may be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3. 21. And these are some of the principal Instances of the Operations of the Holy Spirit on the Humane Nature of the Head of the Church The whole of them all I confess is a Work that we can look but little into only what is plainly revealed we desire to receive and imbrace considering that if we are his we are predestinated to be made conformable in all things unto him and that by the powerful and effectual Operation of that Spirit which thus wrought all things in him to the Glory of God And as it is a matter of unspeakable consolation unto us to consider what hath been done in and upon our Nature by the Application of the Love and Grace of God through his Spirit unto it so it is of great Advantage in that it directs our Faith and Supplications in our Endeavours after Conformity with him which is our next End under the enjoyment of God in Glory What therefore in these Matters we apprehend we embrace and for the depth of them they are the Object of our Admiration and Praise Sect. 13 Secondly There is yet another Work of the Holy Spirit not immediately in and upon the Person of the Lord Christ but towards him and on his behalf with respect unto his Work and Office And it comprizeth the Head and Fountain of the whole Office of the Holy Spirit towards the Church This was his witness-bearing unto the Lord Christ namely that he was the Son of God the true Messiah and that the Work which he performed in the World was committed unto him by God the Father to accomplish And this same Work he continueth to attend unto unto this day and will do so to the consummation of all things It is known how the Lord Christ was reproached whilst he was in this World and how ignominiously he was sent out of it by Death Hereon a great contest ensued amongst mankind wherein Heaven and Hell were deeply ingaged The greatest part of the World the Princes Rulers and Wise Men of it affirmed that he was an Impostor a Seducer a Malefactor justly punished for his Evil Deeds He on the other side chose twelve Apostles to bear Testimony unto the Holiness of his Life the Truth and Purity of his Doctrine the Accomplishment of the Prophesies of the Old Testament in his Birth Life Work and Death and in especial unto his Resurrection from the Dead whereby he was justified and acquitted from all the Reproaches of Hell and the World and their Calumnies refelled But what could the Testimony of twelve poor Men though never so honest prevail against the confronting Suffrage of the World Wherefore this Work of bearing witness unto the Lord Christ was committed unto him who is above and over all who knoweth how and is able to make his Testimony prevalent John 15. 26. 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 testifie of me Accordingly the Apostles plead his concurring Testimony Acts 5. 32. And we are his Witnesses of these things and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey him And how he thus gave his Testimony our Apostle declares Heb. 2. 4. God also bearing witness with them that is the Apostles both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his Will The first principal End why God gave the Holy Spirit to work all those miraculous Effects in them that believed in Jesus was to bear witness unto his Person that he was indeed the Son of God owned and exalted by him For no Man not utterly forsaken of all Reason and Understanding not utterly blinded would once imagine that the Holy Spirit of God would work such marvelous Operations in and by them who believed on him if he designed not to justifie his Person Work and Doctrine thereby And this in a short time together with that effectual Power which he put forth in and by the Preaching of the Word carried not only his Vindication against all the Machinations of Satan and his Instruments throughout the World but also subdued the generality of Mankind unto Faith in him and Obedience unto him 1 Cor. 10. 4 5. And upon this Testimony it is that there is real Faith in him yet maintained in the World This is that which he promised unto his Disciples whilst he was yet with them in the World when their hearts were solicitous how they should bear up against their Adversaries upon his absence I will saith he send the Comforter 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 John 16. 7 8 9 10 11. The Reason why the World believed not on Christ was because they believed not that he was sent of God John 9. 29. By his Testimony the Spirit was to reprove the World of their Infidelity and to convince them of it by evidencing the Truth of his Mission For hereon the whole issue of the Controversie between him and the World did depend Whether he were Righteous or a Deceiver was to be determined by his being sent or not sent of God and consequently God's Acceptance or Disapprobation of him That he was so sent so approved the Holy Spirit convinced the World by his Testimony manifesting that he went to the Father and was exalted by him for it was upon his Ascention and Exaltation that he received and poured out the Promise of the Spirit to this purpose Acts 2. 33. Moreover whilst he was in the World there was an unrighteous Judgment by the instigation of Satan passed upon him On this Testimony of the Spirit that Judgment was to be reversed and a contrary Sentence passed on the Author of it the Prince of this World For by the Gospel so testified unto was he Discovered Convicted Judged Condemned and cast out of that Power and Rule in the World which by the darkness of the Minds of Men within and Idolatry without he had obtained and exercised And that the Holy Spirit continueth to do the same Work though not absolutely by the same means unto this very day shall be afterwards declared And by these Considerations may we be led into that Knowledg of and Acquaintance with our Lord Jesus Christ which is so necessary so useful and so much recommended unto us in the Scripture And the utter neglect of Learning the Knowledg of Christ and of the Truth as it is in him is not more pernicious unto the Souls of Men than is the learning of it by undue means whereby false and mischievous Ideas
perish for with the Threatning of that Condition is his Command accompanyed in Case of Disobedience What if we doe comply with the Command and become holy Upon the same ground of Assurance we shall be brought unto Everlasting Felicity And this is greatly to be considered in the Authority of the Commandement Some perhaps will say that to yield holy Obedience unto God with respect unto Rewards and Punishments is servile and becomes not the free spirit of the Children of God But these are vain Imaginations The Bondage of our own spirits may make every thing we doe servile But a due Respect unto Gods Promises and Threatnings is a principal part of our Liberty And thus doth the Necessity of Holiness which we are engaged in the Demonstration of depend on the Command of God because of that Authority from whence it doth proceed and wherewith it is accompanyed It is therefore certainly our Duty if we would be found walking in a Course of Obedience and the Practice of Holiness to keep a sence hereof constantly fixed on our Minds This is that which in the first place God intends in that great Injunction of Obedience Gen. 17. 1. I am God Almighty walk before me and be thou perfect The way to walk uprightly to be sincere or perfect in Obedience is alwayes to consider that he who requires it of us is God Almighty accompanyed with all the Authority and Power before mentioned and under whose Eye we are continually And in particular we may apply this unto Persons and Occasions Sect. 16 1 As to Persons let them in an especial manner have a continual Regard hereunto who on any Account are Great or High or Noble in the World and that because their especial Temptation is to be lifted up unto a Forgetfulness or Regardlesness of this Authority of God The Prophet distributes incorrigible Sinners into two sorts and gives the different Grounds of their Impenitency respectively The first are the Poor And it is their Folly Stupidity and sensual Lusts that keep them off from attending to the Command Jerem. 5. 3 4. They have refused to receive Correction they have made their Faces barder than a Rock they have refused to return therefore I said Surely these are Poor they are sottish for they know not the Way of the Lord nor the Judgement of their God There are a sort of poor incorrigible Sinners whose Impenitency ariseth much out of their Ignorance Blindness and Folly which they please themselves in although they differ but little from the Beasts that perish And such do we abound withall who will take no Pains for who will admit of no Means of Instruction But there is another sort of Sinners to whom the Prophet makes his Application and discovers the Ground of their incorrigible Impenitency also I will get me to the Great men and will speak unto them for they have known the Way of the Lord and the Judgement of their God v. 5. Great men by Reason of their Education and other Advantages do attain unto a Knowledge of the Will of God or at least may be thought so to have done and would be esteemed to excell therein They therefore are not likely to be Obstinate in sin meerly from stupid Ignorance and Folly No saith the Prophet they take another Course They have altogether broken the Yoke and burst the Bonds They are like a Company of rude Beasts of the Field who having broken their Yokes and Cords do run up and down the Fields treading down the Corn breaking up the Fences pushing with the Horn and trampling on all before them This is the Course of men in the Pursuit of their Lusts when they have broken the Yoke of the Lord. And this the Prophet declares to be the especial Evil of Great Men the Rich the Mighty the Honourable in the World Now this Breaking of the Yoke is the Neglecting and Despising of the Authority of God in the Command Seeing therefore that this is the especial Temptation of that sort of Persons and Things innumerable there are of all sorts that concurre to render that Temptation prevalent upon them let all those who are of that Condition and have the least sincere Desire after Holiness watch diligently as they love and value their Souls to keep alwayes and in all things a due Sence of the Authority of God in his Commands upon their Minds and Consciences When you are in the height of your Greatness in the fulness of your Enjoyments in the most urgent of your Avocations by the Things or Societies of the World and those who belong unto it when the variety of publick Appearances and Attendencies are about you where you are uppermost in the Words of others and it may be in your own Thoughts remember Him who is over all and consider that you are subject and obnoxious unto his Authority equally with the poorest Creature on the Earth Remember that it is your especial Temptation to doe otherwise And if you do yet abhorre those who by this Means are come to be Sons of Belial or such as have altogether broken the Yoke and run up and down the World in the pursuit of their Lusts saying Our Lips are our own and who is Lord over us be you Watchfull against the least Beginnings or Entrances of it in your selves Sect. 17 2 In general let us all endeavour to carry a constant Regard unto the Authority of God in his Commands into all those Seasons Places Societies Occasions wherein we are apt to be surprized in any Sin or a Neglect of Duty And I may reduce this Instruction or Point it unto three Heads or Occasions namely Secresie Businesses and Societies 1 Carry this along with you into your secret Retirements and Enjoyments Neglect hereof is the next Cause of those secret Actual provoking Sins which the World swarms with When no Eye sees but the Eye of God men think themselves secure Hereby have many been surprized into Folly which hath proved the Beginning of a total Apostasie An Awe from the Authority of God in the Command upon the Heart will equally secure us in all Places and on all Occasions 2 Let us carry it into our Businesses and the Exercise of our Trades or Callings Most men in these things are very apt to be intent on present Occasions and having a certain End before them do habituate themselves unto the wayes of its Attainment And whilest they are so engaged many things occurre which are apt to divert them from the Rule of Holiness Whenever therefore you enter into your Occasions wherein you may suppose that Temptations will arise call to mind the Greatness Power and Authority over you of him who hath commanded you in all things to be holy Upon every Entrance of a Surprizal make your Retreat unto such Thoughts which will prove your Relief 3 Carry it with you into your Companyes and Societies For many have frequent Occasions of engaging in such Societies as wherein the least
in the Apprehension of them with whom they have to doe which was Actually the Case of David all his Dayes and of Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 6 7. I would be far from giving Countenance unto thâ— sinfull Distempers of any but yet I doubt not but that the Infirmities of many are represented by Envy and Hatred of Profession unto an undeserved Disadvantage 3 Where-ever there is the seed of Grace and Holiness there an Entrance is made on the Cure of all these sinfull Distempers yea not only of the corrupt Lusts of the Flesh that are absolutely evil and Vitious in their whole Nature but even of those natural Infirmities and Distempers of peevishness moroseness inclination to Anger and Passion Vnsteadiness in Resolution which Lusts is apt to possess and use unto evil and disorderly Ends. And I am pressing the Necessity of Holiness that is of the Encrease and Growth of it that this Work may be carried on to perfection and that so through the Power of the Grace of the Gospel that great Promise may be accomplished which is recorded Isa. 11. 6 7 8 9. And as when a wandring jugling Impostor who pretended to judge of mens Lives and Manners by their Physiognomy beholding Socrates pronounced him from his Countenance a Person of a flagitious sensual Life the People derided his Folly who knew his sober vertuous Conversation but Socrates excused him affirming that such he had been had he not bridled his Nature by Philosophy how much more truely may it be said of Multitudes that they had been eminent in nothing but untoward Distempers of Mind had not their Souls been rectified and cured by the Power of Grace and Holiness Sect. 14 I find there is no End of Arguments that offer their service to the Purpose in hand I shall therefore wave many and those of great importance attended with an unavoidable Cogency and shut up this Discourse with one which must not be omitted In our Holiness consists the principal part of that Revenue of Glory and Honour which the Lord Christ requireth and expecteth from his Disciples in this World That he doth require this indispensibly of us is I suppose out of Question amongst us although the most who are called Christians live as if they had no other Design but to cast all Obloquies Reproach and Shame on him and his Doctrine But if we are indeed his Disciples he hath bought us with a Price and we are not our own but his and that to glorifie him in Soul and Body becuase they are his 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. He dyed for us that we should not live unto our selves but unto him that so dyed for us and by vertue of whose Death we live Rom. 14. 7 8 9. He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Tit. 2. 14. But we need not to insist hereon To deny that we ought to glorifie and honour Christ in the World is to renounce him and the Gospel The sole Enquiry is How we may do so and what he requireth of us to that purpose Sect. 15 Now the summe of all that the Lord Christ expects from us in this World may be reduced unto two Heads 1 That we should live holily to him 2 That we should suffer patiently for him And in these things alone is he glorified by us The first he expecteth at all times and in all things the latter on particular Occasions as we are called by him thereunto Where these things are where this Revenue of Glory is payd in and returned unto him he repents not of his Purchase nor of the unvaluable Price he hath payd for us yea sayes The Lines are fallen to me in pleasant places I have a goodly Heritage which are the words of Christ concerning the Church which is his Lot and the Portion of his Inheritance Psal. 16. 6. Now amongst many others we shall consider but one way whereby we glorifie the Lord Christ by our Holy Obedience and whence also it will appear how much we dishonour and reproach him when we come short thereof Sect. 16 The Lord Christ coming into the World as the Mediator between God and Man wrought and accomplished a mighty Work amongst us And what he did may be referred to three Heads 1 The Life which he lead 2 The Doctrine which he taught and 3 The Death which he underwent Concerning all these there ever was a great Contest in the World and it is yet continued And on the part of the World it is managed under a double Appearance For some openly have traduced his Life as unholy his Doctrine as foolish and his Death as justly deserved which was the sence of the Pagan World and the Apostate Judaical Church of Old as it is of many at this Day Others allow them to pass with some Approbation pretending to own what is taught in the Gospel concerning them but in fact and practice deny any such Power and Efficacy in them as is pretended and without which they are of no Vertue which is the way of Carnal Gospellers and all Idolatrous Superstitious Worshippers among Christians And of late there is risen up amongst us a Generation who esteem all that is spoken concerning him to be a meer Fable In opposition hereunto the Lord Christ calls all his true Disciples to bear Witness and Testimony unto the Holiness of his Life the Wisdom and Purity of his Doctrine the Efficacy of his Death to Expiate Sin to make Attonement and Peace with God with the Power of his whole Mediation to Renew the Image of God in us to restore us into his Favour and to bring us unto the Enjoyment of him This he calls all his Disciples to avow unto and express in the World and by their so doing is he glorified and no otherwise in a peculiar manner A Testimony is to be given unto and against the World that his Life was most Holy his Doctrine most heavenly and pure his Death most precious and Efficacious and consequently that he was sent of God unto his great Work and was accepted of him therein Now all this is no otherwise done but by Obedience unto him in Holiness as it is visible and fruitfull For Sect. 17 1 We are Obliged to profess that the Life of Christ is our Example This in the first place are we called unto and every Christian doth virtually make that profession No man takes that holy Name upon him but the first thing he signifies thereby is that he makes the Life of Christ his Pattern which it is his Duty to express in his own And he who takes up Christianity on any other Terms doth wofully deceive his own Soul How is it then that we may yield a Revenue of Glory herein How may we bear Testimony unto the Holiness of his Life against the Blasphemies of the World and the Vnbelief of the most who have no Regard thereunto Can this be any
Letter of the Scripture and the sense of the Propositions are equally exposed to the Reason of all mankind yet the real spiritual Knowledg of the Things themselves is not communicated unto any but by the especial Operation of the Holy Spirit nor is any considerable Degree of Insight into the Doctrine of the Mysteries of them attainable but by a due waiting on him who alone giveth the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledg of them For the things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God and they to whom by him they are revealed Neither can the Scriptures be interpreted aright but by the Ayd of that Spirit by which they were indited as Hierom aâ—â—â—rmes and as I shall afterwards fully prove But in the use of the means mentioned we need not despond but that seeing these things themselves are revealed that we may know God in a due manner and live unto him as we ought we may attain such a measure of Spiritual Understanding in them as is useful unto our own and others Edification They may I say do so who are not slothful in hearing or learning but by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil. Wherefore the Subject of the ensuing Discourses being intirely things of this Nature in their several Degrees of Access unto God or our selves I shall give no account of any particular Endeavours in my Enquiries into them but leave the Judgment thereof unto the Evidence of the Effects produced thereby Only whereas I know not any who ever went before me in this Design of representing the whole Oeconomy of the Holy Spirit with all his Adjuncts Operations and Effects whereof this is the first Part the Attempt of Crellius in this kind being only to corrupt the Truth in some few Instances as the Difficulty of my work was encreased thereby so it may plead my Excuse if any thing be found not to answer so regular a Projection or just a Method as the nature of the Subject requireth and as was aymed at In the first Part of the whole Work which concerneth the Name Divine Nature Personality and Mission of the Holy Spirit I do but declare and defend the faith of the Catholick Church against the Socinians with what Advantage with what contribution of Light or Evidence strength or order unto what hath been pleaded before by others is left unto the Learned Readers to judg and determine And in what concerns the Adjuncts and Properties of his Mission and Operation some may and I hope do judg themselves not unbeholding unto me for administring an occasion unto them of deeper and better Thoughts about them The second Part of our Endeavour concerneth the Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Creation both in its Production Preservation and Rulâ— And whereas I had not therein the Advantage of any one Ancient or Modern Author to beat out the Paths of Truth before me I have confined my self to express Testimonies of Scripture with such Expositions of them as sufficiently evidence their own Truth though also they want not such a suffrage from others as may give them the Reputation of some Authority The like may be said of what succeeds in the next Place concerning his Work under the New Testament preparatory for the new Creation in the Communication of all sorts of Gifts Ordinary and Extraordinary all kind of Skill and Ability in things Spiritual Natural Moral Artificial and Political with the Instances whereby those Operations of his are confirmed All these things many wherefore are handled by others separately and apart are here proposed in their Order with respect unto their proper End and Design For what concerns his Work on the Head of the New Creation or the Humane Nature in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ I have been careful to keep severely unto the Bounds of Sobriety and not to indulge unto any curious or unwarrantable speculations I have therefore therein not only diligently attended unto the Doctrine of the Scripture our only infallible Rule and Guide but also expresly considered what was taught and believed in the Ancient Church in this Matter from which I know that I have not departed More I shall not add as to the first Difficulty wherewith an Endeavour of this kinds is attended arising from the Nature of the Subject treated of The other concerning the Contempt that is cast by many on all these things must yet be further spoken unto In all the Dispensations of God towards his People under the Old Testament there was nothing of God communicated unto them nothing of Worth or Excellency wrought in them or by them but it is expresly assigned unto the Holy Spirit as the Author and Cause of it But yet of all the Promises given unto them concerning a better and more glorious State of the Church to be afterwards introduced next unto that of the coming of the Son of God in the Flesh those are the most eminent which concern an Enlargement and more full Communication of the Spirit beyond what they were or could in their imperfect state be made Partakers of Accordingly we find in the New Testament that what-ever concerns the Conversion of the Elect the Edification of the Church the Sanctification and Consolation of Believers the performance of those of Duties of Obedience which we owe unto God with our Conduct in all the wayes thereof is in general and particular Instances so appropriated unto him as that it is withal declared that nothing of it in any kind can be enjoyed or performed without his especialâ—â—peration â—â—yd and Assistance So careful was God fully to instruct and to secure the faith of the Church in this matter according as he knew its eternal Concernments to lye therein Yet notwithstanding all the evidence given hereunto the Church of God in most Ages hath been exercised with Oppositions either to his Person or his Work or the manner of it contrary unto what is promised and declared concerning them in the Word of Truth nor doth it yet cease so to be Yea though the Contradictions of some in former Ages have been fierce and clamorous yet all that hath fallen out of that kind hath been exceeding short of what is come to pass in the dayes wherein we live For not to mention the Socinians who have gathered into one Head or rather ulcerous impostume all the virulent Oppositions made unto his Deity or Grace by the Photinians Macedonians and Pelagians of old there are others who professing no Enmity unto his Divine Person yea admitting and owning the Doctrine of the Church concerning it are yet ready on all occasions to despise and reproach that whole Work for which he was promised under the Old Testament and which is expresly assigned unto him in the Now. Hence is it grown amongst a Matter of Reproach and Scorn for any one to make mention of his Grace or to profess an interest in that Work of his as his without
reject the true and real Operations of the Spirit of God the Principal Preservative against our being deceived by them we may as well reject the owning of God himself because the Devil hath imposed himself on Mankind as the Object of their Worship Wherefore as to Enthusiasms of any kind which might possibly give countenance unto any Diabolical Suggestions we are so far from affirming any Operations of the Holy Ghost to consist in them or in any thing like unto them that we allow no pretence of them to be consistent therewithal And we have a sure Rule to try all these things by which as we are bound in all such Cases precisely to attend unto so hath God promised the Assistance of his Spirit that they be not deceived unto them who do it in sincerity What some Men intend by Impulses I know not If it be especial Aids Assistances and Inclinations unto Duties acknowledged to be such and the Duties of Persons so assisted and inclined and that peculiarly incumbent on them in their present Circumstances it requires no small Caution that under an invidious Name we reject not those supplies of Grace which are promised unto us and which we are bound to pray for But if irrational Impressions or violent Inclinations unto Things or Actions which are not acknowledged Duties in themselves evidenced by the Word of Truth and so unto the Persons so affected in their present Condition and Circumstances are thus expressed as we utterly abandon them so no pretence is given unto them from any thing which we believe concerning the Holy Spirit and his Operations For the whole Work which we assign unto him is nothing but that whereby we are enabled to perform that Obedience unto God which is required in the Scripture in the way and manner wherein it is required And it is probably more out of Enimity unto him than us where the contrary is pretended The same may be said concerning Revelations They are of two sorts Objective and Subjective Those of the former sort whether they contain Doctrines contrary unto that of the Scripture or additional thereunto or seemingly confirmatory thereof they are all universally to be rejected the former being absolutely false the latter useless Neither have any of the Operations of the Spirit pleaded for the least respect unto them For he having finished the whole Work of External Revelation and closed it in the Scripture his whole internal Spiritual Work is suited and commensurate thereunto By Subjective Revelations nothing is intended but that Work of Spiritual Illumination whereby we are enabled to discern and understand the Mind of God in the Scripture which the Apostle prayes for in the behalf of all Believers Ephes. 1. 17 18 19. and whose Nature God assisting shall be fully explained hereafter So little pretence therefore there is for this Charge on them by whom the Efficacious Operations of the Spirit of God are asserted as that without them we have no absolute security that we shall be preserved from being imposed on by them or some of them But it may be it will be said at last that our whole Labour in declaring the Work of the Spirit of God in us and towards us as well as what we have now briefly spoken in the Vindication of it from these or the like Imputations is altogether vain seeing all we do or say herein is nothing but canting with unintelligible Expressions So some affirm indeed before they have produced their Charter wherein they are constituted the sole Judges of what Words what Expressions what way of Teaching is proper in things of this Nature But by any thing that yet appears they seem to be as unmeet for the Exercise of that Dictatorship herein which they pretend unto as any sort of Men that ever undertook the Declaration of Things Sacred and Spiritual Wherefore unless they come with better Authority than as yet they can pretend unto and give a better Example of their own Way and Manner of teaching such Things than as yet they have done we shall continue to make Scripture Phraseology our Rule and Patern in the Declaration of Spiritual Things and endeavour an Accommodation of all our Expressions thereunto whether to them intelligible or not and that for Reasons so easie to be conceived as that they need not here be pleaded An Advertisement unto the Readers BEing absent from the Press a good part of the time wherein this Treatise was Printed and being sometimes disinabled by Sickness from attending unto a perusal of the Sheets I find that sundry Errors and Mistakes have fallen out in some Copies of this Impression But whereas for the most part they are Literal Faults or in Pointing not so corrupting the Sense but that an understanding Reader may easily discern what is intended I do not judg it necessary scrupulously to collect or represent them Some few may be taken notice of in a way of Instance Page 239. line 28. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 348. l. 46. r. Afflatus P. 350. l. 50. for weakned r. awaked P. 365. l. 6. for publick r. putid Ibid. l. 15. for fruitless r. frontless c. P. 495. l. 17. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 510. l. 21. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 34. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 535. for exclusively r. extensively P. 549. l. 8. for deceit r. defect P. 559. l. 28. for Cisterne r. Systeme And sundry other such Mistakes I have observed which need not to be mentioned in particular as not likely to give the least trouble unto an intelligent Reader The most of these also which I have here taken notice of are Corrected in some Copies sundry of them in the most BOOK I. General Principles Concerning the HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS WORK CHAP. I. 1. 1 Cor. 12. 1. opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual Gifts Their Grant unto Use and Abuse in that Church 2. Jesus how called Anathema impiety of the Jews How called Lord. The Foundation of Church-Order and Worship 3. In what sense we are enabled by the Spirit to call Jesus Lord. 4. The Holy Spirit the Author of all Gifts why called God and the Lord. 5. General Distribution of Spiritual Gifts 6. Proper End of their Communication 7. Nine sorts of Gifts Abuse of them in the Church Their tendency unto Peace and Order 8. General Design of the ensuing Discourse concerning the Spirit and his Dispensation 9. Importance of the Doctrine concerning the Spirit of God and his Operations Reasons hereof 10. Promise of the Spirit to supply the Absence of Christ as to his Humane Nature Concernment thereof 11. Work of the Spirit in the Ministration of the Gospel 12 13. All saving Good communicated unto us and wrought in us by Him 14. Sin against the Holy Ghost irremissible 15. False pretences unto the Spirit dangerous 16. Pretences unto the Spirit of Prophesie under the Old Testament 17. Two sorts of false Prophets the first
his Gifts unto his Disciples by breathing on them John 20. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because in our first Creation it is said of Adam that God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life Gen. 2. 7. He hath the same Appellation with respect unto God Psal. 18. 15. Thus is he called the Spirit And because as we observed before the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is variously used Didymus de Spiritu Sancto lib. 3. supposeth that the prefixing of the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth distinguish the signification and confine it to the Holy Ghost in the New Testament Oft-times no doubt it doth so but not alwayes as is manifest from Joh. 8. 3. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet only signifies the Wind. But the Subject treated of and what is affirmed of him will sufficiently determine the signification of the Word where he is called absolutely THE SPIRIT Sect. 9 Again He is called by way of Eminency the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost This is the most usual Appellation of him in the New Testament And it is derived from the Old Psal. 51. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of thy Holiness or thy Holy Spirit Isa. 63. 10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of his Holiness or his Holy Spirit Hence are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Holiness in common use among the Jews In the New Testament He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Holy Spirit And we must enquire the special Reasons of this Adjunct Some suppose it is only from his peculiar Work of sanctifying us or making us Holy For this Effect of Sanctification is his peculiar Work and that of what sort soever it be whether it consist in a separation from things Profane and Common unto Holy Uses and Services or whether it be the real Infusion and Operation of Holiness in Men it is from him in an especial manner And this also manifesteth him to be God for it is God alone who sanctifyeth his People Levit. 20. 8. I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you And God in that Work ascribes unto himself the Title of Holy in an especial manner and as such would have us to consider him Levit. 21. 8. I the Lord which sanctifieth you am Holy And this may be one Reason of the frequent use of this Property with reference unto the Spirit Sect. 10 But this is not the whole Reason of this Name and Apellation For where he is first so mentioned he is called the Spirit of Gods Holiness Psal. 51. 11. Isa 63. 10 11. And in the New Testament absolutely the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1. 4. And this respects his Nature in the first Place and not merely his Operations As God then absolutely is called Holy the Holy One and the Holy One of Israel being therein described by that Glorious Property of his Nature whereby he is Glorious in Holiness Exod. 15. 11 And whereby he is distinguished from all false Gods who is like unto thee O Jehovah among the Gods who is like unto thee Glorious in Holiness So is the Spirit called Holy to denote the Holiness of his Nature And on this Account is the Opposition made between him and the Unholy or unclean Spirit Mark 3. 29 30. He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgivness Because they said he hath an unclean Spirit And herein first his Personality is asserted for the Unclean Spirit is a Person And if the Spirit of God were only a Quality or Accident as some fancy and dream there could no comparative opposition be made between him and this unclean Spirit that is the Devil So also are they opposed with respect unto their Natures His Nature is Holy whereas that of the unclean Spirit is Evil and perverse This is the Foundation of his being called Holy even the eternal Glorious Holiness of his Nature And on this account he is so stiled also with respect unto all his Operations For it is not only with regard unto the particular Work of Regeneration and Sanctification or making of us Holy but unto all his Works and Operations that he is so termed For he being the immediate Operator of all Divine Works that outwardly are of God and they being in themselves all Holy be they of what kind soever He is called the Holy Spirit Yea he is so called to attest and witness that all his Works all the Works of God are Holy although they may be great and terrible and such as to Corrupt Reason may have an other Appearance in all which we are to acquiesce in this that the Holy One in the midst of us will do no iniquity Zeph. 3. 5. The Spirit of God then is thus frequently and almost constantly called Holy to attest that all the Works of God whereof he is the immediate Operator are Holy For it is the Work of the Spirit to harden and blind obstinate sinners as well as to Sanctifie the Elect. And his acting in the One is no less Holy than in the other although Holiness be not the Effect of it in the Objects So when he came to declare his dreadful Work of the final hardning and Rejection of the Jews one of the most tremendous Effects of Divine Providence a Work which for the strangeness of it Men would in no wise believe though it were declared unto them Acts 13. 41. he was signally proclamed Holy by the Seraphims that attended his Throne Isa. 6. 3 10 11 12. Joh. 12. 40. Acts 28. 26. Sect. 11 There are indeed some Actions on Men and in the World that are wrought by God's permission and in his righteous Judgment by Evil Spirits whose Persons and actings are placed in Opposition to the Spirit of God So Sam. 16. 14 15. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an Evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him And Saul's servants said unto him behold now an Evil Spirit from God troubleth thee So also v. 23. The Evil Spirit from God was upon Saul So chap. 18. 10. Chap. 19. 9. This Spirit is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evil Spirit of God Chap. 16. 15. and absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit of God v. 33. where we have supplied Evil in the Translation But these Expressions are to be regulated and explained by v. 14. where he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Evil Spirit from the Lord that is appointed and commissioned by him for the punishing and terrifying of Saul For as the Spirit of the Lord departed from him by with-drawing his Assistance and Influential operations whereby he had wrought in him those Gifts and Abilities of mind which fitted him unto the discharge of his Kingly Office upon the first impressions whereof he was turned into another man from what he was in his Private Condition 1 Sam. 10. 6
rather coming upon him He that is John the Baptist not Christ himself The Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refers in this Place to the more remote Antecedent For although he that is Christ himself also saw the descending of the Holy Spirit yet I suppose this relates unto that Token which was to be given of him unto John whereby he should know him Joh. 1. 32 33. The following words are ambiguous For that Expression like a Dove may refer to the manner of his descending descending in a bodily shape as a Dove descends Or they may respect the manner of his Appearance he appeared like a Dove descending And this sense is determined in the other Evangelists to the bodily shape wherein he descended He took the form or shape of a Dove to make a visible Representation of himself by For a visible Pledg was to be given of the coming of the Holy Ghost on the Messiah according to the Promise and thereby did God direct his great forerunner to the Knowledg of him Now this was no real Dove That would not have been a thing so Miraculous as this Appearance of the Holy Ghost is represented to be And the Text will not bear any such Apprehension though it was entertained by some of the Antients For it is evident that this shape of a Dove came out of Heaven He saw the Heavens opened and the Dove descending that is out of Heaven which was opened to make way as it were for him Moreover the Expression of the Opening of the Heavens is not used but with respect unto some Appearance or Manifestation of God himself And so or which is the same the bowing of the Heavens is often used Psal. 144. 5. Isa. 64. 1. Bow thy Heavens O Lord and come down 2 Sam. 22. 10. Ezek. 1. 1. The Heavens were opened and I saw the Visions of God So Acts 7. 56. God used not this Sign but in some manifestation of himself And had not this been an Appearance of God there had been no need of bowing or opening the Heavens for it And it is plainly said that it was not a Dove but the shape or representation of a Dove It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bodily shape and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Dove Sect. 16 As then at the beginning of the old Creation the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incubabat came and fell on the Waters cherishing the whole and communicating a prolifick and vivifick Quality unto it as a Fowl or Dove in particular gently moves it self upon its Eggs until with and by its generative warmth it hath communicated vital heat unto them so now at the entrance of the new Creation he comes as a Dove upon Him who was the immediate Author of it and virtually comprized it in himself carrying it on by vertue of his Presence with him And so this is applyed in the Syriack Ritual of Baptism composed by Severinus in the account given of the Baptism of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the pirit of Holiness descended flying in the likeness of a Dove and rested upon him and moved on the Waters And in the assumption of this form there may be some respect unto the Dove that brought tydings to Noah of the ceasing of the Flood of Waters and of the ending of the Wrath of God who thereon said that he would curse the Earth no more Gen. 8. 11. For herein also was there a significant Representation of him who visited poor lost mankind in their cursed Condition and proclaimed Peace unto them that would return to God by him the Great Peace-maker Ephes. 2. 14 15. And this Work he immediately ingaged into on the resting of this Dove upon him Besides there is a natural aptness in that Creature to represent the Spirit that rested on the Lord Jesus For the known Nature and Course of a Dove is such as is meet to mind us of Purity and harmless Innocencie Mat. 10. 16. Hence is that Direction Be harmless as Doves So also the sharpness of its sight or eyes as Cant. 1. 16. Chap. 4. 1. is fixed on to represent a quick and discerning Understanding such as was in Christ from the resting of the Spirit upon him Isa. 11. 3. Sect. 14 The shape thereof that appeared was that of a Dove but the Substance it self I judge was of a fiery Nature an aethereal Substance shaped into the form or resemblance of a Dove It had the shape of a Dove but not the appearance of Feathers Colours or the like This also rendred the appearance the more Visible Conspicuous Heavenly and Glorious And the Holy Ghost is often compared to Fire because he was of old typified or represented thereby For on the first solemn offering of Sacrifices there came fire from the Lord for the kindling of them Hence Theodotion of old rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 4. 4. the Lord had respect to the Offering of Abel by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God fired the Offering of Abel sent down Fire that kindled his Sacrifice as a Token of his Acceptance However it is certain that at the first Erection of the Altar in the Wilderness upon the first Sacrifices fire came out from before the Lord and consumed on the Altar the Burnt-Offering and the Fat which when all the People saw they shouted and fell on their Faces Levit. 9. 24. And the Fire kindled hereby was to be perpetuated on the Altar so that none was ever to be used in Sacrifice but what was traduced from it For a neglect of this Intimation of the Mind of God were Nadab and Abihu consumed Chap. 10. 1. So was it also upon the Dedication of the Altar in the Temple of Solomon Fire came down from Heaven and consumed the Burnt-Offering 2 Chron. 7. 1. and a fire thence kindled was alwayes kept burning on the Altar And in like manner God bare Testimony to the Ministry of Elijah 1 King 18. 38 39. God by all these signified that no Sacrifices were accepted with him where Faith was not kindled in the Heart of the Offerer by the Holy Ghost represented by the Fire that kindled the Sacrifices on the Altar And in Answer hereunto is our Lord Jesus Christ said to offer himself through the eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. It was therefore most probably a fiery Appearance that was made And in the next bodily shape which he assumed it is expresly said that it was fiery Acts 2. 3. There appeared unto them cloven Tongues like as of Fire which was the Visible Token of the coming of the Holy Ghost upon them And he chose then that figure of Tongues to denote the Assistance which by the miraculous Gift of speaking with divers Tongues together with that Wisdom and Utterance which he furnished them withal for the Publication of the Gospel And thus also the Lord Christ is said to baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Matth. 3. 11. Not two things are intended but the
them where they are removed and taken away but they cannot teach without him unto the least Spiritual Advantage And those who pretend to be Teachers of others and yet despise his teaching Assistance will one day find that they undertook a Work which was none of theirs But as unto our use of this Assertion it is excepted that the Apostle affirms that Nature also teacheth us 1 Cor. 11. 14. Doth not even Nature it self teach you Now Nature is not a Person This is the way and manner of them with whom we have to do If any word in a Testimony produced by us have been any where used metaphorically though it be never so evident that it is so used in that place instantly it must have the same figurative Application in the Testimony excepted against although they can give no Reason why it should so signifie And if this course of excepting be allowed there will be nothing left intelligible in the Scripture nor in any other Author nor in common Conversation in the World For there is scarce any Word or Name of thing but one where or other is or hath been abused or used Metaphorically In particular Nature in this place of the Apostle is said to teach us objectively as the Heavens and Earth teach us in what we learn from them For it is said to teach us what we may learn from the customs and actings of them who live proceed and act according to the Principles Dictates and Inclinations of it Every one sees that here is no intimation of an active teaching by Instruction or a reall Communication of Knowledg but it is said figuratively to do what we do with respect unto it And not only in several places but in the same Sentence a word may be used properly with respect unto one thing and abusively with respect unto another As in that saying of the Poet Disce puer virtutem ex me verumque laborem Fortunam ex aliis For Vertue and Industry are to be learned properly but Fortune as they called it or prosperous Events are not so These things therefore are very different and their difference is obvious unto all But we insist not meerly on this or that particular Instance Let any Man not absolutely prepossessed with prejudice read over that Discourse of our Saviour unto his Disciples wherein he purposely instructs them in the Nature and Work of the Spirit of God on whom as it were he then devolved the care of them and the Gospel according unto the Promise John 14 15 16 Chap. and he will need no farther Instruction or Confirmation in this Matter He is there frequently called the Comforter the Name of a Person and that vested with an Office with respect unto the Work that he would do and another Comforter in answer and conformity unto the Lord Christ who was one Comforter and a Person as all grant Chap. 14. 16. If he be not so the intention of this Expression with these Circumstances must be to deceive us and not instruct us He tells them moreover that he is one whom the World neither sees nor knows but who abideth with and dwelleth in Believers v. 17. One whom the Father would send and who would come accordingly and that to teach them to lead and guide them and to bring things to their remembrance v. 26. A Comforter that should come and testifie or bear witness unto him Chap. 15. 26. One that should be sent of Him to reprove the world of Sin Righteousness and Judgment Chap. 16. 7 8. and abide with his Disciples to supply his own bodily absence So is he said to Speak Guide Teach Hear to receive of Christ and to shew it unto others v. 13 14. with sundry other things of the same Nature and Importance And these things are not spoken of him occasionally or in transitu but in a direct continued Discourse designed on purpose by our Lord Jesus Christ to acquaint his Disciples who he was and what he would do for them And if there were nothing spoken of him in the whole Scripture but what is here declared by our Saviour all unprejudiced Men must and would acknowledg him to be a Divine Person And it is a confidence swelling above all bounds of Modesty to suppose that because one or other of these things are or may be Metaphorically or Metaleptically ascribed unto this or that thing which are not Persons when the figurativeness of such an Ascription is plain and open that therefore they are all of them in like manner so ascribed unto the Holy Ghost in that Discourse of our Saviour unto his Disciples wherein he designed the Instruction of them as above declared Of the same Nature is that which we discoursed before concerning his searching of all things from 1 Cor. 2. 11. which as it proves him to be an understanding Agent so it undeniably denotes a Personal Action Such also are the things mentioned Rom. 8. 15 16 26. He helpeth our Infirmities he maketh intercession for us He himself beareth witness with our Spirits the particular meaning of all which Expressions shall be afterwards enquired into Here the only refuge of our Adversaries is to cry up a Prosopopaeia Schlicting p. 627. But how do they prove it Only by saying that these things belong properly to a Person which the Spirit is not Now this is nothing but to set up their own false Hypothesis against our Arguments and not being able to contend with the Premises to deny the Conclusion Sect. 26 There are two other places of this Nature both to the same purpose sufficient of themselves to confirm our Faith in the Truth pleaded for And these are Acts 13. 2 4. As they ministred unto the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the Work whereunto I have called them So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed The other is Acts 20. 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers These places hold a good correspondence and what is reported in an extraordinary case as matter of Fact in the first is doctrinally applyed unto ordinary Cases in the latter And two things are remarkable in the first Place 1. The Holy Ghost's designation of Himself as the Person unto whom and whose Work Barnabas and Saul were to be separated and dedicated Saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not separate me as in our Translation making the Spirit onely the Author of the Command but separate unto me which proposeth him also as the Object of the Duty required and the Person whose Work was to be attended Who or what then is intended by that Pronoun Me Some Person is directed unto and signified thereby Nor can any Instance be given where it is so much as figuratively used unless it be in a professed Parable That remains therefore to be enquired into Who is intended in that word Me And the words are the words
and Operations of second Causes so we abhor that Atheism which ascribes unto them an Original and Independent Efficacy and Causality without a previous acting in by and upon them of the Power of God And this is here ascribed unto the Spirit whom God sendeth forth unto that End and Purpose As to rational and moral actions such as the great Affairs of the World do consist in and are disposed of by he hath in them also a peculiar Efficiency Thus those great Vertues of Wisdom Courage and Fortitude which have been used for the producing of great Effects in the World are of his especial Operation So when God stirred up Men to Rule and Govern his People of Old to fight against and to subdue their Enemies it is said the Spirit of God came upon them Jud. 3. 10. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel and he judged Israel and went out to War The Spirit of God endued him with Wisdom for Government and with courage and skill in conduct for War So Judg. 6. 34. And although Instances hereof are given us principally among the People of God yet whereever Men in the World have been raised up to do great and wonderful things whereby God executeth his Judgments fulfilleth any of his Promises or his Threatnings even they also have received of the especial Gifts and Assistances of the Holy Spirit of God For this Reason is Cyrus expresly called God's Anointed Isa. 45. 1. Cyrus had by God's Designation a great and mighty Work to effect He was utterly to ruine and destroy the Great Antient Babylonian Monarchy God had a concern herein as to the avenging of the Quarrel of his People and therein the accomplishment of many Promises and Threatnings The Work it self was great arduous and insuperable to ordinary humane Abilities Wherefore God sends his Spirit to fill Cyrus with Wisdom Courage skill in all Military Affairs that he might go through with the Work whereunto in the Providence of God he was designed Hence is he called God's Anointed because the Unction of Kings of old was an instituted Sign of the Communication of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost for Government unto them see Isa. 45. 1 2 3 4 5. and other Instances of the like kind might be given Sect. 16 Thus when the Church was to have a blessed Restauration of the Worship of God after the return of the People from their Captivity Zerubbabel is in an especial manner called to begin and carry on this Work in the building of the Temple But the Difficulties he had to conflict withal were great and appeared insuperable The People were few and poor and the Oppositions made unto them and their Work great and many Especially what arose from the Power of the Persian Monarchy under whose Rule and Oppression they were For although they had Permission and Encouragement from Cyrus for their Work yet immediately upon his Death they were oppressed again and their Work caused to cease This Power they could no way conflict withal yet God tells them that all this Opposition shall be removed and conquered Who art thou saith he O great Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain Zech. 4. 7. All the hindrance that arose from that great Mountain of the Persian Empire shall be removed out of the way and the progress of Zerubbabel in his Work shall be made smooth plain and easie But how shall this be effected and brought about Not by an Army or by Might nor by Power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts v. 6. You would suppose that it must be done by Armies and open force which you are altogether insufficient for But this is not the way I will take in this matter My Spirit shall work in their Hearts Minds and Counsels that contrary to their fears they shall themselves further that work which hitherto they have impeded And he shall work in the Minds and Counsels of others to oppose them and entangle them where they would hinder it until they are destroyed and that great Mountain be fully removed as in the Event it came to pass So that the Providential Alterations that are wrought in the World are Effects of his Power and Efficacy also Sect. 17 And thus have we taken a short view of the Dispensation and Work of the Spirit of God in the first Creation But the Effect hereof being a State of things that quickly passed away and being of no advantage to the Church after the entrance of sin what belonged unto it is but sparingly delivered in the Scriptures the true sense of what is so delivered depending much on the Analogie of the following Works of God in Man's Renovation and Recovery But as to the New Creation which falls under our Consideration in the next place as that alone which is directly intended by us the Foundation building up and finishing the Church of God therein being the things whereon depends the principal manifestation of the Glory of God and wherein the great Concerns of all the Elect do lie they are more fully and directly declared in the Scripture And in reference unto them we shall find a full distinct Declaration of the whole Dispensation and Work of the Spirit of God Way and Manner of the Divine Dispensation of the HOLY SPIRIT CHAP. V. 1. Dispensation of the Spirit to be learned from the Scripture only general Adjuncts thereof 2. The Administration of the Spirit and his own Application of himself to his Work how expressed 3. The Spirit how and in what sense given and received 4. What is included in the giving of the Spirit 5. What in receiving of him 6 7. Priviledg and Advantage in receiving the Spirit 8. How God is said to SEND the Spirit what is included in sending 9. How God MINISTERS the Spirit 10. How God is said to PUT his Spirit on us What is included in that Expression 11. The Spirit how POURED out 12 13. What is included and intended herein 14. The wayes of the Spirits Application of himself unto his Work 15. His proceeding from Father and Son explained 16. How he cometh unto us 17. His falling on Men. 18. His resting 19. How and in what sense he is said to depart from any Person 20. Of the Divisions of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 3. 21. Exposition of them vindicated Sect. 1 BEfore we treat of the especial Operations Works and Effects of the Holy Ghost in and on the New Creation the Order of things requires that we should first speak somewhat of the General Nature of God's Dispensation of him and of his own Applications of himself unto his Actings and Workings in this Matter For this is the Foundation of all that he doth and this for our Edification we are instructed in by the Scriptures Unto them in this whole Discourse we must diligently attend for we are exercised in such a Subject as wherein we have no Rule nor Guide nor any thing to give us Assistance but pure Revelation And
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
down Rain Job 36. 27. until it water the Ridges of the Earth abundantly setling the Furrows thereof and making it soft with Showers as Psal. 65. 10. which with the things following in that place v. 11 12 13. are spoken Allegorically of this pouring out of the Spirit of God from above Hence God is said to do this richly Tit. 3. 6. The renewing of the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he hath poured on us richly that is on all Believers who are converted unto God For the Apostle discourseth not of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost which were then given forth in a plentiful manner but of that Grace of the Holy Ghost whereby all that believe are regenerated renewed and converted unto God For so were men converted of old by a rich participation of the Holy Ghost and so they must be still whatever some pretend or die in their sins And by the same word is the bounty of God in other things expressed The living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6. 17. 2. This pouring out hath respect unto the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit and not unto his Person For where he is given he is given absolutely and as to himself not more or less but his Gifts and Graces may be more plentifully and abundantly given at one time than at another to some Persons than to others Wherefore this Expression is metonymical that being spoken of the Cause which is proper to the Effect the Spirit being said to be poured forth because his Graces are so 3. Respect is had herein unto some especial Works of the Spirit Such are the Purifying or Sanctifying and the Comforting or Refreshing them on whom He is poured With respect unto the first to these Effects he is compared both unto Fire and Water For both Fire and Water have purifying Qualities in them though towards different Objects and working in a different manner So by Fire are Metals purified and purged from their Dross and Mixtures and by Water are all other unclean and defiled things cleansed and purified Hence the Lord Jesus Christ in his Work by his Spirit is at once compared unto a Refiners Fire and to Fullers Sope Mal. 3. 2 3. because of the purging purifying Qualities that are in Fire and Water And the Holy Ghost is expresly called a Spirit of Burning Isa. 4. 4. For by him are the Vessels of the House of God that are of Gold and Silver refined and purged as those that are but of Wood and Stone are consumed And when it is said of our Lord Jesus that he should baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Luke 3. 16. it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same thing doubly expressed and therefore mention is made only of the Holy Ghost John 1. 33. But the Holy Ghost was in his Dispensation to purifie and cleanse them as Fire doth Gold and Silver And on the same account is he compared to Water Ezek. 36. 35. I will sprinkle clean Water upon you and you shall be clean which is expounded v. 26. by a New Spirit will I put within you which God calls his Spirit Jer. 32. 39. So our Saviour calls him Rivers of Water Joh. 7. 38 39. see Isa. 44. 3. And it is with regard unto his purifying cleansing and sanctifying our Natures that he is thus called With respect therefore in an especial manner hereunto is he said to be poured out So our Apostle expresly declares Tit. 3. 4 5 6. Again it respects his comforting and refreshing them on whom he is poured Hence is he said to be poured down from above as Rain that descends on the Earth Isa. 44. 3. I will pour Water upon him that is thirsty and Floods upon the dry ground that is I will pour my Spirit on thy Seed and my Blessing upon thy Off-spring and they shall spring up as among the Grass as Willows by the Water-Courses v. 4. see Chap. 35. 6 7. He comes upon the dry parched barren ground of the hearts of men with his refreshing fructifying Vertue and Blessing causing them to spring and bring forth Fruits in Holiness and Righteousness to God Heb. 6. 7. And in respect unto his Communication of his Spirit is the Lord Christ said to come down like Rain upon the mown Grass as Showers that water the Earth Psal. 72. 6. The good Lord give us alwayes of these Waters and refreshing Showers And these are the wayes in general whereby the Dispensation of the Spirit from God for what End or Purpose soever it be is expressed Sect. 14 We come nextly to consider what is ascribed unto the Spirit Himself in a way of complyance with these Acts of God whereby he is given and administred Now these are such Things or Actions as manifest him to be a Voluntary Agent and that not only as to what he acts or doth in men but also as to the manner of his coming forth from God and his Application of himself unto his Work And these we must consider as they are declared unto us in the Scripture The first and most general Expression hereof is that he proceedeth from the Father and being the Spirit of the Son he proceedeth from him also in like manner John 15. 25. The Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me There is 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Procession of the Holy Ghost The 〈…〉 Natural or Personal This expresseth his Eternal Relation to the Persons of the Father and the Son He is of them by an eternal Emanation or Procession The manner hereof unto us in this Life is incomprehensible Therefore it is rejected by some who will believe no more than they can put their hands into the sides of And yet are they forced in things under their Eyes to admit of many things which they cannot perfectly comprehend But we live by Faith and not by Sight This is enough unto us that we admit nothing in this great Mystery but what is revealed and nothing is revealed unto us that is inconsistent with the Being and Subsistence of God For this Procession or Emanation includes no Separation or Division in or of the Divine Nature but only expresseth a distinction in Subsistence by a Property peculiar to the Holy Spirit But this is not that which at present I intend The consideration of it belongeth unto the Doctrine of the Trinity in general and hath been handled elsewhere Secondly There is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Procession of the Spirit which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dispensatory This is the Egress of the Spirit in his Application of Himself unto his Work A voluntary Act it is of his Will and not a necessary Property of his Person And he is said thus to proceed from the Father because he goeth forth or proceedeth in the pursuit of the Counsels and Purposes of the Father and as sent by him to put them into
Execution or to make them effectual And in like manner he proceedeth from the Son sent by Him for the Application of his Grace unto the Souls of his Elect John 15. 16. It is true this proves his Eternal Relation to the Father and the Son as he proceeds from them or receives his peculiar Personal Subsistence from them For that is the Ground of this order of Operation But it is his own Personal voluntary acting that is intended in the Expression And this is the general Notation of the Original of the Spirits acting in all that he doth He proceedeth or cometh forth from the Father Had it been only said that He was given and sent it could not have been known that there was any thing of his own Will in what he did whereas he is said to divide unto every one as He will But in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He proceedeth of his own accord unto his Work his own Will and Condescention is also asserted And this his proceeding from the Father is in complyance with his sending of Him to accomplish and make effectual the Purposes of his Will and the Counsels of his Grace Sect. 16 Secondly To the same purpose He is said to come John 15. 26. When the Comforter is come John 16. 7. If I go not away the Comforter will not come v. 8. and when he is come So is he said to come upon Persons We so express it 1 Chron. 12. 18. The Spirit came upon Amasai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Spirit clothed Amasai possessed his Mind as a Man's Cloths cleave unto him Acts 19. 6. The Holy Ghost came on them and they prophesied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come is as it were the Terminus ad Quem of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 going forth or proceeding For there is in these Expressions an Allusion unto a local Motion whereof these two words denote the Beginning and the End The first intendeth his voluntary Application of himself to his Work the other his progress in it such Condescentions doth God make use of in the declaration of his Divine Actings to accommodate them unto our Understandings and to give us some kind of Apprehension of them He proceedeth from the Father as given by him and cometh unto us as sent by him The meaning of both is that the Holy Ghost by his own Will and Consent worketh in the pursuit of the Will of the Father there and that where and what he did not work before And as there is no local Motion to be thought of in these things so they can in no tolerable sense be reconciled to the Imagination of his being onely the inherent Vertue or an actual Emanation and Influence of the Power of God And hereby is our Faith and Obedience Regulated in our dealing with God about Him For we may both pray the Father that he would give and send Him unto us according to his Promise and we may pray to Him to come unto us to sanctifie and comfort us according to the Work and Office that he hath undertaken This is that which we are taught hereby For these Revelations of God are for our Instruction in the Obedience of Faith Sect. 17 Thirdly He is said to fall on Men Acts 10. 44. While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word So Chap. 11. 4. Where Peter repeating the same Matter sayes The Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning that is Acts 2. 4. A greatness and suddainness in a surprizal is intended in this Word As when the Fire fell down from Heaven which was a Type of him upon the Altar and Sacrifice of Elijah the People that saw it were amazed and falling on their Faces cryed out The Lord he is God 1 Kings 18. 38 39. When Men are no way in expectation of such a Gift or when they have an Expectation in general but are suddainly surprized as to the particular Season it is thus declared But where-ever this word is used some extraordinary Effects evidencing his Presence and Power do immediately ensue Acts 10. 44 46. And so it was at the beginning of his Effusion under the New Testament Acts 2. 4. 8. 16. Sect. 18 Fourthly Being come He is said to Rest on the Persons to whom he is given and sent Isa. 11. 3. And the Spirit of the Lord shall Rest upon him This is interpreted abiding and remaining John 1. 32 33. Numb 11. 25 26. The Spirit of the Lord rested on the Elders So the Spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha 2 Kings 2. 15. 1 Pet. 4. 14. The Spirit of God and of Glory resteth on you Two things are included herein 1. Complacency 2. Permanency First He is well-pleased in his Work wherein he Rests So where God is said to rest in his Love he doth i◠with Joy and singing Zeph. 3. 17. so doth the Spirit rejoyce where he rests Secondly He abides where he Rests Under this Notion is this acting of the Spirit promised by our Saviour He shall abide with you for ever John 14. 16. He came only on some Men by a sudden surprizal to act in them and by them some peculiar Work and Duty To this end he only transiently affected their Minds with his Power But where he is said to rest as in the works of Sanctification and Consolation there he abides and continues with Complacency and Delight Sect. 19 Fifthly He is said to depart from some Persons So it is said of Saul 1 Sam. 16. 14. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him And David prayes that God would not take his Holy Spirit from him Psal. 51. 11. And this is to be understood answerably unto what we have discoursed before about his coming and his being sent As he is said to come so is he said to depart and as he is said to be sent so is he said to be taken away His departure from men therefore is his ceasing to work in them and on them as formerly and as far as this is penal he is said to be taken away So he departed and was taken away from Saul when he no more helped him with that Ability for Kingly Government which before he had by his Assistance And this departure of the Holy Ghost from any is either total or partial onely Some on whom he hath been bestowed for the working of sundry Gifts for the good of others with manifold convictions by Light and general Assistance unto the performance of Duties He utterly deserts and gives them up unto themselves and their own hearts lusts Examples hereof are common in the World Men who have been made Partakers of many Gifts of the Holy Ghost and been in an especial manner enlightned and under the Power of their Convictions carried out unto the Profession of the Gospel and the performance of many Duties of Religion yet being entangled by Temptations and overcome by the power of their lusts relinquish all
declares That the Holy Spirit gave out various Gifts unto the first Preachers of the Gospel for the confirmation of their Doctrine according to the Promise of our Saviour John 15. 26 27. Of these he mentions in particular First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signs That is Miraculous Works wrought to signifie the Presence of God by his Power with them that wrought them so giving out his Approbation of the Doctrine which they taught Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prodigies or Wonders Works beyond the Power of Nature or energie of Natural Causes wrought to fill Men with Wonder and Admiration manifesting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and surprizing Men with a sense of the Presence of God Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty Works of several sorts such as opening of the Eyes of the Blind raising the Dead and the like These being mentioned there is added in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gifts of the Holy Ghost For these and other like things did the Holy Ghost work and effect to the end mentioned And these Distributions are from him as the Signs and Wonders were that is Effects of his Power only there is added an intimation how they are all wrought by him which is by giving them a power for their Operation variously dividing them amongst those on whom they were bestowed and that as it is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according unto his own Will And this place is so directly and fully expounded 1 Cor. 12. 7 8 9 10 11. that there is no room of exception left unto the most obstinate And that place having been opened before in the entrance of this Discourse I shall not here call it over again These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore are his Gifts which as Parts and Parcels of his Work he giveth out in great variety To the same purpose are his Operations described Isa. 11. 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and of Might the Spirit of Knowledg and of the Fear of the Lord. He is first called the Spirit of the Lord to express his Being and Nature and then he is termed the Spirit of Wisdom and of Counsel c. That is He who is the Author of Wisdom and Counsel and the rest of the Graces mentioned who divides and distributes them according to his own Will That variety of Gifts and Graces wherewith Believers are endowed and adorned are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Distributions of the Holy Spirit Hence the principal respect that we have unto him immediately in our Worship of him under the New Testament is as he is the Author of these various Gifts and Graces So John saluting the Churches of Asia prayeth for Grace for them from God the Father and the seven Spirits that are before his Throne Rev. 1. 4. That is the Holy Spirit of God considered in his care of the Church and his yielding supplies unto it as the Author of that Perfection of Gifts and Graces which are and are to be bestowed upon it So doth the number of Seven denote And therefore whereas our Lord Jesus Christ as the Foundation of his Church was anointed with all the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit in their Perfection it is said that upon that one Stone should be seven Eyes Zech. 3. 9. all the Gifts of the Seven Spirits of God or of that Holy Spirit which is the Author of them all Sect. 21 All therefore that is pleaded for the Division of the Holy Ghost from this place is built on the Supposition that we have before rejected namely that he is not a Divine Person but an Arbitrary Emanation of Divine Power and yet neither so can the division of the Holy Ghost pleaded for be with any tolerable sense maintained Crellius sayes indeed that all Divine Inspirations may be considered as one Whole as many Waters make up one Sea In this respect the Holy Ghost is One that is one Universal made up of many Species this is totum logicum And so He may be divided into his Subordinate Species But what Ground or Colour is there for any such Notions in the Scripture Where is it said that all the Gifts of the Holy Ghost do constitute or make up one Holy Ghost Or the Holy Ghost is one in general because many Effects are ascribed unto him Or that the several Gifts of the Spirit are so many distinct kinds of it The contrary unto all these is expresly taught namely that the One Holy Spirit worketh all these things as he pleaseth so that they are all of them external Acts of his Will and Power And it is to as little purpose pleaded by the same Author that he is divided as a Natural Whole into its Parts because there is mention of a Measure and Portion of him So God is said not to give him to Jesus Christ by Measure John 3. 34. And to every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ as though one Measure of him were granted unto One and another Measure to another But this Measure is plainly of his Gifts and Graces These were bestowed on the Lord Christ in all their fulness without any limitation either as to Kinds or Degrees They were poured into him according unto the utmost extent and capacity of Humane Nature and that under an inconceivable advancement by its Union unto the Son of God Others receive his Gifts and Graces in limited proportion both as to their Kinds and Degrees To turn into a Division of the Spirit himself is the greatest madness And casting aside Prejudices there is no difficulty in the understanding of that saying of God to Moses Numb 11. 17. I will take of the Spirit that is on thee and put it on the Elders For it is evidently of the Gifts of the Spirit enabling Men for Rule and Government that God speaketh and not of the Spirit himself Without any diminution of that Spirit in him that is of the Gifts that He had received God gave unto them as lighting their Candle by his And so also the double Portion of the Spirit of Elijah which Elisha requested for himself was only a large and peculiar measure of Prophetical Light above what other Prophets which he left behind him had received 2 Kin. 2. 9. He asked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 os duorum or duplex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Expression is first used Deut. 21. 17. where the double Portion of the First-Born is intended So that probably it was such a Portion among the other Prophets as the First-Born had among the Brethren of the same Family which he desired and so it came to pass whence also he had the Rule and Government of them BOOK II. Peculiar Operations OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UNDER THE Old Testament Preparatory for The NEW CHAP. I. 1. The Work of the
provoked to abolish the Scripture it self But the Sum and Substance of the Prophetical Work under the Old Testament with the Light Design and Ministry of the Prophets themselves are declared in those Words The Work was to give Testimony unto the Truth of God in the first Promise concerning the Coming of the Blessing Seed This was God's Method First He gave Himself immediately that Promise which was the Foundation of the Church Gen. 3. 15. Then by Revelation unto the Prophets he confirmed that Promise after all which the Lord Christ was sent to make them all good unto the Church Rom. 15. 8. Herewithal they received fresh Revelations concerning his Person and his Sufferings with the Glory that was to ensue thereon and the Grace which was to come thereby unto the Church Whilst they were thus employed and acted by the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of Christ they diligently endeavoured to come to an Acquaintance with the Things themselves in their Nature and Efficacy which were revealed unto them yet so as considering that not Themselves but some Succeeding Generations should enjoy them in their actual Exhibition And whilst they were intent on these things they searched also as far as intimation was given thereof by the Spirit after the Time wherein all these things should be accomplished both when it should be and what Manner of time it should be or what would be the State and Condition of the People of God in those Days This was the Principal End of the Gift of Prophecy and this the principal Work and Employment of the Prophets The first Promise was given by God in the Person of the Son as I have proved elsewhere Gen. 3. 15. But the whole Explication Confirmation and Declaration of it was carryed on by the Gift of Prophecy Sect. 6 The Communication of this Gift began betimes in the World and continued without any known interruption in the Possession of some one or more in the Church at all times during its Preparatory or subservivient Estate After the finishing of the Canon of the Old Testament it ceased in the Judaical Church until it had a revival in John the Baptist who was therefore Greater than any Prophet that went before because he made the nearest Approach unto and the clearest Discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ the End of all Prophecys Thus God spake by the mouth of his Holy Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1. 70. that were from the Beginning of the World Adam himself had many things revealed unto him without which he could not have Worshipped God aright in that state and condition whereinto he was come For although his Natural Light was sufficient to direct Him unto all Religious Services required by the Law of Creation yet was it not so unto all Duties of that state whereinto he was brought by the giving of the Promise after the entrance of Sin So was he guided unto the Observance of such Ordinances of Worship as were needful for Him and accepted with God as were Sacrifices The Prophecy of Enoch in not only remembred but called over and recorded Jude 14. 15. And it s a matter neither curious nor difficult to demonstrate that all the Patriarchs of Old before the Flood were guided by a Prophetical Spirit in the Imposition of Names on those Children who were to succeed them in the sacred Line Concerning Abraham God expresly saith Himself that he was a Prophet Gen. 20. 7. that is One who used to receive Divine Revelations Sect. 7 Now this Gift of Prophecy was always the immediate Effect of the Operation of the Holy Spirit So it is both affirmed in general and in all the Particular Instances of it In the first way we have the Illustrious Testimony of the Apostle Peter 2 Epist. Chap. 1. v. 20 21. Knowing this first that no Prophecy of Scripture is of any Private Interpretation for the Prophecy came not in Old Time by the Will of Man but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost This is a Principle among Beleivers this they grant and allow in the first Place as that which they resolve their Faith into Namely that the sure word of Prophecy which they in all Things take heed unto v. 19. was not a fruit of any Mens private conceptions nor was Subject to the Wills of Men so as to attain it or exercise it by their own Ability But it was given by Inspiration from God 2 Tim. 3. 16 For the Holy Ghost by acting moving guiding the Minds of Holy Men inabled them thereunto This was the sole Fountain and Cause of all true Divine Prophecy thatever was given or granted to the Use of the Church And in particular the Coming of the Spirit of God upon the Prophets enabling them unto their Work is frequently mentioned Micah declares in his own Instance how it was with them all Chap. 3. 8. But truly I am full of Power by the Spirit of the Lord and of Judgment and of Might to declare unto Jacob his Transgression and to Israel his Sin It was from the Spirit of God alone that he had all his Ability for the discharge of that Prophetical Office whereunto he was called And when God would endow Seventy Elders with a Gift of Prophecy he tells Moses that he would take of the Spirit that was upon him and give unto them for that Purpose that is he would communicate of the same Spirit unto them as was in Him And where it is said at any time that God spake by the Prophets or that the Word of God Came to them of God spake to them it is always intended that this was the immediate Work of the Holy Ghost So says David of Himself The Spirit of the Lord spake by Me or in me and his word was in my Tongue 2 Sam. 23. 2. Hence our Apostle repeating his words ascribes them directly to the Holy Ghost Heb. 3. 7. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith to day if you will hear his voice and Chap. 4. 7. Saying in David So the Words which are ascribed unto the Lord of Hosts Isa. 6. 9. are asserted to be the Words of the Holy Ghost Acts 28. 25. He spake to them or in them by his holy Inspirations and he spake by them in his effectual infallible guidance of them to utter declare and write what they received from Him without Mistake or Variation Sect. 8 And this Prophesy as to its Exercise is considered two ways First precisely for the Prediction or foretelling things to Come as the Greek word and the Latine traduced from thence do signify So Prophecy is a Divine Prediction of future things proceeding from Divine Revelation But the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prophet and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophesy is not confined unto any such signification although Predictions from supernatural Revelation are constantly expressed by it But in general â—he word signifies no
their Duties even bodily strength When that also was needful for the Work whereunto he called them Such was his Gift unto Sampson His bodily strength was supernatural a meer effect of the Power of the Spirit of God and therefore when he put it forth in his Calling it is said that the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him Judg. 14. 6. Chap. 15. 14. or wrought powerfully in him And he gave him this strength in the way of an Ordinance appointing the growing of his Hair to be the Sign and Pledg of it the Care whereof being violated by him he lost for a season the Gift it self Sect. 25 Fourthly He also communicated Gifts intellectual to be exercised in and about things Natural and Artificial So he endowed Bezaliel and Aholiab with Wisdom and Skill in all manner of curious Workmanship about all sorts of things for the building and beautifying of the Tabernacle Exod. 31. 2 3. Whether Bezaliel were a Man that had before given himself unto the Acquisition of those Arts and Sciences is altogether uncertain But certain it is that his present Endowments were extraordinary The Spirit of God heightned improved and strengthned the Natural Faculties of his Mind to a Perception and Understanding of all the curious Works mentioned in that place and unto a skill how to contrive and dispose of them into their Order deigned by God himself And therefore although the skill and wisdom mentioned differed not in the kind of it from that which others attained by industry yet he received it by an immediate Afflatus or Inspiration of the Holy Ghost as to that degree at least which he was made Partaker of Sect. 27 Lastly The Assistance given unto Holy Men for the Publishing and Preaching of the Word of God to others as to Noah who was a Preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2. 5. for the Conviction of the Word and Conversion of the Elect wherein the Spirit of God strove with Men Gen. 6. 3. and preached unto them that were Disobedient 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. might here also be considered but that the Explanation of his whole Work in the Particular will occur unto us in a more proper place Sect. 28 And thus I have briefly passed through the Dispensation of the Spirit of God under the Old Testament Nor have I aimed therein to gather up his whole Work and all his Actings for then every thing that is praise-worthy in the Church must have been enquired into For all without him is Death and Darkness and Sin All Life Light and Power are from him alone And the instances of things expresly assigned unto him which we have insisted on are sufficient to manifest that the whole Being and Welfare of the Church depended solely on his Will and his Operation And this will yet be more evident when we have also considered those other Effects and Operations of his which being common to both States of the Church under the Old Testament and the New are purposely here omitted because the Nature of them is more fully cleared in the Gospel wherein also their Exemplifications are more illustrious From him therefore was the Word of Promise and the Gift of Prophesie whereon the Church was founded and whereby it was built From him was the Revelation and Institution of all the Ordinances of Religious Whorship from him was that Communication of Gifts and Gracious Abilities which any Persons received for the Edification Rule Protection and Deliverance of the Church All these things were wrought by that one and self-same Spirit which divideth to every Man severally as he will And if this were the state of things under the Old Testament a Judgment may thence be made how it is under the New The principal Advantage of the present State above that which is past next unto the coming of Christ in the Flesh consists in the pouring out of the Holy upon the Disciples of Christ in a larger manner than formerly And yet I know not how it is come to pass that some Men think that neither He nor his Work are of any great use unto us And whereas we find every thing that is good even under the Old Testament assigned unto him as the sole immediate Author of it it is hard to perswade with many that he continues now to do almost any good at all And what he is allowed to have any hand in it is sure to be so stated as that the principal praise of it may redound unto our selves So diverse yea so adverse are the thoughts of God and Men in these things where our Thoughts are not captivated unto the Obedience of Faith But we must shut up this Discourse It is a common saying among the Jewish Masters That the Gift of the Holy Ghost ceased under the second Temple or after the finishing of it Their meaning must be that it did so as to the Gifts of Ministerial Prophesie of Miracles and of Writing the Mind of God by Inspiration for the Use of the Church Otherwise there is no Truth in their Observation For there were afterwards especial Revelations of the Holy Ghost granted unto many as unto Simeon and Anna Luke 1. And others constantly received of his Gifts and Graces to enable them unto Obedience and fit them for their Employments For without a continuance of these supplies the Church it self must absolutely cease General Dispensation of the HOLY SPIRIT with respect unto the New Creation CHAP. II. 1. The Work of the Spirit of God in the New Creation proposed to Consideration The Importance of the Doctrine hereof 2. The plentiful Effusion of the Spirit the great Promise respecting the Times of the New Testament 3. Ministry of Gospel founded in the Promise of the Spirit 4. How this Promise is made unto all Believers 5. Injunction to all to pray for the Spirit of God 6. The solemn Promise of Christ to send his Spirit when he left the Word 7. The ends for which he promised him 8. The Work of the New Creation the principal means of the Revelation of God and his Glory 9. How this Revelation is made in particular herein Sect. 1 VVE are now arrived at that part of our Work which was principally intended in the Whole and that because our Faith and Obedience is principally therein concerned This is the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Ghost with respect to the Gospel or the New Creation of all things in and by Jesus Christ. And this if any thing in the Scripture is worthy of our most diligent Enquiry and Meditation nor is there any more important Principle and Head of that Religion which we do profess The Doctrine of Being and Unity of the Divine Nature is common to us with the rest of Mankind and hath been so from the Foundation of the World however some like bruit Beasts have herein also corrupted themselves The Doctrine of the Trinity or the Subsistence of three Persons in the one Divine Nature or Being was known to
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
the Humane Nature voluntary 7. The Holy Spirit the immediate efficient cause of all Divine Operations 8. He is the Spirit of the Son or of the Father 9. How all the Works of the Trinity are individed 10. The Body of Christ formed in the Womb by the Holy Ghost but of the Substance of the Blessed Virgin why this was necessary 11. Christ not hence the Son of the Holy Ghost according to the Humane Nature 12. Difference between the Assumption of the Humane Nature by the Son and the Creation of it by the Holy Ghost 13. The Conception of Christ how ascribed to the Holy Ghost and how to the Blessed Virgin Reasons of the Espousal of the Blessed Virgin to Joseph before the Conception of Christ. 14. The actual Purity and Holiness of the Soul and Body of Christ from his Miraculous Conception Sect. 1 THe Dispensation and Work of the Holy Ghost in this New Creation respect first the Head of the Church the Lord Jesus Christ in his Humane Nature as it was to be and was united unto the Person of the Son of God Secondly It concerns the Members of that Mystical Body in all that belongs unto them as such And under these two Heads we shall consider them Sect. 2 First Therefore we are to enquire what are the Operations of the Holy Ghost in reference unto Jesus Christ the Head of the Church And these were of two sorts 1. Such as whereof the Person of Christ in his Humane Nature was the immediate Object 2. Such as he performs towards others on his behalf that is with direct respect unto his Person and Office Sect. 3 But yet before we enter upon the first sort of his Works which we shall begin withal an Objection of seeming weight and Difficulty must be removed out of our way which I shall the rather do because our answer unto it will make the whole matter treated of the more plain and familiar unto us It may therefore be and it is Objected That whereas the Humane Nature of Christ is assigned as the immediate Object of these Operations of the Holy Ghost and that Nature was immediately inseparably and undividedly united unto the Person of the Son of God there doth not seem to be any need nor indeed room for any such Operations of the Spirit For could not the Son of God himself in his own Person perform all things requisite both for the forming supporting sanctifying and preserving of his own Nature without the especial Assistance of the Holy Ghost Nor is it easy to be understood how an immediate Work of the Holy Ghost should be interposed in the same Person between the one Nature and the other And this seeming Difficulty is vehemently pressed by the Socinians who think to intangle our whole Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity and Incarnation of the Son of God thereby But express Testimonies of Scripture with the clear and evident Analogie of Faith will carry us easily and safely through this seeming Difficulty To which End we may Observe That Sect. 4 1. The only singular immediate Act of the Person of the Son on the Humane Nature was the Assumption of it into Subsistence with Himself Herein the Father and the Spirit had no Interest nor concurrence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by Approbation and Consent as Damascen speaks For the Father did not assume the Humane Nature he was not Incarnate neither did the Holy Spirit do so But this was the Peculiar Act and Work of the Son See Joh. 1. 14. Rom. 1. 4. Gal. 4. 4. Phil. 2. 6 7. Heb. 2. 14. 17 which Places with many others to the same Purpose I have elsewhere expounded and vindicated from the Exceptions of the Socinians Sect. 5 2. That the only Necessary Consequent of this Assumption of the Humane Nature or the Incarnation of the Son of God is the Personal Union of Christ or the inseparable Subsistence of the assumed Nature in the Person of the Son This was necessary and indissoluble so that it was not impeached nor shaken in the least by the temporary dissolution of that Nature by the separation of the Soul and Body For the Union of the Soul and Body in Christ did not constitute him a Person that the Dissolution of them should destroy his Personality But he was a Person by the Uniting of both unto the Son of God Sect. 6 3. That all other Actings of God in the Person of the Son towards the Humane Nature were Voluntary and did not necessarily ensue on the Union mentioned For there was no Transfusion of the Properties of one Nature into the other nor real Physical Communication of Divine Essential Excellencies unto the Humanity Those who seem to contend for any such thing resolve all at last into a true Assignation by way of Predication as necessary on the Union mentioned but contend not for a real transfusion of the Properties of one Nature into the other But these Communications were Voluntary Hence were those temporary Dissations when under his great trial the Humane Nature complained of its desertion and Dereliction by the Divine Matth. 27. 46. For this forsaking was not as to Personal Union or necessary Subsistence and supportment but as to Voluntary Communications of Light and Consolation Hence himself declares that the Humane Nature was not the Residential Subject of Omnisciency For so he speaks Mark 13. 32. But of that Day and that hour knoweth no Man no nor the Angels which are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father For the Exposition given by some of the Antients that the Lord Christ speaks not this absolutely but only that he knew it not to declare it unto them is unworthy of him For no more did the Father so know it seeing he hath not declared it But this was the Opinion only of some of them the more advised were otherwise minded He speaks of himself with respect unto his Humane Nature only And thereunto all Communications were Voluntary So after his Ascention God gave him that Revelation that he made to the Apostle Revel 1. 1. The Humane Nature therefore however inconceivably advanced is not the Subject of Infinite Essentially Divine Properties And the Actings of the Son of God towards it consequential unto its Assumption and that indissoluble subsistence in its Union which ensued thereon are Voluntary Sect. 7 4. The Holy Ghost as we have proved before is the immediate Peculiar Efficient Cause of all External Divine Operations for God Worketh by his Spirit or in him immediately applies the Power and Efficacy of the Divine Excellencies unto their Operation Whence the same Work is equally the Work of each Person Sect. 8 5. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Son no less than the Spirit of the Father He proceedeth from the Son as from the Father He is the Spirit of the Son Gal. 4. 6. And hence is He the immediate Operator of all Divine Acts of the Son himself even on his own Humane Nature
Whatever the Son of God wrought in by or upon the Humane Nature he did it by the Holy Ghost who is his Spirit as he is the Spirit of the Father Sect. 9 6. To clear the whole matter it must be yet further observed that the immediate actings of the Holy Ghost are not spoken of him absolutely nor ascribed unto him exclusively as unto the other Persons and their Concurrence in them It is a saying generally admitted that Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa There is no such Division in the external Operations of God that any one of them should be the Act of one Person without the Concurrence of the others And the Reason of it is because the Nature of God which is the Principle of all Divine Operations is one and the same individed in them all Whereas therefore they are the Effects of Divine Power and that Power is essentially the same in each Person the Works themselves belong equally unto them As if it were possible that Three Men might see by the same Eye the Act of seeing would be but One and it would be equally the Act of all Three But the Things we insist on are ascribed eminently unto the Holy Ghost on the account of the Order of his Subsistence in the Holy Trinity as he is the Spirit of the Father and the Son whence in every Divine Act the Authority of the Father the Love and Wisdom of the Son with the immediate Efficacy and Power of the Holy Ghost are to be considered Yea and there is such a distinction in their Operations that one Divine Act may produce a peculiar Respect and Relation unto one Person and not unto another as the Assumption of the Humane Nature did to the Son for he only was incarnate And such are the especial Actings of the Holy Ghost towards the Head of the Church our Lord Jesus Christ in this Work of the New Creation as we shall demonstrate in sundry Instances Sect. 10 First The framing forming and miraculous Conception of the Body of Christ in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin was the peculiar and especial Work of the Holy Ghost This Work I acknowledg in respect of Designation and the Authoritative Disposal of things is ascribed unto the Father For so the Lord Christ speaketh unto him A Body hast thou prepared me Heb. 10. 6. But this Preparation doth not signifie the actual forming and making ready of that Body but the Eternal Designation of it It was prepared in the Counsel and Love of the Father As to voluntary Assumption it is ascribed to the Son himself Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch as the Children were Partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself pertook of the same he took unto him a Body and Soul entire Humane Nature as the Children or all Believers have the same Synecdochically expressed by Flesh and Blood v. 16. He took on him the Seed of Abraham But the immediate Divine Efficiency in this Matter was the Peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost Matth. 1. 18. When his Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found to be with Child of the Holy Ghost v. 20. That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost Luk. 1. 35. The Angel answered and said unto her The Holy Ghost shall come upon Thee and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow Thee therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of Thee shall be called the Son of God 1. The Person working is the Holy Ghost He is the wonderful Operator in this Glorious Work and therein the Power of the most High was exerted For the Power of the most High is neither explicatory of the former expression the Holy Ghost as though he were only the Power of the most High nor is it the adjoyning of a Distinct Agent or Cause unto him as though the Holy Ghost and the Power of the most High were different Agents in this Matter Only the manner of his effecting this wonderful Matter concerning which the Blessed Virgin had made that enquiry v. 34. How can this be seeing I know not a Man is expressed The Holy Ghost saith the Angel acting the Power of the most High or in the Infinite Power of God shall accomplish it 2. For his access unto his Work it is expressed by his coming upon her The importance of this Expression and what is signified thereby hath been declared before And it is often used to declare his Actings with reference unto the Production of Miraculous Works Acts 1. 8. Ye shall receive Power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you He will so come upon you as to put forth the Power of the most High in you and by you in Gifts and Operations miraculous For he is said to come with respect unto his beginning of any marvelous Operation where before he did not work to the like purpose 3. The Act of the Holy Ghost in this Matter was a Creating Act not indeed like the first Creating Act which produced the Matter and Substance of all things out of nothing causing that to be which was not before neither in Matter nor Form nor passive Disposition but like those subsequent Acts of Creation whereby out of Matter before made and prepared things were made that which before they were not and which of themselves they had no active Disposition unto nor concurrence in So Man was created or formed of the Dust of the Earth and Woman of a Rib taken from Man There was a previous Matter unto their Creation but such as gave no assistance nor had any active Disposition to the Production of that particular kind of Creature whereinto they were formed by the Creating Power of God Such was this Act of the Holy Ghost in forming the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ. For although it was effected by an Act of Infinite Creating Power yet it was formed or made of the Substance of the Blessed Virgin That it should be so was absolutely necessary 1. For the accomplishment of the Promises made unto Abraham and David that the Messiah should be of their Seed and proceed from their Loyns 2. So was it also on the account of the first Original Promise That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents Head For the Word was to be made Flesh John 1. 14. to be made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. or made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh Rom. 1. 4. and take upon him the Seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. 3. To confirm the Truth hereof is his Genealogie according to the Flesh given us by two of the Evangelists which were neither to the purpose nor true if he were not made of the Substance or Flesh of the Blessed Virgin 4. Besides all our Cognation and Alliance unto him whence he was meet to be our Saviour suffering in the same Nature wherein we have sinned do depend hereon Heb. 2. 14. For if he had not been made like us in
Covering of her Marriage to him she was to receive a Protection of her Spotless Innocency And besides 2. God provided one that should take care of her and her Child in his infancy And hereby 3. also was our Blessed Saviour freed from the imputation of an illegitimate Birth until by his own Miraculous Operations he should give Testimony unto his Miraculous Conception concerning which before his Mother could not have been believed 4. That he might have one on whose account his Genealogie might be recorded to manifest the accomplishment of the Promise unto Abraham David For the Line of a Genealogie was not legally continued by the Mother only Hence Matthew gives us his Genealogie by Joseph to whom his Mother was legally espoused And although Luke give us the true Natural Line of his Descent by the Progenitors of the Blessed Virgin yet he nameth her not only mentioning her Espousals he begins with Heli who was her Father Chap. 3. 23. And this is the first thing ascribed peculiarly to the Holy Spirit with respect unto the Head of the Church Christ Jesus Sect. 14 From this Miraculous Creation of the Body of Christ by the immediate Power of the Holy Ghost did it became a meet Habitation for his Holy Soul every way ready and complying with all actings of Grace and Vertue We have not only the Depravation of our Natures in General but the obliquity of our particular Constitutions to conflict withal Hence it is that one is disposed to Passion Wrath and Anger another to Vanity and Lightness a third of Sensuality and fleshly Pleasures and so others to Sloth and Idleness And although this Disposition so far as it is the Result of our especial Constitutions and Complexion is not sin in it self yet it dwells at the next Door unto it and as it is excited by the Moral Pravity of our Natures a continual occasion of it But the Body of Christ being formed pure and exact by the Holy Ghost there was no Disposition or Tendency in his Constitution to the least Deviation from perfect Holiness in any kind The exquisite Harmony of his natural temperature made Love Meekness Gentleness Patience Benignity and Goodness Natural and Cognate unto him as having an incapacity of such Motions as should be subservient unto or complaint with any thing different from them Hence 2dly also although he took on him those Infirmities which belong unto our Humane Nature as such and are inseparable from it until it be glorified yet he took none of our particular Infirmities which cleave unto our Persons occasioned either by the Vice of our Constitutions or irregularity in the use of our Bodies Those natural Passions of our Minds which are capable of being the means of affliction and trouble as Grief Sorrow and the like he took upon him as also those Infirmities of Nature which are troublesome to the Body as Hunger Thirst Weariness and Pain Yea the purity of his Holy Constitution made him more highly sensible of these things than any of the Children of Men. But as to our Bodily Diseases and Distempers which personally adhere unto us upon the Disorder and Vice of our Constitutions he was absolutely free from Work of the HOLY SPIRIT in and on the Humane Nature of Christ. CHAP. IV. 1. The actual Sanctification of the Humane Nature of Christ by the Holy Ghost On what Ground spotless and free from sin Positively endowed with all Grace 2. Original Holiness and Sanctification in Christ how carried on by the Spirit Exercise of Grace in Christ by the rational Faculties of his Soul Their Improvement 3. Wisdom and Knowledg how increased objectively in the Humane Nature of Christ. 4. The Anointing of Christ by the Holy Spirit with Power and Gifts 5. Collated eminently on him at his Baptism John 3. 34. explained and vindicated 6. Miraculous Works wrought in Christ by the Holy Ghost 7. Christ guided conducted and supported by the Spirit in his whole Work Mark 1. 11. opened 8. How the Lord Christ offered himself unto God through the Eternal Spirit 9. His Sanctification thereunto 10. Graces acting eminently therein Love Zeal Submission Faith and Truth all exercised therein 11 12. The Work of the Spirit of God towards Christ whilst he was in the state of the Dead in his Resurrection and Glorification 13. The Office of the Spirit to bear Witness unto Christ and its Discharge 14. The true Way and Means of coming unto the Knowledg of Christ with the necessity thereof 15. Danger of Mistakes herein 16. What it is to Love Christ as we ought Sect. 1 SEcondly The Humane Nature of Christ being thus formed in the Womb by a Creating Act of the Holy Spirit was in the instant of its Conception sanctified and filled with Grace according to the measure of its Receptivity Being not begotten by Natural Generation it derived no taint of Original Sin or Corruption from Adam that being the only Way and Means of its Propagation And being not in the Loyns of Adam morally before the Fall the Promise of his Incarnation being not given until afterwards the Sin of Adam could on no account be imputed unto him All Sin was charged on him as our Mediator and Surety of the Covenant but on his own account he was obnoxious to no charge of Sin Original or Actual His Nature therefore as miraculously created in the manner described was absolutely innocent spotless and free from sin as was Adam in the day wherein he was Created But this was not all It was by the Holy Spirit positively endowed with all Grace And hereof it was afterwards only capable of farther degrees as to actual Exercise but not of any new kind of Grace And this Work of Sanctification or the Original Infusion of all Grace into the Humane Nature of Christ was the immediate Work of the Holy Spirit which was necessary unto him For let the Natural Faculties of the Soul the Mind Will and Affections be created pure innocent undefiled as they cannot be otherwise immediately created of God yet this is not enough to enable any rational Creature to live to God much less was it all that was in Jesus Christ. There is moreover required hereunto supernatural Endowments of Grace superadded unto the Natural Faculties of our Souls If we live unto God there must be a principle of Spiritual Life in us as well of Life Natural This was the Image of God in Adam and was wrought in Christ by the Holy Spirit Isa. 11. 1 2 3. And there shall come forth a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grow out of his Roots And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might the Spirit of Knowledg and of the Fear of the Lord and shall make him of quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord. It is granted that the following Work of the Spirit in and upon the Lord Christ in the
execution of his Office as the King and Head of the Church is included in these words But his first Sanctifying Work in the Womb is principally intended For those Expressions a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a Branch out of his Roots with respect whereunto the Spirit is said to be communicated unto him do plainly regard his Incarnation And the Soul of Christ from the first moment of its Infusion was a Subject capable of a Fulness of Grace as unto its habitual Residence and Inbeing though the actual exercise of it was suspended for a while until the Organs of the Body were fitted for it This therefore it received by this first Unction of the Spirit Hence from his Conception he was Holy as well as harmless and undefiled Heb. 7. 26. An Holy Thing Luke 1. 35. radically filled with a Perfection of Grace and Wisdom Inasmuch as the Father gave him not the Spirit by Measure John 3. 34. See to this purpose Our Commentary on Heb. 1. v. 1. p. 17. see John 1. 14 15 16. Sect. 2 Thirdly The Spirit carried on that Work whose Foundation it had thus laid And Two Things are to be here diligently observed 1. That the Lord Christ as Man did and was to exercise all Grace by the Rational Faculties and Powers of his Soul his Understanding Will and Affections For he acted Grace as a Man made of a Woman made under the Law His Divine Nature was not unto him in the place of a Soul nor did immediately operate the things which he performed as some of old vainly imagined But being a perfect Man his Rational Soul was in him the immediate principle of all his Moral Operations even as ours are in us Now in the Improvement and Exercise of these Faculties and Powers of his Soul he had and made a Progress after the manner of other Men. For he was made like unto us in all things yet without sin In their Encrease Enlargement and Exercise there was required a Progression in Grace also And this he had continually by the Holy Ghost Luke 2. 40. The Child grew and waxed strong in Spirit The first Clause refers to his Body which grew and increased after the manner of other Men as v. 52. He increased in Stature The other respects the confirmation of the Faculties of his Mind he waxed strong in Spirit So v. 47. he is said to increase in Wisdom as in Stature He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continually filling and filled with new Degrees of Wisdom as to its Exercise according as the Rational Faculties of his Mind were capable thereof an increase in these things accompanied his years v. 52. And what is here recorded by the Evangelist contains a Description of the Accomplishments of the Prophesie before mentioned Isa. 11. 1 2 3. And this Growth in Grace and Wisdom was the peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit For as the Faculties of his Mind were enlarged by Degrees and strengthened so the Holy Spirit filled them up with Grace for Actual Obedience Sect. 3 2. The Humane Nature of Christ was capable of having New Objects proposed to its Mind and Understanding whereof before it had a simple Nescience And this is an inseparable adjunct of Humane Nature as such as it is to be weary or hungry and no vice or blameable defect Some have made a great outcry about the ascribing of Ignorance by some Protestant Divines unto the Humane Soul of Christ Bellarm. de Anim. Christi Take Ignorance for that which is a moral Defect in any kind or an unacquaintedness with that which any one ought to know or is necessary unto him as to the Perfection of his Condition or his Duty and it is false that ever any of them ascribed it unto him Take it meerly for a nescience of some things and there is no more in it but a denial of Infinite Omniscience nothing inconsistent with the highest Holiness and Purity of Humane Nature So the Lord Christ sayes of himself that he knew not the Day and Hour of the End of all things and our Apostle of him that he learned Obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5. 8. In the representation then of things anew to the Humane Nature of Christ the Wisdom and Knowledg of it was objectively increased and in new Tryals and Temptations he experimentally learned the new Exercise of Grace And this was the constant Work of the Holy Spirit in the Humane Nature of Christ. He dwelt in him in fulness for he received him not by measure And continually upon all occasions he gave out of his unsearchable Treasures Grace for Exercise in all Duties and Instances of it From hence was he habitually Holy and from hence did he exercise Holiness entirely and universally in all things Sect. 4 Fourthly The Holy Spirit in a peculiar manner anointed him with all those extraordinary Powers and Gifts which were necessary for the Exercise and Discharging of his Office on the Earth Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach good Tydings unto the Meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim Liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison unto them that are bound It is the Prophetical Office of Christ and his discharge thereof in his Ministry on the Earth which is intended And he applies these words unto himself with respect unto his Preaching of the Gospel Luke 4. 18. For this was that Office which he principally attended unto here in the World as that whereby he instructed Men in the Nature and Use of his other Offices For his Kingly Power in his Humane Nature on the Earth he exercised but sparingly Thereunto indeed belonged his sending forth of Apostles and Evangelists to preach with Authority And towards the End of his Ministry he instituted Ordinances of Gospel-Worship and appointed the Order of his Church in the Foundation and Building of it up which were Acts of Kingly Power Nor did he perform any Act of his Sacerdotal Office but only at his Death when he gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour Ephes. 5. 2. wherein God smelt a Savour of Rest and was appeased towards us But the whole course of his Life and Ministry was the Discharge of his Prophetical Office unto the Jews Rom. 15. 8. Which he was to do according to the great Promise Deut. 18. 18 19. And on the Acceptance or Refusal of him herein depended the Life and Death of the Church of Israel v. 19. Acts 3. 23. Heb. 1. 1. John 8. 44. Hereunto was he fitted by this Unction of the Spirit And here also is a distinction between the Spirit that was upon him and his being anointed to Preach which contains the Communication of the Gifts of that Spirit unto him As it is said Chap. 11. 3. The Spirit rested on him as a Spirit of Wisdom to make
him of quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord. Now this was in a singular manner and in a measure inexpressible whence he is said to be anointed with the Oyl of Gladness above his Fellows or those who were Partakers of the same Spirit with him Psal. 45. 7. Heb. 1. 8 9. Although I acknowledg that there was in that Expression a peculiar respect unto his Glorious Exaltation which afterwards ensued as hath been declared on that place And this Collation of Extraordinary Gifts for the discharge of his Prophetical Office was at his Baptism Matth. 3. They were not bestowed on the Head of the Church nor are any Gifts of the same Nature in general bestowed on any of his Members but for Use Exercise and Improvement And that they were then collated appears For Sect. 5 1. Then did he receive the Visible Pledge which confirmed him in and testified unto others his calling of God to the Exercise of his Office For then the Spirit of God descended like a Dove and rested on him and lo a voice came from Heaven saying This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3. 16 17. Hereby was he sealed of God the Father John 6. 27 in that Visible Pledg of his Vocation setting the great Seal of Heaven to his Commission And this also was to be a Testimony unto others that they might own him in his Office now he had undertaken to discharge it John 1. 33. 2. He now entred on his Publick Ministry and wholly gave himself up unto his Work For before he did only occasionally manifest the Presence of God with him somewhat to prepare the Minds of Men to attend unto his Ministry as when he filled them with astonishment at his Discourses with the Doctors in the Temple Luke 2. 46 47. And although it is probable that he might be acted by the Spirit in and unto many such extraordinary Actions during his Course of a Private Life yet the fulness of Gifts for his Work he received not until the time of his Baptism and therefore before that he gave not himself up wholly unto his publick Ministry 3. Immediately hereon it is said that He was full of the Holy Ghost Luke 4. 1. Before he was said to wax strong in Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2. 40. continually filling but now he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of the Holy Ghost He was actually possessed of and furnished with all that fulness of Spiritual Gifts which were any way needful for him or useful unto him or which Humane Nature is capable of receiving With respect hereunto doth the Evangelist use that Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 3. 34. For God giveth not the Spirit by measure That it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is here intended unto whom the Spirit is thus given is evident from the Context although it be not express in the Text. He is spoken of and is the Subject of the whole Discourse v. 31. He that cometh from Above is above all He that cometh from Heaven is above all None doubts but that this is a Description of the Person of Christ. And in the beginning of this Verse He whom God hath sent speaketh the Words of God which is the usual Periphrasis of the Lord Christ used at least twenty times in this Gospel Of him this account is given that he testifieth what he hath seen and heard v. 32. and that he speaketh the Words of God v. 3 4. Different events are also marked upon his Testimony for many refused it v. 32. but some received it who therein set to their Seal that God is true vers 33. For he that believeth not the Record that he gave of his Son hath made him a lyar 1 John 5. 1. As a Reason of all this it is added That God gave not the Spirit unto him by Measure So that he was fully enabled to speak the Words of God and those by whom his Testimony was rejected were justly liable to Wrath v. 36. Vain therefore is the attempt of Crellius de Spirit Sanct. followed by Sclictingius in his Comment on this Place who would exclude the Lord Christ from being intended in these words For they would have them signifie no more but only in general That God is not bound up to Measures in the Dispensation of the Spirit but gives to one according unto one measure and to another according to another But as this gloss overthrows the coherence of the words disturbing the Context so it contradicts the Text it self For God's not giving the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Measure is his giving of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immeasurably without known Bounds or Limits and so the Spirit was given unto the Lord Christ only For unto every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ Ephes. 4. 7. That is in what Measure he pleaseth to communicate and distribute it But the Effects of this giving of the Spirit unto the Lord Christ not by Measure belonged unto that fulness from whence we receive Grace for Grace John 1. 16. For hereby the Father accomplished his Will when it pleased him that in him all fulness should dwell Col. 1. 19. that he in all things might have the Pre-eminence Nor can any Difficulty of weight be cast on this Interpretation from the use of the word in the present Tense which is by Crellius insisted on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he giveth For Christ they say had before received the Spirit for this is spoken of him after his Baptism If therefore he had been intended it should rather have been he hath given or he hath not given unto him by Measure But 1. this was immediately on his Baptism and therefore the collation of the Fulness of the Spirit might be spoken of as a thing present being but newly past which is an ordinary kind of Speech on all occasions Besides 2. the collation of the Spirit is a continued Act in that he was given him to abide with him to rest upon him wherein there was a continuance of the Love of God towards and his care over him in his Work Hence the Lord Christ saith of himself or the Prophet in his Person that the Spirit sent him Now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me Isa. 48. 16. The same Work in sending of Christ is ascribed unto the Lord God that is the Father and to the Spirit but in a different manner He was sent by the Father authoritatively and the Furniture he received by the Spirit of Gifts for his Work and Office is called his sending of him As the same Work is assigned unto different Persons in the Trinity on different accounts Sect. 6 Fifthly It was in an especial manner by the Power of the Holy Spirit by which he wrought those great and miraculous Works whereby his Ministry was attested unto and confirmed Hence it is said That God wrought Miracles by him Acts 2.
22. Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God by Miracles and Wonders and Signs which God did by him For they are all immediate Effects of Divine Power So when he cast out Devils with a word of command he affirms that he did it by the Finger of God Luke 11. 20. that is the Infinite Divine Power of God but the Power of God acted in an especial manner by the Holy Spirit as is expresly declared in the other Evangelist Matth. 12. 28. And therefore on the Ascription of his Mighty Works unto Beelzebub the Prince of Devils he lets the Jews know that therein they blasphemed the Holy Spirit whose Works indeed they were v. 31 32. Hence these mighty Works are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Powers because of the Power of the Spirit of God put forth for their working and effecting see Mark 6. 5. Chap. 9. 39. Luke 4. 36. 5. 17. 6. 19. 8. 46. 9. 1. And in the Exercise of this Power consisted the Testimony given unto him by the Spirit that he was the Son of God For this was necessary unto the Conviction of the Jews to when he was sent John 10. 37 38. Sect. 7 Sixthly By him was he guided directed comforted supported in the whole Course of his Ministry Temptations Obedience and Sufferings Some few Instances on this Head may suffice Presently after his Baptism when he was full of the Holy Ghost he was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness Luke 4. 1. The Holy Spirit guided him to begin his Contest and Conquest with the Devil Hereby he made an entrance into his Ministry and it teacheth us all what we must look for if we solemnly engage our selves to follow him in the Work of Preaching the Gospel The word used in Mark to this purpose hath occasioned some doubt what Spirit is intended in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 1. 12. The Spirit driveth him into the Wilderness It is evident that the same Spirit and the same Act is intended in all the Evangelists here and Mat. 4. 1. Luke 4. 1. But now the Holy Spirit should be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to drive him is not so easie to be apprehended But the Word in Luke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which denotes a guiding and rational Conduct And this cannot be ascribed unto any other Spirit with respect unto our Lord Jesus but onely the Spirit of God Matthew expresseth the same effect by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 4. 1. he was carried or carried up or taken away from the midst of the People And this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that Spirit namely which descended on him and rested on him immediately before Chap. 3. 17. And the Continuation of the Discourse in Luke will not admit that any other Spirit be intended And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness namely by that Spirit which he was full of By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore in Mark no more is intended but the sending of him forth by an high and strong impression of the Holy Spirit on his Mind Hence the same word is used with respect unto the sending of others by the powerful impression of the Spirit of God on their Hearts unto the Work of Preaching the Gospel Matth. 9. 38. Pray you therefore the Lord of the Harvest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So also Luk. 10. 2. that he would thrust forth Labourers into his Harvest namely by furnishing them with the Gifts of his Spirit and by the Power of his Grace constraining them to their Duty So did he enter upon his Preparation unto his Work under his Conduct And it were well if others would endeavour after a conformity unto them within the Rules of their Calling 2. By his assistance was he carried triumphantly through the course of his Temptations unto a perfect Conquest of his Adversary as to the present Conflict wherein he sought to divert him from his Work which afterwards he endeavoured by all wayes and means to oppose and hinder 3. The Temptation being finished he returned again out of the Wilderness to Preach the Gospel in the Power of the Spirit Luk. 4. 14. He returned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Power of the Spirit into Galilee that is powerfully enabled by the Holy Spirit unto the discharge of his Work And thence is his first Sermon at Nazareth he took those Words of the Prophet for his Text The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because he hath anointed me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor Luke 4. 18. The issue was That they all bare him Witness and wondred at the gracious Words that proceeded out of his Mouth v. 22. And as he thus began his Ministry in the Power of the Spirit so having received him not by measure he continually on all occasions put forth his Wisdom Power Grace and Knowledg to the astonishment of all and the stopping of the Mouths of his Adversaries shutting them up in their Rage and Unbelief 4. By him was he directed strengthned and comforted in his whole Course in all his Temptations Troubles and Sufferings from first to last For we know that there was a confluence of all those upon him in his whole Way and Work a great part of that whereunto he humbled himself for our sakes consisting in these things In and under them he stood in need of mighty Supportment and strong Consolation This God promised unto him and this he expected Isa. 50. 7 8. 42. 4 6. 49. 5 6 7 8. Now all the voluntary Communications of the Divine Nature unto the Humane were as we have shewed by the Holy Spirit Sect. 8 Seventhly He offered himself up unto God through the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. I know many Learned Men do judge that by the Eternal Spirit in that place not the Third Person is intended but the Divine Nature of the Son himself And there is no doubt but that also may properly be called the Eternal Spirit There is also a Reason in the words themselves strongly inclining unto that sense and acceptation of them For the Apostle doth shew whence it was that the Sacrifices of the Lord Christ had an Efficacy beyond and above the Sacrifices of the Law and whence it would certainly produce that great Effect of purging our Consciences from dead Works And this was from the Dignity of his Person on the account of his Divine Nature It arose I say from the Dignity of his Person his Deity giving sustentation unto his Humane Nature in the Sacrifice of himself For by reason of the indissoluble Union of both his Natures his Person became the Principle of all his Mediatory Acts and from thence had they their Dignity and Efficacy Nor will I oppose this Exposition of the words But on the other side many Learned Persons both of the Ancient and Modern Divines do judg that it is the Person of the Holy Spirit
especial part of this his Offering up himself That this was wrought in him by the Holy or Eternal Spirit was before declared And it is frequently expressed as that which had an especial Influence into the Efficacy and Merit of his Sacrifice Psal. 2. 8. He humbled himself and became Obedient unto Death the Death of the Cross. And when he offered up Prayers and Supplications though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5. 8. That is he experienced Obedience in Suffering It is true that the Lord Christ in the whole course of his Life yeelded Obedience unto God as he was made of a Woman made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. But now he came to the great Tryal of it with respect unto the especial command of the Father to lay down his Life and to make his Soul an Offering for sin Isa. 53. 10. This was the highest Act of Obedience unto God that ever was or ever shall be to all Eternity And therefore doth God so express his satisfaction therein and acceptance of it Isa. 53. 11 12. Phil. 2. 9 10. This was wrought in him this he was wrought unto by the Holy Spirit and therefore by him offered himself unto God 4. There belongs also hereunto that Faith and Trust in God which with fervent Prayers Cries Supplications he now acted on God and his Promises both with respect unto himself and to the Covenant which he was sealing with his Blood This our Apostle represents as an especial Work of his testified unto in the Old Testament Heb. 2. 13. I will put my trust in him And this 1. respected himself namely that he should be supported assisted and carried through the Work he had undertaken unto a blessed Issue Herein I confess he was horribly assaulted until he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal. 22. 1. But yet after and through all his dreadful Tryal his Faith and Trust in God were Victorious This he expressed in the Depth and Extremity of his Tryals Psal. 22. 9 10 11. and made such an open Profession of it that his Enemies when they supposed him lost and defeated reproached him with it v. 8. Matth. 27. 43. To this purpose be declared himself at large Isa. 50. 7 8 9. So his Faith and Trust in God as to his own supportment and deliverance with the accomplishment of all the Promises that were made unto him upon his ingagement into the Work of Mediation were victorious 2. They respected the Covenant and all the Benefits that the Church of the Elect was to be made Partaker of thereby The Blood that he now shed was the Blood of the Covenant and it was shed for his Church namely that the Blessings of the Covenant might be communicated unto them Gal. 3. 13 14. With respect hereunto did he also exercise Faith in God as appears fully in his Prayer which he made when he entred on his Oblation John 17. Now concerning these Instances we may observe three Things to our present purpose 1. These and the like gracious Actings of the Soul of Christ were the Wayes and Means whereby in his Death and Bloodshedding which was violent and by force inflicted on him as to the outward Instruments and was penal as to the Sentence of the Law he voluntarily and freely offered up himself a Sacrifice unto God for to make Atonement And these were the things which from the dignity of his Person became Efficacious and Victorious Without these his Death and Bloodshedding had been no Oblation 2. These were the things which rendred his Offering of himself to be a Sacrifice of a sweet smâ—lling Savour unto God Ephes. 5. 2. God was so absolutely delighted and pleased with these high and glorious Acts of Grace and Obedience in Jesus Christ that he smelt as it were a Savour of Rest towards Mankind or those for whom he offered himself so that he would be angry with them no more curse them no more As it is said of the Type of it in the Sacrifice of Noah Gen. 8. 20 21. God was more pleased with the Obedience of Christ than he was displeased with the Sin and Disobedience of Adam Rom. 5. 17 18 19. It was not then the outward suffering of a violent and bloody Death which was inflicted on him by the most horrible wickedness that ever Humane Nature brake forth into that God was atoned Acts 2. 23. Nor yet was it meerly his enduring the Penalty of the Law that was the means of our Deliverance But the voluntary giving up of himself to be a Sacrifice in these Holy Acts of Obedience was that upon which in an especial manner God was reconciled unto us All these things being wrought in the Humane Nature by the Holy Ghost who in the time of his Offering acted all his Graces unto the utmost He is said thereon to offer himself unto God through the Eternal Spirit by whom as our High Priest he was Consecrated Spirited and Acted thereunto Sect. 10 Eighthly There was a peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit towards the Lord Christ whilst he was in the State of the Dead For here our precedeing Rule must be remembred namely that notwithstanding the Union of the Humane Nature of Christ with the Divine in the Person of the Son yet the Communications of God unto it beyond Subsistence were voluntary Thus in his Death the Union of his Natures in his Person was not in the least impeached but yet for his Soul or Spirit he recommends that in an especial manner into the Hands of God his Father Psal. 31. 5. Luke 23. 46. Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit for the Father had ingaged himself in an Eternal Covenant to take care of him to preserve and protect him even in Death and to shew him again the Way and Path of Life Psal. 16. 11. Notwithstanding then the Union of his Person his Soul in its separate State was in an especial manner under the care protection and power of the Father preserved in his Love until the Hour came wherein he shewed him again the Path of Life His Holy Body in the Grave continued under the especial care of the Spirit of God and hereby was accomplished that great Promise That his Soul should not be left in Hell nor the Holy One see Corruption Psal. 16. 10. Acts 2. 31. It is the Body of Christ which is here called the Holy One as it was made an holy Thing by the Conception of it in the Womb by the Power of the Holy Ghost And it is here spoken of in contradistinction unto his Soul and opposed by Peter unto the Body of David which when it died saw Corruption Acts 2. 29. This Pure and Holy Substance was preserved in its Integrity by the overshadowing Power of the Holy Spirit without any of those Accidents of change which attend the dead Bodies of others I deny not but there was use made of the Ministry of
Angels about the dead Body of Christ whilst it was in the Grave even those which were seen sitting afterwards in the place where he lay John 20. 12. by these was it preserved from all outward Force and Violation But this also was under the peculiar care of the Spirit of God who how he worketh by Angels hath been before declared Sect. 11 Ninthly There was a peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit in his Resurrection this being the compleating Act in laying the Foundation of the Church whereby Christ entred into his Rest the great Testimony given unto the finishing of the Work of Redemption with the satisfaction of God therein and his acceptation of the Person of the Redeemer It is on various accounts assigned distinctly to each Person in the Trinity And this not only as all the external Works of God are individed each Person being equally concerned in their Operation but also upon the account of their especial respect unto and interest in the Work of Redemption in the manner before declared Unto the Father it is ascribed on the account of his Authority and the declaration therein of Christ's perfect accomplishment of the Work committed unto him Acts 2. 24. Him hath God raised up having loosed the Pains of Death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it it is the Father who is spoken of And he is said as in other places to raise Christ from the Dead but this he doth with respect unto his loosing the Pains of Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which with a little alteration of one Vowel signifie the Sorrows of Death or the Cords of Death For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Sorrow of Death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Cords of Death see Psal. 18. 4. Psal. 116. 3. And these Sorrows of Death here intended were the Cords of it that is the Power it had to bind the Lord Christ for a season under it For the Pains of Death that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tormenting Pains ended in his death it self But the Consequents of them are here reckoned unto them or the continuance under the Power of Death according unto the Sentence of the Law These God loosed when the Law being fully satisfied the Sentence of it was taken off and the Lord Christ was acquitted from its whole Charge This was the Act of God the Father as the Supream Rector and Judg of all Hence he is said to raise him from the Dead as the Judg by his Order delivereth an acquitted Prisoner or one who hath answered the Law The same Work he also takes unto himself John 10. 17 18. I lay down my Life that I may take it again no Man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again For although Men by violence took away his Life when with wicked hands they crucified and slew him Acts 2. 23. Chap. 3. 15 Yet because they had neither Authority nor Ability so to do without his own consent he saith No Man could or did take away his Life that is against his Will by Power over him as the lives of other Men are taken away for this neither Angels nor Men could do So also although the Father is said to raise him from the Dead by taking off the Sentence of the Law which he had answered yet he himself also took his Life again by an Act of the Love Care and Power of his Divine Nature his living again being an Act of his Person although the Humane Nature only died But the peculiar efficiency in the reuniting of his most Holy Soul and Body was an Effect of the Power of the Holy Spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. He was put to death in the Flesh but quickned in the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was restored to Life by the Spirit and this was that Spirit whereby he preached unto them that were disobedient in the dayes of Noah v. 19 20. or that Spirit of Christ which was in the Prophets from the Foundation of the World 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. by which he preached in Noah unto that disobedient Generation 2 Pet. 2. 5. whereby the Spirit of God strove for a season with those Inhabitants of the Old World Gen. 6. 3. that is the Holy Spirit of God To the same purpose we are instructed by our Apostle Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit which dwelleth in you God shall quicken our Mortal Bodies also by the same Spirit whereby he raised Christ from the Dead For so the Relation of the one Work to the other requires the words to be understood And he asserts again the same expresly Ephes. 1. 17 18 19 20. he prayes that God would give his Holy Spirit unto them as a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation v. 17. The Effects thereof in them and upon them are described v. 18. and this he desires that they may so be made Partakers of that by the Work of the Spirit of God in themselves renewing and quickning of them they might have an experience of that exceeding greatness of his Power which he put forth in the Lord Christ when he raised him from the Dead And the Evidence or Testimony given unto his being the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Dead is said to be according to the Spirit of Holiness or the Holy Spirit Rom. 1. 4. He was positively declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the powerful working of the Holy Spirit This also is the intendment of that Expression 1 Tim. 3. 16. Justified in the Spirit God was manifest in the Flesh by his Incarnation and Passion therein and justified in the Spirit by a Declaration of his acquitment from the Sentence of Death and all the Evils which he underwent with the Reproaches wherewith he was contemptuously used by his Quickning and Resurrection from the Dead through the mighty and effectual working of the Spirit of God Sect. 12 Tenthly It was the Holy Spirit that glorified the Humane Nature and made it every way meet for its Eternal Residence at the Right Hand of God and a Pattern of the Glorification of the Bodies of them that believe on him He who first made his Nature Holy now made it Glorious And as we are made conformable unto him in our Souls here his Image being renewed in us by the Spirit so he is in his Body now glorified by the Effectual Operation of the same Spirit the Exemplar and Pattern of that Glory which in our Mortal Bodies we shall receive by the same Spirit For when he appears we shall be like him 1 John 3. 2. seeing he will change our vile Bodies that they
to have a specialty in our Divine Love to the Person of Christ. 2. The Uncreated Glories of the Divine Nature whence our Love hath the same Object with that which we owe unto God absolutely 3. That Perfection and Fulness of Grace which dwelt in his Humane Nature as communicated unto him by the Holy Spirit whereof we have treated If you love the Person of Christ it must be on these Considerations Which whilst some have neglected they have doted on their own Imaginations and whilst they have thought themselves even sick of Love for Christ they have only languished in their own Fancies Secondly We are to know Christ so as to labour after conformity unto him And this Conformity consists only in a Participation of those Graces whose fulness dwells in him We can therefore no other way regularly press after it but by an Acquaintance with and due Consideration of the Work of the Spirit of God upon his Humane Nature which is therefore worthy of our most diligent enquiry into And so have we given a brief delineation of the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Spirit in and towards the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ the Head of the Church his preparation of a Mystical Body for him in his Powerful Gracious Work on the Elect of God doth nextly ensue The General Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Creation with respect unto the Members of that Body whereof Christ is the Head CHAP. V. 1 Christ the Head of the New Creation 2. Things premised in general unto the remaining Work of the Spirit Things presupposed unto the Work of the Spirit towards the Church the Love and Grace of Father and Son 3. The whole Work of the building of the Church committed to the Holy Spirit Acts 2. 33. opened 4. The Foundation of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit and its Building by him alone 5. Christ present with his Church only by his Spirit Mat. 28. 19. Acts 1. 9 10. Acts 3. 21. Mat. 18. 19. 1 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 16. compared 6. The Holy Spirit works the Work of Christ John 16. 13 14 15. opened 7. The Holy Spirit the peculiar Author of all Grace 8. The Holy Spirit worketh all this according to his own Will 1. His Will and Pleasure is in all his Works 2. He works variously as to the Kinds and Degrees of his Operations How he may be resisted how not 9 How the same Work is ascribed unto the Spirit distinctly and to others with him 10. The General Heads of his Operations towards the Church Sect. 1 VVE have considered the Work of the Spirit of God in his laying the Foundation of the Church of the New Testament by his Dispensations towards the Head of it our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Foundation Stone of this Building with seven Eyes engraven on him or filled with an absolute perfection of all the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit Zech. 3. 9. which when he is exalted also as the Head Stone in the Corner there are shoutings in Heaven and Earth crying Grace Grace unto him Zech. 4. 7. As upon the laying of the Foundation and placing of the Corner Stones of the Earth in the Old Creation the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy Job 38. 6 7. So upon the laying of this Foundation and placing of this Corner Stone in the New Creation all things sing together and cry Grace Grace unto it The same Hand which laid this Foundation doth also finish the Building The same Spirit which was given unto him not by Measure Joh. 3. 34. giveth Grace unto every one of us according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ Ephes. 4. 7. And this falleth now under our Consideration namely the perfecting the Work of the New Creation by the effectual Operation and Distributions of the Spirit of God And this belongs unto the Establishment of our Faith that he who Prepared Sanctified and Glorified the Humane Nature the Natural Body of Jesus Christ the Head of the Church hath undertaken to Prepare Sanctifie and Glorifie his Mystical Body or all the Elect given unto him of the Father Concerning which before we come to consider particular Instances some things in general must be premised which are these that follow Sect. 2 First Unto the Work of the Holy Spirit towards the Church some things are supposed from whence it proceeds which it is built upon and resolved into It is not an Original but a Perfecting Work some things it supposeth and bringeth all things to perfection And these are First The Love Grace Counsel and Eternal Purpose of the Father 2. The whole Work of the Mediation of Jesus Christ which things I have handled elsewhere For it is the peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit to make those things of the Father and Son effectual unto the Souls of the Elect to the Praise of the Glory of the Grace of God God doth all things for himself and his Supream End is the manifestation of his own Glory And in the Old or First Creation he seems principally or firstly to intend the Demonstration and Exaltation of the Glorious Essential Properties of his Nature his Goodness Power Wisdom and the like as Psal. 19. 1 2 3 4. Rom. 1. 19 20 21. Acts 14. 15 16 17. Acts 7. 24 25 26 27. leaving only on the Works of his Hands some obscure Impressions of the distinction of Persons subsisting in the Unity of that Being whose Properties he had displayed and glorified But in the Work of the New Creation God firstly and principally intends the especial Revelation of each Person of the whole Trinity distinctly in their peculiar distinct Operations all which tend ultimately to the manifestation of the Glory of his Nature also And herein consists the principal Advantage of the New Testament above the Old for although the Work of the New Creation was begun and carried on Secretly and Virtually under the Old Testament yet they had not a full discovery of the Oeconomy of the Holy Trinity therein which was not evidently manifest until the whole Work was illustriously brought to Light by the Gospel Hence although there appear a vigorous acting of Faith and ardency of Affection in the Approaches of the Saints unto God under the Old Testament yet as unto a clear access to the Father through the Son by the Spirit as Ephes. 2. 18. wherein the Life and Comfort of our Communion with God doth consist we hear nothing of it Herein therefore God plainly declares that the Foundation of the Whole was laid in the Counsel Will and Grace of the Father Ephes. 1. 3 4 5 6. Then that the making way for the accomplishing of that Counsel of his so that it might be brought forth to the praise of his Glory is by the Mediation of the Son God having designed in this Work to bring things so about that all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the
Father John 5. 23. There yet remains the actual Application of all to the Souls of Men that they may be Partakers of the Grace designed in the Counsel of the Father and prepared in the Mediation of the Son And herein is the Holy Spirit to be manifested and glorified that He also together with the Father and the Son may be Known Adored Worshipped according unto his own Will This is the Work that he hath undertaken And hereon upon the solemn Initiation of any Person into the Covenant of God in answer unto this Design and Work he is Baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Matth. 28. 18. And these things have been discoursed of before though necessarily here called over again Sect. 3 Secondly From the Nature and Order of this Work of God it is That after the Son was actually exhibited in the Flesh according to the Promise and had fulfilled what he had taken upon him to do in his own Person the great Promise of carrying on and finishing the whole Work of the Grace of God in our Salvation concerns the sending of the Holy Spirit to do and perform what he also had undertaken Thus when our Lord Jesus Christ was ascended into Heaven and began conspicuously and gloriously to carry on the building of his Church upon himself the Rock and Foundation of it it is said That being exalted by the Right Hand of God he received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit Acts 2. 33. which must be a little opened Before he departed from his Disciples as hath been mentioned on several occasions he comforted and cheared their drooping Spirits with the Promise of sending him unto them which he often repeated and inculcated on their minds John 14. 15 16. And 2. when he was actually leaving of them after his Resurrection he gives them order to sit still and not to ingage in the publick Work of building the Church whereunto he had designed them until that Promise were actually accomplished towards them Acts 1. 4. Being assembled together with them he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father and Vers. 8. Ye shall receive Power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the utmost parts of the Earth He would have them look neither for Assistance in their Work nor success unto it but from the promised Spirit alone and lets them know also that by his Aid they should be enabled to carry their Testimony of him to the uttermost parts of the Earth And herein lay and herein doth lie the Foundation of the Ministry of the Church as also its Continuance and Efficacy The Kingdom of Christ is Spiritual and in the animating Principles of it invisible If we fix our Minds only on outward Order we lose the Rise and Power of the whole it is not an outward visible Ordination by Men though that be necessary by Rule and Precept but Christ's Communication of that Spirit the Everlasting Promise whereof he received of the Father that gives Being Life Usefulness and success to the Ministry Wherefore also 3. upon his Ascention in the Accomplishment of the great Promises given unto the Church under the Old Testament Isa. 44. 3. Joel 1. 18. as also of his own newly given unto his Disciples he poured forth his Spirit on them This the Apostle Peter declares in this place Being exalted by the right Hand of God and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit he shed forth what they then saw and heard in the Miraculous Operations and Effects of it And he is said then to receive the Promise of the Father because he then received the thing promised The Promise was not then first given unto him nor did he then receive it for himself For as the Promise was given long before so in his own Person he had received the fulness of the Spirit from his Incarnation as hath been declared But now he had Power given him actually to fulfil and accomplish the Promise in the Collation of the thing promised and is thence said to receive the Promise So Heb. 11. 13 39. it is said of all Believers under the Old Testament That they died in Faith having not received the Promise that is the thing promised was not actually exhibited in their dayes though they had the Promise of it as it is expresly said of Abraham Chap. 7. 6. The Promise therefore it self was given unto the Lord Christ and actually received by him in the Covenant of the Mediator when he undertook the great Work of the Restauration of all things to the Glory of God For herein had he the Ingagement of the Father that the Holy Spirit should be poured out on the Sons of Men to make effectual unto their Souls the whole Work of his Mediation wherefore he is said now to receive this Promise because on his account and by him as exalted it was now solemnly accomplished in and towards the Church In the same manner the same thing is described Psal. 68. 18. Thou hast ascended on High thou hast led Captivity captive thou hast received Gifts for Men which is rendred Ephes. 4. 8. Thou hast given Gifts unto Men for he received the Promise at this time only to give out the Spirit and his Gifts unto Men. And if any are so fond as to expect Strength and Assistance in the Work of the Ministry without him or such success in their Labours as shall find Acceptance with God they do but deceive their own Souls and others Sect. 4 Here lay the Foundation of the Christian Church The Lord Christ had called his Apostles to the great Work of building his Church and the propagation of his Gospel in the World Of themselves they were plainly and openly defective in all Qualifications and Abilities that might contribute any thing thereunto But whatever is wanting in themselves whether Light Wisdom Authority Knowledg Utterance or Courage he promiseth to supply them withal And this he would not do nor did any otherwise but by sending the Holy Spirit unto them on whose presence and assistance alone depended the whole success of their Ministry in the World It was through the Holy Ghost that he gave Commandments unto them Acts 1. 2. Those Commandments concern the whole Work in Preaching the Gospel and Founding of the Church and these he gives unto them through the acting of Divine Wisdom in the Humane Nature by the Holy Ghost And on their part without his Assistance he forbids them to attempt any thing v. 4 8 9. In this Promise then the Lord Christ founded the Church it self and by it he builded it up And this is the Hinge whereon the whole weight of it doth turn and depend unto this day Take it away suppose it to cease as unto a continual
Accomplishment and there will be an absolute end of the Church of Christ in this World No Dispensation of the Spirit no Church He that would utterly separate the Spirit from the Word had as good burn his Bible The bare Letter of the New Testament will no more ingenerate Faith and Obedience in the Souls of Men no more constitute a Church-State among them who enjoy it than the Letter of the Old Testament doth so at this day among the Jews 2 Cor. 3. 6 8. But blessed be God who hath knit these things together towards his Elect in the Bond of an Everlasting Covenant Isa. 59. 21. Let Men therefore cast themselves into what order they please institute what Forms of Government and Religious Worship they think good let them do it either by an attendance according unto the best of their understandings unto the Letter of the Scripture or else in an Exercise of their own Wills Wisdom and Invention if the Work of the Spirit of God be disowned or disclaimed by them if there be not in them and upon them such a Work of his as he is promised by our Lord Jesus Christ there is not Church-State amongst them nor as such is it to be owned or esteemed And on the Ministry and the Church do all ordinary Communications of Grace from God depend Sect. 5 Thirdly It is the Holy Spirit who supplies the bodily absence of Christ and by him doth he accomplish all his Promises to the Church Hence some of the Ancients call him Vicarium Christi the Vicar of Christ or he who represents his Person and dischargeth his promised Work Operam navat Christo Vicariam When our Lord Jesus was leaving the World he gave his Disciples command to Preach the Gospel and to Disciple the World into the Faith and Profession thereof Matth. 28. 19. For their incouragement herein he promiseth his own presence with them in their whole Work where-ever any of them should be called unto it and that whilst he would have the Gospel preached on the Earth so saith he I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the World or the Consummation of all things v. 20. Immediately after he had thus spoken unto them while they beheld he was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight and they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as he went up Acts 1. 9 10. Where now is the Accomplishment of his Promise that he would be with them unto the end of all things which was the sole Incouragement he gave them unto their great undertaking It may be that after this his triumphant Ascention into Heaven to take possession of his Kingdom and Glory he came again unto them and made his abode with them No saith Peter the Heavens must receive him until the time of the restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. How then is this Promise of his made good which had such a peculiar respect unto the Ministry and Ministers of the Gospel that without it none can ever honestly or conscientiously engage in the Dispensation of it or expect the least success upon their so doing Besides he had promised unto the Church it self That where ever two or three were gathered together in his Name that he would be in the midst of them Matth. 18. 19 20. Hereon do all their Comforts and all their Acceptance with God depend I say all these Promises are perfectly fulfilled by his sending of the Holy Spirit In and by him he is present with his Disciples in their Ministry and their Assemblies And when-ever Christ leaves the World the Church must do so too For it is his Presence alone which puts Men into that condition or invests them with that Priviledg For so he saith I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People 2 Cor. 6. 16. Levit. 26. 12. Their being the People of God so as therewithal to be the Temple of the Living God that is to be brought into a Sacred Church-State for his Worship depends on his dwelling in them and walking in them and this he doth by his Spirit alone For know you not that you are Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3. 16. He therefore so far represents the Person and supplies the bodily absence of Christ that on his Presence the Being of the Church the Success of the Ministry and the Edification of the whole do absolutely depend And this if any thing in the whole Gospel deserves our serious Consideration For 1. the Lord Jesus hath told us that his presence with us by his Spirit is better and more expedient for us than the continuance of his Bodily Presence Now who is there that hath any Affection for Christ but thinks that the Carnal Presence of the Humane Nature of Christ would be of unspeakable Advantage unto him And so no doubt it would had any such thing been designed or appointed in the Wisdom and Love of God But so it is not and on the other side we are commanded to look for more Advantage and Benefit by his Spiritual Presence with us or his Presence with us by the Holy Ghost It is therefore certainly incumbent on us to inquire diligently what Valuation we have hereof and what Benefit we have hereby For if we find not that we really receive Grace Assistance and Consolation from this presence of Christ with us we have no benefit at all by him nor from him for he is now no otherwise for those ends with any but by his Spirit And this they will one day find whose Profession is made up of such a sottish Contradiction as to avow an honour for Jesus Christ and yet blaspheme his Spirit in all his Holy Operations 2. The Lord Christ having expresly promised to be present with us to the end of all things there are great Enquiries how that Promise is accomplished Some say he is present with us by his Ministers and Ordinances but how then is he present with those Ministers themselves unto whom the Promise of his Presence is made in an especial manner The Papists would have him Carnally and Bodily present in the Sacrament But he himself hath told us that the Flesh in such a sense profiteth nothing John 6. 63. and that it is the Spirit alone that quickneth The Lutherans sancy an Omnipresence or Ubiquity of his Humane Nature by virtue of its Personal Union But this is destructive of that Nature it self which being made to be every where as such a Nature is truly no where And the most Learned among them are ashamed of this Imagination The words of Smidh on Ephes. 4. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are worthy consideration Per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliqui intelligunt totum Mundum seu totum Universum hoc exponuntque ut Omnipraesentia sua omnibus in Mundo locis adesset loca omnia implendo hi verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de Physica
crassa impletione accipiunt quam tamen talis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu impletio locorum in Mundo omnium quae vel expansionem corpoream in quantitate continua vel multiplicationem imo infinitam multitudinem unius ejusdemque corporis in discreta praesupponit ex humana speculatione orta est falsoque nostris Ecclesiis aâ—â—ingitur wherein yet he confesseth that it is taught Ne cogitanda quidem sit pio homini sed potius Omnipraesentia Christi Hominis uti promissa est modo nobis ineffabili credi multo certius aliunde sciri possit ex ipsius promissione Matth. 28. 20. This way as we say with the Scripture is by his Spirit the perfect manner of whose Presence and Operation is ineffable Sect. 6 Fourthly As he represents the Person and supplies the Room and Place of Jesus Christ so he worketh and effecteth what-ever the Lord Christ hath taken upon himself to Work and Effect towards his Disciples Wherefore as the Work of the Son was not his own Work but rather the Work of the Father who sent him and in whose Name he performed it so the Work of the Holy Spirit is not his own Work but rather the Work of the Son by whom he is sent and in whose Name he doth accomplish it John 16. 13 14 15. Howbeit when 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 he shall speak and he will shew you things to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and 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 He comes to reveal and communicate Truth and Grace to the Disciples of Christ. And in his so doing he speaks not of himself that is of himself only He comes not with any absolute new Dispensation of Truth or Grace distinct or different from that which is in and by the Lord Christ and which they had heard from him The Holy Spirit being promised unto the Disciples and all their Work and Duty being suspended on the accomplishment of that Promise whereas he is God they might suppose that he would come with some absolute new Dispensation of Truth so that what they had learned and received from Christ should pass away and be of no use unto them To prevent any such Apprehensions he lets them know that the Work he had to do was only to carry on and build on the Foundation which was laid in his Person or Doctrine or the Truth which he had revealed from the Bosom of the Father And this I take to be the meaning of that Expression For he shall not speak of himself he shall reveal no other Truth communicate no other Grace but what is in from and by my self This was the Holy Spirit to do and this he did and hereby may we try every Spirit whether it be of God That Spirit which revealeth any thing or pretendeth to reveal any Thing any Doctrine any Grace any Truth that is contrary unto that is not consonant to yea that is not the Doctrine Grace or Truth of Christ as now revealed in the Word that brings any thing new his own or of himself that Spirit is not of God So it is added 2. Whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak This which he hears is the whole Counsel of the Father and the Son concerning the Salvation of the Church And how is he said to hear it which word in its proper signification hath no place in the mutual internal Actings of the Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity Being the Spirit of the Father and the Son proceeding from both he is equally participant of their Counsels So the outward Act of Hearing is mentioned as the sign of his Infinite Knowledg of the Eternal Counsels of the Father and Son He is no stranger unto them And this is a general Rule That those words which with respect unto us express the means of any thing as applyed unto God intend no more but the signs of it Hearing is the means whereby we come to know the mind of another who is distinct from us And when God is said to hearken or hear it is a sign of his knowledg not the means of it So is the Holy Spirit said to hear those things because he knows them As he is also on the same account said to search the deep things of God Add hereunto that the Counsel of these things is originally peculiar to the Father and unto him it is every where peculiarly ascribed therefore is the participation of the Spirit therein as a distinct Person called his hearing Hereunto 3. his great Work is subjoyned He saith Christ shall glorifie me This is the Design that he is sent upon this is the Work that he comes to do even as it was the Design and Work of Jesus Christ to glorifie the Father by whom he was sent And this are they alwayes to bear in mind who stand in need of or pray for his Assistance in their Work or Office in the Church of God He is given unto them that through him they may give and bring Glory to Jesus Christ. And 4. how the Holy Spirit doth glorifie the Lord Christ is also declared He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you The Communication of Spiritual Things from Christ by the Spirit is here called his receiving of them as the communication of the Spirit from the Father by the Lord Christ to his Disciples is called the receiving of the Promise The Spirit cannot receive any thing subjectively which he had not as an addition unto him It is therefore the Oeconomy of these things that is here intended He is not said to receive them as though before he had them not For what can he who is God so receive only when he begins to give them unto us because they are peculiarly the things of Christ he is said to receive them For we can give nothing of anothers but what we receive of him Good things are given unto us from Christ by the Spirit For so it is added and shall shew them unto you He shall make them known unto you so declare them and manifestly evidence them to you and in you that you shall understand and have experience of them in your selves shew them by Revelation instructing you in them by communication imparting them to you And what are these things that he shall so declare They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my things saith our Saviour The things of Christ may be referred unto two Heads His Truth and His Grace John 1. 17. The first he shews by Revelation the latter by Effectual Communication His Truth he shewed unto them by Revelation as we have declared him to be the Immediate Author of all Divine Revelations This he did unto the Apostles by his Inspirations enabling
properly expressed so as they ought to be and so as they are capable to be expressed The Difficulties which seem to be in them arising from the Mysterious Nature of the things themselves contained in them and the weakness of our Minds in apprehending such things and not from any obscurity or intricacy in the Declaration of them And herein indeed consists the main Contest whereunto things with the most are reduced Some judg that all things are so expressed in the Scripture with a condesension unto our Capacity so as that there is still to be conceived an inexpressible Grandure in many of them beyond our Comprehension Others judg on the other hand That under a Grandure of Words and Hyperbolical Expressions things of a meaner and a lower sense are intended and to be understood Some judg the Things of the Gospel to be deep and mysterious the Words and Expressions of it to be plain and proper Others think the Words and Expressions of it to be Mystical and Figurative but the Things intended to be ordinary and obvious to the Natural Reason of every Man But to return Sect. 8 Both Regeneration and the Doctrine of it were under the Old Testament All the Elect of God in their several Generations were all Regenerate by the Spirit of God But in that Ampliation and Enlargement of Truth and Grace under the Gospel which came by Jesus Christ who brought Life and Immortality to light as more Persons than of old were to be made Partakers of the Mercy of it so the Nature of the Work it self is far more clearly evidently and distinctly revealed and declared And because this is the principal and internal Remedy of that Disease which the Lord Christ came to cure and take away one of the first things that he Preached was the Doctrine of it All things of this Nature before even from the beginning of the World lay hid in God Ephes. 3. 9. Some intimations were given of them in Parables and dark Sayings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 78. 2. in Types Shadows and Ceremonies so as the Nature of the Grace in them was not clearly to be discerned But now when the great Physician of our Souls came who was to heal the Wound of our Natures whence we were dead in Trespasses and Sins he layes naked the Disease it self declares the Greatness of it the Ruine we were under from it that we might know and be thankful for its Reparation Hence no Doctrine is more fully and plainly declared in the Gospel than this of our Regeneration by the effectual and ineffable Operation of the Holy Spirit And it is a Consequent and Fruit of the Depravation of our Nature that against the full Light and Evidence of Truth now clearly manifested this Great and Holy Work is opposed and despised Sect. 9 Few indeed have yet the confidence in plain and intelligible words to deny it absolutely But many tread in the steps of him who first in the Church of God undertook to undermine it This was Pelagius whose principal Artifice which he used in the Introduction of his Heresie was in the clouding of his Intentions with general and ambiguous Expressions as some would be making use of his very Words and Phrases Hence for a long time when he was justly charged with his Sacrilegious Errors he made no defence of them but reviled his Adversaries as corrupting his Mind and not understanding his Expressions And by this means as he got himself acquitted in the Judgments of some less experienced in the sleights and cunning craftiness of them who lie in wait to deceive and juridically freed in an Assembly of Bishops so in all probability he had suddenly infected the whole Church with the poison of those Opinions which the proud and corrupted Nature of Man is so apt to receive and embrace if God had not stirred up some few Holy and Learned Persons Austin especially to discover his Frauds to refel his Calumnies and confute his Sophisms which they did with indefatigable industry and good success But yet these Tares being once sown by the envious one found such a suitable and fruitful Soil in the darkned Minds and proud Hearts of Men that from that day to this they could never be fully extirpated but the same bitter Root hath still sprung up unto the defiling of many though various new Colours have been put upon its Leaves and Fruit. And although those who at present amongst us have undertaken the same Cause with Pelagius do not equal him either in Learning or Diligence or an Appearance of Piety and Devotion yet do they exactly imitate him in declaring their minds in cloudy ambiguous Expressions capable of various Constructions until they are fully examined and thereon reproaching as he did those that oppose them as not aright representing their Sentiments when they judg it their Advantage so to do as the scurrilous clamorous Writings of S. P. do sufficiently manifest Sect. 10 Secondly Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is the same Work for the kind of it and wrought by the same Power of the Spirit in all that are Regenerate or ever were or shall be so from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof Great variety there is in the Application of the outward means which the Holy Spirit is pleased to use and make effectual towards the Accomplishment of this great Work Nor can the Wayes and Manner hereof be reduced unto any certain order For the Spirit worketh how and when he pleaseth following the sole Rule of his own Will and Wisdom Mostly God makes use of the Preaching of the Word thence called an Engrafted Word which is able to save our Souls James 1. 21. and the incorruptible Seed by which we are born again 1 Pet. 1. 21. Sometimes 't is wrought without it as in all those who are Regenerate before they come to the use of Reason or in their Infancy Sometimes Men are called and so regenerate in an extraordinary manner as was Paul but mostly they are so in and by the use of ordinary Means instituted blessed and sanctified of God to that end and purpose And great variety there is also in the perception and understanding of the Work it self in them in whom it is wrought For in it self it is secret and hidden and is no other wayes discoverable but in its Causes and Effects For as the Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3. 8. Sect. 11 In the Minds and Consciences of some this is made known by infallible Signs and Tokens Paul knew that Christ was formed and revealed in himself Gal. 1. 16. So he declared that who-ever is in Christ Jesus is a New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. that is is born again whether they know themselves so to be or no. And many are in the dark as to their own condition in
necessity of being born again and therein of turning unto God will be laid open in our Declaration of the Nature of the Work it self For the present the ensuing Reasons will serve to remove it out of our way Sect. 16 1. Regeneration doth not consist in these things which are only outward Signs and Tokens of it or at most instituted means of effecting it For the Nature of thing is different and distinct from the Means and Evidences or Pledges of them But such only is Baptism with the Profession of the Doctrine of it as is acknowledged by all who have Treated of the Nature of that Sacrament 2. The Apostle Peter really states this Case 1 Pet. 3. 21. In answer whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The outward Administration of this Ordinance considered materially reacheth no farther but to the washing away of the filth of the Flesh but more is signified thereby There is denoted in it the Restipulation of a good Conscience unto God by the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead or a Conscience purged from Dead Works to serve the Living God Heb. 9. 14. and quickned by vertue of his Resurrection unto Holy Obedience see Rom. 6 3 4 5 6 7. 3. The Apostle Paul doth plainly distinguish between the outward Ordinances with what belongs unto a due participation of them and the Work of Regeneration it self Gal. 6. 15. In Jesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a New Creature For as by Circumcision the whole System of Mosaical Ordinances is intended so the state of Uncircumcision as then it was in the Professing Gentiles supposed a Participation of all the Ordinances of the Gospel But from them all he distinguisheth the New Creation as that which they may be without and which being so they are not available in Christ Jesus 4. It this were so then all that are duly Baptized and do thereon make profession of the Doctrine of it that is of Repentance for the forgiveness of Sins must of necessity be Regenerate But this we know to be otherwise For instance Simon the Megician was rightly and duly Baptized for he was so by Philip the Evangelist which he could not be without a Profession of Faith and Repentance accordingly it is said that he believed Acts 8. 13. that is made a profession of his Faith in the Gospel Yet he was not Regenerate for at the same time he had no part or lot in that Matter his Heart not being right in the sight of God but was in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity v. 21 23. which is not the Description of a Person newly Regenerate and Born again Hence the Cabbalistical Jews who grope in darkness after the old Notions of Truth that were among their Forefathers do say That at the same instant wherein a Man is made a Proselyte of Righteousness there comes a New Soul into him from Heaven his old Pagan Soul vanishing or being taken away The Introduction of a New Spiritual Principle to be that unto the Soul which the Soul is unto the Body naturally is that which they understand or they chuse thus to express the reiterated Promise of taking away the Heart of Stone and giving an Heart of Flesh in the place of it Sect. 17 Secondly Regeneration doth not consist in a Moral Reformation Life and Conversation Let us suppose such a Reformation to be extensive unto all known Instances Suppose a Man be changed from Sensuality unto Temperance from Rapine to Righteousness from Pride and the Dominion of Irregular Passions unto Humility and Moderation with all Instances of the like Nature which we can imagine or are prescribed in the Rules of the strictest Moralists Suppose this change be laboured exact and accurate and so of great use in the World Suppose also that a Man hath been brought and perswaded unto it through the preaching of the Gospel so escaping the Pollutions that are in the World through Lust even by the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ or the Directions of his Doctrine delivered in the Gospel yet I say all this and all this added unto Baptism accompanied with a Profession of Faith and Repentance is not Regeneration nor do they comprize it in them And I have extended this Assertion beyond what some among us so far as I can see do so much as pretend unto in their confused Notions and sophistical Expressions about Morality when they make it the same with Grace But what-ever there may be of Actual Righteousness in these things they do not express an inherent habitual Righteousness which whosoever denies overthrows the Gospel and all the whole Work of the Spirit of God and of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we must stay a while This Assertion of ours is by some not only denyed but derided Neither is that all but who-ever maintains it is exposed as an Enemy to Morality Righteousness and Reformation of Life All Vertue they say is hereby excluded to introduce I know not what imaginary Godliness But whether we oppose or exclude Moral Vertue or no by the Doctrine of Regeneration or any other God and Christ will in due time judg and declare Yea were the confession of the Truth consistent with their Interests the decision of this doubt might be referred unto their own Consciences But being not free to commit any thing to that Tribunal unless we had better security of its freedom from corrupt Principles and Prejudices than we have we shall at present leave all the World to judg of our Doctrine with respect unto Vertue and Morality by the Fruits of it compared with theirs by whom it is denied In the mean time we affirm that we design nothing in Vertue and Morality but to improve them by fixing them on a proper Foundation or ingrafâ—ing them into that Stock whereon alone they will thrive and grow to the Glory of God and the good of the Souls of Men neither shall we be moved in this Design by the Clamorous or Calumnious out-cries of Ignorant or Profligate Persons And for the Assertion laid down I desire that those who despise and reproach it would attempt an Answer unto the ensuing Arguments whereby it is confirmed with those other which shall be insisted on in our Description of the Nature of the Work of Regeneration it self and that upon such Grounds and Principles as are not destructive of Christian Religion nor introductive of Atheism before they are too confident of their success Sect. 19 If there be in and required unto Regeneration the infusion of a new real Spiritual Principâ—e into the Soul and its Faculties of Spiritual Life Light Holiness and Righteousness disposed unto and suited for the Destruction or Expulsion of a contrary inbred habitual Principle of sin and enmity against God
But as it hath been in part already manifested and will fully God assisting be evinced afterwards that in our Regeneration the native Ignorance Darkness and Blindness of our Minds are dispelled Saving and Spiritual Light being introduced by the Power of God's Grace into them That the pravity and stubbornness of our Wills are removed and taken away a new principle of Spiritual Life and Righteousness being bestowed on them and that the Disorder and Rebellion of our Affections are cured by the infusion of the Love of God into our Souls so the corrupt Imagination of the contrary Opinion directly opposite to the Doctrine of the Scriptures the Faith of the Antient Church and the Experience of all sincere Believers hath amongst us of late nothing but Ignorance and ready Confidence produced to give countenance unto it Sect. 25 Thirdly The Work of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration doth not consist in Enthusiastical Raptures Extasies Voices or any thing of the like kind It may be some such things have been by some deluded Persons apprehended or pretended unto But the countenancing of any such Imaginations is falsly and injuriously charged on them who maintain the powerful and effectual Work of the Holy Spirit in our Regeneration And this some are prone to do wherein whether they discover more of their Ignorance or of their Malice I know not but nothing is more common with them All whom in this Matter they dissent from so far as they know what they say or whereof they affirm do teach Men to look after Enthusiastick Inspirations or unaccountable Raptures and to esteem them for Conversion unto God although in the mean time they live in a neglect of Holiness and Righteousness of Conversation I Answer if there be those who do so we doubt not but that without their Repentance the Wrath of God will come upon them as upon other Children of Disobedience And yet in the mean time we cannot but call aloud that others would discover their diligence in attendance unto these things who as far as I can discern do cry up the Names of Virtue and Righteousness in opposition to the Grace of Jesus Christ and that Holiness which is a Fruit thereof But for the Reproach now under Consideration it is as applyed no other but a Calumny and false Accusation And that it is so the Writings and Preachings of those who have most diligently laboured in the Declaration of the Work of the Holy Spirit in our Regeneration will bear Testimony at the great Day of the Lord. We may therefore as unto this Negative Principle observe three things 1. That the Holy Spirit in this Work doth ordinarily put forth his Power in and by the use of Means He worketh also on Men suitably unto their Natures even as the Faculties of their Souls their Minds Wills and Affections are meet to be affected and wrought upon He doth not come upon them with involuntary Raptures using their Faculties and Powers as the Evil Spirit wrests the Bodies of them whom he possesseth His whole Work therefore is rationally to be accounted for by and unto them who believe the Scripture and have received the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive The formal efficiency of the Spirit indeed in the putting forth the exceeding greatness of his Power in our quickning Which the Ancient Church constantly calleth his Inspiration of Grace both in private Writing and Canons of Councils is no otherwise to be comprehended by us than any other Creating Act of Divine Power for as we hear the Wind but know not from whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so is every one that is born of God yet these two things are certain herein First That he worketh nothing nor any other way nor by any other means than what are determined and declared in the Word By that therefore may and must every thing really belonging or pretended to belong unto this Work of Regeneration be tryed and examined Secondly That he acts nothing contrary unto puts no force upon any of the Faculties of our Souls but works in them and by them suitably to their Natures and being more intimate unto them as Austin speaks than they are unto themselves by an Almighty Facility he produceth the Effect which he intendeth Sect. 20 This great Work therefore neither in part nor whole consists in Raptures Extasies Visions Enthusiastick Inspirations but in the Effect of the Power of the Spirit of God on the Souls of Men by and according to his Word both of the Law and the Gospel And those who charge these things on them who have asserted declared and preached it according to the Scriptures do it probably to countenance themselves in their hatred of them and of the Work it self Wherefore 2dly where by Reason of Distempers of Mind Disorder of Fancy or long continuance of distressing Fears and Sorrows in and under such Preparatory Works of the Spirit which sometimes cut Men to their Hearts in the sense of their sin and sinful lost condition any do fall into Apprehensions or Imaginations of any thing extraordinary in the wayes before-mentioned if it be not quickly and strictly brought unto the Rule and discarded thereby it may be of great danger unto their Souls and is never of any solid Use or Advantage Such Apprehensions for the most part are either Conceptions of distempered Minds and discomposed Fancies or Delusions of Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light which the Doctrine of Regeneration ought not to be accountable for Yet I must say 3dly That so it is come to pass that many of those who have been really made Partakers of this gracious Work of the Holy Spirit have been looked on in the World which knows them not as mad Enthusiastick and Fanatical So the Captains of the Host esteemed the Prophet that came to anoint Jehu 2 Kings 9. 11. And the Kindred of our Saviour when he began to Preach the Gospel said He was besides himself or extatical Mark 3. 21. and they went out to lay hold of him So Festus judged of Paul Acts 26. 24 25. And the Author of the Book of Wisdom gives us an account what acknowledgments some will make when it shall be too late as to their own Advantage Chap. 5. 3 4 5. They shall say crying out because of the trouble of their Minds This is he whom we accounted a scorn and a common reproach We Fools esteemed his Life madness and his latter End to have been shameful but how is he reckoned among the Sons of God and his Lot is among the Holy Ones From what hath been spoken it appears Sect. 26 Fourthly That the Work of the Spirit of God in Regenerating the Souls of Men is diligently to be enquired into by the Preaching of the Gospel and all to whom the Word is dispensed For the former sort there is a peculiar Reason for their Attendance unto this Duty For they are used and employed in the Work it self by the Spirit
of God and are by him made instrumental for the effecting of this New Birth and Life So the Apostle Paul stiles himself the Father of them who were Converted to God or Regenerate through the Word of his Ministry 1 Cor. 4. 15. Though you have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have you not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel He was used in the Ministry of the Word for their Regeneration and therefore was their Spiritual Father and he only though the Work was afterwards carried on by others And if Men are Fathers in the Gospel to no more than are Converted unto God by their Personal Ministry it will be no Advantage unto any one day to have assumed that Title when it hath had no Foundation in that Work as to its effectual success So speaking of Onesimus who was Converted by him in Prison he calls him his Son whom he had begotten in his Bonds Philem. 10. and this he declared to have been prescribed unto him as the Principal End of his Ministry in the Commission he had for Preaching the Gospel Acts 26. 17 18. Christ said unto him I send thee unto the Gentiles to open their Eyes to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God which is a Description of the Work under Consideration And this is the principal End of our Ministry also Now certainly it is the Duty of Ministers to understand the Work about which they are employed as far as they are able that they may not Work in the Dark and Fight Uncertainly as Men beating the Air What the Scripture hath revealed concerning it as to its Nature and the manner of its Operation as to its Causes Effects Fruits Evidences they ought diligently to enquire into To be spiritually skilled herein is one of the principal Furnishments of any for the Work of the Ministry without which they will never be able to divide the Word aright nor shew themselves Workmen that need not be ashamed Yet is it scarcely imaginable with what rage and perversity of Spirit with what scornful Expressions this whole Work is traduced and exposed to contempt Those who have laboured herein are said to prescribe long and tedious trains of Conversion to set down nice and subtile Processes of Regeneration to fill Peoples Heads with innumerable Swarms of Superstitious Fears and Scruples about the due Degrees of Godly Sorrow and the certain Symptoms of a through-Humiliation p. 306 307. Could any mistake be charged on particular Persons in these things or the prescribing of Rules about Conversion to God and Regeneration that are not warranted by the Word of Truth it were not amiss to reflect upon them and refute them But the intention of these Expressions is evident and the reproach in them is cast upon the Work of God it self And I must profess that I believe the Degeneracy from the Truth and Power of Christian Religion the Ignorance of the principal Doctrines of the Gospel and that scorn which is cast in these and the like Expressions on the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ by such as not only profess themselves to be Ministers but of an higher Degree than ordinary will be sadly ominous unto the whole State of the Reformed Church amongst us if not timely repressed and corrected But what at present I affirm in this Matter is That it is a Duty indispensibly incumbent on all Ministers of the Gospel to acquaint themselves throughly with the Nature of this Work that they may be able to comply with the Will of God and Grace of the Spirit in the Effecting and Accomplishment of it upon the Souls of them unto whom they dispense the Word Neither without some competent knowledg hereof can they discharge any one part of their Duty and Office in a right manner If all that hear them are born dead in Trespasses and Sins if they are appointed of God to be the Instruments of their Regeneration It is a madness which must one day be accounted for to neglect a sedulous enquiry into the Nature of this Work and the means whereby it is wrought And the ignorance hereof or negligence herein with the want of an Experience of the Power of this Work in their own Souls is one great cause of that lifeless and unprofitable Ministry which is among us Sect. 27 Secondly It is likewise the Duty of all to whom the Word is Preached to enquire also into it It is unto such to whom the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your own selves know you not your own Selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates It is the Concernment of all individual Christians or Professors of Christian Religion to try and examine themselves what Work of the Spirit of God there hath been upon their hearts and none will deter them from it but those who have a design to hoodwink them to Perdition And 1. the Doctrine of it is revealed and taught us For secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our Children for ever that we may do all the Words of the Law Deut. 29. 29. And we speak not of curious Enquiries into or after hidden things or the secret veiled Actions of the Holy Spirit but only of an upright endeavour to search into and comprehend the Doctrine concerning this Work to this very end that we might understand it 2. It is of such Importance unto all our Duties and all our Comforts to have a due Apprehension of the Nature of this Work and of our own Concernment therein that an enquiry into the one and the other cannot be neglected without the greatest folly and madness Whereunto we may add 3. the danger that there is of Mens being deceived in this Matter which is the Hinge whereon their Eternal State and Condition doth absolutely turn and depend And certain it is that very many in the World do deceive themselves herein For they evidently live under one of these pernicious Mistakes namely That 1. either Men may go to Heaven or enter into the Kingdom of God and not be born again contrary to that of our Saviour John 3. 6. or that Men may be born again and yet live in sin contrary to 1 John 3. 9. Works of the HOLY SPIRIT Preparatory unto Regeneration CHAP. II. 1. Sundry things Preparatory to the Work of Conversion 2. Material and Formal Dispositions with their Difference 3 4. Things in the power of our Natural Abilities required of us in a way of Duty 5. Internal Spiritual Effects wrought in the Souls of Men by the Word 6 7. Illumination Conviction of Sin Consequents thereof 8. These Things variously taught 9. Power of the Word and Energie of the Spirit distinct 10. Subject of this Work Mind Affections and Conscience 11 12 13. Nature of this whole Work and Difference from Saving
to the act of believing is contracted by their own fault both as it ariseth from the Original Depravation of Nature and as it is increased by corrupt Prejudices and contracted Habits of Sin wherefore they justly perished of whom yet it is said That they could not believe John 12. 39. 3. There is none by whom the Gospel is refused but they put forth an Act of the Will in its Rejection which all Men are free unto and able for I would have gathered you but you would not Mat. 23. 37. You will not come to me that you may have life Sect. 38 But the Scripture positively affirms of some to whom the Gospel was Preached that they could not believe John 12. 39. And of all natural Men that they cannot perceive the Things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. neither is it given unto all to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but some only Matth. 11. 25. And those to whom it is not so given have not the Power intended Besides Faith is not of all have not Faith 2 Thess. 3. 2. But it is peculiar to the Elect of God Tit. 1. 1. Acts 13. 48. And these Elect are but some of those that are called Mat. 20. 16. Sect. 39 Yet further to clear this it may be observed that this first Act of Willing may be considered two wayes 1. As it wrought in the Will subjectively and so it is formally only in that Faculty And in this sense the Will is meerly passive and only the Subject moved or acted And in this respect the Act of God's Grace in the Will is an Act of the Will But 2. it may be considered as it is efficiently also in the Will as being acted it acts it self So it is from the Will as its Principle and is a Vital Act thereof which gives it the Nature of Obedience Thus the Will in its own Nature is mobilis fit and meet to be wrought upon by the Grace of the Spirit to Faith and Obedience with respect unto the Creating Act of Grace working Faith in us it is mota moved and acted thereby And in respect of its own elicit Act as it so acted and moved it is movens the next efficient cause thereof Sect. 40 These things being premised for the clearing of the Nature of the Operation of the Spirit in the first Communication of Grace unto us and the Wills complyance therewithal we return unto our Arguments or Testimonies given unto the actual collation of Faith upon us by the Spirit and Grace of God which must needs be effectual and irresistible for the contrary implies a contradiction namely that God should work what is not wrought Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake To believe on Christ expresseth Saving-Faith it self This is given unto us And how is it given us Even by the Power of God working in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure Chap. 1. 13. Our Faith is our coming to Christ. And no Man saith he can come unto me except it be given him of my Father Joh. 6. 65. All Power in our selves for this end is utterly taken away no Man can come unto me How-ever we may suppose Men to be prepared or disposed what-ever Arguments may be proposed unto them and in what season soever to render things congruous and agreeable unto their Inclinations yet no Man of himself can believe can come to Christ unless Faith it self be given unto him that is be wrought in him by the Grace of the Father Col. 2. 11. So it is again asserted and that both negatively and positively Ephes. 2. 8. By Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Our own Ability be it what it will how-ever assisted and excited and God's Gift are contra-distinguished If it be our selves it is not the Gift of God if it be the Gift of God it is not of our selves And the manner how God bestows this Gift upon us is declared v. 10. For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Good Works or Gospel-Obedience are the things designed These must proceed from Faith or they are not acceptable with God Heb. 11. 6. And the way whereby this is wrought in us or a Principle of Obedience is by a Creating Act of God we are his Workmanship created in Jesus Christ. In like manner God is said to give us Repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. Acts 11. 18. This is the whole of what we plead God in our Conversion by the exceeding greatness of his Power as he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead actually worketh Faith and Repentance in us gives them unto us bestows them on us so that they are meer Effects of his Grace in us And his working in us infallibly produceth the Effect intended because it is actual Faith that he works and not only a Power to believe which we may either put forth and make use of or suffer to be fruitless according to the pleasure of our own Wills Sect. 41 Secondly As God giveth and worketh in us Faith and Repentance so the way whereby he doth it or the manner how he is said to effect them in us make it evident that he doth it by a Power infallibly efficacious and which the Will of Man doth never resist For this way is such as that he thereby takes away all Repugnancy all Resistance all Opposition every thing that lyeth in the way of the Effect intended Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thine Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and all thy Soul that thou mayest live A denyal of the Work here intended is expressed Chap. 29. 4. The Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to hear unto this day What it is to have the Heart circumcised the Apostle declares Col. 2. 11. It is the putting off of the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ that is our Conversion to God It is the giving an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to hear that is Spiritual Light and Obedience by the removal of all Obstacles and Hindrances This is the immediate Work of the Spirit of God himself No Man ever circumcised his own heart No Man can say he began to do it by the Power of his own Will and then God only helped him by his Grace As the Act of outward Circumcision on the body of a Child was the Act of another and not of the Child who was onely passive therein but the Effect was in the Body of the Child only so is it in this Spiritual Circumcision It is the Act of God whereof our Hearts are the Subject And whereas it is the Blindness Obstinacy and Stubbornness in Sin that is in us
like that which is in a dead Man unto the Acts of Life Natural if there be not an alike Power of God required unto our Deliverance from that Condition and the working in us a Principle of Spiritual Obedience as is required unto the raising of him that is dead they may as well say That the Scripture speaks not truly as that it speaks metaphorically And that it is Almighty Power the exceeding greatness of God's Power that is put forth and exercised herein we have proved from Ephes. 1. 18 19. Col. 2. 12 13. 2 Thess. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 3. And what do these Men intend by this quickning this raising us from the Dead by the Power of God A perswasion of our Minds by rational Motives taken from the Word and the Things contained in it But was there ever heard of such a monstrous Expression if there be nothing else in it What could the Holy Writers intend by calling such a Work as this by a quickning of them who were dead in Trespasses and Sins through the mighty Power of God unless it were by a noise of insignificant words to draw us off from a right understanding of what is intended And it is well if some are not of that Mind Sect. 50 2. The Work it self wrought is our Regeneration I have proved before that this consists in a new spiritual supernatural vital Principle or Habit of Grace infused into the Soul the Mind Will and Affections by the Power of the Holy Spirit disposing and enabling them in whom it is unto Spiritual Supernatural Vital Acts of Faith and Obedience Some Men seem to be inclined to deny all Habits of Grace And on such a Supposition a Man is no longer a Believer than he is in the Actual Exercise of Faith For there is nothing in him from whence he should be so denominated But this would plainly overthrow the Covenant of God and all the Grace of it Others expresly deny all gracious supernatural infused Habits though they may grant such as are or may be acquired by the frequent Acts of those Graces or Vertues whereof they are the Habits But the Scripture giveth us another Description of this Work of Regeneration for it consists in the Renovation of the Image of God in us Ephes. 4. 23 24. Be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and put on that new Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness That Adam in innocency had a supernatural Ability of living unto God habitually residing in him is generally acknowledged And although it were easie for us to prove that whereas he was made for a supernatural End namely to live to God and to come to the enjoyment of him it was utterly impossible that he should answer it or comply with it by the meer strength of his natural Faculties had they not been endued with a supernatural Ability which with respect unto that End was created with them and in them Yet we will not contend about Terms Let it be granted that he was created in the Image of God and that he had an Ability to fulfil all God's Commands and that in himself and no more shall be desired This was lost by the Fall When this is by any denyed it shall be proved In our Regeneration there is a Renovation of this Image of God in us Renewed in the Spirit of our Minds And it is renewed in us by a Creating Act of Almighty Power which after God or according to his likeness is created in Righteousness and true Holiness There is therefore in it an Implantation of a new Principle of Spiritual Life of a Life unto God in Repentance Faith and Obedience or Universal Holiness according to Gospel-Truth or the Truth which came by Jesus Christ John 1. 18. And the Effect of this Work is called Spirit Joh. 8. 5. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit It is the Spirit of God of whom we are born that is our new Life is wrought in us by his Efficiency And that which in us is so born of him is Spirit not the Natural Faculties of our Souls they are once Created once Born and no more but a new Principle of Spiritual Obedience whereby we live unto God And this is the product of the internal immediate Efficiency of Grace Sect. 51 This will the better appear if we consider the Faculties of the Soul distinctly and what is the especial Work of the Holy Spirit upon them in our Regeneration or Conversion to God 1. The leading conducting Faculty of the Soul is the Mind or Understanding Now this is corrupted and vitiated by the Fall and how it continues depraved in the State of Nature hath been declared before The sum is that it is not able to discern Spiritual Things in a Spiritual manner for it is possessed with Spiritual Blindness or Darkness and is filled with enmity against God and his Law esteeming the things of the Gospel to be foolishness because it is alienated from the Life of God through the ignorance that is in it We must therefore enquire what is the Work of the Holy Spirit on our Minds in turning of us to God whereby this Depravation is removed and this vitious State cured whereby we come to see and discern Spiritual Things in a Spiritual manner that we may savingly know God and his Mind as revealed in and by Jesus Christ. And this is several wayes declared in the Scripture Sect. 52 1. He is said to give us an Understanding 1 John 5. 20. The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is True which he doth by his Spirit Man by Sin is become like the Beasts that perish which have no Understanding Psal. 49. 12 20. Men have not lost their natural intellective Faculty or Reason absolutely It is continued unto them with the free though impaired use of it in things Natural and Civil And it hat an advance in Sin Men are wise to do evil But it is lost as to the especial use of it in the saving knowledg of God and his Will to do good they have no knowledg Jer. 4. 22. For naturally there is none that understandeth that seeketh after God Rom. 3. 17. It is corrupted not so much in the Root and Principle of its Acting as with respect unto their proper Object Term and End Wherefore although this giving of an Understanding be not the creating in us a-new of that Natural Faculty yet it is that gracious work in it without which that Faculty in us as depraved will no more enable us to know God savingly than if we had none at all The Grace therefore here asserted in the giving of an Understanding is the causing of our natural Understandings to understand savingly This David prayes for Psal. 119. 34. Give me Understanding and I shall keep thy Law The whole Work is expressed by the Apostle Ephes. 1. 16 17 18. That thâ— God of our Lord
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
Consequents of Conviction to be prescribed unto any as antecedaneously necessary to sincere Conversion and sound Believing but these two things in general are so 1. Such a Conviction of Sin that is of a state of Sin of a course of Sin of actual Sins against the Light of Natural Conscience as that the Soul is satisfied that it is thereby obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law and the Wrath of God Thus at least doth God conclude and shut up every one under Sin on whom he will have Mercy for every Mouth must be stopped and all become guilty before God Rom. 3. 19. Gal. 3. 22. without this no Man ever did nor will ever sincerely believe in Jesus Christ. For he calleth none unto him but those who in some measure are weary or thirsty or one way or other seek after Deliverance The whole he tells us that is those who so conceit themselves have no need of a Physician they will neither enquire after him nor care to go unto him when they are invited so to do see Isa. 32. 2. 2. A due apprehension and resolved Judgment that there is no way within the compass of a Man 's own contrivance to find out or his ability to make use of and to walk in nor any other way of God's appointment or approbation which will deliver the Soul in and from the State and Condition wherein it is and that which it fears but only that which is proposed in the Gospel by Jesus Christ. Sect. 35 7. Where these things are the Duty of a Person so convinced is to enquire after and to receive the Revelation of Jesus Christ and the Righteousness of God in him John 1. 13. And in order hereunto he ought 1. To own the Sentence of the Law under which he suffereth justifying God in his Righteousness and the Law in its Holiness what-ever be the issue of this Dispensation towards himself Rom. 3. 19 20. Chap. 7. 12 13. For God in this Work intends to break the stubbornness of Men's Hearts and to hide Pride from them Rom. 3. 4. 2. Not hastily to believe every thing that will propose it self unto him as a Remedy or Means of Relief Mich. 6. 6 7. The things which will present themselves in such a Case as means of Relief are of two sort 1. Such as the Fears and Superstitions of Men have suggested or will suggest That which hath raised all the false Religion which is in the World is nothing but a contrivance for the satisfaction of Men's Consciences under Convictions To pass by Gentilism This is the very Life and Soul of Popery What is the meaning of the Sacrifice of the Masâ— of Purgatory of Pardons Penances Indulgences Abstinences and the like things innumerable but only to satisfie Conscience by them perplexed with a sense of Sin Hence many among them after great and outragious wickednesses do betake themselves to their highest Monastical Severity The Life and Soul of Superstition consists in endeavours to quiet and charm the Consciences of Men convinced of Sin 2. That which is pressed with most vehemency and plausibility being suggested by the Law it self in a way of escape from the danger of its Sentence as the sense of what it speaks represented in a natural Conscience is legal Righteousness to be sought after in amendment of Life This proposeth it self unto the Soul as with great importunity so with great Advantages to further its Acceptance For 1. the matter of it is unquestionably necessary and without it in its proper place and with respect unto its proper End there is not sincere Conversion unto God 1. It is looked on as the sense of the Law or as that which will give satisfaction thereunto But there is a deceit in all these things as to the end proposed and if any amendment of Life be leaned on to that purpose it will prove a broken Reed and pierce the Hand of him that rests upon it For although the Law require at all times an abstinence from sin and so for the future which in a Sinner is amendment of Life yet it proposeth it not as that which will deliver any Soul from the guilt of Sin already contracted which is the State under Consideration And if it win upon the Mind to accept of its Terms unto that end or purpose it can do no more nor will do less than shut up the Person under its Curse Sect. 36 2. It is the Duty of Persons in such a condition to beware of entangling Temptation As 1. that they have not attained such a degrec of Sorrow for Sin and Humiliation as is necessary unto them that are called to believe in Jesus Christ. There was indeed more reason of giving caution against Temptations of this kind in former dayes when Preachers of the Gospel dealt more severely I wish I may not also say more sincerely with the Consciences of Convinced Sinners that it is the manner of most now to do But it is yet possible that herein may lie a mistake seeing no such Degrees of these things as some may be troubled about are prescribed for any such end either in the Law or Gospel 2. That those who perswade them to believe know not how great Sinners they are but yet they know that Christ called the greatest and it is an undervaluation of the Grace of Christ to suppose that the greatest Sins should disappoint the Effects of it in any that sincerely come unto him Sect. 37 The last thing whereby this Work of Conversion to God is compleated as to the outward means of it which is the ingenerating and acting of Faith in God by Jesus Christ remains alone to be considered wherein all possible brevity and plainness shall be consulted And I shall comprize what I have to offer on this Head in the ensuing Observations 1. This is the proper and peculiar Work of the Gospel and ever was so form the first giving of the Promise The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ John 1. 18. Rom. 1. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Jam. 1. 18. Ephes. 3. 8 9 10. 2. To this purpose it is necessary that the Gospel that is the Doctrine of it concerning Redemption Righteousness and Salvation by Jesus Christ be declared and made known to Convinced Sinners And this also is an effect of Sovereign Wisdom and Grace Rom. 10. 13 14 15. 3. The Declaration of the Gospel is accompanied with a Revelation of the Will of God with respect unto the Faith and Obedience of them unto whom it is declared This is the Work of God the Work which he requires at our hands that we believe in him whom he hath sent Joh. 6. And this Command of God unto Sinners to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for Life and Salvation the Gospel teacheth us to press from the manifold Aggravations which attend the Sin of not complying therewith For it is as therein declared 1. A Rejection of the Testimony of God
it will it cannot refuse to be comforted And hereby doth he shed abroad the Love of God in our Hearts Rom. 5. 5. whereby all Graces are cherished and encreased Thirdly He doth it by working immediately an Actual Encrease of these graces in us I have shewed that these are capable of improvement and of an Addition of Degrees unto them Now they are Originally the immediate Work and product of the Spirit of God in us as hath been abundantly evinced And as he first works and creates them so he encreaseth them Hereby they that are feeble become as David Zech. 12. 8. That is those whose Graces were weak whose Faith was infirm and whose Love was languid shall by the supplyes of the Spirit and the encrease given by him unto them become strong and vigorous To this purpose are Promises multiplyed in the Scripture which in our constant Supplications we principally respect This is that which the School-men after Austin call Gratiam corroborantem that is the working of the Holy Spirit in the encreasing and strengthening of Grace received See Ephes. 3. 16 17. Col. 1 10 11. Isa. 40. 29. And this is the principal Cause and Means of the gradual Encrease of Holiness in us or the carrying of the Work of Sanctification Psal. 138. 8. Sect. 5 2 There are Graces whose Exercise is more Occasional and not alwayes actually necessary as unto the Life of God That is it is not necessary that they be alwayes in actual Exercise as Faith and Love are to be With respect unto these Holiness is encreased by the Addition of one to another untill we are brought on several Occasions to the Practice and Exercise of them all For the Addition of the new Exercise of any Grace belongs unto the gradual carrying on of the Work of Sanctification And hereunto all things that befall us in this World all our Circumstances are laid in a subserviency by the Wisdom of God All our Relations all our Afflictions all our Temptations all our Mercies all our Enjoyments all Occurrences are suited to a continual adding of the Exercise of one Grace to another wherein Holiness is encreased And if we make not use of them to that purpose we miss of all the Benefit and Advantage we might have of them and disappoint what lyes in us the Design of Divine Love and Wisdom in them This is given us in Charge 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. Besides all this giving all diligence adde to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly-kindness and to Brotherly-kindness Charity The end why this Injunction is given us is that we may escape the Corruption that is in the World through Lust v. 3. that is have all our Corruptions throughly subdued and our Souls throughly sanctified To this end are the Promises given us and a Divine spiritual Nature is bestowed upon us But will that suffice or is there no more required of us unto that End Yes saith the Apostle this great Work will not be effected unless you use your utmost Diligence and Endeavour to adde the Exercise of all the Graces of the Spirit One to Another as Occasion shall require There is a Method in this Concatenation of Graces from first to last and an especial Reason for each particular or why the Apostle requires that such a Grace should be added unto such a one in the Order laid down which at present I shall not enquire into But in general he intends that every Grace is to be exercised according to its proper season and especial Occasion Hereby also is the Work of Sanctification gradually carryed on and Holiness encreased And this Addition of one Grace unto another with the Progress of Holiness thereby is also from the Holy Ghost And three wayes there are whereby he accomplisheth his Work herein 1 By Ordering things so towards us and bringing of us into such Conditions as wherein the Exercise of these Graces shall be required and necessary All the Afflictions of Tryals which he bringeth the Church into have no other End or Design So the Apostle James expresseth it Chap. 1. 2 3 4. My Brethren count it all Joy when ye fall into divers Temptations knowing this that the triall of your Faith worketh Patience But let Patience have its perfect Work that you may be perfect and entire wanting Nothing These Temptations are Trials upon Afflictions Troubles Persecutions and the like But take them in any other sense it is the same unto our purpose These are all guided unto us by Christ and his Spirit for it is he who rebukes and chastens us But what is his End therein It is that Faith may be exercised and Patience employed and one Grace added unto another that they may carry us on towards Perfection So he bringeth us into that Condition as wherein we shall assuredly miscarry if we adde not the Exercise of one Grace unto another 2 In this state of things he effectually minds us of our Duty and what Graces ought to be put upon their Exercise We may dispute whether it be better to Act Faith or to Despond to adde Patience under the Continuance of our Tryals or to trust unto our selves and irregularly to seek after Deliverance or divert unto other satisfactions Then doth he cause us to hear a Word behind us saying this is the way walk in it when we turn to the right hand and when we turn to the left Isa. 30. 21. When we are at a loss and know not what to doe and are ready it may be to consult with flesh and blood and to divert to irregular courses he speaks effectually to us saying No that is not your way but this is it namely to Act Faith Patience Submission to God adding one Grace to another binding our Hearts thereby to our Duty 3 He actually excites and sets all needfull Graces at work in the Way and Manner before spoken unto This then is to be fixed that all this Encrease of Holiness is immediately the Work of the Holy Ghost who therein gradually carryes on his Design of sanctifying us throughout in our whole Spirit Souls and Bodies There is in our Regeneration and Habitual Grace received a Nature bestowed on us capable of Growth and Encrease and that is all if it be left unto its self it will not thrive it will decay and dye The actual supplyes of the Spirit are the waterings that are the immediate Cause of its encrease It wholly depends on continual Influences from God He cherisheth and improves the work he hath begun with new and fresh supplyes of Grace every moment Isa. 27. 3. I the Lord water it every moment And it is the Spirit which is this Water as the Scripture every where declares God the Father takes on him the Care in this matter he watcheth over his Vineyard to keep it The Lord Christ is the Head Fountain and Treasure of all
known Instances The Consideration of the Terrour of the Lord the Use of the Threatnings both of the Law and Gospel declare this to be our Duty Neither let any say that this is servile fear that Denomination is taken from the frame of our Minds and not from the Object feared When men so fear as thereon to be discouraged and to encline unto a Relinquishment of God Duty and Hope that Fear is servile whatever be the Object of it And that Fear which keeps from Sin and excites the Soul to cleave more firmly to God be the Object of it what it will is no servile Fear but an holy Fear of due Reverence unto God and his Word But this is the most genuinely gracious fear of sin when we dread the defilement of it and that Contrariety which is in it to the Holiness of God This is a Natural Fruit of Faith and Love And this Consideration should alwayes greatly possess our Minds and the truth is if it do not so there is no assured Preservative against sin For together with an Apprehension of that spiritual Pollution wherewith sin is accompanyed Thoughts of the Holiness of God of the Care and Concernment of the sanctifying Spirit of the Blood of Christ will continually abide in our Minds which are all efficaciously preservative against Sin I think that there is no more forceable Argument unto Watchfulness against all sin unto Believers in the whole Book of God than that which is mannaged by our Apostle with especial respect unto one kind of sin but may in Proportion be extended unto all 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Chap. 6. 15 19. Moreover where this is not where the Soul hath no respect to the Defilement of sin but only considers how it may shift with the Guilt of it innumerable things will interpose partly arising from the abuse of Grace partly from Carnal Hopes and foolish Resolutions for after-times as will set it at Liberty from that watchfull Diligence in universal Obedience which is required of us The Truth is I do not believe that any one that is awed only with respect to the Guilt of sin and its Consequents doth keep up a firm Integrity with regard to inward and outward actings of his Heart and Life in all things But where the Fear of the Lord and of Sin is influenced by a deep Apprehension of the Holiness of the one and the Pollution that inseparably attends the other there is the Soul kept alwayes upon its best Guard and Defence 2 How we ought to walk humbly before the Lord all our Dayes Notwithstanding our utmost Watchfulness and Diligence against sin there is yet no man that liveth and sinneth not Those who pretend unto a Perfection here as they manifest themselves to be utterly ignorant of God and themselves and despise the Blood of Christ so for the most part they are left visibly and in the sight of men to confute their own Pride and Folly But to what purpose is it to hide our selves from our selves when we have to do with God God knows and our own Souls know that more or less we are defiled in all that we doe The best of our Works and Duties brought into the presence of the Holiness of God are but as filthy raggs And Man even every man of himself drinketh in Iniquity like water Our own Cloaths are ready to defile us every day Who can express the Motions of Lust that are in the Flesh the irregular actings of Affections in their inordinate risings up to their Objects the Folly of the Imaginations of our Hearts and Minds which as far as they are not Principled by Grace are only evil and that continually with the vanity of our Words yea with a mixture of much corrupt Communications all which are defiling and have Defilements attending of them I confess I know not that my Heart and Soul abhorrs any Eruption of the Diabolical pride of man like that whereby they reproach and scoff at the deepest Humiliations and self-Abasements which poor sinners can attain unto in their Prayers Confessions and Supplications Alas that our Nature should be capable of such a Contempt of the Holiness of God such an Ignorance of the infinite distance that is between him and us and be so senceless of our own Vileness and of the abominable Filth and Pollution that is in every Sin as not to tremble at the despising of the lowest Abasements of poor sinners before the Holy God Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the Just shall live by his Faith 3 How we ought continually to endeavour after the wasting of Sin in the Root and Principle of it There is a Root of sin in us which springs up and defiles us Every man is tempted that is chiefly and principally of his own Lust and seduced and then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin It is the Flesh that lusteth against the Spirit and which bringeth forth corrupted and corrupting polluted and polluting Fruits This Principle of Sin of Aversation from God of Inclination unto things Sensual and Present however wounded weakened dethroned impaired yet still abides in all Believers And it is the Foundation the Spring the Root the next Cause of all sin in us which tempts enticeth draws aside conceives and brings forth And this hath in us all more or less degrees of Strength Power and Activity according as it is more or less mortified by Grace and the Application of the Vertue of the Death of Christ unto our Souls And according to its strength and power so it abounds in bringing forth the defiled Acts of sin Whilest this retains any considerable Power in us it is to no purpose to set our selves meerly to watch against the Eruptions of Actual sins in the Frames of our Hearts in the Thoughts of our Minds or outward Actions If we would preserve our selves from multiplying our Defilements if we would continually be perfecting the Work of Holiness in the Fear of the Lord it is this we must set our selves against The Tree must be made good if we expect good Fruit and the evil Root must be digged up or evil Fruit will be brought forth That is our main Design should be to crucifie and destroy the Body of the sins of the flesh that is in us the Remainders of the Flesh or In-dwelling sin by the Wayes and Means which shall afterwards be declared 4 Hence also is manifest the Necessity we have of continual Applications to Jesus Christ for cleansing Vertue from his Spirit and the sprinkling of his Blood on our Consciences in the Efficacy of it to purge them from dead works We defile our selves every day and if we go not every day to the Fountain that is open for sin and for uncleanness we shall quickly be all over Leprous Our Consciences will be filled with dead Works so that we shall no way be able to serve the Living God unless they are daily purged out How
Explanation of it I shall only add three things 1 That this Habit or Principle thus wrought and abiding in us doth not if I may so say Firm its own Station or abide and continue in us by its own natural Efficacy in adhering unto the Faculties of our Souls Habits that are acquired by many Actions have a natural Efficacy to preserve themselves untill some Opposition that is too hard for them prevail against them which is frequently though not easily done But this is preserved in us by the constant powerfull Actings and Influence of the Holy Ghost He which works it in us doth also preserve it in us And the Reason hereof is because the Spring of it is in our Head Christ Jesus it being onely an Emanation of Vertue and Power from him unto us by the Holy Ghost if this be not actually and alwayes continued whatever is in us would dye and wither of its self See Ephes. 4. 16. Col. 3. 3. Joh. 4. 14. It is in us as the Fructifying Sap is in a Branch of the Vine or Olive It is there really and formally and is the next Cause of the Fruit-bearing of the Branch But it doth not live and abide by its self but by a continual Emanation and Communication from the Root Let that be intercepted and it quickly withers So is it with this Principle in us with respect unto its Root Christ Jesus 2 Though this Principle or Habit of Holiness be of the same kind or Nature in all Believers in all that are sanctified yet there are in them very distinct Degrees of it In some it is more strong lively vigorous and flourishing in others more weak feeble and unactive and this in so great variety and on so many Occasions as cannot here be spoken unto 3 That although this Habit and Principle is not acquired by any or many Acts of Duty or Obedience yet is it in a way of Duty preserved encreased strengthened and improved thereby God hath appointed that we should live in the Exercise of it and in and by the Multiplication of its Acts and Duties is it kept alive and stirred up without which it will be weakened and decay Sect. 11 This being what I intend as to the Substance of it we must in the next place shew That there is such a spiritual Habit or Principle of spiritual Life wrought in Believers wherein their Holiness doth consist Some few Testimonies of many shall suffice as to its present Confirmation The Work of it is expressed Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will Circumcise thy Heart to love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and all thy Soul that thou mayest live The End of Holiness is that we may live and the principal Work of Holiness is to love the Lord our God with all our Hearts and Souls And this is the Effect of Gods circumcising our Hearts without which it will not be Every Act of Love and Fear and consequently of every Duty of Holiness whatever is consequential unto Gods circumcising of our Hearts But it should seem that this Work of God is only a removal of Hinderances and doth not express the Collation of the Principle which we assert I answer that although it were easie to demonstrate that this Work of circumcising our Hearts cannot be effected without an implantation of the Principle pleaded for in them yet it shall suffice at present to evince from hence that this Effectual Work of God upon our Hearts is antecedently necessary unto all Acts of Holiness in us But herewithall God writes his Law in our Hearts Jerem. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts The Habit or Principle which we have described is nothing but a Transcript of the Law of God implanted and abiding on our Hearts whereby we comply with and answer unto the whole Will of God therein This is Holiness in the Habit and Principle of it This is more fully expressed Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new Heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgements and do them The whole of all that actual Obedience and all those Duties of Holiness which God requireth of us is contained in these Expressions ye shall walk in my Statutes and keep my Judgements to doe them Antecedent hereunto and as the Principle and Cause thereof God gives a new Heart and a new Spirit This new Heart is an Heart with the Law of God written in it as before mentioned and this new spirit is the habitual Inclination of that heart unto the Life of God or all Duties of Obedience And herein the whole of what we have asserted is confirmed namely that antecedently unto all Duties and Acts of Holiness whatever and as the next Cause of them there is by the Holy Ghost a new spiritual Principle or habit of Grace communicated unto us and abiding in us from whence we are made and denominated holy Sect. 12 It is yet more Expressly revealed and declared in the New Testament Joh. 3. 6. There is a Work of the Spirit of God upon us in our Regeneration we are born again of the Spirit And there is the Product of this Work of the Spirit of God in us that which is born in this new Birth and that is spirit also It is something existing in us that is of a spiritual Nature and spiritual Efficacy It is something abiding in us acting in a continual Opposition against the Flesh or Sin as Gal. 5. 17. and unto all Duties of Obedience unto God And untill this spirit is formed in us that is our whole Souls have a furnishment of spiritual Power and Ability we cannot perform any one Act that is spiritually good not any one Vital Act of Obedience This Spirit or spiritual Nature which is born of the Spirit by which alone we are enabled to live to God is that Habit of Grace or Principle of holiness which we intend And so also is it called a New Creature He that is in Christ is a new Creature 1 Cor. 5. 17. It is something that by an almighty creating Act of the Power of God by his Spirit that hath the Nature of a living Creature is produced in the Souls of all that are in Christ Jesus And as it is called the new Creature so it is also a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. and a Nature is the Principle of all Operations And this is what we plead for The Spirit of God createth a new Nature in us which is the Principle and next Cause of all Acts of the Life of God Where this is not whatever else there may be there is no Evangelical Holiness This is that whereby we are enabled to live unto God to fear him to walk in his Wayes and to yield Obedience according to his Mind and Will See Ephes. 4. 23 24. Col. 3. 10 11. this the Scripture plentifully
of all Holy Acts and Duties And frequency gives facility in every kind It puts the Soul upon reiterated Actings of Faith and Love or renewed holy Thoughts and Meditations It is a Spring that is continually bubling up in them on the frequent Repetition of the daily Dutyes of Prayer Reading holy Discourse as on closing with all Opportunities and Occasions of Mercy Benignity Charity and Bounty amongst men Hereby is the Heart so accustomed unto the Yoke of the Lord and made so conversant in his Wayes that it is natural and easie to it to bear them and to be engaged in them And it will be found by Experience that the more Intermissions of Dutyes of any sort we fall under the more difficulty we shall find in the performance of them 3 It engageth the Assistance of Christ and his Spirit It is the Divine Nature the New Creature which the Lord Christ careth for in and by its Actings in all Duties of Obedience doth its Life consist Therein also is it strengthened and improved For this cause doth the Lord Christ continually come in by the Supplyes of his Spirit unto its Assistance And when the strength of Christ is engaged then and there is his Yoke easie and his Burden light Sect. 38 Some perhaps will say that they find not this Facility or Easiness in the Course of Obedience and in the Dutyes of it They meet with secret Unwillingnesses in themselves and great Oppositions on other Accounts whence they are apt to be faint and weary yea are almost ready to give over It is hard to them to pray continually and not to faint to stand in their Watch night and day against the Inrodes of their spiritual Adversaries to keep themselves from the Insinuations of the World and up unto those Sacrifices of Charity and Bounty that are so well-pleasing to God Many Weights and Burdens are upon them in their Course many Difficulties press them and they are ready to be beset round about every moment Wherefore they think that the Principle of Grace and Holiness doth not give the Facility and Easiness mentioned or that they were never made Partakers of it I answer 1 Let these Persons examine themselves and duely consider whence these Obstructions and Difficulties they complain of do arise If they are from the inward Inclinations of their Souls and unwillingness to bear the Yoke of Christ only they are kept up unto it by their Convictions which they cannot cast off then is their Condition to be bewailed But if themselves are sensible and convinced that they arise from Principles which as far as they are within them they hate and abhorre and long to be freed from and as they are from without are such as they look on as Enemies unto them and do watch against them then what they complain of is no more but what in one Degree or other all that Believe have Experience of And if their Impediments do arise from what they know themselves to be opposite unto them and that Principle whereby they are acted then notwithstanding this Objection it may be in the Nature of the Principle of Holiness to give Facility in all the Duties of it Sect. 39 2 Let Enquiry be made Whether they have been constant and assiduous in the Performance of all those Duties which they now complain that they find so much difficulty in The Principle of Grace and Holiness gives Facility in all Dutyes of Obedience but in the proper Way and Order It first gives Constancy and Assiduity and then Easiness If men comply not with its Guidance and Inclination in the former it is in vain for them to expect the latter If we are not constant in all Acts of Obedience none of them will ever be easie unto us Let not those who can omit proper and due Seasons of Meditation Prayer Hearing Charity Moderation in all things Patience Meekness and the like at their pleasure on the least Occasions Excuses or Diversions ever think or hope to have the Wayes of Obedience smooth its Paths pleasant or its Duties easie Let him never think to attain any Readiness Delight or Facility in any Art or Science who is alwayes beginning at it touching upon it sometimes As this is the way in all sorts of things Natural and Spiritual to be alwayes learning and never to come to the Knowledge of the Truth so in the Practice of Holy Obedience if men are as it were alwayes beginning one while performing another intermitting the Duties of it fearing or being unwilling to engage into a constant equal assiduous Discharge of them they will be alwayes striving but never come unto any Readiness or Facility in them 3 The Difficulty and Burdensomeness complained of may proceed from the Interposition of perplexing Temptations which weary disquiet and distract the Mind This may be and frequently is so and yet our Assertion not impeached We only say that set aside extraordinary Occasions and sinfull Neglects this Principle of Grace and Holiness doth give that suitableness to the Mind unto all Duties of Obedience that constancy in them that love unto them as make them both easie and pleasant Sect. 40 By these things we may enquire after the Habit or Principle of Holiness in our own Minds that we be not deceived by any thing that falsely pretendeth thereunto As 1 Let us take heed that we deceive not our selves as though it would suffice unto Gospel-Holiness that we have occasionally good Purposes of leaving Sin and living unto God then when something urgeth upon us more than ordinary with the Effects which such Purposes will produce Afflictions Sicknesses Troubles sense of great Guilt fear of Death and the like do usually produce this Frame And although it is most remote from any pretence unto Evangelical Obedience yet I could not but give a Caution against it because it is that whereby the Generality of men in the World do delude themselves into Eternal Ruine It is rare to find any that are so stubbornly Profligate but at one time or another they project and design yea promise and engage unto a Change of their Course and Amendment of their Lives doing sundry things it may be in the pursuit of those Designs and Purposes For they will thereon abstain from their old Sins with whose haunt they are much perplexed and betake themselves unto the Performance of those Duties from whence they expect most Relief unto their Consciences and whose Neglect doth most reflect upon them Especially will they do so when the hand of God is upon them in Afflictions and Dangers Psal. 78. 34 35 36 37. And this produceth in them that kind of Goodness which God sayes is like the Morning Cloud or the Early Dew things that make a fair Appearance of something but immediately vanish away Hos. 6. 4. Certainly there need not much pains to convince any man how unspeakably this comes short of that Evangelical Holiness which is a Fruit of the Sanctification of the Spirit It
us much to blame that we do not more abound in the use of this Means unto the End mentioned Did we abide more constantly in the beholding or Contemplation of the Person of Christ of the Glory and Beauty of his Holiness as the Pattern and great Example proposed unto us we should be more transformed into his Image and Likeness But it is so fallen out that many who are called Christians delight to be talking of and do much admire the vertuous Sayings and Actions of the Heathen and are ready to make them the Object of their Imitation whilest they have no thoughts of the Grace that was in our Lord Jesus Christ nor do endeavour after Conformity thereunto And the Reason is because the Vertue which they seek after and desire is of the same Kind with that which was in the Heathen and not of that Grace and Holiness which was in Christ Jesus And thence also it is that some who not out of Love unto it but to decry other important Mysteries of the Gospel thereby do place all Christianity in the Imitation of Christ do yet indeed in their practice despise those Qualities and Dutyes wherein he principally manifested the Glory of his Grace His Meekness Patience Self-denyal Quietness in bearing Reproaches Contempt of the World Zeal for the Glory of God Compassion to the Souls of men Condescentions to the Weaknesses of all they regard not But there is no greater Evidence that whatever we seem to have of any thing that is good in us is no part of Evangelical Holiness than that it doth not render us conformable to Christ. Sect. 60 And we should alwayes consider how we ought to act Faith on Christ with respect unto this End Let none be guilty practically of what some are falsely charged withall as to Doctrine Let none divide in the Work of Faith and Exercise themselves but in the one half of it To Believe in Christ for Redemption for Justification for Sanctification is but one half of the Duty of Faith It respects Christ only as he died and suffered for us as he made Attonement for our sins Peace with God and Reconciliation for us as his Righteousness is imputed unto us unto Justification Unto these Ends indeed is he firstly and principally proposed unto us in the Gospel and with respect unto them are we exhorted to receive him and to believe in him But this is not all that is required of us Christ in the Gospel is proposed unto us as our Pattern and Example of Holiness And as it is a cursed Imagination that this was the whole End of his Life and Death namely to exemplifie and confirm the Doctrine of Holiness which he taught so to neglect his so being our Example in considering him by Faith to that End and labouring after Conformity to him is evil and pernitious Wherefore let us be much in the Contemplation of what he was what he did how in all Instances of Duties and Trials he carried himself untill an Image or Idea of his perfect Holiness is implanted in our Minds and we are made like unto him thereby Sect. 61 4 ly That which principally differenceth Evangelical Holiness with respect unto the Lord Christ from all other Natural or Moral Habits or Duties and whereby he is made Sanctification unto us is that from him his Person as our Head the Principle of spiritual Life and Holiness in Believers is derived and by vertue of their Vnion with him real Supplyes of spiritual Strength and Grace whereby their Holiness is preserved maintained and encreased are constantly communicated unto them On the stating and proof hereof the whole difference about Grace and Morality doth depend and will issue For if that which men call Morality be so derived from the Lord Christ by vertue of our Union with him it is Evangelical Grace if it be not it is either nothing or somewhat of another Nature and Kind for Grace it is not nor Holiness neither And all that I have to prove herein is that the Lord Jesus Christ is an Head of Influence the Spring or Fountain of spiritual Life unto his Church wherein I know my self to have the Consent of the Church of God in all Ages And I shall confine the proof of my Assertion unto the ensuing Positions with their Confirmation Sect. 62 First Whatever Grace God promiseth unto any bestoweth on them or worketh in them it is all so bestowed and wrought in by and through Jesus Christ as the Mediatour or middle Person between God and them This the very Notion and Nature of his Office of Mediator and his Interposition therein between God and us doth require To affirm that any good thing any Grace any Vertue is given unto or bestowed on us or wrought in us by God and not immediately through Christ or that we Believe in God yield Obedience unto him or Praise with Glory not directly by Christ is utterly to overthrow his Mediation Moses indeed is called a Mediator between God and the People Gal. 3. 19. as he was an Internuntius a Messenger to declare the Mind of God to them and to return their Answers unto God but to limit the Mediatory Work of Christ unto such an Interposition only is to leave him but one Office that of a Prophet and to destroy the principal Uses and Effects of his Mediation towards the Church In like manner because Moses is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour or Redeemer Acts 7. 35. metaphorically with respect unto his Use and Employment in that mighty Work of the Deliverance of the People out of Aegypt some will not allow that the Lord Christ is a Redeemer in any other sence subverting the whole Gospel with the Faith and Souls of men But in particular what there is of this nature in the Mediation of Christ in his being the middle Person between God and us may be declared in the ensuing Assertions Sect. 63 1 God himself is the absolute infinite Fountain the supream efficient Cause of all Grace and Holiness For He alone is originally and essentially Holy as he only is Good and so the first Cause of Holiness and Goodness to others Hence he is called the God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. The Author Possessour and Bestower of it He hath Life in himself and quickeneth whom he pleaseth Joh. 5. 26. With him is the Fountain of Life Psal. 36. 9. as hath been declared before This I suppose needs no further Confirmation with them who really acknowledge any such thing as Grace and Holiness These things if any are among those perfect Gifts which are from above coming down from the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning Jam. 1. 17. Sect. 64 2 God from his own fullness communicates unto his Creatures either by the way of Nature or by the way of Grace In our first Creation God implanted his Image on us in Uprightness and Holiness in and by the making or Creation
intended is the Relation of this Work and Duty to the Death of Christ whence we and our sins are said to be crucified with him because we and they are so by vertue of his Death And herein do we alwayes bear about in the Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dying of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 10. representing the Manner of it and expressing its Efficacy Sect. 5 Secondly Thus is this Duty expressed whose Nature in the next place we shall more particularly enquire into and declare in the ensuing Observations 1. Mortification of Sin is a Duty alwayes incumbent on us in the whole Course of our Obedience This the Command testifieth which represents it as an alwayes present Duty When it is no longer a Duty to grow in Grace it is so not to mortifie Sin No man under Heaven can at any Time say that he is exempted from this Command nor on any Pretence And he who ceaseth from this Duty le ts go all Endeavours after Holiness And as for those who pretend unto an absolute Perfection they are of all Persons living the most impudent nor do ever in this Matter open their mouths but they give themselves the Lye For 2. This Duty being alwayes incumbent on us argues undenyably the abiding in us of a Principle of Sin whilest we are in the Flesh which with its Fruits is that which is to be mortified This the Scripture calleth the sin that dwelleth in us the evil that is present with us the Law of the Members evil Concupiscence Lust the Flesh and the like And thereunto are the Properties and Actings of folly deceit tempting seducing rebelling warring captivating ascribed This is not a place to dispute the Truth of this Assertion which cannot with any Reputation of Modesty be denyed by any who own the Scripture or pretend to an Acquaintance with themselves But yet through the Craft of Sathan with the Pride and Darkness of the Minds of men it is so fallen out that the want of a true understanding hereof is the Occasion of most of those pernitious Errors wherewith the Church of God is at present pestered and which practically keeps men off from being seriously troubled for their sins or seeking out for Relief by Jesus Christ. Thus one hath not feared of late openly to profess that he knowes of no deceit or evil in his own Heart though a wiser than he hath informed us that he who trusteth his own Heart is a Fool Proverb 28. 26. Sect. 6 3. In-dwelling sin which is the Object of this Duty of Mortification falls under a three-fold Consideration 1. Of its Root and Principle 2. Of its Disposition and Operations 3. Of its Effects These in the Scripture are frequently distinguished though mostly under Metaphorical Expressions So are they mentioned together distinctly Rom. 6. 6. Our old Man is crucified with Christ that the Body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin 1 The Root or Principle of sin which by Nature possesseth all the Faculties of the Soul and as a depraved Habit enclines unto all that is evil is the Old man so called in Opposition unto the New man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness 2 There is the Inclination actual Disposition and Operations of this Principle or Habit which is called the Body of sin with the Members of it For under those Expressions sin is proposed as in procinctu in a Readiness to Act its self and enclining unto all that is evil And this also is expressed by the Affections and Lusts of the Flesh Gal. 4. 25. Deceitfull Lusts Ephes. 4. 24. The Old man is Corrupt according unto the deceitfull Lusts the Wills of the Flesh and the Mind 3 There are the Effects Fruits and Products of these things which are Actual sins whereby as the Apostle speaks we serve sin as bringing forth the Fruits of it that we should not henceforth serve sin And these Fruits are of two sorts 1. Internal in the Figments and Imaginations of the Heart which is the first way whereby the Lusts of the Old man do act themselves And therefore of those that are under the Power or Dominion of sin it is said that every Figment or Imagination of their Hearts are evil continually Gen. 6. 5. For they have no other Principle whereby they are acted but that of Sin and therefore all the Figments of their Hearts must be necessarily evil And with respect hereunto our Saviour affirms that all Actual sins proceed out of the Heart Math. 15. 19. because there is their Root and there are they first formed and framed 2. External in Actual sins such as those enumerated by our Apostle Col. 3. 5. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. All these things together make up the compleat Object of this Duty of Mortification The old man the body of Death with its Members and the Works of the flesh or the Habit Operations an Effects of Sin are all of them intended and to be respected herein Sect. 7 4. This Principle its Operations and Effects are opposed and directly contrary unto the Principle Operations and Fruits of Holiness as wought in us by the Spirit of God which we have before described 1 They are opposed in their Principle For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other Gal. 5. 17. These are those two adverse Principles which maintain such a Conflict in the Souls of Believers whilst they are in this world and which is so Graphically described by our Apostle Rom. 7. so the Old and New man are opposed and contrary 2 In their Actings The Lusting of the Flesh and the Lusting or desires of the Spirit Walking after the Flesh and Walking after the Spirit living after the Flesh and living in the Spirit are opposed also This is the Opposition that is between the Body of Sin with its Members and the Life of Grace Who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1 4 5. We are Debters not to the flesh to live after the flesh for if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye by the Spirit doe mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh ye shall live ver 11 12 13. By this walking after the Flesh I understand not at least not principally the committing of Actual Sins but a Compliance with the Principle or Habit of sin prevailing in Depraved unsanctified Nature allowing it a predominancy in the Hearts and Affections It is when men are disposed to Act according to the Inclinations Lustings Motions Wills and Desires of it Or it is to bend that way Habitually in our Course and Conversation which the Flesh inclines and leads unto This Principle doth not indeed Equally bring forth Actual sins in all but hath various Degrees of its Efficacy as it is advantaged by Temptations controlled by Light or hampered by Convictions Hence all that are under the Power of Sin