whether they be companions or temptations which do invite him to a contrary course of practise The words of the wise remain with him as nails fastened in the building Eccles 12.11 To hold him stedfast from swarving upon any occasion Thus much be spoken of this first particular viz. The removal or the pruning off and weeding out such superstuities as hinder these plants 2. The next thing to be done is to direct you to some such means and helps as may further the proficiency the growth and flourishing of these plants in the garden of God If you enquire how that may be done I answer By gaining and making good use of these things The Spirit of God the Vine-dressers pains the means and opportunities exercise and good society all which do much conduce hereto Make sure of a principle of life in these plants without which there can be no growth each plant must have a life in it each man a soul and each soul must have the spirit of God in it else all are dead and nothing can be expected from them This Spirit of God is a principle of life gain this Things grow and flourish according to the strength of life in them And as the Soul makes the body strong and active so doth the Spirit of God make our souls 2 Cor. 3.17 18. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty from the burdens and pressures which hinder proficiency viz. the Law in the curse of it and sin in the power of it c. But not at all to vice and licentiousness This Spirit is of such efficacy that it doth transform them that have it into the same likeness or likeness of Christ and of his Spirit that as silver set against the Sun becomes radiant and sendeth forth beams And Moses face shone by conversing with God Exod 34.30 So will it be here Here will be light and lustre a progress from grace to grace and from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 I. This Spirit insuseth life into every part and power of the Soul And as the Soul is in every part the blood is transmitted into every vein and sap into every branch Ap. So this Spirit doth immit and put in life and vigour and sap into every limme and branch and so makes the Tree to live this layes a good foundation and reareth the house which before was not this Spirit of God doth thus begin this work And as this Spirit of God thus infuseth life and layes the foundation c. and begins these trees and buildings so II. It supplies these trees with necessaries and makes each tree to flourish and increase in stature and fruitfulness It furnisheth the house also being built and becautifies every room Else when would this plant and house be useful all would be but empty naked and bare without this Addition But this Spirit puts on new Habits and Qualities in a person which answers the most exquisite Beauty of the choisest plants and the richest Furniture of most sumptuous Buildings III. This Spirit giveth power to the soul to make use of all it hath the Tree in Winter and the man asleep have habits but not the use of them and an unskilful man may have an instrument of Musick or for work but cannot use it so is it with him that wants the Spirit of God He hath a Soul and Body the powers of the one and parts of the other He may be a man of great Abilities for Learning Memory Elocution and other natural and acquired Excelcies but he can make use of none of all these to any purpose but to his owne ruine and destruction till he be indued with this life from above this good Spirit whilest he that hath it hath knowledge and power to make use of all to the best Ends and purposes IV. This Spirit giveth Essicacy to all the means of growth and proficiency a man may use industry about his plants but he cannot give Efficacy nor impart the desired Effect This makes the Word to be a word of grace to us which is able to build us up and to give us an Inheritance among them that are sanctified Acts 20.32 And it enliveneth our prayers with sighs groans which do pierce the Heavens and enter into the Eares of the Lord Almighty Quest Now if you enquire further how this Spirit may be gotten and obtained and being gotten how it may be kept continued withus I answer 1. Wait. 2. Pray 3. Obey 1. Wait for the Spirit of God in the preaching of the Word Mark that Acts 10.44 While Peter yet spake preaching the Word the holy Ghost fell on all the hearers to their conversion salvation This was an happy Sermon and they were happy Hearers Who knows when the Spirit of God like that good Angel John 5. will descend and so trouble or work upon these Water of his Word as to make it alike effectual to heal our Souls to convert cure comfort and strengthem us Those persons Gal. 3.2 5. Received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith preached 2. Pray for the Spirit If we once have but a tast of the Spirit we shall desire and pray for more for a greater measure of it then we had before as Solomon did for Wisdom 1 Kings 3.5 9. He prayes for an understanding or hearing heart to discern between good and bad in Judgement Mark this that wisdom encreaseth by hearing A hearing Heart is very like to become a wise and underderstanding heart and as Elisha did for Elijah's Spirit 2 Kings 2.9 He prayes for a double portion of Elijah's Spirit and you know how they sped for both Solomon and Elisha had their desire to the full their prayers granted with interest Prayer opens Gods Cabinet for thy self thy Friends and others To close this particular mark the practise precept promises and Comparisons used by our Saviour Luke 11.1 to 14. He himself prayes v. 1. Neverthelesse that he was so good so excellent that all fulness of the Spirit yea of the Godhead dwelt in him Col. 1.19 c. He teacheth his Disciples how to pray and prescribes them a Form of prayer to help them in the Duty v. 2.3 4. He presseth importunity in prayer by the comparison of the importunate Friend for Bread at Midnight who obtained because of his importunity v. 5 7 7 8. He promiseth successe to importunate Suitors v. 9 10 13. To the former comparison of the importunate Friend he now addeth another comparison from the natural affection of Parents to their Children v. 11.12 13. which he applyeth with a gracious promise in the end In both which Comparisons there is a strong Argument from the worser to the better from the weaker to the stronger For if the unwilling Friend will give for importunities sake And if Parents that are often wicked as well as weak and poor will give good gifts to their Children How much more will God who is so willing Esay 65.24 who is so great so good
by which we are so called and they do walk worthy of all these who walk in the sight of Gods presence and in a lively sense of the same do make an holy progress in the ways of God from strength to strength that walk suitably with the nature of God and example of Christ by rule in integrity with constancy as Zachariah Elizabeth Luk. 1.5 6. In the light whiles they have it wisely and honestly toward them that be without neither giving nor learning any evil example Ap. But alas for Grief how many do not only forget and vary from but do walk quite contrary to all the forenamed particulars I should now descend to the Uses and improvement of all these and the Subject of this piece of Armour being as broad as the whole Gospel of Peace by the knowledge and practise of which we are thus shod and prepared to walk on and go forward in our spiritual journey heaven-ward as also to war and march on in this spiritual warfare with the more confidence and comfort in hope of victory over such potent and prevalent enemies I say the whole Gospel being useful to both these ends the Uses would be exceeding large and the improvement of these shooes might be as long lasting as the shooes and other Apparrel of the Israelites was in their journey from Egypt to Canaan which was forty years Deut. 8.4 Ap. But this hath been my work so long already in my publick imployment to teach men to be thus shod and prepared and I trust both you and I shall make it the work of our whole lives and be so shod and prepared by the Gospel of Christ that we may comfortably finish our Walk and our Warfare heaven-ward and at last get home and enter into an everlasting peace therefore I shall not hoise Sails in so vast an Ocean nor undertake the discovery of so large a Continent in the improvement of this particular This being the drift of the whole Gospel and the labor of the longest life ☞ I shall only give you a few keys with which you may open doors and enter into certain gardens or fields of meditation where you may take a view of your souls from time to time and may there see 1. How the good fruits corn or seeds do prosper 2. And how the weeds tares or brambles do encrease 3. And so apply your selves accordingly for the cherishing of the one or the checking of the other Is it so then That we Christian Souldiers must make diligent preparation 1. To profess and practise the Gospel And 2. To preach and publish it when lawfully called thereunto Then the Uses of all sorts fall under these keys or heads viz. 1. How few are their wills and affections which as the Feet are the beginners of motion and action thus shod i. e. thus furnished fenced and strengthned with the Gospel of Christ to march and pass on in their way to heaven through all difficulties and opsitions Ap. Hence it is viz. through the want hereof that so many stumble and slide and fall from the right both in opinion and practise 2. How few do hear believe and obey the Gospel as we should which we are so often commanded to do or do care to know and be well acquainted with it but do wilfully remain ignorant although we should be therein as it is said of Apollos That he was a man mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 To each of these keys or heads you may subjoyn Uses of Information Exhortation Reproof or Comfort as you please 3. How few do prize the Gospel and value it according to its names and Analogies our Legacy contained in it our new birth effected by it Children should honour their Parents by whom as Instruments they have a natural being a temporal provision and proportionable Legacies suitable with the Parents Ability Ap. How much more should we honour our Spiritual Parents and regard our new birth and spiritual being which is effected by the immortal and incorruptible seed of the World of God 1 Pet. 1.23 And value our Legacies of Grace and glory contained in the Gospel 4. How little Faith Love Repentance Self-denial Mortification and Renovation can be found in most men 5. How few do live as becomes the Gospel honour it and adorn it and shine according to it but do rather cause it to be evil spoken of and shame the profession of it by the deeds of darkness and by the works of the world the flesh and the devil do give evil examples to others and alienate them from walking according to the truth of the Gospel 6. How few do walk worthy of the Lord either in the imitation of his Image or in answering our many and near Relations to him as a good Wife Children Servants Subjects a people like Israel redeemed and saved by the Lord who is the only Refuge Shield of help c. And should we not answer these things with duty 7. How few do walk worthy of their holy and heavenly Vocation according to the forenamed marks i. e. As in the sight of God making an holy progress suitable with the nature of God and example of Christ by Rule with integrity and Constancy in and according to the Light wisely and honestly toward them that be without Ap. But instead of walking thus how many do not only forget and vary much from but do walk quite contrary to all the forenamed particulars 8. And lastly How irregular in general is mens practise to the rule of the Gospel with which we should be thus shod and prepared 1. Rulers inverting Authority to wrong ends 2. Soldiers exceeding their limits Luke 3.14 3. All people of all sorts ranks and qualities breaking their bounds and transgressing against the directions of the Gospel Ap. In consideration of all which we may well complain and say What a bare-foot world do we live in ☞ All these keys do open doors affording abundant matter for Information Exhortation and Consolation to all those that are so shod and do thus walk as you have been taught For they shall be sure to share in all Legacies Comforts Promises and Performances of the Gospel which are innumerable invaluable and far beyond all our thoughts Ephes 3.20 Thus I have done with the first branch of this Doctrine viz. That we who are Christian Soldiers must make diligent preparation to profess and practise the Gospel of peace I do now descend to the second branch of it which only concerns Preachers viz. Doct. That some of us Christian Soldiers must make a like diligent preparation to preach and Publish the Gospel of Christ when we are lawfully called thereunto 1. This I think no man makes doubt of but that there must be some Preachers of the Gospel 2. And that this some or number of Preachers must themselves be Christian Soldiers yea as Commanders and Leaders in an Army to march with and before others in this spiritual Warfare 3. And that they must
Respect to their Relations in several cases and to perform their duties accordingly both actively and passively To love their Nighbour as themselves yea as Christ hath loved them Mat. 19.19 c. 1 John 13.34 To be comformable in all things of Devotion Decency and Order that make for the peace and unity of the Church in which they live and of which they are Members To do justly and uprightly in all their dealings with Men in the Affaires of this World Micah 6.8 To walk circumspectly Regularly and sincerely in all things concerning their own Hearts and Lives In a word These are such Christians as have learned to walk so conscientiously as to have God before them whose Glory they aim at his Word by and within them which is the Rule of their practice and to have their End in their Eye which is that they do daily prepare for that they may have comfort in their Change and hope in their Death and a good Evidence of happinesse to all Eternity ☞ This is the progress of them that please God of whom you may say Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the End of that man is peace Psalm 37.37 A holy Life brings a happy Death and a gracious Conversation a glorious Condition Even so make us and come Lord Jesus Now all these being put together You see that we have found out a mighty multitude that are no Fanaticks and all these together viz. Emperours Kings and Princes Nobles and Statesmen the Peers of Nations Bishops and Doctors Presbyters Pastors and Teachers that have been pillars in Gods House painful Labourers in his Vineyard and faithfull Dispensers of his Oracles and Mysteries Together with all other true Believers and godly Christians who indeed are the only well-grounded Protestants and none else and all free enough from any of the Fancies and Furies above-named I say All these do jointly conduce to make up the sum of that innumerable multitude that stand before the Throne of God and minister unto him and are said to be one thousand thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand ten thousand of ten thousands Yea a great multitude which no man could number all which do fall down upon their Faces worshipping God and giving glory to him for ever and ever Dan. 7.10 Revel 5.11 c. I have done with the main Discovery of whose wayes do please God whose do displease Him I shall close this point of Doctrine viz. Doct. A Christians life is to be ordered so that he may please God with a few considerations to be had in everlasting Remembrance both to uphold you in the good wayes that do please Him and to prevent the contrary and that by this means viz. Do you seriously represent to your selves as if present before your eyes and as visible as other Objects are These things 1. The Lord in his Majesty purity and glory as he is represented Ezo 34. Esay 6. Job 42.5 6. Revel 1.13 and as present with you in all your Actions good or bad 2. The Wonders that God hath wrought on the behalf of them that please him as for Enoch Elijah Noah Abraham David and Daniel the three Children Prophets and Apostles c. And against those that persisted in displeasing him as against the old World Sodom and Gomorrah Aegypt and Babylon c. 3. Satan in his own shape when tempting you to any sin or to any practice dipleasing to God 4. This Devil in his proper practice of accusing for sin Revel 20.10 sparing neither good nor bad but urging to the utmost to procure desperation and damnation He that once spake placentia will now speak Terribilia 5. Death with all the dreadfull thoughts and terrours which do at-attend it and the issues or events thereof 6. Judgement with that great and last account which must be made at that day before the Judge of all the world 7. Hell as open before your Eys and the damned souls there in misery and torment crying out with Dives Luke 16.24 8. Heaven and that open also as to St. Stephen Acts 7.55 That you might behold Jesus standing on the right hand of God together with the dignity and felicity of glorious souls the Company and Society of Saints and Angels With the whole Assembly of God the heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12 22. All giving honour to him that sits upon the Throne for ever and ever As Rev. 5.8 9 10 11.12 13 14. For the benefit of their Redemption and eternal salvation purchased by Chrict ☞ Now these things thus represented and apprehended as visible and seen by us then apply them to what hath been taught and think seriously wiâ—h your selves 1. How the holy and glorious God doth love Purity and Uprightness both in the heart and life with which he is well pleased and how he hateth iniquity and every evil way 2. How marvellously he will preserve and save the lives and souls of his servants When the wicked shall be turned into hell c. with all their glory and pomp Psalm 9.17 Isa 5.14 c. 3. Such as so walk as to please God How well are they armed against the assaults of Satan in what shape soever as our Saviour was Mat. 4.1 to 12. Whereas others are unarmed like those Exorcists Acts 19.13 to 17. Who were overcome prevailed against and wounded by the devil 4. Such as please God in their ways how well are they armed against his bitter and virulent Accusations as well as Assaults Take Job for instance How spightfully though falsly did the Devil accuse him Job 1.9 10 11 12. c. as if Job had been a meer Mercenary that served God for prosperity only or for his health and ease but if stript of these That then Job would curse God to his face But how galliantly did Johs stedfastness and unchangableness in his course coufute the Devil to his face and make him appear a Lyar as he is John 8.44 2. And when his Wife would have perswaded or derided him rather to a change how well was he armed against her Temptation and how excellently doth he answer her Job 2.9.10 3. And when his friends did bitterly though ignorantly accuse him how excellently doth he ward them off and defend himself only with the lustre of his innocency and uprightness 4. Yea when God himself seemed to be his enemy and to write bitter things against him Job 13.26 And that the arrows and terrours of God were set in aray against him and that the poyson of them did drink up his spirit Job 6.4 For Job you may be sure did see the hand of God in all that did befal him through the Malice of the Devil the Weakness of his Wife and the ignorance of his friends Yet what then was his defence and resolution See Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him c. For my uprightness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as
which our good works are directed must be good else spoil all The end crowns or shames the work Now the end of our works that they may be justified must be the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine c. The edification of our neighbour the discharge of our Obedience testification of our Faith 2 Pet. 11.10 answering of our calling in Jesus Christ Ephes 4.1 Escaping the punishment or sin and the destruction of the wicked obtaining the Glory of Heaven with many other subservient ends Ap. These things considered do clearly evidence to us That Works without warrant from the word of God how speciou soever they be in pretence and outward appearance as were the Ceremonies of the Jews so of Papists and superstitious persons to this day yet they are rejected for God is not pleased but with what himself prescribes We may not devise new things in Gods Worship as we please Where the Agents are Unbelievers and not accepted of God If the Tree remain uncorrupt so is the fruit and Ergo both are unacceptable Where there is no purging of our selves nor preparation to good works there cannot but be very many miscarriages When good works are not our business but fall in by accident or are inforced by some extremity as by sickness or death or when we begin too late when it is with us as with them Prov. 1.27 28 c. and Mat. 25.10 But we ne glect our opportunity whilest we may and lose all when we never make them our delight as we do other matters of natural concernment such as to eat and drink c. When our good works are for sinister base or bad ends As to be seen of men Pharisee-like Mat. 25.5 To devour widowes houses Mat. 23.14 or to act mischief To suit with the multitude and please the world as they did John 7.7 That hated Christ and persecuted the Apostles John 16.2 who thought it well done And some real good work may be done to this end To purchase our own pardon and peace with God as Papists and Patrons of Merit think they do though thereby they do frustrate the merits of the Lord Jesus for us In a word The ends of our works are many and that both good and bad as they are directed by the Agents and Workers of them But if they be not suitable with the Rules before expressed and that our works will not endure the tryal of the light as John 3.20 21. Whether they be of God or no. We have great reafon to suspect yea and to reject our own works as unacceptable and displeasing to Almighty God Thus much touching the Rules concerning our good works II. But now if any should say You have given us Rules for our works Quest But what are the works in particular in which we are so to abound Answ Good works are such as are performed by the grace of the holy Spirit out of a true faith according to the prescribt Rule of the Law to the Glory of God the certainty and assurance of our own salvation and the Edification of our Neighbour Wolleb p. 192. Polan p. 256. And these good works must be performed out of such a true faith by which we are sure that they are commanded of God and that both we and our works are pleasing to God through Christ Pol. 258. And for the names conferred upon good works They are called the fruits of the Spirit from their efficient cause Gal. 5.22 Ephes 5.9 The fruits of Faith from the instrumental cause The works of the Law from the form because suitable to it and from their quality good works and good fruits For their number for they are numberless extending to all the affections and actions of a regenerate man Wall p. 293. and to all those things prescribed by the moral Law of God about which such actions and works are conversant Bucan 334. So that for this I must only say as the Apostle doth conclude Phil. 4.8 Finally brethren saith he whatsoever things are true honest just pure lovely and of good report every vertue And every praise-worthy action enters into the list and helps to make up the number and measure of works that be good in the sight of God Bucan p. 333 334. As to the causes of good works they are many especially these 1. The principal efficient cause it God his Grace and holy Spirit who doth begin continue and perfect all our good works in us Phil. 1.6 2.13 He that begins will perform to the utmost And it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do c. For without him we can do nothing John 15.5 So then our good works are not the fruits of our own free-will as Pelagians Papists and too many others think 2. The instrumental cause is Faith which is the Root whence all good works do spring Gal. 5.6 For it worketh by love 3. The matter of our good works is our affections and our actions and all things about which they are conversant 4. The formal cause of them is their conformity to and agreement with the Word of God Psal 119 1.2 c. Deut. 4.2 Ezek. 20.18 19. Mat. 15.9 Else all is vain worship 5. The final cause or end of our good works is manifold and may be distributed into things referring to 1. God 2. Ourselves And 3. Our Neighbour In reference to 1. God His glory is the main end our due obedience to his Will and Command and our thankfulness for our Redemption and all other benefits are hereby testified 2. Our selves We do good works to evidence the life of our faith which else is dead being alone Jam. 2.17 Solitaria To get sure that we are justified before God for Bona opera sequuntur justificatos non praecedunt justificandos To make sure our Election to eternal life 2 Pet. 1.10 To exercise nourish and strengthen our Faith to adorn our Vocation to avoid temporal and eternal punishment that we may receive the Reward of well-doing freely promised by Almighty God Mat. 25.21 23. Well done good c. 3. Our Neighbour That we may be hurtful to none but useful and profitable to all to our power Thereby to edifie the faithful and to win unbelievers Wal. p. 260 261. As for the Species or particular kinds or forms of good works The particular actions so styled are very many yet you may distinguish or distribute them into three Channels viz. As works referring 1. To God 2. Our selves And 3. Our Neighbour 1. To God and so the whole worship of God and every particular branch of the same are good works whether they refer to the inward Worship of God as a right and true acknowledgement of God Love towards him Trust and Confidence in him by a lively saving faith and assured hope in him as also by Humility and Patience in the sence of his greatnesse and goodness to us even in our Afflictions The inward and outward worship of
so rich powerfull and gracious as cannot be expressed give good things yea and that most excellent gift of all even the holy Spirit to them that ask him as v. 13. This is a great Encouragement And thus much for this second Direction to gain the Spirit viz. Prayer 3. And lastly Obey the Spirit in the Motions and Excitements of it This is the good voyce behind us saying This is the way walk ye in it c. Esay 30.20 21. The Spirit doth this by the Word and faithfull Teachers and this is a special means to keep the Spirit once gained and to continue the Spirit of God with you ☞ Take special care that you neither resist nor grieve nor quench the Spirit Of which see Esay 63.10 Acts 7.51 Eph. 4.30 1 Thess 5.19 The Spirit of God in Scripture is put for either the person the gifts and gracious Endowments and the Motions of the Spirit these Scriptures cited do extend to all the three Only note that the Gifts are of three sorts tending to particular Callings as in Saul 1 Sam. 10.6 c. A Spirit for Government which was lost after a while General graces tending to sà nctification such as Faith in some kind Remorse for sin And joy in the Gospel in some measure Also a tast of the good Word of God Heb. 6.4 5. Ap. But of all these Hymeneus and Alezander made ship-wrack 1 Tim. 1.19 20. Such like the Corn sown upon the Rock Luke 8.6 13 may make a shew for a time but in time of Temptation fall away Cain Judas and Herod c. did look a litlle this way and many others but all came to nothing suddenly There is the Root and Habits of heavenly graces which are in the godly and these cannot be lost the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against them Mat. 16.18 to overthrow them Ap. Now to apply these Gifts qualifying to particular Employments as it was in Saul 1 Sam. 10.6 c. may be lost So also the gifts disposing to Sanctification may be as in Hymeneus and Alexander before-namd And for the best gifts the exercise of them may be intermitted as in David about Vriah As Sense and Reason are in sleep and passion the heat and fervor of Gifts may be abated in some measure as in Ephesus Revel 2.4 Suggestions and particular motions of the Spirit may be repelled And thus although habitus non amittitur Yet Actus intermittitur gradus remittitur as it befals too often to the dear servants of God Therefore to keep our spiritual gifts in Life and Vigor the means are 1. Exercise and Employment 2. Good conscience and holy Obedience 1 Tim. 1.19.3 Humility that conservatrix virtutum Bern. 4. The use of holy Assemblies Heb. 10.25 Neglect no means sanctified to work Establishment These things understood you may easily perceive what it is to grieve resist or quench the Spirit viz. 1. Grieving and vexing the holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 Esay 63.10 doth specially refer to the person of the Spirit to the holy Ghost the third person in the blessed Trinity Not as if he could grieve c. as we do but it is so spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to our understanding as weak men that we may know how much it is against him when we by our obstinacy and stubbornnesse our manifold sins and rebellious do inforce him to withdraw himself and comforts from us as Ps 51.12 Restore doth intimate and to make us feel the fruits of his anger as a Father doth with grief behold those evils in his Children for which he must needs though unwillingly correct them instead of embracing them Thus the Spirit is grieved by our sins and Misdemeanors 2. Resisting the holy Spirit as it is charged upon them Acts 7.51 doth specially refer to the Motions of the Spirit which motions and suggestions whether secretly or openly by the Word of God his Messengers or otherwise are obstinately resisted and withstood by wicked and ungodly men and too often in some things by the dear Children of God 3. Quenching the Spiit doth specially refer to the Gifts of the holy Spirit which are as Fire to give Light to our Understanding heat and fervour to our Affections ☜ This sire must not be quenched but maintained as the Fire of the Altar which was never to go out Levit. 6.12 13. neither by violence put out nor by Negligence We must not stop restrain or abate of these gifts and motions of the Use and Degrees or fervour of any of them lest they be lost intermitted or impaired and our selves undone But we must stir them up by all good means ordained to that end as 2 Tim. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Paul advised Timothy neglect the Fire and it will go out of it self the Fewel must be put up together to keep the Fire burning Let us take heed that we neither stop the Motions of the Spirit in our selves nor restrain the gifts thereof in others But rather let us use all good means that this Fire of the Spirit may alwayes be kept burning in us with Zeal for the honour and glory of God till we all appear before and shine in his presence being cloathed with his Eternal and everlasting Glory And thus much for the first and principal meanes of growth and proficiency of encreasing and abounding in good viz. the gaining and keeping of the Spirit the Principle of Life Quest Only thus much more If any shall ask how the Motions of Gods Spirit may be distinguished from diabolical delusions Answ I answer 1. By way of concession It is true that Satanical suggestions are oft subtilly contrived and cunningly coloured For Satan can transform himself into an Angel of Light and that lying spirit dares sometimes to counterfeit the Spirit of Truth 2 Cor. 11.14 ☞ Scarce ever was Heretick so impudent but pretended guidance by the Spirit of God So Anabaptists and others though they despise Authority and Vilifie all Ordinances yet pretend to Instincts and Revelations from the Spirit of God So did Montanus of old for his damned Errours of Whoredom Incest c. for he affirm'd himself to be the holy Spirit But for distinction betwixt these suggestions I answer To the Law and Testimony Esay 8.20 let that be your Rule if they speak not according to it c. see Deut. 13.1 2 3. of lying Wonders all must be suitable with the Word Expect not extraordinary Inspiration that is ceased God deals not now as formerly but by his Word Revel 22.11 which must not be added to or impaired but carefully observed by us If the suggestions be to any evil thing in the whole kind or by circumstance it is no divine motion but either a concupiscential phantasie James 1.14 Or a diabolical delusion as it was in Judas Joh. 13.2 If any motions lead us beyond our Callings or measure of Gifts be we jealous of them our Rule is to be wise to sobriety Rom. 12.6 and not to meddle with things