bundance of light makes a larger discovery of what is disordered and
defiled in the house, therefore such, upon the hearing of the accursed
estate of men in nature, of their natural rebellion against God, and God's
displeasure against them, they are most ready, I say, to apply such things
to themselves, to the weakening of their own hands, and saddening of their
hearts, as the upright-hearted disciples were more ready to take with the
challenge of betraying Christ, than the false hearted Judas. Therefore the
apostle prevents such an abuse of the doctrine, by making application of
the better part unto the Romans, but for you, "ye are not of the flesh,"
&c. Indeed, self examination is necessary, and it is like chewing of the
meat before it be sent into the stomach, it is as necessary and precedent
before right application. I wish that every one of you would consider well
what this living word concerns you. It is the ground of all our
barrenness, no man brings this home to himself, which is spoken to all,
but truly the Lord speaks to all, that every man may speak to himself, and
ask at his own heart, what is my concernment in it? What is my portion? As
for you whom the Lord hath put upon this search of yourselves and hath
once made you to find yourselves in the black roll of perdition, under the
hazard of the eternal weight of God's displeasure, and there hath showed
unto your souls a way of making peace with God, and a place of refuge in
Jesus Christ which hath sometimes refreshed and eased your hearts, and
only was able to purify your consciences, and calm the storms that did
arise in them, if it be hence forth your study to walk to please him and
this engagement be on your hearts, to make no peace with the flesh, and
corruption that dwells in you, then, I say, the Lord calls and accounts
you not carnal but spiritual, though there be much carnality in you, yet
he denominates from the better part, not from the greatest part, you are
not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Though Isaac be a weak young
child, and Ishmael the son of the bond woman be a strong man, yet thou art
in God's account esteemed according to the promise, which shall be the
ground of thy stability. Isaac must abide in the house for ever, and grow
stronger and stronger, and Ishmael must be cast out and grow weaker and
weaker; the one is ordained for destruction, and so is called the old man,
drawing near to its grave, the other for life, and so is a new m