1. The Opposition is not ad idem The Enmity and Opposition that is acted by the Will against Grace is against it as objectively proposed unto it So do Men resist the Holy Ghost that is in the external Dispensation of Grace by the Word And if that be alone they may alwayes resist it the Enmity that is in them will prevail against it Ye alwayes resist the Holy Ghost The Will therefore is not forced by any Power put forth in Grace in that way wherein it is capable of making opposition unto it but the prevalency of Grace is of it as it is internal working really and physically which is not the Object of the Wills opposition for it is not proposed unto it as that which it may accept or refuse but worketh effectually in it Sect. 35 2. The Will in the first Act of Conversion as even sundry of the Schoolmen acknowledg acts not but as it is acted moves not but as it is moved and therefore is passive therein in the sense immediately to be explained And if this be not so it cannot be avoided but that the Act of our turning unto God is a meer natural Act and not spiritual or gracious For it is an Act of the Will not enabled thereunto antecedently by Grace Wherefore it must be granted and it shall be proved that in Order of Nature the Acting of Grace in the Will in our Conversion is antecedent unto its own acting though in the same instant of time wherein the Will is moved it moves and when it is acted it acts it self and preserves its own Liberty in its exercise There is therefore herein an inward almighty secret Act of the Power of the Holy Ghost producing or effecting in us the Will of Conversion unto God so acting our Wills as that they also act themselves and that freely So Austin cont Duas Epistol Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 19. Trahitur homo miris modis ut velit ab illo qui novit intus in ipsis cordibus hominum operari non ut homines quod fieri non possit nolentes credant sed ut volentes ex nolâ—ntibus fiant The Holy Spirit who in his Power and Operation is more intimate as it were unto the Principles of our Souls than they are to themselves doth with the Preservation and in the Exercise of the liberty of our Wills effectually work our Regeneration and Conversion unto God This is the substance of what we plead for in this Cause and which declares the Nature of this Work of Regeneration as it is an inward Spiritual Work I shall therefore confirm the Truth proposed with evident Testimonies of Scripture and Reasons contained in them or educed from them Sect. 36 1. The Work of Conversion it self and in especial the Act of believing or Faith it self is expresly said to be of God to be wrought in us by him to be given unto us from him The Scripture says not that God gives us Ability or Power to believe onely namely such a Power a we may make use of if we will or do otherwise but Faith Repentance and Conversion themselves are said to be the Work and Effect of God Indeed there is nothing mentioned in the Scripture concerning the communicating of Power remote or next unto the Mind of Man to enable him to believe antecedently unto actual believing A remote Power if it may be so called in the Capacities of the Faculties of the Soul the Reason of the Mind and Liberty of the Will we have given an account concerning But for that which some call a next Power or an ability to believe in order of Nature Antecedent unto Believing it self wrought in us by the Grace of God the Scripture is silent The Apostle Paul saith of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things or prevail in all things through Christ who enableth me where a Power or Ability seems to be spoken of antecedent unto Acting But this is not a Power for the first Act of Faith but a Power in them that believe Such a Power I acknowledg which is acted in the Co-operation of the Spirit and Grace of Christ with the Grace which Believers have received unto the performance of all Acts of Holy Obedience whereof I must treat elsewhere Believers have a stock of Habitual Grace which may be called Indwelling Grace in the same sense wherein Original Corruption is called Indwelling-Sin And this Grace as it is necessary unto every Act of Spiritual Obedience so of it self without the renewed Co-working of the Spirit of Christ it is not able nor sufficient to produce any Spiritual Act. This working of Christ upon and with the Grace we have received is called enabling of us But with Persons Unregenerate and as to the first Act of Faith it is not so Sect. 37 But it will be Objected That every thing which is actually accomplished was in potentia before There must therefore be in us a Power to believe before we do so actually Answ. The Act of God working Faith in us is a Creating Act. For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus Ephes. 2. 10. And he that is in Christ Jesus is a New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. Now the effects of Creating Acts are not in Potentia any-where but in the Active Power of God so was the World it self before its actual existence This is termed Potentia Logica which is no more but a Negation of any contradiction to Existence not Potentia Physica which includes a disposition unto actual existence Notwithstanding therefore all these Preparatory Works of the Spirit of God which we allow in this Matter there is not by them wrought in the Minds and Wills of Men such a next Power as they call it as should enable them to believe without further Actual Grace working Faith it self Wherefore with respect to believing the first Act of God is to work in us to will Phil. 1. 13. He worketh in us to will Now to will to believe is to believe This God works in us by that Grace which Austin and the School-men call Gratia Operans because it worketh in us without us the Will being meerly moved and passive therein That there is a Power or Faculty of believing given unto all Men unto whom the Gospel is preached or who are called by the outward Dispentation of it some do pretend And that because those unto whom the Word is so Prâ—acâ—ed if they do not actually believe shall perish eternally as is positively declared in the Gospel Mark 16. 16. But this they could not justly do if they had not received a Power or Faculty of Believing Answ. 1. Those who believe not upon the Proposal of Christ in the Gospel are left without remedy in the guilt of those other Sins for which they must perish eternally If you believe not saith Christ that I am he you shall die in your sins John 8. 12. 2. The Impotency that is in Men as
which he gives unto his Wisdom Love and Grace with the excellency and certainty of the way of Salvation of Sinners by Jesus Christ which is to make God a Layar 1 Joh. 5. 10. Joh. 3. 32 33. 2. A Contempt of Love and Grace with the way and means of their communication to lost Sinners by the Blood of the Son of God which is the highest provocation that can be offered unto the Divine Majesty 4. In the Declaration of the Gospel the Lord Christ is in an especial manner proposed as crucified and lifted up for the especial Object of our Faith John 3. 14 15. Gal. 3. 1. And this Proposition of Christ hath included in it an Invitation unto all Convinced Sinners to come unto him for Life and Salvation Isa. 45. 2. Chap. 65. 1. 5. The Lord Christ being proposed unto Sinners in the Gospel and their acceptance or receiving of him being urged on them it is withal declared for what end he is so proposed And this is in general to save them from their Sins Mat. 1. 21. or the Wrath to come whereof they are afraid 1 Thess. 1. 10. For in the Evangelical Proposition of him there is included 1. That there is a Way yet remaining for Sinners whereby they may escape the Curse of the Law and the Wrath of God which they have deserved Psal. 130. 4. Job 33. 24. Acts 4. 12. 2. That the Foundation of these Wayes lies in an Atonement made by Jesus Christ unto the Justice of God and Satisfaction to his Law for Sin Rom. 3. 25. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Gal. 3. 13. 3. That God is well-pleased with this Atonement and his Will is that we should accept of it and acquiesce in it 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. Isa. 53. 11 12. Rom. 5. 10 11. 6. It is proposed and promised that through and upon their believing that is on Christ as proposed in the Gospel for the only way of Redemption and Salvation Convinced Sinners shall be pardoned justified and acquitted before God discharged of the Law against them through the imputation unto them of what the Lord Christ hath done for them and suffered in their stead Rom. 8. 3. 10. 3 4. 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Ephes. 2. 8 9 10. 7. To prevail with and win over the Souls of Men unto a consent to receive Christ on the Terms wherein he is proposed that is to believe in him and trust unto him to what he is hath done and suffered and continueth to do for pardon of Sin Life and Salvation the Gospel is filled with Arguments Invitation Incouragements Exhortations Promises all of them designed to explain and declare the Love Grace Faithfulness and good-Will of God herein In the due management and improvement of these parts of the Gospel consists the principal Wisdom and Skill of the Ministers of the New Testament 8. Among these various Ways or Means of the Declaration of himself and his Will God frequently causeth some especial Word Promise or Passage to fix it self on the Mind of a Sinner as we saw it in the Instance before insisted on Hereby the Soul is first excited to exert and act the Faith wherewith it is endued by the effectual working of the Spirit of God before described And by this means are Men directed unto Rest Peace and Consolation in that variety of Degrees wherein God is pleased to communicate them 9. This Acting of Faith on Christ through the Promise of the Gospel for Pardon Righteousness and Salvation is inseparably accompanied with and that Faith is the Root and infallible cause of an universal Ingagement of Heart unto all Holy Obedience to God in Christ with a Relinquishment of all known Sin necessarily producing a through-Change and Reformation of Life and Fruitfulness in Obedience For as upon a discovery of the Love of God in Christ the Promises whereby it is exhibited unto us being mixed with Faith the Soul of a poor Sinner will be filled with Godly Sorrow and Shame for its former Sins and will be deeply humbled for them so all the Faculties of it being now renewed and inwardly changed it can no more refrain from the Love of Holiness and from an Ingagement into a watchful course of Universal Obedience unto God by such free Actings as are proper unto it than one that is new born can refrain from all Acts of Life Natural In Motion desire of Food and the like Vain and foolish therefore are the Reproaches of some who in an high course of a Worldly Life and Profane do charge others with Preaching a Justification by Faith alone in Christ Jesus unto a neglect of Holiness Righteousness and Obedience of God which such Scoffers and fierce Despisers of all that are good do so earnestly plead for Those whom they openly reflect upon do unanimously teach That the Faith which doth not purifie the Heart and reform the Life which is not fruitful in good Works which is not an effectual Cause and Means of Repentance and newness of Life is not genuine nor pleadable unto Justification but empty dead and that which if trusted unto will eternally deceive the Souls of Men. They do all of them press the indispensible necessity of Universal Holiness Godliness Righteousness or Obedience to all the Commands of God on surer Principles with more cogent Arguments in a more clear compliance with the Will Grace and Love of God in Christ than any they pretend unto who ignorantly and falsly traduce them as those who regard them not And as they urge an Obediential Holiness which is not defective in any Duty either towards God or Man which they either plead for or pretend unto so it contains that in it which is more Sublime Spiritual and Heavenly than what they are either acquainted with or do regard which in its proper place shall be made more fully to appear Sect. 38 10. Those who were thus converted unto God in the Primitive Times of the Church were upon their Confession or Profession hereof admitted into Church-Society and a Participation of all the Mysteries thereof And this being the common way whereby any were added unto the Fellowship of the Faithfull it was an effectual Means of intense Love without dissimulation among them all on the account of their joynt Interest in the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I shall shut up this Discourse with one Instance hereof given us by Austin in the Conversion and Admission into Church-Society of Victorinus a Platonical Philosopher as he received the Story from Simplicianus by whom he was Baptized Ut ventum est ad horam profitendae fidei quae verbis certis retentisque memoriter de loco eminentiore in conspectu populi fidelis Romae reddi solet ab eis qui accessuri sunt ad gratiam tuam oblatum esse dicebat Victorino a Presbyteris ut secretius redderet sicut non nullis qui verecundia trepidaturi videbantur offerri mos erat illum autem maluisse salutem suam in
23. Sect. 2 But before we proced to a further Confirmation of this Assertion an Objection of some importance is to be removed out of our way For on this Supposition that the Spirit of Sanctification is given only unto Believers it may be enquired How men come so to be For if we have not the Spirit untill after we do Believe then is Faith it self of our selves And this is that which some plead for namely that the Gift of the Holy Ghost unto all Ends and Purposes for which he is promised is consequential unto Faith with the Profession and Obedience thereof being as it were its Reward See Crell de Sp. S. cap. 5. To this purpose it is pleaded that the Apostle Peter encourageth men unto Faith and Repentance with the Promise that thereon they should receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 2. 38. And so is that also of our Saviour John 14. 17. that the World that is Unbelievers cannot receive the Spirit of Truth so that our Faith and Obedience is required as a necessary Qualification unto the receiving of the Holy Ghost and if they are so absolutely then are they of our selves and not wrought in us by the Grace of God which is express Pelagianisme Ans. I could dwell long on this Enquiry concerning the especial Subject of the Holy Spirit seeing the right understanding of many places of Scripture doth depend thereon But because I have much work yet before me I will reduce what I have to offer on this Head into as narrow a Compass as possibly I may In Answer therefore to this Objection I say 1. That the Holy Spirit is said to be promised and received with respect unto the Ends which he is promised for and the Effects which he worketh when he is received For although he be himself but one the one and self-same Spirit and he Himself is promised given forth and received as we have declared yet he hath many and divers Operations And as his Operations are divers or several sorts and kinds so our receiving of him as to the Manner of it is divers also and suited unto the Ends of his Communications unto us Thus in some sence he is promised unto and received by Believers in another he is promised and received to make men so or to make them believe In the first way there may be some Activity of Faith in a way of Duty whereas in the latter we are passive and receive him only in a way of Grace Sect. 3 2. The chief and principal Ends for which the Holy Spirit is promised and received may be reduced to these Four Heads 1 Regeneration 2 Sanctification 3 Consolation 4 Edification There are indeed very many distinct Operations and Distributions of the Spirit as I have in part already discovered and shall yet further go over them in particular Instances But they may be reduced unto these general Heads or at least they will suffice to exemplifie the different Manner and Ends of the receiving of the Spirit And this is the plain Order and Method of these things as the Scripture both plainly and plentifully testifies 1 He is promised and received as to the Work of Regeneration unto the Elect 2 as to the Work of Sanctification unto the Regenerate 3 as to the Work of Consolation unto the Sanctified and 4 as unto Gifts for Edification unto Professors according to his Soveraign Will and Pleasure 1 He is promised unto the Elect and received by them as to his Work of Regeneration That this is his Work in us wholly and entirely I have proved before at large Hereunto the Qualifications of Faith and Obedience are no way required as previously necessary in us In order of Nature our receiving of the Spirit is antecedent to the very Seed and Principle of Faith in us as the Cause is to the Effect seeing it is wrought in us by him alone and the Promises concerning the Communications of the Spirit unto this End have been before explained and vindicated Hereby doth Holy Ghost prepare an Habitation for himself and make way for all the following Work which he hath to do in us and towards us unto the Glory of God and the perfecting of our Salvation or the making of us meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1. 12. 2 He is promised and received as a Spirit of Sanctification unto and by them that are Regenerate That is unto Believers and onely unto them This will be fully confirmed immediately And this puts an Issue to the principall difficulty of the foregoing objection It is no way inconsistent that Faith should be required previously unto the receiving of the Spirit as a Spirit of Sanctification though it be not so as he is the Author of Regeneration The same Spirit first worketh Faith in us and then preserveth it when it is wrought Only to clear the Manner of it we may observe 1. That Sanctification may be considered two wayes 1 As to the Original and essential Work of it which consists in the preservation of the Principle of spiritual Life and Holiness communicated unto us in our Regeneration 2 As to those renewed Actual Operations whereby it is carried on and is gradually progressive as hath been declared 2. Faith also or believing may be considered in this matter two wayes 1 As to its Original Communication Infusion or Creation in the Soul for it is the gift or work of God In this respect that is as to the Seed Principle and Habit of it it is wrought in us as all other Grace is in Regeneration 2 As to its actings in us or as unto Actual Believing or the Exercise of Faith and the Fruits of it in a constant Profession and Holy Obedience Sanctification in the first sence respects Faith also in the first That is the Preservation of the Seed Principle Grace Habit of Faith in us belongs unto the Sanctifying Work of the Holy Spirit And so Believers only are sanctified And in the latter sence it respects Faith in the latter also That is the progress of the Work of Sanctification in us is accompanyed with the Actings and Exercise of Faith But both wayes Faith is a necessary Qualification in and unto them that are sanctified Believers therefore are the Adequate Subject of the Work of Sanctification which is all that at present is under our Consideration 3 The Spirit is also promised as a Comforter or as a Spirit of Consolation In this sence or for this End and Work he is not promised unto them that are Regenerate meerly as such For many may be Regenerate who are not capable of Consolation nor do need it as Infants who may be and are many of them sanctified from the Womb. Nor is he so promised unto them that are Believers absolutely who have the Grace or Habit of Faith wrought in them for so many have who are not yet exercised nor brought into that Condition wherein Spiritual Consolations are either proper or
his Gifts unto his Disciples by breathing on them John 20. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because in our first Creation it is said of Adam that God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life Gen. 2. 7. He hath the same Appellation with respect unto God Psal. 18. 15. Thus is he called the Spirit And because as we observed before the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is variously used Didymus de Spiritu Sancto lib. 3. supposeth that the prefixing of the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth distinguish the signification and confine it to the Holy Ghost in the New Testament Oft-times no doubt it doth so but not alwayes as is manifest from Joh. 8. 3. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet only signifies the Wind. But the Subject treated of and what is affirmed of him will sufficiently determine the signification of the Word where he is called absolutely THE SPIRIT Sect. 9 Again He is called by way of Eminency the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost This is the most usual Appellation of him in the New Testament And it is derived from the Old Psal. 51. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of thy Holiness or thy Holy Spirit Isa. 63. 10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of his Holiness or his Holy Spirit Hence are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Holiness in common use among the Jews In the New Testament He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Holy Spirit And we must enquire the special Reasons of this Adjunct Some suppose it is only from his peculiar Work of sanctifying us or making us Holy For this Effect of Sanctification is his peculiar Work and that of what sort soever it be whether it consist in a separation from things Profane and Common unto Holy Uses and Services or whether it be the real Infusion and Operation of Holiness in Men it is from him in an especial manner And this also manifesteth him to be God for it is God alone who sanctifyeth his People Levit. 20. 8. I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you And God in that Work ascribes unto himself the Title of Holy in an especial manner and as such would have us to consider him Levit. 21. 8. I the Lord which sanctifieth you am Holy And this may be one Reason of the frequent use of this Property with reference unto the Spirit Sect. 10 But this is not the whole Reason of this Name and Apellation For where he is first so mentioned he is called the Spirit of Gods Holiness Psal. 51. 11. Isa 63. 10 11. And in the New Testament absolutely the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1. 4. And this respects his Nature in the first Place and not merely his Operations As God then absolutely is called Holy the Holy One and the Holy One of Israel being therein described by that Glorious Property of his Nature whereby he is Glorious in Holiness Exod. 15. 11 And whereby he is distinguished from all false Gods who is like unto thee O Jehovah among the Gods who is like unto thee Glorious in Holiness So is the Spirit called Holy to denote the Holiness of his Nature And on this Account is the Opposition made between him and the Unholy or unclean Spirit Mark 3. 29 30. He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgivness Because they said he hath an unclean Spirit And herein first his Personality is asserted for the Unclean Spirit is a Person And if the Spirit of God were only a Quality or Accident as some fancy and dream there could no comparative opposition be made between him and this unclean Spirit that is the Devil So also are they opposed with respect unto their Natures His Nature is Holy whereas that of the unclean Spirit is Evil and perverse This is the Foundation of his being called Holy even the eternal Glorious Holiness of his Nature And on this account he is so stiled also with respect unto all his Operations For it is not only with regard unto the particular Work of Regeneration and Sanctification or making of us Holy but unto all his Works and Operations that he is so termed For he being the immediate Operator of all Divine Works that outwardly are of God and they being in themselves all Holy be they of what kind soever He is called the Holy Spirit Yea he is so called to attest and witness that all his Works all the Works of God are Holy although they may be great and terrible and such as to Corrupt Reason may have an other Appearance in all which we are to acquiesce in this that the Holy One in the midst of us will do no iniquity Zeph. 3. 5. The Spirit of God then is thus frequently and almost constantly called Holy to attest that all the Works of God whereof he is the immediate Operator are Holy For it is the Work of the Spirit to harden and blind obstinate sinners as well as to Sanctifie the Elect. And his acting in the One is no less Holy than in the other although Holiness be not the Effect of it in the Objects So when he came to declare his dreadful Work of the final hardning and Rejection of the Jews one of the most tremendous Effects of Divine Providence a Work which for the strangeness of it Men would in no wise believe though it were declared unto them Acts 13. 41. he was signally proclamed Holy by the Seraphims that attended his Throne Isa. 6. 3 10 11 12. Joh. 12. 40. Acts 28. 26. Sect. 11 There are indeed some Actions on Men and in the World that are wrought by God's permission and in his righteous Judgment by Evil Spirits whose Persons and actings are placed in Opposition to the Spirit of God So Sam. 16. 14 15. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an Evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him And Saul's servants said unto him behold now an Evil Spirit from God troubleth thee So also v. 23. The Evil Spirit from God was upon Saul So chap. 18. 10. Chap. 19. 9. This Spirit is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evil Spirit of God Chap. 16. 15. and absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit of God v. 33. where we have supplied Evil in the Translation But these Expressions are to be regulated and explained by v. 14. where he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Evil Spirit from the Lord that is appointed and commissioned by him for the punishing and terrifying of Saul For as the Spirit of the Lord departed from him by with-drawing his Assistance and Influential operations whereby he had wrought in him those Gifts and Abilities of mind which fitted him unto the discharge of his Kingly Office upon the first impressions whereof he was turned into another man from what he was in his Private Condition 1 Sam. 10. 6
hereby animated and capable of all Vital Acts. Hence he could move eat see hear c. for the natural Effects of this Breath of Life are only intended in this Expression Thus the first Man Adam was made a Living Soul 1 Cor. 15. 45. This was the Creation of Man as unto the essentially constituting Principles of his Nature Sect. 11 With respect unto his Moral Condition and Principle of Obedience unto God it is expressed Gen. 1. 26 27. And God said Let us make Man in our own Image after our likeness and let them have dominion so God created Man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him He made him upright Eccles. 7. 29. perfect in his Condition every way compleat fit disposed and able to and for the Obedience required of him Without Weakness Distemper Disease contrariety of Principles Inclinations or Reasonings An universal Rectitude of Nature consisting in Light Power and Order in his Understanding Mind and Affections was the principal part of this Image of God wherein he was created And this appears as from the Nature of the thing it self so from the Description which the Apostle giveth us of the Renovation of that Image in us by the Grace of Christ Ephes. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. And under both these Considerations we may weigh the especial Operations of the Spirit of God Sect. 12 First As to the Essential Principles of the Nature of Man it is not for nothing that God expresseth his Communication of a Spirit of Life by his breathing into him God breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life The Spirit of God and the Breath of God are the same onely the one Expression is proper the other metaphorical wherefore this breathing is the especial acting of the Spirit of God The Creation of the Humane Soul a Vital Immortal Principle and Being is the immeate Work of the Spirit of God Job 33. 4. The Spirit of God hath made me and the Breath of the Almighty hath given me Life Here indeed the Creation and Production of both the essential parts of Humane Nature Body and Soul are ascribed unto the same Author For the Spirit of God and the Breath of God are the same but several Effects being mentioned causeth a repetition of the same Cause under several names This Spirit of God first made Man or formed his Body of the Dust and then gave him that Breath of Life whereby he became a living Soul So then under this first Consideration the Creation of Man is assigned unto the Holy Spirit for Man was the Perfection of the Inferior Creation and in order unto the Glory of God by him were all other things Created Here therefore are his Operations distinctly declared to whom the perfecting and compleating of all Divine Works is peculiarly committed Sect. 14 Secondly We may consider the moral State and Condition of Man with the Furniture of his Mind and Soul in reference unto his Obedience to God and his enjoyment of him This was the principal part of that Image of God wherein he was created Three things were required to render Man idoneous or fit unto that Life to God for which he was made First An ability to discern the Mind and Will of God with respect unto all the Duty and Obedience that God required of him as also so far to know the Nature and Properties of God as to believe him the only proper Object of all Acts and Duties of Religious Obedience and an all-sufficient Satisfaction and Reward in this World and to Eternity Secondly A free uncontrolled unintangled disposition to every Duty of the Law of his Creation in order unto living unto God Thirdly An ability of Mind and Will with a readiness of complyance in his Affections for a due regular performance of all Duties and abstinence from all Sin These things belonged unto the integrity of his Nature with the uprightness of the State and Condition wherein he was made And all these things were the peculiar Effects of the immediate Operation of the Holy Ghost For although this Rectitude of his Nature be distinguishable and separable from the Faculties of the Soul of Man yet in his first Creation they were not actually distinguished from them nor superadded or infused into them when Created but were concreated with them that is his Soul was made meet and able to live to God as his Sovereign Lord Chiefest Good and Last End And so they were all from the Holy Ghost from whom the Soul was as hath been declared Yea suppose these Abilities to be superadded unto Man's Natural Faculties as Gifts supernatural which yet is not so they must be acknowledged in a peculiar manner to be from the Holy Spirit For in the Restauration of these Abilities unto our minds in our Renovation unto the Image of God in the Gospel it is plainly asserted that the Holy Ghost is the immediate Operator of them And he doth thereby restore his own Work and not take the Work of another out of his Hand For in the New Creation the Father in the way of Authority designs it and brings all things unto an head in Christ Ephes. 1. 10. which retrived his original peculiar Work and the Son gave unto all things a new consistency which belonged unto him from the beginning Col. 1. 16. So also the Holy Spirit renews in us the Image of God the original implantation whereof was his peculiar Work And thus Adam may be said to have had the Spirit of God in his Innocency He had him in these peculiar Effects of his Power and Goodness and he had him according to the Tenor of that Covenant whereby it was possible that he should utterly lose him as accordingly it came to pass He had him not by especial Inhabitation for the whole World was then the Temple of God In the Covenant of Grace founded in the Person and on the Mediation of Christ it is otherwise On whomsoever the Spirit of God is bestowed for the Renovation of the Image of God in him he abides with him for ever But in all Men from first to last all Goodness Righteousness and Truth are the Fruits of the Spirit Ephes. 5. 9. Sect. 15 The Works of God being thus finished and the whole frame of Nature set upon its Wheels it is not deserted by the Spirit of God For as the preservation continuance and acting of all things in the Universe according to their especial Nature and mutual Application of one unto another are all from the powerful and efficacious Influences of Divine Providence so there are particular Operations of the Holy Spirit â—â—nd about all things whether meerly Natural and Animal or also Rational and Moral An Instance in each kind may suffice For the first as we have shewed the Propagation of the succeeding Generations of Creatures and the annual Renovation of the Face of the Earth are ascribed unto him Psal. 104. 30. For as we would own the due and just Powers
these Threatnings are his who hath right to give them and power to execute them And with his Authority his Glorious Greatness and his Infinite Power come under consideration So also doth his Goodness and Love in an especial manner with many other things even all the known Properties of his Holy Nature all which concur in giving Weight Power and Efficacy unto these Motives and Arguments Sect. 14 3. Great Power and Efficacy is added hereunto from the management of these Motives in the preaching of the Word Herein by some the Rhetorical Faculty of them by whom it is dispensed is of great consideration For hereby are they able to prevail very much on the Minds of Men. Being acquainted with the Inclinations and Dispositions of all sorts of Persons the nature of their Affections and Prejudices with the Topicks or kinds and heads of Arguments meet to affect them and prevail with them as also the wayes of insinuating Perswasive Motives to their Minds they express the whole in words elegant proper expressive and suited to allure draw and ingage them unto the Wayes and Duties proposed unto them Herein do some place the principal Use and Efficacy of the Ministry in the dispensation of the Word with me it is of no consideration For our Apostle rejects it utterly from any place in his Ministry 1 Cor. 2. 4. My Speech and my Preaching was not with enticing words of Man's Wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power Some of late have put in faint and weak Exceptions unto the latter Clause as though not an evidence of the powerful presence of the Spirit of God in the Dispensation of the Gospel were intended therein but the power of working Miracles contrary to the whole scope of the place and consent of the best Expositors But that by the first Clause the Perswasive Act of Humane Oratory is excluded from Use and Efficacy in the preaching of the Gospel none as yet hath had the impudence to deny But let this also be esteemed to be as useful and efficacious in this Work as to the end of Preaching in the Conversion of the Souls of Men as any can imagine it shall be granted Only I shall take leave to resolve the Efficacy of Preaching into two other Causes Sect. 15 1. The Institution of God He hath appointed the Preaching of the Word to be the Means the only outward ordinary Means for the Conversion of the Souls of Men 1 Cor. 1. 17 18 19 20. Mar. 16. 15 16. Rom. 1. 16. And the Power or Efficacy of any thing that is used unto an End in Spiritual Matters depends solely on its Divine Appointment unto that End Sect. 16 2. The Especial Gifts that the Spirit of God doth furnish the Preachers of the Gospel withal to enable them unto an effectual discharge of their Work Ephes. 4. 11 12 13. whereof we shall treat afterwards All the Power therefore that these things are accompanied withal is resolved into the sovereignty of God For he hath chosen this way of Preaching for this End and he bestows these Gifts on whom he pleaseth From these things it is that the Perswasive Motives which the Word abounds withal unto Conversion oâ— turning to God from Sin have that peculiar Efficacy on the Minds of Men which is proper unto them Sect. 17 4. We do not therefore in this Case suppose that the Motives of the Word are left unto a meer Natural Operation with respect unto the Ability of them by whom it is dispensed but moreover that it is blessed of God and accompanied with the Power of the Holy Spirit for the producing of its Effect and End upon the Souls of Men. Only the Operation of the Holy Ghost on the Minds and Wills of Men in and by these means is supposed to extend no further but unto Motives Arguments Reasons and Considerations proposed unto the Mind so to influence the Will and the Affections Hence his Operation is herein Moral and so Metaphorical not real proper and Physical Now concerning this whole Work I affirm these two things Sect. 18 1. That the Holy Spirit doth make use of it in the Regeneration or Conversion of all that are Adult and that either immediately in and by the Preaching of it or by some other Application of Light and Truth unto the Mind derived from the Word For by the Reasons Motives and Perswasive Arguments which the Word affords are our Minds affected and our Souls wrought upon in our Conversion unto God whence it becomes our reasonable Obedience And there are none ordinarily converted but they are able to give some account by what Considerations they were prevailed on thereunto But 2. We say that the whole Work or the whole of the Work of the Holy Ghost in our Conversion doth not consist herein but there is a real Physical Work whereby he infuseth a gracious Principle of Spiritual Life into all that are effectually Converted and really Regenerated and without which there is no Deliverance from the State of Sin and Death which we have described which among others may be proved by the ensuing Arguments Sect. 19 The principal Arguments in this Case will ensue in our Proofs from the Scriptures that there is a Real Physical Work of the Spirit on the Souls of Men in their Regeneration That all he doth consisteth not in this Moral Swasion the ensuing Reasons do sufficiently evince 1. If the Holy Spirit worketh no otherwise on Men in their Regeneration or Conversion but by proposing unto them and urging upon them Reasons Arguments and Motives to that purpose then after his whole Work and notwithstanding it the Will of Man remains absolutely indifferent whether it will admit of them or no or whether it will convert it self unto God upon them or no for the whole of this Work consists in proposing Objects unto the Will with respect whereunto it is left undertermined whether it will chuse and close with them or no. And indeed this is that which some plead for For they say That in all Men at least all unto whom the Gospel is Preached there is that Grace present or with them that they are able to comply with the Word if they please and so believe repent or do any Act of Obedience unto God according to his Will And if they will they can refuse to make use of this Assistance Aid Power or Grace and so continue in their Sins What this Grace is or whence Men have this Power and Ability by some is not declared Neither is it much to be doubted but that many do imagine that it is purely Natural only they will allow it to be called Grace because it is from God who made us Others acknowledg it to be the Work or Effect of Grace Internal wherein part of the difference lay between the Pelagians and Semi-pelagians of old But they all agree that it is absolutely in the Power of the Will of Man to make use of
Act and thereby determine it self in the choice of that which is good in believing and repenting then the Grace thus administred concurs with it helps and aids it in the perfecting of its Act so that the whole Work is of Grace So pleaded the Semi-Pelagians and so do others continue to do But all this while the way whereby Grace or the Spirit of God worketh this Illumination excites the Affections and Aids the Will is by Moral Perswasion only on real strength being communicated or infused but what the Will is at perfect liberty to make use of or to refuse at pleasure Now this in effect is no less than to overthrow the whole Grace of Jesus Christ and to render it useless For it ascribes unto Man the Honour of his Conversion his Will being the principal cause of it It makes a Man to beget himself a-new or to be born again of himself to make himself differ from others by that which he hath not in an especial manner received It takes away the Analogie that there is between the forming of the Natural Body of Christ in the Womb and the forming of his Mystical Body in Regeneration It makes the Act of living unto God by Faith and Obedience to be a meer Natural Act no Fruit of the Mediation or Purchase of Christ and allows the Spirit of God no more Power nor Efficacy in or towards our Regeneration than is in a Minister who preacheth the Word or in an Orator who eloquently and pathetically perswades to Vertue and dehorts from Vice And all these consequences it may be will be granted by some amongst us and allowed to be true to that pass are things come in the World through the confident pride and ignorance of Men. But not only it may be but plainly and directly the whole Gospel and Grace of Christ are renounced where they are admitted Sect. 24 This is not all that we pray for either for our selves or others when we beg effectual Grace for them or our selves There was no Argument that the Ancients more pressed the Pelagians withal than that the Grace which they acknowledged did not answer the Prayers of the Church or what we are taught in the Scripture to pray for We are to pray only for what God hath promised and for the communication of it unto us in that way whereby he will work it and effect it Now he is at a great indifferency in this Matter who only prayes that God would perswade him or others to believe and to obey to be converted or to convert himself The Church of God hath alwayes prayed that God would work these things in us and those who have a real concernment in them do pray continually that God would effectually work them in their Hearts They pray that he would convert them that he would create a clean heart and renew a right Spirit in them that he would give them Faâ—th for Christ's sake and increase it in them and that in all these things he would work in them by the exceeding greatness of his Power both to will and to do according to his good pleasure And there is not a Pelagian in the World who e're once prayed for Grace or gracious Assistance against Sin and Temptation with a sense of his want of it but that his Prayers contradicted his Profession To think that by all these Petitions with others innumerable dictated unto us in the Scripture and which a Spiritual Sense of our Wants will ingage into we desire nothing but only that God would perswade excite and stir us up to put forth a Power and Ability of our own in the performance of what we desire is contrary unto all Christian Experience Yea for a Man to lie praying with Importunity Earnestness and Fervency for that which is in his own Power and can never be effected but by his own Power is fond and ridiculous And they do but mock God who pray unto him to do that for them which they can do for themselves and which God cannot do for them but only when and as they do it for themselves Suppose a Man to have a Power in himself to believe and repent suppose these to be such Acts of his Will as God doth not indeed cannot by his Grace work in him but only perswade him thereunto and shew him sufficient Reason why he should so do to what purpose should this Man or with what congruity could he pray that God would give him Faith and Repentance This some of late as it seems wisely observing do begin to scoff at and reproach the Prayers of Christians For whereas in all their Supplications for Grace they lay the Foundation of them in an humble Acknowledgment of their own vileness and impotency unto any thing that is spiritually Good yea and a natural aversation from it and a sense of the Power and Working of the Remainder of in-dwelling Sin in them hereby exciting themselves unto that earnestness and importunity in their requests for Grace which their Condition makes necessary which hath been the constant practice of Christians since there was one in the World this is by them derided and exposed to contempt In the room therefore of such despised Prayers I shall supply them with an Ancient Form that is better suited unto their Principles The Preface unto it is Ille ad Deum digne elevat manus ille Orationem bonâ— Conscientiâ— effundit qui potest dicere The Prayer followeth Tu nosti Domine quam Sanctae Purae Mundae sint ab omni malitia iniquitate rapina quas ad te extendo manus â—â—uemadmodum justa munda labia ab omni mendacio libera quibus offero tibi Deprecationes ut mihi miserearis This Prayer Pelagius taught a Widow to make as it was objected unto him in the Diospolitan Synod that is at Lydia in Palestine cap. 6. only he taught her not to say that she had no deceit in her Heart as one among us doth wisely and humbly vaunt that he knoweth of none in his so every way perfect is the Man Only to ballance this of Pelagius I shall give these Men another Prayer but in the Margen not declaring whose it is lest they should censure him to the Gallows Whereas therefore it seems to be the Doctrine of some that we have no Grace from Christ but only that of the Gospel teaching us our Duty and proposing a Reward I know not what they have to pray for unless it be Riches Wealth and Preferments with those things that depend thereon Sect. 25 Fourthly This kind of the Operation of Grace where it is solitary that is where it is asserted exclusively to an internal Physical work of the Holy Spirit is not suited to effect and produce the Work of Regeneration or Conversion unto God in Persons who are really in that state of Nature which we have before described The most effectual Perswasions cannot prevail with such Men
So is it asserted Ephes. 1. 19 20. That we may know what is the exceeding greatness of his Power towards us who believe according to the working of his Mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead The Power here mentioned hath an exceeding Greatness ascribed unto it with respect unto the Effect produced by it The Power of God in it self is as unto all Acts equally Infinite he is Omnipotent But some Effects are greater than others and carry in them more than ordinary Impressions of it Such is that here intended whereby God makes Men to be Believers and preserves them when they are so And unto this Power of God there is an Actual Operation or Efficiency ascribed the working of his mighty Power And the Nature of this operation or efficiency is declared to be of the same kind with that which exerted in the raising of Christ from the Dead And this was by a real Physical Efficiency of Divine Power This therefore is here testified That the Work of God towards Believers either to make them so or preserve them such for all is one as unto our present purpose consists in the acting of his Divine Power by a real internal Efficiency So God is said to fulfil in us all the good pleasure of his Goodness and the Work of Faith with Power 2 Thess. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 3. And hence the Work of Grace in Conversion is constantly expressed by words denoting a real internal Efficiency such are Creating Quickning Forming Giving a new Heart whereof afterwards Where-ever this Work is spoken of with respect unto an Active Efficiency it is ascribed unto God He Creates us anew he Quickens us he Begets us of his own Will but where it is spoke of with respect unto us there it is passively expressed we are Created in Christ Jesus we are new Creatures we are Born again and the like which one Observation is sufficient to evert the whole Hypothesis of Arminian Grace Unless a Work wrought by Power and that real and immediate be intended herein such a Work may neither be supposed possible nor can be expressed Wherefore it is plain in the Scripture That the Spirit of God works internally immediately efficiently in and upon the Minds of Men in their Regeneration The New Birth is the Effect of an Act of his Power and Grace or no Man is born again but it is by the inward Efficiency of the Spirit Sect. 30 3. This Internal Efficiency of the Holy Spirit on the Minds of Men as to the Event is infallible victorious irresistible or alwayes efficacious But in this Assertion we suppose that the measure of the Efficacy of Grace and the End to be attained are fixed by the Will of God As to that End whereunto of God it is designed it is alwayes prevalent or effectual and cannot be resisted or it will effectually work what God designs it to work for wherein he will work none shall let him and who hath resisted his Will There are many motions of Grace even in the Hearts of Believers which are thus far resisted as that they attain not that effect which in their own Nature have a tendency unto Were it otherwise all Believers would be perfect But it is manifest in Experience that we do not alwayes answer the Inclinations of Grace at least as unto the Degree which it moves toward But yet even such Motions also if they are of and from Saving Grace are effectual so far and for all those ends which they are designed unto in the Purpose of God for his Will shall not be frustrate in any Instance And where any Work of Grace is not effectual God never intended it should be so nor did put forth that Power of Grace which was necessary to make it so Wherefore in or towards whomsoever the Holy Spirit puts forth his Power or acts his Grace for their Regeneration it removes all Obstacles overcomes all Oppositions and infallibly produceth the Effect intended This Proposition being of great importance to the Glory of God's Grace and most signally opposed by the Patrons of corrupted Nature and Man's free Will in the state thereof must be both explained and confirmed We say therefore Sect. 31 1. The Power which the Holy Ghost puts forth in our Regeneration is such in its Acting or Exercise as our Minds Wills and Affections are suited to be wrought upon and to be affected by it according to their Natures and natural Operations Turn thou me and I shall be turned draw me and I shall run after thee He doth neither act in them any otherwise than they themselves are meet to be moved and move to be acted and act according to their own Nature Power and Ability He draws us with the Cords of a Man And the Work it self is expressed by perswading God perswade Japhet and alluring I will allure Her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably For as it is certainly effectual so it carries no more repugnancy unto our Faculties than a prevalent Perswasion doth So doth Sect. 32 2. He doth not in our Regeneration possess the Mind with any Enthusiastical Impressions nor acteth absolutely upon us as he did in extraordinary Prophetical Inspirations of old where the Minds and Organs of the Bodies of Men were meerly Passive Instruments moved by him above their own natural capacity and activity not only as to the Principle of Working but as to the manner of Operation But he works on the Minds of Men in and by their own natural Actings through an immediate influence and impression of his Power Create in me a clean Heart O God He worketh to will and to do 3. He therefore offer no Violence or Compulsion unto the Will This that Faculty is not naturally capable to give Admission unto If it be compelled it is destroyed And the mention that is made in the Scripture of compelling compel them to come in respects the certainty of the Event not the manner of the Operation on them But whereas the Will in the depraved Condition of Fallen Nature is not only habitually filled and possessed with an aversation from that which is good Spiritually alienated from the Life of God but also continually acts an Opposition unto it as being under the Power of the Carnal Mind which is Enmity against God And whereas this Grace of the Spirit in Conversion doth prevail against all this Opposition and is effectual and victorious over it it will be enquired how this can any otherwise be done but by a kind of Violence Compulsion seeing we have evinced already that Moral Perswasion and Objective Allurement is not sufficient thereunto Answ. It is acknowledged That in the Work of Conversion unto God though not in the very Act of it there is a Reaction between Grace and the Will their Acts being contrary and that Grace is therein victorious and yet no Violence or Compulsion is offered unto the Will For Sect. 34
to the act of believing is contracted by their own fault both as it ariseth from the Original Depravation of Nature and as it is increased by corrupt Prejudices and contracted Habits of Sin wherefore they justly perished of whom yet it is said That they could not believe John 12. 39. 3. There is none by whom the Gospel is refused but they put forth an Act of the Will in its Rejection which all Men are free unto and able for I would have gathered you but you would not Mat. 23. 37. You will not come to me that you may have life Sect. 38 But the Scripture positively affirms of some to whom the Gospel was Preached that they could not believe John 12. 39. And of all natural Men that they cannot perceive the Things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. neither is it given unto all to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but some only Matth. 11. 25. And those to whom it is not so given have not the Power intended Besides Faith is not of all have not Faith 2 Thess. 3. 2. But it is peculiar to the Elect of God Tit. 1. 1. Acts 13. 48. And these Elect are but some of those that are called Mat. 20. 16. Sect. 39 Yet further to clear this it may be observed that this first Act of Willing may be considered two wayes 1. As it wrought in the Will subjectively and so it is formally only in that Faculty And in this sense the Will is meerly passive and only the Subject moved or acted And in this respect the Act of God's Grace in the Will is an Act of the Will But 2. it may be considered as it is efficiently also in the Will as being acted it acts it self So it is from the Will as its Principle and is a Vital Act thereof which gives it the Nature of Obedience Thus the Will in its own Nature is mobilis fit and meet to be wrought upon by the Grace of the Spirit to Faith and Obedience with respect unto the Creating Act of Grace working Faith in us it is mota moved and acted thereby And in respect of its own elicit Act as it so acted and moved it is movens the next efficient cause thereof Sect. 40 These things being premised for the clearing of the Nature of the Operation of the Spirit in the first Communication of Grace unto us and the Wills complyance therewithal we return unto our Arguments or Testimonies given unto the actual collation of Faith upon us by the Spirit and Grace of God which must needs be effectual and irresistible for the contrary implies a contradiction namely that God should work what is not wrought Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake To believe on Christ expresseth Saving-Faith it self This is given unto us And how is it given us Even by the Power of God working in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure Chap. 1. 13. Our Faith is our coming to Christ. And no Man saith he can come unto me except it be given him of my Father Joh. 6. 65. All Power in our selves for this end is utterly taken away no Man can come unto me How-ever we may suppose Men to be prepared or disposed what-ever Arguments may be proposed unto them and in what season soever to render things congruous and agreeable unto their Inclinations yet no Man of himself can believe can come to Christ unless Faith it self be given unto him that is be wrought in him by the Grace of the Father Col. 2. 11. So it is again asserted and that both negatively and positively Ephes. 2. 8. By Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Our own Ability be it what it will how-ever assisted and excited and God's Gift are contra-distinguished If it be our selves it is not the Gift of God if it be the Gift of God it is not of our selves And the manner how God bestows this Gift upon us is declared v. 10. For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Good Works or Gospel-Obedience are the things designed These must proceed from Faith or they are not acceptable with God Heb. 11. 6. And the way whereby this is wrought in us or a Principle of Obedience is by a Creating Act of God we are his Workmanship created in Jesus Christ. In like manner God is said to give us Repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. Acts 11. 18. This is the whole of what we plead God in our Conversion by the exceeding greatness of his Power as he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead actually worketh Faith and Repentance in us gives them unto us bestows them on us so that they are meer Effects of his Grace in us And his working in us infallibly produceth the Effect intended because it is actual Faith that he works and not only a Power to believe which we may either put forth and make use of or suffer to be fruitless according to the pleasure of our own Wills Sect. 41 Secondly As God giveth and worketh in us Faith and Repentance so the way whereby he doth it or the manner how he is said to effect them in us make it evident that he doth it by a Power infallibly efficacious and which the Will of Man doth never resist For this way is such as that he thereby takes away all Repugnancy all Resistance all Opposition every thing that lyeth in the way of the Effect intended Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thine Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and all thy Soul that thou mayest live A denyal of the Work here intended is expressed Chap. 29. 4. The Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to hear unto this day What it is to have the Heart circumcised the Apostle declares Col. 2. 11. It is the putting off of the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ that is our Conversion to God It is the giving an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to hear that is Spiritual Light and Obedience by the removal of all Obstacles and Hindrances This is the immediate Work of the Spirit of God himself No Man ever circumcised his own heart No Man can say he began to do it by the Power of his own Will and then God only helped him by his Grace As the Act of outward Circumcision on the body of a Child was the Act of another and not of the Child who was onely passive therein but the Effect was in the Body of the Child only so is it in this Spiritual Circumcision It is the Act of God whereof our Hearts are the Subject And whereas it is the Blindness Obstinacy and Stubbornness in Sin that is in us
Salvation which is therein declared unto them 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20 21. Col. 1. 25 26 27 28. 3 To be the means and Instrument of conveying over unto them and giving them a Title unto and a Right in that Grace and Mercy that Life and Righteousness which is revealed and tendred unto them thereby Mark 16. 16. 4 To be the way and means of communicating the Spirit of Christ with Grace and Strength unto the Elect enabling of them to believe and receive the Attonement Gal. 3. 2. 5 Hereby to give them Vnion with Christ as their Spiritual and Mystical Head us also to fix their Hearts and Souls in their choycest Actings in their Faith Trust Confidence and Love immediately on the Son of God as Incarnate and their Mediator Joh. 14. 1. Wherefore the first and principal End of the Gospel towards us is to invite and encourage lost sinners unto the Faith and Approbation of the Way of Grace Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ without a Complyance wherewith in the first place the Gospel hath no more to do with sinners but leaves them to Justice the Law and themselves But now upon a supposition of these things and of our giving Glory to God by Faith in them the whole that God requireth of us in the Gospel in a way of Duty is that we should be Holy and abide in the use of those means whereby Holiness may be attained and improved in us For if he requires any other thing of us it must be on one of these four Accounts 1. To make Attonement for our sins or 2. To be our Righteousness before him or 3. To merit Life and Salvation by or 4. To supererogate in the behalf of others No other end can be thought of besides what are the true ends of Holiness whereon God should require any thing of us And all the false Religion that is in the world leans on a supposition that God doth require somewhat of us with respect unto these ends But 1 He requires nothing of us which we had all the Reason in the world to expect that he would to make Attonement or satisfaction for our sins that might compensate the injuries we had done him by our Apostasie and Rebellion For whereas we had multiplyed sins against him lived in an Enmity and Opposition to him and had contracted insupportable and immeasurable Debts upon our own Souls Terms of peace being now proposed who could think but that the first thing required of us would be that we should make some kind of satisfaction to Divine Justice for all our enormous and heynous provocations Yea who is there that indeed doth naturally think otherwise so he apprehended who was contriving a way in his own mind how he might come to an Agreement with God Micah 6. 6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God shall I come before him with Burnt-Offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with Thousands of Rams or with ten Thousands of Rivers of Oyl Shall I give my first-born for my Transgression the fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul This or something of this nature seems to be but a very reasonable Enquiry for a Guilty self-condemned sinner when first he entertains thoughts of an Agreement with the Holy sin-avenging God And this was the foundation of all that cruel and expensive Superstition that the World was in bondage unto for so many Ages Mankind generally thought that the principal thing which was required of them in Religion was to attone and pacifie the wrath of the Divine Power and to make a Compensation for what had been done against him Hence were their Sacrifices of Hecatombs of Beasts of Mankind of their Children and of themselves as I have elsewhere declared And the same principle is still deep rooted in the minds of convinced sinners and many an Abby Monastery Colledge and Almes-house hath it founded For in the fruits of this Superstition the Priests which set it on work alwayes shared deeply But quite otherwise in the Gospel there is declared and tendred unto sinners an absolute free pardon of all their sins without any satisfaction or Compensation made or to be made on their part that is by themselves namely on the Account of the Attonement made for them by Jesus Christ. And all Attempts or Endeavours after Works or Duties of Obedience in any respect satisfactory to God for sin or meritorious of pardon do subvert and overthrow the whole Gospel See 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20 21. Wherefore in Answer to the Enquiry before mentioned the Reply in the Prophet is that God looks for none of these things and that all such Contrivances were wholly vain He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God v. 8. which last Expression comprizeth the whole of our Covenant-Obedience Gen. 17. 1. as the two former are eminent Instances of it in particular 2 He requireth nothing of us in a way of Righteousness for our Justification for the future that this also he would have done we might have justly expected For a Righteousness we must have or we cannot be accepted with him And here also many are at a loss and resolve that it is a thing fond and inconvenient to think of peace with God without some Righteousness of their own on the Account whereof they may be Justified before him and rather than they will forgoe that apprehension they will let goe all other thoughts of Peace and Acceptance Being ignorant of the Righteousness of God they go about to establish their own Righteousness and do not submit themselves unto the Righteousness of God nor will they acquiesâ—e in it that Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth as Rom. 10. 3 4. But so it is that God requireth not this of us in the Gospel for we are Justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3. 24. And we do therefore conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the works of the Law v. 28. so Rom. 8. 3 4. Neither is there any mention in the whole Gospel of God's requiring a Righteousness in us upon the Account whereof we should be justified before him or in his sight For the Justification by works mentioned in James consists in the evidencing and Declaration of our Faith by them 3 God requireth not any thing of us whereby we should purchase or Merit for our selves Life and Salvation For we are saved by Grace through Faith not of works lest any man should boast Ephes. 2. 8 9. God doth save us neither by nor for the works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his own Mercy Titus 3. 5. so that although on the one side the wages of sin is Death there being a proportion in
actual supplyes And the Spirit is the Efficient Cause communicating them unto us from him From hence it is that any Grace in us is kept alive one Moment that it is ever acted in one single Duty that ever it receives the least measure of Encrease or strengthening With respect unto all these it is that our Apostle saith Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. Spiritual Life and living by it in all the Acts of it are immediately from Christ. I concern not my self much how Moral Vertue that is no more is preserved and sustained in the Minds and Lives of men though I am not ignorant of the Precepts Directions and Instructions which are given unto that End by some of old and some of late But for Grace and Holiness we have infallible Assurance that the Being Life Continuance and all the Actings of it in any of the Sons of men depend meerly and only upon their Relation unto that Spring and Fountain of all Grace which is in Christ and the continual Supplyes of it by the Holy Spirit whose Work it is to communicate them Col. 3. 3. John 15. 5. Col 2. 19. There is no man who hath any Grace that is true and saving that hath any seed any beginning of Sanctification or Holiness but that the Holy Spirit by his watchful Care over it and Supplyes of it is able to preserve it to extricate it from Difficulties to free it from Opposition and to encrease it unto its full measure and perfection Wherefore let the hands that hang down be lifted up and the feeble knees be strengthened we have to do with him who will not quench the smoking flax not break the bruised reed And on the other side there is none who hath received Grace in such a Measure nor hath so confirmed it by constant uninterrupted Exercise as that he can preserve it one Moment or Act it in any one Instance or Duty without the continual Supplyes of new Actual Grace and Help from him who worketh in us to will and to doe For saith our Lord Christ unto his Apostles and in them to all Believes the best and strongest of them without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. And they who of themselves can do nothing that is in a way of living unto God cannot of themselves preserve Grace act it and encrease it which are the greatest things we doe or are wrought in us in this World Wherefore God hath in infinite Wisdom so ordered the Dispensation of his Love and Grace unto Believers that all of them living upon the continual supplyes of his Spirit none may have cause on the one hand to faint or despond nor Occasion on the other unto self-confidence or Elation of mind that so no flesh may glory in its self but he that gloryeth may glory in the Lord. And therefore as he greatly encourageth the weak the fearful the faint the disconsolate and dejected and that by the Engagement of all the holy Properties of his Nature in and unto their Assistance Isa. 35. 3 4 5 6. Chap. 40. 27 28 29 30 31. So he warns them who suppose themselves strong steadfast and immovable not to be high-minded but fear Rom. 11. 20. because the whole issue of things depends on his Soveraign Supplyes of Grace And seeing he hath promised in the Covenant to continue faithfully these Supplyes unto us there is ground of Faith given unto all and Occasion of Presumption administred unto none Sect. 7 But it will be said that if not only the Beginning of Grace Sanctification and Holiness be from God but the carrying of it on and the Encrease of it also be from him and not only so in general but that all the Actings of Grace and every Act of it be an immediate Effect of the Holy Spirit then what need is there that we should take any pains in this thing our selves or use our own Endeavours to grow in Grace or Holiness as we are commanded If God worketh all himself in us and without his effectual Operation in us we can do nothing there is no place left for our Diligence Duty or Obedience Ans. 1. This Objection we must expect to meet withall at every turn Men will not believe there is a consistency between Gods effectual Grace and our diligent Obedience that is they will not believe what is plainly clearly distinctly revealed in the Scripture and which is suited unto the Experience of all that truly believe because they cannot it may be comprehend it within the compass of Carnal Reason 2. Let the Apostle answer this Objection for this once 2 Pet. 1. 3. His Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain to Life and to Godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Vertue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through lust If all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness among which doubtless is the Preservation and Encrease of Grace be given unto us by the power of God if from him we receive that Divine Nature by vertue whereof our Corruptions are subdued then I pray what need is there of any Endeavours of our own The whole work of Sanctification is wrought in us it seems and that by the Power of God We therefore may let it alone and leave it unto him whose it is whilest we are negligent secure and at ease Nay saith the Apostle this is not the use which the Grace of God is to be put unto The Consideration of it is or ought to be the principal Motive and Encouragement unto all Diligence for the Encrease of Holiness in us For so he addes immediately v. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also for this cause or because of the gracious Operations of the Divine Power in us giving all Diligence adde to your Faith Vertue as before These Objectors and this Apostle were very diversly minded in these matters what they make an insuperable discouragement unto Diligence in Obedience that he makes the greatest Motive and Encouragement thereunto 3. I say from this Consideration it will unavoidably follow that we ought continually to wait and depend on God for supplyes of his Spirit and Grace without which we can do nothing That God is more the Author by his Grace of the good we do than we are our selves not I but the Grace of God that was with me that we ought to be carefull that by our Negligences and sins we provoke not the Holy Spirit to with-hold his Aids and Assistances and so to leave us to our selves in which condition we can do nothing that is spiritually Good These things I say will unavoidably follow on the Doctrine before declared and if any one be offended at them it is not in our power to tender them Relief Sect. 8 I shall close the
known Instances The Consideration of the Terrour of the Lord the Use of the Threatnings both of the Law and Gospel declare this to be our Duty Neither let any say that this is servile fear that Denomination is taken from the frame of our Minds and not from the Object feared When men so fear as thereon to be discouraged and to encline unto a Relinquishment of God Duty and Hope that Fear is servile whatever be the Object of it And that Fear which keeps from Sin and excites the Soul to cleave more firmly to God be the Object of it what it will is no servile Fear but an holy Fear of due Reverence unto God and his Word But this is the most genuinely gracious fear of sin when we dread the defilement of it and that Contrariety which is in it to the Holiness of God This is a Natural Fruit of Faith and Love And this Consideration should alwayes greatly possess our Minds and the truth is if it do not so there is no assured Preservative against sin For together with an Apprehension of that spiritual Pollution wherewith sin is accompanyed Thoughts of the Holiness of God of the Care and Concernment of the sanctifying Spirit of the Blood of Christ will continually abide in our Minds which are all efficaciously preservative against Sin I think that there is no more forceable Argument unto Watchfulness against all sin unto Believers in the whole Book of God than that which is mannaged by our Apostle with especial respect unto one kind of sin but may in Proportion be extended unto all 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Chap. 6. 15 19. Moreover where this is not where the Soul hath no respect to the Defilement of sin but only considers how it may shift with the Guilt of it innumerable things will interpose partly arising from the abuse of Grace partly from Carnal Hopes and foolish Resolutions for after-times as will set it at Liberty from that watchfull Diligence in universal Obedience which is required of us The Truth is I do not believe that any one that is awed only with respect to the Guilt of sin and its Consequents doth keep up a firm Integrity with regard to inward and outward actings of his Heart and Life in all things But where the Fear of the Lord and of Sin is influenced by a deep Apprehension of the Holiness of the one and the Pollution that inseparably attends the other there is the Soul kept alwayes upon its best Guard and Defence 2 How we ought to walk humbly before the Lord all our Dayes Notwithstanding our utmost Watchfulness and Diligence against sin there is yet no man that liveth and sinneth not Those who pretend unto a Perfection here as they manifest themselves to be utterly ignorant of God and themselves and despise the Blood of Christ so for the most part they are left visibly and in the sight of men to confute their own Pride and Folly But to what purpose is it to hide our selves from our selves when we have to do with God God knows and our own Souls know that more or less we are defiled in all that we doe The best of our Works and Duties brought into the presence of the Holiness of God are but as filthy raggs And Man even every man of himself drinketh in Iniquity like water Our own Cloaths are ready to defile us every day Who can express the Motions of Lust that are in the Flesh the irregular actings of Affections in their inordinate risings up to their Objects the Folly of the Imaginations of our Hearts and Minds which as far as they are not Principled by Grace are only evil and that continually with the vanity of our Words yea with a mixture of much corrupt Communications all which are defiling and have Defilements attending of them I confess I know not that my Heart and Soul abhorrs any Eruption of the Diabolical pride of man like that whereby they reproach and scoff at the deepest Humiliations and self-Abasements which poor sinners can attain unto in their Prayers Confessions and Supplications Alas that our Nature should be capable of such a Contempt of the Holiness of God such an Ignorance of the infinite distance that is between him and us and be so senceless of our own Vileness and of the abominable Filth and Pollution that is in every Sin as not to tremble at the despising of the lowest Abasements of poor sinners before the Holy God Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the Just shall live by his Faith 3 How we ought continually to endeavour after the wasting of Sin in the Root and Principle of it There is a Root of sin in us which springs up and defiles us Every man is tempted that is chiefly and principally of his own Lust and seduced and then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin It is the Flesh that lusteth against the Spirit and which bringeth forth corrupted and corrupting polluted and polluting Fruits This Principle of Sin of Aversation from God of Inclination unto things Sensual and Present however wounded weakened dethroned impaired yet still abides in all Believers And it is the Foundation the Spring the Root the next Cause of all sin in us which tempts enticeth draws aside conceives and brings forth And this hath in us all more or less degrees of Strength Power and Activity according as it is more or less mortified by Grace and the Application of the Vertue of the Death of Christ unto our Souls And according to its strength and power so it abounds in bringing forth the defiled Acts of sin Whilest this retains any considerable Power in us it is to no purpose to set our selves meerly to watch against the Eruptions of Actual sins in the Frames of our Hearts in the Thoughts of our Minds or outward Actions If we would preserve our selves from multiplying our Defilements if we would continually be perfecting the Work of Holiness in the Fear of the Lord it is this we must set our selves against The Tree must be made good if we expect good Fruit and the evil Root must be digged up or evil Fruit will be brought forth That is our main Design should be to crucifie and destroy the Body of the sins of the flesh that is in us the Remainders of the Flesh or In-dwelling sin by the Wayes and Means which shall afterwards be declared 4 Hence also is manifest the Necessity we have of continual Applications to Jesus Christ for cleansing Vertue from his Spirit and the sprinkling of his Blood on our Consciences in the Efficacy of it to purge them from dead works We defile our selves every day and if we go not every day to the Fountain that is open for sin and for uncleanness we shall quickly be all over Leprous Our Consciences will be filled with dead Works so that we shall no way be able to serve the Living God unless they are daily purged out How
and Expressions of the Scripture and the Notions of some Men among us There is not any thing that is good in us nothing that is done well by us in the way of Obedience but the Scripture expressely and frequently assigns it unto the immediate Operations of the Holy Spirit in us It doth so in general as to all gracious Actings whatever and not content therewith it proposeth every Grace and every Holy Duty distinctly affirming the Holy Ghost to be the immediate Author of them And when it comes to make mention of us it positively indeed prescribes our Duty to us but as plainly lets us know that we have no power in or from our selves to perform it But some men speak and preach and write utterly to another purpose The Freedom Liberty Power and Ability of our own Wills the Light Guidance and Direction of our own Minds Reasons and from all our own Performance of all the Duties of Faith and Obedience are the 〈◊〉 of their Discourses and that in Opposition unto what is aâ—â—â—bed in the Scriptures unto the Immediate Operations of the Holy Ghost They are all for Grace Not I but Grace not I but Christ without him we can do nothing These are all for our Wills not Grace but our Wills doe all It is not more plainly affirmed in the Scripture that God created Heaven and Earth that he sustains and preserves all things by his Power than that he creates grace in the Hearts of Believers preserves it acts it and makes it effectual working all our Works for us and all our Duties in us But Evasions must be found out strange forced uncouth sences be put upon plain frequently repeated Expressions to secure the Honour of our Wills and to take care that all the Good we doe may not be assigned to the Grace of God To this purpose Distinctions are coyned Evasions invented and such an Explanation is given of all Divine Operations as renders them useless and insignificant Yea it is almost grown if not Criminal yet weak and ridiculous in the Judgement of some That any should assign those Works and Operations to the Spirit of God which the Scripture doth in the very words that the Scripture useth To lessen the Corruption and Depravation of our Nature by Sin to extoll the Integrity and Power of our Reasons to maintain the Freedom and Ability of our Wills in and unto things spiritually Good to resolve the Conversion of men unto God into their Natural good Dispositions Inclinations and the right use of their Reason to render Holiness to be only a Probity of Life or Honesty of Conversation upon rational Motives and Considerations are the things that men are now almost wearied with the Repetition of Scarce a Person that hath Confidence to commence for Reputation in the World but immediately he furnisheth himself with some new tinkling Ornaments for these old Pelagian Figments But whoever shall take an impartial View of the Design and constant Doctrine of the Scripture in this matter will not be easily carryed away with the plausible Pretences of men exalting their own Wills and Abilities in Opposition to the Spirit and Grace of God by Jesus Christ. Sect. 16 2 From what hath been discoursed a further discovery is made of the Nature of Gospel Obedience of all the Acts of our Souls therein and of the Duties that belong thereunto It is commonly granted that there is a great difference between the Acts and Duties that are truely gracious and those which are called by the same name that are not so as in any Duties of Faith of Prayer of Charity But this difference is supposed generally to be in the Adjuncts of those Duties in some properties of them but not in the kind nature or substance of the Acts of our minds in them Nay it is commonly said that whereas wicked men are said to believe and doe many things gladly in a way of Obedience what they so doe is for the substance of the Acts they perform the same with those of them who are truely Regenerate and Sanctified They may differ in their Principle and End but as to their Substance or Essence they are the same But there is no small mistake herein All gracious Actings of our Minds and Souls whether internal only in Faith Love or Delight or whether they go out unto external Duties required in the Gospel being wrought in us by the immediate Efficacy of the Spirit of Grace differ in their Kind in their Essence and substance of the Acts themselves from whatever is not so wrought or effected in us For whatever may be done by any one in any acting of common Grace or performance of any Duty of Obedience being educed out of the power of the Natural Faculties of men excited by Convictions as directed and enforced by Reasons and Exhortations or assisted by common Aids of what nature soever they are natural as to their kind and they have no other substance or Being but what is so But that which is wrought in us by the especial Grace of the Holy Ghost in the way mentioned is supernatural as being not educed out of the Powers of our natural Faculties but an immediate Effect of the Almighty supernatural Efficacy of the Grace of God And therefore the sole Reason why God accepts and rewards Duties of Obedience in them that are sanctified and regardeth not those which for the outward Matter and Manner of Performance are the same with them as unto Abel and his Offering he had respect but he had no respect unto Cain and his Offering Gen. 4. 4 5. is not taken from the State and Condition of the Persons that perform them only though that also have an influence thereinto but from the Nature of the Acts and Duties themselves also He never accepts and rejects Duties of the same Kind absolutely with respect unto the Persons that do perform them The Duties themselves are of a different Kind Those which he accepts are supernatural Effects of his own Spirit in us whereon he rewardeth and crowneth the Fruits of his own Grace And as for what he rejects whatever Appearance it may have of a Complyance with the outward Command it hath nothing in it that is supernaturally Gracious and so is not of the same Kind with what he doth accept CHAP. VIII Mortification of Sin the Nature and Causes of it 1 Mortification of Sin the Second Part of Sanctification 2 Frequently prescribed and enjoyned as a Duty 3 What the Name signifies with the Reason thereof 4 As also that of Crucifying Sin 5 The Nature of the Mortification of Sin explained 6 In-dwelling Sin in its Principle Operations and Effects the Object of Mortification 7 Contrariety between Sin and Grace 8 Mortification a Part-taking with the whole Interest of Grace against Sin 9 How Sin is Mortified and why the Subduing of it is so called 10 Directions for the right Discharge of this Duty 13 Nature of it unknown to many 15 The Holy Spirit
froward Cavillings Sect. 9 2. In particular we are not onely obliged to believe all Divine Revelations but also in the Way Order and Method wherein by the Will of God they are proposed unto us and which is required by the Nature of the things themselves For Instance The Belief of Eternal Life is required in the Gospel But yet no man is obliged to Believe that he shall be eternally saved whilest he lives in his Sins but rather the contrary On this Supposition which is plain and evident I shall in the ensuing Propositions utterly cast this Objection out of Consideration Sect. 10 1 The Decree of Election considered absolutely in it self without respect unto its Effects is no part of Gods revealed Will. That is it is not Revealed that this or that man is or is not elected This therefore can be made neither Argument nor Objection about any thing wherein Faith or Obedience are concerned For we know it not we cannot know it it is not our Duty to know it the Knowledge of it is not proposed as of any use unto us yea it it is our sin to enquire into it It may seem to some to be like the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil unto Eve good for Food pleasant to the Eyes and much to be desired to make one wise as all secret Forbidden things seem to carnal Minds But men can gather no Fruit from it but Death See Deut. 29. 29. Whatever Exceptions therefore are laid against this Decree as it is in it self whatever Inferences are made on supposition of this or that mans being or not being elected they are all unjust and unreasonable yea proved contending with God who hath appointed another Way for the Discovery hereof as we shall see afterwards Sect. 11 2 God sends the Gospel to men in pursuit of his Decree of Election and in order unto its effectual Accomplishment I dispute not what other End it hath or may have in its indefinite proposal unto all But this is the first Regulating principal End of it Wherefore in the preaching of it our Apostle affirms that he endured all things for the Elects sake that they might obtain the Salvation which is in Jesus Christ with eternal Glory 2 Tim. 2. 10. So God before-hand commanded him to stay and preach the Gospel at Corinth because he had much People in that City namely in his Purpose of Grace Acts 18. 10. See Chap. 2. 47. Chap. 13. 48. Sect. 12 3 Wherever this Gospel comes it proposeth Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ unto all that shall believe repent and yield Obedience unto him It plainly makes known unto men their Duty and plainly proposeth unto them their Reward In this state of things no man without the highest Pride and utmost Effect of Vnbelief can oppose the secret Decree of God unto our known Duty Saith such a one I will neither repent nor believe nor obey unless I may first know whether I am Elected or no for all at last will depend thereon If this be the Resolution of any man he may go about his other Occasions the Gospel hath nothing to say or offer unto him If he will admit of it on no other terms but that he may set up his own Will and Wisdom and Methods in Opposition unto and Exclusion of those of God he must for ought I know take his own Course whereof he may Repent when it is too late Sect. 13 4 The sole Way of God's Appointment whereby we may come to an Apprehension of an Interest in Election is by the Fruits of it in our own Souls Nor is it Lawfull for us to enquire into it or after it any other way The Obligation which the Gospel puts upon us to believe any thing respects the Order of the Things themselves to be Believed and the Order of our Obedience as was before observed For instance when it is declared that Christ dyed for Sinners no man is immediately obliged to believe that Christ dyed for him in particular but only that he dyed to save Sinners to procure a Way of Salvation for them among whom he finds himself to be Hereon the Gospel requires of men Faith and Obedience This are they obliged to comply withall Untill this be done no man is under an Obligation to believe that Christ dyed for him in particular So is it in this matter of Election A man is obliged to believe the Doctrine of it upon the first Promulgation of the Gospel because it is therein plainly declared But as for his own personal Election he cannot believe it nor is obliged to believe it any otherwise but as God reveals it by its Effects No man ought no man can justly Question his own Election doubt of it or disbelieve it untill he be in such a Condition as wherein it is impossible that the Effects of Election should ever be wrought in him if such a Condition there be in this World For as a man whilest he is unholy can have no Evidence that he is elected so he can have none that he is not elected whilest it is possible that ever he may be Holy Wherefore whether men are Elected or no is not that which God calls any immediately to be conversant about Faith Obedience Holiness are the inseperable Fruits Effects and Consequents of Election as hath been proved before See Ephes. 1. 4. 2 Thess. 2. 13. Tit. 1. 1. Acts 13. 48. In whomsoever these things are wrought he is obliged according to the Method of God and the Gospel to believe his own Election And any Believer may have the same Assurance of it as he hath of his Calling Sanctification or Justification for these things are inseperable And by the Exercise of Grace are we obliged to secure our Interest in Election 2 Pet. 1. 11. But as for those who are as yet Vnbelievers and unholy they can draw no Conclusion that they are not elected but from this Supposition that they are in a state and Condition wherein it is impossible that ever they should have either Grace or Holiness which cannot be supposed concerning any man but he that knowes himself to have sinned against the Holy Ghost Wherefore all the supposed strength of the Objection mentioned lieth onely in the Pride of mens Minds and Wills refusing to submit themselves unto the Order and Method of God in the Dispensation of his Grace and his Prescription of their Duty where we must leave it Sect. 14 To return unto our designed Discourse The Doctrine of Gods Eternal Election is every where in the Scripture proposed for the Encouragement and Consolation of Believers and to further them in their Course of Obedience and Holiness See Ephes. 1. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Rom. 8. 28 29 30 31 32 33. As unto Mens present Concernment therein it is infallibly assured unto them by its Effects and being so it is filled with Motives unto Holiness as we shall now further declare in particular First The Soveraign and
consists 493 34 Real internal Efficiency ascribed unto Grace 269 29 Eminent Effusions of the Holy Spirit accompanyed with effectual Delusions of Sathan at the same time 18 22 Plentiful Effusion of the Spirit the great Promise of the Old Testament 122 2 The Elect the subject of the Promise of the Spirit as to Regeneration 357 3 Election the Spring of all true Holiness 442 45 Eternal Election a Cause of and Motive unto Holiness 520 c. No Evidence of Election without Holiness 521 5 Election absolutely considered no part of Gods Revealed Will. 523 10 No man Obliged to believe his Election before Conversion 524 13 Who are bound to believe that they are Elected 525 13 Divine Emanation of the Holy Spirit from the Father and Son 35 9 End of Prophesie in the Church 99 5 End of Miraculous Operations 115 21 End of God in the Work of the Old and New Creature 155 2 End of Afflictions and Tryals 343 6 End of Dutyes Two-fold 441 44 End of Legal Commands 535 5 Ends of Holiness for which it is required 414 4 Principal Ends for which the Holy Spirit is promised 357 3 Enforcements unto Obedience from the Authority of God in his Commands 538 10 11 No Enjoyment of God without Purification from Sin 378 Enmity of the Carnal Mind against God and his Wayes 231 49 50 Natural Impotency and Enmity how taken away 278 46 Enquiry into the Reasons and Difficulties in Holy Duties 438 8 Enthusiastical Raptures no Means of Conversion 186 25 No Enthusiastical Impressions in Conversion 270 32 No Entrance with God without Holiness 504 11 Equity of the Law how it respects the Ability of them that are Obliged by it 249 27 Espousals of the Blessed Virgin with Joseph the Necessity thereof 134 14 Essence and Form of Holiness wherein it consists 415 7 8 Eternal Love a powerfull Motive unto Holiness 525 14 Evangelical Holiness distinguished from all Pretences thereunto 439 40 No Evangelical Truth inconsistent with Holinesse or repugnant thereunto 507 16 Evidences of Regeneration various 177 11 No Evidence of an Interest in the Oblation of Christ unless we are Holy 556 4 Infallible Evidences of Divine Inspiration 104 10 Evil Spirits and their Operations 37 11 Evil Frame of Nature how Cured 383 Evil Spirit how it wrought in Saul 112 18 All Excellencies ascribed unto the Holy Spirit in the Scripture 98 3 How Christ is our Example 447 448 449 Exhortations respect Duty not Ability 244 17 Experience of the work of the Spirit of God in the Souls of Men. 27 31 Experiences of the Truth and Reality of things believed supplyed by the Holy Spirit 341 5 Experience of the Defilement of Sin 372 3 External Duties of two sorts 464 4 Extraordinary Works of the Holy Spirit the several kinds of them 99 4 Extraordinary Acts of Christ during the Course of his private Life 140 F. Face of the Earth by what means Annually renewed 74 9 Facility in Dutyes of Obedience from a Principle of Holiness 436 37 Faith and Obedience with respect unto the Gift of the Holy Ghost how to be regulated 90 16 Faith Actually wrought by Grace 272 36 Faith and Love the Spring of Holiness how they are encreased 340 5 Faith encreased by the due Proposal of its proper Objects 341 5 What Faith is required that a man may please God 362 Faith alone interests us in the purifying Vertue of the Blood of Christ. 388 Faith worketh by Prayer unto the Cleansing of Sin 390 6 How it purgeth the Soul 390 8 Faith whether it be a Fixing of the Imagination 400 The Power of Faith in Conforming the Soul unto God 513 24 Faith of Election tends not to Carelesness 530 22 Faith without Holiness vain 553 38 Faithfulness of God in his Promises to be pleaded in Prayer 360 How the Holy Spirit doth Fall on men 90 17 Reasons of Mens Falling from a Course of Duties 548 26 False pretences unto the Name and Work of the Holy Spirit 13 15 False Prophets how they were Acted ib. 16 False Prophets of two sorts some meerly Acted by the Devil some pretenders only 14 17 False pretences to Divine Revelation Sathans Design therein 15 18 False Prophets why called Spirits 16 21 False Notions of Jews and Mahumetans about the Spirit of God 33 8 The Father how he is said to raise Christ from the Dead 148 All Grace Originally from the Father 163 Dread and Fear attending Convictions of Sin 304 30 Fear inseperable from Guilt 375 Fear of Sin a Fruit of Faith 404 Fear of Man how to be removed 539 13 Fiery Tongues what they signified 54 17 Figurative Expressions multiplyed in the Scripture 48 9 Figurative Expressions setting out the Vileness of Sin 402 The Nature of the Guilt and Filth of Sin how made known 375 The Finger of God what it is 72 7 Filiation a personal Adjunct 133 11 Fire on the Altar what it signified 53 16 Fire and Water the Means of all Typical Cleansing 371 1 Folly of men in seeking after Instruction in Moral Duties from others rather than from Christ. 558 11 The Things of God Foolishness unto the Mind of the Natural man how and in what sence 221 31 No Force put upon the Faculties of our Souls by the Operations of the Spirit 187 Forming of the Host of Heaven and Earth the Work of the Holy Spirit 71 7 Forming of the Body of Christ in the Womb the Work of the Holy Spirit 131 10 Foundation of all Church-Order in the Confession of the Lordship of Christ. 4 2 Foundation of the Ministry of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit 156 3 Foundation of Moral Differences among Mankind 364 Freedome and Bounty in the Gift of the Spirit 82 4 Free-will wherein it ends consists 433 33 Freedom of Corrupted Nature and of Grace 434 33 Frequency in Duties produceth Facility 437 Fruits of Sin Internal and External 476 6 Fruits of Election its onely Manifestation 524 13 Evil Frame of Nature how Cured 383 Fulness of Christ what it is and how Communicated 457 71 Fundamental Principles to be attended unto in the tryal of Spirits 17 12 G. Gift of Prophesie honourable in the Church of Old and why 13 16 Gift of Prophesie falsely pretended unto and abused 13 16 The Gift of Prophesie whether ever given to Wicked men 110 17 Gift of Prophesie not a sanctifying Grace 111 18 Gifts of Civil Government from the Holy Ghost 116 22 Gifts for the Discharge of the Office of Mediator Collated on the Humane Nature of Christ by the Holy Ghost 139 4 Gifts how to be prayed for 360 The Holy Spirit Given of God and how 80 3 Giving and Receiving related ibid. Giving of the Spirit includes Authority Freedom and Bounty 81 4 The Spirit how Given by the Father in the way of Authority 81 4 To Glorifie God as God what it is 44 2 Glorified Body of Christ the Example of ours 149 12 Glorying in Sin its Abomination 397 12
Christ in the Wombe 137 1 Humane Nature of Christ guided and supported by the Spirit in his Ministry 141 7 Humble walking with God Motives unto it 404 Humility promoted by thoughts of Sovereign Grace 526 16 I. Idolatry in Opposition to the Oneness of the Divine Nature and Monarchy the first Apostasie 24 27 Cure of Idolatry by the Captivity 25 27 Jesus Anathema how uttered by the Instigation of the Devil 3 2 Jesus confessed to be the Lord by unclean Spirits and how 4 2 Ignorance taken for simple Nescience how it may be ascribed to the Humane Nature of Christ. 138 3 Ignorance of the true Nature of Holiness and its Effects 421 Illumination previous to Conversion the Nature of it 193 6 Illumination how distinguished from meer Natural Knowledge 194 7 Image of God wherein it consisted 76 14 Image of God defaced by Sin 366 Image of God in us wherein it consisted 376 5 Imitation of Christ highly Necessary 449 59 Imperfect Obedience not taken into the Room of perfect Obedience by the New Covenant 413 4 Importance of the Doctrine concerning the Holy Spirit 10 10 Importance of the Doctrine of Sanctification 324 6 Imposition of Names by a Prophetical Spirit 100 6 Impotency of the Mind to receive spiritual things 210 13 Impotency of the Mind by Nature 218 27 Impotency of the Mind of Man by Nature Two-fold 224 39 Impotency from Spiritual Death the Nature of it 243 14 Natural Impotency and Enmity how taken away 278 46 Inclinations unto holy Actings predominant in a Gracious Soul 430 27 Inclinations of Sin alwayes to be watched against 479 11 Inconformity unto Gods Holiness the Nature of it 374 Reasons of Inconformity unto God 508 17 Incumbrances from Sloath in spiritual Duties 435 36 Individed Operations of the Divine Nature 69 2 Indulgence of any Sin hinders the progress of Holiness in general 354 Indwelling Sin three wayes to be considered 476 6 Infusion of a Principle of Divine Life in Regeneration 411 2 Inhabitation of the Spirit the Foundation of the Mortification of Sin 483 18 Inherent Righteousness what it is and wherein it consists 182 19 Actual Inherent Righteousness required unto Holiness 463 1 Ability of Adam in the State of Innocency 280 50 Inspiration the Original of Prophecye 101 7 Inspiration what it is and wherein it consists 102 8 Adjuncts of Divine Inspiration 103 9 Institutions of the Law could not purge the Defilements of sin 379 Instruction of the Mind the first End of preaching the Word 258 11 Intellectual Faculties of the Mind strengthened by the Holy Spirit 119 26 Intellectual Faculties impaired by Sin 206 5 Intellectual and Moral Habits short of Holiness 336 14 Intellectual Habits the Nature of them 415 8 Intension of Mind in attendance to the Outward Means of Conversion how Necessary and in our own power 192 3 Intercession of Christ how a Cause of our Holiness 444 5 Intercession of Christ its Influence unto Holiness 556 5 Interest of Faith and Obedience in Principles of Truth 43 1 Internal Actings of the blessed Trinity where one Person is the Object of the Love of another natural and necessary to the Being of God 45 5 Internal Acts of the Holy Trinity how undivided 131 9 Irregularity of our Natures the Cause of Shame 383 Judgement of Spirits the Duty of all Believers 18 22 Justification not for Obedience to Gospel Precepts 536 537 7 8 c. K. Killing of Sin what it is and whence it is so called 478 9 Kindness required towards Believers in an especial Manner 516 30 Kingly Power of Christ and its Influence unto our Holiness 562 18 Knowledge of Divine things in their Operations and Effects 20 24 L. Law written in the Heart what it is 278 47 The Law to be considered as it expresseth first the Authority of God and then his Holiness 374 Law and Rule of the Acceptance of New Obedience what it is 413 4 Power of the Law with respect unto Duties 534 4 Reasons why mens Minds are little influenced by Humane Laws 540 15 The Law expounded and vindicated by Christ. 556 6 Legacy left by our Lord Jesus Christ unto his sorrowfull Disciples 9 10 Legal Purifications Types of real Sanctification 371 2 Legal Institutions for Purification their Vse and End 399 Arguments from Legal Commands no Motives to Holiness 534 3 Letter of the Scripture profiteth not the Jewes whilest they have not the Spirit 24 26 Spiritual Leprosie by Nature 393 10 Liberty and Ability in the renewed Will. 433 33 The Life of God from which we are alienated by Nature wherein it consists 215 21 Life natural what it is and wherein it consists 239 3 c. Life spiritual what it is 240 6 Life unto God of Adam in Innocency ibid. Spiritual Life of Adam in Innocency 241 7 Christ how he is our Life 247 23 Spiritual Life wherein it consists 419 13 Life unto God consists principally in Duties internal 464 3 The Light within examined 19 23 Things against the Light of Nature not really enjoyned the Prophets 109 15 Saving Light attainable by the Gospel onely 208 9 Saving Light how communicated to the Mind 283 54 Light and Ability in the renewed Mind 432 31 Some things clear in the Light of Nature 560 13 Literal sence of Doctrines of Truth may be understood 219 28 Three things required to render man meet to live to God 76 14 No Local Motion in the sending of the Spirit 84 8 Local Mutations in Vision or Divine Revelations the Nature of them 109 16 The Spirit of the Lord is Jehova 65 31 Love abused by Superstition vain 125 6 Love the first Grace acted by Christ in the offering of himself 144 Spiritual Love how implanted on the Soul 284 56 Love to Man the Spring of Christs holy Obedience 449 58 Love derives Vertue from the Death of Christ and how 495 37 Love effectual to make us like unto God 513 25 Especial Effects of Divine Love 514 25 26 27. Eternal Love a powerfull Motive unto Holiness 525 14 Love towards all Saints promoted by thoughts of Eternal Love 517 18 Electing Love a Motive unto Holiness 529 20 Lustrations and Purgations whence in use among the Heathen 376 4 Lusts of the Mind from Darkness 231 51 Particular Lusts not the entire Objects of Mortification 481 14 M. Macedonian Heresie concerning the Holy Spirit 46 7 Man a middle Creature between Angels above and sensitive Animals below 75 10 Man the perfection of the Inferiour Creaation 75 12 The New Man what it is 184 21. 367 Outward Manner and Wayes of Divine Revelations 106 11 Manner of the secret growth of Grace 347 8 The Manner and Way how the Blood of Christ doth cleanse us from Sin 387 5 Manner of the Operation of the Spirit in the Mortification of Sin 484 21 Manner of teaching by the greatest Moralist compared with that of Christ. 561 16 Not the Matter only but the Words of Divine Revelations given by Inspiration