freedom from Condemnation, is their freedom from the Law; Believers are not under the Law, but un­der Grace, Rom. 6 They are married to Christ and so are not under the Dominion of their old Husband the Law, They are not under the Law as an Cove­nant, tho they be under it as an Rule of Life, and so they cannot be under the commination of that Covenant, because of the Transgressions of it; now where the Law does not condemn, the Judge can­not condemn 3d. Ground of Certainty, is the Be­lievers interest in Christ's Sacrifice. Heb. 12.24. It is said, we are come to the blood of sprinkling, we have a real Interest in his Sacrifice, because he is One that [Page 3] had our nature. 2ly. That Sacrifice, by God's Ap­pointment, and his own Consent, was offered up for Believers; and he had a Spiritual S [...]bness to them: Now since Believers have an interest in this Sacrifice, this cannot but secure them from Condemnation, if you consider the expiatory Vertue thereof: which expiatory Vertue, is evinced from these few Consi­derations, 1st. Consider the infinitely wise God chose this Sacrifice, to expiate the Sins of Believers, Heb. 10.5. 2ly. He accepted of this Sacrifice, as a proper and effectual Mean to produce this end, Eph. 5.2. 3ly. This Sacrifice had an Intrinsick Worth in it, and was spotless. 4ly. It was offered up by the Heavenly-Fire of the Eternal Spirit, Heb. 9.14. 5ly. The Offerer was the High-Priest of the New Testament himself, inaugurate in his Office by God himself, Heb. 7.21. 6ly. The Sufferings he was put to, by being thus a Sacrifice, were the ac­complishments of the Commination of the Law. An Fourth Ground of Certainty, is the absolution of Christ, the Believers soverty in his Resurrection, and this absolution more fully cleared, by his Session at God's Right Hand, Rom. 4 and last. and Heb. 1. and 3. A 5th. Ground of Certainty of the Believers free­dom, is, the promulgate Gospel, which plainly as­serts, that the Believer is not condemned, John 3.18. and 5.24. And this Truth of the Gospel is confirmed by external Miracles, and by the Internal Operations of the Spirit of God. A 6th. Ground is, the Priviledges that this Gospel declares, are con­ferred on Believers, as 1st. The Priviledge of Justi­fication, and that secures the Believer from Condem­nation; 1st. Because it is God's Deed, Rom. 8 33. [Page 4] and 34. 2ly. It is an Act of Grace, Rom. 3.24 We are justified freely by his Grace, now Grace must reign over Sin and Death, Rom. 5. and last. 3ly. It is an Act founded on Christ's Righteousness, which is called the Righteousness of God, viz. of his In­vention and Approbation 2 Cor. 5. and last; And therefore this Priviledge of Justification cannot but secure the Believer from Condemnation. 4ly. This Act of Justification draws with it the total and ir­rep [...]alable Pardon of all Sin, Rom. 4.5, 6. compa­red with Psal. 32.1, 2· For the Apostle, Rom. 4 clears from that Psalm, that the Gospel-Righteous­ness is not a Righteousness of Works, for it draws with it as its attendant, the Remission of Sins. A 2d. Priviledge that the Gospel secures to a Believer, is Adoption, John 1.12. and this cannot but secure the Believer from Condemnation, because a sure Ti­tle to eternal Life depends on it, and follows the same, Rom. 8.17. 1 Joh. 3.1, 2. A Third Priviledge that the Gospel assures us Believers have, Is that they are sanctified by the Spirit of God, which is their being made meet for Heaven, Col. 1.12. It is the Earnest of it, Eph 1 14. Now this cannot but secure them from Condemnation, because God cannot separate a man that hath his Image from himself, seing the Image of God is given by him to prepare a man for Communion with himself. A 7th. Ground is, the Believer is unite to Christ not only because Christ hath the same Humane Nature with him, but because he is mystically and spiritually one with him, 1 Cor. 6.17. The Believer is a piece of Christ my­stical, therefore the Church of Believers is called his fullness, Eph. 1. & last. Now this Union with Christ [Page 5] secures from Condemnation, because the Love of the Father that is terminate on Christ primarly and principally, must also necessarly terminate on them, see Jo. 17. last, An 8to Ground of certainty is, That Christ is Judge; and the Rule whereby he proceeds, is not the Law but the Gospel, John 12.48, 49, and 50.

Use of Consolation from this Doctrine is. 1st. To these who are under the conviction of Sin, Guilt, and Death, and who have fled for Refuge to Christ, such are not allowed to have the Spirit of Bondage again to fear Condemnation, Rom. 8.15. 2ly. To such who are under paternal Chastisements for Sin; because these are our evidences of our free­dom from Condemnation, 1 Cor. 11.32. And there­fore they should not be looked on as Prooffs of our lyableness to Condemnation. 3ly. It is comfortable to those that are Assaulted with Satan's Fiery Darts, suggesting to them that they will be condemned, and yet giving them no sufficient ground to found that Assertion on: If a mans Conscience tell him that he believes on Christ, from this Text he may easily repell all these horrid Temptations. 4ly. It is very comfortable at the hour of Death, for Death wants its Sting to an Believer, 1 Cor. 15.55. Death is but a sleep to a Believer, Death doth not seperate a Believer from the Love of God, Rom. 8. last. But it is the Believers passage to immediate Communion with God, and therefore Paul 2 Cor. 5.8. Desires to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord.

The former Scriptural-Grounds, assuring the Be­liever, that he is free from Condemnation, they are fit to be applyed by these Believers that know they [Page 6] have Faith and whose fears of Condemnation, a­rise more from their reflection on their Guilt, Cor­ruption and Misery, then from any Jealousie that they want Faith: But for such whose fears of Con­demnation arise from the weakness of their Faith, I would have them consider many Scripture In­stances, which clear that a weak Faith maybe very profitable, if it be true: As the Faith of the Leper, who believed Christ's Power but questioned his Wil­lingness. M [...]th. 8, and as the Faith of the Prodigal, who believed his Father might put him amongst the Servants, but could not make him a Son: see what Opinion Paul hath of the Faith of the Hebrews, Heb. 6.9. compared with the 12. and 13. and compared with the 5. and 12.

Secondly, There is an use of Tryal, to try whe­ther we have an Interest in this Priviledge or no. And 1st. Try it by your Faith whether ye believe the promises of God, whose performances are very improbable like, as Abraham did, Then are we Abraham's spiritual Seed, and so have Interest in the Covenant made with him. 2ly. Try your Inte­rest in this priviledge by your being Married to Christ, that is by forsaking your own personal Righteousness, which is by the Law, and betaking your selves to Christ's. Rom. 7.4 3ly. Try your Interest by your Union with Christ; If you would know that Union with Christ, ye must try it by this whether ye be new Creatures or no, 2 Cor. 5.17. 4ly. ye must try it by the mark in the Text, which is, that such as are in Christ, They walk not after the flesh, that is they have not an walk that evidences the dominion of Lust over them: Pride, Covetousness [Page 7] Malice, and Self-love do not Influence their Conver­sation. And 2ly. They do not regulate their Life by the Laws of Corruption, which are directly op­posite to the Laws of God; whereof some of them may be repeated. As 1st. The Natural Man thinks it fit to depend upon himself, and not upon God, and to please himself and not God. 2ly. The Na­tural Man denys the Being of God and mistakes the perfection of God, and his walk evidences his Athe­ism, Psal. 14.1. and his denyal of God's perfection. Psal. 36.1. 3ly. It is a Principle of the Natural Man that he Exerciseth himself in Superstitious Worship. In being formal in appointed Worship as meritorious with God, see Luke 18. about the Pharisee. 4ly. It is his principle that we may warrantably use un­lawful means to obtain our end; That false policy is better then tenderness of Conscience. 5ly. It is a Principle of his, that Folk should rather Sin then suffer Affliction. 6ly. It is a Principle of the Carnal Man, that we should not love our Neighbour with a pure and single Love, but with a Selfish Love, not designing singly his good, but aiming still at our own Advantage in what kindness we do to him. 7ly. Its the walker after the flesh his Principle, that we should not live in Subjection to Superiours from Conscience, but because of fear of force, and be­cause of Expectation of Advantage. 8ly. It's his Principle, that his Felicity stands in sensual good, 9ly. He is not content with what satisfies Nature, but with what satisfies Lust, and Lust being unsatia­able, he cannot but always be discontented.

Now this Walk after the Flesh, does not only import a Walk that evidences reigning Lusts in the Heart, and a [Page 8] Walk that is the practical improvement of those pernicious Principles formerly mentioned and such like; but it is a Walk tending to corrupt Ends, a Walk wherein a Mans Imaginations, Desires and Purposes are all levelled at the gratifying of some one predominant Lust or other. And 5ly. we would try our interest in this priviledge, by our walking after the Spirit: Which is a walk first, which stands in obedience to the motions of the Spirit, Rom. 8, 13. Gal. 5.18. 2ly. It stands in giving God spiritual Worship, Phi [...]ip. 3.3. and Jo. 4 24. 3ly. It stands in having a Walk flowing from Spiritual Principles, viz. Faith. 2 Cor. 5.7. Love, Eph. 5.2. 4ly. It stands in eying an spiritual Rule in our Walk, viz. The Law in its spiritual meaning, in having a spiri­tual frame in conforming our selves to that Law, that we may do what we do in the strength of Christ's Spirit. And 5ly. It stands in designing spiritual Ends, viz. The Glory of God, the Edification of our Neighbour and our own Salvation.

From the Restriction of this priviledge to such as Walk after the Spirit. We may infer an Use of Re­proof to many who walk after the flesh, and yet will ap­ply this priviledge to themselves; The causes of their security, may be 1st. They lean to their Superstiti­ous Services, Mica: 6, 7. Isa. 1, 11. And to their External Acts of Worship. Isai: 58, 3. Jer. 7, 10. 2ly. They Lean to their present impunity Psal: 50, 21. And 3ly. They lean to their own Gifts, Matth. 7.22.

Observe that the Apostle divides all the Mem­bers of the Visible Church, in these Two sorts of Men, viz. Who walk after the Flesh, and Who walk [Page 9] after the Spirit; Importing to us that all those that Walk not after the Spirit, they certainly walk after the Flesh. From this one may infer, That all Mo­ralists and Civilians. Whatever pretences they have for Innocency, in Walking, since they are unac­quainted with a walking after the Spirit, they are certainly to be reckoned as Walkers after the Flesh.

Observe next, from the words, That when the A­postle would give a discovery to persons of their spiritual state, and of their Interest in the priviledge of Non-condemnation, he brings this Discovery not from a particular Act of their Walk, whether good or bad; but from the Tract of their Walk; for a Godly Man may be overcome with an Temptation at a time, and do an evil Act, which may be called an Act of the Flesh; and an godless Man may do an Act materially good, but a Godly Man cannot Walk after the Flesh, neither can a godless man walk after the Spirit.

SOme take the meaning of those words to be, That the Gospel doth free the Apostle Paul from the Law and Covenant of Works, and its Threat­ning: And therefore since the Gospel frees him from the Laws Threatning, It cannnot but secure all that are in Christ from Condemnation; seing he has no priviledge by the Gospel, but what all that are in Christ actually have; for the Gospel confers [Page 10] priviledges of this sort and nature equally on all Be­lievers; And if the words be taken in this sense, they are a proof of the first part of the first verse to this purpose, as if the Apostle had said: ‘Ye may be very sure that there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ: Because I, who am a Believer by the promulgate Gospel, am delivered from the Threatning of the Covenant of Works:’ And so these that ascribe this sense to the words, they say that by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, is meaned the Gospel, called the Law of Faith, 3d. Rom. And it gets that Name, because as a Law hath Au­thority in it, to oblidge to Obedience, so the Gospel has the stampt of Divine Authority on it, obliging to Obedience. Likeways, It is called a Law of the spirit of life, because the Gospel, and not the Law, (which is as to this a Dead Letter) is the Ministra­tion of the Spirit, see Gal. 3.5.2 Cor. 3.8. and we are receivers of the spirit by the hearing of Faith, Gal: 3.2 and it is said the Gospel is the Law in Christ Jesus, because Christ Jesus is the principal Subject about which it Treats. Or these words, in Christ Jesus, may be added, not to denote that the principal Sub­ject of the Gospel is Christ Jesus, but to denote that the Spirit of Life, which is conveyed by the Gospel is to be had from Christ Jesus. 2ly. Those that ascribe this sence to the words they say, that by the Law of sin and death, is meant the Law of God with it's sanction, and Threatning: For as it is a perfect Rule of Righteousness, it discovers sin: As the Apostle says, by the Law is the knowledge of sin; and by reason of the Threatning subjoined to the Law it brings the sinner under a lyableness to Death, and [Page 11] upon thir Accounts it is concluded by thir Divines who ascribe this sence to the Text, That the Law of God gets this Name of the Law of [...]in and Death.

But yet when we consider the Text more narrowly, we think it has an other meaning; For it is very clear from the preceeding Chapter. That by the Law of sin the Apostle means, Corruption, and we do not find the Apostle in other places of Scripture giving that name of the Law of sin and death to the Law of God. And therefore by the Law of the spirit of life, is meant the powerful influence of the spirit of life upon Believers, which frees Paul from Corrup­tion, these 3. ways. 1st. By dwelling in Pauls heart he makes up a spiritual Union betwixt Christ and him, and so frees him from the guilt of Corruption, because by the spirit making up that Union he winns to a justified state, 1 Cor▪ 6.11. 2ly. He frees Paul from his Corruption because by his power he breaks the dominion of sin. And 3ly. By his presence and efficacious working, he will in his own time abo­lish the remainders of Corruption out of Paul's heart.

The Cohesion of this Verse with the former, seems to be the Apostles proving the latter part of the Verse thus, That those that are in Christ must walk after the Spirit, and not after the Flesh, because the Spirit of Life breaks the Dominion of Sin in them, as it did in Paul. Or 2ly. This Second Verse may be ad­ded, to illustrate the first part of the first Verse, viz. That there is no condemnation to the man who is in Christ, and it may be set down to prevent an Ob­jection against that Truth, that the man that is in Christ is free of condemnation For it may be said, that the man that is in Christ, hath the Law of Sin and [Page 12] Death, and since he hath the remainders of Corru­ption in him, how can he be free from Condemnati­on? It is Answered, That the Spirit of Life frees the Believer from the Law of Sin and Death, be­cause, by uniting a man to Christ, it frees him from the Guilt of Corruption, and by the Spirits presence, as a Spirit of Life, in God [...]s own time, he will be freed from the remainders of Corruption.

From what has been said, we may soon see. That our discerning of the remainders of Corrupti­on in us inevitably brings us under many fears of Condemnation: The fight of Indwelling Sin more forcibly puts us under a fear of Condemnation, than the feeling of all our numerous Miseries can do, and therefore it were fit for a Believer to strengthen his hope of the total abolition of Sin in him, and this may be done, 1st. By considering our Union with Christ, and Christ's Exaltation to Glory, which ne­cessarly says, that all the Members must have a sinless conformity with the Head. 2ly. This Hope may be strengthned, by considering that the guilt of our Corruption is already pardoned in our Justification, for the 1st Verse says, There is no condemnation to the man that is actually in Christ. And 3ly. This Hope may be strengthned in this, that the breaking of the Dominion of Corruption in us by the Spirit of Life, is a Pledge given us of God, to assure us of its total abolition.

Observe 2ly. That Paul was a man deeply exer­cised with the sense of remaining Corruption in him, as appears by the last part of the former Chapter, and now he wins to a great deal of freedom to apply Gospel-Priviledges, and this tells you that the free­dom [Page 13] of the Actings of Faith is very consistent with the sense of Indwelling Sin.

Observe 3ly. Paul used many Means for Morti­fication, he watched, he prayed, he kept himself out of the way of Temptation, yet he ascribed not his freedom from Corruption, to the use of these Means, but to the Principal Author of his freedom, viz. The Spirit of Life, who did bless these Means, for that end. Take notice of that Name that's given to the Influencing Spirit, that liberats Paul from the Law of Sin and Death, it is called The Law of the Spirit of Life; Because, that as a Law hath a Moral Efficacy, to draw those that live under it into Obedience; So the gracious Spirit of God, where he has an indwel­ling, hath an strong Efficacy to bring the Person in whom he dwells, to follow his Conduct. And this leads us into an

4. Observation, anent the mighty Working of the Spirit, and his Grace in the Hearts of Believers; and this mighty Power of the Spirit, and his Grace, evidences it self in these few things following, amongst many moe As 1st. In the actings of Faith under ma­ny Tryals, which must argue a great Power that makes a man believe, notwithstanding of great and manifold Guiltinesses, and of long Continuance, notwithstan­ding of Corruptions, notwithstanding of violent As­saults from Satan, yea notwithstanding of Deserti­ons, Chastisements and Death; And therefore, it is said, Eph. 1.19 That there is an exceeding greatness of Power, that works in Believers. 2ly. The Pow­er of Grace kythes, in that it can make a man forgoe those Sins his natural Complexion enclines him to, whereunto he has been much accustomed, and which [Page 14] have brought him great worldy Advantage. 2ly Graces Power appears, in that it makes a man forsake his own Righteousness, and betake himself to Christs which deed will be very much opposed by Pride and Self-love. 4ly. Its Power appears in this, in tha [...] it can make Christians, with Paul, not to look t [...] things seen, that is, to depise the allurements of the World, which have a sensible certainty, and are ve­ry grateful to our external Senses. 5ly. It eviden­ces it self in making People patient under manifold sore, continuing, and extream Miseries, even such o [...] whom is legible God's Quarrel with us for our Sins the Exercise of Patience under such, must be an Ef­fect of great Power, See Cor. 1.10, 11. And that be­cause Patience will be opposed by our natural Pride, Self-love and Unbelief.

Use of Information, To let you see to whom you may ascribe the great Works of the mortified Believ­er, even to the mighty efficacious Worker the Spi­rit of Life, that is in Christ Jesus.

Use of Encouragement to the despondent Believer, who [...]s feared, when he considers the Greatness and Spirituality of his Work; he thinks that Work is so far above him, he will not get it accomplished; But the Answer is, His Encouragement should spring from his looking to the mighty Power of that indwelling Spirit in him; and albeit he may find hims [...]lf very weak to manadge his Spiritual Work, if he com­pare the greatness of his Work, with the strength of that measure of inherent Grace he has for the time, yet he would not be discouraged, for although the present measure of inherent Grace that is in him, be not able to do his work, and overcome the oppositi­on [Page 15] made to it; yet there is an abundance of strength in the Spirit of Life, that principally resides in the Head, and is derived from him to all his Members, to manadge all the Christians Work, and to over­come all the opposition made to it.

Take notice, 5ly. Of the name the Spirit gets here, he is called the Spirit of Life, or a quickning Spirit, and he is called so for Three Reasons. 1st. Because he raised Christ from the dead. 2ly. Be­cause he raises us from the Death of Sin. And 3ly. Because he is to raise the Christian at the last day to immortal Glory. From this we infer, that those in whom the Spirit dwells, must have Spiritual Life, that is, they must live so as to make his Will their Rule, and his Glory their End, and his Love their chiefest Comfort.

6ly. Take notice, That the Spirit of Life is said to be in Jesus Christ; and that 1st. Because Christ did merite the Spirit of Life to his People. 2ly. Because the Spirit of Life did evidence principally It's quickning vertue in his raising Christ from the dead; He did this, that believers might have a pledge by this deed that he could raise them from the death of sin and of the grave. 3. He is said to be in Christ Jesus, because, he is given to him principal­ly and primarly, and in a greater measure then to Believers; the Father gave not the Spirit by measure to him John 3.34. And the Spirit is given to believers from Christ, and for his sake: and this directs Believers how to strengthen their Faith, as to the expectation of the Spirits grace and influ­ence to their Hearts. Unbelief will say in their Hearts, they should not expect the Spirits presence [Page 16] seeing they cannot deserve it. The Answers is, that Christ hath deserved it from them, tho they have not deserved it themselves. 2ly. Unbelief will object the difficulty of the Spiritual and Corporal Resurrecti­on, a work so difficult how can the accomplishment thereof be expected? The answer is, That this Spiri [...] of life hath performed ane greater work in raising Christ from the dead, then he should perform tho he should raise thee who are the Believer from the death of sin and the grave. 3ly. Unbelief in Believers will object against their undertaking great Spiritual work for God, because they do not find such strength of the Spirits grace in them, as many be proportion­ed to the greatness and Spirituality of that work. But the Answer is, They should not take their en­couragement to the work, from the greatness of the strength of their present inherent grace but from the greatness of the strength of that Spirit of life that primarly and principally resides in Christ and therefore Paul 1 Tim. 2.1. He bids Timothy be strong in the grace that is in Jesus, and in the Philip: 4. He says he can do all things through Christ that strengthneth him, and in 2 Cor. 12. He says, he rejoyces in his infirmity that the power of Christ may rest upon him; And therefore an exercised Believer with indwelling sin, if he would have the most comfortable look of Christ, let him look to him as having the fullness of the Spirit of life in him; for Christ is not only lovely to a Believer, as his Blood has an Expiatory vertue to cleanse away our guilt, but as he has an fullness of the Spirit whereby he is able to quicken the Believer and raise him from the Death of sin to a Spiritual life.

[Page 17]Observe the designation of Corruption, it is cal­led the Law of Sin to hold out its moral evil, 2ly. It is called the Law of Death, to hold out the prejudice it doeth to us. It gets the name of the Law of sin, to hold out the impetuous activity of it, to make us commit Actual sin, notwithstanding all the restraints that God puts upon us, by his pro­hibitions, by his Threatenings, by his Judgements and Crosses, by his Checking, and Restraining-providences, by his Allureing mercies, by his awaken­ing-Smarting challenges of our conscience. 2ly. This Corruption is very powerful to overcome the restraints of Men made against it; No humane law, with it's most Vigorous execution, can altogether stop its Impetuousness: Indwelling sin is so impe­tuous, that it doeth overcome the restraints the the sinner puts on himself, he will break his own Vow's purposes and promises.

From the Impetuousness and efficacy of this indwelling sin, we may inferr the folly of them that think to get it Mortified by their own strength, without the efficacy of the Spirit of life, convoyed to us in the humble use of appointed means. 2ly. It says, they are fools who look upon their resolutions to live blamelesly, as a sufficient guard against Scandalous sins; Indwell­ing sin is so impetuous in its acting, that it will break out notwithstanding of that resolution, if it be not mortified by the Law of the Spirit of life.

Next, the Text holds out the prejudice we lus­tain by Corruption: here it is called the Law of Death, and that first, because the strength of Corruption and it's Actings marr Spiritual Life. 2ly. Because [Page 18] although the Guilt of Corruption be Pardoned to [...] Believer, yet the intrinsick Demerite of Eternal Death sticks to it. 3ly. Because that Natural Death necessarly is Connected with it. For though the Death of a Believer be not the effect of a Curseing Law as the just Punishment of Corruption, yet the Tota [...] removeal of Corruption from the Believer is to be brought about by Death & the Dissolution of Nature If this were well considered by Believers, it would make us humble under the Sense of Indwelling sin and would make us painful for its Mortification, an [...] make us exceedingly long for it's Total Abolition▪

Observe, Paul applyes this Priviledge of freedom from indwelling sin to himself, and th [...] Application is worthy of Observation, if y [...] look to its Qualities. As 1st. It's an Application that is attended with a due Sense of sin the Moral ill and prejudice of it; an Christian exercised with the exceeding sinfulness of indwelling sin, and the prejudice following on it, is a fit applye of this benefite. 2ly. This Application is an humble Application; he expects freedom from indwelling sin, not from any paines he can take to Mortif [...] it, but from the Law and Efficacy of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. 3ly Paul's Application of this benefite is from Knowledge, he know's the Guilt of indwelling sin is removed by his Justification, and he knowes the presence of it, is to be removed alsewell as the Dominion of it to be broken, by the Efficacy of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus; Paul did expect this benefite on rational Grounds, which he understood: Not like many ignorant Christians, that expect benefites fra [...] God, and yet [Page 19] they have not distinct Grounds to found their Ex­pectation on. 4ly. This Application was warrant­able and no ways presumptuous, He did not intend it as a mean securely to make him neglect his duety, but he rather used it as an Encouradgement for to make him walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh.

Observe That Paul assured himself of his freedom from the Law of Sin and Death, that he might with the greater freedom apply the Priviledge of Non-condemnation, to himself, spoken of in the first part of the first Verse, And if we would be free of the fears of Condemnation, we would be assured of the re­moval of indwelling sin, because that the fear of Con­demnation followes the presence of it, because the Law connects Sin and Death together. 2ly. Because Corruption, where it is, unfits folk for Communion with God, and mean Measures of Communion awaken fears of Condemnation. And 3ly. Some­ [...]ime God afflicts the Christian to restrain indwelling in from outbreaking; and these Afflictions heighten [...]hese fears; For this Reason, people would be assured of sins total removeal, by considering that our Union with Christ speaks the necessity of it, that we must [...]e sinless as he is, he hath undertaken it, his Blood [...]oth merite it, Eph: 1.7. Titus. [...].14. and his [...]esurrection is the Pledge of it.

THis Verse and the following are brought in t [...] clear the first part of the first Verse, viz. Tha [...] there is no Condemnation to the man that is in Chris [...] They are an illustration of that great truth, that th [...] Believer in Christ, though in part sinful, is not lyab [...] to any Condemnation: and these Verses cle [...] this truth, because they hold out that the meth [...] that God takes to justifie the sinner, is not inconsistent with his Law and Justice.

The words hold out the way and Method, t [...] Infinite Wisdom has found out to Justifie a sinn [...] though not by the Law, yet consistent with the La [...]

The words contain in them First, the necess [...] of this Method, it was necessary to God to fall on because the Law could not justifie the man, for he [...] in an Estate of Corruption; the Law could not d [...] for it was weak through the Flesh. 2ly. The words [...] out the Method it self, which may be taken up these three. 1st. The Preparation for it. 2ly. T [...] Action it self in order to it. 3ly. The Conseq [...] and Effect of that Action.

The Preparation lyes in these words, God [...] ding his own Son in the likeness of sinfull Flesh, for Sin; In which words ye may Observe Person made use of, for to bring about [Page 21] sinners Justification consistent with Law, described from the relation he has with God the Father, his own Son. 2ly. Observe his Mission he sent his own Son, 3ly. Observe his Incarnation, he sent him in Flesh, that is in Human Nature, he is n [...]t said to be sent in the likeness of Flesh, as though he had assumed only the appearance of Human Nature, but he is said to be sent in the likeness of sinfull Flesh, because the Nature he assumed was like our sinfull Nature, because he was subject to these Infirmities that our sinfull hu­man Nature is subject to. 4ly. Observe his Con­dition after his Incarnation, and that stands in two 1st. He was Sinless, he had not sinfull Flesh, but the likeness of sinfull Flesh. 2ly. He was Subject to the Infirmities, of our Nature, on that account he is said to be sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh, 5ly. Ye may take notice of the end of this Mission exprest in these words. And for Sin [...] signifieing these two. 1st. That our sins, all our sins, especially the sinfullness of our Nature, was the moveing and pro­curing cause of Christ's taking on him our Nature with the sinless Infirmities thereof. Or rather [...] may admitt that sense that they have 1 Peter 3.18. That the Abolition and Destruction of sin, both as to its Guilt, power and presence, is the final cause of the Mission, Incarnation, and Infirm condition of the Son of God.

2ly. Take notice of the Action it self, in which consists the way and method that God uses, to bring about the Sinners Justification consistent with his Law, and that is exprest in these words, He (or God the Father) condemned Sin in the Flesh. Some make the Exposition of the Words to be, That God [Page 22] sentenced or appointed sin to be totally extirpate out of our Nature; But it seems rather to be of Gods pu­nishing sin in Christ's Humane Nature: Condemna­tion of sin, is here taken for the punishment of sin; Punishment ordinarly following on Condemnation, and this is the method that God takes to justifie the Sinner, because the punishment was inflicted upon Flesh, that is on Humane Nature, a peice of that Nature possest by the Redeemer, whereof we all partake; now this is Ascribed to God the Father, that God condemned sin in the Flesh, for though Men were the Instruments of Christ's Sufferings, yet God the Father had the principal sinless hand in bringing these about; He was deliver­ed to suffering by the determinate Counsel and fore­knowledge of God, Acts 2, 23. Rom. 4.25. It is said he was delivered, viz. to Death for our offences; And that Delivery must be ascribed to the Father, be­cause it is made a ground of our Encouragement to believe on him, Rom. 8.32. The Delivery of the Son to Death is ascribed to the Father. Next this pu­nishment of Sin on Christ must be referred to God the Father, because he offered himself up a Sacrifice to God the Father Eph: 5.2. Beside the Father is said to make him sin, or a sacrifice for sin, 2 Cor: 5. last. And in the third place the Father is said to pu­nish sin in Humane Nature, because it was conveni­ent for the manifestation of Divine Justice, and pre­servation of the Honour and Credite of the Law, that the punishment inflicted for the Transgression of the Law, should be inflicted on that same Na­ture that transgressed the Law, though not on the same individual persons that did transgress; and [Page 23] it contributes very much to make the satisfaction imputable to sinners, that the Satisfier share of the same Nature with them.

In the third place take notice of the effect and con­sequent of this Action of God, the Father, viz. His Condemning or Punishing sin in the Human Nature of Christ and it is this, That the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in Believers; It is not said, that it is fulfilled by them, for if that could have been done Christ needed not to have suffered for them; But the meaning is that the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled for their behoof.

This Righteousness of the Law, [...] is nothing else but the just Punishment due to sin, by Vertue of Gods Law, and the Threatnings thereof, all one with that [...] Rom: 1. and last. For that is meant of the Righteousness of God, that is, the Punishment due to sin by vertue of Gods justice, for it is all one Punishment that is due by vertue of divine ju­stice or by Vertue of the Threatning Law. Now this Punishment due by Law is said to be fulfilled in us, by Gods Punishing sin in Christ; For though God did dispense so far with the severe Threatning of the Law, as that he would not inflict that severe Punishment on the Transgressor himself, yet these severe Punishments for kind, that were Threatned by the Law against Transgressors, God, in Punishing Christ, he inflicted these upon him, and therefore, Heb. 2.14. It is said, that he behoov­ed to become man that he might bear Death, the par­ticular Punishment threatned against the sin of man by the Law, And therefore the Scripture asserts, that Christ bore no other Curse but the Curse of the Law; [Page 24] for the Law threatning, was the Rule by which Ju­stice did proceed in inflicting punishment on the Me­diator, And therefore it is said, Gal. 4 4 He was made under the Law.

Now for the necessity of this Method that God has fallen upon to justifie the Sinner, in a way consistent with Law, The Words express it thus, Because the Law as a Covenant, could not justifie the sinner, it being weak and insufficient to do it, by reason of the corrupt state of Man; and this is clear, First, because neither the Natural Law delivered to Adam, nor the Moral Law delivered on Mount Sinai, could justifie the sinner, because both these Laws, though the same as to the matter, did require that the Acts of Obedience should First Be Perfect. 2ly. Constant, If the Creature were to obtain Justification thereby; Now the Acts of Obedience of the sinner, cannot by reason of Corruption be perfect without Defects, be­cause they cannot flow from the love of God in the heart; Love being imperfect where any Corruption remains.

2ly. Neither can Obedience be constant, where Corruption remains. And if it be said, that the dis­obedient sinner may be justified by Law, by bearing the punishment threatned by it: It is Answered, frail Nature is not able to bear the extremity of Punishment threatned by the Law, neither is it able of it self, to overcome Death, which is the particu­lar Punishment threatned by it against sin. Likeas corrupt m [...]n cannot bear the extream Punishment due to sin sinlesly; for the extremity of Misery irri­rates their Corruption, to murmure and repine against God, under their sufferings.

[Page 25] Ʋse 1st. To diswade Folks from seeking Justi­fication by the Law, for if we do this, we say Christ dyed in vain, Gal. 2. and last. And 2ly. Our do­ing of this makes Christ to become of no effect to us, Gal. 5, 3, 4. It keeps us from submitting to the Righteousness of God, and approving of his de­vice, Rom. 10.3. It makes the motions of sin, which are by the Law, bring forth Fruits unto Death, and it marrs our bringing forth Fruit unto God, by ver­tue of our Marriage with Christ, Rom. 7.4. It makes all our external Obedience, in order to this end, use­less for our good; Paul reckoned all his Obedience while he was in a Legal state, loss and dung, Phil. 3.8. And it brings us under a spirit of Bondage, Gal. 4. and last. But if it be said, shall the Believer cast at the Law? It is Answered, he should live under it as a Rule of Life, but not as a Covenant: If it be said, For what then should he obey the Law, if not to be justified by his Obedience? Answer, he should do it, 1st. To please God, Col. 1.10. 2ly. To Glorifie their Heavenly Father, John 15.8. 3ly. Because it is the Way to promote Holiness, Rom. 6.19. and the Way to the enjoyment of Salvation; It is the notifieing Evidence, that they have right to Life, Rev. 22.14. For though Obedience to the Law cannot justifie us from the charge, of being in part Transgressors of the Law; yet it may justifie us from the Charge of Hypocrisie: Obedience may ju­stifie us, as to the reality of our Faith, and we may obey in order to that end, that by it we may know we have true Faith. 1 John 2.3. But it is only the Righteousness of Christ that justifies our Person in a Legal Way: Likeas we may obey, that [Page 26] by our Obedience we may attain to further manife­stations of the love of God. John 14.21. Likeways we may obey, to edifie our Neighbours.

2. Use of Reproof to the Unconverted, that seek to be justified by the Law; and such are they who do expect that they shall be free of wrath, and me­rite Heaven, either for their Morality or external Righteousness, as the Scribes and Pha [...]isees did. Or 2ly. Such as are formal Hypocrites, that lean to their external Acts of Worship, see Isay 58.23. Or 3ly. Such as are superstitious, leaning to their Arbitrary Devotions. Or 4ly. Such as these who continue in their Prophanity, and yet lean to Acts of Charity. Or 5ly. Such as lean to their Legal Sorrow. Or 6ly. Such as lean to the Exercise of their Gifts, for promoting of the Gospel. Matth. 7.22. Or 7ly. Such as lean to their Zeal to promote a Good Work, contrary to Nehemiah's Practice, Nehem. 13.22. 2ly. This reproves the Godly, who degenerate in­to a Legal Frame; and this they do, when they Found their Expectation of Heaven, their Immunity from wrath, the acceptation of their Persons, Pray­ers and Services, upon any Performance of their own, when they think, because of their Charity, their Repentance, their Devotion, and exact walking, God is obliged to them, to free them from Hell, and give them Heaven: It is true, Gods free Pro­mise to Believers in Christ, makes these things the Rewards of Grace, to the Obedience of his own; but that is not done for the Intrinsick Worth of the Acts of our Obedience, Rom. 8.18. because the Re­ward is counted of Grace and not of Debt, Rom: 4. and their greater alse well as their lesser Rewards [Page 27] are given, on the account of their Adoption, and not as an Hyre for their Work, Col. 3.24.

Now we come to speak to the Method it self. And 1. To the Preparation for this Method, God send­ing his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh, and for sin: Where Observe, that the Person made use of for the Justification of the sinner, is Gods own Son, or his only begotten Son, John 1.18. It was conveni­ent it should be so, First, That we might be more certain of the Revelation of the Gospel made by him, John 1.18. 2ly. The World was made by him, John 1.2. Heb. 1.2. And therefore it is fit the world should be restored by him to its primitive Beauty, which it lost by the Son of man. 3ly. The Elect behooved to be sanctified, and the sanctifieing Spirit is the Spirit of his Son 4ly. God intended to A­dopt his Elect, and Adoption must be founded on our Union with the only Begotten Son of God, Gal. 4.5. 5ly. This contributes to the Expiatory Vertue of his Sacrifice, and the prevalency of his Interces­sion. 6ly. It makes him capable to exerce his me­diatory Kingly Power over all the Creation, for their good and safety, Eph. 1. and last. Psal 2. He hath by Inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than the Angels, and it is of the Son it is said, His Throne is for ever and ever. Likeas it is by his Soneship he is capable, for the comfort of Believers, to be the Judge of the quick and the dead, John 5.22.

Observe 2ly. Christs Mission, He was sent of the Father, 2nd this Mission imports. 1st. The Fa­thers great Love to the believing World, John 3.16. 1 John 4.9. 2ly. It imports, that Christ his acting the Work of our Redemption, was the Effect of a [Page 28] former Decree, and was no casual or fortuitous Thing, but was the accomplishment of a Divine Purpose Acts 4 28. and therefore that Providence is not to be stumbled at. 3ly. It imports that Christ had Gods Warrand for what he did, Jo. 6.27. and he confirmed his Commission by Miracles, Jo. 5.36 And therefore they that reject Christ contemn the Fathers Authority. 4ly. It secures us of Christs Fidelity, that he will pursue the Accomplishment of the Fathers Designs; for the infinitly Wise God, would chuse none but those that would be trustie to him▪ John 6.38. and 8.29. And from this we may gather his success, Isa, 44.1, & 4:

Observe 3ly. The Incarnation of the Son of God, He was sent in Flesh, he was not sent in the likeness of Flesh, but in the likeness of sinful Flesh, he was made real Flesh, John 1.14. He was made of a Woman, Gal. 4. He was manifest in the Flesh, 1 Tim. 3.16. He was the man Christ Jesus, 1 Tim. 2.5. and this was done, 1st. That he might com­municate the Gospel Revelation to us, in a way con­descending to our Infirmitly, Heb. 1.1. 2ly. That we might have one in our Nature to cast a Pattern to us for Obedience to God, Phil. 2.7.8, 3ly, That he might be capable to bear the particular Punishment threatned by the Law, viz. Death, Heb. 2.14. And That his suffering being the suffering of Humane Nature, might be imputable to us, See the Text, God punisht sin in his Flesh, or in his Humane Na­ture, that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in Believers. 4ly. That he might be a Sympathiseing Intercessor, Heb. 2. & last, and 4.15. and that by vertue of the Experience of these [Page 29] Temptations we are subject to. And 5ly. That the Father might make him a Pledge to us of our Victories, and Blessings, he would make him in our own Nature, to overcome Death and all our Spi­ritual Enemies, that his Victory might be a Pledge to us, that God can make frail man overcome death, and all their Spiritual Enemies, though they have a frail Nature. And 6ly. That we might have an easie Passage to God the Father, because we go to him through his own Son, dwel­ling in our Nature, Joh. 14 6. Heb. 10.20. We go through the vail of his Flesh, to the Father, That is the Passage.

Observe 4ly. Christ was not made sinful Flesh, but was made like unto sinful Flesh; This holds out Christ's sinlesness: this behoved to be, that he might be a perfect Patern for our Obedience, that he might be a spotless and acceptable Sacrifice, that he might be the Truth of these his Types, viz. the Legal Sa­crifices that were to be offered without blemish, that his Sufferings might be for the behoof of others, seing he knew no sin himself, 2 Cor. 5. and last, That he might be a prevalent Intercessor, Heb. 7.26. He was free of Original Sin, being conceived by the Holy Ghost, in the Womb of the Virgin, and so not springing from the first Adam, by way of ordinary Generation: And it was not consistent with Justice that he should want Original Righteousness, by ver­tue of Adam's breach of the Covenant of Works, see­ing he was not a Person engaged in that Covenant, either Virtually or Formally, for, as I said, he came not of Adam by ordinary Generation.

Observe 5ly, He was made in the likeness of [Page 30] sinful Flesh, which imports these two, 1st. A sub­jection to the common Infirmities of Mankind, such as Hunger, Weariedness, and Mortality; And this should sweeten these Miseries to Believers, because we may expect his sympathy with us under them, for he had personal Experience of them. Likeas this may sweeten our Lot under them, that God gives us an Instance in his Person, that these Infirmities are consistent with special Love, and after-happiness, as we see in Christ's case.

2ly. The Phrase being made in the likeness of sin­ful Flesh, imports not only Christ's Subjection to the common Infirmities of our Nature, that all men are subject to; but it imports his lyableness to ex­tream Sufferings for our sins, As our Soverty.

Observe 6ly. From the Word [...] which imports the final cause of Christs Mission, In­carnation and Humiliation; That the Abolition of Sin is the End why God sent his Son into the World to dye, which holds out the odiousness and hurtful­ness of Sin, seing all this ado was made for the re­moval of it. And therefore we should be watchful against the committing of it, grieved when either we or others do commit it, and restless and painful for the mortification of it.

Now follows God's Action, by which he brought about the Justification of the Sinner, consistent with Law, exprest in these Words, He, viz. God the Father, condemned, that is, punished, upon a Ju­dicial Sentence past against Christ as Soverty, He condemned Sin in the Flesh.

The Text holds out Three things, anent Christ's Sufferings, 1st. Their Quality, they were Punish­ments; [Page 31] for they were not Miseries sent on him by God, to express his Soveraignty, but the Effects of Divine Justice. 2ly. The Words hold out who is the Principal Author and Inflicter of them, and that was God the Father. 3ly. They hold out the Sub­ject of his Sufferings, and that was his Flesh or Hu­mane Nature; The Text says, He condemned Sin in the Flesh, That is, in the Flesh of his own Son; Flesh, being here put for frail Nature.

For the First of these, That Christ's Suffering is a Punishment for sin, Appears, 1st. Because he was the Truth of the Levitical Sacrifices, The sacrificed Beast, was substitute in the room of the guilty Sin­ner, for the Sinner confest his Sin over the head of the Sacrifice. 2ly. Christ is said to bear the Curse of the Law, Gal. 3.13. 3ly. He is said to dye in our stead, Rom. 5.8. 4ly. He is said to be a Pro­pitiation through his Blood, Rom. 3 25. 5ly. He is said to give his Life a Ransom for many, 1 Tim. 2.6. 6ly. He is said to bear our sins in his own Body on the Tree, 1 Peter 2.24. God is said to make him sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. and last. To lay our iniqui­ty on him, Isa [...] 53.6.

This tells us, 1st. That it was not only to give us a Patern for Patience that he suffered, or to give an Confirmation to the Truth of his Doctrine, but the main End was to satisfie for our sins; And though Christ be God-man, yet it is not incongruous to say that he satisfyed his Fathers Justice for the contempt of his Father's Authority, by the violation of that Law, so expresly enacted by the Father, because he did reveal himself to the Rational World by that Constitution. Neither is the freedom of pardoning-Grace [Page 32] inconsistent with this satisfaction of Christ▪ because though Christ bought our Pardon, we did not buy it our selves, and our Pardon may well be called free, though it be given us for Christ's sake because the Father of Grace provided Christ for us.

2ly. Of Grace he accepted of Christ's suffering in our stead, he might have required personal satisfa­ction from our selves, And 3ly. Of Grace he gives [...] Faith, through which we have interest in the satisfa­ction; Neither can it be said that Christ's sufferings are not satisfactory to Justice, because they were not Eternal. For 1st. The Dignity of his Person con­tributed to the value of his sufferings, and therefor [...] it is said, God by his own Blood purchased his Flock Acts 20.28. 2ly. He bore the extremity of suffe­ring sinlesly, and overcame them by his own Spirit in raising himself from the dead; He ascribes the raising up of the Temple of his Body to himself, Jo [...] 2.19. Now the damned in Hell can neither suffe [...] sinlesly, nor yet relieve themselves from their Sufferings, which makes their Sufferings to be Eternal. 2ly. It tells us, the Godly may well bear wi [...] Chastisements for sin, seing Christ hath born the Legal Punishment. 3ly, This may encourage us to make use of Christ as a Savior, seing he can give [...] such a Salvation as is consistent with the Justice [...] God, he having born the punishment due to si [...] 4ly. This may give us an account of the Righteousness of that Providence▪ whereby an most innocent Person was exposed to the greatest Extremitie of Misery: The Answer is, tho he was personally Innocent, yet he was Legally Guilty, for he willingly undertook to be our Soverty. And this m [...] [Page 33] tell us, that the most dark and strange Providences, would appear highly Rational, if God's Designs were knowen in them.

The particulars, wherein Christ's suffering did con­sist, Are 1st, In that he was subject to the sinless Infirmities of our Nature. 2ly. In his Subjection to the Moral and Ceremonial Law. Gal. 4.4. 3ly. In his Temptations frae Satan. 4ly. In his Persecuti­ons from the World. 5ly. In his Poverty. 6ly. In his Reproach Shame and Contempt he suffered from the World. 7ly. In his severe pains he had on the Cross, in all the parts of his Body, and without the least Alleviation of inward Joy: which many of the Martyrs had. 8ly. It consisted in Natural Death. Like as he had Trouble in his Soul, as appears in his Prayers, by strong Crying and Tears, and by his Bloody sweat in the Garden, and by his Outcry on the Cross, when he said, Why hast thou forsaken me? And this suffering in his Soul consisted in his fear of being swallowed up of Wrath, see Heb 5.7, 8. which Fear was sinless, because he having frail Na­ture and having a quick apprehension of Divine Wrath, and its unsupportableness to that Nature, without supernatural support, and he at this time not reflecting on the promise of supernatural support, he could not but fear the being overcome thereby. If it be said, it was a sin to him, not to reflect on that promised Support. I Answer, It was no sin, because his Mind being Finite, and being fixed in the apprehension of that terrible Object of Divine Wrath, it could be in no Natural Capacity at that same moment of time to reflect on the promises of Support, the which he did quickly after, when the [Page 34] Mind was in its Natural Capacity to do it. 2ly. His Soul-trouble consisted in the want of the sensible En­joyment of his Fathers Love, whereof he complain [...] on the Cross. 3ly. His Soul-Trouble consisted in that great Grief which put him in an Agony, and made him Sorrowful even to Death: And this was, for feeling the Wrath, of an Angry God, against sin.

From this, First, We may see the greatness of the moral ill of Sin, that brought on such sharp and sore Sufferings upon Christ. 2ly. We may see the firmness of the Commination of the Law, for i [...] the Threatning was exactly accomplished on the the Elects Soverty, It will be exactly accomplished on the Sinners themselves that have no interest in the sovertys satisfaction. 3ly. In Christ's severe Suffer­ings, ye may read the greatness of his Love. 4ly. Since his Sufferings were so extream; It commends his Carriage, as an imitable pattern under an suffer­ing lot; see him Exercising Faith, Love to God, and his People, Sympathy with God's People, as he had with the Disciples, when he found them sleep­ing, Zeal, Patience, Self-denyal and the like. &c.

We may here observe, that the Text refers the inflicting of this Punishment to the Father, he tha [...] sent his own Son, Condemned, that is, punished si [...] in the flesh of his own Son: This is clear, because that this punishment was inflicted for manifestatio [...] of the Father's Justice. Rom. 3.2 [...]. Because he was offered to God the Father as an sacrifice, Eph. 5.2. His suffering was the accomplishment of the Father' [...] purpose, and brought about by the Fathers provi­vidence, Acts 4.28. This Cup was holden to his Head by his Father, Jo. 18.11. He dyed in Obe­dience [Page 35] to his Fathers command, Jo. 10.18. This speaks the Fathers regarding the Credite of his own Law, who tho he intended to save his Elect, yet would not do it without keeping up the Honour of his Law, and the Glory of his Justice. 2ly. It holds out the greatness of his Love to the believing World, and gives them an ground of Assurance that there is no promise in the Covenant of Grace, but he will perform it for their good; He that pu­nished his own Son, to make way for their good, will certainly, for his cause give them all that good which he hath purchased, Rom. 8.32.

THis is the Effect of the wise Method, that God did take for the Justification of the sinner, in a way consistent with the Law: And in speaking to these Words, as they are connected with the former verse, we will speak to these 3. Things. 1st. Clear what this Righteousness of the Law is, and that it is a Righteousness. 2ly. That Christ hath acted and done it. And 3ly. That it is surely ours, and that it is fulfilled in us.

As for the first, The Righteousness of the Law, to clear what it is, and that it is; you must know that it hath two parts; its preceptive part, and it's Com­minatory part, now both these are Righteous. 1st. The preceptive part, it is Righteous, if ye consider [Page 36] either the Authority enjoining, or the Matter en­joined: The Authority is just, If ye consider ou [...] obligation to God, and our dependencies on him, and if ye consider that Infinite Wisdom, Goodness and Power, which qualifie him to be the supream moral Governour of the World. 2ly. If ye look to the matter of the Law, it is Righteous, to acknow­ledge the Creator as our God, to give him the pre­scription of his own manner of Worship, to be reve­rend in that Worship, to give him a part of our time, to do the Relative Duties to our Superiours, because o [...] our dependance on him, and benefite by them, sincere­ly to design the preservation of our Neighbours Life, Chastity, Goods and Name, as we do design the preservation of our own, and that because ou [...] Neighbours participate of the same nature and spring from the same common Root of Mankind. Because the good of Humane society tends much to Gods Glory, To be content with our Lot, as being pre­scribed be the good and wise God, The practice of these Duties are Righteous, because the very light of nature approves them: The practice of the Duties of the first Table of the Law having a Native ten­dency to fit a Man to Converse with his God, in which stands his Felicity: And the practice of the duties of the second Table of the Law, being neces­sary for the preservation of humane society, clearly evinces, That that practice is Righteous.

From the Righteousness of the preceptive part of the Law we infer, First, That every sin has in the bosome of it, a Rebellion against the Authority of God. 2ly. Of its own nature, it's Unrighteousness. 3ly. We see that every true Christian with Paul, must con­sent [Page 37] to the Law, and approve it as good and Righte­ous.

Now as to the Righteousness of the Threatning an­next to the Law, the punishment threatned is most Righteous; For the Law threatens the sinner, with Death, Natural, Spiritual, and Eternal: Now it is a Righteous thing, that no less punishment should be due for sin nor that threefold Death, becaue [...] God, who is Essentially just, and necessarly the Moral Go­vernour of the World, hath appointed it, and he can­not err. 2ly. His Deputy within us, Our Conscience approves this punishment is due for sin. 3ly. The Intrinsick evil that is in sin deserves it. It being an un­gratitude against our Benefactor, Unrighteousness upon the matter, and Rebellion against the just Au­thority of our Ruler.

From the Righteousness and dueness of punishment by the Threatning, we infer, That we should not re­pine, when God punishes us for sin.

Now we come to clear, That the Righteousness of the Law is perfectly to be found in Christ, and this stands upon the connection of the former verse with this: It is expresly said, that Christ was put to suffering, That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us. 1st. Then look to Christ's Active o­bedience to the Laws Precepts; it is such an obedi­ence as makes the sinner Righteous, Rom. 5.19. 2ly. The perfection, required by the Precepts of the Law, is to be found in Christ, Rom. 10.4. He is the End of the Law for Righteousness, that is, a perfect conformity, to the preceptive part of the Law, is to be found in Christ, as a Basis for our Justification. 3ly. Christ's Righteousness is perfect, standing in a [Page 38] perfect obedience to all the Commands he was under, Because he is allowed to stay with the Father in Heaven; he could not enjoy that perfect Felicity con­stantly, if he had been disobedient to the Father in the least. Jo. 16.10. This obedience of Christ's flows from a principle of Love to the Father. Jo. 14. last, it tends to a good end, viz. to please God, Jo. 8.29. it is constant and uninterrupted. Ibid.

From this we may see. 1st. That Christs obe­dience makes him an excellent Pattern for our Imi­tation. 2ly. It holds out, that our Justification through Christ, hath a solid Basis, it doth establish the preceptive part of the Law, Rom. 3. last. and 10.4. 3ly. We must not now study Obedience to be justi­fied thereby, seing Christ's compleat Obedience may be sufficient matter for our Righteousness.

Next, a perfect conformity to the Commination of the Law, is to be found in Christ. 1st. If ye look to the Extremity of his Suffering, He was obedient to Death, even the Death of the Cross, Phil. 2.8. 2ly. The quality of his Sufferings, he bore the whole Curse of the Law, Gal: 3.13. They were the Ef­fects of vindictive Wrath. 3ly. If ye look to the Effects of his sufferings: As first, Perfect expiation of sin, Heb. 10.14. The procuring of Eternal Sal­vation, Heb. 5.9. 4ly If ye look to the Evidences of the compleatness of his Sufferings: As first his Re­surrection, as being the absolution of our Soverty, Rom. 4.25. 2ly. His Session at God's right Hand, as be­ing his Reward. see Heb. 1.3.

From the perfect conformity of Christ, to the Threatning of the Law, We see how the Justifica­tion of a Believer by the Gospel, fully secures the [Page 39] Beleiver from Law-Vengeance. 2ly. We see we are bound to do and suffer for Christ, who has fully satis­fied the Threatning of the Law for us. 3ly. We see it is very unsafe for our selves, and injurious to Christ, to judge, that either our Actions or Sufferings can come in as Partial Causes with Christ's Satisfaction to the Threatning of the Law to procure the Ex­piation of Sin.

We have spoken to the Righteousness of the Law in it self, As it is prescribed, and required by the Law. 2ly. We have spoken to it as performed acted and done by Christ: We must speak to that Righteous­ness performed by Christ, as imputed to us, and possest by us. And First, It is imputable to us, be­cause the punishment, Born to satisfy the Threatning of the Law, was Born by one in our Nature; the Father punished sin in Christ's Flesh, and his Flesh was our Flesh. 2ly. Christ was the second Adam, and our Legal Soverty. 3ly. We have an Mystical and spiritual Union with him, we are called his Spi­ritual Seed. Isai. 53.10. as being born according to his Image, by the power of his Word and Spi­rit. Likeas, The soveraign Lord, and supream Governour of the World declares in the Gospel, That he accepts Christ's satisfaction to the threatning of the Law, in the place of a compleat satisfaction from Sinners,: Here is a strong perswasive to invite sinners to make use of Christ, because he is in himself a compleat legal Righteousness, and can invest them sickerly and secur­ly with it. 2ly. It calls on Actual Believers, seing they have a sure pretension to an compleat Legal Righteousness, it calls on them, I say, to expell the [Page 40] fears of Law Vengeance out of their Mind, it calls on them to have an quiet and peaceable Consciencece Boldness in Prayer, and the lively hope of Glory.

BY these that are after the flesh, are meaned such in whom there is no new Nature, and who give a ready and full obedience to their Cor­ruption, By the things of the flesh, are meant either such outward Enjoyments as are gratifying to our Corrupt Lusts, or such sinful methods as Corrupt Men ordinarly chuse to attain these Enjoyments by, or both: By [...]ding the things of the flesh is meant, Corrupt Men their high esteem of, strong desires af­ter, and solicitous care about these Enjoyments of the World, that gratify unrenewed Lust.

That Unrenewed Men thus mind the things of the flesh appears, Because, to enjoy the Objects of their Lusts, they will not stand to commit the greatest of crimes; Jeroboam would not stand to commit Idolatry to gratify his Ambition; Judas would not stick to be­tray his Master to gratify his Covetousness. 2ly. Unrenewed Men will expose themselves to much to ill of Spirit, and Labour of Body to obtain these Enjoyments. 3ly. They expose themselves to many Bodily dangers to enjoy them. 4ly. They have great fears of loseng them, they have a great confi­dence and rejoiceing in the enjoyment of them, Luke [Page 41] 12. The Rich Man bad his Soul take rest and be Merry. 5ly. Unrenewed Folks have an exceeding greif, when they want these Enjoyments.

The Causes, why Unrenewed Fold mind the things of the Flesh, are first, Ignorance of and Infidelity about an other Life A second cause is, a wrong Set of heart, whereby they love to have their satisfaction placed in outward things, more than in God. A Third is. the Devil hurries Corrupt Men to follow sinful courses, who by that can get no leisure to re­flect on the Vanity of these Enjoyments.

The Evils of their thus minding the things of the flesh. Are 1st. This practice ordinarly hardens People, and gathers strength to Corruption, and makes customary sin hard to be overcome. Jer. 13.23 2ly. This course is very scandalous, and offensive to others. 3ly. It exposes Men to great smarting of Conscience for it. 4ly. It exposes them to many snares and destuction, 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. 5ly. It ex­poses them to great Torment, through disapoint­ment of their expectations.

The Use of this serves, First for Tryal: Those that mind the things of the flesh, are in a state of Nature. 2ly. It bids us pity those those that are in an unre­newed state; For they have a pityful Employment, minding always the things of the Flesh. 3ly. It ex­horts such as are unrenewed, to seek the Renovation of their Nature, by Prayer to God for it, and the use of the means of Grace, see Peter's Exhortation to to Simon Magus, Acts 8.22. and Ezek. 36.37.

The last part of the verse is contained in these words, Those that are after the Spirit, mind the things of the Spirit.

[Page 42]Now First, By those that are after the Spirit, are meaned: Such who have an renewed Nature, whose Conversation flows from Faith and Love who are led by the Spirits motions, whose Conversations are regulated by the Law in its spiritual meaning whose Conversation hath an tendency to promote spiritual Ends, viz. The Glory of God, and the pleasing of him, their own Salvation, the preserving Peace of Conscience, the attaining of Communion with God in the World, and the Edification of the [...] Neighbour.

By the things of the Spirit, are meant these Duties the New Man exerciseth himself in with Delight and these Comforts that please the new Nature, and its Felicity.

By the minding of the things of the Spirit. is meant th [...] Christians esteem of, and concernment about, th [...] enjoyment of spiritual Good.

We may observe here, the Renewed Man mind the things of the Spirit, that is, he minds the Duti [...] that are pleasant and profitable to the New Natur [...] As 1st. The duties of the Moral Law, Paul tells [...] in the 7 Rom. That he delights in the Law of Go [...] after the inward Man. 2ly. He minds the Exerci [...] of Faith, he sits down under Christ's shadow, wit [...] great delight, C [...]r [...]. 2.3. 3ly. He is much taken [...] about the guiding of his Conscience. 1st. That [...] Conscience may witness for his Integrity, 2 Cor. [...] 12. 2ly That his Conscience may testify his Tende [...] ness, 1 Cor. 4.2. 3ly. That it may testify his [...] offensive walking. Acts 24.16. 4ly. That his Co [...] science may testify for him, that he hath an Inten [...] in Christ's Blood, Heb. 10.22, 4ly. The rene [...] ed [Page 43] man minds Duty, if you consider that he is care­ful to mix the Exercise of Grace with the Exercise of Gifts, 1 Tim. 1 14. 5ly. He is careful to Exercise the various Graces of the Spirit, as providence calls him to it. 2 Pet. 1.5.

Next, as to the Comforts of the New Nature, he is an Man that hath a panting desire after fellowship with God, Psal. 63.8. and that either in Ordinances Psal. 27.4. or in Providences, Psal. 34.7.8.

In the last place, the renewed man is taken up a­bout his Felicity. As 1st. To make his Title sure to it, Phi. 3.9.10. 2ly. That he may hastily enjoy it, Phil. 3.14. 3ly. That he may keep entire friend­ship with God, who is the giver of it, 2 Cor. 5.8. 4ly. That he may taste something of it, before he en­joy it fully, Philip. 3. penul [...]. And 5ly. He commits the keeping of it to God, till he come to the Actu­al Enjoyment of it 2 Tim. 1.12.

From this, we make an Use of Tryal of our re­newed state: And 2ly. We would be exhorted, if we would be in capacity to mind the things of the Spi­rit, to study more Heart-renovation, by labouring to entertain the impressions of the word, without pre­judice. Rom. 6.17.

HEre the Apostle proves, That those that walk after the flesh are lyable to Condemnation; Because to be Carnally minded tends to Death, and [Page 44] the truth is, that these Objects which gratify Lust, or rather those sinful courses, that corrupt Nature takes for to attain the Enjoyment of these gratifying objects, certainly tends to Death; many times the wickedness of men brings them to an untimeous Na­tural Death, and always Mens acting of Wickedness encreaseth Spiritual Death, which stands in the Al [...]e, nation of the Heart of Man, from conversing with God, whether to converse with him by Prayer, in the use of publick Ordinances, or in conscientious Reflections upon, and improvement of the course of Divine Prvoidence: Now since Sin encreases our Alienation from God, it cannot but encrease our Spiritual Death, for the Life of the Soul lyes in Com­munion and fellowship with God. 2ly. The Carnal Acts of the carnal mind encrease Spiritual Death, because they encrease in us an impotency to do that which is spiritually good, and they encrease in us a Readiness and Ability to do that which is Evil, so then Sin cannot but encrease Siritual Death: Because Spiritual Death consists in an Aversion from doing good, and a readyness to do Evil. Likeas there is a strict Connection between the sinful course of the Carnal unrenewed Mind, and Eternal Death, which stands in the Eternal separation of an Man from the favourable presence of God, And the Intimation and Expressions of his special Love, and it lyes in the undergoing, to all Eternity, the Effects of his dis­pleasure, as a just Revenging God, punishing all dis­obedience to his Law: And that this Eternal death is surely connected, with the prophane course of a Carnal Mind. Appears 1st, Because that the Law binds over all the Transgressors of it, to endure [Page 45] this Death, The Wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.23. Now there's non can evite the Accomplishment of this Law-Threatning, but such as are in Christ; and the Carnal-minded Man is not so, while he remains Carnally Minded. 2ly. It appears that the course of the Carnal minded Man tends to Death, because while he is in that course of Life, the Gospel and all it's promises are unsavoury to him, and so he cannot be in case to follow the Counsels therein pro­posed, for escaping Eternal Death.

Use 1st. Seing that such persons are running to Death, it serves to reprove them that are in this case, that are very secure and fearless, expecting that they will go to Heaven, notwithstanding of their wicked course of Life: This security of theirs may arise 1st. From their Morality, leaning to that. 2ly. From their Formality. 3ly. From their immu­nity from present Trouble. 4ly. From the exercise of their common Gifts. 5ly. From their Carnal Policy, they make a Covenant with Death and Hell. Isai. 28. They think they have wit to escape the Wrath of God, let it burn never so hot. 6ly. This security comes from the Flattery of bad Ministers and false Friends.

A second Use of Exhortation, And that First. To the Carnally minded, That they would consider what is the danger of their Condition, and what is the remedy thereof. And 2ly. To Ministers, and other Godly People, to pity such, and do what they can in their station, to prevent the danger of their Folks. A Third Use, is to instruct us in the miserable condition of such, who not only are lyable to Death, but the whole tendency and labour of their Body, and toil of their Mind, during the course of their [Page 46] Life, while they are in that state, is to involve them more and more under Eternal Death.

Next Observe, To be Spiritually Minded is Life and Peace, and therefore the Man, that walks after the Spirit, is free of Condemnation.

The Life of Grace follows on Spiritual Mindedness and the Life of Glory is connected with it, see Rom. 8.13. This is a singular advantage to have spiritual Life. For 1st. It is the best kind of Life, the Ani­mal is better then the Vegetative Life, the Rational is better than the Animal, and the spiritual Life is better then the Rational. 2ly. It is the end of Christ's Death, John 4.10. 3ly. It is the same Life that he possesses, 1 John 5.11. 4ly. Tho it be obscure to Sense, yet it is sure to Faith, Col: 3.2. 5ly. It is a Life from God, springing from his Gracious presence▪ It makes a Man live with God, to entertain Converse with God, and disposes him to live to God, & to give him much Self-denying Obedience. Now spiritual-mindedness encreaseth this Life, because to be spi­ritually-minded is vigorously to act this Life, and the vigorous acting of it, encreases it.

From this we may see, That Christians may blame their own Carnality for the want of the encrease of spiritual Life. 2ly. Since the Apostle, to prove that Spiritual Mindedness is inconsistent with the state of Condemnation, adduces this Argument, that spi­ritual Life attends spiritual Mindedness: from this he warrands the Christian to conclude from his spiritual Life, that he cannot be condemned: and indeed it is a good Ground for such an Conclusion, for spiritual Life is begun G [...]ory: Likeas the Chri­stian is hereby taught to be induced to spiritual Mind­edness, [Page 47] because it is attended with this advantage, the encrease of spiritual Life: Tho the World look on spiritual-mindedness as folly, yet this again should make them look on it, as true Wisedom.

The next Advantage following on spiritual Mind­edness is Peace, which includes in it, Peace with God, peace with our own Conscience, and freedom from the disturbance of Lusts: The spiritual-minded Man has Peace with God, because he has an Union with Christ; he has peace with his own Conscience, because he lyes near the Communication of saving Light, whereby he may discern his Interest in Gos­pel-Priviledges. 3ly. He acquires freedom from di­sturbance frae his Lusts, because Spiritual-mindedness lessens a Mans inclination to Sin.

HEre the Apostle proves, That the unrenewed Man is lyable to Death and Condemnation: Because the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God; That is, it is an irreconcileable Enemy to God, and this he proves, because the Carnal Mind cannot comply with the Law, nor be subject to it.

There are three Things observable in the Text▪ 1st. That the carnal and unrenewed Man is God's irreconcileable Enemy. 2ly. That the unrenewed Man cannot be subject to the Law, nor comply with it. And 3ly. The Man that is God's Enemy is ly­able to Death: For here the Apostle proves from [Page 48] the Enmity, that the carnal Man hath against God, (that former Assertion,) That to be carnally minded is Death.

For the First Observation, That the Unrenewed Man is God's Enemy, it appears, from his carriage towards Gods Law 1st. He contemns its Authority. 2ly. He vilifies the Rewards, that are promised to the Obedience of it. 3ly. He defies the Threat­nings of it, Deut. 29.19. 4ly. He dislikes the Matter of it. Secondly; It appears from his Carriage to­wards Gods Spirit. As 1st. He rejects his Testi­mony for the Gospel. 2ly. He resists his Motions. 3ly. He traduces his special Operations, whether his Works of Miracles, or his Works of Sanctificati­on in the hearts of the Godly, Thirdly, It appears from his Carriage towards the Gospel, he slights the Acts of Grace, contained therein, Matth. 22.5. He rejects the revealed Mysteries thereof, 1 Cor. 2.4. He is an Enemy to the settlement of the Ordinance of the Gospel, and a great Enemy to the serious Prea­chers of it Fourthly, This Enmity kythes, by his Carriage towards the Providence of God, for as the Corrupt man is ready to deny the Being of God, Psal. 14.1. So he is ready to deny the Being of Providence, Zeph. 1.12. And 2ly. He is a great Re­flecter upon Providence, Mal. 3.13. And Fifthly, this Enmity appears in his Carriage towards the Godly, his Calumniating and Persecuting the innocent God­ly tells, that he hates the Image of God. And Sixth­ly, He is an Enemy to God, because he desires ne­ver to think on him, he would fain have God far from him, he saith to God, Depart from me, Job. 21.

Ʋse, This speaks the Folly of the unrenewed Man, [Page 49] who loves to be at enmity with so powerful and good a God. 2ly. It speaks the Wickedness of his Heart, since he keeps emnity at so holy a God. 3ly. It speaks his Ingratitude, since he is an Ene­my to his Benefactor. 4ly. It lets us see the Justice of Gods Judgements on the unrenewed World, since they are his stated Enemies. 5ly. It commends the Patience and Bounty of God towards his Ene­mies. 6ly. It teaches the Godly to discern the Pow­er of Grace in their Conversion. 7ly. It teaches them to discern the Freedom of it, for they were once Enemies. 8ly. It gives them a great ground of Confidence, to expect the continuance of Favour; for if Grace made them Friends of Enemies, it will much more continue towards them, when they are made Friends. 9ly. It takes off the Offence that might arise from the Worlds opposition to the Go­spel, for it is a confirming Argument for the Truth of the Gospel, that it is of God, seing the World are Gods Enemies. 10ly. Unrenewed Men would see the miserie of their Condition, and not delude themselves with that Opinion, that God is their Friend, while they are in that state, seing they are his Enemies.

For the 2d. Observation, That the unrenewed man cannot comply with the Law. 1st. They can­not comply with the Ends of the Law. 2ly. They cannot practise the Duties enjoyned by the Law. First, They cannot design the Ends of the Law, for a first End of the Law is to bring men to please God: but the unrenewed man, preferrs the pleasing of him­self, and his Lust, to the pleasing of God. The 2d. End of the Law is to bring men by pleasing of God, [Page 50] to have Communion with him, but this cannot be signed by the unrenewed man, because he place [...] Happiness, not in Communion with God, but in gratification of his Lust. A Third End of the [...] is, to bring men to glorifie God, but the con [...] mans Selfishness makes him unconcerned with [...] Glory, if he can but get his selfish Interest advanc [...]

Next, the Corrupt man cannot obey the Dutie [...] the Law; he cannot obey the Duties enjoyned in [...] First Command, for the Scope of it is, to make Trust, Love and Delight in God, but Corrup [...] enclines men to Trust, Love and Delight in inse [...] Goods: Neither can they obey the Duties of the cond Command, because the Scope of it is, to en­ [...] men the exercise of appointed Worship, for their vancement in Holiness and Communion with G [...] But Corruption enclines them to Idolatry, Super [...] on and Formality; and at the best to exercise th [...] selves in appointed Worship, Externally, to bribe t [...] Consciences to acquire a false peace; that they [...] with the greater quietness, prosecute satisfaction their Lusts. Neither can they obey the Duties of Third Command, because the Scope of it is, to [...] seriousness and suitableness in the inward frame going about the Service of God; But the Co [...] man's bensill of Spirit, is to serve his predomin [...] Neither can they do the Duties of the Fourth C [...] mand, because the carnal mind makes the Crea [...] through worldlyness, unfit to keep a Sab [...] in a Spiritual manner, to the Glory of God. [...] ther can they observe the Fifth Command, for Scope of it is, to press conscientious Subjectio [...] Superiours, from respect to Gods Glory, and [Page 51] [...]blick Good, but the Corrupt man obeys only [...]rough fear. and not from Conscience. Neither [...] they obey the Duties enjoined in the 6th. 7th. [...], and 9 [...]h. Commands, Because the Scope of those to enjoin us to preserve the Life, the Chastity, the [...]oods and Name of our Neighbour, and that from [...]pure and sincere Love to our Neighbour. Now Pride marrs men from a Conscientious Obedience [...] the 5th. Command, so Corrupt Selfishness marrs [...]em from a Conscientious Obedience to rest; for [...]orrupt Selfishness will encline men to pursue Satisfa­ [...]ion to their Lusts, notwithstanding that satisfaction [...]ould be attended with the detriment of their Neigh­ [...]ur. Neither can Corrupt Men obey the 10th. Com­ [...]and, because the design of it is to enjoyn Contenta­ [...]on with our Lot [...], but Corrupt Men, they have [...]ust reigning in them, and we know Lust is an [...]satiable thing.

This Doctrine affords us an Use of Tryal, For Corruption be a non-subjection to the Law, then [...]e may gather the Degree of our Mortification, by [...]nsidering what length we have come in comply­ [...]ng with the Law. 2ly. It affords us an Use of [...]struction, it lets us see that every corrupt man [...]th an aversion from all Good, and an inclination [...] all Evil: It's true, all corrupt men do not com­ [...]it all actual sins; but their Forbearance to com­ [...]it these sins, does not flow from a conscientious [...]ubjection to the Law, forbiding the same, but [...]om the want of Temptations, or from common [...]straining Grace, o [...] from the fear of Punishment by [...]umane Law, or the like. 2ly. It affords us an [...]se of Exhortation, viz. That as we would be [Page 52] brought to comply with the Law of God, so we would not give way to unmortified Lusts, we would not place our Happiness in getting satisfaction to these for it is a sinful satisfaction, it is a vain and empty satisfaction, attended with many Disappoint­ments, many foolish and groundless Expectations and it is a comfortless satisfaction at the hour [...] Death.

THE Apostle inferrs from this, That the Car­nal Mind is enmity against God, because no subject to his Law, That therefore these that are [...] the Flesh, That is, those that are carnally minded cannot please God, That is, God is not in a state o [...] Friendship with them, and deals not with them as he deals with his Friends.

The Apostle Expresses the Conclusion; because it is of great import to unrenewed folks, to believe that God is not a friend to them; Or the Word may be taken as an new Reason to prove the Prin­cipal Thesis, which is, That such as walk after the flesh, are not free from Condemnation: And if i [...] be taken as a Reason, the meaning of the Verse is That unrenewed folks Actions cannot please God that is, be accepted of him, as rewardable by him and if their Actions be not acceptable and rewardable, the Apostle takes it for granted, that their Per­sons cannot be accepted of God, nor reconciled t [...] [Page 53] him, and we know that the Non-acceptableness of the unrenewed mans Actions to God, is well infer­red from the opposition of his unrenewed Nature to the Law.

The Words carry in them these Two Observati­ons. As 1st. Observe, That unrenewed People, while they are such, God is not reconciled to them. 2ly Observe, That unrenewed People, while they are such, their Actions are not accepted of God, nor rewarded by him: when I deny a reward to their Actions, I do not deny but some of their Actions being materially Good. a temporal Reward may at­tend them, as it was with Jehu, but they are not re­wardable in this Sense, they have no Spiritual Re­wards in this life, nor Eternal Rewards in the life to come; neither will the material Goodness of their Actions keep them from the Vengeance of God due to them, for the Evil that is mixed with them, as appears by the 1. of Hosea, the Threatning against the House of Jehu, for the blood of Jezriel.

Now for the 1st. Observation, That God is not reconciled to those that are unrenewed, is clear, Be­cause none can be reconciled to God but those that have an interest in Christ, and we can have no in­terest in Christ without the Presence of his Spirit, and that Presence is always a renewing Presence. For the Apostle, in the 4. of the Thess. proves, That we are called to Holiness because he has given us of his holy Spirit, vers. 7, 8. 2ly. Christs Errand is to save his People from their Sins, Mat. 1.21. And therefore those that Christ reconciles to God, he must renew, seing his Salvation includes in it, as­well the abolition of the Power of Sin by reno­vation, [Page 54] as the removal of the guilt of it by recon­ciliation; neither is it consistent with Christs H [...] ­nour, to make him the minister of Sin, to say th [...] his errand into the World was to suffer, and ther [...] by to procure a liberty to Rebels, to continue in the Rebellion against God, and yet be free of Punis [...] ment. 3ly. To say that People can be reconcile to God, and yet unrenewed, is to say that Christ cannot by Water as well as by Blood: It is to de [...] a great part of the vertue of the Redeemer. 4 To assert this, that People may be reconciled to G [...] and yet unrenewed, is to say, that God misses t [...] designed End that he hath before him, in reconci [...] ing them to himself, As 1. To free them of t [...] Bondage of Satan, Justice is satisfied for them, th [...] they may be renewed, and that Satan may have [...] plea against them, to detain them under his Tyrrany. 2. He designs to bring them to himself, have access to him, to be consecrate Temples him, Eph. 2.21. He designs to have their way ple [...] sing to him, Psal. 37.23. He designs to make [...]irself lovely to them, and to make them take Delig [...] in him, Rom. 5.10, 11. And he designs by Reco [...] ciliation, to present them holy and blameless in [...] sight, Col. 1.20, 21. Now none of these Ends, th [...] God intends to bring about by reconciling his Pe [...] ple to himself, can be attained without Renovatio [...]

Ʋse 1st. To Instruct the unrenewed anent the great misery, God is their stated Enemy, and [...] their Blessings are Snares, their Crosses are Curse and Pledges of their Eternal Ruine, they have [...] access to God in their mi [...]ery, and as afterward [...] will see from the Text, all their Services are reject [...] of him as Refuse.

[Page 55]Use. 2. To reprove the unrenewed, Who will believe that God is reconciled to them, notwith­standing of their unrenewed state, and there are ma­ny sorts of such Persons. As 1st. The Moralists 2ly. The Formalists. Luke 18.11. and 12. 3ly. The Partial Reformer, Mark 10.21. 4ly. The Temporary Believer, see Heb. 6. and the Parable of the Sower. 5ly. Such as lean to their wide Pro­fession and their Name amongst the Godly. Math. 25.3.

Use 3. Is of Exhortation, To Exhort these that are unrenewed to do their best for the change of their State; Seing certainly God is their Enemy while they remain such: And for this Effect, they would Pray to be delivered from the Bond of Ini­quity, this is Peters advice to Simon Magus, Acts, 8.2. Direction for change of their state is, Jam. 1.21. Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your Soul. 3. Direction is, Be con­vinced that ye are unrenewed, and of the evil and danger of that condition.

4th. Use, Is an Use of Tryal, Since there is such danger in being in an unrenewed state, try it by this mark, if ye allow your selves in an continued Rebellion against the divine Law, ye are certainly unrenewed.

Use 5th. Is of Consolation and Exhortation, to the truely Godly and renewed; They are called to apply the priviledge of Reconciliation to them­selves, because the Text supposes, that all those that are in the Spirit pleases God: When it asserts that all those that are in the flesh cannot please him. For the Text divides all Professors into these two sorts, [Page 56] viz. These that are in the flesh, and those that a [...] in the Spirit, denying the priviledge of Non-co [...] demnation to the first▪ and allowing it to the secon [...] And indeed it is not Gods will, that renewed fo [...] should forbear applying Reconciliation to themselv [...] for this confident Application, would make way fo [...] confident walk and converse with God, and confide access to him in Prayer; It would support us und [...] the Worlds Emnity, and defend us against t [...] Worlds Allurements, and encourage us to the stu [...] of Mortification, with the greater Cheerfulness.

As to the second Observation, That unrenewed Pe [...] sons their Actions are not accepted of God, is cle [...] 1st. Because their Persons are not acceptable throu [...] Christ. 2ly. Because they have not the Image God, neither are they Objects of his Complacen [...] he hates the Workers of Iniquity, Psal. 5.5.5 The Action it self is wholly Flesh and corrupt, b [...] cause flowing from himself, without the assistance the Spirit, and directed to his own self ends allenaly.

Use, To reprove the unrenewed, who belie [...] the acceptance of their Devotion, and are sometim [...] angry with God, when they find it otherways, 1st. 58.3. 2ly. They believe the acceptance of th [...] Charity. 3ly. Their suffering for their Professio [...] 4ly. They believe their acceptance of their Zeal f [...] publick Reformation: The cause of this mis [...]a [...] is, the Ignorance of the Spirituality of Gods Natur [...] and the Spirituality of his Law. 2ly. Their Igno­rance of the great obligations they ly under to Go [...] which makes them think, that God is obliged to ac­cept of the meanest peice of service done by there [Page 57] A 3d. Cause is, Their overlooking the deceitfulness and wickedness of their Heart. 4th. Cause is, Self-Love, whereby they are inclined to overvalue all they do. 5th. Cause is, their few Reflections upon their great and many Sins.

Use 2. To the Godly, To believe the acceptance of their service; seing these that are in the Spirit, The Text supposes their services to please God; this belief is necessary to them, to keep up their heart under the Worlds Censures of their good Actions and under the Godlyes Censures of the same, and under the want of Temporal Rewards for them, and under the Afflictions that may attend them for the tryal of their Constancy therein, They would not be discouraged from this belief for the sinful imperfections that attend them, see Rev. 2.4 and 5. See Rachabs case in hiding of the Spyes, God accept­ed of the service, who tho he does not approve of the Lye, yet he approves of the Faith and Affection that was in the service. Neither should they be discouraged from their after-faillings, The weakness of Moses Parents, in exposing the Child to danger in the Ark of Bull-rushes, did not hinder God to no­tice their Faith in the Preservation of the Child three Moneths. Neither should they be discouraged from the faith of acceptance, because of the difficulties that attend the doing of a good work; the op­position the people met with in Building the Temple, In the days of Nehemiah, should not have marred the faith of their Acceptance, in the doing of it. Neither should they be discouraged from the faith of this Acceptance, because of the Afflictions that do immediatly attend the doing of [Page 58] Gods Service; which was Hezekiahs case, in the time of the Invasion of Senacherib; Neither should they be discouraged, because of the groundless Censures, that the Godly pass upon their way; This was Mary's case, who was Censured by the Disciples in pouring Oyntment upon Christ's Head.

We would give some Directions to the Godly; Whereby they may win the more easily to the faith of this acceptance. As 1st. What they do, they would do it from Faith, seing what is not done from faith is Sin, Rom. 14.23. They would do their Good Works from the Faith of a Command, from the faith of acceptance, and the Faith of Remune­ration. 2d. Direction is, They would do what they do from Love. 1 Cor. 13. and 1. A 3d. Di­rection is, They would do it from Self denyal, in respect to God's Glory, Abrahams offering up of Isaac was accepted of God, because there was much of Self-denyal in it, Gen. 22. A 4th. Direction is, That what they do, they would owe it to the Strength of Christ's Spirit, because then the Action does not flow from Corruption. A 5th. Direction is, They would reflect upon the Spiritual Rewards that God bestows upon them, to testifie the acce­ptance of their Service; such as these 1st. The giving them more meanes of Knowledge, and en­crease of Light, as he did to Cornelius, Acts 10.6. 2ly. Greater manifestations of his Love, see John 4. and [...]3. 3ly. A greater measure of assistance, for doing Duty, 1 Tim. 4.14. 4ly. He gives them fairer oppor­tunities of doing God great Service, and in keeping them from the Evil of Temptations. Rev. 3.10. 5ly. In suiteing their Tryals to their strength, see [Page 59] Mal. 3.17. And a 6th Reward is their prevailence with God in Prayer, see Ezek. 14. where it said, that Noah, Job and Daniel had much power with God, because of their Piety.

HEre the Apostle makes an Application of his Doctrine, He applyes an priviledge of Non-condemnation to the Roman's, because Charitably he constructs them Renewed: But lest they should lean too much to his Charitable Judgement of them, he gives them an Mark to try themselves by, because they can know themselves better then he can know them; And the Mark he gives, to evidence the change of their State, is, The Indwelling presence of the Spirit; and lest they should slight this Mark, or try by other false Marks, he gives them a perem­ptory certification, That if they want the Spirit of Christ, they have nothing to do with him.

From whence we may see, That Ministers should not only in the general, speak of Gospel-Comforts, but in particular make application of them, by giving particular marks of these, to whom they do belong; But withal, the Marks they give of Peoples particu­lar Interest in Christ, should be very sure and solid, such as this was: And likeways they should press People by peremptory Certifications, to make en­quiry, whether they have these solid Marks or no, left either they neglect to try themselves by these Marks, or examine themselves by False marks.

[Page 60]The Doctrine is, That the Indwelling Spirit is the sure mark of the Renovation of our state. By the Indwelling of the Spirit is not meant, the tran­sient operations of the Spirit, as are wrought in Temporary Believers, Matth. 13. Heb. 6 Neither is meant the having of these Gifts that are given for the Churches Edification: But by it is meant, the Gracious and continuing presence of the Spirit, pro­duceing these Effects in Believers, viz. Illumina­tion, Supplication, Consolation, and Sanctification.

The Indwelling Spirit produces Illumination, By opening the understanding, that they may know the Scriptures. Luke. 25.45. By taking away the Vail that is on the Mind in Reading of the Word. He proves an Spirit of Illumination, by discovering the Glory of God, in the face of Christ Jesus, by letting us see, that all the perfections of the Divine Nature, do manifest themselves clearly in the Me­diators Work of Mediation. 2 Cor. 4 6. He opens the Eyes of Men, and lets them see that the way of Salvation, holden out by the Gospel, is the most wise and and effectual way of Salvation; These that want this Spirit, they look on the Gospel as Foolishness, 1 Cor. 1.23. and 2.14. He proves a Spirit of Illumination to the Godly, by making them love the Truth, for the want of which, those are destroyed, that are spoken of, 2 Thess. 2. and 10. And this Illumination is attended with the Faith of Truth revealed: Therefore Christ's says that every one that is Taught of the Father comes to him. Joh. 6.

2ly. This Spirit he is a Spirit of Prayer, by mak­ing us Pray Fervently, Submissively, and Regularly. [Page 61] Rom. 8.26. Believingly, 8.15. In the Name of Christ. Eph. 2.18. Penitently. Zech. 12.10. for all Saints, Eph. 6.18. Perseveringly, Ibid. and singly out of a pure Heart.

Next, The Indwelling Spirit is the Author of Sanctification, First, By exciteing Repentance. Zech. 12.10. And this is done by manifesting many Evils in the Heart; and the Moral Evil of sin. 2ly. He sanctifies, by applying the Word. Joh. 17.17. 1 Pet. 1.23. By applying the Command, to make the Con­science stand in awe, by applying the promise to outbid Temptations, by applying the Threatnings to restrain them from outbreaking in sin.

And lastly, he proves a Spirit of Consolation, by manifesting the great Happiness of Believers, both in this Life, and that which is to come: It is by the Spirit we take up the Reality and Excellency of these Priviledges, that are freely given us of God, even in this World, 1 Cor. 2.12. It is by the Spirits light we understand, what is the Hope of our Calling. Eph. 1.18. 2ly. He proves a Comforter, because he helps the People of God, to apply the Promise, for which cause he is called the Spirit of Promise, Eph. 1.13. 3ly. He Comforts as a Witness; He Witnesses to our Adoption. Rom. 8.15, 16. He testifies to the Truth, and grouth of our Graces.

Use 1st. For instruction, This lets us see, why many of the Godly are not Assured of their renewed state, It is because through grieving of the Spirit, the presence of the indwelling spirit, is not so clear to them.

Use 2d. Of Consolation to the Godly, that have this Indwelling Spirit, They would from this con­clude [Page 62] the Renovation of their state; But lest they doubt of their Renovation, when there is no ground of doubting: They would consider, First. That they may have the Spirit of truth in them, tho they may be ignorant of many great Truths, as the Apo­stles were before Christ's Resurrection; if they be­lieve, Love, and Practise what they know. 2ly. They may have the Spirit of Prayer in them, though they have not that withgate and liberty in Praying through a defect of the Gift of Prayer, which stands in a clearness of Conception of things needful, and a clearness of Expression; if they have fervent single desires after spiritual good, and these desires put up in the Name of Christ. 3ly. They would consider that tho Believers may want sometimes, that Peace passing understanding, that Joy unspeakable and Glorious, the Spirits Testimony for their Aodption, that full and free Application of the Promises: Yet they may have the Comfort of the Spirit, if they have that support in their Mind, and calmness in their Con­science, as makes them cheerfully go about their du­ty, and hear their Crosses. 4ly. They would con­sider, That the Spirit may be a sanctifying Spirit to such who are overtaken with Temptations at a time, Gal. 6.1. and whose fervour of their first Love is abated. Rev. 2.5. If their Exercise be to keep a good Conscience towards God and Man; and if the tract of their way be to please God.

A Third Use of Exhortation to the Godly, That since the Indwelling Spirit; is a sure evidence of a renewed state, they would Labour to entertain the presence of this Spirit in their Hearts: And first, they would entertain the presence of the Illuminat­ing [Page 63] Spirit. First, By using all appointed meanes for the encrease of Knowledge. 2ly. By depending on the Spirit in the use of these meanes, for the growth of Knowledge, and not on the quickness of our understanding. 3ly. By having single desires after Knowledge, by desireing the same, not for Vain-glory or By Ends, but for Gods Glory and our own and others Education. Next, We would entertain the presence of the Spirit of Prayer, First, By applying our selves seriously to that Duty, as Daniel did, Daniel. 9. 2ly. By being constantly ex­act in our Life, which ministers confidence to us in Prayer. 3ly. By Examining our own Condition, that we may not want matter for Prayer, when we go to God. 3ly. We would entertain the Spirit of Sanctification, by watching against Temptations, and by the use of all appointed meanes for the Com­municating of the Spirits Grace, and searching after the Evils of your Heart; and by knowing the plagues of your own Heart, ye may know what Evils ye are mostly to set your selves against, by Repenting for them, Praying against them, and watching in opposition against them. 4ly. Ye would entertain the spirit of Consolation. As 1st. By improving his Comforts, to make you Cheerfully obey, Ast [...] 9.31. And 2ly. By forebearing to drench your self too much in Worldly Comforts. Jo. 14.17.

HEre is a Certification of the distance of all from Christ, that want his Spirit; And this is given [Page 64] on purpose to make the Romans make enquiry, whe­ther they have the Spirit or not, This Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ. 1st. Because he meritoriously procures him. Gal. 3.14. 2 [...]y. He is primarly pos­sessed by him▪ he possesses a greater number and measure of his Gifts, than any of his Members, John 3.34. Isa. 61.1. 3ly. The Communication of the Spirit flowes from his Intercession, John 14.16, 4ly [...] The dispensation of the Spirit is from him, John 15.26. and 16.7. And 5ly. The Spirits Work [...] to glorify him, and to apply his Purchase, John 16.14.

From the Words observe, 1st. That all that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his, The meaning is not, that these that have not Christs Spi­rit, they are none of them elected, or that the Sal­vation of such is not transacted for in the Covenant of Redemption, for the Elect themselves may be Children of Wrath, Eph. 2.2. and void of Christ [...] Spirit alse well as others. But the meaning is, that the man that wants the Illuminating, Praying, San­ctifying, and Comforting Spirit, Christ hath no [...] that Interest in them, that he hath in Actual Belie­vers; they do not so belong to him, as they do [...] that is, by vertue of the Fathers actual Donation i [...] time, which stands in effectual Vocation, John 6.37, 38. they may be entrusted to him in the Cove­nant of Redemption, but yet if they be void of Christ [...] Spirit, they are not effectually Called. 2ly. They do not belong to him, by vertue of their persona [...] Resignation to him, they cannot offer themselve [...] as a living and acceptable Sacrifice to him, without Christs Spirit. 3ly. They do not belong to him▪ [Page 65] by reason of his Conquest of them, of redeeming them from the Dominion of Sin and Satan, because a man that wants Christs Spirit is under the Tyr­rany of both. 4ly. They belong not to him as his Members by Mystical Union; for as that Union is made up of Faith on our part, Eph. 3.17. so it is made up by the Communication of his Spirit on his part, 1 Cor. 6.17. 5ly. They are not his, by that near relation of his Spiritual marriage, so as to be his Spouse; because without Christs Spirit they cannot quite the Law as a Hus­band, and consent to be married to Christ, Rom. 7.4. For, to quite our own Righteousness, is a Work far above the power of our Faculties, without the Communication of the Spirit of Grace. 6ly. Nei­ther can a man, void of Christs Spirit, belong to Christ in this sense; As tho the Mediator stood ob­liedged, by vertue of the Covenant of Grace, to conferr upon him Justification, Adoption and Sancti­fication, and to bring him to Glory: For by vertue of that Covenant, he is only tyed to conferr these things on sincere Believers; now these that are void of the Spirit have no sincere Faith: It's true, Christ may be engaged, by vertue of the Covenant of Re­demption to bring some, who for the present are void of Christs Spirit, into an Estate of Justification Adoption and Sanctification. But for Answer, 1st. That Obligation lyes not on him, by vertue of the Covenant of Grace made with the Church. or the promulgate Gospel to them; But that Obligation lyes upon him by vertue of that undertaking that he makes to his Father, in the Covenant of Redemp­tion: Likeways when he undertakes to possess them [Page 66] of an Estate of Justification, Adoption and Glory, he doth not undertake to bring them into that [...] state and Condition, and that they should be voi [...] of the Spirits Presence while they are in that Estate but he undertakes to bring them into that Estate b [...] Communicating of his Spirit to them.

Now, that no man that wants the Spirit of Christ can so belong to him, as actual Believers do, appear [...] by this, we cannot belong to Christ without receiv­ing him, and it's in the Word of the Gospel that [...] receive him; now when we receive him in the Gospel we receive him and his Spirit together, See Gal. 2.3. Therefore is it that the Gospel is called the Ministr [...] ­tion of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3 8

The use of this is, to reprove the unrenewed world that are void of the Spirit, for believing they ha [...] an actual Interest in Christ, and in the Priviledges of the Gospel Covenant; the reason of this Mistake is They believe that an external Profession of the Chri­stian Faith, is sufficient to Entitle them to Christ, and these Priviledges; for this, see Mat. 7.21. a [...] Rom. 2.28, 29. 2d. Cause of this Mistake [...] That People think, that to whomsoever the Sacra­ment of Baptism is administred, though they be voi [...] of Christs Spirit, yet they have an Interest in Christ and in the Gospel, Against this, see Rom. 2.2 [...] If thou break the Law, thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision. And Luke 3.7, 8. also Simon Magus was baptised, and yet was in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity. It is true, that Baptism gives those that are baptised, who are not Ignorant o [...] Scandalous, a Right to join with the Church, in al [...] Church-Institutions, but it does not possess them [Page 67] with a Right to the great Priviledges of the Gos­pel, except they cordially receive Christ offered therein. It is true, it doth really seal the Truth of the free Covenant of Grace, and the closs Particular and condescending Good offered therein: but it can­not oblige God to give that Good to those that re­fuse it, and will not cordially accept it. A 3d. Cause of the Mistake is, They take Morality for true Grace, so they think their Morality evidenceth their Interest in Christ, but Christ tells us Mat. 5.20. That our Righteousness must exceed the Righteous­ness of the Scribes and Pharisees, otherways we can­not enter into the Kingdom of God. A 4th. Cause is, They think the great and sole End of Christs Mission is, to free them from the Guilt and Curse of the Law; Therefore they think, tho they be void of Christs Spirit, they may have an Interest in Christ, and the Gospel, because they think Christ is come to save them from Wrath, tho they take liberty to live as they will: so they make Christ the Minister of Sin. See Gal. 2.17. The folly of thir Persons is evidenced from this, That Christs Errand into the World was, to Redeem us from all Iniquity and to purify to himself a Peculiar People, zealous of good Works. A 5th. Cause of this Mistake is, That unrenewed Folks takes the Challenges of their Consciences to be the strivings of the Spirit a­gainst the Flesh, for they conclude, from having these Challenges, that they have the Spirit of Christ; tho they altogether want him: But to undeceive such, they would consider, that those that have the strivings of the Spirit, they do not fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh, the External Conversation is regular, [Page 68] although the inward Frame with Paul, as Rom. 7. may want some Degrees of Perfection. Likeas, the strivings of the Spirit where they are, they oppose heart-evils, as well as external-evils, evils against the Gospel, as well as evils against the Moral-Law.

As this Text tells us, That those that want Christs Spirit, Christ has no such peculiar Interest in them, as he has in Believers; So it plainly supposeth that all those, that have a peculiar Interest in him, have this great Priviledge of the Presence of his Spi­rit. I shall clear 1st. That it is so. 2ly. Con­firm it, by telling you what are the Causes, from whence the presence of the Spirit flowes. 3ly. What are the Ends and Uses for which God bestows this Benefit on Believers. 4ly. We shall exhort the People of God, to improve this Benefite, and not to lye out in the use making of it. And 5ly. See­ing all that are Christs have the Spirit, and none o­ther, We will reprove those that have this Spirit, and yet notwithstanding, question Christs peculiar Interest in them, and theirs in him.

As for the First, Scripture shews it, and the Ex­perience of the Saints confirms it, that Believers have the Spirit. 1st. Their illumination clears it; their distinct, clear, near, and solid Views of the sublime Mysteries of Gods Covenant, that the sharpest Witts that want the Spirit reckon foolishness, 1 Cor. 2.12. That Illumination discovers it self in a Presence of the Spirit. 2. The Work of Sanctification disco­vers it; if ye look to the greatness of the Change, the thorrowness of the Change upon the whole Fa­culties, and the whole conversation, the constancy [Page 69] of the Change, the suddenness of it, and that it is carried over great and manifold Obstructions, from Allurements and Terrors, from bad Counsel and bad Custom, from many false Suggestions of a deceit­ful Heart, and subtile Reasonings of a tempting Devil. 3ly. The Spirits Consolation evinceth the reality of this Gift, if we consider how the Saints Hearts are kept up, under fightings without, and terrours within. 4. Their Devotions clears it, if you consider their single, humble, fervent, spiritual and confident Desires, persevered in, notwithstand­ing of Guilt, Corruption, Misery and Repulses; sure­ly such Desires come from no other Principle, than the Omnipotent Spirit of God.

The Causes of this Gift, may be 1st. The In­ternal moving Cause, is, Electing Love. 2ly. The Meritorious Cause is, Christs Satisfaction, Gal. 3.13, 14. 3ly. The Procuring Cause, is Christs Intercession, John 14.16. 4ly. The Dispensing Cause is, Christ himself, John 16.7. and 15.26 5ly. The Final Causes and Ends of this Gift, are these, following. He is given 1st. As an Illuminator, to guide us into all Truth. John 16.13. and to di­rect us in dubious Cases, and lead us, Rom. 8.14. 2d. End is to help our Infirmity in Prayer, Rom. 8.26. 3d. Is to comfort us in our Trouble, John 14.16 A 4th. Is to sanctify us, 1 Thess. 4.7. A 5th. Is to be the Earnest of our Inheritance, and to strengthen our Hope thereof, Eph. 1.19. A 6th. End is, he is Gods Mark and Seal upon us, till the Day of Redemption, to obstruct the Worlds Calum­nies, whereby they calumniate us as Hypocrites; and to hinder us to dispose upon our selves as we were [Page 70] our own. And 7ly. That his Presence may be a standing Witness, in, and to the World, of the Truth of Christianity, 1 John 5.10.

As to the 4th. Thing, how to improve this Gift, we have by Promise from the Fathers Love, Christs Merite and Intercession. 1st. Believe, that God will give us this promised Mercy, Eph. 1.13. 2ly. We would pray for it, Luke 11.13. 3ly. We would obey the Spirits Motions, Gal. 5. penult. 4ly. Grieve not the Spirit, and meddle not with these sins men­tioned, Eph. 4.30. 5ly. Savour the things of the Spirit, and have an high esteem of Spiritual Privi­ledges Rom. 8.4.

A 2d. Use is, since these that are Christs have this Gift, and none other, it reproves these that participate in part of this Gift, and question Christs Interest in them, and theirs in him; and that First on the account of their Miseries, Crosses and Mor­talitie. 2ly. On account of the Remainders of their Corruption, and sinful Infirmities. 3ly. Up­on account of their partial Darkness in Spiritual Matters, for we know but in part. 4ly. Upon account of their strong Temptations from Satan.

THE Apostle having applyed to the Romans, the former Priviledges spoken of, in the for­mer Verse; He in this Verse preoccupies an Obje­ction, that they might have made against the Ap­plication [Page 71] of the Priviledge of Non-condemnation; It might have been said, that since Believers must dye, what benefite can be expected by them, as enjoying that Priviledge? It is Answered, they must dye, because of inherent Sin; For God, to shew his indignation against all sin, appointed Death. Likeways they must dye for the abolition of it, God appointing the dissolution of our Nature to be the Method for its perfect cure; yet the comfort is, that tho the body dye, yet the Soul lives, because of Christs Righteousness: And a se­cond Comfort is, that the Souls Life is an Pledge of the Resurrection of the Body.

Here we may see, that Christ dwe [...]ls in his Peoples Hearts by his Spirit, 1 John 3. last. And ye may Observe, 1st. That there may be Inherent Sin in those in whom Christ dwells, though it reign not, Rom. 7. last. The Lord does not perfect our Cure all at once, he leaves this evil Neighbour in our Hearts, to embitter the Worlds Comforts to us: to try our Faith of Justification, and to call us to a vigilant and dependant frame upon himself.

Observe, 2ly. That the Godly must dye; For albeit Christ hath removed the whole Curse of the Law, and satisfyed Justice compleatly for all our sins, and has the Fathers Promise that he shall free his People from all the bad Consequences of sin; yet a present total freedom, from all these Conse­quences that followes on sin, upon their first be­lieving, is not promised by the Father to him, or to them: It is secured, that it shall be done in Gods time and way, but mortality is not removed from them presently. If ye shall say, they are freed from [Page 72] the Curse of the Law in Justification, why then and they not freed presently from all the effects of that Curse? Answer, Mortality continues on the Justi­fied, not by vertue of a curseing Law, as though it would be a Reflection upon Justice, if God should deliver the Believer upon his first Faith, altogether from Mortality; But Mortality is continued by the Soveraign God, for wise Ends, not to make a par­ticular satisfaction to Justice for our sin that Christ hath left unmade, but because God will have the whole Mystical Body its perfection to be all at once, and he will have his People to live in this World by Faith, and therefore he makes the Mortality of Be­lievers a vail, to hide their promised Felicity from Sense, And that the Mortality of Believers is not continued upon them, as the Effect of a curseing Law, is clear from what the Apostle says, 1 Cor. 15. That their Death wants its Sting: Next, we see Death inflicted as a Chastisement upon some of the Godly, See 1 Cor. 11.30, 31, 32 And it is clear in the Instance of Josia, who dyed in peace, and yet was chastised with a violent Death, for his rash en­gagement in a War. Now God, inflicting Death upon Believers, testifies his Fatherly Displeasure a­gainst sin, but not his Justice against them as a just Judge▪ for Affliction is sent upon them as an Ac­complishment of the Threatning annext to the Co­venant of Grace, but not as an Accomplishment of the Law-curse, Psal. 89.32. This is much for the Comfort of Believers.

Use of this is, since Believers must die, They would prepare for Death, and if they would be prepared, they would make use of these Directions: [Page 73] 1st. Labour to be sure of the indwelling Spirit, for that is the only sure mark of an interest in Christ, they would not lean to an empty profession, a great measure of common gifts, or meer Morality. A 2d Direction is, They would found their Title to Life, only upon the Righteousness of Christ, and not upon their own merite. A 3d. is, They would be will­ing to dye, and therefore they would mortify their Covetousness and their Security, and they would la­bour for a firm Faith in Divine Providence, whereby they may committ the disposal of all their concerns and the concerns of the Church to God, as Joseph did Gen. last: 4th. Direction is, They would labour to have peace of Conscience at Death; and for this effect they would beware of lying under impeni­tency for old or new contracted Guilt. Likeas they would labour for a Testimony from their Consci­ence, that they have readily accepted of the Gospel-Offer. 2ly. They would labour to have the Con­science witnessing their singleness in their Conversati­on at Death, as Hezekiah had in his sickness, Isai. 38. Likeas they would have the Conscience witnessing their Diligence in Duty, That so an entrance may be Administred to them abundantly to the Everlast­ing Kingdom of our Lord Jesus, 2 Pet. 1.4. A 5th Direction is, They would fix themselves in the faith of the Immortality of the Soul; which Immor­tality appears from its conception of immaterial Ob­jects. 2ly. From its Oper [...]tions, independent on the Body, as in Extasies. 3ly. From the Moral Go­vernment of God in the World, by Laws and Judge­ment considered jointly with the impartial Justice of God, with the Miseries of the Godly, and the Pro­sperity [Page 74] of the Wicked. A 6th. Direction is, We would build our selves up in the faith of the Resurrection of the Body.

Observe 3ly. That the Godly have a spiritual life in their Soul, as appears by the spiritual sense they have of spiritual things, They have an Hunger and Thirst after spiritual Food: They have a spiritual sigh of spiritual Mysteries by Faith, and they have a spiritual feeling of sin and misery: Now this spiritual Life continues after Death, as appears from Luke 16.23, and 23, 43. Phil, 1, 23. 2 Cor: 5, 1

The Apostle supposeth, that the continuance of this Life after Death, is a sufficient comfort to the Godly, under their present Mortality; and these considerations may clear the sufficiency of this Com­fort: if ye consider First, The great Good that is in it; 1st. There is a freedom in it from Trouble and Vexation. Rev. 14.13. Isai. 57.1. 2ly. The perfection of Holiness is in it, Heb. 12.23. And s [...] there is freedom from Co [...]ruption, and horrid Temptations; much uninterrupted Peace, and Joy in expectation of a future Blessedness. 3ly. The [...] have much good Company in it, they have the fel­lowship of Angels and Saints, Heb 12.22, 23 They have the fellowship of the Patriarchs, Luke 16.25. They have the fellowship of Christ, Philip. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8.

Use of this is, Godly Folks would comfort them­selves with this Consolation under their Mortality▪ 1st. Because this Comfort is a pure Comfort, unmix­ed with Trouble. 2ly. It is a sure Comfort, as appears by the Scriptures formerly cited. 3ly. It is a near Comfort, they have it partly in possession [Page 75] and they are to have a great measure of it immediatly on their Death. This speak the great misery of these Mortals, who altogether want spiritual life; they want the great support that can Support Sinners un­der the View of Mortality; Likeas this calls to the Godly to have a great measure of the sensible pre­sence of the Spirit, that they may have his support­ing encouragement at their hand, under their seeing and feeling Mortality.

When the Text says, The Spirit is Life, in op­position to the Bodys Death; It doth not only inti­mate, that the Soul lives a spiritual life, and likeways that it doth live that Life after Death imme­diatly: But likeways it imports, that the Holy Spi­rit of God, as present in the Soul of a Christian, is a pledge and cause of spiritual life here and immediat­ly after Death, when it is a pledge and cause of im­mortal Life at the Resurrection; For when the Text speaks of the Spirit being Life, the word Spirit is not meant so much of a mans Soul, as of the Indwel­ling spirit of God in Belivers, which is clear by the words subjoined in the Eleventh verse.

Observe from these Two Verses jointly considered, That the Indwelling presence of the Spirit in Be­lievers is a sure pledge of immortal Glory; and this is clear by these three, 1st. Consider the import and significancy of this Gift. 2ly. It's Efficacy. 3ly. Consider it's Irrevocableness.

And First, As to It's significancy, Consider the Names, Designations, and Descriptions, it gets in Scripture. 1st. It is called the Blessing of Abra­ham, Gal. 3.14. so it signifies that God's Covenant with Abraham belongs to them, now Christ Luke 20 [Page 76] Evinces, That God cannot be the God of the Dead but of the Living. 2ly. It is called a Seal. Eph. [...] 30. To signifie, that God hath an peculiar interest [...] them that have it, as his peculiar Treasure, and ther [...] fore it is sure he cannot lose them by death, An [...] hilation, and Perdition. 3ly. It is called the Ernest, Eph. 1.13 2 Cor. 5.5. and 1 22. And ther [...] fore where it is given, it signifies Gods purpose an [...] Obligation to give the Inheritance. 4ly. It is call [...] the Unction or Anointing. 2 Cor. 1.21. As 1 Joh. 2.20. To hold out that by the present of the Spirit, Gods People are separate, sanct [...] fied, and dignified to be Gods Kings, to triumph over all their spiritual Enemies, whereof Death i [...] one. 5ly. It is called the Spirit of Promise, Eph. 1 13. and the promise of the Spirit, Gal. 3.14. Because the Gracious Indwelling of the Spirit in [...] perfection is the primary and comprehensive go [...] promised in the Gospel, and the great design of the Gospel being to possess People of the Spirit therefore the Gospel is called, 2 Cor. 3. The Mi [...] stration of the Spirit, and therefore the presence [...] the Spirit signifies, that God will grant to the hav [...] of it, Glory to come, seing when God grants t [...] primary good promised in the Gospel, he will no [...] deny them any accessory good that's promised [...] the same: Now Glory is a consequent unto th [...] presence of the Spirit, see Verse 11.

Next, Consider the Efficacy of this Gift, whi [...] kyths in these two. 1st. in raising us from t [...] Death of sin. 2ly. In raising Christ from the Dea [...] see for a proof of its Efficacy, Eph. 1.19, 20.

And 3ly. Consider, its an irrevocable Gift, b [...] cause [Page 77] the Gifts and Callings of God are without Re­pentance. And 2ly. Because the Spirit is given to them, not to be taken from them again, for he is said to dwell in them by his Spirit, and to make them a perpetual Sanctuary to himself, Ezek. 37.26. He is to be a spring of Eternal Life to them, Joh. 7.38. Joh. 4.14. The Soul that is thus possessed of the Spirit cannot miss Eternal Life, for it is an E­ternal habitation for God, and the Spirit gives the Soul Eternal Life; now the Spirit cannot give the Soul Eternal Life, if the Body lay perpetually in the Grave.

The Use of this is, since the presence of the Holy Spirit in a Believer is a sure pledge of immortal Life, it reproves Believers that have it, that they are not more lively in their hope of Glory.

A 2d. Use is, To Instruct us in the worth of this Gift, God may give and take other Gifts from us, but he gives us this Gift without Rueing and Re­penting, we may lose other Gifts, but this is a per­manent Enjoyment, there is nothing in the World that has the full significancy that this Gift has, nor has its Efficacy; And therefore these that have it should be thankful for it, and whosoever want it should be at pains to obtain it.

HEre the Apostle preoccupies an Objection, they might have said, since our Soul lives, and shall [Page 78] our Body ly perpetually in the Grave, wherefore then serves our Justification? It is Answered, That if the Spirit of God dwell in us, that same Spirit will quicken our Mortal Body.

In the Words ye may take notice of the Assurance that the Apostle gives of the Resurrection of the Body, upon the account of the Pledge thereof in time; and that is the Spirit dwelling in us.

And 1st Ye may observe, That the Mortal Body shall be quickened again; and this appears from the priviledge of Justification, seing Death is a punishment following upon sin. 2ly. Adoption clea [...] it, Luke 20.36. compared with Rom. 8.23. 3 [...] Christs Resurrection clears it, his Resurrection being the exemplary cause of ours, 1 Cor. 15.2 [...] 4ly. The Spirits Indwelling in the Body clears it 1 Cor. 6.19. and see the Text. 5ly. The Body bein [...] a peice of Christ Mystical, see 1 Cor. 6.15. 1 Thes 4, and 14. 6ly. Christs Engagement to the Fathe [...] clears it, Joh. 6.37. 7ly, The Immortality of the Soul, compared with the Natural Inclination of i [...] to the Body clears it, because nihil violentum est de rabite, and therefore Luke 20.37. Christ takes it fo [...] granted, since Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob live in thei [...] Souls, their Bodies must revive again. And that the self same Body shall rise again: Appears 1st. Becau [...] Chr [...]st had the self same Body, and his Resurrection was a Patern of ours. 2ly. Christ says God can ca [...] the Body in Hell after Death. 3ly. The Bodies tha [...] are raised, come out of their Graves, John 5.28, 29 4ly. Paul Prays that the Body may be kept blameles [...] till the coming of Christ 1 Thess. 5. 5ly, It's the Mortal Body, see the Text, 1 Cor, 15. This Corruptible, &c.

[Page 79]Use of Exhortation, strive to believe this Article. And that by considering the Scriptures are the Word of God, and believing the Omnipotent Power of God, Luke 20, 36. 2ly. It exhorts us to abound in Gods Service, 1 Cor. 15. last 3ly. It bids us suffer for Christ when called to it. 4ly. It reproves those that stain their Body by Intemperance and Lust, see 1 Cor. 6.

An other Use is of Comfort, for those that have pained Bodies, like Lazarus and Job: its sowen in Dishonour, its raised in Glory; and it is of com­fort to them that have weak Bodies, it is sowen in weakness, its raised in Power. 3ly. To those that are pinched with Hunger, its sowen a Natural Body its raised a spiritual Body.

2ly. Observe that the Spirit dwelling in our Mortal Body, is a pledge of this Resurrection; This dwelling of the Spirit imports first. Con­stant Residence. 2ly. Government. 3ly: His care to adorn and beautify. This indwelling of the Spirit cannot but be a Pledge of the Resurrection, if ye con­sider 1st. The end why he takes up his Lodging in the Man, it is to confer upon him Everlasting Comfort, Isai, 60.14. 2ly. Everlasting Life, 3ly. Everlast­ing purity. 4ly. Everlasting Communion Ezek. 37, 26, with Rev. 20, 3 and 4. 2ly. If ye consider the Spirit to be the great Love-token of God to his People, he is the whole of Abrahams Blessing, Gal. 3. He that gives this will not deny them the Resur­rection to Life. 3ly. The spirit has power to raise them, as it's kythed in the Resurrection of Christ, and in quickening the dead Soul from the death of sin, John 5.25.28. 4ly. Spiritual life is a fruit of the [Page 80] Spirit, and spiritual life is a pledge of the Resur­rection.

Use 1st. Of Consolation, to them that have the Spirit of God, they have an assureing pledge, that they shall rise to life, though they be Pained, Poor, Persecute, and Tempted with Corruption and Satan, 2ly. This reproves those who have the Spirit, who will not entertain the lively hope of Heaven. 3ly. It bids us try, whether this spirit dwells in us or not. 4ly. It bids the Godly Man strengthen his faith by this pledge, by considering the Spirits power, the Love of God discovered in that gift, and Gods design in sending him into the Heart.

Observe. 3ly. The description of this Spirit here He is the spirit of the Father, 1st. Because he pro­ceeds from the Father, John 15.26. 2ly. Because he is promised by the Father, Acts 4.33. 3ly. He is given of the Father, Luke 11.13. And this tells us from whom we should seek the spirit, and to whom we should be thankful for him; and how we may know whether it be the spirit of God that dwells in us or no; if it be so, he will make us sensible of the Fathers Love in raising Christ for us; if it be so, he will raise us up to a newness of Life, and conform us to a risen Saviour.

The giver of this Indwelling spirit, is described from his great Work: One that raised Christ from the dead, where first Note, why Christs Resurrecti­on is ascribed to the Father, 2ly. To what end Christ rose.

And 1st. It is ascribed to the Father, to show that he keeped his promise to the old Fathers, Acts 13, 32. And if this promise, made to the old Church, re­ceived [Page 81] its accomplishment, all the rest of the promi­ses made to them will. 2ly. To show that he keep­ed his promise to Christ in the Covenant of Redemp­tion. Isai: 42 6. And that says, all the rest of the Promises made to him will be accomplished, to reward him for his Humiliation. Phil: 2, 9. To show that none shall lose that humble themselves for him: 4ly Its ascribed to the Father, because it is the Absoluti­on of him as soverty. 5ly. It was a step to that de­legated power that now he enjoys as Mediator: and we know that Power comes from the Father; He Raised him 1st, That he might, that was the purchasser be the dispenser of our Mercies Act, 5.31. And that Christ is raised to be the dispenser of our Mercies encourages us to be bold in Prayer. 1st. Be­cause he sympathises with us in our wants, be will not frustrate his purchase, by forbearing to dispence And 2ly. If his Love made him purchase, his Love will make him dispense.

2ly. Christ was raised by the Father, to clear, That he had merited full pardon, and Believers may strengthen their Faith of Pardon with this Resur­rection. 1st. Because it is an evidence of full satis­faction to Justice. 2ly. It is an evidence of his God-Head, Rom: 1, 4. And so of his meriting worth 3ly. it was an step to his Intercession.

3ly. The Father raised him, to assure the People of God, of their through Mortif [...]tion of Sin Rom. 6.11. And this 1st. Reproves so [...] [...]hat are diffident, their sin shall not be Mortified: [...]d that 1st. Because Terrour has not Mortifyed it y [...] against this see Exod: 32 19. with Exod: 19.20. 2ly. Because Com­munion with God does not Mortify it, David's [Page 82] falling in Adultery after Communion with God, 2 Sam: 7. Answers that. 3ly. Because they have been at Solemn Ordinances, and these have not done their turn; Therefore they think it cannot be done For Answer, see Luke 22.24. The Apostles unmor­tifyed after these. And 4ly. It reproves those that think they cannot be Mortifyed, because Crosses have not done it already. Answ. Hezekiahs Am­bi [...]ion was cured, tho it brake out after his Sickness.

Ʋse 2d. Of Exhortation is, to Believers to streng­then their Faith of through Mortification by Christs Resurrection, which they may do by considering, It is a sufficient evidence of his Deaths meriting suffi­cient Grace for Mortifying of sin. Rom. 6.6.

4th. End is, That he might strengthen our Faith in our Resurrection to Life, and this is done by con­sidering, that tho we be Tempted, yet so was he; tho we be under Desertion as to Comfort, so was he; My God, says he, Why has thou forsaken me, Tho we be Mortal, so was he; tho we be Guilty, so was he imputatively so.

HEre we have a Conclusion drawn from several prejudices, That these that live after the flesh have: For 1st. They have not the priviledge of Justification, ℣. 1. 2ly. They mind the things of the flesh, ℣. 5. 3ly. They are in the way to Death ℣. 6. 4ly. They are Enemies to God, ℣, 7. And 5ly. They cannot please God ℣. 8.

[Page 83]Observe 1st. here, That the flesh is always crav­ing. 2ly. Tho it be craving, yet we owe it nothing: it craves, we are not Debitors to it: 3ly. The ser­vice of the flesh, is a very unprofitable service. 4ly. The former Grounds upon which the Apostle infers this inference are sufficiently convincing.

For the First, That the flesh is craving appears in these six; first. In that it craves Love and Affecti­on: 2ly. Obedience: 3ly. Awe: 4ly. Entertain­ment: 5ly. Spareing; And 6ly. hideing of its Nakedness.

First, It craves Love of us, That is, it craves that we may have a regard to it in our Heart; Peo­ple should beware of this, because it is inconsistent with the Enmity we ought to have at Sin, it pro­vokes God to forbear reproving of us, Hosea 4.17. 2ly. It restrains Mortifying Grace. 3ly. It marrs the Love of God, 4ly. It hinders the Answers of Pray­er, Psal. 66.18.

2ly. It craves Obedience of us, Rom. 6.12. But this should not be, because we are made free from Sin, and Servants to Righteousness. 2ly. It grieves the Spirit, Eph. 4.30. 3ly. It's offensive to others 4ly. It strengthens the flesh, Rom. 6.19. 5ly. It fears the Conscience,

3ly. Corruption craves, That the Christian should stand in fear and awe of it, That they should be hopeless ever to get it overcome; and this he is prompted to by his sinful Heart, through considering the multitude of his Corruptions, and the deepness of their Root, and of his oft Essays against it, with frustration following thereupon, and his want of skill to improve Christs Mortifying Grace; But the [Page 84] Christian is not a Debitor to give it this awe an [...] fear; for this discourageing fear of the power of Corruption should be studied against▪ 1st. Because he is free of the Guilt of it. 2ly. Because he is no mo [...] a Slave to it. Rom. 6.14. 3ly. This Fear does hi [...] prejudice. For 1st. It makes him suspend his Fait [...] upon the promise of pardon. 2ly. It makes him doubt, if God would hear his Prayers. 3ly. I [...] make him [...]ath to engage against it, as being hopeless of the successfulness of his engagement, and so he is a Prey to the meanest Temptation, and then con­fusion of Spirit, and want of peace follows.

4ly. We are not Debitors to the Flesh to give it Entertainment, for it craves of us, that we should seek External Temptations to it to feed it; this should be denyed, because it stops folks confidence in Praying for Mortifying Grace. 2ly, It obscure the sight of sincerity Psal. 18 23. 3ly. It provoke God, to let them meet with these occasions.

5ly. We should not hearken to Corruption, when it craves the hideing of its Nakedness from us, by making us extenuate it; for the yeilding to it in this will not lessen it in Gods sight. 2ly. It keeps away the impressions of pardoning Mercy, Psal: 32.3. 3ly. it will keep us from the Exercise of Repentance, or Soul-Loathing, and tenderness of Conscience against Sin, and weakens the Mans esteem of Christs Blood, and sets God against the Man. Jer. 2.35.

And 6ly. Corruption craves spareing of it, That we should not seek the Life of it, but be content with an mean measure of Mortification; And this it doth telling us, that we may have peace and Com­munion with God, and keep up our Name of Pro­fession, [Page 85] notwithstanding of this; But we should not yeild to this, because Corruption was cruel to us, seeking our Death. 2ly. If we attempt not its Death, none of our Attempts will be successful against it, 3ly. When we attempt its Death, it makes it as it were despaired, and gives us more ado, whereby we are necessitate to believe on Christ, for Mortifying Grace, and forced to have a desire to be gone to be sure of it; and withall if we do spare it, it may break out, to our shame.

HEre the Apostle is proving, we are Debitors not to the flesh, but to the Spirit: And that because of the benefite we have by the one, and the prejudice we have by the other, Death is by the one, and Life by the other.

Observe 1. That those that live after the flesh shall dye: after the flesh, imports, a mans fixed purpose, not to contradict the Corruptions of his Nature, Psal. 36, 3. 2ly. When a man resolutely sets him­self to bring the motions of his Corruption to Exter­nal Acts, Mica. 2.1. Psal. 36 4 3ly. When he de­lights in sinning, and is frequent in it, and is fearless under it, Psal. 36 2. In a word, it is to be a slave to Corruption, and to make it our design to give it full satisfaction, Eph. 2.1, 2. To spend our time, Wit and Parts to the gratifying of our Lusts, and to place our felicity and satisfaction in them; such a [Page 86] course of Life ends in Eternal Death, as appears by the Threatning of the Law and of the Gospel, and the Self-condemnation of such Folks Consciences.

Use of reproof, to those that are secure, and have their security springing from misbelief of future Wrath, False-Imaginations of Divine Mercy, Stu­pidity and souredness of Conscience, Blinding Self-Love, and Atheistical Thoughts of Providence, as tho God would neither do Good nor Evil; but such would remember to reflect on the Truth of the Scriptures, the hatefulness and demerite of Sin, and the Justice of God.

Observe: 2ly. That the Mortifying of the Deeds of the Body is a most advantagious thing, and brings Life with it; it brings with it the Life of Justification, or Pardon, because it's the great Pledge of Pardon, 1 John 1.8. 2ly. It brings with it the Life of Sanctification, consisting in these Four. viz. The Easy, Vigorous, Cheerful, and Constant Exercise of Grace; 1st. It brings the easy Exercise of Grace with it, because it makes a man quick-sighted to discern his Duty, for Lust blinds the mind, it frees him of these Lusts that makes him ordinarly shift the doing of his Duty. 2ly. Mortification makes him Vigorous in the Exercise of Grace, 1 Tim: 6.11. Because the whole Heart when Mortified gets liberty to be about its Duty in the Exercise of Grace. 3ly. It makes him cheerful in it, Because the Exer­cise of Grace is connatural to a Mortified Heart; And the mind of a Mortified Man, does more clearly discern the Advantage of the Exercise of Grace, than the mind of another, 4ly. It is useful for the constant Exercise of Grace, and that because [Page 87] it keeps him from being easily overcome with Tem­ptation, 2ly, He cannot weary of it, for he finds a pleasure in it. And 3ly. He does not soon satisfy himself with what he has done, because he sees many of his Imperfections therein; But 3ly. Mortification is good for the life of Comfort, Because it fits a Man for discoveries of God, Matth. 5.8. It qualifies him for hope, 1 John 3.3. And contributes to the intrinsick pleasure, that the New Man has in Duty. And 4ly. It brings the life of Glory with it, because it tends to prepare a Man for it.

From all this we may see 1st. The cause, why many Christians wants the intimation of their Par­don: its because they study not Mortification. 2ly. We see, that we need not lay the blame of the want of Sanctification, either upon Gods sparingness to give us sanctifying Grace, or upon External Temptations, so much as upon our own neglect of Mortifying our Lusts. 3ly. This tells us, why so many Professors are Strangers to Comforts.

Use 2d, Of Exhortation, if we would win ha­stily to Heaven, we would strive to mortify Lusts, and as we would have those Advantages, let us go a­bout the Duty: 1st. Labour for the discovery of the Evills, in the Imperfections of your Services, Rom. 7.21. 2ly. Repent of them, Jam. 4.8.9. Con­tinually groan under Corruption, Rom. 7.24. make no provision for Corruption, Rom. 13. last. And ap­ply the promises of the Gospel, 2 Cor. 7.1. Next, study to reflect on the prejudices you have sustained by them, how oft they have brought on Judgements upon your Person, made you Scandalous to others, interrupted your Communion with God, broken [Page 88] your peace of Conscience. Next, Regulate your life by the Word, having a constant Eye upon that as your Rule.

Use 2d. Of Reproof, If this be so advantageous an Exercise; it reproves those that lay this work aside, because they think the neglect of Mortifica­tion is consistent with Grace, but (as we were say­ing) it is not consistent with the Life of Grace, And the total neglect of it is inconsistent with Grace it self. 3ly. It reproves those that forbear Mortification because they see not many Evils to Mortifie, through want of Self-Examination. 4ly. Those that spare their Sins, because they think there are few free of the like of these Evills, they are loath to Mortify.

Use 3d. Of Tryal, To try whether we be about this Work or not. 1st. The Man that is about this Work, he is glad of any actual separation Providence makes between him and his Ills by Crosses. 2ly. He is daily watchful against External Temptations. 3ly. He is daily porcing on the Mischiefs that Sin does him, and Prays more for Grace against sin, then to be free of Crosses, and welcoms that Word most that particularly hits his Evills, and does not spurn at it.

Observe 3ly. That the Spirit is the great and principal cause of Mortification; This is clear if ye con­sider the strength and deceitfulness of Lusts, it must require the Spirits power, in opposition to them. 2ly. if ye consider, the ineffectualness of the means that many enjoy, without the Spirits Blessing. 3ly. If ye consider that even those that are weak in natural parts, they will, when they depend upon the Spirit, find great success in Mortification, beyond others.

[Page 89]The manner how the Spirit does Mortifie, is by discovering the hatefulness of Sin, and its danger, 2ly. By applying the promises of the Gospel, and so outbidding Corruption 3ly. By enforcing the Com­mands of God, against sin, upon the Conscience.

Use, If it be so, we should use the means, and Pray for the Spirits Blessing upon them. 2ly. We should not grieve the Mortifieing Spirit, by unwatchfulness against External Temptations, by want of Self-Exa­mination to discern our Evills, by falling into a frame of indifferency about Mortification, that so we desire it faintly.

HEre is a proof, That those that Mortify their Cor­ruption by the Spirit, shall live, because They are the Sons of God; And he proves this, because that as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Observe, the Children of God, are led by Gods Spirit; I shall clear how this is, and then apply it.

And first, The Spirit leads the Child of God, by giving him saving Instruction, this is Gods teaching according to the Covenant-Promise. 1st. He opens his understanding that he may understand the Scrip­tures, Luke 24.45. He makes them understand Truth & Error, 1 John 2.27. 2ly. He reveals the good things of the Gospel to him in their reality, and usefulness, 1 Cor. 2, 13. 3ly. He reveals the spiritu­ality of the Law to them, he makes the Command­ment which is the Law, come in its spiritual mean­ing [Page 90] to them, Rom. 7.9. 4ly. He instructs them in the vanity of the Creature, he makes them see an end of all perfection, Psal. 119.96 But 2ly. He leads them as a Comforter, and Encourager of them in their Journey, and this he does these three ways, 1st. By witnessing their Adoption, Rom. 8.15. 2ly. By helping them to apply the Promises, Eph. 1.13. 3ly. By exciting their Hope, Rom. 15.13. A 3d. way how he leads them is by strengthening their Grace, and so assisting them in their Duty, Eph. 3 16. A 4th, Way is, By exciting them to their Duty when they are laisy: And this is done 1st. By bringing the Word to their Remembrance. Jo. 14.27. 2ly. By bringing their Engagements to God to their remembrance. 3ly. He excites them to their Duty, by making them observe the Call of Exciteing Providences. A 5th: Way is, By being a Reprover to them, discovering to them their sinful Inclinations, and strayings out of the way A 6th. Way is, By discovering unto them, and giving them a foresight of the Stum­bling-blocks that lye in the way, and of the manifold Temptations they may meet with in it. A 7th. Way is, By determining them in dubious cases; Paul was bound in the Spirit, to go to Jerusalem, tho Agabas the Prophet told him of his suffering there.

From this, We may make an Use of Tryal; We may conclude that we are Gods Children, if we ob­serve these Operations of the Spirit in us. 2ly. We would be exhorted to beware of these things, that marrs the presence of this Guide from us. And 1st. We would beware of impenitency under known Guilt, Psal. 51. David was afraid of the loseing the free Spirit by his Impenitency. 2ly. Beware of [Page 91] Worldliness, John 14 17. 3ly. Beware of Intem­perance, These that would be filled with the Spirit, must not be filled with Wine, Eph. 5.18. 4ly. Be­ware of an Vindictive Spirit, Eph. 4.31. 5ly. Be­ware of slighting the Motions of the Spirit, if we would live by the Spirit, we must walk in the Spi­rit, Gal. 5.25. 6ly. Beware of a Legal Frame of Spirit: The Spirit glorifies Christ, and so is griev­ed, when Christians give not Christ his due. The Spirit glorifies Christ, John 16.14. 7ly. We would beware of Laziness, or lying by from the use of appointed Means, for that is the Way to quench the Spirit, 1 Thess. 5.19. 8 [...]y. Beware of negle­cting Praying for the Spirit, for the Father gives the holy Spirit to them that ask him. 9ly. Beware of casting your self upon Temptations, we should abstain from all appearance of Evil, if we would not quench the Spirit, 1 Thess. 5.22.

Motives to perswade us to entertain the presence of this Guide. 1st. He is an unerring Guide; He neither can nor will mislead us, 2ly. He is an experienced Guide, he hath led many Sons to Glo­ry. 3ly, He is sent by the Father and the Son to lead the Believer to Heaven. 4ly. This Guide is near us, and constantly with us, if we doe not grieve him, he remaineth with us, and shall be in us, John 14, 17. 4ly. This Guide is absolutely needful for the Christian, without him he has no Light, no Comfort, and no Strength: The igno­rant, dejected and weak Condition of the Christian makes the guiding and leading of the Spirit abso­lutely needful to him.

[Page 92]There is a 3d. Use of Consolation from this Do­ctrine, if the Child of God have the leading of the Spirit, he may be much comforted under the various Cases he is in in the World; he is many times weak for his Duty, The Spirit can strengthen him with Might in the inward Man: The Child of God is many times environed with Temptations, the Spi­rit can give him the foresight of these: He is ma­ny times straitned to know what is his Duty, The Spirit can lead the blind by a way they know not; He is subject to many Discouragements, but the Spi­rit is a strong Comforter. The Child of God is sub­ject, through self-love, to overlook his Faults, but the Spirit is a sharp and seasonable Reprover; The Child of God is subject to lazieness, and upsitting in the Way of God, but the Spirit of God is a sea­sonable and powerful Exciter to Duty.

There is a 4th. Use of Instruction from the Do­ctrine; This instructs us what is the Cause, Why the Children of God keep Gods Way, notwithstand­ing of their Weakness in the Point of Light, not­withstanding of the remaining Wickedness of their Heart, and notwithstanding of the manifold exter­nal Temptations; It is neither the strength of their Reason, nor the strength of their Inherent Grace, that is the Principal Cause of their keeping the way of God; but this is the Cause of it, Because they are led by the Spirit of God.

There is an other Use of Instruction from the Doctrine, It instructs us in the misery of these that are not Gods Children, such are not led by his Spi­rit; For to be led by his Spirit, is the alone Priviledge of Sons; and this must be a great Misery to want [Page 93] this Guide; because such are led by bad Exampl [...] in this World, by the Dictates of Corrupt Reason and by the swing of their Lusts.

There is an other Use from this Doctrine, and that is of Exhortation to the Godly, to exhort them rightly to improve this Priviledge; And for this Effect, 1st. They would be humble and docile to his Teachings; the meek he will guide in Judge­ment, the meek he will teach his way, Psal. 52.10. 2ly. They would improve his Comforts for En­couragement to walk in the Way of God, Acts 9.31. 3ly. They would be painful in improving his Assistance, Col. 1.29. 1 Cor. 15.10. 4ly. They would shun these Temptations he forwarnes them of. And 5ly: They would hearken to these Calls to Duty, and Excitements he trysts them with,

HEre the Apostle proves, that those that are led by the Spirit, they are the Sons of God, by two Arguments; One is, that they have received the Spirit of Adoption, The other is, the Spirit of God, and their own Spirit witnesseth that they are Sons. Observe 1st. That Gods People receive the Spirit of Bondage, before they receive the Spirit of Adoption. Observe 2ly. That the Elect People of God, that receive the Spirit of Bondage, they are allowed of God the Spirit of Adoption, 3ly. [Page 94] Observe, That those that have received the Spirit of Adoption, they never again receive the Spirit of Bondage. 4ly. The Spirit of Adoption, where it is, it is a Spirit of Liberty; it is here opposed to a Spirit of Bondage. Observe 5ly. That those that receive the Spirit of Adoption, their condition is pre­ferable to those that receive a Spirit of Bondage. 6ly. The Apostle seems to glance at the frame of Gods People, that lived under the Legal Administration, differing it from the frame of such as lived under the Administration of the Gospel. Observe 7ly. That the Spirit of Adoption in Believers, prompts them to Prayer, and these Prayers are free and fearless, fervent and serious; and these Two Qualities of Prayer are included in the Word, Crying: As also these Prayers are confident and affectionate; the Spi­rit of Adoption makes them cry, Father. 8ly. Ob­serve, the Spirit of Adoption is a Benefite common to the Gentiles with the Jews. The Apostle, to de­note this, he expresses the homely Compellation of God, both in Hebrew and Greek:

For the First Observation, that the Elect People of God receive the Spirit of Bondage, before they receive the Spirit of Adoption; We shall clear it. 1st. By shewing what is meant by the Spirit of Bondage, and what is meant by the Spirit of Adoption. 2ly. We shall prove that God dispenses the Spirit of Bon­dage to the Elect, before he dispenses the Spi­rit of Adoption. 3ly. We shall give the Reasons of this Dispensation. And 4ly. Give the Uses of the Point.

For the First, by the Spirit of Bondage, is meant, that Frame of Soul, wrought in them by Gods Spi­rit, [Page 95] preparing them for the state of Conversion, springing from a sight of their state of Bondage, while they are in an state of Nature, convinceing them of their state of slavery to Sin and Satan, and so bringing them under a full Conviction of their unability to relieve themselves from that condition; Likeas, this Conviction is attended with a Grief for their former sins, and a fear of their imminent dan­ger. By the Spirit of Adoption is meant that dispo­sition of Soul, wrought in the Elect, becoming the state of Adoption; It is wrought by Gods Spirit, through the application of Gospel-Promises. It in­cludes in it. 1st. The reverential awe of God. 2ly. An affection and care to imitate God in his moral Perfections. 3ly. A kindly submission to his Corrections. 4ly. A lively Expectation of the Inheritance of God.

For the second thing proposed, Viz. the Proof of this, that God dispenses to the Elect the Spirit of Bondage, before he dispenses to them the Spirit of Adoption, It is clear from the Experience of the Converts, Acts 2. And from Pauls Experience at his Conversion; and from the Experience of the Jaylor.

For the third Thing, Viz. The Reasons why God thus dispenses to his Elect the Spirit of Bondage, be­fore the Spirit of Adoption, they are these. 1st. He does this, that he may make the Mysteries of the Gospel more credible to them; For before a Man be convinced of his Sin and Misery, The Mystery of Christs Cross seems but a Fable; to the uncon­vinced Jew Christs Cross is but a stumbling Block, and to the unconvinced Greek it seems foolishness: [Page 96] but to the convinced and called Man, it is the Wis­dom of God, and the Power of God. See 1 Cor. 1. 2ly. He does this, to disengage their Affections from sin; Our hearts through long custom acquire a great lyking to a course of sinning, and untill our Spirits smart for our sins by grief and fear, we cannot fall in a dislike with them. 3ly. He does this, that thereby he may bring us to quite our own Righte­ousness, and accept of Christ; For Pride, Self-love, and Blindness of Mind do all concurr to make us tenacious of our own Righteousness, before the Spi­rit work this Work in us. A 4th. Is, he dispenses this, to make his Elect willing to subject themselves to the Divine Law, as a Rule of Life; for when they are made by the Spirit of Conviction to smart for sin, no terms of their freedom from sin and mi­sery, seems hard to them. A 5th. Reason he thus dispenses, is that he may bring his own to have an [...] high Esteem of Christ. to reckon all things but as dung and dross, in comparison of the Son of God. A 6th. is, he does it, that he may make the bur­then of Christs Cross seem light to them.

For the 4th. Thing proposed, the Uses of the Point, The First is, an Use of Tryal; hereby ye may try if ye have had the Spirit of Bondage or no; if the Mystery of Christs Cross be credible; If sin appear an hateful thing to you; If readily ye ac­cept of Christs offered Righteousness; If willingly ye subject your selves to the Divine Law, as a Rule of Life; If ye prefer Christ to all things in your Esteem; If ye esteem the burthen of Christs Cross light. Then ye have received the Spirit of Bon­dage.

[Page 97]2d. Sort of Uses, are Uses of Instruction, It in­structs us in the Cause, why so many Men see so little of the Moral Ill of Sin; the Cause is, they have not received the Spirit of Bondage. 2ly. Since the Spirit of Bondage goes before the Spirit of Adopti­on, we may soon see, that if the Spirit of Bondage be a rare thing in the World, the Work of Conversion is as rare. 3 [...]y. We may be instructed, that the Hearts of the Elect are very stupid under sin, be­cause that a mans Convict [...]on of his sin and misery must be brought about by the mighty Power of the Spirit of Bondage.

The Causes of the stupidity under sin before this Work of the Spirit of Bondage are, 1st. A feared Conscience, through customary sinning. A 2d. Is Impunity, Eccl. 9.3. A 3d. is Prosperity in sin, Ephraim said, I am become rich, there is no iniquity in me. A 4th. Cause is the flattery of Ministers and Neighbours. A 5th. Cause is leaning to formal Services.

There is a 3d. Use of Exhortation to Ministers, to preach the Law; to prepare People for receiving of the Gospel, because it is the moral Mean, whereby this Work is wrought. A 2d. Use is, to all the Members of the Visible Kirk, as they would desire this necessary preparatory Work to be wrought in them, so they would consider the Spirituality and Perfection of the Law, and examine their Life ac­cording to it.

A second Observation, Viz. That God allowes the Spirit of Adoption to these that have received the Spirit of Bondage; He gives them this Frame, to evidence the Reality of the Grant of Adoption; [Page 98] and this Grant of Adoption is given them to test [...] his Love, 1 John 1.3. 2ly. To testify his Resp [...] to Christ, to whom they are united, Eph. 1.6. A [...] 3ly. To confirm their hope of Glory, he gives th [...] this Honourable Title to it, over and above the T [...] tle they have to it, by their Justification.

The Use of this, is 1st. of Consolation; if G [...] give them the Spirit of Adoption, to evidence t [...] Reality of this Grant; Then these that have the S [...] rit of Adoption may be sure, that God deals wi [...] them as with Children; he'll correct them for th [...] faults, Heb. 12 6. He'll pity them, under the straits, Psal. 103.13. He'll punish them sparing Mal. 3.17. He'll give them access to himself un [...] their Trouble, Eph. 2.18. He'll be reconcilable [...] them after their strayings, Luke 15. He'll provi [...] for all their wants, Mat. 6.32. And he'll give the [...] the Heavenly Inheritance in the end, Rom. 8.17.

Use of Reproof, since God allows the Spirit [...] Adoption to these that have had the Spirit of Bo [...] dage; It reproves such who have had some measur [...] of the Spirit of Bondage, and do lay Obstructio [...] in their own way, for their receiving the Spirit [...] Adoption: Such are these, 1st. Who refuse [...] take with all the Aggravations of their Guilt, s [...] Psal. 32.9. 2d. Sort are such, who continue ignora [...] of the Grace of the Gospel. A 3d. sort, are sud [...] who continue an respect to their old Predominan [...] A 4th. sort are such, who are tenacious of their ow [...] Righteousness, and will not quite it.

It is to be Observed, That God, in his Soveraig [...] Wisdom, deals variously with his Elect, as to th [...] leaving them longer or shorter time under the Pre [...] sures [Page 99] of the Spirit of Bondage; There are some that lye short time under it; As 1st. Such as are called in their younger Years. 2ly. Such as are called, presently after their Conversion, to great and difficult Services, as it was with Paul. 3ly. Such as upon their Conversion are called to endure hard [...]ersecutions, as it was with these Converts, Acts [...]3. Some he continues longer under the Spirit of Bondage, As 1st. Such as are Persons of Eminent Gifts, such as Heman was, Psal. 88. This he does to to prevent their Pride. A 2d. sort are such, as have been very gross sinners before their Conversion, such are continued longer under the fears of Wrath, that their Condition may be a scar to others to live in gross sins. A 3d. sort are such, who are continu­ed long under these fears, that they may acquire a skill and sympathy, to be useful and comfortable to those, that are in the like condition.

For the 3d. Observation, These that once have received the Spirit of Adoption, the Spirit of God never becomes to them a Spirit of Bondage; A full Conviction, that the sinner is presently lyable to wrath cannot be wrought by Gods Spirit, in the Adopted Child of God; because such a Conviction as this, is inconsistent with the Word, seing the Adopted Child of God, notwithstanding of his Failings, is not un­der the Law, but under Grace. If it be questioned, what fears the Child of God may be allowed to en­tertain? seing this Text tells us, that he is not allow­ed to entertain a fear of his present actual lyableness into Wrath? It may be answered to the Question, he should entertain a fear and jealousie of the Evil of his own Heart, that it may make him neglect [Page 100] his Duty, and mislead him into sin, Phil. 2.12. 2ly. He should fear, that he will fall under certain ruine, on supposition of his total Apostasie from God; and this fear will breed an aversation from sins agai [...] light, and upsitting in duty, and halting in the wa [...] of God, seing that Carriage has an tendency to Apo­stasie: the Apostle, in the Epistle to the Hebrews la­bours to cure their lame walk in the way of God by proposing the danger of Apostasie to them.

Use 1st. Of Reproof, to such that are Gods A­dopted Children, who have tormenting fears [...] Wrath in their bosom, which fears are not wrough [...] by Gods Spirit, but they flow from their own mi [...] believing hearts, and Satans suggestions, and are per­mitted of God as Chastisements for their former si [...] such, I say; are to be reproved, who reckon the [...] fears well grounded, as judgeing them wrought b [...] Gods Spirit, when as they are nothing but permit­tod of God for their Chastisement. 2ly. Such ar [...] to be reproved, who entertain these fears, as an [...] for restraint against sin, seing although they [...] restrain from the outward Transgression, yet th [...] are never effectual to remove the inward Inclinati­on to sin.

Use 2d. Of Exhortation, Seing God allows no [...] his Adopted Children to entertain Tormenting fears of Wrath, they would beware of these Sins, that provocks God to give them up to their mis-believ­ing Hearts to fill them with these fears; As first, They would beware of Scandalous Sinning, for a Act of a life after the flesh draws with it the fear of Everlasting Death. 2ly. They would beware of Im­penitency for their old sins before Conversion; P [...] [Page 101] was an man that Exercised Repentance continually for his old Persecution, and therefore we do not much read, that he was troubled with the Spirit of Bondage after. 3ly. Beware of Relapses in Predo­minants, for these always break the peace of Con­science. 4ly. Beware of indifferency as to grouth, and of contentment with your present Attainements in Religion: For it is only such who make progress in the way of God, that enjoys most of the Com­forts of the Gospel, and are freest of Tormenting Fears, these that walk in the fear of God, walk al­so in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost, Acts 9.31. 5ly. Beware of these Sins mentioned, Eph. 4.30. which greives the Spirit of God, and makes him forbear to discover to the Godly, that they belong to God, as his peculiar Treasure, and where that dis­covery is wanting, the Heart cannot but be subject to Tormenting Fears.

Observe 4ly. That the native effect of the pre­sence of the Spirit of Adoption in a Believer, is Spi­ritual freedom, it is here opposed to the Spirit of Bon­dage; this spiritual liberty appears from the Christi­ans freedom from these Fears that are awakned in him, through the Accusations of his Conscience for Guilt. 2ly. In his freedom from the Fears of Death. 3ly. In his freedom from the Fears of severe Judge­ments, 4ly. In his freedom from the fear of Gods Wrath, and frightful Dispensations.

2ly. As the Spirit of Freedom lyes in a being quite of these Tormenting Fears; so it lyes in a ready and dareing Application of Gods Promises suiteable to our Exigence, when we reckon it no presumption to apply promises as we need them. 3ly. It lyes in a [Page 102] Liberty for supplication, when we have no Jealousy of God, that he will take advantage of us in our low condition; but when we can with great freedom of spirit, open our own Heart befor him, as an Affectio­nate Father. In a word, Faith hath its fullest free­dom in Prayer; where the spirit of freedom is, there­in is Believing the acceptance of our Prayers, the prevalency of our Prayers, and the fullest accom­plishment of the promises that are in our view. 4ly. The Spirit of Liberty lyes in this, that with great fa­cility we get our duty done by the presence of this Spirit, Mastering our Corruptions, and repelling the Devills Temptations, that may obstruct us in our Duty; We walk at liberty in keeping Gods Precepts 5ly. The Spirit of Liberty where it is, it keeps us from the crushing weight of Crosses, because it lets us see, that all our Crosses are totally free of the Curse of the Law, and so the Man has Internal Free­dom of Spirit, and rest in his Soul under out­ward Trouble: And this holds out the greatness of the benefite of the Spirit of Adoption.

Observe 5ly. That Familiarity in Prayer is the special effect of the Spirit of Adoption, This Fa­miliarity in Prayer appears in an free and fearless Confession of our Guilt and Heart-Plagues before God. 2ly. In a humble and submissive Represen­tation of the difficulties of our case to him. 3ly. In the reasoning with him for supply, strength and delivery upon the account of his promises, as Nehe­miah did, Neh. 1. 4ly. In peremptor Desires after spiritual Good, when with Jacob, we will not let him goe untill he Bless us.

[Page 103]Motives to this Familiarity are. 1st. Gods Fa­therly Relation to us. 2ly. His sitting upon a Throne of Grace, and not upon a Throne of Justice, he follows a method of Grace, and not of strict Justice in his dispensations towards his People. 3d. Motive is, Christs Sympathy is the spring of his In­tercession for his People: A 4th. is, The example of the Saints using this Familiarity with God, is pro­posed in the Scripture for our Imitation.

The means to win to this Familiarity, Are 1st. We should study singleness and sincerity, Heb. 10.22. 2ly. We should beware of these Sins we have repent­ed of, Vowed against, and have born Chastisements from the hand of God for them. 3ly. We would beware of Formality, and study Seriousness and For­vour in our Devotions.

HEre the Apostle proves, That the Sons of God may be Familiar with him, because they may be assured of their Sonship: Likeas here he proves that the Children of God must live, by a second Ar­gument: He proves their Sonship, because it is witnessed by the Testimony of Gods Spirit, and by the Testimony of their own Conscience.

Observe, 1st. That Gods People may be assured of Sonship.

Observe, 2ly. That the manner of attaining it, is by the Testimony of the Spirit, and by the Testi­mony of Conscience.

[Page 104]For the First Observation, I clear the attainable­ness of assurance, by these Four Grounds. 1st. God Commands to endeavour to attain it. 2 Pet: 1.11, 12. 2ly. The Saints have attained it before, Rom. 8. Last. Ye see the experience of David frequently in the Psalms. 3ly. He hath laid down positive marks in th Scripture, evidenceing the state of Son­ship, many of these are set down in the 1 Epist. John, and it cannot be conceived that the Spirit of God should lay down these Marks but for this end, that the People of God by discerning them in themselves may attain to Assurance thereby. 4th. Ground is the necessity and usefulness of Assurance to Gods People; Without Assurance they cannot win to the Love of God, which is a necessary Principle for Gospel-Obedience; without it we cannot r [...]joice in Tribulation, which is their necessary Duty, and ap­proveable temper, Rom. 5.3. Without it they can­not rejoice in God, as their Covenanted Portion ibid 10. Without this we cannot be cheerful in Obedi­dience, We cannot rejoice and work Righteousness. As also, without Assurance they cannot rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God; Likeas, it should be con­sidered, That Gods promises into his People are made for that end, that they may be applyed, and without this Assurance, Believers can have no free­dom to apply these Promses.

The Apostasie of Temporary Believers speaks nothing against this Assurance, Because true Believers have Attainments, that Temporary Believers are wholly Strangers to, Heb. 6.9. And albeit the Holy Ghost does dispense Threatnings in the word, against Apostates, Gods method in that, militates nothing [Page 105] against Assurance: And that first, because these Threatnings are given out indefinitly against the whole Members of the Visible Church, amongst whom there are many Hypocrites. And 2ly. Be­cause the Holy Ghost makes use of these Threatnings, to beget in the Heart of true Believers, a Cautelous Fear, and abstaining from Sins against Light, which sins in their own nature have a Tendency to Apo­stasie.

Use of this serves, To reprove the Error of the Roman Church, which maintains, that true Believ­ers can attain to no more then a conjectural Opinion anent their sonship. 2ly. It reproves the Carnal Professors of the Visible Church, who, because of their being strangers to the Operations of the Spirit in the Hearts of true Believers, look upon Assurance as an unattainable thing.

As to the second Observation, The way to win to this Assurance, it is set down in the Text, and it is by getting a two fold Testimony for our Sonship; The one from the Spirit, and the other from our Conscience.

The Spirit Testifies to our Sonship. 1st. By giv­ing an External Revelation in the Scriptures, that penitent Believers are the Sons of God, John 1.12. 2ly. The Spirit concurrs with this Testimony, by il­luminating the Mind and Understanding, and per­swading it of the truth of this External Revelation, 1 Cor. 2.12. 3ly. The Spirit concurrs to this Te­stimony, by being an evidence of our Sonship, by reason of his Gracious sanctifying presence in us: Therefore the Scripture calls him the Earnest of our Inheritance, Eph. 1: 13, and Gods Seal on us Eph: [Page 106] 4.30, 4ly. The Spirit testifies our Sonship by giving us this Internal Objective Revelation. viz. That we are Sons, and that we have these true Graces in us, that are the true Marks of our Adopted state; and albeit we cannot discern a true difference between a suggestion of the Spirit of God injecting this thought in us, That we are [...]on [...], differing, I say, from the Act of our Conscience concluding our Sonship from reflecting on the truth of our Graces; yet there may be a difference between these Two; the thought and persuasion injected by the Spirit, being attended with a total expulsion of all Fears: Whereas the Act of the Conscience may have some mixture of fears attending it: And if we consider this Text, which asserts the Spirit, to be a Co-witness with Conscience testifieing Sonship, it supposeth that the Spirit doth give this Internal Objective Revelation to the Mind, as a di­stinct Testimony from that of the Conscience; For to say, that all that the Spirit, works in this affair, is to assist the Conscience concluding Sonship from the discerning of the true Marks of a renewed state; To say this does not seem to be the whole of his Text; for in that case the Spirit helps only the Conscience to be a Witness; but he cannot properly be called a Testator himself, yea also and another Testator be­sides the Conscience, which the Text does here assert neither doeth t [...] is Assertion of the Spirits giving this Internal Objective Revelation anent the Son ship of the Saints, take off Believers from the written word, as a Rule of their Life, and expose Believers to de­lusions, by leading them to wait upon Internal Reve­lations differing from the Revelations made in Scrip­ture: And that 1st. Because this Internal Revela­tion [Page 107] is agreeable to Scripture-Revelation, because it is the Revelacion of Sonship to a particular Mem­be [...] of the Church, who hath all the Scripture-marks of an Adopted state; neither is this internal Reve­lation of Sonship to a particular Believer, a new Re­velation of a new Article of Faith, not contained in the Scriptures, added to the Creed of other Believ­ers, obliedging them to believe the same; it is on­ly the Revelation of a Truth, consonant to the Scri­ptures, made to a particular Believer to his comfort; And if it be said, the asserting of such an Revelation leaves men at great uncertainty, because they may take Satans Suggestion for the Testimony of the Spirit. It is Answered, The Testimony of the Spi­rit is attended with the Testimony of Conscience, concluding upon rational Grounds their Sonship, he is said here to be a Co-witness with our Spirits. 2ly. Where it is, it brings with it a disposition and promp­titude for Prayer: It is the Testimony of the Spi­rit of Adoption, whereby we Cry Abba, Father. 3ly. It disposes the Soul for Holiness, it is the ho­ly Spirit of Promise, that gives this Testimony, Eph. 1.13.

There are these Three or Four Ways, whereby we may win to this Spirits Testimony. As. 1st. By exact walking, God gives it as a Reward to his Obedient Children, 2ly. By being of a Gospel-frame of Spirit, he is the holy Spirit of Promise, and we receive the Spirit as well in his comforting Testi­mony, as in his Sanctifying Vertue, by improving the Gospel; We receive the Spirit by the hearing of Faith, Gal. 3.2. That is by the acceptance and improving of the Object of Faith, Viz. the Pro­mise [Page 108] of the Gospel. A 3d. Way we receive the Spirit, is to be devout, much given to Prayer, the Spirit of Adoption prompting us to pray, is atten­ded with this Testimony, as we see by thir two Verses joined together A 4th. Way to win at it, is Labour for the constant witnessing of our own Con­science, testifying to our Son ship, and this is win at by studying singleness and sincerity, 2 Cor. 1.12. See Job [...] Experience, 2ly. We would labour for the grouth of Grace, for when Grace is growen, it is better seen than when it is in a mean measure. 3ly. We would labour to have all the Graces of the Spirit; for our shortcoming in some, makes us jea­lous we want all. 4ly. When God calls us to self-denying Acts of Obedience, we would readily an­swer Gods Call; For if God take self-denying Acts of Obedience for Evidences of the Truth of Grace, a mans own Conscience may safely take them for a sure Evidence of the same, for God says, Gen. 22. That by Abrahams offering up of Isaac, he knew that he feared God.

HERE the Apostle infers a certainty of the Children of Gods possessing the Inheritance; If Children, then Hears; and he commends that In­heritance from these two Grounds; As 1st. It is an Inheritance suitable to the Giver; they are Heirs [Page 109] of God. 2d. Ground is, it is the same Inheritance possest by the Lord Christ, they are Co-heirs with him; The Apostle here also prevents an Objection that might be made against this Doctrine, which might be taken from the suffering Lot of the Saints; and he turns the Objection to a Confirmation of this Truth, See 1 Pet. 1.14 If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorifyed toge­ther.

Observe 1st. From the Text, that God's Chil­dren shall certainly possess the Inheritance; The 1st. Ground of this Objective Certainty is, the Oath and Promise of the Covenant, See Heb. 6. 2d. Ground is, the two Priviledges of the Saints, whereby they have Right to this Inheritance. And these are 1st. Justification. Tit. 3.6. 2ly. Adoption, See the Text. 3d. Ground are the Seals whereby God confirms the Promise of this Inheritance to his People. 1st. Seal is the internal Seal of the Spirit, Eph. 1.13. 2d. Seal is the external Seal of the Sacrament of the Supper, which is a Seal of the Communion of his Body and Blood, the Bread which we break is the Communion of his Body, and the Cup which we drink, is the Communion of his Blood, 2 Cor. 10. And we know that the Communion of his Body and Blood secures Eternal Life to the Believer, ac­cording to his Doctrine, John. 6. The 4th. Ground of Certainty, is the Enjoyment of the first Fruits of the Spirit, Viz. Peace and Joy, which are the Be­ginnings of Heaven; They that wait for the first Fruits, they wait for the Adoption and Redemption of their Body, see the Verses subsequent to this Text. The 5th. Ground of Certainty is, the performance [Page 110] of that Good to the Children of Israel, that was Ty­pical of this. God possest the natural Seed of A­braham, of the earthly Canaan, which was a Type that he would possess the Spiritual Seed of Abraham of the Heavenly Canaan.

Ʋse, This Exhorts the Godly to be content with their Lot, and to make nothing their Treasure and Felicity, which is upon Earth. 2 [...]y. It Exhorts the Godly to attain a subjective certainty of this In­heritance, and to found that subjective certainty on the former Grounds, which clear the objective cer­tainty of the same. 3ly. This lets the World see, that Godliness is no folly, because the Godly have sufficient Grounds, for the certain Possession of their Salvation.

Observe, 2ly. That the Inheritance is such as becomes God to give; It is clear, because it is a suitable Expression of his infinite Love, 1 John 3.1 1st. It is a manifestation of the reality of the Grant of Adoption: when Gods People shall enjoy it, there will be no room left for doubting that God did re­ally reckon them his Children, when he favoured them with Adoption; the day when they possess that Inheritance is called a day of the manifestation of the Sons of God. 2ly. God is an all sufficient God, this is an all-sufficient Inheritance, God is all in all, 1 Cor. 15. The Godly inherite all things, Rev. 2 [...]. 3ly. God is an Eternal and Unchange­able God, and therefore it is an Eternal Inheritance, it cannot be wasted away. It is an Inheritance in­corruptible, that fades not away, 1 Pet. 1.3. 4ly. We cannot be dispossessed of this Inheritance, not by Power or Violence; for the Omnipotence of our [Page 111] God secures us against all opposition, the Inhabi­tants of the New Jerusalem are within a City high­ly walled: We cannot be dispossest by Law-Quirks or Cheats, for we have the ultimate Decision of the great Judge, Mat. 25. see the Process of Judgement; our God is an holy God, and therefore this Inheri­tance is undefiled, 1 Pet. 1.3. Created Enjoyments are subject to be abused by men, through their Cor­ruption, (it is a piece of the vanity of the Crea­ture, to which it is subjected, that it may be made Fewel to Lust) but this is a Land, wherein dwelleth Righteousness, there is nothing enters that de­files.

This is to reprove those, that have low and car­nal Conceptions of this Inheritance. 2ly. It re­proves such, who have mean Expectations from God in this World, and are content with mean Mea­sures of Spiritual Good, seing God designs to pos­sess them of such an Excellent Inheritance.

Observe 3ly. That the Inheritance to be pos­sest by Gods Children, for the nature of it, is the same possest by the man Christ; the Glory the Father gives to him, he gives to them, John 17. [...]4. They participate of the same Spirit with him, they that have not the Spirit of Christ, are none of his: that same Spiritual Life that he has, is con­ferred on them; because he lives, they live, John 14. And as the living Father sent him, and he lives by the Father, so they that eat him shall live by him, John 6.57. The Glory of their Body is of the same kind with his, Phil. 3. last. That same Love that the Father hath to him, vents it self in suitable Expressions towards them, John 17. last. They are [Page 112] admitted to the same glorious Place with him, John 14.3. That same light of Glory, whereby they see him as he is, brings them to a conformity with him, 1 John 3.2. The Reason of this is, their Adoption, which calls for this Participation of Glory; if Chil­dren then Co-heirs with Christ, and this Adoption is granted to give them a Title to this Inheritance, 1 John 3.2. There must be conformity betwixt the Head and the Members, but Christ must have the Preéminence, in respect of Degrees, Col. 1.18. He is the First born amongst many Brethren.

This speaks the great Love of the Redeemer, that is content to communicate his Inheritance with us, 2ly. It calls on Believers to make their Right un­questionable, to this excellent Inheritance. 3ly. It exhorts Believers to be content with their suffering Lot, seing they are to share in his Glory. 4ly. It exhorts them to imitate him in his Obedience: it was universal, he did always what pleased the Fa­ther: it was conscientious, out of respect to the Fa­thers Command. As the Father gave him Com­mandment, even so he did, John 15. last. It was single, done with respect to the Fathers Glory; he glorified his Father on Earth, he sought not his own Glory, but the Glory of him that sent him; It was a self-denying Obedience, he humbled himself and became obedient to death.

Observe 4ly. Christ behooved to suffer before he was glorified, Luke 24. Christ behooved to suffer, and so to enter into his Glory; the Reason is, be­cause he behooved to satisfie Justice fully, as the So­verty of his People, before Justice could admit him into the Possession of his Glory. 2ly. He behooved [Page 113] to go through the Course of his Obedience, before the possession of his Reward. 3ly. The Father gives a full instance of the consistence of his Love with a suffering Lot, 4ly. By this, the Father would make a discovery, what should be the course of his Providence, towards his Adopted Children, viz. That they should be brought, through, many suffer­ings, to the possession of their Glory.

And this tells us 1st, That we should not stum­ble at the sufferings of Gods People, as tho that Lot signified Gods want of Love to them. or the want of a purpose to Glorifie them; 2ly. It reproves the Discontentment of Gods Children with their suffer­ing Lot; It is an arrogant presumption in them, to expect that God will use more tenderness in his dealing towards them, then he hath used towards his own only begotten Son. 3ly. It may contribute towards the strengthening the Faith of the Saints in their Extremity of Sufferings, seing Christs Suffer­ings did not marr his Glory, they may expect that their Sufferings will not marr theirs. 4ly. It re­proves those that are impatiently desirous of Glory, and would shift a suffering Lot. 5ly. It bids us lay our Compt with a suffering Lot in this World. And this is a 5th. Observation from the Text: And this is done for the Tryal of their Faith, 1 Pet. 1.5. For the Exercise of their Patience, Ja. 1.3. For Morti­fication of their Sin; and their preparation for Hea­ven, 2 Cor: 4. last. As also, That they may have oc­casion for many Experiences of Gods Love, for Patience in Tribulation, works Experience, Rom. 5. And that they may have opportunity to prove the sincerity of their Love to God; and that they [Page 114] may try whether they Love God, even under h [...] Afflicting-Hand.

Ʋse, Seing this Providence is so reasonable, [...] your Heart comply with it. and let it be the oc [...] sion of the Exercise of all these Graces to you; and that your Heart may win to a complyance with it Labour 1st. to be Mortified to the Vanity of th [...] World. 2ly. Labour to Mortifie your Predom [...] ­nants, which alienate you from the Cross, as takin [...] away the Fewel from these Lusts. 3ly. Labour to a firm Faith, that your Sufferings will not, neith [...] can marr your Glory. 4ly. Be often considering That a part of your conformity with Christ stands [...] this, and that your Sufferings are an Moral mea [...] appointed of God, to make you meet for Glory.

Use 2d. If this be our appointed Lot, Let u [...] rather be desirous to have the Blessing of it, then t [...] be quite of it.

Ʋse 3d. It reproves those, who stumble at th [...] Providence, and that have their Mind alienate from Religion, upon that account.

Observe 6ly. The description that is given o [...] right Suffering, it is called a Suffering with Christ which is a testifying the same Truth, that he testi­fied unto, 1 Tim 1.13. It is not a Suffering for main­taining of Errors, or for committing of Crimes. 1 Pet. 4.13. 2ly. It is an imitating of Christ in the manner of our Sufferings, which takes in a Suffer­ing flowing from the like Principles, that his Suffer­ings did flow from; such as Love to God, Jo. 14.31 Love to the People of God, Jo. 15.12. Rev. 1.5 Self-Denyal, and Humility, Phil. 2.3, 4. Patience, 1 Pet. 2.22. Heb. 12.3. and Faith, Heb. 12, 2. Jo. [Page 115] 17.2, 3. 3ly. The imitation of Christ, in the man­ner of his Suffering lyes in this, that the forest Suffer­ings did not hinder him to be Active in Duty, so far as was possible, he went about doing good, Acts 10. He comforted and warned his Disciples under his Agony in the Garden, Matth. 27. 4ly. This Imitation, lyes in the entire submission to the disposal of Providence, not my will but thine be done says our Lord. 5ly. This Imitation lyes in our meekness towards our Persecutors, Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing, was the Language of our Saviour on the Cross. And 6ly. This imita­tion lyes, in not declining the variety of sufferings, and the extremity of them.

Use 1st. Of Tryal, To try whether we imitate Christ in the manner of our suffering; Use 2d. Of Imitation.

Motives to this Duty are 1st. He is proposed as our Patern, Heb. 12.1. 1 Pet. 2.21: Motive 2d. is, The Issues of his Sufferings are proposed for our En­couragement, Heb: 12, 2. 3d. Motive is, He was Innocent, and we are Guilty. 4th. Motive is, His Sufferings took the sting out of our sufferings.

THE Apostle, in the former Verses, having en­couraged Christians to suffer for Christ, from these two Grounds: The one is, That their suffer­ing [Page 116] Lot is, the way appointed by God to bring them to Glory; And the other is, That Christs Suffering Lot, was the way that he came to the Possession of his Glory: He, in this Verse encourages them to suffer for Christ; from this Ground, that there is no pro­portion, betwixt their Sufferings and their Glory; That there is much more satisfying good in their Glory, nor there is discouraging evil in their Cross. This is clear; if ye consider, That tho their Affliction causes Grief, yet their Glory hath in it, not only the removal of the occasion of their Grief, but it affords them matter of Exuberant Joy, Psal. 16, last 2ly. Their Afflictions do only afflict their outward Man, and their inward Man is Afflicted, by way of sympathy; But Glory intimately possesses the Soul. 3ly. There is no Christian that hath all Afflictions, but the Glorifyed Saint wants no comfort that is suitable to, or can gratifie the new Nature. 4ly. The Crossed Christian hath an mixture of Comfort with his Cross, both Temporal and Spiritual, but the Glorified Saint, his Comforts are not mixed with grief, or occasions thereof: no Death, no Sor­row, no Crying in Heaven. 5ly. The Number of the Comforting Ingredients, that are in the Lot of the Glorified Saint, exceeds far the Number of the Af­flicting Ingredients, that is in the sufferings of the Christian, while he is in his militant state; none can reckon up the particular good things that are in the Glorified state; Comforts springing from Com­munion with God, with Angels and Saints, Com­forts springing from the sanctity of the Soul, and in­corruptibility of the Body; Comforts springing from Reflections on their confirmed state, all these are in­numerable. [Page 117] 6ly. The Evil of the suffering of the Saints, is but Temporary, they end with this pre­sent Life, as the Text says, but the Glory to come is Eternal.

Ʋse 1st. Of Instruction, To let us see, that the vo­luntary Sufferings of the Saints, are not condignally Meritorious of Eternal Life; For 1st, God can be a Debitor to none, the Creature owes it self and all it hath to him. 2ly. The suffering Saint receives more Spiritual and Eternal Good from God, even in this Life, then can sufficiently compense any Evil that is in their Suffering Lot. 3ly. The sufferings of the Saints are Chastisements for their Sins, 1 Pet. 4.17. Therefore they cannot be Meritorious. 4ly. The Voluntary Sufferings of the Saints have Moral defects attending on them, they spring not from that degree of Love and Zeal that becomes, they are at­tended with Unbelief and Impatience.

This serves for the Humiliation of sufferers for Christ, and may be useful to refute the Popish Opi­nion anent the merit of Martyrs.

Ʋse 2d. To encourage Folks to suffer for Christ: For 1st. It is an Honour to suffer for him; To give a Testimony to that sacred Verity that he Preached, see Phil. 1. last. Acts 5. last. 2ly. Their Sufferings for Christ are short, they terminate with Life. 3ly. They affect but the outward Man, and take but away our outward Enjoyments, they do not reach our Soul. 4ly. They consist in the loss of these things, that we will want at Death, whether we will or not. 5ly. They are Medicinal and preparatory for Heaven, 2 Cor. 4, last. 6ly. As our sufferings abounds for Christ, so our Consolations abound through him, 2 Cor. 1, 6.

[Page 118]The 3d. Use is, Of Exhortation, to reckon the good of Glory greater then the Evil of Suffering, It Exhorts us to give a firm assent of our Mind, and draw a full Conclusion from the former Premisses, and so deliberatly to chuse a suffering Lot, for Christ, in the World.

Helps to win to this assent, and make this choice Are 1st We would labour to have a clear view, by Faith, of the Reality and Excellency of this Glory, and to peirce through those Vails, that hides it from sense; the Text says, It is a Glory to be revealed; the Vails are the sinfulness of our state, the frailty of our Nature and Death, the Contempt and Persecu­tion from the World, the mean measures and frequent Interruptions of our Communion with God.

2d, Help to win to this choice, Labour to be Mor­tified to all Creature-Enjoyments, by considering their insufficiency and unsuitableness to make us happy, to quiet our Conscience and content our Mind. 2ly By considering, outward things may be possest by the outward Man, but they cannot be intimatly possest by the Soul, 3ly, By considering the uncertainty of our possessing of them they may be taken from us, or we may be taken from them.

A 3d. Help is, Labour for the moderating the Fears of Persecutors Malice, as knowing their fury is under restraint by providence.

A 4th Help is, Daily meditate on the Excellency of this Glory, Considering it is the Glory possest by Christ, and suitable to Divine Adoption.

Use 4th. Seing there is a greater Good in the Glo­ry to come, then there is Evil in the suffering Lot of the Saints, surely this reproves those who look upon [Page 119] the Saints as Fools, because they choise deliberately a suffering Lot for Christ, befor they run the hazard of losing the future Glory.

THE Apostle, having, Verse 19. ascribed a Fi­gurative Hope to the Creature; in the 20. & 21, Verses, he lays down the Grounds of that Hope and in the 20 Verse there are Two Grounds laid down, whereof one is, That the Vanity to which it was subject, was contrary to its natural Inclinati­on, and Gods primitive Institution in the state [...] Innocence: The Text says, It was not subjected [...] vanity willingly. A 2d. Ground is, there was a fi [...] ed purpose in God, for the restitution of the Crea­ture to its Primitive Vigour and Beauty; He subjec [...] the Creature to Vanity under Hope. And there a 3d. Ground of the Creatures Hope, laid down [...] the 21. Verse, Viz. The necessity of the Creature partaking, according to its measure and capacity, [...] the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God. And ther is a Reason given for this, because Vanity was im­posed on the Creature for the sins of Gods People and therefore when Gods Children are made free [...] sin, both as to its Guilt and Presence, it is but re [...] sonable, that the Creature should be liberate of i [...] Vanity also.

We may Observe here 1st. That Gods Children are, while they are here away, under Bondage. [...] [Page 127] They shall certainly meet with a glorious Liberty from that Bondage. 3ly. When they meet with that Liberty, the Creature shall then, and not till then, be liberate from their Bondage.

For the 1st. Observation, Tho' the Godly be not slaves to Satan nor to Sin, yet they are under a sort of Captivity, for while here away, they are sub­ject to Death, and to the frailties of Nature, and to great fears that Death may have its sting towards them; for though they be free of the sting of Death, which is the Venome of the Curse of the Law in it, yet they are not altogether free of the fears of the sting of Death. 2ly. The Godly, tho they be free of the reigning Power of Lust, yet they are not free of the solicitations of it, Paul, complains of this, Rom. 7. 3ly. Tho' the Godly be not Children of the Kingdom of Darkness, and Slaves to Satan, yet here-away they are subject to many vexing Temp­tations from him, and therefore this present condi­tion should make us more willing and desireous to dye, that we may be freed from this state of Bon­dage. And 2ly. It lets us see, that considering Chri­stians, that have a view of this Bondage, cannot send without Faith.

Observe 2ly. That the Children of God shall certainly get this glorious Liberty, because here it is taken for granted, and fully and clearly promi­sed in the Word, and therefore we should als firmly believe it. There are three things that Christians should firmly believe as to this Liberty. As 1st. A total freedom from the indwelling Presence of sin. 2ly. A total freedom from Satans Temptations. 3ly! A total freedom from Death. I shall give the Scri­pture [Page 128] Grounds, that the Christian hath allowed to him, for founding his Faith and Hope, of all these three upon.

For the First; Grounds to found the Faith of a Chri­stian, to make him believe and expect the total re­moval of sin, are these, 1st. Christ designed its total removeal by his Death, we cannot think that he can be frustrate of his Design, see Eph. 5.25, 26. 2ly. His Death did merite the crucifixion and kill­ing of the Old Man, Rom. 6.6. 3ly. His Resur­rection is a Pledge thereof see Rom. 8.11. For the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, did it to as­sure him, and the Believing World, that he could and would raise up all his Members perfectly from a Death in Sin. 4ly. The Spirits Presence begin­ing this Work, says, he will perfect it. because his great Design, when he enters into the Child of God's Heart, is not to make a partial, but a total conformity between him and Christ. 5ly. The Priviledge of Justification says it must be, for if all our guilt be pardoned, and our Remission be com­pleat, according to the Promise of the new Cove­nant, Ezek. 18 and Ezek. 33. Where it is said, that all Iniquity shall be forgiven, and none shall be men­tioned. Then Corruption must be removed: for a loving God, and a loving Mediator will remove such an hurtful Evil from Believers, since the state of Justification tells, it may he done without refle­ction on his Justice. A 6th. Ground of Faith, for the removal of sin is this, that Baptism is the External Seal, confirming the Promise, for its to­tal removal, and therefore its said, we are buried as to our old Man, with Christ, by our Baptisme Rom. 6.4.

[Page 129]For the Second piece of the Christians Liberty Viz. A freedom from Satans Temptations; the Grounds to found our Faith of that upon, Are 1st. The Promise made to Eva, that the Seed of the Woman should trample down the Head of the Ser­pent; from which Paul infers, Rom. 16. That God would tread Satan under their feet shortly. A 2d. Ground is, Christ by his Death hath taken away Satans Plea against us, Heb. 2.14, 15 For all his [...]lea was, that we were Enemies to God, and there­fore it were but just that we should be given up to him, to delude and vex us; But now Christ by his Death hath destroyed him, that is, he hath enervate the strength of his Plea, by reconcileing us to God, and therefore he is said, Col. 2.15. to spoil Prin­cipalities and Powers, and to triumph over them on the Cross, by setting at liberty their Captives. A 3d, Ground is, Christs Personal Victory over Sa­tans Temptations and Persecutions which Victory he attained in our Nature, by making use of the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and exercising the Graces of the Spirit, and by wrestl­ing in Prayer with the Father, see Mat. 4. and Mat. 26.41. He overcame by Faith, Love, Patience, Meekness, Submission, and Zeal; and this Victory was given to him, to be a Pledge to him, and his Spiritual Seed that are incorporate in him, of their total Freedom from his seduceing and vexing Temp­tations. A 4th. Ground is, the strength of Christs Spirit, that is stronger in Believers, than the Devil that is in the World.

For the Third piece of the Liberty of the Chri­stian, it stands in his delivery from death, and there [Page 130] are these following Grounds, upon which the Chri­stian may build the Faith of his Delivery from it First Ground is, Gods Covenant-relation to him, it was from this Relation, that God had to Abraham, that Christ inferred the necessity of the Resurrection Math. 22. 2d. Ground is the Believers Union with Christ, that necessarly draws with it a conformity of the Members with the Head in respect of Im­mortality, these that sleep in Jesus, God will bring with him, 1 Thess. 4.4. A 3d. Ground is, th [...] the Believers Body is a consecrate Temple to the Ho­ly Ghost, and therefore it cannot be always subject to Corruption. A 4th. Ground is, Christ ha [...] power to raise the Body, Phil. 3 last. A 5th. Grou [...] is, He hath undertaken to the Father to do it, he says he will raise them up at the last Day, John 6.4 [...] A 6th. Ground is Christs Death, which gives assu­rance of Immortality. 1st. Because it is a full sa [...] ­faction for sin; and it is unpardoned sin that ca [...] keep folk eternally under Deaths Power: It w [...] by means of his Death for the Redemption of Trans­gressions, that those that are Called, receive th [...] Promise of the Eternal Inheritance, see Heb. 9.15. Besides God the Father gives an Promise of Etern [...] Life in the Covenant, and Christs Death is a Ratifica­tion of that Covenant, he that spared not his own So [...] will he not with him freely give us all things, Ro [...] 8.32. Likeways Christ gives us Eternal Life in h [...] Testament, and his death is an Evidence of the un­alterableness of his Purpose to Confer it. 6ly. Th [...] Resurrection is a Ground of Faith for it, because [...] is the absolution of our Soverty, Rom. 4 last. and [...] Pledge of our Resurrection, Christ is the first Fruit [...] [Page 131] of them that sleep, 1 Cor. 15. A 7th. Ground is his Ascension into Heaven, if he had not obtained Eternal Redemption by his Blood and Suffering, which includes immortality, Justice had given him no access to Heaven, he could not have entered in­to that holy Place by his own Blood, except he had obtained immortality for us by that Blood, which he as Soverty undertook to do, see Heb. 9: 12. The 8th. Ground is, his Session at the Fathers Right Hand, which is given him as a Pledge of his Victo­ry over all his Peoples Enemies, whereof Death is one, Psal. 110.1. The 9th. Ground is, Christ's Intercession for Salvation to his People to the utter­most, which includes in it the immortality of the Body, Heb. 7.25. 10th. Ground is, the Spiritual Life of Believers is a sure Pledge of the Bodies Im­mortality, Rom. 8.11.

From the assurance of this glorious Liberty, we infer, 1st. That we have a sufficient Comfort un­der the unavoidable Vanity, that sticks to all World­ly Enjoyments. 2ly. We have an sufficient Support under all our Sufferings, of whatsoever kind they be. 3ly. We have full Encouragement, to abound in the Work of the Lord; seing our Labour will not be in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor: 15. last.

Observe 3ly. That the Creature will participate of this glorious Liberty; For mans sin being taken away as to its guilt and presence, all the bad conse­quences of it must be taken away likeways, where­of this is one, the imposing of Vanity on the Crea­tion; the day is coming when the Creatures Defe­ctiveness, as to mans use, and its hurtfulness to man shall be removed, The time draws on, when the [Page 132] Creature will be no more made use of by Satan, [...] satisfy his Malice against Man: nor can be mo [...] made use of, to gratify Man, as to his corrupt Lu [...] This cannot but be very comfortable to the God [...] when it shall fall out to be, who now in the tim [...] of their Pilgrimage, are taken up in grieving for th [...] ill of sin, and for the Marks of Gods displeasure a­gainst, it on the Creature.

HEre the Creature is Figuratively proposed, [...] an excellent Pattern to the Saints, for ma [...] excellent Frames becoming them, in the state [...] their Pilgrimage And 1st. Groaning, is ascribe to the Creature, because the Vanity imposed on it, i [...] contrare to its natural Inclination, and Primit [...] State. And this Groaning calls to the Christian [...] be affected with their Bondage under the Rema [...] ders of sin, and vexing Temptations of Satan, a [...] fears of Death. 2ly. There is a continuation groaning under many preceeding Ages, ascribed [...] it, it is said to groan even till now; to tell us t [...] neither the soreness of the Vanity imposed upon [...] Creature, nor its long continuance doth break [...] Figurative Hope of its Liberty ascribed to it; a [...] this is done, to call the Christian to imitate the Cr [...] ture, by keeping up of his Hope of Liberty, n [...] withstanding of the sore and continuing Crosses, th [...] may be trysted with in this Life: 3ly. Travel [...] in pain, as a Woman doth, is ascribed Figurati [...] ly [Page 133] to the Creature, because, as a Womans Travel is an endeavour for releif, so the Creature has an na­tural tendency for its freedom; and this Figurative Endeavour, ascribed to the Creature for its Liberty, calls the Christian to have a proper Endeavour for his

Observe 1st. Here, That the Christian is called to groan, and to be affected with his Bondage under Sin and Satan, see Rom 7.24 This groaning imports sorrow for sin, and a vehement desire for relief: and this reproves those that are stupid under sin, and the sad Consequences of it; and this Stupidity may arise from a feared Conscience. Or, 2ly. From the want of observation of the Effects of Divine Displea­sure against sin. Or 3ly From the deceit of the Heart, that cloaths sin with the Cloak of Vertue: this stupidity procures to us the continuance and ad­dition of many troubles, and renders them all un­profitable.

Observe, 2ly. We should imitate the Creature, who keeps up its Figurative Hope, under its sore and lasting Vanity, through many Ages; So the Christian should live in the hope of Liberty, not­withstanding of his sore and long Crosses; And I give these Three Reasons for it, 1st. Because Christ himself, his Mystical Body, and individual Believ­ers, have been trysted with such an Dispensation; consider the Bondage in Egypt, and Captivity in Babylon, see the case of Job, Heman, and David. A 2d. Reason is, the Advantagiousness of Hope to the Christian in such a case; It preserves the Love of God in the heart, mitigates the Cross, makes them submissive to Providence, and makes them [Page 134] cheerful in their Duty. 3d. Reason is, that the [...] should hope under such an case because this Dis­pensation is appointed for them by infinite Wis­dom, as an fit Dispensation for their Good; An [...] First God may intend it, as a suitable Expression o [...] his Fatherly Displeasure against their sin: An Af [...] fliction of a lesser Degree and of an shorter continu­ance than what they are trysted with, could not sufficiently express his dislike at some of the [...] Crimes: No less trouble could David be trysted with for numbering the People, than three day [...] Pestilence; No less was appointed for his Chastise­ment, nor the Sword never to depart from his House, for his sin of Adultery and Murder; N [...] less Punishment was appointed for the Jews sins, than Seventy Years Captivity in Babylon. 2ly. God may intend this sore and long Affliction to be [...] mean to reform them from these ills, that they lov [...] well, and have been long accustomed to. 3ly▪ H [...] may intend it as a mean to discover the secret [...] of their Heart, as Jobs long Tryal made some im­patience appear in him. 4ly. God may intend it, [...] to be the occasion of exerciseing of Faith, and the occasion that Patience may have its perfect Work 5ly. God does it, that the Delivery may appear the more wonderful, as in the Lame Mans case, John 5.

Use of this is, to learn us to exercise Hope under sore and long Tryals; that you may keep up your Hope, beware it break not, tho the means made use of for your releif proves ineffectual, see Exod. 5.22. 2ly. Quite not your Hope when your Pray­ers meet with an repulse, see Lam. 3.8. Neither quite your Hope though your Corruption be irri­tate [Page 135] by the Cross, Neither quite your hope, though you live under dark Providence, Job 23. Isa. 50.10, Neither quite it, because of the im­probability of an outgate, Isa. 40.37.

Observe 3ly. That we should imitate the Crea­ture, in our Endeavours after our Liberty. And 1st. We should endeavour after our Freedom from Sin, and that by exerciseing Repentance for the Body of Sin and Death that is in us, Rom. 7.24. And 2ly. by repenting for our actual Sins, James 4.9, 10. 3ly. By forbearing to add Fewel to your Lust, by casting our selves upon external Temptations, Rom. 13. last. 4ly. By entertaining the Word in our Heart against Sin, Psal. 119.9. Rom. 6.17. 5ly. By obeying the Motions of the Spirit, Gal. 5.17.

Next, We should endeavour our freedom from the fears of Death, by our frequent considerations, and firm Applications of these Scriptural Grounds formerly laid down, to assure us of the Redemption of our Body.

3ly. We should endeavour our freedom from Sa­tans Temptations, and that first by resisting them, Jam. 4. 1 Pet. 5. 2ly. By opposing the Word to them, Matth. 4. 3ly. By Praying against them, 2 Cor. 12.8, 9. 4ly. By cloathing our selves with the Scriptural Armour, Eph. 6. And being constant­ly Watchful, Ibid. And 5ly. By being acquaint with his Devices and Subtilty in Tempting, who takes ad­vantage of us when we are lying out of our Duty, 2 Sam. 11. when Corruption stirrs in us, Eph. 4.27. He suites his Temptation to our External Condition, he tempts them that are in Adversity to despair and them that are in Prosperity to Pride; he suits his [Page 136] Temptations to our Predominants, as he tempted Covetous Judas with 30 peices of Silver, he conveys his temptations to us by Instruments beloved of us, as he tempted Adam by his Wife, and by Instruments unexpected by us, as he tempted Job to despair by his Godly Friends, and as he tempted Christ to for­bear suffering, by Peter.

HEre the Apostle goes on, to hold out the certain­ty and excellency of the Glory to come, from the Saints Frames relative to it; First they vehement­ly desire it, They groan within themselves. 2ly. They patiently expect it, They wait for the Adoption

And in this Verse ye may observe three things, 1st. Gods allowance to his own in this life, they receive the first fruits of the Spirit. 2ly. Observe their Affe­ctions toward the other Life, they groan for it, and wait for it. 3ly. Observe the description of the hap­piness that is given of the other World, in this Verse it is called the Adoption, The redemption of our Body.

For the First, That God allows the first fruits of the Spirit to Believers in this Life; By these first fruits, are not to be understood, the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit given to the Apostles in the primi­tive times; but by these are understood the ordi­nary Graces of the Spirit conferred upon all Believers, called the first Fruits because as the first Fruits [Page 137] were offered up to God under the Law, so these Graces should be used to Gods Glory; and as they were an pledge of a plentiful Har­vest, so these Graces are a pledge to us of our full Felicity, because God gives us them for that end to confirm our Hope. 2ly. They are a pledge, be­cause that same Love and Grace that moved God to confer the beginnings of our Salvation, will move him to perfect them, and if God bestow upon Be­lievers part of Christs purchase, he'l bestow the whole; By these first Fruits then are meant the Re­novation of our Nature, Peace of Conscience, and Joy in the Holy Ghost Communion with God, which stands in saving views of God in his Word, and in his Works. 2ly. It stands in access to God, Eph. 2.18. And 3ly. In Influences [...]rae God.

God gives these first Fruits to Believers in this Life, to defend them against the Worlds deriding their Faith in the Gospel, to give them the Witness of the Gospels Verity in their own Heart, 1 John 5 10.11. 2ly. He does it, to excite and confirm their hope of Heaven, and to awaken their desire after it, See the Text. 3ly. To Comfort and sup­port them under their Sufferings. 4ly, To encou­rage them to Self-denying Duties. 5ly. To make them content with a mean measure of Worldly En­joyments, 6ly. To make them content to go through Death, that they may have the full measure of the Spirits presence, seing they experience the sweetness of a small measure of it.

Use 1st. Of Exhortation, Labour for the pre­sence of the Spirit, that ye may have these first Fruits, 1st. Act Faith on Christ, Eph. 1.10. 2ly. Be tender [Page 138] of grieving the Spirit. Eph. 4 30. 3ly. Obey his Motions, Gal. 5.17, 4ly. Pray for his presence. Luke 11.18. 5ly. Be not Worldly Minded, John 14.17. 6ly. Beware of Sensuality, See the Epistle of Jude Verse 19.

2d Use is of Tryal, Try whether ye have Sancti­fication or no; true Sanctification possesses the whole Man it makes a change on the Mind, Will, and Affections, 1 Thess. 5.23. True peace it found­ed on the merite of Christ, and guards the Heart against Temptations, Phil. 4.3. True joy strength­ens the Heart for Duty, and makes the Heart de­spise Worldly Comforts in comparison of it, and is an attendant on tender walking, Acts 9, 31. True Communion with God advances the Believer in a conformity to Gods Image, 2 Cor. 3.18.

For our Affections relative to the Glory to come. 1st. They have an vehement desire after it, which they cannot sufficiently express, and therefore they are said to groan within themselves for the Adoption. Likeas this phrase imports the sincerity of their de­sire, this was Pauls desire and he reckons it to be the desire of the rest of the Godly, 2 Cor. 5.1, 2. But this desire tho it be vehement, it should be attended with submission to God, prescribing the time of our Death, Phil. 1. This Desire should flow rather from a desire of enjoying full Communion with God, than a desire to be free of Trouble, 2 Cor. 5.8. This De­sire is necessary for the Saints, that their Affections may be set on Heavenly things; That they may be reconciled more to Death, and that they may be more Zealous for further degrees of Mortification: And therefore Covetousness after the good things [Page 139] of this World marr's this desire, as also Anxiety and Concernment, about the future Events of Provi­dence marrs this Desire, and again the want of the enjoyment of the first Fruits of the Spirit marr's it; For when we feel not the sweetness of Communion with God, we cannot have an desire after an full measure of it.

The best way to excite this Desire, is frequently to reflect on our Misery through Original and Actual Sin, our Chastisement for our Sins, our trying Dis­pensations from God, and our persecutions from the World. The 2d: mean to excite this Desire, is the firm Faith of the certainty, of the Excellency, and of the Eternity of the Glory to come; This vehe­ment Desire is of great use to the Godly; It makes them Strangers in the World, and sober in the En­joyment of Worldly Good, and sober in their expecta­tions from it.

The next Affection that is ascribed to the Godly, Relative to Heaven is waiting: Importing first, Their expecting their Felicity. 2ly. It imports their patience, under the delay of the same.

For the first, They should expect it, for that en­gages them to Purity, 1 John 3, 3. 2ly. It supports them under Sufferings, Heb. 10.35. 3ly. It makes them content with little in the World, 1 Pet. 1.13.

The way to win to this Expectation, is to be diligent in all Dutys, especially the Dutys of Brotherly-Love, Heb. 6.12. 2ly. Make use of your Victory over Temptations, as a confirmation to your Hope, Psal. 73.23. 3ly. Be oft considering the Grounds of security, that secures your right to Heaven: And first consider the promise of Eternal [Page 140] Life in the Word: First, Consider its universa [...] extensiveness to all, Acts 13: 48. Tit. 2.12. Act [...] 2.39. 2ly. Consider the freedom of the promise, Gal. 3. It is said the Inheritance is not by the Law, but by the promise, Rom. 4. It is said, that the In­heritance is by Grace that it might be sure to all the seed. 3ly. Consider the Antiquity of the Promise, Tit. 1, 3. That Promise Gen. 3.16. That the seed of the Woman should Trample down the head of the Serpent, it was an promise of Life to the Spiritual Seed of Christ, because it is said Christ should destroy the Works of the Devil, and therefore he must abolish Death which followed upon Sin, which was brought in by Satan. 4ly. Consider the Repetiti­on and confirmation of it, by Oath to Abraham: For, by the Covenant made with him, there was a Right to the Heavenly Inheritance conveyed to him, and all his Spiritual Seed. Gal. 3. which Cove­nant God ratifyed by Oath, Heb. 6. 5ly. Consider the Internal Seal of this Promise, to wit the presence of the Spirit, Gal. 4.30. Eph. 4.30.

Now for the strengthening our Hope, He has placed our Eternal Life in Christ, he hath given to us Eternal Life, and that Life is in his Son, 1 John 5. our Life is hid with Christ in God, Col. 3.3. He is said to be our Life ibid. He calls himself to Mary John 11. The Resurrection and the Life, and he is called Eternal Life; And first, He is the Meritori­ous cause of this Life, 1 John 4.10. He sent his Son to dye, that we might live through him. 2ly. He is the exemplary cause of this Life, Rom. 6.10. 1 Thess. 4. It is said, that if God raised up Christ from the Dead, them that sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. [Page 141] 3ly. He is the dispensing cause of it, he hath power to confer it, Phil. 3. last. And he has Commission to confer it. John 17.3, 4, and 6.37.

I add, for the strengthening of Believers Hope, he has appointed the Sacrament of the Communion, for the frequent renewing the Believers Right, to the person of the Redeemer, and therefore the eaten Bread is said to be Communion of his Body, as the drinking of the Wine is said, to be the Communion of his Blood, because by Gods appointment, it con­veys a sure Right to his Humane Nature as Crucified for us, and we know that he saith John 6. He that eateth his Flesh, and drinketh his Blood, hath Eter­nal Life; And in the first of Johns Epistles Chap. 5. It is said, he that hath the Son hath Life. As also, I add, for the strengthening of their Hope, he gives them the first Fruits, the beginning of Glory in the World, See the Text.

The next thing that is in this waiting, is Patience, which imports an continuation of hope, without fret­ing or fainting under sore and continuing Crosses; And this may be win to, by considering what our deservings are, and how short a thing Time is, com­pared with Eternity, 2 Cor. 4. last.

Now for the description of the Happiness of the other World, It is called first Adoption, to shew us, that our right to it, flows from Adoption, Rom: 8.17.

Use of this is first, To Exhort us to receive Christ aright, that we may be Adopted, Jo. 1.12,

2d. Use is an use of Tryal, to try our Right to Heaven, by trying our Adoption; the best way to try that, is to try if we have the Spirit of Adoption, [Page 142] which appears in procuring access to God, in a study of Imitation of him, and subjection to his Correcti­ons, Heb. 12.

2ly. Heaven is called Adoption, because till we come to Heaven, Adoption is not fully manifested, 1 Jo. 3.1, 2. And thefore in the preceeding verse, the happiness of Heaven is called the manifestation of the Sons of God: And this tells you, how you may win to a due esteem of Adoption, by considering it with this consequent: The possession of Glory, fully manifests the worth of this priviledge, and withal this teaches Believers, to be content with the Worlds contempt, seing in this World their Adoption is not fully manifested. 3ly. Heaven is called Adoption, Because, it is an Inheritance suiteable to the dignity of the Son's of God, and therefore we should abound in the Work of the Lord, knowing that our Labour will not be in vain in the Lord.

AS the Apostle, in the other Verses, had comforted the Romans, by proving the excellency and certainty of the Future Glory, from the Creatures de­sire after it, and the Believers desire after it; so now he Comforts them under their Cross, by letting them see, that their future Happiness is very con­sistent with their present Misery: And this he does [Page 143] by telling them they are saved by hope; which he clears by these two things. 1st. That the object of hope is neither presenty enjoyed, nor sensibly cer­tain, Hope is not seen, that is, the object of Hope is not seen. 2ly. He clears it by describing the Affe­ction of hope, he says, it is a Patient expecting of a distant good; The 24 Verse holds out the Advan­tagiousness of it; The other two Verses hold out the nature of the Object and affection of hope,

When it is said, we are saved by hope, As it sup­poses that our felicity is at a distance, so it says that all the good that we can get of that distant felici­ty, for the present time, is obtained by hopeing for it; and therefore if we cannot hope for it, we loss all the Encouragement we have by it.

Next, When the Text says, we are saved by Hope, it imports, that if we can hope for Heaven, it will save us from the Ill of the Cross, for here he is labouring to comfort crossed Christians; it will save, for it keeps the Cross from being crushing, because it expells the apprehensions of Wrath in a Cross. 2ly. It keeps the Cross from being ensnaring, it can­not drive us from our Duty through fear, for where this Hope is, it lets us see, that we have more gain by our duty nor loss by it.

Use of this is to exhort us to hope. For 1st. This Hope is suitable to the Revelation of the Gos­pel, which hath brought to the Church a clearer dis­covery of Heaven, than was brought under the Law. 2ly. It is suitable to Gods Name, which he hath taken under the Gospel, he is called the God of Hope, Rom. 15.13. 3ly. It is suitable to Gods Works, in raising Christ from the Dead, and communicating [Page 144] the first Fruits of the Spirit to us, it is an obeying of the Gospel-Precepts, and imitation of Gospel Ex­amples: We should not be deterred from the Hop [...] of Heaven, because we are under afflictions for ou [...] Sin, 1 Pet 4. compare the 13. verse with the 17. Nei­ther should we cast away our Hope, for being guil­ty of upsiting in the Way of God, compare Heb 5.12. with 10.35. Neither should we quite ou [...] Hope of Heaven, because of our great sins before Conversion, for so did not Paul.

Use of this is, that we should labour for Hope 1st. By making Grace the ground of it, 2 Thess. 2 16. 2ly. By making Christs Resurrection the ground of it, 1 Pet. 1.21. 3ly. By making his entry into Heaven the ground of it, Heb. 6. last. 4ly. B [...] discerning the Fruits of the Spirit, see the preceed­ing Verse. 5ly. By observing the Victories over Temptations, that God affords us, Psal. 73.24.

Observe from the next Verse, that our Happi­ness, which is the Object of Hope, it is not present­ly enjoyed but deferred; 1st. Because Christ my­stical is not perfected; the Souls under the Altar, Rev. 6. their cry is not answered, until their Bre­threns Sufferings be fulfilled as well as theirs. 2ly Individual Believers are not fit for Heaven, till they be free of Sin and Mortality, 1 Cor. 15. 3ly. God continues Believers in the World, he does not trans­late them to Heaven presently, that they may be [...] Light shining in the dark World, by good Exam­ple. 4ly. That they may keep off Wrath from the Society where they live; if there had been ten Righ­teous Persons in Sodom, it had not been destroyed and that they may be Intercessours for the sinful [...] [Page 145] [...]orld, that it may not be destroyed, as Moses was [...]r sinful Israel, Ezod. 32. And 5ly. It is deferred, [...]at Heaven may be the sweeter when it comes, [...]ope deferred makes the Heart sick, but when the [...]re comes, it is a Tree of Life. Prov, 13.12.

Use of Caution, Beware of chosing present plea­ [...]res, before a deferred Happiness; For these Plea­ [...]res are insufficient, Eccl. 2.1. 2ly. They are the [...]easures of Sin, and very momentany, Heb, 11.25: [...]y. This deferred Happiness is very certain, and [...]ery near, Rom. 13. It is said our Salvation is nearer [...]en when we Believed. Heb. 10.37.

Use 2d. Wonder not to see the Lord delay the Temporal deliverance of his Kirk, seing he delays [...]e compleat delivery of it; The Churches lying [...]nder the Egyptian and Babilonish Captivity was [...]ong; But seing this is a peice of the Saints their Tryal, to have their partial and total deliverance de­erred, we should be prepared to bear it, First by considering the certainty of it, that it will come. [...]ly. By considering that Infinite Wisdom will appoint [...]he fittest season for its coming, which will tend most [...]o his Glory and our Comfort. 3ly. We should comfort our selves by considering, that God is still at work, in the mean time, fulfilling Scripture-pre­dictions.

Use 3d. That since this happiness is deferred, while we have time, we should improve it, in mak­ing our Title sure to it, and fitting and preparing our selves for it.

Observe next, That since happiness is the object of hope, we have no certainty for it, for it is only knowable by Supernatural Revelation, Col. 1.5. [Page 146] 2 Tim. 1.10. Happiness is the effect of Mercy, The acting of which Attribute is free, and therefore on­ly knowable by Divine Revelation, tho the actings of vindictive Justice be necessary, and so easily known by Natures Light. 2ly. This happiness is hid and vailed to sense, by many Vails of Sinfulness, Misery and Mortality; The difficulty of Faith and unstability thereof, in Believers tells it has no sen­sible certainty of Heaven, and the total Ignorance of the Heathen Philosophers of this truth, with the scant knowledge that those had of it, that lived un­der the Law, tells us, that there is no sensible cer­tainty for Heaven.

Use of Caution, Let not the sensible certainty of allureing present good be preferred to this Hap­piness, for the alluring Good of this World, is uncer­tain and ensnaring. 2ly. Let not the sensible Perse­cutions of this World, deter you from your Duty, so as to make you miss this Happiness, for all the Evil of Persecution is but Chastisement, Heb. 12. It is limited, Psal. 76. Jer. 10. It is mixt with strong Consolations, 2 Cor. 1.6. It is light and momenta­ny 2 Cor. 4. and penult.

A 2d. Use of Tryal, seing ye want of sensible certainty of it, try whether ye have the Faith of it or no: Marks of it are first, ye will please God with Enoch: Heb 11.6. 2ly. Ye will chose. Affli­ction before Sin with Moses, Heb. 11.35. 3ly. Ye will be strangers o [...] the Earth with the Patriarths. Heb. 11, 13. 4ly. Ye will be hearty sufferers for Christ, Heb. 10.34. 2 Tim. 1, 12. A 5th Mark is, ye will be unwearied in diligence for doing good, 1 Cor. 15. And Lastly, Ye will be fearless of Death, Phil 1.23. 2 Cor. 5.1, 2.

[Page 147]A 3d. Use is, An Use of Exhortation, since ye want the sensible certainty of your happiness, Labour for a certainty of the Faith of it; For this effect, Labour to be well acquaint with with Christ, the knowledge of Christ will draw with it the believing certainty of this Happiness, See Eph. 1.18, 19. 2ly. Medi­tate much on Scriptures, and the Power of God: Christ tells the Saducees, that they would not believe the Resurrection to Life, because they knew not the Scriptures, nor the Power of God. A 3d. Help to Faith, Look on the Spirits presence under the notion of an earnest, for so it called, Eph. 1.2. Cor. 5. The first fruits of the Spirit should make us wait for the Adoption. 4ly. We should with Abraham not stag­ger at the promise of Heaven through unbelief, we should not sit as Judge upon the Truth or falshood of the Promise, we should instantly repell all Thoughts of the improbability of the performance of Promises, Abraham would not consider his own Body now Dead. We have the more need to obey this Exhortation to have the certainty of the Faith of our Happiness, when we want the sensible certainty thereof; the more need we have of it under the Cross, nor any other time, because our sight by Faith of Heaven is dimned under Crosses. For 1st. Our Consciences accuses us of Sin, and for our Guilt. Then 2ly. We become Jealous of the Truth of our former Experi­ences of Gods Love. 3ly. With Hezekiah we be­come apprehensive of the grouth and continuance of our Tryal Isai. 38. From Day untill Night thou will make an end of me, and because with the Church Lam. 3. He will reckon God his Enemy, and his case hopeless, all which are Clouds to dim our sight of Heaven.

[Page 148]Use of Instruction, this lets us see, first the reason why the Members of the Visible Church have need of Saving Grace to help them to assent to the truth of the Gospel; the reason is, because this assent is no founded on sensible certainty, or rational evidence but upon Divine Testimony, and therefore it being the assent of Faith, it most be the Gift of God, Eph. 2.10. 2ly. This instructs us in the true reason, why these that are wise Men after the flesh are not called▪ It is because they know not to set to their Seal to Gods truth, all that they win to, is the improveme [...] of their reason.

Now follows the description of the Affection o [...] hope, It is called a Patient waiting for Heaven, whic [...] imports first, A longing for Heaven, 2 Tim. 4. [...] Rom. 8, 23, Phil. 3, last. 2 Cor. 4. last. and 5, and [...] Phil. 1.23. The Excellency and Eternity of the blessedness, together with this, that it carries [...] the bosom of it a removal of all Evil, engageth [...] to long for it; It is our diffidence of the certain [...] of this happiness, and our Carnal Minds whereb [...] we are strongly affected to Bodily and external goo [...] These two make us unconcerned and indifferent as [...] our going hastily to Heaven. 2ly. This Patie [...] waiting for Heaven, imports our expectation of [...] we would believe that it is keeped for us, 1 Pet. [...] 2ly. We should believe we are keeped for it, 1 P [...] 1 5. 1 Pet 4, last. 2 Tim. 1, 12. This firm expect [...] tion of Heaven is necessary for defending us agai [...] Worldly Allurements, and fixing our Love to Go [...] 3ly. This Patient waiting, imports in it, an end [...] ing of Crosses without Fretting, without Faintin [...] we should not fret under Persecutions, under Per [...] nal [Page 149] Chastisements, under the labour and toil of Du­ty, under the singularity of Crosses, under the As­saults of Satans Temptations, which may be violent strange and frequent; we should kyth our Patience in the want of fretting under Crosses, by our Love to God, complyance with our present Duty, and our loathness to take sinful courses for our relief. 4ly. This Patient waiting for Heaven, imports a protract­ed and continued hope, See Psal. 71, 14, Col. 1, 19, 1 Pet. 1, 13, Heb, 3.14. It is necessary because it is long betwixt the promise of it, and the performance of it. 2 [...]y. Our Work continues, and therefore our hope should continue. 3ly. Our Tryals may con­tinue, and therefore our Hope should conti­nue. 4ly. We have good reason to continue our hope under continuing Tryals, because God has born through formerly the Saints under alle long Tryals, and the experience we have had of Gods through bearing us in our former Tryals, should make us believe, that he will carry us through all the Tryals that is befor our hand.

Use of this is, If we would wait patiently for Hea­ven, as the Text bids us, we must strive for an all of Patience Col. 1.10, and for this effect, we should acquire much of the Art of Self-denyal.

HEre the Apostle gives us an other Ground of Comfort under the Cross, viz, That tho the Saints be compassed with Infirmities; yet the Spirit supports them under those, and doth (as the word [Page 150] in the first Language imports join himself with them in bearing of their Burthen.

Observe, The Saints under Crosses have Infirmi­ties, both Moral and Physical: Moral Infirmities, such as Discontent, as Jonah had; Impatience, which Job had a share of; Unbelief with David Psal. 77, Partial Atheism, Psal. 73, Pride with Hezekiah Isai. 39. Passionate revenge with David in the case of Nabal, Selfishness with those People that lived in the days of Hagai, who Builded their own houses and forgot to Build the house of God; weariedness in Labour, and toil in Duty, with Moses who wearied in the toil and labour of the Government of the People; Partial Hypocrisie with David in the matter of Ʋriah, 1 Pet. 2, 1, 2ly. They are subject to Physical Trou­bles, because they meet with Challenges for their old and new Sins, under the Crosses, which makes them apprehend their Crosses to be wrathful, and makes them fear their continueing and grouth; In the 3d, place, They are subject to Bodily Frailty, and Sick­ness and Death, which certainly contributes to make the Cross the more uneasy.

The Saints subjection to these manifold Moral In­firmities, should b [...] a motive to humble them, and to make them watchful, lest they break out into gross Transgressions by them: For when I say the Saints are subject to those Infirmities, my meaning is not, that the tract of their life is spent in outward Acts, signifying the Predominancy of these ills in their heart, for the Godly Man does no Iniquity in that sense, See Psal, 119, 2, 1 Jo. 3.8. But when I say they are subjs [...]ct to Infirmities, my meaning is, That Corruption tho it be broken in its Power in Be­lievers, [Page 151] yet it is partially Acting with their Graces.

There is another Use, And that is, Since the Saints are subject to physical Throuble, then they need not wonder, that besides the Persecution they sustained for the Testimony of the Truth, they are lyable to manifold personal troubles, since the Saints have been tryed with those before them.

Observe 2ly. That the Spirit supports the Saints under their Infirmities; he keeps them from despair under their most violent Temptations. Psal. 42.5. Psal. 73, 23. and 73.3. Lam. 3.13. The Spirit supports the Saints by giving them a prospect of Heaven, Eph. 1.18. this cures their impatience and discontent. 2ly. He supports them by discovering the Truth of their Grace, 1 Cor. 2.12. this was the way he supported Job. 2ly. He supports them a­gainst Temptations to Sin, by discovering the odi­ousness of Sin to them, this was it, whereby he keeped David from yeilding to the Temptations of fretting against the prosperity of the Wicked; the Spirit did convince him, that if he gave way to that Temptation, it were upon the matter an denying of the necessity and advantage of Piety, Psal. 73, 17. 4ly. The Spirit keeps a man from sinning under the Cross, by fixing a man in such thoughts as may best preserve him from these sins he is presently tempt­ed to; and therefore when the Spirit would pre­serve David from despair, Psal. 77. He fixes his thoughts on the former kindnesses of God towards him: He called to mind the former days. 5ly. He supports the Saints by strengthening the habits of Grace, Eph. 3.17. and this makes their Gracious Work more easy. 6ly. He applys the promises to [Page 152] them, and so makes them cheerful in their duty, not­withstanding of their Infirmities. 7ly. He gives them access to God in Prayer, as the Text after­wards tells us.

Ʋse 1st. This lets us see. That common Courage will not bear us through our Infirmities. 2ly, This refutes the Worlds Atheism, because it evinceth that there is an efficacy in the Spirit, that supports the Saints under their Infirmities. 3ly. It bids Crossed Christians under their Infirmities be careful to obtain and entertain the Spirits presence, by shun­ning Legality, Worldlyness and Sensuality, greiv­ing the Spirit, Repelling his motions, and quench­ing them; we should Pray much to God for the Spirit, Luke 17, 18. We should labour to attain the Spirits presence by the use of Ordinances: next we should be careful to refer our through-bearing to the Spirit, and not to our selves.

THE Apostle doth instance the particular help the Spirit affords us in Prayer; To prove that, the Spirit is the helper of our Infirmities under the Cross.

Observe 1st, That Prayer is a very suitable Exer­cise to Crossed Christians. 2ly. We are very igno­rant what to Pray for, or how to Pray. 3ly. This indisposition for Prayer is removed by the Spirit [Page 153] And 4ly. Where the Spirit removes indisposition, he helps the Christian with groanings unutterable.

For the 1st. Prayer is necessar for crossed Chri­stians, because it is the Way to obtain Heavenly Wisdom, to understand the meaning of Providence. Iam. 1.5. 2ly. Prayer is the Way to obtain strength to bear the Cross, Psal. 138. In the day I cryed to thee, thou strengthned me with strength in the Soul. 3ly. Prayer quiets the Mind, see Phil. 4.6. see Hannas case. 4ly. It is the Way to obtain Delivery, Psal. 50. Call upon me in the day of thy trouble, and I will deliver thee. 5ly. Because under Affli­ction, we are ready to be tempted by the Devil, we had need to be armed with the Spiritual Ar­mour, and Prayer is the Exercise, whereby we put on that Armour, Eph. 6.17.

The Use of this is, if we be afflicted, we should pray, Isa. 5. Motives to engage us to this Exercise, Are 1st. God sends the Cross upon us, and designs and expects we should pray under it, Hos. 5. last. 2d. Motive is, Satan takes advantage of our exter­nal Lot, to tempt us; therefore we have need to go to God, to get strength to resist him. 3d. Motive is, our external Lot may occasion a fit Disposition for Prayer to us, a crossing condition and Lot disposes us to be humble, to be serious and penitent. 4ly. God offers us by our Crosses, an opportunity to have an fresh Experience of his seasonable Help, which may prove afterwards a Confirmation to our Faith, Use, be not tempted by the Devil to forbear Pray­er under your Cross, for that gratifies Satan, and makes you naked and exposed to his Temptations, let neither your former guilt, nor present indispo­sition [Page 154] hinder you to go about this Duty: When Simon Magus was under the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity, Philip even in that case exhorts him to pray, see Acts 8.

Observe, that we are very ready under Crosses, to miscarry in the matter of our Prayers, we know not what to pray for as we ought, says the Text, The Reasons are, 1st. Our Ignorance of Gods De­signs under the Cross, and so we are ignorant how to comply with these; when God crosses a Saint, he intends to challenge them for sin, to excite them to their duty, to try their Grace, to give them new Experience of his Support: But the confusion of our Mind indisposes us to take up these Designs, and so we are unfit to pour out our Desires to God. to comply with these Designs. A 2d. Cause is, our Ignorance of Gods Promises in his Word, which Promises should regulate our Desires; for the Pro­mises are the Foundation of our Prayers, we should pray for nothing but what is promised. A 3d. Cause of our Mistake, is our ignorance of our Spi­ritual Wants, the knowledge of which affords us fit Matter for Prayer, A 4th. Cause is, our Im­patience and Pride of Heart under Crosses, which prompts us more to seek Delivery from the Cross, than to obtain Edification by it. A 5th. Cause is. our inordinate Affections to predominant Ills, which prompts us to be remiss in our Desires after morti­fying Grace, and to entertain sinful Intentions to improve the condition we are in, to the gratifying of these Lusts. A 6th. Cause is, Earthlyminded­ness, disposeing us to prefer earthly Things to Hea­venly, contrary to that, Mat. 6.33.

[Page 155]Use of this is, 1st. We should not be proud of our Prayers to God under Crosses, or reckon with the Pharisee, Luke 18. That God is oblidged to hear us for them, seing we are so subject to mistake in the Matter of our Prayers. 2ly. We should not be angry at God, for not giving Returns to our Prayers, seing we are so subject to mistake in the Matter of our Prayers: and we should observe the Divine Providence, answering more our Necessi­ties, than irregular Desires. A 3d. Use is, Since we are so subject to mistake in this matter, we should be much given to Meditation, and due Pre­paration of Heart, to consider what is fit for us, be­fore we rashly bring forth our Desires before God. A 4th. Use of Exhortation is, we should labour to have fit and proper Matter for our Prayers to God, under our Crosses, and for that effect, we should i­mitate the Saints, to pray for what they prayed for under the Cross; we find them praying for Support under Tryals, Psal. 133. We find them praying for the pardon of their sin, for Light to know their Way, and for the Blessing of the Cross. 2ly. We would labour to have Prospect of the Designs of Providence, that the Matter of our Prayers may be in complyance with these Designs. 3ly. We would labour for a single Intention after Gods Glo­ry and our Spiritual Good, that our chief Desires may run after the Communication of Gods Grace, to promote those Ends

Observe, we are not only ready to miscarry in the Matter of our Prayers, but also in the Manner of our Prayers, the Text says, we are ignorant not only what to pray for, but how to pray becomingly, [Page 156] as the Word may be translated; I shall clear the Truth of this, by instanceing the many miscarriage of People in the Manner of their Prayers And 1st. They may mistake in the Object of their Worship, by presenting God under some external Image, or in their fancy ascribing some likeness to him, seing he is an invisible Spirit, and we are forbidden to make any representations of God, either external or internal in our Fancy; for to do this is against the Second Command, A 2d. Mistake we are ready to fall in, is, We look on God the Fa­ther as hardly accessible by us, and as one that is not so ready to hear us as Christ would be, which apprehension Christ cures, by telling us, that the Father himself loveth us, and the Scripture cures it, by making the Fathers Love the Fountain of our Redemption: A 3d. Is, our going immediatly to God, and miskenning of Christ; We should come to the Throne of Grace, being encouraged by his Intercession, springing from his Sympathy with us, Heb. 4. last. We should found our expectation of our Mercy upon his Merite, this is to ask in his Name, this is to go in to the Holiest, by the New and Liv­ing Way, by his Blood, Heb. 10. Self-righteous­ness obstructs this. A 4th. Cause of our miscar­riage is, the want of singleness in our Intentions, to use our Mercy, not as Fewel to our Lusts, but as a Mean to glorify God, therefore Heb. 10. We are desired to draw near to God with a true Heart. A 5th. Cause is, our Formality, which makes us judge with the Pharisee, Luke 18. That the external Act of praying is obligeing to God, and meritorious with him; whereas, we should lay only the stress of pro­cureing [Page 157] our Mercies on Christs Merite, and use Pray­er as an appointed Mean for obtaining of our Mer­cy. 6ly. Our Stupidity and want of sense of the Necessity and Excellency of Spiritual Mercies, makes us miscarry in the Manner of our Prayers; it makes us faint in our desires, and not fervent in pursueing our necessary Good. 7ly. Our peremptoriness in seeking what we would be at without submission, makes us miscarry; we should be absolute in our Desires, but it is for what is absolutely promised; in all other things we should leave God the liberty of his disposal. 8ly. Our unbelief makes us miscar­ry in the Manner of our praying, James tells us, that what we ask, we should ask in Faith, James 1.3. 9ly. Presumption is the cause of our miscarriage, when we do not found our Prayers upon Promises, Psal. 119. Remember thy Word to thy Servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. A 10th. Cause is selfishness, and the want of a publick Spirit, when we pray for our selves, and neglect the Saints, Eph. 6, 17. We should pray for the peace of Jerusalem Psal. 122. 11ly. We miscarry, when we neglect the Confession of Sin, and Thanksgiving to God for Mercy, see Dan. 9. Phil. 4.6. Confession is neces­sary for strengthning of Faith, Thanksgiving makes way for the obtaining of further Mercy. And 12ly. Want of an firm Belief of the Power and Efficacy of Prayer, which makes us be unfrequent in it, when we get not our will at the first, when we are called to pray always, Eph. 6.17. and to pray with­out ceasing, 1 Thess. 5.

Use is, since we are so ready to miscarry in the manner of our praying, we should be far from [Page 158] thinking, that our Acts of Devotion are meritorious before God, and we should reckon, that when God hears any Prayers we put up to him, he evidences his rich Grace, in overlooking our Infirmities that stick to our Prayers.

Observe The Spirit helps us to pray aright, 1st. Because it is his inward Light, that discovers what is expedient for our Good, he sets us on a right Choice, he makes us prefer Spiritual Mercies to Temporal Mercies, he makes us prefer the Mercy of the Cross, to our Deliverance from it, he makes us prefer the Spiritual Good of our Neighbours, be­fore our own Temporal Good, he gives our heart a right sett as to its choice. 2ly. The Spirit gives us the clearest view of Gods Attributes, and his re­lation to us, and so presents the Object of Prayer a­right to us, Rom. 5.5. 3ly. The Spirit glorifies Christ, and enclines the Soul to give him his due, and makes the Soul acknowledge his Merit, as the ground of our expectation of Mercy, and makes the Soul look on his Intercession, as the appointed Mean to obtain the same, Eph. 1.18. John 16.14. 4ly. The Spirit is a Spirit of Promise, and leads the Soul to the Promises of God in the Word, which are the Foundation of our Expectations of Mercy, Eph. 1.16. John 14.26. 5ly. The Spirit encreases a great Esteem of Spiritual Mercies in the Hearts of the Godly, and makes them pursue with fervent Desires, the obtaining of the same, Paul tells us, Rom. 8.5. That those that are after the Spirit, do mind the things of the Spirit. 6ly. The Spirit discovers a mans Evils to him, and so makes the Creature humble in its Addresses to God, he is a [Page 159] convinceing Spirit, John 16.8. 7ly. The Spirit is a Spirit of Faith, and therefore he keeps up the heart, in believing under the sense of Guilt, Cor­ruption and Temptations, 2 Cor. 4.13. And this Faith in Prayer makes way for returns to it; unbe­lief being a great Restraint to God's working for us.

When it is said, the Spirit interceeds for us, the meaning it, that our Intercession flows from his Influence; This Intercession is not like Christs In­tercession, for he interceeds for us, when we make no intercession for our selves, as witness, his Interces­sion for Peter when he fell; but the Spirit is said to interceed for us, when he makes us interceed, as it is said in Matth. 10. That we do not speak but it is the Spirit of the Father that speaketh in us; The Spirit assists us in Prayer, by causeing a fervour in our Desires, and bringing us into a cordial sub­mission to his Will, he makes us groan, he makes us pray, according to the Will of God.

This lets us see, that we are to depend on the Spi­rit of God for his assistance in Prayer, as being con­vinced that we cannot pray aright without him; The darkness of our mind as to spiritual Things, the disquiet of our Conscience, and perverseness of our Will, the disorder of our Affections, makes it impossible for us to pray aright without his help; And therefore in all the Course of our Walk, we should be tender of grieving this Spirit, lest by do­ing so, we marr [...] our Devotions, which are the great Mean of our intercourse with God.

Observe, That under Crosses the Saints may be very indistinct, as to their Prayers, they have groans [Page 160] unutterable, that is, they have such Desires, as that they cannot give an perfect and explicite Account of; The Text says plainly, That they know not what to pray for as they ought, their Faith may be up and down in their Prayers, as witness Davids pra­ctice in the Psalms, their Petitions may be upon the matter inconsistent, and yet they do not know: many a desire had Job to God, that he would take away his life, and yet undoubtedly he had his own desires for delivery; many a time they are forced to sist in a Petition for help in the General, without condescending to particular Requests, because they are ignorant what is expedient for them, but all the irregular desires of the Saints in such a case does not come from the Spirit but only the lawful Desires that are mixed with these irregular Desires, these are called, the Sense and Meaning of the Spirit, which God approves of, in the next Verse.

Now, these confused Prayers of the Saints, they arise from various Causes; 1st. From dark Provi­dences, this was Jobs case: When men know not the Cause, why God afflicts, nor the Ends which he intends to bring about by the Affliction, it is no wonder then they be indistinct in their Prayers, they know not what to seek of God in this Case. 2ly. When men are under the Apprehensions of immi­nent great Trouble, causeing a fear that they may be overcome by the Trouble, the Creature is at a stand, and knows not what to desire; even innocent fi­nite Nature, while it is seiled upon by these great Fears, the Mind is not free at the time, to have the actual uptaking of what is fit to be desired or expected of God, for the finite Mind is detained [Page 161] in the Contemplation of the greatness of the Trouble that is coming on them, see Christs Words, John 12.27. 3ly. When Corruption is tumultuating in the Heart, and Grace fighting against it, the Spirit lust­eth against the Flesh, and the Flesh against the Spi­rit; it is no wonder the Soul be troubled, with contra­ry Tydes of contrary Desires. 4ly: While the Soul is troubled with sad Challenges of Conscience for sin, that vexation of mind, caused by these Challenges, makes the Creature unfit to take up the particular state and condition of their Soul, so that they cannot have di­stinct Petitions to God about their condition, and therefore David, Psal. 38. When he fears Gods re­bukeing of him in Wrath, all that he wins to is, All my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee, Psal. 38 9.

This speaks out, what sad Condition the Saints may be in sometimes, when they are under this confu­sion; They would not conclude that they are in an unrenewed state; on the account of this condition, neither would they reckon that all of their Prayers they put up to God in this condition, are refused by him, for God observes what is regular in their Desires, and accepts it, tho it be mixed with ma­ny irregularities, as the next Verse tells us, and this is an Evidence of the great Favour and Grace of God to his own; and this tells us, that the pre­valency of Prayer springs more from Divine Favour, than from its own absolute and intrinsick Perfe­ction.

Observe next, that in the sad conditions of the Saints, they are called to fervency in Prayer; this is necessary, if they would imitate Christ in his Pray­ers, [Page 162] and if they would imitate the Saints Practice, according to the Scriptures. And 3ly. The Fer­vour of Prayer is necessary for the prevalency of it▪ for as James tells us, that the effectual fervent Pray­er of the Righteous avails much with God; if men would win to fervour in Prayer, they would la­bour to be under the fullest conviction of the ne­cessity and usefulness of the Mercies prayed for.

HEre the Apostle adds the Consolation, th [...] God accepts the indistinct and confused Pray­ers of the Saints, and he gives the reason of this ac­ceptance, 1st. He knows, what in these Prayer [...] flowes from his Spirit; men in confusion cannot tak [...] up what is the good, and what is the bad of thei [...] Prayers, but God can take it up, because he search­eth the Heart, and by searching knowes what i [...] perfectly in it, and so can accept the good and refus [...] the evil in them. 2d. Cause of acceptance is, Th [...] good of these Prayers comes from his Spirit, and therefore he cannot, and he will not refuse the good desires that are excited by his Spirit sent into thei [...] Hearts. A 3d. Cause is, these good Desires an [...] Intercessions are made for the Saints, for their Spi­ritual and Eternal Good, whose Felicity God intends to bring to a Perfection. A 4th. Cause is, that this Intercession made by the Spirit, is according to the [Page 163] Will of God, that is, according to his Promise, for the Spirit excites no desire in a Saint for any good but what is promised of God. 2ly. Thir desires are according to the revealed Will of God, which is the Rule of Duty, and agreeable thereto, the De­sires excited by the Spirit are all lawful Desires. 3ly. Thir Desires are according to Gods Will, because attended with submission to his disposeing Will.

Observe 1st The Designation that God gets in the Text, he is called the Searcher of Hearts, and one, that by searching, perfectly knowes the Heart; man by Reflections can but know his Heart imper­fectly, for the Lusts of his Heart are deceitful, and darkens his mind, that he cannot see all the evil that is in his Heart perfectly; and the number and great­ness of the evils, that is in the Heart of the best marrs the mind of man from taking up the good that is mixt with these evils. Next Satan does not per­fectly know what is in the Heart, he only can con­jecture by the external Conversation and Tempera­ture of the Body what is in it, but God has the per­fect knowledge of it, he framed it, and therefore knows it. 3ly. The Heart of Man, as to its act­ings, depends on Gods Influences, the Heart of man is in the hand of the Lord, and he turneth it whe­thersoever he will. 3ly. The internal Acts of a Mans Heart and Soul; is regulate by the Divine Law, and the Sum of the Law is to love the Lord with all our Heart, alse well as to give him external Service, and therefore he being Judge of them, he must know them: In a Word, his Immensity and Omniscience makes him perfectly know all the Good and al the Evil that is in the Heart.

[Page 164]Use of this is first, to exhort Folks to look well to the Heart, that it be right, for God knows it; we should look to this, that the Heart hate the Ill and love the Good. 2ly. This is very comfortable to these that are sincere, for let the World calum [...] niate as they please, God sees the contrary. 3ly. It may terrify the Hypocrite, who professes fair and neglects the Heart.

Observe next, That God accepts and hears the sincere Prayers of the oppressed Saints, The Tex [...] says, he knows what is the mind of the Spirit, tha [...] is, he approves and hears the Desires excited by the Spirit in the Hearts of the Godly; This is cle [...] from the returns he gives to those Prayers, b [...] giving Spiritual and Temporal Mercies, This Go [...] doth to keep his promise, for he has promised t [...] hear the Prayers of his People. 2ly. To convinc [...] the Atheistical World of a Providence. And 3 [...] To testify his respect to Prayer, and to endear th [...] Exercise to the Saints. 4ly. To testify his respect t [...] Christ for whose sake he hears them. 5ly. To testi [...] that Blessed Harmony, that is amongst the Persons [...] the Trinity, in carrying on the Work of our Salv [...] tion; The Father hears these Prayers that are d [...] ctate by the Spirit for the Saints Good. 6ly. Th [...] he may sweeten our Mercies, as coming to us th [...] way, and intimate his Love to his Saints thereb [...] see Dan. 9. And 7ly. That he may put a note o [...] respect on his Saints, and shew the view of the moyen with him, as he did to Moses and Daniel.

Use, Seing this is a priviledge of the Saints, L [...] bour to win to these Prayers, that prevails with God and for this effect, First, Labour to be renewed, [Page 165] be Saints, for it is only the Prayers of such, that prevails with him. 2ly. See that your Prayers come not so much from the gift of Prayer, as from the Grace of Prayer, let them come from an Holy In­clination to promote your spiritual good, they must come from the Spirit, 3ly. They must be lawful, desires agreeable to his will. 4ly. They must be attended with submission. 5ly. They must be foun­ded on the the promise. 6ly. They must be single Desires, we must not regard Iniquity in our heart. Psal. 66.18. 7ly. They must be fervent, groanings unutterable. 8ly. They must be attended with Breathings after the publick good of the Saints Eph. 6, 16 9ly. They must be in faith, Ja: 1, 3. 10ly, They must be free of resentment and revenge; see 1 Timothy 2, 8.

Use 2d, Of Tryal, Since the great reason why the Lord hears the Prayers of his People, is because they flow from his Spirit, ye would try whether your Prayers come from the Spirit or not, And 1st. ye would try by the matter of your Prayers, whether they be spiritual things or no these Prayers that are from the Spirit are for spiritual things, Rom. 8, 5. 2ly, Try the subject that Prayer is seated in, if it be in the Heart, God by searching the Heart finds the Prayers raised by the Spirit there, see the Text, The mind is right­ly attentive, both as to the matter and manner of Praying, the intention is found to use Mercies to Gods Glory, the Affections have something of Purity and Heavenlyness in them, see 2 Sam: 7, 18. Isai: 26, 8. 3ly, Try it by the abundance of Prayer in the Heart, see Eph: 6, 16, where the abundance of Prayer is there will be these several parts of Prayer: First, as [Page 166] Confession, Thansgiving Supplications for Good and Deprecations of Evil. 2ly, In this abundanc [...] there will be fervour of the Desire, Groanings u [...] utturable, see the preceeding Verse. 3ly. In th [...] abundance there will be strong spiritual Reasoning from the promise, see Neh: 1. A 4th, Mark of th [...] Spirits Prayers is, the frequency, of them they wil [...] Pray always, Eph. 6, 17. A 5th. is, Delays and Re­pulses will not discourage them, they will continu [...] therein with all perseverance, see Eph. 6.17. A 6th is, They will be for all Saints, see ibid. A 7th. The [...] will be attended with a Holy constancy in the Chri­stian profession; this lays by the Prayers of those that are guilty of Fundamental Errours in their Judgement. An 8th. Mark is, There will be tender­ness in their conversation, see for these two last th [...] 20 Verse of the Epistle Jude. And an 9th. is, The [...] will be attended with Repentance, see Zach 12.1 [...]

The 3d. Use of Tryal, since God hears the Prayer of his People, We would try if God has heard us or not. And 1st. Try it by this, whether God h [...] given us that which we desired or no. 2 [...]. Mark is, if he hears us he intimates his pardon to us, Psa. 85.8. A 3d. is, He gives us a farther degree [...] Reformation of our Life, Psal. 85, last. A 4th. Mark is, He gives us strength and support to be [...] our Tryals, Psal. 138. In the day I cryed, he an­swered me, and strengthened me with strength in my Soul. A 5th. Mark, He gives them the faith of ac­ceptation, he makes them joyful in the house [...] Prayer, Isai. 57. A 6th. Mark is, he disposes their heart to improve their Mercy for their advantage, he hears the desire of the humble, he prepares their [Page 167] heart and hears their cry, Psal, 10, 17. A 7th. is, He removes their distrustful Anxiety, see Han [...]as case. Phil. 4, 6.

A 5th Use is, An 2d Use of Exhortation, Since God hears the Prayers of his People, we should wait for God, and expect the Answer; we should direct our Prayers to God, and look up, Psal. 5, 2 [...]y. We should observe Providences, and see what Answer we get, 3ly. We should not abuse the Answer of our Prayers, to be proud of them, but we should improve them to our best advantage, for the confirmation of our Faith, for the exciteing of our Love, and for the en­dearing of Prayer more to us.

HEre the Apostle adds another Consolation under the Cross, which is, That all things work together for good to them that love God, That is, that all Affli­ctions tend to their spiritual Good; By (All things) here are meaned Afflictions, the universal particle being resticted to the subject matter of the discourse.

Observe 1st. The Consolation, that all Afflicti­ons tend to the good of the Believer, 2ly. Observe the certainty of this Consolation, Paul speaks of it as an uncontraverted truth, we know that all things work together for good, says he. 3ly. We have the persons to whom this Consolation belongs, de­scribed from these two, Love to God, and their Ef­fectual Calling.

For the first, That all Afflictions tend to their good [Page 168] appears, Because Internal and External Affliction tend to their good; External Afflictions tend to the good, because they are 1st. The occasion of the experience of delivery from great outward Tryal Psal. 18, 2ly They are the occasion of supp [...] under Tryals, Psal. 138 3, and 73, 26. 3ly. The [...] are the occasion of feeling sweetness in Spiritual Comforts, 2 Cor. 1, 4. 4ly, They are the occasion of Faith, Hope, and Meekness, which otherway would not have any occasion of Exercise. 5ly. b [...] thir Afflictions we know the truth, reality and grou [...] of these Graces. 6ly. They are the occasion of th [...] hightening of our Repentance for our present Sinns 2 Kin [...] 15, 30. And of cureing our stupidity for ou [...] old Guilt, Gen: 41, 21. 7ly. By them Predominant are restrained: Hos: 2, 7, 8. 8ly, By them People are made Sympathilers with others in Trouble Heb: 10, 33.

The Use of this is, Not to be Angry with God, for our Afflictions. 2ly, Not to stumble at the Af­flictions of our Godly Neighbours, 3ly, We should try, whether the forementioned good be the effect of our Troubles, yea, or no.

Observe next, That inward Tryals tend to the good of the Saints, And 1st, Inward temptation [...] they tend to their good, because they make them to depend upon Christs strength, 2 Cor: 12, 8. 2ly, They tend to excite the people of God, to Exer­cise Grace, and put on the Spiritual Armour, see Eph: 6, 10. 3ly. By them the Christian is acquaint [...] with the devices of Satan.

Next, Gods Desertions leaving them to yeild to a Temptation tends to their Good, because it tends to [Page 169] their Humility, Jo: 21, 15. 2ly. It tends to their greater measure of watchfulness, and sympathy with others. This should keep Folks from Despair that are in this case.

And 4ly. Desertions, in respect of Comfort, tend to their good, because thir Desertions put the people of God to try their Impenitency, Formality Secu­rity and Predominant ills. 2ly. They tend to their good, because they make them to breath more fer­vently after Communion with God, Psal. 42.1. 3ly. It is a great help to the purified Exercise of Faith I [...]a. 50.10.

Use, Of Instruction, This tells us why God trysts his people with Inward Afflictions. It is to be ob­served, that without the Spirit Folks will be the worse of Afflictions, Isai. 1.6. But by the Spirit the Blessing of the Affliction is attained, Isai. 4.4.

A 2d Use is, Of Exhortation, We should be care­ful to get good of our Afflictions, And that 1st By Prayer under them, Job. 27.10 Ja. 5.13. 2ly. By being suitably Exercised by them, Heb. 12.13. 3ly. By observing Gods Call to our particular duties by them Mic. 6: 9.

A third Use is, Of reproof to these that are the worse of their Afflictions. Such 1st. As are either Despisers of the Lord, or Fainters under his Rebuke Heb. 12.6. Or 2ly. Denyers of Providence Psal. 73.11. Or 3ly. These that despair and conclude, that God intends their ruine by the providence they are under, See Jos. 7, 7. Or 4ly. These that deny the Reality of the Grace of God in them, and if they believe not this, they will not be careful to please God.

[Page 170]A 4th. Use is, An Use of Tryal, to try if we b [...] the worse of Afflictions or not. The first is, If y [...] rue in your Religion, Mal. 3, 14. 2ly When [...] reckon Gods former favours Snares, and Entangl [...] ments Jos. 7, 7. 3ly, When your Afflictions dri [...] you to unlawful means for your relief, 1 Sam. 27, [...] And when you use lawful means without dependan [...] on God, 2 Chor: 16 12. 4ly, When you contin [...] in old Sinns 2 Cho: 28, 22. [...]ly, When your repynin [...] against providence weakens your Love to God, an [...] Faith in his promises, and makes you under valu [...] the present Mercies of your Lot, as the Children o [...] Israel did in the Wilderness. 6ly, When people sti [...] and refuse the Comforts of the word under their A [...] fliction Exod: 6, 9. 7ly. When they weary of the [...] Life with Rachael. Gen 30, 1.

When it is said, that all things work for good it may be taken more generally, as taking in, Pr [...] sperity, alse well as Adversity, for prosperity m [...] through Gods Blessing tend to the good of Believer, for it may be the occasion of their Charity, Hum [...] ­lity, Sobriety and Thankfulness.

Use of Reproof to these that censure providence which Censure of providence arises from Atheism [...] denying of providence. 2ly. It arises from unbeli [...] questioning of Gods Love in the manageing of providence to our advantage. 3ly, From Sensuality the enclines us to misconstruct all providences, that do n [...] gratify the same. 4ly. From too hasty passing sentence upon providence before these signal periods of [...] come, that may manifest its meaning. 5ly. Th [...] Censure of providence arises from the ignorance [...] the ills of our heart, and how closly these Ills stick [...] [Page 171] us, so much we have need of sharp Crosses to make a separation betwixt us and them. 6ly. The Censure of it arises from narrow views of it, that every stroak of Providence has various effects upon various Per­sons, in various Parts of the visible Church. 7ly. It arises from not considering, that God may send a lesser Cross to prevent a greater, see Jer. 24.5.

Now for the certainty of this Consolation, the A­postle says, they know the Truth of it; And that 1st By Scripture, Jer. 24.5. Psal. 34.20. 2ly. By Experience, and this hath these Two Things in it. 1st. That we should observe the Experiences of our Advantage by the Cross. And 2ly. We should be assured of the Certainty of the Thing, upon the Ob­servation of that Experience. This tells us, that there is no Persons of the World more inexcusable for despondency of Spirit, than those that are ob­servers of former Experiences.

The use of Exhortation is, that they would re­member how oft the Cross has born down their Pride, restrained their Predominants, and been the occasion of sending them often to Prayer; This is necessary to make this Observation of Experiences, because if it were made, and well improven, the the Crosses that we turn now as Arguments for our Unbelief, would prove Confirmations for our Faith.

He describes the Persons, to whom the Consolati­on belongs, from their Love to God; And this he does, 1st. Because Love, is best tryed by the Cross, as to its sincerity and constancy; it is sincere Love to God for himself, and for his Spiritual Benefits. 2ly. As to its constancy, it is a constant Love, that enclines a Soul to take part with God. under Cros­ses. [Page 172] 2ly. He describes thir Persons from Lo [...] to God, because Love defends them from the sna [...] of the Cross, it keeps us from useing unlawful Me [...] for our relief, it keeps us from being discontent wit [...] our Lot, as being content with God as our Portice [...] it keeps us from being misconstructers of Gods Providence towards us. 2ly. He describes thir Pe [...] sons to whom the Consolation belongs, to be Love of God, because Love furthers the Accomplishme [...] of these things that are designed by God, such [...] nearer Communion with God, hatred at sin, an mourning for it.

Use of Instruction, here we may see upon w [...] we may father the missing of the Spiritual Benefi [...] of the Cross, viz. upon the want of Love to Go [...] Use 2d. of Tryal to try whether we have Lover God or not. try your reality of Love, by your d [...] light in God, and the tenderness of your Obedien [...] John 14.28. Use 3d. of Exhortation, to Labo [...] for Love, and for that effect, believe Gods Love [...] you. 2ly. Consider the Mercies of your Lot. An [...] 3ly. Repell these misrepresentations of God, th [...] Satan makes of him, as tho he were cruel, becau [...] he were crossing us.

HEre a 2d. description of these persons to who [...] all providences are profitable, and it is fro [...] their Effectual Calling, The phrase here used abo [...] this Calling imports these Four. 1st. The speciali [...] [Page 173] of this Mercy. 2ly, That it flows from meer Grace; for where it is said to be a Calling according to purpose. that is a note to distinguish it, from a Call that is according to Works, 2 Tim. 1, 9. 3ly. It im­ports the effectualness of the Call, for Gods purpose is a standing purpose, Rom. 9, 11, And 4ly, It im­ports the perseveringness of this Call, because it is an unalterable purpose.

For the 1st. That it is an Special Call, appears, because it is not the external Call alone, for it is li­mited and restricted by this, that it is a calling ac­cording to purpose, Now all the externally called, are not thus internally called, for many of the ex­ternally called ones are not converted, see Deut. 29.5. But all the internally called ones are converted, John 6.45. Besides, this is not the simple external call, for it seems to be a call peculiar to the Elect. It being a call squared by purpose, which is meaned of the purpose of Election, and since there is a call peculiar to the Elect, as appears by that 2 Pet. 1.10. Where the assureance of our Calling, and the assu­rance of our Election goes together, it would seem that that calling peculiar to the Elect were meaned; and therefore it cannot be meaned of the external Call, for it is extended to more than the Elect, by Christs Words, Many are Called, but few are chosen.

If it be said, that all the externally called, are in­ternally called, because the externally called are said to resist the Holy Ghost? Answ. Such may be said to resist the Holy Ghost, as Stephens hearers did, Acts 7. Who resist his external call, and who resist his common operations. If it be said, that the inter­nal call, is always attending on the external call, [Page 174] because the Spirits Efficacy is joined with the D [...] pensation of the Word, in that Promise made to [...] Church, Isa. 59. last It is Answered, that Pro [...] does not say, that every dispensation of the Wo [...] has the Spirits attendance on it; it says indeed th [...] the Spirits Presence never wholly leaves the Visi [...] Church: Neither will this Opinion, Viz. That [...] external call may be without Efficacy; reflect [...] Gods sincerity, in the external call, for the exter­nal call only holds out what is Duty, and what m [...] be a sufficient encouragement for the doing of th [...] Duty, but it does not signifie any thing of Gods [...] terminate Purpose to bring about Events. Neith [...] are these only that are externally called, excusab [...] for their disobedience upon the account of their wa [...] of the internal Call; for they are willingly disobe­dient, and they have sufficient discovery of Du [...] with sufficient encouragement to perform it.

Use 1st. This lets us see the Soveraignty o [...] God, in dispensing this internal Call to some, and denying it to others, this is handled by the Apostle, Rom. 9. Use 2d. Of Exhortation, to exhort the internally called to thankfulness, seing it is a spe­cial Mercy not granted to all within the Visible Church.

Observe next, that this internal Call is of Grace [...] and not of Works, see 2 Tim. 1.8 This is clear, [...] ye consider, who they are the Called, The Poor, 1 Cor. 1.27. The Foolish, Matth. 11.25. The Prophane, passing by the Civil, 2 Cor. 6.10. The dead in Trespasses and Sins, Eph. 2.1. The Gen­tiles passing by many of the Jews; besides Gods cal­ling the wicked Nation of the Jews to a Visible [Page 175] Church-state passing by other Nations that were more Civilized then they, was à representation of the freedom of this Internal Call, see Deut. 9.4. Now there were some Nations better then the Jews, for when God sent Ezekiel to them, he said, if he had sent them to other Nations, he had not found them so Rebellious, as the house of Judah, and Christ said that tho the Jews were Impenitent under his Do­ctrine and Miracles, yet if they of Tyre and Sidon had heard and seen them, they would not a been so.

Next, This Internal Call is free, Because the Soul is passive in Vocation, Phil. 3.12. 2ly. It is free, because it is not merited by Works: for all the good Works that a man can do flows from the Power of Grace, 1 Cor. 15.10. Now we want Grace before we be internally Called, and we are in the flesh also, before we be internally Called; Now these that are in the flesh cannot please God, and therefore cannot merite this internal Call. A­gain, neither can it be said, that the receiving of this internal Call doth merite, because Gods Work­ing in us to Will, is of good Pleasure, also well as his working in us to do, Phil. 2.12. Use 1st. The internally Called should be humble. 2ly. They should be confident of their perseverance; seing Grace began their Salvation, it can also carry it on. 3ly. Seing ye get this Grace freely of God, use it for him. Use 2d. To encourage these who find their Grace under decay, to use means for its recovery, and ex­pect it, seing it was given freely. Use 3d. Of In­struction, to let us see that Glory is of Grace, see­ing our first Calling to it is free. Use 4th. It [Page 176] encourages Ministers to go on with the external Call because God may confer the internal Call upon the worst, seing it is free, and the worst of sinners may use the means for their conversion to God, seing God can confer this internal Call upon the worst of them freely.

Observe 3ly. This Call is effectual, seing it is the accomplishment of a standing purpose, see Rom. 9.11. Jo. 6 44.45. Cant. 1.3, 4. The promise of th [...] Spirit, Ezek. 36. [...]6. Doth not only say, that God wil enable us to walk in his Statutes, but that we shall actually walk in them; beside not only a Power to believe, but Actual Believing, is Gods Gift, Phil. 1. last. And actual Repentance is the certain effect of converting Grace, Jer. 31, 18. Likeas, this Grace conferred by this Internal Call, cures the resistence to it self, because by it the stony heart is taken out of our flesh, and we get an heart of flesh: Neither can it be said, that our concurrence into this Internal Cal [...] makes it effectual, because then Gods working in us to do, were not so much of his good pleasure, as his working in us to will, contrair to Phil. 2.2. And our Calling which is said to be of Grace. and not of Works, might be said to be of this Work, Viz. A Concurrence with the internal Call, which cannot be consistent with this which is said in the 2 Tim 1.9. Viz. That our Calling is not of Works b [...] of Grace: Besides, to say that the effectualness of this Grace depended on our concurrence, it were also much as to say, that it were in our power to make Christs Death fruitless, and to render void the Promise of the Father to the Son, in the Cove­nant of Redemption, Viz. That he should see his [Page 177] seed, and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand, Isai. 53.10 Neither doth the effectual­ness of this Call take away the natural freedom of the Will, for that Natural freedom consists in a spon­taneous willing acting from choice. Neither doth the Doctrine of the effectualness of Grace speak any thing against the approvableness of the Saints obe­dience to Gods Call, for it may flow from deter­minating Grace, and yet be approvable; for the obedience of Angels, and confirm'd Saints in Hea­ven is approven of God.

Use 1st. This lets us see the difference betwixt Gods working on Mens Spirits, and Satans work­ing on them; Satan can only perswade, but God can determine. 2ly. we may see the great power of God, in the power of converting Grace; It is compared to the Power that raised Christ from the Dead, Eph. 1.18. 3ly. It says, we need not despair of the Conversion of the worst. 4ly. It says, that the Converted may believe that they shall persevere, notwithstanding of the opposition made to their perseverance; because that same powerful Grace that converted them at first, can make them per­severe. Next, When it is said, they are called ac­cording to purpose, it speaks this Call to be a perse­vering Call, for this purpose is irrevocable. Rom. 11.29.

Observe next, That those that are called accord­ing to purpose, their Calling is a sure pledge, that God will make all their Afflictions tend to their spiri­tual good, and that because their Calling is linked with their Glory, as being the first prime effect of their predestination v, 30.

[Page 178]Use of this is, That if we would be sure that ou [...] Afflictions would advance our spiritual Good, we would try our Calling; And first, try it by our Sav­ing Knowledge, 2 Pet. 1.58. 2ly. Try it by ou [...] attainment to Holyness, 1 Thess 4.7. 3ly. Try it by your Communion with Christ. 1 Cor. 1.9. 4ly. Try it by your esteem of the mystery of the Cross, 1 Cor. 1.23. 5ly. Try it by the deep impressions of the Gospel Truths on your Heart, Rom. 6.17. 6ly. Try it by your esteem of the Calling Word; If ye desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2.2.

HEre the Apostle proves, That the Called ac­cording to purpose, Their Afflictions must tend to their Spiritual Good, because they are pre­destinate to be conformed to the Image of the Son of God. And the medium he makes use of to prove it is, that the foreknown are predestinate to be con­formed to the Image of God; and he takes it for granted, that all the Called according to purpose, are foreknown. By a conformity with Christs Image, is not here understood an Conformity with him in his Suffering Lot, else the Argument would not infer what the Apostle intends to prove, viz. That the Afflictions of the called ones might tend to their spiritual Good, for many might be predestinate to be [Page 179] in a suffering Lot, which Lot might prove not very edifying to them. 2ly. The Illustration subjoined viz. That he might be the first-born amongst many Bretheren, signifies that by conformity with Christs Image, is not meaned Suffering, but a shareing in his priviledges significative of favour. 3l [...]. It must not be a conformity to his Suffering Lot here meant, because as the Apostle expresses it in the bulk v, 29. That the effect of Predestination is a conformity to Christs Image, so more plainly and particularly he sets out wherein that conformity doth consist, v. 30. viz. By giving us the effects of Predestination; which are Calling, Justification and Glory.

By Foreknowledge here is not meaned a Fore­knowledge of our Faith or good Works, or of our concurrence with the External Call; The reason is because Faith is the effect of Predestination, v. 30. Therefore it cannot be the object of Foreknowledge, because Foreknowledge is before Predestination, and Faith is the effect of Predestination, Acts 13.48. neither can it be meant of the Forknowledge of good Works, because these are the effects of Predestination. Likeways Eph. 2.10. Neither can it be meant of the Foreknowledge of our concurrence with the Exter­nal Call, because our Effectual Calling depends not upon that concurrence, but upon Gods purpose, and Grace that was given to us in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 1.9. By this Foreknowledge therefore is meant, the Love of God towards such whom he predestinates to be saved through Christ, because Knowledge in the Hebrew Language is taken for Affection, Psal. 1, [...]l [...]. Rom. 11.2. 1 Pet. 1.2

We may observe here, that all the Called of God, [Page 180] are foreknown of him, that is they are the Objects o [...] his Eternal Love, and this tells us, that their Callin [...] comes from free Love and not from merite. 2l [...] It bids us conclude from our Calling that we are th [...] Objects of Eternal Love. 3ly. It says, that if Go [...] Loved us from Eternity, he will Love us to Eternity 4ly. It says, that since God Loved us from Eternity we should Love him in time.

Next, Observe, that the Called are predestinate t [...] be conformed to the Image of his Son, and this tel [...] us, that Electing Love was towards Gods Elect, before they were considered as in Christ: nay the gi [...] ing of them to Christ does say, by the decree of Prede­stination, which as to our uptaking is revealed in t [...] Scripture to be posterior to this Love, that the peop [...] of God were his by Electing Love, before they w [...] given to Christ to save, Jo. 17.6. And we see th [...] were designed to be conformed to the Image [...] Christ after they were foreknown, And therefo [...] that Arminian Tenet is false, that God can have Elective Love towards none, but such as he does fo [...] see to be Believers; And this says next, that if G [...] Love his people with an Love of Benevolence, befo [...] he consider them as in Christ by Faith, he will c [...] ­tainly Love such with an Love of complacency, as a [...] actually in him by Believing.

Observe 3ly. That God designs a Fraternity be­twixt Believers and Christ, That is, that there shou [...] be a Communion of Natures betwixt us and him; he hath the same human Nature with the Children. Heb. 2.14. Likeas they partake of his Spirit Rom. [...] [...]. And this is appointed of God, 1, That there mig [...] be an Imputation of his Obedience and Sufferings t [...] [Page 181] us, because we are sib to him, 2ly. That we might claim with confidence the effects of his merite. And 3ly. That he might sympathisingly interceed for us. And 4ly. That we might with boldness employ him in all his Offices, as one we are so nearly related to. And 5ly. That there might be access to conform us to his Image, As the Text says, that is, to share with him in his priviledges here, and his Glory hereafter. And first we share with him in his Natural Son­ship by our Adoption, Gal. 4.5. 2ly. We share with him in his Justification, he was justified by his Resurrection, as our Soverty, 1 Tim. 3 last. And we are justified through him, Phil. 3.9. He receiv­ed the Spirit from the Father as Spirit of Life, and we receive that Spirit from him, Jo· 14.19. And 6.57. He raised himself from the Grave by his own Power, we are to be raised by his Power, Rom. 8.11. Jo. 528. He went into Heaven and acquired an nearness to his Father by his own Blood, we acquire an access to Heaven by the same Blood, Heb. 10.19.20. He allows us a share of his Glory, Jo. 17.24. This speaks out the Fathers Love, that advances us to partake of thir priviledges with Christ, and it ex­horts us to be content with his Lot in this World, and to imitate his Virtues.

Observe, That Christ hath the preheminence, in respect of priviledges over all his Bretheren: He is the Natural Son, we are the Adopted Children; he received the Spirit above measure, we by measure; the Fountain and fulness of Life is in him, we have but a share of it; he was justified by his own Righ­teousness and Obedience, we by his; he got access to the Fathers Glorious presence by vertue of his own [Page 182] Blood, we by vertue of the same, Heb: 10.19. He rose by the Power of his own Spirit, we are raised by vertue of his Power: As to his personal Glory, it is greater nor ours, because he sits on the right hand of the Throne of Majesty, This tells us we owe him great Honour, Homage, Love, Esteem, and De­pendance.

Observe, That Christ possest with thir priviledges evidences himself to be Gods first born and Heir: what priviledges I have named do testify, that he is the Son of God, so that after Christs Exaltation, to deny hi [...] Divinity, is an inexcusable Fault, and it is an inexcusable Infidelity in the Saints to deny their Adoption, while they feel in themselves an Commu­nication of the Spirit of Life from Christ. And as thir Priviledges testify, that he is the Natural Son of God, so they testify that he is the Heir of all things; he is called here the First-born. The Father Loves the Son, and giveth all things into his hand, and this speaks our right to these Priviledges to be very firm, seing we have a right to them by his Testament, ra­tified by his Blood and Death.

OBserve here, the Apostle clearing, That the Cal­led, according to purpose, or the Predestinate Folks, their Afflictions must tend to their Good, be­cause of this Argument, that Calling, Justification and [Page 183] Glory are the certain effects of Predestination, And therefore God in his Wisdom must order Afflictions, so as they must have a certain tendency to bring them to Glory at last.

Observe here, All the predestinate Folks are ef­fectually Called, And therefore this says first, That none will win to Heaven but those that are Effectu­ally Called, for Calling here goes before Glory, and such as are Predestinate to Glory, are Predestinate to Calling. 2ly. It says that the first clear discovery of Predestination is Calling, A Man cannot know his Election by any other evidence then by Calling. 3ly. It says that this is a sure evidence thereof. 4ly. We see that Calling being the effect of Predestination, and it being an irrevocable purpose, Rom. 9.11. That Calling must as to its effect be irresistable. 5ly. We see that since Calling is the effect of Predestination, the Foreknowledge of our Calling cannot be the cause of it, and therefore our foreseen Faith cannot be the cause of our Election. And 6ly. Seing we see the Apostle proving that the Called according to purpose, are to be conformed according to Christs Image, that is, they are to share of his priviledges and Glory, he proves this I say, by that sure Link that Predestination puts between their Calling and Glory, which tells us that all Effectually Called do share of Christs Priviledges, and shall after share of his Glory.

The Text says, Whom he Calls he Justifies, this says there are none Justified till they be Called, and therefore the Antinomian Errour is reproveable, who say the Elect are justified from Eternity, Elect Paul before Conversion, was a Child of Wrath even as [Page 184] others, Eph. 2.2. 2ly. This says, That presently upon their being Called they are Justified, and there­fore their Justification is not delayed till they perse­vere in Good Works to the end of their Life, or else how should they rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God while they are in time. 3ly. If the Called Folks be justified, then they are in a state of Friendship with God, and therefore there is no Wrath in their most severe Lots. Rom. 5.7. And they may with freedom use access to the Throne of Grace. 4ly. If the Cal­led be justified, It says their Afflictions must tend to their Good, because when they know that Sin is par­doned, they cannot but be sure that God will bless their Crosses to them, and not make them a Curse 5ly. If Called Folks be justified, they should have peace in their own Conscience, they may well be humbled for Sin, they should not have an Torment­ing fear of Hell for it. 6ly. If the Called be justified, their Obedience should flow more from Love to God then from distrustful fears.

Now I clear that the Called are justified, That is, they are indemnified as to the punishment for Sin threatned by the Covenant of Works, and they have an unquestionable Title to Life; the reason is, be­cause they have a right to Christs Obedience and Suffering; For the Father gives Christ to them for Righteousness, 1 Cor. 1 30. 2 Cor 5. last. And Christ ratifies the Gift of his own Consent, and seals his own gift and the Fathers Gift, by the Sa­crament of the Supper. Now that the Called Man is justified appears, because the Called have Faith, and the Gospel-Promulgation secures, that all Be­lievers are justified. 2ly. It appears that the Called [Page 185] Man is justified, because God gives him of his Spi­rit, and we know that he gives his Spirit to none, but to such to whom he is reconciled. 3ly. The Called Man is justified, because he is Just, and that upon the account he has a sure interest in a perfect justifying Righteousness. It is a justifying Righ­teousness, if ye consider, 1st. The compleatness of his Obedience and Sufferings. 2ly. If ye con­sider, That that Obedience and Suffering was for us, and not for himself. 3ly. If ye consider, that the Father appointed it to be so, 2 Cor. 5. last. 4ly. If ye consider, there were Grounds for this Appoint­ment, viz. Christs sibness to us, and his consent it should be so. From this we inferr, that the Called, since they are justified, may bear the Calumnies of the World, and live in the Hope of the sentential Justification of the Judge at the last Day, seing they are Legally justified by Law, and that Law of his own Constitution.

Observe, All the justified shall be glorified, this Glory stands as to the Body in its Clarity, Immor­tality, Spirituality, and Power; As to the Soul, it stands in its Light, in its Life, in its Communion with God, and in its Joy and Comfort springing from all these. That Light is full and immediate, we see no more through a Glass darkly, but face to face: It is Eternal, our Sun will no more go down; that Life it is a Life on, from and to God; it is full and abundant, there is a River of Waters of Life in Heaven; it is eternal as to its duration; that Com­munion we have with God is immediate, without Ordinances, there is no Temple in the New Jeru­salem, Rev. 22. It is constant without interruption, [Page 186] we are made Pillars of the Temple of God, Rev 7: 10. The Joys that follow thereon, are full an [...] satisfying, constant and lasting, Psal. 16. last. Now this Glory, all the Justified shall possess it, as ap­pears, by the linking of Calling Justification, an [...] Glory together, and they are linked together by rea­son of Predestination, Christs Merite, and the Spi­rits Application. 2ly. It is sure by the nature of Justification, it being a Right to Life, alse well as Immunity from Wrath. 3ly. It appears from San­ctification, which is a Preparation for Glory, and a Pledge of it. Eph. 4.30. It appears from their Adoption, Rom. 8.17. It appears from this, that the Gospel is the Rule of Judgement; the Word that Christ speaks, shall judge them at the last Day, John 12. It appears from the necessary Righteous­ness that is in the Judge. And Lastly, it appears from the Truth of God, and the Truth of his Promise.

From this we infer, that the Justified do share of Christ's Priviledges here, such as access to God, seing they are to share of his Glory hereafter, and partial Conformity with Christ in this World se­cures our total Conformity with him in Glory in the other. 2ly. This says that the justified are san­ctified, seing Sanctification must go before Glory, and it is Glory begun. 2ly. It says that the justi­fied are sure of perseverance, seing they that endure to the end must be saved, and none but they. 4ly: That since Glory is connected with Justification, we should hope for Heaven, wait for Heaven, and work out our Salvation with fear and trembling. 5ly. We should submit to the Cross, seing this condition [Page 187] is certainly abiding us. 6ly. We should never be jealous that the Cross will tend to our prejudice, but believe it will tend to our profit, seing God designs to bring us to Glory, for Grace must reign through Righteousness into eternal Life. And 7ly. Ye would try your state to Justification, as ye would try your right to Glory.

HEre the Apostle, by way of interrogating, what shall we say then to these things? infers the truth and sufficiency of the Comforts formerly laid down; because when he says, What shall we say to them, imports, that we can say nothing to them: And afterwards, from this he concludes a trium­phant Defyance, against all the Opposition that can he made to their Salvation under the Cross, and that is, because it appears by the Comforts former­ly laid down, that God is with them; that is, God is Friends with them, they have fellowship with him, and he assists them against all the Opposition that is made to their Salvation.

Observe here 1st. That the Comforts formerly laid down, are real and sufficient, and that proven so by the Experience of all Saints. The Comforts formerly spoken to, are the Certainty of Glory, and its preferable Good to the Evil of Afflictions; that we are saved by Hope; that the Spirit helps our Infirmities, especially in Prayer; that all things work [Page 188] together for our Good, especially Afflictions, and t [...] our love to God, and Calling according to purpo [...] are Pledges thereof; that we are Predestinate to [...] conformed to Christs Image, and sharers of his [...] ­viledges; that Predestination has put a sure Con [...] ction betwixt Calling and Glory. From this [...] inferr, that the Enjoyers of these Comforts are [...] excuseable for their being prevailed upon, by d [...] couragements under the Cross. 2ly. This tells [...] that Ministers, when they comfort People und [...] Crosses, should afford them plain and unquestio [...] able Grounds of Consolation, that cannot be cont [...] ­dicted, such as the Text says here, we have nothi [...] to say against,

Observe next, that the Enjoyers of these Com­forts may conclude that God is with them; Fro [...] this I inferr, 1st. That these Comforts are sure Mar [...] of a state of Reconciliation. 2ly. I inferr that th [...] are certain Pledges of Divine Assistance, against op­position made to our Salvation. 3ly. I infer th [...] they are real Evidences of Spiritual Communion be­twixt God and us,

Observe 3ly. That while Saints are under the Cross, their is much opposition made to their Sal­vation; It's clear 1st. By their Corruptions be­ing irritate by the Cross. 2ly. By the Devils tak­ing advantage by the Cross to tempt us. 3ly. It appears by the Worlds insulting over the People of God, while they are under the Cross. 4ly. It ap­pears from the Challenges of Conscience, for sin that they are lyable unto while under the Cross; This says that we have not only need of Patience to bear the Cross, but we have need of Watchfulness against [Page 189] that opposition that is made to our Faith under the Cross, and we had need to pray for strength a­gainst that opposition, much more than for Deli­verance from the Cross.

Observe 4ly. That this Opposition is all succesless, because it is limited by Providence, and we have strength afforded us by the Spirits Influence against it. Ʋse, This is comfortable to People under long continuing Crosses. 2ly. This invites us to bring our Faith up to that, triumphantly to defy all the opposition that is made against it.

HEre the Apostle, as he had in the former Ver­ses comforted the Saints under the Cross, by telling them that God would secure and defend them from the evil of it, by giving them many sensible Supports for that end; So likewise in this Verse, he doth comfort them, by telling them of his readiness to confer Favours upon them, and this he confirms by the Love of Christ to them, and by the Love of the Father in giving Christ.

Observe. 1st. That there is an abundance of Spiritual Things that the afflicted Christian stands in need of: Here the Apostle says, they may ex­pect an, All, of things; They have need of Pardon to be intimate to them, and that because the Cross is really an Effect of Paternal Displeasure, and Peo­ple [Page 190] under the Cross are ready to be jealous of God anger as a Judge. 2ly. They have need of Grace to prevent the irritation of their Corruption. 3ly. They had need of Patience under the Cross, because of the continuance of it. 4ly· They had need of Re­pentance, because the Cross leads them to it. 5ly. They had need of Comfort, because they are called to suffer with joy and cheerfulness under the Cross, alse well as otherways. 6ly. They had need of De­liverance, to prevent their overwhelming under the Cross; and they had need of the Blessing of the Cross, to make it effectual for their good.

Use, This lets us see, how much we are in Gods Reverence, therefore we should be loath to offend him. 2ly. This tells us that afflicted Folks should be much in Prayer, for the supply of their wants, and other Folk should pray for them. 3ly. They are called to be very humble, seing they have so great need of so many things in their afflicted Condi­tion.

Observe, 2ly. That God is very ready to give bountifully to his People, in their afflicted State; As appears 1st. By the compleatness of their Par­don, Psal. 85. 2ly. By the fulness of their Comfort, 2 Cor. 1.6. 3ly. By the sufficiency of their Grace against Temptations, 2 Cor. 12.8. 4ly. By their innumerable Deliverances, Psal. 71.15. 5ly. By the seasonableness of these Deliverances, Psal. 46.1. 6ly. By their unexpectedness, Psal. 126.1. 7ly. By their Deliverance, being above their Merite, Isa [...]. 57.18. 8ly. By the Communication of Light to them, Prov. 3.8. Psal. 25.8.

Use of Reproof, for the narrow Thoughts we [Page 191] have of the Bounty of God towards us in our affli­cted state. 2d. Use of Exhortation, to exhort us to have large Desires and Expectations, suitable to this large Bounty. 3ly. It reproves us for re­pineing under Crosses, seing God puts us in that Condition, of purpose that we may be capable of having the Experience of the Expressions of his Bounty. 5ly, Do not shift a Cross, seing God can by the Expressions of his Bounty, make it both plea­sant and profitable. 6ly. Do not obstruct the Ex­pressions of his Bounty by Unbelief, Impenitency, and neglect of Prayer. 7ly. Labour to observe the Expressions of Gods Bounty, to confirm your Faith, to excite your Love and Thankfulness.

Observe 3ly. That thir Expressions of Love are freely given, because they exceed and go beyond our Faith, Psal 31.21. 2ly. They go beyond our Merit, Isay 57.18. God will deliver us even when we are guilty of Treachery towards him, Jer. 3.20, 21. This teaches us Humility and confidence in Prayer.

Observe 4ly. All thir Expressions of Bounty are given with Christ, which holds out, that if we have an interest in him, we have an interest also in all these: all things are yours, and ye are Christs, and Christ is Gods, 2 Cor. 1. last, 2 Cor. 1.20. 2ly. It imports, that Christ is the principal Gift, other things cannot be had without him, and if they could, they would not be sweet to us. 3ly. When the Text says he gives us all things with him; it imports, that all the Expressions of his Bounty conferred on us in our afflicted condition, are given to us upon the account of his Merite, and not upon the account of ours

[Page 192]Observe 5ly. The Apostles manner of Expressio [...] shewing Gods readiness to supply the need of his af [...] ­cted People on Christs account, in these Words, He shall be not with him freely give us all things, imports, th [...] crossed Saints should have no doubt of Gods read [...] ness to supply their Wants; This appears from [...] Faithfulness in keeping Promises. 2ly. The U [...] ­changeableness of the goodness of his Nature. 3l [...] From his tender Sympathy towards his People [...] their afflicted condition, In all their afflict [...] ­on he was afflicted, Isa. 63 9. 4ly. It appears f [...] the great love that was vented in procureing them Saviour.

Use of Reproof, to those that have hard though [...] of God, as tho he were unready or unwilling to su [...] ply their wants. Use of Exhortation, to conclud [...] from hence, that what ever our Lot is, it is suite for us; This would make us love our God, and comply with our Duty and Cross, notwithstanding o [...] Cross were against our Natural Humour v [...] farr.

Observe 6ly. That Gods giving up of Christ [...] Death, is a great Confirmation of the Fathers L [...] to us. In speaking to this, I shall clear first, in w [...] sense it is, the Father did not spare his Son. 2ly. W [...] he is called his own Son. 3ly. In what sense it [...] said, that he delivered him up to Death. And 4 [...] How all this is the very highest Expression [...] his Love.

For the First, The Father is said not to spare t [...] Son, to hold out that our Salvation was so dear [...] him, that rather than it were not brought about, it was content to expose his Son to a state of Hum [...] ation [Page 193] for us; and this must be an Argument of great Love; It was great Love to design and bestow Salvation on us, but it was an greater Argument of Love to design such a Salvation for us, as would not be brought about, but by the Humiliation of his Son: and this tells us, we are still great Debitors to the Fathers Love, for it's impossible that we can ex­press Love to him, as he hath to us. 2ly. It says, that as we are obliged to Christ, who by his Humi­liation merited our Salvation, so to the Fathers Love likeways, who to make way for it, procured Christs Humiliation, 3ly. It says, there is nothing promis­ed in the Covenant, but we may expect it from the Fathers Love, seing Heaven it self, if it could have heen given another way then this, had been an expression of Love below this exp [...]cision of it. 4ly. If Love made him part with he Son for us, it saith, that there is nothing so dear to us, that we should not part with, to testify our Love to him.

2ly. He is said not to spare him, because after he had undertaken to be our Soverty, Justice exacted all the Penalty of him for the breach of the Covenant of Works, and for all our Sins, he for­gave him nothing, Isai. 53 7 It was exacted, and he Answered it, tho' these Words be otherways in our Translation; when Christ dyed, he said, It was finish­ed, Jo. 19.30. He suffered in his Soul, Body, and Name, The Lord withdrew his sensible Comfort from him, at appears by his crying My God why hath thou forsaken me, Devils vexed him, Men mocked him; From this, See 1st. The greatness of Gods Love to us, that he would not divide the Legal punishment of Sin 'twixt Christ and us, but [Page 194] would have him to bear it all. 2ly. We would read the greatness of Gods Love in the Extremity of Christ his Sufferings; And for this effect be oft considering 1st. The painfulness of his Death. 2ly. The Igno­miniousness of his Death. 3ly. It was a Cursed Death, and he dyed in the account of many as de­serving Death, and in the view of many. 3ly. Con­sider the trouble of his mind, Jo. 12.27. It puts him to that, what shall I say, He was exceeding sor­rowful, Matth. 26 38. 4ly Consider his Prayers for relief; his sinles nature shuning this Cup; he that was so willing to suffer being put to that, tells us he was put to great Extremity. 5ly. Consider his Prayers, the fervour of them, Luke 22.44 The fre­quency and shortness of them, and that he desired the Disciples to watch and pray with him: all that says, that he was sore put to it, 6ly. Consider that he stood in need of the confirmation of an An­gel, Luke 22.43. 7th. The prophetical Expressions of the old Testament about his Sufferings says, he was in great Extremity, his being bruised, pouring out his Soul to Death, Isai. 53. His Heart being poured out like Water, Psal. 22. That says he behooved to be in great Extremity.

Use 3d If God spared not Christ, but put him to bear the whole Curse for his People, then they are to bear no portion of vindictive Wrath them­selves. 4 [...]. if Justice spared not him, it will not spare others, that have no Interest in his Suffering The Wicked and Unbelievers may expect the exact accomplishment of the Threatning. 5ly. Believen may venture on his Satisfaction. 6ly. Be affected with Sin, that procured this Extremity of Suffer­ing. But

[Page 195]2ly. He is said to be his own proper peculiar Son, Jo. 10.34 1 Jo. 4.10. Jo. 1.8. Gal 4.4. And this was a great Expression of the Fathers Love, If ye consider that he was the Object of his Fathers Eternal Love, Prov. 8. 2ly. In that he gave up his own Son, He testified by this his design, to bring up his People to the Honourable state of Adoption. From this see, the necessity of our Salvations being brought about by Christ, and by no other, for no other was capable of the Work of Mediation but he, He had only Personal Dignity to make his Sacrifice of Value, He only had the Spirit to apply the purchases of that Sacrifice.

3ly. How the Father delivered him up to Death, This Delivery to Death is ascribed to the Father; by reason of his Decree that he should dye, 1 Pet. 1.20. 2ly. Because it was by his Providence all that was inflicted on him, he had the main hand in inflicting all that punishment on him that he sustained, And that Providence had the main hand in Christs Sufferings. Appears 1st. In that he suffered not till the appointed time came, notwithstanding all his Enemies Malice: The Scripture saith no man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come. 2ly. Scripture-Prophecy about them tells us, that Providence ordered them. 3 [...]. Christs foreknowledge of them, Jo. 18.4. 4ly. Enemies being limited that they could not do all they would, Jo. 19 36. And Christ himself ac­knowledges this, Jo. 18.11. And this was the reason, why Christ betook himself to Prayer under the Cross.

Use 1st. I [...] the Father was the main deliverer of him up to Death, see here the great intended end of Christs Suffering, was satisfaction to his Justice; [Page 196] It was the Fathers Justice did pursue him; And that consideration is comfortable to us, and significative of the Fathers Love, that Justice did forbear to punish us, and did insist in the pursuit of him, 2ly. We see, that Justice may inflict punishment by Instru­ments, for Guilt, whether imputed or following upon personal Transgression, it was Justice deliver­ed him up to Death, tho it was Men that were the in­struments in inflicting of it: And this tells us that un­der all our Sufferings from Men we should mainly look to God, for he hath the cheif Hand. 3ly. Since the Father delivered him to Death out of Love to us for our Salvation, there is no cause to stumble at this Providence, or strengthen Atheism thereby; If Gods designs in this Providence, and his Hand be overlooked, it seems a strange thing for such a per­son to be given up to the will of Men, but if the rea­son of this Providence be throughly considered, there needs none stumble at it. 4ly. if Christs Sufferings were ordered by the Fathers Providence, then all the Sufferings of his People must be ordered by the same providence. 5ly, We see in this Providence Gods Hand Christs Hand, and the Hand of the Wicked Instruments: God was Just, because he was imputatively Guilty; Christ kythed his Affecti­on, in submitting to all that was inflicted on him, tho' he did not actively take away his own Life, but the Instruments were Wicked, because they did it to satisfy their Malice.

Now if ye would consider the Apostles reasoning hence, To confirm the People of God in his Love, it is very strong. 1st. Considering who he was, he was his own Son. 2ly. To what be was delivered, [Page 197] it was up to Death. And 3ly. If you consider for whom, for Us, Worthless Sinful Creatures: All that makes it a High expression of Love.

Use 1st. To reprove those amongst Believers that doubts of his Love: For 1st. There are some that doubt of it, because he crosses them, but they would look to his defending them against the Snare of the Cross, and for his supplys of Grace under the Cross, and how necessary it is for us. 2ly. Some doubt of his Love, because they want Gifts, but alas Gods great Gift, is Christ to save; other Gifts are more significative of Love to others in the Church, then that they signifie Gods Love to thy self. To press the believing of this Love, Consider 1st. It makes you Love him. 2ly. It will make you construct well of his dealing, Charity thinketh no Evil. 3ly. It will make you very thankful for Mer­cies; For if thou think God Loves thee not, thou will be ready to think every thing a snare to thee, and so will not be so thankful for it. 4ly. If thou believe his Love, thou will not be feared for the As­pect of an coming Cross, Psal. 56 4.

Use 2d, Of Exhortation, Love the Father of our Lord Jesus, and express your Love. 1st. By Obedience. 2ly. By loving his spiritual presence in his Ordinances, see Psal. 27.4. His Presence was Davids, One Thing. 3ly. By Loving them that are his, Psal. 16. My Goodness extends not to thee, but to the Saints. 4ly. Let your heart be warmed with Love to God under the Rod, Heb. 12.9. 5ly. Grieve, For others and your own offending him. 6ly. Have nothing but what you can give it him, and bestow it for his use, Your Health, Time, Gifts, [Page 198] Friendship in the World, Riches, study how all these may be employed for him, and his Glory. 7ly. L [...] Love make you willing to part, tho' it were with your Life to Glorify him, seing Christ parted with his for your Salvation.

Use 3d. [...]eing the Father his Love, hath made o [...] Salvation so easy, Then work it out with fear and trembling; He doth not require a conformity to the Law of thee, that thou may be saved, that he hath got of Christ, when he did not spare him; all the Co [...] ­formity he requires is, in order to Thankfulness and by vertue of Christs strength.

HAving spoken elsewhere, to the Nature of Justi­fication, that it does not stand in the infusi [...] of Gracious qualities in the Soul, or in a perso [...] conformity to the Law, In regard of our Actions. But it stands in an Absolution from the charge of the Law, for want of an Conformity to its preceptive and comminatory parts. 2ly. As also having spoke [...] to the compleatness of Justification, as it is an Ab­solution from any possible charge or clame that c [...] be given in against us. And 3ly. To the sureness an [...] firmness of it

Here the Apostle triumphs by Faith, as judging it so firm, As it cannot be quarrelled by any [...] any time, upon just Grounds. But the Text sup­poses there will be Challenges of our Justification and these are the censuring World, the misinforme Conscience, and the Tempting Devill. And fin [...] [Page 199] our Justification is firm in it self, and objectively certain, it were fit we had an subjective certainty of it, that we may the more easily defend our selves against these Challengers. And for this effect, first we would be truely convinced of sin, Psal. 32.1. 1 Jo. 1.7. People that are either stupid in their Con­science or Extenuaters of their Faults, rarely win to the assurance of their Justification. 2ly. We would not found this Assurance of ours upon a good lively frame, or upon some eminent assistance to do a par­ticular Duty, or upon some singular returns of Pray­er, or upon some signal external favourable Provi­dence, but we would lay the stress of it upon this, that by Faith we appropriate to our selves the gene­ral grant of pardon recorded in the Gospel, 1 Tim. 1.15. 3ly. We would Labour to be of an Evan­gelical Spirit, and not of an Legal, Phil. 3.10. 4ly. We should study sincerity, Heb. 10.22. The true Heart there is joined with an Heart sprinkled from an Evil Conscience. And 5ly. Make it your work to walk after the Spirit, Rom. 8.1.

The Apostle adds two Grounds, upon which he founds the sureness, of our Justification, One is tak­en from its Author, it is God that justifies, the other is taken from the subjects of this priviledge, the Elect.

For the first, Gods being the Author of Justi­fication, that contributes to its firmness: And first consider his Relation that he stands in towards the justified, he is their Ruler by Laws▪ and their su­preme Judge. 2ly. Consider the hand he has to their particular Justification. 1st. His Infinite Wisdom found out the Method of it, 2 Cor. 5.17. 2ly. [Page 200] Christs Resurrection-says he approved it. 3ly. I [...] the word of the Gospel he recommends it to us, as [...] way to make use of, Rom. 3.25. 1 Cor. 1, 30.

Use, since God Justifies, the People of God may contemn the Worlds Censures, the Devils suggesti­ons, and the groundless Challenges of our own Conscience.

When he adds, that it is the justification of Gods Elect, he holds out. First, The freedom of it. 2ly▪ The continuance of it, it is a state of standing fa­vour, it is called the Grace wherein we stand. Rom. 7.1.

HEre the Apostle comforts the Afflicted, Perse­cuted Christian with this, That not only he can Answer the Law-Charge, but also with this, that he is free from a Condemnatory Sentence by the Judge. This freedom does appear from these consi­derations. First, Christ is the Judge. 2ly. The Gospel, and not the Law is the Rule of Judgement, Jo. 12.48. 3ly. Consider the qualities of their Par­don, it is total, irrepealable, well confirmed by Christs Death, the Oath and promise of God. 4ly, Look to the satisfaction, on which this Remission is founded: it is compleat in its Nature, exactly An­swering all the comminatory parts in the Law, He exhausted the whole Curse, Gal 3.14, The punish­ment [Page 201] of all our sin was laid on him, Isa· 53.6. The Expiatory Vertue of the Sacrifice was perfect, Heb· 10.14, & 1.3. 2ly. This Satisfaction was Gods choice, Heb. 10.6. 3ly. God approves of it, Eph. 5.2. This appears by his Resurrection, in setting him at his own right Hand. 4ly. Christ is an [...]ntercessor ready to vindicate it from all Aspersions of its insuf­ficiency for us, 5ly. The Father declares, that this Satisfaction is ours by Right.

Use, to reprove the People of God, that have a slavish fear of Condemnation; This arises either from our ignorance of the forementioned Grounds, or our unbelief of them. Or 2ly. It arises from our Conscience accusing us, for our great sins before Conversion, or for them after Conversion, or from our declineing from a good frame. Or this fear of Condemnation may arise from some singular Cross that we are under, or from the frightful Apprehen­sion we have of Death: This misbelieving Fear, brings us under a Spirit of bondage, through the fear of Death, and makes us neglect our duty of longing for Christs second return.

Use of Exhortation, to the confidence of Abso­lution at his 2d. Coming, and if we would have this confidence at his coming, labour to keep the Anointing with you, labour to abide in him, 1 John 2. [...]7, 28.

Observe next, that this freedom from Condem­nation, belongs only to the Called, the Elect of God, for of such only doth the Context speak; the unconverted Folks are under Law-Wrath, John 3. last, and their contempt of the Gospel brings them more under condemnation, John 3 19 Neither can [Page 202] it be otherways, because these that are uncalled h [...] no interest in Christs Person, and so cannot, w [...] Paul, have fellowship with his Sufferings; for at [...] only our effectual Calling, that brings us to a fe [...] ­lowship with Christs Person, 1 Cor. 1.9. This repro [...] the unconverted for wanting the fear of Condem­nation; this Security arises from a stupidity of Con­science not accusing them for sin. 2ly. It arise from the abuse of their Prosperity, or it may a [...] from their [...]ning to their Morality, or to the [...] ­nency of Gifts, or to their leaning to a great Name amongst the Godly: To such Persons ordinarly the Gospel-Offer is very unsavory, because they cannot see their need of it, and ordinarly such Persons a [...] supprised with horrible Awakenings of Conscience under great Crosses, or at the hour of their Death.

Directions, how secure People may win to an awakening 1st. They would examine their Life by the Rule of the Law. 2ly. They would be of considering the old Covenant of Works. 3ly. Th [...] would consider, that not one Word of the Gospel confirms their Security. 4 [...]y. They would consi­der that Justice spared not Christ, when he was in­putatively guilty. 5ly, They would consider, th [...] Gods Holiness, Justice, and Veracity, and his re­spect to the Glory and Credit of the Redeemer, [...] gadges his Wrath to pursue the rejecters of Christ 6ly. We would consider the Marks of Gods indig­nation upon the Souls and Bodies of Men, upon In­feriour Animals, and upon the Works of Creation, which are imprinted upon them for sin; This will give them a visible Evidence of Gods hatred at sin; This may secure expected Punishment from God, [Page 203] if Grace prevent not. 7ly. They would retire them s [...]lves from the Worlds noise, and make a Reflecti­on on their inward Temper, and beg the convince­ing Spirit of God, to through the Work of Convicti­on on their heart.

The Apostle, in laying down the Grounds upon which Faith triumphs over the fear of Condemnati­on, holds out these four, Viz. Christs Death, Re­surrection, Session at the Right Hand, and Inter­cession. Christs Death may well be a ground of freedom from this fear because 1st. It was the Punishment threatned in the Covenant of Works against our sin, and he never having been a transgressor of that Covenant, (for he never per­sonally transgressed it,) neither could Adam's Trans­gression be imputed to him, because he sprang not from him by the way of natural Generation, I say, he being thus Innocent, his Death behooved to be a dying in our stead. 2ly. This Death may free us of this fear, because he endured the Spiritual Death, threatned in the Old Covenant, he took it off us, and laid it on himself; he suffered in his Soul also well as in his Body, as Witnesseth the History of his Pas­sion, which shews us that his Father withdrew his Comforts from him, when he cryed out, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me? And likewise it tells us, his Soul was subjected to Trouble, to Soul-Grief, Fear and Agony. 2ly, His Resurrection is a good Ground to secure us against this Fear, because it is the Fathers absolution of him as our Soverty. 3ly. The Session at the right Hand, secures us against this Fear, because i [...] is a Preludium of his being Judge, and a certain Pledge given him of the Father, of [Page 204] his total Victory over all the opposition made to h [...] Peoples Salvation, Psal. 110.1. Likeas it is a furth [...] Testimony of the Fathers acquiesceing in that satis­faction he payed to Justice for the sins of his Peo­ple, Heb. 1.3. 4ly. His Intercession secures us from this fear, because it is a Ground that may suffici­ently comfort us, by assureing us of the continu­ance of our Friendship w [...]th God, and our standing in our justified state, notwithstanding of our da [...] sinful infirmities, 1 John 2.1, 2.

But because this Text speaks of the great Arti­cles of our Creed, we would inferr some comfor­table Inferences from them: And 1st. From his Death, inferr the greatness of his Love to us, Job▪ 15.12. 2ly. Inferr the strong Confirmation of the new Covenant, therefor his Blood is called, The Blood of the New Testament, in the Institution of the Sacrament. And 3ly We see the Truth of the Divine Threatning in the Covenant of Works because he bore the same Punishment for kind, that was threatned in that Covenant. 4ly. We see the care that Christ has to remove the fear of Death from us, Heb. 2.15. 5ly. We may be assured that a liv­ing Christ will save us, since he dyed to reconcile us to God, Rom. 5.10. 6ly. We may expect the to­tal Crucifixion of the Body of Sin and Death, by the diligent use of the Means of Mortification, since he dyed to procure the same, Rom. 6.6. 7ly. We see the Fathers good Will to conferr the Covenant-Good on us, since he exposed his Son to Death, to make way for the same.

From his Resurrection inferr, since it was the first step of his Exaltation, after his self denying Obedi­ence, [Page 205] Phil. 2. We may see from this the Fathers rea­diness to reward the self-denying Obedience of his People. 2ly. We may see a Confirmation of his being the Son of God from it, Rom: 1.4. 3ly. We may see the Fathers care to vindicate him from the Calumnies that were laid on him, he was reckoned to be a Blasphemer, and a false Teach­er; God raised him from the Dead for a vindica­tion from these Calumnies 4ly. We may inferr we have sufficient Ground to expect our Spiritual Life from him, Rom. 6.11. 5ly. We may expect the Re­surrection of our Body from him, seing his Resur­rection was a Pledge of our Resurrection, 1 Cor. 15.20. & 23. 6ly. From this we may inferr, that we have an good Ground for our Faith of Justification, through Christ, because he raised him from the Dead, to give us assurance of his Absolution, as our Soverty, 1 Pet. 1, 21.

From Christs Session at the right Hand, inferr 1st. That we should set our Hearts on things above, where he is, Col. 3.1. 2ly. That we should cast the Anchor of our Souls Hope within the Veil, because Christ the Forerunner is there, Heb. 6.20. If he be there, he'ell fetch us to himself, that where he is, there we may be, John 14.2, 3. 3ly. From this we have a further confirming Ground for the answer of a quiet and peaceable Conscience, notwithstanding of sin, 1 Pet. 3 21, 2 [...]. 4ly We may expect for our Consolation, the Mission of the Spirit of God to us, John 16.7. for he goes to Heaven for that end, Acts 2.33. 5ly. We may securely expect that all things will be mannaged for the safety of the Church, se­ing this Session at the right Hand, includes in it, a [Page 206] Power over all Flesh, that he may possess these h [...] has given him with Eternal Life, John 17.3. 6ly We need not fear any opposition made to our [...]al­vation, seing the frustration of that is included i [...] Christs sitting at the right Hand, since the Fathe [...] gave him that Session at his Right Hand, as a Pledge of that total Victory over all our Personal Enemie [...] Psal. 110.1.

From Christs Intercession the People of God m [...] expect that Spiritual Benediction, spoken of Numb. [...] last verses. They may expect the Unity, the Preserva­tion from the Evils of the World, and the seven other things prayed for in the 17 of John; The [...] may expect Grace and Mercy to help in time o [...] need, Heb 4. They may expect perfect Salvation▪ Heb. 7.23. They may expect the presenting of ther [...] imperfect Prayers to God; Rev 8.3. He offers [...] the Incense of the Prayers of the Saints; The Church may expect his [...]ntercession for them, whi [...] they are in a Low Condition, Zech. 1.

This Intercession will be prevalent, 1st. If [...] consider his Sympathy, Heb. 4, 2ly. Consider, h [...] is called the High-Priest in the New Testament, in­augurate by Oath, Heb. 7, it is founded upon Bloo [...] Next, it is founded upon the Promise made to Chris [...] and the Promise made to us; Likeas, it cannot be b [...] prevalent, because of the great Affection the Fa­ther bears to the Son, and if ye consider that My­stical Union, that is 'twixt him and us.

Use of Consolation, 1st. To such as are at [...] distance from God, and have not clear views of hi [...] This High-Priest is appearing before God, and is a no distance from God. 2ly. It's comfortable to su [...] [Page 207] as are jealous that God may forget them, but this Intercession secures the contrary, because this true High-Priest carries the Names of the true Israelites upon his heart before the Lord; for he is the truth of that Levitical Priest, that had the Names of the Twelve Tribes of the Israelites, writen on his Breast­plite. 3ly. It is comfortable to those that meet with Satans Temptations, because he prays for such, that their Faith fail them not, Luke 22.23. 4ly. It's comfortable to such as miss the Spirits Presence, John 14.16.