Knowledge and Practice, Part 2 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Of the new Nature, and reformed Life.
4. HAving thus ſolemnly given up thy ſelf to Chriſt, labour to walk worthy of the Lord, to all pleaſing, being fruitful in every good work. Let it be thy daily care (begging the aſſiſtance of the Spirit to enable thee) to mortifie the old man, to crucifie the fleſh, with its affections, and luſts; to weaken, impair, and deſtroy the dominion of the whole body of ſin, and to put on the new man; that thou maiſt be ſtrengthened & furniſhed with all ſaving Graces, to the practiſe of true holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord: As Chriſt (by his divine power) raiſed and quickned his own body, when it lay in the grave, ſo he conveighs a ſpiritual life into all his members, raiſing them from the death of ſin, and enabling them to walk in newneſſe of life. I live (ſaith Paul, Gal. 2.20.) yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me. And the life of Jeſus is made manifeſt in our mortal bodies, 2 Cor. 4.11. He that abideth in me, and I in him, (ſaith our Saviour, John 15.5▪) bringeth forth much fruit. Beg therefore earneſtly of the Lord, that thou maieſt be ſanctified throughout, in Spirit, Soul, and Body. That thy Underſtanding, Conſcience and Will, thy ſenſual affections and deſires; and thy whole outward man may be put into, and kept in a good order and frame; that the fear of God may dwell in thine heart continually, and his Law be written in thy inward man. Look to the bent and frame of thy heart, that it be right towards God. If thy heart be once ordered aright, thou wilt look that thy outward converſation be ordered aright alſo. Let it appear therefore thou art a living member of Chriſt, by being a new Creature; by unliving, and undoing thy former ſinful courſe. Live not henceforth in any known ſin, but ſpeedily forſake, whatever thou knoweſt to be evil, and diſpleaſing unto God any kind of way. Labour to teſtifie the ſincerity of thy repentance and Faith, by an holy life, and an unblameable Converſation. Set thy ſelf in good earneſt to walk religiouſly and holily before God, righteouſly and uprightly before men, and ſoberly and temperatly in the Government of thy ſelf.
Let it be thy daily exerciſe (with Paul) to keep a good Canſcience, void of offence, towards God, and towards man. Be careful of the duties both of the firſt, and ſecond Table. And read often and carefully obſerve our Saviours Sermon in the Mount, co…tained in the fifth, ſixth, and ſeaventh Chapters of Matthew. In ſumme, beg a continual ſupply of ſtrength, from the ſanctifying Spirit of Chriſt, that though thou art to wreſtle, not only againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt Principalities, and powers, and ſpiritual wickedneſſes, and againſt manifold temptations from the world, yet notwithſtanding (through the aides of Grace) the regenerate part in thee may overcome, and that thou maiſt grow in Grace, and be daily perfecting holineſſe in the fear of God.
2 Cor. 5.17. Therefore if any man be in Chriſt, he is a new Creature; Old things are paſt away, behold, all things are become new.
1 Cor 6.11. And ſuch were ſome of you, but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Eph. 4.22. That ye put off, concerning the former Converſation, the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful luſts.
V. 23. And be renewed in the Spirit of your mind.
V. 24. And that ye put on that new man, whi…h after God is created in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe.
Rom. 6.5. For if we have been planted together in the likeneſſe of his death: we ſhall be alſo in the likeneſſe of his reſurrection.
V. 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, that henceforth we ſhould not ſerve ſin.
V. 14. For ſin ſhall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace.
1 John. 3.8. He that committeth ſin is of the devil, for the devil ſinneth from the beginning; for this purpoſe the Son of God was manifeſted, that he might deſtroy the works of the devil.
1 John 2.6. He that ſaith he abideth in him, ought himſelfe alſo to walk, even as he walked.
1 John 3.3. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himſelf even as he is pure.
Rom. 8.13. For if ye live after the fleſh, ye ſhall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body, ye ſhall live.
Eph. 3.16. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his Glory to be ſtrengthened with might, by his Spirit in the inner man.
V. 17. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by Faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love,
V. 18. May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and heighth:
V. 19. And to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulneſſe of God.
1 Cor. 7.1. Having therefore theſe promiſes (dearly beloved) let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſſe of fleſh and Spirit, perfecting holineſſe in the fear of God.
I eb. 12.14. Follow peace with all men, and holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord.
1 Theſ. 5.23. And the very God of peace ſanctifie you wholly, and I pray God your whole Spirit, and Soul, and body, be preſerved blamleſs unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Gal. 5.17. For the fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh; and theſe are contrary the one to the other, ſo that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
1 Pet. 2.11. Dearly beloved, I beſeech you as ſtrangers, and pilgrims, abſtain from fleſhly luſts, which war againſt the ſoul.
2 Pet. 3.18. But grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, to him be Glory both now and for ever, Amen.
Gal. 5.19. Now the works of the fleſh are manifeſt, which are theſe, Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanneſſe, Laſciviouſneſs,
V. 20. Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Hereſies,
V. 21. Envyings, Murders, Drunkenneſs, Revellings, and ſuch like, of the which I tell you before, as I have alſo told you in time paſt, that they which do ſuch things ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
V. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-ſuffering, Gentleneſſe, Goodneſſe, Faith,
V. 23. Meekneſs, Temperance, againſt ſuch there is no Law.
V. 24. And they that are Chriſts have crucified the fleſh, with the affections, and luſts.
Phil. 2.15. That ye may be blameleſſe, and harmleſſe, the ſons of God without rebuke, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe Nation, among whom ye ſhine as Lights in the world.
2 Pet. 1.5. And beſides this, giving all diligence, add to your Faith vertue, and to vertue Knowledge.
V. 6. And to Knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience Godlineſſe,
V. 7. And to Godlineſs, Brotherly kindneſs, and to Brotherly kindneſs Charity.
1 Cor. 15.58. Therefore, my beloved Brethren be ye ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord, foraſmuch as ye know, that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Pet. 1.14. As obedient Children, not faſhioning your ſelves according to the former luſts in your ignorance.
V. 15. But as he which hath called you is holy, ſo be ye holy in all manner of Converſation.
1 Cor. 6 19 What, know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghoſt which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
V. 20. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your Spirit, which are Gods.
Rom. 2.6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds.
V. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, ſeek for Glory, and Honour, and immortality; eternal Life.
V. 8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteouſneſs; indignation, and wrath,
V. 9. Tribulation, and anguiſh, upon every ſoul of man that doth evil, of the Jew firſt, and alſo of the Gentile.
Mat. 16.24. Then ſaid Jeſus unto his Diſciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his Croſſe, and follow me.
1 Sam. 2.30. Them that honour me, I will honour, and they that deſpiſe me, ſhall be lightly eſteemed.
2 Cor. 1.12. For our rejoycing is this, the Teſtimony of our Conſcience, that in ſimplicity and Godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſdom, but by the Grace of God, we have had our Converſation in the world, and more abundantly to you-wards.
Iſa. 38.3. And ſaid, remember now, O Lord, I beſeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy ſight: And Hezekiah wept ſore.
Acts 24.16. And herein do I exerciſe my ſelf, to have alwaies a Conſcience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Tit. 2.11. For the Grace of God, that bringeth ſalvation, hath appeared to all men.
V. 12. Teaching us, that denying ungodlineſſe, and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world.
V. 13. Looking for that bleſſed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
V 14. Who gave himſelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit. 3.8. This is a faithful ſaying, and theſe things I will that thou affirm conſtantly, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works: theſe things are good and profitable unto men.
Mat. 5.17. Think not, that I am come to deſtroy the Law and the Prophets, I am not come to deſtroy, but to fulfill.
Mat. 22.36. Maſter, which is the great Commandement of the Law?
V. 37. Jeſus ſaid unto him, thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all ſoul, and with all thy mind.
V. 38. This is the firſt and great Commandement.
V. 39. And the ſecond is like unto it, thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf.
V. 40. On theſe two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets.
Mark 12.32. And the Scribe ſaid unto him, well Maſter, thou haſt ſaid the truth: for there is one God, and there is none other but he.
V. 33. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the underſtanding, and with all the ſoul, and with all the ſtrength, and to love his neighbour as himſelf, is more than all whole burnt offering and ſacrifice.
Rom. 3.31. Do we then make void the Law through Faith? God forbid, yea, we eſtabliſh the Law.