and universal Sect. 16 2. The Effects of this Work on the Mind which is the first Subject affected with it proceeds not so far as to give it Delight Complacency and Satisfaction in the lively Spiritual Nature and Excellencies of the things revealed unto it The true Nature of Saving Illumination consists in this that it gives the Mind such a direct intuitive insight and prospect into Spiritual Things as that in their own Spiritual Nature they suit please and satisfie it So that it is transformed into them cast into the Mould of them and rests in them Rom. 6. 17. Chap. 12. 2. 1 Cor. 2. 13 14. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Chap. 4. 6. This the Work we have insisted in reacheth not unto For notwithstanding any discovery that is made therein of Spiritual Things unto the Mind it finds not an immediate direct Spiritual Excellency in them but onely with respect unto some Benefit or Advantage which is to be attained by means thereof It will not give such a Spiritual insight into the Mystery of God's Grace by Jesus Christ called his Glory shining in the Face of Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. as that the Soul in its first direct view of it should for what it is in it self admire it delight in it approve it and find Spiritual Solace with refreshment in it But such a Light such a Knowledg it communicates as that a Man may like it well in its Effects as a way of Mercy and Salvation Sect. 17 3. This Work extends it self to the Conscience also but yet it doth not purge the Conscience from dead Works that we should serve the living God This is the effect of a real Application of the Blood of Christ by Faith unto our Souls Heb. 9. 14. Two things it effects upon the Conscience 1. It renders it more ready quick and sharp in the reproving and condemning of all Sin than it was before To condemn Sin according unto its Light and Guidance is natural unto and inseparable from the Conscience of Man But its Readiness and Ability to exercise this condemning Power may by custom and course of sinning in the World be variously weakned and impeded But when Conscience is brought under the Power of this Work having its directing Light augmented whereby it sees more of the evil of sin than formerly and having its self-reflections sharpned and multiplyed it is more ready and quick in putting forth its Judging and Condemning Power than it was 2. Conscience is assisted and directed hereby to condemn many things in Sin which before it approved of For its Judging Power is still commensurate unto its Light And many things are thereby now discovered to be sinful which were not so by the meer natural guidance under which before it was But yet notwithstanding all this it doth not purge the Conscience from Dead Works that is Conscience is not hereby wrought unto such an Abhorrency of Sin for it self as continually to direct the Soul unto an Application to the Blood of Christ for the cleansing of itself and the purging of it out It contents it self to keep all things in a tumult disorder and confusion by its constant condemning both Sin and Sinners Sect. 18 4. This Work operates greatly on the Affections We have given Instances in the Fear Sorrow Joy and Delight about Spiritual Things that are stirred up and acted thereby But yet it comes short in two things of a through-Work upon the Affections themselves For 1. it doth not fix them And 2. it doth not fill them 1. It is required that our Affections be fixed on Heavenly and Spiritual Things and true Grace will effect it Col. 3. 1 2. If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are Above where Christ sitteth on the Right Hand of God Set your Affections on things Above The Joys the Fears the Hopes the Sorrows with reference unto Spiritual and Eternal Things which the Work before mentioned doth produce are evanid uncertain unstable not onely as to the Degrees but as to the very Being of them Sometimes they are as a River ready to over-flow its Banks Men cannot but be pouring them out on all occasions And sometimes as Waters that fail no drop comes from them Sometimes they are hot and sometimes cold sometimes up and sometimes down sometimes all Heaven and sometimes all World without equality without stability But true Grace fixeth the Affections on Spiritual Things As to the Degrees of their Exercise there may be and is in them great variety according as they may be excited aided assisted by Grace and the means of it or obstructed and impeded by the interposition of Temptations and Diversions But the constant bent and inclination of renewed Affections is unto Spiritual Things as the Scripture every-where testifieth and Experience doth confirm 2. The fore-mentioned Work doth not fill the Affections how-ever it may serve to take them up and pacifie them It come like many Strangers to an Inn to Lodg which take up a great deal of room and make an Appearance as if none were in the House but themselves and yet they turn not out the Family which dwelleth there but there they make their abode still Light and Conviction with all their Train and Attendants come into the Mind and Affections as if they would fill them and possess them for themselves alone But yet when they have done all they leave the quiet Places of the House for the World and Sin and Self they do not thrust them out of the Affections and fill up their places with Spiritual Things But Saving-Grace fills up the Affections with Spiritual Things fills the Soul with Spiritual Love Joy and Delight and exerciseth all other Affections about their proper Objects It denies not a room to any other Things Relations Possessions Enjoyments meerly as they are natural and are content to be subordinate unto God and Spiritual Things But if they would be carnal disorderly or predominant it casts them out Sect. 19 5. This Work is often-times carried on very far in Reformation of Life and Conversation so that it will express the whole form of Godliness therein But herein also it is subject unto a three-fold Defect and Imperfection For 1. it will consist with and allow of raging and reigning sins of Ignorance The conducting Light in this Work not leading into the Abhorrency of all sin as sin nor into a pursuit of Holiness out of a design to be universally conformable unto Christ but being gathered up from this and that particular Command it oft-times leaves behind it great sins unregarded So it left Persecution in Paul before his Conversion and so it leaves hatred and a desire of Persecution in many at this day And other Sins of the like Nature may escape its utmost search to the ruine of the Soul 2. It s Reformation of the Conversation is seldom universal as to all known sins unless it be for a season whilst the Soul is under a flagrant pursuit of Self-Righteousness
the Apostle when he sent him to Preach the Gospel was to open the Eyes of Men and to turn them from Darkness to Light Acts 26. 18. not a Light within them for Internal Light is the Eye or seeing of the Soul But the Darkness was such as consisted in their blindness in not having their eyes open To open their Eyes and turn them from Darkness Ephes. 5. 8. Ye were sometimes Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord. What is the Change and Alteration made in the Minds of Men intended in this Expression will afterwards appear But that a great Change is proposed none can doubt Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness as also 1 Pet. 2. 9. Who hath called us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light And the Darkness which is in these Testimonies ascribed unto Persons in an unregenerate Condition is by Paul compared to that which was at the beginning before the Creation of Light Gen. 1. 2. Darkness was upon the Face of the Deep There was no Creature that had a Visive Faculty there was Darkness Subjectively in all and there was no Light to see by but all was objectively wrapt up in Darkness In this state of things God by an Almighty Act of his Power created Light vers 3. God said Let there be Light and there was Light And no otherwise is it in this new Creation God who commanded then Light to shine out of Darkness shines into the Hearts of Men to give them the knowledg of his Glory in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Spiritual Darkness is in and upon all Men until God by an Almighty and Effectual Work of the Spirit shine into them or Create Light in them And this Darkness is that Light within which some boast to be in themselves and others Sect. 7 To clear our way in this Matter we must consider first the Nature of this Spiritual Darkness what it is and wherein it doth consist and then secondly shew its Efficacy and Power in and on the Minds of Men and how they are corrupted by it First The Term of Darkness in this case is Metaphorical and borrowed from that which is Natural What Natural Darkness is and wherein it consists all Men know if they know it not in its Cause and Reason yet they know it by its Effects They know it is that which hinders Men from all Regular Operations which are to be guided by the outward Senses And it is two-fold 1. When Men have not Light to see by or when the usual Light the only external Medium for the discovery of distant Objects is taken from them So was it with the Egyptians during the three dayes darkness that was on their Land They could not see for want of Light they had their Visive Faculty continued unto them yet having no Light they saw not one another nor arose any from his place Exod. 10. 23. For God probably to augment the terror of his Judgment restrained the vertue of Artificial Light as well as he did that which was Natural 2. There is Darkness unto Men when they are blind either born so or made so Psal. 69. 29. Let their Eyes be darkned that they may not see So the Angel smote the Sodomites with blindness Gen. 19. 11. and Paul the Sorcerer Acts 13. 11. However the Sun shineth it is all one perpetual Night unto them that are blind Sect. 8 Answerable hereunto Spiritual Darkness may be referred unto two Heads For there is an Objective Darkness a Darkness that is on Men and a Subjective Darkness a Darkness that is in them The first consists in the want of those Means whereby alone they may be enlightned in the Knowledg of God and Spiritual Things This is intended Mat. 4. 16. This Means is the Word of God and the preaching of it Hence it is called a Light Psal. 119. 105. and is said to give Light Psal. 19. 8. or to be a Light shining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1. 19. And it is so termed because it is the outward Means of Communicating the Light of the Knowledg of God unto the Minds of Men. What the Sun is unto the World as unto things natural that is the Word and the Preaching of it unto Men as to Things Spiritual And hence our Apostle applies what is said of the Sun in the Firmament as to the enlightning of the World Psal. 19. 1 2 3 4. unto the Gospel and the Preaching of it Rom. 10. 15 18. Sect. 9 And this Darkness is upon many in the World even all unto whom the Gospel is not declared or by whom it is not received where it is or hath been so Some I know have entertained a vain Imagination about a Saving-Revelation of the Knowledg of God by the Works of Creation and Providence objected to the Rational Faculties of the Minds of Men. It is not my purpose here to divert unto the confutation of that Fancy Were it so it were easie to demonstrate that there is no Saving Revelation of the Knowledg of God unto Sinners but as he is in Christ reconciling the World unto himself and that so he is not made known but by the Word of Reconciliation committed unto the Dispensers of the Gospel What-ever knowledg therefore of God may be attained by the means mentioned as he is the God of Nature ruling over Men and requiring Obedience from them according to the Covenant and Law of their Creation yet the knowledg of him as a God in Christ pardoning Sin and saving Sinners is attainable by the Gospel only But this I have proved and confirmed elsewhere Sect. 10 It is the Work of the Holy Spirit to remove and take away this Darkness which until it is done no Man can see the Kingdom of God or enter into it And this he doth by sending the Word of the Gospel into any Nation Country Place or City as he pleaseth The Gospel doth not get ground in any place nor is restrained from any Place or People by accident 〈◊〉 by the endeavours of Men but it is sent and disposed of 〈◊〉 to the Sovereign Will and Pleasure of the Spirit of God He Gifteth Calls and Sends Men unto the Work of Preaching it Acts 13. 2 4. and disposeth them unto the Places where they shall declare it either by express Revelation as of old Acts 16. 6 7 8 9 10. or guides them by the secret Operations of his Providence Thus the Dispensation of the Light of the Gospel as to Times Places and Persons depends on his Sovereign Pleasure Psal. 147. 19 20. Wherefore although we are to take care and pray much about the continuance of the Dispensation of the Gospel in any place and its Propagation in others yet need we not to be over-solicitous about it This Work and Care the Holy Ghost hath taken on himself and will carry it on according to the Counsel of God and his Purposes concerning the Kingdom of Jesus
Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledg of him the eyes of your understanding being opened that you may know what is the hope of his calling c. That the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation is the Spirit of God working those Effects in us we have before evinced And it is plain that the Revelation here intended is subjective in the enabling us to apprehend what is revealed and not objective in new Revelations which the Apostle prayed not that they might receive And this is further evidenced by the ensuing Description of it the eyes of your Understanding being opened There is an Eye in the Understanding of Man that is the natural Power and Ability that is in it to discern Spiritual Things But this Eye is sometimes said to be blind sometimes to be darkness sometimes to be shut or closed And nothing but the impotency of our Minds to know God savingly or discern things spiritually when proposed unto us can be intended thereby It is the Work of the Spirit of Grace to open this eye Luke 4. 18. Acts 26. 18. And this is the powerful effectual removal of that depravation of our Minds with all its Effects which we before described And how are we made Partakers hereof It is of the Gift of God freely and effectually working of it For 1. he gives us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to that End And 2. works the thing it self in us He gives us an Heart to know him Jer. 24. 7. without which we cannot so do or he would not himself undertake to work it in us for that end There is therefore an effectual powerful creating Act of the Holy Spirit put forth in the Minds of Men in their Conversion unto God enabling them Spiritually to discern Spiritual Things wherein the Seed and Substance of Divine Faith is contained Sect. 53 2. This is called the Renovation of our Minds renewed in the Spirit of our Minds Ephes. 4. 23. which is the same with being renewed in knowledg Col. 3. 10. And this Renovation of our Minds hath in it a transforming Power to change the whole Soul into an obediential frame towards God Rom. 12. 2. And the work of renewing our Minds is peculiarly ascribed unto the Holy Spirit Tit. 3. 5. The renewing of the Holy Ghost Some Men seem to fancy yea do declare that there is no such Depravation in or of the Mind of Man but that he is able by the use of his Reason to apprehend receive and discern those Truths of the Gospel which are objectively proposed unto it But of the use of Reason in these Matters and its Ability to discern and judg of the sence of Propositions and force of Inferences in Things of Religion we shall treat afterwards At present I only enquire whether Men Unregenerate be of themselves able Spiritually to discern Spiritual Things when they are proposed unto them in the Dispensation of the Gospel so as their knowledg may be saving in and unto themselves and acceptable unto God in Christ and that without any especial internal effectual Work of the Holy Spirit of Grace in them and upon them if they say they are as they plainly plead them to be and will not content themselves with an Ascription unto them of that Notional Doctrinal Knowledg which none deny them to be capable of I desire to know to what purpose are they said to be renewed by the Holy Ghost to what purpose are all those gracious actings of God in them before recounted He that shall consider what on the one hand the Scripture teacheth us concerning the Blindness Darkness Impotency of our Minds with respect unto Spiritual things when proposed unto us as in the state of nature and on the other what it affirms concerning the work of the Holy Ghost in their Renovation and change in giving them new Power new Ability a new Active Understanding will not be much moved with the groundless confident unproved Dictates of some concerning the Power of Reason in it self to apprehend and discern Religious Things so far as we are required in a way of Duty This is all one as if they should say That if the Sun shine clear and bright every blind Man is able to see Sect. 54 God herein is said to communicate a Light unto our Minds and that so as that we see by it or perceive by it the things proposed unto us in the Gospel usefully and savingly 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the Light of the Knowledg of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. Did God no otherwise work on the Minds of Men but by an external objective proposal of Truth unto them to what purpose doth the Apostle mention the Almighty Act of Creating Power which he put forth and exercised in the first production of Natural Light out of Darkness What Allusion is there between that Work and the doctrinal proposal of Truth to the Minds of Men It is therefore a confidence not to be contended with if any will deny that the Act of God in the Spiritual Illumination of our Minds be not of the same Nature as to Efficacy and Efficiency with that whereby he created Light at the beginning of all things And because the Effect produced in us is called Light the Act it self is described by shining God hath shined into our Hearts that is our Minds so he conveighs Light unto them by an Act of Omnipotent Efficiency And as that which is so wrought in our Minds is called Light so the Apostle leaving his Metaphor plainly declares what he intends hereby namely the actual knowledg of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ that is as God is revealed in Christ by the Gospel as he declares v. 4. Having therefore 1. compared the Mind of Man by Nature with a respect unto a Power of discerning Spiritual Things to the state of all things under Darkness before the Creation of Light And 2. the powerful working of God in Illumination unto the Act of his Omnipotency in the Production or Creation of Light Natural He ascribes our Ability to know and our actual Knowledg of God in Christ unto his real Efficiency and Operation And these things in part direct us towards an apprehension of that Work of the Holy Spirit upon the Minds of Men in their Conversion unto God whereby their Depravation is cured and without which it will not so be By this means and no otherwise do we who were Darkness become Light in the Lord or come to know God in Christ savingly looking into and discerning Spiritual Things with a proper intuitive sight whereby all the other Faculties of our Souls are guided and influenced unto the Obedience of Faith Sect. 55 It is principally with respect unto the Will and its Depravation by Nature that we are said to be
the sole Cause and Author of all the Good that in this World we are or can be made Partakers of For 1. there is no good communicated unto us from God but it is bestowed on us or wrought in us by the Holy Ghost No Gift no Grace no Mercy no Priviledg no Consolation do we receive possess or use but it is wrought in us collated on us or manifested unto us by him alone Nor 2. is there any good in us towards God any Faith Love Duty Obedience but what is effectually wrought in us by Him by him alone For in us that is in our flesh and by Nature we are but flesh there dwelleth no good thing All these things are from him and by him as shall God assisting be made to appear by Instances of all sorts in our ensuing Discourse And these Considerations I thought meet to premise unto our Entrance into that Work which now lyeth before us Sect. 8 The great Work whereby God designed to glorifie himself ultimately in this World was that of the New Creation or of the Recovery and Restauration of all things by Jesus Christ Heb. 1. 1 2 3. Ephes. 1. 10. And as this is in general confessed by all Christians so I have elsewhere insisted on the Demonstration of it 2. That which God ordereth and designeth as the principal means for the manifestation of his Glory must contain the most perfect and absolute Revelation and Declaration of Himself his Nature his Being his Existence and Excellencies For from their discovery and manifestation with the Duties which as known they require from rational Creatures doth the Glory of God arise and no otherwise 3. This therefore was to be done in this great Work and it was done accordingly Hence is the Lord Christ in his Work of Mediation said to be the Image of the Invisible God Col. 1. 15. The brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1. 3. in whose Face the Knowledg of the Glory of God shineth forth unto us 2 Cor. 4. 6. Because in and by him in his Work of the New Creation all the glorious Properties of the Nature of God are manifested and displayed incomparably above what they were in the Creation of all things in the beginning I say therefore in the Contrivance Projection Production carrying on disposal and accomplishment of this great Work God hath made the most eminent and glorious Discovery of himself unto Angels and Men Ephes. 3. 8 9 10. 1 Pet. 1. 10 11 12. That we may Know Love Trust Honour and Obey him in all things as God and according to his Will 4. In particular in this New Creation he hath revealed himself in an especial manner as Three in One. There was no one more glorious Mystery brought to Light in and by Jesus Christ than that of the Holy Trinity or the Subsistence of the Three Persons in the Unity of the same Divine Nature And this was done not so much in express Propositions or verbal Testimonies unto that purpose which yet is done also as by the Declaration of the mutual Divine Internal Acts of the Persons towards one another and the distinct immediate Divine external Actings of each Person in the Work which they did and do perform For God revealeth not himself unto us meerly Doctrinally and Dogmatically but by the Declaration of what he doth for us in us towards us in the accomplishment of the Counsel of his Will see Ephes. 1. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And this Revelation is made unto us not that our minds might be possessed with the Notions of it but that we may know aright how to place our Trust in Him how to Obey him and Live unto him how to obtain and exercise Communion with him until we come to the enjoyment of him Sect. 9 We may make Application of these things unto and exemplifie them yet farther in the Work under Consideration Three things in general are in it proposed unto our Faith 1. The Supream Purpose Design Contrivance and Disposal of it 2. The Purchasing and Procuring Cause and Means of the Effects of that Design with its Accomplishment in it Self and with respect unto God 3. The Application of the Supream Design and actual Accomplishment of it to make it effectual unto us The first of these is absolutely in the Scripture assigned unto the Father and that Uniformely and every where His Will His Counsel His Love His Grace His Authority His Purpose His Design are constantly proposed as the Foundation of the whole Work as those which were to be pursued effected accomplished see Isa 42. 1 2 3. Psal. 40. 6 7 8. John 3. 16. Isa. 53. 10 11 12. Ephes. 1. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. and other places innumerable And on this Account because the Son undertook to effect what-ever the Father had so designed and purposed there were many Acts of the Will of the Father towards the Son in sending giving appointing of Him in preparing him a Body in Comforting and Supporting Him in rewarding and giving a People unto Him which belong unto the Father on the account of the Authority Love and Wisdom that were in them their actual Operation belonging particularly unto another Person And in these things is the Person of the Father in the Divine Being proposed unto us to be known and adored Secondly The Son condescendeth consenteth and engageth to do and accomplish in his own Person the whole Work which in the Authority Counsel and Wisdom of the Father was appointed for him Phil. 2. 5 6 7 8. And in these Divine Operations is the Person of the Son revealed unto us to be honoured even as we honour the Father Thirdly The Holy Ghost doth immediately Work and Effect what-ever was to be done in reference unto the Person of the Son or the Sons of Men for the Perfecting and Accomplishment of the Father's Counsel and the Son's Work in an especial Application of both unto their especial Effects and Ends. Hereby is he made known unto us and hereby our Faith concerning him and in him is directed And thus in this great Work of the New Creation by Jesus Christ doth God cause all his Glory to pass before us that we may both know him and worship him in a due manner And what is the peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost herein we shall now declare Work of the Holy Spirit with respect unto the Head of the New Creation the Humane Nature of Christ. CHAP. III. 1. The especial Works of the Holy Spirit in the New Creation 2. His Work on the Humane Nature of Christ. 3. How this Work could be considering the Union of the Humane Nature unto and in the Person of the Son of God 4. Assumption of the Humane Nature into Union the only Act of the Person of the Son towards it 5. Personal Union the only necessary Consequent of this Assumption 6. All other Actings of the Person of the Son in and on
Discourse on this Subject with some Considerations of that Similitude by which the Scripture so frequently represents the gradual Improvement of Grace and Holiness And this is the growth of Trees and Plants Hos. 14. 5 6. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his Roots as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive-tree and his smell as Lebanon Isa. 44. 3 4. I will pour water on him that is thirsty and stoods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine Off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as the Willowes by the Water-courses And so in other places very many And we may know that this Similitude is singularly instructive or it would not have been so frequently made use of to this purpose Some few Instances tending to Administer Light in this matter I shall briefly reflect upon 1 These Trees and Plants have the Principle of their growth in themselves They do not grow immediately from external adventitious Aid and Furtherance they grow from their own seminal vertue and radical Moysture It is no otherwise in the Progress of Sanctification and Holiness It hath a Root a Seed a Principle of Growth and Encrease in the Soul of him that is sanctified All Grace is immortal Seed and contains in it a living growing Principle That which hath not in its self a Life and power of Growth is not Grace And therefore what Dutyes soever any men do perform whereunto they are either guided by Natural Light or which they are urged unto by Convictions from the Word if they proceed not from a Principle of Spiritual Life in the Heart they are no fruits of Holiness nor do belong thereunto The Water of Grace which is from Christ is a Well of Water springing up unto Everlasting Life in them on whom it is bestowed Joh. 4. 14. It is therefore of the Nature of Holiness to thrive and grow as it is of a Tree or Plant that have their seminal Vertue in themselves after their kind 2 A Tree or Plant must be watered from above or it will not thrive and grow by vertue of its own seminal power If a Drowth cometh it will wither or decay Wherefore where God mentioneth this growth he ascribes it unto his watering I will be as the Dew and I will pour water is the especial Cause of it It is so in this carrying on of Holiness There is a Nature received capable of Increase and growth but if it be left unto its self it will not thrive it will decay and dye Wherefore God is unto it as the Dew and pours water on it by the actual supplyes of the Spirit as we have shewed before 3 The growth of Trees and Plants is secret and imperceptible nor is discerned but in the Effects and Consequences of it The most watchfull Eye can discern little of its motion Crescit Occulto velut arbor avo It is no otherwise in the progress of Holiness It is not immediately discernible either by themselves in whom it is or by others that make Observation of it It lyes only under the Eye of him by whom it is wrought Only by the Fruits and Effects of it is made manifest And some indeed especially in some seasons do plainly and evidently thrive and grow springing up like the Willowes by the Water-courses Though their growth in its self is indiscernible yet it is plain they have grown Such we ought all to be The growth of some I say is manifest on every Triall on every occasion their profiting is visible to all And as some say that the growth of Plants is not by a constant insensible progress but they encrease by suddain Gusts and Motions which may sometimes be discerned in the Openings of Budds and Flowers so the growth of Believers consists principally in some intense vigorous actings of Grace on great Occasions as of Faith Love Humility Self-denial Bounty And he who hath not some Experience of such actings of Grace in especial Instances can have little Evidence of his Growth Again there are Trees and Plants that have the Principle of Life and Growth in them but yet are so withering and unthrifty that you can only discern them to be alive And so it is with too many Believers They are all Trees planted in the Garden of God some thrive some decay for a season but the growth of the best is secret Sect. 9 From what hath been proved it is evident that the work of Sanctification is a progressive Work that Holiness is gradually carryed on in us by it towards Perfection It is neither wrought nor compleated at once in us as is Regeneration nor doth it cease under any Attainments or in any Condition of Life but is thriving and carryed on A River continually fed by a Living Fountain may as soon end its streams before it come to the Ocean as a stop be put to the Course and Progress of Grace before it issues in Glory For the path of the Just is as the shining Light that shineth more and more to the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. So is their Path wherein they are led and conducted by the Holy Spirit even as the Morning Light which after it once appears thought it may be sometimes clouded yet faileth not untill it arrive unto its Perfection And as the Wisdom Patience Faithfulness and Power which the Holy Spirit of God exerciseth herein are unutterable so are they constantly admired by all that are interested in them So are they by the Psalmist Psal. 66. 8 9. Psal. 31. 17. Who is there who hath made any diligent Observation of his own Heart and Wayes and what have been the workings of the Grace of God in him and towards him to bring him unto the Stature and Measure whereunto he is arrived that doth not admire the watchful Care and powerfull workings of the Spirit of God therein The Principle of our Holiness as in us is weak and infirm because it is in us in some to so low a Degree as is oft-times unto themselves imperceptible This he preserves and Cherisheth that it shall not be overpowered by Corruptions and Temptations Among all the glorious works of God next unto that of Redemption by Jesus Christ my Soul doth most admire this of the Spirit in preserving the Seed and Principle of Holiness in us as a spark of living Fire in the midst of the Ocean against all Corruptions and Temptations wherewith it is impugned Many Breaches are made in and upon our Course of Obedience by the Incursions of Actual sins these he cures and makes up healing our backslidings and repairing our Decayes And he acts the Grace we have received by constant fresh Supplyes He wants much of the Comfort and Joy of a Spiritual Life who doth not diligently observe the Wayes and Means whereby it is preserved and promoted And it is no small part of
so holy that previous to the Consideration of any free Acts of his Will it is evident that he can take no pleasure in Fools Lyars or Workers of Iniquity Therefore Joshua tells the People that if they continued in their sins they could not serve the Lord for he is an Holy God Chap. 24. 19. All the Service of unholy Persons towards this God is utterly lost and cast away because it is inconsistent with his own Holiness to accept of it And our Apostle argues in the same Manner Heb. 12. 28 29. Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear For our God is a consuming Fire He layes his Argument for the Necessity of Grace and Holiness in the Worship of God from the Consideration of the Holiness of his Nature which as a consuming fire will devour that which is unsuited unto it inconsistent with it There would be no end of pursuing this Reason of the Necessity of Holiness in all places where it is proposed expressely in the Scripture I shall only adde in General that God of Old strictly required that no unholy no unclean no defiling thing should be in the Camp of his People because of his presence among them who is himself holy and without an exact Observance hereof he declares that he will depart and leave them Sect. 4 If we had no other Argument to prove the Necessity of Holiness and that it is indispensibly required of us but only this that the God whom we serve and worship is absolutely Holy that his Being and Nature is such as that he can have no delightful Entercourse with any that are unholy it were abundantly sufficient unto our purpose He who resolveth not to be Holy had best seek another God to worship and serve with our God he will never find Acceptance And therefore the Heathen who gave up themselves unto all filthiness with delight and greediness to stifle the Notions of a Divine Being that they might not controll them in their Sins and Pleasures fancied such gods to themselves as were wicked and unclean that they might freely conform unto them and serve them with satisfaction And God himself lets us know that men of wicked and flagitious lives have some secret thoughts that he is not Holy but like themselves Psal. 50. 21. For if they had not they could not avoid it but they must either think of leaving him or their sins Sect. 5 But we must yet further observe some things to evidence the Force of this Argument As First That unto us in our present State and Condition the Holiness of God as absolutely considered merely as an Infinite Eternal Property of the Divine Nature is not the immediate Ground of and Motive unto Holiness but it is the Holiness of God as manifested and revealed unto us in Christ Jesus Under the first Consideration we who are sinners can make on Conclusion from it but that of Joshua He is an Holy God a Jealous God he will not forgive their Iniquities nor spare This we may learn indeed from thence that nothing which is unholy can possibly subsist before him or find Acceptance with him But a Motive and Encouragment unto any Holiness that is not absolutely Perfect no Creature can take from the Consideration thereof And we doe not we ought not to urge any such Argument for the Necessity of Holiness as cannot be answered and complyed wit by the Grace of God as to the Substance though we come short in the Degrees of it My meaning is that no Argument can be rationally and usefully pleaded for the Necessity of Holiness which doth not contain in its self an Encouraging Motive unto it To declare it necessary for us and at the same time impossible unto us is not to promote its Interest They understand neither the Holiness of God nor man who suppose that they are absolutely and immediately suited unto one another or that under that Notion of it we can take any encouraging Motive unto our Duty herein Nay no Creature is capable of such a Perfection in Holiness as absolutely to Answer the Infinite Purity of the Divine Nature without a Covenant-Condescention Job 4. 18. chap. 15. 15. But it is the Holiness of God as he is in Christ and as in Christ represented unto us that gives us both the Necessity and Motive unto ours Sect. 6 Wherefore God in dealing with his people of Old in this matter did not propose unto them to this End the Absolute Perfection of his own Nature but his being Holy as he dwelt among them and was their God that is in Covenant both which had respect unto Jesus Christ. In him all the glorious Perfections of God are so represented unto us as we may not thence onely learn our Duty but also be incouraged unto it For 1 All the Properties of God as so represented unto us are more Conspicuous Resplendent Alluring and Attractive than as Absolutely considered I know not what Light into and Knowledge of the Divine Perfections Adam had in his state of Innocency when God had declared himself onely in the Works of Nature Sufficient no doubt it was to guide him in his Love and Obedience or that Life which he was to live unto him But I know that now all our knowledge of God and his Properties unless it be that which we have in and by Jesus Christ is insufficient to lead or conduct us in that Life of Faith and Obedience which is necessary unto us He therefore gives us the Light of the knowledge of his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. That is clear Manifestations of his Glorious Excellencies The light of the knowledge hereof is a clear useful saving Perception and understanding of them And this is not onely Directive unto Holiness but also Effective of it For thus beholding the Glory of the Lord we are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory Chap. 3. 18. 2 In particular The Fiery Holiness of God is represented unto us in Christ so as that although it lose nothing of declaring the indispensable Necessity of Holiness in all that draw nigh to him yet under such a Contemperation with Goodnesse Grace Love Mercy Condescension as may invite and encourage us to endeavour after a Conformity thereunto Sect. 7 3 Together with a Representation of the Holiness of God in Christ there is a Revelation made of what Holiness in us he doth require and will accept As was observed before the Consideration of it absolutely neither requires nor admitts of any but that which is absolutely perfect and where there is any one failing the whole of what we doe is condemned Jam. 2. 10. This therefore can only perplex and torture the Soul of a sinner by pressing on him at the same time the Necessity and Impossibility of Holiness Isa. 33. 14. But now as God is in Christ through his Interposition and Meditation he accepts of such an Holiness in us
the Doctrine of the Spirit of God his Work and Grace is the second great Head or Principle of those Gospel-Truths wherein the Glory of God and the Good of the Souls of Men are most eminently concerned And such also it is that without it without the Knowledg of it in its Truth and the Improvement of it in its Power the other will be useless unto those Ends. For when God designed the Great and Glorious Work of recovering Fallen Man and the saving of sinners to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace he appointed in his Infinite Wisdom two great Means thereof The one was the giving of his Son for them and the other was the giving of his Spirit unto them And hereby was way made for the Manifestation of the Glory of the whole Blessed Trinity which is the utmost end of all the Works of God Hereby were the Love Grace and Wisdom of the Father in the Design and Projection of the whole the Love Grace and Condescention of the Son in the Execution Purchase and Procurement of Grace and Salvation for sinners with the Love Grace and Power of the Holy Spirit in the effectual Application of all unto the Souls of Men made gloriously conspicuous Hence from the first Entrance of sin there were two general Heads of the Promises of God unto Men concerning the means of their Recovery and Salvation The One was that concerning the sending of his Son to be Incarnate to take our Nature upon him and to suffer for us therein the Other concerning the giving of his Spirit to make the Effects and Fruits of the Incarnation Obedience and Suffering of his Son effectual in us and towards us To these Heads may all the Promises of God be reduced Now because the Former was to be the Foundation of the Latter that was first to be laid down and most insisted on untill it was actually accomplished Hence the Great Promise of the Old Testament the Principal Object of the Faith Hope and Expectation of Believers was that concerning the Coming of the Son of God in the Flesh and the Work which he was to perform Yet was this also as we shall see in our Progress accompanied with a great intermixture of Promises concerning the Holy Spirit to render his coming and work effectual unto us But when once that first work was fully accomplished when the Son of God was come and had destroyed the Works of the Devil the Principal remaining Promise of the New Testament the spring of all the rest concerneth the sending of the Holy Spirit unto the Accomplishment of his Part of that great Work which God had designed Hence the Holy Ghost the Doctrine concerning his Person his Work his Grace is the most peculiar and principal Subiect of the Scriptures of the New Testament and a most eminent immediate Object of the Faith of them that do believe And this must be further cleared seeing we have to deal with some who will scarce allow him to be of any Consideration in these matters at all But I shall be brief in these previous Testimonies hereunto because the whole ensuing discourse is designed to the Demonstration of the Truth of this Assertion Sect. 10 First It is of great Moment and sufficient of it self to maintain the Cause as proposed that when our Lord Jesus Christ was to leave the world He promised to send his Holy Spirit unto his Disciples to supply his Absence Of what use the Presence of Christ was unto his Disciples we may in some measure conceive they knew full well whose Hearts were filled with sorrow upon the mention of his Leaving of them John 16. 5. 6. Designing to relieve them in this great Distress which drew out the highest Expressions of Love Tenderness Compassion and Care towards them he doth it principally by this Promise which he assures them shall be to their greater Advantage than any they could receive by the continuance of his bodily Presence amongst them And to secure them hereof as also to inform them of its great importance he repeats it frequently unto them and inculcates it upon them Consider somewhat of what he sayes to this Purpose in his last Discourse with them John 14. 16 17 18. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you that is in and by this Holy Spirit And v. 25 26 27. These things I have spoken unto you being present with you but the Comforter who is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all Things to your remembrance whatever I have said unto you Peace I leave with you c. And Chap. 15. 25. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testify of me And Chap. 16. v. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. Now I go my way to him that sent me and none of you asketh me whither goest thou But because I have said these things unto you sorrow hath filled your heart Nevertheless I tell you the Truth is is expedient for you that I goe away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto You. And when he is come he will reprove the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on me Of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged I have yet many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now Howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he shall shew you things to come He shall Glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and he shall shew it unto You. All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shew it unto You. This was the great Legacy which our Lord Jesus Christ departing out of this World bequeathed unto his sorrowful Disciples This he promiseth unto them as a sufficient relief against all their Troubles and a faithful Guide in all their wayes And because of the Importance of it unto them he frequently repeats it and enlargeth upon the benefits that they should receive thereby giving them a particular account why it would be more advantageous unto them than his own bodily Presence And therefore after his Resurrection he minds them again of this Promise commanding them to act nothing towards the building of
received And although the direct end of some of them be not the Spiritual Good of them on whom they are bestowed but the Edification of others for the manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 4. 12 17. yet there is that excellency and worth in them and that use may be made of them as to turn greatly to the advantage of them that receive them For although they are not Grace yet they serve to stir up and give an edg unto Grace and to draw it out unto Exercise whereby it is strengthened and increased And they have an influence into Glory For it is by the Abilities which they give that some are made wise effectual Instruments for the turning of many to Righteousness who shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12. 3. But the Unbelief Ingratitude and Lusts of Men can spoil these and any other good things whatever And these things will afterwards in particular fall under our Consideration In general to be made Partaker of the Holy Ghost is an inestimable Priviledg and Advantage and as such is proposed by our Saviour John 14. 17. Sect. 8 Secondly God is said to SEND him Psal. 104. 30. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit John 14. 26. The Father will send the Holy Ghost in my Name This is also spoken of the Son I will send unto you the Comforter from the Father John 15. 26. John 16. 7. And in the accomplishment of that Promise it is said he poured him forth Acts 2. 33. Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son in your hearts and in other places the same Expression is used Now this upon the matter i◠the same with the former of Giving him arguing the same Authority the same Freedom the same Bounty Only the word naturally includes in its signification a respect unto a local Motion He which is sent removeth from the place where he was from whence He is sent unto a place where he was not whither he was sent Now this cannot properly be spoken of the Holy Ghost For he being God by Nature is naturally omnipresent and an Omnipresence is inconsistent with a Local Mutation So the Psalmist expresly Psal. 139. 7 8. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence if I ascend up into Heaven c. There must therefore a Metaphor be allowed in this Expression but such a One as the Scripture by the frequent use of it hath rendred familiar unto us Thus God is said to arise out of his place to bow the Heavens and come down to come down and see what is done in the Earth Gen. 18. 21. Isa. 64. 1. That these things are not spoken properly of God who is immense all men acknowledg But where God begins to work in any place in any kind where before he did not do so he is said to come thither For so must we do we must come to a place before we can work in it Thus the Sending of the Holy Ghost includeth two things as added unto his being Given 1. That He was not before in or with that Person or amongst those Persons for that especial Work and End which he is sent for He may be in them and with them in one respect and be afterwards said to be sent unto them in another So our Lord Jesus Christ promiseth to send the Holy Ghost unto his Disciples as a Comforter whom they had received before as a Sanctifier I will saith he send him unto you and you know him for he dwelleth with you John 14. 17. He did so as a Sanctifier before he came unto them as a Comforter But in every coming of His He is sent for one especial Work or another And this sufficiently manifests that in his Gifts and Graces he is not common unto all A supposition thereof would leave no place for this especial Act of sending him which is done by Choice and Distinction of the Object Much less is he a Light which is alwayes in all Men and which all Men may be in if they please For this neither is nor can be absent in any sense from any one at any time 2. It denotes as especial Work there or on them where and on whom there was none before of that kind For this cause is he said to be sent of the Father No Local Motion then is intended in this Expression only there is an allusion thereunto For as a Creature cannot produce any Effects where it is not until it either be sent thither or go thither of its own accord So the Holy Ghost produceth not the blessed Effects of his Power and Grace but in and towards them unto whom he is given and sent by the Father How in answer hereunto he is said himself to come shall be afterwards declared And it is the Person of the Spirit which is said to be thus sent For this belongs unto that Holy Dispensation of the several Persons of the Trinity in the Work of our Salvation And herein the Spirit in all his Operations is considered as sent of the Father for the Reasons before often intimated Sect. 9 Thirdly God is said to MINISTER the Spirit Gal. 3. 5. He that ministreth the Spirit unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that gives you continual or abundant supplies of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to give a sufficiency of any thing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are dimensum a sufficiency of Provision And addition thereunto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby the Communication of the Spirit is expressed Phil. 1. 19. For I know that this shall turn to my Salvation through your Prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the additional supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. That Spirit and its Assistance he had before received but He yet stood in need of a daily further supply So is the word used constantly for the adding of one thing to another or one degree of the same thing unto another 2 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 add to your Faith Vertue or in your Faith make an increase of Vertue When therefore God is thus said to Minister the Spirit it is his continual giving out of Additional Supplies of his Grace by his Spirit which is intended For the Holy Spirit is a voluntary Agent and distributes unto every one as he will When therefore he is given and sent unto any his Operations are limited by his own Will and the Will of him that sends him And therefore do we stand in need of supplies of him and from him which are the principal Subject Matter of our Prayers in this World Sect. 10 Fourthly God is said to PUT his Spirit in or upon Men and this also belongeth unto the manner of his Dispensation Isa. 42. 1. Behold my Servant whom I uphold I have put my Holy Spirit upon
now seeth in secret will one day reward openly And the more we abound in these things the more will God be glorified in the Recompence of Reward But this is not all nor that which I intend It abides 2 for ever and passeth over into Glory in its Principle or Nature The Love wherewith we now adhere to God and by which we act the Obedience of Faith towards the Saints faileth not it ends not when Glory comes on but is a part of it 1 Cor. 13. 8. It is true some Gifts shall be done away as useless in a state of Perfection and Glory as the Apostle there discourseth and some Graces shall cease as to some especial Acts and peculiar Exercise as Faith and Hope so far as they respect things unseen and future But all those Graces whereby Holiness is constituted and wherein it doth consist for the substance of them as they contain the Image of God as by them we are united and do adhere unto God in Christ shall in their present nature improved into perfection abide for ever In our knowledge of them therefore have we our principal insight into our Eternal Condition in Glory And this is as a firm foundation of Consolation so a part of our chiefest Joy in this World Is it not a matter of unspeakable Joy and Refreshment that these poor Bodyes we carry about us after they have been made a prey unto death dust worms and corruption shall be raised and restored to Life and Immortality freed from pains sickness weakness weariness and vested with those Qualities in conformity to Christs glorious Body which yet we understand not It is so also that these Souls which now animate and rule in us shall be delivered from all their Darkness Ignorance Vanity Instability and Alienation from things Spiritual and Heavenly But this is not all These poor low Graces which no live and are acting in us shall be continued preserved purified and perfected but in their nature be the same as now they are as our Souls and Bodies shall be That Love whereby we now adhere to God as our chiefest Good that Faith whereby we are united to Christ our everlasting Head that Delight in any of the Wayes or Ordinances of God wherein he is enjoyed according as he hath promised his presence in them that Love and Good-will which we have for all those in whom is the Spirit and on whom is the Image of Christ with the entire Principle of spiritual Life and Holiness which is now begun in any of us shall be all purified enhanced perfected and pass into Glory That very Holiness which we here attain those Inclinations and Dispositions those Frames of Mind those Powers and Abilities in Obedience and Adherence unto God which here contend with the weight of their own weakness and imperfections with the Opposition that is continually made against them by the Body of Death that is utterly to be abolished shall be gloriously perfected into immutable Habits unchangeably acting our Souls in the enjoyment of God And this also manifesteth of how much concernment it is unto us to be acquainted with the Doctrine of it and of how much more to be really interested in it Yea Sect. 12 5 There is Spiritual and Heavenly Glory in it in this World From hence is the Church the Kings Daughter said to be all Glorious within Psal. 45. 13. Her inward adorning with the Graces of the Spirit making her beautifull in Holiness is called Glory and is so so also the progress and increase of Believers herein is called by our Apostle their being changed from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. from one degree of glorious Grace unto another As this next unto the Comeliness of the Righteousness of Christ put upon us by the free Grace of God is our only beauty in his sight so it is such as hath a real Spiritual Glory in it It is the First-fruits of Heaven and as the Apostle argueth concerning the Jews that if the first-fruits were holy then is the whole lump holy so may we on the other side if the whole weight as he calls it and fulness of our future Enjoyments be Glory then are the First-fruits in their Measure so also There is in this Holiness as we shall see further afterwards a Ray of Eternal Light a Principle of Eternal Life and the entire nature of that Love whereby we shall eternally adhere unto God The Divine Nature the new immortal Creature the Life of God the Life of Christ are all comprized in it It represents unto God the Glory of his own Image renewed in us and unto the Lord Christ the fruits of his Spirit and Effect of his Mediation wherein he sees of the travail of his Soul and is satisfied There is therefore no-nothing more to be abhorred than those carnal low and unworthy thoughts which some men vent of this glorious Work of the Holy Spirit who would have it wholly to consist in a Legal Righteousness or Moral Vertue Sect. 13 6 This is that which God indispensibly requireth of us The full prosecution of this Consideration we must put off unto our Arguments for the Necessity of it which will ensue in their proper place At present I shall shew that not only God requireth Holiness indispensibly in all Believers but also that this is All which he requireth of them or expecteth from them For it comprizeth the whole Duty of man And this surely rendreth it needfull for us both to know what it is and diligently to apply our selves unto the obtaining an assured participation of it For what Servant who hath any sense of his Relation and Duty if he be satisfied that his Master requireth but one thing of him will not endeavour an Acquaintance with it and the Performance of it Some indeed say that their Holiness such as it is is the Chief or only Design of the Gospel If they intend that it is the first principal Design of God in and by the Gospel and that not only as to the Preceptive part of it but also as unto its Doctrinal and Promissory parts whence it is principally and emphatically denominated it is a fond Imagination Gods great and first design in and by the Gospel is eternally to Glorifie himself his Wisdom Goodness Love Grace Righteousness and Holiness by Jesus Christ Eph. 1. 5 6. And in order to this his great and supreme end he hath designed the Gospel and designs by the Gospel which gives the Gospel its Design 1 To reveal that Love and Grace of his unto lost sinners with the way of its Communication through the Mediation of his Son Incarnate as the only means whereby he will be glorified and whereby they may be saved Acts 26. 18. 2 To prevail with men in and by the Dispensation of its Truth and Encouragement of its Promises to renounce their sins and all other Expectations of Relief or Satisfaction and to betake themselves by Faith unto that way of Life and
Light that shines by the Gospel from Jesus Christ into our Souls begins to undeceive us in this matter And there is no greater Evidence of our receiving an Evangelical Baptisme or of being baptized into the spirit of the Gospel than the clear Compliance of our minds with the Wisdom of God herein When we find such constraining motives unto Holiness upon us as will not allow the least subducting of our Souls from an universal attendance unto it purely on the Ends of the Gospel without respect unto those now discarded it is an Evidence that the Wisdom of God hath prevailed against that of the flesh in our minds Wherefore Holiness with the fruits of it with respect unto their proper Ends which shall afterwards be declared is all that God requireth of us And this he declares in the tenor of the Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. 1. I am God Almighty walk before me and be thou perfect This is that and this is all that I require of thee namely thy Holy Obedience for all other things wherein thou art concerned I take them all upon my own Almighty Power or All-sufficiency as he sayes elsewhere that the whole of Man is to fear God and keep his Commandements And the consideration hereof taken singly and by its self is sufficient with all that have any regard unto God or their own Eternal welfare to convince them of what importance these things are unto them Sect. 13 6 But neither yet are we left in this matter merely under the Authority of Gods Command with an Expectation of our complyance with it from our own Ability and Power God moreover hath promised to sanctifie us or to work this Holiness in us the Consideration whereof will give us yet a nearer Prospect into its nature He that requires it of us knows that we have it not of our selves When we were in our best condition by nature in the state of Original Holiness vested with the Image of God we preserved it not And is it likely that now in the state of lapsed and depraved nature it is in our own power to restore our selves to re-introduce the Image of God into our Souls and that in a far more eminent manner than it was at first created by God What needed all that Contrivance of Infinite Wisdom and Grace for the Reparation of our nature by Jesus Christ if Holiness wherein it doth consist be in our own Power and educed out of the natural faculties of our Souls There can be no more fond Imagination befall the minds of men than that defiled Nature is able to cleanse it self or depraved Nature to rectifie it self or we who have lost that Image of God which he created in us and with us should create it again in our selves by our own endeavours Wherefore when God commandeth and requireth us to be Holy he commands us to be that which by nature and of our selves we are not and not only so but that which we have not of our selves a Power to attain unto Whatever therefore is absolutely in our own Power is not of that Holiness which God requireth of us For what we can do our selves there is neither Necessity nor Reason why God should promise to work in us by his Grace And to say that what God so promiseth to work he will not work or effect indeed but only perswade and prevail with us to do it is through the pride of Unbelief to defie the Truth and Grace of God and with the Spoyls of them to adorn our own Righteousness and Power Now God hath multiplyed his Promises to this purpose so that we shall need to call over only some of them in way of Instance Jerem. 31. 33. I will put my Law in your inward parts and write it in your hearts and will be your God and ye shall be my People Chap. 32. 39 40. I will give them one Heart and one Way that they may fear me for ever and I will put my fear in their Hearts that they shall not depart from me Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new Heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony Heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them V. 25. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness V. 29. I will also save you from all your uncleanness The whole of our Sanctification and Holiness is comprized in these Promises To be cleansed from the Defilements of sin whatever they be to have an Heart inclined disposed enabled to fear the Lord alwayes and to walk in all his Wayes and Statutes accordingly with an internal habitual Conformity of the whole Soul unto the Law of God is to be sanctified or to be Holy And all this God promiseth directly to work in us and to accomplish himself In the Faith of these Promises and for the fulfilling of them the Apostle prayeth for the Thessalonians as we observed at our Entrance That the God of Peace himself would sanctifie them throughout whereby their whole Spirits Souls and Bodies might be preserved blameless to the coming of Jesus Christ. And hence is evident what we before observed that what is absolutely in our own power is not of the nature of nor doth necessarily belong unto Holiness whatever it be The best of the Intellectual or Moral Habits of our minds which are but the natural Improvement and Exercise of our facultyes neither are nor can be our Holiness nor do the best of our Moral Duties as meerly and only so belong thereunto By these Moral Habits and Duties we understand the Powers Faculties or Abilities of our Souls exercised with respect and in Obedience unto the Commands of God as excited perswaded and guided by outward Motives Rules Arguments and Considerations Plainly all the Power we have of our selves to obey the Law of God and all that we do in the pursuit and exercise of that Power upon any Reasons Motives or Considerations whatever which may all be resolved into fear of Punishment and hope of Reward with some present satisfactions of mind on the Account of Ease in Conscience within or outward Reputation whether in Abstinence from sin or the Performance of Duties are intended hereby and are not that Holiness which we enquire after And the Reason is plain even because those things are not wrought in us by the power of the especial Grace of God in the pursuit of the especial Promise of the Covenant as all true Holiness is If any shall say that they are so wrought in us they do expresly change the nature of them For thereby those Powers would be no more natural but supernatural and those Dutyes would be no more meerly Moral but Evangelical and spiritual which is to grant all we contend for
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
need not here to be further insisted on Sect. 30 The present Assertion which we are to prove is That there is in and by the Grace of Regeneration and Sanctification a Power and Ability given unto us of living unto God or performing all the Duties of acceptable Obedience This is the first Act of that Spiritual Habit arising out of it and inseparable from it It is called Strength or Power Isa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength that is for and unto Obedience or walking with God without Weariness Strength they have and in their Walking with God it is renewed or encreased By the same Grace are we strengthened with all might according to the glorious Power of God Col. 1. 11. or strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Ephes. 3. 16. whereby we can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth us Phil. 4. 13. In our Calling or Conversion to God all things are given unto us by his Divine Power which pertain unto Life and Godliness 2 Pet. 1. 3. every thing that is needfull to enable us unto a holy Life The Habit and Principle of Grace that is wrought in Believers gives them new Power and spiritual Strength unto all Dutyes of Obedience The Water of the Spirit therein is not only a Well of Water abiding in them but it springeth up into everlasting Life Joh. 4. 14. or enables us continually to such gracious Actings as have a Tendency thereunto There is a sufficiency in the Grace of God bestowed on them that Believe to enable them unto the Obedience required of them So God told our Apostle when he was ready to faint under his Temptations that his Grace was sufficient for him 2 Cor. 12. 9. or there is a Power in all that are sanctified whereby they are able to yield all holy Obedience unto God They are alive unto God alive to Righteousness and Holiness They have a Principle of spiritual Life and where there is Life there is Power in its Kind and for its End Whence there is not in our Sanctification only a Principle or inherent Habit of Grace bestowed on us whereby we really and habitually as to State and Condition differ from all unregenerate persons whatever but there belongs moreover thereunto an active Power or an Ability for and unto spiritual holy Obedience which none are partakers of but those who are so sanctified And unto this Power there is a respect in all the Commands or Precepts of Obedience that belong to the New Covenant The Commands of each Covenant respect the Power given in and by it Whatever God required or doth require of any by vertue of the Old Covenant or the Precepts thereof it was on the Account of and proportionate unto the strength given under and by that Covenant And that we have lost that strength by the Entrance of sin exempts us not from the Authority of the Command and thence it is that we are righteously obliged to doe what we have no Power to perform So also the Command of God under the new Covenant as to all that Obedience which he requireth of us respects that Power which is given and communicated unto us thereby And this is that Power which belongs unto the New Creature the Habit and Principle of Grace and Holiness which as we have proved is wrought by the Holy Ghost in all Believers Sect. 31 We may therefore enquire into the Nature of this spiritual Power what it is and wherein it doth consist Now this cannot be clearly understood without a due Consideration of that Impotency unto all spiritual good which is in us by Nature which it cures and takes away This we have before at large declared and thither the Reader is referred When we know what it is to be without Power or Strength in Spiritual things we may thence learn what it is to have them To this purpose we may consider that there are three things or Faculties in our Souls which are the Subject of all Power or Impotency in spiritual things namely our Vnderstandings Wills and Affections That our spiritual Impotency ariseth from their Depravation hath been proved before and what Power we have for holy spiritual Obedience it must consist in some especial Ability communicated distinctly unto all these Faculties And our Enquiry therefore is What is this Power in the Mind what in the Will and what in the Affections And 1 This power in the Mind consists in a spiritual Light and Ability to discern spiritual Things in a spiritual Manner which Men in the state of Nature are utterly devoyd of 1 Cor. 2. 13 14. The Holy Spirit in the first Communication of the Principle of spiritual Life and Holiness shines into our Hearts to give us the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. yea this strengthening of the Mind by saving Illumination is the most eminent Act of our Sanctification Without this there is a Veil with Fear and Bondage upon us that we cannot see into spiritual things But where the Spirit of God is where he comes with his sanctifying Grace there is Liberty And thereby we all with open face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. See Ephes. 1. 17 18. Sect. 32 Wherefore all sanctified Believers have an Ability and Power in the renewed Mind and Understanding to see know discern and receive spiritual Things the Mysteries of the Gospel the Mind of Christ in a due and spiritual Manner It is true they have not all of them this Power and Ability in the same Degree but every one of them hath a sufficiency of it so as to discern what concerns themselves and their Dutyes necessarily Some of them seem indeed to be very low in Knowledge and in comparison of others very Ignorant For there are different Degrees in these things Ephes. 4. 7. And some of them are kept in that Condition by their own Negligence and Sloth They do not use as they ought nor improve those Means of Growing in Grace and in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ which God prescribes unto them as Heb. 6. 14 15 16. But every one who is truely sanctified and who thereby hath received the least Degree of saving Grace hath Light enough to understand the spiritual Things of the Gospel in a spiritual Manner When the Mysteries of the Gospel are Preached unto Believers some of them may be so declared as that those of meaner Capacities and Abilities may not be able to comprehend aright the Doctrine of them which yet is necessary to be so proposed for the Edification of those who are more grown in Knowledge Nevertheless there is not any the meanest of them but hath a spiritual insight into the things themselves intended so far as they are necessary unto their Faith and Obedience in the Condition wherein they are This the Scripture gives
Forgetfulness of the Sovereign Authority of God will betray them unto Profuseness in Vanity and corrupt Communication untill they doe with Delight and hear with Pleasure such things as wherewith the Holy Spirit of God is grieved their own Consciences are defiled and the Honour of Profession is cast to the ground Sect. 18 Secondly The Command of God that we should be Holy is not to be considered only as an Effect of Power and Authority which we must submit unto but as a Fruit of infinite Wisdom and Goodness also which it is our highest Advantage and Interest to comply withall And this introduceth a peculiar Necessity of Holiness from the Consideration of what is Equal Reasonable Ingenuous the contrary whereunto is Foolish Perverse Vngratefull every way unbecoming Rational Creatures Where nothing can be discerned in Commands but meer Authority Will and Pleasure they are looked on as meerly respecting the Good of them that command and not at all theirs who are to obey which disheartens and weakens the Principle of Obedience Now though God because his Dominion over us is Sovereign and absolute might have justly left unto us no other Reason or Motive of our Obedience and it may be did so deal with the Church of Old as to some particular Temporary Ceremonial Institutions yet he doth not nor ever did so as to the Main of their Obedience But as he proposeth his Law as an Effect of infinite Wisdom Love and Goodness so he declares and pleads that all his Commands are just and equal in themselves good and usefull unto us and that our Complyance with them is our present as well as it will be our future Happiness And that this is so that the Command of God requiring that we should be Holy as a Fruit of Wisdom and Goodness is Equal and Advantageous unto our selves appears from all Consideration of it Sect. 19 First Look upon it formally as a Law prescribed unto us and it is so because the Obedience in Holiness which it requires is proportioned unto the Strength and Power which we have to Obey which declares it Equal unto us and an Effect of infinite Wisdom and Goodness in God The Command as we shewed before may be considered either as it belonged unto the Old Covenant or as it is annexed unto and so is a part of the New In the first way as it belonged unto the Old Covenant the Strength of Grace which we had Originally from God under the Law of Creation was sufficient to enable us unto all that Holy Obedience which was required therein and our not doing so was from wilfull Rebellion and not from any Impotency or Weakness in us We fell not from our first Estate for want of Power to Obey but by the neglect of the Exercise of that Power which we had God made us Vpright but we sought out many Inventions And in the latter way as it belongs to the Covenant of Grace there is by vertue of that Covenant a Supply of spiritual strength given in by the Promise unto all them who are taken into it enabling them to Answer the Commands for Holiness according to the Rule of the Acceptance of their Obedience before laid down No man who is instated in the Covenant of Grace comes short or fails of the Performance of that Obedience which is required and accepted in that Covenant meerly for want of Power and spiritual strength For God therein according to his Divine Power gives unto us all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness through the Knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Vertue 1 Pet. 1. 3. Sect. 20 It is true this Grace or Strength is administred unto them by certain Wayes and Means which if they attend not unto they will come short of it But this I say in the carefull diligent sedulous use of those means appointed none who belong to the Covenant of Grace shall ever fail of that Power and Ability which shall render the Commands of the Gospel easie and not grievous unto them and whereby they may so fulfill them as infallibly to be accepted This the Scripture is plain in where Christ himself tells us that his Yoke is easie and his Burden light Matth. 11. 30. and his holy Apostle that his Commands are not grievous 1 Joh. 5. 3. For if they should exceed all the Strength which we either have or he is pleased to give unto us they would be like the Jewish Ceremonies a Yoke which we could not bear and a Law not only grievous but unprofitable But on the contrary our Apostle expressely affirms and so may we that he could do all things that is in the Way and Manner and unto the End for which they are required in the Gospel through Christ that strengthened him Some would confound these things and cast all into Disorder They would have men that are under the Old Covenant to have a Power and spiritual Strength to fulfill the Commands of the New which God hath never spoken of nor declared and which indeed is contrary to the whole Design of his Grace They would have men who having broken the Old Covenant and forfeited all their Strength and Ability which they had by it for Obedience and are not initiated in the New Covenant yet to have a Power of their own to fulfill the Command of the one or the other which God neither giveth nor is obliged to give nor is it necessary to prove that the Command is Equal and Holy For as was observed God giveth us no Command of Holiness and Obedience but in with and by vertue of some Covenant And there is no more required to prove them to be just and equal but that they are easie unto them who walk with God in that Covenant whereunto they do belong and that that Performance of them shall be accepted which they have Power for If any will sinfully cast away ther Covenant Interest and Priviledge as we did all that of our Original Creation we must thank our selves if we have not Power to answer its Commands Nor doth it belong unto the Equity of the Command of the New Covenant that those who are not yet made partakers of it by Grace should have Power to fulfill them Nay if they had so and should do so accordingly were any such thing possible it would not avail them For being supposed not as yet to belong unto the New Covenant they must belong unto the Old And the Performance of the Commands of the New Covenant in the Way and Manner which are required therein would not avail them who are really under the Rule and Law of the Old which admits of nothing short of absolute perfection But what the Law speaks it speaks unto them that are under the Law and what the Gospel speaks it speaks unto them who who are not under the Law but under Grace And the formal Transition of men from one of these States unto another is by an Act of Gods Grace
Justice between sin and punishment yet there is none between our Obedience and our Salvation and therefore Eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 23. God therefore requires nothing at our hands under this Notion or Consideration nor is it possible that in our Condition any such thing should be required of us For whatever we can do is due before-hand on other Accounts and so can have no prospect to merit what is to come Who can merit by doing his duty our Saviour doth so plainly prove the contrary as none can further doubt of it than of his Truth and Authority Luke 17. 10. Nor can we do any thing that is acceptable to him but what is wrought in us by his Grace And this overthrowes the whole Nature of merit which requires that that be every way our own whereby we would deserve somewhat else at the hands of another and not his more than ours Neither is there any proportion between our Duties and the Reward of the eternal Enjoyment of God For besides that they are all weak imperfect and tainted with sin so that no one of them is able to make good its own station for any End or Purpose in the strictness of Divine Justice they altogether come infifinitely short of the desert of an Eternal Reward by any Rule of Divine Justice And if any say that this merit of our works depends not on nor is measured by strict Justice but wholly by the Gracious Condescension of God who hath appointed and promised so to reward them I answer in the first place that this perfectly overthrowes the whole Nature of Merit For the Nature of Merit consists entirely and absolutely in this that to him that worketh the Reward is reckoned of Debt and not of Grace Rom. 4. 4. And these two are contrary and inconsistent for what is by Grace is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace and what is of Works is no more of Grace otherwise Work is no more Work Rom. 11. 6. And those who go about to found a Merit of ours in the Grace of God do endeavour to unite and reconcile those things which God hath everlastingly separated and opposed And I say secondly that although God doth freely graciously and bountifully reward our Dutyes of Obedience and upon the Account of his Covenant and Promise he is said to be and he is Righteous in his so doing yet he every where declares that what he so doth is an Act of meer Grace in himself that hath not respect unto any thing but only the Interposition and Mediation of Jesus Christ. In this sense God in the Gospel requireth of us nothing at all 4. Much less doth he require of any that they should do such things as being no way necessary unto that Obedience which themselves personally owe unto him may yet by their supererogation therein redound to the Advantage and benefit of others This monstrous fiction which hath out-done all the Pharisaisme of the Jewes we are engaged for to the Church of Rome as a pretence given to the piety or rather covering of the impiety of their Votaries But seeing on the one hand that they are themselves who pretend to these Works but flesh and so cannot on their own Account be Justified in the sight of God so it is extreme pride and cursed self-confidence for them to undertake to help others by the merit of those works whose worth they stand not in need of concerning which it will be one day said unto them Who hath required these things at your hands But now whereas God requireth none of these things of us nothing with respect unto any of these Ends such is the perversness of our Minds by Nature that many think that God requireth nothing else of us or nothing of us but with respect unto one or other of these Ends nor can they in their Hearts conceive why they should perform any one Duty towards God unless it be with some kind of regard unto these things If they may do any thing whereby they may make some Recompense for their sins that are past at least in their own Minds and Consciences if any thing whereby they may procure an Acceptance with God and the Approbation of their state and Condition they have something which as they suppose may quicken and animate their Endeavours Without these Considerations Holy Obedience is unto them a thing Lifeless and useless Others will labour and take pains both in wayes of outward Mortification and profuse Munificence in any way of Superstitious Charity whilest they are perswaded or can perswade themselves that they shall merit Eternal Life and Salvation thereby without much being beholding to the Grace of God in Christ Jesus Yea all that hath the Face or pretence of Religion in the Papacy consists in a supposition that all which God requireth of us he doth it with respect unto these ends of Attonement Justification Merit and Supererrogation Hereunto do they apply all that remains of the Ordinances of God amongst them and all their own Inventions are managed with the same Design But by these things is the Gospel and the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ made of none effect Herein then I say lies the express Opposition that is between the Wisdom of God in the mystery of the Gospel and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wisdom of the Flesh or our Carnal Reason God in his dealing with us by the Gospel takes upon his own Grace and Wisdom the providing of an Attonement for our sins a Righteousness whereby we may be Justified before him and the Collation of Eternal Life upon us all in and by him who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption But withall he indispensibly requires of us Holiness and universal Obedience for the ends that shall be declared afterwards This way thinks the Wisdom of the Flesh or Carnal Reason is meer foolishness as our Apostle testifies 1 Cor. 1. 18 23. But such a foolishness it is that is wiser than men v. 25. that is a way so excellent and full of Divine Wisdom that men are not able to comprehend it Wherefore in Opposition hereunto Carnal Reason concludes that either what God requires of us is to be done with respect unto the ends mentioned some or other or all of them or that it is no great matter whether it be done or no. Neither can it discern of what use our Holiness or Obedience unto God should be if it serve not unto some of these purposes For the necessity of Conformity to God of the Renovation of his Image in us before we are brought unto the enjoyment of him in Glory the Authority of his Commands the Reverence of his Wisdom appointing the way of Holiness and Obedience as the means of expressing our Thankfulness glorifying him in the World and of coming to Eternal Life it hath no regard unto But the first true saving